WELCOME TO THE TENT

The Busujima Motors Plant is popular among horror junkies because of the haunted stories related to the abandoned farm turned car factory. With its tragic history that dates to the very origin of quirks, it's no wonder how spirits could stay tethered to the place. The owner, Nozomi Busujima, was said to have never come out of the compound after having lost his company and family. When he died after years of depression, it is believed that his ghost stayed to haunt the premises. Reports of accidents, murders, and suicides in the factory have also added to its dark background. Currently owned by the biggest support item company, H.O.P.E. Inc., you'd have to brave the security first before thinking of braving strange voices, flickering lights, and the ghosts of all those who perished in the most haunted factory! - Excerpt from "Top 10 Places to Visit for Horror Lovers", a Tumbleee post by XxGhostGirlxX

Katsuki Bakugo

We've been flying at full speed for less than five minutes when the vamp screeched to a halt. Thanks to my reflex, I was able to stop and prevent crashing into her. This reflex only worked on my body though. My tongue, however...

"Oy! What the flying fuck-"

"Shh! Quiet."

Did she just cut me off?!

"We need to be quiet from this point on, alright? Though, I do appreciate the fuck- I mean, the fact that you were able to fit 'flying' in there somewhere. Anyway, do you see that sign? The one among the violet flowers. The one saying-"

"Mines ahead. Beware?" I read it by squinting my eyes at the handwritten sign on the ground. "Yes, I freakin' see it."

"Alright. We will land there and walk the rest of the way," she said simply and started lowering herself to the ground.

Why would we walk the rest of the way when we can just fly? What the hell is she thinking this time?, I thought as I followed her again. You know what? I'm really getting tired of following this girl around.

"I can feel you complaining," she calls out.

As soon as I landed beside her, I growled at her, "I did not say anything!"

"Fine," she says as she brings out her face mask and covers her mouth and nose again. "Just calm down and take a deep breath."

Unconsciously, I obeyed-

Fuck.

-And was not able to say anything after that because I suddenly felt very tired.

Well, it makes sense. It's been a pretty eventful and stressful night. Other than that, I'm still injured from, you know, THE WAR! Where Deku and I came from! And fought for days on days against powerful villains!

"...listening to me? Hey, Dynamight? Are you feeling drained?"

Why does her voice sound so far away? What the hell is wrong with me?

"Just relax. I swear you are safe, but this is necessary," she said gently.

That was the last thing I heard before I finally couldn't fight it anymore and started passing out.

Seriously? Not again! This is getting old!

I don't know how long I was out, but when I gained consciousness, I could already feel the sun shining on my face. Still, my body remained numb and paralyzed. However, my ears worked fine, so I was able to hear everything around me.

Well, everything I could anyway. Which was not a lot. I guess being exposed to spectacular and loud explosions all my life took a toll on my hearing.

All in all, I heard the sound of wheels on gravel and some staggered footsteps. Whose it is? I could guess. Just some back-stabbing, daughter of a bi-

"Sora?" Yes, her!

"My lord! Is that really you? I didn't think you'd be back so soon!" Wait, this is a new voice, meaning new person. Who on earth is this extra?

"Wait... Where's Miu?" the extra asked softly. When she didn't receive an answer her soft voice turned into a screech that rivaled my decibel record.

"Hell! Is she-" dramatic pause "-DEAD?! And what's that you're dragging in the wagon? Oh my! Did you kill some-" dramatic pause "-CIVILIAN?! Wait, no. His hair is blonde. A foreigner? Woah! Don't tell me he's a Meta!"

Ah… Why does this remind me of home? Oh, yeah. She vaguely sounds like the old hag that is the female who gave birth to me a.k.a. my mom.

"Hagane, please stop screaming and nagging. You will lead the patrols straight to us," Sora said. Oh, lookie here. It's the shitty traitor who drugged me or whatever!

Maybe it was my anger or my willpower, but I suddenly felt my eyes flicker. Finally, the effects of whatever made me like this are fading away. I can feel it happening slowly from my fingertips. Just you wait, vamp. You better have a great explanation for doing this to me or else...

"Hagane! I'm back!" Great! The noisier vamp is here. Is Deku with her? Is he also paralyzed?

"Miu! I thought you were dead!"

