Death

by tmb1112

Death is a Quirk that can only kill. A perfect Quirk for a villain, but what if the boy who manifested that power just wanted to be a hero? Enrolling in U.A. might not be enough when all your Quirk can do is kill people. Follow Zach Sazaki from his first day in Class A on a story that spans years, as he learns to be a hero, finds out more about his Quirk, and too much to summarize!

19. Chapter 19: Trial

Chapter 19:

Zach was led into a room and the police officer behind him told him to lift his arms. His wrists were cuffed in front of him now, and he rose them for the cop to take off. "You have fifteen minutes," the man said, then he stepped back and closed the door.

The woman at the table in front of Zach stood on the side of it and she motioned for him to come take a seat. "I'm sorry I could not get you in here sooner. Yours is a high profile case though, and they tried to say you were too dangerous to keep us from talking- anyway, my name is Rivera Hanuri, I am your defense attorney." The woman had purple skin with white dots on her face that looked like freckles. Her hair was orange and tied back behind her in a single braid, and she wore a professional-looking black suit and long matching skirt.

Zach walked forward hesitantly and to the chair she had motioned at. "This must all be very scary for you," Rivera began to the boy she did not back away from as he took his seat. She leaned down towards him and continued, "Have they been treating you right? How are conditions where you've been being held?"

"Okay, I guess," Zach said, getting confused by the questions. The lawyer frowned at his response though, hoping for a different answer as cruel as it would be to him. "Are you- going to get me out of here?" Zach asked, his voice nervous and his eyes darting around the room.

"If you mean, defend your actions in court, then yes," Rivera replied, while walking around the table and sitting on the other side of him. Zach stared at her in confusion, and she sighed but then started explaining fast to the boy who did not seem to understand what was going on. "Here's the quick rundown. You're being tried as a minor, so don't worry about any massive punishment or anything. Also, this case is getting a lot of fanfare, so already there are a large number of people supporting that you be released right away."

"Really?" Zach asked, hope filling his eyes.

His lawyer nodded, but then she frowned and the boy's mouth lowered back down at the corners. "Then again, there are a lot of people who are also against you. However, the majority of those people are not calling for very harsh punishments either, so take a deep breath and relax a little." Zach tried doing as she said, but after his deep breath the lawyer could see he was just as tense as ever. She hummed though and then continued, as time was short, "They've got you on a lot of charges. I wish I could tell you this case is in the bag, because I personally feel like you shouldn't be being prosecuted," she frowned more and added, "but, this case is difficult. Since it's two separate cases, and the villains you- killed, were in two different incidents…"

"Huh?" Zach said, his voice confused and his head tilting to the side. "Two, 'different' incidents?" He asked.

Rivera started staring at him confusedly now, and she nodded her head while wondering what he was thinking. As his lawyer though, she did not want to know what he was thinking there, and she just explained to him, "Atsuhiro Sako was the villain known as Compress, or Mr. Compress." Zach nodded his head slowly, thinking on the man he spun around and smacked his hand across during the battle. His eyes lowered to the table, imagining talking with that man in the few days he had known him. "The other, Shindeki Buda, was the name of the villain from the USJ Incident who-"

Zach's eyes opened huge and his bottom lip lowered, as he suddenly remembered that name. He thought about the news programs, and he whispered, "Him?" He thought about the picture that would sometimes pop up on the news after, and again after the Sports Festival. I always just ignored when they'd talk about him. I didn't want to think of him, as a… I didn't want to humanize him. I just thought of him as, "a villain," in my head. But, if it was those two, then what about…

"Yes," Rivera replied. "I know you thought that case was dropped, however your prosecutors this time are the same ones who attempted to get you charged last time. They were unable to find substantial evidence then to pursue a case against you, but with the Camino Ward incident added on top of it, they were able to charge you with both. Unfortunately, since you were never charged the first time, this doesn't fall under the category of being charged twice with the same crime. Instead, with the time they were given to find evidence on you for this incident, they say they uncovered enough evidence to charge you with Buda's death as well."

Zach lifted his hands to run them through his hair, but he winced in pain as he hit himself with the box on his right hand. "Ow," he muttered after a second of the lawyer looked at him worriedly.

She cracked a smile at the boy and then she leaned forward with a more serious look on her face, "Now that you're all caught up. We have to talk about what we're going to do for your defense. I already have some things ready to back you up. Previous cases with precedent about self-defense and the use of Quirks, but because this is the second time, and because there is speculation over the nature of your business being in the location of the second incident, I feel we could use some character witnesses."

"What do you mean?" Zach wondered, but he already had a bad feeling about this.

"People who will back up the fact that you're not a villain. People who will tell the court that you were just doing what you needed to, that you're a hero! You're a student at the prestigious U.A. High School. Already many people doubt that someone who goes there would do these things if they did not have to, but if there are people who start backing that up by talking about the type of person you are too." Rivera smiled at him, and Zach saw a long, thin tongue in her mouth slide across the top of her bottom row of teeth. She finished while lifting her purple hands in front of her, "Then the court will understand that you only did the things you needed to."

Oh damn, oh man, oh geez… Zach lifted his left hand and started scratching the side of his head. The lawyer in front of him started talking about how she already had a few ideas for character witnesses, but Zach was sweating badly. Character witnesses? I'm screwed! She's talking about my classmates! Even the ones who think I did the right thing though, they'll have to go up on the stand and take an oath to tell the truth if they do. They'll have to tell things about me. They'll have to, talk about what I said back in the forest… "Wait a second," Zach whispered. Rivera looked at the boy wondering why he was stopping her, and he lifted his gaze back to her eyes. "Is the prosecution, going to question anyone from my class?"

"Most likely," Rivera replied. She did not like how nervous the boy looked with that question, but she continued anyway, "As well as whoever we call up, who they can cross-examine, they can call up their own witnesses as well."

Am I, really going to be okay? Zach thought. Let's see. I thought, I had gotten away with the stuff I did. But what did I really do that they can get me on? I was defending myself against the villains, for sure, but she said that the circumstances around why I was protecting myself that second time are shaky. What does she mean by that? What is the speculation over why I was there? Are they going to ask if I voluntarily went with the villains? If I say no, that I felt forced into going, would- would I be lying? And even if I do say that, will my classmates back me up? I think they will after what I heard at the hospital… Zach's lips started trembling and he lifted his left hand and put it in front of his face. "I- I don't think I can-"

"You're going to be alright," his lawyer said, her voice firm. Zach lowered his hand and looked at the woman in surprise, and she gave him a serious look back to get him to calm down. "Let's get back to it. You'll have time to freak out later on your own, but while we're together we need to work. Now, your neighbors have already contacted me. John and Mary Akers, as well as-"

"Don't bring her into court," Zach interrupted, his eyes narrowing down angrily as he said it.

Rivera lifted her eyebrows in some surprise, then she countered him, "It could really help. Jenny-"

"I don't care what her parents told you, or what she said, or anything," Zach said. "Do not, bring her into court. Tell the Akers I'm happy they want to help me, but tell them I do not want Jenny here."

Rivera frowned but she nodded. "Alright then. Well, next we have your teachers. They've only known you for the same amount of time as your fellow students, but unlike your classmates, they've known about your Quirk the entire time. They have seen you interact with classmates and in hero environments without using your Quirk every day, responsibly. I'm sure each of them will have something to say-"

"Don't call up All Might," Zach said. Rivera frowned at him again, a hesitant look on her face. "I mean it," Zach continued, his breathing picking up. "If All Might is up there, he has to tell the truth and the whole truth, right? He can't lie?!" Rivera leaned back at that question, but she nodded her head at him again. "Then he can't go up there."

"Why not?" She asked him.

Zach frowned and kept his mouth shut for a few seconds, then he glanced down and bit hard. "There's, lawyer- criminal confidentiality right?"

"Attorney-client privilege, but yes," Rivera replied.

"Alright," Zach whispered. He lifted his head to look into his lawyer's eyes, and he said, "If the prosecutors ask All Might, when he first met me, as I bet is probably a question they could totally ask, All Might would have to tell them…" Zach hesitated, then he took a deep breath and he said, "That, he saved my life, when I was eight years old." His lawyer stared at him in surprise, then she leaned back with a pained expression as Zach looked down and continued, "I had jumped off my roof. I just- wanted to end it, but All Might he- he saved me. And then, he told me," he grimaced and did not know if he should keep going, but this lawyer seemed professional and like she would not repeat it to anyone. "He told me I could be a hero." Zach lifted his head and stared into Rivera's dark eyes and the blue irises in the middle of them, "If people find that out, they might start blaming All Might for what I've done. I- I can't let All Might…" Zach purses his lips and shook his head around.

His lawyer stared at him in surprise for a few moments, then she sighed and frowned deeply after letting that set in. "I'm sorry, Zach," she said. He lifted his gaze in confusion, and she continued in a low voice, "But the prosecution has already called All Might as a witness." Zach's eyes bulged, and Rivera continued, "There's nothing I can do about it. And there's nothing I can do to influence what questions the prosecution asks. If I try and get them not to say something, they'll only want to say it more."

"No," Zach whispered, looking down and staring at the table in fear. Everything? Is this, is everything going to come out? I don't want this. I don't want, to be on the news. I hate this! Why is this happening?! I was just, trying to help people! Zach's face scrunched up and his teeth clenched in frustration.

"You're time is up."

Zach spun around towards the doors, his eyes huge. "That was fifteen minutes?" He whispered.

"Don't worry," his lawyer started from behind him. Zach looked back while the cop walked towards him, and Rivera had gotten out of her seat and was giving him an encouraging look. "We'll have another chance to talk before the trial. When they bring you in I'll have some time with you, tell you all I have. While you're gone though, before I see you again," the officer behind Zach told him to lift his hands to get the cuffs back on. Zach turned to him and did as the cop said, but he looked over his shoulder as his lawyer continued, "I want you to think about whether or not you'll be willing to go up on the stand yourself. Remember, you have the right not to incriminate yourself, but if you can go up there and answer questions honestly, it'll go a long way to proving to everyone your innocence."

Testify? Should I… Zach breathed heavily but he nodded his head at her to show he understood. He then turned and followed the officer back out of the room, his hands once again cuffed. He was led back down the hall outside the room he could meet his lawyer in, walking past cells on either side of him. The officer brought him back down to his own. A loud buzzer went off and the bars opened up for him. And Zach stepped inside and the cop took his cuffs off once again.

