Chapter 8: Lean On Me

Chapter 8: Lean on Me

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Their classroom was steeped in a sickeningly tense air that made his head feel like someone had stuck two pieces of cotton in his ears and then told him to spin around a dozen or so times. He glanced up, and the clock on the upper wall told him barely any time had crawled by. The suffocating silence made him want to jump out of a window just so he could breathe freely. He took a breath that was supposed to be relaxing, but the air came and went like a breeze through loose leaves.

After the last hour, he wasn't sure if he wanted to hear anything but good news. He couldn't think about the bad even though it was all his brain frustratingly kept coming back to. How could he not when villains - for the first time in forever - successfully broke into the USJ facility while 1-A was there! While Mina was there!

When the boy with the quirk startling similar to Ingenium's busted through the door, it was as if the whole world had stopped. Lee was sure he wouldn't ever forget the desperate, gasping cry for help from the spectacled teen.

"Villains at USJ! They need help!"

And that was all it took before their sensei gave them stern, brief instructions to make their way back to the classroom. Then he and the teen were gone in a rush of speed to get more help.

The rest of them were left to deal with the fallout and their own mixed emotions. How could a day that was shaping up to be exciting turn out to be...this. They all made it back to the class quietly; no one seemed to have the courage to voice their thoughts. Lee didn't blame a single one of them.

This entire situation wasn't supposed to be possible, but there wasn't a part of Lee that didn't think it was true. There was no way it wasn't because why would an aspiring hero at UA lie about such a thing? No, it was real, and that made it even worse.

He had watched countless videos of heroes defeating villains. He knew what they were capable of, and 1-A, Mina, had to survive that. Lee didn't know the caliber of villains invading USJ. They could be on All Might's level for all he knew! They could be-No! Okay, relax. He screwed his eyes shut and pushed that train of thought off.

He opened his eyes slowly and risked a curious glance around. The classroom was so quiet, anyone walking by might've thought the class was empty. The energetic chatter Lee was growing fondly familiar with was nowhere to be found. Everyone else looked lost in thought, gazing down at their desks or just off into space. It wasn't comforting to see he wasn't alone in his heavy thoughts. Were they thinking along the same lines as him? Were they feeling hopeless and down like him? Their flames of youth and passion were at an all-time low, his included, and, well, wasn't that the villains' goal? To strangle their hope and instill within them a crippling fear and helplessness?

It was like the sun rose in his head and chest as he realized the real root of his stony silence. He was afraid. He was scared of the villains, he was scared for 1-A, and he was scared for Mina. He reasoned that the whole class was hesitant and unwilling to admit it because heroes weren't supposed to be, at least not from the videos. Pro heroes seemed fearless every time they faced off against some villain, but he and his class weren't heroes yet. They were all still learning.

Gai-sensei would say they were all still blossoming into wonderful heroes.

Lee felt something hot and distracting rise up in him at the thought of villains stomping out anyone's dreams with their deplorable tactics. To attack a school of future heroes and try to destroy their dreams? He wouldn't let them! The feeling that had risen in his chest felt ready to spill out. Lee didn't really think about it as he shot up from his desk, and all eyes had turned to him.

He stiffened like he'd been caught red-handed beneath his classmates' dull looks. Lee felt his palms begin to sweat. He gulped once and stood up straighter, taller, just like Gai-sensei did when he had to say something important. Lee felt his knees tremble more and more, and his legs felt as flimsy as wet noodles. Lee couldn't find the strength to even raise an arm, but he refused to sit back down. Not now, not ever.

He took a breath and started speaking slowly. "I," he began haltingly. He swallowed, but he found his mouth dried out and tongue frustratingly cumbersome to move.

He couldn't back out now. So, he forced himself to start talking.

"I am afraid," Lee began. He wouldn't dare risk looking anyone in the eye long enough to see what they thought about his admission, so he kept his eyes locked straight ahead. "I am afraid and worried, and I don't know what has become of our fellow classmates and sensei in 1-A, but I won't allow my fear stop me, and neither should all of you!" He yelled and threw a hand out. He needed to let his flames of youth burn right through the despairing cloud that had come over him and his class. He'd rekindle their downtrodden spirits with his own if he had to!

