Top pic credit goes to: kadeart
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Keigo POV:
"Hey, Toga, pass the chips, will ya? I always gotta munch on something when I'm nervous!" Twice exclaimed with a pout, quickly plopping down next to me on the tiny couch.
I let out a small wince at his action, giving him a friendly shove to the side.
"Ayy, Twice....how many times do I gotta tell ya to watch the wings, man?" I reprimanded lightly, prying my fierce feathers out from underneath his big bottom.
"If they get in the way so much, then maybe it'd be better if you just didn't have them." Dabi chimed in rudely from the corner of the room, causing me to roll my eyes in deteriorating patience at the simple sound of his voice.
But, before I could retort with a reply...
"Ah, Dabi, don't be like that! You're always so mean to Red, while he's nothing but good to you-and why are you standing in that corner, anyways? I know the couch space is a little cramped, but you can sit on my lap, if you'd like!" Twice suggested innocently, causing Toga and I to immediately break out into snickering laughs.
A small sizzle of flames could be heard from Dabi's corner of the room, as he remained unmoving from his spot.
"No thanks, you perverted Santa Claus. I'd rather burn off my fucking eyeballs, than sit on your lap." He started off blandly.
"Oh, you would now? Lemme know when you do that, so I can watch." I chimed in with a cheeky smirk, giving my arms a lazy stretch over my head to get more comfortable on the crowded couch.
Twice immediately face palmed at my words, frantically waving his hands around to try and keep the peace, somehow.
"Guys, guys, guys! Look, I know things have been a little tense between you two, for the past few months-and you still won't tell me why-but, come on! We're all family here! And we're all here for the same purpose today!" Twice explained, before he quickly clicked the volume of the television up to full blast.
"To watch Ari graduate!" Toga chimed in with a cheer, keeping her wild eyes glued to the tv screen to catch the first glimpse for Ari's appearance.
The simple mention of Ari's name was enough to make my heart secretly flutter, as it wasn't a name I've heard for three months straight.
But, even though I haven't been able to speak much about my chicky, there's no way in hell I could ever forget a day like today.
Today is the day of Ari's graduation from UA, and the day she is set to give her first speech as the number eight pro hero of Japan.
I've been mentally counting down the months, weeks, and days to this event, because it will be the first time in forever that I'll finally be able to see her.
Sure, it's not as if I'm able to go there in person and literally see her. But, if this is as close as I can get to laying eyes on that beautiful face? Well, then you bet I'll take it.
And even though today's supposed to be an extremely happy day for Ari and her career, I can't help but feel bittersweet about it all. More bitter than sweet, if I'm being honest.
The main reason, being that Diane's threat from one month ago has been running through my head on a constant loop of repeat...
"Here's my deal for you, Keigo. You get me Shigaraki's location. Get me the name of the hospital he's undergoing his treatment at, any time before the day the war is set to begin, and I will cancel Ari's involvement in the mission."
And I have been able to do, almost, everything except exactly that.
I have been killing myself, working day and sleepless night, to try and get the name of that damn hospital. But, if there's one thing these PLF suckers know, it's how important it is to keep that specific secret.
Having no choice, I've fully taken Diane's advice to speed things up, having a complete disregard for my own life, at this point.
So many risks. I've taken so many risks, in these past four weeks that should have left me good for dead; blatantly snooping around secret rooms I know I'm not supposed to be in. Asking, much too obvious, questions. Becoming desperately persistent when people give me a piece of information I can cling onto, exhausting the topic with them, until there's nothing left to talk about.
I have no idea how I haven't gotten caught, yet.
But, as I said before, my concern at the moment isn't about my own life.
It's about Ari's life, because her life is worth everything to me. I can't let her die. I can save her, because she can be saved.
I will do everything in my power to make this possible. There's nothing that can stop me from achieving my goal.
And, even if I'm unable to get the name of that hospital....even if something happens, where I realize that Ari is still in a certain amount of danger...
My goal won't change. A few other things may change in the process, but not that.
But, besides that, the moment, itself, is also bittersweet, because I don't know how Ari's feeling, or how she's been doing.
