Until they could find Eri's whereabouts, we were on standby. We were completely forbidden to talk about our internships with anyone. It was obvious though, that we were different from everyone else in class now - a weight, or something I guess, that made is just hard to understand.
We were moving better too. Everyone was noticing it.
"The work study group is moving really well," I heard Jirou murmur as we did wall-climbing exercises one day. Bakugou predictably screamed at Kirishima, "YOU'RE HIDING SOME SECRET YOU LEARNED OUT THERE! BETTER SPILL THE BEANS!"
"Sorry, no can do," he called back.
I'd reached the top and was out of breath; behind me, Deku was panting too. Both of us, all four of us, had this awful weight on our shoulders. Even the four of us couldn't talk to each other about it. The thought of what those villains were doing to that girl weighed on me, though, and the knowledge that something awful was happening that I couldn't do anything about...it just weighed on me. And I couldn't bring myself to talk to Deku about it, even if I could...
"Are you all right, Uraraka?" Iida asked me suddenly one day as we walked to class. Deku was trailing behind talking with Todoroki and Mina had grabbed ahold of Tsu, so out of our group we were left on our own.
"Sure, of course! I'm fine!" I lied, badly.
"Uraraka," said Iida after a moment, "You sound a bit like I did, last semester."
Iida almost never brings up his brother, so I stopped for a sec and stared at him. I felt my lips trembling a bit as I thought about what was going on and what we were dealing with, and I couldn't meet his eyes. I just can't lie to Iida about how I feel.
"I - I'm not supposed to talk about it."
"I understand. Under orders."
I nodded, took a breath, and pulled myself painfully together. Iida reached out and patted me on the shoulder.
"There will always be something for heroes to worry about," he said quietly. "It is after all, our duty. But if we allow it all to weigh us down, it will eventually become too much. And it will keep us from doing anyone any good."
That's true.
"There's no need to pretend everything is all right - at least, not around me," he said quietly. He'd taken his hand from my shoulder and was walking ahead of me, but gave me a small smile.
I felt my face flush a little bit. Yeah, it's true. Iida's not somebody to lie to. I smiled at last, for real.
Then, a few nights later, we got the texts, and the four of us gathered in Heights Alliance's common area.
"Didja hear?" I told the other three.
"Yeah," said Deku.
"The operation starts today," I told them. The other three looked to me, oddly, as if they expected directions. Well, itw as obvious where we had to go.
"SHE'S IN THEIR HEADQUARTERS?!" cried Fatgum. "YOU KIDDIN ME? WHAT WAS THE POINT OF THAT WHOLE INVESTIGATION?!"
"We were able to obtain some new information," said Nighteye.
"HOW DID YOU DISCOVER SHE WAS AT HOME!?"
"Just the other day, a member of the 8 precepts ventured to the nearby department store and purchased a toy intended for little girls."
"HUH!?" said Fatgum.
"The hell!?" said the pro hero Rock Lock.
"IT COULD BE JUST THAT THE DUDE HAS SOME WEIRD HOBBIES, COULDN'T IT!?" said Fatgum. "THE WORLD'S A BIG PLACE, NIGHTEYE!"
"No," said Sir. "That man spoke in a way a hobbyist never would. He asked about 'where those Gunbatsu preyure' toys are and had to be corrected. I chose to go to him and use my foresight - and saw him going to Eri with the toy."
"That's what you used your foresight for!?" demanded Rock Lock.
"I told you the other day, didn't I? I only use it when I have the utmost confidence just to make doubly sure."
"Anyway," said Fatgum. "With that, looks like it's inally crunch time."
"Thanks to our stakeout we've got the exact timeframe in which they'll be at home down to the minute!" said Sir's sidekicks.
"And we've got hte warrant as well," said Gran Torino. "All that's left
"Let's do this Midoriya!" shouted Togata, making wild arm gestures in his excitement.
Our whole team was suited up, and the general idea was "this time, for sure. We'll save her."
Side 2
"I came here under Tomura's orders, not because I wanted to or anything. The name's Toga."
