My Hero Academia: Heavenly Restriction

I stared at the powerstone counter, my fingers trembling slightly on my tea mug. 

"One thousand five hundred," I whispered, the number glowing mockingly on my screen. "How are they doing this?"

The challenge had seemed so simple, so safe at the time. Five hundred powerstones for an extra chapter? They'd never manage it. I could make the grand gesture without actually having to deliver.

Except they did. 

And then they did it again.

And now... again.

I took another sip of tea, letting the warmth settle my nerves. The empty cups scattered across my desk told their own story of late nights and frantic typing. My notebook lay open beside me, covered in character notes and plot points, some circled multiple times, others crossed out with decisive strokes that had nearly torn through the paper.

"You're all absolutely insane, you know that?" I addressed my readers directly, unable to keep the mix of exasperation and fondness from my voice. "Three extra chapters? Do you have any idea what you're doing to my sleep schedule?"

Not that I slept much anyway, but still.

The thing was, I couldn't just rush these out. Each chapter needed the same care, the same attention to detail. The same heart. My characters deserved nothing less, and neither did these amazing readers who kept smashing through my powerstone challenges like All Might through a villain's defenses.

I glanced at my wall calendar, where I'd mapped out the next few chapters. Red circles marked deadlines, blue squares indicated major plot points, and purple stars highlighted character development moments. The margins were filled with tiny doodles of Izuku practicing his martial arts forms.

"I hope you all appreciate how many times I've had to rewrite scenes because someone decided to have an emotional breakthrough at exactly the wrong moment." I adjusted my glasses, thinking of the three different versions of the USJ incident I'd already scrapped.

The powerstone counter ticked up by one.

I dropped my head to my desk with a soft thud. "You're not going to stop, are you?"

Another tick.

"Fine." I sat up straight, pushing my hood back and gathering my hair into its usual messy bun. Two pencils went through it automatically, ready for when I needed to make quick notes. "Challenge accepted."

I cracked my knuckles and opened a fresh document. The cursor blinked invitingly.

"Now, let's see... where were we?"

======

You're fucking joking.

I watched as Iida wrote the final tallies on the board. The numbers stared back at me, mocking in their finality.

President:

Midoriya - 4 votes

Yaoyorozu - 3 votes

Iida - 2 votes

Others - 1 vote each

Vice President:

Yaoyorozu - 4 votes

Iida - 2 votes

Midoriya - 2 votes

Others - 1 vote each

No. Absolutely not.

"Congratulations to our new class representatives!" Iida's voice cracked slightly. His hand movements were stiffer than usual.

"I decline," I said, rising from my seat. "Give it to Yaoyorozu."

"You can't decline democracy!" Iida's arm sliced through the air. "The class has spoken!"

"The class made a mistake." My palm pressed flat against my desk. "I'm not-"

"Midoriya." Aizawa's voice drifted from his sleeping bag. "Sit down."

"But-"

"I refuse your refusal. Deal with it." He unzipped enough to fix me with one bloodshot eye. "Both of you, faculty office after school. Now let me sleep."

I dropped back into my seat, jaw clenched. Across the room, Camie caught my eye and winked. She wouldn't have... Her innocent smile told me everything.

The classroom door slid open. Midnight strode in, her heels clicking against the floor. "Good morning, future heroes! Ready to dive into the fascinating world of modern hero art history?"

A chorus of groans answered her. She placed a hand on her hip, striking a pose. "Now, now. Understanding how hero costumes evolved is crucial to your development. For instance..." Her eyes landed on me. "Midoriya. Why did most heroes start wearing capes in the early days?"

"Dramatic effect," I answered. "They needed to stand out, build recognition. Plus, capes helped hide support gear before miniaturization became standard."

"Excellent! Though I notice you've opted for a more practical design." She gestured to the class. "Who can tell me why cape usage declined in this new era?"

"Edna Mode!" Manga's speech bubble displayed the iconic character. "NO CAPES!"

Laughter rippled through the class. Even Midnight cracked a smile.

"While that movie certainly influenced public opinion, the real reason was more practical. Kaminari?"

