"Here" Shinso dropped a couple of pills into Ayumu's hand.
Ayumu was sitting on the floor against the wall, her head pounding. She popped the pills into her mouth and took a big gulp from her water bottle before closing her eyes tightly against the brightness of the gym.
"You're doing a lot better. You were able to hold the image perfectly even when I let go of your hands."
"Yeah, and now I feel like my head is going to explode." Ayumu stood up, swaying as she did. "Okay, your turn."
Shinso reached out and held onto her arm to steady her. "I don't need to practice. You just need to work on your concentration for your illusions. It's the same thing as accuracy. Just concentration."
"If I have to practice, so do you."
"Ayumu…" Shinso's voice trailed off.
Ayumu stepped back from him, "come on. Just for a second. You need to work on your quirk just as much as I do."
"I promised I wouldn't use my quirk on you."
"I'm telling you too. Besides, it might fix my headache."
Shinso took a deep breath, "fine."
"G-" Ayumu was cut off by her mind suddenly going blank. Her brain felt foggy and her body was frozen where it was. Her vision focused on Shinso standing a few feet in front of her, but the surroundings looked blurred.
'Walk forward.' Shinso's words played out in her mind although his lips didn't move.
Ayumu took a few steps forward before the voice commanded her to stop. Then just as suddenly as the fog had forced its way into her brain, it disappeared. She turned around to Shinso, who she had walked past without even realizing it. His hands were in his pockets watching her closely.
"Are you okay?"
Ayumu nodded. "My headache is gone, thanks," she laughed.
Shinso chuckled before becoming serious again, "you're really okay?"
Ayumu nodded, "yeah I'm totally fine. You were right though, I don't think you need to work on your quirk right now, but…"
"But what?"
"There's just a little problem with your quirk." Ayumu confessed, "What if you meet someone who doesn't talk? You'll be useless." Ayumu went to where the blue mats were stored and pulled one of them down. "You're going to have to work on your combat skills."
Shinso watched as she got into a fighting stance, but he made no effort to move onto the blue mat she had laid out. "I'm not going to fight you, Ayumu."
"Scared you'll lose?"
"No, but I'm not here to fight you, we're supposed to be working on your quirks."
Ayumu dropped her arms to her sides and stood up straight, "I thought you wanted to move into the hero course?"
"I do."
"Then you need to practice combat too and you won't always be able to rely on your quirk, so fight me."
Shinso sighed and moved onto the mat, "Fine, but only because you won't be able to rely on yours either."
Ayumu walked into class 1-a feeling sore and still tired from the day before. She dropped her bag beside her desk and dropped into her seat, laying her head on her arms and closing her eyes.
"Suzuki!" Mina plopped down in the seat beside her, "We missed you yesterday! We had so much fun, we went shopping and then we went to the arcade!"
Ayumu hummed in response and pried her eyes open before sitting up to look at Mina. "I'm glad you guys had fun, maybe next time."
"So what was so important you had to cancel?" Mina pried.
Ayumu bit the inside of her cheek, wondering if she should tell Mina. She really didn't feel like getting teased right then, but her brain was foggy from the exhaustion and she couldn't come up with a lie quickly.
"I was training with Hitoshi after school. He wants to try to get into the hero course so I've been helping him out." Ayumu yawned, "and he's been helping me practice my quirks."
"Oh, that's why you're so tired?" Mina questioned, giggles escaping as she spoke.
Ayumu hummed again, "Yeah, it went on longer than I thought."
Mr. Aizawa came into class and everyone immediately settled down. Lessons continued as normal before everyone was dismissed for lunch.
Ayumu found her way outside to where Shinso was sitting on the bench outside of the cafeteria, eating. He glanced up as Ayumu took the seat next to him.
"You're not going to eat?" He questioned.
She positioned her backpack against the arm of the bench and rested her head on it, laying her legs across his lap, "Nope, I'm going to nap."
Shinso watched as she closed her eyes tightly against the sun. He sighed and adjusted himself before pulling off his blazer and throwing it over Ayumu's face.
"I'll wake you up when the bell rings."
Ayumu hummed in response. Before she knew it the jacket was ripped off of her face and the sun was shining down on her. She opened her eyes to see Shinso buttoning his blazer.
"The bell rang."
Ayumu sat up and stretched her arms. Her back hurt from the metal bench, but overall she was more awake than she had been. She pulled on her ponytail to tighten it before grabbing her backpack.
"Thanks. Yesterday's training kicked my ass."
"You mean I kicked your ass." He corrected.
"Shut up."
Ayumu and Shinso walked together until they came to the corner where they had to go down separate corridors.
"I'll see you after school." Ayumu waved as they parted ways.
Ayumu found her seat quickly while others entered the classroom. Mr. Aizawa was already at the front of the room. The afternoon was usually hero training, the part of the day everyone was especially excited for.
"Today's training will be a little different. You'll have three instructors: me, All Might, and another faculty member will be keeping tabs on you." There was audible confusion echoing throughout the room. Usually there would be one teacher working on hero training, but three pros? That was highly unusual.
Before Mr. Aizawa could explain anymore, Sero's hand shot up and he spoke without waiting to be called on "Sir, what kind of training is this?"
"Rescue," Mr. Aizawa held up a card with the word on it. "You'll be dealing with natural disasters, shipwrecks, stuff like that."
The class broke out in excitement, but Mr. Aizawa cut in again, "guys, I'm not finished yet." Silence fell on the class again. "What you wear in this exercise is up to you. I know you're excited about costumes, but keep in mind you haven't gotten used to them yet and they might limit your abilities." As he spoke, the wall opened up and numbered cases emerged, one for each student. "This special training is at an off campus facility so we'll take a bus to get there. That's all. Start getting ready."
The class dispersed to get ready and change out of their uniforms, leaving their backpacks in class. Ayumu grabbed her case and headed off toward the locker room with Mina babbling next to her in excitement.
Once Ayumu and Mina had changed, they returned to the classroom to drop off their uniforms in their backpacks.
"I wonder what the facility will be like! It's so exciting!" Mina bubbled.
Ayumu shoved her uniforms into her backpack before smiling at Mina, "I know. Mr. Aizawa said we'd be dealing with different disasters, I wonder if it will be simulations or something."
Ayumu grabbed her phone from her backpack and shoved it into the pocket of her costume.
"Shouldn't you leave that here? You won't need it at the training." Mina said, watching Ayumu.
Ayumu shrugged, "I feel more comfortable with it on me, plus," she gestured to her pants, "I have to make use of all these pockets. I don't have enough support items to fill them. Since we're just training I just have some marbles and these little spiked weights." Ayumu dug in her pockets to show Mina the colorful marbles and the pointed black weights. "The weights are pretty useful though." She noted as she walked with Mina toward the bus area. "Watch."
Ayumu threw one of the weights at a nearby tree, leaving it stuck in the bark. "They're not super sharp or anything so they're not dangerous in my pockets, but with a little force behind them they'd probably leave a few scratches, they won't kill anyone or anything though."
The two of them stopped at the meeting area where a few of their classmates had already gathered.
"You'll sit with me on the bus, right?" Mina questioned.
Ayumu nodded, smiling brightly, "Of course!"
