Chapter 32

Medial

"Hey, Rei."

Impossible.

"I-what-Haru-" Rei sputtered, unable to comprehend what was going on. In one moment she had been in a dark, cold, room, trapped with one of the most powerful villains she had ever encountered. In the next she was convinced that she had met the end, sailing through the air with a broken body and a broken spirit. Instead she found herself in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by a placid sea of blue waters and sky in every direction.

Haru lifted a hand to cover her mouth, muffling her laughter as she watched Rei's reactions. It was clear she was trying to hide her amusement behind her hand, but blue eyes sparkled brilliantly anyway, revealing her revelry. For a moment longer Rei stared with her mouth hanging open at the girl, unable to believe her eyes.

"Haru, are you really…?"

"It's me."

Silence. Rei's fingers twitched.

Then she couldn't hold back any longer. Rushing to close the space between them, Rei wrapped her arms around her friend, squeezing the air out of her lungs and holding on to her desperately, hands grasping fistfuls of her black school jacket. Golden eyes blinked as the tears threatened to fall, uncaring if they actually rolled down her cheeks. Catharsis, release, and a sigh as she relaxed. A pair of slender arms wrapped around her own back, and Rei dug her face into Haru's shoulder.

"Haru…"

"You're safe. At least for now."

The tears fell. Two large drops ran down her cheek a short distance before they were absorbed into Haru's jacket. Eventually she pulled back, the two friends moving their hands to hold on to one another as they looked at the other's face. Haru was smiling gently, tears on her own face threatening to fall as she watched Rei.

"Where are we?"

At this Haru grew still, turning away for a moment to look around them, as though taking in the scenery for herself. "This… is what we call the waiting room."

Rei frowned, eyebrows scrunching together. "The waiting room?"

Blue eyes returned to her face, a sympathetic smile gracing her lips. "I have a lot of explaining to do, don't I?" Gesturing for the two of them to sit, the two friends made their way down to sit on the smooth wooden dock, crossing their legs like pretzels as they faced one another. Rei had a clear shot of the rest of the dock, though she still couldn't see an ending no matter how much she tried, her back to the water's edge. It seemed unnatural, something in her gut unsettled as she looked around.

Haru at least seemed rather comfortable in this place, though she did look around strangely as well. "Tell me," she began. "What do you see?"

"What do I see?" It was an odd question, but Rei acquiesced as golden eyes roamed the space. "Blue skies, blue waters, as far as the eye can see. This dock stretches behind you, but I can't see where it ends."

"And nothing more?"

An eyebrow raised, Rei spoke slowly, as though uncertain. "No. Should there be?"

Her friend hesitated long enough to let her know that something was wrong. "It's strange," Haru began, seeming to ignore Rei's question, "that we should see different things. But I suppose that it makes sense, given the circumstances."

"Haru, what do you see?"

"Truly?" She swallowed, eyes looking up and behind Rei's head. "It's hard to describe. When I first saw this place, I didn't have any words. I think it's better that I explain things first before I tell you what I see."

"Tell me, then. You said this is the waiting room."

Nodding her head, Haru's face turned serious. "Yes. A name that we've unofficially given the place, seeing as there's no official name. Others have called it purgatory, or the final world, or the world in between."

Purgatory. To Rei's surprise, her first reaction was horror, sheer disbelief that it had actually happened. She had thought it impossible for so long. Yet, wasn't that the only explanation for why she was seeing Haru before her?

"Then, that means… I…"

Golden tresses shook as Haru shook her head from side to side. "Not exactly. Tell me," She leaned forward, interested to hear Rei's answer, "do you feel anything on your neck?"

"My neck?" Tentatively she lifted her fingers up, surprised when her fingers brushed against something with a silken texture. It was then that she saw it, like an apparition manifesting out of nowhere. A red ribbon floated into her vision, looping and tying around her neck as it hovered in the air, rippling in an unseen current in front of her. She turned in her seat, trying to figure out where it extended, turning to look behind her and freezing when she found a source.

There, about ten feet above her head, was a window with a familiar scene. She could see her body lying about in the rubble of Hosu City, nearly crushed beneath a few pieces. It looked as though she had been tossed like a ragdoll, the position unearthly and rather sickening. Still, she could definitely see the red string around her neck entering the picture and tied on the other end to Rei's unconscious body.

"I see it." Turning back around to Haru, she could see the surprise on her friend's face at her words. That made two of them, with the new revelations coming in hot. "A red scarf, it's around my neck and going back to my body. There's a…" she turned around quickly, as though in disbelief at what she saw, but the window into the real world was still there, "a window? I see my body. And, the city…"

"Interesting." Haru was sitting straight up, her back ramrod straight. "So you can see the portals."

"That's a portal?"

Nodding in assent, Haru gestured behind Rei toward the aforementioned portals. "Like I said, this is a sort of world in between. That portal and that ribbon around your neck is what's keeping you alive in the real world. As long as that ribbon remains intact, you won't be able to pass into the afterlife."

It was news to Rei, but there was no reason to doubt Haru's words even if it was hard to believe. In fact it was the only thing that was making sense, and Rei nodded slowly. "So, I'm still alive."

