A/N: Some answers from the questions in the reviews:

oh yeah, Hikari could definitely use transformation magic (adjusting to the world's central inhabitants), like mermaids/ monsters/ toys/etc. She is taught by Merlin in the arts of magic. She still not in the same level as him and it would take some time, but she is proficient in it. She got all the important spells done.

I'm actually still thinking whether I should make Hikari last into the final round of the sports festival or just stick with the original plot. We'll see next chapter I guess haha

Chapter 7
Declaration of War

"Leonhart, good morning!"

"Good morning!" Hikari greeted when she entered the classroom, waving her hand.

The brunette came five minutes before the bell. Most of her classmates have already arrived and seated, except for Iida. She glanced around, looking for him, but decided to not ask anything. The class rep seemed to have already arrived, judging by the neatly assorted notes and writing utensils on his desk. He might have just gone to the bathroom. She continued on her way towards her seat while greeting her classmates.

"Uh… um, Leonhart!" Midoriya turned in his seat when she walked past him.

Hikari stopped on her tracks, staring at the green-haired boy. "Yeah? What's up?" she asked. She snapped her fingers when she remembered. She gave him and All Might a potion each a few days ago. She had the thought that Recovery Girl didn't give them the potion due to how suspicious it looks, but Midoriya seemed a lot better now. "Oh yeah! How are you feeling? Did the drink do its magic?" she joked, air quoting the word magic.

Although it's a world full of a variety of Quirks, real magic doesn't exist in this world.

"Y–Yes! Thank you so much for that. I feel so much better!" Midoriya stuttered, giving a sheepish smile. Truly, he was fascinated by her Dream Quirk. Not only was she able to use elemental attacks, but healing as well. It almost seems as if she has multiple Quirks from one Quirk alone. "Was it difficult to make? How did you even do that? Is it related to your Quirk?" his eyes seemed to sparkle when he asked her.

"Shut it, Deku! It's too early for me to deal with your mumbling shit!" Bakugou turned around in his seat, shouting at the green-haired boy who yelped at the sudden yelling.

The brunette gave the explosive blond a stink-eye. "C'mon, Toilet Brush, what's wrong with asking?" she said and as soon as her nickname for him came out, he sent her a murderous glare. She ignored his threats and turned to look at Midoriya with a smile. "To put it short, it is related to my Quirk." She lied.

She was sure this world doesn't have the necessary ingredients to make a potion. It would be difficult to explain how she obtained such non-existent items.

The bell rang, cutting their conversation short.

"We can talk about it later if you like." Hikari said and went over to her seat at the back. She doesn't like to lie to people, but knowing Midoriya, she would have to come up with a lot to fill his curiosity. She hopes the boy doesn't ask anything that would need her to lie.

Iida came through the door. "Everyone! Morning homeroom's about to begin! Please take your seats!" he exclaimed, moving his arms weirdly.

Sero snorted. "We're sitting. You're the only one up."

The class rep huffed before quickly walking towards his seat.

The brunette raised her gaze when she heard the door open. Her eyes widened when she saw a familiar mop of black hair.

"Morning…" the man drawled out.

"Mr. Aizawa, you're back too soon!" almost the whole class shouted at the man's appearance.

The keyblade wielder stared at the man with her mouth open. 'He's back on his feet already?!' she thought as she pursed her lips, staring at the bandages wrapped around Aizawa's arms.

Aizawa caught the look his students were giving him. He sighed. "My welfare isn't important." He stood behind the podium. "Because your fight is far from over."

Hikari raised an eyebrow. "Far from over?" she parroted.

"UA's Sports Festival is fast approaching."

'I thought it was another fight with villains…' Hikari gave a deadpan look at Aizawa's choice of words.

The classroom was suddenly filled with chatter.

"Is it really alright? We just had that villain attack…" Jirou voiced most of class 1-A's concerns.

"It's necessary. To demonstrate that UA's crisis management protocols are sound… That's the thinking apparently." Aizawa explained, his eyes glanced over to the students. They stayed quiet, waiting for him to continue. "Compared to the past years, there'll be five times the security." He reassured, trying to put his students' mind at ease.

