UPDATAN TIEM! I would post a link here to some awesome fanart I got, but fan fic dot net hates links... so go check my AO3 account for some awesome fanart.

Other than that, not much else to add other than I hope everyone enjoys the chapter! Read on my dudes!

"We can move that up to Thursday," Nedzu announced in a neutral tone as he looked over the documents before him.

"You're busy Thursday, you have that meeting with Winston."

"Oh, that won't take too long. Really, it's more like lunch with an old friend."

"An old friend who's a three-hundred and fifty-pound talking gorilla?"

Nedzu looked up to Lucifer, who sat across from him, his glasses reflecting the screen of his tablet. "He's at three hundred and twenty-five as of last week, and yes, he's an old friend." His tone darkened. "You know why."

Lucifer looked up, his eyes flashing with amusement. No matter how much time he spent around the Fallen Archangel, Nedzu had never gotten used to the glow of his eyes. They always, without fail, sent a cold chill down his spine.

"Fine." Lucifer waved a hand in dismissal and went back to the tablet. "I have something I need to address that day anyway."

"Oh?" Nedzu asked with a curious quirk of a furry eyebrow. "Raising the souls of the damned back to earth, are we?"

"Something like that." The man spoke in such a casual manner that for a moment, Nedzu wondered if he'd actually stumbled upon one of his horrible, hell-born plans.

Lucifer rarely said anything about his personal life, though over the long years the principal had learned a handful of things. Like how he liked single malt over double and had a strange weakness for mint chocolate chip ice cream. But the King of Hell's personal business was always hidden, always shrouded.

"… well?"

"Well, what?"

"I'd like to know what you're doing that day."

Lucifer once again looked at Nedzu and for a moment, he seemed oddly annoyed. Which was strange because Lucifer often masked his emotions so well that Nedzu had to guess what his mood was simply by whatever subject they were talking about. The bible, for instance, was a sure-fire way to make him mad.

The principal's office seemed to darken despite overhead lights.

"… do you really want to know, old friend?" He cocked his head slightly. "Isn't your soul already black enough with the weight of untimely deaths?"

If Nedzu could go pale, he would have done. Instead, he felt his toes curl in his shoes, and he gulped, his lips suddenly dry.

"… no, no I suppose I don't."

"Exactly. Now, about Friday's meeting with Dr. Sanchez-"

There was a sudden beeping from Nedzu's phone, interrupting the cool atmosphere in the office. Nedzu frowned as he saw it was Aizawa's number, and on some deep, animal instinct, he knew that it wasn't going to be good news. His stomach turned in a knot as he answered it.

"Aizawa? This is a late hour to be calling, I hope everything is going well."

"Nedzu?" The man was panting and sirens were echoing from the background.

His stomach twisted even more, and his hand began shaking.

"Nedzu, who's there with you?"

"Hokori." The rodent answered as he looked back to the Fallen Angel. "Why? Aizawa what happened?"

There was a pause from the other end before, surprisingly, Aizawa asked, "put me on speakerphone. He should hear this."

Nedzu knew Lucifer had already heard him. The man was a supernatural being of impossible, incredible power and had no doubt heard every word since Nedzu had picked up the phone.

Even so, for convenience's sake, he did as he was asked. Immediately the background noise filled the room. The sound of shouting paramedics, crying students, and softly wailing sirens.

A terrible, awful dread entered Nedzu's heart.

"There." He announced in the calmest tone he could. "Now please, Aizawa, what's happening?"

The man launched into his tale. A tale of old ghosts coming back to spread blue fire through the forest, of an attack on every student on the grounds, of poison smoke almost choking the life out of the teenagers and his own attempts, and failure, to capture the multiplying monsters that had almost torn them all apart.

Both the Fallen Angel and the animalistic principal listened with the sort of dead calm that only men facing historic disasters could understand.

And yet out of the two of them, it was Lucifer who cracked first.

"Where is Izuku Midoriya?" He demanded the moment Aizawa finished his tale. "Is he safe? Is he hurt? SHOTA, TELL ME!"

Nedzu shrank back, and the phone itself almost lost connection as its circuitry stuttered within it.

"… they took him."

The words crashed into them like a collapsing ice-shelf above a single, unsuspecting man. A wall of cold, horrible fear that hit with an absolute, crushing force.

Nedzu wanted to throw up. He wanted to scream and cry and revert to his most base instincts, and tear his office apart in raw, devastated fury.

But he didn't. He just sat there. Stupefied beyond words.

The only reason he remembered Lucifer was there at all, was when the lights dimmed. Every shadow in the office stretched and grew and began curling around the Fallen Angel.

Nedzu's heart shrank in fear as he saw the figure emerge from behind the human mask of the inhuman being. A figure he hadn't seen in almost fifteen years.

Great shredded wings grew from his back and a crown of vast and curling horns emerged around his head. Nedzu simply shrank away from the King of Hell that stood before him, as a lesser animal would shrink and cower before the might of an apex predator.

