Written by Aduubo and Buckichamp
I OWN NOTHING. KILL LA KILL IS OWNED BY STUDIO TRIGGER AND KAZUKI NAKASHIMA. MHA IS OWNED BY TOHO ANIMATION AND KOHEI HORIKOSHI.
The Elite Four gathered together at the Student Council meeting room for their usual early meetings, sitting down in their respective seats as Satsuki waited. Unlike before, Satsuki chose to stand the entire time.
"Have you all settled into your new Goku Uniforms?" Satsuki asked.
"Yes Ma'am!" they all said together. Instead of their original uniforms, they were wearing tracksuits. Each one sported a signature color that matched them well.
"It's cozy, sure, but not really my style, ya know?" Nonon commented and tugged on the waistline of her sweatpants, giving it quite a stretch. She preferred wearing skirts and form fitting clothes over baggy ones.
"I dig it! I feel a lot more free with how I move in this. Not that it was a problem before though," Sanageyama said and punched the air to demonstrate.
"Regardless of how we feel about the uniforms, we are all grateful for the second chance you have given us, Lady Satsuki. We will do whatever we can to repay your debt," Ira pledged, keeping his sitting formation.
"Well, technically I don't need the second chance since I was the only one who didn't lose," Houka's collar unclasped as he corrected him.
"Hey! Shut your trap!" Jakuzure hissed at him.
"I called a draw during my fight with Midoriya. So don't start acting all high and mighty on us!" Sanageyama pointed at Inumuta.
"Worry not, this attire for you all is only temporary. New Three-Star Goku Uniforms are currently being made, but will require time to make final adjustments. They are being improved based on your battles with Ryuko Matoi and UA's Class 1A," Satsuki explained to them.
"Look forward to them. For they will serve you well for what's to come in the future. There is no shame in your defeat at the hands of the pure Life Fiber Kamui Senketsu and UA High. It is merely a right of passage. And now, I look forward to your maturation as Commanders."
"M'lady!" The Elite Four stood together holding their arm in front of them as a sign of acknowledgement and respect.
"When the time comes, I will call upon you. Dismissed," Satsuki finished before turning around and facing away.
"Understood!" the Three-Star students said before settling for the exit. Nonon, however, stopped once she was the last to reach the door. She let it close so that nobody on the other side could eavesdrop. Ever since yesterday, Lady Satsuki had been acting very strange.
"Lady Satsuki?"
"What is it, Jakuzure?"
There was a gentler delivery in her voice. The usual sound that commanded respect was completely vapid.
"Are you feeling okay?" Nonon asked, her hands shook a little as they wrapped together.
The room fell into silence, followed by a deep exhale from Satsuki's nose. Was she that easy to read? Even with her strong exterior, there was no fooling the ones closest to her.
"I'm fine. You needn't worry about me."
Nonon sensed hesitance in Satsuki before she even made a response. Something was seriously wrong. This wasn't like her. Lady Satsuki never showed signs of conflict before. Nonon wanted to act, but knew that she would just be intruding on her business.
"Understood, ma'am," Jakuzure's eyes softened and her brows slumped downward. She turned around with her head hanging low before leaving the room. Nonon hadn't ever felt so hopeless before, not even when she lost to Matoi and the UA brats. The sick feeling was starting to eat her up inside until she found the rest of the Elite Four waiting for her.
She scanned everyone's expression, being met with a similar somber look that she possessed.
"You guys see it too, huh?" she asked them. The three boys nodded in unison.
"I don't get it. No lectures, no real announcements? She didn't even rough up the no-stars that sided with Midoriya," Nonon sighed and clasped her hands on her waist. "Any idea what might have gotten Lady Satsuki so down?"
"We were hoping that you might have found out," Inumuta responded. There wasn't a hint of sarcasm lying under his tongue.
"I've got nothing right now," Jakuzure admitted, feeling defeated. She joined them as they walked down the hallway.
The guys knew that there was a dilemma at hand, but for the first time ever, Jakuzure looked to her peers for help. This was beyond anything they could have anticipated. It left most of them stumped.
"You guys think it has something to do with what happened during the First Naturals Election?" Sanageyama pondered.
Everyone was left wondering if that might be the case. The sudden death runoff made for an eventful evening. Not just for Matoi going berserk, but for the matches prior to it too.
Back in the meeting room, Satsuki stood for a moment longer before finally residing in her chair. Soroi walked to the side of her with his serving cart.
"Tea, m'lady?" he asked.
"No thank you, Soroi," Satsuki answered and kept her arms folded.
