Chapter 13: Jagged Points
Izuku
"Wait, what do you want me to do again?" Izuku repeats, staring down at the robotic figure before them.
Was this really okay to be doing?
Sure it was just a practice simulation dummy and not an actual breathing, living person, but it felt strange to be staring into the realistic dark eyes of an object he had just been told to in essence harm and 'kill'.
Recovery Girl jabs him with her cane none too gently, grinning in spite of how slow he is currently being.
"You heard me the first time! These robots were created for the specific purpose for training, they are as close as we can get to the real deal minus the being able to feel pain and bleed. Use your Infliction to damage either it's left or right arm before it gets too close. If you have to, imagine it as an actual villain about to harm your Mother or Uraraka." She orders.
Heat burns at his face, ignoring Chiyo's widening grin on his back. 'What does Uraraka have to do with this?!'
'Crack it's right arm.' He concentrates, forcing the image away of his mom or Uraraka here beside him watching him utterly hesitate to attack.
A minute later he begins to see the result, right hand that was about to curl at his leg freezing in place as it contorts and twists in various angles exposing wire and metal beneath it's plastic skin.
"So it takes about 1-2 minutes for the command to take effect. Longer depending on how complicated the action is." Chiyo notes with a hum.
"That's enough of this for now, follow me." She states, gesturing them out of the simulation room back towards the main hospital wing. It's already become late morning now he realizes peering outside. A misty fog had blanketed much of surrounding forests and city earlier when the sky was still a haze of grays and pinks when he had first arrived at U.A.'s gates.
Chiyo is just as much of an early riser as him.
"Normally those simulation dummies are used for rescue mission purposes and not attack exercises. I also have used them for training on fledgling nurses and doctors before they make rounds in the hospital on how to analyze specific wounds and care after major disaster events." She explains.
She leads them then into a small tucked away classroom behind the main clinic, surprising him at the array of literature surrounding the walls dated back as far as when U.A. first opened.
'There's books here on how quirks effect certain blood types, how to do triage care in emergencies, quirk abilities and mental health. Wow it covers information on topics I wouldn't even think about that are important for a Hero to function mentally and physically in and out of the field.' Izuku considers in awe, reading over various titles stitched in copper and gold lettering along the older leather-bound books.
"Yes indeed I've grown a vast collection over the years." Chiyo states behind him, gazing fondly upon pages long since yellowed to time.
Her attention fixes back upon Izuku, gesturing to the textbook on his left.
Pathophysiology.
"We're going to start from the basics of how the Human Body can become affected by either injury, syndrome, or disease. Normally, I use these hands for healing purposes but in this case I will show you both on how your Infliction quirk can prevent this continued rise of the League of Villains and their associates and how it can help your fellow Hero in any pinch." Chiyo explains.
"On the simulation dummies?" Izuku guesses at her line of thought taking the book with him as he follows her into an examination room to the side.
Though Chiyo simply shakes her head, expression somber and resolute all at once.
'This is the best way he'll learn. Studying these bodies inside and out no matter who they used to be.' Chiyo knows.
She is lucky to even have this body for him to review and manipulate knowing how much her fellow peers and Heroes alike simply wanted it burned after the damage it created.
But despite their reservations this was the best way to study how the villain's operated using them, to gain idea of how their minds had been shaped and why some were more advanced than others.
She watches Izuku from the corner of her eye now as he sees the figure resting upon the table strapped in place but unmoving, of exposed brain matter to blank eyes emptily facing the florescent lights above. This is the same creature he's surely seen before on the news in the background, silhouettes of beasts that are at the beck and call of the League.
His tongue instantly feels dry at the realization.
"No, on a Nomu." She replies.
-X-
Ochako
"You're not mad at us, are you Ochi?" Gamps asks again just to be sure.
What he expected was tears and bursts of rage when the truth of her parent's business finally came to light, not this silence stretching out all across the garden.
