Chapter Text
Izuku eyed the flashing computer in front of them. They were finally called on stage and nerves were setting down to his fingertips. They could do this, he psyched himself up. All the training, all the hours spent perfecting their strategies and teamwork. All the sleep deprived days and nights living off of coffee. This was their moment.
“Teams, you may proceed to your designated stations.” The announcer's instruction echoed throughout the stadium, drowning the cheers from the bystanders.
He was blind to everything else but his team. And when he got to his chair, the platform activated to cancel their quirks and signifying their position as ready. He was set in the middle, looked at his
teammates on both sides, grinned at each other before his hand hovered and gripped the mouse in front of him.
“Let’s win this!” The voice of their leader rang through him.
The monitor in front of him sharpened its display, playing the tune in time to the thundering pulse in his veins.
……….
THE RISE OF ESPORTS
Esports generated approximately ＄936 Million in revenue in US alone and about ＄724 Million in China, according to Corps Survey 20XX, It is estimated that the industry will exponentially rise each year, estimating to reach about ＄4 Billion in 5 years in the US. This can be attributed to the emergence of Quirks and the slow decline of Physical Sports Competition. Continuous banning of players for the major sports events, particularly due to quirk advantages, has significantly reduced the number of active players in traditional sports. Sport starved fans turned to Esports competitive gaming where it was broadcasted worldwide, where they could see their favorite player compete. Another cause may be the rise of technological advancement in digital technology…
Continue Reading
–
THE GROWING TREND OF ESPORTS
Throughout the years, competition has always been part of video games. Earning top scores where players can write their name in the scoreboard, gave rise to potential competitions which attracted more players. Technology virtually penetrated the gaming scene and connected players all throughout the world…
Continue Reading
–
THE ESPORTS INDUSTRY: MARKET STATISTICS
ESPORTS AND THE GAMING COMMUNITY
A BILLION DOLLAR MARKET : COMPETITIVE GAMING
–
Dota Tournament : Black Suns VS Team Neko
Commentator 1: The pressure from Black Suns can be a bit scary going to Towers versus Overgrowth versus Fatal Bonds, even Pango. So maybe if you go get a little bit too aggressive on the side of Black Suns you get punished but it's gonna be a battle of farming up this Phantom Assassin and how much space they’re willing to give Haruki.
Commentator 2: Wow look at this, a fine Chris able to get him, bringing a very low Hiroto, might go down first - no, gets one last hit there, and Prince ends up dying after!
Commentator 1: It's a neutral deny for him, somehow that one little creep took him out!
Commentator 2: Nonetheless first blood goes to Team Neko
Commentator 1: It's gonna be Hara wrapping around to steal some wisdom runes and he’s gonna get there just in time-
Commentator 2: Oh Haruki's In trouble
Commentator 1: Prince there gets the whole stomp and Midoriya makes the move for Finn - gonna catch onto him while they’re taking down Prince. So Solid rotations and moves coming from Team Neko! On the board with two more-
Commentator 2: Oh what a move from Midoriya indeed. So every move the Black suns makes is getting rebuffed by Team Neko
Commentator 1: Finn, accidentally does the first instance of damage that his team has done in a while by that casual fissure and now he’s gonna pay for it as he is caught immediately and dead! And Prince, he’s also going down! Ikeda right on to him, they are getting completely stopped!
Commentator 2: and now they are getting concerted efforts together
Commentator 1: Midoriya shoves out the wave - it's going to start pushing into the Tier 1, they have one hero to come and contest -
Commentator 2: - and that is the wrong hero to bring to show up here! it's so close to his BKB, he just wants to finish it off 60 Gold away, get a last hit my man!
Commentator 1: That’s all he needs in this world! but our mouth jumps in -tries to find one, he’s on to Hara, the overgrowth is there though put to sleep for a while - back up - the echo, the connection - Hara he lives through it all!
