United We Stand, Together We Fall

2 | The Practical Exam

"You'll know if you've ticked him off if he says 'Oi' by the way !" Yasushi grumbled but didn't disagree with the bulky bald man. "I'm Kenji, kid, the Fifth wielder."

"Yo, the name's Isamu, the Sixth user, " he said as he continued paying attention to Mic.

"Green bean, I'm Nana, the Seventh wielder of One For All ." Her smile reminded Izuku of his mentor, All Might, but it was different. In fact, all of them held unique smiles of their own and Izuku could feel all their warmth.

"So, I would be the..."

"Ninth? Yes. Since Toshi- err- All Might is the Eighth, green bean." Nana answered.

Izuku nodded but tilted his head at the nickname, "Wait, why did you call me-"

"And you with the unkempt hair!" Izuku brought himself back into the world of the living and noticed many irritated eyes on him, including a boy with boxy glasses, who spoke, "You have been muttering this entire time. Stop that. If you can't bother to take this seriously, then leave. You are distracting the rest of us."

"Oi, what did you say, you—!"

Riku pulled Yasushi by the back of his collar before he could cause any harm to Glasses Boy. Izuku was unsure what harm a ghost could do, but was grateful nonetheless.

Izuku curled in on himself after being called out and whispered a sorry, while the rest of the eyes turned their attention back onto Present Mic. (No one heard the grumble of "Shut the hell up, four eyes.")

Before he could thank Riku, Izuku noticed everyone around him getting up. His eyes widened in panic having realised that he had no idea what Present Mic had explained!

"Yo, don't worry, I paid attention for you, remember?" Isamu smirked at Izuku's frantic gestures. Straying behind the rest of the candidates, the Sixth explained to Izuku and the rest of the spirits that the practical exam that would come before the written exam.

" Why call them Villain Points? " Emi pondered, "Why not just call them points?"

Aki started, "I believe that there are other ways to get-"

"Oi, forget that! They said they're expecting them to handle their injuries during the written exam! That's beyond plus ultra, that's just ridiculous! I bet you, whoever came up with that enjoys other people's misery!" Yasushi waves his arms around as he mocked Present Mic saying earlier, "Be careful! Those with any injuries will have to suffer with them through the written exam as well!"

(Somewhere else, Shouta Aizawa sneezed. "I feel irritated, for some reason." And, Hizashi Yamada stressed to the caterpillar, "I just breathed .")

"Why are they only looking at quirks that can destroy stuff?! That's not all there is to being a hero!" Nana looked personally offended.

"Yo, why's UA such a big deal?" Isamu glanced over at the numerous students' worried faces. There were plenty of hero schools now, it's not a big deal if they don't get in here.

Riku simply shrugs at that question.

Yet Izuku felt as though he'd been slapped in the face. "Because! Some of the greatest heroes were students or teachers here! UA has large funds and countless events that-" Riku saves the day yet again, and slaps a hand over Izuku's mouth before he starts rambling around the other candidates. Somehow, Izuku and Riku both felt the contact despite one of them being, well, a ghost, but they ignored it for the time being. There was a 'Do-or-Die' situation to handle.