3:25 PM
They got to their location...
Cop cars and ambulances were all there, near an alleyway...
As soon as they neared the scene, Inko stopped the car and turned it off. She, Mitsuki, Masaru, and Izuku all got out of the car. They rushed forward, hoping that whatever awaits them, wasn't...fatal...
There was a cop who was behind some yellow tape that was set up by traffic cones. When he saw the four coming up to the scene, he stopped them. "I'm sorry, but you can't come through at this point."
"Out of the way!" Mitsuki exclaimed, "My son is over there!"
"Please, officer! We need to see our son!" Masaru pleaded with him.
Frowning, now knowing that this was the boy's mother and father, he shook his head, "I'm sorry, but you can't right now."
"WHY NOT!?" Mitsuki was getting hysterical.
"Officer, please, just, let us see our boy!" Masaru pleaded again, his eyes tearing up.
"Officer," Izuku spoke out, getting the attention of the law enforcer, "Is Detective Tsukauchi around here?"
"Huh? Um...yes, he is," the officer blinked in surprise.
Inko decided to step in, "Sir, I know this may sound strange, but let my son see this Detective. He knows him."
"I-I'm sorry, but I can't. I'm under strict-"
"SCREW THAT, I JUST WANT TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO MY BOY!" Mitsuki hollered.
"Officer? What's going on here?" said the voice of Tsukauchi, who was coming up to them.
"Detective! Th-The parents' of the boy we found are here! And...a woman says her son knows you?"
Tsukauchi saw that Katsuki's parents were there, as well as a woman, and Izuku (the woman is probably his mother).
"Midoriya! Um, y-yes, I do!" Tsukauchi confirmed, "Sorahiko is here as well, Midoriya. As for your friend..." he looked at Izuku giving him some kind of look...a look that...frightened the boy.
The detective looked grim...but also, with a little tiny drop of hope.
But the grim look was overpowering that hope.
Izuku looked at Tsukauchi for a second and asked, "Tsukauchi...what happened to Kacchan?"
"..." Tsukauchi went silent.
"Detective, please, just...just tell us!" Masaru exclaimed desperately, "My wife and I can't stand this anymore, just tell us if he's oka-"
"He's in a coma," Tsukauchi says.
...They all were silent for a couple of seconds...
...Until Mitsuki said in dread, "A-A coma?"
"He was...y-you really shouldn't see him right now. However, he's...he's alive...barely," Tsukauchi told them.
Izuku just stared at the detective as he froze upon hearing the condition Katsuki was in.
A...A coma?
Masaru and Mitsuki all stared at Tsukauchi in shock, Inko looking very concerned for not only Katsuki's well-being but for her friends' reaction, as well as her son's.
"...My...My son is in a coma?" Mitsuki said softly as if she was now registering it, "...I-I need to see him."
"Ma'am, I'm sorry, but-" the officer tried to tell her, but then Masaru interrupted him.
"Listen to my wife. We want to see our son," Masaru said with such a serious look and tone that was unlike him.
"U-Uh, sir, I'm-I'm sorry, but I'm under-"
"Please. If you have any sense at all, me and my husband would want to see our son," Mitsuki said, her voice and tone being tense.
"I...I-"
Tsukauchi realized the parents of the victim weren't going to take 'no' for an answer, so he told the cop, "Officer. I...I think you should just let these four pass," He turned to Mitsuki and Masaru, Izuku, and Inko, a grim frown on his face, "Mr. and Mrs. Bakugou, Izuku, Mrs. Midoriya, I'll let you all see him, but be warned. He...he doesn't look very good."
Mitsuki was starting to tear up, her eyes watering as she looked desolate, with Masaru trying to be strong and not break down in tears. Inko put her hand to her mouth, dreading the sight that they could witness. Izuku's eyes widened at that information.
"Thank you, Detective," Masaru nodded, his eyes shedding tears now.
"Yes, thank you," Mitsuki also said with a nod, tears going down her face.
They passed Tsukauchi and the officer, ducking under the yellow tape and going over to where the scene was in the alleyway.
