Ember Sunblaze: Happy Lunar New Year! The year of the water bunny is upon us and I truly hope is a good one for everyone. This chapter took a bit longer to write due to a SEVERAL revisions taking place. This chapter was also supposed to contain a few other scenes in it but due to the length becoming too long (almost 20 pages), I decided to save those scenes for the next chapter. I hope you all enjoy this chapter finally featuring the boys. I feel like I haven't gotten much a chance to write in their perspective so this was a nice change of pace for me ^_^

Chapter 21: The Welcome

Midoriya stared out of the van's window, his mind in a daze. The beautiful tropical waters of the sea shimmered in the bright afternoon light. At any other time it would have been a picturesque sight. But right now, it only sat as a reminder of the battle that had occurred under its depths. Of the brutal acts he and his classmates had unintentionally committed. He turned away, wishing he could redo the events of today.

"I could have killed her." It was the thought that had run through his head over and over again, causing his blood to run cold and his insides to writhe in painful knots. When he closed his eyes, he could still see Uraraka, bloodied and broken, on the verge of collapse. All because of the damage he had caused. He still remembered holding her unconscious form, the fear that had gripped him as he kept wondering if she would ever wake up. Would he ever get to apologize? To grovel for forgiveness? Would she ever look at him with that same smile, speak to him in that same caring voice of hers that always seemed to brighten his day?

Thankfully, he knew she had made a recovery in the hospital. But the same fears still lingered as he wondered just how he could face her again. For it wasn't just the violence he had inflicted that weighed on him. The thing that kept tormenting him, had him almost shaking with fear, was that for a split second after he had snapped out of Siren's control, he had felt something. He had felt that urge, that quivering rage to kill.

True, it had gone away almost instantly. Evaporating like mist after Uraraka had somehow set him free from Siren's control. But he still remembered it. His blood pumping wildly through his veins, the tension of his muscles as they prepared for an attack. An assault that clearly had been meant to finish Uraraka off for good.

"I had been so close…so close to…." Midoriya couldn't finish, the thought itself making him feel queasy and unbearably miserable. He briefly closed his eyes, the rough rocking of the moving van not helping matters.

"Midoriya?" A low voice next to him spoke. Jumping slightly, he turned and found Tokoyami's sharp eyes quietly watching him. "Are you unwell? You look pale."

Midoriya forced an uneasy smile. "Sorry, I guess the roads are just getting to me."

Tokoyami continued to study him, his expression unreadable. When he spoke, the tone was that of deep concern. "Knowing you, I assumed your thoughts may have been on heavier matters."

"You wouldn't be wrong." Midoriya replied, unable to lie to his friend.

Tokoyami nodded knowingly. He inclined his beak forward, where the other boys sat in the seats in front of them. "You wouldn't be the only one. I'm afraid a darkness has settled upon our group here in Okinawa."

Midoriya knew his friend's comment was accurate as he too turned towards the rest of their classmates. Since leaving the hospital, the ride had been pretty quiet, with each person looking lost in their own thoughts. He knew that they were most likely feeling similar feelings of guilt. Even if none of them spoke it, you could feel it in the air like a dark cloud. Their heavy postures and sullen silence speaking more than any words could express.

"What about you?" Midoriya asked, turning back to Tokoyami. "How are you faring?"

The dark hero paused, considering the question. "I am…angered at being used, specifically to cause harm to my comrades. I despise the fact I have hurt those who have only been kind to us." He briefly closed his eyes before continuing. "However, I know lingering on these emotions would not be wise. For me or for the girls who had sacrificed much to bring us back to normalcy."

"Your mental fortitude is really impressive." Midoriya said, truly impressed.

Tokoyami shrugged, but Midoriya spied the feathers on his head fluff at the compliment. "When you have a quirk such as mine you learn to stay on your guard with not only enemies, but yourself as well."

Midoriya nodded, knowing full well how Tokoyami's control on Dark Shadow can easily be hindered by strong bursts of rage or fear. Even he had to put a tap on his own emotions now that he possessed the quirk Blackwhip, which was triggered primarily by anger. Thinking about this produced yet another memory of Uraraka- the length of her arm covered in red, burned spiral marks.

