Side A 1: ASUI

I was very lonely, not very long ago.

Everyone always saw me and assumed "That Asui" had no feelings. That I was a weirdo, a strange person whose face never changed and who didn't want any friends because I was always rushing off back home, working hard to be a hero. Until Habuko I had no friends.

Now I have many friends, of course. But that doesn't mean there haven't been times when I was afraid I would lose them, when I haven't been scared about what could happen or that they didn't care about me any more.

Kamino was the worst time for that. It was already so horrible, seeing All Might falling and fighting so hard to protect us all, but what made it even worse was the week later when Sensei told us that those five had gone in anyway, even after what I'd said. And that fear that maybe they didn't want to be friends anymore with me. It was thanks to Ochako that I got my friends back, and felt better and more hopeful. If she hadn't reached out to me I don't know what I would have done.

She's the one who's kept it all at bay, because she is so hopeful and cheerful and never gives up hope. But even so, it's hard not to miss how sad and depressed everyone's been getting ever since Kamino. Even Ryukyu-sensei, our amazing dragon hero teacher who is ranked #10, sounded so down earlier today during that broadcast, talking about how not being able to save Sir made her feel like she didn't even deserve to be a pro.

"Wasn't there more I could have done?"

That's what Ochako had said too. And then Hawks had gone and said that strange thing to everyone, and our whole class was looking funny at Tokoyami.

Ever since we were a team in the final exams, I've really thought of Tokoyami-chan as one of my friends. He doesn't talk much but I think he thinks so too. So I decided to go to him and ask all about it.

"Are you ok, Tokoyami-chan?" I asked. "After what Hawks said up there, I know it seems like everyone is worried about you. But I don't think that's the case." I always speak my mind.

Tokoyami sighed. "To tell the truth, Asui, I do not much understand Hawks myself. Our time together went a bit too quickly for me to truly see into the depths of his mind."

"You can call me Tsuyu. And you know, maybe it was good that he said what he did."

"You believe so?"

"There's a lot of great things heroes can do, but one of the big ones is giving people hope that things will get better. Sometimes that's hard to do, but that's one of the things people miss about All Might. He always made us feel like things were going to be ok."

"And most of our new pros don't seem to bring that same reassurance?"

"Maybe they can. They might just need a little more support."

That was a funny thing to have said to him, that day.

We were all in the living room at Heights Alliance later, Tokoyami and Yaomomo on one side with Kaminari, Kirishima and Midoriya on the other, Ochako-chan and me sharing the main sofa. Kirishima got some kinda text message and went really pale.

"Turn on the news."

"Huh?"

We flipped the switch.

The news cameras were somewhere donwtown filming a hero fight - Endeavor, using fire to hover up among the buildings, was facing off against some villain - a villain who honestly looked like a monster.

No...there was something familiar about this villain...

And I realized what was familiar about it and my heart started thumping real fast. It was like them, but black instead of white. Like the monsters we'd seen on TV in Kamino. And in front of us at the USJ, the things that nearly killed All Might.

A nomu from the League of Villains...

It was healing itself, regenerating flesh as we watched. And as Endeavor put up his hand to fight it, throwing fire tendrils towards it, it threw something at him like a stretching fist -

and tossed the number one pro hero through the building behind him, breaking thr windows and then whipping its arms through the side of the building, crashing glass, and slicing the building in half -

it was sliding towards the ground -

People were flying out of the windows, supported by tiny objects -

Hawks -

Tokoyami's eyes had gone wide as he watched his sensei, whose feathers were dragging people left and right out of the building in seconds.

Endeavor-san - still alive - had sliced the building and the Nomu to pieces with fire tendrils, turning it into tiny bits -

But the creature was still alive - and smiling at the #1 hero -

Please don't lose. Please, Endeavor-san! You can't - you have to survive!

We need you, number one. We need to believe things can get better. Please.

Side A 2: HADO

"Nejire, Tamaki - I'm gonna go make sure Eri isn't seeing this!" Mirio told us, and we gave him a nod. Our whole class was around the TV cause the #1 and #2 pros were getting tossed around like crazy, beaten up by this creepy Nomu thing, like the ones who had attacked Class 1A before!

I'd asked Uravity and Froppy all about those things, that League of Villains, what it was like to fight them. They both looked so freaked! And those two didn't even get that scared when we fought Chisaki. They were so super brave, even though they were first years - Ryukyu said Uravity was so great, refusing to give up even when poor Sir said they were all gonna die, she even saved poor Eri and Midoriya by keeping Chisaki down. But talking about those League of Villains and those Nomu things actually scared them. And Froppy never even changes her face that much - but you could see it!

And now that freaky thing was throwing the number one hero through buildings!

