Y'all got confused last chapter for some reason. Todoroki is NOT the hot guy who has a crush on her lmao, it's Kirishima-
Third person pov
There were some people Harper just couldn't forget. They were the type she could easily recognize even if she'd only ever felt their presence once. Some individuals simply had minds so distinguishable from the crowd that she only had to catch a hint of them before she knew exactly who they were. There weren't a lot of people like that out in the world. Ones who were so set apart from the rest that Harper could just snap her fingers and say "oh, hey, it's that one guy."
Kurogiri fell into this small group quite easily.
It wasn't how he felt that was unique, it was how he didn't. Most sociopaths still felt twinges of emotion. Maybe they failed to experience guilt and empathy but still managed to smile, or feel disappointment at the very least. A lot were often times volatile and agitated, and not at all easy to deal with. Kurogiri had none of that. He didn't have any emotion. Nothing accompanied his thoughts. Not annoyance, not joy. No sense of victory or loyalty. Any emotion he may have showed was fake. The man was devoid of any and all feeling, and it was something Harper would always recognize.
"Harper Rye." The ghastly man intoned as she fell onto what had to be the roof of a terribly tall building. She wobbled on her feet only momentarily, her heart rate spiking exceptionally when she realized that meant she probably wasn't going to be getting out of this one. He'd got her more than cornered this time around. Fuck. This guy's timing was literal shit. He could not have chosen a worse day to herd her onto a roof where she couldn't get away.
Here she was, trying to find her friends and be a good person, and he had to come crashing in and kidnap her a second time! It was honestly getting old at this point. This time it was a roof. What would happen next? Would he swipe her corpse from her impending funeral too? She didn't see herself getting out of this one, and that made her throat tighten uncomfortably. Her panicked emotions tangled with the near overwhelming urge she had to stand strong and garner a straight face the best she could. She had to stay calm. If not for herself, then for the people who would be crushed were she to die.
"Oh. Hi." Harper managed to choke out for lack of anything else to say, her nails digging into her palms as her hands squeezed into fists. Kurogiri was a bottomless pit. There was just nothing there. It was actually pretty concerning. She would ask if he was okay, but he definitely wouldn't be able to tell. He was both fine and he wasn't. He wasn't... he just wasn't anything. Numb. How was he not insane? The guy needed some kind of therapy. Maybe drugs to make his brain pump out some happy mind juice, or something.
"I'm sure you're wondering why I've pulled you aside today. I must apologize. I've been wishing to speak with you, but I'm afraid I have not had the chance. It was a pleasant surprise to see you here today." He spoke formally, and Harper realized Dust Bucket wasn't here like he had been last time. It was a bit of a relief to know she wouldn't die a completely agonizing death, unless the All-Consuming Violet Void over here decided to get creative and use his portals to chop off her limbs. "She looks startled. That was not my intention. I do hope she does not devolve into... what is it? Yes, into panic."
"Right, yeah. It's cool. Totally fine." Harper shook her head. Kurogiri suspected she was lying, but she didn't give a shit. Maybe she could do that push thing she'd done back in the bar. Where she shoved with her quirk, or whatever that was. She hadn't done it since then, and had honestly sort of forgotten about it until this moment. She needed to practice it anyway! See, this kidnapping was a good thing. Totally chill and fine. Harper wasn't struggling not to hyperventilate or anything.
Honestly, telling herself to get her shit together and stay calm wasn't as hard as it had been the first time. She thought about all she'd achieved so far. She'd helped people like she'd never helped them before. While she was sure there was so much more she could do, she'd made a small impact. It was more than Harper expected from anyone. Harper would be content with dying if that was what it came through. There was just the small issue of people missing her. It was hard to admit. The thought of people outside her family and family friends actually liking her was... foreign. But it was true. If she'd die, the people she'd grown close to would be devastated. That wasn't her being cocky-- it was just the truth.
"I apologize for scaring you. I only wish to ask some questions-- not to harm you." Kurogiri said honestly, the smoke around him thinning until she could see his physical body. It was peculiar to know there really was a person under there. He was wearing a suit, the metal neck brace that had been apparently present during the attack on the USJ still there. His hands were hidden by fog-- or maybe they were fog. It was the same for his head. His eyes were two, glowing yellow slits that permeated through the purple mist with their brightness. "I hope she does not attempt to run. That would be most troublesome."
