Disclaimer: I own neither Persona 5 or My Hero Academia
Chapter 7
A lot had been on Makoto's mind since she first talked with Izuku the previous day. The first being that, despite all of the circumstances behind it, she was quite happy to see Izuku again. The move away from her old town and into the city had been rough the first time around. With her father gone, her sister had to take care of her and so they needed something affordable and close to Sae's line of work. Leaving behind two of her close friends hurt quite a bit. Not to mention the way that Bakugo had said 'goodbye' to her.
Makoto shook her head, setting her pencil down and sighing. It's hard to study with all of this on my mind. Makoto relented to herself, folding up her textbook and putting her things back into her bag. Standing from her seat, Makoto made her way out of the library. Looking around, the student council president noticed that there were still a fair amount of students left in the school.
"I wonder… is Midori still here?" Makoto hummed aloud, eyes glancing around curiously. "Perhaps we can catch up…" She reached into her pocket and pulled out her phone, beginning to look through her mail list before stopping. "Oh… right… I didn't get his number yesterday…" Makoto sighed, shoulders slumping in defeat.
Considering that school was out, Makoto doubted that he was still hanging around the building. He had always been smart, but he was the type to study at home rather than around other people. Deciding that she likely wouldn't find him today, Makoto resigned to heading home.
I wonder if he's still hanging out with Sakamoto-san… her mind began to wander, the thought causing her to sigh. Izuku was a good kid, but he definitely had strange preference in friends. Sure, after her intervention between him and Bakugo, the two had finally been on better terms, but beforehand Bakugo was just a straight bully to him.
From the things that she had heard about Sakamoto, he certainly was no Bakugo. But still, even if the faux blond wasn't hurting Izuku, he might instead inspire the green haired teen to do more delinquent activities like skipping school or similar such things. Makoto would be sure to keep an eye on the two, that was for certain. Despite the time lost between them because of her move, Makoto couldn't help but feel protective. She had few friends at this school, but she hoped to salvage the relationship she once had with Izuku despite this.
Izuku seems to trust him enough… still, I can't help but worry they might get involved in something bad…
XXxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxXX
"Get wrecked!"
With a sudden burst of electricity, Ryuji disposed of another one of the lesser Shadows left. The large horses revealed to be weak to his Persona's power, which revolved around electricity and physical prowess from what Izuku could tell. Together with Morgana, the three had easily disposed of the lesser Shadows. The only one remaining now was the pink armored knight, which even he was proving to be no challenge for the three.
"You… you worthless peasants…" the knight growled, body hunched over it's white horse in pain.
"Maybe you should try followin' a guy that's not a total scumbag, asshole." Ryuji grinned as he pointed forward. "We're gonna do the same to him that we're doin' to you! Go, Captain Kidd!"
The pirate themed Persona tilted forward on top it's boat before swinging the hull around and smashing it into the Shadow. It cried out in pain again, the horse he strode on staying on it's feet despite the impact.
"Carter! Finish him off!" Izuku ordered before the Shadow could fully recover. Launching forward, Carter's cape flapped in the wind before unsheathing it's sword and cutting right through the pink armored knight, it's body splitting in half as well as the horses before dissolving into the black ooze from before. The golden knight's armor fell back on the ground, it's mask discarded to the side and it's armor empty.
"Hell yeah! That's what I'm talking about!" Ryuji whooped confidently, pumping his fist in confidence. It wasn't a moment later that he realized how tired he was, his hands falling to his knees as he started to pant heavily. "Oh… damn…"
"To think that even this guy would have the potential." Morgana muttered in slight amazement before turning his eyes forward, his brow falling into a glare as his sights landed on the Shadow Kamoshida. "Now we've only got one more obstacle in the way."
"Our original plan was just to escape from here, but… what should we do now?" Izuku mumbled to himself, a bit of sweat trailing down his cheek as his eyes met the Shadow version of Kamoshida. Even after all that they did, he was still grinning like he had beaten them somehow.
"You better prepare yourself, asshole." Ryuji huffed out, pushing off his knees so that he was standing at full height. "And don't bother apologizin'. I'm gonna beat the shit out of you."
"Just because you got a little mask to dance around in doesn't mean anything." Kamoshida scoffed, relaxed in his posture as he folded his arms under his shoulder cape. "This is my castle. And what I say, goes. Isn't that right, my queen?"
"Tha~t's right!" Izuku and Ryuji blinked as a slim figure came out from behind a pillar by the winding stairs. Immediately Izuku recognized it as the girl he had briefly spoke to before and the one that was apparently dating Kamoshida. Instead of her school attire though, she wore a purple leopard print bikini and a pair of cat ears on top of her head.
"Wh-Takamaki?!" Ryuji immediately gasped, his guard dropped as he stared dumbfounded at the twin tail blonde.
"Wh-whoa…" Morgana's jaw dropped, eyes wide as he stared up at Takamaki in awe. "Wh-what a beautiful and meow-verlous girl…"
"S-she's supposed to be the one that's dating Kamoshida-sensei… I heard them talk earlier…" Izuku informed the two, eyes filled with confusion. Despite his normal nervousness around women, he was far more focused on the potential danger and their enemy. "But she seemed… really disgusted by him… this must be his cognitive version of her…"
"Oh, so it's just a fake..? But still, this is jacked up…" Ryuji muttered, watching as the fake Takamaki leaned on Kamoshida's shoulder. "Hey! Stop touching her, you sick bastard!"
"She is the queen of this castle. And like her, everyone wishes to be loved by me!" Kamoshida cackled with a twisted grin. The grin fell to a glare, his yellow eyes narrowing at the three. "That is save for scum sucking trash like you three. Guards! Hurry up and clean these fools out!" He snapped his fingers, and suddenly four of the gray armored knights sprouted from the ground.
"Ah-shit! More?!" Ryuji cursed, taking a step back. As fired up to fight as he was, he was still completely exhausted from awakening his Persona only moments ago.
"W-we need to retreat! We're not prepared to keep fighting more and more of them!" Izuku announced, nevertheless preparing his staff should one of them opt to charge them now.
"Wait, but what about Kamoshida?!" Ryuji asked, desperation clear in his voice. "We really gonna leave it like this?!"
"We don't have the time or energy to try and push through like this! Listen to him and let's get going!" Morgana asserted as well, the faux blond biting his bottom lip in frustration. Turning back to Kamoshida, he pointed straight at him.
