Coco: Hey, guys, I'm back again :D Nothing too exciting in this chapter, but the next one should be a bit more thrilling as the villains should be attacking or about to attack our young heroes in training! Wonder how they'll handle it, hmm?
Ayano let out a laugh as she watched Hachiro shovel food into his mouth. It was like he hasn't ate in months. Though he wasn't the only one eating like his life depended on it. Ayano has eaten quite a bit herself. The journey here had really worn the lot of them out, so it was nice to sit and relax with everyone over a nice meal.
"Hachiro, if you don't slow down, you're going to choke." Tsuyu, who sat across from the brunette, warned him.
Of course, as soon as she said that, Hachiro took too big of a bite and started hitting his chest to get the food to go down. Katsuki looked at the taller teen in annoyance as Hachiro's flailing nearly hit him in the face.
"Told you," Tsuyu said while handing Hachiro a glass of water.
He gulped it down and once the food was out of his throat and going down into his stomach where it belonged, he let out a sigh of relief.
"Thanks, Tsu." He said.
Then went right back to shoveling food into his mouth. Ayano shook her head in amusement at the boy before she continued eating her white rice.
"Ayano, you should try some of this stew," Izuku said as he held out a bowl to her. "It's amazing."
Ayano thanked him while taking it from him to give it a try. She hummed happily at the taste while daring to think that this food compared to Lunch Rush's cooking.
"Ahh, this is so yummy!" Ayumi said happily as had her umpteenth helping of fish tempura. "I could eat a hundred more."
"We believe it," Kyoka said as she smiled in amusement.
Ayumi just continued to munch happily as she kicked her legs back and forth underneath the table.
"Here, Jinsoku, have some of mine," Konan said passing the girl some of the food that had been on her plate. "I believe my eyes were a little too big for my stomach."
Konan had felt pretty hungry when she sat down and piled quite a bit onto her plate she must admit. But once she started eating, she realized she had gotten too much.
"Don't have to tell me twice," Ayumi said gladly taking the food.
Of course, it was gone in seconds, and she was already moving onto whatever food caught her eye next.
"Didn't you say you were trying to bulk up?" Mashirao asked Konan.
"Yes, Fatgum-san suggested I try to eat more alongside my usual training to gain some muscle mass, but I don't think my stomach is ready for the meal plan he wrote out for me." Konan said.
When she had read over the meal plan before she departed her internship, she hadn't known what to think of it. Fatgum had even put it together based on her current size and what she should be able to intake without overdoing it. Balance between what she took in during meals and what she worked out during her training was crucial.
"Well, you'll never get used to it if you don't start now," Mashirao told her as he put food onto the plate she had just emptied.
Konan had to resist the urge to pout before she gave a sigh while picking up her chopsticks once more.
"If I get a stomachache after this, I will be holding you personally responsible, Mashirao," Konan said.
"You'll thank me later," Was his all too smart reply.
As the bantering and chatter continued through the class of 1-A, the young boy Kota—Mandalay's cousin—watched them with a frown on his face.
"Kota, can you bring me those vegetables?" Mandalay called out to him.
He didn't reply verbally, but he did grab the box of vegetables Mandalay asked for. He cast one more look at the young heroes-in-training before giving a scoff as he walked away.
'…wanting to be heroes…how stupid…' He thought heatedly.
"Dinner and a nice hot bath afterwards in a hot spring," Ayano hummed as she slunk farther into the water. "I could get used to it."
There were hums of agreement from the other girls as they were all relaxing together in the hot spring outside the Pussycats' office. She wondered if why Nighteye couldn't have something this nice at his office. Not saying his office was shabby or anything. They were nice too. The sleeping quarters that were available there were spacious, comfortable. The heroes there were given a wide variety of food to chose from in the breakroom, and the lounge also used for break hours had the comfiest couches she's ever sat in. But a hot spring could be a nice addition. She'll have to mention it to him when her work studies start.
