Midori the Phoenix
Chapter 5: The Birth, Part 2
"Excuse me, Miss." Shoto knelt down to examine the woman. He'd been scouting around while waiting for Bakugo to come out of the bathroom. When he spotted this woman he had been drawn to her, and it wasn't until he got closer that he noticed she was in distress. "Are you alright?"
Izumi turned her head down further. She clutched her belly almost protectively, and tried to control her breathing.
Why was he here? Why was Shoto here?! Did the heroes figure out she was in England? How? From David Shield? No… no she gave no indication of that to him. He had no way of knowing. Ace? Did they finally catch and interrogate him? Or maybe one of the other league members who knew her location? Not good, DEFINITELY not good!
"Oi! Icy hot! What the hell are you doing?!" Bakugo stormed over to Todoroki, his lips peeled back in a sneer. "I told you to fucking wait by the fountain so we wouldn't get separated. Don't you know how to listen to instructions?"
Kacchan too!? Sweat beaded at her temples, and Izumi could no longer feel the pain of her contractions. The only thing her mind could focus on was getting out of the situation she was in, and prevent these two from discovering her.
"Sorry, Bakugo." Shoto stood up, keeping a comforting hand on the trembling woman in the wheelchair. "I saw this woman and she looked like she needed help."
"Hah?" Bakugo looked to the woman in the wheelchair and he circled it. He bent his head down trying to get a good look at her face. "Did you try speaking English to her?"
"Oh…" Shoto bopped his fist in his palm. "No, I didn't. Good thinking." Shoto cleared his throat. "Um, Excuse me, miss… but do you need help?"
"That was pathetic." Bakugo snorted at his heavily accented English. "Let me try." He reached down grabbing the woman's chin. "Hey, you… are you hurt? Do you need medical attention?"
"Don't touch me!" Izumi slapped his hand away, thankful her English was in place and she jerked her head away. "I do not know you. Please go away."
"Tch," Bakugo shook his hand, the hard smack catching him off guard. He could feel his temple throb from irritation. "Hey, we are just trying to help. There's no need to-" he trailed off when he noticed her condition, and the puddle forming. "Ah shit, Todoroki, call an ambulance. She's in labor."
Izumi gasped when Bakugo caught wind of what was happening. Despite her head screaming not to, she turned her head up and gave them both pleading eyes.
"No please! I'm fine. I want to wait for my husband." She pleaded and grabbed Shoto's hand to keep him from picking up his phone. Her brain failed her as she reverted to Japanese. "I'm!"
"I'm sorry but you- wait what?" Shoto caught on to that last phrase.
"So you do speak Japanese?" Bakugo took her chin again and looked into her eyes. "Are you a halfblood or some…" He trailed off again, and he turned her head this way and that. "You… look familiar."
Izumi felt the blood drain out of her face. Both Shoto and Bakugo look down at her, eyes narrowed as if trying to put together a puzzle.
She fucked up.
~inside the toy store~
"Hey Touya look." Kota snagged a mask from the shelf and placed it on his face. "Bow before the King of Villains, you worthless heroes!"
"Take that off you twerp." Touya snagged the mask and then looked at the other merchandise on the wall. There was an entire section of "League of Villains merchandise right next to the wide variety of hero merch. "Karma would not be amused."
"Why not?" Kota took off the Shigaraki mask, and then picked up a Karma figurine and started making karate chop noises with it. "Isn't being popular a good thing for her?"
"Popular sure… but this all makes her work with the league seem like a joke, which she wouldn't appreciate." He takes the figurine away from Kota and set it back down. "Come on, if you're done then let's go to check out and go back. I don't like leaving Izumi alone for a long period of time."
"Okay… Hey Eri let's go!" Kota called for his surrogate sibling, the girl taking more interest in action figures than the girly toys in her age group.
"Okay…" she clutched a teddy bear to her chest… but unlike the soft and cute ones made for girls, this one was dressed like a hero with a mask and cape. She held it up for Touya's approval and got a nod.