There was a long silence where, perhaps, even Aizawa knew that something terrible waited behind the other end of the line. An anger that was biblical in scope and power. A sorrow that would be willing to tear the world apart to get back what was lost to them.

"I'm sor-"

The phone died.

It died when Lucifer's fist smashed through it and through the table itself. Nedzu hadn't even seen him move.

The King of Hell then turned and screamed into the air. "KUROIRO!"

Within a second, another presence had joined them, forming out of the shadow itself and causing Nedzu's heart to almost stop dead within his chest. His limbs felt numb, and he was barely holding back a spew of bile from his lips.

Yet this was the being he had made a deal with, all those years ago. This was the dark power he had sold his soul to. How wrong a decision that seemed now. Even with their anger not turned on him, he felt as though he should abase himself before them and beg for their forgiveness.

The white-haired figure made of shadow-black knelt before their Lord, their head bowed. Their voice was low and serious. "Yes, sire?"

"Summon the legion, all companies, full war footing. Tell First Baron Asmodi that I want them here with me now."

"S-Sire, they need a host and-"

"THEN FIND ONE." The force of his anger threw the furniture back, and every light in the room exploded and died. They very building seemed to shake to its foundations. Nedzu toppled head over heel as the couch he had been sitting on upturned under him. Only by luck did he avoid being crushed entirely.

"I want my Privy Council with me NOW!"

"Sire it cannot be done!" The demon replied their voice shaking in the face of Lucifer's unholy rage. Nedzu could hear the fear in their tone, the knowledge that this being before them could crush them as easily as a man could crush an insect.

Slowly, Nedzu began crawling out from under the couch, only to see the huge, black-clad Fallen Angel standing with his back to him. Cowering on their knees before their King, was the white-haired demon.

"You dare disobey a direct command, Kuroiro?"

"What you ask for is impossible. We would need weeks to gather the right sacrifices, the right hosts. Please, my King, do not set me a task I cannot fulfill."

"Do you expect me to go to war without my court? My most faithful warriors?" The mighty Fallen Archangel curled a burning fist. "Maybe I should. I could rid myself of the failures I've surrounded myself with! I'll kill Satani with my own hands! I am the King of Hell, and no one stands before me!"

"Your- your court." Nedzu's voice surprised even himself. The demon Kuroiro looked up, blind eyes locking onto the tiny animal in shock.

Lucifer turned, his eyes blazing with the inner flame of his accused power. Even looking on him made Nedzu want to openly weep and cry aloud for his damned soul. And yet he somehow found the strength to stand to his tallest, his arms stiff and his voice shaking. "You need your court?"

"I need no one." The monster raised themselves to their full height before him. Their horns almost brushed the ceiling, their wings spreading out, ruined and terrible and glorious. "And you, Nedzu. You, I need least of all. Your school, your promise to me has failed. You have failed. And now I call in your debt, as punishment for failing to save that which matters most to me."

A terrible claw stretched forward, and Nedzu felt something tight and painful bloom in his heart.

And yet he still spoke.

"Please! I have a plan!"

"What plan could you, a mortal, have for one such as me?"

"I can get you a court!"

The claw paused, then curled back. The painful bloom faded, and Nedzu fell to one knee, panting softly. Bile and spit fell in a long string from one side of his mouth, and he could feel the blood running from his nose. He gulped back, trying to save whatever remained of his courage.

"Speak, and keep in mind your words will only push back your ordained punishment."

"I- I can get you a court. A temporary one, yes, but you won't go to war without allies. I can… I can get you an army. Just… give me a few hours, that's all I need."

"My Lord, if Satani is to sacrifice the Prince, they will wait until the midnight of a full moon. That means we have until tomorrow night at least. I am with you, sire, and I am sure that Lord Azrael will join us."

"I will join also," Nedzu added swiftly. "I cannot fight, but I can coordinate the attack to make sure Izuku is saved."

"… twenty-four hours then," Lucifer announced in a low, cold tone. The tone of an executioner pulling back the axe. The tone of an angry deity whose wrath has only been delayed, not tempered. "You have twenty-four hours. Find me four mortals willing to go to war. Find me a court willing to die for the King of Hell."

Hitoshi opened his eyes slowly. He did so, not because he was slowly coming back to wakefulness, but because he simply didn't want to open them. He didn't want to face the world his consciousness had so cruelly reentered him into.

He didn't want to wake up.

And yet, despite all his better judgment, he did so.

He had seen the inside of hospitals before, though he had never been a patient himself. This was his first time. It felt so undeserving. He shouldn't be given such wonderful treatment, such kindness as to have people come and tend to his wounds.

Because he had failed.

He had dreamed of her. The girl who had stolen his best friend. He had dreamed of her wide, fanged smile, her flowing too-golden hair, and her eyes. Her eyes. Those eyes of mocking gold. The eyes that had laughed and laughed endlessly as he stretched out his hand, trying to grasp the tiny, marble-like prison his friend had been trapped within.

The eyes that had stolen that prison and vanished into the swirling depth of shadow and void.