"Yes." Haru's face became stern, a dark look washing over her. "Right now, your body is in shock. You're on death's door, so to speak. Back in the real world, you're in a coma."

A shudder ran down Rei's spine, and she wrapped her arms around herself. "Are… you going to send me back?"

She was relieved when Haru slowly shook her head, blue eyes soft. "No. Normally, I would. It's dangerous for you to linger here too long, lest you get too adjusted and end up passing away for real. But it's even more dangerous if you return to your body now. Your mind would break from the pain, and you wouldn't be you any more."

"My mind?"

"But you're safe here. I'm not sending you back until I know that you'll be safe and you still."

Slowly, it was beginning to make sense. Realization dawned in Rei's mind, and her face lit up. "All this time, every time I've died, it was you who sent me back, wasn't it?"

"Yes. Ever since that day, I've been waiting here in this room. Every time you died, I pushed you back through the portal. Your quirk kept you from immediately passing, but you always lingered on the border."

"My quirk…" The reminder of her quirk made her face drop, crestfallen. "Regeneration. So… does that mean that I'll eventually die?"

Much to her surprise Haru nodded again, unphased at Rei's realization. "Do you see how thick your red ribbon is?" Raising a hand to her own neck, another ribbon manifested in Rei's vision as Haru clasped onto the strand that extended from the loop around her slender neck. Unlike Rei's own ribbon, Haru's looked more like a string or a cord, slender in nature enough so that it could probably be cut with shears or a knife. "Most people's ribbons look like mine. They sever easily when they die. But yours is thick, as a result of your quirk. That's why you haven't been able to die yet."

"But I will, someday."

Hesitantly, Haru nodded. "Yes. Each time that you die, your ribbon becomes thinner and thinner. Not by much, but over the years I've seen it. You can't afford to be reckless."

Golden eyes dropped to her lap, turned downward at the reminder of death. "If I go back."

"You must go back eventually. Otherwise, you'll die here."

"But what do I do?!" Rei's temper began to burst, the tears returning to her eyes. "I can't do this. I can't face him. That man... is horrifying. I can't escape him." A tear fell down her cheek, Rei hastily raising a hand to wipe it away. "Even if I am rescued, if All For One is taken down, I'll never escape. That room…" She couldn't continue.

Haru lifted herself from her seat, moving over to Rei's side and sitting down next to her. Pulling her friend into a hug, she held Rei in her arms, offering solace and comfort as best as she could. "Don't think like that. You fight it. I know you can fight it. You'll find a way to move on."

"How?" Nose running, she sniffled, shaking her head. "There is no other way."

"In this moment, right here, have you been captured? When you look at that portal, do you see All For One's hands wrapped around your neck?"

"What?" Raising her head tentatively, she looked at Haru in confusion. It was an odd question. She looked back at the portal, just to be sure that her body was still lying limp on the ground. No one was near her. No heroes, but no villains. "No."

"The future is the future, unknown because it is malleable and changing. Nothing is set in motion until the present moment, where we decided what to do with our time." Haru's eyes were hard, determined to make Rei see her point. "The only time when fate is set is when you resign yourself to whatever comes your way. Then, and only then, will you be consumed by it."

Shaking her head slowly, Rei's brows furrowed. "I… I don't understand."

"Yes, you do," Haru insisted. "You know what I'm talking about."

"But what if I fail? Even if it isn't now, but later?"

Haru grinned, clearly recalling a certain memory as her shoulders shook in amusement. "I once met someone in this place. He had an affinity for English literature. One of his favorite quotes was, 'then we fail! But screw your courage to the sticking place, and we'll not fail.'" Giving Rei a meaningful look, she raised an eyebrow. "Do you see?"

"I see. I hear. And yet, the only thing I feel is pain and agony."

"You've always known that it won't be easy."

Rei finally raised her head up to meet Haru's gaze fully, a small smile on her lips. "But you'll always be with me, right?"

Haru's lips parted in surprise as Rei finished her thought, before she smiled warmly, nodding her head. "Right."

Looking about the space another time and lifting her head, Rei heaved a sigh. The talk had been heavy, the situation even more dire. But perhaps here she could catch her breath, could find the strength to go on.

There was no better company than in that of her first and best friend.

"I need time. Time to think."

"There's no better time than the present." Haru gestured to the portal behind Rei with a hand. "I'll keep tabs on the real world. I can see everything from here. When it's time to go, I'll let you know."

Nodding, Rei rolled her shoulders back before heaving a sigh, slumping backward to lie on the dock. Casting her eyes skyward, she watched as puffy white clouds high above her rolled lazily in the grand azure stretch. "So, tell me about this place. Tell me what I've missed."

Finding Akatsuki in the abandoned warehouse had been a stroke of luck. No one had been certain of her whereabouts when the two strike locations had been established, nor had they any hopes that she would be in either place. But fate had been fortunate that night in that, in a moment of hope, they had found her lying on the cold cement floor of that unfortunate warehouse.

But holding on to her was like holding onto a handful of sand, and she slid from their fingertips.

It wasn't as though it was her fault. Akatsuki had wanted to be found, that much was certain. But luck could be a fickle thing, playing in one's favor in one moment and twisted around the next.

After the explosion that had revealed All Might's true identity, Rei was nowhere to be found once more.