"Yeah, sure, come on." He pulled the two to the checkout counter, and pulled out english pounds to pay for the goods. He glanced out the door, more out of instinct than by design, and spotted Izumi. His pupils disappear when he immediately recognized his brother and Bakugo, and let out a curse.
"You gotta be fucking kidding me."
"What's wrong, Touya?" Kota took his plane in hand and let his gaze follow Touya's. His own eyes went wide. "What are THEY doing here?"
"I don't know, but this doesn't bode well." Trying to stay calm Touya snagged a rock n roll wig, star shaped sunglasses, and several hats from a nearby display and added them to his purchase. He tossed the wig onto Kota's head and shoved one of the hats on top. He then crouched down to bundle Eri's hair before shoving a baseball cap on her head and pushed the star shaped sunglasses on her nose. "I need you two to go to the car and wait for me there. If Bakugo and Todoroki recognize you two, it's all over. Make sure you don't draw attention to yourselves, and if something happens use your cell phone to call Ace. He'll have Kurogiri pick you up. Got it?"
"Got it, but what about you and Izumi?"
"We'll manage, this isn't the first time we've done this. Izumi would want to make sure you guys are safe before worrying about ourselves. Now go on," he handed Kota the keys and closed his palm around it. "I'm counting on you to keep each other safe."
"Right…' Kota stood tall again, his chin lifted proudly. "Be careful!"
"Don't need to tell me twice." Touya slicked his hair back putting his own baseball cap on, and then a pair of glasses he only used to read. Using his own panic to put on a facade he raced over to Izumi. "Phoebe!"
Bakugo and Todoroki stop their assessment to look back at Touya. They barely get a look at him before they're shoved away. The tall man who'd run over engulfed the woman in his arms, holding her face to his chest and stroked her hair.
"Are you alright? Are you hurt? What happened?"
"Yes, I'm fine…" thankful, relieved, and damn near close to tears Izumi clung to Touya and found her head again. "Darling, it's time. I didn't want to scream and cause a fuss, but it's time."
"Time… oh shit." He pulled back and saw the water. "Contractions?"
"I haven't been timing them," She winced and took slow easy breaths again. "I was in too much of a panic, I'm sorry."
"It's okay, start timing them now, remember your breathing." He pulled out his cell phone and dialed in a number. "Hello? Dr. Bennett? Yes, hey Rob, Phoebe and I are in London and she just went into labor." He paused listening to the man on the other line, keeping Izumi shielded from Bakugo and Shoto's sight by staying in front of her. "He water's already broken, we're timing the contractions now-"
"Five minutes…" Izumi wheezed between her breathing.
"Did you get that? Yes… the spare key is under the flower plant, let yourself in and get prepped, I'll have her there as soon as possible. Thanks." He hung up and took Izumi's hands in his. "Rob is getting the room prepped. Everything's gonna be okay, Phoebe, just remember to breathe."
She nodded and took a wary glance behind him at the two young heroes. Touya took notice of the look and stood up to face them.
"Thank you for looking after my wife." He held his hand out. "I'll take it from here, young heroes."
"Are you sure you wouldn't like some more help? We could call an ambulance for you." Shoto suggested.
"No, you've done more than enough. I appreciate the help, but neither of us want a fuss. As you may have noticed my wife is a very nervous person, and I don't want to upset her further if we can help it."
"If that's the case you shouldn't have brought her here in the first place. Bringing her to a busy place like this, then leaving her on her own while you did whatever the fuck you were doing, I hardly call that being a good spouse." Bakugo pointed an accusing finger at him. "Next time stay at home!"
Touya set his teeth and forced a smile.
"I don't appreciate the attitude, but I'll be sure to keep that in mind for our next kid. Now if you'll excuse us, we've got a baby to deliver." He walked around, pushing Izumi's wheelchair away from the heroes and into the crowd towards the parking garage.
"Tch… asshat." Bakugo crossed his arms.
"Something feels off…" Shoto held his chin as he watched them disappear into the crowd. "Did that woman seem familiar to you?"
"You too, huh?" Bakugo frowned. "I've seen her face somewhere… I'm sure of it. It pisses me off that I can't place it."
