[Third Person POV]
Three days later (February 25th)
As the sun rose in the horizon, painting the sky in shades of gold and pink, Katsuki Bakugo prepared for the most important day of his life: the entrance exam for U.A. High School.
His heart raced with a mix of exhilaration and thrill.
He bent down, tying his shoes with rigorous fury as he told himself, 'I'll tie them until they strangle each other!!'
Today was the first step to becoming a Hero to surpass All Might.
The day he would prove himself as the top upcoming hero.
The one he knew he could become.
Just as he was about to leave, his mother's voice, Mitsuki Bakugo, cut through the morning air.
"Bakugo dear~! Did you—"
"Buzz off, Mom! I said I'm going to—"
BAM!
His mother's punch rocked the back of his skull.
"Don't you dare talk to me like that, Katsuki Bakugo! I expect you to be back by 5 PM, and if you don't, you better prepare for the consequences!"
Rubbing the back of his head, Bakugo grit his teeth, muttering under his breath, "Violent woman."
But just as he thought he could finally leave—
BANG!
—a metal lunch box flew through the door, hitting him squarely on the back of his head.
"And don't forget your lunch!" his mother called out, her tone mixing sternness with an undeniable layer of love.
Bakugo's face reddened in annoyance and anger as he hastily took out the snacks from the box and shoved them in his pockets.
He wouldn't be caught dead with a geekish, lame, and childish lunchbox.
As he made his way out of the porch of his house, he made eye contact with a boy dressed in black cargo pants, and a white sweater, who was barely suppressing a chuckle.
"Watcha laughing at weirdo?!" Bakugo sneered.
The boy paused, looked behind him, and pointed at himself in confusion.
"There's no one else here but you!" Bakugo yelled in frustration.
Then the boy replied with his hands, gesturing in sign language.
Leaving Bakugo a tad bit embarrassed for screaming at a mute kid.
"Tch! Just don't look at me." Bakugo ordered while turning away in annoyance.
He decided to just get to school. He would just ignore the weird mute kid.
Five minutes walking on the sidewalk to get to the bus station.
Another ten minute ride on the bus to get to his stop.
Then a short three minute walk to finally reach the school.
But as every mode of transportation passed on his journey, another vein bulged out on Bakugo's forehead.
Finally, when the school was in sight—
"WHY ARE YOU FOLLOWING ME?!" Bakugo bellowed as he pointed at the boy who stayed exactly three feet behind Bakugo the entire time.
[Relax, I'm just going the same direction!] the boy replied in sign language.
"AGHH!" Bakugo yelled with mini explosions crackling in his hands, "I don't know what you're saying!"
"..."
"..."
"..."
"..."
Then the boy stepped forward, and did some sign language again. But this time, he pointed at Bakugo's chest.
Bakugo looked down, curious.
And much to his embarrassment—
Flick
The boy flicked his finger upwards, whacking Bakugo's nose.
"..."
"..."
"..."
"Hahahaha!" The boy began laughing hysterically.
"THAT'S IT!" Bakugo yelled while reeling back his arms, fists clenched and swung, ready to blow something up.
But the boy leaped backward just in time, narrowly avoiding his explosive advance.
Bakugo's eyes widened in shock, which only fueled his determination even more.
He ran forward, and tried to grapple the boy this time.
But it was like the boy could see the future, with how he dodged before Bakugo could strike him.
"Stay still!" Frustration bubbled over as Bakugo huffed in anger.
He wanted to use his quirk to its full potential, but it was too risky since a staff would see or hear his explosion quirk in the distance.
Just then, the boy chuckled to himself once more, tapping his own nose to mock Bakugo, before bolting full speed towards the school.
"..."
A flicker of fiery determination lit in Bakugo's eyes as he prepared a massive ball of explosive energy.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
"DONT RUN FROM ME YOU MUTE!! DIIIEEEEE!!!!" he roared, launching small blasts behind him as he blasted ahead.
They rushed through the school gates, barreling past several students in their haste, causing chaos in their wake.
