☤

May caught a glimpse of her wristwatch. Her arms pumped while her feet struck the concrete, avoiding people calmly walking to work. It was over. It was so over.

She was going to be late. The bag slung over her shoulder slapped against her hip, throwing off her balance at every turn.

The sunlight pelted her forehead. Sweat began to gather on every crevice of her body from both nerves and physical activity. Running wasn't May's favorite thing to do.

Everyone is going to kill me. They're going to say I'm irresponsible. They're going to fire me and then I'll really be blacklisted. Oh no, it's over. If I'm not there in ten—

May's panicked thoughts forced her forward. When the light streamed in from the window, she knew something was wrong. Scrambling through her apartment, she wasn't sure if her stockings had a rip in them or if she grabbed the right pair of flats. The pounding of her head wasn't at the forefront of her mind.

Peeking out from the corner of the street, the gold glint of U.A. greeted May. She exhaled through her teeth, her feet carrying her faster and faster.

I'm going to make it! I'm doing it! May flung open the double doors to the school, clattering through the hallway. She looked down at her fingers, starting to count and mentally order her day.

Alright, so, first on my list, I have to organize everything. Maybe the timer worked for MEBO one and two. Perhaps they're already cleaning. If not, I have to account for—

She rounded a corner too hard. May gasped, skidding to a stop as another body came into view. Her body flung backward, trying to catch itself with her hands. The momentum completely threw her off. May's arms flailed in an attempt to balance out her fall. The shuffling sounds of other feet stopped.

Her eyes traveled upward while she caught her breath from running. Nausea hit harder than a slap to the face.

Oh no.

"Are you okay?" Eraserhead asked, his voice containing zero traces of emotion or concern. He looked down at her, not extending a hand or anything of the sort.

Nothing processed. May stared at the man in front of her. I almost knocked him over. I—wait, I'm on the ground.

She glanced at herself, her legs splayed out in front of her. There was indeed a run in her tights. Shit. 

"Yes! Yeah. Absolutely fine!" May pushed up her glasses, which were crooked on her face. Aizawa didn't make any other sudden movements. Instead, he watched her peel herself from the ground.

May extended her arm, balancing herself against the wall. Why does my head hurt so bad? I never get these migraines. May's eyes flashed toward Aizawa again. His hands remained in his pockets, his face buried beneath scarves.

He didn't need to say anything to May. She could read his emotions through the exasperated look hinted on his features.

"I'm alright. I... Um, I'm sorry," May apologized, standing up straight. Her sad attempt at a professional hairstyle now looked like a bird's nest atop her head. She tried her best to give a smile to him, but he brushed it off.

Aizawa's shoulders slumped, and he lifted a couple of fingers to the bridge of his nose.

"It's fine, Dr. Kataoka. Just—" He sighed. "—don't run in the halls unless it's an actual emergency."

May's mouth hung open, a finger lifted as he continued walking by her. She couldn't piece together the right words, the right apology, the right anything.

Instead, she headed toward her office. May looked over her shoulder again, her lips tightening. Of all people, seriously? It had to be him.

Opening her office door was a relief, even if she did struggle with the keys. It was becoming a daily ritual for her to take at least two minutes to successfully enter her office.

She rested her back against the door, blowing a puff of air out of her mouth. Black strands of hair responded and cleared from her vision.

"Good morning, Dr. Kataoka. You are approximately five minutes behind schedule." MEBO-1's cheerful robotic voice removed May from her despair.

"Good morning, you two." Her lips upturned into a smile. "Report activity log."

MEBO-1 stopped. The blinking lights shifted between green and white, ambient beeps filling the air. The white took over the little robot's eyes. May moved toward her computer, logging in and setting down her bag on the floor.

"Awakened at time set by Kataoka May. Basic cleaning procedures at eighty-five percent completion. Pill trial number zero-zero-zero-zero-one passed the diagnostic test. Downloading program seven-seven-four-nine successful for both MEBO-1 and MEBO-2."

