Stuck Between Realities-Remastered

Part 33~Teams

Emiko yawned as she walked to school. Izuku and Shoto were talking behind her. Well, actually, Izuku was talking while Shoto smiled and walked beside him.

"I can't wait for you to meet Charlie and Emiko," Izuku laughed as Shoto nodded. "They still have my cat."

"They only have your cat because you kept losing her," Emiko interrupted as Izuku stuck out his tongue.

"Not my fault. Mum kept letting her outside."

"You like cats," Shoto questioned as Izuku grinned.

"I like my cat."

"Your cat is a demon," Emiko grumbled as Izuku rolled his eyes.

"Morning Emiko, morning Izuku," Katsuki greeted as the trio arrived at the door. He paused, looking at Shoto. "What happened to your hair?"

Izuku grinned. "He finally let me dye it. Doesn't the black look good on him?"

Katsuki looked at Shoto, who was looking at the ground with a blush on his cheeks. Izuku had only dyed the red part of his hair, leaving the white alone. "He looks like a Dalmatian."

Izuku punched Katsuki's side with a glare. "Don't insult him!"

"That wasn't an insult!"

Emiko sighed, walking away from her brother's friends without saying goodbye.

~~~

Izuku hummed to himself as he drew little doodles over his test paper. He had finished a while ago and was in the middle of drawing Shoto alongside the small doodle of his cat.

"Izuku, stop drawing on the test," Aizawa scolded as Izuku rolled his eyes. "Pencils down, everyone," Aizawa shouted, walking back to the front of the classroom. "The last person in each row collects the answer sheets and brings them here."

The class moved swiftly, and before long, they were allowed to speak.

"Thank you, Yao-momo," Kaminari and Mina shouted as Yaoyorozu blinked in shock.

"I didn't leave anything blank, at least," Kaminari joked as Izuku scoffed.

"These tests were super easy. Nezu never gives me easy tests like this anymore."

Kaminari and Mina glared at him, an angry twitch in their eyes. "Traitor."

~~~

The teachers shifted their gaze over the students standing in the central plaza.

"Now, we will begin the practical exam. Of course, it is possible to fail this exam. If you want to go to the training camp, then don't make any stupid mistakes," Aizawa lectured as Jiro shifted on her foot.

"There are a lot of teachers."

"I expect that you all have gathered information ahead of time and have some idea of what you will be doing."

"We're fighting robot warriors like at the entrance exam, right?" Kaminari grinned happily as Mina jumped up and down.

"Fireworks! Curry! Test of courage!"

"Too bad," Nezu announced, climbing out of Aizawa's scarf. "For various reasons, the exam will be different starting this time."

"Fucking knew it," Izuku muttered as Mina and Kaminari gave him another glaze.

"From now on, we want to focus on person-to-person combat and hero work," Nezu continued, jumping on the ground, "and stress teaching that is closer to actual fighting. So we'll have you form a team of two to fight against one teacher."

"Against the teachers," Uraraka muttered fearfully.

"In addition, the pairs and who each pair will be up against have already been decided. These were determined at my discretion based on various factors, including fighting style, grade, and interpersonal relationship," Aizawa explained before looking at his clipboard. "First, Himura and Bakugo are one team, and you're against me." Aizawa grinned as Bakugo rolled his shoulders and Kaminari muttered, thrown off by the name.

Hitoshi ended up in a team with Sero and fighting Midnight. He was just glad he wasn't fighting Aizawa or Present Mic.

Izuku and Yaoyorozu were not as happy with their team up against All Might. "Oh, we're dead," Izuku muttered as Yaoyorozu gulped nervously.

"Now, there are a few rules; each match has a time limit of thirty minutes. Your objective is either to put these handcuffs on the teacher or to have one of you escape from the stage," Nezu explained, holding up the handcuffs.

"Capture the teacher or escape. It's kind of like combat training," Kaminari muttered, putting a hand on his chin.

"Is it really okay to run away?" Mina tilted her head, holding her hand up, and Nezu responded with a bright thumbs-up.

"But it'll be different than the combat training! You'll be up against someone way better than you," Present Mic shouted as Hitoshi rolled his eyes.

"This time, your exam will be very similar to a real battle. Please think of us as villains," Thirteen placed a hand on her heart when Snipe spoke up.

"Assuming you come across the enemy if you think you can win a fight against them, then that's fine."

"However, in cases where there's too big a difference in your abilities, it would be smarter to run away and get help. Himura, Iida, Yaoyorozu, Izuku. I'm sure you four understand this well."

Izuku scoffed, crossing his arms as the others actually looked guilty. "I'm guessing this exam is also why Hatsume made those handicap devices," Izuku asked as Hitoshi gave him a look.

"What device?"

"Mei made some cuff-weight things to handicap heroes. She called them 'Ultra compressed Weights', and they are insanely heavy. It puts about a quarter of a normal person's weight in each cuff. It broke my fucking table." Izuku huffed angrily as Powerloader gave him a look.

"I keep telling you two aren't welcome in the lab together."

"Well, we will be using Hatsume's design in this fight," Aizawa interrupted, "to even out the odds."

The teachers began putting on the weights, grumbling as their arms dropped.

"All right, each team will take the practical exam in order on the prepared stage. Sato, Kirishima, get ready," Aizawa announced as the teachers walked away. "Those waiting their turn can watch the exams or think of strategies as a team. Do what you want."

Izuku turned to Yaoyorozu, "You got a plan?" Yaoyorozu opened and closed her mouth as Izuku chuckled. "Come on." He paused. "Kacchan, make sure you make a plan with Shoto."

Bakugo narrowed his eyes as he turned to Shoto. "I thought your name was Todoroki."

~~~

"Well, it looks like I'll have a lot of work today," Recovery Girl sighed as she sat down.

"You're watching, too, Midoriya, Yaoyorozu," Uraraka greeted as Izuku chuckled, glancing at her.

"Yaoyorozu was having an anxiety attack, so I thought this would help her calm down."

"I was not," Yaoyorozu announced proudly as Izuku rolled his eyes, mouthing the words 'she was' to Uraraka.

"Why are you here?" Izuku tilted his head as Yaoyorozu sat next to him.

"Wel, it's like there's no point trying with him."

"If you want notes, I know everything," Izuku chuckled until Recovery Girl whacked him on the top of the head with her stick.

"No, it's fine," Uraraka chuckled, scratching her head when they heard the robotic voice.

"Team Sato and Kirishima, practical exam."