Over the Top

by papireaz

When I died, I expected a few manga volumes. Maybe to learn what the One Piece is. Instead, I found myself in a world that I recognised, a story I had read and what's worse was that it was a story I had no interest in wanting to involve myself in! Then and again, the offer to become a Hero is far too tempting...

3. Issue 3 REDONE

So… I lost the original copies of Chapters 3 - 11.

That's annoying, but I can work around it. Sadly it means the original author's notes and end notes are going to have to be changed, but hey! That means there is more room for scenes in the chapter to beef up the word count!

It could be worse!

The original song for this chapter was Smile Bomb more commonly known as Yu Yu Hakusho's first and only opening song. An understandable choice back then when I released this third chapter as I had recently re-read the series, and felt like Yusuke Urameshi was starting to sort of influence how I wrote Sora as a character.

That's obviously changed since then, and with these edits, many of you first-time readers have no idea what I'm waffling about. So, an alternative song choice is anything by Tame Impala.

Another reminder that we have a discord and you can join using the code p6HcDQpxuk !

---

Tie?

No, ties made me look like an absolute wanker.

That meant no suit either, which was fine with me. The suit which I did bring with me barely fit me and was one my parents had bought me years ago for some work party my Dad had made us all go to. I sighed as I looked through my suitcase and picked out a grey sweater and some dark green cargo trousers.

Yeah.

They looked fine.

Looking at my blue wavy hair in the mirror, I cursed loudly. It always looked tacky and made my outfit completely ruined which is why I brought a beanie with me to wear, maroon red to completely cover my head of blue hair. Even if it slightly meant that it mismatched the few locks of hair that weren't trapped under the beanie, I didn't care as I changed my top once more.

It was too hot for a sweater.

Hm.

"Yo," The door to our hotel room swung open as Renji and Shirou walked in with a bag of sweets. "We got sweets for our movie marathon, Sora. We even got the limited watermelon flavour ones you were talking about."

"Sick. Oi, Denji, have you picked out the movie yet?"

His head resting against his headboard, Denji didn't reply at first as he was scrolling through the channels to see what was on TV. I sighed got a bag of Smarties and threw them at his head, which got Denji's attention.

"Uh… I guess they have Impossible Mission IV: Protocols of the Ghost on? Does anyone like that movie?"

"It's pretty good," Shirou shrugged his shoulders. "But it's an action movie."

"I like action movies," I added.

"So do I," Renji said as he sat down on his bed. "And even though Sui is having a shower, I bet he'll agree. What time is Impossible Mission? We're supposed to go out and eat food soon, so I don't want to miss it because of that."

"It doesn't start until Eleven. So we have around three hours, and I doubt we'll be having dinner that'll take that long," Denji replied. "But considering Sora's not even dressed yet, who knows."

I scowled at that, throwing the grey sweater I had just put back in my suitcase.

What should I wear?

Even with my dark green cargo trousers, I wore a grey T-shirt. Ah! I pulled out a short-sleeved tan shirt and put that on, unbuttoning it as I smirked at the mirror. Now I looked cool as shit.

"You look like a generic skater guy who smokes weed."

"Fuck off! You just don't appreciate style."

"With your hair? You wouldn't know what style is even if it hit you in the head really hard," Denji joked. "Still, you pull off that style well. I guess it's not that hard to imagine you smoking, considering your 'status' around school."

I grunted at that, kicking my suitcase shut as I jumped on my bed.

"I'm hungry," I told them. "When were we supposed to meet up with the girls and our 'teacher'?"

"In… twenty minutes?"

Groaning, I tore into the nearest pack of sweets I could find. Shirou giggled at my antics on the bed next to me as he did the same thing, sighing as a piece of jelly from his fresh doughnut fell on his white top. All of us couldn't help but laugh at how stupid and silly that was, but we did so anyway. Sui, the person on the other side of my bed, got out of the shower and quickly dressed in a football top and shorts.

"United?"

"Yeah, I do like United," Sui replied. "They're probably the best English football club."

"Fuck no," I told him. "Liverpool's better. Always will be. Always has been."

Eventually, a knock on our door alerted us to the fact that we were going to go out for dinner. I made sure that my phone was charged, putting it into my pockets as I slipped my shoes on and opened the door. Who would it be?! Preferably a hot lady wearing a revealing dress with huge knockers~

"Oh."

Standing in front of our door was our overweight and balding teacher supervising our trip, and judging by the fact that he was wearing an expensive floral shirt and had put on perfume - He was dressing to impress. Too fucking bad he was surrounded by boys and girls that were thirteen years old so the only people he would be impressing would be the people in jail.

"Why are you dressed like that?" Yanagi-sensei asked me.

"Why can't I dress like this?"

"You look like a delinquent," Yanagi huffed out. "More so than you already do with your untucked shirt, loose tie and untied shoelaces. This is a formal dinner. At the very least can't you button up your shirt? And take off that beanie."

"Nah."

"'Nah'? I'm sorry, I'm not asking you to do that. I'm telling you. This is a very important dinner, it's been paid for by the Endeavour Agency and you will make sure you don't embarrass them or our school," Yanagi complained. "...Stop being so difficult. Fine, wear whatever you want but if you get us in trouble, you'll be the one regretting it. Come downstairs with the rest of your room in five minutes."

"Okay."

I shut the door in his face, turning around to face the rest of the boys in the room.

"Dude, you got balls of steel man." Denji high-fived me.

"Seriously. If I could do what you do… Well, that world is a lot better than this one. You rock man." Sui nodded at me with a grin.

"You're so fuckin' funny man," Renji told me.

"Ha," Shirou laughed awkwardly. "I don't know if annoying Yanagi-sensei is smart, but at least you're not letting him have his way like usual."

Each of their words surprised and warmed me. More than I cared to admit out loud, but they probably knew that considering the grins on their faces. It was weird, a month ago I wouldn't have let anyone in. I thought pushing everyone away was for the better, but now…

I really was an idiot.

---

Chapter

Three

'The Blueberry's Return'

---

I was stuck in the back of our line as we walked the streets to our restaurant.

My stomach grumbled as we walked in pairs of two.

"Are you that hungry?" Kyoka Jiro, my partner, asked me. "It hasn't been that long since lunch."

"It's been like nine hours."

"But you had a big lunch."

"I'm a growing boy," I replied. "I need more food. I hope the place we go to isn't a traditional place that serves only Japanese food. I mean I like the traditional food here, but foreign foods are just way better."

Jiro giggled at that.

"If you're born here, why do you like foreign foods so much? Especially if your family aren't from another country either? It's not weird, just surprising to me," Jiro said. "I think that music from outside of Japan is better than music in Japan. But that's totally different from food."

"No, it's not."

"Yes, it is."

I groaned as my stomach grumbled again.

In front of Jiro and me, Shirou, bless the boy, was arguing with his sister over what he wore for dinner. He was wearing a bright pink long-sleeved shirt, blue trousers and black and orange shoes - An outfit which contrasted heavily with his pink hair. Sorta. In comparison his sister, Sakura, was wearing a nice and elegant yellow dress, with a denim jacket.

"Shirou... you look like a clown. Why is it that you still embarrass me? I should deck you in the face for wearing that tragedy." Sakura quietly said to her brother, with a psychotic smile on her face. Not that I could blame her exactly, he did look a bit like a right twat. But what was even worse was that I could imagine Miwa doing the exact same thing to me…

Scary.

Shirou gulped as he looked behind at me, his eyes were pleading for help.

"Sora, you agree with me that Shirou looks stupid, right?"

Stupid was a stretch.

While Shirou wore a mismatch of colours, he somehow made it work.

Despite that, I nodded with her, just so she wouldn't get on my case. "Yeah, what your sister says. You look like an insane person just wearing that." I lied easily. Sakura nodded at my statement, her arms folded as she continued to sprout fashion advice to her brother as we walked the streets of the city, trying to find the restaurant that had been booked for us.

Jiro had already slipped in her headphones, leaving me bored as we walked forward. I couldn't keep my mind off her and the situation she and Sakura found themselves in, just basic teenage drama.

Keiko...

I had a hard time believing she could be so nasty. Not to say that Sakura hadn't also been nasty to her, after all, it was normal teenage drama. The two girls would probably sort it out, so why the hell would I need to stick my nose into their business? I wasn't even involved. I couldn't care less if they became good friends again or not.

Despite that, I couldn't help but think that whatever Keiko said to Sakura which caused their friendship to suffer, something she didn't want to repeat ever, something that she clearly regretted wasn't the main reason why they were still in conflict.

That there was something more important here, something Sakura hadn't realised. Even if the two of them were in my group, I didn't want their drama and arguments to impact the group the way they did earlier today. I didn't want to feel guilty for fucking up once again. A selfish request on my part, but maybe I could get Sakura and Keiko to come to a truce.

I sighed as I walked along the strip of the pavement.

I tried my hardest not to think about it because helping them out wasn't my duty. I had just learned of them today, and it's not like we were friends. There was no objective upside in me getting involved in some petty girl's drama, and it would probably lead to me getting into even more trouble. I wasn't exactly popular. I could already imagine the rumours that would be spread around - So why the hell would I want to jump in and help?

It was so much easier to just ignore them and put my head down.

Following the group ahead, we inevitably walked into a bougie restaurant. Words couldn't describe how upper echelon it looked with everyone dressed in a suit or revealing and sexy dress. Really sexy dresses. If it wasn't the people, it was the gold-accented tables and chairs, the waxed floor that looked like you could eat straight from it and most importantly - The food. Each plate looked like it had come straight from Heaven with sauce drizzled around the side of the plate.

Even as the waiter showed us to our table, the sneer on his face was undeniable.

"Ah, I'm sorry to inform you that we ran out of tables," The waiter told Yanagi-sensei. "One of you shall be forced to eat… elsewhere." I scowled at that as Yanagi didn't even waste any time to turn around and stare at me, reminding me of where my place was in this 'class' of sorts.

No words were spoken as I sighed out in resignation.

It was my fault for thinking I even had a chance at fitting in with these people.

"Alright, alright, don't get that spoon up your arse in a twist," I told the waiter. "Just tell me where this table is, alright? And hurry up and get started with their order. They're all really hungry."

It didn't take long for the waiter to lead me to some tiny corner near the kitchen under a water leak. I turned to stare at the waiter who had already left, leaving me in a bit of a pickle. Sure, I could complain.

But what would be the point?

Even as I tried to sit down at the table set for me, the glares and whispers from those around me wouldn't stop. I closed my eyes, trying to ignore them. I tried to ignore them for years.

"Isn't he…?"

"Look at this commoner."

"Yeah. That's the Demon of Class E."

"A child like him couldn't afford to dine at this place."

"I wish my friend could be here in this class. That guy's just wasting space."

"He's just a sight for sore eyes, isn't he?"

Slamming the empty cup on the ground, I stuffed my hands in my pockets and ignored every look sent my way from the bunch of random fucking nobodies and even some of the students in my class trip. I didn't miss the look of confusion and sadness from Shirou and Sakura.

Tch.

"Yamazaki where are you going-,"

I pushed past the teacher, slamming the restaurant door shut with enough force for a crack to appear. I didn't even wait a few seconds as I walked to the nearest lamppost and kicked it hard. I couldn't hold my anger in as I kept on kicking the lamppost, each hit causing it to shake more and more.

I threw my hands up in the air, turning around to grab the nearest bin and throw it on the road.

"Fuck."

With each bystander that passed me, I glared at them. Don't look at me like that. I wanted to scream and shout from the top of my lungs, about how fucking unfair this all was. Why the hell was I being punished like this?!

I was just thirteen.

I didn't want any of this.

I just wanted-,

"..."

I turned around to see Keiko staring at me.

