Chapter 28: It Is Wonderful How Much May Be Done, If We Are Always DoingNotes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Izuku coasts through his classes, a notebook in front of him, and writes about the battle trials. His muttering is a tough habit to break, but he thinks he keeps it to a minimum. The teachers call on him every once in a while, he answers correctly, and then he goes back to writing.
It's easy to know what he can do better from the first time, but he also wonders if he can, or rather should, help his classmates. Considering what they all have to face in the future, they would benefit from getting stronger faster. It isn't the best idea however, if he plans to keep a low profile. It all comes down to whether he'd risk his secrets for his friend's lives.
And really, is that even an argument?
Once the bell rings for lunch and everyone files out of the classroom, Izuku allows his attention to stray from his task. Technically, this is his first time eating lunch with his friends at UA since he's been in this time. He grabs his food and takes a seat around his usual table. But where before he was joined by many of his classmates, now only Iida and Uraraka take the seats beside and across from him. Izuku frowns.
It isn't as if he dislikes their company or anything close, but the reminder it gives him of what he no longer has leaves him with a wistful feeling.
"Uh…" Izuku starts uncertainly. Iida and Uraraka both look up at him from their food. "Do you mind if I uh,...invite some other people to sit with us…?"
His eyes are specifically drawn to those in his class that are sitting alone. Plus one that isn't in his class, but is also sitting alone. If he can change anything…
"Sure!" Uraraka agrees immediately.
"If you'd like." Comes Iida's polite reply.
Izuku grins at them, a predatory smile showing all of his teeth. "Great! I'll be right back."
He leaves the table, but not before catching Iida and Uraraka exchange bewildered glances.
His first target is who he suspects will be the easiest to convince. Izuku approaches the table of Tokoyami, noting how the boy has chosen a lone table alongside the window.
"Tokoyami!" Izuku smiles, internally chuckling when the bird teen jumps at his unexpected arrival. "Would you like to sit with us?"
Tokoyami studies him, sparing a glance at the table Izuku refers to, before standing.
"I cannot refuse such an interesting invitation." He intones with his usual dark and mysterious air. Izuku nods solemnly, his outward countenance appearing serious while inwardly he yells in triumph.
One down, two to go. Next is Todoroki.
He knows things with Todoroki are...complicated. Izuku was able to help him at the Sport's Festival, to use his fire and not be blinded by his hatred for his father. But given this unique opportunity...why does Izuku have to wait? If he can help Todoroki, or any of his friends that much sooner, then they won't have to suffer as long.
And Izuku will help them.
"Todoroki-kun!" He greets, coming up in front of the bi-colored boy. "Would you like to sit with us?"
He motions to his table, seating Iida, Uraraka, Tokoyami and...Tsuyu now apparently. The smile on his face is warm and he waits patiently for a reply.
Todoroki's eyes travel from the soba he is eating to Izuku's face. Izuku has to fight back a flinch at the way they look.
Cold. Almost lifeless. Robotic.
They move off of him and to the table Izuku waved to. Todoroki stares for a moment, likely assessing the pros and cons of switching seats. His face reveals nothing.
"...no." He responds eventually. "I'm fine."
Izuku's face falls, but he half expected that. In no way does that mean he'll give up though.
"Do you mind if I sit here then?" Izuku asks, an idea coming to him as he taps a finger on the otherwise empty table.
Todoroki stares at him, wary and suspicious.
"...I don't own these chairs." Is his soft-spoken answer.
Izuku's smile widens.
"Wonderful! I'll be right back then!"
He leaves Todoroki in a similar state of bewilderment as he rushes back to his own table. Izuku notices that his antics have started to draw eyes from the surrounding occupants of the other tables. When they catch his eye as he passes them, they quickly look away. Izuku sighs. Will everything he does draw scrutiny?
"Hey," Izuku calls to his friends. "Do you mind if we switch tables? Also Hi Ts-Asui."
"Hello Midoriya." Tsuyu nods back.
"Switch tables?" Iida wonders. "I mean, I'm fine with it, but-"
"Great! Thanks guys!" Izuku says enthusiastically. "I'll join you at Todoroki's table in a second!" Then he turns away as his friends confusedly vacate their seats. Izuku then searches for his next, and final target.
His eyes land on shocking purple hair. Bingo.
Izuku approaches the lone occupant of the secluded table with a friendly smile. He's spotted long before he reaches it and a spark of recognition flashes in the other's purple eyes.
"Shinsou! Hey! How have you been?" He starts.
Shinsou gives him a once over, his gaze just as guarded and calculating as Todoroki's.
