Chapter 2: Application

Disclaimer: I do not own My Hero Academia or any pictures/videos posted.

Heather P.O.V:

3 Years Later.

I glared at everyone around me as I made my way to my locker. Everyone kept glancing my way in what was possibly the most none-subtle way possible. I could feel their judgmental eyes watching me. The whispers weren't any better either.

"Did you hear what she did?-"

"-Didn't he go to hospital-"

"-Almost snapped his neck-"

"-But she's Quirkless-"

"-Bleeding from his head-"

"-Got amnesia-"

I bite down a scoff as people recall the fight I got into yesterday, not bothering to correct some of the statements and claims. The guy had been asking for it. Literally. He had stomped up to me after school and started yelling and ranting about my application to U.A. He claimed that I was probably going to cheat my way in. When I told him I planned to do no such thing, he had put up his fists and told me to prove it.

I didn't straight away. Not seeing a reason to prove myself to some jackass. But then when I tried to turn away he tried to punch me. While I had my back turned. So excuse me if I had sought to beat his ass for pulling a stunt like that.

I didn't put him in a hospital though, like some people seem to think, and I certainly didn't give him amnesia or almost snap his neck. I may have caused a small injury to his head, but these gossipers are making it seem like I split his head clean open.

As I grabbed my books from my locker, the voice of the headmaster sounded through the speakers.

"Would Shiori Heather please come to the Headmaster's office? That's Shiori Heather to the Headmaster's office."

I groaned and slammed my locker shut, causing some near by students to jump.

I made my way through the crowd of students, who parted for me as if I was a contagious disease, and ignored the stares and whispers following me all the way to the office.

=^.^==^.^==^.^==^.^==^.^==^.^==^.^==^.^=

"What seems to be the problem sir?" I ask as sarcastically as I could while plopping down onto the seat in front of the headmaster.

The headmaster frowned at my blatant disrespectful tone but pointedly ignored it. "Miss. Shiori, it was recently brought to my attention that you got into a fight yesterday with Mr. Mitsuki-"

"That I did."

"Mr. Mitsuki has a clean record when it comes to school fights or detentions. You on the other hand seem to have an on going streak of them-"

"Your point is?"

The headmaster scowled at my interruption but continued through gritted teeth. "I'm saying that I'm a little sceptical over how the fight started and who needs to get the blame." He folded his hands infringement of him, as if it somehow made himself more menacing. "From what I heard it was you who engaged first and caused the most injuries."

I clench my fist.

Of course... I thought bitterly. Why bother protecting the Quirkless girl's reputation when she's gonna end up at the bottom anyway? Fucking pricks.

"But despite all that I'm hearing, I want to have your take on it as well." The headmaster continued. "So tell me. What happened?"

I glare at him in disgust. "Why should I bother?" I spat out.

"No matter what I say I'll end up in trouble. If I say my version you'll think I'm lying because of your 'oh-so-many-absolutely-truthful-witnesses'" I used quotation marks. "And if I tell the lie you'll still put me in detention."

The headmaster sighed but ultimately couldn't deny my claim, so I stood up. "If that's all sir." I growl out. "I'll be going now."

"Heather-"

"Oh my gosh! What do you want now!?"

The headmaster's eyes softened a small bit, pity evident in his next words. "While your record isn't the best, I understand from your mother that you are having trouble... Conversing... With your classmates."

I rolled my eyes, knowing he could see it.

Understatement of the year...

The headmaster continued. "And that sometimes your classmates feel the need to project how they feel about your... disability-" I bristle "-in a more violent way then just verbal bashing. So if you ever need any help with-"

"With bullying?" I interrupt, but before he could answer I carried on. "No offence sir, but I don't want your pity now of all times. Especially since you've basically just admitted that you've known for a while that this was going on." I spat.

I walk to the door. "I don't need help and even if I did, I wouldn't take it. Not from the likes of you."

As I reached the door and pushed it open, I paused and look back at him. "And sir please don't call being Quirkless a disability. It doesn't make it sound any less insulting." Then I left.

As I trudged down the now empty corridors of my school I resisted the urge to punch something. I hate this. I hate this school, I hate the teachers, the students, heck! Even the lunch ladies.

