"Leizcio, are you sure you're ready to head back?" Lavania said as Leizcio was about to leave the cafe to head onto school. When Leizcio had gotten back from the hospital, he took the entire day to just lay and rest in the comfort of his home.

"Yeah, I'm fine! Don't worry about it too much!" Leizcio said reassuring her with a grin and thumbs up, leaving the cafe.

After what was a traumatizing experience, Leizcio was looking back at what had happened. He was able to do what he needed to do, but at a heavy cost. While he was fast enough to save Midoriya and the others from Shigaraki, he wasn't fast enough to react to the nomu by then. He got impaled and it made him a liability to the others. He's been fast enough to deal with his threats so far, even that man who turned into a beast of darkness. But that guy was nothing compared to whatever the hell that Nomu was. Leizcio hates to think about it, but he most likely would've died had it not been for his amped regeneration.

Sighing, he told himself quietly, "I need to get faster." brooding as he awaited the train. However, he could swear that he heard someone calling his name? Oh, wait.

"Esperanza!"

Leizcio picked his head up and saw Uraraka running up to him, looks like she had a bit of a worried face on her.

"Hey Uraraka, how're you holding up?"

"Shouldn't I be the one who's asking that? You're the one that got impaled and punched by that nomu!"

"I'm okay, my chest still stings quite a bit but it's not something to worry about really." Leizcio says as he pokes himself slightly wincing.

"If you say so, now let's get on the train, we don't wanna be late!"

Boarding onto the train, he couldn't help but remember what happened at the hospital. Leizcio would rarely have breakdowns and the last time it happened was way back when he began vigilantism and couldn't get out of bed for a while. This however was much more painful. His mind decided to have him relive that day again. He knows that he hasn't come to terms with it yet but-

"Esperanza, you're not okay, are you? It's not hard to tell when your face says it all. And something tells me it isn't about what happened at the USJ."

Leizcio isn't really the best at hiding his emotions, but Uraraka was someone that he trusted, and he told her beforehand a little bit about his family situation. She's one of the few people he can go to talk about this kind of stuff.

"Yeah, sorry, but it was what happened when I was recovering from the wounds at the hospital. I had a dream when I was unconscious, but I remembered the night that my mom passed and it was just... just.."

Leizcio couldn't find a way to describe it, but each time he'd try to say something about it, it drove the knife of realization further into his heart, making the words come out of his mouth much more difficult.

He feels a hand lightly touch his shoulder, giving a small feeling of reassurement.

"It's okay Esperanza, you don't have to say it. I'm sorry that it had to be after what happened at USJ, but you're tough. It's not something easy to deal with I could imagine. But that doesn't mean you won't have people to support you. You have me, Deku and Iida remember!"

Leizcio couldn't lie to himself, he could feel his throat beginning to get choked up. Sometimes he forgets how grateful he is that he got to meet Uraraka, his first friend at UA as well as the one to help him break his shell from being someone quiet to someone who can be who he is.

"Thanks Uraraka, means a lot." Leizcio said quietly giving her a sincere smile.

"Course! Now come on ! Let's get to class!" She teasingly said as the train had made its stop.

"Hey I thought I said not to call me that!" Leizcio said with a small smile as he accompanied her on the way to class.

While on the way to class, Leizcio was looking through his phone checking the news. Unsurprisingly, the USJ incident was on there but there was something else underneath it. He looked at it and immediately got worried.

Seems like his vigilantism is getting noticed, people have started to talk about the Blur (For some reason the public has dubbed his vigilante name that). While publicity would be good most of the time as a hero, he shouldn't be getting any as a vigilante. But yet people continue to take photos of him, and the videos with him against the 3 villains and that mob boss keep reappearing online. It's just one thing after the other isn't it?

"Something happen Esperanza?" Uraraka said, noticing the worried expression on his face.

Leizcio just sighs and shows her the article on his phone. The article went into how the Scarlet Blur has been helping out around at night more than most pro heroes in that area with blurry photos of Leizcio dashing around and casually saving others.

