The dull sounds of cheering died out as the event came to a close. The shuffling and heavy tapping of my steps echoed off the hall walls underground.

     I was fuming. With my hands cuffed and the first place medal still hanging from my mouth, I wandered to the nearest corner and just stared at the wall. An ache swelled in my chest as things began to calm down. My breaths grew rapid as my thoughts fixated on what had just happened.

     I'd never been so embarrassed in my entire life! Literally all of Japan was there to watch me chained to a concrete pole, a muzzle over my mouth, kicking and screaming in a fit of rage! Worst of all, my very own idol, All Might, was right there to witness the embarrassment! I didn't want to claim his first place prize, so why did they force it on me?! How long until people stopped treating me like this!?

     This had to be worse than that sludge villain attack. At least then.. there were only a few dozen citizens to witness how pathetic I was.

     My shoulders trembled, tears leaking out uncontrollably. I stared down my own shadow with the most hatred of all.

     Why did I have to be like this?

     "On behalf of the school, I would like to thoroughly apologize." Came a soft, kind voice. My head twisted around, glaring over my shoulder at the small silhouette of our principle. "If I had known they would tie you up like that, I would have never given them the okay." I quickly wiped the tears off onto my shoulders as the mouse hybrid thing neared. "Do you mind if I get those things off of you?" Nezu pulled out a key. My foot scraped over concrete as I spun around to face the principle. Couldn't bring myself to speak or make any attempt to communicate. My vision was a blur, my heart thumping too mightily to control my steps.

     Nezu took my silence as an okay. He shuffled up to me and grabbed at the clunky bindings around my hands and arms. Silently, the mouse found the key hole and inserted the key he had, freeing me.

Clack!

     The metal clashed with the ground. Nezu did the same with the joint-locks around my elbows. Once freed, I pulled my hands up, rubbing the sore spots on my arms and wrists. "Do you mind coming down here to see me eye-to-eye?"

     "Huh?" After a second of silence, however, I knelt down on one knee in front of the principle. I was still so on edge. Good thing Nezu's presence was so calm and polite, because no doubt if anyone else were here, I would be screaming and shouting like usual.

     Nezu loosely grabbed ahold of the medal's ribbon in both paws and asked with his eyes for me to let go. My jaw loosened, allowing the prize to slip free. Nezu stood on his toes and slung the thing over my head, which made me growl. Nezu ignored it, instead petting my spiky hair. "I wouldn't blame you for dropping out of UA after this." The principle sighed. "No one should be treated that way.. No one but the world's worst villains." I glared at the mouse. I could tell the principle was trying to be sympathetic, but it wasn't helping.

     "I'm not leaving." I uttered.

     "Oh?"

     "Not a chance. I'll still be a hero, and I'll graduate from this school to do it! You're not getting rid of me that easily!" I pushed myself up, standing tall and strong over the principle.

     Nezu smiled warmly. "..I'm glad to hear it."

----------

     I was still shaky on the walk back home. People would recognize me at random, making me wish I could simply disappear. Most didn't even react much. But the fact that they recognized me, remembered me and what I did from TV, was what ticked me off most.

     All I could think about was a warm embrace. A rare moment when I could feel safe and away from the world. ..As much as I hated to admit it, I desperately wanted my parents' love..but, undoubtedly, they had seen my embarrassment too. Meaning there was no weaving around a confrontation with them.

Click. 

     I cracked the front door open and peeked my head inside. There on the couch waited my parents. Instantly, rage swelled. I imagined all the things they would say. Things they would scold me for. All the arguments I would be stuck having for the following three to four hours. My mom's shouting and swatting and my dad's crying. Already I was so sick of it! I just wanted them to shut up and hug me! ...But I knew that wouldn't happen.

     Not with my attitude, at least. Not until I cleaned up my act and made them proud... which I wasn't in the mood to attempt at the moment.

     I decided to make this as quick as possible. Straight and to the point. I tore the medal off of my head and threw it across the room! The object dented the wall. That caused a ruckus. My mother jutted to her feet at once.

     "KATSUKI!!"

     "I DON'T WANT TO HEAR ABOUT IT, OLD HAG! I DIDN'T WANT THAT MEDAL AND I DIDN'T WANT YOU TO HAVE TO WATCH ME GET IT! I'M GOING TO MY ROOM, SO JUST LET ME SLEEP!.. I DON'T WANT DINNER EITHER!"

