Chapter Text
She knew this dream.
She’d had this same dream, time and time again over the years. It was always the same.
She was young in the dream, perhaps eight years of age. It started as it always did, as it always had, with her running.
She ran down the familiar wooded path, the cool air whipping through her tousled, mossy hair. She let her mouth widen into a grin, sharp teeth glinting in the dappled and broken rays of sunshine that made their way through the trees. Her feet pounded quickly and easily across the dirt and stones, worn and padded from constant use. She bobbed and weaved around familiar branches and bushes, a familiar routine for the young girl rushing through the wilderness.
She pulled a deep breath through her nose, the warm scents of damp wood and the slight sickly sweetness of the fallen leaves slowly turning to mulch across the forest’s floor. The distant burbling of a stream filtered its way through the foliage, broken by the rusting of branches in the wind and birdsong that delicately fell from above.
She paused for a moment, hand pushed against the thick trunk of a tree to steady herself as she gulped in the fresh air of the woods, not quite winded, but enjoying the feeling of rushing and running unrestrained and unbound.
And the sounds of nature were split by a voice.
“Set! Wait for me! Come on Set, wait up!” The voice never matched the rest of the dream. The voice came through like it was spoken through wet wool. It was a strange nebulous kind of sound. It could have belonged to a boy or a girl, or some manner of being that didn’t live in this world. It slipped and shifted, the words seemingly only understood because they must be.
Her grin widened at the sound of the voice. She eagerly looked back at the path she’d come down, awaiting her companion’s arrival. It wasn’t but a few moments before they came cresting over the small hill and into her vision.
She could never see them. The dream never focused on this figure, always seeming to slide them just out of perception. Their form was hazy and crooked, harsh angles and soft curves that seemed to superimpose and coexist in space in a way that defied logic. They were as tall as they were short, as wide as they were thin, and seemed to both be right in front of her and nowhere at all.
“Well hurry up ya slowpoke! I wanna get there before it gets too late! Mom’s gonna be mad if we’re late again!” Her excitement was infectious, and she could sense the same radiating joy and exuberance from her companion.
They set off down the path once more, keeping pace with each other, laughing and giggling as they went. They threw clumps of leaves at the others, slipped under branches and around trees, tried to eke out the slightest extra bit of speed by cutting a corner slightly closer or making a jump just a little bit longer.
The pair finally burst into a clearing, the canopy opening above, letting the sun beam down unfiltered to illuminate the small area. The thick grass was spotted by various colorful blooms, a stream running alongside its edge. It was dotted by crude posts and makeshift obstacles assembled with fallen logs and broken branches. Tied together by weathered rope and old wire string, a pair of weathered lawn chairs resting comfortably in the shade along its edge.
“I’m gonna be the first through the course today!” She shouted as she darted across the space, the bright sun making her squint her eyes more than her grin alone.
“Nuh uh! I’m gonna beat you today!” The other figure called, hot on her heels as they raced to be the first to clamber up the large make-shift plank that marked the start of their crudely constructed obstacle course.
“In your dreams υ̶̵̴̴̶ͫ̀͜͟͜͜͟͞͝ζ̷̸̸̢̡̜͇̅̀͘͜Ι̵̵̴̷̴̘̦̖ͥͤ́͢͞͝! I’m totally gonna win today!” Their laughter rang out through the clearing as they scrabbled and pushed each other as they made their way across the amateur obstacle course. She let her hands detach at several points, sending them floating through the air to block her companion’s vision or try and trip up their feet.
“Hey! That’s not fair, Set!” The mysterious voice shouted.
“It totally is! You never said no Quirks today Ι̶̵̸̡̢̢̪̰̦̌ͤͦ̀͘͠ζ̷̵̢̟̥͊̌͘͜͢͠υ̵̡̡̮̃̏̀͘͢͜͟͜͟κ̸̶̷̵̴̷̸̸̶ͬ̊̀͘͞υ̴̵̵̴̶̶̡̹͙ͦ͋̀̀͠͠͝!! Just cause you haven’t figured yours out doesn’t mean I can’t use mine!” She cackled mirthfully as she beat them out to crossing the finish line by mere moments.
“That one doesn’t count! I still say using your Quirk was cheating!” She scoffed slightly with a grin, tossing her hair over one shoulder.
“As if! You just don’t want to admit how awesome I am! I won fair and square! So nyah!” She punctuated her statement with sticking her tongue out at them. They crossed their arms in a huff as they stalked over towards one of the wooden posts, starting a series of kicks into its side.
She reveled in her brief victory for a moment, enjoying the feeling before her gaze drifted over to the figure kicking the post. They were rougher and harder than usual. There was an unusual intensity and ferocity behind their movements that didn’t fit them. Her grin twisted into a slight frown as she tepidly made her way towards them.
“Hey, ζ̴̴̸̶̷̸̡̐͟͠͝͞ͅυ̶̵̵̷͇̿̏̐ͪ̀͢͟͠͠͝. We’re gonna figure it out, okay? You and me. Together.” The figure grunted with frustration as they delivered an especially hard kick to the post, panting with the exertion.
They turned to face her, and she could feel the frustration and anger rolling off of them in waves. They stood like that for a long few moments.
“You promise, Set? Like, you really promise?” Even through the heavy wool that wrapped around the words, she could feel the desperation and the fear that clung to the words like a heavy thing had slithered inside and made its home inside of them.
“Of course I do. Cross my heart, hope to die, stick a needle in your eye.” Her hand had popped off her wrist and tried to poke them in the eye at the end of the statement while they swatted it away.
“That’s not what it means Set!” She simply laughed as her friend’s gloomy mood finally seemed to lighten somewhat as they settled back into an old and familiar routine.
And that was where her dream would always end. She could never hear the figure’s name. Despite being the one to speak it, it was like television static doused in honey. It blurred and curled around itself, slipping between understanding and existing. She didn’t know what it meant, but the dream had always gone the same, from beginning to end.
Until now.
The pair were lounging on the dilapidated lawn chairs, chests heaving from exertion as they looked upwards at the slowly slanting rays of golden sun as the star slowly made its slow march towards the horizon. Their clothes were damp with sweat, their muscles aching from exertion as they rested. Their faces and hair dripped with cool water from the stream where they’d rinsed off the worst of the grime from their training.
“Hey, Set?” The unseeable figure ventured unsteadily.
“Yeah? Wazzup?” She replied tiredly, mustering up the energy to answer. She turned slightly to see the other figure pushing themselves up to sitting, their question seeming to weigh heavily on them.
“Were you… were you serious earlier?” The voice felt more timid than before. More unsure. She furrowed her brow and set her mouth in a firm line.
“About what?”
“About… figuring it out. My Quirk, I mean.” They were nervous and scared. It made her chest burn with anger and frustration, but none of it directed towards them.
“Of course I was. You’re not Quirkless υ̴̶̷̵̷̵̵̸̢̘̣͒̌́ͅκ̶̷̶̸̵̶̈̍͢͢ὑ̵̶̶̷̸̸̡̡͔̼͘͟͜͟͝͝ζ̴̵̡̡̯̮̘̮̀̀̀͝Ι̶̷̢̡̡̢̡̗̟̊ͣ̃ͬ̀͢͝͠. Screw what those idiots at school say. It’s probably just so super cool that you haven’t figured it out yet! And when you do, it’s gonna help you be a super cool hero!”
The silence stretches between them for a long moment.
“You really think so?” The question is quiet and glassy, like it would shatter if you looked at it wrong.
“No.” The figure flinches back. “I know so. Maybe not as cool as mine, but it’ll be super awesome! And we’ll be the greatest heroes ever!” Her confidence was radiant and assured, and she could feel the grin spreading across her friend’s face.
“Better than All Might?” They asked her. She scoffed dramatically.
“Way better!” They laughed. “Cause there’s two of us! And we’re always gonna be together! From now until the end! We’ll be the greatest hero duo ever!”
“You promise, Set? I-I know I keep asking that, but- but I have to be sure. You promise?”
She pushed herself up and swung her legs over the side of the chair to make sure she had their attention and was focused on them entirely.
“I promise. Tokage and α̵̷̸̶̡̫̞̟̃͘͜͝͠ψ̸̴̢̳̑ͨ̀́͜͜͞͞͞ι̴̸̙̮ͬͩ̀͢͟͜͢͠ρ̴̢̪̊̈̀̀͟͟͠͝͠ο̵̷̷̷̶̾͛̀͘͝δ̶̸̴̵̡̖̰͑̀̀͟͝͝͞ι̵̴̵̶̢̢͚̫̩͗ͮ́͟͟͠ͅΜ̴̴̴̴̶͙̼̼ͬ͟͝͝͝͠. υ̶̸̴̡̡̢̹̿͠͠͞κ̴̢̩ͯ̈́̀́͟͠͞͞͞͞͞ύ̵̶̵̡̢̞͈̎́͘͘͜͟͜͝͝ζ̶̴̴̸̭̒̀̀͘͜͜͟͠͠͞Ι̵̸̵̡̢̡̢̫̫̍̀͢͜ and Setsuna. The best friends, and the best heroes.”
The figure pulled her into a tight hug, and she could feel their tears dripping onto her shoulder as she returned the gesture.
They were going to be the greatest, and they were going to do it together.
That was the moment Tokage Setsuna found herself bolting upright in bed, her breaths coming in heavy gasps as the sound of her alarm blared throughout her room. Her hand groped blindly in the darkness of the room before finding her clock and clumsily smacking the top of it to silence the annoying sound.
She reached a hand up to rub away the bleariness that clung to her eyes after the strange dream. A familiar dream that had gone somewhere she’d never seen, but felt so familiar. She paused as she ran the back of her hand across her eyes.
…When had she started crying?
Setsuna combed a brush through the tangled mess of her hair, toothbrush held loosely between her sharper than average teeth. She worked out the knots in her thick mass of hair before tying it back out of her face for the day. She finished brushing her teeth, before moving on to washing her face, scrubbing the remains of the tear tracks from her cheeks as she tried to work out the feeling of weariness that clung to her eyes.
She never felt well rested when she awoke after that dream.
She made her way out towards the kitchen after getting dressed in a simple dark blue track suit that would be suitable for the day’s events. She found a note sitting on the counter next to the counter, detailing the breakfast that had been left in the fridge for her, and a simple expectation written for her.
‘You will do well on the Recommendation Exam today. Don’t disappoint the family.’
She huffed as she threw the note back onto the counter, pulling the bowls of rice, miso soup, and fish left in the fridge. Her parents weren’t the most comforting of people, and the note was what amounted to wishing her luck in their family. Neither her mother or father were even present to see her off on the morning of one of the biggest tests of her life so far.
She hadn’t expected anything else.
