Chapter Text
Izuku Midoriya stared at the large screen in the auditorium, surrounded by not only his class but the rest of the first year courses, and he had one significant resounding thought.
He was going to die.
Or commit murder.
Either one of those would work just fine for him.
The reason?
It was the time of year for the annual Heroes vs. Villains competition held at UA. A competition that took place towards the end of the second semester as a replacement for the practical exam for the Hero course. This event is known worldwide seeing as UA broadcasts the entire thing. It is an event that produces more viewers than the sports festival. Everyone in the world, for a week, watches the first year students of UA play Heroes vs. Villains while under the direct command of the “chosen students.”
The chosen students, or rather the unfortunate ones, were chosen randomly by principal Nezu.
However, sitting in the auditorium looking at the screen, Izuku Midoriya realized what a lying bitch UA truly was. Because there was absolutely no way that the names displayed on the screen for the entire first year class of UA to see were random. There was absolutely no way his childhood bully got the commanding officer position for the Heroes while he got the position for the Villains. There was absolutely no way the selection was random.
He could feel the eyes of his classmates on him. He didn’t even need to look to know that Bakugou was drilling holes into him, as if he were the one to choose to go up against him.
He was going to completely and undeniably die.
“Now this year,” principal Nezu spoke out towards the crowd from his position on the stage, “the annual competition is going to be a bit different. Typically, the teams from both sides are randomly chosen evenly so that no leader is at a disadvantage from the start. However, due to the events that took place during the first semester, not everything is going to go as we expect. Therefore, this is the first year where students are able to choose what team they would like to be on. You will have a total of five minutes to make your decision before one by one you all are asked to come up on this stage and place your name in either the Heroes box to be on the Hero team or the Villains box to be on the Villain team. After your decision is made you can not change it. Furthermore, you may choose to not participate but doing so will cause you a failing grade in one of your finals, regardless of the class designation. Also, it is important to note that the winning team of this exercise will not only pass their final with a perfect score, but the students in the hero course will also win an all exclusive pass to visit any hero agency of their wish. For the students in business, support, and general, if your team were to win you will also be able to visit any place of your choosing as well.” The auditorium had never been so loud before. “Now, will both commanding officers please come up here and stand behind your designated box.”
Katsuki Bakugou immediately got up and trudged his way to the stage, his sneer never leaving his face.
Izuku Midoriya however, well he was just trying to get his breathing under control before he passed out from anxiety. He shakingly got up from his seat and purposefully kept his gaze to the ground. He could feel the eyes of his friends and that made him want to cower more than anything.
Maybe he should give up and just take the failing grade. The principal could assign another commanding officer and he will just take the hit. However, risking a glance up to where the faculty were standing near the wall by the stage, he met All Might’s smile and he knew without a doubt he couldn’t go through with that plan.
He was so going to die.
Don’t faint , he said to himself as he commanded his feet to go up the steps.
Don’t faint , he repeated as he pointedly ignored Bakugou’s sneering gaze and slowly walked behind his own box.
Don’t faint , he once again stated while risking a glance at the auditorium and seeing the gaze of every first year that attends UA on him.
Do not fucking faint , he finally repeated, before standing straight up and forcing his arms by his side, both of his fist tightly clenched.
“Students we will convene in five minutes. Choose wisely,” principal Nezu announced before jumping off the stool that he was standing on and walking towards the direction where the rest of the staff stood.
Midoriya surveyed the crowd and saw that almost his entire class were staring at Bakugou, a decision already made from the glint in their eyes.
And god that hurt.
He knew that his class were nothing but heroes. He knew how they wouldn’t stray away from their role even if it were just an exercise. But he also had hoped that maybe they would want to be on his team as well. That maybe despite being the villain commander, his classmates would have remembered everything he had done and would put their faith in him.
What had hurt the most was knowing from the look in his eyes that Todoroki would not join his team. Yeah it would have been nice to have his power on his side, but Todoroki was his absolute best friend. He was the one who stood by his side when both of his arms were broken and he felt like all was lost. He was the one who would fall asleep by the side of his bed some nights when his nightmares got too much for him to handle. The one that despite his stoic personality, ranted and raged about the bullying he endured from Bakugou. He was the one who he had an undeniable crush on. But he was also the one who was staring at Bakugou’s side, a decision clearly etched into his very emotionless face.
Izuku Midoriya felt betrayed.
He shouldn’t have.
