-Safety + Peace + Love + Time = A Whole New Life-

Healing is a journey with bumps and pitfalls and is often never a straight line as much as we desire it to be, not quite as much as we want it to be quick. It is a constant process of moving forward through slow, occasional steps back but nevertheless a continual journey ahead. It has to be like time, un-relentless, undetermined, and unstoppable.

Izumi was like time, undaunted by the pitfalls, bumps, or backsteps; she would not let it stop her. She had glimpsed the promise of tomorrow, its taunting rays of light and hope, and pierced her dark world, which was glorious. She would not live in the dark anymore. She was constantly moving for that sweet promise of tomorrow. You live for Today; you remember yesterday, but you never forget that precious promise of tomorrow.

Inko and Midnight were concerned when one morning they found the young girl in the exercise room with All-Might, sweat dripping off her as the mountain of the man shouted encouragement and motivation to keep pushing forward. They wanted to jump in and chastise the man, but Izumi was responding; it was when he shouted at her.

"WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE?"

"A HERO!"

"CAN A HERO STOP MOVING JUST BECAUSE THEY ARE TIRED?"

"A HERO NEVER STOPS; THEY ALWAYS MOVE FORWARD."

"NOW KEEP GOING, YOUNG IZUMI. PUSH FORWARD, GO BEYOND"

"PLUS, ULTRA!"

At dinner, they addressed it; Inko and Nemuri sat and asked the girl eating a healthy portion of baked chicken, "Izumi honey do you want to be a hero?" Inko asked.

"I do, momma," the girl responded.

"Why, baby?"

"There need to be more heroes like Midnight and her friends, people who were willing and able to help people like us. We can't be the only ones who suffer like us, if not worse. I want them to know that a hero will help them and listen even if they think no one will."

Inko wanted to tell her daughter no, to keep her close and safe, away from that terrible world. But this was the first thing Izumi had been passionate about in such a long time, her shields were strong, and they would only get more vital with luck. "Then be the best hero you can be Izumi; I will support you one million percent."

"Me too, Izumi; when you are comfortable, I will even ask Eraser Head and President Mic to help out when they can."

"Thank you," Izumi managed to wipe away a few tears as she focused on her meal, her mind drifting back to the two notebooks on her desk. "The American Dream Training Program Vol:1" and "Heroic Analysis for the Future Vol: 10".

-Fear + Self Loathing + Time = A kick to the head-

Katsuki Bakugo sat in the courtroom as the charges had been read, the prosecution had presented its case, and the defense had done its best. It was evident from the initial interview, eyewitness testimony, video footage, and even the defendant's testimony that Katsuki Bakugo was fucked.

He knew what he was doing was wrong in some fashion even as he did it, but he was a child, ten years old, and for six years, he had been allowed to run rampant without a leash or any measures in place to ensure some system was in place to prevent him from becoming what he had become.

The judge looked at the boy standing before her with his parents by his side.

"Katsuki Bakugo, you have been failed by the system and very institutions that were there to help correct and report your abusive behavior. Your parents failed to notice your antics or crimes and failed you. After reviewing all the facts in this case, I was ready to enact the maximum punishment. Not only for you but for your parents, as your actions and their inactions have led to you being here before me on this day. Do you know what the maximum sentence is?"

"No, ma'am, my lawyer did tell me that I could be up to 20 years in prison." The boy responded.

"That is close to correct; I was ready to do just that, Mr. Bakugo, along with the requirement of quirk-suppressing cuffs for the rest of your life. Till a young girl came to see me," Katsuki's eyes widened as his head tilted down and shot up, looking directly at the judge. "This girl, obviously scared and shaking, came to me and asked that I give you a chance. Do you know who that girl was?"

"Izumi…" he answered in a whisper.