"Ah ha! There you guys are!" Mirio waved as he, Melissa, All Might and Nighteye walk over. "You guys missed a great sale. They have these little clocks with-"
"Yeah, yeah, yeah whatever. We were actually doing some patrolling unlike you guys who were goofing off." Bakugo crossed his arms.
"See anything interesting, boys?"
"Just one thing… we were helping a pregnant woman who had gone into labor. We were about to call an ambulance when her husband suddenly showed up and rolled her off, refusing any further help."
"Oh? That must have been," Mirio started to comment but Nighteye pushed forward and grabbed Bakugo on the shoulder.
"What did she look like, this woman? Did she seem familiar to you at all?" He asked, but knew the answer when he saw the recognition on Bakugo and Todoroki's faces. He turned to Toshinori who had gone white as a sheet. "All Might."
"That would be a major coincidence…"
"...but would explain everything." Nighteye finished and immediately hailed a nearby security officer. "Notify the local heroes and close off your exits. The Villain Karma is in the building."
"Hah!?" Bakugo whirled around and Shoto's breath hitched. The two heroes looked at each other… the puzzle pieces connecting and finishing the image in their head.
"Izumi?"
"Usagi?"
Not bothering to wait for further answers or instructions they ran off in the direction they last saw the two leave. Dodging civilian, ignoring shouts of perverse language, the two raced to the parking lot and scanned the area for anything and anyone looking like the couple they'd just seen.
"Kuso!" Bakugo cursed and grabbed a nearby guard who stood at the entrance. "Hey, buddy, did you see a pregnant woman and her husband pass by here?"
"Huh? Oh… yes," he pointed. "The two of them and their two kids got into their car and drove off heading east. Why? Is something wrong?" The bulletin of Karma's presence announced through their 2-ways and the man went white. "The Queen of Villains was here? That was her?" He pointed shakily and fumbled with his radio. "G-gone, the Queen of Villains has already left the premises. She's heading East towards the highway in a black-" The guard continued to relay the information.
"That pregnant woman was really Midoriya?" Shoto stare off in the direction indicated. "I don't understand… was she faking it?"
"Don't be stupid…" Bakugo clenched his teeth and resisted the urge to kick a trash can. "That Overhaul bastard must have gotten her pregnant… it would explain why she's been MIA from the villain scene all this time."
"You're right… and now that i think about it, her husband looks a lot like that guy we saw with Kota and Eri on the street near his house. Do you think Overhaul hired him to keep an eye on her and the kid?"
"No… Usagi betrayed the Hassaikai, and injured Overhaul beyond repair. No way he would do that just because she's carrying his brat."
"Then do you think he really is her husband? Is he just an innocent bystander that's covering for her?"
"I don't know… but whatever the case, she's not getting away this time. Brat or no brat I'm taking her down once and for all!"
~Meanwhile~
"It doesn't look like anyone's following us," Kota watched out the back window and sat with Izumi in the back seat, trying to keep her calm through the lamase breathing. "I think we're safe."
"Think again…" Izumi wheezed and huffed, sweat dripping down her face and she let out a little scream. "Ugh damn it this hurts! I've broken bones that have hurt less than this!"
"Just keep breathing, Izumi, we'll be home soon. I've got Kurogiri and Ace on standby in case anything goes awry." Touya picked up the speed as the road became more open.
"Slow down you idiot, do you wanna get pulled over? The last thing we wanna do is get stopped by the cops!" Kota complained.
"What's gonna happen if the heroes find us?" Eri clutched her teddy bear to her chest, not sure what else to do or how to help.
"What do you think's gonna happen? We're all going to prison!" Kota grit his teeth.
"No one is getting caught, and no one is going to prison!" Touya shout at him. "Sit down and shut up!"
"You shut up! This is all your fault, Touya!"
"How the fuck is this my fault?"
"It was your idea to go to the mall!"
"BOTH OF YOU SHUT UP BEFORE I THROW YOU BOTH OUT AND DRIVE THE FUCKING CAR MYSELF!" Izumi screamed and tossed the wig off in a fit of temper. Her green hair was damp and sticking to her face. "I can't keep up this stupid facade. When we get back to the cottage we're going into evac protocol. The moment this kid is out of my cervix we're all getting the hell out of dodge!"
