When Izuku arrived at UA the next morning, he was met with a media circus crowding the front gates of the school. Oh boy. This is going to be unpleasant. Thankfully, he could put off having to deal with shoving his way through the mass of bodies as he waited for his friends.
"Damn," Hitoshi said, yawning as he approached. "Wonder what's got them all riled up this early in the morning."
"I think they found out about All Might being a teacher here," Izuku replied, scanning the crowd. "They keep questioning students about him. Which they're not supposed to since they're minors. Ugh…it's going to be such a pain to get through that." A shiver ran up his spine at the thought of being pushed on all side by other bodies. He hated big crowds.
Thankfully, by that time, Aizawa had come to address the mass of reporters, making them disperse enough to let students through. Mei showed up at this time and they had no issue entering the campus. Izuku shot the Erasure Hero a grateful look and received a nod in return. Though he did jump when one adventurous reporter tried to enter too, activating the UA Barrier which slammed the gate shut in their face.
Mei and Izuku made it to 1-H with a few minutes to spare, allowing them time to ready themselves for homeroom. Soon after, Maijima arrived and homeroom began. With the normalcy of it all, he couldn't help but smile. It was nice falling into a new routine.
"Good morning, class," Maijima began, receiving a greeting in return. "First off, Midoriya…"
Again? Is calling me out going to be a recurring thing? Not the kind of routine I wanted to make.
"Principal Nezu has requested to see you. Please bring your belongings and head to his office. And no, you're not in trouble." The last bit the teacher added as the other students teased him for being called out, again.
Izuku and Mei shared a look, both shrugging since neither knew why the principal would be interested in him. As Maijima continued with homeroom, the greenette packed his bag while the class started on their next task of choosing the class officers. Something that Izuku didn't mind missing since he hoped to be transferred in the near future. As the 1-H students began to vote, he headed out of the classroom. It didn't take him long to get to the principal's office, and after steeling his nerve, he knocked on the door.
"Come in!" a voice called out from the room.
Cautiously, Izuku opened the door and entered the room. Principal Nezu was seated at his desk and Aizawa was leaning on the wall behind the mammal. Taking a breath to steady himself, the Support student walked into the room and made his way toward them.
"Thank you for joining us, Midoriya-kun," Nezu greeted with a smile. "Please sit. We have something to discuss with you. Would you like some tea?" He gestured toward the seat in front of his desk as he pulled out a tea set.
Sitting down, Izuku graciously took the tea, took a sip, and turned his full attention toward the principal. "Wh-what is it that you wanted t-to talk to me about, sir?"
"Ah yes, there is something that Aizawa-san has brought to my attention," Nezu explained. He picked up a piece of paper and held it out to Izuku. "Does this look familiar to you?"
The greenette took the paper and nodded his head, recognizing its contents immediately. It was a copy of his notes on Eraserhead from his notebook. He has a copy of it? Why? Izuku looked from the paper to the Hero himself with a questioning look.
"When Maijima came to give me the goggles you made," Aizawa explained, tone neutral as ever. "He showed me that notebook of yours. Decided to make a copy of them. Impressive analysis by the way." Izuku couldn't help but blush as one of his favorite Heroes complimented him.
"Yes, quite impressive indeed," Nezu agreed. "Such a skill is very useful, one that should be nurtured and refined. Which is why we have called you here this morning. Do you have this notebook with you? I'd like to take a look at it if you would allow me."
"Oh, s-sure," the student replied, reaching into his bag. "Just be c-careful with it, please. It's…had a rough t-time."
He handing the tattered notebook which the principal carefully took from him. Izuku watched as Nezu slowly flipped through the pages, his black eyes soaking up the information inside with intimidating speed. The student started to fidget as the minutes passed by.
"My my! This is more than I was expecting!" Nezu exclaimed. "This hobby of yours could rival a professional's analysis work."
"Y-you really think so?" Izuku asked, blushing slightly from the compliment.
