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...

37. Issue 36

Hoshi no Arika Instrumental Version - Falcom Sound Team JDK.

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Kyoka Jiro POV

Kyoka Jiro was stuck between a rock and a hard place.

On the one hand, she was incredibly excited as she walked through the halls of the hospital with her friends by her side. She was a straight-laced girl who had only ever gotten two detentions before in her entire life, one was because her partner didn't submit half of the music project they had been working together on - And the other time was because Sora made called their maths teacher bald during middle school and she cracked a 'smile.'

But on the other hand, she was sure that she was breaking several laws as she heard Aoyama fire his naval laser behind them. So far their plan was pretty simple, they'd walk up to this Nanao Iori and demand that she tells them everything she knows regarding Sora's location or just any information in general. Even if that meant using 'force' which in this case was allowing Bakugo to 'choke a bitch.' Despite his outlandish comments, she couldn't help but smile at the blonde-haired boy.

He knew that everyone was down in the dumps, and he tried to distract them all in his own unique way. But he'd never admit that of course, he was far too prideful and egotistical to admit that he cared for the class, which was why his actions amused her.

"What are you looking at?"

"Nothing."

It truly was nothing, well nothing of note in her opinion.

Eventually, they managed to reach the exit, only to still see guards standing next to it. 'Damn it,' She bit the inside of her cheek. 'The distraction didn't work. Not that I expected it to completely work, but I hoped that it would have distracted these two guards.' They were two police officers, wearing their full uniforms despite the unbearable heat. Two guards were tasked with making sure that no one from 1A left the building without a parent or career, for their 'safety' of course.

"Oi, get the fuck out of my way," Bakugo yelled, grabbing a nearby chair and throwing it at them. "There's some psycho shooting lasers from his asshole down the corridor! Hurry the fuck up and catch that pervert before I die, and let me tell you if I die 'cause' of your incompetent asses I'll haunt you for the rest of your miserable fucking lives!" The two officers quickly rushed past them, forgetting their posts as they followed the noises of screaming nurses and patients.

'Aoyama really is going all out… I hope he doesn't push himself too hard.'

"Are we going to stand here all day, or are we going to get moving?" Bakugo shouted, snapping her out of her own thoughts as she ran after him. He wasn't going slow, and she was reminded that her stamina was pitiful. She hated running, and just after running for a few seconds, her legs began to hurt all over. Yet despite the pain, she found herself smiling as she kept up with everyone else.

Eventually, they reached a crossroad, with Bakugo and Todoroki looking at both sides to try and see if they could spot the police van anywhere nearby. Jiro caught her breath as she leaned on Yaoyorozu, who wasn't faring better than her.

"Are you okay? I can tell the others to run slower if you need."

"I'm fine," Jiro shook her head, "In fact tell them to speed up." If they missed their chance to save Sora, they would miss their chance to make 1A whole again. It was strange, despite the amount of time they had spent as a class Sora was the one that helped to glue them all together in a way that not even she could foresee. Not even her middle school friendship group, before everyone went their own separate ways, were as close as 1A. Perhaps what happened at the USJ had bonded them all in ways that they couldn't see, or perhaps it was just Sora's insistence on making friends with everyone that brought them all closer together.

If they failed to truly save Sora then 1A would never be the same.

A hero could save Sora, but they couldn't save him.

Not from himself.

Despite what everyone else was thinking, Jiro wasn't blind. The reason they were even allowing her to come despite everything she had said was that she saved Sora once already, and if anyone could do it again it was her. For some reason, he had allowed her to save her from whatever 'Kurai' was, and while it made her happy that he trusted her enough to do so, it was her only use in the operation to save Sora.

Because Midoriya, Bakugo or even Yaoyorozu couldn't save Sora from himself, but she could.

It was frustrating that she couldn't figure out why, but it was the truth. And yet, just thinking about trying to save Sora once more by talking to him made her feel anxious. What if she failed? What if she said the wrong things? Jiro couldn't understand Sora, and she wouldn't until he laid all of his secrets out to her. It was harsh, and a bit selfish, but it was the truth and she knew it. Yet, she also knew that Sora wouldn't part with his secrets so easily. Whether it was because he didn't want to or that he couldn't, was an entirely different matter.

There was a barrier between her and her best friend, and it was only widening with each second that passed. But that barrier engulfed not just their friendship, but all of Sora's relationships. It hurt her to think about how Miwa must be feeling, she was his sister. It broke her heart to even imagine what Hinata and Gekko, some of the nicest people she had ever met, must be feeling when they found out that Sora went with villains…

And here she was, stuck right in the centre of this shitstorm.

The only one that could stop it from brewing even more than it already has.

"I see the van," Todoroki said, pointing to a small van down his side of the road. It was parked next to some trees which covered it well enough for anyone driving. They would most likely miss it in a blink of an eye. "So, how are we going to approach it? All at once, or just two of us?"

"Since Nanao already knows me, it would be easier if I went," Iida stepped forward, "And I'd like you to come with me, Jiro. I know for a fact that Nanao knows about you, especially when Sora talks about you to her a lot." That made Jiro red-faced just thinking about Sora talking about her to other women… which was stupid. She didn't know why it made her happy and jealous, but it did.

She nodded at Iida, following him as the two of them walked towards the parked van. The only problem was that it would take a few minutes to get to the van, even if they ran. But they walked instead, Iida probably realising that she was out of breath and allowed her to rest for a bit. Instead, it just made their walk more awkward, and it only became more awkward as Jiro couldn't hold in her curiosity.

"So… you tried to kill Stain. What's up with that?"

"Well, he murdered my brother. I got angry and went to Hosu to try and find him, and kill him. Sora knew what I was going to do and gave up an internship with Hawks to try and help me. I was an idiot, I ran past all the chaos to try and kill Stain. Sora not only saved others that I ran past, but he also saved my life. Then he lied for my sake, somehow convincing Nanao to let me free. The official story is that it was a lucky coincidence that I met with Stain, and it's all thanks to him that I'm a free man. That's everything I think." He explained quickly, right before knocking on the van loudly.

…no one answered.

Iida went to knock again, but she stopped him. Jiro sighed as she walked to the front of the van to try and see if she could spot anyone inside, but she didn't have much luck with that. The van seemed empty, which meant that either they were inside but trying to pretend that no one was there, or that the van actually was empty. Both situations were not ideal for them.

"Is it possible to get property damage by kicking a police van door down?"

"What do you think genius?"

"It was a joke."

"Yeah, and unfunny one," She replied, "Not that you would kick the door down anyway." Jiro sighed as she knocked on the van once more. Even though it was hopeless, she wanted to believe that someone was inside. But as she predicted, the two of them were only greeted with the sound of silence. Perhaps they were too late, and that made her even more anxious. If only she hadn't been so stubborn, maybe they would have reached Nanao before they lost the chance to meet with her.

"There's no one here. Let's go back, Jiro." Iida told her, pulling on her arm, but she refused to budge.

'If you find Nanao Iori.'

Those were Tokage's words… if. If.

Her eyes widened as she realised the implications of what Tokage was trying to get at, turning to Iida as she shook her head at him. They weren't leaving just yet, not when they hadn't found her! Tokage had met with Nanao before she had come to them, which meant that she likely told the police officer that 1A wanted to help save Sora. That it was in their nature, and if that was true, then judging from what Iida said about her then she would want to test 1A's resolve.

It wasn't a matter of them finding her, it was a matter of if they were skilled enough to do so and if they were determined enough to find her.

If they couldn't find Nanao, then they'd have no chance of finding Sora.

It was a test.

"Call her phone," Jiro demanded as she circled the van once more. Suddenly, from beneath the van, a faint ringing could be heard. "I'll get it!" She yelled as she crouched down on the floor, reaching under the van and grabbing the phone as she declined the call from Iida. She swiped up on the phone, but the phone required a password to open it. Six digits. Jiro bit her lip in frustration, of course, things couldn't be as easy as she wanted them to be.

"Do you happen to know her birthday?" Jiro asked hopefully, but Iida shook his head in response.

'Fine then, I guess I'm going to have to figure out what the password is.'

000000 and 111111 didn't work, nor did the day, month and year. She was down on her last attempt, with the next option being blocked out from trying again for thirty minutes if she failed to open the phone. 'Relax Jiro, you can think this one out,' She thought to herself. 'I can do this.' If Nanao wanted them to find her, then the password had to be related to the investigation. That ruled out the day Sora and her met because that had nothing to do with the investigation.

Not to mention it ruled out the current day since Sora was only taken a few hours ago.

Sora…

'It could work.'

She hesitantly typed six numbers, hoping that it would work.

1…

0…

0…

5…

0…

4…

The Tenth of May, Two-Thousand One-Hundred and Four.

The day Sora was born, but more importantly, where the mystery behind Sora began. He was searching for the truth that reached even before this day, the truth behind his birth. Sora had four Quirks, after all, a fact that she hadn't mentioned to anyone. Jiro was keeping his secret from everyone, which made her a hypocrite in some aspects. But it was a secret that she knew would change Sora's life if she told everyone, and they spread it around (Not that they would.)

Tokage was right in a sense, the explanation had to come from him.

Luckily, the phone accepted the password as the phone opened up immediately. 'Okay, that's one test done. Time for the next.' The next logical step would be to check recently closed apps, and sure enough, the most recent app closed was notes. Quickly, she pressed on the app and was greeted with the most recently edited note. Twenty minutes ago. But she was met with random numbers.

"Hm. Aren't those coordinates?" Iida asked, pointing at the numbers. "I'm pretty sure they are. That's longitude, and that's latitude." That made sense. They were coordinates, but for what exactly? She copied and pasted the coordinates on Google Maps, and grinned as the first result was a location.

