42 - ||

(X)

Momo sipped some hot chocolate, standing beside her mother and her father as they were being interviewed by heroes and police officers by a car. She saw the last of the villains being processed into armored trucks, two noteworthy ones catching her eye. One was some kind of giant winged beast, the other some African man with a massive stomach.

"So you had a hand in the defense of the civilians?" The officer asked.

"Yes." Maiya asked, sitting on the edge of a van. "Is someone gonna get me that steak or what?"

"Her quirk needs iron." Shiki explained as the officer nodded.

"I doubt any steakhouses are open at this hour… but I know of some sandwich shops like-"

"Triple Steak, triple spinach…" Maiya suggested, looking up at him. "Flatbread… with sweet onion."

"I'll pass it right along."

Momo reached for her purse, grabbing her phone. She saw Todoroki was here… And she began to text, primarily in a group text after she put in Midoriya, both the Todorokis, and Melissa's numbers. And Peter's last.

'Are you guys okay? Where are you at?' She sent, and looked down at her phone.

"Concerned for your friends?" Shiki asked and Momo looked up, seeing his warm smile.

"Just asking if they're ok." Momo replied, the black-haired girl looking down.

"All Might said he was going to handle that Midoriya child and Endeavor's son." Maiya spoke out.

"I need to at least double-check." Momo said, biting her lip lightly before looking at the ground, phone back in her purse.

"I'm just glad you two are okay… me and Yagami were huddled together when those mercs were on the second floor. Couldn't do much there. Seems like I missed all the action." Shiki mused, looking back and forth.

"It was better that you weren't there." Maiya curtly replied, glaring at the ground. Shiki shrugged.

Momo turned away, looking down at her hands as she sat, elbows on knees. She noticed some blood on her nails… And remembered.

"Mother…"

"Hnn?"

"The way you fought and… used your quirk like that…" Momo looked to the side.

"... My quirk made it hard to be a hero. I didn't have the aim correction your teacher Snipe has, and I don't have unique ammo." Maiya shrugged, "I created the gun and bullets. Nothing more, nothing less."

"You were so… You've been out of that job for years and-"

"The point, daughter?"

"Honey let her-"

"N-No father, it's fine." Momo replied, taking a deep breath while collecting her thoughts. "During the summer… can you… train me?"

Maiya raised a slender eyebrow.

"I… I want to become stronger, like you. I want to be able to become strong enough in other areas so that… I… I wouldn't have to fall back on killing or… h-helping in killing as-"

She saw her mother sigh.

"Your ideal is admirable, but… don't become like some all high and mighty pacifist that can escape from an impossible situation without ending a life. You did so before-"

"And I don't wanna do it again." Momo cut her off, jaw hard. "I… All Might told me that it's an impossible standard but I… I just don't want to…"

Before her mother could answer a vibrating noise hit her ears. Momo quickly retrieved her phone out of her purse.

The screen showed two messages.

One from Todoroki Fuyumi, and one from Peter.

'Me and Shoto are on an ambulance to the hospital. We're fine. Thanks for asking Yaoyorozu-San :) '

'I am alright. Are you okay? I am with Midoriya in an ambulance as well. Hope you are well Momo.'

Momo typed rapidly. 'Thank goodness you're all okay!' She didn't seem to mind that Peter's response was a bit formal as well. Maiya and Shiki were engrossed in conversation as she saw a blue blur run out of the tower's entrance.

"Gah! I'm late!" All Might suddenly appeared close by in a burst of speed. "Must have missed Parker. Ah, I'll give it to him at the hospital…" The symbol of peace mused as he pocketed the smartphone. She recognized it too, one belonging to Peter during those times in class. "Those young rascals! I'll have to give them a talking to."

…

Momo looked down at her phone, seeing the response from Peter and then back to All Might, eyebrow quirked high.

(X)

It was raining hard today as the sky turned dark, and all of Tokyo seemed to be getting pounded by a summer rainstorm. Shouta could hear the rumbles of thunder from outside of his old car as he sat in his seat on the sidewalk, eyes fixed on the front door.

He'd been there since nine in the morning, and it was on the verge of five in the afternoon, his lunch box of snacks by his side and some water bottles down near his feet in his dingy car. It allowed him to not be noticed as he remained parked. He turned his head to the left, right beside a parking meter as he lowered the window. He grabbed a thousand-yen coin and deposited it into the machine, giving him two extra hours.

"Where are you…" He muttered to himself, eyes on the building across the street. Specifically the Seinen Leap publisher's building.

The clock was ticking past five now as Shouta focused hard on all the cars going past, the people walking along the sidewalks with umbrellas over their heads.

Quarter past five, Shouta drank some water and applied extra eye drops. And the rain kept pouring, the thunder roaring overhead as people went about their business. Five-thirty now…

As cars went past, he saw it. A dingy little KIA Beetle in brown rolling past and parking in front of the Seinen Leap building from the other side. Shouta leaned forward and saw someone in a heavy coat walk out with an umbrella in one hand, and a cane in the other while also carrying a briefcase. He had quite the limp, and had a mop of old white hair under his hat.

"Araki-san…" Shouta muttered, getting his keys ready as he barely saw the man in the front lobby talk with the receptionist, hand in the briefcase before he received an item. He walked out, Araki keeping his head low as he returned to his car, putting away his umbrella, cane, and briefcase before he started it up and began moving forward.

Shouta started the ignition, going to the light at the end of the street and doing a u-turn at the end of a line turning left. He had the wipers on, and stayed several cars behind the Beetle.