"Fantastic!" May tore away from her computer. MEBO-1's eyes became green again, whirling around the room and continuing the cleaning procedures.

May zoomed over to a large machine, opening the top hatch and pulling out a plastic container full of bright red pills. She opened the top, grabbing one in her hand.

Inspecting it, she then put it back. These look great. They have the perfect color and, according to the sticker, the exact traces of the proper nutrients. I hope they work. The diagnostic test should've covered everything.

The hallway lit up with the dull roar of footsteps and student activity. May sat at her computer, working through files and taking notes. She was actively pushing the events that transpired earlier out of her mind.

Maybe he wouldn't remember. He would forget, May told herself. He wouldn't tell anyone. No, definitely not.

She rested her cheek against the palm of her hand. May switched from research and started to click absentmindedly through articles. The news was full of heroes, no shocker there. Her glasses smudged against her hand. I'm exhausted, but I went to bed early. 

Hm. 

Her exhaustion wouldn't last long. While clicking through articles, something caught her attention. Something bad. May lifted her head from her hand, going back a page.

PRESENT MIC SEEN WITH UNKNOWN WOMAN AT FAMOUS HERO KARAOKE BAR! WHO IS SHE?

May covered her mouth with her hands. Her face was slowly becoming cherry red. With no control over herself, she opened the article. There was an image of her from the previous night, her back to the camera as Present Mic held out his hand while chattering away.

A NEW U.A. STAFF MEMBER HAS BEEN REPORTED ALONGSIDE ALL MIGHT—COULD THIS BE THEM?

Her eyes flew through the article. The tables had turned. They didn't just turn, no, they had spun away like a tornado. Instead of hate-reading gossip about pro-heroes, May found herself on the other end.

Their speculations made her skin crawl. It was nothing short of surreal. How could they make so many assumptions about her? Boring, basic, nothing special.

Nothing special.

May decided to pull up the search bar.

>> <<

NEW SEARCH: |... |... |

>> <<

She sighed, looking at her door and then back at the computer.

>> <<

NEW SEARCH: New U.A. instructor |... |

>> <<

Articles lit up the page about All Might, of course. Though a couple mentioned the fact the Principal hired two new people. As Yamada had said previously, it wasn't typical. May leaned forward in her chair, eating every word, and spitting it back out into the insecurities of her mind.

There were even videos. Gossip talk show hosts. May's mouse hovered over a popular talk show host. Her legs were crossed on screen, a deep violet dress contrasting against the ivory couches.

"We all know and love All Might." The clip started, the woman in purple on the couch nodded as her audience clapped. "But, what about the reports of another instructor joining the infamous school?"

Murmurs sounded from the audience as May chewed on her nails.

"I heard that she." The crowd erupted in a roar of excitement. "I know, I know. Look out, Midnight! There's a new girl on the block!"

The words of the talk show host began to melt together for May. They discussed the possibility of different pro-heroes, but the talk show host insisted it was someone different. Someone that wasn't well known. The host had received a tip that May's quirk was a healing factor.

How can so many people talk about me like this? I haven't even done anything. I shouldn't have gone out last night.

She felt out of body. May was used to people discussing her medical achievements. What she felt confident about. Her research papers, her medical advancements, her real successes. Things that would never be addressed on mainstream media. Things that actually mattered.

Just because she was a woman hired by a pro-hero high school, she made national news?

"You shouldn't listen to the media, Dr. Kataoka."

All Might had opened the door and shut it behind him without her hearing. May rubbed her face with her hands, breaking into a forced smile. He wasn't in his hero form. The calmness of his voice cast away her tension first.

"I didn't expect this. I'm not even a hero, and they're picking me apart. They don't even know who I am," May said, her eyes gluing themselves to the computer. A female silhouette rested on the screen with a giant question mark.

Her thoughts were running through a thunderstorm. She had to break away from the blue-lit screen. So, May did, now resting on All Might.

The muted, thoughtful expression on his features lifted her from distress. "How did you deal with this?"

