(A/N: Attention! This chapter has 7k words. I repeat. 7K! Enjoy the read :3)
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Morning arrived over I-Island in a heavy silence, broken only by the distant sound of sirens, emergency vehicle engines, and helicopters flying over the artificial city. The dawn light revealed the true scale of the damage left behind by the battle.
Entire streets were destroyed.
Buildings had sections torn away.
Crushed cars were scattered across ruined avenues.
Poles, signs, rails, beams, and the remains of security robots covered the ground like scrap metal after a storm.
The I-Tower still stood, but its top was destroyed. The heliport looked as if it had been chewed apart.
In the distance, at the edge of the island, part of the outer structure had been damaged by the impact of Wolfram's metallic colossus before he fell into the ocean.
Rescue teams, professional heroes, Paladin robots, and other island crews worked together to remove debris, search for the injured, and keep civilians away from the destroyed zones.
Fortunately, despite the scale of the destruction, the number of serious casualties was lower than everyone had feared.
Many civilians were injured, frightened, or in shock, but alive.
All thanks to the Paladins' rapid advance.
And to the U.A. students as well.
In an improvised medical area near the I-Tower, part of the class was sitting on stretchers, folding chairs, or simply on the sidewalk.
Kirishima ate an energy bar while watching Dash devour a huge bowl of ramen that had been brought to the medical area. Pony was sitting beside him, holding another bowl prepared for when he finished the first one.
Dash raised his gaze, his eyes shining with emotion.
"This is so peak..."
Pony smiled.
"Eat slowly."
"Define slowly."
Kirishima laughed.
"Dude, you saved like... a hundred people, and almost starved to death."
Dash answered with his mouth full:
"That's because heroism costs calories, and I'm in debt."
Farther away, Midoriya was sitting on a stretcher while a medical team finished examining him.
"Your body is in excellent condition", said a doctor, looking at the scanner. "Just avoid doing any extreme physical activities for the next few hours. Try to focus on relaxing and recovering your strength."
"Ok..."
As soon as the doctor left, his gaze went to Ryo.
Ryo was sitting on another stretcher, with a blanket thrown over his shoulders and several sensors attached to his body. He looked awake, but far too tired to argue with anyone. Anan was beside him, arms crossed, watching his every move as if she were ready to stop any escape attempt.
"I'm only going to get up to drink water", Ryo said.
"No."
"I said water."
"No."
"Anan-sensei..."
"You are not going anywhere, young man. If you want water, someone else can bring it."
Ryo stared at her for a few seconds.
"...You're impossible today."
"Because you made me this way."
Melissa appeared with a bottle of water and handed it to him.
"She's right."
Ryo looked at her.
"You too?"
"Especially me."
Ryo accepted the bottle, defeated.
"...Thanks."
Melissa smiled faintly, but the smile did not last long. Her gaze went to the area where some police officers and investigators were talking with David, Sam, and other I-Tower employees.
Her expression grew heavier.
David was sitting in a chair, his shoulder bandaged and his face lowered. Sam was also receiving medical care, but he was already handcuffed. Two agents stood nearby, waiting for the first aid to end.
Tsukauchi had arrived with a Japanese investigation team and international I-Island authorities. Since the incident involved not only the tower, but all of I-Island, everyone was being called in to give statements.
All Might had already spoken.
Midoriya too.
Melissa had given her statement with trembling hands.
And David confirmed everything.
That he had taken part in the initial staged incident.
That he intended to recover the device.
That he expected everything to be fake.
But that he completely lost control of the situation.
When the agents finally approached to take him away, Melissa went to him.
"Dad..."
David raised his gaze.
His face looked as if it had aged a decade in a single night.
"Melissa."
She stopped in front of him, holding her own hands.
For a few seconds, neither of them spoke.
Then David lowered his head.
"I'm sorry."
Melissa pressed her lips together.
"I thought I was doing it for a good reason. For All Might. For peace. For science." David let out a weak, bitter laugh. "But that doesn't change what I did."
Melissa looked at his bandaged arm.
"I know it doesn't..."
David closed his eyes.
"I disappointed you."
Melissa took a deep breath. Tears appeared, but she tried to remain firm.
"Yes."
David accepted that in silence.
Then Melissa stepped forward and hugged him.
David widened his eyes for an instant before carefully returning the hug.
"But you're still my father", she said softly. "And I'm still going to wait for you to fix this the right way."
David held his daughter tighter.
"I'll try."
"Don't try." Her voice trembled. "Do it."
David stayed silent.
Then he nodded.
"Right... I'll do it."
The agents waited a few seconds before approaching.
"Mr. Shield."
Melissa slowly stepped away.
David stood up with difficulty. The handcuffs were placed around his wrists, and even though the agents were respectful, it still made several people present lower their gazes.