"The villains think they can scare us and make us feel hopeless by attacking our classmates. I'll admit that...I'll admit that it worked," He admitted dejectedly. It didn't make him feel any better, stating that out loud, but the class needed to hear it. "We're all in here with our heads down thinking of nothing but the worst or close to it that we don't realize we're doing exactly what the villains want," he told them. He had only just realized it himself, but he knew that wasn't a good enough excuse. Their job as heroes is to lead the way even when the road is blocked. Lee gathered his nerve to look at his classmates and crossed his fingers that he wasn't just standing here, making a fool of himself.

"I-I won't let them win," he began in a low voice. He then raised it and continued. "I won't, I refuse," He pointed outwards. "Our classmates are probably fighting for their lives, for their dreams, against villains that want to harm them, and it's our job to support them - to believe in them!" He said passionately. "That boy ran all the way here from USJ to get help and even after getting Vlad-sensei's attention he kept going when he could've just stopped and let sensei handle it, but he didn't. He didn't because he knew that his classmates were in danger and needed to help them no matter what it took. Well, I am ready to do the same! The villains haven't won. Instead of letting my fear control me, I am choosing to stand up to it, to stand up to these villains, and believe in my classmates and sensei. I won't just sit here being afraid anymore!"

Lee panted lightly and licked his now dry lips. He wished he had some water after all that talking. Lee looked at the indiscernible faces of his classmates and straightened his posture. He stood by what he said, embarrassment or naysayers be damned. He couldn't just sit here anymore. That wasn't what Gai-sensei had taught him to do. No, when the going got tough, the tough got going, and that was what Lee did. He only hoped he wasn't alone.

"Yeah!" Itsuka hollered in support, and Lee's heart soared high into the sky. She shot from her seat, fist clenched in front of eyes ablaze with rekindled flames of youth. "We shouldn't be in here with our heads down acting like a bunch of scared little kids because we're not," she turned to Lee, her teal eyes shining brighter than he had ever seen them before, and smiled at him. "It's okay to be scared, and I'm afraid too. I'm afraid for Vlad-sensei and 1-A, but I won't let my fear and worries get me down anymore! My dad is a hero," everyone gasped quietly because what? They never knew that, "retired, though, and he always told me that any hero who said they don't feel fear was a liar because fear is natural. It is your body's reaction to danger. He said what makes great heroes great like All Might and even Endeavor was that they didn't let their fear stop them from being heroes. I won't let it stop me," she pointed a finger out everyone in the class, "and you shouldn't let it stop you either!"

Lee felt his heart skip a beat, and he felt as bright as a star. He felt like if he jumped in the air, he'd fly away. It meant so much to him to have Itsuka's support. He wasn't laughed at or told to sit down. No, she got up to stand with him, and that was...that was-

He felt something run down his face, and he wiped at it. His eyes burned slightly, and his vision grew blurry. He blinked once to clear it away, and he felt more things run down his face that he wiped away. He chuckled incredulously. He almost couldn't believe it.

"They're right!" Pony added and stood up too. Lee looked at her with wide-eyed wonder and hope. She grinned at him and nudged his side playfully before continuing. "I'm scared, but I won't let that keep me sad. Like Lee said," and didn't that make him just want to cry some more, "our classmates are fighting, and I'm going to believe in them and our sensei. I'm worried and a little scared, but I won't let that keep me down. Not now, not ever," she declared stoutly.

"Well, I must say," Monoma started as he casually rose from his seat. "If heroes are what we are to be, then heroes we must act like, wouldn't you say Tetsu?" he asked in that condescending voice. He had just issued a challenge, and, of course, Tetsu wouldn't take that sitting down.

Tetsutetsu shot up so fast he sent his chair clattering back against the floor. "Who do you think you're talking to?" He threatened, but, at this point, everyone had grown accustomed to his default aggressive tone. Tetsu huffed, and his skin flashed silver before returning to normal. "Yeah, I was scared, I'll admit it, but the true test of any man is his ability to overcome their fear," he planted a foot on his desk. "I'll become a great hero and show those villains what a real manly hero is like!" He declared vehemently.