Harper took a few steps back, taking a deep breath. Alright, so he didn't want to kill her apparently. He didn't seem to be the type to lie. The brunette tried to calm herself further and organize her thoughts. She couldn't panic right now if she wanted to live. She had to keep a level head. Tsukauchi and Sansa had seen her vanish. Unlike last time, people would be out looking for her. Kurogiri wasn't currently hostile. That being said, the guy didn't have any sort of pity in him, which meant he was more likely to show no mercy if it came to that. He could flip like a switch at any given moment were she not careful.
"If I tell you what you need to know, will you like... not kill me?" Harper tried to keep the shake from her voice, and she managed to somewhat succeed. If Kurogiri noticed the tremor, he did not react to it. That was a relief. He wasn't trying to approach either. In fact, he took a step back of his own accord. Maybe he was picking up on her fidgeting, or maybe he just had an understanding of how people reacted to certain things via observation over time. Harper didn't care, so long as she could get out of here.
"I was never aiming to kill you in the first place, but yes. I will return you to the car I removed you from after I am done with my inquiries." Kurogiri said politely. "I need to know. She must have been the cause. It's quite possible she lied about her quirk to save herself. It would not surprise me."
Harper shook out her hands, half because she was nervous, and half because she didn't want him to see her shaking. This was a villain. One that could easily drop her right on Tomura Shigaraki's doorstep and leave her in the literal dust. If Harper was going to go out, she wanted to do it doing what she did best. Swearing profusely. That sounded pretty damn hard to do when you were nothing more than the shit that came out of the vacuum when you emptied it. And here's she'd been hoping to go out via gunshot or knife fight, too.
"Alright, shoot." Harper gave a small nod. His misty head cocked curiously at her..
"I do not have a gun." He said simply. Harper stared at him. He stared back. "Perhaps she was implying that I should 'shoot' my questions. Yes... yes, that makes sense. Like a basketball. A 'slam dunk.' This implies I will receive points, however. The context does not match."
This man.
"When we seized you for questioning, you did something to me to form a distraction and escape. Might you tell me what that was?" Kurogiri said. Oddly enough, his voice wavered as he did so. He was looking for something. Harper's brows raised without her meaning them to, but she bit back a snarky comment about owning his ass back at the bar. Provoking a villain seemed dumb, even if he didn't have the capacity to get pissed off over it. "It had to have been her. She ran right when it occurred, and before that I felt something else rather off prior that that. A... pulling. And then a push."
Harper gave a vague shrug. Like hell she was telling him she'd straight up lied about her quirk to their faces. That didn't seem like it'd go over well with a guy who appeared to value honesty. "My quirk isn't based on actual body movement, but instead on the brain. It's largely mental. So I just sort of... used my quirk and pushed." Harper shrugged. She was lying right out of her ass, again, but it was oddly comforting to do so. Kurogiri's glowing eyes narrowed, but not in a malicious way.
"I... see. And can you do it again?" Kurogiri asked. Harper paused, gazing at him suspiciously. Had she heard that right? "I have to know. She must do it again before I can allow her to leave!"
Alright, so he as serious. He literally wanted her to use a quirk he knew nothing about on him. Why? It had made him drop a glass before in the bar. Either it had surprised him or disoriented him. Harper had no idea what it did, but Kurogiri probably did if he was asking. Mr. I-don't-know-what-chapstick-is-and-I'm-proud-of-it wasn't here, so it was safe to assume this wasn't an attempt on her life and instead a dig for information. Something still just didn't sit right. What was she missing? It felt like the answer was hovering right in front of her.
"Did it... hurt?" Harper wasn't sure why she was asking. Kurogiri didn't seem like a masochist, but pain helped a lot of people who were out of tune with their emotions feel something. His thoughts were beginning to get a bit desperate, and the ghastly fog that made up his head and hands was waving more and more uncomfortably the longer and longer they stood there. Harper could feel her phone vibrating in one of her trench coat pockets. It wasn't a call, but several texts instead.
"No, it did not." Kurogiri admitted. It was weird, standing with him, a villain, just feet away. He actually seemed like a decent guy if you put aside the fact that he'd kidnapped her. "Is she disagreeing? I do not know what I'll do if she does... I've been searching for quite some time now, and she may be the answer."
