Several days later, Aiko and her classmates were able to go back to school. They walked into the classroom and were all talking about random things until, "Who do you think our substitute will be?"

"Oh yeah, Aizawa got really hurt, didn't he?" Aiko asked.

The next moment, Aizawa walked into the room, absolutely mummified in bandages and casts. "AIZAWA?!" the class exclaimed.

"Shouldn't you be resting?" Tsu asked.

"My well-being is none of your concern. However, you all need to prepare for your next challenge..." Aizawa stated.

Everyone tensed up, expecting more villains. "The UA Sports Festival is about to begin," Aizawa finished.

The class relaxed and even livened up. "Wait, isn't it a little soon to have the festival after a villain attack?" Kirishima asked.

"The principal argued that it was to show that UA had everything under control and that we wouldn't be scared by just a few villains," Aizawa stated.

"Really? It's just a stupid festival," Mineta stated.

"JUST a festival???" Haru exclaimed, the room getting colder almost instantly, causing the class to shiver.

"Mineta, have you never seen the festival?" Midoriya asked.

"Of course I have! I'm just saying..." Mineta said defensively.

"Since the appearance of quirks, things like the Olympic games have lessened in popularity. The UA Sports Festival has essentially become a replacement for that. It's also a scouting opportunity for hero agencies to scout you out as potential sidekicks. One chance a year, three chances in a lifetime. Train well, you have two weeks."

After class, everyone was dismissed to lunch. Aiko then heard something behind her and looked around to see Uraraka threatening to do her best. "She's intense," Haru remarked.

Aiko nodded as they turned back and left the room to go to lunch. On the way, as they were in the lunch line, they overheard Uraraka and Iida talking about how All Might took Midoriya for lunch. 'Interesting...' Aiko thought to herself as she looked ahead in line, accidentally making eye contact with Todoroki, 'Is he picking up on this as well?'

.

.

.

As school ended and Aiko was getting ready to leave, a commotion at the door to the classroom was heard. Aiko looked at Haru curiously before the two of them went to the door. "What's going on?" Aiko asked.

"It seems they're checking out the competition. They heard that we faced off against villains so they're staking us out," Bakugo growled, "Now move it extras."

"You can't just call people you don't know extras it's so disrespectful!" Iida scolded.

"So this is the hero course, huh? You're supposedly better than us, but you just look like an ass," a new voice stated from the crowd. 

Aiko looked toward the voice and noticed that it was a boy with purple eyes and wild purple hair. "Wait, you're the one who helped me get away from the reporters," Aiko remarked, staring at him.

The purple boy glanced down at Aiko for a moment before looking up and glaring at Bakugo and the rest. He then went on to challenge Aiko and her classmates, saying that if any of the other classes do good enough, they might be transferred into the hero course. And if that happens, they'd have to transfer people out to make room. The purple haired guy then looked down at Aiko one more time before walking away, leaving Aiko confused. Another boy ran up and started yelling at Bakugo as he walked away. Aiko then slipped through the crowd and walked away, only for someone to grab her arm. "Look, it's one of those 1-A bastards! She probably thinks that she's better than us!" he exclaimed.

Aiko looked back and saw that the guy had blonde hair and gray eyes. Aiko phased through his arm and backed away, startled. The boy looked surprised for a moment before he smirked, "See? Bitch thinks she's better than us."

Aiko shook her head and said, "No I-"

"You bastard," Haru growled, using as much energy as possible to grab the boy's arm.

The boy looked around for whoever grabbed him, but didn't see anybody. Haru grabbed harder, digging his nails into the boy's arm. The boy started to wince, causing Aiko's heart to sink. "Haru stop!" Aiko exclaimed, grabbing Haru's arm and pulling him away. 

The boy stared at Aiko curiously, and when she corporealized, he lightly tapped her shoulder, copied her quirk, and suddenly a muscular boy with tan skin, lime hair, and hazel-brown eyes came into view. "Intriguing..." he muttered before walking away.

Aiko led Haru out of the building, then said, "Haru... you can't hurt people like that..."

Haru growled and said, "He was disrespecting you..."

"I know but seriously Haru... you can't just hurt people," Aiko whispered.

"Ok Aiko..." Haru muttered.

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.

.

Days later

Bakugo was stomping through an unknown neighborhood. His old hag of a mother had pissed him off to the point where he had to get some air. He didn't even know where he was anymore, but he wasn't going to admit that to anyone. Then, he came across a park and decided to walk through it. As he reached a more secluded part of the park, he heard shouts, as if someone was fighting. Curious, he wandered toward the noise to see Aiko Gessei running at seemingly nothing, only to stop abruptly and be pushed back and thrown aside. 'She must be fighting that dumb ghost she keeps around,' he thought to himself.

Gessei rested on her hands and knees and in a few moments, Bakugo heard an unknown male voice say, "Well look at that..."

Bakugo looked around, ready to fight whoever snuck up on him, but no one was there. "Bakugo?" Gessei asked, fixing her onyx ponytail. 

Bakugo growled, "What?"

"I'm just surprised. I've never seen you around here before," Gessei pointed out.

"That's because I haven't been here before!" he retorted.

Gessei tilted her head, curious, "Then what are you doing here? Do you even live around here?"

"I can be wherever the hell I want, Ghost Face!" Bakugo snapped.

