A/N: Hello! I know it's been a while. I had to take a pause from writing due to some health chaos in my life. I am much better now and was able to pick writing back up. Sometimes taking care of yourself becomes a full time job. I am better, and Now I can write about Tokoyami again! Yay! Here is a really long chapter. This probably could have been two chapters but when I looked at my outline this is what I had planned for one whole chapter. Enjoy! ~ Traditional Twist
Part 6
"I don't understand how I was able to leave the hospital bed on my own," Tokoyami said to Aizawa.
Aizawa was sitting in a chair beside his student. Tokoyami was lying in his bed. Despite his back injuries, they had him sitting upon his bed. He did have a brace on, which was supporting his core significantly. However, Tokoyami was much more aware of how injured he truly was. His left arm rested in a sling as his shoulder and collarbone were both connected in some sort of cast. Both arms were heavily bandaged. His black fingers were the only non wrapped parts. Though it took a lot more concentration, he was able to move his fingers and wrists, though not to the level of control he would have liked. His right foot rested in a suspended cast. His left leg was bandaged, and a compression sock covered his foot. There were bandages on his head, he knew, but his beak still remained chipped.
"I don't think it is you who is moving," Aizawa said. "Dark Shadow has done something to take control."
"It's not that I don't believe you, Sensei," said Tokoyami, "but I can't feel Dark Shadow. How do I really know he is there? How do you know? "
"There are quite a few tells. The two most obvious are his voice and the dark flames that seem to leak out of your injuries." Aizawa watched Tokoyami as he tried to process this.
Tokoyami examined his whole body. "That would make me covered."
"It does," agreed Aizawa. "Asui spoke with Dark Shadow, too." Aizawa gestured towards Tsu's room down the hallway. "She could tell it wasn't you. I know it's been a while, but try and think back to what it was like before you had your quirk."
"That's just it. I've never know a time without Dark Shadow. He's always been here with me."
"What do you mean, Tokoyami?"
"I mean that I don't have a single memory where Dark Shadow wasn't in my head. When I was just starting to talk I would tell my parents about bDark Shadow. They thought he was an imaginary friend. Then I started doing things Dark Shadow asked me. They thought I was mental. I saw psychiatrists and psychologists until I was five and Dark Shadow figured out how to get out."
Aizawa raised an eyebrow at this. "I didn't realize your quirk was always talking to you."
Tokoyami closed his eyes and shook his head. "This silence is maddening! How do you handle this?"
"I would argue always having someone else in my head would be maddening." Aizawa said with a smirk.
"It's… very lonely." Tokoyami sighed.
Aizawa leaned forward in his seat. "We will get you back to normal. I promise."
"I know you are anxious to see your son, but you need to remember he has been through quite a traumatic experience." Present Mic sat with the Tokoyamis in an empty hospital office room. With all the ways Tokoyami had reacted within the few hours that had him, He and Aizawa knew it was possible this reunion may go out of hand.
"Of course he has! They chopped off part of his beak!" Fuhimito said.
"Yes, I am not saying that that isn't bad, but I am trying to say that things got worse." Present Mic gave the two parents a moment to absorb his previous comment. "Fumikage was heavily injured, to the point it seems Dark Shadow has figured out how to take control."
"What do you mean take control?" Fuhimito asked with a demanding tone.
"Dark Shadow has essentially possessed Fumikage. And by doing so, I think Dark Shadow has protected him from probably the worst possible outcome," Present Mic explained.
"I'm grateful Dark Shadow kept Fumikage alive, but what do you mean by possessed?"
"Dark Shadow did more than keep your son alive. He saved him from a terrible fate. Do you remember the large black creature that attacked Endeavor in Central Fukuoka?" Present Mic waited for Fuhimito to translate for his wife. Both nodded that they agreed. Present Mic grit his teeth. "Those creatures are called nomus. They are made from people. The villain's that had Fumikage, they were trying to turn him into a nomu."
"They tried to make my son a monster!" Cried Fuhimito.
Present Mic nodded. "I know this is shocking. We are not sure what Dark Shadow did, but we have theorized that Dark Shadow is the reason that process was stopped."
Hibiki grabbed her husband's arm and signed something rather fast. Fuhimito's eyes widened. His hands flashed back here. Several minutes of simultaneous hands moving at rapid speed. Finally Fuhimito turned back to the pro hero. "My wife would like to see what you saw. If it's not too invasive she'd like to see it through your eyes."
