U.A High - Class 1-A: Homeroom. (1/4/2017 7:12 A.M)
It's been several minutes after roll call has been announced yet she struggles to stay awake. She finally decides to pay attention to what the teacher has to say and begins to write down some notes. She whispers to herself, "Alright, so today's schedule will go something like this. First, we'll start the day off with our morning exercise at around 8:00 AM. Then we'll move on with the quirk apprehension exam at around 9:30 AM?" She ponders for a moment and stares somewhat confused at the notes she wrote. An annoyed whimper resonates from her, "Ugh...it's barely the first day of school and we're already taking a test?.." She slumps over the desk with her face pressed against the smooth surface. Her right cheek rests on the wood while she lazily scribbles her notes.
Bakugo, the explosive blond, can't help but eavesdrop. He had finally cooled off and proceeds to turn around to confront the girl. Aiko was too focused on doodling that she did not notice the boy was staring. Crimson eyes catch sight of hidden scars located on her left cheek. The boy ponders, What happened to her?... He pauses for a moment and continues to look her over, From the looks of it, it seems she has knowledge on advanced self-defense techniques. Those moves she used on me were extremely calculated… What kind of girl is she?! The boy can't help but feel somewhat intrigued by Aiko. He keeps his gaze on her until both pairs of eyes meet.
"C-can I help you?..." Aiko's olive cheeks slightly burn once she finally notices the boy's contemplative glare. She straightens herself and nervously asserts, "I-I'm not apologizing...if that's what you're looking for…" She bites her lower lip and keeps a firm glare locked on him.
Bakugo takes a deep breath and hesitantly replies, "You had something on your cheek...I just wanted to let you know." The boy immediately faces forward and pretends to write down notes.
Aiko stares in disbelief and proceeds to rub her cheeks. She lets out a miffed groan and returns to her notebook, "Okay, let's see. After the exam we'll be having lunch at around 12:00 PM. Then comes English class at 12:45 PM. Second to last would be Mathematics at 1:45 PM. And finally, Foundational Hero Studies at around 2:45 PM." She thinks to herself, Ah...maybe today won't be so bad. Yeah...it's been a hectic morning but at the very least I've got the rest of today to look forward to! How bad could it be?
The clock strikes 7:30 AM and a soft bell rings throughout the P.A system. Static suddenly blares through the speakers before it's filled with silence. An excited voice reveals itself as it happily exclaims, "Goooooooood Morning U.A High! How are my favorite students doing today?!" The voice waits a couple of seconds before someone calls to him.
"Hey Hizashi, you do realize that is a one-way speaker, right?" The calm voice sounds somewhat familiar and it causes a few students to perk up.
Aiko takes notice and watches as Izuku, Ochaco, Bakugo and a few others listen closely. A ginger smile shines once she sees how attentive they've become. There is a sense of wonder, inspiration, and intrigue painted on each of their faces. Fascinated, she casually scopes out the rest of the room to watch everyone's reactions. She finally turns to face the student on her left. Her happy smile suddenly disappears once she sees gold eyes stare at the speaker with disgust. The serious look on his face screams of hatred and abhorrence. Aiko focuses on those gold eyes and involuntarily catches the boy's attention.
The mean look had now been replaced with a coy grin. He chuckles and winks at her, "Take a picture darling it'll last longer.~" The cheeky grin on his face causes Aiko to blush as he continues to prod, "You can keep looking, so long as you admit how handsome I am~" He lets out a hearty chuckle and is immediately shushed by the class.
"B-baka!" Aiko cries out and withdraws her gaze. She tries to ignore the boy's teasing but ends up falling prey to it. The tomato red blush continues to glow even after the boy has stopped. She covers her face under her arms and listens as the announcer continues.
"Well, anyways, this is y'alls favorite host, Present Mic1, wishing everyone a wonderful first day of school! Now, without further ado, give it up for the mighty man himself. ALL-MIGHT!" The cheerful announcer introduces the number one hero in spectacular fashion. A few muffled shouts could be heard coming from the neighboring classrooms while most of the class lets out excited cheers of their own.
The teacher sighs and grumbles to himself, "Tsk...that show-off. Always gotta make a spectacle out of everything…" He disappears into the bottom of his desk and tucks himself inside the warm sleeping bag.
Now that the excitement has settled, All-Might proceeds to speak, "Thank you for that wonderful introduction Present Mic." A few powerful claps could be heard coming from the speaker and soon enough the noise quiets down. The hero clears his throat, "I want to start today's announcements by saying: I'm proud of every single student attending U.A High today." He pauses for a moment and lets out a relaxed sigh, "Yes, I am aware that not everyone attending this school got the opportunity to participate in what they wanted to study but please, do not worry. Whether you're out in the field learning how to become a hero or you're devising new schematics under R&D2 departments or even planning out an organization's yearly syllabus, just know that I am amazed and proud at what everyone here is capable of achieving. You're all my heroes so keep your chins up and strive for that brighter tomorrow. Plus Ultra!"
