I have returned with a second chapter! I hope you all enjoy it!
I do not own My Hero Academia.
He stood with the other students and wrapped his arms around his stomach. Kyouka put a hand on his shoulder.
"Everything will be okay, Kaminari," she said, the gentle tone surprising him. "The teachers took care of those villains. It looks like most of our classmates are…."
She trailed off when a group of medics exited the building carrying two stretchers. His blood froze when he saw the tattered remains of Thirteen's space suit. His eyes drifted to the other stretcher. He barely caught a glimpse of a bloody face before Ectoplasm blocked his view.
"Thirteen and Eraser will be all right. Recovery Girl will take good care of them. We need to get you all back to campus."
He didn't resist as the rest of the staff herded them toward the bus. He didn't hear his classmates recounting what just happened.
"What did I just do?" he whispered to himself.
"Denki!"
Someone shook him awake. He jolted in his seat and banged his head against the window. He rubbed his temple and finally opened his eyes before covering them from the onslaught of light. He blinked, removing his hands and staring out the window to see the sun starting its slow descent.
What time is it?
He straightened up when he realized he was now in the front seat of another car. He looked back out the window, watching the buildings whizz by as his dad drove down the highway.
"How long was I asleep?" he asked.
"Almost twelve hours," Akashi answered. "You fell asleep before we even made it to Hamamatsu. We've had to make some detours and change cars. We'll reach Nagoya in an hour." He took his eyes off the road for the briefest moment to smile at Denki. "You know I haven't had to carry you out of the car since you were in elementary school. I would've hated to wake you. I understand the last day has been difficult on you."
No kidding.
Denki crossed his arms and slouched down in his seat.
"Where are we going?" he asked next.
"Osaka. Kaito will get there in a couple days. We're staying in Nagoya for the night. Miku's meeting us at the hotel and already has another car for us."
Denki leaned his head against the window and closed his eyes, relishing the silence between them that followed.
Aizawa-sensei's safe. The rest of the students are safe. They'll never have to see me again.
The second he finally started to relax, Akashi was all too ready to interrupt him.
"We need to talk about your assignment."
His shoulders stiffened. He bit the inside of his cheek and cast his eyes down to his lap.
"What about it?"
There was no missing the bitterness in his tone. Akashi chuckled and reached out to put a hand on his arm.
"I need to apologize. I know I was a bit harsh with you yesterday and I shouldn't have been. We've always known being a hero was never an option for you, but I made you go to that school anyway. You did so well until the last month when we stopped hearing from you."
"I had nothing to report," Denki lied.
His dad's fingers dug into his arm, and he could hear him inhaling deeply through his nose.
"Anyways, you did as I asked for the most part. Shigaraki was a bit apprehensive about the idea of sending you in, but he was pleased with your services. I knew you could handle it, but I'm still so proud of you, Denki!"
He shrugged out of Akashi's grip.
"Then why didn't he renew the contract?"
"Change of plans," Akashi replied with a shrug. "Besides, it's not my job to ask. I've been getting several requests in Osaka. You did such a good job with this assignment, so I think you're ready to help us out some more! We've been asked to do some interrogations, and I think you've gotten enough control of your quirk you'll be perfect to assist us."
Denki's stomach lurched at the words. He slouched further down in his seat. He resumed staring out the window, bringing up a hand to cover his mouth as if it would ward off the impending nausea. His teacher's words echoed in his mind.
"You're still my student. It's my job to help you."
I know I don't deserve it…but maybe I should've let you….
*break*
Weights might as well have been hanging on Shouta's eyelids. The noises around him had become clear some time ago, not that he could hear much besides someone breathing and the occasional footsteps; however, he couldn't muster the strength to fully break through the haze and open his eyes. After what seemed to be an eternity, he cracked his eyes open only for a moment before they ultimately drooped shut. A creak followed only a second later.
"Sensei?"
Shinsou?
"Is he finally awake?"
Recovery Girl? That means I'm back on campus….
Kaminari!
