Here is the forty-fifth chapter in this story released in accordance with my release schedule for this story. Sorry it's been so long; I had hoped to get something out in early April before I went abroad for a few weeks but IRL stuff came up and prevented that. Hopefully, I will be able to get another chapter out before the end of May as there is only really one major thing that will get in the way but anything can happen so bear with me. Anyway, the investigation, and subsequent unplanned battles, of the Diamond Company secret base is over but Asta and the others aren't out of the woods yet as they still need to be collected and fully recover from their mission as they wrap it up so it's time to do just that as Asta, Noelle, Nero, Yuno, and Mimosa's exciting start to their internship finally comes to an end. That is all that I have for the administrative stuff I have for y'all and while there are no questions to answer here there is one guest review that need a response and a notice to give regarding the current issues with the sight so I will do that now starting with the review. Do keep them coming as your support is the best motivation for me to keep producing chapters at this kind of rate.
To Guest (guest), thank you for your review and continued support. Of course Lotus would have an escape plan, the man knows how to protect his own ass after all. Mars's Titan Armor adaptation was a little tricky especially with Asta's sword's power but I've figured out how Dweller's power will work in this story, albeit Asta hasn't yet, but it's there. It was a tough escape but Yuno went Plus Ultra to achieve it and now they're out of danger so it's time for the aftermath of their mission. Do keep reading and enjoying my work.
The notice is that once again the email alerts have gone down on the website so to avoid the issue I recommend getting the app if you don't have it and downloading your favorite stories on it as the notification system there is still working. You can also PM on the app and it will have notifications as well though it's separate from the PMs on the website which at the moment you have to manually check due to the email situation. This will eventually be resolved, it always is, but it's happened before so the app is the best way around it especially for stories like mine which are not cross posted anywhere else.
That is it for this slightly shorter than usual pre-chapter note so it is time to sit back and enjoy the forty-fifth chapter in Black RWBY Academia.
Disclaimer: I own nothing related to these three great franchises.
Chapter 45: Recovery, Reports, Reception
Fana.
The name came to Mars as his dream ended and he opened his eyes with a groan with the dream still vivid in his mind. However, Mars knew that what he'd seen wasn't a dream but actually a memory, his memory of the day that everything changed, the day that he survived the deadly battle royale that had proven that he was the strongest of the children being trained by the Diamond Kingdom, and the day that he'd killed his best friend right at the end to be said survivor.
That friend was a girl called Fana who he'd been forced to kill so that he could live. They had been the top two children in the program that the Diamond Kingdom ran and had bonded over that and their shared desire to see the world beyond the hell that they were going through. It was through their bond that they'd survived everything that they went through and had grown stronger because of it but in the end only one of the children could live and that had been Mars. He'd impaled her with his minerals and then held her as she died before he blacked out from all that had happened that day, all who he'd killed.
When he finally came to his Quirk had been forcibly awakened and enhanced by the technology that the Diamond Kingdom had developed but he had no memory of what had happened before he woke up with the stones implanted in his body. All Mars knew was that only the strong could live, the weak had to die, and he was now nothing more than a tool for the Diamond Kingdom to use as they saw fit.
Since then he'd honed his skills and grown even more learning with others around his age who had also survived similar experiment pools and were now being groomed as weapons and future leaders under the tutelage of old man Zell. Mars had excelled at this and become the ideal Diamond Kingdom weapon, proving it on several missions all over the Pacific before finally being tapped for this crucial one in Japan which would serve as the true test of his power.
The discovery of the compound by the Japanese authorities, one that both Lotus and Zell had been based in prior to a failed invasion of Japan some 12 years ago or so, had been bad as the intel it held would give away plans for a future invasion along with their early research into forcibly awakening Quirks.
As such it had to be destroyed and so Mars had been sent to ensure just that. They'd succeeded in imploding the compound and thus destroying any data in it, not that Mars was yet aware of that or the fact that the Quirk Knight students had actually secured some information and gotten out, but in the process Mars's memories of what he'd been through had been recovered. Now he had to process them and what the Diamond Kingdom had done to him.
That would come though as for now Mars was in serious pain and laying on his back on soft, yet firm, smoke while two of the grunts that Lotus had brought with him tended to the multitude of wounds on Mars's body as best they could. They didn't have anyone with a healing Quirk on this mission but they did have some of the best first aid equipment with them and knew how to use it so Mars was in good hands as his wounds were treated.
All of his wounds had been inflicted by the gray haired kid with the Quirk canceling swords with the final one, a bloody gash that ran diagonally across his upper right chest, being deep enough that it would leave a scar. However, Mars didn't mind that as he was worked on because it was a reminder of that kid, the one who'd beaten him not once but twice and who through his drive, determination, and power had shattered whatever blocks Mars had in his memory. He owed that kid a lot for what he'd done.
"Well look who's finally awake." Lotus said from the front of the large car made of smoke that was still connected to his lower half so that he could fly them towards the Pacific Ocean to meet up with a ship that was currently stationed in international waters and would take them back to the Diamond Kingdom's floating nation. "How are you feeling Mars?"
"Lotus?" Mars asked as he got his bearing his voice low and full of pain.
"Yeah it's me, I grabbed you with my smoke after you got blasted back." Lotus said as Mars sat up with the help of the two grunts, which worked well as they had to bandage his chest, and looked out at the setting sun. "Those aspiring Quirk Knights were surprisingly strong, gave you a run for your money, but it was still good work you did kid. Your second attack destroyed the servers and files before they could access them and gave me time to find the implosion switch and activate it remotely once I had you. They won't be a problem to the Diamond Kingdom."
