Brutal Training

The moment the class entered the gymnasium, they knew something was off. Estelle had been waiting for them up front, a plunging frown on her face as she regarded the students heading towards her. Various individuals waved in greeting, their hands turning slump when they realised that Estelle had swivelled her head and ignored them entirely.

The energy felt stiff, their eyes taking note of the hardness within Estelle's gaze. Flickering their sights on one another, a silent communication filled the air as they realised that Estelle wasn't acting like herself. As the mood around the room dampened at the realisation, the suffocating silence made them take note of her posture, standing rigidly like a general ready to command her army. It seems they weren't looking at their classmate anymore.

"At attention!" Estelle sternly interrupted, causing those around her to jerk before they hurried to stand in front of her. Not realising that their backs had straightened like a board, they awaited her words, a foreboding feeling creeping up their necks as Estelle rolled her sleeves up her arms.

"We will train. First, we will work on physical strength and stamina. Once we have completed that, we will work on your quirks in pairs. I expect you all to put everything you have into this; it will take work. Are you ready?!"

Those who had already managed to train with Estelle were sweating bullets. Typically, Estelle taught them like a teacher, soft in her approach yet providing enough authority to get the job done. This time felt completely different; her presence oozed with dominance, and her harsh stare made them feel like they were going to war themselves. Her exterior was filled with intricate, jagged edges, and they wondered what on earth instigated such a change.

"Captian!" They voiced simultaneously in concurrence, forcefully putting as much strength as possible into their words in fear of her reaction otherwise.

Estelle immediately started drills without missing a beat, splitting the class up, so one group worked on strength as the other ran for their lives to improve their stamina. Estelle supervised them like hawks for a few minutes, eventually joining the groups to partake in the exercises.

Though she didn't have to, Estelle knew the feeling of working yourself to the bone as someone stood to watch. It bolstered resentment and anger, wishing it was the other person suffering and not yourself. She also hoped it would boost their determination, and as she ran across the racetrack, she noticed that it was working.

As time went on, the students began to feel the beginning effects of fatigue, and Estelle quickly shut them down as they requested a more extended break. The students groaned at the dejection, their bodies returning to their workout as sweat began to pour from their faces.

Estelle began to feel the first inklings of frustration as she noted how quickly they had gotten tired. The potential images of their war seeped into her thoughts like a parasitic leach she had seen on tv, and it only bolstered her shouts as she told them to keep going. How they would become masters in the craft within four months was beneath her, but Estelle wouldn't refuse to falter; they had to be ready.

Her dreams had been so specific that the pictures of them beaten to the ground were too detailed to comprehend. She had to close her eyes to the sight even though the image remained, her blood turning cold when Katsuki's wide, unseeing eyes were brought to the surface. Clenching her jaw, the creeping rage in her heart flared like a shipwreck, her eyes darting back to the running bodies as her fingers scratched her neck.

The stamina levels of the class were low. War was filled with battles, one after the other, without a second to breathe, but these teens were so used to taking breaks between a fight that it was apparent they were desperate for another time-out. They had to get used to using their strength for extended periods; otherwise...Estelle didn't want to think about it.

A resounding noise startled Estelle out of her thoughts, her eyes dropping to Kaminari, who had fallen to the ground, heaving breaths leaving his lips as he tried to gather some oxygen. Her eyes narrowed at the body, ignoring that Kirishima was helping him stand back up as doubt sparked in her mind.

'They're weak. They will die.'

Gritting her teeth as a blaze of panic shot through her soul, Estelle's eyes widened at her own thoughts before she turned her head to the two boys attempting to gain their bearings. "Keep going."

Opening their mouths to argue, Kaminari and Kirishima snapped their mouths shut at the demand within her eyes. Feeling their hearts chill, they knew they couldn't argue against her. But still, they didn't like the look in her eyes. It was like they weren't good enough, and it stung.