"Alright. If I do it, will you answer a question of mine? It doesn't have anything to do with the League, I don't think." Harper blurted it out before she could stop herself. Like an idiot. God, did she have a death wish? This guy could totally snap and drop her in the middle of nowhere. Or just shove her right off the side of the building and watch her fall like the menace to society he was. It was always the gentlemen that fucked you over in the end.
Surprisingly, he nodded. Not a word. He was just going to accept it outright. He was definitely the kind of person who'd go through with it too. He wouldn't stray from his word. If he assured her he'd do something, he'd get it done. She could feel it in him. He was a very straight-forward person, but Harper was pretty sure that was to help keep himself stable. Instead of slipping into insanity, he'd found things to grip onto. Beliefs. He'd chosen the League of Villain's cause. He just... didn't know he'd made the wrong choice.
Harper hesitated, but did prod at his consciousness. He didn't move, standing there patiently with his arms hanging limply at his sides. This felt weird. This was a villain, and they were allowing her to use her quirk on them without knowing its full capabilities. For all he knew, she could totally be about kill him right here and right now. He already suspected she way lying about what her given power actually was, but he was clearly curious (or maybe he was desperate) enough to allow her to take the wheel. So she did. She gave him a little push.
He took a small step back when she did so, a gasp escaping him and his glowing eyes going wide. Harper stopped immediately in alarm, taking a step back herself. Hopefully she hadn't just pissed him off. Would he kill her? That wouldn't be good. He was grasping his chest and staring at her. His thoughts really didn't explain what was going on, either, leaving Harper in the dark about what the fuck was actually happening. "I was correct! I didn't imagine it! I...I can't believe this! This is... this is phenomenal. I've found it. A solution. The one thing I've always wanted and searched for! All For One promised it to me years ago, but has yet to deliver. Now... Now Harper Rye has it, and has given it to me."
"You okay, dude?" Harper cringed at herself. Not only had her voice cracked, but she'd called a villain 'dude'. She wouldn't even be mad if Kurogiri threw her off the building right now. No, wait, she'd do it herself. Save him the trouble. Her existence was burdening enough as it was. Bon voyage. Hopefully Iida wouldn't follow in her stead.
"I'm splendid!" The villain burst out, surprising her quite a bit as he took a few more steps closer to her. "Please, proceed to do that again!"
If this was some weird sex thing, Harper would vomit but not be all that surprised. Iida and possibly Todoroki were still out there somewhere, and she refused to die before knowing they were fine. If anyone in class 1-A was going to go, it'd be her or Mineta. Mineta because he was a piece of shit pervert, and Harper because she needed a nap longer than three hours. She pushed again, watching him stumble back as though she'd physically driven him away. She kept a small amount of pressure on him, trying not to look too weirded out as he let out a gleeful laugh. How could an emotionless man- oh. Oh!
"Am I pushing emotion into you?" Harper asked, astonished. Kurogiri let out a squeal of utter delight. An honest to god squeal. It was terrifying but it almost made her want to smile, as messed up as that was. He just seemed so happy, his body conveying just how overjoyed he felt as she allowed emotion to filter through him. She tried not to push too hard, but also not too little. He wasn't even trying to hide how he felt. Not having any emotion, maybe he didn't know how.
"Yes, you are, Harper Rye! This is a joyous day!" Kurogiri approached her. Harper though he was going to murder her now that he'd found what he was looking for, but his arms were open. It occurred to her that the guy was going in for a hug. "I have not felt such things since I was a small child! It feels... it feels! I just want to jump for joy! Yes, joy, that's what this must be. I must hug her. I am too happy not to. I will apologize for intruding into her personal space later! Oh my, this is a truly wonderful day."
"Oh, okay, we're hugging now. Congratulations?" Harper squeaked out as he bent down and wrapped her in a hug. Her nose scrunched up a she squeezed her, lifting her up off her feet in his excitement. She wasn't going to fight it if it meant she lived. He seemed so happy, she couldn't help but feel a bit happy for him as well as she continued to mildly push at him. "You do realize I'm a uh... hero in training, right?"
"Yes, quite the noble profession from what I understand, Harper Rye! I'm very proud of you." Holy shit. The guy could not control what he did, said, or felt. This was great. Harper tried not to laugh. "Wait, but if she is a hero, and I am a villain... my word, I've killed people! My... my, no, this isn't good. I won't be able to feel if I separate from Harper Rye. I... I've hurt many. And aided Tomura Shigaraki and All For One in doing the same. It... oh my..."
