Chapter 33: Back to Class
Summary: Classes start up again in the wake of the internships...with everyone getting a firm wakeup call from Midnight about the realities of heroism. As well as a pep talk from All Might.
Chapter 33: Back to Class
It seemed to be becoming something of an uncomfortable tradition that they would return to UA after momentous events on a Non-Core Heroics day. At least, this time, they had all possessed access to the Group Chat to check in on one another. It also meant that, to a certain extent at least, they all had at least some idea what each of their classmates had gotten up to during their internships. Most internships had, thankfully, been predictably mundane. Aside from Izumi's excitement, only Momo, Asui, Jirou and Iida had gotten into any sort of action. Momo had been taken to several rough areas of Tokyo by Gran Torino for 'practical experience,' Asui had helped in a fight against smugglers, Iida was being very cagey about what he'd gotten up to, and Jirou had gotten to handle a few goons when a massively stupid gang tried to pick a fight with the Gang Orca agency. A few others, from both Groups A and B, had been near enough by to the Dragon Agency, itself located in Nagyoa, to have been called in for search and rescue afterward. None of them, however, had needed to do anything beyond scare off a few opportunistic looters.
Unfortunately, while it was a relief to already have been updated on how things had gone with everyone, it did make their lunch a bit stilted. It was clear that those of their groupmates who had lunch free to eat with Izumi and Momo wanted to ask questions of Izumi, but Izumi had put them off by pointing out she didn't really want to go over it more than once. Well, more than a third time, really. She had, after all, had to review it with first the Dragon Agency and then the trio of Momo, Nedzu, and All Might. The result of her shutting down that line of conversation, followed by Iida shutting down whatever happened on his internship far more harshly, had killed the mood a bit at lunch. Jirou, bless her for trying, had attempted to rescue the conversation by talking new music. It did work, a bit, since it turned out that several of those that had joined them this time had similar tastes. But it still felt a bit like talking about the weather in order to avoid mentioning two elephants aggressively playing bongos in the same room with you.
Sadly, things weren't looking to get better as Midnight walked into Theoretical Heroics with a serious look on her face the next morning. The fact that she hadn't entered with her usual strut made everyone sit up and take notice immediately. The look on her face that promised an unpleasant discussion ahead only wound everyone's tension higher. Izumi's more so than anyone else's, since Midnight had pulled her aside the day before to ask her for permission for what was about to happen. Izumi had given it, agreeing with Midnight's reasoning. But she wasn't exactly cheerful about it.
"Good morning, everyone. Given what happened over the internships, I'm extremely grateful to see you all returned safely. It is, however, the incident that happened in Nagyoa that we will be discussing today."
Midnight paused a moment, letting that sink in, before gesturing at Izumi.
"I spoke with Midoriya yesterday and received her permission to cover this incident. You will not badger her for details, or make light of what happened. Do so and you will be leaving not just my classroom, but the Heroics Course as a whole. Am I understood?"
The utterly uncharacteristic bare steel in Midnight's voice had heads nodding, some of them rather frantically. This was not their sensei. Nor was it her intentionally risqué persona. This was Midnight the Professional Hero, and they were all suddenly very aware of the difference. She nodded after a few moments, apparently satisfied with their own responses to the threat.
"Good. Now, thanks to 2B almost immediately launching into Overwatch, we have a nearly seamless account of the entire clusterfuck that happened at Nagyoa. What wasn't captured by 2B was largely still caught by either civilian security cameras or HSN gear in broadcast mode once everything began to go wrong. We will be spending today's entire three-hour session going through it step by step. Aside from Izumi, who lived through it, and Momo who has already seen it, you may not leave. Or, rather, you may…but if you do you will not be returning to the Heroics course."
There were quite a few wide eyes at Midnight's cold, dispassionate tone. She let them have only a moment before continuing on.
"This is unredacted footage and there will be death of civilians and heroes alike. If you can't handle it, the door is open to you. But let me reiterate for clarity. If you do so, you will not be coming back through it again as heroics students. Yes, this is harsh, and I encourage all of you to make appointments with Hound Dog or other counselors after seeing this. But our profession is not for the faint of heart. If you can't handle seeing the footage, you have no business working in heroics. Make no mistake, either. Support and rescue heroes, despite what you might think, usually face even bloodier work than direct combatants. By a lot, in point of fact."
Abruptly, there was a remote in Midnight's hand, even as her voice set in a grim line.
"Our first bit of footage was recovered from the HSN. You will be seeing from the now deceased hero Mr. Brave's perspective. He was among the first to realize something was wrong. He did everything right, saved dozens of lives at a minimum. And now he's dead." A button press triggered the room's projector and the haunting face of a Nomu sprung to life. "I will not be so crass as to show his death. But he did do everything right. In honor of that fact, we will start by going over his perspective and taking note of each of those correct actions. Pay attention, as I will be asking you to explain many of those actions as we go…"
More than one person in the audience looked sick as the video started to play, three dead or dying civilians already on the ground even as Mr. Brave engaged the first of two Nomu in sight, triggering the HSN emergency override and starting his all-channels broadcast even as he did…
... ...