"How can she do that?" Present Mic asked. Before he could get a response Hibiki grabbed Present Mic's hand. Immediately, flashes of the mission crossed before his eyes. He saw the moment he grabbed Aizawa's shoulder. They traveled from the hill to the door. Mic's first sight of Tokoyami in the giant tube, along with the teens escape. The ride in the plane, and the kiss with Shouta.
Present Mic managed to pull his hand away. "What was that?" He asked in a panic.
"Hibiki's quirk lets her see what others have experienced. She works in the courts to make sure people are being honest. She often works with witnesses to make sure they have shared accurate information, usually with custody court, but she has been called in on bigger cases." Fuhimito explained his wife's quirk while she signed to him. His face dropped. "Fumikage is in horrible condition."
"Did she see everything I saw?" Mic asked.
Fuhimito nodded. "She sees what your memories and your perspective is. It seems that you are very exact when it comes to damage. I cannot lie Present Mic, do you think there is a possibility our son can no longer be a hero?"
It took Present Mic a moment to comprehend. He was too shocked that someone had seen him and Shoutas kissing. Only two people knew about their relationship; Midnight and Nezu. No one else.
The horror must have shown on his face. Fuhimito saw the man's face completely white. "She's excellent at secrets. I don't know what you are concerned about her seeing, but I assure you she has a high enough clearance from the government. She wouldn't share anything that wasn't a direct need to the case."
"I hope so. Otherwise years of secrecy will be ruined." Mic grit his teeth as he spoke.
Hibiki began signing to her husband. "What do we do if Dark Shadow is the one we meet, and not Fumikage?"
Mic cleared his throat. He shook his concerns from his head. "Keep Dark Shadow calm if you can. If Dark Shadow will tell you what it's done, let us know."
"Wouldn't Fumikage know what Dark Shadow did?" Fuhimito asked.
Present Mic sighed and shook his head. "I'm not sure if Fumikage is convinced that he is alive."
Time passed. The parents spoke back and forth to each other with their hands. Mic watched as they parents had some form of serious conversation. After ten minutes of back and forth, Fuhimito turned to the hero.
"I think we are ready to see our son. My wife explained the condition he was in from what she saw. I… I think I need to see this for myself now."
Mic nodded. He pulled out his phone to text Aizawa.
Bringing the Tokoyamis.
Mic walked the family through the hallways. Tokoyami's parents followed. They didn't speak as they walked. Mic continued to move until they reached the room door. He felt a buzz from his phone, Present Mic looked down.
Shota: He's as ready as he will be.
When Mic opened the door, the emotional outpour wasn't immediate. The room was silent. Fumikage stared at his parents with an optimistic look of disbelief. He lifted his black hands. His fingers clumsily signed at them. Fumikage's expression dropped as he looked at his blackened limbs. "I can't sign!"
Both parents rushed and hugged their son. He winced in pain, but didn't yell out. "Fumikage, it's okay! We are just glad to know you are safe. Your mother and I were so worried," Fuhimito said.
"How can I talk to mom when my hands are stained with darkness?" Fumikage's hands shook. "The abyss has ruined me."
"Fumikage?" Fuhimito placed his hands on his son's shoulders.
"We will get you back to normal, Fumikage." Aizawa chimed in. He and Present Mic had stood off to the side of the room. It was awkward to say the least,but Aizawa feared what another emotional outburst from his student could mean. As far as he was concerned, Aizawa was staying at the hospital until some plan for emotional stability could be in place.
Aizawa felt his phone buzz. He looked down to see the message was from Mic, who was right next to him. His eyes shot up to Mic, trying to get a read on his partner. Mic met him with wide eyes. His teeth were gritted. Aizawa turned his attention to the message.
Mic: Tokoyami's mom knows about us. She used her quirk on me.
Aizawa: How did this happen?
Mic: She grabbed my hand. It was before we came in. She wanted to see what I saw. She saw the mission. She saw the condition we picked Tokoyami up in. She saw us in the hospital room.