"They kept getting caught in stuff?" He twirled his pen. "Like doors and engines and stuff?"

"Precisely! Now, open your books to chapter three..."

The rest of the morning passed in a blur. When the lunch bell rang, I found myself swept along with a group heading to the cafeteria. Camie's hand slipped into mine as we walked.

"So," she said, "class president, huh?"

"You voted for me."

"Maybe." She bumped her shoulder against mine. "Or maybe other people recognized your leadership qualities."

We claimed a large table, joined by others from class. Kirishima dropped his tray next to mine, grinning. "Congrats, man! You'll be great at this!"

"Thanks," I muttered. "Though I'd like to know who thought this was a good idea."

"I did." Momo sat across from us, her posture perfect. "You have excellent analytical skills and a clear understanding of both hero work and academics."

"Same!" Ashido plopped down beside her. "Plus, you're like, scary smart but not scary-scary. Usually."

Manga's speech bubble displayed a thumbs up. "LEADERSHIP MATERIAL!"

"Your strategic mind will serve the class well," Iida added, taking his seat. "Though I must admit, I had hoped..."

"I voted for you," I told him. "You and Yaomomo both."

His glasses gleamed. "Your faith in me is appreciated!"

Jiro twirled her earphone jack as she sat. "You're direct. No BS. We need that."

"Plus you're strong!" Uraraka added. "Like, really strong!"

"That's not really relevant to being class rep," I pointed out.

Kaminari snorted. "Have you met our class? We need someone who can handle chaos."

Yui nodded once. "Mm."

I studied their faces, counting votes in my head. "That's... more than four."

"Some of us voted for you as vice," Kirishima explained. "Figured you'd get president anyway."

"You all planned this."

"Nope!" Camie popped the 'p'. "Just great minds thinking alike."

"Speaking of alike..." I narrowed my eyes at her. "How's the soreness?"

She choked on her water. Momo patted her back while the others looked on in confusion.

"Training accident," Camie managed between coughs. 

"You should probably see recovery girl," Jiro said. "You've been walking funny all day."

"So!" Camie's voice pitched higher. "What's everyone doing this weekend?"

"Actually," Ashido leaned forward, "me and Kiri were thinking of hitting up the mall. You know, before things get too crazy with school. Anyone want in?"

"I shall attend!" Iida's hand chopped the air. "Social bonding is important for class unity!"

Manga's speech bubble filled with stars. "SHOPPING SLICE OF LIFE EPISODE!"

"You in?" Camie whispered in my ear. "We could look at... protection. For training."

I nearly inhaled my rice. "Yeah, sure. Sounds good."

"Great!" Ashido clapped. "It's a date! Well, not a date-date, unless..." She waggled her eyebrows at Camie and me.

"How about that hero history test next week?" I asked loudly.

The conversation shifted, but I caught knowing looks from several of our classmates. So much for subtle.

Momo smiled serenely. "I look forward to working together, Mr. President."

"Don't call me that."

"Of course, Mr. President."

I groaned, dropping my head to the table. Camie patted my hair.

"There, there," she said.

BEEP. BEEP. BEEP.

The cafeteria's emergency alarm shattered our conversation. Red lights strobed across the walls as students jolted to attention.

"SECURITY LEVEL 3 HAS BEEN BREACHED. ALL STUDENTS PLEASE EVACUATE IMMEDIATELY."

The reaction was instant. Chairs scraped against tile. Bodies pressed forward. Someone screamed.

"What's Level 3?" Camie gripped my arm.

"Security breach," an upperclassman shouted as he rushed past. "Someone's infiltrated the school grounds!"

That sparked it. The crowd surged toward the exits, a mass of bodies driven by panic. Tables scraped across the floor. Trays clattered to the ground.

I pulled Camie closer as Yaoyorozu stumbled into my back. The press of bodies intensified, shoving us toward the windows. Glass stretched floor to ceiling behind us, leaving nowhere to retreat.

"Stay behind me." I planted my feet, bracing one arm against the wall. My other arm curved around Camie and Momo, creating a barrier between them and the chaos. "Don't let them separate us."