"Sign me up!" Tsuburaba chimed in eagerly. "We'll make sure those villains never try something like this again!"

"I agree," Kaibara added. "I suggest we take measures to support 1-A when they get back to campus. They might need assistance, and it's better than sitting around here."

"Yeah!" Setsuna chimed in as well before she suddenly jolted like someone poured cold water on her head. "Oh, oh, I've got an idea! We can go to Recovery Girl because they might need help when they get back," Setsuna suggested excitedly.

Everyone murmured in agreement, and Setsuna beamed even brighter. Lee wiped at his eyes and thought that Setsuna's idea was good. If Recovery Girl didn't need the extra hands, just being there, showing their support for 1-A after something like this, had to mean something. This felt like the right thing to do. It felt like the thing heroes would do, and, by the look of brightening and agreeing on faces, everyone realized too.

"Uhm," Shoda, Lee's short, grey-haired classmate began hesitatingly, "Didn't Vlad-sensei tell us to stay here, though? I just don't want him to worry if he comes back, and we're not here."

Luckily, Itsuka had an answer to that. "We'll let him know when we see him, Shoda, it'll be fine."

"Yeah, I'm sure he'll understand, so let's go! I'm sure Recovery Girl will be happy to have us," Setsuna urged excitedly. Shoda nodded, and that seemed to be the deciding nod.

As everyone left their seats, spirits lifted and confidence restored, Lee smiled so wide he thought his face would split in half. This was beyond anything he'd imagine happening. At best, he thought he'd get them to feel a little better, not this. But it was perfect! It was-

He felt hands shoving against his shoulder, and he looked to see Pony pushing against him.

"Let's go, Lee," Pony urged. "Let's go help our class sister," she said.

Lee laughed loudly at the mixed-up words and was surprised by how joyful he sounded. He felt like a morning sunrise, all warm and energetic.

He nodded and moved to join the rest of the class, led out the door by Itsuka towards the nurse's office.

It took them no time to make it to the office, and no time for them to enter and be greeted by Recovery Girl.

"What are you all going here?" She asked them in that shrewd voice old ladies seem to have mastered. As if this many students in her office was bound to be bad news, but no! They were the opposite!

"We, Class 1-B," Itsuka began confidently as everyone else stood together quietly but determined. "Want to help you help 1-A when they get back from USJ," she said.

Recovery Girl's eyes narrowed, and her lips pulled back into a thin pink line. Her wrinkly skin bunched together on her forehead, and then she hmmd and looked at them. And, no, it wasn't a regular look, it was THE look. It was that look old people gave you when they wanted to see if you were telling the truth. The heavy, unmoving stare that could pry the truth from even the most un-youthful spirits.

The veteran healer gave everyone that look one by one, and, the instant it got to him, Lee felt like he'd been stripped bare. It felt as if she could see every un-youthful thing he'd ever done and judged his worthiness. He felt the sudden urge to apologize, but Lee knew he was here in good spirit. He was here to help, with or without her approval.

Recovery girl suddenly turned to Pony, and Lee felt regretful at how relieved he felt to be done with that. Pony froze next to him as the look settled onto her. He wished he could help, but Pony was sure to be insulted if he thought she couldn't handle it independently.

He held his breath as she finished making them all feel like they were children and hmmd again.

"Well, if you all are so serious about it, I guess you can help," She said, and Lee's breath of relief was echoed by several others. Recovery Girl grew a tiny smirk and cleared her throat before giving directions to them all.

As they were not medically trained whatsoever, she delegated them to a purely supportive role of grabbing bandages, water, snacks, and other supplies. She also prepared them for the worst by showing various diagrams and describing some of the more common hero injuries seen and treated at UA alone. Instead of being disheartened by it, though, it only served to make them all even more resolved to help. If the worst did happen, forbid it did, they would be here ready to help in any way they could instead of being stuck in a classroom doing nothing.

