Chapter 29: Keeping Quiet
"You are at once both the quiet and the confusion of my heart; imagine my heartbeat when you are in this state."
― Franz Kafka, Letters to Felice
All Might
'What's he about to do?'
There's nowhere else to look but directly at Young Midoriya's eyes even as he mouths again in warning to them all, but especially him not to look. His breath stills peering between both him and the villain quickly, anticipating the worst has yet to come.
Spinner's thrashing quiets beneath him, nails that had been digging and tearing creating streaks of crimson at Izuku's shirt and skin slowing as his arms slump down. He stares directly into emerald orbs even as a trickle of blood starts to descend down his cheeks from his eyes and ears, forming a river down his neck.
Toshinori clenches his teeth hard enough for them to grind, refusing to glance away even as the vessels start to burst one by one.
"Shit, stop him. We aren't meant to kill any of them! We need to take them alive at least for interrogation!" Edgeshot scowls, gaze burning on Toshinori to stop his student if this is truly how his quirk works.
Toshinori holds up a hand before he can go on, Infliction's power is strong yes, but Young Midoriya has mastered it well enough to not use just it for killing or causing harm.
He won't, he must trust in him.
The glow leaves his verdant orbs, Spinner's eyes to the tips of his ears bloody and bruised, but his breathing nonetheless comes in at slow pants as Kamui moves in to restrain him.
"Are you okay- "Toshinori begins, stepping forward as Izuku's body starts to sway, dark burst of smoke crawling up before he can get close enough.
Shigaraki's right hand man: Kurogiri.
"I cannot let you take Master Shigaraki's prized possession back yet after all the hard work we did to obtain him." He voices.
Toshinori grits his teeth, his fist smashing into the air, the force tearing at the remaining foundation left of the hideout.
Damn it, just as soon as they got here their plans are already falling apart.
"They're moving towards outside, if we hurry we can catch them or at least block off their escape!" An officer reports from outside with Kamui leaping forward first, buzzing in to Mount Lady to secure the outside parameter.
Back in the night he sees the airy form of Kurogiri shooting up like a rocket, approaching the man he's sure he faced decades ago...
All for One.
But just as Kurogiri is about to pass him off into his arms, make him too far out of reach of reach, the glow returns back to Izuku's eyes and he slips out of his hold like water.
'He used Infliction on his body.' Toshinori realizes as he leaps forward to prevent a crash landing.
"You're alright Young Midoriya; I got you." He promises.
Something like a smile crosses his lips then before he turns his head away quickly, rolling from his hold as bile soon permeates the air.
When he moves to rub at his back his eyes are already shut; drained.
And then he feels that same burning stare even as support from his fellow heroes helps create a blockade to get Izuku out of here.
A face he scarred but still beams with a greediness, the need for more quirks...
Ochako
'It's dangerous to get closer, however I need to see that Izuku is okay!'
With her own eyes.
"This is Izumi reporting to you live from U.A. High! Principal Nezu is set to speak in the next 15 minutes regarding the aborted kidnap attempt of one of it's first year students ,Izuku Midoriya! As Musutafu Now has previously reported to you all, Midoriya has been in the news quite often as of late regarding the destructive force of his quirk-"
She hadn't listened to the rest, heart stuck in her throat, the adrenaline of using disguises to get into the police office wearing down.
All of the major stations are ready, practically giddy to know this is coverage they can use on repeat in the coming days.
Somehow, a pack of columnists have gotten into the hospital. Though with her constant persistence and breaking her mental rule of not using her gravity quirk on civilians, she finally is able to squeeze through a small path to him.
'Or maybe it helped that they recognized your face too.' She considers sourly.
She hates that she is becoming used to smell of disinfectants and saline, the sight of Izuku so bloody or wrapped in a sea of bandages...
To her surprise, Izuku is awake. Verdant orbs hazy peering out into the night sky until he sees her presence, clearing then in alarm.
