For one, the damned ram, for all its presence bothers every hair on his body, didn't ever actually interrupt any classes before. This was the first of such incidents. Moreover, it was very distinctly proven that it has some form of logical reasoning, as it was apparently able to circulate qi to such an extent it could...assist...two middle core cultivators and give supplementary lessons to lagging disciples in certain subjects.

Interrupting a qin class for "being noisy" and "disturbing its sleep" was patently out of character for it, as much as he hates to admit.

Moreover, he'd seen the condition of the door when he arrived. It hadn't been burst in. There was barely a scratch on it aside from what was usual from normal wear and tear.

It was more likely the ram snuck up to the hall to witness something, saw something it didn't like, and interfered.

Shen Qingqiu glances at Qin Bojing, the way Luo Binghe seems to stand protectively close to him, and the waif-like boy's bandaged, pinkened hands.

He thinks of the disciples hanging around the ram, who tolerated, perhaps even enjoyed their senseless twittering as they slogged through one of their poor excuses of a "study session". Thinks of how it managed to wrangle that wretched beast into behaving somewhat decently, not at all like the power-hungry wretch he knows his hiding beneath that childish mask. Thinks of the way the ram pointedly spit out the bloodied whip, despite the ram having not seemed to bleed anywhere itself.

The image is much clearer now. Quite simple, really.

Dumb creature...

That said, it's not as though he wants to let the ram off lightly. It's not faultless, and there's the property damage the account for. But he's not the sect strategist for nothing.

It's just a matter of seeing how it will all play out now.

Shen Qingqiu slaps his fan into his hand.

"From what it seems, the qin class had paused for a case of discipline. Is that correct, Qin Bojing?"

The boy startles, flinching. Judging from the twitch of his brow, some of it seems to be from pain. Strange, if only his hands are hurt.

He nods in affirmation. Shen Qingqiu scowls.

"You have a mouth with which to speak, do you not? Use it."

The boy purses his lips, then manages to mumble.

"Yes, Shizun."

"Yes, what?"

"...Yes, this disciple was being disciplined."

His black eyes stay pinned to the floor, the dark circles beneath his long lower lashes in full view. No matter how neatly the boy arranged his long hair, he would always look gaunt and tired with that kind of face.

"For what were you being disciplined?"

"This disciple was playing poorly, Shizun."

"Which song were you playing?"

"It was...'Three Variations of the Plum Blossom*'. This disciple is slow to learn and apologizes."

"In what way are you slow to learn?"

He can feel the ram gazing up at him, but he continues his line of questioning. The boy is still as he continues staring down.

"It... Right now, this one is having a hard time following Jiang*-shifu's fingers. And the tablature is...dense, and I am dimwitted. So, I keep messing up the notes when I am directed to play. Asking for your graciousness and mercy, Shizun."

The boy bows stiltedly, and not quite low enough to be fully respectful. But he stays bowed, not raising up prematurely, showing his sincerity.

"Hmm. I presume this is the truth, then?" Shen Qingqiu turns to the Guqin Shifu, whose last name is apparently Jiang.

The man had a look on his face that swiftly shifts into something else, but Shen Qingqiu caught the last bit of the expression before he focuses on him instead.

"Yes, Peak Lord! Disciple Qin knows his place well. This teacher was only guiding him in the right path to learning the qin well. I would not allow him to disgrace this peak. But that...wild beast came in here and disrupted everything!"

Said wild beast was being rather patient, all things considered. Few animals were known to stand still quietly for long periods, especially not sheep. But the ram is doing quite the good impression of a very unamused statue, its face blank.

One would be surprised to think the ram could have reduced several guqin to splinters, torn a cultivator's skin with a whip, and left a classroom in tatters. And yet.

"And, what punishment did you give Qin Bojing for his mistakes in class?"

"This teacher merely whipped him, nothing more. When Disciple Qin lost his composure and attempted to retaliate, I had to discipline him further, and he was injured further in the process. That was all. However, it was not my fault he was hurt more than necessary. I believe you understand, Peak Lord Shen."

That earns the man a glare, causing him to recoil. But Shen Qingqiu relents, opening his fan.

"Do you corroborate his account, Qin Bojing?"

The boy's empty eyes close softly.

"Yes, Shizun."

Luo Binghe turns to him sharply, looking affronted, but he manages to not say anything.

Shen Qingqiu hums, then he finally turns toward the troublemaker of the hour.

"Well then. I believe I have an accurate picture of what occurred here. However, it is true that this lord will hear out all sides. So, Shen Yuan, what is your account of what happened?"

What Shen Qingqiu expects is for Shen Yuan to explain that it heard Qin Bojing resisting getting whipped by Jiang whatever and that it came in. That it shoved its way through to get to two and stop the punishment, damaging the classroom and the qin in the process.

Of course, how it managed to damage so many qin and why Qin Bojing appears to also be so injured is to be discovered. He has his suspicions as to whom the fault falls on, and it's not the ram.

He's expecting righteous indignation and and raised voice. Perhaps the stomping of a hoof.

