MHA: Hands on, Quirks Up!

The past four days went by slower than I thought possible.

The first day was fine. Great, even. Mina stayed over, and we made the most of our little break. But after we had our fun, I dropped her off at home. 

And then it was just me, alone in the house. From there, the rest of the break was uneventful. I didn't go anywhere or hang out with anyone. I just trained every day, stuck to my routine. The Sports Festival is coming up soon, and I'm not about to slack off.

Dad's been making more of an effort to talk to me during that time. Not much, but enough that it stood out. A few more words in the mornings, a couple questions in the evenings. It's honestly kind of sad how something as simple as conversation feels like a big deal between us. Most families probably do that without thinking. For us, even basic small talk feels like progress.

But even with that, I couldn't bring myself to care. Not out of bitterness or anger, I just feel nothing. There's nothing left in me to connect with him. Still, I never ignored his attempts. I responded every time, making sure to keep the mood easy. If it helps him sleep better at night, then sure. Why wouldn't I?

Today's morning class was a math lecture, courtesy of Ectoplasm. I struggled more than I expected, Japanese education really doesn't mess around. Luckily, Momo was there to help me out by explaining a few concepts. She even offered to tutor me, which I'll probably take her up on sometime soon. 

After that, it was time for lunch. I ate with the usual group. The atmosphere between me and Kirishima was still a bit weird, but not bad. He was a little quieter than usual.

We made our way back with about seven minutes left before our afternoon hero class started. Most of the class was already at their desks, chatting in small groups while the last few trickled in behind us.

Uraraka leaned forward over her desk, facing Asui and Midoriya. "Hey, Deku, Tsu—who do you think is gonna be teaching this class?"

Asui put a finger to her chin as she tilted her head slightly. "No idea. Aizawa-sensei was injured, right? He's still in the hospital, recovering from his injuries. So probably All Might?"

I glanced at Midoriya out of habit, wondering what he'd say. But he didn't speak. His shoulders twitched slightly, but otherwise he kept his composure. I don't think anyone else would even notice unless they specifically knew what to look for.

Before anyone could follow up, the door slid open with a sharp hiss.

Aizawa walked in. Or more accurately, dragged himself in.

His head and arms were wrapped in thick white bandages, making him look like a mummy. His hair was the only thing visible, and somehow he still had that same deadpan energy.

"Morning, class." he muttered, voice muffled through the bandages.

The class exploded.

"Aizawa-sensei, you're back already?!"

"You're too much of a pro!" Kaminari added, eyes wide.

Iida sharply raised his hand before speaking. "Sensei, I'm glad you're okay!"

"That's what you consider okay..?" Uraraka muttered next to him.

Aizawa didn't waste any time, stepping to the front of the room. "My well-being is irrelevant. We're continuing class as usual."

He pulled a remote from his pocket and clicked it once. The lights dimmed slightly as a screen behind him flickered to life with a map of the USJ facility.

"Today's lesson won't feature any combat training." he said. "Instead, we'll be reviewing the events of the Unforeseen Simulation Joint incident. You all survived a real-life combat situation, and there's value in breaking that down."

Seven areas of the map lit up, each labeled by the environment we'd been warped to. He listed off which students had been in which zone, but I wasn't really listening. I already knew everything that happened.

Before we got into the breakdowns, Aizawa singled out Aoyama. He said that Aoyama's decision to avoid combat was ideal, minimizing risk to himself and not getting in anyone else's way. It was rare praise, direct and to the point.

Aoyama accepted the praise, but his usual flamboyant flair was gone. He looked tense, almost uncomfortable.

I noticed it. 

How tightly he gripped the edge of his desk. He didn't feel any pride; it was all guilt.

Because avoiding combat hadn't been his decision. Kurogiri must've warped him somewhere safe, away from the real fight. 

They were keeping their asset protected.

Aizawa started the breakdown by asking for a recap from the entrance group.

I kept quiet through most of it, sitting back while everyone else talked. Sato and Sero led off, explaining how we dealt with Kurogiri. Iida followed up with his part about trying to escape the USJ to get help from the heroes. Shoji and Jiro went over how they used their quirks to find the other students. Mina mentioned staying behind with Thirteen after she got taken out.

And the best part?

Every single one of them somehow circled their explanations back to me.

I'd forgotten just how much I carried that group.

Sato and Sero? My plan. I saw through Kurogiri's armor, well I didn't actually see through it. I stole that plan. From Bakugo? Or maybe it was actually Sero who originally came up with it? Whatever, that didn't matter. I was the one who laid out the tactic this time, and they followed it. Iida? Ran off to get help because I told him to. Shoji and Jiro scanned the facility because I assigned that job to them. Mina? Stayed with Thirteen because I asked her to.

They all credited me, of their own volition.

I only jumped in when needed—clarifying decisions I made, like splitting our team into pairs and choosing which zones to prioritize.

Aizawa pushed back on some of the choices—asked why we didn't try capturing Kurogiri instead of just launching him. It was a valid question, I honestly just forgot at the moment. What I told him was that I made the call because I wanted to prioritize regrouping over containment. I didn't dodge the criticism; I just laid out some rationale. He didn't exactly praise me, but he didn't tear it apart either. He said the logic was sound under the circumstances.

I don't think he was actually against any of our decisions; he just wanted us to justify them. For Aizawa, "I made X choice and here's why" beats "I panicked and hoped for the best" every time.