Hikari leaned back against her seat. 'Five times? At least I know the students are gonna be safe…'

"It's the greatest opportunity you'll get." Aizawa said as he placed the papers on the podium. "It's not an event that can be canceled over a few villains."

Mineta shrunk in his seat. "Are you sure about that?"

Midoriya turned his head to look at the boy behind him. "Mineta… are you telling me you've never seen UA's sports festival?!" he said in surprise.

Hikari leaned over her seat, looking past Yaoyorozu to look at Midoriya. He should've asked her that question instead, since she never saw any of UA's sports festivals, but he didn't need to know that. She knew the UA Sports Festival was big, but she never knew it was something that could make such a big deal about. It is only a school's sports festival.

"Our Sports Festival is one of Japan's biggest events." Aizawa said, grabbing his students' attention once more. The keyblade wielder listened to his words. These types of things weren't on the internet and hearing it coming from her teacher was a plus for her. "The Olympics were once the world's Sports Festival. The whole country would be whipped into a frenzy over them. But as you know, that tradition shrunk in scale to a shell of its former self—"

"—And as far as Japan's concerned, what's taken the place of the Olympics is the UA Sports Festival."

Hikari blinked. 'I… never expected that.' she propped her chin up with her hand, a million thoughts running across her mind.

"The nation's top heroes will all be watching, right? They'll be there as scouts for the internship program!" Yaoyorozu spoke.

'So… that's what Ingenium was talking about.' Hikari hummed, thinking to herself. She thought back to the conversation she had with Ingenium. She was beyond honored by the invitation Ingenium gave her. He told her he won't be taking back the offer and really thinks that she was worthy to be with Team Idaten. 'At least I know I've secured a spot with Team Idaten.'

"Naturally, you'll gain valuable experience and popularity if you're picked up by a big-name hero, but your time is limited. Show the pros what you're made of here, and you'll make futures for yourselves." Aizawa continued and the brunette glanced over to her classmates. They all looked determined. "This happens once a year. So, you got three chances. If you're hoping to become a hero, this is an event you can't miss!"

Hikari nodded. 'And I only have one chance…'

"That's all for homeroom." Aizawa looked around his class, watching his students' eyes lit up with determination. He looked over to the line of students to his far right, the one where his two troublesome kids were seated. "Midoriya. Leonhart."

"Y—Yes?" the two of them almost jumped when Aizawa called their names.

"I need to speak with the two of you individually. Midoriya, you first." Aizawa said before he walked out of the classroom.

Midoriya and Hikari exchanged confused looks, and Hikari shrugged. Midoriya complied with his teacher's order and got out of his seat, following him outside of the classroom.

"What's this about?" Mineta asked, peering over Yaoyorozu to look at the brunette. "How did you get in trouble when we just got back to school?!"

"Don't just assume things, Mineta." Yaoyorozu scolded. She turned to look at Hikari as well, a reassuring smile across her lips. "It's probably because Mr. Aizawa is worried about the two of you. I mean, the two of you were injured the most…"

"Probably…" Hikari trailed off, waiting for her turn to be called.

It didn't take long for Midoriya to return. "L… Leonhart… It's your turn." he said as he dragged his feet across the classroom to his own seat. The boy looked as if he had been chewed out by his homeroom teacher's scoldings. He sat down quietly, sulking.

The brunette swallowed. To say that she wasn't nervous was an understatement. Although she is older than the rest of her classmates, Aizawa is still her teacher. And just like any other students, she doesn't want to get into trouble and get scolded. She took a deep breath and decided to face her fears. She gave Midoriya a pat on his shoulder on her way out.

"Mr. Aizawa?" Hikari peeked her head out to address her teacher before closing the sliding doors shut. It didn't help that the hallways were empty and quiet, not to mention the look Aizawa was giving her.

"First and foremost, how are you feeling?" Aizawa began the question by asking about her well-being.

"I'm fine, thanks to Recovery Girl." Hikari answered. "How… about you, sir?"

Aizawa closed his eyes for a moment. "Thanks to you, my injuries have already been healed even before I got to the hospital. Recovery Girl was just too extra…"

"I'm glad I could help." The girl smiled. "How about Ms. Thirteen? Is she alright?"

