Chapter 20: Looming expulsion

Hitomi finishes getting changed in the bathroom and makes her way towards the field... Yet on the way she comes face to face with Hagakure

"O-oh... Hey Hagakure... What's up?" She smiles awkwardly

"Are you ok...? You ran out of there pretty quick... I was coming to check on you..."

'She came to check on me...!?' "Oh yeah, yeah I'm fine" she waves a dismissive hand "Just bad breakfast or something"

"Ah yeah of course" 'I don't buy it but She's allowed to be nervous... Plus it's pretty cute!' "So do you wanna head to the field together?" She smiles

She chuckles "Yeah! Aizawa will skin us alive if we're late"

"Wait what?" She blinks!

"Onwards!" She marches past Hagakure towards certain judgement

"W-wait up! What do you mean skin us alive!?" She hurries after her!

"You'll see! It ain't pretty!"

. . .

They arrive with the rest of the group just as Uraraka says something about missing orientation

Aizawa stands while facing away from them like a cool guy "If you really wanna make the big leagues you can't waste time on pointless ceremonies" this sends a gasp of surprise and muttering through the gathered students

'How rational!' Hitomi chuckles

"Here at UA we're not tethered to traditions" he turns to face them "That means I get to run my class however I see fit" this sends another surprised gasp through the students!

Hitomi rolls her eyes under the bandages 'We're dead, best accept it now rather than later fellow victims'

Hagakure leans closer to her and whispers "He's scary..."

"You ain't seen nothin' yet" she whispers back

"You've been taking standardized tests most of your lives" he displays his phone "But you never got to use your Quirks in physical exams before"

Hagakure sighs... "Not again..."

"Again...?" Hitomi ignores Aizawa's speech

"It's just like the Entrance Exams... I only got through on rescue points then... A Quirk like mine does nothing in a physical exam... Heck I can't turn it off so I've technically always used it during past physical exams...! I'm gonna be last in this test... I'm essentially Quirkless..." She clenches her fists in frustration!

Hitomi glances at Hitoshi... Seeing a similarity frustrated expression on his face... "Maybe not last..."

"Huh...? What do you mean...?"

"Just wait..." She faces forward again as Bakugo steps forward into the large painted circle

He limbers up before throwing the ball as hard as he can while adding a explosion to give it a big boost! "DIE!!!!"

Hitomi blinks "Wow... Boy has issues..."

Hagakure watches the smoke trail left by the ball "What kinda Hero screams die when they throw a ball...?"

"A Hero with issues..." the ball lands

"All of you need to know your maximum capabilities, it's the most rational way of figuring out your potential as a pro Hero" he displays the distance Bakugo got with the ball on his phone causing the students to gasp AGAIN

Kaminari is stunned! "Woah seven hundred and five meters are you kidding me!?"

Ashido claps her hands together! "I wanna go! That looks like fun!"

Murmurs of agreement pass through the students

Hitomi gulps "Oh crap..."

"What's wrong...? Why oh crap...?" Hagakure looks around concerned

"Never call Aizawa's lessons fun... He'll take it as a challenge and insult and add a heavy punishment..."

"So this looks fun huh? You have three years here to become a Hero, you think it's all gonna be games and play time?" He grins sinisterly! "Idiots! Today you'll compete in eight physical tests to gauge your potential. Whoever comes in last has none and will be expelled immediately!" The students cry out in alarm!

Hagakure freezes in place, a look of horror blooming on her face! "B-but... I-I'm..."

"Like I said I get to decide how this class runs!" He glares at them all! "Understand? If that's a problem you can head home right now"

As Uraraka exclaims how unfair that would be and Aizawa launches into a speech about the unfairness of the world Hitomi turns to Hagakure who's freaking out

"I-I can't beat you guys...! I can't compete with Quirks like Bakugo's..." She covers her mouth! "I-I'm gonna be expelled... Oh god..."

"Hey hey hey..." She holds her shoulders "You're not... You're gonna be just fine..."

"H-how do you know...?" She sniffles...

"Because I'm about to do this" she steps forward through the group 'He's gonna think I'm talking about just Hitoshi by drawing everyone's attention to this issue' "Excuse me Aizawa Sensei!"

Having just finished he speech he along with everyone else turns to Hitomi "Miss Sekizō" 'What's this brat after?'

"What about those with a less physically inclined Quirk but a Quirk that would be AMAZING against villains none the less? Surely someone with a Quirk like you own could understand their situation?"

Murmurs pass through the class... Including some like "She knows what his Quirk is?"

They have a sort of staring contest with Aizawa thinking 'So that's it... She's worried about Hitoshi' "Well... You make a good point..." He sighs! "Fine. Exceptions may be made depending on who is in last place but I will be the one deciding those exceptions"

Hitomi bows "Thank you Sensei!" She goes back to Hagakure and gives her a thumbs up!

"Now then!" Aizawa faces everyone "We're just wasting time by talking let the games begin!"

Hagakure hugs her! "Thank you for doing that..."

"I-it's fine! Happy to h-help" 'Hugging me! Hot and pretty girl hugging me!' her face starts burning with a blush and her body could be mistaken for a stone statue! Ironic

"Hate to admit it but I got a bit worried too" Hitoshi comes over causing Hagakure to squeak and let go of Hitomi!

"H-hey Hitoshi! How are you? I'm good! Wait..." She's all flustered

He chuckles "I'm good too" he turns to Hagakure "Hey, I'm Hitoshi Shinso, Hitomi's friend from our previous school"

"N-nice to meet you! I-I'm Toru Hagakure Hitomi's friend from this school" she bows

Hitomi blinks! 'F-friend...? I've made a friend!? A girl friend!'

He smirks 'Oh? Hagakure sounds flustered too, has Hitomi seduced one already?' he looks at both fidgeting girls 'Naaaah! She's too jumpy to seduce or be seduced! Though they are on the path of being good friends'

"Oh! O-only if you wanna be friends Sekizō...! I don't wanna be presumptuous or force you..." She looks at Hitomi and Hitomi can see the hope in her eyes and on her face despite her words... Hagakure never had to hide her facial emotions before so she kinda sucks at it

She smiles warmly at her "I'd love to be your friend Hagakure... And as your friend you can call me Hitomi if you'd like..." She blushes slightly and turns her head a bit away...

"I-I'd like that... Hitomi..." She giggles... "And you can call me Toru!"

Hitomi's heart skips a beat when Ha- No, when Toru calls her by her name "I'd like that too... Toru" and the same thing happens to Toru's heart...

Hitoshi stands at the side watching this all take place and he smiles softly for his friend... 'Well... It's faster than I thought it would be but...' he ponders for a moment... Then nods to himself "I ship it"

"Me too!"

He yelps and turns to see Ashido right behind him! "O-oh Ashido! You snuck up on m- Wait you too?"

"Mhm! If there's one thing I know it's chemistry" she drips low pH acid from her fingertips and grins!

He chuckles "Good one"

"Awwww that's the only reaction I get?" She pouts

Hitomi and Toru notice them chatting together and the same thought crosses their minds as they glace at each other and smile...

'I ship it'