Once again, the first thing to greet me when I woke up was that sharp sting of antiseptic burning my nose, the blinding white fluorescent lights stabbing my eyes, and an eerie silence wrapping the room - enough to clock exactly where this shithole was.
Yup, hospital. Probably Hosu General this time, and it wasn't clear how much time had passed. No clue what kind of room this was either, but the mess of machines and IV drips hooked up to me was way over the top.
My body - especially my gut - was patched up tight, but the pain hit like a truck no matter what I tried, even talking. So I just lay there, useless as hell. Guess the cost of playing reckless like this is always a brush with death. Fine by me, but the real headache? Sooner or later, I'll bite it for real - no more of this half-dead limbo. Scared of dying? Kinda, but after flirting with it this much, it's not just fear of death anymore - it's something else.
What I'm most afraid of here is how to face Himiko.
I promised her before that I would be careful and avoid getting hurt again, but now that it's like this, I don't know how to talk to her...
I tilted my head, spotting Toga beside the bed. Her blonde hair was a tangled mess, sailor school uniform paired with that familiar sweater, her sleeping face weirdly peaceful. No disguise this time - no Quirk, just her, raw and real.
That said something: I might mean more to her than the caution she usually clings to out there. She really loves me...
Not far off, two familiar figures: Izuku and Tenya, both conked out - probably from watching over me. Izuku's head was slumped on my bed, green hair a disaster, looking cozy as hell in deep sleep. Tenya sat ramrod straight, arms crossed my way like he'd been keeping vigil, but his constant nodding showed he'd crashed hard too. But...how the hell was Izuku here? He was supposed to be training with Grand Torino today, right?
Nevermind. Seeing all three of them here, something twisted in my chest.
Been a minute since I last had a quiet moment like this… or felt this kind of care. Guess they see me as someone worth the effort to stick around for.
But that calm didn't last.
A sharp knock snapped all three awake, scrambling to check the door. I just hoped it'd be a normal visitor… but nah, springtime's long gone.
The second that door swung open, the room's vibe flipped. Police Chief Tsuragamae Kenji - the man with the beagle face - strode in, trailed by a squad of cops, some U.A. staff like All Might and Principal Nezu, and pros like Gran Torino and Endeavor. The once-spacious room turned into a sardine can. I flicked my eyes over them, catching the grim looks - every single one aimed at me. Whatever brought them here, it wasn't good news.
"Onodera Ryuga," Tsuragamae's voice boomed, heavy and formal, reading off an emergency arrest warrant. "We're here to inform you that you're suspected of murdering the so-called Hero Killer Stain."
The room went dead.
Not shocked. I knew what I'd done - whatever the reason, I lit the fuse and snuffed it out. That alone was enough to flip the script big time. But slapping an arrest on me while I'm laid up like this? Fucking annoying.
Before I could react, Tsuragamae's gaze shifted, zeroing in on Toga.
"And another arrest warrant for Toga Himiko, currently wanted as the suspect for serial murder."
Scratch that - shit just hit the fan.
Himiko ditched all calm, springing up, yanking her trusty dagger from her sweater with pro-level ease, dropping into a fight stance, and screaming: "ANYONE WHO WANTS TO TAKE HIM OUT STEPS OVER MY DEAD BODY FIRST!"
That move cranked the tension to eleven. One more twitch, and it wouldn't be a brawl - it'd be her getting ganked by everyone here, no escape, maybe even forcibly hauled off, making this mess uglier than ever. But even so, she was still fearless, even acting more reckless to the point of preparing to take a run-up and jump straight in to tear apart all those who dared to move me even half a meter.
No way I'm letting that happen.
Pain be damned - my gut screaming - I forced myself up, ready to stagger out of bed and stop this trainwreck. Worst case, I'd go down swinging with her. No biggie.
"Toga, stop!"
Tenya beat me to it. Still shaky from the last fight - maybe, I guess, he stepped between her and the cops, trying to keep this from blowing up. Izuku rushed in too, grabbing her wrist and mine, eyes torn between resolve and panic over what to do.
"You two, don't!" Izuku's voice cracked. "This'll spiral beyond saving!"
"Let go, seaweed head!" She snarled, wrenching free and pointing the blade at Tsuragamae. "If you take Ryuga… if you drag him off… none of you are leaving here in one piece!"
"We're not negotiating," Tsuragamae said, firm as steel, signaling his crew to move. "Onodera Ryuga and Himiko Toga, you're both under arrest..."
"I've got something to say!"
Heads whipped around. Tenya again. He stood tall, glasses glinting cold, no hesitation left - just a scary-ass determination.
"I'm the one who wanted Stain dead."
That dropped like a bomb. A long, stunned second hung in the air. Tsuragamae squinted, sizing up Tenya's words with suspicion.