     "KATSUKI, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE H### HAS GOTTEN INTO YOU! YOU SHOULD HAVE JUST ACCEPTED THE MEDAL LIKE A NORMAL PERSON!"

     "Honey, please.."

     "WELL I DON'T CARE! I DIDN'T EARN IT, SO I DON'T WANT IT!" I tried to avoid confrontation further by stomping past the living room on the way to my bedroom, but my parents followed me.

     "Maybe you could have simply given the medal to whoever you thought deserved it then?.. That way you wouldn't have to--"

     "SHUT UP, OLD MAN!" Sneaking away to my room wasn't working. My parents now had me blocked off, trapped in the hallway. That only made the atmosphere all the worse. The walls felt like they were shrinking in, about to crush me! I really started to panic, not knowing if I even could explain myself. Like usual, I had just lost my temper and went overboard. As was the unbreakable cycle of my personality. And it only tended to get worse whenever I felt trapped or outnumbered.

     Yet here my parents were, cornering me and asking me to explain something I couldn't even comprehend myself. My swirling, raging emotions were something I rarely could get a good grasp on. There were very few times where I actually, without a doubt, knew what I was feeling and why I was feeling that way.

     "TCH!" I spat, obviously overwhelmed. The part of me that wasn't in the mood to fight conflicted with the part that felt like I didn't have a choice, resulting in me shouting while forcibly breaking eye contact with my parents. "WHY DID YOU GUYS HAVE TO WATCH ME AT ALL?! JUST SHUT THE D### TV OFF AND DO SOMETHING ELSE WITH YOUR LIVES! SERIOUSLY!! I DON'T NEED YOUR SUPPORT! I DON'T NEED YOU-- I HATE YOU!!"

     "KATSU-"

     "WHY DID YOU GUYS MAKE ME LIKE THIS?! WHY DID YOU HAVE TO GIVE ME THIS D### QUIRK?! AND WHY THE H### DID YOU MAKE ME WANT TO BE A HERO!?" Even as I was saying these things, I knew this was too far, even for me. But it wasn't like I could take it all back. "F### YOU GUYS! IF YOU WANTED ME TO BE A BETTER PERSON, THEN WHY DIDN'T YOU MAKE ME A BETTER PERSON!? BECAUSE MAYBE THEN YOU'D ACTUALLY LOVE WHAT YOU MADE! I HATE YOU! BOTH OF YOU! HATE, HATE--"

----------

     "--HATE YOU GUYS!" I stomped my foot in the middle of the living room, gripping and tugging at my short white hair. The white kimono I wore was big and elegant. Perfect for a 'royal' like myself. "YOU DON'T LET ME HAVE ANY FRIENDS! I JUST WANT TO GO TO A NORMAL SCHOOL!!"

     "Satoru," My dad spoke coldly. "You know that isn't what is best for you. If you want to learn how to control your powers without putting other people in danger, then solitude is necessary for you in this stage of your life. It is important for you to be responsible with your life for the sake of others."

     I stared up at my dad with the most dumbfounded, "wtf" look. "...I'M TEN!.. You said I couldn't be a grown up until i was twenty!!"

     "This is a different topic... If you're going to be the strongest..then you're going to have to live a little differently than those who are weaker than you. I'm sorry, son. But both the weak and the strong simply cannot live the same lives..."

---------------

     " "Because so much more is expected out of the strong." "

     Gojo tapped the beat of a song he didn't quite remember on his steering wheel, trying to recall what that song was as he drove along.

     Unable to mentor Saiki anymore without his powers, Gojo had to give up teaching him for now. So, the pink haired kid was shipped off to the other mentor, likely the one teaching Mob.

     At least that meant he no longer had anyone to take care of...but himself.

     He was done with trying to live in his family house. Presently, he was returning to the spot where he lost his powers in the first place. Maybe then, he could strike up some kind of deal with All For One and get everything back... Then kill AFO immediately after, since, as long as he knew where he was, that villain would be a piece of cake.

     What wouldn't be, however, was the waiting around for that Ryo guy to show up. He said three months, right?... Hhh...

     ...Guess he'd just have to figure out how the h### to live a normal life in that time...

     The abandoned highway he drove along was certainly that. He'd passed, even pushed aside many warning cones on the way here. But.. this was the only clear road to UA...that he knew of. He had no intention to actually enter the school grounds, but maybe if he hung around the area at least.. he'd be easier to find.