"You didn't have to come Ochako! It isn't good for you to be here." He panics.
Ochako grabs at his arm, resting it back against the sheets before he can pull out his IV.
"It wouldn't have mattered where I went. The League of Villains' are still coming after you, they've been watching you for so long after all." She breathes out.
And steadily, quietly he leans his forehead close to hers, the scents of dirt and blood can't be so easily wiped away.
"I'm sorry...Sorry I didn't tell you my plans back in the forest." He murmurs.
Ochako shakes her head despite the knot in her chest, a white hot burst of rage crawling up her throat.
It must show in her eyes anyways because he continues in.
"Dad. They've been going after him too. Threatening to jeopardize his job by leaking his health information which would put more stress on him and Mom." He clarifies.
"...And I'm sure you'll be there next target. No, it has to be you." He asserts.
'"It isn't a good idea to make yourself a target. Even my own quirk wouldn't stop them in the long term." Shinso advises.
Izuku nods thoughtfully, it's already nearing twilight and still he has no conclusion on how to handle the League of Villain's note.
Kacchan wouldn't have understood and he can't keep burdening Ochako with his problems...
Amber light peeks through the trees, poking through holes and he thinks of his own messy plan equally riddled with hundreds of ways it can go wrong.
"You'll have back up so there's that." Shinso muses, cracking a half smile knowing his mind is made up.
He'll act on the Mountain training trip.
In spite of her lingering annoyance that she is second to know this situation, she can feel a blush start to burn at her face.
"I see why you kept it from me." She sighs.
"It was important that you didn't talk me out of it somehow." Izuku croaks out weakly.
Ochako shakes her head, leaning back against him only to hear a crackling in the air.
Izuku follows her gaze to the ceiling, frowning at growing dark cracks in the corners.
'Surely they can't already be in hospital, know which room is mine.'
Though his heart pounds in anticipation, they wouldn't search out his room in particular. No, they would just destroy all the rooms and anyone who stood in the way.
The power flickers and Ochako straightens, unzipping her jacket revealing the glint of a blade and the packets she brought along.
"I came prepared this time." She whispers while her other hand taps at Izuku's table making his untouched dinner plate and utensils float while tossing out the fluid packets she hopes Toga won't look twice at.
'I won't let her get any of our blood!' She promises herself.
The ceiling crackles like thunder and Ochako moves to stand as golden eyes peer at them from an opened crevice.
"Found you!" Toga's voice purrs, blush coating her cheeks taking in their attire. Beside her the walls crackle again and it becomes clear she isn't alone as the lizard like creature comes into view, dark eyes promising revenge.
"Leave the boy to me Toga, I'm going to slowly cut at his eyes the same way he did to me." Spinner hisses.
A cat-like smile crosses her lips with a silent nod of agreement, ready to pounce.
Ochako side steps her, dodging the rush of her needle and low sweep of her legs attempting to knock her down. A pointed syringe punctures the skin by her ear, backing up before she can try another tactic.
"Release!" She murmurs rapidly, tapping her fingers together causing a stack of plates to crush against her head.
"You will not take my blood or Izuku's!" Ochako emphasizes, forks and spoons sweeping through her sandy locks.
"Why not? That's the best way to bond us altogether! Now hold still so I can lick that wound better!" She chirps back, letting her own open wound gush into her hair turning it a shade of maroon.
Toga leans closer, breath sweet and bitter all at once with the scent of honey and blood. The cheek where she nicked her has luckily not caused significant bleeding, not enough for her to transform into another person and escape as she uses her nails to dig and make her shift back from her.
Her attention draws then to the transfusion packets left upon the counter.
Good.
And she watches as she tears and drinks away at one as if it's a mere water bottle.
"Well, you'll have to do better than this Ochi! Ochi, I can call you that too right? It's such a cute nickname after all; your Gamps and Gamma treat you like the grandchild they never had. And you know based on that, I came up with the great idea that we should make up our own unique pet names for each other as friends!
