Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

' I STOLE HER HEART AWAY

  AND PUT ICE IN ITS PLACE ' 

✶

Aya was born from sorrow. That is what she sometimes wonders as she gazes at the picture frame on the kitchen counter. The still, cold faces of her parents only stare back at her. Watching as she trugs through the room, reaching for a glass of water or some snack hidden within the drawers. They stare, when she wakes in the middle of the night, watching as she sits alone at the dinner table. 

Their faces are not happy. In fact, her mother looks almost sad as she stands beside her father on their wedding. She looks extravagant, yes. Beautiful and stunning as any woman could be on her big day. Everything a bride would love to be on their wedding day, so why does she look as if she regrets even being there? 

Aya would've like to have thought her family was a happy one, but the ruse only lasted so long until she too, succumbed to the truth and the startling reality settled in her again. When jealousy ripped at her heart, bearing the truth beneath.

Her parents were never truly parents in the sense that one's parents should be. Or at least, that's what she's gathered when she watches the little girls swing from their fathers arms in the park, joy miring their young faces. The realization, is so quick and sharp that it leaves her breathless, hot and sweaty. It fades into a dull throb in her chest the entire walk back home, laughter ringing in her ears. It lingers there. Lodged in the crevice between her ribs. 

She stopped going to the parks after that, mainly because the sight of a happy family filled with her with this raw, unbridled envy and also, that the kids sometimes endlessly stared at her as she swung on the swings. Staring at the mop of white atop her head she called hair. 

A rare phenomena, even with 80% of the world possessing a quirk of some sort, be it a mutation or a unnatural manifestation of powers, it was still somehow uncommon to see someone with such an abstract feature. Something that made her stand out in a crowd and more than once, she had been called a granny in the body of a girl. She cursed herself as she gazed in the mirror, the pale strands curling against her cheek.

Aya Minamoto moved towards the door to Class 1-A with her usual grace, her feet barely touching the ground. A habit she learned in junior school, a key in evading older years  and her classmates that seemed to find her an easy target. It also helped in sliding through doors and leaving the house unnoticed and unheard. That was, until her adoptive mother, Emiko, unearthed her skill and began watching her every move like a hawk.

Now, she stood in front of the abnormally large door to class 1-A, already regretting taking the entrance exam before a soft, meek voice sounded behind her and she was snapped back to the present. Behind her stood a boy, with green, messy hair practically the same height as her and with freckles dotted on his cheeks and a furious blush looking at her expectingly.

Only then did she realize he'd asked her something, “Come again?” she asked, to which the boy blushed even more furiously, “A-Ah, I'd asked if you were also in 1-A!” It was surprising how much one could blush while speaking. Aya nodded, the stray tendrils from her hair tickling her cheek. “Yes, I am.”

The conversation ended quite quickly after that, leaving them both standing outside the doors staring at the future that awaited them, both hesitating. How long they stood there though, was unknown since their tensed silence was cut by the arrival of another classmate. A short girl with moon cheeks and brown, bouncing hair that reached her shoulders.

“Oh! Are you both in 1-A─Midoriya!? You're in 1-A too!” The green head, who had calmed down significantly in their silence now began blushing again, stammering on his words before blurting out a quiet yes!  The newcomer finished with congratulating the boy, turned her brown gaze to Aya spoke to her, “Ochako Uraraka! I don't think we met in the Entrance Exam─wait! You're the one who took down the 0 pointer!? You were epic─!”

Aya, already telling where the conversation was heading, slid open the doors with a muttered thanks and stepped into the partially filled room with chatting students.

The room was partially filled with students, a navy haired boy that made hand signals like a robot was currently bickering with a blonde who had the cockiest smirk on his face with his feet up on the desk.

"What? I can't hear you above all the shit your speaking." He barked out, crimson eyes glowing with a ferocity Aya had never seen in anyone else before. 

The girl could feel Midoriya beside her gulp in fear. Seems they knew each-other before this. "This behavior is unacceptable from a student, let alone a U.A one! Take your feet off the desk!"  Aya sighed inwardly, already contemplating wether she should turn around and forget this entire thing all together. 

"Hah? You gonna make me, robot arms? What middle school did you go to anyway?" He replied back, his grin baring a row of pearly whites. "I went to Soumei—"

"So you're are an elitist fuck? Great, one more to reason to end your ass." The boy with glasses visibly paled, his mouth dropping open in shock as he took in the boys threat. "You want to be a hero with that attitude?!"

"Yeah, and I'm going to beat your stupid—"

Midoriya stiffened even more beside you, so much so that you dared to take a look at him. His green eyes, once bright were now staring in fear at the blonde across the room. Aya could tell, not only from the quiver of his lip but his clenched fist that they had some sort of bad blood between them.

Just then, Uraraka (who Aya admittedly had forgotten about) shrieked loudly, bumping back into your figure and away from the yellow blob—no, maggot, on the ground. The—man inside wore a board expression, his face sunken and eye bags revealing sleepless nights, he looked like he wanted to be in bed, let alone teaching a class.

So, that, was meant to be their home room teacher. "This is the department of heroics, not your playground to make friends." Unzipping the large body suit, and stepping out, the class zeroed in on their new teacher, and even the bickering duo fell quiet at the new arrival.

“It took you 8 seconds to quiet. In a real life scenario people would've died." He was blunt and straightforward to a harsh degree, and obviously a pessimistic person but Aya found the giddy feeling curling into her stomach again as she watched him walk to the front of their class.

"Aizawa Shota, your homeroom teacher for the next three years. Go get changed and meet me at the gym for your first test of the year."

Aya blanched, just like the rest of their class, a pink girl with lighter pink hair and raccoon looking eyes even let out a groan at the news. Wasn't there meant to be some sort of welcoming ceremony for the new first years? A celebration before they nose dived into hero training? 

She knew U.A was different. Hell, it was the best Hero Academy in the nation, if not the world and they operated on a way different level to other schools but it still left her a bit speechless that one their first day there was a test.  She only sighed, grabbing her pair of the P.E uniform before following their teacher who was silently sucking from his juice packet, already seemingly fed up with the class.

✶

Memory cuts through her like a knife. Jagged and sharp, broken at the edges but does damage enough. 

Twin dolls lying on the empty table in the kitchen. The sharp whistling of the kettle left on, vapor escaping in plumes. The girl doesn't remember when the officers, or even which, officer turned it off but eventually her house succumbed to the unearthly quiet and she was reminded yet again of her now bitter loneliness in the world.

Her parents had never had people over, let alone work friends. Though the girl knew their job's had to be taxing, whatever they were. She never heard either on the phone chatting away to a colleague, or even the notifications sound signifying a message.

They seemed so starkly alone in the world, but little Aya, clueless as ever knew nothing of loneliness and it's symptoms, only that her days were spent playing in the sun and waiting for her quirk to finally show.

The sky fades to a dull, dead grey, the rain falling as she ran her way back home. She'd stayed out longer than she should've, forgetting her mothers words in the haze of childhood playing. The kids from her kindergarten are nice and she seems to attract them like bees to flower.

But her happiness only lasts so long. 