Shen Yuan's face remains neutral.

'Do forgive me. This ram is but two years old, so he is still learning. Are you all saying that humans, who proclaim themselves to be superior creatures to mere livestock, will bloody their young over something as trivial as playing a wrong note on a musical instrument, and that action is perfectly reasonable?'

The room goes perfectly quiet.

"...Excuse me?"

'Ah, perhaps this one hasn't explained well. Let me illustrate in a comparatively reasonable manner. Hm...let's say we have a flock of sheep, a pack of dogs, and a family of humans. All are comparatively affluent in their states of living, having ample amounts of food, shelter, and stimulation.

'Now, a youth in each group acts in a way the elders do not like. Let's say they cause overstimulation in one way or another. Again, keeping in mind that all groups have ample amounts of food, shelter, and stimulation, let's look at how each group typically reacts.

'For sheep, we usually allow the ewe to discipline her child. She generally pushes or paws at her lamb to get them to behave. If they continue to act out, she may push the lamb down. Though, generally, we're free-spirited creatures. Active play is usually celebrated in a life that's so short.

'For dogs, the mother will growl or show her teeth briefly at her pup as a warning. Sometimes she may not even do that, just putting her paw on her puppy like a ewe does with her lamb. But, if the pup continues to act out, she may, like a ewe, force her pup to be still by pinning them to the ground for a moment. Perhaps with a bark or a growl as well, depending on the act the pup was doing.'

Shen Yuan hasn't blinked. The qi around Shen Qingqiu's ankles tingles.

'This ram was under the assumption that humans were similar. That humans would simply push or paw at their children to get them to behave, physically or verbally. Then physically or verbally hold them down if they acted further, just for a moment. But what you're saying is that, even for minor infarctions that aren't even bad behavior, like playing a musical note incorrectly by pure learning mistake, you will do the equivalent of pinning your puppy down and savagely bite and bite and bite into their back until they bleed?'

"What-"

The ram's gaze pins Jiang in place.

'Will you find the nearest wire fence and force your lamb's back against it again and again until blood pools against the ground for bleating the wrong sound? Or is that punishment reserved for lambs that are not your own? Because a sheep, a dog, will generally ignore the young of another of our species, or treat it as our own if we're going to acknowledge it. Especially if we open our shelter to it.'

The ram steps forward on splintered wood, its green eyes somehow bright.

'Surely, humans, who have long pursued immortality and education, would not submit to such cruelty and call themselves the species superior to all others on earth. Is this the Dao you form your cores with? Have you ever thought that maybe, perhaps, such things are why it's taking you so long despite your wisdom? Because, despite your natural longevity and capacity for knowledge, you all continue to act in such a rancid manner?'

When Shen Yuan stops moving, Shen Qingqiu is looking straight down at green eyes without retreating, the ram staring unblinking back up at him. Jiang has fallen to the wayside, having lost his footing.

Shen Qingqiu doesn't feel like he can or should look away.

His hand clenches on his fan sharply, a sense of pain squirming uncomfortably in his chest. It's suffocating. Claustrophobic.

Similar to the way men make him feel, but entirely different at the same time. This feels like something else. Something familiar, but old.

Something from inside rather that out. An internal force made external, made into flesh and bone, given a voice he loathes to hear.

"...And what of the qin?" Shen Qingqiu asks instead.

Shen Yuan switches gears quite easily, looking down at the ruined instruments.

'Ah, it's quite regretful. Though, this ram was merely following his nature. When someone uses objects as a shield when I am trying to get at them, well, I ram through it, you see. You ought to be familiar with that aspect of mine...though, I suppose you were half-conscious at that point.'

Shen Qingqiu scowls deeply at the reminder of his most recent shame, a few scant months ago though it was now. But what the ram said isn't lost on him.

"Instruments used as a shield, you say," he hums, glancing to the Guqin Shifu.

The man startles, but when he tries to speak, he finds it difficult to. After all, the ram is staring at him again.

'It was quite fascinating. I've never seen a musical instrument used that way. Humans, when they aren't being crude, brutal creatures, are quite industrious. Musical instruments as shields...very creative! Though, perhaps they should be made out of more durable wood if you all intend to use them that way.'

Shen Qingqiu resists the urge to roll his eyes. His head hurts enough as it is.

Right. So.

The ram heard the beating and went to see what was happening. It walked in on it occurring and tried to stop it. Jiang, using the whip on Qin Bojing, tried using it on the ram, but failed, so he tried using the qin as shields to block the ram's path. However, if the ram couldn't be stopped by two cultivators about to have qi deviations or demons infiltrating the peak, musical instruments wouldn't stop it either. So, that just added up a lot of unnecessary property damage.

Shen Yuan would not be scolded about interrupting the beating (not that no one would try, but, quite simply, Shen Yuan would not allow itself to be scolded for it...perhaps rightfully so). So, it would feel little, if any, shame about destroying the instruments in an effort to stop the beating from continuing.

Shen Qingqiu presses the tip of his fan between his brows, feeling his headache perhaps turning into a migraine.