Mitsuzo nodded before setting the tea cup back on the cart. But he didn't want to leave quite yet.
"Permission to speak freely, M'lady?"
"You may," Satsuki granted.
"I share Lady Jakuzure's concern. You don't seem like yourself today. Is something troubling you?" Mitsuzo asked.
"No. Everything is fine, Soroi. It's just been a slow morning for me. Nothing I can't handle," Satsuki answered more quickly this time.
"I greatly admire your resilience. But there are things that you simply cannot handle alone. Remember, even with all that you've accomplished, you're still young. And if there's anything the young still have, it's enthusiasm. Sharing that enthusiasm with folks closest to you is one of the best ways to heal," Soroi spoke.
Satsuki didn't say a word. Luckily, Soroi was quite observant for his age. He could see the corner of Satsuki's lip quiver by an inch, showing that she took what he said into consideration.
"I think I'd like that tea after all."
Soroi nodded and handed her a freshly brewed one before leaving, leaving Satsuki in peace. Once he was out of sight, she reached up to her temple, rubbing her fingers against it. An uncomfortable groan surfaced past Satsuki's lips. She was struggling. There was an inner turmoil that stirred inside her head. It felt like something was clawing at her skull. No matter what she tried, she couldn't shake off the memory of that fateful day. The day that nearly marked the death of a hero.
…
"Tsumugu, can you get me a clear shot?"
"On it." Tsumugu got up and left the post.
"What? Mikisugi, what are you talking about?" Nemuri was starting to grow antsy. "There's gotta be something we CAN do!"
"There's only one thing we can do now," Mikisugi pulled out a sniper from a crate, loading it with a special bullet given to him by Tsumugu.
"Prepare for the worst."
Nemuri's breath drew short when she heard what he said. Deep down in her heart, she didn't completely trust Nudist Beach, particularly because of Tsumugu's run-ins with Matoi and Midoriya. If those words meant anything…
"No. No! Don't start acting cryptic with me, damn it! MIKISUGI-!"
Aikuro promptly turned off all communications with Midnight and Cementoss. Doing this made him feel ugly. He never wanted it to get this bad, but he had to be ready. The heroes were his last hope if things with Matoi went south.. He could only hope they'll forgive him.
"Mr. Mikisugi."
Aikuro snapped out of his momentary abyss, setting his eyes forward on the screen that showed none other than Principal Nezu and the entire school faculty. Along with them was a thin, skeleton looking man, who sported rather wild blonde hair. Aikuro remembered him from previous meetings, but never got the chance to know his identity. It was an early morning of June 5th, Sunday, 8:30 a.m. The supposed third day of the Honno City trip before being abruptly canceled. Tensions were high between him and the others, and Aikuro wasn't ignorant to why it may be.
"S-Sorry. I spaced out for a second."
"I apologize that this is a rather early time for a meeting, but it's urgent," Nezu spoke.
"No, it's fine. Nothing I can't handle. Go ahead," Aikuro quickly dismissed, knowing full well he didn't deserve the consideration.
"Very well," Nezu pressed his palms together firmly before placing them on the table. Knowing that Mikisugi was ready to listen, he in turn was ready to begin, "I've called everyone here today because I received reports that there has been a breach of trust between UA and Nudist Beach," Nezu said with a rather rigid tone, nearing the border of being assertive.
"This ordeal centers around Ryuko Matoi's rampage that took place at Honnoji Academy yesterday. And I'm told that the breach was committed on Nudist Beach's end when you planned to neutralize her. I'd like to hear your side of that story, Mr. Mikisugi."
Aikuro swallowed hard as Nezu handed him the floor to speak. He felt unsettled by the aura emanating from the principal. While his manners were still intact, all of the pleasantries from it were barely there. Nezu made a "request" that Mikisugi would explain himself, and he damn well was expecting results.
There was no way to bullshit around this, nor should he. What he attempted to do was for mankind's future, but it was still something to be frowned upon.
"When Ryuko lost it, I planned to use a special adhesive bullet that would neutralize her and her Kamui. Permanently."
The bandaid was ripped off. And the pain was sinking in as Aikuro heard the gasps of everyone in UA's staff room, including Nezu.
"During her matches in the King of the hill battle, her Kamui was evolving faster than I anticipated. Too fast even. Life Fibers are a dangerous life form and if there's even the slightest chance that Senketsu could become our enemy, I had to take it as an absolute certainty. I knew you guys wouldn't approve. But if we were to lose Matoi, I had to make sure that there were enough heroes to be the last thing standing between the Kiryuins and total human annihilation."
