Hello crazy, beautiful world! Happy Thanksgiving and Halloween! I hope everyone is enjoying the month of candy and general spookiness safely! I've been busy balancing school, work, writing and playing all of the Halloween events in all the games I play. Too much to loot!

Speaking of, as a Halloween gift from me to you, aside from the prologue, this chapter is my longest one yet, sitting at about 8k words and 24 pages! I got hit with the inspiration bat and got to work on it a week sooner than I thought! Yay!

I'd also like to celebrate this story reaching the 50 favourite milestone! Thank you everyone who has decided that they are in here for the long haul! It means so much to me! We are also super close to 5k views, lets keep it going!

Review: K0lik8, glad to see my attempt at an emotional low point has worked! Hopefully you will appreciate this entry!

Borderlands is owned by Gearbox and 2KGames and My Hero Academia is owned by Kohei Horikoshi and Funimation. Please support the official release.

Please rate and review!

"This means someone is talking."

'This means someone is thinking to themselves.'

This means it's a flashback.

*This means it's a sound effect!*

{This means I'm speaking in a different language!}

Angel in a Gilded Cage

Midoriya: It's been three days. Still nothing?

Uraraka: Yeah… I'm getting worried.

Iida: I am as well. You have both tried calling her too?

Uraraka: Yep.

Midoriya: Right after I got home and she didn't respond.

Iida: Well as upsetting as it is we might need to leave her alone for a while. She might be coping with everything that happened.

Uraraka: Is that healthy? Isolating herself?

Iida: Everyone has different ways for dealing with trauma. For all we know she needs to relax after everything. She'll likely have her family to support her and maybe a specialist.

Midoriya: I guess. I still can't help thinking that it might be something else.

Iida: How do you think?

Midoriya: I don't know. Call it a gut feeling. Some things don't really add up for me.

Iida: I see. Unfortunately we don't know where she lives and she won't answer. All we can do now is hope for the best and check on her when we get back to school.

Uraraka: This sucks. I hope she's alright.

Midoriya: Same.

It was three days after the USJ invasion. Yūei was flooded with calls from angry families concerned for their children's safety. The media kicked up a storm of interviews and speculative headlines, questioning the school's ability to protect their students after more than seventy criminals had somehow slipped past the security measures and asking questions about this supposed "League of Villains".

With all of this happening, Principal Nezu granted the 1-A students a week long break to recover from the harrowing experience and canceled all activities and events outside of the main campus until they found and closed any holes in their defences.

Where was the small, white furred, mouse-dog-bear-man today? In his office making phone calls and working through a mountain of paperwork in an effort to prevent the upcoming School Sports Festival from getting canceled. They needed to show a strong front in the face of recent events in order to keep the student's morale up and to comfort the public. Therefore he needed to fill out all of these forms in time to be sent back to the ministry.

Bureaucracy… truly he was the bravest of all heroes, dueling against the most unrelenting of foes, the form on his desk the monster, the pen held in his padded paws a sword.

With a quick flourish on the dotted line, he delivered the killing stroke.

"Ah, one hundred and seventy three down… two hundred and thirty seven to go…" He sighed wistfully as he placed his newly vanquished opponent onto the outgoing pile.

*Click... Click... Click...*

His ears twitched.

"Hm?" He looked up from his desk.

*Click... Click... Click...*

There was a strange sound, a repeating sound. Echoing off the hallway floor.

And it was coming this way.

Nezu's fine fur spiked for a moment, washing over him like a wave. His instincts were telling him to run, every click feeling like the countdown on a doomsday clock.

His paw drifted towards the emergency button on his desk phone. With a single press, the alarm would ring, sending the school into lockdown while signalling the teachers as to the location of the crisis.

*CLICK! CLICK! CLICK!* The sound stopped right outside his door.

Then he sniffed the air and his paw halted. Emanating from the other side of the door was a familiar scent. A feminine scent mixed with the faint smell of motor grease covered with layers of various chemicals and compounds, all of which were common in women's cosmetics.

A scent he hadn't smelled in five months. Ah, he was wondering when this talk would happen.

He immediately relaxed as he now knew who he was dealing with.

"Come in!" He politely chirped.

In the next instant, the door slammed open. Standing in the doorway was one Moxxi Hodunk, dressed in a purple dress suit and her feathered top hat, an accessory from her hero costume.

But her usual playfulness was gone, replaced with an expression of pure anger. He could feel her glaring at him through her sunglasses.

"Nezu." She said in a barely restrained tone.

"Moxxi-chan! It's so nice to see you! How can I help you?" He answered in his usual happy-go-lucky voice in an attempt to lighten the mood, though he knew it probably wouldn't work.

She strode over to his desk and slammed a fist down on the wooden surface with a crack, the force sending a few stacks of papers onto the floor.

He didn't visibly react nor let his displeasure show. He could feel she needed to calm down a little.

