A/N:This is shorter than other chapters by a substantial amount, but it's setting up the climax. Next chapter will be the finale.
Aizawa turned up shortly before the U.A. curfew to return them to campus. It felt strange to Izuku that only two days had passed. As the four boys and their teacher filed into the dormitory lounge it seemed like they'd been gone for ages. Add on the fact that Shigaraki would soon join his boss in Tartarus and it didn't feel real.
Ochaco, Iida, Eijiro, and Denki were the first to notice their presence, rushing over to indiscriminately pull the exhausted boys into hugs. Kacchan growled and complained but didn't put up too much of a fuss when Ochaco forcefully wrapped her arms around him. Izuku could have done without the excited chattering but warm contentment settled into his chest as he listened to Eijiro and Ochaco grill the others on what happened.
A silent presence beside Izuku made him startle and glance over. Koda gave a shy smile before offering over his bunny. The fluffy white rabbit fussed a bit but settled down in Izuku's arms when he started petting it. The greenette beamed and snuggled into the velvety fur. It wasn't as good as Mami-chan's cuddles but it was a contender.
"Thanks, Koda. It means a lot to me that you helped look for them."
The quiet boy blushed and ducked his head. Izuku didn't press him any further, not wanting to cause him distress. After a few minutes he offered the rabbit back with a grateful smile. Koda looked bashful before retreating upstairs.
Izuku tuned back in to the impromptu welcome home celebration in time to see Ochaco and, presumably, Hagakure flex with fierce expressions. It was genuinely intimidating since they both had been focusing on their physical strength and fighting ability with the new semester. "We were about to start our own rescue party if you weren't back by tomorrow. No one messes with Blasty or Icyhot and gets away with it!"
The other gathered students nodded in agreement with various expressions filled with determination. Denki chimed in, "At this point I think Bakubro needs a tracking device on him. Like, 24/7."
"Everyone in favor, say I." Mina grinned, ignoring Kacchan growling about not needing help from 'extras'.
A chorus of agreements rang out, Izuku's and Hitoshi's being the loudest. Momo appeared from the back of the group, wearing a solemn expression as she presented the prickly blonde with a single stud earring that contained a ruby colored gem. The formal presentation was ruined when her lips quivered to keep from smiling.
"What the fuck, Ponytail? I don't even have a piercing! And like hell I need a tracker!" Kacchan's hostility didn't seem to deter her.
"Your current record says otherwise, Katsuki. All joking aside though, I think it's a good idea for everyone to have one that can't be easily identified or removed. Aizawa-sensei could be the one with the receiver in case of emergencies. The heroes never would have tracked you to Kamino Ward if Awase and I hadn't attached a tracker to a nomu. Though, of course, you escaped before their plans could go into motion."
There were several seconds of silence as the idea was mulled over. With the class's penchant for villain attacks it honestly did sound reasonable to Izuku. It also wouldn't infringe on their privacy any more than the current procedures already did. If anything it would make the rules for leaving campus enforceable.
A few others seemed to reach the same conclusion as they nodded their agreement. Some, like Kacchan and Hanta were reluctant.
The black haired boy rubbed the back of his neck with a frown. "I dunno. It seems kinda… Big Brother-ish."
The class president jumped in, arm chopping the air. "This of course is merely a suggestion. I will, however, present it to Aizawa-sensei for consideration. As it stands, we are not allowed off campus without first telling sensei where we are going. This would merely be an extension of that to ensure safety and adherence."
"Plus, it's not like U.A. has cameras and sensors on every tree and in every building on campus." The sarcasm in Hitoshi's voice was heavy.
Several of the group turned to beam and wave at one of the cameras in the lounge. The tense atmosphere dissolved when Aizawa peeked out of his room to eyeball them all with suspicion. Clearly he had been monitoring the cameras at that moment. Mina and Eijiro bursted into laughter.
The dark hero grunted. "It's after curfew, go to bed. I'm not excusing anyone tomorrow because of sleep deprivation."
"Says the man who sleeps through his own class." Toru giggled before wisely sprinting up the stairs. The invisible girl was fearless, not stupid.
A huff left the teacher before he retreated back into his suite. Everyone pretended not to hear Mami-chan meowing for attention as the door closed. Even Iida The Rulemonger had yet to comment on the smuggled feline.
