The two weeks before UA classes began passed in a blur of preparation and anticipation, the days bleeding together until Izuku could barely remember what it felt like to wake up without a knot of nerves twisting in his stomach. Now, standing in front of his bedroom mirror, the reality of it all finally settled in.
He tugged at his tie again, fingers moving on instinct even though it already sat perfectly straight. His reflection stared back at him, familiar and yet completely foreign.
Purple hair framed his face, darker near the roots and lighter where it caught the morning sun. It still felt strange not seeing green there—strange not seeing anything normal, really. His eyes glowed faintly violet, the light pulsing behind black sclera like distant stars trapped behind glass. Even when he tried to relax, the glow never fully went away. And then there were the veins—thin, branching lines beneath his skin, emitting a soft, otherworldly light that traced his neck, hands, and forearms.
Proof. Constant, undeniable proof that he wasn't just some quirkless kid anymore.
He exhaled slowly, placing both palms on the edge of his desk and leaning forward.
UA, he thought. I actually made it.
His phone buzzed sharply, snapping him out of his thoughts. The vibration rattled against the wooden surface, and he didn't even need to check the screen to know who it was.
Mina, probably sending another caps-lock-laden message about being early, or how she couldn't believe this was really happening, or some ridiculous selfie she'd taken at the station.
He smiled despite himself.
They'd barely stopped talking since the acceptance letters arrived. Texts turned into calls, calls turned into late-night conversations that stretched far longer than either of them admitted. They talked about everything—training, quirks, fears, dreams. Mina had an effortless way of pulling things out of him he didn't even realize he'd been holding back.
Every time her name popped up on his phone, he could feel it—his antimatter glands humming a little brighter beneath his skin, veins responding before his brain could catch up.
Katsuki had noticed immediately during training.
"You light up like a damn reactor every time your phone goes off," he'd sneered, sparks crackling from his palms. "It's annoying."
Izuku flushed just thinking about it.
"Izuku!" Inko called from the kitchen, her voice warm and sing-song. "You'll be late if you don't leave soon!"
"I'm coming!" he called back, straightening up and grabbing his blazer.
"And Mina texted me," Inko added casually, far too casually. "She's waiting at the station!"
Izuku froze mid-step.
"…Mom?"
His head snapped toward the doorway, eyes glowing brighter as his heart skipped. He spun back to his desk, staring at his phone like it had betrayed him personally.
"Why is she texting you?" he demanded, voice cracking just a little.
Inko laughed, the sound light and unapologetic. "Oh, we've been chatting! She's such a sweet girl, Izuku. Very polite. Very enthusiastic."
Izuku's veins flared brighter, embarrassment flooding through him like a surge. "That's—that's not—why are you chatting?"
"Because she asked how you were when you didn't reply for twenty whole minutes," Inko said, as if that explained everything. "Naturally, I reassured her."
Izuku made a strangled noise. "You what?"
"And did you know," Inko continued, clearly enjoying herself now, "that she keeps all the pictures I sent her of you as a baby?"
Silence.
Absolute, soul-crushing silence.
"She WHAT?!"
Izuku lunged for his bag, nearly knocking over his chair as violet light surged through his veins like an alarm system. His face burned hotter than any antimatter reaction he'd ever triggered.
"MOM!"
"Oh, relax," Inko said cheerfully as he bolted toward the door. "She thought your curly hair was adorable. And she loved the one where you're covered in mud!"
"I WAS FOUR!"
Inko's laughter followed him down the hallway. "Have a good first day, sweetheart! Don't forget your lunch!"
Izuku slammed the door behind him and stood there for a second, forehead resting against the wood as he tried—and failed—to calm down.
This, he thought miserably, is what happens when your mom and your… friend… girlfriend… whatever Mina is… become friends.
His phone buzzed again in his hand.
Mina: WHERE ARE YOU??
Izuku groaned… and then smiled.
The embarrassment still buzzed through him, but it softened into something warmer as he lifted his hand and extended his palm. At the center of it, just beneath the skin, a tiny pinprick of violet light bloomed into existence. It pulsed once, twice—slow and controlled—as he focused his breathing.
The veins along his fingers and forearm brightened in response, thin glowing threads weaving together like a living circuit. The air in front of his palm began to distort, space warping inward as if reality itself were being gently folded.
With a soft, humming thrum, a small sphere of antimatter slipped free from his hand.
It floated for a fraction of a second, no larger than a marble, before rapidly expanding outward. The violet glow deepened, edges curling and spiraling until the sphere unraveled into a circular tear in space. The portal stabilized with a faint ripple, its surface swirling like liquid starlight, reflecting fractured images of the street beyond.
Izuku waited—just long enough to be sure it wouldn't collapse—then stepped forward.
The sensation of passing through never stopped being strange. There was no pressure, no heat, just a brief moment of weightlessness, like falling sideways through a dream.
And then—
He emerged behind Mina Ashido.
The portal snapped shut silently behind him, the warped air smoothing itself out as if nothing had happened.
Mina stood a few feet away near the station entrance, one foot bouncing impatiently as she leaned over her phone. Her horns curved neatly through her pink hair, which caught the morning light, messing with her skirt as she scrolled. A grin tugged at her lips—probably mid-text, judging by how fast her thumbs were moving.
Completely oblivious.
Izuku's smirk grew.
He stepped closer, careful not to make a sound, the glow in his veins dimming as he relaxed his quirk. Then, in one smooth motion, he slipped an arm around her shoulders and gently hooked it around her neck—not tight, just enough to startle.