Kamino Ward, Yokohama.

"If you're thinking that the test was too easy, then you've failed to see what the test was actually about," A voice said from behind her. Jiro turned around to see a blue-haired woman dressed in a shirt clap at her. "But I applaud your effort in finding the phone and opening it up. And yes, that is Sora's location. But if you so much as move a muscle to go towards Yokohoma, I will arrest you."

"W-what? But you gave us his location-,"

"I didn't give you anything, I gave you a test and you passed it. I didn't promise you anything in return, nor did Tokage. If you thought that saving Sora would be this easy, then there is no chance in hell that I'll allow you to go. I won't send a naive little girl marching on towards her death," Nanao Iori replied coldly. "The distraction at the hospital was a good idea, I'll give you that. You probably could distract the League of Villains long enough to create an opening to save Sora, but then what? You found my phone with a location written on it, and you immediately jumped to conclusions about it. That's the first mistake you made, never completely trust the information given to you, even if the source comes from the police."

"Listen, we don't have time for this!" Jiro yelled at her, "Yokohoma's only an hour and a half away, if we can get the train-,"

"Mistake number two. Instead of giving the phone to Iida, telling him to run as there is no way I could catch up to him, you could have gained the upper hand. Instead, you continue to remain standing in front of me, trying to plead with me to let you go ahead with your plans like I'm the one approving them. You're the one wasting time. So girl, don't lecture me on what to do, if you want to do something then go ahead and do it. You're a hero after all, no?"

Jiro clenched her teeth in anger, before turning around to Iida, handing him the phone.

Nanao sighed in response. "Wow, mistake number three. You're following the plan I just told you, I could easily call some of my friends and tell them to bring you back."

"With what phone?" Jiro asked.

"This one," Nanao pulled out a second phone from her back pocket. "Mistake number four, you automatically assumed you had the upper hand over me. What will be your next move? It doesn't matter, you've failed my test. Now hand the phone back over to me, collect your friends, and head back inside the hospital. This isn't a suggestion, it's an order. You aren't fit to try and even talk to Sora, let alone save him. No, the best you would do is not only kill everyone in your little group but him as well. Be a good girl and make the right decision before you come to regret it for the rest of your life."

Jiro balled her hand into a fist, resisting the urge to scream at the woman in front of her. "The only decision I'll regret for the rest of my life is not going to save him. I'd rather die than regret doing that."

"Oh?" Nanao smiled at that, taking a step forwards toward her. "Strong words. But you're trembling as you say them. You don't want to die, do you? Do you even understand what you said, or did you just say it for fun? Because it sounds cool, or because it's what Sora would say. Because you don't understand Sora, not fully."

"It's because-,"

"You don't know the truth?" Nanao finished her sentence before she could, "Sure, you don't know the 'truth' that Sora's searching for. However, you don't need to know it to understand Sora, because he's a simple person to understand. But the fact that you don't understand him even now shows that there is no way you can save Sora. Even if you rescue him, we both know that he won't be truly saved, and we both know what will probably happen after that."

"So then what's the point of holding me up? Of holding all of us up? Maybe I can't save him, but someone else can-,"

Nanao shook her head, cutting her off.

"No one else can save him—no one but you. And I know that you already know this fact, it's the reason you are going along to try and save him. But you just aren't ready, and in the end, you'll do more damage to him. I can already see it playing out, you'll be put in a dangerous position and Sora will die trying to save you. Tell me, what do you even plan on saying to him if you do rescue him?"

"I…" She didn't have an answer to that question. She knew she didn't, and she knew that Nanao was right. Sora was someone that she didn't understand, not really, so how could she go and 'save him' without that level of understanding? How could Sora even listen to her when she didn't bother to understand who he was? That was why Kyoka Jiro was a bad friend because she never cared to understand him. No, because as long as Sora was with her, it didn't matter.

Oh, she knew that Sora wanted a 'carefree tomorrow' for them, but why did he want it?

Why did Sora do most of his things?

She never once tried to think of answers to those questions. Even if the answers to them were obvious, even if he told her those answers. And yet…

"I was convinced that I was going to drag him back by force, but I don't think I could do something that crazy. I also don't think I could try and do it in the first place, because it really isn't my position to do that," She answered honestly. "To be completely honest, I don't know if what I'll say will even be able to help him. Everyone else seems to think so, and even a part of me wishes it to be true, but a small part of me can't help but doubt that."

"And even knowing all that, you still want to find him?" Nanao asked her, "Even if it's futile. Even if your best efforts lead to nothing. Even if you make things worse because your self-doubt can ruin everything. I've seen it happen before, and it's not pretty."

'Futile… heh, you could describe a lot of my life as a futile, pathetic attempt at trying to be someone I'm not.' She bitterly thought to herself. During the USJ, she thought she could help Sora, but instead, she got captured and nearly died. During the Sports Festival, she wanted to grow strong yet despite everything that happened, she wasn't strong enough when she was needed the most. Against Zero and 'Kurai,' all she could do was watch from afar hoping that Sora would come back.

But just as it was his decision to leave them, it was also her decision to chase after him.

"I've thought a lot about Sora's situation. And also about, well, about everything. But I've also thought about my own failings as his best friend. I've failed to understand him for so long, and it was because I placed him on such a high pedestal. I looked up to him, not as a friend, but as someone to emulate. I admired him, but I never once understood him. And it's not like I still don't admire him, he's strong. He makes decisions because of what he believes in, charging forward recklessly. But I don't want to look at him from behind anymore, I want to walk right alongside him. Standing around here won't make me find the right words to say to him, I know that."

She had to do more than that if she wanted to save him.

Because Sora was her hero.

So, she was going to save him just as he saved her.

"So I'll let the words come naturally when we rescue him. Because it's not just my feelings here, everyone here wants Sora to come back. So I can't just talk about how much I want him to come back to 1A, I want him to know how much we all want him to come back. And I'll only be able to find these words when I see him again. So even if I don't understand him fully, I'm alright with that. Even if the 'truth' is something he'll never tell me, even if it stings a little, I'll be okay. Because the one thing Sora needs right now more than anything is a hero."

Kyoka Jiro was stuck between a rock and a hard place.

She didn't have the strength to break out, nor did she have a particularly useful Quirk that would allow her to brute force her way out of the situation. She was smart, but she wasn't intelligent, and she wasn't good at doing things on the spot. She wasn't confident enough to make a plan. They were all weaknesses she knew about for a long time, and yet she decided on being a hero in the first place. Heros were confident, they were strong, they were smart and they were everything she wanted to be.

They helped people.

They helped little girls like Jiro, they gave girls like her the desire to face their fears.

Sora was smart, he was strong, and he was very confident. Perhaps he was slightly over-confident at points, or perhaps it was just an act so he didn't show that he was nervous. But above all else, Sora had a goal. He wanted to create a carefree tomorrow for his family, he had a goal that represented what he wanted. For his family to be happy alongside him, and it was a beautiful goal in her opinion. But Jiro never had a goal, she just aimed to be a hero because it would 'fix' her.

Heroes had everything she lacked.

That was her 'goal'.

But not anymore.

Being a hero like that wasn't going to save Sora. Hell, it wasn't even going to save anyone, because that wasn't who Kyoka Jiro was. She wasn't physically strong, and she didn't have a Quirk that allowed her to overpower her opponents, nor was she smart enough to make plans that would lead to success. It was her decision to become a hero, and it was also her decision to chase after Sora.

She wasn't going to be left behind, left to stumble and wait to be picked up by Sora ever again. She wasn't going to look forwards and see the distance between herself and everyone else, nor was she going to continue feeling sorry for herself. She wasn't going to try and admire Sora anymore, because he too had his flaws. Everyone had flaws, not just her. She was going to walk side-by-side-,

No.

That wasn't exactly right.

Kyoka Jiro was going to become a hero that guides everyone, that isn't just another hero to emulate, another hero that gives others the strength to try. No. Kyoka Jiro was going to become a hero that helps others move forward, supporting them wherever she could.

Almost like a bass player in a band.

"I see," Nanao eventually replied. "So that's your decision. Good. Tell your friends to come over here quickly, and get in the truck. If you take the train, the villains will notice you. I have no doubt that Zero's expecting it, but I doubt he'll expect me to drive you right to Sora's location."

'What?'

"'Kyoka Jiro, also known as the hero Headphone Jack, be sure to remember that name! She'll hit it big in the future!' That was one of the first things Sora ever said to me," Nanao said, opening the door to the police van. "I wasn't quite sure what he meant, but I understand now. You're aware of your flaws, and yet you still continue to try and save him. You two are alike in that way, but that's beside the point. You'll be a good, no, a great hero one day, Earphone Jack. So lead the way." Jiro grinned at that, telling Iida to shout at the others to come over to them.

"I thought you'd never ask."

Kamino Ward, Yokohama.

That was where Sora was, the place where the villain's hideout was. Where Zero was. Her mind was telling her to run away, but she wasn't listening to it at all. No, instead she was following her heart.

That was her decision.

---

Chapter

Thirty

Six

'DECIDE 1'

---

The mirror was broken.

I had broken the mirror, with blood dripping down on the floor from my bleeding fist. Was this it? Was this the truth that I was seeking all this time? I had placed my phone next to the sink as I threw more cold water on my face. I couldn't believe it, I didn't want to believe it. I was just some bastard, my biological mother was forced to have me. Not even I could blame her for leaving me, the burning anger that I held for her had faded…

Instead, it was replaced with immense sadness.

Not to mention that my father was Kurogiri. No, he was Shirakumo Oboro. How the hell was I going to tell Aizawa? Should I even tell him? I glanced back at my phone and resisted the urge to throw it against the wall. Message Nanao? For what? How the hell could I even ask for her to help, ask for her to bring me back home? I didn't even deserve that right.

