The ground shakes under your feet more than it should. The explosions become more frequent but controlled, sounding very similar to real collapses, with dust, debris, and incredibly realistic beeps. It's a simulation, you know, but the panic feels real.
You spread your wings as you race toward the finish line, just to keep your balance, when Tess finally spots the first casualty: a robot patient trapped under a massive iron beam.
"Let's stabilize his breathing first. Eri, check his vital signs!"
You nod and place your hand on the patient's chest: a pulse of energy emerges, scanning his condition. Low heart rate, very low blood pressure, possible signs of severe dehydration.
"Reduced chest compressions…parameters are unstable. He needs immediate support, he's severely dehydrated."
Tess nods. "Okay, let's get to work!"
As you're busy working together and trying to figure out how to move the patient from under the rubble, the system's voice warns:
"Warning: imminent collapse."
You look up. A wall leans dangerously toward you.
"Tess! It's falling on us!"
With a quick wave of her hand, Tess touches the iron beam and makes it float just enough to allow the patient to be saved.
"Eri, now!"
You quickly wrap the patient in your healing wings, dragging the robot out from under the beam with all your strength.
Tess smiles and looks at you as she runs beside you, trying to stay as stable as possible.
"Good job, Eri."
The injured robot suddenly beeps: "Recognition: successful."
You and your best friend look at each other, eyes shining. You high-five.
Meanwhile, you take the patient-robot to Recovery Girl, place him on the ground in front of her, and quickly retrace your steps back to your companions. You see Ren crouched on the ground, crying and shaking his head. Luckily, he's not injured. He's just terrified.
"Guys, the injured man is hanging from a piece of glass! What do we do?"
Reina grabs him by the collar, pushing him toward her.
"Will you stop yelling?! Damn, this is stressful! We're all nervous, shut up!"
Kaito observes the situation with an inexplicable seriousness, but when he sees you approaching from afar, his gaze lights up and he smiles. He waves a hand at you.
"Gravity is both our enemy and our ally." He said.
Ren looks at him, wiping away his tears.
"What are you talking about? It doesn't mean anything!"
With a graceful leap, you see Kaito reach the platform, picking up the injured robot and landing with… almost style. Reina throws something at him, still frowning. Even though, deep down, you think she's really into him.
"Move it, you idiot! And stop being such an idiot."
With his quirk, Waveform, Kaito stimulates the patient's healing by producing life energy.
Result: Second successful trial, all injured robots saved.
The third and final test of the Festival begins with a huge timer ticking above your heads, almost without a break. You feel energized; your breathing is calm, and strangely, for once, you feel truly fit. In front of you, six pods are arranged in a row, each containing a different case to be treated… and, as they tell you, the whole thing has to be completed in under a minute! You look at Tess, she looks at you. She winks at you, you give her a thumbs up.
Recovery Girl adjusts her glasses, walking beside you, very serious in her white coat and her hair tied back.
"Objective: handle each case using the quirk…in rapid succession. Remember, everyone, that speed without precision is useless."
You look at Ren, just for a moment: he's very pale. You shake your head and slowly try to get closer to him, sighing as you grab his shoulder.
"Your parents are watching you. Please don't give up. We're almost done."
He looks at you and nods, wiping his tears with the palm of his hand.
Kaito flexes like one of those weird wrestlers, a classic character straight out of a cheesy anime. Reina cracks her knuckles, jaw clenched, while Tess smiles, already pumped and ready. You, on the other hand, swallow. You feel your energy pulsing beneath your skin, impatient.
Aizawa-sensei, are you looking at me?
For half a second, you glance back at him and see him watching everything from the top of the faculty platform. He's there with Endeavor, Present Mic, Midnight, and Ingenium. He's the only one who doesn't speak, of course...arms crossed, his usual serious, impenetrable gaze. Suddenly, for just a moment, his eyes slide over you. Your heart races.
The siren sounds.
You start running, rushing everyone toward pod number one: simulated respiratory arrest.
Tess leans forward and immediately places her hands on the robot's chest to initiate cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
"Tess, I'm focusing on the airway," you exclaim.