This caused Aizawa's eyes to widen. This was an element he wasn't ready to deal with. Their relationship was strong, but they always agreed to stay out of the public eye. Hero relationships would only complicate their many heroic duties. Relationship status always took over what the press was asking. It also made it so many expected the pair to constantly go on missions together. Though Aizawa and Present Mic worked together at the school, they were two different heroes and had different
Mic: I was told she wouldn't say anything. This is the thing she does for a living. She keeps secrets for many.
Aizawa: Let's hope she is good at her job. Tokoyami has always been a quiet and trusting student. Hopefully he gets this from his mother.
Aizawa focused his attention on the mother. Hibiki ran a hand across her son's face. With the other hand she was saying something to him. Aizawa imagined it must have been something along the lines of what any concerned mother would say. The joy of having her son back. The comfort of knowing he was alive. Suddenly, the black and purple mist began to swirl out of Fumikage's wounds.
"What's going on?" Fuhmito asked with a panicked voice.
"Get off, Witch!" The voice of Dark Shadow bellowed from Fumikage's beak. He swiped his arm at Himito and sent her flying across the room, directly in line with Aizawa. He caught the woman, but was flung into the wall behind him, banging his head.
"Shota!" MIc yelled. All he got in response was a moan from Aizawa.
"Dark Shadow?" Fuhimito's voice quaked as he watched the body of his son tear off the brace and leap from the bed.
Dark Shadow pointed to Fuhimito. "You were trying to run tests again! Weren't you, Old Man? You are the danger!"
"We were not doing any tests. We are the hospital to get you and Fumikage better!" Fuhimito waved his hands out in front of himself.
"Like I'd fall for that again!"
Just as Aizawa was shaking the drywall off of his head, he was grabbing Himito and diving out of the way of the flying hospital bed. Present Mic grabbed Fuhimito and pulled him out of the way of the bed. It smashed against the wall. Dark Shadow bolted from the room before the bed had reached the wall.
"Wanna explain what that was about?" Mic asked, gritting his teeth.
Fuhimito looked pale. He was extremely worried. "Dark Shadow truly has control of our son. Dark Shadow… holds a deep grudge against my wife and I for Fumikage's earliest years."
"We can discuss that later," Aizawa said with a serious tone. "We need to stop Dark Shadow before he hurts Tokoyami even more."
Screams echoed down the hallway! Present Mic pulled himself up on his feet. "He can't be too far."
Mic nodded and helped Aizawa to his feet. The two raced off, leaving the confused and disheartened parents to collect themselves from the ground.
Dark Shadow raced down the hallway. Every nurse and doctor the quirk saw was shoved aside. "Get out of the way!"
This time he would get out of the building. He was not going to be trapped like when he and Fumikage were small. Unlike then, he was in charge, not Fumikage. He would do what was necessary to escape.
"Fumikage!"
Suddenly Dark Shadow wasn't able to move forward. Something was holding him back. He lashed out a massive yell, turning to slash at whatever was restricting his escape. But when it's eyes saw the pink appendage wrapped around its middle, it paused.
Tsu braced herself in the doorway of her room. Her arms clung to the frame as her feet pushed against the other side. Her face looked strained as her long tongue clung tight to Dark Shadow.
Dark Shadow growled. "Froppy! Let go!"
"No!" It was hard for Tsu to speak l, but she made herself clear.
"Tsuyu! You can't be doing this to yourself!" Bura Asui's shocked voice came from the hospital room.
Dark Shadow did not like this. He grabbed hold of Tsu's tongue and pulled.
Tsu groaned with pain. Her body slammed into the door frame. Tsu didn't lose grip. Something was wrong with Dark Shadow and Tokoyami. She didn't know why Dark Shadow was running, but it was clear the quirk didn't know that he and Tokoyami were safe. She couldn't let Dark Shadow run.
Dark Shadow was clever enough to realize that he was moving in the wrong direction. He released his grip on Tsu's tongue and charged at the girl.
Tsu's eyes widened. She had one moment to react. She released her grip and pulled in her tongue as Tokoyami's body flew at her. She stuck her arms out and embraced Dark Shadow.
His speed pushed them both into the hospital room. Bura screamed. The two teens rolled across the ground. Tsu felt the pain in her stomach surge through her back as he landed on the ground. Dark Shadow bucked like a wild horse.
"Off!" The quirk screamed!
