Over the Top

by papireaz

When I died, I expected a big parade, maybe a few manga volumes. Not to be reincarnated in a world with heroes. I guess I have no choice but to become one then!

54. Issue 52

Discord code = p6HcDQpxuk !

No Sleep Till Brooklyn - Beastie Boys.

Guardians of the Galaxy 3 reminded me how much I love the Beastie Boys, as well as how much I love stories that make me feel something. What a good movie. Also helped give me more ideas to flesh out certain scenes I have planned…

And yes, I will be writing a short 'poem' (If you could call it that) at the start of each chapter, essentially writing about the characters' feelings and thoughts. Instead of recaps (which grew annoying to write), I like this format a lot more. You can easily guess who the characters are plus what the chapter is gonna' be about. The recaps will return, however.

One day.

---

'The sky we saw that day bonded us forever

That final lie was a kind one; I won't forget it.'

---

Knock.

Knock.

Knock.

Knock-,

"Grrh. I'm up, I'm up," I yelled, closing my left eye as I yawned. I had no doubts about who that was because the only one sadistic enough to wake me up this early was Tokage. I scratched my back as I got up from my uncomfortable bed and walked over to my door, opening it slightly. But much to my dismay, it wasn't Tokage who knocked on my door but an extremely irate Itsuka Kendo. "Huh? What are ya' doin' here?"

"What am I doing here!? You're late!" Kendo snapped at me, budging my door a little wider. "You're still in your pyjamas! I thought you were going to take things seriously?"

I blinked at her in confusion.

"...I am taking things seriously. School doesn't start for another forty minutes. The hell do you want with me?"

"Breakfast. Ten minutes. Class B always has breakfast together, it's a class tradition," Kendo told me. "Did Tokage not tell you?"

My sigh was all the answer she needed as she immediately took a step back and winced.

"O-oh. Sorry," Kendo immediately apologised. "Yeah. We all have our meals together, apart from lunch in school because of our different schedules. Which means that we eat all together in the mornings and evenings. We don't really have a rota for who cooks as everyone cooks for themselves, but we have a few leeches who can't cook."

I snorted at that.

"Let me guess, Tokage's one of them?" Kendo nodded. "Of course. To be fair, she does remind me of a leech. She also looks like one. Alright, I'll be down in a mo'. Just let me brush my teeth and wash my face."

"Alright, see you downstairs then."

I watched as Kendo left and went to grab my toothbrush and facial scrub from my unpacked box. I couldn't find my toothpaste, but oh well. I guess I was going to have to burrow Monoma's. However, as I left my room to walk to our shared toilet, that was when I realised something was wrong. Coming straight from my room which then linked to the toilet, was a red carpet.

I sighed.

"MONOMAAAAAAA!"

---

Chapter

Fifty

Two

'Beyond the Tender Feelings'

---

"Woah!" Kuroiro could barely sit in his seat as I told them what I had been up to. "You mean Monoma's girlfriend stalked you for a day? Jeez, maybe he's being NTR'd…"

"Sora-sama wouldn't do that to me, right?" Monoma asked me. I simply ate my cereal in peace. "Right?"

"You tell me? Dumbass."

"Yeah, tell him!" Tokage joked, wrapping her arms around my shoulders. "He's my boyfriend, you should already know this! Oh, and do you like the milk, Sora? It comes from my breasts."

I spat the milk and cereal from my mouth with it, unfortunately, landing all over Pony's face and school uniform. Despite that, we all laughed at Tokage's silliness and just how bold she truly was. Even Pony didn't seem to mind as she went upstairs to wash up and get changed once again, although that was perhaps because Tokage glared at her almost as if she was daring Pony to fight.

Weird.

"Tokage, I wouldn't date you even if it saved the world."

"Yeah, yeah. Go blow up another school."

"You blew up your school?" Tetsutetsu asked, grinning madly. "That's crazy. I bet no bastard in Class A could match that."

I shrugged my shoulders.

"Maybe. Didn't they stop a plane hijacking though? That's pretty cool as well," I replied, washing up my bowl and spoon. "But then and again, blowing up your school in a fight is way cooler. Let me tell you this, however, getting shot sucks. Seriously, one of the worst experiences in my life."

"Right up there with fighting Overhaul?"

I dropped my spoon, turning around to face who said that. I shook my head, sighing heavily as I put on a massive grin for them. Hah. The world around me stopped for a second as I chuckled nervously.

"Yeah. That was… tough."

…

"Alright, pack it up," Tokage nodded at me as she turned to the rest of our class, clapping her hands at them. "Come on, let's go to class now. Since Sora woke up late, he probably hasn't done his bag for the day yet, so let's give him a few free minutes. We can ask him more questions at dinner."

I watched as the class listened to Tokage, even if they were grumbling while doing so.

"Thanks," I told her gratefully. I didn't need to hear confirmation that she did it for me, just because she knew how Overhaul was a sore subject for me - Even after a year.

"Don't mention it," Tokage gave me a thumbs up. "I'll make sure that it gets through their thick heads not to ask too much about Overhaul. I assume Class A doesn't know the truth of what happened that day either, right? Or what you've told me."

I shrugged my shoulders at that.

"Only Midoriya knows definitively because he was there with me, but he hasn't told a single soul yet. The others have some idea of what happened though," I replied, smiling sadly. "I guess even Midoriya understands how bad it would get if the truth came out. I mean Overhaul was vilified because they needed someone to blame. If the media ever got their hands on this story, well, that'll cause an entire meltdown overnight. Especially now that discourse on heroes gets so heated. Wasn't there just a protest in Okinawa about banning heroes like yesterday?"

Tokage shrugged her shoulders at that, sitting on the kitchen counter as she waited for me to walk alongside her.

"You have no idea," Tokage told me. "You were a civy' for the last year, so we've tried to put on a strong and united front. But you have no idea about the shitshow we've been dealing with. Protests across the country, call to action about the destruction of property, hell someone even's trying to sue Endeavour because they didn't want to be saved are the least of our worries. Not only that but the government basically endorses Class A and B as the next 'generation' of heroes which only puts the spotlight more on us."

Washing up my cereal bowl, I put it in the dishwasher as I hummed in thought.

"Basically, we're the scapegoats if shit goes sideways. If it goes bad, it's 'cause we're inexperienced, but so long as we don't do that then both parties help each other out then everything is fine because we're the heroes," I summarised, checking my fridge for ingredients. Hm. I could make a stir-fry tonight. Slinging my bag over my shoulder, I walked alongside Tokage to the door. "Sounds like a nightmare. I wish I could still be a civy' and not deal with it."

"You can always go back. To be honest, even I'm having second thoughts about this whole thing."

I shook my head at her.

"Nah. No matter how hard it might be, I still have to continue down this path for myself and everyone else," I told her with a grin. "I wonder how you haven't cracked under the pressure yet?"

"As if I'd crack," Tokage's eyes narrowed as she jumped at me, elbowing me in the ribs, her pink hair swaying side-by-side. "Shouldn't I be more worried about you? I mean you have a history of cracking under pressure. Or with how you described it - Drowning."

"Crikey, with that hair colour I almost thought you were a used tampon," I grinned as her face fell at that. "Almost. The first thing that came to mind was 'dumbass'. They were neck-n-neck until you opened your mouth and I remembered just how stupid you really are."

"Coming from the guy that can't pass basic science classes, that's a really ironic statement."

"Oi, I ain't gonna' be a scientist," I reminded her. "Anyways, being a scientist would be so boring. Like fuck am I going to do all day? Research some random topic? Boring. I'd rather be reading the next swimsuit 'mag in the classroom if I'm being honest."

"So you admit to reading porno mags?"

I shrugged my shoulders at that.

"Don't make it sound weird. I look at swimsuit mags. That's all. And it's because I find myself lacking good swimwear," I joked, closing the front door to our accommodation. "You never know when a cute girl might ask you to join her for a swim. I at least want to wear a pair of swimming trunks that doesn't make me look like a loser ya' know?"

Tokage rolled her eyes at me.

"Like any girl's ever gonna ask you of that, and if any cute girl does do that, I'll eat my shoe."

"Sounds like a bet you'll lose."

"Please," Tokage snorted, her hands reaching up to my neck as she tried to grab me in a headlock. "I never lose."

"S'that why you're a virgin?" I asked her cheekily, however much to my surprise, Tokage shook her head. Huh? The hell?!

"Actually, I lost my virginity ages ago," Tokage gloated. "In my old life, right before I was about to croak, there was this other terminally ill person in the same ward as me. I let him hit. We were about the same age at the time so it wasn't that weird, and it's not like he had many other options. So, virgin, want to try again?"

Tch.

"Yeah, yeah, but as Setsuna Tokage you're just a plain ol' virgin," I grumbled out. "And anyway, that doesn't count. You let someone bang you out of pure desperation in a hospital. It's sorta like pity sex. Is that what you're glad about? Pity sex. Jeez, now I'm beginning to pity you."

"Glad to know you'd fuck me out of pity if you had the chance," Tokage grinned at me, pointing to her very perky breasts. Clearly, she was not only wearing a push-up bra, but she even had pads on underneath. I think. "Sadly, the difference in leagues between us is far too massive."

"I agree," I nodded with her. "It's like if a professional baseball player pitched against batters with no hands. The competition isn't really there. I'm the professional baseball player here by the way."

Tokage rolled her eyes.

"Of course you are."

We turned the corner, joining the main path to U.A., but opposite us were two people who were also in a rush to go to school together. What surprised me wasn't who they were, but rather that they were holding hands.

Ah.

I see.

Jiro and Kaminari both looked surprised to see me walking alongside Tokage, and I watched as Jiro noticed that I was staring at her and Kaminari being affectionate. Jiro simply smiled, moving closer to Kaminari who had a stupid smirk on his face as he kissed her forehead.

It felt like time crawled to a halt as my mind connected the dots, Jiro was dating Kaminari.

I guess I sorta knew, but the confirmation was…

Something.

"Fancy seeing you two go to school so late," Tokage started the conversation as we walked alongside the couple. "Couldn't stop your morning shag, could you? Fair enough."

Jiro blushed heavily at that as Kaminari chuckled nervously.

"Er, well, truth is-,"

Jiro covered her boyfriend's mouth.

"Nope. There isn't a need to talk about our private life," Jiro told him, although I could feel how high-pitched her voice was. I also noticed how she was glancing at me from the corner of her eye. "What about you Tokage… you too, Yamazaki. Do either of you have a partner? And if you did, would you want to talk about your private time with them?"

Tokage snorted at that, shaking her head.

Eventually, all three began to stare at me as they awaited my response.

"...Nah. No need for a relationship, after all, I fuck tons of bitches," I lied. I don't even know why I lied. It just slipped out. "I go to tons of parties and get laid. I even sneak into clubs. Slip the bouncer a few thousand Yen and it's easy to get in, and there just get as drunk as possible, dance, go to the smoking area and just talk to people. Fun times. No need for a shitty relationship"

Tokage knew the truth, but Kaminari and Jiro believed my lie easily, after all, they hadn't known me in a year. I don't know why I lied, but the satisfaction of seeing the surprise on Jiro's face was something.

Like I disappointed her.

It's not like I was trying to impress her or anything.

But... why wasn't she impressed.

"Oh," Jiro frowned at me. "So you're a man-whore."

"Well-,"

"That's exactly what he is," Tokage cut me off. "He was just bragging about him getting with his ninth girl recently. Honestly, it's childish Sora. Just grow up."

"I think it's sorta cool," Kaminari said although a nasty glare from Jiro shut him up rather quickly. "Er-, well, you know-,

"It's not cool," Jiro replied, glaring directly at me. "You can't just sleep around, Yamazaki. It'll be bad for your reputation. Not that you have one anyway. But your family and Tokage will care. Don't break their trust, but maybe I'm barking up the wrong tree."

"Er..."