"Don't think we're done with ya, asshole! Once we get back to the real world, we're gonna make sure you go down! So smile all you want until the shit finally hits the fan for you!" Ryuji barked in aggravation, his words only soliciting a laugh from Kamoshida.
"Go ahead and try, trash. Once that fails, I'm sure you'll be dumb enough to come back here just to die!" Kamoshida retorted with the smuggest grin that Ryuji had ever seen.
"R-Ryuji-sempai! We've gotta go!" Izuku told him again. The faux blond grit his teeth and obeyed, turning around and sprinting alongside Izuku and Morgana. The knights gave chase, but were too slow to keep up. Sneaking into the previous room, the three made a quick escape through the ventilation shaft. It wasn't long before they were outside of the castle and in front of the gates, all taking a moment to catch their breath now that they were out of immediate danger.
"Man… that was somethin', huh?" Ryuji chuckled breathlessly, pushing off his knees to stand straight. Looking down at himself, he took a moment to regard his new attire. "Looks like I got wardrobe change, too. So… that means somethin', right?"
"I-it's part of having a Persona now, Ryuji-sempai." Izuku reminded, glancing at the door in caution. "B-but we shouldn't linger here too long. We don't know if those guards will come out soon or not."
"Oh-dude, is this a skull?!" Ryuji blurted out, hands reaching up to his face and feeling his new mask out.
"Hey, if you're gonna talk, keep it down! Guards are still around!" Morgana whisper shouted at the punk.
"Oh, right…" Ryuji finally toned down his volume, his voice falling low but just outside of a whisper. "So… I guess we go back now, right? He shouldn't remember any of this in our world, right?"
"No. It should be just like before." Izuku nodded before holding his chin in thought. "Still… to have to walk around school knowing that someone so terrible is around…" Izuku's gaze returned to the castle, a sad frown edging at his mouth. "So many people he's been hurting… I really can't think of any redeeming feature in Kamoshida-sensei."
"Well, we've got a plan for gettin' rid of him now. We should get back to rest up. We've got a longn day tomorrow." Ryuji suggested, stuffing his hands into his pockets.
"Hey, where do you two think you're going?" Morgana quickly interrupted, placing his paws on his hips. "I guided you both around as promised, now it's my turn! We made a deal, remember?" He said, his eyes now pointedly looking at Izuku.
Ryuji opened his mouth to retort, but Izuku was quick to answer first. "Morgana-san. Right now Ryuji-sempai and I are pretty tired. He just woke up his Persona, so I know he's probably as exhausted as I was. We probably couldn't do too much more even if we tried." Izuku reasoned, kneeling in front of the cat. "But I promise, once everything with Kamoshida-sensei is over, I'll do everything I can to help you. Okay?" The green haired teen gave a reassuring smile, holding out his hand to shake with the cat.
Morgana narrowed his eyes for a moment in suspicion before returning the smile, reaching out and shaking. "Alright, I guess I can trust you on that. You still have a bit to learn if you want to be a hero in the shadows, after all." Morgana chuckled, nodding in understanding. "Well then, I guess I'll see you two soon. Get some rest and do what you have to."
"Thanks for all the help, cat. You're pretty tough for bein' a cat." Ryuji snickered, reaching down and rubbing Morgana's head.
"Hey, cut that out!" He complained, waving his paws at his hand to shoo him away. "Don't treat me like a child!"
"Anyway, we'll be seein' ya. Catch ya later, cat." Ryuji waved without a care before heading to the entrance. Izuku gave a shining smile before turning and waving as well.
"We'll come back soon, Morgana-san. Later!" He called out before quickly following after Ryuji. The cat watched them depart with some thought, placing a paw on his chin.
"Hm… I wonder if I could go to their world as I am…"
XXxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxXX
It wasn't long until Ryuji and Izuku returned to their own familiar world, the two standing right in front of the school in the alley. Glancing up at the sky, Izuku could see that it was now getting close to sunset. The time spent in that world moved at the same pace as this world from what he could tell. It was the same as yesterday, after all…
"Man, I'm glad we're back…" Ryuji huffed out, leaning on the alley wall for support as he took a moment to catch his breath.
"Y-yeah… but we ended up doing a lot today. We've gotten all we can to strike out at Kamoshida-sensei, now." Izuku encouraged, offering a smile to the faux blond.
"Yeah, you're right about that. Still… sorry for draggin' you into this." Ryuji apologized, turning to Izuku with a small frown. "I know you got your own reasons for goin' over there, but I still feel kinda responsible for gettin' you guys in trouble that first time."
"N-no, Ryuji-sempai! Not at all!" Izuku shook his head in dismissal and raising his arms. "Y-you helped out the best you could and in the end, you saved us from a bad spot!" Izuku reassured before giving a gentle smile. "T-to be honest, I'm really glad that you decided to go back with me. I-it's kind of reassuring to know I've got someone who is willing to help me out, you know..?"
Ryuji felt his eyes widen a bit at that before giving a small smile of his own. "Well… I guess when you put it like that, we were both lucky to meet up when we did, huh?" Ryuji chuckled sheepishly, feeling a bit happy after listening to Izuku. "But man, I'm dead tired after all that… did you feel this way when you first summoned your Persona?"
"Y-yeah, I was pretty exhausted. I almost fell asleep in class if it wasn't for…" Izuku trailed off, remembering the whispers from before. He shook his head, turning back to Ryuji. "A-anyway, we got some useful information today. You remember all of their faces, right?"
"That's right. Tomorrow's gonna get crazy." Ryuji smiled in excitement. "If we can get at least one of those guys to fess up about what that asshole is doin', then we've got him. Kamoshida will be done. I don't feel like I really need to ask you this, but what do you say to roundin' up some confessions and people with me? Ready to put the nail in this coffin, partner?" He asked, holding a hand out toward Izuku.
The green haired teen gave a confident smile and nodded. "Of course. We'll put a stop to him no matter what!" Izuku proclaimed, reaching forward and clasping Ryuji's hand in a firm shake.
"Hell yeah, that's what I'm talkin' about! We've got this bro, you and me! We'll make him pay for everything he's done!" Ryuji returned with high energy, his grin as wide as can be. To Izuku, it was quite refreshing to have someone like Ryuji on his side. Someone he could definitely call his friend. He could be loud and a bit dense, but in the end Ryuji had a big heart. Izuku didn't mind having a partner like that.
I am thou, thou art I
Izuku watched as Ryuji was once again slowed in time, eyes widening as he once again heard that same voice. It's happening again… what is this?
Thou hast acquired a new vow.
It shall become the wings of rebellion
That breaketh thy chains of captivity.