Aikuro took a deep breath as that was a lot to unravel. And it was certainly going to get him in a lot of trouble. Midnight's fists tightened as the thought lingered in her head. He was really going to kill an innocent girl for the sake of a mission. Nezu's ears perked as murmurs were being exchanged amongst his staff. But he sat quietly, forming his words in his head.
"Was this something you had planned all along?" Nemuri asked. The others around her stopped talking soon after.
"Yes. But I hoped that things wouldn't have gotten this bad," Aikuro answered.
"Aww, good to know that you feel bad. But that doesn't excuse that you didn't disclose that information with any of us here!" she slammed her fist onto the table, a clear fury showing on her face. "We could have done something if you just let us!"
"I know. I have no excuses. But in the same situation, I'd do it again," Mikisugi stood his ground. "There's no telling if you could have stopped Ryuko fast enough. Or could do it unscathed. Look at what happened to Midoriya. I couldn't let anyone else risk their lives."
"But that's what our job is. We fight to ensure the safety of others, no matter the risks. We could have prevented what happened to Midoriya. We could have stopped Matoi from suffering much sooner. Maybe something would have happened to either me or Cementoss. I'd much prefer that than to sacrifice the kids to fight on their own," Nemuri hissed at Mikisugi.
"Surviving is important, but so is not standing by and allowing someone to suffer or die because you do nothing. If you don't get that, then you made the wrong choice coming to us for help."
Nemuri stopped with a sharp inhale, having to catch her breath. The other faculty members nodded in unison, agreeing with everything that she said. Toshinori already showed a great deal of respect for Midnight. But what she said truly resonated with him. Even with all the difficulties he faced lately, she reminded him exactly why he loved being a hero.
Nezu cleared his throat and prepared to speak, figuring that Midnight said all that she needed and decided that it was his turn.
"I understand why you're so cautious, Mr. Mikisugi. You and your coworkers have faced a lot of dangers, probably even before Nudist Beach. So have we. Every day, pro heroes risk their lives to protect the peace. I have no doubt that's what Midoriya will be doing once he graduates."
Mikisugi's expression turned into a mild scowl. His eyes averted Nezu's gaze. No matter what Aikuro tried to say, he knew deep down that Nezu was right.
"You want to protect everyone, and I'm grateful for that. But a lot more can be done when you work with us. All Might has been updating us on Matoi's progress," Nezu wrapped his hands together. "You saw it for yourself, she's been getting a lot stronger thanks to her training with Midoriya. Both of them. They've been growing because they trust each other. So have faith in us. Have faith in Matoi."
Aikuro's eyes widened out of confusion. He expected Nezu to chastise him. A breach of an agreement usually resulted in severe consequences. Aside from the firm tone earlier, Nezu hasn't been militant with him in the slightest. Aikuro didn't quite know what to think from that.
"We're more than happy to keep working with you to stop the Kiryuins. But know this. Matoi is an official honorary student here at UA. If anyone from Nudist Beach presents a threat to any of them again, we will act accordingly," Nezu closed his eyes and nodded, opening his eyes with a smile. "Have I laid everything out clearly, Mr. Mikisugi?"
A small chuckle could be heard from Aikuro. He didn't know how, but Nezu had completely washed away all of his worries. "Yeah. Crystal, principal Nezu."
"Splendid. Now, are there any last comments that anyone would like to share?"
The other teachers remained seated, not speaking up.
"Then I believe that our meeting is done here. I will continue to exchange information with you like before. Good luck out there."
"Good luck to you too, Principal Nezu," Mikisugi said his goodbye before Nezu had officially signed off.
Once the meeting ended, Aikuro leaned back on his chair. He stared at the ceiling for a good few minutes, needing to take the load off from what was probably the most intense video call of his life.
"So, what's up with all of that preachy junk? Did the heroes catch a case of Midoriya or something?"
In the corner of Mikisugi's office, Kinagase sat on the lounge sofa, drinking sake during the entirety of the call. Even with how cutthroat he was about giving Mikisugi a hard time, Tsumugu wasn't going to let him take it from others all alone.
Yet the two weren't sure if UA was really giving Mikisugi a hard time or not.
"I'm… not sure," Aikuro answered.
"That was probably the softest threat for your arrest that I've ever heard," Tsumugu scoffed.
Aikuro rubbed the stubble on his chin with his pointer finger and thumb. Just why did Nezu and the rest of the faculty let him off so easily? They had every right to be pissed at him. Hell, he even believed they had justification to punch him like Midoriya did. Aikuro could still feel the soreness on his jaw.