The group dispersed for the night, most opting to take the elevator. Izuku, Hitoshi, Shoto, and Kacchan bid their friends goodnight before stepping out on to their floor. They were all well past the point of exhaustion when they entered their room. The day had been an intense rollercoaster of physical and emotional exertion.
000
As promised, Aizawa showed no mercy in class the next day. Normal academic lessons took up the morning block, but the sadist decided to alter the plan. Just after the students had settled in to homeroom with their English workbooks out, it being their first class after homeroom, their teacher strolled in. He was followed by Present Mic, Midnight, Cementoss, All-Might (in scarecrow form), Ectoplasm, and, strangely, Snipe.
They were all decked out in their costumes, not unusual, but the students were alarmed to see the Gen Ed instructor with a rifle rather than his normal pistols. The teens were further unnerved and terrified when Aizawa and Midnight shared a look before grinning at the students. If they knew it wouldn't make for a worse punishment several of them, Izuku included, would have bolted.
"It has come to our attention that 1-A is behind 1-B in terms of general lessons. This is through no fault of your own, but it cannot stand. You'll need to catch up before the end of term exams."
Midnight took over from Aizawa. "1-B is behind 1-A in combat, so don't feel singled out. But," the grin intensified. "I will enjoy drinking your tears today. Your cries of anguish will garner no mercy. If you beg sweetly enough, we may let you attend lunch."
A collective shiver worked its way through the class. It was quiet enough to hear a pin drop as the teens waited for further explanations. They received none. Aizawa lazily swept his gaze over them. "You all have fifteen minutes to suit up and arrive at Ground Beta."
The group of instructors left chaos in their wake as they filed out. Everyone scrambled to claim their costume cases from the racks at the back of the room. A few students sprinted out for the locker rooms, but many opted to save time by changing in the classroom. Those with the capabilities to do so dove out the windows once dressed. Izuku found himself ferrying Toru, Hitoshi, Eijiro, and Ochaco as he used air pressure from kicks to fly towards the meeting point. It was awkward but Ochaco's quirk kept the weight minimal.
They arrived five minutes before the deadline, gaining approving looks from Mic and All-Might. Kacchan, Shoto, Iida, Denki, and Tokoyami were already waiting. The former two had teamed up like Izuku's group. The electricity user seemed to have hitched a ride on an unwilling Dark Shadow, from the grumbling Izuku overheard. The next few minutes saw the rest of class rushing in. The only person who was late, by mere seconds, was Kyoka. She was the only girl who opted to change in the bathroom and thus missed out on teaming up with Momo, who created a bicycle for herself and Mina.
The unfortunate introvert was immediately called to the front by Aizawa. "You will all be entering the city, where you will fight each other in a type of battle royale. No teaming up. No hiding. We," he gestured towards the teachers, "will be participating. Occasionally we will ask questions. Failure to answer correctly will have consequences. Property damage will have consequences. Damaging each other to the point of needing Recovery Girl will have consequences."
With a sinking feeling in his gut, Izuku noticed that Snipe was absent. A terrible hunch grew in the back of his mind as Aizawa continued to explain the rules. They could defend themselves against the teachers, but were still required to answer their questions, even in the middle of fighting. They had five seconds to answer or there would be more 'consequences'.
Said penalties were demonstrated when Mic chimed in. "Jiro, how do you ask where the bathroom is in English?"
She looked like a deer in headlights as she struggled within the time limit. Everyone knew English wasn't her strongest subject. "Please to know toilet?" Almost immediately she staggered with a yelp, a spot of pink blooming on her chest.
The source of the attack stepped out and waved from a nearby roof. Snipe held his rifle aloft as he shouted to be heard by everyone. "Y'all can call me Consequences-sensei for today!"
The Erasure Hero continued, sounding bored. "Each round will end once everyone has been shot at least three times for incorrect answers. A bell will sound and you're to meet back here. Each violation will be signified by a different colored paint. Pink for wrong answers, blue for property damage, and black for serious injuries. Your English lesson begins now."
No one needed to be told twice. There was a mad scramble to escape the teachers. Izuku jumped over a sheet of ice that formed from Shoto attempting to freeze half the group's feet to the ground. When he landed he was immediately tripped by Hanta's tape. Izuku ripped the sticky mess with a surge of strength and retaliated at the boy's back with a powerful air pressure attack that sent him off course and swinging into the side of a building.
