Kōkyō skipped home in his newly fitted uniform with a big, sharky grin on his face. He didn't have to be walked home anymore, no sir! He jogged past an old alleyway with a rotting cardboard box, ducked under the crowd, dashed through suburban streets, and hurried into his traditional home. He had so many stories to tell his parents!

He burst into his home and mightily tossed his backpack across the couch, tromping into the kitchen to grab his nutrition-packed snack.

"Hi momma! You won't believe what a great first day I had at school! I'm so glad I transferred!" Kōkyō laughed as he gave his mother a quick hug.

"Really? A good day?!" Tatami gawked hopefully. This happiness looked genuine, at least. "A-Are you sure middle school is being good to you? I was a little worried because you, umm, are so much younger than the others..."

"I love it! I already made three friends!"

"...Really?!"

"I know! There's this one girl who just moved from America, and another girl with vines for hair, and this one kid- oh hey poppa!"

Kōkyō stopped his talking as Kirishima came walking into the kitchen. He... had quite a sad look on his face as he turned off his phone.

"Poppa?" Kōkyō asked with a confused squeak.

"Hey buddy... Was your first day good?" He smiled, but the sadness was still back there in his eyes.

"Umm... it was good..." The boy wasn't sure what to say. He didn't like the look in Kirishima's eyes.

"Good. Good. Why don't you tell me about it?"

"...Poppa? Why do you look so sad?"

Sighing, Kirishima sat at the table and rubbed his finger through his ungelled hair.

"I didn't want to ruin your good first day, but I... just got a call from Bakugo and..." Licking his lips and deflating a little more, Kirishima looked into Kōkyō's eyes and said, "The Duke is dying..."

"W-What?!" Kōkyō squeaked, immediately getting emotional, "B-But he-"

"I'm sorry, buddy..." Kirishima said as he squished Kōkyō's face into his chest. Looking up at his wife with pitying looks between them, Red Riot cooed, "I know this is really tough... but he's not going to make it the night..."

No noise came from the little boy, but Kirishima could feel his shirt getting damp with tears. He knew that was going to hit hard...

"B-But I didn't g-get to s-say goodbye..." The muffled noise cried into Kirishima's shirt.

"I know I know..." Then, an idea came to Eijiro, "Would you like to do something in his memory? Something manly and honorable?"

"H-Huh? Sniff... What's that?"

"Here, I'll give you an idea, but then the rest is up to you..."

## The vet

Eiji burst into the veterinary's office with a loud bang! He shoved past an old lady with her sick dog and frantically called out to the receptionist,

"The Duke! Is he here?! Which room-"

"Room number four, Mr. Bakugo..." The woman sighed softly. She got word that he was coming, and these kinds of things are always difficult for kids his age...

Eiji bowed before sprinting down the hall and reaching the fourth door. He stood outside it, panting and catching his breath. Finally, he calmly slid the door open. His dad looked up at him. In front of the old man was The Duke, curled in a blanket on the table.

He was very still, but breathing...

"H-Hi Duke." Eiji said slowly, approaching the mangy fuzz ball, "It's me. I'm here." He said, not acknowledging his dad right away. After petting The Duke a few times, Eiji looked up at his dad with a tad of mist building up in his eyes, "H-Hey dad."

"...You holding up?" Bakugo asked, knowing damn well what the answer was.

"Mhmm."

"...Eiji." Bakugo said slowly with his brows raised, "The truth?"

"...I almost cried in class today..." He whimpered defeatedly.

"Sigh..." Bakugo could tell Eiji was still having trouble holding it together as he pet the hyperventilating cat. Whimpering, Baachu pulled out his cellphone and said,

"I should let Kōkyō know-"

"I called Kirishima already. He'll tell Baby Shark when he gets home from middle school."

"Middle school?" Eiji asked while he leaned in closer to The Duke.

"He transferred. We can talk about that later."

"Yeah..."

Slowly, The Duke opened his crusty eyes once more and cooed a tiny purr for Eiji. It took a lot out of the poor thing.

"You clunky old butt..." Coughing his emotions away, Eiji nuzzled his face into the course fuzz. He scruffed the fur back and forth roughly and blinked rapidly.

"Murrur?"

"Yeah you little boy. Jeez... you're making me all sad..."

Looking woefully up at his dad, Eiji asked with his face buried in the fluff,

"When are they gonna..."

"...In a few minutes." Katsuki sighed. He was really glad Eiji got here when he did. There wasn't a lot of time left for the beast.