She kept her grip around Tokoyami. That fall had to have hurt Tokoyami. Something she feared, she now knew; Dark Shadow did not feel Tokoyami's pain. Something warm landed on her face. Tsu looked at the open wound that was Tokoyami's broken beak. Blood was dripping from the missing tip and landing on her cheek.
Tsu couldn't keep her composure any longer. She began to wait. Her cray was loud and wet. Her grip tightened around Tokoyami's chest and she buried her forehead into his chest.
"It's all my fault! Tokoyami's hurt and it's all my fault!" Tsu choked on her words as they came out. Thick tears bubbling down her cheeks. "I knew something was wrong! I should have thought more! Please! Please, Dark Shadow! Stop moving! You're hurting Tokoyami more. He's going to die and it's all my fault."
Tsu's pleas were heard from the quirk. Dark Shadow sat up. Tsu continued to cling to him. Her cries were so loud. It wasn't until Dark Shadow glaced down to put Tsu off, that he saw the blood dripping from Fumikage.
"Fumikage is bleeding."
"I'm sorry, Dark Shadow! He's hurt and now it's worse. The doctors need to fix him. Please don't let him die because I failed!" Tsu let go of Dark Shadow. She could not hold on as her body hiccuped with tears.
Dark Shadow's eyes narrowed. "They will do more tests! This is a bad place. The witch bright us here! She did just as she did so many years ago! It hurt Fumikage! It hurt me!"
"But Fumikage is too injured! They need to fix his beak! Look at all the cuts on him! You can't deny he needs doctors. You can't fix this, Dark Shadow. He won't just heal."
"Fumikage is scared, Froppy! He's scared and so am I! This is a place of awful! Of tests and pain! We will not go through that again!" Dark Shadow was telling, but he wasn't running.
"Dark Shadow, he needs medical help!" Tsu didn't know what more to say.
"Were you and Fumikage alone when you had all those… tests as a kid?" Bura had moved herself to the opposite wall. She was clearly frightened, but she tried to hold a calm face as she spoke to the quirk.
Dark Shadow gave a single nodd. "Fumikage and I only had each other. I will always protect Fumikage."
Bura peeled herself from the wall. "Would it help if your parents stayed with you?"
Dark Shadow growled. The purple planes that licked each wound grew momentarily with rage. "That witch caused the pain! And he did nothing to make it stop!"
"I'm sorry," Bura said quickly."I wanted to ask. You trust Tsu, right? Wh-whh-what if Tsu stayed with you. Would you trust having her there?"
Dark Shadow held a very long, dark pause. Tsu held her breath. She had forgotten her mother had come to stay with her after the last event. They were worried Tsu would require another surgery. Recovery Girl wanted to wait to see how things progressed with rest. That rest only lasted about two hours. Bura had come to keep Tsu calm. She knew her daughter, and Tsu couldn't have been more grateful.
"Froppy is safe," Dark Shadow responded.
"I will watch Fumikage when you can't," Tsu said. "Only what will make him feel better will be what the doctors do. I promise." She stuck her hand out, offering the deal.
Dark Shadow stared at Tsu' hand for a moment. The dark flames flickered in its eyes. Slowly Dark Shadow moved towards Tsu and rested the side of its head against her hand. Tsu was surprised first. Of course she expected a hand, but this was Dark Shadow. He normally received pets from her. Though this was Tokoyami's head, she needed to treat him as Dark Shadow. Tsu gently ran her fingers over Tokoyami's head.
Dark Shadow frowned. "I don't feel pets."
"Do you see why we are worried when you run? Ribbit." Tsu asked.
Dark Shadow nodded against Tsu's head. "I will stay if Froppy is here."
"I will stay," Tsu agreed. She sniffed back her tears.
"I'm going to talk to the hospital staff," Bura said. "Someone should tell them about this new arrangement."
"We will wait here," Tsu said. She moved to the bed and laid down.
Dark Shadow nodded. He moved towards the bed, and sat at the foot.
With that Bura moved into the hallway, closing the door behind her.
Aizawa was rushing down the hallway. Mic was on his tail. They had heard the commotion between Tsu and Dark Shadow in the room. Before Aizawa charged into the room, Mic held him back and pointed to his ear. Aizawa glared at his partner, but when he heard Dark Shadow and Asui speaking, he knew Mic was right.
"I will stay if Froppy is here."