She hums, wiping at her lips.
Her heart bounces against her ribcage, did she go to Gamps and Gamma's apartment?
Nishimura-sensei's?
Was there anything left of their buildings?
"Don't let your enemy or opponent ever get under skin. Never let them see you sweat, break down, or cry. As soon as a villain sees your weakness, the fight no longer involves you alone."
His warning rings true.
So instead of answering Ochako steps forward, ignoring the frantic beating of her nervous heart to the sweat gathering in at her palms. Surprise flashes in Toga's eyes, unsure what to make of her being the aggressor.
'Do it now; this is your opening!'
Too late does Toga notice the second smaller blade, barely the size of her index finger.
And then they both watch together as she plunges said knife straight into her leg.
She can't tell if her artery has been hit, but soon enough a gush of red starts to bubble up.
Katsuki
'Round face just had to go and run off.' He grunts to himself, moving through each hallway quickly. Somehow he needs to find both her and Deku before the villains get to them first.
It's not a surprise really that she went to go find Deku, when it comes to him she lets her heart win out over her mind.
But feelings like that are too dangerous, especially considering all of them have a target seemingly painted on them, not just Deku. That scarred faced man from the file is far more threatening looking than any of the past villains they've gone up against or run into.
And then he recalls the few words that stuck out to him from his quick skim of the case: All Might, chest injury, extensive surgery...
'All Might has fought that guy before.' He swallows, ignoring the way his mouth dries and heart dully pounds in his ears. At some point he had escaped imprisonment, Shigaraki had told him about Deku's quirk.
He hadn't gotten the chance to look at what exactly his quirk was, though it had to be strong if it had caused a lasting wound the number 1 Pro Hero.
'Damn it, which room are those idiots in?!' He scowls, going in circles around the dark corners and stairs. The lights here are too damn weak, dull yellow-white lighting barely helping him see more than an inch or two ahead.
One of the villains must've cut into the electricity and back up generators.
A loud thump in the ceiling makes him glance up, indents and jagged cuts visible along the metal of the ventilation system.
Shit.
He follows the trail launching himself into a blast, the tears and warped metal only growing worse the further he goes along.
"Get off of her!" He hears Izuku's voice as he gets closer followed by what sounds like the shattering of glass.
'Crap, they've already gotten to him.' He scowls, creating a barrage of explosions that melts at the walls, heat and noise enough to abruptly draw a silence into the air.
Through his newly formed path he sees that lizard creature from before, flames licked at his cheek leaving it a charred black.
"Round Face, duck! You too Deku!" He snaps, unleashing another blast forcing the lizard man further away from the pair back onto the opposite end of the room.
Beside him is that freak vampire girl from the training trip, lips smeared a vibrant red of blood he hopes isn't Round Face's or Deku's.
Her normally sharp golden eyes are glazed over, slumping in annoyance holding pressure at the knife wound Ochako has apparently given her. From her skirt down to her legs she is bathed in red, the reminder that she has long given into this life where she can freely express her quirk 24-7 no matter the consequences.
"Who's blood was that? It isn't a human's." She spits.
"Deer. Rabbit, Boar. Anything really that's wild game out in the woods; smells that I knew you wouldn't be thinking about once you properly attacked me." Ochako explains.
Toga's face morphs in frustration, shoulders tensing. The blood from those transfusion packets were just decoys...
Spinner grips at his cracked jaw, attempting to straighten it back into place just as the news buzzes on in the background.
All Might's face flashes across the screen.
And Katsuki feels his body freeze in place, numb all over taking in the breaking news with everyone.
"I'm coming at you live from the heart of downtown people where Japan's number 1 hero has just entered the scene to take on this strange masked man!"
All Might
"Has the area been secured?" He asks again.
"As best as it can be, but Toshinori, you don't need to take on this fight alone-" Best Jeanist starts between breathes of air only for him to quickly intercede.
