Three more months had passed. Izuku had been trapped for a whole year. Akaguro kept getting more and more angry, infuriated that the remaining children were somehow keeping with their morals, refusing to turn against their country. He would throw kids in his "punishment boxes" on a whim. The horrible Nomu were stationed outside at night, preventing the captives from sneaking out to look at the stars or to try and escape. Soon, the Hunter began bringing in the bare minimum for food.

It was as if he had realized that he could never sway them as he had been originally instructed, and had decided to slowly kill them instead.

Many kids were swaying on the brink of death: Akaguro had increased his mental attacks of Charming, leaving them weaker than ever, and with the little food the children could barely even stand. The few who remained properly functional were left to care for the sick. Izuku almost laughed when he thought about how Father Chisaki would have lost his mind at the filth that almost never received attention: almost.

A couple of the hunters children found a way around the issue of food: they fashioned basic traps which they poked through the holes in the barricade. Every morning and evening they would duck out and check those traps. A few rabbits and squirrels had been caught: they were lean things, but they had some meat on them and the children knew how to get the most out of a little catch, even if that meant eating livers and kidneys.

Dabi and Shoto had become the unofficial leaders. Whenever a decision was to be made, they were looked to. They functioned perfectly together, as if they were lifelong brothers who had been raised and trained side by side.

Izuku chipped in what he could as well, making sure his lessons in medicine and alchemy did not go to waste. He cleaned wounds and concocted weak potions of health: he could only do so much, what with his scant supplies he nicked, but the potions did not go to waste. He made sure that whatever meals were made were as healthy as could be in the given situation. At this point he was pretty sure the kids would cry if they had to see another bowl of broth.

Playing doctor was not all that Izuku did. He was limited in what he could make, but he kept his dwindling hope that Yuuei Knights were coming for them, and so prepared in advance. He was slightly doubtful these extra non-medical potions could do much good, but Izuku kept them safely tucked away regardless.

Still, there was no sign of highly trained knights or Toga. Nothing but beasts stirred the trees.

Izuku's hope was fading fast. He knew some of the children wouldn't last till the end of the week, no matter how many potions he could create. Dabi and Shoto were taking too many hits for the sake of the weaker children: soon one or the other would be majorly injured. Shinso at this point never left the rooms. Izuku was beginning to think the boy had gone mute, for the only noise he ever made was when he plucked at his harp. Tokoyami was trying to be brave, but Izuku knew the boy rarely slept: Dark Shadow kept crying, whining for his master's brother.

Hope was fading. The winking star was a distant memory as Izuku looked at himself in a mirror.

Two years ago the only blemish to be found on him was a long scratch on his left cheek: he had gotten it when he had first woken up in his body and had fallen. To this day he could feel phantom hands running along his arms and face, checking for damage and making minor adjustments: he could hear Kai calling Izuku to open his eyes and he could remember how beautiful life was with the added color from his lenses: he could remember learning to walk all over again and learning to dance and play the piano. He could remember it all so perfectly it hurt.

And now, his body was riddled in dents, cracks, and scratches. His right arm clicked and ground whenever he tried to move it the wrong way. His left lens had a crack running through it, distorting his vision. His metal for hair was dented and rusted, covered in dust. His clothes were atrocious. There were many large and deep cracks in his porcelain torso, and it was only by magic and wonderful engineering that he hadn't literally fallen to pieces.

He was just a broken boy.

Izuku knelt before the mirror and felt the last of his hope snap.

He was just a broken boy with no way to help. Some kids would be dead soon, potentially on the morrow, and there was nothing he could do. Shoto and Dabi were risking their actual lives for the sake of these kids and Izuku himself, and he could do nothing about it. Tokoyami was retreating into himself because his brother was gone, and Izuku had been the one to send him away. The boys were most likely dead, and it was all Izuku's fault.

Izuku fell onto his side, wrapped his arm around his head, and cried.

He wasn't sure how long he had been there, sobbing his heart out, but eventually he was found. It had come as no surprise that it was Dabi. He bundled the broken boy into his lap and hugged him tightly. "Hey, come on now Izuku," he murmured, rubbing a hand down the boy's back. "Shhhh, it's not over yet. There's still hope to be found-"

"No there isn't!" Izuku cried, not caring that the kids a few rooms down could hear him. "There's nothing left! It's been months! No one is coming! He's going to kill us all!"

