Reality (BnHA)

Chapter 8

The week past by at a snails pace, and Kokoro eventually found herself sitting in front of her office computer with her head down on the table. Who knew teaching kids would be so tiring. There were so many kids she had to teach who only knew the basics of the basics in the subjects she was teaching.

If she wasn't stressed before she was now.

"Hey, Kowareta!" Someone shouted and Kokoro looked up to see Hizashi standing in the doorway with some of the other teachers. "We're going out for a few drinks, you want to join?"

Kokoro looked from Hizashi to some of the other teachers around him, the corners of her mouth twitching as she saw the gazes she was getting from the other teachers. She wasn't an idiot, she knew they didn't want her coming along. "Thanks for the offer, but I already have plans tonight. I'll see you Monday." She stood up and collected her things before slipping out of the door and hurrying down the hall.

A bit later Kokoro found herself at a familiar arcade, playing a Zombie shoot em' up game. She used to always come to the arcade after a stressful case. She let out a small sigh as the screen flashed a 'Congratulations, You won' message. In the past two years this game hadn't changed a bit.

"Ms. Kowareta?" A voice asked and Kokoro looked behind her to see a familiar pink skinned teen looking at her in awe. "I didn't expect you to be a gamer!"

Kokoro chuckled, "I come around here every once in a while. It's a nice place to destress after a long week."

"Totally! Hey, wait, I just thought of something!"

"Hm?"

"Why don't we have a competition? If I beat you then you've got to give me extra credit!"

"Extra credit in a class you don't even have have a grade in yet? I don't know if that's because you're bold or don't expect yourself to do well in my class." She placed a hand on her hip and grinned, "But you're on."

The two of them ended up competing in a Dance Dance Revolution match. It was obvious to Kokoro that Mina was extremely skilled at this game, but Kokoro was too. Even if she was a little rusty she was able to keep up with Mina as the two of them danced. As they played they slowly drew in a crowd who surrounded and watched them in awe.

By the end of it Ashido came out on top. She pumped a fist in the air and cheered. "Looks like you owe me extra credit!"

"Looks like I do." Kokoro said. "I don't mind you telling your classmates. This might be a fun way for them to try to get some extra credit." She let out a laugh, "Anyways, I need to be heading home, thanks for the challenge. You should start heading home as well, I don't want you walking out when it's too dark. It's not that safe, even for a hero in training." She waved goodbye and started walking out to where she parked her motorcycle.

Before heading home, Kokoro decided to head to the store. She's been itching to make some baked goods for a while, and all she needed were some ingredients.

Luckily, it was easy to find everything she needed and soon she was headed out of the store.

"Hey cutie, where're you headed?" Someone asked and Kokoro looked behind her to see two men walking up to her. She groaned internally, this was to going to end well.

"Home." She said simply, her pace not faltering as she headed to her motorcycle. Why did she have to park so far away?

"Why don't you head home with us. We can have some fun~" The second man said.

"No thanks."

"Aw, come on sweet cheeks, we don't bite... much." One of them had reached forwards and grabbed her shoulder and pulled her to the side, holding her against the brick wall of the building they were nearby.

"You don't bite, huh? Well that's unfortunate. Because I do." Without hesitation, she kicked forwards and her food met his groin. Looks like there's not much there. She thought. She watched as he keeled over in pain, his form completely crumbling. She looked over to the other thug, her eyes narrowed.

"I'm sorry miss! I don't want no trouble!" He shouted before helping his friend up and dragging him away.

Kokoro let out a sigh, "Guys like those still haven't changed in the past two years. Some people never change I guess." She said before looking at her groceries to make her they were okay. "Damn it, I cracked some of the eggs..."

***

Aizawa and Hizashi were headed home. Hizashi's radio station was the same direction as Aizawa's apartment so most of the time they walked together.

"Hey, isn't that Kowareta?" Hizashi asked, brining Aizawa's attention to in front of them.

"It looks like it."

The two of them watched as she was pushed against the wall. Aizawa was about to jump into action only to watch as her foot made contact with the man's groin and he crumpled to the ground. The other guy guy grabbed his friend and ran away, running past the two of them.

Aizawa looked from the thugs to Kokoro, seeing her pout as she held a carton of eggs.

It was really difficult to imagine someone like her to be a serial killer.

***

"Alright everyone, have you thought about the question I asked you last week? What's the difference between a Villain and a Criminal?" Kokoro asked, looking over class 1-A. "Yes, Yaoyorozu."

"It has to be a trick question. All villains are criminals, so it doesn't make sense that there would be much of a difference."

Kokoro smiled and shook her head. "You're right in the fact that all villains are criminals, but there is a difference. Criminals are what we had before the appearance of quirks. They steal, commit assault, arson, treason, tax fraud and many many more, though they do those things without using their quirks. Villains are a category of criminals, the main difference is they use their quirks to commit crimes. For example if I were to shoplift I would just be charged as a criminal. But if I had used my quirk to shoplift I would be charged as a villain." Kokoro watched as some of the people in the class took notes as she spoke— while others just looked off into the distance. "Now, we have a lot of material to cover before finals. Let's head straight into our first unit, Observation skills and Eye Witnesses."

The lesson went along smoothly— other than Kokoro scolding Mineta for some crude comments, Bakugo shouting for her to speak up, and occasional mutter rants from Midoriya. When the bell rang the door slid open forcefully and Hizashi walked into the room shouting about English.

Kokoro said goodbye to the class and stepped out of the room.

"I'm assuming you're the one who brought those cookies?" A voice asked, and Kokoro jumped, seeing Aizawa in his yellow sleeping bag laying on the ground. "They were good."

Kokoro's cheeks warmed up slightly and she placed a hand in her pocket. "Those were nothing. I had baked some extra over the weekend and thought that everyone would enjoy something sweet.Anyways, I have to hurry to 2-A to start class, so I can't really talk right now."

Aizawa somehow managed to get himself standing while in his sleeping bag and unzipped it, stepping out of it and tucking it under his arm. "I'll walk with you. Technically you shouldn't be alone during school hours, even between classes."

Kokoro sighed. "Fine." She started walking, Aizawa walking a little behind her.

"Why didn't you claim the cookies or the Onigiri as yours?" He asked. "It's illogical not to claim something like that."

Kokoro chuckled, "Illogical? Nobody would of eaten them then. Not many people would be willing to eat food made by an ex-convict you know. Well, except you, but I think your sleep deprivation is affecting your thinking." She let out a sigh and lightly ran her finger over the quirk-canceling brace, "I can tell most of the staff doesn't trust me just yet, and I don't blame them, really, only you, Hizashi, Nemuri, and Nezu talk to me." The two of the, reached Class 2-A's classroom and Kokoro stopped walking. She looked at Aizawa and gave him a small smile. "By the way, thanks for that." Then she turned and stepped into the classroom.

If she had waited just a second before going into the classroom, Kokoro would of seen the smallest hint of a blush on Aizawa's cheeks.