She sniffs. Your feathers pulse as they make contact with the robot, releasing a controlled, luminous surge. Suddenly, the robot stirs, regaining consciousness. "Restoration complete."
You and Tess look at each other, satisfied. "Great job, sister."
You nod. From the stands, Recovery Girl speaks into one of the many microphones. "Good start!"
Ren isn't crying anymore, but he's visibly shaking now, eyes wide, breathing shallow. "We only have twenty seconds!" he exclaims, his voice breaking.
Then, the siren sounds for the second time, and you all run together to pod number 2: impact trauma.
Reina advances, lifting the mannequin's upper arm.
"Kaito! Immobilize! Move!"
"At your service, beautiful golden-haired warrior."
She glares at him, her face red.
"I swear, if you don't stop, I'll feed you to one of the robots."
"Oh, let's hope it's a woman!"
While they argue nonsense, you wrap the robot's microfractures with sterile gauze, using your concentrated energy. Tess, beside you, closes the capsule just in time and…
Ding!
"Perfect, let's go to 3!" Reina shouts.
Now move on to capsule number 3: poisoning.
Ren staggers behind you, but at least manages to bring you two different vials.
"If I get the dosage wrong, I'll kill him, I know that already. You take care of it."
Reina sees him and nervously snatches one from him.
"This is sodium chloride, idiot!"
You intervene, noticing the tension building between them.
"Leave it to me," you say.
Place two fingers on the robot's neck and release your quirk: a short, golden, pulsating wave helps maintain vital signs and restore cellular respiration as much as possible.
"Reina, burn away the toxins! Ren, come here and shoot oxygen into his veins! The robot's going into shock!" You shout at them.
"Now!" Reina exclaims, springing into action.
Moments later, having neutralized the poison and restored the saturation levels, the capsule flashes green, just in time.
"Eri," Tess calls out, "You're feeling great today. Maybe… being with Sensei last night was just a good thing."
You blush.
"Come on, stop it. I'm just trying not to slow down the others. And you're good too, Tess."
She straightens her back, brushing her hair back as she does so.
"I know, baby."
As you smile at Tess, your eyes, without even realizing it, land on him, on your Aizawa-sensei. His fingers tighten on his scarf as he stares at you with that questioning look.
You're now in front of capsule number 4: massive blood loss.
This time, Kaito takes off his hero's cape, dominating the scene.
"Girls, leave it to your hero!"
Reina: "If you fall or make a mistake, I swear I'll bury you."
As usual, you move closer to stabilize the circulatory parameters with rapid hand movements, as if you were sculpting light.
"REN!" Tess shouts, "Get a blood bag! Move!"
He nods and returns after ten seconds. Tess sticks a needle in the robot's arm, Ren pushes blood in through his thrusters on his right arm, while the heat released by Reina's quirk envelops the patient, preventing him from cooling.
The capsule shuts down. Thankfully, another success.
When you reach the second-to-last capsule, you see the robot patient writhing and screaming in pain.
Ren screams, Kaito screams. The robot screams!
Reina, exasperated, shakes her head.
"One at a time, assholes!"
Without wasting any time, you place a hand on the robot's chest, maintaining an uncommon level of concentration.
"Kaito! Send some life waves to calm the patient's pain." You order, trying to hold him still.
After a few seconds, the robot calms down. In total, it took you 16 seconds.
Record.
Finally, you're in front of capsule number 6. The last one.
"This wasn't planned, though," Tess mutters, visibly worried.
The capsule vibrates and opens. The robot inside is severely damaged. The parameters are highly unstable, the power is short-circuiting. A small operation is needed here.
Recovery Girl speaks into the microphone, clearing her throat.
"This, guys, is the final test. You must use your quirks under maximum stress. It's the most difficult test today. Don't push yourself, though. Or you risk collapsing from lack of energy. Let's get to work!"
Everyone's looking at... you.
Okay, you inhale, trying to slow your heartbeat. Your feathers shine brighter than they should, but not too brightly.
"I can do this, guys." You whisper, trying to calm your breathing.
Tess approaches you. "Let's do this…all together."
But as soon as your quirk lights up, the pod recognizes only you… and the door practically reopens just for you. Inside, a mind-blowing tangle of wires, exposed sensors, and a malfunctioning system awaits...a disaster that demands perfect control of your powers.