"I will stay."
Aizawa relaxed. He heard the door open and Bura come out. She closed the door, then recoiled at the sight of the two pro heroes.
"Dark Shadow is no longer raging?" Aizawa asked.
Bura shook her head. "He's sitting on the bed with Tsyu."
"I should have talked to the Tokoyamis about their relationship with Dark Shadow. This could have been avoided."
"Dark Shadow doesn't seem to like Fumikage's parents," Bura said. "He does have some trust in Tsu. He will listen to her. That boy is in such bad shape. IF he and Tsu can be together and that keeps him from getting hurt, and Tsuyu from intervening, then I think it would be good for both of them."
Aizawa's eyes widened. "You want Those two in the same room?"
Bura nodded. "I know it's not a normal request, but that boy needs to rest. And that means not running when he or his quirk are frightened. Besides, it would ease Tsuyu's guilt. She blames herself for what has happened to him. And if she keeps getting herself involved, her wound will never heal."
Mic placed a hand on Bura's shoulder before Aizawa could say anything more. "We will need to talk to the Tokoyamis, but I think this is the most peaceful option we have."
"You can't be serious," Aizawa said.
"It's either Asui or you sharing a room with Tokoyami," Present Mic said to his partner. "And using your quirk to stop his quirk is not a solution, it's a bandage. If Asui can keep Dark Shadow calm, then let's do it. Tokoyami needs medical attention."
"He may need that sooner than later. He is bleeding," Bura said.
Aizawa exhaled. "I'm going in there to make sure they are fine. Go get Recovery Girl and Talk to Tokoyami's parents. You're right that we need a longer term solution."
Aizawa walked towards the room and opened the door.
When Bura left, Tsu felt many different feelings as she lay in her bed. First she felt the pain in her stomach. She had once agains, strained the freshly cut area. Her body was not pleased. She was relieved that Dark Shadow was finally sitting still. However, as the blood dripped out of Tokoyami's beak, the overpowering guilt had made its way to the surface, and her puffy red eyes began to water.
"Froppy is crying," Dark Shadow stated.
Tsu didn't acknowledge his statement outloud. She did whip her eyes. She wasn't sure what to say to Dark Shadow. Yes she was sad. She was upset at herself for not offering to stay with Dark Shadow and Tokoyami the first time they had this encounter.
"Did I hurt you?" Dark Shadow asked.
Tsu shook her head. "No, I hurt myself and I hurt Tokoyami."
"Did you plan for Fumikage to get hurt?"
"No," said Tsu, "but I should have seen the trap coming."
"You are too hard on yourself, Asui." Aizawa walked into the room. He nodded at Dark Shadow. He saw the blood dripping from Tokoyami's beak. Two sets of eyes followed Aizawa as he walked over to the cabinet by the sink in the room. He opened up and grabbed some white gauze. Aizawa moved towards the foot of the bed and gave it to Dark Shadow. "Beak's bleeding," he said. Dark Shadow took the gauze and placed it at the tip of Tokoyami's beak. Aizawa found a chair in the corner of the room and pulled it over to the bed before sitting down.
"I'm never going to get past this guilt," Tsu muttered.
"You will learn how to. It will take time." Aizawa patted Tsu on the shoulder.
Dark Shadow watched Aizawa in the quiet room. He made no attempt to fight. Dark Shadow, like Fumikage, held respect for their teacher. However, Dark Shadow couldn't help but expect some form of reprimanding. "I didn't know I was hurting Fumikage," He said.
"But you are aware now," said Aizawa, "that's what is important."
"I don't want the witch and the old man to run tests," Dark Shadow said. "Fumikage doesn't want them to know how much they hurt him, but I will do what it takes to avoid that."
"What tests hurt him? Can you hear Fumikage?" Aizawa asked.
Dark Shadow shook his head. "I don't hear Fumikage right now. I just felt the call. And now I am Fumikage. I guess that means he is me."
"What are the tests?" Aizawa asked again.
"It was when Fumikage was small. It was before I could come out. We could talk. Fumikage would hear me. No one believed that he could hear me. They did many tests. The one that hurt the most was the lightning shocks. It was after that, when they left Fumikage alone, that he figured out how to call me out."
"They thought Fumikage was insane," Aizawa reworded. "They thought he was hearing voices when he was hearing you."