From what Diane told me, she willingly accepted this suicide mission, and that revelation kills me everyday. Why did she do such a thing? Is she aware of all the details? Is she aware that she's basically sacrificing herself for this?
Is she scared? Is she okay? How is she feeling today?
Ari has listened to all of my stories about the pro hero world. Admittedly, most of these stories consisted of me bashing and trashing the business, without holding back. Between me and growing up with Diane, she's already more than aware of all the bullshit that goes into being a pro hero-and she's not even begun the journey, yet.
It makes me wonder if she's even excited. If she's proud of herself.
And, god damn, I hope she is. Because, that's where the sweet part of this whole bittersweet situation comes into play...
Ari has worked her ass off to get where she is today. And while you know I'll support her through anything she does, I ain't just talkin' from the perspective of her boyfriend, when I say that.
On this exact day, one year ago, I ran into Ari Parker in the stairwell of a business building, while we were both trying to contain some villains.
I know I never really told ya my perspective from that day, so here's a bit of it. But, a fair warning that my side ain't all that pretty or romantic. I was still going through my phase of being a pretty big dick, at the time.
Ah, but, anyways....well, there's not much to it, you see. I'd been flying around the city, when I spotted her walking with Ryukyu and Nejire Hado.
I'd been keeping up with Ari's achievements, once she entered UA high, especially since I originally requested her to join my agency-until she turned me down, the first time. The point is, I wasn't expecting to see her on that side of town. After all, she'd been interning at Jeanist's agency, from what I remembered.
Because of that, I didn't recognize her right away, but that long, pretty hair and cute figure admittedly caught my attention, all the way from the sky.
Once the city was thrown into a state of panic, and I saw her go into that burning building, I couldn't help but smirk to myself and quickly fly around the other side, knowing that I'd set myself up to run into her there.
Here's the deal, I thought I'd pull a few charmers on that cutie and get lucky, later that night. That was the plan.
So, you can imagine my surprise when she started back-sassing me, instead.
Well, that threw a wrench in my entire plan. Sure, I still tried to play it cool, but I'd never had a woman talk to me like that before. Internally, it made me freak out a little, cause I didn't really know where to go from there.
So, I went with the plan of simply becoming more of a dick! Ah, yes. I remember it like it was yesterday...
"I didn't feel like watching an inexperienced, little student hero die in front of me today. So, I figured I'd save your life by stopping you from fighting, and then let you see how a real pro does it. If anything, you should be thanking me." I chuckled awkwardly, internally cringing when I saw her brows furrow in genuine irritation for me.
Funnily enough, I didn't actually know she was a student hero, when I said that. She was kinda far away from me, so I still hadn't recognized her, yet. I assumed she was already a pro, and I was just trying to bust her chops. She didn't find it amusing.
Heh, whoopsie!
But, she also seemed like a bit of a hot head to get mad so early on. Kinda cute. Kindaaa scary. Definitely intriguing.
And then, her response threw me through a major loop.
"Wow. Charming. Yeah. As much as I'd love to sit here in a crumbling, burning stairwell and talk with you, of all people...I'd like to leave now, if you don't mind."
My heart jumped in alarm when she said that, you know. I really didn't have any idea how to respond.
And then I really lost it when I finally recognized her as Ari Parker, the little girl I saved, all those years ago.
I don't know why that revelation made me more nervous, but it did. It made my Hawks bravado falter, even if only for a few seconds. No one in sixteen years had been able to do such a thing, at the time, yet, even meeting Ari that day...she was able to do it in mere seconds.
I've always been drawn to her. She's always been different from the rest. I can't explain it. It's just a feeling. A very good feeling.
But, man, when I tell you how proud I am of my Chicky, today, I mean every word.
I've watched her grow-not just this year, but for the past nine years, into an amazing hero and person.
That little, ten year old girl, who was trying to save the world all by herself, that day? Well, she ain't so little, anymore.
She's gotten stronger. She's learned to trust her partners in the field. Her skills and strategies have improved so much.