Despite Izuku's cries, Dabi kept his cool. "So what? You're just going to lay down and take it?" He shook his head, clambering to his feet. "Let me tell you something Izuku: that isn't how you survive in this world." He began walking, carrying Izuku along, though Izuku didn't know where. "I've lived all these years having to fight for my very life time after time. Trust me, I know how it feels: you're feeling what I've felt so often before: complete hopelessness. But if you let that consume you, then it will kill you."

Izuku could hear bird song and feel the breeze of the evening: Dabi had taken him outside.

"You have to cling to hope no matter what. Even if that hope turns to bitter spite, it is all you may have left." Dabi lowered himself to the ground. His hands went back to rubbing Izuku and holding him close. "And you know? It hurts to say this but maybe the boys didn't make it. I'm choosing to hope that they have because it right now is all that is left to me. But it may just be that we have to come up with a second plan now."

Izuku stilled. He sniffled. "That's a depressing outlook on life."

"These are depressing times."

"Do you really think they didn't make it?"

Dabi was quiet for several moments. "I honestly don't know. Yuuei, despite its amazing integrity and near righteousness, it has an affinity for a finicky legal system. Maybe the letter has been doubted."

"But it has Sho's signature!"

Dabi shrugged. "I don't know Izu." He slightly tightened his hold on the mechanical boy, resting his chin on his head. "I just don't know."

They stayed there for another hour. Izuku didn't neccesarily feel any better, but he didn't feel any worse either. He was thinking about what Dabi had said: another plan. Maybe they would just have to fight Akaguro head on. Maybe pretend to have accepted his views so he would let them go lightly? No, he'd see through that. Plus if they were to fight Akaguro, they would also have to fight the Nomu.

As Izuku was considering this, one lumbered over to the two boys. It was a large black thing with no eyes and a tight jaw. It gurgled at them. On the other side of the two, a thin and green one began pacing around the border, snuffling and gurgling through its limp and gaping maw, its four eyes rolling around its skull. The third flapped its large wings to hover over the Camp.

The first garbled again, more insistently. Izuku curled into a tighter ball at its eyeless-stare, but Dabi scoffed and rose to his feet. "Yeah yeah, we're going, you nanny." The Nomu growled again, but Dabi was already walking away with Izuku curled up in his arms.

The black Nomu might have pursued, but there was a sudden shake in the Earth. Dabi froze. Leaves fluttered down from the high trees. To free his arms, Dabi set Izuku down on his own two feet. "Get inside." Izuku didn't dare argue as there was another shake, stronger this time.

Overhead the flying Nomu gave a piercing screech through its mutilated mask. The captives inside were now awake, and voices were rising. Akaguro burst outside, blades readied just as Izuku was ducking back inside.

Before he slipped through the wall, Izuku stole a final glance behind himself. Dabi was standing between the border wall and the building: Akaguro was approaching fast, mouth open to yell at Dabi, clearly thinking he was responsible. The flying Nomu was still screaming.

And the wall, simply, exploded.

Pandemonium reigned. The last thing Izuku saw through the dust and splinters of the wall was a massive figure bursting into the air to attack the flying Nomu. He yelped in fear and ducked through. All of the captives were on their feet, wide-eyed. Shoto was standing tall: somehow he had found a sword (though how was beyond Izuku,) and had it brandished and ready to shed blood.

Izuku could only find one thing to say.

"They made it!"


Ten knights of Yuuei burst through the wall. All Might leapt through the air, attacking the flying monstrosity. Three knights splintered off, heading for the shambling green monster with war cries and raised swords. One knight with flames pouring through his red-hot armor was challenged by the black eyeless Nomu: three of the last knights backed the flaming knight up.

That left only two more. Both were smaller in stature. The larger of the two ordered his companion to find the captives and lead them somewhere safe. As his fellow rushed off towards the wall of the building, he stalked forward towards Akaguro. The Hunter sneered.

"One man against me? You must be the confident sort." He weighed his voice down with layer upon layer of Charming magic. "You and that metal stick don't stand a chance boy."