Because they all look at me the same way. As if they understand or sympathise with me. As if I'm being unreasonable or immature when I snap at them. As if I need them with me or I'll die.

I clench my jaw so hard it hurts.

I hate this fucking school.

=^.^==^.^==^.^==^.^==^.^==^.^==^.^==^.^=

"So the principle called you about the fight?" Nina said, as me and the other students took our water breaks. I didn't really socialise with them that much. Sure we got along but I wouldn't really call any of us friends. Especially when I'm the oldest here with no one my age to talk to. It's not that I try to cut them off, I just... Can't really talk to them. It's not that I judge them either, hell! 3 years ago I was just like them, new to Nina's teaching. But now the older students that I knew have left, pursuing their dream schools. I haven't heard what happened to them, if they got into hero courses and whatnot. I know Nina keeps in contact with them but I haven't bothered to ask, fearing that what I might hear might discourage me. The only thing I know is that none of them bothered to apply for U.A. I'm the first of Nina's students to even think about trying.

I nodded glumly at Nina's question, wiping sweat off my brow. "Yeah." I said. "The detentions on Friday."

Nina nodded. "You're parents know?" She asked and I hummed in confirmation, not really in the mood to talk.

I had felt a bit gloomy after my... Enlightening... conversation with the principle. A word has floated around my head since going to his office. Disability. That one word stung more than it should of.

I stayed silent for a few minutes bathing in my thoughts.

Nina glanced my way from where she was standing and frowned at my lack of usual behaviour. "What's up?" She asked plopping down on the bench next to me. "You're quiet today, what's wrong?"

I shrugged. "Just something my principal said..." I trailed off.

Nina frowned. "He wasn't an ass, was he?"

"I don't think it was intentional..."

"But he was still an ass."

"Yeah..."

Nina's glare deepened. "What'd he say?"

"..." I stayed quiet.

Nina continued to sit next to me, patient as ever. This women should get a damn medal. She certainly deserves one with all the shit she puts up with. She's had 38 years of being told time and time again that she can't be like the people with quirks and yet here she is. She's joined the police force and became a captain, she's the CEO to a majorly profitable company and she's teaching other outcasts that they can be amazing to. Honestly in my opinion, Nina is the greatest hero out there and no one can change my mind. Not even All Might himself.

If I can vent to anyone, it's her.

"Being quirkless...." I started. "It isn't... I mean... It isn't meant to be a bad thing, is it?" I ask meekly.

Nina blinked in surprise. "What? No! Of course not! Why would you think that?" She asked, not angrily I noticed, just confused.

I stare at the floor again. "My principal said that not having a quirk-being quirkless- well... He said that I had a disability... Is... Is that true? Is being a quirkless person really classed as disabled?" (Just a note: this is not meant to insult anyone with a disability, this is just showing the discrimination people with no quirk put up with and how much quirks have become a normal thing to society.)

Nina was quiet for a moment staring at the floor along with me. We both stayed like that for a while, just staring and thinking, the noise of chattering children muted as background voices.

Eventually she sighed. "I don't know." She said. "Maybe it is, maybe it isn't. Maybe quirks have become so normal that they are a part of the average person, or maybe we haven't reached that stage yet. But either way, it doesn't matter." My head turned to her in surprise.

"Whether it's a disability or not doesn't mean anything." She continued. "You can fight, you can defend, and you have a good heart. For a hero, that's what matters."

She turned to look at her students and gestured to one of her youngest pupils who was chatting animatedly about the things she did in school.

"Alice over there. She's quirkless, yet she won a first place prize in her school's sprinting competition at sports day." She pointed to another one, a boy this time. "Jun over there, has a quirk that allows him to smell things from long distances, seems like a pretty useless quirk huh? But he managed to outrun and outsmart 2 of his classmates the other day who were chasing him because he had knocked out one of their friends in a fist fight. The 2 chasing him had ended up falling into a river."

She pointed again. "Reina won second place in a boxing tournament her school was hosting last year, since then students have come to her for advice on how to win in the next tournament."

Nina turned to me again. "You see? It doesn't matter if being quirkless is a disability, either way you have potential to be someone great."

She kneeled down in front of me. "Here's my advice for the future: Don't get angry when people call you quirkless."

