April 30th, 2011

"Midoriya, we're going to miss the train if you don't hurry up," said Todoroki Shoto as the two left the UA High campus.

"Sorry Todoroki, I got caught up with my notes again," Midoriya Izuku replied as he frantically returned his notebook and pen to his bag and caught up with his classmate. "I guess Uraraka and Iida went on ahead today. Maybe we'll still catch them at the station though."

Todoroki nodded, "Possibly." He hoped they'd run into more people and waste more time on the way home. Missing the train wouldn't cause him any distress either. His home wasn't a place he liked to be. Not when he was there, anyway. As they walked towards the station, something in motion caught his eye from the side alley they were passing. He paused and turned to see a figure shrouded in a cloak toss something suspiciously large aside.

"Hey, what is it?" asked Midoriya, who had walked ahead without realizing his friend had stopped.

"I'm not sure, but it looks shady," he said as he started to walk down the alley. The person noticed him approaching and started running away. Todoroki knew something was wrong now and began to run as well. He looked to see what they had left behind and immediately stopped when he saw it was a body.

"Todoroki, wait up! I don't know what you're... What the hell?" Midoriya stood still as he saw the body in front of them. She was a young woman with long violet colored hair. She was wearing nothing but a hospital gown, laid out among the trash of the alley. Across the front of her gown, the words 'No Direct Contact' were hastily written.

"Midoriya, take off your coat," Todoroki urgently said as he dropped his school bag and began to remove his. "I don't know what that message means, but she's got to be cold. We'll use our coats to warm her and as a precaution for that warning."

"Right, I wonder who she could be?" said Midoriya as he draped his coat over her legs and cautiously covered them. Todoroki began to wrap his jacket around her upper body, carefully avoiding touching her directly. As he lifted her up to slide his coat around her, he noticed the condition of the part of her back that wasn't covered by the hospital gown. So many scars... Her low body temperature had brought a bluish hue to her skin and emphasized each mark.

What kind of monster could have done this?! Todoroki felt his anger rising. Seeing this girl's injuries brought back memories of the abuse he had suffered through not long ago from his father. "Let's get her out of here. Whoever she is, she deserves better treatment than this," he said as he finished covering her with his coat.

"Call Recovery Girl and give her a head's up on what's going on," said Todoroki as he carefully lifted the girl into his arms and began walking back to the school. He emitted heat from his left side in an attempt to regulate her temperature. I wish I had been able to catch who left her here, at least we could have gotten some answers. No one should have to suffer this kind of brutality.

Recovery Girl and several teachers had gathered at the school entrance to meet them as they arrived. Midoriya had told the nurse what was going on and had explained the written warning on the girl's shirt. Todoroki gently laid her down on the waiting gurney. Her temperature had improved and had even regained some color to her face, but she was still unconscious.

"Don't worry about a thing boys, we'll handle it from here," said Recovery Girl as she pushed the bed towards her office, escorted by some of the teachers. Only the principal stayed behind with the two boys that found her.

"Great work, boys. Truly exemplary conduct for two heroes-in-training!" said Principal Nezu. "The message written on the young lady does leave us with quite a few questions though. We'll have to wait and see what our Recovery Girl finds out as she examines her. She's safe though that much is certain. You boys can rest easy; we'll take care of her and let you know how she's doing. Will you need a ride home? I'm not sure there are any more trains this time in the evening."

"Yes sir, that would be very much appreciated," said Midoriya as he and Todoroki both bowed to their principal.

"You're welcome, boys. And we'll return your coats to you tomorrow at school, so no worries about that. You two take care now."

"Yes, sir. And thank you again for the ride home," said Todoroki as they saw the car pulling up. Principal Nezu nodded and smiled, then turned about and walked into the school.

During the ride home, Midoriya couldn't help but notice that Todoroki seemed distant. "I'm sure they'll take good care of her, Todoroki. You know that Recovery Girl is the best nurse we could hope to have to treat her." His words didn't seem to ease his friend's mood. But after a short while, he did manage to get him to talk about it.

