LadyAmazon: ❤ ! i seriously love that joke, and ahh i love Amajiki too ! had to include some Shotaru , and that's so funny bc i had just got done watching a video of Endeavor yelling Shoto, too ~ ! you take care of yourself, too ! ❤ hoping all is well
bbymojo: aha, i don't mind it either ~ ! Mineta is perfect for laughs (´ ∀ ` *) ehe , i felt bad for him too. he really wanted to say goodbye to his girl (¯▿¯) we'll definitely be seeing more of Mirio ~ he is so fun to write and i adore him and Sir Nighteye, too ! this will be quite the interesting arc, aha ❤ sending you hundreds of hearts !
Aqua Salmon: Eri-channn ~ ! ❤
Vienna22: ❤ she really has , i'm so proud of her ! writing her feels so different now , but in a good way ! it really is like a breath of fresh air. always happy to write for you ~ !
Bluishapple: that makes me so happy, thank you so much ! (⁀ᗢ⁀)
Guest: aaah , that brings me so much relief ! i'll admit that i was a bit worried , aha ~ happy you laughed ! (^人^) thank you so much for reading !
pinkpaladin: ehehe ~ writing her and Mirio together was fun ! and omg imagine her getting restrained to that ! aha that would be hilarious ~ i wonder what she would do ｡ﾟ(TヮT)ﾟ｡ ~ next update for youu ! ❤ can't wait for you to read it !
AugustRrush: thank you ~ ! next chapter for you ! °˖✧◝(⁰▿⁰)◜✧˖°
MoonLunacy: aah, welcome back it's been a while ❤ hope you're well ! can't wait for you to get caught up ❤
Emocean: haha i had to google what a zygote was tbh i was clueless ｡ﾟ(TヮT)ﾟ｡ it just makes it even more funny aha. same here ! when she told the joke it was so awkward, and i tend to laugh in awkward situations. it'll be smooth sailing for Shoto and Taru from here on out ~ ! but , i've missed Bakugo too! i realized i've been neglecting him and so surprise here he is along with others! (๑˃ᴗ˂)ﻭ writing my own mini arc is exciting, aha ! this takes place just before the Stainy encounter. Iida is fine... for now at least. ( : ౦ ‸ ౦ : ) ahah ~ cheers to you ~ ! ❤
Frost: thank you so much ! (*≧ω≦*) and yes , this is a Shoto x OC story ! although as you probably noticed it's quite the slow burn (¯▿¯) i imagine things will start picking up between them, soon ❤ thank you for reading !
•○●○•
hello, everyone ~ !
summer break is finally here and i couldn't be more happy ｡ﾟ( ﾟ^∀^ﾟ)ﾟ｡
i hope everyone is taking care of themselves , and i'm forever grateful for you all ~
we're going to be taking a small break from canon events, and i'm just as nervous as i am excited. (๑˃ᴗ˂)ﻭ
this is taking place just before Stain starts causing some real trouble. just wanted to show some Taru development and bonding with other characters , ehe.
\(^ヮ^)/
i hope everyone enjoys ! i apologize for any errors ! & stay healthy !
•○●○•
❤•○●○•❤
Joint Effort
❤•○●○•❤
A rectangular band-aid lies across the bridge of Hotaru's nose, and another one in the shape of a square is stuck to her cheek. Glistening sweat glides down her temple, and she uses her trembling hands to take a sip of her iced coffee. Instantly after that sip, she sets her cup aside and falls over onto her side.
Her body feels like it's on fire. She's sore and static still tickles her flesh despite her not even using her Quirk. Energy is suddenly a mystery to her. Not even this chilled coffee is doing anything to restore it.
Sir Nighteye moved so quickly. He didn't hold back. Why do those seals he throws weigh so much? They hurt. She couldn't keep up. That training session went on until now... that's six hours. He said they will continue with her training later. Can she even endure that torture again? There's no way. She'll end up frying herself. She… can't go on. Suddenly, her tongue lolls out of her mouth and her eyes morph into the letter "x."
"Do you think you overdid it?" Bubble Girl inquires with a sheepish smile, looking over at Hotaru's "dead" form in the deepest corner of the room.
"We only just finished. She'll bounce back." Sir Nighteye states from his desk, seeing no problem with the sight. "It was the same way with Mirio."
"But… I think she really just fell unconscious." Bubble Girl mutters, unsure.
"She'll wake up in an hour or two if what she told me was correct." He explains. "Her body has just shut down temporarily to cool off."
"Like a laptop?"
The silence that greets her makes her grow tense. Sir Nighteye's gaze is stern and awaiting. Quickly, she pulls out the report she originally came in here to read. As she goes through it, she waves her hand around and wiggles her hips in an attempt to be funny.
"So, regarding the kidnapping that happened last night…" She begins, her nerves brimming as always when she is tasked with this.
Recently, there have been strange disappearances of young individuals. However, this is the first disappearance to be reported in the surrounding area with a similar mystery brewing elsewhere. Bubble Girl goes into more depth of the situation as she reads the report, but she doesn't do it energetically enough.
When Hotaru finally stirs from her slumber, she sees Bubble Girl unconscious on the ground next to her with tear stained cheeks. That bizarre tickle device is out which instantly reveals why she's blacked out like this. She must have been really deep in sleep if she didn't wake up to the sound of her laughter.
Slowly, Hotaru sits up while holding onto her pounding head. A headache has taken the place over the scorching sensation she was suffering from. It sucks, but she'll gladly take this headache over the fierce heat. Ugh, she's tired. She wants Daichi.
A jingling sound emits, and she jumps at something that's dangling in her face. A stopwatch is before her, and the person holding that stopwatch is Sir Nighteye. Leisurely, she tilts her head up to look at his stoic face. What is he doing?
"It took you three hours and thirty-seven minutes to regain consciousness." He states like that's a crime. "The time you gave me was off by over an hour."
"...Sorry?" She mutters, not entirely sure how to respond to that. She had no clue he would time how long it takes from her body temperature to return to normal. "It's not like I know how much time passes by when I'm unconscious."
"I have more work to do than I originally thought with you." He says, pulling on the string of his stopwatch so it returns to his palm. "The week you have here usually wouldn't be nearly enough time."