They were right.

Everyone was right about me.

I am a devil.

I've always been a devil, down from my very nature to how I was even brought to this world. A monster. I spat in the sink bitterly, regretting punching the mirror as soon as I came into the bathroom as there was nothing I could take my anger out on. Anger. Was that my own, or was it…

His.

Another mystery that I couldn't fully wrap my head around. That the 'other side' of me was actually Sora's original soul? So then, what the hell did that make me?! Was I even Sora Yamazaki? An imposter? Was I someone pretending to be him? Just what the hell was I supposed to do now? Continue living on as if nothing happened. Not only lie to everyone else but also lie to me? Was that really the only option I had short of killing myself? But even if I lied, I'd only be hurting everyone else…

I'd broken 1A.

If I went back, wouldn't I break them even more?

Ha… haha. I grabbed the remaining pieces of the broken mirror and dashed them to the floor in anger, banging my head against the cold wall just to feel something. Anything. Because nothing was making my anger fade away, it was just making it worse. I desperately wanted to lash out, but I felt so guilty at the same time. Fuck. Fuck. I sat against the wall, wiping away my tears.

Was this my fate?

To just hurt everyone around me, even if I wanted to do anything but that. A fitting end to a devil like me, it was what I truly deserved. How arrogant was I in believing that I, a monster, could change? But no.

That's not how humans work.

We don't change on a dime.

I didn't change.

I've been the same person I always was, just with a fresh coat of paint. I've always been rotten inside, I just didn't want to accept it. I still don't want to accept it. I don't deserve to message Nanao and ask for help, I don't deserve to go back to 1A. Home? How could I call anything my home when all I'll do is inevitably destroy it? How the hell could I go back to 1A and try to make things better when all I'll do is make things worse?

And yet…

I couldn't run away.

Was I selfish for wanting to go back to 1A, even if I knew that I was hurting them? Even if I knew that someone like me had no place in belonging there, that I was a curse and it would be better for them to ditch me. Because even if it was my fate, I still wanted to believe in the lie that I was a part of 1A. That I'd be able to become a hero with them, that I was a hero.

Knock, Knock.

"Oi, brat, you're clogging up the toilet," Dabi's voice made me realise that I was sitting down in a bathroom, a bathroom in the League of Villains hideout no less. Ha, what a joke. I grabbed my phone, putting it in my pocket, before opening the door and pushing past Dabi, not caring for the consequences. It's not like he could do anything to hurt me, not when the 'truth' already broke me. "You going to apologise, or do you want me to burn half your face off?"

I turned around to glare at Dabi, who sneered in my direction.

"Go fuck yourself." I replied slowly, making to pronounce each word carefully to annoy him further than I already had.

"Huh? Want to say that again?"

"I said, go fuck yourself you discarded piece of shit."

Fuck him.

Fuck everyone in this damn building. I hated them. I didn't care that my head was hurting, I just wanted to kill them all.

"Tch, today's your lucky today once again. Better thank mummy when you see her again." Dabi replied, slamming the toilet door shut. I turned around to walk towards the main room of the hideout, a nice little bar. I sat on one of the seats, twirling around to face the glass cabinets filled with alcohol. If I broke all the bottles, I wonder how many shards it would take to stab Dabi to death? Ten? Fifteen? Fifty?

"Would you like anything to drink?" Floating right in front of me, wearing his usual suit, Kurogiri stared at me, impassively.

"I'll take a whisky on the rocks."

"You aren't of legal age to drink-,"

"Like I give a shit," I snapped, grabbing a nearby empty glass and throwing it at him, it narrowly missing him as it shattered into tiny pieces on the ground. "Don't act like my fucking 'father' now. Just give me whatever the fuck I asked for without saying shit back! I don't care if I'm not the legal age to drink, and if you say that one more time I swear to fucking God that I'll-,"

Kurogiri merely turned around, ignoring me as he grabbed a glass and filled it with ice, before pouring the first whisky bottle he could find into the glass. Half full. I snatched the glass from him, before drinking it as fast as I could. It burned my throat slightly, but the whisky tastes sweet. Sort of like caramel in a sense. I placed the cup back on the counter, grumbling slightly as Kurogiri stared at me as emotionless as ever.

"You gonna say something or what?"

"There is nothing to say. I served alcohol to a minor."

"Oh, boo-fucking-hoo. You broke the law, what a shocker. How many people have you murdered? Do you really think the law is going to care that you served me whisky one time compared to the hundreds of other crimes you've committed?" Kurogiri didn't reply, so I decided to finish the glass of whisky completely. "Give me another." I demanded, pushing the glass towards him.

"No." That was the only reply I got.

"I said, give me another," I repeated, a little louder this time. "I ain't gonna ask again, asshole."

"I refuse to serve you any more alcohol. Throwing a temper tantrum won't make me give you another glass of whisky, no matter how loud you whine. Be thankful I even allowed you to drink a single glass-,"

"Stop acting like my father!" I shouted at him. "My dad's name is Gekko Yamazaki. He isn't a villain or a fucking test subject. He's a good man that stuck with me through my lowest lows, and he helped me when I needed it the most. He taught me that I can fail so long as I get back up and keep fighting. You haven't done shit for me, so stop acting like you're my father and fuck off!"

He said nothing to me for a few minutes, only drying the cleaned cups and plates from the dishwasher. I sat in silence, with the sound of my breathing reminding me that I wasn't dreaming. It really was funny. Shirakumo Oboro had died, and he was my father. Biologically speaking at least. But Kurogiri? He was just a monster. Just like me.

Tch.

"Oi, how much do you remember from your old life?" I asked Kurogiri, who placed the final cup on the shelf.

"Why are you asking?"

"I'm making conversation, dipshit. Now answer the fucking question."

"No, I don't remember much. In fact, I don't remember anything. Is that a suitable answer for you?"

"Heh, I don't think All For One programmed you to be sassy."

"Nor do I think your 'father' raised you to be as brash as you are, but here we are." I reached over the counter to grab him by his suit.

"Are you trying to call my dad a shit parent?" I asked him angrily. I was going to kill him. I'd cut his 'heart' into smaller pieces, no that wasn't enough. I wanted to enjoy killing him, I wanted to torture him until he begged for me to stop. I wanted Kurogiri to suffer so badly before I killed him.

"I'm merely stating a fact. Gekko Yamazaki seems to be a polite man with manners. Clearly, whatever teachings he gave you, didn't stick with you since you act like a hooligan. Now if you'll excuse me, I have other matters to attend to. You may drink tap water if you want to do so. For now, farewell." And with that, Kurogiri vanished from my hands in a swirl, angering me even more. Grabbing the empty glass of whisky, I hurled it across the room in a rage.

Damn it.

Damn it. Damn it. Damn it. Damn it. Damn it. Damn it. Damn it. Damn it. Damn it. Damn it. Damn it. Damn it. Damn it. Damn it. Damn it. Damn it. Damn it. Damn it. Damn it. Damn it. Damn it. Damn it. Damn it. Damn it. Damn it. Damn it. Damn it. Damn it. Damn it. Damn it. Damn it. Damn it. Damn it. Damn it. Damn it. Damn it. Damn it. Damn it.

"You know, a gentleman should be able to hold their liquor. It's not very proper to throw a glass of whisky across the room, even if it's empty," Plopping down next to me, Mr Compress took out a flask of alcohol and drank from it. Without his mask, he looked fairly normal. Short brown curly hair and brown eyes, and a mischievous smile to go along with it. "But if you want, I could pour you a glass of Bourbon. Or perhaps something a little stronger, you may enjoy a glass of Jameson. Or maybe you want something a little lighter, I could make you an Aperol Spritz. It even comes with oranges, do you like oranges? I know I do."

"What do you want?"

"Is it wrong for me to just enjoy a drink?"

"Tch. Do whatever you want."

"Perfect." I watched as he jumped over the counter, before turning on the radio, humming to himself as he made a drink.

The next general election is coming up soon, and in October of this year, a new Prime Minister will be voted! How exciting! Coming right up is a few highlights of the most recent debate between the leaders of the two most popular parties currently in the Diet! Daisuke Ryuichi, the leader of the Liberal Democratic Party, and Hachi Yamaguchi, leader of the Constitutional Democratic Party. Their most recent debate, which happened in one of Yamaguchi's rallies in Yongen-Jaya, became very heated as the two rivals nearly came close to physical blows. Here is a short snippet of the debate!

"I, Daisuke Ryuichi, vow to bring our prosperous country back to its deserved place in the world!" An older man shouted. "The youth of today are far too focused on the 'heroes' we as a society have created that they would much rather go off and pay hero rather than study the sciences! Have any of you once considered why our country suffers from a doctor and nurse shortage while other countries don't? That's because other countries don't idolise heroes as much as we do! Truck drivers, builders, plumbers and more are jobs at risk because the youth of today do NOT work! They do not-,"

He was cut off by a younger voice, one that made fan-girls anf fan-boys scream with joy. Tch. What a popular girl.

"Now, now, Ryuichi-san, aren't you being a little too harsh on my generation? I understand that a lot of us dream far too much than we should, but dreaming is for free as my old man used to say." Hachi Yamaguchi replied. Hachi this, Hachi that. Every newspaper couldn't help but talk about the beautiful, young, and driven woman known as Hachi Yamaguchi. She was only twenty-six, yet she had somehow become the leader of the Constitutional Democratic Party through charisma, and a bit of luck. If Ryuichi had grabbed the minds of those above the age of forty, Yamaguchi had grabbed the hearts of everyone under the age of thirty in Japan.

