Chapter 50: Provisional License
Staring out into the field Nick watched as it all start to explode. The reverberations through the ground carried on through his feet.
The cacophony of explosions and falling rubble sent a wave of air blasting outwards from the arena moving the hair of everyone that was looking at it.
Hearing the sound of Mera he half listened to what was being said, mostly looking around the room at who passed.
"We'll be having you conduct rescues as 'bystanders' at this disaster site. You will NOT be acting as ordinary citizens, but as people who have already obtained secured a provisional license. This will be a test of aptitude for rescue operations." The voice of Mera said, echoing from the speakers as the rumble of falling buildings finally settled down.
It was mostly the same as canon but Camie was here, that made sense he had captured Toga so there was no reason that she would be here. Wondering how Nezu was dealing with that his thoughts started to wander but they were quickly brought back by the voice from the speakers.
Looking at the screen he saw multiple old people and kids walking into the ruined field. "They're all in very high demand for all sorts of drills as pros in needing rescue. They're the staff od the HELP US COMPANY or 'huck' for short!"
With an explanation that they would be throughout the field waiting to be rescued and brought to an extraction point to gain points. A certain amount of points was needed to pass the exam Nick just nodded his head, simple. He liked it.
Turning around he saw that people had already started chatting. Bakugo was sitting in a chair as the Shiketsu students started to approach.
With a quick talk and Bakugo accepting the apology with a wave of his hand Nick watched the conversation as he went over to Shoto and put a hand on his shoulder. Leaning down he said into the boy's ear. "You were pretty rude to that kid when you both did the exam for the recommended kids. You should apologize, you don't want it getting in the way of you getting a license."
With Shoto's eyes lighting up as he remembered where he saw the kid he nodded his head saying, "yeah… yeah I'll do that."
"It's not like I haven't been rude before, to you as well, so it might seem half hearted but sorry about that." Nick said as he patted the boy on the shoulder leaving him looking a bit confused if it was an apology or not… it didn't feel like one if it was.
Although Nick was already walking off. Shaking his head Shoto just went over to Yoarashi and said, "Yoarashi… I'm sorry for how I dismissed you in the exams. That wasn't right of me to do." His head bowed slightly.
Looking over at him Yoarashi's normally super eager and overexcited personality was gone. Just cold eyes looking back down at Todoroki who he was about to walk past. "Oh? I don't like Endeavor, not at all. And you have his eyes, something about you has changed through… I accept your apology for now." His words were gruff as he turned away and walked to where he was going before.
Standing up straight Shoto just watched his back as he walked over to Hendrix, his father's eyes? That made him feel… hollow. He never wanted to have eyes like that, eyes so empty and hollow. He could see how he had them before though. He was really mad that he had been beaten in the entrance exam.
Looking down at his hand he looked at Midoriya who had helped him start to change.
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Nick was watching the conversation happen before Yoarashi walked over to him, a beaming smile on his face as he said. "You were amazing during the exam! Good job at getting rid of a third of the participants so quickly, your quirks is outstanding and it is an honor to be able to participate in this exam alongside you!"
Blinking a few times Nick could do nothing but try to process the boy's enthusiasm. He hadn't expected to be approached so suddenly. Even with his three brains, he was having a hard time.
"It's an honour to be participating with you too. I hope that we can work well together during the rescue. Your quirk is amazing might I add, I can tell the effort you have put into becoming as strong as you are. I find it an honour to meet someone with drive rivalling my own." Nick said as he shook the hand of Yoarashi. His shoulder shook violently.
Taking a sample of his quirk factor Nick smiled as he watched the boy start to say something but the start of the exam interrupted them.
Not liking that the last comment was fueled by his own inflated ego Nick quickly said, "good luck." Patting the boy on the shoulder as he made his way to his class. There was some level of teamwork that he needed to show with this exam. But he would show that with more than just his classmates.
He needed to get points quickly and then he would focus on fighting Gang Orca. That was the exciting part.
Dashing into the field as soon as the walls fell down he stayed on the floor unlike some who decided to travel into the field through the air.
Clearing the debris around him he made a smooth road as he ran clearing a large area for Helipads and other vehicles to park.
