Not gonna waste time with a longwinded apology for the delay with this one.

Just know that things are about to shift, and I had a lot of tough choices to make for this chapter. I finished it, deleted it, rewrote it, deleted it again, and after exploring 3 entirely different possible plotlines to follow... Well, here is the one I decided on XD

This is where everything starts to change...

Season Three, Episode XXVI

The New World

. . .

Shisui Adachi

. . .

Questions, so many questions.

When I was taken into police custody, I was berated with demands for information.

They eased up once they realized my condition, that I was a broken woman now. I didn't hole anything back, just like Kaiji told me. I told them every last detail of what I knew about the League's Activities, and their location. As a result, just two days after the attack on the training camp, Police and Pro Heroes launched a joint attack on the League of Villains to rescue a student that had been taken.

And that was the beginning of the end.

All For One finally showed himself, the man behind the screen, the one giving me orders. He showed up to protect his protege, and in a battle against All Might they leveled Kamino Ward. My home was destroyed, all my possessions lost, but in the end he was defeated. But... All Might was forced to retire, that's what they told me. The world was about to change, and there was a good chance I wouldn't be allowed to see it.

I sat alone in a cell, currently being held, and potentially tried, as an accomplice of the League. They hadn't even let me see Kaiji, who was still laid up in the hospital. Almost two weeks, and I'd heard nothing about his condition. What was happening to him? What did those villains do to him at the camp?

Were they ever going to let me see him again? Would he be taken away by protective services? All my old fears were coming back, crashing down on me like an avalanche of shame and regret.

"Ms. Adachi?" I lifted my head as the door opened, a familiar face stepping in. It was that Detective, Tsukauchi I think. "Good, you're awake."

Not as if I could sleep with all this anxiety, "What do you want?" We'd spoken before, he'd been part of the group questioning me after I was brought in. "When can I see Kaiji?"

"Your son is fine," He assured, closing the door behind him. "He still hasn't woken up, but his body has almost completely recovered from his injures." He added, "I've come to talk about you."

Right, of course. "Alright, so what's my sentence?" I asked, releasing a heavy sigh. "I won't bother trying to fight it, I've already told you everything so what's the verdict?" I tried to keep my composure, even as the fear gnawed at my insides.

The detective quirked an eyebrow, before smiling faintly. "Your situation was under heavy deliberation for the better part of the last two weeks, but your compliance with Police and... Well, your son helped both of you out." He explained, "But there had to be a compromise, to set a precedent for other potential accomplices to the League."

That was vague, "So... What's going to happen to me?"

"Officially, you're going to Tartarus," Tsukauchi shrugged casually, "Unofficially, you're going into the witness protection program, in case the League wants to get any sort of revenge on you for all the information you gave us."

"That is... More than I thought I'd get," I was taken off guard by the offer. I was relieved, but there was another issue. "And what about my son?"

"Well, unfortunately with the League's repeated targeting of UA, we'd like to limit any risk to the students." He stated grimly, "So he'll be going into the program along with you, once the League has been dealt with or enough time has passed they've agreed he could return to complete his studies or apply for a Hero License."

I nodded slowly, "He's not going to be happy about it..." But I was, the further he was from villains the better.

Tsukauchi nodded, "I know... We're just waiting for him to wake up to deliver the news." He explained, "We're still working out the details on where you'll be relocated, but once everything is squared away we'll move you out of this cell."

"Thanks," So I wasn't a prisoner, sort of. Still, I doubted they'd just leave me alone after my involvement with the League. But that wasn't important now, "So... Do we get to pick our new home?"

Tsukauchi quirked an eyebrow, before chuckling lightly. "Well, we're considering a few locations at the moment... Did you have a preference?"

"Hmm... Somewhere quiet, low crime rate preferably... Maybe an island town."

"You're going into witness protection, not on vacation."

"So is that a no?"

"... I'll see what I can do."

. . .

Kaiji Adachi

. . .

Everything was dark, I was surrounded by nothingness.

My body felt like it was floating, but my head was cloudy and I couldn't focus.

Was I dreaming?

I could see a faint silhouette in the darkness.

Taking her form.

"Ryoko..."

