Chapter Four

The next morning before the sun comes up, I make my way outside. Yesterday's healing exhausted me so much that I got a better sleep than I have in months and this morning, I want more than anything to have a chance to train by myself. Once I'm in the front yard with plenty of space, I pop in my headphones and try to lose myself to the music. After all, the best way to practice my quirk control is to practice emotion control. I take a deep breath and let it out slowly, practicing the moves I'd perfected at our old academy. Power is a big part of my quirk and drawing up enough energy for precise attacks is something that I've struggled with a lot. Training at our old academy to actually incorporate my energy pulses into real moves made it a lot easier... still... I couldn't help but be envious of my sister.

Shiori's quirk is more powerful than she gives it credit for. Hell, if the girl really wants to, she can put a whole town to sleep before the first chorus of any song she chooses to sing. She doesn't always have precision control, especially without her gear, but the way I see it, no one can keep fighting if they're all sleeping. Plus, if she wears out her quirk, she's able to sleep it off for a few days if someone can get her to a safe space but for me? I try not to remember all of the ways I've lost control in the past. If I use too much of my own energy it'll kill me, or worse... it'll kill someone else.

I spend a few hours outside, testing my speed and flexibility all while trying to balance short bursts of energy pulses. I trip up a couple times, cursing under my breath and wiping the sweat from my brow before starting up again. Come on, Kaida. I pump myself up right before the kick, throwing one leg out behind me and tucking my elbows in close to my body. I swing my leg back with full force, directing the smallest about of pulse into the back of my heel only to feel my foot connect. I gasp as it stops short and my entire body stiffens. When I look up, I see Todoroki, staring down at my ankle in his hand with mild disinterest. I yank my foot away immediately, almost losing my balance.

"You're up early" he notes, watching me carefully. I take a few steps back, a little embarrassed by my appearance.

"I wanted to get some training in" I reply breathlessly.

"Shouldn't you be taking it easy after injuring yourself?" he wonders and I scoff.

"Is that how you'd become the number one hero?" I ask and am pleased to see him a little taken aback.

"Is that your goal?" he asks and I raise an eyebrow.

"Isn't it yours?" I retort and, again, he looks a little surprised.

"You should train with your classmates once in a while. We could help, you know" he says finally and I don't know what to say to that. I train with Shiori mostly and maybe some of our classmates back home for a time but, these guys?

"You want to help me? Even after yesterday?" I ask, a little surprised myself. Todoroki pauses a moment, his eyes incredibly cold and calculating. It's disconcerting.

"Not many people are capable of breaking through my ice. I'd be interested to see what you'd be capable of if you learned a little more control" he says finally. I don't know whether to be offended by the control comment or surprised that someone from school is interested in training with me already.

"I didn't break through it" I correct him, remembering with painful clarity the cracked surface of the ice and my fractured hand. I clutch it absently, remembering the splintering pain.

"You didn't have enough precision in your attack. Your methods were wild and messy and your technique was erratic. You had the entire field of students tripping over themselves half the time. It's not power you lack, Ito. It's focus" he replies, matter of fact. I flinch, gritting my teeth. Who's he to tell me how to handle my quirk? We're the same age!

"Oh, is that all?" I grumble, still clenching my jaw in irritation. Todoroki doesn't even seem to notice.

"We'll see" is all he says before continuing on his way. All I can do is stare after him, puzzled and taken aback. He's just so...

"Wow, well he's kinda forward, huh?" Shiori asks, appearing out of nowhere. I jump, wondering how I didn't see her show up.

"What the hell?! Where did you come from?!" I shout, earning a raised eyebrow.

"Calm down, psycho. It's almost time for school" she informs me and I suddenly realize that there are a quite a few people leaving the dorms, all of them in uniform.

"Damn it!" I yell, racing inside and tearing up to my room to get dressed in another horribly small uniform. How could I forget to check the time? Thank God Shiori's almost always early. If she hadn't stopped to talk to me, I might have ignored everyone and missed first period.

I shower and get dressed in record time, button up, skirt, tie, and blazer all fitted snugly. I ditch the tights again, shoving my feet into a pair of low top black combat boots and throwing my hair up into a wet knot on top of my head. When I get downstairs, I'm relieved to see that Shiori didn't wait for me and I race to catch up. She may help me out a lot, but we've always had a mutual understanding that my mistakes are my own and I'll be damned if she's late because of me. Damn it! I shouldn't be running in this dumbass skirt with how short it is on me, but I don't have time to worry about it. When we first got the catalogue for the school uniform, I ordered plenty of larges... still. I underestimated the sizing differences between here and back home. Unfortunately, they don't seem to have a "curvy girl" section. Figures.