Eiji only had a few more minutes with The Duke. Even if The Duke was smelly and rough; even if The Duke was just a cat, Baachu knew that life was never going to be quite the same.

"There anything ya wanna say? Before they come in?" Bakugo asked as he patted Eiji's shoulder. The teen just shrugged a little.

"He... doesn't understand. He's just a cat..."

"...You got only a little more time."

Understanding this well, Eiji nodded into the fur and mumbled,

"Duke... I..." A single tear collected on his eyelash, "You're a very good cat... Oh, why'd ya gotta do this to me, Duke? Dontcha know how much I'm gonna miss you-"

Immediately blinking himself back to normalcy, Eiji leaned back and stretched his arms out, pacing about the little room.

"Oh man... Foo..." He exhaled before biting his lip. He was not holding it together very well... He had to make sure the vet didn't see him getting emotional...

"You can cry if you want, bub." Katsuki said, watching his son painfully try to keep everything bottled up.

"Nn- The vet..." Eiji's words warbled as he hid his face in the crook of his elbow.

Slowly, the door opened, and a sympathetic vet entered the quiet room. She smiled wearily at them and said,

"Are you guys ready?"

"N-Nmm..." Eiji frantically shook his head, but Katsuki nodded for him.

"Yeah. We're ready."

"Alright... I know this is a difficult thing to watch, but I'll explain as I go. Just let me know at any time in the process you want me to stop."

Eiji nodded, his arm over his eyes.

"Alright, I'm going to give him anesthesia first, then the next shot will stop his heart in a minute or two."

"Ck-!" The teen croaked through a clenched jaw. But he managed to pull through. He nodded to say he was ready, but he really wasn't.

The Duke wheezed a few pained whines, and Eiji knew that he needed to go.

"Alright... I'm going to give him the anesthesia now..." The vet slowly said as she pulled out a needle.

"Wait! I... Is there any other way?" Eiji croaked rashly, his eyes very shiny.

The vet simply shook her head.

"I'm sorry..."

"Okay. Umm... just..." Eiji came over to The Duke and scruffed his chin. But The Duke did not wake up for him anymore. "...Okay."

"Alright. I'm going to put him to sleep now." She said as she gave him the anesthesia. The Duke was already asleep, so there wasn't anything too different now. Except...

He wasn't going to wake up again.

"Hic-" Eiji looked away, his hand still scruffing up the fur.

"Alright. Now I'm going to inject him with the second shot. He'll sleep for another minute or two, and then he'll pass away." As she explained she prepared the second shot, making Eiji feel sick, "He might make a noise, but I assure you he doesn't feel anything."

"..." Eying his son, Bakugo asked, "Are you ready, bub?"

"No! I'm not! Okay?!" Eiji finally jabbed before calming himself down once more, "I... don't wanna... I'm not ready..."

Then, he watched as The Duke's ear twitched. It tried to run in its sleep.

But he couldn't.

He was too tired.

He wanted to go.

"Hic! W-Why? Why d-did I only find him... when he was already old?! I wish... I could've had him for just a little bit longer-"

He gently squished his face into his beloved cat.

The vet nodded and gave The Duke the second shot. Eiji watched. And waited. He was waiting for The Duke to die. He looked at the clock and back down the the sleeping, breathing cat he was petting below.

Tick... Tick... Tick...

Inhale... exhale... inhale... exhale...

Tick... Tick... Tick...

Eiji couldn't stand this! He wanted to be here till the end but- he didn't want to see The Duke die! But here he was! Waiting for The Duke to die!

It was killing him.

"I'm sorry, I just-" Eiji tried his best to give a little bow before he ran out of the little room.

He fast walked himself into the restroom and shut the door behind himself. Clicking the lock, he leaned on the sink with weariness.

He felt like he was sick; not physically ill, just... emotionally wreaked.

Staring at his reflection, he could barely see himself through the water that hadn't quite broken tension off his eyes.

"Damn it-" He squeaked as he aggressively wiped his eyes with his sleeve, "This is your last moment with The Duke, and you can't hold it in a little longer?! Go in there! Go back in there!" He coughed angrily at himself. But he couldn't move. He tried to budge his legs, but he couldn't!

He was stuck.

"Go back in there! Go! Hic! He's only got a minute-"

Knock knock...

"Hey bub... You in there?" Bakugo asked through the door.