Her homeroom teacher gave a nod. "She's fine. She's taking a day off today, but she'll be back tomorrow."

"That's good to hear!"

"Now that that's out of the way," Aizawa inhaled a deep breath and Hikari blinked in confusion. His eyes seemed to flash bright red for a moment, the normal aura now replaced with a threatening one. "You faced the enemy head on when I ordered everyone specifically to keep the hell out of the fight, and alone at that too. I understand you were only trying to help me, but you're just a student, Leonhart. What would happen if All Might arrived a few seconds too late?" he gave an exasperated sigh, massaging his temples.

Hikari rubbed the back of her neck, shrugging her shoulders. "I—"

Aizawa held up his hand. "I'm not finished." he cuts as Hikari closes her mouth, letting him continue with his scolding. "As a teacher and a pro hero… I'm disappointed in myself. I failed to protect each and every one of you. I let a student step up and take the role of what I'm supposed to do. For that, I apologize for letting you experience the things you aren't ready to face." he lowered his head.

The keyblade wielder shook her head. "Mr. Aizawa… There's no need for you to apologize. I wouldn't have stepped up and fought those villains if I didn't know my own limits." she said with a smile on her face. She faced things much worse than Nomu and she wasn't fazed by it anymore. "Even before entering UA, I was already trained to face such situations. I would gladly do it again if it means putting everyone's mind at ease. You don't have to worry about me."

The pro hero leaned down. "Did you even listen to what I just said?" he stared at her face to face, his tired eyes staring at her intensely. She took a step back, giving a slow nod. He sighed deeply. "What I'm trying to say… You're just a student. It's our responsibility as teachers and pro heroes to take care of your safety. Don't try to save everyone by risking your own life again."

Hikari continued to stare at him silently.

Aizawa leaned back up, shoving his hands inside his pockets. "You got that?"

"...yes, sir." Hikari nodded. No promises though.

"Good."

The bell rang, signaling the end of morning homeroom.

Before Aizawa excused her, he decided to ask one more question. "Leonhart, your parents—"

"Oh! Err… I probably should've told you and the school sooner, but they're not in Japan at the moment." Hikari laughed sheepishly, trying her best to act natural and hide the fact that she lied to her teacher straight to his face. "They'll be back around next week." She added.

"I see… You're free to go now." Aizawa gave a nod. His student bowed her head down before excusing herself to go back into the classroom. "Leonhart."

Hikari paused her actions, her hand reaching out midway to the door. "Yes, sir?"

The pro hero found out a little bit more about his new student. What she said earlier, the part where she admitted she had prior training to deal with a situation such as USJ, lingers in his mind. From his students' testimony, they all mentioned that she was strong and level-headed when dealing with the situation. She confirmed it herself that she received Quirk training prior to UA, but why didn't she mention it when they interviewed her. Her parents were also absent at the time she needed them the most.

It wasn't just that. The fact that she brushed off her own safety and is willing to throw her life again for the sake of everyone made him worried. It's indeed the mindset of a hero, but not a normal sixteen year old student.

Unlike his other students, this one felt so distant.

"If there's anything feel free to talk to me or any teacher you're comfortable with."

Hikari smiled, giving a nod. "I will, sir."

"Did you see the news?"

"Yeah! Class 1-A was all over it!"

Hikari pretended not to be interested in the conversation from behind her table and just focused on eating her lunch instead. The cafeteria was as bustling as ever. Now, it seemed even more chattier than usual with class 1-A being the hot topic. She heard it when she was walking towards the cafeteria with Shinsou. She heard it when she was waiting in line to get lunch. She heard it again when she was eating lunch. Basically it was everywhere.

"How does it feel to be in the spotlight?" Shinsou asked from the seat across hers.

"I don't like it. Not my kind of thing." Hikari answered before taking a bite from her katsu. Unlike Sora who likes to perform and doesn't mind to be in the center of attention, she was the opposite. She dislikes the thought of being in the center of attention, especially if it's on TV.

