***I updated fast this time around! Hooray for me! lol!

***Read on and enjoy, friends! Other characters are introduced in this chapter!

***Warnings: Language, slavery, depression

Chapter Text

Chapter 10: The Plan: Part 1

Izuku and Bakugo left Iida to deal with the guards while they went into the room where they keep the nobles. The room is empty of any furniture other than piles of blankets on the floor, and a huddled mass of bodies in the center. Izuku turns to Bakugo with a look of concern. The conditions are horrible, yet they are better than All Might's. Bakugo twitches his antennas and buzzes his wings in an 'I don't know' manner, which wakes one of the nobles. It's a young female with dark hair tied up high on her head and black eyes. Izuku senses she's an alpha female, and she's a butterfly. When their eyes meet, she becomes frightened, and it startled the others awake.

"No, please, don't be afraid," Izuku says as softly as he can. The small group huddles together behind the largest member who rises to shield them. Izuku can't see the others, but the large alpha is a stag beetle. Though fierce looking, Izuku notices that the stag beetle is worn out and exhausted. "We're not here to hurt you," Izuku repeats. "We're from the Canopies," he drops his voice to a whisper, taking a careful step closer to the huddled group. "We've spoken with Prince Shouto, and we're going to get you all out of here!" It's too dark to see them, but Izuku can see the whites of their eyes as they whisper to one another.

"How do we know you're telling the truth?" Asks the butterfly female, peeking around the stag beetle.

Iida joins them. "It's alright, Momo. I'm working with them, so you can trust them." Iida quickly gave them a short version of what has happened up to this point.

"Are you really going to get us out of here?" Asks the female omega ladybug.

"That's the plan," Bakugo answers her.

"But what if we get caught?" Asks a female beta cricket. "They'll kill us!"

"We're not going to get caught," Izuku says. "Bakugo, Iida, Shouto, and I will work on the plan of escape. Since none of you can fly, you're going to have to run."

"Running will be difficult for us," says the stag beetle. "We're so exhausted from the work we're put us through that by the end of the day we can barely stand."

Izuku looks to Iida and Bakugo. "Let's make a mental note of that because it's a critical point." He humbly lowers his antennas and turns to the group with a friendly smile. "What are your names?"

"Shoji," says the stag beetle.

"I'm Momo," replies the butterfly.

"Just Jiro," says the cricket.

"Uraraka," the ladybug peeks out from behind Shoji.

"I am Tokoyami," says the last, a rare luna moth whose wings are twice the size of his body.

"I'm honored to meet all of you," Izuku says. "I promise that we'll get everyone out. The three of us will work on a plan, so keep your hopes high and stand tall!" He says, mimicking All Might's words.

"You really believe you can free all of us?" Momo asks.

Izuku nods. "And All Might too."

"Don't worry about us," says Shoji. "Get All Might out, so the Wastelands have nothing to hold against the Valley. Then come back for us later."

"I can't do that," Izuku says, shaking his head. "I'm going to get everyone out!"

"You mean I'm going to get everyone out," Bakugo chimes in, crossing his arms.

Izuku rolls his eyes. "Yes, you will get everyone out. I'm not leaving anyone behind. This plan WILL work."

"We need to go," Iida says. "The meeting will be ending soon."

"Wait to hear from us," Izuku says to the nobles. "It's a pleasure meeting you all, and I promise we'll celebrate once all of this over."

"And if we fail?" Tokoyami poses the question in an almost defeated tone.

Bakugo answers before Izuku has a chance. "We won't fail, because I'm running the mission, and I always win!"

"You're just going to have to trust us," Izuku tells them. "Decide amongst yourselves, and Iida will check back with you."

Izuku sits alone in his room at the desk, thinking about what to do with Dabi. He can't plan anything yet until he has Bakugo and Iida with him. Iida is currently getting in touch with their firefly to deliver the message to Shouto. Hopefully, Shouto will reply quickly with ideas to help them. Izuku can't risk writing anything down on paper in case Dabi comes across it. He'll have to keep everything in his head. Lucky for him, that's a quality trait he has that All Might praised; his ability to retain information and think quickly.

Which brings him back to the topic of Dabi. Izuku's heat is approaching, but depending on when they hear back from Shouto, he can't ensure that he will be away in time. Having his heat is going to complicate things. It can put the whole mission at risk. However, it's possible to take a bad situation and make it into a positive one. 'Positive' in a negative way is more like it. An alpha can become mindless and transfixed on an omega when they are in heat. If it ends up being too late, Izuku can use his heat to distract Dabi while the others get away. If everyone can get out, then Izuku will have nothing holding him back, and he can attack Dabi. Or, he can wait until his heat has Dabi in a weakened state and then strikes the alpha male with his stinger. Izuku doesn't want to kill him, but the venom in his stinger will stun the huntsman spider, rendering the male helpless and giving Izuku time to escape. He can fly faster than Dabi can run anyway.

