"You know, Ayano, I'm not sure if I can keep this up all the way to the station." Izuku said as he and Ayano were leaving the school.
"Think of it as training." Ayano said logically.
Izuku sighed though had a small amused smile on his face as he continued to walk towards the gate with Ayano on his back. The second he had come out of the changing room, she had welcomed herself to his back, so he could carry her to the station. He wouldn't be surprised if she asked him to carry her home too. Katsuki must have told her "no" this time around, and she hadn't tried to force him.
"Okay, okay," Izuku said. "But I'm not doing this every day, okay?"
Ayano hummed confirmation as she placed her chin on top his head as he continued walking. They ignored the looks being given to them by some of the other students, and even the laughter that was pointed in their direction.
"Midoriya, Ishida," A voice called out to them.
Izuku paused while turning his body to look to the person who called out to them. Ayano blinked when seeing it was Tenya.
"Oh, hey there, Iida." Izuku greeted as Ayano lifted her hand to wave.
"Midoriya, I just wanted to ask how the broken finger is doing." Tenya said.
Izuku blinked a bit surprised that anyone was asking him as he subconsciously twitched his bandaged finger.
"Oh, it's doing fine thanks to Doctorine." Izuku said. "Though small injuries aren't really her forte. She's usually used for harder cases."
Her quirk was different than Recovery Girl's after all. Instead of healing the damaged body, she replaces what is damaged with new bone, skin, muscle tissue etc. She also uses her own body to replace the injured person's damaged body with her healthy tissue/bones, which means it can sometimes take a lot out of her. Though she can successfully replace another person's limb and match their muscle and skin type even if it means she'll have to wait sometimes months for a new limb to grow on her body. So basically she has super regenerative powers that she can pass onto others at the sake of slowing down her body's ability to regenerate herself. Though her quirk has other abilities, but not ones she'd use as a school nurse. Or at least Izuku hoped she didn't use them for her job as a nurse.
"I see." Tenya said. "Well as long as you're doing better."
Izuku thanked him as they continued walking with Ayano still on his back. He actually barely notices she's there compared to when they were little and he'd carry her around. Actually he was sure that ten months ago that she'd feel heavy to him even if she was rather petite in size. He supposed all that training really has helped him.
"And you, Ishida?" Tenya asked looking to Ayano who was comfortable with her spot on Izuku's back. "You seem almost sickly."
"Physical activity isn't easy for me." Ayano said. "It's almost like all the muscle ability went to my brain."
And the brain is a muscle—a muscle hogging all the strength for itself and not giving the rest of Ayano's body a chance of being strong. Stupid brain. Though she does have some muscle mass in her body, of course. About the average amount of muscle mass for a healthy teenage girl, but it wasn't really enough in the line of hero-work. She'll just have to work at ways around her flaws.
"One of the downsides of your quirk, hm?" Tenya asked. "Even with this hindrance, you have a pretty impressive quirk. I'm a bit surprised you didn't score higher in the test."
"It just shows I have more room to grow." Ayano said shrugging. "Besides, that test was more suited for quirks like you and Izuku have. In a test better suited for mental ability I'd surely rank as number one, which means I just have to work more on the physical aspects of being a hero."
Tenya nodded at her thinking since it made perfect sense, and he did like to see his fellow students determined to succeed and have a well thought out idea of what they need to do.
"Yes, I agree." Tenya said. "Though I was a bit concerned Aizawa-sensei's approach to class, but I trust the school's judgement. U.A is the top program. Even so lying is downright immoral."
Ayano blinked because she lies more often than she'd care to admit. She's lying to Izuku by not letting him know she knows about his gifts. She's lying to Katsuki by telling him she can't read Izuku's thoughts clearly to figure out what he's hiding. She doesn't like it, but sometimes lying is essential. She didn't say this out loud though, and simply hummed to Tenya's statement.
'I thought he was kind of scary.' Izuku admitted to her through his mind. 'But he's just really serious about school.'
'It would seem that way,' She replied. 'He and Kurafutoshi-chan should get along well during our time here.'
Izuku mentally chuckled as he continued to walk alongside Tenya who looked as if he'd accompany them to the station. They were stopped again though as a new voice called out to them.
"Hey!"
They turned again to see the person this time was Ochaco. She hurried towards them with a big grin on her face, and Ayano noticed how Izuku stiffened. She blinked while adjusting her view to look at Izuku's face, which was red. She didn't have to peek inside his head to know what he was thinking.
