The room lay silent as students one and all stared at the exit door where their principal and homeroom teachers just exited not a moment ago. Kendo Itsuka, the class mom or so they called her, cleared her throat and looked her classmates.
"So, what do you all propose we do?" Itsuka's voice garnered the attention of her classmates who now started looking at her for guidance. "Guys, stop it. We're all in this together. Kan-sensei would've wanted us to work together to see who has the best potential to be our class rep."
"I say we put it to a vote!" A smug looking blond stood up from his chair and smirked. "What other way is it to be than a democratic vote? That way we know who holds more sway over our own class. That'll show 1-A who the superior class is."
"To be honest, what Sir Monoma has said is what I agree on most." A beastly looking student with glasses raised his hand. "Although his last statement left a lot to be desired."
"Monoma, please, not now." Itsuka sighed when she sighted class 1-A looking over their direction when Neito's voice echoed through the room. "Apologies, class 1-A, he has a bit of an… issue…"
"No problem." A white-haired freckled teen was the one who responded. Giving the teen a smile, she then regarded her own class, not before throwing a glare at Neito who looked unapologetic.
"So, I guess we all agree on a vote?" None of the class voiced their displeasure at the thought, and Itsuka smiled once more. "All right, to make sure this goes smoothly, I'll be presiding over."
Itsuka grabbed pieces of paper from within her bag and tore them into 20 equal pieces. She then gave each student a piece while reserving one for herself. Once that was all done, she headed to the front desk - there were two desks in front, one for each class - and sat on the chair provided.
"Kan-sensei said that we only had to choose the class rep and the vice rep, so write the names of those who think suit the role the most and the follow up will be the vice rep. After that, give me the papers and we'll count the tallies."
The instructions clear and concise, the students then began jotting down the names that would lead their class to greater heights. Silence overtook the room once more, their sister class also staying silent as they did the same as them, although the process to even get to democracy a bit noisy due to others wanting to be class reps themselves.
God, the purple midget, she wanted to punt him so badly. What kind of order was shortening the female uniforms' skirt? That was grounds for suspension via sexual harassment.
At least he got tongue-slapped by their frog-looking classmate. And if she squinted, she could see various other female students nodding approvingly at the action, not that it bothered the purple lech.
Good thing their class was organized and, unlike their sister-class, managed by their caring professor, Vlad King. Eraserhead was a different kind of hard ass, if the stories from the upperclassmen were anything to go by.
It took only the good half of ten minutes for everybody to be finished writing their choice. Coincidentally, their sister-class finished at the same time as well, something that didn't fly over well with Neito.
Itsuka could already feel the headache with her blond classmate.
One by one, her classmates deposited their piece of folded paper in front of her and went back to their seats. This repeated until all of their pieces of paper were sitting snugly atop the desk.
"Okay, I'll tally them up. Tokage, could you kindly double-check?" Itsuka gestured for her dark green-haired classmate to come right next to her. Just to make sure that there weren't any biases. Not that she was one.
"'Kay!" Her head promptly separated from her body and floated right next to Itsuka, leaving her body sitting comfortably at her seat. It made the ginger's eyelid twitch.
"Tokage…" All she got was a tongue sticking out of her classmate's lips and a mischievous smirk.
"I can see the results quite fine from here." Her toothy smirk was all it took for Itsuka to sigh in defeat. Plus, she wasn't wrong.
"Fine." Itsuka grabbed the papers and put them in a neat stack. It only took a few seconds of silence and speaking with Setsuna to make sure that there weren't any mistakes.
And boy oh boy was she surprised.
Kendo - 12
Shoda - 5
Tokage - 4
Monoma - 1
Not surprised at the fact she won the tally, nor the fact that Neito would be egotistic enough to vote for himself - there was no way one of her classmates voted for the egomaniac - but surprised at the fact Nirengeki managed to come right next to her.
He was quiet, humble, and most of the time just kept to himself. But during their own battle trials, he managed to come up with a plan to win their own exercise, as well as give a few encouraging talks with those down in the slumps after their defeat.
