Hello everyone!

Before we get started I have a few notes. Those who have started reading before 25/07/2021 will realise this layout is a little different (there will be a transition period of as it's a lot of work). I've condensed five chapters (now 'parts') into one to tidy things up a bit. In addition I will also be doing a summary at the start of each chapter, and an arcs list at the end to make navigation more amicable. It is quite long and I know a few of you like to reread this so hopefully this should help.

Secondly, I have moved the age rating for this fic from teen to mature. While it starts off T-rated, from about the Forest Training Arc onwards it gets darker and darker. Some of the darker chapters will include pre-chapter warnings for those of you who are enjoying it but don't want to read a certain part, or just to keep you guys informed. I do love my readers and want to look after you.

I hope I haven't scared anyone away. This fic will also try to keep with the theme of BNHA in also 'kids just having a good time'. There will be mischief and pranks and general wholesomeness.

And for the new readers, hello, welcome. I hope this layout of chapters and parts is to your liking. I would also like to apologise for the first 3-4 chapters where I rush the beginning and swear too much. I know, it's bad, skip it if you must but I promise I am a decent writer. Honestly skip to thr Sports Festival arc if you're struggling, I would.

I implore you to stick with it and get to know Kurono - she's sassy, a ball of chaotic energy and I have a lot planned for her.

More OCs are being introduced, the next two being all the way over at around Ch 24, and the rest coming in with less of a gap. As well as exploring the BNHA plot line through Kurono's eyes, I've got my own arcs and ideas lined up and woven into the story, showing her own development, relationships with members of the League of Villains, and delving into her past and the place she has just escaped from. Whilst dealing with her past with the doctor, Kurogiri and the League, she faces a new and whole different type of threat as well from the villain broker, Giran.

In addition to this, I have been working in collaboration with another author, Iamadedicatedwriter, and her fic, Illusion (found on both Ao3 and this site). We both have a few crossover events between Shadows into Light and Illusion: where the events of SiL happen six years later in the Illusion universe, and the events of Illusion happen six years earlier in the SiL universe. Where I'll be looking later at an older Etso, Seiko, and their ties with underworld, she'll be revealing more of Kurono's past before she escaped.

And finally, I like to draw a fair bit, and I sometimes post art of BNHA and SiL on my tumblr ellabonjella-art, so feel free to have a look.

Thanks for giving this a read. Take your time if you want, but please do stick with it. I'm honestly very proud of this story and am sure you won't be disappointed.

With all said, enjoy the rest of your day

Part 1 - Prologue

Run. I've got to run. I've got to run I've got to run I've got to run! They'll catch me - what if they catch me they can't catch me! I can't go back there - they'll kill me! No, they won't, they'll continue testing, I don't understand what do they want with me why don't I remember anything I can't take anymore Quirks! No more, no more Quirks. Leave me alone, I want to go home where is my home I don't know where I am who am I?!

Kill kill kill kill kill.

Run. I just need to run. They can't see me like this, it's too dark. Shadows. I'm good in shadows, they can't find me there. Run. Run run run. Kill kill kill. Run.

I've been running for ages. First there was my cage, but they didn't prepare it for my new Quirk, so I ran. Then there were corridors, white, bright, confusing. They almost caught me there. Then trees, lots of trees. I remember trees, I don't remember seeing them before, but I knew they were trees. How do I know that? Why can't I remember?!

Now buildings. They started small, spaced out, but now they rise up, blockish, grey and navy in the moonlight.

Run. Run run run.

He looks out over the cityscape. Never one to take to the high-profile life of a televised pro, he keeps mainly to the shadows, working with stealth to take out villains.

Pat pat pat pat pat.

Footsteps? Down below, on the floor. They're light, not a heavyweight villain, most likely female…

Pat pat pat pat pat.

They're very light actually. He pulls his goggles up over his eyes and jumps down to the alleys below to investigate.

He waits just around the corner, the alley being illuminated by nothing but a moonbeam. Here, he can catch the person off guard and block off their rou—

Oof.

He tumbles to the floor, rolls, and stands back up again. Something hit him from behind. How did they get there? An ambush? He spins around, to see not a villain, but a child, no older than ten.

She looks angry.