"Who you waiting for, pinky?"
Mina shrieked.
"AH—WHAT—IZU—?!" Her phone nearly went flying as she flailed, eyes widening in shock. She spun in his grip, eyes wide for half a second before recognition kicked in.
Then she laughed.
"Oh my god, you jerk!" she said, punching his arm lightly as she twisted free. "I was literally texting you!"
Izuku laughed too, the sound easier than it had been all morning. "I figured."
She stared at him for a moment longer, eyes flicking over the faint glow still lingering in his veins, then down at his uniform, perfectly straight despite everything.
"…You ported, didn't you," she said, grin spreading slow and knowing.
Izuku rubbed the back of his neck, suddenly a little sheepish. "Maybe."
Mina's grin turned feral. "That's so unfair. I wait like a normal person and you just pop out of space behind me?"
"Hey," he said, smiling back at her, "first day of UA. Had to make an entrance."
She laughed again, looping an arm around his and leaning in as they headed toward the station together. "Yeah, yeah. Just don't scare me like that again."
Izuku glanced down at her, eyes glowing softly.
"No promises," Izuku said with a soft smirk, reaching out to ruffle Mina's fluffy pink hair. She squeaked in protest, but the way her yellow eyes crinkled at the corners betrayed her delight at the gesture. The morning train pulled into the station with a gentle hiss of brakes, right on schedule. The early spring air was crisp, carrying the scent of cherry blossoms from the trees that lined the station platform.
Before Izuku could take two steps toward the train, Mina had already latched onto his arm, pressing close against his side with the casual affection that had become normal between them over the past two weeks. Her touch made his antimatter glands pulse warmly beneath his skin, creating subtle patterns of purple light that reflected off the train's windows like miniature auroras.
"You know," she said as they boarded together, finding a spot near the back where the morning sun streamed through the windows, "your quirk gives you away every time. You can act cool all you want, but those pretty light shows tell me exactly how flustered you get."
Izuku shot her a playful glare, but didn't try to deny it or pull his arm free. The morning commuters around them tried to be subtle about their curious glances - it wasn't every day you saw two such obviously mutant-type students so comfortable with each other. "Says the girl who turns three shades darker pink whenever I call her 'Pinky.'"
Right on cue, Mina's cheeks darkened, and she buried her face against his shoulder with a groan. "That's different!" Her voice was muffled by his uniform jacket, but he could feel her smile against his arm.
As the train pulled away from the station, carrying them toward their first day at UA, Izuku found himself marveling at how comfortable this had become - the teasing, the casual touches, the way they naturally gravitated toward each other. His past self would never have believed this possible. Just months ago, he'd been the quirkless kid who could barely speak to anyone, let alone hold a conversation with a girl.
Their reflections in the window caught his eye - the girl with pink skin and horns, and the boy with cosmic light flowing through his veins. They made quite the pair. The morning sunlight caught Mina's horns just right, making them gleam like polished ivory against her pink skin. She'd styled her hair differently today, he noticed - still wild and fluffy, but with small clips holding back the sides in a way that framed her face perfectly.
"You're staring," Mina teased, catching his eye in the reflection. "See something you like?"
A few weeks ago, that comment would have reduced him to a stammering mess. Now, he just smiled, letting his quirk's glow brighten slightly. "Maybe I do."
Mina's face flushed darker again, but her grip on his arm tightened affectionately. "Smooth talker. When did you get so confident, huh?"
"Probably around the same time a certain acid-wielding hero student decided to ask me out for smoothies," he replied, watching the cityscape scroll past outside. The familiar buildings were gradually giving way to the districts closer to UA, where hero agencies and support companies dominated the skyline.
"Best decision I ever made," Mina hummed contentedly. Then, after a pause, "Though mom still thinks I'm crazy for getting smoothies with the guy who erased a giant robot from existence."
Izuku chuckled softly. "At least your mom's taking it well. Mine's already planning our wedding. Did you know she started a photo album just for us?"
"Oh, I know," Mina grinned mischievously. "She sends me updates. That picture of baby you in the All Might onesie is my new phone background."
"It's WHAT?!" Izuku's veins flared brighter in embarrassment, making several nearby passengers jump. A small child across the aisle pointed excitedly at the purple light show, only to be gently shushed by his mother.
Mina dissolved into giggles, pressing her face into his shoulder to muffle the sound. "I'm kidding! But oh man, your face! And look at those pretty lights!" She poked one of his glowing veins playfully. "You make it too easy, hot stuff."
Izuku shook his head, but he was smiling. The nickname that had once flustered him so badly had become a term of endearment, something that was uniquely theirs. "You're impossible, you know that?"
"Mm, but you like it," she replied with absolute certainty. Then, more softly, "I'm really glad we're in the same class. I don't know if I could handle all this," she gestured vaguely at the UA uniform she wore, "without you there."
The honesty in her voice made his chest tighten. He shifted his arm slightly, just enough to take her hand properly, their fingers intertwining naturally. "Same here. Though I'm pretty sure Kacchan would say we're being gross right now."
"Speaking of our explosive friend, is he meeting us there?"
"Yeah, he texted earlier. Said something about 'not wanting to third-wheel on our damn romance novel commute.'" Izuku's impression of Katsuki's gruff tone was almost perfect, making Mina snort with laughter.
The train began to slow as it approached their stop. Through the windows, they could see UA's main building rising above the city like a beacon. Other students in the same uniform were already streaming toward the gates, some looking confident, others nervous, all of them carrying the same sense of anticipation.