Grabbing onto her chest, Estelle winced at the ache, her pondering doubts speeding up like a train as she wondered of a way to make this work, to make sure they would be okay. Forcefully reminding herself that they wouldn't be on the front lines, Estelle bemoaned that even though they wouldn't be put there, they would end up there regardless.

Every damn fight since they entered UA had included them; it was like they were cursed with battles they were unprepared for. They always seemed to manage okay regardless, but then again, Katsuki had been abducted. What's to say that wouldn't happen again? At this rate, someone could get killed. Someone could die if Estelle didn't make sure they were ready.

"Keep moving!"

"Ughmf-"

The class hyperventilated, sweat soaking their clothes as their bodies lay limply on the ground. Estelle observed them silently, hiding how much her mind was running rampant underneath the surface. She had to keep telling herself that this was only the first session, but knowing how quickly four months could pass by, only made her fall deeper into despair.

She had worked them past the bone, moving on to their quirks as they paired up. The students were already beaten, but one look at Estelle's face made them second-guess their choices of complaining. Her stern stare and bottomless frown made them stand back up for some reason, a deep urge to see the approval light up on her face when they achieved whatever she was looking for. Unfortunately, it never came.

Honestly, to them, it seemed like she disapproved the longer the training went on. It was brutal, their light layers of hope for some fun training entirely decimated by the general before them. The gruff demands leaving her lips made them wonder if this was what she was like around her comrades, but something told them that this was too kind. The knowledge made them stiff, a layer of unease filling them as they trudged through the final mile of their training.

They felt their bodies tense whenever Estelle was in their vicinity, wholly unprepared for anything that would leave her mouth. It was an aspect of her they had never experienced before, but even though the whole day had been tough and verging on awful, they were glad to see another side of her that they knew she tended to hide. Though, they wondered why Estelle was willing to show it now. Regardless, their bodies eased when she walked away, a breath of relief leaving their lips from the sight.

Estelle was unbending as she turned around, her back facing the students as she muttered to herself in dismay. Feeling their hearts fall at her voice, they wondered if she would ask them to keep going. They were utterly drained, unable to move a single muscle without cringing in pain. They would need days to recover at this point. They couldn't keep going.

"Estelle! What the hell is this training? Give us a break, at least!" Kaminari screamed, his whiny tone causing the others to wince, a headache beginning to arise the longer they relaxed.

Estelle whirled around, a disappointed expression on her face as she snarled, "Would you get a break in battle?"

The students stilled at the flat tone, a deadly tilt in her voice that made their eyes dart to her in concern. They couldn't respond, knowing she was right, but still, they were students; they shouldn't be expected to complete such rigorous training within one day. It was downright insane, but for some reason, they couldn't seem to reject her offer outright. Estelle was a master at fighting and declining felt like a waste. But this was too much, and her disappointment only worsened things.

"Aw, man! This is such a bummer!" Mineta groaned, cradling his head as he slowly shuffled to his knees.

Estelle felt a pang in her chest, but she ignored it in favour of daggering her sights into Mineta with a ferocity that made them all wince. Taking pause at the fire on her face, the students flickered their eyes to each other in silent question as she hissed out a response. "You want to die? Because that's what'll happen if you remain at your current levels!"

Nobody answered, a cloud of unease filling the air as they gaped up at Estelle with wide eyes. Her sudden increase in volume caused them to perk up, their minds scrutinising her as they tried to pinpoint the sudden frenzy within her. Light pants of air left her lips, her shoulders moving quickly as she stared down at their limp bodies, and the longer they observed, the more they realised that Estelle wasn't okay.

Nobody seemed to have the courage to ask, and the silence began deafening their ears as they tried to speak. Estelle only seemed to grow more agitated in the quiet, her hand scratching into her neck with such intensity they wondered if it would bleed. Eventually, Momo muttered, "Estelle, is everything okay?"

Snapping her head to gaze at her, the words blurted past her lips before she could stop them. They didn't need to hear her answer, her eyes telling them that whatever it was, it was an utter lie. The shrill tone in her voice was another obvious indicator that Estelle was, in fact, not okay. "Everything is fine!"

