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Chapter 3: Battle TrialedNotes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

Looking at the video feed of his classmates' battle trials, Izuku felt satisfied by the pairings he'd "made." Some could have despised him for it if somehow, somewhen, they got to know. But his friends needed to get hardened by fire as soon as possible.

Leaving their first true hardship until the USJ was a mistake. They had to face problems earlier, get called on their weaknesses earlier. Hence, he messed up the battle trial.

Kaminari and Tokoyami were a terrible match, relatively speaking. Chargebolt's electricity emitted light, which in turn made Fumikage's Quirk weaker. Dark Shadow had very little patience, but had shown to have a pleasant side to the type of dumbness that was the result of Denki's signature move, which he would always end up using.

Get them to collaborate in a tight spot, and they could both get some personal growth. In Fumikage's own words, it would be "a dark and stormy night."

Against them he had decided to set Aoyama and Sero.

The half-French teen was another brilliant obstacle to Dark Shadow's power, but one who constantly had to deal with [Navel Laser]'s backlash and cooldown time. Yuga had no way to deal with Fumikage directly, so the two would dance around each other waiting for a chance to strike. They both needed to learn some damn patience. If not, showing off would be their eventual doom.

Hanta was physically similar to Denki, so the two were almost evenly matched. Sero had a knack for dodging, and that would consume Kaminari's stamina more than he'd realize. On the other hand, Cellophane would need to understand that sticking his main gimmick to enemies that used their bodies as a power source wasn't the smartest move in the book. A little shock was better than ending up burned, at least.

Asui and Sato were not the most common pair. He'd only reached that it was a suitable decision if pitted against Ida and Kirishima. That way, they could all get something out of the match.

Sugarman could get enormous boosts of strength, but lacked the boundless endurance that kept Eijiro's rock head alive through the worst. In turn, Red Riot needed some flexibility in his style, and getting pushed back and winning by a hair's breadth could show him that.

Tenya, again, was too stiff. His one-track mind would push him to focus directly on the objective and run like hell, only to be met time and time again with Tsuyu's better spatial awareness and longer range. Tsu would need to improve her reaction time and melee skills, since the bluenette would, in the end, beat her by moving closer to the bomb little by little.

Another match that he had found to bring forth some good growth was Team D versus Team I. It was always close and inspiring to watch, with the result mostly depending on time-outs.

Momo had always been capable of strong starts, as the Quirk tests had proved. She knew how to use the rudimentary form of her powers well enough to match anything the world threw at her... Until something came too fast or her assessment of the situation was wrong. Then her plans would crumble, and she would panic. 

And that's exactly where a loose cannon like Mina came in. The pinkette's acid and randomness could rip a hole through all of Creati's materials and plans. And the alien girl would learn some damn caution from facing the heiress, since running headfirst into a lair trapped by Yaomomo was akin to suicide. 

Shoji and Jiro were the perfect additions to their battle: they could both act as human echolocators, giving each team a perfect idea of where the enemy would be at all times. In a one-on-one fight it was always hard to predict who would come out on top. Mezo was strong, wider and imposing. Being grabbed by one of his tentacles would mean the end of the clash. Kyoka was faster, precise, and with a range far longer than any of the boy's extra arms. She could poke and whip from a safe distance as long as she wanted, but that wouldn't bring down Tentacole. Even her harshest beats were little more than a distraction if the guy covered his ears. This way, one would learn the need to adapt and think faster while the other would understand that she needed either more ways of dealing damage or better strategies.

Team J, composed of Uraraka and Koda, had been a very successful set made without a specific counter in mind. Their adversaries, Mineta and Ojiro, came later, as they were the ones being perfectly countered.

Uravity needed to increase her limits and judgement skills. She was determined, but she couldn't afford to lose focus while trading blows. And if her stomach stopped revolting when she used her Quirk on herself, all the better. That would come sooner rather than later, if he had a say in it.

Ochaco's powers were incredible and could be used virtually anywhere, while Koji's had a very specific requirement: animals had to be willing to collaborate. And a scared puppy of a hero wasn't decisive enough to convince most creatures.

Putting Anima with or against someone who could destroy his already fragile balance would be detrimental. 'Chaco was so kind and sweet that Koji would be in the best state of mind to give it his all. And that's how he managed to get so many mice to help.

