On account of his mind being elsewhere during Class 1-A's trip back to U.A., Jomei only became aware of a few things concerning the League of Villains' attack a little while after arriving back on the main campus.

As it turned out, he wasn't alone in his lack of knowledge on a few subjects.

Although many students had asked about Aizawa's condition the moment the crisis was over, Jomei and others almost forgot about that detail amidst the aftermath. Thirteen, however, was gracious enough to answer the inquiry upon arriving back at the main campus, as only then did they become privy to any information regarding their battered hero. That said, the news wasn't as detailed as some would have liked. Thirteen was able to report that Aizawa was in stable condition, and that he'd live, but that Recovery Girl had yet to be able to fully diagnose the implications his injuries held for his health long-term. On a slightly brighter note, however, the Youthful Heroine was able to confirm that All Might was also stable and that his minor injuries would heal completely in short order.

The news was welcome to Jomei, for obvious reasons. Though his mind had been a tumult of worry and nerves for the past few hours, it didn't change the fact he was still worried about his teacher's well-being. Aizawa may not have been out of the dark yet, but he was alive, and that was what mattered the most.

Once that was out of the way, Thirteen sent Class 1-A off to their respective locker rooms to change back into their uniforms and rest before they were dismissed one last time. It was there that Jomei and many others learned, via Midoriya and Mineta, what kind of Quirk the League of Villains' leader possessed. The news that the villains had someone with a Quirk that could, and almost did, disintegrate one of their number was indeed unnerving, but it couldn't be denied that the knowledge being spread now would undoubtedly save lives in the future if Shigaraki ever showed his face again.

With this in mind, the conversation in the locker room continued along the vein of discussing the other lead villains' Quirks, though Midoriya proved the most insightful out of everyone there. Bakugo or Todoroki may have had more to add, but the former secluded himself as far from everyone as possible while the latter seemed content to remain as coldly stoic as ever. Eventually, this conversation too wound to a close, and Class 1-A reconvened in their homeroom, with the same insight the boys had gleaned about Shigaraki's Quirk being disseminated among the girls in short order. Thirteen then entered the classroom a few minutes later, a final round of congratulations was given, and everyone was told they were allowed to head home.

Granted, Jomei wasn't eager to say goodbye to Akiko so soon after everything that had happened, but he did know very well just how much he wanted to rest and recollect himself after such a trying day. He'd gone from cautiously planning to move things forward with Akiko someday to that very thing happening so quickly he would've thought he was dreaming if he didn't know any better. As such, even if he wanted to stick by Akiko's side a little longer, just to reassure himself that little bit more that they were both indeed safe, he ended up going home around the same time everyone else did.

Of course, after splitting off from Akiko at their usual crossroads and arriving at the front door, Jomei very quickly realized that his ordeal was far from over. He stared at the handle, his gaze intense enough to burn straight through it as he recognized he did still need to eventually tell his mother about what happened between him and Akiko. He knew he had to, that the hardest part was over, and that it was inevitable she'd find out, but the very real threat of his death by embarrassment convinced him to withhold that information, at least for now.

Thus, he found himself hoping that perhaps she'd simply be too distracted by the news of the USJ being attacked to pick up on any indicators of something happening with him in particular. He wrapped his hand around the handle.

But it was his mother. Of course she'd see right through him – but damn if he wasn't going to try and avoid having to explain how right she was and that he asked Akiko out.

Upon entering the familiar space of his home, he was unsurprised to find her sitting near the living room, thumbing through some files or other. If it wasn't for what had happened just a few hours prior, the familiarity of the sight would've been comforting, but as it stood, the exhaustion of the day he felt clearly wasn't going away anytime soon.

Best to just get on with it, then.

"Mom?"

Ayane's eyes widened, and she snapped her folder shut. When she turned herself around, silence reigned for a few long moments as she simply looked upon her son.

Eventually, she took in a relieved breath and started wheeling herself over. "You know, I knew that you were okay, but it doesn't hurt to see you here safe and sound."

Jomei set down his bag and gave her a hug. "I'm just glad to be home."

She returned the gesture. "And I'm glad you're home too. Tsukauchi told me everything once he was on his way back to the station and realized you were part of 1-A – figured I'd want to know what happened from someone reliable. Not like the press can always be trusted to do the right thing, sometimes."

"He was there? I didn't see him."

Ayane nodded. "Mhm. You probably wouldn't have seen him anyway. He was everywhere, coordinating the police, so don't feel bad. In fact, I think he wanted to speak with you and congratulate you personally, but he has a meeting to prepare for with U.A.'s faculty on Sunday. You understand."

"Yeah…" Jomei trailed off, "But what did he want to congratulate me about? I didn't do anything crazy, I just… survived."

"Exactly. You survived, and he wanted to congratulate you for keeping a level head."

Jomei nodded solemnly, echoes of his promise to never lose control being made less than a week ago playing through his head. The last thing on his mind during the USJ had been keeping control of his Quirk's output beyond merely rationing his gases' reserves, but it clearly didn't diminish the achievement in Tsukauchi's eyes. Not that he could've known what was running through Jomei's head at the time, anyway.

"And I wanted to do the same, actually. From what Tsukauchi told me, the attack was downright… brutal. Students scattered among villains that wanted to kill them, their plan to kill All Might, and Eraserhead's injuries… it sounded like the kind of thing most kids your age would end up panicking in." She gave Jomei an encouraging look. "But you didn't. None of you did, but not everyone in 1-A is my son. You kept a good head on your shoulders and you did just fine. You were a hero."

"I'm not sure Aizawa-sensei would agree with that…" Jomei said regretfully.

"From what I understand, you did all you could without running the chance of getting yourself killed," Ayane argued. "That isn't cowardice, that's making the best choice you could make in the middle of all that. The fact you, and nobody else threw themselves into certain death at any point is only a credit to the hero course, in my eyes."

