The Ridewatch Hero (Kamen Rider Zi-o x My Hero Academia)

Ch.34 - Aftermath! A New Rider Appears!

"The next few days may be hard for you...but we'll do what we can. We know it wasn't intentional. The media is over it... I'm sure you've seen."

Ryou was half in, and half out of focus. He sat in Principal Nezu's office, slumped in his chair. His hair was a mess, and his eyes looked bloodshot red.

The last few days were not easy for Ryou. The shock of killing his father, even though he was possessed as Another Zi-O, became massive widespread news for the media. For some, it was a chance to take an attack at U.A. for "letting a rogue anti-hero into the school". For most, though, which was expected, they took an attack at Ryou. All of them said that he betrayed the trust of others, and others said he was reverting back into his old ways as a Vigilante. The wildest of people suggested that he was was undercover for the League of Villains, and a traitor to heroes.

Obviously his classmates didn't believe the media, they trusted Ryou. Midoriya, Uraraka, Iida, and Sunny tried their best to offer their support, but Ryou still wasn't the same.

He remembered coming home to see his Grandmother, late in the evening after all had happened. His Grandmother, obviously, sat down with Ryou and asked him what happened. She listened to everything he had to say, and made sure to get every detail.

"Grandma...I don't blame if you hate me."

"Ryou, honey, I don't hate you. It's just...we both didn't expect this to happen."

"But Grandma...I-"

"Hush, Ryou. It hurts that my son is gone again, but that isn't your fault. Don't think for a minute I'm going to blame this on you, because again, it isn't your fault."

He remembered Sunny walking by and seeing him cuddled into his Grandmother, both crying, Ryou more so than her.

He couldn't sleep either. Because whenever he did, he had a reoccurring nightmare where he was holding Another Zi-O by the throat, and it's face would transform into his father's wide eyed look of shock. Ryou would wake up, sweating, and just not go back to sleep.

"Principal Nezu...I'm sorry. Genus would've never gone this far to infiltrate U.A. and disturb the Finals if I just left him alone."

Nezu slowly put down a cup of tea he was drinking. "Ryou, while it's true he did infiltrate out school, and hold the students against their will, he didn't hurt anyone, that's the main thing. We're going to have tighter security around the school to make sure he doesn't come back."

"He will. He'll find a way." Ryou muttered.

"However, Ryou, that doesn't leave out that you went too far. We could have apprehended Another Zi-O, All Might was there, there was no need to deliver the final blow as you did."

Ryou didn't talk back, nor argue. Truthfully, he was right. He was overtaken by a rage of Genus that he blindly struck down his own father without a second thought.

"We've given a statement to the media already, but I have to act as Principal. Hand over your Ridewatches. All of them."

Ryou finally looked up, finally coming back to reality. "What?"

"For the time being, you cannot use your powers. If the public sees you as a Rider, it will strike fear into their eyes. They need time to adjust and see that you're not a bad person."

Ryou shook his head. "I refuse.". There's no way I'm giving them up."

He felt a hand on his shoulder, and turned to see Aizawa looking down at him.

"If you resist...I'll have to take them by force." He cooly said.

Ryou grumbled as he tossed a backpack onto the Principal's desk, that indeed contained every Ridewatch he had so far.