Training and Triumph

It was the last day of training before the provisional license exam. Class 1A were determined to get in all the activity in that they could. Estelle had spent the majority of yesterday helping them create and polish their ultimate moves. Once the class had realised that Estelle was helping others and was frankly fantastic at providing it, a lot of them had requested her advice. She didn't have the heart to decline; these people would use these moves to save people. She couldn't turn that away.

Estelle finally managed to make time to complete her hero work once they all had dinner. She found it strange when classmates waved her goodbye on her way out.

'Maybe this wasn't a good idea.' Estelle thought when she refused to acknowledge the classmates. Estelle left the entrance of the UA dorms.

What Estelle did not see was their concerned and downtrodden expression when they were neglected.

"Give her time; she'll warm up to us soon", Izuku assured.

Today though, rather than sticking with her class. Estelle decided to spare some time for Shinsou and his training. He had progressed well under the watch of Mr Aizawa, and it was evident by the bulk of muscle he had grown on his body. The two spent the majority of their time sparring and training with Shinsou's capture weapon. He wasn't getting himself tangled up anymore. Progress.

Estelle was currently flying around the area in a separate training room they had booked from Mr Aizawa. Shinsou was attempting to capture her whilst she was in the air and was making slow and steady improvements. As they continued working, Shinsou spoke up whilst he threw his capture scarf once again.

"You must have been busy; I didn't see you with the class for a while."

"Yeah, I've been working on finding the bridge. No luck, but we might have a lead," Estelle responded as she jerked out of the way of Shinsou's attack. His heart dropped at the reply, and he immediately prodded further.

"A big lead, or?"

"No, well maybe. I don't know. If I'm being honest - there's a high chance it won't work, but I have to try."

Sighing inwardly in relief, Shinsou felt immediate guilt at his own response. He should be rooting for her, but he was unable to lie to himself. He wanted Estelle to stay as long as possible. Attempting to capture her once again, Shinsou smirked up to the flying girl.

"I'm sure a smartass like you would be able to figure it out."

"Tch, you're expectations are too high."

"I am never wrong."

"Said the person who thought he would never master the capture tape, and look at him now." Estelle taunted back. Shaking his head with a chuckle, Shinsou immediately used his secret weapon.

"Say that again, and I won't let you play with my hair."

"Rude."

"Oops", Replied Shinsou unapologetically.

"You should say sorry by letting me stroke your hair."

"Fine", Shinsou instantly agreed. He was fond of her head pats.

Estelle and Shinsou stopped their last ten minutes of training in favour of floofy hair. Leaning against the wall, Shinsou laid on Estelle's lap so she could give efficient head pats. Closing his eyes from the massage, the two sat in comfortable silence.

"We are totally best friends", muttered a sleepy Shinsou.

"Shut up" was all Estelle said back to the stubborn boy. They weren't friends.

To their dismay, Estelle's phone began to ring before the ten minutes were up. Opening an eye, Shinsou groaned out a "Just ignore it."

Scoffing, Estelle bumped Shinsou's head to get him to move so she could answer the call. Unexpectedly. she found that it was Mr Aizawa's name up on the screen.

Answering the call quickly, Mr Aizawa spoke up immediately.

"We need you here. Now. There's a spirit in Gym Gamma."

"Coming", Estelle replied before hanging up. Shinsou stared down at Estelle in question whilst she rushed to stand and made her way out of the training room. Following her, Shinsou questioned what the phone call was about. Estelle gave a quick explanation as the pair ran across campus towards the destination.

"You should go, Shinsou. There's no need for you to tag along," Estelle stated, her head turned towards him whilst they manoeuvred to the location. Shinsou shook his head frantically in denial. There was no way he would leave her, even if there was nothing that he could do.

"I want to see you kick ass, don't worry. I'll be well out of the way," Shinsou assured. Estelle felt a pit in her gut at his answer, but there was no time to argue him away. She needed to get there stat, and she couldn't fly without setting things on fire.

Pushing her feet faster, Estelle rushed into the gym to find her classmates huddled to the side with Mr Aizawa standing in front of them protectively.

"Let me at him! I'll kill him!" She heard Bakugo yowl behind their teacher, who only shook his head.

"We don't know what they are capable of! We have to wait for Estelle!" Mr Aizawa scolded back before noticing the new arrivals.

Mr Aizawa sighed in relief at the fact Estelle had entered but glared once he saw Shinsou following behind her.

