A Hero's Resolve (Part 2)

Shoto stared at her phone. Over the course of the last month, she had sent a text a day to Jason. Each one was telling him how much she missed him and how much she wanted him to come back out of his room. Shoto began tearing up. "...please let me help you…" "You ok?" Shoto looked up. It was Denki. Shoto wiped away the tears and stood up from the park bench. "Yea, just getting sick of all this." Denki tilted his head in confusion, so Shoto elaborated. "I'm tired of the League of Villains attacking us all the time. We're supposed to be training to become heroes, but everyday I wonder if we're turning ourselves into soldiers." Denki nodded. "At the end of the day. We're only college students. I mean, you guys are considered the last hope against Shigaraki, but that implies that the current pros aren't good enough and we are now handing our future off to the less qualified." Shoto smirked a little. "I guess we're just that good." Shoto got a text from her sister. "I have to go. It was nice talking to you, Denki." The blonde waved goodbye as the red/white haired woman ran off.

Shoto and her siblings arrived at the hospital, once again visiting their father. Shoto sat in a chair, alone with her father while the siblings ran a few quick errands. "...hey dad…" Of course, her father couldn't respond. He's been in a coma for nearly two months, ever since he saved her from the High End Nomu. Shoto held her father's hand. "...I hated you… I hated you my entire life… it was the abuse, and the training, and the constant degradation. However, it's only after you're gone when I realize that it was simply your fucked up way of expressing yourself. Now I see what you were trying to do. You wanted me to become the best hero the world had ever seen, but you only knew how to build me up physically. I… I forgive you, Dad. I forgive you for everything that's happened" Shoto began crying. "I love you, father."

Denki sighed as he entered his room. However, before he could relax, there was a knock on his door. After letting out an annoyed sigh, Denki opened the door. He was stunned to see Kyoko standing there. "Hey, can I come in?" "uh… uh… sure…?" Denki stepped aside as Kyoko walked in and sat in his desk chair. "Nice place. Love the electric guitar." Denki blushed slightly and sat on his bed. "...what brings you to my room?" "You." Denki was taken back. "What?" Kyoko sighed. "Denki, I know about your crush on me. I have for a while. Everyone has figured it out. Even Itsuka knows, and she barely knows us." Denki's face was red as he stared at the floor. "...oh…" "...I would also be lying if I said I wasn't interested in you too…" Denki snapped his head back up as Kyoko continued, playing with her hair. "...we've been through a lot… the USJ attack, the forest attack, and now the direct attack from a month ago. We could've died at any point during any of those events. But we somehow got through it all. Maybe it was luck, maybe it was skill, but it all taught me that life is too short and we are not invincible." Kyoko looked into Denki's eyes. "...so I'm willing to give you a chance to prove you aren't a complete doofus and can be a decent boyfriend." Denki's face was red. Kyoko had always been sarcastically rude to everyone around her, but this was her way of expressing her mutual feelings. Denki took a deep breath and stood up. "...ok…" Denki smiled and held his hand out. Kyoko took his hand. Denki pulled her into their first kiss.

Later that day, Momo got a text from Mina. She smiled. "Hey babe." Chris looked over and also smiled. It was a picture of Denki and Kyoko walking off campus, holding hands. "Good for them." Momo nodded. "It really is about time another couple formed. It seems the six of us are always the center of attention for romance." Chris held his girlfriend's hand. "Is that such a bad thing?" Momo laid down on her boyfriend's bed. "Only when there are rumors as to why I'm always in your room." Chris laughed a little. "As if you would ever do anything." Momo slowly lost her smile. "...Chris…" Chris looked down at her. She looked him in the eyes. "...if you ever wanted to do anything… I would be ok with that…"

Before Chris could formulate a response, his phone rang. His mother wanted to video call him. Momo sat upright. Chris answered the phone with a smile. "Hey mom. How are-" Void was on the other end with a straight face, dressed in his repaired black and purple costume. Rage completely took over Chris as he angrily stood up. "Void!" Momo's eyes widened. Void smirked. "Hello there, Chris. How are you doing?" "Where's my mother?! What did you do to her?!" Void shrugged. "I don't know. Why are you asking me?" "I swear to god, if I find out you did anything to her, I will-" "Chill. She's fine. For now." Void turned the phone's camera around, showing Ms. Harper tied down in a chair and gagged. Dabi was there as well, standing uncomfortably close to her. "Mom!" As if triggered by an off-screen cue, Dabi ignited his blue flames and held them close to Ms. Harper's face. The mother tried to pull away from the fire, but her restraints kept her in place. Void turned the camera back around. "You have 24 hours to meet me at the top of the Boardwalk Tower. You should know where it is, right? Don't be late, or she pays the price. Make sure you come alone." The call ended.