"It's not as large as the hot spring in the middle of my family's estate, but I actually enjoy the cozier atmosphere here a bit more." Konan said. "Of course, it could be the company making it more enjoyable."
"Hey, you ever get lonely in that home hot spring of yours, call us up!" Mina said. "I wouldn't turn ya down."
The others laughed at Mina's statemen as Konan nodded. It'd probably be a lot of fun to have the other girls over to her home. It's big enough that they wouldn't have to worry about running into her parents, and it'd be nice to have the company.
"I do love a good hot spring," Mina continued. "Like, this one feels amazing!"
"Yeah, I'm so glad they've got a hot spring here." Kyoka agreed.
Ayano was about to add something, but paused when she picked up on the thoughts of a certain little pervert. It would seem as if he didn't take her threat from earlier too seriously. She stood up with a frown coloring her expression.
"Uh, is something wrong, Ayano?" Ayumi asked.
"Mineta," Was all Ayano replied as she was glaring at the wall separating them from the boys.
The other girls frowned when hearing their lecherous classmate's name. Some even covered up and ducked farther down into the water. Ayano raised her hand about to catch the little pervert as she sensed him scaling the wall. However, she paused when hearing another mind just above the wall. She smiled when hearing Kota's annoyed thoughts as he was ready to greet Minoru at the top.
"What's going on now?" Toru asked.
"Did you give him hell?" Mina asked.
Ayano sat back down silently while pointing up at the wall. The others looked to the top where she was pointing to see Kota there standing guard. And as soon as Minoru reached the top on his side, Kota was quick to act.
"Before you become a hero, you should work on becoming a good human," Kota said then smacked Minoru's hands, so the older boy would lose his grip.
Minoru shouted as he was sent falling back towards the ground. When hearing the shouting and splashing on the boys' side, the girls let out sighs of relief.
"Looks like we have a little hero watching over us," Ayano commented.
The girls all nodded in agreement before turning back to look up at where their knight in shining armor stood on his trusty ladder.
"Mineta really is the worst, isn't he?" Tsuyu called out getting Kota's attention.
He looked over to where the girls were as most of them didn't even try to cover themselves in front of the young boy whose eyes widened at the sight of them.
"Thanks so much, Kota babe." Mina said cheerfully as she raised up her hands. "We owe ya one."
"Yeah, you're the best, Kota!" Ayumi added.
The boy just stiffened looking sickly almost before he tilted backwards. All the girls gasped watching as he fell over the side of the wall towards the boys' side.
"Kota!" Ayano called as she was quick to stand up.
She raised her hand trying to snag him in time, but she was unable to, which had her heart dropping.
"Don't worry, I've got him!" Izuku called out.
Ayano and the other girls let out a sound of relief when hearing Izuku managed to catch Kota.
"Is he okay, Deku?" Ochaco shouted.
"Yeah, it looks like he fainted, but I'll take him to Mandalay now." Izuku said.
As the greenette rush off, Ayano went to pick up a towel from the pile the girls had off to the side. She wrapped it around her tightly.
"I'm going to check on him," Ayano said. "Be on the watch for Mineta."
After quickly throwing on some underwear and an old hoodie of Katsuki's that she had packed along, Ayano made her way to the building manager's office where Izuku had taken Kota. The poor boy was still unconscious and laying on the couch as Mandalay saw to him when Ayano had arrived. Now she sat on the edge of the coffee table next to the couch as Mandalay sat in the armchair and Izuku, who still hasn't changed out of his towel, stood nearby.
"The rush from the fall most likely caused him to faint," Mandalay said. "Thank you both. Eraser warned me one of the boys in your class was a little girl crazy, so I stationed Kota up there to keep watch. I suppose that's the danger of teaching kids your age."
She said this while placing a wet towel over Kota's head as he continued to rest on the couch.
"Don't worry," Ayano said. "Mineta will be dealt with soon. I did promise him that if he stepped a toe out of line that he would have to answer to me, and I will follow through with my promise."
