What was a hero? A pro hero to specify. 'Hero' was a word used in everyday conversations, and there was not one person that didn't know of one, of what they were, of their purpose, and how they are the pillars and foundations of the world they live in right now. Heroes were always a controversial debate, always sparking up heated and varied opinions and points when one didn't come to an agreement. Heroes were subjects that changed everybody's lives, one way or another. The very mention of the word either evoked happy emotions often, while for others, it created fear or hatred.

They were broadcasted and talked about on all medias, newspaper, radio, television, music, movies, plays, etc., the very word 'hero' was what had shaped the future they were currently in. A 'hero' was of course in every child's dreams, something they all wanted to be. They were idolized by the majority of humanity. It was tossed around in every country and race with many variations, spoken in every single bit of code and text and language.

It gave hope and meaning to many. A purpose and a goal for others. They heal and repair the broken or in need. They are the motivation and encouragement lots of people needed.

But what were heroes? By definition, they were individuals able to use quirks to protect people from villains, natural disasters, and any other kind of harm. It meant that heroes were supposed to protect, and help other people, they were tasked to protect the majority of everybody here and give hope to a brighter future. It meant saving a life to preserve someone else's future even if that meant risking their own lives just so that person could live longer. It meant doing all that he could so someone else could achieve security and safety.

He was a pro hero. Not a known one, but his job was a hero, someone that saved others. It had been his job for over a decade, and something he trained for for years. He was experienced, he had the skills, the energy, the strive, the determination, he had everything perfect to be a hero. So why...

Why couldn't he save his students? Last night, one of his students was kidnapped, with many injured and hurt. While they had managed to catch some villains, including Dead Pulse, the bad heavily outnumbering the good that came out of this incident. He couldn't stop Bakugo from getting kidnapped and that was on him, because he predicted it, he predicted that it was Bakugo that they wanted? And what happened? They were able to kidnap him.

'Kidnap him Shota. They were able to kidnap one of your students,' he reminded himself as worthlessness and questioning his position as a hero and teacher of UA plagued his mind, and dyed his thoughts with its toxic, contagious, and destructive poisthat intercepted his thinking. He had failed his students as both a teacher and a pro hero.

A teacher was someone who taught about anything. He wouldn't be a teacher if he had no students, so it also came as a responsibility he had to protect them. He still had more things to teach to them as their teacher, to teach them and guide them to better heroes. Because that was why he was here in the UA. But did he really deserve that place anymore if his students were able to be hurt and one was able to be kidnapped by villains? He would think not, but he had to make sure if he could get any chance at redeeming himself, he had to at least take in part of Bakugo's rescue.

Thank god for Yaoyoruzu and her tracking device. They had already planned about going to an interview with the press to cover up the rescue operation they had planned with multiple heroes. He hated the press, but he had to do his part in rescuing Bakugo, even if it meant being on the media and TV. He just had to, so he could repay his failure.

The police didn't even have enough time to interview the villains they had managed to capture and contain, and that meant they hadn't found out the identity of Dead Pulse yet. They were focused on getting Bakugou back from the League of Villain's grasp, and though Aizawa knew he had to focus on that too, he couldn't help but also think of that villain. For some reason, all he wanted to do was just know who that masked villain was. And now that they had her, they could- no, he could find out. And he could find out why she had been haunting him.

Why Y/N started haunting him since he had met the villain. Why he haunted him in the day and night and what purpose it served to reopen old wounds. Why he was forced through torture and torment as he relived the moments he hated with all his passion. Because he was unable to escape from his harsh memories, desperately clinging onto the little bit of himself before he broke again and again.

He thought he was far too broken already, but the sudden remembrance of Y/N suddenly breaks him apart even more, making him near the edge of insanity as he struggled with comprehending with the fact of what happened to Y/N, still pondering over it even though it was engraved in his mind and memory, he knew fully well and understood what happened. It's been repeated in his dreams and nightmares, slowly cracking his soul and tearing him apart from the inside. He refused to show it, and he would do anything to avoid it.

Who knew how long it'll take until he broke?

His eyes widened as his gaze was fixed upon the flickering TV screen as the rest of the staff of UA were watching the fight between All Might and a villain called All For One. His breath was left empty as he tried to take a breath in, not being able to from the sheer amount of shock he was going through. All Might, the number one hero was reduced to his weak, frail form, in front of national news, and for once the Erasure hero was scared for him.

Scared for All Might's life.

Scared for their future.

Scared for their society.

Was this how society was going to break and crack? At the retirement of All Might? What did it mean for their society built up on the very term 'super heroes?' All Might is probably the most prominent example of a model, top hero, and that was because he was able to fend off and defeat against the worst and most dangerous villains. Because he gave hope to their society, blinding them with false security and safety. Even All Might wasn't perfect.

Not when he saw the skeleton blonde in his Silver Age costume, the true form of All Might seemed unreal and a dream every time he saw that skinny skeletal tall human. It seemed to be false, like foreign and not belonging as his hero clothing sagged from his twig limbs. The Number One Hero, bleeding? Was enough to send the society into a panic, as it meant weakness in their biggest pillar, that their strongest foundation was beginning to crumble. But seeing him in this form was yet again another reminder that the world he believed in wasn't quite like the reality he inhabited now. When he saw that depleted form of the great hero that had built and supported their modern society single handedly by himself, he didn't know what to believe. He knew the Symbol of Peace wouldn't last for long, but... he didn't think All Might's reign would end so quickly.

He didn't know what to believe anymore.

A/N: No comment.

Thanks for the people who are voting by the way! Thank you so much, it means a lot. Thank you for the continuous support!

[Edit: Made it a bit longer, but otherwise I don't know what else to write.]