Disclaimer: I do not own Hero Academia/Boku No Hero Academia, or any other property in this work that I did not make myself.
If Aizawa expelled…
Chapter eight: Revelry in the dark
The audience that had been summoned to the theater room by the Realmcrafter Talespinner69 had just finished watching the latest realm that had been shown to them. A good number of those in the audience were a bit surprised by what all they had just seen, Aizawa mostly due to how the latest realm had shown him expelling one of his students, and the consequences that had unfolded as a result.
Mina was a bit excited after she had seen the latest realm. "That was like some spy thriller stuff that you and Hatsume did, Kyoka!" Mina remarked, "I knew that you could be cool, but that was at a whole other level!"
"I...don't think that I'd seriously try to do something like that for real," Kyoka said, a hint of mild embarrassment on her face, "I'm not much of the spy type, per say..."
Gesturing over to where the big three sat in the theater room, Hagakure said, "Well how about how Tamaki-sempai distracted the third year girl by playing the role of the spy group's pretty face? That was pretty cool!"
Tamaki scrunched up out of embarrassment over how he was reminded of how he had acted in the realm that had just finished playing. "...Please don't remind me, Hagakure..."
As the audience members conversed amongst themselves, their attention was drawn to the front of the theater room by some loud clapping, where Tale and Kotaro (who had been the one to clap) were standing in front of the big theater screen. "If you all are done chewing the fat, we're getting ready to get the next realm to play!"
"Who used the phrase 'chew the fat' anymore in this day and age?" Nemuri asked, an honestly curious and mildly confused look on her face.
Shrugging, Tale remarked, "My guess is that Kotaro enjoys the classics." The Realmcrafter gave a gentle shake of his head. "...But that's not here nor there. Putting that aside, we do have to get the next realm up and running." After that, everyone in the audience turned to face the big theater screen so that they could begin watching the eighth of twenty realms lined up for them to view on this occasion.
...
(If Aizawa expelled Fumikage Tokoyami)
Folding his arms over his chest, Tokoyami in the audience said, "Ah, so I am the next one to be shown how a departure from UA could result in grim consequences." As for Aizawa, he was already worrying over not only why his alternative self in this realm would expel Tokoyami, but how said act would come back to bite someone (most likely Aizawa himself) in the rear.
It was a well enough day over at UA, the top hero academy in Japan. The students of UA's first year hero course class 1-A had all gotten to class, where they saw their teacher Aizawa standing at the front of the class. He gestured for all of his students to sit down at their desks before he got started.
"Now then," Aizawa began, "As I'm sure a lot of you are all aware, I recently had to expel your now former classmate Tokoyami."
There were a number of rather uncomfortable looks on the faces of many of those in the class. Giving his students a knowing look, Aizawa remarked, "If there are any questions as to why I decided that expelling Tokoyami was necessary, fell free to ask them now."
A number of hands shot up, a bit more than what the underground hero was expecting if he were to be honest. He ended up calling on the first hand that he picked, that being Todoroki. "Sensei, I didn't quite catch why it was that you saw fit to expel Tokoyami," Todoroki explained.
Sighing, Aizawa remarked, "Oh yeah, you were out sick that day." Shrugging, Aizawa began to explain, "I had to expel him because of what all he had said to upset a good number of your fellow classmates here. He even made Yaoyorozu cry."
"I expelled him because he was being incredibly rude to the others?" Aizawa in the audience said in a surprised tone, "Hang on a minute there. That doesn't sound like Tokoyami at all."
Tokoyami, with a mildly concerned look on his face, remarked, "Yeah, Aizawa-sensei, I was just about to say..."
"And making me cry?" Yaoyorozu said, a curious look on her face, "Sorry, but I simply just can't imagine Tokoyami making anyone cry, at least intentionally."
Giving a single nod, Tokoyami replied, "Thanks for the vote of confidence, Yaoyorozu." The wealthy girl of class 1-A nodded back once in acknowledgement.
Aizawa saw another hand shoot up, so he called on it. It had been Tsuyu that was called on, and she said as ahe lowered her hand, "With all due respect Aizawa-sensei, Fumikage said none of those things. All of those comments were cracked by Dark Shadow."
"Wait a minute, " Tokoyami in the audience said, "Was I really expelled in this realm because of Dark Shadow's behavior?!"
"...The sentient quirk is behind this," Aizawa remarked dryly as he gently face palmed, "Because of course it is."
His hands on his hips as he faced Tsuyu, Aizawa replied, "Well he should have been able to keep a lid on his quirk's comments, Asui."
"Trying to hold Fumikage responsible for what all Dark Shadow says is like trying to hold you responsible for what all Hizashi-sensei says kero," Tsuyu retorted dryly.
