Chapter 25: A Better Tomorrow
We had been standing by in our assigned waiting area for the better part of an hour. Most of the class was either distracting themselves with nervous conversation or sitting in silent contemplation. I wasn't surprised to see that Shoji, Bakugou, Todoroki, Tokoyami, and Iida all appeared to be handling the pressure well, but everyone else was on the brink of an anxiety attack if their constant fidgeting was any indication.
"Aww man! I was totally hoping I could wear my costume!" Ashido complained, dramatically tugging at her gym uniform.
"It'd be one thing to give the okay for anyone with a purely aesthetic costume, but it would be a huge advantage for people like Katsuki or Jiro. This is the eighty-seventh sports festival hosted by U.A., and a non-hero student has only made the final four twice. Both of those students took fourth. Honestly, I think the staff just want to make it as fair as possible for the other courses." I replied, chuckling at Ashido's pout.
Her outburst had the unintended side effect of lightening the atmosphere somewhat. A few of my classmates laughed at her antics and conversation briefly picked up, but all mirth evaporated when Yaoyorozu finally returned from her meeting with the staff and the other class representatives.
"Okay, everyone. We'll be entering the arena in five minutes, so let's go ahead and make our way to the entrance tunnel." She announced.
Pushing off the wall I had been leaning against, I headed towards the exit, only for Todoroki to abruptly step in front of me.
"Midoriya." He said coolly, eyeing me up and down.
And so it begins.
A wide smile slid across my features as all eyes in the room turned to us. "Todoroki." I acknowledged.
"From an objective standpoint, I think it's fairly clear that you and I are the strongest students in the class." Todoroki stated matter-of-factly.
I noticed Bakugou's thunderous expression out of the corner of my eye, but kept my focus locked on Todoroki.
When I tentatively nodded my agreement, he continued. "However, you've got All Might in your corner helping you out. I don't particularly care what your relationship with him is. Just know that I will defeat you."
There was a pregnant pause before Kaminari made an awkward joke in an attempt to break the tension. "Whoa, what's with all these declarations of war lately?"
Kirishima was the next to intervene, walking over and placing a hand on Todoroki's shoulder. "Yeah, what's the big deal? Why are you picking a fight all of a sudden? And right before we get started."
Todoroki jerked his arm away from Kirishima's hand, holding my gaze a second longer before turning sharply on his heel and making for the exit. "We're not here to be each other's friends. Don't forget, this isn't a team effort."
Just as Todoroki reached the door, I called out, prompting him to face me again. "Ignore everyone else at your own peril, Todoroki. It won't just be our classmates that are aiming for the top. Allow yourself to get caught looking too far ahead,-" My smile morphed into a challenging smirk. "-and you may find yourself bowing out long before you run into me."
Without waiting for a reply, I strode past Todoroki, casting a quick side glance at a scowling Bakugou before I made my way down the hall towards the entrance tunnel.
The music began following Present Mic's introduction, giving us our cue to walk out into the arena. We had been able to hear the roar of the crowd before we even stepped into the tunnel, but as we emerged into the sunlight bathing the field of Sports Festival Stadium, I found myself in awe at the sheer size of the venue. The stadium boasted a capacity of nearly two hundred thousand, and it was clear that every single seat was occupied for the day's events.
That kind of attendance is unheard of for the first year tournament. Normally the first years don't even compete here, they're in the secondary stadium that has about a third the capacity. I suppose the desire to see the class that survived a villain attack caused a surge in demand. That, and the endless rumors regarding All Might's 'secret' apprentice.
"I hope we're still able to give our best performances, even though all these eyes are on us. I suppose it's just another aspect of being a hero we all have to get used to." Iida said from beside me, barely audible over the cacophony of applause.
Coming to a halt before the central stage where Midnight awaited us, I watched as the other classes arrived in turn. Most of the non-hero students looked extremely uncomfortable with the massive crowd, and more than a handful looked like they would rather not be participating at all. The sports festival wasn't optional, and while the games held for students that were knocked out in the first two rounds were known to be very lighthearted and fun, I couldn't entirely disagree with two nearby general students when they began complaining that they were only there to make hero students look better in the first round.
The primary events do give any students who want to transfer into the hero course an opportunity to impress, but for most of them, it's just a tedious event they have to slog through before they can do anything actually enjoyable. I imagine more than half the non-hero students will fail to make it past the ravine, and that's if they even bother with the robots.
As the last classes arrived in the central area, Midnight stepped up to the microphone. Ignoring the lustful attention she was receiving from much of the audience, she snapped her horse whip.
"Silence, everyone! For the student commencement address, we have Izuku Midoriya!" She proclaimed.
"Wait, Midoriya, you're the first year rep?" Kaminari bumbled in surprise.
"He did finish first in the entrance test." Sero offered as an explanation.
An annoyed sigh sounded behind me as I made my way towards the stage.
"Only for the hero course exams." One of the general education girls responded irritably.
Her comment garnered my attention, and I started mumbling under my breath while making my way up the stairs to the microphone. "That's actually a really good idea. Since the winner of the sports fest is always a hero course student and they get to make a short victory speech during the medal ceremony anyway, it would make way more sense to have whoever scored highest on the academic exams handle the commencement speech, regardless of which track they're in."
I had forgotten all about that little exchange. It would make the other tracks feel more like equals and emphasize that U.A. also values its educational standards, not just hero training. I should bring it up to Nedzu some-
"A wonderful idea, Midoriya!" A cheery voice suddenly blasted through the speaker system, giving half the stadium a heart attack and eliciting a surprised string of curses from myself.