The meeting was more of a pep talk rather than a lecture. Anything he was concerned about was gone. It was like they gave him hope. Then it hit him.
"I guess… it's just the hero's nature."
"Huh? What do you mean by that?" Tsumugu asked, being dumbfounded at how vague that was.
"Ah, I could try explaining it to you all night and you still wouldn't get it. Just trust me on this," Aikuro chuckled.
"Pfft, alrighty then. As long as they're not sending any of the pros to our front door," Tsumugu poured another shot of sake.
Mikisugi smiled warmly, reminiscing about a discussion he had with Midoriya back at Honnoji. At that time, he told him about the heroes' conviction for justice and how that was why he reached out to UA in the first place. This meeting reminded Mikisugi of that moment. They were right. Trust goes a long way.
"Heroes really are amazing."
Two hours after the same morning, light filtered into the hospital room with Ryuko, Senketsu, and Izuku still sound asleep. Normally, the hospital staff would have removed the girl the evening before since visiting hours passed long ago. But even after falling asleep, the two teenagers both still had their hands interlocked. Once the staff saw that and the blanket draped over Ryuko, they quietly stepped away and left them there. But now, someone had to wake up.
Izuku's eyes fluttered open slowly. They instinctively shut once the bright light entered his gaze. He murmured in discomfort while holding his arm over his face so that he could see properly. With a yawn, Izuku rose from his slumber. And it seemed that he was the first to do so as he saw that Ryuko and Senketsu were still asleep.
He looked down to see that his hand was still wrapped around Ryuko's. Izuku remembered that she had been holding it since the moment he was barely conscious. Knowing that made him smile.
Meanwhile, Senketsu was the next to wake up. His large eye opened up with the iris darting around before finding Midoriya. "Ah. Good morning, Izuku. You're up early like usual."
Izuku froze. He quickly looked around to see if there was anyone else in the room. The voice sounded so close, almost as if it was in his head. Izuku started to get on edge as this was how serial killers usually get started. All Might forbid that he became a maniac long before starting his hero career.
"Who… said that?" he asked cautiously.
"Well, seeing all this time you couldn't hear me, it's probably not me," Senketsu responded.
Izuku flinched when the voice came in a second time. There wasn't a person in sight besides Ryuko and Senketsu. Izuku knew he took quite a beating yesterday, but it couldn't have given him long-term craziness, right? While he had his search, it was left unnoticed by Senketsu. He was preparing for the arduous task of waking up his partner.
"Rise and shine, Ryuko!" Senketsu whispered as she still slept through the light coming from the cracks in the blinds.
"Your neck is going to be stiff laying like that all night. C'mon, time to stretch it out," he added some more urgency.
Izuku's eyes flew wide open, turning his head to his right and seeing Senketsu's eye looking down at Ryuko. There was nobody else that would have nagged at her like that. He used his other hand to gently caress the cloth where Senketsu's eye was. It couldn't be. Right?
"You have a soft touch, Izuku," Senketsu said. He nearly hummed from how delicate his hand was, somehow being even more than Ryuko's.
"HUH?! Senketsu?!" Izuku whipped his hand back.
Senketsu's eye shot wide open. "Izuku?" The timing of that reaction couldn't have been a coincidence right? He didn't know for sure.
"Are… Are you talking?" Izuku blinked twice.
"Wait. You can hear me?" Senketsu was unable to blink, as the shock made him forget about everything else.
"Ye-yeah! I can!" Izuku held his head with both hands, pinching his cheeks in the process. "Holy crap! I thought I was hallucinating yesterday, but I can hear you! WOW!"
"Keep it down, would ya? My neck hurts," Ryuko moaned.
"Ryuko! I can hear Senketsu now!" Izuku exclaimed.
"You can hear me! That's incredible!" Senketsu rejoiced with him.
"Huh?" The girl rubbed her eyes. Ryuko's attention was then diverted to a strange sensation she felt on her hand. It was warm, and a bit clammy, like she held onto something for a long time. She wasn't sure what caused this until she remembered that Izuku took her hand while consoling her.
'He didn't let go even while he was sleeping…?'
Ryuko held her wrist and stared at her hand while a red blush adorned her face.
"Ryuko! Ryuko!" Izuku called to her.
Ryuko shook her head, being a bit surprised by how energetic Izuku was. "Huh? Yeah? What?"
"Izuku can hear me, Ryuko! He can hear me!" Senketsu cut in.
"Hah? Is this some sort of prank?" she muttered, unconvinced. All of that jolt of energy she had went right out the window.
"He just said 'Izuku can hear me, Ryuko! He can hear me!' Isn't that proof enough?" The boy chuckled before wincing slightly. "Ow. Here, listen."
