Chapter Text
"WILL BOTH TEAMS HEAD DOWN TO THE BATTLEGROUNDS?"
The four students did just that, two taking point outside the entrance while the other two headed inside.
Momo Yaoyorozu was a part of that former half.
She and her partner idled outside the building, patiently waiting for the other two to finish preparing so they could enter and engage.
From her spot beside her grapeheaded partner, Momo strained her ears as best she could to track the duo audibly.
"They're heading up the stairs-" The girl looked down at the blueprint of the building- hastily sketched from the footage of her classmates' prior engagements- before looking back up to a window on the fourth floor. "...I don't see them."
Although she couldn't visibly confirm her targets, Momo still gained valuable intel on their potential positions.
"The only way to get to the fourth floor is via the stairs. There's a window by the entrance to the fourth floor and they haven't walked by it at all, which means theyre either on the second or third floor.
The girl again looked down at her prints, shuffling through them to get to the aforementioned floors.
"There's barely a layout here! Almost everyone went right to the highest floor to buy themselves the most time."
After folding the prints up, the girl slipped them into the deep red pouch strapped to her black pants and refocused on the building.
"Mineta."
The grape-headed boy jumped and averted his eyes from the slivers of waist and hips exposed by the triangle shaped opening in his partner's muscle shirt.
"Y-Yes?"
Momo side-eyed the boy with a glint of disgust before choosing to ignore the leer for the time being and refocusing on the task at hand.
"Can you use your quirk to climb surfaces?"
"You bet!" To prove it, the boy used one of his balls to climb the sign advertising the apartment complex they were to raid. "Cool, right?"
"It's...useful." The girl then pointed to the side of the building. "Could you scale up to the second floor, on the face farthest from the entrance, and see if you spot anything?"
He nodded before dropping his eyelids low and raising an eyebrow.
"And uh...what do I get in return? Eyebrows eyebrows."
Momo almost gagged.
She might have, to be honest.
With a wide step, she put distance between the two before answering.
"We get to pass this practical and make a good first impression on All Might. This moment could shape our careers so it's imperative you act properly."
The boy let go of the ball sticking him to the sign and sighed.
"I just wanna crack."
"Excuse me?"
"Nothing!"
The look Momo gave him was a mix of speculation and irritation, a mix that sent shivers down Mineta's spine.
Luckily for him, it vanished the moment All Might shouted-
"BEGIN!"
Momo's expression turned into one of intent as she pointed to the side of the building, one word of direction offered to her teammate.
"Go."
And Mineta did just that, using his quirk to climb the building and round its opposite face.
While he did that, the raven entered the building, slipping through the front door and heading to the staircase.
A minute into his climb, Mineta finally stopped on the second floor, peeking through a glass pane and into one of the apartment rooms.
"Is that…Mineta?"
Kyoka furrowed her brow at her teammate, her retort fresh on her lips as she turned in the direction the blonde was pointing.
"What the hell are you talking about- Oh."
Kyoka blinked.
Mineta blinked.
Denki blinked.
"THEY'RE ON THE SECOND FLOOR, APARTMENT 2-F!"
From inside the staircase, Momo heard her teammates cry and immediately picked up her pace.
She was up the second set of stairs in a few seconds before darting down the hall and skidding to a stop in front of apartment 2-F.
Just in time to see an ear jack throw Mineta through the door.
As perverted as he was, Momo felt just a twinge of pity seeing him manhandled like that, but that feeling died the moment she caught him giggling as he stared at her rear.
God if only he were on the opposite team.
The moment he caught her staring, the small boy shut his eyes and went limp, feigning unconsciousness.
Momo was just glad his eyes and mouth were closed.
"It's best if you give up now, Yaoyorozu."
From behind the lavender-haired girl, Denki nodded, his hands flaring with electricity.
"You'd better listen to her. I mean, no offense, but you were almost last during the Quirk Apprehension test. Just forfeit now so I won't have to hit such a hot babe-"
A jab from his partner shut him up.
Momo didn't respond to either, her brow furrowed as she recognized her obvious disadvantage.
