Disclaimer: I don't own jack!
Suggested Listening: Insomnia (Faithless Cover) as performed by 2Wei
Contradiction
He watched as Shigaraki scratched at his neck furiously.
"What do you mean she's gone?" Their leader's voice dropped into a low snarl.
Dabi leaned back against the wall, "Just as I said. Someone nabbed her first." He hated dealing with this part of his job. Shigaraki was prone to temper tantrums when things didn't go his way. Usually when he had a fit, someone always ended up dead.
"We didn't come back completely empty handed." He cocked his head towards Compress. "Found Shinigami's journal while we were there." He kept silent about the shard. It'd be easier to simply tell Shigaraki about it and let him handle things from here, however there was something that bothered him. It nagged at him, much like the sound of an instinctual screaming in the back of his mind. It was constantly there, droning on and on about the dangers of giving Shigaraki such a power over her. His fingers flexed.
Dabi continued, "What we know right now is that someone saw her and got in close enough to get her to drop her guard. She likely would've been unfamiliar with that person."
Compress picked up where he left off, "And it appears that they moved rather quickly. They must've been keeping an eye on her for some time to be able to pull that off."
It was the easiest answer they could come up with. The real question was who would've had the balls to move in on their territory. The kidnapper would've known that they'd be watching Kagome's movements. They would've been fully aware of the dangers of sniping her from them. So they would have to have some sort of extremely skilled task force capable of holding their own against them. A group of elite fighters able and willing to go toe to toe with the League.
Dabi tilted his head, "We need intel. We need someone that can gather more information." His fingers curled around the shard within his pocket. He'd need to do something more than just meandering around the streets aimlessly waiting for it to give him a sign. He needed direction.
"There are only a handful of organizations that can compete against the League as it currently stands." Kurogiri interjected into their conversation. "I'll narrow down the list of possibilities. Currently we're certain that Higurashi likely went missing within the last forty-eight hours. They'll have moved her into a safe location where she will not be able to contact anyone from the outside."
"Which will make it harder for us to find her." Spinner folded his arms over his chest. "They got us good this time."
Shigaraki's hands fell into his lap. Scarlet eyes narrowed dangerously at him.
"Did you know that this would happen?" The sharpness in his tone forced Dabi to pause.
He relaxed his shoulders, "Of course not. The kid was on the verge of joining us last time. The real reason why she declined was because she had that other brat to look after." He glanced at their leader. "Isolate her from them and she's as good as ours."
It was the truth.
The girl had been searching for answer—a reason to exist. In the last minute Bakugou had given her that during their fight. She returned to the heroes because she still had hope. By removing all of those interferences, she'd turn to them just as she'd done that night.
His brows furrowed.
Now someone else had figured out that strategy and was likely using it to their advantage. If his assumption was correct then they'd be attempting to inflict Stockholm on her.
"Our time is limited. If she's stuck there for too long then she'll choose to remain with them." He stepped forward. "You want her to join? We find the bastards with the balls to challenge us to a fight. Send a message to them and her." He lifted his hand and curled his fingers inward towards his palm. "The League is the only place she'll find her reason for existing. We show them both that and she'll come with us easily."
Shigaraki's expression lightened, "I like the way you think."
Dabi snorted through his nose.
They had to find them quickly, otherwise this would all be for nothing.
His mind went back to the sketch she'd drawn of him.
He had a promise to fulfill.
Aizawa sighed, "Nothing here either."
He tugged at the restraints curled around his neck. It didn't matter what he tried. Every road led to a dead end. There were no clues, no evidence, not even the spark of hope that Kagome was nearby.
He glanced at the ground beneath his feet.
It was clear to see that he'd been far too harsh with her. The girl had raw talent and an ability that was useful to any she team she was paired with. The League had seen that much potential in her. Her main issue was her lack self confidence. He'd originally tried a 'tough love' approach to encourage her to strengthen her personality however his efforts had backfired on him.
She was now plagued with self doubt and a negative view of herself that he had to take responsibility for. Perhaps if he'd been more supportive from the beginning then she wouldn't have been targeted.
His gaze scanned the carnage of tipped over garbage and unconscious bodies.
Shinigami's visit had only reaffirmed his own sense of guilt in this regard. Both All Might and Endeavor had been correct. He should've seen to her safety personally. As her teacher, it was his responsibility to ensure that she wouldn't be targeted by another—and possibly more dangerous—villain.
He was in a bind.
Aizawa tucked his hands into his pockets, "Just answer me this. Do you know who has her right now?"
The man before him writhed upon the concrete. He gave a pained moan and merely shook his head.
Dead end.
Just like all the other leads.
