A/N: While taking a break, some Class 1-C kids had spotted Lilac and learn her story.
She needed to leave...
She can't stay here...
She has to-!
???: Lilac...?
The girl was brought out of her unwanted thoughts and turned to see Mikoto, Sylvia, and Hein. They were surprised to see her there at the festival. They thought she went home. Why is she here anyway instead of there?
Lilac: You guys....?
Mikoto: Lilac-chan...Is it okay if we talk to you for a minute...?
Lilac stayed quiet for a moment or too before asking.
Lilac: What is it that you want to talk about.
Hein: Well...We just wanted to know...Are you alright?
Lilac: *Smiles* I'm fine.
Sylvia:.....
Hein:....
Mikoto: Are you sure?
Lilac: Peachy~! I'm just excited to see you guys made it to the finals, so I came here to watch you all.
Sylvia:....Then...why not at home...? The Sports Festival is all over the news and everyone is watching it either at the stadium or back at their own place...
Lilac: Oh...Umm...I just couldn't sit around anymore and came all the way here.
Mikoto: Is that so...?
Lilac: Yep....
The three students looked at each other before nodding. They could tell she was lying. It's time they learn the truth from her. One way or another.
Hein: Lilac...Is everything alright at home...?
Lilac's meaningful smile dropped at the little.
Lilac:....Yeah...? Why you ask?
Mikoto: Well... Remember when you said you were withdraw from the festival a few weeks ago...Me and Hein noticed something off about you...
Lilac:....Okay? What you do mean by that...?
Sylvia: Lilac-chan...Mikoto and Hein told me that before you went home that day. They noticed a bruise on your arm.
Lilac's smile ultimately dropped.
Lilac: Bruise?! What Bruise?! I don't have any bruises?!
Sylvia: You're lying....
Lilac: Guys...I don't understand...Why are you asking me all this...I can assure you I'm fine...
Mikoto: Okay...If nothing going on at home...where did you get the bruise from...?
Lilac:...Uh...training...?
Both Mikoto and Hein made a frown.
Hein: What training?
Sylvia: You really are lying...
Lilac: I'M NOT!
Mikoto: Then what training have you been doing...? Last time I checked...You said there was no need for you to train since you're interning with Recovery Girl...
Sylvia: Yeah...Think back on it. You said it yourself...
-Flashback-
Lilac: Guys. The U.A. Sports Festival is not about winning or beating the strongest in your class. But I'm not...I don't have the standards to fulfill the high expectations of everyone...It's like you all said about getting a hero to have you as their intern for Work Experience Week. I'm already going to intern with Recovery Girl after the festival, so therefore I don't really have much of a purpose of attending the festival....
-End Flashback-
Sylvia: You said you didn't have much of a purpose of attending the festival, so there was no need for you to train. So in other words...You have been lying...
Lilac:......
Hein: Lilac-san...We're not trying to harm you or anything...We just want to know the truth...What's really going on at home...?
Mikoto: Please don't push us away...We just want to help you...
Lilac:.....
Lilac's face hid underneath her purple bangs before she let out a sigh. Guess the cat's out of the bag...
Lilac: Okay...I guess I can never hide anything from you guys, huh?
Mikoto just shrugged while the girls nodded.
Lilac: Alright...I'll tell you guys...So please...just listen to my story.
With that, all ears were open as Lilac told her tragic backstory.
Lilac: Remember when I said my quirk wasn't either offensive or defensive back at the physical exam?
Hein/Sylvia: Yeah...?
Lilac: Back then...My parents was really hoping I get a flashy quirk...But when I got my quirk at the age of four...They were disappointed...
Mikoto: Disappointed...?
Sylvia: Da fuck?
Lilac: They were really mad when they learn my quirk involved simple healing upon physical contact.
Hein: Why....?
Lilac: Medical quirks tend to be really dangerous. Recovery Girl and I might have straightforward quirks, but for as rare as they are, anyone with a quirk that remotely effects healing are picked up even if the quirk isn’t entirely appropriate. I mean, I heard of someone whose sweat had healing effects, but said sweat was also teeming with bacteria, so even if it helped mend the skin it could cause infections. Or, there was another case where the person could mend flesh together, but if she didn’t do it just right, things won’t be aligned correctly and more damage would be done overall. Like, veins attaching to the wrong parts and stuff, and she can’t detach what she already mended. That kinda thing scares other people...
Mikoto:....So...You mean to tell me...your parents were angry about that...?
Lilac: Yes....
Hein: There's more to this story isn't it...
Lilac: I'm afraid so...Everyone in elementary school was happy that I got my quirk. The teachers...the other kids were all nice to me...I was so happy to be at school...That I didn't want to go home...
Sylvia: Lilac...
Lilac then went quiet...until her body begin to show...
The true horror she kept hidden for years.
Mikoto gasped.
Hein cups her hands to her mouth with tears pouring down.
Sylvia just stared in horror.
There were so many cuts, slits, scratches, and bruises all over her body from head to toe. Her purple eyes soon loss their color to a doll-like state. On her arms...There were carved letters with some lines of dry blood shown.
"Useless"
"Pathetic"
"Dumb"
"Bitch"
"Stupid"
"You can't be a hero"
"DIE"
Lilac Eastwood was not that happy go lucky girl everyone knew...
And there was no smile to hide it all...
This was her true side...
Wilted Lilac....
Hein: Oh My God....
Sylvia: L-Lilac-chan....?
Lilac:...........
Mikoto: (So I was right...Lilac Eastwood is a victim of parental abuse...)