Shinsou hummed. "Come to think of it… I didn't see you at all on the news." he said, recalling the news he watched with his family last night,

"Thank goodness then." Hikari sighed in relief. "The last thing I want is a bunch of nosy reporters shoving their mics up to my face."

"You're not going to like the Sports festival then…" The purple-haired teen stared at his friend, staring at her weirdly. She was a weird one, that's for sure. He was sure one of the crucial points of being a hero is to stand out as much as possible. "I heard it's going to air on national tv."

Hikari blew a raspberry. "I know… Mr. Aizawa told us it's like the olympics. Can't believe people are interested in watching high schoolers doing a sports festival…" It was still hard for her to grasp the fact that the Sports Festival is an event that replaced the Olympics.

"What's not interesting about watching kids duke it all out in a sports festival?" Shinsou gave a lopsided grin. "We can use our Quirks as well."

The brunette laughed. "I guess so, but hey, you know about it, right?" She placed her chopstick down and she saw Shinsou raise an eyebrow at her. She leaned forward and Shinsou did the same. "You know… About how the teachers could decide whether students from other courses can be transferred to the Hero Course depending on the student's performance in the sports festival?" she informed.

Shinsou blinked. "You don't say... Huh, so this is what you meant by catching up back then." he leaned back on his seat, his arms crossed.

"Yeah, I thought you knew about it?" Hikari tilted her head. She was sure Shinsou knew something about the program because of how smart and keen he is. She actually heard about it from Ienzo when he was taking care of the documents. He kept telling her if she did get accepted into UA, but got into the General Course instead of the Hero Course, she would have to work her way towards the Hero Course. "It was written in the guide book."

"You read those?" Shinsou stared at her with a flabbergasted look. "Who would've thought someone like you would be so meticulous…"

"What? I'm offended." Hikari feigned her hurt, but in truth, she wouldn't know about it either if Ienzo didn't tell her. "But yeah, it also works the other way around. Teachers can transfer someone out of the Hero Course as well." she looked into her soup bowl, staring at the reflection.

The wielder was planning to give her seat in the Hero Course to Shinsou once she completed her mission. So far, there has been no progress in her search for Xehanort's reports. She could act on her own and search the reports under the pro heroes' noses, but Ienzo wouldn't like that. That boy was worried something bad might happen to her if she decided to go vigilante. The City of Heroes wasn't like Olympus or any other world for that matter. It was far more advanced. She could end up in jail if she wasn't careful.

Hikari took a sip from her miso. "So, Shinsou… Make sure you stand out as much as possible in the sports festival." she placed the bowl down, grinning from ear to ear.

Shinsou returned the grin. "You betcha."

The two continued to eat their lunch.

"Oh yeah, mom was wondering if you'd like to join us for dinner tonight." Shinsou said, moving to another topic.

Hikari brightened up at the invitation. "How could I refuse such a kind offer from such a kind mother?" she said dramatically, a hand on her chest. She had dinner with Shinsou's family once and his mother was the sweetest. She also met his father. He took more from his father than his mother, appearance and personality wise. "Tell her, I'll be there!" she winked.

"Sure thing." Shinsou pulled out his phone, texting his mother for confirmation. He placed his phone down on the table. "You know what… I'll wait for you until your class ends. We can go to my house together."

"Good plan!"

"What's going on?!"

Hikari turned her head to look at Uraraka. She leaned from where she stood, looking at the crowd outside the classroom.

There was a large crowd of students blocking the doors, the front and even the back. They were murmuring and muttering with each other, commenting about the famous first years.

"We can't get through! What are they here for anyway?" Mineta asked, pointing his finger at the crowd.

Bakugou walked past him. "Scoping out the competition, duh, small fry." he said rather rudely to his own classmate. He shoved his hands inside his pockets, continuing on his way out of the classroom. "It's because we're the kids who survived a villain attack. Makes sense they'd want a look before the sports festival." he scowled.

Hikari walked towards the front, staring at the crowd.

"There's no point though. Move aside, canon fodder." The explosive blond threatened, his left eye twitching. He stopped right in front of a student when they didn't move, but instead pushed further to see.

Iida moved his hand. "Bakugou! Can you please refrain from calling people we don't even know that rude nickname?!" he scolded and Midoriya agreed, nodding his head fearfully.

