Chapter Text
It wasn't often that the hero course got called into the auditorium so when Mr. Aizawa told them that morning they would be having a meeting amongst all hero courses in the afternoon everyone's interest was piqued. Deku found himself muttering about the possibilities of what was happening and went so far as to ask Mirio if he knew what was happening. He didn't get a straight answer just that it was a secret. Which made him want to know even more and the possibilities were endless. Once the time came to make their way to UAs massive auditorium class 1-A made their way there as a class all excited about what might be happening.
Deku was surrounded by Uraraka, Iida, Shoto, and Tsu. Each of them looking towards the stage with anticipation. Whatever the announcement was had to be important to pull the entire hero course out of class with only two weeks before final exams started.
Uraraka nudged Deku to get his attention during his muttering storm. She initially found them a bit strange, but over the past year, she had started to pay attention to him more when he was like that and found he often had been talking different possibilities out whether it was a new quirk he saw or like now wondering why they were all called into the auditorium right before finals. It may have been strange at first but she had begun to find it to just be one of the many things she liked about Deku.
"Deku why do you think we're here," she questioned.
"Well, I'm not sure. It could just be something to boost morale before finals week, but it could also be an announcement about what our finals will be. If it's the latter it's strange that all hero course students are here since we shouldn't have the same final exam. Unless the final exam is along the same premise for each year so they just have us all gather to explain what's happening. If that were the case it would explain why Mirio told me it was a secret," Midoriya explained.
"I remember my brother mentioning something about the final exams being a really interesting event when we talked about them after I got accepted," Iida interjected.
"My father had also mentioned something about the exams being a big UA event," Shoto said.
"I think it's starting, kero," Tsu croaked as she pointed towards the stage.
The auditorium began to quiet down as they witnessed the homeroom teachers of the different hero courses come onto the stage along with Principal Nedzu. Looking towards the stage it still amazed Deku. He was really at UA. His teachers were pro heroes and he had spent a year training to become a hero just like All Might. He thought about the changes that had happened over the past year. He met his idol, became a student at his dream school after inheriting his hero's quirk, he fought against the league on a few occasions, rescued Eri from Overhaul, and was beginning to unravel the mystery that was One for All.
"Good Afternoon everyone. Many of you know why we're here today, but the first-year classes are probably curious. As the second and third years here know the final exam each year is the same for each year in the hero course. The years are still separated, but it's easiest to explain it to the entire group rather than having three different announcement ceremonies. UA has been going under this tradition since All might was a student. Hero vs. Villain battles," Nedzu exclaimed to the group.
Deku was muttering excitedly as the auditorium grew loud with excited cheers and questions. He wasn't sure how the exam would work. Would it be class against class, splitting them into heroes and villains or would everyone be able to choose whether to be a hero or villain? Was it going to be randomized? How long would the exam last? Was there going to be prep time or were they going into the exam with no time to plan as a team? Uraraka was listening to Deku mutter again and almost forgot to nudge him when Nedzu looked like he was going to speak again.
Deku looked at Uraraka after she nudged him and she had looked back up at the stage. He realized Nedzu was about to speak again and listened in closely. He was really excited about the exam. He just hoped he wasn't going to need to fight against the teachers like they had to for their first term final exam.
"I understand many of you are excited. I only need to explain the premise of the exercise before we can get to the fun part. First years please pay attention since this explanation is mostly for you. The Hero vs. Villain battles will be the final exam for each of your years. The leaders have already been chosen and will be announced soon. Once the leaders are announced students can choose whether to be a part of the hero or villain team. We know many of you will want to choose to be on the hero team, but to make the exercise as fair as possible, we need a minimum of ten people on the villain team. The battles will take place the week of our final exams and will be up to a week long. Each year will be placed in different battlegrounds and will have a week to win. The heroes can win by defeating all the villains. The villains can win lasting all week, or defeating all the heroes. Now that the basics are over with I'll give the podium to the homeroom teachers so they can announce the leaders for each team starting with the third years," Nedzu stated before sliding off of the chair he was sitting on behind the podium.
Thirteen and Snipe made their way up to the podium holding an envelope like it was an award show.
"The leader of the third-year hero team is... Amajiki Tamaki," Thirteen announced excitedly. The screen behind the teachers lit up with a picture of Amajiki displayed in a t-chart under the hero column. The screen then changed to a live picture of Amajiki putting his head on Nejires shoulder like he usually does when overwhelmed.
Panning off of Amajiki before the screen went back to the t-chart Snipe began to speak," The villain team leader will be Hado Nejire."
The camera put her in the villain column then transitioned to a live picture of her beaming and waving at the camera. Mirio was sitting next to her clapping excitedly. Deku was kinda shocked that Mirio wasn't chosen as one of the team leaders now that he had his quirk back thanks to Eri. It would probably be hard for him to choose which team to be on since he'd be picking between his friends. Deku wasn't sure what he would do if he had to pick between teams that two of his close friends were leading. He would probably just flip a coin and apologize profusely to the other so they knew it wasn't personal.
The presentation continued as Midnight and Ectoplasm came forward and announced the leaders for the second-years. Once they were finished Aizawa and Vlad King strode up to the podium and he could feel the tension rise around Class 1-A and Class 1-B.
Aizawa looked as tired as usual. Dressed in his capture weapon and black jumpsuit Deku was almost surprised he didn't have his sleeping bag wrapped around him. Vlad King looked annoyed as well, but he wasn't sure why unless the leaders are both from class 1-A.
"The hero team leader for the first years is... Iida Tenya," Vlad King announced huffing after the announcement. Iidas picture appeared in the hero column then the screen changed to a live picture of Iida standing proudly saying that he hopes to make everyone proud.
The commotion died down and the tension was back. Who would the villain leader be? Deku was nervous as Aizawa began to speak.
"The villain leader for the first years is Midoriya Izuku," Aizawa said tiredly but Deku was sure he saw a possible smile reaching the corners of his senseis mouth.
Deku felt like time froze. His mouth felt dry all of the sudden and he could feel his heartbeat racing as his ears pounded. He wasn't even given a choice he had to be the leader of the villain team. His thoughts were racing, he didn't want his classmates to think he was a monster, he couldn't convince himself how this could ever be a good thing. What if they thought he was the traitor because he does well during the exam. As Deku continues to think through every negative possibility he realizes one thing. This can be his chance to prove that everyone should be glad that he isn't a villain. They should be rejoicing that he never decided to become a villain after being bullied and discriminated against by society for the lack of a gene. Deku felt his heart racing still but his panic was replaced with determination.
He felt Uraraka squeeze his hand. He looked at her to see her eyes looking down at him worryingly. Deku smiled and squeezed her hand back. He shouldn't worry. Even if he acts as a villain he had friends now friends that wouldn't turn their backs on him over something stupid like playing a part in an exam. He just hopes that he doesn't do anything too drastic to ruin his friendships.
"Now that the leaders have been announced I hope everyone takes the time to consider their options and choose which team they would like to be on. You will have until the end of the week to tell your homeroom teachers which team you will be on. The following week's instruction will end and you will have the entire week to prepare before exam week starts the following Monday morning. Leaders, please stay behind to meet with the teacher that announced you," Nedzu stated before once again jumping off of the stool and exiting the stage.