"...Right then. Qin Bojing—" he hears the boy shift in attention— "You will go see Mu Qingfang at Qian Cao Peak. Luo Binghe and Ming Fan will escort you there—"

"W-Wait, Peak Lord Shen! Is there really a need to involve Peak Lord Mu in this matter?"

"...Why wouldn't I?"

"Well, it's-"

'-curious.'

Both humans look down to the ram, who is looking off to the side with its head tilted.

'This ram has just had a curious thought. See, I was listening to the music, and, admittedly, some disciples play worse than others. And when I think of when I began hearing the whip crack, it wasn't when the worst of the sounds were playing. Meaning, I don't believe Qin Bojing is the worst qin player of the bunch, is he?'

Shen Qingqiu smirks.

"No, he is not. That would be Luo Binghe."

'Hm...if that's the case, it's my shortcoming, having hooves for hands. This one will have to ask you for advice, then.'

And that nearly has him drop his fan altogether.

'But that's not what I mean for the moment. What I mean is that I'm starting to question this man's motives for brutalizing Xiao Jing.'

The boy in question lets out a choked noise.

"...Hmh. Lei Meifen*, go to—"

"Wait, Peak Lord Shen! I assure you, Disciple Qin's injuries can be taken care of on our peak. There's no need to involve-"

'You're so antsy about it, you keep interrupting the peak lord you claim to respect.'

There's a beat of silence, then the door opens as Luo Binghe and Ming Fan begin escorting Qin Bojing out of the room.

"...Lei Meifen. Go to An Ding—"

"I implore you, Pea-"

Before Shen Qingqiu can say anything, his mouth curled into an ugly sneer, Shen Yuan very suddenly swings his head, slamming his right horn into the man's hip with an audible crack.

The Guqin Shifu drops to the ground with a shrill wail.

Shen Qingqiu, frozen still by how suddenly it happened, remains that way. Meanwhile, the ram tuts, staring down at the bawling cultivator.

"Muh-my, my legs--"

'Oh hush, hush. It's probably just a fracture. Or a shatter. It'll heal.'

He pushes the man's top half onto his back. His legs remain sickeningly limp.

"I-I can'gh-feel--"

'I know. But hey.'

Finally, Shen Yuan smiles.

It's all sweet, pink-lipped malice.

'We have a good reason to involve Qian Cao Peak now, don't we?'

---

animals do not attack without reason.

there is always a reason, no matter how minute it may seem.

*1. 梅花三弄 Méihuā Sān Nòng, Three Variations of the Plum Blossom, better known as Three Stanzas on Plum Blossoms. It's a very famous ancient guqin piece. I've been listening to it on repeat here.

Plum blossoms have long been held in high regard by Chinese for their proud and unyielding character in the face of adversity. This melody praises the emergence of the blossoms in defiance of the bitter cold winter and as heralds of spring. The plum blossoms are also a metaphor and embodiment of those with high moral integrity and who persevere through hardship.

— Guqin World

*2. 蒋 Jiǎng, surname Jiang from the name of the state of Jiang, in present-day Henan province. No direct translation to, like, a trait or quality.

*3. 雷 梅芬 Léi Méifēn, 雷 - thunder; 梅 - plum; 芬 - fragrance.

"Now I don't have to worry about dealing with you rodents working together!"

Matija's left ear twitches as his eye opens, looking over at this Eggman, and Sonic yells back, "I'm not a rat! Geez, Eggman, you've gotta come up with something new!"

They keep fussing, and Matija steadily wakes up more, surprised the longer Eggman doesn't actually change what he said. Eventually, he frowns.

"We're not rodents, you know."

"Ugh, now this other you is saying the same—"

"No, like. Ah. This isn't a gripe or anything. We're genuinely not rodents."

Eggman gruffs. "Does it matter what you are if I'll destroy you anyway?"

"No, but the Eggman I know wouldn't be so sloppy."

Eggman pauses, as do the others, watching the scene. Sonic and Knuckles "ooh" like the immature teens they are, goading the situation on.

"Quiet, you!" Eggman grouches, but he turns his head slightly toward the captured version. "...You have my attention, hedgehog."

"Neat," Matija says, smiling tiredly. He then pats the robot's hand. "Mind letting me down, buddy?"

The robot obeys without protest (and without input from Eggman, but he's not paying attention to that), and Matija stuffs his hands in the pockets of his zip-up hoodie as he goes over to the screen, showing the Resistance on the other end.

"Hey, uh, do you have a...share screen sort of thing? Like, to show everyone."

"Of course I do."

"Mind showing me? I'm a lil behind on software stuff."

"Ugh, how tedious..."

But Eggman still shows Matija how to work the laser pointer to open webpages and such and to share screen items. He thanks the doctor before pulling up a website and several pictures.

"Okay, so, rodents are mammals in the order Rodentia. Their most prominent feature tends to be their sharp, ever-growing front teeth. That's actually the, uh, defining feature of rodents. The Latin making the name, rodere, means 'to gnaw'."

He shows a diagram of an ordered, non-mobian mouse.

