Drip, drip, drip, drip.
It was cold, oh, so very cold. Cool stones pressed into his back, damp with water and slick with some mysterious slime. Midoriya sat curled in on himself, his arms crossed as he shivered and trembled. His teeth clattered painfully, but he couldn't help it. He was just so cold. Even the air down here was crisp; it nipped at his lungs and stung his nostrils with a musty smell.
Drip, drip, drip, drip.
He wished he hadn't burned his vest. At least then, he'd have a little something to stave off the cold. Even though he supposed the vest wouldn't do too much. Midoriya frowned. How long had he been down here? An hour? Two? A day? A week? He wasn't sure. The only source of light came from the ever burning torches outside of the too big cell. Or, cage, he supposed, based on the gouges in the dirt. Claw marks, from a beast of some kind. Midoriya couldn't see them too well; he could only just make out their shadows from the glow of the torch on the wall.
Drip, drip, drip, drip.
Midoriya leaned his head against the stone wall, peering through the thick steel bars. This cage was deep underneath the arena, within a series of corridors filled with near identical cages. They were, in essence, a holding area for the beasts used in the Trials. The steel bars that kept the monsters in where nearly as thick as his forearms, and they gleamed orange in the flickering firelight. Right up against the bars were two massive stone bowls fixed to the floor; for food, probably. Though Midoriya wasn't sure how often the monsters in the Guild's care were fed, given that the idea was to slaughter them. He closed his eyes with a sigh.
Drip, drip, drip, drip.
He wondered how they contained the sludge creature-thing-being. Its viscousy body would have allowed it an easy escape. Had he even really killed it? Midoriya thought back to the way it screamed, covered in flames. He shivered. A sick feeling coiled in his stomach, and Midoriya shoved those thoughts away. It didn't matter anymore. Nothing did.
Drip, drip, drip, drip.
A sound tickled at his ears. The clack-clack of boots against stone echoed against the rocks and into his cell, his cage. Midoriya perked up, peering into the shadows. Ever since the Guild threw him in here, some undetermined time prior, he had been alone. So alone, and so, so cold. Midoriya suppressed another shiver. He wondered, faintly, who that could be. His mother? Thoughts of Inko brought pricks of tears to his eyes. Oh, gods, what would she say about him now? She had to be furious. Furious at the Guild, furious at him. He could almost hear her scolding him. Midoriya dropped his head to his knees and sniffled.
Drip, drip, drip, drip.
"Oi."
Midoriya jerked his head up, his sights landing on none other than Bakugou Katsuki. The light cut his face into shadows, obscuring his expression. But Midoriya could pick out the stiff lines of his shoulders, his tense stance. In his hands was a tray, with bread and a pitcher. Bakugou clutched the tray so tight, those usually steady hands trembled. The pitcher wavered in place, water sloshing in the silence that stretched between them. Midoriya blinked. "Kacchan?"
"Why." His voice was rough, harsh. There was an echo of something there. Uncertainty, fear. A guardedness that Midoriya rarely heard. He tilted his head, his brows furrowing on their own accord.
"Why what?"
Bakugou's stare burned. Midoriya flinched, his head thumping back against rock. He shrank under Bakugou's scrutiny, trying to hide behind his dusty, slime covered knees. Bakugou seemed to frown even deeper at the sight, and he uttered a low growl. "You know exactly what I mean, shithead."
You know what I mean.
Unbidden images reared up into his mind's eye; the desperate cries of Bakugou as he fired volley after volley of fire to no avail, the fear burning like an inferno in his eyes that seared into Midoriya's soul. Horror rose in Midoriya's throat like bile, and he swallowed with a shudder. "I…" He trailed off, the words stuck in his mouth. Midoriya sucked in a breath. Why? Why? Why? The question knocked around his head and roared in his ears. Why? His heart pounded. Midoriya could almost feel that cutlass in his hands again. He stared at them, turning his palms upward and gazing at his scratches and calluses. Why? Midoriya bit his lip. The answer was there, in his heart.
