I'm occasionally chilling in JaxWolf4's (Author of Nah, I'd Adapt) Discord Server. It's a chaotic lobotomy mess. Not for the faint of heart.
Here's the link:
Disc: HrPrTeam
(Special Credit to QuilltedBear & Honoured_Writer for the Beta Reading Labor!)
-Story Start-
Mineta's shoulders trembled under the weight of his expulsion closing in on him, as his heart rate sky-rocketed and his breath quickened.
And it all...
Was for naught.
"I lied." Aizawa's sudden manic grin broke everyone out of their stupor.
Mineta blinked, as he could only let out a whimpering, "Wha-what?"
Aizawa repeated himself, "I said I lied. No one was going to be expelled in this test, it was a ruse to get you to break through your limits... plus ultra." He said with dead enthusiasm.
...
""WHATTTTTTTTTTTTTTT?!"" Many yelled in unison.
Mineta's shaking legs lost all their strength and he fell to the ground in utter relief, "I-I'm alive!" He cried out loudly, tears trickling down his face.
Yet, Yaoyorozu's chuckle caught everyone's attention.
"I-I'm sorry, everyone! I should have said it sooner, I thought Aizawa-sensei's intent was clear." She apologized sheepishly amid her chuckle.
"Oh, you! You should have said something sooner!" Toru Hagakure's floating uniformed visage, the now-named invisible girl, approached Yaoyorozu and pinched her cheeks with an annoyed huff.
"No kidding... I was this close to dying." Kaminari shook his head at the reality check he was seconds away from getting.
Yet... amid their relieved sighs and Mineta's return to religion; the grape-haired boy seemingly went into a sudden thankful prayer.
A sharp voice rejected Yaoyorozu's words.
"Not quite," Aoi stated firmly, his arms folded and expression chiseled.
Yuji approached his brother first, inquiring in the name of all those less-than-amiable with the peculiar and violent Gorilla, "What do you mean, Aoi?"
A smirk formed on Aoi's face and he turned his head to the glaring Aizawa.
Aoi gleefully revealed as everyone paid attention to his words, "It's simple."
"Aizawa-sensei saying he lied... was a lie in and of itself."
Yuji deadpanned, "I don't get it."
While he didn't, many others did, and Yaoyorozu was the first to press him on that accusation:
"Are you insinuating that Aizawa-sensei intended to expel last place?" She stroked her chin in contemplation.
Aoi shook his head, "Why ponder when he is right here? Isn't that right, Aizawa-sensei?"
All eyes then turned to Aizawa at Aoi throwing the ball in his court.
He didn't seem fazed whatsoever, and he easily admitted a scary truth.
"If one of you had displayed a lack of potential or effort, then I would have expelled you - regardless of whether you placed last or not." He confirmed.
Prompting a loud gulp from Mineta who was going through quite the rough emotional whiplash, much less the black eye induced by the rather uncomfortably silent Bakugo.
Yet, the one feeling the brunt of Aizawa's harsh glare was, oddly enough...
Denki Kaminari.
"Some of you, neglect your physical training just because you have a powerful quirk or because you feel it is unnecessary for your Quirk, or any other pathetic, lazy excuse."
He called out Kaminari rather sharply, "Kaminari, while Mineta could only utilize his Quirk for but one of the tests... physically, you were almost outdone by a boy a fifth of your size."
"While I am certain Mineta could have placed higher with smarter utilization of his Quirk; that is for the Hero Program to improve, what I am here for..."
"However, basic endurance should have been a matter of fact to be a Hero regardless of what your Quirk is." His tired voice cut sharper than a knife, as Kaminari paled at the blunt and painfully correct assessments.
Sighing, Aizawa finally turned to address the entirety of Class 1-A who were feeling mixed emotions.
"Your place here isn't set in stone. There's a reason U.A. is internationally recognized and is Japan's Number One Hero Program. This place is a den of sharks. Slack-off, work less than others even if you have a powerful Quirk, and before you know it... a student from the General Course will take your place."
"This isn't a place for games, this is a profession that is responsible for the saving of lives. A matter of life and death in this chaotic Quirk Society."
Yuji could only frown deeply, yet solemnly nod.
Out of everyone here, only he and Aoi truly knew the weight of that statement.
Turning around, Aizawa ended his speech as he headed off, "Keep that in mind for the rest of your time here. Head off to your next class." He dismissed everyone with naught another word or time for questioning.
...
Few dared to move as they digested the actual meaning of Aizawa's words.