Commentator 2: It is not enough! Black suns can't get their first kill. Team Neko survives!
Commentator 1: Midoriya - they see Finn with that Plasma Field now walking around the High Ground - they have better vision right here on Black Suns - they see Midoriya ready to jump Finn out to start Link up, hasn’t used it yet - Willow is down - they put Midoriya to sleep, have Prince pop the ulti for Finn
Commentator 2: Gonna wait out that one - four initiated again by Team Neko
Commentator 1: This is interesting - 150 HP left on this Melee Racks - Ikeda gets put to sleep - and they’re just gonna let him go - Armie you cannot die right now! You cannot die - oh my god, BKB is used - TP overgrowth is there - oh my god he’s dead! Oh dude what the hell!
Commentator 2: Sato gets caught, there is no way this is worth it. I mean I was like, all right - if you’re just gonna give up the racks, it’s fine but like then to die afterwards that really hurts man.
Commentator 1: Prince is gonna get caught here - Midoriya jumps in - blows them up - I mean they don’t have Aegis but Armie’s dead for a minute and they don’t have a fight - I mean this might be everything. I don’t know if they can stop it. This is so– omg he’s dead. Chris is gone too! dude! They are getting walloped. Can they do anything - still 25 seconds with no shaker -
Commentator 2: Uh- building’s falling but Haruki will force staff to get him away - anti-dodge - two racks down - uh they want to find a fight and that fight is not where they wanted it but the pings are down in the area where Team Neko is actually waiting
Commentator 1: Armie still off to the side but well - okay now BKB is used - now jumps forward - now finding and trying to kill him off - He can get the golem! But at the same time Chris - okay roll up - pushing him - Overgrowth - Ikeda right onto Armie! Blows him up! Chris is gone - Sher and Finn are next!
Commentator 2: Everybody Dead - GG Called!
Commentator 1: That was insane!
GAME ANNOUNCEMENT: TEAM NEKO VICTORY!
…………………………………………………………….
Dota Tournament : Team Neko VS Game Masters
Announcer: Team Neko! Dominated this tournament Ladies and Gentlemen! What an unexpected surprise! Winning 3-0 over Game Masters! Congratulations!
Team Neko sauntered to the stage, their leader, a mischievous looking man with blue hair in a ponytail, sporting a celebratory smile as he received the Champion Trophy. The trophy, raised above his head, esoteric in design, full of tribal carvings and intricate runes, finished with a violet gem on top. The spotlight suspended above hits the trophy in just the right angle, the gem shining a brilliant light.
Applause thundered over the whole arena, boisterous claps and shouts echoing with each pulsing symphony of music. Team Neko is grinning, arms around each other, swaying with the drum beat. Their happiness was contagious. It was a momentous moment for the team. The underdog as champion.
There were sparklers behind, and confetti fluttering all around, and when the organizers presented the exaggerated check size with the winning amount, they all had to suppress the tears threatening to materialize in their eyes. The cash prize was one thing, winning was another. They all could blame the dissonance of laser lights when one or tears did fall.
Congratulations Team Neko! The screen reads at the back of the stage. The team logo proudly displayed with an animated gold crown dancing above declaring them as champions.
The laudatory remarks were heard over and over again in the stadium.
And Midoriya Izuku, the youngest player of the team, barely holding the check in his hands, was crushed between hugs by his fellow teammate.
–
DOTA X
From Dotapedia
Defense of the Ancients (X) - is a Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA) Video game by Valve in which two teams of five players compete to destroy a large structure defended by the opposing team known as the "Ancient" whilst defending their own. The two teams are known as the Radiant and the Dire.
DotA has a large esports scene, with teams from around the world playing in various professional leagues and tournaments. Valve organizes the Dota Pro Circuit, which are a series of tournaments that award qualification points for earning direct invitations to The International, the game's premier tournament held annually.
–
“Cheers!” “Cheers!” Kanpai!