"Yes, ma'am." Both of them lower their heads in shame.
Eri glanced back at Izumi, looking worried at the pained and frightened expression on her face. She hoped with all her heart that nothing bad would happen. She hoped her new family would remain safe and unbroken.
~The Cottage~
To his credit, Dr. Robert Bennett never broke stride. Despite Izumi's appearance, and the obvious tension among the young family he focused on the task at hand. He got Izumi into bed, coached her through the procedure as Touya helped her undress and get prepped on the birthing bed.
At home births were anything but ideal, but given their situation that was the decision they'd stuck to and were prepared for. While Touya stuck with Izumi, and helped her through the connections, Kota and Eri ran around like mad gathering all the necessities and luggage that had been pointed out to them during the evac lectures Izumi gave.
"Alright, you're at nine centimeters, we're almost there Izumi." Touya took a damp cloth to her forehead. "It's almost time to push."
"Thank god…" Izumi panted, already looking exhausted. "I don't know how much more of this I can take."
"Mrs. Todoroki…" Robert stood up from his crouched position and took her hand giving it a squeeze. "I need you to try and stay calm."
"What?" Izumi looked up at him, tears forming in her eyes. "What is it? What's wrong?"
"Your son… I just took a look at your positioning diagrams… and the umbilical cord is wrapped around his neck."
"What?" Izumi looked at him wide eyed and frightened. "He's choking?"
"I'm afraid so… the only way to safely deliver your son would be to perform surgery… but in this environment I don't have the proper staff or tools to do that without great risk to you."
"So what are you saying?" Touya stood up straight. "That we're gonna lose the child? After all of this we're gonna lose our son!?"
"I'm sorry, Mr. Todoroki-"
"You're SORRY?" Touya snagged Robert by the front of his shirt and shook him. "Do you have any idea what this woman has been through? Do you have any idea how much she has already sacrificed? How much she's lost?"
"Touya… Touya stop it!" Izumi grabbed his wrist, digging her fingers into his wrist. She lay her head back on the pillow closing her eyes as the words and the situation sank in. She was on a birthing bed… her son's life was in danger, and the heroes were bearing down on them. It was only a matter of time before they were found… only a matter of time. "Dr. Bennett."
"Yes?" Looking grave, Robert turned to her, his eyes mournful at the heartbreaking expression on her face. Her body lay limp on the bed, as if giving into the hopeless situation.
"You said… that there was no way to save him… without great risk to me? Does that mean you can, for sure, save him if you take that risk?"
"There are chances for further complications… but yes the odds would be your son would survive if I were to take the risk."
"Hmmph, well then." Izumi sat up again, and took out the red contacts. For the first time since she arrived in England she looked to her doctor as herself, and not as Phoebe Todoroki. "Take the risk."
"Izumi…" Touya grabbed her shoulder. "No."
"Did you forget what you said already, Touya?" She looked up at her husband, resolve in her voice and expression. "I didn't sacrifice everything, risk everything, for nothing." She grabbed his hand and set it on her cheek. "Our children are the future… embrace it, accept it."
"Izumi…" Touya lay his forehead on hers. "You're such an idiot… such a reckless and selfish idiot."
"I know…" tears slip down her cheeks and she sniffed them back. "Just remember your promise to me. If something happens…"
"I will… I'll keep my promise… but if you can… please live. I don't want to do this without you."
Robert looked at this young woman… recognized the young Queen of villains immediately… and smiled.
"The rumors about you are true, Karma." Robert put on a fresh pair of gloves. "You truly are crazy."
"Heh," Izumi lay back down. "What can I say? I have a reputation to protect."
"So do I…" Robert put on a face mask and started prepping for surgery. "Touya call my family and tell then I need some extra hands and supplies." He started rattling off a list. He looked Izumi in the eyes and placed a comforting hand on her belly. "You've my word, Izumi Midoriya… I will save your son. No matter what the cost."
