Third person pov
Sero didn't like this. He didn't like this, he didn't like this, he didn't like this. He liked his radio, yes, but not this. Harper had gifted it to him despite the insistence of the entire police force that she not. It was a way for him to connect to the outside world. Listening to the news and keeping up with what songs were in-- as dumb as it was-- made him feel like maybe he was still a part of whatever was going on out there. Even with as dull as his future looked, and with how unstable his mentality was. The radio was a lifeboat. It kept him afloat between Harper's visits. She was the only piece of land that had allowed him to dock, and he cherished that. That's why her going off to summer camp for a whole week felt so hard.
That was all null now. His boat had sunk, and Sero was drowning. He'd been listening idly to the news when the emergency broadcast flickered to life, cutting through the woman's words. Sero hadn't been all that interested at first. Perhaps morbidly curious, but not particularly invested in whatever had warranted this. Or he hadn't been until the shaking voice of the reporter announced that it was UA students that had been attacked. The hero courses, 1-A and 1-B had been ambushed at their summer camp. Several students were injured and rushed off to the hospital, and two students were missing, along with a child who'd been apparently present at the scene.
The child missing was Kota Izumi-- the nephew of a member of the Wild, Wild Pussycats. The next name was familiar. Bakugo Katsuki had always been a bit of an asshole, but he'd been starting to warm up to them last Sero could remember. He honestly could care less about either of them. Perhaps that was cruel, and certainly not very 'reformed' of him. He did miss his other classmates at times, yes. It was cold of him to say, but he'd been fine without them. The bonds he'd had to them had been entirely fake anyway, hadn't they? His old peers probably hated him.
And then the reporter had to go and say Harper's name. Harper Rye, taken by the League of Villains. Harper Rye, kidnapped. Harper Rye-- call if you have any information about her whereabouts. Harper Rye, considered to be in grave danger with her life on the line. Harper, Harper, Harper. His friend. His only friend-- the only person he could really trust. The girl who was fighting so hard for him, and who'd reintroduced him to his sister. The one who came and brought him fast food and updated him on the class, as though he'd be allowed to come back. They played Uno together, and bantered like siblings might, and discussed his future. She was determined for him to have a life outside his cell, and she struggled everyday to keep him confined at the police station and not moved to a real facility. She was his friend. And they'd... well, they'd taken her.
Sero hadn't felt such white, hot rage in a very long time. It was very hard to see all of a sudden, and even harder to breathe. His chest tightened violently. Something hot coiled angrily in the pit of his stomach, escaping through his throat in a strangled yell. He hadn't realized he'd picked up and thrown his radio until the reporter's voice stopped and left him in stifling silence. Sero hardly registered it, his entire body heaving with each intake of air. They'd taken Harper Rye. They'd taken Harper Rye! She had been kidnapped my the League-- the very same group she'd saved him from. Harper had all but dragged his mental state into the light, working on molding it into something socially acceptable with every visit. They'd taken her. The pin that held everything in place! He felt himself unraveling.
He backed up as he clawed at the devices on his arms that kept him from using his quirk, pulling and ripping at them in an attempt to get them off. He shrieked angrily, banging them against things, using various pieces of furniture and objects in the room to try and get them off. He could hear shouting outside his room as he struggled with them. It sounded cloudy to Sero, so he simply ignored it. He wasn't too sure what he was attempting here. He hadn't dwelled that far ahead yet. All he knew was that he needed to get out of here. Harper was taken, and what kind of friend would sit back and simply let that happen?
He didn't notice the change in pressure at first. Too caught up in his own anger, he nearly rammed into Dabi in his desperate attempt to get his quirk-suppressors off. The scarred man caught him by the shoulder before he could, looking grim. Sero realized offhandedly that he'd been crying. It looked like Dabi had been too. He hadn't talked to the scarred man, but Harper had plenty of stories and pictures on her phone to go along with them. He was her bodyguard-- or rather, Kurogiri's babysitter. It still astonished him that she'd managed to get the warp gate on their side. She'd never went into depth how. He knew she'd done it with her mystery of a quirk. He didn't mind not knowing, though. That was okay.