He had failed. He had failed.

And now, because of his failure, he may well be seeing the very last days on earth. The thought didn't seem entirely real, yet it was those thoughts which had forced his eyes open.

If he truly was witnessing the end of days, he might as well actually witness them.

Besides, the pain in his arms was so great he couldn't sleep any more. So, he resolved to simply sit up in the bed, his arms wrapped in bandages, as was his forehead and other parts of his body, and stare up at the ceiling.

The pain was bearable. It wasn't as bad as the pain in his heart or in his head.

If anything, it was a nice distraction. It helped ground his body, so that he could feel the blanket pulled over him, and the soft fabric of the hospital gown they'd put him in. The room smelled of floor cleaner, but the window was open, and a soft, chilled breeze took the headache-inducing edge from it all.

Outside he could hear the singing of birds, and from somewhere far below, a car beeped its horn.

Hitoshi had memories, as faded as they were, of what had happened once the Heralds had vanished. He remembered collapsing onto the ground, unconsciousness finally slipping over him. He remembered hearing Aizawa's voice shouting at him, as well as the voices of Shoto and Katsuki.

He remembered sirens and crying, but those had all melded together as he had slipped in and out of wakefulness.

Hitoshi remembered the bright overhead lights of the hospital and the sound of Recovery Girl's voice. He had felt the last of his energy, whatever tiny dregs had been left, fade as she had applied her quirk.

Hitoshi wondered why she had bothered. Soon they'd all be dead anyway. They had taken Izuku. They had taken the Prince of Hell. And what had the heroes got to show for it in return? Maybe one or two captured villains who were probably dead the second their respective demons fled from their souls.

He closed his eyes tight, trying to not let the tears fall. He refused to have that happen at least. Why he wasn't even sure himself, but somehow crying felt like it would be the final nail in his coffin. The last victory that the villains would have over him.

He wouldn't give them that. He wouldn't cry.

But he would let the swirling, sickening emotions of his loss take over his heart and soul and strangle him from within.

His breathing was heavy, ragged. His hands clenched in and out of fists as his jaw clenched tight. He wouldn't cry. He wouldn't cry. He wouldn't cry God-fucking-dammit.

The knocking at the door was an answer to a prayer he hadn't given. Something to distract him from his own internal hell.

And yet he still scrambled to try and wipe away the tear that had rolled, unchecked and unwelcome, down his cheek.

He winced at the pain as he dabbed it away with his bandaged arm. He could barely move them, and they ached terribly, but it was better than letting people see how hard this had hit him.

"Hey, you're awake!"

It was Eijiro. Then, as the teenager entered the room, Hitoshi was shocked to see several others of his classmates follow after him, though he noticed that Momo, Ochaco and Tsuyu were not amongst them.

"H-hey." He forced out as he brought himself into a sitting position on the bed. "How are you guys?"

"How are we?" Denki joked for a moment as he came to the end of the bed. "How are you, dude? You look like you got the shit kicked out of you."

"Denki! Language!" Tenya scolded with the chop of his hand before he relaxed. "Though… I suppose we were all beat up, one way or another."

He was right. Now that Hitoshi could get a good look at them, he could see how each one of them seemed to sport some injery, ranging from just a guaze pad to a full sling. Even Tenya stood uneasy, favoring one leg over the other.

His eyes landed on Shoto. He could see that his crush's arms were bandaged and there was a patch on his cheek. He seemed paler than he did before, and the rings under his eyes spoke of a sleepless night. Hitoshi didn't blame him. He could see the same, haunted look on many of the other students.

The silence that settled was uncomfortable, and Hitoshi felt he had to do something to break it.

"Where's Momo?"

"Recovering," Shoto spoke, his voice sore in the same way that it had been the following night. "The gas that we breathed in, it… it burned our lungs and throats. I have to take antibiotics, but the doctors said we'll recover, though we shouldn't do anything strenuous in the meantime."

"Which means training is out," Eijiro added with a nod. "No surprises there. I think we're all gonna be given some recovery time after what happened."

"What about Ochaco? And Tsuyu?"

"They were both hurt pretty badly escaping from that maniac with the axes, but they should be up and about in a few days."

"What are they doing about it?"

"Doing about what?"

Hitoshi frowned at the others, for a moment, his internal depression turning to sharp anger. "About Izuku? Have they found him? What's going on?"

The others looked to one another before Mina stepped forward. "Hitoshi-"

"Don't sugar coat it." Hitoshi snapped again. "I fucked up. I failed to rescue him. So just tell me, what the hell is happening?"

"You didn't fuck up-"

"They've not found him-"

"No one knows-"

The answers all came at once, and yet not one provided the comfort that Hitoshi needed. He let the silence come back once again before, again, Shoto took the lead.

"They're looking for him. Every hero in the country is on guard. He'll be-"

"That won't be enough," Hitoshi spoke without hesitation, his voice still harsh with the bitterness in his heart. "You know it won't."

"And why not?"

