Beep.
The steady rhythm of the heart monitor was the only sound filling the sterile hospital room, a pulse that felt both hopeful and haunting.
"I heard her heart finally steadied," a voice murmured.
"Recovery Girl said something about permanent damage, though," another replied, their tone laced with concern.
"Didn't Doctor Satsuki mention she had a cursed quirk?" someone asked, suspicion tinged in their voice.
"Is she a villain?" another questioned, doubt clear in their words.
"You should have seen the boy stationed in room 721," a nurse commented in hushed tones. "He's been in and out, too."
"She must be quarantined," a third voice insisted, cold and clinical.
"Nurse, she's just a kid!" someone protested.
"We have no idea what happened to those two that day," another said gravely, an air of uncertainty hanging between them.
"Didn't she nearly kill that boy?" someone else muttered, glancing at a police officer across the room.
Beep.
The murmurs of uncertainty, speculation, and judgment filled the space, but then a sharp voice cut through the room, filled with an unexpected edge.
"Can we not have an entire discussion like this ... here?" A pair of arms slapped against their thighs, the sound heavy in the tense atmosphere. "I mean, this is just unprofessional and inappropriate."
"She's just a villain anyway," another voice responded dismissively.
"I'm going to need you to refrain from badmouthing my students." The voice that interrupted was clear, authoritative, and dripping with raw anger. "That young girl was holding in a catastrophe. We're lucky it turned out this way." His voice wavered with emotion. "That girl is a hero."
"This is a discussion that needs to happen outside of this room," another person interjected.
Beep.
A bone-chilling gasp echoed through the room, sending a collective shiver down everyone's spine. It was as though time itself paused. Every heart seemed to skip a beat. The room fell silent as they turned in unison.
There, in the bed, a young girl with an oxygen mask on her face sat up, wide-eyed and disoriented.
"Ka-tsuki ..." Her voice was raspy and slow, barely above a whisper.
"YOUNG TSUKI!"
AllMight's voice boomed, breaking the silence, followed by shocked gasps from nurses and a few startled officers. AllMight rushed to her side, gripping the rails of her bed, his voice suddenly strained.
"Young Tsuki, you woke up."
Beep.
Her breathing was uneven, shallow, and labored. She stared at AllMight, then at the doctors in the room. Slowly, her hand reached up, weakly grasping at her neck where tubes had been inserted. She looked down at her restrained arms, her fingers twitching as she struggled to move. An IV bag swayed out of place, a clear liquid running through the tubes in her veins.
"Wher-re ..." Her voice faltered, the words barely coherent. She was severely dehydrated, her throat raw. She looked up, eyes glassy. "Is he?"
"Who?" Tsukauchi asked, stepping forward, his brow furrowed. "All for One?"
AllMight's grip tightened on the side of her bed, frustration building within him.
"Kat—" She inhaled sharply, her breath ragged as she tried to focus. "Where ... is Katsuki?"
"Young Bakugo?" AllMight's eyes softened, a weak smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Young Bakugo is here in the hospital too." His expression darkened slightly. "He hasn't been released from the ICU yet."
"Toshinori," Tsukauchi warned, his tone clipped.
Beep.
"I-C-U?" Tsuki thought, her head spinning. She felt lightheaded, her thoughts muddled. "What ... happened?" Her hand brushed across her throat, feeling the burn of old injuries. "I got burned?"
AllMight's expression shattered, a mix of helplessness and pain crossing his features. He placed his forehead on the railing of the bed, lowering himself to his knees. "This is a mess," he muttered, defeated.
Tsukauchi stepped forward, his expression hardening. "Young lady," he said firmly, holding up his badge. "I am the head of the Tokyo Police Department. My name is Officer Tsukauchi." His gaze was sharp, calculating. "Since you've been ordered to be quarantined here until the situation is dealt with, we will be conducting your interviews here."
"Interviews?" Tsuki repeated, her voice hollow as she gazed at the officers ushering the nurses out. "Is Katsuki ... okay?"
Tsukauchi sighed, a resigned look in his eyes. "You've been charged with 18 counts of manslaughter. Unlawful use of a quirk—American hero licensing doesn't carry overseas." He pulled a pen from his pocket and flipped open a notebook, his words relentless. "Two counts of conspiring with villains. One count of countering a hero. And ... territorial vandalism."
Tsuki's entire body went rigid, her eyes swimming with tears. Her lip quivered.
Beep.
"What?" she whispered, her voice trembling with disbelief. "Di-d I hurt him?" Her hand clenched into a fist, shaking. "Did I hurt Katsuki?"
Tsukauchi didn't flinch, his eyes cold. "You have 18 counts of manslaughter, and you're worried about him?"
She glared at him, her throat tightening. "I—did not," she hoarsely protested. "I'm cursed. Or..." Her gaze dropped to her hands, eyes wide with confusion. "Akai is gone ..." Her thoughts slurred, desperation creeping in. "What the hell happened?" Her breath hitched, and she gripped the edge of her hospital gown. "My curse ... it's gone." Her voice broke, shuddering. "It feels ... empty in my brain." Tears welled in her eyes, her entire body trembling. "Where's Katsuki?"
Her tears rolled down her cheeks and dripped onto her lap. She froze.
They were clear.
She gasped quietly, holding the side of her face. She wiped under her eyes and looked at her hands, staring at the clear tears smeared across her palm. Her entire body shivered before she broke down, sobbing into her hands.
"Erm—" Tsukauchi hesitated, stepping back, unsure of how to handle the situation. "Maybe this isn't a good time." He cleared his throat, signaling to the officers, who began to exit the room.
AllMight stood, his expression broken, grief and concern pulling at his features. "We'll give her some time to settle," he murmured, voice heavy.
Tsuki exhaled sharply, her chest tight with desperation. "Katsuki." She tried to speak, but her jaw chattered uncontrollably. "I need to see him—"
"I'll see what I can do, Young Tsuki," AllMight said, hunching slightly, blocking her view of Tsukauchi. He placed a hand on her head gently, offering a soft pat. "I'm so glad you're okay." His voice softened, though it was tinged with sorrow. "Your suffering will not be in vain."
Her tears flowed without end, overwhelming her, unable to be stopped. Her body shook uncontrollably, her cries echoing through the room as the weight of everything she had endured crushed her spirit.
...
