—A Few Minutes Earlier
Location: Unknown Alleyway—
A puddle of crimson red was splattered across the pavement, spreading quickly as the man made an effort to crawl his way to safety.
"Damnit..." A layer of cold sweat covered the back of his nape as he dragged himself across the filthy floors. "Fuck... Someone... Is there anyone?!" The injured man choked out, scanning everywhere for any signs of help. Ow... It hurts so much... He let out a sob, muffling his cries with a bloody hand. I can't anymore, the bleeding won't stop! The pain around his abdomen became too much, making it nearly impossible to continue on.
Damnit...
He knew. No matter how loud he shouts, how much he struggles to flee. No hero or civilian will answer his prayers. No one will come to his rescue.
The man let out a sharp gasp when heavy footsteps approached from behind. His heart began racing as adrenaline coursed through his veins.
Applying all of his remaining strength, the young adult forced himself to move. Knowing very well that if he stops here, so would his own life. Shit, shit, shit, shit! "Please help me...Someone!" His desperate cries became weaker and quiet as his consciousness fades away.
Having lost more than two liters of blood, he was beyond anyones saving. "Someone. Please help... I... don't wanna die..." Even so, he still fought to keep his eyes open and mind focused, away from the very thought of death.
Like any human trying to make ends meet, the man rose early, ate a nice breakfast with his family, and hurried to his workplace. Believing he would return home to his loved ones like any other day, the poor man went about his life without an ounce of worry. He knew very little that tonight would be the night he breathe his final sigh.
"I'm so sorry." Tears streamed down the culprit's face as he muttered serval apologies. "I'm sorry, man... There's nothing I can do to help." Gently removing the blade from the corpse's abdomen, they took several steps back, gripping the knife tightly around their fingers.
"We are just following orders... Sorry..." Staring at the lifeless corpse once more, the culprit hunched his own body forwards into a slight bow.
"I'm sorry." Although tears were clearly falling, the man's tone was calm and composed, the complete opposite of what his expression presented.
—
—Present Time
U.A Entrance—
"The number you are trying to reach is currently unavailable, or is out of service. Please leave a message af—" Fuyumi sighed, removing the device away from her ear as she hung up.
That's strange... She thought, glancing across the U.A safety gates. Shoto wasn't the type to ignore, miss, or turn down calls, especially when it came to his family. Fuyumi felt unease engulf her mind, pondering deeply about the boy's unusual actions when stepping outside her vehicle.
"Good to see you, Todoroki-San. Have you been well?" A familiar voice made themselves known, catching the young woman by surprise. Fuyumi didn't expect anyone to be roaming around the school building, especially during freezing cold weather conditions such as today.
"Here to pick up Shoto, I assume? You don't have to wait out in the cold." The pro hero shivered as the frigid gusts of wind blew past them. Aizawa highly advised she take shelter in her warmed-up vehicle rather than loiter outdoors, but the young woman shook her head slightly, "I prefer winter over heat."
"Just like your brother." She hummed at his remark, returning the greeting when facing the pro hero. "I have been well, Aizawa-Kun. What about yourself?" She asks with a soft and gentle smile. "Despite the students being a pain, I'm doing quite alright." The elder told, burying his nose into his capture scarf.
Fuyumi was reminded of her brother's unusual behavior. It seemed like forever since she last received an update from him after all, arising worry. The elementary school teacher opened her mouth slightly to voice her concern regarding Shoto's tardiness, but hesitation got ahold of her tongue.
With the two being diligent educators working under tight schedules, Fuyumi would be swallowed with guilt if she were to add more to the man's already filled list. The pro hero seemed to have noticed her reluctance and had an idea of what was about to be asked. "Worried for him, Todoroki-San?" His inference was confirmed by the way her face scrunched up with distress.
"Indeed. We all are. From what Natsuo had told us, Shoto appears to be hiding something." The words she's been trying to form had finally surfaced. "It's been on my mind all day. I can't help but wonder."
"I have my own suspicions as well." Although it was awful to keep the boy's participation in Endeavor's hunt confidential from his loved ones, the request came from Shoto himself. Aizawa has been against the idea of getting the boy involved from the very moment he read those documents containing a bit of information regarding the murder case.
He wanted to persuade the fledgling hero to turn down the mission, do whatever it takes to stop him from acting recklessly, but the determination his yearning eyes presented that day convinced him into surrendering.
