"Well, young man, it seems you're finally fit to leave," Recovery Girl said, her tone a mix of relief and exasperation. "Try not to make a habit of ending up here, would you?"
I swung my legs off the bed, relishing the feeling of freedom. "No promises, but I'll do my best."
She huffed, but I caught the hint of a smile. "Before you go, Principal Nezu has requested to see you in his office."
I nodded, grabbing my bag. "Thanks for everything, Recovery Girl."
As I made my way through the halls of U.A., my mind raced. What did Nezu want? Was this about the USJ incident? Or something else entirely?
I was about to knock on the door when...
"Come in, Young Midoriya," Nezu's cheerful voice called out.
I entered, taking in the spacious office. Nezu sat behind a large desk, a steaming cup of tea in front of him.
"Ah, there you are. Please, have a seat. Tea?"
I settled into the chair across from him. "No, thank you, sir."
Nezu nodded, his beady eyes studying me intently. "First, let me commend you on your bravery during the USJ incident. Your actions were truly heroic."
"Thank you, sir," I said, keeping my tone modest. "I just did what anyone would do in that situation."
"Hmm, but not everyone could have done what you did, could they?" Nezu leaned forward, his paws steepled. "Your performance was... remarkable, to say the least."
Where was he going with this?
"I'm curious, Young Midoriya," Nezu continued, his tone casual. "Your quirk registration lists you as having super-strength. Yet the reports from USJ mention electricity as well. Care to elaborate?"
Ah, there it was. I kept my face neutral, my mind racing for a plausible explanation.
"It's still developing, sir," I said, injecting a note of confusion into my voice. "To be honest, I'm not entirely sure of its full capabilities yet."
Nezu hummed thoughtfully. "I see. And your combat skills? They seemed quite advanced for a first-year student."
I shrugged, playing it off. "I've always been interested in hero work. Studied a lot of fighting techniques, analyzed pro heroes' moves. I guess it paid off when it counted."
"Indeed it did," Nezu said, his eyes never leaving mine. "You know, it's quite rare for a quirk to manifest new abilities so suddenly. Especially ones so... convenient for the situation at hand."
"I'm as surprised as anyone, sir," I said, forcing a self-deprecating laugh. "Maybe the stress of the situation unlocked something? I've heard that can happen sometimes."
Nezu nodded slowly, taking a sip of his tea. "Yes, I suppose it can. Well, Young Midoriya, I appreciate your candor."
He paused, and for a moment, I thought I was in the clear. Then he spoke again, his tone deceptively light.
"You know, All Might speaks very highly of you."
My heart skipped a beat. I kept my face carefully blank. "That's... very kind of him. All Might has always been my number one hero."
Nezu's smile widened, showing a hint of teeth. "Oh, I'd say you're more than just a fan to him. Much more."
The room suddenly felt very small. I opened my mouth, not sure what I was going to say, when Nezu burst into laughter.
"Oh, relax, my boy! Your secret is safe with me. All Might already filled me in on everything before you even joined."
I blinked, thrown off balance. "Everything?"
Nezu nodded, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "One for All, your training, all of it. I must say, you handled my little interrogation quite well. A lesser individual might have cracked under the pressure."
Relief flooded through me, followed quickly by a surge of irritation. He'd been testing me this whole time.
"So... this was all just a test?" I asked, unable to keep a hint of annoyance from my voice.
Nezu's smile softened slightly. "Consider it a friendly evaluation. In your position, you'll face much tougher scrutiny in the future. Best to be prepared, don't you think?"
I nodded, grudgingly impressed by his tactics. "I suppose so. Is there anything else, sir?"
"As a matter of fact, yes," Nezu said, his tone becoming more businesslike. "As the highest scorer in the entrance exam, you'll be expected to give a speech at the opening ceremony of the Sports Festival."
"A speech? In front of everyone?"
Nezu nodded. "It's tradition. A chance for the top student to set the tone for the event. I trust you're up to the task?"
"Of course, sir," I said, a genuine smile spreading across my face. "I'd be honored."
"Excellent!" Nezu clapped his paws together. "I look forward to hearing what you come up with. Now, unless you have any questions, I believe your classmates are eager to welcome you back."
I stood. "Thank you, Principal Nezu. For everything."
As I reached for the door, Nezu's voice stopped me. "Oh, and Midoriya?"
I turned back. "Yes, sir?"
His eyes were sharp, his smile knowing. "The path you've chosen... it's not an easy one. But I have a feeling you're more than up to the challenge. Just remember, even the cleverest plans can have unexpected consequences."
I nodded, unsure how to respond to that cryptic warning. "I'll keep that in mind, sir."
As I left Nezu's office, my mind was racing. The principal knew about One for All. He was part of All Might's inner circle. And he'd just handed me a golden opportunity with that speech.
But his parting words nagged at me. Unexpected consequences... Was he onto me? Or just offering general advice?
