Shortly after their ambulances reached the nearest hospital, all three fighters were separated for their treatments. Jomei was the first to be taken away when the doctors learned he could still walk, though he did look back over his shoulder as he followed the medical staff. Akiko was still unconscious as her stretcher was carefully pulled from her ambulance while it seemed that Dawnbreaker needed to be coaxed to lay down on one despite her as-of-yet undetermined number of broken bones.

Wordlessly, Jomei continued forward. With his eyes unfocused and his mind still reeling in the aftermath of the battle against Alpha, Jomei answered the doctors' questions in a daze. He obeyed their instructions and hissed in discomfort when they cleaned his wound, but he wasn't mentally there for any of it. Even with the combined medical might of three doctors' efforts plus Recovery Girl giving him an earful and such a large dose of her healing that would've typically left him fatigued beyond imagining, Jomei would only ever be able to recall those initial hours at the hospital in fragments.

It was only when both the doctors and Recovery Girl finally left the room that his faculties even partially returned. He knew nightfall had long since taken hold of the world, and sleep should've probably been a high priority, but his body refused to recognize that need. The insignificant five hours of sleep that he managed to steal were restless and filled with dreams that hounded him with every detail about how Akiko had nearly lost her life.

Once the dreams intensified into nightmares that cursed him with mental images of what could have happened in that accursed alleyway, Jomei jolted awake in a cold sweat. For fear of what form his nightmares would manifest next if he closed his eyes again, he forced himself to stay awake and spent the rest of the early morning staring at the sterile ceiling tiles of his room in an effort to keep images of Akiko and the battle out of his mind. Hours passed, and the flickering of the fluorescent bulbs overhead lulled him into such absentmindedness that he hardly noticed nurses coming in and out throughout the day or his right arm being tightly bandaged up. Vague memory reminded him that his costume was taken away by some doctor so that the bloodstains could be washed away from his jacket and the outfit itself be repaired, and inference informed him that the same would've probably gone for Akiko's costume.

But soon enough, dismal thoughts assailed Jomei's psyche once again. He couldn't purge the tenacious, viscously detailed memory of what had happened toward the end of that fateful battle. Akiko's horrified expression when her final assault failed, her nauseatingly limp body, the pained expression that remained on her face despite her being unconscious. All those mental images and more bombarded his mind with every successive second that passed by, and even his attempts to distract himself only amplified their depressive effect on his mental state. Jomei could come to any number of conclusions about why he'd reacted to the aftermath of their fight the way he did, but there was one consistency throughout them all.

None were pleasant to think about.

Jomei gripped his necklace. 'Why couldn't I protect her…?'

Suddenly, the sound of knuckles firmly knocking against his hospital door brought his attention outward. Orange light fluttering in through the closed curtains reminded him that the sun had just finished rising only a few minutes ago. His mouth opened to form a response to the noise, but the door creaked open slightly before he could find his voice.

Wearing the same green-and-white medical robe and matching slippers as Jomei, Dawnbreaker entered the room. Jomei was momentarily distracted by the oddity of his mentor coming in wearing such a simple outfit, but a quick recollection about how little she cared for appearances quickly neutralized the thought. While Dawnbreaker adjusted the belt of her robe and walked deeper into the room, Jomei remembered his manners and started to stand.

"Don't get up, Nishimura," Dawnbreaker advised with a dismissive wave. "There's no need for those formalities right now. Not when you're around me."

"Oh, right…" Jomei trailed off, watching as she pulled up a chair. "Should you even be walking yet? You had some broken ribs, didn't you?"

Dawnbreaker sat near his bedside. "I did. Fortunately, Recovery Girl set aside enough time after she visited you two that she could come see me. Luckily, my armor minimized the damage dealt to my ribs enough that my injuries didn't need too much help to heal completely. I'll be allowed to hit the streets again as soon as the hospital sets me free and my armor's been repaired."

Jomei sighed in relief. "That's good news."

"You're telling me." Dawnbreaker almost smirked. "Call it an addiction to the job, but I'd rather avoid being forced to twiddle my thumbs or take some days off while my body finishes healing up. There's too much that needs to get done these days for Pro Heroes like me to even consider slowing down."

"Definitely," Jomei agreed. "What brings you here, then?"

"Predictably enough, I wanted to check in with you," Dawnbreaker explained. "How's the arm?"

"Better," Jomei answered. "All the bandages feel a little tight, though."

"Understandable, but they're like that for good reason," Dawnbreaker calmly countered. "When Recovery Girl was done with you two and finished with me, she gave me one hell of an earful about you. Evidently, that inverted elbow of yours was a pretty nasty injury, even in her book. Those bandages were wrapped so tight around your arm to make sure the joint properly reinforced her healing while you slept."

Jomei nodded, and paused. "Dawnbreaker?"

Her eyebrows raised. "Yeah?"

"Thank you," he said softly. "You saved our lives, back there."

"Oh? Well, thank you," she returned.

"For what?" Jomei asked.

"For not dying," Dawnbreaker answered. "When that bastard knocked me away, neither of you stopped fighting. Even when the dice were down and you two could've easily decided to run, you stood your ground, fought with every last ounce of your strength, and survived. Against a villain of Alpha's caliber, that's commendable."

"Not that anything we did really mattered," Jomei whispered. "Alpha nearly killed both of us, and there wasn't anything either of us could do to stop him; in the end, you were the only reason we won that fight."

