My Hero Academia: Izuku Reloaded

I closed the door to the private waiting room and leaned against it for a moment. Hitomi's words still echoed in my head, painting a picture of family dysfunction so toxic it made Bakugo's bullying look like playground games. 

Quirk marriages. I'd read about them in hero history books—a dark chapter most people preferred to forget. But for Hitomi, it wasn't history. It was her origin story.

My feet carried me down the corridor automatically while my thoughts churned. The smell of fried food and the distant roar of the crowd grew stronger as I approached the stadium's main concourse. 

What Endeavor had done—creating children like breeding stock, driving his wife to such desperation—it made my stomach turn. Yet even as I sympathized with Hitomi's rejection of her fire side, I couldn't help but see the trap she'd built for herself.

"Every time you reject your fire, you're letting him control your choices."

I meant what I'd said. True freedom came from owning all parts of yourself, not just the ones with palatable origins. 

The corridor opened onto the main concourse, a flood of noise and color washing over me. Festival-goers packed the space, moving between food stalls and souvenir stands. The smell of takoyaki and yakisoba filled the air, mingling with excited chatter.

"Look, Mom! It's him!" 

A small voice cut through the noise, followed by a tug on my sleeve. I looked down to find a boy, maybe four or five, staring up at me with wide eyes. He wore a homemade hero costume—simple blue pants and a white shirt with a yellow cape.

"You're Midoriya!" The boy bounced on his toes. "From the speech! And the race!"

His mother caught up, slightly out of breath. "I'm so sorry about that. Tomio, you can't just grab people."

I crouched down to the boy's level. "It's alright. Nice to meet you, Tomio."

The boy's eyes grew even wider. "You know my name!"

"Your mom just told me," I said laughing.

"Can I... can I get a picture with you?" Tomio asked, suddenly shy. "I'm gonna be just like you when I grow up."

"Just like me, huh? That's a pretty big goal."

Tomio nodded solemnly. "I'm gonna work super hard! Even though my quirk isn't very strong."

"What's your quirk?" I asked.

He held up his hands, wiggling his fingers. Small sparks danced between them, barely visible in the bright lighting. "Static. Mom says it's just good for shocking people on purpose."

His mother looked embarrassed. "I didn't mean—"

"That's an amazing quirk," I said, cutting her off gently. "Do you know who else has an electricity-based quirk? Kaminari, from my class. And he's incredibly powerful."

Tomio's face lit up. "Really?"

"Really. And you know what? The most important part of being a hero isn't your quirk. It's your heart." I tapped his chest lightly. "How hard you work. How much you care about helping others."

"That's what you said in your speech!" Tomio jumped up and down. "That's why I like you best!"

His mother smiled apologetically. "He's been talking about you non-stop since the opening ceremony. Do you mind if I...?" She held up her phone.

"Not at all." I stood and put a hand on Tomio's shoulder. We posed as his mother snapped a few photos.

"Thank you so much," she said, tucking her phone away. "It means a lot to him."

I looked down at Tomio, seeing a reflection of my younger self. "Hey, Tomio. Remember what I said during my speech? About limitations?"

The boy nodded eagerly.

"Keep that close." I tapped his chest again. "And prove them all wrong."

As they walked away, Tomio turned back to wave, nearly tripping over his own feet in excitement. 

"Excuse me, Midoriya-san?"

I turned to find a group of high school girls, probably from other schools since I didn't recognize them. They giggled nervously as I met their eyes.

"Sorry to bother you," said the tallest one, a girl with purple hair tied in a ponytail. "We were wondering if we could get a picture too? Your speech was so inspiring."

"Sure."

The girls crowded around, their perfumes creating a cloud of floral scents. One of them pressed against my side more than necessary, her face flushed.

"What's your quirk, anyway?" asked another girl after the photos were taken. "Present Mic didn't specify."

I laughed, rubbing the back of my neck. "That's part of the mystery, isn't it? Gotta keep some surprises for the tournament."

They giggled, seemingly satisfied with the non-answer, and thanked me before walking away, heads bent together in whispered conversation.

The interaction repeated itself several times as I made my way toward the cafeteria. Parents with children. Teenagers. Even a few adults who claimed they'd been impressed by my "mature perspective." Each wanted a photo, to ask a question, or just to shake my hand.

