7. Resolutions.

As I lay on the hospital bed, a slew of emotions ran a torrent within me.

So many mistakes.

Now that my adrenaline high was out, and my rage had settled, all that was left was pain, revealing to me the excesses in error I had indulged in on this whole Himiko endeavor.

Pain in my leg from the broken tibia, another piercing pain in my chest from the cracked rib, and of course the throbbing, dull pain from the explosion three days ago.

And I just had to go and refuse the painkillers, like a fucking idiot!

And in all that pain and the storm of emotions, one stood out like a mountain peak, visible to anyone who so much as gave a glance at me.

Disgust.

I was disgusted at myself. For all my intelligence, all that hard work, 7 fucking years of training and I gave in to my anger like a filthy, pathetic street dog.

I could have captured her in that first alley, with but a thought, but no. Too many people here, I don't want to inconvenience them. Again and again, my retarded adherence to social norms had cucked me something fierce.

Man, fuck Japan and it's stupid oppressive culture!

It had even dulled my sense of shamelessness and freedom. And that was what disgusted me the most, that I hadn't been smart about this chase.

I could have very well died if I was the slightest bit unlucky!

I could blame it on my teenage hormones or my inflated sense of self, but really, it was all me.

My indiscretion, my laziness, my hesitation to use the library to it's full extent till I grew some more.

This game of faces, and pretension, it had overstepped it's bounds.

It was holding me back.

And I would tolerate it no more.

I pulled out my own book and laid comfortably on the hospital bed.

It was time to kill two birds with one stone, my incompetence and my pain.

I picked out my pen from the nightstand, and began writing in improvements.

First, let's start with setting my teeth in order.

I wrote and I wrote, as my energy drained and my teeth shifted in my mouth, one at a time, until at the 8th tooth, I lost my grip on the book, as conciousness left me, exhaustion taking me for a joyride.

I awoke to the characteristic sound of my father's snoring.

I rubbed my eyes lazily, cleaning the sand out of it, as my father came into view.

Laying his head on my stomach, his drool wetting my blanket.

Jeez, dad! Coulda slept on the couch by the door!

I buzzed a nurse in, and asked for a change of linens, as my father nudged awoke.

"Hrmm....ghha....Yuji? Yuji! Oh my lovely little boy!" He said, grabbing my hand, "How could you worry me like this? You didn't even deign to tell me about a broken leg? And for two whole days? Is that how I rais-" he said, when he suddenly swallowed his words, as the realization dawned on him.

"I-i .... didn't really raise you, now did I?" He asked gingerly, a look of sadness in his eyes.

"It's okay dad, I told you that didn't I? I just had something to do. And next time I'll get treatment first, I promise!" I said.

"Hold on a minute! What do you mean next time? Yuji! Your throat was nearly ripped out! You had a rib poking your lungs! The doctor's said it was a miracle your lungs weren't punctured!

Do you realize the seriousness of your injuries?" He scolded.

"Yes dad, I know. And when I become a hero, I'll probably get injured even worse. This era of peace is coming to an end. All Might is growing old. He won't be the symbol of peace forever, dad.

And when that happens, villains will come crawling out of the woodworks and someone will have to deal with them." I replied.

"Yes, someone. Someone that's not you!" My father said, his grip tightening.

"That's what everyone thinks dad; not my son, not my daughter. Someone else can do it. But in the end the job needs doing and villains need slaying.

Dad, this time, that someone has to be me.

And I might just intend to bring a bit more professionalism into their stupidly garish industry." I smiled.

"Dad, that's my dream! And if you won't support it, ....I'll do it anyway!" I answered with burning conviction, something that was fairly easy to fake with a whole decade's worth of experience fooling him.

"Yuji...I don't know what to say. If you're going to be like this, ...if you've already made up your mind, I already know there's nothing I can do to change it. I just wish you'd talk to me about this, son. I know I haven't been around all tha-" he said.

"That's the thing dad, you haven't been around. There was no time for us to talk things out. And well, now it's come to this. So just let it go, dad. Just this once. Please?" I said, guilt tripping him again.

"Now you're just abusing that guilt trip Yuji!" My father protested, with a smirk.

I sighed and smiled mischievously.

"You got me!"

As the silence returned to the room, my father looked up with an aha!

