In honor of season five starting, here's the conclusion to the USJ Arc!
(Because I crave the attention, I think from now on I'll answer any questions you guys have in an Author's Note at the end of every chapter. Of course, I won't spoil things if it gets answered in the future, but feel free to ask anything else really!)
All might.
Hitomi sagged, her eyelids drooping in exhaustion and her adrenaline ebbing away. With it dulling, the pain in her head became more pronounced, a throbbing matching her pulse coming from the base.
"We're saved!" Mineta cheered tearily, forgetting about the Villain still very much too close to them all.
"He's here… All Might." Midoriya croaked, staring up at the entrance with a nervous crease between his brows. "And he's not smiling."
The hand-clad Villain stood, turning away from the three in the water in favor of watching All Might's approach.
"After all this waiting… the heroic piece of trash shows up."
It was bold words, considering in the next second All Might mowed down every single minor Villain standing between him and Mr. Aizawa's crumpled form. His moves were too fast to try to follow, a blur and gust leaving behind a trail of unconscious bodies. But he was the opposite when picking up his fellow teacher, slow and gentle as not to hurt him any further. As it was, Mr. Aizawa dearly needed immediate medical attention, with two broken arms, the muscles and tendons visible on his right elbow, and his face caked with a mask of blood. The damage done was monstrous.
Still cradling Mr. Aizawa, All Might turned to them, and—
Hitomi blinked, vaguely aware that she and the others were now a good twenty feet away from the three Villains. The sudden shift, along with now holding up her own weight without the help of the water, made her wobble and teeter, just barely keeping herself standing straight.
Maybe it was a little bit more than a concussion.
"What the heck?!" Mineta squawked at their new position.
"Everybody, back to the entrance." All Might ordered sternly, setting down Mr. Aizawa in front of them. "And take Aizawa with you. He doesn't have much time."
Hitomi's mouth went dry, her eyes unable to settle on the mangled teacher for long without a sick roll in her stomach threatened for her to lose her breakfast. When she tried stepping forward to help hoist him up, she found herself being supported by Asui in a flash.
"You started to fall, ribbit." Asui explained after the confused noise that came from Hitomi's throat.
Okay, so definitely something worse than a concussion.
Midoriya lifted Mr. Aizawa up onto his back, carefully holding onto his arms above the breaks. Mineta then picked up his ankles so his feet wouldn't drag across the ground behind him.
"All Might, you can't!" Midoriya warned him, panic lacing his voice. "That brain Villain took One for—" he faltered, eyes flickering to his classmates. "I-I smashed him and didn't break my arm this time, but he wasn't fazed at all! He's too strong—"
All Might threw a hand out to stop him. "Young Midoriya," he closed his hand and pointed his thumb up. His smile was firmly back in place. "I got this!"
While the two boys carried away Mr. Aizawa, Asui held onto Hitomi for her support, her wide eyes keeping watchful of the pinkette. Especially when she noticed a thick trail of blood slowly leaking down the back of her neck. For Hitomi's part she just focused on staying awake, wincing every time All Might threw a hit at the large Villain behind them, the collision loud enough to make her ears ring.
The final hit came louder than the previous ones, a shroud of dust erupting with whips of wind shooting out all the way over to them. Midoriya, Asui, and Mineta all looked back curiously, and Hitomi would have done the same if she could manage to even lift her head higher.
"Whoa, are you guys seeing this?" Mineta said in awe. "That suplex looked like a huge explosion!"
Explosion… what was that word making her think of? It was right there on the tip of her tongue…
Spikey ash blonde hair. The smell of burnt caramel—
Crap.
Hitomi tensed, remembering Bakugou and Kirishima's plan to find and take down the warp Villain, who was currently spectating the fight between All Might and the big one. If the two crashed onto the scene, All Might would have to divide his attention to also keeping them safe.
Hitomi opened her mouth, trying to call to Midoriya and warn him, but a wheezy cough kept her from it. She must have inhaled some of the upended dust when she was slammed down a few minutes ago.
Unaware of her struggle, Asui chimed in about the top Hero. "And yet he still has to look at his notes when he's teaching us."
"Get that guy!" Mineta cheered over his shoulder. "Punch him right in the balls!"
"Maybe we were worried about these bad guys for nothing." Asui mused. "All Might's unstoppable."
But… the overpowering smell of concern and uncertainty coming from Midoriya made Hitomi doubtful.