Tsukauchi turned to Izuku, who was still in shock by the news. "Um...Izuku. You can see Katsuki if you want. But again, the boy is...he's just in a really bad state."
"...Thank you, Tsukauchi," Izuku said to him with a firm nod. He turned to his mother, "Come on, Mom. We need to follow Auntie Mitsuki and Uncle Masaru."
Inko looked at her son, seeing how he transformed from such a shy boy to an independent, responsible, and mature young man. She nodded in determination, "Right."
They both went forward and passed the yellow tape, heading into the alleyway.
"My goodness..." said the quiet stunned voice of Torino as he was in the alleyway where he was near the dumpster. The paramedics were carefully getting the victim out of it, and gently placing him on a stretcher.
"Torino!?" called out the voice of Izuku.
"Sorahiko!?" Inko also called out.
Torino turned his attention to the four people that were coming up to him.
Izuku, Inko, and Mr. and Mrs. Bakugou...I really hope the last two won't be in hysterics.
Once Mitsuki and Masaru saw the stretcher and...the unconscious body of Katsuki, the former rushed over there to him so fast, that Torino couldn't help but be impressed by her speed.
"KATSUKI! KATSUKI! KATSUKI, BABY, SAY SOMETHING! OH GOD, PLEASE DON'T LET MY BABY BOY GO AWAY!" Mitsuki yelled out.
Masaru was also running over to the stretcher, not as fast as Mitsuki, although his face showed absolute fear upon seeing his son's nonmoving form on it.
Inko puts a hand to her mouth as she sees Katsuki being put on the stretcher, not moving.
Izuku stopped in his tracks upon seeing his once-childhood friend just...laying there...just laying there lifeless...
He found the courage to take another step and rushed over to the stretcher.
"Kacchan? KACCHAN!?" Izuku went forward to the immobile form of Katsuki.
When he got closer...he almost wished he hadn't.
He halted as his eyes went wide in horror at the condition Katsuki was in.
Katsuki's appearance almost looked...unrecognizable.
His face was so badly beaten and bruised, that he had two black eyes, with some of his teeth missing from his mouth, as it was open slightly in a somewhat drunken comatose state. His arms and legs looked limp as well...
Blood spots and splatter were on his shirt and pants and his face even looked caked with dry blood.
Mitsuki was losing her mind at how her son was beaten in such a way, while Masaru was weeping on his knees at the condition Katsuki was in. Inko decided to try and calm Mitsuki down as she passed her son to get to her.
As the paramedics rolled the stretcher away with Katsuki on it, they passed the stunned Izuku. The boy kept his eyes on Katsuki, seeing the broken and lifeless comatose state that he was in.
The one person that he thought was strong, that he once admired...was beaten to a pulp...
The paramedics kept rolling him away, leaving a shellshocked Izuku behind...
Mitsuki was crying on Inko's shoulder, while Inko comforted her. Masaru sat on the ground as he leaned his back against the wall of the alleyway, the feeling of hopelessness weighing him down.
Izuku...just sees Katsuki being put in the ambulance, the paramedics shutting the back doors of the vehicle as they rushed over to take him to the hospital. They drove off...
"...Kacchan..." Izuku mumbled in dread.
Then he felt a hand placed on his shoulder. Turning to who had done so, it was Torino, who gave him the most sympathetic look he could give him.
...Torino nodded in understanding, a bleak frown on his face.
...It was then Izuku realized...
...He failed to save Katsuki.
...The feeling weighed him down...in his heart, in his mind, and in his spirit...
He couldn't even save one person...which didn't make him...a Hero...
…The boy and older man both stood there, while Mitsuki cried on Inko's shoulder and Masaru wept against the alley wall.
- Yaoyorozu Residence -
3:50 PM
Momo looked at herself in the mirror as she sat on her chair, brushing her long hair.
She was, admittedly, a little worried...worried for Midoriya...
She kept brushing her hair...