"Hey!"/ "Ouch!"/ "Woah!"/ "Watch it!" rang out from every direction.
"YOU WATCH IT, YOU SIDE CHARACTERS!" Bakugo screamed unapologetically.
"???"
'He crashed into us and now he's blaming us???'
What might have been the beginning of a crowd gathering, quickly fizzled out, as students hurriedly turned away, avoiding eye contact with Bakugo, as if the very air around him was charged with anger and to avoid his fury.
But right before Bakugo could get back to chasing the mute boy—
"You two!" a stern voice exclaimed.
Both boys stopped and turned, and were greeted by Tenya Iida, his eyebrows knit in admonishment as he chopped the air furiously. "No fighting is permissible in this area! This is U.A.'s entrance exam! A place of order! Show some decorum!"
Iida walked swiftly to the duo, and then glanced between the evidently brash and violent student [Bakugo], and the more reserved and quiet one.
Iida whirled to the mute boy, "What happened? Has this ruffian been threatening you?"
"WHO'S A RUFFIAN YOU FOUR-EYED LOSER?!" Bakugo protested.
Then Bakugo scoffed, tossing an exasperated glare at the boy. "It's no use, you pleb! This guy can't talk. He's a mute."
"Huh? What are you talking about?" the boy replied innocently, a faint smirk widening on his face. "In what way am I a mute?"
"..."
"..."
"..."
The other students turned to Bakugo, whose jaws were dropped, and was clearly frozen from shock.
But not before explosions fizzled in his palm.
"You—! YOU'VE BEEN SCAMMING ME THIS WHOLE TIME?!"
The boy tilted his head. "Scamming implies intent. You assumed I was mute. How does that benefit me?." His voice was calm with an edge of amusement.
Just then, another student hopped into the group circle. "Now now. You're not gonna blow up everything just because of a little misunderstanding, are you?"
The trio turned to look at the tree frog girl, Tsuyu Asui.
Bakugo snarled, "WHO CARES?! YOU'RE ALL IRRELEVANT! THIS CREEP'S MINE! AND NOTHINGS STOPPING ME!"
Just then, Present Mic's voice blared through speakers.
[HEY, EXAMINEES! ENTRANCE EXAM RUNDOWN STARTS IN 5! MAKE YOUR WAY TO AUDITORIUM ALPHA, YEAH?!]
The crowd quickly murmured in quick conversations to start making their way to the auditorium.
Bakugo slammed a fist into his palm, sparks flying.
"This isn't over, mute. I'll crush you in the exam." He shoulder-checked the boy and Iida, storming off.
"DON'T DIE BEFORE THEN!" He shouted over his shoulder.
The boy murmured, watching him leave. "Volatile as always, just like I remembered. But it's... nostalgic."
Tsuyu tilted her head, "Nostalgic? Ribbit. You've met him before?"
The boy smirked faintly, "In a way, yes. You could say that."
Iida adjusted his glasses, "Ahem! Regardless! Seeing as how we're applicants, we should introduce ourselves! I am Tenya—"
The boy interrupted, "Tenya Iida. Son of the Iida family. Younger brother to Tensei Iida, the pro hero Ingenium."
He gestured to Iida's legs. "Those engines aren't just a quirk—they're a legacy. You're here to honor it."
Iida stiffened, "I—! That's—!"
Tsuyu croaked bluntly, "He's right, ribbit. You've got 'honorable successor' written all over you."
Turning to Tsuyu, the boy continued, "Frog quirk—enhanced agility, tongue elasticity, mucous secretion. But you're…"
His eyes scanned her from head to toe, "...practical. You prioritize efficiency over flair. And you're here"—he pointed to her shoes, caked in mud—"because you ran through the forest to arrive early."
Tsuyu blinked slowly before nodding, "…Ribbit. Spot-on."
The boy returned making eye contact with Iida "Your engines… they're newly upgraded. The exhaust ports are wider—less friction, more speed. But you should know you'll overheat if you push too hard."
