To say that class 1-A had been devastated would be an understatement.
Other than Carter, all had survived and made it back home, in various conditions. Katsumi had to be pried off his body, which had taken hours to slowly shrink back down into its human form.
Upon hearing the news, Nezu freaked out and took Carter's body away just in the nick of time, as the HPSC and several other agencies demanded they get the body. Just as it seemed things would explode, Star and Stripe, the #1 hero of the United States of America, and most likely the world, arrived to see her son's body.
There had been no crying, no demands of how it happened, just silence. For three full days, Cathleen sat beside his bed in U.A.'s infirmary, thinking of all the ways she could have prevented this.
The rest of his classmates and teachers all came to pay their respects, some more tearful than others. Midnight was particularly distraught as she never got to thank him for sending them all to safety.
The ones who took it worse were the girls. Momo hadn't left his side in almost a day, and both Katsumi and Nejire joined her as they cried together. Cathleen let them be, as she had Abby and John brought in from the States on her personal flight to say goodbye.
As the rest of the world broke down around them, Cathleen did nothing but sit and stare at Carter's face, the only time she'd ever seen him so peaceful. Not all things last, however, as the U.S soon arrived with its demands.
"Like hell you're getting his body," Cathleen growled as Dr. Green held up several documents. A court order, several petitions from Senators, and even orders from the top brass of the military. "You no longer have a say in what happens to the specimen." The Dr smirked, finally, after so many years, he'd get to cut this creature open and urk?!
Cathleen grabbed the much smaller man by the throat and stood up as his feet kicked at her, trying to get loose. "I said no." crack! She watched impassively as his body his the floor with a dull thud. Thankfully, none of the girls were around to witness this, but the man's guards sure were.
Seeing them level their weapons at her, she scowled. None of this seemed right. "I'm giving you one chance to leave this place alive. Go home to whatever you hold dear, or you're going to leave this country in a body bag." The men hesitated, then decided it wasn't worth it as they withdrew, taking the body with them.
A week later, Nezu held a small service for Carter behind the main campus. Toshinori and Cathleen each gave a eulogy, as his classmates each spoke a little about him. As it drew to a close, Cementoss prepared to close the casket when Cathleen stopped him, "He already made his own arrangements." She said, confusing him.
Lifting his body, she rose into the air, not as Star and Stripe, but as Cathleen. Struggling under the weight of the closest thing to family she'd had in over twenty years. Reaching the desired altitude, she called upon her quirk with a heavy voice.
"New Order: This body will turn to ash, leaving behind no usable DNA or any other biological material that can be used in any way." As his body slowly turned to ash, Cathleen started to sob.
As his ashes drifted away, she slowly returned to the ground and collapsed, her body giving out after almost two full weeks of grief-induced insomnia. The others surged forward and caught her, as Nezu had her taken to Carter's old room, where she could rest in peace for as long as she needed.
As Cathleen prepared to return to the mess waiting for her in the U.S., she gave one final piece of advice to Momo, Katsumi, and Nejire. "Don't let grief consume you. Use this tragedy to become heroes that he would be proud to fight alongside. He would want you to become stronger, to avenge him." After more tearful goodbyes, Cathleen left Japan and returned to the United States, ignoring everyone but those in need, as crime rates across the country plummeted under her relentless assault.
For the next week after she leaves, Japan is in chaos as Tomura breaks into every major prison around the country; even Tartarus is spared, as villains take to the streets in mass. At some point, the top three heroes, Endeavor, Hawks, and Best Jeanist, hold a press conference to soothe the people as best they can, while also pushing forward a new plan to help keep people safe.
Mirko also makes an appearance at U.A., stopping to see his 'grave' and shedding a few tears before leaving to recover some more. Momo and Nejire are still sulking in Carter's room as they desperately cling to his things, wishing he would come back.
Katsumi, while also devastated, has channeled her grief differently. Relentlessly pushing her body past its limits as she pours all her sorrow, frustrations, and anger into her training. Despite the school being closed for now, Nezu continues to take care of the students and their parents as they also move onto the school grounds.
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"It seems that Tanaka's plan worked." O5-2 remarked as the other members of the Council nodded. "The only problem is that now All For One is active again. All Might is gone and the best deterrent we had is dead, the other is grieving his death as has lashed out at her own government. We need something that can keep AFO in check."
"A valid concern, any ideas?" A few moments of silence pass. "682 broke out, it seems to be heading towards Japan." One of them groans at the idea of that headache, "It still has the tracker installed right?" "Yes, moving fast through the pacific, it'll probably reach Japan sometime in April."
"I thought you said fast?" A shrug, "It seems to stop for long periods of time, hunting and eating. It also seems to be showing signs of grief, and it's not the only one. The Guardian was observed bowing it's head for days after the anomaly was killed."
"Keep an eye on it just in case. Keep tracking 682 as well, I'd rather in not sneak up on us. Dismissed."
As the Foundation pivoted away from Carter towards keeping AFO in check, the Children of the Scarlet King have been busy continuing the last commands they had been given. "Spread out. Find the others, and prepare for the End."
With the near collapse of their operations in Japan thanks to AFO, they retook old bases left scattered around the globe as they began to chase after rumors of massive winged beast stalking the earth, as they prepared for the glorious return of the Exalted One.