AN: So it's been a while hasn't it. Still, I'm back now, with more motivation. I blame some of the other writers I've been chatting with on my discord personally for tempting me with too many good story ideas :). Either way I'm back, and here is chapter 13, hope you enjoy, and please leave a review etc. If you have any questions or suggestions, please feel free to PM me, or if not join my discord.
Disclaimer: I do not own My Hero Academia.
( - )
(Last Time)
Picking one up curiously and inspecting it, Izuku couldn't help but blink in confusion as he found himself holding a white, hard, bone-like object in his hand. An object that looked like it fit the shape of the outer edge of one of his hands, only with a sharp blade running down the side of it.
"What in the hell?" Izuku muttered to himself. He ran a finger down the sharpened edge of the object, only to let out a hiss as he withdrew his finger. A dribble of blood out from the shallow cut on the tip, even as the small wound rapidly healed up with a slight hissing sound.
He wasn't sure what the hell this was, but a part of him suspected that he would need to contact Doctor Nakamura sooner than either of them had previously thought.
( - )
Chapter 13
( - )
(With Izuku)
It was the weekend, just a few days since the attack on the U.S.J., a few days since the school was temporarily closed, and currently Izuku was out in the city.
In the last few days he had been alone in his apartment with little else to do other than train, watch television and think.
Considering there was nothing of any particular note on television, and he had mostly focussed on training, all in attempt to keep his mind off of his failures at the U.S.J. and his embarrassment of having to be saved by his classmates, after all he had spent years training to be a hero, training to save others, and at the first opportunity he had had to step up, he had been the one needing saving.
To help keep his mind off of things, he had spent the last two days practicing the new hardening aspect of his Quirk. To start things off, he had decided to start small and focus his hardening ability on his hands and arms, as those were the limbs he used most often when it came to mock fighting and defending himself, all while he tried to refine the process of forming and creating bone-like armour and weapons.
Once he'd mastered using it on his arms and hands, and in a while in a high stress combat setting too, he was then planning on seeing if he could start using it to craft himself armour to enhance his durability, and then after that, he wanted to see if he could maybe mould it into other things, maybe even weapons and shields.
Unfortunately he hadn't met with much success in his endeavours. The last two days had been physically tiring, and mentally exhausting as he constantly hit dead ends. His only real success, so far, was that he had successfully managed to tear his punching bag into shreds. Replacing it would eat into the meagre savings he had been able to build up from his weekly stipend from the government.
Still, it wasn't all bad. He could now use the new aspect of his ability to a certain extent. He could create the barbed, bone-like protrusions on the side of his hands, and on his knuckles, at will, but the process took too long, and it required too much concentration. It wasn't practical, not in a fast moving fight, like the one he had engaged in back at the U.S.J.
Furthermore, he could only shape these… he didn't even know what to call them; petrified pieces of flesh maybe, in certain ways. As far as progression went, he was in a bit of a rut.
He had even tried to reach out to his guardian, and probationary contact, Doctor Nakamura, for help. But unfortunately, the older man had been able to offer no insights.
All the doctor had been able to say was that it was all about practice. He'd also advised him to go to his teacher's at U.A. for help, as the facilities at Asphodel were for the use of inmates only, and not for external use.
Or at least not unless his new ability caused his Quirk to become unstable, and him, to once again become a risk to the public. At which point training his new ability would be the last of his worries, as he would instead be swiftly recommitted to Asphodel and put under lockdown for who knows how long.
Overall, it had been a frustrating two days, and a lonely one too.
While at U.A. he had got used to the company of others. Mina, Kirishima, Haru, and Yui, they'd all become good friends. Mina, Kirishima and Toru were all loud, and infectiously cheerful, they also always went out of their way to include him in their conversations. They were good people. Yui, meanwhile, was like him, she was quiet and introspective, but no less of a friend despite that. She was a comforting presence, and one he was rapidly coming to miss.
Likewise, Ibara, Momo, Jiro, Sero and Kaminari had also become friends, they sat with him at lunch and spoke to him like he was a normal human being. They didn't treat him like he was dangerous, or a ticking time bomb, like so many others at U.A., most of whom he had never even spoken to or met properly, though.
It was a bit sad really, just how reliant he had become on others, and over such a short period of time too.
He missed his classmates, and his friends.
Yet at the same time he hadn't tried to contact them.
In part that was because he didn't have any contact numbers for them, but even if he had, he doubted he would have reached out. He wouldn't want to bother them, or burden them with his problems. That was a sure-fire way of driving them away.
Izuku sighed at that thought, even as he continued walking down the street, treading the now familiar path from the budget grocery shop to his small high-rise apartment, a bag of groceries -mostly cheap fresh ingredients- in hand.
