Eri chewed thoughtfully on the end of her pencil as she read through the page in her math book for the second time. The chapter on proofs had been the most difficult for her all semester and now it was back to haunt her once more.

She was seated at the kitchen table next to Aizawa who was grading his students' papers. Both preferred to work with no music or noise to interrupt them. This scene had played out countless times over the years. It began with Eri wanting to color next to Aizawa when he worked, sometimes even pretending to be grading papers of her own. Then, when she got into school, she would do her homework there, breaking the silence only sometimes to ask her dad some questions. Now it was a prime study spot and the essays Aizawa's students wrote were good for little distractions every now and then.

Eri's eyes had wandered to the stack of papers to her left and she had moved from shapes and proofs to reading the front page of the B+ essay. It was on the biological history of Quirks, a topic she was only vaguely familiar with. Every year, her dad covered this chapter and she read bits and pieces of the essays his students produced, but she didn't really know much about the subject. And, judging by some of the other grades this year, it didn't seem his students did either.

The chiming of a ringtone broke the silence, though it was distant and coming from Eri's room. Eri's head snapped up immediately and she shifted to slide out of her chair, but she felt her father's eyes on her.

"I finished three chapters already!" she defended against the unspoken question. Aizawa just shrugged and returned to an essay.

Eri hopped off the chair and went to her room to grab her phone, a cute pink flip phone with a purple llama charm hanging off of it.

"Hello?" she answered, not bothering to check the caller ID. At least it was a chance to get away from all the work.

"Eri! How are you? Happy almost-birthday!"

Eri's face brightened and she hopped onto her bed. "Mirio?" she asked excitedly, though she already knew the answer. "I haven't heard from you in ages! How are you?"

"Good," her friend confirmed. "It's been busy at the station lately, but I wanted to check in since your birthday is coming up. And I wanted to know if you wanted to go to the mall tomorrow. If my sister is to be believed, I'm terrible at presents, so I could use some help."

"You don't have to get me anything," Eri said politely. "I'm just excited to see you! It's been so long!" She paused, images of rulers and notebooks passing through her mind. "I have to ask my dad, though. I have finals next week."

"I'm sure he can spare an afternoon," Mirio chirped, ever the optimist. "Besides, I bet you've been studying your butt off."

"You have no idea," Eri sighed. "I think proofs are going to be the death of me."

"Well, keep studying and ask Aizawa-sensei if I can take you for a bit. I'll pick you up at three unless I hear otherwise. And if we can't go to the mall, I'll figure something out and stop by anyway."

"Okay! See you tomorrow! Bye!"

The line went dead and Eri pulled the phone from her ear, grinning widely at the conversation that had just transpired. Even after all those years, she had kept close to Mirio. He had been one of the people to save her, along with Deku and Aizawa and all the heroes who raided the building she was being kept in. But, it was Mirio who carried her out when her legs were too weak to move and Mirio who lost his Quirk defending her.

Even though she had been so young, Eri still felt a pang of guilt when she thought about the loss of Mirio's Quirk. Although she didn't know all the details of her rescue, she did know that he had lost his powers while protecting her. Her father, Deku, and Mirio had all told her not to feel guilty. Mirio especially insisted that her safety was worth the price, but Eri didn't quite buy it. Quicks were special and someone as powerful as Mirio was losing theirs was a tragedy.

But, one of the best things about Mirio was that he never ever brought it up. After graduating from UA, he'd gone to university and became a police officer. He might not have a Quirk anymore, but he was incredibly strong from all the training he'd done and he was a perfect fit for the force in a large city not far from where Eri lived. He seemed happy, though, and whenever he would visit and would stay up late with Aizawa, Eri often heard them talking about ways to get his Quirk back. He always finished off the conversation saying he was in no rush, but there was also a pang of longing in his tone. Eri didn't know how he was ever going to get his Quirk back, but it was one of Aizawa's many side projects.

"Hey, Dad," Eri called as she exited her room and made her way back to the small kitchen. Aizawa glanced up, one eyebrow raised at his daughter as she approached. "Mirio wants to know if he can take me to the mall-and I know finals are coming up but I've been studying so hard and it's for my birthday." She finished off her spiel with her best adorable smile, hoping her dad would let her go.

There was a long pause that really took less than a minute, but Eri felt like he was contemplating the question for hours. Finally, Aizawa shrugged, picked up the stack of papers to shuffle them before setting them back down again. "Sure."

Eri beamed and ran over, hugging her dad tightly. "Really? Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

"Just make sure you do some studying tomorrow before he picks you up," Aizawa replied, placing a hand on her head.

"I will, I promise!" Eri let him go and grabbed her books off the table. "I'm gonna finish this chapter in my room and text Mirio. Thanks so much, dad!"