"Ready?" Mina asked, squeezing his hand as they stood.
Izuku looked down at their joined hands - pink skin against his own, her fingers fitting perfectly between his despite the small holes in his palms where antimatter occasionally leaked through. Then he looked at their destination, the school he'd dreamed of attending since he was a child.
"Yeah," he said softly. "I'm ready."
The walk from the station to UA was filled with a strange mixture of excitement and nervous energy. Cherry blossom petals drifted lazily through the air, some catching in Mina's hair like tiny pink stars against her darker pink skin. Izuku found himself occasionally reaching over to brush them away, each casual touch making her smile grow wider.
"You know," Mina said as they turned onto the main road leading to UA, still holding his hand, "a few months ago, if someone told me I'd be walking to UA with the highest-scoring student in entrance exam history, I'd have called them crazy." She bumped her shoulder against his playfully. "Let alone that said student would be this cute guy with galaxy powers who keeps playing with my hair."
Izuku's veins pulsed with embarrassment, but his smile was genuine. "And if someone told me I'd be walking with the most beautiful girl in our year, who somehow isn't terrified of my reality-breaking quirk..." He let the sentence trail off as Mina's face darkened several shades.
"Most beautiful? That's a bold claim, Mr. Midoriya," she managed to say, though her flustered state was obvious. "You haven't even met all our classmates yet."
"Don't need to," he replied with a confidence that still surprised him sometimes. The past two weeks of constant texting, casual dates, and training together had done wonders for his ability to actually express his feelings.
"OI! SAVE THE FUCKING ROMANCE NOVEL SHIT FOR AFTER SCHOOL!"
The familiar explosive voice made them both turn. Katsuki was leaning against UA's main gate, his uniform tie already hanging loose despite it being the first day. His usual scowl was firmly in place, but there was an amused glint in his eyes.
"Good morning to you too, Kacchan," Izuku called back, making no move to release Mina's hand as they approached. "Thought you were going to be late."
"Tch. Unlike you two losers, I don't need to make a dramatic entrance holding hands and shit." Katsuki fell into step beside them as they passed through the gate. "Besides, someone needs to make sure you don't get distracted and walk into a wall while making googly eyes at Raccoon Eyes."
Mina giggled, her free hand coming up to cover her mouth. "Aw, you do care! Don't worry, explosion boy, we'll try to keep the PDA to a minimum."
"Says the girl who hasn't let go of my arm all morning," Izuku pointed out dryly.
"That's different!" Mina protested for the second time that day. "Your arm is comfortable! And warm! And all glowy!"
Katsuki made an exaggerated gagging noise. "I'm gonna fucking puke. Is this what I have to deal with all year? You two being all..." he waved his hand vaguely, small explosions popping between his fingers, "domestic and shit?"
Other students were starting to stare now, some recognizing them from the entrance exam. Whispers followed in their wake - mentions of "antimatter guy" and "that pink girl who melts things" and "isn't that the explosion kid?" But none of them paid it any mind. This was their moment, the beginning of something they'd all dreamed of.
The main building loomed before them, its H-shaped architecture somehow both imposing and welcoming. Sunlight glinted off the countless windows, making the whole structure seem to gleam. Through the glass, they could see other students already making their way to their classrooms, some looking lost, others moving with purpose.
"Class 1-A should be on the first floor," Izuku said, naturally falling into his analytical mode. "The hero course classrooms are always positioned for easy access to the training grounds, and considering the structural layout of the building-"
"Nerd," Katsuki interrupted, but there was no real bite to it. If anything, he seemed relieved that some things hadn't changed, even with Izuku's new quirk and growing confidence. The familiar dynamic was comforting, even if everything else had shifted.
"My nerd though," Mina said with a proud grin, hugging Izuku's arm tighter as his veins flared brighter beneath his skin. Katsuki made an exaggerated gagging noise, complete with mock retching motions that drew stares from passing students.
Izuku's eyes glinted with mischief, a smirk playing at his lips as he looked down at Mina. "Claiming me already? Never knew you were so bold, Pinky." His tone was teasing, but there was a warmth to it that made Mina's heart skip.
The effect was immediate - Mina's pink complexion darkened dramatically, the color spreading all the way to the tips of her horns. She opened and closed her mouth several times, trying to form words but finding none. It was rare for someone to out-fluster her, but Izuku had been getting better at it lately.
"Get a room you two!" Katsuki snapped, throwing his hands up in exasperation. Small explosions popped from his palms, reflecting his irritation. "I didn't sign up to watch this romantic comedy bullshit all year!"
But Mina, never one to back down from a challenge, recovered quickly. Her yellow and black eyes glinted with dangerous amusement as she looked at Katsuki. A devilish grin spread across her face, one that made Izuku immediately nervous.
"You telling us to fuck, boom-boom boy?" she asked innocently, tilting her head. The crude words in her sweet tone created such a contrast that several nearby students stopped in their tracks.
Izuku's eyes went wide, his veins flaring so bright they were almost white. "Mina!" He quickly clapped a hand over her mouth, feeling her grin against his palm. "Okay! That's enough out of you, Pinky!" His voice had jumped at least an octave higher.
Katsuki stood frozen, his mouth hanging open in shock. For perhaps the first time in his life, the explosive boy was completely speechless. A few small pops came from his palms, like misfiring circuits, as his brain tried to process what he'd just heard.
Mina's shoulders shook with suppressed laughter under Izuku's hand, her eyes dancing with mirth. When she licked his palm playfully, he yanked it away with a yelp, wiping it on his uniform pants while she dissolved into giggles.
