Chapter 36 – Respect: The Most Valuable Award
Lunch break was over. Spectators and students returned to the stadium. Present Mic resumed presenting the Sports Festival with his usual energy. He informed students who had failed the preliminaries that they could engage in the recreational activities already mentioned by Midnight.
To encourage these students, the school called in American cheerleaders who performed routines and led chants. However, they were not the only "cheerleaders" in the audience.
Present Mic, eyes wide with amazement, glanced at the students and then at his co-host.
«Huh? What's going on?!» he exclaimed. «What happened to class 1A?!»
«What's gotten into them…?» leaned in and muttered Professor Aizawa, equally surprised,
All the girls in Class 1A had changed into cheerleading outfits with pom-poms. They stood together, glaring with dark, intense looks full of murderous intent at two classmates nearby.
«Mineta! Kaminari!!» called Momo furiously «You've tricked us, haven't you?!»
The two culprits exchanged thumbs up at the sight of their classmates in cheerleading attire. During lunch, they made an excuse and used Professor Aizawa's name as leverage to make this happen.
While the girls tried to console Momo, who realised she had been exploited by Minoru again, Toru was quite cheerful and didn't seem to mind the idea of trying cheerleading, since Momo had also made the costumes and could serve as a relief valve.
«It's not a problem, is it?» Toru asked cheerfully «Come on, let's try!»
«I think you’re enjoying it, Toru. Ribbit!» Tsuyu looked at her in disbelief
«…...Why are you dressed like this?»
Hearing the question, the girls all turned around. They saw Izuku standing a few steps behind them, looking at them with wide, surprised, and incredulous eyes.
Melissa suddenly blushed more deeply than before, feeling her embarrassment rise. Looking around for a place to hide, she darted behind Ochaco, who looked at Melissa in surprise as she tried to shield herself.
Tsuyu explained the boys' deception. Izuku, amused, shook his head and walked past the girls. He smiled at the group.
«Thank you for your hard work.» he said. The girls blushed even more, except Toru, who jumped and thanked him loudly.
Izuku stepped onto the stage and addressed the students. He slammed his spear against the metal, producing a typical dry sound. Then, turning to the audience.
«Before the final event… there are the recreational events that include festival-style sports competitions.»
«That’s right, Midoriya-san!» Present Mic exclaimed, snapping his fingers «But where has Midnight gone? It's not like her not to show up to explain the event.»
«Midnight-sensei got an injury on the way here.» Izuku explained, turning to Present Mic. «I took her to the infirmary so she can recover.»
*****
«Hohoho! He actually "took" you all the way here.» Recovery Girl chuckled, covering her lips. «He was a real knight for the lovely damsel~»
«Chiyo! I'm seriously not interested!!!» Midnight exclaimed, blushing as smoke began to rise from her head again «I'm not interested in men older than me!!!» she tried to deny
«Oh, but he, legally, is younger than you, right?» Chiyo asked slyly.
«…Well… that's true…!!!» Midnight whispered, then blurted out «You're playing dirty, Chiyo! He's older than me!»
«Hohoho» the elderly nurse laughed amusedly as she saw the increasingly red and steaming Midnight.
«Now I'm going to sleep! Wake me up when I can go back to resume my teaching duties!!!» Midnight exclaimed, covering herself completely with the sheets and trying to hide from Recovery Girl's loving, amused gaze.
«Haaah, blessed youth.» she sighed satisfied.
*****
«Unusual… but even so, the show must go on!!!» exclaimed Present Mic «But what does the final event consist of? Four teams passed the test. Sixteen people gained entry to the competition. It's a tournament: a violent one-on-one fight!»
The students admitted to the tournament gathered in small groups, talking excitedly and energetically among themselves, eager to show their skills. Observing their conversations and enthusiasm, Izuku smiled to himself, both amused and a little pitying at their eagerness to fight just to impress others. So much desire to fight, just to strut.
«The pairings will be drawn randomly.» Izuku said, showing a box with "lots" written on it «Participants may or may not participate in the recreational events if they prefer to save energy. Now enough with the pleasantries: let's start with the draws, starting with the team that placed first.»
Before he could call Shoto or the others, a boy raised his hand. Young and muscular, he had short blond hair, thin eyes cast down in frustration, and a hairless tail except for its matching blond tip, likely due to his Quirk.
«Speak, Ojiro-san.»
«Well...» he began in a trembling voice «I would like to withdraw from the tournament.»
Mashirao's statement shocked his classmates. Izuku just raised his left eyebrow, curious about why he wasn't participating.
Simply put, Mashirao did not feel worthy to participate because he felt he hadn't given his all during the Battle of Human Cavalry. In the final seconds, he found himself third but didn't feel he had truly tried. It was too sudden.
The classmate tried to dissuade him, but what he said brought a smile of approval and respect to Izuku.
«It's a matter of dignity,» Mashirao said, showing a certain frustration on his face.
«I want to withdraw from the tournament too.» another boy spoke.
He is a chubby, below-average height young man with short ice-blue hair and a round face. He has large, wide eyes, appearing embarrassed and sorry.
«And you are?» asked Izuku, addressing him
«Nirengeki Shoda, Class 1B.»
«And your motivation is?»
«It's not that different from Ojiro-san's!» he exclaimed confidently «To be able to achieve something without having to do anything to achieve it… sounds wrong to me. An affront to the sporting spirit, don't you think?!»
«Those guys… what's on their mind?!» Eijirò exclaimed in disbelief
Izuku struck the spear again, silencing everyone before turning toward the professors' station.
«How should I behave?» asked while waiting for directions.
«Your choice…» Shota stated wearily «Since Midnight is not present, the choice is yours.»
Izuku nodded once, meeting the students' eyes before turning to face them. His decision had been made, evident in his steady posture, well before he asked the professors how to resolve the situation.
«Mashirao Ojiro. Nirengeki Shoda.» he called them «There is no shame in wanting to follow your beliefs, to listen to your conscience. By your words, you have shown that you are not prepared to accept what has been proposed to you without question. You want, justly, to win that right. I accept your request. You probably missed an opportunity, but you certainly earned my respect.» he ended with a smile full of approval and pride.
Though unsure why, and despite having forfeited the possibility of future internships with Professional Heroes, the two young men felt inexplicably proud and honoured by the respect the Custodian, Izuku Midoriya Valorian, had shown them. As his words resonated, they glanced at each other; then, understanding passed between them, and they straightened their backs, feet together, and lowered themselves into a deep saikeirei—the most respectful gesture in Japanese culture.
The two vacancies were easily filled by students Ibara Shiozaki and Tetsutetsu Tetsutetsu, who expressed deep gratitude to their classmates for the opportunity.
«Well, if there's nothing else, let's start with the tournament pairings.»