The first chapter after the start of the New Year!
Sorry for taking so long, but I'm almost done with the probationary period with my new job and all signs point to me becoming a permanent part of the staff.
I'm up to Chapter 52 in the background which is why I'm cool uploading this now. I've also got more uploads coming up soon as I rotate into my next week off. (Damn I've got a lot to upload that I can't wait to share!)
My Hero Academia Untold: The Knights of Fafnir
Saga I: Dusk
Arc II: The Incident
Chapter XXX: Two Steps Forward, One Step Back
"The best thing you can do is the right thing; the next best thing you can do is the wrong thing; the worst thing you can do is nothing."
– Theodore Roosevelt
"Oh my gosh!" Ochako whispered excitedly as she snapped a quick picture of the sight on her phone.
"I know! I couldn't believe it either!" Izuku whispered back with a smile.
The two teens were dressed and ready to return to UA for their first day after the USJ incident. Before leaving for school, they had planned to wake up Eri for breakfast and remind her that they would be meeting her at the hospital to finish her quirk assessment.
However, upon entering Izuku's bedroom, they were met with a sight they had never seen before. Eri was smiling in her sleep, much to the amazement of the two teens. Since they had taken her in, Izuku had tried all sorts of games and activities to try and make Eri smile, but nothing had ever worked. Yet, here she was, deep asleep, as her face contained the most beautiful smile they had ever seen.
"Mom had mentioned it to me before," Izuku admitted with a sad smile, "back at the hospital, but to see it for myself."
"Now we just got to learn how to make her smile when she's awake," Ochako added as she lowered her phone.
"Yep..." Izuku said before sighing.
"You don't want to wake her, huh?"
"Yeah," Izuku nodded solemnly; Eri was clearly happy in her dreams, and the last thing he wanted to do was interrupt them. He wanted to keep her happy, to let her keep that smile for as long as she could.
"She doesn't have to wake up until later, Izuku. Let's just let your mom know that Eri wanted to sleep for a tiny bit longer." Ochako suggested before putting away her phone, fixing Eri's blanket, and planting a kiss on the little girl's horn when she was done.
Ochako got up and left Izuku to do the same.
"See you after school, Eri," Izuku whispered as he brushed aside some intruding hairs off Eri's face, with their goodbyes spoken. The two silently walked out of the room and slowly closed the door. If they had only stayed there for a few more moments, they would have heard a hint of what Eri dreamed that made her so happy.
"Mama...papa..." Eri breathed softly as she shifted in her bed.
"They plan to announce it later today."
The UA staff sat silently as they discussed the decision that had come down yesterday morning. The Hero Public Safety Commission had informed Principal Nezu yesterday morning that a decision had been made in light of the final report.
"Have we contacted his family yet, Nezu?" Midnight asked in disbelief as she resisted the urge to slam the table in frustration.
"They were all completely inconsolable at the news," Nezu answered with a grave nod, having been the one to make the call.
"They couldn't get UA, and they couldn't get Midoriya, so they went after the one guy who is already down," Powerloader commented flatly with folded arms.
"Nezu, isn't there anything we could do about this?" Midnight questioned, still trying to wrap her head around what she saw as a cruel joke. "Anything at all!?"
"It is out of our hands," Nezu answered with a frown. "All we would be able to do is testify in his defense if he could call for an appeal."
"But his condition..."
"Currently is not expected to improve..." Vlad King noted as he felt a twitch of pain run down his missing arm.
"Which means he can't appeal."
"Even if he did, due to the massive queue of other foreign-born pro-heroes fighting their own suspensions. It could now possibly take over a year for his case to be brought in for review." Eraserhead interjected in a muffled voice. "And since he cannot graduate from UA without his license."
"It means he'll either be held back or be forced to drop out...most likely the latter due to spacing concerns and the second-year liaisons to consider," Snipe added his two cents. As the boy's homeroom teacher, this fact left the bitterest taste in his mouth.
"But his suspension wasn't even due to a disciplinary action!" Midnight finally snapped, outraged that they couldn't do anything else. "It was due to the new guidelines for foreign-born heroes and hero course students to take an updated language examination!"
"The more nationalistic branch of the Neocons, Representative Kimura especially, has been on a crusade against foreign-born heroes since he got elected into office. To him, a suspension is a suspension regardless of the circumstances."
"I suppose we should count our blessings that they didn't try to charge him with murder or manslaughter." Thirteen added, having completely healed from her injuries.
"No. That would have been too far, even for the Representative," Nezu spoke up with a firm expression. "The report used to condemn him could quickly work in his favor as it proves that he used lethal force in both self-defense and for the defense of his juniors. Not to mention that if he won the case, they would have to reverse the decision about his license immediately. Forgoing the need to appeal."
"So they pin him with excessive force on the board rather than charging him with a crime where he would stand a better chance, eh?" Snipe commented, shaking his head and re-adjusting his cowboy hat. "That's how they want to circumnavigate the law and make it harder for him. Don't charge the boy; just kick him while he's already down with no way to fight back."
All Might had remained silent throughout the whole conversation. The situation eerily reminded him of the Draco Knight fiasco, which he was still trying to work out with his team. Only this time, a student who was supposed to be under his care was being thrown to the wolves. Thankfully, he had an idea that could be able to correct this situation.
He would not let injustice stand again.
"I'd hate to see how social media will handle this when the news breaks out," Present Mic said with a tired sigh while looking at his phone; he rarely got to teach English to someone fluent in the language. "He is popular in the States as their native son and even has quite a following here due to his work on Animal Buddies."
"We will simply have to continue as planned. I will personally handle any additional issues with this, along with Hound Dog and Eraserhead." Nezu finished up and decided to end the morning staff meeting as he checked the time. As the staff began to grab their things and walk out, only Eraserhead, Snipe, and All Might remained seated.
Once they were alone, Nezu spoke up one last time.
"I have a plan. This will be a setback for him, but his career isn't done yet. Not by a long shot."
Midnight knew that homeroom today could have been a little awkward, as she could still feel some of the tension in the air. The nightmare that was the USJ and the revelations afterward was still fresh in everyone's minds in some way, shape, or form. She quickly took roll, noting that Ryu Kasei was still on medical leave until Wednesday. When she finished, she took a good, solid look at her class and began speaking.
"Before I go over the general announcements. I first want to say that I'm very proud of all of you."
The class began to look at their teacher, many with surprise.
"Despite the odds, several of you managed to accomplish something that very few first years ever had in less than three weeks. Some of you, like Mr. Tokoyami, in spite of your weakness to light and fire, led and protected several of your fellow first years and even shielded them at great personal risk."
The class began to clap for the dark teen, who tried to make himself stoic despite receiving praise. Dark Shadow, however, projected himself from his host and started to revel in the glory that he wanted.