Thoughts of his peers popped into his head, and Jomei quickly recognized the truth behind his mother's observation. He had known jumping in to save Aizawa wasn't a wise choice the second Akiko had stopped him, so there was no point in dredging up old wounds. There was a point in recalling everything he and his allies had done along the way to protect each other, however.

"Yeah. Tokoyami, Yaoyorozu, Kyoka and Denki… they were amazing." He said wistfully. "All of them."

"Now you're getting it. But speaking of…"

'Wait-'

"How's Akiko doing?"

It took everything in Jomei's power to stop the flinch that would have given away any hint of what had transpired between him and his best friend from happening. Instead, he disguised the reflexive gesture as a surprised blink – one he hoped would be rather unassuming, given the change in topic.

He really hoped she wasn't already onto him right now.

"She's… okay, actually. She didn't get hurt at all, which is kind of a miracle considering all the villains we had to face and how her Quirk works. It's been… a long day."

"I would know a thing or two about those," Ayane quipped. "Which means I also know what you should probably be doing right now."

"Hm?"

"You should be resting. Go upstairs, wash up, and relax – mother's orders. It may be a weekend but you still need your sleep, especially after what you've gone through today. I'll deal with everything else that needs doing tonight."

Jomei nodded in agreement and started moving toward the stairs. Not only did a shower sound downright heavenly right about now, but it also gave him an opportunity to escape his mother's watchful eye for just a little longer. Maybe he actually had been able to fly under her radar this entire time? There was a first time for everything after all, and today was full of firsts for him.

"Now more than ever…"

He froze as he realized he mumbled the words aloud and cursed his subconscious and his tone for betraying the thoughts he'd been attempting to keep hidden. He would've continued up the stairs and pretended he hadn't said anything if it weren't for him feeling the pressure Ayane's gaze falling on him.

"Oh? Did something else happen?"

And Jomei's heart sank like a stone.

Instantly, it was clear she knew more than she was letting it due to his posture, his tone of voice, or the fact he was genuinely questioning if her Quirk wasn't mind-reading and that he'd merely struck gold getting the one he had he didn't know, but she knew he was hiding something else from her.

And when the matriarch of the Nishimura household knew she was onto something, there wasn't a chance in hell you'd be able to keep anything beneath her notice.

Similar to how there was no escaping the smug look that was on her face right now. Or the blush that was working its way onto his own.

He forced himself to turn around. "Well… maybe just a little something…"

It was going to be a long night.


Snipe often pondered how fortunate it was that he had the Quirk he did. Homing was an Emitter-type Quirk and may have thus been placed under the most common classification of Quirks, but he always knew growing up that it was a useful one. The ability to let anything he threw or shot home perfectly in on anything he could lay his eyes on wasn't anything to sneeze at, and even as a boy he knew exactly the kind of hero he'd be if he chose to become one.

Despite this, however, he never thought of himself as extraordinary. Not starting out, anyway. He knew he possessed the tools and talents to hone his unique ability, and that he'd always end up making a difference wherever he went, but he never thought in all his years that he'd end up in a place of prestige in society – in America or abroad.

Which made it all the more surprising when he found himself associated so closely with U.A., in the present.

The academy was his alma mater, sure, but being a foreigner moving to Japan simply to get his hero license at one of the best schools in the world just made him assume he'd never fit in or be accepted as one of the country's own. Xenophobia and mild discrimination against foreigners had become practically unheard of in polite society over the years, but even still, the echoes of that time in history could indeed still be felt on occasion through harsh glares and insults spoken underbreath by passers-by. As a result, despite the generally welcoming environment and the downright rarity of the odd looks he received as he adjusted to speaking Japanese, he feared he'd never belong. Forever a gaijin.

Yet still, over time and many missions as he was still finding his footing as a Pro Hero, he became accepted as Japanese in everything but his name and origin. The Snipe many knew today, the insightful cowboy who could always turn the tide of battle with one well-placed shot was born.

Heartwarming though it may have been, he still didn't yet see himself as special, however.

That honor went to something else. Something that managed to, by sheer chance, strike a chord and make him recognize that he may very well have been just a cut above the rest.

It all started when he returned home.

He was only in his early twenties when he did for the first time, and he'd only been away for a few years after deciding to attend U.A., and yet somehow his hometown back in the states felt more foreign to him than Japan when he'd first arrived. The streets were the same, but they were more filthy with crime and vigilantism than anywhere he'd ever seen back in Japan, and that wasn't the worst of it. Pro Heroes existed to quell the chaos, sure, but with a nation of such size as the U.S., the few truly outstanding heroes were spread far too thin to keep everything neat and orderly. None of this was even mentioning the cash-grabbing celebrity culture that'd infected America's hero society upon its inception. Even subdued by time and the necessity of taking growing threats seriously, it still existed, and it clawed away at the ideals Snipe possessed long before he even left for U.A.

Once all this became apparent, he didn't hesitate to offer his services to the police for the short time he'd be back in town. A particularly pesky gang going by the name of 'The Pantheon' had been a terror to the people and a thorn in the police's side for years after he left, and even if he could only stay so long, he dedicated himself to dismantling the group in short order. He knew that he simply had to make a difference to still be worthy of calling himself a hero.

And a difference he did make – not just in the obvious ways, either. Yes, he had destroyed the gang alongside one highly-skilled task force after weeks of investigation and planning, but he had also done something he could've never seen coming.

He made a friend. Not one his age, in fact, the vigilante girl he met in the middle of it all was seven years his junior; but, despite this, she possessed grit, gumption, and a headstrong nature that instantly distinguished her as someone with greater willpower than anyone around her ever did. Snipe knew that he couldn't let her potential go to waste rotting in a jail cell just for being a vigilante, and he offered her amnesty.

An ocean, attendance at U.A., and several years later, and she was still someone Snipe found himself ever-intrigued by, even if they didn't keep in touch as much as they used to.

His phone vibrated in his pocket, and the empty halls leading to U.A.'s staff meeting room echoed even in response to a noise so small.

"Speak of the devil…"

He brushed aside his long, high-collared red cloak and whipped out the device. Beneath his gas mask, he smiled. It may not have been some idle greeting asking how he was doing, but any message from an old friend was a welcome one in his book.