Nodding in agreement, Koda said, "I have to agree with Asui, Aizawa-sensei. After all, it was Dark Shadow, and not Tokoyami, who pointed to me and said that he had no idea who I was."
"Dark Shadow was the one who called both me and Hagakure bitches," Kyoka remarked, with Hagakure nodding in confirmation.
"Tokoyami's quirk called me and Hagakure what?!" Kyoka in the audience exclaimed, looking very much pissed off.
"Dark Shadow... " Yaoyorozu began, looking a bit troubled, "...And not Tokoyami, is the one who said all those things that culminated in me crying."
"Just curious, but what exactly did Dark Shadow say to you?" Todoroki asked, a curious look on his face.
Stopping anyone from speaking up, Aizawa said, "We'll focus on all of that stuff on free time. For the time being, we got class."
Holding up a hand, Tenya asked, "Excuse me sensei, but since there is a vacancy in class, is there a chance it'll be filled soon?"
The underground hero gave a helpless shrug. "Actually, no. Nezu said that students couldn't be added until the next semester begins, barring very extraordinary circumstances. Granted, I'd have looked into getting Shinso into 1-A if the freedom to do so was there, given that he has proven himself competent enough for the hero course, but Nezu's word has my hands tied."
"So no one is added to class this time," Izuku in the audience remarked, a mildly intrigued look on his face.
With the last bit Aizawa said, what remained of class 1-A got started on homeroom. Even so, the atmosphere was a bit on the heavy side in the wake of Tokoyami's expulsion from UA. None of the class 1-A students, or even Aizawa for that matter, could have foreseen how that move would end up causing as much as it's going to.
"...Well that's ominous as balls," Hizashi in the audience said.
"Well this is Birdhead that we're talking about here," Bakugo remarked, "Him and ominous go hand in hand, like chicken wings and buffalo sauce." Turning back around to face the big screen, the explosive teen added, "...Or Deku and Round Face."
...
Later, Tsuyu was hanging out and talking with Izuku, Todoroki, Tenya and Uraraka. "...It still doesn't seem right that Tokoyami was kicked out of UA because of Dark Shadow's comments kero," Tsuyu said, "I mean sure, much of it came off as hurtful to those he was making said comments to, but they were mostly just Dark Shadow's opinions."
"What...what about what Dark Shadow said to Koda about having no idea who he is?" Tenya asked, looking a little lost.
"I said mostly," Tsuyu pointed out to class 1-A's rep. To the group as a whole, Tsuyu said, "It's still not right that Tokoyami has to suffer because of something that he didn't do or say. We need to do something about it."
Turning to face Tokoyami in the audience, Nemuri remarked, "You know Tokoyami, I already had it that your quirk is sentient, but I still thought that it was just an extension of your will. Does your quirk have its own will and opinions completely separate from yours?"
Nodding a few times in the affirmative, Tokoyami replied, "To an extent. If I wanted to keep him from saying something, I have to either sternly order him to keep quiet or, if he opens his mouth and tries to talk anyway, physically restrain him similar to how one would do so to a human. Dark Shadow does indeed have his own opinions, and many of his likes do not align with mine at all."
"How about an example?" Hizashi asked.
Turning to regard Hizashi, Tokoyami explained, "As a start, Dark Shadow likes ranch dressing, even though I myself can't stand it. Also I don't like blue cheese dressing, but I have no idea on Dark Shadow's opinion of it."
"Not liking ranch?" Yaoyorozu remarked in a genuinely curious and mildly surprised tone, "Now that is something I simply cannot understand."
...
Surprisingly, Tsuyu and the others were able to get the whole class to come with them to a local park that had a basketball court. There at the park, they met up with their former classmate Tokoyami. At the request of Tsuyu, Tokoyami had Dark Shadow out so that the sentient quirk could provide his two yen on the matter.
"Sorry that you got kicked out for actions you didn't do, Tokoyami," Izuku apologized to his former classmate as he and a few others all bowed their heads in apology to Tokoyami.
As for the bird headed boy himself he folded his arms over his chest as he wore a bemused look on his face. "...Well maybe I'd still be in UA right now if somebody not only didn't run his mouth, but said the things that he said."
"What Fumi, am I not allowed to have my own opinions on things?" Dark Shadow asked.
Regarding the sentient quirk, Izuku said, "Folks are allowed to have their own opinions, Dark Shadow. But there is a point that sharing some opinions may not be the beat thing to do in the world at times."
Gently shaking his head, Dark Shadow remarked, "I'm sorry, but after the invisible brat opened her mouth to go on about what girls like in a guy, it just set me off."
"Huh, I wonder what Tokoyami's quirk is mad at me for," Hagakure in the audience remarked as she focused in on what was occurring on the big screen.
Turning to regard Dark Shadow, Hagakure asked, "What do you mean?"