She warmed up the breakfast set aside for her as she pulled out her phone and idly scrolled through one of her social media sites. She cleared the notifications for the app, briefly glancing through them first to see if any of them were relevant. It was another list of promotions and various ads from pages, no messages directly for her. Just as it had been every other day since Setsuna had graduated high school.
She flipped over to her text messages, noting the various conversations that had laid untouched for the multiple weeks since graduation. Various chats organizing study groups and last minute well wishes before their exams.
All silent since the day they’d last walked the halls of their high school.
Setsuna slumped over the counter, letting her thumb roll across the screen as she ate, taking no real interest in the images and stories she scrolled past. She hadn’t had any real friends for the past several years. Acquaintances and those who would speak with her while they were at school, yes, but outside of those halls of learning, Setsuna’s time had been consumed with training and preparation.
Even her classmates who had shared her goal of getting into a Heroics course hadn’t kept up with her. Some had tried, but they had all drifted away at some point, unable to keep up with the drive and determination the green haired woman had for her goal. She’d spent most of her life, since her Quirk had first manifested really, planning and preparing to become a Hero.
She was going to be the best. She’d held that thought for years, and she’d fought tooth and nail to make it a reality. They were going to be the best, even if she couldn’t place why it was they. She couldn’t place the strange figure from her dream, but for some reason they lingered at the edge of her thoughts, especially when it came to becoming a Pro Hero.
It was this drive that had earned her a spot at the Recommendation Exam for UA University. Her parents had presented her with the letter declaring she’d been recommended for a position for her birthday a few short months ago. Her family’s influential connections had certainly played a part, but it was Setsuna’s exceptional academic record and mentorship at one of the area's prestigious Hero Gyms that had sealed the deal.
She sighed as she closed the app she was barely paying attention to, moving the now empty dishes to the sink. She glanced at the time, and slipped on her shoes sitting patiently next to the door, grabbing the case with her earbuds sitting on the small table nearby. She’d likely be somewhat early for the exam, but she wasn’t going to risk being late.
“I’m heading out for the exam! I’ll let you know how it goes when I get home!” Setsuna called out as she started to head out the door. She let the words linger in the air for a moment before she shut the door behind her, the lock sliding into place with a firm click.
Her only reply was the stoic silence that had hung over the Tokage household for nearly a decade.
Setsuna spent the train ride to UA’s Recommendation Exam idly watching the sights of the landscape blur past, an upbeat and heavy rock song thumping through her earbuds. Her face was trained in an impassive gaze, her thoughts dancing through the material she expected would be part of the exam.
She’d spent years preparing for this day, and she wasn’t going to let anything keep her from their her dream.
After she’d departed the train in Musutafu, it had been a short warm-up jog to the UA Campus for the exam. She’d seen pictures and videos of the sprawling campus before, but it was something else to be standing there in person.
The massive white marble archway that marked the entrance to this portion of the university, the large and heavy “UA” resting at its peak like a beacon of aspirations. The thick and ornate wrought iron fence that extended alongside each side, grand fields of carefully manicured and maintained grass beyond, carefully planned and partitioned sections of gardens and shrubbery.
As she made her way beyond the arch and onto the campus proper, she couldn’t help the grin that wormed its way across her face as she came upon the towering monoliths of concrete, glass, and metal, carefully accentuated with woods and other materials. Whoever had been the architect behind the University’s campus had spared no effort in crafting what amounted to a city unto itself. The sharp corners and careful curves of the numerous buildings struck an impressive image of nobility and strength, but a sense of warmth and familiarity seemed to permeate the pathways.
Setsuna glanced at her phone, double checking the instructions on where to report for the examination, as she found herself standing in front of one of the impressive structures, a simple yet elegant sign bearing the words “Gym Tau.” The muffled sounds of voices could be heard from beyond the heavy doors as she steadied herself. She set her shoulders, returned her earbuds to their familiar case, and pushed the doors inward.
She plastered a wide smirk across her face, strutting into the room and striking a pose as she took notice of several other examinees already waiting in the gym.
“I hope you’re all prepared, because the best applicant has just arrived!” She declared, as her calculating gaze ran across the other prospective students. Her pose was purposefully provocative, her grin smug and practiced, but the glint didn’t reach her eyes. She eyed them for their reactions, or their lack thereof. Both were valuable information. Sexuality could be wielded as a weapon, a lesson Setsuna knew all too well. She carried it as a sword and a shield, a cold familiarity with wielding it that had been learned but not taught.
She mentally noted several of their reactions including the statuesque brunette who looked both shocked and embarrassed by the display, a dichromatic man who barely glanced, and a towering figure who shouted in enthusiasm, encouraging the display of heroism and personal expression, as well as numerous others who openly gawked or froze up at the sight. She mentally dismissed the vast majority of the latter category. There was little chance any of them would be passing the examination if that was all it took to throw their focus off entirely.
It wasn’t long before the gym was filled with a fair number of students, all recommended in some fashion or another by a Pro Hero or a prominent UA Alumnus, all eager to try and prove they deserved one of the coveted Recommendation Positions within UA’s Hero Course.
The title came with a certain level of honor and prestige among the students, as it was tradition for the University to accept a grand total of four students for the positions. It was often thought that obtaining such a spot meant that you would be destined for greater success, easier tracks to prominent internships and work studies. Brighter opportunities when the four year Hero track concluded and they officially made their debut as Pro Heroes.
Setsuna saw it for what it really was.
Politics, networking, and bragging rights. There were some applicants who were recommended because someone saw genuine potential in them, and this exam was better suited to their skills than the General Practical Exam that was open to all applicants. But many others came from influential families, those with wealth and connections, and the titles would be bandied about at high-society dinners and events, treated like poker chips in a game of social betting.
The whole idea left a sour taste in the back of her throat. She wanted to be a hero to be the best she could possibly be, to help others. She had little care for the dog-and-pony show aspect of Heroism, even if it was an inevitability. But she would be foolish to turn down the opportunity to take the exam and earn one of those four spots.
Even if she didn’t like the game of politics and showboating, it didn’t mean she could escape it entirely.
The atmosphere of the waiting area shifted as Ectoplasm, one of the numerous Pros who taught at UA, appeared in one of the doorways leading deeper in the expansive gym. He and several of his clones spread throughout the throng of hero prospects, assigning seat numbers and dictating instructions. Minutes later, they were led into an auditorium that comfortably housed a desk for each student, with a generous amount of space between each one.
The student-hopefuls all quickly set to locating their assigned seat, a thick, sealed packet of papers sitting atop each desk, a line of pencils neatly arranged to the side of each one. As they all assumed their seats, the air thick with an electric tension of anticipation, the Ectoplasm clones roamed between the desks, seemingly at random, before they all began to speak in tandem.
“You will have a total of three hours to complete the written assessment. You will be under the supervision of myself, as well as several other members of the UA Faculty for this assessment. Any attempt to cheat results in an automatic failure. Any attempt to utilize technology is an automatic failure. Any attempt to interfere with other examinees is an automatic failure. If you require anything during the testing period, such as hydration or bodily functions, please raise your right hand and keep it raised until one of me is available to escort you. Are there any questions before we begin?”
No one even dared to breathe in the small moment they were given.
“Very well. Your assessment begins now.” On the final word, a three hour countdown appeared on the wall of the gym, projected from somewhere, and slowly began to tick downwards. The room filled with the sound of pages flipping and pencils scratching across paper as the assessment began.
Setsuna moved through the test methodically. She hadn’t graduated top of her class for nothing, so much of the material came and went quickly, with little concern as to whether or not she was correct. The deeper into the sheath of papers she got, the more complicated the questions became. Questions began referencing earlier portions or questions she hadn’t yet reached. They moved from short sentence long answers or quick calculations to paragraphs and extensive strings of numbers and formulas. She skipped over some questions that appeared to be obvious red herrings, cursing when she found herself minutes into an equation that devolved into circular logic, returning its answer as the question it started with.
Those making recommendations and many of the students applying may have taken this a formality, relying on their connections to pull through, but UA clearly had other ideas. They took their Recommended positions quite seriously. She wasn’t even sure what answer they were looking for with questions like “Describe how the Quirk Singularity Theory can be proven or disproven based upon ‘The Metamorphic Gene Research’ presented by Dr. Adams and ‘Quirks and the Quirkless: The Evolution of Modern Day Quirkism’ by Harold Francis.”
The three hour limit was over before she knew it, and one of the Ectoplasm’s swiftly appeared to collect the packet from her desk. There were several pages she hadn’t even gotten to, but judging by the direction the last sets of questions had been going, she didn’t feel that mattered much in the overall scheme.
They were once again divided and escorted by Ectoplasms, as they were formed into small groups, and led out of the gym to various testing fields littered throughout the campus.
They were put through a series of obstacle courses, rotating from field to field, each one observed by a different set of impassive faces, each belonging to a member of the UA Faculty. Their expressions betrayed none of their feelings as each held a tablet, occasionally glancing down to type or make some kind of notation.
Setsuna was confident in her performance in each course, her Quirk allowing her to split herself into pieces and neatly dodge and move through each one, earning her a good standing on all the courses, something that couldn’t be said for several others that had been placed in her group.
Once the physical exams concluded, they were corralled into a waiting area, only their group being present. It seemed they’d staggered the exams in such a way as to keep them separated and to reduce the amount of time they’d be waiting for the final portion of the Recommendation Exam.
The personal interviews.
Setsuna slipped one of her earbuds back in and turned on her playlist to have something to try and distract her thoughts. She couldn’t stop her leg from bouncing up and down in an anxious manner, no matter how much she told herself that she’d had an impressive showing on both the written and the physical portions of the exam.
They’d been told that an interview was a portion of the Recommendation Exam, but that was as far as the details had gone. They knew nothing about who may be interviewing them, or what topics the interview might cover.
She watched as the various people who’d formed their impromptu entourage were called up one by one by a variety of different Pro Heroes, each one a member of UA’s Faculty.
Snipe called one back, and several minutes later Power Loader took another. Midnight called for someone, and Present Mic took his turn in rotation next. One by one, the other occupants of the waiting area slipped anxiously behind the waiting doorway, Setsuna’s leg playing a staccato rhythm that conflicted with the coordinated beats from her music.
Slowly but surely they dwindled. They became a group of ten waiting. Nine. Eight. And so forth. And someone had to be last.
And it was Setsuna.
She gnawed on her lip in anticipation, because she was next. There was no other option. She wondered if this was a form of emotional torture to leave her seated alone in the area, leaving her for last. Was that a good sign? A bad one? Did it even mean anything at all?
Her worries were shoved to the side when the door finally opened, and a tall figure dressed in loose fitting dark clothing stepped out.
His hair matched his clothing, dark and disheveled, bearing signs of wear but not uncared for. His expression was trained in a look of exasperation and disinterest, his eyes tired and half lidded, heavy bags pulling them from underneath. He feigned a scan over the room, his melancholy gaze finally settling on Setsuna.