She's softened her heart to me. She's not so angry and hotheaded, anymore. Heh, more like warm headed now.
But, all I'm sayin' is that if anyone deserves this spot, it's Ari. And while I'm not able to show much of my true emotions in front of the league peeps, today, I just wish she could know how truly proud I am of her, and the person that she's become; How much this day means to me, too. And how much I wish I could be there.
I love you, Ari. And even though I'm not there with you today in person, I'm still watching. I'm still cheering. And I'm still by your side, every step of the way.
Congratulations, little dove. I hope you're as proud of yourself, as I am of you.
I internally rolled my eyes at myself, as I felt a genuine smile coming on that I'd be unable to contain.
I quickly pulled the thick collar of my hero jacket over my mouth to conceal my happiness, slouching further into the couch cushions to look as uncaring as possible.
"Remind me again why we're even watching this? Ari becoming a hero does nothing to benefit anyone here. If anything, it's all the more reason to turn that shit off." Dabi nagged from the corner, causing me, Twice, and Toga to all let out a simultaneously groan for him to shut up.
Toga quickly popped up from her slouched position, turning around on the couch to face Dabi.
"You know, you don't have to watch it. Last time I checked, no one even asked you to join this. You just showed up. We all know about your little Ari crush. No need to deny it." She smirked knowingly, propping her arms atop the couch cushions as she wiggled her brows playfully.
I felt my heart stir in toxic resentment at Toga's words, not wanting another reminder of Dabi's 'hidden' feelings for my girlfriend.
Not that they're all that hidden to begin with. The guy may try to act careless, but he's about as subtle as a peacock. The disgusting kiss he forced on her a few months ago is a testament to that.
I still haven't gotten over that day, and judging by Dabi's extra cold attitude towards me, for the past three months....he obviously hasn't gotten over it, either.
Both of us have been more horrible to each other, than ever. More rude. More snarky. Shorter fuses. Less games, and more true emotions.
Tensions between him and I are running high. But, then again, that's to be expected when we've been at each other's throats, constantly, for the better part of a year.
It's obvious to see that neither of us can do this for much longer. I can feel that we're both close to snapping. The only question at this point, is when?
"Yeah, Dabi, Toga's right! And besides, Ari may be getting this award today, but it doesn't mean anything, remember? She's still on our side, just playing those hero suckers like a fiddle. Because of that, why wouldn't we support her?! She's helping us out!" Twice chimed in excitedly, keeping his masked eyes glued to the tv screen so that he wouldn't miss Ari's first appearance.
I kept my body language as relaxed as possible, upon hearing Twice's words, trying to hide my obvious unease about Ari's involvement in all of this. She's not in a much better position than I am, with everything she's gotten herself into.
From the very beginning, a situation, exactly like this one, is everything I was trying to avoid. It's why I kept so many secrets from her, for so long. It's what caused so much drama and heartache. It's what almost tore us apart for good.
Had everything gone as originally planned, Ari and I would have never been anything more than boss and intern. She would have never found out about my infiltration mission. I would have said goodbye to her, as my employee, months ago, in order to fully immerse myself in this mission, and today would be the day she, officially and professionally, cuts all ties with me and my agency, to go out and excel in her own life and line of work.
Yeah. That was the plan.
But, if you're still here reading after all this time, then you're perfectly well aware that things never seem to go as planned, right?
Dabi had started to mutter out a retort to Twice's comment-but, he was quickly over spoken by the loud cheers of Toga, as Ari's picture suddenly flashed onto the television screen.
"Shut up, Dabi-No one cares! There she is!!" Toga exclaimed, frantically waving her hand at Dabi as she looked at the screen.
"Stop yelling." Dabi muttered disinterestedly, clearly too distracted with Ari now to give Toga a proper retort.
But, quite honestly, I was too distracted to care about Dabi's distraction, as I couldn't take my attention off the television screen now, either.
My eyes widened involuntarily upon seeing Ari's face so suddenly, and I couldn't help but lean forward on the couch a little more to get a better look.
The picture of her took up the entirety of the tv screen, and I've gotta say.....it caused my jaw to drop.