Dark Shadow nodded. "The witch listened. She knew Fumikage heard a voice. She didn't let it be real. She heard it when she touched him."
"But Fumikage's mother is deaf. How did she hear?" Aizawa asked.
"She can hear in her own way. She speaks with her hands and hears with her visions. She knew I was there, but still led Fumikage to suffer. Fumikage says a grudge is useless, but I will not forgive the harm and knowledge that she had."
"I see," said Aizawa. "Would you believe me if I told you we only want to get Fumikage well?"
Dark Shadow took a moment to think but slowly nodded his head. "Only if Froppy stays. We like Froppy. We trust Froppy."
"That is something we can do." Aizawa nodded in agreement. "I do have to know Dark Shadow, if you can not hear Fumikage, can you bring him back out? You said you felt the call to come out. Can you bring him out."
Dark Shadow growled. "I can't call Fumikage. Fumikage calls me."
"So you can't return?" Tsu asked. "How will the doctors know if Fumikage is in pain?"
Dark Shadow looked at Tsu and let out a pathetic sounding whine. "I don't know."
"I can solve this problem," Aizawa said, "But I'm going to wait until your room is ready. With his injuries, Fumikage couldn't sit up on his own, let alone run. It will be easier for you to move Fumikage to his bed. However, I need your word that you will stay in that bed. Even if you are called out because He is scared, you will need to listen to the doctors."
"If Froppy is there I will listen to her. I need to know it is safe."
"Will you trust me if I am there?" Aizawa asked.
"Are you going to be there each time?" Dark Shadow asked.
"I can't promise that." Aizawa realized his honesty may be a hindrance, but a lie could lead to later problems.
"Then Froppy is the only one I can rely on, for certain. You can only be trusted the times you are there."
"Will you promise not to leave the bed and cause Fumikage more pain?" Tsu asked.
That question caused Dark Shadow to flinch. "I don't want to hurt Fumikage."
"So you will not run away anymore?" She repeated.
Dark Shadow nodded his head.
Aizawa sighed with relief. "Thank you, Tsu," he thought. She was always so calm and practical. She was trusted by all her classmates, including her classmate's quirk. "I am going to stay until you are moved and we have Fumikage back. He needs to know the change as well."
Fumikage was beginning to become familiar with the darkness. Everything around him swirled with dark smoke. Though he could not see his feet, he could see his hands. In here his hands were their normal pale color. He practiced signing to himself, and he had the mobility he always remembered. This was not his true body. He knew that now. He touched his beak and felt the very familiar tip.
He was not dead, but he was certainly not in the hospital. Infact, he was more aware of what was now occurring. His mother had held him, and immediately sent him back to what had happened. He was back in the tube, apologizing to Dark Shadow for not being stronger. He had accepted death. He hoped death would take him so he would not have to experience what being a nomu was like. Something inside him had snapped. He remembered hearing Dark Shadow. He had said that he would not let them die. Then it was just darkness.
Dark Shadow had taken over. Fumikage had called Dark Shadow out one more time when he felt the pain in his hands and feet. There had been pulsing pain in his back. Almost a shock. And a shock of pain he had only faintly allowed himself to remember from years ago. He was scared, Whatever was occurring, Dark Shadow had become a part of. He was now in the dark where Dark Shadow would sit and speak to him from within. The only problem, Fumikage had no idea how to communicate with Dark Shadow. He was trapped in the abyss with his thoughts.
"Mother wanted to communicate. She wanted to understand what I had been through. I don't think I can handle that. I'm not sure if I will be able to communicate that to her."
Fumikage practiced the signs with his hands. He repeated the statement over and over again. He sighed. This was his former dexterity. Would he ever be able to move like this in his body, again?
He had no idea how long he had been in the abyss. His initial panic eventually ceased. He couldn't panic any longer. He had to figure out how he got there. He had only time to think. Surrounded by black smoke, he tracked back in his thoughts to when he was back in the hospital. Now he could only sit and wait. He had come in and out of the darkness before. Surely he would come out again. Surely the terrifying thought of this being his new reality could not last.
"I should apologize to Tsu again. She seemed to have been wrapped up in my problems. I also hope I can see Hawks. I hope he doesn't think I am too incompetent to continue working with him. Though… I could be a problem."