He quickly shut his eyes, willing the memory of what his black tendrils had done to vanish. Tokoyami, noticing, sent him a questioning glance. Midoriya lowered his head, unable to hide his voice from shaking as he quietly lamented, "I wish I could be like you. Come at peace about what happened today. But I can't," He admitted, his fists tightening in his lap. "I just…." He couldn't admit he kept seeing Uraraka, and all the harm that had befallen her because of him. Instead he said, "I just wish today never happened."

"I'm sure there is some good to be had despite today's grievances." Tokoyami commented, his tone sympathetic.

Midoriya didn't answer. As Tokoyami's words sank in, another memory came forth. Of awakening to find Uraraka's face so close to him he could smell her sweet scent. Of the gentle warmth that had washed over him, erasing all else from his mind. Of the mixture of surprise and pleasure that had spiked through him, upon finding her lips pressing down against his….

Midoriya's eyes snapped open, heat rushing to his head. "EH? EH? EHHHHHHH?! NO! NO! NO! MIDORIYA! What are you doing!? Now is not the time to think of…of ….WHATEVER THAT WAS!"

Truthfully, it had taken a lot of Midoriya's willpower not to keep going back to that moment. Questioning why it had happened. Why had he awoken to find Uraraka's perfect lips upon his? Especially since it was clear they had been fighting only moments prior. Did she know it would break him away from Siren's quirk? Midoriya wasn't sure that was the case.

"Uraraka was barely able to hold herself up when I woke up." Midoriya reflected, "If anything, I'm sure that kiss was merely a last ditch effort to get me to snap out of it. If that's the case, then I pretty much forced her into it." The thought was not a pleasing one, making him feel almost dirty.

A part of him wished he could have spoken with her, to get the answers to these questions that gnawed at his brain. But an even bigger part of him broke into cold sweats at the very idea of facing her again. Due to both the kiss and what he had done to her.

"But even if I am scared, I need to see her. I want to make things right again." Memories of Uraraka clouded his mind, feeling him with a bittersweet sensation that made his chest tighten painfully. "I just hope…" he thought, a crimson flush creeping along his cheeks. "That she'll still want to talk to me."

"Midoriya, you're starting to look feverish, now." Tokoyami pointed out, bringing Midoriya back to the present. "Are you positive you aren't getting sick?"

"I'm fine! Really!" A flustered Midoriya quickly replied, snapping out of his thoughts on a certain girl. "Totally fine! No need to worry!"

Before Tokoyami could further question Midoriya, a commotion came from the next seat over. Both boys lifted their heads over the seat curiously. The culprit, Mineta, was grumbling about their driver to Kaminari, who was sitting next to him. Based on the bored expression on Kaminari, this was not the first time this topic had been brought up.

"I just can't believe they would tease us like that!" Mineta fumed, his small arms waving furiously in the air.

"It's really not that big of a deal." Kaminari replied, "I'm sure Vitamin C has a lot more important things to do than drive us around."

Vitamin C was a Okinawan based pro-hero, most notable for her quirk, Vitamin Boost. This quirk allowed her body to be physically enhanced just by consuming foods that contained a lot of vitamin C such as oranges. The surge of vitamin C not only increased her muscle strength, but also amplified the volume of her… more womanly body parts. In short, she was a favorite pro-hero amongst men, including Mineta. He had been devastated upon learning that she had offered her chauffeur, not herself, to drive them back to the ryokan.

Mineta crossed his arms over his seatbeat, still disgruntled by the affair. "This is even more of a let down than not being able to remember anything with Siren! For once, I get to stand next to a beautiful, hot villainess and I can't even remember what she looks like! Or how she smells!" He covered his face, wailing piteously. "I can't even remember if she violated me or not!"

Kaminari rolled his eyes, as Tokoyami turned his beak up at the pathetic display. "Come on dude, I highly doubt any of us got violated."

"How would we know? None of us remember anything!" Mineta exclaimed with a hint of paranoia. "I could not be a virgin anymore and NOT EVEN KNOW!"

"COULD SOMEONE PLEASE MURDER THAT PURPLE PIPSQUEAK ALREADY!" Bakugo snapped, turning around to snarl over the seat at Mineta. "Your wretched whining is giving me a damn headache up here!"