"I do indeed. Your mind intrigues me, Midoriya-kun," Nezu replied, placing the notebook down on his desk and bringing his paws together in front of him. "Such a skill as this is important in our line of work. Most people take years to train their minds to think as you do. Because of this, I have a proposition for you. Normally we don't start analysis training until second year, but I think we should start yours as soon as possible. I would like to help you with this and take you as my personal student."
Izuku didn't miss when Aizawa seemed to flinch slightly at that. Is that a bad thing? Should I be worried? He looked toward the tired man, searching for answers but the man gave nothing away.
"Y-you want to t-teach me…personally?" Izuku asked as he turned back to the principal, not quite believing what he was hearing.
"Of course," Nezu said smiling. Whether the smile was a good thing or not remained to be seen. "As you most likely know, my Quirk is High Specs which gives me an IQ that is higher than most humans. As such, I have a hard time finding someone with an intelligence to rival my own. Your analysis is something that I've taken a personal interest in to explore and improve. It would also be in UA's best interest to help you hone this skill."
Izuku didn't know what to say, his mouth opening and closing like a fish in his loss for words. He swore he heard a chuckle from Aizawa that he covered with a cough. Sending a quick glare at the man, the greenette got a hold of himself again after a few deep breaths.
"I-I…okay, if I agreed to this," Izuku said, his fist balled up on his knees. "How w-would that work exactly? I have a full c-class schedule, studio time, and I need to u-use the time after school to train."
"Ah yes, I've been thinking about that," Nezu said, turning to his computer. "I've heard from Yamada-san that you are fluent in English and your grades have been excellent in that subject at your previous schools. I think that the class time for that particular subject would be of better use improving your analysis, rather than studying a language you already know. We will talk with Yamada-san in regards to what assignments he would still require you to complete to pass the class, but other than that, I would like you to work on assignments set by me during that time."
"I guess that could work," Izuku responded, hand on his chin in thought. "I've been learning English since I was little. My dad works in America and thought it was an important skill to have. I was worried about being bored during that class actually. I had that issue in junior high school."
"Then we are in agreement?" Nezu inquired. "That during your regular English classes, you will complete the necessary assignments in addition to analysis projects created by myself?"
"Yes, Nezu-sensei," Izuku agreed, smiling with a determined look in his eyes. "Please take care of me."
"Excellent! I'll take care of the necessary steps to make this happen," Nezu said, clapping his hands together happily. "I will need to talk with Yamada-san to notify him of the change as well as your homeroom teacher. In the meantime, I would like to inform you of your first assignment."
"Already?" Wow, that was fast. Then again, he is Principal Nezu.
"No time like the present!" Nezu said as he scanned the pages of notes again. "Your first assignment is to put your notes into code. There must be a way to protect this information."
"Eh?" Izuku let out, confused.
"One of the points Aizawa-san made was that your notes are vulnerable in their current state," Nezu explained, looking up at his new personal student. "To which I have to agree. Your level of information and understanding could be dangerous in the wrong hands. I'm afraid I must request that we keep your notebooks here at UA for safe keeping."
"Eh?!"
"Midoriya, we are not saying you can't continue these notebooks," Aizawa interjected to prevent the boy from freaking out too much. "However, we also cannot allow them to be vulnerable as they have been so far. If a Villain were to get their hands on your analysis, they could use it to do some real damage. We would like to bring them in and teach you to code your information to secure them."
"Correct," Nezu confirmed with a nod. "We only want to ensure your safety as well as secure the information you provide. I will help you develop a code for your notebooks which you will then use to rewrite them. That is my first assignment for you."
"Y-you have a point," Izuku complied, nervous hands fidgeting on his knees. "Nobody e-ever showed any interest in my n-notebooks before so I n-never really thought about it like that. Wh-when would you like me t-to bring them in by?"
"Today if convenient," Nezu answered. "Aizawa-san has volunteered to accompany you home after school today to collect them. He will then bring them back here for safe keeping."
"W-will I be able to use m-my notebooks at school?" Izuku asked hesitantly, afraid that they would say no. He couldn't imagine not having his notebook with him, not after all these years of the hobby.