All Might watched from afar.
His hand closed into a fist.
Midoriya also remained silent, not knowing what to say.
Ryo looked at David being taken away, then at Melissa. For a moment, he seemed to want to say something, but he could not find the words.
Melissa noticed anyway.
She wiped her face and forced a small smile.
"It's okay."
Ryo did not really believe that.
But he nodded.
David was taken with Sam to a police aircraft. Sam did not look at anyone. His face was lowered, filled with shame, pain, and regret.
On the way, David turned his head one last time.
Melissa was there.
All Might too.
And the U.A. students.
David closed his eyes before entering the aircraft.
And the aircraft slowly rose, carrying him away.
Later that same morning, patrol boats began searching the area of the ocean where Wolfram had been struck by the Nuclear Impact.
For a while, no one found anything but debris.
Parts of the metallic colossus floated in the water like the remains of a destroyed ship. Some pieces were still releasing steam. Others were slowly sinking.
Then one of the boats spotted something drifting near a huge plate of twisted metal.
"There's someone there!"
The team approached quickly.
Wolfram was floating on his back, trapped among the metallic remains. His body was burned, his suit was destroyed, and the amplifier on his head had completely disappeared. His skin was completely blackened, and he was barely breathing.
One of the officers stared at it, incredulous.
"How is this guy still breathing after that?"
Another replied, preparing the rescue stretcher:
"Guys like this are as persistent as cockroaches."
The officers pulled him into the boat and restrained him immediately, even before beginning medical treatment.
Meanwhile, beneath the sea, something was stealthily moving away from there...
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A few hours later, I-Island's main hospital was full.
Patients with minor injuries, heroes, civilians, and staff moved from one side to the other. Some areas had been turned into triage rooms, and the corridors were filled with doctors, nurses, and assistance robots.
In one of the rooms, Ryo was sitting on the bed with a clean bandage attached to his forehead, although most of his injuries had already closed on their own.
Dash was in the bed beside him.
Or rather, he was sitting with several empty trays piled up on the bed.
Kirishima was in a chair between the two of them, arms crossed and a tired smile on his face.
Dash brought another huge spoonful of rice to his mouth.
"I swear..." he said, chewing. "I am never underestimating snacks again after this."
Ryo looked at the empty trays.
"That is already your fourth plate."
"Fifth."
Kirishima pointed at the pile.
"Actually, sixth. He ate one before the doctor came in."
Dash raised a finger.
"That was soup. It doesn't count as a plate."
Ryo let out a sigh.
"Your body is a bottomless pit."
Kirishima laughed.
Ryo was about to speak when the room door opened.
A doctor entered holding a clipboard. He was a middle-aged man with thin glasses and a serious expression, but as soon as he saw Ryo awake, his posture softened.
"Rito Takeda?"
Ryo turned his face.
"Yes, that's me."
The doctor walked over to him and checked the data on the machines.
"Your vitals are stable. Considering the condition you arrived in, that is... difficult to explain."
"I get that a lot."
The doctor looked at him over his glasses.
"I imagine so."
He stayed silent for a few seconds, then lowered the clipboard.
"I also wanted to thank you."
Ryo blinked.
"Thank me?"
"My wife and daughter were on the west avenue when the pillars started rising." The doctor gripped the clipboard a little tighter. "They were evacuated by one of the Paladins, but they only managed to reach that route because you and your classmates helped."
Ryo stayed quiet.
The doctor lowered his head slightly.
"Thank you."
Dash stopped eating for a second.
Kirishima smiled faintly.
Ryo looked away, awkward.
The doctor checked the machines one more time, cleared his throat, and returned to his professional tone.
"Now, speaking as a doctor, try to rest for the next twenty-four hours."
Ryo looked at him.
"Ah... I don't know if I can promise that."
The doctor sighed.
"I figured."
As soon as he left, a nurse entered.
She was carrying a tray with water bottles, medicine, and some packaged snacks. She stopped near Ryo's bed, arranged the items on the table, and then looked at Dash.
"You're the fast boy, right?"
Dash raised his hand.
"Maybe?"
She smiled.
"My mother was in the group you got out of the avenue before that monster's hand destroyed it."
Dash went quiet.
The nurse tilted her head.
"She said that, in one second, she was looking at the end of her life. In the next, she was safe on another street and only saw burned footprints on the ground."
Dash slowly swallowed his food.
"...Is she okay? She didn't get nauseous, did she?"
"Don't worry, she's fine. A little shaken... but fine."
Her smile widened a little.
"Thank you for saving my mother."
Dash immediately became awkward.
"Ah... it was nothing. I mean, it wasn't nothing, well... I just ran."
Kirishima patted him on the back.
"You ran really well, man."
