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gingerlee-holds · 1 year

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Chapter One: The Girl Who Snoozed and Won

The following is Chapter One of a fic I'm writing entitled "Wake Up, Keidima!" about an OC of mine in the My Hero Academia universe. I was told cringe wasn't dead yet, and with any luck, these chapters will kill it. Anyways, it's not a tickle fic - sorry to disappoint my followers - it's just a short fic covering the Entrance Exam Arc of MHA, and how my OC fits into it. Maybe I'll post the next chapter soon, who knows. I'd love to hear what you think of it.

Word Count: 4377

There are three things you need to know about Keidima Eivi. Firstly, she wasn't a morning person.

"WAKE UP, BEDHEAD, YOU'RE GONNA BE LATE!!!"

Keidima yelped as she was yanked out of bed, the sudden feeling of gravity's pull jarring her from her peaceful slumber. She had just enough time to drag her assailant down with her, and she and her twin brother were sent to the ground in a heap. Jodonaki Eivi swatted his sister like a cat would bap a dog.

"You won't get into UA if you sleep through the Entrance Exam!" he yelled, shaking Keidima to get his point across.

Keidima hummed in thought and yawned, rubbing her eye with a fist. "UA…? Oh, I'm sure they'll understand if I sleep five more minutes…" Her head drooped down a little before snapping back up again. "UA! The exam is today!"

"There ya go, Bedhead!" Jodonaki chuckled as his sister jumped up, body now filled with adrenaline. He followed suit, standing and walking down to the kitchen as she got dressed. "I'll warm up a bowl of Miso for you. No cereal, you don't need the calories."

Keidima let out a single mocking laugh as she began tearing her pajamas off and throwing more clothes on. "I'm not gonna take health advice from you, Belch!"

She heard the effect of the nickname in the form of a bowl being slammed down on a table, quick footsteps up the stairs, which then stopped halfway up with a sudden burst of coughing, then stomped back down again. "It's a cool quirk! You're just jealous!"

Giggling as she sat back on the bed, she took a pair of socks from her drawer and put them on, wiggling her toes inside. Her characteristic fuzzy pink socks, especially when fresh out of the dryer, were unbelievably cozy to walk in, and if she wasn't so anxious about the upcoming exam, she'd immediately return to bed with them on. As it was, however, she jogged to the bathroom and began brushing her teeth. Once she was finished, Keidima looked up into the mirror at the sweet-looking, button-nosed, freckle-covered face staring back at her. She smiled wide and gave her reflection a thumbs-up, mumbling the famous hero slogan, "Plus ultra," with a nervous giggle.

As she pulled a band T-shirt over her head and put her arms through, Keidima looked down at her waist. "Have I grown taller?" she thought. Earlier, she saw she was around three inches taller than her brother, who was average height. "That's strange. Guess I haven't been paying attention." Pulling down a little, trying to cover her exposed midriff, she grumbled. "Guess I'll fix that problem after the exam." She pulled on her pants, practically desperate for a distraction from the rapidly-approaching exam. She had heard about some of the other students and their abilities, each more powerful and impressive than the last.

UA was a reach and Keidima knew it. Her teachers knew it too, and desperately tried to dissuade her from applying, but the girl was resolute. Every time someone told her about the terrifyingly low acceptance rate - she had heard the phrase "You know you have less than 1% chance of getting in, right?" more than a dozen times by this point - she simply shrugged. She even had a mantra she would repeat to herself whenever it happened. "I'm not worried. I'll be a hero!" This mantra, incidentally, was what she was hurriedly mumbling to herself as she hopped down the stairs, brushing her long red hair with one hand and holding onto the banister with the other.

Stumbling into the kitchen, she threw the brush on the couch and sat down at the table right as Jodonaki set a warm bowl of Miso soup in front of her. Jodonaki chuckled, ruffling Keidima's hair as she began scarfing down her breakfast. "You look weird without messy hair. I'm not used to it. Besides, I think it suits you!"

Keidima huffed but kept her snark to herself, focusing instead on making sure she was fed enough for the exam. What would it entail? Will other people make fun of her? What if she proves everyone right, and fails? These anxious questions only spurred her to eat faster as she shot up from her seat and sailed out the door like a rocket, shouting, "I'll come back a hero!"

"Wait, Keidima! You forgot-" Jodonaki stopped on the doorstep and sighed. "-your medication…" He held the bottle of Provigil in his hand as he watched his twin race off toward the UA campus. "Y'know… maybe she won't need them. The adrenaline may keep her awake long enough to fend off the side effects of her quirk. Yeah… yeah she'll be just fine…" he mumbled, not very reassuringly, to himself as went back inside, closing the door behind him.

Keidima was running as fast as her legs could carry her, jumping and dodging various obstacles. She jumped over a fire hydrant, swung around a tree, bounced around a corner.

"I'm gonna be late! Then I'll never be able to become a true hero!" She growled at her own laziness and ran faster.

Arriving at a stop light, she bent over, gasping for breath as she waited with several other people. The traffic was busy today, so she couldn't count on the crosswalk being quick.

"Where's the fire, kid?" a baritone voice beside her said. She hastily jerked her body upward at the sound, looking up into the bored eyes of a man around thirty with greasy black hair that went down to his shoulders. He was wearing a black coat with a long, thin gray scarf around his neck. In his hand was a bag filled with pencils, pens, rulers, and a lot of erasers. "School supplies…?" His jawline was covered in messy stubble, he looked far too thin, and the bags under his eyes were very prominent. "He looks tired… I wish I could help," Keidima thought. That was the primary thing she always thought about whenever she saw someone: how much sleep they look like they are getting. And this man wasn't getting enough. He tilted his head to the side, raising an eyebrow, and Keidima quickly realized that she was staring.

"Oh! Sorry, mister!" She smiled a wobbly smile. "I'm gonna be late for my entrance exam if I'm not fast!"

"Another prospective UA student, hm?" his eyes pierced into hers, as if reading the contents of her soul. "Eh, I think you'll be fine."

"I certainly hope so, sir…" Keidima looked down at her feet. Why did this guy care? And how could he tell she was heading to UA? Was he a detective or something?

"Hey, eyes up, kid. Focus on what's happening now."

"Yeah… that's good advice, thanks…" She smiled softly. The sound of shuffling feet eluded her.

"No, I mean, right now. The light turned."

She quickly looked up, noticing that the small crowd who was with her was already halfway across the street. "Ah! Thank you, sir!" she yelled as she sprinted off, running through the crowd and not stopping until she saw the large glass towers of the UA main building, which made her gasp softly when she saw them. "Focus on what's happening now."

Keidima slowed to a halt as she approached the front gates. Again gasping for breath, she didn't notice most of the students who went by. She leaned back up to crack her back, smiling despite her nervousness. Looking around, she saw a fair few other teenagers showing up to the building. "I'm not late! …That's a first." She giggled as she started walking towards the building, looking over briefly to watch a green-haired boy almost fall flat on his face only to be quickly saved by a girl with a gravity quirk.

"He doesn't look like he got much sleep either… No! Focus! Like that weird guy said!"