Mars heard what Lotus was saying as he watched the sun set but wasn't really focused on the man's words. Yes he'd done well in preventing information that had been left in that compound from reaching the Japanese authorities but he doubted that the aspiring Quirk Knights had been dealt with, they were too resourceful to be killed by something as simple as an imploding compound. That and one of them had a strange teleportation aspect to his power so Mars was sure that they were free now.
However, that didn't bother Mars as all of his memories from before his Quirk was forcibly awakened were coming back to him and he could hear Fana's final words to him as he held her in his arms before she died. She'd told him to see the outside world and live his life for both of them because he'd earned it by surviving that battle royale.
Fana was right, Mars would honor her memory and live his life for them and once he had the power to do so he'd make sure that no one went through what he, Fana, and so many other children did. It would take time and he'd need to rise through the ranks but he was already on that fast track thanks to how strong he was so he could do it and he'd not have been able to realize all this without that brat beating him and without Lotus saving him.
"Lotus." Mars said turning to look at the older man.
"Yeah." Lotus said looking back as they neared the ocean while the grunts not tending to Mars kept a wary eye out for heroes of any branch that might try to stop them from getting out of Japan's territorial sovereignty. "What is it?"
"You saved me not once but twice down there; I know that it was you who helped free me from that sealing after I first got captured." Mars said his tone serious but not its usual monotone. "Thank you."
"Well that's something new." Lotus said with a small smile on his face. "It appears that you can say thank you. You're welcome, we're friends after all it's what we do and the Diamond Kingdom needs you more than you know so it's my honor to save you. Just don't forget me when you rise to the top, I do have several mouths to feed."
Mars didn't say anything back as he turned and looked out at the sun once more deep in thought. Lotus was right, the Diamond Kingdom did need him but not in the way it or Lotus thought, it needed Mars to reform it and make it better so that things like Lotus needed to perform to feed his daughters wasn't such an issue. He'd seen what true strength was today, it had forced him to uncover his memories and realize just how bad his home was. It didn't have to remain that way though and Mars knew that in time he'd find a way to improve it.
He just hoped that before then, or even after though before felt better, he got to meet that kid again and thank him for what he'd done for Mars. Whoever he was, Mars knew that he'd become a force within the Quirk Knights and if Mars kept down his path then one day he'd make a great ally in reforming the Diamond Kingdom into a proper nation that could finally gain international recognition. That was Mars's hope as he contemplated his future on the way back to the Kingdom that had forged him into a weapon.
At the same time that Mars was contemplating this, back on the ground and just outside the implosion zone that was now a crater of earth and concrete rubble, Asta was also coming too. He'd passed out before Yuno had transported them all outside and remained so as he wasn't aware that they'd managed to get clear.
Once they were clear, however, Nero had finished working on him on the chariot before bandaging him up using the first aid supplies that Mimosa thankfully had on her. Nero couldn't properly seal the entry point of the shard but she had been able to stop the bleeding and seal up his insides enough to save him. after that Asta was unsealed from the chariot and gently transported to the ground by one of Yuno's stars now that Yuno was feeling better after his own Plus Ultra moment to get them out of the imploding compound.
With Asta fully taken care of, all they could do was wait until he regained consciousness. Klaus had used that time to report in that they'd finished their mission and that they had some information but were in need of a medical team due to Asta's injuries.
Headquarters had been pleased with the news and promised to send paramedics who would transport Asta, and the others for that matter as they all needed to be checked over, to the main Quirk Knight hospital as soon as a team could be sent. Alas it would still be a few minutes before they could be retrieved as both Cobb, the Spatial Quirk user who made the doors, and Finral were currently busy. That was fine as they wanted Asta to be awake just to make sure he was recovering before the professionals looked at him while Klaus also wanted to talk with Asta and Yuno before then.
Thankfully, that would be the case as a few moments after the report ended and Klaus disconnected the call Asta groaned and opened first his left eye and then his right to look up at the others. Nero was the closest, she was kneeled to his left her hands still glowing and on his abdomen as she kept up her work there just to be safe while the others stood in a line looking at him smiling as he woke up. Yuno and Klaus were at the ends with Mimosa in the middle and Luck and Noelle to her left and right respectively. It was a strange sight but Asta was glad to see it.
"Hey guys." Asta said wearily. "Looks like I'm not dead after all. That's good."
"I knew you wouldn't die, Asta." Yuno said with a smile. "You're too stubborn to die on your first real mission as an intern."
"Hi." Noelle got out in a breathy tone that Asta missed but which Nero picked up on, it looked like Noelle's usual denials were weak at the moment but she was sure that they'd be up again soon. "You're awake."
"Welcome back." Mimosa said her own tone pleased and relieved with a hint of something similar to Noelle's. "I'm happy to see that Nero's healing worked so well."
"You made it! That means you'll be able to spar soon." Luck added as Klaus adjusted his glasses. "After what you did today I've got to spar with you Asta."
"Not for a bit I think." Asta said with a groan as he sat up, Nero removing her hands as she did but keeping a close eye on him, and noticing for the first time that most of his shirt had been removed and he had bandages wrapped around his gut. "Because I'm in a hell of a lot of pain. I don't think that I'll be doing anything active for a few days at least."
"You took a crystal shard to the gut." Nero said as Asta grimaced. "So of course you're in pain. My sealing can't really fix that, I basically patched you up enough that you can move but it's nothing more than field first aid. You need a proper doctor to look at you so just don't do anything strenuous."
"Got it." Asta said.