"You are a prime example of the troubled youth I'm talking about!" Ryuichi yelled, "Brats like you should go back to university and learn some politics! Not parade around on social media, building a following and attacking working normal people for holding different political opinions than their own! You haven't built just a following, no, you've built a cult! Not only that, but this rally is a joke. Free pictures? Tell me, citizens of Japan, is this the boy you want to represent you? A girl who takes pictures with other high-school girls who've skipped a day of school?"

"You can call me whatever you want, but making fun of the people who believe in my vision is not only uncalled for but out-of-order. Apologise."

"Apologise? Why don't you apologise to the people of our glorious Japan for making such outlandish claims as being the first Prime Minister to 'address the problems we have.' What problems do you speak of? You aren't even old enough to know the effects of these problems or experienced enough to know how to solve them. You're twenty-six years old, a child in politics, yet you want to not just lecture me, but the whole of Japan. Go on."

"Problems such as the doctor and nurse shortage you just briefly mentioned. You're right, the newer generation wants to go into the entertainment sector, but your party's continuous refusal to allow guest workers into the country limits those who could become those doctors or nurses that we need. That's on you, Ryuichi-san."

As you can see, the two leaders of their respective parties both made good points! We at this radio station sincerely hope that whatever the outcome of the election will be in October, the future of Japan will be the most important priority for the next leader of our country! Moving on to other news…

"So? What do you think as the illustrious youth of this country?" Mr Compress asked me.

"Well I ain't eighteen yet, so I can't vote," I replied, "But if I could, I'd probably vote for Yamaguchi. She's young so I can relate to her a little bit, plus she wants to throw together free benefits for heroes. Like premium healthcare, free food and stuff for our services."

"So you'll base your vote on whoever helps you the most? Isn't that a bit selfish?"

I shrugged my shoulders. "I don't really care, to be honest, all politicians are liars at the end of the day. I'm sure Yamaguchi's just trying to get as many voters as she can, it's not like she's an established politician anyway. It's crazy that she's made it this far already at twenty-six, so I guess it would be cool if she won. Plus, it would anger all the grandma's and grandpa's that are against her policies." Really, fuck the ageing population. 'Oh you're too loud at three in the morning' no shit Sherlock, I'm playing Rainbow Eight ranked with Kaminari and Mineta.

"You aren't wrong about that, politicians are most certainly corrupt, but so are heroes."

"Okay, and? Well done captain obvious, people in powerful positions can be corrupt. Any other magical facts for today, sensei?"

Mr Compress sighed at me, shaking his head disapprovingly.

"I was just trying to make conversation, but if you want to act like a child then be my guest."

I ignored him for the time being, making sure that my phone was in my pocket. Should I message Nanao? Or should I ignore them, hoping that they don't come and save me? Tch. Getting up from my seat, I walked around the hideout. As long as I didn't enter any rooms I wasn't supposed to or tried to escape, I was free to just walk around. But it wasn't like the villains wanted to interact with me, especially when I glared at them whenever they tried to speak to me.

All apart from Shigaraki, who enjoyed tormenting me.

"How's it going, Sora? Did you enjoy the little session you had with sensei?" He asked me gleefully, enjoying every second of my unhappiness. Tch, I was going to burn all his 'hands' slowly in front of him. Then I'd slit his throat, nice and quick. The bastard doesn't deserve a long drawn-out death. "Oh, you seem sad. Want to talk it out? I'd be willing to listen."

"Really? Thanks, man, let's talk about how much of a bitch you are," I replied, "I mean seriously Tenko, what kind of stupid kid kills all his parents? Aw, daddy didn't like heroes so you went and killed him. Did your mother not hug you enough as a kid? Then you grew up to be a villain, I'm sure your parents must be so proud in their graves. They gave birth to a fucking manchild who has temper tantrums when things don't go his way. You're going to lose, Shigaraki. And I'll be watching you lose with every step you take."

But instead of getting angry as I expected, Shigaraki simply laughed in my face.

"Lose? You're full of yourself, hero. I won't lose! Not when Zero's said we've already won," Huh? "You seem confused, so let me spell it out for you. He told us that All Might is going to come and try to attack sensei, but that he'll lose if we aim for his right side. Originally, All Might was put in a coma, but if we followed his instructions we'd get rid of him permanently. I won't lose! Are you shocked? You should be, we've already won." And with that, Shigaraki left me alone in the hallway.

I resisted the urge to burst out laughing. Coma? Right side? Just what the fuck was Shigaraki talking about? I continued walking around the hideout, and eventually, I found myself back in the room that started it all.

The TV sat at the far end of the room, completely broken. I did that. Well, Kurai did it. I am Kurai. No, I wasn't. My headache wasn't calming down at all, it just kept on getting worse with each passing minute. I leaned against the wall, and sat down on the ground, opening my phone to scroll down to message Nanao. But for some reason, no matter what message I typed, I just couldn't bring myself to hit send.

I hurt everyone by not telling them the truth, even if I lied and said it was my Quirk that could 'see visions of the future.' I was going to tell them that lie anyways, so why did I hesitate? If I had come cleaner to them a lot sooner, then perhaps I wouldn't feel so conflicted. Because then they'd trust in me more, instead I refused to tell them and told them I'd explain everything 'soon.'

But that day would never arrive.

All For One would never let me be free. It angered me so much that I wanted to stab myself in protest, but a small part of me was relieved that I'd never have to tell 1A anything about me being reincarnated into this world. Pathetic. I really was pathetic, how the hell could I ask Nanao to bring reinforcements to rescue me and arrest the villains? How could I expect anyone from 1A to try and help me?

I was just a monster.

"Just how long do you intend to keep deluding yourself?" Zero's voice snapped me out of my head as I looked up from the floor to see him standing in front of me. "Are you really going to give up here? Open your phone and send the message."

"Do you want me to be saved?" I asked him.

He shook his head. "Saved? The only one who can save you is yourself. You now know the truth… now you have to find your answer. If you feel like coming here was a mistake, then you should have stayed with 1A, tormented by not knowing the 'truth' or otherwise. But you came here, you reached out for the truth, and the fact that you didn't stay with 1A shows that this was nothing but escapism - nothing but deceit. Stop pretending otherwise and message the detective already."

"I know what you're trying to tell me, but what about you?" Zero looked at me, his mask making me unable to read his face at all. It was like there was a barrier between us, one that would make us never fully understand each other. "Learning the truth was my goal, and this is my price for it. My burden alone. So why the hell are you here? You knew the truth well before me, but here you are. Why are you still working with All For One?"

"...My cooperation with All For One has nothing to do with you, nor the truth. I do so because of my own desires."

"You mean to go back home?"

"Going back home won't erase the damage already done," Zero replied, "It won't fix anything. Even should All For One find a way to bring us back home, he brought us here in the first place. I died, that much is true. And yet, just because I've accepted that fact doesn't mean I have to accept living in this world. I may not be able to live the life I once had, but that's not the point. Not even I know the true extent of All For One's plans, but I don't really care. I want to know if all of this was worth it, that's why I'm working with All For One."

"Worth it? What the hell are you talking about?"

"You have three options: you send the message and help comes. I send the message, and help comes. Or no message is sent, and you're stuck here until either All For One kills you, Shigaraki kills you or you kill yourself. Don't be foolish in thinking that you don't deserve to be in 1A, because no matter how you dress it up you are in 1A. If you think that they won't come to save you, then I'm afraid you don't know your friends at all." Zero ignored my question completely.

"But All For One said they hadn't left the hospital!"

"And I'm telling you to forget what he said. I was the one who was looking to see if they had left the hospital, not him. He doesn't know your friends. He doesn't care for them, he only wants to minimise the risk they pose to him. They will come. But that all depends on you because if you don't send that message they won't come - Not because they don't want to, but because you didn't allow them to. If you think it's your fate to hurt everyone around you, then this is your chance to defy that fate."

"Even if they come, they'll ask me for the truth. I can't even tell them anything 'cause of the fucking Quirk he used on me, so I'll end up hurting them anyways," Whatever option I'd choose, the outcome would be the same. I'd ruin everything. "I'm just putting more people in danger, and for what? How can I defy my 'fate' when I've been marching towards it this entire time? It's hopeless."

Zero sighed, shaking his head.

"Then leave 1A. Leave being a hero, and I promise you that no harm will come to any of them. I kept my promise that I'd make sure Kurai wouldn't hurt Jiro or anyone, and I can definitely ensure that no one will be hurt by any of the members in the League of Villains."

"You telling me you can stop All For One from doing what he wants? If you have that sort of power, then why the hell don't you just kill us all already? Grab the Quirk you want, and find out your answer. Why go the long route?"

He snorted behind his mask at that. "All For One's era is over. As I said, I don't care for any of his plans. They won't come to fruition. I made sure of that, which is why I want to see if all of this, bringing us all to this world, was worth it when his world crumbles away right in front of him. If you think that you're marching towards your 'fate' of ruining 1A, then you are wrong. Anyone can change their fate, including you. Including all of your friends and family, because you are all strong enough to do so. To recognise the change needed in your lives, All For One will never recognise that."

"What did you do?" I thought back to what Shigaraki said, dread building up inside me. Just what the hell did Zero do?!

"It was as easy as making up events that didn't happen, giving him false information with no way of knowing it was real is a powerful weapon," Zero answered, "He's under the impression that All Might is far weaker than him, as well as the fact that the next time they meet that he'll kill his rival. That All Might will be defeated, and that's made him arrogant. I have no doubt that he doesn't trust me or the information I've given him, but I know that he wants to believe that he kills All Might. His arrogance will be his downfall, especially when he dies."

I looked at him, confused as to what he was saying. That he gave All For One false information? Why the hell would he do that?!