For a moment, it seems as if the entire world begins to shake by how tremendously loud the school becomes. There is an overabundance of noise rattling the very halls of the academic building that it forces Aiko to create her personal anechoic chamber. Dim violet light illuminates the back of the room as a small sound-vacuum manifests around Aiko. She lets out a pleased sigh once she's able to hear herself think. Although she does not like the rowdiness, she can't help but admire at how moved the students are by All-Might's speech. The only thing that concerns her is the lack of empathy her classmate has. She turns to the irritated boy and presses her hand against his arm.
Gold eyes stare somewhat perplexed at the girl. He feels her soft touch press against his rugged arm and is caught off guard once the noise instantly dies. The baleful glare immediately disappears as they both lock eyes. He states somewhat confused, "Uh...you didn't have to do that..." An endearing smile soon greets her, "Thank you."
She's surprised by the genuine smile that shines at her and immediately turns away from him. "Y-yeah..." She barely stammers out, still taken aback by his warm smile. Although her thoughts on him are not of high regard, she understands the pain behind his aching glare. That look you had earlier...There's something that haunts you, isn't there?.. Aiko quietly ponders and tries to shake off the thought.
A moment passes and soon enough Present Mic brings the broadcast to a close, "Well folks, that's about all the time we have for today's announcements! Till next time! Plus Ultra!" The speakers finally cut to silence and the entire school slowly settles down.
Aiko takes notice of the lack of movement and finally disperses the vacuum. She watches attentively as her teacher peeks his head from under his desk. She can't help but smile at the goofy sight in front of her. The teacher is snuggled inside a huge sleeping bag and it makes him look somewhat silly. Despite this, he proceeds to state with a deadpan glare, "Alright class. It's already 7:35 AM so you'll have the next twenty minutes to get ready for the morning run." He hesitantly gets up and shimmies his way to the door, "Your gym uniforms will be located on the western wall." His gaze suddenly falls on Bakugo, "If by any chance we were to find who damaged the wall, then we'll make sure to deal with them accordingly." He proceeds to press a button from under his sleeping bag and soon enough the wall yawns open to reveal twenty-two cases. "You've all been assigned a certain number. Find your case and head to the lockers. I'll be waiting here until everyone is ready." The teacher proceeds to lay down under his desk and soft snores could be heard.
Everyone makes their way towards the western wall to collect their cases. Aiko can't help but skip her way towards her friend. "Hey!" She casually waves at the brunette who was struggling to tip-toe for her case. "Ah, let me get that for you." Aiko stretches her left arm towards the mid-section of the wall and grabs hold of the handle. "Here you go!" She greets her friend with a warm smile and hands the suitcase over.
"Aww, thanks!" A thankful Ochaco happily smiles at her friend and holds the case close to her chest. She turns to Aiko and chuckles, "Isn't this exciting?!" The girl can no longer contain her excitement and happily hops in place, "I mean, the entire school went crazy because of All-Might! Ahhh!"
Aiko's wonderment skyrockets once she sees her friend's little hops. My heart… ;w; She thinks to herself and replies in a jovial manner, "It was a bit loud but yeah. Today is gonna be a good day." There is a soothing calm resting on Aiko's face as she casually grabs her own case.
"Well hey, the day is just getting started!" Ochaco exclaims in glee and hops her way towards the door, "Let's make this day the best one till the next one!"
Aiko's stares somewhat confused by the quote. Best one till the next one huh? We'll see. She follows her friend out of the room and they slowly make their way towards the locker room.
U.A High - Academic Building: Girl's Locker Room. (7:47 AM)
"Uh…" The girl couldn't believe it, "W-where are the stalls?..." She asks, worry evident as she hesitantly makes her way inside the room. Aiko stands still and watches as the girls change in front of each other. Olive cheeks glow that familiar red hue and she tries to avert her gaze from them.
"Hmm?" The brunette watches her friend stand idly by the door. She takes a gander at Aiko and asks somewhat surprised, "Stalls? Uh, I don't think there are any." She turns around and scans the room. There is nothing decorating the room but small benches, body-sized mirrors and hefty lockers. She turns to Aiko and quietly exclaims, "Oh! I get it, you're not comfortable changing in front of others. That's fine!" She smiles and ponders, "Hmm, we could ask the others if they could give you some privacy."
Aiko shakes her head and pouts, "U-uh...no...I think I'll be fine..." Flustered and embarrassed, she makes her way further into the room, "But uh, I'll be back ok? Go on and change without me?" She awkwardly waves at Ochaco who was heading towards two other students.
