After a winter break of her family cheering her up and spending time with the family she had around, she cursed as the last first day of attending Aldera Junior High approached. She soon found herself trudging to school, cursing at the cold and the short break.
As she got closer to the school, she noticed the glances from students around her. She was used to this, people whispering about her weight, but there was more people doing it than usual.
'I swear, if Bakugou told anyone about what happened on the roof...' She thought to herself as she passed the school gates. Eyes seemed to be on her, and she glanced at all of them, they turned away, expect for one pair.
Bakugou stared at her from across the school yard. He stood with two people she can only classify as his goons. She stared back at him before breaking contact. 'It doesn't matter. It doesn't.'
It really didn't matter, until one of Bakugou's goons yelled out to her.
"Hey, HOEshiko! How's your hero training coming?!"
She looked over as the boy laughed, with the other goon snickering. Bakugou just glared at them, but didn't make an effort to shut them up.
"If you keep it up, you'll definitely be known as WHALE LORD, the body crusher!"
The two boys broke into unstoppable laughter, and Hoshiko could hear others around her start to giggle, too.
She glared at the two boys, before glancing over to the left just a bit.
The next thing anyone knew, a black wall shot out from the side of the school building and hit the first goon on the side of his head. He fell like a tree, and his friend followed after, with a wall shooting up from the ground in front of him and upper cutting him right under his chin.
The two went down, dazed, and the courtyard became quiet. Bakugou only looked at the two before looking back at Hoshiko, who just glared at him before entering the building. She went right to the counselors office, since she knew she was gonna end up there anyway.
|~|~|
Hoshiko got off with a slap on the wrist and a phone call to her brother, who let it slide when Hoshiko told them the comments the boys made towards her. After that, Hoshiko seemed to blend back into the background of life. No one mentioned the assault on the two boys, especially not the two boys themselves since they were knocked down so quick.
The only small difference was Bakugou seemed to glance at her when they passed or were in the same general area. But it was just that.
|~|~|
A month into school and the teachers started to talk about the future for most of the students. How they all wanted to be heroes and to ready themselves and the like. Word spread quickly that Bakugou was gonna apply to U.A, and most likely get in, but more people whispered about how Izuku Midoriya, the quirkless boy in the same class as Bakugou, wanted to apply, too.
When school was over, Hoshiko found herself passing the room with Midoriya inside, learning over a notebook. She stared at the boy before entering the room.
"Izuku Midoriya?"
The boy jumped and turned to her, his cheeks going pink. "AH! H-hello! Can I hel-"
He stopped as he recognized her. "Hey, you're Hishoki Fukushima, right?"
She smiled and nodded. "I heard you were trying to get into U.A."
He paled and strained a smile," Yeah, I am."
She smiled and pat his shoulder, "I just wanted to let you know I think you can do it."
He looked up at Hoshiko, surprised. "Huh?"
She smiled, "I think you can. I... know how it feels for people to tell you that you can't be a hero. But that doesn't mean-"
"What is this, the wannabe-hero club?"
Hoshiko turned to the ash blonde who walked in. She glared at Bakugou before turning her gaze to the two goons who followed behind him. The halted for just a second, but followed behind Bakugou.
'Yeah, and you're right on time, club leader.'
Hoshiko could feel the insult wanting to roll off her tongue, but it would obviously make the situation worse, so she kept quiet.
Bakugou just glanced at Hoshiko before walking past her, yanking Midoriya's notebook out of his hand. "We're not done talking."
"What is that, anyway?" One of the goons stepped up, but a quick glare from Hoshiko made him back off.
"It doesn't matter."
An explosion rang out and Hoshiko turned to see Bakugou explode the book. Midoriya freaked out when he proceeded to throw it behind him, out the window.
"Kachan, that's so mean," Midoriya whined.
Bakugou just scuffed, "Most first string heroes show potential early on. People look at them and just know they are destined for greatness. When I'm the only student from this garbage junior high to get into UA, people will start talking about me like that. They'll realize I'm legit, the next big thing. That's my ego talking but I just know I'm good."