"Come on, Kyoka, don't be so mean," Kaminari laughed out, patting her head softly. "Not everyone wants to be in a relationship, and if Sora doesn't want to be in one then I gotta support him. It's not easy. Sometimes you just want to fool around and take things easy."

"Easy? He's been taking things easy for a year," Jiro snarled at me. "All he does is fool around. He did that back then, and even now he... Whatever. We're going to be late."

I watched as Jiro sped up her walking speed, grabbing tightly onto Kaminari's arm as she tried her hardest to ignore me.

…

"Lying so you can act cool to her? Dude, get over her," Tokage clapped my back, sighing loudly. "She has a boyfriend now. A happy relationship. From what I hear, they're the loudest couple in Class A, if you catch my drift."

I winced at that, my thoughts immediately drifting to Jiro and Kaminari in-,

"I don't like her," I replied, refusing to meet Tokage's eyes. "I'm over her."

"Suuure," Tokage rolled her eyes at me. "Listen, you broke up with her. Horribly might I add. Don't go sulking because she moved on and you couldn't. There are plenty of fish out there in the sea-,"

"I don't like her," I repeated, this time a little more agitated. "I'm happy that she's found someone that treats her right. It's what she deserves. And yeah, I lied. I just don't want her to get in the habit of thinking or even worrying about a bastard like me. So please, can we just drop it?"

"...fine. You can try to ignore the tender feelings within you all you want," Tokage glared at me. "See if I care. Stupid idiot. If you die of heartbreak because you still haven't gotten over your ex-girlfriend who you broke up with over a year ago now, then you need to get some therapy man. You're just being a sore loser now. And no, you can't back out of the lie you just told them two. It's your punishment for being a retard."

…

I lit up a cigarette, taking a long drag from it.

Yeah.

It's my punishment.

---

"Uh…" I looked at Vlad King, then back at the small boy in front of me. "Who's this?" I asked him in confusion.

"This," Vlad King pointed to a fair-haired boy with brown eyes. He looked like he was in middle school. "Is Sai Yafuso. If you aren't aware, the recommended hero exam happens in December. Sai Yafuso is going to be a hero student next year, and you will be his mentor. It's a buddy program Nezu changed around this year, as such every student in your year will be partaking in it."

"Ha. Funny. Where was my mentor?"

"I believe you met Nejire Hado multiple times throughout your first year," Vlad King smirked at me. "What? Did you think she spoke to you for fun? She was looking out for you."

Huh.

I turned back to stare at Sai Yafuso. He was a stiff bastard, his face not moving a single muscle as he studied me. I suppose my untucked shirt, rolled-up sleeves, undone laces and loose tie made me look anything but a U.A. hero student.

"So… I'm supposed to mentor him?"

Vlad King nodded at that.

"Yup. An hour per week until he formally joins U.A., then you'll be able to see him however many times you want," My teacher explained to me. "Anyways, I'll leave you two to it. Enjoy."

…

…

…

I walked over to the kid.

"So. How's life?" I asked him.

"Life is perfectly fine for me, Yamazaki-sishou."

"Stop being so stiff," I poked the boy in the cheek. "Liven up a bit, you're a kid, not a soldier."

"Hai, Yamazaki-sishou."

"Hi? Don't say hi to me in English-, Oh you were… never mind. Please, just call me Sora."

"Yes, Sora-sishou."

I sighed.

"Fucking hell. What school did you crawl out from?"

"Somei Acadamy, Sora-sishou."

"Ah. Rich kid school. Makes sense why you're a bit uptight," Sai didn't even care as I said that. "Listen, whaddya' want ta' know?"

"Nothing, Sora-sishou. Nothing from you at least. I doubt I could learn anything from a delinquent hero-student who shows up to the most prestigious school in Japan late, half-dressed and smelling of cigarettes," Sai told me in a monotone tone. "If anything, I recommend that you get a mentor again, Sora-sishou. Your bad habits are honestly a pity to see, and I worry that my potential classmates might idolise you."

"Yeah, yeah, listen here fucktard," I flicked Sai on the nose. "I'm the arsehole in charge here. Get lippy with me again and I'll recommend to Nezu that you're too much of a bitch to be here. Something about not working well with others, maybe being a potential liability in the field - I'm sure he'll listen to my complaints and you'll be dropped down to the general track until you can prove yourself. If you can do that."

Sai's nostrils flared as his eyes widened at that.

I grinned at his reaction.

Bingo.

"You wouldn't-,"

"Oh, but I can," I replied, sitting down on the seat allocated in this empty classroom. "So either you start being nice or I can watch you try and get back in the hero course. I'm doing this for your own good, ya know. No one in your class is going to like you if you have a stick up your arse. If you keep on acting like a stiff guy no one's going to date you."

"That's rather mean."

"Stop being a little bitch and get over it then," I sighed. "It's just fuckin' language. How much of a pussy are you? Seriously? I know one guy who went to Somei, and his interpersonal skills are atrocious. He's a pair of alien glasses that took possession over a body, I'm sure of it. Listen, I know you probably have a bunch of high expectations set upon you by your parents-,"

"I'm an orphan."

I silently whined.

"Cool, when did I ask?" I responded. "...Now that was mean. But my point is that you have to fuck those expectations in the arse. Or ditch them? I'm also an orphan. Sorta. Does it count if your biological father is an undead zombie who's a villain?"

"...I beg your pardon?" Sai looked at me in confusion, waiting for me to clarify what I had just said. I shrugged my shoulders in response.

"It's a long story. Point is, everyone has problems, don't be the bastard that causes annoying ones, be the bastard that causes fun problems," I wisely told him. "Classcest is a no go. Had to deal with a healthy dose of that earlier today. You become good friends with your classmates, then you date them and when you break up it's like damn. You also lost a friendship. But then they come with their new boyfriend, one who she's been far more intimate with - And I'm really happy for her, I really am - but I knew her for years. How the hell did they get together?! Why didn't I-, Never mind."

"Are you jealous?" Sai asked me.

Pssht.

"Me? Jealous?" I asked incredulously, laughing at the thought. "Ha. Funny joke. There is nothing to be jealous of. I mean, seriously, I'm like the least jealous person I know. I think it's not jealousy rather ya' know-, You ever had a girlfriend before?" Sai shook his head at that. "When you get a partner, and you love them, you don't imagine them with someone else. So, fast forward a year since your break-up, and you see them even happier with someone else you knew, it's weird. Like. I don't know how to describe it."

"...Jealousy?"

I shook my head, leaning my chair back slightly.

"Nah. More like… I don't know, it's making me think about us if that makes sense," Sai nodded at that. "Like, I'm glad that she's happier with someone else compared to when she was with me. But I also feel sorta bitter that it wasn't me. Not jealousy, since I don't hold it against them, but rather myself. A what if only. What if only's are a bad trap to fall in, especially as a hero."

I turned to look at Sai.

"I… I'm sorry, I'm confused," Sai told me. "...Are you trying to say something profound?"

"It's a lesson - Or more like an analogy," I replied. "Being a hero isn't easy. You'll look at your classmates sorta like your ex-girlfriend when you become heroes. You'll see them make a name for themselves and you'll start asking what-ifs. You'll mess up and someone else won't, and you'll be their friend so you won't feel jealous. You'll be happy for them. But you'll start to feel an inner hatred for yourself, I know that better than anyone else. If there is something I want you to understand from this session, it's to never dwell on what you didn't achieve - Dwell on what you already achieve."

…

"That's… surprisingly good advice," Sai admitted, making me smirk at him. "I never thought of it like that. I suppose you've asked many what-ifs throughout your tenure at U.A.?"

I nodded at that.

"Yeah. More than I can count. But I'm older now, wiser, and I've also lost a lot of good people as well," Sai's eyes softened as I said that. "If you don't want that to happen to you, then get rid of that stick up your arse. Smile a little more, and be friendly to others. Trust them. And never think what if x happened, because it's a cycle you can't escape from. I don't believe in pre-destined fate, but I do believe that we make our own fate. You can always change your future, you just gotta' try."

Sai smiled at that.

"When you first walked into the room, I thought I had messed up," Sai told me. "Then you opened your mouth and things went downhill. You went off-topic, but I can see now that you were trying to get me to learn a lesson, even through some unorthodox methods. If that's the case, I would like to see you twice a week here at U.A. I believe-, No, I'm certain that I, as well as my classmates, can learn a lot of important lessons from you. But I have to go back to middle school which is quite a while away from here..."

"Heh. You give me too much credit," I replied. "I'm just a fool. And don't sweat it, I'll see you around."

"Yet, you're also a fool who appears to be a good teacher," I watched as Sai bowed his head towards me. "Thank you for your time, Sora-sensei. I look forward to our next meeting."

…

"Yeah. Me too."

"I also think you're in love with your ex-girlfriend."

"I don't love my ex-,"

---

I yawned.

The school was boring.

I looked at my phone, hoping that someone would message or call me. Yui's messages were a simple 'How's your day been' while her calls every day were a lot longer - They were also interrupted by Monoma butting in and talking 'romantically' to his girlfriend. Personally, I couldn't stand it. Why'd they have to talk like a lovey-dovey couple in my room?!

Megumi, the woman that I learnt how to use a sword from, messaged normal thankfully.

Old man Shigeo was also someone I wanted to hear from, even if he told me he didn't need me to work for the next week because I needed to 'settle back in'.

Whatever that meant.

"Yamazaki!" I heard Vlad King yell out. "What year did the Meiji restoration begin?"

"Eighteen sixty-eight," I answered him, bored out of my fucking mind. Beside me, Monoma was snoring lightly while Tokage was on her phone watching a movie discreetly. Even as I looked around, the rest of the class just wasn't interested. I sighed, glancing at the clock which was moving at a glacial pace. Can't lunch just start already? I yawned, watching Vlad King try to keep the class focused on the topic.

He wasn't a very good history teacher.

Vlad could read a textbook in his gruff voice, and he could get the notable dates and information across to us, but it wasn't exactly fun. We weren't learning history, we were being told it. A massive difference compared to Aizawa's approach to teaching Class A history, one where he purposefully prepared documentaries for us to watch and then discuss. Thankfully, history was my best subject so I wouldn't suffer that much.

Not to mention the fact that I was ahead of the class.

In every subject.

A fact I had just learnt was that I had technically already 'surpassed' the general requirements to graduate from U.A. with the hero course. General education students, specifically at my old school, didn't have to deal with hero lessons or after-school hero sessions which ate up a lot of time. Naturally, that meant that most hero students instead of taking the higher tier group of exams for each subject took the lower, easier and basic tier.

Essentially, they were learning things that I had already studied in depth.

I guess that was why I was so damn bored.

"Sir," I slung my bag over my shoulder as I stood up from my seat. "I feel a little sick, can I go back to the dorm?"

"You look perfectly fine to me."

"I have a tummy ache," I replied, twirling my pen around my fingers as I placed it in the breast pocket of my blazer. "Plus, I'm way past this lesson. You might as well just give me a third-year history exam, I bet I'll score highly on that with ease."

"...I can't just let you-,"

"I feel really bad, sir," I clutched my stomach in 'pain'. Vlad King knew I was lying, hell the entire class knew that. But they could only laugh at my antics as Vlad let me leave the class with a special note. I grinned as I stuffed it into my pockets, walking the empty hallways on my own. It was raining heavily outside, and I couldn't help but lean against the windows as the raid drummed over and over on the glass.

Coming back here was hard.

A lot harder than I expected. We hadn't even reached our first 'hero lesson' and I was already tired, eagerly awaiting a gap between lessons so I could go and reach out for a smoke. I was exhausted dealing with everyone, apart from Tokage and Monoma, not to mention Class A was… well…

"Yamazaki," I sighed, turning around to face her of all people. Jiro shook her head as she looked at me in confusion, but not surprised. "Bunking lessons as soon as you come back. I can't say I expected any better. If you're not going to take things seriously, then just leave again."