With the birth of the Chariot Persona,
I have obtained the winds of Blessing
that shall lead to freedom and new power…
Again, a card appeared in his mind and shattered a link of chains, this time with the title of Chariot at the bottom. After the image faded, time resumed around Izuku and Ryuji released his hand.
"Well, with that settled, let's call it a day." Ryuji suggested, stuffing his hands back into his pockets. "Though… I'd hate to split up from here…" Taking a moment to think, Ryuji gave a thoughtful look. "Well, I am pretty damn hungry. Neither of us has eaten since lunch, right? Why don't we grab a bite somewhere?"
"O-oh, sure. I-I don't really know the area, though…" Izuku admitted, rubbing the back of his head.
"Don't worry about it! Come on, I know a good place we can go. And don't worry, I've got ya covered for food. Dinner's on me!" Ryuji offered, motioning for Izuku to follow.
"Wh-what? N-no, you don't have to do that-" Izuku tried to argue, only for Ryuji to wrap an arm around his shoulders and pat him on the back.
"Don't be so formal! Just let me handle it, m'kay?" Ryuji dismissed, chuckling as he basically pulled Izuku forward. "Besides, I wanna hear about your past and stuff! Not to mention I gotta tell you about the thing with me and Kamoshida."
Izuku could only surrender himself to his fate, an awkward laugh escaping his mouth as he allowed Ryuji to tow him along.
XXxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxXX
"Are you kidding me?! That asshole did all that?!"
"R-Ryuji-sempai, we're in a restaraunt…" Izuku reminded the faux blond, a small bead of sweat trailing down his brow. The two had relocated to a local beef bowl shop in Shibuya. Despite his feelings on his past, Izuku decided to be honest and tell Ryuji the entire story behind his arrest and criminal record. Needless to say, Ryuji was quite emotional after hearing the whole story.
"R-right, sorry…" Ryuji coughed, reaching forward and putting some more food in his mouth. "But still, hearing all that really pisses me off. Especially after knowing that you wanted to be a hero…"
Izuku hesitated to eat the piece in his chopsticks, eyes casting to the table blankly. "Y-yeah… i-it was hard enough being Quirkless, but… when that happened, it was over for me. There was no way I would be able to get into a hero training academy. I wanted to go to UA, too…"
Ryuji frowned after hearing that, scratching his head as he started to understand what Izuku was going through. "Well… I guess that's somethin' you could say is pretty similar between us." Izuku's eyes lifted from the table to look at Ryuji from the side. "We both had shitty adults basically steal away our futures… You wanted to be a hero, and I wanted to take my team to nationals. Hell, I was good enough that I could have gone to any college I wanted. But now… I can barely walk right when I try."
"Th-that's what Kamoshida-sensei did to you, right..?" Izuku remembered what the terrible coach said in the other world, Ryuji nodding in confirmation.
"That's right. You see, he started out as our assistant coach for the track team. Of course, to him we were just in the way. So he started training us like hell. Doin' cruel shit like runnin' us without water, doing way more than the usual reps, shit that was pushin' us all to the limit. One day, I just couldn't take it anymore and… swung on him." He sighed, scratching the top of his head. "Well, that's not the entire story… he said somethin' about my dad that ticked me off more than anything. My dad… left me and my mom when I was younger, see? So hearin' him talk shit about my personal business just… I couldn't help it."
"Y-you don't have to tell me anymore if you don't want to, Ryuji-sempai." Izuku offered, eyes full of sympathy as he watched the faux blond's mood fall a bit.
"Nah, it's cool. I owe you after everything. Plus, we're pals now. It's cool." Ryuji reassured, offering a small smirk. "But long story short, I swung on him and missed. And in 'self defense' that asshole broke my knee. Busted it up enough that he screwed up part of my Quirk. Of course, that had been his plan all along. He knew I was pretty hot headed, so Kamoshida singled me out. The prick…" He cursed to himself, shaking his head. "From then on, the team was disbanded, thanks to me. All because I couldn't stop myself. Not to mention all my former teammates hate me, too. I'm a pretty lame guy, huh?"
Izuku was silent for a moment before shaking his head. "S-someone needed to stand up to him… and had your team at least supported you, then maybe… maybe Kamoshida-sensei wouldn't still be hurting people like he is today." Izuku declared, brow furrowing seriously. "Besides, from the sound of it, even if Kamoshida-sensei didn't get you to do that, he would have found a way to take the track team out either way. B-but don't worry, Ryuji-sempai! I promise that I'll have your back from tomorrow onward!"
Ryuji smiled at that, nodding in acceptance. "I wouldn't doubt it for a second! Tomorrow, we begin our operation to take Kamoshida down. It's actually going to be a half day since there's a volleyball ralley. Recommended by Kamoshida, go figure. But this actually works out for us. We'll be able to hit up all the guys who are being hurt before school's over."
"That does work for us pretty well… hopefully we won't go totally noticed by everyone, especially Kamoshida-sensei…" Izuku muttered, holding his chin in thought. "But then again, right now we both stand out quite a bit… it probably won't take long for people to notice."
"Well, nothin' we can do about that. We'll just have to roll with those punches." Ryuji shrugged, knowing it was probably unavoidable. "Besides, even if the asshole notices, he can't expel us for just talkin' to people." Ryuji looked back at his bowl before cursing. "Ah-crap, we got into such a deep talk, my food's all cold!" He complained, taking a piece and eating it regardless of the state it was in. "Hm, still pretty good. Hey, you eat up too! You've barely touched it since we got here!"
"A-ah, okay!" Izuku nodded, quickly picking his chopsticks back up and beginning to eat. It was cold, but Izuku certainly enjoyed it. It had been a long time since he had gotten to sit down with a friend and enjoy a meal, after all.
XXxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxXX
After the two had finished their meal, they decided to head home from there, the two heading off on different trains from one another. Before they had parted ways, Ryuji had insisted that they trade numbers and chat ID's, now making the two capable of communicating from home. Izuku had to admit, he was actually quite happy with how the day had turned out, despite the danger. Not only had they secured evidence against Kamoshida, but Izuku came to accept Ryuji as a good friend. The first one he'd had in a while, to be honest. Katsuki hadn't been the only one to bully him because of his Quirkless nature.
"Tomorrow's going to be very important… I need to be ready…" Izuku muttered to himself, walking into Leblanc. Inside, Sojiro was seated at the bar, scribbling away at the newspaper crossword. Seeing him, Izuku courteously spoke up first. "H-Hello, Sakura-san."