His elbows heated slightly, the bands deactivating as the pinpointed heat seared their circuitry. Kurogiri's yellow eyes were cold. He looked nothing like he did in Harper's photos, his mist whipping around in an enraged sort of way that made Sero feel a little calmer somehow. He forced himself to take a breath, pulling off his quirk suppressors easily now that they were broken. His elbows whirred, tape being produced at a startling rate as his body excitedly caught up with itself. He knew they were here for a reason. If he didn't calm down, he'd never know why, and he could miss his chance to help Harper. He owed her. He owed her a lot.
"Do you want to come?" Dabi asked simply. The door banged open, Tsukauchi looking pale. His eyes were rimmed red, wide and frantic. Dabi didn't look over at him. Neither did Kurogiri. Sero flexed his fingers, satisfied by the way they cracked. What kind of dumbass question was that? Harper had been taken. His only real friend had been swiped out from under the noses of the heroes, and they thought he'd just sit back and let that happen?
"What kind of question is that?" Sero glowered. Tsukauchi watched in muted shock as the tape-user followed the scarred man through the warp gate willingly. He threw the detective one last look, his cheeks still wet from crying. He almost thought the police officer might've relaxed at his gaze. His eyes were hard and angry, but they promised Harper's safe return. He wondered if Tsukauchi saw that. If he did, then maybe the man wasn't all that bad. Maybe he could be trusted just as Harper said. He'd decide on that later. Presuming he was alive and not in a high-security prison.
Their next stop was Tartarus, floor number two, cell number 243. The atmosphere was absolutely chilling. Sero stilled knowing he could've been placed here. The ambience sent shivers down his spine, leaving him feeling uncomfortable and oddly exposed. Harper was fighting to keep him out of here. Was she in a place like this? Not a prison, but somewhere cold and strangely damp? Was it dark? Was she scared? Sero felt distressed thinking too hard about it. She didn't deserve any of this. What had she done to deserve it? All she ever tried to do was help.
A tall man with no nose was sitting on his bed in the cell they'd approached, foot tapping and face rather grim with anger. The Hero Killer. Harper had mentioned him off and on as another individual she was in collaboration with. She got information from him, and kept him company as a friend. Helped his son talk to him and arranged visitations. She had no pity for Stain, and she was glad he was in prison. He was useful, though, and a human being. Harper was far too merciful for her own good. That's why her being taken was so, so much worse. Of all the people they'd chosen, why her? He understood Bakugo. His explosive personality and willingness to detonate his peers made him, seemingly, villain material.
"Stain." Kurogiri's voice was cold. It lacked any of the emotion Harper had supposedly given him. It made Sero even more anxious. What did that mean for Harper? She cared about Kurogiri a great deal, he knew. She wouldn't leave him so empty and void. Sero watched with calculating eyes as the hero killer raised his head. "Harper Rye has been taken by the League of Villains, alongside her young cousin and a classmate of hers. Her location is currently unknown. When she is found, however, there will surely be a fight. We wish to extract her and the two others without harm befalling them."
Stain knew what was being asked of him before Kurogiri even finished talking, raising to his full height with a killing intent that would make most quiver. There was clanging from other prisoners who seemed to have realized they were there. A siren went off distantly. Dabi stepped forward, hand glowing an eerie blue as he wrapped it around the lock on the cell's door. Stain's shoulders rolled in a way that seemed entirely threatening. Sero stared in a hardened manner, a frown growing on his face. Would Stain really help them, or would he use this chance to get away? Sero wouldn't stand for that right now. They didn't have time.
Stain seemed to become aware of his critical gaze, his cold eyes meeting Sero's much darker ones. The sounds of shouting and thundering footsteps sounded as Dabi kicked the cell's door open. Kurogiri's quirk expanded, creating a warp gate for them to walk through. Sero didn't bother to turn around as the sound of guards approached. The volume of the other prisoners shouting was nearly deafening. They were all riled up, some asking to be freed too. Sero would sooner die than trust any of them with Harper's safety.
"Don't worry, brat." Stain grinned in a maniacal sort of way. Sero watched the man step through the threshold of his cell, approaching the warp gate with a grin. Kurogiri's eyes stared down with impatience. "I owe Harper Rye far more than you could imagine. If anyone is going to be a true hero, it's going to be her."