Oh, how'd she come to regret staying out late when she clung to the still corpse of her mother, her right hand cut and fresh blood still poured from the wound. How much blood did a human body hold? It glistened in the moonlight.

"M-Mama! Wake up, wake up!..."

The detectives and Pro's didn't know who did it, didn't know why they did it, and didn't know why they took her mothers hand and with the little evidence they had, the case fell cold and Aya was hurried away to a foster family, a smiling mom who seemed to take into account her trauma and knew not when to push her.

But the nights after then, she'd wake up with the covers sticking to her body and tears streaming down her face. Her screams echoing into the fathomless black night.

✶

"A quirk assessment?!" The class exclaimed, others looking at each other in disbelief. This was their first thing to do on their first day? 

Aya had to give them pity. She's assumed they would've thought U.A capable of such things but clearly by the looks of the others that they hadn't trained an inch in preparation. 

Aya stood near to the back, pleased that she could see the looks on everyone's faces. The girl beside her, the pink head who had insufferably chatted throughout the entire time they change sim the locker rooms, mused to her quietly. "You think that man's our real teacher?"

Aya stared at her blankly for a few seconds, deeming if she was serious but when her expression didn't change she sighed and nodded, "Yeah." 

The girl had yellow horns sticking out of her head, her yellow irises staring at you intently before speaking, "Mina Ashido, but you can call me Mina by the way! Are you and that boy over there related?" She was nodding towards the bi-haired boy who stood a few people away, he was completely unaware of the two girls staring at him.

Aya's stomach dropped, her expression blanching in shock and fading from its monotone, "What?! Related—? No, of course not." Mina hums in thought, eyes glancing to the bi-colored boy, who just happened to be glancing around. He met her gaze and Aya found herself shifting her feet beneath herself at the scrutiny of his gaze.

"Oh? Sorry!! I thought since you both had white hair!" She apologized, the skin on her cheeks turning a deep pink in embarrassment. Aya nodded, mildly amused that she col still blush with her color palette.

Your attentions both snapped back to Aizawa who was looking the class with a bored expression, holding a soft-ball in a hand and a tablet in the other. "You all know that U.A is known to be versatile in their training. That extends to the teachers."

He threw the soft ball to the permanently scowling blonde, who's crimson eyes only crinkled in confusion. They were a perfect shade, like the seeds of a pomegranate. Dripping bloody and full of delight. Aya looked away in shock, mentally cursing herself. 

"How much could you throw in middle school Bakugou?" 

"67 meters." 

An above average score for a middle school student. But everything about this boy seemed to be anything but average. Aya watches as he relishes in the nod Aizawa gives him, his smirk only growing. "Good. Now try it with your quirk."

With your quirk? So that's how they were going to do this? Use their quirks to the best of their abilities and score however high they could get. A smart decision Aya had to give her teacher. He was assessing them at the beginning of the year when they've just started so when they do another test later he could see how much they've improved.

Birds chirp in the background as the class quiets, all watching the blonde who's begun stretching his arms. The white head is filled with a mild sense of curiosity. She wants to know what his quirk is, see if it fits his egotistical persona.

"DIE!!" 

Bakugou screams as he throws the ball into the sky with an explosion, the wind slapping the students in the face. "Woah? What was that?!" Mina shrieks, clinging onto the still Aya. But the girls eyes were stuck on the boy who was practically now high off the praise he was getting from the students. 

Aizawa turned to the class, lifting the tablet. "706.2."

The class falls dead silent, the wind and shuffling deets the only sound. "What Bakugou demonstrated wasn't even a fraction of what a Pro could do. That's what your all training to be. What U.A will make you be."

The blonde falls back into line, crossing his arms over his chest. Aizawa is about to turn and head to the next test before he stops, giving the class a blank one over before simply stating, "Oh, and the person to come in last will be expelled. U.A can't afford to house lackeys."

Shrieks of uproar are heard, Mina being probably the loudest. "But sensei! You can't do that! How's that even possible?"

"Yeah! We made it through the exam, we should stay!"

Their sensei only shakes his head. Aya has the inkling he's already decided wether he likes this class or not. "It doesn't matter wether you've passed the entrance exam. If you can't keep up you'll never be a Pro-Hero." With that, he turns and heads towards the first obstacle, muttering about moving jobs. 

Aya's one of the first, if not the first to follow him. Her feet moving without command. At her sudden departure, Mina follows behind, muttering to herself the things she'd do if she got kicked out of Yuuei.

"Do you really think he'll actually kick us out? Ten if he does." She says, already looping her arm through the disgruntled white heads, their figures standing at the start line of the first test. 

A simple speed test. Nothing too much and something Aya could definitely pass with flying colours. "He looks like someone who would do exactly that, but I don't think he will. Twenty if he doesn't." 

Free money, she thinks. Already noting down what she'll buy on the train ride back. The pink head shakes her head, side eyeing the shaking Midoriya who'd also followed. Aya takes a look behind her to see the rest of the class approaching, albeit slowly.

Mina leans in closer, her breath hot on Aya's ear, "I think it's going to be him!" Aya takes one look at Midoriya and agrees. Sure, he looks like he's going to be sick by just looking at the track and honestly, she just doesn't want to be in the way.

Chapter Text

' I THINK ABOUT YOU AND
 NOTHING ELSE, SO IF YOU
   COULD JUST COME OVER ' 

✶

"Mama, can I be a hero?" The little girl murmurs to her mother, fingers clutching the crayon in her hands as she draws. She looks hopeful as she looks at her mother, starry eyed with youth brimming in her gummy cheeks.

Her mother sits on the couch, typing away on her laptop before her attention was snatched by her daughter. Never before did Aya ask questions like that. Her mother had begun to believe that the little kid didn't even want to be a hero.

"Yes, you can dear." She replies. Aya is four and she's displayed no signs of having a quirk. The thought doesn't scare her mother much. She finds herself almost...hopeful as she looks at the child staring at the screen infront of her.

All Might is a blur of blue, red and yellow on the screen as he passes through villains like a breeze. To be that kind of hero came only once in a lifetime.

Aya's mother can see the smile growing on her daughters face and before long, the little girl is running around in happy circles as All Might apprehends the villain. Sure, if Aya wanted to be a hero she wouldn't stop her but she would much rather prefer her little girl staying with her, safe and sound. 

✶

It's days like these that Aya wishes she were more in bed than outside. Sure, she's always been an introverted person to people she didn't know but this class was making her want to leg it for the exit and turn around.

She's just completed the 50 meter dash against the girl next to her—Mina Ashido. "Great job, Minamoto-chan! You were awesome!" 

Aya found herself agreeing too, she had been awesome. Fantastic even as she glided across the ground like an ice skater, the ground beneath her feet turning into a sheet of silver which she easily slid across.

How she did it though, was even more fascinating. Her quirk allowed her the ability to control metals and it's components. Effectively, she could break down a metallic object and form it into whatever she wanted it to be. She could also switch through states of matter, but only solid and liquids, Aya didn't believe she even could turn metal to gases.

