Season One, Episode XI

Finale Part Two

Consequences

. . .

Kaiji Adachi

. . .

I thought that mess of a match was going to be the worst part of today.

I was wrong.

"What do you mean permanent damage!?" Suru was angry, angry like I had never seen her before. "You're Recovery Girl! Can't you just fix it?"

The old woman shook her head, frowning. "My Quirk isn't all power, I can repair his body to a point, but there is a good chance he never fully recovers."

I couldn't even look at Mako, who laid back on the medical bed staring at the ceiling. He had bandages around his throat, to staunch bleeding caused by Ryoko's claws. His wings were healed thankfully, but according to Recovery Girl the damage to his spine was from that impact was... Excessive. "So, he might never walk again?" I asked grimly.

"I never said that," She corrected me quickly, "But his back will be always fragile, even if he recovers... To put it bluntly, his hero days are over..." Mako couldn't speak, thanks to the damage done to his throat, but I could see his eyes starting to glaze over with tears.

We let the silence sink in, as my eyes drifted over to Sen and Ryoko. The former was still bruised and scraped, but most of her real injuries were healed. Ryoko was still unconscious, having been knocked out by hitting that wall. According to Recovery Girl she had a concussion, and might be out for some time. My own injuries were bandaged up and healed to some extent, but Recovery Girl decided to let my natural regeneration handle the rest.

"Why?" Suru questioned, clenching her fists tightly. "Why would she do this?"

"Maybe she got carried away," Sen suggested, "The pressure might have gotten to her, made her careless..."

"You're defending her?" Suru scoffed, "After the beating she gave you!?"

"No, I still think her actions should be punished severely but..." Sen looked away, down at her own hands. "There has to be a reason right? I can't believe she would just..."

As she trailed off, I couldn't help but notice that Sen looked absolutely exhausted. Recovery Girl's healing aside, it seemed like her body had taken a heavy toll in using that sudden burst of power. She looked thinner, like she'd lost some muscle definition.

I hope the effects weren't permanent...

"Hnngh?" All eyes landed on the criminal among us, as Ryoko began to stir. She winced in pain, eyes opening slowly. "Where... Oh, that's right..." She said, seeming to remember what happened. "I lost."

"Is that all you care about!?" Suru demanded, teleporting over by her bed. "You could have killed Mako!"

Before more words could be exchanged, the door swung open. And in stepped both Principal Nezu, and Mr. Aizawa. "Suru, step away from the bed." He ordered.

She stared back at him for a moment, her expression blank, before she teleported back across the room. Sitting in a chair with her arms crossed, "She's all yours..."

Both faculty members approached the bed, Ryoko stared up at them with fear in her eyes. Aizawa spoke first, and his word were cold. "I told you there would be no more chances, you not only crippled a classmate, but behaved like a villain out there." He said sharply, "Your time at UA is finished, and we're sending you home with papers for a reform school... Maybe once you learn to temper your behavior you could become a hero... But I wouldn't get my hopes up, and you certainly aren't welcome at UA anymore." He set the papers on the table beside her bed, and turned away without bothering to wait for a response.

"But-"

"Don't you dare try and defend your actions out there," Aizawa cut her off sharply, not even bothering to turn around. "You've betrayed not only your classmates, but the trust we put in your character." And just like that, it was over.

Ryoko watched him walk away, before her eyes darted to the rest of us. It hurt to look back at her, seeing the desperation in those eyes. She wanted us to say something, to say anything at all. But how could we? After what she just did. Her gaze lingered on me, of course, because I was the one that tried the hardest to be her friend. I tried to get to know her, but now I was angry, I was upset. I couldn't bring myself to defend her. So, I turned away, and let her sink into despair alone.

"As for you," Nezu ended the silence between us all as he hopped up onto a chair beside Mako's bed. "You have my deepest apologies for what happened out there, and I assure you we're going to do everything in our power to aid in your recovery."