I shook my head, pushing the doubts aside. I had a speech to prepare, a Sports Festival to dominate, and a class full of potential pawns waiting to welcome me back.
Time to put on a show.
I approached the 1-A dorms with the setting sun casting long shadows across the campus, giving everything an oddly dramatic feel.
As I reached for the door handle, I paused. Something was off. The dorm was too quiet. Normally, you could hear Bakugo's explosions or Kaminari's terrible jokes from a mile away.
I pushed the door open slowly, my guard up.
"SURPRISE! WELCOME BACK, MIDORIYA!"
The lights flicked on, revealing the entire class crammed into the common area. A banner hung from the ceiling, the words "Our Hero" painted in green.
For a moment, I was genuinely stunned. Then my training kicked in, and I plastered on a surprised but touched expression.
"Guys..." I said, letting my voice crack a little. "You didn't have to do all this."
Uraraka bounced forward, her smile bright enough to power a small city. "Of course we did! You're our class hero!"
"Yeah, man!" Kirishima shouted, pumping his fist. "That Nomu thing didn't stand a chance against you!"
I rubbed the back of my neck. "Come on, I just did what anyone would do."
"Bullshit," Bakugo growled from the corner. "You're still a nerd, but... you didn't completely suck out there."
Coming from Bakugo, that was practically a love confession.
Iida chopped the air enthusiastically. "Indeed! Your actions were truly befitting a hero-in-training! Now, let's celebrate in an orderly fashion!"
The room erupted into laughter and chatter. I made my way through the crowd, accepting handshakes and back slaps. Each interaction was a chance to strengthen bonds, to cement my position as the class's rising star.
"Midoriya," Tokoyami's quiet voice cut through the noise. I turned to find him holding out a cup of punch. "Here."
I accepted it with a smile. "Thanks, Tokoyami. How've you been?"
He shrugged. "Fine. Your fight with the Nomu was impressive. Perhaps we should train together sometime."
I nodded eagerly. "I'd like that."
As Tokoyami drifted away, I caught sight of Momo across the room. She was watching our interaction with interest.
I made my way over to her, weaving through the crowd. "Momo, thanks for organizing all this."
She blushed slightly. "Oh, it wasn't just me. Everyone pitched in."
"Still, I appreciate it," I said, lowering my voice. "It means a lot, especially after... everything."
Momo's eyes softened. "Of course. We're a team, after all."
I nodded, about to respond when a hand clapped me on the shoulder.
"Midoriya, my man!" Kaminari grinned. "You've got to tell us how you took down that Nomu. It was like, zap zap boom!"
I laughed, shaking my head. "It wasn't quite like that, Kaminari."
"Oh, come on!" Mina whined, popping up beside him. "We want details!"
I glanced around, noticing that the room had gone quiet. Everyone was looking at me expectantly.
Well, if they wanted a show...
"Alright," I said, moving to the center of the room. "But it wasn't just me. We all played our part that day."
I launched into the story, carefully editing certain details. I emphasized our teamwork, our quick thinking under pressure. When I got to the fight with the Nomu, I downplayed my own abilities, making it sound more like luck than skill.
"...and then, just when I thought it was over, Kacchan and Todoroki showed up," I finished, gesturing to them. "If it wasn't for their timing, who knows what would have happened."
The room erupted into cheers and excited chatter. As the party continued, I made sure to spend time with each of my classmates. I praised Tsu's quick thinking during the USJ attack, discussed different martial arts techniques with Ojiro, even managed a civil conversation with Bakugo about explosion-based fighting techniques.
Each interaction was a chance to strengthen bonds, to gather information. Who was confident? Who was insecure? Who might be useful allies in the future?
The party wound down as the night grew late. I helped clean up, ignoring Iida's protests that the guest of honor shouldn't have to work.
As the last of my classmates headed to bed, Aizawa approached me with his forehead and arms still bandaged.
"Midoriya," he said, his voice low. "A word?"
I nodded, following him to a quiet corner.
"That was quite a story you told," he said, his eyes boring into mine. "Very heroic."
I met his gaze steadily. "Just the truth, sir."
Aizawa's eyes narrowed slightly. "Hmm. Well, whatever the full story is, you did well out there. But don't let it go to your head. The real challenges are just beginning."
I nodded solemnly. "I understand, sir. I won't let you down."
He grunted, apparently satisfied. "Get some rest. You'll need it for what's coming."
I made my way back inside, my mind already racing with plans for the Sports Festival. The speech, the events, the potential sponsors watching...
I paused at the stairs, glancing back at the common area. The banner still hung there, slightly crooked now. "Our Hero."
For a moment, I let myself imagine a world where that was true. Where I was just Izuku Midoriya, earnest hero-in-training, beloved by his classmates.
Then I shook my head, pushing the thought away. I had bigger goals. A grander purpose.