She skipped off and Aizawa watched her until the bedroom door was shut and he was alone in the kitchen once more. As he turned back to his grading, he felt like he was doing the right thing. After all, the week hadn't been the easiest and he knew she was struggling with school. She deserved something like this for her birthday.

Besides, he hadn't had the chance to catch up with his old student as of late and he had a few ideas on that project of theirs.


The next day, her dad was absolutely sure to check that she had been studying, which she did diligently. Eri wasn't particularly thrilled to spend most of her day relearning English tenses and historic battles, but she would do anything to spend time with Mirio. She looked up to him just as much as she looked up to Deku and she hardly got to see either of them because of their various hero activities.

Eri stood in front of her floor length mirror in her room, expertly attempting to tie her thick white hair up in a tight, high ponytail. She had her hair in one hand, her brush in another, and the scrunchie set between her teeth. Her hair was starting to get a bit long, so she'd need to get it cut soon, but for now, she was still able to easily gather all her hair up.

When she was finished, most of her hair was up in a sleek ponytail while some shorter strands swept her cheeks. She grabbed a long purple sweater and black skirt with some thick black leggings. It was colder now, but maybe the leggings weren't needed. Still, she felt the need to cover up the many raised scars that littered her legs. Her arms weren't as bad off and she didn't mind wearing short sleeves, but she preferred to hide the scars on her legs when possible. It wasn't that they reminded her of anything or that she was even necessarily self-conscious about them. In a world of interesting looking people, Eri in no way stood out. But there was something about the scars that caused a sinking feeling to bloom in the pit of her stomach when she focused on them for too long

No sooner had she pulled her sweater over her head was there a knock at the front door. She sped to get her skirt and leggings on while she heard her father call, "Eri. Mirio's here."

"I'm coming!" the girl shouted back as she all but fell through her door and hobbled into the living room. Once she regained her footing, she ran for Mirio who was standing in the doorway with his usual bright smile resting on his lips.

Mirio was well built and very sturdy so when Eri came flying into him for a tackle-hug, he didn't even have to take a step back to handle her. He gave her a big hug back and twirled her around before setting her firmly back down on the ground.

"Hey, kid!" Mirio greeted, sticking his hands back into the pockets of his jeans. "You've gotten so big! I can't believe you're going to be twelve already."

"Time certainly does fly," Aizawa commented. He was standing nearby but in the open kitchen, leaning against the end of the counter.

"I'm not that old," Eri said with an eye roll. Every time she saw extended family or old UA teachers or students, she got the same spiel about how big she had gotten and how much time had passed. The last time she saw Ms. Joke after not meeting up for quite a few years, she didn't hear the end of it all evening. Mirio was a bit different, though. She could never find him annoying.

Aizawa and Mirio chatted lightly for a few minutes while Eri went back to her room to grab her purse and phone. When she came back, Mirio was zipping up his coat once more.

"Be home by five," Aizawa told them as he handed Eri her coat. "I got a dining hall pass for you, Mirio, so you can eat with us if you like."

"That would be fantastic!" Mirio grinned, ever enthusiastic about any kindness offered to him. "I haven't had Lunch Rush's, uh, dinner rush in ages."

The two stepped out of the apartment and soon found themselves making their way down the city streets. It was cold and there were tired flurries in the air, but nothing that would stick on the ground. Eri had remembered her mittens, but her hands were still stuffed tightly in her pockets.

"So, how is school going?" Mirio asked.

Eri shrugged. "I'm just glad vacation is coming up," she said. "I can't wait to be done with finals."

"I remember those years," Mirio smiled fondly as they turned down the sidewalk that would take them to the front entrance of the mall. "You're going to miss them when they're gone. I'd love to be back in school!"

Eri looked at him incredulously, waiting for the punchline. She couldn't believe anyone would want to be back in school, but, Mirio looked as serious as ever and when he noticed her staring at him, he just smiled wider. They quickly reached the front entrance of the mall and he held the door open for her.

They spent about an hour just wandering around. Eri gravitated to the pet store and they spent some time looking at the dogs and cats. She told Mirio about how much she wanted to get a pet, but that the UA rules hadn't changed. At the next store they stopped in, he surprised her with a cat stuffed animal. Even though she would normally be of the opinion that she was too old for stuffed animals, she was thrilled.

At another little shop, Mirio let Eri pick out a pretty silver necklace with a key on the end of it. Eri loved the way the miniature false diamonds that lined the charm glittered when the light hit them just right. Once the transaction was processed, she immediately had Mirio help her put it on and she knew she wouldn't be quick to take it off again.

They ended up at the food court with two sodas and two freshly baked cookies. Mirio wouldn't let her ruin her dinner, but he also couldn't pass up a birthday treat. He and Eri had a special bond ever since that fateful night seven years prior. Along with Midoriya, he was one of her first friends and one of the first people she ever trusted. And, he in turn saw her as a little sister.