     Gojo swerved around a crater in the road, forced to slow down as he passed what looked like a pretty brutal battle site! Now.. let's just say Gojo was used to getting his white hair painted red from time to time, but he was still relieved to not find any dead bodies laying around...for his sake just as well as theirs.

     "..Heard there were weird hybrid monster things lurking around this city..." The man mumbled to himself, his skin crawling as the realization came that he was now powerless to defend himself should one of them spot him. A heavy weight dropped in his chest. Crap. He really didn't want to be someone else's problem. Worse yet, a useless bloodstain that served no purpose other than to traumatized small children.. Grr... And Megumi had refused to go with him on this "pointless road trip." Maybe he should have begged the teen a little more..

     All the same, though... this genuine sensation of fear he was riding was..rather exciting... Too bad it didn't come with a seatbelt. Gojo slid deeper into his chair...as if his legs weren't crammed down there enough. He cruised along the pothole filled road, passing by long abandoned shops and apartments. Clouds filled the air, painting the already bleak scene under a very gray light.

     "D###... This must be what's left of the path that kid ravaged.." Murmuring again, his shaded eyes scanned over the dusty old place. Movement caught his attention. He slowed down even more as he passed a fight breaking out among what looked like nothing but a bunch of trouble-making young adults. Looked like they had one or two members in particular the rest were ganging up on.

     Gojo looked to his left and his right, finding no one but himself in sight. He sighed heavily, knowing his conscience wouldn't let him sleep well the following nights if he just outright ignored this. "Hhhhohwell.." He spun the steering wheel and sped the car toward the fist-flying group, honking repeatedly as he came close to colliding with them on the sidewalk.

     The majority of the young adults jumped up and ran off, leaving only a few blind fighters on the concrete. Gojo's tires screeched as he halted in front of them. He jumped out of the car and rushed to the fighters. Sticking out his arms, "Hey! Hey!! Quit it!" He grabbed one of the young men pummeling another and dragged him onto his feet. "I don't know what's going on, but there are better ways to solve disputes!. Like duels!" It took all his attention to keep the one guy from squirming free. Certainly didn't expect for the young man he had just saved to tackle his legs. "Wha-hey!!" Another jumped onto Gojo's back, the three working together to take Gojo down. He kicked and hollered, but it seemed all of them were against him.

     All the young guys from before ran back from between the buildings and swarmed his car. Gojo couldn't make out any clear words, but it didn't take much to realize they were stealing his car and everything inside it! "HEY NO YOU CAN'T JUST--" There was no use. He earned a few kicks while on the ground to deter him from following those who scampered away after his rental car was stolen.

     And suddenly all was silent. Just the faint whistling through the mocking breeze.

     ...A little bruised, but overall alright, Gojo pushed himself to stand. "Ack.." He gripped an especially painful bruise at his side. Dang.. He wasn't used to being this mortal.

     Everything happened so quickly, the man couldn't be sure which direction those brats took off in. Not a single one remained. He sighed, groaned, and chuckled dryly.

     Guess he was to be left all alone with the monsters then...

     If this place had anything to do with videogame or horror movie logic, maybe he should hurry to reach somewhere safe before the sun set. It was about mid-day, so he at least had time on his side.

     And so.. the man dragged his feet along down the pavement. In the same direction he was previously headed. He was close enough...so, maybe he could make it the rest of the way on foot. D###. He no longer had a way to pay for the hotel room he'd booked...

     After about thirty minutes of walking, a car came driving along the same road. Black and sporty. Before he could even care to glance at it, the car's wheels slowed until it came to a near-stop beside him, only crawling along to keep up with his pace. The window between him and the driver rolled down. A woman with very frilly blond hair, a black leather jacket, and sunglasses stuck her head through the window. "Let me guess. You tried to stop a fight on the side of the road and they stole your car?"

     "Huh??" Gojo spun the woman's way. "Yeah. How did you-?"

     "-They've been doing this all week. I'm trying to lure them out at the moment, but.." The woman tore off the blond wig and sunglasses, revealing brown hair with a little pink at the tips and a welcoming smile. "I think they're onto me." She chuckled. Gojo stood there warily, raising a brow. "Must be new here.. Heh. I'm a local hero, Queller. Elyse Yamashi if you need a name. Get in and I'll escort you to the police station."

