(I know the pairing for the fitness test wasn't accurate but at least I tried and got to update.)
After I had told Inko everything. She was silent and I waited for her to be fearful and leave me alone and possibly turn me into the police if she had a chance. I even explained to her the legend of the ghost rider and how I was "raised" by the only ones know in my world. I answered any questions she had for me and answered them the best that I could. When we were finished, her response came to me as a major shock.
"Well, you told the truth and kept your promise. I'm proud of you Eve-chan."
"W-wait. You don't think of me as a horrible monster? Or just some overly pitied little girl?"
"No, Eve-chan. Because that is not what you are." She turns to face me properly as she looks me dead in the eye as she continued.
"I once met someone almost exactly like you. She had a mysterious past and almost no name for me to call her by, but she never hesitated to do the right thing . . . you telling me this proves you trust me and Izuku. I know you aren't a horrible person and although your methods of justice aren't ones I'm familiar with, you managed to protect Izuku and my life from any trouble for the two years I've known you. If I was to shun you now, I would be no better than a villain you face every day."
That speech forever echoed in my head as I walked up to the gates of U.A. in my uniform but with my lips softly smiling. The last thing I remember about that night was telling Inko,
"If Izuku ever asks about me. I don't want you to hesitate to tell him, but I only ask that you tell him when he needs to hear it. Is that okay?"
"Of course, Eve-chan. I will keep your secret until he is ready to hear it."
Thank you, Lord, for your kindness.
I was so lost in thought that I accidentally bumped into someone. It took me a little to register who it was but soon I snapped back to reality to realize it was my best friend.
"Oh. Sorry, Izuku. Hey, you found Class Room 1-A. Nice work." I gave him my a thumbs up as he laughs a little awkwardly.
"Y-yeah. Did you see the size of the door?" I look behind him and remark,
"Wow, that's bigger than Katsuki's head on a humble day."
"E-Eve-chan, come on. We must be serious." I raise an eyebrow to him as he continued.
"The most elite from the exam are right past this door. W-we got to try and keep up with them." His fist clenched the straps of his backpack and I could sense he was nervous.
"Hey don't worry. We are just like everyone else and no scary people will harm you since I'm here."
"W-wait we're in the same class? And how did you know I was thinking that?" He asked with wide-eyes. I only laughed at his reaction.
"Come on. Let's meet our classmates-"
"Don't put your feet on the desk." The voice of the blue-haired guy from the exam interrupted my reassuring conversation with Izuku and I Immediately sighed in despair as I saw who he was talking to.
God. I know you work in mysterious ways, but why does Kastuki have to be here?
I only sighed as I found an empty seat to avoid distracting the other students sitting around me. I set my stuff down at a desk near the window and watched as the two continued to bicker.
"Don't you think that's rude to the U.A. upperclassmen and the people who made the desk?"
"Nope. What junior high did you go to, you side character?"
That ass.
"I attended Somei Private Academy. My name is Tenya Iida."
You actually answered him?
Ýøű ąćťűåłłý āñ§wəřəđ hım?
They both looked to the front of the room to acknowledge Izuku's presence. As Iida was about to say his introduction again, but Izuku stopped him thankfully.
"Midoriya, Cunningham." When he said both our names, he pointed to the both of us in a grand gesture of what I assumed was business.
"You both realized there was something more to the practical exam didn't you?" Both Izuku and I were lost but he only continued on.
"I had no idea . . . I misjudged the both of you! I hate to admit it, but you're better than me." Either I was lost to what he was talking about or bacon comes from pigs because this guy was starting to weird me out a little.
"Oh! That curly hair! You're the plain looking one." I look to see the floaty girl come into the room with a bright smile on her face. She then makes eye contact with me when she shouts cheerily,
"Oh! Those eyes! Your angel girl!"
Angel girl? What?
. . . Øh țhâť'§ hıłáŕıøû§.
"You both passed just like Present Mic said! Of course, you passed. Your both amazing."
She then began to punch the air in an excited manner while Izuku blushed into a crimson mess.
Hey Mal, bet you those two end up together.
Đø ýøů əvəņ ķńøw . . . Whāť ýøůř țąłķıńğ ąbøůť?
Bet. They are totally getting together.
Fıñə . . . bəť ýøűŕ §øůł.
Very funny you ass.
"If you're just here to make friends then you can pack up your stuff now." A man's voice cut into my ears and drew my attention to something yellow on the floor. In the doorway behind the floaty girl was a guy in a sleeping bag that looked dead to the world and his sleep schedule.
Is that my spirit animal?
