Director Nezu was holding a meeting with the Academy's top faculty members.
They had been evaluating and determining which class the new batch of students belonged to, and were now discussing the placement of the most outstanding individuals.
Holographic panels displayed the profiles of two siblings whose performance during the practical exam had caught the attention of those present.
-Terumi Mei and Terumi Tetsumaru. This pair stood out in the tests due to their efficiency in combat. Neither of them had any trouble dealing with the adversaries—I dare say it was almost too easy, especially for the boy, who, aside from taking a higher position, didn't move a single time until the end of the test- said Nezu, his eyes gleaming as he reviewed the report.
-His Quirk, Satetsu, demonstrated a versatility that would work in a multitude of situations beyond combat, as we saw in the recordings- commented Cementoss while a projection from different angles and places showed the discreet saves the Iron Sand made during the exam.
Impact dampening, small shields that stopped concrete projectiles before they found the heads of other students, a small support pillar that prevented a wall from collapsing and putting other combatants.
Small pieces of Sand that crept between the machines' joints, slowing or deflecting their movements and giving an opportunity to those students who were about to be struck.
-He obtained 50 points by defeating opponents, and 50 rescue points. He showed camaraderie by supporting his peers without them even noticing.
He didn't seek credit for it or speak to any of them, and he also limited himself to getting a decent score and not absolutely demolishing the machines, as he could have done- said Midnight with a mischievous smile.
-It was an almost perfect performance- said Aizawa, his eyes narrowed at the image of the shinobi's inexpressive face. -If it weren't for the fact that his intentions are so obvious, I'd think he was another All Might.
The silence fell over the room. Everyone was aware that the boy hadn't performed such feats out of pure selflessness or a heroic spirit. His posture, his bored gaze, the way he did things—everything screamed one thing: he wanted to get their attention.
-He understood how this game worked and he played it well, but that audacity... - Cementoss didn't finish the sentence.
-The same goes for his sister. Although her case is perhaps more brazen- said Aizawa with boredom.
-Her Quirk, "Suiton", wasn't used a single time. She wiped the floor with pure physical skill- said Nezu, glancing over the reports about the reddish-brown-haired girl.
It was assumed that Terumi Mei's Quirk allowed her to expel water from her hands. By the time her Quirk was registered, she could barely emit a stream like that of a faucet.
-They are concealing their abilities, but not from us. Their profile suggests they are intelligent enough to know we have access to their records- said Aizawa.
-It's curious. Normally, children are dying to show off their abilities, but according to our information, no one in kindergarten or middle school knew they had Quirks. They never used them in public, or at least there's no record of it- commented Midnight.
His eyes fell upon Tetsumaru's serene, bored, and attractive demeanor. His eyes, which were similar to those of another student and All Might himself, emitted a sinister, stern vibe, completely removed from his more cheerful counterparts.
-I believe Terumi Tetsumaru's abilities would be best employed in Class 1-B. That versatility and his very good control would help the development of my students- suggested Vlad King.
-He got the highest score and didn't even demonstrate his full capabilities - Aizawa began his retort, staring at his colleague.
-The fact that he didn't even utter a word in either the written or the practical exam, and given what we know from his psychological profile, it is safe to assume the boy has some sort of silent superiority complex.
No matter how versatile his abilities are, if that bored attitude towards everything isn't corrected, he will only be a failure- Aizawa countered.
-Hmph, teamwork and socialization can deal with that. I can mold him into something that benefits people- Vlad retorted, and the duo began another heated argument over the acquisition of Tetsumaru.
The arguments went back and forth across the room, causing the rest of those present to sigh.
-I'm not saying he can't be a team player, but that kind of attitude is something I can handle better, Vlad.
The boy doesn't need to be praised for his abilities, he needs to be efficient. You can't use a talented student to boost the others while leaving him aside- said Aizawa.
-What about his sister? She got second place with 92 points and didn't even use her Quirk. If her brother is a point of reference, then Terumi Mei's growth with her Suiton could be just as surprising- Nezu interrupted the discussion.
Silence returned to the room. Terumi Mei was an unknown quantity in many ways.
It was assumed that her Quirk consisted of expelling water from her hands, but her speed, physical strength, and ability to run horizontally and vertically up walls had no relation whatsoever to her Quirk.
-The sensors didn't detect the use of water at any time. It's not like she was using pressurized jets to move faster, and I can't imagine any ability to move on walls as if they were solid ground using water- said Midnight, thoughtfully.
-My theory is that perhaps she can move the water inside her throughout her body, using herself like a puppet while the movement of the water is what gives her that power and speed- proposed Cementoss, scratching his head. Even to him, that explanation sounded ridiculous, but he couldn't imagine anything else.
-I will take her too. These siblings are hiding things, and I prefer to keep my eyes on them- said Aizawa, his tone decisive.
While the discussion intensified once again between the teachers of 1-A and 1-B, All Might, in his emaciated form, was thinking about the challenges awaiting his successor.
Izuku would face great challenges. All Might's mind turned to exceptional students like Todoroki, Bakugo, and the Terumi siblings.
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-Well, this is much bigger than it looked in the anime- commented Mei with a worried expression.
They were at the gates of U.A., their eyes scanning the immensity of the buildings. Around them, students were entering, some casually, others nervously, most accompanied by their families.
Tetsumaru and Mei had come alone, their adoptive parents busy with work. They didn't mind too much. They were not 15-year-old children at all.
In spite of this, they didn't dare venture too far in for one simple reason: they had no idea how to find their way around.
Neither of them was particularly good at reading maps, so they decided to wait to see one of the plot characters and follow them.
It wasn't difficult since those characters were so distinctive that even without having seen more than a few episodes of the anime, they could visually recognize them.
They walked carelessly, as if they knew what they were doing, while following a girl with pink skin and hair of the same hue.
Thanks to Mina, the duo was able to find the Class 1-A classroom. They waited a few seconds and finally entered in silence.
Several pairs of eyes fixed on the couple. Some, like Mineta and Denki, had a flash of excitement upon seeing the brown-haired beauty who walked in with a smile as flirtatious as it was confident.
A tall young man with glasses approached the duo and extended a hand.
-Hello, I am Iida Tenya. A pleasure to meet you- he said with a formal and respectful tone. Mei smiled politely and shook his hand with more firmness than Iida expected. It was more like greeting a man than a young lady.
-Terumi Mei. This one here is Tetsumaru- she said. Her other half merely nodded, with little desire to deal with anyone in general. It wasn't just about pretending to be a mediocre, emotionless character; Tetsumaru genuinely got the lazier and less expressive part of their soul.
Then they sat in a corner. Mei took out a book and began to read while Tetsumaru connected his headphones and played music online.
However, despite their apparent lack of interest, the duo studied the children present.
For now, only the pink-skinned girl, Iida, the blond and perverted dwarf, the red-haired boy who they now remembered could turn hard as a rock, the half-gothic girl with the headphones, the ice-and-fire brat, and the one with the big breasts were there.
No one else tried to interact with them, and so it continued until the rest of the class arrived.