Toshinori walked over to the hospital bed closest to May and sat down. His hands rested on his lap, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

"It's weird, isn't it? We hoped that my presence would mask the additional hire."

He paused, and his smile grew wider. "It's easy for me to forget you're not a hero."

"How did they even find out about me?"

"Nezu didn't leak this, and parents are required to provide secrecy. I'm unsure." Toshinori tapped his chin. "Sometimes, we have a bad habit of underestimating reporters and their drive for a story."

May felt a thousand eyes on her. It was different than presenting research to a panel. Different than speaking at a lecture hall. It was pure superficial judgment built around popularity. There was nothing she could bring to the table that the average person cared about.

"I'm not built for this," May muttered and grabbed her medical instruments to run tests on him. She brought out the stethoscope and started on blood pressure around his thin arm.

Toshinori chuckled to himself, shaking around his struck-by-lightning hair. "I can see it now. Medical May— the Health Hero!"

"I'm not here to be a hero, Toshinori," May said in a deadpan tone, her fingers carefully releasing air from the blood pressure cuff. While doing so, she observed his chest. Nothing out of the ordinary. At least, for him.

When the rest of the air hissed out, May plucked out the stethoscope from her ears. A smile tugged at the corner of her lips. The conversation had to continue, even if she was much more focused on her data.

"Besides, that is quite possibly the worst hero name I've ever heard."

Toshinori hissed through his teeth. "Ouch, Doctor! Can you heal egos?"

"Let me think." May clicked her pen, a little laugh leaving through her words. "Nope! I'm afraid it'll have to remain a little bruised."

She wrote down the blood pressure she collected and then reached for a pulse. High and faint. Her eyes flashed up at Toshinori and then back to her task. She examined his injury, which had little to no change.

It was still sucked in, pink and flesh. His vitals were the only thing that fluctuated day-to-day.

There were no patterns that May could find yet. It felt sporadic, without cause. She began putting the information into the computer, her chair kicked out far behind her. 

"Speaking of health, I have your first set of trial pills."

Toshinori stood up from the hospital bed. May picked up the pill bottle with his name printed on it and handed it to him.

"Do you have any specific instructions?" He asked while her fingers made clicking noises on the keyboard.

"Actually yes." May didn't look up from the computer. She ran a finger across the screen, trying to pick up any trends. Why can't I spot any? None of it makes sense.

"Try to take the pills before you know you're going into your hero form. Report how you feel before, during, and after to me. Dosage is two to four at a time. Make sure you note how many you take so I can determine if there are differences."

"Yes, Doctor. Do I need to take them with anything extra? Not that I can..."

"Doesn't matter. Everything is outlined on the sticker." May returned her gaze to him as he read the side of the bottle. "Can you possibly stay for a couple more minutes? So, I can see the effects of the pills?"

All Might looked at the clock above the door. His eyes shot open, and he frantically opened the pill bottle. One of May's eyebrows quirked upward as he downed two pills.

"I have a class to teach!"

He exploded into his hero form, and in one step, he was at the door.

"Thanks for the help, Doctor!"

All Might was gone in a flash. Too quick for May to formulate a response. She readjusted her glasses. The blast of air he emitted as he sped off caused them to loosen on her face. Even though he's weakened, he's still powerful as a hero.

May went back to the computer and ran her notes through a graphing program. The machine had a hard time, just like she predicted. She knew her calculations would lead to an improbable result.

The mathematical projections didn't line up. The trendline was not steady enough to produce a reliable estimation of Toshinori's information. No indications. Was it a result of his quirk? Does his quirk weaken as it's passed on? If so, I can't do anything about that.

It was quiet again in the office. May figured students were having an indoor day, but no one really told her what was going on.

May decided to spend some time on her medical bots. There were tons of bots scattered around the campus with stretcher abilities, but the MEBOs had special commands she searched for and requested.

