Chapter 2: Fractured
"Come home Izuku, your mother is waiting."
Never had a simple saying brought Izuku Midoriya to the brink of utter panic. All sorts of questions were running through his mind. Is his mother safe? What does that man want? Who is that man and how does he know about me? Why isn't he home yet?!
When the video finished Izuku didn't hesitate for a moment and raced out of the dorms. He then made a beeline for his house using all the strength he can muster to get home as soon as possible. Whether it was by instinct or Izuku's concern for his mother the quirk One for All within his body naturally activated and boosted the strength into his legs to increase his running. The cool night air breeze flew by Izuku's panic stricken face as he dash home with blistering speeds that could rival a bullet train. With so much speed coursing in Izuku's body the very pavement under his feet would brittle and crack as Izuku raced down the streets of Musutafu.
"Please be safe." Izuku repeated over and over in his mind as he rounded a corner that led to his old neighborhood. What sliver of hope he had quickly faded when he spotted several police cars parked in front of the apartment complex where he lives at. In front of where he AND his mom live.
"No…please…no."
The familiar tears started to roll down Izuku's face. Fear replaced with utter despair like someone's favorite TV show being cancelled to the hundredth degree. One of Izuku's biggest fears he wished never to happen since becoming a hero, losing a loved one. Heroes had to be willing to make sacrifices and accept lost. But not like this, anything but this.
Izuku stumbles his way towards his apartment. His vision is partially obscured by the blaring lights of nearby police cruisers but it didn't compare to the anguish that clouded his mind. Before he could reach the top of the stairs towards the front door three men emerge from his apartment. Two of the men being a police officer and the other man not dressed in police uniform but a simple brown coat and fedora. Izuku recognizes him to be Naomasa Tsukauchi, a detective and close friend of All Might's.
A third man emerged from behind the duo, someone Izuku was glad to see despite the circumstances. Izuku's homeroom teacher and pro hero Shota Aizawa, hero alias Eraserhead. Detective Tsukauchi was the first to notice Izuku on the steps, a pit of guilt welling up inside the detective on realizing the young man is about to endure another devastating blow since living the hero life.
"Oh dear. Shota, I'm sorry to leave you like this but this is something you should share." Tsukauchi said as he led his fellow officer away back inside Izuku's home. The way the detective sounded dismissive but almost like he wanted to avoid Izuku brought further terror in Izuku's chest when something caught his attention inside the home. Red. And a lot of it.
Izuku attempted to peer past the officers to get a better glimpse inside of his home only for his view to be blocked by the front door suddenly closing thanks to Aizawa.
"Young Midoriya." Aizawa started, his tone sounding exhausted. However Izuka caught a hint of guilt blended in Aizawa's voice as if he was trying his hardest to not express his emotions. Izuku couldn't tell by the pro hero's demeanor but something's clawing at Aizawa. And it didn't ease the young hero's worries.
"Please sensei." Izuku begged, his tears failing to stay hidden. "Please tell me she's okay."
Aizawa struggled to look into his student's eyes. It's never easy to tell anyone you've failed as a hero. But to do so to a student in his class wasn't something the pro hero could ever prepare for.
Izuku could clearly see the unease on Aizawa's face and demanded a second time. It was no use to avoid the topic. Shota couldn't do this to any student, especially one that's in his class. But it's better now than to prolong someone's suffering. The pro hero gave in as he thought carefully on what to say. Shota let out a deep sign before facing Izuku with an apologetic look. This wasn't what Izuku wanted to see. Especially from someone cool headed as Eraserhead.
"Midoriya…I…I offer you my sincere apologies. Your mother…"
The dorms erupting in a state of panic would've been an understatement. The moment Izuku sprinted out of the building all hell broke out as everyone inside thought the building was under attack by a group of villains. Chaos engulfed the students' dorms and it took the combination of Iida and Yaoyorozu's shouting to calm their fellow classmates. Relief eventually flooded in for everyone. All but the individuals who witnessed the cryptic video of Izuku's mother held hostage by an unknown assailant. It didn't take long for the panic to roar again once it was revealed about the video and the predicament Izuku's mother's in. The situation couldn't be farther from disastrous.
Uraraka didn't waste a moment and went after Izuku. Iida wanted to chase after her but his focus is to report the video footage to the UA staff and police. Yaoyorozu took it upon herself to call their homeroom teacher and hero Eraserhead. At the same time Iida rushes out of the dorms in search for any of the UA staff.
Being past 11 at night class 1A's representative is bound to run into a teacher. Late hours such as these usually call for a teacher/pro hero or two patrolling around the campus grounds to ensure the safety of the UA students. And making certain students are not up and about creating mischief.
After adjusting his glasses Iida races towards the main offices of UA's campus. Though he didn't need to travel far. To Iida's joy he runs into the school's math teacher and pro hero Ectoplasm approaching Class 1A's dorms. The Duplicating Hero's facial expressions showed no sign of emotion but his heavy breathing sounding just a frantic as the state of Iida's mind.
