A hero's tunnel vision

Chapter 1: Start line

U.A. High School, one of Japan's most prestigious and well-respected schools, is known to be just the dream school for anyone who wants to become a hero.

Some people desire to become a hero for different reasons. Fame? Fortune? Sense of justice? Power? It was a little different for everyone.

For Hotarubi, it was none of that: they didn't believe in the current way the hero system works. They believe heroes are selfish, and that they didn't actually help people. Hotarubi believes they can be better, so they worked for it, training night and day to be here in front of U.A. as the newest "culture exchange student.

This story is about them. This story is about the people around them. A story about choices and how they eventually affect the people around you. For the good or the bad? That's for them to figure out.

This is the story of how they lost everything.

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Hotarubi's dark magenta eyes wandered around the entrance gate, it was way too fancy, but they figured everything in this school was going to be like that. Since today was the first day, it's no wonder it was filled with students. Some seemed to already know each other while others kept their heads down, sprinting to their classroom and avoiding their peers' sight like the plague. Hotarubi couldn't help but chuckle at the sight.

They stopped to check their phone, using the U.A. app's map to try to understand where the hell they were supposed to be. Having a whole app for that felt silly, but it made sense considering how obnoxiously big the campus was compared to the previous schools they attended. How does anyone have the sort of money to do something this big??

As they walked through the hallways, they noticed just how big the classroom doors also were. Was everything supposed to be so grandiose? To make the students feel like they were with the big boys now? Because it wasn't happening, in fact, it was having the opposite effect on Hotarubi. They felt small. And not even in their usual 4'11" ft manner, which was a very respectable size mind you! They felt pressured like they were being pushed down by all the expectations that place had for them. Not that Hota doesn't believe they can reach that level! Of course not, such thoughts would have never crossed their mind! Hota was awesome! It just made them a little nervous, that's all!

... Stupid giant doors.

Soon enough they finally spotted the class they were looking for. It was quite obvious considering the giant 1-A sign on it. They took a moment to stare at it before stepping in. There were already some students inside and suddenly Hota was very self-conscious about their shorts. Not to the point they'll actually wear pants or skirts, heck no. But they already felt like they were sticking out too much for their taste. Everyone could probably tell they were a foreigner because of their brown skin adorned with darker spots.

But they also quickly noticed that some of the other students there had mutant features, some more noticeable than others, like one of the boys who had a literal bird head. Technically speaking, people would usually target those with mutant appearances more often than people of color, considering the lack of laws protecting the mutant population. So thankfully that meant they weren't at the bottom of the food chain! A win for Hota!

... Thankfully, right?

They quickly make their way to the back of the class, going to their assigned seat that was, thankfully, next to the window. Not like it was a cool sight or anything, it literally just showed the hallway.

Hota places their bag next to their chair and tries to fix their messy tomboyish sidebangs. Strands of their brown hair falling on their face. How does a hairstyle with so little hair keep getting so out of hand?