And as two more pros turned up on the scene, throwing out fits to help the pros, it did something absolutely disgusting!

It shot tiny white Nomu monsters out of its neck!

Like it was laying eggs - it was the grossest thing I'd ever seen, oh man!

They were attacking the other pros and the people in the area!

How far away are they - could Ryukyu call us in - could we get there in time to help?

I texted Ryukyu san, though I could feel that something I wasn't used to feeling - even fighting Chisaki and his creepy goons, I hadn't felt like this - actually creeped? Scared?

Like if Endeavor loses this fight, if mister #1 hero can't win - what the heck could anyone else even do?

I mean, I know to keep fighting - I'm not used to feeling scared this way.

Something has been gone ever since Kamino, right? And now with what happened to poor Sir and to Mirio...

Even though Mirio keeps smiling through all the pain, you can tell. I mean how could he not be feeling down deep inside, with Sir gone and his quirk taken?

The Nomu thing was facing off against Endeavor again, who was floating on fire and somehow still alive.

The monster was slashing at him and the cameras started to fuzz a little as he went super duper hot on fire, like the cameras were looking into teh sun!

Come on #1! I know you can do it! Come on!

Text ping. We're not close enough Nejire. We won't get there in time.

In time?

Endeavor was blasting a giant fire shot out at the black creepy creature and doing his best to fry it to bits - and it looked like he'd done it! No more nomu!

I breathed out in relief. Good, that's good. He could -

"Hado!" said Amajiki. I turned.

The thing had torn off its head.

The head was floating and regenerating the rest of the body. And Endeavor hadn't seen it -

NO-

The thing had regenerated it's slashing arms and one of them had jumped out -

and sliced the #1 hero's face in two.

Side B Part 1: URAVITY

"TODOROKI!" cried Kirishima and Deku.

I felt so sick inside. I wanted to look away, part of me wanted to make sure Todoroki was ok - from Yaomomo and Deku's faces he was right behind us - but I couldn't look away from the screen.

Ever since I was a kid I've always admired what heroes can do. But even more than that I've always noticed the looks on people's faces when the heroes were saving the day. How all that stress and trouble, the way that mom and dad felt after a long hard day at work, just left them whenever heroes came in and helped people. And I love seeing people happy, so when I wanted to find a job to make good money there was nothing else for me to be.

But the thing about actually being a hero instead of just watching them smiling on TV, the thing about living with them, loving them like I - yes - love my friends - is you learn just how hard that is, how hard it can be to keep that happy reassuring look on your face all the time so that nobody panics. And how much heroes like Deku and All Might who give it their all and fight to save people really need someone in their life to look after them and save them.

I think everyone was hoping Endeavor would win...but all I could think was Please, someone. Anyone. Help him. Don't let him die trying.

He's got a family, after all. His son's standing right behind me.

The news chopper reporter had started commentating.

"THAT'S RIGHT, FOLKS. THIS SINGLE VILLAIN APPEARED OUT OF NOWHERE AND IS NOW DESTROYING THE CITY! AND WHILE THIS IS UNCONFIRMED, WE'RE HEARING ABOUT A HORDE OF ENGINEERED NOMU AS WELL! HEROES ON THE SCENE ARE EITHER ENGAGED IN COMBAT OR ASSISTING WITH EVACUATION! BUT ENDEAVOR WAS THE FIRST TO ACT, AND NOW HE'S..."

Don't say that. Please.

"THE SCENE HERE IS SADLY REMINISCENT OF THE NIGHTMARE THREE MONTHS AGO."

No, please! Not Kamino. This isn't like Kamino. Don't let this be like Kamino again.

He was moving. Endeavor. He had used his flames to push himself up from the ground and was blasting fire at the Nomu again - and again it pushed him back- and whipped him through the buildings.

OH PLEASE, NO! SOMEONE - CAN'T ANYONE HELP HIM? STOP HIM - BEFORE HE GETS HIMSELF KILLED - WHERE ARE THE OTHERS?! WHERE ARE THE PROS?!

When a hero is in trouble and struggling - who helps them?

Buildings were collapsing - and the public was panicking, running amuck through the streets, pushing each other this way and that and screaming in fear and riots.

A woman in the street was being filmed and she cried,

"Without a symbol - THIS IS SOCIETY WITHOUT A SYMBOL OF PEACE!"

The JP chart before...what our senseis had said was honest, but not what people needed to hear...

Much as I respected my sensei, her words were not the right thing to say...

"Lives I couldn't save."

The life I couldn't save...

"They're panicking. How terrible..." said Tokoyami.

"Todoroki!" cried Yaomomo.

"We just tuned in...and saw Endeavor!" cried Deku.

Sensei pushed in, past Iida.

"Todoroki - you already saw?"