Needless to say, the teen would make a great vice rep. Maybe that's why they chose him, she voted for Tokage herself. She could use some help with reigning in Neito's… eccentricities…
"Well, anybody have a problem with the results?" Itsuka nearly had a vein pop when Neito nearly raised his hand, but fortunately, the blond didn't and brooded instead. Other than that, nobody had any objections. "So with this, I am your new class representative and Shoda is the vice representative."
The class gave their applause, and with her overseeing the class, she was determined to not make a mockery of herself, nor her classmates.
She was, after all, their class mom officially now.
Now, who were their sister class' class and vice rep?
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Izuku couldn't help but moan. Ever since the voting was done for their class, he felt like a man on an impossible mission. Lordran could attest to that feeling.
As for why?
"Why am I the class rep?" Izuku groaned once more, with Momo chuckling lightly at his predicament. He glared at the ravenette for that.
"Maybe because our classmates look up to you?" Momo looked at their classmates with a smile. "The battle trials showed us that you know what you're doing. Days after that, you even helped coach some of us in terms of combat."
"But that's combat, and this is this. I have no idea how to lead." Izuku was truthful when he said that. There wasn't a time in Lordran where he took the reins when it came to summoning other undead. Whenever that happened, it usually boiled down to them doing whatever they wanted as long as it accomplishes their goal.
"Well, we all have to start somewhere." Momo chided with a tone mature for her age. "They chose you, we chose you, because we trust in you. It is why we decided on voting in the first place."
At that, Izuku couldn't respond. He was unfamiliar with this feeling. The feeling of being relied on. Most of the time in Lordran, it was just him versus the world. Whenever he made a mistake, the only one affected was him. This? Him being the head of a class and responsible for them during their stay here at UA?
It was terrifying.
Izuky usually wasn't terrified of anything. He wasn't afraid for himself, nor what might happen to him. But if his actions affected those he cared around him? Now that was something he didn't dare think of.
Case in point, Siegmeyer, his onion bro. Never did he think that helping him during his journey would lead him to hollowing because he felt inadequate. Drained of resolve and pride for himself, what else was left of the man but nothing?
When he saw Sieglinde crying of her father's corpse, something within him snapped. But there was no outlet to vent on. He couldn't take it all out on the grieving daughter, nor the even the mindless hollows roaming about Lordran.
It wasn't their fault he hollowed. Sure, his logical side said that Gwyn was to blame because of what he did, but most of what happened was a direct consequence of his actions.
He helped Siegmeyer a little too much. Normally, this wouldn't be a problem, but when hollowing was a factor when you lost the will to continue?
Izuku shook his head.
It was all in the past. He changed. It was why he never got hands-on anymore when he helped people unless they really needed it. Those pieces of advice he gave to his classmates? They were just basic things needed to know when fighting.
No techniques - not that he had any - no secrets, no nothing. Just basic sense. It was up to them to find their own path.
Lest they follow the way of Siegmeyer and lose pride in oneself.
"-ya? Midoriya?" Izuku tensed when he felt a hand on his shoulder. "Are you alright? You've been spacing out for few moments."
"I'm fine." Izuku waved her off. This was his own problem to deal with, and him alone. No matter how long time passed, he could never forget that moment… That moments where his heart nearly shattered to pieces. "Just reminiscing… Of a sort. Anyway, what were we doing again?"
"… We were going to meet with our sister class' class and vice rep." Momo look of concern didn't go away. "Are you sure you're really fine?"
"Yes. You know how memories are." Izuku waved her off again. He already moved on from that and learned his lesson. He would never coddle a person again, even if it meant serious injury. Better injured than a husk of their former selves. "So, where are they?"
"Right here." Izuku's ears perked up and turned to see a ginger student greeting him, along with a chubby, short one. "Aren't we in the same room? How'd you not notice us?"
"Busy moaning about my new position." Izuku sighed again but followed it with a smile. "Name's Izuku. Midoriya Izuku. Class representative of 1-A."
"My name is Yaoyorozu Momo, vice representative of class 1-A. A pleasure to meet you." Momo bowed gracefully towards the two students, who responded with a bow as well.
