Phew, it's been a while, but here's the new chapter! Nothing much really happens in this one, but we can't always have them fighting, right?
Warning: Kira's language, Kira's mental state and Kira's resolve.
Enjoy!
Kira had been released four days later, along with Izuku and their classmates. She hadn't been allowed to go see Eri, which really annoyed her, but she decided not to cause any more trouble at the moment. She had checked up on her friends instead, glad to see they were all safe and sound. She had not been allowed to see Sir Nighteye either, unfortunately, but they informed her that he'd live, so that was already a plus.
They also heard of the attack that occurred while themselves were being treated at the hospital. Apparently, the League of Villains had acted out and not only attacked Chisaki and pretty much rendered him useless, but they also stole a piece of evidence. The police was taking heavy criticism, and Kira had not been able to escape the judging stares as they left the hospital to head back to school.
No one was supposed to know about the van transporting Chisaki. It was a secret mission, after all, and the details would have only been released to the public the next day. For the League of Villains to know when and where to act… Well, it was extremely suspicious. She also heard the rumors about how Hagane had ripped both Chisaki's arms off, but decided not to give them any credit.
Izuku told her about how he asked Mirio to take his Quirk. She hadn't followed him at that time, not knowing how to face the blond. She felt rather guilty for being such a dead weight, after all. So, when the green-haired boy told her about it, she whacked him behind the head and told him he was acting stupid. All Might had chosen Izuku for a reason, and he shouldn't be ready to waste everyone's efforts so easily. He took her words to heart and promised to do even better from here on out.
"THEY'RE BACK! THEY CAME BAAACK!"
At Mineta's yell, everyone quickly gathered in the mess hall. Kirishima, Uraraka, Tsuyu, Izuku, and Kira barely had the time to step in that they were already assaulted from all sides by their friends, who's worry was almost palpable.
"Are you guys all right!?"
"We saw it all on the news!"
"Everyone was worried about you guys!"
"You've all been through a lot, uh?"
"In any case, have some chocolate cake!"
"You trouble-makers!"
"You guys always come back after getting mixed up with some crazy business!" exclaimed accusingly Kaminari. "Quit scaring us like that, damn it!"
"We're all glad you're okay, though," admitted Shoji.
"Okay? Are they really okay?" wondered Jiro.
"Everyone, I know you were all worried, but! Let's calm down!" Iida stepped in, appearing between the internship group and the rest of the students. "You all saw the news, didn't you? So you know what they went through. As classmates, we should be sensitive to their feelings and let them rest. It's not just their bodies… Their spirits must be hurting too…"
"Iida?" Izuku stepped forward. "Thank you, but… We're all right."
Iida stared at him for half-a-second, unsure whether to believe him or not but, finding no trace of lying, he accepted his answer.
"Well then… I WAS SOOOOO WORRIED! NONE OF YOU HAVE THE SLIGHTEST IDEA HOW I—"
"You're the most intense out of all of us!" protested Sero.
"I'll go make some lavender herbal tea!" announced Yaoyorozu, running to the kitchen. "It'll put your hearts at ease!"
"Thanks, Momo-chan—whoa!"
Kira fell on the couch as three weights suddenly barreled into her like bullets. It took her a few seconds to realize it was her cats. Deku was happily licking her face, Shiro had claimed the spot on her stomach, and Spikey was biting her fingers, though not with enough strength to make it bleed like the first time he did that.
"Oh, yeah, your cats went completely nuts while you were gone," recalled Kaminari. "Todoroki took care of Deku and Katsuki handled Spikey, though we've got no idea where Shiro went…"
"Yeah, he does that a lot," sweatdropped the ginger, somehow managing to pull Deku away. She pulled the three cats on her lap, though Spikey was still holding onto her middle finger. "Stop biting, you asshole!"
"KYA!" At Ashido's scream, everyone stopped moving. "S- Suki-chan… Your cat ate your finger!?"
Oh. I forgot about that little detail.
"Well, you see…"
.
.
"… what?"
"Yeah. Sounds pretty wild, I know."
