Destruction And A Date, Two Wildly Diffferent Things

Shoto Aizawa was waiting for them, standing calmly with his sleeping bag in hand.

"Good, you're all here," he said. "As I mentioned earlier, we'll be conducting a quirk assessment test. This is your first step in proving that you belong in U.A.'s hero course."

He held up a tablet and swiped through a list of names. "Each of you will be evaluated on your quirk's efficiency, versatility, and combat potential. There will be no sugarcoating here. Perform poorly, and you risk expulsion."

The students exchanged nervous glances. Some, like Bakugo and Todoroki, stood confidently, while others, like Mineta and a few quieter students, fidgeted anxiously.

Aizawa's eyes flicked to Izuku. "Midoriya, since you placed first in the practical entrance exam, you'll demonstrate the first test. Come forward."

Izuku's heart raced as all eyes turned toward him. He tried to maintain a calm demeanour, but the pressure was mounting. 'Okay, okay, no pressure,' he thought, glancing briefly at Ochaco. Her warm smile met his eye. The butterflies in his stomach calmed as he returned her smile.

Aizawa handed Izuku a softball. "Throw this as far as you can using your quirk. Don't hold back."

Izuku nodded, gripping the ball tightly. "Can everyone please close your ears? I don't want anyone to get hurt, especially you, Earphone Jack."

He looked over at Ochaco again, a small blush colouring his cheeks. She gave him a supportive wink, making his heart skip a beat. 

"Alright, Chronos, let's do this."

'It's about time you called on me,' Chronos responded. 'Let's show them what we've got.'

Izuku's muscles tensed as he activated his quirk, a faint green glow enveloping him. Time seemed to slow down for everyone but him. His heart raced as he wound up his arm and launched the ball, putting everything into it.

Though to Izuku, he was throwing the ball at his normal speed, to the others, it appeared as if he had thrown it at a speed no one could comprehend.

The air shimmered as Chronos fully activated, and the ball rocketed through the air with an explosive force. A sonic boom echoed across the field, knocking some students off their feet despite their attempts to shield their ears.

Izuku stood frozen, staring at the sky. Aizawa stared at his tablet, his eyes wide in disbelief as he refreshed the data.

"Uh... Sensei?" Ochaco asked. "Where did it go?"

Aizawa finally spoke. "The ball... hasn't landed yet."

Gasps spread throughout the group. "Wait, what?" Bakugo exploded. "That's impossible! There's no way Deku pulled off something like that!"

The tablet beeped, and a reading finally appeared. Aizawa blinked, staring at the result. Then, he sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose in disbelief.

"Infinity," he said flatly, showing the screen to the students.

"Infinity!?" Mina gasped, half in awe, half in shock. "Is that even allowed?!"

"Apparently," Aizawa muttered, rubbing his temples. "Midoriya, what exactly is your quirk again?"

Izuku looked sheepish, scratching the back of his head. "Uh, well... It's Chronos. It lets me manipulate time around me. I, uh, might have sped up the ball's velocity exponentially while slowing time for myself."

"That wasn't just a demonstration," Aizawa said, regaining his composure. "That was you rewriting physics. Do you realize how much control it takes to pull something like that off without destroying the field—or yourself?"

Izuku scratched the back of his neck, a nervous laugh escaping him. "I guess…?"

As the class continued to stare at him in disbelief, Izuku stepped back in line. His heart was still racing, and he caught Ochaco's gaze. She smiled at him again, this time with admiration in her eyes. Izuku's stomach fluttered, and he couldn't help but feel like the entire world had faded away. It wasn't just the test or his quirk—it was her.

"That was amazing, Deku!" Ochaco said.

"Yeah," Izuku said softly, trying to hide the flush spreading across his cheeks. "Amazing... or terrifying."

As the tests continued, Izuku's thoughts kept floating back to Ochaco's smile, and how it made him feel more confident than anything else. Her support meant the world to him. He could do anything with her by his side. Even as the others completed their tests, he couldn't shake the feeling that this moment, with her cheering him on, was something that would stay with him forever.

When it was time for the next challenge—speed—Izuku was called upon again.

"Midoriya," Aizawa said, his voice more serious now. "You set the bar. Now, show us how fast you can apply your quirk under pressure."

Izuku blinked, surprised. "Wait, me again? But I just went!"

Aizawa raised an eyebrow. "You set the bar. Now, prove it again."

Izuku nodded. He had already seen what his quirk could do, but the pressure was different now. 

The next challenge was a combat exercise disguised as a speed test—small, weighted dummies were launched across the field, and the students had to catch and return them in record time.

Aizawa threw the first dummy, and in an instant, time seemed to stretch and slow around Izuku. His quirk burst to life, and instead of slowing down, he sped up. In the blink of an eye, he was next to the dummy, his hand grasping it with precision before hurling it back with incredible force.

To the others, it looked like he had disappeared and reappeared in an instant. He moved with an impossible speed, catching and returning every dummy with flawless accuracy.

"That's... not possible," Mina whispered, wide-eyed.

"Midoriya," Aizawa was sounding almost… impressed. "You've completed the test in record time, your reaction time is off the charts. You're free to step aside."

Izuku blinked in confusion. "What? But I didn't—"

"Don't worry," Aizawa continued, his tone still blunt but with a glimmer of respect. "You've already proven your point. No one has ever managed to accomplish what you just did. Take a seat. The rest of them can continue."

