Top pic credit: Caffeinated Doodler

__ POV:

Light as a feather. Free as a bird. That's how it felt when my sleeping dimension began to collide with the present one.

And maybe, 'free' isn't exactly the word to use here, as I could feel absolutely no part of my numb body, other than the weak stream of air that worked overtime just to barely fill my burning lungs.

The air felt cold as it went down my dry throat. But, it was still scent-less and flavorless to my incredibly groggy mind.

Warm pillow waves of sleep paralysis remained stubborn in my nerve endings, as I slowly felt my consciousness fading back in a way that made it feel as if I've been out of touch with the living for years. And at this point, I'm so incredibly confused and foggy with everything, that I very well could have been.

Am I even alive right now? Or, am I dead? Is this the afterlife? I'd think you'd be able to move in the afterlife though, right?-ah, unless, it's hell. Then, yeah, this is probably pretty accurate. Not to mention, unsurprising....

Faint sounds around me reverberated against my rusty eardrums, slowly dusting the cobwebs off my underwater hearing, but not enough to make out anything more than the simple vibration of sound.

Regardless, I felt my buzzed brain focusing on the incoherent sound as if it was a life vest keeping my head afloat, against the sea of unconsciousness that was already starting to drag me back under.

Where am I? What has happened? Am I dead? Alive? Paralyzed? For how long?

And as my mind was forced to think about these strange questions, I felt my consciousness focusing back more, little by little. My ears continued interpreting the faint, background sound-that I now realized was coming from a few feet away, from wherever I was currently placed.

It sounds soft. Incredibly soft. Distant. As if the person speaking isn't actually in this room. I can't make out what they're saying, but their tone sounds rehearsed. Pre-recorded.

A television? Maybe?

The more my body came back to whatever universe I was in now, the more my unused muscles tried to work their assigned purposes. A foreign, uncontrolled swallow from my tongue caused me to cough only slightly, and that action allowed my dry mouth to start opening and closing a bit now.

And when my mouth began to open and close, it caused my nose to scrunch up involuntarily, giving the sleeping muscles of my face a bit of a wake up call, as well.

Another breath in now. On instinct. It came out deeper than my first one.

I felt my, previously unmoving, eyes barely blink once, in what felt like the first time in absolute ages.

Becoming a bit too bold, I tried to lift my crusted eyes open, no more than, half a centimeter, before I felt a searing wave of pain light up my corneas.

Hissing softly, I quickly shut my eyes to stop the hurt, now able to grit down on my teeth, as I forced myself to slow down a bit.

The pain was good and bad. Bad, because it hurt. But, good, because the hurt forced my body to remember that it was....

Alive.

Alive.

I can feel the weight of that word weighing heavy on my numb shoulders, even in these first moments of my return. I know there are many things...many memories...many horrors, and unknowns that I suddenly went to sleep on.

But, I think if I tried to remember them now, I'd simply die from the trauma of it all.

I can already tell I'm different now. I can already tell I'm a bit more fucked up now, than I was before I woke up. Physically? Sure. I'm sure when-if the feeling in my body ever comes back, it will hurt like hell.

But, I am talking emotionally. Emotionally fucked up.

So, instead of trying to reflect on whatever the hell happened to me, and how I ended up in this position....

I simply lay here. Motionless. Powerless. Barely conscious. In silence. Patiently-so patiently...giving my eyes a few closed blinks and movements at a time, to prepare them to open. To prepare them to face the damage that has been done.

I don't know how much time had passed. Could have been several more seconds, minutes, hours, or even days. But, time did eventually pass, and I did eventually find the strength to barely force my eyes open.

It was a strange sensation. I couldn't actually see anything, other than white, making me believe that I must have lost my vision.

But, slowly. Ever so slowly, I blinked my eyes....starting to see blurred shapes and colors gradually focusing in to my vision.

And as I did that, the feeling of my body started to come back. Not all of it-not even most of it. The only difference now, was that I suddenly realized there was a pressure on my hand. A pressure that was warm. Comforting.

Barely able to tilt my stiffened neck half a centimeter, I was able to make out a shape directly next to me. I took my time in focusing my vision a little more to see, though I'll admit that it wasn't at one hundred percent, yet, when I was actually able to recognize the shape of a very familiar figure.

My groggy eyes widened with a new wave of overwhelming emotion as I foggily took in the person-who was sleeping uncomfortably in a chair next to my...bed..?-I'm in an unfamiliar bed. The pressure I felt on my hand was the hand of this welcomed visitor. They were holding my cold one in theirs, warming it up and waiting for me, in clear hopes that I'd come back.

Momentarily refusing to take in anything else about my surroundings, I used every ounce of mental and physical strength to twitch my limp fingers in this person's hold; the incredibly subtle movement from me causing their bloodshot eyes to immediately fly open when they felt it.

I couldn't move any other muscles as this person shot up to sitting, whipping their anxious-yet, hopeful gaze directly on me, before immediately breaking down at the sight of my open eyes.

"A...A...Ari?? A-A-Ari-oh, my god-Ari!!!-" My mom choked out through hyperventilating gasps, immediately throwing herself at my limp figure-quickly halting her abrupt speed at the very last second to ensure she didn't hurt me.

She carefully placed her trembling arms around my lying figure as fragile as a feather, clearly wanting to give me a better hug, but knowing I was still completely broken.

She couldn't speak anymore once she touched me. Her legs gave out as she sobbed and whimpered incoherent breaths of my name, frantically moving her shaky hands from my face, to my hair, to my shoulders, and back to my face, just to make sure this was real.

I've never heard her cry this way before. Her overwhelming emotions were enough to make a grown man cry, and if I wasn't so out of it, I'd definitely be crying with her.

But, it seems that her compassionate touch brought some type of life back into me, as I finally felt another muscle move on its own now. My arm-fatigued, pained, and still mostly numb, weakly came to rest on her back.

My hand-I now realized was bandaged in a very strange looking brace, with a horrifying amount of metal pins sticking out of the bones in a way that would cause me to surely scream if I had all my awareness present. The hand was completely numb of any type of feeling, as I barely rubbed my mom's back. I ignored my inability to feel the nerves doing the action, knowing it was either still healing, or ruined forever.

Neither result will surprise me.

And even so, the more I patted my mom's back and took in her warmth and sobs of trauma, the more I felt myself returning to as normal as I can be for right now.

Many heartbeats of time passed as my mom and I stayed wrapped in each other's arms. She never let me go-not even to look at me. She's besides herself in hysteria, and honestly seems as if she might be the one to pass out from how much emotion she feels upon my waking. It can only make me imagine how long I've been out. What happened after I went out? What does my mom know? What does anyone know?