The weight of his words pressed down on each and every boy and girl present - Heroics isn't all fun and games.
It isn't all glory, it isn't all sunshine and rainbows.
This was serious.
Determination, anxiety, motivation, fear...
It was an emotional mixed bag for all present.
Some had been handed cruel reality checks seeing the results of the simple Quirk Assessment Test.
'Fifth... place? Me?' Confusion marred Bakugo's features.
Once, was happenstance - Yuji Itadori overwhelmed him in the Exam.
Twice, was a coincidence - Aoi Todo performing even better than that freak.
But a third time?
Momo Yaoyorozu?
Shoto Todoroki?
...
And from confusion came a realization:
'They... aren't Extras.' He thought with profound realization.
And with it... came a fiery motivation.
A grin formed on his face, 'What's a rise to the top without some obstacles?' He snickered internally.
Only for his thoughts as well as the thoughts of many others to be disrupted by a 'timely' joke.
"Talk about a great start, am I right guys?" Sero tried to ease the tense and almost depressive atmosphere.
...
Pindrop silence.
"That sucked." Kaminari chuckled first, pointing at Sero degradingly.
"At least I ain't 19th place!"
"Lowblow, dude." Yuji shook his head with an amused smile.
"Shut it! PinkMight!" Sero demanded with an accusatory finger.
Blinking, Yuji pointed at himself, "PinkMight?"
Kirishima smiled amicably, "You know, you're just as manly strong as All Might! but you've got pink hair, hence the nickname." He explained.
Kyoka Jiro, the now-named girl with earphone jacks, scratched her head with impressive control of her earphone jacks, "Talk about unimaginative..."
Aoi's shout suddenly spooked everyone present, particularly those near him, "THAT'S WRONG!"
And especially wounding Jiro, who teared up in pain due to the sheer volume.
"TO COMPARE ALL MIGHT TO MY BROTHER? MY BROTHER IS FAR GREATER!"
...
"I wanna go hide in a corner." Yuji whimpered in genuine embarrassment and with slumped shoulders.
"Wind that back for me real quick, you two are related?" Ashido inquired with a curious smile.
Even the more introverted of the bunch were curious - particularly one half-and-half boy who was interested in confirming his theories.
In that instant, as if having prepared an answer beforehand, the two brothers straightened up and their expressions were the epitome of stoicism.
Deadly serious, Yuji pointed a thumb at Aoi and Aoi did the same, pointing a thumb at himself as the two of them answered:
"He's adopted."
"I'm adopted."
...
"From where? The Gorilla Enclosure?" Mineta couldn't help himself.
-------------------------------
"GOOD MORNING FIRST YEAR LISTENERS!!!!!!!!!!!" A loud announcement rang out in the premises of Class 1-A.
A shout that shook the entire room, and once again injured poor Jiro as her head fell on her desk.
Present Mic made quite the noisy entrance, as his eyes scanned the entire classroom, "Sheesh, Shota really shook you guys, huh? I swear he's a closet sadist."
"Woah, did he rough you up more than I expected? Are you feeling well little listener?" He immediately noted the two black eyes on Mineta's face, it was a show of incredible endurance and resilience that he could even stand and keep a straight face.
Mineta appeared unfazed, as he put up an obvious bravado, "Tis but a scratch."
Shrugging, Present Mic didn't argue, "Well, if you guys ever get roughed up, recall we have Recovery Girl on stand-by, and she's never overworked."
He turned to the whiteboard as he took in a piece of chalk, drawing on it the title of today's lesson.
"Today! We'll be learning 'Present Simple' he said with a notable English accent."
One bird-headed student clenched his fists tightly, "Curses, Present Simple."
"Come on now! Show some enthusiasm, dear listeners! This is only the first day... NOW EVERYBODY SAY HEYYYYYYYYYYYYY!"
...
"HEYYY!" Yuji was the only one to go with Present Mic's flow.
"THAT SETTLES IT! YOU'RE MY FAVORITE!"
-------------------------------
Yuji's grip on his seat trembled, as sweat trickled down his face.
Ectoplasm-sensei's class was in session.
The subject?
Math.
But that wasn't the worst part.
He paled, as he lamented with a subtle whisper, "Trigonometry."
Though it wasn't exactly a subtle whisper, as his seat neighbors heard his plea:
Seated at the center of the classroom, Yuji was surrounded on all sides.
To his front, was Aoi.
Behind him, seemingly a fellow struggler - Uraraka who was doing her best to figure out the cursed subject.
To his right, some sugar-quirk guy named Rikido Sato, who was one of the less talkative bunch.