"We all came here to take a look at the famous class 1-A." A familiar mob of purple hair began to move from the back of the crowd to the front. "I heard you guys were impressive, but you just sound like an ass. Is everyone in class 1-A like this?"

"Hah?" If only looks could kill, Shinsou would be dead just by Bakugou's death glare.

Hikari pursed her lips, giving a deadpan look at her friend. "Oh boy…"

Shinsou didn't seem to be fazed by Bakugou's glare. "Did you know? Those of us who didn't make it into the hero course are stuck in general studies and other courses." He stared back at the blond, his gaze equally as cold. "Depending on the result of the sports festival, they might consider transferring some of us to the hero course," he said aloud.

'Hmmm?' Hikari squinted her eyes at Shinsou's words.

"I understand the reverse is also possible."

Hikari saw how tense Midoriya became when Shinsou repeated her words. She didn't mean it as a way to scare any of the hero kids. It was just words of encouragement for Shinsou to not give up on his dream for the hero course; it looks like he used it against her classmates instead.

Shinsou's eyes met with Hikari's. He saw her the look she was giving him and he smirked, covering his mouth to stop himself from laughing. "This'll be the perfect chance to knock you off your pedestals. Consider this a declaration of war."

There was a moment of silence. Even the murmurs and chattering stopped at Shinsou's bold statement.

"Declaration of war, you say?" Bakugou frowned deeply, staring Shinsou down. He shoved Shinsou out the way. "Move aside."

"Huh?! Wait, you jerk! You're just gonna leave us? Thanks to you we've got a ton of haters now!" Kirishima shouted, obviously shocked at Bakugou's behavior.

Bakugou glanced over his shoulder. "I don't give a crap." he replied nonchalantly, shocking his classmates even more. "I'm aiming for the top. So why should I care about what others think?" he scoffed, glaring at those around him.

Hikari's classmates seem to consider Bakugou's words and she has to admit, the boy was right in some way. Everyone was determined to become the best of the best. They were all willing to give it their all, especially Bakugou. He just needs to word it nicely to his peers.

"Well said, Bakugou." Hikari clapped her hands, making everyone turn their attention to her instead.

Midoriya gave her a surprised look. He never expected her to agree with Bakugou's harsh remarks.

"Everyone here is aiming to be the best of the best and there's nothing wrong with that." The brunette continued on her way towards the exit, a small smile across her lips. "I think a declaration of war is the motivation we all need. Think of it as a friendly competition. This is, in fact, a sports festival." she stopped right in between her purple-haired friend and blond classmate.

"So, why don't we give it our all? Go beyond, plus ultra?" Hikari placed her hands on Bakugou's and Shinsou's shoulders.

Bakugou clicked his tongue. "Hands off, hag." he swatted her hand off before walking away. This time the crowd parted when he walked past them. He stopped midway, his back slightly hunched. "If it's a declaration of war… I can't wait to beat you in the festival, you extra." he said to the brunette.

Hikari placed a hand on her hip. "That's the spirit! Give me all you got, Porcupine."

Bakugou left after that and the crowd around them began to chatter again.

Shinsou shook his head. "I thought you guys were classmates?"

"Why not? A friendly competition is normal!" Hikari shrugged her shoulders, a carefree smile across her lips. "Now, let's go!" She and Shinsou began to leave as well.

Mineta gave a dumbfounded look. "Huh?! Wait! You guys are friends?!" The rest of her classmates were shocked at the news as well. Their classmate was friends with the person who declared war on them and she managed to play it off so well too. She didn't seem to be bothered by the fact her own friend threatened her and her class.

"Yep! See you guys tomorrow!" Hikari raised her hand, waving goodbye at her classmates.

The two of them began to chat normally, almost as if the previous event didn't even bother them. They were by the shoe lockers when a familiar blond pro hero approached them out of the blue.

"Young Leonhart is here! Oh and Young Shinsou too!"

Hikari blinked, "Mr… All Might?" she took out her shoes from the shoe locker as she stared at her teacher. She placed the shoes down, switching it with the indoor shoes. "Is there something you need, sir?" she asked, closing the locker shut.