Drinks sloshed through the various clinking of glass. Boisterous cheers rang through the Izakaya that currently housed their team. This was a celebratory dinner, for winning the Asian Games Tournament. Various foods lay on the table: yakitori, kushiyaki, ebi tempura, grilled fish, yakisoba, okonomiyaki, donburi, and assortments of sushi and sashimi. Bottles of sake littered the table, as well as large mugs of draft beer that bubbled in intensity.
Izuku laughed and giggled when Hiroto, a teammate, shuffled his hair. He was content with his Lychee sparkling water, Katsudon, and picking through the nearest sushi and sashimi his chopsticks can reach.
“Oh my god Ikeda-senpai,” he wheezed when he suppressed his laughter when Hiroto tried to tickle his side, but almost spilled his drink on Izuku’s pants instead. “You’re drunk,” he finally said grinning, “and it's only -” a quick glance at the clock on his phone, “7:14 PM”
“Izu-chan,” Hiroto said in a playful voice, clearly red in the face with how much beer he already drank. Izuku’s last count was three mugs already. Arms circled the shoulder as he pulled Izuku to him. “Call me HI-RO-TO,” each syllable with a jostle of his shoulder. Then he pointed to his twin at the opposite side of the table and said, “HA-RU-KI”
Twins Ikeda Hiroto and Ikeda Haruki, both members of Team Neko. Izuku can usually tell them apart by the color of their hair, other than the sound of their voice. Hiroto usually kept his in his natural black while Haruki played with colors. Right now it's in the vibrant shade of Red but who knows what color will be seen next month. Last month it had been green.
“I couldn’t - I mean - I -” Izuku stuttered, embarrassed by the notion of calling out his teammates names. He couldn’t remember the last time he called out someone’s name. An image of an explosive boy with his childish nickname that he never grew out of calling appeared on the forefront of his mind - but he pushed that thought away. He didn’t think it counted since he couldn’t even remember the last time they had a decent conversation besides the other yelling in his face.
“We’re friends aren’t we,” Hiroto pouted on him. “I’m hurt Izu-chan. We’ve known each other for 3- no 4 years - and you still don’t call me by my name.”
“You’re my friend senpai. But you’re also my senior -”
“None of that,” Hiroto waved his other arm while holding his drink. Izuku was afraid it would topple over him. “I’ll get upset, Izu-chan. It means you don’t call us your friends. And isn’t it we’re all equals here? You kick ass in the game. So none of that senior stuff.”
“But-”
“Nuh uh. If you don't, I'll eat this Katsudon,” Hiroto pointed to the bowl in front of them. The bowl of Katsudon is still half eaten. “And I’ll have you piggyback me back to HQ. Makes use of these muscles your building Mr. I-break-my-bones-Hero.”
“Senpai!” Izuku grabbed the bowl, to hold, to move out of the way, he didn’t know. But he looked at Hiroto in alarm. He groaned when he confirmed that Hiroto will not make a move on his food. “That was low. And I was desperate. You know that.”
“Hiroto!” Hiroki jumped in with a laugh on Izuku’s other side, “Why are you bullying Izu?”
“Because he doesn't treat us as friends.”
“I do!” Izuku contested that statement.
“Then call us by our names,” Hiroto insisted
“Alright alright,” Izuku finally succumbed. “God Hiroto-senpai, drunk you is more than I can handle. It's only been 2 months since you turned 20. Don’t celebrate your legality to drink by getting drunk on every chance you get.”
The twins laughed. And Izuku giggled at how lightweight the twins are. His drink seemingly forgotten in front of him until he grabbed the glass, the cool condensation from the ice a welcomed sensation to the warm air of the restaurant.
When Haruki sobered from laughing, he stretched his hands to his previous seat, his drink slowly flew from its original perch on the table to his hand. And no matter how many times Izuku saw that, there’s this sense of excitement whenever he sees the quirk of his teammates. He reasoned it was because he hadn't seen them enough. He was like this when he was starting UA until the quirks became a normal occurrence in his day.