"Don't worry, we're going to take you to one soon." Noelle said as she looked away as her denial over her feelings came back in full force now that it was clear that Asta would live. "So it's a good thing that you didn't die though you are a mess now Dorksta. Your clothes are all torn up, it's indecent to be like that."
"It looked like it would be close though." Mimosa said worry still in her voice. "Nero did great work and you've recovered a lot faster than I expected."
"He does tend to do that." Nero pointed out. "It's not the first time I've had to patch him up though at least last time it was just simple cuts, nothing too bad. I was actually in a worse state at the time I think."
"Well Asta's sturdiness is about all he's got going for him." Yuno said still smiling. "After all the knocks he went through growing up it's no wonder that he's tough. It will take a lot more than a little piece of crystal to take him down. Bakugo had to blow up most of the battlefield to beat Asta."
"Hey, I'm injured here so be nice to me." Asta said as he groaned and got up with Nero's help, not that she offered it as Asta just used her as leverage to get to his feet. "I may not be a lady killer like you or Todoroki are but I've got plenty of…"
Asta didn't finish as he groaned in pain and crouched down again holding his gut. Nero groaned, she should have sealed him to the ground as movement would hurt Asta but she didn't and so she got up to look him over, crouching next to him and putting her blood stained left hand over the wound, moving Asta's out of the way in the process to ascertain the damage his attempt to get up had caused. As she did she noted Noelle's huff and Mimosa's worry, Asta may not think it but he was certainly a lady killer. After all, he had two scions of the Great Quirk Knight Houses crushing on him hard.
"Try not to move too much." Nero said as she resealed what she could though thankfully he'd not reopened much when he got up. "The damage was too extensive for my skills; this is nothing more than a patch job. Vermillion, can you make one of those flowers that you gave Noelle? That might help a bit."
"Mimosa, you can call me by my first name after all we've been through." Mimosa said as she crouched down as well and created the seed she needed in her palm and made it bloom. "And here Asta, I'm sorry that this is all I can do but it should dull the pain somewhat."
"It's not that bad, really, I'd be dead if it wasn't for Nero's sealing." Asta said but he smiled and took the flower from Mimosa's palm, the touch of is fingers sending a jolt through her chest at the physical contact and her cheeks flushed. "But thank you Mimosa, anything that can help is useful."
"Oh, well, of course, just doing what I can." Mimosa said as she got up and moved to hide behind Noelle her cheeks red and heart racing while Asta ate the flower not understanding the reaction and Nero watched in amusement as things could get interesting now that Mimosa was clearly into Asta though she had a feeling that like Noelle, Mimosa hadn't fully come to terms with what she was feeling. "I'm happy to help anytime Asta."
"Well I was sure that you'd die Asta which is a shame because we haven't gotten to fight yet." Luck said his ever present smile still on his face. "And that would be annoying because I want to see how those swords stack up to my lightning."
"Ha, not a chance Luck!" Asta said with a grin that turned into a grimace as he spoke. "I'm not dying, ow though the pain isn't great, but I'll push through it because I can't die until after I become the Wizard King."
At that Asta looked up and at Yuno who was before him. Yuno was his rival and the only one who Asta felt could beat him to that goal so he had to beat Yuno and he fully intended to do so.
"Poor Asta, you wish you could become the Wizard King." Yuno said shaking his head but grinning as he did. "That title will be mine."
Asta just grinned back as the others looked on, though Noelle did note that Klaus wasn't with them having slipped to the side for some reason, before he used his strength to stand up and stagger forward. It was awkward but Asta managed it and then grabbed Yuno's left shoulder with his right hand to steady himself on his rival for a moment.
"Did I say that you could use me as a crutch?" Yuno asked raising an eyebrow at his brother. "Because I didn't."
"Give me a break, I just need a moment that's all." Asta said. "So…"
"You two."
The interruption came from Klaus and caused them both to turn to the older teen. He'd not spoken yet and moved so that he was in front of them but now that Asta was standing and with Yuno it was time for him to say his peace. Klaus had been grappling with this since the Diamond Villian had first appeared and after watching everything that Asta had done to beat him not once but twice, along with Yuno's efforts before then, and finally he'd come to terms with them while Asta was being healed after Yuno saved all of them from what would have been a very painful death. Now it was time to let them know.
"Klaus, sir?" Yuno asked confused at what his senior wanted.
"Sir Spectacles?" Asta added.
"I have something to say to you." Klaus said before he suddenly couldn't hold it in and he pulled both boys into a tight embrace much to everyone's shock. "I'm so very sorry!"
"Er…" Asta began as the others gasped, even Luck was surprised though he still had a smile on his face.
"I rejected you both because you're low born orphans with no association with the Quirk Knight families or the upper class of Japanese society." Klause said as he continued to hold them before pulling them in tighter as he let it all out. "And for that I am ashamed. You two are exemplary students who are more than worthy of being at U.A. and the school is fortunate to have you. More than that, you will make great Quirk Knights in the future and the branch is going to be better because you've selflessly chosen this path despite your power, abilities, and financial situation. You are truly the ideals that the Quirk Knights should always strive for and many can learn from your examples."
There was a pause for a moment as they all stared in silence at the scene. Only Nero wasn't shocked, this was the Asta factor at work after all and she'd already determined that it existed given how Asta had already affected her by giving her a path to follow and then how he'd thawed out and improved Noelle. Hell, Asta would likely play a role in helping Todoroki accept that his classmates were there for him though Midoriya had laid the groundwork for that one. As such Nero ignored the embrace and turned to Luck.