"...What?" I asked her. "Come here to gloat? Just go back inside-,"

"What sensei did wasn't right."

"Yeah? No fucking shit, but who the fuck even cares?! 'Cause he's the teacher and I'm the stupid fuckin' student that gets in trouble all the time," I scoffed. "No one's gonna' stand up for me. I don't have any friends. My family can barely stand to be in the same room as me. Coming here was a mistake, and now I have pity for all this from you. Just fuck off."

"You don't deserve this-,"

"Shut UP!" I screamed in anger, making her flinch. I immediately felt bad as I tried to reach out and apologise, but Keiko just turned around and ignored me. Right. I chuckled at myself for being so stupid. She just wanted to help. And I was being a cunt about it. But that was why I was the delinquent and she was a good student.

The worst thing Keiko had done was get into an argument with her friend.

I had done way worse.

I kicked a can beneath my feet across the street as I walked away from the restaurant. It was stupid of me to come here on the trip in the first place, stupid of me to even dream that I could become a hero. After all, someone like me who was a demon didn't deserve that chance. I kept my head low as I bobbed between the bystanders, not knowing where my feet were taking me.

I just wanted to get away.

I didn't know how long I had walked, but eventually, I reached the outskirts of the city.

The beach was in sight, the very beach that Izuku Midoriya would once chance with just his own will. The very beach that contained the hopes and dreams of so many people, was the start of a real hero. Tch.

I sat down on the side of the road as I checked my phone.

No missed calls.

Yanagi probably hadn't even contacted the school after I left, the fat bastard was likely eating away as he told everyone that I was alright. I could go and commit suicide and no one would know. Outside of Miwa, Gekko and Hinata, no one would care.

I had half a mind to call Gekko and Hinata and ask them to come pick me up.

That I was done.

After trying to be a hero, and trying to fit in, I was done with everything. I just wanted to go home. I didn't even realise it, but my Quirk had activated. Rain started to pour as it covered my head so that I wouldn't get wet, but all I did was stare at my empty phone screen.

I didn't even have the guts to call my family and tell them I failed, again.

I couldn't even face myself.

…

"Hey, you alright?"

A blonde boy, around two years older than me stood in front of me. He was only a little taller than me and had grey eyes, a small smile tugging at his lips. And unlike me, he was drenched by the rain as the guy didn't even have an umbrella on him.

"Shouldn't I be asking you that?" Without even asking, I expanded my Nimbus to cover both his and my head as he gratefully sat down next to me. None of us said anything to each other for a few seconds as we just sat in comfortable silence. "You okay?"

"I'm fine," The guy replied with a smile. "I was just reminded of something. Something I didn't want to remember. But it was something that I needed to remember, a true fact of life."

I nodded slowly.

"Good for you. I wish I could say the same."

"You're not happy with your life?"

I shook my head in response.

"I think I hate it," I answered honestly. "My parents - adopted - they told me to be kind to others. I was so arrogant that I didn't listen to them, I thought I knew better. And when I finally open up my eyes to that, when I try to be better, I'm shut down. I'm reminded that I can't be better 'cause no one's gonna let me be better. And all I'm thinking right now is why the fuck should I be kind to everyone? To the selfish and fucking annoying pricks that ruin my life?"

"...Then don't."

"Don't? Then I'll just go back to being the bastard I used to be just a few weeks ago, I'll go back to being the child my parents are embarrassed of. The brother my sister avoided for so long," I shook my head at that. "I don't want to hurt my family anymore. But it's fate. I can't avoid that, so I might as well leave, right? Just leave it all behind, leave this fuckin' city behind."

"And where would you go?"

"I don't know, just somewhere far away from here. Maybe I can start fresh, no one's gonna know me, so maybe I can change-," Surprisingly, the older blonde boy shook his head at me, causing me to quiet down.

"Running away to a different world… that doesn't erase the past," The blonde boy told me. "I've been running from that fact for so long. I think, maybe, maybe you still haven't understood your parent's lesson. Being kind to others is a good thing, but you also need to be kind to yourself. That's how you really change. To accept the good and the bad inside you, a balance."

"I don't think I can do that."

"I don't think I can either," The older boy said with a grin. "But you just grit your teeth and smile. You're stronger than you think. I'd like to think that we all are. If you can't be kind to yourself, if you can't accept yourself, then don't. Fight against it, fight against everything and don't stop fighting until you're happy."

…

"That's stupid," I told him while scoffing. "Thanks for the advice, but what's the point of fighting if all it's going to do is never solve anything? If nothing is ever going to change for the better then there's no way I'm fighting it. I'd rather not start fighting for no reason, at that point you're just being stubborn and can't accept it. Life, I mean."

The older boy shrugged his shoulders in response.

"That's fair. I guess that makes us opposites then," The boy whispered. "How ironic. I come here to help you, but if anything you don't need help. I guess I learnt my lesson, not everyone needs to be saved. But that look in your eyes, you want to save someone, don't ya?"

I shrugged my shoulders at that.

I did want to help Sakura and Keiko fix their friendship.

It was just stupid teenage drama that tore them apart, I'd seen it happen countless times before. But there was something deeper, something about what happened that neither I nor Shirou understood between them.

"Good luck, man. You know, you also have something in your eyes. A fire. I don't think you're going to run away which means you probably will fight. Just don't think I'm helping ya' out from the kindness in my heart - I'm not a hero. I just saw some kid that looked a little sad."

I chuckled at that.

"I want to be a hero, so if anything it's sorta' funny," I replied. "And I wasn't sad. I was just… annoyed. But even that's cleared. I guess time does heal all wounds. Even though your advice was fuckin' awful, thanks. What's your name anyway?" The older boy blinked at me in surprise, scratching his head in embarrassment.

"It's stupid, I know. But I have a really stupid name."

"I'm not going to laugh. I'm called Sora after all."

"Raiden," The boy eventually said. "It was nice meeting you Sora, even if we disagreed on how to handle our problems. Heh. I'll see you again, probably. Are you sure you really want to become a hero? Tons of em' die ya' know."

I snorted at that, staring at the starry sky above us.

"Yeah," I waved at him. "Being a hero is all I have left. A single gamble for a chance at a better life. If I somehow make it in, maybe I won't be such a bastard after all. I'd be able to make my family proud."

"What about your friends?"

I smirked at that.

"Ain't got any," I replied. The blonde boy named Raiden's face fell at that as he scoffed lightly, slapping the back of my head in response. "Hey! What the fuck was that for?! Are you looking to fight?!"

"You say you have no friends, but I think that's not true. I've seen your types before. You claim you're alone - Nah, you want to be alone. But somehow you always make people orbit around you," He told me confidently. "You have friends. You just don't know it yet. Maybe that's why you have such a guilty look on yer' face."

"That's-,"

"Save it," The boy cut me off with a wave. "Not like I care. But you should go back to your friends. It may be night, but that doesn't mean it can't be a 'brand new day' for ya'. You can change that much in your life, at the very least."

"You're a hopeful guy, even if you chat the most shit I've ever heard in my life," I snorted. "Cheers for the advice though. I came here because I thought it was a brand new day for me. A chance to change. And here I am, just running away."

"Then don't," Raiden replied, resting his hands behind his head. "If I were you, I'd run. But I'm not you. If you ain't gonna run, then don't. You don't have to fight it either. Just face it head-on and overcome that barrier, you seem stubborn enough to at least be able to do that."

"Hey!" I yelled at him, angrily. "You just met me. Prick."

"Hehe. Yeah. I guess. I have to go now, but it nice meetin' ya'. Even if we could have met under better circumstances," He waved at me. "Good luck with everything, Sora Yamazaki. I ain't gonna doubt that you'll do some good things soon."

Tch.

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever. Nice meeting you too, Raiden."

Waving at him, I watched as the older boy walked down the street, eventually disappearing from my sight as I continued to sit down on the curb. I couldn't be kind to Yanagi-sensei or any of those twats that spoke behind my back. My anger spiked as I simply thought of them, but that was unbecoming of a hero. The fact was that I nearly gave up despite the fact that so many people supported me in trying to get here.

I ran away at the first sign of, well, this path being hard.

I was just being a brat again.

Running away from the truth because it suited me.

This path was always going to be hard for me, it was never going to be an easy trip. I had no right to complain, especially after everything I've done and the people I've hurt. Especially after hurting my family who still cares about me after everything. If I just gave up now, I wouldn't be able to face them.

Tch.

That left a bad taste in my mouth no matter how I tried to look at it, and I nearly gave up cause it was too hard. I couldn't control my temper and I nearly ruined everything. Once again, I was left staring at the reflection of myself in a puddle.

I looked so pathetic.

"I'm never going to give up on anything ever again."

That was a promise I intended to keep.

---

Walking back to the restaurant carrying a bag of McDonalds was embarrassing.

The waiter glared at me, but I glared back.

Dragging a chair behind me, I glared at everyone who dared to look or whisper around me. I made sure to let them know that I had eyes and ears too and that I wasn't going to stand for it any longer.

"Y-Yamazaki," Yanagi-sensei looked at me in surprise. "I wondered where you scampered off to-,"

"Shut up, won't ya'?" The flustered look on his face as I sat down next to Jiro and began to eat my food, made me so happy. "I got a bad message from a friend, sorry for not explaining it properly. But I'm back. And I won't leave ever again."

"Did your gang get in a fight or something?"

"That's exactly what happened, fatso," I rolled my eyes at his stupid comments and began mocking our teacher. "I had to go and beat up some wimps. You know, establish superiority and all that. Not that you would know anything about it, you look like someone who was bullied a lot as a kid. Let me guess, was it the weight?"

As Yanagi-sensei spluttered trying to come up with a reply, I ate my cheeseburger and fries in silence as I looked around the table. Keiko refused to make eye contact with me, understandable considering I had shouted at her. It was sort of awkward, yet at the same time, it was fine. Denji and Sui waved at me with big grins on their faces and Shirou and Sakura looked much happier now that I had arrived.

"Mind if I take a chip?" Jiro asked me, smiling. "I'm not really a fan of the food on offer here. I'll owe you one."

I shrugged my shoulders in response as I looked at her plate of spaghetti that had been drenched in olive oil. It looked fancy. But just because it looked fancy didn't mean it tasted alright.

"Sure. And ya' don't need to pay me back."

"...I don't accept that deal."

"It's just a chip or two."

"Yes, but I owe you for them."

"You seriously don't."

Jiro frowned at me.

"I do. No matter what you say, I'll pay you back."

"Fine," I rolled my eyes at her. "You don't have to be so stubborn over some chips. I don't know, just buy me a drink or something and we're even. A Fanta maybe. It's not like I give a shit, it's more of a gift to my friends."

Kyoka Jiro laughed at that.

"So we're friends now?"

"Well, I don't think I'm better off alone. At the very least I know that I shouldn't isolate myself," I admitted honestly. "You seem like a cool girl. You all seem like good people. For some reason you're all kind to me-,"

"That's because we don't care about the rumours," Denji cut me off with a small smile on his lips. "Sure, we know about Sora Yamazaki. The bully. But on this trip, even if it's been just a day, we haven't seen that at all. The others can say whatever they want, but we have our own eyes to judge you. And you seem like a decent guy. Maybe a bit misguided, somewhat of a troublemaker, but you aren't half bad. I mean I have to share a shitter with you for a week. So far you haven't made a mess, so that's good."

Jiro cringed at that as I laughed at Denji's comment.

"I always clean up after myself."

"Good. I don't want your blue pubes to clog up our shower."

"You guys are disgusting," Jiro told the two of us. "I'm trying to eat my dinner. Could you at the very least keep that conversation away from the dinner table? Boys. You're all the same, aren't you?"

I shook my head at her.

