chapter 22

1 DAY AFTER KAMINO

The blonde, retired pro stood at the receptionist's desk. She tapped on the high counter with her nail, impatiently waiting for someone to acknowledge her presence. Her mouth straightened into a flat line, growing more aggravated by the second. She was ready to leave this god forsaken hospital.

Her niece, Shimamura, stood next to her with her head hanging low. She picked at the calluses on her fingers, staring at them contently. The TV attached to the wall in the waiting area sounded quietly the news reports of the latest Kamino incident.

Although the sound was low, it wasn't hard to hear.

"—The captured UA student, by the name of Katsuki Bakugou, was rescued late last night by pro-heroes; most notably, All Might. With their valiant efforts, they were able to save the student and defeat the malicious villain All-For-One... But All Might... he..."

The announcer became choked up with his words. Shimamura didn't need to hear the broadcast to know what he was talking about. It wasn't the full story regarding Bakugou's rescue, but it was a story that people were willing to accept. All Might's retirement was one which had everyone shaking and on their knees. Whether it be fear or sadness, everyone had some sort of reaction to it.

Some greater than others.

Shimamura glanced up at the waiting room, but something else caught her eye. A blond in bandages across his arms and a bandaid on his cheek walked past the doorway of the waiting room, headed for the exit. There were two men in suits walking on either side of him, as if they were his bodyguards. One man which she recognized as their teacher, Mr. Aizawa.

"Bakugou...?"

The blond looked toward her at the sound of his name. There were deep bags under his eyes and dark circles surrounding his crimson irises. His mouth formed a bit of a snarl as he made eye contact with her. But he halted anyway.

"The hell are you doing here?" Bakugou growled at her from afar.

Shimamura detached from Arima's side to run to Bakugou's. The golden eyed teacher tried to reach out to stop her, but she was too quick for her aunt. Arima grit her teeth as Shimamura ran over to her least favorite Class 1-A student.

But her eyes locked with Aizawa's from a distance. He put his hand on the back of his neck and shrugged at her. She narrowed her eyes at him and frowned. Then someone finally came to attend to her at the receptionist desk. Shimamura was thankful that took her attention away.

"I was sick after over exerting my quirk. I've been here since the summer camp." Shima said to him.

Bakugou crossed his bruised and bandaged arms. She was lying. She wouldn't have been here so long for just overexertion. But he didn't bug her about it. Not right now at least. He just wanted to get out of the hospital... just as much as Shima wanted to as well.

"Are you... alright?" Shimamura asked him.

Bakugou scoffed. "I'm perfectly fine. Better than fine! Why the hell would you even ask that?!"

Shimamura raised an eyebrow at him. He clenched his fists and tipped his chin up to tower over her.

"I just thought I'd ask. I-I'm sure you've been through a lot..."

Bakugou clicked his tongue. He rolled his eyes and raised his palm towards her, tensing his indexes. Aizawa, standing close by, stared at the two but didn't activate his quirk to stop the boy.

"Don't act like you care!" Bakugou yelled at her, drawing his palm to her face.

She expected an explosion to erupt from his hand. She expected the blinding white light to pierce her vision and leave her with a nasty gash. Then she'd be in the hospital for a few more days.

But she didn't flinch... she didn't even blink.

Then again, the explosion never came.

Her fingers enveloped his wrist and pushed his hand down slowly. Behind his hand, her eyes became visible to him. She stared at him intensely, fiercely. For once, it almost seemed like she showed no emotion at all. The bridge of her nose crinkled slightly, her eyebrows furrowed. There was only determination in those blue eyes of hers.

She said to him softly, "Just because I wasn't there, doesn't mean I didn't care."

Bakugou's expression relaxed. He hadn't known her for that long... a month at most... but he'd never seen her like this before. It was almost frightening. For such a normally fragile girl to suddenly stand up to the King... to stand up to someone that only wanted to hurt her.

He almost regretted his words.

Almost.

Aizawa chuckled from behind Bakugou. This caught the boy's attention. His face flared up into a look of anger, and he slapped Shimamura's hand off of his. Shimamura retracted her pale hand and rubbed the back of it where he smacked her.

It felt too familiar to their first meeting, when she used her quirk on him for the first time. He couldn't trust her not to do it again.

"Get the hell away from me," he muttered.

He spun on his heel and stormed away. Shimamura stared with a frown as he walked off. Aizawa followed close behind Bakugou, not saying a word to his other student. Maybe it was better this way.

"Ignore him."

Shimamura turned to see her aunt looming over her. Her aunt's eyes narrowed and a twitch began at the corner of her mouth. Arima set a hand on Shimamura's shoulder, squeezing.

"He must've been terrified..." Shimamura murmured.

Arima sighed. "The school is going to take measures to where this never happens again."

"And if it does...?"

Arima glanced down at Shimamura. The girl's silvery hair only barely masked her tearful eyes. Something of terror shocked her to her core.

"Then we'll be ready."

"That's right!"

Arima and Shimamura both turned to the sound of a male voice. The Class 1-A student froze in place upon seeing the bandaged man walk up to them. His yellow hair framed his meek, skeleton face. There were white wrappings covering almost his whole body. He smiled at the two. But something about his smile didn't seem right.

He looked disgusting and mauled. He looked like Death.

But this is what the world now knows as All Might.

"Toshinori," Arima greeted formally. "You're walking?"

He smiled and rubbed the back of his neck, chuckling a bit. "Hello Arima. I probably shouldn't be but hey, they haven't stopped me yet!"

Arima gave him a soft smile and bowed her head to him. "It was an honor fighting by your side."

"Gosh..." Toshinori almost blushed from flattery. "No need for any of that. Especially when we have such high hopes for the future—isn't that right, Young Shimamura?"

He looked down at the student, only to see her staring at the ground. She refused to look up at him. She refused to even acknowledge him. His gaunt smile faded upon realization.

Arima put her hands back on Shimamura's shoulders, protectively. "I apologize—"

"No, no need." He put his hand up to stop her. "I understand."

Arima took a deep breath and turned Shimamura towards the door. She whispered something to the student and she started walking away. No goodbye. No nothing. It was as if the poor girl was stuck in a trance.

But All Might knew why.

"I should be going, Toshinori. They expect me back at the school for a meeting in a few hours."

"That's no problem, Arima. It was nice seeing you."

"You as well."

Arima turned and walked off, quickly following behind her lost niece.

All Might hugged his pained stomach. His body hurt like hell. He probably looked as bad as it felt... hell, he knew it did.

He couldn't imagine what must be going through Shimamura's mind. The gaunt, deathly, state fit for a zombie. The final villain fight. The pro hero status being taken away in an instant.

All Might's current state reminded Shimamura of her mother... the state her mother must've been in as she died. He could remember how Sensori—Orina Shimamura—died all those years ago. It was sickening to think about.

Shimamura couldn't turn and say goodbye or even look at him because of her fears. Her past. The fear that he might become what Sensori became. Dead and gone. Left to be forgotten.

Crushed under the rubble...

He could've had the same fate.

But All Might was luckier.