It was simply just a school competition where everyone had the right to choose which team to join. But watching all of his friends not even risk a glance to his side, he had never felt so alone before. Or rather, he had not felt that feeling since his last year at Aldera.
He desperately tried to catch someone’s eyes, anybody’s eyes, but everyone was either clearly ignoring his desperation or staring at Bakugou as if he were their savior.
He thought he saw some contemplative looks from students in 1B, but their faces quickly changed before they redirected their gaze once again to the hero side.
“I am so going to die,” he faintly whispered out, mind so plagued with betrayal and hurt that there was no room for his despair to remain in his inner monologue.
After the auditorium got a bit noisy and the staff noticed that the five minutes were up, principal Nezu made his way back onto the stage and up to the stool where he could reach the mic.
“Alright students, please one by one come up the stairs and make your decision. Remember, you can not change your decision so whatever you choose is final. Let’s start with the business course in the front.”
As predicted, every student from the business course and the rows after chose Bakugou. Not even one person glanced towards Midoriya or even seemed to consider him. When it was time for 1A to choose, he almost wanted to turn away from his empty box in order to prevent the hurt from spreading even more. Iida placed his name first in Bakugou’s box, then Uraraka, Asui, and then Todoroki. From the corner of his eye he knew Todoroki was finally trying to catch his gaze, but Midoryia couldn’t care less. Todorki made his choice and forgiveness was a hard thing for Midoryia.
In his daze of betrayal and hurt, Midoriya almost didn’t see the body that stopped right in front of his box, placing a paper with a name inside. If anything, when he finally did notice, his mouth dropped down in shock when his brain finally registered Momo Yaoyorozu standing right in front of him, a sincere smile plastered on her face.
“Um what?” Midoriya spoke out for the first time since he stood on the stage. He was imagining things. That was the only and most logical explanation to why Momo Yaoyorozu was standing in front of him, declaring herself to be on his team.
Despite his obvious shock, Yaoyorozu just smiled kindly at him before leaning over the box to whisper into his ear.
“I believe in you,” she stated. “You are the most hardworking person I have ever met and the plans that you come up with are legendary. I know I will never be able to conjure up the plans you do. I believe in you and I know without a doubt you would win by yourself if it came down to it. But I would really like a perfect score on my final so please don’t mind my interruption.”
Izuku Midoriya knew he liked boys since he was little. So he absolutely did NOT have a blush on his face once Yaoyorozu leaned backed and smiled at him once more.
“Oh um, yeah of course, um, thank you,” he quietly responded, making sure the tone of his words conveyed how grateful he was that someone from his class believed in him.
Yaoyorozu simply just smiled at him once again, before making her way down the stage and back to her seat. He could feel the murderous rage coming off of Bakugou, which fair, Yaoyorozu was an all-rounder and had an incredible quirk. However, he wouldn't even let the emotion the other was feeling bother him. He had someone on his team. Someone who not only had an amazing power, but was just as smart at executing plans. He suddenly didn’t feel so alone anymore. Betrayed still definitely, but alone not so much. If anything, his brain was already coming up with ways for the both of them to win the entire thing.
Maybe that is why he almost missed the obnoxiously loud voice announcing themselves as they made their way towards his box.
Oh god please no , he internally despaired.
“OH,” Neito Monoma painstakingly shouted, “It seems as if 1A, with the acceptance of one person, has abandoned their own classmate. Well dear old Izuku Midoriya do not fret, FOR I, the Phantom Thief of 1B shall assist you in taking down the scum of 1A.”
“Um, you really don’t have to,” Midoriya pleaded out. He would accept any help he could get, but Monoma? Really?
Before he could announce his refusal again, Monoma placed his name in his box and shrieked some nonsense down the stairs as he was making his way back to his seat.
Midoriya at that point was just plain confused. Monoma was the only one from 1B to be on his team. Even Kendo went to Bakugou's team.
Oh well , Midoriya thought, at least Monoma is well tuned with his quirk and can be a great assist.
After all of 1B was seated, he noticed how 1C, the general studies course, was up next. He saw how the purple haired boy who he fought at the sports festival, Hitoshi Shinsou, stopped next to Aizawa Sensei and Yamada Sensei and exchanged a few words before making his way up the stage with the rest of his class.
He also noticed how Shinsou’s gaze never wavered from his own.
Please , he internally pleaded. Having Shinsou on his team would change many things. There were so many plans he could come up with and scenarios where his quirk would be perfect.
Please , he pleaded again.
Hope was not on his side with Todoroki earlier, but it was when Shinsou stopped in front of his box and dropped his name into it.