The first word came from my mouth without a second thought. It wasn't coherent. It made my parched throat sear. And my voice came out so hoarse and raspy, that it was unrecognizable as my own.

"M..Mo...m."

The simple sound of my voice seemed to be the thing to barely ground my mother a bit and bring her out of her hysteria. She jumped in surprise for hearing me speak, forcing herself to pull away from my frame a bit so she could look at my face.

Her eyes immediately contorted into pity as she took in my appearance-that I have yet to see, almost as if being reminded of how frail and powerless I probably looked at the moment.

Avoiding touching my beaten face, she opted to rest her hand into my dirty, tangled hair, caressing the top of it softly as she smiled at me sadly.

"Yes, honey. It's mom. I'm here. You're okay. You're safe." She whispered coaxingly, not even bothering to try and wipe the endless stream of tears that spilled from her eyes.

And her words did coax me. I didn't know much, right now. But, to hear my mom say that I was somewhere safe allowed me to let my guard down a bit.

Trying, and failing, to give her a nod of understanding, I blinked my crusty eyes a bit more to get my sight back, before wordlessly starting to trail my dazed gaze around the premise for the first time.

Upon watching me do so, my mom's eyes widened a bit in some type of remembrance. She quickly got up from her seat next to my bed, making a frantic beeline for the television remote, before immediately turning off the program.

Ignoring the strange behavior from her for now, I began to make out that I was in a hospital, judging from the heavy amount of medical supplies distributed around this sterile looking room.

The more I forced my mind to work, the more I gained back the feelings of my body, realizing that I had IVs stuck in my veins, and medical bandages consuming the entirety of both arms.

And yeah, it was a bit of an unexpected sight to see, but not enough to spook me, or anything like that.

But, then my gaze traveled up to the center of the room, seeing the gigantic, majestic banner of, none other than, the Hero Public Safety Commission hung high on the wall.

Like a tidal wave, the memories of how I came to be here started to flood back to my mind, with the lifeless face of a burning Diane Himura being the first thing to truly bring me back to life.

I gasped as spikes of fear adrenaline immediately coursed through my veins. I kept my eyes on the devil flag of the HPSC on the wall, still hearing the voices of evil in my head telling me how worthless and expired I am.

I could vaguely hear the beeping of my heart rate monitor in the background, starting to pick up rapid speed, much too quickly. My breath and body began to tremble, causing my barely used lungs to already start burning in pathetic overexertion as my mom tried to speak quickly to calm me down.

"Hey, hey, hey-Ari. It's okay now. Diane's gone. Forever. She can't hurt you, anymore. I...I promise." My mom uttered softly, voice cracking and consumed with pure and utter guilt as she pressed her lips together tightly.

My eyes remained wide as I vacantly turned my attention to my mother, desperately trying not to let my post traumatic stress with Diane overpower all my senses to everything else I needed to remember.

And, besides, the thing that caught my attention the most was that my mom already seemed to understand where my sudden, unspoken moment of fear had come from. That can only mean....

"S..So.....I'm assuming.....you know, then? A-About..Diane, and what she did...?" I practically whispered out, suddenly feeling incredibly small under the devastated gaze of my mom as more tears welled up in her eyes.

A million emotions flashed across her, normally beaming, face. She looked pale and sunken. Her eyes were permanently rubbed red from how hard she'd been crying, and her disheveled clothes make it seem as if she hasn't changed, or even left this room, in days.

Her lip quivered as she nodded in affirmation to my point, closing her tired eyes softly.

"I....I do." She rasped out, clearly wanting to say more but not knowing where to start.

But, I knew where to start. I knew exactly where to start, because my underlying anxiety put the poisonous question in my head immediately. The question I always wondered about, had my parents ever figured out the abuse ring of the hero commission that I fell victim to.

"A-Are you....are you mad at me?"

The moment the shaky question left my lips, my mother's eyes slowly opened.

Her gaze directed back up to me in pure disbelief, jaw dropping practically to the floor in a way that had me quickly panicking for whatever was going to come next.

She began forming her lips to speak, but I cut her off before she could.

"I-I'm....I'm sorry, mom. I'm sorry, I didn't tell you...I just....I-It was for your own good-she threatened me-she threatened me about you, from the moment I arrived there. S-She said if I told anyone, s-she'd-she'd-and I-I'm sorry-" I started babbling softly, before my mom frantically began shaking her head in disagreement.

"O-Oh, Ari-No, no, no, my love. You have nothing-and I mean, nothing to apologize for. This was never ever your fault. Don't you ever let someone make you think this was your fault. It wasn't. I-It was mine. I take full responsibility for this, a-and....I'm the one who should be asking for your forgiveness-I just....I didn't know. P-Please, I need you to understand, that....I-I didn't know it was happening. I didn't protect you, the way I'm supposed to. I-I put you right into her hands. I never would have, had I known....." My mom stuttered out with guilt, unable to finish as her face suddenly scrunched up in pure agony for the blame she placed on herself.

My brows furrowed sadly as she gripped my arm tighter, gently caressing my hair with her free hand as she forced herself to continue.

"It won't ever be enough to just say it. I won't ever be able to put into words the immense guilt and responsibility I feel for letting Diane hurt you, Ari. I-I failed my job as a parent. I understand if you're upset with me. But, you and your brother are my greatest gifts. I would do anything-and I mean anything for you. And the truth is..." She started off, suddenly grinding down on her teeth tightly as a wave of unadulterated anger washed over her face.

She kept her gaze on me, studying my beaten features as she spoke her next words.

"I only wish Diane was alive right now, just so I could be the one to kill her, this time."

My eyes widened slightly at the pure and utter hatred that my mom was displaying. The woman couldn't hurt a fly, and to see her so angry. So despairing and completely consumed with grief, self hatred, and agony for something that wasn't even her fault?

Well, that's just the side effects of knowing the woman that was Diane Himura. She brings out your dark side, no matter who you are. And the longer you're with her, or think about her, the deeper you fall into that darkness, until you don't even know who you are, anymore.

And I don't want her to have that power over me, any longer. I don't want her to have that power over my family, either. I won't let her taint any more good in this world.

So, letting out a small sigh, I rid myself of it, giving my mom's trembling hand a gentle squeeze to bring her out of the darkness, before she truly entered it.

She looked at me humbly, through bloodshot, determined eyes filled with grudge and resentment for someone who's no longer here.

I smiled at her tiredly as I spoke, giving her the honest truth.

