Energy | MHA/BNHA

20

CHAPTER TWENTY

Reconcile

Rikona sat on a hospital bed with her back leaning against the metal headboard. She held an ice pack to her forehead due to a large gash that she had acquired during the attack at the USJ.

Contrary to her own belief, she had many cuts littered around her body and a mild concussion from the overuse of her Quirk. She grumbled quietly to herself as Recovery Girl reprimanded her, thinking about the severe talking-to she would also get from her parents.

She stopped her muttering and stared when All Might began to squirm in the bed beside hers. He slowly blinked his eyes then pinched the bridge of his nose, probably from a headache similar to her own.

Recovery Girl also seemed to notice that All Might had gained consciousness as she hopped off of her desk chair and hobbled towards his bed with a small glass of water.

"Because of the situation this time, I can't really scold any of you..." She began quietly as to not disturb the still half-asleep Izuku.

All Might sighed and laid back down, wrapping his skinny arms around his bandaged torso as he mumbled tiredly, "I'm not sure, but I think I might've shortened the time limit of my hero form again."

Rikona blinked in surprise. All Might spoke openly, either not yet acknowledging that she was there too or that he remembered his promise and simply knew that he would tell her eventually.

"I hope I still have at least an hour..." he frowned with a sad chuckle. "Well, it can't be helped. These things happen."

"All Might..." Izuku mumbled, indicating that he was now fully awake.

The door to the nurse's office slid open, revealing a tall man with dark hair. He wore a long light brown coat and held a matching hat to his chest.

"Excuse me," he smiled, sharing a nod with Recovery Girl then turning to All Might. "All Might, it's been a while."

All Might shot upwards, spitting out blood which surprised the two students in the room. "Tsukauchi-Kun! You're here, too?"

The man, Tsukauchi, only smiled, turning to slide the door shut.

Izuku arose seconds after All Might did with a realisation, "All Might!" He blinked, "Is it alright to show that form...?"

"Yeah, it's okay." The hero replied with a small, reassuring smile in Izuku's direction.

Rikona stared at the man with scrutiny. He looked familiar for some reason, and she had heard the name somewhere, too.

"This is Tsukauchi Naomasa-Kun, my best friend in the force."

Rikona blinked, then putting two and two together to realise that the man was the detective working alongside her father on a case. Her mother had mentioned his name after her first day at U.A. She was also sure that there was a photograph on her father's office wall of him and Tsukauchi standing beside one another after the defeat of a powerful villain.

Tsukauchi nodded at Rikona, then Izuku, and moved to stand at the foot of All Might's bed. His expression had turned into a serious one.

"Sorry to cut to the chase, but All Might, can you give me details about the vill-"

"Wait! Please, wait!" All Might suddenly held his arms up to interrupt. "More importantly, are all the students okay?"

Tsukauchi smiled in admiration of the number one's compassion for the students. "Other than Midoriya-Kun and Mochizuki-San, only a few students had light injuries."