"Wait up, you three!" Ochaco said as she continued towards them. "Are you going to the station?! I'll join, you guys."
She finally caught up to them with the large smile remaining on her face. Ayano could never smile that much, so it sometimes amazes her how much those around her can smile almost non-stop.
"Oh, you're the infinity girl." Tenya said.
"I'm Uraraka Ochaco." Ochaco introduced herself. "Let's see, you are Iida Tenya. Of course, I already know Ishida."
She smiled towards the ginger-haired girl, and Ayano raised her hand to wave at her in reply. She then looked to Izuku who averted his eyes.
"And your name is Deku, right?" Ochaco asked. "Midoriya?"
"Deku?!" Izuku exclaimed in shock.
Ayano snorted in amusement as she placed her head on top of Izuku's head once more.
"Ah yeah, isn't that what Bakugo called you?" Ochaco asked. "During the fitness exams he was like—!"
'Deku, you bastard!' Ayano imaged Katsuki's voice as Ochaco spoke.
That boy really needed to control his temper, but Ayano knew the chances of that happening were slim to none.
"Uh, well, my name is actually Izuku." Izuku explained while nervously fidgeting. "Deku is what Kacchan calls me to make fun of me."
"That's unsportsmanlike." Tenya commented.
"Oh yeah, I completely forgot that Ishida mentioned something like that before the test." Ochaco said. "I'm sorry."
She looked sincere as she spoke, and Ayano could tell she was a good person.
"But, ya know what, I like Deku." Ochaco added on. "It could make a great hero name. Plus, I think it sounds kind of cute."
"Deku it is then!" Izuku said without hesitation.
"Just like that?" Tenya asked looking shocked. "But weren't you just saying it was some kind of insult?!"
Izuku turned away shyly while forgetting he was holding Ayano to cover his hands with his hands. Ayano gave slightly squeal in surprise before she fell to the ground. As Izuku was trying to calm himself, Tenya hurried to check on her.
"Are you alright, Ishida?" Tenya asked.
"Yeah, just remind me to never ask Izuku for another piggy back ride again." Ayano deadpanned.
Ayano let out a yawn behind her hand as she made her way to class. She felt exhausted since she had stayed up late last night to read over the syllabus closely. Of course, she hadn't gotten home until late since she stayed longer than usual at the hospital with Ko. She had told him all about her day, and how she thought Aizawa was a bit strange. She had asked him if he even knew her teacher even if she knew she wouldn't get a reply. She supposes she just stayed longer since she knew she'd get less time to go see him now that she's truly starting her time at U.A. Ayano made it to the classroom while opening up the door.
"Good morning, Ayano." Izuku called out as she entered.
"Morning." She replied.
She went over to her desk behind Katsuki while setting her bag down beside her desk. She sat down while stretching her limbs above her head.
"Hey, loser." Katsuki said as he turned to look at her as she was dropping her arms. "Where were you last night? My mom had me run you some dinner since she worries about your dumb ass, and you weren't at home."
"Oh, Katsuki, is that worry I hear?" Ayano asked. "Careful, I might start thinking you care about my well-being."
Katsuki's brow twitched in aggravation while ready to tell her off, but he paused when seeing despite her snide comment, she had an almost bothered look on her face. When seeing her ploy to distract him didn't work, Ayano let out a sigh.
"I stayed late with Ko last night." Ayano said low enough that only Katsuki and Izuku heard her. "Things are going to pick up in my life. I'll have a lot to do between school work and hero training that I'll barely have time to see him, so I just took my time last night."
Izuku could understand that. He then looked down at the ground while remembering how nice it was having Ko around. He was not only a big brother to Ayano, but to him…and even Katsuki. The three of them had looked up to Ko. And even if Katsuki won't admit it, he too had been devastated when Ko's injuries left him in a coma. Izuku doesn't visit as often as Ayano does, but he makes sure to visit Ko with her on his birthday since she always brings him fresh flowers and small gifts.
"But I did get the food you left on the counter." Ayano said. "Please, tell your mother I said thank-you and it was delicious."
"Tell her yourself, stupid." Katsuki said as he turned away from her. "She wants you to come to dinner tonight. She's convinced your starving or something even when I tell her you're about as fat as a pig."
A spike of anger shot up around Ayano that had Izuku cowering as she narrowed her eyes. Ayano doesn't actually lose her temper that much, but her weight has always been a touchy subject. Whenever brought up, she sometimes gets a bit violent like Katsuki.