"Nah. You'd think that, but we're all quite different. It's just we all have like a hive mind when it comes to saying disgusting things during dinner. Especially in front of pretty girls," I replied. Jiro blushed heavily at that. "What?"

"You just called me pretty."

"Well if I didn't I'm pretty sure my sister would find out and she'd come here to kick my arse across town. Don't read into it too much," I told her. "I don't think I even have it in me to like a girl with how I currently am."

"How you currently are?"

I didn't reply as I dug into my food.

A delinquent.

It was overplayed at this point. Because of how I once acted - still acted in some ways - I thought I wasn't deserving of it. Of love. All I could do was run away from it, fearing the fact that I would always be loved by my family. It was a weird sensation to have while I ate, glancing up to see everyone in my group smile and make jokes. They were happy. And it wasn't hard to admit that even I was happy.

I didn't have to act the way I did anymore.

Not just for myself and my family, but for the future too.

Once we got back to school. No longer a delinquent, I had the chance to increase my reputation correctly. And I wasn't going to run away from that opportunity nor run away from this trip which my tutor had arranged so that I could be better. My parents co-signed on the trip, buying me essentials and giving me some money for some snacks so that I could succeed.

Or my sister, a girl that had been hurt by me.

Cheering me on from the sidelines.

In comparison, a little fight between two teenage girls didn't seem all that much like a difficult task. It was doable. If I stopped running away and giving up so easily, maybe I could pull it off. And a small glance over at Shirou and Sakura sitting on the far edge of the table with Keiko's sporadic guilty looks shot their way and also my way making me more determined to save them.

To make sure that Sakura and Keiko make up, or at least get over what happened between them. No doubt a strong challenge due to... Sakura's personality and Keiko's passive-aggressive nature, but it was doable.

Either way, I really needed to work on my social skills if I wanted to be a hero, not to mention my combat skills. While I wasn't aiming to be the best of the best, at least competent enough to pass and get into 1A was my goal here.

It was feasible at least.

And it all started with a small step, right here and now. My future depended on this, after all, if I couldn't help a friend, and maybe another friend then how could I call myself a hero-to-be? Eventually, we all wrapped up with eating as we made our way back to the hotel under the cool breeze of the night.

And this time…

This time I paired with Keiko.

I didn't miss the looks Shirou and Sakura gave me, as well as everyone else in the group. Or the strained smile she shot me as we walked side-by-side near the tail end of our little line. We both stared at the sky, lamenting the lack of stars that we could make out - One of the negatives of living in a city.

"Sora-,"

"I'm sorry for snapping at you. It wasn't cool of me to do that."

"It's fine. I just… I didn't want another fight to break out."

I rubbed the back of my head with a small grin preying on my lips. "Eh, you can't always fight with someone. Sometimes ya' got to choose peace. Especially with friends, no matter how hard the fallout was."

Her face faltered slightly, which meant one thing.

She understood what I was trying to say.

"You really aren't shying away from that topic, aren't you?" Keiko asked me with a small smile. "I can't blame you to be fair. Everyone walks around on eggshells around Sakura and me. It's sort of refreshing to see you break that barrier. It felt like not even All Might himself could punch it down."

"I'm not All Might. But I do have the subtlety of a sledgehammer," I told her, making her giggle a little. "Sometimes you need a little force in these things. A nudge here, a little push there and maybe some magic can happen. Peace isn't something you can wish for while you sit and do nothing, that just makes you a hypocrite."

"Oh? That's an interesting viewpoint, Sora," Keiko said to me. "I mean I agree with you, I just didn't expect you to be into philosophy. You may be a brand new person, but if you keep on making the same old mistakes then what have you really learned? Peace can only be achieved when both parties have realised their mistakes."

I frowned at that.

"Who do you think hasn't learnt from their mistakes?"

"Does that really matter?" Keiko asked me with a sly smirk. "You know, I don't doubt your intentions here, but it does make you feel fake. Like you're just using the drama between Sakura and me to help you out."

"Maybe I am fake? Is that a problem for you?"

Keiko grinned as she took a step closer, intertwining her hands with mine as she rested her head on my shoulder and stared at me. I gulped down any nervousness as I stared at Keiko's warm light brown eyes and wondered what she was doing.

"Maybe fake is what I like?"

"Maybe you need better taste in guys," I shut her down, yanking my hand away from hers as I took a step away from her. "Being desperate isn't going to get you anywhere. Plus, sorry to say, but I don't find thirteen-year-olds attractive."

"...but you're thirteen-,"

"Stop making this about me. You're just avoiding the question, who hasn't learnt from their mistakes? Because both you and Sakura want to make things right, but she's too scared to reach out and you're forcing yourself to act like this when deep down you just want things to go back to how they once were," I told her honestly. "It's borderline sad how you two want things to change but can't bring yourself to make those changes."

"Listen Sora," Keiko spoke to me without any traces of amusement on her face, staring right into my eyes. "Sakura and I... it's not something that can be fixed easily. We both want to move on, but we can't. Makoto and Saki, they tried. So did Renji. And they all failed. What makes you think you can do better, honestly? Not to be rude, but you don't exactly seem like the type to do this."

I nodded.

Naturally, she was right, I wasn't exactly the most social person, nor was I the mediator between them. I was an outsider at best, and a prick at worst. Someone who barely knew what went down other than Keiko snapping and Sakura after a gradual build-up of months.

But I had one thing that the rest didn't.

"I'm stubborn as hell," I replied. "I don't know what really happened, but that doesn't mean either of you should give up. Friendships come and go, but if you've had an argument with someone and feel guilt over what happened that it haunts you even after so many months… well that wasn't just a friendship. She said you guys were like besties."

"We were… a little more than that," Sakura replied as she smiled sadly at me. "I wish I could do that. That we could do that. But I don't deserve to be her friend Sora. I-, I can't be her friend. Not after what I did."

I blinked in surprise at her.

Sakura still wanted to be friends with her when she spoke about Keiko, but she still cared about her, even after what Keiko supposedly did to her. All I knew was that some mean words were exchanged, but judging by Keiko's guilty face, maybe it wasn't so simple.

Maybe there was more to that story than I thought.

My brows furrowed as I asked her, "What do you mean, just what exactly happened?"

But Keiko ignored me, choosing to walk ahead slightly.

I frowned.

This was not going well. If anything, I was making the situation worse.

Still, I wasn't deterred-,

"Oi! You two!" Yanagi-sensei yelled from the from of the queue. "Don't fall behind-,"

Ugh.

It was then that our teacher fell to the floor and began vomiting his dinner everywhere. And the smell of cheap alcohol, cigarettes and vomit surrounded the man. I groaned, smacking my forehead in annoyance as I stared at the rest of the group.

"Everyone, just go back to the hotel," I told them. "I'll stay and make sure this idiot's fine."

After all, that's what heroes do.

---

"I swear to fucking God, I'm going to murder this fat piece of shit!"

"Come on Sora, we aren't far from the hotel! Don't you play footy? I thought you would have stronger muscles, how can you be a hero when you can't even carry one person efficiently?" Jiro jokingly asked me. She was the only one who stayed behind to help me, ironically she was also the only other person who also wanted to be a hero.

I sighed.

"Well, hero work shouldn't involve carrying a drunk man safely home, let alone a middle-aged and overweight one," I replied, however, Jiro was having none of it.

"You're helping the people. You're doing community service, and isn't that the most heroic thing ever?" I grinned as I responded with a middle finger, making Jiro giggle in response. "That's a bit unflattering for an aspiring hero Sora, I could ask that you get fined for treating me, a pedestrian, badly."

I shook my head as I said, "Go ahead, although who says I'll be the one that is fined? Isn't it the agency's responsibility?"

Jiro shook her head at that.

"Not always. There's an old law case that's still used because it set the precedent of heroes being their own entity from the agency. Unless the agency is also sued, then the party responsible is the hero. Before that, there were too many agencies facing bankruptcy because a lot of young heroes made mistakes and got sued. Then they changed it so we would still have hero agencies around."

Ah, that makes sense.

"Fairs. A bit weird that you know that."

"If I'm going to join U.A. and be a hero then I'd need to know these things. So I can be the best hero I can possibly be," Jiro replied. "You can call it weird, but I don't care. Being a hero isn't just fighting or just saving people, there's a lot more to it. If you want to join U.A. maybe it would be a good thing to know these cases."

I scoffed at that.

"I love history. Hell, I find law kinda' interesting. And you know what, you're probably right. U.A. is known for its tough courses, so they'll probably have cases involved in the main curriculum. But do you know what's more important?" Jiro shook her head at that. "Not getting vomit on my brand new shoes. Call me a psychopath, but I will turn into a villain if this bastard ruins these shoes. My Mum just bought them for me."

Giggling at that, I watched as Jiro walked side-by-side with me as she grabbed Yanagi-sensei's other arm. She noticed my surprise at her helping me carry our teacher back to the hotel.

"...Don't look so surprised. I'd hate to see you get excluded from our school and not be able to try and get into U.A. because you let your anger get the best of you," Jiro told me. "And don't try and deny that you have no temper. I'm stuck with you in our tutor group. And most of your classes."

"In my defence, I get provoked often."

"You also are the one provoking people first then snap at them when they get angry back at you," Jiro replied as she helped to shift our teacher's body weight to allow us to walk faster back to the hotel. "Or that's how you were. Not all the time. But most of the time. One time you snapped at me for asking for the pen that you burrowed in maths to be given back."

Oh.

"It's fine. Your sister bought me a puff pastry during break time to make up for it, but I didn't really care about the pen or the food," Jiro told me as our teacher stirred slightly, vomiting once more. We both dropped him at the same time, turning to laugh at our teacher who had his face buried under his vomit. "I can't believe our school only assigned one teacher for this entire trip."

"To be fair our city is only on the other side of the city. Not that it makes it any better, but you know. If any problem arises it wouldn't take long for them to rectify it. But I guess considering this idiot here drank a lot of alcohol, I bet once the Endeavour agency finds out about this we'll be saying bye-bye to our trip," I sighed. "There goes my plan for the weekend. Oh man, it's past midnight."

The Tenth of May.

Huh.

"Why do you look so down?"

"Well, today's my birthday," I replied with a smile.

"Huh?"

I nodded at Jiro as my phone buzzed to life. Messages from Miwa, Mum and Dad all came rolling in at the same time in our little family group chat. I couldn't help but smile as I placed my phone in my pocket and gently kicked our teacher, who was still vomiting his lungs out.

"Bloody hell. What did he have to drink?"

"Something with Vodka. Oh, wine and Whiskey too," Jiro recounted from her memory. "Drinks were free. Plus, the way you left the restaurant earlier was kinda a mood-dampener. Then you made Keiko cry which isn't a negative, but Yanagi here thought he could drink his sorrows away."

"So, technically, this is all my fault?"

Jiro shook her head at that.

"Why's it your fault? You're just a fourteen-year-old that had a little outburst. Sure, that's not cool. You do need to work on your temper. But our teacher here should have given up his seat for you. That's what I think a real teacher would have done," Jiro said honestly. "He's an adult. He needs to be better. Honestly, you'd think our school would be better run than this but here's to incompetence I guess."

I chuckled softly at that.

"Schools are the same everywhere. No matter what time or place," I lamented, thinking back to my old school in my previous life. It was voted one of the worst schools in the UK by Ofsted multiple years in a row. "Teachers also suck. You have bastards like Yanagi here who clearly do it so they have some control over their lives. I mean who seriously becomes a teacher cause' of the money or the respect."

"Hey. Teachers aren't bad."

I rolled my eyes at her, pointing at the man beneath our very feet.

"Even in my elementary school, I had teachers like Yanagi. I had a good Quirk and I was smart. I still remember when they favoured me before… Well before the 'delinquent' mask ever became a thing," I explained to Jiro. "I wouldn't really call it a mask. Just a series of stupid decisions from me."