"Well, aren't you being modest." Hoshiko mumbled. Bakugou sent a quick glare over to her before stepping up to Midoriya. He placed one hand on his shoulder and the other up to show the smoke resonating from it.
"Here's a word of advice. Don't even think of applying, or else."
A black wall shot up from between Midoriya and Bakugou. Bakugou let go and stepped back before looking back to Hoshiko.
"He can do whatever he wants, Bakugou. You have no right telling him what he can and can't do." Hoshiko glared at him. The wall fell back to the floor and Hoshiko took a step towards Midoriya.
Bakugou sent a glare to her. "Please, I'm just starting the obvious. No one quirkiest can be a hero..."
He took a quick glance over her body and smirked.
"... Just like no fat ass can be a hero."
Hoshiko could feel her blood beginning to boil, everything in her vision turning red.
She felt Midoriya take her arm and could barely hear him ask her to calm down. She quickly took a breath and counted to ten before finally feeling calm.
Bakugou just scuffed and headed out of the classroom. Before he exited the door, he stopped.
"You know, Deku, if you really want to be a hero that badly, there's actually another way. Just pray that you'll be born with a quirk in your next life."
He looked back with a stare that could only be described as a death glare from the devil himself.
"And swan dive off the roof with fatso here. Help her manage her weight in her next life."
Hoshiko felted her face pale as Bakugou turned and walked out. His goons followed after him, laughing.
Hoshiko couldn't describe what she felt. Anger, disbelief, shock, anguish...
"Hoshiko?"
She looked over to Midoriya, who looked worried.
"Are you okay?"
Hoshiko didnt react for a second, before smiling to Midoriya.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Let's go find your notebook, yeah?"
|~|~|
It felt like there was a seed sitting firm in the pit of Hoshiko's stomach. Its roots were slowly maneuvering around her stomach, gut, lungs.
It was spreading like a disease.
"Aunt 'Shiko?"
Hoshiko jumped and looked down to the younger girl. She hadn't even heard the elementary bell ring.
"Minako!" Hoshiko smiled at her niece. "How was school?"
Minako frowned at her aunt. "It was alright. Are you okay?"
Hoshiko gave her a toothy grin. "I'm fine, dont worry. Let's go, we still gotta pick up your cousin."
Hoshiko and Minako walked along side each other through the streets, heading to the day care. Hoshiko did her best to converse with Minako, but it seemed to fall through.
"You're a really bad liar, Auntie."
Hoshiko looked down to her niece. "What do you mean?"
"Somethings bothering you. It's written all over your face. Plus, your aura is radiating in conflict."
Hoshiko almost stumbled, before taking a closer look at her niece. Her brown eyes had a circle of silver in the middle of her iris.
Hoshiko made a shooing motion to her niece. "Stop that, you know I don't like you using your quirk on me."
Minako scowled at her aunt before slapping her hand. "It's not my fault your a walking smoke cloud. I could see you from inside the school. I thought someone was on fire at first."
Hoshiko stopped, looking at her niece. "Is it that bad?"
Minako bit her tongue. Truthfully, it was worse, but she couldn't be forward about it without her aunt pushing it off.
She finally opened her mouth, only for a bang from the alley next to them to ring out.
Minako jumped and hid behind her aunt as she looked down the alley way. Two clear bottles rolled across the ground, filled with a dark liquid.
"It's just some trash. Probably got knocked off the roof of the building or thrown out the window," Hoshiko said, silently thanking whatever being for causing the interruption. "Come on, we have a little rascal to pick up, then homework. Do you still need help in math?"
Minako looked at her aunt, as her quirk faded out. She sighed before following her. "Yeah, I do."
|~|~|
"Okay, this one is just cross multiplying. They want you to find X, so all you have to do is multiply the top by the bottom, then divide by the top of the other fraction."
"So I would multiply 2 by 13, then divide that by 10?"
"Yep, and that's the value of X," Hoshiko smiled at her niece as she worked on her homework. She sat at the kitchen table, helping her while her brother watched her nephew in the living room. The sound of the tv filtered into the dining room.
Hoshiko was only half listening to news report that came on.