"That's right, I'm awesome." Dark Shadow proclaimed, much to Fumikage's chagrin.
"Begone!"
"Awww, you're no fun, Fumi." Dark Shadow responded before returning to his host, getting a couple of laughs from a few others in the class.
"Ms. Sekigai, despite ending up with complete strangers, your quick thinking and cooperation led your makeshift team to escape a very dangerous situation relatively unharmed."
"It wasn't a perfect plan...Mizuoji still got hurt," Kashiko answered the praise with a bashful humility.
"Mr. Bakugou, your skills in both combat and leadership shone at the USJ. You undoubtedly helped turn the tables around despite some reckless moves when things had turned dire."
Katsuki, who hadn't been in the best mood given everything that happened, had to admit that the praise was quite welcomed.
"Those low-tier so-called villains were nothing!"
"You know we had to pull your butt from the fire when things got too hot there, Bakugou," Hanta responded flatly, pointing to himself and Minoru. "Hell, Mineta actually managed to slow down the giant guy during that last big fight!"
"Reckless as it was," Midnight added in a neutral tone. As much as she wanted to praise the little man's bravery in the Overhaul fight. His actions could have killed him instantly if not for Ibarra's actions.
Katsuki clicked his tongue in annoyance at Hanta's comments.
"Ms. Yaoyorozu, the team you led up in the Mountain Zone, despite a few gambles. The teamwork you showed that day with those in class B and Kaminari, Jirou, and Uraraka was nothing short of brilliant."
"Hey, I just did my normal thing of zapping bad guys," Denki responded, casually leaning back in his seat.
"And derpping out when done." Kyouka jabbed playfully.
"Hey!"
"I'm just glad that we made it out safe," Momo answered with an anxious sigh. Ochako didn't comment, as she was just glad that they had managed to save Eri from that monster that hid under the guise of a man.
"Todoroki, who acted fast to protect everyone during the final battle, and Iida, who managed to alert the main campus and brought reinforcements."
The mood seemed to be getting lighter, but Midnight knew that she still had to tackle the most challenging topic.
"Mr. Midoriya, as your teacher, I would like to thank you for your role in holding off Overhaul."
Izuku froze as the attention finally came to him; he knew that he would have to address this now.
The young dragon slowly raised his hand.
"Ms. Kayama, can I please come to the stand?"
Midnight looked at her student; it was time for them to rip off the band-aid.
"You may," Nemuri answered as she stepped aside for Izuku to come before the class.
Ochako looked at Izuku with concern. She knew what he was planning to do, and while she disagreed with him, it was ultimately his choice.
"H-hello everyone, i-i-it is good t-to see all of you are doing well." Izuku began with a slight stutter that improved as he continued. "I'm sure all of you know the truth about me now, from the USJ and the final report. First, I want to say that I'm sorry for hiding it."
Many in the class stayed silent; some had understanding looks, while others seemed tense as Izuku continued to speak.
"I hid the truth because of previous experiences with people who had discovered the truth about me," Izuku paused to take a deep breath. "It led me to be cautious...maybe far more cautious than I needed to be, but no matter the reason."
"The truth is that I didn't trust anyone with the truth of my background, except for Kacchan, who has known me since we were kids," Izuku said while motioning to his best friend. "And that brings me to my second point; I failed to trust in you all and kept this important aspect of me hidden. I got elected without being truthful, so I hereby resign as your class representative."
Most of the class went into an uproar about Izuku's announcement.
"What the fuck?!"
"Wait, Midoriya, are you sure you want to do that?"
"Dude, come on, given what the media was saying about you...I kind of get why you hid it."
"Wait, Midoriya, aren't you jumping the gun here?"
"I wasn't finished," Izuku continued, making everyone go silent.
"It isn't the only reason I want to resign from being your class president. After some serious self-reflection, I can honestly say that I'm just not ready to be in a leadership role yet."
Izuku bowed deeply to his classmates as his thoughts turned to his frustrations when he was in the Conflagration Zone when he had prioritized Eri without consideration for others. To the point that he began hurting Ryu's arms further while carrying him, hell, Tōru had scolded him for that.
"There are things I want...no...I need to work on to be the best president I could be for all of you. But right now, I need to re-prioritize everything that is going on in my life. Next year, when elections come again, I may or may not be ready, but I think I'll at least have a better mindset to serve the position if elected again. It's a matter of integrity for me to do this."
Finally, Izuku looked up to his classmates with an awkward smile.
"Lastly, I feel the need to reintroduce myself. My name is Izuku Midoriya, son of the late Pro-hero Draco Knight. I hope we can continue on our path to becoming Pro-heroes."
Midnight couldn't help but smile at the sight.
Izuku had come to accept that there was no longer any way to hide his past; all he could do now was take his father's legacy in stride and work with it from here on in. She was glad that Izuku showed this sign of maturity as Midnight looked at the class once again. She could still see the concern on some faces, but the tension felt significantly more relaxed.
"Thank you, Ms. Kayama," Izuku said with a bow to his teacher before returning to his seat. The class remained silent as Midnight retook her spot in front of the class.
"Well, that was a treat," Midnight whispered to herself before continuing the day's announcements. "Well, in addition to the general announcements and following standard practice, Ms. Yaoyorozu is now your Class Representative. Unless you have any objections, Yaoyorozu?"
The class turned their collective attention to Momo, who was quickly caught off guard by her sudden promotion.
"No, Ms. Kayama!" Momo answered quickly as she rose up and bowed. "I humbly accept the post of class representative; I hope to live up to everyone's expectations."
The class gave Momo a hearty clap before she settled back down in her seat.
"In this unique case, I'll make an impromptu decision and request that you select your own Vice-Representative by the end of the week," Midnight added before shuffling some of the paperwork on the podium for the day's announcements. "In such a case that you do not choose one. We'll hold a quick election when Mr. Kasei returns. Hence, the whole class would be available to vote, Yaoyorozu."
Several heads with desires for the position instantly turned to a nervous-looking Momo, who couldn't help but feel just a bit uncomfortable with that kind of power so soon.
"Maybe it would be best to wait until Kasei returns! So he could have a fair vote and request for candidacy if he so wished," Momo responded nervously, hoping to quell down the intense stares she was getting, mainly from Tenya and Kashiko.
"Nah, Kasei hates that type of work!" Denki injected with a laugh, "He dropped out during the first election, remember? I really doubt that he'd want the job now."
/
Meanwhile, at the Doumeki household...
The fire alarm blared loudly as Saya tried to find the house's emergency kit to combat a small fire that Ryu accidentally caused in the kitchen. He had begun sneezing up a storm after taking a bite out of his late breakfast.
"GAK! AH-CHOO! GAH!" Ryu continued to choke out by the kitchen table, desperately trying to grab an EQ Pen kitchen medicine cabinet while covering his mouth with his left hand.