Jiro scoffed at that, tapping my shoulder lightly.

"Don't be too harsh on yourself. You're just a kid."

"I need to be better-,"

"Why? For who? Because your family still love you enough to send you birthday messages right as it hits midnight. Because even the people on this trip can see that you're not a bad guy," Jiro cut me off. "So why do you need to be perfect? My Dad always says that making mistakes is like learning to play an instrument. If you learn how to correctly play the chords on a guitar then it eventually becomes easier. But if you just trial and error it that's how you truly learn how to play the guitar."

I blinked at her in confusion.

"Uh… That's a shit analogy."

"It makes sense to me," Jiro huffed out, folding her arms at me. "Okay, think about it in football terms! You like Liverpool, right? Well, say that one of your star players. I don't know, someone like Fernando Torres or Xabi Alonso tries something new and messes up in a game. It means that next time they can be better and stronger. Compare that to someone who only follows what the coaches tell them to do and that's why they are world-class players."

I shook my head at that.

"Torres and Alonso would never make mistakes."

"I-, You-, Urgh," Jiro sighed, slamming her hand against her forehead. "I know you get what I mean, so just shut up and listen. Forcing yourself to try and be 'better' isn't how you become better. It's just wearing another mask. If you really want to be better, then just be yourself. If you want to leave our teacher on the street vomiting his dinner out, then do it. Don't force yourself to be a hero."

…

I grinned, flicking one of her bangs that fell on the right side of her face.

"You're smart."

"We're in the same class for everything."

"But science," I corrected her. "I'm not good at science."

"I know. I was forced to peer-mark your atrocious exam. 'The Mitochondria is where the cells multiply and have children.' Or even better, 'Protons give out positive vibes while Neutrons are just haters.' We have a real Einstein on our hands here," Jiro said while giggling. "Happy Birthday by the way. I know it ain't much considering this is the first time I've properly had a conversation with you."

I nodded at that.

"You know, you aren't too bad. We should have more conversations like this."

Jiro's eyebrows rose slightly.

"Sounds like a date."

"Like I said, I'm not in the market right now," I replied, waving her off. "Not only that but don't get it twisted, sis'. You're just not my type. I like my women above the age of seventeen with big arses and tits-,"

---

After getting Yanagi to bed, I took a shower and went downstairs to the lounge of the hotel. It wasn't going to close until three in the morning, and since everyone in my room was fast asleep and I didn't want to go to bed yet, I decided to stay up.

But I suppose it was a surprise to see Keiko also up.

It was weird considering these past few hours were as if fate was pulling us together.

Keiko was on the phone to someone as she was dressed in her PJs and slippers, some famous idol band that was touring Japan. Scandal or something. Despite that, I sat down opposite her and scrolled my phone for a while.

"I'm fine, Keiko. Yeah. It's late here. Love you too. Bye!"

There was silence after Keiko ended her call, and I could only imagine that she stared at me with a look of either confusion or rage. I did sorta' interrupt her call. Well, I didn't mean for it to, but there was-,

"You couldn't go to sleep either?" Keiko's voice cut off my thoughts as I looked up from my phone, nearly dropping it in surprise, as she raised her knees to her chest and twirled a strand of her hair around her finger. She looked vulnerable. "The only reason I joined this trip was cuz' of my Dad. The guy I called is my Dad. He used to be a hero here."

"Huh. Neat."

Keiko nodded.

"Yeah. Back when I was a kid he was a sidekick that graduated from this place, the only reason the school was able to even get a chance to come here was because of my Dad and his connections. Originally, it was just supposed to be some work experience for me but it slowly grew into an entire trip," Keiko explained to me. "Isn't that lucky? Nepotism coming in for the clutch."

"I wouldn't call it nepotism."

"I would," Keiko replied harshly. "It's kinda embarrassing, you know. I mean compared to Sakura and her family, I basically have a pitch-perfect one. My Mum and Stepdad work in our school as administrators, and my Dad and his girlfriend work abroad as heroes in America. Realistically, I have an easy life."

"No one has an easy life."

Keiko scoffed at that.

"But no one wants to believe that. I've had a far easier then life than most people, so what gives me the right to complain? Even you've probably had a harder life than me. Delinquent mask and all," Keiko whispered.

I sighed at that.

"This isn't the struggle Olympics. Jeez. You really need a therapist."

"And you don't?"

"I've solved my issues."

"No one solves their issues. They're just replaced with new ones."

"Well, I solved mine, Keiko."

"Well maybe wait a little for life to hit you once again."

I huffed out in annoyance.

"You're talking shit right now," I told her straight up. "I'm not going to get any more problems. I'll be fine. For some reason whenever I go to do something, you're there. And then I'm reminded that you and Skura had a little falling out-,"

"A little-,"

"-And," I cut her off, pointing my finger at her. "How the two of you suck at apologies. So now I'm sorta forced into fixing it up. I want to help. Genuinely. Sure, at first I was going to help you to 'get rid of my mask' but to be honest, I like being a delinquent. I like that I don't have to deal with a lot of people and that I have a small circle. Ultimately, I can do or say whatever I want. Like helping two people become friends again."

"Then why are you trying to help us?"

I shrugged my shoulders.

"Someone said something about mistakes and learning from them. Like a guitar. To be honest I was half listening because they said a shite analogy about Liverpool but that's not the point. My point is that I should be more truthful to myself. I want to help you so that what remains of our trip is fun so that the next time you come over to mine to see Miwa, instead of giggling girls I'm greeted by a friend or two."

Keiko rolled her eyes at that.

"Friends? You know, you could-,"

"I'm not dating you."

"Fine. But just wait, I'll ask my Dad for some tips to make you mine."

"That's nice of him, think you can set up a meeting between me and him?" I asked, "It would be great to ask him any embarrassing stories about his daughter, in addition to information about hero agencies, etc."

Keiko blushed lightly as she smacked me on my arm lightly. "C'mon Sora, that's not funny. I thought you were going to take my offer. It would be hard to set up a meeting with him considering he lives abroad, not to mention it would drive my mother crazy that he would speak to his daughter's friend, and not her."

Ah.

…

"Sorry about bringing it up," I apologised to her, and looking at her downtrodden face filled me with some guilt. It seems like all I did lately was feel guilty and then apologise, no doubt due to my insensitive nature.

It was a work in progress.

"No need to apologise," Keiko smiled at me. "Unlike others, at least you went out of the way to apologise to me, and earlier on today with Sakura. You know, you really are a decent guy. Better than my Dad at least."

I winced slightly as I shook my head in response. "Ain't a good guy, not at all. There is a reason as to why I was called a delinquent at like the age of nine, and it wasn't for my pretty face."

Keiko actually poked my cheek at that.

"You keep on bringing that up. And I have to keep telling you that I couldn't care less."

"Well that's fine and all but others do care. But since when have I cared about what others think," I said while shrugging my shoulders. "Outside of what my family think of me and what I think of myself, everyone else can just fuck off."

Keiko nodded.

"Yeah, you are right. Say... aren't you adopted?" She asked me.

Before I could reply, her ears went red as she realised what she said and she apologised profoundly for being insensitive. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean it to come out that way, honestly. I mean like, you are adopted, right? With Miwa Hayate, she is in my art class."

"Miwa, huh? Yeah, we both are adopted," I replied with a grin, "And it's fine, I don't really mind. I never knew my parents in the first place, so it's not really a sore point I guess."

"Still," Keiko said. "Don't you wish you knew your parents?" She asked me.

Honestly, before she asked me that, I didn't really think about it. Some memories of a blond-haired woman pushing me away from the hospital were all I had of my mother and absolutely nothing regarding my father. It was interesting to think about from time to time, but it's not like I actually cared enough.

"Nah, not really. They left me, and I like my life the way it is. Miwa, Hinata and Gekko adopted me. Even now with Jiro, Shirou, Sakura and you. Everyone on this trip. I guess I never really felt that hole they left in me, or rather I didn't care."

She nodded thoughtfully. "

That's pretty cool of you, to not care about your parents like that. I wish I was like you," Keiko answered truthfully, looking up at the night sky, the stars dancing around like diamonds, or something along those lines. I couldn't really describe it properly. "Anyway, it is what it is. That's the price of life. It's mighty ironic that the 'nepo baby' wishes she was an orphan."

"..."

"It doesn't matter now, and won't ever." I frowned, just what did she mean? Something else was at play, something that made the usually timid girl more sombre than she should be.

"Hey," I said. Keiko turned her attention towards me and did the only thing I could think of at the time. I grabbed Keiko's nose lightly as I said, "Ha, got your nose." It was silent as she pouted, touching her nose to see if hadn't rubbed off her makeup, not that she was wearing heavy anyway. From what I could see it was light makeup-,

My thoughts were interrupted as she suddenly reached out and grabbed my nose, yanking it much harder causing me to stumble a little forward. "Ha, got your nose as well. If you want, negotiations can start tomorrow at eight hundred hours in order to reclaim our prized noses." She teased playfully, clutching her empty hand as if something was there.

"Nah, I don't need a nose."

"Liar, liar pants on fire!" Keiko pointed her finger at me as she sang that, and I was forced to shake my head and ignore her as the remaining staff at the hotel began to look our way. I was not going to be publicly embarrassed by the thirteen-year-old girl. "Don't you think I can sing?"

"You should really go on the X-Factor, luv. I bet you could win the whole thing."

"Really?"

Fuck no.

"You're really cute for saying that. Like a little lollipop."

I growled slightly.

"Oi, I' am not a lollipop, nor cute. I resent that, as a hero-in-training I'm meant to be menacing, not cute. I don't give pedicures to criminals, nor will I give them glass shoes or something."

Keiko reached over to take off my beanie, swirling it around in the air as if it were some prize.

"There, much better. I think you look more approachable when not trying to hide your hair, it makes you look less like a scary person. I mean it's light blue, who's scared of someone who has light blue hair?"

I frowned.

That was the point as to why I resented my hair colour.

"Still," Keiko said, smiling at me. "If anyone can be a hero, it's you, even with your light blue hair. So don't give up yet, 'kay hero?" Keiko got up from the couch, reaching the steps as she gave me a peace sign. "Night Sora. Let's make tomorrow a good day, okay? No more apologies, let's just get straight to business."

"Night Keiko. And I'm always business."

She grinned at that, giving me a wink and a thumbs up.

Eh.

Could be worse.

---

After washing up, and throwing my clothes in the washroom downstairs, I went back to my room to see Shirou watching the TV in our room. Everyone else was fast asleep and it looked as if he had just woken up.

"Ah, you're back. How was it?" Shirou asked me, a shit-eating grin enveloping his face. My response was to flip him off, I was not in the mood. I swear, Yanagi-sensei better give the best-damned report about me when we get back to school, he better make sure that everyone knows how much of a hero I was.

"Ha, bloody ha. So funny, have you ever thought of going into comedy Shirou? Think you would be a natural fit."

Shirou's grin never left his face.

"For real? Everyone always says that I'm bad at jokes, but at least someone appreciates them. You know, you could be my number one fan!" I sighed as I plopped down onto my bed, it was nearly four AM and my phone was on charge, so I couldn't even use it due to it charging across the room, where the only plug was.

Really bad design choice from the hotel.

"Get anywhere with Keiko?" Shirou asked me. In response I gave a thumbs up, it was too much effort to verbally respond after he ruined the night for me with her. "Great. If only I could make some progress with Sakura. Maybe then they'd be able to finally be friends again if she wasn't so stubborn in admitting it. They're both idiots."

I shrugged my shoulders at that.