"Tenya Iida!" Ectoplasm said after catching his breath. "Why is Izuku Midoriya running off at night? As your classroom's representative I expected you to make certain that-"
"Nevermind that Sensai!" Iida shouted over his teacher's question. Never in his wildest dreams would he dare interrupt or raise his voice towards his teacher or anyone of higher authority above his. He believes a time like this is an exception given the magnitude of what has transpired. He can only pray there's still time to stop Izuku from doing something reckless but importantly saving Izuku's mother from the unknown villain. After taking a deep breath to recollect his thoughts Iida yelled:
"Midoriya's mother has been kidnapped by a villain! Izuku's running home to his mother as we speak!"
"Wait what?!" Ectoplasm shouted, now sharing Iida's worry. "Are you certain?"
"I swear this is not a jest. We have video footage of this heinous act."
Ectoplasm raised his hand to stop Iida for a moment to absorb this new information. The amount of problems on hand is already mountainous with the League of Villains. If word spreads that a student's parent has been kidnapped from the staff's negligence the ever hungry media will be on UA's case for eternity. The problems continue to mount when Ectoplasm's phone goes off. A text. A quick scan later Ectoplasm's hand with his phone slowly drop to his side. Iida could almost see the pro hero shuttering a tad bit. What could've he received to put such a hero in a state like this?
"Oh no." Ectoplasm muttered. The situation continued to grow dire with each pressing second as Ectoplasm pondered on the next course of action. The hero calls for Iida's attention with a set orders in mind.
"Okay young Tenya, stay in the dorms and watch over your classmates. Make sure they STAY there until we can ascertain more of the situation. I'll gather some help and go after Izuku." Ectoplasm ordered.
"But sir I-"
"No objections Tenya Iida. I don't find anything false in your claim but we can't chance it if this villain is using this panic as a means of another motive."
"Motive? What do you mean Sensai?"
"Not now Mr. Iida. Go and look over your classmates. I will be back"
Iida didn't get another chance to speak another word as Ectoplasm calls upon the school's guidance counselor and pro hero Hound Dog to guard the students of Class 1A Dorms while Ectoplasm chases after Izuku. More specifically to make sure any of the students wouldn't dare to run off into danger without supervision. The students may be heroes in training but not all of them had proper training on handling hostage situations. It would make sense for Ectoplasm to make this decision as Iida thought on the hero's orders. The other possibility he could think of from is a potential attack on the students. Iida and his classmates are no strangers to villain attacks given their current track record. But whether the latter is true or not Iida could only dread on what's on Izuku's mind and Ms Midoriya's well being.
That being said Iida turns back towards the dorms under the watchful eye of Hound Dog. The hero by all means has more characteristics of a villain than a hero. Even meters away Iida shutters from the feral-like intimidation the hero emits.
"Move it." Hound Dog barked out almost menacingly.
Tenya Iida sees no reason to object and hurries on back inside. Despite Hound Dog's gruff nature his heart is in the right place. Iida can't hold it against the hero for doing his job. The hero in training grasps for the entrance door when his phone in his pocket vibrates. A text message Iida guesses. He fishes out his phone from his pocket and unlocks the device to find an incoming message from his homeroom teacher Shota Aizawa.
"Common Room. All of you. Now." The text read. Iida noticed the numerous contact numbers attached with the text. No doubt Aizawa sent this text to the others in Class 1A.
No other reason to linger outside, Iida pushes forward past the front door of the dorms and enters the common room. Word traveled fast about the text when Iida comes across all his fellow classmates huddled in the common room in a chaotic exchange of questions and concerns from everyone. It took everyone ounce of willpower for Momo to gain any control of the chaos before Bakugo unleashed a blood curling roar followed by some minor explosions from his quirk. The classmates finally settled down and the class representatives reluctantly thank Bakugo for his method of control.
Out of the blue Iida's phone goes off. Shota Aizawa again. This time it's a call. Iida answers his phone and hears his teacher ordering him to be put on speaker. As commanded Iida places his phone on a table in the common room with all students gathered around.
"Is everyone there?" Shota's voice called out from the phone.
"Yes sir." Iida confirmed.
"Good."
"Sir, what's happening with Izuku and his mother?" Momo asked.
The moment of silence from Shota's end didn't help ease the students. After a pause to think on a response, Shota answers with "Everyone listen and whatever I say STAYS in this room. No one is to share or expulsion will be the worse of your worries. Izuku's mother has been kidnapped."
It wasn't a surprise at this point but still a horrible thought for the students.
"Whom and why they did it is still in the air. But while we're investigating on this matter, you are to remain in campus grounds. I've notified local hero agencies to run a security detail on all your parents so rest assure your family is safe if this kidnapper is targeting your families. As in regard to HOW any villain was able to obtain your personal information about your families and home address, its possible the kidnapper has an accomplice on the campus grounds. Some of the staff is coming to your dorms in a moment to put together a search team for this accomplice. Listen to him and the other heroes. DO NOT ENGAGE the villain unless ordered to do so. Do I make myself clear?"
The students in unison responded with a confident yes. They will capture this accomplice. They must.
A/N: And that's Chapter 2. Thanks for waiting. Till then, take care!- Poshil