This was bad. This was really, really bad.
Hitoshi woke up in a below-average bed the second day after the incident, and was feeling much better than he had yesterday, when the fatigue from the attack had still weighed him down. His eyes opened to the sterile white of the ceiling. He was at the hospital. Everything at the camp had really happened. Izuku was gone. Hitoshi felt tears gather in the corners of his eyes, and clenched his fists harder as he gripped the blanket he was under with all his strength to avoid screaming out in anguish. He couldn't just break down. He wasn't the only one that would be suffering. Ochako would be heartbroken, and she'd need support. Hitoshi knew that Tsu would probably put on a brave face, but would be just as broken up about it. He needed to be strong, so that he could support them through this.
When he saw that the clock read '9:00 AM, July 23rd', Hitoshi threw the blanket off himself and swung around to hang his legs off the bed. He checked himself over, finding that there were still a bunch of electrodes stuck to him. He decided not to take them off and make it seem like he'd died or something, since there was nobody in the room with him. Hitoshi was in one of them patient gowns, and hated how it felt on his skin. He looked around his bed, found a table at its side and saw that there was a remote with the button to call a nurse to him. Hitoshi reached out and pushed it, and was disappointed when it didn't make a clicking sound or anything. The little things, y'know?
A few moments later, a nurse walked through the door and smiled warmly when she saw that he was awake. Hitoshi tried his best to not frown, but he didn't think it worked how he wanted it to, since she immediately got that look in her eyes when someone was worried but didn't want to show it.
"Good morning, Shinso. How are you feeling?" the nurse asked, making her way to his bedside and clicking a button.
"Tired. Are there other students here?" Hitoshi asked, not bothering to smirk when the nurse was startled out of her routine by his question.
"Yes. Some of you kids were exposed to things like Quirk created substances, so we need to keep those who were so that we can properly determine how those things affect you. You're one of them," the nurse said, writing some things down on a clipboard.
"Who are the others?" Hitoshi asked.
"I'm not sure I can tell you that," the nurse said, giving Hitoshi a strong look.
"I just need two names. Tsuyu Asui and Ochako Uraraka. Are they still here?" Hitoshi asked, hearing his own change against his will, becoming pleading instead of the determined tone he'd been going for.
The nurse seemed to realize something, and smirked at Hitoshi. He wondered what that was about, but didn't press for answers. He just let the nurse do what she had to do, and when she was satisfied with his condition, she walked over to the door and opened it. She stuck her head out and said something to the side of the door, and made way for Tsu and Ochako as they all but ran into the room. Hitoshi's legs were still jelly under him, which was why he didn't run to Tsu, but he was more than content enough at that moment to let them come to him and embrace them when he was able.
As he held onto Tsu as if they'd die if either of them let go, Hitoshi gave Ochako a questioning look. She looked … distinctly not like the usual Ochako. She was completely still as she watched the two of them hug, and looked into Hitoshi's eyes with a despondent passiveness. She seemed to have been completely deflated from losing Izuku, and Hitoshi understood that. After all, it had been Hitoshi's capture that Izuku had prevented by handing himself over to the Villains. He wasn't sure he deserved it, but Hitoshi would be sure to do what he could to make it so. That included doing what he could to get Izuku back.
"We need to talk," Hitoshi said, getting both Tsu and Ochako's attention.
"About what?" Tsu asked, sitting by Hitoshi's side.
"Izuku, and how we're going to get him back," Hitoshi said, giving Tsu his strongest look.
"Hitoshi, you can't be serious. That's the Heroes' job, not ours. If this is because you feel guilty—" Tsu tried to say.
"Of course it's because I feel guilty!" Hitoshi said, almost shouting. He took a few deep breaths to calm himself, and continued. "Those Villains wanted the three of us, but Izuku's the only one that got taken. I should've gone with him, I was supposed to go with him. Bakugo, too. I could be with him right now, making sure that he's safe, but I'm here instead, sitting around doing nothing."