Giving Hagakure a stern look, Dark Shadow said, "Are you aware of just how exactly badly you wrecked Kirishima's hopes of ever getting a girlfriend?"
Everyone in the group looked surprised, with some eyes going to Hagakure and Kirishima. "Yeah," Dark Shadow said, "That little comment of yours from the dorm room contest, where you said Kirishima's room would rank second in a contest of rooms girls wouldn't want their boyfriends to have, did a hell of a lot more damage to Kirishima's confidence than you could have guessed."
Hagakure's face couldn't be seen, but she could be seen slightly trembling. Turning to face her red-haired classmate, Hagakure asked, "Did...Did what I say really hurt you that much?"
"...To be honest, yeah, it did," Kirishima admitted, "It got me under the impression that unless I remodeled my dorm room to confine to what you'd view as the standard, then my chances of getting a girlfriend were mostly shot. Hell, I was half-tempted to straight up ask you, in your oh so infinite knowledge of what girls want their boyfriends' rooms to look like, to just make my room what you'd see as girlfriend friendly so that I'd feel more confident about finding a girl who I could convince that I'm worth her time!"
"Was...was what I said that day really that hurtful to you, Kirishima?" Hagakure in the audience asked, sounding like she was feeling incredibly guilty.
"...Although it did hurt me to an extent," Kirishima admitted, "It wasn't nowhere near to the extent that is apparently occurring here."
"Oh...oh my goodness," Hagakure said, sounding like she might start crying out of guilt, "I am so sorry! I was never intending to hurt you to any extent, Kirishima!"
Hagakure trembled a little bit as she offered a humbled, guilty apology to Kirishima, who begrudgingly accepted it. "...Well it turns out that girls would be interested in me anyway, regardless of what my dorm room is like," Kirishima remarked.
"Oh yeah, that Kinoko girl in class 1-B confessed to you," Izuku said to Kirishima, "Didn't you also say that Kinoko saw your dorm room, loved it because she thought it 'held your essence' as she put it, then opened you closest to pull out an oversized hoodie you own and put said hoodie on before falling onto your bed?" Kirishima nodded in the affirmative after turning to face his green-haired classmate.
"I did what?!" Kinoko in the audience exclaimed out of embarrassment, scrunching up into a fetal position in the theater chair that she sat in.
Turning to face Kyoka, Dark Shadow said, "And you! Are you aware how badly you've wrecked Kaminari's self esteem with your little snippets?"
Giving a surprised look, Kyoka said, "What are you on about?"
"You tell him not to get a big head when you guys all started getting attention for beating back the villain attack at the USJ," Dark Shadow began, "And you also said that he'll be stuck as a sidekick for life when he graduates UA!" Pointing an accusing finger right into Kyoka's face, the sentient quirk scolded, "Are you aware that, prior to UA, Kaminari never got such a warm reception? That the reason he got excited on those occasions was because he was finally getting something he had longed for?"
Kyoka's eyes widened a bit out of surprise, and when she turned to see Kaminari, she saw that he was hanging his head, a resigned look of guilt on his face. "Oh...oh my goodness..." Kyoka said as she just now was learning that her busting Kaminari's chops did more than just bust his chops; it straight up busted his hopes of ever having anything.
"Did...Did I really hurt you that much?" Kyoka in the audience asked in a mildly worried and guilty tone as she turned to regard Kaminari.
Gesturing to the big theater screen, Kaminari admitted, "...Yes, but not that much. It would have been nice if you would have let me have at least one thing, Kyoka." The rock lover turned back around, her emotions a mix of guilt and shame over how she had hurt her classmate more than what she had intended.
Turning to face Yaoyorozu, Dark Shadow said, "And you. You not only need to watch what you say, but also how you say what you do. I have lost track of the number of times I saw you unknowingly rubbed either your wealth or you smarts in the faces of Fumi and the others here. You also have a tendency to come off as obscenely condescending."
"What?!" Yaoyorozu said, then looked around to her classmates and saw some of them looking guilty in a way that suggested that Dark Shadow had gotten it right on the money. "...You guys..." Yaoyorozu said, sounding like she was a bit hurt.
"...It didn't exactly make me feel better about my family's financial situation when you said that the dorm rooms as a whole here are about the same size as your personal closet back at your family's home," Uraraka confessed.
"It doesn't make me feel better whenever I barely avoid failing an assignment by the skin of my teeth whenever you show off how you got the highest score out of everyone in class," Kaminari admitted.
"I really just want to punch you in your face because you constantly sound like you think you're the hottest shit in class," Bakugo remarked casually.
"Is...is it really that bad?" Yaoyorozu in the audience asked as she looked around at her classmates in the audience, "Do I really come off as so condescending?"