"I take it that this is new." Nero whispered to her senior. "Lunettes acting this way that is."
"Yeah it's a total shock." Luck admitted. "He's always looked down on the other Quirk Knight track kids in our year because none of us are from the established families or the upper class in general. No matter how many times Marron's earth golems hit him, I electrocute him, or Magna burns him he never got it. Even the others in the class failed given the beatings that Xiao Long and Valkyrie have given him over the years. Only Togata ever seemed to earn his respect and that might be because of his rank in the school and the belief that he'll succeed All Might as the number 1 hero someday. This is a massive change and I have no idea what happened to cause it."
"Asta happened." Nero said simply. "He didn't beat Lunettes; a beating wouldn't have worked on him and your explanation proves it. No, Asta showed what he could do against a real villain, one who Lunettes was useless against, and made it clear that birth means nothing. I take it that Yuno was the same in some way, right?"
"He didn't give up but Yuno would have died if Asta hadn't have come in as that crystal guy's Quirk was too much for Yuno to handle." Mimosa admitted. "However Yuno made sure that he fought until Asta arrived to help out and Asta was what we needed to win. Regardless, this is amazing to see."
"Yes well it's just what Asta does." Noelle said dismissively. "We shouldn't be surprised."
"We know, he's made you so much better already." Nero noted with a glance at Noelle. "And he helped Luck earlier as well. This is why I know that Asta will be a great Quirk Knight and one day the Wizard King. He's just like him, it's why I'll stick by Asta's side until the end."
The others just nodded at that. Noelle and Mimosa both believed in Asta's potential and knew that he'd reach that level and that wasn't just their respective feelings clouding their judgements as Asta had proven that to them with his actions ever since they first met him. Mimosa also knew that Yuno would make an exemplary Quirk Knight and that between him and Asta the attitude within the branch would change.
Hell it already was given how much Noelle and Klaus had already changed and both had managed that after only one major interaction with Asta. Klaus was right, the Quirk Knights were fortunate that Asta and Yuno had joined them because there was a lot that the branch could learn from the two orphans.
"Sir." Yuno said after some more silence and the hug got really awkward. "This is a bit too tight."
"Yeah this kinda hurts Sir Spectacles." Asta said before he vomited up blood onto Klaus's right shoulder which finally got Klaus to release them and take a step back though he ignored the stain that Asta had caused. "Thanks."
"That again? After what I just said?" Klaus asked.
"You're right I should change your nickname to Mr. Softy Specs." Asta said as he staggered around and fell onto his ass on the ground as everyone looked at him. "Just take the nickname in stride."
"You really don't know when to quit no matter what it is, brat." Klaus said looking away though his tone wasn't harsh or superior.
"I think too serious is the default for Klaus." Mimosa said with a chuckle. "But it's good to see that he has more to him than that."
"Well this is certainly new for him and I'm sure that the rest of the class will appreciate it." Luck said. "Though it might take a while for them to believe that Lunettes can act this way."
"Yes, well, I certainly have some apologies to make I guess." Klaus said his recent revelations regarding Asta and Yuno causing him to be more introspective regarding his past actions towards his classmates over the last two years. "And I guess take some hits for how I've acted towards them."
"Yeah I'll be watching, Xiao Long and Maron will be first in line, well so long as Marron isn't fighting with Magna like she always is, but I think the whole class will want a place in it." Luck said as he walked past Klaus and up to Yuno. "But enough about that, how about a fight Yuno? You're really strong, I watched you in the Sports Festival and that was some serious power you used to get us out of the compound, so I want to spar with you, please? Come on let's see how your stars match up against my lightning."
"Not right now." Yuno said, usually he'd pass but, well, getting stronger was something he had to do and Luck was his upperclassman so he might learn something from the battle mad boy. "Back at school maybe."
"Alright I'll find you sometime then." Luck said as Asta laughed before he looked over and noted that most of Noelle's top was gone just like his was, though her modesty was for the most part preserved, so he felt he could lighten the situation a bit given her earlier comment. "Just you wait, this will be fun."
"Hey Noelle." Asta called out getting her attention, along with that of Mimosa and Nero who were with her. "Looks like I'm not the only one who's a mess. You're clothes got torn up as well but it looks like Nero patched you up too. Man that Quirk of hers is really useful in the field."
That caused Noelle to look down at chest and realized that a good portion of her cleavage was showing, well a good portion by her conservative standards, and that her bra was gone as Nero had had to discard it given how much damage it had taken. In addition to the visible cleavage, the rip in her dress meant that her skin was showing right down to her navel which was more than Noelle usually showed.
Thankfully, Nero had sealed her cloths to her chest and protected her nipples but there was no doubt that everyone could see the undersides of Noelle's breasts similar to how they saw Yaoyorozu's when she was in her costume. That said there was a lot of dried blood on her chest and under that a jagged scar that could be cleared up when they got checked over by a doctor so her white dress was more red than white now.
Still it got their attention and caused Klaus to get a violent nosebleed for some reason as Noelle let out a massive scream and ran over to Asta, her arms covering her chest, and leapt onto him, her feet landing right in his gut as he sat on the ground. Asta let out a groan of pain as he collapsed back and passed out again while more blood seeping out and into his dressing as Noelle stood on him.
"Whoops, looks like Silva killed Asta." Luck said with a laugh as Nero and Mimosa rushed forward. "Oh well."
"Asta! Are you ok?" Mimosa asked as she ran to Asta her heart beating fast and an odd feeling in her at the fact that Asta had seen so much of Noelle's chest though it was counterbalanced by the fact that Asta had felt hers during the Sports Festival though Mimosa didn't know why she was glad that she had that over her cousin and pushed it away as she reached his side and knelt nest to it. "Nero, we need your help. Noelle's reopened Asta's wound."