She raised her hands in surrender, walking back to where she was and getting into a battle stance. Bakugo glared at her and growled, "You're doing it wrong, idiot."

Gessei looked at him, curious. "That kind of fighting stance is good for big fighters, not small bitches like you! Who the hell taught you how to fight!?" Bakugo growled, storming toward her.

"Haru did..." Aiko whispered, "I guess he is on the bigger side so he taught me his fighting style..."

"Well he's an idiot," a growl was heard, but Bakugo ignored it, "Your strength is in your speed, dumbass. That position makes it harder for you to move as fast. If you wanna win, you need to be crouched slightly and you need to put your weight in the balls of your feet, not the heels."

Gessei listened and took on the fighting stance Bakugo instructed, noting how much easier it was to move. "Anything else?" Gessei asked, sarcastic.

Bakugo smirked and said, "Fight me and we'll find out, dumb bitch. No quirks."

Gessei stared at him for a moment and said, "No offense but I don't feel like dying today."

Bakugo rolled his eyes and growled, walking away. "Whatever..."

Gessei then looked to her side, seemingly listening to someone. "Are you serio- ugh... fine... Bakugo wait!" she called out.

Bakugo turned and growled, "What?"

Gessei sighed and said, "Haru says... that he'll fight you. If you win... then you get to fight me because you'd be a better teacher than him..."

Bakugo smirked. "Challenge accepted."

He stood back and got into a fighting stance. "So how am I supposed to fight your ghost buddy?" Bakugo asked.

Moments later, Gessei's body went slightly limp. Bakugo furrowed his brows, slightly confused, but when she opened her eyes again they weren't their usual blue, but instead a hazel-brown. "I'm gonna kick your ass," Gessei said with a deep voice layered on top of her normal voice. 

Bakugo smirked an evil smirk. "Quirks?" he asked.

Haru shook his head. They ran at each other and Bakugo made note of the change in body language, going for his signature right hook. Haru dodged and swung at Bakugo, clocking him in the face. Bakugo then swiped around at Haru, only for Haru to drop down and sweep at Bakugo's feet. Bakugo dodged and jumped up and behind Haru. Bakugo slammed his palm into Haru's back, causing him to grunt and fall forward. Haru then flipped around to face Bakugo only for Bakugo to pounce, straddling Haru and holding his fist above Haru's face. Haru growled and said, "I concede."

Bakugo smirked and got up, watching as Haru went limp, and moments later Gessei woke up. She shook her head for a moment, grounding herself before she sighed. "Ok, so I guess you're better than Haru, will you train me now?" Gessei asked.

Bakugo frowned, "I didn't say I'd train you, I said I'd fight you."

"But you beat Haru! You surely know your stuff and I really could use your advice! You're one of the best!" Gessei exclaimed, stepping toward him. 

Bakugo smirked, his ego eating up her every word. "Fine. I'll train you, but the second you annoy me I will walk away!" he exclaimed.

Gessei smiled. "Thanks, Bakugo."

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.

.

Aiko had never felt more bruised. Bakugo beat the ever-loving shit out of her, but he also taught her how to defend against his attacks and how to use her small size against larger opponents. It was very useful and she was already defending better against him by the time they were done. As Bakugo started to walk away, however, Aiko called out, "Wait!"

He turned back and growled, "What?"

"Can we do this again? Your advice is really helping! I can already tell that I'm getting better!" Aiko exclaimed with a smile.

Bakugo rolled his eyes before he walked toward her. "Give me your phone."

"Eh?" Aiko flinched back slightly.

Bakugo rolled his eyes, "So I can give you my number, idiot! We can't train together if we don't fucking schedule where and when! I don't feel like walking this far every time we train!"

"O-oh. Ok," Aiko said, pulling her phone out of her bag and giving it to Bakugo.

He angrily typed something into her phone and stormed off. Aiko looked at the new contact labelled 'King Explosion Murder,' and chuckled, quickly changing it to Bakugo.

"Oooooo you got a boy's numberrrrr," Haru teased.

"Shut up. You heard him, it's just so we can schedule when to train," Aiko replied, picking up her things. 

"Y'know, he's actually really good at fighting. You keep working with him and you'll probably be able to beat me one day," Haru teased.

Aiko rolled her eyes and said, "Yeah, I'll be the best!"

They walked home, and her mom walked up and asked, "Hey sweet- oh my goodness are you ok? You're all dirty! Is that a bruise?!"

"I'm ok mom, I was just training for the Sports Festival with a classmate of mine," Aiko explained.

"Oh, well please be careful. I don't like seeing you all hurt," her mom said, wiping Aiko's cheek.

"I know, mom, but trust me, it's ok! He's a little over-the-top, but he already taught me so much!" Aiko reassured.

"He? Who's he?" her dad asked, walking into the room and storming toward his daughter.

Aiko groaned and Haru chuckled. "You got yourself into that one."

"Her new training partner, apparently," her mom explained.

"And who might that be?" her dad asked, suspiciously.

"His name is Bakugo, he's in my class. We ran into him at the park and he agreed to train me. Nothing else," Aiko explained, knowing exactly what her dad was thinking.

"Alright, but if I find out about any funny business, I swear to heavens!" he exclaimed.

"I know dad, but it seriously isn't like that," Aiko reassured.

Her mom put a hand on Aiko's shoulder and smiled, "Ok sweetheart. Now go get washed up, dinner's almost ready."

"Thanks mom."