As he walked, he could see that the atmosphere within the city was tense.
This had been the case ever since news of the attack on U.A. had first trickled out.
People knew there had been an attack at the school, and they knew villains had been involved.
That kind of thing made people nervous, after all, if people were willing to attack a school full of kids, what else would they do?
Adding to the discontent and concern, was also the lack of substantial news coming from either U.A. or the authorities, aside from the paltry statement that had been released admitting that something had occurred at a U.A., and that villains, who were now locked up, had been involved. Other than that, they had just said an official statement would be released soon.
It hadn't been enough to assuage people's worries. More than that he and the rest of his classmates had likewise been told to keep quiet on the details, they were given a warning by both U.A. and the police to maintain silence until an official report had been released. They'd even been given an approved version of events that they were allowed to tell their parents and guardians.
It was all being kept very hush hush.
Just why this was, he honestly didn't know.
Secrets never remained secrets for long, especially with their being so many witnesses, a massive number of villains now in custody, and two of the ringleaders still on the run.
As if the world was mocking him, it was as he pondered just why, U.A. were keeping their silence, that the massive plasma screens/ billboards overhead suddenly flared to life with a 'breaking news' announcement.
Coming to a stop on the street, a frown spread across his face as he looked up at the massive screen overhead. Normally, the giant billboard/ screen, like the multiple others across the city, just flicked through a number of different adverts for high profile, hero adjacent companies, like Detnerat, or through upcoming events, such as the approaching Support Item Exhibition at I-Island.
That, or they occasionally showed interviews with popular heroes of the moment. Most recently that had been the up and coming newcomer, Mount Lady, a hero that was 'breaking the proverbial glass ceiling' and 'treading a new, brighter path' for heroes with Gigantification Quirks.
On top of that, the screens even went through a weekly round-up of spectacular hero captures that had taken place that week, usually on Sundays, often times buoying up the watching public by showing off the incredible feats of heroism and bravery Pro Heroes performed on a daily basis.
Additionally, sometimes they even advertised products or services for the everyday man or woman, though often times even those adverts had a heroic angle to them, with Pro Heroes, the celebrities of a superhuman society, often taking part in the adverts, flogging their integrity for some extra cash.
Today however, was different.
Today, the overhead screens were showing a news report with live footage -as they occasionally did during or after some large-scale villain attack or natural disaster. It was a tool that was used to both inform and sometimes to warn the masses of what was happening and whereabouts an incident was, if it was even an incident they were reporting on. It was also used to assure the public that the heroes were there, and that they were dealing with it.
At present the overhead screens were showing an image of both Principal Nezu and All Might, both of them dressed in smart black suits and black ties instead of their usual outfits.
Notably, All Might wasn't smiling like he usually was. There was no cheesy grin on his face now. Instead, his face was adorned with a grave expression, one that Izuku had never seen on him before. In fact, looking at the both of them, the only thing that he could think was that they both looked grim.
"First off, I'd like to thank you all for gathering here today. As some of you may already be aware, just a few days ago, U.A. Hero Academy was attacked." Nezu began, the solemnity in his voice clearly coming across, despite its natural high pitch. In response to his statement, the gaggle of reporters and camera men and women crowding around him, listening to his official statement as he stood on a plinth outside the main gates of U.A., started to murmur and gesticulate with their hands. Looking down at them, the principal raised his small paw to quell the furore, a serious expression on his mouse-like face. "Please, withhold your questions until the very end. I promise you, we will do our very best to answer whatever it is you ask."
The crowd of reporters quieted down at his words, allowing him the silence he needed to continue speaking.
From around him, Izuku could see other pedestrians stopping in the street, and looking up at the screen above, even as others in cars rolled to a stop and looked out of their windows. Everyone around him seemed to be watching what he guessed was being shown on all of the public screens across the city, and on all of the main news channels too, he imagined.
"On Wednesday, at 2 o'clock JST, a U.A. facility, the Unforeseen Simulation Joint, was attacked by a large number of villains, led by a group calling themselves, the League of Villains. At the time of the attack, a class of U.A. students were undergoing rescue training at the facility under the supervision and guidance of the Pro Heroes; Eraserhead, Snipe and Thirteen." Nezu continued, his voice remarkably calm, as he looked out over the crowd of assembled reporters and instead at the cameras pointed directly at him.
"This unprecedented, and cowardly, terrorist attack was facilitated by a previously unknown villain with a Warp Quirk, now officially named as Kuriogiri. This villain managed to transport himself and a large number of other villains into the building, bypassing U.A.'s stringent and state-of-the-art security, after which they proceeded to attack both the teachers and the students." The principal pressed on, not allowing any interruption as he laid out his version of events. His voice was soft but firm, and his words held a weight behind them that kept those watching enraptured.