"They're typically small to medium-sized creatures with two rootless incisors on the upper and lower jaws. They typically have prominent gaps between the incisors and molars or premolars."

Another click, and it shows a non-mobian guinea pig eating vegetables alongside their buddy.

"They're omnivores and facultative herbivores, with a large part of their diet containing grains, seeds, nuts, fruits, vegetables, and natural grasses. Certain rodents eat more hay or plant matter than others, though most enjoy a wide variety of seeds. On occasion, they may partake in meat-eating in protein-poor environments."

Another click, and he shows a phylogenetic tree of Rodentia, including mice, rats, naked mole rats, guinea pigs, capybaras, beavers, porcupines, chinchillas, and other similar creatures.

"Of course, some of the features you see in the ordered creatures aren't prominent in mobians. For example, mobian rodents lack the gap between the incisors and the rest of their teeth. Because mobians are all omnivorous and, generally, able to digest both meat and plant matter, we have jaws better built for chewing, tearing, and crunching. Mobian rodents still have longer, sharper incisors, but they aren't ever-growing like their ordered cousins—"

"Alright, alright already! Get to the point!" Eggman yells.

"Ah, my bad. Yeah, so—"

He clicks, and he shows the picture of a non-mobian rodent's skull.

Another click, and he shows the skull of a hedgehog. Eggman's eyebrows actually rise up.

"It's a common misconception that hedgehogs are rodents because of their small size and meeting most other requirements for being a rodent. However, our ordered cousins are insectivores, which requires a different tooth configuration entirely."

He circles his pointer around the small fangs on the hedgehog's jaws.

"Hedgehogs, mobian or otherwise, have less prominent incisors than rodents, with a larger focus on our canines, molars, and premolars. Almost all of our teeth have prominent points, save for the molars furthest back in our mouths. This is because ordered hedgehogs are, largely, insectivores. They need sharp, crushing teeth to get through insect carapaces."

He clicks over to a GIF of a small brown non-mobian hedgehog chewing with all the strength in their little body on a grub.

"Or, you know, to get through all the chewy stuff. But yeah, even their incisors are kinda pointy. Mobian hedgehogs, like myself, Sonic, Amy Rose, and Shadow, have flatter incisors because of our more varied diets. We also have four incisors on our top and bottom jaws, not two. Given, mobian rodents also have four incisors, differentiating them from their ordered cousins, but that's less to do with their species and more to do with the flow of Chaos energy."

He then clicks a button, and a question mark shows up where the pictures once were. Despite his eyes being half-closed and tired, he shakes one of his hands in a half-hearted attempt of excitement, a smile spreading on his face.

"So, quiz time for anyone who wants to answer."

Click. A porcupine.

"Is this a rodent?"

Of course, entranced by the lesson, Tails quickly raises his hand.

"Oo, oo, I know?"

"Hehe, yeah. Tails?"

"Yes! Porcupines are rodents!"

"Bingo~"

Matija claps as the question mark turns into a gold star. Tails' namesakes flick with pride as the others around him praise him.

"Next up, how about this guy?"

Click. A rabbit.

Knuckles decided to try. "Yeah, right? Because of the teeth."

"Aah, you're close, but not quite."

"What?! But you said..."

He clicks the button, showing the skull of an ordered rabbit.

"See here? A rabbit has four incisors, not two. Part of what makes an ordered rodent what it is comes down to the number of incisors. Rodents only have two incisors on their top and bottom jaws."

"Oh..."

"That was a really good try, though. And believe me, you're not the only one to make that mistake. Keep up the good work~"

Matija claps, and despite Knuckles getting it wrong, he still gets a silver star image. He crosses his arms but is at least somewhat mollified by the fact he got some good feedback.

"Now, what about this?"

Click. A paca.

This one had the participating ones stumped, looking at each other and discussing what they thought it was. Eventually, Amy rose a tentative hand.

"Uhm... I can't quite tell, but is it a rodent?"

"Yeah! Despite how it looks, this guy only has two incisors on each jaw that keep growing throughout its life! Pacas are rodents~"

"Whoa! Way to go, Amy!" Sonic cheers, the others joining in on congratulating her as the photo turns into a gold star. She blushes, rubbing at the back of her head with a smile.

"So, with all that out of the way, last but not least, what about...this guy?"

Instead of a photo in the corner, it disappears, and Matija poses, eyes half-closed and sleepy, as he points at his own face. One of his fangs peeks from the side of his mouth.

"Not a rodent! I get it already!" Eggman yells, his face red with anger.

"Well, as long as you get it," Matija shrugs. "Thanks for letting me borrow this."

The doctor keeps grumbling angrily as he hands it back before going back over to the robot that previously had a hold on him. He steps back into position as the hand wraps around him again and picks him up, his feet dangling off the ground like before.

"So yah, if you want to insult Sonic, you can't say rodent. It's not accurate, and of course, it's key to be correct in your statements," he hums, yawning as he crosses his arms to pillow his head on it again. "Hedgehogs are eulipotyphlan. Doesn't really roll off the tongue, but it's accurate."