I finally make it to the school, barely able to catch my breath, and dart through the entrance. On the way in, my shoulder slams into another student and I almost lose my backpack as I try to right myself. I turn around to apologize but before I do, he immediately starts barking insults.

"Watch where you're going! What are you, blind?!" Bakugo shouts and I give him a vicious look.

"I'm not blind, I just can't see stupid people!" I retort without thinking.

"Who are you calling stupid, huh?!" he exclaims, fists clenched.

"I'm sorry, are you deaf? I'm pretty sure I'm talking to you!" I snarl and the two of us stand there, gritted teeth and glowers before a hand grabs my elbow and starts yanking me away.

"Hey, wait! Let me go! I'm gonna pummel that asshole!" I shout as I get tugged into the throng of students. Bakugo is yelling at his own group of diffusers consisting of the red headed Kirishima and nervous Kaminari and disappearing quickly behind several different faces.

"For God's sake, Kaida. It's literally day three" Shiori complains, hauling me towards class.

"Day three or day sixty three, I don't care! I'm gonna kick his ass!" I swear and suddenly hear my sister humming lightly. She wouldn't... in an instant I feel a little more relaxed. My heartbeat slows and I feel like I could stretch out, ready for a nap. I try to get angry about it but I didn't eat this morning and the energy to fight about it drains out of me.

"Damn it, Shiori..." I mumble, feeling a light fuzziness in my head. She stops, letting out a sigh and looking around us. Sure enough, one to two people within earshot are looking a little sluggish themselves but no one seems to be none the wiser about it.

"I wouldn't have to do it if you didn't put yourself in these situations" she chides. I roll my eyes.

"Bakugo started it. What a hot head" I mutter distastefully and her eyes narrow.

"You are the same person" she informs me. My jaw drops as we finally make it to the classroom door and she pauses to get something out of her bag.

"I'm nothing like him!" I argue and she gives me a look.

"Please. Watching the two of you just now was like watching the same toddler from different dimensions arguing over the last potato chip" she says and I just stare. Damn.

"You're just really coming for me today. What did I ever do?" I gripe, feigning great heartache and tears. She rolls her eyes.

"Get a grip, drama queen. You've got a lot to make up for this week so I need you on your a game. No fights. No slacking. Here" she says, shoving a notebook into my hands. I blink at it, opening up and leafing through the pages to find extensive notes from the last two days. My eyes widen.

"Whoa... you did all of these?" I marvel, admiring her neat handwriting. She tries to look annoyed but I can see the proud smile playing on her lips.

"Of course I did. You weren't gonna write it all down and we've got a reputation to uphold. Dad got us in here on good will and it's gonna take more than one passing entrance exam from you for you to keep your spot. If you want to be the number one hero, you're gonna have to start taking notes too" she replies and I leaf through some more of her work. She's so detailed.

"Best sister ever" I breathe, practically drooling over her handiwork. My notes may never be this good, but I won't let her down. Not after this. After all, it's just like she said; I'm going to be the number one hero.

"Yeah, yeah. That notebook better be full by the end of the semester at least or I'm gonna let you fail" she warns. I nod enthusiastically, hugging the notebook to my chest.

"I promise! I won't let you down" I assure her, earning a warm grin.

"You've got me convinced. At least for now" she tells me and we enter the classroom together. A few people have already arrived including the class rep and vice rep. Shiori dutifully takes her seat at the front and I head towards the back of the class. My seat is directly behind the vice rep's seat and when I sit down she turns around with an inviting smile.

"Hi. I'm Yaoyorozu" she says and I'm instantly swooning. Her thick black hair is up in a high ponytail and her eyes light up when she greets me. She's gorgeous.

"Hi, you can call me Kaida" I say, forcing a small bow out, even though it still feels unnatural. She laughs a bit, not unkindly.

"How do you like it so far at UA?" she wonders politely and I let out a hefty, nervous sigh.

"Well... it's different" I admit and she smiles again.

"I'm sure. You seem to be fitting in well so far. It's not every day that someone tries to put Bakugo in his place" she laughs and I smirk, feeling a little proud of it now.