Not the monster I'd fought in the forest, but my classmate.

No impact drives, overdrive matrix, no modifications at all.

Just who she used to be.

"Adachi." She stared back at me with sunken eyes. "Why didn't you help me?"

I felt my heart clench.

"I tried! But... You were too strong!"

"You were going to save me right?" She lurched forward, reaching for me with all four arms.

"W-Wait!" I couldn't move, my body frozen.

"You were supposed to bring me back!"

Her fists slamming into an invisible wall between us.

"Why didn't you help me!?"

As she screamed at me, I saw a shadow looming over us both.

It was Ryoko, the monster from camp.

She was massive, looming over us with blood red eyes.

All four arms outstretched, hands slowly closing around the girl trying to claw her way to me.

"You should have helped me! I needed you!"

Fingers tightening, her body disappearing in the shadow. Any second, they would close and she'd be-

"I THOUGHT YOU WERE A HERO!"

*CRUNCH*

"Ryoko!"

My eyes bolting open as I sat up in bed, instantly pain shot through my body. Forcing me to double over, my insides on fire for a brief moment. The pain itself began to subside rather quickly. But looking down, I saw that I was covered in bandages, casts and braces. Like I was being held together by these things, but my body underneath... My injuries weren't too bad, but that nightmare... I was gasping for breath, covered in a cold sweat as the nearby heart monitor slowed down.

I told myself when I faced her, that this wasn't my fault. That she'd made her choice... So why do I feel so terrible?

"You've got a remarkable Quirk," My head lifted and my eyes darted to the unfamiliar voice. Sitting beside the window, where the light of the morning sun crept in, was a man wearing a gray suit. He had sharp features, but also appeared very old, with white hair and a few scars on his face. As well as a bushy white mustache. Though he seemed old at first glance, those broad shoulders implied a hefty amount of muscle. "To heal so much damage so quickly... Even after Recovery Girl went to work on you."

I didn't know who this guy was, maybe someone with Police? There was something off about his accent, like this wasn't his native language. We were in a hospital, that much was for sure but there wasn't anyone else around. "How long have I been asleep?" I questioned cautiously, "And... Who are you?"

"Tell me," Ignoring my question as he adjusted in his chair, leaning forward and resting his elbows on his knees. "What do you remember, about the League's attack on the camp?"

So maybe he was with police... But still, "I didn't see any villains other than-" Hesitating briefly, before shaking my head. "Aside from Ryoko... She was the only one we engaged."

"And she escaped," Yeah I know, thanks. "Via that warp gate villain, your classmate told me... I wasn't sure if you'd remembered, they reported you'd collapsed by then."

"I remember," I nodded slowly, lowering my head. "I couldn't bring her back... No matter how hard I tried."

"I want to hear more about that part," He pressed, "Your plan, the way you utilized your classmates Quirks..."

What? Was he serious? Why did that matter now? "I... No, hold on," Shaking my head, "I want some answers, who are you? Where is everyone? And why are you asking me these things?" It didn't exactly sound like details you'd need for a police report.

"Hmph," Smirking faintly, the old man leaned back in his chair. "You're cautious, that's fair... I'm not with police, but I do come from a branch of law enforcement, my names Adam Fletcher." And now I had more questions, "I can't give you more details on my work... Yet, not without more questions... As for why no one else is here, probably because everyone else has already been checked out of the Hospital."

"Already?" I questioned, though I guess I didn't have a good frame of reference for most of the UA students. But Sen had been pretty banged up, "How long was I asleep?"

"Just over two weeks."

That answer hit my like a truck, my eyes widening in shock. "I wasn't sleeping... I was in a coma!" I exclaimed, looking around for my phone. "I... I have to call my Mom! She's gotta be worried sick!"

"We'll get to that," He said simply, "But first I've got something I'd like to discuss with you about-"

"Fletcher!" The door opened suddenly, and in stepped a rather plain looking man in a longcoat. "Out." And he didn't look happy.

The older man smirked, standing up slowly. "I guess my times up, I'm sure we'll speak again." He flashed me a suspicious look before making his way out.

The new arrival sighed lightly, his tense expression disappearing. "Sorry about that... He wasn't supposed to speak to you without me around," He explained, "I'm detective Tsukauchi, its good to see you're awake."