Bodies slammed against my back. The crowd's momentum built like a wave, threatening to crush anyone who fell.

"Izu-" Camie's voice caught as someone's elbow jabbed toward her face. I caught it with my shoulder, gritting my teeth.

Think. The situation deteriorated by the second. At this rate, someone would get seriously hurt. We needed to:

Identify the actual threat level

Control the crowd

Establish clear evacuation routes

Protect the vulnerable

My eyes swept the windows. The press of bodies had cleared enough space to see the school grounds. No villains. No monsters. Just...

"Reporters?" Momo's voice carried disbelief. "They broke through the barrier?"

She was right. The media crowd from this morning had somehow breached the school's front gate. They swarmed across the courtyard, cameras flashing.

"It's just the press," I called out. My voice disappeared under the panic. Not enough.

The crowd surged again. A first-year from General Studies lost his footing. Others stepped over him, driven by fear.

Priorities:

Immediate: Protect those nearest (Camie, Momo, fallen student)

Short-term: Stop the stampede

Medium-term: Establish order

Long-term: Prevent future incidents

"Yaoyorozu." I shifted my weight, taking more pressure off her. "Can you make a megaphone?"

"Not without more space." She pressed closer as another wave hit. "I need room to manifest it."

New plan.

"Camie." I met her eyes. "Think you can create an illusion above the crowd? Something to get their attention?"

She nodded, face tight with concentration. Smoke curled from her mouth.

All Might's voice boomed across the cafeteria: "EVERYONE STOP!"

The illusion hung in the air - All Might in his hero form, larger than life. It bought us seconds as heads turned upward.

I seized the moment. "IT'S JUST REPORTERS! LOOK OUTSIDE!"

More faces turned. The panic's momentum faltered.

"THE MEDIA BROKE THROUGH THE GATE," I continued. "THAT'S ALL. THERE'S NO VILLAIN ATTACK."

The crowd's pressure eased slightly. Not enough. We needed...

Iida's voice cut through the chaos: "EVERYONE REMAIN CALM! EXIT IN AN ORDERLY FASHION!"

He'd somehow reached the emergency exit sign, suspended above the door by his engines. His arms chopped through the air in precise angles.

"FORM LINES! HELP THOSE WHO HAVE FALLEN!"

The combination worked. Camie's illusion, my explanation, and Iida's direction broke through the fear. The mob mentality cracked, replaced by embarrassed realization.

Students helped others to their feet. The press of bodies relaxed. Order reasserted itself through murmured apologies and nervous laughter.

I maintained my position until the crowd thinned properly. Only then did I lower my arms, checking Camie and Momo for injuries.

"I'm fine," Momo assured me, though her uniform was disheveled. "Quick thinking with the illusion."

"That was scary." Camie leaned against my chest, her hands shaking slightly. "For a minute there..."

"Yeah." I wrapped an arm around her waist, steadying her. "But we handled it."

"We?" She raised an eyebrow. "Pretty sure you did most of the handling, Mr. Human Shield."

"I helped!" Manga's speech bubble appeared beside us, displaying a tiny cheerleader. "MORAL SUPPORT!"

Kirishima pushed through the dispersing crowd. "Everyone okay? That got intense."

"We're good." I scanned the cafeteria. Most students had calmed down, though tension lingered in the air. "Though we should probably..."

A familiar figure caught my eye. The General Studies student who'd fallen stood alone, brushing off his uniform. His movements were stiff, pained.

"Give me a minute." I crossed to him, Camie and the others following. "Hey. You alright?"

He looked up, startled. "Oh. Yeah, I'm..." His voice trailed off as he recognized me. "You're the one who called out about the reporters."

"Midoriya." I offered my hand. "Sorry I couldn't help sooner."

"Shinso." He clasped my hand briefly. "And don't worry about it. You were busy keeping your girlfriends safe."

Camie sputtered. Momo coughed delicately.

"Just one girlfriend," I corrected. "And one vice president."

"Ah." His tired eyes studied us. "The hero course's chosen leaders."