"Just why would you think that? I'm only one minute and twenty-nine seconds behind Sora!"

"Right, right. And I see that you also got an unconscious handsome souvenir just like your sis-"

"They'we back!" a kid's voice interrupts, followed by more of its kind, overlapping into a chorus of overexcited immature voices.

"Big Mimi!"

"It's them!"

"Soso!"

"It's weawwy them!"

The fuck am I hearing? Are we in some preschool or orphanage?

"Hey, kids! Isn't it time for breakfast? Big Mimi is starving. I might eat all of you if you don't give me a proper meal right at this moment! Rawr!" Instead of scaring the kids with that growl, though, they giggled. Ha! I should show them a growl that's truly terrifying.

At that moment, my eyes finally opened. For a second, I was momentarily blinded by the sun, but that didn't stop me from bolting up to my feet, out of the uncomfortable metal something that I was tossed into.

Screams came from the little twerps and from a plump girl that looks about my age who I assume was the noisy extra from earlier. Heh, good to know I'm still scary.

I quickly scanned my surroundings, looking for the traitor that deserves most of my angered growling. I found her behind me, holding on to the wheelbarrow that I assumed she used to bring me here; whatever this place is. I couldn't figure it out.

At first, I saw the intriguing thing behind the new faces. It looked like one of those outdoor go-kart tracks, but turned into some sort of make-shift garden with the huge wheels lining the track used as pots. And then to the left, I saw the concrete building that looked like some dilapidated factory with windows bashed in. Inside, I caught a glimpse of some rusty and broken-down assembly line. Finally, when I turned a full 180 degrees, behind the bat twins and an unconscious Deku who was in a similar wheelbarrow like I was just in seconds ago, there were countless vintage cars parked in a huge lot. They look like they've never been used and have been neglected for a very long time.

But enough about this place. I should settle my score with this girl who doesn't even look sorry at all.

"Hey, vamp! What were you thinking drugging me like that! What if we were fucking attacked while I was out, you idiot?!"

"Look at that. You are awake and as energetic as ever," Sora said nonchalantly. Then she leans in close to me and whispers in my ear, "Please refrain from using this kind of language in front of the children moving forward, you delinquent." Why did that send a chill down my spine? Am I cold? But, the sun is out and doing its thing. You know, the heating thing.

"Anyway, we are here," she continued, walking away from me and through the track-garden-thing. "Welcome to our hideout. We call it 'The Tent.'"

Izuku Midoriya

When I woke up, all I could do was listen. I couldn't move and talk, so I got a bit anxious. Last thing I remember was landing behind Miu by the sign and the flowers then, bam, I'm here.

Oh no! Did we get attacked without my knowing? Did Somi- No, I didn't see pink fog! And I'm sure Danger Sense would have acted up if that was the case.

"Explain now, you vamp! Why did you have to fucking do that to me?!" Kacchan?

"Language, please. And can we do this later? After eating. Are you not hungry?" Sora responds calmly. When did Miu and I meet up with them?

"Hey, you hatebirds! Stop bickering in front of the food. Show some respect!" Miu!

So, the four of us are back together! But, where are we exactly? They sound calm, relaxed even. Are we safe now? Are we finally in the twins' hideout? So, we're officially teamed up?

"Wow! They weawwy wook wike food!" an unfamiliar small voice gasps near me.

"Food? What do you mean, Kumoi?" Another unfamiliar voice! But, this time it sounded like it came from a boy.

"The two biggew bwos! Theiw haiw weminds me of food." Is this a toddler? What are children doing in the twin's hideout? Now, I'm incredibly confused and curious to know where I am. If only I could, at the very least, open my eyes.

And guess what? I did! And it didn't stop there. I was slowly able to move as well, so I struggled to get out of the tiny wheelbarrow I was in and watched as everyone in the room turned to look at me. The two kids who were beside me flinched and suddenly ran to hide behind Miu.

As per usual, heat started rising up to my face in embarrassment. "Uhm, hello. Nice to meet you all! I'm Deku. Thank you for welcoming me to your, uhm, place."

"Deku, welcome back! Sorry about the whole sleeping thing," Miu said with that disarming smile on her face. How could I say no?

"It's just a precaution we do for newcomers. So you won't know exactly where this place is. In case you have ulterior motives, you know?"

