"Our mission wasn't a total loss," the disembodied voice blared through the television where no real picture could be discerned. "We did get a helpful new quirk added to our arsenal: Search, thanks to Ragdoll."
Even as Shigaraki continued to review the group's shortcomings, Denki's mind whirred at the new information, trying to connect the pieces that were there. They couldn't mean that this man on the other side of the television could steal quirks, right? He had never heard of such a thing before. Were they just trying to confuse him? To scare him, maybe, so that the threats they would dish out later would be more realistic?
"We did capture one student, but not the one we were hoping for most," Shigaraki reported, scratching at his neck anxiously.
"Which one?" the voice asked, pure curiosity in the tone.
Denki was surprised that the voice did not seem angered or defeated in any way after learning that all of their hard work and planning had not turned out the way they had hoped it would.
"Kaminari Denki. His quirk is electrification," Shigaraki offered, and Denki could have cried.
Even if they were just trying to scare him, it was definitely working. He didn't want the strange voice to know he was there or anything else about him, for that matter.
"He has an electric quirk, and yet, you all are still conscious, and the television is still working, so I assume he has not retaliated. Could he be a good candidate for our cause?"
"Doubtful," Shigaraki stated bluntly, shooting a glare in Denki's direction.
Denki just answered his glare with an apathetic shrug. He wasn't sorry about not being a good option to be recruited to a villain organization. Shigaraki rolled his red eyes away from Denki before refocusing on the weird, staticky image on the screen.
"But there are other strategies around that." Shigaraki continued after a pause to consider, "do you want us to prepare him to be relieved of his quirk?"
Dabi's hands tightened on Denki's shoulders, but that offered little relief to Denki. Dabi, however, was not consciously trying to comfort Denki. Dabi himself was nervous about the answer, wondering how the hell he was supposed to oppose All for One and wondering if Shigaraki would stand with him in opposition if it came down to it. Luckily, it didn't seem like it would come to that. Denki had been on the verge of panicking at the thought of actually having to meet this scary dude in person, let alone face the strange reality that his quirk could be stolen from him, and his relief at the man's response nearly knocked him off of his feet.
"His quirk is powerful of his own right," the voice stated, crackling assuredly through the speakers. "That is, it's nothing special; it's only as powerful as it is because of Kaminari's hard work and dedication."
Denki didn't appreciate the compliment because it felt more like an animal in a zoo being admired than an up-and-coming hero-to-be being praised for his quirk training. Luckily, Denki did not have to pretend to preen under the compliment for his own self-interest because he was not called upon to speak. No one had spoken directly to the man besides Shigaraki.
Denki had this uncanny feeling ever since Shigaraki had turned the television on and started conversing with the voice, calling the man on the other end "master," only to suddenly realized that the man sounded oddly like Aizawa; not the voice, but the way he spoke in an even, factual cadence. He was lecturing, teaching, Denki realized. Denki had thought that this mystery man was the leader of the whole operation, and thought it was weird that they would allow him to stay if the League of Villains wanted everyone to believe that Shigaraki was the mastermind, but with the way he was lecturing and talking Shigaraki through everything, it seemed like he was training Shigaraki to eventually take the lead himself.
By this time, the students had all been sent home, just in case the League of Villains would try to come back to take the real Bakugou and cause more damage. A state of emergency had been declared and all available heroes were gathered to strategize and search for the kidnapped UA student.
Aizawa had been the unfortunate one who broke the news to Kaminari's parents. His mother had wailed into her husband's chest like she would never see him again, and for all she knew, maybe she wouldn't.
Neito had been the unfortunate one who broke the news to Hitoshi.
"I heard that a student had been taken… but Denki? Are you sure?" Hitoshi asked.
If Hitoshi was going to go through all five stages of grief, the least Neito could do would be to help him through it. It was his fault, after all. He was so concerned about messing up the villains' plans that he didn't realize what would happen as collateral damage. He was so hyped up about thinking ahead to save Bakugou and thoroughly messing the villains up that he didn't think about what might happen if they were content with getting any students at all, including the very real Denki who was not a half-assed clone.
"I didn't see it myself, but there were multiple witnesses. He was the only one absent during the headcount afterwards," Neito offered, trying to feel less sorry for himself so that he could be the soulmate that Hitoshi deserved at that moment.
Hitoshi paled even further since first hearing the news, shifting his weight between his feet as he thought.
Taking a deep breath, Hitoshi nodded. "He's going to be fine."
"He's strong, Toshi," Neito attempted to reassure Hitoshi. "He's—Wait! What did you say?" Hitoshi's words finally catching up to him.
"He's going to be fine," Hitoshi said, taking a deep breath and actively working to calm himself down. "If anyone could make it out unscathed, it would be Denki."
"Can't you just be sad and let me comfort you? Just this once?!" Neito asked, defeated, as he slumped against the door frame, not daring to enter Hitoshi's room after he had just broken the news that he had let the boy they love be taken by villains while Hitoshi was stuck going to class in general studies.
Hitoshi pulled Neito into the room by the hand, tugging hard enough to pull him into his chest and squeezed him hard, knowing that Neito was tearing himself apart inside of his mind, but not showing it as to try to be a good support to Hitoshi. But sometimes, Neito needed the support and Hitoshi was there to offer it. Hitoshi always knew what to say.