     "Um, thanks, but I'm headed to the-"

     "-Without any of your money or belongings? Do you even have your phone on you??"

     Gojo reached for his pockets..which were empty, sighed, and rubbed his forehead irritably. "No."

     "Well, they have one at the police station. My hero agency's also an option, but I'm willing to take you wherever you're most comfortable.. Come on. You can see my hero license yourself if you're feeling particularly paranoid."

     "Hhh, no, I'm not.." Gojo pouted as he rounded the car. Without uttering another sound, he sat down in the passenger seat and buckled himself in. Pretty fancy car~ "Thanks.... This car yours?"

     "Yep! I call her Zelda~" Elyse patted the dashboard proudly. Gojo's chuckle turned into a strained wheeze. He reeeeally couldn't care less. The woman, taking note that he wasn't in the mood to talk, drove in silence until they came to the first turn, which she stopped at first just to be safe. "Got any injuries I need to know about? Think you'll need to see a doctor?"

     "Hhh, nope... Just a few bruises." He felt the one on his side. "Ack." Okay, that was a pretty sharp pain.

     "..What color is it?"

     "I don't know."

     "Well lift your shirt then!"

     "You haven't even taken me out to dinner yet!"

     Elyse scoffed. "Pff, no thanks. I'm already taken." Gojo chuckled a little as he lifted his shirt a little to check. There was a pretty dark, purplish spot right over his ribcage, but it didn't look too bad. "...Nice abs."

     "Hey!!" Betrayed, the man scowled and blushed a little while dropping his shirt.

     "Hey what?? I'm checking to see your ribs aren't cracked!"

     Gojo pointed at the woman. "I'm going to tell your boyfriend or whatever that you were checking out another man!"

     "I WASN'T!!" Now Elyse was blushing. "Like, genuinely! I thought you were a twig at first!" The woman's eyes turned fully to the road. "Learn to take a compliment, man."

     "Oh, so now I should be proud I'm getting sexually harassed~?" Gojo teased.

     "Pssh! Oh please!" Elyse swerved around another pothole. "You don't get to play that card here."

     "Hey, if women can, so can I!"

     "Fine then. I'm just going to report that you exposed yourself in front of me unwarranted so we can call it even." Elyse smirked.

     "#### #####! See? This is why you women are so scary!" Gojo laughed. Elyse found herself joining in. After making a few similarly biased jokes back and forth, their laughter settled into silence again.

     Elyse stopped at a road blocked off by cement barriers. "F###.." She growled, slapping her steering wheel. "Gunna have to go a different route."

     Gojo was pressing his face against the passenger window, peering at a dark figure further off. Was it just him or did that guy look kind of like Shimazaki? Since he only got less than a few seconds to look at it before an object obscured his vision and the figure vanished, Gojo went with the sane option and guessed he was just seeing things.

     "..Sure you're not just kidnapping me?" He said in a joking way, though a little ounce of genuine worry was made plain from that second long scare.

     "Pff. Maybe. I need a maid. You can clean up after my hoarder of a niece, maid dress and all."

     "Wow, sounds like fun.. can't wait..." His eyes stuck on that same spot where he saw the figure, smile dropped for a moment. Nope. Nobody there. ... Crap! A little closer now, the same figure appeared. In the shadow, Ryo stood casually with one hand tucked into his pocket, the other lifted to form a small heart with his pointer-finger and thumb. The villain's head tilted, eyes closed, mouth curving upward into a calm, mocking smile.

     Ryo knew why he was here. And he was already teasing him about it.

     "Ay... ay, Jackie, you alright?" Elyse snapped her fingers beside him. Gojo jerked away from the window.

     "Jackie??"

     "Yeah! You look kinda like a..." Her words were drowned out as the man turned back out the window. But Ryo was already gone. "...Why are you here anyways?" Serious now, Elyse drove slowly enough so that she could study him a little better as she cruised along.

     "Hu?" Gojo's head spun back around. His shoulders relaxed a little, glad to know she hadn't spotted the villain he had.

     "I mean. Most people desperate enough to drive through this place are usually trying to escape!.. But.. you seem to want in."

     "Heh. Is it really that bad?"

     "Unfortunately, if nothing changes soon... yes. Yes it is.." That wasn't what Gojo wanted to hear. Because with this desolate, destroyed city all around.. their future was looking pretty bleak.