May knelt on the floor, examining their wiring. Everything looked like it was in place. Even within the robots, every wire had a home. A specific spot marked by May. The programs she downloaded the previous night were successful, so she decided it was time to put them to the test.

"MEBO-1, what is anterior to the trachea?"

It processed.

"The arch of the aorta. Continue surgical proceedings with caution."

"Thank you," May replied, screwing the back of the robot on again. She tapped her chin, thinking about what she had installed.

"MEBO-2, run statistical analysis of quirks found on Database A. Explain in lay terms."

"Database A, first-year students," the robot hummed. "Statistical analysis completed. Emission is most common, followed by mutation and transformation."

May laughed to herself, giddy with excitement over her programs. They're doing so well! Let's give them a hard one.

"MEBO-1, repeat basic protocols for Open Reduction and Internal Fixation for Trimalleolar Ankle Fracture."

The robot had to take a minute to understand her request. May rested her hands against her thighs, her shins pressed against the cold floor. The wheels were spinning for the robot, the interior fan roaring. I wonder if I can improve that . She narrowed her eyes, waiting for the response.

"Procedures outlined by Kataoka May. Create a lateral incision across the injury site. Retract injury site. Installation of a seven-hole or eight-hole tubular plate is required. Attach tubular plate to left fibula. Seal with syndesmotic screws. Close injury site. Surgery complete. Would you like a basic outline of recovery procedures as well?"

"No, that's fine. Thank you." May couldn't help but laugh through her words, putting together her perfect teammates.  

She lifted one knee to get up and then remembered the last program she installed. Her eyebrows furrowed for a moment. It wasn't something important for the time being, but it needed testing. She stood tall above the robot.

"MEBO-2," May started, hesitation outlining her words.

Her eyes rested on the robot, which was peering up at her. It blinked at her. Sparkling emerald green light shined against the cold metal. May rested a hand against her office chair, gripping it tightly. Her nails dug into the soft black material.

It was a school for aspiring pro-heroes. For kids. She didn't need to run the program. The probability of death on school grounds was slim. She rocked back and forth, debating to herself.

"Waiting for command from Kataoka May."

She could run it. The process of timing, the contacts she had loaded, the procedural outline. All of it. Even organ preservation.

But she wouldn't.

"Terminate command portal, MEBO-2."

"To confirm request, indicate termination by stating: Dismissed."

"Dismissed."

May settled back in her chair, watching the robot roll away and interact with MEBO-1. It wasn't necessary. She didn't need to think about that.

In light of her decision, May tried to distract herself with thoughts outside of it, completing several stock checks.

The beds even received a sheet change from her desire to stay busy. May returned to her desk and decided to do more studying, flipping open massive journals.

She needed to brush up on finger injuries and the structure of the hand.

Lunch was just as uneventful. May tried to stomach some food and remembered to take her iron supplement, which wasn't always the case. She swirled a nutrient mixture in her water bottle, chugging the milky water.

The bombshell of media attention and her growing list of bad decisions created little black swirls of despair at the back of her mind.

Students filtered in for medications, distracting May from her thoughts. Many were excited to see her again. They chatted about their first day back in class and what they were up to. Immediately after lunch, May heard a knock at her door.

"Come in!" May said, her gaze shifting from her anatomical sketches and toward the door.

A purple-haired boy with ginormous eye bags stood. Snipe nudged him forward, his arms crossed.

"Howdy, Dr. Kataoka. I got one of the 'gen ed' students here. Another student knocked him pretty hard earlier. He said he ain't feelin' so good."

"Alright." May got to her feet, approaching the two.

She took some gloves out from her pocket and smiled at the boy. He didn't respond with anything. Smiles usually worked with teenagers. May cleared her throat, blanking her expression again.

"Thanks, Snipe. I'll take it from here."

The sharp-shooting hero left, and May motioned toward the bed. "Can you take a seat for me?"

The boy did what May asked. He clutched his side as he walked, which May noted in the back of her head. She pulled up her rolling stool, catching his eyes.

