Katsuki and Minoru ended up at the very back of the line into the auditorium by the time they reached the bottom floor of the tower. The two didn't talk much at all along the way, with Minoru stewing in his own thoughts and keeping his eyes on the ground while Katsuki simply avoided eye contact with everyone around them. Upon trying to figure out just how close they were to reaching the auditorium doors, he saw a very familiar shock of green hair only two or three people in front of him… standing next to a girl he had been thinking about almost equally as much. The two were practically holding hands as they stood within the blob funneling toward the auditorium double doors, and Katsuki couldn't decide which he wanted to speak to less.

"…stay in front of me," Katsuki ordered in a low whisper as he moved to stand behind Minoru.

"What? Why?" Minoru asked, looking back over his shoulder.

"Don't worry about it," Katsuki grumbled, doing his best to let everyone around them get slightly ahead. "I've got my reasons."

"Everything alright?"

Katsuki whipped his head to the left at the voice, finding Momo standing mere inches from him. His expression softened ever so slightly and he gave the girl a quick nod.

"Yeah. I'm good."

"And how are you, Miss Yaoyorozu?" Minoru asked, turning around fully. He made absolutely no effort to hide the fact that he was staring at her chest as he asked the question before flicking his eyes up to hers. "That uniform looks good on you."

"I… thank you?" Momo said uncomfortably as she brushed an errant strand of hair back behind her ear. "We all look relatively the same…"

"Some people can't pull it off as well as you do, though," Minoru said with a wink. "Gonna sit with us?"

"Yeah, with me between you two," Katsuki declared as he shot Minoru a venomous look. "Stop it."

"Bakugo, it's fine," Momo said with an uneasy smile as she lightly touched a hand to his shoulder. "Really. Thank you, though… and I will take you up on that offer."

Katsuki both wanted to pull away from the touch and let it linger. Instead, he merely stood there silently, staring at Momo until she let her hand drop and looked away in embarrassment.

"…wow," Minoru commented as he turned back around and walked forward with the line. "Just wow."

"Tch," Katsuki spat, annoyed as he rolled his shoulder. "This line needs to hurry the hell up…"

"Another few minutes at most," Momo reassured. "How was your first class?"

"It was… fine," Katsuki decided, unsure if it was even a lie. "We chose hero names, and then filled out a questionnaire for our Field Leader to comb through whenever they're chosen."

"Field Leader?" Momo asked, sounding surprised. "I suppose that position would make sense to establish… but ours was very different. We just… shared a bit about ourselves and then participated in a few… icebreakers…"

Katsuki made a pained noise unintentionally at having his assumptions based on his quick peek into the 1-B classroom confirmed.

"…I'm sorry."

Momo flashed a quick grin, though she looked a bit guilty about it.

"Some of the others seemed to enjoy it, but I just… that isn't my style, nor is it what I expected. I know it's only day one, but…"

"You were hoping things would be different here?" Katsuki guessed. "Not like the bullshit we had to put up with in high school?"

Momo let out a nervous laugh and spoke a bit louder as they made it close to the doorway of the auditorium. Loud music was spilling out and into the hallway, threatening to drown out their conversation.

"Something like that, yes," the girl confirmed as she and Katsuki finally entered the auditorium. "I'm sure what you did today is coming for us as well, but… I'm eager to get started with my new life here. It still feels like none of this is real."

"Yeah," Katsuki agreed as he caught sight of Izuku and Ochaco filing into a row of seats quite near the door. "And some of it feels too familiar…"

"Gooooooooooooood morning, U.A. Universi-tay!" the hero onstage known professionally as Present Mic crowed from behind his turntable. A huge projector screen was set up behind him, showcasing patterns of swirling, pulsating patterns that moved along to his music. "Give it a few minutes for the rest of the students to file in, and then we'll get this show on the road! But for now, listen to this sick beat!"

"Sometimes I wish I was dead," Katsuki said flatly as he followed Minoru into a row of seats with Momo trailing along beside him. "Of course he's back. We're gonna end up taking a course with him, aren't we?"

"Professor Yamada? Yes, we will," Minoru answered, finally jumping back into the conversation as the trio sat down. "It's actually one of the most interesting classes in Year One, from the sounds of it."

"Heroic Portrayals in Media, correct?" Momo asked, leaning forward slightly to be seen by Minoru from Katsuki's other side. "I've been curious about that one."

"I haven't," Katsuki admitted as he rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, it's about how we're portrayed in… media," Minoru said, feeling a bit stupid for basically repeating what Momo had asked. "Analyzing literature, movies, TV shows and whatnot across the years to see how popular interpretation of heroes has shifted over time and why. He also teaches about things like sponsorship deals, product placement, negotiating interviews, stuff like that. Most of the public-facing aspect of our job."

"Great," Katsuki said, the one word carrying audible frustration and baggage along with it. "The thing I'm probably worst at with the loudest, most in-your-face professor…"

"You'll get through it," Momo reassured. "We all will. If you need help, we could always study together, while Ashido and Kirishima are busy in her room."

"Maybe," Katsuki answered with a shrug, keeping his eyes on Present Mic while the man led the first few rows in some sort of asinine seated dance while yelling. "I guess."

Minoru stared at the two of them once again, watching as the corner of Momo's mouth pulled into a momentary grimace. He shook his head as he leaned back in his seat and let out a sigh.

"I know most of the professors we'll be dealing with by sight. There are a couple that I'm not sure of, though. Some positions get shuffled every so often, and certain courses don't deal with certain professors at all. Fortunately, we've got Professor Kayama. She doesn't always take on first-year students."