"… you're saying you first lost your entire arm before it suddenly grew back, but the girl didn't stay conscious long enough so now you're actually missing a finger…?"
"Pretty much!"
Shoto stared at Kira.
Kira beamed at Shoto.
Shoto hit her over the head.
"Ow!" She took a step back, rubbing the sore spot. "What the hell, Shoto?"
"That was reckless of you," he frowned. "What would you have done if your arm didn't grow back?"
"I'd have kept on fighting, duh," she replied, rolling her eyes. She flexed her left arm, showing off her muscles. "Plus, I've found a rather cool ability to make up for it, though I guess I won't need it anymore… Shoto?"
The boy wasn't really listening anymore, eyes fixated on her left hand. Gently, he took a hold of it to get a better look. Just like she said, her ring finger was nowhere to be found.
"It's really missing…" He didn't dare touch the empty space, worried it might hurt her.
"I know, it's a little disgusting," she chuckled, rubbing the back of her head. She tried to pull away. "I'll cover it—"
"No." Shoto didn't let her pull away, making her look up, surprised. "It's not disgusting."
"Shoto—"
"You lost it while saving that girl, haven't you?" he pointed out. "You sacrificed a lot for her… That's only a sign of your strength, Kira. Don't hide it."
She gaped at him for a second, truly startled, before her face broke into one of her bright smiles that made his heart beat faster.
"Thanks, Shoto."
God, the things she does to me.
That girl would be the death of him, seriously.
Just next to them were sitting the rest of their classmates. They too were taken aback by Kira's tell, though they were even more so by how Shoto displayed actual emotions. The two of them were off in their own little dimension, completely forgetting about the other students present.
"My ship is back~!" happily sobbed Ashido in the background.
Kira passed the next day resting at the dorms. Aizawa-sensei was handling some business for the school, and most of the teachers were currently occupied because of the incident with the Eightfold Cleansers. Most of the students had gone out to train but, for once, Kira simply didn't feel like it.
She had been too weak, far too weak.
A single hit and she was taken out.
A single hit and she became a liability.
A single hit… and Mirio lost his Quirk.
If I had been stronger…
She could have tried to grab Eri and pull her out of the way. She could have aimed directly for Chisaki and kick him aside. She could have used her flames to blast him away. She could have done so much more… But she let her emotions get the best of her. She panicked, didn't think things through, she only reacted.
It saved Eri.
It didn't save Mirio.
Such a fucking amateur… She clenched her fist. Who makes that kind of mistake? In a situation like that? I was so easily defeated…
Ever since she started training to become a Hero, Kira had gone through a lot. She sacrificed a normal childhood for the sake of different lessons; she had worked off sweat and blood, she had broken bones –hers and others'-, she had practically become insomniac at one point too. She had hurt herself more than one might realize, for many different reasons.
Accidents. Training. Attacks. Mistakes.
She had been pinned and sliced and cut and pierced and kicked and hit and beaten and concussed and she melted fucking iron on her hands and she lost her fucking arm but… but for that kind of result?
What was I thinking!?
The ginger stared down at her left hand. Seeing only four fingers instead of five really was a weird experience. She could almost feel it still present when she focused, and grabbing things with that hand had grown rather challenging.
At least it wasn't my right hand. That would have been a real pain.
It was a lesson she wouldn't forget, though. A lesson she couldn't afford to forget, ever again. So, bracing herself for the storm to come, she turned on the TV to the news. She'd burn her failure into her memories until she was sure she wouldn't forget again.
When Izuku came back from training with Uraraka and Iida, he wasn't expecting to find Kira in the mess hall. Knowing her, she should have been gone on a jog or something, to at least clear her mind. Instead, she was sitting on the couch, her knees held against her chest as she watched the television.
"Kicchan! What are you…"
"—and what is your take on the situation?"
"Sir Nighteye is now officially retired from field duty. Hero student Mirio Togata, one who was said to have the best chances at becoming the number one Hero in the coming years, has lost his Quirk. Civilians, officers and many other Heroes were injured during the incident. But what about Suttoki? From the report, it is said that she has lost an arm during the battle but, somehow, it grew back miraculously at the end."