"OH, DEAR! ARE YOU ALLERGIC TO SOMETHING I MADE?! JUST HOLD ON A MOMENT!" Saya could be heard asking in the distance in a panicked voice. At the same time, Ryu continued sneezing while trying to uncap a spare EQ pen he found to use on himself.
When he was free from the sneezing fit, he managed to bite the cap off and stab himself in the leg with one fluid motion. The lad held his breath, doing his best not to sneeze again for a few more seconds as the medication began to kick in, allowing his Quirk to be suppressed for the next hour.
"AH-CHOO!" Ryu hacked out a dry sneeze, relieved that no more fire shot out of his mouth, managing to breathe in deeply despite feeling light-headed from the lack of air.
"I FOUND IT!"
CRASH
Unfortunately for Ryu, in Saya's rush to put out the small fire, she had rushed through the kitchen door so fast that she had forgotten about her passive super-strength, sending the door flying off its hinges and heading toward himself.
Ryu only had nanoseconds to process the large door coming his way, letting out a high-pitched shriek as he barely managed to narrowly dodge the flying door by leaping behind the table that was still on fire. He rose up to assess the damage caused by the embedded door. Only to be blasted with a face full of the flame-retardant foam that Saya had begun shooting haphazardly all over the place.
"There! Problem solved!" Saya proclaimed as she tossed the now empty extinguisher to the side when the fire was entirely snuffed out, only to realize that she had basically destroyed the kitchen.
Ryu stood there in complete disbelief, covered head to toe in front of his body with the stuff. Breakfast was ruined, and he was getting cold from the foam. Ryu continued to cough and spit out the foam that kept getting in front of his mouth as the fire eater tried to wipe it off. At least he was no longer sneezing.
Saya coughed awkwardly.
"So...how about we go out for brunch instead?"
/
"Yeah, Kasei wouldn't care," Minoru added as Momo tried to find another excuse for delaying the selection. She simply did not want to offend anyone who would be more than worthy of it.
"Again, you have until Friday, Yaoyorozu." Midnight said with an air of finality. "Now, on to the rest of the day's announcements. First, remember that you will have a scheduled appointment with Hound Dog for counseling throughout the week. The first one is mandatory, and I encourage you to be as cooperative as possible. I will hand out a special schedule sheet for all of you of when your scheduled appointment will be; further details will be handled by Hound Dog himself."
Midnight began walking around the seating, distributing the papers to her students, and she continued with the following announcement.
"Second, I am pleased to announce that the UA Sports Festival will continue as planned, though it has been pushed back by one week."
The whole class remained silent before erupting into a mix of cheers and excitement.
"HELL YEAH, I ALMOST FORGOT ABOUT THE FESTIVAL!"
"Damn that soon? I forgot just how early they host every festival."
"Last year's was great!"
"Our time to shine!"
"Umm...I hate to be the one to say this...but should UA even host the festival after the villain attack?" Kyouka asked with a raised hand.
"That's right...we're a lot easier to attack if we are all bunched up together," Mashirao added with concern evident in his voice.
"This is UA's way of saying that we are confident that the threat to us is over. And if you saw the press conference earlier," Midnight answered carefully so as not to sound dismissively of her student's concerns. "Principal Nezu has already set up arrangements with several pros and police to provide extra security for the event. Now, does anyone else have questions?"
Instantly, several hands shot up, making Midnight suppress an awkward laugh.
Today was going to be a long day.
Ochako had many things on her mind as they sat to eat lunch. Given that Izuku had been invited to dine with All Might, much to the stares of everyone else in the cafeteria. She needed some time to collect herself from everything she had learned during the break. It had been a strange few months; four months prior, she had been hyper-focused on passing the UA exams and possibly finding her old knight on a whim.
Now, not only was she friends with the son of her favorite hero, but she had gotten to know so much about him. She had practically become a big sister to a young girl whom she had quickly come to love and adore. And finally, being a student at the most famous Hero school in the country, if not the whole world.
Yet, now she could feel like something else was going on. Ochako had learned the truth about so many things, but she felt like there were still secrets to be discovered. While Izuku was far more honest and open about several things, he kept quiet regarding details about his relationship with All Might.
Then there were Hisashi and Ryu; she hadn't thought much of the dark-haired teen before, except maybe some annoyance, primarily due to him and Katsuki often bickering with each other during class. Now, after the bombshell of Hisashi's original surname, she couldn't help but notice how much the two looked so much alike from the photos.
'Were they related somehow? Given that Izuku or Bakugou doesn't seem to know him. Plus, Kasei didn't try to know them either... so could it just be a coincidence?'
"You know, Uraraka...I get enough of the mumbling from Izuku. Don't tell me that you picked up his habit too." Ochako heard Katsuki say with a flat voice across from her, snapping her out of her thoughts.
"What!? No! I did not just do that!" Ochako quickly defended herself, her face turning bright red. Making Tenya chuckle, while Shouto had a slight smirk on his face.
"Oh, she's just worried about her dear husband!" Mina teased as she and Eijirou had ended up joining their table.
"Come on, Ashido, it's only been a few minutes since Midoriya left. I'm pretty sure that she had other things on her mind." Eijirou interjected, trying to spare Ochako from Mina's teasing.
Ochako ignored the 'husband' comment and decided to come clean with some of her thoughts.
"I was just thinking about how my life has changed since I got here," Ochako admitted as she poked her food. "It's been a real kicker, to the point that I even changed why I wanted to be a hero."
"Really? That's rather interesting." Tenya commented curiously about what Ochako meant. "What was the original reason, and what made you change it?"
Ochako felt her face flush; she never told anyone the story about her childhood. The only people who knew were her folks and a few of the neighbors who were told the story during tea when she was a little kid—them and her friend Tosuke. Except for Katsuki, who simply continued eating, everyone else at the table looked at Ochako with the same curiosity.
"Well...this is kind of silly, but when I was a little girl, I lived in Musutafu when my father worked for the government. My mom took me to one of the local parks to, you know...get some fresh air and play with some of the other kids." Ochako began explaining while taking her time to recall the details. "Anyway, I remember that one of the kids I was playing with had told me about some treasure that was said to be hidden in the woods of the park."
Katsuki stopped eating while keeping his face downward.
Why does this sound familiar to him?
Katsuki remembered that rumor and even went looking for it during one of the times he and his old crew had been playing heroes at the park. Apparently, some of the older kids had started it as a prank, and it quickly spread. While most parents were quick to lecture their children not to wander, the rumors often continued in hushed voices, and more often than not, kids would still fall for it and end up getting lost.
'We never got lost because Tsubasa would pop his wings out and just fly up to show us the way out,' Katsuki recalled his chubby childhood friend that moved not too long after Izuku got his Quirk. 'Huh...I wonder what ever happened to him?'