Shinsou took a step back at the sight of the monstrous being in front of him but snapped out of it once Estelle yelled at him. "Go to him!" Estelle growled to Shinsou before turning to the massive beast roaring in the middle of the hall. He ran to her classmates hurriedly and stood behind Mr Aizawa.

Once the area was finally clear, Estelle examined the creature before her.

It was a bellywoggin. The two-legged creature was giant and rested at about twenty feet. Its massive stomach was the central aspect of the beast that could be seen since it had a smaller head. It had large sword type claws on its hands and horns protruding from its mouth. Each dipped in poison. It was how it caught its prey to eat. The creature's beady eyes looked down and sniffed, smelling Cambion. It roared out in approval before it started to storm towards Estelle.

She could faintly hear the class behind her yelling as she pulled her katana out of its saya attached at her back and ran face forward towards the beast hurtling towards her. With a shout, the creature flung his hand down with his long talons in the hope of pulverising her. Estelle immediately evaded and jumped onto the hand now stuck into the floorboards. As the beast attempted to pull out the stuck hand, Estelle ran up the bellywoggins arm to reach its shoulder.

The spirit stopped his attempt to pull his hand away and used his free limb to hit the shoulder Estelle was standing at. Taking the opportunity, Estelle stabbed her katana directly into the shoulder blade, causing the arm moving towards her to slam down onto the ground in pain. Both hands were now stuck into the floorboards. Having free reign, Estelle let out her fire wings to fly atop the beast's head, which instantly started to frantically shake in an attempt to remove her. The effort failed as Estelle stabbed him directly in the head, using condensed air surrounding her blade to ensure the victory of the final blow.

The Bellywoggin immediately flopped to the ground, which allowed Estelle to jump off onto the floor. Without gazing at the students, Estelle watched whilst the beast disintegrated into dust and flew into the atmosphere. Disappearing without a trace if it hadn't damaged the training ground.

Now aware that they were safe, the class made their way to Estelle. She had marched towards the hole in the wall from when the Bellywoggin had broken through. Mr Aizawa and the student were lost for words as they watched Estelle seal the hole with steel and debris from the attack.

The cold air had stopped due to Estelle's fix on the building, but she still hadn't said a word.

Walking to the two holes where the beasts fists had smashed into the ground, Estelle did the same thing by using the materials around her to heal the damage. Mr Aizawa had gathered himself at this point.

"Estelle", He called.

Yet, she still didn't reply and continued working on the destruction.

"Estelle!" Mr Aizawa called again, more sternly.

Once Estelle was done, she stood back up and faced her teacher, the class and Shinsou.

"Yes?"

"Thank you."

Estelle grimaced. The people that surrounded her were taken aback by her action.

"I think it would be best for me to leave UA", was all she returned.

Everyone gasped at her unexpected words. Mr Aizawa widened his eyes in shock before he calmed himself.

"Your reasoning?" He asked.

"The spirit had no reason being here. Most spirits gravitate towards the woods. There are no woods here," Estelle thought aloud.

"And?" Mr Aizawa questioned. He needed more than that to accept a student dropping out of his course.

"The only other reason for it to be here - would be me."

"Explain," Mr Aizawa ordered. The class watched the exchange in silence, too shaken by the events to say a word. Estelle looked down at the floor, her hair shielding her face from the others. Estelle held a sombre expression whilst she explained.

"Dark spirits like to cause havoc in the spirit realm. But they have a fixation on us - Cambions. They like how we smell; they love how we taste and would follow us to the ends of the earth if they could. When I lived there, I was always on the move, so they could never track one scent or location. I assumed that since Japan was a more condensed space that they would get scents mixed up, or they just wouldn't pick it up. I was wrong. I apologise. I will stay on the move and deal with the bridge."

Everyone stood in dumbfounded shock at her candid response. They felt sick to their stomachs at the revelation.

'Eat her?'

Mr Aizawa was also staggered at her answer since it was never mentioned in the report. He beat down his disgust and nausea at the picture in his head. Right now, he needed to be the pillar for his students.

"What if this was a one time only case? The spirit could have reached the area and then picked up the scent. Wouldn't there be more of them otherwise?"

"Either way, is that a risk we should take? The students are your priority."

"You are a student", Mr Aizawa retorted.

"Not the same."

"Hold on!" shouted Izuku. "You can't go!"

"I can and I will", Estelle stated stubbornly.

"No way! You are a part of the class! You can't just leave us like that!" Kirishima yelled out.

"Yeah! Like Mr Aizawa said, there would've been more if they could smell you" Ashido joined in.

"What if I'm on the other end of Japan, and they come crashing in? What If I stayed here and because I did, one of you gets killed! I will not deal with that," Estelle snapped back angrily.