It was a picture I've never seen of her before. It looked fresh, and couldn't have been snapped more than a few days ago.
She was dressed in her hero gear from head to toe, even donning a few upgraded pieces I haven't seen. She had shinier metal gauntlets on her forearms...with a matching set, cuffed around both of her biceps. She was sporting a tight belt now, with the initials 'H.G." for Hourglass, and it was loaded with weapons. They looked sharp and dangerous, but also as if they were there for show.
The sturdy, weathering combat boots she normally wears had been replaced with showy navy blue, thigh high boots instead. They didn't look as protective or reliable as the old ones she wore. Just flashier and more appealing to the eye.
The pattern of her suit looked the same, but it looked to be impossibly tighter on her body. The colors of it were bolder and more pronounced.
And don't think I didn't notice the two giant insignia crests of the Hero Public Safety Commission plastered in the areas directly underneath both of her collarbones....noticing she also had two more giant crests on both of her biceps. It looked as if she was stamped as property of the HPSC.
That's three more crests than I have. And I'm the number two hero for crying out loud.....
As for her appearance, her normally relaxed hair had been loaded up with products, hairsprays, and artificial curls-I also noticed it had been dyed a few shades darker!-Her face was concealed with a shit ton of makeup. She had one hand on her posed hip....
And she wasn't smiling. Don't get me wrong, she still looked very powerful, and very beautiful with the fierce smolder she was giving to the camera....
But, she wasn't smiling. Past the posed face and pounds of makeup, I could see that her eyes looked dull and lifeless; as if she couldn't care less about being there.
A big contrast to three months ago, when she spoke to me, beaming with excitement about earning the number eight hero spot.
The news reporter talked about Hourglass' background and training as I blankly studied the, almost unrecognizable, picture of my Chicky....silently wondering what the hell Diane has been doing to her for these past three months.
I just want to know how you're feeling, Ari. Are you okay?
Or are you doing what I did, when I was nineteen years old? Succumbing to the demons inside your heart, and allowing them to overtake you. Isolating yourself from everyone. Finding joy in nothing. Having nightmares and being nothing more than Diane's puppet?
Becoming exactly who they want you to be.
Are you turning into Hawks, Ari? Are you really going to repeat my mistakes?
"Woweee!! That's quite an outfit she's got on." Toga stated in awe, wiggling her brows at Dabi knowingly.
"Guess so." The stitched fucker commented, purposely letting out a small cat-call whistle that he knew would get me irritated.
And it did get me a little irritated, but not enough to care. I was too concerned with Ari's questionable well-being to care about anything else. I simply ignored Dabi's comment, trying my best to keep my true emotions hidden as I listened to the talk on the news.
"Pro Hero, Hourglass, has broken the JP Hero Billboard charts today, at just nineteen years old! What a big day for the country, folks. We haven't seen something on this scale, since the Number Two Pro Hero, Hawks, made his official debut, five years ago on this day!" The news reporter stated, making me internally cringe at the praise, when the attention in the room suddenly landed on me.
"Wow, Hawks! You made the top ten at eighteen years old? How did ya manage a feat like that?!" Twice chuckled in awe, making me swallow uncomfortably as I noticed Toga's blank look towards me-almost as if she forgot I was a hero, until now.
Fucking news people are about to blow my cover.
I let out a small, dismissive laugh, about to answer with some bullshit, before Dabi cut in first.
"Yeah, hero. Tell us how you did it. I'm just dying to know all your secrets." He mocked out maliciously, crossing his arms with a dark smirk as he awaited my answer.
Resisting the urge to roll my eyes at him, I kept my composure with a simple shrug of my shoulders....not even bothering to take my attention off the tv.
"Alotta ass kissing. That's how." I stated curtly, not actually lying about that.
After all, part of Hawks' character is being an ass kiss. Or, have you forgotten about that already?
"Oh, a lot of ass kissing, you say? I wonder if Ari had to do the same thing to earn her hero spot then." Twice pondered innocently, stroking his masked chin with his fingers in thought.
I remained quiet at Twice's statement with purposeful intent, already knowing the answer to his question.