Sweatdropping, the students glanced at each other in apprehension. Something just didn't seem right, and the fact that Estelle was still scratching at her skin wasn't lost on them. The training Estelle had put them through was on a different level, and the longer they did it, the more frustrated Estelle became.

They were surprised by the fact Katsuki hadn't stepped in. He usually tended to berate her once he noticed any action of self-inflicted harm. But, as they looked over at him, they saw how he was staring at her, tiredly sitting on the ground, his back to the wall. His lips were pursed tightly, and his eyes narrowed at hers in a way that seemed like he was trying to look into her soul. He looked serious, an expression of realisation dawning on his face as he observed her frayed state with fierce intensity.

Before they could question her further on the fact she was not okay, Toru whined, "Seriously, you're going to kill us before the villains do. You can't just chuck us into intense training without building us up to it!"

Taking a step back, Estelle's mouth felt dry at the idea of her somehow ruining them before their war even hit. Taking a moment to collect herself, her hand scratching her neck as if it were some meagre attempt at grounding herself, she managed to force out, "I'm preparing you."

"For what?! We're just kids! This was overkill, even for you!"

"Hakagure..." Iida warned, his eyes unable to leave Estelle's neck as a drop of blood began to trail down to her collarbone. Nobody else seemed to notice, their eyes falling on Sero, who had slumped to the ground in defeat.

"She's right, though. We're just heroes in training. She's treated us like soldiers all day," Sero muttered, unable to look at anyone in fear of their response.

Estelle dialled back as if she had been struck, her eyes widening for a moment before the stifled rage came back in full force. The sheer plethora of red under the surface was hard to contain that Estelle couldn't even speak, too afraid she would blow up at her classmates and finally show just how shitty she was.

The eyes staring into her as if they were waiting for some sort of answer made her feel like she was on a cliff's edge, and her throat bobbed as she tried her hardest to hold herself down, to hold all the rage she was feeling at the fact this was even happening in the first place from her mind. It hurt, her hands clenched by her sides as she bared the weight of her emotions and the crushing depths of the words directed at her. They weren't soldiers, they were students, but they would soon be soldiers, and the knowledge was maddening to her.

She failed the moment she tried to speak, the words coming out as a frustrated and guttural yell as she closed her eyes. "You don't have enough time!"

The silent students stilled, becoming complete statues as they gazed at Estelle with confusion and disbelief. Looking at each other, the sudden realisation that there was a reason for her training felt crushing, hearts falling at the evident pain wrenching out of her voice. Nobody uttered a word, unable to interrupt her quick breaths as she hunched over to try to calm herself in front of them.

It was filled with so much agony that it took their breath away, her pain hitting them right in their chest that the physical pain lessened in comparison. The atmosphere filled with lead, a foreboding feeling downpouring their minds as Izuku muttered, "What do you mean?"

Estelle's chest only seemed to rise and fall quicker, her face telling them all they needed to know. She wasn't going to explain. It became more apparent when she turned around, her voice breaking for a moment as she tried to collect herself. After a few moments, she seemed to have managed enough strength to demand, "Training is dismissed. Get out, and get some rest."

Despite the relief they felt now that training had finally been put to a close, the class couldn't help but stare up at the hunched female like she held the weight of the world. Estelle always carried a lot on her shoulders, but she seemed more exhausted now than they were.

They felt a little guilty for causing that, but another part of them knew that training like that just wasn't possible on a consecutive basis. Maybe they had gone about it the wrong way, and they opened their mouths to apologise and ask for more information, but as they looked at her, they realised that now wasn't the time.

She needed more of a break than they did. So, saying nothing, they stood up and shuffled out of the room.

As soon as the door closing rang into the air, Estelle allowed her legs to give out underneath her feet. The female fell onto her knees and closed her eyes as she tried to focus on her breathing, her mind returning to the counting techniques Hound-Dog had taught her. Gasping for air, Estelle struggled to focus on the numbers as one thought continuously slammed into her mind.