Wish his quirk flowing through the ground as nerves travelling through the stone spreading his range he carefully moved rubble and started to lift and support broken structures. Countless people were being removed yet he left some in place as he called out.
"The ones I am leaving alone are those that are seriously injured and I can't move! I'll tag people based on there condition so focus on providing care for those I can't. I can feel the condition of people but I can't do much more than stablize them so I'll leave it to you guys!"
His voice boomed through the field as he enhanced his voice box.
"No one worry! Everything will be okay! The situation is under-control, if you can make your way to the first aid area yourself follow the roads and pillars. If not help will come shortly!" Nick called out, his voice carrying over the entire city.
Dashing further in he guided people as he asked his teammates for help and got Yoarashi to focus on moving the smaller bits of rubble as he confirmed the condition of patients that could be moved for the wind user. With the entire city slowly falling under his control roads were cleared and giant poles of stone signalled areas that needed imminent attention.
Hundreds of the HUC members were carried away on stone hands that moved them gently or simply created paths for those that could walk on their own. Floating into the air as he moved the wind currents around him golden threads trailed from his body into the stone around him. Leaving him connected to the ground despite his vantage point.
With the situation almost immediately settling from worse case to something manageable Nick simply made sure to stabilize whatever he could. Creating as many paths and necessary areas where they were needed.
Honestly, if he was healing people he could clear this situation up himself. But that wasn't the point of the exercise. He also left opportunities for others to act, areas that he didn't affect or couldn't for some made-up reason.
Suddenly smirking a bit Nick called out at the top of his voice. "WATCH OUT!" The wall on one side of the field exploded as a wave of stone caught all the flying rubble keeping the damage to a minimum.
A massive wall erected itself between the villains and the first aid Area as looking around Nick made sure that everything here was still under control but his work here had mostly been done. Leaving the nerves in case he needed to use them again he disconnected from them instead.
Flying over to the other side of the wall as he crashed into the floor in front of Gang Orca. The ground folded over itself from the impact of his landing sending many of the small-time villains flying backwards only to be caught and sunk into the floor held by stone hands.
Feeling the wind change as people started rushing over to help he just shook his head, Gang Orca would be easy.
Blocking his ears he felt the air start to shift as a supersonic attack was starting to be made but as he felt the air start to change he simply moved it. Creating a vacuum before him. It was only for a split second. But the silence that rang out was suddenly broken by the clap of air crashing back in to fill the void.
With the loud bang and a temporary stunned moment, Gang Orca's eyes widened. Nick suddenly was in front of him. The ground where the kid had been standing was broken apart as he had launched at speeds almost as fast as All Might.
The last thing he felt was a hand against his chest, the gentle brush of the tips of the kid's fingers before his world went black.
Seeing Gang Orca fall unconscious the rest of the villains hesitated for a moment, and that moment was all Nick needed. With thousands of hands erupting from the floor, Nick grabbed each and every villain and pulled them into the ground restraining them. Standing up straight as Gang Orca sunk down both Shoto and Yoarashi came around the wall.
Seeing the scene before them they stopped as their eyes widened.
"What are you doing? Let's get back to helping people." Nick said as he dashed past them and back to the city.
That was… disappointing.
He had expected a pro hero to be able to at least keep up with him but he guessed not. He knew Gang Orca had weights but still…
"Ahem, errrr, we're now announcing that since all of the stationed HUCS have been evacuated out of the danger zone. The provisional license exam is now over."
With the shocked cries of students as they looked at the 'danger zone' that Nick had already made safe and helped them get everyone out. The stone wall came down to reveal Nick. Hero cape moved in the breeze as the gold trims got traced by the lightning that crackled from the breaks in his skin. Showing that golden light.
Walking from a field of trapped villains. Even Gang Orca was kept held beneath the stone arms…
"After the final tally, we shall present the results at this very site. Those who are hurt, please make your way to the infirmary… everyone else change and stand by." The voice of Mezo said as if he was reading it from a script, which he probably was.
Sending out a wave his quirk the nerves he had left underground all deconstructed into raw material that he just left there. The final spike of lightning died down as his hair stopped drifting and the cracks in his skin sealed. His eyes returned to normal. His clothes shifted back to that of his uniform without even breaking apart.