Of course, there are a few things I left out about how I became so successful in the hero world. Yes, I kissed a lot of ass, growing up the way I did. That's how I was raised to communicate. Ari, too.
But, in terms of making the top ten pros at eighteen years old? That was just the product of good ol' blood, sweat, and tears.
I'd built up a strong enough hatred towards Diane and the commission to where I didn't give a shit about my status. I didn't care if I made it to the top tier, or not. I actually wish I never did; I'd prefer a lower ranking.
But, regardless, I trained. I trained my ass off. For them, I trained. I never stopped. Never took a breather. Never had time to think about anything else, but them.
It's because of that upbringing, that I was able to achieve my spot. It's because of the hero commission that I am this way. Not just physically and training wise....
....but, mentally and emotionally damaged, as well.
And I can't help but feel a twinge in my heart as I think about Ari, knowing that she had to go through the same thing to get here, today; wondering what else she'll have to go through in her career as a hero.
....wondering and fearing that she'll end up turning into another Hawks.
I'm sure that's the hero commission's plan. Wear her down and destroy her mind hard enough, until she's nothing more than a live-action figure superhero, with no thoughts of her own. It's a solid plan, really. Worked wonders with me for seventeen years.
But, that's not my plan.
I refuse to let history repeat itself. I refuse to let Ari go down the path that I did, and become lost, before my very eyes.
I won't let her....become me. No matter what. I won't.
But, reassuring myself that she wouldn't become me only got harder as the television finally panned away from the newscaster, and over to a live camera shot of UA high school.
Images of the filled up stadium began flashing across the screen. There looked to be thousands of people there, all awaiting the debut of their new number eight hero, Hourglass.
Poor chicky. I hope she's not nervous. She gets really bad stage fright.
I felt my heart jump in pure excitement, when I saw someone in the crowd holding up....an Hourglass poster!!
"No way. Would ya look at that...." I chuckled in happy amusement under my breath, leaning forward on the couch a little more to get a better look.
You really made it, Ari.
I've never seen an Hourglass poster before. It made me smile in pride, as the camera man panned in on the fan holding the poster. It was a little girl with pigtails, who looked to be no older than ten. She was smiling from ear to ear, cheering excitedly and looking towards the stage as she waited for Ari in pure awe.
It was so cute. So pure. Kinda made me choke up a bit.
That is, until the camera panned to the next shot....filling up the television screen with the devil, herself.
And just like that, any remnants of pure pride and joy I'd been feeling for Ari's accomplishments were immediately replaced with resentment and anger, as I looked at Diane Himura's face.
That's right. She takes all the fun out of this job. I almost forgot.
I clenched my teeth in anger, feeling my wings flutter up involuntarily at the sight of the Hero Public Safety Commission's President, standing front and center at the stage podium....flashing the happiest, most genuine looking smile you've ever seen.
I'm not surprised to see her look so convincing. She taught me everything I know about manipulating people.
And, damn, does she do a good job.
"Woah, who is that pretty lady??!" Twice whistled out naively, slapping his hands over his masked, and probably blushing, cheeks as he stared at Diane.
I let out a soft, tired sigh at Twice's question, having a million things to say about who the hell that devil really was.
But, probably best to just keep it simple.
"You've seen her before, Twice. Remember, when we watched her blackmail Ari and beat her, through the hidden camera in the Hero Commission HQ? That's Diane Himura, the president of it all." I explained neutrally, hearing Dabi suddenly shift around on his feet as I spoke the words.
And quite honestly, I was expecting Dabi to make some snide remark about Diane or the hero commission, since he's got such a strong hatred for anything to do with the hero world.
But, he didn't say anything this time, choosing to remain silent, instead, as we all waited for Diane to speak.
It didn't take long before I heard that horrible voice grating against my ear drums.
"Citizens of Japan. It is with my greatest pride and joy that I introduce your new number eight pro hero today!" Diane started off happily, causing my wings to involuntarily sharpen up in defense-
"Ow!! Hawks! You stabbed me in the back!!" Twice pouted loudly, quickly jumping off the couch to rub the small feather poke I accidentally gave to his back.