He straightens his posture as he looks down at the girl: a mass of matted, blonde hair with a pair of bright, blue eyes poking through, dressed in nothing but an oversized, tattered, grey T-shirt.

"Hello."

She breathes heavily, teeth bared, ready to jump again.

"I'm a Hero, you don't need to fear me."

"You're going to take me back!" she hisses.

The man looks confused. "What?"

"I'm not going back! You're not going to take me —kill him — you're not taking me back!"

His surroundings feel...different, like the walls are moving whilst staying still. That's when he notices the floor, the shadows cast by the moon, start to move towards him. All the shadows are. They curl into jagged points around him and start to enclose…

He can't be having this.

His eyes flash red, his hair flares up and the Quirk is disabled. The child looks confused, angry.

"What did you...no…no! I'm not going no!" she screams as she suddenly lunges towards him with a feral animosity.

He catches her by the scruff of her shirt. She tries to claw and kick and bite him, but he just holds her out until she exhausts herself. She looks very tired, dark bags have formed under her eyes.

"Where is your home?" he asks softly.

"I'm...not going back…"

"Where are your parents then?"

"I...don't re...don't have any…"

The man continues to hold the girl out in front of him. How do you deal with small children? How is anyone in their mid-twenties meant to know, least of all him?! At least she's not a completely reliant toddler, he'd have no idea then.

"Do you have a name?"

"0687."

"'0687'?" Who is this child — what is this child? Where did she come from? Part of him doesn't want to know. "Well, that's not a very good name...tell me, what's your Quirk?"

"Too many...Quirks...too many...shadows…"

"Shadows hmm?" The man thinks. "Kurono. That's your name now."

"Don't take me...back...ki…"

"I'm not going to take you back." He brings the child in and carries her gently in his arms.

"I'm...not going ba…"

"No, you're not. You're safe now, kid."

The man took the girl home, gave her food and a room to sleep in while he and a few people he knew tried to find out where she came from. The nights she stayed soon turned into months, then years, as the search got nowhere.

Her Quirk's interesting to say the least. In the earlier days, she'd go on about having 'too many Quirks'. The man didn't understand this until he started training her. From what he could tell, she'd been infused with multiple shadow-related Quirks.

Training her was difficult. Her wildness and ferocity didn't die down for a while, and for her age, she could easily subdue an enemy, but would then proceed to try and kill them.

"Kurono!"

"Yes, Mr Aizawa…"

"Heroes do not kill."

But as she grew older, she learnt. She learnt fast. While still holding a deep fear of the place she ran from, buried away, she developed not only efficient fighting skills, but also a sharp wit and a sense of humour.

So far, he's identified what appears to be two shadow-related Quirks in her. One is stealth-based, the other is more offensive. Wherever she came from, whatever they did...were doing...they were making a weapon.

But for now, she's gotten used to the fact she has more than one Quirk - adapted quite well actually. She'll do fine at U.A.

If they accept the recommendation…

Part 2 - A Great First Day

I'm really fucking nervous. Today is my first day, but everything is awkward and nothing could be worse.

I've not got great experience around people. Sure, over the last four years, I have been outside, I've spoken to people, gone to the shops, etc., but since I was practically homeschooled by Aizawa (nothing but constant studying dear lord), there haven't exactly been many people in my life to make friends with.

Outside the classroom, I wait nervously, listening.

"You can come in now."

I open the door, attempting to hide my shyness, and walk into the room. There are so many people.

"As you have seen and are probably wondering, I have moved the desks in the third row along to make room for another," Aizawa begins. "This is because, as of today, you have a new member of Class 1-A, Kurono."

"Just 'Kurono'?" someone calls out.

"Yes," Aizawa replies coldly.

"I've only got the one name," I shrug.

"Kurono here got in on recommendations, however, due to a system error, she has joined late. From now on, there are twenty-one members of your class. Kurono, if you'd like to take a seat next to Midoriya over there."

I walk over to my seat, next to a boy with green hair as the class starts murmuring.

"Twenty-one members?"

"But every other class ever has always had twenty!"

"And just 'Kurono'? What about her surname?"

Fly me into the Sun.