Kirishima and Ojiro's part went smoothly. They were boxed in by fire but didn't panic, held position, and waited for backup. Kirishima was able to use his quirk to break down some walls to create space. When Jirou and Sero showed up, they flanked the villains and retreated together. Clean teamwork. Aizawa just told them to watch their spacing next time.

Can't say I was surprised they held their own. Kirishima's always been a dependable guy, but lately, he's been improving even more. I'm actually excited to see what he'll bring out.

Ojiro's solid too, I guess.

Todoroki's explanation was as short as I expected. He iced his whole zone in seconds, interrogated a few villains, and unfroze them before he left. Efficient. Aizawa made a point to remind everyone that even villains shouldn't be left to die.

He made it look easy. I guess when you're that powerful, you don't need a plan. Just one move, and it's over. I could probably do the same, though not as quickly as he could.

The Mountain Zone was rougher. Kaminari basically took himself out of the fight after one big discharge. Bakugo handled the rest solo, dragging Kaminari around and blasting anything that got too close. Aizawa gave Bakugo credit for protecting his teammate, then turned and absolutely laid into Kaminari. Said being reckless with his quirk made him a liability. Told him to do more training until he can use his quirk precisely or to look into support gear.

Kaminari took it on the chin, nodding like he expected it. And honestly? He probably did.

Up next was the Ruins Zone. That's where Momo and Tokoyami were. Unsurprisingly, they handled themselves really well.

Tokoyami was the frontline fighter. His Quirk's perfect for that kind of enclosed, broken environment. Shadow-heavy, close-quarters, not a lot of room for dodging. Meanwhile, Momo held the support role, but she wasn't just hanging back. She created tools mid-fight—flash grenades, restraints, some kind of staff she used to block attacks. Tokoyami even told Momo that he could lose control if it was too dark, so she was able to create light whenever it looked like it was getting risky. 

Shoji and Sato mentioned that they were on their way to help, but didn't get the chance. By the time they got close enough to see the action, it was already over. Tokoyami and Momo handled it.

Aizawa didn't give them much feedback. Just nodded, said that their execution was solid. I think he appreciated that they didn't overextend or try to be flashy. They did what needed to be done, nothing more, nothing less.

Then came the explanation from the Shipwreck Zone team—Asui, Midoriya, and Mineta.

It was nothing special; they did exactly what happened in the anime. Midoriya used his quirk to create a massive wall of water, and Mineta threw his sticky balls to trap the villains in a whirlpool. Asui carried them all away.

Aizawa still took the time to praise them, especially the way they synchronized their movements despite being thrown into the situation without any prep. He pointed out that in a real emergency, being able to work with whoever's around you is one of the most valuable skills a hero can have. You don't always get to pick your teammates, after all.

I noticed Midoriya kind of shrunk a little in his seat, as if he wasn't sure he deserved the compliment. Asui was her usual calm self, and Mineta looked like he was going to explode from pride.

After that, it was time for the Windstorm Zone. The final one.

That one didn't go nearly as well as some of the others.

Uraraka and Hagakure both looked uncomfortable before even being called on, and it didn't take long to see why. Their recap was a mess. Uraraka explained how they were pinned down in low visibility and rough terrain. She ended up overusing her Quirk trying to lift debris and fend off attackers, and even then, it wasn't helping much. She went over her weight limit in desperation, which ended up with her getting nauseous and basically collapsing in the middle of it all. Hagakure tried to step in, but she didn't have the firepower or skill to help.

Then it was my turn.

I kept it simple. Told Aizawa that when I arrived, I didn't have time to think. I saw what was happening and rushed in, taking down the villains before they could do any more damage. Once it was clear, I helped both of them regroup with the others.

Aizawa let the silence hang for a second before giving his feedback.

He told Uraraka that she needs to be more aware of her limits. Pushing herself past her capacity didn't help, and only made things worse. Heroes don't just throw everything they've got; they make smart calls. Then he turned to Hagakure and told her that her stealth advantage isn't enough on its own. If she can't capitalize on it, it doesn't matter. He wanted her to work on her fundamentals and get more experience in fighting.

Finally, his eyes landed on me. He told me that I got the job done, but admonished me for being reckless. I don't blame him since he didn't know I lied about that part; I couldn't exactly say that I watched everything happen for a while. He didn't go too hard on me, since I did everything to protect my classmates.

The last thing he brought up was my decision to fight alone at the end.

I know I made the right call. No one else in our class would've stood a chance against Nomu. And if anyone had been nearby, I would've had to hold back. But I didn't say any of that. Instead, I acknowledged it might've been hasty. Said I should've trusted my classmates more. That I should've thought harder before dismissing the rest of the class.

Aizawa didn't hammer me for it. Said there was no right or wrong answer in that moment. What mattered was that I made a decision and stuck to it.

He mentioned that in my statement, I said that the villains seemed like they were playing around, which gave me the breathing room to stall for time until All Might arrived. He pointed out that if I'd brought others with me, the villains might've taken the fight more seriously. And that could've gone a lot worse.

Aizawa stepped back and looked across the room.

"You were all thrown into a life-threatening situation. You had no warning. No preparation. Some of you fought. Some of you rescued others. All of you survived."

His tone didn't change, but there was more weight behind it.

"You worked together, supported each other, and kept calm when it counted. I've seen pros fall apart under less pressure than what you faced. You did well."

He paused, just for an instant.

"Don't let it go to your heads. But you've earned the right to feel pride for your actions."