"This vile terrorist attack was cowardly, and was undertaken in order to inflict as much damage as possible to U.A., its students, and to the society in which we all live." All Might added suddenly, his loud voice making some of the watching reporters, and even those around Izuku on the street, jump, even as he looked directly at the camera. There was no smile on his chiselled face, and his eyes blazed with barely contained anger. This was an expression that very rarely graced All Might's usually smiling face. "The villains that attacked the U.A. facility did not just attack the teachers, but the students too. However, through the bravery and ingenuity of both our staff, and the students themselves, none of the students were severely hurt. Instead, the students, as is expected of U.A. students, showed their mettle and moral fibre, and met this unforeseeable, unprecedented challenge head on. With their help, and with the prompt arrival of reinforcements from the main school campus, the terrorist attack was stopped and all but two attackers were arrested."
From around him, Izuku could hear people muttering.
The atmosphere was still uncertain, and still fraught with tension.
"To tally with what All Might has just said, I will reiterate that none of the U.A. students received more than a scratch or a bruise. This fortunate outcome was in part due to the actions of Eraserhead, Snipe and Thirteen, all of whom courageously put their lives on the line for the students. But it was also due to the student's own bravery and quick thinking." Nezu tagged back in, his voice sounding thin and reedy compared to All Might's powerful booming one, yet holding no less strength to it. "Unfortunately, the attack did not leave the U.A. family entirely unscathed."
The atmosphere, which until then had been getting progressively livelier, suddenly dive bombed.
From around him, Izuku could see worry etched onto the faces of those watching, everyone was on tenterhooks as they waited with dread for what Nezu would say next.
"The Pro Heroes, Eraserhead and Snipe, were gravely injured in the violent and unprovoked attack, and have received scars which they will bear for the rest of their lives. Thirteen, however, was not so fortunate. It is with deep sadness and regret, that I inform you that, Thirteen, a true hero, one known for her bravery, kindness and compassion, was killed during the attack. Murdered in cold blood, by the cowardly actions of this band of villains. Murdered while protecting her charges." Nezu pressed on fiercely.
The people watching visibly recoiled at the principal's words.
Some of them even looked to be on the verge of tears, others meanwhile just looked scared or angry.
"Thirteen was an exemplary hero, she was the kind of hero that inspired others to act, and that others aspired to be like. During her career as a rescue hero, she saved thousands of lives. Her loss is a grave one, and a tragedy. It is a tragedy that should have never happened." All Might broke in loudly, his blue eyes burning with passion. "Yet, she was taken from the world, and robbed of her life by the cowardly actions of these villains! Sixty-seven of these villains have now been captured, and they will face justice for their crimes, including their culpability in the death of, Thirteen. Two of the villains escaped, however, as I arrived on the scene. These two villains are Tomura Shigaraki and Kurogiri."
As he spoke, pictures of the smoky, purple Kurogiri, and the hand covered Shigaraki appeared on the screen next to the image of All Might.
"These men are incredibly dangerous, and should not be approached under any means." All Might then continued. "If you see them, please alert the proper authorities. The police have already been given everything we know on who these men are and what their Quirks are, and will be working alongside other Pro Heroes to track these cowardly murderers down, and bring them to justice."
"You get them, All Might!" A voice shouted from beside Izuku.
"Stick them in prison and throw away the key!"
"Scum like that shouldn't be allowed to live!"
"Nearly seventy villains ganging up on three heroes and some kids, and they were still taken down, how pathetic can you be!"
Glancing around, Izuku blinked in surprise as he saw anger on the faces of those around him, even as they stared up at the screens.
"What I will say now, however, to all those of you out there worrying. Do not fear, for I AM HERE! FOR, WE, THE PRO HEROES ARE HERE! And so we will remain, putting our lives on the line to protect you, the people! For that is our duty, that is why we have trained, and why we continue to train. It is why we strive and struggle to constantly grow and improve, so that we can protect and save others! It is why we always go, PLUS ULTRA!" All Might roared, his fist rising in the air at his proclamation.
Those around Izuku let loose their own shouts and roars at All Might's statement, some of them even raising their fists to mimic All Might as he continued his speech; passionately extolling the virtues of heroism, the bravery of Thirteen, and the magnitude of her incredible sacrifice.
Looking around, Izuku could already see that Thirteen was already becoming a martyr in the eyes of those around him, and probably in the eyes of the country.
There was nothing nobler than self-sacrifice, but more than that, the picture that both Nezu and All Might painted, was a grand one. It was one that exhibited how she had stood strong against overwhelming odds, and had fought to her last to protect her students. People loved an underdog, someone that pushed past their limits and achieved impressive and unbelievable things.
