Hello again, everyone. Clearly it appears you've been enjoying my take on the Eri Rescue Mission thus far, which is a very encouraging sign. I was hoping to be able to cover a fight per chapter, but the workload that I've been having to work with from school has unfortunately put a pin in that plan, and with the material I'd originally planned for this entire chapter, there was no way I'd have the entire thing finished in time for uploading today, hence I have decided to split this particular chapter in half.
Of course, I have no intention of ever having a chapter that's nothing but complete filler, and if anything can help further flesh out the relationship between characters that we haven't seen share time together that much, then that should be considered a worthwhile effort, and hopefully that can be said for this chapter going forward.
I would once more like to express my most heartfelt thanks to all of you for your continued readership and support, as well as to those readers who took the time and effort to share their thoughts on the story thus far in reviews. Please, keep that kind of interaction going, it's one of the things I look forward to the most each week, knowing what I'm doing right, or where you think I could potentially improve.
I would also once again like to thank my two beta readers, consultants and friends, Mizu and Jonny; as well as to the ever-growing list of contributing fan-artists on DA who've been helping bring visions of my OC's and this story as a whole to life, whom I happily would recommend you check out on your free time: Syyndev, Akane Kahomi, AliceKuroCross, Suki-Chan2509, effasempai, and Eliza-Frost.
My Hero Academia is the property of Kouhei Horikoshi and Shonen Jump. I only own my original characters, and the original events surrounding them.
A/N: [[]] indicates that characters are speaking Russian.
Chapter 94
Faith and Hope, Part One
(Вера И Надежда Часть Первая)
Moscow, Tuesday, Russian time, September 16th
[Mark Bernes - Temnaya Noch]
The news of Moscow having been devastated by a potential Villain attack, regardless whether it was truly at the hands of Japan's own League of Villains or not, had been enough to make Konstantin Khodamchuk do away with all pretenses of catching his breath on Sakhalin Island, opting instead to board the first available aircraft to get him anywhere close to the capital and cover the rest of the distance by road if remotely possible.
Despite knowing just what exactly it was that he would be coming home to, it never could have prepared him for just how bad it truly was, even several days after the fact. He could smell the pungent stench of smoke long before he even saw it on the horizon outside the city's furthest outskirts. The sight that awaited him even from that distance was nothing short of hellish.
The process to eventually get anywhere near the city center was like a trek through Dante's very own description of Hell, as everywhere Konstantin looked, he was met with utter ruination and suffering; emergency crews struggling to put out the most furious of fires, or getting dead or injured civilians out of half or fully collapsed buildings; naval crews trying to fish out the dead from the rivers, or medical camps littered all over the city attending to everyone they possibly could, with every single camp visibly overflowing with people in need of help.
The collective wails of confusion, fear, sadness, anger and every other emotion such conditions could bring out of people, were deafening even within the closed confines of the small military vehicle Konstantin was riding in as he saw the passing ruins of their beloved capital. No matter how much he wanted to, he couldn't find any words, either for the people out there looking for anyone with an answer as to why any of this happened, nor for the grim and silent soldier who had the duty of driving through all this horror and devastation.
[[Six whole days…and they're still turning up bodies and people barely hanging on. God in Heaven, who would have ever expected we'd find ourselves in anything like Stalingrad again after all this time?]] The soldier clearly was uttering this in stoic disbelief to himself, as Konstantin couldn't possibly find any satisfying way to answer that. He had honestly been thinking it himself as soon as they'd gotten into the city proper. To think that destruction like this had likewise been inflicted on a few other locations south of Moscow only made the weight of complete unpreparedness that much harder for the veteran politician and former soldier.
[[Has anyone managed to come up with any estimates for the people affected here or anywhere else?]] He ultimately asked, sounding as though he hadn't slept in months as he looked up imploringly at the sickly brown sky, darkened with the ashes that still floated all around.
[[They're still trying to come up with a total, in regards to every one of the suspected linked incidents before the Villains came here. As for Moscow itself, they've already estimated over 70,000 dead right off the bat…with more than three times that injured…half of whom aren't expected to pull through. There's still no telling just how many are still considered missing.]]
Every single detail of the sheer human toll they were looking at stabbed Konstantin in the heart like a knife made of pure physical malice. This was exactly the kind of thing all of their security protocols against Quirks was intended to prevent…and after the sheer scale of destruction he was looking at now, and all of the desperate looks on all those faces out there, he knew without a doubt that these people were going to demand an explanation as to why none of it mattered.
And with that though, came another very pressing question he'd been hesitant to ask: [[Nobody's said anything since I got to Sakhalin about what President Zaitsev or his administrators are planning to do or say about any of this. Can you tell me where I might find them?]]
As soon as he heard the instinctive hiss of air being breathed in through the driving soldier's teeth, Konstantin knew he was not going to like what he was about to hear. [[Unfortunately, sir…nearly the entirety of the Red Square has been laid to waste…but the President and a handful of the administration haven't been found among the wreckage…and all the others have been reduced to ashes.]]
Konstantin knew the president well enough to know he wasn't the kind of coward who would just cut and run the moment something like this happened, so the idea of him having gone missing at some point in the process of this mass Villain attack was distressing enough…but after the initial impact of this realization, another hard-hitting thought occurred to him: [[Wait…so if that's true, then who's manning his position right now?]]
Once again, Konstantin could just feel his skin prickling at the resulting silence, especially when he could see the clear struggle on the soldier's face as he was trying to think of how best to answer this. [[Well, sir, you know nothing like this has ever happened before. We've never had to deal with the issue of presidential succession until now. But if I understand the intended structure right, considering how many on the projected chain are either dead or missing…I may be mistaken, and you'll want to bring this up to one of the commanders once you get the chance, but…I think you may just be the highest ranking official in Moscow right now, sir. Until we find the president or a higher-ranking member alive out here, I believe the presidential duties currently lie with you.]]
The soldier never took his eyes off what roads were still intact enough for him to continue on his way, while Konstantin could feel the wind getting knocked out of his lungs at this news. He'd likewise tried his best to familiarize himself with the intended chain of command in the highest echelon of Russia's government on the off-chance something were to happen to the acting president, but to everyone's surprise over the generations, they had actually found themselves quite lucky in not having their leaders assassinated or dropping dead during their terms.
Granted, the chain details were still a bit fuzzy in his head, but there was an instinctive feeling in Konstantin's gut that was telling him that this soldier was right; that until Dmitri Zaitsev or someone of higher rank was found alive and well to reclaim or fill the position, then essentially all responsibilities and duties to the entirety of Russia and its people now currently rested on Konstantin Khodamchuk's shoulders.
It was taking everything he had not to start succumbing to a panic attack, keeping his hands in a white-knuckled trembling grip, but before he was even able to get the first question that came to mind out, the car had unexpectedly veered off of the route it had been taking up until now, pulling into an area he'd quickly come to recognize as a minor off-shoot of the main Red Square compound as a whole, where some much more decorated military officers could quickly be seen among the crowd of uniforms approaching their vehicle.
Konstantin soon found himself being greeted on his way out the car and towards a small partially intact building on the other end of this small square, by a man he could at best identify as being a higher-ranked sergeant among the present soldiers: [[Welcome, Comrade Khodamchuk. It's a great relief to see you've made it here in one piece. Our forces are in dire need of some established leadership while we try to continue rescue and repair efforts. I'm to assume you've been fully informed on everything we know as of yet about the situation?]]
Konstantin still felt like his head was spinning as he was ushered along inside and down the immediate flight of stairs this little building held, already easily leading them further and further underground. Nevertheless, he tried to maintain his composure and inherent new role of authority as he cleared his throat and went for the first logical question he could think of: [[Yes, I've been made fully aware, Sergeant. What has anyone official told the rest of the international public, regarding this or the previous incidents? Surely you can't tell me that none of them has noticed what's been happening here.]]