"Kendo Itsuka. Class representative of 1-B. A pleasure to meet you as well, Yaoyorozu." Itsuka gave the ravenette a slight smile.
"Shoda Nirengeki, vice representative of class 1-B. Nice to meet you." Nirengeki didn't give much expression, but the respect was there. Izuku could feel it.
"So, what now?" Izuku questioned with a tilt of his head. "Talk? Sing kumbaya while we wait for our teachers to return? Fight?"
The three other students gave Izuku a look that made him seem like he grew a second, or even third head. Not that it bothered him that much, seeing that he was used to being the one who was barely understood when in terms of his actions.
He was still adjusting, Gwyn damnit. It's been a few… millennia? Millennia, give or take, since he's been exposed to Japanese culture again. Or maybe just Earth common sense in general…
Maybe that's why they stared at him funny when he took his clothes off… Nah, must've been something else.
"My apologies for our class representative. He is a bit… eccentric, so to speak." Momo looked bashful at Izuku's behest.
"No problem. At least he isn't… egotistic like a certain someone I know…" Itsuka wasn't subtle at the way she glared at another blond in their class that was glaring at him and Momo as well.
What was with blonde's and their temperaments? Katsuki had a temper. His mother had a temper - at least, he remembers slightly that she had a temper - and now this random student that was blond also had a temper.
Izuku could sense the loathing from miles away.
While they were grasping for straws on how to interact with one another, the door to the room opened, revealing Nezu and their two homeroom teachers.
Who were trembling like newborn fawns.
What in Gwyn's name did Nezu do to them?
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A/N: So, people wanted longer chapters... Okay then. Message heard. That said, I already have advance chaps done, so everything upwards chapter 36 will be the longer ones (if we're looking at statistics, about a 40-50% increase). And yes, this applies to every single fiction I am writing, so A Tarnished Hero and Off To Worlds Unending are not exempt from this. Anyway, see ya next time, any other things you wanna let me know, just comment on it. And yes, that includes flames or otherwise derogatory remarks... I think SEA Dota ruined how I perceive insults :/
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The election done and behind them, both class 1-A and 1-B went back to their classrooms. There wasn't that much interaction between the two classes after the election. Just awkward silence and stare-offs going on in the background.
When Nezu arrived, it was to shoo them back into their classrooms, but not before he glared once more at Shota and Sekijiro with his beady eyes.
At least it was a bit funny watching the two normally unflappable, at least in Shota's case, teachers trembling like newborn fawns. By Gwyn, their knees looked like it could produce an earthquake due to how they trembled.
That said, the two classes didn't want to be on Nezu's bad side, so without much prompting from the principal or their teachers, both classes stood up in one beat before heading to the doors in an orderly fashion.
The blond teen who Itsuka glared at before wanted to cause a commotion about why 1-A was the first to leave the room but was promptly knocked out with a giant fist that conked him into next week. A quick look at where she was averting her gaze told Izuku much about why she did that with shaky eyes.
Nezu's really bringing out the best in teens today. Kind of sad that it wasn't him… Maybe Patches was rubbing off on him… Nah, he's sure he just liked messing with his classmates.
And that led to what was happening now, with Izuku and Momo tasked with heading to a room where they would meet with their fellow hero class representatives.
"Oh, hey. Yaoyorozu and Midoriya, right?" A voice called them from behind. Turning to look, they spotted the ginger, Itsuka, waving at them with a bright smile on her face, followed by Nirengeki, her vice-rep. "So, I guess we're meeting with our seniors?"
"From what I've gathered, yes." Momo, the intellectual of the class by leagues, nodded with a slight smirk. "As for who our seniors will be, I'm afraid I've only gone through the second-year class 2-A. Fuwa Mawata is their class rep, while her vice-rep is Yamamoto Isao."
"Wow, didn't think you'd be scouting our seniors this early." Itsuka had tiny frown on her lips. "And how about you, class rep? Anything on your mind?"