"Correct," the judge said, leaning forward. "The victim of your crimes came to me and asked that you not be sent to prison but be allowed a chance to prove yourself worthy of the title Hero. At first, I was flabbergasted that this must be a result of her traumatic abuse, a case of stockholm syndrome and that she would come and ask such a thing. I made her explain herself, and she said the system had failed you just as much as it had failed her, that while you may have been part of the failing, you could still make a difference. If she had insisted you walk free, I would have dismissed her entirely, but she wants you to be punished, not obliterate your life.

Katsuki Bakugo, you have been found guilty on all charges and are sentenced to 15 years' probation as a result. An order of protection has been established for yearly review by this court between you and Izumi Midoriya with an annual review for renewal. A distance of 1000 yards is to be maintained at all times, and all forms of communication are strictly forbidden. You are to attend mandatory psychiatric counseling; in a lockdown facility for the period of no less than one year, at which point you will, upon release, participate in court-ordered counseling per the recommendation of your case manager; you are to wear quirk-suppressing cuffs at all times when you are not inside your home, you will serve 10k hours of community service. YOU will follow the law at all times. Should you have ANY infraction, you will immediately be taken into custody and serve your sentence of 15 years + any additional time for the inciting offense; this shall be done consecutively without the possibility of parole or early release, with no time considered for time spent on probation before the incident. Should you desire to enroll in a hero course for university, this policy will stay in effect with a faculty member appointed by the court to be in charge of your quirk-suppressing cuffs. You are not to leave the country without the express WRITTEN approval of this court.

Masaru and Mitsuki Bakugo, you are fined and ordered to pay a fine of 36 million yen which will be held in trust for the victim. Five hundred hours of community service, you must attend and pass mandatory parenting classes and court-ordered counseling as a couple and a family. The terms of your payments may be structured if you cannot pay them now. Your negligence is as much to blame as those sorry excuses of former educators down the hall; your saving grace is that there is no evidence you witnessed any of your sons' crimes, but as his parents, you are responsible.

Before you leave my courtroom Katsuki Bakugo let me make something clear to you, you walk out of here today and not jail because Izumi Midoriya came to my chambers and pleaded that you were someone worth saving, that you were someone worth a second chance. You would go to jail if it weren't for her impassioned plea. All it takes is a simple act of kindness to change someone's world or an act of forgiveness to give someone a second chance. There will not be another chance, young man. The court is adjourned. Please see the clerk outside for all your paperwork before you leave the building."

With a clang of the gavel, it was over; he wasn't going to prison; Izumi had come and begged him to have a second chance. He wasn't worthy of a second chance; he was the real Deku; he could have been a real hero if only, for one second, he had listened and passed a note on to his parents. His parents led him out to be fitted for his QSCs and to file all the paperwork needed to allow them to go home for a little bit. The worst part was that he couldn't even tell her he was sorry for being a piece of trash; truthfully, he knew he wasn't worthy of doing so.

He was only home for a short time before he was assigned his mandatory treatment facility; his parents drove him up to the place it was high in the mountains. Unfortunately, they could only take him to the gate, where he would be escorted in. They promised to visit often, but he turned and said, "Please don't; I need to figure out what is wrong with me. I will let you know when I am ready to see you."

"Can we call you at least?" his mother asked.

"Yea, I would like that. Mom, Dad, I am sorry for failing you. I promise I won't mess this up. I will prove to you and Izumi that I deserve this second chance." He bowed to his parents, fighting back his first tears in a long time.

"I know you will, brat, I know," Mitsuki said, hugging her son tightly.

Katsuki stiffened before returning the hug, "Don't call me a brat, you hag," he replied softly. When they broke apart, Masaru stepped forward and hugged his son.

"Become the man I always knew you could be," was all he said.

"I will, Dad, I swear." He said. He watched as his parents stood there with their arms around each other as he turned to the waiting guards handing over his duffel bag with items approved for him to bring. "Katsuki Bakugo reporting."