"...Are you sure that's a version of you?" Knuckles asked, looking at Sonic. "He's way too smart to be you."

"Heeey—"

"And too tired. Is he okay? I think he's gone to sleep already," Amy murmurs.

Sure enough, when Eggman looks over, grumbling, he sees the hedgehog is indeed asleep despite just speaking moments before.

"Arrrrgh!!! Whatever. This ruined my mood. Anyway, he's still my hostage! Save him or something. I'm out!!"

He shuts off the com screen and starts stomping his way out of the room. Though, he does stop before exiting, glancing back at the sleeping hedgehog.

"Orbot! Cubot! Find an empty room for our guest! Nothing too cozy, though!"

...

And yes, if you're wondering, it's stuff like this that helps Matija keep his Eggman from causing as much trouble as he actually could. though, he doesn't have to try nearly as hard since his dad Eggman is easily self-amused.

Sato, Kirishima, and Tokoyami help lift and move some of the initial slabs, handing them off to Ochako to make the occasionally heavier ones weightless before handing them to others. Mezou and Jirou use their quirks to listen for him, confirming that he's alive, much to everyone's sincere relief. Asui starts carefully crawling on the concrete to differentiate sturdy from lose ground. Whenever something starts to slide too much or she finds a loose spot, Todoroki and Mineta use their quirks to force the concrete to stick in place.

Each of them put in a cohesive effort to save the boy under the collapsed rubble, to the point All Might finds himself quite astounded. The way Yaoyorozu took the rescue mission lead was impeccable, and she helped everyone find a place to help.

Although...

All Might's gaze turns up to the second floor of the building, where Young Bakugou still stands. He seems to be in shock, having not moved an inch since he went silent. Of course, he probably won't unfreeze until Young Midoriya's safety was fully secured.

As much as he'd like to hurry and scoop Young Midoriya up, allowing the student to continue their rescue efforts is a better idea. They've already started the rubble removal process and, unlike many of his other appearances, a single booming punch wouldn't solve the problem. In fact, it could cause more than fix them.

When he saves citizens from rubble, it's usually in the company of others. Or he swoops in and saves them before the collapse can become more severe.

"Tokoyami-kun!" Yaoyorozu suddenly calls out. "Can your quirk make other shapes made from darkness?"

"Indeed. Dark Shadow revels in the lack of light. It can also get mischievous with strength in the dark...but my control shan't wain."

"Then, see if you can send Dark Shadow into the cracks of the rock and find Midoriya-kun's location! Once found, if you can just make a dome around him--"

The others understood. With a protective dome in place, they could wreck the concrete without worries. All Might also caught on, laughing jovially.

"An astute plan, Young Yaoyorozu! Young Tokoyami, let me know the instant you've surrounded him!"

Asui gingerly crawls out of the way, and Tokoyami nods, summoning Dark Shadow. The darkness forms from where his belly button would be, a bird-like head forming, its face concealed in shadow, save for two glowing yellow eyes.

"He's around this area," Jirou tells him, pointing toward a section of concrete. "He's buried deeply under there, but--"

Then, they all hear a beeping noise. It echoes dimly from under the rubble.

A rescue signal.

"He's conscious," Mezou murmurs.

"Find the one concealed under this weight and protect him."

"Aye!!" the dark bird salutes him before diving into the shadows, spreading out and gaining power in the darkness.

A few moments pass with everyone waiting anxiously. Then, Tokoyami stiffens, his eyes growing wider, his beak shutting tighter.

"Did you find him?" Hagakure asks, clearly anxious.

"...I have. One moment."

But, he appears to not be saying something, shutting his eyes as he gets his quirk to prepare a protective dome.

"...The weight will be...very heavy. Please destroy the rubble quickly lest the dome fail..."

Then, he flexes, the rubble moving slightly as the dome forms. Immediately, the feathers on the back of his head flair with strain.

But not for long.

With a call and a mighty punch, All Might immediately sends the rubble flying off, the force of the wind causing most to break down into smaller stones and rocks. The kids all cluster together, their collective weight keeping them from getting blown away by errant winds on the sidelines.

Tokoyami's Dark Shadow, strained under the heavy weight and now under the wind, pops. The protective dome dissipates as the quirk seems to whine in pain, receding back into Tokoyami.

But Midoriya isn't left alone to the blow.

As if he'd sensed it wouldn't last too long, he already had his shield ready, holding it up as the remaining gusts of wind flush around it.

"Mii-kun!" "Izu-kun!"

The two girls immediately head toward him once the air settles, followed by the others, but they all stop when they realize that something's wrong.

The shield wavers slightly from where it somewhat conceals him. He's sitting on some remaining slabs, ones flat and partially protected by Dark Shadow before the quirk couldn't handle it anymore. But there had been a reason Tokoyami didn't allow all of the rubble to be destroyed.

Izuku lets out a weary groan, then the shield drops, smacking against the ground.

Blood pools under his left thigh, where rebar sticks out, having pierced through one side and out the other. It was nestled right beside his thigh bone, having cracked it.

