…beep…beep…beep.

Hm…I haven't heard that sound in a while. Guess that means I troubled Amanda again…

"…Amanda?" I croaked, immediately squinting at the discomfort. I slowly leveraged myself up from the mattress, and felt a small bit of confusion circulate through me as this wasn't actually a bed.

This was a hospital cot.

My skin felt like it went up a few degree's as my heartbeat pounded louder, Where am I? What happened? What did I do?!

"I don't know who this Amanda is…" I heard a voice peer off, and I blinked, turning to the other side to see an older woman sitting at a desk, a white lab coat and a ridiculously large syringe propped up next to her. She handed me a cup of water, something I drank nearly immediately, and passed it back to her for a re-fill, my mind on auto-pilot.

"But she isn't here. Is she the one that usually patches you up?" she asked curiously, if not a little intrigued, and I linked, before staring at her hard.

Wait.

"Who are you?"

"Recovery Girl, I'm the Nurse at UA."

"U.A…" I mumbled, before my head panged, and I rubbed my skull, "Damn, how hard did I get hit?"

"Hard enough to put a crater in the entranceway to USJ." She responded, grabbing a clipboard and hobbling over, using her…"syringe" as a walking stick.

…wait.

I remember.

UA…the field trip to that training ground.

The attack!

"Is everyone ok!?" I jerked forward, positively breaking the cot beneath me as I fell to the floor with a grunt.

"Careful boy, its true your body can take quite the beating and remain functional, but fatigue is something you can't escape from, even you."

I struggled to stand up, and she sighed, swiping me with her walking stick across my head, "Stop that! You'll shorten your lifespan."

"THEN ANSWER MY DAMNED QUESTION!" I roared, glaring at her with fire in my eyes, and she jumped slightly at my intensity and volume. She eyed me with a small amount of nervous energy, before sighing and walking back to her chair.

"You have been unconscious for 96 hours."

Bomb number one, detonation.

I froze on the floor, my jaw falling slack as I remained on my hands and knees…what? 96 hours!? I had never slept that long before! The most was pushing into the early seventies! What the hell happened!?"

She sighed, exhaling like a depressed smoker, and rubbing her hands on her armrests. "The Attack on USJ was led by a new group of villains calling themselves the "League of Villains." They declared that their goal is the murder of All Might, and attacked at that location to draw him out…arrogance."

I gripped the floor, my system powering up slightly from anger, and I stood up shakily, my hospital gown turning red in some places as wounds ruptured.

" .question." I said dangerously low, and I stared her right in the eye, "…are they safe?"

She sighed again, "Yes, there were no casualties. All Might successfully dealt with the villain that you…fought in his absence."

…right…that big guy with the bird beak…he must have beaten me.

"As I was saying, the League of Villains brought along your opponent, "Nomu", which was designed to fight and kill All Might in a one versus one…however, considering your efforts into subduing the creature, All Might had enough remaining energy to chase off the remaining number of adversaries."

…that isn't what I wanted to hear.

'I helped', 'I was useful'

It was like hearing 'you weren't enough' played over and over.

"Nomu is quite the biological feat. Possessing All Might Level Physical Strength, and Rapid Regeneration, as well as Shock Absorption and Pain Resistance." It's a miracle you fought such a foe and, according to your classmates, severely wounded and defeated and rendered immobile for several moments. Such a feat against such an enemy is quite remarkable."

…

But it wasn't enough.

"As for your extended stay here, we believe it was do to your last move. According to All Might, you dove in front of your classmates after Nomu recovered, and took a lethal blow for them."

I looked up, confused, "That's not something I'd do."

She looked appalled, "How can you say that with such a straight face!?"

I shook my head, "No, I'm saying that the Berserker State doesn't operate on "emotion", he operates on "instinct". I don't see why he would…"

My throat died, and I felt a small ping of…warmth?

Did my intentions get through?

"You dove right in." Recovery Girl said with a small smile, "All Might said you were amazing, moving faster than he could himself, and defending your classmates without a shadow of fear…it was heroic."

I clasped my hands tightly together, sitting back down on my cot, and kneaded the bridge of my nose as I fought to keep myself in check.

I gave up.

I looked up at her with a big smile, "Thanks." I said, choking on a sniffle as I coughed, "I'm glad everyone's ok!" I said quietly, wiping away a few droplets of moisture that seemed to have appeared out of nowhere.

"You have had a few visitors while you were out of it" she said after a small moment, "All Might himself has stopped by every day."

I looked confused, rubbing my cheeks, "Why?"

"Well, it has something to do with how you attacked him."

I went bug eyed the moment that sentence left her mouth, and I looked up at the ceiling, "Well, my stay here was fun."

She snorted, "They wouldn't kick you out for that, All Might made sure to relieve every one of their suspicions after he described the situation leading up to it.

The WHOLE SCHOOL KNOWS!

I fell back, ignoring the disgruntled rattle the cot complained with, and I stared out the window behind me.

"Aside from him, many of your classmates have paid visits; Hagakure-san in particular seemed rather concerned, stopping by everyone morning, lunch period, and dismissal."

My cheeks glowed with embarrassment, and I covered my eyes from the sunlight, "Anyway, what did I miss? Any tests I have to make up?"

Her tone shifted into one of concern, "How many times have you slept for more than a few days?"

"It happened a lot when I was younger." I said with a shrug, "I was the "4.0 dropout" in my grade school, so I'm used to make-up work."