It took hours to recover her body. Once the fight had finished, emergency workers dove back onto the scene, scouring for bodies both alive and passed on. Someone had to do it. It was dirty work, but it was necessary. Time was not on their side either. With every passing minute, another person surely passed along, suffocated under rubble or from grave injuries.

How cruel the world was, even without the villains to muddy everything!

It had been an emergency worker that had found her, as they scoured an area that had been previously cleared out one last time. They had spotted a tuft of black hair and a torn gray hoodie splattered with blood. Calling out to their comrades, they immediately brought in the reinforcements one last time to the area, evoking another sweep through the area that was thought to be clear.

In the end, it was only her that was found. But how lucky she had been, one final time.

Or perhaps unlucky. The damage her body sustained had been tremendous. Even the emergency workers were skeptical as they loaded her body onto a gurney and raced her away, cautiously but speedily back toward a vehicle. Of all the civilian casualties, this had to be one of the worst. But it was a police officer that had recognized the young girl, immediately calling out that Akatsuki Rei had been successfully found and retrieved. The workers hurried even faster.

This was one of the young, unfortunate, victims of the U.A. training incident, and they would be damned if anything else happened to her.

The emergency vehicle reared its head, sirens blazing as it swept through the battle torn streets, the workers keeping a steady but swift pace in the back as they fought hard to keep their patient alive. She was breathing, but barely. Her heartbeat was weak, so much so that it nearly felt as though it would give out at any second. Needles in place in her arms and various tubes snaking around her body, she looked terrifyingly small underneath it all, almost more machine than human at this point.

But as they fought, they began to realize that she was not giving in either. Her heart continued to beat, her breathing scraggy and straggling but constant.

She had to live.

She had the will to live.

If she was fighting this hard, whether she realized it or not, then they would see to it that she had all the tools to survive. They would be with her every step of the way.

She would live.

Only time would tell what would happen after that.

"So tell me about U.A.."

Haru had poured out everything that she could about her time in the middle ground, or the waiting room as she called it. And Rei had listened. Eagerly. It was so strange to consider the fact that an afterlife existed. Of course, it was something that occasionally came to mind at random intervals and on the most random occasions, but it wasn't something that someone was constantly thinking about.

Well, unless they were into that sort of thing. But that wasn't Rei.

Finally, the conversation had turned. Rei looked over at Haru in surprise. "I'm sure you've seen everything," she sheepishly murmured. Now that she knew that Haru could see her and everything she did, she was vaguely mortified, though her friend assured her that she had given her as much privacy as possible. It wasn't as though Haru was preoccupied with watching Rei every second of her life.

Haru only shook her head, a smile on her face. "I'm not some all seeing god, Rei. C'mon, what's it like?"

Her excitement was childish, as Haru sat up straighter with attention, her eyes sparkling in a fangirl sort of way. It was true; their childhood dream had been to become heroes. Now Haru was living vicariously through Rei, in a way.

Heaving a sigh, Rei caved. "It's tough. But it's…"

"Incredible? Fantastic? Utterly indescribable?"

Rei laughed. "Yeah."

"Aw, don't be so predictable! Tell me, what are the teachers like?"

"Like Aizawa-sensei? He's very dry and clear cut when it comes to tests and things like that, and he's hard on us. But that's U.A., isn't it? The toughest hero school on this side of Japan."

"Tell me more!"

"Hmm." Rei lifted a hand to her chin as she looked to the sky, her eyes glazing over a bit as she tried to think of how to describe their teachers. "Present Mic is very… enthusiastic. I still don't think I've really gotten used to how eccentric he can be at times. He likes calling on people randomly and catching them off guard if he thinks they're drifting off." A memory popped up into mind. "Poor Uraraka and Ashido have gotten the short end some times."

"Uraraka?"

Rei beamed at the mention of her friend. "The gravity girl. Brown short hair?"

"Oh, right!" Haru sat up on her hands, propping herself up even further. "And there's another girl, Yaoyorozu, right?"

"Yeah." Rei smiled fondly. "She's… a good friend."

"I'm glad."

Haru gathered her knees close to her chest, rocking back and forth slightly before placing her chin on her knees. "You know, I was kind of jealous at first."

"Jealous?"

"Mm." Eyes as blue as the sky softened a bit, as though recalling a particularly amusing memory. "After all this time, you had finally found a friend. I felt like I was being replaced."

"Haru…"

"But that's silly, isn't it?" Haru laughed, but it sounded slightly forced. "I'm dead. It doesn't matter."

Rei frowned for a moment before her face smoothed out. "Haru." Placing a hand over her heart, Rei shook her head, black tresses shifting around her face. "You don't have to worry about that. You'll never be replaced. You can't have a limit on the number of friends you have, right? It's not like others have to get kicked out because of some quota. So, you'll always be in my heart. Yaoyorozu isn't competition."

Silence. Haru stared agape at Rei, who realized that she had suddenly gotten rather deep. Her cheeks flushed pink, golden eyes averting. "S-sorry! I mean, I didn't need to get that deep…"

"Rei-chan, you're so wise now! Is that because of U.A.?"

Grinning, Rei shot back. "Stupid. I've always been this smart."

