Izuku's POV:
The next thing I remember is the dull beeps of machines and the cold lights shining on me. I was in the hospital it seemed. I couldn't remember much of the ambulance ride, though apparently I'd seized several times and been delirious with fever for several hours.
I spied a plate of pear slices on the bedside and a note from Mom. Mom... Mom must have been so distraught between me being injured and Anika...
I heard the door slide open, and Kamanari exclaim a soft "Hey! Midoriya good, you're finally awake." Him and pretty much the rest of the class shuffled into my room. "Did you see the news? Reporters are all over the school right now."
"I brought a present! It's a melon!" Mineta exclaimed.
I almost mustered up a smile from seeing them all safe and out of harms way. But Tokoyami seemed troubled.
"I caused you trouble, Midoriya." He started.
"No, please." I quickly interrupted. "I did this to myself." I didn't dare look to the damage on my arms. "...Did everyone from class A come to visit?"
"No." Iida spoke. "Jirou and Hagakure were knocked out by the gas, they're still out. Yaoyorozu took a bad hit to the head, so she's still under watch. She finally woke up yesterday." He paused. "So, it's just us. Though obviously we wish the whole class could be here."
So there were more injured that I hadn't even known about.
"That makes 15 of us for now." Uraraka said softly.
"Because Bakugou and Anika are gone." Todoroki said, his tone somewhere between anger and guilt. I looked at him, going over those final moments that I'd seen once again. Kacchan had said not to come... and I almost listened. If I hadn't hesitated, could I have saved them?
A ripple of objection ran through the class at the mention of their names, probably because I was already so injured and I held them so close to me. Or because no one burned with more shame for losing them then me, the guy who'd reached for them and missed. But that was exactly why I felt I had to say something. What would All Might say, in a situation like this? Of course, All Might would never get in a situation like this, he would have saved them. But still...
"All Might told me once that there would always be people beyond our reach. People we can't protect, even though we want to. Which is why we have to save the people we can reach..." I looked away from them, out the window. "I... was so close to saving them. I had to, I needed to." I fought back tears, All Might had told me to stop crying so much. "That's the entire reason I have my quirk. It's exactly like Mr. Aizawa said to me. I'm worthless in battle." A tear slid down my cheek. "My body... it wouldn't move." I looked back to my classmates. People who looked up to me, my friends. I had let everyone down, not just Anika and Kacchan. "I couldn't save someone who was right in front of me... And since I failed, they're gone."
"Alright, then let's go get them back." Kirishima replied. Another ripple of objection ran through the group, and I looked up at Kirishima.
"I came here yesterday, and I ran into Todoroki. We were actually going to see you, when we overheard All Might and some police officer talking to Yaoyorozu. She said she had attached a tracking device to one of the villains, and could make a transmitter to find the signal of it." Kirishima explained.
Iida visibly tensed. "You're going to have Yaoyorozu make another transmitter for you, aren't you?"
"What if it does?" Todoroki asked, his tone even. I'd never seen him so motivated about something. Gently, I sat myself up.
"This isn't the right time to get involved! Let the pros handle this, you idiots!" Iida exclaimed.
"Maybe! But all I know is that at camp, I couldn't do ANYTHING! I heard my friend was targetted, and I just stood by. Helpless! Meanwhile my other friend was out there doing something to help and she got caught and taken too! And I did NOTHING. So if I stand by and do nothing now, how am I supposed to call myself a hero OR a man?" Kirishima exclaimed.
"Kirishima, calm down." Kamanari quickly said. "We're in a hospital, it's not the place." I agreed with that, he could disturb other patients.
"What Iida said is true." Asui added.
"Just listen for a minute." Kirishima said softly. I knew what he was feeling, I had been feeling it since I woke up. The guilt was all-consuming. "I know what you're saying is right. But still!" He turned to me. "They're still within your reach, it's not too late. We can save them."
"We know that the villains had orders to kill some of us, but Bakugou was taken alive. Anika seemed like an unplanned addition though. We don't know how long they'll let either of them live for." Todoroki said calmly.
This was my chance. I could save them now, and then-
"Have you lost your minds?!" Iida exclaimed. Shoji acted as a buffer, trying to help emphasize with Kirishima. Iida was not so easily swayed.
Shoji turned towards us. "I understand the feeling of not being able to do anything. But we can't let our emotions get the best of us."
"Um- we should leave this to All Might." Aoyama said, his expression lacking his usual confidence.
Tokoyami agreed with him, but then claimed he had no room to speak on the subject. I wanted to reassure him we all had valid opinions, but Kirishima quickly argued back.
