The school festival was over. We were back to regular exams, the routine of classes, going to and from school, and spending our time in Heights Alliance's common room afterwards.
One afternoon, Tokoyami surprised us all by sneezing.
"Are you feeling sick?" Uraraka asked him, standing with a nice hot cup of tea.
"No. I'm in perfect health, and my mucus membranes are functioning properly."
"Uh…"
"Or maybe you have some fans who're gossiping about you!?" Called Kaminari from the sofa, where he had been sharing a laugh with Yaoyorozu. "Like whoever was shouting "Yaoyorozu!"
She went scarlet and raised up her hands rather defensively. "Please don't tease me. I'm just happy to have an admirer!"
Uraraka added, "You probably already have a ton of fans, Tokoyami! Especially after doing your work study with Hawks."
"No, I don't think so. That all went a bit too quickly."
The door opened and I called the class to attention. "They're here, everyone! Let's greet them!"
"Rock on with these sparkling gazes!"
"Here to lend a helping paw!"
"We've come from…somewhere!"
"Stunningly cute and catlike! WILD WILD PUSSYCATS!"
"Pussycats! It's great to see you after all this time!"I called as our class rushed to greet them.
"I hope my little kitties have been well!" Said Pixie Bob.
"Sorry we couldn't protect you, back then," Tiger began to Bakugou, who snapped back, "Don't remind me."
"We're doing good, thanks," said Jirou.
Ashido ran over to Uraraka and HAgakure to present them with a gift from the Pussycats. "PAW PAD MANJU!" "PAW PAD MANJU!"
"Kota!" Cried Midoriya to the boy with them. "Long time no see! Thanks a lot for that letter, it meant a lot, really!" He shook his hands.
"Look here, Midoriya," Mandalay pointed to where they'd left their shoes.
"C-cut it out!" Cried Kota.
His shoes, near the door, were red, just like Midoriya's.
"Now we match!" Midoriya exclaimed, smiling.
"So why are you here at UA?" Sato asked them, serving the tea.
"We're just here to announce that we're back," said Pixie Bob, as Uraraka and Shoji started moving furniture for them.
"You're back?"
"Congratulations!"
"You too, Ragdoll?" Asked Midoriya. "With your quirk stolen, I thought you had to quit."
"Not back in action, per se, but I'll be in the agency supporting the other three! Just call me the Cat-ministrative assistant!"
"We did hear from him in Tartarus," said Pixie Bob. A chill came over us now as we remembered. All for One.
"They're still pressing him to find out what kinds of quirks he's got locked up inside him, and how many. So in the meantime, keeping him completely immobilized is the safest option."
"Then why return now?" Asked Yaoyorozu.
"Because they're about to announce this year's second Japanese Hero Billboard chart. We're in 411th place."
"But your team was 32nd last time!" Cried Midoriya.
"Oh! So you're doing this to stop your sharp decline?" Asked Kirishima.
"Wrong, meow!" Said Ragdoll. "Why do you think we're still in triple digits, despite zero action?"
"Our approval rating at least was as high as ever," said Tiger.
"Which means people are counting on us, so we can't stop moving forward!"
"I hear you! The Wild Wild Pussycats are dudes among dudes!" Kirishima started actually weeping.
"The billboard chart, right," said Ojiro to Ashido.
"Oh yeah, they haven't announced this year's second rankings yet."
"Not with all that's been happening. A billboard Chart without All Might, huh?"
"Can't wait to find out. Should be exciting."
We watched on TV later that day, on bated breath to see all the announcements. It was as always shot in a professional arena, and the announcements came in after the Red Carpet Ceremony.
We were all trying, of course, to be a little bit sensitive to Todoroki, given that his father would be there. I knew it was unliekly Mr. Manual would be represented, but I would try to be proud for my classmates' sake.
"IT'S THE FIRST BILLBOARD CHART SINCE THE KAMINO INCIDENT! AND EVERYONE EVERYWHERE UNDERSTANDS HOW MAJOR THIS IS! NEVER BEFORE HAVE HEROES TAKEN THE STAGE IN PERSON AT THIS PRESENTATION. THE TIMES, HOWEVER, ARE A-CHANGING! STAY TUNED! NUMBER TEN! SHE USED TO BE NINTH, BUT SHE FELL A SPOT! DRAGON HERO RYUKYU!"
Uraraka and Asui whooped and hollered, cheering on their sensei.
"NUMBER NINE! ANOTHER ONE WHO FELL! THAT'S UNPRECIDENTED FOR HIM! EQUIPPED HERO YOROI MUSHA!"
"YES, GO, GO SENSEI!" cheered Ashido, Hagakure, and Aoyama.
"NUMBER EIGHT! YOU KNOW HIM FROM THOSE CLEAN N SHINY COMMERCIALS! LAUNDRY HERO WASH! NUMBER SEVEN! IT'S A GREAT LEAP FORWARD FOR THIS UP-AND-COMER! KAMUI WOODS!"
Sero and Kaminari put in their two sense, cheering and whooping again.
"NUMBER SIX! ROCK STEADY AS EVER, THIS ORTHODOX HERO HAS MAINTAINED HIS RANK! SHIELD HERO CRUST! NUMBER FIVE! THIS UNYIELDING BUNNY WAS BUMPED UP IN THE RANKINGS! RABBIT HERO MIRUKO!"