He leveled his stare at the shadows dancing in the corner in his cage and forced himself to speak. "I couldn't just sit there and watch you die." His voice, though quiet, echoed with an almost foreign certainty in the small space. Midoriya's gaze jumped back to Bakugou, whose expression was unreadable. But Midoriya found his previous anxiety had drained away. He raised his chin, glaring back with defiance. Bakugou's lips twisted into a deeper frown and his eyes flashed. In a fluid movement, Bakugou grabbed the pitcher and tossed the water into one of the stone bowls inside Midoriya's cage. Half the water sloshed out and slapped onto the dirt, muddying the ground. The bread loaf hit the dust a moment later, skidding to a halt by Midoriya's boot.
"You shamed me," Bakugou said, his voice hoarse. "The whole fucking point of the Trails was do or die, you idiot. Fuck you. Fuck you and your stupid sympathy." Pops rang out in the hall, bursts of light snapping from Bakugou's palms. He threw the tray onto the ground, its clattering making Midoriya flinch. He peered up at his friend with wide eyes, his heart sinking at the snarl curving on Bakugou's lips. "I don't need it," he muttered, before turning heel and stomping away, back into the darkness. Midoriya gazed into the empty space, alone once more.
Drip, drip, drip, drip.
~#~#~#~
Midoriya was asleep when they returned for him. He awoke to rough hands wrenching his arms together. A gasp burst from his lips unbidden, but it didn't seem to deter his captors. Midoriya could only blink as rope was wound quick and tight around his wrists. Already, it chafed at his skin, and he grit his teeth. It wasn't like he could complain, after all. The knot was tight, solid, and Midoriya's fingers tingled. That probably wasn't a good thing. His thoughts scattered as he was wrenched to his feet and half dragged, half led out of the cage.
"Where are we going?" Midoriya asked. His voice was hoarse, rough from lack of use, and it echoed with a hint of panic in the small corridor. He got no answer, of course. Not that he expected one. Still, his nerves lit his blood aflame, and Midoriya was almost glad the two Guildsmen were holding him up. He'd probably not be able to walk properly otherwise. He snuck glances at his guards. Their expressions were like granite; smooth and impenetrable. Both were unfamiliar to Midoriya; just nameless faces, here to quite literally drag him to his fate.
The corridors they dragged him down were endless. They twisted and turned and diverged more times than Midoriya could count. It didn't help that the worn, slime covered stone looked the same in every direction. He caught glimpses of more iron bars amid the torchlight, but there wasn't much time to parse out any details. Midoriya found himself straining to peer over one of the Guildsman's broad shoulders, his gaze skirting to one of the many cages they passed. Most seemed empty, but every now and again he could hear soft rustles, or hear a low growl. Once he even saw a pair of glowing eyes glaring at him as they passed.
A shiver ran down his spine, and Midoriya wasn't sure if it was because of the chill that had settled deep in his bones, or the unearthly glow of those eyes in the dark. He tried not to think about it too much.
At some point, the corridor widened, and the torches lining the walls grew larger. Less shadows crowded the crevices, and Midoriya didn't see any more cages. The ground under his feet seemed to be tilting upward at a greater angle, too. Their footsteps echoed louder and louder, matching the thudding of his heart.
Thump, thump. Thump, thump.
He hardly registered when more Guildsman joined them, flanking both before and behind them. Once he was aware of their presence, though, anxiety spiked once more in Midoriya's blood. They were men, broad and strong, with long, thick spears held tightly in their hands. The speartips looked deadly in the flickering torchlight; a promise of death, a promise of pain. He sucked in a breath. What were they going to do to him? Midoriya bit his lip so hard he tasted blood. The sting took the edge off the fear clawing at his insides, even if for just a brief moment. But the moment faded, and Midoriya felt as though he was drowning, drowning, drowning.
Would they kill him? Throw him into the arena and let some eldritch horror tear him to shreds? The thought sent more tremors through him. His earlier bravado with Bakugou had vanished, tucked away somewhere in the shadows. He still didn't regret his actions, but. Midoriya swiped his lip with his tongue, sweeping away the blood oozing there. He didn't regret saving Bakugou, but he was still terrified of what was to come.