"Your opening speech changed my mind about the police force," said an older man in a business suit. "My daughter wants to apply next year, but I was against it. Too dangerous, I thought. But you reminded me why people like that matter."

"Your daughter sounds brave," I said, shaking his hand. "The world needs more people who choose that path despite the dangers, not because they're unaware of them."

The man nodded thoughtfully. "I'll remember that. Thank you."

"Midoriya! There you are!"

Iida's distinctive voice cut through the crowd. He approached with his characteristic robotic arm movements, parting the onlookers through sheer intensity.

"The class has secured tables in the cafeteria," he announced, adjusting his glasses. "As class president, you should join us promptly! The bracket drawing will commence in twenty-seven minutes!"

I nodded. "Sorry, everyone. Duty calls."

A few disappointed murmurs rose from the crowd, but they parted to let me through. Iida led the way, his back ramrod straight as always.

"You've become quite popular," he observed as we walked. "Your speech clearly resonated with many attendees."

"Apparently." I shook my head, still processing it all. "It's... strange."

"Strange? I would think it gratifying. Your message was both moving and pertinent to today's hero society." Iida's hands chopped the air for emphasis. "The acknowledgment is well-deserved!"

"I guess I'm not used to positive attention." I shrugged. "Most of my life, people either ignored me or..."

Iida glanced at me, his expression softening slightly.

"Well, you should accustom yourself to it." His voice lost some of its usual bombast. "Your performance today has been exemplary, both in the obstacle course and the fortress challenge. You've earned this recognition."

"Thanks, Iida." 

We reached the cafeteria, a large space filled with long tables. The noise level rose considerably as we entered, hundreds of students talking, laughing, and comparing notes on the festival events so far.

I spotted our class easily—they'd pushed several tables together near the back, creating an island of UA gym uniforms in the sea of students. Camie had recovered somewhat, though she still looked tired as she leaned against Yaoyorozu, nibbling on what looked like a protein bar.

"Yo, Izu!" Camie perked up when she saw me, lifting a weak hand in greeting. "Thought you got lost or something."

"Got held up by fans," Iida explained before I could answer, sounding both disapproving and impressed. "Midoriya has acquired quite a following."

"No surprise there." Kaminari grinned, sliding over to make room for me. "That speech was fire. Plus, you know, the whole dominating-the-festival thing."

I sat down between him and Kirishima, noting the array of food already spread across the table. My stomach growled, reminding me I hadn't eaten since breakfast.

"Here." Yaoyorozu pushed a tray toward me. "Utsushimi and I got you some food. Protein-heavy, as you seem to prefer."

The tray held a substantial serving of grilled chicken, brown rice, and steamed vegetables. Three bottles of water and a protein shake sat beside it.

"Thanks," I said, genuinely touched by the thoughtfulness. "That's perfect."

"So what did Todoroki want?" Kirishima asked, leaning in. His sharp teeth gleamed as he spoke. "She looked intense."

I took a bite of chicken to buy myself time. The conversation with Hitomi felt private, not something to be shared casually over lunch.

"Tournament strategy," I said finally. "She wanted to get a read on me before the brackets are announced."

It wasn't entirely a lie, but it wasn't the truth either. 

"Speaking of brackets," Kaminari said, changing the subject, "who do you guys hope to fight? I'm praying I don't get matched with Bakugo first round. The guy's a monster."

"I wouldn't mind facing him," Kirishima said, pounding his fists together. "It'd be a manly showdown!"

"You're insane," Kaminari shook his head. "We saw what he did to Monoma in the fortress challenge. The guy copied his quirk and Bakugo still took him down. It was brutal."

"I'd rather face someone from another class first," Uraraka's voice came from across the table. "Someone I don't know. It'd be weird fighting friends."

"We're all rivals here," I said, taking a sip of water. "Friend or not, everyone's giving their all. That's what makes it a true competition."

"WISE WORDS!" Manga's speech bubble proclaimed, accompanied by a thumbs-up from his actual hand.

"So who do you want to face, Midoriya?" Yaoyorozu asked.

I took another bite of food, considering the question. "Honestly? Anyone. This tournament isn't about who I fight—it's about showing what I can do. Every match is an opportunity to prove myself."

"Spoken like a true hero," Iida nodded approvingly.

The conversation drifted to other topics—predictions about the tournament, highlights from the fortress challenge, speculation about how the pro heroes were judging their performances. I ate my meal, contributing occasionally but mostly listening, my mind still half-occupied with thoughts of Hitomi.