Ikeda Haruki - Quirk: Pull - Able to pull objects to his hands within his vicinity. Condition: Must have touched the object previously in order to pull said object.
Ikeda Hiroto - Quirk - Push - Able to push objects from his hands to a set destination. Condition: Must be able to see the destination to where the object will be pushed.
Izuku thought their quirks were complimentary of each other. When he learned it, he bombarded the twins with a variety of questions on their quirk, their use, their limits, and their practical applications. He must have written half a notebook on them alone. In turn, the twins have learned to maximize the use of their quirk, especially in a domestic setting, aside from pulling and pushing an object at will.
They could have made a great hero duo, he once thought. But he also knew the twins were not interested in becoming heroes. Both of them were already in their 2nd year of college in S University. Hiroto was taking up Social Science and Haruki was in Multimedia Arts.
When Haruki saw Hiroto sobering up from laughing, he joined his twin in placing his arm on Izuku putting him in a pseudo sandwich hug between the two.
“By the way Izu,” the baritone voice of Haruki washed over him, “We didn’t get to celebrate your birthday didn’t we.”
“It’s alright sen-” Izuku paused before correcting himself. God, this habit would be really hard to quell. “Haruki-senpai. We did won the Asian Games vs Kurayami. That was enough of a birthday gift really.”
Truthfully, Izuku forgot his own birthday. What with the amount of practice they were doing in preparation for the games. His head was crammed full of game analysis, hero match-ups, and battle tactics that when they won, their next game was what already came next to his busy mind.
It was when he went home after that his mother surprised him with a birthday dinner, complete with cakes and balloons even if it's just the two of them.
“But you turned 16!” Haruki exclaimed indignantly.
“Tell you what Izu-chan,” Hiroto said, “since it’s still summer, let’s go on a holiday! You want to go to Bali? They said the beaches there are amazing!”
“Or we could go north,” Haruki chimed in, “Okinawa beaches are heaven as well!”
“And you think boss will allow you to slack off when Riyadh Masters is in 2 weeks and the IESF is just a month away?” the voice of their other teammate, Sato Kentaro, inserted into their conversation. Their designated captain and team representative.
He just recently graduated with a degree in Civil Engineering, and was now a part-time employee in a construction firm.
Izuku noticed that the whole team was tuned in to them and the embarrassment slowly trickled in. He was about to apologize before their teammate also voiced his approval for the impromptu vacation. “Beaches sound nice,” Hara Ryoichi said wistfully, a 3rd year college student taking up Information Technology. “Especially in this heat.”
The unease of being in the middle made him self-conscious and he couldn’t help but rub the back of his neck, a sure sign of his discomfort. “Uh-” he started, “Beaches really do sound nice. I haven't been to one properly actually,” he didn’t count the cleanup of Takoba beach since it’s for training.
He ignored the sounds of disbelief coming from his team as he continued. “But Aizawa-sensei has said to avoid going somewhere this August. I think it's sometime in the 1st or 2nd week. He said something about a class trip or rather, he implied that we will be going on a Summer Camp, which may mean it to be Summer Training. And really we don’t have to go far to celebrate my birthday. This here has been enough for me. Also - “
“Oh god you really are adorable,” Hiroto fully embraced him and Izuku squealed with the force of the arms that circled him.
Izuku has always known the twins to be affectionate from the first moment they were introduced. Hiroto very much so than Hiroki. The first meeting ended up with Hiroto squishing his cheeks and Hiroki ruffling his hair.
“Hiroto-senpai!” Izuku shrieked when arms held him even tighter than usual. Then he laughed. Maybe it's the amount of food, or the drinks, or maybe it's the fumes of alcohol, but the carefree feeling is something he didn’t know he missed for a long time.