She said this with a not so friendly smile that had Izuku sweat-dropping slightly. Though Mandalay just chuckled.
"Well anyway, we're just glad he's alright," Izuku said.
Ayano nodded in agreement. Things could have ended very badly, but she was glad she was able to catch him in time.
"You must have moved pretty fast to catch him." Mandalay said to Izuku.
Izuku only hummed in reply, which had Ayano looking up at her friend in concern. He seemed troubled.
'The last thing I wanna do is hang out with some wannabe heroes…' She heard Kota's words from when they were first introduced to him running through Izuku's mind.
She looked back to Kota. She had been curious about what he had said as well. She's never heard anyone—especially not a child—say something like that about heroes. Especially with such hatred in their voices—unless they're villains or something—Even she who had kind of given up the idea of becoming one at one point in her life, never disliked heroes.
"Um, he doesn't like heroes very much, does he?" Izuku asked. "It's kind of weird because I've always been surrounded by people who want to be heroes and that includes me. So, I thought it was kind of unusual for a boy his age not to be more interested in all of this."
Ayano nodded in agreement. When they were Kota's age, becoming heroes was the only thing the boys—Katsuki and Izuku—ever talked about. How they wanted to be just like All Might or in Katsuki's case, better than All Might. Even she had thought becoming a hero would be cool. She had her favorites back then, of course. All Might being one of them. But Kota was the exact opposite, and it was a bit strange to her.
"How observant," Mandalay said as she leaned back in her seat. "Of course, he isn't alone. There are many in our society who don't approve of us. If he had had a normal childhood, maybe he would have admired heroes like you both did growing up."
Ayano tilted her head as she wondered what Mandalay meant. What had happened to Kota during his childhood?
"What happened?" Izuku questioned out loud.
"It was Mandalay's cousins," Pixie-Bob said as she stepped into the room with a tray of tea in hand. "Kota's parents that is. They were heroes too, but they were murdered."
Ayano and Izuku both gasped lightly in shock as their eyes widened. Ayano felt her hands clench into fists in her lap as she looked back to Kota.
"It was a villain," Mandalay explained. "It was two years back; Kota was still so small. They were killed while protecting citizens. Perhaps the most respectable way for a hero to die, but…how do you even begin to explain to a child that his parents died honorable deaths? They were his entire world—everything. But to him, his parents had left him behind. And all the while they were being praised. Everyone kept telling him that his parent's sacrifice was noble. Honestly, he doesn't seem to like us very much either. We're heroes like they were. I'm sure he feels like he's stuck here because he has nowhere else to go. Heroes don't make any sense to Kota. After all, if his parents hadn't been heroes, they would still be here."
Ayano looked to Kota with understanding while reaching out to place her hand on top of his head.
'I understand,' Ayano thought as she brushed the young boy's hair back. 'I lost someone to being a hero too.'
Ayano frowned rubbing at her eye tiredly as she stood with her classmates. It was barely daybreak and she was still half asleep. Though the same could be said about many of her classmates.
"Good-morning, class." Aizawa greeted them. "Today we begin a training camp that will increase your strength. Our goal is to increase your skills exponentially, so that each of your ears a provisional license."
'And with a provisional license, I can start work studies,' Ayano reminded herself.
That means she has to work super hard during this training camp to prepare for the provisional license exam.
"This will allow you to face the dangers that continue to fester in the darkness." Aizawa continued. "Proceed carefully. Look alive, Bakugo."
Aizawa tossed a very familiar softball to the ash blonde youth who caught it with ease.
"Try throwing that for me." Aizawa said.
"Yeah, sure, like in the fitness test," Katsuki guessed.
"That's right," Aizawa said. "When you first started school, your record was 705.2 meters. Let's see if you've improved."
As Katsuki walked away from the others to a safe distance, the rest of the class started to catch on to what Aizawa was trying to test.
"Oh, I get it!" Mina exclaimed. "We're checking our progress."