"However," Aizawa added in, "You can't remain in Hero Training, not in your condition... There is another path still open to you though," Mako's tear filled eyes blinked, quirking an eyebrow as he looked back at him confused. "A special class, for those with quirks for healing... It won't be hero training, and you'll be buried in medical studies, but if you want to continue at UA while you recover, this is your only option."

"We're already spoken with your parents," Nezu explained with a smile, "They leave the decision up to you, you'll have the weekend to decide while you stay here to heal."

Mako nodded as best he could, taking in a deep breath through his nose, left with a lot to think about I'm sure.

While Aizawa looked around at the rest of us, "As for you three, Adachi, Suru, Sen... You performed better than expected today, and I'm going to go ahead and void your next assessment in light of today's events."

"What?" Suru quirked an eyebrow, "But, Sen's the only one that really performed well, Adachi and I weren't even in the ring very long."

"Maybe not, " Aizawa shrugged, "However, Suru, you prioritized the safety of an injured individual over your own personal gain, showing maturity and the ability to think fast in a critical moment, your actions might have very well saved Mako's life." Before his eyes darted to me as well, "Adachi, you've showed considerable growth with your Quirk, maintaining your second form much longer and exhibiting development with your fighting skills."

I guess he wasn't wrong, I did go through two weeks of intense training. "Th-Thank you, sir..." Training with Ryoko, I was only excelling because of her.

"Take the next two days off, rest and recover," He added, "Starting next week, your training is going to get more difficult... While the hero course students are focusing on their internships, you three are going to be doing intense quirk reinforcement training."

"So that's it?" Suru questioned, voicing my own thoughts. "After everything that happened, we lost two members of our class and got a passing grade? And, we just move on?"

"What happened to Mako is unfortunate," Aizawa replied, "But otherwise, yes... That's it." He added with a shrug, "You were all told from the beginning how cut and dry this would be... Take the next few days of rest to think about what you want to achieve here, and when we get together again you can tell me if you aren't up to continuing." The two of them began making way for the door, stepping through it and leaving us alone together in silence.

They'd only been gone for a few seconds, when Ryoko forced herself out of bed. Not looking any of us in the eyes as she stormed out. I didn't bother trying to stop her, not even sure what to say if I did. Besides, I think all of us had some thinking to do...

. . .

Shikemono Ryoko

. . .

This was all their fault, why couldn't they just make it easy and bow out?

Why couldn't they do anything to help me?

For all their bullshit, all of that blue scaled bastards talk of being "friends", he abandoned me.

So what if I hurt Mako? They said he'd probably recover... Besides, it's not like I meant to hit him that hard I just...

"KICK THEIR ASSES KAIJI!"

"Do your best big sis!"

"I know you can do it, Haiyasu!"

I was angry.

I took the long way home after leaving UA. Getting plenty of looks of both concern and recognition as I limped my way off campus. I was still sore, though my injuries were healed, I felt so tired. I was angry, because they abandoned me. And I was fighting a wave of despair now that I'd been kicked out of UA. All because bird boy couldn't take a punch, ridiculous.

But maybe it wasn't over, there was this... Reform school, and if I did that maybe I could go to another school. I could excel with over a bunch of low class losers and prove that I can be a hero!

I just had to convince, him...

I felt like I'd hit rock bottom, like I had lost my only chance. And he was the only one that could give it back, he had to. Even as terrible as he was, he had to see now that I needed him, I needed him to be my father, just once...

"You're back early," He grunted, after I stepped through the door. "Figured they'd keep you in the infirmary longer, after that beating."

Wait, what? "You... You were watching?" Was... Was this it? Was he finally going t-

"Wasn't anything good on tv," He shrugged in his chair, before finishing off another bottle of that poison he loved so much. "Tuned in just in time to see you get your ass kicked by the glowing girl."

"W-Well... I did knock out two others, and almost got her too..." I defended meekly. He was so close, he just had to say a few words, and everything terrible about today would go away.

"A loss is still a loss, get me another beer would you?"