The two tossed their heads back and laughed. They laughed at their silliness, their naiveity, their wisdom that was all too mature for their age. They laughed together, for the first time in years, and for a moment they could forget where they were. For a moment, they were just two friends back in middle school, sharing a joke with one another once again.

But the moment faded as Rei took in the sight. Haru no longer looked like a child, her hair longer and her chin more structured. Rei's own hair was longer, black locks a few inches long now that she had forgone cutting it for a few months. She herself was more muscular from training, more lean and lithe and athletic.

The times had changed them, perhaps for the better.

"And the boy? Bakugou?"

Rei froze at the mention of his name. Looking out to the crystal blue waters, she stared off for a moment in contemplation. Where was he? Was he safe?

"Rei?" Haru smiled gently. "What is he to you?"

"He's…" Swallowing hard, she tried to play things cool. "A friend."

"A friend?"

"Yeah."

"Would you say a dear friend?"

"... Sure."

"A very dear friend that… you find attractive?"

Jaw dropping, Rei stared at her friend's forwardness. "Haru!"

The other girl laughed again, tossing her head back for a moment before looking back at Rei, her blue eyes twinkling with mischief. "C'mon, I might not stalk you every waking moment, but I'm not blind. You like him."

"Y-yeah."

"And he likes you?"

"For some reason, yeah."

Haru cooed. "Ah, young love."

"I don't-"

"It's fine. You don't have to say it. But you like him, right?"

Rei scowled. "I don't like this conversation."

"If you can't have this conversation with someone, how will you know you're ready?"

The thought gave Rei pause to think. Somehow, amidst the teasing, Haru was talking sense. Rei had always shied away from relationships, all while staring on in secret longing. She had always been slightly jealous of relationships that her classmates had shared in middle school, no matter how much her logical mind had rationalized that they were surface, base, and most likely not going to last beyond their youth. She had determined that, if a relationship was to last, it would need to be built on communication and trust, not just social status in one's school and the opinions of others.

But if she couldn't even talk about a relationship with someone, then how could she ever have one? Hadn't she just considered the fact that relationships were built on communication? It was true, even though it was painful; she had to be able to talk with someone about it. At least with Haru, she wouldn't tell anyone. Yaoyorozu was another option, but not here in this moment. And Reina… well, the thought of discussion her love life with Reina was both intimidating and terrifying.

Grinning slyly, Rei chortled. "Oh, look who's talking sense now."

"Of course I am! One of us has to be sensible."

"Weren't you just commenting on how wise I was a few minutes ago?"

"I'll concede that you have your moments."

"Hey!"

The two laughed again, although it was shorter this time. There was no distracting Haru from the topic at hand this time, no matter how much time Rei sought to buy. "So," the blonde continued, "where do you see yourself in the future? Is there a future with him?"

To be honest, it was something that Rei had already considered. The truth? "I don't know," she admitted honestly. "I think I'm too young to be thinking that far ahead."

"Aww, come on…"

"But," Rei added, "it has crossed my mind. And… I don't think I'd mind a future where he's in it."

"Really?"

"I'm not saying that I'm thinking we're gonna get married and have two and a half kids and live happily ever after." Rei snorted in amusement as Haru's face sank. Ever the dreamer. "I don't think that'd be possible, because my first goal is to be a hero. I don't have time for that."

"But with you as a hero, what do you see then?"

Rei smiled. "Hopefully? Him at my side. Whether he's a comrade, a friend, or something more, I hope we'll at least stand together."

"Would you really be happy with him as just being a friend?"

"Yes."

"... Really?"

"Is it really so wrong to hope for that? Bakugou is…" How did she want to put it? "Incredibly sensitive and caring when he wants to be. He's proven that he's a good friend, first and foremost. And I hope that'll stay the same, no matter what the future brings."

"Is that why you didn't want to say anything to him for so long?"

"Yeah."

It was true. She hadn't wanted to spoil their friendship. She barely had any friends in the first place, and no matter how much she identified as and embraced the title of loner in school, she couldn't deny that she craved friendship. It had started with Yaoyorozu worming her way into Rei's dark heart. Then Midoriya. Then Uraraka. And then, out of left field, an explosive boy with a shitty personality that was hauntingly similar to her own had suddenly appeared in her life as well.

They were so similar. Kindred souls. If she lost that relationship, she would be heartbroken. Looking up to Haru, she nonverbally begged for her friend to understand. "You get it, right?"

Blue eyes twinkled back. "I know."

Rei breathed a sigh of relief.

Her breath hitched.

There was a stinging sensation in her chest.

Raising a hand to her heart, she winced at the pain. It was ghost-like, yet still tangible. Haru looked on in concern, leaning forward toward her friend. "What's wrong?"

Rei grimaced, shaking her head. "It's strange. It's like something's pinching my bones in my chest."

Haru raised her eyes toward the portal, realization flooding them along with relief as she looked on. "You're in a hospital now. It looks like they're performing surgery."

"Surgery?"

Nodding, Haru continued. "You're probably feeling the pain of your bones being shifted around." Haru glanced over at her friend as Rei shuddered at that comment. "Ah, sorry. That's probably pretty gross."

"No, it's just… Actually, yeah. That is gross."