"Attention, students!" Present Mic's amplified voice boomed through the cafeteria speakers. "The tournament bracket drawing will begin in fifteen minutes! All qualified participants should report to the main arena! That's right, folks, it's time for the main event!"

"That's our cue," Kirishima said, standing up and stretching. "Let's go see who gets to throw down with who!"

The class rose as one, gathering trays and belongings. As we filed out of the cafeteria, I found myself walking beside Yaoyorozu, who had been unusually quiet during lunch.

"Everything okay?" I asked. "You seem preoccupied."

She glanced at me. "I'm fine. Just… analyzing our performance in the fortress challenge. There were several tactical errors I made."

"You did well," I said. "Your team's attack was coordinated and effective. We just had better defensive positioning."

"Perhaps." She didn't sound convinced. "But a hero should always strive to improve. I've been mentally cataloging my mistakes so I won't repeat them."

"That's good then," I said. "The best heroes are the ones who never stop analyzing their performance."

"Thank you. That's... reassuring to hear." She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, hesitating for a moment before asking, "What are your plans after the festival?"

"After?" I scratched the back of my neck. "Well, I'll be celebrating with my mom and Camie when I win. Nothing too fancy, just dinner probably."

"When you win?" Yaoyorozu laughed, the sound light and musical. "That's quite confident."

"I didn't come this far to aim for second place."

"Fair enough." Her dark eyes studied me with an intensity that made me wonder what calculations were running through that beautiful mind of hers. "Depending on how the festival goes... I may have something to ask you afterward."

Before I could question her further, we reached the main arena. Midnight stood on the central platform, her dominatrix-inspired costume gleaming under the stadium lights. The massive screens above displayed team names and tournament information.

We joined the other qualified teams on the field. Camie, looking slightly better after resting, sidled up next to me.

"Ready for the main event, Izu?" She bumped her shoulder against mine.

"Born ready," I replied, scanning the competition. Bakugo stood with his team, arms crossed and scowling. Hitomi remained apart from her teammates, her dual-colored hair catching the light. Class 1-B's representatives clustered together, Kendo at their center.

"Attention, sports fans!" Present Mic's voice boomed through the stadium. "It's the moment you've all been waiting for! The announcement of our tournament brackets!"

The crowd roared in response. On the screens, our team names appeared in bright letters:

TEAM MIDORIYA

Izuku Midoriya

Camie Utsushimi

Mei Hatsume

Manga Fukidashi

Fumikage Tokoyami

TEAM TODOROKI

Hitomi Todoroki

Ochaco Uraraka

Momo Yaoyorozu

Yui Kodai

Mina Ashido

TEAM BAKUGO

Katsuki Bakugo

Eijiro Kirishima

Denki Kaminari

Hanta Sero

Tenya Iida

TEAM KENDO

Itsuka Kendo

Ibara Shiozaki

Tetsutetsu Tetsutetsu

Setsuna Tokage

"As you can see," Midnight explained, tapping her riding crop against her palm, "these nineteen students have automatically qualified for the tournament based on their team performance in the fortress challenge." She paused for dramatic effect. "But we're not stopping there! The faculty has deliberated and selected three additional wild card participants based on their individual performances throughout today's events!"

The crowd murmured in anticipation. Midnight's smile widened as she raised her riding crop.

"And those wildcards are..." The screens flickered, displaying three new names. "From hero course Class 1-B... NEITO MONOMA!"

A blonde boy stepped forward, his face split in a wide, somewhat manic grin. He bowed theatrically to the crowd.

"From hero course Class 1-A... YUGA AOYAMA!"

Aoyama sparkled—literally—as he struck a pose, one hand on his hip and the other extended dramatically.

"And last but certainly not least... from the GENERAL STUDIES COURSE... HITOSHI SHINSO!"

Huh… so he did make it.

"But here's the twist!" Present Mic continued. "Our twenty-two participants can't fit neatly into a tournament bracket. So these wildcards, plus nine of our qualified participants, will compete in preliminary matches! The winners advance to join the remaining twelve in our sweet sixteen bracket!"