His thoughts sort of just took a downhill plummet in the span of five seconds. He thought of the crying and pleading of people begging not to be taken. He recalled names and places Harper tried to commit to memory as he went through every shitty thing he'd done while without emotion. It wasn't hard to push at him so that he had emotion filtering through him, though she was afraid of what would happen if she gave him too much. Harper didn't want the guy to do anything drastic.
"Are you crying?" Harper choked out as Kurogiri sniffled, his body language taking a drastic turn. In mere moments he went from joyous to morose as a wave of guilt crashed into him like a tidal wave. Harper winced a bit, but didn't stop pushing at him. She didn't want him to panic if it all suddenly flushed away. If he really hadn't felt emotion since he was a kid, this was new. How did she get wrapped up in shit like this? She had things to do, and yet she was here comforting a the League of Villains person taxi. What a day. "Hey, uh... it's alright. Don't worry about it. You couldn't... uh, feel... that."
"I still harmed quite a few people. And now, I will be without emotion again. So empty." Kurogiri mourned. "What is the point of life without feeling? Now that I have felt it again, how can I ever go back? I do not want to hurt people. I know that now, though I did not realize before just how dastardly my actions were. I thought their cause was right, but how can killing someone be right if it makes me feel so terribly heavy? I do not understand."
Wow, he was really struggling over there. Harper hesitantly reached out to pat his back. It was awkward and light, in case he snapped and tried to judo flip her over his shoulder. She cleared her throat. What was she doing? Fucking hell, this was weird. Not like she could do much else. "No need to be so down. You can just... uh, come with me. Switch sides and all." Harper said. Kurogiri visibly perked up. No way was he actually going to say yes to this.
"One can do that?" He asked hopefully. "What a simple solution! If I must be around Harper Rye to feel emotion, then all I must do is go with her."
"Yeah, totally." Harper choked out. This was happening. "I'll just uh... adopt you."
"Yes! Of course! This is genius!" Kurogiri exploded with joy again, wrapping her up in another tight hug before she could backpedal out of reach. "I can be a hero alongside Harper Rye, and retain emotion! It is the perfect compromise! Tomura Shigaraki was always unkind to me. It... hurts my feelings to think about all the rude things he said to me. Perhaps the heroes will be kinder. This way, I can make up for my wrongdoings and become my own person."
"Awesome. This is happening. Welcome to the good side, I think?" Harper said un-surely, voice muffled against Kurogiri's suit's vest as he continued to hug her happily. She'd pushed emotions into one of the League's biggest and most useful players, and he'd decided being a villain was mean and... switched. He was totally intent on coming with her. She wanted to call bullshit, but he was genuine. She had just adopted Kurogiri. She had just stolen the League's warp gate with feelings.
"I will do my best to make up for my crimes. So long as I can remain by your side, Harper Rye, I will do whatever you ask. Just please continue to provide me with these... emotions." He pulled away from the hug, eyes curved in a way that told her he was smiling. She nodded almost unconsciously. Yep. This was really happening. That had really just happened. Wow, okay. What now? "This is quite possibly the best day of my life. To think I did not know just how terrible killing people could make one feel. Does this mean that I have been a good person this whole time, without knowing? Up until this point, I have been no one. I have no sense of identity without emotion to guide me. I knew I'd felt it, that day when we took Harper Rye."
"Alright... alright, let's do this." Harper took a deep breath and looked him in the eyes, easing her racing heart. "Where is Stain?"
~~~~~~~~~~
Somehow, Kirishima had managed to get separated from Tetsutetsu and the supervisor they both shared. He wasn't sure where to go now. Hosu was in shambles, the distant shriek of Nomu sending shivers up his spine. He would call, but his phone had cracked when he was thrown against a wall by one of the very beasts now crawling throughout the city. Fourth Kind had barreled into the thing, sending them both rolling into an alley full of smoke. It was the last Kirishima had seen of the man before another Nomu crashed out of a building nearby, intent on taking them down.