He stepped through the gate, and Sero followed just as the sound of gunfire sounded. Stain was right. If anyone was going to be a hero, it was going to be Harper Rye. Sero was aware of this. If Stain was too, then they'd take all the help they could get. He blinked a few times as he stepped into a hall. It was odd being out of the police precinct. His room had been the only place he'd been in the past... how long had it been? He didn't know. Dabi glanced around quietly, still not saying a word as Kurogiri's mist shrunk back into his odd suit. The man straightened his lapels, yellow eyes venomous. He wasn't emotionless, Sero noted mildly. He was pissed.
Stain looked around. Confined to Tartarus, it had been quite some time since he'd had so much space to move. He stretched, face looking naturally intimidating in the shadowed hallway. Sero observed their surroundings, realizing that they had to be in a hospital of sorts. Some back hall that either wasn't being used at the moment. Sero felt antsy. Where did they go from here? How was Stain supposed to help when he didn't have any weapons? Sero had worked to keep himself in shape, and he could tell the man had too, but muscle wasn't everything. Especially not when you were built like an acrobat.
Stain felt cold. The League of Villains were absolute fools for taking Harper Rye. They had to know how many people she had on her side? To drop low enough to take her and a classmate of hers. Children. And the young boy they'd taken, how old was he? It was disgusting. Stain was not ashamed of the heroes he'd killed. Harper understood this, yet she still conversed with him. She didn't feel bad for him or sympathize. Didn't even try to reform him, despite her constant assurance to him that what he'd done was wrong. She instead used what info he had to get dirt on fakes who called themselves heroes, working with the police to open cases. She let him talk to his son-- not for his sake, but for his son's. He respected her. She was a good kid.
"Kurogiri! Dabi!" A voice gasped out. Sero whirled around, eyes wide and arm already raising threateningly. Stain whipped around too. Dabi and Kurogiri were the only ones who didn't seem surprised by the exclamation. Sero blinked, feeling his heart stop and his throat tighten at the sight before him. Kirishima was there, jogging up with an bundle of swords and knives in his hardened arms. He looked exhausted, paler than usual and with flattened hair. "Spinner was taken away for questioning, but they didn't have time to transport any of his weaponry. Like you said..."
Kirishima trailed off awkwardly, turning to Stain hesitantly. The man considered the redhead for a moment. He remembered him vaguely from the night Harper Rye captured him. He'd been there, hadn't he? His memory of that night was quite hazy. It was no matter. Whoever Spinner was, it was clear they had a broad taste in both swords and knives. He leaned down, observing the bundle of tools critically in the low lightning. Kirishima stared back, looking oddly calm. Sero had expected him to be a bit more... he didn't know. Scared, maybe? How had Kirishima been in class?
They'd been friends, he recalled easily. He could remember the redhead doting over Harper like a lovesick fool. The brunette brought him up several times during visits. It was obvious they were close. Sero observed him. Kirishima observed him back, offering a weak smile. Clearly he was aware of Sero's status as the traitor. If he was close with Harper, maybe he didn't mind. Not that they really had the luxury of worrying about such meager things right now. Traitor was an old title. One he was rather ashamed of, but that was of no matter at the moment. Harper was the first priority.
"Good job, kid." Dabi spoke for the first time since he'd asked Sero to come along. His voice was gravelly, and thick with emotion. Sero's gaze flickered to him. He looked sadder, watching Stain expertly twirl various knives and swords from Kirishima's loose grip so he could examine them. Kirishima gave a small smile to the man, his posture slumped and his eyes shining with unshed tears. This was impacting both him and Dabi greatly. Sero clicked his tongue. He was just as upset as the next guy, but they could worry about that later. Right now they needed to go find Harper. Dabi continued, "Did you... hear anything?"
"Yes. It's pertinent we learn her location. My searches have proved fruitless. They've clearly changed their locations since my defecting." Kurogiri spoke in a tight, formal way that made both Dabi and Kirishima tense. Sero scoffed, watching Stain strap weapons to himself expertly. His skills clearly hadn't rusted over his time in prison. Sero impatiently glanced around, anxiety clawing at him. He wanted to get out of here. He wanted to go find Harper.
"Can we hurry? I'd rather Harper not die while we dawdle." Sero's sharp, cold claim made Kirishima flinch in surprise. Sero sneered openly at him as he turned. He wasn't the classmate he remembered. That cheerful, slightly-dumb personality had been a faux construct to blend in. He wanted that to be abundantly clear. He wasn't coming along to apologize or redeem himself. He was here to save Harper. UA could fuck themselves for all he cared at this point. If Harper wanted him to go back and be a hero, then he'd cross that bridge with her here.