Dawnbreaker sighed. "Nishimura, do you really think that anyone would be disappointed if they heard how hard you tried to stop him? Alpha is someone who's had his entire life to explore his Quirk. With his power and experience, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call him a monster, but you? You have a pretty solid grasp on what your Quirk is capable of, but you're also only a first-year. Not one hero who's worth a damn would expect their intern to be the x-factor that would turn the tide of that situation."

"Yeah…" Jomei averted her gaze. "Maybe you're right."

"Maybe," Dawnbreaker echoed. "But there's still more to discuss about that fight."

Jomei straightened suddenly, wary of what was coming. "What's that?"

"While there's no hero alive that would expect a mere first-year intern to secure their victory against an opponent like Alpha, you weren't just trying to defeat him," Dawnbreaker started. "Towards the end of that fight, right before I could intervene… do you remember?"

A dark tide of bloody, forbidden crimson gas coated him from head to toe. Jomei silently raised the palm of his good hand to aim at Alpha's head. With any luck, it'd be the last thing the villain ever saw.

"Die, you son of a bitch! Phosphor Beam: Lethal Charge!"

Jomei swallowed. "Yeah. I do."

"As heroes, we all know that lethal force will sometimes be necessary to save someone's life, no matter our greatest intentions to apprehend villains alive. In that moment back there, you thought you were the only person left who stood between us and death. Your partner almost died; your mentor was removed from the fight…." Dawnbreaker sighed softly. "Knowing how hard that situation must've been on you, I sincerely think that you made the right choice."

In that instant, there weren't words to describe his discomfort. His breath hitched, his heart stopped, and his lips stubbornly refused to heed his commands for them to move.

"However…" Despite her expression betraying no hint of judgment, Dawnbreaker's tone became tinged with regret. "What you said and did made it abundantly clear that you weren't thinking, at that point. Anger completely controlled your actions… and anger isn't always a dependable ally whenever you're fighting for someone else's sake."

"Dawnbreaker, I-" Jomei began.

Dawnbreaker raised her hand, silencing him. "Nishimura. Experience has shown me personally how anger can cloud someone's judgment when tensions are high, so I can't and won't judge you for the split-second decision you made. Not when we both know that I've made similar mistakes in my younger years." She exhaled. "But what I can do is ask what drove you to such rage. It couldn't have solely been influenced by the fact Alpha injured your girlfriend, so what was it that drove you to go that far?"

Jomei blinked in surprise. "You knew? How?"

"I'm no expert when it comes to romance, Nishimura," Dawnbreaker started. "That said, it doesn't take much genius to figure out when two teens have something more going on between them than mere friendship. Not with the looks you two give each other."

"Oh. Well…" Jomei scratched the back of his head with his unbandaged arm. "That was part of what made me go berserk back there, but… do you remember what we talked about before? The first night we stayed at your agency?"

She nodded.

"That conversation had something to do with it, too," Jomei confessed. "It might've only been for a moment back then, but I realized something. I realized that right then, that fight wasn't about becoming some famous hero, it was about protecting people, and at that point… I'd already failed enough." He clenched his jaw, trying his hardest to hide the tears that welled up behind his eyes. "I didn't want to fail anymore, and now…"

"Nishimura?" Dawnbreaker said.

Jomei squeezed his eyes shut, his voice quiet. "Now I feel like rethinking things. About me wanting to be famous… or why I even ever wanted to become a hero in the first place. Honestly though, right now? I don't know what to think anymore."

It was only around a minute before his mentor finally reacted to what he'd said, but it felt more like an eternity. When he finally opened his eyes, the only visual indicator Dawnbreaker even gave that she'd heard him was her calm and unwavering eye contact. Jomei couldn't continue to meet that gaze for long, and his eyes fixed themselves on the thin medical blanket over his legs.

Dawnbreaker gave him an empathetic, almost motherly look. "Nishimura, always remember that whatever you choose to do next, it's a decision that's entirely yours to make. That conversation we had wasn't meant to dishearten you whenever you finally ran into a situation like the one you just lived through. All it was ever intended to do was make you think. Even though it's good to hear that you haven't disregarded that conversation, in the end, your life is your own. You have every right to pursue your dreams, whatever they might be. Remember that."

"Right," Jomei uttered. "I'll definitely try."

"That's all I ask." Dawnbreaker stared at him for another long moment before she slowly stood and stretched her arms above her head. "But enough melodrama, eh? It's about time that you should get up and ready to move."

"Oh," Jomei swung his legs off the bed. "Any particular reason?"

"Yep," Dawnbreaker said. "Chief Tsuragamae's here. He wants to speak with you two."

"Which means Akiko's probably up…" Jomei murmured. Slipping from the bed to his feet, he ignored the discomfort of the bandages around his arm. "Okay. I've been awake for a few hours already, so… yeah. I'm ready."

Dawnbreaker brought up one finger, halting his advance before it even started. "One more thing, though. Recovery Girl probably gave us both some lectures for the ages, but she also told me a bunch of specifics about my broken ribs. Do you remember what she mentioned about your arm?"

"Oh, right…" Jomei hesitated. "Not really."

"Then you were probably as distracted as she thought you were, which also means that she was wise to assume that I'd need to repeat everything she said to you today," Dawnbreaker said. "I'll keep things short. What's really important to know is that you should wait until you get home, at the earliest, to change those bandages around your arm. You should also take it easy for the next few days while your arm strengthens the cells Recovery Girl built back up. Whenever you do take them off though, don't be surprised if your arm doesn't look like it did before – there's gonna be some scarring around where your elbow was inverted."