Hitoshi turned as the crowd parted to reveal Hanta, pushing his way to the front. Hitoshi almost hadn't noticed him in the room, hidden as he had been behind the others.

Yet now he noticed him. He noticed the bandage on his hand, and one around the enlarged joint of one elbow, but more importantly, he noticed the burning fire in his eyes.

"You know, ever since the USJ something has been wrong with Izuku."

"Hanta!" Toru began but was quickly cut off.

"Don't pretend like it isn't true!" Hanta looked to the others, though his gaze lingered on Fumikage, who had taken to the other side of Hitoshi's bed along with Shoto and Tenya. "You all know it! We all know it!" His voice rose as he spoke, betraying his long-held distrust. "I was there you know, right up close at the USJ. I saw what Izuku became! And then after the work placements he comes back and he's- he's like some kind of union between whatever that monster was and himself!"

"Shut the fuck up," Hitoshi growled out. "You don't know what you're talking about."

"What am I talking about then?" Hanta snapped, turning his anger on the injured teenager. "Because I'd seriously love to know! We've all been dancing around this topic for months, pretending that what he did to Katsuki wasn't almost murder. That it's fine that Izuku can just tear us all to pieces if he really feels like it. That he's not fucking terrifying all of us. And then- and then this group shows up and attacks all of us just to get to him? What the fuck is with that?"

"Hanta." Fumikage's voice was as cold as an ancient gravestone. "You would do well to stop."

"Why? What are you going to do to me?" Hanta continued to push. Eijiro went to place a hand on his shoulder, but the teenager shoved him back. "Gettoff!" He turned his blazing eyes back on Hitoshi. "You're all covering for him, and if you don't wanna tell the rest of us his big secrets, fine, but don't fucking dare lie to me any longer and tell me something isn't- isn't-" He struggled for a few seconds before finally settling on a word. "Different about him."

A new silence fell. One that was not broken, though clearly came between the two sides of the class. On one side, those that trusted Izuku, and on the other, those that clearly did not.

And perhaps that, more than anything, was what prompted Hitoshi to finally speak. The silence he could struggle with. It was painful, sure, but he was used to that. But more than anything it was the accusation, the very idea, that he couldn't or shouldn't trust Izuku because of what he was.

"Have you ever talked to him?" Hitoshi asked suddenly.

"Why would I-"

"Because if you did take the time to actually have a conversation with him, maybe you'd realize you're talking out your ass. Maybe you'd realize that out of all of us, Izuku is the one who beats himself up the most for the differences he has with the rest of us. You'd realize he's been struggling all his life with those differences. And yeah, maybe they're scary, but I'm pretty fucking scary too and I know what that feels like. Do you, Hanta? Do you know what it's like to be ostracized from everyone around you for what's in your blood? Because you strike me as the type who doesn't have a goddamn clue."

Hanta's jaw clenched tight and his hands curled into tight fists at his sides.

"So, before you go running your mouth off about Izuku, how about you actually get to know him first? How about you have a conversation with him before you accuse him of being a villain."

"I never said-"

"You didn't have to say it, dickhead."

The room grew tense and just for a moment, Hitoshi wondered if Hanta would punch him.

Then, Tenya stepped between them, his arms held out as a barrier between the two. "Look, we've all had a tough night, and we're all exhausted and injured. Now isn't the time to be squabbling and fighting. We've been ordered to head home, if we can, so I suggest we listen to our teachers and do just that. Hitoshi needs his rest, and frankly I think we could all use a moment to breathe. Let's give him some space."

Head home? Hitoshi kept his expression focused, but inside he felt a small panic rise. How could they all head home when Izuku was out there? He could be being tortured at this very moment. He could be suffering, bleeding out, maybe even dead already. His spirit could be consumed by-

No, he couldn't think like that. He had to keep heart. But even so, the thought of going home made him feel physically sick.

He wasn't going home tonight. He knew that at the very least.

Again, his eyes locked to Hanta, though all he got in return was a cold dismissal.

"… fine. I'm going."

As the others filtered out, he saw that Fumikage seemed to be lingering behind. The two exchanged a glance and, as the others weren't looking, Fumikage tapped his pocket.

Hitoshi got the message. Check his texts.

The others left, though Tenya and Shoto all gave him more personalized messages of 'goodbye' and 'feel better soon'.

The second they were gone, however, he grabbed his phone from the side table. It took only a few moments, but a text popped up from the bird-headed teenager.

"Izuku's capture is more dangerous than they realize. We have to do something."

Hitoshi let a sigh escape his lips. He was glad at least one of his friends was willing to go out and face the danger once more. Quickly, he replied. "Agreed. Wait for me outside the hospital. It might take a few hours, but I'll be let out soon. We can try and rescue him together."

There was a second's pause before the answer returned. "How do you propose we track him down?"

Hitoshi stopped. He hadn't thought that far ahead, he was so eager to rush to his friend's defense. He licked dry lips before simply typing out. "Maybe Dark Shadow can help? And if not, well, we can try and get in touch with Izuku's mum."