"Don't "Moxxi-chan" me!" She spat, ripping off her sunglasses so she could furiously stare into his unflinching beady eyes. "I'm here because you didn't keep to your end of the deal!"

Nezu sighed nostalgically. It was always nice to have a reunion with former students, to see how far they have gone after graduation. He could remember the first day he met Moxxi, back when she hadn't yet grown into the capable woman before him. She was a mischievous and flirtatious girl who loved to play around with the affections of her fellow students, often getting reported to his office for getting caught doing something indecent with her boyfriend of the week. At the same time, she was very bright and calculating with an unexpected penchant for technology, becoming very popular with the Support Course.

It was this dynamic that made her such a good hero. Moxxi's confident and playful outer layer served to make her enemies underestimate her and to calm down those in distress. But push her too far and her true nature would be unleashed, a ferocious and protective spirit like that of an enraged mother bear. It was what made her such a good hero.

It was that same spirit that sometimes led her astray however. She thought she was angry at him, but knowing her, that wouldn't be the case.

"How so, Moxxi-chan?" He asked patiently, slipping into his wise educator persona.

"You know what I'm talking about!" Her finger tapped angrily on his desk. "You promised us that you would keep Angel safe here! But what happens?! First week there's a security breach, then an army of villains break in and she almost gets killed!"

His promise. The one he made more than six months ago. The day that Mordecai finally called in the favour he had been holding onto for nearly thirty years.

And she believed he had broken it.

He couldn't help but feel a bit slighted that she thought his word was worth so little.

"Do you truly think that is fair of you Moxxi-chan?" He asked.

"What?!"

"I gave you my word that as long as Angel-chan stayed in my school I would protect her with everything I had, like any other student. I may not be human, but I am still mortal and flawed like everyone else. Are you saying that it is expected of me to be able to predict that for the first time in Yūei's history, in this day and age, that a horde of criminals would dare to invade the grounds?"

"B-But you-!" She sputtered, but immediately clammed up as he held up a paw and continued. He was in lecture mode, there was no stopping him now.

"On a different, but related topic, you still haven't told me what you are hiding her from. Was this "League" what you were worried about?"

"N-No, but-!"

"Fortunate. But the fact still stands that I cannot make adequate preparations for a threat that I have no knowledge about. But if it is as you said six months ago that everyone would be safer if they were kept in the dark, I have only you and Mordecai-san's word to go on." He reasoned before taking a deep breath.

"Lastly, what did you hope to gain from this confrontation? Even if I truly needed to give you some form of recompense, what do I possess that you feel that you're owed?"

She flinched at his question, her fury swiftly getting replaced with guilt and embarrassment as it finally seemed to dawn on her on what a waste of time this was.

"So I ask again, do you truly think that is fair of you Moxxi-chan?" He pressed.

"Tch-!" She clicked her tongue behind her clenched teeth as she hung her head in shame. She remained silent for a moment before finally shaking her head.

"No…" She answered ruefully. "I'm sorry."

He gave a lighthearted laugh as he patted her hand. "Don't feel too bad about it Moxxi-chan. Everyone makes mistakes and I know you too well to know that you're not really mad at me."

She raised her head back up to look at him, a look of uncertainty on her face.

"You haven't changed a bit since your school days. Whenever you felt guilty and didn't know what to do, you'd throw a fit until someone helped you." He said sagely. "That's why you came here demanding to see me, in actuality you need my help."

She flinched again and pushed off the desk, crossing her arms and looking away. Looks like he hit the nail right on the head.

"How about you take a seat on the couch? We can talk about what is troubling you over a relaxing cup of tea. How does that sound?" He offered.

She let out a snort. "You and your damn tea… fine." She set herself down on his couch while he jumped off of his office chair, making his way over to his electric kettle on the nearby coffee table. A couple button presses and it started to whirr.

"Now…" He began as he clambered onto the couch, sitting next to his former student, who had removed her hat and absently began thumbing the brim. "Tell me what's been bothering you."

His former student took a deep breath as if to calm her nerves. "It's about Angel. Ever since she got back from USJ, she's been… distant… quiet..."

"Despondent?" He suggested.

"Y-Yeah, that. Then when we got home that night she locked herself away in her room. At first I thought she needed to be alone for a bit. But… she doesn't come out for meals and I think she only goes to the bathroom when I'm not around. Then yesterday… I tried to convince her to come out."

Moxxi stood in the hallway, facing the closed door. At the foot of the entrance sat the tray with the last meal she had left for Angel, covered in plastic wrap and long since grown cold. Like the one before and the one before that and the one before that.

That was it. It's been two days. She needed to do something.

Stepping up to the door, she lifted her hand to the wood, hesitating for a moment before finally knocking.

"Angel… are you awake?" She called softly.

Silence.

Not deterred, she knocked again.