You look up at him. Aizawa-sensei stiffens slightly.
You take a deep breath and place both hands on the patient-robot's metal chest. Close your eyes. You feel the robot's heart beating incredibly fast, as if it were about to go into atrial fibrillation.
"Get me a defibrillator, quick!" you shout, without raising your head.
You feel your heart begin to race, too, but you don't let it: agitation isn't an option here. Your quirk finally calms down: you take a deep breath, then another, then another.
The light emanating from your body intensifies. Ren brings you the defibrillator... after a few shocks, your light becomes more stable, more powerful. You restore his vital signs, Kaito sends out life waves to stimulate healing... but the robot shuts down. It doesn't seem to be working. In total panic, you move it slightly to the side when you notice two broken wires.
"Reina! Join these two wires, come on!"
She approaches you and nods. The fire Reina gives off is really beautiful. It's not the classic fire everyone knows; it's a strange color, almost violet, and every time you see it, you wonder if the sun's rays are actually that color.
After about 8 seconds, the capsule lights up green.
Acknowledgement: Excellent rescue.
An absurd, almost unreal silence falls from the stands. Recovery Girl's eyes widen.
"That... was advanced. Very advanced."
Ren exclaims, clapping his hands: "Eri! Reina! Are you…are you like…Goddesses?"
You blush, running a hand behind your neck.
Kaito hugs you. "Marry me!" he exclaims.
Reina, from behind, pushes him.
"NO!"
Tess also wraps her arms around you. "Good girl!"
You gasp, tears pricking your eyes. Your body trembles.
Did you see me, Aizawa-sensei?
Did you see me, you idiot stepbrother?
***
Your medical class finishes the third test with the highest score of the day. Needless to say, you all feel proud, and the other classes certainly notice. You celebrate in spectacular poses and scream with joy, you exchange seemingly endless hugs and even try to dance a choreography prepared by a certain Pinky, a very strong Pro Hero, wife of the famous Pro Hero Red Riot. Recovery Girl joins you on stage, smiling like a little girl as she unwraps her Christmas present.
"I haven't seen a checkup like that…in years!" She exclaims, kissing you each on the cheek. You smile, thrilled.
Tess, meanwhile, glances at you briefly, then grabs your elbow. You jump.
"He's coming!"
"Who?"
You ask, but before you can finish your sentence, you see Aizawa-sensei slowly descending the steps to the platform. As usual, he's not speaking to anyone, not even Recovery Girl. He doesn't even come up on stage, but stops a few meters away from you.
You take courage. Take another deep breath and approach him, smiling.
You stop in front of him and, without looking at you, you hear him murmur:
"Never do such a violent sequence alone again."
You look down, realizing that the sequence would have been truly dangerous if not for your teammates nearby. You nod, then lift your gaze, losing yourself in his deep, dark eyes. He leans closer, adding in a low, barely audible voice:
"...please."
You nod again and smile at him. You're about to return to your companions when he calls your name.
"Eri."
Your name. Not "Togata." Usually, at school, he always calls you by your last name. Your eyes widen, then you turn around, looking surprised. Your heart is pounding.
Aizawa-sensei clears his throat, choosing the right words.
"…Come to my study after dinner."
You pause a second longer than necessary. What…what does he want to do in his study?
"Y-Yes. Of course, sensei."
Aizawa-sensei nods slightly. Then he walks away, without another word.
Tess, from a distance, shouts at you:
"I KNEW IT!"
She runs toward you, and when she stops, she asks, panting.
"What did he say?"
"He wants me...in his study."
She elbows you in the side a couple of times, with her usual mischievous expression and her smile that seems innocent, but isn't at all.
"Hehe... I wonder what he's up to, hehe."
You stay still, trying not to indulge Tess's mischievous thoughts, partly because you feel surprisingly calm inside. And you're completely certain Sensei wants to set the record straight once and for all.
"Come on, let's go back to the others now."
Then, suddenly, you see Kaito hugging the first patient robot you rescued and planting a kiss on its cheek. You burst out laughing, shaking your head.