"Sorry."

"No, it's fine." Refusing to look at the portal now that she knew what was happening, Rei lifted a hand to play with the red ribbon around her neck. "So, I'm still alive."

"And kicking."

"So, I'll have to go back soon?"

"Yes. Do you want to go back? Not now," Haru amended, "but when it's time?"

Before, she hadn't been certain. Rei had been ready to accept death. But now that things were looking up, now that she was reminded of everything that she wanted to fight for…

Rei nodded. "Yeah. I can't back down now, can I?"

When the phone rang again, Aizawa's number lighting up the screen, Reina hadn't known how to respond.

She hesitated, even if she knew that answering the phone was the only way to find out about Rei.

Reina had watched every moment of the Hosu City incident, as everyone was now calling it, from the moment it broke on the news. She hadn't been getting much sleep anyway, so distraught and caught up in her emotions that it was making it difficult to even fall asleep, let alone stay asleep. Sitting in bed with her phone plugged in next to her, she and Hotaru had snuggled next to one another, the latter shooting concerned looks at her partner.

Somehow, Reina knew that the Hosu City incident had something to do with U.A. and the training camp incident. There was no mistaking it. Even if she didn't know the details, she had watched the press conference on the television. There had to be a plan, but Reina hadn't realized that the plan was going to be executed so swiftly.

All Might had fought with that villain, his true self revealed to the world. She had been shocked, just as much as anyone else, to see the number one hero in such a state. But even so, he had come out on top, one final time, raising his clenched fist into the air in triumph.

Day had broken. She had gotten perhaps a few spotty hours of sleep.

And then, the phone call came.

Her hand immediately flew to the phone, but her thumb refused to slide along the glassy surface to receive the incoming call. Hotaru's iridescent eyes watched in concern, her hand rubbing Reina's arm in a soothing gesture. The line rang three more times before Reina steeled herself, swiping the phone without any further delay and lifting the line to her ear.

"Hello?"

"Fujiwara-san." The greeting was curt and short, slightly exhausted but lacking regret.

"Akatsuki-san has been found."

Reina sucked in a sharp breath, even if she knew that this was the reason for the phone call. She had known, from the moment her phone lit up. But now…

"And?"

"And… she is alive."

Alive. It was a relief to hear, but not enough. Alive at least meant that she wasn't dead, but that description alone left things to be desired. Alive? Was she safe? Was she in danger still? Was she hurt?

Before Reina could ask any more questions, Aizawa began giving directions to a hospital in Hosu, just on the outskirts. He finished by stating that he would send her the proper credentials so that she would be given access, since security in the area was tight, and that he would meet her there. Before she knew it, the phone call was over, the screen dimming to black in her hands.

Hotaru squeezed her arm, looking up at Reina in concern. "Sweetheart…?"

Reina turned to look at Hotaru, determination and distress fighting for dominance in her eyes. She had to be strong now. The worst of it was soon to be over, though the fight would continue.

"She's in a hospital in Hosu."

"Then let's go."

By the time Reina and Hotaru had boarded the train, the exhaustion was just beginning to sink in. Perhaps it was because of the reassurance that Rei was found and alive that Reina's guard was finally beginning to let down. But her chest still clenched everytime she thought of Aizawa's words.

What did it mean that Rei was simply "alive?" What condition had she been found in?

Thankfully Hotaru had found a coffee machine and had bought drinks for the two of them, the strongest espresso that an automated machine had to offer. The two of them nursed their drinks slowly, trying to make the most of the caffeine while the train ushered them along to the next few prefectures over.

It was difficult to sit for so long, their legs itching to do something rather than sit still. Their minds both buzzed with anticipation, with nerves and anxiety.

The time managed to pass in a blur. It wasn't long before Reina and Hotaru found themselves being ushered into a hospital, a strange figure standing in the waiting room. Upon their arrival the figure turned toward them, a glint in their steely eyes.

"Fujiwara-san, I presume?"

Reina nearly asked who the man was, but the voice was unmistakable, along with the memory of Rei's description of her homeroom teacher. A man who looked perpetually exhausted, dressed in black with messy black curls of his own, and a look that could both be mistaken for sleep when he really wanted to murder you where you stood.

"Aizawa-sensei?"

The man nodded curtly, getting straight down to business. "The surgery was successful. She's still out, but seems to be on the mend. There have been a few problems, however." His eyes flickered to Hotaru, hesitant as though he was unsure of what to say.

The look confused Reina, but Hotaru understood. Placing a hand on her girlfriend's arm, Hotaru murmured quietly in the hush of the hospital wing. "I'll wait here for you. You go and see Rei-chan."

Reina muttered her thanks, planting a kiss on Hotaru's cheek before following after Aizawa. The man began to swiftly lead her through the hallways, over to an elevator where they began to ascend through the building.

"The damage to Akatsuki-san's body was severe, but based on her quirk, there shouldn't be anything long lasting," he began once they were ensconced within the elevator alone. "Do you want to know everything in detail, or should I spare you?"

Reina had to appreciate the way he cut to the chase, sparing the formalities. As a business woman, she could respect it. If she were any other, she might have been offended at his brusque approach, but in the moment she wanted things to be as straightforward as possible. She had been in the dark long enough. "I want to know everything. I don't want to be in the dark any longer."