The sheer number of animals would pose the greatest challenge to Minoru's Quirk; he just didn't have enough stamina to stick that many rats to a wall.

One would assume that someone like Koji wouldn't put that much into taking down Mineta. Well, that was only until the Grape made a sexist comment. That would flip the kind soul's switch. It'd taken Izuku a long while to get him to open up about that, but it had been worth it.

Minoru would raise his limits and perhaps grow out of his repulsion for small animals. And perhaps get more comfortable with getting some blood running on his scalp. The things the boy could try when he panicked...

Mashirao was a great close-quarters combatant, given both his Quirk and his training, but Ochaco could as well have been his fated enemy. For all of his experience, ending a fight without being touched was very, very hard. He would certainly learn how to keep his distance and wait for the right opportunity.

That reminded Izuku that they should all be training on how to avoid being touched in any way, shape or form during a fight.

- Damn, so many things to keep track of. -

Last but not least, the wonder duo: Bakugo and Todoroki. Izuku would be lying if he said that it wasn't partially because he wanted to fight them both at the same time.

Yeah, he had gone on a bit of a power trip back then, sue him.

It had been like that for around ten loops. But then he'd noticed the effects of every other match, so it had to stay.

The two teens needed to be taught a fair bit of humility, albeit for different reasons.

Katsuki needed to be defeated on the first battle to set off his growth as a person. Anything else wouldn't work. It would be either too late or too little, and he'd rather not have to deal with King Explosion Murder again. He'd tried, and he'd rather forget that one. All the stress relief Izuku got from the encounter was just an added bonus. Plus, he would stop using that damn right hook after being called out on it.

Shoto had been placed on the highest tower of the castle since a young age. The damn princess wouldn't learn what fighting on equal grounds was unless showed directly. Harshly, but not to the point of utterly breaking his spirit. The teen needed a rival, and Izuku was happy to give him one. To become one. Everything concerning Endeavor would need to be cleared up in time. That family could still be saved, even if they never made it easy.

Now, one might think that, by this point, Toru was the only one left, and that was why Izuku had to take her in his team.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

In fact, Izuku had chosen Toru as his teammate from the very start, since he'd learned he could "play around" a bit. Only after that he had started working on his "perfect battle trial matches" plan.

It wasn't as if he liked her more than the others. Izuku wasn't one to put feelings before work. Not anymore, at least. He loved everybody in his class equally. Time had made sure of that, as had too many hard lessons.

Toru was a good choice because he wanted to kickstart her growth as soon as possible. Her potential was so goddamn high and she didn't have a clue.

- Calling [Invisibility] what could become complete control of electromagnetic radiation. What a fucking joke. -

The girl was capable of reaching powers that would make the Top Ten cower in fear, in theory. He had reached that point with her once, but it hadn't been all fun and games.

There was a reason why he'd decided to stop with one-on-one endeavors.

Anyway, just getting Toru to manipulate microwaves made her one scary gal. She needed guidance, good advice and a shoulder to lean on. Even in the midst of all the cursed messes he found himself in, Izuku wouldn't just toss aside his family's problems.

Mental disorders were far too common in the line of work, even if the vast majority of people either had no idea or kindly chose to ignore the issue.

Well, he wouldn't.

Toru, and everybody else, now had a friend that would do anything to keep them safe and sound.

" Messiah Complex," the voice sarcastically offered.

- Yeah, I know. It's been diagnosed before, - he mentally huffed.

All Might had disappeared in a hurry, telling the teens to get back to the main building before leaving for the day.

Mina looked around as they walked and, seeing that the most interesting person of the day was already mid-conversation with the gravity girl and turbo four-eyes, she approached the second-best option.

"Hey Hagakure!" She reached over with jumpy steps and a wide smile. "Your match was great!"

"Oh, hi Ashido," the unseen girl waited for Mina to reach her side while lightly shaking a hand in front of what Mina presumed was her face. "Thank you, but I practically didn't do anything. It was all Midoriya."

She shook her head, denying her humbleness. "Come on! You captured Todoroki! That's already more than I did!"

"I-I guess. Yaoyorozu was really tough to beat, uh?"

"Girl, it was incredible! I don't think I ever had to put that much thought into anything before!"

Which, all things considered, told a lot more about her school exam history than anything else. Still.