Tsu put their hand on Hitoshi's. It was a grounding sensation, as their body temperature as a frog was naturally a little lower than his. He was grateful for Tsu being there for him, Ochako too, but all Hitoshi could think about was how it should've been him that was taken. He'd already been captured, and from what he'd been told before he'd been carted off to the hospital, Izuku had been safe, at least comparatively, so what made him think that it was okay to sacrifice himself like that with no input from the people he was saving. It was that kind of self-destructive attitude that Hitoshi had thought he'd let go after the fiasco with Iida and the Hero Killer, but he guessed that there was still some kernel within him, of that kid who didn't love himself, after all this time. It could've gotten him killed. It might have already.
"I understand what you're feeling, but you have to think about this logically. How would you even go about the kind of thing you're talking about? If you managed to get to wherever Izuku's been taken, what would you do? How would you save him? There's nothing that you can do, Hitoshi. I think we have to accept that it's out of our hands now," Tsu said.
It was clear to Hitoshi that, behind the controlled pronunciation of their words, Tsu was burning with that same need to see Izuku safe. They were just as much his friend as Hitoshi was, and had just as much claim to the feelings that he knew they were both feeling. That made it even more amazing that they could keep their calm. It was always one of Tsu's strong points, but he wouldn't have blamed them if they'd broken down here. Hitoshi knew that he was one bit of bad news away from one.
"I don't know how I'd do it, but if I've learned anything from UA in the last three months, it's that there's always something that can be done. My Quirk was nothing when I took the entrance exam. I wasn't like Bakugo, or Todoroki; I couldn't just use my Quirk like it was an ace that would net me a win in any fight. I had to find other ways. So, that's what I'm doing now. I'm not just lying down and losing this fight. I'm doing something to get Izuku back, and nothing is changing my mind," Hitoshi said, looking into Tsu's eyes and using that to get across his desire for their help.
It looked like Tsu was thinking, analyzing and figuring out whether or not they wanted to help Hitoshi. If they said no, that was fine. It was their choice and Hitoshi would respect that. The foundation they stood on when it came to their beliefs was solid, and that was one of the things that Hitoshi most respected about Tsu. At the same time, he really wanted their help, and would more likely than not be screwed without it. Luckily, Hitoshi didn't have to wait a long time for an answer.
"Since I can see that you're not backing down, I'll help you," Tsu said. When Hitoshi began to smile, they added onto their statement. " Only as a limiting factor. I don't want you going off the deep end and getting into business you can't handle. That's why I'm agreeing to this."
Hitoshi sighed, and held Tsu's hand in his own. It was nice to have someone on his side, after his middle school experience. He couldn't say what it was that had drawn him to Tsu, other than that he'd been simply amazed by their efforts at the USJ and had been smitten ever since. Hitoshi was undeniably happy with Tsu by his side, and it left a warmth in his chest to know that they'd stay that way.
He stood, turning to Ochako. She was still in her state of depression, looking at Hitoshi like he wasn't really there, just a ghost that she looked right through. It was tough to see such a normally happy person be so dour, but that was what she'd been pushed to. Hitoshi didn't know if she'd be up for something like what they were talking about. He met her eyes, and a dead gaze met his back.
"What do you think?" Hitoshi asked.
"What do I think? I think you should just stop. The Heroes will surely save Izuku from whatever those Villains are doing to him. We're just students. We couldn't possibly go against the rules, against the law, and go after him ourselves. We're not licensed. Even ignoring that, we weren't able to fight them off at camp, so what makes you think that you'll be able to now?" Ochako said.
"You're right. What we're talking about is vigilantism, but it's not like we have any other option that isn't just sitting still and waiting for something we're not one hundred percent sure is coming," Hitoshi said.
"You think the Heroes aren't doing everything in their power to track him down?" Ochako asked, narrowing her eyes at Hitoshi.
"I think that those Villains are crafty. Whatever the Heroes hit them with, they're able to hit back with just as much force. These are the people that control those Nomu. They're powerful," Hitoshi said.
Tsu and Ochako reeled back at the mention of Nomu. Hitoshi himself hadn't wanted to bring it up, but he was sure that this 'Vanguard' was the League of Villains, either hiding behind a new moniker or simply having changed their name. While he'd been in that marble, Hitoshi had heard the Villain who put him there talk about Shigaraki, and just thinking about that guy made Hitoshi's skin crawl. What a psycho.
"Even if they are, I still don't think this is right. What if you get caught by the Heroes? By the Villains? What if you get kicked out of school, or die? This isn't a good deed, it's just another mistake," Ochako said.