"Angel… I'm getting really worried… can we talk about what's bothering you?" She asked.

"Go away." Angel finally answered.

'She sounds downright miserable.'

"Angel, if you're worried that I'll laugh or something, you don't have to be. All I want is to help you. We can figure this out!"

"Leave me alone." The girl replied, her voice cracking a little.

This wasn't working. Maybe she would come out if she used a little authority.

'That always worked when Scooter was sad over a girl.'

"Angel," She said in a more serious tone. "I haven't seen you leave your room in days and you aren't eating anything. You need to come out."

No response this time.

"I was going to let you have your privacy Angel, but you've forced my hand!" She declared, reaching down to the knob. "I'm coming in!"

She twisted the knob. Just as she pushed it open about an inch, she heard movement inside followed by rapid footfalls.

*BANG!* She stumbled back in surprise as the door slammed back shut, as if the room's inhabitant had thrown all her weight against it.

"Angel?! What're you-?!"

"GO AWAY!" The girl screamed through the door, followed up with the sound of something dragging across the floor.

"Angel?!" Moxxi yelled, stepping back up to the door and twisting the knob, trying to push the portal open.

Only to gasp in surprise when it wouldn't budge. Putting more strength into it, she pushed into the door with her shoulder but it wouldn't move an inch.

Had she blocked the door with a chair?!

Losing all composure, Moxxi pounded her fist on the door. "ANGEL! PLEASE! LET ME IN! OPEN THE DOOR!"

"JUST GO AWAY MOXXI!" The girl begged, the pain in her voice ripping Moxxi's heart to pieces. "Please… just go." She said weakly, choking back a sob. "I don't want to hurt you too…"

The grown woman rested her head on the door as she listened to her weep, standing in place, not knowing what to do.

"W-When I woke up this morning, I checked again, but she still had the door barricaded!" Moxxi's voice became more wobbly as she went on. "She barely says anything now and I-I..!" She sniffled before finally breaking down, tears flowing down her cheeks in black rivers as her mascara began to run. "Dammit! I hate this! I feel so useless! What am I going to do?!" She asked as she cradled her head in her hands.

Nezu reached into his vest pocket and pulled out some folded tissues, holding it out to the sorrowful hero.

"T-Thank you." She croaked, taking them and dabbing away at her blackened face before blowing her wet nose with a honk.

Nezu had never seen Moxxi so upset, this situation was truly as serious as she made it out to be.

"Can you not get a therapist to coax her out? Get authorities to do a welfare check?" He asked.

Moxxi shook her head. "No, no we can't. The more people outside of Yūei that get involved, the more danger everyone will be in. Including her."

Right, the mysterious threat that she kept talking about. She had reassured him that Yūei was too far in the spotlight for whoever she was talking about to make a move. Otherwise, aside from his debt to Mordecai, he'd never agree to a deal that would put his students at risk.

The kettle whistled, steam pouring out the top spout.

"One moment." He told her, getting to work, pouring the hot water into the adjoining cups before adding and mixing in the tea. Once he was finished, he placed them on their saucers and gently placed one in front of her. "Here we are."

Dropping the tissues, Moxxi leaned down and slowly picked up the cup, hands trembling. She brought it up to her mouth and sipped, her breathing gradually becoming more steady as the broth worked its magic. He took a sip from his own while she set to downing the whole thing in one go.

Finally, she finished, taking a deep sigh as she placed the empty cup back down.

"Thank you… I needed that." She said morosely. "I just feel… so lost. I guess… that's why I came today. Deep down I feel as if you always have the answers to everything."

He smiled softly. "I appreciate your confidence in me. From what you told me, Angel-chan seems to believe that she is dangerous to other people."

"Why would she think that?"

"According to some of the student testimonies, during the USJ incident Angel-chan blew a hole in the Nomu individual, a fatal wound were it not for his powerful regeneration."

"God… that's what happened?! She never told me." Moxxi muttered. "She's such a gentle girl… she must have had no choice. I can't imagine she'd want to hurt someone."

"Agreed. But for one reason or another, she considers herself a threat to others. Perhaps this complex is exacerbated by something in the past. Possibly connected to whatever it is you won't talk to me about."

He spied her clenching one of her fists in anger as she glanced away. "That's... very possible." She said through gritted teeth.

"Has she ever disclosed anything about a traumatic event, one where she holds herself responsible for harm caused to another?"

"No." Moxxi ground out. "I know about her situation, but she never told me anything deeper than that. She… doesn't trust me." She cradled her head.

He placed a comforting paw on her arm. "Don't take it personally. It sounds more like the result of a deep seeded issue rather than any inadequacies on your part. But now I think we found our problem. Something happened in Angel-chan's past that made her think of herself as dangerous. She was forced to defend herself at USJ, thus she can't trust herself anymore. Her desire for isolation stems from her fear that she will hurt someone and possibly dreads what others would think of her, preventing her from opening up to you. She fears that you will reject her."