"Welcome to U.A.'s hero course." The man had a lazy tone as he slurped his juice pouch within his sleeping bag.
Ýəp . . . đəfıñıțəłý ýøůř §pıŕıţ āņımåł.
He exited the sleeping bag, he began his introduction.
"It took you eight seconds to shut up. Time is precious, rational students would understand that." He then looks over to everyone in the class and proceeds to say his name finally.
"Hello, I'm Shota Aizawa. Your teacher." Everyone broke out into a fit of mutters and gasps but all I did was related to this guy's exhausted attitude.
"Right let's get to it." He then rifles through his bag to pull out some matching sweatpants and t-shirts.
"Put these on and head outside." I recognized these as gym uniforms but I had some questions, but I guess we just had to listen to the guy. I was the first to get up from my seat but I was the last to walk outside the door so I could find the girls changing rooms in this hella huge place.
Once outside everyone was gathered around Aizawa waiting for his orders. It turns out that we were all gathered for a quirk assessment test. The floaty girl asked about orientation, but only to be shot down by Aizawa's time management belief.
I was honestly more interested in the fact that we were outside than what this guy had to say. I missed being outside just to somewhat relax and breathe in the air. I only caught him saying that this was his class and he runs it his way or something to that effect. What made my blood chill slightly was the next thing he said,
"You've been taking standardized tests for most of your lives. But you never took it with your quirk before." I looked at him dead in the eyes as he continued, but my mind was too focused on how I was going to conceal the rider and not draw any more attention to myself than I already have.
"Bakugou, you managed to come out first at the entrance exam. What was your farthest distance throw in with a softball in junior high?" Everyone looked to Katsuki as he answered, "Sixty seven meters I think." Aizawa then tosses him a softball with some kind of tracking device on it.
"Try using your quirk." Katsuki then saunters over to a circle and stands in the center of it with softball in hand. He smirks a little as he passes everyone and as usual, he went out of his way to intimidate Izuku and me. With a bored expression, he began to stretch his arms as he remarks,
"Alright, you asked for it." I had to roll my eyes at that, but what came next was impressive. Katsuki winds his arm back before giving a menacing face towards the distance.
"DIE!" He screamed as soon as the softball left his grip with a chaotic charge. The was intense enough to feel and the ball was long gone before anyone could process which direction the ball flew to, but when I looked back to Katsuki, he was looking at the crowd with that shit eating grin of his. I only cock my eyebrow and give a sly smile, as if to silently accept his challenge.
"All of you need to know the maximum of your capabilities." Aizawa caught my attention as I could feel Katsuki's eyes burn holes in my head.
"It's the most rational way to figure out your potential as a pro-hero." When Aizawa finished his sermon, he showed everyone Katsuki's pitch. It revealed to be 705.2 meters. Impressed was an understatement of what everyone felt and I wanted to show him up but I knew that I had to keep things low key for no one to be scared of me.
I guess I have to see what everyone gets first before I can beat Katsuki's score.
Ýøű jü§ţ wåñț ţø §høw øff.
No. That's your intention, even if I controlled my power to only five percent . . . Isn't it?
. . . Màýbə.
I knew Mal had somewhat of a mixed competitive nature with my own, but I needed to focus.
"Idiots. Today you will compete in eight physical tests to gauge your potential. Whoever comes in last has none and will be expelled immediately." Aizawa's smirk was more of a crooked sense of enjoyment and I couldn't help but see past his intentions when I sensed him being dishonest. It was faint and unreadable from my position amongst the flabbergasted students at his comment.
The immediate tension was all that was in the air and I only smiled a little inside when he said this. This meant I could let loose a little. My poker face remained on its mark as I felt myself become more excited. Soon I felt a tap and looked to Izuku's timid face as he spoke to me.
"Uh. Eve-chan are you okay?"
"Yeah. Why?"
He then points to one of my locks of hair floating with sapphire blue flames lifting them seemingly higher. I took a deep breath and allowed my flames to extinguish before I answered him.
"Sorry. I'm just pumping myself up." I give him a small smile before I turned to face Aizawa again. Through his lazy demeanor, I noticed his eyes fixated on me very calculative. He then calls my name along with two other students by the name of Tokoyami and Aoyama. Tokoyami was a guy with a bird for a head . . . I can't make this shit up people. Aoyama was one of the dudes I recognized from the exam. He was a blonde dude with perfect hair and a weird belt.
Once we all three stationed ourselves at the starting line, Aoyama turns to me and winks with a glittery aura of confidence.