“Tokage Setsuna.” His gruff baritone spoke of exasperation and a desire to simply retire and be through with whatever activity he was engaged in.
Setsuna nodded, quickly grabbing her ear bud and slipping it back into the case, righting herself and stepping forward to follow the dark clad man she couldn’t place. His hands easily slid into the pockets of his outfit as he seemed to stroll so easily down the awaiting hall, his gait long and assured.
He guided her to an unassuming doorway and gestured.
“Your interview will take place in here.”
She swallowed her anxiety and turned the handle, stepping into the awaiting room.
She was greeted by a very nondescript room, pale walls and ceiling, a simple table and a set of chairs, one on each side.
What was more intriguing was the other occupant of the room.
An unusual figure, white fur covering their body, dressed immaculately in a vest and slacks, clearly tailored to their unique figure. She couldn’t place their species, as they bore signs of several species, but their most striking feature was the piercing and analytical eyes, deep all-consuming black, yet sparkling with a form of mirth, one eye breaking apart a jagged scar that lined the being’s face.
“Ah, Tokage-san! It’s wonderful to meet you! Please, have a seat. Tea?” She nodded as she moved to take her seat at the table, realizing there was a freshly brewed pot of tea of some description resting on the table, cups precisely placed for the both of them.
She fidgeted in place, eyes wandering around the nondescript room as the other occupant hummed a slight tune, expertly pouring them both cups of tea. He set the pot back down as he steepled his hands? Paws? In front of his face as he eyed Setsuna with an unreadable gaze.
The silence pervaded the room for a long minute as Setsuna fidgeted, and the furred being sat idly by, simply watching, seemingly content to let her simmer in the uncomfortable atmosphere.
“So uh, this is an interview, right? Aren’t you going to like, ask me questions?” Setsuna finally broke the silence, finding the feeling of the room growing unbearable.
“Why yes, of course!” The small thing chirped at her. “Let’s see… Tokage Setsuna. Excellent scores in academics, An… intriguing track record concerning disciplinary action, and officially recommended to UA University by the Pro Hero Slidin’ Go. Let’s start with that. Why were you recommended by Slidin’ Go?” He casually sipped from the cup in front of him, his gaze never leaving her face.
Setsuna rubbed the hem of her sleeve between her fingers, her lip caught by the upper row of sharp teeth lining her jaw, her eyes looking anywhere but at the furry creature.
“He’s one of the main sponsors for the Quirk Gym where I usually practice. I’ve seen him around the place a couple times, but I’ve never really talked with the guy. I wasn’t- like, mentored by him or anything. I guess I was good enough, or my Quirk was flashy enough, that he decided I stood a chance at getting into UA on his recommendation. And wouldn’t that just make his frickin day…” She muttered the last portion with poorly disguised spite. A slight tilt of the head was the response she received.
“Oh? You aren’t pleased that you were recommended to UA and present here for this examination? It is true that Slidin’ Go may not be the most prestigious of our alumni, but he did graduate from our institution. And while you may not have been mentored by him personally, you still garnered enough attention for him to select you as his recommendation. Something that an alumnus is only allowed to do once every few years I might add.”
Setsuna could feel the calculating gaze the being was giving her, even if their expression betrayed none of their feelings. She could feel her lip growing raw from the repeating chewing motion.
“It’s just- I mean- I’m not ungrateful I got recommended! UA is where I’ve wanted to go for years. I… I just feel like I didn’t earn this. I got picked because someone wants a feather in their cap, and to be able to point and say ‘I recommended that one!’ It- It has nothing to do with me, or anything I did. Y’know?” She let her eyes drop to her lap as she finished. The furry thing just sipped its tea.
“An interesting perspective. Would you prefer we throw out your results from today and you may instead try your hand at the General Practical Exam in a few weeks?” Setsuna opened her mouth to immediately decline, but she paused for a moment, thinking over the possibility.
The furry one’s gaze never left her face.
“Well, no.” She finally answered. “Even if I feel like I didn’t do as much to earn this as some others probably did, throwing away an opportunity, a really really good opportunity too, just over some misplaced pride? Nah. Good fortune matters just as much as good skill.”
“I’m glad to hear that, Miss Tokage. Now for the next question. Who would you say is your favorite Pro Hero, and why?” Setsuna moved to respond, pausing for a moment as she realized what the question was. Her favorite Pro Hero? That seemed like an unusually juvenile question for such an important exam, but there was likely some hidden meaning behind it, whatever it may be.
“Oh, easy! Godzillo!” She delivered her answer with a sharp and toothy grin.
“Oho! A Gojira fan then I take it?” She nodded rapidly.
“Well, all things reptilian and dinosaurian if I’m honest! My Quirk is also partially a reptilian heteromorphic one. I’ve got some trace reptilian traits, like the teeth.” The being nodded.
“So the shared Quirk aspect is your primary reason for picking Godzillo?” Her thick hair swayed as she shook her head.
“Nah. It’s mostly cause of his activism work to be real with you.” Her interviewer’s head tilted slightly to the side, an encouragement to continue. “He does a lot, like a lot, of work with Anti-Quirkism and discrimination groups. As cool as his Quirk is, he’s talked a lot about the difficulties that came along with it, especially as a kid. He doesn’t publicly speak about it often, but that’s the reason he chose to relocate to the US even though he’s a Japanese native.”
“Oh? Is that so?”
“Yeah! He wanted his identity to be more than just his Quirk. He was judged a lot for his appearance growing up, and in an interview he said he felt like it was something he couldn’t really get away from as long as he stayed in Japan. And for a girl growing up with a Quirk that a lot of people found… less than appealing.” Setsuna’s head detached and she tossed it back and forth between her hands as a demonstration. “A Pro Hero who actively works against discrimination made him a personal hero to me.”
The interviewer nodded as he sipped his tea.
“He seems to have set a very strong example for you. And you seek to emulate his ideals? Anti-discrimination and Quirkist ideals, I mean.”
“Sort of? I dunno if I’d say I’m exactly like him, but knowing he’d stand up against some of the stuff I’ve seen definitely moved me to uh, take action sometimes?” She grew slightly sheepish towards the end of the answer. The fuzzy being chuckled lightly.
“I suppose that’s in reference to your disciplinary track record?”
“Yeeeeeah…” She drew out the word. “I can’t really stop myself from jumping in when I see someone being bullied or treated wrong. Especially when it’s because of their Quirk. Something about it just really rubs me the wrong way. More than it should maybe?”
Brief glimpses of that static and shadowed figure from her dream flashed through Setsuna’s thoughts. The denial of them being Quirkless. A feeling of protectiveness. Something pushing at the edge of her thoughts that she’d been there. They’d been there. She’d done something. When? What did she do? To whom? For whom? The muddled gap between thought and memory remained.
“I see. Now, only one more question, Miss Tokage. Why do you want to be a hero?” Setsuna breathed an internal sigh of relief. This was a question she’d been prepared for.
“I want to save people. Not just from villains or big fights, but from being looked down on. From being judged for having a Quirk that isn’t super cool or flashy. I want someone to see the girl who got judged cause she falls to pieces and think ‘I can be a hero like her.’ I want-”
A fuzzy thought passed through her head. Like an old film reel seen through dirty cellophane. That oddly familiar and still unseen figure she couldn’t place with the voice that was both high and low, near and far.
“You can be the hand that reaches people other heroes can’t! Cause you can like, float your hand places!”
“-I want to be the hand that reaches people other heroes can’t.” She finished, with a fond smile playing across her lips.
He took a long drink from his cup, his gaze still trained on Setsuna, his expression never wavering from the almost amused, impassive look he’d maintained the entire time.
“Is that everything?”
She almost replied with a negative, before a glimpse of her dream from the previous night flashed through her mind.
“Tokage and α̵̷̸̶̡̫̞̟̃͘͜͝͠ψ̸̴̢̳̑ͨ̀́͜͜͞͞͞ι̴̸̙̮ͬͩ̀͢͟͜͢͠ρ̴̢̪̊̈̀̀͟͟͠͝͠ο̵̷̷̷̶̾͛̀͘͝δ̶̸̴̵̡̖̰͑̀̀͟͝͝͞ι̵̴̵̶̢̢͚̫̩͗ͮ́͟͟͠ͅΜ̴̴̴̴̶͙̼̼ͬ͟͝͝͝͠. υ̶̸̴̡̡̢̹̿͠͠͞κ̴̢̩ͯ̈́̀́͟͠͞͞͞͞͞ύ̵̶̵̡̢̞͈̎́͘͘͜͟͜͝͝ζ̶̴̴̸̭̒̀̀͘͜͜͟͠͠͞Ι̵̸̵̡̢̡̢̫̫̍̀͢͜ and Setsuna. The best friends, and the best heroes.”
“I want to be the best.” She answered simply. He almost seemed to raise an eyebrow in response.
“And why is that?”
“I promised someone. Someone… important. And I feel like I need to keep that promise.”
The furry creature simply regarded Setsuna for a few long moments before giving a decisive nod.
“Well those are all the questions I have! Thank you for your time today Miss Tokage. We will be in touch with you within the next couple of weeks regarding your results of this exam. Ample time for you to register and participate in the General Practical Exam should you not receive a position and still wish to pursue an education with our fine institution! While I must remain impartial when it comes to my evaluations, I do hope to see you within my august halls next term!”
Setsuna’s confident grin faltered, and she felt a sense of dread creeping up her throat.
“Your august halls?” She asked, her throat going dry. The being laughed mirthfully.
“Indeed! I must have forgotten to introduce myself! It’s no surprise you may not recognize me by sight as I tend to avoid the media and public appearances as much as I am able. I am Nezu, Dean of UA University! And it was truly a pleasure to speak with you today, Miss Tokage. Now, I apologize for the abruptness, but we do have more interviews to conduct today!”
The diminutive Dean bid her a fond farewell with a wave as he hopped down from the chair and made his way out of the room.
Setsuna was left with a blanched expression, the realization that she’d just been interviewed by the Dean of all people leaving her feeling sick to her stomach.
She steadied herself with several deep breaths, her earbuds moved back into place in her ears to return her to the steady comfort of her playlists.
She had a trip back home to make, and an exam performance to agonize over as she awaited her results.
Midoriya Izuku let out a yawn as he stretched his arms skyward, desperately trying to summon any extra modicum of energy from his body as he could. As he let his arms droop back to his sides, he idly shook the can in his hand, frowning slightly as the sound and weight of its content’s sloshing indicated it was less than half full.
He brought the not-quite half full can of coffee and energy drink mixture to his lips as he took another long sip.
To say that Midoriya Izuku was tired would be an understatement.
The latest energy drink, his second for the day, despite it being only nearly 10 AM, had perked up his system enough that his eyelids didn’t feel like they were forcefully dragging themselves shut. His limbs moved sluggishly, and he could feel the weight of his exhaustion tugging at the space just beneath his eyes, encouraging him to lie down and simply fall asleep.