He flung his eyes open to see Hitoshi and Chiyo looming over him. Ignoring the grogginess, he tried to sit up. His vision blurred, and he started tilting over the edge of the bed. Luckily, Hitoshi was there in an instant to catch him.
"Sensei, you shouldn't be getting up!"
He didn't have the strength to fight his student, reluctantly allowing Hitoshi to push him back down on the bed. He blinked and looked around the room, recognizing the school's infirmary instantly. A blanket was draped over him a second later. Only then did he realize his teeth were chattering. Chiyo's lips quirked into a grim line.
"Do you want to sit up?" she asked.
He managed a nod. Hitoshi put an arm under his back to lift him up while Chiyo adjusted a couple pillows behind him.
"I saw the injection mark in your neck. I don't know what you were sedated with, but it wasn't causing you any harm, so I thought it best to let it run its course. You'll probably have chills and feel groggy and weak for a while, so you're not leaving this infirmary tonight. Shinsou said you weren't conscious when he found you."
"And that was eighteen hours ago," Hitoshi finished as he pulled the blanket back up to cover him.
Shouta's heart dropped into his stomach. His head snapped toward the window to find the last remnants of dark orange light filtering into the infirmary.
Shit….
"I—" he nearly cringed at how raspy his voice was. "I need to speak to Nezu and the rest of the staff immediately."
Hitoshi nodded and stood up.
"I'll get Mic-sensei. He told me to come find him when you woke up anyway."
Chiyo watched as Hitoshi left her office with a grin.
"He's stayed by your side since he found you. Hizashi tried to convince him to go back to the dorms and get some rest, but he refused." The grin suddenly faded, and she shook her head. "I can't say I blame him. If I had been him, I would've been terrified to find you like he did."
Before Shouta could open his mouth, Sekijirou and Hizashi walked in with Hitoshi trailing in right behind them. Hitoshi returned to his chair while the two teachers went straight to Shouta's bedside.
"It's good to see you awake, Sho'!" Hizashi said.
Sekijirou nodded.
"Ishiyama and Yagi are at the training grounds with both of our classes. Nezu should be here any minute now."
Shouta looked to Hitoshi.
"Shinsou, I'm sorry, but you really shouldn't be here—"
"Something's wrong with Kaminari, isn't there?" Shouta stared at his protégé, jaw slightly dropping. Hitoshi stood and joined the three teachers, reaching into his pocket. "I'm pretty sure you didn't send this to me last night."
He handed the phone to Shouta whose eyebrows rose at the message.
Aizawa: Left my cards at the dorms. Meet me at the gate. I'm sorry.
He shook his head and handed the phone back to Hitoshi.
"You've never forgotten your access cards before. I knew something wasn't right, so I told Vlad-sensei and asked him to come with me."
"And I'm glad you did," Sekijirou continued. "We found you bound and unconscious at the front gate. Shinsou helped me get you here. I called Recovery Girl and alerted the rest of the staff, but we haven't told any of your other students. We said you were sick and needed to rest, so Togata volunteered to watch Eri until you're feeling well. I know they're suspicious, though."
Those damn kids….
Hitoshi rubbed the back of his neck, his eyebrows furrowing.
"I ran into Kaminari last night. He was throwing up in the bathroom. When I asked if he wanted me to call you to see if you could anything up for him, he panicked. He told me he just needed some rest and he'd be over it."
"So that's what we told your students," Hizashi said. "I heard some of them talking before class. I guess no one can get a hold of him. Shinsou's stayed here with you the entire day."
Nemuri walked into the office, a grin splitting across her face at the sight of her conscious friend.
"Relax, Shouta, he didn't miss much in class today. Besides, it's not like he could've focused."
Hitoshi shook his head.
"I got that text a couple hours after I saw Kaminari. He didn't answer any of my calls. Mic-sensei stopped by his dorm during his free period, and he never answered. I knew it couldn't be a coincidence, but I didn't think anyone else except the teachers should know until we have some answers."
"Considering your classmates, that was smart decision, Shinsou!" Nezu complimented as he finally entered the room, Snipe and Ectoplasm following right behind him.