The nurse placed two more bean cakes on Dash's table.
"Here. My mother made them."
Dash's eyes lit up.
"Oh! Thank you!"
Ryo watched the scene, the corner of his mouth almost forming a smile.
The door opened again a little later.
A couple entered with a small child between them. The man was holding a basket with fruit, sweets, and a few wrapped packages. The woman looked nervous, but she smiled as soon as she saw Ryo.
"Sorry to bother you," she said. "They told us you were awake."
Ryo looked confused.
The man placed the basket on an empty chair.
"We live on the island. I work in the civil engineering sector. My family was trapped near the central street when the fight reached that area."
The child looked at Ryo with wide eyes.
"You're the green star boy, aren't you?"
Ryo froze.
Dash choked on the bean cake.
Kirishima put a hand over his mouth so he would not laugh.
Ryo looked at the child.
"...I guess so."
The child smiled.
"You kicked that giant monster! It was so cool!"
The mother turned red.
"Sorry, he really wanted to say that."
Ryo shook his head.
"It's fine."
The father took a deep breath.
"We just wanted to thank you. All three of you, actually. And the other students too. The whole island is talking about what you did."
Ryo looked at the basket, then at the couple.
"You didn't have to bring anything."
"Yes, we did," the woman replied. "When someone saves your family, a thank you feels like too little."
She turned to Dash.
"And you... thank you for getting so many people out of that avenue. One of my coworkers was there. He said he only saw a yellow blur passing by."
Dash smiled, still holding the bean cake.
"It was my pleasure... He didn't get nauseous, did he?"
The child went over to Kirishima and raised a small red rubber shark toy.
"This is for you."
Kirishima blinked.
"For me?"
"Yes! Because you look as tough as him."
Kirishima received the toy while bringing a hand to his mouth, moved, holding back manly, emotional tears as he accepted the gift like a championship prize.
"T-Thank you..."
After that group, others came.
An elderly man brought a small box of traditional sweets.
Two I-Island Academy students left handwritten cards for Ryo, who accepted them uncertainly under their shy looks.
A group of technicians brought soda, fruit, energy bars, and a huge amount of food for Dash, clearly informed about his problem.
"I have never felt so understood," Dash said, moved in front of the trays.
Kirishima looked at Ryo.
"We're getting famous, man."
Ryo stared at the growing pile of gifts in the corner of the room.
"Yeah. It feels kind of strange."
"Strangely good."
"It still feels strange to me..."
Dash pointed a chopstick at him.
"Welcome to the club of people who don't know how to receive praise after doing a good deed."
Ryo looked at him.
"You know how to receive praise?"
"I fake it better."
The room window trembled slightly, while outside, a huge shadow covered part of the morning light.
Ryo slowly turned his head.
Outside the hospital, crouched down so he could look through the floor's window, was Gojira. The kaiju hero took up practically the entire view, his reptilian face close to the glass, but keeping enough distance not to accidentally break it.
Dash stopped with his chopsticks in the air.
Kirishima widened his eyes in surprise.
"Damn..."
Gojira raised a huge hand in greeting.
"I heard this was the green star boy's room."
Ryo blinked.
"Why is everyone calling me green star?"
Gojira let out a deep laugh that made the glass vibrate.
"Not even I know."
He looked at Ryo for a few seconds.
"You are one tough kid."
Ryo stayed quiet.
Gojira continued:
"I saw what you did to that piece of metal. You've got guts, kid."
Dash raised a finger.
"I've got guts too."
Gojira looked at him.
"You're the sprinter from the avenue, aren't you?"
Dash straightened his posture a little.
"Yes, sir."
"Good work." Gojira pointed at him with a huge claw. "But eat more before running next time."
Dash looked at the food scattered across the bed.
"I'm trying to make up for it now."
Kirishima raised the red shark toy.
"And me?"
Gojira looked at him.
"You look like someone who can take a hit."
Kirishima smiled as if he had received the greatest compliment of his life.
"Thank you, sir!"
Gojira turned his gaze back to Ryo.
"The island will remember what you all did for a long time, I'm sure of that."
Ryo looked away for a moment.
"I see..."
The kaiju hero moved a little away from the window.
"Rest. Heroes who don't rest become problems for doctors."
Ryo looked at Anan, who was near the room door with her arms crossed, probably having listened to the conversation for some time.
She raised an eyebrow, as if saying: See?
Ryo sighed.
"Fine. I get it."
Gojira let out another low laugh.
"Rest well, kid."
Then he moved away from the window, letting the morning light enter the room again.
For a few seconds, nobody spoke.
Kirishima was the first to break the silence.
"I just got praised by a kaiju... That was so manly!"
Ryo looked at the pile of gifts, then at the window, then at his own hands.