Hey Snipe. Got your message about the meeting Sunday, but I've been a bit too busy to respond up until now – you know how it is. Figured I'd wish you luck before it all goes down, and recommend a little something for you to bring to the table, if it isn't doesn't come up in conversation. From what you've told me about the USJ attack, U.A.'s security is in need of a complete overhaul. You should bring that up when you get the chance if the idea hasn't occurred to Nezu or anyone else yet. If all it took was one signal-nullifying Quirk user to compromise the USJ's alarm system, I think it goes without saying that leaving the facility as-is would just be asking for trouble at this point. Hell, I'd even go so far as to overhaul the U.A.'s entire damn campus so no part can be cut off whatsoever, but that's up to you and your budget, I suppose.

And yes, I did get your message about if I'd like to teach at U.A. or not. I considered it, Snipe, I did, but I don't want to take you up on it yet. I don't want that kind of publicity right now, and you of all people would understand my reasoning. And no, I am not like Eraserhead when I say that – he was kicking and screaming before he finally caved in to start teaching. Me? Not so much. I just don't think it's the right time for me to take up doing something like that.

Speaking of Aizawa, keep me in the loop as much as possible, yeah? At least so far as Aizawa's condition goes. I've worked with the guy a few times before he started teaching and he seems like a good person, even if he's a bit stiff. In the meantime, I'll gather the rest of what's discussed about the League of Villains on the Hero Network, so no need to worry about giving me the run-down. You have enough to do as it is.

Anyway, until next time, best of luck out there. Stay alive.

"And here I thought you forgot about me…" Snipe chuckled.

He stared at the message and gave it another once-over before he checked the time. The meeting was about to start, and his spurred boots jingled gently as he continued down the hall, but not before he quickly typed a response to his old companion telling her what was about to happen. He may not have been able to give her as comprehensive a message in return as he would've liked, but she wouldn't mind. She said it herself – he was a busy man these days. He did make a mental note to keep her informed about Aizawa when this was all said and done, however.

As he put away his phone, he came up to the door of the meeting room. He was about to wrap his hand around the handle when another person's presence made itself known. His instincts informed him that he wasn't in any danger, though, so his hand stayed away from his pistol.

"I never pegged you as the type to be fashionably late, Snipe."

He turned around. "Tsukauchi. I don't suppose you'd believe me if I told ya I was just keepin' a friend in the loop, would ya?"

Tsukauchi chuckled. "Completely understandable. I did the same myself after the USJ incident was being wrapped up the other day. Nonetheless, I look forward to this meeting. If nothing else, I anticipate it'll be enlightening for all of us."

"Don't gotta tell me twice."

As he opened the door, Tsukauchi gave him a nod in thanks and entered without delay. Stepping into the room himself, Snipe gave a habitual look over every Pro Hero in attendance of the senior staff meeting. Vlad King, buff as ever and clad in his typical red, black, and white spandex costume sat alone on the right side of the U-shaped table, and his spiked-up white hair and red eyes exuded as much intensity as ever. At the head of the table sat Midnight, who was only alone for as long as it took Snipe to take his seat next to her. On the left side of the table was none other than, of course, Principal Nezu, and one other oddity of a hero.

That oddity, of course, being All Might, who could be referred to as such less due to his mere presence, but more because of the form he took in his attendance. His 'skinny form' as he had dubbed it preserved his energy, sure, but it didn't stop the Symbol of Peace from looking like he was one good gust of wind away from caving in on himself from some angles. Hollow cheeks, sunken eyes, a lanky neck, and an almost skeletal body didn't exactly scream 'number one hero' insofar as the public knew him, after all. Despite this, though, Snipe didn't pay him much mind. He had other things to prioritize right now, and he was getting more used to All Might's skinny form as time went on, anyway.

Tsukauchi, being the one delivering the anticipated report, remained standing. After Snipe had situated himself, he adjusted the papers in his hands and cleared his throat, tucking his fedora beneath his arm as he did so.

"I see that everyone in attendance is here, and I know we all have places to be and things to do, so I'll begin without delay," he started. "Our top investigators are trying to learn as much as they can about this so-called 'League of Villains.' We've been able to make some progress, with the most distinct fact we've gleaned from interrogating some of the criminals captured after the attack being that their plan to kill All Might had been in the making since early spring of this year. Unfortunately, we haven't been able to turn up any information about who this Shigaraki fellow is. We ran by searches of individuals in their early twenties who have a registered disintegration Quirk but came up with nothing – the same goes for the warp Quirk villain, Kurogiri. Thus, we've been led to believe that either they aren't citizens or they're using aliases. Difficult to find no matter how you spin it."

Vlad King bowed his head, his long lower canines pointing high through his frown. "So what you're really saying is we don't know anything."

"Seems like it," Snipe added. "Still, we have to home in on them no matter what. I may have shot that Shigaraki fella in the arms and legs, but those aren't fatal wounds if he gets treatment. He's gonna heal, and he's going to try something like this again once he does."

"He certainly seems like the type…" All Might muttered.

"Is something on your mind, All Might?" Nezu asked.

"Yeah, actually." All Might's brow furrowed. "The attack on the USJ was… too up-front. No sane adult would ever attempt an attack so reckless right on the front doorstep of a hero academy, let alone U.A. The ringleader was always monologuing about why he was there, and he kept bragging about Nomu's Quirks, but he never said anything about his own powers. The only reason I knew anything about his Quirk was because of Eraserhead's warning, and the moment things started to go sideways, it looked like he was about to throw a fit."

"Braggin' about his personal monster… hell of a way to draw you into a fight, even if it sounds like Aizawa's condition was what really set you off back there," Snipe observed. "Besides, revealing the thing's Quirks was a terrible oversight on Shigaraki's part. If he kept them secret you would've had to gamble and he may have actually stood a chance, but instead he gave you all the info you needed to beat him."

Tsukauchi nodded in agreement.