"Yuji, some officers are looking to ask you a few questions about this incident. Should I call them over or..?" My father asked.

"Oh yes. Immediately. Might as well get this done with early, eh dad?" I answered.

"Yeah. Nothing good comes out of being involved with the cops." My father said, as he gave them a call.

Soon after, the police were there, Detective Tsukauchi leading the operation.

"So, you just happened to be passing by and spotted these two," he said, handing me a photo of Soga and Koichi, "being beaten to death?"

"Yes. I was doing some urban exploration there and then I heard an explosion and got blown off my perch." I replied.

"And that's how you got those bruises on your back?" He asked.

"Yes sir. Hit me out of nowhere. One minute I see these bees with like glass tubes on their back, the next I'm laid out on the floor. Like bang, literally."

"And you're sure these bees didn't sting you, or your quirk went out if control or something?" He pushed.

"No. If they sting me, trust me officer I'd know. And as for my quirk going astray, I can only show you to make you understand." I said, summoning a book.

"This is my quirk. I can make books filled with gibberish. Even if this went haywire, I doubt I could so much as harm a fly.

Actually, no, I could definitely swat a fly out of the air with this, but really that's quite about it I could do." I joked.

The detective smiled and nodded.

"What happened next?" He asked.

"Well, then this guy in a trenchcoat heard me scream in pain and just lunged at me with his skin bone claw thingies, and scratched me in the throat, and then there was just blood, all over my shirt.

So, I kicked him right in the nuts, and then I kicked him again, as he doubled over, just to be safe."

"What did you do after that?" He asked.

"I-i don't remember it well, but I was so scared, I just ran like hell.

And that's when I spotted those two guys and called an ambulance."

"You were running for your life and you called an ambulance for them? That's a bit odd isn't it?" Tsukauchi pointed out.

"Nope. I want to be a hero. I'll even be applying to UA next year. And a hero can't just ignore people who need help right?" I said, puffing out my chest.

"How very noble of you!" Tsukauchi replied, with a hint of sarcasm and disdain.

Someone's mighty sus about this!

Not that he'll find out anything about the incident. Not until it's too late at least. Or so I thought, until he came round with surprise counter.

"And are you absolutely sure that you weren't there with these two engaging in vigilantism in an attempt to save your kidnapped friend, Yukkun?" He said, trapping me.

"It's a crime to lie to the police, you know that right, Yukkun?" He added, repeating Rapt's nickname for me.

"Tch!" I intoned.

Cunning bastard. He'd already gotten the testimony from the others and apparently, Rapt had been extra stupid in his, revealing everything to the man.

"Uh huh? Thought so." Tsukauchi grinned.

"Fine. I was there to help Koichi rescue Pop*Step. She's our friend and it'd have been too late if we'd called the police for help. It was an emergency, you understand right?" I said, pleadingly.

"Oh I understand alright. I understand that you're going to jail on vigilantism charges." He smirked.

"Oh bullshit! It was all in self defense and you can't disprove it. Just look at the cut on my throat. You think I could've done anything to warrant that from a known and convicted villain? Don't kid yourself, Detective Tsukauchi. We both know I'm innocent. So let's not drag this on any longer than necessary. My leg's broken, my chest hurts and my throat has a 2 centimeters wide vent in it. I think this is punishment enough, don't you?" I replied, dowsing his joy.

"Che, spoilsport. Yeah, you're not gettting charged. But don't do this again or you just might."

"You mean don't get caught again, don't you?" I said, smirking.

"You're one cheeky brat, I tell you!

But yrust me on this kid, vigilantism doesn't end well, for anyone involved.

So don't tempt fate, kid. You might not make it out alive next time." He replied, walking out, shaking his head.

My dad looked at me with a sternness so alien to his features I nearly flinched out of my pajamas.

"D-dad?" I asked.

"Yuji...." he said, grabbing my shoulders, "...never do that again, got it?"

"Y-yes dad, of course!" I said, nodding furiously.

"Good." He said, giving me a thousand yard stare, as he got up and pulled out a smoke, before heading out absentmindedly.

Fucking creepy!

What's up with him now?

I pulled out his book and as quickly unsummoned it.

It wasn't worth wasting my time on.

Probably just guilt and frustration.

It's the usual in his repertoire.

Instead, I pulled out my own and continued with the miracle dentistry, before fainting again.