Eraserhead and Snipe were likewise praised, their actions glorified, alongside the resilience and courage of the students that had stood strong. At the same time, the villains were maligned as cowards, and weaklings, as individuals that raged against a society that they had chosen to not be a part of. They were portrayed as remorseless monsters, and as savage terrorists that deliberately targeted children to inflict maximum fear and terror on the public.
From where he was stood, looking up at the screen, Izuku could only watch as the broadcast quickly went from a solemn statement explaining the attack on U.A., to a fierce diatribe denouncing and vilifying the cowardly, craven villains that dared to attack innocent school children and teachers in a place of learning, all while reinforcing the strength and importance of heroes.
Specific importance, he noticed, was put on the lack of injuries received by the students, as well as the sheer number of arrests that were made.
While this was happening, those around him were getting caught up in the passion, and were beginning to shout and cheer for justice, and for the Pro Heroes, and for the fallen hero, Thirteen.
It was almost hypnotic in a way, the way Nezu wove the story of what had happened, even as All Might used his own passion and popularity to decry the acts of the villains, and to lend more weight to what Nezu was saying. It was like he was watching a performance, one that was so captivating that even he, who had been there at the U.S.J., believed it.
They weren't lying, everything they said was true, but they were directing the narrative in a way that shifted the blame from U.A. and the Pro Heroes that taught there, and instead castigated the villains. There were even a few cheap shots thrown out at the journalists that had broken into the school just prior to the attack, with Nezu implying that the initial security breach could have been made during the distraction the media invasion had caused.
It was pretty impressive to watch the principal at work.
Izuku had heard that the mouse man was intelligent, but to see it in person was another thing. More than that there was All Might, he had always thought of All Might as strong, dangerously charismatic and unstoppable, he was the Number One hero after all. He had also known that he was ruthless when he wanted to be, and would go as far as he had to in order to save lives and accomplish his goals as a hero.
He hadn't thought of the man as being cunning, though, or particularly clever. The clumsy way he acted in class, the over the top bravado he constantly put on, it always made Izuku think of him as a fool, a powerful and well-meaning fool, but a fool all the same.
But seeing him now, and seeing how well he worked in tandem with Nezu to turn a would-be disaster into a triumphant victory against impossible odds, and a calling card for action, was changing his view on the Number One.
It appeared All Might was more than he seemed.
It worried him.
"Now, I'd be happy to take any questions, if you have them?" Nezu suddenly said, his words breaking Izuku out of his musing as he instead tuned back in to the ongoing public broadcast.
In response to the question, a number of eager hands thrust into the air, the excitement in the crowd of journalists -all of whom, a cynical part him suspected, had been hand-selected to be invited to the press conference- was almost palpable.
Nezu, however, remained unperturbed and instead just gestured to one of the jostling journalists that had an eager hand up in the air.
"Principal Nezu, have any actions been taken to update U.A.'s security in light of recent events?"
"Yes, we are currently reviewing the security of U.A.'s facilities and will be undertaking a comprehensive update. Similarly, our other sister schools across the country, and government buildings, will likewise be undergoing reviews, specifically reviews on how to protect against Quirks that manipulate or bend space. This is one of the reasons we've cancelled classes for the remainder of this week. Now, I won't say exactly what improvements we will be bringing in, but what I can say, however, is that the upgrades are coming along smoothly." Nezu replied confidently, answering the direction promptly, even if he noticeably didn't offer any real details.
"Principal Nezu, do you know the reason behind the villain's attack? You claim they were targeting staff and students, but for so many to gather, there has to be more to this attack than just to cause terror?"
"From what we are aware of, aside from the main aim of causing terror and strife, another reason behind the attack was their desire to kill me," All Might answered, his booming voice making some of the journalists jump. "Of course their attempt failed, and almost all those involved were captured, and will be facing the judgement of the courts for their crimes."
"Yes, one of the ringleaders mentioned that one of their goals was to target All Might, while cowardly using the students as hostages and distractions so they could get the best of him. We believe they targeted this class in particular because All Might was supposed to be leading it alongside, Thirteen. As for how they knew that, investigators think that the information was acquired during the invasion of U.A.'s ground by journalists just a short while prior to the attack, naturally the police will be investigating the intruders that were identified for links to this villain group, the 'League of Villains'. " Nezu smartly stepped in, smoothly taking over for All Might.
Even from where he stood, Izuku could see some of the journalists on the screen shifting uncomfortably, even as the crowd of watchers around him began to mutter to one another.
"Don't you think it was irresponsible on your part to allow your students to take part in the fighting? From what I've managed to find out, those involved were only first-years." Another journalist piped up into the short silence that followed.