As I take my seat, the green-haired boy - I'm assuming is Midoriya - smiles at me. I smile vaguely back. At least someone doesn't instantly hate my existence. I recoil into my seat as Aizawa continues with his lecture for today.

"So what's your story, Kurono?" A boy with very spiky, pale hair who sits in front of me has gotten out of his seat and is leaning aggressively over my desk. It's break time - I kinda knew this would happen.

"What Aizawa said. Recommendation got all weird in the system, there's now 21 members in 1-A. Sorry to be an inconvenience."

He slams a hand down on the desk and leans in further. "How come you've not got a surname? What's with that?"

"Bakugo, calm it would ya?" A boy with yellow hair and a black, lightning bolt highlight says. "She's just got here."

"Fuck off, Kaminari. I just wanna ask some questions, that's all."

"I'm kinda interested to know too, actually," a kid with spiky, red hair puts in.

I sigh. This was never going to be easy. "Fine. What do you want to know?"

A smug expression appears on Bakugo's face. "What's with your name?"

"I don't have a surname, I don't have any parents, they're dead or something, I don't remember, I don't care."

"You got in by recommendation, huh? Go on, how good are you really?"

"Fairly."

"What's your Quirk?"

I go to answer, then fall silent. What if one of them is a spy?

"You gonna answer?"

"Why do you care so much?"

"I wanna know why this is the first class to have 21 members, and why that last member joined late!"

"Look, I don't like being the odd number that complicates everything either, but that's how it is."

"Yeah, you have messed things up actually!"

"Bakugo, that's enough!" Midoriya steps in.

"FUCK OFF, DEKU!"

"Midoriya has a point," a boy at the back of the class with split hair and a burn adds.

Bakugo growls and sits back down.

"I feel we should do introductions properly." A kid with glasses stands up. "Let's go along the rows. I'm the class rep, Tenya Iida."

"Ochako Uraraka."

"Tsuyu Asui."

"Mina Ashido."

Before long everyone has introduced themselves. Apart from Bakugo, they all seem to be pretty cool people. There's still a lot of interest about me I'd prefer would die down.

"You got to miss out the Quirk test on the first day," Kirishima says.

"Yeah! God, that was intense!" Ashido adds.

"Aizawa was all sunshine and rainbows as always. The bastard threatened to expel whoever came last!"

"Yeah…" Midoriya laughs nervously.

Yep, sounds like Aizawa.

"It was a lie though," Ashido exclaims. "Worrying us like that!"

Kirishima sits up. "Yeah! Miserable git thrives off pain, I'm telling ya."

Definitely sounds like Aizawa.

"I'd watch your mouth if I were you."

Speak of the devil.

Everyone sits up to attention as the bell goes and Aizawa walks into the room. It won't take long to settle in, right? Soon, everything will be fine, I'm sure of it.

From now on, I'm usually going to stay late after school doing work while I wait for Aizawa to finish his. Although the teachers know that I live with him, none of the students do, so we're keeping it on the low to avoid unnecessary attention.

We had a set plan for today, something he went over with me about a hundred times before we actually got to Yuuei.

"You don't have to show off your Quirk if you don't want to."

"I know."

"And as far as anyone knows…"

"I'm a nameless orphan, whose parents have died, and I have no relation to you or any other Pros."

"I won't treat you any differently from any other student."

"I'd expect nothing less."

"But if you think that you're in dang-"

"If I didn't know you better, I'd say you were worrying for me."

"Don't be absurd."

One thing I do know, however, is that once I settle in here, I'm going to love life.

Part 3 - Costumes!

So I was kinda hoping this whole 'settling in' part would go a little faster. Yeah, that's not happening.

Literally everyone hates me. It's not even restrained to 1-A. All students in every year are throwing glares at me in the corridor. Not only am I the reason the whole '20 person class' thing has been fucked up for the first time, but people in general studies classes hate me because they want to be in A, and I shouldn't be, and the older years all have this huge mistrust in me.

This is shit.

Lessons aren't too bad. No one is really that interested in any of the normal subjects, but when we're all sitting in our first 'Hero Basic Training' lesson, you can feel the excitement and buzz in the air.

I won't lie, I'm pretty excited too. I'm aware I don't have the same obsession over All Might that some of the other students do (Midoriya). From what I've heard, everyone has looked up to him as the Symbol of Peace since they were kids - they're meeting their childhood hero.