"All For One at the end of the day is just another piece on a chessboard," Zero clarified, "My true aim was never to work with All For One, it was to strip away his influence over Shigaraki. After all, if his 'master' dies because of his weakness, because of his arrogance in not listening to me, if Shigaraki wants to 'win' he'll have to follow whatever I say. I become the 'leader' of the League of Villains, I become the one in charge. I get to decide who does what, who's accepted into our group, and I get to do what I want. So I'll reiterate my point again, if you feel like you'll only hurt 1A if you go back to them and try to be a hero once more, then leave. Leave and never try to stand against me again, and I promise you that no one will be harmed."

He turned around and walked out of the room, leaving me in here all alone. If I left 1A, I'd be able to protect them. But no matter how good that deal sounded, I wasn't sure about it myself.

I banged my head against the wall lightly.

No matter what I decided, I'd hurt everyone in the process.

I hit send on my message to Nanao, before turning my phone off completely as I just sat on the cold floor for what seemed like an eternity. Only one question plagued my mind, and it was a bitter pill to swallow.

Do I deserve to even be happy?

---

Shota Aizawa POV

Shota Aizawa wasn't a patient man. It had been known ever since he was a child that he didn't like to wait on things to happen, whether it was the release of something or the day he got his results back for the most recent test he did, patience was something he had struggled with. But waiting to find out Sora Yamazaki's location was something that felt like hell.

'Yamazaki… if he were alive, it would have been Sora Shirakumo.' Despite the fact that his student was actually his dead best-friends son, Shota thought he had been taking things rather well. Compared to Hizashi, who when he was told tried to avoid Sora for as much as he could, or compared to Nezu who kept a much closer eye on the boy, Shota's own treatment of the boy hadn't changed much compared to before. Or perhaps, that was a lie he told himself so that he wouldn't show any favourites.

That was why he was immensely proud of Sora when he managed to evolve his Quirk, improving on his 'concentration' by coming up with his own unique solution. The way Sora tried to help him with the pending attack on the summer camp, Sora having helped him form a plan that did lead to their success. Yet, Shota had seen another person that he cared about taken away from him, with Shota being ultimately powerless in the situation.

Sora had the same hair as Oboro, the same eyes, and the same smile.

The same face.

It was like looking at a ghost, only the ghost actually existed in the real world. Yet here he was, comforting Sora's 'family'. Gekko Yamazaki was holding his wife in his arms as she cried, the man himself trying to hide away his pain. While their adopted daughter, Miwa, had slammed her door shut and was trying to ignore whatever was happening in the real world - she wanted to live in her reality where Sora was going to come back safe and sound.

Shota wasn't an idiot.

He had been an underground hero for far too long to know what could happen to Sora, which was why he wasn't sugarcoating anything for the family. But if there was even a small chance that he could save Sora Yamazaki…

He would gladly give up his life for it.

Shota Aizawa wasn't going to allow Oboro's son to die before reaching eighteen, not before being able to graduate from U.A, becoming an adult and getting married. Perhaps even starting a family.

Not again.

"H-has there been any information of if Sora's been found yet?" Hinata Yamazaki asked him.

"Nothing as of yet, but I assure you we are working hard in trying to find your son." Their son? Aizawa mentally scoffed at the words he was saying, Sora wasn't theirs. He was Oboro Shirakumo's only son, the last living proof that he had ever even existed. Shota thanked the Yamazaki's for taking Sora and raising him, but claiming him to be their son. It left a bad taste in his mouth.

"I… see. And what do you think as his teacher?"

"I have full faith in the police and my comrades in finding Sora," Shota replied, but he didn't really believe in the words he was saying. He was far too jaded to believe that they would get Sora without a single scratch on his body or soul. "Sora's safety is our top priority at the moment." No, it really wasn't. Maybe to Shota, but to the other heroes - Catching the League of Villains and making a name for themselves to be boosted up the rankings was far more important than saving a stupid kid.

But Sora wasn't just some 'stupid kid,' he was Oboro's kid.

Shota knew what selfish heroes were capable of, allowing civilians to die so that they could get the perfect angle of them defeating a villain. All before sending a 'compensation package' to the family as a way of hushing them up. And it worked like a charm. Even if the families refused the package, and tried to take matters into their own hands, the HSPC not to mention the public shut them up.

It was a vicious cycle.

But if anything happened to Sora, Shota Aizawa would find the hero responsible and he would ensure that they suffered.

Bzzt.

Shota checked his phone, and his eyes widened at the first message he saw.

Nanao Iori: Kamino Ward, Yokohama.

"Sora's been found," Shota immediately stood up, before rushing to the door as fast as he could. Yokohama was only an hour away by car, and if he went above the speed limit slightly, it would take forty minutes. He could get away with it. "I promise you all, I'll bring your son back."

Shota Aizawa was going to save Sora Yamazaki, no matter what.

---

"-azaki! Yamazaki!"

"Hm?"

I woke up to emptiness. I couldn't see anything for miles, but I couldn't move. I couldn't speak either, I had no form. I was just… drifting. Where was I?

"Oh, hello there!" A brown-haired boy suddenly appeared in front of me. He looked exactly like me, only he had brown hair. "I've wanted to meet you for such a long time. Hehe. I hope we can be good friends."

"Who are you?" I managed to say, surprising me.

"You don't know who I am?" The boy replied, tilting his head to the side, confused. "Well, I haven't properly introduced myself. Oh well. I'm Sora Yamazaki, nice to meet you!"

"No."

"No what?"

"I'm Sora Yamazaki."

"Hehe. You're so funny," Within seconds the boy dropped the smile on his face, his eyes that held such joy turning cold and empty. Hatred. "That's fine with me if you won't accept who I am. I suppose you could call me Kurai, just so we aren't confused."

"Why?"

"Why what? Why do I want to kill everyone? It's simple, they annoy me. I hate them all. I hate you. That's all."

"You're a psychopath."

"I'm you. But I do enjoy watching you beg me for the power to win, the power to 'protect others.' It's really funny! I don't really know why you summoned me, perhaps it happened subconsciously. It wasn't your decision after all, but oh well. Goodbye for now, Sora Yamazaki."

---

I woke up clutching my head in pain. Just what the fuck was that? I could remember it vividly, and yet it felt like a dream at the same time. I wiped away the sweat from my forehead, and stood up from the ground, checking the time on my phone. I had been sleeping for some time, nearly two hours. I was still in the same room as I was before, but I wasn't alone.

Zero was standing there.

"So, you're awake."

"What do you want?" I asked him, yawning, "Did you come here to ask for my answer to your question?"

"No. I've come here to inform you that your friends are coming to save you. Within ten minutes, this building will be stormed by both the police and a group of heroes. Included in those heroes is All Might, and All For One is eagerly awaiting his showdown. Sadly, we will not be here to watch it."

"What do you mean?" I asked him, "I thought you were going to get rid of him? What are you playing at?"

"I never said I wasn't going along with my plans, but you," Zero raised his right index pointer and pointed it directly at me, "You cannot be here for what's to come. Your friends are coming to save you and then, only then, will you be able to provide me with your answer. Will you leave 1A, or will you stay? I eagerly await your ans-," Zero was cut off as a loud bang shook the entire building. Zero rushed over to me, grabbing me by the arm as we ran to the top of the building.

He didn't say anything to me as we reached the roof of the building, Zero only allowing me to catch my breath as he walked to the edge and peered down below.

"Was that the heroes? Or the police?" I asked him.

"The police. Tsk. Fools, they don't have the manpower to catch anyone, let alone all of us. Quickly Sora, if you want to meet with your friends then follow me."

"Why?" I asked him, "Why the hell are you helping me? You're a villain, why are you helping me escape? What if I go back to 1A, what if I continue hunting you down? That won't help your plans, so why are you doing all this? I don't understand!"

But Zero didn't answer, he merely leapt off the roof only to land on another building. I clicked my tongue, before following after him, using my Quirk to summon a platform and float towards the other building. And yet despite how fast I tried to run, Zero was always a step ahead of me. I couldn't bridge the gap between us, no matter how hard I tried. It only widened with each second, and I didn't dare to look back. Especially when I heard the shouts of the heroes storming the building, or the blue flames that erupted from it engulfing the lower floors.

Or when All For One and All Might went barreling through entire buildings.

"Holy shit…" I couldn't help but stare in awe at the pure chaos that was unfolding in front of my very eyes. The day was over, and it was nighttime, only the city lights illuminating the sky, yet the fights that were going on in front of me felt like they weren't real. They were all fighting on a whole different level compared to me. Mount Lady in all her glory, stomping on sides of the building, Edgeshot fighting two Nomu at once, Endeavour following after Dabi as their flames danced around in the moonlight.

And in this very moment, I was reminded of how powerless I was.

How I, despite my goal, was a nobody. Despite everything All For One said to me, despite my role in 1A, despite everything I had achieved and been through - It was nothing compared to what was happening. I didn't just feel like I was lost, no, I felt like I had nowhere to go. I had once thought of 1A as my home because, despite my love for Hinata, Gekko and Miwa, they were much closer to each other than to me. I made that gap, it was my decision to act cold towards them when I was younger.

Sure, they still love me.

But they'll never love me.

I was an outsider in my home at times, but never in 1A. But now? I felt more alone than ever, because even if my friends were coming to rescue me… how could I possibly face them?

I didn't realise what All For One had meant until now. I had burnt 1A down. Completely and utterly, they were destroyed. They weren't the 1A of canon that stood against him, that won against him. That defied him. I made sure of that, because I wanted to 'help' them, but akin to a building burning down, my 'help' hadn't led to anything. Were my friends coming to save me because they cared, or because they were heroes? What was the difference?

They were the heroes, and I was a villain.

They were just, and I was evil.

