The words' 36 Hours Earlier' appeared on the screen, along with someone speaking who they couldn't see just yet.
"Wait, so we're just supposed to move on from that?" Rika exclaimed. How could they possibly move on from such a thing so quickly?
Himjimari sighs, "Unfortunately, I do not control this aspect of the viewing."
"Izuku Midoriya. Visionary. Genius. American patriot."
Even when many were still in distress, they still scoffed at the idea. Midoriya Izuku could never be a patriot. And how dare they refer to someone by their first name! Who was this man to have that right?
They had completely overlooked that the man said American. Sure, they had already been told that he moved to America within the next year but they seem to still be in disbelief over the fact.
"Even from an early age, the son of legendary weapons developer Hizashi Midoriya quickly stole the spotlight with his brilliant and unique mind."
"What the hell is this shit?" Bakugou scowls. "Who is Midoriya Hizashi?"
Izuku was confused. Yes, Bakugou and he never had the best of relationships but he knew he talked about his father. "That's my father's name."
No one gets a chance to react the man speaks once again. They don't know what they'd say if they had gotten the chance, as far as they knew, Deku's dad never existed, was dead, or left due to Deku's quirklessness.
"At age four, he built his first circuit board," a photo of four-year-old Izuku holding a circuit board.
"There's no way," Kaija mutters with a defiant look.
"Agreed," Bakugou nods. "The nerd is too stupid for something like that."
Izuku has a look of genuine hurt. He was used to physical attacks, but an attack on his intelligence?
Their teacher was confused. Izuku was always getting the answers right, no matter the subject. He was instructed by the principal to downplay his grades so he wouldn't take the focus away from his star student. Star, he mentally scoffs. Bakugou Katsuki was not a star student. In any other circumstance, Bakugou would have been the delinquent who just so happened to know enough to pass his classes.
"At age six, his first engine," a photo of six-year-old Izuku next to an engine.
"And at 17, he graduated summa cum laude from MIT," a photo of Izuku with a degree.
Hajimari smirks when she hears the sound of pop rocks. That's the easiest way to decipher Bakugou Katsuki's explosions when he knows that if he fully lets himself go in her presence he'd be removed from any possibility at UA. It wouldn't get him blacklisted from other schools, but UA was the school of his dreams and he refused to put down any other options, so sure of himself that he'd get in simply for his quirk.
It was clear that Bakugou and Kaija did not appreciate being made for fools. That wasn't Hajimari's fault, however. They were the ones who insisted the smartest person in the room was so unintelligent that he couldn't have possibly graduated from Aldrea itself. Fortunately for Midoriya, the school had to pass him. All his work was given back to him and could easily be used against them if they had decided to fail him.
"Then, the passing of a titan," a photo of Hizashi Midoriya, followed by a magazine cover of Izuku and an older, balding man standing behind him, both facing away from the other.
Maiha faces the green-haired boy expecting to see grief, only to see a blank expression. Why wasn't he reacting? Did they not have a good relationship?
"Hizashi Midoriya's lifelong friend and ally, Obadiah Stane, steps in to help fill the gap left by the legendary founder, until, at age 21, the prodigal son returns and is anointed the new CEO of Midoriya Industries."
Bakugou freezes. How did he never know about this? Whipping around to growl at his once friend. "Why the hell wasn't I told about this, huh?"
Instead of how everyone expected Deku to answer he responded in a way they could have never expected. "I did tell you, you told me that I was a liar and that I didn't have a father so I should stop trying to gain attention."
Izuku was frustrated even if he didn't show it outwardly. He knows that was uncalled for due to him telling Bakugou when they were five and most of them don't remember enough of that time. Even with that knowledge, he can't find it in himself to feel bad for snapping at his… What would he call him now? He wasn't his friend anymore so he couldn't call him that and if he moved away from Japan then he knew he wouldn't continue to call him Kacchan. He guesses the only right way to refer to Bakugou Katsuski is to call him his bully. That sounded better.