"You..." Katsuki finally managed, his voice strangled. "What the actual fuck, Raccoon Eyes?!"
"Your face!" Mina wheezed, clutching her stomach as she laughed. "Oh my god, your face! I didn't think anything could shut you up, but that did it!"
Izuku pinched the bridge of his nose, though he couldn't quite hide his own smile. "I can't take you anywhere," he muttered fondly, his antimatter glands still pulsing with embarrassed light.
"Nope!" Mina agreed cheerfully, latching back onto his arm. "You're stuck with me now, hot stuff. Better get used to it!"
"I'm going to class," Katsuki announced abruptly, still looking shell-shocked. "Before you two corrupt what's left of my fucking sanity." He started walking ahead, then paused and pointed at Mina. "And you! You're fucking dangerous, Raccoon Eyes. I respect that, but holy shit."
Mina beamed at him like this was the highest compliment she'd ever received. "Thanks, boom-boom boy! Love you too!"
Katsuki made a sound like a strangled cat and quickened his pace, leaving Izuku and Mina behind. Other students gave them a wide berth, probably wondering what kind of chaos they'd just witnessed.
"You're terrible," Izuku told Mina, but he was grinning now too. "Absolutely terrible."
"Yeah," she agreed, standing on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek. "But I'm your terrible."
The halls of UA were a maze of modern architecture and gleaming surfaces, every window and polished floor reflecting the morning sunlight. Their footsteps echoed off the high ceilings as they followed the signs toward Class 1-A, Katsuki still walking ahead of them like he was trying to put distance between himself and Mina's chaos.
"You really broke him, you know," Izuku said, watching Katsuki's retreating back. His childhood friend kept glancing over his shoulder at them, as if expecting Mina to say something else outrageous. "I don't think anyone's ever left him speechless before."
Mina hummed proudly, her arm still comfortably linked with his. "Someone had to do it. Besides," she grinned up at him, "did you see how red his face got? Almost as red as when you spiked his udon with that chemical-x hotsauce"
"I still feel bad about that," Izuku admitted, his free hand coming up to rub the back of his neck. His antimatter glands pulsed softly beneath his skin, casting gentle purple light on the walls as they walked, drawing curious looks from other students. "Thought he could handle it, he likes spicy food."
"Class 1-A," Katsuki called back suddenly, having reached a massive door emblazoned with the class designation. "Holy shit, this thing is huge."
The door towered over them, easily three times Izuku's height. It was clearly designed to accommodate students with size-altering quirks, but the scale was still impressive. As they approached, Izuku could hear voices from inside - their future classmates, already arriving.
"Ready to make our grand entrance?" Mina asked, bouncing slightly on her toes with excitement. "The highest scorer in UA history, the explosion king, and the acid queen!" She struck a dramatic pose, making Izuku's veins pulse with amusement.
"Acid queen?" he raised an eyebrow, his purple and black eyes glinting. "When did you come up with that one?"
"Just now," she admitted. "But it sounds cool, right? Plus, if you're going to be UA's golden boy with your fancy antimatter powers, I need a good title too!"
Katsuki snorted from where he stood by the door, small explosions crackling in his palms. "You two are so fucking extra. Can we go in now, or do you need to practice your dramatic poses some more?"
"Says the guy who literally explodes things to say hello," Mina shot back, sticking out her tongue. A few drops of acid dripped from her fingers, sizzling harmlessly on the floor. "Don't act like you're not just as dramatic, boom-boom boy."
"Call me that one more time, I dare you-"
"Children," Izuku interrupted, his voice carrying that new confidence that still sometimes surprised them. A small distortion in the air around his hand emphasized his point. "Maybe we should actually enter the classroom before starting another chaos session?"
Both Mina and Katsuki turned to look at him, then at each other. A silent agreement passed between them - they could continue their friendly bickering later. Right now, they had impressions to make.
"Fine," Katsuki grumbled, reaching for the door handle. "But if anyone in there pisses me off-"
"You'll what? Blow me up?" Mina teased, dancing away as Katsuki's hands sparked threateningly.
"I will literally blow up your desk."
"I'd like to see you try, sparkler!"
Izuku watched them with fond exasperation, a small smirk on his face as he shook his head. These two had become such an important part of his life - Katsuki, redeeming himself through genuine friendship, and Mina, bringing light and laughter to everything she touched.
The door slid open with a soft whoosh, revealing the classroom beyond. Twenty desks arranged in neat rows, large windows letting in streams of morning light, and several students already inside, turning to see who had arrived.
This was it. The real beginning of their hero journey.
"After you, my queen," Izuku said to Mina with an exaggerated bow, making her giggle and Katsuki mime gagging again.
"Such a gentleman," she replied, pulling him through the doorway with her.
The classroom was already half-full when they entered, conversations pausing briefly as heads turned to observe the newcomers. Izuku was acutely aware of how they must look - his glowing veins casting purple light across the floor, Mina's vibrant pink presence, and Katsuki's perpetual scowl bringing up the rear.
"There's a cluster of empty seats in the back," Mina pointed out, already tugging Izuku in that direction. Three desks, perfectly aligned, as if waiting for them. "Perfect!"
They had barely settled in - Izuku by the window, Mina in the middle, and Katsuki on the aisle - when a tall boy with glasses approached their cluster with robotic movements. His hands chopped through the air as he spoke, matching his oddly formal cadence.