"'Usually…?'" She quotes, sweating once again but only as a result of her skyrocketing nerves.
"Usually." He repeats, confirming what he said. "Fortunately, I am capable of making our short time together more than enough."
He makes his way back over to his desk. There is a neatly rolled piece of paper on top of it that wasn't there before. He grabs onto it with only his thumb and index finger. It unrolls and stretches across the room, and all the way to her. She grows pale and the lenses of his glasses glow bright.
"I have taken notes of all your shortcomings." He informs, beginning to read off all the bullet points. "Your endurance is unpleasant. You're physically weak. Your grip strength is nonexistent. You use the same three basic combat moves because that's all you know. You're too easy to taunt. You rely too heavily on your Quirk. You use your Quirk carelessly. Your technique is atrocious. You —"
For every flaw he reads, Hotaru grows even more pale. The list goes on and on. It's brutal. Every bullet point he reads feels like a punch to her gut. Is she truly this disappointing? A full ten minutes go by until he finally reaches the end of the list.
"Your energy is bleak. You take too long to recover. You're a crybaby. And most importantly," He lets the long piece of paper fall away from his hands. "You don't have a sense of humor."
There's now a gloomy aura surrounding Hotaru. Bubble Girl has awoken in the middle of Sir Nighteye's speech of flaws. The young hero is now patting Hotaru's back hesitantly in hopes to cheer her up. She understands how she feels, since she regrettably also doesn't have a sense of humor.
Sir Nighteye begins to take steps closer to Hotaru. She looks up at him at a slow pace, resembling a sad puppy with her current big and glassy eyes. He adjusts his glasses coolly, coming up with a plan to train her in his head almost instantly.
"You have thirty minutes." He says, and she audibly sniffs.
"For what?" She asks in a jittery tone.
"To eat and clean yourself up. We will be going on a patrol."
"What?!" She rises onto her feet in a flash, her hands held out in front of her desperately. "Just thirty minutes to shower and eat? Isn't that a little ridiculous—?!"
"Every second you spend complaining is time lost." He points at his All Might wall clock. "If you are not back in here by one o'clock," His finger falls down to his tickle device. "I'll introduce you to that."
Hell no.
Hotaru darts out of the room with blinding speed, having no intention whatsoever to be tortured by that machine. No way. She rather go through that tortuous training she endured overnight than laugh herself senseless. As she runs for her life, her muscles cramp and her eyes abruptly sting with moisture.
Everything still hurts.
•○●○•
"You don't have…?" Hotaru barely gets out between her breaths. "No pain killers? None at all…?"
"No." Sir Nighteye answers her, pulling a notepad and writing utensil out of his pocket. "You also complain too much."
"B-But, Sir…!" She reaches out and grabs onto the back of his blazer as he adds onto her list of flaws. "Everything really, really, really, hurts. And, it's so hot out here…!"
"Delayed onset muscle soreness is what you're experiencing. It's normal and a sign that your training is working. Soon that pain will convert into newfound strength." He explains as they walk alongside the busy city street. "As for the heat, I'm sure you can answer that question yourself."
She sure can answer that question for herself. It's actually a beautiful spring day that brings about a refreshing cool breeze. However, she can hardly feel that breeze. She's using her Quirk and lightning is traveling throughout her body. It's all part of her training to get used to it. Even though she's using such a low voltage, it's still so hot. Not even the cooling function of her costume is doing much. Never has she used her Quirk as much as Sir Nighteye is making her, and for so long. She never used or trained with it quite like this, either.
When her father trained her, he was more focused on the raw power of her Quirk. He taught her how to use it for primarily destructive things, to hurt people. With her Quirk, it's quite easy to harm people and things, and even to kill. She was trained to be a villain.
Of course, he taught her some other things revolving around basic control, but with his Quirk being different than hers, he wasn't able to teach her everything. He transforms into lightning while she can only manipulate it. When he vanished, she was left to train alone. Her mother never helped her. As a result, she started to grow lazy with no guidance along with the hatred she felt. They really had her trapped, and she started to alter.
"When we get to the stop light up ahead, you can take a break." Sir Nighteye's voice brings her out of her thoughts, then she suddenly sprints ahead.
She hops onto the tiled concrete next to the stop light. The glow surrounding her fades away instantly. With a smile, she turns and faces Sir Nighteye while bringing her hands to her hips. Her shoulders rise and fall from her heavy breaths.
"I didn't say you could run." He says, obviously disapproving of her actions.
"You're right. You didn't." She counters with a two-finger salute. "So, I don't see the problem."
He can only shake his head at that. It was an admittedly clever response. She's quite versatile overall. Just seconds ago she was complaining, and now she's smiling and being a smart aleck. He puts his notepad back in his pocket as he approaches her.
"Why do heroes patrol the streets?" He asks, giving her a sudden pop-quiz to see just how much reading she completed.
"Various reasons," She begins, staring across the road. "The sight of heroes makes everyone feel at ease, while making any villains nearby think twice before they do their wrongdoings."
"Good." He nods. "Who are you?"
She looks over at him with a raised brow as they continue across the street. He knows who she is and so does she. Is this a trick question? Her lower lip protrudes as she frowns to herself.
"I'm Hotaru…" She trails off as she catches sight of her gloved hands. Her fingers curl into fists and she shakes her head, looking up at him in all seriousness. "I'm Tempest, the Anti-Hero."
"Right. When you wear that costume and patrol like this, you are classified as a Hero. It's important that you make that name grow, so when people hear it they will be appeased. Such as All Might."
As he educates her on the ways of a hero, somehow it always ties back to All Might. She listens attentively. His office alone made it clear that he looks up to All Might, but just hearing him talk about the Symbol of Peace makes her realize he absolutely adores him, kind of like how Midoriya does.
"You really like All Might, don't you, Sir Nighteye?" She inquires with a head tilt, offering him a closed-eye smile.
"He is the Symbol of Peace."
"Mhm." She hums, nodding her head at that cool-headed answer. "I always liked All Might, too. Even when I was little. Me and my friend used to talk about him all the time. Although," She brings her hand over her mouth as she laughs to herself. "He was the bigger fan."