He gripped the restraints once more, "That's too bad."
He'd keep searching. He'd keep wandering the streets and hunting down clues until he found the answer he was looking for.
Kagome's kidnapping was his fault. The least he could do was bring her home.
Aizawa rose to his full height, "Gotta keep moving."
He had an entire city to canvas and not much time. His eyes slid towards the sun rising in the distance.
Only a few hours left.
Midoriya blinked.
His vision blurred as his mind began to wander. There weren't enough answers. Even though he'd limited the list to three groups, none of them seemed to match. There wouldn't have been any reason for Kagome to have come into contact with any of them.
His gaze slid towards the article he had currently pulled up. An image of the Higure Shrine being engulfed in azure flames was blasted across every headline image. The League was issuing a message. They were declaring war on both the unnamed kidnapper and hero society. They wouldn't be able to keep her disappearance under wraps.
His lips dipped at the thought.
"Okay let's think about this another way. Why would they want her? What use would her quirk serve? So far most people only think she has healing abilities and a wide range of offensive and defensive techniques. There aren't many who know about the quirk boosting." Midoriya scratched at his chin.
It didn't make sense.
There were plenty of people who had healing quirks. So hers alone wouldn't have been enough to garner anyone's attention. Which meant that the person responsible might've somehow found out about the monetary value of the shards she produced.
That notion caused his stomach to twist a little.
Healing. Wealth. Power.
These were all things every organization would need. She was a jack of all trades that would serve as the basis of operations for any group.
The teen paused as he glanced at another headline marked to the side.
Shinigami's Daughter Missing – Kidnapped or Gone Rogue?
No.
Now it all made sense.
Shinigami. Kagome's disappearance. The Lack of evidence.
Everything was connected.
Whoever had taken her had wanted society to question her actions. They wanted people to turn on her. If Kagome felt as if she were being treated as a villain and abandoned by society, then she would be less willing to come forward even if she did escape.
He lowered his hand, "They want to isolate her."
A cold feeling settled over him.
He had to call All Might. He had to tell him. Maybe he would have more advice on where to go from here.
Midoriya glanced at the screen, "Just hang in there. We'll save you."
His eyes hardened at that.
They had to.
Chisaki peered at the screen, "So it looks like the League has finally figured it out." He watched as the shrine crumbled in upon itself.
"Sir, what should we tell her?" Kurono cocked his head to the side curiously.
He waved his hand in a placating manner, "Nothing. For now keep her isolated from the current events. If she finds out that the shrine is gone then she'll completely shut down." He curled his fingers in towards his palm, "We need to break her but not destroy her completely."
So far his plans were going fairly smoothly. He hadn't anticipated on her being such a willing participant however he assumed that the stress she'd been under was finally beginning to affect her. Kagome was no longer bound by the laws of society. She was beginning to realize this as well.
There would be no rescue.
There would be no escape.
The only thing she would have left would be the Shie Hassaikai. He'd make sure of it.
Kurono tucked his arms into the sleeves of his coat, "Will you be returning to her tonight?"
Chisaki nodded once, "Yes. The more time together we spend, the more attached she'll become."
"Which is what we need." His colleague finished for him. "How long do you think before phase one is complete?"
He sat back, "That depends entirely on her. With her current progress, I'd say that it should only take a matter of a week or two before she starts to accept us fully." In the mean time he would need to keep her as far from the League of Villains as possible. He was unsure of her connections to them. There was always a chance that one of them could slip past their defenses and extract her from their hold. He would need to make sure that, that didn't come to pass.
Chisaki took to his feet, "I'll leave you to handle work with the antidote. It won't be long before the League and Shinigami start narrowing their search. Having a counter for Shinigami's quirk will be our top priority for now."
"Understood." The other male responded quickly. "Shall I make arrangements for Higurashi to meet with Eri?"
He shook his head, "Don't worry about that. I'll supervise their interactions personally." His eyes thinned dangerously at the thought. He couldn't allow the girl let anything slip to Kagome. The woman would not stand by and watch as an innocent child was being tortured. He could only twist her perspective if he was able to monitor their interactions at this point.
Conversely, allowing Kagome to spend time with Eri would likely limit the chances of the girl trying to run away from them. She'd gotten determined to flee from their stronghold. He'd already gone through five different caretakers. If she were to be placed under Kagome's care then she would likely become more content.
He'd have to rethink his approach to this situation.
"You keep an eye on the League's movements. I'll take care of Kagome." He pulled the gloves from his hands and slipped them into his pocket. "We can't allow anyone to interfere. We're at a crucial point in our plan."
He wouldn't risk anything getting in the way.