As they proceeded from the stairs over to a very small elevator, the sergeant answered as straightforwardly and professionally as could be expected amid the chaos on the surface: [[You are correct, sir; many of the outside governments have indeed noticed and have been asking questions, but the appropriate branches have taken the proper measures already. We've cut off all connections to outside government, so as to keep people from spreading misinformation, or especially sensitive details we don't want getting out just yet, not until we have all the information we ourselves need in order to make a proper decision as to how the country can rebuild and progress, going forward.
[[Regarding what we believe the initial incident to be that led up to this disaster; being the border explosions across Georgia, we've already spoken with that government collectively, and they've gone with the story, as have we, of it simply being some lashing out action of domestic terrorists. They have been dealing with that issue themselves as of recently, so it thankfully lines up.
[[And as for the church collapse and destruction of the prison in the days that followed, we and local officials in those areas have currently been throwing out the theory that they were ultimately long-delayed seismological disasters that resulted from the destabilization of the Siberian Flash. We're currently saying the same to the global community about this situation as well. Again, we're simply saying this until we can get the answers we're looking for from examining our deceased culprits, and then we can come clean and apologize for the necessary misleading when the time comes.]]
Konstantin's instinctive distaste for the number of outright lies they were already throwing around to their neighbors, had to be put aside, as the overall realization of just what this facility outside the Red Square ultimately was, as the stony and cold interior soon began to give way to what resembled a medical facility once the elevator doors opened. [[Am I to assume you're keeping the Villains' bodies down here for the autopsies?]]
The sergeant never broke his stride, as it took no time at all for them to reach a set of heavy double doors, wherein the uniformed man stood attentively at the side, while still looking Konstantin in the eye. [[Yes, Acting President Khodamchuk. Forgive me, I felt it would be best for us all to get used to addressing you as such now and get it out of the way until further notice. You new position will need to be relayed to the rest of the country before too much longer anyway. And yes, we've been keeping them all in cold storage behind these doors for the last six days. Thank God for the backup power. Considering our circumstances, everyone agreed it would only be proper that you be there to witness the operations and confirmations personally. That way, you can likewise confirm their deaths and reassure the whole of the public just as personally later on.]]
Everything and everyone was moving so fast around Konstantin, he barely had time to truly process everything that was already being decided and carried out, before he was being ushered once more through the double doors and into the appropriate medical gear before finally entering the operating studio, where a number of surgeons, coroners and further mid-level military officials were similarly dressed up and standing in wait, clearly having been expecting him specifically.
After another whole round of the same official formalities of greetings, expressions of relief and well wishes, Konstantin ultimately found himself standing finally before the expansive lineup of large metallic operating tables; upon which lay all of the same people he had seen in the printed street camera photos back at the Sakhalin Island base. Seeing them now here, lying lifelessly before him in the flesh, there was no longer any room for doubt.
This was definitely the same League of Villains from Japan that he had been seeing pictures of on the news for the last couple of months: Tomura Shigaraki, Himiko Toga, Dabi, Jin Bubaigawara, Atsuhiro Sako, Shuichi Iguchi, and to his utter astonishment, none other than Vukodlak himself. Of all the faces he ever would've expected to see again, and especially in direct connection to a series of disasters like this, truly this was the one he'd expected least. Ever since his falling out with the New Bogatyrs all those years ago, it didn't seem possible that even as a Villain, he would have actually joined forces with anyone ever again on this kind of level.
To the farthest side of the line, lying alongside these bunch of Villains, were a trio of visibly decrepit bodies that, only upon closer inspection when comparing with the previous camera photos previous to the ensuing destruction, could Konstantin finally be able to confirm as none other than the local Russian Villains Bombardment, Riptide and Quiller. To his curiosity, as well as those of all the other observers in this operating theater, they all looked as though they'd had virtually all of the vitality commonly found in those with Quirks stolen away from them, almost as though they'd aged by a few decades in the blink of an eye.
No one here could possibly begin to explain how such a thing could have been possible, nor did they truly care to find out in this moment. With so many hurting and grieving people outside these walls still needing all the help they could get, all these officials with Konstantin cared about was that those responsible were well and truly dead, with every one of the Villains' bodies bearing a multitude of bullet holes to prove it.
Looking every one of them over where he stood, Konstantin couldn't help but clench his hands into shaking fists once again, his ears deaf to all of the typical medical jargon being mindlessly droned out by the head coroner here, who was already beginning to bring out a tray of the appropriate surgical tools. Once he'd finished giving his monologue for the sake of the assistant with a recorder currently running, he turned his attention to Konstantin specifically, making careful note of the thoughtful look in his eyes. [[Is there anything you'd like to comment before I proceed, Acting President Khodamchuk?]]
Konstantin never took his eyes away from the motionless bunch before him as he solemnly shook his head. [[Apologies. I just couldn't help but think since I found out about all this. I couldn't stop thinking this whole way…we spent these last thirteen years after the Siberian Flash trying to fortify and prepare ourselves to face down any and all possible threats presented by people with Quirks…threats like what these animals all did right here on our Motherland.
[[We had more hardware, fervor and willingness to fight back against one of our enemies the moment they even tried to set foot inside with killing intent through their Quirks…and yet, despite all of this, this bunch of foreign Villains joins forces with one of our own AWOL agents, makes their way so far beyond our borders, frees three more of our own Villains, and they all together proceed to wreak havoc right here in our capital, on top of all the other destructive little acts they'd done on their way here.
[[It just can't help but make me think…think of just how easily this all could've been prevented if we…*gasp* if we hadn't gone and driven out, imprisoned or…or killed so many of our countrymen with Quirks over all these years…if we hadn't gone and turned our backs on the Heroes we used to cheer for. Maybe that could've made all the difference in the world…and all those people out there right now would be in far better shape.]]
Konstantin didn't even need to look in order to just feel the utter shock, confusion and even disgust that some of the other people listening to him in this room had written all over their faces while listening to this most unexpected of confessions of his. It honestly would have sounded just as ludicrous to his own ears if he'd been in their position, listening to someone else with years of history with this very same Anti-Quirk-based government, suddenly making a complete 180 in perspective out of nowhere.
It felt like an eternity before one of the military officials present finally found it in himself to speak up: [[C-Comrade Acting President…what…what exactly are you trying to say? We know you've been just recently freed from a very traumatizing situation, but you're not making any sense.]]
Konstantin never lost an ounce of his resolve when he finally took his eyes off the bodies before him, instead looking every one of the people in his audience in the eye. [[Believe me, I know how this sounds, especially knowing my former position in this very government…but needless to say, this…and many other things, has made me realize that things around here need to change…and my recent experiences are precisely what helped me come to this conclusion. When the time comes, and all rescue efforts in Moscow have been completed, and the people most in need have been attended to, I want you all to help me arrange a public address…to the rest of our former Bloc partners and the world if at all possible. The people as a whole deserve to be informed of the whole truth, now more than ever.]]
The whole operating theater had gone dead silent, even as Konstantin returned his gaze to the chief coroner. [[But until then, we need to continue our efforts of rescue, repair and treatment, down to the very last man, woman and child. We all will lend our assistance in those matters just as much as everyone else once we're finished in here. So with that being said…Doctor, please allow me to help personally conduct this procedure on this lot. After what they did to us, and as these people's current leader; it's only right that I do my part in getting to the bottom of everything.]]
There was no denying the utter conviction in Konstantin's words, even if there was still a flicker of hesitance in his eyes. Of course, nobody here could have blamed him for such a thing; in so little time had he discovered what had happened to his home country he had sworn to help protect just like they all had, and find out that his position in the government's chain of succession had officially put him in the role of president with little to no preparation or time to even fully process it.