"Bonjour Mademoiselle. It is wonderful to see you again." I squint a little at the manifesting aura and say,
"Dazzling to see you again." His ego seemed to skyrocket when I said that, I guess he didn't hear my hint of sarcasm. I look over to Tokoyami to see him reveal a bird-like entity from himself and begin to speak with it. My eyes widen a little, but I must have blacked out a little as I soon found myself holding the shadow like being in my arms, scratching under its chin as it purrs affectionately.
"Dark Shadow return," Tokoyami said embarrassed but stern as the shadow entity gaze an affectionate nuzzle and returned to its host. Tokoyami "Hmphs" as he avoids my eye contact, but all I do is giggle at him.
"You know, you both make a good team." They both met my eyes as I stretched a little. When I finished my stretch I said to the three beings around me,
"Let's all show some fire." I flashed a winning smile as they got into their starting positions while I remain standing. After Aizawa finished delegating the strength test machine, he sauntered over to the three of us as some onlookers murmur to each other.
"On my mark begin." The boys ready themselves as I just stand there intently watching them. Aoyama turns around with his arms over his head while Tokoyami gives Dark Shadow one last pep talk. Aizawa takes out his device and lazily says the word "go". I closed my eyes, listening to the boys take off while I just channeled my speed into the souls of my shoes. I only felt a tiny soreness in my calves I reopened my eyes to watch from the other side of the finish line to watch the boys compete against one another. I guess Aoyama didn't open his eye either during his whole tummy laser episode because I could hear him shouting,
"I'm sorry mademoiselle, my quirk is just too much to keep up with." I cross my arms and smiled as I waited for him to land right next to position on the finish line. When he arrives, He turns and bears a statue like expression of shock. I chuckle a little as I walk up to him and give him a sportsman pat on the shoulder.
"You definitely have a flashy quirk, but maybe next time open your eyes when shooting off." I hear a stifled chuckle and look towards Tokoyami to see his back facing me. I smile inwardly at his emo reactions, but that small moment was immediately interrupted by a pair of eyes burning into my own. Aizawa was looking at me with a hardened expression on his face and walks up to me with his tracking device.
"Explain, Cunningham-san." He shows me the device within his hand which read ERROR under my time. I look up to him with a dry throat at my realization that I overdid it and answered,
"It broke?" he squints slightly as he says,
"This never breaks, nor did it ever say error during fitness tests." All I could do was lock eyes with him and retort.
"It's the power I have. I don't know what else to tell you." We have a small staring contest until he grunts and walks off to prepare the next tests. The tests dragged on like that, but it was entertaining to watch the guys compete against one another for their pride. Most of the girls watched with impressed faces and I was no different from them but whenever they started to flex is when I got bored and started staring at the clouds in the sky. A majority of the tests were very simple and somewhat of a breeze for me, however, I noticed that whenever it came to my turn, Aizawa would ask me to go last on a few of them. I would give him a look but did as I was instructed. I just didn't feel like arguing with someone today.
Soon Izuku and I were down to our last tests with everyone watching . . . goodie. Izuku was positioning himself for the ball toss along with me testing my strength. I watched Izuku as he prepared for his shot while as my hand rested on the handle of the machine. Needless to say, I was worried about what might happen if he goes and overextends himself again. I ignored the murmurs around me as I watched intently as he winds his hand back and tosses the ball. His toss ultimately flatlined compared to everyone else's, only reaching 46 meters. My eyes widened and I looked back to our teacher with a slightly fearful look to see his hair and scarf defying gravity and his eyes glowing red.
"Someone like you should never be allowed to enroll in this school," Aizawa said with an unforgiving tone. I couldn't help but lightly growl in my throat as he stares daggers at Izuku.
"Wait, those goggles! I know you. You can look at someone and cancel out their powers." Izuku said with recognition about Aizawa but Aizawa himself continued.
"You Don't have control over your power. Were you planning on breaking your bones again? Counting on someone else to save your useless body." I gritted my teeth and tried to quiet myself but he just continued on.
"No matter what your intentions are, you would be nothing more than a liability." My growls were uncontrollable and caused a few students to look my way with slight surprise. I felt the rage slither through my veins and make its way to my cheeks as they felt flushed with simmering anger.
"I'm sorry Midoriya, but with your power, there is no way you can become a hero."
I have had it, I let my hair catch flames at the fringe of my braid and allowed my bangs to cast a shadow over my eyes. My voice managed to sound normal as I cleared my throat in a low grumble as I said to him.
"And who are you to make that assumption?" Aizawa looks to me with his usual expression until our eyes meet from under the shade of my bangs to which his eyes widen a little bit.