"Soo...I had only turned five, and...I didn't think too much about it, ya know? I have always loved fantasy, and when I thought about a lost treasure in the woods, it sounded like a good adventure. So I decided to try my luck and find it...only no one else wanted to go, so I went alone."
"By yourself?! That could have been really dangerous!" Tenya commented as he quickly pictured Hikari doing the same, which made his protective side flare up.
"Let me guess...you got lost," Shouto guessed correctly, making Ochako blush harder.
"Yep...I got lost and ended up in a small river bed."
Katsuki was slowly piecing things together, putting the mental puzzle pieces that he couldn't believe were starting to fit.
'No...'
"Wait, how did you end up in a riverbed?" Eijirou asked, confused.
"If I remember correctly, the park I went to was connected to a small forest with a small river that passes by it. Nearby are these well...they were giant to me, but they were these super large bushes, and because I was still little, they blocked the view of the river, and I ended up moving too fast and fell into it. I really messed up my leg in the fall."
"Ouch! How did you get out?" Mina asked, especially since this was how Ochako originally wanted to become a pro. "Was a Pro-hero nearby to save you?"
Ochako smiled as she got to her favorite part.
"Well...it wasn't a pro-hero, but he definitely was my hero that day. It was over ten years ago, and I can't remember anything about him, but there was this boy."
'There's...No...Fucking...Way...This...Is...Real...' Katsuki thought in complete denial of what he was hearing. 'THERE IS NO FUCKING WAY THIS IS REAL...FUCK YOU, YŪ! WHAT KIND OF FANFIC BULLSHIT IS THIS?!'
"And well, to make a long story short, he helped me out. And I instantly knew that boy would be a pro; it just felt right. He was totally the type that would become a pro-hero because he wanted to help people whenever he could. It inspired me. I wanted to become someone like him. But like I said...my reason changed. Ever since I met Eri and Izuku, I realized that my original reason was kind of silly and vain."
"It doesn't seem silly to me...I think it's beautiful!" Mina interrupted with her eyes shining at such a romantic past.
Ochako laughed a bit before continuing her tale.
"Anyway...but yeah...since I met Izuku and Eri...especially Eri and saving her, I realized that my reasons changed. I want to be a hero, not because of some silly crush from ten years ago. I want to become a hero because I want to continue saving people like Eri...who had such awful things happen to her. I want to be like All Might and save people with a smile."
"I think that is the best reason to be a hero," Tenya added while Shouto nodded in agreement. "We strive to do what is right and help others who need it."
"Hell yeah!" Eijirou exclaimed, raising his fist in the air with excitement. This made most of the table laugh and drew a few stares from everyone else. However, things didn't stay cheerful as the table heard someone yell out.
"WHAT?!"
The cafeteria went quiet as four senior students rushed out of the lunchroom. The table collectively saw the remainder of the Big Five: Mirio, Tamaki, Nejire, and Mezou. None of them looked happy as they made their way down the hall toward the teacher's lounge.
"What's going on?" Tenya asked. They knew it wasn't another invasion because the alarms weren't ringing.
"That was the Big Five, right?" Mina questioned.
"Well, except for Springfield, who is still out of commission..." Eijirou added sadly.
"KIRISHIMA!" They all heard someone call out; it was Tetsutetsu from Class 1-B, running toward them.
"Hey man, what's going on?" Eijirou asked as Tetsutetsu stopped by their table, out of breath with his phone.
"THIS...LOOK AT THIS CRAP!" He answered breathlessly as he paused a video that was on the screen.
Everyone at the table leaned in to get a better look at the phone as it began playing the video. The video featured a man in a dark blue suit surrounded by the press, who started speaking.
"Yesterday, the Hero Public Safety Commission, in a joint vote with the board of the Ministry of Heroics. Upon reviewing the details of the final report on the USJ incident, The joint council has determined that Alexander Johnathan Springfield, Provisional Hero Code name: Blink. He is hereby to be stripped of his Provisional License, which was already suspended."
The press went into a flurry of questions, only to be silenced by a raised hand as the man continued.
"For his direct involvement in the death of the A-Rank villain, Pit Viper, which was deemed excessive and reckless! Furthermore, he is permanently barred from ever earning a license to become a Pro-Hero in Japan."
The small group still at lunch sat in silence at the news they had just heard. Eijirou was struggling to comprehend why? Why did they do that to Alex when he was all but dead? Why the need to rub salt on the guy's wounds?
"I'm sorry that it took a while for us to speak, young Midoriya." All Might started out while handing a cup of tea to his protege. They were seated in one of the teacher's lounges for the moment. All Might knew he had to make this meeting short since he had received word from Nighteye that the Prime Minister needed a special favor from him.
"No, no, All Might, given everything that happened, I can't blame you for being so busy!" Izuku said with a nervous laugh as he took the tea from his master.
"No, my boy, even if I am busy, I owe it to you to be there when I am needed. It is shameful that I completely missed the fight due to my incompetence."
"But All Might, what about your time limit? I know that you had reached it that day."
All Might let out a long sigh, still not forgiving himself for not trusting his gut during his meeting with Nezu.
"My time limit is no excuse, young Midoriya. I should have still been there for you all. Instead, you all went through so much, including your need to expose your secret to the world."
"Honestly, All Might, it would have happened sooner or later...especially with the Sports Festival coming up," Izuku reasoned calmly. "And even then...it hasn't been nearly as bad as I thought it would be. I mean, sure...a lot of general studies students seemed to be avoiding me. Even some of my classmates seemed to be on edge around me. But compared to what I thought would happen, it's been much easier to deal with; plus, All Might, we still need you to be the symbol of peace! I'm still not ready to take the mantle just yet. We need you to keep being All Might for as long as possible."
That was the only saving grace for All Might; given that he did not restrain himself further, he still had his three hours to spare, three hours that he could not abuse again unless absolutely necessary. All Might managed to breathe out a surprisingly hearty chuckle in his skinny form.
"Look at you, young man. Giving me a pep talk? Has me thinking about who really is being the teacher here."
"Oh! I'm sorry about that, sir! I didn't mean for it to come off like that!"
All Might laughed again.
"I'm pulling your leg, Midoriya; relax. Anyway, about the plan after school, Tsukauchi will be picking you up to escort you back to the hospital...and young Uraraka as well, so don't worry, my boy." All Might added with a wink. Inko had kept him updated on not only Eri but Izuku as well and the impact the young brunette had made on the family.
"Right. Mom told me the plan, but she didn't mention the details. Is Mr. Aizawa really back up and moving?"
"Indeed he is; he stopped by earlier for a staff meeting and is doing some extra paperwork to take care of something... important that came up. But he will meet up with you there and look over the final bit of Eri's assessment while I start hunting for the perfect school for her."
Izuku smiled. Progress was being made to give Eri a more normalized life, a school where she could start making friends and making her own way in the world.