"Are you saying this was all planned? Are you suspecting Suttoki Kira?"
"Obviously. Coming out of this without even a scratch? Villains knowing about the mission? A Hero crippled and the future number one out of commission? She was separated from the group for a while, you know? She could have taken that time to contact the League. And all of this in that time during which she is suspected of treason… And then, of course, her very own brother shows up to mess things up some more. That's all too coincidental, you know?"
Iida turned off the TV without a word. Kira didn't move an inch. More and more worried, Izuku grabbed the phone hanging loosely in her hand, and scrolled over the articles she had been reading.
She's The One!
Another Mole Hidden?
The Suttoki Siblings: A Tragic History!
And of course, there were the comments of numerous people.
"It's her fault Lemillion ended up like that!"
"Losing her arm? Pff, he lost his Quirk! Stop asking for attention!"
"Sir Nighteye won't be a Hero anymore? No way!"
"Does she think we're stupid?"
"He's crippled? All because she couldn't save him, uh?"
"They need to lock her up already!"
"Get rid of her Quirk! No one needs it anyway!"
And on and on and on it went. They never seemed to end, and the green-haired boy could only read them in horror, unsure of what to do. Slowly, he looked back to the ginger, whose face was hidden behind her arms.
"Kicchan…?"
"I should have known better…"
He exchanged a worried glance with his two other friends, and Uraraka placed a hand on Kira's shoulder.
"Kira-chan, what—"
"What does it take to make them see!?" she snapped, lifting her head. Her red eyes were puffy, she had rubbed them too much. "I knew it was gonna be hard… I knew it'd take time… But what does it take!? I lost my fucking arm for this, and all they can see is how I got it back!? How… how I made a mistake…?"
"What mistake?" Izuku frowned. "Kicchan, you didn't—"
"I was stupid! I rushed ahead and now, because of me, Mirio-sempai lost his Quirk! Because of me, Sir Nighteye can't be a Hero anymore! And everyone knows it and fuck, I know I messed up, but it's not—I didn't…" She gasped, grasping her hair. "I'M NOT A TRAITOR, DAMN IT!"
Uraraka flinched, before sitting on the couch and bringing the ginger into her arms, murmuring soft words under her breath. Kira was shaking, but no tears were coming out as she kept on ranting.
"What should I do, uh? If even losing a limb doesn't work, then what does it take for them to understand?" She gripped tightly her left arm at that. "Should I fucking die, uh? Should I let myself be killed next time around, or will they still find a way to blame all the fucking crap on me!?"
"Don't say that!" protested harshly the brunette, tightening her grip on her friend, horrified. "Don't you ever even think that! What happened wasn't your fault! They're blaming you because they have no one else to blame, and they can't blame the Villain because he is barely alive now! But you… You are not to blame!"
"I was a fucking hindrance! Mirio-sempai, he… he got in the way to try and protect me! He saved my Quirk but lost his! And Sir Nighteye, he told me to retreat but I didn't and now he's- he's—HOW IS THIS NOT MY FAULT!?"
"If you're to blame for that, then I'm to blame for Nighteye too!" snapped Uraraka. The ginger stilled at that. "I… I was the one bringing him to the ambulance. I should have done something more, anything… but I didn't. And now? Now he's retired. Are you saying that's my fault?"
Kira pulled away, eyes wide. "No! Of course not! But… I made a mistake—"
"Kira-san, you may be extremely strong… but you are still a student," softly pointed out Iida, gaining her attention. He replaced his glasses over his nose. "The students' duty is to fail because they learn from their mistakes, and learning is what they are supposed to do. What has happened cannot be undone, not for now at least, and so beating yourself over it would bring nothing but misery to yourself, and satisfaction to those out there who are trying to break you." His eyes flashed a little at that. "Are you saying you are ready to give up after all? To the likes of them?"
A few moments of tensed silence passed, until she scoffed, finally relaxing a little.
"As if. Who the hell… who the hell do you take me for?"