"I believe we can arrange some way to allow you access," Nezu replied, handing back the notebook. "Perhaps checking out what you need and then returning it before leaving campus. At least until you have them all encoded. Though even once they are, I feel we should limit the number of them out in public. Just in case."
"O-okay," Izuku agreed. It made more sense to protect his notebooks the more he thought about it. "Is there a-anything else you wanted to talk about?"
"I believe that is all we needed to discuss today," Nezu answered, before addressing the man next to him. "Unless you have anything, Aizawa-san?"
"Midoriya, are you planning on training with Shinsou today or working in the Support studio?" Aizawa asked.
"P-probably the studio," Izuku replied, gathering his things and standing up. "I gave Hitoshi-kun a workout routine for when I can't come, and I h-haven't been able to work in the studio since I've been o-observing the Hero Training. There's only so much time b-before the Sports Festival and I need to use it wisely."
"Very well, I'll meet you there when it's time to leave," Aizawa said with a nod. "But if you finish early, I'll be working with Shinsou in Gym Gamma."
"We'll make sure to balance your time in the Support studio, Midoriya-kun," Nezu added as his personal student made to leave. "You are a Support student after all. It wouldn't do to prevent you from using our resources here in UA. You can go back to class. We'll meet again to discuss your analysis training."
"Thank you, Nezu-sensei and Aizawa-sensei," Izuku said with a bow and then headed for the door.
...
Midoriya bowed again at the door and exited the office. Aizawa and Nezu watched his retreating form as the door closes. The man then walked around the desk and took the seat the boy had been sitting in.
"What is this training you mentioned, Aizawa-san?" Nezu asked, taking a sip of tea.
"Midoriya and another student, Shinsou Hitoshi, have been training for the Sports Festival since day one of starting at UA," Aizawa explained. The principal typed in the new name and pulled up the student's school profile. "Other than those notes, another tidbit that Midoriya knows is that I transferred into the Hero Course by placing high in the festival. Both Midoriya and Shinsou aim to do the same. They want to become Heroes."
Nezu nodded for him to continue.
"As I've said many times, the Hero Practical is flawed. Shinsou's Quirk is Brainwashing and has no effect on robots. He did try for the practical but failed because of that. Something he figured would happen and had applied for General Studies as a backup plan. Midoriya said he didn't even bother to try because of, and I quote, 'obvious reasons'."
"His lack of Quirk, of course," Nezu commented with an understanding nod.
"Correct. Maijima suspects he plans to use his proposed Quirk Replicating Support Items to get himself through the festival. To compensate for not having a Quirk."
"An intriguing idea," Nezu stated, continuing to sip his tea.
"On top of that, he has experience with hand-to-hand, something that many students lack or ignore. I watched Midoriya lead Shinsou through training on the first day and he's got the ground work down. Shinsou was noticeably inexperienced but willing to learn. So, yesterday I offered to help train them."
"That's quite out of character for you, Aizawa-san," the principal pointed out with a teasing tone. "Taking on students that are not your own?"
"They have potential," Aizawa retorted with a huff, crossing his arms. "I hope that if they are able to achieve their goal for the festival, I can finally convince you that the Hero Practical needs an update and differentiation to be effective. Becoming a Hero should not be dictated by what Quirk you have. I, myself, didn't pass the practical, as you know. Yet I am a Pro Hero now despite that set back. I believe they have the potential to as well."
"I see. Well then, I will keep an eye out for them during the festival," Nezu said, placing his paws together. "However, I will not show bias. They must prove themselves with their own strength and skills. As you did."
"Agreed," Aizawa said with a nod before getting up and heading towards the door. Before he left, he paused and glanced back at the principal. "When they get into the Hero Course, I call dibs."
With that, he left to relieve Yamada from covering his homeroom. The wording on his parting comment did not go unnoticed by the principal.
Not if, when.
...
Reminder for how to access the tumblr since this site doesn't allow direct links. Please use the below format to go to the blog. But with actual punctuation because I had to even spell those out to write this here. You can also find the link to the discord on the tumblr!
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