"No! What did I do!" Noelle exclaimed still standing on Asta as she spoke before she got off Asta and turned knelt down at Asta's aside and across from where Mimosa was kneeling. "I'm sorry, hang in there Asta."
"You let your emotions get the better of you but it's natural given how you feel and your current state of dress, not that Asta realized what was going on." Nero said as she reached Asta and given the positions of the other two was basically forced to straddle him, though she made sure to sit on his thighs not his crotch not that it didn't cause eeps from both girls, before she placed her hands on his wound. "Thankfully my sealing is stronger than Noelle's weight but I'm going to need to patch him again."
"Please wake up!" Mimosa said as the boys approached Klaus with a handkerchief over his nose, all of them a little confused by what was going on. "It's almost time for the portal to the hospital so you can't pass out now."
"Don't worry, it's not that bad." Nero said as her hands glowed, she really wanted to wash them though as they were covered in Asta's blood. "He'll be fine."
As if to prove her point Asta let out another groan and opened his eyes again before he lifted his head to look at Noelle by his side. Both girls smiled for a moment seeing that Asta was ok before Noelle noted that Asta was looking at her and given her state of dress she was sure he wasn't looking at her eyes. While part of her was thrilled at that and wondered what Asta thought regarding what he could see, her denial swiftly crushed that as the smile fell from her lips and Noelle raised her right hand as she tried to cover herself with her left.
"What at you looking at? You're no better than Mineta you pervert!"
With that Noelle slapped Asta across the face before she looked away with a huff as Nero continued to work. Nero did note that while Mineta would have ogled Noelle to no end, well until Nero sealed his eyes shut for doing so, he'd also be crying tears of blood at the sight of Asta getting two hot girls to basically tend to his needs while Nero, who wasn't insecure enough to deny that she was at least cute with a certain kind of appeal, sat on him. She may have no romantic interest in Asta but Noelle and Mimosa clearly did and Noelle's actions only reinforced it, not that someone as dense as Asta would realize.
Still, at least Asta saw the humor in it and sat up as Nero finished and got off him, a smile on his face despite the red hand mark on his cheek. With that, they all knew that the mission was officially over and it was time for the debrief and professional healing. That was what they had to look forward to and as the sun set, Asta laid back and passed out just as the ornate doors appeared and opened to let out a few paramedics.
It hadn't even been a day and the first year Quirk Knight students, minus Leo, had already had their first adventure and soon they'd have their second one all thanks to Asta getting badly injured coupled with how well they'd performed on their mission. Not that any of them were aware of this as they were led or carried through the portal and to the special hospital that was the primary one used by Quirk Knights in need of healing.
With a groan Asta slowly regained as a faint but constant and slightly reassuring beeping reached his ears. He had no idea where he was other than that he was lying on his back on something that was comfortable and warm.
It took Asta a few moments but he finally realized that he was in a bed under some sheets that were pulled up to his chest and his arms were out of the sheets and resting on the bed. There was a strange sensation in his left arm and somewhere else more private while he something was stick to his chest. On top of that he noted that all he wore was some kind of gown that was a bit stiff but otherwise not unpleasant.
It was all a bit jarring for Asta as the last thing he recalled was being slapped by Noelle for some reason. He wasn't sure as all he'd done was point out that her clothes were ripped like his and then she'd leapt on him and the rest was hazy until his body finally gave out and he succumbed to unconsciousness.
That had been outside of the underground compound that the Diamond Company had created years ago and which he, Nero, Noelle, and Luck had been sent to investigate as part of their internship and in the wake of the exciting events that had taken place there. As such waking up in a bed with what felt like tubes in his arm and penis with things stuck to his chest was a surprise to say the least.
"Asta?" A very familiar voice said. "Are you finally awake?"
"I think he is." A second and equally familiar voice said. "That's faster than expected but that's not a bad thing."
"Should, should we let the doctor know?" The first voice asked. "He'll want to check on Asta now that he's conscious."
"If he doesn't show then yes but I think the monitor will let them know." The second said. "There should be an alert if his heartbeat changes."
All this confused Asta and with a slight effort he forced his eyes open and blinked as light filled his vision. It wasn't the light of day, though it was morning, but the soft overhead lights of a hospital room, not that Asta knew what one was as he'd never been in hospital before.
Regardless, that was where he was and slowly the room came into focus as his eyes adjusted to the light. Asta was in a private room in a bed looking at the ceiling, a hospital gown on him and machine monitoring his heart rate and other vitals while an IV drip was in his arm and a catheter had been inserted up his urethra so that he could relieve himself. To add to it there were extensive bandages around his gut.
"Wh, where am I?" Asta asked his voice horse and he realized that his mouth was dry as a bone. "Also water."
"Nero, raise his bed." The first voice, which Asta finally placed as Noelle's, said. "The doctor said that he'd need water when he came to."
"Just don't use your Quirk on it." Nero said revealing that she was the second voice as a mechanical whirring sound was heard and the top of the bed began to raise. "Better to be safe than to rush things."
"Of course not." Noelle said though she had contemplated using her Quirk to speed things up as Asta blinked and in short order his two classmates, fellow Black Bull interns, and close friends and battle partners came into view. "We can't use our Quirks here anyway."