She takes a moment to place her case on the bench and begins to undress. Aiko carefully removes her ashy gray blazer and begins to undo the buttons on the pearly white shirt. Once the eight button is removed, she slides her arms out of the shirt's sockets and finally eases up. There is a short pause before she finally removes her skirt. She takes notice of the mirror located to her right and decides to stare at it. Before her is a girl. A girl with short unkempt red-hair and sad ruby eyes. She contemplates, I'm here. I'm alive. This is my time to be something, to have control over my life! So...why?... She turns away from her reflection and feels her anguish return, Why am I still held back by what happened?.. Is this accursed body the problem? Ruby eyes return to the mirror. They rest their sight on her right arm and spot a chunk of flesh that was once a beautiful olive pigment. The colorless scar is a reminder of that tragic day, something she's been trying to ignore ever since it happened. So hideous... She thinks to herself and proceeds to turn to her left. She continues her search and finds a series of faded cuts scattered throughout her chest. So flawed... She runs a finger over the old wounds and recalls, Time never didheal all those wounds… She shakes her head and sighs. There is one last thing she wanted to check. Aiko turns around, back against the mirror, and looks over her shoulder. Right below the center of her sports bra, a hidden scar barely reveals itself. Irredeemable…She had enough. She turns her attention to the case and proceeds to open it. Standing in nothing but her sports bra and boyshorts, Aiko holds out her uniform and smiles somewhat bitterly, "A fresh start…"
"A new chance perhaps?" A soft-spoken voice calls out from behind her. Aiko is startled. The sad look in her eyes is replaced with a nervous glare. Ochaco reveals herself, "A-ah, sorry. I didn't mean to startle you. I finished getting ready a while ago and wanted to check up on you." She admits somewhat embarrassed now that she saw Aiko exposed, "U-uh sorry! ~"
The shy redhead turns around and quickly covers herself, "K-kyaa! O-ochaco! C-come on!" She throws a small towel at the brunette and barely stammers out, "P-privacy!?" Overwhelmed by embarrassment, Aiko quickly tucks herself in between a small corner and hastily dresses.
"A-ah sorryyyyy!" The cheerful friend cries out and quickly heads to the other side of the room.
U.A High - Gymnasium: Grand Atrium. (9:37 AM.)
Aiko stared in awe as the stadium came into view. The building was massive. She knew that it was huge but nothing could prepare her for the amazing sight before her. She had been running for at least an hour now yet she was determined to keep moving forward. It did not take her and the rest of the class long before they reached the main gate. Tired but not exhausted, she rests her hands on her knees and tries to catch her breath. Ruby eyes look over her weary classmates and notice they, too, are not willing to give up. She smiles and patiently waits for the teacher to guide them inside.
"Good job everyone, most of you completed the morning run within the hour. Some of you did it a little over thirty minutes past the required time but that's fine." The teacher says somewhat prideful, "Now, once we step inside you'll be granted ten minutes of rest then the exam will commence."
As soon as the teacher finishes, the giant gates open and reveal the dome's interior. Before them is a vast open area roughly the size of four football fields. Thousands of seats decorate the dome's spherical edges while three massive Monoliths3, each roughly the size of a small house, wait patiently before the students.
They all decide to head to the stadium's restrooms to freshen up. Aiko makes her way inside the girl's bathroom and instantly turns on the faucet. She splashes water on her face and decides that it's not enough. She grabs her water bottle and fills up before splattering herself with the cool liquid. Catching her breath and enjoying the moment of rest she thinks to herself, Alright Aiko. It's a bit unnerving but you got this. So long as you can beat this test, you can do anything! Let's go! She gently claps her face two times and proceeds to head to the benches where the class is waiting.
The last student to finally finish the 3-mile run was, unsurprisingly, Mineta. The boy's small stature gave him a huge disadvantage and by the time he reached the main courtyard he was already wheezing. "P-please…" He begged and comically collapsed in front of the unfazed teacher, "W-water…"
"Oh come on now!" An energetic voice calls out to the boy. Solid red hair gleams against the sunshine as he makes his way to Mineta. "Don't be such a pansy, that was just warm-up!" The energetic student picks up his classmate with one fell-swoop and casually flings him over his shoulder. "You'll live. Now, let's get ready for our test I'm sure it'll be a piece of cake." The muscular boy makes his way towards the benches and carefully sits Mineta down.
A few amused chuckles resonate from the pumped-up students. They notice the teacher's disinterested glare and finally hush. Aizawa begins, "Alright, if you're so cocksure that this will be easy…" The teacher suddenly pauses and smiles somewhat menacingly, "Then I'll amp it up a bit. My job as a teacher is to help you students become heroes, but that is not my goal." He pauses and watches as the students look somewhat confused. "Heh...you should look at your faces. What I mean is, the reason I am here is because I will do anything in my power to make you the best person you can be, even if it means breaking you at your core." The devilish grin turns into an ominous smile and he continues, "Did you really think becoming a hero was going to be easy? The entrance exam was just the tip-of-the-iceberg, and this? Well...this is what one would call the baby-steps." He turns to the red haired student and barks out, "Ejiro! You'll be the first to participate."