They represented the good in humans, but what exactly did I represent? I was just a test subject and an unwanted child. A toy for someone, who played around with my life like it was nothing. All this time, I thought I was finding my own path in life - but that was a lie. I thought I had moved on from who I was, but that was another lie. I'm still the same person who I was, I merely faced myself, but I never moved on. I still hurt them without realising it, just in a different way.

I will never be able to escape this fate.

It's simply not a decision I can make.

Even as I watched two titans clash, buildings being toppled around them, I couldn't help but feel angry. Angry at everything. Go beyond Plus Ultra? What bullshit was that? I wasn't a hero, and I could never be a hero. I was fooling myself trying to become one, I've never been hero material. Even if I manage to stay three years at U.A, even if I graduate, then what? Then I'll become a hero? But I don't want to save people. I don't care about saving others, I only care about my friends and family.

"We don't have time," Zero urged me, grabbing onto my arm. "If you want to meet with your friends, then follow me. I know where they are."

"Who are you underneath that mask?" I asked him. Zero. Zero. Who was he? I first thought of him as a villain, a threat to me, someone to beat. But then I saw him in a different light, he helped me. And then he helped me again, he promised to keep Jiro and everyone else safe and he did. Why would he do that? Why would a villain, someone who works against me, someone who represents everything I detest, do that? He views or used to view, the people living here as beneath him.

Just like I did.

Was I against Zero because of what he's done, because of what he's going to do, or because he reminded me of myself? I couldn't even answer that question. A hero is supposed to fight the villain and win, no matter what. But I couldn't even bring myself to do that, even if Zero was a threat to my 'carefree tomorrow.' Ha, a carefree tomorrow? What a load of bullshit. Just an excuse for me to act like a hero, because I really couldn't care less if random people died.

I wouldn't feel good, but I wouldn't lose any sleep over it.

If I couldn't save them in front of me, then there wasn't anything I could do about it. But mostly everyone, if not everyone, in 1A, would be sad. With every passing second, I was pointing out more and more differences between us. They were the real heroes; I was a pretender. I hid everything behind a mask, acting like I was the same as them, was I really against killing or was that just another excuse to act like a hero? Because even if I don't understand death, does that really matter?

I was never really against Zero because Zero wasn't some entity.

He wasn't a grand evil.

He was just me, someone who felt some remorse over what he had done and decided to move forwards. But I never did. I can't move forwards, I don't know how. I'm tied down by my past, by the way, I acted, and I'll never be able to move forward. Not unless I leave 1A completely, but I can't leave. Leaving isn't an option for me, not when they all came to rescue me. But at the same time, I don't belong in 1A. I never have, and if I stay in 1A, I'll just continue hurting them.

I'll continue being the villain.

Because my lies, the way I act, it's all a mask. Because 1A will never know the truth, they'll never realise that I am the villain. It keeps me protected, and I'll be able to have a good life with them because of it. But I'll never live a happy life. Never. Because I can never take that mask off, not just because I don't want to, but because I can't. I didn't realise it until now, but even now I'm still All For One's toy. He's still messing around with my life, I always have been and always will be a toy for his amusement. All For One didn't put that damn Quirk on me so he could keep his secrets, no he put it just to torture me.

Just like how he tortured my 'mother.'

I'm a product of that torture.

Unwanted.

Another mask.

"Who I am underneath this? I can't answer that," Zero replied, "...knowing who I am won't change anything. I'll be a 'villain' no matter what, knowing who I am isn't going to solve anything. I don't wear this mask for just fun, Sora. I wear this mask because I need to. Because sometimes a mask can hide your true self, your true feelings, from those that you care about. Even if you don't want to admit it. Now let's get a move on, your friends are close by."

Right.

I had to decide if I was going to stay in, or leave, 1A.

---

Kyoka Jiro POV

"Have we arrived at Kamino Ward yet? The back is a little fucking cramped." Bakugo complained.

"Bakugo, I think we are all cramped." Iida replied.

"Shut it, four-eyes."

"Here we are," Nanao pulled the van over on the side of the street. "Give me a moment, I'll scan the location of his phone again." She then closed her eyes, clapping her hands together and concentrating on trying to locate Sora. Nanao had explained to them that it was her Quirk, the ability to remotely tag any piece of technology and track it for as long as she wants. However, it only works when she fully concentrates, and she can only use it once an hour.

"Ten minutes away from us, east, and moving quickly," Nanao suddenly yelled, startling them all. "A little high altitude, so he's probably on top of a roof. But he's… coming towards us? No, that's impossible."

"It doesn't matter," Yaoyorozu replied, "We have to intercept him before he gets here, just in case a villain is following him. He could be injured, or worse. More than that, if it's just his phone, we don't know if it's Sora or not. So everyone, let's be careful, it could be a trap." They all nodded at her, but Jiro knew that it wasn't the case. She didn't have any evidence, she just chose to believe that it was Sora.

"Right then, good luck to you all," Nanao said, "I can't stay here for long, so I'm going to help the police with the raid. Just a matter of protocol really, Iida tell Sora to call me when you save him."

"Right."

And with that, she drove away.

"She said east, right? Well then, east it is!" They walked east, walking through narrow alleyways, hoping to catch a glimpse of their friend. With each step they took, Jiro's heart beating a little faster, she was desperately hoping that Sora was okay. But with each step they took, they got closer and closer to the action which made her more nervous. Jiro wasn't a fool, against one of the villains perhaps they would have a chance, but they'd hinder the pro's on the scene more than help them.

Thud.

Jiro looked up, and what she saw made her heart race.

"S-Sora?!" She yelled loudly.

Running down the emergency exit stairs, Sora's face brought a smile to her face. Especially when he looked her way, and briefly smiled. He was here, just as she wanted, now they could-,

"Give me a moment," He yelled, summoning his Quirk as he jumped on his Nimbus before another figure jumped on it with him. Zero. She froze slightly, but nothing could ruin the happiness she felt. Especially when he landed on the ground, and he walked over to them, scratching his head awkwardly as always. "Yo. I see you guys all came to get me."

"Of course, how could we not rescue you! What kind of friends would we be if we didn't!" Iida replied.

"Yeah! What Iida-san said!" Midoriya added.

"Tch, I didn't come here to save you," Bakugo replied, "I just came here to beat up some thugs."

"Now, now, don't be rude."

"Shut up, witch! Like I'm rude!"

"I'll put you in detention."

"What am I? Five? Like I give a fuck, you hold no power over me!"

Sora couldn't help but laugh at Yaoyorozu and Bakugo arguing. "I leave for a couple of hours, and this is what happens? Jeez, you're making me feel bad."

"Yeah, well maybe next time you shouldn't leave," Todoroki said, "Or not without a note at least."

"Hold on, I thought we agreed that he shouldn't have left in the first place? I don't think if he wrote a note before he left things would have been better."

"Maybe. I just would have been more polite." Todoroki added.

"Haha, yeah, next time I leave I'll definitely write a note," Sora replied, or rather, forced himself to reply. "Hm? Are you okay? Jiro? Are you too stunned by my good looks? Don't worry, I understand. I'm simply far too handsome for your eyes to behold, right?"

"What are you trying to hide." The smile Sora had, the way he acted, even his tone of voice - It was all fake. Forced. The only time Sora ever did all this was when he was trying to hide something, Jiro knew this. The air around them grew heavy, as everyone's eyes were transfixed on her and Sora.

"C'mon, what are you talking about? I'm happy to be back."

"Cut the bullshit, Sora," Jiro replied. She wasn't messing about. The explosions grew closer and closer with each passing second, making the situation tenser as they only had a few minutes at best before the fighting reached them. "I know you very well, like the back of my hand. You're hiding something-, No, you want to say something but you're holding off on saying it. So stop hiding it, say what you want to say."

The grin on Sora's face was wiped off as he looked genuinely surprised before he smiled sadly. "Ha, you really are something special, Jiro," he replied. "I guess I can't fool you. I'm leaving 1A." The words didn't register in her mind, but she expected something like this. Why wouldn't she? Jiro could see it in his eyes, that spark of energy that was once there faded out completely. She was right, above all else, Sora needed a hero right now.

'This is it.'

Either she saved him, or she didn't.

There was no in-between.

A test to see if she was ever really deserving to be his friend.

---

"I'm leaving 1A."

Those were words that I never expected to hear coming from my mouth. I wasn't even really sure about leaving 1A, but at this point, if I could protect them, I would. Nothing All For One did to me could erase the love I held for them, the love I had for Jiro. If this was what I had to do, then so be it. It was a sacrifice I was willing to make, even if I was the one who suffered in the end. With those words, Yaoyorozu and Izuku took a few steps backwards in surprise, shock colouring their faces completely. They would be easy to fight in this state.

Iida, Bakugo and Todoroki however looked like they weren't expecting what was coming out of my mouth, but they didn't accept it either. They would be harder to fight, especially if they teamed up. I'd stand no chance. But if I pick them off one by one, I could win. However, it was Jiro's face that troubled him the most - And it was because he couldn't read her at all. Was she shocked? Was she calm? Was she angry? She'd be the toughest to fight for me.

But what I didn't expect her to do was smile, taking a few steps forward to face me directly.

"This is my goodbye, Jiro. There isn't a need to chase after me anymore, I'm just not going to be in 1A anymore. I'll still be around, maybe we can eat some food together every now and then. But being with someone like me ain't gonna make ya' happy, I'm a horrible friend. We both know that."

"Yeah, but you're an even worse liar," Jiro replied, giggling slightly, surprising me even more. "Sora… listen. I've thought a lot about us, about our friendship these past few hours. But saying that being friends with you isn't going to make me happy is total bullshit. The fact that I'm your friend already makes me happy, not to mention some of my favourite memories are with you. So, from your best friend who's seen you lie a lot, that's the worse lie you've ever said."

"But I'm not lying," I replied. I was a monster. A devil. "You'd be better off without me."