Every move, every twitch, is agonizing.

Pain rips through his body like razor blades tipped in acid. His nerves scream in anguish as strands of muscle and flesh cling to the steel bar piercing his thigh.

He's broken out in a cold sweat underneath his uniform. But when he looks up at the others, the slightly malfunctioning mask glitches, still showing two closed, happy eyes.

"Th-Thank you... It was r-really dark," he murmurs softly. Then, he turns to look at his leg, finally seeing it in the light. The eyes on his mask glitch open. "Ahh... Uhm, this looks w-worse than it is. Don't worry. I'm okay."

His leg twitches involuntarily, and he stiffens, but the smiling eyes stiltedly return to his mask.

"Uhm... Is...uhm. I'm sorry. Is it okay...if I go to the nurse's office, sensei?"

It's a bit of a blur after that.

All Might swiftly has Midoriya taken away on a stretcher manned by medibots, the rebar still stuck in his leg to prevent further bleeding. He doesn't cry out while having the rebar sawed from the concrete despite it clearly being painful. Instead, he focuses on asking if Hagakure, Iida, and Kacchan are okay.

Hagakure's in tears, but she's otherwise uninjured thanks to Iida. And Iida's also generally uninjured, save for the swelling around his left eye. But that is something he won't need the nurse's office for.

They aren't sure about Bakugou's condition. He still hasn't moved from the second floor.

Midoriya says he'll see them later as he's taken away, thanking Hagakure for working with him.

A few minutes later, they were in the basement of the next building for their exercise. All Might had the footage from the previous round playing on the screens as he seems to prepare his notes.

Hagakure's still sniffling, Iida has a soothing patch around his eye, and Bakugou stands stiff, his right shoulder wrapped with medicine to reduce the swelling and bruising. He hasn't said a single thing to anyone since All Might got him down to join the others.

The mood is, quite frankly, atrocious.

And All Might knows. He already knows he's getting an earful, if not an outright scolding, the instant his class dismisses.

And he'll deserve it.

He thought he should allow Young Midoriya to face some hardship and give Young Bakugou the opportunity to look past his apparent prejudice. However, the assignment ended with his one quirkless student grievously injured, Young Bakugou clearly traumatized, and Young Hagakure and Iida either silent or crying.

With that amount of bleeding, there's no doubt the rebar hit a major artery in Midoriya's leg. The fact the very same rebar blocked his leg injury was likely the only reason the boy survived those several minutes under the rubble.

And yet, he allowed an elementary attempt at rubble rescue. A rescue that, if it had taken too long, could have led to the boy's death. And it wouldn't have been his classmates' fault. No, it would've entirely been his.

But, judging from the still shellshocked expression on Young Bakugou's face, and the overall chilled state of the class, they probably, very likely, would've blamed themselves.

It's...incredibly sobering. He has messed up quite severely on his first day.

He coughs briefly, then turns to the students.

"Now then... For the rest of the team battles today, while I would like for you to be able to go all-out, it's best to act carefully. Consider this exercise a lesson in stealth and quirk control. Get a feeling for what you can do to either conceal the bomb's presence or quietly capture it. And remember. The bomb is very, very sensitive. All future attempts should work around that mentality. Understood?"

"Yes..."

While some students said it quickly, others dragged their agreement. Indeed, the confidence and momentum they'd built up over the last few minutes has been shattered. But class must go on for now.

"Right then. Can someone tell me who won?"

Some of them look confused, turning to each other with questions clear on their faces. Eventually, Asui raises her hand.

"Uhm...can we really determine a winner from that, gero?"

"Yes, we can Remember, there are two conditions for heroes to win. One is to--"

Yaoyorozu raises her hand quickly, her expression firm.

Ah... There's a certain questioning and discomfort in her gaze that wasn't there earlier. Still, she's cooperating in the class, so he addresses her.

"No one won," she answers. And before he has to ask, she continues. "The first winning condition for heroes is to capture the bomb. The second winning condition for heroes or villains is to capture the other team. Midoriya-kun had captured Bakugou-kun around his forearm... Though he didn't honor his captured condition. And Hagakure-chan captured Iida-kun just a few seconds before the explosion.

So, the hero team met the second condition. However, after the point of the explosion, neither Iida-kun nor Hagakure-chan focused on stabilizing the bomb. The first win condition for the villain team was to protect the bomb. When it fell, that would've been a deadly explosion in any case outside of a classroom setting. So, the heroes failed to save the city, and the villains failed to protect the bomb. Nobody won."

"Ah."

...Actually, he was going to say that the hero team won, considering everything after Young Bakugou's explosion moot. However, Young Yaoyorozu makes a good point. If the bomb had been real, neither team would've accomplished their overall goal. One would've won the battle, the other lost, but the overall war was lost by everyone involved.

"...However, if we look outside of the scenario, Iida-kun and Midoriya-kun were particularly exemplary. Hagakure-chan did well to use her quirk to her advantage by hiding her tools, but she gave away her advantage when she made a premature plan that almost caused her to fail. She worked quickly to correct her mistake, and her throw was exceptional. So, I think she had many good parts in her participation.