The challenge was fun despite the handicap of having to measure his strength. He received a blue paintball to the back for accidentally cracking the road when he kicked off it to get air time, then another when he accidentally sent Sato through a window during a scuffle. About ten minutes in he had to dodge a whip cracked at him from an alley as Midnight appeared.
"How do you ask for a bill in an English restaurant?" She sounded gleeful as she kept up midrange attacks with her bullwhip. Izuku did his best to keep moving, knowing he'd never be able to beat the pro but needing to answer before fleeing.
"Can I have check, please?" It was apparently good enough, since no paint stung him. Immediately he disengaged, using his speed to escape.
The 'English lesson' continued in the same manner for nearly three hours. Izuku got his wrong answers in the last hour, from an Ectoplasm clone, Aizawa, and Midnight. He received one more mark for property damage when Shoto deflected one of his attacks into the side of a building.
When they all regrouped at the gate Izuku was gratified to see he was one of the least splattered students. Kacchan was seething, blue paint staining most of his suit. Poor Koda was covered in pink, likely from getting flustered. No one had any black marks.
Present Mic beamed at them. "Great job, little listeners! If you got more than five pink spots, I expect to see you in the fifth floor lounge after class for tutoring."
They were allowed a short bathroom break before jumping into math. The color changed from pink to green, to more easily track the different subjects. An hour and a half later the bell rang. Izuku had four marks this time. Ectoplasm gave the same order as Mic to meet him for tutoring.
Down the line of subjects they went. Some of them were over quickly, but others, like Foundational Hero Studies, dragged out for hours. Everyone was thankful when the 'no lunch' turned out to be a logical ruse, though the teachers only handed out sandwiches. In the end Izuku had to meet Cementoss for Modern Literature, but only because he missed the time limit.
By the time they were allowed to limp back to the dormitory, the sun was setting and everyone was ready to collapse into their beds. As they entered the building a delicious scent wafted out of the kitchen, stopping them in their tracks. A banquet of food lined the counters and table. Some real tears were shed when they realized Lunch Rush had dropped off dinner for them.
000
Later that night as the foursome readied for bed, all of their phones went off at once. They exchanged bleary-eyed looks before reluctantly consulting the devices. Kacchan let out a vile curse that was echoed by Hitoshi. They were being summoned for an emergency.
Their suits hadn't been washed yet, the cleaning staff usually doing so overnight. When a cranky Aizawa dropped them off at the agency they ignored the strange looks they received for their rainbow attire. The receptionist directed them to the 10th floor, where a debriefing would occur. Havok was waiting for them near the elevator on the indicated floor. He wore all of his gear except the mask. The man snickered after taking in their appearances.
"Rough day in class?" A laugh left the man when Katsuki flipped him off. "Come on, we're just waiting on Best Jeanist and Hawks now."
They were herded into a large meeting room and directed to sit in four open seats near Endeavor at a long, rectangular table. The Flame Hero scowled at them but didn't comment about their suits. Shoto sat next to his father, Katsuki between him and Hitoshi, with Izuku on the end, an open seat on his other side. The greenette fidgeted with his hands, trying not to freak out when he realized who all was in the room. It appeared to be a meeting of the top ten heroes!
The greenette tried not to stare, which was aided by the realization that Kamui Woods was scrutinizing him from across the table. Izuku really, really hoped the man didn't remember him. The number seven hero had been present at the sludge villain incident and the encounter with Stain. Those probably didn't leave the best impression.
A few minutes later the door opened, letting in the number two and three heroes. With only two other seats available, Hawks wandered over and settled in next to Izuku. The teen was trying not to pass out.
A mischievous smirk crossed the hero's face and he gave Izuku a little salute. The greenette 'eeped' quietly, to his embarrassment. Before the crimson winged hero could tease him any more, Endeavor stood up. The quiet chatter around the room ceased immediately.
"This evening there was an attack on Tartarus. Four prisoners escaped."
Those words were like a punch in the gut for Izuku. He knew the names before Endeavor even listed them. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Hitoshi freeze and grow pale with the same realization. The four teens probably wore matching expressions, if the concerned glances from the pros was anything to go by.
"Shigaraki, Twice, Kurogiri, and All-For-One were unaccounted for after the guards repelled the group of seventy villains who invaded."
Some of the heroes didn't look surprised, likely due to being called in during the attack. Others erupted into whispers with each other. Wash popped to their feet and raised their hand for attention. "Do we have any leads?"