They understand now....
It was bombed right into their faces because of the face that they never saw it coming....
The reason why Lilac was so cheerful because she comes from an abusive household. So she tries to mask the fact that she gets hurt by being nice and friendly to everyone she meets, no matter who they are. Because she gotten use to having to act like she doesn't get hurt after she gets...ya know...HIT.
Mikoto: L-Lilac....
Lilac had never looked so small as she tried to hide the guilt in her eyes.
Lilac: So to make this easier...Just some pocket healer with a dark story...I always on a bright smile to lighten everyone's day...to make it look like I'm alright...
"Hey Lilac-chan! You alright today?!"
"Hahaha! I'm fine! My day is going well."
....but the truth is...I'm dying inside...
Everytime I come home...My parents would treat me like scum...
Overtime...It was either verbal abuse...or physical abuse...
"Why did gave birth to you?"
"You're So Fucking Useless"
"You're Pathetic"
"Dumb"
"Stupid Bitch"
"You worthless piece of shit!"
"You can't be a hero with such a stupid quirk."
"HA! You think you can get the hero course with that useless healing quirk...? Don't make me laugh!"
"You make me sick by just looking at you"
"JUST DIE ALREADY!!!"
Lilac:....I spent a decade being abused by my parents...each day, when I come home...They would push me around, argue, get drunk, forced me to do chores around the house while they be lazy. They would throw stuff at me, laugh, and call me names...then would beat me when they feel like it...
Mikoto: (Oh My God...)
Sylvia: (Shit...)
Hein: (Lilac-san....)
Lilac: Well...Now you know who I am...Maybe they're right...after all this time...I don't even know who I am anymore....my quirk is useless...It can't do anything in the line of hero work but help others. But it can't help me-!
Sylvia: NO! It's not useless!
Lilac: ....Eh?
Hein: Lilac-san...Words cannot describe how ashamed I am that you think your quirk isn't any better as ours. It doesn't make the facts any sense for you to say that.
Mikoto: You shouldn't be listening to what your parents tell you. They're not you. You can't allow them to say all that.
Lilac: But...what can I do...They're my parents...
Sylvia: No. They were your parents. But they're nothing but terrible people if they treat their daughter like that.
Mikoto: Yeah. To learn that all this has been going on for a decade...all this for a quirk....that's just stupid...
So yeah. Her parents are indeed horrible. All this fuss for a flashy quirk.
Hein: Lilac-san...Please...let us help you. You shouldn't be letting this happen. Besides...you're not the only one that had trouble at home sometimes.
Lilac: R-Really...?
Sylvia: Yeah. I know how you feel...When I was young...my mother died. My father abused me and my brothers for years...until we had enough and left. We spent months on the streets...I always...wanted to be the first demon to be a hero...but people ridiculed me for that. Until a man, whose was just like me and my brothers, found us on the streets and took care of us. To this day, he is still our adoptive father.
Hein: I come from a rich family. But we hardly speak to one another. Usually when we talk...It's always something about business. Sometimes I even wonder are we still family....?
Lilac: W-What about you Mikoto-kun? You're the son of the Yuki-Onna...Surely your life has been decent. Right...?
Mikoto made a sad smile.
Mikoto: Somewhat....Sure my mom is the Yuki-Onna. But... she's hardly around that much due to work. I spent most of life being raised by my Dad.
Lilac: Oh...
Mikoto: I was also looked after by the people who works for my Mom's agency. During my childhood, everyone only liked me because of my mom. But not me...for who I am...
Lilac: Okay...I guess not everyone has a good life like I don't...But why would you guys help me...?
Sylvia: Because... your our classmate idiot.
Hein: It's the right thing to do.
Mikoto: Exactly...Because isn't that what a hero would do?
Lilac:.....
Suddenly, they heard footsteps and saw Present Mic walking up to them.
Lilac: Sensei...?
Present Mic: Hey little listener...I heard from Class Rep about what's going on...Is everything what I heard a while ago...true?
Present Mic wasn't smiling which made Lilac a little uncomfortable. But the girl shyly nodded.
Present Mic: Oh...Eastwood-chan...I'm so sorry.
Lilac looked at him confused.
Lilac: For what...?
Present Mic: For not realizing sooner. I'm a teacher and I feel like I had failed in making sure my students are safe. How could I when not realized one of them is having problems at home. Sure, a lot of them do...But judging from what I heard about you. It's very serious....So...We're going to get you some help.
He held out his hand to her.
Present Mic: If you let us.
Lilac: I...I...
Mikoto: Lilac-san...It's going to be okay...
Hein: We're here for you.
Sylvia: You don't have to suffer anymore.
Mikoto: So don't be shy...just take his hand.
The girl looked at her teacher who gave a small grin before she took his hand.
Present Mic: Thank you little listener...Now that we got your permission. I'm going to make some phone calls to a certain detective that's well-known around here.
Lilac:....thank you. Thank you so much...I...I...
Lilac begin to feel tears fall her eyes before...she started crying..
Lilac: Waaaaaaaaah!!!
Hein/Mikoto/Sylvia:...
Lilac: Thank you...Thank you so much! Please...Please Help Me...! I don't want to suffer anymore...I want to smile...For real...for everyone...I want...to be a hero...like everyone else...so PLEASE HELP ME!!! WAAAAAAAAAH!!!
Mikoto and girls all hugged her with tears of their own as Present Mic tried hide his own watching the beautiful scene.
For the first time in so long...
The pocket healer wasn't afraid anymore...
The Wilted Lilac had finally bloomed.