Once we were in our costumes we were all put into a big room, everyone bumping into one another, barely any space to move, and for me, no sight of Todoroki. Kirishima, on the other hand, snagged my arm and pulled me up beside him.

"Sorry," He said, "I know big crowds aren't really your thing."

"I'm fine," I lied and kept my head down. I tried to keep myself steady, but there was this burning feeling in my body. It lit up along my tattoo and wouldn't stop, the dragon glowing with a raging flame calling for a release. The heat making me so dizzy I could barely stand.

"Okay then," A man said in the front with a heavy sigh, "Let's do this exam thing. I'm from-uh-The Heroes Public Safety Commission. Name's Mera." The next few lines were unintelligible as he began to fall asleep before us. "With that confession, I will not begin Orientation. So, about the content of this license thing, basically, 1,540 examinees complete in a free-for-all exercise or whatever we're calling it this year."

"That's so many people," I whispered to Kirishima.

"See," Mera continued, "We've got a lot of Pros around. And since Stain was arrested, many people have expressed doubts about the status of Heroes in Society." Who was Stain? "But, when you really think about it, getting paid makes sense. If you're going to risk your life to save someone, why shouldn't you ask for an award?" Did All Might get one for saving me? "That's just the way the world works, gosh I could use a coffee. Anyway, whether they're in it for compensation or out of a sense of duty, we've got two many Heroes working together in the streets these days to keep Villains at bay. Honestly, the time between when an incident and when it's resolved is ridiculously short. You are all here trying to receive your Provisional Licenses, so you'll be swept up in this tiresome mess yourselves pretty soon. Those of you who don't have the speed, frankly just won't cut it. Which is why that's what you'll be tested on."

Above him was a large screen, and I had learned enough to know that it said: "Number to Pass 1st Test: 100 People".

"The first hundred students to fulfill the requirements of will pass today," Mera said and everyone began to muttered and shake.

"There are over 1,500 people taking this test," Momo said as I thought of the numbers, "I thought they said that about half of us would be passing."

"No," I said, "It's about six percent of us..." Kirishima stared at me like I was crazy.

"How did you do that so fast?" He asked and I shrugged. I liked numbers.

"Well the world can be pretty crap," Mera stood up, "I guess I should say something about luck." Everyone waited for him too, but no. "So, anyway, here are the basic rules. He held up a ball, and a small silver disc he called a target." He then explained how each of us would be putting three targets on our bodies, somewhere visible. We would all have six balls and would have to take out two people by lighting up their 3rd target.

"Bakugou, you alright man?" Kirishima snapped me from my thoughts about the exam and my eyes flickered over to Bakugou, who once again was staring at me. I turned my head away and hid behind my hair, waiting until the feeling of his eyes on me wavered.

"We'll start passing out the targets and balls, then you'll have a few minutes to get situated once we open," Mera ended. Open what?

Suddenly the room began to split around us in large and complicated sounds that echoed around us. I threw my arms around Kirishima the moment I heard them and shut my eyes tight. I was scared of this... then why was I here? What was I doing?

"Hey, Nana," Kirishima said, "Look at this." I opened my eyes and marveled at the sights. A whole city landscape laid to our right, a highway behind us, mountains and a river, and large pipes on the left. It was amazing to have created all of this in such a short time.

I placed one of the targets along the strap on my chest and the two on the tops of my boots. I had followed the group out, but something about the air here, the shaking in the ground... it was off. I clutched the hairpiece in my hand and closed my eyes, just like Principal had given me before... I had my own choice here now. I ran away from the group, going off into the city to fight. If this burning feeling inside was anything like what my Mom went through in the past, then I certainly didn't want to be near any of my classmates.

A large buzz let out, a female voice calling to us: The first test will now begin. I scattered in the streets of the city. My cape flowing around my body as I ran on. My breathing was labored, and though I could barely think straight, I found it in me to keep moving. For once, I found that was the only thing I could still do.

The burning feeling called out to me as I was hit from behind. I let out a violent scream, not from the hit, but because the pain in my body was getting worse.

"And I barely touched you," A dark and scratchy male voice said from behind me, "Looks like you're already out, Blondie." I closed my eyes, I could hear the ball bouncing in his hand, up and down, back and forth as he tossed it. Thinking closely, and carefully about where he was. Despite everything I've been through and the amount of time I've really been in the world, I've learned one important thing that I knew could help me.

The distance with sounds.

The bounce was light so the ball had to be empty inside or he was tossing it lightly, either way, I could hear it. There were no footsteps around me so he wasn't stepping around me. Since I got hit from behind and I can hear the light toss so easily, I can only assume that he's directly behind me, which means if I kick back and use my hands to spin and face him I could have a shot. That being said, I don't know what side he's on. This would only work one time before he used his Quirk on me or took me out of the test completely. I had to be smart about this... but how do I know for sure?

I opened my eyes and looked around, maybe there was a shadow, something I could use to tell, but then it came, and it was the wind. A strong force that literally spoke to me, telling me left. So, with all my might I kicked my left leg out into theirs and pushed up on my hands, sending a quick two kicks to their jaw before flipping and landing back on my feet. They were down at the ground staring at me, and I stared back.

I was the first to move, taking one of my balls and stepping towards him. I wish things weren't set up this way, but they were... that being said, I realized then I should have stayed with the others. A swift kick of the air came from behind me as I ripped out of the way, just in time to miss an attack from a boy with large iron fists.

"Oh man, I just hate it when inspiring Heroes wanna gang up on someone!" A loud voice called out, one that I recognized. It was the Inasa boy from before, he was floating above all of us, gusts of wind that carried him through the air. My hair floated around me as if I was in a dream, my cape swaying with the wind and I was completely lost in the sight. The two boys, on the other hand, ran without a second thought. "Too bad! It was just about to get good!" I dropped to my knees and let out a heavy sigh.

"T-Thank you," I said in a shallow breath, "But you should have let them do that... I'm not cut out for this..." I hung my head and could feel the wind blowing around us with simple ease, and then it stopped, a shadow paving over me that I no longer felt scared to have. It was where I belonged... buried under his shadow.

"I don't think so," Inasa said and dropped down next to me, his legs crossed. I didn't look at his face but based on what I saw of him, he was smiling. "I think you're just really scared of something, though I don't imagine what it could be! After that kick you just did, I feel like whatever you're afraid of should afraid of you!" There it was again, that burning flame and the words of encouragement, telling me that I could get through this. "Have you tried talking about it?" I got up to leave. "Hey! Wait!" He snagged my arm and turned me to face him. His smile was wide and large, an undeniable truth to his actions and his words. This right now... it wasn't like the others... it wasn't like the rest of my class that wanted to give me a new flame to rise with... he wanted me to use the one I've always had. "You don't have to trust me, but I do want you to tell me." I kept quiet for a minute before looking around us with a sigh.

"My class was sticking together, I have a feeling the other classes will be too," I told him, "Let's head on top of a building." I don't know why I was doing this... honestly, I think it was just because... there was so much burning in me... that I just had to let it out, and I couldn't do that with anyone else. Not when they only wanted to give me a different reason to burn brighter.