U.A.'s Gamma Field was a massive open space. Class 1-A stood in uneven rows, dressed in blue and white gym uniforms.
"Listen," Aizawa said, slurring his words. "Here at U.A., we don't waste time with welcome ceremonies or rookie orientations. We teachers have total freedom to run our classes as we see fit."
He made a pause that stretched out until it became uncomfortable. Nobody dared to breathe.
"So, we're going to do a Quirk Apprehension Test. Eight physical exams that you've all done before in middle school. The difference is that here, you can use your Quirks freely."
Aizawa gave a sadistic smile.
"And to make it interesting: whoever comes in last will be judged as having no potential and will be expelled immediately."
The silence was deathly.
"EXPELLED!?" someone shouted in a high-pitched voice.
Izuku felt the rush of adrenaline. Next to him, Ochako had turned so pale she looked like a ghost in a tracksuit.
Perfect, he thought as his brain went into controlled panic mode. Ten months of dragging rusty trash across the beach, torturing Mom with hellish training routines, surviving several killer robots in the entrance exam... all to be kicked out on the first day. I'm gonna last shorter than a video game tutorial.
He looked at Ochako out of the corner of his eye. She was trembling slightly, her fists clenched at her sides.
No, he told himself firmly. She's scared. I'm scared too. But someone has to stay calm here or we're both gonna collapse.
"Hey," he said in a low voice, touching her shoulder. "Breathe."
"Izuku-kun, this is..." she started, her voice shaking.
"It's a pressure tactic," he interrupted with a firmer tone than he actually felt. "He wants to see who cracks first. We aren't gonna crack."
He put both hands on her shoulders and forced her to look him straight in the eye.
"I know you can do this."
Ochako blinked several times, processing his words. Her posture straightened a bit.
"Really?"
"Totally," Izuku said without hesitation, even though inside he was praying to any deity that would listen. "We're a team, remember? Teams don't let themselves get beaten by sadistic teacher threats."
Please let it be an empty threat, he thought desperately. Because if it isn't, I'm gonna have to call Mom and explain why she wasted ten months of her life training me for nothing.
Ochako nodded with more conviction, and color slowly returned to her face.
"You're right. We can do this."
"Of course we can," Izuku confirmed, letting go of her.
While Aizawa explained the rules in a monotone voice, Izuku took the chance to quickly scan his classmates. Bakugo looked excited, which was terrifying. The guy with red and white hair looked seemingly confident. There was a guy with engines in his legs who looked way too focused.
Great, Izuku thought. Surrounded by people with incredible Quirks while I have one I don't even fully understand.
His gaze drifted toward Momo, who was lost in her own thoughts, probably calculating optimal strategies for every test. The gym uniform hugged her figure in a way that Izuku definitely couldn't ignore.
Focus, Midoriya, he ordered himself. Survive first. Appreciate chests later.
"First test," Aizawa announced. "Fifty-meter dash. Ashido, Asui, you're up first."
The fifty-meter dash was a parade of humiliation for those with combat Quirks instead of speed. Ashido used her acid to propel herself forward with small, controlled bursts. Asui simply jumped, covering huge distances with every leap.
When it was Momo's turn, Izuku watched as she created a small thruster that attached to her back. The uniform tightened slightly with the movement.
Good lord, he thought while watching her take her place at the starting line. P.E. is turning out to be my favorite class of the day.
Momo activated the thruster and shot forward, crossing the line with an impressive time.
"Midoriya-kun, your turn!" Ochako called out to him.
Izuku blinked, snapping out of his unproductive thoughts, and ran to the line. Without an offensive Quirk to use, he had to rely completely on those ten months of hellish training with his mother.
Thanks, Mom, he thought as his legs pumped with all the strength he could muster. Thanks for being terrifying when you set your mind to it.
He crossed the line wheezing. His time was decent; nothing spectacular, but solid enough not to end up in last place. When he stumbled back, Ochako handed him a water bottle with a smile.
"Good time, Izuku-kun."
"If it weren't for those months at the beach training with Mom, I'd be dead right now."
"Training with your mother?" Momo asked, having accidentally overheard while waiting for her next turn.
Izuku turned to her, still catching his breath.
"Long story. Short version: Mom needed to get out of a slump, I needed to get in shape. We combined both into ten months of mutual torture."
"That explains your physical condition," Momo commented.
"Well, when your power is basically useless for fighting, you have to compensate with muscle," Izuku said, shrugging. "I'm Midoriya Izuku, by the way. Formally this time, without crashing into each other in hallways."