"Good, you need to go and get emergency care now! Gran Torino is already heading towards the hospital to go after the League members trying to recapture Young Midoriya. This is my fight to battle alone, a fight I should've properly finished 5 years ago."
There is crackling in his earpiece and he wonders if his message properly got communicated through.
His chest injury is too critical and the blood loss he's sustained will put him out of commissions for months if it doesn't kill him.
But he has no time to worry on it, if he delays this any longer more of his fellow heroes are going to sustain major injuries, injuries that could be as career-ending as his own...
"Come now All Might, haven't you learned anything since our last fight? I've been watching you from the wings you know, you're much weaker now than I imagined, rustier in your speed and punches. Though it seems like one thing we've agreed on is taking apprentices. Young Midoriya you call him...he has one of the most fascinating quirks I've come across." All for One muses from behind him.
And there it is, the greed and desire in his tone that will always collect, always want one more quirk.
"Tomura sees a lot of potential in Izuku Midoriya, whether it be for his quirk or for being able to corrupt him to our side. I can see why, a quirk like his would eventually be rejected by this society, cause way too much fear." He considers.
Toshinori scoffs. "You know nothing about Young Midoriya if you believe that would happen."
"Well they're families are similar you know, at least I suppose in how busy they are and how Tomura's used to be especially with his Dad. That illness in his Father has certainly caused him to take more risks, risks that have brought him into mixing with the League. Either way, I trust Tomura's insight despite the setbacks he's had in taking you and your group on.' He continues on, nodding to himself recalling his reasons for going after the boy.
"Heh, you act like you haven't slowed with age as well! I'm ending this tonight; you won't be getting anywhere near Izuku or causing any further damage or injuries to the innocent civilian of this city or to my fellow Heroes!" All Might volleys back.
He leaps forward just as All for One holds up his arm, unleashing a blast air with the force of a hurricane pushing him back.
Glass and brick shatter as he makes impact building through building, All for One gleefully moving to follow.
"I'll kill you here and now in front of all of your adoring fans, it will truly be an end of an era at your death. The death of the number 1 hero, something like that will surely create the seeds for chaos and despair, don't you think? I'm sure Nana thought the same in her final moments, no matter how much she tried to protect her fellow Heroes, the general public, and of course her own family." He taunts by his ear, canceling out another blast wave before he can strike again.
Moonlight shines on his black mask, picturing the cruel smile beneath it.
"...I already know about my master's connection to your apprentice. It would pain her if she was still alive today to see what has become of her grandson." He scowls.
'I need to take this fight farther away, there are still too many civilians in the area.'
All around him he can hear their mixed panic cries and screams for him to end this fight already like he's done so many times before, that he is taking far too long to take out what they see as only a simple villain.
But his last embers are flickering out.
He grins that for once All for One has no immediate comeback to his knowledge already of the truth, that his and Tsukauchi's investigating at least doesn't make this news a surprise to crush his spirit.
He blinks away spots from his eyes, the overwhelming aches in his body where bones have been crushed and muscles have been ripped. He won't last in this form much longer, the public and world will soon know the full truth...
And then he senses it, miles away as they are of Young Midoriya and Bakugo watching him. For once the pair are probably standing quietly together fixated on this very moment, neither instigating a fight or tossing thinly veiled insults.
'Keep watching!' Toshinori beams, straightening up while retightening his fists.
This may be his final fight, though they as the next generation have long careers ahead of them, lives and journeys that can take them so many places outside of Japan are far as they wish to go.
Lives he can't let, refuses to let the villains take from them.
So he wipes at a smear of blood on his lips, cerulean eyes shining with mirth as All for One comes in for another blast shot.
'It's time.'
-x-
Early morning post for me! Finally got another chapter out, apologies on the delay and shortness! Trying to truck along out of the Hideout Raid Arc soon enough to cover these ideas I outlined for this story months ago. Let me know your thoughts!
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