His gaze hardened as he stepped out into the empty corridor.
He'd talk to her later tonight. Before anything else, they would need to know her exact connection with the League of Villains. The reaction from them had been too strong—too ferocious for it to simply have been a warning.
It was personal.
The question was who was sending the message at this point. Was it Shigaraki? Or someone else entirely?
His brows dipped at the thought. Villains were even more difficult to handle than heroes. There were no limitations to the things that they would do to get what they wanted. Clearly, someone from the League desperately wanted Kagome.
His fingers flexed.
He'd have to fix that.
Kagome peered down at the shogi board. Her brows dipped into a sharp furrow as she eyed the pieces.
"Ah, no good!" She scratched at her hair in frustration. "I still don't know how to get around that damn move!" She'd spent the last several hours trying to understand the game. The more she knew about her opponent, the easier it'd be to predict his moves. Chisaki's intelligence was damn near terrifying. So trying to best him at shogi was the test run. If she could get a grasp on how he formulated his strategies then she could counter him. It sounded so simple on the surface but Kagome knew that he would be a difficult opponent to beat.
Her gaze slid towards the door.
The faint echo of his footsteps resounded through the corridor outside. It seemed as if he were alone this time. That in itself wasn't unusual. However what was strange was the heaviness to his steps. Intimidation was stitched into the very fabric of Chisaki's being. There was nothing about him that was soft or that could be misconstrued as kind. He was an entirely different sort of existence. The only one that even remotely resembled his type of intimidation was Shigaraki but even then it was a little bit different. Shigaraki was impatient and had the disposition of a spoiled child. Chisaki was calm, cool and collected. He was the very personification of cold intimidation.
Her eyes slid towards the shadow that filtered beneath the open slit of the doorway.
Chisaki seemed upset.
At least that was what she figured. There was only one way she'd find out for sure.
She watched as the door opened. His silhouette entered into the room they'd provided her without so much as a knock.
Her lips curved upwards, "Feeling bold today?"
The man paused mid-step. He'd already dropped both the plague mask and his more subdued face mask. So she could spy the corner of his mouth dipping downwards at that comment.
"You could say that." His gaze slid towards her. She could feel his eyes lowering to her neck, spying the dark bruise he'd left upon her flesh from their last encounter.
Kagome felt her face heat despite herself, "You really didn't hold much back last night, did you?" She brushed her palm over her neck. "It'll be a few days before this will go back to normal."
He lifted his brow at that, "You can't use Crystallize to heal yourself?"
The young woman shook her head as he took the seat across from her.
"No. After what you told me, I suspect that Crystallize is putting most of its power towards holding Black Abyss back. So any other injuries I sustain have to heal the normal way." She curled her fingers in towards her palm. "Although I do tend to have a slightly faster recovery time than most people."
Chisaki kept silent. He threaded his fingers together over his lap. There was something he wasn't saying yet. Something that was bothering him.
It was strange just how easily she was starting to pick up on the subtle shifts in his moods. They hardly spent any time together. Maybe that was because of the intimacy they'd shared in the past few days? Her face grew even warmer at the thought.
The image of another resurfaced in her mind.
You know it's useless, don't you?
His words had been sharp, but he hadn't been wrong either. The flush in her face began to fade away.
Her dreams.
Her hopes.
Her future.
They'd all been predetermined. Even if she wanted to go back to U.A., it'd be nearly impossible for her to do so. By now there were likely articles flying all over the place, blasting assumptions of her abandoning the path of justice. Heroism had always been about more than simply capturing bad guys. It was a way of life. The child of a villain was never supposed to have stood a chance.
She'd always been the anomaly.
Both he and Chisaki knew that.
That was why they both targeted her. She was useful but if that usefulness ever dried up then she'd be back in the same position that she was before—abandoned, forgotten and left to flounder in the streets.
Her fingers twitched at the thought.
She didn't want to be alone.
Kagome paused as his voice interrupted her train of thought.
"What's your connection to the League of Villains?" Chisaki's question was direct. His eyes pierced through her as he spoke.
She stopped, "The League? Now that's an unusual question."
Why was he asking now? Had they done something? Her mind went back to the night of the assault on the summer camp. She couldn't really say that she didn't have any ties them but she also couldn't say that they were allies either.
Kagome brushed her palm over the back of her neck, "It's pretty much what you saw on the news. They wanted my quirk and decided that they could convince me to join their cause."
It was frustrating to know that she was being pegged by both heroes and villains alike as someone who'd turn on her ideals easily. She didn't like the fact that they all thought of her as so feeble minded. She swore to herself that she would never take a life. She wouldn't be the same as her father. Even now she would stand by that. Not the League nor Chisaki would convince her otherwise.