He held out a hand. Momo took it with a firm grip.
"Yaoyorozu Momo. It's a pleasure to properly meet you."
"The pleasure is mine," Izuku said with a smile. "And hey, if you see me get expelled today, please tell my mom I died doing what I loved: failing spectacularly after all her hard work."
Momo smiled slightly at the self-deprecating comment.
"I don't think you're going to fail, Midoriya-san."
"I appreciate the vote of confidence," Izuku replied. "Even though my Quirk is still practically useless for this. It's called Train."
"Train?" Momo repeated, processing the information. "A personal training Quirk?"
"Exactly. I'm still discovering everything it can do, honestly."
"There must be more to your Quirk than meets the eye," Momo said thoughtfully. "Nobody gets into U.A. with a weak power."
"I hope so," Izuku replied. "I like to think there's some hidden potential in there. I just have to find it before Aizawa-sensei kicks me out."
*****
The grip strength test was a brutal demonstration of the gap between Quirks. Shoji clocked in at over five hundred kilograms with his multiple arms. Sato broke the dynamometer and had to use a spare.
Izuku watched the numbers with growing horror.
Come on, he thought, grabbing the dynamometer with sweaty hands. Ten months of training have to be good for something. Just squeeze until your fingers beg for mercy.
He closed his eyes and squeezed with all the strength he could gather, feeling his forearm muscles tense to the limit. The device beeped.
62 kg.
Not bad, he thought with relief. Way above the normal average. I'll survive... probably.
"Izuku-kun!" Ochako called him before her turn, approaching with her dynamometer in hand. "Any advice?"
Izuku thought quickly, remembering the countless times he'd done that exercise with his mother supervising him.
"Don't squeeze all at once. Build up the pressure slowly, gradually. And think about your forearm, not your hand."
Ochako followed the advice, her face focused as she gradually squeezed. She managed a solid score that made her smile with relief.
"It worked! Thanks, Izuku-kun!"
"Of course it worked," Izuku said, smiling back. "Knowledge is power. I think I read that somewhere."
From her nearby position, Momo watched the exchange with interest.
Midoriya-san has a natural instinct for coaching, she thought. He observes, analyzes, and offers practical solutions.
******
The standing long jump was visually more impressive than the previous tests. Ashido used her acid to create explosive propulsion, flying through the air with a grace that Izuku definitely admired. Then Hagakure, the invisible girl, made a jump that defied all visual logic.
I can't even confirm the theory without visual data, he thought with frustration. How is observation supposed to work when she's invisible? This is unfair to science.
When his turn came, Izuku just ran and jumped with all the strength he could muster. It wasn't spectacular, but it was solid enough. Momo prepared after him, creating a small, compact catapult with her Quirk. She used it to launch herself forward, landing with calculated precision.
Izuku gave her a thumbs up from his spot.
"Excellent application, Yaoyorozu-san!"
She nodded with a small smile before returning to the line.
"Side-to-side hops," Aizawa announced in a bored tone. "You have twenty seconds to move back and forth between the lines. The more reps, the better the score."
Izuku watched as Iida prepared first; his legs moved with mechanical speed between the lines marked on the ground. His engine Quirk gave him an absurd advantage. Then it was Momo's turn.
Izuku watched her take her position between the two parallel lines, which were two meters apart. She took an athletic stance, ready to move. The beep sounded.
Momo began to move laterally, her feet sliding quickly from side to side with perfect technique. But what completely captured Izuku's attention was the natural movement of her body. Her chest bounced with every change of direction.
Damn, Izuku thought, unable to look away. They move a lot... They look so soft.
Momo continued the exercise, focused on maximizing her reps. Every lateral movement made her uniform tighten slightly, her bust moving with a hypnotic bounce.
What would it feel like to use them as a pillow? Izuku wondered. His brain took a dangerous detour into completely inappropriate territory. They look so soft.
"Midoriya-kun!" Ochako's voice snapped him out of his thoughts. "Your turn!"
Izuku blinked several times, feeling the heat rise to his face.
Crap, he thought, mortified. I was staring.
He positioned himself between the lines, desperately trying to erase the images from his mind. The beep sounded and he started moving laterally, his feet sliding side to side as fast as he could. His legs were burning after ten seconds. At fifteen, he felt like he was going to collapse. But he kept moving, pushing every muscle to the limit.