"Thank you, All Might, for everything," Izuku said respectfully, bowing to his teacher.
"I think I've taken more than enough of your time, my boy," All Might responded with a warm, thin smile. 'It's too early to thank me yet, young Midoriya. The day that I restore your father's legacy is the day I can finally accept your gratitude.'
"You sure we're heading the right way, Kaminari?" Minoru asked with some annoyance as the two friends walked down the street. They had been walking down the same street for a good twenty minutes now, and it was starting to get on the short boy's nerves.
"Yeah, I'm sure!" Denki said defensively as he carried Ryu's homework in one hand and a piece of paper in his other hand that contained his friend's address. "I double-checked the address with Midnight before we headed out."
"Then why not just put it on your phone's map?" Minoru questioned with narrowed eyes before adding. "You fried another phone, didn't you?"
"I'm in deep with my uncle," Denki confessed with a sigh as he pulled out a cheap flip phone. "He won't even give me a used smartphone."
"If I was your uncle, I would have given up by now and just given you a carrier pigeon, but you'd probably find a way to screw up and kill it."
"Ouch, man!" Denki said, slightly hurt by Minoru's sharp jab.
"You have Kasei's phone, right..or did you fry that too?"
"Yeah...I still got it, and no, I didn't break it...it is low on battery, though."
"Just give me the paper. I'll put the directions in my phone," said Minoru, hopping to grab the paper while pulling out his phone. "Thankfully, your handwriting is actually readable."
"Hey! I'm good with words, and my handwriting is impeccable and legible." Denki said proudly with a dumb smirk on her face.
"Now, if only you can make some more room in your brain to develop enough common sense to stop yourself from frying your phones! Okay, I got the directions, and it's ten minutes away in the opposite direction! We walked past it!"
"Lead the way, Mineta!"
Minoru answered by simply facepalming himself. Roughly ten minutes later, the duo arrived at a lovely two-story cream-white house with a simple yet tidy front yard. Crossing into the grounds, they reached the front of the white wooden door and rang the doorbell.
"You think he's even home right now?" Minoru asked since Ryu didn't have his phone, so they couldn't call him to ensure he was even here.
"I mean, he's out of the hospital and shouldn't be out and about, ya know?" Denki answered, knowing Ryu had been in critical condition. One doesn't recover quickly from something like that unless they had a healing factor quirk or outside assistance like Recovery Girl. Thankfully, they didn't have to wait long for the door to open, revealing an older middle-aged woman. She was tall, with a kind -albeit slightly wrinkled face. She wore a long light green dress and slippers and looked at the two boys with a puzzled expression.
"Hello? Can I help you?"
"Umm, hi, Mrs. Kasei?" Said Denki awkwardly, hoping they were in the right place. "My name is Denki Kaminari, and this is my friend Minoru Mineta."
"Hi!" Minoru piped up as he was forced to look all the way up at the woman who towered over him.
"And we're here to see Ryu and drop off his homework...unless we totally got the wrong place," Denki added sheepishly.
"Oh! You're from UA! Of course!" Saya exclaimed, getting a better look at the two. "I should have realized from your uniforms! I'm sorry, I've been a bit distracted by a few things here in the house. And no, dear, you have the right place, but I'm afraid my name is Saya Doumeki; I'm Ryu's adopted mother."
"Oh, we're sorry! We didn't know that he was adopted," Minoru responded, hoping not to offend his friend's family.
"That's quite alright," Saya admitted with a laugh."I know that Ryu is still a bit rough around the edges when talking about himself. But that's beside the point; please come in. I'm sure he'll like a bit of friendly company...I have to warn you that he did just take his medication about an hour ago, which tends to make him a bit groggy."
Saya stepped back to open the door to welcome the two inside.
"Thank you," The two said in unison as they entered the Doumeki household and left their shoes by the entranceway. It was a cozy, warm place, filled with pictures on the wall of herself and what looked like her husband with several different people. Some of whom even Minoru recognized as members of several political parties and ministry officials. A large cabinet filled with marksmanship medals, martial arts trophies, and other honors was alongside the pictures. There was even a photo of Saya and a taller, skinnier man, both wearing martial arts gis.
Minoru assumed it was her husband when they were much younger.
'Damn, Kasei's Mom was a real looker back in the day.' Minoru noted after seeing the pictures of a younger Saya.
As they entered the kitchen, everything seemed normal, save for the large hole on the left side wall and the missing door on the right doorway.
"We had a tiny incident here earlier, and I just finished cleaning it up. Would you boys like a snack or drink before seeing him?" Saya offered while slightly embarrassed at the state of the kitchen. "I know that's a bit of a trek from UA to here."
Denki looked at Minoru, who simply nodded.
"Sure...we could go for a drink."
Once, the boys were given some extra bottles of green tea she had in the fridge. Saya guided the boys upstairs to Ryu's bedroom. She knocked on the door.
"Ryu, honey, your friends from UA are here to see you. Would you be okay with me letting them in?"
"Yeah...it's okay." They all heard Ryu say faintly from beyond the door. Saya opened it and allowed the two to enter.
"Let me know if you need anything else; I'll leave you boys alone," Saya added, leaving them by the door and descending back down the stairs.
The boys saw their friend lying in his bed, wrapped up in blankets; he still looking pretty roughed up. His black hair had become quite peppered with several gray streaks, alongside large dark bags under his golden eyes. The room was quite spartan. It was decorated with only a few anime posters, a simple desk with a laptop, and a cabinet Denki assumed had his friend's clothing, plus a sizeable slide-in closet.
"Hey man, it's been a while." Denki began saying quietly.
Ryu simply hummed and gave him a shallow nod in response.
'Holy shit...I'm pretty sure he's on cloud nine right now.' Denki thought to himself.
"Looks like the docs hooked ya up with the hard stuff, huh?" Minoru joked to lighten the mood.
Ryu gave him a mild shrug and a small chuckle at the idea.
"Anyway, man, sorry to disturb you; we just wanted to say that we missed you and are glad you're okay." Denki continued.
"Yeah, man, we also brought your homework, plus a few other things!" Minoru added as he took off his backpack to open it. While Denki placed the homework, he was carrying on top of Ryu's desk. The boy simply looked at the two with an amused smirk on his face.
"We got you some snacks and a special gift," Minoru said with a perverted grin. Handing Ryu some candy, chips, and a manga with a pink cover would make the average manga reader more cautious about where they might display...or hide it.
"We debated what to get you...and we thought that this pick-me-up would totally do the work," Denki said with confidence.
"I did some research from our last...important lunch discussion. And after much deliberation, I have determined that you are totally into curvy, nerdy type girls. So I got this volume from my personal collection to give ya'." Minoru finished up with a wink.
Ryu seemed delighted by the candy and began chuckling to himself when he saw the manga's cover. He quickly stuffed the goodies into the desk drawer for later.