"It wasn't your fault, mom. It wasn't anyone's fault, but Diane's. You couldn't have known. I never told you, and not to mention, Diane had a quirk. A secret quirk that she never told anyone about. A secret quirk that gives her the ability to coerce whoever she pleases. I was always surprised that you and dad never caught on to what Diane was doing. It was out of character for you both-don't get me wrong, I'm glad you didn't. She could have really hurt you. But, now I realize that anytime you guys had a chance to be suspicious, Diane simply manipulated you into thinking it was nothing." I reassured, hearing the mention of my dad from my own mouth cause me to become curious as my sluggish mind continued waking up the memories I'd gone to sleep on.

My mom nodded at my words halfheartedly-clearly listening to them, but unable to truly absorb them as I could see she was still loathing in guilt and regret.

It will take some time for her to heal and forgive herself. Healing takes a lot of time.

But, she saw my curiosity for my other loved ones, forcing herself to move on from the dark topic for my own sake.

"Your dad's okay. Sammy is, too. They'll be back soon. They're....they're busy with a few things at the moment." She explained, involuntarily paling at the mention of my brother's name as she seemed to already understand everything about Sammy Parker's day out at the civil war.

I gasped softly as I felt more memories flooding back to my consciousness, now remembering the exact moment I'd passed out in my little brother's arms.

"F-Fuck-S-Sammy-he's okay?? Did he tell you guys what happened?" I asked anxiously, causing my mom to chuckle weakly as she remembered my lively little brother.

"Oh, yes, and then some. Your dad and I were absolutely horrified when we received the news of what had happened down here. To hear that both of our kids had been seriously hospitalized, due to their involvement in a secret civil war that the government has been planning for months? Your father can attest to the hysteria I'd been in. He was afraid that I'd need a doctor. We came to the hospital as soon as possible. I'd been preparing myself for the worst, but Sammy popped out of bed, hobbling over to greet me kindly, the moment I burst through his hospital room. He was very lucky. He came out of this entire thing with a simple broken foot, a few cuts and bruises, some mild smoke inhalation, and a minor concussion. He was more than willing to explain everything that happened in great detail, especially all the parts, where he was constantly saved by you and..." My mom stated, quickly trailing off her last words at the name she was about to speak.

And that's when my, previously comatose, mind finally finished putting the puzzle pieces of the past together, as I suddenly felt my barely warm blood run ice cold.

The machine monitoring my heart rate had immediately picked up speed again. I suddenly felt myself on the verge of hyperventilating, as the utter panic of the unknown began to ice my veins.

Golden eyes. A certain type of golden eyes vividly flashed through my vision as I remembered our very last moment together. The last moment where things were left tragically parting and sad, as I was sure I would have died in the mansion, within those next few minutes.

He'd looked more frail than I'd ever seen him, when we finally parted ways. He looked as if he was ready to finally die, and that's the part that absolutely horrifies me the most.

He'd been reaching out to me in heartbroken terror-bloody war and falling fire bricks as his backdrop, with waterfalls of tears flowing from his eyes, as he screamed my name in heartbreaking sorrow.

I can still hear his voice. I can still hear the raw pain and devastation of his scream, ringing in my ears.

I don't know what happened to him after that. I don't know if Tokoyami made it out of the mansion with him. I don't know if he died, before he even made it to the operating table. His back and his feathers were completely charred off, and-

Wait.

Feathers.

Feather.

The last feather....

My trembling mouth fell open slightly as I quickly shot my gaze down to my hands, the place where I last had the feather, before I passed out.

But, all I saw were bloody bandages and needles in my skin. There was no feather there. Not anymore.

I...I must have dropped it.

"N-No. Please....oh, no..." I breathed out sadly, feeling my lip starting to quiver as I uselessly began looking around the blankets on my bed, as if the precious gem would suddenly appear, now that I was aware of its disappearance.

"Ari." My mother said softly, but I purposely tuned her out as I continued to look for my feather. For his feather.

The fear of the unknown is too great for me now. I don't want to know what it is that my mom wants to say about Keigo Takami, because then...it will be real, no matter the outcome.

"I....I know it's here. I-It's gotta be here. It's o-okay. Probably under the blankets. I just need to hold it. My feather. I-I want my feather." I uttered out shakily, already feeling my mind running too wild to try and ignore whatever fate happened to Keigo any longer.

As my heart rate picked up rapid speed and my injured hands were only milliseconds away from tearing the IVs out of my body, in order to get off the bed and start searching for my beloved item....

My mom gently grabbed my frantic hand, turning my shaky palm up, before slowly placing an object in it with the fragility of porcelain.

And right then and there, my searching stopped. My body froze, as I blankly stared down at the last vermillion feather nestled safely in my palm.

It looked beautiful. More beautiful than I remembered it looking in the bloodbath mansion. It was no longer tarnished with dirt. No. Now, it was pure. So deep and vibrant in color. And even though my hands were bandaged, I could tell it was so pillow soft to the touch. The most fragile, delicate feather of Keigo's remembered wings, as it's a bit smaller and weaker than the rest.

And, immediately, my composure started to break as I felt the lump in my dry throat forming, gently stroking the plumes of Keigo's beauty with my shaky fingers.

I know my mom was looking at me, but she remained silent, allowing me to have my moment, and my time to find what I wanted to say.

"Mom." I simply rasped out, keeping my teary gaze locked on the precious feather as I spoke the single word that had a million meanings.

She understood, taking a small breath in to form the words that would make all of it a reality.

"He....he's in a coma, Ari. On a ventilator, barely breathing. It's been two weeks since he arrived here, just like you. B-But...you started showing small signs of life a few days after arriving here. Keigo....he....he hasn't given any indicators as to if-w-when, he'll wake up." My mom explained carefully, biting back her own tears for the situation to try and be strong for me.

My brows furrowed sadly as I gently stroked the limp feather in my hand, trying so hard to search for any signs of life within it, that I was convinced I might be the one to telekinetically move it myself.

Noticing my deep silence, my mom continued a few moments later, trying to help ease my fears.

"Sammy said that once he brought you to the medics, during the war.....he realized you'd still been clutching the feather within your grasp, even though you'd lost consciousness. He held onto it and brought it back for you. Said that you and Keigo were being treated on site, directly next to eachother." She stated, smiling sadly at the little feather in my hand as she concealed a small sniffle.

I closed my eyes softly as I imagined my bird boy, lying lifeless in his hospital bed, at the moment. He's probably all bandaged up, with a tube down his throat and some oxygen machine on his nose. H-He's probably cold. Scared. Trying to fight the death that's continuously trying to pull him down forever.

"I need to see him. Let's go." I stated curtly, only having Keigo on my mind as I attempted to shuffle the blankets off my body.

