Lost in the Abyss

## Reminiscence of Darkness

Leonardo sat at the edge of the wooden bench, his washcloth resting upon the back of his neck as he looked down onto the tiled floors of U.A’s locker room. He exhaled a deep breath. He tried to clear his mind, but it was impossible. He could never forget anything. Even his mistakes.

*“Leonardo, I heard that you came in first place again at another competition. What was it this time, some science thing?”*

*Leonardo looked at him. “You’re asking me this?”*

*“I’m asking you this because I think you bribed them! There is no way someone like you can be good at everything. Literally, everything. There must be something going on. So, why don’t we settle things here, right now.”*

*Leonardo looked around at the crowd of students around him. There were at least 20 he could count. A mixture of students from the support, general, and hero courses. He smiled. “Sure, I’m willing to take you all on. But I’m afraid my time is waning. Why don’t you all come at me at once? Together?”*

*The students watching gasped.*

*“Are you kidding me? Who the hell do you think we are huh?”*

*“……Unless you’re afraid,” Leonardo urged.*

That’s where everything went wrong. He should’ve stopped there. He shouldn’t have let that guy peg him on. He knew he was only doing it out of frustration anyway. Yet, even still….

*“Holy shit! He’s already taken down five of them with a single combo!”*

*“But how is he so strong?! How is he so fast?! How is he so smart too!!”*

*Then another group of five fell, and then another until a single student remained. The same that pushed him into the competition in the first place: Azami, a student of the hero course. He crawled backward slowly, yet desperately as Leonardo approached him.*

*Leonardo beckoned him with his hands. “On your feet. Let’s get this over with.”*

*“H-How did you….it’s because you’re a genius! Yeah!! Geniuses have it eas-“*

*Leonardo threw his right fist into Azami’s jaw, sending his entire body plummeting into the floors of the gym.*

*“Don’t you dare,” Leonardo hissed, grabbing Azami by his shirt and sending another punch into his jaw again, and then another. “You don’t understand how hard it is to be a pioneer, to always carve new paths, to always!!!” Leonardo picked Azami up and slammed his bloodied body into the floor. “If you’re not serious about this hero shit, then shut the hell up and move out of the way for those that are!”*

*A hand landed upon his shoulder, waking him from his rage…*

Leonardo shook his head slowly. “I’m sorry,” he spoke aloud, addressing the other figure that entered the room. “I didn’t mean to. I-I…lost control.”

He smiled. Out of all the faces from that *place*, to think the one which meant the most of him would be here...Perhaps the hands of destiny were guiding his purpose. First, he fought the number 1 hero, now he was a teacher at the world's most famous school. Which of course, made him in charge of further molding this young lad's vibrant future. When Ezekiel was told he would be teaching at U.A, he was overwhelmed with emotions. Was he even good enough? He started his career as a fighter to escape his mistakes. He only knew how to run. Now God cornered him with such responsibilities.

But seeing the yellow fur of this child in U.A. Knowing all that he experienced in that hell. Seeing him among normal students. Surpassing every expectation. Everyone spoke about Leonardo. The top of the top. Head of the Elite Ten, number 1 prospect. It gave Ezekiel courage. If this young man could escape that and lead a path of light, then Triple Bang definitely could as his senior.

"Yo bro." Triple Bang interrupted. "I saw your fight earlier, I just wanted to fix some things in your technique.

If you don't mind?"

Leonardo lifted his head; he knew the voice. He never forgot a voice after all. “Zeke….” He muttered thoughtfully. “I mean, I guess it’s Mr. Silver now. I should respect you. You’re a U.A teacher now,” he quickly corrected. He sat quietly for a moment, his eyes wandering aimlessly. It was proof where his thoughts were. Not in this room, but somewhere else.

“I watched you escape. Even after I was freed from there, I couldn’t forget everyone I left behind. So, I watched everyone. I used my powers, and I hacked it. It was easy with what I knew already. I had studied the cameras in there for years. I knew how they broadcasted, what they used; everything about it, I knew. So, I think it’s easy to assume they know you left too. They probably watched it happen too if I did. It worries me."

Ezekiel sat down next to Leonardo and laughed. The idea that this kid was killing him Mister Zeke was crazy. He could barely take care of himself. But he felt the energy from Leonardo. And although they escaped the Abyss, that kid still had something left there. After all...Leonard spent longer in that personal hell.

"Nah they don't care about me. I'm just one of thousands upon millions of degenerates who join for stupid reasons like wealth and power." He assured. "I'm more worried about you. You're the brilliant Leondardo. Master of everything! The bright young prospect set to be the number 1 hero in several years. How're you taking it?"

"It's pretty much the same. The cameras, the rich business men, the expectations. Just because I was pulled out of the Abyss doesn't mean that I wasn't pulled into another one." Leonardo paused and looked down at the ground.

"I can hardly breathe, Mr. Silver. Not without someone hearing it, expecting a bigger breath the next time."

"I've no idea how that feels." Ezekiel said jokingly. "But...I can only imagine that you feel like your hard work is being overlooked or that you can't breath?" He watched a falling leaf land atop a pile of other, dully colored leaves. "Why do you care? I mean its your life. Why worry about what they expect?"

"Why not," Leonardo answered, lifting his face to meet Zeke's. "It's what a hero does right? Live their life for others? To sacrifice all they are for the protection of people? For the betterment of society."

"Eh...That's what being a Hero is supposed to be. But if that's the case, then you're no different from a slave. To live your life for others without first living for yourself." Ezekiel took a second and thought about the clearest way to explain it. "Being a hero means to put others first...yes. But you cannot pour from an empty cup. Let me ask you this. Lets say you're on a plane with five kids next to you. All of a sudden, something goes wrong. The oxygen mask fall and you know there is a seven second window before everyone loses consciousness. What do you do? Who gets the first mask?"

Leonardo nodded. "Proper protocol says that you are first supposed to assist yourself than someone else. Otherwise, you only have a 78.4% chance of getting yours on time to help yourself."

"Yes proper protocol. But what would you do. Tell me, Mr Hero. What would you do in that situation, walk me through it."

“Lions have a larger lung capacity than humans, or at least the average citizen. I would assume that I could break this rule for at least 1.4 seconds until my rate of survival would dip to the 75th percentile. However, depending on how quickly I work, I could probably get their mask on their faces within 5 seconds, leaving 2 seconds for myself. If I can do 5 in 5 seconds, that means I did each child in a single second. I think I could manage myself in a two. Though, that’s only if I knew the event was going to occur.” Leonardo paused. “Question, is the 7 seconds accounting for my reaction time already? Or do I have to factor that in already?”

"And you're all dead." Ezekiel slapped Leonardo's head, gently teasing the lion by smacking the thoughts out his mind. "No time to think in these situations. Too many variables. What happens if this was caused by some oxygen sucking villain huh? What then?"

Leonardo looked up. "I don't know. I'd have to think about it more. Is the villain in the..." He stopped. "Oh, I think I understand the point. I was too technical."

Ezekiel smiled. "My trainer once told me before my first professional fight, the time for thinking is during preparation. When I hit the heavy bag, that's when I'm thinking. When I'm formulating plans. But during battle, every second wasted on thought, is a second that could be spent on achieving the goal. Think now. But learn to act on instinct. And if you fail, take it as a lesson and try again. Get what I'm saying?"

Leonardo nodded. "Yes, I understand. Though, I think I need a little bit of thought. Most of the time, my instinct tells me to eat you." A weak smile crept onto his visage.