I came too slowly and hazily. My body was throbbing and I swam in and out of consciousness. I'd exerted all the power I had to tie Kendo to myself and the cannon, yet it seemed she'd still, alongside her team, been able to defeat us.

We tried so hard...

I was being taken to Recovery girl by the robots, feeling shaky and tired. When I opened my eyes, I was in the ward, alone. I felt better, and I had the sense that Recovery Girl must have healed me while I slept, but even so all that I'd expended in that ultimate move had left me feeling shaken, not to mention the frustration of having lost in spite of everything.

"Rest up, dear," Recovery Girl told me, startling me as she came around the wing. "You've really used a lot of energy today. Really, you children must learn how to pace yourselves more if you wish to be Professional Heroes!"

"Apologies, ma'am," I started. She sighed, cutting me off.

"Now, now. No need to apologize. But it is very important to take care of your body and your quirk. Unlike some pro heroes who don't know when to quit until they have to..."

That last part was said more to herself than to me, and made me think sadly of poor All Might-sensei. That must be who she's thinking of.

"I suppose you mean I need to rest here instead of watching the next match?"

"I'll send you out soon enough, dear. But until then have patience and let yourself rest."

I've never been particularly good at resting. Getting sick always leaves me feeling frustrated, wanting desperately to immediately get better so as to no longer have to lie around - usually within minutes of realizing I am ill.

"You look restless already," said Kendo, surprising me from the doorway.

"Kendo! Are you injured as well?"

"Nah. You did ti me up pretty well, but I'm fine. Came in to check on you, actually."

"Oh." I sighed deeply. "Well, you've proven yourself. You succeeded in defeating me."

"Not exactly. I may have won the assignment, but I don't feel like I beat you in the long-term. You had such amazing foresight in everything you did, I only barely felt like I could keep up with you. If I'm going to surpass you as a rival, I'm going to have to keep on my toes."

"Indeed - you were so extraordinary out there, I was truly impressed!" I told her, quite excitedly. "I shall have to apply myself from here on out if I hope to keep up with you, as a worthy rival, Kendo-san."

She smiled at me, very warmly, and gave my arm a light tap with her (normal-sized) fist. "Right back at'cha."

I settled back in, with a glass of water and a snickers, and sighed. Nothing to do but wait until i got the go-ahead.

League of Villains Hideout

"First the Yakuza, now the liberation army...all these retro freaks are trying to make a comeback. Is this cuz of that book that came out a little while back? Are you trying to ride that wave straight to the headlines?" asked Shigaraki.

"How well-informed you are! But no, it's the other way around. We Created the wave."

"WEll good for you!" snapped Twice. "Now where's Giran? Adn waddaya want? You better not've touched a hair on that wonderful man's head!"

"Oh, he's here. Alive of course. And we seek to liberate all meta humans! WE will tear down the existing framework andrebuild this world asa place where people are free to be themselves and use their abilities as they see fit."

"I don't see any reason we should oppose that," said Compress.

"Are we gonna lend these guys the League's rep just like with the Yakuza?" asked Toga.

Shigaraki said, "How about you liberate our broker and then ring me again. I'm busy now. Once I'm done with my business here I'll listen to you and your merry band of revolutionaries."

"That could very well come back to bite us," said Compress.

"Take a break and hear me out, why don't you? Because first of all we will not liberate our hostage. From him we've come to learn how tight-knit you people are. Your broker is an impressive man, someone who takes a lot of pride in his work. Someone able to sink into the shadows, always sure to evade the attention of the authorities and heroes. Too bad for you he was unprepared for an attack from those same sahdows. I commend him for deleting his client lists before we got to him, and whe nwe started severing fingers, the man not only refused to give up, he wouldn't even cry out in pain!"

A new voice added, "As for that client data he deleted, we've finally recovered it."

"I commend his resistence, though it was futile! Because you see, we liberation warriors have prepared long and hard over many generations for this! WE've bided our time and spread our roots far and wide! A merry band of revolutionaries you say? I'm no fan of such jokes. There are 116,516 of our fellow liberation warriors lying in wait ready to rise to action! I would be loath to make such a self-depricating comment, League of Villains!"

"This guy's gotta be bluffing!" said Spinner.

"Hm, it seems you're in Niigata? Perhaps deep in the mountains?"

Twice tossed the phone away, but the voice said, "Too late, I'm afraid! We have a lock on you via satellite imaging. Wherever you run, we'll have eyes on the notorious League of villains! Endeavor, Hawks, Edgeshot, Mirko, Crust, all those heroes would be upon you with just one little calll to the authorities!"

"So generous, giving us advance warning. What doyou really want?"

"Destro must be the one to lead this revolution, and your name has gotten too big. Your destruction at our hands will signal the second advent of the liberation army! Consider those fingers as proof of our resolve. No need to draw matters otu, right? We will fight to liberate the metas of this world, so make your way to Deika city in Aichi prefecture! That is, if you hope to see poor Giran freed! Stand against us and be destroyed or do nothing and be captured by heroes! The chose is yours, Tomura Shigaraki!