"And who decides that?"

"I… do. I decide."

Jiro shook her head. "No, Sora… Really, listen to me. You're scared of losing us, no, that's not quite right. You're scared of hurting us more than you already have, and that's okay. But if you run away from that, you'll only end up hurting yourself more than us. I don't know the truth that you were looking for, but I don't think that I need to know it now anyway. I'm sure that over time, you'll tell us everything you want. And if you can't, well that's okay as well. It'll sting, but we can live with it. But I won't tolerate you lying to yourself."

"I'm not lying to myself!" I shouted back at her, "If I were, I wouldn't be here right now!"

"So then, why are you here? Just a final 'goodbye'? Because we both know that you don't really like goodbyes, you can't help but leave things unfinished. If you weren't lying to yourself, if you really wanted to leave 1A, then we wouldn't have found out by you telling us. We'd figure it out when someone else comes to replace you in class. No, you're telling us all this because you don't want to leave us, you just feel like you have to. What is it this time? Is it to protect us? Because you feel like you aren't a hero? Because I'll have you know, I feel like I don't belong here all the damn time. But here I am. If I can do it, so can you."

"You're stronger than me. You always have been."

"Another lie," Jiro replied, "I'm weak. I have massive flaws."

"You really don't-,"

"Sora, it's okay," She cut me off, taking a step closer to me. Her eyes were clearer than I had ever seen them-, No, they were focused. Determined. "You don't have to lie to make me feel better. I know I'm weak, especially compared to that angry blonde behind me, or Todoroki. Or even you. But I'm strong in other areas as well, just because I've been through a lot and barely scraped by doesn't mean I'm weak, it doesn't mean I'm lucky. I did pick myself back up and kept on walking forwards, even if I had help, I was strong in my own way. And that only happened because you showed me the way."

"But right now? Right now you look lost. You don't want to get up and keep struggling, you just want to give up. Don't pretend for a second that this is about anything other than that because if you really didn't belong in 1A you wouldn't have made it-,"

"Jiro, I'm not talking about my strength. Or anything like that. I'm a monster, someone created only to cause others harm." That was the truth. It was how I was born, unwanted and used as a weapon against my biological mother causing her harm. Then I hurt the family who adopted me, forming cracks that haven't really been fixed even now. And then I hurt 1A, all my lies having completely defeated the class that was strong. A class that could stand up against anything life threw at them.

"Do you honestly believe that?" She asked me, her voice wavering slightly. This was it. My final goodbye.

My only regret was…

"Yeah, I do." I smiled at her one last time. She was going to break down any second now, and then I'd walk past her. I'd call Aizawa-sensei and say goodbye to him, but I'll tell him about Kurogiri. He deserved to know that at least. I guess this is my first proper goodbye, I never had the chance to say them in my old life. And I didn't say goodbye to my middle-school friends either, we just drifted apart over time. It feels weird-,

Smack.

Pain.

Stinging pain on my left cheek, to the point that my left eye was forming tears that I had to wipe away. Jiro had slapped me in the face, hard at that.

"Bullshit. A monster? Created only to harm others? What kind of bullshit do you expect me to swallow? Because in my eyes, you're human just like the rest of us. You don't have eight arms and four legs, nor do you look particularly scary. You're a normal human, not a monster. So don't ever say that ever again, or else I'll slap you even harder next time. You're our friend, you're Gekko and Hinata's son, Miwa's sister. Not a monster." Jiro raised her voice at me.

"You don't understand-,"

"Yeah. I don't understand how you can be so stupid," Jiro cut me off once more, "You're one of the nicest people I've ever met, you care so much for the people around you that it hurts you. It scares you. And yet you're willing to bleed for them, that's how much you care for them! You even want to build us a 'carefree tomorrow,' which is the sweetest thing anyone has ever tried to do for me. And I'm sure everyone else shares my sentiment! So calling yourself a monster isn't just an insult to you, it's an insult to us as well."

"I've hurt you all. And I won't be able to stop hurting you all, I can't tell you the 'truth,' it's just something I can't decide on doing. It's out of my hands, so I'll continue hurting you all despite not me wanting to. And that makes me a monster in my eyes." I replied, trying not to sound empty inside.

"So your best idea is to then run away from us? Hoping that you won't hurt us even more? I understand now, I get what you are trying to do," Jiro said, grinning brightly at me. "You really are an idiot. If you wanted to just tell us that you weren't able to tell us what you wanted, we would have understood. It's not like we don't have secrets we don't want others to know either."

"Jiro, you don't understand. It's not just that. The way I've been acting, trying to protect you all, trying to save you. I've been hurting the class more than helping it. Our class isn't as unified as it once was, and that's thanks to me. I helped to ruin it. Me."

"And leaving 1A is the only way to fix it? Yeah, no," Jiro shook her head, "If you come back, I promise you that everything will return back to normal. Sure, things won't be the same, but the 'unity' you're talking about won't exist if you aren't there with us. I'm sorry, but there is no Class 1A without you, Sora. Sure, we can replace you, but it won't be the same. It'll be different. Sure, we might be stronger, but unified? I don't think so."

"So then what would you have me do?" I yelled at her, "Go back to 1A? Keep on living a good life despite knowing I can never tell you guys the truth. That I've hurt you all without meaning to do so? That sounds like hell for me. A place where I'll never escape, a place where I'll never truly be happy. But is that really the best option? Between that or leaving 1A, isn't that the option that will make me suffer the most? What kind of carefree tomorrow is that?"

And yet, Jiro's smile never wavered all throughout what I just said.

"Idiot. You forgot the third option, beat whatever villain's stopping you from telling us what you want, then tell it to us when you can. You're a hero, no? I don't know if you've noticed, but stopping villains is what we do. But we also help to conquer our own villains. Self-doubt. And if you ever feel like you aren't doing something right, that you're lost, I'll be right there next to you to push you back on track," Jiro held her hand out towards me. "In the end, you decide. Run away, live a lie- or fight. Fight until you win. I think you know what the answer is, right?"

I…

Was that really what I wanted? If I left 1A, I wouldn't hurt them anymore. We would all still be friends, but they would be busier than I, and eventually, we would all drift apart. I knew that. It was exactly what happened between myself and my middle-school friends, and it wasn't anyone's fault really. But I wouldn't hurt them anymore, and they'd be safe. Safer than if I stayed with them, making the class more divided and separated just because I couldn't be truthful with them, because while they were good friends to me - I couldn't be a good friend to them.

But…

That would be a spit in the face for them. For everything, I've achieved in not only 1A, but before I even attended U.A. I'd be creating a 'carefree tomorrow' for them, but not for myself. In fact, it wouldn't even be carefree, would it? Sure, I could leave Class 1A, but they would never leave me. No, they were the type of people to be checking up on me every day. Even if I left 1A, Kaminari and Mineta would be messaging me random things at three in the morning, Yaoyorozu would probably call me every day to see if I'd been eating healthily, and Bakugo would show up at my doorstep demanding a spar between us, and Jiro?

Yeah, there's no way in hell that she'd not go an hour without speaking to me.

They would all bug me, reminding me that 1A is my home.

I couldn't leave them.

Even if I hurt them, even if the class was fractured because of me. Even if I was a monster, undeserving of their love, I wasn't going to leave 1A. But staying in 1A would hurt me just as much. Living a lie, pretending that I'm not hurting them, pretending that I'm still a hero is also just as bad. Because I wasn't a hero, no matter what anyone said, I knew that I could never be a hero. But I didn't join U.A because I wanted to help others, I was always selfish to some extent.

And so, the third option Jiro gave me was right.

Getting to this point was a struggle. I nearly failed so many times, and I nearly died just as many. Yet, I kept on fighting, I kept on looking forwards. Giving up here wasn't an option. Fighting to free myself from All For One's control, fighting to be able to tell everyone the truth, that was what I wanted. More than a carefree tomorrow, I just wanted to be truthful with my friends at least once.

No.

I wanted to be truthful to myself.

And that first step was admitting my feelings.

"Jiro," I began, stepping closer to her. "I, well, there's something I've been meaning to say to you for so long. I didn't realise it until recently, but it's the truth. Even now, in the dark alleyway, you still somehow shine brightly. A light that always guides me forwards, someone that I care about deeply. Someone that I love." I leaned forwards, pressing my lips against hers. I didn't give a damn about anything in the world. I just wanted to be grateful to the girl I loved from the bottom of my heart.

Kyoka Jiro had saved me.

More times than I could count.

She wasn't just my best friend, she meant so much more to me. Even if it was selfish of me to go back to 1A to try and fight, I wanted to do it for her. And only her. If it meant staying at 1A for her, I'd do it.

It felt good, to be honest with someone for once.

For once it felt like I had made a good decision.

We broke apart, Jiro clearly flustered and confused, but she smiled at me brightly. She looked truly happy, happier than I had ever seen her. Which was why I needed to do this, for Jiro.

"I can't take your deal," I turned around to face Zero, "It's not what I want. I'm afraid of going back to everyone, I really am, but I'd rather take that option than just run away. Sorry, but you'll be seeing more of me." Zero laughed behind his mask, and despite the voice filter, I could tell that he was happy.

"You look determined, I can see it in your eyes," Zero turned around, walking out of the alley. "My offer will always be open for you, Sora. So continue on living, continue on looking for an answer to the question I asked you, what will you do now that you've learned the truth? Perhaps the next time we'll meet, you'll be able to answer that. Or perhaps you won't."

"Why? Why are you doing all this for me?"

Zero paused, not moving a single muscle. "Your mothers name is Yukari Aotsuki. If you want to find her, to know more about what happened, then go ahead. You deserve that much," He answered, "But you had an older sibling. I killed them. Not before making them a promise, that I'd protect you from All For One. From everything. That's all."