If either Nezu or All Might were bothered by the accusation, they didn't show it.
"Although neither All Might nor myself were at the facility when the attack occurred, I can one hundred percent confirm that none of the teachers present made our students do anything," Nezu answered calmly. "The villain with the Warp Quirk, Kurogiri, used his power to scatter the students throughout the building, leaving them with no choice but to fend for themselves. However, as is expected of U.A. students, they handled themselves remarkably and managed to fend off their attackers with ease. To clarify, U.A. would never, ever make our students -particularly those in only their first week of schooling- go up against actual villains. Due to circumstances beyond our control, they were unfortunately put into that position, despite that, however, they rose to the occasion magnificently, and proved to all and sundry just why they were chosen to attend the country's most prestigious Hero Academy."
"Will the school still be going ahead with their annual Sports Festival in light of current events, and the tragic demise of the Pro Hero, Thirteen?" An elderly looking reporter suddenly asked.
Nezu nodded in affirmation. "Thirteen was an exemplary hero, and both an alumni and an honoured teacher at U.A. She was also a great proponent of the Sports Festival, and as such we will be going ahead this year, and will be doing so in her honour. To not go ahead now would be to give in to the fear the villains wanted to create, and would dishonour Thirteen's noble sacrifice, it is better to stand up and prove to the world that we at U.A. still stand strong. Of course, while undertaking the preparation for the event, our primary concern will be the safety of the students and spectators. As such, we will be upping the security, and will be working alongside a number of Pro Heroes. Many of these Pros are U.A. alumni who have stepped up and volunteered their services to make sure this event, one which was so close to the heart of Thirteen, and all the students of U.A. past and present, goes forward."
The reporters and journalists once again began to murmur to one another at the proclamation.
On the street, Izuku could hear some of those around him muttering too. Many of them seemed happy that the popular, nationally recognised annual event would be going ahead, with some seeming to think that it was a good way of honouring Thirteen. Others meanwhile thought it would be a good statement to the villains that their attack had not worked, and that the students they assaulted had not been broken, and were instead striving to become heroes.
But not everyone thought the same, from where he was standing, Izuku could hear some people airing their concerns about the safety of the event, and about whether or not U.A. was doing the right thing in holding it, especially after one of their teachers was murdered in a school facility just days previously.
Soon after that announcement, the newscast ended, with the screen returning to an image of two TV anchors, both of whom gave a tribute to the fallen hero, Thirteen, and announced the date of a remembrance ceremony that would be taking place in just a few days time, as her family and friends lay her to resting a private funeral. Additionally, they announced the timings and date of a benefit concert in her honour, which would be taking place in a weeks' time, and would be collecting money that would be equally distributed to relief and aid charities, all of which had apparently been close to her heart.
After that, the news program ended and the screens returned to normal, only now instead of advertisements, they were showing a reel of Thirteen's greatest moments, and montages celebrating her heroic career.
Seeing this, Izuku continued to watch the giant screen overhead for a moment, before he nodded his head and carried on his way, a bag of groceries held in his hand as he headed back to his lonely apartment.
( - )
(The next day)
Izuku kept his head down as he walked through the large hallways of U.A. From around him he could see some of the other students, those on other courses than his own, or from the older hero classes, sending him speculative looks as he passed. After Bakugo's outburst in the cafeteria, what seemed like a long time ago now, news of him had quickly spread through the school.
So far, nothing bad had come from it, or at least nothing bad aside from there being more eyes on him than ever before. With some students even stopping in the halls at the sight of him, and then motionlessly, suspiciously, watching him as he walked past.
Some of his fellow students, he noticed, seemed nervous. Others meanwhile, just looked tense, and eyed him like one would a ticking time bomb. Because of this generally wary approach, things at U.A. had become slightly more difficult for him than previously.
No matter where he went, he constantly felt like he was under surveillance. This feeling was further intensified after the attack on the U.S.J., because just as his identity was known, so was his class, as such many of the students were now aware that he had also been caught up in the debacle at the U.S.J.
Whether their knowledge of this fact improved his standing in their eyes, he wasn't sure of. What it did mean, however, was that he was now being scrutinised more than ever.
Keeping his head down as he walked down the corridor, and pulling up the hood of the grey hoodie he had donned under his school blazer, Izuku tried to focus on the music emanating from the earbuds in his ears, and not on the many students watching him as he approached 1a.'s classroom.
Their week off was over, but instead of feeling relaxed and mellow after their impromptu break, he felt more tense than ever.
This would be the first time he had seen or spoken to his classmates since after the U.S.J. incident, back when they had been being briefed on what they were and were not allowed to say, which in turn had occurred just before they had each given their own account of what had gone down.