I was afraid to turn and see his face.

"You gotta be kidding me," he muttered.

"STOP SAYING THAT CRAP ALREADY!" came a voice from the TV, startling us all.

The camera crew had caught up with someone else in the crowd, a boy, not much older than us, who was pointing towards something in the sky. "OPEN YOUR EYES BEFORE SPOUTING OFF ON TV! ESPECIALLY AT A TIME LIKE THIS! LOOK! THOSE FLAMES'RE STILL RISING UP! YOU SEE EM RIGHT? ENDEAVOR'S ALIVE AND FIGTHING! SO DON'T GIVE UP JUST CUZ THE OTHER GUY'S GONE! THERE'S STILL A DUDE OUT THERE RISKING IT ALL FOR US! CAN'TCHA SEE!?"

The announcers' voices cut in. "WE COME TO YOU AGAIN FROM UP IN THE SKY! AH! THERE'S THE JET BLACK VILLAIN - OH! BUT HOT IN PURSUIT IS - YES, IT'S ENDEAVOR!"

He was there, chasing the Nomu. Maybe - I hoped - for his sake, for Todoroki's, for everyone's - that he would win.

But even more than that, I hoped he'd survive.

A hero's life isn't nothing but death and pain.

Heroes need others there for them too.

Side B 2: TOGA

"IN HOT PURSUIT IS - YES, IT'S ENDEAVOR!"

"Boo!" I shouted at the TV Tomura had gotten for us. It was dim and dark and hard to see clearly, but it was clear the stupid announcers were right. That dumb pro hero had somehow gotten back up again. Why wouldn't he just die already?

Ever since I was a kid, I'd always been told to shove down my feelings and pretend like they weren't a part of me. But I've always noticed that I'm not the only person who pretended like she felt stuff she didn't feel just to make everyone happy. Me and Tomura both agree, everyone smiles like an idiot all the time and pretends things are fine when they're not for the same reason: Those dumb heroes who keep everyone thinking things're fine and it's ok not to show how you feel.

So that's why it's so important we knock those dumb heroes off their pedestals. And Dabi had such a good idea, taking one of our new crop of high-ends to go and smack them down a peg! And the new #1, better than we could've hoped!

But he was still going, even after getting slapped down? How the hell do those heroes keep going? Izuku did the same thing too...What the hell is driving them all the time?

And Hawks too was creeping up on our High end with a big feather to help him fight! And using the features from his own wings to push that stupid pro forward, those wings sticking to his back and turning into like giant fire wings of his own!

"He'll never win," Tomura smiled at me, with a reassuring pat on the shoulder - one finger held up, so I wouldn't dissolve. "He's tried his best attack on the Nomu and failed every time. He's on his last legs and he'll never be able to pull that crap All Might pulled at USJ."

"Shouldn't you be napping, Tomura? Saving your energy?"

"Well, I'd like to see the #1 hero die. Could be a good mood booster."

"Look!" called Spinner.

Endeavor had shoved his fist into the Nomu's mouth.

Oh, no. Please no.

And he was using his fire to shove them both up into the sky, far away from the buildings - and using fire again-

"HE'S STILL FIGHTING" said the dumb announcers. "WRITHING AND TORN UP BUT STILL FIGHTING BACK!"

"It's notenough to beat High-End Nomu," said Tomura, but this time more to himself than me.

But there it was, that Pro Hero shooting a blazing inferno through the sky, through the nomu's head until it's brains burned up and it couldn't regenerate anymore.

And it had stopped moving.

Had we somehow lost again?

"He won't survive the fall," said Tomura. Meaning Endeavor who was plummeting.

But at the last minute some stupid pro with detachable hands had caught him.

Still a huge thud but -

When the dust cleared that stupid Pro was standing with his one good arm held up in a fist like All Might did at Kamino Ward. Our biggest triumph, turned into some sick joke by that stupid pro, so people could put on those fake smiles again.

"Next time," Tomura promised as he left. "We'll get him next time."

Next time, you stupid pros. We'll get you next time. We're coming.

EPILOGUE: URAVITY

"IT'S ENDEAVOR! HE'S BACK UP! HE'S DOING THAT POSE! IN VICTORY! NO! TO SIGNAL HIS START!"

Poor Todoroki had fallen to his feet and was almost praying as we alll ran to his side to help him. He was almost crying, poor guy. Sensei and Deku were closest and they looked ready to hug him. I reached out a hand and patted him on the back.

He's ok, for now. Because he wasn't alone out there. Cause he had Hawks and the other pros there, to save him. To pick him back up again. That's why he lived, Todoroki-san.

That's who helps the heroes when they're in trouble, can't you see?

That's what real heroes do.

Uravity, Volume 1 (END/BEGINNING)