There was one time, when Midoriya was a young child, not long after his father left, when one of the Guild enlistees had smuggled a weapon into the Trials. He hardly remembered the match itself. He'd been so young at the time, and many of the fights blurred together. What the weapon was didn't really matter, anyway. A knife, a sword, it didn't make a difference. It was what happened after that Midoriya remembered. The Guild held a council, a meeting for the entire clan. Inko hadn't let him go for some reason or another. "No, Izuku," she had said. "It'll be late, you'll have an early day the next morning."
Oh, right. It was the first day working for Inui. Midoriya remembered pouting, but letting it go. Until of course Bakugou started teasing him about it.
"You're such a mommy's boy," he jeered. "You listen to everything the hag says? Lame."
Midoriya frowned. "She's not a hag," he said, ignoring Bakugou's glare, "she's my mom! Besides, she said I can't go."
Bakugou had scoffed. "Who cares what she said. My old hag can't ever tell me what to do." He held up his palm, letting his flame pop in the quiet of the afternoon. "If you want to go, just go, Deku."
He sucked in a breath, shuddering. Bakugou's words had gotten into his head, and Midoriya had snuck out. He hid, out of view, and watched as the Guild unceremoniously chopped off the former enlistee's hand. Midoriya could still hear his screams, sometimes.
Of course, no one, as far as he was aware, had interfered with the Trials quite like he had.
Finally, they reached light. Midoriya blinked, swivelling his head around. Thousands of pairs of eyes stared back, their glares uniting into a sweltering wave of anger and hate. Midoriya's chest burned. They were in the arena, surrounded by their entire clan. And the clan was angry. Hateful jeers and shouts bombarded his ears, and things flew from the stands and scattered in the dirt. Shoes and fruit rinds and things singed beyond recognition. Midoriya ducked his head, suddenly grateful for the enforced entourage.
"Disgraceful!"
"Worthless kid!"
"Flameless scumbag!"
"Izuku!"
The one familiar voice out of hundreds caught his attention, and Midoriya's head snapped up. He found his mother, near the bottom of the stands, her expression desperate and teary. His old sheep master, Inui, had an arm wound around her middle, presumably anchoring her in place and keeping her from bolting down into the arena. Midoriya sucked in a breath, his eyes burning and his chest tight. "Mom," he whispered. Despair gripped him with a chokehold, not letting go even as the Guildsmen dragged him along, forcing Midoriya to break his gaze away.
They led him to the middle of the stadium, where a spectacle awaited him. There, in the center, sat a raging inferno, smoke curling as it wafted towards the ceiling. Around the fire was a semicircle of the Guild's elite; members with fur trimmed capes and beads so thick they were like colorful chestplates. Each one regarded him with a stony stare, their ceremonial spears gleaming in the firelight. His gaze jumped from face to face, settling on the terrifying and imposing glare of Captain Bakugou herself. A golden halo wreathed her pale hair, shadows providing striking contrast with her smoldering, flame colored eyes. She snarled down at him with a hate so penchant, Midoriya could feel it settled on his shoulders and weighing down on him. He gulped.
Captain Bakugou raised her staff, and the arena grew quiet. "People of Kasai," she said, "we come here today for an unfortunate circumstance." The Captain paused, her expression solemn. But here, up close, Midoriya could see the twitch of her lips, the white of her knuckles as she clenched her spear. He could see the way her eyes darkened with hate when her gaze slid back to him, and he was afraid. Captain Bakugou sighed, dramatic, before pressing on. "Our sacred Trials were...interrupted yesterday. This rite is a sacred rite of passage, one that the enlistees embark upon with the full understanding of the implications." Her words hung in the air. The entire stadium seemed to hold its breath, holding onto everything the Captain said. Her stare, volatile and burning, cut into him. Midoriya trembled under its weight.
"Did Bakugou Katsuki ask for your interruption?" she asked, her voice dropping like boulders in his ears. Midoriya sucked in a shaky breath and shook his head.
"No."
"Do you acknowledge that your actions were a direct insult to our ancestors and the Guild?"
Shame burned at his cheeks. Midoriya ducked his head. "Yes."
"Then do you plead as guilty?"