"Thanks, Mina." The duo made their way to the last trial. A grip test. The students already there were standing, clutching a weight that was designed to calculate the intensity of a persons grip. This trial was largely unfair, considering the fact that a large portion of the class consisted of people who hadn't bothered to work out too much before coming. 

Aya sighed in embarrassment, already grabbing her weight and finding her arm slightly dragged down by it. She really needed to work out soon. She could ask Emiko, her foster mother if she could use the backyard or go to the gym even to train. 

The latter seemed unlikely, she thought. Considering that Emiko had a little kid at home. A two year old girl called Akemi who seemed intent on following Aya everywhere and anywhere.

Aya turns her attention back to the next trial. A grip test? She groaned to herself, looking down at her arms. They lacked any sign of muscle and she certainly hadn't trained before coming to Yuuei.

✶

Aya stands beside Mina again, the pinkette animatedly chatting away to the boy with mustard yellow hair and an elemental quirk. A rarity even in a fully evolved quirk society.

"Midoriya, come up and throw the ball." All eyes turn to Midoriya who looks as if he's about to piss his pants, his green eyes staring at the ground. Aya had been quietly observing him throughout the assessments and not once did he use his quirk. Maybe he had a problem with it? She thought, but the brown girl—Ochako had been over the moon recounting how he took down the zero pointer with one punch.

He seemed to have super strength, so why wasn't he using it?

"A-Alright sir!"

Midoriya approach's the circle, clutching the soft ball in his fist with a shaky grip. Aizawa only stares, his gaze scrutinizing. Aya can only imagine the level of embarrassment the boy is going through.

Midoriya bounces the ball in his hand, taking a deep breath and calming his erratic nerves. He can feel the gazes of everyone staring at him like pins on a board. He can practically hear Kacchans scowl. Something he's grown so used to, he's forgotten what the boy looked like without the crease of his brows.

He pulls his arm back, All Might appearing at the forefront of his mind, and he can feel the power rushing through his hand. If he could redirect it—just to his forefinger, then maybe—just maybe—!

He throws the ball in a plume of smoke in an unexpected show of strength. Aya feels her eyes widen, the giddy feeling returning to her stomach. So he did have a strength quirk!

The shocked crowd of students is broken by the boy—Bakugou screaming in anger, his vermilion eyes bright as he charges at the shock-stricken boy, "You—you fuckin' lied to me, Deku!" Lied? 

He doesn't get too far until Aizawa's grey support item wraps around the boy, rendering him unable to move. "W-What–?"

"Stop acting like a rabid dog and get back in line." Aizawa drawls, barely even sparing the blonde a glance as he turns to Midoriya. Holding the tablet in his hand. He lifts it for all to see.

709.6

More than the blonde, huh? Aya thinks. Reevaluating her first impressions of the green boy who now stands blushing under the class' chatter. "Woah! Even more than that Bakugou?!"

"Damn, didn't know you had it in you Midoriya." A red head exclaims—Kirishima, with a thumbs up, "So manly!"

Aizawa cuts in, unimpressed as usual. "A good score, Midoriya. You have a good power, but if you can't control it you'll be able to do virtually nothing, let alone become a Pro-Hero. You're useless right now, and that needs to change if you want to stay at U.A."

With that, Aizawa says the exam is over and the remaining students to wait for the scores. Mina immediately perks up, dragging Aya towards the boy with shark teeth–Kirishima. He gives the girls a sharp smile, "It's Ejirou Kirishima, but I don't mind either! I was watching you while you did the 50 meter dash, you were so quick, Min...?" 

He trails off with a blush, clearly having forgotten her name since it was such a mouthful. It'd become such a daily occurrence the girls in her middle school had given her a nick-name. 

"Aya Minamoto and thanks, you did good on the grip test." She replies, cringing at the looks Mina gives the red head, her eyes squinted with a cheeky smile. "Thanks! I wish I did better on some, like the pole leap."

Mina chimes in, nodding her pink head, "Mhmm, that pole was way high, I could barely get passed it. That Bakugou boy passed it with ease, though." The said boy, standing in front of the group doesn't even bother to turn around when hearing his name. Mina scowls at this, "Damn, what a bitch." 

This, garners his attention and he spins around, sanguine eyes ablaze and Mina jumps in shock, hiding behind Aya. What that would do, the white head doesn't know, she only shakes her head as she watches the boy stomp closer. "What did you call me, raccoon eyes?" 

Ouch! That was a low blow. Sure, Mina's eyes looked like a raccoons, but Aya noted they looked much human too. Kirishima steps in, placing a hand on the blondes shoulder. "Calm down dude, she meant no harm." 

Bakugou only shrugs Kirishima's hand off, still staring at the girl who was now drawing symbols into Aya's back. "I actually did mean harm, Eiji!" 

The blonde only scoffs, crossing his arms over his chest, "Stop hiding behind the old hag, raccoon eyes and we'll see who's doing harm!"

Aya can practically feel Mina sweat drop as she stiffens at the insult. Did he just insult her? What did she even say? Had she even said anything? Her irritation reaches the peak, her nails digging into the satin fabric of her gym pants. "What did you call me?"

Bakugou's gaze cuts to her, a scowl on his pink lips, "You fuckin' heard me, didn't ya? Or are you losing your hearing with your age?"

His audacity was astonishing, Aya thought. Both Kirishima and Mina sucking in a breath as they watched you both, "The only one loosing their hearing between us both is you, screaming like a dog in the morning." Aya drawls, brows now furrowing in distaste. Her first impression of the boy was only getting worse with each time he opened his mouth. 

Bakugou, now thoroughly pissed, takes a step forward. He was so close you could see the edges of his spiky, blonde hair–and more importantly the ferocity in his red gaze. The same one now traveling your face. "Say that again, I fuckin' dare you."

"I said you're screaming like—"

Your cut off when Aizawa's dry voice cuts through the air, everyone’s attention snapping to him and your side tracked from insulting the blonde boy as he calls the scoring. "First, Yaoyorozu Momo; Second, Todoroki Shouto, Third; Tenya Lida, Fourth; Bakugou Katsuki, Fifth; Kirishima Eijirou..."

The scoring goes on and you find yourself at eighth, Mina following suit at ninth. You can share her sadness but your attention is pinned on the heartbroken Midoriya who stands in loud embarrassment as he places last. Shocking considering he did better than everyone in the soft-ball test. You contemplate telling him of the clear fib their teacher proclaimed at the beginning of the class.

Aizawa stares at him, a cruel smirk on his face as he speaks, "Oh, and before I forget, the last person expulsion thing was a lie." With his final message, his walks away, leaving Midoriya crying in relief and Ochako comforting him. 

The tall, lean girl with dark hair in a crane style, murmurs something about the lie being obvious. You walk towards the changing rooms, Mina still clinging to you but at this point you've gotten used to it. Kirishima bids you both farewell and jogs up to the still scowling Bakugou, silently fuming. 

Once out of earshot, Mina exclaims, "Thanks for protecting me!"

Aya shakes her head, some strands of falling out of her pony tail, "It's nothing, he needed that insult." Both of you finally reach the changing rooms, the girls spilling in behind you both and the conversation is lost midst the changing.