Detective.

Mom...

"E-Everything I've ever done since you were born... It was so I didn't lose you... You know that right?"

"Please," I looked towards him with clear desperation coloring my voice. "You have to understand, the League threatened to kill me if my mom didn't work for them! Sh-She was just trying to protect me!"

Tsukauchi held up his hands, "Relax, we know the whole situation and everything is going to be okay." He assured, though I had a hard time believing him. "There are things we need to talk about, concerning your schooling and your mothers criminal activities."

He explained everything to me over the course of a few minutes. I had a lot of questions, but waited until he was finished. I had a lot to process, knowing what had happened to All Might with the League of Villain's Leader. His subsequent retirement, and the fallout of my mothers involvement with the League. And what it meant for me now...

"I know you had your heart set on becoming a Hero," He went on after covering all the important details. "But this isn't the end, just a short while in witness protection and you can return to UA and Hero Training." Trying to reassure me, "We've already got the League on the run now that their leader is gone, maybe a month or two and you'll be back." He put on a smile for me, that was nice of him.

But, if I'm being honest...

I don't really feel like much of a hero anymore.

"Right, yeah... Thanks." But I smiled faintly, nodding my head. "And... Thanks for not locking up my mom."

He nodded as well, "We wouldn't gain anything by separating the two of you... But we will be keeping an eye on her." Tsukauchi warned, I understood and didn't plan to argue. But something about my look must have given me away, because he added- "And... Don't dwell too much on what happened, you did something incredible and saved a lot of lives." The detective offered, "In fact, Eraserhead wanted to bring down your classmates and some of the other hero course students to thank you once you woke up."

Oh, "That's... When will they be here?"

"Might be tomorrow, they wanted to visit before classes resumed, for now I've got a few more questions for you."

. . .

Ryoko

. . .

"How much longer am I going to be stuck like this?"

"Until you are properly healed," Scoffed the Doctor, as he finished changing my bandages once again. "Soon, very soon..."

Yeah, he kept saying that. But what exactly was he planning to do with me? Now that All For One was gone, the League was on the run right? But we never left this strange structure, somewhere underground I think. I'd spent the last two weeks on this bed, healing under the doctors treatments. He told me over and over again that what happened wasn't a failure, that I was simply testing the limits of my new body. And maybe he was right.

But I still felt like I'd lost, again.

"So... Kurogiri mentioned a mission for me," I said finally, before he had a chance to leave again. "Is that why you're so obsessed with getting me fixed?"

"... Hmm, so you were conscious when he brought you back," He noted, not bothering to turn and face me. "And here I'd thought you were in shock... Yes, a final mission from All For One, you'll be delivering a message to an old friend of ours."

"... Don't you literally have someone that can teleport?" I scoffed back at him, "Why send me?"

"Because Kurogiri is busy keeping watch over Tomura," He replied simply, "And you... Well, if you cannot do this, you're truly of no use to us."

This old bastard, "Tch, fine... Whatever."

I hated this old man, this place. I was so frustrated, I wanted to get out of here, but I had nowhere to go. I needed time to think about everything, but even after two weeks of laying here I had no answers. I couldn't go back like this, I could never go back. My options were keep digging this hole deeper, or give myself up. I didn't want to be bound, locked away or experimented on. I still wanted to live, I wanted to get stronger.

"Y-You're... Some kind of monster, Adachi..."

That feeling, that horrible fear in my stomach whenever I remembered his face. I didn't want to feel that anymore, I wanted to become stronger, so much stronger. So no matter who I fight, I didn't have to be scared. But how? It seemed like no matter what I did, I wasn't ever good enough.

"I won't let you get away... With THIS!"

"But I swore an oath, that I'd use my power to heal anyone in need, even if it means putting my own life in danger."

"I will stop you, Ryoko! No matter the cost!"

All of them, they were all weaker than me. In terms of our Quirks, our physical abilities, I was stronger right? So... Why do they always keep fighting? Why do they push through all that pain? Why aren't they ever afraid? Why?

Why can't I...

Sorry its short, next chapter will be out in day or two.