Under the Spotlight

April 7, 2134

Approaching the entrance to U.A., I was surprised to find a large group of reporters and cameramen crowding around the gates. They were all clamoring for attention, their voices rising in a cacophony of questions and demands.

"What's going on here?" I wondered aloud, turning to my classmates. "Is U.A. hosting some kind of press conference today?"

Uraraka shrugged. "I'm not sure, but it looks like they're really eager to talk to someone."

As we drew closer to the gates, trying to make our way through the throng of reporters, I suddenly found myself face to face with a microphone. The reporter, a woman with sharp eyes and a determined expression, fixed me with an intense gaze.

"Excuse me, young man," she said, her voice clear and commanding. "Are you one of All Might's students? Can you tell us what the Symbol of Peace is like in person?"

I blinked, taken aback by the sudden question. I could feel the eyes of my classmates on me, along with the weight of the camera pointed directly at my face. Taking a deep breath, I composed myself and offered the reporter a friendly smile.

"All Might is an amazing teacher," I said. "He's tough, but fair. He pushes us to be our best, both as individuals and as a team."

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw my classmates slipping past the crowd of reporters, taking advantage of the distraction I was providing. Uraraka caught my gaze, mouthing a silent 'thank you' as she hurried towards the school entrance. Iida gave me a solemn nod, his expression one of respect.

"Excuse me, can we get your name for the record?"

"Izuku Midoriya."

"Midoriya, what would you say sets you apart from your classmates?" the same reporter asked, thrusting a microphone towards me. "What makes you stand out?"

I chuckled, running a hand through my hair. "Well, I don't like to brag," I said. "But I suppose you could say I'm a bit of a late bloomer. My quirk didn't manifest until recently, but since then, I've been working hard to make up for lost time."

"Ah, yes!" another reporter chimed in. "Aren't you the kid who cleaned up Takoba Beach? That was quite the feat!"

"Takoba Beach? The one that was covered in trash?"

"How long did that take you, kid? And why'd you do it?"

"Are you some kind of environmental activist? Is that your hero angle?"

I raised my hands, trying to stem the tide of questions. "It needed to be done," I said simply. "As heroes, it's our job to serve our communities, to make them better and safer places. Cleaning the beach was just my way of getting a head start on that. Plus, it made for one hell of a workout."

The reporters murmured amongst themselves, but before they could unleash another volley of questions, a familiar voice cut through the chatter, sending a chill down my spine.

"Midoriya."

I turned slowly, already knowing who I would find standing behind me. Mr. Aizawa, our homeroom teacher, stood at the entrance to the school, his expression unreadable beneath the folds of his scarf.

"You're going to be late for homeroom," he said, his voice flat and unamused. "Wrap it up."

I nodded. "Of course, sir. I was just about to head in."

I turned back to the reporters, giving them a small smile. "Thank you for your interest, but I'm afraid I have to cut this short. Duty calls, you understand. But keep an eye out - I have a feeling you'll be seeing a lot more of me and my classmates in the future."

With that, I turned on my heel and strode towards the school entrance, my head held high. I could feel the eyes of the reporters on my back, could hear the excited murmur of their voices as I passed.

As I drew level with Aizawa, he fixed me with a stare. "Nice work Midoriya, but be careful," he warned, his voice low. "The media can be a double-edged sword. Don't let it go to your head."

I met his gaze, unflinching. "I won't, sir." 

Aizawa held my stare for a moment longer, then nodded almost imperceptibly. "Get to class," he said. "And don't make a habit of this. You're here to learn, not to be a celebrity."

As I walked away, I heard the reporters shift their attention to Aizawa, their voices rising with renewed intensity.

"Sir, can you tell us about All Might's current whereabouts? Is he at U.A. today?"

I kept walking, not wanting to be caught eavesdropping on the conversation.

Suddenly, a loud buzzing sound filled the air, causing me to whip my head around in surprise. My eyes widened as I saw a large metal barrier rising from the ground, completely covering the space where the entrance gate had been just moments before. What the hell was that? 

"Someone tried to trespass," Aizawa's voice cut through my thoughts, "Keep moving, problem child."

I nodded, tearing my gaze away from the imposing metal barrier and falling into step beside my teacher. We walked in silence, the only sound the echoing of our footsteps against the tiled floor.

As Aizawa and I entered the classroom, I quickly made my way to my seat, my mind still processing the events of the morning. Aizawa took his place at the podium, his expression as unreadable as ever. He cleared his throat, and the room fell silent.

