Chapter 17: Bakugou's Not Being A Dick???

Katsuki walked into UA with an attitude that he thought he'd never see himself with. He looked around at all of the students and teachers walking through the halls and felt a sense of humbleness.

He was here, he was actually here. He was going to be a hero and help people…

A very different goal than he had in the past.

Past Katsuki only cared about winning and being the best and he didn't care who he had to walk over to get there, but things were different now. He saw just how much that mentality hurts him and, more importantly, those around him. A hero was supposed to save people, to put others before themselves and risk their lives for the well being of those who can't.

That wasn't what Katsuki had wanted to do. His ambitions were selfish and greedy and led to the hurt of everyone around him. He didn't want to be that person anymore. He wanted to help people, he wanted to bring comfort and hope to them like All Might did. He wanted to win sure, but he had a new mentality: win to save and save to win.

There couldn't be one without the other. He couldn't count it as a win if he didn't protect those who couldn't protect themselves, and he couldn't protect anyone if he was too weak.

I won't be that person anymore. I refuse to intentionally hurt the people I care about just to rise to the top. I will be better.

I have to be…for Izuku.

Izuku had it right. He knew exactly what it was to be a hero and he had everything it took. If only Katsuki hadn't crushed his dreams, if only he hadn't driven him to-

If only he had been just a bit more observant that day…maybe he would've noticed that something was wrong. Sure, he didn't know about Auntie Inko's death yet or about whatever else Izuku was going through, but he should've been able to tell.

They grew up together. They knew more about each other than anyone else.

He should've been able to tell. Then maybe he would still be here.

"Hey Bakugou!" A loud voice yanked Katsuki from his spiraling thoughts and he realized that he was standing in front of his classroom. Class 1-A.

He turned to find that girl from the exam. Uraraka, he thought her name was.

The two of them woke up in the UA infirmary after the exam and got the chance to introduce themselves before Recovery Girl came to do her last checkups to make sure that both of them were okay and then sent them home.

Looking at her now was very different then seeing her during or after the exam. She had this air of warmth about her, maybe it was because she looked so welcoming with her round chocolate eyes and bright smile, or maybe that was just Uraraka.

"Oh, hey." He turned to look at her, "It's Uraraka right?"

"Yep!" She smiled at him and Katsuki felt like he had just been hit with a sudden wave of heat or something. How was it possible for someone to be so cheery? Not even Izuku was this cheery. "Pretty cool that we're both in the same class, don't you think?"

That was a good point. He didn't doubt that she would pass the exam, but what were the odds that the two of them would end up in the same class together? "Yeah. Hey, we'd better head in, wouldn't want to be late on our first day."

Inside of the 1-A classroom was interesting. There were all kinds of students, ones that had physically manifested or obvious quirks, ones with more subtle appearances, ones that just gave off powerful vibes, and ones that were a lot more chill. It was nice, looking at people through this new perspective.

He felt like he was finally able to appreciate those around him, rather than discounting them right off the bat.

As the two of them walked across the front of the classroom, Katsuki noticed something strange out of the corner of his eye and stopped to look. It was a large yellow sleeping bag peaking out from behind the teacher's desk and it looked to have something in it.

Well, that's not creepy at all…

He took another second to stare at whatever that was and then continued to his seat that just so happened to be right in front of Uraraka. What were the odds…

Turns out the thing that was in the obnoxious sleeping bag was their homeroom teacher Shouta Aizawa. Honestly, Katsuki hadn't believed it at first, the guy looked like he hadn't showered or slept in weeks, and he had literally just crawled out of a sleeping bag. Not exactly what he expected his teacher to look like, but the longer he looked at him the more he realized that despite his appearance, there was this air about him.

It was hard to explain, but Katsuki knew that all of the teachers at UA were pro heroes, and he could tell that this one was not one to mess with. The way he held himself just standing in front of the class was enough to prove this.

After introducing himself, he told the class to change into their gym uniforms and meet him outside. He led them behind the school to an open area and explained that they were going to go through a quirk assessment to see where they stood.

He also threatened that the student with the lowest score would be immediately expelled, and he was pretty sure that he saw one boy with purple hair burst into tears.

Katsuki did well in the assessments. He wasn't just being cocky, if there was one thing that he did have, it was good control over his quirk and different ways to use it so that he could overcome almost any obstacle.

That was Izuku's idea. When he first got his quirk, most people focused on its offensive ability, but Izuku immediately began to think and speculate on how it could be used. He had helped Katsuki learn different techniques and strategies to use in most situations before their…falling out.

And by falling out, Katsuki of course meant when he learned of Izuku's quirklessness and immediately discarded him as a friend and human being.

The assessment ended. Overall, the class did pretty well in Katsuki's eyes. Of course, there was always room for improvement, but from what he could tell, all of his classmates were strong and determined. Well…almost all of them.

During the tests, he kept hearing the purple-haired kid make comments and little jokes that were making everyone, the girls especially, more and more uncomfortable. It got so bad that after a particular comment a guy with red spiky hair literally punched him for what he said. Katsuki didn't hear it, but going by the people around him, it was bad.

Mr. Aizawa went through each of their scores and talked a bit before he paused and called the name of the kid with purple hair-Mineta. The kid walked up to the glaring teacher whimpering and Mr. Aizawa told the remainder of the class to go on about the rest of their day and that they'd see him later.

They continued with their first day, being introduced to their teachers and getting accustomed to UA and how it did things. If today was any indication, then Katsuki was in for a wild year.