Midoriya quietly noted that Bakugo did look slightly pale. "Maybe he really isn't feeling well?" It was quite clear his childhood rival was definitely more snappy than usual. "He did get quite a bit of injuries today. I wouldn't be surprised if they were still bothering him." While most of the boys had just received minor scratches and bruises from the ordeal, Bakugo had received a full laceration in his shoulder that had required quite a bit of stitches. "I'll have to check up on him once we get back to the ryokan." Midoriya decided, concerned as he watched Bakugo turn back around to tiredly lean against the window.

Kirishima, who sat beside Bakugo, looked over the seat. "Yeah Mineta, cut it out already. It's not funny." The hardening hero had a saddened air about him, his tone more weary than angered. "We're better off not remembering, anyway. It's already terrible knowing we did bad things to our friends, without the memories to make it worse."

"Who's trying to be funny?!" Mineta snapped, not in the least sympathetic.

Midoriya leaned over the seat, grabbing Mineta's shoulder firmly. "That's enough Mineta. Everyone's tired. We're almost to the ryokan, let's just try to relax until we get there."

His head swiveled to stare at Midoriya in panic. "We're almost there?!"

"Yeah, I just saw the sign." Midoriya nodded at the window. "We're on the property now."

But Mineta had ceased listening, his voice trembling as he muttered. "No, No, No, I'm not ready! I can't…" He looked ready to yell, but a pair of tired, red eyes peeking over the seat dared him to make a sound. Instead, he covered his mouth, skin turning an ill-like gray color.

"Uh…dude?" Kaminar inquired, touching his quivering shoulder. "You don't look so good."

"Maybe he's just worried about seeing the rest of the class?" Kirishima guessed. Mineta shook his head, eyes swelling with fearful tears.

"No…it's Aizawa Sensei I'm scared of." Mineta quietly whispered, casting a worried glance in Bakguo's direction. Kaminari and Kirishima exchanged confused looks.

"Why do you dread meeting with Aizawa Sensei?" Tokoyami inquired suspiciously.

Mineta gave a shaky smile, quickly replying, "No..oo..oo…reason!"

None of the boys looked convinced. All of them had been aware of Mineta's odd behavior over the last few hours. During their short stay in the hospital, Mineta at times would seem normal, almost smug-like, though about what was beyond their knowledge. Then, at other times, he would be as nervous and jittery as a chicken. Mostly when Midnight would come in to check on them. His interrogation with the police also took far longer than any of the rest of the class, making them all ponder whether Mineta had witnessed something of great importance. Either way, the boy had remained tight lipped around his peers about the issue.

Kirishima shrank back into his seat. "Hey guys…when we get there. You don't think the rest of the class will….I don't know…be mad at us?" Midoriya and Tokoyami exchanged glances, while Kaminari looked surprised at the question. Kirishima looked down at his lap, frowning. "We don't really know how much they've been told about what happened with us. Hell, WE don't even know all the details! It just makes me think that…I don't know….they may blame us on what happened."

Kaminari grinned, reaching over the seat to throw an arm over Kirishima. "Come on Dude! Relax! Our classmates wouldn't do that!"

Out of everyone who had been abducted, Midoriya found Kaminari seemed to have bounced back the quickest from the ordeal. Upon reuniting with the rest of the group after his wanderings around the hospital, his mood had perked up considerably and seemed almost back to his normal self. Midoriya suspected his chance meeting with Jiro was a possible reason for this positive shift.

Unfortunately, his upbeat attitude was not quite rubbing off on Kirishima, who still looked forlorn. "I'm serious. What we did was seriously not manly. I mean…we did…hurt the girls." His red eyes lowered, shining with regret as he gazed at his trembling fists.

Midoriya frowned, noticing the skin along his hands were still shiny and red. Upon arriving at the hospital, they had all witnessed Kirishima standing firmly over the patient ward sink, scrubbing his hands in a desperate frenzy to remove any remnants of blood that still remained from the earlier battle. So much so, that his skin had begun to redden and a nurse had to firmly steer him away. Even with the blood gone, Midoriya had spotted Kirishima often stealing remorseful glances down at his hands, as if he could still see them stained and bloodied.