His naturally intimidating gaze shifts over to her. She's in high spirits as she reminisces her younger days. If he's not mistaken, her younger days were her villain days. It also doesn't sound like this "friend" of hers was a villain. He adjusts his glasses, realizing he doesn't know much about her past at all. Ultimately though, her past doesn't matter. The present and future hold much more value, and nor does he find the need to pry of the things he doesn't know.
"I let go of my dream to become a hero once before, as I told you." She continues. "But, All Might was the one who told me to grab onto it again. Even back then when I wasn't in the best state, he was able to see right through me. So…!" She suddenly pulls her phone out. "I took a picture with him!"
Serving as her lock screen is a picture of her and All Might. She poorly imitated his iconic smile, but it's a rather interesting sight. He studies it for a short moment before redirecting his gaze ahead.
"I see. You should cherish that picture."
"Right." She holds her phone to her chest, agreeing with that statement. "We should take a picture together, too!"
"Why?"
"I like taking pictures, especially when it's a big moment, and especially if it's with a hero! You sent me an offer, and it made me really happy. Now you're teaching me how to be a hero, and training me too. The training is torture, but I'm thankful deep down. So, what do you say?"
"Fine." He says, and she gasps.
"Really?" She starts to get her camera ready. "Then—!"
"If you can grow a sense of humor." He finishes, making her pout. "Now isn't the time to be taking pictures, anyhow. Let's get serious. Heroes shouldn't be so naive. Your break is over. Use your Quirk for the rest of this patrol."
"Yes, Sir…"
The heat starts to eat away at her once again. It feels like she's hiking through a desert. She can't even get Aizawa to take a picture with her, so she shouldn't have thought it would be easy to get a picture with Sir Nighteye. Dang it. She said she was thankful for this training, but it really sucks.
This patrol is dragging on and on. The pain she's feeling makes it seem to go on for even longer than it actually is, and even without the pain it's long. Where are they even going? They've been walking for at least a couple hours. Probably more than that. His agency is far behind them. What the hell…
Sir Nighteye comes to a sudden stop. Or, perhaps she's so out of it that it only felt sudden. She walks straight into his back. They are now standing in front of a luxurious skyscraper. The front entrance is adorned with a flaming letter "E." She's never suffered from heat exhaustion to the point she experiences hallucinations.
"H-Hey…" She mumbles, rubbing at her drooping eyes. "Where are we?"
"Endeavor's Hero Agency." Sir Nighteye answers.
"Why are we at the asshole's place...?" She inquires further, and his eyes scold her for her language. "...S-Sorry."
"There was a kidnapping that happened near the Nighteye Agency last night." A new voice joins in, and Hotaru looks over to see Bubble Girl is here. She must've been waiting for them. "The details in the report were similar to the details of an ongoing investigation that Endeavor's Agency is currently in charge of."
"So, we have agreed to meet up and discuss the matter." Sir Nighteye finishes.
"Why did I have to come? I don't like him and he doesn't like me." Hotaru jabs a finger at the building, wavering on her feet. "W-Why couldn't you guys just talk over the phone…? Or leave me behind…?"
"It's much better to strategize in person." Sir Nighteye answers. "Not only that, there are going to be times where you have to work alongside people you don't particularly care for. This is a valuable part of your training."
"Yeah." Bubble Girl nods in agreement, and Sir Nighteye's gaze shifts over to her. "Y-Yeah!" She stutters more energetically and with an adorable hop. "This is going to be great, Tempest! Let's do this! Woo!"
"You're trying too hard. It's no good." Sir Nighteye shakes his head in disappointment, starting to walk inside. "You can take a short break, Tempest."
"H-He's…" Bubble Girl sulks with dramatic tears. "Going to fire me this time. I know it."
"He's trying to kill me…" Hotaru sulks alongside her with the same nervous expression. "He says this is training, but… I don't know anymore…"
The two girls follow behind Sir Nighteye with melancholy movements. As soon as they enter the building they find themselves in an enormous office space. Hotaru sways, her head nodding as she tries to stay conscious. What did he mean by a "short" break? Isn't their patrol over?
They come to a brief standstill, and Hotaru takes the time to focus on her breathing like Aizawa always tells her to do. Now that she's focusing on her breaths she's starting to feel a little better, at least. She still feels like she's dying overall. Her eyes that were closed crack open at someone's voice.
"Welcome to the Endeavor Hero Agency!" An upbeat voice practically yells, resulting in her headache to return. "The name's Burnin! I'm one of the Flaming Sidekickers!"
There's a young woman standing before them. She's grinning with her pointy teeth and her hands are on her hips. Her hair is made up of long and green flames, and there is a black mask over the majority of her face. Hotaru's head tilts. Did she just say the "Flaming Sidekickers?"
"Thanks for stopping by! Endeavor's waiting up top for ya and told me to escort ya!" She holds up her fist in excitement.
"She has so much energy…" Bubble Girl whispers, sniveling. "I'm jealous…"
"Ah!" Burnin suddenly takes notice of Hotaru. "You're Lightning Beast's kid! Ha! What's up with ya? You look like you're about to drop! Need some water?"
"Y-Yes!" Hotaru stammers out, clasping her hands together with a small bow. "Thank you so much."
"Not a problem!" Burnin starts marching off to the side with Hotaru eagerly following behind. She grins over at Sir Nighteye. "Hope ya don't mind waiting a few seconds. But, y'all are early anyway!"
"That's fine." Sir Nighteye says as he adjusts his glasses. After all, he came early on purpose.
"Looks like you were a bit too fired up!" Burnin states as she approaches a drinking fountain. She gestures to it with a fiery smile. "Here ya go, help yourself!"
Hotaru runs over to the drinking fountain eagerly, wasting no time at all to press the button and drink the cool water. She stands there for minutes upon minutes, drinking like it's the first time she's ever had water in her entire life. Once she's done, she lets out a content sigh and faces Burnin with a grateful smile. She feels a ton better already.
"Thank you." Hotaru beams, and Burnin waves her hand back and forth through the air.
"You're welcome! It's the least I can do!"