His gaze sharpened, "Then you declined them."
"Of course I did." She crossed her leg over her knee. "You really think I'd willingly join a villain group after what my father did? How foolish do you think I am?"
Okay, so maybe that wasn't quite the right question. She did invite him into her home and allowed him to drape his arm over her. Hell much of this mess was because she'd been stupid. If she'd just exercised even a modicum of self-preservation then none of this would've happened in the first place.
Kagome sighed, "In any case, I haven't had any contact with them since the night of the attack." She met his gaze curiously. "Is there a reason why you're asking though? I can assume that they've figured out that I'm gone by now and probably did something rash."
Had they figured out where they were? Was it possible Shigaraki had already discovered who'd taken her?
She wouldn't deny the small flicker of hope that lit within her chest.
Chisaki came to stand beside her, "They've left us a message but I do not think they know where you are." His hand gripped at her chin. The pad of his thumb pressed against her jawline. "They will not find you." His words were spoken with a finality that caused her to shiver. "The heroes cannot reach you. Your friends won't hear you."
His message was clear.
There was no hope of escape.
Even if she did, the only place she could go to now was the League of Villains, which was the furthest thing from what she wanted.
How many heroes would honestly be willing to hear her out at this point? How many would've assumed she'd just abandoned her life in favor of the path to villainy? Society had already given up on her. It wouldn't take much to convince everyone else the same. Even Aizawa didn't have much faith in her at this point. Her heart gave a painful twist at that thought.
Kagome shook her head, "No. I won't believe that." It was meant more as a response to her own thoughts but Chisaki narrowed his gaze at her all the same. "I have people waiting for me to come home. They aren't the type who just give up. Even if society has decided that I've turned villain, I know that at least they'll be there for me."
Bakugou, Tamaki, Midoriya and Todoroki were among the few people she considered her friends. None of them accepted defeat easily. Especially not Bakugou.
Her eyes hardened, "So you can hold me here as long as you like, but I know that they won't give up." She wasn't supposed to be doing this. She was supposed to be earning Chisaki's trust, not egging on his suspicions. She'd screwed up.
Kagome sighed through her nose, "The fact of the matter is that I'm here right now. You need me to help you with Eri so I'll fulfill that promise." It was only minor damage control at this point, but it was better than nothing.
He encouraged her to stand.
She followed his silent request, stiffening as his arm slid around her waist and pulling her completely flush against his chest.
"You bear such a strong hope. You truly believe that you friends will come save you, don't you?" His fingers shifted towards the base of her neck, pulling her in towards him.
She held firm, "Hope isn't that easily broken, Chisaki."
Her back hit the wall behind them. She felt his mouth lower towards her as his eyes narrowed into thin slits.
"I wonder just how long that hope of yours will last." His lips slanted over hers harshly. His tongue pushed its way into her mouth with a force that still shocked her.
Kagome gripped the fabric of his shirt.
She wouldn't break.
She wouldn't let him defeat her.
Her eyes slid closed as she allowed him to take over for the moment.
She'd give him this much. She'd let him think that he'd gotten one over on her but she wouldn't lock away her hope just yet.
Her fingers curled even tighter as he lowered his mouth towards her neck. She sucked a breath through her nose at the sharp feeling of his teeth scraping against her flesh.
She wouldn't give up.
Not now.
Not ever.
Tsukauchi glanced at the young man bound to a hospital bed. Burn marks had scorched his body. Thankfully they weren't very bad but it'd be enough to keep him bed-bound for a few days.
"How're you feeling?" He tried to start the conversation normally.
Tamaki peered up at him. Despair clouded his features. He'd seen that look so many times. In his career he had to deal with cases involving those who'd been kidnapped and murdered. The absolute despair the families felt when they received the news had always been hard to watch. This would be no different.
The only exception was that he was determined to bring Kagome home alive.
They all were.
"Useless." Tamaki spoke softly. "Utterly useless."
His lips pressed into a thin line at that.
Clearly he was taking her disappearance horribly. Tsukauchi sank into a seat next to him.
"You're not useless." His gaze hardened as he leveled a sharp glance at the teen. "You charged into that shrine looking for something, right?" Any normal person would've run away at the sight. Most of the crowd had kept their distance but this kid had charged past their barricade and ran straight into the inferno of azure flames. He'd clawed at the debris and searched through the burning rubble—as if determined to find something that they could not.
Tamaki paused.
Bingo.
Looks like his assumption had been correct.
The young man stared down at his lap, "She said… that the shards could find her." His voice was frighteningly weak. Had he spent that much energy fighting against the flames?
