Chapter 13: Finally, I Found it
"You carry that. I'll carry yours. Now, come on. We've got to get moving." I said and walked the path indicated by the clue. I could scarcely contain my excitement to tackle this assignment, the prospect of success driving me forward with unbridled energy.
When I noticed Deku struggling to wrap up the tent, I felt a pang of sympathy - just last night, he had seemed so vulnerable, so fragile. I wanted to rush over and lend a hand, to ensure we could move as quickly as possible. But I caught myself, shaking off that uncharacteristic softness. "No," I chided internally, "you cannot afford to be distracted by the pebbles on the road to your success. Deku is Deku, and the extras do not matter."
Still, the memory of his earlier distress lingered, a quiet unease that I couldn't quite shake. If he truly needed assistance, he would have to ask for it himself. I could not afford to be slowed by anything or anyone.
As he stood there, bags packed and ready to go, it was clear he was struggling to manage the weight of it all. The strain was evident on his face, his brow furrowed with the effort of hoisting the bulky, cumbersome luggage. Yet, he refused to ask for assistance. Seeing his silent suffering, I knew I had to act. Quietly, I approached him and swapped our bags. I knew he had taken the last of his pain medication, which would provide only temporary relief. But by taking his bag, I could ensure he wouldn't have to endure the added strain of hauling that heavy load, allowing him to focus on managing his discomfort in a more sustainable way. It was the least I could do.
And then his questioning started. Why had I taken his bag? Couldn't he use his brain for once instead of just bombarding me with pointless questions? Some Nerd. I wanted nothing more than to yell at him and make him shut up. But even as his voice droned on, my curiosity was piqued at going through his contents. I tuned out his annoying rambling and kept my focus fixed firmly on the path ahead.
After what felt like an eternity, he finally fell silent, realising I had no intention of responding to his endless questions. The path gradually become steeper putting strain on my leg but my determination to complete the assignment kept me going. We walked on, neither of us uttering a single word, and I lost track of how much time had passed before I realized we hadn't spoken in over an hour. It was the silence that was the most disturbing. Normally I'd have relished the quietness, glad that he'd finally shut up, but for some reason, it almost bothered me.
No. He was fine, just being slow. I could barely even hear his footsteps anymore because he was so far behind. I clenched my jaw and pulled to a stop. It was time to see just what was slowing him down. Angrily, I swerved around, ready to yell at him for not keeping up when my body froze. Deku was nowhere to be seen. I lost him. I started calling his name and was about to go back and look for him when he appeared using his quirk to cover the distance.
"What's wrong?" I asked, curiously. Deku was obviously struggling to keep standing, swaying on his feet and practically having to lean against trees. His breathing came in short, laboured gasps, as if he was barely able to draw air into his lungs. The blood was drained from his face and his knees bowed beneath his weight. I hadn't expected this. What had happened to him in this last hour?
"You are...way...too fast. I..*cough*..had to take breaks...to catch my breath." he gasped out.
Anger coursed through my veins. I am too fast? I am carrying his fucking huge bag and my leg is screaming for rest, yet he is the one who wants to take a break? Absolutely not. If his condition is that bad, he should be the one eager to complete the assignment and head back home. That Sleepy head even pointed out the fastest route.
Then he had the audacity to look at me with his puppy eyes. At first, I wanted to ignore his pitiful look and continue ahead but the blood on his arm and his ashen face changed my mind. Perhaps a few minutes break is in order. I could use it too to rest my leg. I sighed and sat down on the ground to relax. After some time, Deku asked for some water and I pushed his bag towards him.
As he unwrapped his wounded arm and winced, I felt my stomach drop. I turned away, hiding my face as I lay on the ground. Each hiss and whimper from Deku's lips made my stomach twist with guilt, for I know I am the root cause of his current state. If only I had returned to Deku's side sooner, rather than lingering at the top of that apple tree, this whole mess could have been avoided. His confrontation with the wolves could've been avoided. If only I hadn't lost my focus and blasted those wolves away, he wouldn't have to come out of his hiding spot to save me. If only I had listened to him when he refused to take pain medication, he wouldn't be suffering so visibly now. And that was the worst part of it.
After Deku had taken a much-needed rest break, he announced that he was ready to continue and we resumed our ascend. This time I kept my pace slow so as to keep an eye on him. As we climbed higher, the once-lush forest began to thin out, not due to any natural thinning of the trees, but rather a consequence of the heavy rains this area received. Fallen trees littered the path, their trunks jagged and splintered, while those that remained standing were bent at odd angles, their branches broken and twisted. The soft, grassy ground beneath our feet gradually gave way to a rough, stone-strewn surface, a harbinger of the more treacherous terrain that lay ahead.
This area was treacherous, with a slippery, uneven footing that required our utmost caution. We decided to leave our bags near a sturdy tree, marking the spot so that we could easily locate it upon our return and continued our search. We split up, taking a different direction to search for the twin Hoesiacnea shrub. We agreed to reconvene at this very spot in exactly one hour, no matter what we had or had not discovered in our quest.