"M-Midoriya," Hitomi got out after clearing her throat, "Bakugou and Kirishima are—"
All four of them came to an abrupt halt. Midoriya, Asui, and Mineta because they could see what was going on behind them. And as for Hitomi, she smelled a new source of blood.
Finally forcing up her head, which felt weighed down by a ton of bricks, Hitomi checked over her shoulder, seeing what had left the others frozen.
All Might was bent backwards, still holding the bug-eyed Villain's torso to slam him into the ground. But, the warp Villain had opened two portals, one for the massive one's upper half to go through, and one under All Might for it to come out of. Its clawed left hand was digging into All Might's left side, sinking them in deep, leaving blood to soak through that side of the Hero's white shirt.
"Asui…" Midoriya croaked lowly.
"Yeah, what is it, Midoriya?"
"Will you carry Mr. Aizawa for me?" His eyes were overshadowed by his curly hair, giving no indication of what he was planning.
Asui looked to Hitomi, who carefully pushed herself upright and gave a reassuring nod. "Ribbit? Sure, but what're you gonna do?"
As soon as Mr. Aizawa was gently transferred to Asui's back, Midoriya turned and staggered toward the fight. After a few shaky steps, he launched forward, sprinting to their endangered teacher.
"Are you crazy!?" Mineta screeched at his back.
Hitomi went cold. All Might, the number one Hero, was getting hurt by these guys. What could possibly make Midoriya think he could take them on?
"Midoriya!" Hitomi screamed as the warp Villain appeared right in front of him, looming with a promise of death. Without conscious thought, she tried running after him, because he was going to get himself killed. But her vision faded in and out, and she was suddenly on the ground before she could even take more than a few steps.
No… She tried pushing herself up, gritting her teeth stubbornly. She had to get up. She had to help him. She had to—
A booming explosion, that brought the smell of burnt caramel with it, sounded from up ahead.
"Get the hell outta my way, Deku!"
Hitomi's arms gave out, a wave of relief and new concern welling in her chest. Bakugou had arrived, presumably so had Kirishima, but would they be enough to help Midoriya and keep themselves alive?
"One of my classmates told us you're here because you think you can kill All Might." Another voice evenly stated.
Todoroki. He was there now too. Hitomi cracked a smile, her eyes fluttering closed without thought.
The tables had turned. The Villains were in trouble now.
"Saito!" Asui called, sounding as if it wasn't the first time she tried getting her attention.
Hitomi hummed, or at least she attempted to, she wasn't sure if she actually did.
Asui seemed to pick up on that she was barely there consciously, and wrapped her tongue around her middle again, slowly lifting her.
"C'mon, we need to hurry." She spoke around her tongue, picking up the pace toward the entrance.
Hitomi was limp in the air, arms and legs dangling lifelessly under her, her hair laying as a curtain over her face. Facing downward, she felt blood leaking into the edge of her hairline, and distantly wondered how much she had lost already, remembering that head wounds tended to bleed heavier than other areas.
Once the three of them were spotted by the portion of the class hanging by the entrance, Uraraka and Shoji came down to help. Uraraka used her Quirk to gently float Mr. Aizawa onto Shoji's broad back, then once Asui lowered her, she took Hitomi's left arm and slung it over her shoulder. Asui did the same with her right, and the two practically carried her up the towering set of stairs.
Once at the top, she saw Sero, Sato, Ashido, and Thirteen. It made Hitomi worried to see that neither Momo or Aoyama had made it back yet, and she was starting to doubt leaving the blonde alone earlier. For all she knew he had run into more bad guys as soon as she left.
"Hurry up! Let's get out of here already!" Mineta urged, emphatically gesturing toward the exit while Sero and Sato hefted Thirteen up and supported her.
"But the others—" Ashido started to protest, but was cut off by a thunder-like clap, followed immediately by a part of the glass dome above shattering.
Those who were facing the direction of the sounds, gaped at what caused it.
"Uh, did a Villain just fly by? Or am I going crazy?" Sero gawked at the hole in the dome, where the indigo Villain had been sent soaring.
"It was that big dude." Sato confirmed.
"Such power." Shoji voiced what they were all thinking.
Mineta stared teary-eyed, his enthusiasm for leaving waning with the scariest Villain now gone. "That's All Might for you. That's why he's the most amazing Hero in the entire world!"
"Hm, Saito?" Uraraka looked down inquisitively, feeling the way Hitomi tensed and tried standing straighter.
Her ears flicked, and her tail languidly swung side to side. The barest hints of a smile spread across her face.
They were here.
"Sorry everyone, I know we're a bit late."