"Thank you, Doctor Bennett." She placed hers on top of his and left her fate in his hands.
~Sometime later~
The surgery took hours, All of Roberts family was in the room, wearing hospital garb, rubber gloves, and assisting with the delivery of Izumi's child. Touya stayed with Izumi. Holding her hand as they cut her open, and delicately tried to remove the child and cut him free.
In the living room Kota and Eri waited, watching TV as it exploded with news that Karma was in England and with child. A city wide search of London's hospitals were put into effect, heroes brought in from all over including Japan; Eraserhead, and Best Jeanist amongst them.
Eri cuddled into Kota, the bear Touya had bought her clutched between them as they both hoped and prayed for this all to be over soon. Both of their heads shot up as they heard the cry of a baby. Smiles broke out and they hugged each other tighter as the newest member of their family was born.
"Oh just look at the wee thing…" Mrs. Bennett cleaned up and bundled the baby boy. She held it to her breast and bounced it, positively crooning. "Oh just listen to those powerful lungs. You've got a young fighter on your hands here, my dear."
"I sure do… oh my son… my Finnick." Izumi felt tears slip down her cheeks but didn't have the energy to reach out for him. Touya took the boy, holding him so that Izumi's weak reach could touch him.
"He's perfect, Izumi." Touya kissed her temple as tears of his own slip down. "Perfect and healthy… you did it. He's here."
"Yeah, thank goodness… it's getting really hard to keep my eyes open." She stroked her son's soft cheek. "Mmmm… but it was worth it." Her vision began to blur and she blinked trying to clear it. When she felt the black closing in, she gave in and just spoke what came to mind "I'm sorry, Touya… I love you."
"Izumi?" Holding Finiick one handed, Touya lay a hand on her forehead… her skin was going cold, and fear swallowed him as he watched Izumi's eyes roll up and close. "Izumi!"
"Shit," Robert's hands shook as he took Izumi's pulse. "Her heart has stopped. Mom, Diane, get me my kit! Hurry!"
"Izumi! Izumi no shit! Stay with me!" Touya pleaded, the door opened as Kota ran in with Eri.
"Touya! The police are coming! I hear sirens!" Kota shouted and then his face went pale when he saw all the blood and panic. "What's going on?"
"Kota, stay back! Touya warned and grit his teeth. "Come on Izumi please don't die, I'm begging you to fight this!"
"Izumi?" Eri watched the scene with horror filled eyes, the portable heart monitor they attached to Izumi already flat lining. Robert and his family shove Touya back so they could use the defibrillator pads and attempt to start up her heart again.
"Clear!"
"Rob! The police are surrounding the house," his sister Diane informed as she peaked her head out the window. "There are heroes all over the place."
"For fuck's sake Diane, ignore them!" He placed the pads on Izumi's chest again. "CLEAR!"
Touya looked around, and he backed into the wall, sliding down still holding the baby close to his chest. His eyes locked back onto Izumi who hadn't moved, or even breathed since she spoke her final words to him.
When the machine continued to flatline, Rob lowered his head in defeat and lay Izumi's blanket over her head.
Touya's heart simply shattered.
"Kota… take your brother."
"Huh?" Kota, numb and dazed suddenly became alert when Touya put the baby in his arms. He looked nervously down at the wriggling infant, the baby's face scrunching a little from being shifted but then relaxing into the new hold.
"You were right, Kota." Touya took Izumi's limp hand and held it in both of his. "This is all my fault. I should have never taken her out today. The traveling, the stress, the panic… all of it killed her. I failed to protect her. I'm sorry, Izumi." He sobbed it out. "I'm so sorry!"
"Rob…" Diane looked to her brother, their mother weeping into her handkerchief over the grieving loss. "Now what do we do?"
"We're gonna have to face the police and heroes… Let me do the talking. I'll sort everything out." he walked to Touya and placed a hand on his shoulder. "You should call your friend, and get your family to safety. I'm so sorry I couldn't save your wife, Touya."
"No…" Touya sniffed and raised his head, rubbing Izumi's cold limb hand as if to bring warmth to it. "You did what you promised. You saved our son… that's all she wanted." He stood up pulling back the sheet so he could give Izumi a final kiss. "Do what you can to stall them from coming inside."
