Hoo boy! this chapter's a wild one. I really enjoyed writing this chapter, the POV was fun to play with.
Thank you all for reading as always and I hope you enjoy the chapter!
Breaking news! Fire erupts from the home of pro hero Endeavor.
Live now: League of Villains attack the home of Japan's top hero.
The feed cuts to a reporter. The hitching sound of helicopter blades beats in the background as the Todoroki household burns blue and red. Great plumes of smoke darken all but the slightest slivers of red-tinted moonlight.
"This is Kamisu Sugi, on-site at a sudden and destructive villain attack that might just be the most blatant attack on anyone hero since Kamino ward!" even in the poor light, the camera picks up sweat beading on the reporter's face, " The League of Villains has been credited with this attack, but we can only account for one member. While the pro hero was home when Dabi attacked, we have yet to see either him or the fiery villain since they began fighting."
Someone off-camera catches the reporter's attention and they talk shortly before the report resumes, "We have also not been able to locate either of Endeavor's children who live with him. It is unconfirmed whether they were in the house at the time of the attack."
An explosion of multicolored flame bursts from the side of the building blowing open the walls of many rooms, including Shoto's bedroom. The blast rocks the helicopter, and the crew has to brace against the walls so they don't fall out.
Once the helicopter steadies the reporter turns quickly "Did you catch that?" and peers back out the door "Just now as a devastating blast rips through the home the fighting has spilled into the street outside. We can't make out much through the fire, but I can feel the heat on my face all the way up here."
A man on the crew points down and shouts something incomprehensible.
The camera pans away from the fire in the street and refocuses on two figures shuffling away from the inferno. One is leaning so heavily on the other they're almost being carried or dragged. Although they're both covered in ash and debris, their hair immediately gives away their identities.
"It appears that both Todoroki children residing in the family home have escaped the attack!"
The camera focuses on them for just a moment longer as they reach the road not consumed in flame before immediately switching back to the fight still raging.
Neither man can be seen through the smoke but blasts of fire, both crimson and sapphire, shoot in every direction, consuming cars, mailboxes, and anything else in their path.
Everyone on the train gapes as the news continues. The only sounds are watery gasps and muffled sniffles. Midoriya sits dumbstruck as the moment he'd watched Todoroki's room blow open replays on a loop in his head. The wall he and his friends had crouched behind just nights before completely obliterated. His insides buzz, making him slightly nauseous.
The shaking hasn't fully left him, but something in him released as he'd seen Shoto, sooty and limping but alive. Leaning on his sister like a lifeline, but so very alive.
He and Kirishima seem to have the same idea as they both stand and step towards the door before realizing the train is still moving. Shoto's house is burning, and they're trapped in a metal tube.
Midoriya turns to his teacher, debating the merits of asking for permission to bust the train open like a soda can and run all the way back, or maybe this is one of those ask forgiveness not permission moments.
Luckily, before he decides, Aizawa shuts that train of thought down with a sharp gesture and a glare, growling "No Midoriya" before pressing a few times on his phone and putting it to his ear so fast he might as well have slapped himself.
It's silent for a while and frustration tightens Aizawa's face as the call obviously goes to voicemail.
He calls again, this time someone picks up after just a few rings "Ms. Todoroki, this is Shota Aizawa, is there a building you can get yourself and your brother to?"
A pause, and Jirou mouths a question to Momo.
"Good, which building, and you're sure you can get to the top, we'll get both of you picked up from there," He hangs up and sinks into his seat, forehead pressed against his phone.
"Why do you have his sister's number?" asks Momo.
"She's his primary emergency contact." sighs Aizawa rubbing a hand over his face and pushing back his hair "It will take them long enough to get to the pickup that we should be back in time to get them ourselves."
"Really! Can we make the train go faster?"
"No Kiri."
Aizawa stands "I'm going to call the school" before walking down the train a little for some privacy.
The train ride doesn't get any less tense, if anything it only gets worse as they watch the news helicopter and the fight follow Shoto and Fuyumi into the city. It's almost like the fire is chasing them. Every few blocks the chopper gets close enough for the cameras to flit over to them before jumping right back to the fight.
By the time the train arrives back in Tokyo, all of them are on the edge of their seats and the Todoroki children are only a few blocks from the pickup. The fight, still going strong, is just a few blocks further out.
They race off, pushing past annoyed commuters with a few shouted apologies.
The night air is both chilling cold and sickly warm on their skin as Aizawa hands Sero the flash drive and tells him to run, his voice the same abrasive, serious one he uses to issue his logical deceptions.
Sero takes off and immediately Aizawa bolts into the city, swinging from his scarf as his students follow. Midoriya springs from surface-to-surface while Momo whips up a car for the slower movers. Or well, with the time crunch she probably just stole it.
Thankfully, they're coming from the other side, so they don't have to get through the wall of fire. They can still see the smoke and glow from the blaze nonetheless.
At the base of the building, the front door is unlocked, but Midoriya scales the building anyway, speeding ahead of the others taking the stairs.
The Todorokis are already there when he reaches the top. Shoto is still standing and still leaning on his sister. Both siblings look scared and lost, which wouldn't be surprising if their fear didn't seem directed over Midoriya's shoulder like they're waiting for something to come up behind him. The only thing keeping Midoriya from rushing Shoto is the fear of worsening any injuries he might have.
All of them startle as the stairwell door bangs open, hitting the wall behind it so hard the hinges rattle. The fear and conflict don't leave like Midoriya thought it would when they saw Aizawa but they just seem more unsure.
Aizawa is over to them in a flash and immediately starts checking over both Shoto and Fuyumi, careful to stay back enough so as not to crowd or stress either of them. Fuyumi brushes him off after a moment to transfer her brother to Midoriya before leaning on Aizawa for support. When she does Shoto groans as the movement jostles whatever injuries he has.
Midoriya shifts to take as much weight off Shoto as possible and turns back to Aizawa so they can leave and get to safety.
Just then Midoriya watches as Dabi smashes into the next building over in a great ball of flames, Endeavor not waiting long after launching him to follow.
He turns just in time to watch Dabi smash against the other building in a glowing ball of bright orange flame, Endeavor chases close behind.