“Then we’ll just go to the mall tomorrow,” Hiroki said beside him, “It's Saturday and we have no team practice or meeting. We’ll get you your birthday gift there. And no I won’t be buying you another All Might for your collection. Heaven knows you already have the man inside your school.”
When Izuku got home the next day after the Mall trip with his friends slash teammates, he was carrying multiple bags from known stores, and was now sporting 2 gems from newly pierced ears, a red gem in his left lobe, and a gold gem for his helix pierce in his right.
Izuku hadn't even thought of piercings until he was brought in front of the piercing studio. And they even have reservations, which made him think that the twins had already planned this in advance long before their dinner last night.
But as he looked himself in the mirror, he couldn't help but admire the piercings that now glittered in his ears. The gems sparkled with each reflection of light. There is a mild twinge of pain for the helix piercing, which the artist said would heal in about three months and to avoid any pressure on his ears and to clean regularly. But other than that, Izuku was embarrassed to admit that they looked good.
Of course he turned down the invitation of the twins for the tattoo. “I’m only in highschool!” he squawked at the two before learning that they’re there for the piercings.
He touched the gems, before reminding himself not to touch until he could request Recovery Girl to heal them.
“They look lovely Izuku,” His mother had said when the shock wore off and she saw them up close, and he really believed that too.
—-----------
August 09, Wednesday
Izuku stared at the two standing in front of their apartment when he opened the door. Aizawa-Sensei and All Might. He blinked once, then twice just to make sure he wasn’t hallucinating. God, he was still under medication after their summer camp of hell and the subsequent hospitalization that followed. Not even counting their unofficial rescue of Kacchan which he refuses to discuss even to his mom.
He groaned internally, mind in hyperdrive over what he did to warrant a home visit. He’d been good, he thought. He’d been in no trouble or fight since then. The punch All Might gave him was already healing, though his mother believed it to be one of the street punks that littered the alleys near the beach.
Between the cryfest with All Might at the beach and the pressure of being One For All Holder, he felt like he needed to breathe.
“You should have reported them Izuku,” cried his mom when she saw the bruise upon arriving home.
“It’s alright mom,” he gently assured her, “It’s fine. I don’t want anymore trouble.”
That was last week, he still had meds to drink until the end of the week.
So really, he'd been behaving himself. The only time he was even venturing outside was when he was going to HQ for his regular practice runs with the team. So his mind failed to think of a reason as to why two of his teachers were here for a home visit.
Did he miss a memo somewhere? Probably? His mind tended to wander when his classmates were rambling on nonsensical stuff. Like the different fabrics in lingerie in women. Of course he already knew that. He’d been going shopping with his mom since he was a child, lingerie included. It's clothes, there’s no need to get embarrassed.
Talks like that and he almost always tuned them out.
Unless-
His mind betrayed him when he was reminded once again of the stunt they pulled when they rescued Kacchani at Kamino and the blatant disregard for the order to stay put in the dorms. Unless they’re here for punishment. It’s a thought that came to the forefront of his mind suddenly.
“Good Afternoon,” Aizawa-sensei greeted him in his normal inexpressive voice but Izuku could already feel the tiredness seeping into them.
“Young Midoriya,” All Might soon followed in greeting
“Sensei,” Izuku said, “Err- to what do we owe this visit?” The formal tone made him cringe but he was nothing but polite. Afterall, it's his teachers standing in front of him.
“Is your mother around?” Aizawa had asked, not yet moving from his spot
“She’ll be here in just about 15 - or maybe 20 mins.” Izuku said after checking the clock in the hallway that read 05:12 PM. “Would you like to come in?”
He opened the door wide, further welcoming the pair. It might not look like it but being alone with his teachers made him anxious. Maybe it’s ingrained, afterall, there wasn’t a time when he was alone with a teacher that he wasn’t being reprimanded. This happened all throughout Elementary and Middle School, UA was not any different.