You're the first out of the girls changing rooms, but no where near the first out of your class once you see a group of boys walking towards your class. You sigh, not wanting to deal with a group of people. You walk slowly, quietly enough that they don't realize your walking behind them listening to their conversation.

The mustard haired guy whines his expression downcast, "The quirks in this class are so neat, honestly, their making me feel bad about my own." Aya cringes. His quirk is extremely strong if he learned to cultivate it.

Kirishima perks up, throwing an arm over his shoulder in an attempt to comfort him, "Your quirks great, man. Electricity? C'mon Kaminari. That's a dream." 

A black haired boy turns around, staring at Kaminari, "You're just reaching for compliments–" he cuts off at the sight of you, quietly observing the boys.

"What are–" Kirishima follows his gaze, jumping at the sight of you walking behind the boys. "Minamoto-san! I didn't even see you there!" 

"Or hear. How do you walk like that?" Kaminari exclaims, staring at your feet. You bristle under their gazes, wishing they could turn around and carry on their conversation. "...it's just a trick I learnt when I was younger." 

Kirishima nods, red eyes crinkling with a smile, "That's sick. I wish I knew how to walk like that, my mom says I stomp around the house."

The black haired boy chimes in, a cheeky smile on his lips, "Yeah, you do have a trick its–" he gets cuts off with a smack to the head by none other than a blushing Kirishima. Aya frowns, about to comment on why he's blushing before a sharp voice speaks from behind her.

"Move it, hag."

Aya spins around on her feet, the screech from the soles sliding across the ground echoing in the hallway. Bakugou is wearing his ever-present frown on his face. It's been a day at U.A and already she knows this boy is a grumpy, piece of shit that loves to argue.

"No? Walk around me and quit with the name." Aya spits out, turning around once again, catching Kirishima's concerned gaze before looking forward. Bakugou seemed to some how bring out a side of her she hadn't seen in a long time, and she most certainly didn't like it.

He scoffs, moves from walking behind her to beside her, a noticeable gap between their bodies that she didn't mind in the least. Aya finds herself wishing Mina were here. Even though she knew the girl for less than a day, the bubbly girl had the skill of making anyone feel less alone and walking with a group of boys was beyond annoying.

If God heard her wish, he sure answered it because not a moment later she heard the high pitched voice of Mina behind her. Aya turned around to find the girl sprinting toward her, a boisterous smile on her pink cheeks. Once catching up to the white head, she takes the space between Aya and Bakugou, linking arms with the girl.

Leaning in, she whispers with a curious glance at the blonde, "What's he doing here?"

"I don't know? Ask him." Aya found herself saying. Already the topic of the boy was pissing her off more than she would like to admit. Mina noted this, a quiet smile on her face as she greeted Kirishima, Kaminari and the black haired boy who Aya now knew was named Sero. 

They fell into easy chatter as they walked out of the school, and when Aya waved them off at the train station. She found herself standing alone with none other than the vexed blonde.

They stood like that, quiet and unspeaking to each other as the train moved. Aya preferring to stare out the window but she could feel his stare on her, so when she turned around, a scowl on her lips she broke the uncomfortable silence first. 

"What is it? You're staring like a hawk."

"What's your quirk." He let out, a scowl mirroring her own landing on his lips. He had nice lips actually, if she looked closely—

Wait. Her quirk? Was that going to be the first thing he asked her? She laughed at the irony of it all. "My quirk?"

"Yeah, your quirk old hag. What else?"

She clutched her bag to her just a tad bit tighter, resisting the urge to smack him with it. As fun and therapeutic as that sounded, she really didn't want to start a fight on the train ride home. She sighed, playing with the metal zipper in her hands, "My quirk is called metallic. It lets me control metals to my own will." 

He was staring at her now, the furrow in his brow lightening as he listened to her describe the abilities of her quirk. "So what? You could rip apart this train if you wanted to?" He was surprisingly interested in her quirk. 

"Probably, I haven't tried it and I wouldn't want to." That was the type of things villains did, and Aya most certainly didn't want her quirk to be labeled a villains quirk. She bristled at the thought. 

He nodded, vermillion eyes roaming across the packed train and once the conversation died, she pulled out her phone to fill her boredom. The train ride was never this long the many times she'd taken it. 

Though, the phone did little to soothe her boredom when she realized that he was staring—not at her in particular, but at the bag in her lap. At the metal brooches. 

She sighed inwardly, answering the question he no doubt was thinking. "Yes, I have those because of my quirk. Just a safety precaution."

It had been her adoptive mother, Emiko's idea the weeks before starting at U.A. She'd gifted her various metal brooches and metal rings and bracelets, and even metal earrings as a weapon in case she was ever attacked. Her reasoning being when Aya at first declined was because now that she was a student at the top hero school, she was bound to get more attention and publicity. What it came with, Emiko did not say, but Aya could tell just by the pull of her brow she worried about her.

She didn't need to, Aya thought. She was fine by herself and she was smart enough to not get into danger.

Bakugou grunts in acknowledgment just as the train comes to a halt. Aya stands up, and moves to leave, throwing her bag over one shoulder. Home was closer and she sorely missed her bed. 

She steps onto the platform, already walking the familiar route to her house before she realizes someone is also walking behind her. She turns to find none other than a scowling Bakugou. Not much of a surprise, she thinks, but she'd silently hoped that they didn't live in the same area. 

"Are you fuckin' following me or somethin'?" 

"You're walking behind me, so you're following me dumbass." She hurries her step, imagining her bed to calm her frantic nerves. Taking the same train was some thing, but living in the same area? 

Once Aya gets home, she greets a little babbling Ahari and Emiko before dragging herself to her room. Collapsing on her bed, she only slides her socks off before she finds sleep too sweet a temptation and before long, she's a still corpse on her bed.

Chapter Text

' YOU OUGHT TO KNOW THAT                  
I THINK WE'RE ONE IN THE SAME ' 

✶

All Might was the height of heroism in Japan. The entire world, maybe, with his level of recognition. Never before was there a person who evoked such a sense of security and peace over the masses. Aya thanked him again as she walked down the dimly lit street to the convenience store. She didn't feel half as scared as she probably should've. Clad in only a dark jumper and equally dark sweatpants, her crocks slid across the ground as she walked, slow and lazy. Her eyes scanned the darkness and the lights shining from peoples windows, shadows moving behind curtains. Sometimes, the thought that she was living in a neighborhood with more than a hundred people in it who all lived their lives different to hers, scared her more than she allowed herself to admit.

She pushed open the doors to the shop, the soft ring of a bell exhorting in the emptiness. It was a late hour and the cashier was sitting on a stool behind the counter and scrolling on their phone. The only other person was a guy, in dark clothing sitting by himself and chewing on an ōnigiri. He was scrolling on his phone, not even lifting his head to peek at whoever entered.

Aya brushed the feeling of suspicion off and moved to find her familiar packet of wafers she dearly loved. 

Once she returned to the counter, she found the man there, standing infront a visibly anxious cashier who was muttering something.

"..sir, we don't have any of the ōnigiri packets left.."

