Neutrality Order (TomBoo)

C. - Chapter 4: Not-So-Gentle Convictions

To anyone outside the know looking at Aizawa's 1-A class, they would only marvel at the dedication the students had, their single-minded focus, and their drive to become better heroes than their elders.

But a select few adults knew, and could only look on helplessly at their perceived biggest failures, both as heroes and teachers.

Aizawa noticed the shifting dynamic of his class, all circling the gaping black hole that Tommy's absence left. The playing board he thought he had pinned down was now shuffled almost impossible to decipher without truly looking closely.

Before, it had been the two factions: the self-proclaimed Inniters and Sootsquad. Students who banned together under the leadership of their chosen. A system Aizawa was familiar with. Every new batch of first-years had some semblance of the system, even if it was a small graduating class under the banner of one chosen 'leader'.

Even with the stragglers not affiliated with either -namely Lani, Dan, George, Eryn, Grian, Bad, Aimsey, and Mumbo- the dynamic was crystal clear. And this year, Aizawa had both Wilbur and Tommy as the 'leaders', of equal standing and admiration of everyone else to some degree.

And now Tommy was gone.

The dynamic was chaotic. There wasn't even a 'leader' anymore, what with Bakugo having suffered a hefty loss of respect from the class for being a supposed driving force of Tommy's leaving. And as though sensing his own disgrace, Wilbur seemed to have stepped down from any position of leadership among his classmates.

The mantle instead seemed to fall to Connor of all people, the upperclassman having taken everyone in 1-A under his wing as a form of comfort and stability.

And, if Aizawa was correct in guessing, giving them any pieces of information he had, regardless of whether or not it should be told.

He could understand Connor's conviction, but blind convictions usually gave way to ideas and paths that needn't be tread.

Which was bad enough as far as his class was considered.

Aizawa paid close attention to his class from then on, and even then he only saw small glimpses of what was no doubt the bigger picture.

Tubbo, Jack, and Sam were still stuck like glue, supporting one another with the absence of their 'leader', but were also the ones Aizawa noticed were giving above and beyond Plus Ultra to their studies and training with Wilbur-levels of introversion. Those three seemed to separate themselves somewhat from the others in a way that wasn't noticeable unless one was looking for it.

Jack had delved back into his antisocial silence, only communicating with his teachers and the other two of their group. Sam's ironclad dedication to authority and order had loosened, seeming less concerned with being the class representative as a whole. Tubbo threw himself into training, pushing his limits with both his quirk and combat.

That wasn't to say the rest of the class was closer to normal. Everyone seemed to be bearing their own burdens, both alone and as a unit.

The one thing no one failed to notice was how none of them spoke about Tommy at all...and seemed keen on silencing anyone who did, other than the teachers.

When Quackity made a remark about it during the inter-class training, it was Tubbo who singlehandedly took him down despite his use of his quirk, knocking him out and throwing him in the capture box without mercy before he, Aimsey, Puffy, and the newcomer Purpled, who was playing for both, took down the rest.

Purpled was another variable that went from known to radio silent under Aizawa's notice. While Aizawa had given Purpled the edited cliff notes version of what happened, it was obvious that at some point someone had filled the boy in on the spot he was taking up and was sworn in to silence on the matter, something that Purpled took to heart respectfully.