"Oh God… Angel..." She looked back at him. "What can we do?"

He hummed, his mind trying to put the pieces together. "I believe what Angel-chan needs is someone she can confide in. Someone who she doesn't think she can hurt and will have the least chance of condemning her. Most of all, someone who can personally relate to her fears and insecurities and show her a way to move past them."

"But… who could fit the bill? Does someone like that even exist?"

Nezu stroked his neck fur in thought. Then he smiled.

"I think I have just the man for the job." He said, sipping his tea.

*Ding!*

The elevator doors slid open. A thin, sickly man in an oversized, golden, pinstriped suit and dress pants stepped off the lift into the hallway. To anyone else, they'd think he looked like a poorly dressed scarecrow. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a scrap of paper, the address he was looking for scribbled upon it. Confirming that he was on the right floor, he turned and started down the hall.

"Nngh." He groaned slightly, feeling the sting from the wound on the left of his abdomen, still sore from the treatment he had undergone a few days ago. He pushed past the pain, just as he always did.

The unkempt mess of blond, straw-like hair on his head swayed as he kept walking, two especially long bangs hanging over his face and down his chest. Two blue pinpricks flicked about in the dark recesses of his sunken eyes, scanning each door's address.

Coming to a stop, he glanced down at the paper and back to the door in front of him.

Apartment six hundred and ninety-six. He was unsure if it was a coincidence, based on the resident's reputation.

Stuffing the paper back into his pocket Toshinori Yagi or as he was more commonly known as, All-Might, reflected on the events of the day. He had been laying low at home, recuperating at the orders of Recovery Girl(lest he incurred her wrath) when he received a phone call. It was Principal Nezu with a disturbing story and a bizarre request. Something about one of their students, Angel Hodunk, falling into a depression and refusing to leave her room.

While he was saddened and worried for the poor girl's well being, he was utterly bewildered as to why Nezu asked him to visit her. Unless there was something that needed to be lifted or punched, he was completely out of his element. He wasn't very good at moral support aside from a smile and a hearty laugh. Shouldn't they call a therapist or a counselor? A hospital?

'What can I do?' He wondered before letting out a sigh. 'Well, I'll just have to try.'

He glanced around the halls, making sure that the vicinity was free of prying eyes or recording cameras. Then with a deep breath and a puff of smoke, his body instantly grew and filled out the confines of his suit until he was the towering, muscular paragon known the world over.

He pushed the doorbell, an electronic chime ringing behind the door. He straightened his tie and smoothed out any creases on his suit.

A second later, the door opened and revealed his student's guardian.

He had never met Moxxi before, only familiar with her through her public appearances, which now that he was standing across from her in the flesh, didn't do her justice.

A mature, yet youthful looking woman with soft brown hair and fair skin. Her figure was the embodiment of the physical qualities men loved in a woman, thin and round in all the right places that filled out the jeans and t-shirt she was wearing quite generously. She wasn't wearing the copious amount of makeup that she normally appeared in, yet he thought she looked better without it, with her beestung lips and her infamous, glittering emerald eyes-

"You gonna keep staring or are you coming in?" The woman he was unintentionally ogling gave him a dry look.

"O-Oh! Apologies! How rude of me!" He bowed his head in shame. Did she have that effect on everyone?

"It's alright, I'm used to it." She shrugged as she led him inside. Only now that he was walking behind her did he notice the dejected and anxious stiffness in her gait. Angel's misery was contagious it seemed.

"I wish we could have met under cheerier circumstances. Normally I'd kill for the chance for some alone time with the symbol of peace."

Moxxi's idea of small talk almost made Toshinori choke on his own spit, his cheeks rosy at what she implied.

He tried to pull his mind out of the gutter by taking in his surroundings. Moxxi's apartment was a reflection of her career as a popular hero, a wide open space with a great view of the city skyline, the deep orange of the evening sun bathing the room with warmth. There was a luxurious living area with expensive looking couches, chairs and a glass table in front of a large flatscreen tv. The furniture all fit a red and black color scheme that the rest of the apartment seemed to take. Off to the side was a dining table near a door leading to the kitchen he guessed. In the other direction was a hallway probably leading to the washrooms, bedrooms and closets.

"You have a very nice place here Hodunk-san."

"Just call me Moxxi. No offense, but I'm not in the mood for pleasantries today." She answered, stopping in front of the right hand hallway.

"Angel's room is at the end of the hall. She's barricaded herself inside, so you'll have to convince her to let you in."

"Can you tell me what's bothering her?" He asked only to receive a firm shake.

"Nezu said that it'd be better if you got her to tell you. Something about relating to her and earning her trust or, I dunno."

'Of course he did.' Toshinori thought, once again wondering what that eccentric cat-dog thing was thinking.