They weren't ready for war.

The sentiment crashed into her like multiple tidal waves, and Estelle was forced to buckle under the weight of it as numbers left her mind entirely. Choking on the air, Estelle coughed as she braced herself on the ground, her palms on the floor as she moved on all fours. Feeling as if she could throw up at any moment from the heavy feeling in her stomach, Estelle groaned as she bit back the urge to cry.

She would not do it; she wouldn't be weak.

Heaving for oxygen, Estelle faltered in her confidence. Could she really do this? Why did this feel so much heavier than the previous wars? Was it because they were humans? God, she felt so sick that she wished her food would leave her stomach. Feeling dizzy from nausea, Estelle gritted her teeth as she tried to count her breathing once again.

Completely lost in her mind, Estelle had no idea that twenty pairs of eyes were attempting to peer through the windows on the doors, trying to glimpse her slumped expression with concern. Worry lined their faces as Estelle visibly suffered through a panic attack before their very eyes, and they were suddenly filled with the urge to run back in and help. They feared it would do more bad than good, as, unfortunately, they hadn't helped the situation.

"Let me go, will ya?!" Katsuki snarled, his arms frantically pushing against Kirishima as he was held back from rushing into the gym. His limbs hurt like hell, but he wasn't just going to stand by and watch Estelle suffer like she was some kind of zoo animal.

Kirishima sighed, forcefully using every last ounce of his willpower to use his quirk to prevent the blonde from potentially making things worse. He wasn't willing to risk it; her emotions were too high. "Sorry, buddy. This time feels a little different. I think it's best to give her some space to calm down."

Knowing Kirishima was right, Katsuki cursed as his body unwound, his eyes trailing to the windows again, a gut-wrenching ache within his stomach at the sight of her on the ground. He winced once his body tensed from the picture, the urge again filling him to pile her into his arms and soothe her pain. He knew she was stupidly holding back her tears, and the awareness made him want to hulk out and blow up everyone trying to stop him. But he knew something was happening; the sleepless nights were enough for him to understand.

She had enough to deal with; she shouldn't need to worry about them. It wasn't fair, and all Katsuki wanted to do at this point was scoop her away entirely. She didn't deserve this shit, goddammit. She earned the peace she had never experienced. She should get a cabin in the woods if that's what she desperately wanted. She shouldn't have to see people for the rest of her life if that's what she desired.

Estelle had done enough. She had given enough.

Though, he knew If he offered to take her away from it all, Estelle would refuse. Her duty topped anything else, the selfless girl. He never understood it, never could grasp why she was so willing to give everything she had to beings that never cared for her. He wondered if they drilled it into her so much whilst she grew up that it was the only thing she clung to in order to survive.

Katsuki would make her see. Make her understand that duty meant fuck-all in the grand scheme of things. Yeah, she did a great thing; she saved a bunch of no-good spirits and humans. But, as much as Katsuki wanted to be a hero, he was selfish. He honestly didn't care if her world burned to ashes without her.

They didn't deserve her. They never did.

Listening to her talk about her world solidified their use of her for their own means. They used her because of how she was born; a Cambion. It pissed him off. Why her, of all people? Why couldn't she get to heal and rest like a human being?

'It's probably because they don't regard her as one.

Fuck them. Fuck them all.'

From her words, he could guess that the Commission had probably dragged her into some other mess; why else would she be so concerned for them? Especially when she had her own battles to win. Honestly, fuck them too. Couldn't they already see that Estelle was doing enough? Couldn't they see that she was already at her wit's end? It was like both worlds were fucking blind when it came to Estelle, and the class were the only ones who could see clearly.

Estelle was selfish in her own means to fulfil the selfless act of her duty. It was evident in the words that left her mouth previously that she couldn't fathom a world without it. Katsuki would make her see. She would be so much more without it.

God, if he could, Katsuki would ensure she would never have to lift a finger in her damn life. The year of her was enough to determine that anybody else would be diagnosed as insane, yet her resilience was so strong that she kept on going. It was fucking beautiful, but Katsuki didn't want to see it anymore. She had been resilient long enough, kept a brave face on for too long, and held the weight of too many lives longer than she should have.