Something struck a chord in Midoriya, then. It was as though the Captain's words had evaporated his anxiety and shame, unearthing a strangely familiar, burning sensation. The flickering light and shadows tickled at his vision, revealing snippets of memory. Midoriya stared into the flame, breathless, and there he found the white, hot terror that shone in Bakugou's eyes that fateful day. He straightened, jaw clenching. Guilty? Midoriya met the Captain's gaze. "I do," he said, his voice soft but certain. Those deadly eyes narrowed, hate simmering. But Midoriya couldn't bring himself to be afraid anymore. What he'd told Bakugou down beneath the arena was true; he didn't regret what he'd done.
"Midoriya Izuku, by the authority of myself and those of the Guild, I hereby exile you from the clan of Kasai."
In a beat, everything imploded. The crowd, the clan, was screaming. For blood, for joy, for anger, Midoriya knew not. He thought, somewhere, he could hear his mother shrieking his name. Then, the Guildsmen holding onto him dragged him forward, throwing him down at the feet of the Captain. A wheeze squeezed out of his lungs on impact. His vision grew blurry, and Midoriya tried to focus on breathing. Something heavy and rough pressed against his shoulders, forcing him lower into the dirt. The pressure made him cry out, and on instinct he squirmed. Immediately, the pressure grew painful, burning at his joints and radiating down his arms. He forced himself to still. Midoriya tried to turn his head, to throw his gaze over his shoulder. Guildsmen hovered in his view, tall and imposing, and through a sliver of light he could make out the blurry image of Captain Bakugou looming over him. Someone passed her something. Then shadows cut across her features, and Midoriya pressed his cheek back into the cool dirt. He flinched when nails scraped across his neck. There was a sharp tug at his beads, jerking his head up and making him choke. Tears stung at his eyes, and Midoriya could hear the snap ringing in his ears. Beads scattered the dirt, his tooth clattering in the dust right beside his face. Midoriya's breath caught in his throat, and he slowly shifted his bound hands forward to grasp it. He heard a snort close to his ear. "Good riddance," the Captain muttered.
A loose tear trailed down his cheek.
Midoriya only had time to take a single breath before a white hot pain was burning beneath his right shoulder blade. He wreathed in the dirt, tears spilling from his eyes as he screamed and screamed and screamed.
The Guildsmen, his guards, had to hold him up after. Everything was blurry, and the area under his shoulder throbbed. It felt as though he'd taken a torch and jabbed it into his skin. Midoriya bit his lip, holding back a sob. He clutched the tooth in his hands like a lifeline, the pain from the sharp edges a slight distraction. It grounded him, letting Midoriya feel through the pulsing pain of his shoulder. The dirt under his feet, the rough hands holding him upright, the flickering torchlight. It was all there, reminders that he was corporeal and real and that this was actually happening.
He was led into a short tunnel. It was little more than a shute, presumably the area enlistees were led into the arena. Here, the ground changed from dirt to stone and sloped upwards. Only perhaps fifty paces, and the slope vanished. The next series of corridors was a series of twists and turns. Right, left, right again, and Midoriya was hauled into the grand foyer of the arena, where the clan awaited him.
Faces. So many faces. It was different, in the arena, while he awaited his judgement. There, Midoriya was somewhat removed from them. From the faces that he knew. Neighbors, friends, allies, acquaintances. They were all there, looming over him, shadows of judgement slashing across their features. Here, it was different; in the arena, they yelled and screamed and called for his blood. Here, they stared, silent and judging. They parted like a wave, letting his entourage drag him past, staring and staring and staring. Midoriya recognized most of them. Awase, cloaked in red, a spear fixed in his hands. Takeyama, his neighbor, her blonde locks glowing orange in the torchlight. Utsushimi, honeyed curls obscuring her features as she murmured to the boy beside her.
Bakugou. Some part of Midoriya knew he was here. A tremor lit down his spine as their gazes met, and he stumbled under the weight of the hate that resided there. It burned, oh did it burn. Midoriya sucked in a breath, and another, but he felt as though he was choking on the smoke of Bakugou's hostility. And yet… Despite the hate rolling off Bakugou in waves, distorting everything, Midoriya could tell something was off. His shoulders were drawn up and tense, and he flinched back from Utsushimi when she leaned too close. His eyes were red and bloodshot, and despite the shadows mottling his features, Midoriya thought he could still make out dark circles under Bakugou's eyes. His brows furrowed, but Midoriya was given no time to decipher this information, as he was forced onwards.