The coffee shop keeper glanced up from the paper at him and sat up straight to regard him. "I didn't get a call today. I take it you went to school, then?"
"Y-yes, of course! I-I wasn't planning on skipping again, Sakura-san-not that I skipped on purpose the first time but-I mean-" Izuku began to sputter about again, earning a sigh from Sojiro.
"Alright, alright. Don't get so worked up over it. As long as you're staying out of trouble, it's fine by me." Sojiro relented, placing his newspaper on the bar. "You really don't seem like the type that looks for trouble, but be careful of who you associate with. Someone else could end up getting you in trouble instead."
"Y-yes, Sakura-san." Izuku nodded in understanding. A tone suddenly chimed in his pocket, Izuku blinking before reaching in and pulling out his phone. Izuku smiled, seeing that it was Ryuji who was messaging him.
Ryuji: Yo, can you see this?
Izuku: Yep!
Ryuji: Cool. Ready for tomorrow?
Izuku: D-definitely, you can count on me!
Ryuji: Great. Let's take that asshole down tomorrow, bro.
Ryuji: Also…
Ryuji: It's kinda funny that you stutter in text too lol
Izuku blanched at the final message, only able to laugh sheepishly after seeing his reply. "I should probably try to do that less when texting…"
"Already made a friend, huh?" Sojiro hummed, standing from his seat at the bar. "Well, that's good. Just make sure you don't let them drag you along into something that'll cause trouble, alright?"
"G-got it. Ryuji-sempai is a good guy, so it should be okay." Izuku reassured, though couldn't stop a bit of sweat from building up on his brow. Though in only two days, we've both come close to dying in another world…
"Well, you seem to have things under control, for now. I'm gonna head home." Sojiro informed him, turning around and heading for the door. "I'm gonna lock up. I don't think you really would, but I'd rather you don't walk around too late."
"U-understood. I'm just going to head to bed." Izuku said, already taking steps toward the attic stairs. "I'll see you in the morning, Sakura-san." he waved goodbye, his temporary guardian nodding before taking his leave. Izuku headed up the stairs and stood at the center of his room. Looking around, for once having a clear mind, he realized how empty it felt in comparison to his old room.
"Mom did send all my old posters…" Izuku hummed, walking over to the shelf and pulling out the box of his old stuff. He hadn't been in the mood to look at any of them before, but now with his spirits up, Midoriya felt like doing a bit of decorating. After all, he had finally gotten his chance back. He still had a lot to learn from Morgana, and the world wouldn't know his name or who he was, but he could still help those who needed it.
Today, Izuku discovered that he could still be a hero.
XXxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxXX
"Wake up, prisoner. Our master wishes to speak."
Izuku had been so caught up in his own determination for the next day, he hadn't thought about whether he would be summoned again. Sitting up from the bunk, Izuku rubbed his eyes open before standing up and walking over to the bars. It bothered him that even though this was a dream he still felt exhaustion.
"Welcome back, trickster." Igor greeted, his voice not particularly welcoming to the ear. "I wished to continue our conversation from your last visit. I'm sure you have a great deal to ask us after your latest endeavor in the cognitive world."
"Y-yeah, I do have a question of my own, too…" Izuku admitted, though he figured that was most likely what this visit was about.
"Of course. But before that, how are you finding your accommodations? Are you becoming used to this place?" Igor asked, leaning forward on his linked hands.
"W-well… it was pretty hard to accept at first, but… after everything I've seen it's really hard to still be totally thrown off by this place." Izuku admitted, glancing around the room of cells.
"That is good. This place is designed for your rehabilitation, after all. Your rehabilitation is aimed to determine if you can avoid ruin. But to do that, you will need more than your power alone." Igor continued, hand waving in the air. "I'm sure you have experienced it, having made two partnerships in one day. Both with the same power, no less. I was a bit surprised you were able to achieve both arcanas, but that is nonetheless encouraging."
"Partnerships..?" Izuku muttered, raising a brow before it clicked. "O-oh, that strange declaration I kept hearing… when I made a deal with Ryuji-sempai and Morgana-san. What was that?"
"The formation of these bonds will play a great role in the progression of your recovery. You've done well." Igor declared, though it still cleared up little as far as Izuku's confusion goes. "That said, I am not encouraging the formation of superficial relationships. They must be genuine threads linking you together with those willing to lend your their strength, beit by morals or faith. They will be bonds forged from a similar relation to you, those who have lost the place they once belonged to."
"S-so… making friends is supposed to make my Persona stronger..?" Izuku guessed as best he could, though having trouble figuring out exactly how that would make a difference.
"Personas are the strength of heart." Justine suddenly spoke, most likely seeing his confusion. "And with the formation of stronger bonds, your Personas will also grow with them."
Izuku blinked at that. "W-wait, but… I only have one Persona." He suggested, earning a small huff from Caroline on his left.
"Be quiet and wait until we're done talking, inmate!" She snapped at him, Izuku flinching back instinctively from the small warden. "On that note, you better make a lot of friends! There are plenty of people around who are better than you in different areas!"
"She is right. You must be prepared to use even me, or else your ambition will not come to fruition. After all, a hero can only be as good as those who support them, hm?" Igor chuckled, his words starting to sink in. Izuku had mixed feelings about using a friendship merely to gain power, but he also said that it wasn't going to work with something fake.
"I… understand." Izuku nodded, deciding that there was no use in arguing over the logic of Igor's words. He doubted that the long nosed man would even grace the conversation with an answer, anyways.
"Good. We have a deal, then." Igor chuckled, accepting Izuku's words. In a flash before Izuku's eyes, the chains appeared once again, causing him to blink in shock.
I am thou, thou art I
Thou hast acquired a new vow.
It shall become the wings of rebellion
That breaketh thy chains of captivity.
With the birth of the Fool Persona,
I have obtained the winds of Blessing
that shall lead to freedom and new power…
Izuku heard the chains break and the card form again. Time resumed quickly afterwards, though Igor and the twins seemed to be watching him expectantly. "Th-that was… but all we did was-"
"A bond may not start between people simply through friendship. Sometimes a bond is formed through common interest. You might find this more evident as you continue to form more of them." Igor dismissed, chuckling at Izuku's surprise. "In due time, you will be able to understand all. Just continue to devote yourself to your rehabilitation."
Izuku opened his mouth, but Caroline was quick to silence him. "This conversation is over. Now get lost, inmate!" The green haired teen could only face fault at her dismissal before returning to his bunk.
XXxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxXX
"Pretty borin', huh?" Ryuji sighed, back leaned against the wall. The day had flown by thanks to the assembly, Izuku and Ryuji now sitting along the wall of the gymnasium. In front of them, the teachers were currently playing a game of volley ball against the students. Kamoshida, of course, was outshining the rest of them. He had been spiking the ball on his students more than a few times already. Hard enough that some of the student's could barely muster up strength to stop the ball.
"I'm surprised that you decided to come here for the assembly, Ryuji-sempai." Izuku admitted, glancing at his senior. "You didn't want to start questioning people yet?"
"We have to make some kinda appearance at the assembly. After a bit, we can leave thankfully." Ryuji admitted, grumbling as he leaned forward on his hand. His eyes skimmed over the crowd of students, eyes finally landing on Takamaki. She was currently playing with her hair, disinterest in the game quite evident as well. "Still sticks out like a sore thumb, huh? She hasn't changed a bit."
"Huh? Who?" Izuku blinked, following his line of sight to Takamaki before raising a brow in question. "W-wait, you two know each other?"
"A bit. We were friends in middle school, but we haven't talked much since high school since we got put in separate classes." Ryuji explained with a shrug. "Still, I can't believe that she would date that asshole."
"I-I'm sure there's more to it than we know." Izuku suggested, eyes shifting back to Kamoshida. "When I saw them talking… she didn't look like she wanted anything to do with him…"
"Well, whatever the case, I guess it doesn't matter." Ryuji sighed, eyes turning back to the game. "Once we've got Kamoshida for the abuse, he'll be gone. I'm sure she'll drop his ass faster than a hammer."
"Heads up!" Ryuji and Izuku watched as Kamoshida spiked the ball particularly hard, the ball flying straight into one of the student player's face. The force was enough to knock him off his feet, the teen falling flat on his back. Izuku flinched at the impact, sympathetic pain filling him just from watching.
"Hey, are you alright?" Kamoshida asked, quickly ducking under the net to run over to the student. Izuku noted that the teen in question was fairly plain looking by a lot of standards, even more so than him. Short black hair, plain complexion.
"How much you wanna bet that was on purpose?" Ryuji clicked his tongue irritably, glaring at Kamoshida's back as he picked up a volleyball by his feet. "He'll get his. We're gonna make sure of that." He tossed the ball back to the court, one of the students picking it up. "Come on. We've been here long enough. Let's get goin'."
"Yeah." Izuku agreed, the two pulling up to their feet before walking out of the gymnasium. "So where should we start?"
"Well, we've got a couple guys to work with. Most of the ones that were slaves were in my year, from what I could tell. Though I wouldn't rule out any of the other members." Ryuji hummed, holding his chin in thought. "'Guess we'll start with one of the students in my year. Come on, I know what class to start with."
It wasn't long until Ryuji and Izuku arrived at the second floor, the room they were looking for quikly in sight. The classrooms were generally open, students who didn't attend the volleyball meet still loitering inside. Ryuji led Izuku inside, not bothering to pay any mind to the students inside as he scanned the room. "There he is." Ryuji pointed out a student in the back. He wore glasses and bandages across his face, Izuku paling at the sight.
"Alright, all we gotta do is make him fess up to the abuse. You ready?" Ryuji asked, turning to Izuku in question.
"Y-yeah, but we should be careful how we approach him with it, though…" Izuku suggested, biting his bottom lip. "I-if he really is too afraid to talk, forcing it out of him won't work."
"Yeah, I get what you mean." Ryuji nodded, holding his chin in thought. "So how about we take a 'good cop, bad cop' approach? Obviously I'll be bad cop then you can come in and be all nice. Sound good?"
"W-wait, don't act too bad, though!" Izuku stuttered, scratching his head. "I mean-"
"Look, man. Bein' nice about it is fine and all, but we gotta be pretty straight forward about it." Ryuji suggested, stuffing his hands in his pockets. "Some people need a little pressure before they spill, ya know?"
Izuku took a moment to consider this. He didn't like the idea of forcing it out of people, but Ryuji might be right. If they act too nice about it, the victims might just dismiss them by avoiding the question all together. "A-alright, we'll do it your way…"
"Awesome. Let's do it, then." Ryuji nodded before turning forward and heading straight for the student. Izuku hesitated for a moment, not exactly sure whether they were approaching this the right way or not. Izuku was good at figuring ways out of a mess quickly, but when it came to social interaction, he wasn't exactly the most charming.
"Hey." Ryuji called out, deciding to take the lead. "Got a sec?"
"Huh? Me?" The injured student replied dumbly, blinking at Ryuji in question.
"Yeah. I wanted to find out about those bruises." Ryuji said, wasting no time to get to the point.
"M-my bruises? They're just from practice…" The teen answered warily, hoping to dismiss the conversation.
"Are you sure it was just 'practice' and not Kamoshida abusin' you?" Ryuji bluntly stated, panic quickly covering the teen's face.
"Wh-wha-where'd you get that idea?!" The victim replied defensively as he took a step back from Ryuji.
"W-wait, calm down, it's okay." Izuku spoke up this time, walking up and acting far gentler than his companion. "W-we just want to know what Kamoshida-sensei is doing to you and the rest of the volleyball team. W-we know that he's abusing people…"
"Y-you know..?" The teen muttered, his guard slightly dropping at Izuku's words.
"Yeah. We just need some of you guys to come out and talk about it. We won't tell that asshole who, but-" Ryuji began, only for the player to sigh.
"So you guys don't have any proof…" He muttered, shaking his head. "Just leave me alone… I've got nothin' to say about abuse or whatever… it's nonsense."
"B-but the abuse can stop! Don't you want to-" Izuku tried to urge, only for the teen to snap back.
"You guys don't know anything! Just leave me alone!" he retorted harshly, crossing his arms as he shut his eyes as if trying to ignore their presence. Izuku's shoulders slumped in disappointment before looking toward Ryuji, the faux blond frowning at their defeat.
"Alright. Come on, let's get outta here." Ryuji relented, turning around and starting to leave. Izuku peered back at the battered teen before sighing, following after Ryuji who stopped just outside of the classroom.
"Damn it, just how afraid of him can he be?! If we can get him with this abuse stuff, Kamoshida won't be able to do that shit anymore!" Ryuji snapped in irritation, rubbing his hair.
"I-it may be more than that, Ryuji-sempai…" Izuku muttered, eyes cast to the ground as he tried to think about the possibilities. "St-still… he looked so hurt… how could anyone just take it and not say anything…" His thoughts went to Bakugo's bullying after such a statement. "... actually, I take that back…"
"Huh?" Ryuji blinked in confusion.