The rest of the boys fell silent, Kirishima's words sinking in. Even Kaminari seemed to falter, his reply coming out rather feebly. "I mean…I'm sure the class knows we would never hurt anyone on purpose. Especially the girls!" His head swiveled, searching for reassurance. "The class wouldn't be mad at us for something we didn't do on purpose…would they?" No one answered, and the gloom over the group seemed to grow heavier.

"Who gives a damn what they think?!" Bakugo growled, his reply cutting through the van like a knife as his head still sullenly rested against the window. "They weren't there!"

"I don't think we should jump to conclusions just yet." Midoriya quietly suggested, sitting up straighter to make himself heard. "It's true we don't know all that's been told to the class. But Aizawa Sensei isn't one to hold back on the facts, whether they are good or bad. So I'm sure the class has at least a basic idea of what occurred." He felt the groups' eye all on him, excluding Bakugo, though Midoriya was sure he was listening. He swallowed, hoping his own anxiety wouldn't show through. "As a class, we've all been through a lot together. More than most. We've gotten through every challenge because of our trust in each other. This trust we've built, I don't think it would go away that easily."

Beside him, Tokoyami nodded approvingly. "Midoriya is correct. Our actions today are not of our doing. The blame solely falls on the vile sorceress who bound us to her will. Our comrades are not blind to this." He paused, then solemnly added. "But even so, the fact remains that we did cause harm to befall our female companions. I suggest when they make their return, we give a formal apology to them."

"Yeah, that's a great idea!" Kirishima exclaimed, bumping his fist against Bakugo's shoulder. " Right Bakugo!?" The blonde gave an irritated grunt in answer.

Midoriya smiled, glad to see Kirishima's spirit returning. The only one who didn't seem pleased was Mineta, who looked horrified with the idea. "A formal apology?! To the girls? In person!? ARE YOU ALL MAD!?"

"What's the big deal?" Kaminari asked, confused.

"Isn't it obvious!" Mineta cried, as if they were the crazy ones. "We attacked the girls! Sliced them! Burned them! Broke their bones!" He listed, pointing an accusing finger at each classmate in turn, much to their annoyance. "Completely angered them beyond reasoning!" At this last part, he crouched over, pulling at his hair in a mini panic attack. "The girls probably completely hate our guts! Don't you all see!? There's absolutely no way they want to see our faces or be anywhere near us!"

"Come on Mineta, don't you think you're exaggerating a tad bit?" Kaminari scoffed. "The girls wouldn't be that uncool."

"Even if they are mad," Midoriya pointed out, "That's even more reason for us to face them with an apology."

Mineta paled, his mind trying to think of something, ANYTHING to keep from having to see the girls. For he knew that after the stunt he had pulled, of stripping the girls of their bikini tops and taking a picture of their naked flesh, that he was doomed to die a terrible death if he came within reach of them. Somehow, he had to prevent this from happening.

"You…you…don't understand!" Mineta pressed desperately. "Girls are the most vengeful creatures on the planet! If we see them, they'll want to punish us! They'll make us fight each other! They'll force us to become their personal slaves! They'll….They'll… slice our stomachs and make us eat our own entrails! THEY'LL…."

Bakugo's palm suddenly reached over, enveloping Mineta's entire face. "Tell me, you sniveling coward…" Bakugo seethed, red eyes glowing maliciously as Mineta trembled in his strong grip. "Who are you more terrified of…." His fingers tightened over Mineta's face, hot steam rising as his flesh burned. "THE GIRLS OR ME?!" He got a muffled wail as an answer.

Bakugo released him, letting Mineta slump against the seat, a burned hand mark visible across his face. "Maybe…" He squeaked out, trying in vain for a last ditch suggestion. "...We can just send them an apology letter?" His companions glared distastefully at the proposal.

"Dude….we could have killed them." Kaminari stated, his tone uncharacteristically solemn.

"If we're going to apologize, we have to do it the MANLY way." Kirishima exclaimed, his fire slowly being restored at the prospect of making amends. "We have to face them head on! Right, Bakugo?!"

Bakugo tched moodily, not budging from his spot.

"That's a YES!" Kirishima translated, fist raised in victory. "But you've got to bow or it doesn't count!" Bakugo gave a low growl, but didn't rebuke his classmate.