The last bit of her words makes Hotaru's lips purse. It's the least she can do? She recalls Sir Nighteye's words too, specifically how he mentioned a "short" break. Suddenly, an unpleasant knot ties within her stomach. Something doesn't feel right. She finds out why soon afterwards.
Bubble Girl, Sir Nighteye, Burnin, and herself all stand in front of the elevator. As soon as the door opens everyone moves to step in. Before Hotaru can enter, Sir Nighteye prevents her by holding out his hand.
"Huh?" Hotaru frowns at him. "I can't go up?"
"You will be taking the stairs."
"Seriously?" She whines, looking over at the nearby stairwell. "That's a waste of time!"
"No." He disagrees with the latter. "This is the most 'valuable' part of your training today. This is just one step for you to overcome a fraction of your shortcomings. Climb up the stairs to the top floor while using your Quirk. You have twenty-five minutes. If you make it to the top before then, I'll give you a longer than usual break."
"W-Wait—!"
The elevator door shuts, leaving Hotaru standing amidst Endeavor's working sidekicks. Her hand that was reaching out helplessly falls back to her side. After standing motionlessly for a few seconds, she drags her feet over to the emergency stairwell. Once she's at the base of it, she looks up to see that it never ends. How many floors are there?
"This is stupid…" She whispers to herself, sinking down onto her knees. Her fingers curl into fists so tight her knuckles turn white. Just who does he think she is? She doesn't want to take a picture with him anymore. There's no way she can climb all these stairs before time is up.
She's been using her Quirk all day. There's no words to describe how tired she is. The water she drank helped, but it didn't help nearly enough. It's still so hot. What will he do if she doesn't make it on time? What if she falls unconscious? She's preparing herself for the worst before she's even begun. It's so frustrating. Her eyelids lower along with her head, and sweat drips from her chin.
•
"Be confident, Young Aihara! If you feel yourself hitting up against your limit, remember for what cause you clench your fists! Remember why you started down this path, and let that memory carry you beyond your limit!"
•
What All Might told her at the sports festival replays in her head. Her eyes crack open, coincidently zoning in on her clenched fists. She swallows thickly as she recalls that memory—the words Shoto spoke to her. She stares up the stairwell. That reminds her, Shoto's here somewhere, isn't he? Is he up there?
•
"Act solely for yourself and chase your own dream. You want to be a hero, don't you? Whatever you choose to fight for, whether you fight or not, that's something only you can decide."
•
Aizawa's voice reaches out to her next, and her jaw tightens as a result. She pushes herself up and onto her feet. Her lungs fill with air as she draws in a deep breath. She slowly releases that breath and places her foot on the first step. Her body glows faintly.
Togata told her to channel her lightning only where she needs it. In this case, she only needs it in her legs. If she only focuses it in her legs, it should also allow her body to last longer as opposed to channeling it everywhere. He said this torture will be worth it, and he's right. But, it's up to her to make it worth it. She was losing her composure just now.
"It's just like you said, Aizawa-sensei." She whispers to herself, her fingertips brushing against the stairwell. What Daichi said helps, too.
•
"Electricity in power lines is kind of lazy. It follows the easiest route."
•
That's it. That's the secret to using her power more effectively. She shouldn't force it. She needs to let it flow like how electricity does in power lines. She needs to let it flow only where she needs it. She needs to let it take the easiest route. When the time comes for her power to transfer, she'll let it flow over to its next destination. Flow naturally… like water.
"I want to be a hero…!" She breathes out, taking her first few steps up the stairs. She doesn't want to be just any hero, though.
Of course, she wants to save people in danger. She wants to punish villains who cause mayhem, too. But, most importantly, she wants to be a hero who can bring people salvation with just words alone, like many have done for her.
She takes off into a swift run. Right now, she imagines these stairs as a vigorous waterfall, and she's the koi fish that conquered it in legend. When she reaches the top of these stairs, she'll be a golden dragon. Well, at least in her imagination.
•○●○•
Hotaru was wrong about turning into a golden dragon. Right now, she's a crippled dragon. Nothing more, nothing less. She lost count of how many stairs she climbed along with the amount of time that went by. Did she go over time? She has no clue, but she doesn't care. The most important thing is that she made it.
As soon as she reaches the top of the stairs, fatigue attempts to strangle her. Her knees buckle and she falls onto them. No longer being able to stand, she crawls over to the door to escape this prison of stairs.
She reaches up with her trembling fingers, breathing heavily and sweating like a bull. Her vision blurs in and out and she can see the steam rising off of her. The door opens when she pulls on the handle, and her body tumbles into the vast hallway of the hundredth floor. It's empty.
With a groan, she starts dragging her body down the hall. Her movements are slow like an underwater snail, and she even feels like she's carrying a hefty shell on her back. It hurts. It's so hot. She needs water. Someone needs to drop her into the Arctic ocean. She needs to find Sir Nighteye.
She thought he would be waiting for her, but he's nowhere in sight. Damn it. She really did go overtime, didn't she? What's he going to do to her? She hears muffled voices ahead that are coming from a door ahead. That door has a flaming capital "E" on it. That's Endeavor's office. She recognizes it. He's in there.
She starts to pathetically crawl towards it, passing by many different closed doors. She's nearly there when something catches her eye. One of the doors is cracked open just enough to reveal something horrifying.
Her breath gets caught in her throat. Despite the heat torturing her, her blood runs icy cold and goosebumps sprout to life. The sight before her is unimaginable. A nightmare. This can't be real. She has to just be seeing things.
"...N-No." She gets out between her breaths, pushing the door all the way open. The appalling sight is all too real. Endeavor has always been cruel, but this is unforgivable.
Straight ahead is a dimly lit fish tank. The light meant to enhance it is flickering, clearly about to die out. The glass that is supposed to be sleek is covered with green algae. It's almost impossible to see inside. How can this happen?
"N-No…" She says yet again, rising onto her feet and taking off into the sloppiest run of her life. Once she's near her hands press against the glass. Even more problems are revealed. So many things are wrong. She falls onto her knees once again.
She doesn't hear a filter. The water is cloudy. The water hasn't been changed. She sees air stones but they aren't working. The plants in this tank are fake, and since the air stones aren't releasing oxygen bubbles the fish in here can't breathe. Fish. Dear God. Where are the fish?