It had been this way for as long as Izuku could remember.
Exhaustion and tiredness clung to his body like a damp cloak he could never quite shake. Longer nights of rest brought a temporary reprieve, leaving him feeling tired rather than nearly exhausted, but only for the first few hours of the day. The heavy clinging feeling of fighting merely to remain awake and standing had been his normal since he could recall.
He staved off the impending collapse with caffeine and whatever chemical mixtures promised the strongest burst of energy compacted into liquid and artificially flavored form packed into brightly colored cans. Speaking of which, he upturned his latest coffee-esque energy drink, mourning the last few drops as they fell onto his tongue before he crushed the can in hand, stuffing it into his backpack, only to replace it with a fresh one immediately.
He didn’t know why he struggled to stay awake and conscious. It wasn’t like he had a Quirk that was accompanied by high energy demands like some had. Indeed, he was Quirkless, and had been his entire life. And if the jeers and bullying from his peers over his lack of a Quirk weren’t enough, he was lucky enough to be blessed by an unending need for more rest, or more energy drinks, just to make it through his day to day activities.
When he was younger it had begun as a lingering tiredness, a fondness for an extra afternoon nap or a bit of time to sleep in. As he grew older, it had only grown worse and worse.
Currently, he carted a backpack full of drinks of varying flavors and colors, each one promising a boost to performance, empowered by caffeine and numerous other chemicals he was sure he’d mispronounce unless he took a class in pharmacology. Without the constant source of attention boosting liquids, he was sure he would simply collapse wherever he was, and sleep for probably a week.
He sipped at the newest can of coffee-themed energy as he vaguely registered his surroundings.
He would be awed and inspired by the towering and impressive buildings that comprised the UA Campus if he could muster enough energy to do more than simply remain awake.
His dream to become a Pro Hero was the only thing that had been more of a constant than his perpetual exhaustion. Despite growing up ridiculed and persecuted for his lack of a Quirk, his conviction to prove himself and become a hero had never wavered. He’d pushed himself to the utmost of his capabilities as far back as he could remember. Exercising and training in his spare time, as much as his exhausted stamina permitted.
And it had paid off in the most unexpected manner.
After nearly being killed by someone whose Quirk made them into a sentient pile of what was best described as sludge, he’d been saved by All Might of all people. In a moment of starstruck wonderment, he’d meant to ask if a Quirkless person could make it as a hero. His exhaustion made itself known as he’d nearly collapsed as he grabbed onto All Might’s pants, being pulled into a heroic leap halfway through the city.
Blearily finding himself atop a random building, he’d finally posed the question and had his dreams shattered as All Might told him that no, a Quirkless person couldn’t be a hero, and to be more realistic. Learning that All Might had been severely injured in a fight years ago and could only maintain his heroic acts for a few hours a day was the cherry on the top of that shit sundae.
He’d wandered off after that, aimlessly walking as his mind tried to order his scattered and disoriented thoughts. It was then that he’d stumbled, almost literally, into the same sludge-like villain who’d accosted him assaulting someone else.
Bakugo Katsuki, a classmate affectionately referred to as “Blasthole,” had been ensnared by the villain, and none of the responding Heroes were making any headway in freeing him from the villain’s clutches.
Whether it was a moment of heroic spirit or his common sense finally fleeing entirely due to his exhausted state, he’d rushed in and made an attempt to free his classmate from his impending death.
To his grand surprise, All Might appeared once again to save him from certain death, saving his classmate at the same time.
As he blearily wandered away from the growing crowds clamoring for answers and details, he was once again confronted by the deflated and skeletal form of All Might when his Quirk was unable to remain active. And then All Might offered him his Quirk, and the opportunity to truly be a hero.
He’d had to ask All Might to repeat himself since he’d fallen asleep partway through the first time he’d offered.
What had followed had been ten hellish months of training that left Izuku feeling more exhausted than any time he could remember. His energy drink consumption had gone from what some might describe as “a bit much” to “frighteningly excessive.” Continuous workouts, including clearing an entire beach of trash, had left his muscles aching and his body desperately crying for any kind of reprieve it could find.
It had all culminated in the events that had transpired just a few short hours ago.
With a proud proclamation that he was finally ready, All Might had prepared to pass on his Quirk to him.
And then he’d been handed a hair.
Apparently ancient Quirks that could somehow be passed from person to person had some weird requirements.
Like eating someone else’s hair. DNA. Whatever. It was weird.
He’d washed the hair down with a swig of one of his ever present energy drinks, All Might’s eyes nearly pleading with him as he ignored the offered bottle of water. All Might was always trying to get him to drink water for some reason.
Energy drinks had water. They were close enough.
All Might told him it would take some time for the Quirk to fully transfer, but he would know when it happened.
Hopefully before UA’s General Practical Exam.
Which brought Izuku back to where he was currently.
His coffee-flavored energy abomination in hand, he stepped forward, ready to face whatever UA had planned to throw at them for this exam.
In his sleep deprived state, he missed the uneven paving stone and caught it with the front of his foot, sending him into a fall straight towards the ground.
He hoped the impact would be strong enough to knock him unconscious for a bit so he could get a nap in.
Before he was greeted by the sweet bliss of unconsciousness, he found himself… floating? He checked his hand and found his energy drink still upright, so that was one concern abated.
“O-oh I’m sorry! I just saw you trip, and falling on the first day is bad luck, so I just wanted to help! I used my Quirk on you, and I hope that’s okay!” He slowly turned his half-lidded gaze towards the speaker, finding a brunette with some kind of pink marks on her cheeks nervously chattering about how she’d stopped him from falling.
He yawned.
“S’alright. Can you let me up now?” She nodded, touching her fingertips together as he felt gravity reassert itself as he stood up. She talked excitedly for a few more moments before rushing down the path deeper into UA’s campus. Izuku hadn’t paid any attention to it, too focused on struggling to stay upright.
He downed the rest of his drink, grumbling as he plodded slowly forwards, hand fishing in his backpack for another can as he followed the directions to the exam.
He slept through most of the explanation of the exam, although it would more accurately be described as a series of micro-naps in between relevant bits of information. Fight robots, get points, avoid the something or other.
He figured he’d picked up enough of it. And it only took an entire can to make it through the presentation. That made what? Four so far? He was doing well for it being almost 11 AM.
And then he was at some kind of dilapidated cityscape. He was surrounded by other examinees, all bouncing nervously and brimming with energy as they readied themselves for the start of the exam.
He took a sip of his energy drink and blinked a few times, trying to focus on what he was supposed to do.
He was suddenly jostled by the movement of bodies around him as everyone rushed forward into the city-like area. The exam must have started.
He set off in a light jog, trying not to spill the precious elixir of energy clutched in one hand, as he made his way into the exam.
Which was ten torturous minutes of exhausted humiliation and inadequacy.
He hadn’t managed to take down a single robot in the entire time they’d spent in the exam so far. Whether it was someone else showing off the impressive qualities of their Quirk, or his own inadequacy as he struggled to stave off the desire to simply collapse and fall asleep in the middle of the street, he hadn’t amassed as much as a single point the entire time.
They were rapidly approaching the end of the exam, and he could feel the crushing weight of impending failure on top of his already looming weariness. He’d spent the last ten months working to make himself worthy of inheriting All Might’s Quirk, but apparently it didn’t matter how many energy drinks one consumed, or how hard you tried.
Sometimes the obnoxious Blasthole was right, and a useless Deku would always just be a useless Deku.
And then the world shook.
For the first time in a long time, Izuku could firmly say that he was awake. The immense amount of adrenaline pumping through his body at the sight of the absolutely enormous robot rising from the ground and looming ominously over the exam area made sure of that.
His base instincts were in full control, and he was readily prepared to sprint as far away from the mechanical monstrosity as he possibly could, and drown his sorrows over his pitiful performance in several cans of chemically enhanced energy.
And just as he turned to run, he heard a scream.
He glanced over his shoulder, and there, right in the path of the slowly lumbering robot was the girl who’d saved him and his drink from an untimely meeting with the pathways of UA. Her leg was pinned underneath a stray piece of rubble from the robot’s appearance, and she wasn’t able to turn herself in such a way as to be able to remove it.
His legs were moving before he’d even fully processed what was happening.
As he sprinted in her direction, he felt a sudden rush throughout his body as he went from awake to extremely aware.
He hadn’t felt like this in years. Was this because of One for All? Had All Might’s Quirk finally settled in its new vessel, and that was the source of this sudden boost of energy?
He didn’t have much time to contemplate it as he focused on the task at hand, launching himself into the air with a leap powered by his newly acquired Quirk, drawing his arm back and shoving the feeling of this new energy into his arm as he punched, and obliterated the head of the massive robot.
He felt his newfound energy draining from his body as his body began its unguided descent towards the ground, eyes slowly closing as he finally gave up on resisting the alluring call of his exhaustion.
He was unconscious halfway down, dead to the world as his rapid fall was stopped by the brunette who’d managed to finally free herself, and being healed by Recovery Girl as she gave him first aid, muttering darkly under her breath the entire time.
Approximately a month before the General Practical Exam, a thick envelope bearing the grand emblem of UA University found its way to the entrance of the Tokage household.
Setsuna carried the heavy paper envelope to the kitchen table as she stared at it, hands shaking with anticipation. She fought to quell her nerves, telling herself that if it was a rejection, she still had the general exam in a month where she could try again.
This wasn’t the end if she wasn’t accepted. There had been a ton of other applicants at the exam and UA only took four of them for the Hero Course. There was another opportunity. Even if she stumbled here, she could still cross the finish line.
It wasn’t the end if she wasn’t picked.
‘Don’t disappoint the family.’
The words from the note before the exam those weeks ago flashed through her thoughts. Dispassionate gazes and self-assured nods carrying uninterested eyes, brief looks and half muttered words that carried little affection. The weight of expectations rarely spoken, but that had been forced into a home in her chest. The legacy of a name she’d never asked for, but had come to define much of her, through no efforts of her own.
The Tokage family wasn’t cruel or punishing. But they were practical. Methodical. Almost cold-blooded.
Notes written in almost print-like handwriting, perfectionism embedded in each pen stroke, the ink itself soaked in impossibly high standards. Spoken words required a presence, a crossing of paths. They were stilted and awkward, an unnecessary expenditure of time.
Notes were much more efficient.
Their papered presence was a constant throughout the Tokage household. Plastered and posted in carefully curated positions to convey their purpose quickly and distinctly. Setsuna could tell you whether it was her mother or her father who wrote each one, despite nearly identical calligraphic handwriting. The weight of the pen strokes, the small details in the way a letter curved or dotted carried by the delicately manicured emotions of her parents. She knew them inside and out.