Fumikage reached down to grab his feet. He could feel them even though they could not be seen. He looked at his hands and frowned.
"Is my dark skin just the dark mark of the nomu process? Perhaps I am already turning into a nomu and it is just a slow and painful process."
He sighed. He squatted down to wrap his arms around his knees and hugged them tight to his chest. How much longer would he have to remain here? When would he be able to leave? How much longer would he be trapped here? He closed his eyes tightly.
A bright light flashed before him. Fumikage's eyes were wide. Before he could process where he was, all he felt was a lighting strike of pain down his back. He yelped!
"Tokoyami! It's okay."
Fumikage opened his eyes. He saw Aizawa standing over him. Recovery Girl was at his side. Her hand was on his head, a stethoscope on his chest.
"Breath, Tokoyami. You are back with us." The elderly woman's voice was very shaky.
Fumikage's eyes darted between the two adults. He tried to sit up, but the motion on his back caused another strike of pain. "Where is the abyss?"
"You are back in the hospital," Aizawa said. "Don't try to move, I can move the bed so you can see."
The bed began to slowly tilt forward. Fumikage felt himself involuntarily being raised and moving forward. As his head rose, he was able to see the room. It was a very large hospital room. The white tiles on the ground reflected the fluorescent lights like a mirror. The seafoam green walls did little to dim the brightness. There was a sink, counter and open door to a bathroom to his left. A cart with an IV bag and other medical supplies were beside Recovery Girl. A large television hung on the wall. To his right, a polka dotted curtain was scrunched revealing that the room held a second bed, and in that bed was Tsu.
"Asui?" Fumikasge asked.
"Ribbit. Call me Tsu, Tokoyami," Tsu said.
"We have moved you both to the same room," Aizawa explained. "Dark Shadow promised to be more agreeable if we did this."
"I see," Fumikage mumbled with a somber tone. "I am grateful to you, Tsu. I am sorry to have dragged you into more of my troubles."
"You dragged me?" Tsu angrily exclaimed.
Fumikage made eye contact with Tsu. He wasn't prepared for the sharp tone that croaked from her mouth. She was glaring at him. Even Aizawa and Recovery Girl were surprised by her outburst.
"How are you not angry with me?" Tsu yelled. "It's my fault! I brought Toga to you! I knew something wasn't right and I still brought her to you!"
Aizawa took in a sharp breath. He knew Asui felt guilt, but not enough for this level of outburst. "Asui you are-"
"Did you intend for me to get hurt?" Fumikage said, cutting off his teacher.
"No," Tsu sobbed.
"Did you intend for yourself to be harmed, as well?" Though his voice was soft, Fumikage's look carried his voice across the room.
Tears bubbled from Tsu's eyes. She shook her head. "No."
Fumikage nodded. "Then it seems to me that you are just as victim to this as I am."
"Why are you not mad at me?" Tsu asked. "You almost died!"
"I don't think there is a reason to be mad when you were also harmed. Especially when it appears that you have helped me more than once when I have been… gone."
"I'm really sorry, Tokoyami," Tsu said.
"I hold no grievances," he said. "I'm alive. That's more than I originally thought." Fumikage sighed. "I don't know exactly what is happening, but I believe that Dark Shadow and I are… switching places for lack of understanding."
"I'm glad you see that you are alive," Aizawa said. "Do you know how you and Dark Shadow are switching?"
"I do not. I just hope Dark Shadow is behaving when he is me."
"That's why you and Asui are in the same room." Aizawa pointed to his eyes. "So far the only way we have been able to bring you back is by erasing Dark Shadow."
"Normally Dark Shadow and I have a direct channel of communication. We talk constantly. I always have him in my mind. The channel is closed. I don't know what to do. We have always been able to talk, even before I knew how to speak, Dark Shadow was always in my head. We don't even need words, we just feel each other. I don't feel Dark Shadow. This is the most silent my mind has ever been. It feels like I have lost him. It's maddening."
The room fell silent. No one knew quite what to say. The silence was clearly making Fumikage uncomfortable.
"Dark Shadow is still with you," Tsu said. "He just wants you to be safe. Ribbit. Dark Shadow doesn't feel anything you feel, though. He keeps running, and it's hurting you."
"I suppose that if our connection is closed, he can't sense me."