Her silver orbs dart around wildly, and she crawls around the tank in search of any life. She inspects every single corner and looks behind every single object, then she spots one in the top corner. A red dragon discus. A beautiful creature. It's at the surface and gasping for air. Her hands reach towards it like it's a rare jewel.
"I'll save you…" She whispers with sunken eyes, moving over to open the cabinet of the fish tank stand. There is fish food within it, but that's it. There's no water testing kits, no cleaning sponges, no water changing hoses, nothing. Everything that's supposed to be here isn't here.
"Unforgivable…" She mutters, a shadow over her face. This is something she can't overlook. The room around her distorts in her rage. "Unforgivable. Unforgivable. Unforgivable…!"
She drags her feet out of the room and heads towards her original destination, Endeavor's office. A villainous aura rolls off of her like violent ocean waves as she approaches the door. Her teeth are bared and static tickles her flesh.
"I will…!" She reaches towards the doorknob. "...Never forgive—!"
The door suddenly flies open and vigorously whacks her on the crown of her head. The heinous aura she was letting off shatters like glass and her hand falls back to her side. Then,
All she sees is black.
•○●○•
She's sore and her head hurts more than it did before. It was hot earlier, but now it's so cold. She loves it. It feels nice like the gentle caress of snow. The darkness consuming her starts to break away.
Her eyelids raise at a slow pace, and blurred colors greet her. It takes a few seconds for the various hues to take shape and reveal the ceiling over her head. She stares at it blankly, trying to recall what happened.
"Taru?" A voice reaches out to her, and she looks to the side. Her movements make an ice pack fall from her forehead.
"Shoto?" She whispers.
Sure enough, he's right there. He's sitting on the ground and next to the couch she's lying across. His brows are furrowed and he's frowning. His hand that was covering her own falls away and he lets out a heavy breath.
"Are you okay?" He asks.
"...He's trying to kill me. Sho…" She grabs onto his shirt desperately with blotchy eyes. "I get it… but it hurts a lot. I-I'm sure I was having a heat stroke."
"A heat stroke?" His eyes enlarge.
"B-But… it's okay." She gives him a thumbs up. "Because, I've turned into a dragon now."
"..."
"I've conquered the waterfall…" She tries to explain. What is she talking about?
She's not okay.
A familiar stopwatch suddenly hovers over her. It sways back and forth and catches her attention easily. Sir Nighteye is towering over her from behind the couch, his glasses holding that intimidating glow.
"You were a minute and forty-three seconds late." Sir Nighteye notifies, and she lets out a weak laugh.
"Really? Dang it..." She sighs out, brushing her hair back with her hand as she sits up. "Honestly, I did end up taking a break. S-Sorry..."
She took a break, but still made it while only being nearly two minutes late? Surprise crosses Sir Nighteye's features for a short moment. She's at her limit now, but she was also at her limit before this whole ordeal. The time he gave her was also pushing the norm. How exceptional, and it could only mean one thing.
"Did you figure it out?" He asks, and she nods happily.
"Yes! You were trying to get me to realize it all day, and it regrettably took me this long to! I really was being careless this entire time. Sir Nighteye…!" She outstretches her arms as if to embrace him. "Thank you…!"
She trails off when Sir Nighteye starts walking off. A smile still remains on her face even as disappointed squiggly lines of blue drape over her. Her hands fall to her lap as a result of her fatigue and gloom.
"Are you sure you're okay?" Shoto asks her again, worried. Her skin was nearly scorching to the touch not that long ago, and everyone felt her villainous aura.
"Yeah." She smiles blithely with a tender gaze as she faces him. "I'm okay."
He doesn't think she's okay. Her hand still felt warm and she looks banged up. What in the world happened to her? And more importantly, why is she looking at him like that? It makes him feel… weird.
"Didn't something make you angry?" He tilts his head slightly.
That question makes her stare ahead in deep thought. Something made her angry? She thoroughly contemplates. Before long, it hits her like a whale's tail slapping onto the ocean surface. She zones in on Endeavor who's standing in the corner of his office. He's glaring harshly at the ground.
"Endeavor…" She slowly rises onto her feet, and the Flame Hero looks her way. "How could you?"
"T-Tempest?" Bubble Girl stutters from her spot by Sir Nighteye.
Endeavor's teeth grit as Hotaru starts to make his way over to him. Her movements are sloppy in her worn out state, but that does nothing to diminish her returning anger. She's glaring at him in pure rage, and he returns her glare until he notices Shoto.
The glare Shoto is giving him is more intense than hers. It makes fists form at his sides. He knows the exact reason behind that glare. Shoto's angry at him, because he was the one to hit her with the door. How was he supposed to know that infuriating girl was behind it? All he was concerned about was that nasty aura she was letting off.
"Do you feel no shame at all?" Hotaru speaks in a low and dangerous tone, coming to a stop before Endeavor.
If he's being honest, he doesn't feel any shame for hitting her with the door. After all the trouble this girl caused him over the years, and how she had the nerve to turn down his rare offer she should've been grateful for, it felt oddly satisfying. Despite that, he didn't mean to knock her unconscious. He didn't mean to hit her at all. It was a complete accident. He plans on staying quiet until Shoto's glaring eyes get to him.
"...It was an accident." Endeavor grumbles, his muscular arms folding over his chest. Hotaru shakes her head.
"An accident? Don't make me laugh." She retorts. "What you've done is unforgivable. It's beyond low even for your standards."
"Watch your mouth, girl!" He growls. "How was I supposed to know you would be there?!"
"It shouldn't matter if I was there or not! In fact, I'm completely insignificant in this situation!"
Endeavor's tense muscles gradually loosen. His arms fall back to his sides limply as he stares into her scolding silver orbs. Is she saying that him hitting her with the door is meaningless? Damn. How hard did he hit her?
"Do you not remember?" He asks a bit hesitantly, although having no problem with that.