I...don't exactly remember much of my childhood, I don't know if I even had much if one, and I only remember hearing about life really since being with Aizawa. He isn't so keen on All Might, but then I guess that's due to his dislike of media and the face All Might kinda goes against everything Aizawa is.

But still, this is the Number One Hero. Hell yeah, I'm excited! I just won't tell Aizawa that, I doubt he'd approve.

"I have…!" Hooooooo daaaaaaamm he's here! "...come through the door, like normal!"

"It's All Might!"

"Incredible!"

"He's really gonna teach us!"

"That's his Silver Age costume!"

Okay this guy is fucking awesome I don't even care about anyone else anymore.

"Hero Basic Training!" he announces loudly. "The class that'll put you through all sorts of special training to mold you into heroes! No time to dally. Today's activity is battle training!"

Such loudness.

"And for that, you need these!"

As he talks, there is a click as the wall at the front of the class slowly project a number of cases, all with numbers on them.

"In accordance with the 'Quirk Registry' and the special request forms you filled out before being admitted...costumes!"

The class erupts into cheers as we all receive our costumes.

"After you change, come out in ranking order to Ground Beta!"

Oh.

"Er, All Might, sir." I raise my hand awkwardly. "I wasn't here for the ranking…" Another difficulty I've caused.

"Ah yes! Aizawa told me about you, newbie! I have a message for you actually…" I'm guessing he almost forgot to say that. "For now…come out just before young Midoriya!"

"Pfft, Deku is that bad, even the unranked newbie who's scared of her Quirk is above him."

I glance over at Midoriya, trying to convey an apology with my eyes.

I put a ridiculous amount of effort into designing my costume. Thanks to Aizawa, I know I can be a successful Pro without living in the spotlight, which is perfect; the more I'm on T.V. the more likely it is they'll recognise me.

My costume reflects both my desire to be a stealth-hero, but also my Quirk. The base colour is what one would expect: black. I opted for loose-fitting trousers and top, with leather boots and fingerless gloves. This optimises my maneuverability, and - while I still don't know what Aizawa's scarf is made out of - I've requested my costume be made from similar carbon-fibre-steel-alloy mix to still give me some form of protection.

There's also a cape, that I'm quite proud of, that bunches up around my neck and has a large hood. The ends to it are deliberately tattered, and there is also a face mask with it. I've also got a couple of little tricks that come with it, activated by a little button on my belt.

The costume I actually get is, although close to the design, not quite...it. The main difference is that the 'loose-fitting' clothing - key word being 'loose-fitting' - is now magically skin-tight. Thanks…

We're all outside, waiting to begin. Everyone's costumes are so cool! Iida's suit of armour! Bakugo's explosive design! Midoriya's… Yeah, is costume is a bit weird, I won't lie.

I'm standing next to Uraraka, where Midoriya is walking over to join us.

"I wish I'd been more specific on my request form…" she begins. "This suit's so puffy and curvy."

"Requests would've done nothing," I shrug. "Does this look 'loose-fitting' to you?"

"Indoor anti-personnel battle training!"

Back to the task at hand.

All Might explains the task to us, how the worst villains work indoors, and so to prepare for this, we'll be splitting into villain teams and hero teams.

"And face off in two-on-two indoor battles!"

Aaaaaaaand this is where everyone hates my existence again. Once again, I slowly raise my hand in humiliation.

"Ah yes! Miss Kurono, you are not competing in today's event." Fucking fabulous. "You are to meet Aizawa to be ranked the same way as the other students...he should be here actually…"

"Behind you." A pissed-off, tired voice echoes from behind All Might.

"Aizawa! My man, it's good to see you!"

He gets no response. "Come on Kurono, you're behind enough as it is."

I shrug and turn to Midoriya and Uraraka. "See you guys later."

"Have fun!"

The walk over to the track is mostly silent. Aizawa isn't one for small talk anyway, but it's as if he knows I'm sulking.

Finally, he says something. "You've got a face on."

"This is my normal face."

"No, you're cross you can't compete in the event All Might is running today, aren't you."