"No problem!" I squeaked out and she laughed at me. So embarrassing.

"Hey! Do we look like we'd have ulterior motives?" Kacchan asked.

Miu stared at him for a bit then answered, "If I'm being honest… You, yes. Deku, not really."

"YOU BIT-"

"Kacchan!" I stopped him before he could unleash words that are not appropriate for the children around the table. I honestly thought it wouldn't work, but I saw him sweep a glance at his company and then slump on his seat, boiling with anger silently.

"Come, we just started eating," Miu says.

I gathered my scattered thoughts and started crossing over the huge cafeteria toward the table Miu, Kacchan, Sora, and some other kids were in. On my way, I noticed how the place looked like it could crumble down and crush us at any time. I better be prepared to save them in case that happens.

The walls were chipped and some portions were even completely open, but was covered by some clear plastic to prevent water from coming in I guess. Still, it looked clean even if there were portions in the high roof that looked like a breeding hotspot for spiders.

I figured out it was a cafeteria because across the wide room, there were multiple uniformed tables that looked like they were for communal eating and in the farthest wall, there was the empty counter that I'm sure served food once upon a time.

"Everyone, stop eating for a second," Sora said as soon as I sat beside Kacchan. "Deku, Dynamight. Since we will be working together from now on. Please introduce yourselves one more time. And this time with your real names please."

I nodded and cleared my throat, hoping that I wouldn't squeak this time. "Of course. We should build trust between us. My real name is, uhm, Izuku Midoriya, but you seriously can just call me Deku. Whatever you prefer. I'm from the f-"

"Forest," Miu abruptly covers my mouth and continues for me. "We rescued them from the forest of the island and we'll help them get back home."

"Oh, they're not staying with us? Will they use us and then leave just like Zo and Shobu?" a girl with ears as big as her head and bangs up to her nose says coldly. I noticed that she sounds oddly mature for someone who looks like she isn't even a decade old yet.

"Yes, little Mimi. They need to go back to their own families soon. We just brought them here to help them find a way back," Miu answered and the girl just looked down, obviously upset, even if half of her face was hidden. Everyone else became quiet after being reminded of whoever this Zo and Shobu are.

The silence was so awkward, I didn't know what to do.

It is Kacchan who finally breaks the silence. "My turn. I'm Katsuki Bakugo. That's it."

"Can we call you Kacchan?" Miu teases.

"Don't even dare."

"Too bad I'm a daredevil. Everyone, introduce yourselves to Deku and Kacchan. Oldest to youngest."

The oldest girl waves at us with hands covered in big and thick gloves. "I'm Hagane, seventeen years old. Just one year younger than Sora and Miu. But, I might as well be the oldest because I mother everyone here. Including and especially the twins. Oh, can I ask how old you guys are?"

"You can, but you may not-"

"Kacchan!" I interjected and then proceeded to answer for both of us. "Hi, Hagane. We're both eighteen."

"I didn't know we were the same age! Cool!" Miu said excitedly.

"Y-yeah. Cool," I muttered, trying my best to not blush. "So, uh, who's next?"

"I'm Kakusu."

I looked around and tried to figure out where the deep voice came from.

"Kakusu, you forgot to show yourself again," Sora calls out.

"Oh, sorry."

At the farthest side of the table, a boy ripe from puberty started revealing himself. I was instantly in awe. The background turned into him as he shed his camouflage. His original skin had a reptilian texture with irregular multicolored splotches.

"I'm Kakusu. Fourteen," he mumbled shyly while looking down at his food.

I couldn't hide my excitement and bursted out, "Wow! Your quirk- er- meta ability is so cool! Very much like a chameleon! Amazing!"

"Cool? Amazing?"

"Yeah!"

"How so?" he asked with genuine confusion on his face. When I looked around the table, everyone else except Kacchan, looked confused as well.

"Well, uhm. I think with an ability like that, you could be a hero."

"Hero?"

"Yeah, someone who could save people and help others in need."

"People? You mean the civilians? They almost killed me when I was younger, why would I want to save them?"

"Oh, sorry. I didn't mean to-"

"Can we get this over with already?" Kacchan interjects with a yawn. There he goes again, trying to salvage the atmosphere. "The night has been long and I'd like to sleep somewhere that isn't a wheelbarrow."