Luckily for him, Bakugou was in so much shock over Deku talking back to him that he didn't respond. All he did was open and close his mouth like a fish. That was fine, it worked out better for Izuku that way.
"With the keys to the kingdom, Izuku ushers in a new era for his father's legacy, creating smarter weapons, advanced robotics, satellite targeting. Today, Izuku Midoriya has changed the face of the weapons industry by ensuring freedom and protecting America and her interests around the globe," a black man is shown at a podium and holding a trophy.
"Weapons," the boy shivers. "I know you mentioned that earlier, but I still get chills thinking about those things."
Usually, a comment like that would earn someone a response of, 'pussy' or 'weak'. Not this time. They were just as uncomfortable with the idea as he was.
Izuku has no reason to stay quiet, "Hajimari," he draws her attention, along with everyone else's. "Who is he?" A motion to the paused screen was enough for her to understand the question.
Hajimari smiles, "His name is James Rhodes, he's your best friend." Izuku was excited about that fact, while everyone else was in shock once again.
"As liaison to Midoriya Industries, I've had the unique privilege of serving with a real patriot. He is my friend and he is my great mentor. Ladies and gentlemen, it is my honour to present this year's Apogee Award to Mr. Izuku Midoriya," he finishes his speech, looking around for the man who was not there.
"Izuku?"
"You didn't even show up to your award ceremony?"
Izuku was confused and it showed on his face. Why would he not show up? He has never won anything in his life! Why was his future self acting as if it was a normal occurrence?
Oh, right. That would be because it was a normal occurrence. The way Rhodes talked proved that.
Obadiah takes a glance around, noticing the same thing Rhodes did and rushes up to the podium. Accepting the trophy handed to him with a smile. "Thank you, Colonel."
"Thanks for the save," Rhodes responds, leaving to take his seat in the crowd.
Izuku shivers. Why does he get a bad feeling about this man?
Hajimari doesn't react outwardly but on the inside she is furious. She had seen far enough into the future to know who this man was and what he had done to Midoriya. As to prevent herself from shouting at the screen she grips the arm of the couch.
He admires the trophy with a grin, "This is beautiful. Thank you." He now addresses the crowd in front of him. "Thank you all very much. This is wonderful. Well, I'm not Izuku Midoriya. But if I were Izuku, I would tell you how honoured I feel and what a joy it is to receive this very prestigious award. Izuku, you know…" he chuckles. "The best thing about Izuku is also the worst thing, He's always working."
No one got to comment before they had an image of an older Midoriya thrown into their face. To say they were shocked would be an understatement; Deku was hot. He had some stubble on his face and a pair of red-lensed sunglasses. That was shocking, but what he was doing was more so.
Izuku is seen in a casino rolling some dice. "Work it! Come on!"
Izuku Midoriya was gambling, and from the look of it, he was winning.
He smiles at the woman beside him and says, "We should just stay till the morning."
And he was flirting with a woman. Deku was flirting! That wasn't something they ever expected, not even Izuku.
"You are unbelievable," Rhodes says, frustratedly walking over to his friend.
Izuku winces, remembering the shit show that was the award ceremony. He stood his friend up and that was not something he liked knowing.
"Oh, no!" Izuku begins with fake sympathy. "Did they rope you into this?"
Why did he sound so unapologetic? Izuku was getting uncomfortable thinking about how he was treating his friend of who knows how long.
Rhodes looks indigent at that, "Nobody roped me into anything!"
Izuku looks up at his friend, this time with real sympathy in his voice. "I'm so sorry." The sympathy in his voice was still there even if his focus wasn't on his friend but rather on the table in front of him.
'I'm not even paying attention to him,' Izuku thinks in dismay.
Rhodes moves the trophy closer to Izuku, "But they told me that if I presented you with an award, you'd be deeply honoured."
Izuku doesn't seem to notice the trophy as he begins to shake the dice in his hands, "Of course, I'd be deeply honoured. And it's you, that's great. So, when do we do it?"