Those factors alone made his declaration of responsibility that much more poignant and admirable, as the leading coroner ultimately nodded in acceptance and began to get to work, conducting the first autopsies on the bodies of Bombardment, Quiller and Riptide. And with each one, his conclusions ultimately came to be the same: Despite the decrepit states of their bodies in comparison to the photos, nothing else about them seemed to offer any evidence as to why. For all intents and purposes, their bodies were completely normal. It would ultimately be decided that anything unusual that had happened to them before death to make them look like this, would most likely be found in the blood tests to follow.
Now it was finally time to start operating on the League members themselves, starting with the one they had come to understand as being their leader thanks to the news, Tomura Shigaraki. From the beginning, Konstantin hadn't been able to take his eyes off this one, having never expected to see such a disturbing-looking individual in the flesh, even after everything he had just gone through with Pietro Granin and his lot.
The strangest thing was that, even though the body of this Villain was lying right here, with as many bullet holes as one could possibly need to ensure he was dead and gone forever, Konstantin simply could not feel the sense of relief he'd been hoping he would. The more he observed his form and the numerous entry and exit wounds adorning his body, the more he couldn't help feeling more and more unsettled, as though there were a piece of a grander puzzle that was missing here, that nobody else seemed to notice.
When the coroner was prepared to finally start making the first incision into Tomura's body, however, Konstantin's discerning eye noticed something; something that immediately drove him to lift a commanding hand, ordering for the coroner to stop. He ignored all of the questioning looks being thrown his way, as his eyes were intently focused on the edges of the entry wounds, not only on Tomura's body, but the more he looked, on those of the other League members as well, and even Vukodlak, to his surprise.
[[Something about these entry wounds doesn't look right. I've seen my fair share of them from my experiences in the army. Please, let me take a closer look to confirm, doctor.]] At his genuinely inquisitive-sounding command, the coroner ultimately acquiesced by providing him whichever tools Konstantin asked for, as he closely leaned in to inspect the edges of the bullet holes on Tomura's midsection.
Very carefully poking and searching around with a deft and careful hand and a careful eye, Konstantin was soon voicing his observations primarily to himself, with everyone else listening in just as carefully: [[The skin around these wounds, it's damaged in ways that even assault rounds wouldn't normally inflict. These edges don't feel like lacerations…they almost look more like tears, like in that of wax paper, latex or some kind of fabric. Check the rest of the bodies and tell me if you can see any of that on them as well.]]
Truth be told, the hunch that was already forming in Konstantin's head was one he was dearly hoping he was wrong about; but to his unspoken and growing dread, one after another, the rest of those present that had followed his order were starting to exclaim the exact same observations on the bodies of the rest of the League members, as well as Vukodlak, with not a single one of them able to find an explanation for such abnormal details on what should have been very straightforward wounds.
Inspecting some of the grazing wounds adorning Tomura's arms, Konstantin and even the lead coroner were both soon able to make out something especially unusual. Given the Villain's especially pale and dried out complexion, it was especially baffling to find what looked like a much healthier-colored second layer of what was clearly skin just barely visible underneath the edges of these particular wounds, as both men were carefully pulling the outer layer away to confirm their findings…only to find the outer skin gave way as though it were a shrink wrap.
What they were seeing here was unquestionably a real hidden layer of outer human skin just underneath these frail outer shells, and the burning desire for confirmation that ignited in all those present became irresistible, as did all their growing fears of what could have ultimately been lying in wait as a result.
[[Doctor…I'm giving you my permission, and I shall take full responsibility for whatever happens. Please, cut away this outer skin, and let's see what we're really looking at here…and let's just pray I'm wrong about this.]] This was the one thing Konstantin found himself hoping for, as without question, the lead coroner carefully cut away at the edges of the frayed outer skin with a pair of surgical scissors. Inch by inch, he cut his way upward, and inch by inch, the skin curled away just like the very shrink wrap Konstantin had described it as, revealing more and more what looked like a far realer human body inside of it, almost like seeing the sleeping butterfly within the cocoon.
The entire operating theater had gone silent, save for a number of horrified gasps, when the coroner had finally managed to pull away the majority of this unmistakably fake outer layer from the face, revealing none other than the unmistakable lifeless form of their very own president, Dmitri Zaitsev within this Tomura Shigaraki disguise. While everyone else was still physically reeling from this horrifying discovery, Konstantin had to fight his own horror in order to further inspect the body, turning the deceased president over to see where this disguise could finish being removed, only to find that along his back, a single thin line kept this disguise firmly attached directly to his flesh.
It didn't take long from there for him to order the same process be conducted on the rest of the League members, as well as Vukodlak…and after over two hours of this same process, every single one had given one crushing reveal after another: those of every one of the listed missing members of the presidential administration, all similarly being kept trapped in these League of Villains body suits that were fused at the molecular level to their backs.
Horror, sadness and anger alike could be felt physically filling the room as Konstantin and the others all looked upon the bodies of their president and his aides, all having clearly been forced into these irremovable disguises to serve as decoys for their very own authorities to gun down, while the real Villains themselves got away scot free. Konstantin could already feel the edges of his vision going red at just how thoroughly they'd been deceived by these mass murderers; not helped when one of the military officials stamped a furious boot to the ground to get his new president's attention;
[[Sir, we cannot let this stand! Attacking us and inflicting so much bloodshed against our people on our own soil is bad enough, but to have killed our own leaders in such backhanded ways as this…you need to contact the Japanese government; demand they put all their resources towards apprehending these animals, and have them delivered to us! There's no way the people aren't going to be demanding blood from every one of them after this! It's going to be up to you now to make sure that happens, otherwise you know this entire country could very well fall to complete and total anarchy!]]
Konstantin himself couldn't take his eyes off of these newly revealed bodies, nor could he even begin to fully acknowledge everything this trembling and furious officer was saying…but on an instinctive level, he could understand just what was going through everyone's minds. And with that, came a clarity he couldn't have asked for at a more crucial time.
[[You're right…the people need to know that we can still do right by them…but this is hardly the time for us to start rattling sabers and calling for blood. While even one of our people out there is still in need of help, we need to divert all the manpower we can to get them to safety. As soon as we do that, then…then I can finally start helping us all to move in the proper direction after all of this. Comrade Zaitsev would've no doubt done the same. Rest assured, all of you, that yes, this will not go unpunished…but until all rescue missions have been completed, until all first-aid has been supplied that we can muster, and until we know for certain that repair efforts are making headway, nothing of what we have discovered here today leaves this room. Do you all understand? We need to focus on helping our own before anything else.]]
To his silent relief, everyone here, while still visibly angry, was able to ultimately nod in agreement as to where their immediate priorities needed to be. It was a miraculous thing, too; for Konstantin knew he needed time to really think about just how he was going to tell all those people out there what exactly he knew needed to be said.
Yuuei Academy, Wednesday, September 17th
To say that the previous night had been an especially rough one for Nikolay and Mina together would have been a gross understatement. The fact that the young Russian had to essentially go to bed with the knowledge of the capital of his home country being half-destroyed in what sounded like a natural disaster, with neither him, his father nor any other Heroes around to try and either prevent it or save the people caught, had left him emotionally broken and restless.
Even in the secure and supportive warmth of his girlfriend's embrace throughout the entire night, Nikolay was simply unable to let himself rest. Every time he'd tried, all he could see was all that projected devastation; all he could hear were all those cries for someone, anyone to help them…and with that came the painful reminder that such help wasn't going to come, the very same kind of help he and his friends were learning to be able to provide at any given time.
