Arising from the Ashes

Chapter 3

'You where unbelievable, Ichi! How you overcame the obstacle course with ease. It was such a smart move to use your fire to increase you speed! Just like Endeavor does! And how~'
Ichika zoned out the constant blabbering of her younger sibling as she picked her food. Of course Izuku would be impressed by her feat. The boy had been blabbering about it all evening, excitedly recapping today's event which he had followed from home with their mother. 
Yet Ichika didn't share his excitement. Yes, she had made it to the final round. Yes, she had fought to her best extent, yet she had suffered an humiliating defeat. All she had worked for, only to have been flushed down the drain in that final battle. Fainting in the middle of the fight due to overheating! Ugh, why did she think it was a good idea using that move? She was far from ready to use it!
'I'm sure you would have won if you pulled of that new move you've been working on.'
She groaned in frustration as Izuku's voice found its way to her conscious again. There was no need to remind her of that humiliating defeat, Izuku! No matter how much he wanted to analyse the fight, she still lost! And all because she had allowed her to get to her! She should have known better! She should have know Uma was only trying to get a rise out of her, making her angry to prevent her from thinking clearly.
'Well I think you did a marvelous job,' Inko interrupted her son's rambling when she noticed Ichika's sulking form. 'You placed second, sweetie. I'm so proud of you!'
'Easy for you to say, mom,' Ichika muttered, still pocking her food. 'You didn't faint in front of the whole school. And to make matters even worse, Thousands of people who followed the finals one way or another. And then there's the fact that I might have blown my chances of getting a great hero agency for my work studies! You do know they are already scouting for when I get my Provisional Hero License, right? Who'd pick a girl that faints due to overheating?'
'I'm sure you're just exaggerating, Ichika. I bet there are a lot of good agencies that would want you.'
'But I don't want "a good" agency,' Ichika complained as she quoted her mother's words for emphasis. 'I want the best! I need the best for my work studies.'
Frustrated, Ichika blew off some steam. Literally. Two streams of smoke shot put of her nostrils as Ichika tried to calm herself down.
'What did I say about that during dinner,' Inko scowled at her eldest child, while waving away the smoke. 'I get that you are frustrated, young lady. But rules are rules.'
The woman huffed as she crossed her arms expectedly, not even fazed by the glare Ichika gave her. Instead she held her own stern gaze at the teen in a staring contest. Then Ichika just sighed and looked away with a 'fine'.
'What's so special about work studies,' Izuku inquired, trying to change the subject. 'I haven't heard about that one before.'
Ichika finally decided to eat her soba, finishing it before answering his question. Once done, she placed the cup on the table and started explaining the concept of work studies. And why it was so important for her to do so at a high ranking hero agency.
'Oh, I see,' Izuku said as his face lit up. 'You still can become a teacher then?' Ichika nodded. 'That's a relief, Ichi! I was feeling guilty for you to go to U.A. just for me, while I know you don't even want to become a hero. But knowing you can follow your own dream, while attending the Hero Course makes me happy.'
Izuku gave her his trademark bright smile, bringing a smile on her own face as well. That sweetheart really did look relieved when Ichika had told him what Hound Dog had proposed. Sure, at first she would only be a teachers assistant, but it would still be something. And from there on, she could work her way up.
'And don't worry, Ichika,' Izuku continued, while looking at his bowl of soba. His green eyes staring at his food, before he found her green eyes again. 'I know you can do it!'
After Izuku's little peptalk, Ichika felt a lot better when she arrived at school two days later. While still feeling anxious about having possibly screwing up her chances, Izuku still had faith in her. And if Izuku had faith in her, then why shouldn't she?
Getting on the train that morning was a disaster. Just like last year, Ichika got crowded by strangers who had seen her on television. Recognising her as the runner-up of the U.A. Sports Festival. Though unlike last year, she wasn't surprised by the sudden interest in her. Though that didn't mean she enjoyed being crowded by all those strangers. So the moment the train stopped at her destination, Ichika made a dash towards the doors and quickly made her way towards school. From there she got her usual greetings and both students and teachers congratulating her. 
'Morning class.'
'Good morning Hound Dog sir,' the class of 2-B replied simultaneously as their homeroom teacher walked in.
'I hope you are all rested well after the two day break?' The hound hero didn't even wait for his class to reply as he used the digiboard to show the statistics his class had been eager to see. The Draft Pick Total of class 2-B. 'Let us see who have caught any attention, shall we?'
Like the tease he was, Inui sensei had programmed the list so that only the statistics showed up, but no names came with the graphics. They seemed to be evenly spread amongst the class this year. Probably because they had been able to show their skills last year as well. And some agencies had probably put the student they had trained last year on their list once again. Though Ichika couldn't help but notice the last place with only a handful of votes. For a minute she panicked that she really had messed up, but then sir Inui showed their names at the chart.
'As expected, Midoriya has caught quite the attention. Don't look too surprised girl, you placed second.' Ichika just stared at the chart in surprise, not even hearing her classmates congratulating her for her. 'And immediately after Midoriya is Anzai, how shocking.'
Upon seeing her name appear on the chart, Akio Anzai shrieked in excitement, while their teacher chuckled at his own joke. But Ichika wasn't surprised that Anzai had gained quite the attention. Throughout their first year, the girl has trained her Arc Volt to a pinpoint precision, electrifying whoever was at the wrong end of her electric whip.
More and more names appeared on the screen, until only one name remained.
Poor Mirio. Once again he hadn't been able to show what he got. She knew he was strong, exceptionally strong! But he didn't make it to the second round of the festival. And from what she had seen, he had a rough start when he was careless in activating his quirk and stood butt-naked in front of everyone. Not exactly how you would make a good impression. 
'Oh wow!' Surprised to hear Mirio’s excited outburst, Ichika turned her attention toward the said teen in front of her. 'I got an agency to notice me. Oh yeah!'
'That's great, Mirio,' Ichika said with a shy smile. 'That means that whatever you did, they saw potential.'
He turned to look at her and gave her his contagious bright smile and a thumbs up. And just like that, she felt her heart pounding in chest and a flutter in her abdomen. But why? As he opened his blue eyes, she felt her cheeks heating up.
Feeling self-conscious, Ichika brushed a strand of her hair behind her ear and tried to avoid his eyes. Though before Mirio could reply, Hound Dog demanded all attention as he started passing papers with the agencies that had scouted them. But as the paper containing her name and list of interested hero agencies landed on her table, Ichika hardly noticed. Even as she unconsciously looked down and picked up the paper, she couldn't help but wonder.
Was she starting to fall for him?
'What! No way! Nighteye Agency has scouted me!'
Snapping out of her daze, Ichika read the names on her own paper. Her eyes scanning over the letters as they read the agencies. Most of them were the same ones that had scouted her last year. And it seemed Haws Agency had scouted her again too. But that wasn't what had caught her eye as she let out a gasp. No, it was the name right on top that shocked her. That couldn't be right! They only took the best of the best and the last one was years ago. Surely she misread it. It couldn't be true! So she read the name once again. Her eyes big as she realised she didn't misread it.
But she screwed up! She wasn't the best of the best! She made a fool out of herself! Yet they scouted her?!
'Hey, what's wrong, Ichika?'
With trembling hands, she showed Mirio her paper. Her voice trembling as she spoke, still in denial.
'I got scouted by Endeavor Agency!'