Chapter Text
Chapter 6:
The Tests
There was a time in Izuku's life where he liked swimming. On one of his mother's rare days off the little family would make the trek to the local beach. Izuku would spend the day battling the waves and scouring the sand for tributes for his mother. Inko would choose the catch up on her latest book as she watched her child run amuck.
As with all things time changes the landscape, the once nice beach filled with trash at a rate the locals could not keep up with. The young boy grew into a young man and Inko's days off became another shifting memory. Izuku would always look back at those memories fondly and dream of feeling the cool water splash around him once more as his mother calls him back to shore. This was not one of those times.
Water toppled over Izuku's head and pushed him under, bubbles swirled and up became down. He fought against the waves and kicked his legs hard; just as he broke the surface and gulped down a greedy breath of air another wave came and dragged him under. Water roared in his ears and salt stung his eyes. The cruel cycle repeated over and over again, his clothes quickly became anchors dragging him into the depths. With every shove of the water Izuku fought desperately against fate. He has survived thus far, like hell he is going to let some water kill him.
His fist breaks through the surface after the last wave, face just above the surface as water streams down his wet skin, in the split second before the next crashing wave he spots it, a window with shadowed figures standing behind it. Taking a deep breath he dives beneath the waves, the water is much calmer beneath the angry swirling vortex above. He points himself in the direction of the window and begins gliding through the water.
The need for oxygen cuts his swim short, he surfaces just after a waves breaks and quickly takes in his surroundings. Approximately fifty feet ahead is a solid metal wall and ten feet above the water is the previously spotted window. The waves are less frequent on the permitter with the largest in volume being focused in the middle, Izuku quickly theorizes that is where he was dropped in.
As Izuku is taking in his new environment he feels it, the subtle pulling of water being sucked out, a large wave was coming and moments later he is proven right. A particular large swell fills his vision, thinking quick Izuku takes a deep breath and dives down. Counting to ten Izuku resurfaces just in time to see the wave run right into the wall and splashes up to the window, this gives him an idea.
The small tug of the water pulls him back again, instead of fighting it Izuku lines himself up and begins swimming in front of the swell. More and more water is sucked back as he paddles just as the wave crests Izuku allows his body to go limp and be carried by the force. He crashes into the wall, his pruned fingers grip at the smooth metal as the water pushes him upward. Just as the water reaches it zenith Izuku feels he fingers grip onto a ledge.
The waves recedes and leaves Izuku dangling by one hand, the surface slick. He reaches up and anchors his other hand to the ledge. Teeth barred he flexes the muscles in his arms and slowly starts to drag himself higher. His toes scrambled for purchase as his fingers dig into the unrelentingly metal.
"Come one, Come one" he mutters, eyes screw in effort.
The next wave crashes below him, water racing up the wall. He feels it envelop his legs, hands move from the ledge to the outer lip of the window as the water pushes him up. Feet find the ledge and water rushes past him. As the latest waves recedes Izuku finds himself staring into wide glossy pupiless red eyes. Hair is plastered to his face as his mouth contours into a snarl, he's sure he looks wild, but at this moment he does not give a damn. Raising a fist he bangs on the glass.
"Let" Bang! "Me" Bang! "OUT!" BANG! spiderwebs splinter from his hand. The room beyond erupts into pandemonium, someone in the periphery falls out of their chair in a scramble. Izuku continues to stare at the frozen form in front of him, hand on a control board. Slowly they reach into their pocket and pulls out a well known item.
"Oh you got to be shitting me" electricity flares from the collar at his throat as the button is pressed.
Izuku's hands spasm as the shock ripples down his body. He looses his grip and plummets back into the water, the waves momentary still. He lands on his back and floats back to the surface. Faces peer down at him from the fractured window. In a move that would make even Bakugo proud, he extends both shaky hands high and proceeds to flip them off.
The waves start again.
Pale blue light illuminates the cluttered office, cycles old food sits out on trays long forgotten, papers and data ports litter every available surface. A wall of monitors provide the only light source in the wrecked room. A figure sits at the desk, large red eyes flickering from monitor to monitor taking in the provided data, three fingers fly across a input board.
"Subject shows advance form of environmental adaptation showing an affinity for swimming, running and climbing. Peak exhaustion after two point two five rotations. Subjects muscle density has increased since preliminary scan on transport ship…." quiet frantic mutter fills the room.
The silhouette is so adsorbed in their work that they do not hear the quiet beep of the card reader nor the woosh of the door sliding open. Bright white light spills into the room battling against the dinge.
"Doctor Ula" the new comer says, the only response they receive is more taping and muttering at a increased speed.
"Doctor Ula" they try again this time taking a small step into the room. Just as their foot begins to fall a hand shoots out.
"Do not take another step" the one at the computer says, the messenger freezes, "you were about to step on my findings from the elevated temperature eluviation." They slowly lift their foot and sees the discarded paper they were about to step on.
Doctor Ula rises from her station, her height would be impressive if is wasn't for the stained lab coat the drapes her form. Her large red eyes take in the intruder, they are a squat thing gray skin sparkles with sweat and respiration vents give way to their terror. On one of their arms sits a band with a single red stripe.
"What is a runner doing here interrupting my work? I gave very clear instructions that I am not to be bothered while I review the latest findings" Ula questions.
The runner bows their head in submission, "m-my apologies Doctor Ula" they stammer, "Commander Giks said you are wanted in the leaders office and your communicator was turned off."