Mineta gave a tormented groan, "That totally leaves our necks open for an attack!" All the boys rolled their eyes, giving up on trying to understand their weird classmate as the van came to a rolling stop in front of the ryokan.

The ryokan they were staying at was located far from the bustling capital of Naha, set in the more rustic countryside. The large wooden structure was quite old and built in a very traditional format, with flourishing details that gave it an unique Okinawan flair. Two large stone Shisa (See Author's Notes) statues guarded the entrance to the inn, their lion-like scowls daring any intruders to enter their domain. It was under one of these guardians that they found their teacher, Aizawa Sensei, waiting for them.

"Welcome back." He said, greeting them with a simple nod. He briefly noted a shaking Mineta hiding behind Midoriya's leg, but said nothing.

"It's good to see you, Aizawa Sensei." Midoriya said, lowering his head in a polite bow as the others did the same behind him. "We're sorry for the trouble we've caused."

"It's pretty much what I expect from this group." Aizawa replied, turning away. "Come on, we've got work to do."

"Ahhh, did he say work?!" Kaminari quietly groaned, drudging alongside Kirishima. "We're never going to have fun on this trip!"

They followed their teacher through the sliding doors and down the hall to the large dining room. There a small table was set aside and lined with fresh dishes for the young heroes. Two serving ladies, dressed in pretty pink work yukatas, smiled in greeting as the boys stood gaping at the spread.

"I'm sure you all weren't able to eat much between getting checked on by physicians and getting interrogated by the police." Aizawa explained, waving a hand for them to sit. "So I went ahead and asked the innkeepers if it would be possible if something small could be whipped up for you all. This is what you got."

"THANK YOU VERY MUCH!" The boys shouted in unison both to Aizawa and then again to the serving ladies, who chuckled at their enthusiasm.

"Please, no thanks is needed." The older one kindly replied. "We heard about how you all were successful in returning the missing highschoolers. This food is merely a humble thank you for your great service to our island."

The food was far from humble. The plates set before them all showcased many Okinawan dishes, including a variety of island vegetables and specialty meats like the mouthwatering Motobu Beef (See Author's Note). Their stomachs growled just looking at the colorful display. Midoriya sat next to Bakugo, scanning the rest of the dining room.

"Aizawa Sensei, where are the rest of the class?" Midoriya asked, as the others started filling their plates.

"They ate lunch at the usual time." Aizawa answered, who remained standing near the door. "After you all eat, you'll meet up with them in the prep room."

"Purp broom?" Kaminari questioned, his mouth already stuffed with food.

"Yes, the innkeepers were kind enough to allow us to use one of their conference rooms as a makeshift classroom." He explained. "Now that you all are back, we can do a post mission debrief."

Midoriya blinked, not expecting this. Of course, it wasn't abnormal to have these follow ups after missions or class battles. These were set up to discuss not only what was learned but to also analyze what could have been done differently in certain situations. But with the girls being such a key part of this particular mission, shouldn't they be part of the discussion?

As if sensing his surprise, Aizawa continued, "Due to the nature of what occurred during this mission, we thought it best to do separate sessions to make the girls more comfortable. Midnight will be leading those later with them once they're discharged." He paused, noticing a dark gloom suddenly befall the boys as their heads hung over their plates.

"What? Did I say something?" It was then Aizawa remembered the last conversation he had with Midnight over the phone, right after the boys had finished speaking with the police.

Two Hours Earlier:

"Did you get my email? With all the details I gathered from Miss Yaoyorozu?"

"Yep, it's here." Aizawa said, double checking his phone's emails. As he spoke, he stole a peek into the dining room, where the class was all dining on a late lunch. "I'll start going over it and get the post mission debrief sorted out."

"Excellent!" Midnight exclaimed brightly. "How is the class doing over on your end?"

Aizawa slid the door to the dining room shut, making his way down the hall to the meeting room. "They're fine, just eating."

"And?" Midnight inquired.

Aizawa blinked. "And what?"

"Aizawa! Half of their classmates are in the hospital right now! How are they doing…emotionally?" Midnight sternly emphasized, as if talking to a toddler. She heard an annoyed groan from the receiving end.