Aya watched silently as he cocked his head, his grip tightening on the empty ōnigiri packet, his silence deafening before he broke it, "What? You're telling me you don't have...any left?" His voice was raspy, dry and felt like nails dragging against a chalk board.

The cashier nodded hesitantly, scratching his cheek, "..yes sir?"

It was so quick, that Aya barely noticed what happened. The man lunged forward, his hood falling back and revealing a mess of blueish white hair and flaming red eyes as he reached a hand out and grasped the cashiers hand. In an instant, the cashier began to scream, his flesh falling away like dust to reveal the muscles, tendons and bones beneath. 

It was so quick that Aya stood, dumbfounded and silent as the screams echoed around the store. The cashier was now clutching his hand, blood staining the counter and everything in its path. The injury was horrific and the girl was mostly sure he would lose function in that hand. 

The attacker seemed to not care though, not as he turned to exit the shop, brushing past the frozen girl. Aya glimpsed his full face for the first time. A ragged, old scar was on his dry lips, scratch marks were littered on his neck and jaw as if he'd been clawing at himself. 

He merely glanced at the girl, his gaze cold and furious before he pushed open the door and left the store and the cashiers wails behind. She thought that was the last of the horrible man, she hoped it was as she dialed the police and emergency, but hope had gotten her nowhere and it was only the following day when she would see the man, his blueish hair the same and new scratch marks dotted on his neck. And the same sick grin on his face, and she knew this wasn't merely a coincidence.

✶

The bus jolted as it sped down its path, the white head's head lightly shaking as you rested it against the glass. Aya and her class were now going on their second Hero Training class, after the disaster that was the first. She could still remember the quiet that followed after Midoriya and Bakugou's fight wrapped up. See the utter shock on the blondes face as he watched Midoriya be wheeled away.

Aya had been surprised herself. The entire time, even, as she watched Bakugou sprout things about how Midoriya was lying and that he was a fraud getting into U.A with no quirk. Yet, that was proven wrong when Midoriya sent a punch that broke the several storied ceiling of the dummy building. 

Now, the class was murmuring to eachother, the anticipation clear on everyone's face. Well, mostly everyone. The said blonde was sitting beside a quiet Jirou and fuming about something by the look on his face. Aya had to admit, she was slightly interested in the dynamic that was the shy Midoriya and the angry Bakugou.

"..well, the ones in our class that are bound to get high are Todoroki-san and Minamoto-chan. Not Bakugou with his attitude, kero." Tsuyu said, her green hairs pointedly looking at the now pissed blonde. "What? You sayin' I'm shit or somethin', frog girl?"

Tsuyu merely shrugged her shoulders, giving him a look that just screamed, 'you know why.' Kaminari chimed in, a lazy smirk on his face as he looked at a red eared Bakugou. "We all know your personality is like a flaming piece of garbage, Bakugou." 

"You wanna die, pikachu?"

The class sweat dropped, Aya included. She did not want to watch Lida try break a fight between the both of them—that basically consisted of Bakugou cussing Kaminari to hell and back. Aya turned her gaze to the window, the silent and sleeping Todoroki sitting beside her made for good (and quiet) company.

Aya sighed, getting comfortable in her seat before she jolted forward unexpectedly. The bus had finally stopped infront of the large building that you could only assume was the infamous Universal Studios Japan. It didn't look as different as it's counterpart in the states.

Kaminari exclaimed, peering up in awe at the building, "You'd think with all the money they had we would have had a better bus. This looks sick!" 

Kirishima laughs as the group of students follows Aizawa into the U.S.J, the building opening up into a dome like room, bigger than any shed ever seen. The roof was glass so it still felt like they were outside, but from what she could peak from across the room were different geographical scenarios. There was a desert with barely any buildings, and to her right was an ocean of blue water with a few ships dotted around. It was a genius invention. One for upcoming heroes to train and hone their skills.

Aya worried at her lip in excitement as Aizawa called for the attention of the students. She hadn't even realized when she'd stopped that Mina had disappeared from her side, turning to see the girl giggling with Uraraka, both of them staring at her weirdly and hands covering their smiles.

Huh? Aya thought before turning her head and seeing what exactly, they were laughing at. A few meters away from her stood a scowling Bakugou, deftly ignoring whatever Kirishima and Kaminari were sprouting to him.

"Class, this is the Rescue Hero: Thirteen, as you all probably know. They'll be assisting us in training today—" 

Thirteen's pro hero costume consisted of a white astronaut like suit, with the headgear too and a backpack Aya only assumed was to help with their quirk. It was practically impossible to discern their gender with the suit on and their distorted voice. 

"Sensei where's All Might? Wasn't he supposed to be here with us?" Lida asks the question the students were all thinking. The Number One Hero didn't seem to be even here despite them being told of his attendance. Aizawa sighs, scratching his cheek, "Something's come up so All Might can't—"

A loud book reverberated throughout the dome, the sound cutting their teacher off and all heads snapping to its source. Down the long stairs leading to thr base of the U.S.J structure was a blackish-purple portal, and stepping out of it were random people. Aya's gut filled with dread. Bakugou stiffening beside her.

The people that were stepping out of the portal were brandishing weapons of all kinds, and they were clearly Villains. 

How had the U.S.J been infiltrated? How did they even know the class would be here? Questions racked Aya's brain as she watched Aizawa ready himself to fight. Casting a quick glance to the fear stricken class, he ordered Lida to get everyone out. "You all leave immediately, and no turning around, whatsoever."

"But Sensei! You can't fight them all on your own, kero." Tsuyu croaked, casting a sheepish glance at the increasing number of Villains. Aizawa didn't deign to respond to her, instead shooting down the stairs at a speed quicker than Aya had ever seen him go at. Before long, he was on the ground fighting multiple at once with the aid of his support item. Aya stood transfixed, silver eyes watching as he landed a kick and punch on several. Her teachers movements were fluid, like water and spoke of years of diligent training. The training of a pro.

The idea that she too could one day be just like that itched her brain in just the right and she found herself admiring Aizawa just that little more. Even with a less showy quirk, he found a way to be useful besides it. 

"Move it hag, we don't have all day." A harsh grip latched onto her arm and she was being dragged towards the day. Bakugou seemed to take it upon himself to drag Aya towards the exit, cutting her admiration of her teacher short.

Shaking his grip off her arm, Aya moved forward at a quicker pace, falling into place beside the blonde and Kirishima, "What should we do once we get out Thirteen-sensei—"

If the hero replied none of the students heard since in that moment and the next, the portal that Aya had glimpsed on the base floor was now infront of the class of scared students, it's having formed two misty yellow eyes that were staring and watching, inhuman and unfeeling. 

"There will be no escape, students."

The voice that emerged from the dark swirl was monotone and cold, lacking feeling as it stretched itself to encompass the entirety of the group, blocking all sides of exits. "Today, is the day All Might dies and his students follow suit." 

Aya could glimpse only buts and pieces, Uraraka's brown hair, the sparkling boys shrill scream and the cursing of Bakugou beside her as he grabbed her and hauled her closer. The ground, once beneath their feet fell away and darkness ensued. 

Before long, Aya was flailing in the air, white hair whipping against her face and silver eyes wide as the rooftop of a building rushed closer to her face. The impact was going to hurt.