"You're right," I told her, placing an unlit cigarette in my mouth. "I probably should just take off once again. I mean I have no idea what costume I'm going to wear, what my name is going to be and I'm stuck between a class that sorta hates my guts, a class that used to view me as an enemy and a teacher that clearly has doubts about me. But I'm not going. Also, aren't you bunking too?"

Jiro scoffed at that.

"It's music."

"You're still bunking," I pointed out with a smirk. "I can't ever have imagined the old you bunking music."

Jiro chuckled softly, flicking her pony-tail over her shoulders.

"You planning on taking off again, Sor-, Yamazaki?"

I shook my head at her.

"That's what you promised last time. And look at how that turned out," I ignored the bitter look she shot at me. I deserved it after all. "You're nothing but a coward and a liar. The least you can do is apologise to everyone in Class A for hurting them, for lying to them. But you can't do that, can you? You're still trying to stick to Zero's deal. To try and protect us from the League of Villains so long as you aren't our friends, isn't that why you left?!"

Oh.

Right.

Outside of Aizawa, Jiro was the only real person who knew about the deal Zero had offered me once. And it was now our promise. The only person who was there with me that night was Jiro when she heard him offer it to me. And I… I did take that deal. For a multitude of reasons, some more justified than others, but in Jiro's eyes, I was a coward and a liar.

Compared to a few days ago when we first met up again, her soft and joyful attitude to see me again had disappeared. I guess when she realised that I wasn't going to go back to being her friend right away she became a bit of a bitch-,

Not like I could blame her.

I broke her heart… three times? Probably more, then I ditched her and everyone else, I had the world's worst breakup with her that nearly resulted in both her and my sister fighting me because of the things I said then after a year of radio silence I showed up apologetic but I still tell her that we can't be friends.

If I was in her position, I'd probably react the same way.

"...Believe what you want to believe," I told her. "Maybe you're right. Maybe I haven't changed and in the future, I will run away again. Who's to say what'll happen? After all, I've only been back for four days. I'm not naive or dumb enough to believe I can protect everyone I care about. But I don't need to. And I was sticking to Zero's deal. Not anymore."

Jiro's eyes widened in surprise as a small grin formed on her face.

Hope.

"So… you'll come back? You'll be our friend again?" I couldn't even get a word in as Jiro jumped around in excitement, her eyes starting to swell up in tears. "I knew it! I tried telling them, I really did! That this was all for appearances! You were just protecting us because you lost your powers, but it was just a bluff! So that when you got your powers back, you'd come back! Even now, you're trying to bluff, but it's okay! I'm on your side, Sora! If we go together and tell everyone, they'll-,"

"I'm not doing that."

"Huh?" Jiro shook her head in confusion, grabbing my hand as she tried to pull me in the direction of Class A. "Sora, we don't have time for this. It's alright, you don't need to bluff anymore. You can come back and still protect us, just like in old times. We'll call you whenever we need your help, alright? Even to open a can of beans. Please. I promise you Sora, you'll never feel like you can't protect us ever again-,"

I sighed, resisting her pulls as my hands broke free from her grip.

Once again, I knew that in my heart this was the right decision.

None of them could accept that they had hurt me. It was a weird feeling, knowing that Class A once loved me - And it was that love that twisted me because of my willingness to sacrifice everything for them. It was that love that made me want to protect them, that pure love that suffocated me. Because I couldn't be in Class A without wanting to protect them; it was simply impossible.

And Class A couldn't be in the same class as me without them wanting me to help them.

It was insidious and I was finally able to see the product of our twisted friendship.

"I don't want to protect any of you," I replied, watching as her face fell. Again. "What part of that don't you understand? I didn't come back just for you. None of you were my main reason for coming back. It's been over a year, and I thought I was the one that didn't move on. Jiro, you have a boyfriend, and you have an entire career now with fans that look up to you, let go of me. Of… Yeah, I took the deal Zero gave me. I left Class A and he protected you all instead of me. Kept you out of danger. But I didn't do it because of my love for you guys. Why don't you get that."

"I don't understand why you're trying to say otherwise!" Jiro shouted at me. She was agitated as she fiddled around with her jacket zipper, and I watched as she pulled it up and down with enough force to snap it off completely. "You leave for a year, come back and think that you can just ignore us? If you want to be a hero but not our friend, why come back here?! Why not Shiketsu? Or anywhere else? It's obvious that partly why you came back here was for us-,"

Tch.

I couldn't help but slam my hand against the nearby window out of anger. Cracks formed slightly, and Jiro took a step back in surprise. Maybe even fear. I tucked my hands into my pockets as I sighed heavily, shaking my head at her.

"...even now, you still don't understand what you did wrong. Even now. All of you keep on demanding answers from me, and I don't know what to say other than fuck off," I tried to say calmly. "I don't owe you shit. I didn't come back to be analysed by the people I hurt the most. I get it, I'm an absolute arsehole. I'm probably the biggest arsehole you've ever met. But I didn't come back here for any of you - I made a promise to someone who died for me. Because I was too stupid to open my eyes and see it for myself because I couldn't move on. I didn't want to move on."

"So then why are you still running?"

...

"Running? I'm not running away from any of you, not anymore," I turned my back to her, walking away with my head held as high as I could. "If I was running away, I wouldn't be here. Facing all of you. Trying to make things right witheach and every one of my sins. But I have my own issues to sort out before I can make things right with everyone, that doesn't mean I'm not trying. It doesn't mean I don't want to make things right, but you aren't the main reason why I came back."

"Cleary you haven't tried enough then!" Jiro yelled at me angrily. "If you haven't sorted out your issues, then you wouldn't be here! I know you, I know your Quirk! You got over a mental block in your mind to have gotten your powers back, that's-,"

"Not what happened."

Jiro looked at me in confusion.

"That's… not what happened?"

"My life isn't a shonen manga," I told her sadly. "It doesn't work that way. I lost my powers because I sacrificed them, how do you think I got them back, Kyoka? It didn't just come back randomly, they didn't come back to me because I wished for them. That's not how life works, nothing worthwhile can be gained without sacrifice. That's a lesson I learnt a long time ago."

I watched as her eyes widened in realisation.

"What did you… give up?"

"Me? Nothing really," I answered her honestly. "It's not me who gave up anything. It was just someone else, someone that you never met. Someone who gave up their life for mine. Kyoka, if you think I don't just want things to go back to how they are, then you're wrong. But you're the one who's ignoring everyone else in your class and ignoring how I feel. I... I've done a lot of things, good and bad. Stop looking at all the good, and maybe start looking at the bad like everyone else who knows what they-,"

This time, it was Jiro who exploded in anger.

"Maybe I don't fucking care what they want! Sora, I just want my best friend back," She told me. "Call me selfish, but I've missed my best friend since we first properly met in middle school for so long now. I know what you're trying to say, I just don't understand why you don't want to try and be friends with me again. Are you afraid that you'll hurt me again? Are you afraid that you're going to fuck up again?"

I swallowed down my bile as she said that.

"I-,"

"So that's it, huh? Sora, I don't want or need an apology from you for what happened. Just seeing you come back here after everything means more to me than you'll ever know," Jiro told me. "And I know I'm not the only one. I'm not speaking for everyone in our class- my class - I just don't understand why we can't be friends, even if we're in two different classes."

"You're willing to throw away your strong bonds with everyone else for me? I didn't talk to you for a year, stop acting like a selfish bitch-,"

Jiro scoffed at that.

"Really? I'm the bitch? You haven't even given me one good reason that you can't be friends with me or Kaminari other than your vague 'oh you have not changed' bullshit you keep sprouting," Jiro yelled at me. "You could easily be friends with us two, we still want to be friends with you. Sora, I don't hold anything against you. How many times do you want me to say it so it gets through your thick skull? How many times do I have to say that I don't care if you forgive yourself, that's on you. Not me. But that doesn't mean we can't be friends!"

"Yeah, well your actions paint a different picture."

"And the same thing can be said for you!" Jiro threw her hands up angrily at me. "You scream at us saying that you've changed, that we wouldn't understand who you are now but you aren't giving any of us the chance to truly learn that! You're impossible to even reason with because you think you are right. Why can't you just accept that maybe if you give us a chance, we can show you we've changed?"

"You haven't-,"

"We haven't what? We haven't realised that we treated you like shit? Sora, we all realised that ages ago. But you were the one who woke up and left," Jiro jabbed her thumb into my chest. "You're the one who ran away from our love. You're the one who betrayed everyone's feelings and wanted us to hate you so you could justify your own self-hatred - I know who you are. I know what makes you tick, I know exactly why you did everything."

"So what? Well fucking done, Jiro, it's not like I was exactly hiding it," I snarled at her. "What do you want me to say? That I felt powerless and left? That I was having nervous breakdowns before the raid because of everyone piling up pressure on me? That I hated myself so much after what happened that I wanted everyone to blame me? To punish me? And the fact that I was treated with love that I just broke completely. What more do you want from me?! I've come back and it's been made abundantly clear to me that no one wants me here. So what the fuck do you expect me to do now?!"

"I want you here. To tell everyone the truth."

"Then the fuck are we screaming at each other?!" I couldn't help but scream at her, throwing my hands up in the air angrily as I pivoted around and kicked a nearby locker. "You may be the only one. But Midoriya? Sero? Mina? Mineta? Uraraka? I can see their faces as I walk past them in the corridor, they detest me. I want to make things right, but not by hurting them even more! And telling them the truth is just guilt tripping them. I don't want to fix things with them because they'll start to pity me, that's not making things right."

"Pity? You think telling them will-, You're so infuriating. Why should I have to clean up your mess as always, why do I have to defend you after everything you put me through?! Even now Sora you don't even want to apologise for all the stress and depression you and your fucking stunts put me through," Jiro yelled. "You were in a coma for a month. Then you wake up and ditch me. You wake up and call me horrible things, you said I should have died back in the USJ."

"..."

Jiro shook her head at me.

"You left me. I wasn't there when you betrayed everyone else, but I still believed in you until the very end," Jiro whispered. "I wanted to believe in you. If only you had just explained the truth to everyone maybe we would all still be friends. Did you know that Hagakure and I aren't even friends anymore? That's because I defended you and your decisions for so long. Because I still wanted to believe in you. My best friend. Someone who I once loved. And it's the same for so many people in Class A, what did you think leaving and being fucking asshole would do to us? Unify us? Make us stronger?!"

"I…"

"No, shut the fuck up!" Jiro shouted. "I don't want your excuses. Even now, if you just explain what happened that day, if you just explain why you felt like you had to leave everyone maybe you wouldn't get those looks. Maybe, instead of saying that everyone needs to learn from their mistakes, maybe you just need to stop torturing yourself thinking that this is the better path. Because all you're doing is making yourself out to be a villain when you're just a stupid kid."

"I manipulated everyone, Kyoka," I told her plainly. "I used my friends like they didn't even matter to me. Better path? You want me to use the nightmares that kept me up at night for months just to explain why I was a cunt? Clearly, you haven't learnt anything if your idea to make up for manipulating everyone is to be even more manipulative! Clearly, you're delusional if you think this is the better outcome!"

"...You think telling everyone about your nightmares is going to manipulate them?"

I winced at that.

"Kyoka, I don't want to be pitied."

She scoffed at that.

"Pity. That's what you think people who seriously care for you are going to give you? Pity? You really are truly pathetic. You know what, fuck you," Jiro growled shoving me angrily. "Even now, I still wanted you to just make things right. For everyone else. But you just want to make things right for yourself. Everything is always about you and how you feel. How your lies always drag you down but you never once understood how we felt watching you kill yourself for our sake, for having lies upon lies just to protect us as we watched you fight for us as we stood helpless at the sides. Because you never once trusted us enough to help you."

…

"Whatever. It's not like you ever understood me."

"I never understood you?" Jiro asked incredulously, nodding slowly at that. "I guess you're right. I thought you were better than who you actually are. You're never going to right your wrongs, Sora. I'd say have a nice life, but I doubt you'll ever allow yourself to have one. Not when you're convinced you're some demon that needs to be punished for something that was frankly out of your control."