"You guys..." Asui said, "I get it, we're all worried about our friends. But the fact is that no matter how noble your intentions are, if you go out there, knowing you're breaking the rules... then you're acting like villains, not heroes."
I lowered my head, out of shame and guilt from her words. But I'd already made up my mind. Besides, was it villainous to save your family?
The heavy silence that hung over us was suddenly shattered by a knock at the door, causing several of us to jump. It was the doctor, who had come to check on my arms.
I watched my classmates file out slowly, until all but Kirishima had gone. He cleared his throat. "We talked to Yaoyorozu yesterday. If we're doing this, it's tonight." He glanced at my arms. "Look, I know you've got some pretty hardcore injuries, so I don't know if you can go... but I wanted to invite you since you probably feel the worst..." He turned to leave. "We'll meet in front of the hospital after dark." With that, he left.
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I took a deep breath, putting the phone to my ear. It barely rang before she picked up. "Hi Mom..."
"Izuku! Are you doing well now? Are you able to come home?" She asked frantically. She sounded like she'd been up waiting for this call.
"Yeah, they discharged me. But, I have to do something, so I can't come home until tomorrow." I felt guilty now, leaving her in this state.
"Is it about your sister? Have they gotten any news on her? Please tell me if they've told you anything Izuku..." I didn't know what to say. I couldn't tell her I was going to risk my life tonight to get her back. "...can you at least tell me if your wounds are all healed?"
I took a deep breath. "Yeah, I can move now at least... my body feels kinda worn out though, even with all the healing they performed on me." I popped another slice of pear in my mouth.
"Your teacher spoke to me about some sort of on-campus living system they want to implement..." She muttered, a tired and almost guilty edge to her voice.
"Yeah, I heard it's so that they can keep a closer eye on the students and... well, they want to make things look safer for the media."
"Izuku...?" She asked softly. That tone sounded so familiar. I'd heard it before, as a child. "Do you... have to go back to UA?"
I didn't know what to say. I just couldn't respond. "...I'm sorry Mom, I have to go."
"Be safe. Please." That was all she said before the line went dead.
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I met up with Yaoyorozu at the door to the hospital.
"So... You're joining them?" She asked softly, her tone tense.
"Yes, I'm going with them. You're giving us the transmitter?" I hoped she'd say yes.
"Well, not quite. Walk out with me?"
We walked out and over to the pair of them, Todoroki and Kirishima. "So, did you decide?"
Yaoyorozu looked at him for a moment. "I think that-"
"Hold on." A voice said. It was Iida.
"Why are you here?" I asked, suspecting that it wasn't to join us.
"Why did it have to be you 2? You helped me in Hosu, why are you trying to make the same mistake as I did? Didn't you learn?" Iida started saying. Kirishima tried to interject, but Todoroki put a hand on his shoulder. "We're only students." Iida continued. "And UA is in a bad enough position as it is. Anything we do will reflect on our school."
He didn't get it. This wasn't like Hosu. I wasn't out for revenge, I just wanted my friend back and my family together again. I started to approach him. "Iida, I get you don't like us breaking the rules, but-" He punched me. Square across the face.
"I'm frustrated too! I'm obviously concerned, but that's for all of us! Those with us and not with us! I'm the class rep, of course I'm worried about all my classmates! Not just Bakugou and Midoriya!" He dropped his raised hand to be a clenched fist at his side. "When I saw your injuries all I could think of was my brother in the hospital. What if your bodies end up irreparable just like his, because I didn't step in? Have you not stopped to think about where I'm coming from?" He grabbed my shoulders, making me look up at him. "Or are you saying... you don't care how I feel?"
I felt for him, I really did. "Of course I care... but have you not stopped to think of where I am coming from? What if Anika is out there being left to die, like your brother, Iida?"
Iida had nothing left to say after that. Silence hung over us for a moment before Todoroki spoke up. "Iida, you've got it all wrong. We don't plan to fight. We plan to get Bakugou and Anika and then get out."
"Yeah, it's all about stealth, man!" Kirishima approached us this time.
Momo spoke up now. "I trust in Todoroki's judgement, but still. Something could go wrong. Which is why I'll go with you, to ensure your safety. After all, I have many things to atone for. I let Anika go off on her own, which led to her capture."
Kirishima and Iida went back and forth, I didn't really pay much mind to it. My mind was still on my words prior. I looked up at Iida again. "I know you're worried for us, with the shape I was in I don't blame you. But I can move, and because of that I just can't sit still while others are in danger. I have to do something, because all I can think about is saving them."
There was a long, agonizing pause from Iida. Then he nodded and said, "Then I'm coming too, to make sure you guys aren't in danger. I warn you though, the second things may escalate to combat we will get out of there. Classmates or not."
We agreed, and like that we were off.