THE EXTRACURRICULARS

Try and fill us with your fate and we will shine a light. The days will become endless and never never turn to night.

- 100 years by Florence and the machine

Florence's extra combat class comes before she realizes it. Thankfully, she still had enough time after overseeing Vlad's class to be able to prepare for it. It will be a full class. Three from third year. Two from second year. A startling fifteen from first year. She's sure that number will only grow considering she hasn't forced any of the second or third years just yet; the ones present will be ones who already willingly signed up.

Aizawa already made it clear that he will be watching today's class, out of curiosity, to oversee his students progress, or to secretly judge her. She's not sure nor does she know how many of the other staff members will be joining him. She doubts there will be many as most have already overseen her class at least one this week.

She's thankful that full classes and mixed ages are nothing new to her. It will be busy, if a bit chaotic, especially as the students won't be used to interacting like this with the other years combined with the size of the class. But she's confident that it's not anything she won't be able to handle. She already has a plan, granted it is bound to adjust as time progresses.

When the kids start to file in, they're loud. She can hear them long before they actually enter the room, with many of the first years showing an interest in the older years. She spots the third years almost immediately; the three had signed for the class willingly, but she had plans to get them into the class if they hadn't. Word on the campus was that the three third years are the three - the ones with the biggest potential yet at the school, already exceeding most pros. Mirio Togata has been noted as showing some of the most potential, quickly having the title of the star of UA. She's excited to see just how true that will be.

The years all tend to separate without prompting, much like how the classes themselves tend to. At least this time, she notices B and A interminglingly more willingly, the separation being more focused on just staying near familiar faces from their own years. The exception is some of the more friendly students; Mirio seems eager to say hi to everyone while Kirishima and Tetsutsu openly gush over some of the more 'manly' looking older students. When she's seen enough, she lets out a shrill whistle to get their attention.

"First years, to the left. Second and third to the right. Given how behind the first years are as they are just starting at UA, they will be given different instructions for each extra class for the first few weeks. I will give each of you your instructions separately. We will begin with hard workouts and training exercises. Those exercises vary depending on your skill level, but it will get harder as the class continues. As we progress, the lessons will become more individualized. When the number in this class either dwindles or there are only those who are here willing or because they are good, are left, then we may begin lessons on combat more suited for your own quirks. That particular lesson is one that only happens when I trust you won't abuse it. What you learn in this class and how the planned curriculum changes all depends on you. I have no qualms on changing things in a split notice if it is better suited for your learning."

With that, Florence begins her combat class. She starts with instructing the first years through grueling, but basic workouts to help build up the strength that many of them are lacking due to being so soon in the year. The few that are already a bit more ahead of their peers, she instructs with a different workout to push them a bit further. When they pick it up fast, she wastes no time in moving toward the second and third years.

Midoriya is a little nervous when he walks into Professor Talbot's classroom for the strategy course. He's surprised that there are a few of the older years there already; considering how few they are, he wonders if they are just the ones who signed up willingly. If he remembers right, Professor Talbot only has the second and third years once a week. Maybe she's waiting until the second class to assign them a course like she did with them?

"I think you'll do a great job, Deku," Ochako encourages him with a smile, "I'm sure Professor assigned you this class because you're so good!"

She gives him a perky thumbs up that makes him flutter, flush spreading on his face as he sputters out a response. As much as he'd like to believe her words, he's not so sure. He can put together that his notebooks were a deciding factor for her assigning him this class, but he can't tell if it's because she liked them or thought that they needed more work. Professor has made it clear that she won't answer if he asks, so he guesses that he'll just have to go in with the worst assumption. After all, that's likely the right one considering none of his teachers have really seen any potential in him before (with the exception of All Might).

"It's important that we all do our best today," Iida tries to rally the first years, "The fact that Professor Tablot chose to do an extra class to help us reach our potential is not something that we should take for granted."

Midoriya can see the hesitation in some of the students from Class B, but when Kendo openly agrees with Iida's sentiment, they seem to take it more to heart. It wouldn't surprise him if the determined girl was the class's representative considering how fast she rallies her own class. He's glad that Class B seems to have a good representative at least, just like how they have Iida and Momo.

