Engine Boy, I Love You!

EBILY | Ch. 4: Change Each Other

Edit 5/2024: Changed title name from "Unmerited Apprehension" to "Change Each Other". (I thought it fit better.)

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For the next couple of days, Iida was completely swamped with responsibilities and assignments. Thursday morning, the day prior to their license exams, was introduced by their teacher Aizawa as a day of straight quizzes and Hero Lessons. They started the day with three core classes, speed-reviewing English vocab, parabolas, and Kanji, before being sent off to an early lunch. What followed afterwards was a slew of intense training sessions—Ultimate Move Training, Hero Training, and a period of Cardio. As such, there wasn't a single class that day that didn't leave Iida exhausted afterwards.

Kick training came first. He started with one hundred engine-boosted kicks, each aimed at a target in the hands of one of Ectoplasm-sensei's clones. Following that, he conducted several endurance tests out on the track, where he practiced using his Recipro Burst. There was something familiar about that—hitting top speed while Ectoplasm supervised from the sidelines. He didn't realize it until after he slowed down from one of his sprints—panting, and staring down at his metal boots.

I practiced here with Hatsume once, he blinked, feeling a droplet of sweat drip off of his forehead, and found himself unexpectedly smiling. We crashed into a wall that day. To think that was the way we became friends...

Through the nostalgia though, Iida stood up straight and resumed the rest of his hard work. After fifth period, the class took one last first-aid review in Hero Lessons followed by a mock rescue exercise, and then for the last period of the day, Aizawa ordered everyone to gather one last time in the gym.

Completely wiped and now smelling pungently of old sweat, every member of the class lumbered to Gym Beta for the final period of the day. Given this was a different gym than where they'd started, the concrete platforms and walkways constructed in Gym Gamma were absent here. Instead, an empty, wood-floor court replaced it, with Aizawa standing next to All Might in its very center—arms crossed. It was rare for them to use this place these days—it'd become more of a recreational gym because of how heavily Gamma was used over it in class; but Class 1-B needed it right now, so they didn't have any other options.

"Welcome to your final period of the day," Aizawa greeted as everyone filed into the room, breathing heavily in their hot hero costumes, "After this class, you all will be officially on-track to becoming heroes. I've already given enough speeches for the day, so I see no reason to say more—other than do your best, and go to bed early tonight. This is going to be a self-directed cardio class, meaning you all will be free to choose whatever exercises you deem relevant for your final hour of training."

He nodded there, sending All Might a glance, and All Might straightened up and continued where Aizawa had left off.

"That means you'll all need to change into your gym uniforms," he said, "When you're all done, meet back in this main room for cool-down stretches, and then you'll be on your own for the rest of the hour. There's a track, weight rooms, and obviously a court here at your disposal, too. Work hard, and remember to give it your all until the very last minute is up." All Might gripped his fist triumphantly, making all of the students stiffen in surprise when he took on his muscle form for the first time in weeks.

"Come back from tomorrow as heroes, everyone! We're all rooting for you!" he cheered, his voice suddenly booming with boldness despite the smoke that curled off of his strained form, "DO YOUR BEST, PLUS ULTRA!"

Suddenly invigorated, everyone in the class pumped their fists into the air as All Might did, returning back an energetic: "PLUS ULTRA!" before he shrank back down to his previous size—hacking up a lung now from the effort of maintaining muscle form. Aizawa hid a smile after he did that, shaking his head and thinking: That scoundrel won't cease to be All Might until the day he dies. before dismissing the class with a flick of his hand.