"Yeah he's been like this since Morgan," Lily sighs, meeting, Tenya, Asui, and Deku after school, "he seemed to be doing a bit better when I last spoke to him, but I guess with the media now having expectations of him being a great hero, waiting for what he's gonna say next, and him basically being in way over his head finally got to him."

"What do we do?" Tenya asks.

"I can probably help some with the stress, but..." Lily sighs, "he needs mental help, and he doesn't get that he isn't gonna go to some mental health institute if he gets that help."

"Who is Morgan?" Tenya asks.

"That's not important right now," Lily brushes off the question, "I'm going to check on him, you three just make sure he doesn't get any more stressed out."

"Got it," Deku replies.

"You know I should hang out with you guys more," Lily adds, "I mean you're Richard's family so I'm guess you're mine too. Mall Saturday?"

"Sounds fun," Asui replies, "see you then."

With that Lily leaves, the trio left begin to make small talk, as Deku recalls what he knows about U.A. academy, about that wretched school...

Midnight plays uno with Vamp, the two bonding and killing time over a normal, mundane activity. Nothing wrong with such a thing, as not every moment has to be tense and stressful, life is often just like this, normal. Enjoyable. Fun because there are no high stakes, just a family passing the time together.

However this moment isn't exactaly such a time, as Midnight worries about her son, the young man going to sleep in the car as he got in, and Midnight has noticed his skin growing paler in the last few days. She let the child sleep on the couch, where she could keep an eye on him. There's a knock on the door, which Vamp eagerly goes to answer.

"Hey Lily," Vamp smiles, "big bro is asleep right now, if you're here for him."

"Oh," Lily replies, "well I can't say I'm shocked, but has he eaten today?"

Midnight overhears this and asks, "Vamp, has he?"

"I don't think so," Vamp replies.

"OK," Lily sighs, "yeah so that's happening again. OK so uhhh... I think Richard is breaking down from stress. I've had to deal with this before."

"Yeah we've noticed," Midnight replies, "honestly I think the pressure from the media having all eyes on him is getting to him, not to mention the fact that Eraser Head thinks we should expel him-"

"What?" Vamp asks.

"Since when is that a thing?" Lily asks.

"It was a meeting last Sunday..." Midnight sighs.

"I saw him at the end of the race," Eraser Head explained, "everything he has done to bring bad press to U.A. has been meditated to at least some extent. He may appear irrational but he knows what he's doing. If we do not act soon U.A. could be shut down by the masses."

"Where you see sabotage I see potential," All Might retorted with a stern glare, "a hero, unrefined, yes, but someone with the guts to say what is right and wrong. If his intention was sabotage, he would have focused on finding some way to defeat the faux villians rather than healing everyone during the entrance exam."

"His actions do not seem to come from a place of malice," Cementoss adds, "but a genuine desire to protect his peers. If anything his intention is to rework U.A., not destory it. Even then he seems to despise any situation involving the endangerment of a child indiscriminately. If our destruction was his end goal, he would have joined the League of Villains. Clearly he hasn't."

"He's crazy," Eraser Head glares, "let's face it. He's totally insane. That look in his eyes, how he talks, his borderline antisocial behaviour outside his tight circle of friends. He clearly has trust issues. He should be expelled."

"Just a reminder this is my son we're talking about," Midnight glares at Eraser Head.

"I refuse to expel a student for standing for justice," All Might explains, "in a weird way I see myself in him. I see potential. Not someone I would give All For One, but someone I would want watching my back. I've said it three times now. He has the potential to be a great hero. If anything expelling him leaves him open to bad influces and he could become an accomplice of Purity. That's all the more reason not to."

"And if he snaps at a student?" Eraser Head asks, "that could be the last nail in the coffin for the hero course, or Heaven forbid, all of U.A.."

"We're going in circles," Midnight sighs, "this kid has been through to much shit. He lost someone named Morgan, somehow. Clearly someone he cares about, I think she's alive? He won't say. He was found near Stain, presumingly attacked by him, he almost died at the race, got hurt by the attack from the Villian League, lived with abusive stoners for 15 years, has a sister who is mentally ill he's had to help for that time I assume, had his parents go to jail, and has the media watching him. If we put anything else on a kid like that, on my son, it's likely to break him. I dunno how he hasn't just curled up and collapsed from all this. I dunno, call it mother's intuition, but I think something is wrong. We can't put more stress on him now. I'm thinking of pulling him from school for a few weeks. If I'm being honest. Summer is close anyways, and I don't think he can handle the Summer Camp right now. Assuming the protesters even allow us to do that."