The bars closed behind him with the sound of another buzzer, then the boy in an orange jumpsuit took a seat on his small bed up against the wall. He sat on it and stared across his cell at the sink attached to the wall, and at the mirror over it. He put his elbows down on his knees and lowered his chin down on top of the box on his right hand. Zach Sazaki stared in the mirror and he saw sad eyes staring back at him. "Why is this happening?" He whispered.

Zach stared at himself, and he had the sudden urge to touch his face and see. He could not do it with the box around his right hand, but he wanted to really look at himself in that form. For the first time, he did not feel afraid of it. What am I thinking about at a time like this? He thought, shaking his head to get the thought out of his mind. He refocused on the mirror and narrowed his gaze. If I testify against myself, I won't perjure myself. I, I'm not a criminal, so I don't need to. If I tell them the truth, will I really be let free though? Zach stared at himself even more afraid, and he started thinking faster. Why wouldn't I be? I only did, the right thing. Every time! I did what I thought was right. Even the villain at USJ, how can they say that's my fault?! I thought it was- but, but I was wrong! That guy was trying to kill us all. If Snipe hadn't shown up- but he did- But if he didn't! If he didn't, then what I did was the only thing to do. The teachers apologized. They said they were at fault for it. I didn't get charged! How can they charge me for it now, after all this time?!

The kid lowered his head down more into his hand, then he lifted his left instead and put down the metal box so that he could actually rub around his face. He felt a headache coming on, and even though Recovery Girl had been to visit him once now, his back still hurt and he winced while laying on his back on the bed. His right side felt mostly better though, so that was one plus side out of all this. Zach lay flat on his back and he lifted the box up over his body, staring at it with a dark look on his face. "If I tell the truth, I shouldn't get in trouble. I- helped people. Kirishima, Vlad-sensei… the others who Dabi and Ganeshi were threatening too…" Zach trailed off his muttering, then he stared at his right arm even closer. Ganeshi, he thought. No one's said a thing about him. I know I saw him collapse, but, but what is it? Is it because All Might's punch threw me into him? Is it that I'm not actually responsible, that it wasn't intentional that time? Or, or did he escape? Do I ask? Do I bring attention to the fact that I killed someone else? That I- probably, killed someone else…

Zach's frown deepened farther and he spun, standing up next to his bed again and glaring into the mirror. What did I do?! Why am I here?! He pursed his lips at his reflection in the mirror, then he turned and started pacing back and forth in his cell. He walked from his toilet to the bars and then back again, dozens of times while his thoughts were racing. Compress. The villains. Shigaraki said that they were going to kill me. But, that was after I killed Compress- but still! They were going to. They knew I wanted Bakugo out of there, they wouldn't have forgiven that. And I stopped Magne, and, and I was trying to help All Might. They knew I was their enemy, and they were going to kill me! The other villain too. How is protecting yourself a crime?! Protecting others?! If I didn't go with them, they would have kept attacking the camp. They might have killed someone else, or maybe they wouldn't have given me the time to bring back Kirishima! They only didn't make a move during that because I gave it as one of my conditions. And then I, then I said those things to my classmates. Zach lifted his left hand and scratched it over the top of his head over and over again. He started grumbling to himself and then muttering, then he growled aloud, "Why did I say all that?"

I should have just left them in silence. Dabi made that wall of flames anyway. I didn't need to say all that stuff. Why did I have to say it?! I made myself sound like such a villain, in front of my classmates. In front of people I don't know well. In front of a hero, and Monoma… Monoma came to help though. It was for me, it had to be. Because I told him I didn't forgive him- I put him in danger! But, but if I didn't say that, then Mt. Lady wouldn't be alive right now! So another good decision! All those choices I made, they weren't bad ones! They saved people! Even if some of them were unnecessary, even if I didn't do as much good as I thought I would, I didn't just go there to get in the way. There were reasons! I was a target, and I went because if I had stayed, they would have kept killing my classmates! That's why I went, and everything that happened after that, is a result of that decision! That's the story I'm sticking with. And that's the truth.

---

Zach sat at the front of a courtroom. He could hear a lot of people talking behind him, but he did not want to look back there. He knew there was a camera there too, at least one. He did not want his face televised. For as long as he could keep it off camera, he wanted to. He sat in a black suit, with Rivera at his side wearing the same formal attire she wore to visit him a few days before. To his left, past a gap in front of the aisle of seating rows going back through the courtroom, was another table like the one he and Rivera sat behind. Behind that table though, there were two men who kept darting Zach looks that made him feel very nervous. They each had light skin and broad shoulders, one of them with a sharpened jaw-line and the other's a fatter one, and the one with a fat jaw was a little larger around the stomach too.

"The prosecution," Rivera whispered to him, leaning her head close to the boy who was pretending to stare forward instead of to his left. He could see lots of folders and files in front of them, sheets of paper that they started writing on after looking towards him which only made him more nervous. "They're good," his lawyer whispered. Zach felt nervous, then he turned to the right as Rivera added, "But I'm better." He looked at her, and the woman winked at him.

Zach felt a small bit of relief at Rivera's confidence. Added with the conversation they had before coming out here, he knew they had a solid defense lined up for him. The truth, he thought, his head turning to a door behind the front area that just opened up. There were two boxes on either side of a huge wooden podium, one of which he knew was the stand and was right in front of him, and the other had a short man in glasses sitting behind a computer to write down everything that happened in there. The stenographer started typing quickly as an officer on the side of the room called out that Judge Wilson was presiding over the trial. The bailiff called out the charges, then added that Zach was being charged as a minor.

The judge walked up and sat behind the tallest part of the room, sitting at the desk that looked like a podium from down where Zach was sitting. He gulped as he looked up at the dark-skinned walrus man who had long tusks sticking out of his top row of teeth and dipping down below his chin. His arms also turned into brown flippers towards the hands, but those flippers were also covered in brown fur just like the sides of his head. He was a large, and intimidating figure, and Zach wondered what type of Quirk he had that made him look like this. "Zach Sazaki, versus the People of Japan," Judge Wilson began. He turned towards the prosecution and said, "I'll take opening statements now."

Zach sat there nervously and watched as one of the two prosecutors, the man with the sharp jaw-line, walked up and started speaking in a high-pitched voice that sounded like a woman's. The man accused him of killing two people, acting outside of the law, attempting to take it into his own hands, and using his Quirk without a Hero License. And with every extra thing he added, Zach slouched farther into his seat, because he did not feel like the prosecutor was lying. The prosecution finished strong, claiming that Zach Sazaki had proven in a short few months that he cannot be trusted as a hero, ending with, "What kind of hero, kills every villain he comes across? What kind of person does this?"

The boy and his defense attorney both heard with that last sentence that the prosecutor was hinting at something, but he finished his opening statements and only made Zach more nervous as he left that up in the air. What is he going to say about me? What are they going to tell everyone?! I'm getting blasted right now! Rivera stood up and she started talking, and Zach slid back up out of his seat, sitting straight up with wide eyes as his attorney started emphatically calling out on his behalf and swinging her arms towards him in a dramatic fashion. Whoa, he thought, as she suddenly got very into this at only the opening statements. "…without any choice of his own, the defendant was forced into terrible situations where his life was in danger. He acted not only accordingly, not only in a way that protected himself, but in a heroic fashion, saving his fellow classmates and himself. This trial should never have been called. Zach Sazaki, has done nothing wrong."

Rivera walked back over to the table and sat next to Zach who stared at her with wide eyes, then a smile. "That was great," he whispered to her, unable to keep his mouth shut like she suggested he do before they entered. She gave him a small half-smile back, but then she looked away indicating that he should still stay quiet. Zach spun to the prosecutors who were whispering to each other and motioning at their papers, then the one with the fat jaw stood up as Judge Wilson asked for their first witness.

"The prosecution calls Sekijiro Kan, commonly known by his pro hero name, Vlad King, to the stand."

Zach spun to the aisle behind him, and he started sweating as he looked towards the muscular man with short spiky gray hair. It was not just Vlad King who made him nervous though, but the other people he noticed sitting around that man who just stood up who had him feeling tense. The other U.A. faculty were all sitting around him, all wearing suits just like Vlad King was. What day is it?! Is there school- oh wait, it's still summer. Still, all the teachers, they're pro heroes too. Shouldn't some of them be out on the streets or something? Why did everyone, Zach only looked a few rows back, but he was too nervous to look any farther after seeing the teachers, so he just followed Class-B's homeroom teacher as he walked up and then through the gap between the defense and prosecution's tables.

Vlad King glanced down at the boy on his right as he walked past, and they shared a similar look that said neither of them wanted to be there. The teacher and pro hero walked up to the stand and took a seat before fidgeting around in his chair that seemed too small for the muscular hero to sit in. He was quickly sworn in to make sure that he only told the truth while he was up there. "Vlad King," the prosecutor began as he walked up. The man with a chubby chin held out a hand and said as if it were obvious, "As a pro hero, one would assume that you have above average judgement when it comes to villains, situations where villains are involved, and a better insight than most as to the mindset of a villain."

"I don't know if I'd say that," Vlad began.

The prosecutor was not asking a question there though, and he just continued once the hero stopped, "Well, whether you think so or not, us citizens believe in your judgements. As a hero, we take what you say very seriously. So could you tell us, the events that led up to Zach Sazaki going with the villains on the third night of the U.A. summer training camp?"

The way the prosecuting attorney worded that statement unnerved Zach. "Going with," not "being taken by." He knows what he said too. Why does Vlad King look so nervous? Come on sensei, say something good!

"The villains attacked us at base camp," Vlad King began. "We had received information from Mandalay's Telepath, informing us of the situation, and Eraser Head went out to gather students and send them back to camp. However, one of the two targets of the villains' attack was at the camp-"

"And why was Zach Sazaki there at the time? Why was he not out with the other students?"

Vlad King frowned, but he answered truthfully, "Along with a group of other students, he was taking extra lessons."

"For what reason did they need the extra lessons?"

"Objection, your Honor," Rivera called out, standing out of her chair. "Relevance to the case."

"I'll allow it, but make this the end of this track of questioning," Judge Wilson said, nodding at the defense attorney and then the prosecutor who smiled and nodded back. It was his last part on this line of questioning anyway.

The U.A. teacher kept frowning at the lawyer in front of him. I know it's his job, but, Vlad sighed mentally but responded aloud, "The students taking extra lessons needed them because they failed the Final Exam."

The prosecuting lawyer nodded, then he stepped back and took a pause to show he was getting back on track. In a deep voice the chubby-chinned man continued, "Alright, please continue with your recollection of the night's events."