"I remember it clearly!" She jabs a finger at him. "That murky green water, the overgrown algae, and even that poor fish that's struggling to breathe! It's unforgivable! That's not an accident, that's just a result of laziness and carelessness! If you're going to let your fish tank get in such a condition, you shouldn't even have one! Asshole! Jerk! I should put you in that fish tank and see how you like it! I'll give you till the end of the week to clean it, but if you value your life, you should clean it sooner than that!" Her eyes glow cyan and her expression becomes foreboding. "I will return to ensure that fish is living in better conditions. If it's not, lightning will strike you when you least expect it. Mark my fucking words."
After that indignant outburst, she spins around on her heels and stomps back towards the couch. If her hair was longer surely it would have smacked him at her movements. A shadow is over Endeavor's face and his jaw has grown slack. He's more confused than angry. In fact, everyone is confused. What is she talking about? Does he even have a fish tank?
The moment Hotaru plops back down onto the couch, she holds onto her pounding head. She's breathing heavily and sweating again. She used the little energy she had left to pull that off. Sir Nighteye adjusts his glasses and brings his hand over his mouth.
How preposterous.
"I'll be back." Shoto states, wandering off quickly. He's going to get her some water. Maybe that will help her feel better. It's been a while since he's seen her so out of it. It concerns him. While he searches for bottled water, the Pro Heroes prepare for their meeting.
It's been a long time since Hotaru was in Endeavor's office, and she only now realizes that's where she currently is. It remains exactly the same as it did back then which brings about some old memories. The only difference now is that she's in here as an entirely different person. No longer is she a villain, and no longer is she lost in a dark foggy world. She now strives for her own dream and has her own beliefs.
Her drooping eyes stare out the vast window that has an exquisite cityscape view. Golden hour is nearing and it's slowly starting to alter the hue of the sky. Her eyelids start to lower as she starts to fall over from her spot on the couch.
"No sleeping." Sir Nighteye's voice proclaims from next to her, and she straightens her posture in an instant. In order for her to improve her endurance and durability against her own Quirk, she needs to fight against the drawback of heat and fatigue. She can't let herself shut down.
She nods to acknowledge that, and she squints when something heavenly is held out to her. It's a water bottle decorated with frost. It glimmers and shines. The hand that's holding it is familiar, and she looks up to see Shoto's ambiguous face.
"Thank you." She smiles gratefully, taking the water he cooled with his own Quirk. He nods and moves over to sit on the couch across from her and the one that Endeavor is inhabiting. However, instead of sitting next to him, Shoto sits as far away as possible by settling on the armrest.
"Let's get started." Endeavor says as Hotaru starts to drink her water.
"Bubble Girl." Sir Nighteye states, handing over a folder that holds the report.
"R-Right!" She takes it from him, rising onto her feet instantly as she begins to read. "The kidnappings have numerous things in common. They all occur around sundown, and all the victims so far have been reported between the ages five and ten. According to eyewitnesses, the victims have disappeared into thin air without a trace. There have been no sightings of the suspect, so the information on the villain we're dealing with is limited. What they look like, their Quirk, everything remains unknown…" Bubble Girl laughs nervously when Sir Nighteye looks at her. "This is a complete mystery we need to crack!"
Hotaru lowers her water bottle onto her lap with pursed lips. The victims have been disappearing into thin air? That's concerning, even more so since the victims are so young. She tries to think if she knows of anyone capable of pulling off such a frightening act.
"The disappearances started in Hosu City. However, since the Hero Killer: Stain made his move, the disappearances started to occur outside of the city." Endeavor reveals. "This villain must want to avoid the Hero Killer, or most likely avoid all the attention he's causing, which is another problem that needs to be dealt with."
"I agree." Sir Nighteye's glasses gleam. "Both situations are unforgivable. For this particular kidnapping however, there's no question that a proper investigation needs to be conducted. But, with the information we already have, I was able to come up with some theories."
"It has to do with how they all occur in a shadowy area." Endeavor states, as if reading Sir Nighteye's thoughts.
"It's natural for a smart villain to want to stay hidden from the eyes of a Hero, but in this case it is questionable. We can make the assumption that they use these shadows play a vital role in the performance of their Quirk."
Hotaru and Shoto stare at the two Pro Heroes with somewhat wide eyes, even exchanging an awed glance. Even though all they have to go off of is a very few eyewitness reports, and blurry surveillance footage, they are able to put so many pieces together. It's mind blowing how adept they are. It's almost too quick. Pro Heroes really are perceptive, and right now her and Shoto can only watch and take mental notes.
"Girl, do you know anyone who fits that description?" Endeavor abruptly addresses Hotaru.
First he referred to her as a "villain," and now he calls her "girl." It's an improvement from her former title, but she still doesn't like it. He should be calling her Tempest. Whatever. She'll just have to deal with it for now. She's too tired to correct him. All she wants to do is sleep and take an ice bath. She hopes Sir Nighteye doesn't have anything else planned for her after this. If he does, surely she'll die.
"I don't." She answers, tracing the frost patterns on her bottle with her nail. "Sorry."
"Either way, we cannot act without acquiring more accurate information." Sir Nighteye starts up again. "Let us further our investigations and contact each other if anything new arises."
"I will continue to investigate in Hosu and keep your theories in mind." Endeavor's jaw locks. "We must settle this quickly."
"Agreed." Sir Nighteye stands. "Let's go, Bubble Girl, Tempest."
"Right!" Bubble Girl salutes.
Sir Nighteye starts to make his way towards the door with Bubble Girl trailing behind him with a skip. With a groan, Hotaru forces herself to stand while holding onto her head. Why does it feel like someone hit her head with a hammer? Come to think of it, how did she even get in here?
Her water bottle slips from her hands, hitting the floor with a bang. Sir Nighteye looks over his shoulder at her. She's done for the day. He was going to have her do one last training routine, but after getting knocked unconscious he's starting to pity her. Those painkillers she was asking for earlier—he'll give them to her. He almost moves to help her, but decides against it when her friend beats him to the punch.
Before Hotaru can pick up her water bottle, Shoto does. He keeps it in his hold instead of giving it back to her. Then, he holds his arm out to her. She squints up at him with the curious tilt of her head.
"I'll help you out." He says, and she gives him a lopsided smile.
"You're going to be my human crutch?"
"Yeah."
"My hero~!" She sings aloud.
