MHA: KEN 10

55. The Decision

Izuku's eyes flutter open, seeing the white ceiling above him. He couldn't move much, after all, his arms were heavily bandaged along with his head. Izuku then turns his head to his left and sees a bowl of sliced apples kept on his bedside table with a note on it.

"Mom's handwriting..."  Izuku thought to himself as he read the note. His thoughts then drift to his classmates. "I wonder if everyone's okay..."

As if to answer his question, the door to his hospital room slides open, revealing Denki Kaminari alongside all of the other members of 1-A.

"Midoriya! You're finally awake?!" Denki exclaimed as the others soon surround Izuku's bedside. "Man, are we glad you're okay!"

"I'm glad that you guys are okay too..." Izuku replied with a blank and hazy stare.

"You've been out for a day dude! Thought you weren't gonna wake up!" Denki replied. "Dude, the news is totally against UA right now!"

"Look! We got you a melon! Let's eat it!" Ochako said to Izuku as she held a melon.

"Did everybody come?" Izuku asked.

"No. Yaoyorozu and Jiro are still recovering from their injuries. Jiro was knocked out due to the gas attack and Yaoyorozu took a blow to the head." Tenya replied. "Other than them, everyone else is here."

"Except Kenny and Bakugo." Shoto added, dampening the mood.

"Todoroki, come on man!" Mina scolded.

Some light finally returns in Izuku's eyes as he begins to tear up, remembering Kenny's last words before his abduction.

"Kenny no...! There's got to be another way!"

"Sorry buddy, not this time."

The sobbing of Izuku catches everyone's attention. 

"Very recently...All Might gave some wisdom to me. He said...'There will always be people who're out of our reach. That we can't save them...That's why...We should save those who we can reach...'" Izuku cried out. "But...They were right there...! I could've reached them both! But my body...Couldn't move! I went at that monster with all my strength! In the end all I could do was watch my classmates get taken before my very eyes...! It's just as Aizawa said! I couldn't move after using my power...!"

"You're not the only one who fought an incredibly powerful villain." Itsuka replied as her voice quivered. "The woman I fought...Her magical prowess was way above mine...!"

The other students remain silent as they see their class president break down in front of them for the very first time.

"Nothing I did worked...! In fact, I shouldn't have even fought her! I knew the villains were gunning for Kenny and I chose to fight instead of prioritizing my closest friend's safety. And in the end, I got used as a hostage in order for Kenny to surrender himself!" Itsuka cried as she punched the wall next to her, leaving a small crater on it. "All of our training...And nothing!"

"It's not on you, kid. You guys are still young. Still have much left to learn." Ben's voice replied as he entered Izuku's room, catching everyone's attention there. "Hey guys, sorry to interrupt."

Shoto immediately aims his right hand at Ben, his entire right side beginning to emit frost as the boy prepares to freeze the seasoned hero.

"Wait, Todoroki! Stand down!" Tenya yelled as he forcefully puts Shoto's hand down. "That's the real Ben Tennyson!"

"We don't know that!" Shoto replied.

"Yes, I do! The imposter's appearance was different. He had red eyes and white hair and appeared more pale compared to Ben in terms of skin tone. And he had a different watch on his wrist!" Tenya reasoned.