"Three.. Two.. One…" Bakugo counted, lips pulling back into an ugly snarl. I crouched as low as I could, trying to think up a plan. Grasping my scarf between my hands, I tensed as Bakugo's hands sparked viciously. "DIE!" He screamed, lunging forwards.

I pushed backwards immediately, landing in a backwards handspring as Bakugo's hands slammed into the concrete where I had just been. The ground cracked from the force of the explosion, and I took my fighting stance again, eyes rapidly scanning the surrounding area. I needed something to create a distraction or build leverage, or Bakugo was going to kick my butt fast.

Bakugo narrowed his eyes at me, hands sparking. "Don't fucking run away!" He yelled, propelling himself forward with another set of explosions, foot racing towards my head.

I dropped into a pushup position, watching the blonde race only a few inches above me, feeling the heat of his explosions burn my back through my jacket. I reached out with my scarf to latch onto a iron rod poking out of the wreckage of a building only a few feet away. With a hard yank and a jump, I was flying through the air, using my scarf to scramble up the vertical surface and reach the top of the wreckage. The sound of an explosion from behind made me glance back, and my eyes widened as Bakugo flew towards my head. I couldn't react in time, before he grabbed my collar and hurled me towards the ground.

My back hit the concrete hard, and I instantly felt the air leave my lungs. My head and back took most of the force, and I felt a heavy throbbing from behind my eyes as my vision flashed white. Then, my quirk took over, and I was on my feet again, the familiar tickle of steam rising from my skin barely making my notice.

Bakugo was on the ground in front of me in moments, seething. He was practically shaking with rage, eyes narrowed into slits. "FIGHT ME DAMNIT!" He roared, charging me furiously.

I narrowed my eyes. Waiting for the right timing, I tensed my muscles, and then pounced. My hands gripped Bakugo's shoulders as I leaped upwards, using his body to turn around and flip mid air, neatly wrapping my legs around his shoulders from behind. Before he could react, I was wrapping my scarf around his eyes, blinding him.

Bakugo reached back, grabbing me with sparking hands, and flipping me over his head, slamming me into the ground. He pinned me with an arm across my neck, pressing his knee into my stomach to constrain me further. With his other hand, he grabbed my scarf and ripped the blindfold off his face. I tugged at his forearm pressing against my neck, struggling to breathe.

Bakugo leaned in, expression contorted by his anger. "You fought the fucking Hero Killer," he growled. "Fight me for fucking real, damnit!" He ordered.

"I didn't-!" I choked out, gasping for air. "I l-lost-!" I couldn't finish, unable to find enough oxygen to speak.

Bakugo lifted his arm off of my neck slightly, relieving the pressure. I inhaled deeply, desperately filling my lungs with precious air. The blonde glared at me. "Fucking what?" He demanded.

"I didn't beat the Hero Killer," I said, starting to understand what was going on. Now I could see the line of logic behind Bakugo's insistence on fighting. He thought that I'd grown exponentially more powerful during my apprenticeship, while he'd stagnated. "I got stabbed through the head by him," I continued, seeing Bakugo's eyes widen. "The only reason I'm alive right now is because my quirk repaired my brain."

Bakugo slowly pulled away from me, and I sat up quickly, scooting back several feet. I rubbed my throat instinctively, despite not feeling any pain. "The Hero Killer… fucking killed you?" The blonde asked, refusing to look at me.

I nodded unsurely. "Uh, I guess. I kind of jumped in the way while he was targeting someone else, actually," I answered. Bakugo eyes widened minutely, and I held my hands up in a gesture of surrender. "I had the best chance of survival!" I defended, before adding under my breath, "... plus, adrenaline is a wonderful thing."

Bakugo stared at me incredulously for a few moments, before letting out a loud huff. He shook his head disbelievingly, climbing to his feet. "Damn midget," he growled, dusting his pants off. "You're a fucking idiot."

"I'm not a midget!" I denied. "Although… I might be an idiot," I compromised begrudgingly. Bakugo smirked, and I held my hand out towards him. "Help me up?" I asked, hoping this would be the end of our problems.