"That will not help you physically heal," Recovery girl said. "Dark Shadow needs to listen. Fortunately, he seems to listen to Mrs. Asui."
"That makes sense. We both have trust in her," Fumikage commented.
"Ribbit." Tsu blushed at the compliment.
"We need to talk with your parents," Aizawa said to Fumikage. "I'm not sure if we should have them around you unsupervised. Dark Shadow doesn't seem to have a positive relationship with them."
Fumikage frowned. "I have always been able to hear and feel Dark Shadow. He wasn't able to emit from me until I turned five. I'm not quite sure what changed, but that's when he was able to emerge. I would talk to Dark Shadow often. My parents first thought he was an imaginary friend. When they realized I wasn't imagining Dark Shadow, they assumed I wasn't mentally well. I went through many… unnecessary treatments until Dark Shadow was able to come out. I've mostly forgiven my parents, but Dark Shadow still holds a grudge."
"I think a grudge is an under exaggeration," Aizawa mumbled.
Recovery Girl grabbed the cart and moved beside Tokoyami. "I knew this may hurt, but I need to hook you up to an IV. You are very dehydrated. It will also make giving you medicine easier."
Fumikage's eyes widened. "You won't sedate me again, will you?"
"Not now," Recovery Girl answered, "but you are going to need some serious surgical procedures." She pointed to his beak. "That needs to be fixed soon, while we still have the tip."
"I just… I'm anxious about being alone again." The teen admitted.
"We are doing everything we can to avoid that," She said.
The room fell quiet as the recovery girl worked. Fumikage flinched when the needle went in his arm. The IV liquid rushed through his veins. A sharp warmth flooded his blood stream when Recovery Girl added a shot of pain medication. Though his body was tense, he did start to relax.
Aizawa had moved over to Tsu. He handed her what looked like a small remote. "If you need me to stop Dark Shadow, you can press this and I will get an immediate notification to come here. I will not be far."
"Yes, sensei. Ribbit." Tsu said with a head nod.
Recovery Girl pulled the cart towards the door. "I'll be back within the hour. Aizawa, help me get out of here and talk to the Tokoyamis. There is much to be looked after."
"Right." The teacher stood up and walked to teh door. "Don't hesitate to call for help for any reason. We are at the hospital. I don't want either of you to cause further harm to yourselves." He held the door open for Recovery Girl and closed the door.
A moment passed as the two teens were left alone. Fumikage couldn't take the silence any more. "Is this what everyone's mind is like? The only sound being one's own thoughts?"
"I'm sure you will get used to it, Tokoyami" Tsu said.
"If we are sharing a room, and I am to call you Tsu, could you please call me Fumikage?"
"Ribbit, I can do that."
"Thank you."
More silence passed. This was more of an awkward situation than either wanted to admit. Fumikage was embarrassed. Here he was at his absolute weakest, forced to share this with a classmate he had presumed had died as well.
"Tsu, how did you survive?" He asked.
"Iida, Todoroki, and Midoriya found me," she said. "I'm really lucky they came."
"Those three are the embodiment of true heroes," Fumikage said. "I had assumed that you were left for dead seeing as you were stabbed in such a vital place."
"Ribbit. It's a good thing I am a frog. Remember how I can empty my stomach? Well when I do that, I move a lot of organs around. I instinctually pulled them up when Toga stabbed me. I'm mostly had to deal with infection and a broken pice of her rusted knife."
"I'm really glad you are alive. I was afraid you were left for dead. I didn't want to leave you, but I didn't think fighting would have kept you alive."
"You put your life in jeopardy for mine," Tsu whispered. "I would be lying if I said that guilt of you dying to protect me was not eating at me. I'm really happy you are alive, Fumikage."
Fumikage smiled. "I'm glad we can continue to be a support for each other."
Tsu yawned. "I haven't really slept much. Would it be alright If I turned on the television so you could not be alone, but I could sleep?"
"Certainly."
Tsu pulled at the remote and turned on the television. "Is there anything you like to watch in particular?"
"As long as there isn't silence, I am fine with whatever is on."
With that, Tsu flipped through the channels, glancing over at Tokoyami for any kind of emotional reaction. He watched each screen with the same level of contentment. Tsu yawned again. Her blinks became slower and slower, until she was finally asleep.