"N-nothing, w-we should think of what to do next…." Izuku dismissed, waving his hands dramatically in front of him. "W-we have a few more people to try, right?"
"Yeah, a few. We could technically ask the whole team, but we should probably stick with just who we saw in there." Ryuji suggested, turning to start walking through the hall. "Come on. I know where they should be hangin' at."
"R-right…" Izuku nodded, following after Ryuji quickly. As the two walked, a random thought occurred to Izuku, the green haired teen blinking. "Um… Kamoshida-sensei coaches the girl team too, right?"
"What?" Ryuji blinked, raising a brow as he looked back at the green haired teen. "I mean, yeah, he does. Why do you ask?"
Izuku's gaze fell to the ground as he held his chin in thought. "I-it's nothing, just that… we didn't see any girls in the dungeon, right?"
Ryuji stopped in his tracks for a moment, looking up as he started to remember back to both visits. "I… guess you're right, huh? But he did have that pervy version of Takamaki-san there. Do you think that means somethin'?"
Izuku was silent as he tried to sort this out in his head. "W-well… it could mean that his primary targets of abuse are the male volleyball players…"
"W-well, that's somewhat good at least, right?" Ryuji reasoned half heartedly. It would be depressing to hear that girls fell victim to such brutal abuse like the others did.
"I guess… but the other possibility is that they were just in another part of the castle…" Izuku reasoned, weighing each idea in his head. In all honesty, he'd prefer the former, but with someone like Kamoshida, it wasn't smart to put too much stock in the idea.
"Oh… yeah…" Ryuji trailed off, a frown falling on his lips. "Damn it… there's no knowing what that asshole is fully capable of, huh? Come on, let's hurry up and see who else might be willin' to talk."
"Y-yeah…" Izuku muttered, the two continuing forward. He subconsciously gulped, sweat starting to trail down his eyebrow. I really hope he hasn't gone that far…
XXxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxXX
To say that things weren't going well would be an understatement. Izuku and Ryuji had been similarly shot down the same as with the first victim over and over again. Deciding to try and cover more ground quicker, Izuku and Ryuji split up to talk to more students who were mentioned in rumors. With each encounter, Izuku realized just how beat up all of them were. Some wore casts on their legs, bandages across their faces and similar such injuries. Each time, Izuku felt the pit in his stomach start to deepen. What was worse was alone, it was much harder to get anyone to pay him any mind. At least Ryuji could speak without getting nervous, but the green haired teen couldn't help but sputter every time he approached one of the victims. Surprisingly, though, that wasn't what steered people away so far. Those that he approached thought it was just some act due to his record. Izuku had never been feared before, not like this. Some people might hope for such a reputation, but it definitely wasn't something Izuku enjoyed. How could he help anyone if he was scaring them off?
"Not a single person would talk…" Izuku muttered to himself. Both having unsuccessful attempts, Izuku and Ryuji agreed to meet in the courtyard by the vending machines. Feeling a bit thirsty, Izuku decided to help himself to a drink. "Where do we go from here..?"
"Hey!" Izuku nearly dropped the drink in his hand, fumbling it in the air before catching it desperately. With a sigh of relief, he looked back nervously to see Takamaki standing there staring directly at him.
"M-me?" Izuku meekly asked, shakily pointing at himself.
"Yeah. I wanna talk for a sec. It'll be quick." Takamaki tried to reassure, though it did little to help Izuku's nervousness. His face became a mountain of sweat, eyes cast to the side as he avoided eye contact with the twin tailed blond.
"S-s-sure… wh-what is it?" Izuku struggled to say, hands shaking as he raised his drink to his mouth.
Takamaki raised a brow in question, unsure why the green haired teen was acting so nervous. "Uh… are you okay?"
"Y-ye-yeah! I-I f-felt a chill!" Izuku lied, continuing to sputter as he talked. Takamaki scratched the top of her head in question.
"Oh… well, sorry about that. Anyway, I just wanted to say I heard you and Sakamoto have been talking to people." She said, cutting to the chase. "Not to mention the rumor going around about you. Just a first year and you've already got a lot of attention."
A cloud hovered overhead above Izuku, the obvious rumor of course rearing it's head. "I… we were just-"
"Hey, lay off him, would you?" Izuku glanced back up to see Ryuji approach, glaring slightly at Takamaki. "Guy's already a nervous wreck, you don't gotta make it worse."
"Th-thanks, Ryuji-sempai…" Izuku mumbled dejectedly, once again feeling downcast.
"We're just talking. You're the one who should lay off." The twin tailed blonde retorted, placing a hand on her hip. "Besides, since when are you going out of your way to look out for a junior of ours?"
"We just… ended up becomin' friends, is all. Nothin' really to it." Ryuji shrugged, the circumstances of their first meeting causing him to stumble a bit.
"Well, either way, you two need to back off. Whatever you're trying to pull with Kamoshida, it won't work." Takamaki warned, eyes narrowing at the faux blond.
"Huh? What do you know about it?" Ryuji blinked in surprise.
"You guys have been walking around talking to people about Kamoshida. Of course everyone knows." Takamaki continued. "I'm just giving you both a heads up. Whatever you're doing, give it a rest."
"B-but Takamaki-sempai…" Izuku suddenly spoke up, turning her attention to him. Just from her gaze, Izuku had trouble not reverting back to his previous flustered state. Clearing his throat, he tried to remain as composed as he possibly could. "D-don't you feel like… something is strange with Kamoshida-sensei?"
"Strange? H-how do you mean?" Takamaki blinked. Despite her question, she didn't seem completely confused by his statement.
"I-I saw you talking with Kamoshida-sensei once… and the way you acted when you got in his car…" Izuku mentioned, the twin tailed blonde slightly widening her eyes. "Y-you… don't look like you want to be anywhere near him… is he… doing something to you, too?"
Takamaki's eyes were wide as plates before anger and desperation bubbled forth. "Y-you don't know anything about it!" The volume of her voice had increased considerably, causing Izuku to flinch and Ryuji to blink in shock.
"H-hey! Don't take it out on him!" Ryuji stepped forward between them, though his eyes looked more sympathetic. "Look, whatever that asshole is doin', you can tell us. We're just tryin' to-"
"L-look, I just came here to tell you guys to stop." Takamaki sighed, shutting her eyes for a moment as she seemed to calm down a bit. "I'm sorry for yelling like that, I just… I'm not feeling good." She shot Izuku a slightly apologetic look before turning away. "Just… stop whatever you're trying against Kamoshida… no one's going to help you." With that, the two teens watched as she walked away, a look of remorse covering Izuku's expression.