"It's not like Keiko doesn't want to be friends with Sakura again, Shirou. It's more that something is blocking them from being friends, Keiko's own guilt for whatever reason. Keiko regrets what she said and yet she still can't be friends? Something's not right there. It didn't escape me that Keiko doesn't exactly have the best of families. I think I got a picture of what went down."

"You do?"

I nodded at him.

"Yeah. It's not a hard picture to create when you factor in everything."

Before Shirou could reply, a message from his phone made him rage as silently as he could as I watched the near-silent TV in amusement. They were re-running Fineas and Pherb. Haha.

What a classic.

"Shit, shit, shit-," Shirou groaned, punching his bed in anger.

"What's wrong?"

"My music teacher, I forgot she set homework for us last week and it was a group project. I got partnered up with Jiro, and we agreed to split it evenly. She just messaged me now saying where my half is. I can't even ignore her considering she's on the same trip as us."

"Maybe do your homework."

"Oh shut up, and wipe that smirk off your face," Shirou sighed. "It's not helping."

"What do you need help with? I got time."

Shirou's eyes widened as I said that. For the next few hours, I helped him with his project. We started when it was dark outside, and by the time we finished it was light and we could see people beginning their daily commute to work.

I coughed lightly.

Damn.

That wasn't smart.

"You know Sora, I don't really get why everyone thinks of you that badly. You are pretty short, have blue hair and are pretty cool. It's like the rumours about you are false."

"I'm. Not. Short. Got it?"

"Well, you're a little short for a guy our age. But hey, if you ever decided to wear a skirt and have long hair, you'd make a convincing girl," My left eye twitched as I threw my pillow at him. "Ow! Don't hate the one giving you the message!"

I can, and I will.

"Stop making me sound cooler than I am. I was just a loser who protected my sister to the point where I got caught up in it all. I thought I knew better. I was just an arrogant kid who was acting like a brat."

"You know, you sorta' remind me of Sakura," My ears perked up at that, how? Why? "When we were younger, I was scrawny, more nerdy. I even wore glasses, like really ugly ones. People called me weird and picked on me, so Sakura, in all her glory came in and beat them all up. Despite being younger than me, or a girl who made people underestimate her, she still went in to make my life better."

Shirou grinned at that.

"And that is why I want her to be happy. To make it up to her after all these years, after everything we went through. She deserves to be friends with Keiko if she wants, so I'll do it for her."

I smiled softly, Shirou and Sakura were good people. Sakura, while annoying, loud, brash, and very aggressive at times, was kind and loyal. Shirou was the opposite of his sister, but similar to her in so many ways. I didn't know them for long, but I could see that they could, no, I know that these two are my friends. Same with Jiro. The connection was just there.

And Keiko... she was a friend as well. And it was up to me to bridge the gap, to make everything better than before. After all, if I can't save two friends, then how could I become a hero?

"I'll-, We'll do it, Shirou. I promise. It may not mean much now, but when I'm a famous hero you can brag about how I helped you out once," I joked. "Seriously though. We'll make things right between them."

"...Thanks."

I grunted in response, throwing the TV remote at him.

It was just what I wanted to do.

"So, Sora. What you wanna watch?" Shirou asked me.

I took a glance at the TV screen, looking at all the options as I replied, "Have you seen DragonPiece Shippuden?"

Shirou nodded at that.

"Yeah, that's a classic. What about some new shows, like Candy Flurry? Or Dragon's Paradise?"

"Nah haven't seen them, but I read them. Adaptations any good?"

"Candy Flurry yes, but unfortunately Dragon's Paradise sucks, they made it all CG."

I winced, that must be rough on the eyes.

"Well at least it got an adaptation, Psyren still hasn't gotten one, even after all these years

"Wait, you are a Psyren fan as well? I thought I was the only one?"

I grinned.

"Yeah man, love Psyren. Ya' know when I was younger, I really wanted to be a mangaka. See, I even made three stories based on DragonPiece Shippuden and its characters," Shirou sat up, his eyes wide open as he asked what they were. "See, if I could draw, I would have tried to create three manga. Bleach, One Piece and Naruto. See Bleach is about..."

---

The birds were chirping, and I was yawning. Shirou was just like me, with bags underneath his eyes. We spent all night talking about my three favourite stories from my original life, unfortunately, while they didn't exist here, someone did make DragonPiece Shippuden which combined so many Jump stories into one. Here it was regarded as Japan's greatest story, so known that it even had an entire museum dedicated to its creator, which to me was crazy.

Still, at least we got to the agency on time. Our teacher, who unfortunately had to be recalled once Saki Saki told her parents what happened, was replaced with a bright and fresh Fujiwara-sensei, Jiro and mine's home tutor, who looked extra happy to see me.

"Ah, Yamazaki. I heard about what you did for Yanagi-sensei, and on behalf of the school we thank you for it."

I yawned slightly as I waved off Fujiwara-sensei.

"It's nothing. Just happy Yanagi didn't ruin any more of my clothes..." My homeroom teacher winced slightly before my brain connected the dots. "Wait, teach, what are you doing here?" I asked. I didn't realise it, but Fujiwara-Sensei wasn't here before.

And if Yanagi was recalled back to school...

"See Yamazaki, the school has decided to cut the trip off. After Yanagi-sensei's deplorable behaviour, we have decided to pull back all students from the trip, not only because of Yanagi's actions but because... uhm," Fujiwara said, going off at the end as he scratched the back of his head.

"You don't have any staff members free?" I asked, making my homeroom teacher nod his head sadly. Thought so. It was only a Tuesday and considering the school year had just started, many teachers were probably scrambling to piece together their term plans.

Let alone take time off to chaperone a trip they didn't want to go on in the first place.

"Yes, that is the crux of the problem. A shame since this was such a good trip for you all to grow, but alas the actions of one ruin it for the many. However, I do hope you have had fun."

I nodded, elbowing Shirou slightly.

"Yeah teach, loads of fun. Even made a few friends," I told my teacher proudly. Fujiwara-sensei smiled softly at me, and that was pretty cathartic. Instead of being treated like shit cause' of my actions…

It was different now.

"Excellent Yamazaki, I hope this continues even when we go back to school."

I gave him a thumbs up before he went to talk to the girls, who looked just as bad as me and Shirou did. Sakura looked the best out of all of them, looking at least somewhat presentable but her hair was slightly in a mess. Keiko looked the absolute worst, however, with heavy bags beneath her eyes, and looking like the real version of her Quirk, Ghost.

Saki and Makoto were supporting Keiko, who was sipping some coffee.

And Jiro sat down near the edge of the hotel table, eating her breakfast as her headphones were firmly placed over her ears. Lucky. To be able to listen to music without a single care at this time was a blessing.

"Yo," I called out, waving to the group of girls, dragging a tired Shirou with me. "Everyone excited for our final day at-,"

"Is it true Yanagi-sensei vomited on you, Yamazaki?" Makoto asked me, cutting me off. I nodded slowly in response and watched as she let out a shriek before devolving into laughter.

"S-s-sorry. I just couldn't handle it, the famed Yamazaki being bested by vomit," I scowled at that, who the hell decided to make me famous? It couldn't have just been my actions, I wasn't that bad, was I? Sakura sniggered behind us, forcing me to turn around and stare blankly at her.

"What?" She asked me, failing to keep a straight face. "Stop looking at me like that. Is that the expression you used when Yanagi vomited all over you?"

Ha ha, ha ha. Yes, let's all laugh at the boy who is now scared for life. Ha ha, ha ha.

Anyway, eventually Fujiwara-sensei gathered everyone up, with Denji, Sui and Renji being so tired that they struggled to be kept awake. Couldn't blame them, especially when Shirou and I had woken them up while discussing our favourite series. Then the five of us went into specific details for hours about our favourite series and why they were objectively better…

"So, as I'm you are all aware, yesterday, Yanagi-sensei's behaviour was unacceptable, and on behalf of the school, I must apologise for letting you students see that side of him," Fujiwara-sensei began. "Therefore, after today you will all be sent home and will start a normal school day from tomorrow. We just can't leave you kids unattended, especially this close towards an agency, even more so the second-best hero in the country."

Immediately, many of the students complained. Saki, Makoto and surprisingly Denji were all complaining about it. "That's unfair Sensei, how can we put this on our CV's?" Saki protested.

"But sir, we were having so much fun!" Makoto pouted.

"Teach, this was supposed to be a school-free week! I'm not mentally prepared to go back to school!" Denji shouted.

Fujiwara-sensei looked sadly at us as he nodded in response, even at some of the more silly complaints. It was a mark of a good teacher to listen to your students, but even more so to just roll with what they were saying.

"Yes, you are all right. It is unfair, however, we simply cannot allow you to be left alone, not only is it highly irresponsible, and highly illegal, but it would make your parents worry about you. So please, don't make this any harder than it already has been."

The group dejectedly looked at Yanagi-sensei, who was sleeping while wearing his vomit-stained suit and there was a collective hatred for the man. I mean he ruined our trip by drinking on the job.

I wouldn't be surprised if he were fired for his conduct.

Serves that bastard right.

However, I was already thinking about my next move. My mind was already thinking of other plans to ensure Sakura and Keiko would be friends again, and this was the chance. There was no way that I'd be able to make them friends again back in school, I just didn't really share any classes with them not to mention the toxic environment that was school. With the amount of rumours that circulated within a single lunch break, it was clear that nothing would be achieved back in school.

I had to do it, now or never.

And it seemed like Shirou shared my sentiment as he gave me a determined look.

"Anyway, you will still go to today's work experience, I'll be the one here, but after that quickly go back to your rooms and pack everything up," Fujiwara-sensei explained to us. "As such I have to remind you that even with the amended timetable, you have the pride of our school and must maintain a certain level of decorum. We will leave at around five thirty PM so that your parents can pick you up at six."

I saw Keiko sour at the last part, her face looking as if someone had killed her cat. Shirou and Sakura both looked sad at that last part as well, no doubt due to their circumstances. But I was looking forward to seeing my family today.

I mean, it was my birthday after all.

I had no doubt they had something special planned for me.

"However, no fear, as long as we can communicate with your parents they don't have to pick you up," Fujiwara-sensei added, brightening the mood considerably. "That means a little trip to a pizza place isn't off the cards so long as you behave yourselves. Anyway, chop chop people. You start your day in an hour, so let's get some breakfast. Well everyone who hasn't already eaten yet."

I yawned as I followed my homeroom tutor towards the breakfast bar at the hotel. They served some traditional Japanese breakfast items, but I skipped straight past them and went to the chocolate pastries with a grin on my face.

This was what I was waiting for.

"So, I heard this is your last day here?" Shinso asked us. Our silence was the only answer he needed. "That's a shame, I was looking forward to having kids doing my paperwork for me, and for once, maybe it would have been fully cleared."

I snorted at that.

"Cheers mate. Using kids for labour, pretty sure that's illegal."

"Work experiences don't count," Shino told me with a grin. "And anyway, if I did pay you all, I'm pretty sure you'd be happy."

"Depends on the rate per hour."

Shino chuckled at that.

"Anyway, Burnin won't be here in the morning, but I'll tell her about it soon. She was going to give you all some merchandise from the agency, but I don't know how that's going. Now as for what to make you do for today... Ah, I forgot." The elder man said, scavenging his desk and grinning as he held a piece of paper in the air triumphantly.

What a weirdo.

"I want you all to think about what you want to learn here and write down your contact info here. I'll try to keep in contact with you all, to the best of my ability, to keep you updated on new offers or work experiences, like this one, or ones sanctioned by the Hero Public Safety Commission to ensure that even non-heroes can help with hero work, in their own way," Shinso explained to us. "And also if you ever need a glowing reference for an application, I'd be more than happy to give you one. Hehe."

We all took his contact details and wrote down our own emails, thanking the man for his generosity. But he simply waved it off.