"Sooo, anyway, how was Midori as a teammate?" Mina kept her head still as her eyes wandered a bit, looking for hints at the unseen girl's feeling. She took note of the slight tic born as she mentioned the nickname: Hagakure had started to tap her toes. For someone invisible, she had way too good of a tell. Her smile turned into a sly grin. "I saw you two confabulating before the match, were you making strategies? Or, you know... something else?"

It was a pity that she couldn't see anything on Hagakure's face, but her rapid fidgeting told her as much as full blown blush.

Mina lived for moments like these. Her grin didn't stop growing.

"Yeah... Just a bit about what we could do. And he gave me some pointers about my Quirk."

That was interesting... Not what she expected, but interesting!

"Oh, cool! Like what?" she asked, hoping not to seem too pushy.

"Well... It was about..." Toru accelerated her fiddling. "He can somehow guess where my eyes are... really well." 

Mina squinted her eyes for a second. 

"Well, that's easy, isn't it? Aren't they about here?" She pointed towards Hagakure's face, touching the point of something and hastily retracting. "Sorry!"

The invisible girl giggled a bit. "Don't worry, that's my nose. But that's what I'm talking about! He was looking at me like, right in the eyes!"

Mina tried to put herself in Hagakure's shoes. Judging by her tone, and her unique situation... ah. "Oh, that must be crazy for you!"

"Yeah, no one's ever done that!"

Hagakure's hand gestures were really exaggerated, she had noticed. Probably a way to stand out more.

"But does he see you see you? 'cause, you know..." she pointed down to Hagakure's "costume," or rather to the absence of one.

The other seemingly shrugged. "He swears he can't, but who knows? At least he hasn't made any rude comments."

- So, he's the gentlemanly type eh? - Mina's gears were always turning for this type of calculations.

"And he's offered to help me with my Quirk. And with this," the gloves pointed towards the void that was her body. "He says there should be some ways to 'not be naked' all the time," she said as her fingers made very theatrical air quotes. 

Mina raised an eyebrow. - He's offering to cover that much even if he can see it? Yep, gentleman confirmed. -

"Mm, he seems like a fine guy. Do you think it'd be a problem if I were to join you for that training?"

She didn't want to intrude, but- Scratch that, that was her whole intention, to see what was going on. And perhaps see if he could offer some pointers too, since that would be nice.

Toru took a second to answer, a finger raised to her chin. "Mm, I don't think so? We'd have to ask him though."

"Great! Thanks!" Mina managed to get her arm on the invisible girl's shoulder, bringing the two of them closer, side by side. "And just call me Mina! We're friends now!"

She couldn't see her smile being reciprocated, but a hand on her own shoulder told her it would be just fine. "Okay! Then call me Toru, it's easier!"

Denki could only stare at Midoriya's back as he began talking about the trials, prompted by Eijiro and Sato.

- There's no way, right? -

The greenette had just hinted at a way to avoid short-circuiting. How in the world could he have had the time to think about that? They'd known each other for twenty-four hours, and he'd only seen his Quirk in action twice! He hadn't even shown his downsides on the first day, so had he really thought of something in between the battle trials? In three hours?

The more he thought about it, the more absurd it was.

- Meh, must've been joking. -

He turned away to get his schoolbag, as something poked him on the shoulder.

Completing his turn, he came face to face with the girl with long earlobes. Jiru? Nah, Jiro maybe. Behind her, a few steps away, stoop the tall girl with the ponytail. Yao... something.

"Hey, you need something?"

She had a curious look about her, as her sight moved from him to something in the back of the class.

"What did you and Midoriya talk about?"

He didn't pretend not to be surprised by the question. "Uh, what?"

The girl huffed. "Just now. You talked with Midoriya and as he walked away you were making that face... Like..."

"As if he'd told you something spectacular and you had trouble understanding it," the taller one offered.

"Yeah, that," Jiro nodded to her companion, then crossed her arms and faced him. "So, what did he say to make you gape like a pike?"

"Uh..." Denki coughed a bit. "He just said something about a way to avoid me short-circuiting my brain".

Miss Ponytail widened her eyes. "Oh, when you overloaded your Quirk in the battle."

"Yeah. Lots of squints looked at me, but they all said it's just supposed to work this way: I overdo it, I fry my brain. No big deal," he shrugged.