Jomei suppressed a wince at the phantom pains that ran through his arm at the mention of the attack, while another part of him resisted the urge to touch his right arm. Anxiety mounted in his shoulders as he contemplated what his right arm might look like when he finally laid eyes on it again. Heroes wore many scars with pride, but he wasn't certain that the one he'd recently received was worth celebration.

"After what happened…" Jomei shook his head, a distant look in his eye. "I guess I'm pretty lucky to even have this arm right now, huh?"

"Well, yeah. You were lucky that you landed in the hands of doctors that were smart enough to stem the damage before it became worse, but don't forget that you played a big part in all this too. You survived long enough to get the treatment you did," Dawnbreaker said, turning to the door. "Now let's move. Tsuragamae's too busy to wait on us forever."

Akiko's recovery process proved surprisingly swift. Her crystal core's passive regenerative capabilities alongside the restorative power of Recovery Girl's tender treatment of the damage miraculously removed the need for her chest to be bandaged up, unlike the aftermath of her final fight in the Sports Festival. The only tell that she'd ever been injured was the slight fatigue that remained even after a full night's sleep and the square bandage that lay overtop the cut on her cheek – and even that injury wouldn't remain an indicator of what she'd been through for long.

One of the nurses informed her earlier that when she removed the bandage later that morning, she'd be greeted by smooth, unscarred skin. Given the inherent risks any visible scars would bring down upon her prospective career whenever her parents saw her again, Akiko couldn't find the words to adequately describe her relief at the news.

Although she hadn't been keeping precise track of the time, a rough estimate of the sun's presence just barely peeking over the horizon indicated that it wouldn't be long before Japan came back to life in earnest. Without any need to prepare herself for any activities that morning, Akiko merely watched in peaceful silence as the sun climbed higher still in the sky beyond her second-story window. Considering such serenity was normally a rare commodity for her, she decided to relish in it and ignore for the time being all thoughts concerning the fight that had come before this point.

She'd much rather mull over the fine details of everything that happened after Alpha knocked her unconscious at a later date, when everyone involved would've hopefully had enough time to mentally recover from the intensity of the encounter.

Only when the same nurse who had been present when she first woke up quietly entered the room did Akiko's attention turn away from the sunrise. The somewhat tan-skinned nurse entered the room with both a clipboard and pen in hand, but her expression betrayed some bewilderment that Akiko couldn't help but wonder the origins of.

"Excuse me, ma'am?" she asked. "There's someone here to see you."

Akiko's crystal core flared a surprised green. "Really? Who?"

"Uh…" she paused. "Chief Tsuragamae. We just wanted to make sure you were okay with this visitation of his."

Akiko quickly nodded. "Oh! Of course! Let him in."

Without another word, the nurse acknowledged her patient's invitation to the prestigious police officer. It wasn't long after she left the room that Akiko heard the woman's muffled voice only another meter or two down the hall interacting with Tsuragamae himself. Another sparse few seconds passed before the large man entered the room, a somewhat refined metal platter and an accompanying steamy teapot and cups held gently between his hands. Akiko found herself at a loss for words, and merely watched him walk further inside.

"Just so you're aware, you needn't feel obligated to invite me inside," Tsuragamae began. He sat down far enough away from her bedside to remain respectful of her personal space, his platter of carefully prepared tea placed carefully on the table nearby them both. "Should you in some way feel intimidated by my presence here with you right now, please make me aware, and I'll depart until you're feeling more comfortable."

Akiko placed her hands up placatingly. "No, no, no! You aren't making me feel uncomfortable or intimidated or anything like that, sorry. I'm just surprised that you're here. Not everyone can say that they were visited by the chief of police in the hospital. If it's alright for me to ask, sir… why are you here?"

"Ah, so that's the situation," Tsuragamae observed. "Your mentor never informed you of my imminent visit, which led to your surprise at my sudden appearance. Did I sniff out the root of the issue correctly? Woof."

"Mhm," Akiko hummed. "Does that mean that you're here on business, then?"

"In part," Tsuragamae half-confirmed, and he started to carefully pour their tea into the pair of cylindrical teacups he'd brought in alongside the platter. "Until Dawnbreaker and Nishimura arrive, however, you can go ahead and interpret this chance encounter merely as a friendly visit from a concerned old man."

Akiko accepted her teacup gratefully. "You aren't that old, sir."

"That's quite the compliment!" Tsuragamae paused to sip from his teacup. "But in all honesty, it's an unavoidable truth that I'm already ancient enough in terms of dog years, woof."

Akiko smiled. Following his example, she didn't immediately respond, instead lifting her warm drink to her lips and humming satisfiedly as the subtle taste of jasmine tea danced across her tongue. "This is delicious, Chief Tsuragamae, sir. Thank you."

Tsuragamae nodded sagely. "Over the years, I've learned that tea soothes the soul. While it isn't quite the end-all-be-all that can combat trauma effectively, experience has shown that it's always proven capable enough to calm both myself and others down during times of strife. It's rather fortunate that we share the same taste for tea, then." He paused, taking another sip. "Now, Takara – how would you say you're holding up?"

"Rather well, actually," Akiko answered, simultaneously straightening her posture and crossing her legs beneath her. "Recovery Girl has always done phenomenal work with her Quirk over the years, but whatever she did to heal me while I was unconscious must've been incredible. I'm still a little tired, but other than that, it almost feels like I'm as good as new!"