While preparing, the intercom in the nurse's office came on with a low beep before Principal Nezu spoke. "Recovery Girl and Class 1-B," he began, and Lee wondered how he knew the entire class was in here too. "The bus with 1-A is arriving at the front gates in five minutes. I've got reports from Vlad that everybody is stable with injuries ranging from minor to moderate. The only exceptions being 1-A's sensei and a student whose injuries shall need your direct attention Recovery Girl. They will need assistance in making their way to the nurse's office, class 1-B. I think seeing some friendly faces their own age might do them some good."

Then the intercom clicked off. Everyone was quiet, but Lee could see the smiles growing on their faces. He could feel the one springing into his own face. He almost couldn't believe it. 1-A was safe, for the most part, and was on their way back.

"Okay, everybody!" Itsuka began to yell, but a quick look from Recovery Girl had her lowering her volume. "Err, okay, everybody, you heard Principal Nezu. They're okay for the most part, and once we get them to Recovery Girl, even the most severe injuries bow to her healing prowess. So, c'mon guys," She started walking towards the doorway, "let's go welcome 1-A back."

Everyone cheered their agreement and made to follow Itsuka. Recovery Girl cleared her throat, and Itsuka froze up before don't a whole 180.

She smiled embarrassed, "If, uh, you have everything ready in here, sensei."

Recovery Girl waved her cane at the back where she kept the supplies. "I'm going to need some of the heavier stuff off a higher shelf if it's who I think it is with the severe injuries," she told them and then muttered something under her breath. Something about the color green and recklessness. Weird.

"I'll help her out," Kimori offered in a low, shy voice. "I have some questions about first aid I want to ask too."

Recovery Girl turned and waved her hand over her shoulder. "Then c'mon, girl. I'll see if I can't help sate some of your curiosity. At the same time, you can feel good about helping an old lady," she said as she began walking towards the door leading to the backroom.

Komori followed after the old nurse, only stopping quickly to offer them a little wave and shy smile.

Itsuka turned back toward the door and walked through with a "C'mon everybody. Let's go help our fellow future heroes!" and everyone followed after her. Lee had to say that Itsuka was doing a great job as the Class Representative so far. She acted like she had been taking charge her whole life.

As they all entered the hall and began walking towards the front where the principal had said 1-A was pulling up at, Lee couldn't help but wonder which one of 1-A was hurt. Was it someone he had yet to encounter, or was it a more familiar face like Mina? What would Lee do if it was Mina with severe injuries? Well, he'd get her to Recovery Girl as quickly as possible, so the veteran hero could work her magic like she was known to. He had no reason to worry.

Once the group headed by Itsuka made it out to the front of the school, the first thing that reached Lee's ears was the faint blaring of sirens.

The others had to have heard it too, as Yosetsu asked, "Anyone else hear sirens?"

Lee nodded that he had along with several others.

"To answer the question that you have asked out loud to everyone in the general vicinity, Awase, our fellow classmates currently on their way back to school must have a designated escort of officers whose job it is to make sure 1-A arrives back to UA safely," another student, Jurota Shishida, said.

Everyone turned to him in surprise. Their tall and hairy classmate just adjusted his glasses before continuing, "The school that we attend more than likely wished to take no chances with another possible villain attack as the likely hurt and exhausted 1-A students and sensei made their way back here. So, logical thinking would dictate they, most likely the principal, would request a police escort back to UA. Based on the recent articles detailing the agreements made between the city and the police force, such a task would fall under standard escort formation: two in the front and two in the back with the bus in the middle. Maybe some of the staff along for a further deterrent for any attacks. Though I wonder if they may have an ambulance as well for the injured," that last part was more of a question to himself, but everyone heard it.

"You know," Itsuka started, breaking the silence between them as they digested Shishida's factual guesswork. She gave their hairy classmate a look of delighted surprise. "You seem pretty smart over there, Shishida, with knowing how police escorts work. I was going to explain it, but you completely stole my thunder," she joked with a smile.

The tall teen seemed to grow embarrassed and smiled sheepishly while scratching his chin. "I-I mean, I just know some things, ma'am," he answered.