And to his left, his savior... Half and Half guy.
"Shoto Todoroki." He introduced himself with an indifferent expression, as he politely handed Yuji his little notes.
Yuji grabbed the notes and sheepishly asked, "Did I say that aloud?"
"Yes." He bluntly replied.
The tension in Yuji's shoulders eased as he glanced over the neatly written notes, "Thanks, man. You just saved me from a slow academic death."
Todoroki nodded curtly, "Don't mention it."
And with not another word or anything, Todoroki turned to look at the whiteboard, radiating some kind of weird... gloomy aura.
For a moment, Yuji felt slightly nostalgic, even bitter.
Todoroki's mannerisms and presence reminded him of Fushiguro.
However, the bitterness could only be directed at himself and the one responsible.
...
"As expected of you, my best friend. Your radiating charisma creates allies from even the most guarded of individuals." Aoi commented with pride, nodding matter-of-factly.
"That was rudimentary manners." Todoroki was the one who replied to Aoi's comment, having heard it clearly.
"Nothing is rudimentary when it comes to my brother."
"Actually, I just wanted him to stop whispering so loudly." It seems Yuji's mathematics-induced despair was quite audible.
"Sorry..."
-------------------------------
U.A's Main Dining Hall - also called 'The Lunch Rush Cafeteria'.
A gigantic food court that serves the entirety of the U.A.'s student body - from the Business, Support, General, and Hero courses from First Years to the Third Years.
With the exception of certain events and festivals, here, during Lunch Hours is when most students gather and have a perfect chance to mingle with other classes and upperclassmen.
The hall was bustling with activity, as the sounds of laughter, loud conversation, steady footsteps, and the setting of trays were audible for all to hear.
Here, following the grueling and mentally exhausting Quirk Assessment Test followed by a regular curriculum, Class 1-A had separated into available seats within their own already formed little groups.
Speaking of little groups...
Yuji mentioned as he blissfully chewed on an expensive riceball, his words coming out garbled, "You shknow, conshidering Aoi punshed you in the face, I'm shurprised you-"
"Shut up, bastard." Bakugo interrupted Yuji's exclamation with a firm demand, as he took a bite of his sauteed shrimp.
"You should really take that stick out, man. It won't get you far in life." Yuji honestly advised with an infuriatingly pitying look.
"Picking a fight during lunchtime isn't very manly, Bakugo." Kirishima shook his head with a disappointed frown as he set down his own tray, being very selective with his food.
Bakugo's eyes twitched as he remained silent to focus on his food.
A moment later he swallowed his food, and glared at Kirishima, Yuji, and Aoi, "Respect the food." He demanded, making it clear he wasn't going to pick any fight during lunchtime.
Aoi stroked his chin in fascination, turning to Yuji with an inquiry, "Is this what those Manga you recommended me call... Tsundere?"
Looking at the quietly fuming Bakugo, Yuji honestly considered it, "Hmm... I can see the vision."
He, in fact, did not see the vision.
It seemed that was the last straw for Bakugo as he lifted his tray and stomped his way out of there, barely holding back his rage and occupying an empty seat alongside Class 1-A's girls.
Surprised by his appearance, one of the girls, Ashido utilized her friendship with Kirishima to inquire what was wrong by using sign language.
Kirishima replied with a simple, 'I think we annoyed him.'
Blinking, Ashido turned to look at the snarling Bakugo who was eating with a rather... scary look on his face.
She turned to glare at Kirishima accusingly, sending the message of, 'You think?!'
Bakugo's snarl scared the other girls, particularly Toru, "He looks like he's gonna eat me!" The floating uniform exclaimed as she pointed at Bakugo.
Not that her finger was visible, but it was the gesture that counts.
Swallowing his food, Bakugo kept the scowl but stated calmly, "I came here thinking you five won't be annoying." He then took another bite of his food.
Yaoyorozu was the one who spoke her mind, "Since you came here to eat in peace, as fellow classmates of 1-A I am of the belief that the least we should do is help you out." She smiled and spoke in support of Bakugo, transmitting the message that he only looked scary, but he wasn't a threat.
Bakugo nodded appreciatively and continued his feast.
Jiro could only deadpan and question him, "Are you even remotely aware of the female gender? If you came here for peace you came to the-"
"Wrong place~! You know, you eat in a very refined way, like Yao-momo here. Actually, you eat like a girl! Why is that?"
Uraraka was particularly silent, as she enjoyed the expensive first-class food in complete bliss and peace.