"Is that so?" Tsuragamae inquired, his eyebrow raised. "Perhaps physically, you're well-rested and fully-healed from the injuries you sustained in battle, but it seems that you missed the point of my question, woof."

"What?" Akiko asked.

Tsuragamae tapped his head. "While I do enjoy some in-depth conversation about tea whenever the opportunity arises, in this instance, I brought up the topic for good reason. Make no mistake, it's a welcome surprise to hear that you've so swiftly recovered from your injuries, but my true concerns lie not in your physical condition, but your mental state."

"Honestly, I haven't actually spent too much time thinking about what happened," Akiko admitted. "It isn't like I can't remember what happened, either. Other than the details of what happened after I was knocked out, everything that went down back in that alleyway isn't really hard to recall, and…"

"Hm?" Tsuragamae hummed. "What worries you, Takara?"

Akiko abruptly looked into his eyes. "Chief Tsuragamae, sir? You just asked what I'm worried about but… that's just it. If you looked at some version of myself from just a few weeks ago and told me everything that went down in that fight against Alpha, I'd have probably become some nervous wreck. Now, though? Even after everything that happened, I'm not worried. Is that the wrong way to react to the aftermath of something like this?"

"Not at all," Tsuragamae asserted. "Everyone reacts to traumatic experiences differently, so your evident lack of lingering stress or anxiety isn't something that I'd recommend you read too deeply into, woof. Merely interpret it as another indicator of how well-suited to your chosen career path you might truly be when you acquire your hero license and move on, if possible, but always remain cautious. Should you endure another vicious situation similar to the one you just experienced, even if you're quite alright this time, it's very possible that your reaction might differ drastically the next."

"Duly noted," Akiko acknowledged.

Tsuragamae's only response came in the form of another simple bob of his head. Before he could fully lift his tea back to his lips again, he hesitated. He lowered his cup and instead raised his canine snout into the air, sniffing as though he was trying to pick apart the numerous scents that filled the hospital; and eventually, his task came to an end. Tsuragamae opened his eyes and replaced his unfinished cup next to the teapot, adjusted his jacket, and stood upright once again.

"Sir?"

"Our two guests are almost here," Tsuragamae stated. "It would seem that our time to speak privately has come to an end, and with that finality, we'll be back to business. Before they arrive, I'd like to thank you, Takara – for your company, and your conversation."

"It's an honor, sir," Akiko said.

After some muffled words were exchanged with what was likely some nurse posted outside the door, Dawnbreaker entered the room first. Whereas her body language remained relaxed and the look on her face revealed her calm state of mind, Jomei's hesitant entrance came across as a complete contrast. His eyes remained mostly focused on the floor until he finally crossed the threshold, at which point his gaze finally rose to meet his partner's. Akiko offered him a warm and encouraging smile, which he tried to return, but his didn't even come close to truly reaching his eyes.

Akiko had learned very shortly after she regained consciousness of the intense injury that he'd sustained. Consequently, she also learned that his wound necessitated a much more liberal use of Recovery Girl's Quirk to speed his recovery process up. Such treatment would incur tremendous fatigue, sure, yet Jomei somehow seemed drained beyond any expectations. His smile was only an act.

One that Akiko quite quickly decided she'd investigate whenever they had another spare moment together.

"Hey there, chief," Dawnbreaker greeted. "Long time no see."

"Indeed," Tsuragamae said with mock amusement. "I'll act under the assumption that you've already informed Nishimura that I'd be here, correct?"

"Yep."

"Then since it appears that Takara has more-or-less made a complete recovery from her injuries, we'll get right to business." Tsuragamae straightened his tie. "Nishimura. Takara. Given your participation in the investigation and summary capture of one Akuma Alpha, I'd like to extend my most wholehearted thanks. Dawnbreaker briefed me on the broad strokes of what occurred already, which has led me to the conclusion that both of you exhibited courage and valor beyond all expectations. Whereas most heroes-in-training your age might have found themselves utterly petrified or otherwise immobilized by their fear, you two stood your ground and continued to fight – for the survival of both yourselves and your mentor."

"When faced with the threat that Alpha posed, your bravery can't be understated," Dawnbreaker asserted, crossing her arms. "While it's an unfortunate reality that heroes can expect to encounter grizzly situations like those rather frequently if they pay attention to seedier villains that remain active these days, even as first-years, you overcame whatever fear you might have felt in the moment and survived the encounter. Honestly, there'd be more cause for concern between us if either of you didn't feel any fear."

"Indeed," Tsuragamae agreed. "If memory serves correctly, the same individuals who once set the standard for professional heroism in modern society – such as Crimson Riot – have explicitly expressed that their fear was merely another emotion that always drove them to do their absolute best. I'm rather sure that when your teachers learn of what occurred here that they will say something quite similar."

"Wow. That's…" Akiko paused, unsure how to respond. "When it's coming from people like you, that's really high praise. Thank you, really, but… we only ever did what we thought would get us out of that place alive. Dawnbreaker was the one who made the biggest difference, though. She protected us."

"Only because your combined efforts kept Alpha away long enough for me to recover," Dawnbreaker argued. "Don't sell yourselves short. It's all but an expectation these days that heroes will inevitably sustain some severe injury or another while they're on-duty, and even people like All Might can't handle everything by themselves."

While Jomei remained conspicuously silent, Akiko was left to come up with their response.

"That's not wrong, but still," Akiko said. "Thank you. We really wouldn't know what we would've done without you there to protect us, towards the end. Right, Jomei?"