"Very well. Please tell me if it gets to be too much for you." The doors slid open to reveal another hallway, this one even more quiet than the entrance and slightly slower in business as the doctors and nurses walked around at a slightly slower pace than downstairs. Aizawa's voice lowered even further as to not disturb those around them, and to protect their own privacy as well. "The worst of the damage was a fractured spine. There was also a critical blow to her ribcage, where she suffers cracked ribs. She'll be closely monitored for the next few days, even though her quirk should be boosting her healing process."

There was something strange in the way that he said his last sentence, and Reina narrowed her eyes at him. "'Should?' What do you mean?"

Aizawa narrowed his eyes, but kept his gaze forward. "I will be frank. Akatsuki normally heals at an accelerated rate. However, the healing process currently is slower than what we have come to expect. It might be due to the number of injuries, or something that might have happened while she was taken."

Heaving a sigh, Reina tried to steady herself and her breathing. "But she will be alright?"

"Knowing Akatsuki, she will pull through." The two of them halted in front of a door that was partially open, but Aizawa kept them outside. Reina wanted nothing more than to burst through the door to see her little sister, but respected his authority and waited outside with him. "There is another matter we must discuss specifically regarding this fiasco and Akatsuki."

Reina nodded, urging him to continue. He hesitated for a moment before speaking. "From what we understand thus far, Akatsuki was awake briefly during the rescue operation. However, based on our sources, she appeared to be very unstable. It is possible that her mental state could be fragile, even though her body heals."

"Meaning?"

"There might need to be some care regarded Akatsuki's mental health after this. Even if her body heals, she cannot continue the hero program if her mental state fails her as well."

"Are you telling me this as a precaution, or is this something that U.A. has already decided?"

There was no hesitation, as though his response had been prepared for himself already. He dodged the question, instead speaking rather formally. "U.A. has already acknowledged that there could be lasting damage from this mistake that we have made. We are prepared to stand by any decision you make regarding Akatsuki's enrollment."

"What are you trying to say?"

"There is a chance that Akatsuki may no longer be fit for the hero program."

"Then why do you say that it's my decision to pull Akatsuki from U.A.?"

Aizawa's eyes darted up and down the corridor before motioning for Reina to follow him inside the room. Following his movement, Reina kept her eyes trained on the teacher for a moment longer in suspicion before her eyes scoured the room for the one person she wanted to see, had traveled all this way to find.

The gasp left her mouth before she could restrain herself.

The little girl sleeping on the bed in front of her was covered in an assortment of bandages, as well as bruises that peeked out from underneath the white fabric. She looked like she was drowning in the hospital gown and the million blankets that covered her small frame, making her look even smaller than she already was. An oxygen mask covered half her face, while various machines around her beeped away steadily.

She looked fragile, delicate. Nothing like the Rei that Reina knew. Reina stepped forward with an outstretched hand, but thought better of herself and stopped after a moment.

It hurt to see her like this. It hurt more than any emotional pain she had known before. This was her young ward, her little sister in all but blood. Reina had always known that she would not be able to protect Rei from anything, troubled as her childhood had already been, but in the backmost corner of her mind she had imagined that the worst of it was over. Now that she could see the extent of the hero program-no, what the hero program had failed to protect her from-she was overwhelmed.

"I understand that you have been taking care of Akatsuki recently."

"I have." Her voice was weaker than what she had hoped for it to be.

"Then I have no problem telling you of the plans that U.A. has in store going on into the future, while you are here." Aizawa gestured for her to sit down in one of the two chairs near the foot of the hospital bed, taking the other one opposite of her. Now that the both of them were seated, he continued in a hushed voice. "Starting in the next few weeks, U.A. will be converting over to a dormitory system in order to keep a closer watch over the students. Of course, guardians must give permission. Seeing as how you are the closest thing to Akatsuki's guardian, it would make sense that you would have the most sway over things at the moment."

When Reina remained silent, her eyes still on Rei's unconscious figure, Aizawa continued. "You have a decision. You can pull Akatsuki from this program and rehabilitate her. She would most likely make it successfully into another hero program. I heard she was a fine applicant for a few others in the region."

"Does it really matter what I think?" Reina murmured, her arm leaning onto the armrest of the chair as she cupped her chin in her palm. "Rei would never forgive me if I pulled her from U.A.. Neither would I be happy either. U.A. has been her dream since the beginning, much as it pains me to say right now."

"I understand that you are most likely upset with us-"

"I am."

"And we will gladly take the blame for everything that has happened." Aizawa bowed his head in his chair in apology. "We would be sad to see her leave. She has incredible promise."

"I know." Reina smiled wistfully. "She's changed so much over the past few months. I was afraid for her, at first. Then I saw that she was making friends, making connections. She was growing, and happy. Now I'm afraid again." Shaking her head, the smile refused to leave her face, even though her voice turned slightly cynical. "But what choice do I have? Rei would never forgive me if I pulled her out now."

Aizawa nodded. "Understandable. There is, of course, the matter of Rei's mental state."

"And we must simply wait to see how things go?"

"Indeed, though from our initial findings, I would suspect that she will need some kind of therapist."