"Hello, my name is Dr. Kataoka. I'll be taking care of you today. What's your name?" May asked, counting respirations. They hitched every other breath.

"Shinsou Hitoshi," he replied.

Shinsou winced, his eyes narrowing. May knew what he was doing. He wasn't sure what to think of her, trying to decide what type of staff member she would be.

"I'm going to run some tests, is that alright, Shinsou?" She asked, gathering her equipment. MEBO-1 skirted around her legs, red blinking in one eye.

"Yeah."

May wrapped the cuff around his skinny arm. He didn't flinch, but she could feel the tension in his arm. Like a rope waiting to snap. From looking at Shinsou, May wouldn't have guessed this.

"So," May started. When her thoughts overtook her mind, her voice would drop into a monotony. "Can you tell me what happened?"

"We were sparring."

"Sparring? Is that something you do in the general education course?"

"Not usually."

"Hm." May had zoned out already. All she needed was the source. Another person, perhaps another quirk.

"Take a deep breath in." May moved her stethoscope to his chest. Breath sounds were normal, nothing hindering his respiratory system. This kid looks like he would rather be anywhere else.

"Do you have any allergies, medications, or past medical history I should know about? Did you hit your head on the way down?" May asked, draping her stethoscope over her shoulders.

His expression didn't change at all from the beginning of their conversation. Shinsou was busy concealing his pain. What is it with aspiring and professional heroes hiding pain? Geez.

"No."

"Okay, may I see?" May motioned toward his side. He nodded and laid down flat on the hospital bed.

May lifted his gym shirt. Below was a nasty contusion, outlined in a painting of light green, red, and purple. He must've been kicked. A punch wouldn't be so large in size. 

There wasn't any visible blood. It was on the right side of Shinsou's rib cage. The swelling was minimal, but still there. Nothing poked out, no skin was broken. May checked his arms and his other side. Small abrasions and cuts gathered.

Alright, he was kicked, and he rolled on the ground. Must've been outside. I'll have to see if he broke any ribs. There are no obvious deformities, however.

"Prepare yourself. I'm going to press on your injury. Tell me if there's a specific place that hurts more than the other."

Shinsou nodded, no words leaving his mouth. May's blue gloved hands pressed against his pale skin. I hope they're not too cold. 

She started on the surrounding injury, then moved inwards. She couldn't hear any cracking, nothing rubbing against anything. May pressed harder, trying to feel for anything strange. Nothing ruptured under her touch.

There's nothing here that indicates further injury. Sometimes the shock on impact can cause nausea. Especially in a spot like this. What's the best course of option here? I can--

"That doesn't—that doesn't feel good," Shinsou said quickly, drawing May from her treatment outlines.

"Understandably so, I pressed a little bit harder." May glanced back at him, her facial features relaxing into a sympathetic smile. "It's all over now, though."

"Good," he sighed.

Shinsou watched as May went to her fridge. She pulled out a cup from the very back, reaching her whole arm in. There were rows upon rows of Styrofoam cups, but most weren't filled. She had managed to take care of a couple earlier during her stock check.

"What's that?" Shinsou asked, pulling down his shirt as he sat up.

"It'll help with your pain and heal your injury," May said. That was a pretty good explanation, she patted herself on the back mentally.

"Whatever," Shinsou sipped and then paused. His eyes reminded her so much of someone else. Who was it? She couldn't put her finger on it.

"This is chocolate."

"It's not just chocolate. There's a healing factor too." May slid over to her computer and started her report on Shinsou.

>> <<

CAUSE OF INJURY: Confrontation with another student |...|

>> <<

She read the room. Shinsou was a quiet boy with one-worded answers, at least for her. No need to pester him more than she needed to.

He didn't seem like the angry type, the one to instigate fights. Which May knew he was hinting at. Did he expect her to say something? Am I supposed to lecture students?

May understood one thing, however. Shinsou was an observer, that's for sure.

Every move that May made, his eyes would follow. His exhaustion began to improve with every sip, and his posture became more upright. She hummed to herself, writing her observations. One of the MEBOs approached Shinsou.