Iida adjusted his glasses, "How could you possibly know that? I haven't disclosed those specifications to anyone!"
But the boy raised his hand, "Word of advice, in case we don't meet again."
And Iida stopped and nodded in confirmation for him to continue.
"I can see your brother's reputation weighs heavily on you, and you've trained to make him proud. An admirable trait. But don't let those thoughts consume you. Do not forget your own identity, lost in admiration for your brother."
"...understood." Iida slowly spoke. "I'm not sure of the reason or the meaning behind those words, but they seem to come from a sincere place."
"So, Ribbit." Tsuyu said, her head tilting. "My name is Asui Tsuyu, but you can call me Tsu. Who are you?"
The boy adjusted the creases in his clothes. "You may call me Hakuro. Hakuro Amago."
***
[Hakuro POV]
"W-Wait a minute! How did you manage to analyze all of that about my identity anyways?" Iida asked as I began heading to the auditorium.
"I'm wondering that too." Tsuyu agreed. "It's impressive, but creepy."
I paused.
'I forgot how straightforward Tsuyu is.'
"Just some simple observations." I responded. "Not creepy in any way. I'm not a stalker. Plus, I'm into women. The last person I'd stalk is him."
I walked up a couple of stairs before explaining to them.
"I make it a personal rule to study every hero of where I reside. And you are practically a younger version of Ingenium. The exhaust ports on your calves match Ingenium's blueprints from three years ago, but yours are clearly modified."
"I see…" Iida looked at me in respect. "To have studied the heroes to this extent. Your dedication makes you truly worthy of applying to U.A."
"So, we have Iida's engine quirk." Tsuyu noted. "And my frog quirk. What about yours Hakuro? I don't see any physical differences about you. Just a lot of staring at people."
'Actually Tsuyu, I'm quirkless. I'll be the first quirkless Hero to graduate U.A.'
Is what I almost said.
"It's not flashy, but it's useful." I replied, tapping my temple, "My quirk is Pattern. It boosts my cognitive abilities."
"I see." She nodded, "So that helps with all of your 'deductions'."
"Precisely." I opened the door to the Auditorium room.
Hundreds of applicants, all nervously shifting in their seats, filled the space, their voices barely audible over the hum of anticipation in the air.
Without hesitation, we made our way toward the front.
The seating order was simple—first, Iida with his usual composure; next, Tsuyu, her calm presence settling into the surroundings; and finally, myself, a quiet observer amidst the chaos.
"So where is everyone from?" Tsuyu asked. "I'm from Salty Banks Junior High, in the south."
Iida smiled proudly, "I hail from Somekawa. U.A.'s feeder school! I was ranked second!"
Then the two looked at me as I shrugged.
"I was just homeschooled. I recently moved to this city last week."
"Homeschooling? That's pretty uncommon." Tsuyu noted.
Iida leaned over from his seat, "May we ask why your parents decided to do that?"
"They just thought I would learn more, and faster, with their help. Not through government sanctioned education."
"Understood."
At that moment, Present Mic stepped onto the stage and began the familiar speech.
A few minutes passed, until eventually, he mentioned, "LISTEN UP FUTURE HEROES! WRITTEN EXAMS WILL BE TAKEN FIRST RIGHT AFTER I'M DONE—DON'T WORRY, IT'S SHORTER THAN AN ADHD'S ATTENTION SPAN!"
"AFTER THAT! THE PRACTICAL EXAM WILL BE TAKEN AFTER YOU'RE DONE!"
He continued explaining the rules that I was already familiar with regarding robots and points.
Iida listened closely, and Tsuyu nodded along.
Curious, I looked over to my right and saw a familiar face.
A girl that was part of Class 1B from what I recalled.
She was the one with horns, fluent in English, though her Japanese left much to be desired.
Her forehead was furrowed, her eyes struggling to focus on the lecture.
'Is she even following along?'
I leaned over, "Pst." And she jumped a bit from my sudden whisper. "Can you understand what he's saying?"
She smiled sheepishly, "Uh… yes? I catch…um. 'Robot?'and 'Pointers.' maybe."