She'd waited until dusk to finally bring this up right as they finished up dinner enjoying the first of many cool evenings to come. Resolve pushing through at noticing the moon was already bright enough in the violet-pink sky, seemingly warning her the day was almost done.
To stop dragging this out.
"I'm not mad, honest. More just...upset over how I found out." Ochako breathes out when she finally finds her voice, picking absently at blades of grass right along the wooden steps of the patio.
Gamma tacks on a weak smile, azure eyes watery as she blinks away un-shed tears to no avail. Ochako swallows back down a rising queasiness seeing their guilt; remorse. This will be at least ten times harder to discuss with Mom and Dad if she having this much trouble with Gamps and Gamma.
"Still, we should've said something to you. You're old enough to handle tough topics like this." Gamma murmurs.
"Have you given them a call?" Gamps questions, patting at Gamma's hand.
Ochako shakes her head, but she'll do it tonight.
'Should I Face-time? No, I may just burst into tears with that option.' She wonders.
But her hands feel sticky and hot as she scrolls to her contact of Home in her address book, heart thudding in her ears blocking out everything else. She listened to the voicemail once last time, heard the finality and somberness in their tones. If she could speed back home quickly, she'd do this in person rather than through the impersonal use of a phone call.
One last slow inhale then exhale.
This is it.
Dad doesn't pick up until nearly the 3rd ring, nearly making her end the call until she hears the rough familiarity of his hello echo out into the room.
"Hey, it's been awhile Ochi! How has U.A. been treating you? Old Kimura said you really decked out a lot of punches and skill during that Sports Festival of yours! Of course, that probably doesn't even matter anymore with all that's been on the news. You're okay, right?" He questions, words nearly blurring together.
It's always been a habit she and Mom have noticed, Papa rambles when he's nervous.
And it's impossible to not hear the strain in just in his voice, the stress he is covering with a cracked smile and optimistic tone.
"I...I'm okay. Sorry I'm so late checking in with you guys." Ochako murmurs, speaking barely above a whisper.
She clears her throat, pushing herself to continue be louder. Confident.
"I listened to your voicemail; all the way through hundreds of times perhaps now Papa. Why did you or Mom just tell me?!" She hisses, biting her lip.
Rage that's been simmering for slow long now boils over, words falling out before she can stop them.
"Without the construction company what will you and Mom do Dad?! It was the business you guys built from the ground up, how you met each other and so many of our family friends." She continues at his silence.
The taste of salt drops on her lips, taking a breath to catch herself.
"It would've been too much to have on your plate at the time Dear. Your Ma and I have told you this before; we didn't want you to worry about the business whether it survived or not. We're making ends meet right now helping some farmers to the west with some machinery of theirs that just broke down and doing the odd job here and there at some of local hotels and shops." He explains softly.
"Our hometown wouldn't let us go poor and hungry, you know that Ochi! Mie's citizens are better than that!" He laughs, albeit weakly.
"Is that our Ochi? Pass the phone to me Pa!" Her mother's voice comes in somewhere from the background. They discuss the lighter topics of schoolwork and U.A. before circling back the main point of discussion.
"This is merely a rough patch sweetie, we'll pick ourselves back up slowly one day at a time. Your Pa and I aren't ones to give up as you already know!" She assures her.
And fleetingly it feels like they are here with her instead of miles away, connected to each other in a family hug likes the ones they had after a long day in the fields or an argument. They'll smell of oil and sweat, of freshly cut grass at the blades that stick to their sunburned skin.
'That's right, but I still can't let you guys do this alone. I'll become a proper Hero so that one day soon we no longer have conversations like this.' Ochako reminds herself.
"I know, you and Dad have never let any past obstacles stand in your way." She finally says.
She can practically hear her Mom nodding into the phone before a in a teasing lilt she changes the subject once more and she senses immediately this will be something embarrassing, cheeks warming in anticipation.
"So...when are you going to mention this boy Gamma keeps gushing to me about?!"