'No, not again,' Estelle finished in her head.

The class stilled.

Mr Aizawa took a few steps forward and placed a hand on the frustrated girl's shoulder.

"I think you're projecting here. We are all human, and you have specifically stated that spirits do not care for us. When it arrived, it ignored us, just sniffed the air - clearly looking for you. I won't force you to remain here, but I request that you stay at UA for now. If we see a pattern of them arriving, we'll let you go. You deserve to be at UA, and there's no need to leave under a theory that hasn't been confirmed."

Estelle remained quiet.

Shinsou pushed forward in front of class 1A and made his way over to Estelle with a sad smile.

"I won't force you either. But didn't you say you wanted to see me join the hero course before you went back home? I don't think it's fair for you to run off before that happens. Plus, who else is going to give me head pats?" He stated cheekily.

'Back home?' The class questioned worriedly. 'Does that mean she is going to leave when she's closed the bridge? Head pats?'

"Shut up," Estelle murmured back, slightly embarrassed by his words. Shinsou just shook his head with a chuckle.

"Best friends tell each other what's up."

"We aren't friends, idiot."

Shinsou noted that members of the class wanted to say a few words now that they were out of their bewildered states. He took a step back to allow them to do so. He realised that it would be a collective effort in getting her to stay, and he really didn't want her to go. Not yet.

Yaoyorozu was the first one to rise up with a few words "I know that the class isn't very close with you yet, but we stick together! We'll deal with whatever happens together."

Estelle's eyes widened in disbelief whilst Tsu and Sero joined her.

"She's right. You've helped us, so why can't we help you?" Sero asked rhetorically.

"Yeah, it may have been a little scary, but it never bothered us. You shouldn't leave yet. You are part of the class," Tsu continued.

"Whether you like it or not!" Hagakure chimed in sassily.

"We are soba buddies. I can't be a soba buddy by myself." Shoto stated simply.

"I still need to beat you properly", Bakugo grumbled.

The majority of the class chimed in with their different words. Izuku was the last one to come forward. His face was red whilst he spoke.

"You know, you have stuck with us through everything. The attacks at UA, I-Island, saving Bakugo and helping us train. We don't have to know your past for us to think of you as our classmate. Though, I think of you as my friend. I'm sure we all do. We understand if you don't think of us like that. But as my friend, I can't allow you to leave like this!" He started with a bow. "Please stay. There's a lot you could teach us. I'm sure that this was just a rare case."

Estelle was stunned. Her eyes were slightly wide at the turn of events. Her mind whirred to find reasons why her classmates were so determined on convincing her to stay. Was she too kind? It can't be. Did she give off signs of friendships? It can't be; she doesn't make friends!

To her astonishment, Estelle's head snapped forward slightly from a bump to the head. Glancing to her right, Bakugo stood next to her with a glower.

"Stop thinking. It's annoying. Just accept it for what it is and move on," The blond scolded.

Estelle wondered if Bakugo had gotten to the point where he could tell what she was thinking. He had seen her at her most vulnerable, thrice. Bakugo was trying to prevent her from running away due to her own thoughts. Estelle thought he was kind, but as usual, it was in his own insulting way.

"Hey! Snap out of it, Lioness!" Bakugo shouted wildly as he bumped her head again.

Estelle frowned at the male. "Stop hitting me then. Do you want me to beat you up again?"

"Hah!? I'll crush you!"

Everyone apart from the conversing duo sweatdropped at the change of pace. Turning to each other, the students wondered what Estelle's answer would be. At that thought, Mr Aizawa questioned her once again.

"Estelle? Are you staying?"

Estelle quietened, clearly in mental turmoil about her answer. The class stood on the edge of their toes in the hope of her response. The silence dragged out for a moment until Bakugo nudged Estelle, pulling her out of her mind once again.

Nodding, Estelle muttered a "Sure, I guess I'll stay."

Cheering loudly in victory, Estelle butted in, "But I will leave if there is a substantial risk. Got it?"

Everyone nodded back happily as they yelled amongst themselves. Estelle watched the scene with unrecognisable feelings welling in her stomach; she should probably get that checked. Estelle tried to block them out for now.

Bakugo nudged Estelle for a final time and muttered into her ear once he got her attention, "I'm glad."

Estelle stood stock still in wonder at the genuinely thoughtful acknowledgement from Bakugo. Without looking at her reaction, Bakugo marched into the crowd of her classmates to shout at Kirishima.

The feelings bubbled higher.

She should really get that checked; it wasn't normal.