-Solitude + Anger + Stupidity + Time = Self Destruction-

Hector Berlioz once quipped, "Time is a great teacher, but unfortunately, it kills all its pupils." A French romantic composer, his words would far outlast most of his work, but his words, like time, were everlasting. Except, of course, for Symphonie Fantastique, some things are timeless. A piece of music that tells the story of an artist's self-destructive passion for a beautiful woman or a disgraced hero's obsession with two women that stood up and said NO.

For nine long months, Fire Breath had sat in his safe house; only a few representatives from the commission were present, and his movement, habits, and online access were all monitored and restricted. The only accurate contact was when Ms. Hiro walked in, dropped his divorce papers in front of him, and forced him to sign. The press conference had done its job of making him look like a terrible person; some corners were offering sympathy while others were calling for his head. A simple 2-hour stay in a holding cell was all he had to do to be released on bail till his trial.

He was at first angry about the trial, but when he began to meet with lawyers, it at least provided him with some interaction that he had been starved of. He was about to get some other interaction from a young nubile paralegal who just needed some convincing when Ms. Hiro interrupted, and the girl was whisked away, a longing in her eyes that Hisashi recognized, a longing that only he saw.

Anger turned to Rage as not only was there to be testimony from those vile bitches, his ex-wife, and daughter; others had started coming forward, ridiculous claims of coercion, blackmail, sexual assault, and rape. Women he had taken to the gates of heaven were now coming out and spreading these misnomers and outright lies. They had come to him, begging to be pleasured, begging to know the feel of a real man. Now they were part of the greater conspiracy to try and destroy him.

It didn't matter; he would set it all straight and come out the following number one by the end of everything. It all started when he could slip a note to Umpire; the plan would be simple. Some villains attacked the courthouse when his Ex and Izumi were in court; they happened to die in the attack. He uses his fantastic quirk to fight them off. They die as he is so overcome with grief that he can't regulate his quirk correctly—bam, instant reputation salvation.

Day one of the trials was, of course, a media circus. He did manage to slip a soundbite out though they told him to say nothing; as reporters were screaming for a comment, he gave them one. "I love my wife and daughter; I only hope to find redemption in their eyes, not for me or anyone else."

They chastised him, but he saw the smiles on some of the ladies of the legal team, yea it was working. He wasn't surprised at all the attention he was getting. After all, he was the man, FIRE BREATH, fast-rising hot hero, in every way, oh yea.

He looked around the galley and noticed that neither Inko nor Izumi were present. He was ready, NO PLEA DEAL; HE WAS GOING TO DECLARE HIS INNOCENCE AND SHOW EVERYONE HOW IT WAS DONE. Now he just needed to ensure that Inko and Izumi made it inside to die from the villain attack Umpire had arranged.

-Gross Stupidity + Over Confidence + Did I Mention Stupidity = Umpire-

He understood what Fire Breath had told him. Make sure Inko and Izumi don't make it to trial.

Umpire needed to do this for his friend; he had to make sure he walked free so things could return to how they used to be, drugs, girls, and booze. He knew Inko was in love with him, but they had to maintain appearances; the way Inko would shed joy during coitus was all the proof he needed. He hadn't been able to get off without it, but bro's before hoes. He had to do it.

He hadn't been able to find them before the trial, but he knew they would be at the trial. When he saw the car pull up and the familiar heads of green hair emerge, he was momentarily stunned; they looked so different. Inko seemed particularly impressive; He moved closer with his perfect disguise of the dark blue hoodie, sunglasses, mask, and bat painted black cleverly hidden; two good swings and it would be all over. Before he could move, he felt an arm around his waist and was yanked into the air and deposited harshly on a rooftop.

Before him was a lurking monster of a man known for his smile, but he was not smiling; behind him was a murderous hobo that never smiled. These two men did not get along. They both viewed and approached heroics on completely different fundamental levels. One enjoyed Coke, the other tea Action Movies to Period Drama; the true divide was that one felt that Dogs were the ideal pet while the other championed the devil's favorite Cats.