Izuku faced Senketsu's eye.
"Senketsu, who was the one that stayed up watching that romcom movie back at my apartment?"
"Ryuko did. You and Inko fell asleep," Senketsu answered while Ryuko gasped.
"H-Hey! It just had good drama, alright?!" Ryuko's eyes then lit up. "Holy shit. You really can hear him!"
"Oh my gosh, this is so cool!" Izuku was about to go through another fanboy phase.
"Finally! Now people won't look at me like I'm going crazy!" Ryuko cheered.
"I'd hate to ruin the celebration here, but I believe a question we should be asking is how did this happen so suddenly?" Senketsu demurred.
"Oh, you're right. Yeah, that's a good question. Izuku wasn't able to hear you before," Ryuko wrapped her hand around her chin.
"Actually, I have an idea… although it's a bit crazy," Izuku spoke up.
The other two waited patiently to hear what he had to say.
"After umm… what happened," Midoriya started as Ryuko turned her head away. This morning started off great like any other day, but she couldn't forget the accident. Ryuko wished that it was all just a bad dream.
"It wasn't your fault, Ryuko," Izuku reaffirmed his grip on her hand. This felt a lot better for the pair.
Matoi's eyes glistened a bit before nodding to have him continue.
"When that happened yesterday, I heard Senketsu's voice. There wasn't any echo like it was from a megaphone or something. It sounded like…"
"It's in your head?" Ryuko finished for Izuku, which he nodded to in agreement.
"Yes, I remember that moment," Senketsu recalled. "I absorbed some of your blood and it allowed us to start communicating. But I don't understand why now of all times…"
Their discussion was cut short when the entrance to the room opened, with All Might coming in.
"Oh, Young Midoriya! You're awake!" Toshinori jogged over to his successor, kneeling down at his bedside.
"How are you feeling?"
"I'm good so far. It only hurts when I laugh, so I'm counting on Ryuko to not try anything," Izuku snickered before feeling his side. "Ow."
"Good to see that your spirits are still high," Toshinori sighed with content.
"And you, Young Matoi. How are you feeling?"
"Hanging in there," Ryuko hesitated a bit, but gave an answer regardless.
"I'm glad," All Might nodded his head, taking note of Matoi's hesitancy. "Though I thought you should be aware that your mother is almost here, Young Midoriya. When Midnight called her with the news, it sounded like a trainwreck in the background is what I was told."
"Then you should get out of here before she bowls you over," Ryuko chimed in, as Izuku's spine shuttered.
Toshinori chuckled, finding what Ryuko said to be just another of her exaggerations. "I think you're being a little-"
"All Might," Izuku cut in as he heard a loud noise from a ways away. "Leave now. I can hear rumbling."
Yagi's hearing finally picked up on what the others were able to tune in on. He immediately bolted for a chair down the hall and took a seat. He was in his weakened state, so no one would recognize him.
Moments later, an elevator door opened and thunderous footsteps closed in on the room. The No. 1 hero gulped as he saw what was coming from the opposite way. Soon enough, Inko appeared in the doorway huffing and puffing, teary eyed and exhausted.
"Hi mom," Izuku timidly waved while pointing to his side, hoping to not get his body crushed with the upcoming hug. He didn't want to spend another day in the hospital if he could help it.
Inko slowly approached her son and gently held him in her arms, letting out a short sob of relief to see him alive and well. She didn't say a word, with Izuku returning her embrace along with a warm smile.
"It's good to see you, too. I'm sorry for worrying you," he apologized.
"All that matters is you're safe," Inko sniffled as she released Izuku from her grasp and turned to Ryuko.
The young woman gulped, feeling a pain hit her stomach upon seeing Inko. Expecting to be berated, Inko instead launched her arms around the Kamui wielder and embraced her as well.
"I'm so glad you're okay, Ryuko!" the mama bear whimpered as the water works continued.
"I was told what happened and how Izuku saved you. I can't tell you how happy I am that you're doing okay after all of that."
This wasn't the reaction Ryuko was expecting – nor what she thought she deserved. Admittedly, the hug still gave her some level of comfort, as the girl finally returned the elder Midoriya's embrace.
"Thank you!" She whispered, as two stray tears leaked out of her tightly shut eyes.
Toshinori peered into the room as Midnight approached from the direction of the elevator, with Recovery Girl in tow, both women looking a little frazzled.
"I take it you weren't given a heads up," Yagi whispered with a chuckle.
"That… would be an understatement," Midnight said as she braced her left forearm up against the wall.