"As fat as a pig, huh, Kacchan?" Ayano asked with curling her hand into a fist.
Before Katsuki could even retort, he was sent flying with his entire desk into the wall up front. Everyone jumped or gasped as the impact caused the wall to crack and the desk to break into pieces. Katsuki let out a shout while throwing the desk off of him while sitting up.
"What the hell was that for, Aya?!" Katsuki demanded as the class watched on.
The then class turned to Ayano as she stood calmly from her desk with an icy aura around her. This had some of the class shrinking away with wide eyes.
"Would you like to comment on my weight again to find out, Katsuki?" Ayano asked deathly calm. "Maybe if I throw you out a window, you'll understand."
Katsuki just snarled at her in return like an animal as Izuki shrunk farther down into his chair.
"He commented about her weight?" Denki asked. "Dude must be crazy. You don't comment on a girl's weight."
A lot of the guys nodded in agreement since they all knew better than to do something stupid like that.
"Well, I say he deserves what's coming to him." Ayumi said grinning from her seat beside Shoto. "Knock 'im dead, Ayano!"
"No, don't do that!" Tenya said while shooting up from his chair. "Think of what could happen to the rest of the school's property!"
"I don't think Ishida cares about that." Mashirao said sweat-dropping.
As the class murmured about what could possibly happen, Ayano uncurled her hand looking ready to continue. But before anything else could be broken, the bell rang for class to begin with the door opening to reveal Aizawa. He stepped in while not seeming impressed with the broken wall or desk, or the fact that Katsuki and Ayano seemed to be in another argument.
"Take your seats." Aizawa said. "And, Bakugo, Ishida, you two will staying after school today to fix the damage you caused."
It was silent for a moment before Ayano straightened up while adjusting the bottom of her jacket.
"Yes, sensei." Ayano said without a fuss. "I apologize for the trouble."
"You should be apologizing to me, dammit!" Katsuki shouted. "And where the hell am I supposed to sit?!"
Ayano shrugged obviously not caring what he decided to do as she took her own seat. Katsuki snorted then got up from the mess on the floor. He went to the back of the room to grab one of the extra chairs then took it to the front of the room. He slammed it down before finally taking a seat. As he cursed Ayano under his breath, the class sweat-dropped. These two certainly kept things interesting, didn't they?
"Alright, now that you're all seated, it's time to talk about your school physicals." Aizawa said.
"School physicals?" Hachiro asked with a tilt of the head. "Do the physicals we turned in before the exams not count, Sensei?"
All of them had to turn in physicals before even being approved for the exams. Even the recommended students had to go to their physicians and get physicals to turn in along with all their other paperwork.
"They're not thorough enough for U.A's standards." Aizawa said. "The physicals you take at other hospitals only cover the basics. This physical will get right down to each of your body's unique types, which also understanding your quirks and the affects it has on your bodies, so we know what to do in case of emergencies."
Ayano thought they made sense, but if someone was giving a physical…then who? She then frowned as Doctorine came to mind. She did tell Izuku his physical would have to wait for another date. Please, don't tell her that sadist was—! The door was then slid up so hard it sounded with a slam, which had everyone turning to face the door. Standing there was Doctorine herself, and instead of carrying a large tongue depressor today, she had a large syringe and needle. Ayano's eyes widened partially. She couldn't be planning to stick someone with that for real, could she?
"Hello, my lovelies!" She said blowing them a kiss. "Who's ready to get physical?"
Denki and Minoru both drooled while looking very willing to jump right in to volunteer. Ayano looked at them with an almost humorously sympathetic expression.
'You poor bastards,' She thought. 'You have no idea what's coming.'
She then glanced back at Izuku who looked extremely pale at the moment while clutching now un-bandaged finger. He obviously hasn't forgotten his encounter with Doctorine.
"This is going to be hell." Ayano said under her breath.
Ayano sat off to the side waiting for her turn to go behind the curtain set up in the classroom. Many of her class has already gone through, and the screaming they made behind the curtain didn't help keep those who had to go after them calm.
"I'm seriously afraid to go behind that curtain." Mina said as she stood beside Ayano. "What if I don't come back out alive?"
The pinkette shuddered holding herself as she spoke as they could hear Denki crying for mercy behind the curtain as sparks literally seemed to fly. Ayano sweat-dropped while not really able to think of anything encouraging to say to Mina to make her feel better.
"While Doctorine is proving herself as a sadist, I don't think she'd kill any of us." Fumikage said from his perch on top of a desk. "She is a member of the staff after all."