Moxxi took a shaky breath and stepped past him. "I'll be waiting on the couch. If I'm around she'll probably slam the door in your face." She said sadly.

With that, he began to cross the tile wood floor.

"All-Might,"

He stopped and turned back to receive a look of regret and unease from the woman.

"I don't know why Nezu thinks that you're the one who could get through to her, but... I trust him. I'm not going to lie and say I'm not scared but…" She bowed her head. "Please! Help her."

Just like that, the weight of his mission sank onto his shoulders. At that moment he pushed aside his doubts and questions about whether he was the right person for the job. For whatever reason, he was Moxxi's last hope.

But above all, he was a hero and there was a young girl in need.

"I will do my best." He answered solemnly and entered the hall. Every step brought him closer to his destination, until he was finally in front of the door. He was more than seven feet tall, yet it felt like it was looming over him.

Mustering up his courage, he lightly rapped on the door with one of his oversized fingers.

"Go away…" A quiet, emotionless voice answered.

"Young Hodunk!" He called, resorting to his usual uplifting hero routine. "It is I! All-Might! Your teacher!"

There was a moment of silence before finally; "All… Might?" Angel murmured, her voice dry and cracking.

"Yes!"

There was the sound of rustling sheets followed up by footsteps and something dragging along the floor. The knob slowly turned and the door opened a crack. A single blue eye with a glimmer of curiosity and disbelief looked up at him.

"It's really you… why… why are you here?"

"I am here at the request of Moxxi-san and the principal to check on how you were doing after that kerfuffle at USJ!"

She glanced down at the floor.

"Oh… that's nice of you I guess… but I really want to be left alone right now." She began to close the door, only for him to stop it with a finger.

"Young Hodunk, I think that I should cut to the chase. I've been told that you have been… feeling down for the last few days. Is it possible if we could talk about it?" He delicately requested.

She shook her head. "No... no… I-I-I wouldn't want to waste your time All-Might. Surely there are places you'd rather be." She said, giving a weak excuse as she pushed on the door harder, not that the meager strength she currently possessed could win against the unstoppable force that was the symbol of peace.

"Incorrect! It is my duty as a hero to come to the aid of those who need it and you're the closest nearby!" He half-joked before he returned to a serious tone as he continued holding the door open. "Angel-chan... can I call you that?"

She gave an uncaring shrug.

"Angel-chan," He repeated. "I am here because frankly… I am worried for you. You can't just lock yourself away like this. I want to talk to you about what happened at USJ and what is plaguing you."

She shook her head again. "No. I don't want anyone to come near me. I keep hurting them, so it's better if I stay in here and… people will hate me if they ever knew what I have done… even you."

"I think you'll find it very hard to hurt me, it'll take a lot to keep me down!" He gave a small laugh, his smile straining at how awkward this all felt. They were just going in circles. He needed to create an opportunity for her to open up.

"Look, how about we make a deal. You let me in and give me a chance to listen, to understand why you are doing this. If I can't, I promise to leave you alone and our conversation will never leave your room. What do you say?"

"I… I don't know…" She muttered tensely.

"Then ask yourself... do you trust me?" She froze. "If you do, please, let me in." He pleaded. He was telling the truth when he said that he would leave if needed. He would not force himself into the place that she felt the most safe. She needed to make this decision, to feel in control of the situation by inviting him in.

So Toshinori waited, the seconds crawling by in silence. The lapse in the conversation began to feel so long that he began to worry that he had already failed.

Then finally, the door eased open.

Toshinori's brows knitted together as he took in the girl's appearance. She was dressed in a pair of sweatpants and a shirt, wrinkled from being over-worn. Her hair was pulled out of its usual ponytail, unwashed and unkempt, hanging over most of her face and her front like a curtain. Her face was slick with cold sweat and her cheeks were stained, likely from dried tears. But worst of all were her eyes, sunken into darkened circles from where her pupils reflected the light from the hall.

She looked like she hadn't gotten any sleep in days.

"Come in I guess." She turned her back to the door and retreated further into the room.

Taking the invitation before she changed her mind, Toshinori followed her in, closing the door and throwing the world into shadows, the room partially illuminated only from the sun bleeding through the curtains over the window. Much like the rest of the apartment thus far, the girl's room had the same luxurious design. The little furniture she possessed was expensive looking, a large dresser, a double's bed and a nightstand, all sitting across from the window against the wall.

That was it. With a glance about, Toshinori couldn't see any of the usual trappings of a teenager. No old toys, books, posters, not even a family photograph. Not only that, there was a heavy atmosphere in the room, as if the walls had absorbed their inhabitant's despair.

*Crackle!*

He blinked at the sudden noise and glanced down to notice he had stepped on something. Scattered all over the floor were crumpled up balls of paper, in the corners, under furniture and one under his shoe.

