Canary

Chapter 3: Fledgling Friends

Midoriya took a deep breath and stepped onto the grounds of UA – he just couldn't believe he was here! At UA! The greatest hero school in all of Japan!

Wait, no – no.

He is not here to become a hero. He is here to learn and... maybe become a paramedic. Maybe. But he might have to get over the whole... muteness thing first. But he wasn't mute – really...

He keeps telling himself this, but the denial thing is starting to wear thin. At first, it was the truth – the only reason he wasn't talking was because it was just so much easier to just not say anything, rather than say the wrong thing. But then, it became harder and harder to get words from his brain to his mouth – and there are always so many things he wants to say; building up like water behind a dam. But that dam was getting near to impenetrable. Midoriya just hoped that one day it would burst – and when it did, it wouldn't be too dramatic and would be for all the right reasons. That's not too much to ask... right?

Right. Anyway – UA.

Clutching tightly onto the yellow straps of his backpack, Midoriya hurried towards the school. There were so many people there. They were all so excited, talking loudly to friends, new and old – wondering what this new year would bring.

'Class 1-C... class 1-C... class 1-C – where are you?'

Wow, that's a big door. Are all the homerooms like this? They have to be – they wouldn't do something like this for a general studies class and not for a hero class. I wonder what Kacchan's class will be like...' Midoriya pondered.

He let the door slide open and hurried inside, trying not to make eye contact with any of his new classmates – he didn't want to get off to a bad start, 'Just stay quiet... keep your head down – and everything's going to be ok.'

Midoriya found his nametag sitting on a desk near the window. It had a clip on the back of it. He glanced around to see some of the others were wearing theirs, so their name was displayed, loud and clear, to anyone who wanted to know it. Midoriya supposed he should do the same.

"Yeah, yeah! I was so sure I'd flunked it! I was kind of surprised when I got my acceptance letter after freaking out about it all so much!"

He looked up at the conversation occurring across the room. Most of his other classmates were standing together, discussing the exams they'd taken to get in.

"What was that one on hero laws? Like, I get this is a hero school primarily, but, come on, like we were supposed to know all that junk – this is general studies! Not how to be a hero 101, or whatever," complained a grumpy looking girl with straight blonde hair, fiddling with her name badge – Sumiye Ohchi.

"That one was ok – I was more stumped on the thing about Quirklessness," said the girl next to her – she had cat ears.

"I didn't even know people could still be Quirkless!" added another.

"Hey, bored looking guy! What did you think of the exam?" questioned the first.

Suddenly everyone was looking at Midoriya.

Oh my God – I'm going to have to speak – what if they ask if I'm Quirkless? What if –

"It was alright, I guess."

Midoriya let out a sigh of relief. They were talking to the guy sitting behind him, with heavy eye bags and a head of purple hair.

Then they turned to Midoriya. "What about you?"