April arrived, ushering in the start of the new academic year at U.A. High School. Amelia stood in her room, looking at her reflection in the mirror. She adjusted the collar of her uniform—a crisp white shirt under a gray jacket adorned with blue-green stripes, a red tie, and a dark blue-green pleated skirt. The small golden button on her tie glinted in the morning light.
Her family had already left for the day, leaving the house eerily silent. Amelia sighed, slinging her bag over her shoulder. It felt odd not having anyone around to see her off or to tell her how she looked in the new uniform. She took a deep breath, trying to shake off the loneliness, and left the house, locking the door behind her.
The walk to the station was quiet, the morning air crisp with a hint of spring. She arrived at the station early, the platform sparsely populated with other students and commuters. Amelia's eyes scanned the crowd, searching for a familiar face. She spotted Izuku approaching from the distance, his distinct green hair tousled by the wind. He was grinning widely, jogging toward her, but something about his appearance made her giggle.
"Izuku, your tie…" she chuckled, pointing at the short, awkwardly tied knot that could barely be called a tie.
Izuku stopped, his cheeks flushing with embarrassment. "Oh, I tried to fix it, but it just—"
"Here, let me help," Amelia offered, stepping closer. She deftly untied and retied the tie, her fingers moving with practised ease. As she adjusted the length, Izuku froze, his breath catching slightly at the sudden closeness. Through his lashes, he caught glimpses of her blue eyes, sparkling with concentration and framed by her long lashes.
Amelia finished with a light pat on his chest, her face warming as she met his gaze. "There, all fixed," she said, a small smile playing on her lips. She noticed the diamond-shaped freckles scattered across his cheeks, a detail she hadn't seen up close before.
"Uh, thanks," Izuku murmured, a blush creeping up his face as well. He looked slightly dazed, the tips of his ears turning pink.
Amelia stepped back, fanning her face slightly. "Is it just me, or is it really hot here?" she muttered, more to herself than to Izuku. The train arrived with a whoosh, saving them from further awkwardness, and they boarded, heading towards U.A. High School with a mix of excitement and nerves.
Upon arriving at U.A, Amelia and Izuku joined the throng of students making their way to their respective classes. They walked side by side through the bustling halls, their uniforms blending in with the sea of similarly dressed students. Eventually, they stood before the imposingly large door of Class 1-A.
Amelia's heart pounded as she pushed open the door, hoping to see familiar faces. Her hopes were immediately fulfilled, though not quite as she had imagined. Inside the classroom, Tenya Iida and Katsuki Bakugo were embroiled in a heated argument.
Tenya, ever the stickler for rules, was chastising Katsuki for propping his feet up on his desk. "This behaviour is highly disrespectful to the school!" Tenya scolded, his glasses gleaming with a mixture of frustration and indignation.
Katsuki, unfazed, responded with a sneer. "Like I care. I'll do what I want."
Tenya took a deep breath, trying to maintain his composure. "We should be setting an example of decorum, especially in such a prestigious institution."
Katsuki's eyes narrowed dangerously. "I don't need lectures from you. I'll crush you if you get in my way."
Amelia exchanged a worried glance with Izuku as they entered the classroom. Izuku sighed, recognizing the tension immediately. Before he could intervene, Tenya turned to him, his demeanor shifting from exasperation to curiosity.
"Ah, you're the one from the exam," Tenya said, adjusting his glasses. "I apologize for my earlier behavior. I misjudged you. I'm Tenya Iida, and I've come to recognize that your actions during the practical exam demonstrated a true hero's spirit."
Izuku blinked in surprise at the sudden change in tone. "Uh, thank you. I'm Izuku Midoriya. It's nice to meet you."
Their conversation was interrupted by Ochaco Uraraka's cheerful voice. "Green hair! Over here!" She waved enthusiastically as she approached them. "I wanted to thank you for saving me during the exam. You were amazing!"
Katsuki's expression darkened as he watched the interaction, memories of his confrontation with Izuku after the exam bubbling to the surface. He had been furious, unable to comprehend how Izuku had managed to pass. Now, seeing him here, being praised by their peers, only fueled his anger.
Before he could voice his frustration, the door at the front of the classroom slid open, and a strange sight met their eyes. A man with disheveled black hair and tired eyes lay on the floor, bundled up in a yellow sleeping bag. He looked more like a caterpillar than a teacher, his presence incongruous with the bustling energy of the students.
