[26] Planting Seeds

(A/N: The Oshi No Ko Story has been released, if you are interested, give it a read!) 

"Good morning, class," Aizawa greeted us.

"Good morning," we chorused back.

"Listen, the U.A. Sports Festival is about to start in three weeks."

Kirishima pumped his fist in the air. "Let's go kick some ass!"

Jiro raised her hand, a look of concern on her face. "Wait a second, is it really such a good idea to hold the Sports Festival so soon after the villains infiltrated U.A.?"

Ojiro nodded in agreement. "Yeah, they could attack again when we're all in the same place."

Aizawa sighed, his shoulders sagging slightly. "The administration thinks doing this is a good way of showing that the situation is handled and that our school is safer than ever. Plus, security will be a lot higher this year as well."

He straightened up, his gaze sweeping over the room. "Listen up, this is no ordinary school event," he continued. "The Sports Festival is one of the most-watched events in Japan, with millions tuning in from around the country. It's a chance for you to show the world what you're made of, to catch the eye of pro heroes and potential employers."

"But make no mistake," Aizawa warned, his eyes narrowing. "This is not just a chance for glory and recognition. It's also a crucial step in your training as future heroes. The challenges you'll face in the festival will push you to your limits, forcing you to confront your weaknesses and grow in ways you never thought possible."

Aizawa's words hung in the air, heavy with implication. I watched my classmates' reactions, cataloging each response.

Uraraka's eyes were wide, a mix of excitement and nerves evident in her voice. "Millions of people watching? That's... that's a lot of pressure."

"Pressure?" Bakugo scoffed, a feral grin spreading across his face. "It's a chance to crush all these extras and show everyone who's the best."

Iida's hand shot up again. "Mr. Aizawa! What kind of challenges can we expect in the festival?"

Aizawa's tired eyes fixed on him. "That information is classified. You'll find out when everyone else does."

Momo leaned forward, her brow furrowed. "So, this is essentially our debut as future pro heroes?"

"Correct," Aizawa nodded. "For many of you, this will be your first time in the spotlight. Make it count."

I felt a tap on my shoulder and turned to see Kaminari looking pale. "Dude, I think I'm gonna be sick. What if I mess up in front of all those people?"

"You'll be fine, Kaminari. Just focus on training and you won't mess up."

Mineta, meanwhile, had a lecherous grin on his face. "Think of all the hot girls who'll be watching! We've got to look our best!"

Tsu's tongue shot out, smacking him upside the head. "That's not the point of this, ribbit."

Todoroki, as usual, remained silent, but I noticed his mismatched eyes narrow slightly. He was taking this seriously.

Aizawa cleared his throat, drawing our attention back to him. "One more thing. Midoriya."

"Yes, sir?"

"As the top scorer in the entrance exam, you'll be giving the student pledge at the opening ceremony."

The room went silent for a moment, then erupted into excited chatter.

"Way to go, Midoriya!"

"That's so cool!"

"You better not embarrass us, Deku!"

I nodded. "Yeah, Principal Nezu already filled me in."

The rest of the class passed in a blur of excited whispers and half-formed training plans. As soon as Aizawa dismissed us, the room exploded.

"Midoriya!" Iida's voice cut through the chaos. "As your friend, I must insist on helping you prepare for your speech. It's a matter of utmost importance!"

I laughed, holding up my hands. "Thanks, Iida. I think I can handle it."

Uraraka bounced over, her eyes shining. "This is so exciting! We should all train together, right? To get ready for the festival?"

"Great idea!" Kirishima agreed. "We could do group workouts, quirk practice sessions..."

As they started planning, I felt a presence at my side. Momo stood there, a thoughtful expression on her face.

"Congratulations on the speech, Midoriya," she said softly. "Though I'm not surprised. You've proven yourself to be quite the leader."

I smiled, noting the slight blush on her cheeks. "Thanks, Yaoyorozu."

She nodded, then hesitated. "If you need any help preparing, I'd be happy to assist."