In the deep recesses of his mind, there was nothing good about being alone with a teacher, no matter how illogical that sounded in his head.
He was wishing desperately for his mother to come home soon. There was this distinct feeling that they’ll be delivering some sort of bad news to him.
Of course, there was also the nervousness of having All Might in his house. All of his thoughts turned to his room and he internally winced. All Might must never set foot in his room. What with all the merch displayed in racks and posters that littered the walls. It was as embarrassing as his adoration for his Hero. He didn’t want to make All Might feel awkward around him anymore than he usually does. Not to mention the gaming equipment that was set-up in his room. He wouldn’t be able to explain its setup.
“Pardon the intrusion.”
He seated the pair at the sofa, aware of the pair of eyes trained on him as he moved. His clammy hands shook as he prepared a pot of water for tea.
“Tea?” he asked from the kitchen and he heard the low rumble of ‘yes please’ from Aizawa-sensei.
He grabbed the container of spiced butter cookies he baked the other day from the cupboard, and the packet of Vanilla Honeybush and Orange Tea. What else, he thought, and in his nervousness, he dropped the tea infuser from his hand, and the clanking sound of the steel meets tiles reverberated across the room.
“Oh hell,” he muttered as he quickly picked the offending tool and washed it.
With the water done and tea already steeped in the pot, he arranged the cookies in one of their decorative plates. He placed everything on a tray, complete with cups and saucers, sugar, teaspoon and napkins. He was nothing if not thorough, be it from analyzing quirks, to battle formations, and apparently, to hosting little tea parties.
“Your mom is informed in advance,” Aizawa-sensei told him as soon as the tray was placed in the center of the coffee table.
Izuku figured his mom must have forgotten to tell him, not really an oversight on her part but mostly because they hardly saw each other, other than dinner time. Most of the time it's Izuku who brings news when they eat, his schedule, his classmates, All Might, or the new sponsor they have for the team.
He sighed as he settled himself on the other single couch facing the two. “What’s going on sensei? Is there some sort of problem? Am I in trouble? Did something happen to - “ Question after question bled out of him in part due to tension and nervousness, and the other because of not knowing. But he had his suspicions, especially with his recent activities. He gulped.
“Oh no Young Midoriya,” All Might inferred then glanced at Aizawa-sensei, “But it’s better to discuss when your Mom gets home.”
Izuku gave a non-committal grunt on that. Knowing that he’s not in trouble made him lose the tension brewing on his shoulders. Maybe it's the tea as well, the citrus aroma and light vanilla scent calming him down.
Apparently Aizawa-sensei liked the tea as well when he commented on it. “This tea is delicious Midoriya,” he said after a sip. But he was surprised when he ate the cookies, “homemade?” He asked, eyeing the uneven edges of the cookies. He ignored All Might who took 2 cookies at once and placed them on his plate.
“Baked it the other day sensei,” he answered with a small smile at the pair. “And the tea is a favorite. Found a tea shop that imports various tea leaves. I figured this worked best with the spiced cookies.”
There was a light mhmm in response but if Aizawa was surprised, he didn’t show it. Izuku watched the man take small sips of the still hot tea and continue to nibble the cookies in silence.
“Err-” he didn’t know what he wanted to say. Should he make small talk? Ask about their day? Will they stay for dinner? He was already done cooking but he could always whip up something extra to add.”
“We won’t stay for dinner,” Aizawa said. This surprised Izuku and made him cringe as well. He must have muttered his thoughts aloud again. “We just wanted to make an announcement but we will do so when your mom arrives so that any questions that may arise will be discussed and answered as well.”
“Announcement?”
Before Aizawa-sensei could answer, Izuku heard shuffling from the hallway and knew immediately it was his mom.
“Izuku,” she called, “Do we have guests?” A loud eeped escaped from her when he noticed who was sitting on their living room. All Might. All Might was in their home!
“Hi mom. We were waiting for you.”