"Performing full-body scan. Processing... Processing... Processing."

Shinsou stared at the robot in front of him. He sucked on the straw, tilting his head. May turned to watch for a moment, the teenager on the bed leaning forward with his finger outstretched.

"Dr. Kataoka, what's it doing?" Shinsou's voice was quiet.

"That's MEBO-2. It's performing a quick surface-level scan. Nothing invasive, don't worry," May said, her eyes returning to the computer.

"Scan complete. Treatment plan successful."

As each minute passed, the boy on the bed perked up. May hummed as she continued the paperwork. The worst part, by far. She had powered through most demographics. Her mouse rested on one in particular.

"What's your quirk, Shinsou?" May asked casually. She had gone through the quirk database before, but it was going to be headache-inducing. It's not a big deal to ask.

There was stillness. The beeping robots scooted around, the only thing that could be heard. It was long enough that May spun to face him again. He shifted on the bed, his own gaze casting down to stare at MEBO-2, who was desperately combing the floor for dirt.

"Brainwashing."

May nodded and typed it in. Her gaze didn't linger too long; her thoughts mostly consumed with the weird politics of hero school. An interesting quirk indeed. Why isn't he in the hero class? 

Shinsou was guarding himself with his body language, his arms crossed over his chest. He pulled back in every possible way, even his feet swinging, so they tucked themselves further under the hospital bed. I wonder why.

May swiveled in her chair and extended a light pink pass.

"That's all I needed! How are you doing?"

The guarding ended. His arms uncrossed and he got up from the bed, standing taller. "Better now. Thank you, Dr. Kataoka."

Shinsou started toward the door. His pace was slow, taking in the entire room. He would focus on one thing, like the curtains or the fridge in the corner of the room. May tried not to pay too much attention, but it was strange. What's he doing? 

She didn't have much time to think too hard about it, but his fluffy purple hair stuck in the back of her head. May gave herself a mental reminder to review a little bit of psychiatry. Her worst subject throughout medical school.

May cleaned up the mess left behind and turned in her report. There were a couple of other students that trickled in. Nothing serious, a couple of bandages and stomach aches.

Her phone buzzed midway through the afternoon while she mindlessly clicked through academic papers about the importance of psychological evaluation. May picked up the cherry red device, reading the screen.

>> ( 1) NEW MESSAGE <<

Unknown

➞ Hey, Dr. Kataoka! It's All Might! Midoriya's injured, heading your way on bots.

xX Plus Ultra! Xx

All Might

✓ read

>> <<

Why does he have a signature on his messages? The thought gave her a small smile, but she sprang into action shortly after. May found some new gloves and opened a new file on her computer.

"MEBO-1, collect instruments for basic trauma assessment," May said, her head hanging out of the door.

The robot chirped in response, the sounds of silver instruments rattling in a tray filling her ears. She could hear the whirring in the distance as the tan robots headed toward the office. Oh my—He's on a stretcher!

May stepped out of the room and into the hallway, her pace quickening.

"You're the nurse, right?" A tan robot asked.

"Doctor, but yes."

May walked alongside the stretcher, beginning to assess the injuries from a distance. "Hello, Midoriya. It's me, Dr. Kataoka. Can you hear me?"

He was knocked out cold, even with a nudge from her gloved hand. One of his arms was scorched by fire, and the other looked like his finger from the previous day. This is only the second day! What the hell?

She opened the door wider for the robots to pass through with ease. They bickered back and forth, using a slide maneuver to ease Midoriya on to the hospital bed. The robots left May alone, leaving the room without any further indications. She was not paying attention to them, anyways.

Her assessment had begun. Midoriya's breathing is not obstructed in any way, perfusion seems fine. His arms are the primary concern. There are no other apparent signs of injury, but I have to make sure.

May started at the top of his head. She inspected for signs of blood on her gloves or crackles beneath her fingers.