Concrete met skin. Aya groaned in pain. She sat up, rubbing the arm she'd landed badly on, a sharp ache shooting down her shoulder as she attempted to move it. Definitely dislocated. She sighed in annoyance, though the movement only made her wince in pain.

"Your shoulders dislocated hag, stop moving it." Aya turned to the gruff voice behind her. Bakugou was sitting a few feet away, a shallow cut on his cheek. His vermillion eyes were staring with an intensity at the hand cradling Aya's shoulder that she felt the urge to just drop it so he would stop staring. 

She looked around instead, pushing the white hair, that had escaped her braid, from her face as she scanned the area. They were in a dummy shopping district, from the looks of it. Buildings were dotted around streets that eerily replicated a normal Japan street so much, Aya felt her eyes widen. Though, she wasn't interested in the design as much as she was ecstatic with all the metal surrounding her.  She could feel the atoms practically humming to her, soft voices in the background that she would've missed if she hadn't payed attention to every little thing as a child.

Once, she was playing in the sand pit in the park, the wind blowing in the air as kids moved around. She was alone and creating sand castles out of the toy buckets and shapes she'd gotten. It was impossible to notice if she hadn't been so engrossed in her work. What started as a slight hum against her skin whenever she grabbed the metal handle became soft murmurs in the back of her head. Soon enough, she's deduced that whenever she came in contact or was surrounded vastly by metal, she would feel (or hear?) the said metal. 

An odd concept, yes, but one Aya liked. The soft murmurs as she walked past street lights was comforting to say the least. But here, she was standing in a vastly metal place and everywhere she turned, her ears were bursting with the soft melodies coming from the metal.

"Stop moving your shoulder dumbass." Bakugou called out, now standing beside Aya as she peered over the edge of the building. He was right, she bitterly thought, as she curled her arm against her chest, imitating a demonstration she'd barely remembered from middle school. The pain was already starting to become annoying. Every way she turned pain would lance through her arm like an arrow and she was fairly certain it was more than just a dislocated shoulder.

"You think there are villains here?" Aya murmured, turning to the blonde who was also scanning the empty streets below. Silver locked with red before he feigned to reply to her, a scoff falling from his lips, "Course, that dumbass portal shit probably sent them here after dropping us."

She nodded, shuffling on her feet as she looked between him and the street below and back, "So, what do we do? Should we wait—"

"Fuck no. If we wait we're dead. We're getting outta here." He murmured, nodding towards the exit door that Aya had only realized was even there. Oh. 

Bakugou stomped towards the door, Aya shuffling behind him as they stepped into the stairway and began the descent down. They walked in relative silence for a few minutes before the stairs ended at a door that had shuffling noises coming from the inside. 

They both stood outside, not speaking to each other but contemplating inside themselves wether to open it or not. Behind the door could be villains, and they could be sorely fucked. Or, it could be one of their classmates. 

"Fuck this." Bakugou broke first, kicking the door open and stepping in, an explosion igniting from his palm. "Who the fu—" he spoke, words cutting off as the frantic and relieved voice of Kirishima bounced through the room. "It's me Bakugou, man, chill!"

Bakugou didn't stop, this time grabbing Kirishima by his hero costume, he brought him close to his. "You a faker or somethin'?"

"No! It's me! I'm the real Kirishima! C'mon man, believe mee!" After a few whines from Kirishima and many loud threats from Bakugou, he finally let the red head go. 

Aya stepped inside, eyes trained on the villain slumped against the wall. "Is that the villain?"

Kirishima nodded, scratching his cheek, "Yeah, honestly I thought he would've fought better but he was quick." Aya nodded, offering a small smile as she cradled her dislocated shoulder. Kirishima, eyes catching the injury, moved closer. "Did you hurt it?"

Aya nodded beginning to explain how she'd even gotten hurt, "When that warp monster came, he dropped me and Bakugou onto this rooftop. Dislocated it in my landing."

Bakugou grunted in acknowledgment, eyes scanning the walls. 

"Shit, it must hurt bad. I wish I could help you but I slept through all my first aid classes..." 

"Course you did, shitty hair." Bakugou grumbled, his palm igniting and letting off small fireworks that sounded like popcorn heating staring at the walls for something. 

Aya turned to him, mindful of her movements so as to not jostle her arm, "Bakugou, what are you—?" 

The answer came soon enough when he lunged at the wall, explosions and all. Dust filled the room in plumes, miring her vision, but she could see now what Bakugou had been looking at. There he was, sitting on top of a camouflaged villain, a crazed grin on his face and red eyes sparkling with a ferocity.

"Ha? You thought with your stupid self that you were going to get us? Dumbass villain." Pushing his weight further onto the villain. The villain was barely even moving under him, his eyes closed and mouth slack. Aya moved closer, hand hovering over his face tentatively before she deemed him unconscious. "He's unconscious Bakugou, get off." 

He decided to answer with staying on top, soles of his feet tapping against the debris covered ground. "Fuck no, he's a villain." 

"And you're going to kill him if you don't get up. Plus I'll use my quirk to keep him trapped until the heroes come." She debated, letting out a sigh when Bakugou relented and got up. Kirishima, who had been silent the entire time now spoke, "So...what should we do?"

Aya, now closing her eyes, didn't answer. Instead she focused on the slight humming in the back of her head. The humming intensified, her skin raising to form goosebumps. She didn't need to open her eyes to know the cause of the silence in the room. She didn't need to open her eyes to see that the silver-grey metal plates on her shoulders were now melting apart and breaking into a liquid solution when once they were solid.

She felt it pass between her fingers in a cold river, felt it fall to the ground and swim towards the man and encircle his waist in an iron grip. The ends melding into the floor. Sure to keep him there even when he wakes up.

"..Woah, Minamoto-san that was so..." Kirishima muttered in awe, mouth wide open to reveal a row of white sharp teeth. Despite herself, she was starting to actually find his smile endearing. 

Bakugou scoffed, taking the lead to exit the room, not even sparing her a glance. "Hurry up so we can get to the rest. I'm going to blast that fucking warp gate into to nothing and back."

Kirishima chuckled, slowing down to match Aya's pace, "I don't think that really possible, man." 

"I didn't ask for your fucking commentary shitty hair!"

✶

Soon enough, it seemed like they'd been walking forever and Bakugou was clearly taking them some random route. They found themselves on the edge of...what used to be a sand terrain. Obviously a stimulation for a desert scenario, but it was now covering in a sheet of blueish clear ice, frost clear in the mingling air. It was obvious who had been at work here. 

"Todoroki has to be somewhere nearby but damn...he went all out didn't he?" Kirishima muttered as the group walked on, keeping to the edges of the snow and never on to it. It would do Aya no good if she slipped on her boots and hurt her shoulder even more. 

"You guys think Todoroki is—"

Kirishima was cut off with a hand across the mouth, Bakugou now staring at the pillar of sand-covered-in-ice, obviously sensing something. Soon enough, Aya heard what he had picked up. There was muffled cries coming from the ice. 

