The Next Generation

C27: A Deeper Understanding

Aizawa still didn't like the idea of sending Optimus to do an internship, even if Principal Nezu deemed him mentally stable. Wednesday night, Optimus seemed to be doing better, but he was still unusually quiet.

He'd paid Tsukauchi for cleaning the kitchen, despite the fact that the police department was giving him paid leave. Aizawa was relieved to find out that the two of them got along well. He knew Tsukauchi as a detective, but it wasn't until recently that Principal Nezu revealed that he was the man originally looking over Optimus. There was a certain level of respect Aizawa owed him from now on.

Anyone who Aizawa respected could attest to the fact that it literally only means he'll be a different kind of rude, but not more or less.

As for the internship issue, Aizawa found that his source of comfort didn't come from Optimus or an adult, but from the students of 1A. An expected lesson on leadership ended with an unexpected confession by his students. All Might led the lesson, explaining what it was like to be the symbol of peace. All Might wasn't the best for much of anything inside the classroom, but this was one thing Aizawa would admit he got right.

All Might explained to them that a leader had to project a certain image to others. When it came to civilians, it was a hero's job to make sure everything turned out okay. A hero had to lead them out of danger, to assure them everything would be okay, and to make sure they trusted him enough to do his job. Even outside of the heat of battle, that facade was vital. Something as simple as a smile could give hope to those without.

Between heroes, leadership was still important. Heroes often led agencies, or younger, more inexperienced heroes into battle. Sometimes they teamed up with other agencies. There were times to take charge and lead, and sometimes you had to step back and let the others lead, even if you feel you could have done better. Trust was vital between heroes. Commands were serious.

All aspects of leadership were important, and the kind of leadership you embody must reflect the status of those around you, whoever they are. This was an important lesson for their internships. Class 1A needed to understand how important the role of their mentor would be, and if they found themselves in a dangerous situation, they needed to know how vital it would be to keep up the appearance of a leader for endangered civilians nearby.

All Might meant for himself to be a primary example, but he mentioned Principal Nezu as the head of the school, and Aizawa as the head of their class. Iida and Momo as their internal leaders.

That's when some of the students decided it was a good time to name another important leader within their ranks. While Iida and Momo were voted to be class representatives at the beginning of the year, that was only after a few classes and one battle simulation.

During the attack on the USJ, it was Optimus who led them.

Aizawa, who had been a mixture of distracted, unconscious, and somewhat unconscious, hadn't had much opportunity to witness Optimus's leadership. No one but the students and their enemies knew what Optimus did.

Ojiro recounted how the quiet student had become another person entirely. It wasn't about how he fought their enemies or came up with a solid plan, but rather about how he sounded. The look in his optics, the tone of his voice, his confident body language and uncompromising attitude. Midoriya, Tsu, and Mineta agreed. That day, they were faced with real danger, and for the first time, they caught a glimpse of the mech who led an entire faction of cybertronians through war.

Additionally, Ojiro had stepped up that day. At Optimus's orders, he'd rallied their peers and sent them to help in the big battle at the center of the USJ. Ojiro organized them and directed the injured out of the building while their fighters joined together. His role was not to be forgotten.