"I could try to fight them but Jiro's quirk is especially good at entry denial. And there's also Kaminari as well. Even if he can't flood the place, he can still shock me if he manages to touch me-" The girl looked around the small room. "And in such a small place that's almost guaranteed."
With a sigh, the girl grabbed Mineta and turned away from the room.
"Atta girl! It's a good thing to know when to quit!"
She ignored Denki and headed down the hall, placing her teammate in the stairwell before closing the door and returning her attention to 2-F.
Inside the room, Denki had poked his head out while Kyoka sat on the bed, the latter confident in their win.
"Uhh, Jiro?"
The girl sighed in annoyance.
"Yeah?"
"It's Yaoyorozu. She's still here."
The rocker girl's annoyance quickly turned to confusion, her brow furrowing to express so.
"What's she doing?"
"She's just standing there...menacingly."
Kyoka rose from the bed, heading to the door and peeking her head out to confirm with her own eyes.
And those coal orbs found that Momo was, indeed, standing there.
Menacingly.
"Is she pissed at us or something?"
Kyoka shrugged in response.
"Probably. I mean, you were pretty mean about her quirk back there dude."
"Really? Shit, I didn't mean to make someone so hot-"
A palm over the face shut him up as his partner signalled him to hush.
Then, focusing with her quirk, the rocker girl listened to what their opponent was saying.
On the opposite end of the hallway, Momo had raised both arms, one over the other with both fists clenched shut.
Then, she took a deep breath before speaking.
"With this treasure, I summon…Eight-Handled Sword Divergent Sila Divine General Mahoraga"
The moment she finished speaking, the air thickened, nearly stripping the breath from Kyoka and Denki, the latter nearly dropping to his knees.
Next, all the lights went out, dimming the space and rendering the sunlight bleeding through the windows as their only source of illumination.
Then, a humanoid shape wrapped in bandages appeared behind Momo, its form wrapped in bandages and wire.
The space was silent for a few moments before Momo dropped her arms and raised her chin, her fierce black eyes zeroed in on the two.
The smile she proceeded to give promised to haunt the duo for the rest of their lives, it so sinister that they honest to god forgot this was a training exercise.
But that wasn't the worst part.
Not by a long shot.
For when the wire snapped, and the bandages unraveled,
That's when hell was let loose.
"AHCK!"
Kyoka's eyes shot to her left and the girl watched in mute horror as a fist collided with her partner so fast and so furiously that she heard bone crunch.
The boy was knocked into the room and slammed into the thick window pane, cracking it.
Reflexively, Denki brought his quirk to life and punched their newest foe, landing a right hook that sent electricity clean into the boy.
The result was a slight nosebleed but Denki still took it as a weakness to exploit.
"JIRO, RUN! I'M GONNA FLOOD THE PLACE!"
Kyoka was rooted in place for a few moments, still staring at the spot where Denki once was.
"I'M SERIOUS! RUN IF YOU DON'T WANNA GET FRIED!"
That was enough to snap the girl out of it, kickstarting her legs and running away from the apartment.
What followed was a blinding flash of yellows and oranges as half the corridor was flooded with electricity.
Kyoka intended fully to flee the scene and exit the building, not at all wanting to fight whatever had just dribbled her classmate.
Momo Yaoyorozu, however, had other plans.
The girl rounded the corner, stopping Kyoka dead in her tracks as a grin split her face.
"What was that about giving up?"
Be it fear, annoyance, or shock at seeing her friend get socked by someone too fast for her to see, Kyoka felt no desire to respond to the jab, opting instead to shove her jacks into her gloves and launch a sound wave at her foe.
With freakish speed, Momo jumped up and twisted mid-air, landing on the ceiling feet first and using the platform to launch toward the rocker girl.
She then leaned forward, going into a front layout that allowed the girl to slam both heels into her foe's skull.
Surprisingly, Kyoka was still awake after the blow landed clean, however— as the next few attacks would prove— that did little in the grand scheme of things.