The screens reorganized to show the wildcard matchups:

Yuga Aoyama vs Hanta Sero

Hitoshi Shinso vs Neito Monoma

Setsuna Tokage vs Eijiro Kirishima

Tetsutetsu Tetsutetsu vs Mina Ashido

Itsuka Kendo vs Yui Kodai

Denki Kaminari vs Ibara Shiozaki

"THIS IS YOUR WILDCARD LINEUP, FOLKS!" Present Mic's excitement seemed to physically vibrate through the stadium. "The remaining competitors will receive a bye directly to the round of sixteen! Those matchups will be announced after our wildcard round concludes!"

"Man, that's rough," Kaminari muttered nearby, looking at his name paired with Shiozaki. "No time to rest."

"Consider it an opportunity," Iida replied, adjusting his glasses. "You'll have more chances to show the pro heroes your full capabilities."

"Yeah, but I'll have to show my quirk just to advance," Kaminari countered. "Everyone will see what I can do."

"Then win decisively," I said, drawing their attention. "Make it so quick they don't have time to analyze your technique."

Kaminari blinked, then grinned. "You know what? You're right. In and out, quick zap, done."

"Competitors, please clear the field!" Midnight called out. "Wildcard matches begin in ten minutes! Those not participating in the first round may watch from the class viewing boxes!"

I followed the class up to our designated viewing box, scanning the tiered seating for the optimal spot. This view offered the best view of the arena below, where Cementoss was already crafting the tournament stage with his quirk.

"Over here!" Camie tugged my sleeve, pointing to a prime section of seats. I nodded and followed her lead, settling into the middle spot. She dropped into the seat on my right while Yaoyorozu gracefully claimed the one to my left. The familiar scent of Camie's perfume mingled with Yaoyorozu's more sophisticated fragrance.

A rustle of movement caught my eye as Hagakure claimed the seat directly in front of me, her UA gym uniform floating in midair. "Perfect view from here!" Her gloves gestured enthusiastically.

"Move it, extras." Bakugo's rough voice preceded his arrival in the row behind us. Jiro settled next to him, earphone jacks idly swaying, while Iida and Uraraka filled in the remaining spaces.

Mineta appeared at the end of our row, eyeing the empty seat next to Hitomi. He took one step forward before catching my stare. The temperature seemed to drop several degrees as I held his gaze. He swallowed hard and retreated to a solitary spot near the exit.

"So," Yaoyorozu's voice drew my attention back. "What are your thoughts on the matchups?"

I leaned forward, resting my elbows on my knees as I analyzed the board. "Sero has the advantage against Aoyama. His mobility and capture abilities counter the navel laser's straight-line attacks." I gestured to the other pairings. "The rest are harder to call since we haven't seen much from the other classes, but our classmates have solid chances."

"That copy bastard is gonna get wrecked," Bakugo growled from behind us. "Serves him right for that cheap shit he pulled in the fortress."

"Monoma's quirk is fascinating though," Yaoyorozu mused. "The tactical applications of temporarily gaining others' abilities..."

"He's still an ass," Jiro cut in, twirling one jack. "Did you hear him ranting about Class 1-A's 'unearned reputation' after the obstacle race?"

"Izu!" Camie's rapid tapping on my arm interrupted the discussion. "Izu, look!" She thrust her phone in front of my face, screen displaying my Instagram profile. The follower count had jumped from our usual 19k to over 287k.

"Holy shit," Kaminari leaned over from his seat. "You're trending! That speech really blew up!"

I scrolled through the feed, seeing our previous posts gaining thousands of new likes. Training videos showing my workout routines. Casual shots of life at UA. The infamous "bunny onesie" photos from Mario kart night - Camie and I in matching pink and blue sleepwear, hoods with floppy ears pulled up, both grinning at the camera.

"Your social media presence will be valuable for future hero work," Iida noted, chopping the air. "The public clearly responds to your message of determination and growth!"

"Yeah, well..." I rubbed the back of my neck. "Let's focus on the tournament for now. Looks like they're about to start."

"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!" Present Mic's voice boomed through the stadium. "IT'S TIME FOR OUR FIRST WILDCARD MATCH! YUGA AOYAMA VERSUS HANTA SERO!"

The crowd roared as both competitors took their places on the concrete stage. Aoyama struck a pose, his belt gleaming under the stadium lights. Sero stretched his arms, tape dispensers at the ready.

"This'll be interesting," I murmured, eyes narrowing as I analyzed their starting positions. "Sero needs to close the distance fast before Aoyama can establish his preferred range."

"BEGIN!"