I switched to English, "Need a translator?"
Her eyes widened, and she smiled brightly, "Oh my god! I would love, some help. Japanese isn't my strong suit.'
She extended her hand to greet me, "Pony Tsunotori. I'm glad to meet another foreign student. Are you from the U.S.? Or maybe the U.K.?"
I shook her hand and my head, "Neither actually. I just like learning languages. It comes in handy more often than you'd think. Especially with my hobbies. If you're planning to go to school here, I would highly recommend a tutor. You are rather terrible at Japanese."
She blushed from embarrassment as she spoke in Japanese, "H-hey! I.. try some!"
We continued listening to the lecture as I translated the important bits to Tsunotori.
Eventually the lecture ended when Present Mic said-
"All Right Folks—!"
And all our phones buzzed from a new notification.
"—Your written and practical exam locations have been sent to the emails you provided! Head on to your testing center! And Good Luck! PLUS!! ULTRAA!!!"
All the students in the auditorium stood up and began moving, including Iida and Tsu.
I gestured to Pony, "This is Tsunotori. Her Japanese isn't the best, so speak like she's a toddler."
Tsuyu blinked. "Ribbit. Can she understand anything we say? Did she even catch the instructions?"
Tsunotoni swayed in place with a bright smile, "I understand… some! Like… 'fight robots'! And 'plus ultra'!"
Iida bowed stiffly, "A pleasure! I am Tenya Iida! Let us strive for excellence!"
She mimicked his bow, "Yes! Excel… lence!"
Tsuyu showed her phone screen to all of us, "Do any of us have the same rooms?"
We all glanced down at our own devices, and then at each others'."
"No…" Iida mumbled. "It seems we do not."
"Not entirely correct." I said, bringing it close to Tsunotoki's. "We have the same Practical exam group."
"Fighta!" Tsunotoki yelled with enthusiasm as she fist bumped the sky.
Iida began furiously chopping the air, "Small talk between acquaintances is nice, but we must depart! Our written exams await! GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!"
As our small group began to split, Tsuyu told me, "Try not to analyze the proctors, ribbit. They might not appreciate it."
Walking away, I replied with a small grin, "No promises."
***
One hour later
So that written exam was easier than sneaking into a restricted crime scene.
But I did have a lot of practice with the latter, so maybe the comparison wasn't fair.
As the sprawling campus of U.A. buzzed with nervous energy and examinees darted toward their assigned zones, I made my way to the H zone.
My hands tucked into my pockets, and my strides with deliberate calm.
With nothing better to do, I scanned the crowd, cataloging quirks, potential weaknesses, and the occasional poorly hidden panic attack.
'A quirk to make things tremble slightly. Reminds me of that vibration quirk. Seems handy.'
'Another quirk that turns someone's arms into a chainsaw. I feel like I've seen that before…'
'Are those…fork fingers…?'
'And does that dude have his mouth on his chest…?'
'Okay…I'm glad I was born quirkless instead of getting a deformed body like that.'
Just then, a familiar voice pierced my thoughts as I turned around.
Pony Tsunotoki called out to me in English, "Hakuro! Wait up!"
Pony bounded into my line of sight, her hooves clacking against the pavement, blonde hair bouncing up and down.
She skidded to a halt beside me, grinning with excitement.
I looked at her while continuing to walk, and dryly said, "Stalking is a crime in most countries, you know. Even here in Japan."
Pony remained cheerful, speaking in Japanese, "But you… only one… talk English good! And you… uh…" [She switches back to English] "You spoke it well earlier! I'm less nervous with you! It's a weight off my back in case I have someone I need to communicate with."
I sighed, feeling the incoming stress from having to manage her, "Ah, yes. My fatal flaw: multilingualism. Tell me, will I be your personal translator for the rest of the school year if we both get accepted to U.A.?"
Pony pouted, "You're mean! But… you didn't refuse! You're nice. Just… crusty!"