"Greetings! I am Tenya Iida from Somei Private Academy! I couldn't help but notice your rather... intimate display in the hallway." His eyes darted between Izuku and Mina, then to their still-linked hands. "While I understand the excitement of youth, perhaps such behavior should be reserved for-"
"Oi, four-eyes," Katsuki interrupted, already looking annoyed. "You always this much of a stick in the mud, or is this a special occasion?"
Iida's mouth dropped open in shock. "I- That is- Such language is-"
"Kacchan, be nice," Izuku sighed, though his veins pulsed with amusement. He turned to Iida with an apologetic smile. "I'm Izuku Midoriya. This is Mina Ashido, and the explosion waiting to happen is Katsuki Bakugo."
"Midoriya?" Iida's eyes widened in recognition. "The one who scored highest in the entrance exam? Your display of power was most impressive! Though perhaps a bit excessive in terms of property damage..."
Mina giggled. "That's my hot stuff! Erasing giant robots with style~"
"Your... hot stuff?" Iida looked increasingly flustered by their dynamic. His hands moved faster through the air as his confusion mounted. "Is this appropriate classroom behavior? Should there not be more professional distance between-"
"Dude," a red-haired boy called from across the room, grinning sharply. "Let them live! Besides, did you see the video? That quirk was manly as hell!"
More students began joining the conversation, the initial tension breaking. A girl with earphone jacks hanging from her earlobes leaned over her desk. "Are those veins actually glowing, or is it some kind of reflection?"
"They're real," Izuku confirmed, holding up his arm to demonstrate. The purple light beneath his skin pulsed gently. "Side effect of the quirk."
"That's so cool!" the red-haired boy bounded over. "I'm Kirishima! Your quirk is way more flashy than mine - I just get hard!"
There was a beat of silence.
"Phrasing!" Mina burst out laughing, while Katsuki made a choking sound and Iida looked ready to faint.
"Wait, no- I meant-" Kirishima's face matched his hair as he tried to backtrack.
"I meant my skin hardens!" Kirishima clarified quickly, waving his hands. "Like this!" He activated his quirk, his skin taking on a jagged, crystalline appearance. "See? Totally different!"
"Sure it is, Mr. I like to get hard," Mina teased, her yellow eyes sparkling with mischief. "Whatever helps you sleep at night~"
"I-.... i give up..." Kirishima lowered his head in defeat, hardening forgotten.
A girl with long black hair tied in a spiky ponytail approached their cluster, her movements graceful and measured. "Momo Yaoyorozu," she introduced herself with a slight bow. "I believe we took second place in the entrance exam?"
"Oh yeah!" Mina brightened. "Creation quirk, right? Katsuki mentioned you got like 150 points!"
"151, to be precise," Yaoyorozu nodded. "Though it pales in comparison to Midoriya's score. I must admit, I'm quite curious about the theoretical applications of antimatter manipulation..."
"Great," Katsuki groaned, "another fucking nerd."
Iida, who had been silently processing everything, suddenly snapped back to attention. "Language! And proper seating posture! And-"
"Does he ever stop?" a floating set of clothes whispered loudly.
"Apparently not," the earphone jack girl replied. "I'm Kyoka Jirou, by the way. The floating uniform is Hagakure."
"Hi!" the uniform waved enthusiastically. "Your eyes are so pretty! Both of you!" She gestured between Izuku and Mina. "The whole black sclera thing is super cool!"
Izuku felt his veins brighten at the compliment, while Mina beamed. "Right? We match! It was totally meant to be~"
"If you extras are done with the meet and greet," Katsuki cut in, "anyone want to explain why there's a fucking bird in a uniform staring at us?"
All heads turned to see a student with the head of a black bird, who had indeed been quietly observing their group. He bowed slightly when noticed. "Fumikage Tokoyami. I was merely appreciating the darkness within your souls."
A beat of silence.
"I like him!" Mina declared. "He can be Raven Boy!"
"Please do not." Fumikage said in response.
"Too late!" Mina chirped.
The cheerful atmosphere of introductions shattered instantly as a low, tired voice cut through the chatter. Students who had been chatting animatedly just moments before froze mid-sentence, heads whipping toward the front of the classroom.
There, emerging from what appeared to be a neon yellow sleeping bag like some kind of disheveled caterpillar, was a man who looked like he hadn't slept in years. His long black hair hung in messy strands around a face marked by stubble and exhaustion, his eyes carrying the dead look of someone who had long since run out of patience.
"If you're only here to make friends," he drawled, fixing them with a gaze that made even Katsuki tense slightly, "then you can pack your stuff and leave. We do not have time for useless matters."
Izuku felt Mina's grip on his arm tighten slightly. His antimatter glands pulsed with nervous energy as he studied their apparent teacher. There was something dangerous about him, something that set off every instinct honed from years of analyzing pro heroes.
The man took a long, deliberate sip from a juice box that seemed comically out of place in his hand. "This is the hero course..." he continued, his voice carrying the weight of absolute authority despite its tired tone. "Go somewhere else if you want to play at being friends."
The sleeping bag slid to the floor as he stood, revealing a black outfit that seemed to consist entirely of what looked like capture scarves. "I'm Shota Aizawa. I will be your Homeroom teacher. Nice to meet you." The last part was delivered with such complete lack of enthusiasm that several students exchanged uncertain glances.
Without warning, he hefted a large box onto his desk. The sound of it hitting the wooden surface made several students jump. "Grab one of these and meet me outside." He gestured to what appeared to be PE uniforms, each neatly folded with UA's logo visible.
