A knockout meant that Bakugou was the winner, and I had lost. Coming in second. The awards ceremony had myself, Bakugou and Tokoyami on podiums raised from the ground to receive medals. Bakugou was so furious with me that he was chained to the podium and restrained.

"Third place could have gone to Iida as well as Tokoyami, but due to home life circumstances he was forced to leave early, so please understand!" said Midnight.

"Time to confer the medals! And the one who'll present the medals this year is naturally none other than - it is -

"And I am here with the medals!"/"Our hero All Might!" said Midnight and All Might together as the #1 hero let into the stands.

He placed the first medal around Tokoyami's neck. "Congratulations, young Tokoyami. You're a strong one."

"You honor me too highly."

"But relying on your quirk alone won't be enough to overcome a bad matchup. Hone your innate strength to open a world of opportunity."

"Understood."

Then All Might turned to me. "Young Todoroki," he said, as he held up the medal and I bent my head to receive it, "Congratulations. You held back. You didn't use your left side in the final match. WAs there a reason for that?"

I sighed. "It was my match against Midoriya. I think I've lost my way. I know you've taken an interest in him, and I'm starting to see why. I've always wanted to be a hero like you, but it's not like I can just forget and get over things. That's not enough. There's something I still have to settle first."

All Might leaned over me and gave me a hug, as he'd given Tokoyami. "That's a new look I'm seeing on your face. So say no more. Whatever you must settle, I'm sure you can do it."

He then turned to Bakugou. "Hm, this is a bit much," he murmured as he unlocked the muzzle UA had strapped on Bakugou's face. "You lived up to your promise. Wonderful!"

"ALL MIGHT…THIS WIN IT DOESN'T MEAN SQUAT! DOEESN'T MATTER WHAT ANYONE SAYS! IF I DON'T RECOGNIZE IT, THEN THAT MEDAL'S JUST GARBAGE!"

"Hmph. In a world that's constantly graded on a curve, there aren't many that can keep their eyes on the top space. So accept this, even if you have to think of it as a wound. Something you'll never forget."

"I DON'T WANT THAT PIECE A GARBAGE!"

All Might slowly, inexorably forced the medal into Bakugou's teeth. "Come now, there we go."

"And there you have it! This year, it's these three! However, take heed folks. There was a chance for everyone in this arena to stand there. It's just as you saw with your very own eyes! Ladies and gentlemen! They competed and boosted each other up! Everyone climbing to ever high advancing ever farther! The next generation of heroes will surely sprout from the seeds planted this day! And to that sentiment I'll add one more thing! Everybody say it with me now! and - Great work - "

"That was such a plus ultra moment!" booed the crowd.

We had the next day off. Sensei said that he'd organize all our nominations of the pros. Be sure to get in some rest."

The next day at home, I prepared to go.

"Huh? The hospital?" Fuyumi asked me. "Why so sudden? Can you really go without telling father, Shoto?"

"Yeah."

"Why now? Why see her after all this time?"

That child's left side sometimes looks unbearable to me.

My very existence drove her away. That's why I never went to her. I know that my mother's been my and my father's prisoner this whole time. So I, with all I've got, with my whole spirit, i'll say 'I want to be a hero again.' I'll tell her that. Theres so much I have to say. Even if she's not asking for it, I'll save her.

I stood in her doorway, her room in the hospital. I'd almost lost heart to open it before taking the leap.

"Mom."

She turned to look back at me. The first time I'd seen her since that day. She was tired and sad, wearing white of the institution with her pure white hair, all making her look washed out, almost ghostly. But her gaze was the gaze of the mother I remembered.

That's my starting line.