He then had to control a flinch himself as Denki came crawling out from behind the curtain with his clothes disheveled and a haunted look in his eyes.
"Yeah, and if she kills us, she'll run out of people to play doctor with, which I'm sure wouldn't make her happy." Ayano deadpanned as Mashirao was called to go behind the curtain next.
"Oh, yeah, there's that too." Ayumi agreed as she sat on a desk with her feet in the seat. "Maybe it won't be so bad. Katsuki and Shoto made it out alright."
She pointed over to the two boys who were sitting at the desks—Katsuki had been brought a new—with unscarred expressions on their faces as if they had come out of the physical unbothered.
"They may look alright, but you should hear what's going on inside their heads." Ayano said tapping her temple. "Todoroki-kun is trying to convince himself what happened to him hadn't, and Katsuki—Well, Katsuki is basically crying on the inside."
"Shut-up, Aya!" Katsuki snapped. "I am not crying on the inside, dammit!"
He then calmed down for a second out of confusion when Eijiro pat him on the shoulder.
"It's alright, man." Eijiro said. "No one here judges you for crying. Doctorine is one scary lady."
Eijiro then leaned away from Katsuki whose hands started to smoke and crackle in aggravation.
"I said I'm not crying, dumbass!" Katsuki insisted.
Ayano shook her head at Katsuki then looked to the others who had already taken their turns with Doctorine. Most of them were huddled in the back corner of the room looking as if they had just survived some kind of horrific experience, which Ayano was sure they did. Denki, who had managed to crawl over to them, was now clinging to Kyoka who was clinging to Momo who didn't even seem to know where she was anymore.
Tenya, Ochaco, and Izuku were all together as well while muttering about monster women and large needles. And not far from them Hanta and Rikido were trying to console Kouji. Hachiro was practically hiding behind a desk while watching the curtain like an animal posed on alert incase any danger may appear. With all their classmates looking so shell-shocked, it gave no comfort to those still waiting their turns.
"What are the odds of Aizawa-sensei waking up and saving us from this monster?" Mina asked.
The group looked towards their homeroom teacher as he was curled up in his sleeping bag at the front of the classroom. He was snoring peacefully without a care in the world, and it amazed Ayano how he could sleep through so much noise.
"I find the chances slim to none." Ayano said being brutally honest. "Besides, even if he did happen to wake up, I highly doubt he'd stop her."
Mina sighed hanging her head since she knew Ayano had to be right. Their teacher seemed a bit sadistic himself. A few minutes later, Mashirao was shoved out from behind the curtain into a heap on the floor. Doctorine peeked around the curtain to smile at Ayano.
"Ayano-chan~" She called waving. "It's your turn."
The others looked to Ayano sympathetically as she let out a breath knowing there was nothing that could save her at this point.
"If there is a god, please keep me sane." She said then started walking off towards her inevitable doom.
Ayano let out a groan as she rested her head against the cafeteria table. It was now lunch, and her head was already killing her. After the eventful morning with Doctorine, they went on with regular classes. English with Present Mic had been first, and then the classes followed until they finally came to the halfway through mark—lunch. Ayano had been going to eat with Katsuki and Izuku, but Katsuki went off to eat on his own.
Though Kirishima and Hachiro and a few of the other boys invited themselves to Katsuki's table—much to his disappointment. Then Izuku had went to eat with Tenya and Ochaco. Ayano wasn't alone though. Some of the girls in class had been kind enough to invite her to have lunch with them. It was a bit different not spending lunch with Katsuki and Izuku, but the company she had wasn't bad.
"Headache?" Momo asked looking sympathetic.
"I get them often." Ayano said. "I'll just take some headache medicine before heading back to class."
She then forced herself to sit up in her seat knowing she had to eat because Hero Basic Training was after lunch. She had to make sure she didn't start that on an empty stomach.
"So how do you think our first day of Hero Basic Training will go?" Toru asked. "I'm a bit nervous, but excited as well!"
"Me too." Mina said grinning. "I heard a rumor that All Might himself teaches the class."
"That would make things interesting." Tsuyu commented.
Ayano was going to say he did since she's been hearing about it for a while now through the teacher's minds and through the minds of the students who heard the rumor. Not only that, but All Might had to be part of the staff to be the one to tell the students they passed, right?
"I don't know if they'll start us on anything hard today, but we should be prepared nonetheless for anything." Momo said while looking really serious.