They both rose to their feet, the raven doing so more quickly than Kyoka could.
As such, the latter could barely dodge the right hook that sought her temple and couldn't at all dodge the right leg round kick that followed.
She ate tile once more but this time she opted to stay down and launch a sound wave at Momo from a low angle.
The girl simply hopped over it before landing and melting into the shadows.
The rocker girl hastily stood, frantically searching for her opponent but found she was unable to spot the girl.
When she reappeared, it was behind Kyoka, the girl learning that little tidbit when she felt a shin slam into the back of her legs.
She fell to her knees, giving Momo the opportunity to sink in a rear-naked choke which began closing her foe off from air.
In a desperate attempt, Kyoka turned her bracers behind her, ready to blast her heartbeat directly into her opponent's ears.
But then she felt herself sink.
Then she couldn't see a thing.
Back in 2-F, Denki watched in horror as his opponent's left arm, the one he'd used to guard against the electricity, began to heal.
Charred skin fell off, exposing layers of pulsating veins, muscle, and fat. Those layers then began to pull themselves back together, resulting in a limb that looked as though nothing had happened.
And then the wheel above his head turned.
Denki knew not what it meant, only that the boy before him…the beast before him had tanked the strongest attack short of him going silly.
He charged both palms with electricity and rushed the boy, throwing a one-two combo that both struck true.
However, his opponent didn't so much as dodge.
And when Denki stepped away and looked at the areas he hit, areas that should have sported slight burns at least, he saw why.
"I-It's like I didn't even use my quirk…"
The beast gave an innocent smile before turning about face and slamming a spinning back kick into Denki's chest, the force sending him back into the apartment window.
Only this time, he actually went through it.
"WE'RE SO SORRY!" Both Momo and her summon were on their knees, dipping into a deep bow in hopes of conveying their regret.
All Might, Kyoka, Shota, and a bandaged Denki looked at the duo, all visibly displeased.
"You willingly obscured the true nature of your quirk to get a leg up over your peers in the event that you had to face them in combat…" Shota pinched his nose as he slammed his eyes shut. "Yaoyorozu?"
"Yes?"
"Are you insane?"
"Excuse me?"
"No, seriously, are you crazy? Because only crazy people plan that far ahead. I mean, I opened the class by stating I alone controlled the syllabus meaning you had no clue if we were doing combat exercises. Even if we were, it'd be a safe bet to assume they wouldn't be until later in the year. And yet, here you go planning on how to win one exercise ON DAY ONE!"
The raven didn't open her mouth to explain herself but shut it before furrowing her brow in thought and opening it once more.
"It wasn't just to edge out my peers, Aizawa-Sensei. The purpose of the quirk apprehension test was to ascertain our current abilities so that we have measurements to compare ourselves against later in the year to calculate our growth. Had I summoned Mahoraga for the test, he would have easily secured me the top spot. I chose not to do so to test my own capabilities; that way, I know which areas I must apply myself in so that I may grow and be a better hero without relying on Mahoraga."
Be it the logic or the sheer gall to sit there and damn near lecture Aizawa, Shota couldn't help but agree with the reasoning.
"I can appreciate the reasoning behind not summoning him during the apprehension test. I'll decide to chalk today's incident up to an unfortunate side effect of your desire to follow my instruction."
"Thank you-"
"But that doesn't mean you're completely off the hook-" The man turned to the green-haired summon kneeling beside its master. "Neither of you."
What relief had come over the two was instantly murdered.
From his sleeping bag, Aizawa retrieved a notebook and pen before opening it and sitting cross-legged before the two.
"If you don't want to be suspended, you'll tell me about…Mahoraga."
"Yes sir-"
"Everything."
The raven slightly deflated.
"Yes sir." Clearing her throat, Momo gestured to the green-haired summon beside her who flashed a weak smile. "This is my summon, Eight-Handled Sword Divergent Sila Divine General Mahoraga, or Mahoraga for short. He's the strongest Shikigami of my Ten Shadows…quirk."
The man scribbled her words down verbatim before turning and pointing his pen at Mahoraga.
