Discord: .gg/eHuxNeZfyS
pat.reon: Keanu_Eugene
You.tube: @KeanuEugene
CHAPTER START---
---March 29th, 4 Months Since AFO's Last Appearance…
Leaning forward at her vanity table, Uraraka carefully applies her lipstick before giving herself a once-over in the mirror.
"Alright, how do I look?" she stands and turns around to see Midoriya in his formal suit, sitting on her bed in the 3A Dorms.
"You look beautiful," he says without looking up from his phone.
"You aren't even looking at me."
"And yet I know you look beautiful."She pouts cutely and walks over to him, pushing his phone away and straddling his lap. Pulling up her graduation gown and resting her cap beside him on the bed as she does so.
Midoriya rests his phone beside them and holds onto her waist.
Even now, he was slightly taller than her, his full height being just a hair above 6ft -180cm-, with a muscular build one step behind All Might.
"You look beautiful," he says while gazing into her eyes, causing her to blush. "But if you don't get off my lap, we'll have to get dressed all over again…"
Her face goes tomato red as she steps away from him. "I'd rather not be late for my graduation ceremony. The others should be ready in a few minutes."
"It'll be great to see them again. I wish I could stay longer than just a few days at a time."
"It's a miracle you can even stay that long," she does some final adjustments in the mirror, wearing her cap again.
Midoriya smiles, nervously, "Yeah, about that."
"What's wrong?"
"I know you have your reasons for staying. But I'd feel a lot better if you left the country."
"We've been over this, a lot."
"I know, but I love you and don't want you getting hurt."
"Didn't we promise not to let our emotions stop each other from doing our jobs, from saving people?"
"Yes, and I'm absolutely breaking that promise because I don't want you getting hurt."
She turns around to glare at him, but her expression softens, seeing the concern on his face. "What aren't you telling me?"
"Will you please take a job with Juzo, or at least just let me get you and your parents out of here? Monoma is on standby. We can be gone right after the ceremony."
"Tell me why you're so worried, and I'll consider it."
She moves to sit beside him on the bed, and he fishes in his pocket for a small metal box.
Her eyes widen.
"It's not what you think," he says, quickly. "We can get married after all this is over. But this is for what we have planned."
He hands her the box, and she opens it to see a small red bullet with a needle point. "What is this?"
"A Quirk Deleter Round, the same thing Overhaul was using Eri to make."
She drops it back into the box as if it burned her, looking at it with pure disgust. "Why do you have that? Where did you even get that?"
"Horizon made five for us, but don't worry, Eri didn't get hurt. She didn't even know when he did it. We have some intel that All For One will wake up in about a month. It came in a few hours ago, so we'll be attacking in a couple of days.
I have this one to use on myself in case he gets close to stealing One For All. Aizawa Sensei has one for the same reason, as does Monoma. The Quirks we definitely can't ever let him get."
"If you do that while fighting him…"
"I know. But him getting one of those Quirks is the absolute worst-case scenario."
"I see, and you don't want me in this raid?"
Midoriya shakes his head. "No. Becuase our relationship is very public, so if All For One gets a hold of you…I don't know if I'll be able to sacrifice you to save the world."
"But you have no problem sacrificing yourself?"
"That's different and you know it. Putting ourselves at risk is what heroes do, but when it's someone you live. That's a different pain."
Uraraka hugs him, carefully not resting her face on him, preserving her makeup. "I won't go to the raid, but I'm not leaving the country so easily. There are still many people here who need help."
"Part of the plan is to have emergency medical units at the perimeter of the battle, to bring the injured back to UA. And if things go terrible, Monoma can open Warp Gates to evacuate UA. Toru and Ojiro agreed to help with that part, so I was hoping—"
"I can definitely help with that. So you won't have to worry. See, you don't have to do it alone like All Might did. You have an entire army of people with you."
"I know, and I love you for it."
Midoriya leans in and kisses her, but a moment later, she comes to her senses and pushes him away.
"My lipstick!" She rushes over to her vanity as he laughs, still enjoying how flustered she gets over little things…
---2 Hours Later, Principal Nezu's Office…
Standing by the enormous glass wall behind Nezu's desk, Law looks down at the graduation stage. Seeing all his former classmates and their families cheering, enjoying this small moment of normalcy in the chaotic new world.
A bitter smile forms on his lips, and thoughts of another life flow through his mind. How differently things could have gone.
Him walking across that stage. Being a real Hero. Having the best of all world. Having his parents when it was all done.
He frowns at that last thought, looking away from the stage and out to the horizon.
UA had changed so much in a short few months. Now the wide open fields and lush forests were gone, making room for the small city that was built hastily but incredibly by their army of robots and Cementoss.
All to house the students, faculty, their relatives, as many Pro Heroes as possible, and a host of other civilians who could provide critical assistance.