"You should have a little more faith in him." From what Shōta had seen, the boy's ready to face the past again, and hopefully heal from it. "The kid'll go extra lengths to disguise his troubles. Worrying his family is the last thing he would want. That's just the kind of guy he is." The young adult lifted her head to meet Aizawa's raven eyes. "But when dealing with hardships, there are many times when you'll find yourself needing space. I think now is the time for him, so please have faith, Todoroki-San."
His words were soothing, diminishing her troubled thoughts in an instant. A small smile perked up by her lips. "Of course—I want what's best for Shoto." She told.
"I'm glad. I'll be off then, get home safely—" Before Shota could take a step forwards, Fuyumi called for him once again.
"Wait, Aizawa-Kun."
"Hm?"
—U.A Dormitory's—
"Deku-Kun."
"Deku-Kun?"
"Deku—"
"Midoriya-Kun!"
He flinched, his green eyes shooting wide open as his head snapped over to the class representative. "Yes?!" The teen exclaimed as he was dragged out of his thoughts. "Sorry, Midoriya-Kun. It wasn't my intention to startle you..." Iida began, murmuring another silent apology.
"No, no. There's no need to apologize, Iida-Kun." The freckled teen offered a gentle smile, which ensured the class president.
"Perhaps we should take a quick break?" Uraraka suggested, keeping her gaze lingered on the boy whose smile had slipped away the moment their class representative faced elsewhere.
"Sure, let's do that." Kaminari yawned.
The students of Class 3-A have been hanging around the common area for a while now, operating as one to complete their last few assignments before work studies begin the next day. It was demanded by the Hero Commission that all students enrolling in hero academies are to join the battlefield after taking a week off from classes. To stop the great number of crimes being committed daily, numbers, power and strength were needed.
Law and order is currently failing, and society is on the brink of collapsing.
Even so, a bunch of students still have yet to know who they will be working under during their battle. "Who knew selecting would become such a hassle." Mina began, rubbing her tired eyes. Her gaze then shot up towards the clock above the door, reading 6:35 pm. Due to the sudden announcements made just three days ago, the students had until tonight to turn in their requests.
During this dark era of division and mistrust, many heroes were unwilling to take in students for work studies. With very little options to choose from, it became a challenge to decide among the few pros that were still in favor.
"Tell me about it, man. I still have absolutely zero clue who I'm picking for work studies. What about you guys? Have it figured out or are you stuck like me?" Sero asked, turning to face his companions.
Iida was quick to raise a hand, "The Normal Hero: Manual, will be my pick!" He answered, adjusting his glasses.
"I'm gonna go with Fatgum." The red-head decided to go with his usual pick, while Jiro's got her eyes set on Gang Orca, as well as Shoji and Ojiro. "I've decided to go with Hawks-San yet again. He is my only option." Tokoyami chimed in, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed.
"Ryukyu for me and Tsu-Chan." Ururaka raised her hand slightly, answering on Ausui's behalf as well.
"I really wanted to do Death Arms, but..." A slight frown fell upon Koda, "Yeah... Yoroi Musha too..." Sero sighed, remembering the day those two and many others announced their abrupt retirements.
With failure after failure, trust began to diminish, and hope becomes thin. Those folks who deemed themselves heroes neglected their duties and ran away, succumbing to villains and terrorism.
"The pressure was just too much for many heroes, kero." Asui made herself known as she brought in tons of snacks for them to munch on. "They were overwhelmed by all the rants, doubts, and heavy responsibilities as a hero. Many chose to hang up their capes for good... Perhaps a little too many." Yaoyorozu added on, returning with the tea from the kitchen.
"They're all cowards—Every last one of them." A deep and raspy voice rung through the common area, sounding cranky as ever. "What brings you here, Bakugo?" Kirishima asked, shocked to see their class's crude Great Explosion Murder God Dynamight, voluntarily make his way down and socialize with them.
"Shut up. I just came to turn in the stupid request." Bakugo set the sheet of paper onto the table next to the class president, shoving both hands into his pockets as he walked towards the exit, coming to an abrupt stop when hearing rambles and mutters coming from a certain green-haired boy.
The short-tempered blond clicked his tongue as his eyes twitched in annoyance. Approaching the teen, Bakugo sought to shut him up, but before he could open his mouth to yell, a familiar name caught his attention. "Hey, Deku." The cranky blond slammed his palm on the table, startling both Izuku and the members of class 3-A.