"Yes," Bakugo answered bluntly, drawing a slight smack to the back of his head from Izuku, who gave him a look that made it clear he could have used a little more tact.
Yaoyorozu looked hurt, but not because someone had hurt her feelings; rather, she looked hurt because she had just realized, or at least was beginning to realize, just how poorly she had been coming off in terms of the presence she was exuding. She had just learned that she had been unintentionally making her classmates feel rather bad about themselves; perhaps the alternative realm version of Dark Shadow that was on the big screen right now had a good point; she needed to watch what she said as well as how she said it. Watching exactly what she does wouldn't hurt either.
"This...is an interesting conversation that you all are having," a familiar voice called out, making all of the quirked teens turn to see Aizawa come sauntering up with Nezu following along. To Tokoyami, Aizawa said, "If you had properly explained the various grievances that you have with your former classmates, instead of simply tear into them, then maybe you'd still be in UA."
"I keep telling you, it was Dark Shadow and not me," Tokoyami reiterated, "Do you honestly expect me to be able to keep a lid on him at all times? He has his own opinions, will and way of acting, you know! He'll do fuck all whatever if I'm not setting him straight!" Folding his arms over his chest, the bird headed boy went on, "Besides, all that he did, as harsh as he may have been with his choice of words and tone, was give his opinion! He didn't even physically hurt anyone or try to attack! He was more or less being a watered-down Bakugo."
"Oi," Bakugo said in a bemused tone.
Turning to face Aizawa, Nezu asked, "Is all of that true, Aizawa?"
"Yeah," Aizawa admitted, "Tokoyami being harsh in his-"
Nezu held up a paw to cut the underground hero off. "But you had just now confirmed that they weren't Tokoyami's words."
"Uh oh," Hizashi in the audience remarked, with Aizawa himself nodding in agreement.
To Aizawa, Nezu said, "They were the words of Tokoyami's sentient quirk and not those of Tokoyami himself. And as harsh as Dark Shadow may have been in offering his two yen, that was all that he did. Offer his two yen." A hint of knowing annoyance entered Nezu's expression, a hint that only Aizawa was able to pick up on. "You not only expelled a student over something that he wasn't responsible for, it wasn't even an expulsion worthy offense! At least if you ask me."
"Tokoyami should be able to control what all Dark Shadow-"
"Asking Tokoyami to limit what all Dark Shadow says is like trying to ask you to limit what all Hizashi says, Aizawa," Nezu retorted as he interrupted Aizawa.
"Am...Am I really that bad?" Hizashi in the audience asked, sounding a little worried about how he might come off to some people.
Turning to face Tokoyami, Nezu said, "If you are interested Tokoyami, I can look into re-enrolling you into UA. Provided, of course, you're interested in returning."
"I would be, yes," Tokoyami replied.
To Dark Shadow, the quirked animal principal of UA said, "And if Tokoyami does indeed return, it would be nice if you took some consideration in what you say before you give your two yen on any particular matter."
Shrugging, Dark Shadow replied, "Meh, I guess I have something in common with what's her name rich girl."
"My name is Momo Yaoyorozu," the very girl in question stated.
And so it was on that day that Aizawa learned a valuable lesson when it came to Tokoyami; the bird headed boy and his quirk, despite what Aizawa had initially assumed, weren't one and the same in more areas than he would have initially guessed, and trying to punish Tokoyami for at least some of what Dark Shadow says and does simply isn't fair to Tokoyami.
FIN
"...There is a lot that I would like to learn about Tokoyami when it comes to his unique quirk," Aizawa in the audience remarked, a look of consideration on his face as he folded his arms over his chest.
Nodding in agreement, Tokoyami replied, "There is a bit that even I am not fully aware of when it comes to Dark Shadow, Aizawa-sensei."
Down in front of the big theater screen, Kotaro noticed the look of concern on Tale's face. "Hey man, you okay?"
"I...got some issues that I need to take care of," Tale admitted as he put a device away, "I'll have to put this show on hold until I can get things fixed." To the audience, Tale said, "I'll return you all back in the meantime, and bring you back here when I got everything taken care of." Tale put his hands together and muttered something, sending everyone in the audience back to where they had all come from.
Tale also returned Kotaro. After sending Kotaro back, Tale, with a troubled look, left his theater room.
END OF CHAPTER
Author's notes;
This is the first one where no one replaced the axed 1-A student. I kind of wanted to experiment with that. Anyway, I've been having some issues in trying to check chapter seven, so until I can do something about that or until it ends up being resolved for me, I'm going to have to tap out here. But I do intend to return.
There's still twelve more 1-A students needing to be shown getting the boot from UA courtesy of Aizawa. And I hadn't even shown any of the girls getting expelled yet.
If the changes made here are seen, then I think we're good.