No one moved for a moment, the sudden shift from casual introductions to whatever this was leaving them all slightly stunned.
"Now," Aizawa added, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Unless you'd prefer to leave."
The class burst into motion, students hurrying to comply. As Izuku stood, he couldn't shake the feeling that their real test was just beginning.
A round-faced girl with brown hair raised her hand hesitantly. "Um, sir? What about the orientation ceremony? And the guidance sessions?"
Aizawa's eyes somehow managed to look even more dead inside as he regarded her. "Ochako Uraraka, correct?" His tone suggested he couldn't care less about her name. "If you plan to become a pro hero, you can't waste time on pointless ceremonies."
He turned his gaze to sweep across the entire class. "Here at UA, teachers are given a great deal of freedom in how we run our courses. That means..." A hint of something almost predatory entered his expression. "I get to decide what's worth your time."
Izuku stood up with nervous energy. Beside him, Mina squeezed his hand reassuringly, while Katsuki let out a small "tch" of interest.
"You have exactly five minutes to change and meet me at Training Ground Beta," Aizawa continued, already heading for the door. "Anyone who's late can consider themselves expelled."
The class erupted into panicked motion. Izuku caught snippets of worried conversation as they rushed to grab uniforms:
"Is he serious?"
"He can't actually expel us, right?"
"On the first day?!"
"Welcome to UA, I guess," Mina whispered to Izuku as they hurried down the hall, uniforms clutched in their arms. "Think he's bluffing?"
Izuku's purple eyes glowed thoughtfully. "Somehow... I don't think he is."
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The class split into two groups at the changing rooms, though Mina lingered for a moment before reluctantly releasing Izuku's arm. "See you out there, hot stuff!" she called, earning several curious looks from their female classmates.
In the girls' changing room, Mina had barely opened her locker when the questions started.
"Okay, spill," the invisible girl, Hagakure, bounced excitedly. "What's the deal with you and purple haired boy? You two are way too comfortable for people who just met!"
Mina grinned as she pulled off her uniform jacket. "We met at the entrance exam! He saved like half the examinees from the zero-pointer, it was amazing. Then we got smoothies after."
"Just smoothies?" Jirou raised an eyebrow, her earphone jacks twirling teasingly. "Because that hand-holding looked pretty established."
"His quirk is rather fascinating," Yaoyorozu added as she neatly folded her skirt. "The molecular implications alone-"
"And he's cute!" Hagakure interrupted. "Even with the whole glowy veins thing. Actually, especially with the glowy veins thing!"
Mina's pink skin darkened slightly. "He is pretty cute, isn't he?" she agreed, unable to keep the fondness from her voice.
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Meanwhile, in the boys' changing room, a very different scene was unfolding. Izuku had just pulled his PE shirt on when he noticed movement near the back wall. A small boy with purple balls for hair was pressing against the wall, giggling quietly.
"There's a peephole here!" Mineta whispered excitedly. "We can see right into the girls' room!"
Izuku's veins darkened momentarily, his voice dropping low. "I wouldn't do that if I were you."
Mineta turned, sneering when he saw who had spoken. "What's it to you, freak? Just because you got lucky with pink girl doesn't mean you can-"
The word 'freak' had barely left his mouth when a sphere of antimatter the size of a marble shot past his head, striking the locker beside him. The metal imploded with a sound like a gunshot, leaving a perfect spherical void in its wake. Several boys jumped at the noise, turning to see Izuku's eyes glowing dangerously bright, his palm still raised.
"Want to rethink that?" Izuku asked quietly. The air around him distorted slightly, reality bending inward as his antimatter glands pulsed with barely contained power. "Next one goes through you. And unlike the locker, you'll feel it happening."
Katsuki smirked as Izuku confronted the purple midget, a part of him secretly proud.
Mineta stumbled backward, face pale. "Y-you can't! That's assault!"
"So is voyeurism," Izuku replied coldly. "And I don't think anyone here would blame me for protecting their classmates' privacy. Right?"
Several of the boys nodded firmly. Kirishima's grin had turned sharp, his quirk activated. "Damn right. That was super unmanly, dude."
"Besides," Katsuki added with a vicious smirk, "accidents happen during quirk training. All the time."
Mineta looked between them, then at the hole in the locker where solid metal had simply ceased to exist, and promptly fled to the opposite side of the room.
"Didn't think you had that in you, Deku," Katsuki said quietly as they finished changing.
Izuku's eyes were still glowing, but his voice was steady. "Some things are worth protecting."
"Like Raccoon Eyes' honor?"
"Like all of their privacy," Izuku corrected, though his veins pulsed slightly brighter at the mention of Mina. "Now come on. We've got two minutes before Aizawa-sensei expels us."
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As they hurried toward Training Ground Beta, Izuku maintained a firm grip on the back of Mineta's PE uniform, practically carrying the smaller boy who had given up struggling after another warning pulse of antimatter nearby. The rest of the class walked in loose groups, with frequent glances toward the strange procession.
"Put me down!" Mineta whined, feet dangling. "I said I was sorry!"
"No, you didn't actually," Izuku replied calmly, his eyes still glowing with residual anger. "You just ran away. There's a difference."
They reached the training ground with thirty seconds to spare. Aizawa stood waiting, his tired eyes narrowing slightly at the sight of Izuku carrying a struggling Mineta. "Explain," he drawled, somehow making the single word sound both bored and threatening.