My eyes widened in surprise at my lack of self control, quickly dulling my wings to their softest texture.
"Ah-sorry about that, Twice! I-It's not like I wanted to." I stated in genuine apology, keeping my distracted eyes glued to the tv in stress as Diane continued.
"She made it to the very top of her third year class at UA, with stats and scores on performances that the school hasn't seen in years. She's been involved in multiple battles; the most recents being the Kamino Rescue Operation, where she aided in the rescue of one of UA's....finest first year students; the Shie Hassaikai Raid, where she, not only aided in the rescue of an innocent, horribly abused child, but also carried her wounded teammates out of the building; and the High End Nomu Attack, that occurred almost a year ago, today, where she aided the number one and the number two hero in taking down the monster and keeping the peace of the people...." Diane explained, the mention of my status at the end preparing me for another rift among my league peeps.
I let out a soft cringe at the reminder of the High End Nomu attack, once again, waiting for Dabi to bust my chops about his beloved high-end nomu, Hood, somehow. I know it's still a source of tension between us, after all this time.
But, once again, he didn't say anything. Not a word. He was still standing in the corner behind me, so I wasn't able to get a look at his face, but I could definitely see that something had caught his attention enough in these past few minutes to make him stay quiet.
"She's fierce, fun, and flirty!" Diane continued, causing my brows to raise.
Fierce, fun, and what?!-
"Please, welcome your new Number Eight Pro Hero of Japan, Hourglass!!" The demon of a woman finally finished, gesturing to the side of the stage as the crowd began clapping excitedly.
My heartbeat picked up rapidly, like a lovestruck teenager, when I saw the outline of Ari's silhouette slowly walking out from behind the stage curtain.
And then, finally, after almost four months of, not even able to look at a damn picture of her on my phone, the cameras and lights flashed onto Ari as she came out onto the stage.
I felt another genuine smile threaten to curl on my face as I could hear the crowd of thousands erupt into crazy screams and cheers once they got a look at her. They already love her.
The television view of her was still too far away to get a good view of her face, and the sudden, rapid blinding flashes of cameras from the media crews only further took her out of my sight.
But, I took it all in as much as I could. Drinking in every possible thing about her for this small time I had.
Just like the picture from a few minutes ago, she was dressed in her upgraded suit, with hair and makeup done up over the top. She waved to the crowd, blowing kisses to the lucky ones in the front row, that were adorable enough to make me blush.
And just when I was about to get happy and proud of her all over again, the camera zoomed in on her face as she walked to the podium, telling my hyper-focused eyes and curious mind everything I needed to know.
My smile quickly fell as I took in the sight of the woman I love-watching her legitimately withering away before my very eyes.
No amount of makeup she had on could conceal the sunken dark circles that seemed to be permanently engraved onto her pale face. Her forehead glistened with a sweat that she continued to nervously swat away, while she bowed to Diane with trembling, shaky posture.
She took her place at the podium, eyes distant and a bit delirious with an obvious lack of sleep and support. Her smile was empty to me, but bright to most, as her shoulders subtly shifted up and down in a way like she couldn't catch her breath-and not just because she was nervous about today.
"Wow! Ari looks great!!" Twice exclaimed happily, causing my heart to squeeze in pain at the silent struggles I know she was facing.
No one bothered to say anything else as we waited for Ari to speak. And quite honestly, I didn't want to hear whatever speech she was about to hit everyone with. Cause, I'll know it's not my Ari talking. It's the hero commission's Hourglass.
"Thank you, Ms. Himura, for that wonderful introduction." Ari started off a little soft and raspy, quickly clearing her throat to pull herself together.
Diane remained on stage, standing at the side of Ari's podium-as if the flashy superhero was her property.
Noticing Diane wasn't planning on leaving, Ari quickly straightened up her posture, taking a deep breath before a foreign, charming smile immediately brightened up her face.
She looked down at the podium stand for a moment, making me assume she was reading a designated speech off of cue cards.