"A lot has happened to us the last three months," Hanta pointed out. "Maybe he can throw it a whole mile now."
Ayano wasn't too sure about that, but she was expecting to see quite a bite improvement. They've all trained a lot and learned new skills after all. Although…just because she's learned a few new tricks with her quirk and stretched it out some here and there…she doesn't think she's made it stronger. Could that be said about the rest of them as well?
"Come on, get it, Bakugo!" Eijiro cheered for their classmate.
Katsuki, who finished loosening up his arm, smirked as he got ready to throw.
"I've got this. No one blink," Katsuki said as he reared his arm back before letting loose with a powerful explosion. "GO TO HELL!"
The ball went soaring thanks to mega boost from his quirk, and as Ayano watched it, she didn't feet as if it went much farther than the last time. She was proven right when Aizawa spoke.
"That was 709.6 meters." Aizawa said.
He held up for the students to see as well, and many of them were surprised. Even Ayano. She knew she thought it hadn't gone that much farther than his last throw, but she was expecting a little bit more than that. She then looked to Katsuki as he glared forward in disbelief.
"That's it?" Hanta asked. "A bit disappointing."
His words only had Katsuki's glare darken as he gripped his throwing arm tightly. He had given it his all in that throw. It should have gone farther.
"You've had a single semester at U.A." Aizawa said. "And due to your various experiences, all of you have definitely improved, but those improvements have mostly been limited to mental prowess and technical skill with a slight increase of stamina thrown in along the way. As you can see, your quirks themselves haven't improved much on a fundamental level."
Ayano was afraid of that. She knows she's improved. She knows that without a doubt, but like her classmates, she failed to notice her neglect on trying to train the basics. Like strengthening her quirk in terms of power.
"That's why we're now going to focus on improving your power." Aizawa said then gave a twisted grin. "This will be so hard you'll feel like you're dying. Let's hope you all survive."
"But if you don't think you're going to make it, don't worry!" A familiar voice called from behind Aizawa.
Doctorine then jumped out into view, which had many of Class 1-A jumping back instinctively.
"Because I'll be here to take care of any and all booboos you'll most likely sustain!" Doctorine said as she grinned at the teens. "So, feel free to go crazy, my darlings!"
'No, not this sadist!' Many of the class thought in unison.
Ayano was feeling a bit pale as well as she frowned. First hellish training and now the Demon Nurse to boot. She'd rather keep the "booboos" if it meant not having to be treated by Doctorine. Of course, many of her classmates shared her sentiment.
"It was decided that if we're going to push you this hard that we can't have you breaking down on us," Aizawa said then gestured to his colleague. "That's why Doctorine is here. So, even when your body tries to say you can't go anymore, she'll be able to help keep it going. Of course, we're only going to use her only if necessary. The plan is to break all of you, so you and your quirks becoming stronger. Like how muscle fibers becoming stronger after breaking and reforming."
Despite being told that they were going to break their bodies, his words relieved his students and made Doctorine pout.
"Of course, she'll also be here to help monitor you and help you strengthen your quirks." Aizawa continued. "But she's not the only one."
After the words left his mouth, four more joined the party and made quite the entrance.
"Your feline fantasies are here!" Mandalay said. "Say, meow!"
"Allow us to lend a helping paw!" A new Pussycat said as she spun into formation.
"We're champions serving up justice with our tails!" A rather muscular Pussycat said as he flexed his muscles.
"Purrfectly cute and cat-like heroes!" Pixie-Bob said her bit before ending the group. "—We're the Wild, Wild Pussycats!—Full version."
The students of Class A only blinked at the Pussycats upbeat intro as they had already seen a version of it the other day. Ayano was wondering if they were going to do this to Class B too. It had to get tiring. She then looked curiously at the two Pussycats they hadn't met yesterday. One was a female with long green hair and a yellow hero suit. The other a male with brown hair to match his brown hero costume. Ayano tilted her head because something about the last Pussycat was kind of adorable despite his intimidating stature.