"Just what the hell are you rambling on about?" His tone was demanding, but somehow calm. A hint of distress was presented through his red eyes, but it vanished after a few seconds. "Shouldn't we... like, maybe stop them?" Mina was the first to break the silence, followed by Kaminari who answered while maintaining a safe distance. "Be my guest."
Those two had plenty of arguments throughout the year, and the members of class 3-A have witnessed most of them. Thankfully, none of their fights ever really resulted in a battle of quirks. "If things start to escalate, I'll stop it." Iida reassured his troubled classmates, preparing himself to step in if needed.
Izuku leaned back against the sofa, doing whatever he could to avoid the blond's gaze. "Kacchan... It's nothing." He managed, but Bakugo was able to see right through the obvious lie. "Bastard." He hissed suddenly, yanking the boy closer to avoid breaking eye contact. "Don't lie to me, damnit!" Despite his angry demeanor, his eyebrows were furrowed and looked less like irritation and more like... concern.
"Hurry and tell me—!"
"Enough, Bakugo-Kun." Iida stood from his seat and marched towards the two problematic students. "I can't condone this behavior, Bakugo-Kun." Katsuki didn't falter and stood his ground, ignoring the class representative's presence. "Bakugo-Kun." Iida repeated, taking a step closer.
Before an argument could break out between the two, the door creaked open and in walked a new face. "Hey. Listen up." A deep voice belonging to their homeroom teacher grabbed their attention. "Have any of you seen Todoroki?" Aizawa scanned the room in search for the missing teen, strolling through the door to look further in.
"He was probably called out again." Sero told, "But didn't the guy come home just a few minutes ago?" Mineta brought up, earning a shrug from Sero who was unsure himself.
"Is something the matter with Todoroki-Kun?" The class president stepped away from the explosive teen as he voiced his concern, approaching their teacher. "It doesn't involve any of you." The man replied, strolling out of the lounge area and into the elevator.
The room became silent for a short period of time, that is until the explosive blond opened his mouth to answer the students lingering questions.
"Damn Deku's hiding something about that Half n' Half bastard." The blond revealed. The discloser grabbed everyone's attention. "Seriously... What does he mean, Midoriya?" Kirishima let curiosity take over, along with the rest of his companions who had questions themselves.
"Midoriya-Kun, please elaborate more for us—I am well aware that it may not be our business, but..." Iida fiercely clenched his fists, face scrunched up with commiseration. "If our classmates ever finds themselves in trouble, we will be there to help in any way."
"Yeah, just like before."
"Please tell us if something's wrong, we promised to not keep secrets from each other."
It was to be expected. Following the number one hero's apprehension, Shoto became more distant than usual. The teen forged walls all around him, shutting himself away from the world's situation, using an unhealthy method to cope with his grief and past trauma.
Those walls he had built up took several weeks to take down, but thank goodness they did. The boy may have pledged to never hide his true feelings, but can their kind and thoughtful classmate keep his vow? The very thought often lingers in Izuku's mind whenever he catches sight of the dual quirk user.
Midoriya raised his arms up defensively as he was bombarded with questions. He tried to regain his classmate's attention by speaking over them, but Iida thankfully beat him to it.
"Calm down, everyone! Let's give Midoriya-Kun a chance to explain!" Yelling seemed to have done the trick when the voices died down completely, which Izuku was grateful for.
The green-haired boy whispered his thanks to the class representative, taking a deep breath before beginning with his explanation. "The truth is, I've been curious as to why Todoroki-Kun kept getting called called out of class—I'm aware it wasn't my place to pry, but..." A visible frown forged on his face as recollections of his comrade engulfed his mind, specifically to the moment he watched the fire and ice user train on his own.
He's never seen such a helpless and desperate look in his eyes before. The only times he ever did was two years ago after the former number one hero's arrest. "My gut is telling me he's hiding something again." The vow their comrade swore to keep was being broken.
—
["Wait, Aizawa-Kun."
"Hm?"
"I'm sorry to be a bother at this time, but I can't help but be troubled. Shoto was supposed to meet me out her several minutes ago, but he has yet to respond to any of my calls or messages. Is everything okay?"
"Strange, that's unlike him. I'll go and check. It's cold, so please wait in your car and keep dialing his number for me."]
Aizawa knocked lightly on the door. Why isn't he answering? He wondered. Glancing down, Shota discovered that the lights were still on.