"I'm still wondering why they elected me as class rep." Izuku furrowed his brows while tapping beneath his chin. Really, he could just not get over the fact that he was now responsible… Well, not responsible per se, but accountable for any of the shit his class may get into. "I'm not cut out for this."
"Midoriya, please stop putting yourself down just because you think you are unsuitable for the position." Momo sighed as she tried to once more to placate his worries. He should know, they did this a few times during the periods between classes. "Our class trusts you with the position, and from my observations, you truly deserve to lead our class."
Oh, if she just knew what happened back in Lordran. It may have been a long time ago, but memories still remain. The raw emotion that flooded his inner being when he saw Siegmeyer unmoving on the ground with his daughter grieving beside him… It just does things to an already broken man.
"Whatever you say." For now, Izuku waved it off. He could worry about being responsible for more deaths later down the line if it did happen.
With the chatter dying down, the four of them quietly made their way to their meeting spot, passing by other students all the while. It didn't take long before they found themselves in front of the door where the other class representatives from higher years waited.
"Ladies first." Izuku, being the gentleman(not) that he was, motioned for the door while he stepped aside. An eyeroll from Momo was the response, but seeing that her class rep was not going to be the first to head in, she sighed and grabbed the doorknob.
A twist and the soundless swing of the door, the four students were greeted by periwinkle blue as far as the eye can see. A blink, then another, before the periwinkle showed her pearly whites.
"Hello! Are you the new firsties? Oh my gosh, you look so pretty! You too, orange hair. Are you excited? I know I am. Are you the class rep? Or is white hair over there your class rep? What abou-"
A hand clamped over the girl's mouth, but it wasn't enough to shut her down completely, the mumbles still coming through as her eyes lay directed towards the four students.
Izuku laughed, but sadly, his group didn't share his own sense of humor. For shame.
"Sorry about Nejire over here. She's just a bit… excited about meeting the new first years." A blond teen with a comically cartoonish face greeted with a huge grin. He then looked at Izuku who was still hunched over the ground as his laughter kept escaping his lips.
"I don't count that as… just a bit…" Izuku said between heaves of breath. Just the faces of his group were enough to throw him into another fit. Momo, meanwhile, glared at Izuku but he just kept on laughing.
"Huh, first time someone reacted like that." The cartoonish blond muttered to himself, before giving Nejire a look. He then released his hand from her mouth and the periwinkle-haired girl kept on grinning at the four. "Anyway, again, this here is Hado Nejire, class 3-A's representative. My name is Togata Mirio, her vice-rep."
"Yaoyorozu Momo, vice-rep of class 1-A. The one laughing is our class representative, Midoriya Izuku." Another glare and finally, Izuku managed to get his composure together.
"My name is Kendo Itsuka, representative of class 1-B. Beside me is Shoda Nirengeki, my vice-rep." The short, chubby teen waved along but was content to keep quiet.
"Great meeting you all!" Mirio's grin grew an inch wider before he beckoned the four to head inside. "Come on in, were just about to get started."
Not really having an excuse to refuse, the four slowly filtered into the room where the other class representatives were waiting. The room was silent, with each duo quietly seating at their spots waiting for the meeting to start.
Once everybody was properly seated, Nejire stood and cleared her throat.
"Okay, hello again everybody! And you firsties, welcome to the monthly gathering of the class representatives!" And just like a tide, the room was submerged by the infectious joy radiating from the teen. "Now, then, we've all heard their introductions from the door, so the rest of you who haven't yet, please introduce yourselves."
A girl from the second-year table stood up, followed by another. "Good afternoon, everybody. Fuwa Mawata, class 2-A representative. Our vice representative is Yamamoto Isao. Please take care of us."
The two of them bowed and took their seats. Next were the 2-B representatives, but at that point, Izuku tuned them out in favor of daydreaming.
Minutes ticked by until the introductions were over. Nejire clapped, the sound ehcoing through the small room. "Alright then! Now, the topic of our first meeting. Sorry firsties, but no handholding for you, not like you need it, right?"