Bakugo stared at me blankly for a few seconds. Slowly, he reached out and took my hand. I grinned, thinking he was going to help me up - right before he yanked me into the air, leaving me dangling helplessly from his grip a foot and a half in the air. "Don't fucking push it, Ichimi," he said warningly, before dropping me to the floor. I stumbled in surprise. "I'm not a damn priss like you," he continued, stalking out of the battle center, hands shoved into his pockets.

I smiled tiredly at his back, before leaning down to pick my scarf up off of the ground. As I did so, I caught a glimpse of my skirt and uniform shoes. They were covered in dust, dirt, and holes. Eyes wide, I searched my jacket and shirt, before letting out a groan of despair. I was going to have to get a new uniform, which wouldn't look good on my record.


I reached Missus Yukihime's shop an hour later than usual, wearing my new uniform. It had taken me longer than I'd thought it would to get a uniform from the office. I was exhausted from my earlier battle with Bakugo, and didn't really feel like doing anything. Unfortunately, I didn't have the luxury of lazing around, because it was my job to clean up the shop, and I took my responsibilities seriously. I didn't want Missus Yukihime reconsidering allowing me to stay, after all.

Dragging my feet, I opened the glass door of the flower shop, hearing the familiar chime. I hung my head, wondering if I'd be able to fall asleep tonight (probably, if I managed to stay awake that long). Shuffling through the front, I started to build a list of things I needed to do before I could sleep. It seemed far too long.

"Ichigo?" I flinched, instantly recognizing the speaker. I pasted a smile on my face, wanting my fight with Bakugo to remain secret.

I raised my head, forcing my shoulders back. "Hey, Shouto! Here to see your mother again?" I asked, trying to control the direction of the conversation.

"Yep," Shouto confirmed, somehow managing to convey his suspicion without changing his expression. I felt cornered already.

I grinned happily. "That's great! Want some more flowers then?" I added some pep into my step, slinging my backpack behind the counter, watching it slide into the back hallway. I then rushed over to the flower racks, hoping to end this interaction quickly. "Any specific message in mind? Or does she have a preference?" I inquired, scrolling through the different flowers and meanings that Missus Yukihime had taught me.

Shouto nodded. "My mother said that sunflowers were her favorite," he said, and I brightened.

"She has very good taste," I complimented, scurrying over to the sunflower display. "These can stand alone, so I don't think you'll need anything else," I continued, plucking several stalks out, and cutting them short. I grabbed the piece of twine from the side, and skillfully wrapped them together. I then walked back towards Shouto. "That'll be-" I cut myself off from telling him the price. "-nothing at all, actually," I finished, handing the sunflowers over. "Have a nice day!" I chirped, skirting away from him and behind the counter, fleeing into the backrooms. I could feel Shouto's eyes on my back as I speedily escaped.

Mentally, I calculated the expenses. Sunflowers weren't cheap, so I'd just lost fifteen dollars. I sighed, realizing I wouldn't be making any money today either. Talk about a bad day. I dragged my feet into the back room, collecting the cleaning supplies slowly. I'd have to worry about wiping down the counters and sweeping first, and then I'd clean the windows, and then I'd vacuum the back.


Several hours later, I wrapped up cleaning, shoving the broom and Windex bottle back into the closet with prejudice. My eyes burned, my head hurt, and I was relatively certain that if someone shoved me to the ground, I would fall asleep there. I felt horrible, but the shop was clean, so I decided to sleep now and shower in the morning.

Unfortunately, before I could tuck myself into my sleeping-bag and kiss consciousness goodbye, Missus Yukihime peeked her head out of her office. She looked concerned, eyebrows furrowed. "Ichigo?" She started, and I glanced back, half-asleep. "There's someone on the phone, asking for an 'Asano-chan'," she said, and my blood ran cold.

I was on my feet and awake in moments, flying from my sleeping bag and in front of her in moments. "Please give me the phone," I begged, and when she handed it over, I stepped into her office, holding the phone away from my face. "Can I close this?" I asked.

"Yes," Missus Yukihime answered, before pausing. "... Please be careful, child. I can't protect you from the police, and…"

I nodded. "I know," I said. "And I wouldn't ask you to risk yourself covering for me," I shut the door, turning sharply on my heel and stalking towards the desk. I pressed the phone to my ear. "Who is this?" I demanded.

