After the talk with Principal Nezu, I was left alone to ponder on my new situation. I stayed awake the entire night not knowing what to do. In the morning, Akari came to visit. We have another heartfelt reunion and she asks if I knew why Izuku sent a random address to her. I told her about Izuku's encounter with the Hero Killer which made her worry. I reassure her that everything was fine since the Hero Killer was also detained the same night Izuku sent the location.
My body felt fine as I moved around the room and the presence from the corners had disappeared for now. Akari still had to attend school so she couldn't stay for long. Though I don't know if I had to attend since I don't have an internship but checking on Izuku takes precedence.
As I was about to leave the room with Akari, we were stopped by Aizawa. "Just where do you think you're going," he asks.
"I want to make sure Izuku is ok with my own eyes," I answered
"You're quite a hassle, you know that. I should have expelled you before things got out of hand… You can't leave here until you get the approval of the principal."
"The principal, right?" Akari rummages through her bag, "Principal Nezu handed me this to give to you if she wanted to leave," Akari pulled out and handed a folded white paper to Aizawa.
Aizawa takes the note, then opens it and reads it. "A real pain," he sighs. "I don't know if you're lucky or unlucky. I will be supervising you until you return to UA."
"That's fine with me."
"But we are only going to the hospital then straight back to UA. You still have work you need to make up for the time you missed from school."
"That's…" I'm absolutely dreading the work that might be there when we go back but that's, "Fine by me."
"Look at the time I have to hurry. Wish Izuku a speedy recovery for me," Akari says as she leaves in a hurry.
"Yeah, I will! Hope you have a good day at school," I replied.
Aizawa sighs, "So do you even know where your brother is hospitalized?"
I looked away from Aizawa in a bit of embarrassment, "In Hosu City…?"
"Your future vision is not very good at all. Or is it your faulty memory… Well whatever it is, we'll work on that when the time comes… For now, follow me." I followed Aizawa out of the hospital and to the station. Nothing happens during the intervening time except for the occasional glance Aizawa would give me. When we arrive in Hosu city after walking for a distance Aizawa stops and asks, "You only mentioned Izuku, Ida, and Todoroki in the fight with the Hero Killer right?"
"Yes… I mean there was a pro hero there too but he didn't do anything. Then after the fight and meeting up with the pro heroes, the Hero Killer made that speech."
Aizawa sighs, "Brace yourself for some... Unpleasant news." I felt shivers down my spine. "Your friend Youta Okazaki was severely injured during the encounter with the Hero Killer."
It felt cold for a moment as I stared blankly at Aizawa. "Y-You, Youta… H-how badly injured?"
"Stabbed cleanly through the stomach. He lost a lot of blood." The two presence reemerges now inside of me with overwhelming emotions. Splitting vertically down the middle of my body. "So who's in control this time? Because it looks like I triggered a reaction from the other person," Aizawa said as his eyes glowed red with one hand on the cloth around his neck.
I struggle to move my right side almost as if something was trying forcefully to take over. My right hand then takes up a fist position. It burned with anger. I was only able to hold the urge to break something because I felt my left eye was crying. I was still in control of my left side. It still felt like there was something there but it wasn't trying to take over. Of course, I'm saddened to hear about what happened to Youta. Angry at myself for being so useless when my friend needed my help. But not to this extent.
I slapped my face, hard, with both of my hands feeling no pain. I push through these two emotions. Composing myself and bringing my own thoughts to the front. Then after a moment the two strong emotions suddenly disperse and I focus back onto Aizawa as he hasn't lost visual contact with me with his quirk. "I-I'm still in control."
Aizawa closes his eyes and puts his hand into his pocket then says, "Good." He then turned his back towards me and started walking. Looking around I noticed there wasn't anybody around that I could see. It was a little unsettling because for some strange reason I could sense that someone was watching and it wasn't the same as the two presence, but I didn't say anything and just followed Aizawa until we reached the hospital.
There I waited for Aizawa to get clearance to see Youta. While waiting I recognized a short old man as Gran Torino. He was with two heroes and a man with a dog head. One of the heroes I knew was Manual and the other one I didn't know but he had a pumpkin color scheme. I walked over to Gran Torino and said, "Excuse me, sir. You're Gran Torino right?"
"Huh, and who's asking," Gran Torino says and the others are now looking at me.
"You guys are here to tell them the situation they are in right," I asked.
"We were informed that you might be visiting. Yes, we are going to inform them about their... Situation," said the dog-head man. "So are you joining us?"