Waiting a few seconds for the audience to relax, Nedzu continued from wherever he was broadcasting. "Midoriya, why don't you and Ms Mashimo write up a proposal for a change to the sports festival procedure and present it to me at your earliest convenience. Also, please watch your language. You're in front of the microphone now, and the whole world can hear everything you say!" He chirped happily, causing the brown-haired girl I assumed was Mashimo to blanch in terror at her complaint having been overheard by the principal.
"Uh, sure, I guess, but um… Sir, how did you even hear me?" I asked bemusedly.
"Not to worry, Midoriya. There are multiple microphones spread around the field for use during later events. I haven't bugged your clothes or anything of the sort." He assured me with a frighteningly sinister laugh.
Allowing a small smirk when Midnight began grumbling rat themed insults behind me, I did my best to ignore the eccentric principal's interruption as well as the fact that tens of millions of people were watching me in that moment. While I was no stranger to public speaking in my previous life, such a large audience was nonetheless somewhat distracting.
'Think of the sports festival as your debut. You are the fledgling Symbol of Peace, the next All Might. The commencement address will give you the opportunity to introduce yourself to the world and proudly proclaim, 'I am here!''
All Might's words from the day before rang in my head, but as I stood on the stage looking out at the disinterested, uncomfortable faces of the non-hero students, I felt the words catch in my throat. Heroes were everything to this world. All aspects of life revolved around that single profession. Everyone else was nothing but a cog in the system, an extra.
Worthless.
Breathing deep, I mimicked All Might's fearless smile, something I knew better than the back of my own hand. "My fellow Japanese, people of the world,-"
'We're not here to be each other's friends.'
I gestured to the students arrayed before me. "-friends. It is the highest honor of my life to stand here today, representing the best Japan has to offer. Before me I see the teachers, the executives, the doctors, detectives, journalists, artists, and leaders of the future. I see the heroes charged with keeping them safe, and I see those who support our heroes in turn, brilliant minds without whom we would be lost. Each and every one of you are the architects of a better tomorrow."
The students staring up at me did so with wide, disbelieving eyes, but I couldn't bring myself to see if the crowd above us were likewise caught off guard, or if they were instead outraged that I had strayed from the standard hero-worship that took place at these types of events.
Spreading my arms wide, I concluded. "The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams, so together let us strive to attain those dreams, and proudly proclaim to the world that we are here!"
The silence was deafening. Each second felt like an eternity, but just as I felt myself begin to falter, I heard it. Beginning in the family section, the applause rapidly spread to the teachers' suite, then the general admissions, and even the pro-hero section, until finally the students below erupted. I winced at the thunderous roar of nearly half a million clapping hands, but relief flooded through me, and my smile widened.
It's good to know Shigaraki wasn't entirely correct about hero society. They still remember the point of all this is to protect the little guy, even if they need a little reminder here and there.
Unable to suppress my involuntary blush at the acclaim, I turned to make my way down the stage. Passing by Midnight, the heroine placed a hand on my arm and spoke into my ear in order to be heard over the crowd.
"Well done, Midoriya." She praised, her usual flirtatiousness replaced by genuine warmth.
My blush deepened and I could only nod before hurrying down the steps, grumbling internally as Midnight's good-natured laughter followed behind me. Walking back to where Class 1-A was positioned, I caught Shinso's eye, the dour boy giving me an inscrutable look. Before I could give him any further consideration, Iida practically charged up to me, chopping his right hand rapidly.
"A brilliant speech, Midoriya! It's easy to forget how much the support elements of heroism assist us in our day to day duties. It's only right that they be given their due recognition." He said enthusiastically.
Not exactly what I was trying to get across, but close enough I guess…
A loud buzzer sounded abruptly, silencing the crowd once more and drawing all eyes to the massive screens ringing the upper levels of the stadium.
"Thank you, Midoriya. That was truly wonderful. Now, without further ado, it's time for us to get started! The first fateful game of the festival!" Midnight proclaimed into the microphone.
Snapping her whip, Midnight pointed to a massive holographic display that suddenly appeared above the stage. A slot machine began cycling rapidly on the screens around the stadium, leaving over two hundred thousand people inside and tens of millions more around the world awaiting the result with bated breath. The anticipation was palpable as the reels finally came to a halt, revealing an obstacle course as the first event and eliciting another riotous cheer.
After Midnight explained the rules, she quickly ushered us towards the massive red gate at the entrance of the tunnel leading out of the stadium. Any sense of order began to break down quickly as many students attempted to jostle their way to the front. Others remained on the outer edge of the pile-up, hoping to avoid the initial chaos and make up lost ground in the aftermath.
While there were still several dozen students that were quite obviously uninterested and had every intention of moving through the course at a lackadaisical pace, if they took part at all, I was happy to see that more students were moving to enthusiastically participate than it had initially seemed when the classes first arrived on the field.
Making my way towards the back, I waved at Jiro, who was watching my apparent retreat bemusedly. Settling into a central position at the rear, I smiled at the small knot of anticipation that formed in my stomach as adrenaline began to flow through my bloodstream.
Midnight raised her whip as the green lights atop the gate began their countdown.
3…
2…
1…
"Begin!"
Author's Note:
I hated that speech. It's pandering and preachy. I'm bad and I should feel bad. It sounds like something that would get people from the MHA universe clapping, though.