That's when he'd lost Tetsutetsu, which left him to quietly creep through the desolate streets in search of other people by his lonesome. He knew Iida was interning in this area, so he was keeping a sharp eye out as he carefully made his way closer to the sound of fighting. If there was fighting, that meant a hero was probably engaging with one of the Nomu. Kirishima wouldn't interfere unless asked or desperately needed, but at least he wouldn't be alone anymore. Fourth Kind was going to have his head either way.
It was weird to look at Hosu the way it was now. It was in shambles, and he had to wonder how it'd managed to get this bad in the span of just an hour. One moment it had been an ordinary day. People were going about their business, walking to and from work, shopping, such of that like. It had just taken a few warp gates to change all that. Now the streets were eerily empty. Every little sound had Kirishima jumping and whirling around to investigate, his heart racing. He made a mental note to look further into hero duos and how they worked. He wasn't sure going in by himself was his forte.
"Dammit!" A rather familiar voice bit out, causing him to come to a dead stop. "Come on, you big baby! It's just smoke!"
"I-I think I'm scared." Another voice intoned, shaking horribly and perfectly conveying the terror they felt. Kirishima stayed stock still, squinting through the smog rising from a nearby car to try and make out the two figures. His fists hardened without him meaning them to as the pair came closer. One was shorter-- dragging the other, and painfully recognizable. Hope and fear welled in his chest. It looked and sounded like it... it could be Harper. But why would she be in Hosu?
Kirishima was scared, and wasn't sure if he dared to hope. If he ran into a Nomu, there was a good chance he'd die. The one at the USJ had only been beaten by the Number One Hero, All Might. Only All Might wasn't here right now. Kirishima was here, with his measly hardening quirk, hoping to god it was truly his crush about to walk out in front of him. He didn't want her here, in danger, but he also did. It was a weird balance between wanting her safe and not wanting to be by himself.
"Yeah, no shit you're scared, but you need to work with me! Use your legs!" Sure enough, Harper Rye herself stumbled out of the smoke. Kirishima's relief was extremely short lived when he saw just who she was dragging along with her. "I need to figure out how to give you some damn courage if I want us to live."
Her hand was locked around a misty one that belonged to Kurogiri, the Warp Gate from the USJ. A member of the League of Villain's. The man was wearing a suit, his head nothing more than the same gaseous substance that he'd been shrouded in last Kirishima saw him. The redhead's heart skipped a beat, and his breath hitched in his throat as Harper finally looked his way. She too froze, Kurogiri scrambling up to stand right up against her as his wide, glowing eyes darted around nervously. He was jittery, and not at all collected like he had been during the attack on UA. The cold air he'd had around himself last time was missing. Now, he seemed... almost human in his mannerisms.
"I can explain." Harper blurted out, and Kirishima snapped from his daze with a yelp. She winced as he jumped back slightly. "Look, I know this is weird, but I promise I'll tell you everything later. Just... he's on our side. I promise, alright?"
Harper wasn't sure if she should be glad she found Kirishima or not. She had a major headache, and looked like hell, but she was relieved to see a face that was both friendly and familiar. Kurogiri had warped them to the last place he saw Stain, and Harper had checked her phone. At the same time, Midoriya's panicked thoughts had reached and grabbed her from a few blocks over. She hadn't even had time to text Tsukauchi or Sansa. She just took off running with Kurogiri by her side, the both of them having to take a detour when a Nomu with a bad attitude appeared from essentially nowhere. Kurogiri had screamed quite loudly at the sight, dropping him through a portal in a panic. Harper shuddered thinking of where the thing was now.
"H-He's with the League. And Harper, what are you even doing here? It's not safe!" Kirishima asked, eyes darting between his crush and the villain. Harper approached, dragging Kurogiri behind her like he was a dog on a leash. Kirishima wanted to step back, but couldn't find it in himself to as the girl came up and grabbed his hand with her other one. The orange cat ears on her head were lit up and glowing, and cast a faint glow across his face as she peered up at him and held him firmly. "This is the guy who dropped the Nomu here in the first place! Does Harper know who he is? Is he tricking her?"
A lot of people claimed that Harper's eyes were plain, but that simply wasn't true. They were brown, but it was the kind that looked golden when the light hit it just right. It was molten and fiery color. While she was normally closed off and only expressive when she wanted to be, right now her entire expression was cracked open. Her eyes were honest and pleading. Pleading him to stay calm, and to listen. How could he possibly say no to that? Kurogiri hadn't stabbed anyone yet or warped them both off to their deaths. So for Harper-- for now-- he'd remain as steady as he could.