"I take it the training ground is ready if you're all here." Aizawa said as he looked to the group.
"You bet!" Pixie-Bob said with a wink. "It's all ready for the kittens to play in."
Aizawa nodded before motioning for his students to follow after him and the other heroes. The teens followed after the adults as they wondered what was prepared for them. It didn't take long to reach these training grounds that Aizawa mentioned. It was a wide area that had a cliff in the back ground. Ayano could see a few areas set up most likely for the different students in their class.
"Alright," Aizawa said as he turned to face his students once more. "I already have planned what you'll be working on for today and probably all week. As I said, this is to strengthen your quirks overall. Not learn anything too technical. Understood?"
"Yes, sir!" The teens replied.
Aizawa nodded then took the clipboard that Doctorine held out to him. He started reading over the page.
"Let's not waste time and get started," Aizawa said. "Bakugo, Todoroki, those two barrels set up behind me are for you. Bakugo, you'll go to the one with boiling water. You'll be dunking your hands into the water then lifting them while letting off explosions. Todoroki…"
Aizawa continued down the list telling each student where they would be going and what they would be doing. Rikido and Momo would go over to the truck were food was laid out for them to stuff on to up their quirks. Yuga, Ochaco, Hanta, Koji, and Denki were to go to the cliff where they would set up for their training. Fumikage had a cave made by Pixie-Bob to train Dark Shadow in while also being away from others for their own safety.
Alongside the cliff side, Tsuyu, Mina, and Kyoka would train separately while in between the cliff and another large rock Hachiro would be training. It would seem as if Konan would be joining in him the makeshift cavern as a large wind fan was waiting for her. Eijiro and Mashirao will team up to improve their own quirks. As will Shoji and Toru. Off to the side, Minoru would be increasing his scalp strength. Tenya and Ayumi would be around the entire area for some long-distance running, but unlike Tenya, Ayumi would be running with some high-density weights that had been placed on their teachers during the final exam. Izuku was then placed with Tiger—the Pussycat in the brown costume—for Tiger's boot camp. That left Ayano.
"Okay, Ishida," Aizawa said as he looked to the ginger. "We'll be working on forcing you to use all three of your abilities at once. So, for now I want you to connect your mind to everyone present now. When Class B arrives, you'll be asked to make a link with them as well. This will not only help us keep track of everyone in case anything happens, but you'll push past your telepathy limits as well. We might throw a curve ball here and there and I'll see if you spot the change in the link."
Ayano nodded her head in understanding. That would be a lot of minds to link with. Over forty—nearly double than what she's used to and comfortable with.
"With your psionic construction and telekinetic you'll be tasked with stacking those boulders that Pixie-Bob made for you." Aizawa said jerking his thumb over this shoulder to the large round boulders behind him. "I don't care how you do it as long as you use both abilities. You'll also have to be floating yourself off the ground, so if you falter and slip, expect a rough landing."
He held out a circular metal sheet to Ayano as he said this. She had her boots on her today. That meant she had her telekin-board with her as well. However, considering this training was going to be all day, she didn't want to be standing up on the air that entire time. So, she'd take the metal sheet that was big enough for her to sit down on comfortably.
"Now, get to work." Aizawa said. "We only have a week, and I expect results from all of you."
"Yes, sir," Ayano said.
She then hurried over to her designated spot to begin training. Her classmates have already begun and she didn't want to be left behind. First, she sat down on the metal plate to float herself up. After that, she sent out her mind.
'Connection made,' Hive told her as she felt her classmates and the pros' minds link with hers. 'One more joins the Hive.'
Ayano frowned slightly wondering what Hive meant by that, but she shook it off. She had training to do, so when she was so far off the ground, she stared trying to stack the boulders. She figured stacking them one at a time and building walls around them was the best route. That way she wouldn't have to worry about them rolling around too much. The walls should keep them steady, so she could work on stacking the next one. As she worked, she let out a breath.
'I've got this,' She told herself. 'Just have to stay focused.'