I shrug. "Well yeah, kinda. Everything here revolves around there being an equal number of people. I've not even been here two days and it's clear to see I'm a difficulty."

"Yuuei will work around that."

"How am I meant to integrate with the others if I'm always the odd one out?"

"That's a challenge I can't help you with."

There's a long silence.

"Have you met Mic or Midnight yet?"

"I've only had a lesson with Midnight so far - and I deliberately hide from her."

I've only heard about Present Mic from Aizawa over the last few years, but all I know about him is that they're old friends and he's loud. Very loud. Midnight, I've met a couple of times before, but the most recent time was about three years ago. While I like her sadistic sense of humour…she just scares me. Aizawa has deliberately made me avoid contact with them as he's repeatedly said how they're a bad influence.

We stop at the track. I'll be doing all the events everyone else did so I can be ranked.

First up, grip strength - not my forte. My Quirk can do nothing to help me here and I get 27kg. Not too bad I guess.

Next is standing long jump. Again, my Quirk doesn't really come into play here but this follows a more dexterous approach. 210cm.

Third is 50m sprint. Now this I can do. I settle into the starting blocks, waiting to hear the sound of the gun.

Bang!

The second I hear it go off, I dive into the ground.

Part 4 - Testing My Quirk

My Quirk (well, Quirks), although following the same basis of shadows, have two sides that are quite different. One side is what I refer to as 'Shadow Manipulation'. Not only can I control shadows, but I can solidify them into things like tendrils or pillars I attack with. If I don't solidify the shadows, they just float around in a dark mist around me, but if I hold focus like that for too long I feel faint. It's a similar thing if I try and create too many tendrils.

The second side I refer to as 'Shadow Stealth'. It allows me to disappear into the ground, only visible as a shapeless shadow. Like this, I can't be hit and I'm not really affected by gravity. When I come out of this form, it's generally at quite a high speed and I can jump a fair way. However, if I stay as a shadow for too long, I get dizzy and throw up.

However, in this form, I'm very fast.

I dive into the ground and dash forward as a shadow. Just before the camera at the end, I launch myself out the ground and cross the finish line.

"4.02 seconds."

Alright! That was pretty good! You'd think I'd get to practice with my Quirk loads, living with Aizawa. In truth, because I don't have my license yet, I'm not allowed to - start a fight with me, I'll kick your ass, I've been taught how to do that much. Sure, we both know my capabilities with it than most do with their Quirk do, but I'm aware I've got a lot of room to grow.

I look over to Aizawa for some form of acknowledgement - pride even. Nothing. His face remains as serious as always. "Next event."

Sitting down, I drink some water. I've finished all my events now and I think I did pretty well. Aizawa is currently recording them all.

"Aizawa?"

"Mr Aizawa."

"Mr Aizawa, whatever, why did tell the other kids they'd get expelled if they came last?"

He chuckles. "A logical ruse to push them and their Quirks to the best of their ability."

"But say, you did this exercise thing when you were back here, surely you'd struggle. Your Quirk is like, super cool, but doesn't enhance you physically."

"I could still use my Quirk to give me an edge."

I look at him, confused.

"I can erase Quirks. If I don't get a physical enhancement, neither will anyone else."

"Wouldn't that be cheating?"

"What? You think villains will play fair?"

Point taken. I continue to sip at my water, watching the Sun disappear behind one of the towers of the building. The track is slowly becoming cast in shadow… I wonder…

"Mr Aizawa, would I be able to redo the 50 metres?"

"All the other students only got one chance."

"I know, but when I did it, it was sunny, but now," I point to the shaded track.

"You think the change in light intensity will affect your performance?"

"It would make sense."

A small smile creeps across his face. "Fine."

Once again, I take to the starting blocks. The gun fires, I dive into a shadow, I jump out the other end...I jump out a lot further and a lot faster than I usually do actually.

"Oh shit!" I tumble head-over-heels onto the floor, roll a few times before coming to a stop about five metres after the finish line. Sitting up, I look over at Aizawa, where I expect to find a disappointed glare being shot at me, along with a sigh. Instead, his expression is, in a word, shocked.

"2.78 seconds…"

"What?! Are you sure?"

He nods. "Before, you were travelling at about 45 kilometres per hour. Just then, you reached nearly 65."