Iida-kun, whilst acting like a villain, tried to use his knowledge to give himself an advantage. He also made preparatory measures to confront the heroes. However, he couldn't follow through on his villain act...which I don't think is a bad thing here. He could've seriously hurt Hagakure-chan if he didn't stop himself from reflexively kicking her. He couldn't see her, so he wouldn't know where he could kick safely, if he could at all.

Then, after the explosion, Iida-kun made an immediate threat assessment and, knowing that Hagakure-chan is real while the bomb is papier mache, he abandoned the classroom assignment to ensure the safety of his classmate. I think his ability to switch from a villain's point of view to a hero's and act on the tenants of heroics immediately is a good trait to have."

She pauses, the other students watching her as though she's the teacher. All Might sees no reason to stop her, though she is pretty well burning through all the assertions he was going to make.

After a deep, sighing breath, she continues.

"Midoriya-kun's part was also very strong. While he did not contribute as much physically, frankly, his planning was the main reason he and Hagakure-chan were so close to winning. I saw the hand code he used upon initially being confronting by Bakugou-kun--"

"A-And--" Hagakure cut in, her voice wobbly. "He helped me learn my quirk."

The others blink, surprised by this notion.

"Uhm... I always thought my quirk was invisibility. Doctors did, too. But it's actually something like...reflection. And, because of him, I learned I could hide things in my mouth to go completely invisible. With this in mind, I think...maybe there's more things I can do with my quirk."

She perks up a bit, clearing her throat. "And! And he made some verbal codes, too! Something we could say out loud and not be suspicious! Like, uhm, DNC! Divert and capture! It was a code we made in case we had to work alone! He also guessed which floor they'd keep the bomb, and even said he was sure Bakugou-kun would..."

And her mood deflates immediately, the girl falling silent.

"...Yes." Yaoyorozu's gaze lands on the normally rude-mouthed boy. He seems quite cowed, but she decides not to mince her words in the most professional way possible.

"Bakugou-san's explosions, from the beginning, could've threatened the bomb if it wasn't stably manufactured. Still, his attacks on Midoriya-kun also followed through with what one could generally expect of a villain--mainly that they'll attack whoever they think is the weakest link.

However, if he was thinking, he could have found a way to capture Midoriya-kun, then returned to the fourth floor to help Iida-kun capture Hagakure-chan. The conclusion would've been much less hazardous. He was too focused on his prejudice to consider the ramifications of his actions."

There's a few beats of silence, then All Might cuts in, trying to brighten the mood.

"Very good! You said everything, Young Yaoyorozu! So, with that in mind, who would you say was the MVP of this round?"

Kirishima quickly raises his hand, and All Might addresses him.

"It's gotta be Midoriya, right?"

"And why's that?"

"Like Hagakure-chan said, he made the plan and they followed through on it. If not for the explosion, they would've won."

"But, uh...wouldn't it be Iida?" Kaminari asks, sheepishly raising his own after he'd already started. "I mean, like, he protected Hagakure and was kinda, like, the first responder after the explosion."

"I mean, that's true, but if we're looking at it from the assignment--"

"But the explosion was real and Midoriya couldn't really do much about it," Mineta says, his arms crossed thoughtfully.

"He was the target of the explosion! And the building, it collapsed!"

"To be honest, I think I maybe would've died if I couldn't get away and was faced against that, gero."

The boys pause, turning to Asui. She stands slightly bent, her eyes half-closed in worried consideration, her large pointer finger against her bottom lip.

"My quirk doesn't do well against extreme air temperatures, after all. And, we've just started learning how to be heroes, so I don't really know what kind of training's necessary to make me sturdy enough to stand explosions yet. This was just supposed to be training, gero..."

Young Asui makes a point that, overall, helps them breach the subject they danced around.

Young Midoriya's quirklessness.

From Young Kirishima's stance, he focused on the logistical tactics the boy used without commenting on his strength in the situation. While indeed stronger than his partner, Young Hagakure, he was at a standstill against someone much more powerful. And, in the emergency that followed the explosion, Young Iida was more capable in that instance of true severity, as Young Kaminari pointed out.

The situation stated, in those terms, that Young Midoriya could be a hero in theory, but would become a hindrance in practice. That his dream of heroics was possible in very strict settings, but practically impossible.

But as Young Asui said, she likely wouldn't have survived the explosion at all, much less the following building collapse. Midoriya's intuitive equipment and ability to use it allowed him to survive in ways several of the other students wouldn't have been able to. His preparation for unknown circumstances kept him alive in a situation that should've never endangered his life.

They couldn't determine what he would've done had he been in Iida's position. But, based on what he did do as the target of the explosion, he handed it better that others would've.

That seems to silence Young Kaminari and Young Mineta's dissent.

After a moment, Young Hagakure raises her hand.

"I think it should be Mii-kun, too. He helped me with my quirk, made the plans, and he kept himself safe under all that rubble. He also had, uhm...he had tools to make sure someone could locate him! And first aid! So, he was very prepared."