"We were attacked," Vlad said, getting frustrated but keeping his cool as he paraphrased. "They broke into the classroom, and the initial attack caused a lot of injuries among myself and the students. When they entered the room, one of them mentioned how they were targeting Zach Sazaki, so he backed away from the broken wall. I started to fight the villains, and at that time, Mandalay used her Telepath to inform everyone that Eraser Head had given the students permission to use their Quirks. Still, even with myself and the students facing them," he grimaced and looked so frustrated as he continued, "we were unable to stop the villains." He paused, then he turned to the boy staring at him from the table right in front of the stand, "Zach Sazaki, went with the villains to prevent them from killing the other students and myself. They were too strong, and he-"

"But that is not what you said in your initial report, is it?" the prosecutor in front of Vlad King cut in. "I understand that at the time, you were not under oath. But when you first talked to the police about the incident, you had a different outlook on the events that transpired."

Vlad did not say anything, but he had to start avoiding Zach's gaze so he just glared at the prosecutor instead. "Instead of have you repeat what you said back then though, I'll just read the report myself and you can tell me if that's really what you thought back then. You had said, after your treatment and you had come back into consciousness, that Zach Sazaki left with the villains of his own accord. You claimed back then as you do now, that he may have done so in order to save you and the other students who were there. However, you were not sure of yourself and added, that you thought there was a chance that Zach Sazaki had actually joined with the villains. Isn't that correct?" The lawyer's voice rose in pitch towards the end like he was surprised by what he was reading, which only made Vlad frown deeper at the lawyer in front of him.

"Yes," Vlad replied after a few seconds' hesitation.

"Why did you think that?" The prosecutor asked.

"He was," Vlad began. "Very convincing, however he needed to be in order to trick the villains."

"He made, a convincing villain," the prosecutor said, taking a step back from the stand and putting his hands together behind his back. "Perhaps it was in order to trick the villains. But from the same police reports of that night, we have several eye witnesses of what Zach Sazaki said that managed to convince even a pro hero that he had 'switched sides.' Those eye witness accounts claimed to have seen Zach Sazaki smirking 'villainously,' or 'menacingly,'" he put up air quotes both times, and Zach looked down at the table in front of him, wondering which of his classmates had said those things about him. "And even more," the prosecutor continued, "some of the things he had said, sounded remarkably similar to the villains' ideology, yet he had compared that ideology into his own life. Using the words of the Hero Killer: Stain, Zach Sazaki claimed that this hero society we live in is a sham. Hmph," the lawyer shook his head and then turned to look at the young man behind the table who lifted up his gaze to meet the chubby-chinned guy's. "How can one expect to be a hero, when they don't even believe in the society they're trying to be a part of?"

The prosecutor turned back to Vlad King, and he told the hero that he had no further questions. It was time for Rivera's turn, and as much as Zach wanted to whisper some things to her to prepare after all that, she stood up right away in a confident way that made him feel like he did not need to worry. She marched up to the stand, and she said straight away, "Vlad King, would you agree with my client, that many of the people who joined the League of Villains likely did so because of the Hero Killer's ideology?"

"I would," Vlad responded.

"So wouldn't using the Hero Killer's own words, be a great way to convince the villains that he was really on their side?" She asked. Vlad once again agreed with her, and he smiled as he responded affirmatively. Rivera turned after those two simple questions, and she began while facing the rest of the courtroom, "Zach Sazaki went with the villains, yes. No one is arguing the fact that he left with them. However, the prosecution would have you believe he did this because he's secretly evil. This child, attending the most prestigious hero school in our country, is not the villain the prosecution wants to make him out to be. Seeing the situation was out of the hands of his teacher and classmates, my client chose to leave with them and prevent the bloodshed of anyone else trying to protect him. If he had just run out with the villains though, his classmates would have chased him and tried to stop the villains who they were given permission to fight. So in order to protect his classmates, and put the villains off guard, the defendant tricked everyone around him into thinking that he was the bad guy. If you step back and look at the situation, he managed to take what could have been an incident with several fatalities, and ended it without any loss of life. He not only kept his classmates from chasing after him, but he went as far as to convince the villains he was leaving with that he was switching sides. Unfortunately, he was a little too convincing," Rivera said and cracked a smile while looking back at Vlad who scratched the side of his head at her look.

"Still, to be able to trick even a pro hero," Rivera continued while looking back into the courtroom. "As the prosecution says, pro heroes have above average insight. So to convince even Vlad King. To make decisions in such a chaotic scenario, decisions that saved lives." She chuckled and then finished while looking towards Zach, "I for one am impressed by Zach Sazaki's actions. Instead of punishing him, he should be praised for defusing that situation without any more of his classmates losing their lives."

"Objection," the prosecutor with the sharper chin stood up. He shook his head while looking towards Rivera Hanuri, then looked to the judge and said, "None of the students lost their lives at the U.A. training camp."

Rivera turned to Vlad before the judge could say anything about the complaint. "Would you agree with that statement?" She questioned.

Judge Wilson paused, then he turned to his left at the man sitting there and a little below him. Vlad looked hesitantly at the woman before him, then to his right at the judge, then out into the courtroom again. "I, don't-" he paused, then he looked into Zach's confused eyes and began again, "I do not know what I saw. I was, at the time, badly injured. However, what I did see, was Zach Sazaki using his Quirk to seal a hole in another student's chest. It was a life-threatening injury, if not, already a fatal one…" Vlad faded off, frowning more as he thought back on it. "But I do not know, whether or not the boy's heart had stopped before Sazaki stepped in."

"Alright," Rivera said, accepting the answer. "To clarify though, for the record. If my client had not stepped in, the other student would be dead right now?"

"I believe so," Vlad responded.

"And it was in order to save this classmate, that Zach Sazaki first called out to the villains?" Rivera questioned.

Vlad nodded then responded slower, "I, think so."

It was not a strong reaction, but Rivera nodded at the sound of it anyway. Then, a voice shouted from far back in the courtroom, "THAT'S RIGHT!"

Everyone in all the rows spun their heads, Rivera looked back and Vlad sweatdropped but leaned to the side a little to look back there. Zach just bowed his head though, looking down and shaking his head even as he could not keep the corners of his lips from curling up a small amount. The judge started banging his gavel, but the voice in the back of the room continued yelling, "Zach saved my life! He brought me back!" Kirishima, Zach thought, trying so hard not to smile considering the courtroom was getting loud and turning more chaotic. Thank you, Zach thought, lifting his head with a more confident look on his face now.

"No further questions your honor," Rivera said while the room was still loud, though Kirishima's shouting voice was getting farther away as he was taken out of the courtroom.

Vlad King was allowed to leave the stand, and the courtroom settled down pretty quickly. Zach knew his classmate had been led out, but now he wished he had turned when everyone else did. Who else is here? Are they all in the back of the room? Or was Kirishima going to be a witness so they called him here? I know some of the witnesses already, but she said the prosecution could have others hidden up their sleeves. I can handle this though.

The next one up on the stand was Aizawa Shouta. He was introduced as "the defendant's homeroom teacher," then they added "Eraser Head" afterwards. As they asked Aizawa to describe the USJ incident followed by the training camp in the woods, Zach started wondering something. Are they going to call up any of my classmates? I feel like the others have all talked to each other enough by now, that no one would really help the prosecution out… I don't know. I hope not. I told Rivera I didn't want to bring any of them up here either though, even though she said they would make good character witnesses. I just don't, I don't want them talking about- Zach thought about what he shouted at the villains before putting his right hand to his chest. He thought about the number of people who saw him do that. He wondered about the other things he said before he entered Kurogiri's portal, or before he left with Dabi and Ganeshi at the start. They sound like they know all about that already, but I can at least keep some things about myself from being televised to the whole world.

"…and when you returned to the classroom, what did you do next?" The prosecutor with the sharp chin asked. He grinned after asking it, but Aizawa kept frowning while glaring right back into his eyes and the lawyer got a bead of sweat on the side of his face.

Aizawa responded though, "When I heard the situation, I ran out into the woods to find Sazaki."

"Leaving the rest of your students without a hero to protect them?" The prosecuting attorney asked.

Aizawa glared at the man harder, then he began in a low and annoyed voice, "The villains had just left the area. If they planned on causing harm to those left behind at camp, why would they have left in the first place? I had to put priority on the student I knew was in danger first." The prosecutor nodded at Aizawa, and the hero grimaced before glancing back towards Zach. He continued, "I rushed through the woods, until I came upon a group of students in a clearing. It was the area where Katsuki Bakugo and Zach Sazaki were taken from."

"Where the portal-user appeared," the prosecutor specified, wording the end of what Aizawa said differently. Then he continued before Aizawa could make the remark that he opened his mouth to say, "How long, would you say it was between when the portal-user disappeared and you came out into the clearing?"

Aizawa held his tongue, then he said in a low voice, "I don't know."

"Well, the police reports taken from a few of the students in that clearing, say very clearly that you arrived within a minute of the villains' departure," the prosecutor said. "So we'll go with, under a minute," the lawyer said, shrugging his shoulders like he had hoped for a better, more specific, answer from Aizawa. He sounded satisfied with the time he already had though, and then he continued while turning back to the courtroom, "In the reports made by the students who Eraser Head came across in that clearing, the prosecution noticed something strange. Every one of the villains had already gone through the portal, leaving the accused behind. This is where those rumors originated from I'm sure, because, even though there were no more villains around, Zach Sazaki attacked his classmate, and then he stepped through the portal on his own. He was not coerced, and he had a choice," the other prosecutor walked up to the judge's stand and handed up some papers with the police reports on them.

"Now, we did not call those students up today," the sharp-faced attorney continued while the judge read over some reports. "Because in the time they've had since the event, the students have talked to each other. They've talked to the defendant, and he has given them his reasons. I don't imagine the emotion-based responses we would get out of them now, in attempts to help a classmate, would paint an accurate picture of the events that transpired that night. But what they reported, what they told the police directly after seeing Mr. Sazaki's actions, it is far from heroic."

"Am I done up here?" Aizawa questioned the prosecutor's back, interrupting what was about to be a dramatic pause.

The attorney frowned as that took away some of the drama he meant to end that statement on. He lifted the corners of his lips again though as he turned, "Yes, but one last thing." The prosecution's grinning faces did not give Aizawa a good feeling, and he knew he was right to feel that way as the man in front of him asked, "Do you think Zach Sazaki should keep trying to be a hero?"

Aizawa glared hard into the lawyer's eyes, but they did not falter this time. The pro hero frowned deeply, glancing behind the lawyer to the kid behind the table whose bottom lip had lowered at the question. Zach started glaring at the lawyer's back after a few seconds. How? Alright, alright no, it makes sense. I shouted it, when I was shouting all that stuff at everyone, I shouted how Aizawa sensei gave me training he didn't think I could do. I knew he wanted me to quit-

"It's not my place to decide," Aizawa started.