Kirishima had been angry to hear Harper had been taken. Upset with himself for sitting and doing nothing, enraged that they'd taken her, and scared for what may happen to her. What had already happened to her. He felt sick thinking about it. Aizawa had come to talk to him, telling him explicitly he was to stay here at the hospital until his parents came to escort him home. And that he was supposed to go home and stay there, and leave this to the heroes. Of course Eijiro wasn't about to do that. This was Harper. If it were him, she'd be out the door already.
Harper was his best friend. He'd do anything for her. He was kind of in love with her, you know. It had been a real struggle not to run off into the woods to look for her, and not to demand he be taken too. He'd been restrained at some point, and he was ashamed to admit he'd lashed out and yelled at his classmates and teachers. His breakdown wasn't exactly unexpected. He couldn't stand the pitying expression's he'd gotten. He didn't want pity. He wanted someone to do something and get Harper. What were the teachers doing? The heroes? He hadn't heard anything yet. The more time passed, the more worried he became.
When he'd heard Momo had managed to track one of the nomu, hope had taken root and his chest and forced him into a state of calm. Bakugo and Harper were counting on them! How could Kirishima sit and do absolutely nothing? Especially when Kurogiri and Dabi had come to him with an extremely illegal, seemingly effective plan. Sero, who had been trained by the League. Stain, who was strong enough to take down pro heroes. Dabi, whose fire was hot enough to cremate. Kurogiri, with a versatile warping quirk that would allow him to take them where they needed to go. It was almost too good to be true. He couldn't say no. This team, he was sure, would definitely be able to get Harper, Bakugo, and Kota back.
"Kamino Ward." Kirishima told them. "The nomu, at least-- it's in Kamino Ward."
Stain grinned widely, and Sero's elbows gave a whir. Dabi's hands began to smoke. Kurogiri opened a warp gate.
~~~~~~~~~~~
Coming out of Mr. Compress's marble was like taking a breath of fresh air. Harper gasped, tightening her grip on her cousin as they rolled. Without the training UA had forced her into, she surely would've flopped onto her back like a dead fish in shock. It was sheer reflex that she found herself awkwardly rolling and at least landing on her butt. Not the best, but still far from the worst. Her eyes barely had time to adjust to the change in lighting before she was being tugged to her feet harshly and shoved back. Harper stumbled, still not letting go of Kota. She dizzily shook her head, her quirk scrambling at the influx of thought.
Kota shivered in her grip, coughing into her shoulder at the change in air. Harper took a few deep breaths, forcing herself steady. Okay, okay. Calm down. This was fine. Fuck. This was going to royally suck, wasn't it? She could feel Katsuki feral with rage and fear, both in equal parts. He had been out of the marble longer than her. Harper was too focused trying not to fall over to hear anything he was or wasn't saying. Was Kota okay? Where in fuck's name were they? How long had they been in those marbles? Harper shivered, trying to push back memories of a dark church basement and her brother's dull eyes.
Kota clung to Harper, his mind struggling to catch up with all that was happening. So much had gone on, and he was scared. Terrified. The marble had been so cold, and he had felt his cousin's panic. She'd still tried to comfort him. Even now she squeezed him to try and bring him some comfort and assure him they'd make it out. Her focus and lack of outward panic awed him through his fear. His cousin was strong, and he could see why she wanted to be a hero. He tried to be strong and stop trembling. He wanted to turn around and show his defiance. He was just so afraid.
"Quite pathetic." Atsuhiro's voice ignited a certain brand of rage within her. Harper closed her eyes for a moment, forcing her quirk to catch up. Her mind ran a mile a minute. They'd been captured. Her, Kota, and Bakugo had all been taken by Compress. She'd known that meant she'd be in the belly of the beast as soon as she and her cousin were freed. Based on the thoughts around her, she hadn't been wrong in the least. Shigaraki was the first person she noticed aside from Atsuhiro. He was familiar, and pissed as hell to see her. Katsuki seemed to be going through several stages of anger. He'd been let out first. He was thinking about how he'd never be a villain right now. Why? Had they tried to convert him or some dumb shit?