The knight, still shrouded behind his helmet, spoke without fear. "Your magic has no power upon the Ninth Star of Yuuei, Treacherous Fox." Mirio Togata held himself high, determined to keep the Hunter occupied until either the man fell or until the other knights could come and assist.

Akaguro snarled, and the two leapt into combat.

Mirio's other ally dashed towards the standing Dabi. He was battling off a mutant beast that had entered from within the forest. He was without any armor or weapons, but his fire was more than sufficient.

The beast tackled him, but its mistake was made clear as its head was blasted clean off in a burst of purple-blue flames.

The knight rushed to him, offering a hand to him. Dabi took it and clambered to his feet, flames at the ready. "The children and hostages, where are they?!"

Dabi coughed before he could answer. "Inside, that through that wall," he pointed.

As Dabi spoke, Shoto rushed out of the building through their hidden door, his sword at the ready. The barrier walls, now weakened by the explosion from earlier, collapsed to let the monsters from outside in to attack at their pleasure. One howled and pounced for Shoto, but was blocked by the boy's sword. Two more bounded for the knights fighting the green Nomu.

The beasts were twisted things. They were each the size of a fully grown wolf, but looked closer to being a warthog: their tusks jutted downward from their upper jaw, serrated with bits of rotted meat clinging to them. Their hair-like fur was matted and black. A horrible stench wreaked from them strong enough to make eyes water and bile rise.

There was a chorus of screams from inside the building. Children and captives poured out of the doors, terrified for their lives. Dabi rushed to them: they swarmed him, crying and screaming. "What are you doing?! It isn't safe out here!"

Tokoyami was backing up behind Izuku, who was fumbling four small vials. Dark Shadow was high and alert, covering his master and hissing in anger.

A beast tore through the wall of the building. It was smaller than its brethren, but still a mighty beast. Dabi looked around hopelessly. Tokoyami was fighting toe-to-toe with the beast on his own. The other knight had rushed off to help Shoto. Every other knight was preoccupied with some terror or another.

Dabi had to defend 40 children on his own.

Of course, things had to take a turn for the worst.

The Hunter, over the ringing blades and yells of battle, shouted for each of the captives to hear. "FALL DOWN!"

All forty-six collapsed like flowers under heavy snow. Shoto and Tokoyami were stunned and pinned by their monster opponents. Dabi buckled under the strain of his resistance, but was the first to regain his feet.

He half-stood, flames at the ready, just in time to see Tokoyami's beast sail over his prone figure to pounce on Izuku. It bore down its head on the boy. Opening its maw wider than should be possible, the beast let out a horrific howl directly into Izuku's face.

Dabi went deaf. He couldn't even hear his own scream, let alone Izuku's. He couldn't hear the other knight yelling for Shoto, rushing in and beheading his beast with one fell swoop. He couldn't hear Mirio yelling as he pressed the attack on Akaguro. He couldn't hear the petrified screams of the captives.

All Dabi could see was that horrible maw closing on Izuku's arm and ripping the limb from his body. He rushed to find his strength, and charged the beast, Tokoyami doing the same behind.

The beast chomped the arm to bits, scattering gears and peices of metal and porcelain everywhere. Its mad eyes were grinning as it opened up to sever Izuku's head from his body.

But something stopped it.

The beast stumbled in confusion, coughing and hacking and forgetting Izuku. It howled in pain, but no sword had pierced its hide.

The beast had failed to notice that clutched Izuku's hand that he had eaten was a small glass vial: one filled with a highly reactive substance.

The beast shuddered, coughed, and, with fiery sparks flying from the inside of its ears, collapsed dead.

Dabi picked up Izuku, grabbed a stunned Toko by the arm, and hauled them back to the group of captives. Izuku was shuddering, staring aghast at his own missing arm: the corporeal mist of his true form was leaking through where his arm should have been, but he couldn't see past the fact that his arm was not there. After checking that Izuku was as fine as could be, Dabi ran a head count.

Barring Shoto, who was still by what remained of the barrier, all of the children was present. Dabi called to Shoto and the other knight, calling them over. The knight's helmet had fallen off somehow, letting loose a short-chopped mane of silky black hair.