"Well, whatever they throw at us, I can't wait for it." Ayumi said. "This class is going to be the only thing about this school I'll actually enjoy."
"Yeah, those early classes were so boring." Kyoka agreed.
Ayano will admit some of the core classes were a bit dull, and Present Mic's upbeat and loud personality so early in the morning wasn't something she enjoyed. Besides, she didn't see how anyone got so excited for English. Then Cementoss's voice could put anyone to sleep—even better than the subject he teaches, which happens to be history. Midnight's class wasn't so bad, but Ayano wished the boys could try to control their thoughts around her. At least, Katsuki, Shoto, and Fumikage had some restraint. And sweet Kouji couldn't even look at Midnight since he saw her as intimidating.
"What do you think, Ishida?" Mina asked looking to the ginger-haired girl. "You're being kinda quiet, ya know."
All the girls turned their eyes on Ayano who blinked since she wasn't used to people asking her opinion.
"Oh, sorry." Ayano said rubbing the back of her head. "I'm not really used to actually being part of conversations with others besides Izuku and Katsuki unless I'm spoken directly to."
"Didn't you spend time with any of the other girl's at your old school?" Toru asked curiously.
Ayano shook her head while actually feeling a bit uncomfortable, which she rarely feels. And she isn't starting to like the feeling.
"The only friends I've ever had in school were the same friends I had as a child, which are Katsuki and Izuku." Ayano said shrugging. "I never made friends with anyone besides them. None of the girls at my old school liked me, and even if they acted nice and friendly on the outside towards me, I could hear what they really thought of me by reading their minds. Then the boys showed interest only when their hormones started getting in the way, and you don't want me to get started on the thoughts I heard from their heads. So it made it kind of hard to make those kinds of connections to people around me. Katsuki and Izuku were the only ones who were always honest with me. The only ones who told me what was on their minds, or didn't try to hide their thoughts from me."
Ayano then grew quiet when she realized she had rambled a bit. She usually doesn't talk so much. Not out loud anyway. She then looked to Momo as the taller girl placed her hand on Ayano's arm in a friendly manner.
"You don't have to worry about those things here." Momo said with a kind smile. "We're your classmates, and we accept you for who you are as well."
"Yeah, Ishida!" Mina, who was sitting beside Ayano, said grinning. "We'll be open and honest with you just like Bakugo and Midoriya. Can't let you just have two friends all your life. That'd be totally depressing."
She then hugged Ayano's arm causing her eyes to widen a bit in shock. Friends with other people besides Katsuki and Izuku?
"You know to mark our new bonds of friendship, we should all do something together sometime!" Toru said. "And be sure to add Uraraka and Kurafutoshi too! We can all take a weekend and go shopping! Ooh! Or go out and eat then maybe some karaoke!"
Some of the girls murmured together sounding excited as Ayano tried to comprehend if this was all really happening.
"Sounds like fun to me." Ayumi said grinning as she propped her feet up on the table. "But what about a big sleepover at my place instead? We definitely have the room for everybody, and my dad is like never home, so we can stay up all night and be as loud as we want without waking anyone."
"That sounds even better!" Toru said. "What do you girls think?"
She looked to the others—or at least they thought she was looking at them—and they all seemed to ponder for a moment.
"I'm free this weekend!" Mina said grinning. "We can take the entire weekend hangout, and maybe do some of the things Hagakure suggested! It'd be totally awesome."
Toru as quick to agree, and based off Ayumi's smile the others knew she was down.
"I'd just have to ask my parents if it's okay, but I don't think they would mind." Tsuyu said. "And it does sound fun."
"Same here." Kyoka said. "But my parents are pretty laid back too."
"It would be a nice chance to get to know each other." Momo said. "And perhaps we could squeeze some school work in there?"
The other girls didn't look exactly excited about the school work thing, but murmured they'd do it. The girls then looked to Ayano who had silently been listening this entire time. She scratched the back of her head looking a bit uncertain. But maybe it would be nice to go things with a large group. Besides, as a pro-hero, she'll be expected to work with others, so it's best to build strong bonds with those she'll probably be working the most with in the years to come. Besides, she liked the idea of making new friends.
"Sure, I'm free." She said nodding.
"Great!" Toru said throwing her arms up in the air. "Now we just have to ask Uraraka and Kurafutoshi!"
The bell for lunch to end then sounded, which had the girls getting up to put away their trash. Once they cleaned up after themselves, they headed back to class. And the next lesson was Hero Basic Training. Ayano smiled while feeling quite excited for it.