"Thanks...guys," Ryu managed to say with a slight groan.
"Oh crap...here's your phone," Denki said, remembering the other reason he was here. "You left it at the school. And umm...weird question, but I gotta ask, especially after discovering you're adopted. Anyway, who are the kids in the pictu-Ow!"
"Come on, dude!" Minoru interrupted, punching Denki's arm. "He'll tell us when he's ready; shit! We learned enough without his go-ahead."
Ryu, however, didn't answer.
Once he took the phone from Denki's hands and checked the display, there was a strange look in his eyes. Neither boy could really understand the expression on their friend's face. It was an odd smile, less warm and goofier; ultimately, the two simply concluded that Ryu's medication must have been strong. After a few more minutes of catching up and Ryu answering weakly, Denki's phone vibrated in his pocket. After checking, he saw that he had gotten a text message from his uncle. Denki cursed himself as he knew he would have to cut his visit short.
"Anyway, man, we don't want to bother you further. We'll let you rest up and hope to see you on Wednesday, yeah?" Denki said, motioning to Minoru that it was time for them to go.
"Yeah, dude, rest up so you can come back soon."
Ryu looked at them with the same odd expression and nodded.
The duo made their goodbyes to Saya, who gave the two some leftover cookies she had brought from her favorite bakery.
"Please do come back when you can; you and any one of your other classmates are welcome to swing by anytime."
"Thanks, Mrs. Doumeki." The two said as they enjoyed the cookies. As they finished putting on their shoes and making their exit, Minoru bumped into a large man who was trying to enter.
"Whoa," Denki exclaimed as he saw the giant man towering over him, wearing a formal-looking police officer's uniform. Denki was no expert when it came to cops, but even he knew the man in front of him was someone far up the chain.
"Who are you?" the man asked in a commanding tone, clearly suspicious of the young men who had just attempted to leave his home.
"Umm...hi, are you Ryu's dad?" Minoru asked meekly, looking at the giant at least three times his size.
"Kai, honey, you're home!" Saya chirped behind the two boys, scaring both of them.
"Yes, dear. Who are these two? I can assume they're UA students..."Kai followed up. He looked at the boys and their uniforms before his eyes focused on Denki's golden eyes.
"They're Ryu's friends," Saya explained. "They stopped by to see him and drop off his homework."
"Ah...I see," Said Kai before formally introducing himself with a slight bow. "I am Kai Doumeki, Chief-Superintendent of the Kantō Regional Police Forces and Ryu's adoptive father."
'Holy crap, I didn't know Kasei's dad was one of the top cops in Japan!' Minoru thought to himself.
"I'm Minoru Mineta!" The boy squeaked before bowing during his introduction.
"Denki Kaminari!" Denki mimicked nervously while Saya giggled at the sight.
"Well then, gentlemen, thank you for looking out for my son. Please continue to take care of him when he returns to UA," Kai responded before returning the bow to the two young men.
"Ye-yeah, no problem, sir!" Minoru stuttered before starting his walk out of the Doumeki household, dragging Denki with him. Once the two were out of sight of the Doumeki household, they began making their way to their respective homes.
"See ya, Kaminari," Minoru said before getting on a bus.
"Yeah...see you," Denki said with a sigh as he looked up at the sky.
He was in for a rough night.
Tomura was forced to kneel as his brother towered over him. The two were surrounded by darkness while in the presence of their master. He had feared his return, and now that he was here, The Pale Prince knew that the next few minutes could be the difference between life and death.
"So you have survived," All For One said quietly, yet his voice carried throughout the small room.
"Indeed, master. It took me a while to ensure I had enough time, and with some assistance, I can now secure my alibi if someone notices that I'm gone." The boy answered as his golden eyes looked at the mask that now served as his master's face. "Still, it is no excuse for me being so late."
All For One began to emit a burst of dark laughter that flooded the room with dread.
"So what exactly happened?"
"Ask Tomura and his ingenious idea to place a bounty on certain classmates to eliminate me," He answered before rounding at the kneeling man. "You had to mention my eyes? DO YOU KNOW HOW UNCOMMON MY EYE COLOR IS? YOU COULDN'T GO WITH HAIR COLOR OR EVERY BOY? ANYTHING THAT WOULD BE LESS SUSPICIOUS?!"
"Calm down, boy." All For One warned his apprentice, who quickly bowed his head in repentance.
"Apologies, master, I'm just saying that the USJ final report that aired on television did not mention the bounty placed on students with my eye color," The Broken Prince responded. "Yet, we all know that the weak-willed cannon fodder who got caught will squeal about the bounty. I have no doubt that it is currently being investigated under wraps."
"Tomura?"
"Mimicry confirmed that they are currently investigating everyone with yellow eyes."
"Point in my favor."
"Given the situation on hand, that would make you the winner of this round...What is your desire, my apprentice?"
"Under different circumstances, I would have had Tomura killed," The Broken Prince began, only to pause as he looked back down at his surrogate brother. "However, we still have All Might to eliminate, so I still require him. So, Master, my wish is to gain another Quirk. I also need my other powers restored. I don't trust Tomura anymore not to send another assassin after me. So I need all of my powers and then some. I also request that you force Tomura to be more cooperative with me. From here on in, UA is mine alone to handle. Tomura is not to interfere with matters that involve UA without my permission. He will also use our government contacts to ensure my fake cover story holds up."
All For One grinned from under his mask.
"Three quirks is not enough, eh? I'm not sure your body can handle a fourth without my Quirk to keep you sane...are you sure that you want this? You know the risks."
"Draco Knight's son is far more powerful than we considered...I have no doubt we will clash in the future. No, I know we will...and therefore, I will not underestimate him...I need more power. If my body can't handle this...then I deserve nothing."
All For One looked at the determination on the boy's face. The situation was so ironic that it made him want to laugh.
"The irony is that Draco Knight's son is attending UA now. Then again...I should have expected that the apple would not have fallen far from the tree. Who knows? Maybe I can add the blood of another dragon to my collection. BUAHAAHAH! VERY WELL! I will restore all of your powers and grant you another! Tomura, be grateful that your brother has decided to be lenient. Especially after your screw-up, you will continue to have the reign on outside operations. Still, UA will remain his domain...you will secure his past, correct?"
"Master...forgive me one last thing." The boy interrupted with a cough.
"Yes?"
"Tomura technically already broke one agreement with me before. We had agreed that any dealings with Yakuza would be handled by me."
"In this case, I ordered Tomura to have The Eight Precepts of Death destroyed, do you not remember?"
The boy paused; he had forgotten about that detail. "Understood then."
"However, The Four Cardinal Kings remain intact and unharmed. The Black Iron Turtle King of The North, The White Ice Tiger King of The West, The Azure Lighting Dragon King of the East, while the acting boss of the South waits to finally crown you as the new Crimson Fire Phoenix King of the South. Tomura, you will leave these to your dear brother, won't you?"