Everyone in the room was silent. Shouta looked at Hitoshi and his colleagues. He rubbed a hand down his face.
They have a right to know…they need to know….
It's almost been a day, but maybe there's still something—
"Kaminari Denki is the traitor, isn't he?" Hizashi ventured grimly, breaking the silence.
"No!" Shouta immediately snapped, but he winced a second later at the harshness of his own voice. "Sorry, Hizashi. You were right the whole time. Someone within the school was giving out information to the League of Villains, but he was coerced into doing it." He clenched his eyes shut and rubbed his temples. "I can't recall much from last night's patrol. Everything's a bit hazy. I remember starting my route and feeling a prick in my shoulder. I didn't even see who drugged me before I passed out.
"Kaminari Akashi was with me when I woke up. He assured me that he didn't want to hurt me but said Kaminari was being too stubborn, and they needed to leave Musutafu. He never wanted Kaminari to move into the dorms but mentioned that he was still under some sort of contract."
Nezu scratched his chin.
"I know a traitor was the only logical explanation for the villain attacks this past year, but I have to say I didn't imagine a student would…."
None of us did.
Nezu shook himself out of his reverie before addressing Shouta again.
"So, you think Kaminari Akashi is some sort of contractor and made a deal with the League of Villains?"
Shouta nodded.
"Whatever contract they had must be up," Nemuri said. "Sounds like he was in a rush to leave the city. He must've been desperate if he was willing to kidnap a pro hero to lure his son back home."
"Did you see Kaminari?" Hizashi asked next.
Shouta nodded again.
"Kaminari never wanted to leave. He arrived and demanded that I be brought back to campus before they left the city. I tried to get him to call one of you. I tried…but he said a villain like him didn't deserve our help."
Hizashi cringed.
Snipe shifted his stance and crossed his arms.
"I don't believe a kid like Kaminari could do something like this without being manipulated, but we have to consider he willingly—"
"No—" Shouta started only for Nezu to interrupt him.
"I don't like it either, Aizawa, but we have to consider all possibilities. However, we can worry about that later. Right now, we need to focus on finding Kaminari and his father and getting more answers. Do you know…."
Nezu trailed off when Shouta's phone buzzed on the table next to his bed. Hizashi handed it to him. Hope surged through his chest when he didn't recognize the number.
Only the staff, my students, and their parents have my number.
It must be….
*break*
Denki let his breathing slowly even out while his dad shuffled around the room. He let his head loll to the side on the pillow. Suddenly, something tugged at his feet. It only took him a second to realize it was Akashi gently pulling his shoes off. A hand ran through his hair. There was a faint thud followed by a soft click. The light behind his eyelids was consumed by complete darkness. Akashi's footsteps headed toward the bathroom, but he didn't dare peek. Not even when he heard the door shut. It wasn't until he heard water gushing in the shower that he opened one of his eyes.
He held his breath, as if his dad could sense that he was awake.
When the door didn't open, he bolted up out of bed and reached for the nightstand. Phone and room key in hand, he made for the door. He quietly opened it, poking his head out and looking straight across the hall at the next room. When he couldn't hear anything on the other side, he slowly closed it and tip-toed down the hallway. He snuck into the stairwell and leaned against the railing, wrapping his arms around himself.
"You did such a good job with this assignment, so I think you're ready to help us out some more!"
He sprinted down the stairs, clutching the phone like a lifeline.
I can't do this.
He paused when he reached the bottom, staring at the door in front of him. He wanted for the sounds of his own footsteps to fade. He couldn't hear anything else in the stairwell except his own breathing.
Dad said Miku was staying right across from us, but there's no way he wouldn't have someone else watching the hotel. If someone sees me leave….
Without thinking he unlocked the phone and started typing in the number he knew by heart. He'd memorized within seconds of it being given to him. His thumb hovered over the screen.
I can't bring Aizawa-sensei back into this.
He ran a hand through his hair, queasiness overwhelming him.
"We've been asked to do some interrogations, and I think you've gotten enough control of your quirk you'll be perfect to assist us!"