"Do you think we should take our seats or wait," Hagarake says questionably, "I don't know if the Professor has assigned seats for us or not."

Midoriya looks at all the desks set up; he didn't expect her strategy course to be more book based. Before anyone can answer Hagarake, Professor Talbot makes herself known.

"If you didn't bring anything to take notes down, this is your chance to run and obtain your supplies. I will not fault you for this as it is your first course, but you do have exactly five minutes. Take a minute longer and it's detention. Come to this class again without supplies, detention. Always assume that you will need to take notes for strategy."

Lots of students start to shuffle quickly out the door, but Midoriya is thankful that this time he actually did bring his notebooks. While he didn't know what to expect for her strategy course, he did expect to take notes at every chance available to him. He sees some of the slower students start to panic frantically, unsure what to do while they mutter that they never make it time and if Professor Talbot will give them detention if they don't produce the supplies in time; as far as some of them are concerned, whether or not they run to get the notebooks, they will get a detention anyway.

Ochako shyly asks him to borrow one of his notebooks, which he obliged almost too eagerly. Looking around, he's not the only one who brought supplies and is offering some to share. Iida and Momo are at the forefront; when Momo asks if she can actually make the supplies for some of the students who can't make it within the time limit, Midoriya is surprised that the Professor actually grants her the permission. I guess it does make sense, Midoriya mumbles to himself, considering this is a strategy course, I'm sure Professor Talbot appreciates the initiative and critical thinking. The fact that Momo asks and thinks immediately about making the supplies for those in need is exactly why she should be in this class in the first place.

Midoriya looks and sees that Kaachan is the first one to actually show up with his beaten up notebook and loose papers, grumbling all the while. The shadow-like one from Class B follows shortly and it's not long before most of the unprepared students that knew that they could make the time limit are back. Some of them cut it right at the mark, but as far as Midoriya can tell, everyone does make it within five minutes.

"Good work. Now take your seats. In this case, it won't matter where you sit."

Professor Talbot gives a vicious smile, one that rivals Eraserhead's, sending a shiver down their spines.

"If I don't think you're paying close enough attention, measures will be taken to remove distractions. If you're still not paying attention, detention. Talk among each other during my lessons without permission, detention. And I will not hesitate to make sure that you do repeat those mistakes."

Midoriya swallows thickly. Aizawa already explained to both him and Kaachan that they're already going to be in detention with Professor Talbot for all of next week because of what they did during All Might's class. Considering the fact that the news had affected Kaachan immediately, Midoriya is not looking forward to it.

"Strategy will function differently than the combat course. For the most part, this class will start with similar lessons for all of you. These lessons will be advanced and complicated. For those who are here because you're behind, this is your chance to show that not only can you get to the same level as your peers, but that you can also work ahead of them. If you can learn and apply these strategy lessons, learning and applying the others will be a breeze."

Professor Talbot stands at the front of the class. Maybe Midoriya is imagining it, but something about her looks even more tired than before. If he didn't know any better, he'd say that she looks almost as tired as Eraserhead. Unlike his headroom teacher, Professor Talbot doesn't show any signs of falling asleep in class soon nor does she have any sleeping bags within reach. She stands tall at the front of the class, despite the fact that Midoriya knows that there are quite a few students taller than her. If he's right, Professor is actually shorter than Eraserhead too.

"What will remain similar, however, is that this class will expand to individualized strategy lessons as it progresses and once the number is lowered to only those who signed up and those who show they belong here, quirk usage may be permitted for certain lessons in the future."

Midoriya feels a bit of hope fall; so sure that he's here because he didn't meet her expectations, he can't help but feel disappointed that he's not likely to have any individualized lessons with her like that. He's been trying his best to make the most out of all the opportunities that UA has given him, to know that he will miss out on one makes him feel a sense of failure. If he did better or if he was better, then he would be able to, but he's not. He's just Deku.

He fiddles with his thumbs uncertainty as everyone starts to settle into their seats. Ochako and Iida sit together, waving him over to the seat in between them welcomingly. Whatever weight has started to settle in his chest starts to light - at least he has some friends to make this a bit easier.