[EVENT] - THE FIRST DAY

Shizuka put a finger to her chin and made a humming noise as she thought, "Well..." she started, "if we start with the flag, it should be a lot easier right? Whatever Chizue and Keiji have, we should be able to handle it," she said, "even if we take some damage, your healing should be able to keep me going, and my adrenaline should be able to keep you going, right? If that's the case, then we just need to run away!" Shizuka giggled, realizing how that must have sounded, "I guess that doesn't sound very heroic, does it? I think it's a good plan though."

The idea of being on the offense was a bit troubling to Shizuka. Sure, Izumi had studied martial arts and probably had really strong legs, but Shizuka herself wouldn't be very much use in a fight, "If we're forced to take the flag from them, though, hmm..." she said, racking her brain to think of something. "Well, you're pretty strong, right? If we can corner them, I can give you a boost, and then you can get in there and take the flag!" she presented her flawless strategy triumphantly, "Er, I don't know how much I'll be able to do besides giving you a boost though. I'm not very good in a fight," she admitted sheepishly. Shizuka shook her head suddenly, "Let's not worry about that now!" she said with vigor, "As long as we have the flag first, we can keep it as long as we keep each other in good condition!"


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Yuri turned to see the approaching student and was surprised to see a somewhat familiar face. The dirty kid who had fallen flat on his face in front of her outside of the school. Actually, now that she thought about it, maybe it wasn't that surprising that this was one of the lowest scoring students. Well, things weren't going to get any better if she just kept complaining. Donning a (forced) smile, she greeted him, "Ah, so you're Miguel. It's nice to see you again." What did this guy think he was saying? Too easy? Was he just bluffing? Maybe he thought she didn't know how he had placed, "Definitely," she agreed, "the exam was a piece of cake. Honestly I'm surprised it took anybody more than thirty-five, maybe forty minutes," her words were covered in a silk of false innocence that hid the sharp blade they were truly intended to be. Perhaps a little more poking couldn't hurt. "Did you know some people only finished by a few minutes? By the skin of their teeth, really. Just one little slip up more and they might not have made it in at all."

Was she being too cruel? Probably not, but this was her partner, so maybe she should be going easy on him for now, "But then, even if they just barely passed, it's still pretty impressive, I suppose," she said in her attempt to lay off the poor kid just a tiny bit. She cast her gaze towards the stadium before them, "Anyway, that exam is in the past, and this exam is in the present, so let's think about that, shall we? We've got some thinking to do." Turning back to Miguel, she looked him up and down, "Let's talk quirks, and let's talk strategy. I'm not familiar with Virtua or Skye's quirks, so we'll just have to think about ourselves for now. My quirk allows me to stretch and grow my body by using energy from the sun and nutrients. Unfortunately, if we're inside a stadium, we might not have a lot of sunlight or soil, so I might be running on reserves," she explained, stretching one of her arms out and then retracting it as an example, "we'll have to see if I've got enough juice in me to last the whole thirty minutes. Anyway, what've you got?"

Keiji winced as he helped his fellow student up. The guy put up a strong front and attempted to shrug off his pain, saying it was nothing. “Oh… you sure?” Keiji questioned, but it seemed that the boy was ready to continue onward. Keiji had a worried look on his face, but the student didn’t seem to want to talk about it any longer, so he let it go.

“Hey dude, it’s cool! We all get got with our pants down sometimes!” Keiji’s face turned pale, realizing that his figure of speech was literally what just happened. “No- er, what I mean is uh… don’t worry about it!” He let out a light chuckle as the boy reclaimed his clothes. Keiji only caught the boy get out a “Mig” before a boisterous “Onward!” boomed down the halls. The boy quickly said his goodbye and rushed to get into his hero costume. “See ya, Mig! Hope you do well!” Keiji let out a sigh and made his way down the hall. “I hope he’ll be okay…” While walking down the hall, Keiji heard a small...

cliiink

A sense of disappointment washed across his face as he looked down. “Oh yeah… I banged up my poor helmet…” He swiftly picked up the broken pieces of glass and put the shards inside the helmet, then took it back to his locker. He decided that he couldn’t wear it, seeing as there were still sharp fragments of visor glass that remained attached to the helmet. “Ah well, I’ll see if I can get it fixed later.” He took a deep breath before clapping his hands to his face and smiling eagerly. “Exam time!”