While this same news; and the toll Mina had immediately seen it was taking on Nikolay that night had left her similarly emotionally distraught; she had at least managed to take the comforting idea of her presence being able to help calm him even a little bit for what it was worth, and managed to get something resembling actual sleep. Once morning had finally come, she'd naturally woken up with the hopes that at least Nikolay would be rested enough for them to at least try and talk his feelings through.
However, it was immediately apparent to her that he had proven nowhere as lucky, as somewhere in the middle of the night, had had resigned himself to laying forlorn on his back next to her, staring listlessly at the ceiling; dark bags visible under his eyes, as well as multiple dried-on tracks of tears streaking down his face. This was obviously the opposite of what she'd been hoping for, and with no true idea of what else had been going through his mind throughout the night on top of everything else he'd already said, she could only try to get his attention with a soft "Kolya-kun? Are you okay?"
To even ask what he was thinking about would have been nothing short of insulting; Mina knew this right out the gate as she saw the despair still evident in his eyes. Hence, instead of bombarding him with the typical cheerful exclamations of good mornings and expressing excitement for what the day had in store for them, the very first thing she could think to do when he only replied with "No…I'm not," was to simply once more hold him close, reminding him of her support, and her willingness to provide it whichever way she could. "It's alright, Kolya-kun. You don't have to say anything else if you don't wanna. I'll be right here and ready whenever you need me. Pinky promise."
Of course, Nikolay could easily appreciate Mina offering as such, even in these deep throes of guilt and anguish he was still reeling from. He honestly dreaded to imagine just what kind of state he would be in right now if it weren't for her and everyone else in these dorms having helped him to grow even this much. As such, he was at least able to return Mina's hug with one of his own, simply letting the fact that they could at least try to start this day off better by being together be of some reassurance to him.
Of course, even a moment like this couldn't last forever, as with the remembrance that they were literally starting the day together, also brought with it the remembrance that they had unexpectedly spent the night together in his dorm room, and by now the rest of their classmates were no doubt having breakfast and getting ready to start the day, and there would be no way of avoiding them noticing the two coming out of the boys' wing together. There wasn't a shred of doubt between both of them that such things were absolutely not allowed, and those like Tenya or Momo would undoubtedly be bound by their duties as class presidents to lay down the law, perhaps even tell Aizawa about it; and whatever punishments he would see fit for such blatant disregard for dormitory rules had them both instinctively shuddering.
"What are we gonna do, Kolya-kun?" No matter how many times Mina asked this in her momentary panic, Nikolay couldn't find any answers that were good enough to bring their fears back down. At least, no answers that wouldn't ultimately have to come down to them telling the rest of their class about what they'd read last night, and why it had led to them ending up like this.
"We'll just have to tell them the truth about it; otherwise anything else we could come up with to say will just make us coming out together look even more suspicious. With how much time everybody spends on their phones in our free time, it'd only be a matter of time before they'd find out and come flocking over to tell us again regardless. I guess it'd just be best to get it out of the way quickly…right?"
Mina could easily tell that even that most preferable of outcomes was something Nikolay would have much rather avoided. This was honestly proving to be a real double-edged sword of a distraction from the news in its own way, and she was currently at a loss as to what other possible options they could've had. In the end, though, they both knew that complete honesty was the only real way to go. A tragic incident like this for one of their own could only truly be remedied by the whole of Class 1-A coming together to give their emotional support, they both knew this deep down.
And it was precisely because they knew this that, after straightening up their uniforms and having to take a minute to really psyche themselves up for the inevitable backlash of revealing themselves to their friends like this; Nikolay and Mina ultimately came out side-by-side from the entrance to the boys' wing into the commons area; and to their mutual embarrassment and fright, nearly everyone before them had gone silent enough for a creak in the floorboards to be virtually deafening by comparison; all eyes wide with disbelief and focused entirely on them.
Then Minoru let out a literal scream that almost perfectly matched something straight out of 'Invasion of the Body Snatchers'.
And just like that, everyone's instinctive reactions to seeing two of their easily closest classmates coming out of the same wing together first thing in the morning, came exploding out in a whole cacophony of varied reactions.
"BEZPALOV-SAN, ASHIDO-SAN; WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?! YOU BOTH KNOW THIS ISN'T A CO-ED DORM, THE BOYS AND GIRLS' WINGS ARE TO REMAIN STRICTLY SEPARATED!"
"You both must realize that this can only bring to mind so many possibilities, and not one of them is remotely appropriate, don't you?!"
"YOU LUCKY BASTARD!"
"How the hell did you two get away with this?!"
"Dude, did she seriously just straight-up invite herself in?!"
"ARRRGGH, YOU SUPER LUCKY BASTARD!"
"M-Mina-chan?! W-w-what were you two d-doing?!"
"W-why would you two be…?"
"Hey, Kolya-san, have you been crying-kero?"
While Tenya and Momo were naturally quick to step in as the respectively scolding and stern authority figures in the face of seeing some serious rules being broken; Denki, Hanta and Minoru were just as vocal, of course for very different reasons, with the blonde and black-haired boys both looking at their Russian classmate with admitted impression at his apparently having crossed some kind of boundary or making some kind of huge leap in progress; while Minoru himself had his eyes nearly bulging out of their sockets while foaming at the mouth with so much envy that his whole body was shaking.
And, of course, everyone else's unsavory assumptions on top of her own flustered imagination, had Ochako stumbling over her words, with Izuku proving barely any better, before Tsuyu naturally chimed in, being the first to notice the evident tear tracks on Nikolay's face reflecting the sunlight.
At the same time, as Nikolay and Mina themselves were trying and failing to placate the others' suspicions and desires for more details; amid the crowds, Eijirou, Tooru and Kyouka alike all had deeply meaningful smiles of true realization on their faces when seeing their two close friends emerging together like this. That one instance had ultimately communicated so much to the three of them, if not others, and it had all their chests feeling swollen with happiness for the two.
"Time is already a very limited resource as it is between classes, homework and internship work; do we honestly have to start considering keeping watch in each other's wings to prevent anyone from doing these kind of improper things as well?" Momo was continuing to properly scold the two; before Nikolay was finally able to get a word in and speak out in their defense:
"But we weren't doing anything like that, I swear! We were just trying to contact our old Field Training Agency to tell them about everything that had happened in Hokkaido when…when…" This momentary chance Nikolay had bought to try and properly explain things had thankfully gotten the rest of their classmates' attention…and unfortunately, so too did the way his imploring expression drop when he'd gotten to the most painful part of it all.
This was where Mina ultimately had to step in, once more placing her supportive hands on his shoulders while looking everyone else in the eye so they'd know she wasn't making things up: "We wanted to contact everyone up in Hokkaido to make sure everything was back to normal…and that was when Kolya-kun found a headline on the internet, which I ended up finding on mine too. You actually might be able to see it on yours, too. Please, check it out, and you can understand why…why I couldn't possibly just leave him alone."
The fact that a friend usually so chipper and good-humored like Mina was speaking so seriously, had the rest of Class A present looking especially intrigued and worried, and thus they all proceeded to pull out their phones and check for themselves…and just as it had for Nikolay and Mina both last night, the numerous headlines discussing the destruction of more than half of Moscow had left many of them visibly speechless with shock.
"Oh my God…I…please forgive me, Bezpalov-san. I had no idea." Tenya wholeheartedly went on to apologize after simply looking over several of the different photos depicting the destruction and suffering of the survivors, and then seeing the pain evident in Nikolay's eyes as he saw his friends all taking it in.
"Yes, it's truly no wonder Mina-san chose to stay and give you support. I can't imagine anyone in your position wouldn't have needed it." Momo similarly bowed in apology, with a good number of the other students similarly voicing their sympathies; with Denki, Tooru, Kyouka and Rikido all placing supportive hands on Nikolay's shoulders.