"What?!" I jump to my feet and rush over. "I didn't realise there was that much of a difference!"

"Neither did I…"

"That's so cool!"

"One more thing."

I calm down.

"I couldn't see your shadow either. It would seem it blended in to what shadow was already being cast by the school." He smiles vaguely and gently cuffs me over the back of the head. "We'll make a stealth-hero out of you yet."

I smile widely. "Yeah! Come on, race you back!" And I dive into a shadow before he can anything… I get about 20 metres before I'm catapulted into the air again as I'm spat out of my shadow form, landing in a heap on the floor.

Aizawa walks past me, eyes red. "No."

I rejoin my class just in time to watch the end of the second battle. Apparently Bakugo and Midoriya had a ridiculous conflict and now Midoriya is in the Nurse's Office. Aizawa went off indoors and sent me back here -

Jeez, Todoroki is amazing! He just aced that! He iced an entire building and has heat too?! Dude.

"Without harming his ally or the nuclear weapon, he immobilised the enemy!" All Might announces as we all shiver uncontrollably.

"He's so strong!" Kirishima adds.

"Holy crap!"

"That guy's kinda intimidating."

"He got in on a recommendation, so he must be good!"

I feel I'm not living up to people's expectations…

Watching the remaining battles is interesting, but the one that stands out for me the most is the next one. The villains are Sero and Kirishima, the heroes are Asuni and Tokoyami.

Tokoyami has a shadow Quirk too. Dark Shadow, he seems super powerful and the guy looks to be at one with it.

He's...me, but better in every way...

"That's a wrap! Well one, you really stepped up to the plate! And we didn't have any majorly injuries - except for Midoriya. Excellent training!"

Asui steps forward. "Thank you, it's nice to hear some encouraging words after our homeroom class. Mr Aizawa was kinda a buzzkill."

The way the entire class is nodding amuses me so much - he can be such an asshole.

"I'm honoured to bring such staggering positivity! Now, I'm off to give Midoriya his evaluation! Change out of those costumes and head back to the classroom!" And with that, All Might zooms off indoors at an incredible speed.

"So cool!"

After school, we sit in our classroom, discussing the last couple of days and waiting for Midoriya.

"You're lucky you only missed out on a few days, joining any later would really put you behind schedule!" Kaminari points out.

"Yeah," I shrug.

"I guess it's not too bad as everyone is still settling in too." Tsuyu adds. (Asui has been letting a few people - including myself - call her by her first name.)

"Yeah! We're still learning everyone's names and Quirks!" Ashido joins in. "By the way, I heard you got in on recommendations."

I laugh awkwardly. "Yeah, everything about my application has just got awkward for the school really."

"You must be really good though! Like, Yao-momo and Todoroki level good!"

"I don't know about that…" Thinking about it, Todoroki basically has two Quirks. Maybe it would be worth trying to talk to him about it sometime. "I mean, I'm a pretty good fighter, and my grades are alright."

"Stop being modest!" Ashido slaps me on the shoulder.

"I'm not." I look over to Tokoyami. "I'd lower your expectations of me, that's all. That guy there is a lot better than me. We both have shadow-like Quirks, and his is not only stronger, but he's more in control of it too."

Tokoyami catches on to our conversation and snorts. "That's what you think. I'm sure both you and your Quirk are fine. I can guarantee Dark Shadow and your Quirk are nothing alike, even if they're both shadow-related."

I guess we'll see…

"Oh, Midoriya's here! Welcome back, man!".

Part 5 - The Introvert and The Extrovert

As expected, it didn't take long for the media to start drawing near the school after finding out All Might's a teacher. They've now exceeded 'drawing near' to 'are swarming the fucking gates'.

There are reporters everywhere, carrying huge cameras and microphones that they shove into people's faces as they abruptly ask questions.

I'm wearing a hoodie under my blazer, which I flick the hood up of as I try to push my way through the people.

"You there! What's it like having All Might as a teacher?!"

I ignore them and push through. As I look around, I can see a couple of people like Uraraka and Iida being interviewed. I don't want to be near the cameras. If I'm on T.V. and they somehow recognise me…

We eventually manage to get through the gate, hiding behind Aizawa has he literally shooes the media away with his hand. There's a voice in the crowd that says "I swear I've seen him somewhere before" which amuses me. So does the comment about him looking like such a mess.