Tamaki continued, "She said that she wanted to give me one. After the attack on the summer camp, I thought I might find one in the house but…" Tears began to dwell in his eyes as his voice choked off.
Tsukauchi dropped a heavy palm onto his shoulder, "Take your time, kid."
The teen sniffed. He used the back of his hand to wipe away the tears that threatened to fall.
"The shard wasn't there. I think they took it. I think that was why they burned it down." His fingers flexed. "Kagome's Crystallize quirk reacts to itself. So if someone has just a single shard, they can use it to locate her."
His heart dropped.
Through his investigations he'd learned that she was a smart kid. There was no way Kagome wouldn't have had some sort of backup plan in mind in case she were to have been kidnapped a second time. She would've left something behind for her friends to find her. Something that only the people closest to her would know about.
Tamaki's head dropped, "I failed. If I'd just gone there in time then maybe…"
The detective cut him off, "You did good. There's no way any one of us could have predicted someone else coming in like that." His expression softened as he flashed him a reassuring smile. "It's because of you that we now have a lead. We now know that the shards can be used as a tracking device."
Although that put them at a slight disadvantage. Had Dabi discovered one of these shards and then burned the shrine to cover the evidence? If so then they would need to move even more quickly. Who else would have a shard? Who else had she given one to?
His mind went back to the fight at Kamino Ward. He watched the news feed of the battle after he'd gone home that night. Kagome had passed something to Bakugou. His quirk had become massively powered up afterwards. Had that been a shard? Did he still have one now?
Tsukauchi scratched at his chin.
He needed to talk to him.
He took to his feet, "I know how difficult this must be for you, Amajiki." The boy hardly reacted to the sound of his name. "She's your friend. So I know that more than anything you just want to bring her home, but remember, you have to focus on yourself first before you can help anyone else. Take some time to heal. You can't push your body so hard."
At the very least he could do this.
To keep the kids from pushing themselves too far, he'd reassure them as best as he could. That was his job, wasn't it?
He was an officer of the law.
It was his duty to see that girl home safely.
He'd make sure of it.
Mirio scratched at the back of his neck.
"This one's no good either." It seemed that every lead he found just took him directly into a dead end. It was almost as if Kagome had just simply vanished off the face of the Earth. A sinking feeling settled in the pit of his stomach.
He hadn't heard anything from Tamaki either.
All of his calls went straight to voicemail. Not to mention the fact that the shrine had been burned down by the League of Villains.
Had he gone to the shrine?
Now that was something that frightened him.
Mirio strolled through the crowded streets. His patrols had taken him closer and closer to the old Higurashi Estate. Now that the shrine was gone, people were simply gathering to get a good look at the devastation left behind.
"Did you hear about that Higurashi girl?" A young woman whispered to the elderly lady next to her. "They say that she was reported missing the morning the fire broke out. Apparently she's a runaway or something."
The older woman gasped. She placed her palm flat against her chest as wispy, graying hair fell into her face.
"Oh my, do they think she's gone with a villain group? I mean that young child was being targeted so heavily before." There was an edge of pity in her tone—much the way a grandmother would tut at her grandchild. "I do hope that girl hasn't gotten herself into anything she will regret."
He kept silent.
Regret.
There seemed to be plenty of that going around already.
Kagome had been the backbone of inspiration for all of them. She'd supported them and held firm even in the face of death itself. Very few people could handle being kidnapped by a villain and then ostracized by society, yet she did. She kept fighting. She kept trying to chase her dream of being a pro hero. One that would rescue as many if not more people than the amount her father had killed.
She'd wanted to atone for her father's sins.
Mirio stopped.
He couldn't let the regret take hold right now. He needed to focus.
The young man slapped his palms to his face. The women swiveled their heads to him and stared in shock as he kept hitting his cheeks.
"Argh, no more of that!" Feeling sorry for himself wasn't going to help Kagome. He had a job to do and he was going to see it through. Sucking a breath through his nose, Mirio plastered a wide smile upon his lips. "Sorry to bother you but would you ladies be willing to answer a few questions? You're not in any trouble."
They cast him a concerned glance but the younger of the two nodded once.
"You're a hero aren't you?" She queried with a slight upward tick of her brow.
Mirio nodded enthusiastically, "Of course! Just call me Lemillion. I'm currently doing a work study with Sir Nighteye's agency. He asked me to do a few patrols out here but there was something I was curious about."
The women shot each other a look.
He pushed forward, "Would either of you happen to know if anything suspicious had been happening before all of this? Like someone hanging around the shrine or any new faces wandering around?" It was a small step, but necessary all the same.