All Might did the same. "Right. Shigaraki made wild, immature claims, but he did so with a completely straight face. He talked about Nomu as if he were some sort of pet, and he seemed to think everything would always go his way just by showing up, like he was never told no. A real spoiled brat of a personality. A man-child."

"A man-child with incredible power, though!" Vlad King interjected.

Midnight laced her fingers together as she leaned on the table. "It's possible that he never got the Quirk counseling most children get in elementary school. If he never learned how to use or control his Quirk responsibly, who knows what that could have done to him while he was growing up?"

Snipe looked at her. "That may be so, but it doesn't change what he did."

"Right. He threatened the lives of our students, and there's no excuse for such an attack no matter what his past might be. But…" All Might's eyes widened and he suddenly looked to the detective. "What about Aizawa? How's his condition? I've been bogged down in reports and paperwork, I haven't had a chance to check up on him."

"Oh. Eraserhead?" Tsukauchi thumbed through his files. "Here we are. I think you'll be relieved to know that he's quite stable, as of right now. His arms were shattered and he did suffer some facial fracturing during the attack, though Recovery Girl reported that, thankfully, there isn't any brain damage. However, despite her best efforts, she was unable to heal his orbital floor. Upon first admitting him to the hospital there was no telling what that would mean for his eyesight, but he's since regained consciousness."

"And?"

His shoulders slouched somewhat. "His eyesight seems to be intact and he's bound to make a full recovery, but his use of his Quirk is somewhat impaired now. The destruction of his orbital floor, being one of the key components of what makes up what's scientifically referred to as his Quirk factor, has forced him to blink even more often than before. Needless to say, it's an impairment of his fighting ability, but the only way to tell how severe it'll be is to see how he fares in combat when he's put back on active duty. As of right now, he should be on bed rest, but I haven't been in contact with Recovery Girl or the hospital to confirm this recently."

"Okay, good." All Might breathed a sigh of relief. "Aizawa's a tough guy, I'm sure he won't let this injury get the best of him. Even if I should have gotten there sooner…"

"All Might?" Nezu interrupted.

"Right! Sorry, Tsukauchi, please continue."

"It's not a problem. Regardless of our lack of information on the League's leaders, though, all the other villains at the scene of the crime were apprehended without much of an issue. There were close to one hundred villains at the scene, but they were all back-alley thugs or individuals with assault charges in their pasts. Not high-end criminals. What concerns me, however, is that Shigaraki got them all to follow him and his plan. They believed he was a real leader. With so many heroes in society today they may be feeling the pressure, and are thus being compelled to follow whoever they can without a second thought."

"That does make sense…" Vlad King said.

"I've seen firsthand how organized crime can spiral out of control. It doesn't even take anything more than a few dozen people to cause a ruckus, and the League of Villains was proof. People will flock to a cause as long as they think they're betting on the right horse," Snipe offered.

"Then that begs the question – what can we do to stop them?" Midnight asked.

"A justifiable concern," Tsukauchi agreed, "but don't forget that it's because of you heroes that the police have time to work on this case in the first place. We'll continue to expand our investigation and try to find the perpetrators behind this attack without delay."

"And we thank you for that," Nezu said. "Though it does occur to me that this 'man-child' does indeed have some things in common with our students. Namely, potential. As such, we must make sure that we're at least aware of the possibility that someone may very well be guiding him and nurturing that potential, shaping him into an increasingly dangerous individual as a result."

All Might bristled, his arm drifting to his side. "I don't want to consider what that could mean…"

"Indeed. Furthermore, the police did apprehend a villain that was presumed to have had a hand in the attack in a wooded area nearby the USJ," Tsukauchi continued. "He didn't respond to any outside stimuli, and we later ran DNA tests on the individual in question. The results we got back were, oddly enough, a mix of genetic codes, but the dominant one was merely that of another petty thug."

"You're referring to Nomu…"

"Which means the League of Villains have someone in their ranks that knows what they're doing…" Snipe said.

Midnight's eyes narrowed. "It seems that they already do, though. The fact they have a villain with a warp Quirk on their side in of itself is an indicator of that – abilities such as Kurogiri's are exceedingly rare as it is."

'Which means our security really does need an upgrade… looks like you were right, old friend.'

"Then might I propose a full update to our security system?" Snipe asked. "Between this Nomu possibly not necessarily being a one-of-a-kind varmint and Kurogiri even being a factor in the League, we may need to consider an option like that to keep our kids safe."

Nezu nodded. "I wholeheartedly agree. A multi-layered system with automated check-ins at random intervals to assure security would be most beneficial. Of course, we'd also need to install ground lines in the case that system fails or is otherwise compromised and communication is necessary. It may take some convincing to allocate funds to such an extensive project, but I'm sure I'll be able to get some support companies on it right away."

Snipe tipped his hat. "Thank ya kindly."

"No thanks are necessary. The safety of our students is our number one concern, after all. As for everyone here, however, I do advise that we all proceed with caution and remain vigilant. We cannot afford to fail our students again, not with the media's coverage of the incident making many question their safety. Now, if that is all, for the time being, we may be dismissed."

All members in attendance for the meeting gathered their things and left quickly after that, and Snipe, in particular, found himself alone much faster than he'd anticipated. Not that he was complaining. It gave him a chance to breathe, but more importantly, it let him realize something that hadn't quite been brought up during the meeting.

Sure, the talk of the town may have been about the League of Villains, but society and villainy at large didn't stop because some new group just so happened to be making a name for itself after one attack. There would be plenty of villains out there that still didn't align themselves with the League, and if U.A. or the police lost sight of them, who knew what sort of horrors they could unleash onto the world?

Snipe brought his phone back out and began to type.

You mighta guessed, but the meeting's over. I'll give you the full rundown about Aizawa later, but for now, I need you to do me a favor. Everyone and their mother might be focusing on the League of Villains for what they did at the USJ, but you and I both know they aren't the only bunch of bastards with goals nowadays. Keep an ear to the ground for anything you think could become dangerous. You know what to do from there.