Izuku set Mineta down but kept a hand firmly on his shoulder. The purple-haired boy tried to edge away but froze when Izuku's veins pulsed warningly.
"Sir," Izuku began formally, "I caught Mineta attempting to use a peephole to spy on the girls while they were changing. When confronted, he responded with discriminatory language and refused to stop his behavior."
The temperature seemed to drop several degrees as Aizawa's eyes fixed on Mineta. The capture weapon around his neck shifted slightly, as if responding to his mood. "Is this true?"
Mineta's attempt at denial died in his throat as several male students stepped forward to confirm Izuku's account. Aizawa's expression didn't change, but something dangerous entered his voice.
"Minoru Mineta," he said, pulling out his phone while keeping his eyes locked on the increasingly pale student. "You are hereby expelled from UA High School, effective immediately." His fingers moved across the screen with practiced efficiency. "Furthermore, I'm recommending you be blacklisted from all hero courses in Japan. Sexual harassment and voyeurism have no place in the hero industry."
He pressed send on what appeared to be a message to Principal Nezu, then turned his attention back to the shell-shocked Mineta. "Security will escort you off campus. Leave your uniform."
As if on cue, two UA security officers appeared at the edge of the training ground. Mineta, finally seeming to realize the gravity of his situation, burst into tears as they led him away.
A moment of heavy silence fell over the class.
Then, to Izuku's surprise, Jirou approached him with a small smile. "Thanks for that," she said, her earphone jacks twirling thoughtfully. "We heard everything through the wall - well, I heard and filled everyone in."
Izuku blinked, his veins pulsing with mild embarrassment. "You... heard?"
"These aren't just for show," she tapped one jack against her ear. "The whole 'next one goes through you' thing was pretty intense. Didn't know you had it in you, Midoriya."
The other girls gathered around, each expressing their gratitude in their own way. Yaoyorozu offered a formal bow, Uraraka gave him an enthusiastic thumbs up, and Hagakure... well, her uniform suggested she was bouncing excitedly.
Mina, who had been uncharacteristically quiet, suddenly launched herself at him. Her arms wrapped around his neck as she pressed a firm kiss to his cheek, causing his antimatter glands to flare brilliantly. "My hero~" she sang teasingly, though there was genuine appreciation in her eyes.
"If you're quite finished," Aizawa's dry voice cut through the moment, "we have a quirk assessment test to begin. And Midoriya?"
Izuku turned, still slightly flustered from Mina's display. "Yes, sir?"
"Good job. Though next time, try not to destroy school property while making your point."
Katsuki's explosive laughter echoed across the training ground.
"First up, the softball throw," Aizawa announced, holding up a white ball. "Uraraka, you managed to score well with this in the entrance exam. Step up."
While Uraraka demonstrated her Zero Gravity quirk, sending the ball into what appeared to be infinity, Izuku felt his antimatter glands warming beneath his skin. He closed his eyes, focusing on the familiar sensation of power flowing through his specialized veins. The other students were still watching Uraraka's display in awe, unaware of what his quirk could do.
"Infinity?!" several students gasped at Uraraka's score.
Mina nudged Izuku gently, noticing his concentration. "Planning something flashy?" she whispered, familiar enough with his quirk to recognize when he was preparing something big.
"Maybe," he murmured back, feeling the antimatter pool in his veins. "Though I should probably hold back. Don't want to cause another... incident."
Katsuki, overhearing, snorted. "Yeah, one erased baseball field was enough."
"Midoriya," Aizawa called, interrupting their whispered conversation. "You're up."
The class's attention shifted to him, curious murmurs rising. Most had seen glimpses of his glowing veins and altered appearance, but none except Mina and Katsuki had seen his quirk in action outside of brief moments in the entrance exam.
"Think that's some kind of strength enhancement quirk?"
"Those veins look weird though..."
"Maybe it's energy-based?"
Izuku stepped into the circle, ignoring the speculation. He could feel his classmates' eyes on him, studying his glowing veins and the way his eyes pulsed with violet light. He took a deep breath, carefully directing the flow of antimatter into his throwing arm. The glands beneath his skin brightened noticeably, drawing more curious whispers.
"Be careful with that, Problem Child," Aizawa warned, his tired eyes showing a hint of interest. He, at least, knew exactly what Izuku's quirk could do.
Izuku nodded, drew his arm back, and threw.
The ball left his hand trailing faint purple light, the air around it distorting slightly as reality bent to accommodate the antimatter-enhanced force. It shot skyward like a comet, leaving the class in stunned silence.
Aizawa's device beeped: 897.3 meters.
The silence broke into a cascade of excited questions:
"What kind of quirk was that?" "Did you see the air warp?" "How did he make it glow?"
Izuku just smiled, flexing his fingers as he watched the antimatter settle back into its normal flow. He caught Mina's proud grin and Katsuki's approving nod. They knew he'd held back significantly - no need to reveal everything on the first day.
"Next," Aizawa called, cutting off the questions before they could start. "Ashido."
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The 50-meter dash came next, and the atmosphere in the stadium shifted. The crowd of students and teachers leaned in, eager to see raw speed in action. Pairs of students lined up, each quirk on display. Izuku watched carefully, analyzing every movement. Iida's Engine revved, his legs a blur, and he shot down the track in an impressive 3.04 seconds. Asui's Frog-Form let her spring off the line in smooth, powerful leaps, almost gliding across the track with each bound. Yaoyorozu, ever resourceful, had quickly fashioned a compact scooter out of her materials, and she zipped forward with precise control, her ingenuity evident in every calculated push.