He was nervous because of this, it was also part of the reason why he was currently running late. He'd deliberately dragged his heels on the walk from the train platform to the school in the hopes of arriving late to class so that he didn't have to have any awkward conversations prior to homeroom. He couldn't avoid them forever, he knew that, but he just needed more time to mentally prepare for what was to come.
Stepping up to the oversized door, Izuku pulled his hood down, his expression strained as he pushed the door open and walked inside.
"Hey, did you guys watch the news last night?" Those words were the first thing he heard as he entered. It was Toru, who spoke. The invisible girl was currently sitting on a desk kicking her invisible, shoe clad feet back and forth, even as she excitedly spoke to some of her classmates.
"Yeah, I saw it. What about it?" Ojiro replied, as he turned his head to the invisible girl. He was sitting in his seat, his legs resting on his desk and his tail idly swinging back and forth behind him.
Entering the classroom, Izuku looked around, his gaze taking in all his classmates.
It looked like he was the last to arrive.
Iida, Ochacko and Tsuyu were all talking around Iida's desk, their voices were hushed but from the expressions on their faces he didn't think they were talking about anything serious.
Yui, he could see, was sitting with Tokoyami and Ibara. From what he could see, she was as silent as she ever was, even as the other two seemed to be arguing about some nonsensical bullshit about light and dark. He could only hear scraps of what they were saying, but from what it sounded like; Ibara was trying to convert the edge lord that was Tokoyami to her way of thinking.
From what little he could pick up from their conversation, she didn't seem to be being successful.
Elsewhere in the room he could see Sato, Sero, Kaminari and Kirishima all laughing about something. But, as he looked closer, he couldn't help but think that their laughter sounded a bit forced. He wasn't sure why, but as they laughed and joked around about some inane topic, he got the sense that they weren't as happy-go-lucky as they outwardly appeared.
Likewise, Mina in the corner didn't look all that happy either. Her usually messy pink hair looked like more of a mess than normal, and there was a distinct redness to her eyes that he hadn't seen there before.
Sitting beside her, talking in hushed tones, were Togeike and Momo. He couldn't pick out what they were saying, but from the sight of Momo holding Mina's hand, he could at least discern that whatever they were talking about was serious. It almost looked like Momo and Togeike were comforting Mina.
As for Todoroki, he had been the first in the room to notice Izuku's quiet entrance. The quiet teen was sat quietly by himself in his seat, an intense look in his blue eyes as glanced over and looked at Izuku. The ice wielder didn't look angry, nor did he look sad or happy. Instead, his expression was emotionless, but no less intense. It almost made Izuku shiver just maintaining eye contact with him.
"Did you see how everyone in class was on-screen? I didn't stand out at all… " Toru continued to say, oblivious to his presence, as she instead continued to whine about how she had not made much of an impression on TV.
Izuku knew what she was talking about.
News station across the city, and probably the country to for that matter, had been running multiple stories on the U.S.J. incident over the last few days. Many of them involved tributes to Thirteen. But some of them contained private footage that had not been officially disseminated.
Some of the footage, he knew, had included their class being looked over by paramedics and debriefed by police. Their faces had been blurred out, but they were still identifiable, as was the fact that none of them had been severely injured, and that they were all instead calmly talking with one another as the medics checked them over and police officers took statements.
The more cynical part of him, the part he didn't like to acknowledge sometimes, thought that the footage might have been deliberately leaked in order to add further evidence to the official story that was being propagated by all of the mainstream networks.
"That's true." Shoji said, speaking up from where he was leaning against a desk. Jiro, he noticed, was standing beside him with her back to the door. As for the final member of their group, Aoyama, he was just mincing back and forth lost in his own little world.
"Well, I wouldn't blame them. It is hard to stand out when they can't really see you, huh?" Ojiro said as he glanced over at Toru's invisible form. "Your hero costume is basically just a pair of boots and some gloves. "
"Don't say it like that, it makes it sound really skeevy!" Toru replied, waving her arms back and forth in denial.
"But man, all the channels made a big deal out of it, didn't they?" Kaminari chipped in, a bright smile on his face as he turned his head from where he was talking with Kirishima, and instead barged into the other group's conversation.
"But none of them made a big deal out of moi!" Aoyama added, with a pout and a twirl.
"Thank god," Jiro muttered under her breath.
"Yeah, bro, I was surprised. It made the headlines everywhere. The entire country knows about it by now!" Kirishima added, turning around too, only for his eyes to widen as he caught sight of Izuku standing beside the now closed door, his back leaning against the wall as he chose to observe his classmates, instead of engaging with them.