Interesting. "That would be great, actually. Maybe you could help me out sometime?"

Her face lit up. "I'd like that."

"Alright, listen up!" I called out, drawing everyone's attention. Time to start laying the groundwork. "The Sports Festival is a big deal, but we shouldn't lose sight of why we're here. We're training to be heroes, to save lives and make a difference."

Nods of agreement rippled through the room.

"So yeah, let's train hard and do our best," I continued. "But let's also remember that we're a team. Class 1-A sticks together. Deal?"

A chorus of cheers and agreement filled the room. I smiled, feeling the energy, the trust, the camaraderie.

All pieces on my chessboard, whether they knew it or not.

As we filed out of the classroom, I hung back, pretending to gather my things. Once everyone was gone, I approached Aizawa's desk.

"Mr. Aizawa? Can I ask you something?"

He looked up, his tired eyes focusing on me. "What is it, Midoriya?"

"I was wondering... the speech at the opening ceremony. How much leeway do I have with what I say?"

Aizawa raised an eyebrow. "Meaning?"

"Well," I said, choosing my words carefully, "I was thinking about addressing some of the concerns people might have after the USJ incident. You know, to reassure everyone that U.A. is still the best place for aspiring heroes."

Aizawa studied me for a long moment. "That's... not a bad idea, actually. But run your speech by me before the ceremony."

I nodded, smiling. "Of course, sir. Thank you."

(3 Hours Later)

I sat at our usual table, surrounded by my classmates. Bakugo slouched in his chair, scowling at his food as if it had personally offended him. Kirishima, ever the enthusiast, was animating wildly as he spoke.

"Guys, we need to step up our training," Kirishima said, punching his palm for emphasis. "The Sports Festival is our chance to show the world what we're made of!"

Kaminari groaned, his head hitting the table with a soft thud. "Easy for you to say, Mr. Unbreakable. Some of us don't have quirks that are so...festival-friendly."

I leaned forward. "That's why we need to think strategically. It's not just about raw power."

Momo nodded. "Midoriya's right. We should focus on versatility and unexpected applications of our quirks."

"Fuck that noise," Bakugo growled. "I'm gonna blast my way to the top, no fancy strategies needed."

Iida's hand chopped the air, nearly knocking over Jiro's drink. "We must approach this systematically! I propose we create a training schedule that addresses each of our weaknesses!"

"Ooh, ooh!" Mina bounced in her seat. "We could do quirk combination training! Like, see how our powers work together!"

I nodded, encouraging the idea. "That's smart, Ashido. In real hero work, we'll often have to coordinate our quirks."

Ochaco's eyes were wide. "Yeah! Like, maybe I could make Sato weightless while he's super strong from his quirk!"

Sato grinned, flexing his arms. "I'm down for that. Imagine the damage I could do!"

As the group continued to brainstorm, I sat back, observing. Each suggestion, each interaction, was another piece of data. Who worked well together? Who had hidden potential? Who might be a threat?

Suddenly, a booming voice cut through the cafeteria chatter. "YOUNG MIDORIYA IS HERE!"

I turned, already knowing who I'd see. All Might stood there, looking oddly sheepish in his navy blue business suit. In his hands, he held a bento box.

"What's up, All Might?" I asked, keeping my tone casual despite the sudden silence that had fallen over our table.

All Might cleared his throat, a slight flush creeping up his neck. "Lunch," he said, holding out the bento box. "Wanna eat with me?"

I could feel the eyes of everyone at the table boring into me. This was unexpected. All Might never ate in the cafeteria. Was this part of keeping up appearances as my mentor? Or did he have something important to discuss?

I glanced at my classmates, noting their reactions. Bakugo looked ready to explode with jealousy. Iida was practically vibrating with excitement at the idea of a student dining with a teacher. Ochaco and Momo exchanged a look I couldn't quite decipher.

"Sure," I said, standing up. "Guys, I'll catch up with you later, okay?"

