Aizawa had ended the class right after he finished giving us the details of the U.A. Sports Festival. It will begin three weeks from now. And with it, the spotlight would be on us again.
"Henshin. Come with me for a moment."
His voice cut through the casual chatter that had started to build in the classroom. I followed him without question, my bag still slung over one shoulder. He led me to an empty room just down the hall, the door clicking shut behind us.
"You're the top scorer in the entrance exams," he got straight to the point. "So, you'll be the first-year representative. That also means you're giving the student pledge at the start of the Sports Festival."
"Alright," I nodded, not seeing a problem with that. "Are there any guidelines for it? Like, how long I should make it?"
"It doesn't really matter. You can make it as long or short as you want. I don't particularly care about things like speeches or ceremonies. But after the USJ attack, it's a chance for both you and the school to come off strong."
Ah, so that's what this was. Not just a title or formality, it was about the optics. The face of the first years. I'll have to give a really good speech then, it could give me a huge boost right off the bat.
"Sure, I got it. Anything else?"
He shook his head. "No. You're dismissed."
I stepped back into the hallway, already considering what I'd say. Maybe I should ask Momo for help with writing it? She's probably got a good sense for formal stuff.
I rounded the corner back to my classroom and stopped.
What the fuck?
There was a whole crowd of students outside our door, murmuring and shifting for a better look. It hadn't even been five minutes since class ended. What were they doing here already?
I picked up bits of conversation as I got closer.
"Some of us in the General Education Department are there because we failed the Entrance Exam due it being unfair against those with Quirks that don't directly help in combat. We're the people who didn't have the fortune of winning the Quirk lottery. But that doesn't mean we're just giving up. If any of us do well in the Sports Festival, the teachers can decide to transfer us to the Hero Course," someone in the front was saying. "And they'll transfer people out to make room. Scouting the comp—"
"Hold on a minute. I'll stop you right there." I pushed through the crowd. Most of them turned to look at me, parting just enough for me to step right in front of Shinso.
I never really liked the guy. He came off as whiny the second he opened his mouth. But... he kind of has a point. I'm in the Hero Course because I won the damn lottery with my Quirk. It's stupid strong.
Still, I'm the class rep. That means stepping up when someone takes a shot at my team. So yeah, time to act like it.
"Look," I began, projecting my voice so everyone around could hear, "you kind of have a point. But you're preaching to the choir here. Yes, the Entrance Exams favored certain Quirks. But you'd be a fool to assume there's no competition outside the Heroics Course. Take a look at our teacher, Eraserhead. His Quirk would've been useless in the entrance exam. Yet he's a Pro Hero."
A murmur rippled through the crowd, some nodding, others wondering where I was going with this.
"What really annoys me is that you think we got here because we won some 'lottery'. That's complete bullshit. Do you think we were born strong? That we made it here without training?"
I pointed toward Iida.
"Iida, I'm sure you're someone these people would think 'won the lottery'. Your Quirk is really useful for becoming a Hero. However, how many times have you crashed into a tree? Or dented a wall at the gym? Don't answer that, I already know it's a lot."
Then Kirishima.
"He can harden himself. Tough quirk, right? But his strength comes from pushing it. He trains like hell, and as a result, he keeps up with people stronger than him. He earned every bit of his progress. He belongs here."
Momo's turn.
"She can create anything. A crazy useful Quirk. But it drains her physically and mentally. She studies constantly to know what to create under pressure."
And finally, Midoriya.
"He scored zero villain points in the entrance exam you were talking about earlier. Didn't beat a single robot. And yet, he's got some of the most raw power I've ever seen. Do you know how much discipline it takes to get back up after that? Every. Single. Time?"
I swept my gaze across the classroom.
"There's not a single person in this class who made it here without pouring every ounce of effort into training themselves. No one here's coasting on some overpowered gift. All that matters is the person using it. Look around, every single one of us had our lives on the line less than a week ago. And yet all twenty of us are still here. Not a single person gave up."
My final words were loud and clear.
"With that being said, I welcome your challenge. Give it your best in the Sports Festival, because I have the utmost faith. In my classmates, and in myself. I know no one here will disappoint."
Silence followed as my words hit their mark.
"So don't say another word to me. Prove yourself through your actions at the Festival." I turned slightly, gaze still locked with Shinso's. "Because I promise you, every single one of us is ready."