She stood tall and walked forward to the entrance, almost bumping into a kid in front of her.

"Hey, watch where you're… Keidima?" The girl in front of her turned, pushing pink hair out of her face with a pink hand.

"Mina!"

The two of them hugged tightly, Mina Ashido rubbing Keidima's back. "Ohmygosh, how are you?" Mina asked.

"Guess!"

"Sleepy?"

Keidima giggled along with her as she nodded. "Golly, I haven't seen you for at least a few months!"

"I know!" Mina made a playful expression as she squeezed the other's arm. "I missed you a bunch. Oh! Did you see Kirishima? Apparently, he's applying too!"

"No way?? I hope I see him! I know he's gonna rock this exam!" She giggled at her joke, hiding her smile behind her hand.

"Oh, you're terrible!" Mina whined. "C'mon, let's get inside!"

They both navigated to the orientation hall, where they got split up. Keidima took a seat as someone began announcing the rules of the exam.

"That's Present Mic!" she heard a voice whisper behind her. "I listen to his radio show all the time!"

Keidima giggled a little at Mic's appearance and mannerisms, looking very dramatic as he gestured wildly, and then she yawned. "Oh no." That's when she realized she had forgotten her medication, her precious pills that kept her awake. She felt around in her pockets, hoping beyond hope that he had just an extra, but no luck. She was on her own, no medication, all on her own. "Shit… shit!!" She shrunk back into her seat as she realized the danger she was in. A despairing look came across her face as she put a hand to her head.

The second thing you need to know about Keidima Eivi is her quirk. Years ago, she had called it "Goodnight," despite the fact that it may have just been her saying 'goodnight' to the person asking the question. In either case, the name stuck.

Her quirk gives her the ability to make anything enter a state of rest. When she focuses and activates her quirk, the people around her become very cuddly and sleepy. Within about a few minutes, most of them are out cold, snoozing blissfully for around an hour. If she could harness this power, it could be formidable, but as it was, it was pretty weak. In fact, it had one major drawback: she became sleepy too. Everytime she used her quirk, she got a little bit more tired, until eventually, she couldn't help but lay down and take a nap. Speaking of…

Keidima got a swift swat on the back of her head from the student sitting next to her, jolting her awake. "Jeez, I'm in worse shape than I thought…"

"What did I miss?" she whispered to the blonde boy next to her. He had a black lightning bolt streak in his hair.

"Dude was tellin' us that we need to take down robots, get points, yada yada. Just don't go after the big ones," he quickly whispered back, pointing at the screen.

"Thanks… for helping me stay awake."

"No worries, happens to me all the time."

A kid behind them hushed them both softly and she focused back up on the screen.

Keidima stood outside the massive gates of her testing grounds.

"Robots…?" she mumbled to herself. "I'm not even sure if my quirk works on robots…! What if it doesn't have any effect whatsoever?"

"Yeah, join the club," came a tired voice next to her. Keidima looked over and saw a boy with spiky purple hair and half-lidded eyes. "No, not tired. Bored. Or, at least trying to give that effect," she thought.

"Huh? What do you mean?"

He sighed and looked at her. "I bet you have a quirk that you're pretty proud of, yeah?"

"Well, yeah, kind of-"

"But it only works on humans, right?"

"As far as I know-"

He huffed. "Yeah. I know how you feel." Keidima could see a little bit of nervousness in his eyes. "He really wants into this course…"

She smiled wide, giving him a thumbs-up. "We're gonna do great! Those bots won't know what hit them!" The purple-haired boy huffed a little, his expression not changing, but Keidima could tell that he appreciated those words.

"ALRIGHT, GO! NO COUNTDOWNS IN REAL BATTLES!" blared the voice of Present Mic as the doors swung open.

Keidima's legs moved before she could think. As the rest of the participants ran forward on the main road, she turned and went down a side road, knowing she may have more luck if there weren't other people around. Or, maybe that's just what she told herself to avoid worrying about making anyone else collateral with her quirk.

Her instincts led her down a narrow alleyway. From a distance, she could hear the whirring of gears, the clanking of metal, and the destructive capabilities of various quirks colliding with the test bots. "I gotta find some villain bots, or else I won't have a chance to test my quirk!"

Something smashed into a wall in front of her and a boy with spiky, ash-blonde hair made a villain bot blow up with his hands. "THAT'S TWENTY-FOUR!" he shouted, running off. "KEEP UP, YA DAMN EXTRAS!"

Keidima squeaked and ran down an alley, trying desperately to get away from any other participants. "Gotta find a bot, gotta find a bot!"

Suddenly, her wish came true as a two-point scorpion-looking robot jumped down in front of her, aiming its weapons at her.

"SHIT-!" she dodged out of the way as the car behind her was blasted to bits, landing on top of a dumpster. Keidima began activating her quirk, focusing on the bot as much as she could. A warm, tingling sensation shot down her arms and toward the villain bot. "I'm gonna die! It's not gonna work!"

The villain bot blasted again and Keidima narrowly avoided being reduced to pieces. She had nowhere to go but forward, and as she leapt forward, she landed right on the robot's body. Out of instinct, she pressed both of her hands on the cold metal of the robot, praying that something, anything will happen.

It took only a few moments for the villain bot to realize what had happened, and Keidima suddenly felt very weak as the bot's weapons pointed at her. Tears welled in her eyes as she begged her quirk, "Please, please, please-!!!" The weapons loaded.

However, they didn't get the chance to fire. Slowly, the robot sank down to the ground, the light leaving its eyes as it powered down.

"It… it worked. Holy friggin crap, it WORKED!" She sprang up and squealed, jumping up and down on the bot and flapping her hands happily. "I took down a bot!"

"FIIIIIVE MINUTES REMAINING!!!" came Present Mic's voice, echoing through the mock city.

"Dammit… Okay, no time to celebrate. I gotta find another bot before I run out of time-"

She was interrupted by a sudden crash. It sounded like something large. Like a moth to a flame, she ran to the source of the noise, coming out of the alley onto another street, seeing the same purple-haired boy from earlier, and in front of him was a large villain bot.

The villain bot was a three-pointer. It walked on two legs and looked like it had rocket launchers on its back.

"Who sent you?" the purple-haired boy shouted at the bot, backing away with a twinge of fear in his eyes. "What are you doing? Can't you hear me?" He was panicking!

Keidima yells, "Look out!" and dives at the boy, pushing him out of the way of an incoming blast from the villain bot. "Why are you asking the damn thing questions!"

"It's my quirk! I told you, it only works on people!"

"I thought mine did too! Keep it distracted, just don't get hit!" She jumped to her feet and ran at the bot recklessly.

"Are you insane? It'll kill you!"

"I'm not worried! I'll be a hero!" she shouted behind her. Keidima jumped onto the arm of the villain bot, and climbed up onto its neck, and pressed her hands on the sides of the bot's head. "Go to sleep, go to sleep!"

The massive bot swung around, sending Keidima flying into a fake nearby storefront through a window with a shriek. She jumped back up and felt something warm and wet dribbling down her back, soaking her shirt.