"Izuku's mother? Why?"

"Because she'll know how to get in touch with Lucifer, and if anyone will know how to find Izuku, it'll be them."

He was lucky. More than lucky, according to the doctors.

Hitoshi had been seen by them not too long after his friends had shown up. Recovery Girl had done some work on his arms and at least he could move them again without yelping in pain, though they were still heavily bandaged.

The doctor hadn't known exactly what he had done, though he had gotten some evil looks from Recovery Girl when he had explained about the 'self-brainwashing' thing. He knew she knew, she had been treating All Might for years after all. He also knew she knew he had overused the power, and so when the doctor had explained that had he done any more he'd need surgery on his arms, he had gulped and felt her tiny anger rise beside him.

His mother and father, who had both arrived an hour earlier, had held him then. His mother had sobbed into his shirt and his father had remained stoic and strong, but he could see the deep concern in their eyes.

Silently, away from the doctors, they had both praised his heroicness. His father had told him that he had acted as a true man would, putting himself before others, using all his strength to fight back the evil of the world. His mother had cried once more and told him to never hurt himself like that ever again.

He lied and told her he wouldn't.

When they had left, under the assurances that he would stay another night in the hospital and be home by tomorrow, he had begun packing his things.

Thankfully some of his spare clothes had been delivered by UA, so by the time the sun started to cast deep orange rays through the wide-open windows, he was about as well equipped as he could hope to be.

Bandages wrapped his arms and torso up to his neck, though this was hidden by his black hoodie. He had been forced to wear a pair of cargo shorts since his other pants had been ruined.

Amazingly his trainers were still good, though how that had worked out he had no idea.

Quietly, his remaining items stuffed into the backpack hanging from one shoulder, he made his way through the corridors. He kept his head down, focused on the phone in his hand as he tried to remain unnoticeable by the staff, and was nearing the elevator when he heard it.

Voices coming from a room with a door cracked slightly ajar.

"You can't be fucking serious."

"You can't stop me."

"Ibara, your back is fucking open."

"It is stitched up, thank you very much, and I'm fine. Recovery Girl-"

"I don't give two fucks about Recovery Girl!"

Hitoshi paused, then slunk closer to the door. Was that Ibara and Katsuki? He dared to peek around and, lo and behold, there they were. In the narrow view he had, he could see Katsuki. He had a few gauze patches on him, though overall he was in better shape than Hitoshi himself.

He couldn't see Ibara, but he could hear movement from the room and occasionally spotted a stray vine from her long, green hair.

"You can't go!"

"The world is in danger! I refuse to stand by while others go blindly into battle."

"That's their fucking job!"

"Their jobs are to fight villains. Not Fallen Archangels."

Hitoshi raised his eyebrows. It seemed he wasn't the only one determined to do something.

Katsuki huffed and rubbed at his forehead, apparently knowing he was defeated on that front. "At least get Copy-Cat and Gecko to come with us."

"They're not ready for this. It's best they stay home." Ibara let out a soft chuckle. "But I suppose I can't convince you to stay?"

"No, you can't!" Katsuki barked again. "I saved your ass before, and I'll do it again!"

"That won't be-"

"Ibara." Katsuki commanded suddenly and, in a swift moment, he stepped forward. All Hitoshi could see now was his back, even as he tried to strain to see a little more. Katsuki's voice lowered and softened. "I'm not… I can't…"

The room went rather quiet.

Hitoshi felt, quite suddenly, as though he was intruding on a very private moment. He went to move away, but in doing so, his backpack knocked against the door and it creaked open.

"… shit."

"Who the fuck-" Before Hitoshi could move, Katsuki was in the doorway and glaring at him with furious eyes.

And surprisingly red cheeks.

The blonde's eyes glanced to the phone Hitoshi was holding up in defense, and his anger practically exploded. "ARE YOU FUCKING FILMING US RIGHT NOW?"

"Erm, no?" Hitoshi quickly shoved the phone into his hoodie's pocket. "I was just leaving."

"Lier." Katsuki accused, though a moment later Ibara was at his side. Her cheeks too seemed a little too red to be innocent.

She too seemed to have more than her fair share of bandages and war wounds. Hitoshi hadn't known what had happened to her, though he had heard from the group chat that it was pretty bad. Something about her back being cut open. The thought of it made him cringe internally.

"What did you hear?" She instantly demanded as her vine-hair curled about her defensively.

For a moment, Hitoshi considered denying it once again, but then his mind started turning. They seemed to be thinking the same thing he was, after all, and if they were heading out, well…

He glanced up and down the corridor. They were alone, and thus, his mind was made up. "Enough." He replied finally, looking back at them. "Enough to know you're going after Izuku."

The two teenagers seemed to stiffen as if for a moment they were worried that Hitoshi would turn them in.

Then Hitoshi nodded. "Meet you guys outside in ten minutes. You're not the only ones who want to save the world, you know."

Apparently, one more would be joining them.