Shouta was right, this year's litter was interesting.

The two who made a big impression during the exam were in his class (because of course they were) along with a few more characters. He had a diverse class this year, and he just hoped that most of them would make it to their second year without being expelled, but that was completely on them.

The first day ended and Shouta felt like he had a solid grasp on each student's potential. Like he said, this class might just surprise him if they focus and pay attention, but he did already have to expel one student. He watched him thoroughly throughout the day and decided that he did not have the potential or conviction to be a proper hero if he was going to act the way he did.

It might've been a quick decision, but Shouta trusted his instincts, and they were telling him that the kid was bad news.

All too soon, the rest of the week came and before he knew it, they were in the USJ waiting for All Might to show up so they could begin their rescue training.

But All Might wouldn't be coming…Thirteen informed Shouta that he had used almost all of his time this morning and that Nezu was making him stay in the teacher's lounge to rest.

The idiot. He had a responsibility to these students. When you become a teacher, they become your number one priority. It doesn't matter that he's the number one hero, he has very limited time to give this class and as such, he needs to be careful and use it to the best of his ability.

Shouta would have to have a talk with him at the end of the day.

Thirteen had been explaining what they were doing today when the hairs on Shouta's neck stood up and he whipped around to notice a purple blob expanding right behind them. This wasn't right…today was supposed to just be rescue exercises and he had never seen anything like this-

A pale hand emerged from the blob and Eraserhead's mind completely switched gears. He pulled his goggles on and crouched into a fighting stance as he yelled at his students to stand back.

"W-what's going on…is this part of the-"

"I said stay back! Those are real villains!"

It was just a hunch, but it was better to be safe than sorry. And once the blob got big enough, more and more people came from it following someone covered in pale hands and wearing red shoes that reminded him way too much of Serpentine.

Not the time Shouta!

"I thought you said that All Might would be here. Was our information wrong?" The hand villain asked the blob that was more recognizable as some sort of person with no tangible body from the looks of it.

"It's seems so Tomura, shall we retreat and try again another day?" The blob, or mist villain responded.

"Hmm," Tomura, apparently, pondered, "Nah, better make an impression while we're here. A few dead students outta do the trick, don't you think?"

Shouta flinched as he heard the two discussing killing his students. No…no he wouldn't let that happen…he couldn't.

"Over my dead body." Shouta stepped forward and readied his capture weapon as Thirteen ushered the kids away.

The hand villain stepped closer too and smirked from behind the hand that lay over his face, "That can be arranged."

"Mr. Aizawa-!"

"Kurogiri."

Before Shouta could even turn around, the mist villain was already upon his students who were screaming and trying to scramble away. And then they were just…gone.

He turned back to the hand villain with a scowl, "What did you do to them?" He growled.

"Oh, they're fine. For now, at least." Kurogiri moved to the large group of villains behind the hand villain and soon they disappeared as well. "If I were you, I'd worry about myself." But not all of them.

This was bad. Like this was really, REALLY BAD! Shouta was an underground hero known for stealth and quick take downs. His quirk and fighting style were perfect for that, but he was surrounded by dozens of villains all coming at him at once and he didn't know how much longer he could fight like that.

Don't get him wrong, he was winning, but for how long?

It didn't help that that hand villain, Shigaraki was his name apparently, was watching and analyzing him fight, but there wasn't much he could do about that at the moment.

Okay, half of the villains were down, if Shouta could hold out just a little but longer-

Just then, Shigaraki moved and Eraser couldn't dodge out of the way fast enough. He ended up behind him and then a sudden burning pain exploded from his right elbow.

Shouta chanced a look to see what had happened, and found his elbow flaking away and Shigaraki smirking at him. It must've had something to do with his quirk then. Eraser canceled the effect of the quirk which only succeeded in slowing down the disintegration process, but that would have to do for now.

He knocked out the villain that he was currently fighting and then jabbed his leg behind him, landing a solid kick to Shigaraki's gut and sending him flying back.

I have to finish this quickly. There's no telling how much longer I'll be able to hold out.

It took Shigaraki a bit to recover and when he did, Shouta was just finishing off his little gang of goons.

"I bet you think you're all that, don't you." He panted as he began to slowly walk towards Eraser.

He shrugged and got into a fighting pose, "It seems that way. I'm going to make you regret ever stepping foot in UA and attacking my students."

"Oh yeah?" The look on the villain's face wasn't right. It wasn't the look of someone who was bluffing, but Shouta had just taken out his army so why-

Shigaraki snapped his fingers and every thought left Shouta as he was slammed into the ground by an unknown force. Eraser coughed as the air entered back into his lungs and he realized what had just happened.

There was some sort of…creature sitting on top of him. He tried to cancel it's quirk, but nothing happened. How was that possible? It had to have some sort of strength or speed quirk so why wasn't his quirk working-?

"I bet you're wondering why you can't cancel Nohmu's quirk. Well, that's because there's just too many quirks to cancel."

…what?

"You know, you're actually really cool Eraserhead," Shigaraki knelt down beside Shouta and smiled at him, "It's too bad that you're too much of a nuisance to keep alive. We brought Nohmu here to kill All Might, but I guess that a little warm up couldn't hurt. Not that you have any chance against it anyway."

"Shigaraki, I swear if you hurt any of my-" Before Shouta could finish his threat the Nohmu shoved his face into the concrete with a crack.

"Mr. Aizawa!"