Hours before, those hands had trembled with anger, fear, and anguish.
Now they were holding a water bottle that Melissa had left for him.
People had come to thank him.
Not to run away.
Not to accuse him.
Not to call him a monster or a murderer.
But to thank him.
"What a strange feeling..."
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Later, after the exams were over and the entire class had either been discharged or given permission to rest in the dorms, everyone's phone vibrated.
Chat group: Island Survivors (Created by Kaminari)
Iida:
Has everyone been properly examined by the medical staff?
Kaminari:
present and medically handsome
Jiro:
You spent ten minutes crying because the nurse put antiseptic on your arm.
Kaminari:
Hey! Don't expose me, dude!
Sero:
My medical report says: "tired, but annoyingly fine".
Momo:
I'm glad everyone is okay.
Uraraka:
I still can't believe the people from the island came to thank us like that...
Midoriya:
I was surprised too. An old lady gave me an entire box of cookies and said I looked like "a good boy who needs to eat more".
Jiro:
She's not wrong.
Midoriya:
Jiro-san?!
Kirishima:
I got a red shark plushie from a kid. Best present.
Dash:
I got food. Lots of food. The island understands my needs.
Ryo:
I got an apple.
Kaminari:
Just one?
Ryo:
No. A basket. But the apple judged me...
Uraraka:
I don't get it.
Ryo:
You don't need to.
Iida:
I also received thanks from three families we managed to guide to the evacuation route. I was happy, but I explained to them that we were merely fulfilling our duty.
Kaminari:
Iida, you bowed to a six-year-old child.
Iida:
She gave me a drawing. It was a formal situation.
Mina:
YOU GUYS ARE GETTING PRESENTS WITHOUT ME???
Sero:
Mina has arrived.
Mina:
I helped civilians too, okay? An old lady squeezed my cheeks and said I was a very polite little alien. But that was it...
For a few seconds, the group was filled with small messages, pictures of presents, comments about minor injuries, and complaints about the villains.
Then Kaminari appeared with a new message.
Kaminari:
IMPORTANT NEWS
Kaminari:
looks like the people from the island are holding an outdoor festival tonight
Momo:
A festival? After everything that happened?
Melissa:
I-Island usually holds closing events during the I-Expo. I think they decided to turn it into something to thank the heroes and reassure the residents.
Uraraka:
That's really nice of them.
Kaminari:
So... do you guys want to stop by?
Dash:
Yes.
Dash:
Ryo, I'll pick you up.
Ryo:
I don't need to be picked up.
Dash:
You'll forget to go.
Ryo:
That happened once.
Dash:
You forgot to invite me to the island.
Ryo:
...
Ryo:
Pick me up.
Kirishima:
Alright, I'll pick up Bakugo!
Bakugo:
No.
Kirishima:
Come on, man. It'll be fun.
Bakugo:
I'm not going to some stupid festival.
Kaminari:
There'll be food.
Bakugo:
No.
Sero:
There'll be people thanking us.
Bakugo:
Even worse.
Kirishima:
But the class will be there.
Bakugo:
I said no, hard head.
Kirishima:
Aw...
Bakugo:
And who the hell added me to this group?
Bakugo left the group.
Todoroki is typing...
But then he stop.
The silence in the chat lasted a few seconds.
Kaminari:
He lasted longer than I expected.
Sero:
dramatic
Jiro:
He's going to show up anyway.
Mina:
Kirishima.
Kirishima:
Hm?
Mina:
Since Bakugo refused...
Mina:
Can you come pick me up instead?
Kirishima:
Sure! No problem!
Mina:
Yay! I'll get ready, then!
Sero:
Kirishima got promoted.
Kaminari:
From picking up Bakugo to picking up Mina.
Kirishima:
Don't say it like that, man!
Jiro:
You made that weird in record time.
Kaminari:
It's my gift.
Momo:
Then shall we meet at the festival's main entrance?
Iida:
Yes. Everyone must arrive at the agreed time. No delays.
Uraraka:
Iida-kun, we almost died today. Give us five minutes of tolerance.
Iida:
Okay... Five minutes.
Later, the festival entrance was lit by colorful lanterns, holographic signs, and small stalls hastily set up along the main avenue. Even with parts of the island still damaged in the distance, that area had been cleaned and carefully decorated.
There was soft music, the smell of hot food, children running around with hero masks, and island staff handing out drinks and souvenirs to visitors and residents.
The class began gathering near the main gate.
Uraraka wore a simple yukata in light colors, looking excited as she looked at the stalls. Iida was impeccably dressed, as if going to a festival also required the posture of an official meeting. Todoroki wore dark casual clothes and held a cup of cold drink, quiet as always.
Momo and Jiro arrived together, with Mina right behind them, pulling Kirishima by the arm.
