"Dad, I've got my hero provisional licence!"

Mameko ran into her father's cell in the prison and hugged him tightly. Jin Mameko the Crimson Bombarder laughed and embraced her:

"My genius! Congratulations, Momo!"

"Momo, you've got your provisional licence? Way to go!"

The warden grinned. He personally supervised Jin Mameko when the latter would meet up with his daughter. However, everyone knew that the warden wasn't exactly a remarkable hero. His alias was Jester. He was a former villain who had turned onto the heroic path. He was Crimson Bombarder's old friend and owed him life, so he was milder with him and permitted him to meet up and converse with his daughter at certain hours.

"Hehe, yeah, Jester! Here, look!" Mameko showed him the licence. "I can work in a hero's office now!"

"Has anyone hired you yet?"

"No, not yet, but..."

"Then, how about helping me out in prison?" Jester winked. "I'd be happy to welcome you to my agency!"

"Huh? For real?" Mameko widened her eyes. If she began to work in Tobirishi State Prison, she'd remain at her father's side at all times when not in school!

"David, for serious?" Jin Mameko was no less surprised. "Is it possible?"

"Of course! You start today, Momo!"

"Haha, awesome!" Mameko jumped with joy. "Then, can I remain with my dad for longer, since I'm already working here?"

"Sure!"

"Hurray!"

Thus, Mameko took a seat beside her dad in the cell and began to tell him all sorts of stories from her school. When they exchanged the news, Jin asked:

"So, how are you feeling?"

"Huh? Oh, you mean, that?" Mameko guessed. She heaved a sigh and glanced out the barred window of the cell, which was looking to the east. "I'm coping... but I do miss him."

"You love him."

"I do." Mameko sighed. "Papa, he saved me... twice. He liberated me. Just like you did mom!"

"Yeah, I understand." Jin caressed her head. "Well, when you graduate, you can go back."

"Really?" Momo widened her eyes.

"Yes. When you are of age, you will make decisions on your own." Jin smiled. "You can decide what you want. I like that boy, and I approve. He's a good man, to have told you that you were still underage to run after his footsteps. He has a good heart."

"Hehe, true!" Mameko grinned. "He adores your code of conduct. He's kind of a redhead too, just like you! But he's a hero's son - my total opposite."

"It doesn't matter. The main thing is that you guys have come to cherish your bond." Jin hugged her. "I still fear my daughter's getting infatuated by villains, whom I don't really trust, but... I kind of feel that boy is different. I do trust in your judgment, Momo, darling!"

"Thank you, dad!"

Momo embraced her father. From now on, she'd be by his side forever, as a hero working in the prison. There, she'd gather chivalrous villains as friends and begin executing the plans she had come up with and devised back in Japan, after interacting with Dabi many times: to start a revolution and liberate Georgia from the villainous governors.

***

"Oh, you're strong, aren't you? Sōen, the wielder of blue flames!"

Dabi watched his opponent, ice wielder Geten, blatantly call him "Sōen", which sounded nostalgic, to the point that it stirred up his memories of many months ago when that sweet little child still ran by his side. Her giggle sounded vividly in his mind.

"Why didn't you use your fire right away? Are you waiting for something, or perhaps something's wrong with your quirk?"

Geten proceeded to attack while laughing at his idleness. Dabi came back to his senses and built up his blue flames, which had begun to eat upon his skin. He utilized them at full power to counter Geten's attacks and burn him alive.

This bastard's calling me "Sōen" makes me want to burn him down all the more, along with his puny ice!

"If you haven't realised by now, man, I'm going to teach you a special lesson: ice melts!"

He blew fire out of his hands at the guy. To his surprise, Geten dodged his attacks and built ice walls around, returning the hits double as hard.

"It seems like you're the one who needs education! I have been honing my quirk for years. Instead of attending those puny schools, I've undergone harsh training, far longer than those sloppy heroes ever have. The supreme leader has given me power. Don't ever think your stupid flames can melt my ice!"

Damn, this bastard...

"What a wonderful life you've led!" Dabi sneered. "Pitiful, to say the least!"

He increased the power of his flames. His skin began to peel and bleed. Yet, he was able to melt Geten's ice for some time. The frontlines of his teammates didn't look good, which only made him more annoyed. While he argued with his friends about the strategies, the ice attacked him again.

Not yet dead?

He glanced forward, to see Geten rebuild the ice around him. He snarled:

"Is this city famous for exporting ice? How the hell you've got such huge reserves of it?"

"I think I've already told you, I can manipulate all ice, including its temperature. If I send some ice into the sewers, then lower its temperature, all the water freezes and becomes mine to control," Geten explained.

"That's a surprise!" Dabi melted ice that had gotten to his hands. "You're pissing me off all the more now."

"The ultimate goal of the liberation army is to establish a society where one's social status is determined by the strength of one's quirk. If you don't have a strong quirk, then why bother living at all?"

"So pitiful!" Dabi's blood began to boil with incense. "Just die!"

"You're the one who'll be dying here, Sōen," Geten replied. "Your body's been reeking of burnt flesh for a long time now. It seems your quirk overpowers your body, huh?"

This bastard, calling me Sōen... If I had that sweet little brat by my side now, I'd have made him eat those words!

Dabi snarled and burst into flames notwithstanding the pain, to melt Geten's ice and burn him down altogether. He was enraged by all his rambling and calling him "Sōen", which reminded him more and more of the absence of his dearest ally.

In the end, it worked out well for the League and they managed to bring down the Liberation Army, or, to be more precise, unite with them. But Dabi remained upset about not having burnt down the "ice bastard".

The League of Villains joined with the Liberation Army and morphed into a grand villain group "Paranormal Liberation Front". Dabi became one of its nine lieutenants, along with the ice wielder Geten. It only brought him more annoyance. Along with all the League members, he had to put up with this bastard now.

At night, he went out on the balcony of the new hotel they resided in. He glanced up at the sky, in the direction of the west.

Midget-chan... How are you doing? I miss you. I hope that, in the course of years, you'll come to realise the harsh truth of this world and return to join me. Then, we'll become unstoppable, and change this world for the better, together. I do need you, by my side.