"I'm coming back out, I jus- I... just..."

"Hey Eiji... he..." Gulping loudly and bonking his head on the door, Katsuki said with overwhelming pity,

"He just passed."

"Cough!" Eiji couldn't believe it. He... missed that last moment? He missed it?

"Are you-"

"Just... gimme a sec..."

Eiji missed it? He was too busy dealing with his own emotions that he missed The Duke's last breath?! He couldn't believe it!

How could he do that to his cat?

And now he'll never get a chance for a do-over.

"Damn it!" He seethed again, coughing a few times. He needed to move. He had to get out of the bathroom- but he was shaking with regret!

"Hey Ei... can you unlock the door?" Bakugo asked softly.

Eiji nodded (not like Bakugo could see him) and dragged his feet over to unlock the door. Hearing it click, Katsuki slowly opened it and felt overwhelming sympathy in his chest. His son was a complete mess.

"...Come on."

"I... don't want them to see me-" Eiji mumbled out as he tried to hide his face from the strangers in the waiting room.

"Yeah yeah. They won't." Kacchan smiled as he made himself a wall between Eiji and the extras. They did give off some sideways glances as they waddled past, but they could all stuff it if they don't like Eiji crying in public! His cat just died for Pete's sake!

They got into the room, and the vet stood by a table where the ball of fluff was in a large shoebox.

He wasn't moving.

"I... don't wanna..."

"Come on." Katsuki gently pulled Eiji to the table.

Slowly, the boy peeked through his squinting eyes at the box.

The Duke... was dead.

The teen shakily pet the still creature and whimpered uncontrollably,

"He's... never gonna run in his sleep again..."

"..." Bakugo pursed his lips at the vet, who was greatly pitying the boy.

"I'm sorry. This is a difficult thing..."

"You think?!" Eiji spat at her.

"Hey kid, it's fine. Let's go home, okay?"

"Mm... mhmm..." Nodding, Eiji watched the vet close the lid on the box. She handed it to him. It was so light.

"Ck-"

"You want me to hold it?"

"N-No. I'm okay..." Eiji was not okay. But as long as he didn't think about what was in the box he was fine. About who was in the box.

"You sure?"

"Yeah..." The boy nodded and slowly shuffled out of the room, "Let's go home..."

## Bakugo household

"You want any help, bub?" Bakugo asked as Eiji dug a hole behind the house. The sun was still high, but it'll be getting dark soon. Yet Eiji still dug away at the dirt beneath himself.

"No... I got this..." He said as he drove the shovel into the earth once more. He still needed some time to process alone.

"Alright..." Bakugo said with a worried nod and sat at the kitchen table by the shoebox. He took a little peek inside. The Duke was still.

In an odd way, Bakugo half expected the cat to sit upright once more, even though that made no sense. It just felt so weird that this thing... stopped.

"Dad... do you think this is deep enough?" Eiji asked as he wiped the sweat from his brow.

"I'm sure it is. You ready?"

Eiji looked very weary, but he was ready.

"Yeah."

Bakugo simply handed his son the box and walked out to the backyard. With upmost respect, Eiji lowered the creature into the ground. He just stood over it a moment.

"Ey bub, you wanna take one last look or-"

"No. I'm good." It wasn't The Duke anymore. Not really. Just a ball of still fluff that painfully reminded Eiji of his first pet.

So without further ado, Eiji scooped up the dirt and plopped it on top until the ground was once more level.

Patting the top layer of dirt with his shovel, Eiji stood back when suddenly, a look of panicked regret struck his features!

"I shouldn't have buried him here! This spot doesn't mean anything to him! I should've buried him by the tree he used to claw at or-"

"This place is fine, bub." Bakugo grabbed the shovel from the kid's hands. "Now... is there anything you'd like to say?"

"Huh?" The boy whimpered up at his dad.

"Like, a eulogy?"

"W-Well, h-he was just a cat..."

"But a good one, right?" Bakugo smiled at Baachu, who looked like he was about to cry again.

"Hai... okay... here goes..." He cleared his throat and began to pay his respects,

"The Duke of Mouse Massacres..." Eiji started in all seriousness, "Y-You were a very good cat. Even if you were stinky, and grouchy, and a little on the ugly side... and more trouble than you were worth..."

Bakugo fought the urge to roll his eyes. This wasn't exactly the most touching sentiment, but Eiji was on the brink of tears, so he could tough it out.

"I remember when we went camping, and you threw all of our food off the cliff... and my AirPods..."