The weekend came and went, and Akiko was left feeling… well, she was left feeling physically okay, at least. Two days to relax let her body wash away the remaining fatigue of the 'USJ incident' as it was now being called, but that didn't mean she was mentally fine after all was said and done.

It wasn't like she was entirely distraught either, she was just feeling… off, and the empty grey her crystal core exhibited felt almost poetically fitting when paired with the state of melancholy she found herself in. At least she knew for certain that it had nothing to do with Jomei. They may have been more awkward than either of them could've ever imagined when working out when their date would be, but that wasn't a cause for her melancholy; in fact, the worst thing it did the entire time was give her butterflies in her stomach. Not that she was anywhere close to the right state of mind to process what that meant, at the moment.

No, she was 'off' because of what the aftermath of the USJ incident meant for her,in particular.

She knew that Ayane took the news of what had happened just fine, and that much was to be expected. The woman was stronger than most people Akiko had ever met, and even if physically she was rendered as vulnerable as one could be by her paralysis, she had developed mental fortitude and faith in hero society that was nigh-on unbreakable no matter what happened. As a result, besides some initial instinctual relief at seeing Jomei safe and sound, the Nishimura household as a whole was as strong as ever.

Akiko, of course, somewhat envied this. Jomei's parents were on board with his dream to become a hero from the very start, while her parents were… less so.

She paused and took a deep breath. 'Keep it together, Akiko… you're still here, and that's what counts.'

"Hey, Akiko!"

She looked up, unsurprised to find her Jomei waving for her to join him in the distance. He looked far less awkward than he had been the previous Friday, and he now once again radiated the same degree of calm liveliness that she'd come to associate with him over the years. It would've been comforting, had it not been for the muddled fog of emotion that hovered over her.

Nevertheless, she steadily appeared at his side, and their journey towards U.A. continued. The ensuing silence escaped her notice, though the lacking companionable flavor of it certainly didn't elude Jomei.

It was as U.A.'s gates came into view that he finally spoke up.

"So… how're you feeling?" He asked.

"I'm fine."

Jomei gave her a look but otherwise said nothing for a few moments. Perhaps it was him assuming there was some awkwardness between them, but Akiko wasn't particularly paying close enough attention to tell for sure.

"I know you and I got a few scrapes along the way – mine are pretty much gone. How're yours healing up?"

Akiko didn't answer.

In fact, it wouldn't have been inaccurate to say that she wasn't there at all. Her feet may have carried her forward, but with her head down and her silence deafening, it was as though she had never appeared next to Jomei in the first place. Instead, it was as though a puppet occupied the space she should have been, while the true Akiko was lost somewhere in the nebulous space that was her own mind.

Which, of course, she was.

Where, of course, she entertained all manner of increasingly unnerving hypotheticals, the most important of which pertaining to her own observation mere minutes earlier. She was indeed still here, still at U.A., but...

What if she wasn't?

What if everything had been taken away from her such a short time ago?

"Akiko," Jomei called.

She blinked and shook her head before she caught a glimpse of the look on her companion's face. There, earnest concern etched his features, and Akiko averted his gaze when their eyes met. Of course Jomei would pick up on her distress.

"This isn't about the date, isn't it?"

The only response he received was her holding her books closer to her chest.

Jomei looked around silently and checked the time. The sun hadn't quite peeked up over the horizon completely yet, which meant that they still had a little while before classes were set to start.

He then looked back at her. "Come with me."

Silent, Akiko didn't protest as Jomei led her forward. She didn't know how long exactly they were walking, but she did know that they ended up just a small distance to the side of U.A.'s main entrance. Trees densely dotted the area, offering it seclusion and a feel not incomparable to that of a park, but at the moment, neither she nor Jomei were even remotely concerned with that fact.

It was there that they both sat down on a bench in the midst of the natural sanctuary. Jomei wasted no time after they did.

"What's going on, Akiko? Please, tell me," he gently pled. "I know how you keep things bottled up sometimes, and I don't need to see your Quirk changing colors to see that. I'm not trying to make you uncomfortable, I'm just… concerned."

"It has to do with the USJ."

Jomei blinked. "Is what happened only sinking in now, or something?"

She shook her head. "No. It isn't as much about what happened there as, well… it has more to do with what happened after."

It didn't take long for him to decipher her concern, from there.

"You mean your parents."

Akiko looked down. "...it isn't fair that you have to keep worrying about me when I know for a fact you have stuff on your mind, too."

"Forget that, forget the date – I signed up for worrying about you when we became friends, and that isn't a problem. You can tell me what happened. You know that I'll never think less of you no matter what."

She raised her head, and their eyes met.

"And that's a promise," he finished.

"Then… you were right," Akiko finally answered. "It does have to do with my parents… and it all started when I got home after the attack…"


After what had been perhaps the single most eventful day in her life thus far, Akiko was almost unusually calm.

Considering the day had gone from a training exercise, to fighting for her life, to being asked out on a date by her best friend before she even had a chance to process any of it, the idea that she could even have her head on straight right now did, understandably, surprise her.

What was more surprising was that she wasn't being overwhelmed by it all now that she did have time to reflect. Sure, she still felt the remnants of her adrenaline rush from earlier, but other than that, she was almost entirely at ease – even thoughts concerning her and Jomei's date weren't enough to get in the way of that feeling.

And that was what was unsettling her.

In the absence of her habitual overanalysis' clogging up her thoughts, she was left only with her most astute insights to keep her company. Typically, reclaiming her mindscape as something belonging only to her would've been something of a relief, but as it stood, one of those insights got in the way of that sense of peace.

That insight being one related to her parents.

She knew she couldn't have been more unlike them if she tried. Her given name may have originated from her mother's, but she didn't contain any of the values her parents did, at least insofar as her choice of career was concerned. She found no pleasure in the idea of attending boardroom meetings, dissecting business plans, or discussing what kind of advertisement would bring in more revenue, but that was exactly the kind of thing everyone else in her family seemed to enjoy – give or take some minor details. She was led by emotion and the desire to help others, whereas her family, while not heartless, was far and away removed from what ideals comprised the pillars of the hero society that permeated throughout Japan today.