"'This recent chain of events, primarily the seismological disaster that has hit Moscow, are all widely believed to be a series of long-delayed tectonic destabilizations resulting from the damage wrought by the Siberian Flash'?! Are they seriously trying to pin this whole thing on Tunguska-sensei?! They can't be for real!" Eijirou's hands were visibly trembling with indignation and disbelief as he read one of the underlining headlines for the page he'd decided to look into, drawing many shocked and worried looks from much of the class; not least of all Ochako, Izuku, Nikolay and Mina especially.
And that was when Mezo visibly flinched once he pulled up a page of his own, and likewise gained everyone's attention. "This might actually be worse. Some message boards have people from that area saying that the whole thing was some kind of Villain attack…and look who they got traffic pictures of."
Everyone immediately began to crowd around their multi-armed classmate as he held his phone out for them all to see, only to immediately be met with the sight of none other than the people they all knew by heart as the League of Villains, accompanied by four foreign-looking people they didn't recognize, but whom they could only assume to be other Villains from that region…although one of them, a young adult man with semi-long black hair and silver eyes couldn't help but trigger an unsettling feeling of familiarity in Nikolay, Mina, Ochako, Denki, Tooru and Minoru as a whole.
But then came the overwhelming confusion once they actually started to read the attached texts in the posts that were even now continuing to fill this particular page, with many of the ones in Cyrillic, which Nikolay was naturally forced to have to translate, all unanimously declaring that these very same culprits had ultimately been found and killed by none other than the Russian military and police already.
Once again, so much information was being forced into their heads all at once, it was hard for any one of the students to decide whether to keep reeling from the news of just how many people had been caught in the crossfire of these Villains actions (assuming they even were truly involved or not), or to actually feel the most guilty sense of relief that they had been taken out of the picture on such a permanent basis. In all honesty, for many of them, so much of this still felt unreal.
And for Izuku, Ochako, Tsuyu and Eijirou; they at least had the benefit of not feeling that same uncertainty. They all knew for a fact that something here wasn't right, and Ochako was the one to make that abundantly clear as she took that moment to nudge Izuku in the arm, in order to get her former partners' attention. "You guys, you all know this can't be real. We all know what we saw back there at the Hassaikai compound, this doesn't add up to how everything happened at all."
She could already see that Eijirou and Tsuyu were already in full agreement; but Izuku had a much more troubled look in his eyes as he looked the news over on his own phone, clutching it tight as his face tensed. Considering this was an incident potentially involving the League of Villains, this kind of reaction from him or any member of their class was all too understandable…but it was something beyond that which was weighing the heaviest on him right now, and Eijirou was very much of the same mindset, as he bluntly asked: "Everyone…do you think Tunguska-sensei might've heard of this by now?"
That question had Ochako and Tsuyu both looking just as troubled as he and Izuku were now. Whether this was the work of the League, or if it was indeed somehow connected to the Siberian Flash; there was no question that this news would hit their teacher so much harder. And with this being one of the days when he didn't have a class scheduled, that only made it all the more possible that he would end up discovering the news, if not already.
From where Izuku was currently standing, however, even for as worried as he was for their teacher once he'd get the news; right now he was simply watching Nikolay's visibly pained body language and saddened face, feeling his heart go out to his foreign friend. "I think we should wait to bring this up to Tunguska and Aizawa-sensei later. Right now, we should just try to be here for—
"KOLYA-KUN! Hey, hey, hey, c'mon, look at me! Can you hear me?" "Hey, Bezpalov-san, are you okay?!" "Oh no, I think he might be having a panic attack!" "Everyone, please remain calm! Let's get him to Recovery Girl's office!"
A sudden outburst of several worried cries from Mina, Minoru, Momo and Tenya broke the four students' attention, and had them all rushing across the commons area to see what had just happened, just in time to see Mezo hurriedly carrying Nikolay along, with several of the others already following after. The visibly horrified young boy was shaking all over, like he was suffering from a seizure, his green eyes constricted as he was muttering almost incoherently to himself in Russian:
[[What for? What was it all for? All the effort, all the pain, all the people lost…we nearly died fighting Villains…only for more to just come in and destroy so many lives without us even knowing! What's the point?! What was it all for?! What did Knightfall and Uncle Volga die for?! What did everyone who died do it for then?!]]
It had taken a quick application of sedative upon their arrival at Recovery Girl's office to get Nikolay's shakes to finally stop, and to bring his nonstop Russian rambling to an end, just enough to where he could at least still answer the old nurse's questions as she thoroughly looked him over for any signs of physical fatigue, trauma or anything else of the like. It took more than a few harsh reminders to stay silent from Recovery Girl herself, to keep the students that had brought him in from answering her questions themselves.
As for Nikolay himself, he was still remaining suspended in a state of semi-awareness as he remained laid out on one of the hospital beds, simply answering her questions as best he could while she continued to work on him. He had no awareness of just how much time had ultimately passed; all he knew was that his body at least felt a little better not going through all that uncontrollable trembling and the gut-twisting sensations of dread and hopelessness anymore. At some point throughout the questioning and examination process, he even could've sworn he'd heard Tenya or Momo asking if they should've sought out Tunguska in order to bring him here so he could've been brought up to speed, but whatever answer the nurse had given had come to his ears like the faintest noise deep underwater.
After what felt like hours, but his gut instinct knew couldn't possibly have been, his senses had sharpened up again, and he could finally fully process and understand exactly where and when he was, looking all around to find Recovery Girl standing vigilantly at his bed, with Tenya, Momo, Mina, Izuku, Eijirou, Ochako and Tsuyu all likewise standing near the entrance with visible worry unmistakable on all their faces.
But the most curious detail of all, was that somewhere in that haze, they had apparently now found themselves being joined by none other than All Might himself, who couldn't have looked more worried with his face being as gaunt as it was if he'd tried…but that didn't make him any less attentive than the students present, as the moment Nikolay's vision had finally cleared, his sunken blue eyes visibly lit up with obvious relief just as soon as the students themselves noticed his return. "Recovery Girl, I think Bezpalov-shonen's finally coming to—"Kolya-kun! Oh, thank God! Are you alright?" "Holy crap, you had us scared to death there, man!" "Try not to move too much, okay-kero? That sedative might still be wearing off."
Before Mina, Eijirou, Tsuyu or anyone else could start to close the distance to really express their relief at Nikolay's apparent return to normal; Recovery Girl swiftly stood in the way, holding an opposing hand forward to stop them in their tracks. "HOLD IT RIGHT THERE, YOU LOT! Just because Bezpalov-kun's senses have returned in full, doesn't mean he's completely back to normal! So just hang back for a second!"
With his friends all reluctantly doing so, Nikolay watched worriedly as Recovery Girl returned her attention to him proper. "I can imagine you're still probably really confused, so I'll just try to keep this as straightforward as I can. Given all of your recent experiences up in Hokkaido, physically and emotionally…along with the news that's started making the rounds online, my best bet as to what just happened was that you suffered a momentary nervous breakdown. Given this is still just your first year, and all of the stress and trauma your body and mind had just been put through in such a short amount of time, it's honestly a perfectly natural response.
"However, with that all being said, just looking at your eyes has made it obvious to me that the stress has kept you from being able to catch up on the sleep you need to maintain, and that's only allowed the stress to build and already start adversely affecting your body as well as your head."
As soon as Recovery Girl finished explaining this, Mina naturally couldn't keep her biggest fears to herself in regards to what this was sounding like: "What are you trying to say, Sensei? Is Kolya-kun seriously not in good enough shape to keep up Hero training anymore?"