She growled with determination as she vaulted through the window again, jumping and wrapping her arms around the bot's leg. "How long has it been since I activated my quirk? Two minutes, I think. It's gotta start turning off soon!"

The villain robot kicked its leg at her a little, before realizing she wasn't a threat as it looked back up back up at the boy, aiming its launchers. In a moment, though, the bot visibly became uneasy, teetering on its legs before crumpling to the ground, powered down.

"YEHEHES!!!! WOO!!" Keidima jumped up and ran to the purple-haired boy, gripping him in a hug and spinning him around. "WE DID IT!!!"

The boy just looked at her with a lot of confusion on his face. "I didn't do anything-" he said as he pushed her off. "Just focus on the test." Then, he gasped and ran off in the opposite direction. Turning around, Keidima saw what it was: a zero-point bot. It towered over the arena, crushing buildings with ease.

Keidima squeaked and ran after the boy. "It looks a lot larger than I expected!!!"

"Can't you use your quirk on it? Turn it off!"

"It's over 10 stories tall!! It would take me hours of non-stop focus to take it down!"

"TIIIIIME'S UUUUP!"

They both came to a stop and gulped in air as they looked behind them, the massive bot returning to its position. "Thank god…" the boy mumbled.

"Hey," she said, standing upright a little and looking at her fellow participant. "I never caught your name!" Keidima giggled as she began walking with the boy back to the doors.

"Never dropped it." He looked at her, his eyes a mix of appreciation and disdain. "Shinso. Hitoshi Shinso."

Keidima smiled and gave him a pat on the shoulder. "Keidima Eivi! Pleasure to meet you!"

"I probably won't get into the hero course. I didn't get any points."

"That may be, but I think you were very brave! It's not your fault the test was biased against you."

"Well, that makes two of us."

Suddenly, Keidima sank to her knees, wincing with pain as she felt her back. Shards of glass had sliced massive cuts into her flesh, and the whole back of her shirt was soaked with blood.

"Woah, that's really bad. Let's get you to the gates, hopefully there'll be a nurse or something." Shinso swung her arm around his shoulders, half-carrying her to the entrance of the arena.

They arrived at the gates, and Shinso gently set her down onto the pavement, rolling her shirt up to see how bad the wounds were. Keidima really didn't like the gasp he let out, and by that time, other students were gathering around.

"Holy crap, how did that happen?" a bystander asked.

"Glass." Shinso looked at the other students. "Is there a nurse or something we can call? Does anyone here have a healing quirk?"

The students looked around, nobody coming forward. Then, the boy with the yellow hair that Keidima saw earlier came forward. "Yeah, there's a nurse. Her name's Recovery Girl. She should be here soon, one of the adults mentioned that she'll be going around to each of the arenas after the exam to make sure everyone's okay."

"So we just have to make sure Keidima's alright until she gets here."

Suddenly, a massive cry was heard bouncing through the mock city. The students parted, and two others came forward, dragging a third behind them. The girl they were holding had a completely broken leg - all bones shattered.

"G-GUYS, I'M FINE, JUST- LET ME UP-" she thrashed around, punching at the students carrying her. They set her down next to Keidima and stood back. "I CAN DO JUST FINE ON MY OWN, I DON'T NEED-"

"The girl's delirious… she's only going to hurt herself more with how much she's moving her leg."

"You're all… being ridiculous! My leg is fine, I'm fine! I don't need any- AHH-!!" The girl had tried getting up, and fallen backward with a cry when she moved her leg. "It's just, mind over matter!! I can- I can!"

Slowly, gently, Keidima extended her hand, grabbing hold of the girl's forearm and squeezing reassuringly. "Just relax, alright? You've been working hard and deserve a rest."

"W-what are you talking about! I can still fight you- In fact, I can fight all of you!"

Keidima activated her quirk, really focusing on the girl.

"She must have so much adrenaline going through her body right now. That must be why she's acting so insouciant," a student around the circle said.

"Then this is going to be difficult… C'mon, c'mon, just a little more strength…" Keidima yawned and could feel sleep quickly approaching.

"C'mon, who's first!" The girl tried standing again, only for the boy with the yellow hair to press her back down again. Keidima smiled appreciatively as she focused her quirk with all her strength. The wounds in her back felt like she had been stabbed with knives, and her head was spinning with the use of her quirk and the significant blood loss.

And finally, the girl yawned. Leaning back onto the concrete, her eyelids began to look droopy.

"Yes, yes! That's it!" Keidima grinned widely and managed to stay awake long enough to watch the girl fall into a peaceful slumber before passing out herself.

The third thing you need to know about Keidima Eivi is her complete anxiety with the wellbeing of others. She hated seeing other people in pain and will do anything in her power to make them feel better. She didn't care about justice, or the fame and glory that comes with being a hero. No, the only thing Keidima sought was to make as many people as possible happy, no matter the cost.

"I'm sure you did your best, Bedhead," Jodonaki was braiding Keidima's hair on the couch, comforting her about the exam.

"But the results should have come by now. Mina told me she had gotten accepted this morning."

Jodonaki put a hand on her shoulder. "Maybe it's taking longer for you!"

She sighed and rested her head against the cushion. "I only got five points. That's not nearly enough…"

"Would you like some tea?" Jodonaki asked.

"...Yeah… I would."

As Jodonaki got up, he saw what looked like a letter coming in through the door slot, landing with a soft thud on the carpet. He walked over and picked up the letter, letting out a large gasp when he saw a large "UA" printed on the front. In fact, the gasp was so large that he choked on his own spit and was sent to the floor in a coughing fit.

Keidima began softly giggling at the sound, not getting up. "Just be sure not to get any spit in my tea, right, Jodo?"

"K-KEHEDIMA!" Jodonaki managed to cough out, making the girl freeze in place at his tone. "L-LEHE- (more coughing) LEHETTER!!"

Keidima jumped to her feet, running over to her brother, who was on the floor coughing up a lung. He weakly handed the letter up to her, then dug into his pocket and produced a small blue inhaler, which he greedily sucked on for air.

Keidima stood, trembling, and walked over to the couch. Sitting down, she carefully began opening the letter. Jodonaki sat down beside her, looking eagerly at the envelope. Finally, Keidima turned it over, and a round gray disk fell out, landing on Jodonaki's foot painfully. He was about to start cussing out the little disk and Keidima, but suddenly, the disk lit up as a hologram was projected into the room.

"BOOYAH! I AM HERE, AS A PROJECTION!"

Both of the teenagers in the room shrieked and jumped backward as All Might suddenly and loudly began talking at them. "W-why is he-!"

"Truth is, I didn't come to this city to fight villains. You are looking at the newest UA faculty member!"

The teens gasped and looked at each other in astonishment.

"Apologies, I'll make this short. I have many other calls to make!" All Might cleared his throat. "Unfortunately, Miss Eivi, while you did pass the written test with flying colors, you only got five combat points in the practical exam, which isn't enough to pass. I'm sorry."

Keidima hung her head, sniffling softly. Jodonaki put his arm around her shoulder and held her close, holding his sister's head to his chest as she cried softly. "I knohohow… I trihihied…"

"And that's all that matters, sis, you did amazing! I know I couldn't have possibly done remotely that well!"