"I turned it off for a reason, did Giks give a reason for the summons?" Doctor Ula says.
"N-no, Doctor Ula" they retort eyes trained to the paper ridden floor.
Ula brings a hand to her head and rubs at her bald temple, she really hates to be interrupted while interpreting data sets.
"You are dismissed, I will be there shortly" she says with a wave of her hand.
"Yes D-doctor Ula, thank you Doctor Ula" the runner reply head bowed as they make a speedy exit.
Ula sighs at the retreating figure before picking up her long abandoned communicator. Powering it on she is very quickly inundated with messages from the aforementioned commander.
She replies to the messages before pocketing the device and makes her way out the room.
Ula makes quick work of the corridors as she travels through the maze of halls and lifts, a passing window catches her attention. The near by red planet certainly is beautiful this time of rotation, glowing in the dying light of a near by star. Her musings is cut short by a quick succession of buzzing from her pocket. She flashes her nictitating membrane in annoyance, its most likely Giks throwing another super nova. She straightens her coat and continues down the hall.
Getting off the last lift ride she flashes her band at the guard standing watch. They nod and swipe their key card at the near by panel the door opens and Ula makes her way inside without sparing the guard another look. There at the end of a shiny long hall stands a impressive door, thick and sturdy and standing in font of the thick and sturdy door is the thick and sturdy Commander Giks scale covered arms crossed in frustration.
"Where the cosmos were you?" Giks seethed as Ula approached.
Ula give him a unamused look, "My lab reviewing the data from the latest trials, a blessedly Commander Giks free room until your little lackey nearly trampled all over it."
"I wouldn't have to send a runner if you would just reply to your damn communicator." Giks retorts.
"I turned it off, as I said before I don't like for my work to be distributed." Ula says.
Giks points a sharps black nail at Ula's chest, "You are to come when I call you, do you understand?"
Ula's head shifts as her red eyes bore into Giks black slits, "since when is the research division under the purview of the security division?"
Giks pauses, "it's not."
"That's right!" Ula cheers, "so why does it sound like you are giving me an order, Commander."
Giks closes his eyes in contempt, this is a long rehearsed conservation between him and the Doctor.
"Doctor Ula what I meant-" Ula cuts him off, "I am the head of the research division and without me all of these creatures that bring in the crowds would be dead in four rotations. So you will treat me with the respect of my station."
Giks send a quick thought to the cosmos for strength as he tries again, "Doctor Ula, will you please speak with the leader, he is waiting for you."
"I will" Ula replies hand out stretched to the scanner besides Giks, "but not because you asked, I have findings to present" with that the scanner flashes green and the door swing opens. Ula strolls in missing the murderous look and gesture Giks flashes her.
The door closes on soft hinges, Ula stands at attention hands clasped behind her back. There at the other end of the room sits a large desk eclipsed by the window that makes up the back wall shrouded in the red glow of the iron planet. Vultel Ragnier, their leader, sits at the desk marking instrument flying across documents.
"Doctor Ula" Vultel says not raising his gaze from the paper, "I called for you a while ago."
Ula gulps the strong front she presented to Giks has all but vanished, "My apologies sir, I was compiling the latest data set and did no-"
"-You are to come when I call you" Vultel interrupts black void of an eye finally sliding off of the paper before landing on her own.
"Yes sir, will not happen again sir" Ula replies
"See to it that is does not" Vultel dismisses attention again returning to the document. Ula breathes a sigh of relief.
"Speaking of our latest acquisition" Ula strengthens again, "what are the preliminary findings?"
Ula nods before launching into her speech, "frankly sir this creature is like nothing we have ever seen before. Its body shows signs of instant adaption to its environment. The skin wrinkles in prolonged exposer to water for better grip, its blood vessels expand for cooling in high heat and constricts in freezing temperatures. The cardio vascular system regulates its self in prolonged motion only showing signs of exhaustion after nearly three rotation. Further more after the latest scan we have discovered that its very muscle density has improved, it's getting stronger."
"Is it ready for the next event?" Vultel questions.
"Sir?" Ula responds.
"Is the creature ready for the next fight" Vultel says again, bite creeping into his tone.
"Sir, we have hardly scrapped the surface of what this thing is capable of, it's entire to soon to enter it-"
"-Doctor Ula" he interjects, "do you know how many resources were spent on the procurement of this being. Between paying off the counsel mole, slipping into the quarantine zone and the casualties of its two rampages?"
Vultel rises from the desk; a halo of green tree like appendage jut from his head, the setting red planet encases him in a eerie light, every ounce of him screams control. Ula smartly keeps her mouth close. Vultel turn from her to observe the scene below, the dull roar of a distance crowd makes its way into the quiet room.
"I believe it is time for it to earn its keep, I will evaluate it myself" Vultel finishes.
"Sir, you can't mean" Ula starts.
"Doctor Ula!" Vultel snaps head turning one hundred-eighty degrees to stare at her, "I do not like repeating myself. You are dismissed." Vultel turns back to observe the masses below.
"Yes sir, right away sir." With that Ula bows her head and exits the room.
Doctor Ula speed walks down the hall lab coat billowing behind her. Giks is there now posted at the opposite end, arms crossed and leaned back again the wall.
"How did it go?" Giks questions.
"Commander Giks" Ula addresses, Giks stands up straight, Ula almost sounds scared.
"You are to round up your strongest guards and meet me at container zone five" Giks eyes go wide.
"The leader wishes to meet the creature."