Snipe. Ectoplasm. Cementoss. Present Mic. Hound Dog. Power Loader. Vlad King. Principal Nezu. And...
"Aunt Nemuri!" Hitomi croaked thickly.
"I got the teachers over here as fast as I could." Principal Nezu said atop Vlad King's shoulders, his voice still cheery as always.
Snipe lifted one of his guns, shooting off three shots, one toward the plaza, and the other two toward the mountain zone.
In front of the lineup of Heroes, Iida stood proudly, hair windswept from his race to UA.
"Your class rep has returned! I've fulfilled my duty. And I've brought reinforcements!"
Hitomi clumsily slid her arms off of Uraraka and Asui's shoulders, stumbling forward while ignoring the way every step gave another pound to her skull.
Midnight's face softened in concern, approaching her with open arms despite the pressing situation. "Oh Hitomi, your head."
Hitomi took the silent invitation, letting herself slump limply in her pseudo aunt's arms, tension ebbing away in the older woman's embrace. "S'rry… shouldn't bother you right now. And 'm sure this can't look pr'fessional."
Midnight sighed, gently petting the back of her head, pausing and sighing heavier when she felt the large bump already forming at the base. The wet and dried blood matting the pink locks wasn't something to brush off either. "I think we're already past that point. I recommended you, remember?"
Present Mic inhaled deeply, and Midnight wordlessly cupped her hands over Hitomi's ears right before he let loose on the Villains who were only now recovering from All Might taking them down. Before they could even think of getting up after the vocal shockwave, Ectoplasm gave them no time, making a dozen clones that began whaling on them. It was a wonder that so many were still conscious.
"Our priority is to protect all of our students!" Principal Nezu delegated with a smile, pointing onward toward the thick of Villains.
"Yes sir!"
"Don't move, alright?" Midnight softly ordered Hitomi, parting from her with a carefully placed pat on the head.
Down at the plaza the hand Villain ran to the warp one, assumably to retreat. But Snipe ruthlessly shot him in both arms and legs, the warp Villain shielding him before he could be hit anywhere else. His mist enveloped the hand Villain, and with half his body still sticking out, Thirteen stood on trembling legs and opened Black Hole with both hands. The power and reach managing to suck up much of the warp Villain's smoke, slowing him down considerably. But despite their efforts, he finished pulling the hand Villain through, disappearing himself in a shrinking swirl right after.
And… that was it. It was jarring, after so much chaos and danger, it was suddenly quiet, almost deafeningly so. All the minor Villains were already being subdued by Hound Dog and Vlad King, or knocked out by Midnight, and the rest of the scattered class was being retrieved by the rest of the Heroes and some clones of Ectoplasm. Everything was being handled.
It was over. They survived their first encounter with Villains.
Hitomi tentatively ran a hand through her bloodied hair.
Some better than others.
...
Nori Saito was many different things to many different people.
To Ayami he was a stubborn yet caring "kid" she still considered under her care. To Hana he was a mix between an uncle and older brother, always willing to humor her and goof around. To his colleagues he was a stern and serious hard worker, dedicated to doing his best and live up to being promoted to sous chef. To the public he was the tragic dead Heroes' son who could never follow his parents' footsteps due to his macabre Quirk. And to Hitomi, he was a lot of things.
A big brother. A pain in the neck. A friend. A confidant. A heckler. A protector. A role model.
But there was one thing Nori tried his damnedest to be. And that was a constant.
And the first time it really occurred to him that his sister might not always be there for him the same way, was before she got her Quirk. And it was something that he still did his best to ignore to this day.
School had let out finally, and Nori meandered along besides his three friends at a leisurely pace, hands in his sagging pockets. He was in no rush, as for once Hitomi was granted permission to play at the nearby park, so he didn't have to pick her up from her school first thing.
When they grew closer to the playground, Ryuji spotted a vending machine and they naturally congregated over.
"I gotta go soon." Nori commented after checking his watch. "Hitomi needs me to walk her home."
Sai scoffed as he retrieved his drink from the slot at the bottom. "Dude, don't you guys have a nanny or something? Why doesn't she do her job instead of pawning the midget off on you?"
Nori frowned at the unwarranted jab at Ayami, sliding a bill into the machine and absently looking over the options. "It's not a big deal, it's not like I mind."
Kazuto shook his head in dismay. "I don't get it, man."
"Get what?" Nori asked, settling on a simple bottle of decaf green tea. He knew Hitomi liked it, so he could share during the trip home.
"Get how you put up with that little pest."
The button for green tea was jammed violently in a jerk.