Izuku exhaled in relief at that. Kira had truly scared him for a moment.
"I'm sorry," she then apologized, rubbing her temples. "It's just… I wanted to see if there was some more information, and then they started ranting and there were the articles, and the comments, and it just all became… too much. I'm sorry. I snapped."
"Everyone has a breaking point, Kira-chan," replied Uraraka, who started running her hand through the ginger's hair. She instantly relaxed. "Even you. No one can blame you for reaching it. You've been holding this in for quite a while, uh?"
"Yeah…" Kira stifled a yawn. "Mind if I take a nap?"
"I'll stay with you," promised the brunette, smiling a little.
Kira managed to smile back, before lying on the couch and placing her head on Uraraka's lap as the girl kept playing with her hair. Tired, it didn't take long for the fiery teen to fall asleep.
"… she's really exhausted, uh?" murmured the gravity-wielder.
"This is becoming too much," nodded Izuku, grim. "Kicchan has always been strong… but she's extremely sensitive to what people think of her. She's scared of being alone, you know? And now…"
"She has you, though," then pointed out Iida. "And us too. The whole class is with her, and so are the teachers. She has the Big Three, and some more Pro Heroes are siding with her. Many civilians have also started to publicly announce their support! She's not as alone as she might believe, and… I think she simply forgot that fact."
"Then we'll make her remember," assured Izuku. "We promised, didn't we?"
At that, the other two nodded firmly. No matter what, they would stand with Kira. After all, if they couldn't even support one friend, then what good were they as Heroes?
.
.
When Shoto and Katsuki came back from their extra lessons for the provisional license, they were surprised to find the dorms extremely quiet. Going in, they found all of their friends gathered in the mess hall, watching a movie. Shoto instantly spotted Kira, who was sleeping against Jiro, while the purple-haired girl teased Kaminari in a low tone.
"Oh! Hey guys!" Ashido whispered loudly, waving to them. "Come and sit with us, we're just getting to the good part!"
Feeling up for some relaxing, Shoto agreed. Kirishima ended up having to drag Katsuki forcefully but, soon enough, they were all sitting and enjoying the movie. Shoto sat on the floor, Kira and Jiro just behind him. He glanced back to the ginger. Her eyes seemed a little red…
"Has something happened?" he asked quietly.
Jiro looked down at Kira, frowning a little. "I don't really know. When we came back, we found her sleeping on Ochaco-chan. Apparently, she had some sort of breakdown when they found her… She's fine now, though. Apparently."
"… I see. She's been sleeping for the whole day?"
"Pretty much, yeah."
The dual-haired boy nodded in understanding. The fiery girl was exhausted, and it was understandable. So, shutting up, he reported his attention to the movie. He'd talk to her the next day, just to make sure everything was okay.
Aizawa came back to school extremely late. Despite only wanting to go and get some sleep, his feet led him to the 1-A dorms. The lights were out, but he still wanted to check. When he stepped inside, though, it was only to find all of his students asleep in the mess hall. He blinked tiredly at the sight, unsure if he was hallucinating. Why weren't they in their rooms? He soon shrugged it off, though. Sometimes, kids needed that kind of moments.
.
.
When Kira woke up in the morning thanks to her ever-so-loyal internal clock, she was at first startled. She wasn't in her room but in the mess hall… and she was completely surrounded.
What…?
Slowly straightening up, she took a good look around. Each student of Class A was present, still sleeping.
Oh God, are Eijiro and Katsuki cuddling!?
Before she could even think of snapping a picture, though, someone tapped on her shoulder. She looked up and met Shoto's eyes. He silently gestured for the door, and she nodded. As she tried to get up, though, she found herself trapped in Ashido's grasp as the pink girl snored in her ear. When realizing she wasn't following, Shoto looked back… and his lips twitched at the sight of her struggling.
'Help me!' she mouthed.
Chuckling a little, he went back to her and gently pried Ashido's hands off of her, which proved to be a rather difficult task considering the pink girl was actually rather strong.