Keiji rushed out to a huge area with stadiums dotted across. The place truly showed how magnificent a school U.A. was. It was prestigious before, but this was just insane! “Woah, this place is enormous! I didn’t know U.A. had a king’s ransom for a budget!” After a moment of letting the awe sink in, Keiji brought his attention towards Avner. Luckily, Keiji had managed to make it in time to hear a majority of Avner’s speech and any holes of information were quickly filled by the noticeboard. “Capture the flag, huh? Sounds like a blast to me! Alrighty, alrighty, where am I?” He looked up and down the list until his eyes fixated at the top. “Stadium One: Me and Chizue against Shizuka and Izumi. Man, I wonder what quirks they all have?!” He said with a giddy energy. He looked across the crowd of students. Everyone was stirring about, thinking up strategies and talking amongst themselves. “Hey, Chizue?!~” Keiji shouted into the crows with glee. “Hey, where are ya, teammate?! Let’s formulate a sick plan!” He started walking around looking for his teammate while donning a big, dumb grin on his face.

After escaping the changing rooms and following Avner the rest of the way to the stadiums, Chizue looked over the board.  She didn't recognize the name of the person she was paired with, but the name of one of her opponents certainly stuck out.  Hidden beneath the scarf, the malicious smile returned to her lips. Or not, with the announcement that there would be no serious injuries allowed.  Still, that wasn't enough to phase Chizue.  She walked right up to Avner after looking at her pairings, with three questions.

"What's the line for what's considered a serious injury, how durable are the flags, and are the defenders allowed to carry the flag around on one of their persons?" She didn't even bother raising her hand or even referring to Avner as... anything. In her mind, she was nodding to herself and praising her own disrespect of authority.

"...I suppose this should be fine."

Skimming through some of the finer details of the costume he had received, Ren who certain requests when it came to exactly the sort of accessories he'd need for such a suit, was decently pleased with the ending result. To those unfamiliar with the intricacy of the design it was a bland piece, a stately blue encompassing the whole of the suit. The only true interesting feature to it was the sheer number of pockets along the torso and running their course by the sides of his the student's arms. Honestly, did he just tell them 'Give me a uniform with pockets?'. These sleeves also lead to two detachable pouches of which the purpose seemed unclear other than they were lightly bound by strap and rested just beneath the wrists, and were not freely hanging. Bare bones for a simple guy.

He had never been much of someone to associate himself with others, though this was simply his own awkwardness at fault, not to some edgier grand design. Students clamored to each other instinctively and he couldn't but help to take a breather on this one and remain by himself - attentive to any details other than the peers present. They were wide-eyed and proud of their costumes, children opening gifts on Christmas, and without knowing the people specifically this was the only true insight to who they are or what they did but what was the point of that? If they had something cool, he'd just want it for himself, and honestly as time went on maybe he'd figure out who they were anyway. No point in rushing or messing things up.

Fast Forward.

The details of the exam become clear and he's partnered with a 'Kaito' in a game of capture the flag? Initially the exam doesn't seem daunting, even if partnered with a stranger. This was quite literally the sort of game that Ren excelled in. Though he didn't know the specifics of the stadium they were assigned, they could only be so vastly intimidating, right? Though Avner also mentioned that terrain would be a key element in this terrain, so perhaps these were cherry picked fields to neutralize any ambient advantage any one side could have? Over speculation might be a little too much on the worrisome side, but for Ren who had scraped by with the initial exam it was almost a pocket goal to make an effort of a decent showing on this one. Especially considering his partner would be dragged by any of the tanned boy's failures. "...Nine.." That was the stadium? A double-check. Yeah, that's the one. Once they had been assigned their stadiums and given the proper explanation there wasn't any need to stick around, was there? Like mentioned, he wasn't the kind to start hopping into conversations, assuming any students weren't of the same mind and already off to their destinations.