Mainly doctors, engineers, and other specialized or skilled labor.
"What did you think?"
Law snaps out of his daydream and turns around to see Nezu enter the room.
"A bit boring for UA."
"Normally, it is more grand, but I figured everyone could use something normal and boring to keep their minds at ease."
He turns back to the view as Nezu climbs into his chair and spins around to join him.
"I'm not surprised you stayed. But I am surprised you stayed this long."
"Hatsume is still packing," Law says. "Once Monoma warps her out of here, I'll leave."
"Or you could stay."
"Not an option anymore, and you know it. I have something far more important waiting for me back home."
"Yes, I was very excited when you told me as much," Nezu giggles, and Law tries not to think of what is running through his mind. "An interesting development."
"That only a handful of people know about."
"I know better than to spread gossip. But I have some news for you, although I expect you'll be informed when you return home."
Law turns to him.
"A source has revealed All For One's main lab, where Dr. Garaki is staying."
"I'm definitely not getting involved in that."
"The source claims Garaki is in Jaku City. Can you at least confirm? Or would that be too much involvement?"
Law sighs, and for a moment, his eyes glow blue. "Yeah, under the hospital."
"Good, then our plans won't have to change too much."
Law turns around and leans against the glass, looking down at Nezu. "You don't have to be here for this. In fact, you shouldn't be. Jaku City isn't that far from UA. The fight could get here too quickly."
"Luckily, UA is where the Pro Heroes have been operating out of since the Hero Public Safety Commission was destroyed…along with most of the government. I'll be safe here."
"I still don't like it."
"Monoma is also ready to open Warp Gates. But that will be quite a process, because verifying everyone on both sides telepathically is necessary.
"Then be first, and start the evacuation before you think you need it."
"You know I can't be the first to leave."
"Why do I even bother?" Law mutters.
"And how is Eri? She was a ward of UA, so I'd like to know."
"She prefers it back home. At least more than having your teachers take shifts babysitting her. Finally, getting some sense of family."
"Good. So she's adjusted well."
"Well enough. But it's been a few months, kids adapt fast."
They speak for a few more minutes before Nezu's phone beeps, and he asks Law to warp him to his workshop.
As Nezu is warped away, Law warps Midoriya into the office as he is making his way back to Uraraka from the bathroom.
"Huh, you're here?" Midoriya asks, relaxing as he notices his location.
"Well, I was supposed to be on the stage. Figured I should at least see it."
"Hatsume says she's excited to come work with the team. I had to keep my distance or she was going to start measuring me for new gear."
Law chuckles as Midoriya stands beside him, both looking out at the campus. "Nezu told me about the raid, Jaku City."
"Yeah, the intel—"
"It's real," Law says. "I can sense it from here. Dr. Garaki scurrying around in his lab, all the Nomu and tubes, corpses, a horror movie come to life. Figured the most I could do is make sure it's not a trap."
"Thank you, I'll tell Juzo. And of course, we'll keep your involvement secret."
"So, how does it feel?"
"Which part?"
"Being the most powerful Pro Hero in the world?" Law says. "Actually, aside from myself and Star, you're the most powerful thing…ever."
"Unless All For One wakes up," Midoriya swallows nervously. "But the raid is to stop that. And even if they wake him early, he'll be half-baked and easier to beat."
"And what if he's not? Are you ready for that?"
"What exactly are you asking me?"
Law narrows his eyes at him. "You know what I'm asking you…"
Midoriya takes the small case out of his pocket and holds it in his palm.
"Going back to being Quirkless is the best-case scenario if you use that. But not the likely one."
"I know. But this is what heroes do, right? Sacrifice ourselves for others."
"That's why I was never good at it."
"You did it before."
"That was circumstantial. Just consider every possibility before you commit to anything. This isn't just a Hero-Villain game anymore, it's a war, and people lose friends quickly in war."
"I see." Midoriya pockets the case and smiles. "I'll do my best to come back alive."
"We both know you don't really mean that. You'd die if it means saving one person, and that's exactly the kind of instinct All For One could prey on."
"Yeah, I'm scared of that too," Midoriya mutters before correcting himself. "Not that I think you're scared…unless…are you?"
"Scared of what?"
"Him taking my Quirk."
Law chuckles. "That would make him stronger than you are now, but he still wouldn't be as strong as Star and Stripe was, and you saw what I did to her."
"But would All For One know that?"
Law shrugs. "Not my problem. I'm not a Pro Hero anymore. Just try not to sacrifice yourself for anyone. He can still take a Quirk from a corpse."
"Fighting my instincts isn't so easy."
"I know, you're just like All Might, the annoying True Hero type…" Law warps away, leaving Midoriya alone in the office to consider his future.
END CHAPTER---