"You're right. I know you're right, but I can't help this feeling in my chest that tells me that I should've done more. There's this burning in my heart that's telling me that I failed, just like at the USJ. Just like my final exams. I fucked it up, and I didn't have ways to make it up to the people who got hurt because of those mistakes, but there is something that I can do now. This time, I can fix my mistake by saving Izuku from whatever those Villains have him for. If I can't do that, I can't call myself a Hero. So, if I do this, will you tell our teachers?" Hitoshi said, meeting Ochako's eyes once again.
Ochako looked like she was about to burst into tears. She put her hand over her mouth and quietly sobbed, struggling to keep herself together for as long as it took to answer him. Hitoshi felt bad for making her feel this way, but he needed an answer from her, and he needed it now. If he was doing this, it was happening as soon as possible, so that night. He just hoped Tsu could make it.
"I won't stop you, but I won't tell on you. I just hope you know what you're getting into," Ochako said, smiling sadly at Hitoshi.
"I do," he said, nodding to Ochako with a determined expression set on his face.
Hitoshi looked around for his belongings, and found them stuffed under the bed. He pulled out his clothes and started rummaging through them for something presentable to wear. It was kind of awkward with two other people in the room, much less one that he was actively dating, but Hitoshi managed to excuse himself to the bathroom and change out of his hospital gown and into some of his own clothes. When he came back out, he slipped his bag back under the bed and began walking toward the door.
"Where are you going?" Tsu asked.
"Next door. We need to talk to Bakugo," Hitoshi said, turning the handle and swinging the door open.
"Why Bakugo?" Ochako asked.
"Because I want to save the nerd, too," Bakugo himself said, startling Hitoshi back a step as he realized that the boy in question had been outside the door already.
"Exactly. No matter how fucked up your relationship got, you were friends once upon a time, and I know that you do want to fix things with him, so you deserve to be in on this as much as anyone," Hitoshi clarified.
"Damn right," Bakugo said, stepping into the room and all but slamming the door behind him. "Now, what's your plan?" the blond asked.
"Well, I was kinda hoping that we could discuss that once we were all together," Hitoshi said, sitting back down beside Tsu.
Bakugo stomped over to the chair in the corner of Hitoshi's room and sat down in it, nearly breaking the hinges of the fold-out chair. Hitoshi would likely never be able to tolerate Bakugo's attitude in his free time, but if it was for something like this, then he could manage. That didn't mean he couldn't be annoyed, though.
"Be careful. This isn't UA's stuff, you don't want to break it," Hitoshi said.
"I'll do what I want, Eyebags," Bakugo yelled.
"Of course you will," Hitoshi said, already feeling like his head hurt.
"Alright, does anyone have any ideas for a plan?" Tsu asked.
Hitoshi had some ideas, but all of those hinged on getting to the location Izuku was at before he could really implement them. He still had no clue how to get to wherever the hell they were keeping him. He probably should've had some ideas by now if he was parading around talking about this, but he had woken up about a half-hour ago, so he could blame his half-asleep brain.
"We should just do what the Heroes are doing," Bakugo said, as if it was the simplest thing in the world.
"What do you mean?" Tsu asked.
"Jesus, take a fucking walk every now and then. If you had, you'd have overheard All Might and some cop talking to Ponytail about some tracker or something she planted on that fucking Nomu," Bakugo explained.
"Holy shit. You think that Yaoyorozu's tracker could lead us to Izuku?" Hitoshi asked.
"No shit. If we go and ask her, the four of us, she'll probably say yes 'cause she's a pushover," Bakugo said, chuckling at his assessment of Yaoyorozu's willingness to help people.
"We shouldn't be taking advantage of that, but you're right. Also, it's the three of us. Ochako's not coming," Tsu said.
Bakugo frowned, his brow creasing, and looked at Ochako with the most bewildered expression Hitoshi had ever seen on his face. Bakugo looked like he'd just lost Jeopardy, even though he'd been completely confident in his answer. He stared at Ochako, like she'd personally offended him, but quickly broke the silence with a harsh laugh.
"That's a funny joke. Of course she's coming," Bakugo said, standing to stretch out his legs.