"I know I only met you all for a day, however building links is very beneficial as I'm sure you know. It wouldn't be right of me to not help the younger generation, especially since most jobs ask for experience, without realising that to get experience you need a job. Highly hypocritical of them," Shinso complained. "But that's how the trade goes sadly. Best get ahead of the curve."

Keiko and Sakura started to fill in the form right away, pen's already in their hands. I sighed as I got out my pencil case, reaching for a simple black pen. I ticked all the relevant information, before writing down my email and handing it back to the elder man, who was clutching his hair in frustration at the pile of paperwork in his office. I grinned, thank god being a hero meant not dealing with paperwork.

"So, Shinso," I started, getting the man's attention. I turned to give a sly look at Jiro who tilted her head in confusion at me. "What exactly do heroes do in patrols? Say, do they help drunk men go home?" The elder man turned towards me in confusion as he shook his head.

"No...? That's usually reserved for the police, after all, heroes are meant to catch villains, and stop crime. The police can handle mundane things like that. I mean heroes might do that, but they're too busy to do it constantly. Why do you ask?"

I grinned at Jiro, who was pouting slightly as I replied, "I was just asking sir. Just asking."

"Damn. I was excited about seeing you help another drunk man, maybe this time in a costume," Jiro whispered to me while smiling. "But it could happen. How about you become the hero who helps drunkards get home safely? The Great Drink-Man. Or maybe Drunk-Man?"

"Shush," I placed my index finger on my lips, kicking her chair lightly. "And fuck no. After him, I'm leaving drunk people alone after this. Never again. There isn't enough money in the world to do that for a job."

"A trillion?"

"...If you pay me a trillion Yen per year I will personally eat vomit," I told her. "But my point still stands. For a yearly salary? Sure. But for a one-off payment? Yeah, you can fuck right off."

Jiro rolled her eyes at me.

"Now you're just exaggerating."

"No, I'm not."

"Yes, you are."

Before I could come up with a 'witty' reply, Keiko interrupted us.

"You two are so cute together," Keiko teased. "When's the first date?"

"We aren't dating," I replied, refusing to meet Jiro's eyes. "She's-, Shut up! Tch."

Jiro thankfully sighed at Keiko.

"I don't like him in that way. Not only that, but he's not my type."

"Yeah!" I nodded in agreement. "She's not my type either."

"You said your type was models."

"I never said that. I just said I prefer my women to you know, have assets. As any guy would."

"You sound like you've never even breathed in the general vicinity of a woman."

"Yeah, yeah, go fuck yourself with a hammer."

"Speaking from experience?" Jiro smirked at me, she clearly thought she had the upper hand here. I watched as she leaned forward in her seat as she waited for my reply. Tch. As if I were going to lose to her.

"Weren't you the one telling me how rough it is with a hammer?"

Jiro blinked at that.

"I-,"

"I mean that's not the worst thing you've used. How about a cucumber wrapped around a dirty sock, so you get that friction-,"

"Ew," Keiko cut me off with a disgusted look shot at both Jiro and me. "You're both really weird. I mean it was funny for a minute, but then you guys kept on making it weirder. You definitely would make a great couple though."

"I disagree."

"So do I. Sora's… too temperamental. And short."

I felt my brow twitch at that.

Short?!

"Yeah well don't get it twisted, 'sis. You are too… musically gifted."

Jiro tilted her head in confusion.

"Huh?"

"Er-, You just seem like you listen to Dehtones or something."

She shot a pointed look.

"Is there anything wrong with Dehtones?"

"I'm more of a fan of rap."

"Of course you are."

"Hey! Rap's good."

"It's not bad. But rock is better," Jiro replied. "Way better. Can we at least agree that indie-rock is shit?"

"Huh? Indie-rock is the only rock I accept."

"What?"

"Yeah. Have you heard of this unknown band, Impala Tame? It's done by this one woman and-,"

Keiko cleared her throat as Jiro and I looked around to see the rest of our group look at us in a mixture of humour and annoyance. Ah. I guess we were so caught up in our argument that we didn't even realise we were being loud.

I turned back to face my desk with Keiko sitting next to me.

"You know, you two are really cute." She told me.

"You already said that."

"I meant it."

"Whatever."

"I'm sort of jealous actually," Keiko admitted. "I mean you come on this trip virtually knowing no one and you've already made a few good friends. That's something. Something not even I can do."

"Everyone has their strengths and weaknesses. Anyway, you were friends with everyone before this trip - That means something," I told her, and I didn't miss the sly glance she gave to Sakura. "It's not too late."

"Do you think we can be partners?" Keiko asked me out of the blue.

I blinked at her in confusion.

Then I blinked again.

Huh?

Keiko, having realised what she said, blushed heavily before rephrasing what she said with a slight stutter.

"I-, I mean if you ever want someone to work in your agency, if you make one, I'd happily work for it. Just as long as it's not in Musatafu, then you would be paying me extra. I know it's a bit random to ask, but I'm genuinely not trying to change the conversation! Just, you know, asking for future reference. "

I scratched the back of my head nervously at that.

Hero agency?

I wasn't sure if I would be able to make it to U.A. in the first place.

"Yeah, sure. If I open one, you will be considered for a position there. Fair?"

"Considered?" Keiko asked, pouting, "Why considered? Shouldn't I get a guarantee from knowing you?"

I laughed slightly as I responded by shaking my head.

"Nah, I don't want to encourage nepotism. Would make my agency come crashing down. Plus I've only known you for a few days."

"What's wrong with a little nepotism? I mean technically I'm a 'nepo baby' but by the time you open an agency I would have all the necessary requirements, then I'll be a perfect fit for the Sora Agency!"

I coughed slightly.

"Sora Agency? My hero name is not going to be my first name. Nope, nada, nein. No way in hell am I going to pick that."

"What would you call it?"

I shrugged my shoulders at that.

"I don't even know my own hero name. But… I'd want it to sound cool. And also reflect me," I admitted. "Maybe something to do with the sky? I mean I have a Quirk that controls a cloud so…"

Having an agency would be way off, let alone for me, currently fourteen, to be making plans on.

"Where would you have your agency? Personally, I'd want it far away from this city."

Hm.

"I don't know," I honestly replied. "But if I did, it would be probably in Tokyo, or maybe here. Actually, I'd probably want it here in Musutafu. Home. Can't go wrong with that. But judging from your tone of voice, you don't want to work here when you are older, do you?"

She shook her head slightly as she overlooked the city from the window. It wasn't a good view, we were just below the middle floor, so the skyscrapers still blocked the majority of our view.

"I just want to get away from home. Go out on my own, and do my own thing for once. No overbearing parents, just me, my luggage and the wind. Freedom to do what I want, be friends with who I want." Keiko truthfully told me.

"Freedom, huh?" I said. "You feel like you're trapped in a cage here, don't you? Like there's no escape." I didn't need to hear a response from her because I knew exactly how she felt.

Wanting to run away because everything is so hard.

Even now, a part of me just wanted to run as fast as I could.

But then I'd be a hypocrite.

"Then run. Run away from that metaphorical cage, even if it'll follow you around everywhere you go," I told her. "That's what you want, right? I think I understand now. Why you're so afraid."

Keiko…

She's just another me.

Another arrogant kid who made a mistake they couldn't quite fix on their own.

Just like me, Keiko couldn't exactly reach out to anyone to fix the mess she had made. Ultimately, she had everyone around her but she was so stuck in her own world that she didn't dare to reach out to them. She still was stuck in that mindset. If anything, looking at Keiko as she was made me pity her. And yet despite that, I still wanted to help her.

No, because of that I wanted to help her.

I had never felt more strongly toward something.

"...You really just wanna' run away, don't you?"

Keiko nodded, her smile not reaching her eyes.

"Yes."

That was the only reply I got.

I sighed, taking a look around the room. Our supervisor, Shinso, was sitting at his desk reading his emails. Denji and Sakura sat on their phones scrolling and messaging others while Jiro was the only one who was writing something - Probably homework that was due for tomorrow that we would have had to hand in next week, but thanks to the trip being cancelled it was due for tomorrow.

Damn it.

"How about we run away together then? Just you and me."

Keiko's eyes widened at that.

I didn't even wait for her answer as I grabbed her arm and shot up from my seat, dragging her to the exit of the small room, turning around to face everyone who looked at us in confusion. At Sakura, who looked concerned at what I was doing. I slyly winked at the girl, I did make a promise that I'd make things right between her and Keiko. And I was going to do that.

"Where are you going?" Shinso asked me.

"She," I pointed at Keiko. "Is going to run away. I'm sort of helping her."

Before anyone could say anything, I opened the door with a back-heel kick pulling Keiko along as we made our way around the Endeavour agency. We walked past many rooms that had either men in suits discussing business or pros discussing cases and each and every one of them looked at Keiko and me in confusion.

"We are going to get in so much trouble," Keiko whispered but she had an undeniable grin on her face. "Where are we going to go? Kobe? Kansai? Tokyo? Do you mind if I make a quick stop at my Mum's workplace? Oh, should I bring some money for us-,"

"Let me handle it."

"But-,"

"Trust me, I got this," I told her confidently. "If you're gonna run away why do you care about seeing your Mum? Or money. Everything will be sorted out eventually, you just got to trust in the process."

"But-,"

"Isn't this what you wanted?" I asked her.

Keiko nodded at that, but even I could see that it was a little forced.

"Aren't we going to get in trouble? What if the police catch us and we're forced to go back to our homes?" I shrugged my shoulders at that. "And what if we get expelled Sora? That looks bad on a CV!"

I shrugged my shoulders again.

"So what?" I asked. "We'll be fine, it's not like I'm taking you to Tokyo or anything. The worst we will get is detention, maybe some privileges are taken away, like free lunch breaks, and even then it will be for a week max. Trust me on this. Anyway, this is running away. The start of your new life. Why do you care what happens?"

Keiko hummed at that as we entered the elevator and made our way to the ground floor.

"You know, I can sort of see why you'd be called a delinquent now."

I grinned at that.

"See? Now you're starting to get it."

---

"So Keiko, you know what this is?" I asked her, finishing a packet of sweets I had picked up at the train station for cheap. Vending machines were quite handy. But Keiko looked at the building in front of us before turning back to stare at me in confusion.

"...U.A.?"

I grinned. I led her towards the gates of U.A., while I wasn't allowed to go in, you could just stand near it. In fact, it was one of the biggest pulls to Musatafu as a city, a chance to see the most famous school in Japan, creating the country's best future heroes. And you could feel that magic pull from just the gates alone.

Even if I couldn't go in there yet.

It still made me grin from just the outside decor of it alone.

"Yep, and it's also the place I'm gonna go to in the future," I replied. "I'm gonna be a hero that graduates from this school. That's my dream. Well, it's not just my dream. Everyone around me wants me to achieve that too."

"So why show me it?" Keiko asked.

"What do you want to do in the future?"

"I-, I don't really know. Just something far away from this city."

"From your family?"

She didn't reply, but I already knew the answer.

"You know, it's sort of stupid to wish to run away if you don't have an idea of what you want to do. The success stories - You know, the rich fuckers who say they ran away from home, they always say that they had a reason," I told her. "What's yours? To get away from your family? From the friends that you once had but fucked up with? From all the pressure that living here gives you?"

"There's nothing wrong with that."

I nodded in response.

"I'm not saying there is," I said. "I'm just saying that is what happens when you run away. You don't get to choose what you keep and what you drop. Running away for me means letting go of U.A. Of my future."

I watched as Keiko looked at U.A. in wonder.

"Even if you have one idea for the future. Are you really prepared to give up on it?"

"B-But maybe I'm running away for my future."

I shrugged my shoulders as she said that.