The loud sound of a phone ringing was audible through the door. What's preoccupying him to dodge his sister's calls? Aizawa kept knocking, hitting the door a tad bit harder in hopes to gain his attention.
"Hey, Todoroki—Your sister is waiting by the gates. Speed it up or she'll freeze out there. You okay in th—" The door unlocked and creaked open before he could finish, revealing his fire and ice student.
But something was off, and Aizawa was able to tell the moment he laid eyes on the boy. "Sensei. What brings you..." The teen trailed off. Aizawa reacted promptly upon seeing him struggle to keep himself balanced, aiding the boy into standing upright.
"Talk to me, Todoroki. What's wrong? You don't look too good." Shōta analyzed the boy's condition. His breaths were slow, face pale as a ghost's, and eyes focused elsewhere.
"I dunno..." He murmured, depending too much on Aizawa's support. "Easy now, kid—Let's take you to Recover Girl."
"No... There's no need for that." Shoto declined the offer, pushing himself off his teacher and using the wall as backing instead. "Sorry about that—It's only a small headache...It's nothing I can't handle." The boy answered weakly, crouching down to the floor.
"A small headache wouldn't make anyone collapse like that. You could barely stand on your own and you don't look well at all, don't lie and say—"
"It's nothing I can't handle." Shoto repeated, talking over his teacher. The teen struggled to stand on his own two feet, proving once again that the pro hero was correct about his current state.
"Shoto... You don't have to hide it. Let's get you checked out." To Aizawa's surprise, his stubborn student complied without picking another fight.
—Location: U.A's Infirmary—
"From what you are telling me, the collapsing must have been caused by the over usage of your quirk." The nurse began, handing Shoto two green gummy bears. "Did you train this afternoon?"
"Yes, but I was being carful not to over do it." The teen accepted the special candy, a bit hesitant to eat something sweet. "It'll help soothe headaches, dearie. They help you sleep too, so use them as a chance to get proper rest." The heavy bags under his eyes are becoming more apparent with every passing day, he might have to take her advice for once.
"Oh... Thank you, ma'm."
"You're still hiding something." The raven haired man butted in, leaning against the wall. "Aren't you going to elaborate for us?" Something Shoto hated about Eraserhead was his uncanny ability to read his students like an open book. No one has ever been able to escape his observant eyes, it was futile to even attempt such a move.
"I read about it in an article. Brainwashing quirks are pretty uncommon." The boy admitted defeat, elaborating more for the homeroom teacher and Recovery Girl, whom listened in. That statement seems to have thrown off Aizawa, but the young hero continues before further questions could be asked.
"I was pretty much out of it during that time, so I couldn't be certain just yet. Now that I'm back to my full senses, I've come to a bizarre conclusion." He knew he was most likely going to come off as insane if he reveals what arose in his dorm room, but proceeds despite knowing that fact. "I think, no... I must have been affected by some type of mind-controlling quirk...Or at least something in that category."
Shōta's eyes widen. "Why keep it from me?" He asks, skeptical about the likelihood. "Negative side effects are common when trying to generate a great amount of heat power, so I didn't think much of it at first. However..."
Shoto remembered it clearly. His senses became distorted, and for a short while his surroundings came to an abrupt change.
["I'm sorry."]
"My body moved against my will for a moment. I also heard a mysterious voice accompanying the action seconds later."
"If that's the case then this is a serious matter that must be attended to quickly. I will have the school conduct a search around campus right away."
—
Shoto closed his eyes as he walked alongside the pro hero, attempting to picture his surroundings that replaced his dorm room from memory. Shit. It's no use. Frustrated, he clenched his fists and heaved a heavy sigh. I need answers—Just what caused that odd experience? Shoto was still in a state of confusion. With his questions remaining unanswered, the teen was being left in the dark, radiating concern.
Shōta's eyes roamed over to his student, noting the uneasy look his mismatched eyes presented.
"It is recommended for you to rest up for the night, so you should discuss with your sister. She's in need of an explanation, you know?" Aizawa says, shaking Shoto out of his little trance when nearing Fuyumi. The younger must have been so deep in thought to even notice how much ground they covered, an 'o' shape parting between his lips when spotting her a few feet away.
Shoto hummed in acknowledgment, taking in a shuddering breath when approaching his sister. Before the young lad could say a word, Fuyumi caught sight of him and beat him to it.
"Shoto, are you alright? You're not hurt, are you?"