She’d hesitate to pick their faces out in a crowd.
She focused on the packet in her quivering hands. The appendages popped off, letting her slump backwards into the chair, the package clutched in her now floating hands. She swallowed thickly as she tore the envelope open, a heavy metal disk sliding onto the table.
She blinked once. Twice. Straightening up slightly, she prodded the disk with a finger.
The device lit up with a ring of bright lights circling its surface as a projection formed in the air above it. As the lights coalesced and clarified, the image of the UA’s diminutive Dean sitting at a large and stately desk came into view. The high pitch of his voice came through with surprisingly good quality from the device.
“Thank you for taking the time to participate in the UA Hero Course Recommendation Exam, Miss Tokage. It was a pleasure to have you join us on campus and to see your performance in the written, practical, and interview portions of the exam. As I am sure you are aware, UA receives a large number of applicants, and the Recommendation Exam is no exception. Unfortunately UA only has a very limited number of positions we can offer to students through the Recommendation program, so we must be very rigorous and thorough in how we choose our candidates.”
Setsuna’s heart sank. She knew what that kind of speech meant. She’d failed.
It didn’t mark the end of her chances to get into UA, but it was a setback. She told herself it wasn’t unusual. There were plenty of other applicants at the exam, and they did only have four spots. It wasn’t a big surprise that some of them had been more impressive than she’d been. She’d just have to try even harder and blow everyone away at the General Practical.
She was sure she’d find a note saying the same thing tomorrow morning.
“After careful review of the written exams, on which you scored rather impressively, Miss Tokage-”
More platitudes to assuage the aching failure she felt gnawing away inside her.
“- the physical tests, where you displayed a delightful aptitude with a most intriguing and versatile Quirk!”
He was softening the blow. They always did. They didn’t want to make any of those recommended look foolish. Plenty of them had influence and connections. Her family did. Burning those bridges was bad business.
“And the personal interview where you gave some of the most unique answers amongst all of our applicants.”
Unique? She blinked, hot tears building at the corners of her eyes. That was just a nice way of saying stupid. She’d completely bombed the interview. She should’ve known. Even if her written and practical scores had been good enough, she had tanked everything with one conversation.
She felt like an idiot.
“Taking all of these factors into account, and after lengthy discussion with the faculty of UA University who oversee the Hero Courses-” Nezu paused momentarily, and Setsuna steadied herself for the news. Preparing to hide herself in her room for the remainder of the day, crying out her useless frustrations. “-We here at UA University are most pleased to announce your acceptance into the UA University Hero Course, with a placement in Class 1-B! Rest assured, the curriculum for both classes runs parallel, and contains the same training and preparation! We are delighted to extend this offer to you, Miss Tokage, and we look forward to seeing you in the upcoming term!”
The light from the disk faded and Setsuna was left staring at the empty air, the beginnings of her tears slowly rolling down her cheeks. Her mouth broke out into a toothy grin as she whooped and yelled, excitedly breaking apart into numerous pieces as she began to circle and fly about the house.
“I DID IT! I got in! Wooohooo! I passed! I fucking passed! I’m in on a RECOMMENDATION TO UA!” She cackled as she whirled about through the air, physically unable to keep herself in one piece due to her excitement. Tears streaked across her face, from joy instead of sorrow now, as she threw a personal party.
“Mom! Dad! I did it! I got in! You hear that? Your Little Set made it in on a Recommendation!” She settled back down, reforming back into a whole person, once again seated at the kitchen table. She gulped a few deep breaths, trying to quell the thundering beat of her heart as it tried to escape her chest.
She threw her head back, staring at the ceiling, the tears still running down the side of her face, her grin losing a bit of its luster.
“...Are you proud of me now?”
The empty halls of the Tokage home offered no answer.
Midoriya Izuku groaned in protest as he felt his mind sluggishly returning to consciousness. He cracked a single eye open as he tilted his head towards the window, the non-day sun streaming in through his window, illuminating his room, casting dappled shadows across the poster filled walls, and the shelves covered in various figurines and statuettes of heroes.
“...Noon already?” He murmured in a half slurring voice as he closed his eye and shoved his face back into the pillow, lacking the energy to even try and move from his bed.
He’d felt somewhat better since the exam, since One for All, but he was still rather tired throughout most of the day. He no longer trudged step by step, waiting to simply collapse into a sudden sleep in the middle of the street, but rather just a lingering and heavy tiredness. Like he had gotten accustomed to several years prior, before his exhaustion steadily grew worse.
But even with his somewhat restored levels of energy, he felt no desire to pry himself from the comfort of his covers and face the world. He hadn’t felt like doing anything the last week. Besides confining himself to his bed and sleeping away as much of the day as he could get away with before his mother would inevitably rouse him to eat something or go outside or anything really.
He didn’t see the point.
He’d failed.
He hadn’t just failed. He’d given what was quite possibly the worst performance ever since in the UA General Practical Exam.
He hadn’t managed to score a single point. And he’d only destroyed one robot. The only robot that happened to be worth exactly zero points.
And shattered three of his limbs in doing so. His ears were still ringing from the way Recovery Girl had lectured him when he finally returned to consciousness in the UA Infirmary.
He’d most certainly failed. He failed the exam, he failed himself, and he had failed All Might. Some great successor he was turning out to be. After that, All Might would probably ask for One for All back so he could find someone better to pass it on to.
And Izuku couldn’t blame him.
He would return to his life as the Quirkless, useless, Deku. The bumbling fool who could barely hold himself awake. He’d return to the days of no future, no prospects, no chance.
Just a tired and utterly exhausted kid on the cusp of adulthood, with no path forward.
“Why don’t you take a swan dive off the roof and hope for a Quirk in the next life!”
Well, his explosively assholish classmate had pointed out one path forward.
Maybe if he was careful enough, he could make it look like an accident. Enough that his poor mother wouldn’t feel like she’d failed him. That it was just a horrifying accident. He could lean on a railing and slip into the ever present exhaustion that followed him everywhere he went. He could finally embrace the desire to simply sleep, and he would finally get some rest. A very, very long rest.
His spiralling thoughts were interrupted by the voice of the woman whose feelings he had just been devising a way to protect when he finally gave up.
“I-I-Izuku! Izuku! It’s here! Your exam results! They’re here!” He could hear the concern and excitement in the way his mother’s voice quivered as she spoke. “Come on! G-get up! We should see how you did!” He groaned once more as he heaved his arms under his chest and slid towards the edge of his bed.
“Alright, I’ll be there in a minute, mom!” He called back, suppressing a fierce yawn. He grabbed a can from his dresser and cracked the top, eagerly gulping down a mouthful of his favored coffee-like energy drink.
He grimaced slightly at the lukewarm taste, but he forced it down, knowing he’d need every bit of energy he could muster for this.
He slowly shambled out of his room, drink in hand, to find his mother waiting eagerly, a thick envelope clutched nervously in her hands. A wobbling smile was stretched across her face, worry painting the deep green of her eyes. She held the envelope out to him, the stiff material crinkling lightly in her shaking grasp.
He took the envelope from her and shuffled over to the couch, dropping onto the cushions with a soft groan as he set his drink down.
“Might as well get it over with…” He muttered as he tore the envelope open, and pulled out a… disk?
He stared at the metal device before setting it next to his drink, poking it to try and provoke a reaction. His mother gave a startled yelp, while he simply blinked slowly as the disk lit up into a projection of an eye.
“Is this thing on? Can we get started?”
Izuku blinked. He recognized that voice.
“Y-yes it is! You need to back up! You’re way too close!”
“My apologies!”
The giant eye quickly shrank to reveal the image of All Might, who had apparently been much too close to the camera to begin with.
“Now! I AM HERE! As a projection! To present your exam results!”
Izuku swallowed nervously. He certainly hadn’t expected All Might to be presenting his exam results…
“So- YOUNG MIDORIYA! During the examination, you managed to score a grand total of zero Villain Points. Considering the lowest qualifying score for the Hero Course this year was Forty-Three points, unfortunately, your Villain points are not nearly enough to qualify you for entry.”
And there it was. He felt his mother’s hand squeeze his shoulder, trying to offer some measure of reassurance. But it didn’t help. His hopes and dreams were crushed right here and now, right in front of him.
He felt himself sink even lower in on himself, and for once, it wasn’t because of his exhaustion.
“HOWEVER!”
He lifted his gaze slightly back to the projection, waiting to hear whatever the next bombshell of bad news All Might had to drop was.
“There’s more to being a Hero than simply defeating villains! Something you seem to already be well aware of Young Midoriya!”
The projection switched to a camera feed displaying the numerous examinees screaming and sprinting down the city street as the Zero-Pointer robot towered above the testing grounds, slowly rumbling forward. There was the brunette he’d met at the exam, trapped beneath a slab of concrete that had collapsed on top of her from the behemoth’s appearance.
And then he was there. Running against the tide of exam-takers, pushing closer to the girl in apparent peril. And he got an outside perspective of his legs breaking as he threw himself into the air, his arm shattering as he delivered a punch that demolished the gigantic robot. His fall being arrested by the girl slapping his face and activating her Quirk.
“Not only did you rush in to protect another when all hope seemed lost, you inspired compassion and heroism in others as well!”
The clip of the brunette asking Present Mic if she could split her points with “the green zombie-looking guy” played.
First of all, ouch. He didn’t think he looked that bad, but he appreciated the sentiment. But Present Mic had simply told her such a thing wasn’t allowed, but not to worry too much about the exhausted looking kid, with a knowing glint in his eyes.
“What kind of University that aims to train and mentor the next generation of Heroes could ignore actions that speak of true Heroism? That’s why UA includes Hero Points as well as Villain Points! And Young Midoriya, your actions during the exam earned you a grand total of Seventy Hero Points!”
He could feel his jaw hanging slack at the news. The image of All Might offered a grin with a thumbs up.
“I mentioned that the lowest qualifying score this year was forty-three points! Well, seventy is certainly well above that! High enough to earn you second place overall amongst the incoming students! So it is with great pride and honor that I invite you, Midoriya Izuku, to join us here at UA University in the upcoming term as a member of the Hero Course’s Class 1-B! Welcome- to the next step!”
“I- I made it? I got in?” Izuku whispered in disbelief, eyes wide and blinking rapidly. His shock was quickly interrupted by an excited scream and the feeling of his mother jumping up and down.
“You did it, Izuku! You made it in! You’re going to UA University! Oh I’m so proud of you! Your dreams are coming true! Oh I can’t wait to call and tell Mitsuki all about it!”
He couldn’t help as his face slowly spread into a grin and he started laughing with joy. He wrapped his mother in a tight hug and spun her around, his usual tiredness all but forgotten as they celebrated his acceptance.
He didn’t feel like much of a failure at that moment.
He felt like maybe, just maybe, he could be a Hero.