My mom gasped in a bit of alarm as she saw me about to fuck up all of the carefully placed medical stuff on my body, gently grabbing my shoulders to keep me grounded to the bed.

"S-Soon. Soon. I promise, soon, Ari. You will get to see him, but-you just woke up, from a two week comatose state, not more than ten minutes ago. You need to rest a bit more, before you're able to see him, honey. I'm sorry, but that's the way it is." She urged gently, yet firm, to let me know that she wasn't planning on pushing my well being further than it could go.

"No. No. I have to..." I pouted weakly, doing my best to fight against her incredibly gentle grip, and failing anyways.

I grit down on my teeth in pure anxious frustration to her words. To my sluggish head, it didn't make any sense as to why I shouldn't be allowed to go and unhook myself from the hospital monitors and fluids, walk around-barefoot, on legs I haven't used in two weeks, and wander aimlessly around a gigantic hospital to find a room number I'm currently unaware of....

But, my body spoke for me, easily allowing my mom to lower me back down into bed and tuck me under the blankets safely once again.

"Soon. I promise, as soon as you're able to sit up on your own. I'll let you see him." She sighed tiredly, carefully rearranging my pillows and sheets to ensure I'd have maximum comfortability.

I opened my mouth to speak, unable to get the strength to form any immediate protests, as I simply held onto my feather tightly.

My mom glanced down at me worriedly every so often, speaking again as she continued fixing my pillows.

"I know, it's hard. I wish you could see him now, and go speak to him. But, I want you to know, that he hasn't been alone in there, Ari. Not since the day they operated on him. No way. Even though he hasn't woken up, yet...me, Sammy, and your dad have all taken turns in his room, every day; updating him on your progress. Holding his hand, playing music and speaking with him about what's going on, ensuring that he looks as comfortable as possible while he continues to sleep..." She reassured honestly, sitting back down in her uncomfortable chair a few moments later once I'd relaxed again.

I nodded softly in gratitude for her words, relieved to know that, even if I wasn't able to see him just yet, Keigo wasn't going through this alone. He still had a group of people who loved him, too.

My mom groaned softly in some sort of remembrance, giving her tongue a small click of dissatisfaction.

"Yeah, it wasn't too easy at first. He has security guards outside his room, just like you. It was the typical 'family only' type of visits that were allowed. But, now...you know, with the mess of Keigo's dad and everything, the guards were willing to make an exception, since he doesn't have any biological family who was going to come and see him-"'My mom continued to blabber, unknowingly catching my full attention with her accidental slip.

The moment my head whipped around in her direction, she slowly trailed off in question, visually reflecting back on where I'd caught on.

"Wait, did you say, his dad? Keigo's dad? You....you know about Keigo's dad? How?" I asked curiously, remembering all the times through our relationship that Keigo talked so ashamedly of his father, the Thief Takami-desperately expressing how much he hoped that no one would ever find out such a dark secret from his past.

My mom's face went a bit blank in realization to her words, involuntarily tracking her gaze to the turned off television, before quickly turning back towards me.

Body language tells all.

"Why did you just look at the TV? What is there to see on there?" I asked a bit more firm this time, causing my mom to groan at my suspicious accusations.

"Ari, listen. There's been a lot-and I mean, a lot of things that have happened in the world, within these past two weeks, since the war ended. Nothing is the same, anymore. Everyone is in....a bit of a crazy place at the moment." She sighed, clearly trying to find the best way to tell me whatever it is she needed to say.

"How so?" I immediately followed up, feeling my groggy mind finally starting to return to full consciousness the longer I stayed awake.

My mom grimaced in slight pity at the knowledge she had within her grasp, clearly hesitating to tell me whatever giant bomb she would have to inevitably drop on my clueless self.

It must be pretty important if she's this stressed about telling me.

But, before she could give me the news, the door to my room abruptly swung open to reveal two visitors I've been waiting to see.

My dad and Sammy hadn't noticed my conscious figure just yet, seeming deeply engrossed in a serious conversation as they cluelessly came through the door.

Immediately though, I gasped in surprise at their sudden appearance, the small sound instantly grabbing both of their attention.

Sammy was the quickest to process, eyes widening out of his head at my awake figure, before he immediately began making his way over to me on his crutches.

"Ari!!!!" He yelled much too loudly, before I saw my dad slap a hand over his mouth as he instantly became emotional.

He began limping his way over towards me, causing my mom to immediately get up and help him, as Sammy took a seat at the edge of my bed and threw his arms around me.

His breathing was already ragged in a way that let me know he'd started to cry immediately, body racking in my weak hold as he soaked my cheek with his tears.

"Hey, kiddo. I missed you." I uttered to him softly, feeling a small, genuine smile barely making its way onto my face.

I'm incredibly happy to see my brother alive. I'm happy to see my entire family alive. But, as much as I wish my smile could be at one hundred percent, the image of a certain broken bird remained glued to my mind.

Regardless, I tried my best to take the world as it came back to my head, appreciating each new piece of good information it brought me to distract myself from the eery unknowns.

"I-I'm so glad you're okay, Ari! You were out for so long! Man, I did everything I could to get you awake, but you just would not budge. But, I told mom and dad you'd be fine. I did. I really said it. I knew you'd wake up, cause that's how you are, and-" My little brother began to chatter away a mile a minute, hiccuping over his words every few moments as he continued to, simultaneously, try to cry, breathe, and speak.

I chuckled softly, giving his back a small pat of reassurance to calm him down.

"Yeah, well, I'm only alive, because of you, Sam. You saved my life. You saved Keigo's life, too, quite a few times. You're the real hero. I hope you know that." I uttered quietly, watching him shake his head in humble disbelief for my words, before pulling away from our hug to look at me.

"Eh, no way. I just....I really wanted to save you guys. I've been here to see you everyday. I did the same with Ke-uh....Keigo, too...." He started off, hesitating his words slightly as he clearly wasn't sure how much I knew at the moment.

"A-And I know that K-Keigo will appreciate to hear that you visited him daily, when he...when he wakes up." I quickly replied, forcing a smile on my face as my words already came out a bit shaky.

Keigo's situation has me very emotional. But, I don't want to start bawling my eyes out to my family, upon seeing them for the first time again. It's not the time for that, so I'll wait. Until I'm alone.

Sammy nodded eagerly, eyes clouded over in soft pity for something unknown when I brought up Keigo's name.

It's the same type of look my mother had, just a second ago, before the boys interrupted us.

Does everyone know something I don't know?

Shaking it off momentarily, I gently ruffled up my brother's messy hair, careful not to accidentally graze the bandage on his forehead as I spoke again.