Dabi realized that the tenth knight, who he had naturally assumed to be male, was none other than the daughter of the High Lord, Momo Yaoyorozu: Shoto's assumed fiancee. Dabi had once known her himself, however distantly. Her hair was once so long as to hang below her waist, but often kept in an elaborate braid or other hairstyle; yet she had cut it off to end at her chin. Her dark eyes were the same however, full of passion and intelligence.

Momo had been leading Shoto, supporting him, but he broke out of her grasp when he saw Izuku. He ran full-tilt to his friend. Placing his sword in Momo's hands, Shoto collapsed to his knees and wrapped himself around Izuku, calling the boy's name.

Dabi was concerned with other matters however. "Miss!" Momo snapped her gaze to him. He pointed to the three knights fighting against the green Nomu, the corpses of the other beasts laying not to far away. "Help them! We'll move the captives by them for safety."

Momo nodded once, donned her helmet, and rushed into the fray. Dabi turned back to the group. "On your feet! We need everybody up!" He began lifting children onto their feet or into his own arms. "Now!" Others, such as Shoto and Tokoyami, began doing the same. Some of the hunters children brandished knives they had nicked from the kitchen, standing protectively around their defenseless and weaker fellows. Shoto took the lead. Dabi, the only one with the strength to, hefted Izuku onto his back.

"There's still that monster there!" One child cried, pointing to the green Nomu.

"Not for long."

As if on cue, the armored figure of Momo somehow crawled onto the thing's back. It thrashed and wailed, but it was too late. Her sword pierced through its skull down out of its jaw: it shuddered once, then collapsed. Shoto whooped.

They each finally made it to the three knights and Momo. The weak were deposited on the ground with the stronger circling them protectively. "Is this everyone?" A knight asked, brandishing his flail.

"All that are left sir."

Then, without warning or even a growl, another monster burst from the trees, sailed over their heads, and landed with all its force on the straggling captives. No one needed a medical degree to know that those three had instantly died. Dabi rushed the offending beast with a scream. The three knights cried as well, putting themselves between the children and the forest: just in time, as more beasts made themselves known.

What should have just been a simple fight against one man quickly turned into a desperate battle for survival. The entire battle field was filled with action.

Akaguro was attacking with furious vigor, Mirio parrying and striking in turn. Neither could seem to gain advantage over the other. All Might was still knocking the flying Nomu about: he had lost his sword, but was now iconically fighting with his bare fists. The flaming knight and his fellows had finally slain the big brute and were moving in to help protect the children. Beast after beast was pouring into the Camp, but, with 4 more knights present, they were quickly and easily dispatched.

Izuku had finally regained his senses. With his shaking right hand, he pressed his last two explosive vials into the hands of his fellows. He withheld his last bottle, some sixth sense saying it would be needed elsewhere. But still, the beasts kept coming.

"There are too many of them!" The red-hot knight growled, slashing with his flaming sword. "The forest will catch fire before they finish!"

The forest, being infused with magic since it was a thin line of saplings, would in fact never fall to his fire; but in correlation that would mean that the beasts would keep pouring in until the knights grew tired and faltered.

Something needed to be done.

One small figure dashed from the circle. He may have gone mute from his abuse, and he may have felt that he could never atone for what he had helped to do, but he knew he could do this much.

Shinso darted past Dabi and the others, unbelievably fast. He ignored Dabi screaming after him to come back. Darting through the gaping hole in the wall, he ran straight to his bedside. He fell to his hands and knees and groped under the darkness for his harp.

There was a tale-tell whoosh of air that came only from Dabi's flames; probably battling off another beast. He burst through the wall after Shinso. "What are you doing?!" The boy emerged, triumphant, just as Dabi reached him and began hauling him back to the circle of captives and knights. Shinso actually broke out of his grip to run even faster, moving past the terrified captives and to the front line, past the knights. He ignored their calls for him to get behind them.

Instead, Shinso tucked his harp under an arm and swung himself up into a low tree. He settled down. His fingers hovered over the strings, the magic within him longing to be let out. He played the only song that came to mind: the only song he hadn't previously taunted with his evil deeds.