I heard Jiro growl angrily, turning her back to me as she ran away as fast as she could.

And I couldn't blame her.

Even after all this time, Kyoka Jiro wanted to believe in me-, in Aozora. In the idealised version of me, the version of me that only hurt everyone in the end. Despite everything, I couldn't blame Jiro for not understanding - I couldn't blame anyone in Class A for not being able to understand. At the end of the day, we were all kids forced to grow up in a harsh world.

They had to deal with the fallout of the raid and their friend betraying them.

And I ran away from all that.

It was simply-,

My punishment.

I didn't know how long I stood in the corridor all alone, leaning out of the window as I lit up a cigarette. Tell them the truth. That's all Jiro wanted me to do, even if she knew part of the truth, even if Midoriya had been there to witness it all, and people like Yaoyorouz were smart enough to piece it together. I didn't get why telling them the truth would change anything I did.

It wasn't an excuse.

I still hurt them.

How could I just tell them the truth without being the bad again? Why couldn't Jiro understand that? Was she asking me to tell everyone the truth to make things right or for her to get closure? The fact that I couldn't answer that didn't mean that she was a bitch, it meant that I was way too fucked to realise how deep everyone had fallen.

Damned if I do, damned if I don't.

Tch.

This was just a fucking shit show with no real way to fix it, much to my dismay. Nah, I knew making things right with Class A would be the hardest thing I've ever done, it's just…

By the time the bell rang, I had already finished an entire pack of cigarettes.

I hadn't ever done that before, yet despite that I still wanted more. I chalked that up to the fact that I threw the empty cigarette box out of the window as I played with my lighter as snow fell outside, gently landing on the floor. I was surprised the fire alarms hadn't gone off yet, but then and again maybe the school was just like me.

Falling apart.

Nearly a week back at U.A. I was already having second thoughts.

Haha.

Maybe you were wrong, Yukari?

Maybe I can't change.

Maybe I can't be better.

I couldn't quite put my finger on what made my argument with Jiro make me feel this hollow, not even fighting with Aizawa or Miwa made me feel this way. It was quite impressive that even after a year, that girl was still like the Sun and I was just happy to be orbiting around her.

And even when she hated my guts, I was still glad to be somewhat a part of her life.

Even if I only ruin it.

But whose life haven't I ruined?

As the snow landed on my open hand, I couldn't help but smile at the sensation of it melting in my hand. It was cold, but it was also warm. Even now, I wish I could be there for everyone, despite everything I had done.

And I wasn't averse to telling everyone the truth of what happened that day.

Maybe even the truth of…

No, I wasn't ready for that.

I wasn't going to force myself to tell them something I wasn't comfortable discussing with myself, let alone with them. Until then, that'd be my secret - Along with Tokage, Zero, Raiden and everyone else who was reincarnated alongside me.

Eventually, I got tired of the snow.

It reminded me too much of the last time I saw Jiro happy with me.

Along with those blasted words she told me.

'I love you.'

Back then, I was prepared to break Jiro's heart right then and there. But when I heard those words leave her mouth, I apologised. It took all my courage to betray everyone in Class A the way I did, but I wasn't strong enough to outright break Kyoka Jiro's heart, all I ever did was hurt her by my decisions toward others.

And that was without my powers.

I guess some things never change, even when the world around me has changed.

…

"Kid?"

I turned around to see Aizawa stare at me deeply worried.

"Hey. Don't you have a lesson?"

"It's lunch. I thought I'd find you and play a game of cards, but that look on your face tells me you're not in the playing mood," Aizawa said as he stood next to me. "I guess you're the reason Jiro didn't show up to my English lesson?"

"...She wants me to tell everyone the truth."

"Is that a bad thing?" Aizawa asked me. "It wouldn't necessarily hurt them."

"I don't want them to pity me and become friends again because of pity," I snarled at him. "That's even worse than before. I'd rather kill myself than go through any of that shit ever again. I just… I want to make things right. In the right way, clearing my debt to them fully, so that all of us can move on and be better."

"You don't know how, do you?"

My silence was the only answer Aizawa needed as he chuckled softly.

"You'll figure it out, Sora. You always do, even if you claim otherwise."

"I'm a wreck, Uncle. Maybe coming back was a mistake."

"It's not even been a week, and I think you're just feeling this because you're constantly thinking about Class A and how to help them. Don't," Aizawa told me. "Fixing things with Class A is the least of your concerns right now. Sure, they're the one's badgering you - The only one of your current goals that is currently tangible in front of your eyes. But I think you're underestimating how stubborn they are. Something they picked up from an old classmate of theirs..."

Chuckling at that, I nodded at him.

"So, what do I do?"

"You have Tokage and Monoma, they're your friends. You and Tokage have a deep friendship, you can relate to her more than anyone in Class A. It's not all bad unless you are purposefully sabotaging yourself, and that's just running away again."

"...I don't want to run away."

"Then don't," Aizawa replied with a grin. "Because your eyes reveal the truth. You hate this. It's hard, I know, but just keep at it. And if things become too stressful, you can come to me and I'll sort my class out. We're all heroes, professionals, there is no place for grudges in this course. They're my responsibility as their teacher, and that's not going to change."

"Favouritism much?"

Aizawa merely shook his head at me.

"Now if you were my favourite student, I wouldn't give you detention for skipping class and smoking. Today after school. You're in charge of bin duty and cleaning every classroom, I'll be sure to tell the janitors that today's a free day for them."

I groaned at that.

"For fucks sake."

---

Vending machines.

U.A. after all this time was still filled to the brim with-,

"Sora?"

Huh?

Wild pink hair that seemed to fly off in all directions despite being styled into a ponytail, greenish eyes and a pair of goggles that seemed like they were attached to her face. But what drew me in was her boobs. Was it sorta wrong for me to stare? Yes. Even more so I recognised the person I had bumped into, but I didn't expect Mei Hatsume to upgrade her body!

"M-Mei?! Holy fucking shit, what the hell happened to you!?"

"I grew," Mei huffed out, folding her arms over her chest, covering the two things that somewhat excited me. "No peeking! Meanie. You come back to U.A., and you don't even say hi to me? I thought we had a special bond! I never make babies with other people!"

…

"I really wouldn't mind making real babies with you," I joked, hugging the girl who simply laughed at my antics. "How have ya' been? Heard you've made some cool shit. Something about a new battle tank?"

Mei's tits pressed up against my chest, and from the way Mei was trying to squirm around, was she trying to seduce me? Teehee. It made things better that Mei was about three weeks older than me.

Hehe.

"Good, good. I have a contract with the military where I help make super babies for them," Mei told me with a grin. "Oh, and I guess Midnight and Setsuna Tokage have become close customers of mine. I make them cool babies to use as a hero, and in return, they help me how to charm anyone."

I rolled my eyes at that, of course they did. I could just imagine Tokage's gleeful face as she explained to Mei how to use her 'aspects' to charm people with Midnight helping dress Mei up, and wasn't that fucking terrifying?!

God damn.

"I see. Sounds cool. What ya' doing in the hero block during lesson time though? I thought you'd have maths or science by now."

"I do," Mei said to me, before pointing directly at me. "But you're far more important. I know it's your free period, but I came here for you!"

"Me?"

"Yes! You!" Mei nodded emphatically, grabbing my arm as she dragged me across the hallway. "Since you've rejoined the hero course, we need to discuss certain ideas about your hero identity! Primarily your costume, support devices and even your hero name! Usually, Power Loader would do this, but I'm your personal mechanic! Plus, you owe me!"

"Huh? Why do I owe you?" I asked in confusion, walking with Mei towards her lab.

"Because last year against that pesky Yakuza guy, you shattered our Hangetsu - my magnum opus - into so many pieces that it can't be rebuilt!" Mei screeched loudly. "Not only that but some pieces can't even be found! Then you go and leave U.A. without saying goodbye or even a sorry for murdering our baby! You should be thankful that I didn't track you down and force you to apologise."

I laughed at her.

"Yeah right, what would you have me do?"

"Participate in the tests for my babies."

I gulped at that.

"R-really? Well, in that case, I'm very sorry. I promise it won't happen again!" I tried to escape, but Mei's grip was that strong. Eventually, we made our way to Mei's messy lab and sat down on two chairs. I watched as she got a pen and notebook, waiting for me to list ideas. "Listen. I get you need to do this shit for me, but I'm telling you, I don't know what I want. I don't have any ideas for my costume, any support items, or even a hero name."

"Not even one?"

"Well… a sword would be-,"

"Rejected," Mei told me flatly. "After all the blades you've broken, I won't allow you to murder another of our babies. One more broken baby and I swear I'll divorce you."

"I mean I already have a blade," I replied, shrugging my shoulders at her as I glanced around the room. There were tons of prototypes of different shit. Guns, armour and even robots. "It's a Chokuto, but it'll do. But I do need a proper sword. Just not now, maybe in a few months."

"...a few months?"

I nodded at that.

"I told you, I don't have an idea of what my armour or name should be," I said to her. "Although, I ideally would like a mask. I sorta grew attached to it, plus I can look cool with one now that my hair is dark enough to match it. But I do have one idea of a sword if you'll hear me out."

"Go on."

Mei tried not to sound excited, but she changed her position while sitting. Before, Mei was leaning back, but now she leaned forward and she couldn't hide the grin on her face. I found it hard not to match that grin myself, but in the end, I managed to resist as I grabbed a pen from a nearby table and asked for some of her paper.

"So, our first sword was a Tachi, right?" Mei nodded at that. "A traditional Japanese katana. Curved, long and elegant. Now our second sword was a scimitar-like shape, it looked far more unique but provided me with the idea to try and trap my opponents. I used the Tachi because I tried to be like a samurai, I wanted to protect. The scimitar-like sword was used because I thought I had grown - I thought I had entered the true man's world. But I was just a kid."

Mei hummed at my design.

"And your Chokuto?"

"I used it at a time in my life when I was wrong. A single-edged blade, one that was supposed to not look back, but I was facing backwards the entire time," I explained to Mei, who nodded in response. "You said that a sword reflects your soul, right? All three of these swords reflect mine. Pieces of me that make me whole. If we're to make a sword that won't break, it has to reflect all three of those aspects, right? But it also has to be unique. Something that reflects the new me too."

"The new you, huh? I guess I can see that," Mei took the pen and paper away from my hands, scribbling a sketch of a design. It looked vaguely European, with a curved sword but also a single-edged blade. Not to mention it was quite big. "Ever heard of a Messer?"

"S'that German?"

"Yup," Mei got up from her desk, twirling her pen around her hand as she walked to her workbench, laying the rough sketch on top of it. "It means knife. I can already see the sword in my head - A Lange Messer! Ornately built and even a hilt that allows you to-, Oh wait, that can work with your Quirk! Yes, and if I include that then you'll be able to… Ha." I watched as Mei turned around to face me, a wide grin plastered across her face.

"So, I assume you'll build it with me?"

"Absolutely fucking not."

Mei had a massive grin on my face as she dashed my drawings into her bin, along with my hopes and dreams.

"Huh? Why not?"

"You want me to build a needlessly complex sword that uses a motor to create fire and change the 'gears' of the sword which uses your Quirk as its fuel to sharpen it," Mei explained to me simply. "It's a great idea, probably the greatest mechanical idea you might have ever had. In fact, I'm so intrigued by it that I might tweak it for personal use. But I refuse to make it for you."

"Exactly, why?"

"Because how does that represent you? That's just a weapon you don't care about, so it'll break again," Mei told me. "And I refuse to make a weapon that'll be broken by you being careless again."

"I won't be careless."

"You're still planning to be a hero, you are the definition of careless," Mei harshly pointed out. "I'm not letting one of our babies die again because you were cocky or you wanted to prove yourself against a villain. I don't care why you fought Overhaul, I'm just pissed that you had no disregard for yourself after. I nearly was tempted to create a device that would allow me to enter your dreams in a coma just so I could scream at you."