I turn to see Aizawa sigh in disappointment as the barrier suddenly slams shut. Looks like a reporter got a bit too close.

Aizawa rubs his eyes. He was out a lot of last night on patrol, and I think there must've been a fight as he was using eye drops this morning. He looks even more tired than usual.

"I've looked over your grades and evaluations." Aizawa hands out several papers to the class. "Bakugo. Grow up already. Stop wasting your talent."

"Got it…"

"And it's seems Midoriya ended yet another day with a broken arm." I look over to him, who's staring at the table in humiliation. "Learn to control your Quirk, because just trying isn't going to cut it. I hate repeating myself, but you do have potential, assuming you can overcome this. Work at it, Midoriya."

"Okay!"

I take a look at my own sheet. As stated, there is an evaluation of my Quirk, where it can be improved, blank spaces where the evaluation of the Battle Trial should be (yeah…) and our class ranking in the top right corner.

6

Hey! I'm in 6th place! I'm not shit! Yeah!

Ashido puts up her hand. "Mr Aizawa, it says here my ranking is 10, but after the events I was 9th."

"Hey I've gone down too!"

"And me."

"I've stayed the same."

Yaoyorozu pipes up. "Are you guys even thinking about why this is?"

The class falls silent and I shrink back into my corner.

"Yes, well pointed out, Miss Yaoyorozu," Aizawa sighs. "If any of you had stopped to think, you'd had remembered not everyone had done their evaluation at the same time."

Everyone looks to me.

"Yo, Kurono, what rank are you then?" Kirishima asks.

I hold up six fingers.

"Hey! That's pretty good!"

"Nice one, Kurono!"

Not the reaction I was expecting. Still, although I'm really pleased with 6th place, it just confirms what I was saying about Tokoyami - he's still a better version than me. And the other two who also got in on recommendations, Yaoyorozu and Todoroki, are top of the class.

Sure, I did alright, and I'm really pleased with myself, but I'm not as good as what others expect me to be.

The media somehow managed to break into the school. Present Mic and Aizawa spent a lot of time trying to fend them off, but eventually they had to call the cops. In response, the media then gave Yuuei a slating.

I turn the T.V. off. Nothing is ever well represented on the news. Instead, I fall back and lie on the sofa, staring up at the ceiling. Home here is pretty empty, there's minimal furniture, the light in the kitchen has needed replacing for the last two years, and the most exciting room in the house is probably mine - Aizawa doesn't have much sense when it comes to interior design.

He walks in and looks at me, "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine."

He sighs and sits on the other end of the sofa. "I've learnt what that means. Come on, what's up."

I want to explain how I feel about being in comparison to Tokoyami, and the pressure of getting in on recommendation. I want to say how I feel like I'm constantly disappointing everyone. I want to tell him how much of an inspiration he is to me, as both Eraserhead and Shota Aizawa, but I'm scared I can't live up to expectations.

He doesn't need the extra stress I give him.

"Seriously," I force a smile. "I'm fine."

Only recently has Aizawa given more freedom to make my own decisions - he's started treating me more like an adult. Before, I'd have to call him by honorifics all the time, which at the time, I didn't understand.

Now, I see it was to get me to listen to him. He's been my teacher for the last five years, and the use of honorifics was to subconsciously get the stubborn, feral part of me to see him as a teacher and listen to his advice.

Ever since being able to make more of my own choices, I call him Aizawa mainly to take the piss. We both know the drop of honorifics is a small rebellion in itself, but he gets that's how my humour works and tolerates it. I only ever use Eraserhead if I'm (literally) shadowing him on a patrol, and even then I cut it down to Eraser.

But despite the abbreviations and little jokes, I know and respect that man more than anyone else I've ever met. I don't want to be a burden to him.

Surprisingly, I am settling into school. Whether the glares from other students have stopped, or I've learnt to ignore them, I don't know, but either way I feel better.

Turns out Bakugo isn't that bad, he's just a living example of how some people are compressed anger. Why he hates Midoriya so much, I don't know, but what I do know is that it isn't personal if he snaps at you.