Reaching down, he picked it up and unraveled the ball to reveal a skillfully rendered drawing of four individuals, three of whom he recognized as Iida, Uraraka and his protégé Midoriya walking into the horizon. In between the latter two was the fourth person, messily scratched out. There were faint stains on the paper.

Keeping a hold of the drawing for now, Toshinori returned his attention to his host who was now sitting on the edge of her bed, hands knitted together as her head hung low.

He softly approached and stopped a fair distance next to her, he could tell she needed some space at the moment.

"U-Um… can I?" He gestured to the side of the bed next to her.

She faintly nodded.

He carefully set himself down on her right, sinking into the edge of the soft mattress as the bed visibly lowered from the weight of his muscular form, the frame creaking in protest, but thankfully holding. There they sat in awkward silence at the strangeness of the situation.

"So… uh…" He hummed as he nervously scratched the back of his head.

"Well?" She interrupted, a hint of impatience in her voice. "You wanted to talk. Where... do you want to start?"

"H-How about what happened at USJ? Young Midoriya told me that you blew a hole in the Nomu's body. Is this true?"

She nodded.

"Can you tell me why you did it? Self defence I presume?"

She stayed silent for a moment, then took a deep breath.

"No. It wasn't self defence."

She then went on to describe the events leading up to that moment. Getting warped to the landslide zone, fighting off the villains, meeting with Hagakure and Todoroki, the two girls making their way to the central plaza to check on Aizawa and their reaction to the villains and their super weapon.

As she explained her account, Toshinori once again felt a stab of guilt for not being there from the start, that due to his actions, his students had been put in danger. He asked himself, would this girl be in this position had he been there? Possibly not, but that was then. He needed to focus on saving her now.

Eventually she made it to the moment that led up to her breakdown.

"Then… when I saw him turn towards Midoriya-kun and the others, I… I just ran in. I tried to scare them away by threatening to shoot their leader. But it didn't work. He saw right through me and… and what he said…" She took another shaky breath. "And what he said… something just… snapped!" She violently shuddered. "There was this… rush, then everything went white."

"I see… so you lost control." He muttered.

"I... never meant to." She continued, grasping her tattooed arm, running her thumb over the markings. "I didn't even know I could do that."

It wasn't the first time he had heard of such a thing. There were very common incidents of children's quirks going berserk, typically under moments of great stress. Angel was likely shaken by her lack of control over her own abilities.

"As concerning as that is Angel-chan, it's a problem that many heroes go through. They are forced into a perilous situation and in the throes of fear and despair, they accidentally lose their self-control and cause unintentional damage." He explained, failing to notice her fingers curling into fists.

"It was just one incident, you were pushed to the edge. You just need some additional training in order to cope under pressure. I can recommend some-"

"You don't get it!" She snapped, stunning him silent. Looking up to him, her face was riddled with guilt as she trembling wildly.

"What if Nomu hadn't pushed Shigaraki out of the way?!" She demanded. "What if he didn't have a healing quirk?! Worse! What if I hit one of friends?! IT WOULD HAVE BEEN JUST LIKE BEFORE!" She screamed, tears beading in the corners of her eyes!

"...be...fore?" A single word escaped from his mouth as he was taken back by the sudden fear and urgency in her voice. She flinched at her Freudian slip and hid her face, as if she couldn't bear to look him in the eye.

"USJ… wasn't the first time." She answered quietly.

This had happened before?!

"Then… what was the first time?"

She shook her head again. "N-No. I can't tell you. You just won't get it. If I tell you… you… will just look at me like I'm a monster… like he did."

Toshinori stared down at the girl, her body hunched over as if she was trying to collapse in on herself and disappear. Whatever she was talking about, it seemed to be the root of all of her inner demons. If he wanted to find out a way to help her fight them he had to delve deeper into the rabbit hole.

"I solemnly swear to not judge you for anything that has happened to you and what you have done!" He promised, giving her a salute as he held his other hand over his heart.

"How will we know if you'll mean that?" She asked doubtfully.

"You have nothing but my word." He admitted. "It's just like with the door. It's up to you to decide if you want to let me in. Think of it as… a leap of faith."

Strangely, there was something about his vow that seemed to resonate with the girl as she lifted her head and gave him a long stare, an emotion on her face that he couldn't quite place. Then she bit her lip in thought and finally nodded.

"It was a long time ago." She began, twiddling her thumbs. "I was three or so. It was the day after my markings appeared and my parents…" She swallowed. "...took me to a doctor who diagnosed that my quirk had manifested. As we were walking back to the car… there was a villain… a bank robber I think… he was running from heroes and decided to take me hostage."

Toshinori said nothing, dreading where the story was going.

"My Dad…" She swallowed again. "...tried to stop him, only to get beaten in the process. Then I started glowing. Then... I-I screamed. There was an explosion… My Mom… was really hurt. So was Dad. The way he looked at me…" She choked and sniffled a little.