Nero didn't respond as Asta noted that the girls were sitting in chairs on either side of Asta's bed clearly having been there for a fair bit and waiting for him to wake up. Nero was on the side closer to the door and wore he simple dark blue dress that she always wore when not in either her school uniform or PE kit with the Black Bull robe over her shoulders though she had a bandage wrapped around her head.
It turned out that Nero had hit her head worse than she'd thought when she'd been knocked out by Lotus's smoke but no one had noticed in the chaos that followed until the paramedics checked her over when they arrived. She didn't seem to be bother by this, however, and just looked at Asta as she held a controller in her right hand that raised him to a sitting but still lent back position.
Noelle by contrast was in her PE pants and a pure white zipped hoodie that looked far too casual for her, though the quality was clearly high, but did suit her and it covered the bandages that were around her chest following her own treatment that had ensured she wouldn't have a scar from where Mars had hit her. Asta only noted the hoodie though seeing as it was covering the bandages and Noelle's back was to him because she was filling up a cup with water on a side table that had been set up behind her. She then turned and handed Asta the cup while still holding a pitcher of water in case he needed more.
"Here, Dr. Owen said that you'd be thirsty when you came too so he provided this." Noelle said not looking at Asta lest she reveal how relieved she was at him regaining consciousness again. "And he made sure to change it out every few hours so that it didn't go stale."
"Thanks Noelle." Asta said with a smile at her as he took the cup and drained it with a few quick gulps, his thirst being quenched by the cold, refreshing, liquid. "How long have you two been here?"
"Pretty much since we all got here." Nero said as Noelle refilled Asta's cup so he could have another before turning to put the pitcher away while Asta drank more slowly this time. "I managed to stabilize you in the field but you still needed surgery to fully patch you up. Noelle too needed medical attention but not as much as I'd closed her wound, same for Yuno and myself for that matter, but we were all discharged yesterday. Noelle's been here ever since. She'd been really worried about you."
"Hey!" Noelle squawked as she slammed the near empty pitcher down her back to Asta and Nero as her face flushed. "I was just making sure that Asta didn't die, that's all. Plus you were here the whole time as well."
"That's called being worried and it's normal." Nero said not revealing that she too was worried though she knew that Asta would pull through though part of her wished she'd stepped away for a bit to see what Noelle did if left alone but she couldn't bring herself to leave Asta's side until he regained consciousness. "Own it, it shows how much you've grown since the start of the year."
"Thanks Noelle, that means a lot." Asta said reaching over and patting her head causing her to tense up with a mix of shock and suppressed happiness at the gesture her back still to Asta before he looked to Nero though between the bandages on her head and her horns he didn't try to pat her head. "Same Nero, thank you for everything."
"Well I can hardly be by your side if you die now can I." Nero said as Asta let go of Noelle and she remained turned away thrilled at Asta's gratitude while also denying that she really liked the head pat and wanted another one from him. "It's good to see you awake."
"It's good to be away." Asta said before his brain finally caught up with something that Nero had said. "Wait, you said that the rest of you were discharged yesterday, how long have I been out?"
"Around 36 hours or so." Nero said as she pulled out her phone to check on it. "It's Wednesday morning and we got her around dusk on Monday."
"Woah I slept for that long?" Asta asked amazed as his stomach roared and he groaned at that. "Man I'm hungry."
"You had a gut wound; you'll need a checkup before you can eat as there might be some limitations on that front." Nero said as Noelle continued to look away. "But that will be soon."
"Ok well…" Asta began but before he could say anything the door opened and two men walked in.
One was instantly recognizable as it was Captain Yami, their boss for the week and potentially longer if they impressed him, though unlike before he didn't have a cigarette in his mouth likely because they were in a hospital. The other man Asta didn't recognize. He was a middle aged man with short, light gray, hair, and green eyes behind rimless glasses. He had a small goatee beard but most telling was that he wore a pair of hospital scrubs under a white coat with a stethoscope around his neck and several other medical items in his coat pockets. Clearly he was the doctor.
"I see the report was right, you're awake." The doctor said as he came over and Nero got up to get out of the way while Noelle turned back to Asta her emotions under control again now that the doctor was here. "A little faster than I expected but that's the heartiness of youth for you. Plus you are in excellent shape and health other than your injury so it shouldn't be a surprise that you recovered so quickly."
"Er…" Asta began as the doctor sat down where Nero had been sitting, put his stethoscope in and checked Asta's heartbeat before he began to run a few other basic tests.
"Right, sorry I should have introduced myself." The doctor said. "I'm Dr. Owen, the personal physician to the Wizard King and the head of the Quirk Knight Medical department. Naturally, I help everyone and that is my main job but when a Quirk Knight member, work study student, or intern is badly injured I'm called in. The Wizard King himself requested that I take care of you and your friends though Miss Swallowtail's work sped things up greatly."
"The Wizard King sent you!" Asta said stars in his eyes.
"You did impress him so he sent his top quack to make sure you were fully healed after the mission." Yami said from behind Owen as the doctor worked though he didn't seem bothered by Yami's assessment of him. "Hard not to, you secured valuable intel from that compound both in the data you were able to recover and experience from facing that artificially awakened individual. Even as we speak, the tech people at the HPSC and Quirk Knight HQ are looking over it to make sure that we get as much as possible from it. The fact that you held off two high ranking Diamond Company officers only adds to it."
"Well the HPSC isn't thrilled that no full heroes were present for the mission but they did have Julius's authorization so it's not too bad." Owen muttered as he reached down and pulled out Asta's chart from where it hung on the side of the bed and began to make notes on it. "Still, you and William should have sent a full member as well. Don't you have a Spatial Quirk user? He would have been useful once things got tough."