"Sorry, Fuyumi."
The young adult raised a brow, puzzled as to why her baby brother felt the need to apologize. "I'm sorry for making you wait out here by yourself... and for having to bail on family dinner." The teen scratched the back of his head, feeling guilty for having Fuyumi drive such a long distance just for him to remain at U.A.
"You're not joining us?" She asks, sadness wrapping her words. Shoto gawked at his teacher, gesturing to help him out a bit. "My apologies, Todoroki-San. Unfortunately, he will have to remain here at U.A. It's for his own wellbeing."
Shoto almost let out an audible sigh of relief with the man's assistance. Fuyumi most likely wouldn't have believed him since she was quite gullible to his lies back then, resulting in skepticism whenever Shoto claimed to be doing alright. "Is that so... Is everything okay at least?" She looks towards the elder who answers honestly, "Shoto here sort of..."
"...collapsed." The teen finished.
"What!"
There it was, an incoming lecture about the importance of taking care of your own body.
—A Few Minutes Later
Location: U.A Dormitory's—
Aizawa requested a search around the area as promised. However, to their relief, the school faculty were not able to find a single trace of intruders that might've infiltrated U.A grounds.
Even so, keeping the students safe from harms way was U.A's top priority. Principal Nedzu had his staff stand guard all night with a supporter to take short breaks in between when needed.
Shoto was glad to hear the good news, but it didn't answer the lingering questions that he knew would keep him up at night. Why...? Just why on earth is this only happening to me and only me? Pondering and overthinking often keeps his mind awake. The hero trainee tried every trick in the book to get a proper night's rest, but it never succeeded.
What the hell is even going on? Shoto wishes there was a switch in his head he could manually control, that way his mind wouldn't ask such questions and try to find the answer during late hours. *Buzzing* Ripping his gaze from the window and towards his lit-up phone screen, the young lad noted the time and few messages from his siblings.
Natsuo - Heard what happened from Fuyumi. I'm glad it wasn't too serious, but please be careful from now on, k? Oh and don't worry about mom. She's doing fine, just worried for you. When you have time, let's all have dinner together. Take care, buddy.
Fuyumi - I hope you feel better. Please let us know if you need something. Please don't hide anything again, okay? Goodnight ♥️
The text messages made him warm inside, but none of them were recent. They were sent several hours ago when he returned to his room after the chaotic events. The recent message wasn't from them, but from the man who he worked together with for the Musutafu Murder Case.
Detective Tsukauchi - Report to the agency first thing in the morning... Another body was found. [Click here to see image]
Shoto shot up from his warm futon after looking through the photos of the crime scene, Why the hell does this place seem familiar? Ju—His eyes enlarged when the realization hit him.
The place that replaced his bedroom was this exact alleyway. The promotional movie posters, the dirty floors covered in sewage water, the brick buildings, the blue and red barber lights at the very end.
How did I—Wait. Don't tell me—In shock, Shoto hurries to the bathroom and removes his black shirt. "No, this has to be a coincidence, right?! Every alleyway looks the same. It can't poss—" Shoto starred at his reflection with wide eyes, disbelief written all over his expression.
["What's this? Why do they all have it?" Shoto asked, facing Tsukauchi.
"I'm not sure. I don't know the symbolism behind this odd mark." He answered, fixating his eyes on to the symbol shaped like a capital 'H.'
"I see..."]
The H symbol found on all victims corpses. The mark that had an unknown meaning to it. He too had the identical letter marked on his right shoulder. Wondering how the symbol got there in the first place, Shoto dials Tsukauchi's number. "I'm surprised. I didn't expect you to be up and about this early." The detective's voice rung through his phone's speakers.
"I'll need some time to explain what I've recently discovered, so I'll keep it short in the meantime."
"I'm all ears."
The real culprit. The bastard responsible for so many deaths wasn't who they thought it was.
"The murderer is not Endeavor."
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.
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To be continued...
Next time on "I'm Okay" - "A New Enemy."
Shoto shares his experience with Hawks and Tsukauchi whom are quick to believe every word, or so that's what it seemed for one person. Meanwhile, the real culprit gets desperate after his rookie mistake, seeking to eliminate the one who found out about his unique abilities by using drastic measures.
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—Author's Comment For The Chapter—
I wish I can draw this whole series lol. It would be a lot cooler for the action scenes coming up soon, but I guess visualizing it to your own imagination is fun too!