"Never mess with a concerned mother. They're the most ferocious ones," Chuiyo stated as a matter of fact while Midnight tried to fully regain her bearings.
"Your son had quite the injury," Recovery Girl started as Inko stood up and turned around. "Fortunately, the quick work of the teachers and medical staff kept him in stable condition and I was able to nearly fix him up fully last night. However…"
Ryuko felt her heart sink, losing a bit of color in her eyes.
"Surgery needed to be done to repair certain organs and rejoin the uninjured ones. This would have been far easier if whatever impaled Izuku had stayed during the procedure. But more damage was done when it was taken out, especially when it went through the entire body. Because of this, Izuku has a scar near his stomach, and another on his back."
Izuku did a sharp intake of breath from the news Recovery Girl delivered. He looked down and felt his side, knowing that he wore bandages under his shirt. Izuku hadn't seen what the scar looked like, making him wonder how drastic it was.
"Other than that, Izuku should be just fine. He'll be able to resume going to classes no problem. Though I will need a few minutes with the young man to finish up my treatment. Once his stamina recovers in a few hours, he'll be able to go home."
The school nurse turned to her left and saw Ryuko sitting in the chair, and definitely not in the best state. Still, Chuiyo sighed and smiled.
"It's a relief to see you're here too," Recovery Girl said. "From what I heard it turned brutal out there. I'm glad you both are alive and well."
Ryuko nodded, but didn't make eye contact with Recovery Girl.
"Thank you for all that you did to help my son. I'm eternally grateful," Inko bowed earnestly.
"No, no. It's no trouble at all. I'm always happy to see these two pay a visit," Chiyo joked, remembering the fun scolding that she gave the two teens. "Alright. I should get started with the treatment, that way I could get you folks home asap. So if you all could step out for a couple hours, that'd be great."
The nurse beckoned everyone else to leave the room and close the door so she could finish her healing on Midoriya. Once they were alone, Recovery Girl gave Izuku a somber look.
"I really am glad you're doing better, Midoriya. I can tell your friend has been taking this hard."
"Thank you, Recovery Girl. If I didn't try to save her, Ryuko would have been-"
Izuku stopped as his heart began to pound like crazy. Fluid crept up into his lower eyelids, making his eyes glisten.
Silence permeated the room, but a lot of emotions finally hit Midoriya like a truck.
"I-"
All his mind could think of was Ryuko. Even though she was safe, he couldn't help but feel like he had nearly failed to bring her back safely.
"I didn't want to lose her," his voice cracked slightly as he choked up, wiping any residue away from his eyes.
"It's alright, dearie," the elderly woman reassured him before leaning in with a whisper. "But just remember, One For All doesn't make you invincible. A few centimeters in the other direction and you would have been looking for a successor."
Izuku gulped, not realizing how close he came to really being down for the count until now.
"Let's finish up here and you'll be out of this place in a few hours."
It was now 1:30 p.m. Izuku had been officially discharged from the hospital and was free to go home. The teenagers and Inko were back in Musutafu, with a nice, warm meal cooked by the mama bear on the table.
Chatter was at a minimum. It was one of those moments where everyone wanted to regain their footing after a hectic twenty-four hours or so. Izuku was healed up and more chipper with a good plate of food.
While Ryuko ate, she wasn't smiling, something Izuku picked up on immediately. She took longer to chew her food and lost some of the luster in her eyes. They'd learned before leaving the hospital that tomorrow would be a day off for the 1A students, given yet another traumatic event.
The girl really wasn't feeling well. Putting one more bite in her mouth and finishing her meal, she stood up and pushed in her chair. Ryuko made sure to wash her dishes before heading over to her shoes.
"I'm… going to go up to my place. I'm pretty tired after everything," Ryuko said with her bangs partially covering her eyes. Both Midoriya's picked up on the shift but had a feeling she needed some space.
"Of course honey. I'll have dinner prepared around six if you'd like to stop by," Inko let her know before Matoi could leave.
"Do you want me to walk you up there, Ryuko?" Izuku offered.
"No, that's okay, Izuku. Thanks," Ryuko told him.
"Alright. See you around," Izuku said warmly.
The girl nodded as she left the apartment and headed upstairs.
"I hope she'll be okay," Inko held a hand to her heart.
Izuku's train of thought stopped, now thinking over something.
'You're strong, Ryuko. You always were. I know that's how you've learned to survive on your own over the years, to save others the trouble. But one of these days…'
Izuku looked back on every moment that he spent with her. Every moment that she was smiling. When she was happy.
'When will you let someone rescue you?'