I stopped briefly, before continuing. "Crusty? Charming description. Let's add 'amateur psychologist' to your resume. I trust you don't trip over your own hooves in combat."
Pony blushed, stomping a hoof on the floor, "I'm not clumsy! And my horns are super strong! See?!"
She gestures to the long, curved horns atop her head.
I leaned in, and when I did—
Fwoosh~
—they shot out, and pierced a nearby tree, with new horns immediately regrowing on her head.
Given how they pierced at least 10 inches into the tree, they did, in fact, seem strong.
But I wasn't going to openly fawn over her quirk.
"Fascinating." I said, "Do they also double as coat racks?"
Pony crossed her arms, "You… you're the worst! But I'm still sticking with you! You can't get rid of me with insults!"
I exhaled sharply, Pony trotting after me undeterred.
'Heavily persistent it seems.'
I turned to her, "So, how do you plan to weaponize your horns against the robots? Or were you going to yolo it until death while we try to fight them?"
Pony grinned again, "You said 'we'! Does that mean we're a team?!"
I pinched the bridge of my nose, "Seeing as how you've appointed yourself my shadow, Yes. So here are the terms: You follow my lead. You don't think, you don't improvise, and you certainly don't 'Yeehaw!' your way into a pile of scrap metal. Understood?"
Pony saluted, "Sir, yes sir!"
I turned back forward, scanning the H-zone gate ahead, "The exam's a points grind. We'll focus on efficiency. You—"
I gestured to her horns. "—can pierce armor or attack small openings. I'll try to create those while you finish them. No heroics. No chatting. And if you get in my way, I'll leave you for the zero-pointers."
Pony wide-eyed me, "…That's kinda cold. But… okay! Teamwork!"
'Teamwork.'
'I don't know if I like that word.'
'I prefer relying on my own abilities since I'm 100% confident and knowledgeable in what I can and cannot do.'
'But on the other hand, she can make the exam a lot easier.'
"Oof!"
Pony tripped over a curb, and almost fell face first.
'Assuming she doesn't screw up.'
Pony skipped to catch up next to me, humming to herself in the meanwhile.
We were now standing next to each other, shoulder to shoulder, as the growing crowd surrounded the gates ahead.
Just then, a robotic voice blared through the nearby intercoms.
[Attention Students In Group H! Please Get Ready As Your Exam Is About To Begin!]
The crowds of students hurriedly readied themselves for a life changing fight that they were about to partake in.
Some got into a pre-sprinting pose, others checked their shoes were properly tied, but all had their ears open, and muscles tensed for the starting signal.
My lips twitched—almost to a grin. Ahead, the gates began to rumble open.
Under my breath I said "Stay sharp, partner. Let's ace this."
Pony beamed beside me, "You got it, Hakuro!"
[3… 2… 1… BEGIN!]
BEEEEP!
The buzzer blared.
The crowd rushed forward like a crazed herd of wildebeests.
Present Mic's voice still echoing in the background.
[GET GOING EVERYONE! AND ONE FINAL GOOD LUCK!]
As I sprinted ahead, my mind briefly wandered, already dwelling on how my future would be filled with—
Chapter 5 - New Friends With Familiar Faces
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Hello!
I hope the POV switch wasn't too much at the start. I'm still trying to find the right method when I write, and this one felt a little awkward. Idk, you can tell me what you thought.
Also I hope the characters seem like they have personality's. I'm realizing the difficulty of changing viewpoints and mannerisms.
Like always, any critiques about the Chapter are appreciated. I want to become a better writer obviously.
But some compliments about the story wouldn't hurt... (It motivates me to keep writing this for free.)
AND BIG POINT HERE
I think from now on, I'll upload chapters once every week. We'll see how it goes. I don't want to make promises I can't keep. And a chapter a day (that is well-written in my eyes) is almost impossible to do with my daily life.
And depending on how well-received the Fanfic is, I'll keep going.
So your reviews are important!
Please do them because it lets me know if the Fanfic is worth writing!
Thank you everyone.
Hopefully I'll hear from some of you soon!