"It's Miss Koharu, Asano-chan," The woman across the line said, and I inhaled sharply. The gears in my mind whirred, trying to reason out why my grandmother's oldest friend was contacting me now. "I know that you left months ago, and I wouldn't have bothered you, except…" her voice dwindled off.

I tapped my heel impatiently. Koharu had been my grandmother's next door neighbor for years, and I knew she was a coward. She had known exactly what was going on in my home - I had even asked for her help! - but she was so scared of losing my grandmother that she never said a word to anyone, even after I'd left. "Except what?" I pressed tensely, clenching my fist.

"Asano-chan, your grandmother is in the hospital," Koharu said, and my eyes widened. "She'd been having trouble recently… they diagnosed her with pneumonia," she continued sadly. "It's a severe case… they say it's highly likely she won't... ever leave the hospital again."

I stared at the purple office walls blankly, unable to process what Koharu was saying. I had left my grandmother almost a year ago to pursue my own dreams. I hadn't ever truly considered that she would die while I was gone.

"She's dying of pneumonia…?" I repeated slowly, feeling suspicion creep up on me. "Pneumonia isn't deadly unless left untreated, Koharu. How long did you wait to call the hospital?"

Koharu's voice was thick with grief, like she was ready to cry. "Only a week or so! I mean, I suspected, b-but-!"

"You - you fucking coward!" I bit out, clenching my eyes shut. My hands shook, not with fear, but rage. "You didn't want her moved into a nursing home! You knew they'd diagnose her with Alzheimers!" I accused, anger burning in my gut. "THIS IS YOUR FAULT!" I roared, spit flying from my mouth.

Koharu was sobbing. "No, it's not!" She protested tearfully. "If you hadn't left, she'd be fine!"

I grit my teeth. "Don't make excuses!" I shouted, stomping over to the desk. "You didn't want to lose your friend! Well I hope you're happy, she certainly won't have to stay in a nursing home!" With that final word, hearing Koharu's crying through the phone, I hung up. I barely managed to keep from slamming the phone down on the desk.

I took a moment to breath, staring at the blank, black screen on the table. My grandmother was in the hospital. My head cleared of it's rage. My grandmother was going to die. I slowly lowered myself to my knees as the knowledge set in. I bit my lip, feeling my eyes start to sting. I covered my mouth, ducking my head as tears rolled down my cheeks, shoulders shaking from the force of my muffled sobs. I shut my eyes, unable to force myself to stop crying.

I had no clue what to think.

A soft knock on the door interrupted my crying. "Ichigo…?" Missus Yukihime called through the door. She sounded worried. "Are you okay?" She asked.

I wiped my eyes. "Yes," I answered. My throat felt tight and my voice was teary, but I knew Missus Yukihime would respect my privacy. I climbed to my feet slowly, hanging my head so my hair hid my red, swollen eyes. I opened the door quickly, rushing to my sleeping bag. "I left your phone on your desk," I said shortly as I darted past her, barely falling short of throwing myself into my sleeping bag. I wrapped myself up in the fabric, burying my face into my pillow, and forced myself to struggle at breathing.

It was easier to suffocate than cry. I had given too many tears to that woman already.


"M-M-Miss Koharu…?" I knocked on the white door of my neighbor's house timidly. My male, middle-school uniform jacket felt hot and scratchy, but I knew better than to take off my coat. I'd head home soon, and grandmother always got concerned when she noticed my developing… breasts. My face heated up at the thought.

The door slid open, and my eyes shot up. Miss Koharu was an older woman with a wrinkled face and thick black hair. Her eyes were a soft blue, and I knew she had to have been beautiful in her younger years. When I was small, she had babysitted me sometimes, and she'd allow me to wear pink skirts and play dress-up.

"Hello, Asano-chan," Miss Koharu smiled gently. "What's going on?"

I bit my lip, fidgeting with sleeves of my black jacket. "I-It's a-about grandmother…" I stammered out. "I n-need y-your help."

Miss Koharu's eyes widened. She stepped back, opening the door so I could enter. "Of course, Asano-chan!" She said. "Come in!" I rushed inside, heart filling with hope. Maybe if Miss Koharu could help me, grandmother could get the help she needed.


A/N I'm currently in the process of rewriting this arc and the Battle Trial arc, so if you have any suggestions on how I could improve, please tell me! Thanks!