"Decent work on yesterday's combat training, guys," he began. "I saw the video feeds and went over each of your teams' results. You can pick up the paper notating what you can work on after homeroom. Now, let's get down to business. Our first task will decide your future."

Huh. Was this another quirk test? 

"You all need to pick a class representative."

A collective sigh of relief filled the room, followed by a sudden burst of enthusiasm as nearly everyone volunteered for the position.

Kirishima's hand shot up. "Pick me, guys! I wanna be class rep!"

Kaminari grinned, raising his hand. "I'll take it!"

Jiro smirked. "Yeah, you're gonna need me."

Aoyama struck a pose. "The position is perfect for moi!"

Ashido bounced in her seat. "I wanna be class leader!"

Hm. I never had the luxury of going to a school like this so I don't really have an interest in being a rep. But, leading a team of heroes would look good on my resume... ah... so that's why everyone wants to be class rep. 

Suddenly, a voice cut through the chaos. "Quiet down, everyone!" It was Iida, his hand raised high. "Leading the many is a task of heavy responsibility! But remember, ambition does not equate to ability. This sacred office demands the trust of its constituents! I believe the best way to choose a leader is by election!"

I muttered under my breath, "This isn't Congress, Iida."

Tsu tapped her chin thoughtfully. "We have only known each other for about two weeks. Is that enough time to know who to trust?"

Kirishima nodded. "Yeah, and what happens if everyone just votes for themselves?"

Iida adjusted his glasses. "That's why whoever gets the most votes will be best suited for the job!" He turned to Aizawa, who was already zipping himself into his sleeping bag. "Will you allow this, sensei?"

Aizawa sighed. "I don't care how it happens. Just make sure it's done before my nap is finished."

The room buzzed as everyone scribbled their votes on slips of paper. A few minutes later, the results were tallied on the board.

Izuku Midoriya - 7 votes

Momo Yaoyorozu - 3 votes

I blinked in surprise, staring at my name at the top of the list. Seven votes? How had that happened? I glanced around the room, trying to gauge my classmates' reactions.

Uraraka gave me a thumbs up, while Iida looked slightly disappointed but nodded in acceptance. Bakugo shrugged, his arms crossed tightly over his chest.

As for Momo, she seemed a bit surprised herself, but she smiled graciously.

Momo and I made our way to the front of the classroom, both of us looking a bit unsure but determined to take on our new roles. Aizawa, who had just emerged from his sleeping bag, nodded at us.

"So, your president is Midoriya, and your vice president is Yaoyorozu."

Tsu smiled, "You know what? I can get behind this."

Kaminari nodded in agreement, "Yeah, I know Midoriya's got the right stuff for this." He added, "And Yaoyorozu is pretty cool too, analyzing battle training and all!"

(A few hours later)

Our group was gathered around a table, trays of food in front of us. The conversation quickly turned to the election results.

"So, who did you guys vote for?" Kirishima asked, taking a bite of his sandwich.

Iida, who had been quietly eating his rice, looked up. "I must admit, I voted for Midoriya. His actions during the battle training and his overall demeanor at the dorms made him stand out as a strong leader."

"Thanks, Iida. That means a lot." I rubbed the back of my neck, "Honestly, I voted for Yaoyorozu. Her analytical skills and quick thinking during the training were really impressive."

Momo smiled, a faint pink dusting her cheeks. "Thank you, Midoriya. I appreciate your vote of confidence."

As the conversation continued, with others chiming in about their votes and reasons, I found myself studying Iida. His quirk, Engine, had caught my attention during the battle training, and remembering his suit, something clicked in my mind.

"Hey, Iida," I said, "Your quirk and suit remind me of a hero I've seen before. Ingenium, I think his name was. Are you related to him in any way?"

Iida's face lit up, a proud smile spreading across his features. "Indeed, I am! Ingenium is my older brother, Tensei Iida. He's an incredible hero and my personal role model."

The table grew quiet, everyone's attention now focused on Iida. He continued, his voice filled with admiration.

"My brother has always been my inspiration. His dedication to helping others and his unwavering commitment to being a true hero are qualities I strive to emulate every day. It's why I push myself so hard, both in my studies and in my training."

I nodded, "That's amazing, Iida. Having someone like that to look up to can make all the difference."

Iida adjusted his glasses, his smile softening. "It truly does. And being here at U.A., surrounded by so many talented and driven individuals, I feel like I'm one step closer to following in his footsteps and becoming the hero I've always dreamed of being."