"Wait, you told me you lost those-!"

"I'll never forget the time I introduced you to Maru... and she thought you were a very large rat~" He sniffed and wiped his drippy face with the heel of his palm and continued,

"You helped me through some difficult times, and you were the first one I ever sang willingly in front of..." Eiji's voice sealed shut as he was overcome with emotion. "You say something."

"Me?!"

"..."

"Fine. Erm... Dear Duke-" What was Bakugo doing, writing a letter? Whatever. He continued, "You... somehow managed to worm your way into my... Well... I found you tolerable." Eiji smacked Bakugo, so he reeled it back,

"But you... were a part of this family, and not only did you help Eiji... but you helped me." The Duke did help Bakugo feel less lonely when Eiji was gone, "I suppose... the house will feel a little empty without you here."

The teen sobbed at his dad's words. Gripping the collar of his shirt, Eiji calmed himself down enough to huskily croak,

"D-Duke... No matter how rough around the edges you seem, or how old or smelly you are, I will always love y-" Eiji turned away and gently bonked his forehead onto Bakugo's shoulder, "Because even with all of that, y-you were very good. You always saw when I needed you, and the world will never be the same without you, Duke..."

Patting his son's head, Katsuki glazed his vision over the amateur grave. Eiji had some really nice things to say. If he got half the eulogy Bakugo would be a happy man indeed.

As they stood there behind the house, Eiji suddenly said out of nowhere,

"D-Dad? You know... I'd be really really sad if you died..."

Bakugo smirked a little in confusion.

"...If I die?"

"Mhmm..."

"Erm, you know, if all goes according to plan, then I'm dying before you do." Bakugo stated matter-of-factly.

Eiji immediately shot upright in realization!

"Oh my God you're right!" He cried out, giving his dad a hug. Katsuki actually rolled his eyes this time. He patted his ridiculous son on the head and sighed,

"Also according to the plan, I'm not dying for, hmm, at least another year or two."

"Don't joke like that!" Eiji coughed into his mean-humored father's shirt.

"Hehe."

"I'm serious!"

"Okay okay! In all seriousness, I'm not going anywhere."

"Promise?" Eiji mumbled into Bakugo's shirt.

"Promise."

## The next day

Walking back to school was tough; Eiji's entire body and soul were dead tired. He maybe... kinda... silently cried into his pillow until the wee hours last night. He was glad he got to say goodbye to The Duke, at least one last time. But how was he supposed to move on like it never happened? To go back to his old, happy self?

In a strange way, he felt like he wasn't allowed to be happy yet. Like he had to keep on remembering and mourning an excellent cat because no one else was going to-

Eiji stopped by a little alleyway.

In a brand new cardboard box sat a tiny little shrine. There was a little toy with a bowl of fried chicken in front of a picture frame. In the frame was a crudely drawn picture of a cat on a mountain.

Eiji wasn't the only one missing The Duke right now. He wasn't alone in his mourning.

Sniffing his tears back, he smiled warmly into his sleeve,

"Thanks, Kōkyō..."

## Yueei

Eiji came into class with a big smile on his face and a bouncy energy in his limbs.

"Hey guys!" He beamed excitedly at his already sitting classmates. They were all pretty confused. Yesterday he seemed so sad!

He sat next to Maru and hummed to himself as he pulled out his books. Eyeing his odd behavior, she whispered to him,

"Hey, are you alright, Baachu? You know, you don't have to fake anything around me..."

Eiji simply smiled down at his desk.

"Yeah. I know. I'm really glad I followed Koteki's advice." He said loudly for the shy kid in the back of class to hear. Koteki immediately shot up after hearing his name. "I'm glad I got to say goodbye. It was good advice."

Koteki's eyes widened. He... gave good advice?

"...But are you actually doing alright?" Maru asked once more, her concern visible.

"Yeah. Of course I'm still sad, but I feel free to feel whatever I feel, if that makes sense?" As bright as the sun, Eiji laughed her direction. Slowly, she started to understand.

"Yeah... I catch your drift."

Suddenly, Shinso-Sensei burst into the room adorning his pink Snuggie and eye baggage for miles.

"Alright class. Today we will continue studying for the challenges ahead. I have no doubt your combined efforts will help you succeed in the written final... but that's not what I am worried about..." He said darkly, captivating the class with unknown fear.

"Because next up is the final. And you're going to have to go against the Yueei staff..."