"MEBO-2, open dictation program," May called out.

"Dictation program successful. Begin."

"No deformities, contusions, abrasions, or crepitus found on head, chest, and legs. Patient is unconscious, responsive to pain." May spoke aloud, working through her processes. She watched his face squeeze together when she touched his arm and pressed on his nail.

"Obvious injuries seen include moderate burns on the left arm and right arm is broken in multiple places."

May started on vitals, reporting her findings to MEBO-2 as MEBO-1 rolled alongside her. "Note, patient is experiencing heightened vitals due to strenuous physical activity."

Her gloved hands flew through each test. She knew what to do. Leaning over the hospital bed, she spoke aloud to the teenager.

"Hey, Midoriya. You're going to be fine. I'm going to perform a blood transfusion, just letting you know."

May had a habit of talking to her unconscious patients. It was more comfortable than the alert ones.

Exhaling, she replaced her gloves and gathered the appropriate equipment for a blood transfusion. Since Midoriya was unconscious, she couldn't wake him up and ask him to drink for her.

He had good veins, which was a plus.

She monitored his condition while the transfusion started, adjusting his arms so they would be in a more comfortable position.

May examined his arms further, cleaning any dirt and sweat off with a wipe. She took care of the surface level burns and wrapped that arm. She laid the other arm flat, allowing for her blood to place the bones properly. Clicking noises began, crackling under his skin. 

This would've required weeks of recovery without my quirk. Who allowed this?

May recorded vitals every ten minutes, letting the machines take over. MEBO-2 repeated every word she said back to her while May typed into her keyboard. She nodded along, noting the extra details she gathered during the physical examination.

"Dr. Kataoka!" All Might appeared at the door in full hero attire.

"Toshinori," May replied, getting up from her office chair. She approached him as he stood with panic in his eyes.

"How's young Midoriya? Is he alright? What injuries—"

"He's going to be fine," May reassured, and they walked toward the hospital bed together. The green-haired boy exhaled soft snores, blood filing in through his veins.

His color had improved, less of a ghostly white and more of a soft pink. The sickening purple color receded from his right arm, settling at the tips of his fingers. May adjusted the pillow under his head.

Silence filled the air, besides the monitors periodically checking vitals. Midoriya began to stir a little bit, but it wasn't enough for May to act. She took a deep breath.

"It's only the second day." May's voice was hushed, standing over the hospital bed. "I read in Recovery Girl's reports that he also injured himself during the entrance exam. What was it? The entrance exam."

"Giant robots."

May felt her brows furrow and decided to brush it. No wonder students like Shinsou couldn't get in. How does this school stay in line with safety regulations? On that note, how strict are said regulations when it comes to heroes? 

There was another pause, and May kept her arms crossed. She tapped her chin. He's in Eraserhead's class. Did his instructor push him too hard?

"Who allowed it to go this far? This is unacceptable."

All Might swallowed and then sighed, his head hanging. "It was my fault. I should've stopped them."

She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. Cementoss's words bounced around in her head. Empathy. Empathy. Empathy. You should've stopped them but it's over now. 

"Why did you have them duke it out so hard? Without my quirk, it would've taken weeks to heal. It seems highly unnecessary."

"I... I don't really know. They have some things to work out."

Wait— what? This is about emotional tensions? Friendships? You've got to be kidding me. 

May took off her glasses and squeezed her eyes shut. "Don't we have a guidance counselor for this exact reason?"

Toshinori stared at the floor, his hand rubbing his chin. "I think in a perfect world that would work. The other boy isn't.. erm.. exactly the calm discussion type."

That's not the point. Without my quirk, the damage to his arm could've been irreversible. And for what? A useless confrontation that didn't solve anything? I— 

May put a hand to her forehead, letting out a single scoff. She then let her hand slide down her face.

Relax. Relax. It's not fine, but pretend it is.

She waved away the topic, turning to face him. May saw the concern etching itself deep into the lines of his face. He's got a lot going on. 