Alright. Just gotta figure out where that is.

Avner raised an eyebrow at the spine of one of his students - Chizue, he knew this one well from her showing at the entrance exam. A powerful Quirk, if a bit unorthodox and... painful to look at. He gave her a pleasant chuckle, nodding once or twice. "Well, a serious injury would be permanent injury or maiming all the way to the extremes of death. Leave no lasting damage that can't be healed through a day at the nurses office - preferably far less. The flags are as durable as you'd expect; they're simple cloth tied to steel. And yes, you can carry them about. If the timer ends with one of your team holding it, you'll win." Avner gave her one last beaming smile before turning on his heel. Nobody else had approached him, so now it was time to prepare for the exam. He arrived at the teachers station; eyes browsing over the multitude of high-tech equipment. He could see every single stadium from here, even the ones not in use. He shivered with excitement. A chance to see them face off! It was so thrilling.

He ran down the list of the stadium and the pairs there; delicately chosen with the help of his fellow teachers - namely Gladia and Jun. Where were they? They should be here any minute now. How could he watch five places at once? Smirking to himself, he shook his head. Stadium one housed Chizue - the girl who placed second and seemed to be rather insecure. Or perhaps too secure. It would be interesting to see how she reacted to a team environment. Shizuka and Izumi had been placed together, a defensive duo capable of weathering even the toughest storms; perhaps even the onslaught of Chizue and Keijis combined Quirks. Their battlefield quite literally an uphill battle for Chizue and Keiji. As two primarily offensive Quirks, it made no sense for them to be placed in defense when neither Shizuka nor Izumi could mount an equally as big offensive. Therefore, Shizuka and Izumi were starting with the flag; setting up camp in a sturdy and secure safehouse somewhat like a fort armed with a dizzying array of secret passageways. They couldn't blast their way through; sneaky attacks and maneuverability were far more to their advantage than taking them on two on two. Would they realize that? Or perhaps their supportive Quirks could keep them going for so long they outlast the others?

Stadium three housed Virtua and Skye against Yuri and Miguel, located in a firm base with multiple, multiple floors. Yuri and Miguel held the flag on the second-highest floor due to their Quirks being hurt by their environment. The walls and floor were extra firm; Miguel wouldn't be able to dig through them easily at all, and if he dug too much, would risk collapsing the entire building on them both. Yuri had no access to direct sunlight easily, and as such couldn't simply go all out. Virtua and Skye would to make their way up through the building and bypass Yuri and Miguels defenses to retrieve the flag. Skye. He was estatic she had came. But he had to impartial in his duties as a teacher; plus, the other fights were even more interesting!

Stadium six housed the powerhouse Shinobu who placed first in the entrance exam. Naturally they had to put him up against a real challenge to see how he fared! He and his partner Hinata were placed on one end of a narrow, complex array of streets, cars and alleyways. He could certainly make his way through them if he was careful enough, but the intent was to limit his crazy bursts of speed. On the other end of the mock-city were Takuya and Rihan who held the flag. Rihan's Quirk was namely being put to the test as well; Hinata and Takuya's Quirks too versatile to counter with simple terrain. They'd have to make things specially designed, which they just didn't have so early on in the year! In the middle of the field, a towering inferno enroached on the city grounds as though simulating a Rescue scenario. neither Rihan nor Shinobu could dive right in head first; Shinobu met with a myriad of obstacles and Rihan a fire meant to limit his powerful ice.