"I know about heroes with literally nothing to call themselves and you have the pride to talk to him like that? That's what a pro-hero supposed to do? A teacher even?" I could feel my free hand shaking a bit and slowly curling into a fist. I look Aizawa dead in the eye as I continued my final thoughts,
"Then what does that make the rest of your students? A burden? We came here to become heroes. He deserves it more than anyone I know." I look to the class and scan a finger at everyone including Katsuki.
"They are important because they are your future heroes as well. If I burden you with hopes and dreams so much, then call me any insult you have ready . . . at least I still have time to figure out who I am and what I want to become." My anger quickly receded and my train of thought was clear on the tracks, but that's when I noticed it. Everyone was looking at me with nearly all horrified faces while Aizawa remains expressionless.
I follow their eyes to where I assumed they landed only to see the strength machine was quietly burning as the handle was deteriorating in my fist. I quickly let go of the handle and look towards everyone with their scared faces and sighed sadly.
I knew it. They were only going to see me as a menace. Good job, Mal. You were right. Any gloating you have to do?
. . .
Hello? . . . Great. He went cold turkey on me.
"I guess that automatically disqualifies me . . . that's okay. I just wanna see my friend do his best." I look to Aizawa with my usual poker face and waited for his answer. A couple minutes pass until he turns to Izuku and instructs him to throw his final ball. I never left my post as I watched Izuku intently but made sure Aizawa did not interfere again within my peripherals.
Izuku winds back his arm as he did before but this time, he throws the ball with immense strength. The Wind from his throw was powerful enough to give the class a strong gust and nearly blow away the dust caught in mid-air. I inwardly smile as I see his intentions and watch as he says to Aizawa,
"See. I'm still standing." A smile shadowed my lips and I look to the class to see their awed expression at him.
I knew he would blow them away
. . . Řəąłłý? Å pûń?
Shut the fuck up. You went cold turkey, you have no room to speak.
Î'm həřě ńøw řığhţ?
Whatever. You were right and now we take our leave. We obviously are in trouble for property damage.
I turn on my heel and begin to leave but I hear three voices call my attention. One belonging to Izuku, the other Katsuki, and the last Aizawa.
I look to see Katsuki take a running start at Izuku with hands crackling with obvious explosions. He rears his hand back and shouts
"Hey! Tell me how you did that Deku you bastard or you're dead!" as Katsuki rushes full force at him, Izuku screams in terror only for him to be silenced as one end of Aizawa's scarf restrains Katsuki. Kastuki looks back and asks,
"What? How is your scarf so strong?"
"Because it's a capture weapon made out of carbon fibers and special metal alloys . . . Stand down." Aizawa restrains Kastuki long enough to cool his head. Aizawa then turns back to me without using his quirk.
"Cunningham, I can not permit you to leave until the end of the test." I was stopped by Aizawa and at this point, his voice irritated me but he put me in a position where I couldn't fight against them. Everyone else stared at me intently while Izuku had eyes full of innocent want and pained tears in his eyes due to the pain in his finger. I shrugged and mumbled a 'might as well' as I joined the others in front of Aizawa. Izuku found his way next to me as I returned to the group, probably knowing he's in a safe area away from Kastuki as long as I'm around.
After many more tests, everyone had gathered in the same yard that we all threw the ball at for our final ranking. With a push of a button from the device, all our names popped up on the screen with My name being 4th and Izuku's being 20th. My heart sank for him and I grabbed his shoulder rubbing comforting circles with my thumb only imagining the future of a slump he would fall into and how it would outdo the zombie state he was in after the practical exam. As I was rubbing his back, I acknowledged his hurt finger and began to transfer his pain to me. He then suddenly looks at me with a serious look in his eyes. As if to say 'let me endure it'. Despite his obvious nervous state and pained expression, I only sigh and continue to rub circles on his shoulder with my thumb, in a way to grant him a little relief.
After a couple moments of sky shattering silence, Aizawa says
"And I was lying no one is going home."
You son of a-
"That was a rational deception to make sure you gave it you're all on the test." I think I went deaf for a split four seconds since a handful of people around began to scream.
Great. Now I look like a self-righteous idiot for opening my mouth earlier.
Luckily my hearing came back in time to hear Aizawa to pick up a syllabus from the classroom and be there tomorrow morning. Not before I saw him give a note to Izuku for a nurse's visit for his finger. My heart smiled in amusement at that shell Aizawa surrounds himself in.
Such a relatable person.
After grabbing our stuff and changing, I met up with Izuku at the front gates where he began to practically hold himself up against my arm for support.