The weeks leading up to the start of the year at UA University were rather busy for the incoming students. Acceptance messages had been sent, and forms for formal acceptance had to be filed, financial assistance paperwork filled out, and preparing for their upcoming move into the on-campus dorms, a mandatory experience for the first year Hero Course students, but an optional one for students of the Support, Business, and General Education Courses.
Informational packets were distributed to the students alongside the copious amounts of paperwork that came with University admissions. Student ID Cards to grant them entry to the necessary parts of campus, maps and detailed listings of the varying amenities that were offered at the University’s campus, from the grand cafeteria to the various smaller restaurant-like offerings and stores that were littered throughout the campus. Bookstores, clothing shops, shoestores, convenience shops, sundries, and much more could all be found within the expansive campus, including numerous gyms, pools, and track fields.
UA University was practically a city unto itself.
The awaiting dorms more closely resembled small apartments for the students, furnished with the basic necessities as far as furniture was concerned, and a small kitchenette suited for smaller meals. Each dorm building was also furnished with a large, full kitchen and communal area for each building. Each building was designated to serve one of the specific courses, with some amenities specifically tailored to their specialty.
The Hero Course dorms contained additional gym spaces and workout areas, as well as their own dedicated track and field areas. The Support courses’ contained dedicated spaces for various kinds of mechanical work such as welding or soldering, but much of their work was reserved for the dedicated Support Labs. The Business and General Education dorms included extra study spaces as well as extra office and computer spaces.
Transitioning from their high schools to UA University’s unique style of education was a large undertaking for the students, and across the country the numerous students all checked and double checked their suggested lists of items to have prepared for their move.
And amidst the coordinated and controlled chaos that accompanied every new year at the grand institution, twenty letters, individually addressed and carefully pressed into envelopes bearing the official seal of UA University were sent out. A sealed package accompanied each letter.
These letters instructed the twenty specified students to appear outside the 1-B Dormitory at 0800, the Thursday before their classes were slated to begin.
These letters were met with a certain amount of confusion, as the campus wasn’t supposed to open for students to begin moving in until the day after the specified meeting. The letter also specified that each student was to appear dressed in the accompanying gym uniform, and as promised, the sealed packages accompanying these letters each contained a UA Gym Uniform, expertly tailored to fit the students they were addressed to.
And before they knew it, the day was upon them.
In the early hours of the morning, all twenty students of UA University’s incoming Class 1-B began to gather outside of their dormitory.
Setsuna hummed softly, a casual grin splayed across her face as she walked through the UA Campus. She slipped her phone from her pocket, the screen lighting up to show 7:37 in stark white numbering. She skipped to the next song on her playlist before returning the phone to her pocket and continuing her walk towards the 1-B Dorm building.
She wasn’t sure why she’d been told to appear there before move-ins had even begun, but the letter had come from UA, and bore its official seal, and Nezu’s signature at the bottom of the letter, proving its authenticity.
She was grateful for the comfortable design of the gym uniforms as a cool breeze made its way across the empty pathways and between the dimly lit buildings that composed the University. The atmosphere was still and quiet, like a city that had yet to wake under the foggy rays of the early morning sun. An office here or a gym there had the lights turned on, and there was the occasional glimpse of a faculty member bustling their way across campus, but the full, heady thrum of UA in full swing was absent, a brief calm before the storm of the next four years.
As she caught sight of her intended destination up ahead, a squat building in comparison to some of its compatriots, a bright “1-B” emblazoned above its rather large doorway, she took note of the several figures who’d already arrived before her.
Among their number was a man whose head resembled something akin to a speech bubble, a young woman with vibrant orange hair and an observant gaze as she shared a conversation with an elegant woman who appeared to have vines for hair. A stocky man bearing fur covered arms adjusted his glasses as he momentarily glanced up from a book in his grasp as Setsuna made her approach.
She was eagerly greeted by several others waving, such as a silver haired man with what appeared to be overdeveloped eyebrows flailing his arms enthusiastically. A silver haired woman standing near an unexpressive companion both offered small and respectful gestures, hardly noticeable in comparison to some of the other more expressive gestures.
The one with orange hair was the first to turn and approach Setsuna as she grew closer to the dorms.
“Oh hello! Are you one of the 1-B students as well?” Her voice was level and easy-going, like she was practiced at corralling and coordinating people during various events.
Setsuna flipped her hair back over a shoulder with a practiced hand, reaching up to remove her earbud at the same time.
“You betcha! Tokage Setsuna, the most stunning member of 1-B at your service!” The orange haired woman simply rolled her eyes playfully at the display.
“Kendo Itsuka, it’s a pleasure to meet you!” She held out her hand in a greeting, which Setsuna took eagerly.
“You seem like the take charge type, Kendo! But with a bunch of us all training to be heroes, you’ll probably need an extra hand. Take mine!” Setsuna let her hand detach, waving her arm as she giggled, her hand still clutched in Itsuka’s grasp.
Itsuka, to her credit, only stared for a brief moment before letting go of the hand, shaking her head as the hand floated back to join the rest of Setsuna.
“I suppose you will be quite the handful for our instructors as well as your fellow students, Tokage-san. Even so, it is a blessing to see such energy amongst my compatriots. I am Shiozaki Ibara.” The vine haired woman offered as she joined the conversation.
“Not for you! We greenies gotta stick together!” Setsuna gestured at their shared hair color and received an arched eyebrow in reply.
“I am sure we will find more in common in our endeavors and aspirations than the color of our hair. Important bonds are built upon steadier foundations than something as simplistic as that.” Setsuna faked offense at the statement.
“Ooh! I guess being prickly isn’t just part of your hair! But don’t worry, I’ll find a way past your defenses, beautiful.” Setsuna gave a wiggle of her eyebrows, letting them fly off slightly to emphasize the effect. Shiozaki merely let the corners of her lip twitch upwards.
“I have faced greater temptations than you, Tokage-san, but I shall keep you in my prayers nonetheless.” Setsuna barked a laugh at the surprisingly playful response from the seemingly very reserved woman. Maybe she’d be easier to get along with than Setsuna initially thought.
The sound of the shuffling approach of what was likely another member of their class caught Setsuna’s attention, as she turned to face towards the sound of someone grumbling under their breath, their footsteps dragging loudly across the pavement.
As soon as she laid eyes on him, something in Setsuna froze.
It was like he wasn’t supposed to be there. Like he shouldn’t be there. Something in her was shouting at her, telling her something about him, but she couldn’t hear it. Just a strange fuzzy feeling at the back of her mind that seemed to show up only when she was looking right at him.
He wasn’t the tallest amongst the students, being just shy of six feet, and his figure was topped by a shaggy mess of green and black streaked hair that drooped lazily in front of his half-lidded eyes, that shone with a vibrant emerald look, despite the deep seated exhaustion and heavy bags beneath them. Small starbursts of freckles decorated his cheeks, leading her gaze down as she admired his fit frame, and visible musculature. He wasn’t bulky like a bodybuilder, but rather a lean and fit form one would expect from a speed focused fighter.
The short sleeves of the UA gym uniform let her eyes follow the patchwork smattering of scars that decorated his right arm, ending in a hand clutching desperately to a can of coffee like it was a lifeline.
Something inside of Setsuna ached at the sight of him. It wanted to reach out and pull him into a hug, to run her fingers through the shaggy mess of his hair, trace her fingers along the lines of scars that populated his skin.
She couldn’t feel any of it.
She thought he looked like one of the more interesting students to show up so far, and a perfect target for messing with.
She sauntered towards the newest arrival, adding a bit of extra sway to her hips, curious how he would react.
“Ooohh! Another greenie to join the group! So what’s your name, Mr. Lean and Green?” She fixed him with a sultry gaze, letting her lips curl into a small grin, flashing her pointed teeth.
He turned to look her in the eyes, his gaze unfocused and distant. It seemed to clarify slightly as he focused on her, something glinting in his eyes like she was a piece of a puzzle that he couldn’t remember starting, and she somehow still didn’t fit.
“Oh, uh, Midoriya. M-Midoriya Izuku.” He stuttered slightly through a yawn, taking a long drink from the can of caffeine as he stood awkwardly opposite her.
“Well Midoriya, I’m Tokage Setsuna. And I get the feeling the two of us are going to be very close.” She let one of her hands detach and slowly slide its way up his arm, eagerly watching for some kind of reaction.
To her disappointment, he only seemed to shiver slightly at the unexpected touch, his body seemingly too exhausted to muster a stronger reaction.
“So what’s got you so tired, Midoriya? Were you up all night thinking about meeting your new classmates? Dreaming about how good all the girls were going to look?” She leaned in close, almost purring in his ear. She grinning in satisfaction as she noticed this got a reaction from him.
“N-no, that’s not it. I just uh- I’m just kind of always… like this.” He limply gestured at his slouched form, stifling another yawn. “Dunno why exactly. I’m just always tired.”
She quirked an eyebrow at the lackluster explanation.
“You don’t have to lie to me. All you gotta do is admit that reality is so much better than what you were imagining, and I think we’ll be off to a great start Midoriya…” Her floating hand danced across his shoulders and down his back as she smirked at him.
She tilted her head to look back at the others, and was greeted by a stern and disapproving glare from Shiozaki. She winked in response. She also noted that it looked like most of the missing students had finally shown up by now, but she was more interested in trying to draw more of a reaction out of the walking zombie.
Teasing him just felt like the right thing to be doing for some reason.
She turned back to Midoriya, eager to continue trying to push his buttons when she was an interrupted the sound of a scratchy, almost disdainful sounding voice.
“If you want to waste all your time socializing and cracking jokes, you’re in the wrong place. What time is it?”
The students all turned to the source of the new voice, finding a man slouching in front of the door to the dormitory, most of his face concealed behind a thick white scarf-like accessory, his disheveled and dingy black hair hanging limply around his face, matching the loose black jumpsuit that made up much of his outfit.
Kendo checked her phone quickly.
“It’s- 8:02?” She ventured. She got a nod from the strange man in reply.
“Your instructions were to meet here at 0800 exactly. None of you noticed my presence in the two minutes I was standing here. Too focused on-” He shot an intense look in Setsuna’s direction. “-other activities. For wannabe Heroes, that’s a shameful display. Two minutes is far more than enough for the difference between life and death in the real world. Now. Class 1-B! Line up!” He barked the last part, the twenty students suddenly scrambling to form a line in front of the mysterious and gruff figure. His tone was rough and commanding, and brooked no room for argument.
The line of twenty students glanced side to side, eyes searching to see if anyone had any clue as to why they’d been assembled. They didn’t have to wait long.
“I would bid you welcome to UA University’s Class 1-B of the Hero Course, if you all were actually in the class.” The statement brought a roar of protests from the students as they shouted back.
“We did pass!” The silver haired man from earlier.
“Yeah! We gave it our best on those entrance exams and-” Kendo started but was quickly cut off by the shaggy haired man.