The resultant scoff Recovery Girl let out, made the pink young Hero and her fellow girls visibly flinch as she answered: "No need to go from 0 to 100 like that; okay, Ashido-chan? I didn't say anything like that. What I am saying is that, at least for today, he's in no mental, emotional, and frankly physical condition to go through whatever actual training is on Class A's curriculum today. What he really needs right now is some proper bed rest in order to help get his energy levels back to normal, as well as to help put his mind back at ease. If nothing interrupts it, I'm confident he may be back to normal by this time tomorrow, maybe even by the second half of the school day today if he gets really lucky."
With that, she was already making her way over to the other end of the room to file away everything she'd written down about Nikolay's current situation, before the boy in question lifted his head up to try and speak to her himself: "Sensei…I know All Might-sensei is here, but…but have you tried to reach my Dad or anyone else about my…well, about what happened already?"
The tiny old woman came to an immediate stop, giving a regretful sigh. "If I wasn't already aware of the business of all the teachers in this school, I would have. Unfortunately, Eraserhead is currently joining Present Mic in supervising Bakugo-kun and Todoroki-kun's remedial training today, and Tunguska-san has been called out on some unspecified Pro Hero business right now, I haven't been given the exact details. However, Toshi—I mean, All Might here came rushing as soon as he'd been called, since your class does have him as teacher for one of the periods today."
With his presence having now been addressed, All Might dutifully stepped forward; leaving Nikolay visibly overwhelmed when they made direct eye contact; the former Symbol of Peace holding a resolute fist to his chest. "That's right; it would hardly be fair for me to not give every one of you students the same kind of attention and care as anyone else if you were in crisis, Bezpalov-shonen. It's truly a great relief to know you haven't injured yourself any worse than you were before! If Recovery Girl believes you'll be able to pull through with such haste, then I know we have no reason to doubt her!
"Of course, with that being said, everyone; its best we heed our wise nurse's advice and leave our young friend to catch up on some much needed rest, agreed? Let us get you all back to class, and go forth into your continued training, and cheering on Bezpalov-shonen's recovery in our hearts every step of the way! Iida-shonen, Yaoyorozu-shoujo, I believe this falls under your shared field of responsibility, correct?"
Taking their current teacher's hint, Tenya and Momo were quick to step forward and wish their best for Nikolay, and thankfully allowing the others to do the same, with Mina unsurprisingly being the most emotional in doing so, as well as the most reluctant to leave; before they all finally left the nurse's office in an orderly line for class; officially leaving Nikolay alone in his bed with Recovery Girl and All Might as momentary company.
Regardless whether the nurse believed he would be good enough to rejoin his class tomorrow or halfway through today; it did nothing to ease the returning sense of complete embarrassment and shame Nikolay was now feeling, knowing what an utter scene of himself he'd made in front of everyone, no matter what the reasons. He'd gotten his friends so clearly worried sick about him, something he hated ever having to put them through, even after all they'd been through together.
As he proceeded to bring his hands to his face to try and somehow hide the shame in his expression; Nikolay was currently too caught up in his own maelstrom emotions to truly notice the watchful look in All Might's eyes, as he watched the young Slav in sympathy. As a teacher, a retired Hero and as a man, he wanted dearly to see if the boy was truly alright.
After seeing just how worried Izuku and the other kids were for him mere minutes ago, especially when his disciple had actually called him over; All Might wanted nothing more than to be able to confirm for all of them that their friend would be completely okay again…but deep down inside, he could completely understand that, at least right now, there was no way Nikolay could possibly be 100-percent okay in so little time.
After all, it was painful enough to think of an entire city of innocent people having been caught up in such a deadly disaster, especially in his home country…but to think that it was indeed carried out by the very same Villains that had tormented him, his friends and schoolmates so many times already this year could only have ever made his pain indescribably worse. Such trains of thought were something the former Number One Hero could relate to all too well.
All Might knew there was no justifiable reason to simply leave them all in silence while Nikolay was suffering so; thus he finally cleared his throat and turned to the attentive approaching nurse. "My sincerest apologies, Recovery Girl, but…would it be possible for Bezpalov-shonen and I to have a minute to talk alone?"
Looking between the blonde-haired lanky teacher and the bedridden Slavic boy, the Yuuei nurse ultimately gave a tired sigh of acquiescence. "Ah, all right. Just don't take too long, Toshinori. I was serious when I said he needs to get caught up on his rest."
With that and a resounding click of the office door shutter, Nikolay now found himself alone with a pensive All Might; overwhelmingly curious of just whatever it was the ex-Symbol of Peace possibly had on his mind to share in these circumstances. But without hesitation, the man finally broke the oppressive silence, empathy easily discernible in his illuminated blue eyes: "I don't want to burden you with yet more speeches right now, Bezpalov-shonen. I only want you to answer me as honestly as you can right now. With everything you now know has recently happened, what exactly is on your mind right now?"
Fortunately for them both, Nikolay didn't even need to think on how to answer that; it was honestly the one thing he could think of giving voice to ever since last night: "I'm sorry, All Might-sensei. I just haven't been able to stop thinking about…about if there were any way me or Dad could've stopped all of that from happening if we'd never left. I don't know if I ever would've even thought like that if that were the case, but maybe that way of thinking is just inevitable for Heroes. It is, isn't it?"
All Might lowered his head as he grabbed a nearby chair, pulled it forward and sat contemplatively at Nikolay's bedside. "It really is, I'll admit. Now let me just ask you this: do you truly believe deep down that either you or Tunguska-san would've been able to prevent such a widespread chain of catastrophe if you hadn't left Russia to come to Yuuei to learn how to become a Hero? You can tell me the truth, there's no shame in however you choose to answer, I promise."
Alas, the only thing he was answered with by the young boy was a reluctant silence. It was just about all he could've expected. He knew Tunguska's son was far from stupid; very emotional, but what boy or girl his age wasn't, when under stressful situations like what he'd just discovered? There was a difference between being emotional and being stupid, so for him to not truly believe in his own instinctive words was natural.
And it was because of such a natural response, that All Might didn't waste time in asking next: "Your friends filled me in on some of the things you'd been saying regarding this incident since last night, Bezpalov-shonen; mainly about how it's made you question everything you all did together while saving those people in Hokkaido. Tunguska-san even gave me all the same information you did for him and your classmates. So before I go any further, please tell me: do you really believe that everything you did in Gagaringrad, for all those people and everyone back in Russia who was in danger from that Villain's scheme…do you truly believe that all your efforts, all of Volga's efforts, were wasted because of this having happened beforehand? Do you truly believe it was all a waste?"
Nikolay could easily understand just what All Might was trying to communicate with this repeating question, and that just made the stinging of tears that much worse. "I don't know how I can feel any other way, Sensei! Knightfall-sensei, Uncle Volga; they both gave their lives to save all the people we were trying to…without ever once realizing that so many people back home had already died anyway!"
A solitary and sympathetic hand placed itself upon Nikolay's shoulder, leaving him silent with surprise for a moment as he looked over to see all Might looking at him with an unreadable intensity. "I understand the pain you're going through right now, Bezpalov-shonen; it's very much like the pain we both know Tunguska-san has been carrying with him for all these years since the Flash happened. What you're saying is indeed true: a terrible tragedy occurred without you or anyone else ever knowing about it, and far too many innocent people suffered because of it. But you can't allow yourself to forget the fact that, had none of you pushed yourselves and each other as far as you did to not only save all those people in that town, but also to save Volga from the darkness of Villainy, even if for but his final selfless moments; the human toll that those townspeople and your countrymen would've paid would have been exponentially worse…and it's because of all of you that it didn't end up that way.