Suddenly, an alarm blared through the cafeteria, causing everyone to freeze. An announcement followed, echoing through the halls.

"Security level three has been broken. All students, please evacuate in an orderly fashion."

Iida turned to an upperclassman nearby, his brow furrowed. "Excuse me, but what's a level three?"

The upperclassman spun around, panic etched on his face. "Someone infiltrated the building! This hasn't happened in my three years here! We gotta hurry and get out of here!"

In an instant, the cafeteria erupted into chaos. Students pushed and shoved, desperate to reach the exits. Our group was swept up in the tidal wave of bodies, separated and disoriented.

Amid the confusion, I heard Momo cry out. "Ow!"

Without thinking, I reached for her, pulling her close and shielding her from the frantic students. We were pushed toward the window, and I turned Momo so her back was facing the glass, my arms on either side of her, creating a barrier.

I cursed under my breath. "Damn, they're causing such a huge panic." I looked down at Momo. "Are you alright?"

She nodded, her voice slightly breathless. "Yeah, thank you."

I turned my gaze to the window, scanning the grounds outside. "Who the hell could have trespassed onto the campus?"

Momo twisted her head to look, and we both exclaimed in unison. "The press!?"

My mind raced, trying to find a way to calm the students and prevent any injuries. I turned to Momo, an idea forming. "Can you make a megaphone?"

She nodded, understanding immediately. Without hesitation, she began unbuttoning her shirt, her quirk activating as she focused on creating the device.

I quickly turned around, giving her privacy, and grabbed the megaphone as soon as it was ready. Taking a deep breath, I raised it to my lips and yelled, "STOP MOVING!"

The effect was immediate. Everyone froze, startled by the sudden amplified command.

I continued, my voice firm. "Look outside. It's just the press! There is nothing to worry about! Now, behave yourselves and exit in an orderly fashion!"

A student near the window peered out, then shouted, "He's right! It is just the press!"

A collective sigh of relief swept through the crowd, the tension dissipating. Another student pointed out, "Hey, the police are here, too!"

I turned back to Yaoyorozu, a relieved smile on my face. However, my expression quickly changed to one of concern when I saw her staring at me, wide-eyed and unresponsive.

"Momo? Hey, are you with me?" I gently placed a hand on her shoulder, trying to snap her out of her daze. "We gotta go back to the classroom. Come on."

She blinked, seeming to regain her focus. A faint blush crept up her cheeks as she buttoned her shirt, and she nodded. "Right. Yes, let's go."

Settling into the classroom, I took my place at the front, Momo standing beside me. The chatter died down as I cleared my throat, drawing everyone's attention.

"Alright, before we wrap up, we still need to fill a couple of positions. We have an opening for secretary and treasurer. Any takers?"

Kyoka's hand shot up. "Put me down for treasurer. I'll keep us organized."

I nodded, returning her smile. "Great, thanks, Jiro."

Iida rose from his seat, his posture impeccably straight as he bowed. "If my classmates would have me, I would be deeply honored to serve as secretary. I promise to do this job with the utmost integrity and transparency."

"Sounds good, Iida. I think you'll be perfect for the job."

As I jotted down their names, Kaminari called out. "Check out Megaphone Midoriya, taking charge like a boss!"

"Kaminari, I swear, if you ever call me that again..."

He held up his hands in mock surrender, laughing. "Alright, alright, my bad, Prez."

Aizawa, who had been observing from his usual spot at, finally stepped forward. "If you're quite finished, it's time to focus. Today, we'll be diving into rescue tactics, prepping for tomorrow's training. Notebooks out, eyes up front."

Making my way back to my desk, my mind drifted back to the chaos from earlier. The image of that crumpled barrier kept nagging at me. How did a bunch of reporters manage to get past U.A.'s defenses? It just didn't add up.

(Later that evening, in the U.A. staff room)

Principal Nezu stood before the massive screen, replaying the footage of the destroyed entrance gate. His usually cheerful demeanor was replaced by a pensive frown, his paw stroking his chin as he studied the crumbled metal.

"This was no ordinary media stunt," he mused, his eyes never leaving the screen. "The level of damage, the precision of the attack... someone was pulling the strings. The question is, was this a show of force? Or the opening move in something far more sinister?"

(A/N: Valentine here! If you don't know already, it looks like MHA is about to end! If you have seen the panels, what do you think of the ending? Warning: might be spoilers.)