After closing the door to her apartment, Ryuko quickly changed out of Senketsu and into her pajamas. She didn't deserve to be around anyone, let alone the person she nearly killed.
The person she actually loved. A lot.
After slipping Senketsu up on his hanger, she shuffled toward her bed and pulled the covers up over her chest.
Senketsu took the time to rest also and not press Ryuko. He could tell she needed the space earlier.
"Senketsu," Ryuko spoke up.
"Hmm?" he opened his one eye and directed it to her.
"Is it safe for me to wear you?" Ryuko asked him.
"What do you mean?" Senketsu raised his eyebrow.
"I couldn't hold in my rage. I wanted to kill Nui, no matter what the risks were. It put you and our class in danger, and…"
Matoi stared at the ceiling and didn't say another word. She felt completely wiped and zoned out, but sleep wouldn't come to find her.
As time continued to pass, Ryuko didn't move a muscle except for breathing and blinking. She almost killed Izuku, and he only had the thought of reassuring her.
"Are you afraid of me, Ryuko?" Senketsu cut through the silence.
"No. I'm afraid of myself. I lost control and you were hurting. You didn't have a choice but to take the pain. If Izuku and Mako hadn't been there, I don't know what would have happened," Ryuko answered.
"They risked so much to help me. I'm nothing but a burden to them."
"You know that's not true, Ryuko. And they would agree. I'll bet that Izuku will be on his way up sometime," Senketsu objected to what she said.
Ryuko winced in her bed. She hated knowing he was right.
"Forget it," Ryuko finally responded as she squirmed a little, turning onto her left side with a little bit of red on her face.
But he wasn't wrong. Izuku would always be there to take care of her. She loved the company, but those gnawing thoughts ate away at any semblance of self-confidence she had.
"You're both headstrong and stubborn, and I know you won't change your mind on anything today. He's going to come up here tomorrow if you don't go down for dinner."
"I don't-"
"I didn't say you had to go tonight," Senketsu cut her off. That statement drew enough interest from the blue-haired brunette to actually force her to sit up and listen.
"You have the day off tomorrow. If he comes up here, at least hear him out."
"I feel like we've had this conversation before," Ryuko muttered as her body slumped back down towards her pillow.
"I'm well aware, but the circumstances are different. You'll get through this, Ryuko. I know you will."
Matoi pondered over those final words for a little bit. There was so much running through her head, but…
"Okay," she promised, albeit faintly.
Senketsu hummed in acknowledgement, satisfied with the response. A few months ago, she'd never had agreed.
A few more hours passed as the girl finally started to feel the fatigue truly set in. Soon enough, her eyes closed and a small smile crossed her face.
Night had passed. And the sun rose as rays of sunlight peered through Ryuko's window. She began to stir in her bed, fully rested and feeling somewhat spry.
Yet at the same time, she felt completely drained.
Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, she turned over her phone and saw it was still early in the morning. She'd never wake up like this normally, but perhaps the emotional drain led to her actually waking up now.
Well, there was no time like the present. At least she wasn't going to lounge around in bed all day. She cleaned up in the shower and put on her undergarments, a pair of gym shorts and a gray t-shirt after completing her morning routine and exiting the bathroom. She slowly walked to her bedroom door as Senketsu quickly transformed into a scarf and hopped over to Ryuko's shoulder.
The sun was already up as she opened the glass sliding door to the balcony, stepping out for some fresh air. She just stared into the distance with a hand placed under her chin with the elbow propped on the railing.
It was a gorgeous sight, and something she rarely took in with the rush of the daily grind.
–Knock Knock–
"Huh?"
Ryuko turned around, shaken out of her stupor. She expected Izuku to come up to visit, but not this early.
"Hey Ryuko," he spoke from the hallway as she picked up on his voice.
"I doubt you're up, but I wanted to deliver some breakfast."
Matoi gritted her teeth. Even after everything, he was still thinking of her.
"Anyway, I know you'll want some space…"
As much as Ryuko thought that he should steer clear of her, Izuku wanted to see her. She still wanted to see him.
"Screw this!" Ryuko muttered under her breath as Izuku continued to talk in the hallway as she stormed to the door.
Ryuko quickly unbolted and whipped the door open, catching him by surprise as he was about to set the plate down.
"Wha?! You're up?!" Izuku scrambled back, nearly dropping the food.
While this was a bit of a shock, he grinned as he saw her standing in front of him, with sunlight filtering in behind her. Not to mention, she was wearing the clothes he helped pick out for her after the sports festival, when they went out and about in Musutafu for a day.