...

     He couldn't risk telling a hero of all people that he was here to strike a "deal" with All For One in order to get his quirk back. That was probably a secret best kept to himself for now. But... he had to make up some kind of story that was believable!

     "I'm...looking for my student."

     "You're a teacher??!" Dang, Elyse almost swerved right off the road!

     "..Yeah..? Why is that so hard to believe?" 🤨

     "Sorry! Sorry! You just don't seem like the type."

     "Tch.. Guess I can't argue with you there." The man grinned, folding his hands behind his head and leaning back into his chair. Indeed.. he never saw himself becoming a teacher back in highschool. He could sense Elyse's occasional glances digging into him, demanding more. "..I, um, teach at a...kinda small, but well funded traditional school. Basically a private school."

     "Ahhh... Fancy~"

     "Yeah, it's kind of like a hero school.. except geared more toward Espers: kids with more spiritual related quirks."

     "Wait, really??" The woman's smile broadened.

     "What?"

     "That sounds like the perfect school for a kid I know!"

     "...Huh?"

     "Forgot what his full name is, but he goes by 'Mob' most of the time. Super sweet, but he can see ghosts and is insanely powerful!"

     "Oh really~?" He kinda wanted to meet this kid now.. Heh, by "insanely powerful" she probably just meant he could flip a water bottle with his mind or something.

     "So can you see ghosts and stuff too??"

     "Heh, yeah actually. Was really good at exorcising them too." He immediately paused, staring for a moment blankly out the window. ..'was'... That was a weird word to use in that context.

     ...For how much longer would be be stuck using the word "was?"...

     "Hmhmhm..." Elyse chuckled deep in her throat, drawing Gojo out of his thoughts.

     "What now??"

     "Oh, nothing. Just think it's a little funny that you can fight off magical ghosts super well, but then lose everything to a bunch of simple street thieves." Flipping her hair, "Just goes to show the importance of hero work in his bleak and confusing world✨" He wanted to laugh at her performance, but, she struck him a lot harder than she thought. "Sorry. You alright?" She caught him staring out his window with a distant look again, arms crossed over his chest.

     "Hhhh.. Technically, yes and no... I lost my quirk, alright? So...I don't have many options right now. ...Heck, I don't know how to live as a normal person!" His arms loosened, falling onto his lap. Elyse hummed thoughtfully at his side. Her whole face brightened up like a lightbulb as an idea struck her.

     "Well then you've stumbled upon the right hero, sir~ Because this woman's got a man who knows everything about living a normal life~"

...

     "You say that like it's a cool thing."

----------

     Katsuki was used to sleeping most of the time by now. In fact, he did so purposefully half the time. To avoid talking to people. To avoid eating and drinking. To avoid basic hygiene. Maybe if he slept enough, he'd wake up one morning to find all his problems had run away! His new arms would be here, and he would no longer have to rely on anyone else for his basic needs.

     Unfortunately, when the teen woke up at twelve o-clock sharp in the afternoon, he was not greeted with instant freedom and the chance to live a normal life. Worse yet, his parents and that pink haired kid from before were all hovering over his bed staring at him!

     "Ayyyy, he's awake!" Yuji clapped.

     Bakugo was quick to sit up and snarl. "What the h### are YOU still doing here?!"

     "Did I forget to tell you? I'm your caretaker!" The slightly younger one chimed, ticking off the ash blond even more.

     "WHAT!? I DIDN'T ASK FOR A STUPID CARETAKER!.. And what are you old geezers here for??" Referring to his parents smiling kindly down at him.

     His mother's smile was much softer. Almost not even considered such. "Your dad's going to be helping you take a shower today."

     "WHAT!?!" ರ⁠_⁠ರ'

     "Heyy, kiddo! How about we just get you out of bed and into the shower before you have too much time to think about it?" The Bakugo parents together freed their son from his cocoon of blankets. He hissed and kicked at their faces.

     "DON'T YOU DARE! UNHAND ME!!"

     "Need my help with anything, Mr. and Mrs. Bakugo?" Itadori offered from the sidelines.