The younger of the two nodded, "Well I don't know how much it'll help but a couple of days ago I saw a young girl running from her father. She darted into the forest right over there." She gestured towards a small pathway that'd been cleared recently. "I thought it was strange but I'd never seen either of them near here before."
"Could you describe what they looked like?" Maybe this could be the lead that they were searching for. If so, that'd make them one step closer to finding the person responsible for taking Kagome.
She stopped, "I didn't see much of his face but the man was wearing this absurd plague mask." Her eyes thinned as her voice dropped. "He looked like trouble so we didn't get involved in it. However the young girl he was following had darted up that path right there. I believe that it's one of the nature trails that lead right up to the shrine."
Mirio sucked a breath between his lips.
Now it made sense.
Plague Mask.
There was only one villain that would wear something like that, but who was the girl?
"Would you happen to know what the girl looked like?" He needed more information. He doubted that it was Kagome. The women were locals. As such they would recognize Higurashi and wouldn't have referred to her as such. It was someone else.
"Ah she was a tiny little thing. Couldn't have been older than six by my estimate." The older of the two charged into the conversation. "She was wrapped up in bandages and had long, white hair. We didn't see much else though."
They glanced at each other once more.
"You don't think Higurashi got involved with them, do you?" There was a genuine edge of concern in their tone as they spoke with one another.
"It's possible. She always did manage to get herself tangled into all sorts of situations. That young lady has the heart of a lion but the instincts of an insect."
Mirio gave them a quick bow of appreciation, "Thank you two so much. This has been incredibly helpful!"
Now they had a lead.
He now knew a man wearing a plague mask had been spotted chasing a girl up to the shrine. If their information was correct then that was likely Overhaul. The real question was who was this girl the women were referencing and what importance did she play in all of this? Had Kagome gotten involved in their spat to protect an innocent child? It was probable. She wouldn't have left a defenseless child on her own. She'd have wanted to protect her.
Mirio turned on his heel.
He had to call Sir Nighteye.
Their suspicions had just been confirmed.
Overhaul did make contact with Kagome the day she went missing. Now they just had to figure out if he was the one who took her and for what purpose.
A sinking feeling settled in the pit of his stomach.
He had to reach Tamaki too.
Their investigation as just starting to get going.
"What the hell is this?" Bakugou narrowed his eyes at the young woman standing next to their home room teacher. First he dropped a surprise quirk test on them and now this?
He was getting pissed off.
The other teen glanced between him and Aizawa cautiously, "Are you sure that this is alright?"
The older male rolled his shoulders, "It's fine. Just don't go overboard. Besides it's best if they learn from firsthand experience."
She looked towards him once more, "If you say so." Her expression hardened as she addressed him directly. "You're Bakugou Katsuki, right?"
He snorted through his nose, "What of it?"
"I'm Higurashi Kagome. I guess you could say that I'm your upper classman." She flashed him a short smile. "I'll be the one to train with you today."
"I don't need any of your help. Why don't you just move along, you damn extra."
Her brow twitched but the smile never left her lips.
"Extra, huh? You might not be wrong about that." She stepped closer to him. "But if you really want to prove your point then why not go through with this? The more you complain about it the more I think you just want to cover your own weaknesses."
His teeth clenched, "You're on!"
He woke with a start.
That'd been the first time he'd ever met Kagome. Aizawa has wanted them to do a practice match together and he'd been less than keen on it. Kagome on the other hand, well she never gave up. She'd goaded him a little until he'd bee too furious to turn her down. In the end that fight had been the most fun he'd ever had. Kagome had been surprisingly strong. She never gave him an inch and it'd been the only fight he'd ever truly lost.
That was the day he learned firsthand about Kagome's tenacious spirit.
The teen paused at the sound of a harsh rapping on his front door.
He blinked.
What the hell? They weren't supposed to have any visitors today. His brows dipped at that thought. He had to get back to training anyways. He couldn't just sit around and do nothing. Not while Kagome needed him.
He stepped forward and flung the door open.
Bakugou glowered at the detective standing on his doorstep.
"What the hell do you want?" He'd spoken to the man before. It was after the Kamino Ward incident. He'd taken Kagome into a separate room where they'd both been interviewed about what'd happened.
Tsukauchi.
That was the guy's name.
The man glanced down at him, "We had a few questions for you, actually." There was a slight edge to his tone as if he were concerned of how to breach the next topic.
Bakugou held the door open wider, "What're you just standing around for? Get your asses inside."
He wasn't in the mood to deal with this. He had more training that he had to get to. He couldn't just turn them away either. So he'd deal with them as quickly as he could. The faster they got the hell out of his house, the faster he could refocus on what he really needed to.