The grin was practically glowing, which made it near impossible to rebuke the girl. Izuku smiled back, now this was his element. Learning through observation and experience.
"As you all know, the Sports Festival is two months away." Nejire brought out a remote from under the desk and clicked on a button. The TV a few meters away lit up and showed a presentation with the title card "Best Sports Festival in da World!!!"
Izuku had to do a double take. Judging by the slightly gaping mouths of his vice-rep and 1-B's representatives, they had to do a triple take.
"So, we all know what that means. Fun!" The presentation continued then showed a crudely made drawing of Shota with stink lines wafting from his body. The chuckles coming from 2-A made Izuku think that this was some kind of inside joke about the teacher.
And from his experiences with the black-clad man, he could understand why.
"Normally, this would be under the school's staff and principal Nezu responsibilities, but for some reason, he made it our jobs to organize the Sports Festival." Nejire scratched under chin while the other representatives, save for the first years, had confused looks on their faces. "I don't know why, and I don't want to know why, so we better make sure this will be the greatest Sports Festival in the history of U.A. High School! Plus Ultra!"
The crickets in that room were very, very loud following that yell.
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Izuku mulled over the meeting just a few hours ago as he sat inside the packed train. No matter how many times he had to go through this jam-packed crowd, he never got used to it. Every time he saw a person with black horns, his arms instinctively went to grab the sword that was hanging from his waist, only to realize that he was unarmed, and this wasn't Lordran.
Now, he wasn't that scared or terrified of the Black Knights. No, siree. It was just instinct, and what he was more afraid of was that his instincts would take over in a crowded place such as this. He wouldn't want to be on the face of the news tomorrow about a manslaughter.
Even if it was a funny thought from time to time. Damn his intrusive thoughts. He blamed Patches for this.
When in doubt, always blame Patches.
A sight left his lips as Izuku tried to remember what went through the meeting. Yada yada yada tournament, yada yada yada team building, yada yada yada gauntlet, yada yada yada showmanship.
That said, the question in his head that he inadvertently blurted out(not) was taken seriously by the third years. Something along the lines of an inherent disadvantage of heroism was the fact that their abilities was plain for everybody to see.
And yes, that included villains, the people they were meant to stop from wreaking havoc.
But their response placated his curiosity, if only a bit. Blah blah blah symbol or reassurance. In essence, if the masses know your quirk and capabilities, the more they can trust you to do your job and save them.
Bunch of pitiful people, in Izuku's opinion. Why would you wait for someone to save you when in a life-threatening position? Wouldn't they instead do everything in their power to stay alive and not meet the reaper early?
The answer the third years gave him was lackluster for a hero school. But then again, this was the problem with this society.
Looking around the train car, Izuku observed every single person riding with him. There were businessmen, students, family men, teenagers, old people, and more. Each and every one of them, sheep.
It was surreal to see. Were the survival instincts of every single person here blown to bits because of what All Might represented? Or was it because they thought that helping people from dangerous situations required a license, otherwise they would be reprimanded, if not outright jailed.
It was stupid. Idiotic. Moronic. Who in their right mind would entrust their lives to a stranger that you mostly saw through TV screens? Izuku knew he wouldn't. He would rather trust his right pinky than those posing for the cameras all day.
Huh, maybe that's why he respected Shota so much. Less time in the limelight, more time in the bowels of the underground. No wonder he always sleeps during homeroom. The man was a Gwyn-damned night owl.
Kind of embarrassing that it took him this long to notice it about him, but hey, better late than never.
The train PA system was brought to life, before announcing their next stop. A minute later, the train grounded to a halt and the floodgates opened. Dozens upon dozens of people filtered in and out of the train, Izuku being one of them.
Night it may be, but Musutafu never sleeps.
It was why a few minutes later, he found himself with a knife on his neck while a fanged, blond girl impishly grinned at him.
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A/N: I swear, this week kicked my ass. First got bitten by a dog, so that's an anti-rabies injection, then got an allergic reaction to shellfish (first time getting it in my entire life), so heartburn, and because of said allergy, I got an inner ear infection, and I still have it until now... fuck my life man...
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