I look down at my feet, "No. They should get closer to their current situation before I throw a new one at them. I just wanted to tell Gran Torino to tell Izuku that His sister is fine and that she will be visiting them after Youta."
"Visiting Okazaki! I guess I should be going with you then. I've only just arrived and was about to ask what happened to Okazaki. Maybe she could shed some light while we walk to him," said the pumpkin color scheme hero.
"So this is where you went," Aizawa said as he approached the group. "I thought I told you not to go anywhere."
"Eraserhead. I see you are the one supervising her," said the dog-head man. "I had thought she came alone."
"She wouldn't have been able to come if it wasn't for this from the Principal," Aizawa shows the note to the dog-head man.
"Hmmm. I see… Well, we should get business here out of the way. I'm sure all of us are going to be busy soon." We all unanimously agree as Aizawa, the pumpkin color scheme hero, and I go a separate direction from the other three.
(Third Person)
Night after the Hero Killer event at a hospital in Hosu City. Izuku, Ida, and Todoroki were in the same room recovering. They were all still exhausted with little sleep. "Looking back now… What we did was incredible," Izuku says.
"Yeah," Todoroki nodded.
"And after that last ditch effort… It's a miracle we're still alive." Izuku was downcast, "If I hadn't jumped in like I did, Youta wouldn't have had to divert his light to protect me."
"No. The Hero Killer never intended to kill you, me. If he did, you would have been the easiest target jumping in like you did. And Okazaki specializes in countering attacks. He could easily dodge or counter at least three or five swings before getting hit. He gave us the opportunity to hit the Hero Killer with everything we got." Todoroki looked towards Ida, "I came to save you but ended up needing your help. Sorry, Ida."
"Don't be. It's not like I would have done any better without your help." Ida said then they heard the door slide open.
Gran Torino, Normal Hero: Manual, Turagamea Chief of Police walks into the room. "Oh. All the little wounded warriors are awake," said Gran Torino. "I'm still gonna chew you out, but… Before that, you've got visitors. This is Mr. Kenji Tsuragamae, Hosu's Chief of Police."
"Tsuragamae Ch-Ch-Chief of Police," Izuku exclaimed as Ida and Todoroki stood up.
"Please stay seated, woof," said Tsuragamae, which did not deter them from continuing to stand. "So you're the UA students who put a stop to the Hero Killer, woof. I heard one of you was severely injured. I know saying sorry won't make it any better but I apologize for us not being able to do our job."
"N-no there's no need for an apology. The Hero Killer works discreetly. There was no way of knowing that we would encounter the Hero Killer the way we did," said Izuku.
"Speaking of the Hero Killer… He's currently in treatment for his burns, broken bones, and several serious injuries, woof. At the dawn of this extraordinary era, the police moved to prioritize leadership and to maintain the status quo. So they decided not to use quirks as weapons. The profession of 'hero' rose as one that would fill that void, woof. Authorizing the use of such might of these powers that could so very easily kill was a heavily criticized decision at first, but it would garner public support. All because your predecessors acted morally and complied with the laws, woof. But those without permission… Those who inflicted harm without explicit instruction from the police and powers that be. Even if they were to face someone like the Hero Killer… Such action would represent a stunning breach of the law, woof. You four, as well as your pro hero mentors… Endeavor. Manual. Gran Torino. Jackal Lantern. The eight of you must be dealt with, strictly and impartially."
"Jackal Lantern! He works four cities over from Hosu," said Izuku. "If that's who he interned with then how did Youta get to us so fast? No, why did he sound like he knew we were in trouble…"
"Hold on a minute," Todoroki states. "If Ida hadn't acted Native would've died. And if Midoriya hadn't shown up Ida would have been killed. Then especially with Youta, if he didn't show up when he did all of us would be dead. Nobody even knew the Hero Killer was in town." Todoroiki raised his voice and stepped closer to Tsuragamae, "Should we have let people die, In the name of your Law?! Everything turned out fine, so just forget about the law this time." Todoroki was now visibly upset, "Isn't it a hero's job to save people?"
"Clearly you've much to learn. Some education you're getting, woof, from UA. And Endeavor."
"You Mutt!" Shouted Todoroki.
"Stop! This is serious!" Ida said as Todoroki was walking up to Tsuragamae.
Gran Torino then steps in between Todoroki, "Wait… Just listen to what he's got to say."