"Look at this!" Mina said, smiling. "The mood turned out way better than I expected!"
Kirishima smiled.
"It's good to see everyone trying to have fun after today."
Sero and Kaminari appeared shortly after, already looking at the food stalls as if they were planning an attack strategy.
Then Dash arrived with Ryo.
And everyone stopped.
The two were wearing simple pants bought in a hurry and black shirts.
The problem was the print.
On Ryo's shirt, it said:
I LOVE
On Dash's shirt:
BLONDES
When they stood side by side, the full phrase appeared perfectly:
I LOVE BLONDES
Ryo and Dash had the dead expressions of people who had already given up on explaining.
Sero was the first to break the silence, already with his phone in hand.
"I need to record this."
Flash.
Ryo slowly turned his face toward him.
"Sero."
Sero put his phone away far too quickly.
"It was for the historical record."
"Delete it."
"Sorry, but I am incapable of deleting history."
Kaminari looked over Ryo and Dash's shirts one more time.
Then he opened a dangerous smile.
"So, Dash..."
Dash closed his eyes.
"You're blond."
"I know."
"And your shirt says BLONDES."
"I can read."
Kaminari put a hand on his chin, pretending to analyze it seriously.
"So, technically, if Ryo stands beside you, he's declaring his love for you."
Dash slowly turned his face toward him.
"I'm going to pretend I didn't understand that."
Sero was still holding his phone hidden behind his back, trying not to laugh out loud.
"You can't, man. The evidence is literally printed on it."
Ryo looked at the two of them tiredly.
Before Kaminari could continue, a sweet voice came from behind Dash.
"Dash!"
The blond barely had time to turn around.
Pony appeared beside him and naturally hugged his arm, leaning against him with a cute smile. She was wearing a light dress, simple and delicate, with small floral details that matched her horns and her shy demeanor.
Dash froze completely.
"P-Pony?"
She looked at his shirt.
Then at Ryo's.
Then back at Dash, smiling even more.
"I think you look cute and silly with that shirt."
Dash turned red all the way to his ears.
"C-cute?"
Pony squeezed his arm a little tighter.
"And if you're looking for a blonde..." She tilted her head slightly, her eyes shining in a way far too innocent for the damage she was about to cause. "I can be yours tonight."
Sero and Kaminari froze in place.
The light left Kaminari's eyes.
Sero slowly lowered his phone.
Dash stopped breathing for a few seconds.
"I..." He swallowed dryly. "I think I didn't quite understand... Could you repeat that?"
Pony smiled.
"No."
She pulled his arm.
"Shall we go see the stalls?"
Dash simply nodded, still red.
"Yes. Yes, of course. Stalls. I like stalls."
With that, the two of them went toward the fair stalls.
Kaminari remained motionless.
So did Sero.
Kaminari brought a hand to his chest.
"I was just defeated by a guy wearing half of a cringe T-shirt."
Sero stared into the void.
"It was a clean defeat."
"No chance for appeal."
"No replay."
"Brutal..."
Ryo watched Pony lead Dash into the festival and raised an eyebrow.
"...When did those two get so close?"
He turned to ask Kirishima, but the redhead was already being dragged by Mina toward the stalls.
"Come on, Kirishima! I want to see the candy stall first!"
"Calm down, calm down! I'm coming!"
Momo and Jiro followed soon after, talking about the decorations. Uraraka pulled Midoriya over to see a hero mask stall, while Iida walked behind them, telling everyone not to stray too far from the group. Todoroki had already gone toward a food stall, apparently guided by some silent instinct.
One by one, everyone entered.
Except Ryo.
And the two petrified losers.
Kaminari and Sero were still standing in the same place, like statues struck by a curse called "envy".
Ryo looked at them.
Then at the festival.
The colorful lights spread across the avenue, reflecting on the holographic signs and hanging lanterns. The soft music, the laughter, and the smell of hot food seemed to come from another world compared to the chaos of the morning.
For some reason, seeing everyone heading off in small groups made his chest feel a little strange.
With a feeling of loneliness.
He stood still for a few seconds, not knowing exactly where to go.
Then a hand took his.
And before he could react, he was pulled forward.
"Rito-kun, what are you doing standing there?"
Melissa was beside him.
She was wearing a light blue short-sleeved dress, simple and delicate, with a white ribbon tied around her waist and small star-shaped details near the hem. Her blond hair was partially tied with a small bow, leaving a few loose strands framing her face. Without her glasses, her turquoise-blue eyes seemed even more alive under the lantern light.
Ryo looked at her for a moment a little too long.
She was not wearing anything exaggerated.
But it was enough to make him notice.
She was pretty.
Melissa tilted her head.
"Rito-kun?"
Ryo looked away a little too quickly.
"You look different."