I gave her a puzzled look. She noticed and chuckled. "I'll explain." She said. "Calling someone quirkless is not an insult. It is a fact. It is who you are. It is not an insult." She said with complete seriousness. "People these days see calling someone quirkless as a way to call someone weak, to call them a lesser being, but I assure you it isn't."

Nina stood up dramatically. "Someone calls you quirkless? You hold yourself up with pride! You never get angry or bow you head in shame! That just proves their point!" She exclaimed with a smile. "And lord knows we never want them to think they've won!" She finished.

I look at Nina with adoration and fling myself at her wrapping her in a hug. "Thank you..." I said with all the sincerity I could muster.

=^.^==^.^==^.^==^.^==^.^==^.^==^.^==^.^=

Third P.O.V:

Heather deflated as soon as she walked through the front door. Her mother was in front of her holding up a letter.

"You applied for the hero course!?" Her mother yelled her blue eyes narrowed into a glare.

Heather shrugged. "Yeah? Whats wrong with that?"

"What's wrong-!? Heather! You can't go to U.A!"

"And why the hell not?"

"You know damn well why!"

Heather rolled her eyes. "Well it's not like you can do anything now. I've already sent my application."

Her mother shook her head in frustration. "Heather, when I saw the form I thought you were trying to get a career in police work! In the general department! Not get yourself killed!"

"Well look who was wrong." Heather said back and strutted into the kitchen.

Police work! Ha! Not likely. Heather respects the police, Nina was an officer so of course she does, but they have nowhere near as much power and influence as the heroes do. She won't be sending a message with that career.

Her brother, Kyoshi, was sitting on the counter, phone in his hand. He glanced up through his black hair at her as she came in and took note of her gym clothes. "Good workout?" He asked as Heather grabbed a drink from the fridge.

"Peachy." She replied, taking a long gulp of water.

Her family has no idea that Nina is teaching her, as expected. They've met Nina sure, but to them Nina just takes Heather to the gym everyday after school, which is true enough, she does go to the gym every weekday with Nina and the rest of her students. She just didn't tell them she leaves the gym after 2 hours and goes to Nina's boxing ring. To her parents, Nina is just a fitness instructor.

Really the weekend is the only day she isn't lying to them, as Nina has her students all doing ballet, (which her parents know about and are fine with) to refine their flexibility and then tells them to go home to do their school work. Gotta keep up with school if Heather wants into the hero course. This exercise will mean fuck all if they don't study.

Heather's mother returned back into the kitchen along with her father.

"What's this about, Anna?" Her father asked her mother who held up the letter from U.A.

"Heather has applied for the hero course at U.A."

Kyoshi did a double take. "You what!?"

Her father didn't seem to pleased either. "Heather what are you thinking!? You can't do the hero course! Do you know what kind of entrance exams they have for that!? it's insane!"

Her brother agreed. "Yeah and the classes are even harder, even for people with a quirk!"

Heather threw her bottle into the recycling as an all to familiar feeling of frustration bubbled up to the surface. "I know! Okay!? I know this is gonna be difficult! It's not like I signed up thinking it was gonna be all sunshine and rainbows!"

Kyoshi threw his hand up in frustration. "Then why did you apply in the first place!?"

"Because I know I can do it!"

"Heather, you have little to no combat experience a part from a few fights at school! How exactly do you expect to enter U.A without proper training!?"

Heather bit back a remark. She knew she had both combat experience and proper training, it was just a matter of her family not knowing that, and she was not gonna bring that to light now of all times.

So instead she went with "I'm 15! No one expects a 15 year old to have training anyway! Doesn't matter if they have a quirk or not!"

It was a weak argument and she knew it. She knew exactly why kids with quirks didn't have combat experience. Simply because they didn't need it yet. They were meant to get that training in the hero course. Throughout their lives, quirks have gotten them this far in life without having to know how to throw a punch properly or how to block a knife.

But Heather obviously didn't have a quirk to do that for her.

Kyoshi rolled his eyes. "That's weak and you know it!" He stormed out of the kitchen and up the stairs.

Heather rolled her eyes back and stormed to her own room. Ignoring her parent's disapproving gaze.

Why couldn't her own family just have a little faith in her for once?

=^.^==^.^==^.^==^.^==^.^==^.^==^.^==^.^=