As Hitoshi had exited the hospital he had easily spotted Fumikage, who had been sitting on one of the benches provided in the small garden outside the entrance with Dark Shadow in their usual place atop his head. He was not, however, alone. With him was Shoto, who was impassive as always, though as always Hitoshi's heart did a little summersault upon seeing him.

It was quickly established why Shoto was there, after all, wasn't it obvious?

They had to save Izuku, and he had correctly guessed that Hitoshi would be set on doing the same thing.

Hitoshi's heart and warmed at that. Shoto thought he was brave! Brave enough to be predicably bull-headed enough to throw himself, once again, into the thick of things.

Well, he felt a little better knowing he had Shoto by his side.

Moments later, Ibara and Katsuki emerged from the hospital and joined the small gathering. The two clearly eyed the demonic bird, though did nothing to antagonize them for the moment.

Ibara spoke first. "So, this is all?" She nodded, as if in understanding, "The five of us will have to do."

"Six." Dark Shadow hissed. "Or do you not count demons?"

"Six." Ibara allowed. "Though it pains me to acknowledge your help at all, monster."

"Are you sure you want to come?" Shoto asked calmly before Dark Shadow could snap a reply. "Your back-"

"My back is fine." She answered stiffly. "Fine enough for this."

"What's your plan?" Katsuki, as always, cut to the chase. The dulling light of the slowly setting sun played strangely across the scars of his face, making them seem somehow more violent and noticeable.

Hitoshi thought it was odd how the tide had turned. These two had such huge grudges against Izuku, but now here they were, ready to go out and rescue him.

"It's obvious we're all too injured to engage in combat." Fumikage stepped in. He out of all of them seemed the least battle-worn, yet even he seemed to carry his shoulder stiffly. He even took a moment to reach over and massage it as he spoke. "So, we cannot plan on confronting the enemy directly."

"Not to mention if they have that psychotic bitch with them," Katsuki growled. "Another one just like Nemesis… fuck."

"Actually, I don't believe she was like them," Fumikage replied with a frown. "When she first appeared, she had that same aura-"

"-But something was off, right?" Katsuki gave a slow nod. "Yeah, I felt that too."

"It was like… like Izuku's power but she was just wearing it. Like a coat." Shoto mused softly to himself. "Like it wasn't really hers at all."

"A human even using that sort of power is unheard of," Ibara added. "I've read old reports about the Fallen trying to give their powers to humans. It always results in death. No mortal could handle such blasphemous power."

"But humans aren't like they used to be." Hitoshi shrugged with a slight wince. "I mean, we have quirks now. Maybe that plays into it?"

"Possibly."

"Maybe she's just a fucking trial run." Katsuki grumbled. "Remember that fucking creep at the USJ? He was on about being the Ender of Days or some shit. Maybe they're going to use Izuku to fucking, I dunno, power him up so he can be like Izuku is."

The others went silent as the implications hit them.

"Holy God in Heaven."

"Satani plans to use Izuku's soul to make a new Fallen?"

"It'd either be the man who attacked us at the USJ," Fumikage quietly spoke, "or that girl in the forest. Either way, such darkness is almost unfathomable."

"So, Izuku's life is in danger, but we already knew that."

"I hate to ask," Shoto began. "But how do we know he's still alive?"

"If they are going to perform any dark ritual of this magnitude, it must be done at night," Dark Shadow replied with a knowing nod. "Preferably just before midnight. In ritual work symbolism is an important aspect. Midnight is strongly associated with darkness, therefore, it is the most effective time to cast a ritual."

"That leaves us with a few hours at least." Hitoshi breathed a small sigh of relief. It wasn't much, but it was something. "So, what are we going to do?"

"Rescue him, obviously." Ibara almost smiled. "We're a team of five- six," She glanced at Dark Shadow and then away again. "We can't fight any battles, especially not against something like Satani. But we can infiltrate and, with some luck, rescue him before the night's end. Though I find it ironic. At one point I would have gladly seen him imprisoned or slain. Now I wish to save his life."

"You know what that is?" Hitoshi raised a closed hand up, then opened it. "Growth."

"One big fucking problem, we've no idea where the fuck he is or how to find him," Katsuki growled out before looking to Dark Shadow. "So. Any help?"

Dark Shadow looked offended. "What? Why are you looking at me?"

"Because, Dark Shadow." Fumikage asked in a far kinder tone than Katsuki. "Out of all of us, you are most likely to know a way of tracking him."

"I- well-" The demonic crow paused for a moment before looking rather sheepish. "I could perhaps track him if we were close, but… but without a lead, I cannot help. I am a warrior, not a hunter."

Hitoshi felt a cold chill run through his stomach. This wasn't the best start for any rescue, and with every second that passed, he knew his friend grew closer and closer to death. He felt the irritating need to act, to do something to shake off the worry and concern.

He was just about to suggest calling Inko, when he felt a strange, sudden chill run across his skin. It was a familiar cold, however, as he had felt it once before. He turned, looking around, just as the others did.