Estelle was what mattered. She deserved a good life, and Katsuki was damn well going to make that happen. Fuck her world, fuck everything else. Estelle earned everything; the idiot just refused to see it for herself. He would make her understand. Enough was enough.

"She's not okay."

"Yeah, no shit, moron," Katsuki instantly snapped back, a growl on his lips as he shook Kirishima's hand away in a silent motion that he wouldn't make his way inside.

"But why?" Momo questioned sadly, her motherly instincts in full view as she observed the breathless girl on the ground.

"She said we have no time. It's probably hero shit; she can't tell us. Have you ever met the woman?" Katsuki started, his eyebrows furrowing like he was talking to idiots, "She wouldn't tell us even if she could, just to save us from worrying about it. She's just that stupid."

The students listening knew that the insult was a complete lie, aware that Katsuki was most likely shielding his genuine emotions from them. Still, they asked, "What do we do?"

"Train our asses off to kick their butt!"

Estelle took around an hour to get off the ground, feeling drained as her mind focused on returning to the present the whole time. Eventually, she left the silent gym, a sigh escaping her lips when she was reminded of how she skipped out on missions to provide training. She should probably go now, but Estelle was wiped and could probably sleep for days if given the opportunity. It didn't help that her sleep had declined recently, even with Katsuki by her side.

Her nervous energy around the news of the League only worsened her current situation. Darklings had tripled within a few days, and at least one of her squads was always out fighting to maintain the peace for as long as possible. Her comrades were beginning to get angsty, and all Estelle could do was remind them that they had done this before and to keep pushing forward. It was either a loss or a draw, which never felt like a win since they put everything they had into the battle.

She had four months to win her war, but Estelle felt it would be done in two. Aite was getting impatient, and it became more prominent daily as he continued to call darklings through the gate. Estelle had no hope of playing offence at the moment; it was just too risky. All she could do was defend the land and wait for his checkmate.

Estelle winced as her body slowly trailed back to the dorms and pondered over the class's words. She had never intended for them to feel like they were soldiers under her command, but she had inadvertently done that from fear. She never expected that emotion to rise from knowing that they would go into battle soon, but maybe Estelle was just blind to herself and how she really felt.

The moment Sero said it, Estelle felt agony. It was like she wanted to bend over and apologise for doing what she always said she would never do. They were teenagers, and even though Estelle was probably one herself, it sometimes didn't feel like it. The sheer reality of seeing them train reminded her that she was different, but she pushed it away to focus on the fact that they would at least be alive. It was a small price because war wasn't easy, and they would see it for themselves in four months. That knowledge...was heartbreaking.

"You're back!"

Startled by the yell, Estelle looked up at the entrance to find the class surrounding her in their nightclothes. Surprised by their choice of apparel, Estelle raised a brow before a grimace grew on her face. The students instantly noticed the look, their smiles faltering as they examined Estelle's puffy and tired face. She looked exhausted, like every ounce of her energy had been zapped from her body.

"I wanted to apologise for today's training. I shouldn't have treated you as my soldiers. It was my mistake letting my history get in the way of training you like a teacher would have."

The class opened their mouths in stupefaction, their heads shaking as they tried to talk over each other. It was Jiro who she managed to pick up on, "It's okay, we get it."

Shaking her head, Estelle instantly disagreed, "No. I was too harsh on you. I shouldn't expect you to train as we do. It was wrong of me to push you all, and I am sorry."

Realising Estelle wouldn't back down; the class nodded, slight smiles on their faces as they brightened up. Before Kaminari could speak, his voice getting cut off, the students looked over at Sero, who had stepped up, a guilty expression on his face as he muttered, "I shouldn't have said that before. You don't treat us like soldiers; we're your friends."