"Ugh. So tired." I giggle and say, "Izuku we've been through work out hell and this gets you tired?" I laughed a little more only for him to lazily roll his eyes and groan as a response.
"Hey, How about I call Aries and I give you a ride back to Inko's?" He straightened up and gave me a relieved smile.
"That sounds-" Izuku's response was suddenly interrupted by a hand on his shoulder, we both turned to see Iida standing there looking as robotic as ever.
"Uhhhh. Hey there Iida." Izuku nervously greeted him while all I did was a nod in acknowledgment. Think of it as my way to greet someone.
"How's the broken finger doing?" Iida asked with some concern in his voice which caused me to raise my eyebrows in surprise a little.
"Oh. It's feeling much better thanks to recovery girl. I snicker a little to myself remembering Izuku's scream from my spot in the school gates. We all continue to walk to the gates opening as I listened to the conversation.
"I was a bit concerned by Mr. Aizawa's approach to class, but I trust the school's judgment. U.A. is the top program. Even so lying is downright immoral." Iida's speech made me inwardly smile and imagine him being the most perfect eagle scout.
"Hey!" I knew that voice, it was the floaty girl from before. As I turned to face her, I swear she looked like she was a three-year-old running towards a candy store. Iida was the first to say something.
"Oh, you're the infinity girl." She gives us all a bright smile and says,
"I'm Ochaco Uraraka. Let's see . . . you are Tenya Iida, your name is Deku Midoriya right?, and I never caught your first name Angel Cunningham."
"Deku!? Angel!?" Both Izuku and I exclaimed almost at the same time, but she gave us both a confused look.
"Uhhhm. Sorry Angel is the name that I kinda gave you when you saved me in the entrance exam." What she said next surprised me. "When you saved me, your fire hovered over your head like a halo."
She then turns to Izuku and says, "Your name I got from Bakugou during the fitness test." I rolled my eyes as the thought of Katsuki saying that insulting nickname echoed in my mind. I nudged Izuku for an explanation for her, but he went on this whole nervous rant on what his actual name was and why Katsuki calls him that. Luckily both Iida and Uraraka dismiss the nervousness and comply with his reasoning.
"You know I like 'Deku', it can make a great hero name plus, I think it's kinda cute." Ochaco comments obliviously and right when I was about to comment about how that was very polite of her to give a positive spin on that name, Izuku literally shouted,
"Deku it is then!" I never face-palmed so hard to something so obvious in my life and I had a feeling this won't be the last face-palm either. After regrouping a little I commented,
"Thank you for the compliment, but my name is Korbyn Cunningham, but, please call me Eve or Eve-chan like Izuku does. Same goes to you, Iida." I only allowed a shadow of a smile prick at my features as I bowed my head to them. They all stared at me weirdly and I could've sworn I saw flowers manifest around Ochaco as she looked at me . . . weird. To break the weird atmosphere and idea popped into my head.
"Well, If you guys want, I can give you all a ride to the station." Both Ida and Ochaco looked at me with questioning gazes. Izuku was finally the one to give light by saying in an excited tone,
"Show them Eve-chan." I flash a shy smile before I bring my fingers to my lips and let out a sharp whistle. Soon I heard an excited whinny and the galloping of horseshoes on concrete. Aries came happily galloping towards the four of us and managed to get a few stares from some other students . . . boy does she love attention. When she gets closer, she begins to prance and flick her mane in a sassy manner before she brings her head down to eye level with me. I chuckle a bit at her actions and look to see Iida and Ochaco awestruck.
"You have a pet horse!?" Ochaco nearly fainted at the sight of Aries while Iida began to inspect her like a display at a museum.
"Well, actually Aries is kind of connected to my quirk. So think of it as a form of transportation than a pet." At the moment Aries snorted a few blue flames dazzling Ochaco and Iida while Izuku and I just laugh at how much Aries was being an attention whore.
"Come on guys I'll give you a ride." I pat the saddle and outstretch my hand to any takers. Izuku was the first followed by Ochaco, but Iida insisted on walking and examine Aries for 'analytical studies' I just shrugged and took the reigns of Aries' bridle and walked at a comfortable pace for everyone. The chatter continued on until the station and admittedly I stayed quiet on purpose just to enjoy and listen to the conversation and reflect on today.
Ťøđåý §əəməđ łıķə . . . ä ğøøđ ďáý ķıđ.
Seems so Mal, but we got a hell of four years to kick in the ass. You ready for that?
Bıţćh . . . țřý țø ķəəp MƏ . . . fřøm ķıćķıńğ ýøůř§.
If that's a challenge, just say when Mal. Just say when.