Ibara and Katsuki, however, were unfamiliar with the sensation, and already Ibara was forming her infamous vine-shield and mace.

"Wait!" Hitoshi held out a slightly acing arm as they all saw the shadows gathering and forming into a shape before them.

From the shadows came a human form, then a mop of bone-white hair, blind white eyes, and the ever-grimacing face of Kurorio.

Immediately their eyes locked to Hitoshi, and even though he had met the demon before, it still didn't make them any less creepy.

"Honored members of Prince Nemesis's court." He gave a quick, stiff bow to Fumikage, Hitoshi, and Shoto at least.

"Sixth Baron." Dark Shadow replied when no one else did. "I'd like to say it's an honor to meet you again, but it isn't."

Kuroiro ignored the lesser demon, their eyes turning to Katsuki and Ibara, both of whom seemed ready to snap into battle at any second. "… who are you?"

"Wouldn't you like to know, motherfucker?"

"Calm down, both of you, they're not here to hurt us. They're with Lucifer." Hitoshi stepped forward and shot them both a frown before looking back at Kuroiro. "I assume you're here because of what's happening?"

"Yes, I-" The demon paused, and suddenly, Hitoshi found himself surprised. Before they had seemed stiff and bored as if they hadn't wanted to even interact with humans in the first place.

Now they seemed nervous and twitchy.

"… I'm not here because my King has ordered me to."

"Then why are you here?" Ibara spoke in a cold, almost robotic tone. Some of the Templar Knight had come into her eyes, and Hitoshi felt a shiver go down his spine. She seemed as almost as deadly as the demon before him.

"I…" Kuroiro raised his hands and rubbed them together, glancing away. It was such a bizarrely human move that it almost took Hitoshi back. "… my Lord is… they are overcome with anger and grief." They looked to the others before their eyes landed on Dark Shadow. "They have ordered the legion to war. The entire legion."

To the others, this meant almost nothing. Only Ibara seemed to react, her eyes growing wide. Fumikage too seemed to frown, as if wondering if the demon was being serious.

Dark Shadow, however, looked truly shocked.

"… They cannot do that."

"They have."

"What the fuck does that mean?" Katsuki demanded, glancing at the others.

"It means that Hell will be consumed with civil war," Ibara whispered out. "But with two Fallen here on Earth-"

"-It'll come here too." Fumikage finished as it slowly dawned on him. Then, one by one, the others began to realize the magnitude of what that meant. "Every demon with a host will flock to one banner or another. And they'll come to where their Lords are… which is right in this city."

"… oh fuck."

"And if they openly fight here, then Heaven will surely get involved."

"Double fuck."

"My Lord is gathering a temporary court made of the most powerful mortals they can find." Kuroiro continued. "They are your pro-heroes and police force. They are planning their attack even now. It will be swift and terrible. However, I also thought that the Prince's court should have a chance to help in this great struggle. It would be a great dishonor to you all if you abandoned your Lord."

"Izuku ain't my fuckin' lord." Katsuki snapped.

"Look, it's just us. Everyone else is either too hurt or ordered home." Hitoshi shrugged. "So. What do you want us to do?"

"You plan to rescue the Prince, yes?" Kurorio looked between them all. "I can tell you where we suspect he is."

"Where?" Shoto demanded with a frown.

"For months, my Lord has had me investigating the underworld, tracking down rumors and hurrying after whispers. Lord Satani has been no fool and has used many dark powers to mask their location. However, the pattern has emerged. There are two locations we plan to strike."

The locations he gave weren't immediately known to the others, though with some short explanation and a quick look on their phones, they soon knew where to start looking.

"Two different locations though?" Hitoshi frowned as he looked at his phone. "Where do we start?"

"My King plans to strike both at once, all while the legion wars in the underworld. They suspect their sibling is here." Kuroiro held a finger over Hitoshi's phone, which seemed to flicker as though experiencing an electrical charge. Hitoshi quickly pulled the phone away to save it before looking at it again. "… the Esoteric Order of The Golden Dawn?"

"You will find it looks abandoned," Kurorio warned. "But it is not so. I could not get near, as they have… defended it rather well from intruding demons. Though you," and he looked to Dark Shadow, "should be fine. You have your living host, after all."

"Super." Dark Shadow grumbled.

"Thank you, Kuroiro." Shoto nodded to the demon.

"Please hurry, all of you." Kuroiro hissed as his body began to once again merge with the shadows around him. "Save the Prince and prevent Armageddon."

There was a roll of wind that chilled their skin, and the demon was gone.

A moment passed, and then, with a smile, Hitoshi looked to others. "So, no pressure then, right guys?"

Nemesis-Who-Was-Izuku had been falling for some time.

All around him was darkness. A darkness that tasted of a far distant fire and the ash of sorrow and pain.

It was a darkness that might have terrified a mortal soul. A darkness that invaded and consumed and drowned those who fell into its terrible embrace.