Something in his tone caught my attention. Bitterness? Resignation?

"You should get checked out by Recovery Girl," I said. "Those falls can do more damage than you think."

"I'm fine."

"Probably." I shrugged. "But why risk it? Better to know for sure."

He considered me for a long moment. "You're not what I expected."

"Oh?"

"Hero course students. Usually more..." He waved vaguely. "You know."

"Stuck up?" Camie suggested.

"Something like that."

"Trust me, we've got plenty of that too." I glanced at the windows where Bakugo stood glaring at the reporters. "But most of us are just trying to learn."

Shinsou nodded, his shoulders relaxing slightly. "Recovery Girl's office, right?"

"Down the hall, third right." I pointed. "Can't miss the heart symbols."

"Thanks." He took a step, paused. "Mr. President."

I watched him walk away, favoring his left leg. His footsteps echoed through the now-quiet cafeteria.

"That was kind of you," Momo said.

"Basic decency isn't kindness."

Iida descended from his perch by the exit, his engines cooling with soft whirs. Students gathered around him, some apologizing for the panic, others praising his quick thinking.

"EMERGENCY EXIT IIDA!" Manga's speech bubble proclaimed. The nickname spread through the crowd like wildfire.

"We should head back," I said. "Cementoss won't appreciate us being late."

The walk to class felt different. Students from other years nodded as we passed, some calling out "Mr. President" with varying degrees of sincerity. I kept my expression neutral, but something nagged at the back of my mind.

The school's security barrier wasn't just for show. Even All Might would have trouble breaching it without authorization. So how had a bunch of reporters managed it? And why today?

We filed into class just as Cementoss entered. His blocky form moved with surprising grace as he took his position at the podium.

"I trust everyone has calmed down?" His gentle voice carried clearly. "Then let's discuss the structural integrity of modern hero agencies..."

I opened my notebook but found myself sketching the school's security layout instead of taking notes. The barrier's weak points, camera angles, blind spots...

"Midoriya."

My head snapped up. Cementoss waited patiently.

"The support pillars in the Might Tower - their composition?"

"Reinforced concrete core with titanium alloy mesh, sir. The outer layer uses a proprietary blend developed by I-Island to resist both physical and energy-based attacks."

He nodded approvingly. "And the purpose of the curved design?"

"Distributes force evenly while providing optimal sight lines for security." The words came automatically while my mind churned. The school's barrier used similar principles. Breaking it should have triggered multiple alarms, not just...

"Excellent. Now, regarding load-bearing walls..."

The rest of class passed in a blur. When the final bell rang, Cementoss called out homework assignments over the shuffle of departing students.

"Ready?" Momo appeared beside my desk.

Right. Faculty meeting.

"You guys have fun with that." Camie leaned against my chair. "We're hitting the mall."

Ashido bounced over. "Shopping time! Hagakure found this cute boutique-"

"And there's a new boba place!" Hagakure's floating uniform twirled.

Yui stood quietly beside them, but her slight head tilt conveyed interest.

"Don't spend all your money," I told Camie.

"No promises. Try not to overthink the reporter thing."

My eyes narrowed. "How did you-"

"You get this little crease." She poked between my eyebrows. "When something doesn't add up."

"You do," Momo confirmed. "Though I share your concerns. The timing seems... convenient."

Camie groaned. "Both of you, stop. The teachers will handle it. Go be responsible class leaders while we blow our allowances on cute clothes."

"And boba!" Hagakure added.

"And boba," Camie agreed. "Now shoo. Important faculty meeting awaits."

We walked to the faculty office in comfortable silence. The halls emptied quickly as students rushed to after-school activities or headed home.

"Thank you," Momo said suddenly. "For earlier."

"Hmm?"

"In the cafeteria. You didn't have to shield me too."

I shrugged. "Wasn't really thinking about it. Just... reacted."

"Still." Her fingers twisted together. "I'd like to repay you somehow. Perhaps I could help with the class representative duties? I have experience from middle school, and-"

"Yaoyorozu." I stopped walking. "You're already vice president. We're supposed to work together."