"Those wounds she had, all the scars that we saw. It disgusts me that someone could be walking about freely after causing so much pain to another human being." Todoroki grew more emotional as he dwelled on the girl and her situation.

Midoriya nodded in agreement. "It is horrible, and I hope once she wakes up, she'll let us know what's going on so we can help her. One thing I'm sure of is that as long as she's here with us, those will be the last injuries she'll ever have to endure."

"That's true, Midoriya. It looks like this is my stop, I'll see you tomorrow. Good evening," said Todoroki as the car came to a stop and he stepped out.

"Same to you, Todoroki. Have a great night," was his reply.

I appreciate the thought, but there's nothing great about coming back to this house.

...

37 slowly opened her eyes to a brightness that caused them discomfort. As they adjusted gradually to the light, her vision revealed she was in a hospital room. She looked around at her surroundings, growing confused and nervous. She tried to sit up, but she had neither the energy or strength to do so.

"The last thing I remember is falling. How did I end up here?" Even her voice sounded hoarse and cracked.

As she heard footsteps approaching, 37 tried to prepare for whoever was going to come through the door. A short, elderly woman she didn't recognize walked into the room.

"Ahh, I see you've woken up, dear. I'm Recovery Girl, the school nurse and I've been looking over you while you've been unconscious. I have some questions that are typically asked of patients with possible memory loss. What is your name? Do you know where you are? Are you aware of what the date or year is?"

"I... I've only been known as Subject 37. Am I still in the city? As for the date, I'm not sure. No one has touched me, have they? I can't be touched directly; it's too dangerous."

"No one has touched you. All the checkups I've done have been very careful to avoid contact. When they found you, there was a message that said 'No Direct Contact' on your hospital gown. Do you remember if that was something you or someone you know wrote?"

"No, the last thing I remember... Wait, how was I found in a hospital gown? Aren't I in the hospital from my fall off the SAI building?" 37 was already confused, and nothing was making sense to her.

Recovery Girl answered, "I'm sorry dear, but nothing like that has happened here. I'm not aware of any place called the SAI here in Musutafu. You were found a few days ago in an alley wearing a hospital gown with that message written on it. This place isn't a hospital, but my office inside of UA High School."

37 was growing more distraught now, "Where did you say this is? Musutafu? Why am I here? Where's Seiji?" Tears began to pool in her eyes as she started to panic.

"Shh, shh girl, calm down. You're in a town called Musutafu. I'm not sure who this Seiji is, but I'm sure we can find him for you. I'm only taking a guess, but I think you were getting treated somewhere else for the accident you mentioned but got taken from there. The boys that found you must have interrupted the plans of whoever had taken you. If you aren't familiar with this city, where are you from?"

"Academy City. I fell from a collapsing building. Seiji... He was trying to save me. But I... I refused... Now I don't know what's happened or how I got here." She began to cry as she wiped tears from her cheeks softly.

"It'll be alright honey, here let me just get a look at your vitals, and we'll go from there." Recovery Girl began to approach 37 with her monitoring equipment, but her patient cowered from her in fear.

"No! Please don't come near me! I can't take the chance of stealing another Esper power! I have no idea how I survived the last one, but please, no more!"

"Did you say Esper? Hmm... It's okay, I'll wait until you've calmed down to take your vitals. I apologize for upsetting you. If you'll excuse me, I have to make a phone call." Recovery Girl backed away from the frightened girl and made her way to the door.

37 asked suddenly, "What... What is today's date?"

"May 6th, 2011. I'll be right back." Recovery Girl left the room, closing the door behind her.

"2011... How have I lost five years?" With the condition her body was in, weak and frail, it's possible that she had been asleep that long. How much had her body atrophied in that amount of time? She had managed to calm herself, but the shock of learning that five years had passed was still too much to take in at once. She tried to get comfortable and lay down in her bed. Her body was exhausted, but her mind wasn't allowing her to rest.

"I can only imagine what's happened to you all these years, Seiji. I'm sorry."

On the other side of the door, Recovery Girl had made her call to Principal Nezu. "Nezu, It's Recovery Girl. The girl is awake, seems we got someone from Academy City here, a possible Esper. How would you like me to proceed?"