Sai and Ryuji noticed, and attempted to silently signal for Kazuto to zip it.
"What is that supposed to mean?"
Now Kazuto took stock of Nori's darkened expression, and frantically tried to backtrack.
"Wait— I mean— It's just that…"
The air around Nori grew heavier, and all three other boys were given an abrupt reminder of what his Quirk was capable of.
"L-look man, I didn't mean anything by it." Kazuto chuckled nervously, carefully taking a few steps back, with Sai and Ryuji doing the same. "It's just that she's… you know? Kinda… annoying?"
Nori's eyes almost seemed to glow, the gold burning molten in anger. He didn't even need to use his Quirk to instill fear into them, not with that look.
Kazuto did his best to save face, spitting out a weak scoff, and turned away while still keeping an eye on Nori over his shoulder.
"Tch, whatever. Let's go guys."
Sai and Ryuji sent uncertain glances back, but ultimately followed after Kazuto, escaping the stifling cloud of fury Nori left hanging in the air.
The redhead watched them retreat, a mixture of emotions warring in him. He wouldn't put up with anyone who spoke ill about Hitomi… but at the same time, those three had been the only ones in his year to not judge him for his Quirk, and now he chased them off.
Nori scowled, right fist clenching tight. He reared it back and slammed it into the vending machine, unbothered by the harsh sting it left behind in his knuckles. Again and again, he punched it, all while his aggravated thoughts shifted.
If only he didn't spend so much time with Hitomi. If only his friends didn't have to see her so often. If only she was less excitable all the time and a little quieter—
"Nori!"
He froze, fist stopping just short of connecting with the glass again. Nori turned his head, staring as Hitomi cheerily raced over, her face flushed in delight.
"Nori!" She repeated once in front of him. "Nori, I met someone at the park! With the most prettiest hair I've ever seen! I went over to say something but then I smelled tears, an' so I asked what was wrong an'—" she cut herself off, ears going back in a telltale sign of distress. "Nori, you're bleeding!"
Nori blinked, numbly looking down at his split knuckles. "Ah… yeah. I'm okay though."
Hitomi frowned doubtfully, and with a start, Nori remembered what he had just been thinking just before she showed up.
He was wishing she was different. More subdued. Less… herself.
Kneeling down, Nori swallowed the guilt of it, and instead focused on giving her a convincing smile. "I promise. Now, tell me about this person with pretty hair?"
Hitomi perked up right away, her tail turning into a blur behind her. "Oh yeah! So I asked him what was wrong, and he said his Quirk's scary an' now his friends won't play with him."
Nori's brows furrowed. Didn't that sound familiar. "Is that so…?"
Hitomi nodded quickly. "Yeah! But I told him that that's stupid, and that you got a scary Quirk but you've got friends."
Nori flinched. "Right." Then he noticed something he had missed in the rush of information. "Wait, it was a boy?"
Hitomi nodded again. "Mm-hm! And he had the prettiest hair ever! It was… what did you call it? The purple flower color?"
"Lilac." Nori supplied with narrowed eyes.
"Yeah! Lilac! An' after I said his Quirk's perfect for a Hero, he said my hair's pretty too! And gave me this." Hitomi carefully retracted a single daffodil from up against her left ear.
Nori's eye twitched. "How old was this boy?"
"Same as me!" She blinked, staring at him with a cock of her head. "Why d'you smell like Mama when the neighbor lady talks to Papa?"
Nori stood, picking her up without preamble, holding her against his side while walking toward their neighborhood. "Don't worry about it. I just need you to promise never to date anyone. Especially boys. Boys are terrible."
Hitomi cocked her head again. "Okay? I promise."
"And promise you'll never stop being loud and happy."
She nodded. "Promise."
Nori stopped, gazing contemplatively at the ground. "...And promise me you'll let me look out for you. From boys, from mean kids, from everything, alright?"
Hitomi took longer this time, ears tucked back once more. "...Okay Nori, I promise."
Nori sighed, a weight he hadn't realized was there lessened, allowing him to breathe just a bit easier.
(It took until he was unlocking their front door to realize he forgot about the green tea.)
He was supposed to be worrying about her making the wrong kinds of friends, or start dating like he always dreaded. Those kinds of things he could protect her from.
Nori couldn't protect her from Villains, but he would do his best to make sure the school meant to teach her safely didn't make another fuck up like the one currently leading him to the hospital in the middle of his shift.
Hitomi got a major concussion, maybe even a fractured skull, all under the watch of UA.
Nori was going to raise some hell.