"Oh, boo that," Setsuna interjected. She threw an arm over Itsuka's shoulder and shook the orange-ette up a little. "This one right here needed her thunder stolen, Shishida, less her ego grows as big as her hands do," the spastic girl jibed with a bark of laughter.

Itsuka rolled her eyes at her friends' antics before looking back at Shishida. "Give yourself some credit, Shishida. Knowing how the police work is something we don't learn until way later," she told him.

"Wait, really?" Tsuburaba asked, his brows scrunched up in confusion. "We have to know how the police force works? I thought we just captured bad guys, gave our statements, helped clean up and then, y'know, leave. We have to remember things like escort formations?" he asked incredulously.

"Yeah, that sounds like useless knowledge to me," Kamakiri grunted and messed with his light-green mohawk. "No offense, Shishida."

"Uhm, none taken?"

Just as Itsuka opened her mouth to respond to Tsubara's question, another student stepped forward.

"May I answer this one, Itsuka?" Hiryu spoke up with his hand in the air.

Itsuka raised an eyebrow at the raised hand and asked a silent question about it with her eyes.

"Dude, you don't have to raise your hand. We're not even in class, and Itsuka is definitely not a teacher," Setsuna said, taking another jab at her friend.

"Yeah, yeah, Setsuna. Go ahead and take this one, Hiryu," Itsuka said with a slight chuckle as she shrugged Setsuna's arm off her shoulder. "Make it quick, though, because I think they're almost here; the sirens are getting closer."

Hiryu simply lowered his hand and nodded. "I will summarize it then," he cleared his throat and began to explain, pitching his voice a little louder due to the noisy sirens. "To answer your question, Tsuburaba, since heroes work so closely with regular law enforcement, we have to know some of the same information they know for instances when our interests align. In this instance, it is to escort our classmates back to school, but there have been others," he said.

Tsuburaba and Kamakiri both made a sort of 'oh' noise along with a few others. Lee just nodded to himself because what Hiryu said made sense. They work with law enforcement, so why wouldn't they know more about the people they work with. Lee wondered when they would learn about it in class or if he could learn more sooner. Guy-sensei always said why put off for tomorrow what you can do today, and this felt like one of those things.

"Heads up everybody!" Itsuka called out, and they all turned their focus onto the quickly approaching police cars, bus, and ambulance. "We're here to support them! It might be a little awkward, and that's fine! I'd think awkward can work in our favor here! Just act natural! Well...not you, Monoma!" She added on, and everyone tried their best to either smother their giggles or smiles. "You make people want to fight you, no offense!"

Monoma rolled his eyes and shrugged. He knew it was the truth. "Whatever you say, big sis!" He joked and gave her a wide smile that was probably meant to be friendly.

With the way the sunlight reflected off the bus windows, Lee couldn't make out any definite faces. Plus, all the noise from the sirens made it hard to focus. Lee guessed he just had to wait until they got off the bus to tell who was who.

Every vehicle came to a stop in front of the school gates, but the two ambulance crews hopped out and into action first. Men and women in blue uniforms and gloves hopped out of the front of their ambulances and went to the back. Quickly, both teams swing open the back doors of the ambulance, and Lee would be lying if he said he didn't crane his neck up to get a better view to fill his morbid curiosity.

Cautiously, the EMTs carried out their own stretcher from the back of the ambulance. Slowly came the feet and then the legs, and then Lee saw who was on the bed, 1-A's homeroom sensei whose name slipped his mind. As the EMTs approached, Lee's stomach clenched painfully at the up-close look he got at the injured man. His clothes were torn up. There were bandages and gauze all over the man's face to the point the only thing discernible was the manual oxygen pump one of the medics had over his mouth.

The EMT holding the mask pumped periodically as the second group carted another person, but way smaller than the first. It had to be a student, there was no other way. Still, in the green uniform, the teen all but flew by as the EMTs moved as fast as they could without jostling the injured boy lying on the stretcher. Lee felt his insides twist in worry before a light nudge from Pony drew his attention.

"They will be okay," Pony assured him with a level of confidence gently untwisted the worry curling up inside him.