Once freed, Kira managed to stumble out of the mess of bodies, and finally stepped out with Shoto behind her. She took a few seconds to enjoy the fresh air of the morning as he quietly closed the door behind them.
"… are you all right?"
"I'm… better. Kind of," she shrugged. "I was just tired yesterday, and then it all came crashing down… I didn't mean to worry you and the others, though. I'm sorry."
"Don't be. I noticed your state of mind before, but I didn't do anything to help," he replied, frowning. "I should be the one apologizing."
"What are you talking about, silly?" she chuckled. "You helped me a lot! Just you being with me makes me feel better. That has to count for something, right?"
Shoto didn't answer. Curious, Kira looked back at him and froze. The boy's cheeks were covered in a light pink…
She slapped a hand over her mouth to stifle a laugh. "Oh my God, are you blushing?"
"Let's go back inside."
"You are!" She laughed, grabbing his hand. He avoided her gaze. "Aw, I didn't know you could be so easily embarrassed! It's cute!"
The pink turned to red, making her laugh again. She then moved closer, hugging him tightly. Startled, he then sighed and closed his arms around her. She really was warmer than the average person, now that he paid attention.
"Seriously, though. Thank you."
"I haven't done anything," he weakly protested.
"You don't have to. Just knowing I have such a great friend is enough for me."
Accepting her answer, he simply hugged her tighter.
.
.
At the end of the day, the intern group left the school grounds with Aizawa-sensei and All Might to go to the last meeting with the rest of the Heroes involved in the "Save Eri Op". When they arrived there, they found the Big Three already present with the other Heroes.
"Kira! Eijiro!"
The two quickly went to Fatgum and Amajiki. The Pro had returned to his original shape –Kira had been scared out of her wits when she found him slim, of all things-, and he was obviously happy to see them. As soon as they got there, the two were instantly trapped into a suffocating hug. When he let them go, Kira brought up the question they had been asking themselves for the last few days.
"What's gonna happen with the internships?"
"Ah, 'bout that…" Fatgum sighed heavily. "It was decided that da internships would be postponed 'til further notice. Too dangerous for ya kids right now, what with da League on da move."
"Oh…"
"But! As soon as this mess's over, I'm taking ya all back!" he then exclaimed, hoping to lift their spirits. "I wouldn't mind having ya around da Agency some more, ya know? Ya will all make pretty damn good Heroes."
"Thanks! We won't let you down!" assured Kirishima, pumped up.
"We'll become even stronger!" added Kira "Just you wait!"
"You guys got too much energy to spare…" groaned Amajiki.
That made them laugh a little. A small cough behind them, however, caught their attention. Turning around, they found none other than Bubble, Centipede, Mirio, Izuku and Sir Nighteye.
The last one was in a wheelchair.
Kira instantly averted her gaze, guilt gripping her guts. She didn't want to play the fucking martyr, but it was her fault. When she pushed him out of the way, she had panicked and put way too much strength into it. She didn't secure his landing either and ended up injuring him. He was now paralyzed from the waist to his feet, and he'd never walk again.
"Suttoki."
She stiffened at being called out but looked at the Pro anyway. He deserved that much respect, at least.
Nighteye pushed his glasses up his nose, his face unreadable. "You are an extremely reckless girl. How you acted back on the field was dangerous not only for those around you, but for yourself, too. You rushed ahead, ignored protocols, lost control of your Quirk, refused to obey strict orders from your superior on the field and prioritized the fight over the mission. You still have a lot to learn before becoming a Hero."
She lowered her head, accepting his scolding. It left a bitter aftertaste in her mouth, but she knew very well that she didn't deserve praises either. Maybe she was the one who helped defeat Chisaki, but it could have ended very badly had she not been this damn lucky.
"Though, for what it's worth… good job."
There was a moment of silence. Then, the ginger snapped her eyes back to Nighteye, truly startled. His lips twitched.
"What?" she gaped.