"But I want your opinion on it," the prosecutor said. He narrowed his eyes but kept smiling as he said, "Do you think Sazaki has what it takes to be a hero? Is he, hero material? Should he continue on this path? In your opinion," the lawyer added that at the end, and the dark haired hero before him let out a long sigh before frowning just as deep as before.

"No," Aizawa replied.

Aizawa expected the man to ask 'Why not' afterwards, but the lawyer just leaned back away from the stand and nodded his head. "Thank you. That is all."

Zach almost felt relieved that the prosecution did not go further into that question, but it unnerved him too much that they didn't. He watched hesitantly as the lawyer walked back to his table, while Zach's lawyer got up slowly at his side. Rivera started walking towards the stand, but she did not have a great feeling about this herself. She did not want to ask Aizawa why he thought Zach should not be a hero, but it was clearly set up with everyone in the room now waiting to hear what that reason was. "Eraser Head," she began. "You've been the defendant's homeroom teacher for a semester now, correct?" Aizawa nodded and gave an affirmative response. "In that time, has Zach Sazaki ever shown violent tendencies? Has he acted out in class? Or, been violent towards classmates outside of hero training exercises?"

"No," Aizawa replied.

"The statement given by U.A. is that Zach Sazaki is an 'aspiring hero and a bright student- not, a, villain.' Would you agree with that statement?" She questioned.

Aizawa paused for a moment. "He doesn't have the best grades, but they're not the worst either," Aizawa replied. "But I'd agree," he finished.

Is he calling me not bright? Or is he trying to tell me to study harder, if I get back into class? If I can get out of this, without going to prison forever… Zach shook his head, reminding himself that that was not going to happen.

"That is all," Rivera finished. Zach lifted his gaze to her in a bit of surprise that she ended it like that, but Rivera did not want to keep Aizawa on the stand any longer than necessary. She half expected the prosecution to stand up now and add in another question, but the judge just sent Aizawa off and asked for another witness.

This time, Rivera called forward a witness. She called forward John Akers, who she used as a character witness and asked all about Zach. Zach felt really awkward having Mr. Akers say all this good stuff about him, while he sat there right in front of the man. Mr. Akers was not hesitant at all though to respond to Rivera's questions in as long-winded a way as he could. Anecdotes about when Zach was a kid, how he acted around his daughter, the boy's ideology and how all he wants to do is be a hero and help people. Then, Zach felt the most relief ever as the prosecution said that they had no questions for the defendant.

I didn't want Jenny coming, but I'm glad they decided on just Mr. Akers being here. Hopefully that means Mrs. Akers is keeping Jenny from watching this. Is this being televised? I didn't want to ask, but I also just kind of figured the answer was yes. Zach fidgeted around in the suit Rivera had gotten for him to wear during the trial. As Mr. Akers walked down from the stand and past Zach, the boy could only glance at his neighbor for a second before his mind wandered again.

The situation was weird, he knew that much from what he had seen on tv before. There was no bail hearing, since the case was happening so soon and apparently he had been considered enough of a danger. At the same time though, he was given liberties like not wearing cuffs, being allowed to change, but the fact that there was not even a jury there in the room really confused him at first. Apparently though, Rivera had told him before the trial had started, he was not up for jail time. He was relieved by that, while at the same time confused as to why the trial still needed to go on. She told him that the trial itself was more of a civil review, and that they were not trying to get a fine out of him if that's what he thought. It was too confusing for him to understand, and they had spent most of their time together planning a defense instead of talking about the results if he had failed. Rivera sounded confident to him that they would win, but Zach did not know how he felt about the judge's expression that had not changed very much through the trial except for when he got angry at Kirishima's outburst.

The judge holds my fate in his hands. He has a lot of power, but not just in determining my punishment. It's because the hero system is directly linked with the government, that this is so unnerving. He can say anything, give me all sorts of punishments. What if I get kicked out of U.A.? Is that a punishment a judge could give me? What about cutting off my hand- I really don't think… He could order that I have this box on my arm forever though. Zach lowered his gaze, and he grimaced as he imagined a court order saying he could never remove the metal container. They'd lock it and keep the key, and I'd be stuck with… I wouldn't be able to- it would be like losing my right arm altogether! Zach started sweating at the idea of it. I wouldn't even be able to fight, not without the use of my right elbow… though I guess I could slam the metal box into villains' faces- no, no I'd never make it with something like that on my arm. And if they find me guilty, they'll never let me be a hero anyway. But what am I guilty of?!

"The prosecution calls All Might to the stand." Zach spun his head to the left, and he dropped his mouth into a depressed frown. He knew it was coming. He had known for a while that All Might would be there, to testify against him, but he did not want to see it happen. He looked back forward and then down at the table in front of him. Ohhhh man, he thought. All Might, saw everything. He saw me smile and laugh, but all that- it was to unnerve the villains! I just, I did that stuff to buy myself time. I was just trying to help the situation…

Zach froze and his thoughts cut off. His heart started pounding, and his body covered in sweat. What have- he started, but could not finish the thought for a few seconds. What have I been, thinking about? All this time? I didn't once- why wasn't I- why didn't anyone tell… Zach stared at the thin man with his blond hair pushed back, his right arm in a sling, both arms wrapped in bandages. The whole world saw him like this, but, but why isn't he back in… Is that it? Did his time- did it run out? Did I? Was it because I took too long? Was it because of what I did? The choices I made? The Symbol of Peace is shattered… he's, he can't be a hero, like that. What was I thinking?

All Might walked past Zach's table and he could not smile. Not at the look the boy on his right was giving him. The prosecution began by thanking All Might, telling him how everyone appreciated all he had done for them over the years and in the most recent battle. The sharp-jawed man spent a lot of time on it, making sure no one thought he was the bad guy for what he was about to question All Might with. "Alright then All Might, the prosecution only has one real question for you." After all the build up, most people in the court stared at the lawyer in surprise as he said that. All Might also gained a confused look on his face. He had been the closest one to Zach during the incident, and he had been at USJ too, so he thought they would have more to ask him about Zach's actions. "You have seen Mr. Sazaki up close in the most recent incident, you have been his teacher for months now, it's fair to say that you are well acquainted with the defendant. That is why my one question to you, the Symbol of Peace, our greatest hero, is: Do you think Zach Sazaki should be a hero?"

Zach's eyes opened huge. He stared at the lawyer's back, then as the man moved aside a bit he was able to lock eyes with All Might's wide ones as well. He was sworn in, Zach thought. And, I already know the answer. Unless, it changed… What would have changed it? Recklessly charging into a situation I knew nothing about?! Killing villains right in front of him? Zach's head bowed to look at the table, and then he clenched his eyes shut as All Might began, "Young Sazaki is a brave young man. And he is a bright student. At the summer training camp, those two things combined-"

"All Might, I'm sorry to interrupt," the attorney began in his feminine voice, in an apologetic tone as disingenuous as it seemed. "But do you think, the defendant should continue trying to be a hero? Do you think, if he continues on this path we really won't be back in this courtroom in another couple of months? That there won't be another body on our hands?" The man with the pointed jaw shook his head, then he said firmly, "Yes or no, All Might. Do you think, you personally, believe that Mr. Sazaki should be allowed to continue his attempts to be a hero?"

All Might, Zach thought, clenching his eyes tighter as he imagined the man looking at him. "I do regret it." Don't do it All Might. Don't lie for me in- "No." All Might replied. Zach's eyes shot open and he stared at the top of the table in shock at the word that just came out of All Might's mouth. Huh? Everything he was just telling himself, he was telling himself it because he thought he knew how All Might was going to respond. His head twitched, he heard the murmuring behind him, and he lifted his head slowly to face All Might again. All, Might? Zach thought, as he stared at the man who had been his greatest hero since he was eight years old.

"Thank you," the prosecutor said, not following up on that question just as he had for Aizawa.

Young Sazaki, All Might thought as he stared into the boy's eyes. I, am sorry. He could see an actual light in Zach's eyes getting dimmer as the boy stared back at him. His expression did not look distraught, or full of dread; he just looked, darker.

Rivera started to get up, but Zach turned to her and said, "Don't." His lawyer looked back down at him, looked into Zach's eyes before the boy shook his head at her. All Might, you don't need to stay here. You've already done, more than enough for me. You don't need to feel guilty. Don't do, a single other thing for me. "Just, let him go," Zach said, his tone raising at the end with a tone that told his lawyer he really did not want the hero to answer a thing.

The defense attorney looked back towards All Might whose eyes widened as he heard what Zach said. After what he just told the court though, what he just said to everyone, there was nothing All Might could say to the boy who turned back and stared him in the eyes again. Rivera told the judge that she had no questions for the witness and took her seat again, and All Might was allowed to leave. Right there, Zach thought, as All Might walked back towards the aisle on Zach's left. Right there, is probably the moment I lost this. The man they all look up to. He sat there and told them not to let me be a hero. It wasn't in those words, but they are my teachers at U.A. They're the ones who are trying to make me into a hero, and they just told everyone that they don't think they can do it. They're telling me to stop trying, but I won't do it! It, it doesn't matter what you think anymore All Might! When I was eight, I needed you to tell me that I could accomplish my dream. And when I almost gave up, that first time, you came to me and told me that even though you didn't have faith, it was up to me to make my decisions! I chose to go back to U.A., and now, I'm going to stay! Jenny thinks of me as her hero. I saved my classmates! I saved Kirishima-

"The prosecution calls Maye Sazaki to the stand."

Zach froze and his blood ran cold. "Aunt, Maye," he whispered, turning his head, then turning it the other way towards some doors on the side of the courtroom. She was led in, a thin woman with short black hair and sharp glasses. She wore a professional looking black dress-suit with a skirt, and she walked right up to the stand without needing to be led. Her eyes did not shift towards Zach as she walked, even though the boy was staring at the side of her face with wide, trembling eyes. Why is she here? Why is the prosecution the ones who called her up? I told Ms. Hanuri not to call her, and she said she wouldn't. Did she- out the corner of Zach's eyes he saw Rivera shooting him a nervous look, as if wondering why Zach did not want to call her up if the prosecution thought it was a smart move to.

His aunt was sworn in and the prosecution began their assault, "Ms. Sazaki, would you please inform the court of your relationship with the defendant."

"His father, was my brother," Maye replied, making eye contact with the lawyer the whole time without ever turning towards the boy in question.