"Maybe so. But is that the main reason?"

No response.

---

"Sora, why are we at a ramen stand?" Keiko asked me.

I grinned as I ordered two ramen for us, giving the shop owner a few hundred Yen extra as a tip. Ironically, my stomach grumbled really loudly as soon as I paid the money for our ramen.

"It's food, and I'm hungry. So eat up Keiko," I answered. "Plus, I really like this place. I always go here with my Mum and my sister. Dad always comes late cause of work, but sometimes Mum just can't cook. And that's okay. We have this cool ramen stand nearby. Do you go out to eat with your family?"

Keiko shifted in her seat uncomfortably.

"At home, Mother always orders food for us. She's busy working late so either I cook for us or we have a takeaway," She told me. "But this seems like a nice place. It's sort of relaxing."

I grinned at that.

"Right? Sometimes when my parents or more so Miwa are mad with me, I'll come here and do my homework," I said as I waited patiently for our spicy pork ramen to come. "It's quiet but it gets the job done. Delicious food and a space to relax. You know, I'm pretty sure I never see you at the school library."

"I don't go there."

"Why not?"

"My mother doesn't like me revising outside where she can see me as she might think I'm not revising properly," I nodded slightly. "It's not that she doesn't trust me, it's just…"

"She wants you to do well? Better than everyone?"

Keiko bobbed her head in response.

"She wants me to be the best in the year, and each time I am not she lectures me and tells me to try harder, increasing my workload," She admitted to me. "I hate it, I get that doing well in school leads to success, but I'm not smart like her. I can't sit down for hours on end and work on subjects that bore me. I can't do that for the subjects I like either. What about you?"

"I'm pretty sure I have ADHD," I joked. "But then and again, so does every guy."

Keiko giggled as our food was promptly delivered.

"Wow. That's a big bowl of ramen."

"I know!" I smiled at her reaction, breaking apart my chopsticks. "Crazy cheap too. For our city I mean."

"Yeah. Maybe Mum would like this place."

"It's a shame then."

"Huh?" Keiko looked at me in confusion as I started to eat my ramen. I slurped some of the broth, chewing on the pork as it basically melted in my mouth. Even the vegetables were seasoned right. "What do you mean, Sora?"

"I mean you're running away, right?" I replied, eating some more ramen. "You're never gonna get a chance to show your mother this place. Or your father, if he ever comes to visit. That means no more phone calls."

Keiko looked at her bowl of ramen and slowly nodded.

"Oh. Right."

The rest of the meal was eaten in contemplative silence.

---

We walked as I showed her my home, well from the outside. I didn't have any keys with me and even if I did, inviting a girl back home with no one inside would send the wrong message entirely.

Not to mention we were trying to run away.

"A three-bedroom apartment? Wow, your parents. must have been living here for years to be able to have gotten it. not to mention rich enough to keep it and support two children for years on end," Keiko said with a grin on her face. "I bet you were a fussy baby, weren't you?"

I violently shook my head at that.

"Fuck no. That was Miwa and her Bratz toys. I had Lego."

"Lego isn't cheap."

"It was cheap. Back then I mean. Plus I read a lot of manga while all Miwa wanted to do was buy movies and TV boxsets," I replied. "At the very least our parents were happy to see me reading so young. Maybe that's why they always treated me a little extra?"

"Favouritism?"

"Well, I am the better child."

"I bet Miwa would disagree."

"True."

"It's a nice house. And your parents raised you both right," Keiko admitted. "Even if you've had a rough patch. But it makes sense why they didn't give up on you. You're trying to show me that running away from home isn't all that, aren't you?"

I grinned.

"Well, I guess when you say it like that it sounds sorta' silly."

"...Why."

I blinked at her in surprise.

"Why? Because I've wanted to run away for so long," I truthfully told her. "I always thought the problem lay with everyone else, that it was me against the world. I just didn't want to accept responsibility. But whenever I ever thought about running away, even recently despite my attempts to change - It's because of everything I showed you that I didn't. Because I'd miss them. And I know that you have things that you would miss too."

"They can be found again in new places."

"Can they?" I asked her. "Because sure, you can find a new life somewhere else. I know you can. But there's no guarantee that you won't fuck it up again. And yeah, I'm saying you fucked up."

Keiko didn't process what I was saying at first.

But when she did, she looked angry at me.

"How is it my fault?"

"Why isn't it your own fault? Why is it that a thirteen-year-old blames everyone else but themselves? And then you have the cheek to dream about running away," I scoffed at that. "It's just pure arrogance, I won't lie. You think you are special, going through all this. But you're not. You are just like everyone else and you don't see them running away. So really, why do you want to run away?"

"I-,"

Keiko couldn't bring herself to tell the truth.

And I could only sigh.

Deep down in her soul, I knew that she knew the answer. She knew that she had the answer, and ultimately, that was what was so frustrating. At least in my case, I was still trying - and I still am - to process seventeen years of another life. In another world. With friends and family that I never truly got to say goodbye to.

A life I never got to live.

But Hinata and Gekko were awesome, and Miwa while annoying sometimes was amazing.

"I… I said that I once saw you at Miwa's. Or your house I should say. But truthfully? I'm not Miwa's friend," Keiko told me. "I had a falling out with her. Ironically, it was over you. Because you were a delinquent causing fights. One time you shoved a guy into me and I was hurt."

Oh.

"I was injured and I missed my tennis tournament. My Mum got so angry with me, so I got angry with you," Keiko explained. "And your sister - Miwa - she didn't take shit from me. Even though you couldn't have given more of a shit, she still defended you and called me a bitch. I guess ever since then all I've done is lose more friends around me."

I sighed at that.

"That's a shame, I would love for you all to come to my house one day."

"You all?" Keiko asked me in confusion.

"Yeah," I said. "You, Jiro, Sakura, Shirou, everyone on the trip. And all of Miwa's other friends too. It would be a lot of fun. Maybe it could make Hinata not worry about me being anti-social for one."

"...You really care about your family, don't you?"

"I do."

And then, a thought came to mind.

"Sora?"

"We have one more stop," I told her. "And if you still want to run away after it, then be my guest. I won't try to stop you. But you'll have made up your mind after this last trip, alright? This is the last one. I promise."

---

"Sora?" Keiko asked me as we walked up a small hill in the middle of the South district of Musutafu. "Where are we?" I watched as she looked around in both fear and wonder. It was clear that she had never been this far down South of our city before.

"I used to live here when I was a baby."

"Really?"

I nodded at her.

"Yeah. I mean even now I live in the South East section of the city, but this is far down South. Gekko and Hinata - My parents - they didn't meet me here. I was transferred to the outskirts of the city after an incident here," I explained to her as we walked past some abandoned buildings. "In fact, they don't like me coming here often."

"Why?"

"Because this is the birthplace of the 'The Demon of Class E'."

We stood outside the charred remains of my first orphanage. I barely remember it now, not even the faces of the kids and matron who treated me right. The nice ones, who eventually died. Or the matron who cared for us all, at the very least I could remember that. My first year in this life was spent in this orphanage, and now it was just ashes and burnt wood that remained.

"This was my first orphanage," I explained to Keiko. "Everyone died here when I was small, a villain attack. Freak accident, I was the only one who survived. Haven't been here in years, so I decided to show it to you."

Keiko looked sadly at the sight, burned to bits. All the hopes and dreams of the kids at the time, burned to ash.

"Why haven't people built over it?"

"It's a memorial sight, for the dead," I answered. "The police and pros failed to come here on time. And… well, I was the only survivor somehow. You know, it feels like a conspiracy when all that happened was a simple villain attack. Someone with a Quirk thought he could commit a robbery and get away with it, his powers became too much to control and… this."

Keiko nodded sadly.

"Is this why you want to be a hero? To make sure nothing like this happens again?"

I looked guiltily towards the scorched remains.

No, that wasn't my reason. It didn't even cross my mind.

"No," I replied. "It should be, but it's not."

"So then, what is?"

I didn't reply as I pointed at the nearby hospital.

"That was where I was born. My biological mother abandoned me. I was placed in this orphanage within a few days because my biological father is still unknown to the day. After this orphanage burnt down, I was sent to one on the outskirts of the city," I told her. "The matron there hated me. She was quite religious and spiritual so she called me a devil. A demon. The kids? They picked up on it and called me Akuma for so long. I thought was my name for a few years."

Keiko frowned. "What's the point of all this depressing stuff Sora? I-, I don't understand?"

"That is the point, Keiko," I replied. "It's depressing, it's sad. By all accounts I've had a shitty life, so then why? Why do I act like everything is fine? It's because I moved on. After years of not accepting that I was an idiot, I moved on from that and I'm trying to make things better. And so should you Keiko. To forgive yourself when it comes to Sakura. To everyone. You want you two to be friends again, even Sakura herself wants that."

"I-,"

"I let being called a demon into my head. Because like I said, I blamed everyone else for my own actions. For being a bully, a delinquent, I relished in it," I said. "Even when I got a family that adored me, a chance to make genuine friends at a new school I threw it all away for my pride. Because I thought I knew better. But you aren't there yet, you're still able to make things right. So why?

Keiko trembled as she replied, "B-Because I can't."

I shook my head.

"You can."

"I can't, Sora. Stop trying to be funny."

"I'm not trying to be funny, Keiko. You can. Whatever happened between you and everyone else is over and forgiven. So tell me why you still believe it isn't?" But Keiko continued to shake her head at me, repeating the same words. It was pathetic seeing her try to convince herself this much, and I wondered if I was just as pathetic when I used to do the same thing before.

"I can't, I can't, I can't. I can't, I can't, I can't. I can't, I can't, I can't. I'm a bad friend, Sora, I can't just be friends with Sakura or anyone else I've hurt ever again. I just can't-,"

I interrupted the girl with a snort.

"Because you feel guilty that you listened to your dark thoughts?"

She looked at me in shock.

"How did you..?"

"How could I not know? You're not running away to start a fresh life, you are just running away from your guilt. It's the difference between taking the easy road and the hard road," I told her. "I know all about what it's like taking the easy road. Of never really taking a real look at what you've done because you're afraid of how the truth will make you feel. Of how that guilt might just swallow you up. But you are just thirteen."

"And you're not?! Don't come here lecturing me about my life when you're just my contemporary!" Keiko angrily yelled at me. "It was stupid of me to come here thinking you could solve anything. You're just like everyone else. How could I expect you to understand? You never had any parents in the first place. So how the hell can you talk to me about guilt? Just because you were a bit of a dickhead toward a few people doesn't make you the spokesperson about this. You aren't that bad of a person either."

And…

I nodded at that.

True.

I was just a fourteen-year-old lashing out.

But compared to my old world, that anger was something that could be worked out before it truly became an issue for me. I had tools to help me. But, in this world? The tools weren't so readily available which in retrospect made sense as to why there were so many villains running around.

I very easily could have grown up still holding my anger and become a villain.

It's not hard to imagine.

"...Just shut up," I whispered tiredly. "It's called empathy. And you know what, it's the most tiring thing in the world. Everyone is always so convinced that they know better when you're young. Because you don't want to admit that you need help. Because you are stubborn and that leads to losing out on friends and family - I know that better than everyone. Even you. That's because I nearly did lose out on them."

"Huh?"

"I was this close to losing them," I told Keiko, pressing my index finger right to my thumb. "I mean I got so angry with Miwa I nearly hit her. My own sister. At that point, there was no hope of me ever changing myself for the better. I might be fourteen but that doesn't mean I'm a kid that doesn't know anything. And just because you are thirteen doesn't give you a pass to act like a bitch and not face any consequences."

"I never said-,"

"That's how you've been acting, Keiko. It's hard to admit, but it's the truth."

"Stop," Keiko pleaded. "Stop, please. Sora, if you already know all this why bother? Why can't you just-,"

I cut her off.