“Oh,” That was when she remembered the call from Aizawa the other day for the intent of his visit. “Of course.” Grateful for the extra cup of tea that Izuku poured for her and sat at the other single sofa. She already knew the nature of their visit, and has already reached her decision for this.
“Then should we begin?” Aizawa-sensei asked. When Izuku and his mom both said yes, Aizawa had sat upright, both hands on his knees as he fixed the two with his utmost attention. All Might soon copied him in stance.
Aizawa-sensei produced a paper from his bag in which he gave to his mom. Izuku managed to get a glimpse of the subject at the top that read: ALL-BOARDING SCHOOL SYSTEM
Oh no. Dread slowly filling him. He didn’t need to read the content of the letter to know what UA is planning for all students. He waited for his mom to finish reading in trepidation. When they all could see that she had read everything to the bottom, she handed the letter to him. It was as he dreaded, a notice to all families that UA will open its dormitory to all students. It wasn’t stated explicitly in the letter, but it was heavily implied that it was for the safety of students.
But, didn’t they have arrested all villains during the Kamino Raid? It’s been reported that each and every villain was found and has been in custody of the police. They said All-for-One, and Shigaraki, have already been transported to Tartarus.
“We are here to discuss that UA will now be a boarding school, this has been decided by the board of directors, the principal, and approved by the Ministry of Education” Aizawa-sensei stated, handing another letter with the approval of all mentioned school leaders. “Each course, each year level, will have its own Dormitory Building. These dormitories will be equipped completely with all facilities a student needs, including their own room with their own toilet and shower room.”
There was silence before he continued, describing the other facilities the dorm has, having a Common Room, Laundry Room, Small Gym, Communal Bathrooms, and Kitchens. “Breakfast will be available at the School Cafeteria, aside from the usual Lunch, but dinner will need to be prepared within the dorm and by the students, or one may opt to purchase pre-paid meals to be delivered weekly.”
“For safety purposes, the student's ID will serve as the key access to the dorms,” Aizawa drawled, giving the impression that he’d done the same speech and notion for quite some time already. "On the other hand, each student will be required to apply for permission slip every time they need to leave campus. This is just for monitoring purposes.”
His mom stared at him for a few seconds before shifting again to Aizawa-sensei. It’s like telling him that this will be his decision as well and she will be supporting whatever he decides to. “I understand,” she said to Aizawa-sensei, giving the man a worrying look. “You must understand sensei, that while I fully support Izuku in his dream to become a Hero, I cannot look away from all his injuries, the state of his arms, or the bruises he comes home with.” She sighed as the weight of his words reached him. Izuku knew this. His mother was constantly worried about him. “With each injury, I fear for his future as a Hero, as well as his future in his other endeavors.”
Izuku was thankful his mom was not outright saying his other profession. It’s true that given the nature of his injuries, his career as a pro-gamer will likely die as well. His fingers were his assets, and he has broken them
countless times now since he entered UA. He couldn’t afford to do so anymore. Recovery Girl has already warned him on this.
He remembered explaining and then crying multiple times to his mom for each and every broken bone, he explained his decision that lead to them, that it was his fault in the first place and not the school. That it’s because he hadn't grasped yet the complete nature of his quirk that his body was serving as rebound for the excess power and energy.
He couldn’t remember the number of times that Aizawa-sensei has warned him of this. To be more careful but he was just stubborn. And his mom understood after the crying fest they did when he came home more battered and Recovery Girl was out of the school due to an emergency with one of the Pro-Hero.
It has been a dream ever since he was a child. To be given the chance to be a Hero. She couldn’t take that away from him. No matter how much fear she had, she wanted Izuku to be happy.
“UA will be responsible for each and every student. No student will be left unaccounted for,” Aizawa sincerely said to them. His assurance was in the air for them to grasp. “Every student will be a priority of UA.”