Her parents had come back from their trip last night when they heard about the home raid and that their daughter was in the crosshairs of that raid. They were rightfully hysterical and worried themselves as they checked to see if she was alright first and foremost. However, when they found out that their staff were murdered, including their butler, they felt horribly responsible. Momo told them it wasn't their fault and it would have happened either way...
She did mention that her classmate saved her from the madman known as Joker...Midoriya...
...Izuku...
...Momo kept brushing her hair...
KNOCK-KNOCK!
"Huh?" Momo turned to the door to her room, "Um, come in."
Her door opened...and in came her father. He was in his casual clothes, his short hair combed, and having a short beard and goatee.
Mr. Yaoyorozu came inside, saying, "Momo, Sweetheart? I'm just wondering if everything is okay in here."
Smiling at her father to reassure him, she told him, "Don't worry, Father. I'm alright."
"Oh, okay..." Mr. Yaoyorozu sighed, "I'm sorry, Sweetheart, it's just...hearing that you were in that situation, it just...got me on edge."
Momo nodded in understanding, "It's okay. I understand..."
Mr. Yaoyorozu hummed in contentment, although he looked bothered, "Also, with everything going on around here..."
She glanced down at her lap, a frown on her face. "I know..."
...They were silent for a moment...
"...You said your classmate saved you from this Villain, The Joker?" Mr. Yaoyorozu asked.
She looked up at her father and nodded with a small smile. "Yes...his name is...well, his surname is Midoriya, but his first name is..." she lowered her gaze to think about the boy that saved her...his caring self, his warm smile, his courageous spirit... "...His name is Izuku..."
Mr. Yaoyorozu smiled at his daughter's slight hesitation in revealing his first name. "Well, I must thank him for saving you from this monster...I...I wish me and your mother could've somehow prevented this from happening. Just anything."
"Father, no," Momo shook her head, "Don't blame yourself. And Mother better not be as well."
"...Still...you and your friends just...saw how some people can be truly...just truly despicable."
Momo frowned and hummed in agreement on that.
"...Ichiro was my good friend. He treated you like you were his very own daughter..." Mr. Yaoyorozu closed his eyes and grimaced, trying not to think about it, but his eyes watered up either way. He couldn't imagine what their butler felt when he died.
"...Yes..." Momo said quietly, her gaze lowered again to the floor, grimly thinking about how Ichiro died. She saw him right there in front of her, burning with a knife in his back...
"...I hope this Joker and his crew will get what they deserve when they get caught," Mr. Yaoyorozu said firmly.
"...Hmm..." Momo nodded, her frown turning stern as well.
Then, her phone, which was on her vanity desk, made a ding sound, indicating that a text had come through.
"Hm?" Momo reached for her phone to see who it was that texted her.
The text was from Jirou.
Momo read the text...and her eyes widened in surprise.
It said:
Yaomomo! Turn on the news! It's about Bakugou! He's been really hurt!
Bakugou? He's...really hurt? Momo thought of the possibilities, Midoriya didn't...I mean, I told him to strike back if he strikes first, but...I-I mean, if there was a fight, then did he-
DING!
The news said the Joker messed him up! It's...It's pretty bad. They said he's in a coma!
Momo gasped.
The Joker!? Bakugou's in a coma!? Then...if...wait...what about-
"Momo-Dear? Are you alright?" said Mr. Yaoyorozu, who came up to her in concern, seeing her reaction to the text.
"...F-Father? I...I need to go to the TV room. Something...S-Something just happened," Momo said as she got up from her spot, her brush forgotten as she let her long hair sway behind her, rushing out of her room as she passed her concerned father.
As soon as she entered the living room, she grabbed the remote and turned on the large LED flat-screen TV. She went to any local news station that could talk about this story...
Once she found a channel, she read the headline.
Her eyes widened in horror.
The headline said:
UA STUDENT IN COMA AFTER BEING BRUTALLY BEATEN. QUIRK WAS OUTED BY JOKER, RESOURCES SAY.