But to Nemesis-Who-Was-Izuku, to the Prince of that Darkness, it was more like a comforting blindfold over his eyes. The darkness recognized its lord and so did not strangle his neck and empty his lungs, but held him tight, close, like a mother's embrace of a sleeping child.

Even so, he wanted to escape.

His mind was fixated on that one idea. He needed to escape. He needed out of this blanket of shadow and back into the real world. Back to where he could make a difference, to where he could stop the cousin-who-was-not-his-cousin from stealing him away from his friends and the other innocent souls in the forest.

And yet even with his mighty wings spread, even with the fire at his fingertips, even with the power of Hell in his blood, he could do nothing.

Nothing but fall forever in the suspended loop of inky blackness that surrounded him like a bubble.

And then, just as he was wondering if he would ever escape, the bubble burst.

And reality hit him like a mallet to the skull.

Pain instantly blossomed across his many wounds, his shoulder especially, and his senses were assaulted all at once with the smell of his own blood, of the polished floor, of another's blood, and the smoke from the candles around him.

There were candles around him.

And there were also three people.

He caught only a second's sight of them before the lighting hit him.

It was a familiar lightning, one to which he had felt before. It was faith, coalesced and focused into the binding that instantly bit at his body and every cell of his being, like a rabid dog tearing its prey to the ground.

He screamed in unashamed agony, and for a moment his vision blotted and blackened with the threat of unconsciousness.

His soul shook, almost unbalancing itself yet somehow, he managed to hold himself together. He curled into a ball in the middle of what he knew had to be a circle and his teeth clamped together. He had cried out once, but he would not give his enemy the satisfaction of hearing it again.

Then, just like that, the faith stopped. The numbing lightning of its oppressive touch left him as if it had never been there, though his limbs still shook and twitched. His claws dug deep into the floor, scraping the wood in great rents and he gasped for every breath that filled his lungs.

He tried to rise, but his strength had been robbed from even his supernaturally strong body. He coughed and blood splattered to the ground. He could taste it on his teeth which even now curled into a low growl, like a beaten dog who refused to capitulate.

He heard the steps coming towards him and while his Fallen side wished to turn and keep fighting, his human side knew that right now they had to act the defeated Prince. Resistance would simply get more pain.

Strength was of no use. Not right now.

Right now, they needed to think.

A hand grabbed his arm and yanked it back. Thick iron was clasped over his wrists, one at a time, until they were both held behind him. Even from that, there was the pain of faith, though not as strong as he might have expected.

This was a sapping pain, one that numbed his hands and wrists and made him feel as though his blood was freezing in his veins.

Suddenly, his hair was grabbed tight and he was forced to look up.

"Heeeeey!" Himiko grinned down at him. She cocked her head, flashing her bright, sharp teeth. "You're back! Sorry about the Soloman's Cage. I've heard it's a real bitch to be inside, but you know, can't take any chanceees~"

"Stop toying with him." Izuku turned from the strange girl with the Fallen blood to face another familiar enemy.

This one came before him and squatted down, actually meeting his gaze as he took off the hand that was over his face.

The cold, almost dead eyes of Tomura looked at him. They were a tortuous red. The red of a setting sun upon a gore-covered battlefield. His skin was pale as if death itself had marked him. Only now, however, did Nemesis truly realize how cracked and broken his skin was, especially around his eyes and lips.

It made him seem as though he was decaying from the inside, and the only true life within him rested entirely within his unnerving gaze.

"… you look different from the last time we met, Nemesis."

"So do you." The echoing voice of Nemesis replied. He even cocked his head. "We seem to remember you being a lot bloodier. Did our claws leave scars?"

He could see the slow disgust creep over Tomura's face, and he saw the man's hand twitch, almost curling into a fist. "Funny. You've learned to wear a human face."

"We wear no face. This is us. We are human and immortal both."

"If you say so." Tomura stood back up, looking at Himiko. Even if Nemesis didn't have enhanced eyes, he wouldn't have missed the look of pure resentful hatred that he gave her.

"Interesting."

"What's wrong, Tomura?" Himiko seemed to almost sway with giddy joy, even though he could still smell her own blood on her lips. "Jealous that I captured the Prince, and you didn't?"

Tomura's hand again twitched before he turned, looking to someone Nemesis couldn't see and sharply ordering, "Get him patched up. He needs to look presentable when we deliver him to Father."

ALRIGHTY. So, looks like Lucy is making a temporary council! I wonder who might be in it...

Also, the Goth Crew and the God Squad have formed an alliance... kinda. Some of them have at least. Now they've just got to save the world, so no biggie I guess. It was very fun to come up with the crew. I knew I always wanted Ibara and Katsuki to be there, but I toyed with several different members of the Goth Crew before landing on the team we have now. I think it's a pretty rad squad in my opinion.

But looking to next chapter, we're gonna have Izuku meet his Aunt-Uncle Satani! I'm sure they're gonna have a great chat and nothing bad will happen. Right? Right.

Hope you all enjoyed the chapter, and thank you a million for reading. Keep safe, till next time my peeps!