"I'll do my best… come on, let's give them a minute alone." Rob motioned his family out, doing his best to comfort his weeping mother who had thought of Izumi like one of her own children. Eri walked around the bed. She was in disbelief at what she was seeing. Izumi laying still as a statue, her face gray in pallor… and at a touch of her hand, cold as ice.
"She's… dead?"
"Yes… I'm afraid so, Eri." Touya sniffed back and pulled out his cell phone. He text Ace giving him the signal to notify Kurogiri. "Now we need to go. We can't stay here."
"What about Izumi?" Eri held her her hand tightly, her horn growing as she became more upset. "We can't just leave her here."
"We don't have a choice, Eri. The heroes are outside… they'll take Izumi's body home. They'll make sure she's buried with her mother."
"Can't we save her?" Eri leapt on the bed and hugged her body, sobbing now. "Can't we do anything? We can call Overhaul… he could heal her!"
"Overhaul can't use his quirk anymore, Eri. Come on let go."
"Then I'll use mine!" She removed her cuffs, her quirk coming free and she held onto Izumi. "I'll bring her back."
"No Eri don't!"
"Get back, Kota! Keep the baby back!" Touya braced them both back as Eri's quirk went haywire. She clung onto Izumi, crying and pleading for her to wake up. Izumi's body began to change, shifting and shrinking from the use of her quirk. "Stop it, eri! She's gone!"
"No! I won't let her die! I won't!" Eri cried out, and chaos ensued. The front door burst open just as Kurogiri's warp opened up. Caught between a rock and a hard place Touya shoved Kota and Finnick through the warp first.
"Forgive me, but Izumi would never forgive me if I abandoned you." He jumped into the fray, slamming his fists in the back of her head, and knocking her out cold. He picked up the unconscious girl… giving just a brief glance to the bed which now looked empty. "You rewound her back too far… but at least you tried, Eri."
He leapt through the portal just as the heroes burst into the bedroom.
"STOP! DAMN IT!" The hero cursed when he couldn't get through the portal on time. "They gave us the slip."
"Everyone search the house!" Eraserhead ordered. "Search for any signs or clues of where they might be going next."
"I already told you, heroes, it's too late." Robert came in, looking furious. "She's dead. She died during childbirth and my sister and mother can attest to it."
"Then where's the body?" Eraserhead shot back.
"It's right… oh… did they take her with them?" Robert stepped up to the bed and pulled back the sheet. His eyes widened and cries echoed in the tiny room.
"What in the hell?" Eraser stepped up and looked at the crying newborn baby. Its skin was reddened as if just being born, eyes shut tight, and a tuft of soft green hair was tousled on the top of its head… it was a beautiful baby girl.
"We've searched the house, there's no sign of Karma or her associates. There are signs of other children but there's no one in the house.
"She did have two kids with her. A boy and a girl she called Kou and Erica." Robert leaned down and picked up the child, letting her hold onto his finger as he tried to figure out what had happened. He recalled his mother mentioning that one of Izumi's children had a quirk who could make people younger. He suddenly had the biggest urge to laugh out loud.
"Kota and Eri… so they've had those two with them all this time." Nighteye deduced and looked around the room picking up random picture frames of the happy family. "They were passing off as a young happy family. Clever."
"They were a young happy family," Robert defended gently bouncing the baby as she fussed and wriggled in his arms. "From what I saw… Karma was determined to retire from villainy and live out the rest of her life here with Touya and the children."
"Or so she made you believe. What kind of a mother leaves behind the infant she just gave birth to? Get that sympathy out of your voice, Doctor, Karma is a dangerous woman. Alive or dead we will track her down and find her." Eraserhead told him and left the room.
"You already have, Eraser." Robert smiled as the eyes of the girl opened and blinked a bright and happy green. "You just don't know it."
~Ask Briry~
Briry: Dun dun dun! Plot Twist! Bet you guys didn't see that coming huh?
Next Chapter: The Spawn of Karma