When the crowd's attention swung back to him, Izuku felt the familiar thrill of anticipation.
"Midoriya, Ashido," Aizawa's monotone voice called. The students froze mid-conversation as he gestured toward the starting line.
Mina slid into position next to him, her grin wide and teasing. "Don't hold back too much, hot stuff. I want to see some jaws drop."
Izuku's lips quirked in amusement. "No promises, Pinky."
The students crowded closer, whispers buzzing like static in his ears.
"Think he'll do the glowy thing again?"
"Maybe it's some kind of energy boost?"
"Those veins look… brighter…"
Izuku closed his eyes, feeling the familiar warmth ignite in his core as the antimatter glands activated. Unlike before, he didn't direct the flow outward. This time, he absorbed it, drawing the energy inward, concentrating it deep inside himself. His veins darkened, the familiar purples and blues giving way to a deep, unnatural black, snaking across his skin like rivers of ink. The air seemed to tremble around him, almost reacting to the buildup.
"Ready," Aizawa intoned, his capture weapon shifting subtly, sensing the spike in ambient energy.
"Set…"
Mina's eyes glimmered with mischief, her acid-coated feet braced to launch, fully aware of the storm that was about to hit.
"GO!"
Then everything changed.
For the others, it happened in a blink—an instantaneous flash of purple light that distorted the very air, a barely perceptible warping of reality, and suddenly Izuku was across the finish line. The measuring robot blinked, struggled, and then displayed a series of garbled errors as if the technology itself couldn't compute what had happened.
But for Izuku, the experience was something else entirely. In that fraction of a second when he had surpassed light speed, time itself felt malleable. The world stretched and froze. His classmates were suspended mid-motion—hair lifting as though caught in a frozen breeze, shoes hovering millimeters above the track. Dust motes glittered in the still sunlight, frozen in place. Light itself seemed to pause, bending slightly at the edges of his vision. He felt the familiar vertigo of existing between moments, a strange, exhilarating emptiness where nothing moved but him.
He took his steps with precision, careful not to overextend and damage the track beneath him. Each movement left a faint shimmer in the air, a distortion that lingered briefly before snapping back. Then, almost reluctantly, he let the antimatter recede, the black veins fading to normal, leaving only subtle patterns pulsating beneath his skin as his body settled from the burst.
Reality rushed back in. The world snapped forward like a broken tape being rewound too fast.
"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?!" someone shouted, voice cracking under a mix of shock and awe.
"Did—did he teleport?"
"No, I saw him move, it was just…"
"How fast WAS that?"
Mina crossed the finish line moments later, sliding smoothly to a stop in 5.2 seconds. She laughed, brushing imaginary dust off her acid-slicked feet and poking him in the arm. "Show-off," she teased.
Katsuki's voice cut through the murmuring crowd, filled with a mix of disbelief and irritation. "Holy shit, Deku. Thought you were gonna hold back?"
Izuku shrugged, trying to seem casual, though his veins still pulsed with faint purple light. "I did. I could have taken more steps."
"More… steps?" Iida's voice wavered slightly, his own speed-based quirk suddenly feeling laughably slow in comparison. The mechanics of his Engine now seemed almost painfully finite.
Aizawa's tired, sharp voice interrupted the murmurs before anyone could spiral into wild speculation. "Next pair, line up. We don't have all day to stand around gawking."
As Izuku walked back toward the group, he could hear snippets of whispered theories:
"Some kind of time manipulation maybe?"
"But what's with the purple light?"
"And those black veins when he started…"
Mina slipped her hand into his, her touch grounding him amidst the adrenaline still buzzing through his veins. Her fingers were warm, electric in their own way.
"Good," he murmured softly, feeling the pulse of antimatter respond to her presence. "Keeps things interesting."
She grinned knowingly, squeezing his hand. "Definitely."
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"Alright," Aizawa announced, holding up his phone. The holographic display materialized before them, showing all nineteen scores after Mineta's expulsion:
1. Izuku Midoriya
2. Momo Yaoyorozu
3. Katsuki Bakugo
4. Shoto Todoroki
5. Tenya Iida
6. Fumikage Tokoyami
7. Mina Ashido
8. Mezo Shoji
9. Mashirao Ojiro
10. Eijiro Kirishima
11. Tsuyu Asui
12. Ochako Uraraka
13. Kyoka Jirou
14. Denki Kaminari
15. Yuga Aoyama
16. Hanta Sero
17. Toru Hagakure
18. Koji Koda
19. Rikido Sato
"As you can see," Aizawa continued, his voice carrying its usual exhausted tone, "Midoriya demonstrated exceptional control and versatility. Something to think about." His eyes swept over the class. "Oh, and I lied about expelling someone. That was a logical ruse to draw out your full potential."
"WHAT?!" several students shouted, while others just slumped in relief.
"Although," he added with a slight smirk, "Mineta's expulsion stands. Sexual harassment is never a logical ruse."
He turned toward the building, his capture weapon shifting with the movement. "Your curriculum guides are on your desks inside. Review them before your afternoon classes. Dismissed."
As they walked back, Mina hanging onto Izuku's arm while Katsuki trailed behind making gagging noises, their classmates continued to steal curious glances.
"You're going to have to tell them eventually," Mina pointed out, poking one of his glowing veins.
Izuku smiled, watching the purple light dance beneath his skin. "Eventually," he agreed. "But for now..."
"For now, you're enjoying watching them lose their minds trying to figure it out," Katsuki finished with a knowing smirk.
"Maybe a little."