Lunch Rush knew what he was doing.
But if one were to ask the eldest brother of the three brothers, that pancake recipe was a bust.
...
Bakugo's glare didn't soften at Toru's question, but his growl of, "Shut it!" lacked its usual uncouth slang attached to it, leaving the girls exchanging amused glances.
Indeed, it seemed that Bakugo's first lunch in school was an infuriating mess like this entire day had been for him.
But it's not over just yet.
There's Heroics Class right after lunch.
The crown jewel of U.A's Hero Program.
The class they've all been waiting for.
-------------------------------
Back in Class 1-A, they waited excitedly for the arrival of their Heroics Teacher.
The classroom was abuzz with movement and conversation, whilst others kept to themselves as they waited in excited and nervous anticipation respectively.
Aizawa's rather rough first impressions and scary speech had not been forgotten.
Especially by the silent figures of Kaminari and Mineta.
Both of whom, were handed out brutal reality checks.
The former had gotten a spark of motivation, but right now his goal was, 'Survive this day.' The hammer of expulsion and dismissal loomed over him.
Whilst Mineta... appeared mostly lost in terms of what he could do in such a short time.
In a way, he wanted to trust Aizawa's words and let the Heroics Course's curriculum deal with his weaknesses.
Unlike Kaminari, physical endurance wasn't his weakness.
It was his stature and the creative usage of his Quirk, which were the issue.
...
And that mouth of his, given that his face still stung with pain.
Nevertheless, a select few from among the others in the class either distracted themselves from the emotionally draining prospect or were utterly unbothered.
Like one boy in particular:
Yuji sighed with bliss, "I should eat, breakfast, lunch, and dinner here... I never get to eat something that good and expensive!"
Uraraka behind him chimed in as a fellow poverty struggler, "Yeah! Each riceball was roughly 1,000 Yen! And it was soooooooo good!" She beamed at him.
Yuji turned around to meet her excitement with surprise and... awe.
"You figured out the price?"
She scratched her cheeks sheepishly, "I'm pretty good at telling how expensive something is."
"Woah... your price scanner is that good?! Teach me Uraraka-sensei!" He bowed down to her supreme skill.
Huffing, Uraraka folded her arms, and a tiny smirk formed on her face, "I had my grievances about you by sheer association with Todo-san... but I was wrong! You are a fellow struggler! I will teach you my ways!" She admitted with a slightly awkward and apologetic smile.
"It's no big deal!" Yuji extended his hand for a handshake.
"Mhm!" Uraraka shook his hand, cementing their relationship as Master and Student in the ways of Poverty- Price Scanning.
...
"As expected of my brother. Even bad first impressions serve no obstacle." Aoi nodded proudly.
"And whose fault is that?" Yuji turned to him with a deadpan.
"It's as Takada-chan says - 'A relationship between any two people is only as strong as the obstacles they had to surmount to forge it.'"
Yuji blinked, "I can't help but notice that Takada-chan likes poetry, huh?"
Snorting, Aoi replied with amusement at Yuji's obvious question with an obvious answer, "It is a matter of fact, my friend."
Toru chimed in from afar, "Hey! I like poetry as well you guys!"
A chuckle escaped Yaoyorozu's lips, "Somehow, I doubt that."
"So mean! I'll have you know it's true, some regard me as a paragon of wisdom!"
The nervous Kaminari suddenly interrupted, addressing the class with a shaky grin, giving voice to his nerves and voice to the nerves of many others, "You think the next teacher's gonna be as scary as Aizawa-sensei?"
It was for the first time that Tokoyami gave his comments, "Someone so wrapped in darkness as him... unlikely." He gave his honest thoughts.
And, it was as if his very words were prophetic - as the complete opposite of someone wrapped in darkness opened the door with quite the explosive entrance.
It was...
The Symbol Of Peace Himself.
With a sudden slam and loud boisterous laughter, All Might entered, "I AM ENTERING THROUGH THE DOOR LIKE A NORMAL PERSON! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHA!"
To Be Continued!
-Author Note Start-
And with that we're 1 chappie left (allegedly) for this little arc!
I hope you'll enjoy the match-ups to come in this little Heroics Class!
Love ya! Cya! Bu Bye!
I'll also appreciate any and all constructive criticism and feedback regarding the characters that appear in this fic (Especially my representation of the Bruzzahs.)
If ya'll feeling frisky and rich you can donate to my P A T R E 0 N to show some nice and kind support.
Here's the link:
patre0n.com/BurgerNoTomatoes