"Can you really blame them? The most famous Hero Academy in Japan was attacked by loads of villains out of nowhere. That kind of stuff doesn't happen often, and considering what happened… well I mean, consider what happened with Thirteen..." Jiro said, twirling her long earphone jacks/ earlobes as she trailed off uncomfortably.
A sudden silence rang out across the room at that statement.
Apparently, seeing the silence as an opportunity, and probably also a need for a distraction, Kirishima chose that moment to call out to him. "Yo, Midoriya, good to see you! How've you been, big man? I didn't have your number, so you know, I wasn't able to check up and see over the last few days."
"Hey…," Izuku replied lamely, raising his hand in a perfunctory wave. He was at a loss for what to say next, especially with all his classmates, and some of his, dare he say it, friends, looking back at him.
"Hey Midoriya," Toru instantly erupted, her mood suddenly brightening even as she quickly slipped off her desk and ran to him, before, without warning, she threw her arms around him and gave him a hug.
Almost at once he froze, it had been a long time since anyone had hugged him.
He wasn't sure what to do in response.
Following Toru's lead, the rest of the class piled in on him, or at least most of them. With Kirishima letting out a bark of laughter and punching him on the arm.
"That was a badass display the other day! You literally played baseball with that Nomu freak!" Kirishima laughed.
"It's good to see you, I was worried. Why didn't you get in contact!" Mina cried out, replacing Toru moments after she broke off her hug, with one of her own, her horns tickling his nose slightly as she buried her face in his chest. "It's all been so horrible. Right, we're exchanging numbers right now!"
"Err," Izuku tried to respond, his mind going blank, even as Mia broke off her hug and proceeded to make his decision for him as she dug around his blazer pocket and pulled out his cheap, rarely used phone.
"Hey," Yui said as she sidled up to him. Her expression was blank as she tilted her head to one side and looked up at him. "You good?"
"Er yeah, fine." Izuku acknowledged, only to jump as Sero chose that moment to clap him on the back.
"That was a mental day, wasn't it. I mean, man, who knows what could've happened if you weren't there 'titaning it up'." Sero said, a crooked grin on his face.
"Oh, don't even joke about that!" Ochako said, as she seemed to pale at even the thought of just what could have happened.
"Nah, it would have been fine, All Might arrived didn't he. I mean, did you see him smash his way through the doors. If he'd only been a few seconds faster, he would have probably arrived in time to smash that prick Togaraki's face in!" Kaminari laughed, the humour behind the action not quite reaching his eyes.
"Hey, Mina, have you stuck your number in yet? Pass over to me once you're done." Toru called out, taking Izuku's phone off of Mina now, even as she pulled out her own phone and began to twiddle around with it.
"Oh, can you put me in there too." Jiro called out, "Oh, and send me his number as well."
"Same here, we're all classmates, it's important to keep in touch, especially if some more shit like this happens. Speaking of; Iida, Shoji, Ibara, Yui, Todoroki, Togeike and Tokyoami, could you all also send me your digits?" Kirishima added, with several of the other lads chiming in also.
"For school council purposes, I should also probably have a way of contacting him." Momo said, her face bright red.
As all this was going on, Izuku could only look around in confusion.
There were no accusatory looks in people's eyes, no judgement. If anything, they looked happy to see him. The mood of the room seemed to have improved after he arrived, and the groups had all converged. It was odd, and confusing. Especially considering he didn't often say much in class, or in training, or even while they were having their lunch in the cafeteria. He preferred to just observe and listen.
Glancing over at Yui, who was still beside him, he gave her a questioning look.
He only received a shrug back in response, and a small smile.
The girl was just as confusing as this whole situation was becoming.
As he thought that, the bell started to ring overhead announcing that homeroom and just started.
"Right, that's it everyone, calm down! Morning homeroom is about to start! So stop talking and take your seats!" Iida loudly exclaimed as he stood in front of the classroom.
"Hey, Iida, you do remember Momo is Class Rep, right?" Kaminari smirked.
Iida flushed red.
Jiro meanwhile, cuffed Kaminari around the back of the head. "And you're at the bottom of the class, behave."
"He is right, though. We should all being taking our seats now." Momo called out, a pink flush on her cheeks at all the attention suddenly on her, as she then gestured for everyone to sit.
Doing as she said, Izuku followed the rest of his class as he sat.
"Oh by the way, Midoriya, here's your phone." Ibara said softly, as she took the seat next to him and handed him his phone back.
Taking it from her, Izuku flicked it open and scanned through his contacts. As he looked through it, his eyes widened as he saw sixteen new names on it, joining the two takeaway numbers and Doctor Nakamura's number, the only phone numbers he had had on his phone prior to today.