He suddenly glanced between her and their mentor. "Right. Thanks."

"Well, consider me appreciative of the sentiment," Dawnbreaker said, an almost overlooked smile on her lips. "But this little get-together isn't all good news. Tsuragamae didn't come all this way just to congratulate you two on a job well done. As of today, your internships with me are being cut short."

Jomei's eyes widened, but Akiko opened her mouth first.

"Wait, what? Why?" she asked. "What'd we do? We had your permission to fight back against Alpha, reason to fight him, and all the evidence we needed to take him down. I thought-"

"Takara," Tsuragamae interrupted. "Dawnbreaker wasn't finished."

Dawnbreaker sighed softly. "Don't think that this is some kind of punishment aimed at either of you, because it isn't. You couldn't have been aware of this before now, but heroes who take on interns have the legal obligation to ensure their trainees' safety. Given the severity of the injuries you received while operating under my agency, I failed at that task. Spectacularly."

"But… you saved us," Jomei reasoned.

"Only after you were both extremely wounded," Dawnbreaker countered. "Given the unique circumstances of this situation, alongside the fact that neither of my interns died, Tsuragamae gave me two options, in addition to ending your internships. Either forfeit my right to take on students permanently, or simply suffer a month-long ban on internships and a substantial fine."

"Additionally, her agency will be put on the proverbial naughty list, woof," Tsuragamae elaborated, placing his hands in his pockets. "However, the reality of the situation will be somewhat less severe. While it's true that the government body responsible for the code of ethics heroes must follow might look down on Dawnbreaker's failures, not all law enforcement agents strictly adhere to that list. Those among the police force that have become aware of your hard-fought battle against Akuma Alpha will continue to admire and respect all of you for the lives you've saved through capturing the villain."

Akiko's face fell, her crystal core now morosely grey. "Then… this is the end, isn't it? When are we supposed to leave?"

"Your doctors have already deemed you two ready for release at any time, so… immediately," Dawnbreaker answered. "You'll be expected to change into your school uniforms shortly and be ready to depart imminently. Your hero costumes will be repaired and waiting for you by the time you return to school, and Tsuragamae's officers will drive you home in separate police vehicles when you're ready."

Akiko furrowed her brows, slowly slipping from her hospital bed. "Okay. Dawnbreaker? Will we ever see you again?"

"It's not impossible," Dawnbreaker said with a casual thumbs up. "If either of you ever find yourselves wandering around Tokyo for whatever reason, don't be afraid to say hello. Honestly, if either of you ever even need some additional advice, it'd be my pleasure to help you out."

"Somewhat proud of your pair of prospective heroes-in-the-making, are we?" Tsuragamae jested.

"Caught me red-handed," Dawnbreaker happily admitted. "They might've made me interested enough to consider paying attention to how U.A.'s new first-years turn out."

Akiko smiled wistfully. While she hadn't spent nearly as much time with Dawnbreaker as she had with the various pro teachers at U.A., the short amount of time she'd spent with the vigilante-turned-pro had worked wonders for her capabilities. While it wasn't impossible that she'd have realized the unexpected relationship between her crystal core's strain and her breathing by herself, it'd been Dawnbreaker whose careful observational skills and tutelage had expedited the process tremendously. Given how greatly everyone else among Class 1-A was sure to have improved over the course of their internships, Dawnbreaker's willingness to assist her in achieving her breakthrough meant that she might truly stand a chance of keeping up with the exponential growth of her peers. With the ability to use Crystal Core's modes more liberally than ever before, Akiko's temporary mentor had given her exactly what she needed so that she could continue fighting for her dream.

"Dawnbreaker?" Akiko began.

"What's up, Takara?"

It only took another moment before she decided upon her next action.

"Thank you very much," Akiko said, entering a deep bow. "For everything. You didn't have to offer me an internship under your agency orput so much energy into figuring out how I could better use my Quirk, but you did. What you did… it means the world to me."

"Takara." Dawnbreaker brought her trainee's gaze back to hers, and she warmly smiled. "Take care of yourself, alright? Never sell yourself short, persevere when things look tough, and you'll become the exact kind of hero that society needs these days."

"Yes ma'am," Akiko said. "I'll try my best!"

"I know you will," Dawnbreaker said, glancing between Akiko and Jomei while Tsuragamae walked behind her. "You haven't let me down before. Neither of you have."

Tsuragamae then opened the door. "We'll be sending in a nurse with your uniforms shortly. May the remainder of your recovery processes go smoothly before you two return to school."

Dawnbreaker's final action before she became obscured by Tsuragamae's large frame was to throw a reassuring, confident look over her shoulder at her trainees. Akiko felt her heart swell with pride and felt herself stand up even straighter. Jomei remained silent throughout the entire exchange, with the only indicator he'd even noticed their hero's imminent departure being the somewhat longing expression that fell over his face.

Akiko stood before the familiar wood of her household's front door and hesitated. While she could've very well been within the walls of her home already, she wasn't in any hurry to have the inevitable conversation with her parents that'd ensue the mere moment she walked inside. The chill of fear momentarily ran down her spine in recognition of the risks the conversation would pose to her chances of staying at U.A., but Akiko quickly found some calm by reminding herself that her fears were somewhat unfounded. After another five full seconds of deliberation, she finally reached forward and turned the door handle.