“Your best? You think that your best is enough to justify your place here? Because it isn’t.” His eyes swept across the line. “The UA Hero Course accepts no more than forty students each year. You all have been chosen as prospects for twenty of those forty spots. You have outperformed your peers, that is all. That does not mean you are prepared or in any way ready to begin training to be Heroes. The world that will greet you beyond the edges of this campus is harsh and cruel. Natural disasters. Earthquakes, tsunamis, wildfires. Unpredictable and utterly devastating. Villain attacks that endanger the populace as well as infrastructure and public services. Fights that will push you to your limits the moment you even think about engaging. Unknown variables or even misinformation about the situation or the opponent that you will be engaging.”
His tone was sharp and steady as he strode in front of the line, meeting their eyes one by one as he paced between the ends of the line.
“Your best will not always be good enough. And if you falter, if you stutter in your step, hesitate in your actions, question your decisions, then people. Will. Die. If you cannot accept this, walk away now and see if Good Enough’s Average Hero School is still accepting applicants. This is UA University. One of the premiere Hero training institutions of the entire country, if not the world. Over the next four years, we will demonstrate that your best is not sufficient. We will teach you to shatter your own limits, to turn your best into your average. Those who graduate from UA University’s Hero Course do not simply do their best. They go beyond. They go Plus Ultra.”
A sense of resolve and building pride and dare they say excitement was growing among the students. If he had aimed to intimidate any of them into quitting, he was failing quite spectacularly. The embers of ambition were being stoked into roaring flames within each of them.
“My name is Aizawa Shota. I am the homeroom teacher for this year’s Class 1-B. Thus far you have demonstrated that you meet UA’s requirements for admittance. Now you must demonstrate that you meet mine. I have final say over which students are or are not enrolled into my class. Hence our meeting here today. You will prove yourself to me, to your class, and to yourself before you are so much as permitted to set foot inside the dormitory. We begin with a Quirk Apprehension Test. Any student who does not pass may start looking for a room within one of the other courses UA offers. Now, meet on the 1-B exercise field in five minutes. Any slackers might as well not show up.”
He ended his impromptu speech with a gesture to the field that lay behind the dormitory as he began making his way towards it.
Excited murmuring broke out amongst the students as they began to follow in his steps, quickly realizing they’d need to keep a brisk pace if they wanted to make it to the destination in the given time limit.
As the would-be class approached the field, they noted various pieces of equipment dotting the field, many of them familiar from physical assessments they’d taken during high school and before.
As they formed a group in front of the teacher, he began speaking the moment five minutes had passed since his last declaration.
“All of you made it. Good. I’m sure you’re familiar with the ten exercises we will be running through today. They are a standard part of the Japanese School System’s physical tests. However, the fools on the Board of Education want you to labor under the delusion that there is a measure of equality between everyone, and they forbid the usage of Quirks during these tests. Your goal today is simple. Demonstrate the application of your skills and your Quirks to go beyond your previous records on these tests. We start with the 50 meter dash. Awase, Bondo! You’re up first!”
The two students nodded as they jogged over to the starting line Aizawa indicated on the track, several camera drones hovering nearby to record their results.
With a countdown and a shout, Class 1-B’s Quirk Apprehension Test began.
Midoriya Izuku was having an… interesting day.
He’d woken up tired, not truly exhausted, but tired, which was a welcome change since One for All settled within him. He’d grabbed a few of his favorite energy drinks, since their help was still sorely needed, and headed off to UA for whatever reason they wanted them there at the ungodly hour of 8 AM.
He was far from the first to arrive, dragging himself across campus to the designated meeting spot. And he’d spotted quite a few of what he presumed were his future classmates before he was interrupted.
By her.
Tokage Setsuna.
He hadn’t been entirely certain how to respond to her, flirting? He supposed it was? It was all very new to him.
No one had shown any actual interest in the Quirkless guy in high school. And while it seemed more like she wanted to put on a show, or embarrass him, it was more… lighthearted? There didn’t seem to be any real vitriol or malice behind what she was doing.
It just felt very much… like her.
He didn’t know why. He’d never met her before, but something about it felt right. And he wanted to see more of it. Experience more of it. She was an intriguing figure that had sparked his curiosity.
The fact that he would describe her as “exceptionally attractive” had nothing to do with his fascination.
Absolutely nothing.
And then he’d been lectured on what it meant to be a Hero and a UA Student by what he could best describe as the best washed hobo he’d seen in weeks. He knew UA employed a variety of Pro Heroes, and of course a teacher for the Hero Course would be a Pro, but some Pro Heroes were unusually… eccentric. Their homeroom teacher was apparently no exception.
And then they’d been told they would be participating in a Quirk related test to see if they’d even get the opportunity to stay in the Hero Course, before it had even begun.
He summed up his thoughts on that topic rather succinctly.
‘Well. Shit.’
The first time he’d managed to use One for All, he’d broken three of his limbs. And getting a handle on the Quirk itself had been slow going since then. It was an overwhelming sensation, and any time he activated it, he could feel the vibration of that immense ocean of raw power simmering just beneath his skin. It was like trying to hold back a tidal wave with a wall made out of drywood and sticks any time he pulled on that power.
He needed more time. More practice. More opportunity.
But it didn’t look like he was going to get it.
Usually he would be fascinated by his classmates’ Quirks and the varied and interesting ways they had all devised to implement them during the tests. From the woman with the vines for hair and her surprisingly high score on the grip test. To the friendly and large-eyed one with horns who could apparently fly with said horns excelling in the fifty meter dash.
But instead, he was focused on not failing. Pushing himself as hard as he could in each and every test, desperately trying to prove he belonged there, forcing every drop of potential out of himself that he could, because it wasn’t his fault he couldn’t control a centuries old Quirk he’d had for a matter of weeks! Not that any of them were aware of that.
While he wasn’t placing last in most of the tests, he was certainly among the bottom half of the class, if not the bottom five. It would be a lot easier if he could control One for All, or if he wasn’t constantly struggling to stave off the desire to simply pass out and sleep.
An energy drink or two between some of the more strenuous tests was helping in the category, but the chemical concoctions could only do so much to counteract his ever mounting sluggishness. And it didn’t help that the teacher seemed to have a particularly stern gaze for him, despite the heavy bags under his own eyes that likely indicated he was familiar with Izuku’s own want for rest.
After a lackluster showing in the first nine tests, it was time for the final test. The ball toss.
Izuku grimaced. He didn’t have much confidence in his abilities for this particular test, but he’d have to give it his all and hope it was enough.
“Midoriya.” He was shunted out of his thoughts and directed his attention to the teacher who called out his name as he was preparing to step up for his turn at the test.
“You are aware that this is a Quirk Apprehension Test, are you not? If ignoring your Quirk for the entirety of the test is your idea of going beyond your limits, then I do not see a position in my class for you. You have one chance remaining to demonstrate that my perception is incorrect.”
Izuku cursed under his breath as Aizawa tossed the ball to him, fixing that piercing gaze on him.
He stepped into the circle for the circle and took several deep breaths to calm himself. He drew back his arm to prepare for the throw and drew up the power of One for All, letting the deep hum of its immense power flow into his arm. He grit his teeth as arcs of green lightning skipped across his arm, his bones creaking in protest as he began to move.
He let off his throw, squeezing his eyes shut and gritting his teeth in expectation of feeling his arm shatter. He blinked in surprise when he didn’t feel any such sensation. He slowly opened his eyes to see the ball lying perhaps 40 meters away, and his arm in perfect condition. He turned to face his teacher, eyes widening in surprise at the sight of the now glowing red eyes and floating black hair clueing him in to who their teacher was, and what he was doing.
“Oh! You-”
Before he could get any further, Izuku felt a star burst behind his eyes as the world turned white in a torrent of pain as his consciousness abandoned him.
Aizawa Shota was not having a good day.
The reason for this was fairly simple.
It was the day he administered his Quirk Apprehension Test for the incoming term’s class.
Contrary to what some faculty members believed, he didn’t find any joy or pleasure in expelling his students even before their official first day. He hated watching these young adults who had fought and struggled just to make it as far as they had, be proverbially crushed by the weight of seemed like insurmountable failure.
But some of them needed that wake-up call.
The real world didn’t care if you’d been a Pro Hero for thirty years or thirty minutes. It didn’t even care if you weren’t even officially a Pro Hero yet.
Death came for all with equal swiftness.
He refused to let his students enter the world still wearing the brash and unhindered invincibility of youth.
They were gossamer things that staunched no wound and stopped no blade. To wear them on the field of battle was to invite the courtship of Death.
So he confronted them with their own shortcomings and failings. A demonstration of what the world would offer them.
An early grave.
And then they would be returned, still alive, mostly whole, but their childish notions cracked if not outright broken. They would be prepared to reforge their ideals and their commitment, to hone their skills and themselves so that the Reaper itself would struggle to claim them.
Aizawa Shota refused to knowingly send a child to their death.
He was all too familiar with the feeling of having his dream wrenched from his hands, told he wasn’t enough. That it was better for him to crawl away and seek another path.
Even in the name of saving a life, doing the same thing to his students always left a bad taste in his mouth, and a pang in his chest.
And this year proved no different, with a single notable exception.
Midoriya Izuku.
He eyed the green-haired student, a slight twitch of his eyebrow at the notice of the can in his hand. His eyes never fully opened, his countenance weighted by the purpling marks that drooped weightily beneath his eyes.
There was something about this one. He didn’t know what it was. But Nezu had expressly forbidden him from pulling his usual expulsion line on this class. So he’d instead had to settle for declaring that they would be moved to another course if they didn’t meet his expectations.
The results had been surprising.
The effects might be even more effective than his usual tactics. He’d have to keep that in mind for his next class.
In the meantime, he had a particular student with a particularly destructive Quirk that he was trying to figure out.
‘He hasn’t attempted to use his Quirk even once thus far. He hasn’t had even a single slight release of it, so he does have a decent measure of control over its activation. He displayed that it came with a significant amount of backlash during the exam, so he struggles to contain its output? But at this age, that kind of issue should have been handled years ago. He doesn’t seem like he has an overblown ego from possessing such a powerful Quirk, in fact, he’s almost… withdrawn.’
He let out a slight hiss through his nose, disguised by the accessory draped across his shoulders.
‘Nezu had the wrong idea if he thought I would expel a student like him. He’s displaying more caution and care with his abilities than any of his classmates. But he’s overcompensating. Some of these students will need to be taught not to be overreliant on their Quirks. He’s going to need to be taught that he can rely on it. If he’s concerned about the backlash, the logical thing is a demonstration that here, under guidance and supervision, he can work with it without breaking himself.’
He caught Midoriya’s attention before the ball toss. A perfect set-up for him to push him to use his Quirk, but plenty of time for him to prevent injury.