'Ugh…how can I let that bastard touch me again after that night?' Izuku asks himself. 'I don't want to be anywhere near him! But if it will help get All Might and the others out safely…then I can bear it. I'll have to. Like All Might and Bakugo said, I will have my revenge. If I didn't have so much riding on this, I could just attack him. I'm going to have to lower myself to that of a submissive omega to trick Dabi. It makes my skin crawl…' His antennas twitch when he senses an alpha approach. As it gets closer, he can tell the alpha is Dabi. 'It's as if he heard my thoughts.' Izuku bites his lip and doesn't turn around when the door opens.

"Good afternoon, wife," Dabi says with a soft, mocking tone. "I brought us a little snack and thought you'd like to share it with me?"

Izuku closes his eyes for a moment, takes a deep breath, and turns around to face the spider. "Good afternoon…husband," the word burns like venom on his tongue. "What did you bring?"

"Wine and some sweets," Dabi shows Izuku the black tray before placing it on the small table. "Do have a seat, and tell me about your day," Dabi sits in the chair. "I'm sure it was more interesting than my day."

Izuku walks over to the table, wondering if Dabi has an inkling about what they did today. As he sits, Izuku's suddenly torn between telling Dabi the truth or keeping it a secret. If he tells Dabi, it may threaten their escape plan. If he doesn't tell Dabi and the spider finds out, he can get in trouble. "Tell me about your day first," Izuku says, eyeing the treats on the tray. He does love sweets. Those little tarts look tasty.

"It's not poisoned," Dabi smiled at him, blinking all eyes at the same time. "So, stop looking at them as if I'm planning to kill you. It's not easy for us to get sweet things here in the Wastelands, wife. It would be rude to ignore my hospitality."

"I'm sorry," Izuku reaches out and take the little tart, looking at it. Dabi has no reason to poison him, and his antennas aren't picking up anything hazardous. He puts the tart to his lip and takes a bite. The berry filling is bitter, but there is a hint of sweet. "I like it. Thank you for the treat, husband."

Dabi pours them both some wine. "So, you wish to know about my day?"

"I just think a meeting is more interesting than wandering around Graventhorn with Bakugo complaining and whining in my ear the whole time," Izuku realizes that this is a great chance to start posing to Dabi that he doesn't get along with Bakugo. It's a lie, but it will work.

'Bakugo, I want you in the mines as a guard to keep an eye on the nobles and plot ways to get them to the escape route,' Izuku tells him.

Bakugo sneers. 'I'm not going to be a lowly guard!'

'No, but I think we should pretend that we don't like the other's company, and I will tell Dabi that I'd rather have you down there.'

'Oh, I see,' Iida says 'By saying you are annoyed with Bakugo and putting him DEEPER in the bowels of this place, it will allow Dabi to believe that Bakugo isn't a threat to you when you're so close to your heat.'

Izuku nods. 'Exactly. Bakugo, will you do this? Please, I need you to work with me on this.'

'Fine! Only because I want this shit over and done with!'

"My tour of Graventhorn wasn't enough for you?" Dabi asks, sipping the wine.

"I'm trying to learn my way around," Izuku says. "If I'm going to live here, that is something I should know," he has an idea and adds, "Unless you are going to have your own place now that we're married?"

Dabi tilts his head slightly. "My own place? Oh. You mean a home,"

"Yes. I didn't think we were going to live here forever," he takes another bite of tart. "I guess King Tomura won't allow you to leave."

Dabi frowns at Izuku over the rim of his cup. "I can do whatever I want," he says. "If I wish to move out of this place, then I will."

"What's stopping you then? Is it the 'master'?" Izuku hasn't forgotten about the 'master,' but getting out and regrouping is the first step.

"Yes. I need to stay here to keep Tomura from losing his head," he gulps the wine. "That male is a lunatic who will screw everything up. It pisses me off that I have to babysit him!"

'I didn't need clarification that Tomura is unstable,' Izuku says to himself. "May I ask a question, husband?"

"What?"

"If King Tomura is so unstable, then why does this master put him in charge instead of you? King Tomura is a gamma, not an alpha like you."

Dabi lets out a soft, single chuckle. "Tomura is just fucking special, that's all,"

"Oh. Okay. 'Damn, I got nothing!' Did your meeting go well at least?"

"Concerned about a plan of attack?"

"What? No. The whole point of our marriage is to stop the fighting and make peace. Unless…"

"Unless?"

"Unless you're lying to me?"

Dabi let's out a playful sigh. "Everybody needs a stepping stone. In the end, I'll have what I want."

"And what is that?"

"An omega isn't permitted to know every little detail about their alpha mate,"

"I'm sorry." 'But you're not my mate. You're just an obstacle in my way…and if there is an obstacle I cannot remove…I'll have to find a way around it.' Izuku finishes the tart with a hidden smile on his lips.

"So, did you find anything interesting on your second tour?" Dabi asks, changing subjects.

"Not really. I wish there were more light, but it's something I have to learn to deal with."

"I'm having more candles brought here for you," Dabi tells him.