He had to get stronger.
Stronger than anyone else.
Kagome was counting on him. He wasn't about to fail her now. Not after everything she'd done to save his ass.
Tsukauchi and his partner stepped inside.
"I apologize for barging in like this unannounced. However we came across new intel that might be of use."
That got his attention.
Intel?
"Out with it." He needed to know which bastard's neck he needed to wring. He needed to know which villain he had to destroy. He wouldn't stop until he did.
Tsukauchi's expression hardened, "We were informed that Higurashi's shards may possess unique properties. As such we were under the impression that she may have given you one of these shards."
His shoulders stiffened, "What of it? You sayin' that you need the shard?"
"Bakugou Katsuki," The man's tone sharpened. "We believe that the shard she gave you could be the key to finding her. Will you allow us to use it?"
Key?
His gaze widened.
"What the hell do you mean?" He never heard of this before. He knew about the quirk boosting potential. Hell, he never let it go since the day she'd given it to him. The effects varied depending on their proximity. The closer he was to her, the more powerful the shard became. Now it was hardly a short boost in power. Ever since their separation it'd gotten even weaker.
His brows furrowed.
He didn't like this.
"We were informed that the shards react to one another. It can be used as a location device. Although it's not fool proof, it is a method of figuring out where she's been taken." Tsukauchi met his gaze firmly. "Will you allow us to use the shard to find her?"
His fingers flexed.
It was their only chance to figure out where they'd hidden her. He could just hand it over and let the police handle things from here but… Bakugou clenched his fists.
He wanted to save her on his own. He didn't want their help.
"Fine." Bakugou reached into the collar of his shirt. "I was planning on using it later but if you say that you'll be able to find her with it, then here." He plucked the shard from the chain he'd attached it to. It sucked, but ultimately this was about something more than just his own ego.
He'd still keep training but if the police could bring her home faster than so be it. Right now all he wanted was for her to be safe.
"Now get your asses out there. I won't be so nice the next time we meet if you don't have her with you." He turned on the ball of his heel. "Just so we're clear. I'm only giving it to you because it'll be faster this way. So be quick about it. The longer she's trapped out there the worse it'll get for her."
He'd already seen the damn headlines.
Higurashi the Villain! Daughter follows in her Father's Footsteps!
Is Villainy Genetic? How Nature Caused Higurashi to go Rogue!
The Expected Outcome: Daughter Joins Shinigami in a Reign of Terror!
That'd been blasted everywhere. It was the only thing anyone was talking about ever since she'd gone missing and the damn media got wind of the shrine being burned down by the League of Villains. Thus far most of society was under the impression that she'd left with the League but reality couldn't be any further from the truth.
Bakugou scowled at the detective, "You've got one shot. Don't screw this up."
He didn't give a damn about offending the man. The only thing he cared about was getting Kagome home. It didn't matter if the world turned against her. It didn't matter if society labeled her as 'irredeemable'. He knew the truth about her and he would never give up on her.
Never.
Chisaki tugged at the cloth of his gloves.
"Where are we going?" Kagome fell into step beside him. He could feel her gaze upon his back as they wound their way through the underground labyrinth of their headquarters.
"To see Eri. We'll be starting her training today." He cast her a quick glance over his shoulder. "I'll be keeping the both of you under close observation for the time being."
He couldn't quite trust her yet.
His plan to sway her to his cause was beginning to work. However there was a still a strong flame of hope that burned within her. Until that was extinguished, she would never truly fall into his trap.
He would have to seal off every last possibility of escape for her. He needed her to see him as her only true option. He would have to erase both the heroes and the League of Villains. So long as she felt attached to either of them, she would continue to cling to even a vague semblance of hope.
His lips thinned at the thought.
So far the media was doing most of his job for him. All he'd have to do is slowly expose her to society's shift in tone. Once she realized that she could no longer become a hero, she would turn away from society altogether.
Which would just leave the League of Villains to deal with.
"Chisaki," Kagome's voice interrupted his train of thought. "Everything alright? You've kinda had this terrifying look on your face for the past few minutes."
Her brows furrowed as she peered up at him cautiously.
It was strange that she could stand next to him like this. He had kidnapped her. By all accounts she should loathe his very existence. She should revile his very presence, yet here she was, still standing next to him and treating him as if he were simply a normal person.
She was definitely a strange person.
The young man curled his arm around her waist, "Don't worry about it. I was just figuring out a few things."
Namely her.
"Is that so?" Her tone indicated that she hardly believed him at all.
He didn't bother with a response to that.