He delivered his warning, making it clear that Midoriya would use his Quirk, or his time in 1-B would be coming to a swift close before it truly began.
He trained his gaze as Midoriya drew back his arm, he watched the lightning arc across his skin, much as it had during the exam. And right as he began to move, he activated Erasure and removed his student’s Quirk temporarily.
Midoriya turned to face him following the lackluster throw, surprise painted clearly across his face.
“Oh! You-” Midoriya began to speak as Aizawa allowed his Quirk to drop.
As he did so, his own expression went pale, his own eyes mirroring Midoriya’s moments ago as the student’s eyes rolled back into his head and he dropped bonelessly to the ground.
He’d begun moving the moment he saw something was wrong.
He was barely in time to catch Midoriya’s head atop his capture weapon, the coarse fabric-like weapon keeping his head steady as his entire body began to shake and violently convulse. The screaming of his other students fell upon deaf ears. They were no doubt in shock, losing their composure over their companion’s sudden incapacitation.
One arm kept the capture weapon firmly placed beneath the head as his other hand wrenched his phone from a pocket, a few quick taps connecting him directly to the Dean.
“Shota! I wasn’t expecting you to ca-”
“No time. I have a Code Alpha-1, Category S.” He growled into the phone, his gaze locked firmly on to the seizing student’s body, watching for any further changes.
“Understood. Location?”
“1-B’s track field.”
“Roger. A Medical Transport team is en-route to your location and they’ve begun prepping the closest Emergency Med-Bay for intake. Recovery Girl will meet you en-route or on site, depending.” Aizawa could almost feel the Dean’s hackles rising at having to initiate these protocols during what was supposed to be a simple and routine test, but was quickly devolving into a potentially life threatening emergency.
“Ten-four. I’ll keep the line open to report any relevant changes to their condition. As of now, Category S is ongoing.”
There’s a long beat of silence between the two, both unable to do anything but wait and see what the aftermath of this event would be.
“...Shota?” The Dean’s voice was quieter than before, some of its stoic professionalism dropping as his concern for his students bled through the stiff facade he constantly maintained.
“Yes, sir?”
“Who is it?”
Aizawa swallowed thickly, not wanting to speak the name, afraid and worried what it meant that this student in particular was the one to be involved.
“It’s Midoriya, sir.”
The thick silence that hung in the air was all the answer Aizawa needed.
Setsuna groaned as she stretched her arms over her head, a scowl marring her face at the experience of the so-called Quirk Apprehension Test.
She had performed rather well in the majority of the tests, and seemed to be ranking near the top of the class, but that fact didn’t seem to be doing much to improve her boredom and distaste for the whole event.
Her eyes glanced across to the field to the one thing that had captured her attention that morning.
Midoriya Izuku.
She hummed thoughtfully to herself, trying to decipher precisely why this particular classmate had caught so much of her attention. His performance in the tests so far had been somewhat… lackluster.
He hadn’t shown any hint of what kind of Quirk he had!
And yet Setsuna couldn’t get him out of her head. Something kept pulling her attention back to him, no matter how hard she tried to ignore it. But at the rate things were going, it was looking like he wouldn’t even make it to their first day of classes as a member of 1-B. The idea made her stomach twist in an uncomfortable knot.
She was startled out of these thoughts by an elbow lightly tapping her in the ribs.
“Is your new crush really that interesting, Tokage?” Setsuna glanced aside to see it was Kendo. She grinned.
“Oh? Is someone jealous? Secretly hoping to catch the eye of someone as dashing as me?” Kendo’s cheeks colored lightly at the teasing as she protested.
“D-definitely not! It’s just- You’ve been staring at the guy almost all morning. Even though he’s not really looking like he’s anything impressive. I’m not even sure he’ll make it past today…” Worry was creeping into her tone, a sense of concern for a classmate she’d hardly met.
“Yeah, you’re not wrong about that. Teach has been watching him pretty intently too. He doesn’t seem happy that Midoriya doesn’t seem to be taking things seriously. Not using his Quirk, y’know?” Setsuna spoke through a frown, Kendo nodding in agreement.
“Look, he’s even getting talked to before the last event.” Setsuna’s frown deepened at Itsuka’s simple observation. It really was looking like Aizawa was going to be cutting Midoriya from their ranks before classes even started.
Then he stepped up for the ball throw.
Setsuna’s expression was impassive, but her attention was solely on the green-haired man as his arm pulled back, and her jaw begin to slip downward as arcs of green lightning sprung across his skin, dancing lightly in the sun. And then just as quickly as they appeared, they suddenly blinked away, their teacher doing something to affect Midoriya.
The rest of the class gasped and began shouting in concern and fright as Midoriya suddenly collapsed to the ground, his muscles grasped in the throes of a seizure. Several of them glanced between each other, muttering and trying to decide whether or not they should intervene.
“Tokage?” Kendo’s voice sounded far-away and echoing to Setsuna’s ears. Her vision began to swim and sway, right side up switching places with other directions at random. She tried to take a breath, but it felt like her lungs had been disconnected, and she could only gape like a fish torn from the water.
And then the pain came.
She screamed, a thick, wet, horrid sound tearing itself from her throat. Her fingers buried themselves in her hair, scratching and clawing at her scalp as the sensation sent her to her knees, her forehead slamming into the ground in front of her. She shrieked in agony, trying to dig her fingers into her skull itself, her head rising only to drive her forehead into the earth once more, desperate for the sensation to bring an end to whatever she was experiencing.
It was like a steel vise had gripped something in her brain, in her mind, in her very being, and was slowly wrenching it free. A foundation was being torn free of its roots, and she could feel every slow and agonizing snap and creak as the something slowly began to shift.
Her consciousness lurched as it was upended, her sense of self and memories tilting on an axis as they began to spill apart, the vise yanking harder than before. For every bit of resistance it met from her clinging to every bit of her self she could recognize, it gave no pause. It moved faster, more forcefully, hellbent on its purpose. She felt the foundation on which her personality, her being, her self, was built, and she could only wail as it was torn straight out of her in a matter of moments.
For a long and desperate moment, she feels like everything is going to spill further apart, stretching further away from where it belongs, and its going to sweep all of who and what she is with it.
And then it all right itself and pulled back to where it belonged.
She drew in a shuddering gasp, and her eyes blew wide in shock.
There was something underneath the foundation that had just been forcibly removed.
Images and sounds rushed back to her mind, not flooding it, not overwhelming it, but righting themselves. Resuming their place where they had so rightfully belonged, but had been hidden from.
Glimpses of images and whispers of sounds that had danced at the edge of her thoughts, that had appeared in her dreams, suddenly returned with vivid clarity.
A hazy and unseeable figure shuttered into clarity.
A wide grin. Shaggy green-black hair. Freckle dotted cheeks.
“Come on Izuku, let’s go!”
“Izu! Hurry up!”
“Don’t make me keep waiting for you Zu!”
“Hey, Izuku! I’m gonna win today, you hear!”
“Don’t listen to them, Izuku. The doctor said you have a Quirk, we just gotta figure out what it is! And then we’ll be the bestest heroes ever!”
Years of friendship. Of closeness.
A shared dream.
A companionship that was never truly erased, but lost for a time.
“I promise. Tokage and Midoriya! Izuku and Setsuna! The best friends, and the best heroes!”
Tears streamed down Setsuna’s cheeks as she lifted her head, not caring for the classmates who had rushed over to her collapsed form.
Her focus was solely on the body of the green-haired classmate, still convulsing on the field.
“..Izuku?” Her voice ghosted past her lips, hardly a whisper.
Her thoughts formed a whirlwind of confusion in her mind.
‘That’s Izuku? It has to be. It is. What happened? Why did I forget- no… not forget. Why couldn’t I remember him? Why couldn’t he remember me? Why did he disappear? Where did he go? What happened to him? What happened… to us?’
The memories fell into place like pieces of herself that she’d long been missing, but hadn’t been aware of. She knew they were true.
She could finally remember.
The mysterious dreams that had plagued her for so long finally clarified.
She’d been trying to remember. She just wasn’t able.
She’d been trying to piece together the first friend she’d ever made. The boy who’d grown closer to her than anyone else ever had. The smile that had brightened her darkest days. The laughter that had lifted her heart.
The boy that meant the world to her.
She wracked her brain trying to find the last piece she had- the last time she’d seen him. Anything that would help-
“Set! Set! It happened! It finally happened!”
Ten-year old Setsuna turned, her best friend sprinting across the field towards the edge of the woods where she was waiting, the start of the trail they took most days.
“Woah, Izu! What is it? What happened?” She grinned excitedly, sharing in his joy as he came to a stop in front of her, bending over, hands to his knees as he tried to catch his breath amidst his overwhelming joy.
“MY QUIRK! I FIGURED OUT MY QUIRK!”
She gaped at him for a long moment, before screaming in excitement, her arms slipping off and floating upwards in a moment of unbridled excitement.
“I knew you’d figure it out dude! What is it? How cool is it? How fast are we gonna be the coolest heroes ever!?” She rattled off her questions, her grin not faltering in the slightest.
“Me and Mom are gonna go talk to the doctor and do all the official stuff for it! But it affects-”
“...Memories.” Setsuna whispered.
Suddenly Setsuna found her feet lurching forward, her arms flailing unsteadily through the air as she tried to right her balance as she moved from a collapsed point to sprinting across the field.
She paid no heed to the voices of her classmates as she ran as hard as she could, tears glinting in the sunlight as the wind whipped them from her cheeks.
“Izuku!” She screamed at the top of her lungs. “Izuku!” She choked back a cry as she continued to scream his name, the sight of his shaking body driving a spike into her chest.
“Izu!” She slid on to her knees as she approached, nearly bowling over the teacher who was watching over the closest friend she’d ever had.
She instinctively reached out, her hands shaking, but tenderly grasping the odd cloth that shielded Izuku’s head from the ground. The teacher didn’t protest, letting her take over, but looking her over with a calculating gaze. His attention on her only lasted a few short moments before he turned it to the phone clutched in his hand, his tight grip turning his knuckles white belying his concern, despite his calm facade.
“A-Aizawa-sensei…” She stuttered, her words thick and choked on emotion and spit. “What happened to him?”
She turned a watery gaze to the teacher, desperately pleading for an answer.
Something so precious she hadn’t known she’d lost had just been returned. And it looked like he just might slip away once more, but this time for good.
“...I don’t know.” The soft answer was blanketed in concern and deeply concealed worry.
Setsuna’s quiet sobs blanketed the training field as Izuku’s convulsions slowly came to a halt.
When the team of Medical Transport robots arrived, they carefully loaded Izuku’s body onto a modified stretcher and quickly carried him away from the field.
No one said anything as Setsuna was quickly escorted behind them.
And so Class 1-B’s Quirk Apprehension Test came to an abrupt and concerning end.