Thanks to Recovery Girl, both the injuries she sustained to her crystal core and her cheek had faded entirely, making the likelihood that her physical condition would arouse suspicion in her family slim to none. Akiko had already prepared answers for whatever questions her parents might ask about her internship's abrupt end, which meant that they'd probably fall for the lie and leave things at that. Even if some suspicion remained, her parents' complete disinterest in her chosen career was somehow a solace, as neither of them would probably bother to investigate if their daughter's hero name cropped up in any hero-centric news articles about Alpha's arrest. Akiko breathed a soft sigh of relief as she reminded herself of these truths.

As soon as she opened the door, Katashi stepped into view, his brow arching upward only slightly as his gaze fell upon his daughter. "Akiko. The call we received that you were being released from your internship early wasn't incorrect, then."

"Yes, sir," Akiko confirmed. Although Katashi stepped aside as she entered, he remained rooted by the door, and Akiko attempted to ignore the sensation of his silently scrutinizing gaze on the back of her head thereafter. Aki was already in the kitchen working on some lunch that involved freshly made udon, while Takai sat atop a barstool near the kitchen island, seemingly engaged in some business venture. The complete and utter normality of the scene almost allowed Akiko to feel entirely at ease within her own home.

Almost.

"Akiko?" Katashi intoned.

"Yeah?" Akiko responded, turning around to behold his arms crossed over his chest.

"If you wouldn't mind satisfying my curiosity, this early release from your internships wouldn't so happen to have come about because of your actions, would it?" he asked.

"No!" Akiko blurted out, only to immediately recognize and reel in the odd intensity of her tone when she continued. "Uh, kind of? It's complicated. Dawnbreaker, my mentor, was actually just really impressed and decided she'd set us free from our internships a little early so we could recover. You wouldn't believe how much we were training. It was super intense!"

"Fair enough," Katashi said calmly. Looking beyond their gate, the police vehicle that had escorted Akiko home only just started to drive away. "Though it's rather odd that you were taken home in a squad car…"

Akiko's hands impulsively tightened her backpack's straps, and she tried her damndest to hide her unease. Out of all the aspects of her abrupt release that her parents could've questioned, of course one of them would be suspicious of the fact she was returned to them from the care of law enforcement agents. Katashi's impassive mask made it impossible to discern his thoughts as he turned back around, and that same mask slowly morphed into one of increasing suspicion as his daughter silently scrambled to come up with an answer.

Fortunately, she had backup.

"It's standard procedure, isn't it?" Takai offered, feigning disinterest. "Dunno if it's what they've always been doing with this kinda thing, but that's what they're doing now, right?"

"Right!" Akiko affirmed. "Takai's right. It wasn't always this way, but U.A.'s decided that after that villain attack before that they'd rather make sure all their students get home safe after their internships – no matter when they end. The squad car escort was just a precaution, is all."

"Well, that doesn't sound like the most unreasonable course of action your school could've chosen to employ," Aki offered from the sidelines. "It's certainly better than the assumption that their students will be safe just because they're away from U.A.'s campus itself."

"True," Katashi agreed. Closing the door behind him, Akiko was offered only a simple nod before her father walked past and rejoined his wife. Takai subtly glanced over his shoulder at his sister, and their eyes exchanged silent messages.

'Thank you.'

'Don't worry about it. We'll talk soon. One sec.'

"Hey, Mom?" Takai started. "You know that manufacturer you wanted to contact sometime?"

"What about it?" Aki asked.

"Just confirmed that Takara Jewelry will get first pick on some of their best products whenever they decide to send out another shipment," Takai stated confidently, closing his laptop. "Think it'd be alright if I bailed, for now? I know there'll be paperwork to deal with, but-"

"No, no!" Aki interrupted, a pleasantly surprised look on her face. "In fact, it'd be completely fine if you took the entire afternoon off after what you just managed to pull. Katashi will take care of the paperwork."

Katashi expressed his confusion wordlessly, instead simply offering his wife a rarely-seen calmly incredulous stare beneath her notice. With the slight shake of his head, he returned his attention to his preassigned task of slicing up carrots.

"Won't argue with that," Takai murmured. "Akiko. Need help unpacking?"

"Oh, uh…" Akiko nodded. "Sure."

With Takai leading the way from their parents' earshot, it wasn't long before they both found themselves entering Akiko's room. Her bookshelves, bedsheets, and the various other items that decorated her desk remained in the same spots she'd left them, which led her to release a content exhale. While her room had never felt far enough removed from the main household to offer the same comfort that her friends at U.A. seemed able to provide, it remained the perfect sanctuary to escape to whenever the cold pressure her parents exuded became too much. Takai's presence indicated that she wouldn't be allowed to accept the pleasurable privacy that her room entitled to her, though; or at least, not just yet.

"So…" Takai drawled, leaning against the closed door behind him. "Nice lie."

"Which one?" Akiko asked. She gently threw her backpack onto the plush purple comforter draped over her mattress. "My reason for being released from my internship early? Or the one you instantly helped me come up with?"

"Both," Takai answered. "Though that first one wasn't much of a shocker. They'd flip if something major happened – but I won't let you off the hook that easy. What happened?"

"Uh…" Akiko murmured.

"You don't have to be afraid," Takai reminded her, his voice softening somewhat. "I'm on your side when it comes to all this, remember?"

"Yeah. You are." Akiko exhaled slowly. "None of what happened that made the police personally bring me home early from my internship was pleasant, though."

"Okay," Takai said. "Consider me warned."