"He makes it easy" I offer and she raises an intrigued eyebrow.

"Easy and Bakugo are not two things I thought I'd ever hear go together" she replies and I shrug as more of the class starts to pile in and take their seats.

"Anyway, welcome to UA" she grins, before turning back around in her seat. I immediately seek Shiori's gaze and when I finally catch it, I give her a grinning thumbs up. She rolls her eyes and smiles back just as the infamous hothead takes his seat between us. As he sits he turns around to glare at me. I lean forward and stick out my tongue at him, eliciting a grimace, and I grin as I sit back in my seat, feeling satisfied.

"Feel better?" Todoroki asks in his signature annoyed monotone voice. I flinch, surprised.

"When did you even get there?" I hiss under my breath and he looks up at me, unamused.

"I've been here the whole time" he informs me and my face burns red. Of course he has.

Homeroom seems to go by much more quickly than usual and the rest of the day follows suit, math, biology, Japanese... with all of Shiori's notes, it feels like a breeze to get through. Even lunch goes by quickly, with Shiori ditching me during my nap, and before I know it, the last two classes of the day are over and we're back in homeroom again. Everyone's eager to leave but Mr. Aizawa stops us, commanding our attention.

"Listen up" he begins and everyone looks towards him expectantly as he leafs through a few pieces of paper.

"Looks like most of you got responses from your agencies of choice. Take a look at your responses and make your final choice by tomorrow morning. Next week you start real hero work" he says, grabbing a student from the front of the class to start passing out the papers. My heartbeat quickens as I wait for mine, eager to see who approved me. When I finally get the paper I bite my lip, nervous to unfold it. Okay... here it goes...

Holy crap. HOLY CRAP. When I open the page, I see the unmistakable kanji name at the top. The first on my list is also my first acceptance. I struggle not to get up and cheer in the middle of class. Endeavor wants me! Yes! Excitedly, I look up to see Shiori who's already closing her page back up. I pause, watching her hesitate before dismissal and for the first time, maybe ever in our lives, she doesn't look back at me. I swallow, wondering if she's okay... if she maybe didn't get accepted into Endeavor's agency. The thought ties a knot in my gut. What if Endeavor doesn't want her too? The thought reverberates in my mind but I shove it back. Of course I wouldn't go without her. Shiori and I are a package deal. Always have been. Even Endeavor's agency isn't worth splitting up over. Nothing is.

Everyone pretty much disappears out of the classroom as soon as we're dismissed and I'm quick to catch up with Shiori on the way out.

"So? Who'd you get?" I ask her cheerfully, refusing to show an ounce of worry. Whatever it is, we'll do it together. Shiori stands up and opens her mouth to answer but Aizawa is quick to interrupt.

"Shiori? I need you to stay behind a minute" he says and both of us pause. I look at her but she just nods, offering a reassuring smile.

"It's fine, just wait in the hall" she insists. I hesitate, wondering what the hell Aizawa could possibly have to say to her, but I do as she says. When I get out to the hall I lean up against the wall and wait, watching the door like a hawk.

"Hey, cutie, why do you look so worried?" a voice asks and when I look down, I see Mineta waggling his perverted eyebrows at me. I glower at him.

"Bug off, creep" I growl and his expression changes from creepy to terrified.

"You don't have to be so scary" he gripes, walking away with a reassuring pat from Kaminari. Ugh. Guys are so gross. I roll my eyes, looking back up at the door just in time to see that guy with violet hair from the cafeteria walking passed the door. Did he go in? I look after him skeptically for a few moments but decide not to ask. All I care about is what's going on in that classroom.

It feels like forever that Shiori is in there and when she finally comes out, she looks more conflicted than ever. I immediately walk up to her.

"What's wrong? Are you okay?" I ask, the urge to protect her at a near peak. Shiori looks at me and for a moment I can see her wrestling with something.

"Endeavor agency wants us" she says finally and I blink, taken aback.

"So why the face? What's going on?" I ask but she just smiles, tucking her paper into her pocket and walking with me out of the school.

"It's nothing. Just a little anxious is all. Let's go back" she insists but she leaves no room for more questions. No room to ask her what Mr. Aizawa wanted, no room to ask her what she's so anxious about, and certainly no room to ask her if she's lying to me. Shiori doesn't usually lie to me but right now? Right now I can't shake the feeling that she's not giving me the whole truth and the thought of it eats at me.