"I… didn't mean to upset her like that…" Izuku mumbled, scratching the back of his head.
"Nah, it's fine. If anything, that just confirms he's probably just tryin' to use her." Ryuji tried to reassure. "Still, she's aggressive as ever. She was the same way in middle school. But man, that reaction you got outta her tells us a bit, don't you think?"
"Y-yeah… she has her own reasons for being close with Kamoshida-sensei…" Izuku nodded, biting his lower lip. "But still… if she's not willing to tell us about it, it doesn't help…"
"Yeah, true that…" Ryuji relented, huffing in defeat. "Well, I've got one more lead to follow up on. Remember that kid that got spiked in the face? His name's Mishima. He's part of Takamaki's class, too. Apparently he's been gettin' some 'special coaching' from Kamoshida as well."
"Y-you think he'll talk, though?" Izuku muttered, a small frown falling on his lips. "Everyone so far has been avoiding everything I ask… I-I'm not saying we should give up, but…"
"Doesn't hurt to try, at least. Right now, gettin' people to fess up to the abuse is all we can really do, ya know?" Ryuji shrugged, stuffing his hands into his pockets. "Maybe tomorrow we can try to think of somethin' else, but until then let's go with what we've got."
Izuku couldn't argue with that. Right now, they were low on options. Nodding in agreement, the two walked forward, heading for the front of school. If they were lucky, they could head off the injured boy before he could take off for the day. Even if we can't get him to confess, maybe we can still learn something from him…
"Midori." Izuku felt himself stiffen as he heard the familiar nickname, turning ever so slightly around to see Makoto standing a short ways behind him. She wore a small glare as she looked at him, arms crossed as she tapped her arm.
"K-Koto-san…" Izuku laughed sheepishly as he turned back to his old friend. He knew that look anywhere. She was definitely getting ready to admonish him for something.
"Uh what's goin' on?" Ryuji asked, having hesitated with Izuku when he realized he was being called out.
"I would like a word with Midori-Midoriya-san…" Makoto cleared her throat, trying to sound less casual this time. "Would you mind giving us a moment, Sakamoto-san?"
Uh… sure…" Ryuji bit his lip, not sure if he should leave or not as he looked at Izuku.
"I-it's okay… you should go on ahead and do what we said…" Izuku suggested to the faux blond. Ryuji only hesitated for a moment before nodding, turning around and heading for the main entrance of the school. Turning back to Makoto, Izuku could only laugh sheepishly as he approached Makoto.
"S-so… what's going on, Koto-san?" Izuku asked, trying to act as casual as he could. Obviously, he was failing quite a bit.
"I've received a few complaints about the new transfer student bothering some students with questions. Mind explaining what's going on?" Makoto cut straight to the chase, Izuku gulping as sweat started to build up on his brow.
D-damn, I'm not sure if I should tell Koto-san… Izuku mused to himself. It wasn't that he didn't trust Makoto with what was going on. It was the opposite, in fact. He would love to have her help in this matter. The problem was that he wasn't sure that he wanted to burden Makoto with everything that was going on. Kamoshida was sure to be looking at him and Ryuji now considering the fact that they were asking questions about him. He'd hate to get her in trouble should something happen.
"I-it's nothing… I-"
"You rarely ever did anything involving others without a reason. I don't buy that." Makoto cut him off, causing Izuku to flinch at the statement. Still, Izuku elected to remain silent. Seeing this, the third year student president sighed. "Look, Midori, I… I'm not trying to be hard. I know it's been a long time since you last saw me, but… don't be afraid to rely on me, okay?"
Izuku's eyes widened at that, feeling a bit regretful that he was keeping this secret from her. It was definitely a fact that Izuku was terrible at keeping secrets from his friends. "... Koto-san… what if I told you that… a teacher at this school was… the one who leaked my criminal record?"
Makoto widened her eyes at that, the weight of his words catching her off guard. "Wh-what? Midori, why would-"
"A-and that same teacher… is abusing students… all for his own amusement?" Izuku forced himself to finish, his hands gripping nervously at his side. Makoto seemed quite appalled by such an insinuation, a bead of sweat rolling down her cheek. Izuku wasn't the type to make up stories.
"Midori…" Makoto spoke slowly, staying collected as she spoke as her expression became serious. "I want you to think very carefully about what you just said. That is very dangerous territory to be treading on. Accusing a teacher of abusing students is no small thing."
"I-I know it's not, but…" Izuku released a sigh, trying to compose himself enough to focus as he straightened up, looking at Makoto with a more determined expression. "This teacher… they're hurting students. I know it's true. And today, Ryuji-sempai and I have been trying to get people to admit to it. But… no such luck… they're all afraid of him…" His expression fell at that, eyes cast back to the floor.
Makoto took a moment to think over his words. Izuku might have jumped head first when it came to saving people, but he never did so under false pretense. Casting her gaze down, Makoto began to struggle with the idea that a teacher at her school would actually be doing something so callous. But if Izuku was this serious about it, how could she doubt him?
Makoto took a deep breath before nodding, reaching out and gently placing a gloved hand on his shoulder. "Okay. If you're this serious about it, I'll believe you." Makoto declared, her words causing Izuku to brighten with hope. "And if what you're saying is true, I'd hate to be useless to help students in physical danger. How can I help?"
Izuku felt a small smile edge at the corners of his mouth. "Koto-san…" He muttered before shaking his head and nodding. "R-right now, I'm not sure how much I can ask you to do, but… please keep an open ear. Right now, Ryuji-sempai and I are doing what we can with what we know, but if you're really willing to help us, I'll let you know if I come up with something."
Makoto smiled, feeling happy that Izuku was able to place that familiar trust in her from so long ago. "Okay, then. I'll try to think up something on my side, as well. But first and foremost, who exactly is the teacher you're looking into?"
Izuku's brow furrowed seriously, his smile replaced by a frown of conviction. "Kamoshida-sensei… he's abusing the volleyball team and is the one who leaked my criminal record."
"Kamoshida-sensei..?" Makoto repeated in a bit of shock. She hadn't partaken in any sports, so her interactions with the coach minimal. "He seemed decent before, but… I suppose that I haven't interacted with him very much…"
"He's… he's a terrible person, Koto-san…" Izuku muttered, hands gripping again anxiously. "W-we don't have any proof, but… Ryuji-sempai was set up for failure. He goaded him because he knew Ryuji-sempai would act out, that way he could break his leg without getting questioned. All because he thought that the track team was in the way…"
"Wh-what?" Makoto muttered in shock, a hand covering her mouth. "He went that far..?"