"Midoriya was it?" Shinsou asks lazily. Izuku nods. "I've been...good, and you?" He twirls his chopsticks in one hand almost hypnotically.
The area around them has gone quiet. Izuku knows he's been attracting attention, but now even more so. Is it really that strange for them to talk? Enough to make a spectacle out of it? He shifts uncomfortably.
"Never better." Izuku replies, trying to keep his casual tone. "Would you like to join me for lunch?"
The chopsticks in Shinsou's hand stop twirling. Otherwise there is no further reaction from the teen.
" Me? " He asks in suspicion. "Join you?"
Izuku doesn't really know what Shinsou is trying to imply here, why he emphasized those words specifically, but it's irrelevant.
"Of course!" He enthuses. "You were just over here by yourself and I thought you were pretty cool at the entrance exam-"
Shinsou huffs, a sardonic smile crossing his face. "So I'm a charity case, am I? Are you going around collecting all the 'poor lonely people' to make yourself look better, hero?"
Izuku blinks. Is that what this looks like? Or is this just Shinsou being cynical again? But what if it is - and oh no that isn't his intention at all! Damn, what can he do? He just wants to help.
"I'm not taking pity on you. I'm trying to be your friend." Izuku explains, growing desperate.
Shinsou's eyebrows shoot up. "Friends? That's funny."
He doesn't sound like he finds it funny.
Izuku frowns. "I'm being serious."
"So am I." Shinsou counters, his face resuming its carefully blank facade. "I don't need friends."
Izuku opens his mouth to speak, and then closes it when nothing good comes to mind. Instead, he plops down in the seat across from Shinsou and pulls out the notebook he was writing in earlier.
"...what are you doing?" Shinsou questions him dryly.
"Sitting here." He responds simply, adding notes to the entries from before. Maybe he should include something for Shinsou too...Class 1-B isn't a bad idea either… They'll have future exercises together after all.
A few minutes pass and he hears Shinsou huff again. "Where is your food?"
Izuku glances up from his notebook and points at his table with a cheeky grin. Shinsou does not look impressed.
"I'm not going to join you just because you decided to starve yourself."
Izuku turns his attention back to his notebook. "That's fine. I'm not hungry anyways."
It's a lie. Especially when his stomach growls not even a second later. Izuku doesn't acknowledge it, he just keeps writing.
Shinsou sighs. "Ugh, this is annoying. Fine. Let's go to your table." He stands up, a scowl on his face.
Izuku stands too, tucking his notebook away. He looks at Shinsou as the other drags a hand through his purple hair and tsks. A realization strikes him.
"You...you don't have to." Izuku says quietly. He may be driving his friends away with how forceful he's being. "I just...wanted to sit together, but, uh, I get it. If you don't want to,...I can't make you."
He stares at his shoes, feeling like a horrible person all of a sudden. Now Shinsou is going to say no and hate him forever and Izuku just screwed up everything.
"It's whatever." Shinsou says, causing Izuku's eyes to snap up in surprise. "Let's just eat."
Izuku smiles, his previous mood returning as he accompanies Shinsou to their nearly full table.
"Hi guys! This is Shinsou. I met him at the entrance exam. He's in Class 1-C." Izuku introduces.
"It's nice to meet you!" Uraraka cheers. "I'm Uraraka Ochako!"
The others go around introducing themselves (with the exception of Todoroki who Izuku introduces for him, making sure not to mention Endeavor) and then the conversation comes fairly easy.
It's mostly Iida, Uraraka, Tsuyu and Izuku talking, or more like, asking questions. Tokoyami, Shinsou and even Todoroki answer them, although Todoroki's answers are always short and Shinsou causes an awkward lull whenever he says a particular snippy or sarcastic comment. All in all, it goes well enough, at least in Izuku's opinion. It's a good starting point.
When lunch ends, he gets a half-hearted shrug when he asks Shinsou to join them tomorrow.
He'll take it.
As he walks with the others back to class, he realizes the battle trials are next, and that he hasn't said a word to any of them about it. Now is the time to decide whether he'll help them all, at the risk of revealing insider information, or if he won't.
"Hold up!" Izuku calls without giving himself enough time to really ponder it. The others turn to stare at him. "I, uh, I…"
"What is it Midoriya? Class is going to start soon."
He meets their confused eyes once again before sighing. He takes a deep breath.
"Uraraka, make sure to take even the most silly exercise seriously. It's not good to lose your focus during a battle."
"Huh? I-"
"You're quirk works well on other objects, so you should always be aware of what's around you and what can be used as ammo, or even carry some with you when you're unsure if it'll be readily available."
