Essence of a True Hero

Just Visiting - Hospital Time

Kon'nichiwa mina! Welcome to the next chapter! I am excited for what's in store for this chapter. I also want to make note if you were looking forward to my recap of the previous chapter, I apologize. It will not be appearing in this chapter. It seemed a little redundant based on the introductory events of this chapter.

    Midoriya had sucessfully pulled the girl out of the rubble after pulling, using words of encouragement, everything of which he could think. Her arms were slung across his shoulders, and they were walking to safety as he glanced back one last time. Midoriya saw All Might, lean and thin, as he once showed the boy, pointing to the camera and away from him, "The future lies in your hands."

     It stung somehow, even though Midoriya knew it shouldn't have. A short glance later after trying to clear his head showed All Might toppled to the ground. In that moment the camera and helicopter descended to the ground like a vulture. Midoriya remembered what that had felt like and glanced at the girl, "Do you mind if I carry you? You'll just need to shut your eyes because we'll being going pretty fast."

     The girl glanced around apprehensively, "Are we still going to my house?"

      Midoriya nodded to the helicopter, "I'm going to take you to them, and they'll have a much better idea of where your house might be. They'll get you there much more safely."

      She nodded, and he pulled her into his arms. He felt her arms wrapped around his neck, and, glancing down, he saw her eyes shut.

      He took a breath and jerked his body before running to All Might. Once he had reached his greatest hero, the helicopter was already landing. As the camera-man descended upon All Might, Midoriya yelled, "Hey!", everyone's heads swiveling towards him.

     "Take the girl, and take her to safety. I'll take care of All Might."

      The camera-crew was incredulous. One asked, "How can we trust you?"

      Midoriya whispered, "I'm putting you down now," letting the girl slip back to his side. His Yuei P.E. uniform became visible even if it was covered in muck and debris. Midoriya worked through his pocket showing them the ID given to him just before he came to the Training Camp.

      "I'll take care of All Might," he said, "He's a Yuei teacher, and I will get him to the proper help."

      Midoriya could tell that the camera-crew was begrudging to turn their eye from the Symbol of Peace, but he quickly turned to All Might.

      "All Might, are you all right? Can you hear me?"

      No answer.

      Midoriya heard movement as he was fumbling to find his phone. He had pulled it out when he looked up to find an old man in a yellow suit making his way through the rubble. 

       "You're Gran Torino from the--"

       "The Hosu Incident, just like you, my boy. You still blame yourself, don't you?"

      Midoriya looked down at his phone and began dialing Aisawa-sensei's number. Tears gathering in his eyes as he tried not to remember that day, that terrible day. Instead he scanned All Might's body in earnest for the first time, confirming what he had already seen from his first glance. He could tell even through his blurred vision that the Symbol of Peace was bruised and battered, a gaping hole having taken away much of All Might's torso.

      Izuku realized that he had gotten his wish as he just heard the words on the other side of the line, "Midoriya, do you have All Might?"

     For the first time that night, Midoriya found that he couldn't speak. He shakily held the phone trying even to breath out the word, "Yes," but Aisawa-sensei couldn't make sense of it.