Ice was quite topical. Stadium 9 was nothing more than a vast and deserted ice-filled tundra. No items for Ren, limited items for Kaito (depending on how creative he got). Shirizu and Joki made a powerful team, but Joki's Quirk relied on heating up his body; perhaps he'd have to push himself to his limits to utilize his Quirk in any meaningful way. Shirizu and Joki started with the flag; and if they weren't careful, they'd lose it in no time at all. Ren's Quirk was almost unfairly well-suited to games such as this. Avner of course had his eyes on this one too; full of powerful players. A recommendation student in Joki, Shirizu's remarkably awful display at the entrance exam (that was later revealed to be a fluke) alongside two students with good results. He rested his head on his hands before grinning. Tapping the microphone, he pushed the button down tentatively, speaking into it carefully. He didn't even know if it worked or how loud it was. What if he blasted their ear drums open or killed them from shock?

He was being too paranoid.

"Well, on your marks, get set, begin!" He roared, before slamming down a button that opened the respective doors to all the stadiums at once (and then had to, quite annoyingly, close all the ones that were not being used whilst he waited for everyone to enter). Despite the varied locales, all students would come face to face with the same things. A basic stand outlined with gold; somewhat of a safe zone unaffected by their respective regions. To their right, either a flag resting firmly in a podium of that same gold, or a sad and empty vacant space. Perhaps gold was just the new fashion fad. Regardless, the clock was already ticking; they had no more time to sit around chatting. The exam had begun and it was up to them to take what they wanted by force, or play it safe and patient. Their choices in how they approached this reflected beautifully on who they were and how they planned to overcome challenges.

There were no two ways about it. These kids were the real deal. They'd undoubtedly blossom into powerful heroes; influential leaders; vaunted guardians. ...If they could survive long enough, that is. They had just as much enemies to deal with inside themselves than they did out lurking in the shadows, waiting for a fresh chance for murder. The power and drive and ambition was all there, bursting beneath the surface just waiting to get out, like buds in spring awaiting a chance to bloom and flourish. Their power could split the sky if they let it.

Alright, perhaps he was getting carried away. But no student had left him scratching his head wondering how they even entered such a prestigious school. Avner's chest bubbled with a sort of raw pride, burning and aching like hunger, but lined with determination that seeped into his eyes and the way he spoke. In a time of dreary heroes who couldn't hold a candle to the legacy of someone like Deku, where One for All dwarfed the potential of any up and coming hero. These kids were a golden light, a breath of fresh air, and the excitement he felt to help shape them like weapons against evil sent chills down his spine.

Stadium one was nothing short of a disastrous matchup; he'd grimaced while piecing it together the weeks piror, a memory that stuck out like a sore thumb. Despite Chizue's raw strength and Keiji's explosive firepower, Shizuka and Izumi had lasted far longer than they had any right to, and with careful navigation of the fortress they defended, had put up more than a fair fight. Shizuka's Quirk itself seemed remarkably interesting, while Chizue's already masterful manipulation of her Quirk was something the reports of her hadn't quite done justice. Izumi's level-headedness was vital to what success they had, and a key component of being a hero that many of her future classmates seemed to be lacking, judging by the state the castle was left in, and her ability to prioritse the safety of her teammates was admirable. Keiji certainly had no short fuse, able to stomach Chizue for a record amount of time so far - his patience and logic helping round out Chizue's powerful yet headstrong attack plan. Chizue's personal grudge against Shizuka - reported to him shortly after by Jun - was yet another stroke of bad luck for him that just twisted the knife-like guilt he felt in his abdomen. It should never have came to that. In the end, Chizue and Keiji were victorious.