"Whether you may believe so right now or not, the truth is that your actions still saved a great number of people, and that still makes you all the splendid Heroes that you are even now." With that, All Might let his words sink in for Nikolay's sake, watching as his vibrant green eyes shimmered with a deep resonation of acceptance. No matter what the young Russian wanted to say, deep down he knew that his teacher here was absolutely right, and while it didn't erase the pain, it at least helped him to feel that there was at least some room to manage it inside.
As Nikolay tried to swallow the emotional sobs forcing their way up his throat as he accepted his words of wisdom; All Might clutched his own pant legs tight, thinking back further and further as he continued: "I once told Midoriya-shonen this a while back, and I want to tell you the same, my boy; even if you may not ultimately believe it…but the truth is that, even with the power my Quirk gave me, there have been a number of different times where I too failed to save everyone, no matter how much I sorely tried to. Every time those tragedies happened, I always found myself likewise wondering if there was anything at all I could've done differently to save even more of them than I did.
"I became the Hero I was, strictly because I wanted to save everyone I possibly could, and every time I failed, that contradiction always left me wondering if I was simply fooling myself into thinking I was a Hero who could do what he ultimately could not. And yet, despite all those instances, I never let it dissuade me from getting up and trying again with everything I was the next time danger reared its ugly head against the innocent."
All Might could tell that his words were not falling on deaf ears, as Nikolay's eyes had grown wide with an almost enraptured curiosity as he listened to the former Hero speak so openly about his own shortcomings. Making eye contact once more, All Might continued; every word ringing genuine: "The point I'm trying to make for you right now, Bezpalov-shonen, is that no matter how much we may want to convince ourselves otherwise, the fact is that there has never been a single Hero who has been able to save every single person everywhere at once…and there very well may never be.
"I know such a thought hurts because of the inevitable impossible choices we all in this profession will one day have to make, but we mustn't let that dissuade us from continuing to try the very best we can within the scope of our capabilities in any and all situations. That dedication, that self-awareness and subsequent unwillingness to give up on ourselves, each other, and the people we want to save and protect; those are some of the most fundamental traits that make a true Hero. As long as you are willing to accept what you know you're able to do now, and just keep pushing yourself further and further within that realm of capability, and use it to do your best and save those you believe you can, I promise it will at least be able to make it just a little easier to accept and make peace with this pain you're feeling right now…and that will ultimately make you that much stronger.
"Your acceptance of what you knew and believed you could do was able to lead you all to work together to save an entire town and countless other people in the end, Bezpalov-shonen. You have every right to feel the way you do in this moment, but please don't let yourself forget what you were able to accomplish. Let both these things guide you from here on, and I know you can become a truly remarkable Hero, just like Tunguska-san and every one of your friends out there knows you can, and just like you know deep down that they can, themselves."
Nikolay, while feeling that familiar fire of inspiration building in his chest with every encouraging heartfelt word All Might was saying, could no longer bear to keep looking at the retired Hero at his side, as he now found himself watching regretfully out the window at his other side. "Thank you, All Might-sensei, for all of that. I mean it, that…that does help, but if I'm being honest…the things the others were telling you about before, about what I was saying all the way here? Those weren't the only worries I was having about all of this."
All Might couldn't hide his surprise as he lifted his head once more, clearly wanting the boy to elaborate on what he meant. Nikolay could just feel this intent bristling off the scrawny-built teacher as well, as he breathed deep and continued: "I'm assuming Dad told you about what I'd somehow managed to do after everything in Gagaringrad was said and done, about that government man Konstantin Khodamchuk? How my and everyone else's imploring got him to change his mind and get our friend Maja and her local friends off the hook for their unwilling involvement in Pietro Granin's schemes? And not only that, but to even get him to actually reconsider his whole perspective on Quirks as a whole before he went back?
"I still can't fully believe it even now, that we'd managed to inspire such a change in someone. It was, like, the greatest feeling in the world, knowing that everything we'd said and done had managed to restore even just that tiny bit of hope in someone. You and all our other teachers have always said that Heroes are supposed to represent hope before anything else, so I thought that if we'd been able to do it for just one person, then maybe he would be able to spread it to others, and it could've brought about some real positive changes for everyone back in Russia in the long run, maybe even make them rethink all their continued hatred for Quirk-users after all this time. I know it was a long shot, but I at least wanted to believe it.
"But when I found out about this, I could just see and feel all of that hope I'd been hanging onto for that kind of future just fall apart in my hands. It felt like every last bit of good will I'd been hoping he would bring back to the Russian people because of us had just vanished, and that things back there would just stay the same, if not somehow get even worse; both for them, and anyone they came across that was left with a Quirk these days.
"I mean, all of that simmering sadness, fear and anger from back in the early days after the Siberian Flash is just going to be reignited and fresh all over again after all of this that's just happened. The first time brought about a government that pretty much justified nationwide extermination and expulsion of its own people just because they had Quirks. After something like this, I can't help but imagine what could come about as a result, and just the sheer number of terrible possibilities scares me more than anything."
All Might could clearly see this very same fear show itself as Nikolay was trying and failing to not start succumbing to the shakes again. However, there was something in what the boy had said that had gotten his teacher's attention, and with it came the one most powerful question he could possibly ask: "You went to such an extent not only for the sake of others, but because you felt Khodamchuk-san would be able to help initiate a positive change in others. You had faith in your countrymen's ability to change; is that at all what you felt in that moment, Bezpalov-shonen?"
Naturally, Nikolay couldn't help but look back confusedly as to just where All Might was going with this, but he couldn't rightfully not answer with anything less than his personal truth: "Well…yes. Even if just starting with one person, I just had a feeling that if I couldn't help a lot of people reconsider their perspectives, I could at least do enough through just one person, and hope for the best."
And there was the one key word that All Might was looking for, as his blue eyes once more lit back up: "That's exactly it: hope. Faith and hope, whichever you want to call it; you had hope in people and the changes they could be able to bring about, just like how people as a whole have hope in Heroes being able to help make the world a better place. That hope can make monumental changes in countless ways, and it doesn't just have to come from Heroes. After all, in my experience, a Hero can only truly be able to embody hope in others if they genuinely carry that same hope within themselves for all those around them.
"That was precisely what I felt the day I first met Midoriya-shonen, as a matter of fact." This sudden admission made Nikolay nearly jolt over in his hospital bed as he looked amazedly at All Might, as if trying to discern if the man was in fact messing with him…but it was quickly apparent that this was far from the case, as he continued: "In the years that followed after I'd gained my condition that's left me as you've all seen me now, I'm sorry to admit that I had lost a great deal of the sense of hope that had driven me for so long until then…but then one day I met Midoriya-shonen, and when I saw just how dearly he wanted to be a Hero and save others, despite the insurmountable odds he knew he was facing, it had helped me to regain the hope that I had lost. That was what not only inspired me to take him on as a personal student, but also to become the teacher I am today…and what also ultimately helped inspire me to seek out your father, and bring you both here to begin the new lives you now have."
As All Might watched this utterly cosmic realization spark within Nikolay's eyes as he realized the cause and effect he was trying to describe and how it had ultimately led him here, he could feel a swelling of that very same pride and hope build in his chest. "Now you see, don't you? The tiniest bit of hope, in even the most unusual of places, can make so many changes that we can't even begin to comprehend, Bezpalov-shonen.
"Midoriya-shonen's example helped me, just as much as it ended up helping you and your father in the long run; helped you to eventually rediscover your own sense of hope, make the friends you now have and hold so dearly, and gain the inner strength to help yourself and others become the Heroes you're all destined to be…and the very same unforeseeable chain of positive changes born from hope that your example has sparked within a single person, could just as likely bring about good that you would never have considered otherwise.