“Midoriya-san,” All Might said, “I apologize for the circumstances that lead to this. It is really my fault for the things that are happening. Some priorities have been mixed up and that made me fail as an educator as well as mentor. For this I apologize deeply.” All might gave a bow that left Izuku and his mom uncomfortable. “But even so, we at UA truly believe that for this system to be successful, we also wish for students to comply with some rules and regulations.”
Izuku gulped hard. Dorm system? Permission slips? This will be problematic for him when he has to report everyday at HQ for team practice. Hell, the IESF World Championship is 2 weeks away!
“Since all students will be under the monitoring of UA, we will be enforcing a strict curfew. Each student must be at the campus by 9PM.”
Oh no. it was just as he feared. He may have uttered an alarmed sound for his mother to look at him in worry.
She knew the circumstances he was in. They were in. They cannot - He cannot -
“Izuku?” she gently called
“Midoriya?”
He had to ask. Dammit, he should know everything first. Isn’t that the first rule of analysis?
“Sensei?” he was surprised by the steadiness of his voice when inside he was a jumbled mess. “By curfew you mean all students must be back before 9pm? What if the student failed to do so?”
“I believe protocol is to first contact the student for his whereabouts, if initial contact is a failure, then we will be contacting his Emergency Contact listed in his forms.”
“What if the student returned after curfew?”
“The school will issue a memo and a summon to explain. A maximum of three I believe before the parent is called. If the student continues to defy the rules, the student will be expelled.”
“What if the student doesn’t want to be in the dorm?” He forced the question out of his mouth as trepidation settled down in his stomach. The talk already left a bad aftertaste in his tongue.
“I believe the Principal is making this mandatory. Failure to do so would mean the student is revoking their rights to be a student of UA.” He was sure that the tone of Aizawa-sensei was already cautious.
He was eyeing his student, cataloging his minute reactions.
Izuku forced a shaky breath out, anxiousness evident but forced to maintain a neutral facade but failing to do so.
“Young Midoriya?” “Midoriya?” The concerned voices of All Might and Aizawa-sensei floated to him.
This was too much. Oh hell. He normally wouldn’t curse but given the situation, he would be forgiven, and he could blame Hiroto for the potty mouth.
There’s a strange coldness seeping into his skin, a slight tremor crawling into his arms. He tried to calm his agitated mind, it’s alright, okay - okay - it’s gonna be fine- his hyperactive brain already forming an exit strategy and possible solutions. There are always solutions, his mind supplied. There are still moves he could take. It’s not yet checkmate.
He couldn’t be in a dorm, that much is certain. He wouldn’t choose one or the other, he won’t. It’s still summer, he could choose another heroics school. One that’s near. There’s 2 more hero school in Shizuoka, they would be ideal given their proximity. But there’s also the option of Nagoya, there is a hero school there and it's only an hour travel by train.
He figured he could submit the application of transfer, but check first which school is amenable to constant leave for his competition. If all goes to timing, he would have a new school by the end of summer. Maybe he should also contact -
“Midoriya?”
Breathe caught in his throat as Izuku locked eyes with his two teachers, surprised at the alarm shown in their faces. Oh crap, he must have muttered his thoughts out loud again.
“Are you saying you don’t want to be in the dorm?” There’s also the silent way of asking if Izuku doesn’t want to be a student of UA anymore.
“Absolutely not!” Izuku indignantly cried, surprised that he could refuse that with intense conviction. He didn’t intend to answer that way. Was he agreeing? Or disagreeing? He didn’t know.
In another world, he may have been the one to beg for this, for his mom to allow him to continue at UA. But this was different, there was already another factor at play.
And who would want that? 9pm curfew! He was horrified at the thought. He couldn’t! He works until 12 dammit! The rest of his teammates are night owls and insomniacs as well. They do best when playing at night.
He really was troubled that this new development was forcing him to choose between being a hero and his professional gaming career. But he wouldn’t choose. If there was one thing that heroics taught him, there is always another way.