"Yes… and he'll keep hurting and exploiting people if we don't do anything… we have to stop him, Koto-san…" Izuku reaffirmed. His eyes became softer though, his expression becoming more gentle as he spoke. "I-I don't want to get you into trouble by involving you in this, but… if we could get your help in stopping him… that would mean a lot…"
Makoto swallowed at his words. She knew she could trust Izuku. Despite how terrible it would be to find out exactly how much of what he said was real, she knew that Izuku wasn't an idiot or a liar. Nodding, Makoto strengthened her resolve. "Okay… count me in."
Izuku felt his grin return before giving a hard nod. "Alright. Thank you, Koto-san. When I have more to tell you, I will. But for now, I think I need to regroup with Ryuji-sempai, okay?"
"Alright then… perhaps while I'm at it, I'll try and ask around as well. Maybe something will slip up." Makoto agreed, holding her chin in thought. "I'll be sure to keep you in the loop."
"Of course. Again, thank you, Koto-san. It… it really makes me feel better to know you're on our side." Izuku's grin brightened further. Makoto returned the smile, nodding in understanding.
"I'm glad I can be of help. Especially to you, Midori." She chuckled. Izuku felt a familiar sense of trust return to him. It was the same as what he felt when they were only children. He looked up to Makoto for her strength and conviction, and he could see that it was still within her.
Once more, time slowed around him and the chains came into view.
I am thou, thou art I
Thou hast acquired a new vow.
It shall become the wings of rebellion
That breaketh thy chains of captivity.
With the birth of the Priestess Persona,
I have obtained the winds of Blessing
that shall lead to freedom and new power…
Izuku felt a bit appreciative that the vow was recited in his ear once again. Not because of the power it supposedly granted, but because of the rekindling of their friendship. He continued to smile as time resumed, watching as Makoto started to move again.
"Oh, before you go though, we should get each other's numbers." Makoto suggested, pulling out her cellphone. "If we're going to be partners in this, we should be able to keep in touch."
"O-oh, you're right… okay…" Izuku nodded, quickly fumbling in his pocket for his phone and pulling it out. The two quickly exchanged call ID's and numbers, now fully capable of communicating.
"Alright, I think you should get going. I'm sure Sakamoto-san is waiting for you." Makoto suggested, turning around to leave. "I've got a few things of my own to do, but… thank you for speaking with me, Midori."
"O-of course! Th-thank you for listening, Koto-san!" Izuku nodded, watching as the older brunette departed down the hallway. After a moment or two to process though, Izuku felt his face slowly start to drip with sweat and turn a rosy red. "W-w-wait, di-did I just exchange a number with a… girl?" Just from uttering those words, Izuku's face lit up like a christmas tree. He shook his head furiously, hands gripping his hair as he tried to destroy the thought.
"Th-this is different! K-Koto-san has always been different…" Izuku told himself, the mantra doing surprisingly well to calm him down. Makoto had always been a separate case from most girls to Izuku. Why? Probably because of the conditions of how they met and his original impression of her. As they grew as friends, Izuku had been able to act quite normally around her in contrast to the nervous wreck he becomes around other girls.
"Hey…" Izuku snapped out of his thoughts when he heard a voice call out, quickly turning around to see Ryuji approaching him. The faux blond looked rather dejected, a heavy frown on his face.
"I'm… guessing it didn't go very well?" Izuku muttered knowingly, Ryuji releasing a deep sigh in answer.
"Worse than that. When I was talkin' to Mishima, I almost got somethin' outta him. But then Kamoshida showed up." Ryuji explained, Izuku's eyes widening when he heard that. "The bastard even pressured Mishima into going to practice even after spiking him in the face. But… that wasn't even the worst of it…"
"Wh-what? Worse how?" Izuku asked, afraid that Kamoshida might have pulled some strings just to get them in trouble. At this point, he would be surprised by such a conspiracy.
"From what Mishima said… everyone knows." Izuku stiffened at Ryuji's answer. "The principal, the parents… everyone knows about the abuse, but aren't sayin' anything!"
"Wh-what? But why… why would they…" Izuku began to mutter and then it hit him. Kamoshida was the king of the school thanks to his success as a coach who got his team to nationals. For the school, it was because a teacher was able to give them renown through a sport. For the parents, it acts as some sort of 'security' in the child's future. Not that any of those were even close to good enough to excuse Kamoshida's actions in any way.
Still, Izuku didn't want to believe that such was the case. In this society where justice prevailed over such evils, what kind of adults would let such cruelty reign? "K-Kamoshida-sensei… maybe he lied to those he's hurting… convinced them that their parents a-and the principal don't care what happens to them..?" Izuku tried to reason.
Ryuji looked almost as reluctant as he did. It was hard to wrap your head around such a terrible concept when the people who were supposed to help you ended up turning a blind eye. "I… I don't know, man… I don't know who to believe on that one…"
Silence fell between the two as they processed the information. They hadn't gained any proof, and what was worse it seemed like they wouldn't be getting any from the students. Sure, Izuku had secured Makoto's aid, but would that be enough?
"Let's just… call it a day from here, yeah?" Ryuji suggested, his voice low on energy. "Tomorrow I got a couple guys we can still hit up about the abuse, but after that… I dunno…"
Izuku glanced back up at Ryuji and gave a somber nod. "Okay… I'll try to think up something tonight… hopefully sleeping on it might help…" he muttered, though there was little hope in his words. With that, the two went their separate ways, their failure to gain any evidence weighing on them for the rest of the day.
To be continued…
Alright, finally done! I was afraid that I wouldn't be able to get this chapter done by Tuesday night (which technically I didn't since it's past midnight lol) but thankfully I was able to get it done!
Quick reminder though, starting this week I have finally started college again, so my updates will not be nearly as consistent as they have been. I'm going to try and write at the same time, but considering that I'm likely to have fairly busy weeks coming up, don't count on them being out as quickly as they have been through summer.
This chapter was quite a bit longer in content than I was shooting for, but I think that's fine considering the note I'm leaving you all on. Hopefully, like my first semester did, my class will continue to motivate me to keep writing as often as I did through summer the same way.
Anyways, I hope you all enjoyed the chapter, please leave me a follow, a favorite and a review if you'd be so kind!