"-It's such a horrible situation. Again, for those who are tuning in right now, we are at the scene where a UA student by the name of Bakugou Katsuki has been beaten savagely, his body dumped in a dumpster in an alleyway. The student is in a coma, likely due to his harsh injuries, and from reports on some of his injuries, his kneecaps and legs are both shattered from blunt force trauma, as well as his arms are broken from blunt force trauma, and he suffers a terrible concussion. The 110 call was called in by another UA student by the name of Midoriya Izuku, the one who called for the incident. He stated that the Joker, a new notorious Villain that's causing chaos on the streets, took the victim away while they were at their old middle school to meet up. Reports have said that the victim, Bakugou Katsuki, lost his Quirk by the Joker, as did the other student who called 110, Midoriya Izuku, who also lost his Quirk during the scuffle-"
CLICK-PLOP!
...Momo dropped the remote on the table.
Her face showed such shock, her mouth being partly opened. The newscast was still going on in the background, letting her hear some things, but was still trying to reel it all in after hearing that last bombshell dropped.
"Momo?" said the voice of her mother, who came back from the kitchen, looking just like her daughter and was in casual clothes as well. "Darling, what's wrong?"
"Momo! Sweetheart, what's-" Her father came into the living room and saw his daughter's shocked expression as she gazed at the TV. "...Momo?"
"...Dad...Mom...w-we got to get to Musutafu," Momo said, the fear now in her eyes as she stared at the screen. "Now."
Musutafu General Hospital
4:10 PM
Izuku, Inko, Mitsuki, and Masaru all sat in their chairs as they waited in the waiting lobby area. Torino stood among them...
Katsuki was in the ICU department...
...They were all silent...
Mitsuki had her hands clasped together, fervently praying, with Masaru next to her on her right side, having his face in his hands, clearly distressed. Inko was on the left side of her friend, giving her some reassuring pats and rubs on her shoulder. Izuku was across from them, sitting on his seat, with Torino standing near him.
The green-haired boy sat there, gazing down with his hands clasped together, his nerves on edge with his right foot bobbing up and down on the floor.
...Izuku looked at his phone for the time.
It's been two minutes...he really didn't know why he was checking the time, he was just that nervous.
Sighing, Izuku put a hand to his green locks, the feeling of hopelessness and dread tightening his chest.
I...I didn't even apologize...for...for saying all that stuff to him. I mean, even if I did mean it, he...I would've-
"You okay, kid?" Torino asked him, breaking out of his thoughts.
Izuku looked up at Torino, a little surprised at the intrusion.
Torino frowned at the boy as he winced, "Sorry, I guess that was kind of a stupid question. Of course you're not...but..." he crossed his arms as he looked contemplative, "I was just saying...like...I guess I was just asking if you're okay mentally? This has been a really big downward spiral here."
"...I..." Izuku sighed, "...I don't know..."
"Hmm..." Torino nodded at that in understanding.
They stayed silent for a few seconds...
DING!
"Hm?" Izuku reached into his pocket and got his phone out. He looked at the screen...
Yaoyorozu: Midoriya! Are you alright!? Please be okay!
Blinking at the text, Izuku muttered to himself, "Oh...I guess the news already announced it..."
"Hm? Who's that?" Torino asked Izuku.
"A, um...a classmate of mine. Yaoyorozu Momo."
"Yaoyorozu? You mean the same Yaoyorozu name that owns that Support Gear company?"
"Yeah, that's the one..." Izuku frowned as he stared at the text.
If anything, she might have already known about...how I lost my Quirk...
"..." Izuku texted her back.
Midoriya: Yaoyorozu. Hey. I'm fine, don't worry.
Not very convincing, but...I got to let her know I'm okay.
He waited for her to text back...
...Until his phone rang.
Hearing his All Might catchphrase song, Izuku blinked once again, looking at the caller ID, it being Yaoyorozu.
"Uh...hold on, I got to get this," Izuku told Torino and the other three adults who perked up after hearing Izuku's phone ringing. He got up and walked another portion of the waiting lobby.
He answered his phone, putting it up to his ear and saying to the receiver, "Hello?"