     "I think we've got it from here." Mitsuki smiled at the boy. Together, the parents wrestled their child out of bed and onto his feet. By then, the blond had to accept that he would need cleaning at some point. And, well, he would prefer his dad help him than some random stranger. Or worse. His new "caretaker." So, he, pretending like this was his plan all along, stormed ahead of his dad to the bathroom. ..He really was in need of a shower. Hadn't taken a proper one in more than a week. While the male Bakugos vanished from sight, Mitsuki pulled out a picture book with the title "Katsuki Memories" on the cover. "Want to look at some old pictures of Katsuki with me~?" The woman cooed while sitting down on the sofa.

     "Would I?!" Yuji's smile was big and bright. He hopped onto the couch beside the mom and she opened up the scrap book, starting at the very beginning with his baby pictures.

     Together, Yuji and Mitsuki ooed and awed at all the cute pictures. Some even came with little written stories to help explain what was going on in the images. There were so many cute ones! Baby Katsuki was such a snuggler! He was sometimes even seen tightly hugging a younger baby with fluffy green hair. Most adorable of all were the ones of him fast asleep on his dad's chest.

     Even going into his toddler years, Katsuki was clearly spunky and energetic, but never the rabid beast he portrayed himself as today! ..And that really made Yuji start to question.

     "Hey, Mrs. Bakugo, do you know how he could have gone from this to well, now?.." If it was too touchy of a subject, he was happy to back off! He was just wondering... Bakugo's parents seemed pretty nice. And though Yuji didn't have much experience with parents, he could assume that good nature is often passed down..right?

     Mitsuki smiled sadly as she flipped through the following pages slowly, taking in each and every adorable image. "..If I knew for sure, I would have cracked the world's most confusing code.. At the end of the day, I think it was just one small mistake after another.. I didn't have much to go off of when it came to raising a kid.." chuckling softly. "I just went with my gut half of the time... But, if I had to point out a specific moment."

     Mitsuki stopped at the page of Katsuki's eleventh birthday, which was firework themed of course. "One of Katsuki's childhood friends went missing not long after his eleventh birthday." The woman tapped the blurred image of a boy bouncing around in the background, whose back sprouted red, bat-like wings. "We all assumed Katsuki wasn't affected like the rest of us, but..looking back..." What was left of her smile dropped. "Just because he never cried, didn't mean he wasn't hurt.."

     She sighed, flipping with a little more hesitancy through the following pages. The pictures were far more sparse, having more to do with Katsuki showing off his quirk to the camera than his actual personality and or hobbies. This was also where that far more familiar expression of rage started to make an appearance. "He stopped trying to make friends after that, and he started to push away the ones he already did have. Izuku, his oldest friend of all, was already outside of his circle by this point... This was also where he started showing an attitude to his dad and I."

     She flipped to the next page, where now the pictures of Katsuki were either of him angrily glaring at the camera or were taken from afar/while he wasn't looking. "Afraid he would turn into another me, I really tried to up my game as his mom; teach him discipline, make sure he knew how to at least RESPECT people!.. But.. I think all I did was make it worse...because now he hates us too." At last, the woman ended the book on a page of Bakugo's first steps into UA. She sighed again.

     Yuji chuckled a little to lighten the mood. "Hey, sounds to me like you cracked that impossible code!"

     "Hheh.. Guess I did... Too bad it took me all these years to figure it out...when it's already too late to expect him to change. The best I can do is hope he achieves his dreams and obtains some kind of happiness."

     Itadori slapped the woman's shoulder. "Who said it's too late for him to change?!" He smiled. The woman tilted her head a little at him. "You know how it happened!.. So, all you have to do is work backwards from here!"

     The woman chuckled again. Leaning forwards, she stared down at her lap for a moment with a few fresh tears in her eyes. "You have a lot of faith in me..to think that even I can change... Thanks. I'll talk to Masaru about what we can do later. But for now.." She wrapped an arm around the teen's shoulders and pulled him into a side hug. "I'm so glad he has someone as generous as you looking after him. From what I can tell, all the kids here at UA are just so nice. It gives me hope.."

     "Awh.." ^-^

     "Hey!" The bathroom door swung open, revealing Bakugo in nothing but a towel wrapped around him. "What are you doing hugging my mom?!"

     "Katsuki.. get back in here." His dad griped softly.

     Out of respect for the blondie, Itadori broke free from the side hug. "Your mom is so nice!"

     ಠ⁠_⁠ಠ ... "Yeah sure whatever." ... "WAIT ARE YOU SHOWING HIM MY BABY PICTURES!?!" Bakugo was about to pounce, but his dad caught him in time and dragged him back into the bathroom.