I lowered my head, slouching my shoulders, realizing what I wanted was far beyond what he had the ability to give me. "Right, sure... But, dad there's... Something else," I cautiously approached his wheelchair, "I was... They kicked me out, for using excessive force during the match... I'm sorry, I tried my best but-"

"Can't say I'm surprised," He sighed heavily, leaning back in his chair. "You always were badly behaved... Probably better this way."

My hand clenched tightly around the papers I'd been given, "B-But, they said that... If I went through a reform school, I could still apply to a different Hero School and then maybe-"

"No."

And with one word, he snuffed out my last hope. And the way he did it, so bored and uninterested... "But... Why?"

"Because clearly you aren't cut out for it," He scoffed, "It's time to stop chasing this stupid dream and focus on reality, my pension can't cover another private reform school... You're going back to a regular school, getting a job, and earning some money so we can get out of this dump!" Before he held up the empty bottle, "Now, refill."

All four of my fists clenched, as I felt something inside of me finally snap. "So that's all you care about? Me getting money so I can take care of you!?" I demanded, throwing the papers aside, "What about what I want? Huh!?"

He glared daggers back at me, "Don't raise your voice to me! I am your father, and you'll do what I say!"

"And I'm your daughter!" I shouted back at him, pulse racing as my hair bristled up and my pupils narrowed to slits. "Not your damn caretaker! So why don't you get up, and GET YOUR OWN DAMN BOOZE!" My words carrying every bit of venom I'd repressed for so many years, "Oh wait, YOU CAN'T!" I took every cheap shot, every word I knew that would hurt him. "Because you're a washed up hero turned alcoholic!"

I saw the rage flood his face instantly, as he cocked back his arm with the bottle. "You little BITCH!" Out of instinct, and the conditioning he'd imprinted on me, I flinched. The glass shattering against my face and cutting the center of my forehead open, drawing blood down my face. "Now clean that up! It's the only thing you've ever been good at, you fucking failure..."

But with the hot liquid seeping from my wound, I felt something else slipping. My head throbbing, from both the bottle's impact and my earlier concussion. All my anger, my hatred, it boiled over and far outweighed every bit of reason I had. "HRAAAAGH!" I attacked the fat bastard, driving him and his chair back against the wall before two of my hands grabbed him by the neck, lifting him out of his chair. I couldn't even speak, teeth grit so hard my jaw hurt as I stared into his eyes, before I knew I was transforming. Growing larger, turning into the beast.

He was choking, I was choking him. He flailed his arms, struggling for breath, trying desperately to push my hands back. "Gnngh! Hnngh! Sh-Shi-"

I pulled him away from the wall before slamming him right back against it. "What dad? You suddenly want to talk!?" I demanded, my grip never loosening. "Now that you realize I'm not your meek little servant you want to try and reason with me!? Now that your life is in danger you want to try and work things out!?" My visage was that of a raging animal, as my own blood ran down my face like a crimson mask.

"I-I-I'm... S-Sorry..." He managed to choke out, face turning colors.

I knew what I wanted to do.

I knew it was wrong and it would mean the end of everything but...

I didn't care.

"Heh... Heheheh... Sorry isn't GOOD ENOUGH!" I couldn't help but feel some twisted sense of amusement as his eyes filled entirely with fear. "But you were right about one thing, dad..." Panic turning to desperation, as my grip tightened. "I am nothing... But a Failure!"

And with sickening snap, his body went limp.

I let him go, watching his fat body hit the floor, lifeless. The adrenaline rush slowly wearing off, as I stared down at him.

"Heheheh... Hahahahaha! Hahahah!" Something inside me broke, "Hahaha- Hnngh!" I felt sick, as his empty eyes rolled back slowly. The weight of my decision hitting me full force. "Gnngh!" I grabbed a hold of my head, nails digging into the skin.

"AAAAAAAAAAGH!"

And so ends, season one...

And the full tone for this story has been set, it will be bitter and grim. Hopefully not too edgy, with bits of hope glimmering in the darkness~

Season 2 will begin in a few weeks. Feel free to give me your thoughts, ideas, things you'd like to see :D

Until then, have a nice day ;3