The next face he saw, was that of his mother's. Inko lurched forward, her eyes soft and teary. Her lips moved, murmuring his name, and Midoriya felt her fingers graze his arm. He twisted, tried to reach out, but the Guildsmens' grip was firm and they dragged him past with little ceremony.
Midoriya blinked away the tears. He had to hope she'd be alright without him. He managed to toss a glance over his shoulder, catching the barest glimpse of her mossy colored hair. He thought he saw Inui beside her, and his shoulders slumped, relief scattering his fears. If only he could thank his former master…
A cloaked figure loomed forth from the sea of faces. Midoriya could see the splash of ice-blue eyes leering over him and he shuddered. It was that stranger! But, who were they? He gawked at the strange man, shivering at the grim smile he received in return. That was the last thing Midoriya saw before he was flung outside.
~#~#~#~
Twigs snapped underfoot as Midoriya fled. He didn't really know where he was going, but he supposed that didn't matter. Nothing did, really. A small part of him wanted to just sit down and give up. Just find a log and rest 'til morning. But the rest of him, the parts of him that refused to just keel over and die, screamed and resisted such thoughts. So run, he did.
"You have until sunrise to be out of our territory." Captain Bakugou stared down at him, a menacing grin curling at her lips. "If you stay, you will be considered a trespasser and a threat, and the Guild is authorized to eliminate threats on sight."
His breath came in ragged gasps. It hurt to breath. The cool night air burned at his lungs and throat, and his heaving breaths roared in his ears. He cast a glance upwards, towards the canopy, catching the barest hints of starlight winking through the leaves. The trees blocked out most of the moonlight, making it hard to see anything. Midoriya stumbled, his foot catching on a root and sending him sprawling. His bound hands flailed, attempting to catch himself, but he landed hard. He wheezed, tears pricking at his eyes. Ow. Midoriya laid there and caught his breath. Just a moment, and he'd get back up. Just a moment, and he'd keep going.
How much territory did their clan own? Midoriya didn't know. He'd lived his whole life in these mountains; he'd never left, not even once. There hadn't been a reason to. Until now. Midoriya shifted his bound arms under himself and pushed up onto his knees with a wince. The rope rubbed his wrists and brought a hiss from his lips. This sucked, so much. Midoriya clung to the tooth still held in his grasp, and struggled to his feet. He was lost in an unfamiliar sect of woods, forced to run from his clan or be killed. A rueful laugh spilled forth from his throat. He'd once wished for adventure, for something more. Perhaps this was the universe's way of giving that to him. That, or this was all some cruel, cruel joke.
He shuffled onwards.
Would the sheep miss him? Midoriya stumbled at the sudden thought. The sheep were his whole life. He'd spent countless hours with them, caring for them. Raising lambs from wee babes up into proud dams and rams. Shearing wool, cleaning and trimming hooves, naming and even singing to them up in the high reaches of the mountains. Midoriya could recognize every sheep by sight alone. What would they think, when he didn't show up tomorrow? Did they miss him already? Or had they already forgotten him?
That was a scary thought.
Something drew Midoriya out of his silent reverie. A sound. He jerked his head to the right, brows scrunching in confusion. There, in the darkness, a twig snapped. The sound echoed in the silence, deafening in his ears. It happened again, and Midoriya's heart was pounding. Calm down, he thought. It had to be nothing. A deer, probably. Right? He clutched the tooth tighter in his hands, trying desperately not to think too hard as to where it came from. Midoriya heard another loud snap, and flinched. His body trembled and twitched, every instinct screaming at him to run, run, run! He forced himself to breathe. In and out, in and out. One foot in front of the other. His pace picked up, shuffling at an increasingly faster pace. After every step he took, another rapid round of twigs snapped behind him. Terror crawled through his veins.
It's just a deer, he told himself. Nothing to worry about. Just keep moving.
And then, of course, he heard the growl. It rumbled low and loud, freezing him in place. Midoriya's mouth was suddenly dry, and he gulped. It's nothing, he told himself. Remember? Just a deer. A deer that growls. Midoriya sucked in a breath. Trembling like a leaf in the breeze, he slowly turned his head to peer into the night. To reassure himself that he was going crazy, or that it really was a deer.