"I don't think that's how comas work."

"Sh-shut up! I'm not going to make your idea of a sword for you, and that's final. Feel free to try and make it, but we both know that won't happen," Mei told me. "And I'm not making you another mask. It was cool when you were starting to act a little edgy, but now you're nearly eighteen. Grow up a bit, won't you?"

"Hey, I've changed from the person I was!"

Mei's eyes narrowed as I said that.

"You have?"

I nodded at that.

"Yeah. So, can you build my-,"

"No," Mei cut me off. "I'm still not going to build you that sword. To be honest, I don't think it suits you. Maybe Bakugo, but that's an entirely different conversation. No, simple suits you more."

"So… you'll make me a sword?"

"Of course," Mei replied, placing her goggles over her eyes as she grabbed a fucking blowtorch. "It's going to take a while though. Maybe even a year. I have a rough idea of what I think reflects your soul.I'm going to need to test a lot of metals, as well as your Quirk."

Mei's giggles sent shivers down my spine.

"The hell are you buildin' here?" I asked her warily.

"I lied. The Hangetsu isn't going to be my magnum opus," Mei pointed at the very rough sketch she had drawn out. "I may have a contract with the military, and I may also help some arrogant heroes with items to support their Quirks. But I will always make some crazy shit, and I'm going to make the craziest sword ever! Remember, it's our sword. If it's going to reflect your soul, then it's going to have to reflect my soul too as it's swordsmith as well."

I found myself matching her grin as she said that.

"Yeah? What time of sword are we talking about?"

"The type that'll be classified as illegal for anyone else to use once I'm done building it," Mei answered excitedly. "I'll make sure that only you can use it. Your enemies and allies will be complaining about how unfair it will be. And it won't ever shatter, because you won't shatter. You say you've changed? Good. As I said, it'll take me a minimum of a few months to test. Let alone build. But once it's done, it'll be a sword that can cut fate itself. Got it?"

Hah.

"Yeah. That sounds like the blade I have in mind. Thanks, Mei," I raised my hand for her to hi-five, but I was caught unaware as she leapt forward and hugged me tightly. "I feel sorry for coming back and asking you for this-,"

"Shut up. You're my friend. I missed you and our friendship," Mei cut me off. "You were like my brother and you left our home. I'm glad you came back. Even if I'm just a support student, I want to help you. I-, I thought I wasn't good enough. Our swords kept on breaking, and then you were put in a coma and left, so I tried to throw myself at work. I got all these contracts, and while I love them - I loved building fun babies with you even more."

I patted her head, smiling softly at her.

Right.

It wasn't just Class A I had a responsibility towards. It wasn't just them that I was running away from.

"I'm not going to say that you shouldn't blame yourself, that would be hypocritical of me," I told her. "But if there's a chance to make it - The two of us - It'll be now. You'll make the ultimate sword for me, and I'll show off your crazy ideas like a madman. That's usually how this works, right?"

Mei nodded.

"Yeah. Exactly," She nodded at me, before turning to face the corner of her lab. There was a small briefcase with my name on it. It also had a thin layer of dust coated on it. "That's what remains of both of your hero costumes. Your first samurai-like costume and your cloak-overcoat idea. As well as a spare mask. But I also have a few spray cans… so-,"

"I'll take it," I cut her off, grabbing the suitcase. "You by any chance got any red?"

Mei looked at me in confusion.

"Red's my favourite colour," I told her with a toothy grin. "Especially dark red. Also, my Quirk was nerfed. I don't have the same range as I once did. Do you by any chance have a blaster that I can use at range?"

…

"Do I? Of course I have em'. Take the ones by the cupboard to your left and try them out - Oh but avoid the green one, that shoots acid."

---

I sighed.

"Sir, do I really have to be here?" I asked Vlad King. I watched as Class B sat down for their mandatory hero reports. I wasn't working with an agency. Vlad King shrugged his shoulders at me.

"Not really. Both you and Tokage aren't really a part of an agency, so I usually give her a free period," Vlad King replied, scratching the back of his head. "So long as it's productive, I can also give you the same right. But, I would like for you to come to Training Gym Beta after school. I haven't tested your combat abilities yet. Understood, Yamazaki?"

"Yes sir."

I turned to look at Tokage, who shrugged her shoulders at me.

"Told you he'd allow you to skip," She told me, grabbing my arm as we left the classroom. "Vlad's usually calm about these things. Hell, so long as I do something productive he won't care if I skip lessons."

Huh?

"Bullshit. If I did that he'd have a go at me."

"Yeah, but I'm his favourite student," Tokage explained. "Since you're Aizawa's favourite student, he'll probably allow you the same."

"No, he wouldn't."

"Want to go ask?" Tokage had a playful smirk on her face as she asked that. "He's teaching a bunch of firsties right now. Want to scare them properly?"

"You're evil. I'm in."

I followed Tokage as she led me around the empty corridors, tugging on my sleeves. Her skirt was short, something that I was quite fine with. Her bright pink hair was also quite a treat, it's not like I ever thought about it before, but it looked good on her.

"You're staring again, aren't you? Mesmerised by my beauty, aren't you?"

I snorted at her.

"Me? Please, you look like a pig in a wig. Somehow you make my dick more flaccid than a pancake," I replied despite Tokage's shooting a pointed look at me. "Oi, I ain't lying. I doubt you could ever make me or any man get hard. Outside of people with terminal illnesses that are about to die."

"Yeah, yeah. At least I'm not a virgin," Tokage rebutted, but I had clearly won this round and she knew it as she shoved me into Aizawa's classroom. "Go say hi to your Uncle while I scare the kids."

"Scare the kids? You don't need much to do that with your face of yours."

"Har har. Funny. I'll make sure to tell the kids how funny you are. Especially when it comes to chasing after girls with a boyfriend," Tokage replied, winking at me slyly. "Seriously, your ex? Just how much of a degenerate are you."

"Not as much as you with your NTR fantasies," I said, waving at Aizawa who looked at me in surprise. "Yo. Figured since it was the last period of the day, I'd come to visit you. Tokage tagged along as usual. Typical fan behaviour."

Tokage giggled at that as she sat on top of some poor student's desk and flicked her hair back.

"As your girlfriend that you constantly cheat on with multiple women at parties, allegedly, I feel kind of offended," Tokage bit her lip, batting her eyelashes at me. It didn't fool me. "Maybe I should ask Miwa and see if she's open for a three-way?"

"That's my sister."

"Not by blood," Tokage winked at me again. "Oh well. The point is to stop being a man-whore, as you've allegedly claimed you are. I mean you even told your ex, are you trying to make me jealous? Do any of you knights agree with me? I have such an abusive boyfriend, oh maybe one of you can help me."

Some poor soul stood up and nodded as he tried to glare at me.

It was impressive how quickly Tokage used her charm to manipulate every boy and even some girls in the class. Even Aizawa was impressed, and that said something as I politely clapped at her award-winning performance.

"Sit down," Aizawa berated the student. "This is Midnight's apprentice. Your seduction training doesn't start until your final year here for a reason, and it's because you're all terrible at it. The second a pretty person even looks at your muppets you'll become their little love slave. Shameful. Detention for an hour after school."

I couldn't suppress my grin at that, but Tokage only frowned.

"Sir, aren't you being harsh on the kid? I mean just because he glared at your nephew doesn't mean-,"

"He's your-,"

"No, he is not my nephew," Aizawa cut off his student. "And that's another detention for tomorrow after school. Sora here just calls me his Uncle because he knows I can't punish him. He just has fun in detention in trying to annoy me. And if any of you try that strategy, I promise you it'll be your final regret."

I watched as the first years gulped nervously.

"Come on," I smiled, wrapping my arm around Aizawa and trying to put him in a headlock. "Stop being a stingy bastard. He is my Uncle, he's just a pretty shit one. Did you know that he never brought me any Christmas presents for fifteen years?"

"I didn't know you even existed until a year ago."

"Excuses. See if it were me, I'd have bought my nephew one hundred gifts," I told the class. "I'd have bought him a car, a brand new games console, the new Xelda game, and free food every day at lunch. But that's just me."

Aizawa sneered at me.

"I buy you cigarettes. And give you free alcohol. What more do you want from me, you ungrateful child?" Despite Aizawa trying to sound annoyed at me, I could tell from the way his eyes crinkled that he enjoyed it. It made me feel warm as I patted his back and turned to face the class.

"Arseholes. You better treat my Uncle here with respect, alright? If he complains to me about any of you…" I raised my finger and slowly dragged it across my neck. "I know where you all live. The first-year dorms aren't far away from me at all. You'll never see me coming."

"That's because you have performance issues," Tokage 'helpfully' added.

"The only 'performance issues' I have is when it comes to pretending to be your friend," I snapped back at her. "And to be honest, everyone that has to deal with you feels the same way. How does it feel to be alone in this world?"

"Well, I'm not alone. I have my bastard boyfriend who cheats on me and loves his ex way more than me," Tokage turned to smile at the boys in the class. "Oh… if only my knight in shining armour would come and save me. Maybe I'd even treat them nicely-,"

"Stop whoring yourself out," I grabbed Tokage's arm, dragging her out of the classroom. "Oh, and shopping later? I need some clothes. And food. I kinda forgot to top up my motorbike, so you'll need to drive me. Alright?" I asked Aizawa who shrugged his shoulders in response.

"Can you do around seven?"

"Hell yeah. I don't have any ingredients in my fridge. You'll be paying, right?"

Aizawa rolled his eyes at me.

"Perhaps. Now go."

"Alright, alright. See ya' later, old man," I shut the door to his classroom, fiddling around with my lighter. I wanted to smoke. Tokage leaned against the wall as she folded her arms and stared at me. "What?"

"...You really love him, don't you?" She asked me.

"Well, yeah. He's my Uncle," I replied honestly. "He's also seen me at my worst and sacrificed a lot for me. Aizawa's always been on my side, even if I was too stupid to see it. Everyone was. You know, the only reason I even came back here was because he didn't give up on trying to help me."

Tokage smiled at that.

"You're close to him. I get it. Are you planning on working with Aizawa then? Shinso already works under him, so I don't even know if he'll be allowed to accept you as well."

I shrugged my shoulders at her.

"I just came here not even a week ago, I'll figure something out," I told her. "Probably. If not, I can always rely on you to help me, right?"

She snorted at that, pressing me up against the wall as she leaned in real close. I could feel her breath on my skin as she squinted her eyes, scrutinising every detail on my face.

"You can help yourself. You came here to be a hero, so get over that barrier and forge your own path," Tokage replied. "If you're not serious about this second chance, if you're just going to be lazy and turn to others for help, then you can forget it. I'm not naive, Sora. I know you. Your laziness, your bad habits, everything. Don't think for a second that I'm going to allow them to continue."

"...You don't need to worry about that," I reassured her, twirling around as I pinned her against the wall. "I know my shortcomings. My regrets from my first round here. I'm not going to make the same mistakes again. I'll never feel weak ever again. So even if I do lose, I'll pick myself back up instead of counting how many things I should have done differently. I'm gonna get over that barrier, Setsuna."

Tokage simply rolled her eyes at me.

"Of course. I just want you to know that I'm not going to help you. You can help yourself just fine, but if you need a shove in the right direction, I'll be there to push you," Tokage locked her legs around my own as within seconds, I was sprawled out across the floor with her arms wrapped around my neck. "But seriously. Don't let your guard down that often. Tsk, that's one point to me."

"Grk!"

I guess some things never change…

---

"What the hell is he doing here?"

I winced in pain, rubbing the back of my neck as I turned to stare at Sero, shutting him up immediately as he glared back at me. Well, it was all of Class A that was glaring at me. Midnight shook her head while Tokage stood next to her mentor with a smirk written all over her face. I couldn't believe my luck. 'Hospital wing' my fucking skinny, pale arse.