He played Izuku's song.

Every ounce of fear and hurt and guilt he could summon within himself Shinso poured out into the melody. He directed the magic away from his allies and right into the heart of the forest. The beasts howled and cried, rubbing massive paws over their ears before they turned tail and ran: one after the other. He kept playing, letting himself go with the soul and beauty of the music. So entranced was he that Akaguro's bitter commands, for the first time, fell on deaf ears. Shinso played on, hearing only the music he played, remembering only the kindness he had been shown. Without needing to charm them, Shinso had the entire group of captives and knights (save Mirio and All Might,) enraptured until the song finished. They finally regained their senses at the end of the song. It was at this moment that All Might finally pinned the flying Nomu to the ground not far from their circle, killing it with a mighty blow to the back of the head.

That left only Mirio and Akaguro. They had switched places, leaving Akaguro with his front to Mirio and his back to the other knights. Shoto lurched forward, being majorly supported by Momo. "We have to help him!"

"Stay back young prince!" All Might held Shoto back with one hand as he watched his apprentice fight viciously. "You all are in no condition to be anywhere near the Hunter, and any of us would just get in the way."

"We can't just leave him!"

"I know! Let me think..."

As they continued to go back and forth with each other, no one noticed that Izuku had left his Vessel in a soft puff. Stepping out into the fresh air felt surreal after his time in a physical body. It always felt strange and new; but perhaps his shock and detachment was enhancing the feeling.

He concentrated hard and picked up his final vial in his left and dominant hand. He tried to aim, but found the moving figures of the others to be in his way. "Sho, could you move to the side for me?"

Shoto whipped around, dancing to the side. All Might also stepped to the side, eyeing Izuku strangely. "What are you doing boy?"

"Aiming."

With that, Izuku let the final vial fly. It twirled in its arc, end over end, crashing down just behind Akaguro. Once it connected with the Earth it shattered. Akaguro at the same moment stepped backward.

He stepped right into a pillar of noxious smoke which blinded him and cut off the majority of his oxygen. Mirio took his chance. Deflecting Akaguro's wild and panicked slash, he rammed the butt of his sword into the Hunter's temple and knocked the man to the ground (all while holding his breath so as to not breathe in the awful smoke.) Mirio waited, sword point leveled at his enemy's throat. When it was clear that Akaguro was no to rise, they all finally relaxed.

The children who had been standing collapsed to their hands and knees. Shoto slumped in Momo's arms, but regardless she dragged him in for a passionate (although brief) kiss. Dabi didn't care to hide his tears. Shinso slowly clambered down from his tree, looking like a small breeze would knock him prone.

Izuku somehow remained standing, though he was hunched and dazed. All Might chuckled and turned to him. "That was a good shot, young lad."

Izuku somehow laughed. It had been a good shot, hadn't it?

His green eyes rolled into the back of his head, and Izuku face-planted into the soft earth.


A/N

So this was doozie!

I decided I wanted all of it in one big chapter. Breaking up important fight scenes (or important anythings) with chapter breaks can be a real annoyance for readers, and I didn't want to do that to ya. Plus we could use another longer chapter.

Hopefully the next chapter will be out soon! There's still, actually, I'd say quite a bit left to this story that I have planned. Our kids aren't totally out of the hole just yet; about 90% out, but they can't exactly live their lives without getting treated for the abuse, malnourishment, psychological harm, and Charming after effects now can they. Plus I have a couple more things (such as families being reunited.) Something else too, but I can't tell you that.

Speaking of families, I hate to tell you this BP, but having Kai fight Akaguro was never in my plan. Kai is a Lord, not a fighter: Akaguro is a highly skilled assassin and bounty hunter. Akaguro would slaughter the man. However! I did steal the idea of Kai using alchemy to fight and gave it to Izuku. DABI IS CAMP DAD! HE IS THE DAD! I LOVE HIM! Shinso really is so pure, and I promise I'm done being mean to him. Really. And trust me, Stain is getting sweet sweet justice. And no, Shoto has not heard of Pink Elephants, because I have not.

That just about sums everything up my dears! Please all y'all review and stay safe out there with Corona. WASH YO HANDS.

So long Lovies!