It was because of this reason that, as she passed through the gate leading to her home, that she knew what would come next wouldn't be pleasant. The divide between her heroic ideals and her family's, even if Takai had promised to support her, would only be exacerbated in the aftermath of the USJ incident, and she knew it. There was no running from it, either.

So no matter how much her present clarity of mind told her it was a bad idea, without delay, she once more set foot within her home.

It was there that none other than Katashi and Aki Takara were both present, and both, as expected, sitting down in the living room as they awaited their daughter's return. Takai, meanwhile, was sitting quietly at the kitchen island nearby, and his expression appeared to be somewhere between angry and concerned as he subtly alternated looking between her and their parents. Unfortunately, the elder Takaras' emotions were almost inscrutable beneath their neutral, businesslike expressions.

Almost.

Akiko resigned herself to the situation. She knew this was what was awaiting her when she got home, so there was no point in trying to pretend what was coming next could be avoided.

Even if the prospect terrified her.

"Hey, Mom… Dad…"

Katashi sighed calmly and began to stand, leaving Akiko to wonder if her entrance was as unnoticed by her parents as she thought it'd been. The idea didn't alleviate the growing unease that grew in her stomach, that's for sure.

"Akiko." He said firmly. "I want you to explain to me, simply, what exactly happened at the USJ, on what was supposed to be a training field trip."

Instantly, she knew the request was carefully worded. It was one born out of concern, of course, but it also hinted at the thinly veiled borderline contempt her parents possessed for her choice of career. No doubt the news' reporting and the school informing them of what went down did little to help her in that regard, since both guaranteed they already knew full well the broad strokes of the attack. However, she still understood the intent behind his words. He wanted to hear what happened from her, from someone who was there to see it all firsthand.

She knew she was treading dangerous waters, but she had to answer. Her father's temper was a dangerous thing, as his Quirk could cause elemental calamities if he were angered enough, and Akiko wasn't foolish enough to test his patience – not that outsmarting her parents was an option either. Even without wearing gemstones to augment her intellect via her Quirk, her mother was more than smart enough to reveal any attempts at deflection Akiko could make for exactly what they were.

So, instead, she did exactly as she was asked.

"Well… it's a long story, but okay."

"Please, do go on. We aren't in any rush." Katashi responded.

Akiko had to stop herself from flinching at the firmness in his voice. "It all started when we arrived at the USJ. At the beginning, everything was going fine. Thirteen was giving us a brief look at the facility and gave us a speech about using our Quirks to save others. To be responsible with them. Then the villains showed up." She averted her father's gaze. "One had a warp Quirk and dropped in dozens of villains before either Aizawa-sensei or Thirteen could do anything about it, and that same villain cut us all off before we could escape after Aizawa-sensei ran down to fight them all. Then… then two of my classmates attacked that villain to try and save us, but… all that did was anger the villain into scattering us. They planned to do that anyway, but-"

"I've heard enough."

Akiko looked at him again, and he was pinching the bridge of his nose as he took in a deep breath. The gesture told her that he was trying to withhold his irritation, but at the moment, such an observation was of little comfort.

"So," he began calmly, "do you understand now why I don't have any liking for hero work to begin with?"

"But- but danger is just part of being a hero!" Akiko argued, and her heart began to beat faster, her core shifting to a fearful blue.

"Akiko, you aren't a hero yet," Aki interjected. "You're still a hero-in-training, and as such your safety should be the responsibility of U.A., which is obviously not as air-tight and secure as everyone's been led to believe."

"That may be true, but one incident shouldn't make you both think that U.A.'s completely failed! I'm safe, the rest of my class is safe – the worst any of us got were scrapes!"

"And those are injuries you shouldn't have gotten in the first place. The job of Pro Heroes is to stop the innocent from getting injured, correct? They failed in doing so, and merely hand-waving away the fact that you did get injured, however slightly, doesn't change that," Aki retorted. "All it takes is one bad day for a trend to be set for a long time to come, Akiko. That's something that doesn't just apply to business, it applies to heroes and villains in society too. You of all people should understand that, given your desire to become a hero in the first place."

She stood and walked over to her daughter. She placed her hands on Akiko's shoulders, and they felt cold despite their warmth. "I'm not trying to be the bad guy here, but I'm trying to point out facts, and that we're concerned for you."

"But you don't have to be…" Akiko whispered. "If anything, the attack proved that we can defend ourselves, even without pros always around to protect us. Maybe not against big villains, but we aren't helpless…"

"That may be so, but your mother's right, you shouldn't have had to fight to begin with," Katashi said. "Aki and I have been speaking at length about what happened before you got home."

'No…'

"We're considering taking you out of the hero course."

And the world turned to ice, her heart beating hard enough to burst out of her chest as one of her greatest fears came to light. The idea that the attack would convince them to take her out of the hero course was real, of course it was, but there was a part of her that never dared to entertain the thought out of the terrifying implications of what that would mean for her. Jomei, Denki and Kyoka, Class 1-A, All Might – all of it would be taken away in an instant if the nightmare ever became a reality.

Which, by the sound of things, was about to be the case.

"N-no! Wait!" she stuttered out suddenly as Aki backed away. "You can't just take away everything I've worked for just because of one incident! Please, understand, this is what I want to do! You know that this is what I've wanted to do, ever since I was little!"

"I'm well aware of that, Akiko," Katashi responded more firmly, "but I'm no monster, and you don't appear to understand our reasoning. Trying to become a hero and help people for whatever reason is one thing, but we aren't going to stand idly by and watch our daughter die when every other villain on the street starts getting ideas after what happened today."

"I…" Akiko trailed off. She could have argued further, she knew it, but a part of her also understood where her parents were coming from. Painful though it may have been to admit, they were coming from the same place of concern that she often did when Jomei was threatening to do something reckless. As a result, any arguments she could make that wouldn't be dissected by her mother the moment they were uttered fell flat on their face.