"Yes, but-"

"No buts." I gave her a reassuring smile. "We're partners in this, okay?"

She studied my face, then nodded. "Partners."

"Good. Now help me figure out how to get out of being president."

She laughed, the sound echoing through the empty hall. "Not happening, Mr. President."

"Worth a shot."

We reached the faculty office. I raised my hand to knock, but the door slid open before I could.

"Right on time!" Midnight beamed at us. "Come in, come in. We have so much to discuss!"

The faculty office sprawled larger than expected. Each teacher had their own desk, though their personalities showed through in the decoration. All Might's area sparkled with organized efficiency. Aizawa's looked like a hurricane had hit it. Present Mic's desk sprouted speakers like metallic mushrooms.

Midnight led us to a small conference table where Principal Nezu sat sipping tea. The... whatever he was (mouse? bear? dog?) smiled warmly.

"Ah, our new class representatives for 1-A! Please, sit. Would you like some tea?"

We settled into chairs as Midnight poured. The tea smelled like something else. Something familiar.

"Chamomile and lavender," Nezu said, noticing my expression. "Excellent for calming nerves after exciting days."

Like security breaches that shouldn't be possible? I kept the thought to myself.

"Now then." Nezu set his cup down with perfect precision. "Let's discuss your new responsibilities."

The next hour passed in a blur of information. Event planning, budget management, liaison duties between students and faculty... The role involved far more than I'd expected.

"Questions?" Nezu asked finally.

Several burned in my mind, none about class representative duties. I chose my words carefully.

"The security breach today..."

"Ah." Nezu's smile never wavered. "Concerning, wasn't it? Rest assured, we're investigating how the media managed it. Though perhaps..." He tilted his head. "You have thoughts on the matter?"

Careful. "The barrier's designed to withstand significant force. Even with specialized equipment, breaching it should have triggered multiple systems. But we only got the Level 3 alarm, and that was after they were already inside."

"Excellent observation." Nezu sipped his tea. "What else?"

"The timing." Momo spoke up. "First week of classes, during lunch when students would be concentrated in one area..."

"Creating maximum chaos," I finished. "If someone wanted to test our security response..."

"They succeeded," Momo said. "The student body's reaction revealed several vulnerabilities in our evacuation procedures."

Nezu's smile widened. "I see why the class chose you both. Yes, we share similar concerns. However..." He set his cup down with a soft clink. "Let's keep these observations between us for now. No need to worry your classmates without concrete evidence."

"Of course, sir." Momo straightened. "Though if there's anything we can do to help..."

"Focus on your duties as class representatives." Midnight's voice held unusual seriousness. "The faculty will handle the investigation."

But will they find anything? The question itched, but I nodded. "Understood."

"Excellent!" Nezu clapped his paws together. "Now, about the sports festival planning committee..."

By the time we left, the sun hung low on the horizon. Long shadows stretched across the empty halls.

"The simplest explanation is usually correct," Gramps always said. But he also taught me to trust my instincts.

And my instincts said today's breach was anything but simple.

"Well," Momo said, "that was..."

"Yeah."

We walked in silence, both lost in thought. At the school entrance, she paused.

"Midoriya?"

"Hmm?"

"If you... notice anything else. About the security breach."

I met her eyes. "I'll let you know."

She nodded once, decisive. "Partners."

"Partners."

We parted ways at the gate. I checked my phone to find several messages from Camie:

bought the cutest skirt

and maybe some other things

don't judge me

also found protection

lots of protection

like so much protection

we're gonna be so safe

the safest

also got boba

miss you

Mr President 😘

I smiled, typing back: How much did you spend?

The response came instantly: Don't ask questions you don't want answers to

That bad?

Worth it 😉 Coming over later?

I considered the homework waiting at home, the class rep duties I needed to review, the security concerns churning in my mind.

Yeah, I replied. Could use the distraction.

Distraction, huh? 😏

😐 Not like that. We have school tomorrow.

Spoilsport 🙄 Fine. Mario Kart and takeout?

Perfect.