"Long time no see, bird bastard! I'LL NEVER FORGIVE YA, GOT IT!? Pleasure doin business." said Jin.
"I apologize for our lateness, Overhaul," said one of the beaky bastards. "Out of caution we took the most indirect route here."
"Good work."
"The league of villains, eh? Nice! Let's fight!" said one giant wrestler one. "I'll kill you."
"No thanks."
"i'm sorry for what happened to Magne," said Chisaki. "I did not want to kill him either. I understand that you may hold a grudge for me, but as long as we're working together I ask for your complete cooperation so that the plan may proceed smoothly."
"Her! It's 'her', asshole!" shouted Jin. "Just like when we first met! You're just tryin to keep up appearances!" Then, in his other voice, "So what do you want us to do?"
"Just like my own subordinates, I would have you obey our orders. No more, no less," said Chisaki. "In order to facilitate that, first I'd like you to explain the particulars of your quirks. It's an exchange of information. That way, if push comes to shove, it will be easier for us to coordinate with each other."
"Well then, if push DOES come to shove, I'll tell you then," I told him. "I still don't like you guys, after all."
"ANSWER THE DAMN QUESTION, DAMMIT!" screamed a tiny one. "DON'T GO UNDERESTIMATIN THE YAKUZA, FOOLS!"
We stood there in silence for a while. Then Jin said, "AAH, Nope! No way, can't do it! I've decided you guys weird me out and I won't tell you!"
Then he said, " I can double anything and everything! For that purpose I need a clear and precise 'image!' I don't have a good image, it'll only come out as incomplete trash! I require various data such as height, chest size and foot size! I need to look carefully, measure carefully, and after all that I'll finally be able to create a clone! The only difference between the clone and the original is stamina! It varies depending on what I double, but once it accumulates a certain amount of damage it'll fall apart! The number of things I can clone simultaneously is two! And the stamina of the second one will be even lower! And finally for personal reasons I can't clone myself!"
I stared at him. Suddenly he clapped his hand to his mouth.
"No - why!? This isn't the usual me!"
"Now you just made me look like a fool," I pouted.
"You've got it all wrong, Toga! I - uh "
"What is your quirk!?" one of them asked.
As if I couldn't stop myself I said, "I can transform into someone by drinking their blood. The blood I take in also becomes my energy so the length of the transformation and my absorption rate vary in proportion to htat. I can go about a day with one cup. And if I drink a lot of different people's blood at once I can transform into any of them. I can even transform clothes, but to do that I have to strip first, which is embarassing."
I clapped my own hand to my mouth as I stopped.
"I see," said the beak who had asked us. "Tell me one more thing. Does Shigaraki have any plans to betray us!?"
I see, Tomura. This is why you didn't tell us to do it directly.
"Nope!"
"Nope!"
"OKay," said Chisaki. "You're now part of the 8 precepts. Welcome to the family. However, given that you're wanted criminals, I can't let you do as you please. I ask that you do not leave this underground residential area until you've been issued orders."
"What is this, house arrest!?" demanded Jin.
"Whaat? I wanna be free!" I cried.
"Once you've given me reason to trust you, I'll let you go free," said Chisaki. "But that depends on you."
The tiny one toddled to us. "I other words, if you don't drop that shitty attitude of yours, you'll get no leniency from us. UNDERSTAND!? THEN DO AS YOU'RE TOLD YOU LITTEL STREET PUNKS! WE'RE YAKUZA, GOTI T?! DON'T MAKE LIGHT OF US! WE'RE GONNA TAKE CONTROL OF SOCIETY ONCE MORE FROM THE BOTTOM UP! YOU'RE WITNESSING THE REVIVAL OF THE YAKUZA! WE'RE GONNA FULFILL THE LONGSTANDING DESIRES OF OUR BEDRIDDEN BOSS! AND YOU'LL GET TO REAP ALL THE BENEFIS! SO YOU BEST BE THANKFUL, GOT IT!?"
You little creep. You're gonna eat YOUR words.