Idly, he noticed that Mina had put a heart emoji next to her name. Toru, meanwhile, had somehow managed to find a pink unicorn symbol to put next to her contact name. Likewise, some of the others had personalised their contact names on his phone, including Kirishima, who had put his name down as: Red Riot (Kirishima).
Flicking his phone away moments later, with an unfamiliar feeling bubbling up his chest, Izuku once again decided to tune back into what was going on around him.
"Hey, Asui, who's gonna teach homeroom today, do you think?" Ochako muttered, her voice audible within the now much quieter classroom.
Tsuyu placed her finger on her chin in response, as she thought the question over, "Well, Aziawa was badly hurt so will probably be in the hospital recovering from his injuries…"
She began to say, before suddenly being interrupted as the door to the classroom opened.
"Good morning class. I hope you're all doing fine today." Aizawa said boredly, his face and arms were completely wrapped in bandages and he was using a crutch. This was even after several days of rest, and Recovery Girl using her Quirk on him.
"Woah, I think you might be back too soon, sir!" Sero called out, Sato and Kaminari nodding their heads in agreement.
"Man, you're too much of a Pro!" Kirishima tagged on, a bright grin on his face as he sent the teacher a look of admiration. The man had obviously fought past the pain his injuries were clearly causing him, just so he could come into school and teach his class.
Izuku kind of felt the same. It was stupid, but pretty damned admirable too!
"So you're alright, sir?" Iida asked.
"Can you really call that 'alright'?" Shoji muttered in response.
Aizawa ignored the questions as he instead made his way to his desk and took a seat. "My well-being does not matter. There are more important matters at hand." Aizawa took a moment to stare around the classroom, "The Sports Festival is drawing near."
"Hold on, wait a minute!" Kaminari said, his eyes widening and a grin spreading across his face. "That's still happening?"
"Yeah, of course it is, did you not see the news?" Toru replied, enthusiastically. "They're going ahead with it in Thirteen's honour."
"Yeah, but is it okay to have a Sports Festival so soon after the villains snuck inside?" Jiro asked nervously.
"They said on the news that security has been upgraded." Momo answered.
"What if they attack us again or something though… ?" Ojiro said, worrying his lip slightly with his teeth.
"Apparently, they think of it as U.A. showing that we still stand strong, even after a tragedy, and that we won't be letting the villains win by allowing the fear they tried to spread get to us, and stop us from doing what we want to do. I agree. Thirteen was a great hero, and she fought so that people could go about their everyday lives, and live happy, safe, prosperous lives. It would be dishonouring her memory if we allow the fear to win. That said, security will be strengthened to five times that of previous years. Above all, we also didn't want you, the students, to miss out. The Sports Festival is a huge chance. It is not an event to be cancelled because of a few villains, most of whom have been caught, and are locked up and awaiting trial as we speak." Aizawa replied bluntly.
Izuku tensed at Aziawa's words.
The U.A. Sports Festival was one of Japan's biggest events. In the past there was the Olympics, and the whole country had been crazy about them. That is, until Quirks came along, and normal human feats of athleticism became boring. In Japan, what replaced the Olympics was the U.A. Sports Festival. Which of course meant that for those few days, the eyes of the country would be on the U.A. Hero Course, and for at least a week they would be household names.
For the others, that was a great thing. After all, top Heroes from around the country would be watching, for scouting purposes. If you performed well, you were guaranteed a spot in a top Hero Agency during your internships and placements. You would also create a strong platform with the public too, which in turn would make you much more successful when starting out as a Pro Hero.
For Izuku though, it meant showing himself to the public, and the public becoming aware of just who he was, and what he was trying to do.
The Titan of Mustafa, trying to be a Pro Hero.
He could imagine the response now.
As he was thinking this, the rest of his class were muttering and talking amongst themselves.
"Of course, joining a famous Hero Agency will get you more experience and popularity. Time is limited. If you expect to go Pro, then the path to your future will open up at this event. One chance a year… A total of just three chances during your school career. No aspiring Heroes can afford to miss this event! If you understand that, then don't slack off on your preparations! The Sports Festival is a global event. The entire world will be watching you. So, don't screw it up!" Aizawa exclaimed, piling on the pressure now as he gazed around at his students.
"Yes, sir!" The class shouted in response.
"Good, now homeroom is dismissed."
( - )
AN: So what did you think? Please leave a review, comment etc. If you have any questions or suggestions feel free to PM me.
Also I am on a discord with a load of other writers, so if you fancy popping over to ask questions or offer suggestions about this story, or any of my other ones, or to find new authors you might not have come across yet, please feel free to use the link in my bio.
Thanks for reading, and I'll see you later.
Greed720.