Tsuragamae scratches his nose, "All of that… Is what I'm obligated to tell you, as the police. But the real question is whether or not to deal with this issue publicly, woof. If we let the story out you'll be lauded by the public, but you won't be able to avoid punishment. But if we keep all this nasty business to ourselves the Hero Killer's Burns will support the story that Endeavor was the key operative. He'll receive the accolades, woof. Fortunately, the number of eyewitnesses was small enough that we can hush up this whole matter before it causes problems, woof. But in that case, your decisive action and achievements will remain unknown to the general public. What do you say?! When it comes to promising groups of young people I'd rather not have to pursue charges over this admittedly massive indiscretion, woof!"
Either way, our negligence is to blame. We have to take responsibility," said Manual.
"I'm so very sorry…" said Ida as he bows his head.
"Yeah! You caused big trouble for us, so remember to not do it again," Manual replied. Izuku and Todoroki then shortly followed with their apology.
"I know it's not fair. You'll never receive any of the commendations that you might have otherwise but… At least as someone invested in keeping the peace… I can thank you," Tsuragamae said as he bowed his head towards Izuku, Ida, and Todoroki.
"Wait, Gran Torino. You said we had visitors implying that there is more than just Tsuragamae right?" Izuku asked.
"Hmmm. Ah yes, I did say that... Right… Your sister told me to tell ya, she's fine and will be visiting you today."
(First Person)
"I see, so that's what happened. I do have another question for you, Ms. Midoriya. Why would Okazaki discreetly fly off in such a hurry to an unknown alleyway four cities over? It was almost like he knew about the Hero Killer being there," said the pumpkin-colored hero.
"I don't know," I responded.
"I would have thought the way the chief of police was talking you would at least have a clue." He shrugs, "Oh well."
"We're here," Aizawa says as he opens a door. In the room, I see an unconscious Youta on a bed. Some doctors or nurses in the room waited eagerly for us to enter. "There's a reason why he hasn't woken up yet," Aizawa said as we entered the room.
"T-there is?" I say.
"Like you, his quirk is keeping from waking up. But unlike yours, his quirk doesn't heal himself. We theorized he is in stasis. We can't do anything to him and he won't be in any danger so long as his quirk stays active." Aizawa explained. "But that's where your quirk comes in."
"My quirk?"
"Unlike my quirk which negates his quirk entirely. Your quirk has the ability to snap him out of his stasis without the negative effects of stopping his quirk from reactivating himself."
"W-what do I have to do?"
"Nothing difficult really," I looked around nervously at the doctor. "All you have to do is trick his body into thinking everything is normal and how you would do that is by putting a positive sense back in his body while taking away his negative sense. And as soon as he's out of stasis indicated by his heartbeat," Aizawa points to a heart monitor at a flatline. "After his quirk reactivates him I will stop his quirk from putting him back to stasis so that he can get treatment."
"How do we know that will work," ask the pumpkin-colored hero.
"A certain someone with a special vision said this would be the best method. That's all I can say. Now let's not waste any more time explaining the situation."
I nod my head, "Alright." I walk up to Youta with a hand over his body, eyes closed, and focus on absorbing anything positive or negative. I thought it would be difficult but it felt like I had a filter as I activated my quirk.
"Just this once. I'll agree to help," said the voice in my head that sounded like me.
I only felt positive emotions with no negativity or anything else at all. I flashback to the time we spent blissfully without a care in the world. Three memories called out to me the most. They were when we first met and became friends, the farewell party we threw together for Akari, and a blurry memory of Maeko and I talking.
I open my eyes and send the positive emotions through my arm out the hand over his body to his body. I then hear a beep from the heart monitor and as soon as that heart monitor senses Youta's heartbeat the doctors were already there to patch him up. The pumpkin-colored hero and I were promptly removed from the room so they could focus on stopping Youta from losing any more blood.
"Can I go visit Izuku while Youta is getting healed," I say to the pumpkin hero.
"Hmmm… I was exclusively told not to let you out of my sight if you were alone… And it wouldn't hurt to visit the friends Okazaki risked his life to save… But you're also not supposed to go away from Eraserhead… How bad can it be? I know where they are, follow me."
I followed him and we passed Gran Torino, the dog head man, and the pro hero Manual. We explained to them what we were doing then Gran Torino told me to let them down easy. I was at first confused but remember that he knows I know what's going to happen in the future so I told Gran Torino I will try my best.
We eventually arrived outside of the room where Izuku, Ida, and Todoroki were in. "Hesitant to go in," said the pumpkin-colored hero. I nod my head. "Even to speak now…? We aren't going to get anywhere if you keep this up. Would you be more comfortable if I waited outside?"