"You've been going on too many patrols Esperanza! We're in school now, you should slow it down! We can't let find out either or you're getting expelled!" Uraraka slightly whispered to make sure no one overheard.

"I know but it's something that I have to keep doing. You already saw how the article said how there's barely any pros there!"

"Esperanza, I know what you're doing is right, but it's also illegal. If someone finds out that it's you under that disguise, you could get arrested for it!"

Leizcio sighs as he knows Uraraka brings up a good point.

"You're right, I'll try to start lessening the time I do it but I'm not going to stop."

"I wasn't expecting you to drop it, but just be more careful okay?"

"Course."

As they sat down in their seats, not shortly after, Iida came running in with his arms ever so square.

"Everyone! Morning homeroom is about to start! Stop talking and take your seats!"

"We're already in our seats." Sero pointed out.

Iida went to his seat in disappointment, and Leizcio was trying to contain his snickering.

"Morning" was all that was mumbled from what seemed to be Aizawa. That man is hardheaded and determined so Leizcio knew something like this wouldn't stop him from teaching.

"So you're all right ?" Iida asked as Uraraka questioned it asking,

"Can you really call that 'all right' ?" Leizcio already knew the answer and just said,

"Surprisingly he is."

"My well-being doesn't matter. More importantly, the fight is not yet over."

'Goddamnit, I don't need more villains during class when I already have "Scarlet Blur" stuff to deal with.' Leizcio thought to himself when Aizawa said that.

"The U.A sports festival is drawing near."

The class cheered on as it was actually something normal that they'd be doing for once, however, Jirou brought up a good point, asking,

"Is it okay to have a sports festival so soon after the villains snuck inside?"

"What if they attack us again or something?" Ojiro said with a look of uncertainty.

"Apparently, they think of it as U.A. showing that our crisis management system is solid as a rock by holding the event. Security will also be strengthened to five times that of previous years. Above all, our sports festival is a huge chance. It's not an event to be canceled because of a few villains"

This is no regular sports tournament however, Leizcio remembered when he had gone to see it in person to see his sister participate in them even though she was in the business course. She did pretty well the three times and made it to the final trial once.

Aizawa continued to explain the sports festival,

"Our sports festival is one of Japan's biggest events. In the past, the Olympics were called a festival of sports, and the whole country was crazy about them. As you know, with reductions in scale and population, they're now a shell of their former glory."

"Of course, all the top heroes around the country will be watching. For scouting purposes!" Yaoyorozu had brought it up.

A big factor that Leizcio had forgotten. He's just hoping that he just doesn't see his father there. He doesn't need any more stress to deal with.

"Of course, joining a famous hero agency will get you more experience and popularity. Time is limited. If you expect to go pro, then the path to your future will open up at this event. One chance per year - a total of just three chances. No aspiring heroes can afford to miss this event. If you understand that, then don't slack off on your preparations!"

"Yes Sir!"

"Homeroom is dismissed."

It's quite a lot to take in, but Leizcio has to get prepared for all of this regardless. It'd be as Aizawa said, one of his few chances to get noticed by pro heroes. It'd be his first step to becoming a true hero! (A legal one at least.)

"Esperanza!" Kaminari called out Leizcio, happy to see him in one piece for the most part.

"Hey Kaminari, you ready for the sports festival?"

"Hell yeah! Are you going to be though? You got-"

"Trust me Kaminari I'm fine, I'll be fine by the time the sports festival is here."

"Man you and Shoji are lucky!" Kaminari said, bringing Shoji into the conversation.

"How come?" Leizcio asked, a bit confused as to how the hell him of all people is lucky with all the vigilante business going on.

"Your speed and Shoji's brawn stand out on their own." Kaminari said sounding a bit disappointed in himself.

"There's no point if I cannot show them my usefulness."

"Yeah, Shoji's right, just because you have a flashy quirk and such doesn't mean you're able to use it to its fullest capabilities. I'm sure you'll be able to stand out Kaminari!"