All Might straightened his posture, clearing his throat. "May I take a minute of your time, Young Leonhart?" he asked politely. He turned to look at the boy. "I promise this won't take long."

The two teens exchanged looks and Shinsou gave a nod. "I'll wait outside then." he excused himself from the pro hero and left.

Hikari took her indoor shoes out again. "Do you want to speak about it somewhere else or is here alright, sir?" she offered. She figured he wanted to talk to her privately, away from the prying eyes and ears of other students.

All Might cleared his throat again. "Yes, yes, I need to talk to you privately, young one." he said, nodding his head. He led her back into the building, to an empty hallway. He wanted to ask her when the last period ended, but turns out, a whole bunch of students from other departments had crowded over class 1-A's classroom. He didn't want to intrude on the children's time. He was actually impressed Hikari was able to control the situation when it was about to go spiraling down between two departments. "Here should be alright."

The brunette waited for All Might to continue. She was amazed she was able to see and talk to the mighty hero face to face, and privately at that too.

"I would like to thank you, young lady. Without your help, I wouldn't even be standing here today." All Might showed his gratitude, placing a hand over his heart. Because of her healing, he was able to keep his muscle form for longer than three hours. His health was no longer a hindrance when using his Quirk too. He couldn't thank her enough.

Hikari shook her head. "You're exaggerating, Mr. All Might. I'm glad I could help, but I hardly did anything." She wished she could help more in the USJ incident. Perhaps if she went down to help All Might like the boys did, the mighty hero and Midoriya wouldn't end up being injured.

"Nonsense! Don't look down on yourself, young one. You healed all of us, leaving little to no casualties at all." All Might said, giving a grin and a thumbs up. Midoriya spoke highly of Hikari's abilities. "Plus, I heard from Young Midoriya you saved him and the other students as well. You're a brave one that's for sure."

"Is that so? Thank you, sir."

The conversation seemed to stop right there.

Both All Might and Hikari stood there awkwardly.

'What's with this atmosphere?' The brunette thought, smiling nervously. She debated with herself whether she should ask All Might about wielders or not. Was it the right timing? Would he react negatively about it? Would he tell everyone about it? Does he even know?

"Err—"

"Ehem!"

"Oh, sorry, what were you about to say, sir?"

"Are you… alright, Young Leonhart?"

Hikari blinked owlishly. "Yeah? I'm fine, sir. You don't have to worry about me." she answered with a smile. She wondered why her teachers have been asking about her well-being so frequently. If it was only Aizawa, she wouldn't have suspected anything, but Midnight had asked her too. She knew they were just worried, but she couldn't help but feel that something was up. "I'm perfectly fine and healthy. Is… there something wrong? Mr. Aizawa and Ms. Midnight asked the same thing."

All Might shook his head. "No, nothing. We're just making sure you're alright." he replied.

"I see…" Hikari hummed, nodding her head. Could it be that they suspect something odd with her? She made sure to make up legit stories to make it believable while also not lying a hundred percent. Perhaps her story didn't match with her friends or perhaps they wanted to know more about her interaction with Shigaraki. "...Are you worried that Shigaraki might've threatened to silence me or something?"

The pro hero spluttered, his left eye twitching slightly. 'She's sharp!' he sweat-dropped when the brunette figured him out so quickly. "Young Leonhart… If there's anything bothering you, you know you can ask the teachers for help. We would be glad to help you."

"Well…" Hikari averted her gaze. "I'm fine actually."

All Might sweat-dropped at her answer.

Hikari hesitated for a moment. "Rather than me… How about you, sir?"

"Me?"

"I see sadness in your heart." The wielder said, placing a hand over her heart. Despite the always present grin on the pro hero's face, there was something beneath all that sunshine and smiles. There were a lot of emotions she sensed in his heart, but sadness and worry were the strongest. She understood that being the number one hero means a lot of responsibilities. "Forgive me for being rude, but… hanging onto it will eventually lead you to darkness."

All Might stared at her, his smile faltered slightly. How did she…

"How to let it go… Hmm, I guess that decision is for your heart to decide."

Hikari smiled.

"Let your heart be your guiding key."