I like Kirishima, we get on well. He's got a strong heart and is fun to be around. It's the same with Ashido - her charisma is contagious. If I'm not hanging out with them, I'm with Iida, Uraraka and Midoriya.

Everyone is finishing and leaving our English class at the end of the day, when Present Mic comes up to me.

"Heeeeey, you're Kurono, right?!" So loud. "I've never got the chance to talk to you properly!"

I wave my hand in acknowledgement.

"You're the kid Eraser's been looking after! Man, I can't believe we haven't met properly!"

I look around the room in panic - thankfully, everyone has left. "It's not exactly something we shout about."

"Oh right! Sorry." He hushes (attempts to) his voice as he drags a chair in front of my desk and sits down. "So tell us about yourself, huuuuuuun. Who are ya, what's your Quirk? Eraser, what's he like to live with? Has he been trying to hide you from me? I bet he has."

He most definitely has been. Many-a-time has Aizawa literally hidden me away when this guy came knocking. 'He's a bad influence,' would be what he'd say to me, before a 'Yamada, why are you here' to the doorway.

I laugh, taken aback by the sudden swarm of questions. "Oh, y'know, my name's Kurono -"

"C'mon! Build me a character profile of yourself, girl!"

"Okay, okay! Right, so, my name's Kurono, I'm 5'7, my birthday is 30th November, I've been training with Aizawa for five years...I like cats…? What more do you want?"

"Your Quirk, man!"

"Oh, right, well… I can control shadows and solidify them to attack. I can create clouds of shadow too, and I can turn into a shadow and travel pretty quick...Aizawa has all the details from my evaluation the other day."

"That's radicaaaaaal!" So very loud.

Aizawa suddenly appears in the doorway. "Mic, why are are bothering my student?"

"Yo, Aizawa! She's my student too now. Can't believe you hid her away all this time, man! She seems pretty cool!"

"Call me Eraser while in school. You're a bad influence." There we go. "You lack any rationality."

"That's not fair!"

"Come on. Nezu has called a meeting regarding the media."

"Welp," he stands. "Been a good chat, sister, see ya around!"

On the way home, I walk to Aizawa about his childhood friend.

"I see why you get along."

"You do?"

"Duh, it's obvious! It's the whole opposites attract thing. You're an introverted, grumpy piece of shit who wears black all the time, he's loud (so very loud), excitable, it's kinda like how cats and dogs get on."

"Cats and dogs don't get on."

"Are you denying he is your 'bestest friend in the whole wide world'?" I mock.

He cuffs me over the head. "Continue."

"You're practically a cat. You're almost constantly tired or sleeping, moody, you generally dislike loudness and most people. However, you're also a badass ninja who secretly cares and is a big softy - don't deny it! I've been around you long enough to pick up on that!"

Aizawa sighs. "Sure."

"Yamada is like a puppy. Excited by everything and everyone, just wants to play, crashes around the place like a bull in a china shop. Most people think the cat hates the dog because they are so different, or the cat vaguely tolerates the dog's existence. But then, one day you see the cat gently headbutt the dog, or is playing with it or whatever, and you realise they, despite differences, are best friends. That is you and Yamada."

Aizawa snorts, but there is a slight smile on his face. "Not bad, kid, more observant than you look."

There's a long silence before I talk again.

"We should get a cat."

Arc Summary:

Battle Trial - Ch 1 Pt 1

USJ - Ch 2 Pt 8

Sports Festival - Ch 3 Pt 15

Hero Killer - Ch 6 Pt 34

Aomori (own arc) - Ch 11 Pt 56

Final Exams - Ch 12 Pt 63

School Trip/Hideout Raid - Ch 14 Pt 71

Hero License Exam - Ch 17 Pt 88

Internship - Ch 20 Pt 104

Experiments (own mega arc spreading over other arcs) - Ch 23 Pt 118

Overhaul - Ch 28 Pt 142

Arachnid - Ch 29 Pt 147

Culture Festival - ? (see Arachnid arc for further updates)

Pro Hero Arc - ?

Three Factions (own arc) - ?

Joint Training - ?

Meta Liberation Army - ?

Kidnapped (own arc, v excited) - ?

TBA