They could agree on a few things; Inko and Izumi were to be protected at all costs, and Fire Breath wouldn't be drawing breath much longer.

-Inko and Izumi-

They entered the courtroom, taking a position in the back row with Nemuri there as support, along with President Mic for protection; they were there to witness the guilty plea and the punishment faze. A plea deal had been made and accepted; he would get to make a statement then Inko and Izumi would also have a chance to create one. It had been a worry that upon seeing him, fear would overcome them, and for a split second, it did, but then the fear was replaced by anger and pain. Their therapist had told them that the odds were that there would never be proper closure between them, as it was doubtful that Hisashi could ever be shown that his actions were wrong. He was sure that he had acted in the right way and was right.

When he looked over his shoulder and saw them, he did his best to intimidate them with a mere glance, Inko almost threw up at the revulsion that she had performed intimate acts with him, and Izumi saw nothing of the man she had wanted so desperately to make happy and earn praise from but instead a sad and pathetic person.

He was shocked at how they looked at him, quickly returning to the proceedings. Any second now, he thought, any second now. He had a perfect view of the outside; then his blood ran cold; there was Umpire beaten and in custody standing between All-Might and Eraser Head. He saw the number one slash across his throat as they moved out of view with Umpire. He was stunned into silence. He didn't even notice that his plea deal had been accepted, and it was his turn to make a statement. Words couldn't form in his mind as he stood before the mic; he stumbled back to his seat.

Izumi leaned over to her mother; both were holding their statements. "Mom, let's just go." She whispered.

"Are you sure, honey?"

"Us telling him anything won't matter; he won't listen to it anyway. It is just a waste of time. I said I wanted to come and do this, but now I would rather get some ice cream with you and Nemuri. He isn't worth our time or our thoughts anymore."

Inko looked at Izumi and glanced at Hitoshi; he looked like he had just seen a Shinigami. He looked pathetic; that was just how Inko wanted to remember him. "Ok baby, let us go." She turned to Nemuri, "We would like to leave and get some ice cream if that is, ok?"

Nemuri looked at them with surprise; she turned to see the judge looking at her. She waived the judge off and led the girls out of the room to a parking garage so they could leave. President Mic said nothing but instead told them of this great little ice cream stand that overlooked the ocean, run by this little old couple and their daughter.

"Can we go there?" Izumi asked.

"Of course, Izumi," Nemuri responded; she didn't say anything else as she knew that Hizashi was already taking them there anyways.

-A Great Hero ALWAYS Keeps their Promises-

Hisashi was regaining his senses as he was escorted into an empty courtyard with high walls, concrete flooring, with various drainage holes. He looked around with no cameras, no surveillance, only the metal door he had just been brought through; his mind was trying to put facts together; the prison transport troops had no markings on their uniforms, full face plates concealing their identities. Not a word had been said after he was walked out of the courthouse and secured in the transport truck.

Wait a minute…I am not supposed to go to jail. That isn't part of the plea deal. I was supposed to return to the safe house. Panic began to grip the man; he remembered seeing Umpire being taken into custody outside the courtroom window and standing next to Umpire was All-Might.

"If I even hear you looking in their general direction, maybe the last thing you will hear is the wind as I remove your head from your body."

The wind rustled.

-The Cleaning Crew-

Akemi and Kazuo sat in the waiting area in their clean-up suites when the light above the door turned from red to green. They entered the stone courtyard and saw the body lying near the center. A quick look saw what they assumed to be the missing head or the splatter impact on the wall. Akemi hauled the massive blue barrel towards the body as Kazuo sighed and pulled out the pressure washer heading towards the wall.

"At least it was rather clean this time; we should be done in less than an hour," Akemi called to his partner.

"Yea, so I am thinking of pizza tonight for dinner?" Kazuo replied.

"I could go for a pie?"