Solstice and Eclipse: Part III

Chapter VIII: Old Wounds

Author's Note: There is a time skip between Chapters VII and VIII

Kamino Ward in Yokohama City had been completely destroyed in the battle between All Might and the villain known as All For One in an event now known as the Kamino Incident. Subsequently, All Might announced his retirement as The Symbol of Peace, thus ending his era as the world's greatest hero, an announcement that left all of Japan reeling. Though eternally grateful for the man that had protected them for the past thirty years, public opinion of professional heroes had reached an all-time low, and UA High Schools' once prestigious reputation was sinking faster than a stone cast in the ocean.

The public, the media, and most especially the parents of those students who had been attacked by the League of Villains, demanded accountability. So, with their foreheads to the ground, the staff of UA approached the families of their students and begged forgiveness. They promised no more harm would befall their children and ensured that, through UA's guidance, their children would grow up to become incredible heroes. With their permission, some more reluctant than others, parents allowed their children to return to UA, and approved the construction of the student dormitories, Heights Alliance.

One week after the Kamino Incident, twenty of the twenty-one students in Class A gathered on the steps of the 1-A alliance, where their homeroom teacher, Shōta Aizawa stood waiting for them.

"I'll explain how your dorm assignments will work shortly." He told them after a brief hello. "First however," he clapped his hands, "we haven't forgotten about the provisional hero licenses you were supposed to get during the training camp. This is important, listen well." Shifting his gaze, he looked sternly at the five students who had given him such a headache over the past week. "Kirishima, Yaoyorozu, Todoroki, Midorya, Iida. You five are the ones who broke the rules and went to rescue Bakugou that night." They shrunk beneath his gaze and the rest of the class fell silent. "Based on your reactions, I assume the rest of you were at least aware of their plan. I'm going to set a number of issues aside and just say this. If it weren't for All Might's retirement from the Hero scene, I would expel everyone here except Bakugou, Jiro, Hakagure, and (L/N). The five of you who went, of course. But also, the remaining twelve who didn't stop them. You betrayed our trust. Even if it was to keep your friends from getting into trouble. And Yaoyorozu," he said seriously, "(L/N)'s still in a coma because he risked his life to save yours. Endangering yourself the way you did seems a poor way to repay that sacrifice."

[My Hero Academia]

"I was surprised to receive your letter." Mr. Nakamura said as he led the visitor down the halls of Shonien's. "At first, I thought it must have been some kind of joke."

"I assure you my offer is quite serious."

"Of course, I didn't mean to offend." The orphanage director said hastily. "It's just, well, ever since the emergence of quirks everyone seems to have become so engrossed in the world of heroes and villains that they seem to have forgotten that the biggest injustices are the ones that you don't see on the television. So, to have received a letter from your school..."

"It's alright. I completely understand."

Mr. Nakamura nodded as the two continued their path through the peeling painted halls of the orphanage. They stepped to the side as two girls came running down the hallway, Ms. Sasaki's scolding voice chasing after them.

"We do our best for the children." Mr. Nakamura said. "But government funding only allows us to do so much. The world just doesn't seem to care anymore. Most of these children will likely be with us until they come of age. Once that happens, it's out of our hands."

"I sympathize with your struggles. And I loathe to say, 'it's the world we live in', but even after seven generations we're still struggling to adapt. The economy, though flourishing in many areas, has been crippled in others due to quirks, and regrettably, it's children like these that end up suffering the most."