The final beep sounded and Izuku stopped, panting.
"Thirty-two reps," Aizawa announced emotionlessly. "Next."
Izuku stumbled back to the line. Ochako handed him water again.
"Good job, Izuku-kun."
"Thanks," Izuku replied, drinking desperately. "My legs hate my existence right now."
Momo approached after everyone was finished, discreetly wiping sweat from her forehead.
"Forty-one reps," she commented. "I could have created something to improve my lateral speed, but the caloric cost wouldn't have justified the gain."
"Strategic thinking," Izuku said, grateful to have a normal conversation that didn't involve his recent mental breakdown. "Saving energy for the tests that actually matter."
"Exactly," Momo confirmed. "Every use of my Quirk consumes lipids. I must be selective."
They got to the push-ups. Izuku managed a respectable number thanks to the months of training. Ochako struggled a bit, but completed a solid amount. Momo created a small support to optimize her form.
The tests continued relentlessly. Sit-ups, squats... everything designed to expose weaknesses. During sit-ups, Izuku ended up next to Mineta, who wouldn't stop staring at the girls with a disturbing intensity.
At least I try to be discreet, Izuku thought with some questionable moral satisfaction. This guy is a miniature predator shaped like a grape.
"Did you see Yaoyorozu?" Mineta whispered with gleaming eyes. "Those movements during the side-steps were...!"
"Work harder, Mineta," Izuku interrupted him dryly.
Hypocrite, his conscience told him. You literally just fantasized about using her breasts as a pillow ten minutes ago.
Yeah, but I don't say it out loud, he defended himself internally. There's a difference between being a hormonal boy in silence and being a vocal creep.
******
Finally, they reached the last test: the ball throw. The tension in the air was palpable. This was the most spectacular test, the one that would truly separate the powerful from the weak.
Aizawa pointed to Bakugo with a lazy gesture.
"You, the one with the explosive hair. What was your middle school record for the ball throw?"
"Sixty-seven meters!" Bakugo roared, snatching the ball from Aizawa's hands. "Get ready to see me slap an explosion on this!"
He walked into the throwing circle with confidence, wound up his arm, and built up tension. Then he threw with a wild scream.
"DIE!"
The explosion was deafening. The ball shot out, disappearing into the sky. Aizawa's device beeped.
705.2 meters.
"Not bad," Aizawa commented in a bored tone.
The entire class stood in silence, processing the absurd number.
Crap, Izuku thought. Seven hundred meters. I can barely throw sixty with all my strength.
Several students got impressive numbers after Bakugo. Todoroki created an ice ramp. Sato ate sugar and threw with superhuman strength. Momo created a small cannon.
When it was Ochako's turn, Izuku saw the panic in her expression. He knew her well enough now to read every micro-expression on her face. He walked up to her with determination and put both hands on her shoulders, forcing her to look at him.
"Uraraka, listen to me," he said in a low, intense voice. "Forget about brute force. Remember the beach? This is exactly like that."
He looked at her with an intensity that left no room for doubt.
"You're gonna throw the ball with all your strength. You're gonna pivot your body to build up angular momentum. And right when the ball leaves your hand, you graze it with your fingers using your Quirk."
Ochako swallowed hard, her eyes searching for certainty in his.
"What if it doesn't work?"
"It's gonna work," Izuku said with total conviction. "I completely trust that it's gonna work. So you trust it too."
Ochako took a deep breath, her posture straightening.
"I trust you, Izuku-kun."
"Good," he said, letting her go. "Now go break physics and show everyone that brains beat brute force."
Ochako walked to the circle with firm steps. Izuku returned to the line, fists clenched until his knuckles turned white. Momo watched from her spot with curiosity.
What strategy is Uraraka-san planning? she wondered. Her Quirk is Zero Gravity. She can make the ball float, but that won't send it far. Unless...
Ochako positioned herself in the circle. She took a deep breath. She wound her body back, building up rotation. Her legs planted firmly. She threw.
Her arm followed a perfect arc, her whole body spinning with the movement. The ball left her hand with decent speed. And at the very last microsecond, her fingers grazed it.
Izuku held his breath; his heart was beating so loud he could hear it in his ears.
Come on, he thought with frantic desperation. Please, work. For the love of all the glorious hips in the world, let it work.
The ball went up. And it kept going up. It became a tiny dot in the sky and vanished completely from sight. Aizawa held up his device. The screen showed a symbol that made everyone stop breathing.
"INFINITY!?" someone shouted.