     "Not until you're at least dressed, young man!" That was where he put his foot down. Wasn't much, but it was something. After the bathroom door slammed shut again, Yuji and Mrs. Bakugo shot each other similar glances. They both snickered, then laughed together.

     If you push aside all the seriousness for a second, that Bakugo really could be funny sometimes!

----------

     "So you're quirkless now, huh..?" Reigen sat slouched in the lounging chair across from Gojo.

" 'Spirits And Such Consultation Office' "

     Off to the side a little, by a bookshelf, the two men sat across from one another. Gojo sat so casually it was like he was the one who owned this office. "Yeahhhh... Unfortunately."

     It was just Reigen today. The other two were busy functioning as branches of his business. Reigen had so many jobs emphasizing the consultation part of his business now that it had become an entire department of his work.

     And now he sat with an unusual case. With a man his girlfriend recommended him... Oh well. He would just treat this guy like any other client. Elbows resting on his knees, the blond clasped his hands together and opened his mouth. "Not to intrude too much in your personal life, but why are you here in one of the now most dangerous cities in Japan if you are so defenseless all of a sudden?"

     Weaving his fingers together and sliding his hands behind his head, "To be fair, Tokyo isn't so hot right now either.. which is where I'm from."

     "Ah."

     "But I also just felt like helping out however I could... I may not know how 'normal' people do these kinds of things, but I've always been the kind to try to help out." Half of what Gojo was saying was truth and the other half a lie. But, again, if he worded his real reasons, chances were no one would be so willing to help him out.

     Reigen rubbed his chin, noting the many gaps here. 'His reasoning seems a little off... Not much of a red flag, though. He just looks like the type of person to try to make everything he does sound super virtuous. ... Heh. He's probably just here because he wanted a change of scenery.' ... "So! Were you able to get your things back?"

     "Hhh, no. But at least I have some emergency cash now. So don't worry. I'll be able to pay you... I just need to know generally where to start. Like, would it be cheaper to rent an apartment or a hotel room for a few months? Are there any kind of customs quirkless people have that I should know about? What do quirkless people tend to do in their free time?? And how do I get a job?"

     "Wow. You really were sheltered." Reigen sat up. Gojo chuckled a little.

     "Pretty much all the job opportunities I could ask for were offered to me before I even graduated. I just had to pick and choose from those options. My quirk was pretty handy; made it a h### of a lot easier to know what to expect from my future.."

     "I see..." Reigen leaned on his knees again, backs of his interwoven hands propping up his chin. 'Meanwhile for me, it always seemed like I had too little and too many options at the same time. And I always had to fight for those options... This guy has definitely lived a far different life. So..guess he's just a little lost is all.' The blond sat up again, leaning back in his chair while displaying a smile.

     "Well, if that's all that you need, I would be happy to help you! First of all, if you're going to be staying a few months, an apartment is your best bet. The places around here are extremely cheap right now. That being said, you might also need some form of protection. Though it's illegal, I've seen a lot more civilians like yourself carrying around guns and other weaponry for the purpose of self defense. It's so common, in fact, that heroes have had to stop arresting people for that crime alone. I'll leave that choice to you. What you really want to do is map out safe and unsafe routes. Simply asking neighbors which roads are safe and which ones aren't should help you. ... As far as customs go, I can't really think of any. Oh wait- It's usually considered an insult for a quirkless person to speed past Heteromorphs, so be on the look-out for that I guess... Oh! And no complaining about your drink size. It's just safer not to."

     "Hmmm.." Gojo intently rubbed his chin. "And what about a job?"

     "Most jobs around here are prioritizing hiring people who can defend their business, so I'd have to say you're out of luck there."

     "D###..."

     Reigen though, staring out the window behind him, allowed a little smile to creep up onto his face. He stretched, speaking while yawning. "You know.. Thanks to my impressive business strategy, I have managed to expand 'Spirits And Such' into something much bigger than I ever planned... Maaayybe, if you're any good at doing math, talking to clients, and sorting files, I might be able to hire you on as my secretary~ ..-at least until I can find a permanent one." Reigen side-eyed the other man with a cheeky grin. Gojo nodded along, seeing what the blond was doing here.

     But gosh did this new job already sound boring!