All Might spoke again. "Fortunately, there were other factors." Both teens looked up suddenly. "That is why I am here! You see, the practical exam was not graded on combat alone! We have rescue points! A panel of judges watches and awards heroic acts for not just fighting villains. Keidima Eivi! Forty rescue points!"

"WHAT???" Keidima fell forward off the couch, on her knees in front of the projected hero. "B-But that means-"

In a flash, Jodonaki was on the floor next to her. "Bedhead…!"

"You passed the exam, Miss Eivi." He turned and extended his hand toward the camera. "Welcome, Keidima. You have made it. You are now a part of the Hero Academia." The projection hung on his heroic face for a few more seconds before turning off.

Jodonaki squealed, picking up his sister in his arms and spinning her around. "BEDHEAD! YOU PASSED, YOU PASSED! YOU'RE A STUDENT OF UA!"

"C-cahareful, my back!" Keidima began crying again into Jodonaki's chest, clutching onto him like a koala.

The coming months won't be easy, not by a long shot. But with her brother by her side, Keidima knew that she could tackle any problem that comes her way.

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that's all for Chapter 1! I hope you're all as excited as I am to continue this story!!

Lemme read Chapter 2!

#wake up keidima #kayde wrote something woah #mha #mha oc #mha fic

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gingerlee-holds · 1 year

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Chapter Two: Rest Assured

Here's the second chapter of my ongoing fic titled 'Wake Up, Keidima!', a MHA alternate universe where an OC of mine ends up in Class 1-A. If you'll allow me to winge a bit - in the dub (which I watch), the names of all the students have been flipped. You see, Japanese naming conventions go like (Family Name) (Given Name), whereas in the West, it's the opposite. In the dub of MHA, they flipped the names to make it make sense for a Western Audience™ (Iida Tenya became Tenya Iida, for instance). This is very enfuriating, because I've named my OC Eivi Keidima (Family name Given name), while all the other characters are (Given name, Family name) as in the show. This really bugs me but whatever. Just keep that in mind going forward, alright? Keidima's name is the Japanese version (it's too late to change it now) and everyone else has the English version. Okay? Okay, now onto the fic:

Word Count: 6239

"You... did what?" the old man grumbled, adjusting his hearing aid.

Jodonaki cleared his throat and spoke up for his sister. "She got into UA, Grandpa!"

"Oh, UA! I'm so proud of you, sweetie! Mazel Tov!" Grandpa Eivi Gadazi furrowed his brow and stared into the middle distance. "What's UA again?"

The twins sighed, smiling. "All Might's alma mater," Keidima said. After getting the letter, the siblings ran to tell their only legal guardian as fast as possible.

"Oh, All Might! That newbie-" Grandpa Gadazi scowled and spat, "I used to be a pro hero, y'know! They don't make heroes like they used to! Why, in my day, I'd be able to defeat All Might in combat with my pinkie finger!"

By that point, the twins were giggling behind their hands. "I-Ihi'm sure you could, Grandpa!" Jodonaki managed to say.

Grandpa Gadazi was a short man and ancient by all accounts. His bald head, once full of curly orange hair, was covered in liver spots, and his whole face sagged with wrinkles. Despite this, he was quick with a witty retort and had an endearing proclivity to wax nostalgic about the 'Good Ole Days' where he was one of the top ten Pro Heroes (the number would change every time he told the story, however). Nevertheless, the money he made as a hero kept the lights on. He wore a white button-up shirt and a pair of brown pants secured way too high on his torso with a black belt. His shoes had been custom-made for one to be higher off the ground than the other because he had gotten into a fight with a villain a few decades prior, necessitating an emergency hip surgery, making one leg permanently longer. He couldn't possibly care for himself, needing his grandson to ensure he was adequately fed and dressed.

As it turns out, Jodonaki never bothered applying to a high school. He had said it was because he already knew how to use his quirk and knew everything he needed to know about the world, but Keidima understood that he needed to stay home to take care of Grandpa Gadazi's failing health. She also understood, using that premonition all twins develop toward each other, that he was deeply disappointed with his lot in life, but he hid it from his sister.

"Y'know, your grandmother had an incredible quirk," the old man leaned back in his rocking chair, smiling into the middle distance. The twins looked at each other, and Jodonaki smiled as he got up.

"I'm gonna make him some soup," he whispered as he left the room.

"She always beat me in a fight, the old bobcat! And believe you me, my pride was on the line, so I wasn't going easy on her!" Grandpa Gadazi's eyes came back into focus. "I always knew you'd follow in her footsteps. She had chutzpah. Have I ever told you how much you look like her?"

"Only all the time, Grandpa."

"Hm, yes, I must have told you before. Sorry, Keidi-cat, my memory isn't as it used to be."

"I know, Grandpa," she said with a smirk.

Gadazi huffed and leaned forward, looking Keidima dead in the eyes. "Being a hero is serious business, young lady. Your grandmother died saving my life, leaving me to raise your father alone. He was a hero, too, as was your mother. They never even survived long enough to go on their honeymoon!"

Keidima winced and looked down at the ground, and Grandpa Gadazi leaned back in his chair again.

"I'm not telling you all this to scare you, Keidi-cat. I need you to understand what's at stake when you go out there to fight villainy. You not only endanger yourself but also your friends and your loved ones. Whole future generations will be affected by the choices you make today." He looked over at the rocking chair next to his, which was always empty, and with a shaking hand, gently rubbed its armrest. "Don't forget who you're fighting for, alright, young lady?"

Keidima looked up into his face and saw the old man tearing up. She extended a hand to his knee and nodded with determination. "I won't, Grandpa. I promise."

Jodonaki returned with a bowl of ramen and a pair of Gadazi's favorite chopsticks. "Sorry, it seems like someone-" he glared at Keidima playfully, "has eaten all the soup! So I just made you some ramen, Grandpa."

"Oh, splendid! Spectacular day!" The old man's countenance instantly lit up as he gratefully took the bowl and chopsticks, and Jodonaki retook his spot on the carpet next to his sister. "So, Keidima! What kind of hero do you want to be?"

"What do you mean?"

Grandpa Gadazi was shoveling noodles into his gumless mouth as if he hadn't eaten a meal since '75. "I mean," more loud slurping, "do you wanna be a hero that goes in guns blazing? Do you wanna be like your old man here?" He thumped his chest proudly before choking on a noodle. Jodonaki jumped up and began hitting his back as Keidima looked down at the carpet, thinking about her answer.

"Wehell? Don't keep me waiting, Keidi-cat. I'm on the edge of my seat here!" Grandpa Gadazi coughed up the noodle but wasted no time in continuing to eat. Instead of sitting down again, Jodonaki decided it'd be better to stay standing in case anything else happened, and he looked down at his sister curiously.

"I just want to be a hero that people feel safe around. I want to be strong and fearless, but more than anything, I want to be a presence that people are comforted by. I want to be like a warm blanket, protecting people from the biting cold of a hostile world and bringing peace to the hearts of those I defend. Villains have gotten more insidious as time goes on, which leads to heroes needing to resort to more drastic measures to maintain justice in our society. The world is harsh and scary, and I want to comfort those who trust me." Keidima looked up and smiled at her two listeners. "Like you!"

