"08:40 a.m. The same day" "U.A. High School Entrance Exam Location"

"We made it just in time!" Izuku gasped out, as he and Naoki ran up to the entrance, proceeding to slow to a walk as they continued. Izuku looked nervous.

"You okay, there, Izumi?" Naoki asked, concerned.

A hand went to Izuku's mouth as he answered. "I may have swallowed the hair, but I don't feel like anything great has happened to me yet..."

Naoki almost burst out laughing, until the voice coming from behind them spoke up.

"Stupid Deku. Eyepatch Freak."

Izuku turned, Naoki following his movements as the blonde progressed. "Kacchan." Izuku almost sounded surprised.

"Get outta my way now before I set you both on fire." Bakugou threatened, making Naoki smirk. He was inching along nicely on this theory he had about Bakugou Katsuki, and everything he'd done recently just added to Naoki's evidence to support the theory.

"Eh- oh- hey good morning lets just both do our best out there okay good luck." Izuku's run-together words were basically ignored, Naoki not getting a second glance.

Some of the other students referenced the Sludge Villain, and Bakugou's involvement.

Izuku and Naoki pressed forward, until Izuku tripped, Naoki tapping his foot to the ground, sending Izuku back up, Naoki catching him.

"I've got your back. Oh... Sorry, miss. I didn't think you'd... Sorry..." Naoki flustered at the brown-haired girl who had reached to catch Izuku. He'd not really talked to girls... Ever... Since waking up.

"It's fine! I was gonna stop him with my Quirk, but I froze after you seemed to have it. Sorry about that! I figured you wouldn't mind. I guess I'll see you two inside! Bye!" She left, and Izuku looked more red than Naoki.

。。。

"What's up U.A. Candidates!? Thanks for tuning in to me, your school DJ. C'mon n' let me hear ya!" The silence remained as the obnoxiously loud instructor paused. Naoki was thankful to be able to reduce the volume of what he was hearing. Loud voices always, for some reason, got to him. "Keepin' it mellow, huh? That's fine! I'll skip straight to the main show. Let's talk about how this practical exam is gonna go down, okay? ~Are you readiiii~Yehhhh~!"

Izuku geeked out, and Bakugou uttered his normal retort, snapping at Izuku, "Will you shut up."

"Like your application said, today you rockin' boys'n'girls will be out there conducting 10-minute mock battles in super hip urban settings. Here's your joints, mah friends! After I drop the mic here you'll head to your specified battle center. Sound good? OKAY!?~"

Naoki looked at his card as Bakugou spoke up. "I see. They're splitting us up so we can't work with any of our friends."

"Yeah, you're right. Our examinee numbers are right after one after the other, but we're assigned to different battle centers." Izuku replied, looking between his, Bakugou's and Naoki's cards.

"Get your eyes off my card." Bakugou muttered as he continued. "Damn... I was really lookin' forward to crushing at least one of you two."

Izuku looked scared for a second.

"Okay okay, let's check out your targets. There are three types of faux Villains in every battle center. You'll earn points based on their level of difficulty, so better choose wisely. Your goal in this trial is to use your Quirk to raise your score by shredding these faux Villains like a mid-song guitar solo. But check it! Make sure you're keeping things heroic! Attacking other examinees is a U.A. no-no, ya dig!"

Present Mic was interrupted, "Excuse me, sir, but I have a question."

"Hit me!" He responded, pointing to the inquisitor as a light shone over him.

"On the printout, you've listed four types of Villains, not three. With all respect, if this is an error on official U.A. materials, it is shameful. We are exemplary students. We expect the best from Japan's most notable school. A mistake such as this won't do." He paused, turning to point in Naoki, Bakugou, and Izuku's general direction. "Additionally, you with the unkempt hair." Izuku. "You've been muttering his entire time. Stop that. If you can't bother to take this seriously, then leave. You're distracting the rest of us."

Izuku threw a hand over his mouth, apologising, as Naoki's knuckle cracked and others in the auditorium laughed.

Present Mic continued. '"Alright Alright! Examinee No. 7111. Thanks for calling in with your request. The fourth Villain type is worth zero points. That guy's just an obstacle we'll be throwing in your way. There's one in every battle center. Think of it as an obstacle you should try to avoid. It not that it can't be beaten, but there's kinda no point. I recommend my listeners try to avoid it and focus on the ones toppin' the charts!"