"Yes...Master." Tomura gasped out through gritted teeth.
"Thank you for your kind generosity, master.."
"Now, which Quirk do you wish to have?"
"I've had this one in mind for a while," The Broken Prince answered. "I want Tsubasa's Quirk, I killed him, so I should get his wings."
"Very well," All For One laughed again at the irony. Tomura did everything he could not to groan, knowing what was coming. "Come before me now, then, my apprentice."
The boy moved forward and knelt before his master as All For One touched his apprentice's head.
"Arise...to take your father's place. Arise to become my new Phoenix King."
The boy began to scream loudly; screams ripped throughout the room, making Tomura flinch as he remembered the pain when he had received his other quirks. The screams slowly turned into a loud, deafening roar. There was a bright flash of light, and the boy went silent. His back began to contort and twitch violently as the back of his shirt began to stretch out until it could no longer contain what it hid. Large red scaly wings ripped out from the shirt. They began to stick out from his back before another flash occurred. The boy slowly began to rise with scales covering his body. The color? The room was too dark to see the color of the scales that shined like tempered steel with razor-sharp claws that sparked with electrical energy.
A new Warlord of the Underworld was finally ready to make his debut.
It was a harrowing sight for everyone in Alex's hospital room.
Izuku, Ochako, Inko, and Eri remained silent as Eraserhead and Alex's physician finalized the last bits of paperwork needed to authorize such an experimental treatment. Alex's room, which was once relatively barren, was now filled to the brim with gifts from various well-wishers, including some gorgeous flowers placed next to the comatose American, who remained perfectly still, wired up to the life-support systems.
They didn't know that this would be the final part of Eri's assessment.
To attempt to repair a type of brain damage that is thought to be untreatable. Ochako knew that Eri's powers could heal massive wounds as she did with Izuku after the Overhaul fight. Yet this seemed like it might have been too much for her to heal. It didn't help that a lot of time had passed, and Izuku's notes didn't account for the length of time that could be a factor in Eri's Quirk.
The young girl grew nervous.
Eri had not used her Quirk since the USJ, and she still blamed herself for causing the incident. Eri was convinced that Overhaul had come for her...that Alex and everyone else who had gotten hurt was because they were trying to protect her. Everyone back in the Fire Zone had been hurt, all because of her.
'You are cursed, you little brat.' Eri heard Overhaul's venom-laced voice in the back of her mind. 'Your Quirk was meant to destroy. After all, it was you who killed your own father.'
The little unicorn remembered these words well. When Overhaul wanted to make a point about why she should suffer, he would quickly remind her of her sins. To remind her that she was no better than a monster in the form of a little girl.
"We just need you to sign here, Ms. Barton." Alex's physician could be heard saying, handing Lucy the last form she needed to sign.
"Mr. Aizawa...do you really think it will work?" Lucy asked with tears welling in her eyes, clutching onto the paper unsigned. "And even if it does...what do we tell him when he wakes up? That he woke up just to be told that his dreams are dead. That everything he had worked for was for nothing..."
"Ms. Barton...if this works and Springfield can be healed, the doors to his future are still wide open. If it doesn't, or you refuse to allow the procedure, then he only has one future," Eraserhead answered calmly. "At least if this works. He will still have options open to him. Who says that his career as a pro-hero is truly over? Some stuffed suits in the Diet?"
Eraserhead turned to look at his fallen student.
"No, not if I have anything to do about it. While Springfield will no longer be a Hero Course student, it does not mean he is no longer a UA student. As his teacher, I will not abandon him or any of my students, past or present, who reach out to me. That I promise you."
Eraserhead looked back up at Lucy.
"All I can offer is the chance of hope. It is up to Springfield himself what he wants to do with that hope."
Izuku and company, save for Eri, smiled.
They didn't expect an underground Pro like Eraserhead to have such a soft spot for his students. Something told him that he could have been his homeroom teacher instead of Midnight in another universe. He wouldn't complain about it. All of the staff at UA were amazing people in their own right. He was just lucky to know this firsthand. After a long pregnant pause, Lucy looked at Eraserhead, then at Eri, and finally at her cousin. Lucy signed the form; she would leave Alex's future in the hands of fate now.
A chance of hope.
"Let me know when you're ready," the doctor said as she began making the final preparations for Alex's procedure.
"Midoriya...place Eri on the bed next to Springfield." Eraserhead requested as he took his spot.
"Are you ready, Eri?" Izuku asked the young girl in his arms. Eri looked scared as she continued to hear Overhaul's voice in her head.
'Cursed brat.'
'Unwanted.'
'KILLER.'
"Eri?" Ochako called out to the blank expression on Eri's face, slowly brushing her hair. Eri looked at the two, remembering what she wanted to say to both. Looking at Izuku, she could only think of one word to describe him, Papa. Then, turning to Ochako, she could only think of one word to describe her, Mama.
'Remember you killed your own father...who to say you won't someday kill them?'
"It is a lot of pressure to put on the girl," Inko interjected, worried that they were asking too much of Eri.
"Eri...are you okay?" Izuku asked, looking into the young girl's bright red eyes.
"I'm scared." Eri finally breathed out with tears welling up in her eyes. "I don't want to hurt anyone...I'm scared that I'll only hurt Blinky more!"
"You healed me," answered Izuku softly, wrapping Eri up in a hug, catching her by surprise. "I may not remember it all too well, but you saved me, Eri. After the fight with Overhaul, you saved me from bleeding out."
"That's right, Eri," added Ochako reassuringly.
"I saw how Izuku was at the end...and look at him now. Not a scar on him because of you and your Quirk."
"But...what if it doesn't work? What if Blinky doesn't wake up?"
"Eri, it wouldn't be your fault. We don't know the limits of your Quirk. All we know is that there is a chance that you might be able to heal him." Izuku continued, motioning to their Department Head. "Mr. Aizawa is here to make sure you can't hurt anyone."
"That's right, and we're here to make sure everything will be okay...no matter what happens, Eri."
"Excuse me...can I say something?" Lucy asked as she walked closer to Eri.
"Hello, Eri. I'm Alex's cousin, Lucy, " the woman introduced herself, kneeling next to the girl with a small bittersweet smile.
"He-hello, Lushi," Eri said with a shy stutter while slightly mispronouncing the young woman's name.
"I've been told that angels come down to grant miracles. And when I see you. I think you could be that angel to grant my one wish, my one prayer...could you please help my cousin?"
Eri didn't expect to be called an angel. She knew that angels were said to be wonderful, like one that blessed Jin in her favorite story. The Angel of Miracles restored the Fafnir Knight to full strength when things got dire. She thought of herself as a monster thanks to Overhaul, but just like Overhaul had been wrong about him returning to claim her.