"Strange way to word that he's your 'nephew,'" the lawyer remarked. Maye's expression stayed flat and she kept staring through her glasses into the prosecutor's eyes without reacting. The chubby-chinned man coughed into his fist then continued, "You are the defendant's closest blood relative, is that correct?"

"It is," Maye replied.

"And you have known the defendant his entire life?"

"Yes," Maye said.

"Before these two incidents, were there signs that he would come to be in this situation right now? As a child, did you notice things about him that seemed, off? Or-"

"Yes," Maye answered.

Zach stared down at the table and his eyes were huge as he realized what was going on. All those times I told myself we were still family. All those times I said I still loved her. She, she's really, this whole time…

"He has? Hmm," the attorney turned around and he looked around the courtroom with a narrowing gaze. "I am going to read to you a direct statement from one of the police officers, Shu Yuriko, who saw the defendant immediately after the incident at USJ. Ahem," the lawyer lifted a sheet of paper and said, "'The boy's eyes were glazed over. He just repeated, "I killed him. I killed him. I didn't need to kill him, but I killed him," over and over. It was creepy as…' Well, I'll leave out the rest." The prosecutor lowered his sheet of paper, then he asked the court, "'I didn't need to kill him?' What did the defendant mean by that? Why would he have killed someone, if he didn't need to? If he wasn't forced to do it? Unless, he's not the hero the defense would have you believe."

The prosecutor turned back to Maye, and Zach twitched as he heard the following question, "The address listed for Zach Sazaki, the apartment is under your name, correct?"

"That is correct," Maye replied.

Zach started lifting his gaze with a nervous expression covering it.

"And you are his legal guardian?"

"Yes," Maye answered again.

"So then, do you live with the defendant?"

There was a few seconds of hesitation as Maye's eyes widened then narrowed at the prosecutor. "No." Maye's response made the court room fill with a strange tension in the following pause. People stared towards the woman in confusion, others glanced at each other wondering what she was talking about.

"You don't?" The prosecutor asked. Maye glared at him, but the man was no longer sweating under her gaze. "That, seems quite strange doesn't it? When exactly did you stop living with him?"

"I never," Maye started.

"'Never?'" The lawyer cut in faster than she could continue. "But I have here, that you have been Zach Sazaki's guardian for over five years now. Where have you been living all this time?"

"With my daughter, in Kabuchou City," Maye answered. She looked upset that she was saying this in front of the court, and Zach was getting increasingly nervous as even Maye was starting to look flustered. Her eyes darted around as she saw the looks of people in the rows of the courtroom start getting angry at her.

"So, you left a ten year old boy to live on his own? Is that what I'm hearing-"

"That's not- I still-" Maye started. Zach's eyes widened as he thought maybe his aunt was being forced into this, maybe she was regretting going up there in front of the court. She was starting to sweat, and he felt bad as he knew how this must look to everyone watching. Her voice started getting louder in her panic, and she snapped at the man in front of her, "I made sure, the bills and, and my card! I gave whatever necessary!"

"He is a child, and you left him on-"

"That is not a child!" Maye shouted. Her hands clenched over the stand, and her eyes were wide behind her glasses as she glared at the prosecutor. She was panting, and she continued in an even louder voice, "How could I bring that thing into my house? I was expected to raise it, next to my daughter?!" Her breath picked up even more, then she hissed with a cold sweat covering her, "That monster?"

The courtroom erupted in noise. Even the prosecutor in front of the stand had wide eyes as he looked at the woman in front of him. She turned her gaze after that final statement though, and then she leaned back as if she just realized what she snapped in front of everyone. Except when she leaned back, she did it while staring at one figure who was glaring so angrily at her for what she just called him. That boy lost his furious gaze though, because when he locked eyes with Aunt Maye, she snapped back so fast that he could not help but drop his bottom lip. She's, afraid of me? Has she always… Is that really why, she let me live on my own?! Oh my God! AHHHHH!

The judge started slamming his gavel down to get the room under control. Teachers were shouting from some rows, other people were yelling out at Maye to explain herself. The prosecutor turned and despite a bead of sweat on his face, he was going to roll with what just happened. "If this is the way the defendant's closest family sees him, the person who knows him best in the world, how can we trust him? How are parents supposed to send their children to the dorms that U.A. is setting up for their students? How could they feel safe sending their children to live with someone who could kill them, who has a history of making bad choices that lead him to murder?"

"Mr. Jenkleman, I said order," Judge Wilson growled after slamming his wooden hammer down one more time. The chubby-chinned lawyer speaking over everyone else turned and nodded apologetically at the judge, and then the man behind the bench frowned as the room was still full of muttering and people looking like they wanted to shout things. He looked towards the defendant to see what the boy was thinking, to see what he looked like after all of that was said.

Rivera was also turned towards her client, and she began, "I'm going to cross-examine the crap out of her. She just admitted to negligence and child abuse and-"

"Call me up to the stand," Zach whispered. He turned his head and looked up into Rivera's eyes, a determined look on his face that shocked her. She thought the boy would be devastated, or crying after the shock she saw in his eyes at what the woman before them just said. "Everyone just saw my Aunt call me a monster. I'm the only one who can convince them otherwise now. So call me up there. I need to show them, I need to show everyone that I'm not what they're calling me. I need to defend myself."

"It's a risky move. You know the questions they're going to ask you if you go up there," Rivera told him.

"Ms. Hanuri, do you have any questions for the witness?" Judge Wilson started, feeling like he was about to hear a hell of a rebuttal after the prosecution said they had no further questions. Maye was sweating badly, darting her gaze around the room full of heroes and reporters and feeling like she just messed up big time. She tried straightening out her hair, preparing for the defense to grill her. Half of her outburst though, was to defend what the prosecution was already accusing her of. She was terrified of the way she was looking to everyone, so she had yelled out in panic to try and gain their sympathies instead. To make them understand why it was she could not live with that thing.

"The defense, does not," Rivera replied. Judge Wilson stared at her in confusion, then he slammed his gavel a few times as others in the courtroom decided they needed to defend Zach if his own lawyer was just going to let that stand.

The judge then continued on to say that they would be looking into the matter of Zach Sazaki's home situation and signs of neglect. Zach sat there while frowning towards the stand, but he did not make eye contact with Aunt Maye as the judge told her she could face consequences. Zach could barely hear what was going on around him anymore though. All he heard was his own heavy breathing and his heart pounding in his ears. Can I do this? It's not about 'can,' I have to do this. Aunt Maye just, she just… I can't be a hero if I don't stand up for myself right here. I'm not what she says. I don't believe it. No matter what anyone else says. I'm going to be a hero! That's what I've decided! That's what I need to become, in order to save lives. In order, to change the answer…

"The defense calls Zach Sazaki to the stand," Rivera said.

The courtroom filled with loud murmuring as Zach got up to his feet. He took a deep breath and looked towards the bailiff who then motioned for the seat behind the stand. His aunt had left the room while he had been facing the table, gathering his thoughts. He walked up towards the seat and his face was full of confidence. He had a determined look about him that made both prosecutors sitting back behind their table eye the boy hesitantly. This was the best scenario for them, as they had doubted the boy would go up on his own, but now that he was they would have time to question him themselves as well. The judge watched as Zach walked up without hesitation, and the brown-skinned walrus man hummed at the look in the boy's eyes.

Zach stood at the stand near his chair and he swore to tell the truth when the judge asked if he would. He sat down at the chair and stared out into the courtroom. Everyone's eyes were on him. He saw all the U.A. teachers looking his way. He saw the men who had been called up earlier and he made eye contact with each of them for a few seconds. He spotted Mr. Akers too and his neighbor gave him a reassuring nod which calmed Zach even more. Then he looked farther back, and he saw a couple of television cameras set up highly elevated over the back of the aisle pointing towards the front of the room. He only glanced past the cameras for a second, as even as confident as he was at the moment, he was trying hard to keep that up with only the people in the room watching him. Imagining that there were more staring at this or that it was being televised and watched by thousands, or more, it was too much to dwell on. He looked farther right though, and Zach spotted only a couple of faces where he thought he might have seen more. What parents want to let their kids come here? Zach thought, though he stared at the few classmates who had shown up for a few seconds. Todoroki, Midoriya, and I know Kirishima was here too, though it looks like they didn't let him back in.

Rivera walked up to Zach's seat, and they made eye contact before Zach gave her a nod telling her that it was alright. They had not gone into this with the intention of Zach going on the stand, but they had made a plan in case it became necessary anyway. The fact that he was up here said that he did not think the trial was going well, and since she did not argue much with him over it, he knew his lawyer felt the same way. "Over the course of this trial, the prosecution has made my client out to be a bad person. They have called his judgement into question, yet they called up witnesses who really did not have anything to say about Zach Sazaki abusing his power in the incidents we should be discussing today. So from the one person who knows what happened the best, why don't we hear what my client has to say really happened? Alright Zach, please tell me about the USJ incident. The prosecution made claims that you did not have to use your Quirk against Shindeki Buda, but I want you to tell the court exactly what happened that day."

Zach tried to keep his expression strong as he nodded at Rivera. Zach took a deep breath as she moved a little out of the way, but he kept eye contact with her as he began, "We went to USJ for rescue training, but the villains showed up out of nowhere. They separated us from each other, from the teachers," Zach's eyes lowered and he continued strongly, though he was finding it hard to keep up eye contact as he spoke without hesitation. "I was sent to the Mountain Zone with some classmates, but there were several times more villains there than there were us. We fought them. And, we thought we beat them all. Ka- My classmate used a strong attack that left him defenseless though, and although that attack took down most of the villains, one of them- Shindeki Buda," Zach paused, he could not recall if he had ever said that villain's name aloud before.

After the pause, Zach continued strongly, lifting his gaze back to meet Rivera's. "He was different from the others. Stronger. I saw him going for my classmate who couldn't protect himself, and I, I got in the way. In a second though, he had me. I couldn't- I wasn't able to-" Zach bit down and his gaze lowered again, but he did not slow down. "I tried. I tried to save my classmate, but I, I got caught. And he hurt me," Zach grit his teeth more, his eyes closing as he thought back on USJ. He thought about when the villain held him up, and he continued, "He held me there, with a hand covered in electricity next to my face, covered in my own blood. I, I didn't know what to do. I didn't know, how to get out of it. And then he- then he told, my other two classmates that, that if they didn't want him to kill me, they had to hold their hands up and not do anything! He was going to kill us. I knew it, he was that different from the others. He, he was the one who blocked the communications out of USJ, he was one of the few villains there who actually could- who was actually really strong…" Zach shook his head, and he continued while clenching his eyes shut harder, "But I still tried, I tried to think of- I, but I couldn't come up with anything. Not at that moment, not while he was walking towards them, laughing, about to kill them. And I knew. I knew I could save them, even if I had to- even if I had to kill him. And it was all I could think of. It was the only solution I thought I had-" Zach bit down hard on his bottom lip and opened back up his eyes, only to see Rivera staring back at him with wide eyes of her own.