I know he did this to help me in this awkward situation, so I sent him a quick nod, but he didn't even acknowledge it.

"Heijo, your turn," Sora urges the next person.

The boy beside Kakusu nods and stands up. "Hi! I'm Heijo! Ten years old!" He was the boy who was beside me when I woke up! The way he speaks with overflowing energy reminded me of a certain class representative. Somehow, he didn't have any external mutation of any kind. His hair was black and his eyes were brown. Is he quirkless?

"Hope you enjoy your stay! This here is my little sister, Kumoi. She's four years old," he points at the tiny multi-legged girl that was with him when I woke up. I caught a glimpse of her tiny legs while she was running away from me, but I didn't get a chance to count how many there were exactly and I couldn't count them now because they were hidden under the table.

"Kumoi, say hi."

"Hi! You wook wike food! Can I caww you bwoccowwi? And you-" she points at Kacchan. "Can I caww you duwian?"

"Sorry, what?" I was caught off guard.

"Kumoi!" Heijo carried his sister off her seat and covered her mouth. Then, he started doing multiple bows. "Excuse my sister. She's still too young to have a filter, but I swear she didn't mean to offend! Please forgive her!"

"Heijo-"

"If you want you can just punish me instead. Just, please, don't hurt my sister-"

"Heijo, relax!" Miu stood and held the young boy in her arms until he stopped shivering while Kumoi stayed still in her brother's arms, unsure of what was happening.

What's with this atmosphere? Was it really this bad in the early days? I know I saw some of it earlier with how Miu and Sora were treated in town, but was it really so bad that it caused so much trauma to these young ones?

I racked my brain for a way to comfort them and lighten the mood.

"You know what? You can call me Deku or Izuku or Midoriya or even Broccoli. Anything's fine!" I said approaching the siblings. Kumoi's eyes lit up and she reached toward me, so I smiled and took her in my arms. That's when I noticed that she had in fact six legs.

"Bwoccowwi!"

"Yes, yes."

"Duwian?" she said, glancing at Kacchan.

"Oh, uh. I don't know if that's a good idea-"

"Hey, squirt- I mean- little spider. You can call me that only if you explain what it is," Kacchan says. Whoa!

"It's a fwuit with spikes! I saw it in the fwuit book. I'ww show you sometime when I'm not busy," Kumoi says confidently.

"Fine," Kacchan grumbles.

Miu laughs as she keeps her hold on Heijo. "You're busy? With what exactly?"

"I pway games with Mimi in the mowning. Then, hewp Hagane with food sometimes. I awso dwaw with Kakusu when I see him. And now that Soso and Big Mimi awe back, I have to hewp them, too!"

"Such an in demand girl, you are!" Sora commented and everyone laughed. I stole a glance at Heijo and, thankfully, he seems to have calmed down already.

Sora claps her hands to take everyone's attention and stands behind the girl with big ears. "Okay! Your turn, little one."

The girl sighs, but she still obeyed. "Mimi. Nine."

She's obviously still upset about the fact that we weren't planning to stay.

Miu reaches across the table to hold Mimi's hand. "Little Mimi," she says. "It's okay to still be friends with them even if they're going to leave, okay?"

"But it will hurt when they leave just like Zo and Shobu," she snaps back and runs out. Miu stood to follow, but Hagane stopped her.

"I'll go. She's still very hurt about that thing, you know? Why don't you just finish eating then you show the boys to their rooms or well, automobiles?"

"Okay. Take care of her for me," Miu whispers. Hagane nods, then runs out after Mimi.

For some reason, I felt guilty that there's nothing I could do for these children. I wanted to help so badly, but I don't know how. Their problems can't be solved by usual herowork. They're not problems that could be solved overnight or by defeating some enemies.

Still, I need to do what I can. I must save these children.

When I looked around, I saw Kacchan, Sora, and Miu's faces and recognized what I was feeling in them, too. Glad I'm not alone.

**~A/N [08/09/2021]~** Aye, new characters! Aye, long chapter! Aye am sorry for taking so long to update! Please enjoy this offering. XX

**~A/N [08/13/2021]~** Just edited a few things in the introduction portion of the Tent Children :)