"You've shown great courage and initiative. You made those decisions while aware of the risks. It was reckless, yes, but it also shows great determination," shrugged the bespectacled man, now smiling a little. "And not only have you saved my life, but you also showed me that… No, proved to me that the future isn't set in stone as I always believed it to be. You and Izuku showed me a new, greater future, one that can still change thanks to the people working for it." At that, he bowed his head. "Thank you."
"You shouldn't thank me," she replied, shaking her head. "It was to protect me that you ended up in such a state in the first place…"
"That decision was mine to make, and so you can't be blamed for it."
His words were an echo of what she had told Eri that same day. Deciding to drop it, she finally accepted his words and bowed.
"Then I thank you, for your guidance."
"… Yosh!" exclaimed Kirishima, slinging an arm around her shoulders. "You were great, Red One! Cheers!"
"Gah! Stop yelling in my ears, damn it!"
Before they could start to bicker, though, she blinked, as if remembering something important. She instantly turned back to the Pro.
"Nighteye… If it's not too much to ask, could you please look into my future?" Silence fell as all heard her request. "I know… I know why you didn't want to, back then, but as you said, you now know that it is possible to avoid the future you see, so—"
"Why would you want to know? Knowing what is to come can sometimes be a great burden," he warned.
"I don't want anything specific!" she assured. "It's just… At first, I'll admit, I had a lot to prove and I was scared but, if it could help people to trust me, then I was ready to do it. But now… now, it's for me. I'm still afraid, but I want to make sure that… that I still have actually something to hope for. That… that all I'm doing isn't for naught. And that, if worst comes to worst… that if I can't become a Hero after all… then at least, there'll be a way to stop things from getting worse." That there'll be a way to stop me.
She wasn't stupid.
Neither was everyone here.
They all knew what she was truly asking.
She wanted Nighteye to make sure she wouldn't become what her brother wanted her to be. Because, no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't help but be afraid that maybe, just maybe, he was right—that she wouldn't be strong enough after all, that things would turn out badly and that she'd end up with no other choice, that the pressure would become too much and she'd crack and she was scared of hurting someone for real this time around and—
"No."
Kira's hopes plummeted. Nighteye readjusted his glasses again.
"Why?" she dared to ask.
"Because, as you told me before: you make your own damn future." A somewhat amused smirk stretched his lips. "I believe knowing about something that might happen would only hinder you in the long run."
"… I see." She let out a small laugh. "Thanks. I think I needed that."
"Of course."
Deciding not to insist any longer, the ginger turned to her friends to try and change the heavy mood. It was stupid of her to ask, now that she thought about it. Why was she afraid? She wasn't alone, she knew she wasn't. She needed to look at things on the bright side! She helped stop Chisaki and ended up saving Eri. That had to count for something, right?
He's right. I can't let my fear stop me. I'll go all out and prove to everyone, prove to Ren, that I can be a Hero!
Pumped up, she failed to notice as Nighteye brushed passed her. The man, using his Quirk for the first time since the mission, looked into her future.
He needed to know after all.
~Fire.~
~Fire everywhere.~
~A building is crumbling.~
~Burnt corpses, young corpses, are lying on the ground.~
~She's crying.~
Nighteye snapped out of it, unable to look at more. Somewhat pale, he thought for a second about telling her after all… but then decided against it. If she was scared of her own future, then it might very well lead her straight to it. She showed him that the future could change. He simply would have to trust her and believe that she'd be able to change this one too.
They were later on informed that Eri had woken up. Her fever had gone down, and her Quirk showed no sign of lashing out again. They, however, weren't allowed to face her yet, since they were still worried she might lose it at one time or another.
When they reached the school, the teachers went on ahead, while the seniors faced the first-years. They wouldn't see each other as much, so it was kind of a goodbye. While Kirishima and Kira teased Amajiki some more, Izuku found himself facing Mirio.
"I'll be looking forward to your rise as a Hero," the blond smiled.
The green-haired boy bowed. "A- and I'll be cheering you on! You'll become an amazing Hero! Thank you for your guidance!"
Chuckling, Mirio ruffled his hair. "Sure thing."
A laugh echoed, they glanced to their right, where Kira and Kirishima teased endlessly an extremely embarrassed Amajiki, who was scowling at them.