He turned to the right a little and continued while looking towards the prosecutors, "But after I touched-, after I used my Quirk to, to kill him." Zach gulped and he had to lift his left arm fast to rub his eyes once before continuing just as strong as before, though with a more upset look on his face now, "The teachers arrived. They arrived, in that moment. I- if I had waited, I thought we still would have survived. That's why I was saying that when I was taken away. That's why I, I felt so guilty. Why I still feel guilty," he added softer, but just as firm. "But in the moment, I had no idea the teachers were arriving. I, didn't think- I did it to save them." He said that and looked out into the courtroom with a calm expression. He knew he had just said a lot, and he tried to keep himself from getting too emotional over it, despite not even saying that much when he told Jenny or even the police the first times he was asked.

After a few seconds, Rivera smiled at the boy who looked back at her. "To save, his classmates," Rivera turned and spoke to the people behind her. Then she continued, "Does that sound like someone irresponsibly using his Quirk? No. When he was attacked by the villains, was his first reaction to use his Quirk and kill them? No. He is not that kind of person. Zach Sazaki used his power in self-defense, and to save people, and yet he still feels the pain of taking someone else's life. These are not the actions of a villain, of someone who deserves to be on trial, and definitely not of a 'monster,'" Rivera said, scoffing at the idea of it before glaring towards the prosecutors. "Yet the prosecution would have you believe that this child is what, evil? It's absurd to even consider, when all of my client's actions were based on good intentions."

Rivera turned back to Zach, and she asked him, "Was the situation the same at the summer training camp?"

"It was similar," Zach replied.

"As your teacher Vlad King said, you went with the villains without having to be dragged off. Why was that?" She asked him.

"Because, I thought they would kill more of my classmates if I stayed there. I thought-"

"Objection," the fat-chinned prosecutor began.

Rivera turned to him and lifted her eyebrows, asking before he could elaborate, "You really want to make him specify on this point? Alright then, I'm glad you objected," she smiled at the man then turned back to Zach. "Could you tell us what you mean by 'more?' Had they already killed one?"

"Yes," Zach replied. He looked saddened even though he knew this might help him out. Rivera lost her smug grin that the prosecution gave her this chance, but she nodded at Zach to continue despite his look that showed he did not want to talk about it. "The villains, trying to kidnap me, they killed my classmate. He was dead, but my Quirk brought him back to life."

"Amazing," Rivera whispered, though in a loud whisper for everyone to hear. "How were you able to find the time to heal him, in that situation? With villains after you?"

"I told them I'd come with them," Zach said, lifting his gaze and continuing on stronger as this was the best point he thought they had. "I said that if they let me go to my classmate, my friend, that I'd go with them without fighting them. I had hoped, that maybe while I was healing him, the other heroes would arrive. But after it was done, I saw the villains coming close, and I had to follow through with what I promised. So I went with them. But- but I didn't do it because I wanted to. I did it to save the others."

"And it was because of this, this unavoidable incident where you saved several of your classmates, and a pro hero's life, that you were put in the situation where you were forced to take Atsuhiro Sako's life?" Rivera questioned.

"Yes," Zach replied. She gave him a small nod and Zach relaxed, not realizing how tense he was while sitting there until he knew it was done. Rivera turned to the courtroom and started making some final statements about what Zach had told her. She summarized his actions in both scenarios, said that he was not at fault for these situations he was put in. And as Zach looked around the room, he had to force his expression straight and serious, because at the reassuring looks and smiles from several people in there, he was feeling more confident than ever about the trial. He even glanced towards the judge to see what the man thought about him now, but he could not read the expression of the guy with long tusks who hummed to himself once Rivera was finished speaking.

The sharp-chinned man walked forward. He cleared his throat once he reached Zach, and Zach started to lose a bit of his confidence as the man looked at him with as much of a confident look on his own face. "There has been much speculation in this courtroom, as well as on the news, as to what your Quirk is, Mr. Sazaki. Would you please tell the court the name of your Quirk?"

Zach's expression darkened, but he straightened it right away and nodded his head. "Death," Zach replied.

"I'm sorry, what was that?" The lawyer questioned.

Zach grit his teeth, as the man with the sharp face and pointed eyebrows was already pushing his buttons. Keep calm. He's trying to make you mess up. "My Quirk, it's called Death."

"And could you tell the room what it is your Quirk does?"

"My Quirk has two abilities," Zach said. Not including Nightmare. But, that's not really an ability? Maybe? I don't really know what it is, or if it counts as a part of my Quirk, so I'll just leave it out for now. Yeah, that's the reason, he told himself, though really he just doubted he would make it through this trial if he started telling people that he could transform into a terrifying monster. That would kind of prove Aunt Maye's point… "With my right hand, anything I touch, anything alive, dies."

"Let me cut in," the prosecutor said while Zach still had his mouth open to continue. Zach's face scrunched up, but the man lifted a sheet of paper that made Zach grimace, realizing the guy was holding onto it to mention later on in the trial the entire time. "Right here I have medical records I was able to acquire with the court's permission. I'm just going to read off their definition of your Quirk," he cleared his throat then began while holding the sheet up between Zach and himself, "'The Quirk Death, is one of the most dangerous Quirks we have ever come across. This power allows Zach Sazaki to kill in an instant. All electrical messages stop shooting between synapses in the brain. Blood stops pumping. A single touch, and there is total and complete death. We already know it can kill humans, but we have not been able to find a single creature immune to the touch. Monkey, dog, cat, insects, birds, every living organism that touches Zach Sazaki's right hand is killed in that instant. In fact, this may mean that he is impervious to disease. Microorganisms and harmful bacteria could even be affected by this power. There is no way to do more extensive testing…'" The lawyer stopped reading and he lowered the paper. "What a definition. This is the description of-"

"Objection your Honor," Rivera called out, standing out of her seat. "Mr. Haido asked my client a question, and he has yet to let the defendant answer. He even cut him off midway, but I believe the courtroom deserves to hear Zach Sazaki's definition of his Quirk. As we just heard from my opponent's reading, those who tested him were unable to complete their testing."

Zach looked past the lawyer in front of him and could not help but grin at his own lawyer's interruption. "I'll allow it," Judge Wilson said, nodding at Rivera's objection. He turned to Zach and said, "Continue with your original response."

Zach saw Mr. Haido frown, but he spoke while turning back to the lawyer in front of him. "Yes, what you said is one use of my Quirk. However that was when my Quirk was first discovered. Since then, I've learned that my Quirk can also save people. I used it to seal the wound of a classmate and restart his heart. He was dead, and I brought him back to life."

"Are you a doctor?" Mr. Haido asked. Zach got a confused look on his face and started shaking his head, and the lawyer continued, "Then how in that moment, were you able to determine that your classmate was truly dead? There are enough witnesses that I can believe your Quirk may have healing properties, but to say that you 'brought him back to life,' don't you think that's making too strong an assumption?"

"No," Zach said, tilting his head in a bit of confusion. "As you just said, and as I just said, if I touch people with my right hand, they'd die." The lawyer in front of him opened his eyes wider, and Zach continued in an annoyed voice, "So if my classmate was still alive, wouldn't my Quirk have killed him? If he was still alive, it would have. But he wasn't alive, so when I touched him with my right hand, and I held it there on his body, I brought him back to life. And that is not an assumption. That is what happened." Zach continued in a firm voice, not faltering as he finished, "Because I've realized recently that my Quirk is not just something that causes death, it is the control over death itself. Just as easily as it can kill, it can bring life."

In the rows of seating in the courtroom, Midnight stared forward with her eyes opening wide. Lifebringer, she thought. "Because that's the hero I want to become." His Quirk, did he already know about it back then? Or, when did he…

Izuku Midoriya smiled in the back of the room where he was sitting next to Todoroki. He glanced next to him at the boy with half white hair and half red, and Todoroki looked back at him before giving a nod with a small smile that showed he also thought this was going well.

"Mr. Sazaki," the prosecutor in front of Zach began after a short pause. "The prosecution does not agree with the statement made by your aunt a few minutes ago. In fact, we apologize for that. It was uncalled for." Zach stared at the man in front of him in surprise, and a bit of confusion as the man started off like that. "Our position has never been that you are a villain. We don't think you're a monster either. But despite how amazing you have just told us your Quirk is, the question that this court exists for, is whether or not you have shown good judgement in the use of it up until now. Your description of USJ, it sounds like you had a hard time of it. Still, you say yourself that the teachers had already arrived. I know it's not fair to judge you on the same basis as pro heroes, but you were in a dangerous situation that required critical judgement. It is a situation you find yourself in a lot, and will continue to find yourself in as time goes on, if you continue on a path to become a hero. And you reacted. Yes, you were scared. And yes, it is not your fault that you were put in that mess in the first place. But you killed a man. Your Quirk is not like others. You cannot just reach the same point that other students would reach before saying, 'now is the time I need to use my Quirk.' Even in a situation like that, if you know that your Quirk will kill, you need to keep a cooler head and make a smart decision."

Zach pursed his lips but then kept frowning at the lawyer before him without saying a word, as he had yet to be asked a question. The man standing there nodded, then he continued, "But it is not USJ that I would like to focus on. Ms. Hanuri brought up the reason you went with the villains as an explanation for your second charge, but it was not an explanation at all. You have told us now why you were forced to follow the villains, but that was two days before you took the life of Atsuhiro Sako. To skip ahead and just say that the events of the training camp forced you to kill that man, it is a huge leap." The fifteen year old grimaced and prepared himself for the questions he had dreaded since walking in.

"Let's start with before you even left the woods," Mr. Haido began. "After you left with the two villains, you ran into more of your classmates in the forest, isn't that correct?"

Zach hesitated, then he nodded and said, "That's right."

"You came across other villains, as well as your fellow classmates, and a fight broke out. Stop me if I say anything wrong here, but while your classmates began fighting the villains to stop them from kidnapping young Bakugo, and yourself, you were the only one who did not fight. Instead, who was the only person you attacked in the forest during that fight?"