"Must have been hard"

"A little bit." I grunted, "I was never really concerned with them. I was more focused on not breaking my pencil when I tried to write with it, or not taking the door off its hinges when I showed up to class."

"You were an angry child?"

I looked up at her with a flat expression, "you think a kid who spent more than half of the day in a strait jacket was anything more than that?"

"A straight jacket!?"

"I had anger issues."

She sighed again, and I relaxed, rolling my wrists and sitting up again. "Well, sorry about the blood on your cot."

"I work in a Hero Academy, it's the norm."

"…I'm still sorry."

"Hmph, just don't let me see more of you in here."

"That's gonna be impossible" I said flatly, and she nodded, before standing up and walking behind me with a first aid kit under her arm.

"Lift up your shirt, I'll touch it up real quick."

"I bet that's what you say to all the young attractive hopefuls that come in here" I said playfully, and she laughed, "Oh, a joker too, I'll keep a bag of ice on hand when you get slapped."

I chuckled, ignoring the pain that came from it with practiced discipline, and I let her examine me.

"Hmm…your organs have healed, but your ribcage and shoulders will need some more time. Walking shouldn't be too big an issue, but if you feel tired, rest. Your system will require a good measure of time to recover, need some pain meds?"

"Nah, I'll make it through, I heal pretty fast on my own." I said with a nod, and she frowned, passing me another glass of water.

"So, who's Amanda?" she asked, and I nearly choked, I coughed, trying not to drown on the spot, and gasped as I got it down.

"How'd you know that name?" I asked, heaving a strangled breath.

"It was the first word waking up. Is she the one that usually takes care of you?" she asked, leaning on her desk with her elbow.

I traced my fingers along my cup, and I smiled in spite of myself, "Yeah, you could say that."

I could tell she wanted to ask more, but I wasn't going to invite her into prying for more information…I hadn't seen Amanda in sometime. She said she'd visit when she could, but going to school in America kinda makes that prospect nonexistent.

"So, am I cleared to go?"

"That will be determined by me." A rather high pitched voice replied cheerfully, and I jumped a bit in surprise as a small…animal hybrid walked in through the front. His fir was white, with a scar over one of his small black eyes, and a tail poked through the pants of his blue business suit pants. His white undershirt and vest were clean and pressed, a gold chain attaching itself to a clock was safely kept within his breast pocket, and his black neck-tie almost looked out of place with his childish stature.

But I could tell this person wasn't weak. He walked in, fearless, and calm. He most likely had an ace up his sleeve, and considering the establishment he was standing in, it ought to be a big one.

"Ah, Principal, Glad to see you answered my message promptly." Recovery Girl said with a knowing tone, and I relaxed slightly as I leaned back.

And immediately sitting back forward.

"Wait, Principal? As is Principal Nezu?" I said with shock plastered on my face.

This was the guy? The famous mastermind, the one that created the largest Hero Academy in the world?

…this little runt?

I stared at Nezu for a solid couple of seconds, before looking at Recovery Girl flatly, "Your kidding right?"

"Muuu! No need to be so rude Akashi-kun, I am indeed the principal of this school." He said with a small bow.

…hn.

"Well, if that's the case, why should you be the one to decide if I am fit for release instead of the well trained and extremely experienced medical expert?" I said bluntly, sitting forward and putting a hand on my chin, my elbow on my knee as I stared at him in the eye.

He was fearless? Fine, I can do that too.

We stared at each other, not even a twitch or a hint of a blink, and he smiled, "You have attitude, I like it!"

I rolled my eyes, "Sure, now, tell me why?"

"Well, you see, I am in charge of your release for something arguably more important than your recovering medical state."

Oh dear, my father didn't do something stupid did he?...I'll have to beat his head in.

"This regards your scuffle with a Villain before the Entrance Exam." He said, his cheerful tone dropping, "Whilst the incident at USJ was taking place, Katsuki-kun fought a villain that matched your description perfectly."

I blinked, my mind flying through the realization. Images of the event in the past floated to the forefront, and re-examined the sequence of motions.

"He did say something about a "Master"." I said faintly, "Are you saying that earlier this year, I was…a target for kidnapping by the League of Villains?"

"I believe that is the case." Nezu said calmly, "However, whilst he was in our custody, he betrayed one more piece of information…Recovery Girl, do you mind if you turn your laptop this way?"

Nezu hopped over, and pulled out a flash drive with a paw, placing it in with human precision, and rapidly clicking through files. Before long, a recording popped up, and I saw my old acquaintance cuffed to a table in a chrome room. Aizawa and Present Mic were handling the investigation. Nezu drew the cursor over a specific time, and soon, he stepped away and upped the volume.

"We'll get him." The chameleon whispered, "That boy…that power from Rage…we'll get him."

He paused it immediately after, and I clenched my other fist beneath the sheets.

"I believe that now, more than ever, you have become an important target." Nezu ambled over, and sat on the cot with me, patting my shoulder as if he was consoling a pet puppy, "After witnessing your ability to face down their Anti-All Might, and even knocking All Might himself back…you have an immeasurable value to their goal…and on the flip side, you're a far greater threat if they are unable to bend you to their will."

"So you're saying their focus has switched…from All Might, to…Me? I am the Mini-Boss or something?"

"You're their weapon." He said seriously, ignoring my half-hearted attempt at humor, "A weapon to be used or destroyed. I am here to decide if we can let you leave campus."