"What're you getting at?"
"I was blinded by hate. I charged him intending to kill, and Ryuga was just protecting me, buying time for backup." Tenya took a deep breath, fists white-knuckled. "He didn't mean to kill Stain. It was an accident - his Quirk spiraling out of control."
I stared at him. He was weaving truth and lies to shield me. Problem is, the "truth" he saw? I engineered it that way.
Real things here: I'd planned to off Stain since day one in this world. No one knew - not even Tenya - that I torched that USJ Nomu with phosphorus on purpose, not some slip-up. No one knew I chose to end Stain; Tenya just thought I dragged him along to catch the guy, not kill him. And now he's throwing himself under the bus to redirect the heat.
Tsuragamae went quiet, motioning a cop to cross-check Native's report - the only other witness. When his phone buzzed, I knew this fight wouldn't need knives or fists.
A quick exchange, then his sharp eyes locked on me. "Latest report says Onodera Ryuga told Ida Tenya to get Native to safety instead of fighting Stain. Paired with Ida's statement, this isn't as cut-and-dry as we thought. For now, your arrest's on hold pending further info."
Good news: I'm off the hook - for now.
"But," Tsuragamae's voice dropped an octave, his glare shifting to the blonde girl still gripping her dagger. "That doesn't change her status. Himiko Toga is a wanted serial killer. She's going to Tartarus. Stand down, or we will use lethal force."
Toga bared her teeth, ready to launch herself into the gunfire. I grabbed her wrist, squeezing hard despite the blinding pain in my gut. I wasn't letting her die here.
"Hold on, Chief."
Nezu stepped out from behind the pros, his usual cheery vibe replaced by something cold and entirely corporate. He didn't offer a friendly smile. Instead, he pulled out a thick, red-stamped folder and tossed it onto the small table next to my bed. The seal on it screamed Hero Public Safety Commission.
"I'm afraid Tartarus isn't an option for her, Tsuragamae," Nezu said flatly. "I've already bypassed the local precincts and negotiated directly with the HPSC President. We are invoking the 'Special Asset' clause."
Endeavor scoffed, flames flaring on his shoulders. "You're shitting me, Nezu. A serial killer? You're bringing a goddamn psycho into U.A.?"
"Not as a normal student, Endeavor," Nezu replied, his black eyes unblinking. "As a ward of the state. A leashed hound. U.A. will provide the facility, but she, and Onodera Ryuga, will belong to the Commission. This is a special rehabilitation-through-service contract."
I felt my blood run cold. All Might had clued me in earlier - after I'd bullshitted him about my second Quirk being "future sight." He must've passed it to Nezu and the HPSC. They bought my "vision" act hook, line, and sinker. And now? They weren't offering charity. They were drafting us into their black-ops bullshit.
"This isn't a free pass," Nezu continued, pulling two heavy, sleek metal collars from his coat. "The conditions are absolute. First: Both Onodera and Toga will be fitted with biometric tracking collars. 24/7 real-time GPS, audio monitoring, and vital signs synced straight to U.A. servers and HPSC headquarters. If either of them steps out of their designated zones or uses their Quirks without authorization, the collars will shock them until they come back. No trial. Just execution."
Toga stiffened, staring at the metal rings like they were snakes, but she didn't pull away from my grip.
"Second," Nezu looked dead at me, stripping away any illusion of schoolboy innocence. "The HPSC Summoning Right. Because of your... 'unique' Quirk, Ryuga, and Himiko's infiltration capabilities, you two are now government assets. When the Commission calls, you answer. Day or night, whatever the mission is, you do it without question. You are off the books."
"And third," Nezu finished, glancing at Aizawa who was standing silently in the corner. "Eraser Head will be their primary handler at U.A. Toga will attend under a heavily monitored, restricted status. She steps out of line, Aizawa erases her Quirk, and she will be put into Tartarus permanently."
The room was suffocatingly silent. All Might looked sick to his stomach, staring at me with a mix of horror and pity. He realized what this meant. I wasn't just a student anymore; I had just sold my soul, and Toga's, to the darkest corner of the hero society.
Tsuragamae frowned, reading over the HPSC documents. His jaw tightened. He hated it - every righteous cop would - but the Commission's authority was absolute.
"This is playing with fire, Nezu," Tsuragamae growled, tossing the file back. "But if the HPSC signed off... it's out of my jurisdiction. But listen to me, Onodera." The beagle-faced cop leaned in close. "If you or your girl slip up even once... I'll be the one bagging your corpses."
"Understood," I rasped, my voice dry as sandpaper.
Wiping Toga's rap sheet and dodging a murder charge? I got what I wanted. But the price tag was a dog tag from the government.
Fuck it. I'll deal with the Commission later. Right now, I just needed to close my eyes.