Melissa blinked.
"Different?"
"I mean..." He looked toward the festival, pretending to analyze some random stall. "You're well dressed."
Melissa smiled, amused.
"Was that a compliment?"
"It was just an observation..."
"And was it a positive observation?"
Ryo stayed silent for half a second.
"...Yes."
Her smile widened.
"Then thank you."
She looked at his shirt.
Then at the incomplete phrase.
"I LOVE?"
Ryo closed his eyes.
"Don't start."
Melissa laughed softly.
She pulled his hand again, leading him into the festival.
"Come on. You're not going to stand there while everyone else enjoys themselves."
Ryo followed her pace, briefly looking at the hand holding his.
Letting out a sigh, but not pulling his hand back.
Behind them, Kaminari finally came back to life.
"Wait..."
Sero also slowly turned his face.
"No..."
The two watched Melissa lead Ryo by the hand into the festival.
Kaminari fell to his knees dramatically.
"Even Takeda?!"
Sero put a hand on his shoulder, equally destroyed.
"The night is being cruel to us."
Kaminari looked up at the sky.
Claro, querido.
"I-Island... why do you hate single people?!"
Meanwhile, the festival was more alive than Ryo had expected the moment he and Melissa entered.
Children ran around holding sweets, scientists talked in small groups, and several island residents tried to smile as if that festival were a way of proving they were still standing.
Melissa walked beside Ryo, still holding his hand for a few seconds until she noticed and slowly let go, looking a little embarrassed.
"Sorry", she said, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "I ended up pulling you along without thinking."
Ryo looked at the hand she had let go of, then looked ahead.
"It didn't bother me."
Melissa smiled faintly.
"Then that's fine."
They passed by a sweets stall, then another selling I-Expo souvenirs. At one of them, a man recognized Ryo almost immediately.
"Hey... you're the kid who fought that colossus, right?"
Ryo stopped.
The man approached with a small bag in his hands, accompanied by a woman and two children. The children half-hid behind their mother, but they looked at Ryo with curiosity.
"I don't know if you remember", the man continued, "but my family was near the east avenue. Those pillars were coming straight toward us. One of your classmates cleared a path, but you were the one who got that thing out of the city in the end."
Ryo stayed silent for a moment.
"I only did what had to be done."
"Even so", the woman said, smiling emotionally. "Thank you."
She handed the bag to him.
Ryo looked at the gift, then at Melissa, as if he didn't know what to do. Melissa simply smiled and made a small gesture for him to accept it.
Ryo took the bag.
"Thank you."
The family said goodbye and continued through the festival.
Melissa watched Ryo place the keychain he had also received from the child into the bag. Her smile was gentle, but something in her eyes had become a little distant.
They kept walking.
But soon, they heard another person's footsteps approaching.
This time, it was an elderly woman who worked in one of the damaged pavilions. She was holding a small box of sweets.
"Excuse me, young man..."
Ryo stopped again.
"Yes?"
"I wanted to thank you. My grandson was on the evacuation route near the central plaza. He said he saw you flying against that monster." She pressed the box against her chest for a moment. "I know you must have received a lot of things today, but please accept this. It's simple, but it comes from the heart."
Ryo received the box with both hands.
"Thank you."
"You're a good boy", the elderly woman said, lightly touching his arm before leaving.
Ryo remained still, clearly unsure how to react to that.
Melissa looked at him and let out a quiet giggle.
"You really don't know how to deal with compliments."
"Not at all."
"It shows."
"I'm trying not to look weird...."
"You look... a little weird."
"Ah..."
Melissa laughed again.
Farther ahead, a group of students from I-Island Academy approached. They were nervous, holding packages, cards, and small handmade objects.
"H-Hey!" a girl called out. "We're from the support engineering campus. We wanted to thank you for saving the island!"
Another student held out a box.
"We made this at the last minute. It's a miniature of I-Tower with a green light at the top."
Ryo looked at the miniature.
"...You made a souvenir of the attack?"
The student froze.
"N-no! I mean... it's more like a souvenir of the victory!"
Melissa covered her mouth to hide a laugh.
Ryo accepted the miniature.
"I see. Thank you."
One of the girls looked at Melissa, recognizing her.
"Ah, Melissa-san, you were with him, weren't you?"
Melissa straightened her posture, surprised to be noticed.
"Yes, I—"
"It must have been scary", the girl said quickly before turning her gaze back to Ryo. "Good thing he was by your side to protect you."
Melissa went quiet.
The student kept talking to Ryo about how impressed everyone was with him and asked about his Quirk. The group handed him a few more cards, thanked him again, and left excitedly.
Ryo looked at the cards.
"These people are very persistent."
"They're just grateful", Melissa said.
"I know."
He turned his face toward her.