He peeked out from the sleeping bag, his gaze sweeping across the room with a bored expression. "If you're here to play at being friends," he said, his voice dry and unimpressed, "go somewhere else."
The class fell silent, eyes wide with confusion and curiosity. The man sighed, unzipping the sleeping bag and standing up with an air of reluctance. He wore a gray capture weapon around his neck, and his demeanor radiated a kind of weary nonchalance.
"I'm Shota Aizawa," he introduced himself with a tone that suggested he'd rather be anywhere else. "Your homeroom teacher. Welcome to Class 1-A."
The students exchanged glances, whispering among themselves as Shota surveyed them with a weary expression. "Follow me to the P.E. field," he instructed, turning on his heel without further explanation.
Amelia and Izuku exchanged looks of surprise and quickly joined the line of students filing out of the classroom. As they exited, Shota paused and added, "Change into your P.E. clothes first. You'll find them in your lockers in the changing rooms."
The class buzzed with a mix of excitement and apprehension as they made their way to the locker rooms. Amelia found her locker easily and quickly changed into the P.E. uniform—a simple yet functional outfit designed for agility and comfort. Izuku, in the boys' locker room, struggled momentarily with the unfamiliar attire but managed to change quickly.
Once dressed, they headed to the P.E. field where Shota was waiting, his arms crossed and his expression as inscrutable as ever. "Today, we'll be conducting a Quirk Apprehension Test to assess your abilities."
"Let's start with the ball throw," Aizawa announced, holding up a softball. He turned to Bakugo, who stood nearby with his arms crossed. "Bakugo, let's use you as an example. In junior high, what was your best result for the softball throw?"
Bakugo smirked, responding confidently, "67 meters."
Suppressing a smirk at Bakugo's brash demeanour, Amelia watched as Aizawa nodded. "Then, try doing it with your Quirk," Aizawa instructed, handing Bakugo the softball and motioning for him to step into the middle of a marked circle. "You can do whatever you want as long as you stay inside the circle. Now hurry up."
Bakugo, stretching briefly, prepared himself. His intense gaze fixed on the horizon, he wound up, letting out a fierce explosion as he hurled the ball. "DIE!" he shouted, his battle cry echoing through the field.
Amelia raised an eyebrow. 'He said it...' she thought, bemused.
The ball rocketed into the sky, propelled by Bakugo's explosive force. As it soared away, Aizawa remained unfazed. "Know your own maximum first," he said calmly.
A small beeping noise emanated from the device in Aizawa's hand. He turned it around to display the distance: "705.2 meters."
Students gasped and murmured in awe at the impressive result. Bakugo smirked, clearly pleased with himself.
"This is the most rational way to form the foundation of a hero," Aizawa stated, his voice carrying a matter-of-fact tone.
"In middle school, your throw was recorded at sixty-four meters," he noted, his eyes focused on her intently.
"Let's see what you can do now," Shota remarked, though his expression remained neutral. "This should set a good benchmark for the rest of you."
"Some of you might think this is just another school," Aizawa began, his voice cutting through the air like a blade. "A place where you'll make friends, have fun, and become heroes without any real effort. Let me disabuse you of that notion right now."
The class was silent, the weight of his words settling heavily on them.
The students buzzed with excitement, eager to showcase their own abilities. However, Shota quickly dampened their enthusiasm with a stern warning. "Before we begin, you should know that the student who ranks last in total points will be expelled immediately."
The announcement sent a ripple of shock through the class. Ochaco protested, her voice trembling slightly. "That's not fair! We've barely started. How can you decide that so quickly?"
"Unfair? Then what about natural disasters? Massive accidents? Or how about the Villains?" Aizawa continued, his tone cold and unyielding. "All kinds of unfairness are hurled at heroes on a day-to-day basis, and it's our job to turn that unfairness around. If you were expecting to have a friendly chat at a fast-food joint right after class, then you're sorely mistaken. From now on, for the next three years of your life in this school, U.A. is going to be throwing one hardship after another at you. This is 'Plus Ultra.' I expect you to overcome these hardships and climb to the top."
The students looked at each other, their excitement tempered by the stark reality Aizawa had laid out before them.
"Welcome to the Department of Heroics! Time to step up to the plate," Aizawa finished, his gaze challenging each of them to rise to the occasion. He beckoned the students towards the first trial.