AN: I did warn everyone that updates would be very scattered!
It feels weird going back in time, but one of the things that I keep coming back to is the idea of Aizawa expelling an entire class - while Himiko & friends avoided that by virtue of being in class 1-B. Despite that, I imagine that their class also got hit pretty hard by its effects.
The students of Class 1-B were chatting away in their homeroom before class started when Tomoe rushed into the room, ashen-faced. Everyone quieted down as she walked from the doorway to the podium.
"As of yesterday, the entirety of Class 1-A has been expelled."
The panic in her voice was a stark contrast to the reserved personality she has shown her classmates over the last two weeks, and only added to the weight of her announcement.
The classroom remained silent for several heartbeats as everyone processed the news. Then chaos erupted among the students.
"QUIET!" Emily shouted, causing everyone to be silent again. "Let her finish!"
"Thank you."
Tomoe seemed to be regaining control of her emotions and her quiet demeanor was returning. "Class 1-A was doing their weekly lesson at USJ yesterday, and there was an incident. I wasn't told the specifics, but whatever happened upset Aizawa-sensei enough that he decided to expel his entire class over it."
"That means we're the only class of students left on the hero studies track?" Oda asked, and everyone turned to Tomoe for an answer.
"For this semester, yes. While it is uncommon, there is always the option for students to transfer into UA from other school's heroics courses, or for people to transfer from UA's own general studies or support departments. Normally these students would be assigned to keep the class sizes relatively balanced. However, since class 1-A no longer exists, any students who are accepted into UA's heroics program will be assigned to that class."
"Little Sakura is correct." Kan-sensei entered the room.
Kan walked over to the podium, motioning for Tomoe to sit down at her desk, before he continued.
"Do not take this as a license to slack on your own studies. If anything, this means you are now under more intense scrutiny, to prove you are different from your former classmates. The media would love nothing more than the opportunity to destroy our school for having an entire year's worth of Hero course students be expelled."
Himiko felt her eyes dart to Emily, who was shaking. It looked like she was taking the news hard, and Himiko felt guilt bubbling up. While she personally felt safe from expulsion, she couldn't help but wonder about the loud American - if anything, Emily may feel more pressure now.
After the announcement, Vlad began homeroom. After that announcement, the homeroom period had a very somber tone, and everyone was on their best behavior for the morning classes.
After lunch class 1-B was scheduled to return to the USJ for their own rescue heroics lesson. After their first lesson last week, fewer students chose to wear their uniforms and instead stuck with their gym uniform. However, the lucky few who had their support item requests finished were ready to tackle the USJ a second time, and were excited to see how their new support equipment worked.
Everyone was getting settled on the bus, the mood improving until they saw Aizawa-sensei board the bus, followed by Kan-sensei. A heavy silence settled over the students, leading to a quiet bus trip for the entire ride to the USJ.
Only once they got to USJ and filed off the bus did Aizawa speak. "Yesterday my class attended their second rescue heroics lesson at the USJ. However, the prevailing attitude among my students was that this was fun and games - they didn't need to take the lessons. Roughly half of the students in the class did not respect what their quirks could do, and as a result two of my students ended up injured due to their own carelessness."
Aizawa looked over the class before he continued. "The remaining students were aware of what was going on, but did not attempt to step in nor did they inform me until after the first student was injured. By that point it was too late to stop the second injury."
He stared at class 1-B with tired eyes, but for the students he may as well be a judge deciding their fate.
"Because of the massive disregard for protocols, and because my students clearly did not understand that this is not a game, I had my entire class expelled. My students did not understand that we are preparing you for life-or-death situations. To the child, or grandparent, trapped in a burning building, this isn't a game. Your actions can, and will, determine if they live or die. When there is a villain attacking in broad daylight, this isn't a game. Your actions will determine if people get hurt, or killed, as a result. My students did not understand that fact, and so I deemed them unfit to become heroes."
To everyone's surprise, Emily stepped forward and bowed deeply to Kan-sensei. "I can't speak for my entire class, but I want to personally apologize if I ever gave the appearance of not taking things seriously."
That seemed to surprise both teachers. Aizawa quickly returned to a neutral expression, while Kan responded to his student.
"Little Song, you are not at fault for what the other class has done, you are only responsible for your own actions. If this is causing you turmoil, then perhaps instead of apologizing it would be better to show us through your actions that you are serious about your desire to become a hero."
"Y-yes Kan-sensei!" Emily straightened up.
"That goes for all of you as well." Kan continued. "I know today has been hard on all of you, but as heroes, you will be facing many trials during your career. If it was easy then Aizawa and myself would be out of our jobs, after all! The true measure of your character is found when you are faced with a crisis. How you handle it is the true measure of your worth as a hero. As heroes, often words alone are not enough, as much as we wish they were, and we are required to back it up with actions!"