Aya moved closer, taking care to look where she stepped lest she fell over. "Is that...someone?" She was staring at a lump of ice, connected to the pillar that she'd brushed off when she first saw it..but now she could see a spiky head and fat tears sliding down a pale face. 

"Help me! You, girl! Get me out, please!" Aya bristled at the fold, already moving closer to the man despite the warnings from the boys behind her. She was a few meters away from him before Bakugou grabbed her by he uninjured arm and hauled her back. "Do you want a death wish? You don't go running to a villain who asks for fucking help!"

She scowled, looking at the hand on her forearm and back to his face, "I was going to question him!"

"Well question him from here hag."

She sighed, shaking her head, before looking at the villain who was staring at them with a quizzical expression. Kirishima moved closer towards them, shivering from the cold meeting his bare torso. "What's your plan?" Aya started, nice and simple.

The villain stuttered, shaking his partially free head, "I'm—I'm not telling any of you!"

Bakugou grumbled a string of curse words under his breath, pushing Aya behind him before stomping towards the man. "Listen you piece of shit, you either tell us what you and your fucking crew are doing here or your going to wish you were covered in ice by the time I'm done with you." He emphasized this with a few tiny explosions that made the blood rush from the man's face. It wasn't long before he was fessing up everything.

The villains had somehow known that All Might was going to be teaching at the U.S.J, so when they found that information drop, they'd make a plan to attack him and get him killed. How? He said that their leader, a guy with some touch type quirk had someone that apparently could go up against All Might. 

"So...you guys are planning on killing All Might? The number one hero?" Kirishima muttered, brows furrowing as he looked around. They had to get to Aizawa and the rest of the class quickly and inform them of this. He could only hope Todoroki reached him in time. 

Bakugou scoffed, stomping back down towards the group, dragging Aya along. "You cheapskates are going to do nothing against All Might. He's number one for a fuckin' reason."

Aya nodded, walking after Bakugou and Kirishima, ignoring the pleas of the villain. He wasn't going to die. Todoroki made sure of that with the ice being not too cold to induce hypothermia but it would sting and hurt. 

They walked down the path, passing a few broken building complex's and another desert stimulation before they were on the outskirts of the base of U.S.J. The sight that they saw shocked them into silence. 

Aizawa was now on the ground, his arm twisted at a nasty angle and his body battered beyond belief. Above him stood a black creature, with a crow mask on his—it's face and it's brain exposed and pink. It didn't look human—though it's anatomy obviously resembled one. A few feet away, a blue haired villain was standing beside the warp gate villain, laughing hysterically as the creature pounded Aizawa deeper into the ground. Midoriya, Tsuyu and purple ball haired boy were standing in the shallow water of a ship wreck stimulation and were watching with horrified expressions.

The pain in Aya's shoulder seemed to lessen just from the sight. She couldn't imagine what Aizawa was feeling. "Yes, Noumu! It's only a matter of time before All Might shows up to his own doom!"

So the villain hadn't been lying, Aya thought with a swallow. The idea had been so preposterous, so impossible in her brain that she didn't stop think that maybe they did have a weapon or someone to go up against All Might. They wouldn't have showed themselves so foolishly like this if they weren't confident. 

She turned to the boys, biting the inside of her cheek to cover up the wince that would've left her mouth because of her arm. The blue haired villain turned to the warp gate, "Bring more of them in Kurogiri." 

Aya and Kirishima both helped in shock when they felt Bakugou launch from his spot next to them, his explosions leaving their ears ringing as he lunged towards Kurogiri. "Bakugou, what the fuck are you—“

Aya knew that Bakugou had to have been smart alongside being strong to back his immense ego up, but how smart, she didn't know. Now, though, she seemed to know he was really really smart. She watched as he pinned Kurogiri to the ground from the metal corset around him that acted as what Aya had to think was his body.

"I'm going to blast your sorry ass so bad they'll be cleaning your ass for weeks." 

Kirishima moved next, running towards Bakugou and sharpening his arms with his quirk, he cast the blonde a glance that was mixed with amusement, admiration and fear. "That doesn't sound very heroic now Bakugou..."

Honestly, it didn't. But that didn't stop Aya from moving towards them either and standing beside Kirishima. Her fingers curled, willing the iron poles that were dotted around the perimeter to move together and form a shield resting on her forearm. 

"Woah. That's hella manly, Minamoto-san." Kirishima exclaimed, he was so happy she almost forgot that the villains were staring at them and the blue haired one was practically having a breakdown. 

"Just call me Aya, Kirishima."

"Kurogiri! No! That stupid brat..watch when I get my hands on you." 

Bakugou scoffed, igniting another explosion against Kurogiri, "Like to see you try—"

All their attentions snapped to the doors, where the shadow of All Might was now standing, a grim and furious expression on his face. It took him only a second after that to get to the base area and pick up a heavily injured Aizawa and put him with a frightened Midoriya and Tsuyu. 

"There is no need to be afraid, for I am here." All Might boomed, his iconic smile wiped off his face as he turned to the blue haired villain and Noumu. "You, villain, have a reason to be afraid though." 

The man scoffed, hysterically laughing as he scratched at his neck. "You've gotten slower All Might and Noumu is just so much faster. Go, Noumu. Kill him." With that, Noumu dashed towards All Might, sending a punch that threw a gust of air outwards. The raw power of that bioengineered creature was astonishing. To be able to match the power of the Number One hero was....

They broke apart, jumping away from eachother with a crack in the ground, All Might wiped a drizzle of blood from his face while Noumu, stood unaffected. "You're time has come All Might. You've finally found your match in my Noumu."

Aya turned to Kirishima and Bakugou quickly, "We should get out of here, their going to start properly fighting soon." And she most definitely did not want to get caught up in all that. "We're not leaving.

Both heads turned to the blonde, though he was intently watching the blue haired villain cackle something at Midoriya and Tsuyu, their faces horror stricken at being found.

"We can't stay here Bakugou." Aya reasoned, eyes darting to the suspiciously quiet Kurogiri, "The teachers will be here soon enough."

Bakugou snapped back, red eyes flaming, "We don't have time to fuckin' wait around on our asses for the Pro's. Those thugs are going down here and now."

Kirishima was quiet, face resolute as he stood beside Bakugou, "Minam—Aya, he has a point. We can't just wait for the heroes to come, it might be too late." 

The white haired girl looked between the two boys, and sighed for the millionth time that day. It seemed no one around her even thought! 

That was how she found herself, couched in between Kirishima and Bakugou, Kurogiri's metal corset welded to the floor a few feet away. "Why'd I even listen to the both of you?"

"Cause we're fuckin' right hag."

Kirishima chuckled nervously, "Is it okay to say that I am a little bit regretting this."

Aya and Bakugou both turn their heads towards him, accusing glares written across their faces. Kirishima looks pointedly away, opting to stare at the newly named Shigaraki, a pink blush rising on his cheeks.

"So, um, what's the plan guys?" 

"We—"

Just at that instance, an echo ring boom sounded throughout the dome and the doors to the USJ burst open and the large figure, even from this distance away, spoke of All Might's arrival. 

Aya could hear Shigaraki's laugh as he turned to Noumu, "Seems Number One finally graced us with his presence!"