His heart nearly stopped in his chest.
There, peering back at him, were two glowing, unfocused eyes. Midoriya could only just make out the outline of the beast; massive and hulking, lurking there beneath the trees. From the glow of its own eyes, he could see the gleam of its razor sharp teeth as the thing snarled at him. Midoriya cowered at the sight, eyes wide.
Holy fuck. Holy fuck, what is that thing?!
There was a beat. Midoriya gazed into its glowing eyes, heart hammering in his chest. He felt his legs trembling beneath him, threatening to give out under the weight of his terror. And then the beast lunged. Midoriya bolted. He could hear its jaws clack shut just inches from the nape of his neck. A scream tore from his throat, and he cradled his prized tooth to his chest as he ran and ran and ran. Branches whipped at his face and neck and chest. It was as though the forest itself was reaching out to him, trying to grasp him, hold him down. Thorns tugged at his pants, roots caught on his boots and made him stumble.
Every glance over his shoulder gave Midoriya a new and terrifying glimpse at what it was that chased him down. Dark skin that seemed to glow in the limited moonlight. Broad, impossibly muscled shoulders. Glowing, iridescent eyes that were disturbingly vacant. Void of any emotion. Goosebumps broke out on Midoriya's skin. Another glance, another image to fill the gaps. Gleaming, sharp teeth, with drool dripping from them. The ground shook with every step the thing took, nearly throwing Midoriya off balance.
This was no deer. Nor wolf. Whatever this thing was, it was nothing like he'd ever witnessed before.
Midoriya tucked his arms in, clinging to the tooth like a lifeline. Tears streamed down his face and his breath came in ragged gasps. It was like he was back in the arena, the sludge being breathing down his neck. Only this time, he only had glimpses of his opponent in the dark. And they weren't in a controlled environment. They were in the forest, far from his home, and Midoriya was hopelessly lost.
He was going to die.
Midoriya rolled in the meadow, laughter bubbling from his lips. He could hear his mother's gentle chuckle, and he sat upright to take in her affectionate gaze. "Oh, Izuku," she said, "you're so silly."
Midoriya grinned. "Come on, mom, roll with me!"
Inko shook her head, the smile not leaving her lips. "I need to finish folding the laundry. And you'll need a bath, after this."
He pouted. "Aww, mom! But the grass is so-o-o clean!"
"I'm sure it is, Izuku," she said with another laugh. "But you'll be even cleaner after a bath."
Midoriya sighed, stretching out on his back. He maintained his pout as he gazed up at the clouds. The grass smelled nice and felt soft as he rolled in it. It was a pleasant feeling, and he was never dirty afterwards. Why couldn't his mom see that? The warm summer breeze tickled his cheeks and ruffled his hair, taking with it his frustrations. It was too nice out to worry about later. A grin stretched on his lips once more.
A little more romping around couldn't hurt, right?
Another snarl brought Midoriya back to the present.
I'm sorry, mom, he thought. Then, Midoriya's shoulder connected with the rough bark of a tree, and he was spinning. Roots caught his boot, and he lost his footing. Midoriya yelped. The forest thundered around him, and he could hear the distinct clack of jaws snapping shut, a sickly sweet breeze tickling his face. And then he was falling. Midoriya had the time to wonder if this thrilling sensation of weightlessness was what birds felt when they took to the skies, before he slammed into the earth. The force sent him rolling, and Midoriya screamed. He scrambled for purchase, bound hands scrabbling with anything they connected to; dirt, twigs, roots, rocks, it didn't matter. But gravity seemed to have other ideas. Midoriya rolled and rolled, his body bouncing painfully with the hard earth under him. At one point, he hit a rock, that sent him flying. Hitting the ground again had the wind slammed from his lungs, and Midoriya wheezed. He bounced harder, the force sending his body into a new velocity. He was aware of the taste of dirt and blood on his tongue and the scent of molding leaves clogging his nose. Somewhere, Midoriya realized he couldn't hear the monster growling anymore. Then, he slammed into something hard, and everything went dark.
Update! Apologies for the sad... XD Anyways, here it is! Next chapter will have a few new faces... ;3
-Kat