"Yeah Finral would have been useful but I had personal need of him and his Quirk." Yami admitted though he didn't add that the reason was so that he could quickly go to the bathroom and the bar. "But it was good experience for them."
"I can't deny that." Owen admitted as he finished his notes and looked at Asta. "And let this be a lesson as you barely got out of that compound with your life. You were lucky that you had someone who can roughly heal with you as that gut wound was serious. You'll have a scar from it. Same for you Miss Silva, no scar thankfully but you did take a heavy blow."
"Yeah I'm grateful that Nero was there." Asta said while Noelle nodded in agreement. "But I trust her, I knew I was in safe hands."
"This time but be careful next time as you might not always have such an ally by your side." Owen said as he got up. "You're fully patched up but I need to do a final check to make sure that everything is ok before I discharge you later and you're not to do anything too strenuous for the rest of your internship. When you get back to school you need to be checked over by Recovery Girl before you resume full activities but a session or two with her should fix you up fully."
"Right." Asta said with a nod before he realized something. "Wait, what about the rest of the internship? What are we going to do for it?"
"It's an internship, you shouldn't have even been in battle to begin with." Owen said glancing to Yami. "It should just be learning the ropes of your branch, a patrol or two under the supervision of Captain Yami, and other real world lessons."
"They got that by investigating an enemy base, that is a major part of being a Quirk Knight given how many criminals hole up underground in the countryside." Yami noted. "Not our fault that they attacked while we had people in there. We even had old Qrow clear the place of Grimm and make sure that no humans were there beforehand just to be safe as places like that tend to be congregating grounds for those creatures. He gave it his all clear less than an hour before they entered. Clearly those Diamond bastards were waiting for Qrow to be done and then moved in around the same time we did."
"Fair enough, Grimm may have been even worse as Quirk Knights aren't as well equipped to deal with them as Huntsmen are." Owen admitted unaware that with Asta there Grimm wouldn't have been an issue. "But that's it, no more strenuous activity for the rest of the week. After tonight take them back to your base and just educate them on what it means to be a Quirk Knight using this mission as an example of the dangers they face."
"Fair enough, they've more than proven themselves." Yami said and Owen nodded before he got up and left to go and check on his other patients.
"But I want to do as much as possible." Asta said. "There's so much to learn about being a Quirk Knight."
"One thing you need to learn is when to take it easy and listen to the doctor's orders." Yami said. "And you will, all of you. You did well so when you get your provisional Hero Licenses reach out, there are work study spots open for all three of you should you want them. Try to persuade a few others as well, that's where the real learning begins and there are always a few students who use work studies to try out the other branches properly."
"You mean it!" Asta said stars in his eyes as Noelle and Nero just blinked at the offer.
"Of course, you succeeded in your mission and I wouldn't have even offered you an internship if I didn't think you could handle it to begin with." Yami said his tone as gruff as always but they could tell that he meant it. "Now rest up, you'll need it because Julius has personally invited you to a reception tonight. It's in the Quirk Knight HQ building which isn't too far from here but I'm busy so I've assigned Charmy to escort and accompany you."
"Not Luck?" Nero asked as Asta began to process that he'd been personally invited by the Wizard King to a reception in Quirk Knight HQ. "He was our supervisor for the compound mission."
"No, this will involve a few big wigs and he's not the best around power as he tends to try and fight those with it which isn't good form apparently." Yami said not that he minded as Luck's defective personality was why he'd been able to recruit someone as strong as hm in the first place. "I've sent him and Magna on another mission near the northern coast of Tohoku in Aomori Prefecture. There's a potential smuggling operation using the coast so they're going there to sniff it out with Gordon supervising them as he's a full Quirk Knight. That leaves Charmy and while she'll probably eat too much she can at least supervise, I think."
"The Wizard King invited us." Asta said stars still in his eyes though now for a different reason. "I can't believe it."
"Yes and he wants you at the HQ building at 5pm so be there on time." Yami said his tone serious not that any of them planned on being late to something the Wizard King had invited them to. "It's only 11 now so you'll have time to be discharged and then you three, along with the three Golden Dawn students who were with you, will go. That is also part of why we used this hospital as it's not too far from HQ and the main one for Quirk Knights who need immediate attention."
"Makes sense." Noelle said her years of decorum training kicking in the moment she heard of the reception invite. "Very well, we won't disappoint. That said, um, has my replacement outfit been sent?"
"Huh, oh yeah Charmy has it, she swung by U.A. with Finral's help to get it from Aizawa as you should be in your proper costume for this." Yami said. "Along with one for Asta. Wear it and your robes."
"Thank you." Noelle said.
"Good now if you don't mind I need a cigarette, don't let me down tonight." Yami said though he notably didn't tell them not to get in trouble as he turned and left them alone again with a few parting words. "And make sure you behave as you see appropriate should anything happen."
"Wait, replacement clothes?" Asta asked looking at Noelle. "Is that why you're dressed like that?"
"Yes, mine were destroyed beyond repair so they had to be thrown away." Noelle said not adding that that also meant that she currently wasn't wearing a bra though the bandages on her chest more than made up for that. "I have a replacement outfit, a few in fact, so it's not an issue. That's why I'm in this otherwise I wouldn't be."
"Really? I think it suits you." Asta said with a smile. "You should wear more casual cloths more often, it's normal for teens to do so. I'm sure you'll look good in them."
"Oh, well, if you think it looks good." Noelle said blushing and looking away. "Perhaps I could see what else is out there."