There is a small pause as the teacher presses a switch. The floor quakes and rumbles as the area in front of them slowly turns into a complex obstacle course. Although small, there are a myriad of obstacles and challenges that will surely impede most progress. The students stare in both awe and fear as the series of corridors and hallways give off an uneasy vibe. The teacher turns to Ejiro, the red-headed boy, and smirks, "I'd like to introduce you to the Equalizer4. It does not discriminate between the weak or the strong. So long as you have the courage and spirit to go through it, you'll succeed. Please, begin." He proceeds to turn to the rest of the class and warns, "Every single one of you will participate today. I suggest you finish the other sections of the exam before taking on the course."
With that, the Quirk Apprehension exam begins.
Aiko quickly makes her way to where her friend is. She noticed Ochaco, Izuku, Tenya, and Momo are huddled up discussing about something. She was about to leave the area when the brunette suddenly calls out, "Hey Aiko! Come here!"
She did not want to seem rude so she complies. The redhead shyly makes her way towards the group and discretely scooches her way in between Ochaco and Momo. There, she was greeted by all the students.
"Hey." Izuku, the green haired boy, waves at Aiko, "I don't think I can thank you enough but, thanks again for what you did earlier." He bows before her and happily smiles.
Flabbergasted and in a startled stupor, Aiko is not sure how to respond, "W-well uh...no problem?" She asks somewhat confused and simply smiles back.
The latter stare somewhat perplexed by her awkward response. Momo, the prideful girl, shakes her head, "Aiko, what you did was foolish. Reckless even." She reprimands and hesitantly continues, "But...it was a good deed. Not only did you stand up for someone you didn't know but you did it where everyone else just watched. You saw how unjust the situation was and managed to act appropriately. For that, I apologize." She bows her head in shame towards Aiko.
Tenya, the blue-haired boy, adds, "Although I do not agree with your methods, I can acknowledge and respect your moral conviction." He deeply bows before Aiko and calmly states, "That being said, let's discuss about how we'll succeed in this test."
Aiko stares unsure of what to do when the students bow. She simply nods and casually says, "O-oh uh. Thank you but really, it was nothing. I'm sure someone else would've stepped up if I hadn't intervened." She shrugs and continues, "Anyways about the test, I think it'll be best if we focus on our weaknesses as opposed to our strengths. From what I understood during homeroom, the test is comprised of three different areas. Those being endurance, intelligence and strength. Or uh, as I like to think of it: soul, mind, and body." She looks up from her contemplative gaze and sees the four other students stare at her with surprised looks. "W-what?.." She asks in a worried tone.
"You're so insightful, Aiko!" The brunette cheerfully exclaims and pumps her fist in the air, "Alright guys! Let's get started and beat this test no matter what!"
The group of students huddle up and cheerfully exclaim, "Plus Ultra!" Soon enough they all go their separate paths to complete the assignment.
The first challenge Aiko decides to take was the trial of strength. She makes her way to the yellow monolith and takes a deep breath. Although she was its first contender and worry was gnawing at the back of her mind, she would not falter. Strange energy pulses from the structure as she comes to close to it. The seemingly sentient building accepts her request and an opening reveals itself. Resolve, vigor and a burning desire fuel her determination to prove herself. She opens her eyes and walks through the white door, vanishing without a trace.
Author's notes:
So, I just finished writing this chapter and went over it a few times and thought it was alright. The only thing that concerns me is how well you guys would react/receive the introduction to these Monoliths. What I'm trying to do with this concept is introduce the idea of some mythology in this A.U. I know that I'm going off on a tangent and kinda splitting away from the original series but hopefully you guys can bare with me while I continue developing this story. Uh, I'm not sure what to say now other than thank you for your patience. I'll try to start writing on Ch.4 by tonight or tomorrow. Uh, have a good day/night. If you have any questions or concerns or feedback I guess don't be afraid to message me! Bye bye now!
1 Present Mic: Rank 36 Support/Fighter Class Hero. Quirk: Voice. Status: Active (Currently Teaching in U.A High.)
2 Research and Development. (R&D.)
3 Monoliths: Structures of unknown origin. The purpose for their creation is unknown but these structures are believed to be sentient. There are currently 19 Monoliths scattered throughout the world, 3 of which have 'voluntarily' offered themselves to aid in teaching new students. More info to come.
4 The Equalizer: A complex and extremely demanding obstacle course constructed by U.A's finest architects, researchers and psychologists.