I take a deep breath, "You do what you think is best and I'll do what I think is." I open the door to see Izuku, Ida, and Todoroki in suspense as I enter the room. I looked to the pumpkin color hero to see if he was also coming in but he signaled that he wasn't so I closed the door behind me. I then faced Izuku, then Ida, and lastly Todoroki. No words were spoken as I see they're waiting for me to speak. "Everyone here has seen better days," I tried to lighten the mood. Still no words from any of them. I was getting a bit anxious as I grabbed my right arm with my left hand.
"You are the Akumi we know right," Izuku asked.
"I… I think so? At least so long as I'm in control."
"Then at the sports festival. When you were fighting Todoroki, that wasn't you, right?"
"That was me," these words came out of my mouth without me even thinking.
"Then how were you—"
"Let me finish," I interrupted Izuku. "It was a part of me. I know it might sound like an excuse for what I did but I don't even remember what exactly happened during the fight. So I want to say I'm sorry. Not just to Todoroki, but you and Ida as well."
"Why did you need to apologize to me," Ida questioned.
"Izuku... Remember when I said I was letting heroes be hurt so that someone can develop..."
It takes a moment for him to answer, "Yes."
"At that moment… I was referring to how Ida's brother was going to be severely injured by the Hero Killer." The room goes silent again.
Ida stood up and walked slowly towards me. My eyes were now glued to the ground not wanting to face Ida. My left hand gripped tighter around my right arm, "I see my thoughts of revenge were put onto the wrong person. I was wrong to vote for you as president." Now standing in front of me it felt like at any moment Ida was going to do something.
"I'm sorry."
"If you knew who the Hero Killer was going to attack, why didn't you tell anyone. My brother may never be a hero again because of you."
"I'm sorry."
"You willingly put your own brother along with a classmate and a friend in danger because you knew that I would try and take revenge and that they would come to my rescue."
"I'm sorry."
"Is sorry all you can say for yourself!"
"I'm sorry."
Ida takes a breath, "If you had told me this one night ago I might have done something I would truly come to regret. But after reflecting, we both have something we need to work on. I accept your apology. But only if you look me in the eyes and promise that you won't be hiding who will be hurt next."
I mustered the courage to meet my eyes with Ida's. Letting go of my grip from my right arm I see Ida's face, stern, his body unmoving, and his eyes showed no hostility. "I promise you that I won't be hiding anything anymore from you or anyone who should know."
A smile then formed on Ida's face, "We have a long way to go if we want to catch up to them."
I relax a little as I also give a smile back, "A very hazardous road we've chosen haven't we."
I hear Izuku and Todoroki breathe out. "For a moment there I thought Ida might hit Akumi," said Izuku.
Ida turned to Izuku and exclaimed, "What! I would never!"
"Knowing that you went and confronted the Hero Killer. Attacking Akumi because she could have stopped it wouldn't be out of the realm of possibility," Todoroki added.
"Is that what you two think of me? I just said I've reflected on my actions."
The pumpkin color hero opened the door and said, "It feels like the mood here is better so I decided to let myself in." We all turned and looked at him, "The Hollow Light Hero, Jackal Lantern... Uhhh… Was it the wrong time?"
"No, not at all," I say.
"Akumi. Is there a reason why you came with Jackal Lantern," Izuku asked.
"Actually it's just by coincidence. I was going to come to check you guys out with the heroes you intern with since Okazaki was still more or less not available for visits but Ms. Midoriya here got the ok to go see Okazaki so I just followed her and now we're here," answered Jackal Lantern.
"Is Youta going to be ok? I know it might be his quirk but…"
I walk over to Izuku and put my right hand on his shoulder, "Youta is fine. It's going to take a lot more than a stab to the gut to take him out for good." I said this not only to reassure Izuku that Youta was fine but to myself as well. "I went to see him, he's just unconscious right now."
"I see… That's good to hear. Umm, but can you come a bit closer? I want to say something."
"Yeah sure—"
Izuku quickly wrapped his arms around me in an embrace. I can hear him sniveling, "At the sports festival… After you got hit with Todoroki's attack and fell over. Akari said your color disappeared. Then after Youta got stabbed… I thought… He might be joining you in sleeping for a long time… I'm sorry for putting pressure on you. I should've done better at protecting you."