She holds onto his arm, her fingers knotting into the fabric of his sleeve. Her eyelids lower as she leans into his cool right side while her lips still hold an upwards curve. A staggering sensation develops in his chest and that weird feeling returns. He looks at anything but her as he helps her walk. Endeavor follows behind them with a scowl.
The elevator ride down is awkward. No one utters a single word which makes the elevator music seem louder than it actually is. Shoto glances down at Hotaru to see that her eyes are closed, then he looks over to see his old man glaring ahead. Finally, he looks over at Sir Nighteye who's even more intimidating in person.
It's feels unreal that All Might's former sidekick is actually here, and even more unreal that Hotaru is doing her internship at his agency. Hotaru's current state alone makes it clear that it must be challenging. As if on cue, Sir Nighteye meets Shoto's gaze.
"You have something you want to say." Sir Nighteye states rather than asks.
"Will you let her rest?"
"Are you ridiculing my teaching methods?"
"No. I'm just concerned about my friend."
"Shoto." Endeavor joins in. "You shouldn't worry about—"
"Shut up." Shoto cuts him off.
"Um…" Bubble Girl raises her hand hesitantly, cupping it around her mouth as she whispers. "Are you and Tempest together?"
Isn't the answer to that question obvious? Him and Hotaru are clearly together. If they weren't they would be far away from each other right now. In fact, they are all together in this tiny elevator.
"Yes." Shoto answers easily, and Hotaru's eyes crack open.
"What are we talking about…?" She murmurs, rubbing at her tired eyes. "I think I dozed off for a second…"
"Shotoooo!" Endeavor suddenly yells. "Who gave you permission to waste your time with—?!"
"Shut up." Shoto cuts him off for the second time.
The elevator dings, and the door opens. Everyone steps out just in time to avoid the violent thrashing of Endeavor's flames in his enraged state. How long has he been kept in the dark about this?!
Upon leaving the building, Hotaru yawns and releases Shoto's arm. She smiles over at him gratefully. The refreshing breeze ruffles up her hair as Shoto returns her bottled water.
"Thank you, Shoroki."
"You're welcome."
"Tempest," Sir Nighteye suddenly walks over, holding out a small packet to her.
With pursed lips, she holds out her hand. He drops the packet into her palm and she studies it closely. It's a painkiller. Instantly, her eyes light up and she gawks at All Might's former sidekick.
"You had painkillers this entire time?!"
"Yes. However, I'm only giving it to you because of the blow you took to your head."
"...I got hit on the head?" She repeats, and nobody speaks to confirm that. Surely if she finds out it was Endeavor who knocked her unconscious, she'll go on a rampage.
Bubble Girl leaves to go get the car she has parked nearby, and as she does that Hotaru plops the two pills in her mouth. She swallows them both with a single gulp of her icy water. Shoto stares up at the sky and tries to find a fish in the clouds. Meanwhile, Endeavor makes plans to talk to his sidekicks about a mysterious fish tank.
"You exceeded my expectations today." Sir Nighteye says, making Hotaru look over at him just as Bubble Girl pulls up in the car. "I'll let you rest for the remainder of the night. After all, you'll need all the rest you can get for tomorrow."
"Bring it on." Hotaru smirks to herself, not even worried about it after climbing up all those stairs earlier. She also has completely revamped her technique. Although she still needs some practice, she's much more confident than before.
Sir Nighteye smiles to himself as he starts walking towards the car. Since his back is to everyone, no one can see that smile. He waves Hotaru along. Before she follows after him, she faces Shoto who's still staring at the sky. She follows his gaze all the way up to the clouds.
"There's a fish." He suddenly says.
"Where?" She questions instantly, searching for it.
"It should be obvious."
Those words make her let out a short laugh, and his placid mismatch eyes fall back down to her. The darkening hues in the sky reflect in her silvery orbs. She shifts her weight as she searches for a cloud that looks like a fish, and she points at it when she finds it.
"Is it that one?"
"No."
"It's not?" She raises a brow, following his finger that's now also pointing at the sky.
"It's that one."
Her lips part in wonder and her ebony lashes flutter at her profound blinks. He's pointing at a completely different cloud, but that cloud also looks like a fish. There are two fish swimming in the sky.
"Wow…" She breathes out. "It's pretty—"
"Every second you waste standing back there is the number of hours earlier I'll be waking you up tomorrow." Sir Nighteye suddenly calls out to her, and she squeaks.
"Hours?! That's ridiculous!"
She runs as quickly as she can towards the car, which isn't as quickly as she would like since she's so drained. Shoto looks after her retreating form and his eyes suddenly widen. Now's his chance to say what he couldn't before.
"Taru!" He calls after her, and she looks over her shoulder at him curiously. "Good luck with the rest of your internship."
The smile she gives him displays her pearly teeth. Her cheeks become rose dusted as she waves at him happily. A cloud passes by over their heads and casts a shadow down onto her. The air grows chilly and she opens her mouth to speak, but all he can hear is the crumbling of her water bottle.
It smashes onto the ground and water spills outwards. It spreads across the concrete and darkens its light color. His breath gets caught in his throat and he grows pale. The organ in his chest stops entirely.
She vanished.
•○●○•
There's a constant dripping sound, and a vibrating sensation that won't go away. It's cold and damp. Hotaru rolls over while stretching her limbs like a cat. Her eyelids raise at a slow pace, and she yawns while reaching for her phone. She feels irritated at being woken up since she was sleeping so well. She blindly answers it.
"Hello?" She greets in a stale voice.
"Taru! Where are you?"
Shoto's loud voice makes her move her phone away from her ear with a wince. Why does he sound so concerned? And since when was he so loud? He always speaks in a mellow tone. She slowly sits up while rubbing the back of her head, bringing her phone back to her ear.
"I'm…" She trails off, blinking rapidly. It's so dark that she can't even tell if her eyes are open. "...Somewhere dark, and..." Her nose scrunches up. "Smelly."
"Give us more details than that, Girl!" Endeavor's voice yells at her, which means Shoto must have her on speaker.
"Tempest. Are you alright?" Sir Nighteye speaks next.
"We've been trying to call you for hours!" Bubble Girl cries out.