“You better not fail,” Shinsou muttered, before making his retreat down the stage.
Typically Midoriya would cower into himself once talked to with the tone that Shinsou just spoke to him in, but if anything, Midoriya just felt more powered up. He knew Shinsou did not like him but yet, he still went to his team. He would not fail the only three members he had on his team out of 100.
Well four now, if the screeching of “10 million” was anything to go by.
“10 million,” Mei Hatsume of the support course shouted, “You have very few members on your team!” She announced, as if that were something he should be proud of.
“Yeah I noticed,” He kinda snarked back, the hurt still lingering from earlier.
However, before he could feel bad for his tone, Hatsume just grinned widely and dumped her crumpled up paper with her name in his box.
“Perfect!” She screeched once again. “Absolutely perfect. Few people means that the camera will only pick up what the very few people are doing. Which means my babies will be the center of attention. Which means my babies will get recognition! Perfect! Oh this is just so perfect!”
Hatsume just mumbled on and on about how perfect his team was for her babies as she too descended the stairs.
Midoriya could only just shake his head fondly. He should have known that was what it was about. But if anything, Hatsume’s inventions could come very handy to him so he shouldn’t be bothered that he was being used just as Iida was used during the sports festival.
“Four is better than three I guess,” he uttered out.
“Yeah well ninety-five is better than four so I guess you're shit at counting and knowing what’s better and what’s not you damn nerd,” Bakugou ranted out, finally speaking to Midoriya.
“Well actually it would be ninety-four since you yourself do not count, so I guess it isn’t me that’s not good with counting.”
Yup, he was going to be murdered if the explosions coming off the other boy's hands were anything to go by.
It was the betrayal, that is why he said what he said. The betrayal was ruining his sweet precious mind.
Bakugou’s explosions were quickly shut off, which only meant that Aizawa Sensei was off to the side, glaring murderously at Bakugou for making him use his quirk.
Serves him right
After a few more minutes of the remaining courses choosing Bakugou, the selection process was finally over.
Midoriya thought he should have been more upset by how small his team was compared to the others, but he wasn’t. If anything he was overjoyed. Yayorozu was right earlier when she said that he would find a way to win just by himself. There was absolutely no way he would fail. But now he had a team of five people. Five people whose quirks would fit perfectly into his plans. Five people who now would win with him.
“Since Bakugou’s team is quite large,” Nezu spoke out into the mic, “Gym Gamma will be your training ground as well as meeting room for this exercise. The next week of classes are canceled and obviously the week after that is the competition. Although the staff and myself would have liked to have more students on the villain’s team, you all chose your teams by your own will and therefore, the numbers will stay the same. Commanders, you will have the rulebooks handed out to you tomorrow during homeroom. Midoriya, since your team is quite small, you can meet wherever you like, just give the teachers a heads up.” Midoriya could only nod as Nezu continued. “And finally, first years of UA, make not only the teachers, but the world proud. Show everyone why UA is the best, and will remain the best for years to come. Use your quirks. Use your training. Use your intelligence. But most of all, go beyond, Plus Ultra!”
After the cheer which everyone contributed to, Bakugou stomped off the stage and out of the auditorium doors with ninety-four students following him.
Midoriya got down from the stage as well, but stayed near the stairs as his four teammates walked up to him.
They were all looking at him, waiting for directions. They all had glints in their eyes which reminded him of a rabid animal, ready to pounce on their prey.
He could only smile back at them, with the same feral glint in his eyes.
Izuku Midoriya was the sunshine boy of class 1A. However, never let it not be said that he also had a feral side to him once he was challenged.
And with ninety-four students choosing his bully instead of him, he will take this challenge very seriously.
“Are you ready?” He manically spoke out while walking the opposite directions of the other team towards the side doors.
“For what?” Hatsume asked.
Izuku Midoriya only offered them a smirk from over his shoulders before pushing the double doors in front of him open and walking out, his team following closely behind. He finally stopped in front of the support department's lab before turning fully around and facing his team once again. He noticed the excitement piling up in Hatsume and the confused look given to him by the other three hero students.
“We are going to win this.” He spoke out quietly, the feral grin from earlier creeping steadily back onto his face. “We are not only going to win, we are going to have a perfect win. By the end of this, all those students will regret not picking our team.” One by one, every member of his team shared the same feral grin as he, before he turned around and walked straight into the lab and towards Hatsume’s workspace.
After all, when challenged and betrayed, Izuku Midoriya always found a way to win.