"These kids have spent half the day building sandcastles and fishing." Aizawa answered gruffly, stepping out onto the wooden porch that lined the gardens. "They're not going to keel over anytime soon." He heard a similar noise of annoyance on his receiver.

"Your paternal instincts are truly inspiring." Midnight replied dryly. "But Aizawa, I'm warning you. The boys on my end are NOT OKAY. They're still not feeling so hot about attacking their friends and it shows. So do me a favor and keep an eye on them, will you? So that means being sensitive!"

"Wonderful." Aizawa muttered, rolling his eyes. "Screwed that up fast. Oh, well."

"Hey, hurry and eat!" Aizawa demanded, crossing his arms impatiently. "You're disrespecting your hosts dawdling like that."

"YES, SIR!" They quickly replied, picking up the pace.

"Don't mind if I do!" Mineta exclaimed, holding a juicy morsel of beef over his open mouth. It dropped to his plate with a clatter as Aizawa's binding cloth suddenly wrapped around him and pulled him towards the teacher. The cloth muffled the boy's terrified screams.

"Don't mind me." Aizawa said, waving off the other boy's astonished stares. "I just need a private word with Mineta. Please continue." He left them in a stunned silence, sliding the door shut behind him.

"What… was that all about?" Kirishima was the first to ask.

"I feel like Mineta isn't telling us something." Midoriya commented, thinking about the long interrogations and Mineta's sudden jittery mannerisms of late. "But I wonder what?"

"He's definitely acting suspicious." Tokoyami concurred.

"Hahah, come on guys! It's Mineta, we're talking about!" Kaminari said, laughing uneasily. "I doubt whatever is going on is that serious." But his voice held a note of unease that made Midoriya wonder if Kaminari knew more than he was letting on.

"Who gives a crap?" Bakugo grumbled, his chopsticks stabbing at his plate. "The little dweeb is not our damn problem. Let him suffer on his own."

At these words, Dark Shadow swooped out of Tokoyami and took over Mineta's plate. "Bakugo's right! More food for me!

Midoriya chuckled along with the rest of his friends. "Guess, they're both right. Whatever happened with Mineta, I'm sure Aizawa Sensei will take care of it." He glanced over this plate and quietly noticed Bakugo's plate was mostly filled with white rice and a handful of veggies, leaving the heavier dishes untouched. "That's odd. Kacchan must definitely not be feeling well."

But before he could ask, the sliding door suddenly burst open, revealing the remaining boys of Class 1-A standing on the other side. The dining boys jumped, almost dropping their utensils as they swiveled on their floor cushions as their classmates excitedly filed in. Tenya Iida led the pack, making a beeline straight to a wary Midoriya.

"Class 1-A welcomes you all back!" Iida declared, standing at the head of the table and giving a former salute. "We are all relieved to find you all in good health. Furthermore…"

"Whoa! Look at this spread!" Sero exclaimed, sitting on the other side of Bakugo. "Our lunch didn't look half this fancy!" He found a pair of chopsticks, stealing a slab of beef off Bakugo's plate and popping it in his mouth. "Mmmm! That's some good cow!"

"Hands off!" Bakugo snapped, pointing his chopsticks at Sero in a threatening manner.

"Whaaat?! It's not like you were touching it!" Sero said, chuckling. Iidya gasped, pointing a stern finger at him.

"Sero! This food was specifically made for their return! We are here merely to greet our returning comrades, not steal their food!"

"Ohhh, are those stir-fried bitter melons I spy!" Aoyama scooted himself between Kirishima and Kaminari. "Mind if I join? I must say, it's so nice to have you all back. It's been really drab without you all to liven things up."

"Uh, we're glad to be back too." Kirishima replied, moving his plate over to make room.

"Now when the girls arrive, then it'll truly be a party!" Aoyama declared, sending Midoriya a wink across the table. Midoriya reddened, unsure of the implication.

Iida fumed. "Look here! We are not here to impose on our weary comrades! Let us be off so they can eat in pea—"

"I'm glad you two are well." Midoriya and Bakugo turned and found Todoroki standing behind them.

"Todoroki!" Midoriya exclaimed, happy to see his friend. He inched over, allowing Todoroki to squeeze in between him and Bakguo, much to the blonde's annoyance.