"Thank you very much, please continue." The examinee replied, taking his seat, as mumbles followed about the fourth Villain.

"That's all I got for you today! I'll sign off with a little present! A sample of our school motto! As General Napoleon Bonaparte once laid down, a true Hero is one who overcomes life's misfortunes. Umm-hmm! Now that's a tasty soundbite!~ You ready to go beyond? Let's hear a PLUS ULTRA! Good luck! Hope you practiced hitting more than just the books!"

Soon enough, Naoki stood outside his assigned battle arena, already attracting strange looks, his eyepatch, and bandages stood out enough among the group. He was stationed at Battle Arena C, with no one he knew or even recognised. And, the mumbles about him were almost all he could hear...

"Why is he covered in bandages?" "If he's still hurt, he's going to fail!" "Is he stupid? He can die here if he's injured!" "Why the eye patch? Is he blind, or missing an eye?" "He looks strange, covered like that..." "He's probably a weirdo." "He was sitting with that loudmouth. I'd bet he's got a weak Quirk."

Naoki couldn't block the sound, or he'd risk missing the start. So, he just focused on taking calming deep breaths, and ignoring the others there. Although he had personally decided to use the bandages to cover the scars, knowing they'd draw more negative attention than the bandages did, he was beginning to second-guess that decision, wondering how it'd be different if he hadn't.

Without warning, the exam began, and with nothing more than a tap of his foot, he was in the air, propelled ahead of the others, and over them to avoid plowing through them. He wasn't the first in the arena, but that didn't matter. In less than two minutes, he'd left seven robots less than half the size of their original shape. After six more, he stopped counting the metal corpses, bouncing around wrecking as many as he could see, simply landing on them with a jump, and he could tell he was wearing a bit. Keeping the backlash from affecting his body was the tricky part at his current skill. He'd land and deal a good amount of damage, but, taking off to launch at another, is where he'd leave them crushed. His hips, he knew would be out of place, if they weren't already. He was glad he'd worn good shoes, since the legs of his pants were already shredded.

With a crash, the aforementioned fourth Villain came onto the scene, leaving the other contestants scrambling recklessly in an attempt to escape. Naoki remained, eyes flashing to see if anyone was left in the path of the behemoth. He was terrified, that was no lie, but he'd never forgive himself if someone was hurt and he could have possibly saved them, so in that sense, his fear wasn't for himself- rarely ever was- but at the mere possibility of another being hurt or killed.

There! She's stuck! But... Even with Ricochet, I won't have time to pull her out if I jump, and, that may not be optimal, depending on her injuries... I'll have to use two Vectors of Ricochet... That's manageable, but I need thee to block the attack and protect my own body... Oh well- Too late!

Naoki had jumped once he saw her, now landing and shielding the girl as the second Vector redirected to clear the debris off of her, taking the Vector to then collide with the behemoth of metal, his fist tightening, crunching the bot, compacting it into itself, while wincing at the underestimated force and power of the hit, the excess impact shattering his arm, blood staining the bandages as the bones splintered into his flesh from the inside. As he dropped to a knee, he tried to release his fist, which was stuck clenched- more than likely from the arm being, well, pulverised- so he could redirect the Vector to try and shield his own body, but was too slow, leading Naoki to feel the full backlash of power and pressure from the leftover energy of the robot.

Once it was done, he was covered in wounds, a few pieces of metal shrapnel lodged in his body. He left them, turning to the girl, and seeing to her injuries.

I was right. If I had left that on her, it could have killed her. She's hurt pretty bad... If she's not tended to, she could bleed to death.

He reached for the unconscious girl and used Blood Tempter, as the announcement overhead sounded off a minute left.

He stopped the bleeding, then slowly knitted her injuries closed, surprised when they didn't transfer to him instead, but rather, healed completely. The others of the exam watched, shocked, and too frozen to move in or help.

After getting her fixed, he yanked the shrapnel from his abdomen, making the watchers gasp, reel and gag as he patched his own wounds with ease that shocked him. The other injuries were small in comparison, except his arm. He didn't dare push his luck to touch that, so it hung loosely at his side.

With a sigh, he plopped down, sitting on his rump as he finished out the last few seconds before hearing the "Times UP!" Afterwards, he fell back, exhausted, but not unconscious.