"Um, I'm really not," Ochako said, stepping away from Bakugo hesitantly.
"Yes, you are. This whole thing falls apart without you," Bakugo said, as calmly as one would admit what they had for lunch yesterday.
"Why's that?" Hitoshi asked.
"Without her, the damn nerd won't come with us. If either of us …" Bakugo pointed at Hitoshi and himself, "… tries to bust him out, he'll try to get us to leave and stay behind again. We're the reason he gave himself up in the first place. If Frog Face gets up in his grill about it, he'll just reject their message. Whether he realizes it or not, the bastard thinks too highly of his own powers, and overestimates his ability to help while minimizing his self worth. That's also a driving factor behind his decision. If it's Round Face who calls out to him, he'll listen. He doesn't just value you, he values being with you, so he'll do what it takes to see you again. If that means giving up on his stupid martyr fantasy, then he'll probably do it," Bakugo said, laying all of Izuku's cards on the table.
Ochako was tense, everyone knew it. It was probably because she was trying to find a way to refute what Bakugo had said, but Hitoshi knew that all of it was right on the money. He didn't like it, but Bakugo was smarter than he was given credit for. At least in his social circles, that is, because Hitoshi had spent far too many study sessions cursing Bakugo out for his seemingly effortless high grades. The two of them, Izuku and Bakugo, had also known each other since they were very young, so they understood each other on a level that most people just didn't. They were bonded, whether they liked it or not, and that let Bakugo reveal exactly what his plan was. Hitoshi had been planning for Ochako to be coming for the same reason, and felt a small bit disappointed when he couldn't reveal his master plan, which was really just an idea for a plan.
"Fine. I'll come. For Izuku's sake," Ochako said, letting her shoulders sag.
"Alright, then. Let's go talk to Ponytail," Bakugo said, beginning to walk toward the door.
"Are you incapable of using anyone's name?" Hitoshi asked, following Bakugo out anyway.
Hitoshi saw Tsu and Ochako share a look of exasperation, but decided to let them have it. He knew that it was something petty that compelled him to bite back at Bakugo, but he couldn't really help it. Well, that wasn't true, because he knew that if he tried, he probably could help it, but the problem was that he didn't want to. He liked being a dick to someone that was so easy to agitate. He guessed that he was in that same boat for Bakugo. Hitoshi pointed his focus on their new mission. They were going to save Izuku, and they were going to do it tonight, with the help of Yaoyorozu's tracking device.
This was bad. This was really, really bad.
Yaoyorozu's tracker had led Hitoshi's team right to where Izuku had been held by what seemed to be the leader of the League of Villains, or the Vanguard, or whatever the fuck their name was. The problem with that, was that it had led them right to where the true leader of the Vanguard was . Someone above Shigaraki, above the Nomu, and who was currently standing on thin air and putting out the most horrifying vibe known to man. Hitoshi, Tsu, Ochako and Bakugo were slid in between the wall that went around the abandoned warehouse they used as a front and the next building over, unseen by both the Villain and the Heroes as they had their standoff.
Hitoshi was almost certain that it was Izuku's voice that they'd heard warning the Heroes before this man had blasted a chunk of the street away in one fell swoop. He'd had to keep Ochako from leaping out to berate Izuku for his decision, and Bakugo had stopped breathing for a little bit to keep himself from cursing both Izuku and this new Villain out and exposing them. After those events, as the debris settled, the four of them sat in wait for the perfect moment to act.
But, it seemed that the perfect moment wasn't going to come anytime soon. This Villain guy was talking to someone, but quickly grew tired of their presence, and let off another blast, smaller than the first but clearly devastating to whoever had been on the receiving end of it by the sound of a wet impact that followed. A voice, clearly younger and likely Izuku, cried out in anguish and rocks shuffled as someone ran along the destroyed ground.
A tap on his shoulder alerted Hitoshi to Ochako's eyes on him, and he turned slightly to look at her wide, terrified gaze moving past him. Hitoshi looked over at what she was pointing him toward, and saw that there was an exit to this narrow alleyway down the line, and that they could get out of that cramped space and run through the plan one more time. Hitoshi looked back at Ochako and nodded, and went to move. There was one, tiny problem, though.