"Which one is she?" Katsuki asked, sounding bored as Present Mic made his way back to his turntables.

"Midnight," Minoru answered with a smirk. "Personal favorite."

"Can't imagine why," Katsuki grumbled.

"Her class does sound interesting," Momo chimed in. "I'm most looking forward t-"

"Hey-hey-hey!" Present Mic interrupted, his voice booming through the P.A. system as the doors to the auditorium closed. "Looks like every first year course is here, and most of the upperclassmen, too! Let's take a look at our inaugural video for the year and get this show on the road!"

A smattering of applause echoed through the auditorium as the lights went down. There was a lone, continuous whistle from somewhere a few rows in front of Katsuki, and he let out a grumble in response to the shrill noise. Moments later, the projector screen went blank and then shifted over to a prerecorded video that began with a slow panning shot of the U.A. University towers from the front. An unfamiliar feminine voice began a narration as the camera continued to move upward at a snail's pace, moving the massive sign at the entrance out of frame to focus more on the towers.

"U.A. University is… probably my favorite place on the planet," the woman began. "I learned so much about what it means to be a hero in my time there and made lifelong friends that I work with every day out in the field. Anyone who manages to get in is so, so lucky, and I don't think I can really explain why in a way that would do it justice."

The shot transitioned to one of a well-known hero from the waist up sitting in a featureless room with professional lighting. She was a tall blonde woman with long, flowing hair that looked to be in her mid-20s, wearing a blue domino mask with curved horns that extended far past her head. The mere sight of the woman caused several cheers from the audience, and her smile toward the camera seemed almost timed with the appearance of a nameplate beneath her in the lower left corner of the screen.

Yu Takeyama, "Mt. Lady," U.A. University Alumnus, #12 Ranked Hero (Japan)

"The work was challenging and engaging, the professors really care about everyone on an individual level, and they helped me launch my career to where it is today. I couldn't have done it alone, and I honestly don't think I could've done it with any other group of professors. They are all just… so special all in their own unique ways, and I hope every first-year student watching this takes these words to heart. You're in for the best years of your life and challenges you probably can't even dream of right now. Take it seriously, and stay Plus Ultra!"

There was another round of polite applause, and Katsuki pinched the bridge of his nose as the next of the alumni popped up onscreen.

Tsunagu Hakamada, "Best Jeanist," U.A. University Alumnus, #4 Ranked Hero (Japan)

"I transferred to U.A. after my second year of university, and I have no regrets at all," the blond man wearing a high denim collar to obscure most of his face said. "The work was so much more difficult, but also, much more fulfilling. I wasn't ready for the shift at the time, but everyone was so welcoming, so supportive… they really helped me discover who I was and put me on track to break into the Top Ten of nationwide hero rankings. Err… Plus Ultra."

The polite applause quickly turned absolutely wild as another of the Top Ten appeared onscreen, his wide smile lighting up the interview room as he struggled to fit in the chair. There was a scripted pause before he began speaking, as though whoever had organized the video knew the reaction he would get.

Toshinori Yagi, "All Might," U.A. Alumnus, Professor of Quirk Exploration & Field Training, #1 Ranked Hero (Japan)

"U.A. University… what can I say? I'm so happy and proud to be here, helping to build the legacies of those throwing themselves into this career. I wont lie to you- it's going to be rough. There will be times where you question whether or not you are on the right path, and nights where you'll go to bed feeling awful. As an up-and-coming hero, there were several instances where I almost quit… and it was the faculty at U.A. that brought me back around. I want to be one of those people helping new heroes stay in the fight for a whole new generation. A few professors at U.A. are ones that I had as a student, and several of them are younger men and women I work with on an almost daily basis. You're all in good hands- perhaps the best hands possible- and I hope you take every advantage of the resources you'll have in your time at U.A. University."

All Might took a long breath, seeming almost nervous as his smile grew wider.

"I'll be teaching Quirk Exploration & Field Training for every level of the Hero Course this year. My class is focused on direct self-improvement when it comes to utilizing and expanding your power sets and figuring out how best to use them in various, largely unexpected scenarios. I'll be working together with your homeroom Hero Work professors to design challenges that will push you to your limits. Plus Ultra!"

Another figure appeared onscreen through the wild applause for All Might, and it was one that Katsuki didn't recognize. He tilted his head slightly as he looked over the man and the auditorium fell silent almost immediately. The hero's appearance was a stark contrast to that of the #1 hero- he was thin, gaunt, and most notably, missing his nose. There was an open cavity with jagged flesh around the edges where the organ should have been, giving off the appearance that it had been forcibly removed by some sort of blade. Greasy black hair hung down around his face, partially obscuring his sharp cheekbones. He stared at the camera with beady, bloodshot eyes and spoke in a raspy voice as his nameplate appeared onscreen.

"Teaching at U.A. University will be… a new experience for me," the man admitted. "But it's one I'm looking forward to. This job is an incredibly important one, and I believe my course will be one of the most valuable and life-changing… especially to aspiring first-year students. I'll be responsible for assessing your sense of ethics and morality, as well as helping you figure out where your priorities lie both on and off the field. I'm sure it will be… what's the turn of phrase? Plus Ultra?"

Chizome Akaguro, "Inquisition," U.A. Alumnus, Professor of Applied Hero Law & Ethics, #13 Ranked Hero (Japan)

Author's Note:

Next time will cover the Hassaikai- I forgot I wanted to kick this off first.

-RD