Izuku groans at his future self. Why was he so smart yet so stupid?
There were no other reactions, they didn't know how to. This was a whole new side to Midoriya that not even he had seen before. All they could think about was how different he was from what they expected him to be like, even with what would happen in 36 hours.
"It's right here," Rhodes hands Izuku the trophy. "Here you go." Izuku takes the trophy with an uncomfortable look.
"There it is," Izuku looks at it, something akin to boredom. "That was easy," he looks back to Rhodes. "I'm so sorry."
The man just nods with a faint smile. He knows his friend hadn't done it on purpose. "Yeah, it's okay."
Izuku blinks. Why was he fine with that? Was it such a normal thing for them that he had no other response? If it was that made Izuku frown. He needs to seriously reevaluate his future actions. That was a sentence no one ever thought they'd have to think.
"Wow!" Izuku takes a closer look. "Would you look at that? That's something else. I don't have any of those floating around." Izuku places the trophy on the floor beside him, going back to the table. "Uh, we're gonna let it ride! Give me a hand will you? Give me a little something-something." The woman blows on his hand with the dice clenched inside.
"So that's why I didn't show up," Izuku mumbles. Unfortunately for him, due to Hajimari's quirk, even his mumbles were able to be understood.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Katsuki scowls. He didn't want to think about Deku let alone hear about him getting awards for some stupid shit.
Izuku jumps but looks at the blonde, "It's clear that my future self has won a decent amount of awards if that was his reaction." He spoke with a sense of confidence that he was not used to feeling. Maybe seeing how confident he was going to be in the future upped his confidence now.
By this point, they were growing used to the fact that Deku was gambling.
"Okay," he faces Rhodes with a shit-eating grin. "You, too." He holds his dice hand out for his friend.
It wasn't just Izuku who choked on his saliva. Even the ones who didn't want to think anything good about Deku were trying not to laugh at his newfound humour.
Rhodes looks irritated at the suggestion, "I don't blow on another man's dice."
"Come on, honey bear." Izuku goaded, never losing his grin.
Izuku groans again. Why did he have to be like this? He covers his head in his arms in embarrassment.
"I don't blow on a man's dice," Rhodes reiterates before knocking the dice in Izuku's hand away causing them to roll.
Many lean forward wanting to see if Rhodes will help Midoriya win.
Izuku looks excited, "There it is. Lieutenant Colonel Rhodes rolls! And…"
"Two craps," the dealer states, pulling the dice back in. "Line away."
Rhodes however looks satisfied, "That's what happens."
Someone snickers, "He looks so proud of himself."
Izuku, on the other hand, does seem phased. "Worse things have happened. I think we're gonna be fine." He grins at both Rhodes and the dealer. "Color me up, will ya?"
"I am still optimistic, apparently," Izuku mumbles with his head still in his hands.
A while later Izuku and Rhodes are walking out of the casino with another man. He seemed to be someone who worked for Tony.
"This is where I exit," Rhodes says as they get closer to where his car is parked.
Izuku nods, patting his friend on the shoulder in farewell. "All right."
Before entering his car, Rhodes turns back to Izuku, pointing a finger at the man's chest. "Tomorrow, don't be late," he states sternly.
"Yeah," Izuku nods. "You can count on it."
Izuku sighs. "I'm going to be late, aren't I?" He gets some laughs from people who guessed that would be the case.
Izuku didn't sound truthful to Rhodes as he grew frustrated. "I'm serious!"
"I know, I know," Izuku is finally allowed to leave for his vehicle with the other man. He stops however when he sees a man dressed as Julius Caesar. Handing him the trophy without looking back he quotes, "Render unto Caesar, that which is Caesar's. There you go."
They're not that far from their car before they are drawn back by a woman.
"Now, who's that?" Their teacher asks. This wasn't what he had been expecting when they were told they needed to watch Midoriya's future.