"That hope within you that you feel from and for others is one of the most precious things you can hold onto going forward as a growing Hero, my boy. No matter what difficulties you may face from here on, you should never let yourself lose sight of that hope, no matter what or who it is that gives it to you every single day. It will always be able to guide you and help all those around you in countless ways. Do you understand all I've been trying to tell you here today?"
Nikolay's hands were once again clutching at the sheets of the hospital bed tight, but this time it wasn't out of pain or mourning. No, now it was purely out of realization and acceptance of everything All Might had imparted to him. Even if he couldn't immediately find the words, as the tears blurred his vision and his throat burned with the strain of trying to express his gratitude, he knew that his teacher was absolutely right, and he'd just needed the outside perspective to understand all of it.
Everything Nikolay had done from the beginning of his time here in Yuuei had been because of the sense of hope he felt, not only within himself, but especially for all of his friends here, who through all the ups and downs, he had continued to receive so much support and kindness from without fail, and for whom he knew he would have given anything for if they'd needed it. And it was with the hope they all made him feel, that he had instinctively developed the desire to spread that same hope to others, just as Heroes were always meant to do.
As long as they all had each other, Nikolay knew he could still find the strength and willingness to keep pushing himself forward, to try and become as strong as he could for the sake of them and everyone else that would be counting on him in the days or years to come. Through that, the hope he wanted to hang onto could perhaps be ignited in the hearts of others, and drive them to try and do what they could for the well-being and betterment of themselves and others just as well. That was exactly what he had hoped to at least inspire within Konstantin Khodamchuk that day they had spoken face-to-face in the hospital.
He had hoped to be able to inspire the man to at least rethink his view of others, and perhaps instigate the same positive change in others around him in order to help make the world as a whole even that much of a better place for everyone, because deep down, Nikolay had faith in those same people that it could be done, and it was that faith and hope together that left him feeling so fulfilled and optimistic for the road ahead.
And it was thanks to All Might helping to remind him of this one element of human nature that had guided him for this long, that he had only temporarily lost all sight of, that Nikolay could actually feel that willingness to keep going come rushing right back; and the former Hero could clearly see this dawning on the boy, as his skinny face nodded in approval with the slightest of approving smiles, as Nikolay tearfully nodded in confirmation to his question: "I do…I do understand, Sensei. I…*gasp* Thank you. Thank you. I'm…I'm sorry I'd actually let myself forget all of that so badly…forget the hope that everyone has worked so hard to help me remember after so long already."
To this, All Might simply raised a single awkward hand in the face of such unnecessary gratitude. "Like I said, it happens to the best of us more often than you may realize, Bezpalov-shonen. There's no shame in admitting it, no shame in having to go through it. Hope and faith in the world as a whole is a difficult thing to maintain when things are at their darkest…and that's precisely what makes them so much more precious to hang onto and spread to others where and when we can. Always remember that."
Nikolay's radiant smile of spiritual reawakening couldn't have confirmed for All Might that this lesson was taken straight to heart more clearly, as the young boy answered with all the sincerity that he'd grown accustomed to hearing from Izuku himself over all this time: "I will, All Might-sensei. Everyone in this school I've come to know, my Dad, they all give me that hope every day…and I'm not going to let that be for nothing. That's my promise, to them and to myself, and to everyone out there that may one day need saving."
The smile that was now evident on All Might's face radiated the greatest kind of pride in his young foreign student. 'Your son truly has your heart, Oleg-san. If only you were here right now to see how much higher he can lift himself out of even the lowest despair. I know you'll be so proud of him as we watch him and his friends grow together from here on.'
Thinking this to himself, the lanky ex-Hero once more planted a supportive hand upon Nikolay's shoulder as he rose back to his feet. "I couldn't have said any of it better myself back when I was your age, my boy. You truly are your parents' son. But for now, perhaps its best I get ready for my period with your class, while you focus on getting yourself rested. Recovery Girl's temper is certainly not something to be trifled with."
While Nikolay could clearly tell that All Might was being serious in such forewarning, he was still much more overwhelmed with just how far his father's friend had gone here, just to try and help lift his spirits back up. Watching as he began to take his leave, the young Russian suddenly called out: "All Might-sensei, please wait. There's something I still want to ask you."
All Might stopped just short of grabbing the doorknob, turning back to see the curiosity, or perhaps the need for a clear answer reflected in Nikolay's green eyes. "I know you and my father are very good friends by now, and he clearly tells you everything whenever we aren't together. Since Recovery Girl-sensei said he's out on some kind of Pro Hero business; are you able to at least give me some kind of idea what that means? It's just that, seeing him so heavily bandaged up like he was yesterday…I can't help but worry, you know?"
All Might gave a single understanding nod. "Of course, such feelings are only natural between father and son, regardless if one of them is injured or not. I don't know the specifics, I only know it's in relation to the remaining investigations around the mission he, Midoriya-shonen and the others partook in with Sir Nighteye and Eraserhead. Since I wasn't directly involved, that's unfortunately all that I know right now."
Nikolay's momentary disappointment kept him from seeing the flicker of immense sadness reflect in his teacher's sunken eyes at the mention of his former sidekick. Hence, he simply went on to his last question: "Alright…then have you maybe heard the recent news about what happened last week in Russia, too?"
"Of course, and you and Tunguska-san both have my utmost condolences and support in whichever way you both may need it." However, such well-wishes were hardly what Nikolayw as looking for, as he instead went on to ask: "Then if you and Dad both really do have some kind of involvement in this investigation about the League of Villains, then maybe you might be able to clear some of it up. I know he, Midoriya-san and Uraraka-san all said they ran into some of their members in the middle of their mission…but the internet is also saying that they were responsible for all the recent stuff back in Russia, too. The police surely must tell you both everything they come across about the League, so please, Sensei; if you can, tell me…do you think they were really responsible for that, too?"
To this, All Might's eyes fell to the floor, bowing his head in unmistakable regret as he tried to find an answer that would have remotely satisfied Nikolay's curiosity and worry. Unfortunately, though; no matter how much he tried to find something, anything at all that would have removed such suspicions…he was still ultimately just as stumped. Sure, given the known members of the League and their Quirks, he could easily imagine how they had gotten to and from such a faraway place in so little time; but it was simply the why that was eluding him and everyone else…and knowing who was truly pulling the strings behind their entire organization; not knowing the answer to that was especially worrying for the former Symbol of Peace.
"I wish I could say for sure, Bezpalov-shonen…but unfortunately, I can't right now. But I'm hoping that right now, your father and all the other Pros he worked with that day are clearing all those details up as we speak. I know it's hard, but please try not to bog yourself down with such worries right now. Ultimately, their mission ended in success, so we all need to try and hang onto that for everything it's worth…and continue to hang onto that faith in them as we all do in each other."
With those parting yet encouraging words of advice, All Might finally took his leave, allowing Recovery Girl to come back in to finish attending to getting Nikolay to rest, while the young boy himself simply stared up in contemplation and silent hope at the ceiling; still wondering with every minute just what it was his father was doing right now, and how it could have possibly tied into the League and his mission together.
And there is this week's chapter, everyone. I realize it wasn't the most exciting, but every scene has its role to play in putting together pieces of a greater whole; I ask that we all keep that in mind. Plus, I thought it would be nice for Nikolay to have some real meaningful one-on-one time shared with All Might after all this time when he's at one of his most emotionally desperate periods in his young life.
I hope you all enjoy this chapter. I promise you all that we will get back to the action by this time next week. Hopefully by then I'll have perfected the balance between my writing time and my schoolwork time when I'm not at actual work.
I hope you all had a fun summer as we go forward into Autumn, and I will see you all with the next chapter on 09/17!