"You know…" Mirio looked back to Izuku, who now seemed more serious as he gazed at the ginger. "I think… you should talk to her. About what happened."
"… she's blaming herself, isn't she?"
"Aa."
The senior sighed, before smiling again. "What is it with you kids and burdening yourselves like that?"
"A- ah, well…"
"Don't worry, Midoriya. I'll talk some sense into her."
At that, the green-haired boy relaxed.
"Thank you."
But Mirio was already gone. There then was a surprised shout from Kira, who was suddenly being dragged away by the blond.
"M- Mirio-sempai!? What are you—oi, stop pulling me! LET ME GO!"
…
…
…
"What… was that?" wondered Kirishima, now confused.
"Mirio being Mirio," sighed Amajiki.
"So, I've heard you've been beating yourself up over what happened?"
"You dragged me all the way to the gym for that?"
Not only was Kira a little annoyed, but she was also wary. She knew Mirio didn't hold it against her, but it still felt… awkward. Looking closer, though, she noticed his smile was forced, and she realized something.
"You feel guilty, too."
He tensed a little, before letting out a small chuckle. "You're really observant, aren't you?"
"I don't get it. You lost your fricking Quirk because of me. Why are you feeling guilty?" she protested.
"I don't know, maybe because I couldn't do anything as I watched him blow your arm off?"
She flinched a little, grabbing her arm. She still felt ghost pains from times to times, more so when she thought back to the incident, and the empty space where was once her ring finger often ached.
"It wasn't your fault."
"Wasn't it? I'm your senior. I should have watched over you better, I should have known something like that would happen—"
"It was my choice!"
"Shouldn't I be the one saying that?"
The ginger blinked, the words acting like a slap. It took her a few seconds to register what he had just said.
She lowered her eyes. "I'm sorry. In the end, I was just a dead weight… But it won't happen again! I'll become even stronger, and I won't make the same mistake! I promise!"
"That's the spirit!" he grinned, ruffling her hair. "I don't blame you, so don't blame yourself, okay?"
Determination lightened her red eyes.
"Understood!"
.
.
Life went on. A few days passed and, soon, two weeks had gone by since the mission. October was beginning, bringing the cold along. Everyone was falling back into a routine, focusing fully on their studies now that the internships were on hold. As promised, Kira decided to let the past go and focus on the present: she had started training again, often sparing with either Shoto or Kirishima.
She had grown used to the missing finger and, after a while, decided to follow Shoto's advice and didn't cover it. Hatsume did volunteer, with way too much cheerfulness, to create a new finger for her, but Kira refused. Partly because she viewed it as an important lesson, but also because the pink-haired girl scared her with her ideas of exploding gas involved.
They were now currently in Midnight's class. Well, it was actually over, now. As soon as the Pro stepped out, the class became animated once again.
"Hey, Mineta!" exclaimed Kaminari, showing him his phone. "Do you know what that is?"
"R? Like R-rated?"
"Nah, it's for all ages! Look! Mount Lady and Edgeshot are forming a team! Kamui Woods is here too!"
"That's the site Lurkers, right?" recognized Jiro. "There have been rumors for a long time, now."
"It's kind of a weird team-up, though," mused Kira, leaning back in her seat. "Edgeshot doesn't seem like the kind of Hero who teams up at all, to be frank."
"Well, there have been a lot of team-ups recently," pointed out Kaminari.
"When we become Pro Heroes, let's form a team too!" proposed excitedly Ashido. "Uraraka-chan! You'll make me float, okay? And I'll make it rain acid!"
"Isn't that a bit harsh?" sweatdropped the brunette.
"And I can get a boost from Sero's tape!" pursued the pink girl.
"What are you talking about?"
"Koda, Shoji, and Jiro will do reconnaissance! And Suki-chan can be our heavy hitter! We'll be Team Rainy Day!"
"Woo," cheered flatly the purple-haired girl.
"Well, as long as I can beat up the Villains," laughed Kira.
Deku popped out of her bag. "Meow~!"