The police and heroes alike were bound to figure out his plot eventually. He'd been careful not to be seen by the public on his return trip but there was still the issue of the CCTV of the surrounding buildings when he'd healed her shoulder. Someone likely had him on video somewhere and that was going to make this next part difficult.
If the heroes figured out what he'd done, then he would have no other choice but to move Eri and Kagome to a separate hideout.
"We're here," He pulled the young woman inside a small observation room where they kept Eri. He cast her a short glance, "The girl can be dangerous to be around. Since she has no control over her quirk, I'll be monitoring your interactions from here as a safety precaution."
It wasn't a lie either.
He couldn't risk Kagome getting injured or being rewound out of existence by Eri on accident.
"She's still withdrawn so it'd be best if you focused on earning her trust first." His command was met by a sharp look from her.
"Withdrawn? I'd say that, that girl is acting traumatized. Not withdrawn, Chisaki." It was a damning indictment of his actions against the both of them. Kagome was naïve but not a complete fool. She likely already managed to piece together a little of what was happening. Although he doubted that she understood the full extent of his experiments.
"I'll take care of her. In the mean time you have to back off while I'm talking to her." Azure eyes narrowed into thin slits. "Eri will never open up to me if she feels like she's being watched by other people."
Chisaki considered her words carefully. There was a bit of truth to what Kagome was saying. It'd be best if he simply stayed out of sight and watched from afar during these sessions. He could still monitor their interactions while providing Kagome with the prime opportunity of earning Eri's trust.
This could still work.
"Very well. I shall remain here but I'll intervene if her power begins to resurface. You've got half an hour." Chisaki pushed around the space between her shoulder blades. "Make the most of that time."
He watched as Kagome's back disappeared behind the door. His fingers flexed at his side.
Now all he had to do was wait.
Endeavor scowled.
Nothing.
They hadn't found a single damn clue.
All of their canvassing had turned up was the typical drug smuggling routes. Nothing too specific.
"Damn it!" He slammed his fist against the wall. How the hell could someone have just snatched the girl up without so much as a shred of evidence?
He stopped as his phone began to vibrate. He didn't take the time to see who was calling before answering on the second ring.
"What is it?"
The male on the other line cut through his aggression quickly, "We have a lead. We currently believe that Higurashi may have had a run in with a villain who goes by the alias Overhaul." Sir Nighteye barely took a moment to pause, "I can give you a greater breakdown of the details later but for now I will need to contact more heroes for their help. We've already set up a connection with Tsukauchi of the police department. He said that he has some surveillance footage that needs to be reviewed."
Endeavor fell silent for a moment.
Surveillance footage?
"I'll be there." He hung up the phone after Nighteye gave him the time a locations. Chances were they would need someone to positively identify Kagome on camera. If they could piece together her movements that day then they could figure out what'd happened.
His son peered up at him, "Did they find anything new?"
The boy wasn't the sort who wore his emotions on his sleeve. However now he could hear the faint edge of concern in his voice.
"They found something that might pan out. You and I are heading to the police department. We're going to be reviewing surveillance footage with them." He wouldn't hide the truth from him. He didn't have much hope of finding anything truly noteworthy but he'd give it a shot. Anything was better than waiting around on his ass.
Endeavor led them across town. It'd only taken about fifteen minutes to arrive at their destination. Still they managed to catch glimpses of headlines flashing across television screens and billboards.
Disgraced! Higurashi Abandons the Path of the Hero!
What Higurashi has to Gain by Becoming a Villain!
Hope is Lost: From Hero to Villain
He snorted through his nose. Officially, the police had only mentioned that she was a runaway to the public. Then when news of the Higure Shrine being burned by Dabi, everyone outside of those partaking in the investigation started to assume that she'd joined the League.
Soon there would be articles about how her quirk would make them an unstoppable force.
His brow twitched.
He didn't like this.
Endeavor glanced at the police station. Whatever was on that tape, he was ready for it. If the girl had decided to join a villain group then it'd be his duty to bring her back to her senses.
He folded his arms over his chest.
"Let's get this over with." He still had a job to do.
A/N: Hey guys! Sorry for the super late update! Even before this whole virus outbreak I had a few things going on that had me distracted, so I apologize for keeping you waiting for so long! I actually wanted this chapter to have more action and development to it than it currently has but that didn't quite happen. I've gotten so many amazing reviews and not enough time to respond to them, so I just wanted to let you guys know that I read every one and I honestly appreciated all of them! You guys are the best! I couldn't ever ask for more. I do hope you're all doing alright though. It's not much but hopefully I can keep these updates going at a faster pace. I wish you all the best and thanks again! I'll try to get more development and plot going in the next chapter as well. Until then, you guys stay safe, healthy and happy!