"He was never the same after that. Nothing was. All my life… bad things keep happening to people around me… they keep getting hurt… or k-killed. USJ was the last straw. So I decided… that I'm never going to hurt anyone ever again."

She hugged her legs to her chest. "Do you get it now Sensei? I don't deserve to become a hero… to be happy."

As the poor girl despaired, cursing her own existence, everything became clear for Toshinori.

It was there as he stared down at the small form filled with remorse and self loathing that he finally knew why Nezu sent him.

Why he was the only one who could help her.

"Well?" She asked. "Now you know the whole story. What do you have to say? I'm a monster right?"

"Angel-chan… you are not a monster." He told her, gently placing his hand on her shoulder, only for her to scoff and slap it away.

"How do you know?" She muttered angrily.

He took a deep breath. Despite what he was about to say, he needed to keep smiling, no matter what.

'Master… give me strength.'

"Because I know exactly what it's like."

"Liar." She shot back, still not looking at him. "You expect me to believe that? The symbol of peace knows what it's like to live with the fact that he's…" She stopped at the end, physically unable to say the word without crumbling.

"Let me tell you a story of my own." He said as he laced his hands together, preparing to recount a tale that even Midoriya, his successor, didn't know.

"Long ago... there was a terrible villain. A man so evil, so powerful that no one but myself could stop him. The sheer numbers of people he had hurt and exploited… you couldn't fathom it." Anger rose in his chest at the mention of his nemesis, but he pushed it down. He needed to prove himself to her.

"Then the day came that we would finally do battle. It was the closest fight I ever had. Every second, my life was on the line, a single mistake would cost me everything. But in the end, I finally prevailed. For years I had dreamed of that moment. When I would finally defeat him once and for all and he would face justice for everything he had done."

His smile quivered. "But in the end… all I felt was… hollow. For you see… the only way I could defeat him… was to slay him."

Unbeknownst to him, the girl he was sitting next to slowly turned her head to look at him, transfixed by his confession.

"As I stared at the blood on my fists all I could think about… was that I had taken another person's life." He said as he lifted his hands, imagining the ocher red on his skin. "Even though I hated him, that he had to be stopped, that he took the most important person in my life from me, I asked myself… how was I any better? A hero is supposed to use their powers to save lives, not take them away. I kept worrying what others would think if they knew what I did. That they'd be scared of me… for what I am capable of."

He remembered the question he would ask himself back in those days.

'What would Master say, if she were still alive?'

"For a while, all I wanted was to disappear, to hide from anyone who was watching and most all, hide from my guilt. But I couldn't run from the consequences. It left scars on me, in more than one sense."

His side ached, as if it was vocalizing it's assent.

Then he felt a light touch on his arm. He turned to see Angel with her hand on his elbow. She had moved closer so that she was sitting right next to him. She was looking up to him in awe, her eyes filled with more emotion and life than in the last ten minutes.

"You're not lying… are you..?" She asked.

"I wish I was." He answered honestly.

She glanced away for a second, deep in thought.

"How…" She hesitated. "How did you… get over it?"

He shook his head. "It doesn't work like that. You never truly do." He admitted. "The pain fades with time, but it's still there. But what's important is that it can get better."

"How?" She asked again. Toshinori could hear a kindling of hope in her voice.

"I made a decision. I could keep wallowing, keep hating myself. Or I could get up… and keep moving forward. There were too many people counting on me, too many people who would get worried if I never came back. It is those same people that helped me get to my feet, but the only way I could do that… was if I let someone in."

He gave her a sad smile, almost distinguishable from his regular one, just his brows were drooping.

"I see a lot of myself in you. You're a good person who wants to do the right thing. The times you saved Midoriya and your classmates... and the fact that you locked yourself away to prevent yourself from hurting anyone… it shows your true character. You care deeply for other people. Does that sound like a monster to you?"

Her lip trembled.

"In the end, you need to remember that even though heroes appear to be invincible, we are all human too. We all make mistakes, including me. And when you make mistakes, you will hate yourself for it. But there are people who need us and you can't help them or yourself if you keep putting yourself down. They say to be brave is to face danger when anyone else would run in fear… but sometimes… the bravest thing you can do... is to forgive yourself."

Angel sniveled, as her eyes became laden with tears once more. Her entire body quaked at his words. She wiped at her face with her hands and gave a weak hiccup. Then she looked into his own eyes, her soul laid to bear.

"All-Might..? Can a mon-...person... like me... be a hero?" She pleaded.

Instantly, Toshinori was reminded of a similar moment almost a year before. A moment when he was asked almost the exact same question from a green haired fanboy.

He gave her the exact same answer.

"Angel Hodunk, you too, can become a hero."

Immediately, she choked, then sobbed in relief as she threw herself at him, wrapping her arms around his side.