I need his help.
He dialed the number. He held his breath while the phone rang.
This was a mistake….
However, he couldn't get himself to hang up.
"Hello?" Shouta's voice came from the other end.
Denki's chest tightened. He opened his mouth, but no words came out. He tried swallow, but his throat was desert dry.
"Kaminari?"
His eyes watered at the softness in Shouta's tone. He clenched them shut, imagining that strong hand grabbing his shoulder. He imagined the fondness in Shouta's eyes when he listened to him and gave him encouraging advice.
"Kaminari, listen to me—"
Bang!
Denki whipped his head back toward the staircase. Thundering footsteps trampled down the stairs.
"He couldn't have gotten far. Kougami didn't see him leave the hotel."
"Kaminari—"
"Please help me," he whispered.
He hung up the phone and shoved it deep into his pocket before bursting through the door. He veered to the left and sprinted down the nearly empty street, ignoring the stinging in his bare feet. He heard the door slam against the side of the building as someone came after him. He risked a brief glance at the power lines above him. Not daring to look back, he lifted his hand, electricity shooting out of his fingers and dancing across the power lines.
The streetlights and surrounding buildings went dark.
It only took a few seconds for people to spill out onto the sidewalk. He pushed himself to run harder. His chest burned. He flinched and covered his eyes when a couple of the buildings around him lit back up. Slowing down and weaving through the confused civilians, he fought the urge to look back. He could barely hear a couple sets of rapidly approaching footsteps within the din of the street. Another building lit back up, and he saw his chance.
He dashed down an alley next to it and picked up his pace. He reached the end, jumping and pushing off the walls of the two buildings until made it over the other side of the wall and into another alley. Sweat dripped down his face as he kept running. He almost made it to the street when a car screeched to a stop in front of the alley entrance. He spun around on his heel, but two men were already clamoring over the wall.
Before he could begin to think of a way out, he was grabbed by the back of his shirt and spun around to face his dad. It took every ounce of strength he had not to cringe back from the man towering over him. Within seconds, four of his dad's employees surrounded them. He couldn't meet Akashi's gaze. He could only stare at the rapid rise and fall of his chest.
"Where's the phone?" Akashi demanded.
"I don't know what you're—"
Denki was cut off when one of the men slammed him back against the building to his left, knocking the air out of him. He coughed and tried to catch his breath. More hands latched on to him and kept him from crashing to the ground. Sparks crackled to life in his hands, but Akashi gripped his wrists and they died at the contact.
"Don't even think about it," his dad continued, his voice eerily calm. He inhaled deeply through his nose, and slowly let out the breath. "Your phone wasn't on the nightstand. Where is it, and who did you call?"
Wordlessly, he yanked one of his wrists out of Akashi's hold. Akashi tightened his grip until he realized his son was trying to reach for his pocket. Denki fished his phone out and slammed it into Akashi's hand. It only took a few seconds for the small screen to illuminate Akashi's face, and Denki could see a vein throbbing at his temple.
"You called Eraser, didn't you?"
He swallowed and nodded. Akashi threw the phone on the ground and stepped on it. The screen shattered. He clenched his eyes shut until his dad grabbed him by his elbow.
"Have Kaito trail anyone leaving the school," Akashi ordered, dragging him toward the car. "Kougami, you're with me. We're heading to Osaka. Tell Miku to take one of the cars and head to Tokyo. She can meet back up with us next week."
Denki didn't fight as his dad flung the back door of the car open, shoved him inside, and slid in right beside him. Kougami jumped in the front seat and pulled out onto the street. The sidewalks were filled with civilians trying to get over to the next block and see what caused the power outage. Not even one of them paid the car any mind even though they were one of the few cars on the street. Denki crossed his arms and stared out the window. Akashi sighed.
"I really didn't think you'd call Eraser, Denki. I know it's been a long couple days, but you do remember what I was forced to do to him, don't you? Will he have to suffer more for your actions?"
Denki didn't look at his dad. He kept his gaze straight out the window. He couldn't stand the thought of his dad seeing the tear running down his cheek.