First I tripped and hit my head on the floor, now I have to deal with this?!

It's like Tokage planned this.

I chuckled nervously, closing my eyes in pain.

"Haha… Yo?"

I didn't get the reaction I was hoping for.

"I'm sorry, but could you leave," Uraraka told me coldly. "We are trying to practice our special moves. Something you clearly wouldn't know is important. You're distracting us-,"

"Shut up already," Tokage cut in on my behalf, giving Uraraka the stink eye. "You keep on blabbering about how he's distracting you, but he's your fellow student. He's in Class B after all, so cut him some slack."

Setsuna, you fucking bi-,

"Yet his mere presence aggravates me," Sero stepped forward, pointing at me with his middle finger. How sly. "I swear, if you don't leave the room in five minutes I'm gonna-,"

"Fuck off, seriously dude," I stood up from my position on the bench, walking over to the class. I watched as they all took a step back. No, only Kaminari, Midoriya, Bakugo, Todoroki and Jiro stood their ground. Hm. "Fuck are you going to do to me Sero? Nothin'. You play with your tape like a good little boy elsewhere, you freakin' BDSM boy toy."

"Wha' didya' say-,"

"Calm yourself!" Iida berated Sero, as he turned to plead with me. "Just leave. You causing a commotion for no reason."

"No, that's all of you dumbasses," I tried to reign in my anger, but I failed miserably. I was fed up with them. The constant glares, the shouts, the indifference. "I come here with Tokage, my friend. I didn't come here to throw you off your training, you sacks of useless shit. You all gathered here to glare at me. I'm not the one constantly glaring at you, causing a commotion everywhere you go."

"...How can we not when you're back?" Hagakure asked me.

"Because I don't care," I answered her. "I don't care about your petty rivalry. To show me how much better you guys are without me. I can clearly see that. If you want me to give you the validation you want from me, then just ask. Throw your pride away and beg for it, and maybe you'll get what you want."

"How dare you-,"

"Relax," Midoriya stepped in front of an enraged Sero. "Can't we say the same thing? That you coming back to U.A., even visiting us here is just you looking for validation from us? That you want our attention. That you enjoy this. Please, Yamazaki, we just want to have a training session without you disturbing it. We can all be as bad as each other another time. Is that too much to ask?"

"I'm not disturbing your training, you are," I countered his argument easily, shaking my head at all of them. "You're the ones that gathered around me like fans. What, do you want my autograph? Go and train, or bother someone else. I don't care about any of you. Seriously, you're just acting childish-,"

"Enough!" Midnight shouted. "Class A, you're out of line for this! Sora didn't chat with any of you. No, all of you gathered around here and started an argument with him out of your own volition. Detention. For all of you. And you Sora," Midnight then turned to face me. "You should know that your presence would have provoked them. And stop trying to talk to them when you know it'll lead to a fight, just try to ignore them."

"To be fair," Tokage chimed in with a smile on her face. "I didn't tell him that we were going here. I didn't even know they were here myself, I was just going to ask you if Sora can intern under you like I do."

"...Fine. Just be careful where you go, Sora," Midnight warned me. "Provoking students into a fight makes you just as liable as them, Sora. Even if you don't throw the first punch. Understood?" I nodded. "And to answer your question, I can't take Sora on as a intern. I already have you, Setsuna. The same can be said for Aizawa and Shinso. That's something you'll have to figure out on your own, Sora."

Ah.

"Cheers for the advice. So, uh, I didn't know we had heroics right now."

Midnight shook her head.

"No one does," She replied. "This is just training for the Class A versus Class B end-of-term mock trial tomorrow-,"

"And we're going to kick your arse across campus!" Sero yelled.

"You won't," Shinso muttered. "You can't even kick a football. Anyway, Sora wasn't distracting me. I came here because Sora's my friend. Isn't that right?"

I narrowed my eyes at him. What's his game plan? The uproar from that statement nearly made me laugh as everyone in Class A turned to stare at him in confusion.

"Friend?" Mina shrieked.

"With him?!" Kirishima pointed at me.

"I thought we were all supposed to be better," Mineta yelled in frustration. "We agreed to not let him get to us. So I don't understand why we aren't ignoring him the same way he's ignoring us. What part of that plan do you not understand?!"

"How the hell can we ignore such a smug prick?" Sero asked angrily. "I can't. I won't. Not after everything he's… Grrr, he just pisses me off!"

I sighed.

"You're all so pathetic," I responded, lighting up my cigarette much to their disgust. "If you seriously think I'm going to lose to a bunch of idiots like you you have another thing coming. I'll show you what real defeat is like," Tokage's eyes widened as I said that, but I continued forward. "If you really want to show me how much you've changed, then we'll fight. The winner takes all. That's if you have enough guts to fight me, not just your petty glares from a distance."

I watched as my words lit a fire in everyone's eyes.

"Take that back," Sero roared. "I-, Take that back, Yamazaki! We're stronger than you. Better. We-,"

"Shut up, won't you?" I blew smoke in their direction, rolling my eyes at them. Seriously? Where are they always like this? So… annoying. "All bark and no bite. Pathetic. You remind me of myself when I was still in your class. And look at how that turned out."

…

Each and every one of their faces twisted in a plethora of emotions. Anger, guilt, sadness, happiness, and even grief. I understood them well, even if they tried to hide it from me. They wanted to show me how much better they were without me. But in the end, they couldn't. And that's fine. I'm committed to my lie, the lie I sacrificed my life for.

Even now.

Maybe this was my way to make things right.

"I told you this once before, so I'll tell you it again," I spoke, my confidence seemingly appearing from out of thin air. "You may hate me, but I don't care. I do mean this when I say that I'm going to beat you. Class B will win tomorrow. And won't that be funny? The great Class A, losing to the biggest loser in the world. You're all just going to be the same as me. Not better, maybe a bit worse actually. Give it your all. But even then, I'm still going to win."

I didn't need to stay around to see their reactions.

But…

I was calm.

Hell, as I walked out of the training grounds to make my way to the grounds where I promised Vlad King a spar, I couldn't help but grin. I was looking forward to tomorrow, I was looking to fight Class A. To see how much I've improved, how I've changed. To overcome the barrier in front of me.

I needed to fight them.

Not just for me - But for them as well.

I wasn't their friend, not now. I still had to overcome my own barriers, the ones I put up between us. Until then, Class A would never be able to move on. They'd always hate me for what I did. Even now, after a year passed between us and the love that was once shared between us slowly turned into hatred, we were still connected.

We were still chained together.

As long as that chain existed, neither Class A nor I would be able to move on. To be better. It was funny, the one thing that they wanted was closure, and the one thing I wanted was to move on - But it was precisely those two things that led me back here to U.A. It was my want to move on that led me to turn my back on the responsibilities I nearly died for.

I become a hypocrite.

And yet, looking at Class A, they were just like me.

In their efforts to surpass me, to be better, they eventually become just like me. Petty and unable to forget the past while constantly clinging to it in order to live for the future. I destroyed Class A, it was me-,

"What the hell was that for?"

Tokage lightly slammed me against the wall in confusion. I simply laughed, ignoring the burning sensation in my eyes. No. I wasn't going to ignore it. I wasn't going to run away from myself again. Tokage's eyes softened as she loosened her grip on me, and I hugged her tightly, and I smiled as Tokage hugged me back.

"I'm sorry," I whispered to her. "I know that Class A and I are toxic to each other. I just… they remind me so much of myself back then. I think that's what's pissing me off the most. If I beat them, maybe it'll start to make things better. Maybe then they'll able to see how much I've changed."

"They won't," Tokage hummed in response. "Just like you, they've changed. Because of you, but also because of being a hero. Much like how being a civilian, and being powerless changed you. They've grown a lot closer as a family, understanding one another's pain and helping each other, even if they don't always get along. Also because of you."

I shook my head at that.

"Nah. I… Looking at them is a reflection of myself, ya' know," I tried explaining to her. "Right before the raid, I was like them. Angry at myself and the world. Ready to be set off at a single notice. Someone once compared me to a ticking time bomb, and I can see it in them. They hate me. What I represent. They think I don't deserve to be here-,"

"Stop running around in circles then," Tokage cut me off. "Listen, I don't know how you really feel about them. To be honest, you don't know how you really feel about them. You're a complex guy, just a few days ago the mere mention of them would make you sad and now you're pissed off at them. But I do understand this - You want to make things right with them. Apologising to them is a start, but you're right. They're not just angry at you coming back, they're angry that you didn't come back to them."

"...I don't-,"

"Shut up!" Tokage's nostrils flared as she said that, huffing out in annoyance as she punched my arm hard. "I wasn't finished talking. I know you. How you'll take control of this conversation, and how eventually it'll turn into one big joke that you don't listen to in the end. I told you I'd help you break out of your bad habits. So stop, and just listen. You can't make things right with everyone."

Denji…

"I know-,"

"Then apply that rule to Class A!" Tokage told me. "Not everyone's going to accept you, even when you do apologise and make things right. But you can help them, just like you said you would. If they really are tied down by your presence, then show them that you can be different. Show them that you're not just going to avoid them and talk shit. Don't light a fire under their eyes to run away again. You're just making the same mistakes again. You want to make things right with them? Then isn't this the way?"

…

"That sounds hard."

"I know," Tokage replied, patting my back reassuringly. "But I also know that you can do it. I'm sorry for leading you there, my fault. I genuinely didn't know they were there, I just wanted to ask Midnight a question so we can sort you out as fast as possible. Sora, what's more important to you? Finding your brother, saving yourself and upholding your promise to Yukari? Or Class A?"

I opened my mouth, but no answer came out of it.

The promise I made to Yukari was one I was going to keep. I was going to find and reunite with Raiden. I also needed to make sure that I found a cure for my body falling apart. I could only do those two things at U.A. Furthermore, I also had a promise to myself…

To not run away from myself or my responsibilities.

But Class A was my-,

No.

I wasn't in their class.

Both Class A and I made it abundantly clear that we weren't friends.

I held a responsibility to them, to make sure that they could grow. The final lie I gave them bonded each and every one of them together forever, it was cruel of me to do so. My responsibility to them wasn't one of friendship, it was just another promise. At least for now. Until I made things right with them, the least I could do for Class A was provide them an outlet for their frustration.

Because they were just like the old me.

And what I needed back then was just that.

A way to let go.

"You're right."

"Of course I am," Tokage grinned at me. "So, you know what to do now? I can still hear you say that you'd never break the chain between you and Class A, and I'm not telling you to do so. Because I think that deep down, it's not what you want either. Stop trying to help them, because severing that chain is the same as running away from your responsibility to them. Not as Sora, as an adult."

Huh?

"What do you mean?" I asked her in confusion.

"Sora… we lived past lives. We don't have to be chased by the ghosts of our past over and over, we have the capacity to grow, and you know this," Tokage explained. "So teach them. Teach Class A how to not end up like you. Teach them to be better. Even if they won't understand, so long as you can be there for them, making them learn how to not end up like you did, then that's better than nothing! And when you do go back to them, then they'll understand."

"...Yeah. I came to that conclusion as well," I replied honestly, scratching the back of my head as a smile started to form on my face. "When I do apologise, all of us will be able to make sure nothing like what happened to me ever happens again. For those that want it to be. I just gotta make sure that they learn that what they are doing is wrong, what they've done is wrong. Ultimately, the lie I told them out of my love for them is the hands that are wrapped around their throats, the same way their love was once wrapped around my neck. Ironic."

"What goes around comes around," Tokage shrugged her shoulders at me. "Now, are you going to fight Vlad King, or what?"

---

"What are the rules?" I asked Vlad King.

I was wearing the standard blue and white U.A. gym uniform, in my right hand I held my chokuto while strapped onto me using a belt was a few gadgets Mei had prepared for me. A blaster, some stun grenades and for whatever reason, a sauce dispenser.