I'm still a bit surprised at the sudden hug but now tears start to form in my eyes as I embrace him, "I don't even know when he'll wake up… But you didn't do anything wrong. It was all my fault to begin with… I shouldn't have made you go through all the hardships you've been through till now."
"No, it's my fault for being so weak… If I was as strong as you and Youta you wouldn't have to worry about me… You could place more faith in the me you know now and not the me you see in the future."
I'm sniveling with Izuku now, "What are you talking about? You're already so much stronger than me now and I… I will always worry about you… Just like I know you'll worry about me."
Izuku was now crying, "You're right… What am I saying? You already know what will happen next or at worst… Already know what I might say."
I'm also now crying, "Yeah you're right. So just keep going at the rate you're going. Along with all of class one A. You'll all become great heroes."
We stayed in each other's embrace for who knows how long, but it was long enough that when we finally let go of each other my eyes felt puffed up and so was Izuku. Taking some time to look around Jackal Lanter was no longer around and neither was Ida and Todoroki. It was just Izuku and me in the room. I looked back at Izuku as he also noticed that no one but us was around so we laughed.
Then the door opens again and Ida, Todoroki, and Aizawa walk in. Aizawa then gives me the death glare, "I know you got the ok from Jack Lantern to visit them but did you forget that I'm the supervisor. You're not allowed to go anywhere without my permission."
I quickly bowed my head down towards Aizawa, "I'm sorry Aizawa Sensei. I know it wasn't the best idea to go visit them injured with me being unstable and all but I just couldn't help myself."
Aizawa sighs and he stops giving me the death glare, "At the very least nothing bad happened."
"So you came with Aizawa Sensei. That would make more sense," said Izuku.
"Oh that's right I'm forgetting to tell you guys a few things that's going to happen next," I say and lift my head back up.
"Not so fast. You can't be telling that to them," said Aizawa as he had one hand on his scarf.
"No, I'm not talking about that. I'm talking about me and UA's situation."
"If it's just that then it's fine. But I will interrupt you if you talk about that. They shouldn't know until it happens."
"Not to know what. Didn't you promise us that you won't be hiding anything," Ida says.
"Don't blame me. Blame Aizawa Sensei. But if you really do want to know I could always."
"Not a word," Aizawa's quirk was activated and his hair floated up.
"Don't you think we deserve to know, Aizawa Sensei," Todoroki said. "If we knew who was going to get hurt next and it just so happens to be one of us again. We would be better prepared when the time comes."
"This is why I should have expelled her. Look here. If I told you three that what is going to happen next is something so catastrophic that it will distraught you so much to the point where you won't even be able to focus on becoming a hero. Would you still want to hear it… Scratch that you would. I'm sure Izuku knows well what that might be but for you Ida and Todoroki. You should focus on healing."
"Alright back to a cheerful mood please," I say. "I'm going to stay at the UA dorm from now on."
"Akumi you can't just brush this off like it never happened," Ida says. "What can be so bad that we won't be able to focus on becoming heroes?"
"If you want to know then—"
Aizawa's scarf wraps around my head covering my mouth, "I said not a word."
"Ida I think it's best for us not to know," said Izuku.
"What do you mean it's best for us not to know. How do you know if it's best or not? What could be so bad?"
"I agree with Ida. I think not knowing is more distressing than it would be to know," said Todoroki.
"Hear me out, guys. Akumi has never told us anything and look how it turned out. We're still alive and better than we were yesterday. It may not be the best method since so many are hurt along the way but, never once was Akumi entirely wrong. But if she tells us how we're going to develop then we will never reach our true potential."
"Ok, so maybe it is better not to know. But that doesn't stop us from knowing that something bad is going to happen," replied Ida.
"Mm'm mmmm. Mmm mmmmm mmmm mmmm mmm mmmmmm mmmmm mmmmmm, (It's life. You never know when bad things might happen)," I tried to say but my mouth was covered.
"That's now our problem to deal with. You should focus on healing before worrying about someone else's well-being. I'll be taking our leave now," Aizawa said and he pulled me along out of the room.
"Wait is Akumi still attending UA," Izuku asked before Aizawa closed the door.
"Mmmm M'm mmmmm mmmmmmmmm, (Yeah I'm still attending)," I said and gave a thumbs up.
"Nothing in her schedule changed, only her place of occupation. Akumi Midoriya will be put on surveillance until she can control herself so she will be staying at the UA dorms," Aizawa said as I exited the room. "As for everyone here, there is no change. Come back when the internship is done and class will resume like normal." Aizawa closes the door.