Zach pursed his lips hard, grimacing as he looked out into the courtroom and into one of his classmate's eyes. Midoriya was staring back at him wide-eyed, as if he was shocked that the prosecutor was using this against Zach. He looked like he wanted to jump out of his seat, but Zach was glad Todoroki was sitting next to him and seemed to stop him from jumping up. "My own classmate," Zach started. He looked into the prosecutor's eyes and continued, "But only because I thought he was going to get himself killed, charging after the villains with his body already broken from injuries."

"So you stopped him from going after them, but then you followed yourself?" Mr. Haido asked. Zach paused with his mouth open, then the lawyer continued quickly, "Because, the reports your classmates gave to the police indicate that you were left behind by the villains. That in fact, you were the last one to walk through the portals the villain Kurogiri created. No one was there forcing you to walk through, but you still went through the portal." Zach closed his mouth and his eyes started darting around the courtroom. "Why is that, Mr. Sazaki? Why would you do such a thing?"

"They could have come back if I didn't-"

"That was all you were thinking about at the time?" Mr. Haido asked.

Zach froze again. His mouth froze open, and he saw Rivera shaking her head at him. At the same time though, Zach did not want to lie. He came up to the stand knowing that he would have to tell the truth, and he started shaking his own head. "What were you thinking?" Mr. Haido asked.

"That, I could save my class- I could save Bakugo," Zach replied.

"What made you think you-"

"They thought I had joined them," Zach snapped. He tried calming down, but he continued in an upset voice while glaring at the lawyer, "So I thought I could find a moment to get him out, without having to fight anyone!"

"That didn't work out well for you though," the prosecutor said, and Zach's eyes opened wider. "You made the choice to follow those villains. You followed them into their base, and you made things more difficult for the heroes and police who were already formulating their own plan." Zach's teeth ground behind his lips, but his eyes darted down to the stand in front of him. "You are a student, a child, and you made the foolish decision to chase after a classmate. That was the job of heroes, of people who are paid and who do this sort of thing for a living. You not only got in the way by making this decision, but you hindered the efforts of All Might and the other heroes. This is the second time in a period of a few months where your judgement has been seriously skewed, where you have made the wrong choices, but this is not surprising coming from your family is it?"

Zach's face twitched while he stared at the stand below him. His eyes started to raise and his head lifted up slowly to the lawyer. "Huh?"

"Your father, Jack Sazaki, made some poor decisions in his time as well, didn't he?"

"Objection!"

"My father was a great hero!" Zach shouted at the lawyer in front of him.

"Your honor," Rivera continued. "My client's family history should not be counted as a part of this trial-"

"I beg to differ," Mr. Haido said, turning to Judge Wilson. "As the defendant is still a minor, and is being charged as such, we should look at his upbringing as well. And seeing how his Aunt has not been looking after him, the last person who has had a large influence as the defendant's family would be his father." The judge looked hesitantly back and forth between the lawyers, then he nodded at Mr. Haido to continue. Zach grit his teeth as he heard that, then the lawyer in front of him turned back after thanking the judge. "You say your father was a great hero, but I wonder how many people in this courtroom have a good recollection of the pro hero, Titanium?"

Far back in the room, Midoriya's eyes opened wide and his bottom lip lowered. Todoroki glanced next to him at the green haired boy, while Midoriya just stared at the black spikes over Zach's head, suddenly realizing something. "His dad, is-"

"Stop it," Zach began to the lawyer before him.

Rivera looked nervously towards her client, shaking her head at the boy who was glaring so angrily at Mr. Haido now.

"The pro hero Titanium was involved in a number of scandals half a dozen years ago." Mr. Haido looked back towards Zach as he said it, then he turned to the courtroom and started, "The first incident that made the news was when Titanium stopped a villain, saved a few lives, yet he was intoxicated during it.

"He was off duty," Zach started calling out.

"Mr. Sazaki," Judge Wilson began. "I would remind you not to make such outbursts. You will have time to counter when Ms. Hanuri comes back up."

Zach pursed his lips and tried hard to steady his expression, but he was finding it harder every second. "Mr. Sazaki is right," Mr. Haido began. "Titanium was off duty, at a bar minding his own business, when the incident occurred. He was simply in the right place at the right time, and although he was under the influence of alcohol, he saved the citizens who were in danger and captured the villain. No one really cared about the fact that he had caused some extra, unnecessary collateral damage. It was a coincidence, and he handled it well. But, when it happens a second time, the same kind of incident," Mr. Haido lifted his eyebrows like it was surprising in the least. "Even if the situation was similar, people start to wonder, 'What kind of hero spends all his off hours drinking?' Once again though, he was not punished for his actions, but it was when he saved people, while on duty, and was found to be intoxicated that time. When Titanium chose to drink before putting on his hero costume, when he crippled a villain, for life, while in his intoxicated state, well, our society could not ignore his problem any longer."

Mr. Haido lifted his hands and continued, "The pro hero Titanium's Hero License was suspended, indefinitely. Why was this? Because his judgement was poor. Because he made bad choices that lost him the faith of our society. And now his son is following in his example-"

"It's not my dad's fault!" Zach shouted. His right fist was clenched so hard inside his steel box that it hurt, and he pushed his left hand and the box down on the stand so hard as he glared at the lawyer. The judge started yelling at him, but Zach kept shouting, "He was in a bad place! But he was a great hero! Even then, even when he was drunk on the job! He still saved the people-"

"MR. SAZAKI!" The judge slammed his gavel down, and Zach's eyes opened wide as he spun to the man who had gotten up out of his seat, just as Zach did while he was yelling at Mr. Haido.

The prosecutor in front of Zach had taken a step back, then he turned while Zach was still standing and he started, "Right here is the perfect example." Zach spun forward and stared at the back of the lawyer's head, and Mr. Haido continued to everyone, "In a moment of stress, when the defendant feels pressured, his reaction is over the top and emotionally charged. How angry he just looked, over just a civil discussion in court. Can we really believe that the times he was 'forced' to kill those villains, he was really not just acting out? That he was really not just making another poor decision?"

Zach opened his mouth, then he darted his gaze back to the judge who was watching him with his gavel half-raised. Zach knew another outburst and he was done for, as the judge had just threatened him with contempt on his second outburst. Shouting in his own defense at the moment would only prove the prosecutor right, and he seethed through his teeth as he lowered back to his seat. "A small amount of emotional pressure," Mr. Haido started, and Zach stared with widening eyes at the man turning back to him, wondering if that was why the prosecutor brought up his father in the first place. "In these situations where he 'felt his life was in danger,' as the defendant says, it is hard not to see that he may have been exaggerating." Zach bared his teeth at the man who clearly tricked him, then Mr. Haido continued while stepping out of the way so hopefully the camera could pick up on that expression, "If he gets riled up this quickly, how can we trust his judgement?"

Zach's eyes opened wide again, because now he was staring out into the courtroom where everyone was looking towards him, not the lawyer. They were not glaring at the lawyer or giving him dirty looks for what he had been saying like Zach had thought, and hoped they would be. Instead, they were all staring at him and his angry expression. "Zach Sazaki made 'judgement calls' to kill villains, without even having a license that proves to this society that his judgement is something worth considering. His father showed through several incidents that he could not be trusted, which was why his license was suspended. Yet Titanium never once killed a villain." Zach stared at the prosecutor with wide eyes, and the lawyer shook his head at Zach, a look of actual pity in his eyes as he did it. Zach lowered his bottom lip at that look, then the man with the sharp-chin continued, "How could we even think about making a boy who is already killing people without a license that would give him a partial excuse for doing so, into a hero? How could the government sponsor such a person who acts as judge, jury, and executioner?"

"That's not," Zach started whispering, but he shut his mouth fast, not wanting to get yelled at by the judge again.

"He is already seen to the public as someone who kills villains, and we cannot pay a person like that. We cannot pay him to go out and murder villains all day. In a few months, even without a license, he's done it twice! How many others will it take before we realize that Zach Sazaki has no purpose being a hero? His teachers have already realized it. The prosecution knows it. How many more bodies are required before the defendant realizes it himself?"

Zach's head bowed and he stared at his hands still resting over the stand. He stared down at the black box over his right. Realize it myself? Never. I'll never give up. But, everyone else is giving up on me. They're all coming to the decision on their own. I can't say a thing… This is so frustrating! By the rules of hero society, yeah I've broken a few rules, but, but I helped people too! A couple of times I used my power, in self-defense! Why does it matter? Why, can't they just accept it? They can't sponsor me, because people will see it as them hiring someone who kills people? But, but I can save lives too. I'm not just murdering all the villains I see. If I was doing that, then I could get what they're talking about! But those were extreme circumstances. Someone has to see that! Why don't they get why I had to do those things?!

Rivera came back up, then Mr. Haido started arguing with her about the nature of Zach's actions. He sat there barely listening to them, instead gazing around the courtroom at all the people watching him. Would any of them care? Zach thought. Aizawa sensei, he doesn't want me in his class anymore. Why didn't he expel me early on then? Was it because, was it because back then he actually thought I could… but because of what I've done he doesn't anymore? And All Might, he told me to keep trying after USJ, even if he regretted it, but this second time- Was it because I was smiling after I did it? But, but I was only doing that to get him to- Why doesn't anyone understand?!

"Mr. Sazaki." Zach's eyes snapped open wider and to the right a bit at Mr. Haido who seemed to have said his name a couple of times already by the way he was looking at Zach oddly. "Have you?"

"Have I what?" Zach asked.

The man frowned, then he repeated himself, "Have you ever intentionally used your powers, without a Hero License, to kill someone."

"It was self-defense," Zach replied without hesitation.

"Was Compress trying to kill you?" Mr. Haido asked. Zach opened his mouth to respond, then he froze and his eyes slowly started growing wider. "From what the prosecution knows, Atsuhiro Sako's Quirk gave him the ability to capture easily, to transform people and objects into small marbles with a touch." Zach's breathing sped up, and in his head he saw the masked man reaching for his back. He had ducked, and spun around with his right arm out. Compress was reaching for him, but there was no dangerous weapon in his hands. "So tell me, was that man you killed truly trying to kill you?"

"He was- he, he was trying," Zach could not get the words out. Then he started shaking his head and said in a strained voice, "He was trying to take me though. If he captured me, they could have killed me!"

"So you weren't in mortal danger at that moment," Mr. Haido said, in a regretful tone. "Mr. Sazaki. We are not denying that you did act in defense for a large portion of these incidents, as well as in the interests of other students, but when it comes to the use of your Quirk, you cannot be as quick as others to start using it. Your Quirk, Death, is too dangerous for that. In situations where one may have to use their Quirk to escape from, to avoid capture, extenuating circumstances allow for the cause of injury. In fact, often it would be excused. But Death, that's not a Quirk we can just excuse the use of. Not twice. Not when you put yourself in the situation." Zach's lips started trembling, as he himself was starting to understand where the prosecution was coming from. That's what made it all the more devastating as the prosecutor said, "There is no place for a Quirk like that in hero society."