"You're quiet."
Melissa blinked.
"Am I?"
"You are."
She smiled, but the smile came out too automatic.
"I'm just tired. It was a long day."
Ryo kept looking at her for a few seconds, but he didn't push the matter then.
They passed by other stalls. Ryo received a bracelet from a child, a warm drink from a stall owner, a small charm from an elderly couple, and even a paper flower from a little girl who said he looked scary, but cool.
Almost always, Melissa was beside him.
Almost always, people looked at Ryo.
Thanked Ryo.
Talked to Ryo.
Gave things to Ryo.
Melissa smiled. She helped Ryo carry some of the bags. She explained some of the island's customs to him. She told people he needed to rest whenever the conversation dragged on for too long.
But no one asked much about her.
No one said she had helped too.
No one knew she had helped.
After some time, the noise of the festival seemed to grow too distant.
Melissa stopped near a more secluded area, beside a small observation deck decorated with blue lanterns. From there, they could see part of the still-damaged city and, farther beyond, the sea reflecting the moonlight.
Ryo noticed she had stopped and walked a few steps back.
"Melissa?"
She was looking at the city.
"Sorry. I just wanted to breathe a little."
Ryo looked back at the festival behind them. The voices, the music, and the smell of food were still there, but more distant.
He went to the railing and stood beside her.
For a few seconds, neither of them spoke.
Then Melissa let out a weak, humorless laugh.
"Funny, isn't it?"
Ryo looked at her.
"What is?"
"Everyone thanking you." She hugged her own arms. "Thanking the others. The heroes. Even the Paladins."
"Does that bother you?"
Melissa lowered her gaze.
"I wish I could say it doesn't."
Ryo remained silent.
She took a deep breath, trying to organize her words.
"I know it's selfish. I know I shouldn't think like this. After everything, the most important thing is that people survived. I know that. I really do."
Her voice began to falter.
"But when I see everyone thanking you all... I can only think that, in the end, I was just there beside you. Opening doors. Explaining routes. Being carried. Being saved."
"Melissa..."
"I don't have a Quirk", she continued, pressing her fingers against her arms. "I can't fly, I can't break metal, I can't freeze streets, I can't run at absurd speeds, I can't fight giant villains. I studied my whole life to help heroes, but today, when everything became truly dangerous, I..."
She stopped for a moment.
Her eyes were teary.
"I couldn't save anyone."
Ryo frowned.
Melissa quickly wiped away a tear before it could fall.
"I know that sounds unfair. Especially when so many people really suffered today. But... when my father was arrested, when I saw what he did, when I saw you hurting yourself, Midoriya almost dying, Dash collapsing from exhaustion, the others fighting... I thought that maybe I had been fooling myself."
She looked at her own hands.
"I said I wanted to be a hero by helping heroes. Like my father did. But my father ended up causing all of this. And I kept thinking... if that path can also lead to something like this, then what's left for me?"
Ryo stayed quiet for a few seconds.
Not because he had no answer.
But because he wanted to answer properly.
He looked at his own hands, still holding some of the gift bags people had given him. Then he looked at Melissa.
"You're right."
Melissa blinked, surprised by his firmness.
"...But you're also wrong."
Ryo placed the bags on the ground beside them.
"You weren't just standing beside us."
"Rito-kun..."
"You climbed the tower with us", he said. "Even without a Quirk. Even knowing it was dangerous. Even though you could have hidden somewhere safe."
Melissa opened her mouth, but said nothing.
"You guided everyone. Without you, we wouldn't have known where to go, wouldn't have known how to reach the upper floors, wouldn't have known how to operate several things in that building."
"But that's just technical knowledge."
"Technical knowledge that saved lives today."
She froze.
Ryo continued:
"You gave that device to Midoriya. That helped him destroy one of those cubes that would have crushed part of the city. If he hadn't had that equipment, maybe his arm would have broken. Maybe he wouldn't have managed it. Maybe a lot of people would have died."
Melissa lowered her head.
"And there's more", Ryo said.
She looked at him again.
"You helped me learn how to heal."
Ryo raised one of his hands.
"I didn't know I was capable of doing that. I hadn't even imagined it. To me, my Quirk had always been something that destroyed, burned, irradiated, exploded. For a long time, I thought my hands were only good for hurting people."
His voice became quieter.
"You were the first person who looked at that and said maybe I could save someone another way."
Melissa held her breath.
"You guided me to that", he said. "You trusted me when I didn't trust myself. You cut your own finger just to prove I could do it. That was irresponsible."
Melissa looked away, embarrassed.
"A little..."
"Very", Ryo corrected. "But it worked."
She let out a weak laugh, even with tears in her eyes.
Ryo took one step closer.
"Today, I healed Midoriya because you showed me the way. If I manage to heal other people in the future, it'll be because you helped me take that first step."