"How are you, Sam? How are you with everything that's happened? Are you feeling okay?" I asked quietly.

I know that it wasn't the time to talk about the horrors that Sammy had seen from his time in the war. I just know the lasting trauma I've picked up from this entire ordeal, and I'm worried that maybe Sammy has gained some of that, as well.

He saw a lot. A lot.

And judging from the small flash of involuntary panic that flew across his face, I know he is suffering some lasting effects as well.

But, he clearly didn't want to overwhelm me, also understanding that this was no place to speak about everything that happened in front of our distressed parents.

"I-I'll get through it, sis. Especially, now that you're here. And, even more so when Kei wakes up. We'll all get through it. Don't worry." He smiled genuinely, giving my shoulder a small pat before my dad came up behind me.

Sammy quickly got up from my bed space, using his crutches to maneuver himself out of the way so my tearful dad could have his time now.

"T-There's my little girl. I was waiting for you, sweetie. I knew you'd come back." My dad smiled through his flowing waterworks, carefully sitting himself at the edge of my bed before hugging me warmly.

My lips turned up into another genuine grin as I weakly placed my arms around my dad, hearing him trying to hold back his own cries, simply for the sake of not overwhelming my well being.

"Hi, dad. I'm really happy you're here." I whispered, hearing him chuckle sadly at my words as he gently patted my hair.

"And I'm really glad you're here, Ari. I don't think I could have survived it, if you weren't here. I think my old heart would just give out on me, you know." He rasped out quietly, causing me to quickly shake my head with a smile.

"Oh, please. You're not that old, yet. You're even still a few years away from hitting fifty. Plus, you've got the heart of a superhero. In more ways than one." I pointed out, hearing him sniffle softly as he tried to pull himself together.

"Ah, honey. After everything I've caused you to endure over the last endless years of your life, I am anything but a superhero. I am so sorry. I...I can't put it into words..." My dad grieved out honestly, the devastated emotions on his face saying everything his words could not.

Just like I did with my mother, I immediately shook my head in denial, about to speak, before Sammy spoke first.

"Hey, dad. I already told you, it wasn't your fault! It was Diane's. She had a quirk the whole time, and didn't tell anybody. You know!" He called out from the open door of the mini fridge in the corner, quickly pulling out a bottle of milk before popping it closed.

I nodded in agreement to Sam's point, giving my dad's arm a small pat of reassurance.

"He's right, dad. It's not your fault. I could never blame you for what happened. You didn't even know." I stated, watching my dad smile weakly in half-hearted agreement as he clearly still felt the same as my mom.

Once again, it will take time to heal. It will take time for him to forgive himself.

My dad sighed softly in guilt, clearly understanding that I wanted to move on from this dark topic as he gave the top of my head a careful kiss.

"I'm glad you're awake, Ari. I'm glad you and your brother are alright." He said with finality to end the topic, loosening the fancy tie around his neck so he'd be able to breathe through his anxiety better.

The action caught my attention as I took in my dad's unusual attire, noticing the way he also had his old Thunder Shock pin attached to his fancy suit.

He hasn't worn that thing in ages. Not since he was an important piece in the hero world.

Watching Sammy crutch his way back over, milk in hand, I also noticed that he was wearing a fancy suit as well, instead of his usual joggers and sneakers combo.

My brows furrowed in pure confusion as I took in the sight, slowly alternating my gaze between my dad and my brother in question.

"What's with those clothes, you two?" I asked in a bit of amusement, watching my mom's shoulders quickly tense in the background.

My dad grimaced a bit at my words, almost as if what I just said hurt him, causing him to hesitate in answer.

Sammy on the other hand was more than willing to let more details out of the bag.

"Oh? Wait, she doesn't know, yet?" He asked my parents softly, but not soft enough to where I wouldn't hear him.

Both my parents froze at Sammy's words, shooting him a small look that basically said "shut up."

My brother quickly pressed his lips together unsurely, to stop himself from saying anything else. Yet, my curiosity had already been heightened to the maximum as I refused to let it go.

"Know what?" I immediately asked, voice coming out a little more anxious this time since I'd already tried to have this conversation with my mom.

My dad was the one to try and deter me this time, sighing softly as he tried to beat around the bush.

"L-Listen, Ari. Maybe, we should wait a bit, until you're more emotionally ready-" He started saying, before my frustrations cut him off.

"No. No more waiting. Whatever it is, I've, apparently, been waiting two weeks to hear it. Prolonging it any further will only hurt me emotionally, not help me. Please. What has you guys so worked up? I can handle it. I need to know." I stated firmly, doing my best to keep my shaky voice grounded so I'd come out as stable as possible.

The room went quiet with dreaded contemplation from my parents, as they both were trying to work up the courage to tell me what had happened.

Sammy did his best to stay quiet for as long as he could, before his anxiety got the better of him.

"Gah, guys. Please just tell her. She's going to find out eventually. Better to rip the bandaid off now." He pleaded, plopping down in one of the chairs in the corner as he waited for the fireworks.

My mom and dad looked at each other silently for a few agonizing moments longer, before they softly nodded to each other in reluctant agreement.

"Alright, fine." My dad started off, motioning for my mom to grab the television remote.

"We'll tell you, Ari. Or-rather, we'll show you, as I'm sure it's still replaying on every broadcasting network in the country. Just....try not to....take it to heart." He finished carefully, running a hand through his hair as he already knew his words would fall deaf on my ears.

Without another word, my mom turned on the television, not even needing to change the channel as the BREAKING NEWS headline was already running rampant across the screen.

Hesitantly, my mom turned up the television as the rest of the room went silent, watching.

My eyes widened out of my head in shock as I saw Touya's face plastered all over the TV screen.

I let out an audible gasp of shock, involuntarily sitting up in my bed too quickly and ignoring the searing pain that shot through my body.

My mom quickly ran over to help me, but my eyes were locked on the sight of Touya. The video of him looked to be some type of pre-recording. He was sitting shirtless in a chair, stitched hands gripping the sides of it tensely as he inhaled a deep breath.

And then he spoke the words to the entire world, that had me immediately feel sick to my stomach and tremble in shock.

"I, Touya Todoroki, was born the eldest son of Endeavor. I've killed over thirty innocent people until now. I would like to let everyone know why I'd end up committing such a hideous act." He started off calmly, keeping his eyes blankly glued to the floor for a moment as he spoke.

My family looked less than shocked, seeming as if they've probably seen this story a thousand times now. Instead, they were all focused on me in worry, watching the way my jaw was dropped open in horror as I leaned forward in my bed with silence.