"Midoriya! A-Are you okay!? Are you sure? I-I saw the news, about Bakugou, and about you losing your...l-losing your-"
"I-I know. I mean, yeah...I...I'm okay. But...Kacchan...h-he's in a coma," Izuku said quietly in shame.
"Midoriya...it's not your fault..."
"...I know..." Izuku said hopelessly.
"...Jirou told me the news and I saw it on my television. I'm...well, me and my parents are coming over there where you are right now."
Izuku blinked again the third time, surprised that she and her parents would come all this way for him. "R-Really?"
"Yes...I just...I just thought you needed...some...some comfort..."
Stunned that she would go all this way to help him get through this, Izuku stood there speechless.
"...M-Midoriya?"
"Uh," Izuku shook his head, "Th-Thank you, Yaoyorozu. I...I appreciate that."
"Of course..."
...They were silent for a second, until Izuku asked, "So, Jirou saw the news as well?"
"Oh, um, yes, she has, I would think."
"Then...I think everyone else will know too. Even..." he frowned in despair, "...Even UA."
"...Oh..."
...They let that sink in...
"...I-I don't think UA would...I mean, you're already enrolled in the school, they can't...I mean, they really couldn't..."
"...I hope you're right," Izuku muttered.
"...Don't worry. Everything will be alright, Midoriya. Everything will be alright...where, uh, where are you right now?"
"Oh, um, Musutafu General. We're over in the waiting lobby at the ICU."
"Okay...we'll be over there. I'll also tell the rest of our classmates...and Midoriya...I-Izuku..."
Izuku's eyes widened in shock at Yaoyorozu saying his first name.
"...Stay strong. You...You wouldn't be you if you stayed strong...just because you don't have...just because you don't have a Quirk anymore...doesn't make you less of a Hero..."
"..." Izuku stood there, a little bit in amazement at Yaoyorozu's words.
"You...You are a Hero...a Hero to me...a Hero to your mother...and any one of our friends...you are a Hero."
"...Thank you so much...M-Momo," Izuku said gratefully.
"Uh...a-anytime..."
...After a moment of silence, Izuku said, "Um...okay...I'll, uh...I'll see you then."
"Oh, right...I'll see you in a bit...bye..."
"B-Bye..."
Izuku hung up his phone.
"Ah, so you call her by her first name often?" said Torino as he stood behind Izuku, startling him.
"Ack!" Izuku jumped, turning around to face Torino. "Wha-Gr-Grran Torino!? H-How long have you been standing there!?"
"I actually came over and heard the part where you said her surname and along with some other kid's name...yet, you called Yaoyorozu by her first name before you hung up."
"..."
"What's your relationship with the girl?"
"I-I, uh, I was just-I...I mean..." Izuku paused, seemingly frozen, "...I don't really...know..."
"Eh? You don't? Well, it sounds like to me you two are hittin' it off!"
"Wha-no, I-...I mean, I don't know...uh, m-maybe?" Izuku said anxiously.
"Hmm..." Torino hummed curiously, "...I'm thinking that this home that this Joker Villain raided was the Yaoyorozu Estate, wasn't it?"
Izuku glanced down and frowned, "Yeah...Joker and his men basically ransacked and killed some of her trusted workers, like I said."
"Hm...if you don't mind me asking, Sonny, but...did you happen to do something for the Yaoyorozu girl?"
"..." Izuku sighed, "I...I spoke up for her. Joker was going to carve her face with a blade...I told him to leave her alone."
"...Hmm..." Torino stared at the boy, almost like he was deciphering him.
Looking back up at the older man, Izuku said, "I saved her life...I got beaten instead by Joker. I didn't use my Quirk like I did back at Hosu City because his men had guns and they all had put them near their heads...I had to do something...anything..."
"...Toshi did pick the right one to be his successor," Torino said out loud.
Izuku looked at him in surprise.
"...He would be proud," Torino nodded.
"...He...He did come over after Joker and them left, and after Tsukauchi and his men came to the scene. He told me...that I was a True Hero."
"...Well, you know what, kid? ...He's right," Torino softly smiled at the boy.