"Save you? Save you from your little birdcage? Like a prince in a fairy tale, coming to save the day? That's what you want, right? That's what you were hoping for as you gave me all these hints. To run away. Keiko, I'm not a prince. I don't think anyone is." I said.

"Why not?" Keiko screamed at me, her bottom lip quivering as her voice cracked slightly. "Why can't you save me? You wanted to be a hero, right? Why can't you just save me? Save me unlike my father who's off having fun abroad, save me unlike everyone else who just seems to blame me for every little thing I do? Why are you just telling me what a screw-up I am? Why-, Why can't you just be the prince? The one that saves the day?"

I pulled out my phone and handed it to her.

"Because the only one that can save you, is ultimately you," I answered her question, "I'm not gonna comfort you, say it's okay, say everything is going to be fine and sort it out for you. That's not my job. And really, I couldn't care less. We're not friends, we've barely known each other for two days."

"Then why?!"

"Because if I can't help you out here, I might as well just give up on trying to be a hero," I told her truthfully. "I'm doing this out of my kindness. Because at the rate you're going, you will burn all your remaining bridges. By the time you wake up to realise that you always had the chance to change but you squandered it because of your pride as a teenager. And that's some regret to carry with you for the rest of your miserable life."

I waved my phone around her face once more.

"You have a chance. So just call them, apologise, and promise to be better."

"But," Keiko began, "What if they reject me? What if Sakura and everyone else hear about the truth and don't want to be my friend? That I was just… I was just a selfish bitch and I let my emotions get the better of our friendships."

I grinned.

"I'll be your only friend then, at least you won't be alone. Right?"

Her eyes widened in shock.

"Y-you?"

I nodded.

"I don't mind being ridiculed or even being picked on. I was a 'delinquent', the bottom of the barrel in terms of school. People either disliked me or were afraid of me. Usually a mix of both. I'm not a gambler, but I'm willing to bet a lot of money that you won't be alone. You have a lot of good qualities too. That fear you hold? It's because you care about them and you don't want to hurt them again. That's good."

"How's that good?"

I held the phone out in front of her, Sakura's contact number on full display.

"Cause' it means you're afraid of failing again. So you won't."

Keiko eyed the phone.

"What if I don't call? What if I go home and pretend this never happened?" She asked me. "What if I go and let this cycle continue?"

"You won't," I replied. "Why would you do something you don't want to do, you already regret listening to your stupid self once. So why would you do it again?"

"But you don't know that," Keiko told me as tears streamed down her face. "I-, I could very easily still be a bitch to them. Just because I know you're right doesn't mean I have the strength to do what you can do. To face yourself and try to change. I just-, I'm a screwup. A hothead who lets anger get the best of me because why wouldn't it? A mother that constantly works late never in my life too often to have a real relationship, a father that ran away from me when I was a kid and friends that are just better than me."

"You can be better-,"

"How do you-,"

"Just take a look at me," I told her. "I"m the biggest fuck up in our year by far. What, you think saying something mean about someone's mother who's dead is that bad? You're a stupid teenager. I hurt people for real. I made them feel like they were lesser than me, I hurt them physically and mentally to the point where they jeer when I get in trouble or hurt. Sakura, even Miwa, they aren't like that with you. I know that for a fact. That's just your self-doubt talking now."

Keiko chuckled as she wiped away her tears.

She looked at me, defeated.

In acceptance.

"He-, Help me."

"Of course," I replied warmly. "That's what friends do. And that's why you need Sakura. And everyone else. So take my phone, and call. I promise you, it'll work out in the end. It always does when you tell them the truth."

Keiko rubbed her eyes with her sleeves, sniffling slightly. "

Thank you, Sora. I-, I've..." She trailed off.

I grinned as I patted her back lightly.

"No need to thank me, it's the least I can do. Shirou right now should be working with Sakura, even my sister. So please go sort everything out. For everyone else who wants to be your friend, for everything to be the way it was back before all this.."

Keiko gave me a small smile as she hugged me tightly.

"Thank you. No matter what anyone says, you will be a good hero. No, you already are. Sora Yamazaki, the Cloud hero," Keiko told me, grinning slightly. "I guess you are right, the name needs a little work."

"The Cloud hero? What am I, lazy? And I already said, my hero name isn't going to be my real name. That's a cop-out."

"So then, what is it going to be?" She asked me.

I scratched the back of my head.

"...I don't know," I answered truthfully. "Haven't really thought that far, to be honest. But I know that it'll be a cool name, for one. A name that represents me and me alone. Even if I still have a big head and want it to strike fear into criminal's hearts."

And that was the truth.

Because looking at Kieko reaching out to grab my phone, ready to call Sakura and everyone else she hurt, I saw resolve. To do better. To be better. It's what I was I saw in my eyes just recently.

Changing for the better isn't something that just happens.

It's a slow and gradual process.

You can't snap your fingers and be better.

That's not how it works.

But, if I can continue to work on it. Just like Keiko. Just like everyone else, then maybe I wouldn't look at myself with disgust at how I treated everyone. This wasn't anything to do with me being a hero, it just concerned with how I viewed myself.

How I could change how I looked at myself.

Because no matter how much trouble I'd get in for cutting a school trip - I couldn't help but grin at what I'd achieved. I helped someone. That was something no one would be able to take away from me.

Something that proved I was better than the person I once was.

Proof that I can do it.

You know, go beyond Plus Ultra and all that.

Become a real hero.

Even if I was a while away from that eventuality.

I'd keep at it.

Because Sora Yamazaki, me, would never quit.

Because I'm never going to give up or run away ever again.

And that's a promise.

---

Edit done!

Quite a few changes from the original chapter. OG Keiko was forced by her snobby mother to do all this while I changed it so she's a mirror of Sora in a sense. Just a stupid teenager making this more personal for Sora.

And I've increased more Jiro scenes because, I mean, It's Jiro.

Who doesn't love Jiro?

This chapter is a few thousand words longer but ultimately I think it serves this first mini-arc in the first arc quite well. Ultimately, I'm quite happy with how this chapter turned out.

So I'll see you again for the next chapter! Also as I'm writing this I found backups of all my old chapters so :) See you soon for the ch4 rewrites and onward! The speed will increase since instead of full chapter rewrites, it's more so edits and a few scenes here and there.

See ya' then!

End of Chapter 3!

The final bit I'm not too happy on. I did it to the best of my ability, but that doesn't mean I'm happy about it. I wanted it to be a little bit different, but my vision just wasn't matching what I wrote, so changes had to be made. I hope that it was good enough however, at least good enough to read. I sincerely hope that last section felt some sort of realness to it, as It left me scratching my head towards the end.

I had to reread and rewatch the famous "Help me" scene from One Piece with Nami and Luffy, over and over again to try which was the inspiration for that scene.

So please, do give me some feedback!

Now, everything will wrap up in the next chapter, and I'll also start something else with another character, this one actually important in cannon, and you can probably guess who considering I named her in this chapter.

Now to answer your questions/grievances.

Warlord of Chaos:

Is Sora related to Aizawa's dead friend, Cloud-kun? Idk, maybe, maybe not. Wait, actually I do know. Either way, maybe though how would it work considering he is now Kurogiri? Food for thought. Keiko, the twins, Miwa and everyone else in the trip will keep in touch with Sora. They are friends, I'm not just going to forget them and never mention them again. They have changed Sora, therefore Sora will now change the plot.

That's at least my views on it, it just makes sense. You can not like them mind you, that's perfectly fine, but I do want to have friends outside of Class 1A for Sora, even if they aren't cannon, or involved in the story much, it serves as a link between Sora and the greater world of MHA. That what he does as a hero can affect their lives as well.

And yes, Sora will be training soon. Not heavy mind you, he's not going to be some badass number 1 student etc. His goal is still be a hero to make Miwa happy, and he will do it in the most easy way possible. And I'll tone down the names a bit, I promise.

Doctor Doofinshmirtz:

Yes, chapter 1 did feel forced. I ultimately did add 3k words worth of changes to make it less forced (?) I hope it is enough, but I don't mind adding more things to it, making it more easier to read.

Still while people don't change that quickly, I do want to remind people again that this is Sora's second life, so he is more mature then you would think normally. It has provided him on a greater insight on life than most.

Just my thoughts on it, but ultimately you were right on it being poorly written.

Venomwave:

Not to sure what you mean. Sora was only a delinquent in name.

And yes, he is Japanese, so he is a Japanese MC...

DodemGM

No more anime bingo, no "new" characters from me until well into UA, when I'm going to eventually make up characters for the work experiences etc. And Chapter 8 is when the UA exam will start, so it's really just. short period, however major characters will be introduced in every chapter from now to make sure this feels like a MHA fic despite this weird start. (Ones that are in Class 1A canonically)

Guest

Just thinking about Aizawa and Present Mic's reaction to Sora makes me grin.

I can't wait :)

Cresenes

No, Sora does not have a British accent, but he does speak in British dialect (Football instead of soccer, mum instead of mom etc) Just makes it easier for myself as I'am a Brit, so people wont question why its "mum" instead of "mom".

And maybe he can summon other clouds? Sora doesn't know much about his Quirk yet, and its super fun!

Mataeae123

The main meat of the story hasn't started, so I wouldn't really call that a valid criticism yet.

Horrible personality inspired by another story... Maybe? I genuinely haven't read every reincarnation fic on this website, just mostly ones on the Naruto fandom, ones that INTERESTED ME, so maybe there is one? I'm not in a place to say, so if you think so fair enough. But please do tell me the name of the fic, I want to read it now.

Now the Quirk not being interesting, is interesting (HEHEHEHE) but ultimately, I haven't really gone into what the Quirk can do, and what it does to Sora YET, but I can agree that at first it seems not that cool.

And yes, the main problem is how Sora acts. That what I was trying to say in the first chapter, that he is in the wrong. I don't want any of you to accept his treatment of others as acceptable, as to me it's dangerous thinking that many reincarnation fics fall into. OH THEY ARE OC'S LETS TREAT THEM AS BELOW A HUMAN. Like no, it's a dangerous mentality and was an issue for Sora that he still has to overcome, he isn't in the clear yet.

And please, please, please do not say I'm not trying. Because of that comment you made me change chapter 1 by 3k words, and wrote this entire chapter in a week because you really motivated me, and it's not good when I'm doing school, part time job etc as it really messes up my free time.

I always like to challenge myself, but other people challenging me really makes me try harder than is healthy for me.

And finally,

zsxcfvbhnmk123:

Honestly, you are right. They are OC's, and will not go to UA with Sora. You can not care for them, that's fine, but they are important to Sora's growth as a person, who in turn is going to change the plot from MHA as he is a SI/OC reincarnated into MHA. So yes, while all of them apart from Miwa won't affect the story in obvious ways, they affect Sora.

And Miwa I can tell you all with confidence will affect the story through Sora many times. She is basically his best friend who wants him to be a hero, his motivation of being a hero currently is to make her happy.

Now, after all of this is out of the way, thank you all for reading, reviewing, favouriting and following. The support is honestly unreal for just 2 chapters, and now with 3? Honestly, I'm still confused that people want to read about Sora Yamazaki. I expected like 3 favourites even by chapter 100.

SO thank you, all of you! I'll try and meet what you guy's expect, so all I ask is a bit of patience every now and then!

Go review this chapter, and others if you have;t as I seriously want some feedback on all of it. over 30K written and I'm still worried that I haven;t fixed something as it should be, so please do say your thoughts on it, both positive and negative.

This is me, signing out for this chapter.

Will Keiko and Sakura finally be friends together?

Will Shirou complete his music homework?

And will Sora finally be a badass?

Find out on the next chapter... in around about two weeks.