"It wasn't your fault, Neito," Hitoshi had whispered against Neito's hair, squeezing tighter to keep him securely against his chest as the first of many sobs escaped him.
Neito felt sorry for himself, and Hitoshi made it so easy for him to have the space to feel his emotions before regrouping and overcoming them. Neito once again wondered what Hitoshi was getting out of their relationship, because it seemed to Neito that all he did was take, take, take and Hitoshi had never stopped giving, not yet. Neito only wishes that he will get the chance to return the favor before Hitoshi gets tired of the one-sided relationship and calls it quits.
Hitoshi had snuck out that night, hours after Neito had gone home and he was supposed to be sleeping. His foster parents had retired to bed hours before, but Hitoshi couldn't stop tossing and turning, his mind refusing to shut off and give him the sleep his body so desperately needed.
He had gotten dressed and wandered out into the night, heading toward the nearest train station that still ran at the later hours. After a villain attack, he felt that he should be more alert and maybe even jittery, but Hitoshi was not more on edge than usual. In fact, he was a little more relaxed. Hitoshi snorted as he walked, thinking to himself that maybe he felt more at ease because the villains have their hands full with Denki and none of them would have any time or energy to prowl the streets for unsuspecting victims.
Hitoshi knew that Denki would be returned to them, but it bothered him that he didn't know when. He knew that he would see Denki again, because Denki is a social genius who can talk his way out of any situation. This would be the ultimate test, sure, but he knew that Denki would be successful. Even so, he couldn't relax. He couldn't sleep. He had wished that they had made time to talk, to admit his feelings to the electric blonde. The not knowing was the worst for Hitoshi's anxiety, and what better way to use the excess energy to train some more?
He didn't blame Neito for what happened, but he would be lying if he hadn't thought of how it might have been different if he was there. All he would have had to do was ask the villain a question, and Denki would have been released after a simple command from Hitoshi. It was his own shortcomings that allowed him to fall so far behind his soulmate and other peers, so much so that he was put into general studies instead of the hero course where he strived to be, and he was going to work hard to make sure that his previous mistakes never happened again. He was going to catch up, and maybe even surpass, his peers if that meant he could keep his loved ones safe. If that meant taking a midnight train to school grounds to practice more with the damn capture scarf, then Hitoshi would gladly put in the hours. Anything to be transferred into the hero course. Anything to be able to protect those he loved.
He had only been practicing for 20 minutes when Aizawa startled him by coming in through the door unannounced.
"I figured I'd find you here," he grumbled from the doorway.
Hitoshi just shrugged in response, hoping that Aizawa would join him instead of sending him home, hoping that Aizawa would demonstrate his own skills once again and make Hitoshi curse in the morning from how sore his overworked muscles would be, because at least that would be something to think about other than Denki at the hands of the League of Villains.
To Hitoshi's relief, Aizawa started unwinding his own capture weapon from his neck as he advanced toward the center of the gym.
"You couldn't have done anything to stop it," Aizawa stated, partly because it was true, and partly to add the distraction of conversation for Hitoshi to work through as he shot his capture weapon in Hitoshi's direction.
Hitoshi dodged it easily, knowing that Aizawa was just getting started and trying not to get his hopes up and become overconfident. Overconfidence and underestimating the enemy might be the last mistake a hero makes.
"I know," Hitoshi grunted out as he rolled away from yet another lazy attempt of capture from Aizawa.
"Do you?" Aizawa inquired, tired eyes not allowing Hitoshi to leave his sight as Hitoshi moved around the gym, evading attacks and sending attacks of his own that Aizawa had easily side-stepped.
"If I was there—" Hitoshi started, pausing to attempt to capture Aizawa with his own scarf, before continuing, "I could have used my quirk to get the villain to release Denki."
"If you were at the right place at the right time," Aizawa retorted, stepping on the end of Hitoshi's capture weapon.
"Right," Hitoshi grumbled, pulling his capture weapon free after Aizawa eased off the end of it.
Hitoshi had quickly recovered and used his own capture scarf as a block to Aizawa's without letting it get tangled and ripped from his own hands, which was a massive improvement. Hitoshi's sour mood had helped him focus and revisit his initial motivations for why he wanted to become a hero.
"I didn't know that you and Kaminari were on a first-name basis," Aizawa continued, not because he cared, but to attempt to distract Hitoshi as he sent the capture scarf in his direction again, picking up speed to see how much Hitoshi had improved.
Hitoshi was well aware of Aizawa's motives, but he was also well aware that Aizawa was listening to Hitoshi's responses, whether he had genuine interest or not. Hitoshi kept his face blank, resisting the urge to smile in anticipation of his next move, the first would-be smile since Neito had broken the news about Denki's capture hours earlier.
"It's because I'm in love with him," Hitoshi stated bluntly, keeping his eyes open for the opening, and taking full advantage when Aizawa whipped his head in his direction in surprise.
For the first time since they had started training, Hitoshi successfully captured Aizawa.
A/N: I'm very excited about Denki's time with the League of Villains and I have it all planned out, but I really love seeing what you guys think is going to happen! Everyone seems to think that Denki would vibe well with the League, and I am right there with you! It would be very entertaining at the very least! If you have any theories of what's to come, tidbits you think would happen if Denki were to meet the League canonically, or anything else, don't hesitate to share them with me!