He nodded and gave her a thankful smile, which she returned. He felt her lean her shoulder against his arm, and the warmth sent a pleasant trill through his body. He let Pony's reassuring warmth drain all the worry and stress away and leaned onto her to convey his thanks.

"Are you the 1-A Class representative?" Itsuka's voice brought his attention back to the front of the school.

Lee turned to see the bus doors open, but the slim doorway was filled with a girl in a pink costume with a big brown bob cut that was kind of similar to one of his classmates. The girl seemed to be looking for something or someone by how her head kept turning from side to side. Itsuka stood on the ground as the brown-haired girl stepped down from the bus. In his peripheral, Lee noted the police officers in black vests and blue uniforms turning their sirens off and stepping out of their cars.

"Uhm, no," the girl answered after a few moments as if she just realized Itsuka standing in front of her. The girl in pink shook her head before donning a small apologetic smile. "I'm sorry, I'm just...it's been a crazy day and I-," the girl's voice sort of trembled like a glass cup teetering on the edge of a countertop.

The girl in pink clamped her lips shut and looked away from Itsuka, but everyone heard the emotion bubbling beneath the surface. Another boy stepped down from the steps of the bus and onto the ground. It took Lee no time to recognize the armored teen from the interruption during class and earlier that morning with the press mob. He seemed to be unhurt, but Lee wondered if he was worn at all.

The tall boy stepped behind the girl in pink and placed a hand on her shoulder. The girl shot him a thankful look and seemed to draw strength from the gesture as she looked back to Itsuka with a healthier smile.

"I'm 1-A's class representative, Tenya Iida," the teen told Itsuka in a voice that couldn't hide how tired he actually was. "I'm going to guess that you are 1-B's?"

Itsuka grinned and nodded. "You'd be right. I'm Itsuka Kendo, and it's nice to meet you, Iida. I wish it was under better circumstances than this," she gestured to the police cars and ambulances. "But we're here to welcome you back to campus and escort you all for a check-up with Recovery Girl," she told him.

That was the moment Setsuna decided to jump into the conversation. "Yeah, we thought you'd appreciate seeing some friendly faces after what you guys' just went through," she said in an oddly subdued voice.

"Yeah," Itsuka added on. "As your sister class, we gotta support each other when things are like this, so," she shrugged, "here we are."

"W-well, I appreciate the support, but 1-A is made of stern stuff," Iida argued, but it felt weak and tired. "We just need-"

Itsuka cut him off by extending her hand out to him. He and the girl both looked from the outstretched hand to Itsuka.

"Everyone needs a hand now and again, Iida. This is 1-B offering ours to you all, and it's not because we think you're weak, but because it's our job as heroes to be there when someone needs it. Whether they ask for it or not," she said confidently.

Iida's eyes suddenly began to water and took his glasses off to wipe at them. The girl in pink next to him bumped her hip against his playfully, and a smile broke out on the boy's face. He placed his glasses back on his face and seemed to gain a little bit more energy. He took Itsuka's hand and shook it firmly.

"Thank you, Kendo. That was-you're right," the teen admitted, and that admittance seemed to take some of the weight off his shoulders. He stood taller, more assured, and that energy seemed to rub off on his pink companion. "We do not have to deal with this alone. I think we all need a hand right now, whether we asked for it or not."

"Great!" Itsuka cheered, and Lee couldn't keep his own smile off his face. "Then let's do this thing, Iida," she smiled brightly.

Iida smiled back at her. "Okay, let's do this thing."

(End Chapter)

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AN: Not as action-packed as 1-A's trip, but I think that's what makes this even more important. Heroism is not always about punching villains; sometimes, it's about punching fear in the face and telling it to fuck off. During the USJ arc, everything happened pretty quickly. If anything, from start to finish, the USJ incident probably took an hour to be resolved in real-time. This means 1-B had no chance to start any meaningful training before Iida burst in to get Vlad. I wanted to bring 1-B together like 1-A is brought together by the USJ incident with our main man, Lee, being the one to set it all off. Hope you enjoyed the chapter. Till next time!