There was an air of grimness still hanging around all of them as they half-heartedly trudged out into the industrial space of Field Gamma. All Might's usual beaming smile faded as he took them in. He sighed and very visibly changed his mind about what he'd been about to say. Surprisingly everyone, he found a piece of concrete to sit on and waved everyone else to take their own seats. Some people hesitated, but everyone complied eventually. Some simply sat or knelt on the ground, others found other nearby bits of debris or propped themselves against walls. Once everyone had settled, All Might's rumbling voice spoke in a tone that hovered between his usual boisterousness and solemn. It should have been silly, but instead came out as soothing.
"I see all of you are still thinking about this morning's session with Midnight, yes?"
More than one head nodded, though mostly hesitantly. No one wanted to look weak in front of this man, of all people.
"The single hardest truth of my life has been this: I can't save everyone."
The words came out levelly, but with a seriousness that caught the attention of every single student. This was not the All Might of media circuses. Much like Midnight had earlier, they were seeing All Might the Pro Hero, without the mask. Or, well, less of one. But only Momo and Izumi were aware of how much he was still hiding.
"I'm not there every time someone needs help. I can't be. Right now, out there, somewhere…someone is hurt. Possibly even dying. I can't help them, because I don't even know they exist, let alone that they need help. Other times, it's even worse because I am there. But I'm busy with a fight, or holding up a building, or prioritizing one wounded person over another because they have a better chance of living. Meanwhile someone else bleeds out from injuries, another building collapses, or I choose wrongly with my triage and both injured people die. Our career is one of guilt. No worthwhile hero ever becomes a hero in the first place if they don't care about people. And that very care is the dagger that makes the sharpest wounds."
A few people were openly crying now, others gulping, and still others were simply riveted to All Might's words as he gave voice to feeling they couldn't yet. To a dark side of heroics many of them hadn't considered until the USJ.
"That, however, is the wrong way to look at it."
There were blinks all around, confusion on every face.
"If we were to take council of that despair. That inability to help everyone, then we would never help anyone. There is an old, pre-quirk parable with a very, very important message that I want each and every single one of you to take to heart right now, today. And to never ever forget it. Will you hear it?"
Of course they would. All of them were utterly riveted by the conviction slowly filling All Might's voice. He nodded and began to tell the story.
"No one knows who first told the tale, there is an old essay it might have started from, but it was adapted many times, for many different groups. The version my own mentor once told to me, however, goes like this. There once was an old man, worn out and jaded. He had been a healer once, but had given up the profession long ago, unable to watch his patients suffer and die. He came upon a beach and saw the sight of a thousand starfish washed up on the shore. Bitter with the knowledge he could not help them all, that more life was being wasted by nothing more than chance, he passed them by on his daily walk. But, an hour later, as he returned toward his home, he passed along that same beach. There, he saw a young boy, running from starfish to starfish. When he found one that was still alive, he rushed to throw it back out to sea. The old man, irritated, couldn't help but stop the boy and ask him a single question…"
"Son, why do you bother? You can't save them all. Nothing you do will matter," he asked.
The boy picked up another starfish, threw it out to sea, and turned with a simple reply to the old man.
"It mattered to that one."
There was silence for several long heartbeats as everyone soaked in what All Might had just said. As it began to settle in for them, he spoke again.
"I've learned since then that the Starfish story is so common in motivational speaker circuits as to be considered almost trite. Yet, even today, I can't help but feel that it still encapsulates the reality of a hero better than any other I've encountered. In your careers, you will lose people. Friends, strangers, innocents and monsters alike. Sometimes you won't even know which of them is which. But that's never the point. The point isn't that you will sometimes fail. The point is that every single time you succeed you will change a life."
All Might stood, even as he continued speaking.
"It isn't given to mortal men to decide when we will be faced with impossible challenges. It is not the duty of a Hero to always win. The duty of a Hero is to always try. Which is what today is all about!"
All Might's famous, bright and cheesy smile returned between one moment and the next. It did not dispel their every fear or turmoil, but it and the story shifted that turmoil into something else. Potential.
"All of you have had time to train! Not just with your internships, but also in the lead up to the Heroics Tournament! Today, you'll be given a chance to show off the results of your training! As you all witnessed from young Midoriya's eventful internship…GETTING TO THE SCENE is the heart of heroism! Countless people were saved by the quick actions of the Dragon Agency and the other Heroes that threw themselves into the action! I've marked five locations throughout gamma field, and each of you will be racing in teams of four to reach each one! Show off that training, get creative, push yourselves! And show us just what fantastic Heroes all of you will become!"
That potential shifted, and determined smiles broke out across everyone's faces as they were caught up in All Might's renewed energy. He might still be a bit rough around the edges as a teacher, but he'd certainly put in his own time as a motivational speaker...
... ... ...
A/N 1: The fact that they are all technically adults strikes again, here, as Midnight doesn't pull any punches. Heroism isn't a fun and safe career and, if they can't hack it, she'll boot them just as quickly as Aizawa would have. Just in a manner that actually resembles logic.