"There are no rules, apart from the obvious no killing. But come at me with the intent to put me down if necessary," Vlad King explained. "I heard from Aizawa that you were averse to killing. In our profession, it can be a weakness as well as a strength."

"That's outdated information," I replied, drawing out my sword as I readied myself. Tokage and Monoma were watching on the sidelines. "Those who are prepared to kill must be prepared to be killed. I was naive. I'm not going to kill anyone I fight against, but whatever happens, happens."

"Excellent," Vlad King cracked his knuckles excitedly. "NOW LET'S FIGHT!"

My eyes widened in surprise as Vlad King charged at me with super-human speed, and I could barely react in time as I raised my sword to block a strike on my left arm that would have shattered it. Tch. Thankfully, I reinforced my sword with my Quirk just in time so it didn't shatter. I spent some more Nimbus, coating my entire body so that I could move faster as well.

Vlad King smirked as he hopped around on his feet, before charging me once again.

This time, I could react.

I swung my sword forward, my left hand pulling out my blaster as I watched Vlad King dodge my first attack. Pulling the trigger, I watched as a blue light flew towards him, piercing his shoulder which drew out blood.

Within seconds, the blood that was falling to the floor quickly turned as sharp as a spear. Vlad pivoted around on his foot, grabbing the spear made of blood right before it fell to the floor and lunged forward.

Parrying it with my sword, I felt the rhythm of combat.

The familiar dance.

I hopped over to my right, twirling while doing so as I bent my knees forwards and slashed downwards, changing my grip last second as I threw both my blaster and my sword in the air, swapping which handheld what as I aimed the blaster at Vlad's other arm and pulled. However, my plan wasn't successful as Vlad created a shield of blood in front of him to block the attack.

Tch.

"Is that it? C'mon, you'll have to do better than that to beat me." He taunted me.

"I don't need to beat you," I responded, placing my blaster back to my side as I held my chokuto with both hands, closing my eyes. Focus. "I just need to show you that I'm not weak."

I ran forward, jumping in the air as I slashed downwards, breaking his bloodshield. Vlad King was put on the back foot as he looked at me in surprise, jumping backwards to avoid another strike from me. Yet as I prepared to launch another attack, Vlad used that as an opportunity to try and strike at me.

I stood my ground, replying in kind.

As his fist connected with my jaw, I slashed diagonally across his chest, causing more blood to spill. I was flung backwards onto the wooden mat, my items flying everywhere while Vlad King fell on one knee in shock.

I got up from the floor, holding my chokuto with my right hand as I thought of possible strategies I could do. Attack him from behind? No, I didn't have a decoy not to mention he could easily overpower me. Trade blows with him? Tch, even riskier. Vlad King is a proficient close-range fighter, not to mention his blood Quirk makes any attack I use on him could be easily blocked by him.

So long as I draw blood, I can't hit him.

Wait!

If I-,

I grinned as I charged forward, picking up my blaster as I jumped up once again in the air, but this time Vlad King was prepared as he made a blood shield and waited for me to strike. I had to wait until the very last second. I swung my sword down with all my might, and it was as if time slowed and crawled to a halt. Vlad King was going to kick me in my chest, something that would probably make me lose the fight.

But I was right.

All the Nimbus I had currently attached to my body and sword slowly crawled to my shoulder as an extra arm of Nimbus was made. Long enough to reach over the shield just as I was about to reach it, and push Vlad King forwards. Instead of my sword slamming into the shield, my knees did instead as he fell towards me.

I grinned as my sword etched itself into his right shoulder.

"What's your next move?" Vlad King asked me. "I could easily drop this shield and crush your feet. Or better yet, the blood you just gave me from my new wound could be used-,"

I drew my blaster from my belt and shoved it right in his face, shutting him up for good.

"You could do that," I tilted my head as I stared at him. "But if you crush my legs, I'll pull the trigger. I even see you twitch and there will be a sizable dent in your head." It was a stupid gamble.

Firstly, I had to make sure that my arm made from Nimbus was in my new limited range.

Then, I had to make sure that I landed on the shield just perfect enough where I wouldn't bounce off it, or slide down it. No, I had to land on it and stay there. My sword being stuck in his right shoulder was helping me stay there, even if he lowered the shield I'd pull down and cut his arm off.

And finally, my blaster.

"Is this checkmate?" I asked Vlad King with a smirk.

The man merely laughed.

"This is just the start."

My eyes widened as within seconds, the tables were turned on me. The blood spurting from the wound I gave him launched my sword into the air, embedding itself in the wall behind us. Using his teeth, Vlad King leaned forward and ripped my blaster away from my hands, dashing it on the floor as he dropped his blood shield and grabbed my legs, swinging me widely around like a bat.

With a heavy crash, Vlad King threw me against the wall.

Crack.

I coughed up blood as looked up at him in surprise.

"Good moves, but ultimately any position can be reversed," Vlad King told me. "Sometimes, you should let yourself get injured or be put in a bad situation if it means you can gain the upper hand. But that's usually gained by experience-,"

Vlad King was cut off as I reached forwards and picked up a stun grenade off the floor, chucking it in his direction as I ran to get my chokuto back. But with a mighty roar, Vlad King punched the grenade away as he sprinted towards me.

Shit.

I wasn't going to make it to my sword in time!

Tch.

I turned around, facing Vlad King directly.

I had to face him head-on!

Launching myself forward, I led with an open-palm strike reinforced with my Nimbus, an attack which Vlad King easily parried, slamming his elbow into my stomach, causing me to bellow over. He didn't give me enough time to breathe as he kneed me in the face, before clasping his hands together and preparing to slam me into the ground.

Heh.

Don't underestimate me.

Vlad King was a tall, burly guy.

Way bigger than me.

I grinned as I leaned forward, making as much Nimbus as I could, flooding his eyesight. Using the precious few seconds which it granted me, I formed a large Rasengan in my right hand and drilled downwards into the floor. Unbalancing him, I used that to my advantage as I barged into the man, topping him onto the ground. I didn't have much time to make a run for my sword and I couldn't find my blaster anywhere.

I took another stun grenade off the floor and pulled down on the trigger, holding it right in front of Vlad King's face.

"You make a move and I let go," I told him, making a small knife construct from my Nimbus, and pointing it at his neck.

I watched as the gears began turning in his head as a peal of loud, belly-rumbling laughter erupted from the man.

"You so much as twitch, and I'll pull the trigger," I looked down to see Vlad King jam my blaster at my chest. Fuck. "Two shots are enough to ruin you. I believe we have tied this bout. Excellent work, Sora."

"Yeah, whatever," I lowered both hands, placing the grande on my belt as I got up from the ground. Vlad King followed suit, passing my blaster back to me. "So, am I up to par? Do I meet your standards?"

Vlad King nodded at me.

"Oh yes. More so than I thought," He answered honestly. "Your sword skills are impressive, and your ability to make plans on the spot is even more commendable. I can see that you have put in the effort to become stronger. However, there is one negative that can be drawn from your performance today, and I think you recognised it as well."

I sighed in response.

"I didn't use much of my Quirk, did I?"

Vlad King nodded.

"Aye. It's understandable of course, you just got your Quirk back. And it's different compared to how it used to be, which means a lot of your old attacks and patterns are useless," Vlad King added, patting me on the back. "But so long as you know it's a weakness, and so long as you diligently work to improve, I have no doubt that you'll be able to get over that barrier. Excellent performance out there, I hope to see this tomorrow."

I nodded, watching Vlad King leave the room, leaving only me, Tokage and Monoma here.

"Dude," I heard Monoma jump up and down excitedly. "Holy shit, you drew with Vlad King?! The only people in our class that can manage that are Tokage, Kendo and me! Not even everyone in Class A can beat him! And you still haven't figured out how to use your Quirk?"

I shook my head.

"It's tough. I can only fight up close now, and I spent a lot of time perfecting long-ranged attacks. I need to figure out how to use my Quirk to attack me," I replied, falling to the floor as I wiped the sweat off my forehead. "Jeez. He's a tough opponent."

"Well, you did make him go all out," Tokage pointed out. "You nearly killed him. Twice. That's impressive."

"I wasn't going to actually pull the trigger," I told her. "And anyway, he nearly made me think I was a goner for a while. I'm surprised I managed to escape without a broken bone or two."

"That just proves your skill," Tokage said, offering her hand out. "You looked crazy out there. Like a real swordsman. Someone strong enough to cut things like fate and destiny itself. Like an anime character."

I rolled her eyes at her attempts to mock me, getting myself up from the floor.

I was decent.

But I wasn't like him.

I could picture him now.

His double-edged sword, his all-black outfit and mask reflected my own doubts.

Zero.

I wasn't stronger than him.

Not yet.

---

Lunchtime.

The unspoken rule of lunchtime was that you never had lunch all alone in the cafeteria. Sitting in the cafeteria was for groups of friends and teachers only. That same rule applied to U.A., perhaps even more so than other schools. Students from the different tracks all huddled together in each corner of the room, one for hero, business, general education and support.

Furthermore, it was then divided by year groups.

Firsties sat near the edge of the corner, second years sat in the middle while the third years sat the furthest away from the corner, allowing them to get up from the table and buy food more easily. Despite that rule, I couldn't help but yawn as I grabbed my chicken and basil pasta pot and left the cafeteria.

I wasn't going to sit next to Class A, not when I just wanted to eat my food.

There was only one place where I could eat my food in peace ever since coming back to U.A., and that was the school roof. It was quiet, and no one really went up there. I walked up the stairs and started to eat my hot pasta pot. Man, they even added extra cheese to it! I can't wait to-,

"Denki I… I love you."

I opened the door to the school roof, only to see Jiro and Kaminari holding hands as they kissed. They were having a picnic. In January. I sighed heavily, unsure of what to do, especially as the two of them broke away from each other and turned to stare at me in surprise.

I hadn't spoken to Jiro ever since our argument the other day.

She was ignoring me completely, even during our shared classes.

"Uh… hello," I waved awkwardly, walking past them as I sat on the floor quite a while away from their picnic. "Don't mind me. Just, uh, eating my food."

"..."

"Haha, I'll be quiet I promise," I also added. "Hehe. Uh…"

"..."

"Alright, can you just say something?"

Clearly, that wasn't the best thing to say as Jiro simply ran away, leaving both of me and Kaminari to look at each other in confusion. I sighed, shrugging my shoulders as I dug into my food. Kaminari did the same, eating the sandwiches that had been prepared. And to my surprise, he walked over and sat down right next to me.

"Want one?" He offered.

"What's in it?"

"Ham and cheese."

I hummed.

"Did you bring any with ham and chicken?"

Kaminari shook his head.

"Nah. Kyoka doesn't make good sandwiches," Kaminari laughed, shaking his head as he leaned against the railings. "I wish she did. She didn't even cut the bread properly, I hate crusts!"

I snorted at that.

"What are you? A kid? Tch. Fine, pass over the sandwiches with the crusts."

"What about your pasta?"

"It has chicken in it, so I'll just put the chicken in the sandwich and call it a day," I replied, doing exactly as I said before eating the sandwich whole. "See? A smart idea from a smart man."

Kaminari rolled his eyes as he ate another sandwich.

"I haven't spoken to you yet," Kaminari started, but I cut him off.

"If you're gonna try and convince me to do something I don't want to, then just drop it. I don't want another argument to spring up, especially when I'm just trying to eat some lunch. And then we have a joint training session next that's also going to end up in both of our classes fighting each other, or more accurately most of your class trying to fight me."

"I wasn't going to do that," Kaminari replied, grinning at me. "If anything, I'm happy you're back. I have concerns, sure. Maybe you don't have the will to protect, but you've changed for the better. I can see that you're a lot happier now. Away from our class that ruined you. Away from the failures that was as a collective made, the failures you helped to foster because of your arrogance."

Huh?