Melissa was left speechless.
"So don't tell me you didn't save anyone", Ryo continued. "You did. Just not in a way people can see from far away."
Her gaze trembled.
Ryo looked toward the festival, where the lights were still shining.
"Maybe you're not the heroine people point at in a crowd. Maybe you're not the person they see flying, fighting, or punching a metal monster."
He looked back at her.
"But you're the heroine we saw."
Melissa widened her eyes.
"The one I saw. The one All Might saw. The one the class saw."
His voice grew softer.
"You helped every step of the way."
Melissa brought a hand to her chest.
"Rito-kun..."
Ryo looked away for a moment, as if the next sentence was harder.
"And even if none of those people I mentioned see you as a heroine, it's like I said before..."
He looked at her again.
"You're my heroine."
Melissa went completely still.
For a moment, the noise of the festival seemed to disappear.
The lanterns swayed around them. The night wind passed through the observation deck, carrying a few blond strands of Melissa's hair to the side. Her eyes shone with tears, but the weight on her face had changed. There was still sadness, of course. There was still guilt. There was still pain because of her father.
But now there was something else.
Something warm.
Something that felt like hope.
She tried to speak, but her voice failed.
Ryo frowned slightly.
"You're still crying. Did I say something wrong?"
Melissa laughed quietly, bringing a hand to her face.
"No. You said something really good."
"Ah."
He seemed relieved.
"Good."
Melissa carefully wiped her tears and took a deep breath.
"Thank you."
Ryo nodded.
"You don't need to thank me."
"Yes, I do."
She gave him a small smile.
"Even if you're terrible at receiving thanks."
"I've heard that twice already today."
"Then you'd better get used to it."
Ryo let out a sigh.
The two stayed silent for a few seconds, looking at the city and the festival.
Then, in the distance, a voice announced the start of the fireworks.
The first lights rose into the sky.
A golden trail.
Then blue.
Then green.
Ryo lifted his gaze.
The first explosion lit up the night above I-Island.
Melissa looked up too, but her gaze returned to Ryo shortly after.
He was distracted by the fireworks, the colorful light reflecting in his dark, still-tired eyes. For some reason, in that instant, he seemed less heavy. Less trapped by the pain of the day.
Melissa felt her face grow warm.
The next firework rose.
The sound drowned out the music, the voices, and even her own heartbeat.
She moved a little closer.
Ryo turned his face only at the last second.
"Melissa—?"
The firework exploded above them.
At that same moment, Melissa stood on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek.
It was quick.
Soft.
Almost hidden by the flash and sound of the fireworks.
Ryo froze completely.
Melissa stepped back with her face red, looking to the side as if the sky had suddenly become very interesting.
"That was..." Ryo began, without finishing.
"A thank-you", she said quickly.
"Ah..."
"For everything you said."
"I see..."
He took two full seconds to blink.
Then he raised his hand to his cheek, touching the spot where she had kissed him.
Melissa peeked at his reaction from the corner of her eye and tried not to smile too much.
"You froze."
"I didn't freeze."
"You did."
"It was just... unexpected."
Ryo looked at her, flushed and awkward.
Melissa smiled, still blushing.
"Should we go back? The others must be wondering where we are."
Ryo kept looking at her for another moment.
Then he lowered his hand from his cheek.
"Right."
They started walking back to the festival, side by side.
This time, Melissa didn't hold his hand.
But their shoulders nearly touched as they walked.
Above them, fireworks continued to bloom across I-Island's sky, painting the night in bursts of gold, blue, and green. It felt less like an ending and more like the quiet closing of one arc in their lives... and the first spark of whatever would come next to this.
----------------------------------------
A/N: With that, the first movie arc is finished. And... wow. It took 2 months for this, with things happening here and there in my personal life that ended up pulling me away from the story for 2 whole months.
But I am finally back, that much I can guarantee. Before, my free time was very limited for writing. It took me 2 weeks just to finish a oneshot for Cypress's fanfic contest.
Spoilers, I won! Woohoo! You can go read or check out the oneshot in my library, the name is Honkai Star Rail: The Stars That Guide Me.
Going back to the topic of time, what really took my time away was my job. Not because it was being too hard on me, but because I was too good. Let's see, there were so many things out of place and needing organization that I decided to do something about it and fix everything, and I succeeded.
I received 2 promotions because of that, and my workload was also reduced. The reason I didn't have time was me, but it was also the reason I ended up getting more time, how ironic.
Now that I have more time, I can finally go back to my hobby of writing stories. I simply love putting creativity onto paper.
But now that I think about it... I guess I should settle things with my P@treon...
Anyway!
Link to my Discord: discord.gg/hkQZXffbe
And until next time!