"I like her idea," All Might adds, "we don't expel him, but since classes are at a standstill, maybe we turn a blind eye to his absences."

"I think I can arrange that," Eraser Head sighs, "but if he gets us any deeper into this hole, I will make sure he doesn't WANT to attend U.A."

"Is that a threat!?!" Midnight demands jumping to her feet.

"I'm not compromising my entire class for your son," Eraser Head shrugs, "I'll do what's best for my class."

"You do realize you try anything and the media will pounce like a pack of wolves," Midnight reminds, "just saying. They may find themselves with some security footage from the school."

"So be it," Eraser Head shurgs, "I say that wraps things up. Let's get lunch. Everyone down for pizza?..."

"So basically he's starting Summer early," Midnight shrugs, "I can probably arrange a therapy appointment for him?"

"Trust me he won't go," Lily sighs, "he tried to. Once. His dad would basically cause him to have a mental breakdown after each session so he basically associates therapy with his father, if we can call him a father at all."

"This is like solving a nine sided rubix cube," Midnight sighs, "it's impossible."

"I do know one therapist he will talk to," Lily explains, "he has a few friends back in his hometown. One of them is Bertha. She can probably convince him to go to an actual therapist cause she's still in college and all but, I dunno."

"We have to do something," Vamp explains, "I mean therapy is starting to help me. I can try to talk to him. He trusts me."

"Let's let him sleep," Midnight sighs, "Lily I've got to head to the agency. Can you keep an eye on him?"

"Can I come!?!" Vamp exclaims, "I wanna be a hero like you mom!"

The way Midnight's face brightens upon hearing this, as she hugs her daughter, is something only a parent can feel when they are proud of their child. Truly a wonderful, indescribable feeling.

"I would love you to," Midnight explains, "but it's kinda dangerous. By which I mean extremely dangerous. You stay here. Make sure your brother is safe. Make sure he eats something. I'll be back at five."

"Love you mom," Vamp hugs Midnight back.

"Love you too Vamp," Midnight hugs Vamp tighter before waving goodbye and exiting her house.

"What about his stuff as Purity?" Vamp asks, "he's not gonna quit."

"I dunno," Lily sighs, "look at him sleep. He's so peaceful. So still. Just breathing as he rests. When he wakes up we need to make sure he eats. It's safe to assume he hasn't eaten for a few days. After all he-"

Lily realizes something is wrong as she begins that last sentence. Panic stretches across her face instantly.

"He stopped breathing!" Lily exclaims, "call 911!"

Lily begins to preform CPR, as Vamp dials the number. Richard briefly awakens, his vision blurred as he sees Lily.

"Richard stay awake!" Lily begs beginning to cry, "please, I love you. Your family loves you! Don't die!"

Richard reaches out to her, noticing a small paper cut on her left hand, and uses guardian's light.

"Paper cut," he chuckles.

"Now's not the time for that!" Lily demands, "just stay awake. Please..."

Lily pulls him in, crying, "I can't lose you again. Don't leave me..."

The ambulances arrive within minutes, Midnight rushes from her agency to the hospital, where she is surrounded by reporters.

"I don't have fucking time for this!" Midnight exclaims, "get out of my way!"

Midnight pushes through the media outside and rushes into the hospital.

"Where is he!?!" She demands, "where's my son!?!"

The nurse at the desk leads Midnight to a room on the third floor, where Richard's family and Lily wait outside.

"We thought you should go in first," Deku explains, "he's been asking to see 'mom' nonstop."

Midnight nods and enters, and immediately hugs her son, crying.

"I'm OK," he hugs her back, "I'm OK."

"How did this happen?" She asks.

Richard sighs, and looks at his reflection in the window, seeing his masked alter ego. He turns to face his mother. He can't hide it from her. She deserves to know. She has a right to know. It's time to tell her the truth.

"There is one major source of stress in my life," he sighs, "I know. I know who Purity is."

"Has he threatened you?" Midnight asks, "look it's OK. I can call All Might and we can-"

"Mom," he sighs taking out his mask and putting it on, his voice becoming mechanical now, thanks to the mask, "I know EVERYTHING about him..."