Monsters are People Too (HxH/BNHA Crossover Fic)

17

It wasn't until a few days later that the subject of work studies was brought up again. By then, Bakugou was no longer on suspension, and everything had returned to normal. Classes continued as they usually did- that is, until Aizawa came in one morning with a particularly interesting announcement. 

Nearing the end of homeroom, he briefly spoke about the school board's decision regarding work studies. Or, more specifically, if the first-year students would be able to participate in them. Even though the school was mostly against it, they decided to continue with the work studies. The only condition was that students be urged to stick to reputable agencies, and be cautious in general. 

This stirred up a lot of excitement in class. Although, Gon didn't share the same sentiment as much as he normally would've. As soon as he caught Aizawa's eye that shot a look basically saying 'don't even think about it,' his enthusiasm toward the subject dampened.

It took a little longer than usual to get up from his seat and leave the classroom. Not with the way his brain felt like it was stewing in murky bog water. 

Over the few weeks Gon had been staying on campus and adjusting to this new world, he'd learned a lot more. He was keeping up fairly well in most of his classes, but there was something in all his studying that stood out to him. The villain attacks. Considering it was such a frequent problem at the school, he was informed about the multitude of villain encounters the students of 1-A had.

What caught his attention wasn't the attacks themselves, but one particular 'villain,' that had been a big deal for a period of time; the 'Hero Killer' Stain.

When Gon looked into it a bit more, he found that there wasn't much explaining what his motives were. All he'd gotten from it was that Stain had a certain image of what a hero was, and those who didn't fit that image should be stripped of their hero title. Or, judging by his actions, eliminated altogether.

Which got him thinking.

The thought had occurred to him once or twice since he'd arrived here, but he never really dwelled on it much. But now, he started to. He knew the gist of what a hero was, what they do... but he couldn't seem to understand why. What about being a hero was so great that you dedicate your everything to it? He could understand why someone would become a Hunter, but not a hero. Although similar, they were not the same.

When he mulled over the difference between heroes and hunters, another thought dawned on him. The realization had hit him like a truck, before settling in the pit of his stomach like a heavy stone. For the longest time, since making his nen abilities somewhat known, he hadn't been treated like the other students. (Ignoring the part where he was very much from a different world.)

Aizawa treated him like a ticking time bomb that could explode at any moment. He kept a close eye on the boy to protect others from him. The world he had fallen into followed a strict set of rules that, depending on how they were followed, would decide if people were 'heroes,' 'villains,' or a useless civilian. What made him so normal in his world, made him virtually an outcast here.

There was no true freedom.

The more dots he connected the more it felt like an invisible vice was being tightened around his throat. It was as if he wore a collar, tethered to a leash being held by this new place that treated him like the animal it thought he was. 

The look Aizawa had shot him when talking about work studies almost proved that. Just because he was strong, didn't mean he had to fit into any particular category like 'could be good' or 'could be evil.'

With these thoughts brewing in his mind, and a lot of questions along with it, Gon decided not to go to Aizawa for answers this time.

After class, he found himself wandering aimlessly down the halls. His mind was still on his earlier discovery, and more specifically, what to do now.