But on the topic for violent extremes, stadium three had perhaps been the most exciting for Avner; even putting aside his personal connections. All four students had gave it their all to the point none were left standing; but what had started out as honourable combat from all sides quickly turned into no-holds barred warfare. It was exactly what was expected of them, of course, but it was a rare moment where a student had to learn to restrain themselves more than they had to learn to improve themselves. Yuri had certainly been the star player of the stadium; her powerful vines and creativity offering a tricky and unique skillset. Most impressive had been her improvisational usage of Virtua's own blade to mimic the moves of the blade-wielding duo. Miguel had been through hell, dealing with Skye's worrying breakdown and her never ending assault only to then face Virtua in a fair fight. Despite his injuries and mercurial Quirk, he had proven valuable to their team. The young heiress with a powerful blade; Avner's face still hadn't fully recovered from the shock it had settled into at her super move. At such a young age? Perhaps it was the benefit of a Quirk that was herditary, though Avner didn't know most of the details, no matter how often he pestered Gladia. Her courage in such a meek girl was inspiring, the type of victory found in a simple soul. And lastly, Skye. Naturally, she had improved since the last time Avner saw her blades work their magic; she manipulated them with deadly poise, lethal in long and short range combat, with her mobility and flexibility providing her with a strong advantage with the rest of the players being remarkably immobile. Regardless, he was thankful for the advancements in medicine and that what few healing Quirks remained were so powerful. They'd need it. In the end, Skye and Virtua were victorious.

Stadium five had been amusing. Astrid Mariosa's raw, explosive power was a delight to see, if a little too bright at times. The stars she wielded had left their mark in the terrain they fought in. Her attitude needed some work, and it was clear she was not even half the hero she could be, could she care to try a bit harder. Wallace... was a mystery. Changing eye colours? Perhaps the colour of his eyes impacted his vision, in some way? Offered unique benefits? ...Laser eyes? ...Nope, he just changed his eye colours. ...How was he in the course? Shaking his head, he tried to move on and focus on the positives; Kizuki's mobility had been a joy to watch, once he had gotten over the somewhat grotesque Quirk, and the natural discomfort he felt seeing it. Souma had managed to effectively pin Astrid down and keep her from chasing after Kizuki who had the flag, even if Astrid's temper left him with a few wounds. In the end, Souma and Kizuki were victorious.


Then, there was the first-place candidate of the entrance exam; Shinobu! Avner's trained eyes were barely able to keep up with him, and the surge of electrical currents was an impressive light show indeed. Hinata's more subtle movements and less attention-grabbing Quirk - but no less fascinating - offered yet another endless bout of intrigue. Unfortunately, Emiru's... adorably disturbing summons and the language of Takae's fists offered no safe haven from electrocution by lightning cheetah. In the end, Shinobu and Hinata were victorious.

Finally, stadium nine; which had ended in perhaps the most predictable way possible. Quick thinking and sly usage of their Quirks allowed Ren and Kaito to seize control of the flag early on. Despite this, they were no match for their opponents in raw power. While Tarou and Shirizu never located the flag hidden carefully beneath snow, they made mince meat of their opponents in combat. In the end, Ren and Kaito were victorious. Somehow.

However, Avner was left scratching his head in confusion. Quite a few students were down and out... clearing his throat, he clicked on the microphone, his voice resounding out throughout the stadiums. "Excellent work, everyone! The exams have concluded. You all performed marvelously. Please meet back in the classroom in an hours time; until then, relax in the canteen. Upon your arrival, you will learn your dormmates, room number, and then receive the rest of the day free to recover and settle in before classes resume tomorrow. Worry not, we won't be doing anything quite as intense as this for a while!"

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Avner hummed as he walked to the classroom, the route beginning to feel more and more like memory. He held under his arm a file; armed with notes of all the students he had witnessed, notes of their planned improvements and suggestions, and more. Another sheet it contained was a carefully laid out plan of the dorm rooms; each containing the students dormmates, and the room number in which they were staying. Ten rooms, all on one floor, all side by side.

Vivi + Skye - Room 1
Shinobu + Hinata - Room 2
Izumi + Shizuka - Room 3
Chizue + Keiji - Room 4
Yuri + Miguel - Room 5
Shirizu + Tarou - Room 6
Ren + Kaito - Room 7
Emiko + Takae - Room 8
Souma + Kizuki - Room 9
Astrid + Wallace - Room 10

With that, the preparations were complete. He marched outside the door, holding his head high, awaiting the sounds of his students arriving back at class to begin the term at U.A. It certainly promised to be an eventful one.