The Kamui wielder's energy was still a bit off, but she couldn't help but feel the corners of her lips tugging upward. Somehow, his little, goofy grin managed to lighten her mood a little more.
"Get in here, dude," Ryuko gestured toward the table. Izuku wasn't going to let Ryuko change her mind, gladly walking through the entryway and setting the meal down.
"It's not like you to be up this early," the boy jested, drawing a slight smirk from Ryuko who drew her chair at the table.
"Yeah, well, I guess I developed a habit, thanks to you," she answered with a shrug, digging into Mrs. Midoriya's cooking.
While Izuku could see progress being made, Ryuko's mannerisms were somewhat what he was expecting.
And now that he knew what he was dealing with, the greenette finalized what his approach to this situation would be.
"I was planning to take the day off from training, and I honestly want to just walk around town today and explore. Do you wanna come with me?"
Matoi nearly choked on her food hearing that come out of his mouth. There was a different confidence coming from her best friend, and an awfully forward attitude that caught her off guard. She would have thought he'd want to discuss what happened the other day first.
"Ummm… I mean," Ryuko stammered, leading Izuku to chuckle.
"I wasn't planning to go out until later, but seeing you're already dressed…"
Midoriya only shrugged and took a seat at the table opposite of Matoi.
Somehow, Ryuko still couldn't believe what she was seeing confidence-wise from the person across from her.
"Are you really Izuku?" Ryuko questioned.
"I'm also wondering the same thing," Senketsu chimed in, his eye squinting.
"Trust me guys, I'm okay," Izuku snickered before his expression softened.
"It's not often we get days off like this. What do you say?"
Ryuko's heart began to pound, but maybe it wasn't a bad thing.
"Give me a few minutes," She finished off her breakfast and went to grab a few more things.
Ryuko stepped into her bedroom to grab a jacket since she and Izuku were probably going out for the majority of the day. She didn't know what they'd do, but something caught her eye that gave her an answer.
Looking at the sun by her window, Ryuko couldn't help but notice how different it looked from when she was out on the balcony. It shined much brighter now than it did before. When the rays enveloped Ryuko, there was a sense of comfort that washed over her. She wrapped her arms together, embracing it. The way its warmth touched her skin felt inviting, as if she and Izuku were in for a great day. Just like every other day they were together.
Ryuko looked at two coats that were hung up in her closet; the varsity jacket she wore for as long as she could remember during the Kanto gang, and the sports one that Izuku had picked out for her. It didn't take long for Ryuko to grab the latter and leave to join her friend that waited at the door.
Everything heals with time. After all of the hardships that had happened in the last few months, Izuku never wavered on helping her - showing what kind of person that she could be. Because that's what friends do. They believe in each other.
And if he believed in her, she figured that she had to at least try and do the same for herself.
To be continued…
Aduubo A/N: Woo-wee that was a gloomy time. But luckily the 50th chapter ended with a lot of good vibes! I can't believe that the fic managed to get this far! Thank you all for the support that you've given me through all of this time! I hope that we can keep continuing like this as more chapters come!
For now, let's take a look at some reviews!
Guest: I am really liking how this is going. Also I was a little concerned about the inclusion of the OC Tanaka, as it seemed like he was just a way for Ochaco to get a bf, but you are putting more depth and background to his character while also making him fit in the world in a realistic way, which is a good surprise. I look forward to seeing what else you do with him.
Aduubo A/N: Don't worry, that's a concern that was shared during his creation too! Luckily, I had ambition to add a lot of edge and depth to him!
Crowsong0dark: -response to part 4-
Aduubo A/N: Uh this guy is getting close I better call All Might to silence him before the information leaks WAAAAAAAAAAA
Crowsong0dark: First, I noticed how chapters 47 through 49 don't have this " ..~~~HLK~~~..." why is that? Is it because you're busy juggling personal projects along with outside life at the same time since your writing team broke off mutual understanding? Sorry, that sounded personal to answer.
Aduubo A/N: Not at all! No worries! The reason actually isn't that deep. Every time I write, I try to improve on my craft in hopes of being good enough to write a novel one day. In doing so, I've consulted with friends who are also writers!
What they suggested was to turn away from the banner or signatures used to transition scenes. It basically interrupts the flow of the story and is a lazy shortcut to move away from writing descriptions fluently. I'm sure you guys would rather read a nicely written sentence of what time it is rather than simply reading "12:45 p.m. Tuesday," right? So I decided to stop using them entirely so that I can make the story look less amateurish, but also give you guys a vision of what things look like if it were animated.
I hope that answers it!
Once again, thank you all for the time! See you next time!