Jodonaki smiled as Grandpa Gadazi clapped enthusiastically. "Bravo, Keidi-cat! What a speech!" He leaned forward with a chuckle. "Just be sure not to use that quirk of yours to get out of family gatherings, eh?"

The trio giggled, and the old man handed his empty bowl to his grandson. "Delicious, as usual!" Gadazi exclaimed, and Jodonaki patted his grandfather on the head as he left the room again to do the dishes. His expression quickly changed as he began getting up from his chair, fishing for his cane on the floor, which Keidima handed him. Grandpa Gadazi motioned for her to follow him, and he walked over to his bureau, pulling out a drawer and opening a secret compartment within. He drew a small wooden box out of this compartment and blew the dust off it.

"Here, sit down, Grandpa." Keidima patted the bed, and Grandpa Gadazi grunted in agreement. They sat together, and the young girl looked eagerly at the box as her grandfather slowly opened it, revealing a small, steel wristband. He smiled wide and tried to pick it up but yelped and pulled his hand back suddenly upon touching it. "Woah, are you okay, Grandpa?"

"Yes, yes, Keidi-cat, I'm alright. This wristband belonged to your grandmother. She had a fire-based quirk, you know. Here, feel."

Keidima laid her hand on the metal, gasping and shuddering. "I-it's warm!"

"For you? That's interesting. It's always been scalding whenever I hold it. Feels like I'm touching a steam iron. But you say it's warm..." Grandpa Gadazi hummed in thought and finally handed her the box. "Here, put it on."

The young girl picked up the band and clipped it around her right wrist. The metal was warm, but it reminded her of sitting next to a roaring fireplace, soothing and cozy.

"How does it feel?"

"Comforting."

"Then..." Grandpa Gadazi smiled and stroked a lock of bright red hair out of Keidima's face, "I believe you were meant to have it. You carry her with you now." He looked deep into his granddaughter's face. "You look... so much like her, you know."

Keidima smiled wide and held the bracelet, feeling its warmth. "Thank you, Grandpa. I'll make her proud."

"I believe you already have, young lady." Suddenly, the old man winced and put a hand over his abdomen. "I just... hope I'll still be here to see you become a top hero, just like your grandmother."

"And you?"

"Yeah, yeah, me as well. But I know you'll be so much better than me. I see it in your eyes. It's the same fire that your grandmother had."

"Thank you, Grandpa. I know I won't fail you."

"Oh, so do I!" Grandpa Gadazi laid back on the bed, making all sorts of grunting noises as he arranged himself. He didn't need Keidima's quirk to instantly fall asleep, snoring loudly.

Keidima patted his head as she stood. Looking down at her wrist, the bright, shiny steel made her smile. "I won't let you down. None of you."

"Costumes!"

Keidima let out a yelp, jarring her from her daydreaming. She refused to admit she had almost fallen asleep at the kitchen table. "W-whahat about costumes?" she asked.

Jodonaki gave her a funny look. "Uh, you need one, obviously! A hero costume! See, I went to the Town Hall and got you some paperwork for it."

"A hero costume? I hadn't thought about it..."

She scratched her head. "Honestly, I wasn't planning on having a hero costume."

"What! Nonsense! You need a costume, Bedhead!"

"Fine, fine, if it'll make you happy." Keidima pulled the small stack of papers towards her side of the table and began to fill out her basic information. "How tall am I now?"

Jodonaki studied her a bit. "Few inches taller than me, so... 5'10"? Ballpark?"

"Sure, we'll go with that, Jodo," she yawned.

Her brother was practically bouncing in his seat. "I can't believe it! It's really happening. You're becoming a hero, and you're getting a costume!"

"You're right. It is certainly hard to believe..." She chuckled at Jodonaki's enthusiasm. "But I'd be lying if I said I wasn't at least a little excited."

Finally, they turned the page and got to the design section.

She hummed in thought as she nibbled the end of her pencil. "Let's see... Are there any special concerns we need to consider for this?"

"Well, to activate your quirk, you just have to focus on something really hard, right?"

"Yeah, but visual and tactile contact help a bunch."

"How about a mask that looks like a sleep mask? I think it'd match the aesthetic."

"Then I'd need holes cut into them, maybe glass put in. Not a bad idea." Keidima began writing down their ideas, sketching the mask. "Okay, what else?"

"Gloves, maybe?"

"They'd have to be fingerless, but yes, good idea." They looked at everything they had so far. Then, Keidima began writing something down.

Jodonaki looked up at his sister. "Wait, you're not planning on going into battle in pajamas, are you?"

"It fits the theme! They'll be green, soft, and fuzzy, with little pockets for hiding snacks. Maybe we'll add a fuzzy pink sleeping cap. Yehes!" Keidima wrote faster and faster, giggling a little as it came together. "Ahahand! Ahahand dohohon't fohohorget-!! Dohon't forget the tactical combat bunny slippers!!" Keidima squealed with delight as she laughed at the situation, almost falling off her chair.

"No, don't write that down!"

"I'm writing it down!" She laughed all the harder as she wrote down the idea.

"You're gonna look ridiculous!"

"Maybe that's my strategy, hmmmmm? I wanna throw them off their rhythm!"

"Bedhead!" Jodo exclaimed before falling into another coughing fit. He yanked out his inhaler and breathed deeply.

"Fine, no bunny slippers - I'll write down a pair of combat sneakers. I don't want anything flashy because that's just not what my quirk is like."

"Okay, but I need to insist on at least some level of protection. Some armor, at least some padding."

"Good idea, but we'll keep it minimal." She underlined that word twice on the form. "I want to focus on mobility and dodging, dragging out the fight as much as possible. The longer I make a fight go on, the more likely my quirk will win out. Knee pads, elbow pads, shin guards, and padding in the gloves but all concealed under the outer pajamas. If some mean bastard comes running at me, I want to be able to dodge without hurting myself."

"Also, remember to put your hair up in a ponytail during fights so it doesn't obstruct your vision," Jodonaki said, pointing at the drawn mask. "But what is your signature piece?" he asked.

"My what?"

"Y'know, the thing that every hero has that's unique. It brings the costume together."

Keidima leaned back in her chair. "I have no idea. Maybe a stuffed animal?"

"No, you can't make that a viable tool in combat."

"Not with that attitude."

Jodonaki suppressed the giggle that wanted to come out and said, "What about a capturing weapon? Like Eraserhead uses?"

"Who's that?"

"Never mind, just focus on this. What if you used a blanket like a grappling hook?"

Keidima looked at her brother, thinking it over. "Is there a material that'd be that strong? And I'd have to learn how to use it... But... it'd be better to learn how to use it and have it with me during a fight. I don't exactly have a very combat-oriented quirk. Yeah... yeah, good idea." She drew the blanket, sketching a bright pink crescent moon in the middle. "What do you think?" she asked, handing the form to Jodonaki.