Hitoshi couldn't move.
It wasn't that he didn't want to move, he was tensing the muscles in his legs as best he could. It was that presence of the Villain, that vibe that he put out, that … sheer malice and something else that Hitoshi couldn't truly identify. The closest thing that Hitoshi had a word for would be hunger. This Villain hungered for something, and it reminded him eerily so of the Nomu, mindless in its actions except for one single thought: serve. It was the same kind of determination that kept Hitoshi rooted in place, unable to move even though he wanted to, more than almost anything.
Ochako went to tap him again, to snap him out of it, but the group's attention was taken by Izuku shouting at someone, probably the Villain. It made Ochako lean against the wall in relief, as they now knew that Izuku had come out of the attack okay. Something muddy came from the voice of the Villain, though the next part was eerily clear, as if he knew someone was listening and over-enunciated to make a point.
"After all, we're family," the Villain said.
Hitoshi felt himself frown, his face scrunching up in confusion and fear. This Villain, the one that could decimate a whole street by himself, was Izuku's family. How? What kind of relation did they have to each other? He looked to his side to see Ochako's eyes go wide and unfocused, and Bakugo reacted much the same as Hitoshi himself did, a look of disbelief and shock crossing his face. Tsu just started at the wall, as they had been the whole time they'd been stuck between the walls.
"You're not my family!" Izuku screamed, and a loud hissing sound overcame the area.
The Villain's voice took on a strange quality, like he was momentarily deaf, and he called out what sounded like the name of a super move, like the ones Heroes had. Then, a loud crack rang out, followed by a woosh of air and another impact that made the voice that was probably Izuku cry out in pain and shock. This was followed by a few stomps, which quieted Izuku's groans.
Hitoshi didn't know what to do here. He could step in, help and allow Izuku to fight this guy with at least a little bit of success, or he could stick to the plan and wait for Ochako to do her thing. Hitoshi still had no control over himself, shaking and standing there uselessly in the alley. He couldn't do anything. Not like he'd be much good in a fight without his binding scarf and Persona Chords. All he could really do was hope that Izuku would hold out until they could get their golden opportunity.
It was then that a wet sound, like slime falling on the ground, could be heard from the outside and the coughing of people remarkably similar sounding to the Vanguard members rang out around the street. Hitoshi stilled even further than he already had when he heard the coughing of the guy who'd turned him into a marble, being able to recognize that voice anywhere. He felt Ochako taking deep breaths beside him, trying to keep her cool as it seemed like Izuku was surrounded by the same people who had kidnapped him in the first place.
To Hitoshi's surprise, and he was sure the others', too, Izuku didn't run. He didn't fight, either. He spoke. Izuku spoke to the Villains like they weren't enemies, and he treated them with kindness. He made it known that he wanted to help them, and that he was trying to save them from being Villains. Typical, really. Hitoshi had to fight from laughing, because of course Izuku would try to dissuade the Villains keeping him hostage to be better. This talk lasted for several minutes, where Hitoshi learned that All Might and a different Hero team had raided their main hideout, the Villain that had been there from the start was named All for One and that he'd raised Shigaraki to be a Villain as well, but he was really just a vulnerable young man named Tenko.
The most interesting thing that Hitoshi learned through Izuku's conversation with these Villains, though, was about his power. Apparently, it was an ancient power that was made by All for One created, and that has been used by numerous people, including Shigaraki's grandmother. That explained the abnormal potency of his abilities; they'd been used and cultivated by multiple people. The question was if anyone else knew. Hitoshi figured that he'd keep it a secret that he knew until this was over, when he could ask Izuku about it. He looked over at the other three with him and pressed his finger to his lips, silently demanding that they do the same. Everyone nodded, even Bakugo, who looked like he was shell-shocked.
The next things that happened were so fast that Hitoshi almost didn't have time to process it all. First, it was as if a nuke was dropped directly where everybody was gathered. It tore up the ground and all but shattered the wall that the kids had been hiding behind, exposing them to the harsh winds that had picked up. They were practically forced against the wall that was still standing, until that too crumbled under the sheer power that was being released from the epicenter of this pseudo-tornado. Hitoshi looked over at Ochako to see that she'd grabbed onto him and increased his gravity, anchoring him to the ground, and was now doing the same to the others. It felt like he was wearing the world's heaviest weighted blanket, but it was keeping him grounded, so Hitoshi was thankful.