Her core turned grey, and she started massaging her hands. "I understand…"

Takai growled. "Akiko's right, though!"

"Takai-" Aki started.

"No, she is!" He interrupted, a fire in his voice never before seen boiling to the surface, his own crystal core flaring red to match. "We all knew when she asked to attend U.A. what hero work included. We all knew that she could get hurt training, or interning, or whatever the hell else goes on during hero training, but you two still let her go! You can't just take that away now."

"Takai, you're treading on thin ice here, boy," Katashi warned.

"Like I care? You're walking all over Akiko's dreams like you don't even give a damn!" Takai bit back. "And about 'trends' being set? That's blatantly false – you can't just draw comparisons between business and hero work and pretend that you're right! There's no comparing the two when they're entirely different, and more importantly, do you really think that U.A.'s just going to let this same thing happen all over again?"

"Maybe not, but they've given us no reason to think-"

"All Might was willing to die to protect her and her class! Every hero there was! You owe it to Akiko to at least give her, give U.A. another chance before you decide to take away everything she's worked so hard for."

The barely-withheld rage in Katashi's eyes at that point could've been enough to melt steel, yet Takai stood steadfast glaring into his father's gaze. Takai was no mere follower in any walk of life, everyone in the room knew this. He was determined, independent, and knew full well how to understand any situation he found himself in. It was for this reason he was a great candidate to be groomed to inherit Takara Jewelry, but never before had these traits been turned to the cause of fighting so vehemently against either of his parents.

About anything.

All was quiet for merely a few seconds, but to all parties involved it felt more like its own eternity. Akiko didn't dare to move, Takai refused to yield, and their father was more liable to cause an earthquake if he were to try to do anything more than control himself, at this point.

Which left Aki to break the ice.

"Katashi."

He turned towards his wife at the utterance of his name. An unspoken conversation was held between the two adults in the room, and it was one neither of their children were privy to the meaning of either. No matter what hadn't been said aloud, however, the effect was as apparent as it was immediate.

Katashi's hand turned to a fist. As he exhaled deeply through his nose, the ground underfoot trembled, and the air seemed to grow uncomfortably warm before the unwitting effects of his Quirk diminished with his anger. When his eyes finally opened, the intensity from before there was weaker, more like embers than roaring flames, and his posture quickly followed suit.

"What I said before… was true," Katashi said. "I said we were considering taking Akiko out of the hero course. We were going to give U.A. another chance regardless, as we didn't intend to pull the rug out from under her today."

Takai cursed under his breath and looked away, suddenly realizing just how impulsive his response turned out to be.

"That said," he looked at Akiko. "If one more villain attack like the USJ occurs, if U.A.'s pros manage to jeopardize your safety one more time… you're out. Do you understand why?"

Akiko forced herself to look at him.

His voice softened, but only somewhat. "Because I don't want to see my daughter die while she's still in school. Other parents might be just fine ignoring the fact they're sending their children off to be sent into harm's way, be it by their peers in training or by whatever damn villain that wants to make a name for themselves, but I'm not one of them. Neither of us are one of them. We understand the risks that come with allowing our child to become a hero, and we aren't as willing to pretend we're completely fine with that being the case."

"I know." Akiko nodded. "I do understand… but this is something I know I have to do."

Finally, her father's burst of indignation cooled, and he let out a sigh that sounded both weary and skeptical at the same time. With nothing more than a nod towards her and a look at his wife, he turned and headed up the stairs leading to the second floor, to the rooms that almost entirely belonged to the elder Takaras.

Aki looked at her daughter then, more exasperated and concerned than angry. "Then please see to it that we don't have a reason to take you out of the hero course."

Then, just like that, she too left, following after her husband and leaving Akiko and Takai to their own devices in short order.

Akiko just spent a few dozen seconds standing, breathing and desperately trying to calm herself down after what had perhaps been the most terrifying thing she'd ever gone through – and that was including the villain attack mere hours prior. Fortunately for her, for once, her efforts paid off. She was still shaken and was nowhere near at ease, especially as her parents' ultimatum sank in, but she was calm enough to be aware of her surroundings.

Namely, out of the corner of her eye, Takai as he gestured for her to follow him.

Not long after, they found themselves in the hall leading to their rooms, hidden behind the corner that separated the hallway leading to their rooms from the kitchen. It wasn't much of a hiding place, but it was secluded enough that they'd at least have privacy enough to talk in peace so long as neither of their parents returned.

"Why'd you back me up?"

"What?" Takai asked.

"You know what I said. Just… you were so impulsive and we clearly didn't have the full story, and you looked so angry at them the entire time." Akiko shook her head. "I don't understand."

"I did promise to try and support you, didn't I?"

Mismatched eyes widened in realization.

"Mom and Dad might be paying for you to go to U.A., but you worked to get there all on your own. They don't have the right to decide your path for you, so I wasn't about to take them threatening to make everything you've done mean nothing sitting down." He frowned. "Even if that outburst may have been more of the old man in me speaking than I'd like to admit."

"But what if they did something to you for fighting for me?" Akiko worriedly asked.

"What could they do?" Takai questioned. "You and I both know they aren't about to hand over their life's work to anyone that isn't family. They may not have liked me having my own opinions and defending you, but they're grooming me to take over the family business. I'm untouchable. You're not. So, especially now, I need to have your back so you can do what you want with your life."

Words could often fail Akiko. Granted, this was nothing new, but now especially any words she could fathom failed to form on her lips as Takai's implied pledge hit her. Yes, he was essentially untouchable given his position in the family, but to still be willing to risk it all for her just so that she had a shot at doing what she dreamed of doing… it made her realize her brother had well and truly intended to make good on his promise to support her at the start of the year.

It didn't make the threat of being pulled from the hero course any less ominous as it hovered over her. Of course it didn't. That fact would haunt her for some time to come as she contemplated the very real likelihood of that storm coming to pass, but just that gesture of support gave her that inkling of hope she needed right now. She'd cling to it like a lifeline, even if it didn't do anything to change her parents' minds.