"Thank you. While we're on the subject of the tour, I saw the entrance to the mines," he looks at Dabi across the table. "I would like to ask you if I can assign Bakugo to be in the mines as a guard."

Dabi pours himself another cup of wine. "Why the sudden change in your relationship with the hornet general?"

Izuku drinks his wine as well, buying a few moments to think before answering with the right words. "He's becoming too much for me to deal with. We aren't getting along well right now, and I think some time in the mines bossing others around that isn't me is a good change for both of us."

"I see," Dabi nods. "Well, there are only slaves down in the mines anyway. Bakugo can yell and beat them all he wants. But I want you to tell him that he needs to be down there."

"I can do that," Izuku says.

"Can you?" Dabi raises a dark brow, focusing all eyes on Izuku. "Are you sure you're not doing this because of your approaching heat? Are you trying to protect him from me?"

'I would need to protect you from him,' Izuku thinks to himself. "No. He just gets on my nerves."

Dabi laughs. "That's a good answer. He pisses me off too. Very well. Tomorrow you'll tell him."

"No. I want to tell Bakugo now," Izuku softly demands. "He comes in here to guard me at night, and I don't want him here."

Dabi rolls all of his eyes. "Fine. We'll summon him before bed, and you can tell him then."

Izuku smiles at Dabi, though it wasn't the spider he is really smiling at. 'Step one; complete.'

"Prince Shouto, a message has come for you,"

Shouto looks up from the book he is reading in the window seat of his chamber. He nods silently to the servant and takes the letter from them. Checking the wax seal, Shouto sees the ten point star- the symbol of the fireflies. He politely dismisses the servant to read the contents of the letter. When a firefly receives the message from other fireflies in the special flashing light of codes they use, they write it down. Shouto unfolds the letter.

Colleague,

We require your assistance. We have begun to develop a plan of escape to free All Might and the nobles. We ask that you send word to Bakugo's gammas, Kirishima and Kaminari, for their aid as well. The nobles cannot fly, so I fear we are all going to have to run. We will need support spread out through the Wastelands to help in this escape. I will keep you updated as the plan comes together. Any thoughts you may have, please share them with us.

A Friend

Shouto hurries to his desk and prepares a response letter, thinking about the words carefully. He already has some ideas.

Friend,

I'm thrilled to hear that we have a plan in mind. I knew something was not right with this marriage arrangement, but the situation was different then. I will alert the two gammas about this and get back to you. As of now, remind Izuku about the money I gave him to bribe guards and servants. Point out to him which ones you can trust. Our biggest issue with the Wastelands is the dense trees and darkness. We too will be limited to how fast and high we can fly. The trickiest part is finding a route back to the Valley. I suggest we have those above and below. The Hornets and Bees can defend on the ground. I will have my legion of locus fly in a dark wave over the trees. They will guide everyone to the Valley by their sound. I will be waiting at the border with an army ready to defend. Please keep me updated.

I urge you and the others to stay strong. There is an end in sight, and all will be well again.

Your Colleague

Shouto puts the quill away and flies from his chambers to the war room. The Insectoids greet him with bows, but Shouto passes by them quickly. He has to get this message out. His personal firefly messenger is lounging in a bed of flower petals and leaves while admiring himself in a hand mirror.

"Aoyama, I know that the mirror is jealous, but I have an urgent message for you to send."

"Oh, but can't it wait? I'm saving up my gorgeous twinkling light for the evening!"

Shouto sometimes questions why he chose Aoyama to be his personal messenger; then he remembers how he came to that choice. Aoyama is not only the same age as him, but the firefly is utterly enamored with himself, which means that he doesn't mingle with others. Even when Aoyama does engage with others, he is so full of himself that no one pays attention to him or listens to what he has to say. Aoyama is also the only one that doesn't grovel before him seeking favor. While he can't depend on Aoyama for battle tactics or war, messages get passed on quickly.

"I'd rather you pass the message on now," Shouto says, then adds, "If you do it now, you'll be free all tonight to twinkle in the sky."

Aoyama gasps excitedly. "Why, that is so true! I do twinkle and shine the brightest, don't I?"

'Well, the moths adore you for that,' Shouto thinks to himself. "Make sure only our firefly by the Wastelands gets this message," he hands Aoyama the letter and waits patiently for the firefly to read it.

"A rescue mission? Why it sounds like the perfect time to show off my skills to the world as more than just an errand beta!"

Shouto raises his brows slightly. "Oh? You sound as if you would like to join in the efforts?"

"We shall see!" Aoyama flips his blonde hair and sparkles at Shouto (who's not fazed) "We must get Izuku out of that dreadful dark place and back here where the color is!"

"I will find some use for you in this rescue mission," Shouto says. "We may need all the help we can get. As for now, keep this information between us and our firefly. Okay?"

"Indeed! The time to twinkle is now!"

"Yes…to twinkle. Twinkle away."

Shouto runs a hand through his hair and between his antenna. 'I'm going to need a lot of mead tonight.'

TBC:

Chapter 11: The Plan Part 2