"It's okay. He's on our side now, and I need you to trust me. I've found Iida, Midoriya, and Todoroki. We have to get to them now." Harper stressed. Kirishima's eyes darted to Kurogiri briefly before coming back to the brunette. She wouldn't grab his hand if it weren't serious. She wasn't one for physical contact, and he knew that. Something was going on. He pushed the blushy part of him aside and decided to freak out over the hand-holding later.
"You'll... you're sure?" He breathed, heart pounding wildly in his chest as his adrenaline surged. Nearby, a Nomu let out a small shriek. It was getting closer. They had to get away from here.
"Kirishima, I am positive. Tell him, Kurogiri." There was an urgency in her he'd never seen before. It made him nervous, and he knew something more was going on. She said she'd explain later. He trusted her. He was just... Harper hadn't seen what happened at the USJ. They'd almost died. Mr. Aizawa had almost died. Kirishima still had nightmares about it, wondering what would have happened had the other teachers not arrived on time. It still made him shudder. Now, he was stuck in an impossible situation with a new set of circumstances he never would have imagined. It was a heroes job to roll with the punches... but how could he roll with these?
"She adopted me." Kurogiri said without a trace of doubt in himself. Kirishima was momentarily floored. Oh. That made... sense, but there was probably more to the story than just that.
"See? Now, we've got to go." Harper continued forward, and soon Kirishima was being dragged too. He stumbled a few times, trying to match her brisk pace. "I know you're not sure and you don't trust him. Honestly, I don't either. This is the second time he's kidnapped me so far, and it was truly a shit show both times if I've ever seen one. We can worry about it later. I'll tell you whatever you want to know. You've just got to come with me and be... be ready."
"He kidnapped you? Twice?" Kirishima choked out. They took a turn down an alley, and Harper sped up into a slight jog. Kurogiri was still nervously sticking closer to her, and Kirishima was trying to focus on the issue at hand.
"She gave me emotion, so you need not worry." Kurogiri said. Kirishima flinched, looking over with wide eyes. The man looked startled, but still gave a polite nod despite his fear. "My name is Kurogiri. Would you like to be friends? They make me feel warm. Harper Rye is my first friend."
"O-Oh, yeah! I'm Eijiro Kirishima." He didn't seem so bad actually, now that they were talking.
"Guys, not the time for a meet and greet!" Harper hissed between clenched teeth. The sound of shouting caught his attention, and Kirishima's eyes widened in surprise. There was a fight going on, and they were headed right towards it. He opened his mouth to tell Harper it was time to go find help, but he stopped when he saw the look of utter determination plastered on her face. He'd never seen an expression like that on her before. It made his heart skip a few beats, and he was suddenly smacked upside the head with all the reasons why he loved Harper so much.
This fight had to be the reason Iida, Todoroki, and Midoriya needed them. How Harper even knew about it or its urgency was beyond him, but she'd promised to explain after. It was relaxing to think about the after. Him and Harper, alive, sitting down and talking about it. He focused on that. Not the fact that this was literally a life or death situation. Not the way Tetsutetsu had told him to run while leading the Nomu back in the direction Fourth Kind and his sidekicks had gone. He focused on the later, but remained aware of the now.
"How do you know it's them?" Kirishima asked, hoping they weren't about to rush into the wrong battle. Harper paused.
"I... Midoriya sent me his location." She said evasively, and he immediately knew she was lying. Kurogiri seemed even more nervous. Harper met Kirishima's worried stare. "Look I just-- I'll explain it all to you later, okay? Just back me up on this one. They need us, and they- shit!"
Harper let go of them both and took off dead sprint across the street with literally no warning, leaving the two males a bit stupefied and unsure of what to do for a moment. Harper didn't care if they were following at this point. She darted for the alley diagonal from the one she was just in, hoping to god she made it in time. Never had she run so fast in her sorry little life. Everything in her screamed that she wasn't going fast enough. The girl didn't even render the familiar static the Nomu tended to bring with them, or Kirishima's concerned shouts behind her as she flew around the corner.
