This Thing A Quiet Madness Made

Chapter 21

Healing was not simple, it was not perfect. Yaoyorozu had been there for more than a few of her friends on such days. She would listen and comfort them as best she could, despite the reality that she herself was still hurting too. Maybe, in some way, it was a good thing: she could understand their pain through her own, and others were more willing to confide in her because of it. It brought some semblance of peace to know they weren't alone.

Even considering their low points, however, it was clear Class 1-A was recovering little by little, and slowly but surely, the dark cloud hanging over Heights Alliance began to brighten.

"Oh, look! I think we're supposed to stand over there," Uraraka's voice pulled Yaoyorozu from her thoughts, almost surprising her as she returned to reality. She glanced in the direction the bubbly girl was pointing, spotting a small stage ahead of them where a crowd of students had already begun to gather.

The two girls, along with a number of their nearby classmates, eagerly made their way over to the crowd, chatting excitedly as they waited to learn the details of the exam they had worked so hard to prepare for. They could hardly keep still, driven by the hope that the relentless training they endured these past few weeks would finally pay off, and with a bit of luck, they might soon be heroes.

Spirits ran high as a less-than-enthusiastic announcer appeared on the small stage at the head of the room. A hush fell over the mass of students as he welcomed them. He began explaining the unusual parameters of the exam, brought about as a result of the rise in criminal activity and the recent changes in the hero world. The drastically reduced passing rate was startling, but they had little time to consider it before he continued on to detail the rules, introducing the structure of the first round, before swiftly releasing them into the massive arena.

The students dispersed into groups, scattering all across the artificial environments of the soon-to-be battlefield. Class 1-A wasted no time in gathering themselves and deciding on a plan, eventually settling on moving forward in small groups. There was safety in numbers, though a few still chose to go off on their own despite their classmates' persuasion.

The speaker system suddenly crackled to life overhead and an announcement boomed across the stadium, officially marking the beginning of the first round.

It started off rather slowly, quiet as everyone was abundantly cautious and wary of their surroundings, wanting to protect themselves from early elimination. As the minutes ticked by, however, announcements of successful examinees gradually began trickling in, their numbers rising slowly but surely. With each announcement, the students grew a bit more concerned as the number of remaining spots dwindled by the minute.

Yaoyorozu moved quickly alongside a few of her classmates through the simulated city streets, eyes never resting as they searched for both potential targets and attackers. They soon found themselves ambushed, however, only narrowly managing to escape disqualification as they faced off against a group of students from an unfamiliar school. Though it came a bit too close for comfort, the small group was able to meet the attack requirement and emerged from the building victorious, their sensors flicking green as they collectively shared an ecstatic cheer.

By the time they arrived at the designated holding area for those who had completed the first stage, nearly all the spots had already been filled, judging by the considerable number of students moving about the large room. They soon located a group of their classmates who had also managed to finish with time to spare, joining in giddy, idle conversation as they waited anxiously for the next round.

As the time limit neared its end, more students trickled into the holding room a few at a time. The door swung open yet again as a pair of students laughed cheerfully, exchanging high-fives and indistinct words as they happily entered the room. Yaoyorozu glanced their way, and while she didn't recognize either of the two, she noticed a different pair lingering a few feet behind them.