Touya was calm as he spoke. The calmest I've heard him in a long time. Much calmer than he was when he was trying to murder Keigo and I a few weeks ago.

"Endeavor has a long history of being power hungry. And in his despair and incompetence of being unable to surpass All Might, he forcibly took on a wife, in order to give birth to a child who would posses an even more powerful quirk. I was created for one thing only, and that was to fulfill my father's selfish dreams. However, I was deemed a failure and abandoned. Quickly forgotten and tossed aside for someone better." Touya continued, subtly gripping onto the chair tighter in fury as he spoke the words.

Immediately, I had to swallow the dry heave my empty stomach lurched with as I took in Touya's revelation, feeling my face pale at that dark past revelation that Enji always carried around.

I didn't know he did something that horrible.

"People like to think of their actions as free from guilt. But, they're not. My fire that burned others is, indeed, Endeavor's fire. Don't believe me? See for yourself." The stitched man stated seriously, before holding up a piece of paper in his hands that looked to be some sort of DNA testing to prove his point.

And while the only surprised person in the room at this point was me, I could practically hear the silent stadium crowd gasp on cue to Touya's proof-or, maybe that was just my own gasp.

My bandaged hands dug anxiously into the hospital sheets. I ignored the sound of my heart rate monitor starting to pick up speed, wanting to, simultaneously, turn off the television and also press on, too.

"By the fourth offspring, my father's menacing plan worked! Good for him! He bore a trophy son that contained all the components needed to make his dream come true. Some of you may know this product as Shouto. Oh, but don't think it ends happily ever after there! Even with his new golden child, my father would still get physical with him. I've seen it, up close and personal. So, you see, that number one hero of yours doesn't have any consideration or respect for others. He has a narrow, self-righteous mentality mired in his self-image." Touya continued, voice gradually starting to raise a bit, the further he got along in his story.

And as the broadcast progressed to this certain point, I vaguely heard my mom whispering to my dad in the background, saying that "maybe, now, we should turn it off."

But, my dad simply grabbed her hand in his for comfort, shaking his head softly in disagreement, in order to allow me to see this shit show play out till the end.

"Do you really think that kind of monster should be allowed to assume the role of a hero? Let alone, the position of number one? Heh, but I guess this kind of trait runs rampant in this industry!" Touya stated with anticipation, voice becoming just a tad more excited for whatever was going to happen next in his exposing speech.

I wasnt quite sure what I was expecting from this entire ordeal. But, whatever it was...I definitely was not expecting to see Keigo Takami on the international screen, burned, bloody, and feral as he graphically plunged his feather blade through Twice's back, completely uncensored.

Sammy's eyes closed with a flinched grimace at re-living the moment again. I slapped a hand over my mouth at the sight, feeling myself choke on nothing at the gory, uncut depiction of Keigo murdering Twice.

"I present to you, number two hero, Hawks! Look at him go, murdering a person who's crying, and trying to run away from him in fear. That sounds very heroic, doesn't it? Hawks murdered this man with no hesitation or motive, as I desperately tried to save him." Touya manipulated, causing my already wide eyes to fly open in disbelieving anger now.

Touya didn't try to save Twice, at all!! He went so far to harm Keigo and I, that he even burned Twice and encouraged him to run from Keigo, so he could go and murder all the heroes below.

"What??!?!? T-That's-that's not true, at all!!! That's not how it happened, you fucking liar!!!!" I yelled out in raspy fury, not necessarily talking to anyone as I spoke. More just trying to vent my frustrations.

But, it only got worse from there.

"Oh, but that's not the only thing Hawks has done to dirty his wings. In order to infiltrate us, he did something unspeakable. He killed another person-the number three hero, Best Jeanist, while he was still nobly recovering." Touya lied once more, as Best Jeanist is still very much alive-thanks to Keigo sparing his life.

I groaned softly at Touya's belligerence, grinding down on my teeth in pure frustration as I hoped this was the worst it would get-

"It seems that violence has become such a norm in Hawks' life that he did it without a second thought. It only shows.....that Keigo Takami is just like his father." Touya stated, causing my blood to run cold at the childhood secret that still haunted Keigo to this day.

"No. Don't you dare, Touya. Don't do this to him. Please. Do the right thing. For once, do the right-" I whispered softly, before the recording cut me off.

"Yeah, that's right. The Thief Takami. That is the number two hero's father. A psychotic serial killer. A robber. A villain, who was caught by Endeavor. Hawks told me this, himself! I guess birds of a feather really do flock together! So, there's another one you let patrol your streets. A hypocrite that you let worm his way to the top, by deceiving you and lying about who he really is." Touya manipulated again, causing me to put my face in my hands as I felt my heart break for Keigo-

"Hawks goes even further with his unacceptable actions. He's been taking advantage of his high school intern, for an entire year, whenever he pleased! Corrupting her, taking advantage of her, and manipulating her into giving him anything he wanted, even when it was clearly against the rules and honor codes of your beloved Hero Commission and hero schools." Touya chuckled, before the image of the screen was filled with hidden videos of Keigo and I.

I was mortified.

The first one was secretly taken during a late night at the Hawks agency. I recognized the angle of the camera to be outside the window of my office room.

Judging from the way Keigo and I are smiling and laughing so freely with each other, it was probably taken just after we started dating.

Keigo had a flirty smile on his face, lips moving smoothly as he was clearly saying some sort of pick up line or joke. He used the bottom of his wing to give my backside a gentle, cheeky tap. I laughed, shaking my head without a second thought to such an innocent, private action.

My face went red with slight embarrassment, but also relief, as it wasn't something totally scandalous-

The second video started. It was of me and Keigo in the liberation mansion, the night we got back together.

I whimpered softly in humiliation as I took in the sight of Keigo and I in the dark hallway. He was sitting back against the wall, with me straddling his lap-in my extremely short dress. We were having a heated, almost R-rated make-out session, with hands roaming and tangling all over eachother, while his wings suddenly enclosed around both of us.

"O-Oh, god. Why...." I breathed out softly, feeling tears of embarrassment pricking the corners of my eyes.

I held my breath as I dreadfully waited for the part where Keigo would slip his feather under my dress and basically starting fingering me in the hallway with it, before we had the decency to head back to his room....

But, it seems that once the video was about to get to that part, Touya had enough shitty decency to cut the camera off.

Small victories. But, not enough.

I felt my mom place a reassuring hand on my shoulder as I kept my face buried in my hands, wondering if that would finally be the end of it-

"Oh, but don't feel bad for Japan's Number Eight Sweetheart, Hourglass, too much, folks! As you can see, she gladly reciprocated Hawks' advances. More than once. Not to mention, she's just another one who's been fooling all of you, as well." Touya said, voice becoming a bit lower and more serious as he got ready to expose his next victim.