"Guys! I think now's the time!" Hitoshi shouted over the roaring winds.
"No fucking shit!" Bakugo screamed back.
"Alright, let's go!" Ochako said, pressing a combination of her fingers together and canceling her Quirk's effect.
Bakugo began to use his Quirk to make himself float, the task proving extremely easy with the winds already guiding him upward. The control over his position seemed a little harder to maintain with the chaos of the air currents, though, with Bakugo's intense expression betraying his usually confident persona. Ochako clenched her hand, and a pink flash spread across her as her Quirk took effect once again, allowing her to be carried by the winds until she reached Bakugo's height. She then leveled out with her power over the orientation of the things she floats, using it on herself to the best of her ability to stay with Bakugo in the air.
Hitoshi and Tsu grouped back up and held onto each other, their collective mass helping them stay lower to the ground and stay steady. The two of them held onto the bits of the jaggedly broken ground they could, and stayed on the ground as they watched what was happening to Izuku and the Vanguard. Hitoshi caught the tail end of what looked like a maneuver with Shigaraki where they sped in, using strength that Hitoshi thought was still outside Izuku's safe range, and used Shigaraki's Quirk to destroy the mask that All for One wore. That was also when Hitoshi discovered that it was All Might himself that was fighting the Villain leader, and it was then that it became evident to him how high the stakes were here. If All for One could fend off the top Hero in Japan in a stalemate, then how outmatched were Hitoshi and the other students?
As soon as the mask was destroyed, Izuku and Shigaraki booked it out of there. Hitoshi watched as, in the hurry to get away from All for One and All Might, Izuku and Shigaraki turned into a blur of green and white, leaving a path of flickering green lightning behind them. It was almost as if they disappeared briefly and became lightning, only to reappear next to the rest of the Vanguard and become physical again, the lightning dissipating when Izuku stopped moving. Izuku was safe again, and that was Hitosh's perfect moment.
"Go!" Hitoshi yelled.
At the signal, Bakugo and Ochako shot off, Bakugo using his more powerful blasts to fly into the sky above all the carnage below and into position. Hitoshi watched them fly off in strange, erratic patterns because of the winds that were beginning to die down as All for One and All Might came to a standstill. The two of them flew up, with Ochako flying a little lower than Bakugo in order to get to Izuku with her voice.
"Izuku!" Ochako called out.
On the ground, Izuku created a network of Blackwhip between members of the Vanguard. He linked everyone in, and then empowered himself with the strength aspect of his Quirk. As the lightning wreathed his form, the Blacwhips strengthened themselves, and Izuku crouched down. After a moment, it was as if the same thing happened as before, where Izuku and the Vanguard disappeared and transformed into living energy, beings of lightning, though slower than before due to the extra weight. The group of them flew up into the sky, and Izuku tugged the Vanguard along as he went, using his strength and hovering ability to fly up to meet Ochako.
It was a tense moment on the ground as Izuku rose to Ochako's level, Hitoshi and Tsu watching on as the two best friends got closer and closer. It was as if the world had released a breath when the two of them collided, Ochako using her Quirk on Izuku. A funny thing happened when Ochako used her Quirk on Izuku, though, and that was that the effect went on to spread throughout the network of Blackwhips that connected the Vanguard to Izuku. Because of this, the gravity of the network as a collective was negated, allowing them all to float with Ochako easily.
Hitoshi and Tsu cheered for Izuku's freedom, watching as the faint pink flash crawled across the entire network of newfound allies. The three students then flew back to where Ochako and Bakugo had started from, picking up Hitoshi and Tsu in their network of floating travelers as they went and getting far away from the fight. Hitoshi wasn't even aware of this part of the plan until it happened, as he'd been swept away by Tsu as they connected their tongue to Blackwhip and made the flying group take the two of them with them.
The lot of them flew off into the night, no longer involved in the fight that was taking place in the decimated block in Kamino Ward. They would soon know just what had occurred as they'd flown off, but for now, they were ignorant, and that moment, where they were safe and were carting the willingly repentant Vanguard off into the night, was bliss.