-X-
Katsuki
Who would the League go after first?
For once, this is a group he doesn't want to have the attention of.
They were instructed for now not to discuss the warning email with any of their peers, easy enough when he barely talks to them as is.
But that doesn't stop the message from repeating over in his thoughts, distracting him at the worst times in class when he is called on to answer a question or finish up a pop quiz/assignment.
'Damn it, we just can't keep sitting on this waiting for one of them to capture us!' He scowls.
Though his strength alone isn't going to be enough to do anything, not against a whole team of them cornering him...
The best people to ask regarding this are the very people keeping him in the dark. If Endeavor refuses to give him answers then it is time to snoop in on All Might again as best as he can.
He doesn't have to search too far for the man, seeing his familiar spiky blond hair just outside the cafeteria.
With Deku.
A knot of frustration burns at his gut he swallows down, he can't make a scene until he hears enough.
Because clearly whatever conversation they're having isn't meant for all ears. They should know better than to discuss a sensitive topic on school grounds, but this doesn't seem to be the first time All Might has called Deku away.
He stays a couple of feet behind them hoping neither will hear or see his footsteps and shadow, watching as they head to the back side of the building nearly out of view. A thick layer of vines provides a good enough cover, crouching his body against the thorns and leaves as they wait a minute before talking.
'This better be fucking worth it.' He grits his teeth, forcing himself to block out the noises behind him. If too many people notice he has slipped away as well its bound to cause more conversations and whispers that he doesn't need to deal with.
"So, no new leads yet on the hacker?" Izuku asks, All Might shaking his head in dismay.
"Don't worry about that for now Young Midoriya! How are things progressing with Recovery Girl?" He questions, beaming at his renewed grin.
"It's...interesting! There's a lot about the human body I never thought of until she better explained it. How Infliction can work on a cellular to molecular level if One For All isn't the best option to go with against a villain. Granted, these Nomu have gone under extreme body modifications. Izuku explains, voice dropping recalling the images.
One For All. So that was the name of Deku's second quirk apparently.
And then All Might's voice lowers, patting an hand on Deku's shoulder. His strains to hear him, only picking up on bits of his words.
But it's enough to make conclusions.
"I passed it on to you...no need to rush things. Gran Torino will-".
Deku nods in understanding, though his eyes remain somber. "But you're losing strength...soon you'll...and then the League may-."
'All Might gave him that power, why?' The thought spins over and over, gut clenching. For all his power, All Might won't see him in the same way he does Deku...
And he should've accepted and realized this long before now after observing them enough.
He shifts out of his hiding spot, not caring they both startle at his presence.
Well All Might at least, Deku doesn't seem too surprised seeing his expression shift into concern, verdant orbs sharpening.
Ugh, he doesn't need his pity. At least he can move on from this now. Focus on becoming number 1 despite these obstacles.
"I heard enough!" He yells out, confirming their suspicions.
And then he turns to go before either can say more.
-X-
All Might
Young Bakugo is stubborn. So very stubborn...
And he should've known he wouldn't accept an answer littered with vagueness like he originally gave him.
Well, lesson learned!
He zooms off after him, watching his scarlet eyes widen at his abrupt presence in front of him before calming.
"That blood back when we had been in the library that one morning, it was never 'nothing'." He remarks.
Toshinori nods, blocking him from continuing.
"You're right. It was never nothing and in not wanting to worry you I downplayed it. You are now a part of the lucky few who know this secret of mine." He apologizes.
He pats him gently on the head then before pulling him into a hug making him stiffen, though he doesn't brush away from his touch like he would with anyone else who got so into his personal space. Instead he presses against his hand, obscuring his eyes from him.
"So you are really sick then? Damn it..." He curses and mutters under his breath.
'How long has he been stressed over this?' Toshinori wonders.
He guides them to a nearby bench to talk, this time he'll be fully honest. The wind shifts directions, scattering leaves at their feet while in the distance the bell rings signaling the end of lunch period.