"Hey, Mirio?" Eri started, red eyes peering past her soda straw to meet his own. "Did you see that fight the other day? The one with the gas man and Deku?" Mirio frowned, his eyebrows scrunching together as he tried to think about the battle Eri was thinking about. "And dad?" Eri added.

The two words knocked the wind out of Mirio. Immediately, he knew what she was talking about. "You saw that?" he asked.

Eri nodded looking down and away at the tiled ground as she played with the edges of her cup lid. "Yeah. A few kids were watching it in the dining hall the other day."

Silence fell over the table for a moment. Eri didn't know where she was going with that first question and Mirio didn't know if he should continue with the topic or change the subject. Finally, Eri spoke up again.

"I know he's a hero," she said. "I mean, I was there two years ago when he got real hurt. But, I don't know. I never really thought of him like that before. I've never seen it. He's not in a lot of battles, at least not ones that get shown on national news. He hates cameras."

"The important thing is that your dad's alright," Mirio said gently, unsure of what the right response would be. "And, for what it's worth, he's strong. He knows what he's doing."

"I know that," Eri sighed.

"But it doesn't make it easier?" Mirio guessed.

Eri shook her head. She hesitated for a moment before asking, "Mirio? Do you still want to be a hero?"

Immediately, Mirio nodded. "Yeah. I mean, if you ask me, what I do is pretty darn close to being a hero, but one day I want to get my license."

"And get your Quirk back?"

Mirio pursed his lips and rubbed the back of his neck with his hand. "Yeah. One day."

"Why?"

"Well, it was the Quirk I was born with. I'd like to get it-"

"No," Eri interrupted, serious eyes leveling a striking gaze. "Why do you want to be a hero?"

Mirio sat back in his seat, pushing back so the chair rose up on his back legs for a moment. He stared at Eri who wasn't backing down from her own intense look. When did this girl go from being an innocent child to a young adult with hard to answer questions?

He knew Aizawa tried to keep her away from all of this hero business, as silly as that seemed living inside of a school that was literally in the business of churning out pro-heroes. He respected that decision, though. In fact, he even agreed, given Eri's history. But now, the shallow answers and weak explanations weren't doing it for her anymore and he didn't blame her either. He'd be the same way in her shoes.

"I want to help people," Mirio told her in a much lower voice than his normal, light tone. "But it's more than that. I want to rescue people. To save them from harm, from situations they didn't ask to be in. There are some things, Eri, that are bigger than one person. Life is one of them. And if you have a Quirk and can do something with it, you should use it for the greater good. I can't do the whole Quirk thing anymore, but I'm still strong and I can still help, so I do."

Eri nodded along, listening to every word. She understood. His motivations were similar to anyone else's who wanted to become a hero. She'd heard the same thing from kids in her own class, kids she knew were destined to walk the halls of UA someday.

"What about me? Eri asked. "Could I be a hero?"

This was not the first time she had ever asked that question. She'd asked her dad, her friends, her teachers. They'd all give her an easy answer of, "Of course, honey." The same answer they gave to each and every child who asked that question.

But, Mirio was different. He just looked back at her and simply asked, "Do you want to be one?"

This gave her great pause. She'd never gotten this response before. Before she knew it she was shaking her head and shrugging at the same time. "I don't know," Eri admitted. "I don't know."

Mirio noted the hint of aggravation in her voice. "You don't have to make any decisions any time soon," he said gently. "You have plenty of time."

"I only have three years before high school," Eri countered. "And if I want to do this, I have to start training. But I don't know what to do or how to train or if I even want to. I just feel like I should because I have this Quirk that Dad says is so powerful, but I don't really know how to use it. I just know how not use it." She ran a hand through her bangs. "I don't know what I want or what I should do. I feel like whatever I decide will be wrong."

"Eri, as long as you follow your heart, you can't be wrong," Mirio replied, grinning at her. "And you do have plenty of time to figure out what your heart wants." He dug into his pocket and quickly checked the time on his phone. "Now we better get back to your place or else we're going to miss dinner."

And with that, they started for home. Eri asked him a few more questions about hero work and the classes he took at UA. She expressed that she wanted to learn how to use her Quirk, but never knew how to broach the subject with her dad or anyone else for that matter. There was something that seemed forbidden about it. Like her power was somehow wrong. Mirio assured her it certainly wasn't, it was just different, and not everyone knew what to do with different. But, that if she wanted to be a hero, there was no reason she couldn't.

When they returned to campus, Eri, Mirio, and Aizawa went to the dining hall to eat. It was a strange experience for Mirio now that the kids were so much younger than him, they didn't recognize him from the Sports Festival seven years prior.

During dinner, Eri was contemplative and quiet. She tried to partake in the conversation, but it lagged a little with her not speaking much and her dad not being much of a talker. Mirio, however, went on about his job and the city he now worked in.