"Oh, they have Okinawa soba." Todoroki noted, his blue gaze staring in interest. "May I?"

Midoriya laughed, sharing his plate. "Go ahead."

"YOU TOO?!" Iida cried out, torn at the betrayal. Todoroki merely looked up in confusion, a stray noodle dangling from his mouth.

"It's really fine, Iida." Midoriya assured his friend, patting the cushion next to him. "Come sit too."

His bespectacled friend hesitated, shooting a worried glance as Koda and Sato joined Tokoyami and Dark Shadow. Ojiro and Shoji lingered near the end of the table, not near any of the dishes. "We really shouldn't impose. This is your time to relax and replenish your health!"

"I think just being here with everyone is helping." Midoriya said, nodding at the happy chatter going on around the table.

Iida smiled, conceding as he, too, sat down. "Very well. I hope you are well. I'm pleasantly surprised to see no broken limbs on you for once."

"He did the breaking this time." Bakugo muttered darkly, earning a surprised glare from Midoriya.

"Kacchan!" Midoriya cringed, staring down at his plate miserably. Todoroki and Iida shared a glance, with Iida attempting to clear the air.

"We are all very happy to have you all back. I have to say we were all extremely concerned after hearing what had happened from Sensei." He took a moment to sip from the cup of tea handed to him by one of the attendants. "Of course, we already had a rough sketch of what had happened thanks to Todoroki, but—"

"Back up, four-eyes!" Bakugo snapped, glaring at Iida. "How the hell did Ice Boy here know what happened before even the teacher?!"

"That's true, how did you find out, Todoroki?" Midoriya asked curiously.

Todoroki slurped the remainder of his soba up before explaining. "Asui told me after I accidentally reeled her in while fishing."

"You…reeled in Asui?" Midoriya repeated, questions popping up like explosions. Kirishima, Kaminari, and Tokoyami all paused from their own conversations, listening in.

"Yeah…I thought she was a grouper fish." Todoroki admitted, lowering his chopsticks as he further explained. "Apparently, she had escaped from the caverns to alert the teachers." He looked at the group curiously. "You weren't aware of this?"

"No, I don't think any of us knew." Midoriya admitted, feeling an odd sense of guilt. "I had just assumed Asui was safe with the rest of the class at the beach since I didn't see her with the rest of the girls. It never occurred to me she might have had a secondary task. Now that I think of it, if Asui is the only one with an aquatic quirk, it makes sense she would be the one to try and find help."

"That's awesome she made it out when she did." Kirishima noted, grabbing another slice of beef. "Who knows when the teachers would have found us if she didn't."

"Yes, it was very fortunate Todoroki was there when he was." Iida exclaimed, smiling proudly down at his classmate. "It was quite a show of heroism to be able to help her the way you did."

"I wish I could have done more to help." Todoroki replied somberly. "When we met, her condition was not good. Her escape hadn't been an easy one. She was being tailed by a shark-quirked boy. He even continued the pursuit after I had pulled her onto land." Todoroki stared down at his noodles, his appetite suddenly draining. "I managed to subdue him, but by that time she was already pretty beaten up. It…wasn't a pretty sight."

"A noble act, indeed." Tokoyami soberly acknowledged, as Kirishima let the beef slide off his chopsticks and back onto the serving platter with a look of dismay.

Kaminari leaned in, asking anxiously, "She's okay though, right!?"

Todoroki blinked, looking surprised at the question. Before he could answer, Ojiro's voice cut in, "Isn't that something you all should know?"

The way the question was directed at them, clearly showed signs of hostility. The group faltered, taken aback by their tail-quirked peer who had always been rather easy-going and friendly towards everyone. The table grew silent as the mood in the room suddenly chilled. Midoriya glanced at Iida and Todoroki, their expressions both grim, but unsurprised.

"Looks like they knew something like this might happen." Midoriya guessed, eying Ojiro. The blonde definitely didn't look pleased as the tip of his tail slashed from side to side like an irked feline. Their large classmate, Mezo Shoji, sat next to him, his expression unreadable through his facemask. Beside Midoriya, Bakugo's grip on his chopsticks tightened, snapping them in half.