His speech paused for a moment as he stared at the camera with an unreadable expression on his face. His cerulean orbs looked right past the lens and into my pleading eyes, and he hesitated.

A millisecond later though, he swallowed a bit thickly, giving his eyes a few quick blinks, before continuing on with his ultimate goal, sparing no one. Not even the one he loves.

I felt my entire body jump in pure fear as the camera cut to another video now. A video of me in the PLF mansion, in the hallway with Re-Destro, Keigo, and Dabi. It was after Dabi-Touya, had kissed me.

The sound of my own, fake voice grated harshly against my eardrums as I listened to myself speak...

"Spy on the heroes? Sounds like a piece of cake to me, Re-Destro. I'll tell you everything I find out."

"Hooray for liberation!"

"Dabi, listen up....I did what you asked. I broke into the school for you. Put my ass on the line for you, and gave you information I thought was accurate. I didn't betray you-"

"I'll do anything you ask me to do, Dabi."

I found myself speechless as I blankly stared at the television, watching that stupid, fake smile on my face as if it was the root of all evil.

"Yep, that's right, everyone. Ari Parker....is not the sweet, innocent little hero that you think she is. She's spent her time fooling you. All of you. Ari has betrayed your precious hero society from the start, spending this past year feeding me every bit of information I could have ever wanted. She was my go-to person. My confidant. My partner in crime, this whole time. She broke into UA, stole Eraserhead's laptop, and tipped me and the rest of the league of villains off to avoid multiple attacks, the heroes had been planning the next days." Touya explained, blowing the information out of proportion and failing to explain the context as to why I did these things.

He's forgetting to mention the part where he threatened to murder my loved ones, if I didn't comply.

"She willingly accepted to be my recruit for the Paranormal Liberation Army, where she won the trust and responsibility to complete her one true task-which was to fight against the heroes in the war, and kill as many as possible. And she did." He lied.

"Ari Parker played all of you like a fiddle. She pretended to be the good guy, but that girl has always dirtied her hands from the start. She fed the PLF information on the heroes, you heard her say it, yourselves. She told Re-Destro every hero's weakness, from Miruko, to Endeavor. Because of that, it's thanks to her that we had this gory war. Thanks to her that so many people died." Touya continued, only further trashing my reputation with lies and exaggerations.

The only thing I told Re-Destro was that Endeavor had the stomach flu. That's the part that Touya is omitting.

"And lastly..." He began, before more footage started to play on the screen.

This footage was from the war.

My jaw dropped at the sight of my face, not realizing how absolutely horrifyingly close to death I looked until right now. I was covered in ash, blood, cuts, and bruises. My face was ashen, my eyes dulling with remnants of death, as my charred throat spoke in an unrecognizable voice.

"And, yet, she's still alive. So, it looks like you didn't flame her hard enough to brutally murder the bitch, like she deserves!!" I spat out evilly, grinding down on my teeth as I looked at Dabi in a blood thirsty haze.

Of course, I was referring to Diane, after she'd spent the last ten minutes trying to murder me and my loved ones.

Touya failed to mention that part, however, as the footage continued with his voice, speaking the words I remember him saying-but, not realized until now that he had a reason for phrasing everything the way he did.

"What's that? Oh, you hear that everyone? This hero, over here, is begging me to kill? And brutally? That's interesting! And anyways, Hourglass, the fact that she's still alive is on you. Diane Himura is not important enough to waste all my fire power on. I've got bigger fish to fry now. You want her gone so bad? Well, then, you can dirty those adorable hands of yours, and do it yourself. Cause that's something I'd like to hear about-oh, and I'd get to killing her quickly, if I were you, too. Doesn't look like the old bitch is planning to stay down for very long." He stated tauntingly, causing my exhausted eyes to close as the footage stopped and came back to Touya, sitting in his chair.

"And she took my advice, everyone. Ari Parker is a killer. She's so much of a killer, that she murdered the president of the Hero Public Safety Commission with her bare hands! What an animal! Now, mind you, the Hero Commission, themselves aren't anything to write home about. They preach you their lies of honor and integrity, yet abuse and even kill their child recruits behind closed doors. I would look into those allegations, if I were you. The Hero Commission is evil. But, Ari Parker killed Diane Himura. Frankly, I couldn't be happier about that. I'm surprised she had it in her, but I know all of you will be disappointed in your untainted sweetheart Number Eight Hero. I know you will look at her differently. She's a murderer, who doesn't deserve the success she's been handed. I know you will look at all of them differently." He stated, before his brows furrowed together in genuine determination.

"I cannot forgive them!! They're packaged and sold to you under the name of justice, when they don't even have an ounce of empathy!!! Diane Himura and the Hero Commission have been running an underground ring of child abuse for years, taking children as recruits under the table, working them until they die, and throwing them into literal dumpsters when they aren't good enough! Strapping them to tables and ripping feathers out of childrens' backs! Locking other ones in a room and forcing them to use their maximum fire power, even when the child is screaming bloody murder for a way out! Physically and mentally abusing little girls and boys and stripping them of any humanity they have! It exists! It's real! I lived through it, and it is disgusting to think that these children, who are being raised to be heartless psychopaths, are the hero sweethearts you all admire!" He practically yelled now, cerulean orbs wild with hurt rage, arms smoking with anger as he gave himself the cathartic release that he needed.

"They dare call themselves 'heroes,' but they are deceiving you all. But, that's alright, because I know that after you see this, you will never be able to see your favorite heroes the same way again. You will never be able to trust them and think of them as the idols you so desperately wanted...." He smiled dryly, letting out a small chuckle as he turned his eyes on the camera once more.

"The words that I speak will shake everyone to their core. It will shake the heroes to their core. The entire world to its core. And, sure, I guess I just wanted to gloat a bit about everything I've been hiding. But the fact still remains.....that the damage has now been done." Touya Todoroki finished eerily, before the camera quickly cut to black.

My hospital room was covered with a dreary silence as the TV had abruptly cut out. Everyone was staring blankly at some random part of the room, clearly waiting for my verdict on the situation, but where the hell am I even supposed to start with all of the shit that Touya just revealed?

So, I said the only thing I could think to say....

"H...How many....how many people have seen this?" I asked emotionlessly, mentally praying that my ridiculous hopes for a small crowd would turn out to be true-

"The entire world, sis. It's been on the news for two weeks, straight. Almost every channel. Heroes won the war, barely. But....all anyone can talk about is Endeavor's son's video-and the fight between him and his brother, Shouto, that happened after Touya left the mansion." Sammy explained tiredly, sighing softly at the stories he's heard a million times now, yet my mind was running rampant at only hearing all of this for the first time.