"Did you think I wouldn't pick up on how our class was strangling you?" Kaminari asked me, amused as he finished another sandwich. "Metaphorically of course. Maybe everyone else hasn't, but I have. I always did. I never once called you for relying on you to help us out only made you not want to fail. But failure is natural. Everyone fails. So when you failed, and at such a big stage, you broke. In a sense, Class A helped to ruin you, and you helped to ruin Class A."

"...You know, if I tried to explain that to them, they'd all disagree with me," I told him. "Another argument would start between us, and they'd all still blame me. Claim I'm just trying to hurt everyone again-,"

"I don't need or want an apology from you, Sora," Kaminari cut me off, surprising me. "Even now, you're my best friend in the world. You're my brother. Nothing is ever going to change that, not even a year of isolation. I know that you left because of so many complex reasons, you wanted to protect us, you thought you didn't deserve us, you thought you were weak and probably a dozen more. And that's all right. You were unhappy at U.A. for a while. I knew that. I'm sorry that I didn't speak up for you, maybe I could have-,"

"It's fine, Denki," I waved him off, smiling at him as I lit up a cigarette. I also offered him one, and much to my surprise, he took my offer and lit up his own cigarette. "Huh. I didn't know you smoked."

"It's been a year since you last saw me," He replied. "Things change. Like you have. Like all of us, albeit in different ways. The way everyone is now, and the way you are, if you came back to us then nothing would change. You would all revert back to our old ways because not everyone in Class A understands why you left. You'd revert back to who you are. They simply blame you for everything, I don't think they can honestly take a look at themselves."

"...Maybe so. But it's my responsibility to make sure that those who haven't do learn," I responded, flicking my cigarette off the roof as I ate another sandwich. "I have a lot of things to make up for. But you're right, I can't go back yet. Not with how both me and everyone in the class are right now. It's tragic, isn't it? Makes me wonder if I even have a future here, you know, considering I can't escape the past."

"I don't think you can move on from the raid by yourself, Sora. It's a moment in time that's embedded in you. Do you want my advice? It's like you're frozen in time," Kaminari blew smoke in the air, shrugging his shoulders as he said that. "But that's why you're here, aren't you? In order to move on from it, ya' gotta face it. Ya' gotta carry the weight from that event, from the fallout of it with everyone else. I guess that's my take on it."

I snorted at that.

"You're pretty smart for a dumb-looking person."

"Yeah? Well without your blue hair you look like a generic delinquent," Kaminari rebutted, shoving me lightly. "Dark hair, ear piercing, stubble and an untucked shirt. It's hard for them to accept it you know."

…

"That I'm trying to make things right?" Kaminari nodded at me. "Yeah. I know. Not everyone wants me back in the class after what I did. Do I even deserve the chance to be better? It's a question I keep thinking about. But, here I am still moving forwards, relentlessly, without looking back. Are you going to ask why I came back? The other reasons outside of patching things up, I mean."

Kaminari shook his head, putting out his cigarette.

"Nah. You can tell me later over a beer. As much as I'd love to chill with you right now, I got Class A on my back already for defending you, plus I do have to show some Class spirit and beat you. Both Mineta and I still think you're great," Kaminari chuckled, standing up from the ground as he leaned over the school railings. "Even if the little bastard pretends he hates you in public, I can see him wishing the three of us were a trio again. Not to mention ever since you came back, my relationship with Kyoka's been a bit strained. Well, more so after your argument the other day."

I chortled.

"Yeah? Well I'm glad she found someone like you after I broke her heart," I lit up another cigarette, offering another cigarette to Kaminari who gratefully accepted. I stood up beside Kaminari, the two of us watching the city together as we smoked silently for a few minutes. "Are you treating her well?"

"About as well as you'd think considering you put her through hell and back. But she's a strong one, somehow she's managed to bounce back," Kaminari answered me truthfully. "For a few weeks after it all went down she was catatonic. Didn't leave her room, barely ate and didn't want to speak to anyone. I helped her throughout it, and well… Yeah. Sorry, didn't mean to betray your trust-,"

"Nah, it's all good," I smiled at Kaminari. "You didn't betray shit, bro. I'm happy for you two, really. I'm the asshole ex-boyfriend in her life that hurt her so much. To see her smile again, to be in love, it puts a smile on my face. Just don't hurt her like I did. Then I'd really fight you to the death, you blonde ponce."

Kaminari rolled his eyes, but he didn't reply for a few minutes as he finished his cigarette.

"I'm not going to make a promise I can't keep," Kaminari eventually replied. "That's a stupid way to end up like you. Broken by the promises you tried to keep until the bitter end, what a cruel way to live. You know, I do resent you to some extent. Living the way you did for so long, so carefree, it made me want to punch you in the face. As your best-friend, more like brother, of course."

I blinked in surprise, chuckling as I shook my head at him.

"Fair enough. I don't intend to make the same mistakes again ya' know," I turned around to tilt my head upwards towards the sky, my lower back resting on the railings as I blew smoke in the air. "I have a few promises of my own, you know. Ones I am gonna' keep. That's why I'm here, Denki. The reasons I need to keep walking on through all this… I don't have much time left."

I didn't explain anymore then that as Kaminari simply nodded at me knowingly.

He truly was my best friend.

Unlike Jiro, he never once judged me.

Unlike Tokage, he never once was forceful.

The truth was that Denki Kaminari was someone who I missed intently, he was more like my brother.

And that didn't change even now.

After everything.

"...did you come here to die, Sora?" Kaminari asked, staring at the sky alongside me. "If you did, I'm sure there are better resting places."

I shook my head, smiling at the sky.

It was peaceful. I don't know if Heaven exists, and if it did, I don't know if Yukari would have even gone there. She was a scientist for All For One who experimented on children after all, she wasn't a 'good' person. Plus, well, she did start the process of my death a lot earlier than I would have liked to pass away, and in the end, she did abandon me again. But, it warmed me to think that she was in the sky above me.

To watch over me.

Not as an angel or anything, but to see how far I've come.

How much I have yet to achieve.

"I didn't come here to die. I guess, I came here to find out if I ever really lived. If I can keep on living, keep on growing. Not as a phantom just going through the motions, not as a person running away from everything, and not as a bastard hated by everyone he once loved," I tossed my cigarette down the building. "I wanna' live for me. I want to live because I have a life that I don't want to waste, a life I want to live with everyone else. But you're right, first I have to accept the past. Whatever the hell that means."

…

Kaminari didn't say another word as he walked over to the door to the stairs, pausing as he tapped his knuckles against the door. The bitter cold air reminded me that it was January, making me thankful for the fact that I brought my coat with me.

"Good luck, Sora," He told me. "I have faith in you. Always have, and always will."

"Why's that?" I found myself asking, amused by what he said. "I mean, you're basically my bro. So I get it if we were still as close as we used to be, but after everything I did… Well, I'm glad you still think we're friends. I… I wouldn't mind if we hung out like this. But, why the hell would you have faith in me?"

Kaminari turned around to give the biggest grin I'd ever seen on his stupid face, even from over a year ago when I was still in Class A.

I didn't miss the single tear that slid down his face. As soon as I blinked, it was gone.

Hm.

It was probably just the snow.

"I'll tell you one day. But today's not that day, bro."

That was the only reply I got as Kaminari descended the stairs into the main building, vanishing from my line of sight. Tch. When did he become so cryptic and philosophical? Nah, maybe he was always like this and I didn't pay attention to him. I scratched my head, trying my hardest not to laugh as I faced the city of Musutafu once again. It felt weird to watch over it on top of U.A.

…

Lighting up another cigarette, making it either the third or fourth just in the past hour, I couldn't help but sigh heavily. Faith, huh? I thought I had it figured out, that I'd come back to U.A. and make things right. But it was never going to be that simple.

Hm.

I took a long drag from my cigarette, allowing the smoke to fill my lungs. Was it bad for me? Maybe, but I was going to die either way. At least this way I get to decide how I die, but more importantly, it's me who decides how I live.

Chuckling, I couldn't help but look at the Musutafu skyline.

"Whatever happens, happens."

---

I think an important part of this section of the story is to show Sora isn't giving in.

Even if he thinks it might be hopeless, he's still aiming to do better. There are a lot of things he needs to improve on, and Kaminari can see through it all. He is Sora's true brother in that sense. What Sora has always struggled with is accepting the past. There is a reason why I haven't revealed Sora's old name, his old birthday, or what he even looked like - Not because I forgot or thought it wasn't important, but because I want it to tie into Sora's character as a whole. Sora hates the past, I've made that abundantly clear.

Yet to be better he has to accept it.

All of it.

It's as Kaminari says, Sora's frozen in time from a specific moment onwards.

The raid.

Easily the most important thing that's ever happened in Sora's life because it broke him, and all his relationships and made him want to really outrun the past. But his future was one that was also destroyed in the process, and he wasn't living in the present. He was going through the motions of life. I hope that for you the reader, it's not that Sora's development is circular. It was.

But to really change he has to address his biggest fears, he has to accept the past and move on.

Either way, he's going to carry that weight. That's an important part of maturing, of becoming an adult. Knowing these things. And even now as he is trying to make things right, he is still fucking it up somewhat. Maybe Jiro is right, if he just tells everyone the truth of what happened then maybe things will be better, but I also think Sora is right for not wanting to do that in a way that is manipulative.

Because that is an inherently manipulative tactic.

As I said, this Class A plotline won't be solved for a while. So, buckle up I guess.

REVIEWS!:

Nirmtheworm14:

I'm glad FFN fixed their emails too!

And here's some more growth from Sora, or rather the start of some growth for Sora. The last arc revealed Sora's true feelings to himself, and so I want this arc called 'Reflection' to truly reflect on how Sora wants to change things and how he has changed things. How someone like him can be better, and that's an interesting angle I think!

The-Tobi:

I'm glad Sora's growth is finally shown.

Honesty is the best policy, but I also want to show how some people (Like Jiro) also needs to grow. They're all wrong and a solution is simpler than any of them can even think, but when you constantly want to make things perfectly right I think you tend to forget that nothing is ever perfect, relationships (Any nature of them) require work to be put in order for them to work.

That is the truth.

Noone:

That's a fair criticism of the opening chapter. But I like to think as the first 7/8 chapters of this story as the 'prologue' but I 100% agree with the criticism that the first chapter of the story has its positives and criticisms. But, for what I originally wrote and what I have written now, I think it's the best I can do without doing a complete rewrite which is something I don't want to do.

Nothing is perfect, and maybe I can write better now.

But... I can't erase the past.

I wrote what I wrote, and while I edited it and made it more clearer for my original vision, that vision is still flawed. But I'm okay with that because you have to take the good and bad in something to truly enjoy it. A journey has it's highs and it's lows, but when it ends it's an unforgettable thing - And that's what I've always wanted to accomplish

Animeman309:

Zero is not Raiden.

Zero said he killed Sora's older brother (Raiden) but now Yukari is saying that Raiden is still alive. Perhaps it was a mistake? But alternatively, playing Devi's Advocate, why would I truthfully answer the question? Hehe. But seriously, if Zero was Raiden (strong if) what would it add to the story? So... yeah.

Mestre Lira:

Sora breaking the law is the most important aspect of his character.

Does Midoriya break the law? No. The answer is a resounding no. No hero breaks the law in MHA, because no superhero truly breaks laws (Spider-Man mostly) sure some are vigilante's, but they're the good guys.

But Sora?

He breaks laws because it proves he's not a hero. I mean letting Gyro leave proves this, trying to let Denji leave proves this. And Denji's yakuza pal's were arrested after by the way, maybe I forgot to add it to the story? No one got away Scott free from the Raid. Nothing is being put under the rug per se, and Sora's consequences aren't legal because I think that's boring.

Sora's consequences are how he views himself in relation to others, and how that impacts his relationships.

He keeps on adding sins to a pot that he needs to be punished for, in his mind.

Those are his consequences.

...

That's all for this chapter!

I'll see you all soon!

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