The Next Generation

C23: Slippery Slope

Optimus hadn't said a single word in the last ten minutes. He was bombarded with questions and answers. The library staff had brought their families, so there were little kids running around, shooting silly string and waving foam swords. He hadn't expected this from them. He didn't think they'd be so enthusiastic to celebrate someone they barely knew. Or that they'd even notice.

He was dead wrong. Not only did they have decorations everywhere, but there was a giant screen replaying the events of the sports festival. Optimus winced as he watched himself land on the ice for the first time and slip onto his aft. His face was the picture of surprise.

"Despite your inability to walk on ice," a man said from next to Optimus, "you adapted very well. You even incorporated your mistake into your strategy during the cavalry battle. You didn't let it stop you, and you didn't avoid it."

Optimus looked over at him. "Thank you."

Kamui Woods leaned back and nodded. "Even before my family told me about you, I thought you were exceptional. UA's first quirkless hero course student. There's no way you could have gotten in unless you were great and the sports festival proved that."

"I appreciate that," Optimus replied. "But to be honest, I had a lot of help, both in my admittance to UA and in the sports festival."

"We all need help sometimes," he replied. "Especially in your last match. What happened to you with that electricity guy?"

Optimus cringed. "I have a special blood type... and I found out what happens when it's electrocuted."

"Hm," Woods reexamined him. "Well, that's definitely a problem you'll have to solve now that everyone knows about it. Maybe if you had a layer of insulation beneath your armour."

"You know what my hero suit looks like?"

"Of course," he nodded. "I wanted to request for you to intern with me, so I did some extra research. I saw it on a news clip from the USJ attack."

Optimus tilted his helm. "What made you change your mind?"

"I didn't," Woods answered. "I just couldn't request you because your name wasn't on the forms. I assumed you were already taken. Isn't that the case?"

"What?" Optimus blinked. "No. I wanted an internship, but Mr. Aizawa said that nobody asked for me. I thought it was because I did so bad... or because I don't have a quirk."

Woods sat up. "There's no way. When I went to the request center, the pros were all asking about you. Everyone was impressed. Sure, you looked drunk, but it's a miracle you were still standing after getting hit with so many volts! You got second place in the cavalry battle with only one other teammate. A teammate who turned against you. You finished the obstacle in nearly last last, but managed to bypass the mines and get to twenty. I appreciate that you're slow and plan things out while your classmates just run into things. If your name had been available, you might have had hundreds of requests."

Optimus shook his helm in disbelief. "Are you sure?"

"Absolutely," Woods answered. "You did not deserve zero requests."

Optimus leaned his helm back. How did this happen? He glanced at the window. Maybe he already knew the answer.

"You know, you probably have bigger agencies looking to take you in, but," Woods looked at Optimus hopefully. "I'd love if you joined me."

UA didn't give Optimus a second of alone time. Aizawa originally explained that it was because they were testing out possible guardians. Even after Aizawa officially took the position, Optimus was kept under constant surveillance. And now, the final straw had been pulled: they lied to him and prevented him from getting an internship.