Izuku's face burned a deep shade of red as his classmates exchanged looks of disbelief and awe. 

Izuku stepped back into line, feeling a rush of pride. But as he stood there, a familiar warmth bloomed in his chest. Ochaco was there, smiling at him as bright as the sun, her eyes full of admiration.

"You were amazing, Deku," she said softly.

"Yeah, I—" Izuku started. His friend—or rival—was still seething in pure frustration.

"What a load of bullshit, f*** me!" Bakugo muttered under his breath, turning away.

Todoroki, meanwhile, gave Izuku a short nod, a quiet acknowledgement of the feat he had just witnessed. His normally stoic face seemed to ease for a moment, but he didn't say anything, focusing instead on the next part of the test.

"Alright, move on," Aizawa called, bringing everyone back into focus. "Midoriya's demonstrated his superiority. The rest of you, get to work." After half an hour of tests, they were finally over.

The tests were over, for now, he had managed to keep it together. But just as he started to relax, a familiar voice echoed in his mind.

"Well, that was a mess." Chronos' tone was harsh, empty of the usual playful amusement.

Izuku winced slightly. "What do you mean, a mess? I... I thought I did well?"

"You did fine, but you're still sloppy. You barely scratched the surface of what you can do. That throw? It's a joke if you think it was your best."

Izuku sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "I wasn't trying to impress anyone, Chronos. I just—"

"Doesn't matter what you were trying to do. You have power. You need to control it. If you don't, it'll control you, and you'll end up making bigger mistakes. You can't afford to hold back, especially with how weak your body is."

He knew Chronos wasn't wrong. "I'm trying, alright? I don't want to hurt anyone... or myself."

"No one cares about your excuses, Izuku. You want to be a hero, right? Heroes don't hesitate. Do you think those other kids care about holding back? They're only worried about keeping up with you now. And if you keep acting soft, you'll lose the advantage you've got."

"I know, but—"

"No 'buts.' Just focus, and stop thinking like a beginner."

Izuku closed his eyes. "I get it... I need to push harder."

"Not just harder. Smarter. You need to stop worrying about everyone else and focus on yourself. You're the one who has to make it, and you're the only one who can handle your power."

"Yeah, piss off!"

Izuku's gaze shifted to Ochaco, who was tying her shoes, unaware of the internal conversation he was having. 

Ochaco looked up. "Ready to go, Izuku?"

Izuku blinked, shaking off the last of his doubt. He had Chronos' voice in his head, but at that moment, it didn't matter. "Yeah. Let's go."

"Don't get soft, Izuku. You still have a long way to go." Chronos' voice was the last thing he heard as he followed Ochaco out of the locker room.

*CUT*

"Hey, you okay?" Ochaco asked.

Izuku nodded quickly, pushing a smile. "Yeah, I'm fine."

Ochaco tilted her head slightly. "Don't worry, you did great. That throw was... absolutely insane! And the speed test? I don't need to tell."

She smiled. "You're already ahead of the rest of us, Izuku. You'll keep getting better, I know it."

Izuku felt his chest tighten at her words. "Thanks, Ochaco. That... means a lot."

As they reached the exit of the gym, Aizawa's voice called out to the group one last time. "Class dismissed. Rest up. We have more training tomorrow.".

As they left the training grounds, Ochaco's cheerfulness was infectious. "Hey, Izuku, wanna grab something to eat before we head back?"

Izuku nodded. "That sounds great, actually. I need to eat some food or I'm gonna die of Chronos' cruel words."

They walked together in cosy silence for a while, their steps in sync.

As they entered a nearby café, Izuku's heart felt lighter than it had all day. 'Damn, this shit smells good.'

Izuku slid into his seat, feeling a little lighter now. "So, what are you getting?" she asked, eyeing the menu with curiosity.

Izuku glanced over at the various options but quickly realized he wasn't in the mood for anything too fancy. "I think I'll just go with a simple sandwich and some soup," he said, running a hand through his hair, a little embarrassed by his simple choice.

Ochaco giggled, clearly finding his modest pick adorable. "You're such a simple guy, Izuku," she teased. "I'm getting a big bowl of ramen. I've been craving it all day."

Izuku smiled. It was moments like this—simple, unhurried, and full of quiet joy—that made him feel like maybe, just maybe, he was starting to find his place beside her. But he felt he was going a bit too fast.

The waitress came over, and after placing their orders, Izuku leaned back in his chair. But it wasn't the tests he was thinking about now—it was Ochaco.

"You know," Ochaco said after a pause, her voice more serious than before, "I'm really proud of you, Izuku. I know how hard you've worked, and today... you were amazing. Don't let Chronos or anyone else get to you. You're doing just fine."

"Thanks, Ochaco. I really appreciate it." 

Ochaco leaned in slightly. "You're not as intermediate as you think you are, you know. You're already a hero in my book."

When their food arrived, the conversation shifted back to the more ordinary—what their plans were for the next day and how they were both looking forward to getting a break. 

As they finished eating, Izuku smiled, feeling more at ease than he had all day. "I'm really glad we came here," he said quietly.

Ochaco grinned. "Me too. We should do this more often. It's nice to just... be typical for a little while."

Izuku nodded in agreement, "Yeah... I'd like that."