---------------

     It was one of those rare..boring days. As if the sky had timed it, a gentle rain trickled down onto the graveyard I stood solemnly in.

     It was funny, actually. I was only even there because I had nothing better to do that day. No reasons to avoid this...

     The ceremony had ended already and I was the only one who cared to show up. Ironic.. since I was his killer. But...guess that's what he deserves for killing his parents, starting a cult, and threatening all of humanity.

     Quite the young man I had become... Strong and capable. All without the help of him. Safer to say it was in spite of him. Yet...as the water hit the Infinity barrier that kept me dry, I felt the cold chill of truth in the air whispering otherwise. That, even in his betrayal, the only reason I ever cared to improve was because of him; and the hope that I would again stand by his side.

     But now that I had personally put him in the ground, I knew there wasn't a chance I'd ever get to see that smile again... The gentle warmth I had grown so fond of in my highschool years.

     From under a line of trees came a brunette with medium length hair and a cigar loosely hanging from her mouth. Carrying a black umbrella, she wore the blankets stare. Like me, she stopped before the new grave and just stared at the freshly carven stone.

     After about a minute of the two of us just standing there, Shoko turned away from me again, patting my barrier as she left. "It was fun while it lasted..." She uttered. The woman, who was once my classmate as well, sank back into the treeline with her umbrella in tow. I remained a little while longer.

. . .

     "Well... You won in one way I guess.." I chuckled. My shoulders shook a little, trying to portray joy, but the rest of me wasn't in the mood to follow along. I slid the shades from my eyes, staring down at the object as I fidgeted with it and talked. "I... could never answer that question you asked.. on the day we...parted ways..." I nearly crushed the glasses in my hand, but held myself back last moment. "I don't know which is the case... I don't know what makes me who I am. Whether it's my powers that make me me, or if it's me that makes me powerful! I- ugh!" I aggressively wiped a tear away. I stared up at the sky and shut out all my thoughts. ...This was no crying matter... Strong people-

----------

     -don't cry...

     Agitation tore me apart. My fingers twitched uncontrollably, sparks occasionally lighting in my palms. I gritted my teeth and shoved the pain aside! All Might never cried about things, so why should I?!

     It was a painfully hot day. Luckily, we all stood under a large blanket of shade. Because the sun was bright and merciless today. Cicadas sang all around.

     My eyes couldn't rest on the biggest picture -- a portrait -- for very long, or else my vision would start to blur.

     A small crowd had gathered around a collection of pictures, a sea of candles lit around their frames. In the very center of all this mourning were the pictures of my long time friend. I'd known him pretty much ever since I could walk! He was one of the first kids to ever show interest in talking to me, even before I had my quirk. And he stuck by my side til the very end, too...

...

     I didn't know what happened to him. No one did. Even Dr. Tsubasa, the kid's grandpa and closest living relative, hadn't a clue what could have happened! He just vanished one day on his walk back home from school...

     I should have been there with him. It's what a hero would have done. If only I was there to protect him-!

     ...The past few months were filled with scary rumors about child traffickers and potential countries my friend could have been shipped to for various reasons. I don't really know why the adults talked so openly about this while I was around... Maybe they just expected I wouldn't understand. ...But I wasn't stupid. I may have only been eleven, but I knew more than they thought.

     ...And I knew he wasn't coming back...

     My other two friends were crying beside me. Not loudly, but they were sniffing and wiping furiously at their eyes a lot. I glanced their way in shock.. Teh. They had played heroes with me countless times before, so they should know better than to cry.

     Because heroes don't cry. They never do. And they never should.

     Because crying was the weakest symbol of them all.

     Izuku at my other side couldn't handle it anymore. He broke down crying, loud and clear so all could hear him. I growled at the greenette and shuffled away from him. Not only was this display embarrassing, but it was a mockery of my friend too.

     ...Izuku hardly even knew Koji. So why was HE crying??? Must just be doing it for attention.. or maybe he really was that weak.

     Whatever the case.. Izuku had no right to call himself a hero if he was going to keep crying like this!

     Looking all around me, weakness was all I could see. Every tear. Every sob. Weakness. Weakness. Weakness! ..Everybody here!

     Everybody except for me.

     Because I knew what it took to become a hero. I knew that it takes a strong person to save people from their tears.

     ...And I couldn't risk being blinded by a few tears of my own if I ever wanted to save people from pain such as this.

     Because heroes don't cry.