We paused for a gasp of resepctful excitement.
"NUMBER FOUR! THE MYSTERIOUS SHINOBI WHOSE INCIDENT RESOLUTION RATE AND SUPPORT ARE SKYROCKETING! NINJA HERO EDGESHOT!"
Kaminari and Sero joined in again.
"WHICH BRINGS US TO THE NEXT MAN! STILL AT NUMBER THREE, EVEN THOUGH HE'S TAKING TIME OFF! WITH A HIGHER PUBLIC SUPPORT RATING THANY ANYONE, IT'S THE FIBER HERO! BEST JEANIST! EVERYONE'S ANXIOUSLY AWAITING HIS SWIFT RETURN!"
We all gave Bakugou a glance. He was silent. Maybe thinking of Kamino again. Midoriya had met his eyes and they seemed to be communicating something in silence.
NUUMBER TWO! HE DOES THINGS HIS WAY, BUT ALWAYS FIERCELY! WITH UNSTOPPABLE MOMENTUM, HE'S MADE IT TO SECOND PLACE! WING HERO HAWKS!"
Tokoyami gave a nod as we all turned to smile at him.
"AND FINALLY! THIS GUY'S BEEN ON TOP FOR A LITTLE WHILE NOW, BUT TODAY IT'S OFFICIAL! HE'S WAITED A LONG TIME TO CLAIM THE THRONE AND BECOME NUMBER ONE! FLAME HERO ENDEAVOR!"
A tension fell over the room as we all turned to look at Todoroki. He was scowling. I rarely saw him so unhappy.
The president of the heroes' public safety commission had stepped up to the mic. I hadn't seen her before - the aribter of rules and order in our society of heroism. She wore her mid-length hair pushed back, a necklace, and a serious look.
"We decided to put on such an elaborate ceremony because this is a critical juncture for our times. It's been about three months since All Might's retirement, and word on the street is that our society is still missing an icon. But the heroes standing before you are ready to take on the mantle. So let us join them in their quest for a peaceful society. And now, a word from our heroes."
Ryukyu took the mic first. "Thank you for this honor. However, in truth I would've withdrawn my name if that were allowed. There have been lives I couldn't save, so going forward, I'll strive to really earn my ranking."
A hush fell over Uraraka and Asui; their smiles fell and a serious look came, in particular, into Uraraka's eyes, a sudden sadness I didn't quite know what to say to help.
"I FEEL YOU RYUKYU!" screamed crust. "THAT PAIN IN YOUR HEART, LIKE YOU'RE JUST NOT GOOD ENOUGH! WE NEED TO STAND TALL AND FIGHT ON! WE CAN DO IT RYUKYU! I BELIEVE IN US!"
"The mission is the same as ever," Musha said into the mic.
Ashido and her friends looked a little confused.
"WASHA WASHA!" said Wash.
"Edgeshot was kind enough to let me join his team," said Kamui Woods, "so I'd like to make him and all my superiors proud."
Still not quite the rousing speech Kaminari and Sero had hoped for.
"WHY WASN'T I IN KAMINO THAT DAY!" screamed Crust. "IT STILL HURTS DEEP DOWN EVERY TIME I THINK ABOUT IT!"
'To all the plotters and schemers out there!" Miruko smirked. "HOPE YOU'RE READY FOR ME TO KICK YOUR BUTTS!"
"Well, at least the top ten have their own Bakugou," laughed Kaminari. Bakugou huffed but didn't bite.
"IF public approval were the only factor," the interviewer was asking Edgeshot, "you'd be in third place!'
"numbers don't concern me," said the ninja. "I'm greatful to all my supporters, of course, but I don't do this job for fame or reputation. The ability to preserve law and order is the true measure of a her-"
"WHO THE HECK DO YOU THINK WANTS TO HEAR THAT CRAP!?" Hawks interrupted. "Stain, maybe?"
What? What did he say?
Silence in the room and on TV. We all glanced at Tokoyami as if somehow his mentor's words were his responsibility.
"Sassy, I like it," said Miruko.
"You always did enjoy rocking the boat," scolded Edge.
"I just hate holding back how I feel," said Hawks, grabbing the mic from the reporter and flapping his wings until he was floating above the stage. "Ahem. You wanna talk public support? Best JEanist would be number one if that was all that mattered, thanks to the boost he's gotten during his leave of absence. I'd be second, Edgeshot'd be third, Endeavor fourth and so on. Public approval? Sure, it matters more than nything else now, but c'mon. This isn't the time to dwell on the past. And you say that staying the course is the answer? Our symbol's gone. Today's a turning point, so what I don't wanna hear is a bunch of PR- friendly sound bites from the guys and gals below me! Try coming up with something actually heroic to say! That's all from me," he added, descending to Endeavor. "You're next. Dude with a lower approval rating than me. Mr. Number one."
Endeavor was shooting daggers at him. You could have heard a pin drop.
"After my junior colleague fanned the flames like that, I don't have much to say, except...Just watch me."
There was applause. From Hawks. And with that the broadcast was wrapping up.
We all tried not to stare at Todoroki, who seemed unsure of what to even think.
What on earth was that?