"Right. Since they're making lunch, I'll try and keep things brief…"

Over the course of the next few minutes, Akiko divulged every detail of her internship unto him, to which Takai remained quiet throughout her recollection of recent events. When she'd first started with details about Dawnbreaker and her advice, he'd even looked interested – albeit slightly confused. That confusion faded into morbid understanding by the time she mentioned their trio's assignment to the investigation of the serial killer that would later be revealed as Akuma Alpha. By the time she began elaborating upon the broad strokes of her participation in the fight, Takai visibly paled. While it was an unspoken rule that her chosen career path required its pursuers to possess wills that could withstand such traumatic experiences, to civilians like Takai, scenarios like that would sound like nightmares come to life.

Such an interpretation of that horrific battle wasn't far from the truth, either.

"Wow. That's…" Takai lightly shook his head.

"Intense?" Akiko finished.

"Well, yeah," Takai agreed. "That attack could've killed you if it landed anywhere other than your crystal core. Somehow, though, you've already got all the willpower you need to just talk casually about that stuff with me. Yeah, heroes are almost expected to take some pretty bad hits eventually, but… none of them are my sister, you know? It's impressive."

Akiko relaxed. "Thank you, Takai."

"All that explains why you came home early," Takai continued, and his thoughtful tone transitioned into an impressed expression when their eyes met again. "Maybe it's inexperience with this whole 'hero society' thing, but I'm… honestly kinda lost for words here, so I'll just say… good job."

It might've been an odd reaction to have, given the situation, but Akiko then found herself suppressing an amused giggle at her brother's complete befuddlement. After all, it wasn't that often that her experiences within hero society so thoroughly stumped someone as smart as Takai. When she finally quelled that momentary urge, she found that an almost companionable quiet had filled the room.

"You know what? Uh…" Takai sighed, seeming to admit defeat in his inability to formulate a more comprehensive compliment for his little sister. Rather than continue to try, he simply spread his arms. "Want a hug?"

Akiko glomped on him almost immediately, joyously grinning all the while.

"Thought so," Takai murmured, patting her on the back. "You did good out there, hero."

Before their parents called them from their quiet moment for lunch, Akiko eagerly embraced Takai's affectionate gesture with every fiber of her being. While Takai's ability to understand her heroic desires still laid leagues from complete comprehension, his awkward attempt to assure that Akiko understood how much he admired her willpower was, in truth, all she needed for now. It proved that her brother would undoubtedly only continue to support her however he could from this point onward.

After everything, she felt completely at peace.

After everything, Jomei felt deeply disheartened.

He knew why this was, of course. With emotionally taxing events occurring almost immediately one after the other over the past week, he'd have to have been a robot not to feel burdened by the aftermath of it all. It wasn't only Dawnbreaker's conversation at the start of his internships that stuck with him the most, either.

While reporters and loyal law enforcement agents alike would proclaim their trio's battle against Alpha as an astonishing success, Jomei couldn't help but see it differently. So far as he was concerned, no encounter that resulted in such pain to his partner could be called a triumph.

The squad car he rode in began a steady deceleration that temporarily brought Jomei's attention back to reality. A glance out the window revealed he was still a few minutes' walk from home, but the officers tasked with assuring his safe return explained that a large villain attack nearby necessitated that they drop him off early so that they could fulfill their duties elsewhere. After that, it wasn't long before he found himself completely alone.

And exhausted. Now that there wasn't anyone around to judge him, all of the fatigue from the last few days suddenly came crashing down upon him. His arms were weak, his legs filled with lead, and his very mind vehemently determined to hound him of his failures.

When he finally arrived outside his home, one mental reminder screamed louder than the thousands of others. His entire body felt ten times heavier upon his recognition of how that message related to the only person that would be waiting for him inside.

He'd broken his promise. Ayane had made him promise that he'd never unleash the full wrath of his power on someone else shortly after the invention of his Flashbang technique, and yet he'd done that exact thing less than twenty-four hours ago.

With his hand trembling under the sheer force of trepidation, Jomei inserted his key into the lock. His discovery that the door was unlocked replaced his fear near-instantly with an all-consuming dreadful sensation sinking into his guts. His palms sweating, he forced himself to turn the knob and hesitantly enter.

Silence reigned throughout the living room and nearby kitchen, though Jomei knew better than to interpret the lack of activity as a sign his mother wasn't present downstairs; and, looking to his left, he saw her. Ayane remained in her wheelchair, next to the side of their couch that laid closer to the front door, and it was obvious that she was only pretending to read the book resting in her lap. Jomei knew that she'd heard him come in, and that this was some sort of test to see if he'd attempt to slip past her, or face his fears and start their inevitable conversation first. Given the circumstances, there was only one valid option available.

"Hey, Mom…"

Ayane slowly, methodically closed her book. Only then did she turn around, revealing an enigmatic mix of emotions on her face that Jomei couldn't begin to describe. Without making a sound, she merely stared deeply into his conflicted eyes.

"Hello, Jomei."

Jomei's lip nervously flattened out. "Listen, I-"

"Stop." Ayane slowly inhaled, then exhaled. "Before you say anything about your internship or why you're home early, let mesay… you don't have to explain the details. Tsuragamae called me this morning, and told me everything."

Involuntarily, Jomei winced. Even if he'd seen that statement coming since the moment that Dawnbreaker told him about Tsuragamae's arrival at the hospital, the simple fact that she already knew what happened was terrifying. He tried his best to maintain what little composure he had left, but sweat beaded around his brow. Whatever his mother would discuss with him next, he had no doubt that it wouldn't be pleasant. Not with what Tsuragamae must've told her before.