He ignored the flare of pain as she unintentionally squeezed against his wound, choosing instead to lay a hand on her back as she wailed into his suit. It felt like he was holding a baby bird. So fragile, so vulnerable, so desperate for comfort. Comfort that he would provide.

There they sat, the girl's cries long and drawn out as her pain was released, years of grief escaping her mouth while he held her, giving her gentle pats on the back.

After what felt like ages, her cries began to abate until only the sound of heavy breathing remained.

Toshinori broke the silence.

"Are you feeling any better?"

"Mmhmm." She nodded. "I... think I'm starting to."

"Good."

*BZZZ! BZZZ!* A sudden buzzing rumbled from the nearby nightstand, a smartphone laid face down on its surface.

"Are you going to answer that?"

"I guess." She slowly and reluctantly removed herself from his side and picked up the device. Holding it between them, Toshinori could see what was on the screen.

One hundred and sixteen missed messages from Uraraka, Midoriya and Iida.

"See? There are people who have been worried about you. It's proof that you are never truly alone, at least if you don't want to be."

She turned off the screen.

"Should… should I tell them what's been going on? I'm not sure if I can… but... don't I owe it to them to tell them the truth?" She asked anxiously.

"You don't have to tell anyone yet. Not until you're ready. But they can still help you regardless."

He reached behind him, retrieving the crumpled up drawing and held it out.

"If they are really your friends, they will support you no matter what. Remember that."

Silently, she took the paper and looked down upon her ruined creation. Then she hugged it to her chest.

"You're right. They already told me that they wanted to help me with my fear of crowds. How could I be so callous to think that they'd be afraid of me? They're not… him." Her voice cracked a little.

'Him? Is she talking about her father?' Toshinori wondered. 'Questions for later.'

"Hey, don't go beating yourself up again already!" He chuckled, patting her on the shoulder. "I've worked too hard for you to just fall into another slump!"

She gave him the smallest of smiles.

'I've still got it.' He thought smugly. Then he remembered one last thing.

"Before I go… I'd like to point out that your friends aren't the only ones who were worried about you."

She blinked in confusion. Then her eyes widened with horror. She suddenly stood up.

"Where are you going?"

"There's something I have to do." She said as she opened the door.

Toshinori sprung up and followed close behind as she slowly made her way through the hall, almost crashing into her when she abruptly stopped.

Standing at the end of the passage to the living room was Moxxi, staring at them in disbelief.

"Angel..!" Her voice hitched.

"Moxxi." Angel answered softly.

"A-Angel, are you-"

She never got to finish that sentence. In an instant, Angel shot to the older woman and tightly clung to her. Moxxi let out a gasp of shock as the air was knocked out of her lungs, stumbling a little as her eyes went wide, before finally resting on the smaller body holding onto her.

"Angel, what are you-?!"

"I'm sorry." The girl interrupted again. "I'm sorry for making you worry." She mumbled, tears once again threatening to spill down her face.

A second later Moxxi followed suit, wrapping her arms around her charge while she began to cry too, a relieved smile slowly growing.

"It's okay. It's okay." She whispered. "Everything is going to be fine."

The two women continued to hold each other in the middle of the room, bathed in the light of the setting sun.

They were so wrapped up they completely forgot about the symbol of peace, who finally had a genuine reason to smile for the day. He turned to leave.

He heard one last thing before he shut the door behind him.

"Hey Moxxi… can I have something to eat?"

Angel: Hey guys…

Uraraka: Angel-chan?!

Iida: Hodunk-san is that you?!

Midoriya: Are you okay?! Is everything alright?!

Angel: Yes. It's me. Sorry for taking so long.

Midoriya: Are you okay?! We didn't see or hear from you after they took you to Recovery Girl!

Angel: I'm safe. I've been at home all this time.

Iida: Hodunk-san, if I may be so indiscreet, why have you been so quiet for the last three days?

Uraraka: Yeah, I was getting pretty scared.

Angel: Long story short, I… needed some time to myself. I was a bit of a mess. Still kind of am.

Angel: As for why… I'm afraid I'm not comfortable with sharing quite just yet. But I want you all to know that I got some help. I'm not one hundred percent fine, not sure if I ever will be. But I've taken the first step… and I now know that I have all of you to help me. You are the best friends I can ask for and I know that someday, when the time is right, I'll be able to give you the full story. Is that okay?

Midoriya: Will not telling us put you in danger?

Angel: No, I promise.

Midoriya: Then I will wait patiently until you are ready. Isn't that right Uraraka-san, Iida-kun?

Iida: Certainly.

Uraraka: Of course!

Angel: Thank you so much. I'll talk to you guys tomorrow, I have a lot of sleep to catch up on.

Uraraka: Goodnight Angel-chan!

Iida: Goodnight everyone!

Midoriya: See you all tomorrow!