Only Jiro and I were in range to hear him, and she turned to look at me in confusion, but I simply squeezed her arm lightly. I'd try to explain it to her as much as I could later, and only to her.

"Well, well, what do we have here?" Shigaraki's voice rang throughout the alley, putting me on guard as I summoned my Nimbus, transforming it into a sword. Standing at the end of the alley, blocking our path, Shigaraki smiled at us, with Kurogiri floating behind him. Toga and Mr Compress appeared a few moments later, with Dabi jumping off the roof, his clothes slightly burned.

"Shigaraki," Zero growled, "What did you do?"

"Me? I did nothing. Sensei came barging in, and all the pros then focused their attention on bringing him down. Pretty sure he cracked Edgeshot's skull, but I wasn't really paying attention. I see you gathered up all the people of interest for us to slaughter. Excellent work, Zero."

Zero summoned his sword, pointing it at the villains.

"If you take a single step closer towards them, I will kill you."

"Are you declaring your true allegiance?"

"I have, and always will be, on my side," Zero replied, "I made a promise. And I will not break that promise. But don't get me wrong, we can fight them at a later date. Right now we need to escape."

"Not without sensei-,"

"Your sensei is dead." Zero interrupted him coldly.

"What?" Shigaraki screeched, disintegrating the pipes next to him in anger. "What did you just say? You said he'd win!"

"I did, but he didn't listen to me. He was far too busy torturing a teenager instead of preparing himself for the hardest battle in his life, and for that, he'll pay for it. It's a good skill to know when to cut your losses, so Kurogiri, take us far away from here as much as possible." Zero walked towards the villains, ignoring us completely. Tch.

"Hey, Zero!" I yelled, walking towards him. "Don't think I'm going to go easy on you. I will beat All For One, and I will beat you." I wasn't done speaking to him, I wasn't done fighting him yet!

"Oh, is that so? You still want to fight me, after everything do you still view me as the villain you need to defeat?" Zero asked me.

"No, I don't think that anymore," Zero had done so much for me. Cause of his promise? I don't know if I believed that. "But I… If you attack 1A, no matter if it's directly or indirectly, I'll fight you with everything I have."

Zero grinned, walking towards me as he placed his hands on my shoulder, before kneeing me in the stomach. Lightly. "It's already far too late to achieve one of your goals," He whispered so that only I could hear, "The gears of fate have finally begun to turn, and nothing will be able to slow them down, with or without your interference. This story has just begun, Sora Yamazaki. I look forward to seeing what will happen. What you'll decide on doing."

And with that, Zero disappeared, leaving us all alone.

The gears of... Fate?

Just what is he talking about?! Wait… no!

"Quickly," I yelled, "We need to see what's happening with All Might's fight!" No, it can't be! How could he have done so?! That's impossible! What did Zero do?! We ran for what seemed like hours, trying to find the source of all the commotion. But instead of cheering, and yells of happiness, we were met with empty silence. All traces of fighting had been destroyed, sure there were craters and broken buildings, but they looked more like ruins rather than the fallout of a fight between two giants.

We ran across the city, hoping to find All Might and All For One's fight, but we looked everywhere and we couldn't find even a single trace of them. It was like the two of them vanished out of thin air! I couldn't hold my nervousness in, as I ran faster than everyone else. Please, no. It can't be. How could he have done so? Zero was standing right beside us the entire time, it was impossible for him to have done that!

Huff.. huff.

Eventually, I found myself upon the scene that took my breath away. Pure carnage, destruction everywhere. Many of the biggest heroes, either on the ground passed out, or were heavily injured but managed to stand up. And at the centre of all this chaos, at the eye of the storm, were two figures.

Both soaked in blood.

But one was the victor.

All Might had won his battle with All For One.

The only problem was this his fist had punched a hole through All For One's chest, or it was more accurate to say that All For One had his chest caved in by something very powerful. But it was his expression that raised even more questions, a look of pure confusion. As if he was unable to move, paralysed even, with his arms laying to his sides as if they were stuck together with glue.

"No… way."

I fell to the floor, both relieved and angry.

All For One, the villain of this story, was dead.

---

The gears of fate are indeed turning.

I said long ago that I'd break away from canon, and this is the first step in doing so. Haha. It feels crazy taking out a major player like AFO this early, but to be honest... I don't really care for him. Like I suppose he's decent, and he's cool, but in Over the Top, he's now dead. So...

This was a weird chapter to write.

A lot of stuff wasn't actually planned, but somehow this chapter ended up better than I was hoping.

1) Sora x Jiro isn't a confirmed ship. He kissed her. That's all.

2) Sora hasn't gotten over anything. If anything, he's choosing to stay in 1A because of Jiro and no one else. Is that healthy? Well, guess you'll have to find out!

3) Aizawa's POV in this chapter seems weird in its placement, but it'll make more sense soon.

4) We have entered the final arc of part 1 of this story! Yay me!

Yes, this arc is called 'DECIDE' and will have a number next to it.

Why?

Cause it sounds cool.

Guess-Questioner:

Well, I didn't mean for Sora's section to have jokes.

Only Bakugo really made 'jokes' but hopefully this chapter explained why. I like canon Bakugo, but he sorta hasn't gone where I want to take Bakugo. Nothing wrong with it, I just want to make Bakugo more of a loudmouthed person that hides his true feelings - Secretly, he does care for Sora as a friend. Aww, isn't that cute?

Animeman309:

Eren vibes?

Interesting observation there.

But I'd compare Sora/Kurai more akin to a child throwing a temper tantrum rather than Eren's cold and calculated way of dealing with things so to speak... But yeah, maybe it does look that way now.

MeachyGoode14:

The Calvary Battle was extremely fun to write! One of my favourite scenes because I improvised all of it (seriously, you all have no idea how much I improv when writing this. I have a 'framework' in mind, yes, but it's not as tight as you'd think. It's pretty loose so I can add things and take away things whenever I feel like it. For example, Tokage and every other reincarnation with the exception of Zero were improvs on my behalf. Funny how integral to the plot they have now become...)

Bridd:

Sora in the first chapter didn't really change, because change doesn't just happen like that. Please read this in a sing-song voice, it's how I wrote it. Quite literally this chapter, and rather this 'DECIDE' arc is going to really scrutinise every decision Sora has, and will make. It's exciting to finally talk about the first chapter again in the context of the story events.

Grimmouse197:

Well, see above.

But, and this is important, I never once said Sora's nationality. I said he was born and raised in the UK, yes, however, there are a lot of people who migrate to the UK. Anyway, that isn't a major part of his character, and if that's a deal breaker to you then why even read a SI/Isekai story? It's just a part of the genre really. If someone can die and be reincarnated, can you suspend your disbelief that they may be a little smart? Or something.

But the weirdest part of your review, in my opinion, is saying how you don't like when kids are reincarnated because they make dodgy decisions.

No shit Sherlock, they haven't matured yet.

It's almost like I want to write a story about someone maturing... Huh, who would have thought?

Wiseman3211:

It was nice to see you sent reviews so much.

Now the motif of Sora being a delinquent is a weird one at first because he isn't really portrayed as one. However in the context of Japan, and really the world of MHA, standing out = bad. Sora stood out, he didn't care, so he became a 'delinquent.' Remember, the east and the west have largely different perceptions of the word, and the type of character associated with the word. I know this from first-hand experience.

But that motif has come back in full force this chapter (to some extent) and will rear its head again very soon.

And yeah, it was a struggle to right darker scenes at the start. But I think I found a way to do it... maybe? Eh, I don't know. Oh well. But yeah, I'm starting to slowly introduce some more worldbuilding because I did say I wanted a living and breathing world at the start of this story. And I'm finally getting to that stage soon.

Sora is a baby, or rather Kurai is a baby that never grew up. Kurai only saw Sora grow up, and Kurai had access to Sora's life. Kurai = Sora, by the way, they are one and the same. But Sora and Kurai both want to differentiate themselves, because both don't want to accept each other. Was Kurai the one in control at the start of the story? A child lashing out at everyone around them, thinking they alone are better? Haha, that's a good question.

And Aizawa cares deeply for Sora.

Aizawa always struck me as a less adjusted Kakashi.

Someone who can't move on.

So, seeing Sora certainly hasn't helped him.

Vincent FS:

Yessir, forcing character development in 1 chapter is exactly what I do in Over the Top!

Aaaaaaaaand that's it, folks!

Sorry for the late chapter upload, only by a few hours, but still. I feel a little bad. But yeah, the next few chapters are going to be a little fast-paced. But we have around ten or so chapters left in Part 1. This 'DECIDE' arc is important to the story overall. I started it now because Sora made a decision to stay in 1A, not to say that it was necessarily right or anything.

But he made that decision.

And he'll be making more decisions soon.

This arc really shows the arrogance, selflessness and selfishness of Sora Yamazaki. In full display, I won't be pulling any punches with the consequences his decisions may have either. This is his story after all. Over the Top is Sora's journey, and while the destination may change, it's a journey nonetheless. But he is a kid, and I said many times before, Sora will stumble.

You'll get angry at his decisions.

You'll feel sad that felt the need to do X or Y.

But in the end, you'll be happy.

A journey with highs and lows, that's what I wanted to write.

And we'll be finally getting to it. Non-canon territory, the arcs that I've created using my own mind within the context of the world. Part 1's ending and the 'DECIDE' arc is a final push toward all this. The ending of something we've grown accustomed to, and the start of something unfamiliar - Something new. It's a decision Sora makes, and I can't wait to share it all with you.

Finally.

After all this time.

So thank you for sticking with me to this point.

Next Chapter:

"You did what with Jiro?!"

"It was just a, you know, little peck. On the lips. Yeah."