"This doesn't bode well." Nero muttered to herself as she got a sense of dread as it was clear that a simple compliment like that from Asta would get Noelle to try out more casual clothes which in turn would almost certainly lead to Nero getting dragged along, as would Weiss, for what would be a very strange experience finding said clothes. "Guess I'm going to have to book off my next day off to deal with it. Could be amusing if nothing else."
"What doesn't?" Asta asked confused.
"Never mind, it doesn't concern you Asta." Nero said dismissively as the door to the room opened and Mimosa, Yuno, and Klaus walked in, Klaus in his full Golden Dawn uniform while Mimosa and Yuno had new, clean, robes on. "Huh, I thought that…"
"Asta, you're awake!" Mimosa said excitedly interrupting Nero the moment that she noticed that Asta was awake and rushing over and to everyone's surprise hugging Asta in his bed. "I was starting to get worried when you were asleep for more than 24 hours."
"Gah that's enough of that." Noelle said as she leapt up and tried to pry Mimosa off a surprised Asta. "There is proper decorum Mimosa and this hug has gone on long enough."
"Huh, oh right, sorry, I just…" Mimosa said flushing at the property as she leapt off and backed up to a respectful distance not looking at Asta as her heart raced from the contact. "I'm just so glad to see that you're awake, Asta."
"This wouldn't take Asta down for long, he was just being a bit lazy." Yuno said with a smile. "And don't worry, I'll still surpass you."
"Not likely." Asta said with a grin. "Once I'm fully back on my feet I'll be the one who surpasses you to be the next Wizard King."
"Not likely." Yuno said with a shake of his head but his smile never wavered. "But I look forward to seeing your efforts so that I can double mine."
"Speaking of getting back on your feet." Klaus said interrupting Asta and Yuno's usual banter as he adjusted his glasses. "How are you doing Asta? You were out for more than a day. We were worried but as we were discharged and not Black Bulls we had to wait downstairs in the waiting room until we got word that we could visit you."
"Yeah I wanted to be here with you like Noelle and Nero were." Mimosa said trying to avoid the jealousy of that fact from creeping into her voice though she didn't know why she was so jealous of her cousin and Nero, especially of Noelle as for some reason she didn't get the same level of jealousy from the other girl. "We came as soon as Dr. Owen said we could. It looks like you're doing well though which is good."
"Yeah, I'm really hungry but otherwise I feel fine." Asta said with a smile while Noelle forced herself not to smirk at one upping her cousin before she blinked and wondered why she was pleased with that and scolded herself because Mimosa didn't deserve that from her. "Thanks to Nero and Dr. Owen."
"Well you'll get food as soon as you're discharged." Klaus said. "There's a cafeteria here and as a patient it's free for you. Pappitson is already there, I guess your Captain has some sense to send her and not Voltia to a reception hosted by the Wizard King."
"Great and yeah there's that reception thing tonight so more food." Asta said. "I wonder what that will be like."
"It will be pretty fancy if it's what I think it is." Klaus said. "But we've been personally invited by the Wizard King so there shouldn't be much of an issue."
"Yes, I believe that Leo will be there as well because of his brother as Fuegoleon's almost certainly been invited." Mimosa said which worried Noelle because if Leo and Fuegoleon were there then there was a very good chance that her siblings would be as well and she really didn't want to deal with them. "But I'm sure that nothing will happen. We are in the heart of the nation and it is a formal event so it should be fine."
"Wait, where are we?" Asta said suddenly remembering that he had no clue where they were. "No one's told me that."
"Right you were out when they got us." Noelle said. "We're in Hosu City, it's where the Quirk Knight HQ is so this is the closest hospital to it."
"It's convenient and works for the reception later." Klaus said. "And then afterwards we'll return to our respective headquarters and you first years will get an in depth look at what it's like to be a Quirk Knight when not on a mission."
"Oh ok sounds good." Asta said as he leaned back in his bed. "Well then it looks like I should get that checkup so we can get out, get food, and then enjoy that reception. Man this has been one crazy internship and we're only halfway through it. I wonder what the others are getting up to in theirs?"
"Hopefully it's not as crazy or life threatening as ours." Noelle said. "We hit the ground running on the very first day."
"I doubt there are any issues." Klaus said adjusting his glasses again. "They don't have licenses and the other branches aren't as crazy as ours is so they should be the normal affair. They'll just learn a fair bit and see what life is like in their respective branches. Some will get a lot out of them, some will get a bit, and some will hate them and try out a different branch for their first work study that's just how it is."
"I guess." Asta said. "Well whatever the case, I hope they have fun and learn a lot from their internships. I can't wait for the stories when we all get back to class."
The other first years nodded as they fell into a comfortable silence glad that their own intense internship had mellowed out at last and wondered what the others were up too while they got ready for what should be a simple and straightforward, if fancy, reception. After all, the other internships couldn't be as challenging as theirs was, could they?
I think that's a good place to end this chapter off at. I thought about breaking it up into two short chapters but it just wasn't long enough to justify that and besides this way I can wrap up the initial Quirk Knight internship part of the Hero Killer arc with them neatly in place for the culmination and at last move onto the next part of the arc, the Huntress internship. That's right, it's time to shift focus and see what Ruby and Weiss have been up to in their internship at Beacon and how that's going so stay tuned as we move to the next line that leads to Hosu. That is all that I have for this chapter, however, so I will leave it off here. Anyway, that is all that I have for y'all so I will leave this chapter off here. If you like this story please follow, favorite (this story and me) to keep up with it and leave a review or PM; your support is what helps motivate me to keep up this work and any questions posed before the next chapter is uploaded I will try to answer. Until next time.
Stringdog