The class seemed to reflect on his words. While harsh, they rang true, and Himiko found herself thinking of Izuku. Despite his quirklessness, he kept trying to push forward and help people. It was how he attracted the attention of freaking All Might.
It was also how he became her hero. She just hoped that when the time came, she could live up to the standards he set.
Himiko and Atsuko were walking out of the school gates when they heard running behind them. Himiko stopped and was caught mid-turn by Emily, who slammed into her and wrapped her into a hug.
"W-what is this for?" Himiko asked, her face heating up in embarrassment.
Atsuko giggled at that. "What, you can't handle someone being as openly affectionate as you?"
"It's not that!" Himiko cried out. "I'm just confused what Song is doing!"
"Oh, sorry!" Emily let Himiko go and took a step back. "I just needed to thank you both."
"What do you mean?"
"When I got here, I felt a lot like the students Aizawa-sensei was describing today." Emily admitted. Her eyes were shimmering as she fought back tears. "Without the two of you, I could see myself pulling a stunt that would have gotten me expelled."
Atsuko looked between the two girls. "I think we should go somewhere and talk."
The three found a coffee shop near the train station and ordered drinks, claiming a quiet table near the back to sit down. Himiko sat there in awkward silence while Atsuko kept looking at her, quietly urging patience.
After ten minutes, Emily finally began talking. "When we were in middle school, I already told you what my friend circle was like. Our parents would periodically rent quirk training facilities for us. Or for the kids whose parents were heroes, we would even get to visit their agency's training facilities occasionally. The pretense, of course, was to train our quirks, but for us? It was just fun and games."
"And so you would be one of those students who would make a game out of rescue training." Himiko finished for her.
Emily glared at Himiko, before sighing. "Yeah. If I was in the other class, I would probably have been one of the people who thought USJ was just like our old practice sessions. We'd be saving training dummies, but we'd be playing around the whole time. Trying to trick each other with quirks, engaging in improv battles of heroes vs villains, stuff like that."
"But you're not in the other class, you're in 1-B." Atsuko pointed out.
Emily looked down at her drink, stirring its contents with her straw. "Yeah. It makes me feel like I dodged a bullet, honestly. The fact that everyone in our class is from different backgrounds, and… Midoriya here called me out that second day."
Himiko looked down at her own half-finished drink. "I may have been too harsh on you."
Emily looked over the table at her. "No! You may have been harsh, but I- I think I needed to hear it like that."
"What?" Himiko looked up, staring at the American girl.
"I'm not repeating myself! But you and Sakura - you are both fighting hard to prove you deserve to be heroes too. In our first stealth training you embarrassed everyone in the class, for crying out loud! You had every right to tell me I was full of myself. If you didn't call me out, I am not sure I would feel this way after hearing the news today."
"So, what are you going to do about it?" Atsuko asked her gently.
"It's like Kan-sensei said. Words aren't enough. I need to keep learning how to be a better hero. I want to keep learning from the four of you, if you'll let me." Emily said, looking between the two.
"Himi?" Atsuko asked pointedly, looking at her friend.
Himiko felt her face heat up. "Y-you're embarrassing me!"
She turned to face Emily again, and sighed. Izuku, you better not make me regret this.
"You are still insufferable, but if it will keep you out of trouble, you can keep hanging around with us."
Atsuko smirked at that. "Says you, Himi."
"Screw you, Suko!" Himiko said, sticking her tongue out at her friend.
Atsuko giggled. "You're just proving my point."
This earned a laugh from Emily. "No wonder you're willing to call me out!"
Emily calmed down and offered a genuine smile to the two girls. "Thanks. I know It's going to take some time, but I'll make sure you don't regret letting me stick around!"
"Just keep your quirk analysis far away from me." Himiko grumbled.
"Oh no, we are totally going to have to get Izuku and Song to meet at some point." Atsuko said.
That seemed to flip a switch and make Emily excited again, while Himiko visibly groaned. Atsuko smiled at the antics of the two girls - despite how different they were, she couldn't help but notice they had quite a few similarities to each other, as well. She was sure they could become friends, given time.
Until then, it was up to Tomoe, Habiki, and herself to act as a buffer between the two, keeping them from killing each other.
AN: Aizawa - is often portrayed as a big old softie who deeply cares about the kids in his class.
Also Aizawa - is willing to expel an entire class of students under some vague notion that it would help them understand what "death" feels like. And likely traumatize a good chunk of the other class in the splash damage.