I finally tore my gaze away from the television to look at my brother in shock, remembering the last time I parted ways with Touya in the mansion.

His priority was to be somewhere else, even when he was fighting Keigo and I. I guess his priority was to go and expose his family.

"I..Is Shouto okay?! What happened to Endeavor? Where's....Touya now...?" I rambled on with my millions of questions, already having an assumption on where all of these people may be. And it's not anything to do with the living-

"Shouto's good-well, not mentally good. But, he's trying to recover. Endeavor....he's here, in the HPSC hospital trying to recover, as well. No one's seen him since the fight, though. Touya....no one knows what happened to him. He's been off the grid, since the war ended. The government won't say, whether he died...or if he's missing....or if he's ran off somewhere else. It's kind of a mystery that many conspiracy theorists are trying to figure out. There's already like hundreds of YouTube videos and Reddit threads about it." Sammy pointed out, pursing his lips in thought to the mystery that is Touya Todoroki.

I let out a small sigh of deflation, only able to imagine the massive chaos amongst the citizens that Touya's video caused. He basically brought to light, everything that the hero commission was trying to hide.

And, then some.

I saw my mom shuffle uncomfortably on her feet as she prepared to speak. Judging from the way her eyes were filled with absolute pity at her thoughts, I can only imagine that it's not something good.

"A-And....it's because everyone is so interested in the video....that you're required to recover at the Hero Commission Hospital, Ari-not just you, but Keigo and Endeavor, as well. The world....the world is very angry at all the heroes right now, but they've placed a lot of the blame for this entire situation on you and Keigo. And it's not just the citizens. Heroes are speaking against you, as well, to try and save their own reputations. Granted, it's most of the lesser-known heroes that people aren't as interested in. But, people flock to blame like flies. If it's been said, people tend to believe it." She explained carefully, running an anxious hand through her hair as she spoke.

I swallowed thickly at her words, feeling my tired gaze trail down to my bandaged hands now in a bit of sadness.

I truly didn't mean any harm. I did my best and was more than willing to give my life, in order to save everyone else. Touya purposely blew this video out of proportion and did not explain the context to the thing that happened.

And, Keigo. He never-and I mean, never speaks about his father. The only reason he even told me about it, was because he woke up in the middle of the night one time screaming his dad's name, and telling him to 'please stop.'

He knew, the moment that I held him and calmed him down, that I'd be too curious and concerned about whatever happened, so he told me. He said, I'm one of the only people he's ever told, that he only tells people he can trust.

This means, he must have told Touya, too. It also means that Touya has betrayed that trust.

But, regardless, it's been said. The hero commission tried to hide it, they tried to hide everything, and now it's been spilled to the entire world.

So, the only question is...

"What happens now?"

My question caused my dad to clear his throat and Sammy to furrow his brows in anxiety as he straightened his crooked tie.

"Well, it's been a crazy two weeks, Ari. Not only have you been in a coma, but there have been riots and protests from the people, concerning what happened. A third of Japan is demanding that you, Keigo, and Endeavor go to prison forever. Another third are demanding that you and Keigo be given the death penalty for being terrorists. That was what people demanded, until Best Jeanist revealed himself to be alive, unlike what Touya's video said. That's taken some credibility away from his claims. And the third thing, is people want to hear you speak your version of the truth, so they can decide for themselves. The ones who actually want to find out the real truth are the only type of citizens who can help build your reputation back up, depending on what you say to them. They still have faith in you, Ari." My dad explained, unable to even smile at the small sliver of possible hope, as he continued a few moments later.

"The government is still unsure of how to proceed. After all, the Hero Commission is also facing some serious backlash, so they've been quiet to the public. However, they haven't been quiet to the Japanese Supreme Courts. They're trying to do everything they can to please the citizens and gain their own reputation back, by throwing you and Keigo under the bus. They're trying to get you locked up in prison. So, Sammy and I have been spending these past two weeks fighting the opposing side for you and Keigo. Sammy is giving his account on everything that happened in the war. How Diane manipulated him multiple times, throughout the course of her life, and how you and Keigo sacrificed everything to save the group you were with." My dad said, giving me a small smile of reassurance, before Sammy cut in.

"Yeah! That's why we have these fancy suits on, Ari. We've been fighting in court for you all day! Not to mention, it's not just dad and I on your side. Fat Gum made his appearance. He replayed the audio he exchanged with you from the war, where you sacrificed yourself to save everyone. Tokoyami-kun was there, too, and even Kamui Woods, Eraserhead, Best Jeanist, and some others. The Hero Commission has created a solid argument, using their manipulation, but we've created one based on your true actions and vigor. It's all pretty cool to see everyone trying to come together to help you guys." My brother smiled, giving up on trying to straighten his crooked tie as he began removing it instead.

I couldn't help but genuinely match Sam's smile a bit as he explained how my true comrades were working together to try and help Keigo and I out of a tough situation. It's not easy to do, especially since the two main perpetrators in the case have been in a coma, the entire time, unable to answer questions and explain the truth.

But, I'm awake now. I'm awake, I'm caught up, and I'm ready to explain to the world, everything that happened. How it really happened, and save my reputation a bit. Keigo's, too.

"Well, when can I give my own testimony?" I asked, already getting a little more motivation to continue living as I tried to run through all the things I'd say in my head.

"Unfortunately, it's still a very close fight, between us and the Hero Commission, sweetie. The courts are still trying to get through both arguments presented, and hopefully after that, they'll be able to take your testimony, so you can clear your name. At this point, it's just a waiting game." My dad said, giving the top of my head a small pat, before he used his cane to try and get up from my bed.

I nodded softly in thought to his words, absentmindedly watching as my mom came over to help my father stand up.

"A waiting game, huh...?" I uttered quietly, slowly looking down to my hands to see my beautiful, vermillion red feather nestled safely atop them.

A weak smile curled onto my face as I gently stroked the limp plumes, focusing all of my attention on the little object to find any signs of life. Any signs of Keigo's life.

But the feather remained stagnant. Lifeless and empty in my hands, to show that Keigo was still very far away.

Even so, I didn't give up hope, carefully taking the feather between my bandages fingers, before lifting it to my chapped lips.

I closed my eyes, kissing the feather softly, before speaking into it for hopes that maybe, just maybe, he could hear me.

"I guess it's all just one, big waiting game, isn't it? But, that's alright, Kei. I'm patient. I'll wait. I'll wait as long as I need to, so long as you come back to me."

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Next Chapter Title: Up To You.