Okay, so I know that the race in ground gamma comes directly after the attack on Hosu and I'm trying my best to stay as close to the Canon plot as possible, we're just gonna pretend that it's a week later than it actually is in the plot. Okay? Okay.
Also look at this incredible artwork princess-of-echoes did for Hara!!

Thank you so much for these!! If anyone wants to draw any of my characters (which is v unlikely), please feel free! Just contact and post the image in an art book or send it to me somehow and I'll post it in this book.

Sometimes I completely forget how big this school is, and standing outside of ground gamma is one sure way to remind me.

"...A rescue training race!" All Might announces as he stands in front of the giant metal doors. I wasn't exactly paying attention because of my conversation with Todoroki and Mina at lunch.

I hope they meant what they said, it didn't hit me very well at the time, but Todoroki said he cared. Despite it being about fifteen minutes ago, I feel like it's taken me too long to process to realise what he said. To be fair, he probably said it because I was practically screaming at him, but I can't help but smile at those three words.

Ground gamma sure is different to ground beta, it's an entire industrial training ground. There are pipes and factories everywhere, which is the perfect area for me to traverse. Luck makes me good at pulling off fancy tricks and stunts in these areas, but they're not looking for that. It's speed.

I'm used to confusing opponents on these grounds, not racing them. If I can keep my balance and keep going then in should be fine.

I'm quickly put in group one with Mina, Sero, Iida, Midoriya and Ojiro. So I'm fucked basically.

I form a plan in my head and I think about the many ways Ryu trained me to use my weapon, I think I have some kind of plan.

"Start!" All Might cries and we all break into a sprint.

As I expected, they're all going high up, and so am I. I extend my weapon whilst running and stick it into the ground. I step on the small ledge where the tube like part sticks out at the end with my heel.

This bit because I can't describe properly.

I hold onto the thinner, top part of the stick and use my other hand to pull the trigger. Since it's in the ground and the bullets are designed to be very fast, it pushes me forward into the air. This probably looked a lot more impressive then it actually was to the rest of my class because it happened in a matter of seconds, but they don't need to know that.

It doesn't make we go very high up, but it's enough from me to get a grip on one of the ridges of the pipe, allowing me to pull myself up and start sprinting across them.

When I realise that move probably looked impressive, I also realise that this is my first proper chance to impress my class and not to mention the number one pro himself. I'm probably not going to win, but I can make a better impression of myself.

There's a gap in the pipes coming up and I nearly stumble because Midoriya shoots past me, but I decide to keep going.

I suddenly do a front somersault and as my feet hit the ground again, I push off and completely flip over, bending my back mid air so that I land on the next pipe and can keep running.

As I'm running, Sero knocks into me as he flies past using his tape. Not only does it scare the shit out of me, but I completely use my balance and I fall off of the pipe. I panic, but I feel an odd surge of power wash through me.

I reach out to grab something to stop me from hitting the ground and I manage to grasp a thin pipe and swing myself around so I can crouch on the pipe and then stand up.

I'm about to take off again when I look down and see Ojiro running past me. He was in last place last time I checked, which means I'm not in last place. I knew I wasn't going to win, but I still had the slightest hope that I could miraculously pull it off.

As my heart sinks more, I can't bring myself to move again, there's no point.

"What am I doing..?" I mutter to myself. I've gone from two years of intense fighting against villains to protect my sister, to racing kids just because I can. What does this even have to do with rescue training? If it's about scaling the terrain, then this is bullshit. That's about agility, not speed.

I just stand there, kind of staring into space. I really want to become a hero, after all it's Aiko's final expectation of me, but does that mean I have to keep doing this stuff? It seems so tedious and all it does is show me that the others are better and I need to work harder.

A sigh escapes me. I'm never going to catch up now even if I wanted to, doesn't help that I completely froze. I can't stay up here all day.

I jump down from the thin pipe and start walking to the finishing line. I can't be arsed running so I just awkwardly stroll through this amalgamation of pipes and wiring.

I get to the finish just as All Might's finishing his speech about how everybody's improved. Midoriya looks a mess but everyone else just seems a little tired.

"Hara," All Might catches my attention, "can I have a word?" The other classmates walk off and Mina pats me on the shoulder as she walks behind us. She gives me a friendly squeeze and mutters a 'good luck'.

"Is there something you need, sir?" I say, my cold tone doesn't do my polite words any justice.

"Sir?" He laughs. "Since when were you so formal Hara? You very rarely refer to anyone in that way. Or maybe is it that you think you're in trouble?" I look up at him and he seems concerned. "Forgive me Hara, but I don't think you should be back here so soon after what happened. You obviously have skill, as shown by those few tricks at the beginning. Those flips take a lot of agility and skill to pull off, especially on such a thin space. I feel like you need to get your head on straight bef-"

"My head's on straight." I cut him off. "We have exams coming up and I need to be ready for them."

"Yes but Hara, you need to take a break for your mental health."

"I never wanted to be here, yanno." I say suddenly, I can feel my emotions building up and I'm probably going to have some kind of mental breakdown if I don't vent a little. "I ended up here because of a deal, and that deal fell through. The only reason I'm still here is because I want a dead girl's high hopes to become true. If I'm doing this, I'm doing it properly, whether I like it or not." I look up at him.  "And I need to be here if I want to do that."

He blankly looks at me, his expression a mix of confusion and sympathy. All of the teachers were obviously alerted of what happened with Aiko, which explained my absence. He doesn't really say anything for a bit.

"Don't you have a class to look after?" I say, trying to sound as playful as possible so he doesn't get too caught up on my small vent.

We quickly join the rest of the class and All Might sets off the next group. I don't pay attention at all. Mina's stood with the rest of the girls and she can probably tell that leaving me be is the best option.

The class ends and we head back to the changing rooms. I'm pulling my baggy pants off when a wave of 'something's not right here' hits me.

The girls are too busy talking and sphit for me to get a proper grasp of the situation.

"Everybody shut up." I say suddenly. Everybody does, all staring at me in confusion, then we hear Mineta's pervey voice.

"Yaoyorozu's booborozus! Ashido's sexy silhouette! Hagakure's floating panties! Uraraka's ooh la la body! Hara's perfect figure, man did you see how flexible she was!? And Asui's surprisingly decent bo-" He's cut off by Jiro sticking her earphone jack into his eye through the tiny hole in the wall.

I can't help but find the commotion behind the wall amusing, especially since I can hear Iida frantically yelling at him and Todoroki say something that I can't make out, but he sounds very annoyed.

"Thanks Kyoka." Mina says.

"Yeah you too, Hara." Yaoyorozu makes me jump. "We wouldn't have known of you hadn't had said something."

"No problem." I mutter awkwardly as I pull my skirt on. "Creepy bastard." I say under my breath and, to my surprise, Yaoyorozu giggles. I expected her to judge my language, but apparently she finds it funny.

"True." She smiles at me before continuing to get dressed.

Mina links arms with me as I leave the room and I raise my eyebrow at me.

"I mean," She starts, "Mineta's right, you are flexible." I can't help but bark a laugh before we start gossiping.

Maybe staying here won't be too bad, as long as I have Mina with me at least. U.A might not be the place I was expecting to end up, but I might be able to make a future out of this. Let's hope so anyway.