Reina sat up a little straighter. "I know a person."

"We would be indebted. If they would make Rei feel more comfortable, enough to share, then that would indeed solidify her place at U.A. going into the future."

Chuckling, Reina looked back at the teacher. She could see just how tired he was, not just from the regular grind, but from how much this situation was taking a toll on him. "You really are her teacher, aren't you? You know that she wouldn't share anything with anyone that she didn't trust."

"I am her homeroom teacher. For better or for worse, I have picked up on a few pieces of her character."

The woman snorted in amusement, rolling her eyes. "More like her pigheadedness and inexcrutiable temper at times."

The corner of Aizawa's lip twitched upward for just a moment, so quick it was barely perceptible. "Perhaps."

"So allow me to get things straight." Reina sat up, getting back to business. "We will continue under the assumption that Rei will continue at U.A., given her complete stubbornness to become a hero and her likeliness of overcoming her challenges. After that, she would be living on campus in a dorm system with the other students?"

"Yes. It's a system we've designed to ensure that students will be more secure, especially given the publicity that specifically Class 1-A has faced thus far."

"I can't say no to that." Reina smiled warmly. "I leave Rei in your care."

"I'm surprised."

"And why's that?"

"Of all the guardians I need to convince, I thought you would have put up a bigger fight."

Heaving another sigh, Reina shook her head. "I'm not her legal guardian… yet. I don't get to have much of a say. Regardless, I tend to think more of what she wants and what she wants to get out of her future rather than what I want anyway."

Aizawa raised an eyebrow. "One might say you were spoiling her."

"You're damn right." She shook her head again. "Kids. I'd say that they don't know how good they have it, but…" She gestured toward Rei's bed, and Aizawa nodded his head.

"Very well. I believe I've discussed everything with you that you need to know in order to be up to date."

"How long can I stay here?"

"As long as you need."

"Can my partner also get a pass to come up here?"

"I'll get that for you right away."

Reina smiled, sinking back into the chair. The exhaustion was now completely getting to her, the caffeine from the coffee having worn off at this point. "Thank you, Aizawa-sensei. You've been more of a help than we could have ever hoped for."

The man stood from his chair, bowing at the waist formally. "Please return with me to your partner. I'll get you both permanent passes so that you can come up here."

Rising from the chair, Reina walked over to Rei, smoothing her hair back and planting a soft kiss on the girl's forehead. "I'm here, Rei-chan. Take your time resting, okay?"

They would be okay.

The worst of it was over, but the tribulations continued.

"It's over now. Are you ready to go back?"

"... I think I am. But having to leave you again…"

"I know. It's like being back in old times, isn't it?"

"Yeah."

"But those times are gone now."

"I know."

They hadn't moved from their spots. The surgery was over. Rei's physical body was safe.

It was time to say goodbye.

Rei sighed. "This isn't easy."

"Saying goodbye never is. But you know?" Haru smiled as Rei looked over to her in curiosity, tilting her head to the side. "At least this time, we get to say goodbye. So many people in the real world don't get that chance."

Rei smiled to herself before chuckling once more. "Always have something wizened to say, don't you? You tryin' to one up me again?"

"Maybe."

Rei looked Haru up and down one final time, committing every part of her to memory. The wispiness of her golden hair, the way her eyes twinkled when she smiled gently. The strangeness and simplicity of seeing her in a school uniform, as though the two of them were merely separated by different prefectures instead of the barrier between life and death. It was a welcome sight after all these years, all those times when she thought she had hallucinated her deceased best friend. Now she knew. Haru existed still, in the life beyond, watching from beyond.

From the shooting star hero to guardian angel, Haru had always been there.

She had never truly left.

Finally, they stood up, the two of them moving in sync. For a moment they simply stood facing one another, neither willing to make a move. It was Rei who eventually caved, rushing forward once more to embrace her friend in a vice-grip hug. Haru returned the sentiment, squeezing Rei tightly as the duo buried their faces in the other's shoulder.

By the time they parted, minutes had passed. It was time. Rei stepped away, closing her eyes one final time. "You'll be with me." The way she spoke was with finality, no longer a question. She knew that she was no longer alone.

"Always."

"Love you, Haru."

"Love you too, Black Cat."

Rei grinned. "That's not my name anymore"

"Alright then, pro hero: Meishin."

"Until next time."

"Mm. Don't make it too soon."

Keeping her eyes closed, Rei felt the red ribbon tugging her backwards. It was time to return. Relaxing into the pull, she allowed herself to be dragged backwards, as though floating down a lazy river.

"Thank you," she whispered.

She nearly missed the whisper back.

"No, thank you, Rei."

Of all the sensations in the world, Rei had not missed that of returning to her body. It was like her spirit had forgotten what it was like to fit inside a body, and was now trying to pull on a pair of pants that was three sizes too small.

Except, that pair of pants was actually a morph suit, and there were seven people that were forcing her into it.

By the time she felt as though she was finally zipped back into one piece, she couldn't help the groan that came out of her throat. But instead of a groan it was more of a choked squeak, her throat bone dry and forcing out a cough instead. It was a dull, pathetic thing, and there was only more pain that came with it.