After her normal entrance congratulations, Recovery Girl made her way to Naoki "My my... You aren't the first to be so injured by your own Quirk... Here, let's get you fixed up, dear." Naoki smiled at the elderly voice. Not at all weirded out by the kiss soon planted by the nurse.

"Thank you." He replied once he was healed. She seemed shocked as he stretched and flexed his arm, "It's good as new! Here, can you check her over? I hope I did enough to heal her." Naoki asked, gesturing to the aqua haired girl as he stood and stretched more.

"You must have some stamina to still be awake after me healing that..." She added, as she looked over the girl. "She seems fine, but to be safe, I'll treat her anyways."

"Ah... Thank you. But... That arm didn't really hurt, it wasn't more than an inconvenience, at best. Although.... Maybe me not passing out is from Hajime-san... I'll have to look into that I guess." Everyone cleared the area, Naoki actually was really exhausted, and he knew it probably had nothing to do with Hajime-san, but more with the fear he had of sleeping when he lacked his medicine at this moment.

。。。

He and Izuku didn't see All Might after that, for a while. Not even at home did Naoki see his dad, so he ended up spending his allowance to get food. Even if Toshinori did come home, he was gone before Naoki woke up.

After a week, the results came, and Naoki was worried. He had doubts if he'd actually have gotten in. He had points, and guessed he'd at least passed the written exam, but he'd also gotten himself really injured, and, if anyone asked who he was, or had any inkling of his lack of a past, memories, or him being All Might's pity-case, none of that may matter. He might have never had a chance from the start, even worse, though, was if someone knew who he was before he was found, or speculated about his past... Anything like that... It frightened him.

So, he sat with the letter, unopened, and almost too afraid to open it.

Then, he thought of how hard he and Izuku had worked, and how happy Izuku had been to even get the chance, so he opened it, finding a silver chunk, which soon flickered a holographic screen, displaying his dad, All Might.

"I Am Here! As a Projectile! I know I've been absent, but a huge amount of paperwork descends upon those with great power. As you know, I am now the newest U.A. Faculty Member! Now, for the results. Naoki, I know you have more than over-thought how these were going to turn out, and I am afraid to say- that overthinking was not in vain.

There were several questions and concerns raised about you and your Quirk, as well as your origins.

You did pass the written exam, and with flying colours. You more than excelled with the Practical Exam, but, that was where issues were stemmed from." He paused, letting it sink in, unintentionally, when he was speaking to another person off of the screen. "Ahem! But, worry not, Naoki! All of that was swept aside, and wiped away.

How you selflessly saved the young girl, even seeing to her injuries before your own. How you calmly addressed and assessed the situation, and though it cost you a Vector, cleared the debris from her, able to tell it could have taken her life, if left there, and even with your own grave injuries, were able to keep focused on others enough to leave those wounds be in leigh of greater trauma, this was enough.

But, when playthrough was gone back over, I myself saw something you may not have even been aware of doing yourself." He gestured to a tv screen, clicking a button to play a clip. "You subconsciously manifested a third Vector, shielding those around you from the attack and debris."

The video showed just that. When Naoki had been fighting to try and loosen his fist, a third Vector shielded all of the other candidates, even if by just placing a giant Vector before the entire group, to block the debris that otherwise would have collided with them.

"Naoki, you may lack a past, memories, and knowledge of how to use all of your Quirk. The practical exam was graded on combat points, yes, but not just those alone. So, how could a Hero-Course reject someone who is committed to saving others, no matter the cost to himself, even doing so subconsciously when he was out of options? The proof was there, that even in your very subconscience, you protected those around you.

After all, that, right there, is what makes a Hero. And that's what my Alma Mater is about! Training those who would risk their lives for the greater good. A panel of judges watches, and award points beyond just stopping Villains! So, Naoki Kirahara! 39 Rescue Points! It is only by your own hard work, your own will, your own beliefs and morals, that you would have made it this far!

If someone with no more than a years memories can have as much concern and care for those around them as an elder, as a true Hero, it would be wrong and unjust to prevent you from a good future where you can grow on these traits. So, welcome, Naoki. You too have made it! You too are now part of the Hero Academia!"

Naoki was stunned beyond words. He had no idea that had occurred... And, it both shocked and terrified him, but he still was more surprised by the tears running down his cheeks at being accepted. He finally found somewhere to belong. Somewhere outside of home.

The first thing he did was call Izuku, and the two fawned over their acceptance, their dreams one step closer to being achieved. 

***REWRITTEN VERSION***