Maybe he could be wrong about this, too?
Eri kept looking at the young woman before looking back at the two she saw as her parents. She trusted them to keep their word to her. That she wouldn't hurt anyone; she was here to help someone. Like so many had helped her, it was time to help instead. After a moment, Eri took a deep breath and wiped the tears from her eyes, trying to form a brave face.
"I...want to try."
"Are you sure?" Izuku asked, making sure she wasn't just caving because of the pressure. "We don't want to force you."
"I want to try...please," Eri asked more firmly.
Izuku looked at everyone else and nodded. He went up to Alex's bedside and set Eri down. As she settled on the bed, Eri grabbed Alex's hand, trying to remain calm.
"Okay, let me just finish the prep work." The doctor said as she removed the remaining IVs attached to Alex's body. "Alright, I'm ready, we can begin anytime."
"As am I," Eraserhead added, looking at the young girl. "Do your best, alright?"
'It won't work.'
'You'll destroy him.'
'Go away,' Eri ignored the voice, choosing to trust them—choosing to trust in the family she had gained. Slowly but surely, Eri began to focus just like she had before when practicing with Izuku and Ochako. Everyone watched as she also began to glow, her horn growing in size as her Quirk activated. 'Mama and Papa beat you!'
'It won't work.'
'You will only make it worse.'
'No, I won't!' Eri continued. The glow became brighter, her horn reaching its peak recorded size. She continued to ignore the voice and tried as hard as possible, trusting those kind words. She was here to help; everyone here would make sure nothing would go wrong. Overhaul's voice slowly began disappearing as she continued to focus. 'Mama and Papa, I promised I wouldn't! Now go away!'
'It won't work.'
'MONSTER!'
'You're the monster! Not me! You! NOW GO AWAY!'
Everyone watched in amazement as the golden light danced and filled the room. After a minute or so, Eri stopped, exhausted from using her Quirk. The little girl looked around the room anxiously before looking back at Alex. He didn't seem any worse, nor did he seem any better either. Everyone in the room was silent; the treatment seemed to not work.
'It...didn't work...' Eri felt disappointed as she slowly let go of Alex's hand.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Suddenly, Alex's hand reflexively clasped Eri's hand instead.
The crowd collectively gasped as Alex suddenly began to breathe independently, stirring from the sudden movement. His eyes slowly flicked open, revealing his bright blue eyes had begun to glow again as they came back full of life. In an instant, the small crowd went from disappointed to stunned. As Alex slowly came around, he started looking around his surroundings, blinking to restore his blurry version.
Only to see Eri by his bedside and everyone else looking at him in disbelief.
"What's...going on?" Alex finally managed to ask the stunned onlookers groggily. Ochako, seeing Lucy's face, quickly scooped up Eri to make room for the crying woman who lunged at the awoken young man, bear-hugging her cousin and refusing to let him go.
"YOU'RE AWAKE! YOU'RE AWAKE, ALEX! YOU'RE AWAKE!" The woman railed while sobbing uncontrollably into his chest as Inko and everyone else were trying hard not to do the same. While the doctor was also moved by the sudden miracle, she also needed to check Alex's vitals and ensure there was no permanent damage.
"Let's give them some room," Inko whispered to the trio, leaving Eraserhead, Lucy, the doctor, and Alex alone.
"I'm sorry, Lucy...I'm sorry." They could hear him repeatedly say in the same groggy voice as they made their exit.
"You did it, Eri!" Ochako praised and gave the little girl the biggest hug she could muster. "You saved him!"
"You're amazing, Eri!" Izuku exclaimed with the proudest smile on his face as he joined the hug.
Eri was completely elated by the praise she was getting from them; she had done it. She had helped save someone. Overhaul had once again been proven wrong. Her powers weren't one of destruction in the right situation.
It was a one of restoration.
"Absolutely incredible!" Izuku continued ensuring that Eri knew she had done a wonderful thing. Before anything else could be said, Eri felt the darkness that had been plaguing her slowly fade away. Tears began welling up in her eyes, but these weren't sad tears. These were tears of joy running down her face as she felt her heart becoming free.
"Eri, are you okay?" Izuku suddenly asked in a worried voice. Ochako and Inko try to soothe the small girl but are met with an unexpected reaction. Eri embraced both teens and said the words she had been waiting to say to them for the last few weeks.
Words that changed this small family forever.
"Thank you, Mama...Papa."
/
As the doctor finished her check-up, she couldn't help but be amazed that the young girl could have really done such a thing as restoring someone who had no expected chance of recovery. She had almost scoffed at the idea when it had been proposed, but considering they had nothing to lose and everything to gain in the long run, she had never been so happy to have been proven wrong.
"We'll need to run a few more tests on him, so we'll be keeping him overnight...but given the preliminary examination. I'd say he's in the clear, Ms. Barton."
"Thank you, Doctor." Lucy breathed out as she continued to sniff and wipe the tears from her red, puffy eyes, bowing deeply while not letting go of her cousin's hand. "Thank you, thank you so much."
"Yeah...thanks for watching out for me, Doc, " Alex said with a slightly goofy smile.
Unfortunately, Eraserhead knew it was time to tell the boy about what had happened while he was out.
"Springfield." Eraserhead suddenly spoke up as he made his way to Alex's bedside.
"Oh shit...it's a mummy," Alex said with a laugh, trying to get back to his old self.
"Alex!" Lucy chided him, resisting the urge to smack him upside the head.
"Yeah, yeah...sorry, Mr. Aizawa," Alex said sheepishly as he got a better look at his surroundings. "But hey, can't wait to see the team again...did they miss me? Of course, they did! Look at all those gifts I got while I was out. Look out, UA, Blink is coming bac-"
"Springfield...there's something you should know about." Shouta interrupted the young man. The sooner he learned, the sooner he could cope.
Alex's eyes widened as his dreams began crashing down on him.
Author's Commentary
Fun fact: Alex was originally set to die in the first version of this story.
(Back when it was just called The Fafnir Knight)
What ultimately saved him wasn't his unexpected popularity but how drastic a tone shift it would have done to the story in the long run. It had a long ripple effect that I both did not expect and did not want in my story. So, I spared him while still being able to have a way to write him out of the main story. (For now)
Instead, Alex now stars in two spin-offs
The canon spin-off: My Hero Academia: The Shields of Spring
and the Non-canon Spin-off: In Another World with My Smartphone: The Lost Hero. (Which is still based in the original version of the story.)
But more important than Alex was the development of the canon cast that all managed to escape alive, but not without scars both mentally and physically. We have characters getting some wins and others getting some losses, but it establishes the new status quo with the truth about Izuku out, but now the greater mysteries begin and things start turning towards the future.
And oh boy do have plans!
Until next time!
With love, ZX