"Tracking chips were embedded under their skin during the intake process at the prison. So far they appear to still be working. We have a very narrow window of opportunity before they inevitably deactivate them."
Thoughts racing, Izuku tentatively raised his hand. The Flame Hero looked tempted to ignore him, but after a pause he waved for him to speak up. "Um… why isn't Eraserhead here?"
He wilted under the confused and disbelieving looks the question received, but soldiered on. "All-For-One has multiple quirks… Y-you all probably saw his fight with All-Might. To say nothing of Kurogiri being able to warp them away at a moment's notice. Erasure would be invaluable for capturing them."
A grey haired man in black and gold samurai armor scoffed. Yoroi Musha, ranked nine, Izuku's brain supplied. "What would a runt know? As if some underground nobody could help against S-class villains. Endeavor, what are these children even doing here?"
That made all the students bristle. Kacchan jumped to his feet with a snarl, cutting off the Flame Hero before he could respond. "As if some two-bit has-been has fought the League to know what's what. We have. Multiple times! If Deku says we need sensei then you better call his ass in here, old man."
The number nine hero sputtered in outrage while the others stared on in shock. Beside Izuku, the Wing Hero shook with suppressed laughter. Getting himself under control, Hawks stood up and adopted a serious expression.
"I've worked with Eraserhead before and I gotta say, I agree with the kids on this one. If he put effort into it, Eraser could easily replace you, Yoroi. But while we're sitting here arguing, the villains are slipping away."
Hawks sat back down, a wing extending to pat Izuku's back in support. "I'll give him a call and catch him up once we're done." His tone was quiet enough that only Izuku seemed to hear it.
Still standing, Endeavor looked furious but forced the meeting back on track. "The police are briefing a larger team for support and damage control. Our mission is to subdue and detain any villains we encounter inside." He clicked a remote and a projector shined a map on the wall.
"The trackers are located at an abandoned medical facility 5 kilometers north of Musutafu. It is suspected that they are there due to All-For-One's failing health." The image changed to a series of blueprints. It looked like a three story hospital. "There are eight points of entry. We will break into small teams to cover them all."
A list replaced the blueprints.
1. Endeavor, Hawks
2. Havok, Shale
3. Ryukyu, Edgeshot
4. Wash, Shoto
5. Yoroi Musha, Best Jeanist
6. Kamui Woods, Puppet Master
7. Mirko, Deku
8. Crust, Ground Zero
Izuku's team was unbalanced but he could understand why. From what he remembered from interviews, Mirko had Kacchan's personality but a style similar to Izuku's that was built on speed and kickboxing. Of everyone in the room, Izuku stood the best chance of keeping up with her while not getting in the way. She didn't look happy to be stuck with a partner.
The blueprints came back, this time with the team numbers indicating which entrance each group would breach. Izuku and Mirko were going in an emergency exit on the east side of the building. He studied the layout carefully. They would enter directly next to a stairwell, in a hallway that connected the main lobby to a space that could have been a cafeteria. Many smaller rooms lined the corridor. It was a bad place to be ambushed, but at the same time it was highly defensible for two agility-based fighters.
After a moment of letting them all note their assignments Endeavor shut off the display. "Be on location in one hour. Pick up communication units from Havok on your way out."
Everyone stood to leave, chatting between themselves as they filed out. Soon it was just the students, Endeavor, and Hawks remaining. The winged hero pulled out his phone and moved away, presumably to call Aizawa, but stayed in the room. The four boys were speared with a glare from the number one hero.
"You will defer to the pro you're assigned to, but during this mission you are considered active heroes. You would not be at this agency if I thought you anything less. Do not embarrass the Endeavor name."
It was as much of a pep talk as they would get from the prickly man. The compliment was given in a warning tone, but there nevertheless. It seemed like they had proven themselves trustworthy at some point. Izuku couldn't see Shoto around the other two, but suspected he was probably in shock.
Seconds later Hawks wandered back over, a smug grin in place. "Eraser will meet us on site. I had him join team six. Good thinking, by the way, Deku."
A blush crept across Izuku's face at the praise and he shrugged meekly. "I-I was just being logical."
The man shook his head with a chuckle. "Dunno if you noticed, but logic is hard to come by sometimes. Pride usually gets in the way. Right, Endeavor?"
"Tch." The Flame Hero sneered. "Let's get moving."