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As the students had gotten changed, people came out in various stages as they talked to each other. Some excitedly, others nervous. Nick stood to the side. Sitting on a chair he had made himself as he waited for others to finish. Mezo and Eijiro soon joined him and started to excitedly gush about his performance.
Encouraging them on their own feats, especially Mezo who had shown great skill during the rescue phase, guiding others and finding injured. The kid was really coming out of the shell he had been forced into as a mutant. It was nice to see.
With everyone soon gathered in front of a giant display Mezo stood at the stand, his face too close to the microphone as if he didn't have the strength to lift his neck up any higher.
"Hello everyone, thank you for all your efforts." He started to say, the crowd falling silent as they all looked towards him. Waiting to hear if they passed or not with either anticipation or nervousness.
"You are commended for holding out for so long. Now, we shall be showing the results… But before that, a word. Regarding the grading method… we at he hero public safety commission and all the HUCS combined forces observed you through two different perspectives, docking points where we deemed fit."
"In other words… we based our judgment on how well you were able to conduct yourselves without any mistakes in a time of crisis. Those of you who passed will be listed in alphabetical order. Please check to see if your name is on the list." Mera finished as he stepped to the side. Looking over the students.
Nick was about to look at the list but his gaze was caught by something else. Mera, whose gaze settled on him. Looking at the other man they just held eye contact for a moment. Before Nick looked at the board. Wondering what that was about.
Scanning down to H, he saw his name. He wasn't surprised… he had thought that maybe the Hero Public Safety Commission might try to pull something but… it seemed that wasn't the game they were playing.
Looking over the list for a few names he knew failed he saw Yoarashi there as well as Shoto. The most surprising one however was Bakugo had actually passed… looking over at the boy he saw that his pissed-off expression was more active than usual. Working hard to make the most annoyed scowl that was possible for human facial muscles.
How the fuck did he pass?
"Huh?" he heard Eijiro say from next to him. Looking at the redhead he blinked. Did he say that out loud?
"Oh Bakugo? I was with him. He wasn't as aggressive as normal, towards the people… he did quite a bit to clear out rubble… guess he was able to scrap by." Eijiro who had been with him said. "He was pissed when he couldn't make it to the 'villains' though!" The boy chuckled.
Shit, he really did say that out loud. Well, he was surprised alright?
Looking back towards the board he saw the rest of class 1-A.
As he heard Mera start to speak again, the handouts for their individual points were being given to all of them. Taking his Nick saw multiple people try to look over his shoulder, he didn't care though. If they wanted to see it they could.
98 points. Guess he shouldn't have expected a perfect score. Seeing what he did wrong it was a random word jumble to him but his 'eagerness to get into battle' was one of the listed reasons.
As Mera started to give a motivational speech about how each of them was now something about the core of society Nick tuned out mostly, watching the screen shift to a blank canvas once again.
With the speech over and the announcement of the second attempt in March Nick smiled a bit, no one from his class would be attending it at least.
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It didn't take long for them to be a picture taken for their licenses, although as Nick was being taken into the room by Mera personally the tired man said. "If you would please come with us Mr Hendrix, we have something that we would like to talk to you about." His voice was serious. As he motioned to a door at the back of the photo room.
Just as Nick was about to decline he was interrupted. "Do no misunderstand. This isn't a request." The eyes of Mera grew colder. The photo room had no one else in it… but he could feel figures moving in from the other side door.
Narrowing his own eyes Nick felt a figure over his shoulder and looking over it he saw Hawks walk around the corner with Gang Orca. No wonder everyone had to get photo's taken instead of just using the school ones, they wanted to get him to split off from everyone quietly.
Turning back to Mera he said in a very quiet voice as he let his quirk flow through the floor. "If it isn't a request then I can't decline can I? I'll just let you know before hand however… you'll need a lot more than just Hawks and Gang Orca if your planning anything."
With Mera just looking at him, the man nodded slowly. He then turned and started to walk towards the room that was prepared.
With Hawks and Gang Orca slowly following behind Nick straightened his back. It didn't matter what they did. He would not become their hound.
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Thanks for all the support! Let me know what you think of the chapter! Tensions are rising.
Reviews and comments are always welcome! any advice on how to grow and what can be done better is welcome!
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