"Sounds like a big deal to me," the smaller girl commented.

"You don't think Midoriya could help?"

"It's just... meh," he sighed. "Why, do you think I should give him a chance?"

The two girls exchanged a look he didn't completely get.

"Well, you're not the only one he has talked about improvements with," Ponytail said. "He thinks he's found something odd about [Creation] and [Earphone Jack] as well."

Jiro fidgeted a bit with her Quirk. "Yeah, I guess he's really trying to push that whole 'offering help' thing he talked about yesterday."

"Uh..." Denki took a look behind him just to see Midoriya leave the room with the pink and invisible girls in tow, a fact that wasn't missed by the other two.

"Do you think those two accepted?" Jiro asked.

"It's possible," Ponytail sighed. "I imagine we will have to wait for our turn tomorrow."

"Why not follow 'em?" Denki spoke before thinking, the idea slithering to his tongue in a moment.

Seeing the other two give him strange looks, he elaborated. "He didn't say he was limited to two, right? Let's just see if he's as good as he claims."

The taller girl seemed reluctant for a second. "Wouldn't that be intruding?"

"If he doesn't want us to look, he can say so. It won't be that much of a problem," Denki grinned a bit, starting to like the idea. "But we should get a move on, or we'll lose them. You in?"

The purple-haired girl was the one to make the decision for the duo. "I mean, why not? I'm curious."

With that said, the three took their stuff and snuk out of the room, starting to follow the trio.

And they weren't the only ones.

"Bakugo."

Katsuki, bag hanging on his shoulders, stopped walking away and turned to face the nerd.

Despite a few bruises, the blonde could see that Deku was in a better shape than him. A fact that made him seethe even more, if possible.

He had been utterly defeated. The blows he had landed on the greenette hadn't been enough to burn more than a few strands of hair.

"The hell do you want?" He spoke through his teeth. He wasn't in the mood for talking.

Deku's expression was calm, if a bit unreadable. Gone was the kid that trembled every time Katsuki stood above him. How had he changed so much? How could it not be just a damn façade?

"I have never lied to you, Katsuki," he started. "I have been Quirkless for fifteen years of my life. And never once have I thought of raising my head, of speaking against you."

He looked up, as if searching for something between the clouds.

"You know that I would have risked it all to become a hero, Quirk or no Quirk. But I was lucky. My Quirk came in only a little before the entrance exam. It's strong, and it's mine."

The blonde met his eyes as he moved them down. Deku's determination was still there, now unclouded by fear and doubts.

He gritted his teeth. "So, you've come to gloat, huh? Just 'cause today you've beaten me, Assclown?!"

Deku shook his head lightly.

"I've been struggling to chase after you for years, Katsuki. Today I stand at your side. I'll let you choose if you prefer moving forward together or being left behind. I'll be waiting."

After having said his piece, Deku turned away, leaving him with his fists closed and breathing erratically.

He looked down, too many things trying to find their spot on the tip of his tongue.

That peppermint bastard. That ponytailed bitch. DEKU. Extras who should have been nothing, but were all above him.

Why were his eyes getting wet?

"Shit! Goddammit! I'll be number one, Deku! You hear me?! Don't you dare think that you'll ever beat me again! You will see!"

As Bakugo was reached by an encouraging All Might, Izuku stepped away and smiled. Even the tallest mountains could be climbed.

Izuku smiled as his ex-best friend yelled. With that, Kacchan's first step was completed, the seed were sown.

Now he just had to wait, kick his ego down and give some words of "encouragement" to let that explosive plant grow.

"Hey, Midoriya, there you are! We've been waiting!" Mina waved his way as he approached.

"Sorry about that, I had to take care of something," he said, starting to guide the group towards the chosen gym.

"How did it go?" Toru, as happy as she could try to sound, had some concern in her voice.

"All things considered?"

He looked at his arm, the soreness from before almost gone. No broken bones there. He shifted the muscles on his back, the shirt's fabric touching his oldest scars. Nothing that hadn't already healed.

"Well. I think that went well."

Notes:

A small conclusion and some key differences to the typical battle trials chapters. Our boy isn't leaving anything to chance, if he can.

Interests are brewing! Up next, let's break continuity and mess up everybody's training schedules.

Leave a kudo or a comment if you like!

Thank you for reading! 'till next time!