"This just in, the student taken hostage has been identify. Katsuki Bakugou, a student at Aldera Junior High, has been consumed by the sludge monster, making it impossible to attack the villain without hurting him."
"Auntie, you okay?"
Hoshiko could feel her blood ran cold, and she found herself suddenly in the living room, wide eyed at the tv.
"Auntie!"
"Sis, are you okay?"
Hoshiko could feel a hand on her shoulder and smaller hands around her wrist as she stared at the tv. Her nephew, who sat just a foot from the tv, looked at her, then the screen, then back to the tv.
" 'Shiko, do you know him?" He asked, his big brown eyes staring into hers.
"I..." Hoshiko could barely get her voice to work as she stared at the tv. The helicopter view was far above the scene, but it felt like she was standing there among the crowd. "I do..."
"Is he gonna be okay?" The boy asked, looking worried to his aunt.
"He... Yeah, he's tough. He-he's gonna be okay. He has to be..."
Yet none of the heroes in scene seemed to be moving to help, and the struggle happening between the sludge villain and Bakugou was slowly dying down.
She tried to ignore the reporter letting on that the villain's quirk allowed him to take control of the body and kill the host, or how her stomach seemed to be dropping off a cliff.
Before she could blink, someone ran out from the crowd and towards the sludge villain , with a very noticeable mop of green hair.
"IZUKU, WHAT ARE YOU DOING!" Hoshiko couldn't help but scream, clenching her head.
"Sis, wh-whats wrong?" Her brother shook her.
"He-he doesn't have a quirk, he's going to get himself-"
An explosion rang out, the black cloud covering the scene. Hoshiko felt her pulse stop, and felt like she was going to faint, before her nephew jumped up and screamed, "It's All Might!"
The scene cleared and All Might stood over Deku, protecting him from the monster. Not even a second later, the sewage monster was nothing but splatter, All Might's fist smoking from the impact.
The silence was deafening before cheering took over the screen. Hoshiko took a breath and collapsed.
She felt everything slip off her shoulder as she finally began to breath again. "Those two, I can't."
|~|~|
Hoshiko hated to admit she was rushing to school the next day, but she felt she had to.
'I just want to check on Midoriya. Bakugou can go fuck himself with his pride. I'm not worried about him.' Hoshiko thought as she hurried to school.
As she walked into the school, mist of the students crowded around Bakugou. They asked about the attack, getting to meet all those pro heroes, etc. He seemed annoyed, but Hoshiko was sure his ego was loving the attention. His eyes met Hoshiko's for a split second before Hoshiko looked away and hurried past.
Hoshiko barely caught the mess of green hair as it darted up to the roof and Hoshiko quickly followed.
"Midoriya!" Hoshiko called put as she got to the roof. He turned and smiled at the girl.
"Hoshiko! I was looking for-"
Hoshiko quickly punched the boy and scolded him. "Are you insane,jumping into that fight like that?! You could have gotten killed! Your lucky All Might showed up!"
He shook off the pain and chuckled. "Sorry. I didnt mean to worry anyone. If anything, I'm shocked you're not worried about Kacchan."
Hoshiko stuttered for a second before looking off to the distant. "He... he can take care of himself. He doesn't need someone like me worrying about him."
He nodded. Hoshiko was sure he knew about her confession, like everyone else at their school.
"Hoshiko, actually, I was looking for you."
"Oh?" Hoshiko cocked her head. "What's up?"
|~|~|
Hoshiko sat on her head, looking down at the booklet given to her earlier.
"I know your trying to be a hero, and I am too, and a family friend helped me set up a planner on a ten month work out for the U.A. entrance exam. I asked him to do one for you, since we're both behind on the training. I just really want you to try to get into U.A. with me. So we can both become heroes."
She sighed and opened up the planner, taking note of the different categories. Exercise, diet, and a studying regimen.
"Wow, it even has quirk training," Hoshiko mumbled as she flipped through it. "This is really impressive."
She skimmed through the page before taking a breath. She closed her eyes, debating if she should really do this before the image of Bakugou slipped into her mind. She grimaced before grabbing her clock, setting the alarm for 5 o'clock as the schedule said.
"I'm not giving up. Not before I even start!"