He stared at it before nodding his head. "I think it looks good. Besides, the form says you can alter your costume later." Jodonaki stood, picking up the form and his handbag, gesturing for Keidima to come up. "Let's drop off these forms, then we can get some last-minute back-to-school shopping done!"

Keidima smiled, nodding as she got up. "I also need a refill on my prescription. No way in hell am I going into my first week of UA without them."

The last days of March flew by like a fleeting dream. The beginning of April came quickly, and with it, her first day of school at UA High.

Keidima was ready to go, but Jodonaki insisted on doing his usual series of 'pre-flight checks.'

"Did you take your meds?"

"Yes."

"Did you put on clean socks?"

"Of course I did."

"Did you pack your backpack?"

"No."

"Bedhead."

"Yeah, I packed it. Last night, remember?"

Jodonaki sighed with a smirk as he looked at her hair. "Maybe we should have it be just a little neater."

"Jodo, my boy, you're gonna make the hero-in-training late!" Grandpa Gadazi called from the couch, making her brother grumble.

"I'm just... worried about you, Keidima." He looked at her earnestly, smiling a little. "But, all the same, I need you to know how proud of you I am." His eyes welled up with tears, and Keidima hugged him tightly.

"Save it for when I become a Pro Hero, alright, Jodo?"

He sniffled softly and grinned. "Will do. Now go learn how to save the world!"

"I will!" With that, Keidima turned and ran to UA as fast as she could.

She had found her locker rather quickly and looked down at her information card, then over at her map, trying not to bump into any students. "Class 1-A should be right around... here!"

She looked up right as she bumped into another student. "Sorry, I- Mina? We've gotta stop meeting like this, bestie!"

Mina turned and gasped, hugging Keidima tightly as she pulled her friend into the classroom. "You got in! I'm so friggin proud of you!"

"Same goes for you! I'm so glad I won't be starting with no friends. I have you!"

"And me, I'd hope." From behind Ashido stepped a certain smirking red-haired boy.

"Eijiro!!! I was hoping I'd see you!" Keidima practically jumped at Eijiro Kirishima, hugging him like a koala, which made him yelp as he gently set her down.

"Please go to your seats! The teacher is bound to appear at any moment!" a loud and stiff voice came from behind them. Turning, Keidima saw a tall, thin boy with dark blue hair and square glasses.

She chuckled and nodded, making a little bow. "Yes sir, mister sir!"

"It's Tenya Iida to you!"

She giggled softly as she went to seat #19 in the back of class, much to her delight. "Maybe I could catch some Z's back here without the teacher noticing." Little did she know that she was followed the whole way to her desk by the uptight chatterbox.

"And you don't have your hair brushed! Don't you know what kind of school we're attending? Your tie is crooked! How will this class succeed if we can't properly tie a tie? Look at your posture! You're slouching! And you, will you get your feet off the desk?" Tenya turned and walked over to an ash-blonde boy with his legs crossed over the table.

"Oh, thank goodness he left me alone. That's the same boy I saw from the entrance exam, with all the explosions. At least he's taking up that guy's attention."

Keidima must have looked somewhat shell-shocked after the confrontation and looked over at a tall girl beside her, who had a concerned expression. "Are you alright?" the girl asked.

"Yeah, I'm alright. Nothing I haven't heard before," Keidima giggled nervously, rubbing the back of her neck.

The girl extended a hand. "Momo Yaoyorozu."

"Eivi Keidima." She shook the hand gladly and looked up to the door to see the green-haired boy talking with the gravity girl.

"Have you seen the teacher for this class?" Keidima asked.

Momo replied softly, "No, I haven't. Have you?"

"No, I..." Her focus was drawn to a man suddenly appearing in a big, yellow sleeping bag at the doorway.

"Hello, I'm Shota Aizawa. Your teacher."

"You're the man I spoke to on the street the other day when we did the entrance exam!" Keidima couldn't stop herself from blurting out, shooting to her feet. She heard a snicker from her right and saw the blonde-haired boy from before (Denki Kaminari, she soon learned) mouth the words, "he certainly looks like he's been on the street," to Eijiro, eliciting a muffled giggle.

Mr. Aizawa's eyes focused on hers. "Yes, we interacted briefly. Don't speak out of turn, Miss Eivi."

With a squeak, Keidima sat back down at her desk, pursing her lips, and got another empathetic look from Momo. The sleepy girl held onto her bracelet, comforting herself with its warmth.

"Right, let's get to it. Put these on and head outside." Mr. Aizawa held out gym uniforms for them.

"My size is wrong, again." Keidima huffed as she pulled down on her uniform. "This is ridiculous."

Momo and Mina giggled behind their hands as they walked to the grounds together. As the students walked, Keidima made it a goal to know the names of as many others as possible so that she'd be better able to fit in.

Arriving on the field, the students gathered in a crowd before Mr. Aizawa. "Today, you will be undergoing a quirk assessment test."

"What? A quirk assessment test?" the students asked in disbelief.

Uraraka spoke up, saying, "But orientation! We're gonna miss it!" Keidima mumbled in agreement.

"If you really wanna make the big leagues, you can't waste time on pointless ceremonies." Aizawa looked at them all like children, almost scornfully. Keidima gasped softly. She had been a little excited about orientation. "Here at UA, we're not tethered to traditions. That means I get to run my class however I see fit." Keidima gulped. "You've been taking standardized tests most of your lives. But you never got to use your Quirks in physical exams before. The country's still trying to pretend we're all created equal by not letting those with the most power excel. It's not rational. One day, the Ministry of Education will learn."

Keidima looked down. "What a hard-ass... and he seemed so friendly before."

"Bakugo," Mr. Aizawa began again, looking at the ash-blonde boy. "You managed to get the most points on the entrance exam. What was your farthest distance throw with a softball in Junior High?"

Katsuki thought momentarily, then said, "Sixty-four meters, I think."

"Not a bad throw at all. I think I could throw seventy, but that's only because I played softball in middle school."

Mr. Aizawa motioned him to come forward. "Right. Try doing it with your quirk."

Katsuki stepped forward into a circle drawn on the dirt, taking the softball from Mr. Aizawa's hand.

"Anything goes, just stay in the circle. Go on. You're wasting our time."

"All right, man, you asked for it." Katsuki rubbed his shoulder a bit, and suddenly, a massive explosion rang out as he threw the ball as hard as he could. Keidima let out a yelp and clamped a hand over her mouth.

Aizawa didn't even flinch. "All of you need to know your maximum capabilities. It's the most rational way of figuring out your potential as a pro hero." He held up the tracker in his hand, showing the class what it read: '705.2 meters.'

Keidima gasped and nudged Mina. "That's amazing! This'll be fun, using our quirks like this," she whispered, to which her pink friend nodded enthusiastically. All around her, students were saying something similar.

Mr. Aizawa stared at them all disapprovingly. "So this looks fun, huh? You have three years here to become a hero. You think it's all gonna be games and playtime? Idiots," he hissed. "What did he just call me-?" Keidima indignantly thought as she stood up straight. "Today, you'll compete in eight physical tests to gauge your potential. Whoever comes in last has none and will be expelled immediately."