"HOW IS THAT EVEN POSSIBLE!?" another shrieked.
"THE BALL IS NEVER COMING BACK!"
Izuku let out his held breath in an explosive sigh that seemed to empty his lungs completely.
"YOU DID IT!" he shouted, running toward Ochako. "Uraraka, you're amazing! I knew it would work! Physics never fails!"
Ochako stared at her own hand in shock.
"It worked," she whispered. "It actually worked."
"Of course it worked!" Izuku said, practically bouncing in place. "I told you! Rotation plus zero gravity equals infinity."
"Congratulations, Uraraka-san!"
They both turned. Momo had approached with a fascinated expression, her eyes moving between Ochako and the sky where the ball had disappeared.
"Your application of the conservation of angular momentum was brilliant," Momo said with genuine admiration. "The execution was perfect. The timing of the touch was flawless."
Izuku puffed out his chest with pride.
"Did you hear that, Uraraka? Brilliant! Yaoyorozu-san just confirmed it! Science prevails!"
Ochako turned red all the way to her ears.
"Oh no, thank you so much, Yaoyorozu-san. But the idea wasn't mine. It was all Izuku-kun. He thought of everything, I just followed instructions."
Momo turned toward Izuku. He felt the full weight of her analytical gaze.
"Was it your idea, Midoriya-san?"
Izuku scratched the back of his neck, suddenly uncomfortable under her scrutiny.
"I just threw out the theory. Uraraka executed it perfectly. She did the hard part. I just applied high school physics."
"Even so," Momo insisted with a thoughtful tone, "the theory requires a sophisticated understanding of mechanics."
"Well..." Izuku started, looking for a way to explain without sounding arrogant. "I had a lot of free time during my training. I read a lot about physics, mechanics, Quirk applications. You know, normal bored teenager stuff."
Momo opened her mouth to respond, but Bakugo's verbal explosion interrupted any further conversation.
"THAT'S CHEATING!" Bakugo roared, his face contorted in absolute fury. "Round Face! What kind of crap was that!?"
"Physics," Izuku replied calmly, even though internally he was preparing to possibly die. "It's a fundamental law of the universe."
"I DON'T GIVE A DAMN! I'm gonna...!"
"Bakugo," Aizawa interrupted in a dangerously low voice. "If you want to be expelled for attacking a classmate, go ahead. Otherwise, shut up and wait your turn for the next tests."
Bakugo snapped his mouth shut with an audible click.
Great, Izuku thought. First day of school and someone already wants to kill me. This has to be a record.
The rest of the throws continued, but none even came close to Ochako's infinity. Izuku threw using only his brute strength, achieving a decent seventy-two meters.
When all the tests were over, the class gathered in front of Aizawa, who projected the final results on a holographic screen. Izuku searched for his name, his heart thumping painfully in his chest.
Penultimate place.
It's not last, he thought with a relief so intense he almost felt dizzy. I'm not last. I survived.
Ochako was in tenth place thanks to her infinite throw. Momo was in first. Bakugo was in third. And in last place was Mineta, whose sticky ball Quirk apparently was useless in physical tests.
Everyone looked at Aizawa, waiting for the execution. The teacher watched them with a bored expression for a long moment.
"By the way," he finally said, "the expulsion thing was a lie. A rational deception to bring out your best performance."
"WHAT?" several voices shouted in unison.
"Obviously it was a lie," Aizawa continued. "It's clearly irrational to expel someone with potential just because of one bad day."
Izuku felt like his legs were going to give out.
Ten months of training, he thought, dazed. All of today's panic... and it was a damn lie.
"Though," Aizawa added with a smile that made several students swallow hard, "I can still expel anyone I deem to have no potential at any time. So don't get comfortable."
This man is a sadist, Izuku thought while watching his teacher shuffle away. A certified sadist with a teaching license.
But he'd survived. He was an official U.A. student. Ochako hugged him without warning, nearly knocking him to the ground.
"We made it, Izuku-kun! We survived!"
"We survived," Izuku repeated, hugging her back. "Against all odds and my mediocre Quirk, we survived."
"Your Quirk isn't mediocre," Ochako said, pulling away. "Your brain is your real power."
Momo watched Izuku from a distance while he celebrated with Ochako.
Midoriya Izuku, she thought with growing curiosity. No obvious offensive Quirk, but with an exceptional strategic instinct.
******
Author's Note: Clicking the like button is the easiest way to tell me you want more.