As I scanned the rocky terrain intently, as instructed, I kept a close eye on Deku as well, who was using his quirk to quickly survey the area. I searched diligently, hoping to find the elusive twin Hoesiacnea shrub that Aizawa had tasked us with locating. After some time, I did spot some bent Hoesiacnea shrub, but they were not the specific one we were looking for. The uneven, treacherous ground made navigation difficult, and I slipped a few times, getting a firsthand understanding of just how perilous it could be if we ventured any higher up the mountain.
I continued my search, carefully inspecting the various crevices and crannies, wondering where Aizawa could have hidden our prize. He wanted us to reach the peak of the mountain, so I knew I would have to keep climbing upwards if I want to be on my way back soon. The temperature was bitterly cold up here. As we had ascended and lost the shelter of the trees, the frigid mountain air had set in, chilling me to the bone. The altitude had grown significantly, the air growing thinner and more difficult to breathe with each step. My lungs burned as I forced myself onward.
I climbed a bit higher and resumed my search. I had already spent 45 minutes scouring this desolate area. I was about to turn back, resigning myself to failure, when a flash of yet another bent Hoesiacnea shrub caught my eye in the distance. I was about to ignore it but then I saw another leaf at its base. This is it. I found it. My moment of success was short-lived as I took in the shrub's location.
Perched precariously on the edge of the towering cliff, the Hoesiacnea shrub stood in solitary defiance against the rugged, windswept landscape. The sheer, jagged rock face rose up over 10 meters from where the plant clung to the precipice, a dizzying height that seemed to mock any attempt to reach it.
Even if i use my quirk to stay steady mid air, my hands won't be free to inspect the area properly. If I could somehow reach the clifftop above, the prospect of then lowering myself down to the shrub's location filled me with a sense of dread - one wrong move, one slight miscalculation, and I am dead meat, a 50-meter plunge to the unforgiving rocks and raging waters below. My heart raced with the options I shrub appeared tantalisingly close, yet utterly, perilously out of reach, a cruel tease dangling just beyond my grasp.
Determined to complete the assignment, I used my quirk to retrieve the rope we have. Taking advantage of this opportunity, I decided to thoroughly search Deku's bag, curious to uncover his secret. As I meticulously dug through the contents, I found an array of ordinary items - spare clothes, a medicine box, a toolbox, some instant ramen cups. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary or worth keeping hidden. Disappointingly, his Hero Analysis journal was nowhere to be found either.
However, just as I was about to give up, a familiar object caught my eye - an All Might Limited Edition figurine. Huh, so the overly eager Deku still clung to such childish collectibles, unable to fully mature. I was about to place it back when something about the figurine felt strangely familiar. It felt like I have seen it somewhere but couldn't put my finger on it. Damn it. Frustrated, I realized I was wasting precious time - the assignment was my top priority right now. Hastily, I repacked his bag and rushed back towards the clifftop.
As I reached the clifftop, I saw a white tiger lounging languidly atop the rocky outcrop. The great beast's piercing gaze grew alert and attentive as I cautiously approached, its muscles tensing with the potential for sudden, explosive action. Realizing that provoking the tiger's aggression could prove disastrous, I quickly took action, firing a series of blasts in its direction to scare it off before it could muster the boldness to attack. With the tiger issue resolved, I turned my attention to securing my lifeline, tightly wrapping the sturdy rope around the sturdy trunk of a nearby tree and testing its strength repeatedly to ensure my safety as I began my descend.
As I prepared to lower myself down the sheer cliff face, I couldn't help but feel a creeping sense of trepidation - was it the chill of the mountain air or the primal fear of facing my own mortality that caused my body to tremble? I steeled my nerves by slapping myself. I am the number one hero and heroes don't cower in fear. I began my gradual descent, inch by agonizing inch, my muscles protesting the strain of supporting my full weight. Growing increasingly frustrated with the slow progress, I eventually opted to use my quirk to keep me aloft and cover greater distance in a shorter span of time.
Upon reaching the shrub, I scanned the area to plant my feet securely. As I shifted my weight, shifting most of it onto my right leg, disaster struck - the ground gave way, and I felt a heart-stopping moment of panic as I began to plummet once more. Soon the rope tightened against my chest and I swung like a pendulum, about to hit the rocky surface. Reacting with lightning-fast reflexes, I unleashed powerful blasts after blasts, rapidly gaining altitude. This time, I cautiously tested the rocky surface before planting my feet firmly against the small area. I took a moment to calm my racing heart. Finally, I lifted the heavy boulder that concealed the shrub's roots.
As I moved the rock, I expected to see a wooden box like before but to my surprise, there were two simple-looking scrolls. "Come on, Sleepyhead." I muttered. "You could have at least added a simple box." "Well, when I think about it, maybe it is better to carry this way". Carefully, I tucked the two scrolls into my shirt, then used my powerful explosions to propel myself back up the cliff, reaching the solid ground at the top. I wanted to read the scrolls right away but I called out for Deku so that we both could look at it together. I was so excited to finally look at the prize we worked so hard to find. After several unanswered calls, I decided to make my way back. A faint whimpering sound caught my attention. At first, I thought it might be some kind of animal, but then I heard a weak, familiar voice - "Ka...Ka...cha..." - and my heart raced as I realized it was DEKU.