"...Thank you, Torino," Izuku said with a nod and a small smile as well.
...Then, they heard footsteps coming their way. Izuku and Torino turned their attention to who was walking this way.
...Walking up to them, was none other than Aizawa Shota, Nedzu, and Chiyo Shuzenji.
Izuku's eyes widened and Torino looked at the three in surprise.
"Aizawa-sensei? Principal Nedzu? Recovery Girl?" Izuku uttered.
"Chiyo?" Torino blinked at the older lady.
Aizawa came up to Izuku and just...stared at him...
...until he asked him, "So is it true?"
Mouth partly agape, Izuku wondered what his teacher could have meant by that...
Aizawa further elaborated, "Did you and Bakugou lose your Quirks?"
"..." Izuku lowered his head down...ashamed... "...Yes..."
Chiyo gasped. She looked at Torino and gave him a look that said, 'Say it isn't so'.
All Torino could do was just...frown...
"...Oh no..." Chiyo mumbled in horror and dread.
Nedzu...was eerily quiet...he was glancing down on the floor, looking to be in thought.
"...Damn it," Aizawa grunted and then exclaimed, "What the hell were you two thinking!?"
"...I guess...we didn't..." Izuku admitted solemnly.
Apparently, Aizawa didn't expect that answer, but he kept his stern glare at the boy.
"...Kid, do you realize what you and Bakugou have done to yourselves?" Aizawa said, laying it out to him.
"..." Izuku didn't answer.
His teacher continued, "Not only did you put both of yourselves in danger, but one of your classmates is in a coma, you lost both of your Quirks, and you basically ruined your futures!"
Izuku looked up as his eyes widened.
What? ...What does he...oh...oh no...oh please no...
Aizawa, seeing his terrified look, was hesitant to say the next part...but he gave out a hint.
"Midoriya...you and Bakugou won't be able to see your classmates anymore."
...Izuku froze...petrified...
Chiyo frowned, the look of sadness morphing on her facial features.
Nedzu then lifted his head up to Izuku and said, "This...could very well be a big problem, Young Midoirya. Not only to you...but to Bakugou as well." he turned his head to Chiyo, "Recovery Girl. I don't know if it's too late to use your Quirk, but go to Young Bakugou and see if...if you can try to heal him."
"From the reports I heard on the news, he sounds like he's in pretty bad shape...hopefully they're wrong...as well as my gut feeling," Chiyo said somberly. She walked ahead and almost passed Midoriya, until she laid a hand on his shoulder, giving him a very sad and apologetic look.
It was almost as if she was saying 'I'm so sorry that this had to happen, Izuku'.
She let go of his shoulder and went on ahead to Bakugou's room in the ICU.
"As I said," Nedzu began, gaining the attention of Izuku, "This very well could be a problem for both you and Bakugou..." he glanced down at the floor, "Young Midoriya...while I'm sorry that you lost your Quirk, and that I'm sorry Young Bakugou lost his, as well as being in this horrid position that he's in, I as the principal of UA must give you note...whatever you and Bakugou had with each other, whatever your conversation was, it would mean nothing at this point. Because the most important thing to address here now, is...you've both lost your Quirks."
...Izuku felt the dread in his heart...
"Without a Quirk..." Nedzu sighed, "...I'm sorry to say, Young Midoriya, but...by the rules of UA, if you and Young Bakugou don't have a Quirk, then...you cannot be Heroes and attend the Hero Course."
...Silence...
"...Which means I have to expel both of you from the Course altogether," Nedzu finished.
(Just so you all know, they're not expelled from the school. Don't worry everyone, I just had to be clear on that.)
Okay! Short chapter, sorry, but hey, there will be more! And just in case you're wondering when the talk show will come up, I will safely say that it will most likely happen around…maybe close to chapter 30. I feel like there's more to say and write after this kind of event has happened, so I ask and urge you all to be patient. It will come, and it'll be worth it. ;)
So yeah, what did you all think of this one? Give me a review, fave, and a follow! :D
Thank you all for reading and keep on rocking everybody! :)
-TSP