But Katsuki doesn't move, gazed fixed upon him.
And when he loses his muscle leaving him back in his scrawny, skeletal state Katsuki looks at him with the same shock and fear he knows the public will have when they inevitably find out.
"This is what I was keeping from you and the rest of Japan; the results of my battle with All For One." He explains, lifting up his shirt enough for him to catch a glimpse of his scar.
Katsuki swallows, twisting his eyes from the painful sight to the cobblestone below. "Just...Just tell me this. Can Deku really master that quirk you passed on to him?"
Toshinori nods, casting his stare up to the sky. Despite the wind it still hot, blue going on for miles with no cloud in sight. It is these peaceful days he worries will soon be mar the sky to an endless gray, burning with the smog from relentless villain attacks.
"One For All takes time to perfect, Young Midoriya is learning with each new day ways to use the ability that I didn't even think of!" He comments proudly.
Katsuki snorts at that, used to hearing about his nerdy habits plenty of time already before looking back at him again fully. "You're running out of time."
And there is nothing either can do about this.
Katsuki phone buzzes from his pocket, even on silent mode he is getting a series of rapid-fire texts one after the other.
"You can get that if need be." Toshinori mentions, but Katsuki shakes his head before giving in at his nudging.
He looks over his shoulder at seeing his expression shift, eyes growing dark.
"So far it seems like our first messages were ignored! Well, Tick-Tock! Time's a wasting and our next bomb may create an even bigger fiasco! Heroes, you know the students we want. Students, give us an answer in the next 24 hours before we move in." He reads.
Shit.
It may not even be 24-hours it could be now or this evening, there is no point in mulling over it.
Because the League is coming and despite the injuries he sustained from their last fight, All For One is still leading them.
-X-
Ochako
'Should I let this keep going on?' Ochako muses, barely concealing a smile.
Watching Deku work through a regular question or topic sometimes feels more like watching him attempting to solve a complicated quadratic equation, listening to his soft mumbling under his breath echo out into the library.
Despite this homework they're currently stuck on being about the history of U.A. and their need to still write their thoughts on U.A.'s importance to Japan and internationally for the future, she can tell his mind is elsewhere, far away from the topic.
"You alright Deku?" She finally asks, breaking him out of his thoughts as his eyes peer back up at her abruptly.
"Sorry! What was the essay are we supposed to be working on right now?" He asks quickly, Ochako doing her best to resist snickering at his expense as she re-goes over the topic.
His normally bright jade eyes are tired, and she wonders what's running through his mind or what exercises his work-study mentor is putting him through that has him so on edge.
'I won't pry.' She bites her lip, letting the question remain on her tongue. It'd be nice if Iida was here to help fill the quiet and force them to properly focus on this lesson with it's upcoming due date tomorrow, but he was giving them the run around too on whatever was bothering him.
"We want to meet this boy Gamps and Gamma seem to speak so highly of!"
Abruptly she feels her face warm recalling her parent's interest, letting her head rest against her palm hiding the flush from him.
Ugh, she hadn't been able to make them drop the topic or change the subject! But there was no way she could ask Deku to come with her to Mie during their next break from school, especially when neither her Mom or Dad had fully connected the dots on who exactly Deku was from the news.
Would that change their attitude?
"You need to stay focused too Uraraka!" Deku mentions with a light tease at her lack of pen movement and she jolts, turning her attention back to her blank paper.
"You're one to talk! You were just-" Ochako huffs, voice cut off by the buzz of his phone.
Their eyes both trail to the flashing alert in dark red lettering, a ball of nerves rolling into her gut as verdant eyes turn sharp in a mix of alarm and fear.
'What is that?'
But then a louder screech rings out overhead before she can ask, lights flickering before plunging them into darkness.
-x-
Time for the villains! You guys have a favorite one out of them? I lean between Hero Killer and Shigaraki. Anyways, let me know your thoughts as always or any questions/ideas!
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