"And of course, that cutie can be our mascot!" grinned the pink teen.
"What about us?" beamed Kaminari.
"No thanks."
"You take the cat but not us!?"
The blond and Mineta instantly went in the doom and gloom corner to sulk.
"Teaming up is not just about your Quirks," pointed out Yaoyorozu, trying to comfort them. "How compatible your personalities are is important, too."
The only worsened their state, though.
The ginger laughed again. "Harsh, Momo-chan, harsh."
The black-haired girl offered a sheepish smile at that.
.
.
"Now then, for today, let's keep working on improving our super moves," announced Cementoss. "Previously, I charged you all with a 'two super move minimum'. Those who haven't met that goal yet will focus on development, and those who have will focus on even further improvements."
"Right!"
Kira quickly found herself at the back of the Gamma Gym, facing numerous blocks of cement. Cementoss had made them very thick so that she'd actually have a challenge. Careful to put Deku far enough so that he wouldn't get hurt, she then went to face the first block. Gathering her flames, she focused all of their power into her fist.
"Fire Fist!"
A part of the block of cement was destroyed.
I wasn't strong enough back when we were facing Chisaki…
"Fire Fist!"
I could barely make any damage with Hell Blaze.
Another part of the block flew in pieces.
I need to become stronger, then.
"Fire Fist!"
What was left of the block crumbled to the ground. Clicking her tongue, she went to face the second one.
If a basic attack like my Fire Fist can actually inflict serious damage, then my Hell Blaze will actually be worth something. Until then…
"Fire Fist!"
More than half of the block exploded, but what was left standing was still all cracked and ready to fall.
Until then, I'll train even harder!
.
.
The following day, Kira noticed a change between Aoyama and the rest of the class. It was quite a random thought, but the boy seemed much more open, all of sudden. Hell, he even showed up at her desk and gave her a plate of cheese!
Weird, but I guess it's better than always being aside.
They were now outside, enjoying a rare moment of warmth before classes started for the day.
"Look! Look, over here!" exclaimed Ashido.
She jumped, made a flip, landed back on her hand, and then started spinning.
"Breakdancing!"
Kira whistled lowly. "Nice."
"Ashido-san's current body movements take inspiration from dance. How should I put it… It's a state of movement where your entire body is being used," explained Izuku. "Maybe I should try it too…"
"Could you teach me too?" Kaminari joined in.
"Sure! Follow me, boys!" grinned Ashido.
The ginger stifled a laugh as the two boys started imitating awkwardly the graceful movements of the pink girl. She really was athletic, and keeping up with her moves proved harder than they anticipated.
"Though, if we're talking about hobbies, then Jiro's pretty impressive too!" then pointed out Kaminari, stopping in his tracks.
"Uh?"
"Actually, that room of yours looked like a music store! That's beyond the scope of a hobby!" assured the blond.
"Hey, knock it out!" protested Jiro, embarrassed.
"Nan, that's gotta be a music pro's room, right?" insisted the dumb blond. "How often do you practice? Do you seriously—"
He stopped talking when her earlobe suddenly stopped just before his eye, gulping in fright.
"I mean it," she warned through her teeth, pink dusting her cheeks.
"R- right…"
Annoyed, still blushing deeply, Jiro quickly left with a scowl, heading for class. Kira sighed, whacking Kaminari behind the head, before going after the purple-haired girl. The ginger soon fell in step with her, not saying a word. As they reached the class, her friend sighed heavily.
"I'm sorry for rushing out like that…"
"Don't worry, he's just a dumbass," shrugged Kira. She slung an arm around Jiro's shoulders. "Though he has a point. It's really cool for you to have such a passion!"
Scowling a little, Jiro simply slapped her arm lightly, embarrassed once more. Kira simply laughed, enjoying those light moments she shared with her friends.
So, keeping it light after all that heavy stuff that happened in the last chapter. There's some mental breakdown, but it's been properly dealt with (I think). As for Nighteye, well, I kept him alive for no real reason, I guess, other than adding an ally on Kira's side (God knows she needs those). I'm looking forward to your reviews!