"Digging up more details now. I'm fine. And," She rises onto her feet while answering all of their questions in order. "I was just sleeping."
"Sleeping…?" She repeats in disbelief.
Hotaru raises her free hand in front of her, summoning lightning in it to illuminate her surroundings. Despite being able to see now, she can't exactly figure out where she is. She doesn't even recall how she got here. All she can remember is experiencing a falling sensation amidst talking to Shoto.
There's water dripping from the ceiling and puddles on the ground. The air is muggy and thick, being a perfect combination with the grimy brick walls. Along those walls are pipes, and in the corner of this nasty room is a cluster of chains that seem out of place. She makes her way towards the pile and mice scatter.
"I think I'm in a sewer…" She mutters in distaste, moving the chains aside with her foot which reveals writing on the ground. "...Section 9? That's written on the ground here. Does that ring a bell?"
She waits to hear their answer. However, it's oddly quiet. She looks at her phone and sees a pitch-black screen. It died. Well, that's just fantastic. If she had her phone cord with her she could charge it herself. Unfortunately, that's out of the question.
She can only hope they heard what she said. In the meantime, should she just wait around? That would probably be the best way to allow them to find her, although she would rather not stick around in this smelly place. She could probably find her way out by herself.
Clasping her hands together behind her back, she takes off into a casual stroll while using her lightning to light her surroundings. She uses a low voltage and merely lets it flow like a lazy stream throughout her body. Sir Nighteye's torturous training really did come in handy, and that nap she took really restored her energy. She must've been sleeping for a few hours.
She steps out of the room and into a waterway aligned with walkways. Her lips purse and she looks both ways. None of the paths before her seem to lead out of this place. So, she just randomly decides to walk to the right.
Heavy footsteps echo and she pauses. Those footsteps aren't her own since she was treading lightly. Her eyes narrow and she moves swiftly towards the wall, crouching down and focusing on a nearby corridor. She creeps towards it like a predator, diminishing her lightning to keep herself hidden. Foul words reach her ears and she raises her hand. Then, silence hovers.
Whoever is around this corner knows she's here. Not that it matters, though. She knows that they are there, too. The two of them creep closer to the corner with their fists raised. Red and blue flare and they lunge. Their eyes widen instantly. Before their Quirks clash and do major damage, they diminish them.
"What the hell are you doing here, Lightning Bug?" Bakugo jabs a finger at Hotaru, barely able to make out her form in this shadowy prison.
"I could ask you the same question, Chain Chomp." She retorts with a glare. "But... there's something else I want to know more." Slowly, she points at his head and giggles. "W-What's up with your hair? And those tight jeans...!"
"Stop laughing!"
"Huh? You guys are here, too?" A new voice makes them look over.
"Sero-kun? Shoji-kun?" Hotaru murmurs. "And... Aoyama-kun? Why are you guys here?"
"It seems we were all kidnapped!" Aoyama states the obvious with a smile, snapping his fingers and summoning sparkles.
They all stare at each other blankly. Sero, Aoyama, and Shoji are on the opposite side of the waterway than Hotaru and Bakugo. Hotaru summons her lightning so she can see them better. They were all kidnapped? She gasps, recalling the report Bubble Girl read off. So, that's what's going on. Something's strange, though.
The reports didn't mention anything of U.A. students being the victims. They specifically said the ones who were kidnapped were young and around elementary school age. Perhaps even preschool.
"How long have you guys been down here?" She asks with a frown.
"Not that long." Sero answers, waving his hand back and forth through the air due to the horrid smell. "How about you guys?"
"How the fuck would I know?!" Bakugo yells.
"You shouldn't be so loud." Shoji instantly advises, his tentacles moving around as he listens. "I've been hearing something moving around in here for a while."
"Qu'est ce que tu veux dire?!" Aoyama suddenly exclaims, and Hotaru brings her finger to her chin in thought. What exactly does that translate to? She wishes she knew how to speak French. Nevertheless, he sounds panicked.
"A villain?" Bakugo grumbles, and Shoji's eyes widen.
"It's coming."
The water that was motionless starts to become unsteady. Waves crash and droplets erupt. This isn't good. Hotaru swallows thickly. Her first thought is to shoot lightning at the water, but with how it's thrashing everywhere she might accidentally shock her classmates.
She gasps when Shoji suddenly leaps over the water. He grabs onto her and Bakugo, leaping back over to the others afterwards and taking off into a run with them in his strong hold. Bakugo curses while Hotaru stares at the unsteady water with a pale face.
"This way!" Sero whispers, waving them over towards a narrow tunnel. Aoyama climbs in quickly with a squeak, everyone else following quickly.
"No fucking way am I squeezing in there with you extras!" Bakugo rebukes, being the only one standing in the open.
"Bakugo-kun, just get in here!" Hotaru holds out her hand to him desperately.
"Let's just beat the crap out of—!"
Sero's tape wraps around Bakugo, silencing him and dragging him into the metal pipe. He squirms and his muffled curses emit. Hotaru's eyelid twitches and she slaps her hands over his mouth, silencing him completely.
"Just be quiet for a second, damn it!" She whisper-shouts. "You're going to give us all away at this rate!"
"Please!" Aoyama pleads, then a weighty silence plagues the air.
A ringing fills their ears. Aoyama trembles in fright, and everyone else sits with tense muscles as they wait. Hotaru peeks around Shoji's form that's shielding her and everyone cautiously, squinting hard to see if she's anything. The darkness makes it impossible for her to see, but nothing can stop the sudden bloodlust that shoots in their direction. Glowing red eyes emerge from the water and a nasty voice growls.
"I found you."
~ Next Chapter Sneak Peek:
❤•○●○•❤
Labyrinth
❤•○●○•❤
She lowers herself onto her knees with a smile that's so gentle, settling down onto the ground that's tainted with red. The light she's giving off is the first light he has seen in what feels like forever. His breath gets caught in his throat. Who is this stranger?
"It was scary, wasn't it?" Hotaru begins, her voice entrancing and unique to him. "It must have been really hard being in here all by yourself and running from that scary monster. You did well, so you can dry your tears now. This is your salvation." She holds out her hands to the young boy. "From here on out, I'll be the tempest that protects you."