Once back at the apartment, Eri curled up on the couch to the right of Mirio with Aizawa on the chair opposite him, while the two men chatted amicably. She couldn't help but turn over what Mirio had said again and again. She could become a hero. That is if she wanted to be one. And, if she could learn how to use her Quirk.

She vaguely remembered the days she and Aizawa would spend in that first year just working on how to keep her Quirk under control. Her horn, which at one point at protruded inches from her face, became almost like a thick bump on her forehead. Since she'd gotten older, it stuck out maybe an inch, just enough to touch her bangs depending on how she styled them. Aizawa always told her that the horn would get bigger the more she used her power. She hadn't used it in years. At this point, she barely knew how to.

How could she bring up to her Dad that she wanted to use her Quirk again? That she at least wanted to give it a shot? Her Quirk was something they didn't talk about. She didn't know how to bring it up and he never offered much information.

"Eri?" Her father's voice broke her from her thoughts and she glanced up at him. "Getting tired?"

She was initially going to shake her head no, because she really wasn't very tired. But the mention of being tired and the mental image of her pillows caused her to suddenly really want to go to bed. "Yeah, kinda," she replied.

"Go on to bed," Aizawa told her, waving towards her bedroom. "You won't miss too much."

"Okay." Eri stood and went over to the other end of the couch to give Mirio a hug. "Thanks so much for my birthday presents. I had a great time today."

"Glad you could come, kid," Mirio replied, returning the hug with a tight squeeze. "Good luck on your finals."

"Thanks," Eri grinned, spinning around to give her dad a hug goodnight.

In another minute, her bedroom door had shut. In two, her light was off. Mirio sunk back into the couch and smiled politely over at Aizawa.

"She's really gotten big. I can't believe she's gonna be twelve!"

Aizawa nodded, looking at her door for another moment. "She's a good kid."

A moment of comfortable silence passed between the two friends before Mirio spoke again. When he did, he shifted so he was on the edge of the couch with his knees together, bent over and looking at Aizawa expectantly. "So," he started. "You said you had an idea?"

Aizawa glanced back at him with a nod, folding his arms across his chest thoughtfully. "It's not a new idea," he said. "I just wonder if it would be possible now. But, it involves a few more variables and we might not be able to get everything in place. It's also a little dangerous."

Mirio laughed. "Since when has a UA alum ever balked at dangerous?" he asked. "So what are you thinking?"

Aizawa paused for a long moment before finally responding. "Eri. I wonder if we can use her Quirk."

Mirio immediately frowned. "You said that might not work since the drug I was hit with already reverted me to a pre-Quirk state," he said. "Or that I could disappear completely."

"I know," Aizawa nodded. "But I did some research. I suggested the idea to some of the teachers here and we spent a few months taking another looking at the evidence from the building we found Eri in. There are a few surviving remnants of the drug they used to destroy Quirks and they found that heavy modification was done to adjust the drugs to only remove quirks. Instead of causing you to disappear altogether it just severed your Quirk's abilities from connecting. Think of it like a power cord. The plug is still there, but it's disconnected. I'm thinking we can get Eri to revert you to your previous state of having a Quirk. As far as the possibility of you disappearing, well. That's still a possible outcome."

Mirio nodded slowly, taking in his old teacher's words. The idea of disappearing was certainly not appealing, but he wanted desperately to get his Quirk back. For almost his whole life, that Quirk had been part of him. Losing it was like losing the ability to walk.

"Do you think she'd be capable of doing it?" Mirio asked, remembering the conversation he'd had with the girl earlier in the day.

"I don't know," Aizawa replied honestly. "And that's what I meant by other variables. If Eri doesn't want to, then we won't make her. I also trained her for years to shut down her Quirk. I don't know if we'd be able to get her to a point where she'd be able to make good use of it. It's powerful and I worry about that sort of power in the hands of one so young."

"It could make her dangerous," Mirio suggested, but Aizawa immediately shook her head.

"No, I'm not worried about her. It's the rest of the world I'm worried about. I've never seen a child with that sort of Quirk before, even in all my years of teaching some of the most gifted children in the country. While she was only one part of the overall plan, I know she as important to The League. I've been able to keep her safe so far but I worry about exposing her power to the world. If word got out… Well, I certainly don't want to think about that."

"Do you think they would come for her again?" Mirio asked.

Aizawa's silence said everything.

The two chatted for just a little while longer, moving onto much lighter conversation. However, it was clear from the troubled tone in their voices that they weren't able to shake the eerie feeling brought on by their talk. Soon, Mirio said his goodbyes and grabbed his coat. They made plans to meet up sometime later in the month and discuss this further.

At the sound of the closing front door, Eri stood up from her spot against the wall and crawled into bed.