"You're supposed to be a monster, right? But you're almost indistinguishable from a 15-16-year-old boy."
The summon gave an awkward laugh as his right hand scratched his cheek.
All present couldn't help but agree with Aizawa as they took in the form of Momos quirk.
The boy was shorter than the average boy around his presumed age, only about 5'5" give or take, with green and black curls and matching emerald eyes that screamed innocence. Atop his lightly tanned skin was a peppering of freckles on each cheek, only adding to the harmless image his face gave off.
His body, however, was a different story.
While not hyper-muscular, the Shikigami had a build that seemed attuned for athleticism and combat, with arms and legs that seemed a little long for someone his size.
While his legs were obscured by the black hakama bottoms, Shota could guess the boy's lower limbs were just as built.
Most peculiar about his appearance, however, was the eight-handled wheel floating an inch or so above the boy's green locks, moving as though it was affixed to his core.
The boy couldn't answer the question and so Momo did it for him, leaning to the right so she was in Shota's gaze.
"My quirk hasn't been inherited in a really long time, so long that it's mutated and now Mahoraga resembles its summoner more closely."
From Shota's right side, All Might gave an understanding "Ohhh" as well as a nod.
Aizawa scribbled the information down before turning his focus to Momo proper.
"So, what can he do?"
"Well, as...displayed..." The group turned to Kyoka and Denki who scowled in response. "Mahoraga is incredibly powerful and fast. He's adept at CQC but he's also proficient with his blade, the Sword of Extermination." The girl nodded at her summon, silently instructing him to show them the blade.
He did just that, pulling the sheathed blade from Momo's shadow and presenting it to their interrogators.
Kyoka was the first to say something about it, everyone else was far too busy staring.
"That's a really pretty sword."
And it was.
The scabbard was a deep purple and had two dogs carved into it. One was pitch black— a moon stamped on its forehead— while the other was white— its head stamped with the sun.
But the real treat came when Mahoraga unsheathed the blade.
The sword, such a pure and glowing white, seemed to be entirely comprised of light.
The tsuba had three lines on its sides, while the Menuki was lined and glowed a light gray.
Additionally, there were three small grey beads affixed to the bottom of the blade, and attached to those beads was a cloth the length of the blade, it too a bright white.
All in all, it was gorgeous.
Taking their silence as a chance to speak, Momo continued her explanation.
"Mahoraga is adept at swordplay and uses the blade in combat when needed. I can also summon the sword from my shadow though I'm not nearly as proficient as he is." The girl took a deep breath before deciding to address the elephant in the room. "But enough about the basics, I take it you'd like to know about the wheel atop his head?"
"Ditto."
"Well, that wheel is a part of his true ability. Whenever he's hit with something, the wheel begins to turn-"
"And what happens when the wheel finishes its rotation, Young Yaoyorozu?"
The raven could tell she had all listening in a choke hold, eagerly awaiting their next breath, her next words.
And so she gave it to them.
"The moment the wheel finishes its rotation, Mahoraga adapts to that attack."
Three pairs of eyes went wide before zeroing in on Mahoraga.
The fourth set, however, was just confused.
"So? What's so special about that- ACK!"
The blonde rubbed the sore spot on his head, courtesy of one of Kyoka's ear jacks.
"So, dumbass, it's why your electricity didn't work. His body adapted to it and became resistant to electricity."
"Ohhhh." The blonde nodded before turning to Momo and her summon. "Hacks."
Momo scrunched her brow.
"Excuse me?"
"I said, hacks. That's hacks."
Shota nodded.
"That is hacks, low-key."
"That's cheese as hell, Young Yaoyorozu."
"And so, I promise not to kick any more students out of windows-" The Shikigami was cut off by Aizawa.
"Nuh uh, read it right."
After looking down at the paper, Mahoraga corrected himself.
"Oh, sorry. I promise not to kick any more 1-A students out of windows and sincerely apologize to one Denki Kaminari."
The greenette lowered the letter and looked at the class, his summoner standing tall beside him.