"What's that supposed to mean!?" Bakugo growled, slamming his broken sticks down on the table as he glared down the table at Ojiro. "If you have a problem, spit it out!"

"Kacchan, calm down." Midoriya said, forcibly grabbing the back of his shirt just in case.

Ojiro didn't seem fazed by Bakugo's threat, only sternly stating, "What I'm saying is that, you all were there. You fought with Asui and you were all at the hospital with the girls. If anything, you should be answering our questions."

"Dude, we would totally love to." Kaminari replied, his voice rising cheerfully as if trying to restore the room back to its original state. "But all the boys and girls were separated at the hospital and as for the rest…well…we can't really…remember." He finished lamely, with a guilty grin.

"Nothing?" Ojiro inquired, skeptically.

"Seriously, nothing!" Kirishima exclaimed, backing his friend up. "Right, guys?!"

Bakugo glared down at his plate, refusing to answer. Midoriya turned to Ojiro, keeping his tone friendly as he replied. "It's true Ojiro, we really don't remember anything past being at the beach. After that it's really all just a haze. You've been a victim of a mind-control quirk, too" He pointed out, recalling their time back at the U.A. Sports Festival when both he and Ojiro had been affected by Hitoshi Shinso's quirk. "You know what it's like."

Ojiro grimaced, looking down at his hands that were balled into tight fists. "Yeah, but I didn't hurt my classmates back then."

Midoriya froze, his blood running cold at these words.

"Ojiro! Cease at once!" Iida said, immediately standing up. "We already talked about how we wouldn't bring that up!"

His voice fell short as Dark Shadow suddenly loomed over the table, golden eyes blazing. Below him, Tokoyami's red gaze flashed angrily towards Ojiro. "Those actions were beyond our control." He spoke, his voice barely holding back his contempt. "Do not provoke a fight, no one wishes to start."

Midoriya saw the two serving women backing away fearfully at the site of the angry apparition. He stood up too. "Guys, let's calm down." He turned to his classmate, trying to remain placid as he explained. "Ojiro, this isn't like you. You know none of us would hurt anyone on purpose, especially our friends. You know this!"

"Except for Bakugo." Sero loudly whispered, earning him a whack on the head from the already pissed off teen.

Midoriya saw a glimpse of something close to shame embodying Ojiro before once again hardening into cold resolve. "Believe me, I know this." He clarified, carefully voicing his thoughts. "But that doesn't change what happened. Right now, things are fine. But just imagine how different this reunion would be if one of you had actually killed one of our classmates, even if unintentionally."

Silence reigned at these words. One of Shoji's many arms came up, gripping Ojiro's shoulder. He acknowledged this gesture with a flick of his tail as he continued. "Forgive me for my bluntness. My wish is not to hold any grudges against anyone. Like Midoriya said, I also have been under the influence of mind control." He gestured towards the brightly festive dishes, laid out neatly before them, ruefully commenting, "I just don't think a hero's welcome is quite appropriate to the occasion." He crossed his arms, finishing his speech.

No one spoke, as a gloom once again settled over the victims of Siren's quirk. A gloom so heavy, even the others felt it like a dark fog had invaded the room. It was at that moment, the door of the dining room slid open, with Aizawa Sensei waltzing in. He froze, struck dumb by the depressed atmosphere along with an enlarged Dark Shadow still hovering menacing over the table.

"Damn it, not again." Aizawa grumbled, spotting the quivering serving women hiding in the corner. "I can't keep my eyes off these kids for ten damn minutes." From the doorway he loudly called out. "Oi! Since you all look finished, it's time to clear out of here!"

He jerked a thumb over his shoulder, ordering. "Meeting room, now!"

Author's Notes:

- Shisa statues are lion-like creatures that resemble a dog/lion hybrid that have been part of the Okinawan culture for centuries. They are to believed to be imported from trades with China back in the 15th century and are now considered to be protective guardians of the islands. You can see them pretty everywhere in Okinawa and little Shisa statues are often seen in anime as popular souvenirs.

- Motobu beef is a specialty beef cultivated on the islands of Okinawa. The cattle feed on local ingredients such as sugar cane, molasses, beer lees, soy beans, and pineapple bran. The idea is that it gives the meat its own unique island flavor.