"I think you'll stand out too." Jirou said bringing up what happens when he overuses his quirk.

"Heh, she brings up a good point you know." Leizcio said, laughing a little bit at the remark.

"C'mon Esperanza! You're lucky you don't go dumb overusing your quirk!"

"Hah you're right, hey if it makes you feel any better though, you'd be the only one who could actually save me if I go too fast."

"Wait how?" Kaminari questions, wondering how him of all people would make sense.

"Since Esperanza's quirk lets him create electricity in his body with his steps, going at high speeds would end up with him making a lot of electricity in his body that he probably couldn't handle. But your quirk would be able to absorb or neutralize that energy." Yaoyorozu explained to Kaminari.

"Huh, that's pretty neat!" Kaminari said with a newfound faith in himself.

"Not sure if I trust my fate in your hands though Kaminari..." Leizcio said, poking a bit of fun at Kaminari.

"Give me a break man!"

"Don't worry Kaminari I'm joking, while I'm hoping it doesn't ever come to that for both our sakes, I trust you. Now I'll catch up with you later! I'm gonna get something to eat!"

"See ya Esperanza!" Kaminari says as Leizcio leaves the classroom.

Walking on over to the cafeteria, Leizcio began to think of what would happen if he did go overdrive. He already saw that he got a small lightning scar on his back for using it when his body was given out. Made him shudder a bit at what the pain could be like if he went at those speeds for any longer. However, someone comes by and breaks his train of thought.

"Esperanza can I talk to you?"

It was none other than your favorite tail-quirked friend, Ojiro. The first time the two talked to each other was back at the USJ incident.

"Course Ojiro, what's up?"

"I wanted to apologize for what happened."

Leizcio was taken aback by this. What did Ojiro do wrong? He didn't hurt him or anything? If anything, he helped him save the trouble of dealing with a bunch of villains on his own.

"Woah Woah wait, why are you apologizing?"

"You were able to beat those villains back in the USJ without much of my help, and then you went off to face off against that nomu thing, I felt that it was a bit of my fault that you got inj-"

Leizcio immediately got a handle on Ojiro's shoulder, confusing his tail-friend a bit.

"Ojiro don't worry about it, first of all, you did help me face off against the villains in the fire zone. If you weren't there, I don't think my speed would've been able to last long! And don't worry about the nomu thing. It wasn't in your control, so it's not your fault! And I'm fine! Well... uh mostly... But yeah, trust me when you have nothing to apologize for!"

"Well, that does make me feel a bit better, so thank you for that."

"Hey, no problem! Now let's go get some food, I think we deserve something good to eat after all of that!"

The two walked to the cafeteria together, with the tail boy's worries resolved and speedy boy's day made better. The two would talk to each other, bringing up how their quirks manifested and how they've gotten used to their quirks changing their lives.

"Wait, so your sister owns Stardew Cafe?!"

"Yup, the one and only! Why you've been there?"

"Haven't, mostly because I just keep forgetting."

"Why not just come by to come and study? We got a pretty nice and calm area!"

"You know that does sound like a good idea."

"Also, you said that you train in martial arts right?"

"Yeah! I practice it with my tail so that I can get as strong as I can with it! You know, someone with a quirk like yours would be really powerful!"

"Wait how so?"

"Easy, pressure points, with your speed, you could probably knock someone out flat before they can notice!"

Leizcio just had an awakening right then and there. Of course, something so simple but yet so effective. Well maybe not simple, but it'd be a handy trick to have on his vigilante patrols.

"Esperanza? You okay?" Ojiro said as it looked like Leizcio just blanked out for a good minute or two.

"Ah sorry about that! Thank you for bringing that up though! That's some stuff I could use down the road!"

"Course no problem! Now we should probably head back to class before Iida scolds us."

"Heh, you're right let's go."

The two newly bonded friends headed back to class, waiting in anticipation to be able to train for the sports festival!

Chapter 15

END