So, as thanks, even though she knew Takai wasn't much for what came next, she did it anyway.

After a moment's hesitation, her arms wrapped themselves around Takai's back. Her cheek pressed into his chest as her grip tightened like a vice, and even though he tensed, he didn't make any attempts to push her away.

"Thank you," Akiko breathed.

Slowly, Takai returned the embrace. "No need. You would've done the same for me. You may not think it sometimes, Akiko, but you're strong. Even if Mom and Dad don't want to think so, I know you are. You've got this."

A tear rolled down Akiko's cheek. Those words, those few encouraging words that she'd longed to hear from her family for years now, had finally been delivered. Her heart ached as it yearned to hear more, yet her mind told her full well of the truth behind that feeling. Her parents would likely never be the ones she'd hear providing such words of praise. Instead, it had been Takai, and in truth, it would probably continue to be him for as long as she tread the path of becoming the hero she'd always dreamed of being.

Which meant that it was her duty to make sure that his faith in her wasn't for nothing.


"And… that's all there is to it."

Akiko's shoulders went slack as her head drooped down. An unseen burden had been lifted from her shoulders upon divulging what events had been plaguing her mind for the past two days, but it didn't change what had happened. Her melancholy remained, and no mere confession of its source was going to fix that.

But of course, that wasn't the only thing that could be done.

Jomei placed a supportive hand on her shoulder. "Well… Takai was right. I think so, anyway."

She looked at him.

"You are strong. If you weren't, you wouldn't have gotten into U.A. You wouldn't have held your own during our battle trial or at the USJ… you probably wouldn't have come out of your shell even the little bit you have so far this year – let alone, you know, that other obvious thing I'm not going to mention. So, don't forget that you don't just have Takai at your back. You have strength all your own." Jomei stood, smiling as he stretched out a hand to help her up. "But hey! Add me to the list of people who won't let your parents take away your chance to help people if you haven't already. I'm always going to support you, Akiko. I know it's been getting old, but it's always gonna be true."

A ghost of a smile found its way onto Akiko's lips, and for once, a little of the gloom within her chest and the crystal core therein finally began to fade. She took Jomei's proffered hand, quickly finding herself wrapped in one of her friend's companionable hugs as she rose to her feet. She didn't keep track of how long it lasted, but she did recognize how much warmer she felt ensconced in the arms of someone who didn't avoid hugs like the plague.

"I know… thank you, Jomei."

Eventually, the supportive gesture came to an end, and Akiko rubbed at her eyes as she finally began to compose herself. She and Jomei donned their bags once again, but as her companion turned to head for class before it was too late, he stopped and turned around as he noticed Akiko hadn't moved.

"You okay?"

"Yeah… I just realized something, though. Before, I said it wasn't fair that you had to worry about me. I really do appreciate you saying you'll have my back but… it shouldn't be your responsibility. I need to try and fight for myself more often. You… you do more than enough for me all the time."

Jomei gave her an encouraging look. "I understand completely. I know you can do it, too, but don't you ever think that I won't be right there next to you if push comes to shove, alright?"

"Right."

After adjusting her bag's strap one last time, she nodded, and the pair was off. Granted, she did still look somewhat out of sorts after days of worry and emotional tumult, but it was plain to see she would shake herself out of it in due time. For once, at least, fortune smiled upon them, and there was still time yet before they had to return to their life training to become pros. It was during this interim, as she continued to recover, that Akiko realized something – something almost entirely unrelated to her and Jomei's previous discussion.

Perhaps it was because of how supportive he had been to her that she ever grew to feel something more for Jomei in the first place. She was only realizing it now, and Jomei may not have even realized it yet, but it may very well have been the case. It should have sent her heart aflutter, but somehow, the revelation did nothing but simply warm it further.

Even more comforting was her finally recognizing herself that she was indeed strong. Indeed, she'd been hearing that phrase often as of late, but only now, as a sense of normality finally returned to her did it begin to sink in completely. Yes, she was socially shy, and she still needed to make Takai and Jomei's faith in her true, but even if that meant going outside her comfort zone in the future in order to do so… she'd do it. More importantly, she'd be able to do it in the first place.

She'd worked hard to get where she was now, and she couldn't let any social withdrawals she possessed pose the risk of making her lose it all. She didn't just owe it to Jomei, or to Takai, she owed it to herself.

So what came next was up to her to decide.


Authors Note: Welp. This chapter turned out longer than I expected to be. Not that I'm complaining! For starters, Jomei's embarrassment (as well as filling in gaps in Class 1-A's finding out about Shiggy's Quirk) was fun to write. It was short and simple, but I dunno, something about explaining away my minor nitpicks in MHA while also giving the non-existent parents of MHA's verse a role to play in the grand scheme of things was just… nice. Words elude me, it would seem. Ironic.

But before we go on to Akiko… let's talk Snipe. I originally intended for him to just be a placeholder POV but… considering his role in my plans (*evil laugh*) I decided to give him a lot more exploration prior to the teacher scene itself. And yes, I am aware of how I changed things around concerning Aizawa's condition, Nomu being captured, yadda yadda, but I feel as though the exposition is still given in such a manner that it doesn't affect the main plot at this point. Regardless, as it may be obvious, some seeds have been planted here for Season Two and beyond that I am just… so happy to have finally been able to use. You have no idea.

But what made me happier was Akiko's big scene(s)! I knew early on, thanks to friends, that Akiko needed some spice to keep interesting, so… I have plans, as you may be able to tell. Takai became a sudden favorite character of mine in this chapter, even if he is technically a 'side character,' but god… writing him just came across pretty darn easy, even considering my slow-as-dirt writing pace. Oh, and I figure Katashi and Aki speak for themselves so… interpret them as you may.

Overall, this chapter in general was a blast to write on account of how much side characters got to do, and yet still somehow managing to be all useful in regard to plot progression. Man, is this what being quasi-competent feels like? It feels good!

I hope you all feel good too, and stick around for more! Stay awesome!