Uraraka stares at him with wide eyes and then nods. Izuku nods back.
"Iida, sometimes teamwork won't work out for you, but always play to the objective. Keep in mind that even if the enemies are split up, they could still be working together. Never underestimate your opponent."
Iida nods too, looking as shocked as Uraraka, but also...thoughtful.
"Todoroki, while freezing everything in sight is a simple solution that will work most of the time, it won't work all of the time. You rely heavily on your powerful quirk and you might want to give thought to expanding your abilities lest it become a crutch."
Todoroki's expression darkens at Izuku's words and he turns his face away.
"Tokoyami, your quirk has an obvious weak point, but your advantage is that no one knows what it is yet. Use that. Work with your partner and cover for that weakness."
Tokoyami bows his head, also thoughtful.
"Ts- Asui, your quirk is versatile, but not very strong. Be aware of your weaknesses. You have a good eye for detail and a sharp mind, don't be afraid to voice your opinion when coming up with plans."
"Thank you-kero."
Izuku nods, wondering if he's actually doing any good or if they'll just dismiss his words. Oh well, at least he tried.
"Deku,...what? Is this...is this because you think we're going to do mock battles today?" Uraraka asks him, confused.
Izuku rubs the back of his neck. "It's just a...hunch really. But I thought I'd give you all some friendly advice anyway."
"You might go against one of us." Iida points out, ironically. "You'd help the enemy?"
Izuku grins, a little cocky. "I only gave advice. You're going to need more than that to beat me."
Iida smiles then, and Uraraka pumps a fist.
"I'm getting fired up!"
They walk through the door to 1-A, joining the chattering class within.
"We don't even know if we will have battle trials today though, right?" Tsuyu asks, a finger to her chin.
They all turn to Izuku.
"We don't." He agrees with a smile, turning to take his seat and leaving them with that.
He can't deny that he's having a little fun with being in the know, but...now that he's done it... Is he being too obvious? Is trying to help his friends not the right thing to do? Izuku taps his fingers anxiously against his desk as he contemplates it.
"I'M HERE!" A shout comes from the hallway sparking a buzz of excitement to ripple through his classmates. "...Coming through the door like a normal person!"
And sure enough, like clockwork, All Might appears at the entryway to the classroom in all his wide-smiled glory.
Exclamations of "All Might!" and "I didn't know he was a teacher here!" echo around the room. A few people make comments about his costume, which is his Silver Age one and not his current suit. Izuku watches it all fondly, a smile on his lips and a heaviness in his heart.
"Foundational Hero Studies! For this class we'll be building up your hero foundation through various trials!" All Might announces, flexing his muscled form in a way that makes Izuku kind of want to laugh.
"Let's jump right into this! The Trial of Battle!"
The class murmurs with a cacophony of excitement and trepidation. Izuku catches the eyes of a few of his friends. They stare at him with a look Izuku can't place, before turning back to listen to All Might's lecture.
A press of a button has the wall revealing their hero costumes. More cheering erupts as everyone scrambles to grab their cases. Izuku waits until after the rush before he gets his. He traces a finger over the number eighteen while a wave of emotion threatens to overcome him.
But then Kacchan knocks him in the shoulder and Iida calls for him across the classroom to get changed. Izuku releases a shaky breath and joins the crowd streaming out of the door.
He joins the rest of the class as they spread out before Ground Beta. His hero costume still uses the jumpsuit his mother made for him, but it now includes some of the modifications he'd made in his own time. Izuku no longer wears his hood, or full face mask, although he keeps the mouth guard, and he has the accessories in his gloves to help handle Black Whip.
He fiddles with the gloves now, checking everything over as he stands beside Uraraka and Iida.
"Oh Deku! Your costume is so... practical!" Uraraka compliments. Izuku grins at her. It seems some things will always stay the same.
"Yours looks good too!"
Mineta stands nearby, his eyes on her form, with a lecherous grin on his face.
Uraraka smiles as a blush spreads over her face. "Really? I think it came out a little tight..."
"Midoriya." Iida catches his attention. "How did you determine that we would be having a battle trial today?"
Before Izuku can answer, someone else pipes in, a little too loudly, therefore attracting the attention of everyone else.
"Woah, you knew?" Mineta questions in disbelief. "Are you, like, psychic or something?"
"Midoriya you're psychic?!"
"Hey wait, we already know his quirk."
"He could have two quirks?"
"Not like that, it'd have to be-"
"All right!" All Might booms. "I'm liking everybody's style! Very cool!"