Mr. Haido backed up and took a deep breath, then he turned to the judge and said, "It is unfortunate that it has come to this, but the prosecution calls for Zach Sazaki to be banned from using his Quirk, ever again."

Zach's bottom lip lowered, and he started loudly, "What about," he stopped himself, but then he had to continue and he shouted, "What about my healing? I can save people! How can you-"

"How can we trust you to take your glove off?" Mr. Haido questioned, looking back into Zach's eyes. "To put your dangerous hand out in the open, even to help someone, knowing what you have done with it before?" Zach's jaw lowered a little, and Mr. Haido continued, "If we gave you a provisional license for only a partial use of your power, how long until you break the rules again? How long until you decide there is no difference between saving a life by using your hand to heal someone, and using your hand to kill a villain you see on the street threatening some people?" The boy stared at the sharp-chinned prosecutor in shock, but he had no answer as his mouth opened and closed over and over again.

The prosecution ended their questioning, and Rivera could see a look of surrender on Zach's face. She wanted to go up there and ask him other questions to change the court's mind, but she hated to admit that the prosecution had done a great job at making Zach out to be the bad guy here. And as much as they kept saying that they did not blame him, the amount they questioned his judgement made it hard to see that Zach really was just doing these things in self-defense. The lawyers gave their finishing statements, and Zach sat back at the defense table next to Rivera Hanuri as Judge Wilson went over the trial. Not only was he a judge, but a part of the hero licensing committee, one of the chairs in charge of keeping track of all the heroes, and thus one of the people at the top of hero society.

Zach watched as the judge examined everything he had heard closely, but the boy was already dreading what was happening around him. Did I lose? What does it mean that I've lost? I didn't do well at all. I messed up. I told them that I was just trying to help my classmates, that I was just trying to protect myself… Why are these things wrong? I get that I broke some rules, but, but we were attacked by villains! How was I supposed to hold back?! Jirou and Yaoyorozu, Kirishima, Kaminari, Vlad, all of them. All Might too. I did things to help them. Even killing Compress, was it really to protect myself? I thought, maybe I could only get All Might to get serious, if I started killing villains. I thought he would get hurt, get killed, lose his time limit, if he held back anymore! I don't use my power for myself. I just use it, because all I want to do, all I need to do…

Judge Wilson put down some papers he had taken notes on and he removed a pair of reading glasses he had put on. He looked towards the defense table, and he said, "Zach Sazaki, would you come up here for a moment before I read the verdict?"

Zach listened and he got out of his seat. He started up for the center of the judge's table, and he looked up into the large man's eyes that focused down on him. In a voice low, only for Zach and the stenographer on the judge's side to hear, he began, "Young man. I feel you have been treated unfairly through this trial. I understand as do most, that you have been a victim of terrible circumstances." Zach started nodding, but he did not want to smile yet as he could hear the 'but' coming. "But that is why I must ask you this question. It is a simple one, yet one that will determine your fate. And I need you to answer it truthfully, son." Zach nodded at the judge, and the walrus-looking man nodded back at him. It was silent in the courtroom behind Zach, and he wondered how many others were actually able to hear the quiet conversation he was having with the judge.

"If you find yourself as a hero in a situation where you feel to save civilians' lives, you have to use your Quirk, would you do it?" Zach stared at the judge with huge eyes. His expression filled with shock, and he thought back to the hospital room Grappler lay in without either of his arms. What's the right answer to this? Zach thought, his heart pounding and his mind whirling at the question. Grappler, he told me that… but the judge can't want me to say 'yes!' This doesn't… If I get in a situation like that, if I felt- "Sir," Zach began. "I know what the right answer is, the answer you want me to give you," Zach started shaking his head, "but I also know that a person who doesn't do something in that situation wouldn't be a hero. I don't understand how I'm supposed to answer this, if both answers are bad. So, I'll just say what I would do, and that's make the decision based on the situation. I'd have to see, and I'd try all I could not to use my Quirk, try everything before using it, but I can't say I wouldn't. Not, if it could save innocent lives."

Judge Wilson stared at the boy for a few seconds in silence after that answer. Then he rose his left flipper-y hand and rubbed his forehead with it while letting out a sigh. "I was afraid, that would be your answer," the man said, and Zach's heart started racing even faster. The judge looked up and he gazed around the courtroom, and he began in a loud tone that filled the entire building. "I have come to a decision. In the trial of the People vs Zach Sazaki, the defendant is found innocent of the charges of killing Shindeki Buda and Atsuhiro Sako." Zach's mouth started lifting up, only to dip down fast as the judge continued, "However, he is found guilty of the other charges."

The judge looked back down into Zach's huge eyes, and he said to the boy, "Although he did act in the defense of himself and other students in a large part, he made decisions beyond what he was lawfully allowed to make. These decisions are what led him to the point of needing to use self-defense in the death of Atsuhiro Sako. Zach Sazaki attempted to take the law into his own hands, without a Hero License, to follow the villains and try to save a classmate on his own. He used his Quirk without a license. He intentionally killed a villain with his Quirk." Judge Wilson let out a loud sigh, then he continued while staring into Zach's eyes, "It is tough, but we cannot have a child already with a history of this to continue on as if it were fine. It is my duty to uphold the rules of our society, as without these rules we have chaos. Zach Sazaki, I ban you from ever using your Quirk again. It will be a criminal matter to do so." Zach's heart pounded so hard he could hear it in his ears, then his eyes grew as wide as possible and he felt his heart skip a beat as the judge continued, "On top of this, the defendant is also barred from ever taking a Hero License Examination. Zach Sazaki, you cannot become a hero."

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A/N Thanks for reading. So, I don't really know how Japanese court works, or court in the Boku no Hero world, so I just took the American system and changed it up a bit. Tried to think of how Zach would be punished and could not imagine he'd get away with this a second time. I put in some hints at the end of last chapter: "How does it feel to have killed two people now?" but Ganeshi was not one of the two Zach was being charged with. What happened to him? What is Zach going to do now that he's been barred from using his powers or getting a hero license? Find out next time! Hope you enjoyed the longest chapter so far! Review responses:

An Average Jo chapter 18 . 16h ago

His Aunt Maye may testify against him and things might spiral to chaos in Zach's life. That's just my guess though. In the end he's probably gonna feel really heartbroken.

Awesome prediction! Zach recovers quicker from Maye's testimony than his lawyer thought he would, but getting up on the stand himself may have made things even worse... Thanks for the review!

LordOfTee chapter 18 . 16h ago

I really do wonder how Zach's gonna get out of this troublesome situation.

Well, it is for sure not looking good. Thanks for the review!

Roxas Itsuka chapter 18 . 15h ago

Oh God, poor Zach. Given that it was self-defense will it help his case.

;( It did for sure help, but self-defense can only be used as an excuse so far. Thanks for the continued reviews since the start!

zerom1v chapter 18 . 15h ago

Can't believe he forgot for a moment that he killed two people.

Haha, his friends really made it seem like everything was going to be alright there for a second. Hope you enjoyed the chapter!

Colinpop5 chapter 18 . 10h ago

Oooooooooo. Can't wait

Ooo! Hope you liked it!

D-Koy24 chapter 18 . 6h ago

*sigh* can't say I'm surprised, he did kill two people. Hope Zach isn't found guilty,though.
Please write more at this length! I can't handle reading chapters as long as the previous ones anymore. :)
~D-Koy
PS:"Hoooooooo!"

Zach's been found innocent of killing, at least... Sorry about the length XD. I write chapters based more on the plot I want to get in during that chapter, which is why some chapters are super long like this when I find I have a lot more to write about without wanting it to stretch through a bunch of chapters. Thanks for the reviews, glad you're all caught up!

Guest chapter 8 . 8h ago

I really do enjoy this story, the plot is really interesting and I love your characters. However I really think you should review how to use commas, you're using them too often when it's not necessary. Maybe it's because I've been studying the English section of ACT, but I'm jut really noticing how you put commas in sentences that are complete without a comma. Commas should be used when combining two complete ideas in most all instances, but you've used them within one complete idea and it just sounds and looks wrong. I think the story is amazing, but if you look into understanding grammar and the whole complete idea/incomplete idea thing you'd improve the story.

Awesome, glad you're enjoying this! Also, just because, I mean, don't you talk about- I love commas. I've thought before that I use them a bunch, maybe too much, but it makes things flow better. At least in my writing style I feel it does. Or else things start to get stale when everything's a full but short sentence. Anyway, I don't really want to write out all the different rules for commas right here, but there are so many rules for commas beyond just combining two complete sentence. In the dialogue I use them to indicate pauses, outside of the dialogue they're used to connect not only two parts that could be full sentences, but also shifts in tense. Also to start and end dialogue, "He paused, looking down at the table and considering his options," that's a random example not actually in the story. But I can't just write "He paused looking down at..." because the following verb was also going to use "ing" which needed the ',' as an indicator to the shift. Anyway, didn't really want to get into this. Just explaining why it's not going to change up. I'm glad you liked the story so far!

Guest chapter 18 . 7h ago

They have self defense laws in Japan, Zach's life was at risk and there were witnesses. I don't think he'd be arrested, they would merely take his statement, and later if a court of law finds him guilty of homicide, arrest him.

Yeah, don't know if those laws are the same in the Boku no Hero world. You seem to be a pro in law so you may find some other things in here that don't match the Japan law system... but suspend your disbelief since this is a fantasy world, yeah? XD Thanks for reading and reviewing!

Okay chapter 18 . 5h ago

Can we get a description of Zach's current powers and what they do? I'm a little confused...

Well, hope this chapter cleared it up a bit. They talk about it a lot during the trial.

A little Lost chapter 18 . 5h ago

Can Zach bring his victims back to life? In fact, can we get a rundown of his CURRENT powers? I'm a little lost as to what you described in the chapters before. Were the italics suppose to be internal thoughts?

No to the first question. This chapter gives a rundown of his powers in Zach's words, in the doctors' words, and really only left out Nightmare which Zach still doesn't know much about himself. Also, yes. I guess I should have specified it at the beginning, though I'm pretty sure I ended some Italics statements with "he thought." But yeah, most italics mean that the character is thinking. Sometimes it will be used in the middle of sentences for emphasis too though, just in case you see a single word in dialogue that's italicized. Thanks for the review, hope you're a little clearer on everything after this chapter!