"Huh?" Keidima's eyes bulged out of her head in shock. The other students didn't take it well either.

"Like I said, I get to decide how this class runs. Understand? If that's a problem, you can head home right now." Mr. Aizawa looked around at each student, silently judging their expressions.

"Great... How the hell can I use my quirk to give myself an advantage here? It'd be rude of me to make the others sleepy so that I do better by comparison. I'm just gonna have to rely on my physical abilities... which are lacking."

Ochaco again spoke up. "You can't send one of us home! I mean, we just got here! Even if it wasn't the first day, that isn't fair!" Keidima nodded in agreement.

"Oh, and you think natural disasters are?" Mr. Aizawa asked, making the sleepy hero-in-training tilt her head in confusion. "Or power‐hungry villains? Hm? Or catastrophic accidents that wipe out whole cities? No, the world is full of unfairness. It's a hero's job to try to combat that unfairness. To be a pro, you must push yourself to the brink. For the next three years, UA will throw one terrible hardship after another at you. So, go beyond. Plus Ultra‐style. Show me it's no mistake that you're here."

"I just have to keep up. I'm already pretty spry. I have to land in the middle of the pack. Some of these other kids have quirks that won't help much here, like me. With any luck, I'll end up with some wiggle room."

"Now then. We're just wasting time by talking. Let the games begin."

A fifty-meter dash.

Keidima crouched on the start line and looked over to her left, seeing what appeared to be an empty gym uniform floating in the air. "Hey! Toru Hagakure, right? Or a ghost, maybe?"

The invisible girl giggled. "And you're Keidima, right? What's your quirk again?"

Mr. Aizawa cleared his throat. "Quit wasting time. On your marks..."

"Best of luck, Toru," Keidima prepared to sprint as fast as possible.

"Get set."

"Yeah, you as well! Chat later," Toru said quickly.

A whistle sounded, and both girls flung themselves forward, running as fast as they could, Keidima pulling ahead by a meter. "It's just running two bases. Take first, take second. The ball's in the outfield, but I don't have time to spare. I've run this distance countless times!" With one final push, Keidima sped across the finish line, quickly followed by Toru.

"6.46 seconds! 6.91 seconds!" A cheerful robotic voice said.

Gasping for breath, Keidima skidded to a halt and turned to the invisible girl with a smile. "Not a bad time at all! You're pretty fast!"

"Whew! I wasn't at all ready to be doing this sort of thing today-!" The two girls walked to the side to clear the way for the next pair. "I should be training with you!"

"No, that'd be a terrible idea. I'd just put you to sleep."

"Aw, I'm sure you're not that boring!" She felt Toru give her a comforting pat on the shoulder.

"No, I- never mind," Keidima giggled.

Grip strength.

"What does this have to do with your athletic ability?" Mina asked nobody in particular.

Keidima held onto the machine as tight as possible, but to her dismay, it read '48.4 kg,' making the girl sigh in exasperation. "At some point, spite must become a factor when they make these tests."

Standing long jump.

"You ever done one of these, Keidima?" Denki asked, looking behind him in line. Keidima shook her head. "Ah, it's nothin' scary. Just jump!"

"Thanks. I'll try to remember that." Keidima chuckled as she watched the boy jump as far as possible at the whistle. She stepped forward as Denki got off the sand, and when she heard the whistle, she clenched her teeth and jumped.

"195 centimeters!" the peppy bot announced. She quickly got out of the way and felt a gentle elbow in her ribs, making her squeak. Keidima looked up as Eijiro smiled.

"Not a bad distance."

"Compared with everyone else here, it's not great either."

Repeated side steps.

Mr. Aizawa reset the stopwatch. "Go ahead, Miss Eivi."

Keidima grinned, forcing her mind to think optimistically. "This is easy. It's just back and forth but a lot and really quickly."

She ended up tripping at the end, falling onto her face.

The softball throw.

Keidima walked into the circle and clenched the softball hard in her hand. She leaned back, threw it with all the strength she could muster, and immediately leaned back upon hearing something in her shoulder pop. "Ouch. That sucked."

"Little under seventy meters." Mr. Aizawa sounded almost bored.

"Damn. I gotta get back into shape." Keidima continued rubbing her shoulder as she walked back to the other students. After her, the boy with the green hair stepped up.

"If Midoriya doesn't shape up soon, he's the one going home," Tenya observed.

"Huh? Of course, he is. He's a Quirkless loser." Katsuki spat. Keidima looked over at him with one eyebrow raised. "Not only is he mean, he's also wrong. There's no way a kid could get into the hero course without a quirk."

Tenya spoke up for her. "He has a Quirk. Did you not hear about what he did in the entrance exam?"

Izuku stepped forward, held the ball close, and with a face that registered pure determination, he threw the ball as hard as he could.

"Forty-six meters!" the mechanical voice spoke. The boy stood there, frozen.

"Oh no, poor guy..." Keidima mumbled.

Izuku looked at his hands. "What gives? I was trying to use it just now."

"I erased your Quirk." All eyes turned to Mr. Aizawa, whose hair was standing on end. "The judges for this exam were not rational enough. Someone like you should never be allowed to enroll at this school."

"What?" Keidima was about to step forward, but Momo gently squeezed her shoulder, holding her back. Mr. Aizawa paid her no mind.

"Ah! Those goggles. I know you!" Izuku shouted suddenly. "You can look at someone and cancel out their powers. The Erasure Hero. Eraserhead!"

Keidima looked down at the dirt. "Where have I heard that name before...? It's familiar."

Mr. Aizawa's scarf suddenly shot out, latching around Izuku and pulling him close to his teacher. He began talking with the green-headed boy in a low tone but harshly. Keidima couldn't make out what he was saying but could read Izuku's face well enough to know none was kind.

"I've returned your impractical quirk. Take your final throw. Hurry and get it over with." Mr. Aizawa's hair went down again, and his scarf released Izuku.

"I wonder if our teacher gave him some advice," Tenya said softly.

"I hope so." Keidima looked at Izuku, hoping beyond hope that the poor boy wasn't about to be sent home.

Izuku stepped into the circle and threw the ball again. Instead of the wimpy throw like last time, the boy shouted with all his might, and the ball shot away faster than a bullet, making Keidima squeak and jump into Momo.

"Mr. Aizawa... You see?" Izuku clenched his fist, showing a wholly broken finger. "I'm still standing!"

"705.3 meters!" the robot said.

"His finger appears to be broken now. Just like in the exam. This quirk is very odd." Tenya looked deep in thought.

"Maybe it transfers his body into energy? Like using up all the possible energy in his cells?" Keidima asked.

"No, even if that were the case, there shouldn't be a way he could throw a ball that far," Tenya mumbled, furrowing his brow.

Suddenly, next to them, Katsuki ran towards Izuku, screaming, "Deku, you bastard! Tell me how you did that, or you're dead!"

"He's gonna kill him-!" Keidima extended an arm, activating her quirk and focusing as hard as possible. However, Mr. Aizawa's scarf was faster and wrapped around Katsuki in a flash.

"What? Why the hell is your damn scarf so strong?" Katsuki growled.