Estelle's eyes broadened at the smile that landed on Sero's face as he finished his sentence. Feeling her shoulders relax, the female found that the guilt eating at her finally began to fade, but she would still ensure she didn't act like that around them again. Nodding, her sights were quickly taken by Kaminari, who had lunged in front of her, an excited smile on his face as he urged her to follow.

"Take a look at this!"

Following him alongside the class, Estelle felt her body stop in the living room, her eyes marvelling over the picture in front of her. Finding herself perplexed yet slightly in awe at how pretty it looked, Estelle asked, "What's this?"

Grinning in accomplishment, Kirishima cheered, "It's a pillow fort!"

Walking further into the room to inspect the plethora of blankets tied to the couches, arching over the television, Estelle felt recognition linger at her as pillows surrounded it like makeshift trench walls. The ground underneath held blankets too, and she noted the stream of snacks laid out in sections as if they had already prepared what they would eat.

Peering up at their grins with bewilderment, Estelle muttered, "Forgive me, but is it like a tent?"

Not surprised by her questioning, Ochako stepped up as she jovially added, "Yeah! You make a fort, and everyone goes under it for a good time! We already have a bunch of movies lined up! We thought it might cheer you up!"

Estelle froze, her eyes staring into the hopeful yet beaming expressions layering everyone's face. Feeling her heart squeeze, she broke their gaze and looked down at the pillow fort before her. Even though she had no idea why the tent was necessary to have a good time, it didn't really matter.

What mattered was the fact they did this for her.

Her throat tightened, a flood of heat escaping her beating artery as it encased every inch of her body. It was almost maddening to think that Estelle had just spent an hour limp on the floor as she struggled to hold herself up, and now, she felt so comforted by the sentiment that she felt a prickle in her eyes. "You...did this for me?"

Estelle was a grown woman in many ways, but in others, especially in the emotional aspect, she was stuck. It was evident in the feeling in her voice that she failed to hide, their hopeful grins turning soft as they experienced the full brunt of her emotions. The shock on her face was enough to bring on the urge to protect; it was as if they were looking at a child who had been hugged for the first time. It was so gut-wrenching, but it also made them know they were doing the right thing.

Estelle needed more of these aspects of life, and they were happy to provide. So, brightening their smiles to their previous strength, they collectively nodded, "Of course, silly!"

Nodding like she was a fool for asking, Estelle tried to reign in her emotions at the fact they had gone out of her way to make her happy. The class always wanted to make her feel like she was included and a part of them. Standing there in front of them, Estelle realised she had lost count of how many times she had.

Sucking in a breath and straightening her back, Estelle worded, "So, what am I supposed to do?"

Brightening up at the fact Estelle hadn't rejected them as they feared, the class scurried around to find their places on the ground. Katsuki was the closest to her, his hard darting up to pull her down and by his side as the other reached for the popcorn.

"We're going to watch the best movies, and we aren't going to think about anything else but the delicious food!"

"It's o-fish-al. Nemo is my favourite."

"Nah, Dory is the cutest!" Ashido argued, throwing a piece of popcorn at Estelle.

"I disagree. Nemo is the star-fish," Estelle smirked, feeling her heart fill at the chuckles around the room.

"Dory!" Kaminari chimed in, taking sides as others began to sound in their opinion.

"Hmmm...Would you say...perhaps..."

"Oh no. This must be a big one," Izuku murmured, eyeing Estelle as a grin began to grow on her face.

"Dory is the gill of your dreams?"

"Pah! Hahaha!" Katsuki cackled, his arm around Estelle's shoulder tightening as he leaned over with a wheeze. The rest of the students grinned, shaking their heads at the female's puns as they giggled lightly. Estelle didn't crack jokes often. They're pretty sure this was the first time she had done so without directing them at the blonde. It soothed their aching bones, knowing they had reached such a point where she felt so comfortable around them that she could be herself.

Directing their gaze back to the television, the students were content with the turn-out of the day. Even though they hadn't figured out what was going on with Estelle, it didn't matter. What did was the fact that she was there with them, smiling at the fish like she didn't have a care in the world.