All Might wasted no time. In a few seconds, he was already standing in front of Noumu and Shigaraki, cradling a broken and battered Aizawa in his arms and the remaining villains felled in his path.

He wore a look of fury, his iconic smile gone, "You've done too much, villain. All this tragedy for nothing?"

"Nothing? You think I did this for nothing? We're here for your execution All Might, surely that's anything but nothing?" Shigaraki scoffed, fingers hastily scratching his neck, he turned to Noumu, "Yeah, Noumu thinks so too. Don't you?"

It was jarring to see a villain with (what Aya hoped were fake) hands on his face and limbs, speaking to an unresponsive Noumu. It was like a little kid conversing with their doll. He knew it wouldn't reply but he spoke anyway.

"That guy is so nuts..." Kirishima muttered, stating the absolute obvious and Aya had to resist herself from turning to him with a glare again.

Just in that moment, the floor became ice and the trio turned to see Todoroki running towards the ensemble of hero and villain. His expression cold as he stopped by Kirishima. "These scum are here to kill All Might."

"Ha. Like they could." 

"Ugh, I told you guys we should've went."

"Yeah...I'm listening to you in the future Aya-chan.."

All Might took a dangerous step forward, his eyes darting between Shigaraki who had now turned to Midoriya, Tsuyu and Mineta sitting like ducks in the water. A vicious grin formed on Shigaraki's face and a chill spread down their spines. 

In that moment and the next, Kurogiri opened a portal and Shigaraki teleported from standing beside the Noumu to infront of the students in seconds. Aya watched, horrified as his hand sickeningly inched closer and closer until it was only a hairs length away from Asui's face—

Asui? 

Like an intervention from God, All Might had scooped the three students and moved them away in a matter of a second. Now, they stood beside Aya, Kirishima and Bakugou. While the other two were shocked into silence, Mineta was balling into his palms. The sound was immensely grating to Aya. It was like hearing a baby cry.

"You young ones, get to the exit and take Aizawa with you. Leave the Villains to me." All Might commanded, wiping a trickle of blood from his chin. When had he been hit?

Immediately, this was met with an uproar but All Might didn't entertain this. He ordered Midoriya and Tsuyu to carry Aizawa, carefully, up the stairs. 

Aya offered to go instead, switching with Midoriya. This earned a scoff from Bakugou who she only spared a glance. If they all wanted to get themselves killed, that was perfectly fine with her, but she'd help Aizawa the best she could and do something useful.

Slow but steady Tsuyu and Aya balanced Aizawa between them as they walked, Aya holding his shoulders and head steady while Tsuyu held his legs. From this view, Aya could see everything. The group of students that stood behind All Might and the horrible grin on Shigaraki's face.

The fight commenced soon after, All Might sending debilitating punches to Noumu and Noumu doing the same. It was like a dance—if the dance was of punches and power. But true to his name, All Might came out victorious and with a final earth shattering punch, he sent Noumu flying out of the USJ's window ceiling and into the blue sky above.

Aya and Tsuyu eventually made it up the long stairs and to exit where some of their classmates were grouped at just at the moment the doors opened and revealed the Pro Hero staff of U.A. Recovery girl immediately sauntered over, checking over Aizawa's wounds and ushering the girls away.

Aya took a step back, wiping the sweat beads trickling down the side of her face. What a day today had been. She could still hear Shigaraki's screams of utter despair and pain as he fell back into Kurogiri's portal. Aya had forgotten that her quirk's power lessened the farther she got away from the metal she'd manipulated. Kurogiri was bound to escape from his confines. The thought didn't settle well in her but she moved on from it quickly enough. There was no point in withering away in guilt and self depreciating thoughts.

Hours later, their class sat quietly in the bus as it transpired them back to U.A and their worried parents no doubt waiting for them. The silence was suffocating and tense. No one dared to speak first, only sharing glances. The absence of Midoriya was also noted. He'd been swiftly escorted to the hospital due to broken legs and an arm alongside Aizawa who, Aya had overheard, was on the brink of death.

Who would have guessed their second day at U.A would be an attack? The year has barely even started and already they were facing villains. U.A surely did live up to its name, a hero making academy. Aya could feel the aftereffects of her own quirk settling in even though she'd barely used it.

The pale sheen of her skin was one, the metallic taste filling her mouth was also another. When Aya had first gotten her quirk, the doctor's couldn't figure out the side effects, because every quirk had a consequence on the user since mankind had not started with the superpowers they had now.

It had taken a week for her family to find out the consequences of her own quirk. The official name of her quirk was Metallic: where the user can manipulate and control the metal components (only metal, not earth) around them, and bend their shape of matter to their will. Easier on paper then in physical. Aya soon learned the restraints of her quirk quickly on. 

She couldn't turn the manipulated metal into a gas, only solid or liquids. She couldn't control more than five sources of metal at a time and only within a certain radius from her person. 

The consequences soon became clear after that. She's been playing with her quirk on the swing, picking part and reassembling the metal chain when she felt it. The nausea and the light headedness. She'd brushed it off then, her small six year old mind not comprehending what was happening, but when she began to vomit blood onto the grass, that was when she started to cry.

Her mother had come running after, horrified to see the blood trickling down her daughter’s chubby face and the paleness to her skin. The doctors deduced that night that Aya's quirk gave her blood poisoning. How? They didn't know—and still didn't know, but using her quirk for too long and without breaks would somehow cause her to vomit blood, shiver in sweat and in the worst cases, induce a seizure. 

Her parents, worried as they had been, had forbidden her from using her quirk but that hadn't stopped Aya, and over the years she'd begun to grow a sort of tolerance to it. So now, she was staring at a particularly pale finger, admiring the blue vein that shone beneath it when Uraraka's tapped her on the shoulder with a concerned gaze.

"Minamoto-chan, are you...okay? You look really pale." 

Aya looked up and from the furrow of Uraraka's brown brows, she wondered if she looked like a zombie. Licking her chapped lips, she nodded, instantly regretting the motion. Her stomach felt like it was going to deposit everything if she moved too much. "I'm fine. It's just a side effect of my quirk."

"I could get you a paper bag? You look like your going to be sick—" and sick she was. Aya grabbed the brown bag from her hands and promptly threw up in it. The sound causing the other students on the bus to look at her with worried gazes. 

Once she finished retching, Uraraka wordlessly passed her a bottle of water which she chugged thankfully. Only after did she notice the stares of everyone. 

Looking around in annoyance, Aya got up and threw the bag in the bin and moved back to her seat. They were all still staring. She could tell they wanted to say something, hell, even Iida was silently staring in concern. 

"Why are you—"

"Quit staring at her you bunch of losers. She vomited, what's the big deal? Disgusting." Bakugou barked from the back, crimson eyes glancing at Aya with thinly veiled disgust but she couldn't find it in herself to be pissed at it this time. She was thankful. She hadn't wanted to say anything about their staring and Bakugou had saved her from that job. 

"Thank you, Bakugou."

"Don't thank me old hag."

She rolled her eyes, opting to stare out the window behind her. The ride back to U.A was uncomfortably quiet but at least they were going home all in one piece.