Heroics and Other Things

Chapter 5: Like Any Other Hero Student

Tenya had heard about Midoriya, of course.

The Iida family was close knit, and Tenya was very close to his brother. As such they spoke often, whether it be on Tensei's visits home or over the phone, during their bi-weekly phone call approximately two hours before bed. Tensei had mentioned the curious discovery of Present Mic's that was traveling in a ripple through the hero community, first locally and then further to the rest of Japan: a set of notebooks full of truly enlightening analyses, and the first year UA student who had apparently written them.

Tenya had been curious which of his classmates was such a gifted analyst, but Tensei said that it was a Gen Ed student, who would surely soon be transferring to the support course. Tensei had always been one to work as closely as possible with his talented support staff, and he encouraged Tenya to be kind to the boy when he inevitably began working with the hero classes to perfect his analysis skills. Hero work could entail just as much networking as any other high profile profession, and it was an area Tenya needed to work on. This analyst, who would surely be in high demand upon graduation, would be an excellent subject on which to practice those skills.

When Aizawa-sensei had announced that the mousy looking boy with untidy green hair standing by the buses was the analyst Tenya had heard about, he'd wanted to go talk to him right away, to try and make him feel welcome. Kirishima, however, had immediately monopolized his attention, and Tenya's duty as the Vice President of the class had ended up mandating that he not ride the same bus as the two of them. As they entered the USJ Tenya was just deciding that he'd simply have to take whatever suggestions were offered him gracefully and then thank Midoriya humbly when class was over.

Then, once they were inside the USJ, the warp gate opened, and Tenya stood frozen in horror alongside his classmates as what were clearly villains streamed into the facility. He didn't know what to do. Things like this simply didn't happen at UA High School. This had to be some part of the simulation, another 'logical ruse' like Aizawa-sensei's quirk assessments, but villains weren't what this facility was supposed to be for and-

"Iida ," came a voice in Tenya's ear, snapping him out of his trance.

"Midoriya," Tenya said, touching his earpiece so it would pick up his voice, "do you know what we're-"

"You have to run," Midoriya's voice interrupted. "You have to get back to the main campus and get help!"

"What?!" Tenya sputtered. "And abandon my classmates?!"

"Vice President," the formal address by his title made Tenya straighten his back, "think about what's happening. Those people aren't supposed to be here, yet they got in with no trouble. The alarms aren't going off, so no one knows they're here. We have two Pros and twenty hero students, and I already count thirty villains out there. We need back up; that's what the class needs from you right now!"

"You're right of course," Tenya agreed, but still he hesitated. "But-"

"You're the fastest!" Midoriya's voice rose in pitch as he began to speak more emphatically. "The doors are closing, go go go!"

Tenya looked behind himself, to see that the enormous doors were in fact sliding shut behind them. As he stood there, paralyzed with indecision, a piece of advice Tensei had once given him rang in his ears.

Remember that you're part of a team, Tensei had said. You do what the team needs, regardless of how glamorous it is or how useless it feels. People are counting on you, Tenya.

Without giving it another thought, Tenya revved his engines and shot straight through the gap in the doors. Once he was outside he heard them close ominously behind him, but he paid them no attention. He had to get to the main campus. His classmates were counting on him.