"Because it's a capture weapon made of carbon fiber and a special metal alloy. Stand down." Mr. Aizawa glared at the boy. "Jodo said that earlier. That's where I remember the name Eraserhead from!" Keidima thought. "It'd be wise to avoid making me use my quirk so much. It gives me serious dry eye," the teacher said. Finally, he released his scarf, but Katsuki slowly sank to the ground, unconscious.

Mr. Aizawa gasped in shock before quickly looking over at Keidima in realization. Her arm was still extended, stretched stiff, and her eyes hadn't blinked or moved from Katsuki.

"Miss Eivi, please, the situation is handled. You're gonna put him in a coma."

Keidima felt a hand on her shoulder and snapped out of her haze. Turning, she saw Mina's nod and slowly lowered her arm, rubbing her eyes and groaning.

"So that's her quirk. I was wondering..." someone off to her right said softly. Mr. Aizawa walked forward and carried the explosive boy back to the group.

"Ribbet, is he dead-?" someone else murmured.

"H-he'll be fine. He's just taking a power nap-!" Keidima stammered, reassuring her classmates. "We all need to take a little rest sometimes." She giggled softly behind her hand, and some of the other students chuckled along with her.

Katsuki let out a little groan as someone nudged him awake. "What-?"

Mr. Aizawa mumbled something to him, and he nodded, rubbing his head. A twinge of fear went through Keidima as she realized he wouldn't be pleased with her for humiliating him in front of his classmates. Then, the teacher stood up and walked to his observation area again.

"You're wasting my time now. Whoever's next can step up."

Izuku ran back into the crowd, and for some reason, Katsuki seemed focused on him and not Keidima. "I wonder why he doesn't seem angry at me? He doesn't seem like the put-together type."

"That's a pretty powerful quirk," Tenya said, looking impressed.

Keidima looked at him but yawned. "No, not yet, it isn't. Lotta drawbacks."

Mr. Aizawa looked at his tablet. "All right, time to give you your results. I've ranked you all from best to worst. You should probably have a good idea of your standing already. I'll pull up the whole list. It's not worth going over each individual's score."

Mina squeezed Keidima's hand gently as they looked at the screen, simultaneously comforting her nerves and keeping her awake. Using her quirk on Katsuki had drained her a lot, and it was all she could do to stay awake for the final three tests. If it weren't for Mina slapping her calves during the sit-up test, she would have passed out. "Isn't my fault it's a good sleeping position."

"Keidima! Look, you got 11th!" Mina shook her, and Keidima jumped up and down in delight.

"Woo! Average!" She hugged her friend tightly and looked back up at the board. "You got ninth!"

"You definitely would have beaten me if you hadn't used your quirk earlier."

"I couldn't help it. My body acted before my brain did."

"And I bet your body was pretty upset with itself after that long-distance run!"

Keidima groaned. "Oh, goodness, don't even talk to me about that." She had thrown up.

Mina pointed back up at the board. "Look, Izuku's last."

Sure enough, in 20th place was Izuku Midoriya. "Oh no, poor kid... He was so determined to do well." Keidima looked at the boy, who seemed to be looking at the ground, close to tears. She wanted to scoop him up in a hug but decided against it.

"And I was lying, no one's going home. That was a rational deception to ensure you gave it your all in the tests."

The whole class gasped, and if Keidima weren't also shocked into disbelief, she would have laughed at their silly expressions.

"That's it. We're done for the day. Pick up a syllabus in the classroom. Read it over before tomorrow morning." Mr. Aizawa walked to Izuku and handed him a slip, saying something to him in a low tone.

Keidima jogged forward and tapped Mr. Aizawa on the shoulder as he walked off. "Sir?"

"Hm? What is it?"

"I'm sorry for using my quirk earlier. It wasn't polite of me to do. I should have trusted you."

"Don't worry about it. I told Mr. Bakugo that he had pinched a nerve struggling against my capturing weapon and passed out. He doesn't expect that you did anything."

"Oh, thank goodness. I was worried I would get my head blown off," Keidima chuckled nervously.

"No, you'll be fine. Just be sure not to use it if you can afford to. It has a pretty big drawback."

"Yeah, I know. Thank you, sir." Keidima looked at the ground, rubbing her arm.

"Oh, and I saw you had asked for a capturing weapon on your hero form. I could teach you how to use it."

Keidima gasped softly as she looked up. "Yes, that'd be amazing!"

Mr. Aizawa grunted, nodded, and walked off.

The young girl turned, seeing Izuku coming toward her. "H-hey, Keidima, right?"

"Mhm! That's me!" she giggled, making Izuku blush. "Oh, he's gonna be so much fun."

The boy rubbed the back of his neck. "I-I just wanted to thank you for, y'know, saving me earlier!"

"Huh? Oh, I didn't save you. Mr. Aizawa did. I just helped." Keidima smiled softly. "But I'm glad I could help."

Izuku blushed deeper at her smile and nodded.

"By the way, I'm relieved you're not being expelled! I was rooting for you the whole time! I'm a sucker for underdogs," she giggled again, making it a personal competition to see how deep the boy's blush could go.

"T-Thank you! Anyways, I gotta go to the nurse now. Bye!" he said quickly, avoiding her eyes as he walked past.

"Izuku!" she called after him, and he turned momentarily. "You're not getting enough sleep!" He chuckled and turned again, walking off.

Keidima went with the rest of the class back to the classroom to change and collect their syllabus. She sighed as she changed out of her gym uniform, hoping that her hero costume, at least, would be the correct size.

She grabbed a syllabus and stuck it in her bag, then began walking out the door if it weren't for a tap on the shoulder. Tenya pulled her aside and bowed stiffly. "I wanted to apologize for my behavior this morning. You have more than proved your worth and did not deserve to be treated so harshly."

"I- thank you, Tenya." Keidima smiled at the kind gesture and gently lifted him out of his bow. "It means a lot."

"Of course. Hopefully, we can be on a good footing from here on out."

"I hope so, too! I'll see you, Tenya!"

Walking out the main doors and down the steps, Keidima grinned as she approached a familiar duo. Mina and Eijiro turned and waved at her as she approached. "We live in about the same part of town. Why don't we walk home together?"

"I don't see why not!"

"Wait!" She turned and saw Denki running up to them. "Don't forget me!"

"We couldn't forget you, bro! C'mon, let's get home."

The four walked home, proud that they had finished their first day with relatively no problems, although Mina had to keep Keidima awake the whole way home. Still, Keidima was glad to have reconnected with old friends and even made some new ones.

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And there you have it! Chapter 2, done! Lemme know what you think!

Also wowie I wrote so much more for these 1.5 episodes than the first four. Maybe that's because most of the first episodes were focusing on Izuku. No clue. Anyways, there's no way in hell I'll be able to keep this pace up, especially with me going back to school soon, so expect much spottier uploads.

Lemme read Chapter 1! Lemme read Chapter 3! Lemme start at the beginning!

#wake up keidima #kayde wrote something woah #my hero academia #mha #boku no hero academia #bnha #fanfiction #oc story #original character #heroes #quirks #ua high #fanfic #anime #manga

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