Class 1-A was silent, just staring at the boy and the wheel floating above his head.
Before long, the silence grew uncomfortable for even Aizawa.
"So, class, do you accept his apology?"
No one answered his question.
"So your name is Mahoraga…"
The boy nodded at Rikidou.
"And you're a part of Yaoyorozu's quirk…"
He nodded at Hanta.
"And you can adapt to any ability?"
He turned to Tooru— or rather her seat— and the second he did, the wheel above his head rotated.
"Yes. In fact, I just adapted to your quirk and can see you clear as day."
That instantly lifted the slightly tense and speculative atmosphere.
Tooru shot up, her chair falling to the ground as she leaned forward.
"Y-You can see me?! What do I look like?! What color is my hair?! What color are my eyes?! Do I have good skin?! Do I have any moles? AM I PRETTY?!"
With a soft, delicate smile the boy raised his fingers, answering each question while dropping a digit.
"Your hair is light green with pink and light yellow accents, your eyes are big and blue with teal irises that have yellow on the inside of them. Your eyebrows are thick and are the same color as your hair. You have nice skin although that sounds creepy when a Shikigami says it. No, you don't have any moles that I can see, and yes you're pretty but again, it sounds a little off-putting when a Shikigami says it."
Only the summon could see it, but Tooru began to tear up, her knees buckling before giving out and sending her to the ground.
"S-Someone can see me…I've wanted t-to be seen my whole life and now someone can see me…" The girl looked toward Momo. "Thank you so much, Yaomomo."
If the raven had to guess, she was being thanked for summoning the Shikigami which inadvertently allowed him to adapt to Toorus's invisibility.
"Y-You're welcome?"
After the display of kindness, it took nothing more for class 1-A, save for Shoto and Katsuki of course but who cares about them, to warm up to the Shikigami.
In fact, they warmed up to him so much that Mina was in the midst of giving the summon cornrows while the shikigami arm wrestled Kirishima.
Behind the three of them were Ochako and Yuga, both wide-eyed and marveling at the Sword of Extermination as the former gave it a few swings.
As Momo sat and watched, she couldn't help but wonder how not summoning the Shikigami during the Quirk Apprehension Test would lead to the entire class befriending it.
Unfortunately for the class, however, all good things must come to an end, and that end is usually Shota Aizawa.
"Yaoyorozu, recall him before I lose my shit. I've never seen a class this unproductive in all my years of teaching."
"Y-Yes sir."
"WAIT!"
Shota and Momo, as well as the rest of class 1-A, turned to Mina, curious about her interjection.
Attuned to her class's focus, the pink-skinned girl took her chance to speak.
"Before he leaves, we should give him a name! Mahoraga is kinda…eugh. No offense, Momo."
"None taken."
The class murmured amongst themselves, thinking over the idea.
"I kinda like Mahoraga though, it sounds manly!"
Tsuyu croaked.
"Of course you do, but I agree with Mina, it sounds kinda…eeyuck."
Yuga was next to agree.
"Oui, it's a name not befitting for someone who is a friend of moi!"
"So what name should we give him?"
They thought over Mashirao's question for a while, thinking of a name befitting the boy.
Before long, Ochako shot her hand up, drawing attention to her.
"How about, Izuku?"
Iida tilted his head.
"Izuku? Hmm…it's not bad, but any particular reason for it?"
Before the brunette could explain, Momo did so for her, having deciphered the meaning in that short amount of time.
"The character for Izu means "coming out" or "being from a certain place" and Ku means "old story". It's a reference to how I'm the first to inherit this quirk in a while, so it's an "old story" that's "come out" through me."
"Yip yip! You got it!"
The brunette flashed her classmate a bright smile that the raven returned.
"I like it, Izuku is a good name."
Eijiro grinned before clapping his hands together.
"Welp, if the summoner likes it then there's no fighting it."
Mina snorted.
"Thank god."
Eijiro opted to ignore her comment and instead turned to the Shikigami, extending his hand out to the boy.
"Welcome to class 1-A, Izuku!"