"Don't think that I'm furious at you, Jomei," Ayane wearily reassured. "In fact, some of the things Tsuragamae talked about made me proud that you're my son. Not every sixteen-year-old who wants to become a hero would accomplish as much as you have, between that investigation and capturing that serial killer, but…"

Jomei suddenly felt significantly smaller, and his body language reflected his guilt while he waited for his mother to continue.

"You went overboard," Ayane quietly continued. "Jomei, you once promised me that you'd never unleash the maximum charge of your Quirk onto another person, not even when there weren't any other options available. Against that villain, though… you did."

"Mom…" Jomei managed, his lip trembling. "I'm so sorry. That promise meant a lot to me too, it really did, but after he attacked Akiko and she didn't get up and he broke my arm and he was about to kill me… I didn't know what to think. All I could think about was-"

"Hey, hey…" Ayane soothed. "Jomei. You don't have to apologize."

Jomei's throat tightened. "...what?"

"While that promise isn't something that I ever wanted to hear that you broke, it isn't like there wasn't good reason for you doing so, this time," Ayane explained. "Before you came home and I had time to think by myself… there was something I realized. In that hopeless situation, when it was your belief that Luminous was the only person that stood between Akuma Alpha and the deaths of everyone in that alleyway… you did the only thing you could. That isn't something that I'd blame someone for doing, and I shouldn't have expected you to act unlike anyone else, had they been in your situation."

She wheeled herself somewhat closer, concern overshadowing any other emotion on her face as she gently wrapped Jomei's hand between both of hers. "You lived through a nightmare that you weren't ready for. I won't punish you for that. What I will do is recommend that you think long and hard about what could have gone wrong. You need to make life and death decisions like that with a clear head, next time."

"Right," Jomei barely whispered.

Ayane released his hand, tilting her head off to the side. "Now you head upstairs, unpack, and relax. Chores can wait."

He didn't need to be told twice. Fighting to steady his hand's trembling, he climbed upstairs and entered his room. Still, he'd find no solace within the familiar environment. His throat choked him, his hands shook uncontrollably, his entire body just about ready to tear itself apart. Jomei unceremoniously dumped his spare clothes before pacing around his room for what felt like a hundred times over before stumbling into his bathroom. Shadows clung underneath his bloodshot eyes from his reflection in the mirror, but he disregarded the sight to instead retrieve the roll of bandages the hospital had provided him before his departure.

He then rolled up his uniform's sleeve.

"Come on, Jomei," he whispered, "you can do this."

Sterile white fabric wrapped around his arm from the wrist to his shoulder, and it was at the latter location that Jomei started to unravel the intricately woven cloth. Long lines of bandages slowly fluttered down onto the floor beneath him until, at long last, his newly scarred right arm laid bare before him. He wasn't ready for the sight that awaited him.

Its appearance almost seemed alien. Ugly and raw, the scar consisted of twisted hypertrophic tissue that left his elbow rough and dark, with jagged lines of similarly scarred skin snaking up his triceps and down the back of his forearm. Should he ever feel the need to hide it, he needed only to wear the simple black sleeve the hospital had provided him.

Jomei tentatively touched the rough skin, yet despite the tender nature of the gesture, fear of what the scar symbolized stabbed into his heart. In that moment, that single scar became permanently cemented in his mind as an eternal reminder of how his failure to demonstrate true heroism nearly got him and his partner killed.

He gripped the porcelain of the sink beneath him till his knuckles turned white, his body hunched in almost physical pain. Hot, stinging tears streamed down his cheeks and into the basin below.

'I'm no hero…'

His entire body shuddered, grief blurring his vision as he shakily sucked in a desperate, mournful breath of fresh air. If not for his vice grip supporting him, he probably would've collapsed onto the cold tile right then and there. Amidst his turmoil, Jomei could only manage to croak out three more words before his bitter tears blinded him completely.

"I'm a failure…"

Authors Note: OH SWEET MOTHER OF GOD ITS OVER…. Only not really. I'm afraid that even after all the turmoil and strife out dear old boy Jomei's been through over the course of this here internships arc, he's far from outta the woods yet. He's just hit rock bottom and it's entirely unknown if Jomei will plummet any further into depression and self-depreciation before he finds his way back into the light. By contrast, it'd seem as though Akiko's finally landed a lucky break, almost living the dream while her boyfriend finds himself drowning in despair beneath her notice. Their inevitable reunion back at U.A. might be the most crucial moment yet for their relationship in all the years they've known one another… or just one of them, in particular. And yes… the dichotomy between these two lovebirds was purposeful and very satisfying to write, since everything since Motherly Advice has been leading toward this moment in regard to Jomei's big character arc.

And if it isn't too much to speak of… lemme get real for a second here. When I first came up with the core concepts for WFAF, I was in a really rough mental patch. I hadn't landed a job yet despite college under my belt, money was tight, my self-esteem low. I didn't come close to contemplating… well, that… but… life wasn't sunshine and rainbows back then. That sense of utter despair and hopelessness Jomei's feeling right now? I'll openly admit that his final sequence this chapter was just about as close to my soul being made manifest on (digital) paper as I've ever done.

Next time, things happen. Classes return and everyone's changed through their internships, but for Jomei, those changes didn't turn out all that positive. Where will this long road he's been headed down lately lead next? That'll be answered next time.