"No!" Izuku and Iida both cried out. Harper didn't stop, leaping over the paralyzed form of her incapacitated, depressed friend and barreling into Todoroki as she dove. Stain's blade harmlessly swung past him as they both tumbled painfully to the ground, Harper's coat now sporting scorch marks from when Shoto's left side had flared defensively. Kirishima came around the corner seconds later, his arms hardening as he charged forward with a crying 'leave them alone!'. Stain bared his teeth and leapt back from Harper and Todoroki both.
Close. So close. Harper blinked rapidly as her eyes stung, her breaths coming out choppy as she pushed herself off the teenager she'd just tackled. His own thoughts were racing too fast for her to keep up with. She instead focused on Stain, trying to figure out when he'd be attacking next.
"K-Kirishima, Harper! What are you doing here?" Midoriya sputtered, though the relief was clear on his face as he struggled to move. Iida's mouth was agape, tears ripping tracks down his cheeks at the sight of his two classmates coming to their aid without hesitation. Harper, who'd urged him to talk someone, had come and got caught up in his mistakes. It made him sick to his stomach just thinking about it. "They got my text! Oh my god, they're here. We can take him if it's all of us. We can do this."
"Midoriya, Iida, Todoroki!" Kirishima breathed out, pulling Harper to her feet. The half-and-half teenager was already back on his feet, his hand flying to his uninjured shoulder. Harper stared at him with wide eyes, and he stared right back with a similar look. Because his arm almost just got cut off. Had Harper been a second later in tackling him... "Holy shit, Harper just saved Todoroki. I-Is that seriously the Hero Killer?! No wonder she brought Kurogiri! Holy shit, this is happening. I'm freaking out. That's a serial killer, Iida is bleeding, and is that hero over there bleeding out right now?!"
"More brats." Stain hissed venomously. Harper detached herself from the flabbergasted Kirishima, fumbling for her phone as the duel quirk user she'd just saved and concerned redhead both stepped forward and in front of her. Stain's thoughts were just as hostile as his words. "Interfering in my work. Where do they all keep coming from?! They don't fit the mold. I just want the one in armor dead-- the others don't matter. Can't they see I'm doing them a favor? It's my job to reform society."
"You look like you either shop or work at Hot Topic. Probably both." Harper bit out before she could stop herself, her anger swelling. Stain looked startled. Kirishima and Todoroki glanced back at her as though she were insane. Harper didn't care. She was covered in soot from all the smoke and ash, but there was one thing she had on Stain. Kurogiri was here, and she still had tabs on the guy. He was absolutely terrified. Just as scared as she was, if not more. But a portal still began to form beneath the killer nonetheless.
"Do you know who I am, girl?!" Stain asked, raising his swords. Kirishima's hardened arms came up, and frost began to rise of Todoroki's skin as he stepped up to defend the girl he'd just saved. She didn't have to look down as she clicked on the contact Dumbass #3, intent on getting more help in Hosu.
"Yeah, I just don't care." Harper's eyes narrowed.
Before Stain could come up with a good reply, he fell into the ground-- into one of Kurogiri's voids. That was all dandy and good. The only issue was Kirishima and Harper both dropped too, just managing to latch onto one another as gravity was lost to them. The last thing either of them heard was their classmates calling their names as they shrieked in surprise. She felt Endeavor nearby and the complete horror of her three classmates as they vanished into the street, the connection cutting as soon as the portal closed above them.
In all honesty, Harper was fine with the fear of falling she was going to eventually develop. She gripped tight to Kirishima and relished in the fall. This fall meant they were alive. This fall meant Harper had done it. And though it was hellish and she was about fifty-percent sure she had lung cancer from all the smoke she'd inhaled, she found herself retracting her earlier thought. This victory beat McDonald's any day of the week.
~~~~~~
lazy_apocalypse is back at it again y'all. Look at this amazing fanart. I love it. Aizawa is a happy boy and I adore it. Seriously, thank you so much for this! It's amazing!
_jamless_otaku_ has drawn some amazing Harper art. One of her in her hero costume, and one of her in her uniform. I seriously adore these with all my heart. They're absolutely amazing! Thank you so much for them ahhahkdlahsldkf
Sinful-stories has also drawn Harper in her hero costume. I honest to god adore it. Look at the earS thank you so much. You guys are all seriously such good artists, and it means loads that you keep making art!
If you're from the discord and I didn't add yours in, it's because I'm struggling to find your username! You guys have got to add that in with your art so I know who to tag and can post it!