Bakugo had been the one to shove her and Kota behind him. Harper straightened, eyes scanning the place they were in. A bar, not unlike the one she'd first met Kurogiri in. No indication as to where they could be located. Harper swallowed when she realized her connection to Kurogiri was entirely severed. That couldn't possibly be going well in any regard. Harper was pretty confident he wasn't going to revert back to villainy. It took his emotions-- not his memories. Harper felt he'd be fine. Whether or not Harper would be was questionable. Especially with the venomous look she was getting from Shigaraki right now.
"Stay the fuck away from us, you bastards!" Bakugo hissed out, palms crackling. Had they seriously let him out without trying to restrain him? They were just standing there and staring like idiots. Katsuki's thoughts were going haywire. "We've got to get out of here. Harper has the kid. Fuck. Why the fuck did they take her?! Dammit, dammit, dammit. I've got to get our asses out of here. I can't let anything happen to them. How? These dumbasses trying to kidnap us..."
Harper took deep breaths. Calm. She had to be calm, even though she'd just been kidnapped. How many times had it been now? It didn't matter. Fact was, this wasn't her first rodeo, and it unfortunately probably wouldn't be her last. Her parents had to be having a heart attack. Harper contemplated offensively using her quirk. She knew she was capable of it. She wasn't confident how well she'd do, though. It wasn't something she'd practiced with. She didn't to accidentally get Bakugo caught up in it. The boy was breathing hair, sweat beading his brow as his red eyes darted frantically around the space.
Harper observed the villains, eyes coming to stop on a blonde girl around their age. She paused. The blonde girl stared back at her, looking like she had no idea what to do or say. Harper groaned like she was in pain. Bakugo shot her an alarmed and concerned look. Harper recognized that one. Fuck, why did she have to recognize her? Toga Himiko had gone missing in her first year of middle school. She'd been held back a year and had found herself in a class with Harper. They'd been... not friends, but acquaintances. Harper really hadn't expected to see her here. She'd assumed the girl was dead, honestly. Her entire family was. Was she the one responsible? Or had it been someone else? Harper wasn't sure she had the luxury of caring right now. Toga looked somewhat excited.
"Harper Rye. Glad you could join the party." Shigaraki's hoarse voice drew her gaze away from Toga. The man approached. Harper's hand darted out to grab Bakugo's arm, pulling him back and to her side. Katsuki allowed her to do so, eyes tracking every movement of the approaching villain. "I know you're a mind reader, you bitch. It's not a surprise you converted one of our party members. You're good at that, aren't you? You've been a troublesome twat. Getting rid of you will put me a step closer to my goal."
With Atsuhiro Sako here, it made sense Shigaraki would know her quirk. Harper glanced down at Kota. He risked a glance up at her, his eyes desperate. Harper gulped, her mind going absolutely haywire trying to figure out a solution. Her gaze flitted back towards Toga, her head pounding. The girl looked nearly hesitant, and Harper could feel how unsure she was. It was obvious she hadn't connected her old classmate Harper Rye to this one. If she'd known about her at all to begin with, that is. Harper spewed out curses internally. They were going to die. They were literally going to fucking die. Not that Katsuki was restrained... she doubted they could explode their way out of here. Close quarters with several villains? It wouldn't go well.
"Sorry about that. Guess Spinner was more partial to Stain." Harper spoke. Katsuki's eyes flicked to her, confusion in them. Harper took a deep breath, squeezing his arm in an attempt to show some sort of reassurance. Not her forte for sure. She wasn't sure it worked based on the way he was looking at her. At least she'd even given it an attempt. "So why the kidnapping? If you didn't have something you wanted, you would've killed us by now."
Shigaraki grinned.
"Isn't it obvious?! Give Kurogiri back, and I might let you live." The man said. Harper paused, staring at him blandly. Katsuki's brows shot up. The other villains turned to look at their fearless leader, seemingly dumbfounded. "You took one of my main players, you brat. Hand him over and you'll be lucky to make it out with a few limbs still in tact."
"Uh." Harper's eloquent response came out a little strangled. She loosed her grip on Katsuki and on her cousin ever so slightly. How did she word this without pissing him off? Was that even possible at this point? "Sorry to break it to you, but I'm not sure he's going to... willingly come back. At least, not in the way you think."
That was apparently the wrong response, because it was only a second's delay before Shigaraki was diving headfirst at them, both his hands outstretched.