Pain, like a fire burning in her chest and her back. It never raised above a sensation of embers or hot coals, neither weak nor searing in agony. Strange, it must have been some hell of pain killers that she was on.

Pain killers.

Pain.

She was back in the real world.

Cracking an eye open, she was temporarily blinded by the buzzing fluorescent lights above her head, making her shut her eyes again from the attempt. But she was adamant, if anything. Slowly but surely she continued to peek from behind her eyelids, pupils slowly adjusting to the light and allowing her to look around and gather her wits about herself.

She was groggy still, and wanted nothing more than to go back to sleep, but she was curious. It was a rather normal hospital room, save for the fact that she was the only inhabitant. In fact, there was no other bed, indicating that she was intended to be the only occupant of the room. An oxygen mask was still attached to her face, and she was vaguely becoming more and more aware of the various needles that poked at her arms.

Alive. She was alive.

That was all she needed to know.

A nurse rushed into the room with a clipboard, Rei's golden eyes meeting her own for the briefest of moments before closing once more. Yes, she was alive.

Time would heal all else.

She would not die.

Not yet.

AN: I actually felt really bad because some of you were terribly pissed that I might have killed Rei off permanently from the story, so I'm updating a little early this time! I'm so sorry... TT please forgive me!

But... she's alive... SHE'S ALIIIIIIVE

There will be a small break between this and the next chapter, unless I can motivate myself to get a move on again with my writing schedule. Like I mentioned before, my real world schedule is kind of hectic, so finding time to write among my other real world responsibilities is difficult. But I promise that I'm not abandoning this story any time soon! It's really grown on me, and I'm having a good time with it.

But in any case, it's time for...

Reviews!

Zecrea: Thank you for the review! I've always wanted to explore Haru and Rei's relationship a little bit more, and this was how I decided on doing it. As I said, that Haru chapter was written actually a few months ago, and I just didn't know where I was going to insert it. I also agree with you on AFO stealing Rei's quirk; it probably wouldn't happen, so that's why I went with this instead. Not like it's much better for Rei... hahaha.

dragontamer64: Hahaha thank you so much! It's been very difficult getting back into the swing of writing, so your kind words help me a lot. I've always enjoyed writing personally, and it's so strange to be receiving positive feedback from internet strangers and friends. I never would have guessed that people would enjoy my story so much! But I'm so glad you enjoyed this Haru chapter as well; I hated the fact that I introduced Haru in the very beginning of the story and never brought her back, so here she is! I wanted to make sure that Haru meant something to the story and was meaningful in her actions.

ILikeFoxes828: Thank you so much, and thank you for your consistent reviews as well! They are very motivating, and I'm so glad you're enjoying this story and especially that last chapter. I will do my best to continue writing good content!

Crosswald: Thank you for your kind words! I definitely had fun not only developing Haru, but Nana as well. I feel like I'm starved for One for All user content, so I'm just creating my own at this point (and yeah, I'm caught up on the manga, but I just... need more). Hopefully this cliffhanger for this chapter is a little easier to bear than the last chapter!

RandomThingz123: Have no fear! Rei is safe and the chapter is here! I'm glad that we're finally moving through the training camp arc as well; it pained me to have to take a break right in the middle of the action, but we're going places now! I'm glad you enjoyed this chapter as well. Seems that a lot of people really enjoyed reading about Haru, which is good to know and I'm glad as well.

akagami hime chan: I'm toying with another AU chapter (no spoilers, but it's definitely going to be more fluffy than previous ones, if that's even possible?), but I'm glad you say that you enjoy all of it! I'm definitely more of an angst writer, since I CLEARLY like to draw things out for the long run (lol, so sorry Rei and Bakugou).

Vedahzii: Thank you for your kind words! Writing is all practice, and trust me, it's taken a lot of practice to get to my current writing level. But I'm always looking to improve as well, which is why I keep writing. It's like any sport or craft/ activity! Here's to the both of us and our writing practices ^^

XXThisJustInXX: Here's the newest chapter, as promised! Rei will be surviving, my poor child, but the next few chapters will probably be a heavy mix of angst with a pinch of fluff as well. Thanks so much for your review, and good talking with you as well! Please enjoy ^^

yaoi4adollar: I PROMISE SHE'S NOT DEAD I SWEAR I'M NOT THAT EVIL TT And they will be reunited soon, I promise! Thanks so much for the constant reviews; I really appreciate them and look forward to them!

bluefrost15: Aaaahhh thank you so much for all of your reviews! I'm so glad you're enjoying this story so much, and that you're enjoying Rei and Bakugou. I'm not gonna lie, it wasn't all fun and sunshine writing this story, but seeing how everyone really enjoys it had made me smile at the end of the day. I promise that this is not the end yet! They'll be reunited soon ^^ Thanks again!

synismysin: Thank you for the binging! I know how that feels to binge a story, and it's such an honor that you would say that about this story. I look forward to bringing you and others more content soon, and perhaps new stories as well. Have a great day, and thanks so much for the review!

MommaBear: Thank you for your review! The updates won't be as frequent anymore, but I promise that this story is not over. I'm hoping for more monthly updates so that I can stay alive with work and everything, but it's not over until I say it's over. Thank you thank you thank you!