The discussion surrounding his 'second quirk' ceases and everyone focuses on the number one hero. Izuku isn't sure if he needs to be worried about this.
He can't dwell on it forever though, not when the rules are explained and the lots are drawn. Izuku exchanges a glance with Kacchan, the blonde's angry red eyes already on him.
"Deku! It looks like we're on a team after all!" Uraraka says. "How exciting!"
All Might reaches into the boxes to decide which team will battle who as heroes or villains. Izuku knows the outcome already, but he briefly wonders if maybe it will be different. Maybe the butterfly effect has done it's magic and their team will face someone else's.
But All Might pulls the A ball from the hero box and the D ball from the villain box. Just like last time. Maybe fate does exist.
Then again, it's not like Izuku's presence here has directly changed something as small as a lottery. By all accounts, it should be the same.
After All Might explains the rest of the exercise, the four of them make their way into the battleground while their remaining classmates retreat to the surveillance room. Iida doesn't seem pleased with his partner, who ignores all attempts at conversation. Izuku watches them as he chats distractedly with Uraraka.
Once they arrive at their designated starting points, Izuku waits for Iida and Kacchan to disappear inside the building. He knows where the bomb is. He knows what both of them will do. He knows how this will end.
"Deku...that advice you gave me earlier...should I pick up some rocks or something?"
Izuku turns to Uraraka and smiles, glad that she's taking his words seriously. And who knows? With the advice he gave everyone, maybe this will go differently.
"I want you to do what you think you should. It may be my advice, but you don't have to listen to it if you don't think it's right." Izuku tells her. "But even saying that...I think it'll help."
Uraraka brightens and starts collecting chunks of gravel among other things that Izuku doesn't pay much attention to.
"Well I do think it's a good idea. There's probably not a lot I can float indoors anyway." She answers cheerfully. "Hmmm, I wish I requested pockets…"
Izuku chuckles to himself, squatting down on the sidewalk and grabbing a sizable rock. Uraraka joins him, kneeling down and placing her collection in her lap and around her.
"Okay, so I have a plan." He begins, starting to scratch out a basic outline of the building. "I want to hear your thoughts though. So at any point, if you have anything to add, or see anything I've missed, please let me know."
Uraraka's eyes gleam with determination. She nods. "Right! Strategy isn't really my strong suit though, so I don't mind if you take the lead." She looks at him and smiles, fluttering something in Izuku's chest. "Besides, I trust you."
Izuku gulps, his mouth inexplicably dry. "Y-yeah. Okay. Okay, yeah." He clears his throat. He needs to focus.
"So Iida will guard the bomb and Kacchan is going to come after me."
Uraraka frowns. "You? Not both of us?"
He smiles wirily, running a hand through the hair on the back of his head. "Uh, well...things between me and Kacchan are...complicated. He'll want to fight me to prove he's superior and I...well, I'm not going to lose."
She pumps a fist. "So like rivals, right? Okay! What do you want me to do?"
Izuku chews his lip. He could tell Uraraka where the bomb is. Tell her exactly how Iida will try to counter her. But that wouldn't help her at all, would it?
"I need you to look for where the enemy has hidden the bomb. If I can keep Kacchan distracted, you'll be free to search for it all you'd like. And once I capture Kacchan, then I'll join you and we'll take down the bomb together."
Uraraka furrows her brow, her eyes on the rough plan Izuku has etched into the cement.
"Um...I know you said that Bakugou-kun is going to come after you, and that you want to fight him...but…" She bites her lip. "Don't you think we should take him out together and then find the bomb together?"
Izuku stares at her. He blinks. Once. Twice.
"I mean...I'm not saying your idea is bad or anything! And you can probably win against Bakugou, but I just thought, you know, that maybe this way is better? We're a team, right? You don't need to do everything on your own."
You don't need to do everything on your own.
Uraraka looks down, so she doesn't see the moment Izuku's face splits into a grin. Sure, he was planning on duking things out with Kacchan as had happened before, and winning by a larger margin, but maybe...maybe this is better. Not only will it promote better teamwork between them, it will also give Uraraka more battle experience. Not that Kacchan will pay attention to anyone other than Izuku...but that proves only to be a weakness they can exploit.
"No, you're right." Izuku assures her, scratching a line through his previous framework. She looks at him, a little surprised.
"New plan." He says, hands flying across the pavement so he can draw it fast enough. "How do you feel about dropkicking?"
Notes:
I have no excuses for why this took so long. Sorry.
Battle! Next chapter! Look forward to it!
<3 Hope all of y'all had a good holiday! Buckle down for 2021 I guess.