As I followed All Might out of the cafeteria, I heard the whispers start up behind me.

All Might led me to his office, closing the door behind us. As soon as we were alone, his larger-than-life persona deflated, quite literally. In a puff of steam, he shrank down to his true form.

"Sorry about that, my boy," he said, his voice no longer booming. "I hope I didn't interrupt anything important."

I shook my head, taking a seat across from him. "Not at all. Is everything okay?"

All Might sighed, opening his bento box. The smell of grilled fish and rice filled the room. "I wanted to check in with you. After the USJ incident, and with the Sports Festival coming up... how are you holding up?"

I considered my answer carefully. "I'm doing alright. The USJ was... intense. But it showed me how much further I have to go."

All Might nodded, a proud smile on his gaunt cheeks. "You performed admirably, young Midoriya. But you're right to recognize there's always room for improvement."

He paused, picking at his food. "I heard you'll be giving the opening speech at the festival."

"Yeah," I said. "It's a big responsibility."

"Indeed it is," All Might agreed. "But I have no doubt you'll rise to the occasion. You have a way with words, my boy. Use them wisely."

"I was thinking of addressing the USJ incident, actually. To reassure people that U.A. is still the safest place for heroes-in-training."

All Might's eyes widened slightly. "That's... quite bold. But perhaps necessary. Just be careful not to overstep."

"Of course," I said, the picture of an earnest student. "Mr. Aizawa already said he wants to review the speech beforehand."

All Might relaxed a fraction. "Good, good. Now, about One For All. How's your control coming along?"

I flexed my hand, remembering the surge of power during the USJ fight. "It's improving. I can use about 5% consistently now without hurting myself."

"Excellent progress!" All Might beamed. "But remember, the Sports Festival will push you to your limits. You'll need to be careful not to reveal too much about One For All."

"I understand. I'll start working on some techniques that use minimal power but have maximum impact. Hopefully, that'll be enough."

All Might studied me for a long moment, his sunken eyes unreadable. "You're a clever one, young Midoriya. Sometimes I wonder if you really need my guidance at all."

"I'll always need your guidance, All Might. You're the Symbol of Peace, after all."

He chuckled, but it sounded hollow. "For now, perhaps. But soon enough, it'll be your turn to bear that mantle."

The weight of his words hung in the air between us. I let the silence stretch, watching as All Might's shoulders sagged slightly.

"All Might," I said, injecting concern into my voice. "Are you okay? You seem... tired."

He waved off my concern, but I could see the weariness in his eyes. "Just the usual, my boy. This old body of mine isn't what it used to be."

An idea sparked in my mind. "Maybe... maybe we should start thinking about a public transition. You know, prepare people for the idea that even the Symbol of Peace can't go on forever."

All Might's head snapped up, his eyes wide. "What do you mean?"

I leaned forward, warming to my theme. "Nothing drastic. But maybe start mentioning in interviews that you're looking towards the future, training the next generation. It could help soften the blow when you do have to step down."

All Might was quiet for a long moment, considering. "That's... not a bad idea, actually. But we'd have to be very careful about how we present it."

I nodded eagerly. "Of course. We could work on it together. Maybe even tie it into my speech at the Sports Festival somehow."

All Might's brow furrowed. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves, young Midoriya. For now, focus on your training and your speech. We can discuss the rest later."

I sat back. "You're right. Sorry, I got carried away."

All Might's expression softened. "No need to apologize. Your heart's in the right place. It's one of the things that makes you a true hero."

The bell rang, signaling the end of lunch. All Might stood, his form expanding back into his heroic persona.

"Well, young Midoriya, duty calls. Keep up the good work, and remember - I'm always here if you need me."

All Might was a good man, a true hero. But he was also naive, stuck in old ways of thinking.

The world was changing. The League of Villains had made that clear. We needed a new kind of hero, one who could navigate the gray areas, make the hard choices. Force some real change.

Someone like me.

Time to get to work on that speech. After all, the right words could change everything.