"Your quirk is going to keep me busy, isn't it?"

His attention snapped back to her. All Might let out a small laugh, the tension in his shoulders relaxing. "Hopefully, not for too long."

May uncrossed her arms and checked on the progress on Midoriya's right arm. It would take about an hour for the transfusion to complete.

May finished her reports, and All Might sat on the edge of the bed the whole time. He was thinking to himself. She decided she wasn't going to interrupt that.

All Might stepped out of the room after fifteen quiet minutes. He asked May to alert him when Midoriya awoke, which she obliged.

It's a lot of pressure for both of them. All Might's vitals are so erratic, how long can he remain a hero? And this kid can barely contain the power himself!

May clasped her hands together, resting her elbows on the desk. If he keeps injuring himself, the bones won't properly align themselves anymore. My quirk could be useless. What if I—

"Dr. Kataoka?"

His timid voice made May leap from her seat, rushing toward the edge of the hospital bed. "Don't move around, alright?"

"O-okay. I—I feel fine, though." Midoriya sniffled.

"Good, that means it's working."

May lifted his arm, inspecting the healing process. She could tell he was a little disoriented from waking up. She kept her voice low and soft, trying to keep him as calm as possible.

"Can you tell me what happened this time?"

"I—I used too much. Punched a—a huge hole."

"Impressive." May unwrapped a corner of the burn. It was gone. "But not wise."

"It was the only way to win. I—I know I shouldn't, but I had to. I had to beat him," Midoriya protested. Bubbles of tears started to gather in the corners of his eyes. "Kachaan is so... so mad."

May stopped what she was doing for a moment. Remember, May. They're only teenagers. They're still learning. She rested her hands on the hospital bed, feeling a tug at her heart.

What do I say? Come on, think. Emotional support training? Gah! That was years ago. Her eyes glanced at the ceiling then back at Midoriya.

"Losing can sometimes make people angry. Nothing you can do about it and certainly not a reason to become upset," May reached for his other arm, hoping her words did something. Most of her thoughts were stuck in medical limbo.

It came off a little harsher than she intended, and she opened her mouth again. The words wouldn't come.

She started disconnecting the I.V. with careful hands, and he remained quiet. Midoriya watched her work, wiping his face with his burned arm.

"Dr. Kataoka?" His voice piped up again.

"Yes?"

"Th-thank you. I—I know I've been here a lot, and I'm sorry I can't control it."

"Thank me?" May shook her head, beginning the sling and swathe process on his arm. "This is why I'm here. No apologies needed, Midoriya."

The tears subsided, and a little smile decorated the teen's expression. His arm was relaxing under her touch. "You're not a pro-hero, are you? I've... never heard of you before."

"I'm not, a very astute observation," May remarked, gently smiling and reaching his gaze. "Just a doctor."

The wheels in his head twisted and turned. "How did you get here then, if you weren't an alum?"

A valid question, but a little pressing for a student! He's curious, I'll give him that.

"Through an interview process, like any other job."

His eyes narrowed, then they eased. "Oh, um, okay!"

May went back to her computer, only to hear murmurings from the hospital bed. Musings from Midoriya, like he was talking through the process of what occurred and May's involvement with the school. She ignored it, even if she stole a couple of side-eyed glances.

After finishing the swathing process, May texted All Might, who burst into the room almost immediately as the text had delivered. She allowed them to talk, but for the most part, Midoriya was exhausted. He slept a lot more than May anticipated, and she had to wake him up at the end of the day.

The green-haired boy thanked her again, promising that he wouldn't hurt himself again. May gave him a new letter to give to his Mom. She worried she may be receiving a phone call later from his household.

May was worried about a lot of things.

As she started packing herself up for the day, she stared at the now-empty hospital bed. How many more would lay there? What condition would they be in? She bit her lip, rubbing her forehead.

Without much thought, she dialed a familiar number.

"Eiko!" May exclaimed and then lowered her voice, pressing her cheek closer to the phone. "This school is going to make me lose my mind."