The other students start nodding and murmuring their agreement, and Young Iida speaks up.

"I also think Midoriya-kun did the best he could in this uncontrolled situation."

"I should add an aid kit to my uniform too, huh..." Sero sighes.

"We should probably learn how to do first aid before that, though," Ashido replies, laughing slightly.

"I'd probably end up being the worst at bandaging," Sato agrees.

The mood lightens up a bit, and in the end, they all agree to make Young Midoriya the MVP.

Well, almost everyone. Young Bakugou still hasn't said a word. But he doesn't complain either.

--- ---

As the rest of the class continues, they act carefully against each other. Each team closely discusses the abilities of their quirk and move together when possible.

Battle #2: Uraraka and Tokoyami (H) vs Todoroki and Kouda (V)

While Shouto froze the building after Koji went outside, Ochako had been floating herself and Fumikage so they didn't touch the walls of the building. If not for Shouto's swift freezing attack after Fumikage tried to distract him as Ochako went for the bomb, the latter two would've won.

The MVP would've been Shouto...except flash freezing and warming a bomb so quickly could cause it to set off. So, as a precautionary measure, Ochako took the MVP spot. Shouto looked surprised, but otherwise stiffly said that she'd done well. Though, Ochako admitted that she felt she cheated him out of the MVP spot.

Battle #3: Sero and Aoyama (H) vs Mezou and Mineta (V)

Shouji held the bomb and would carefully move it between rooms during the process. Meanwhile, Minoru set up a defensive line of his hair balls.

Hanta managed to avoid the balls while Yuga got stuck, but the boy did shoot off a warning shot when Minoru tried to confront them and stick them both to the wall. Once at a standstill, Shouji left the bomb hidden in another room and told Minoru to retreat.

As Hanta chased after him, the boy used more balls to speed away, bouncing himself off of them. Just as the tall, tape-user wrapped Minoru with tape, Shouji clothes-lined him before wrapping him with capture tape.

With Yuga immobilized and Hanta captured, it was the villain team's win yet again. The MVP was Shouji for his leadership in the situation, although Minoru was a close second for using his quirk wisely.

Battle #4: Yaoyorozu and Ojiro (H) vs Jirou and Ashido (V)

After setting up a protective barrier around the bomb, Momo Mashirao decided to confront Mina and Kyouka directly. Momo and Mina ended up fighting, with Momo using quickly formed shields to block acid and sticky attacks.

Kyouka tried and failed against Mashirao's hand-to-hand combat skills, though she yelled out the location of the bomb so Mina could try going for it.

Mina attempted a swift escape to the bomb room, covering herself in acid so capture tape couldn't wrap around her. But Momo had anticipated this, using a cannon to fire flour at Mina, causing her acid to clump and stick together without the usual sliding effect.

She fell face first to the ground, and after Momo wrapped her in capture tape, she did first aid on her to make sure her nose was okay.

Of course, the MVP was Momo.

Battle #5: Sato and Kaminari (H) vs Asui and Kirishima (V)

Eijirou went in with the intent to cause damage, though substantially less than Bakugou had. As he caused a ruckus, Tsuyu found and slipped into the vent system.

Sato beefed up and went to confront him, though he couldn't punch through Eijirou's hardiness. Meanwhile, Denki stayed with the bomb, ready for an ambush...

However, the game was already over by the time he heard Tsuyu croak.

She'd opened the vent in the room and held onto the grate with her tongue so it wouldn't clang. Then, crawling on the ceiling, she made her way to the bomb and landed on it. Due to her stealth and teamwork with Eijirou, Tsuyu was the MVP. Besides, Kaminari was probably the worst person to leave to protect a bomb, considering his quirk.

With everyone finished, the students relax, happy that no other serious incidents occurred during their lesson.

"Good work, everyone!" All Might bellows. "You all did very well! We'll be practicing on using your quirks wisely and knowing your limits! Remember, you have many friends on your side to cover your weak points! For your first full training exercise, you all did wonderfully!"

Then, he turns away, his smile imperceivably tighter than before.

"Now then, I'm going to share the critique with Young Midoriya, so get undressed and return to your classroom!"

And just like that, he jets off, feeling the strain of his weakened quirk pulling at him, demanding that he deflate. As he leaves, though, he glances back, seeing the still-silent Bakugou stand like a ghost amongst the others.

That boy's ego is quite huge, he thinks, but the walls of his heart are fragile! He needs immediate counseling, but right now, I can't! I'm almost out of time from class alone!

He just barely makes it back to the staff changing room before he deflates in a puff of hot smoke. All Might coughs into his fist, blood speckling his fingers.

Ahh...he's really running out of time. He's holding on for as long as he can, but ever since he's passed the torch, the embers he's holding onto are getting weaker. Just a few months ago, he could last for three hours. Now, he was working just above two hours of heroic activities a day, and he'd used one on his way to work.

So, no more All Might for today, huh...

Toshinori sighs, sagging against the door. Then, he picks at his outfit, once form-fitting, but now hanging off his thin body like loose skin.

"...Alright."