"I just want to say....what an honor it is, to stand before you all and accept the duty to serve and protect my country...and ultimately, the world." Hourglass stated with a new, staged confidence illuminating her voice.
Diane quickly led the crowd in another, unnecessary round of applause, causing Ari to subtly huff and patiently wait-with a smile, of course, for the room to quiet down again.
Looking down at her cue cards once more, she continued a few moments later.
"I come to all of you, today, with a humble heart, so it's only fair that you know my background and my story. The truth is, I'm very fortunate that the hero commission chose to accept me for their prestigious training program. They changed my life, and without them, none of this would have been possible." She rehearsed mechanically, biting down on her lip as she forced herself to give Diane a nod of respect.
Diane ate up everything about the action, chuckling softly at Hourglass' acknowledgement.
However, this acknowledgement lasted no more than a literal second, as Ari quickly continued...not wanting to give Diane any more personal recognition.
"You know, I remember when the hero commission took me in, how nervous I was the first day to be there. How....patient...and kind..........and understanding they've been, ever since. Of course, I owe everything to you, dear citizens. But..........I also......owe everything.....to the hero commission." Hourglass smiled out through grit teeth, tapping her primped nails against the top of the podium.
I furrowed my brows in distaste for Diane, already knowing this speech was written by her.
"Agh!! Hero commission, this. Hero commission, that. Screw the hero commission, or whatever they're called, Ari! Nothing but a bunch of whacks! Right, Hawks?!" Twice groaned out at the tv, waving his hands around in frustration for Ari's speech.
I blankly kept my eyes on the tv in concealed somberness, hyper-focusing my eyes to their absolute maximum, so that I could try and find a familiar trace of my chicky. My Ari. Not, Hourglass.
But, it was pretty hard to do, from all the way over here.
"You're absolutely right, Twice. Fuck those guys. I really hate 'em." I stated lowly, without even thinking, hearing Dabi hum quietly from his corner of the room.
"At least that's one thing you and I can agree on, bird." He uttered calmly, not daring to say anything more than that.
I didn't care to respond either, turning my attention back to Hourglass' speech.
"I guess, all I'm trying to say.....finally..." Ari started out, muttering the last word with a subtle grudge under her breath.
"Is....thank you. Thank you, Diane Himura. Thank you, hero commission for honoring me with your time, and allowing me to live.....my dream. For allowing me to grow as a person and discover a whole new side to myself, that I never would have found without you. I look forward to displaying the fruits of your labor and showing everyone how effective....the hero commission's training program can be." She said, less than enthusiastic....letting out a small cough at the end to mask her annoyance.
"And now, to the people of Japan, here's my promise to you. I promise to give you all my effort. All of my self. And all of...my....sacrifice. I solemnly swear that I will not leave the battlefield, until I've rescued every citizen in need, from the area. I promise that I will be married and loyal to my work...and....n-nothing else. And, lastly....." She stated blankly, before walking out from behind the podium.
In a rehearsed manner, she slowly began to pace the big stage with a smile, earning another cheer from the crowd, before stopping in the middle again to continue her speech.
"If there ever comes a time, where I must sacrifice my life for the greater good.........I will do it without hesitation. For you. Because, that's what heroes do. Dear citizens of Japan, you can count on me to keep you safe. Thank you for the honor of allowing me to be your hero. I won't let you down." She finished firmly, giving a nice bow to the crowd, which caused everyone to erupt into claps and hyped excitement.
And while the crowd at UA was getting louder and more excited by the second....
The energy in my room couldn't be more opposite, with Twice and Toga shaking their heads in knowing dissatisfied bullshit, while Dabi and I remained surprisingly silent. The mood between all of us seemed simultaneously deflated.
Letting out a small sigh, and not wanting to hear anymore of this painful speech, I reached for the television remote....about to turn it off-
"A-And, there's one more thing....that I'd like to say." Ari suddenly said, slowly lifting her bow to stand upright, once more.
The sound of her voice caused me to freeze in place, instead of grab the remote. It caused me to freeze, because right then and there, her voice was genuine.
She said that as Ari, not Hourglass.
I slowly turned my attention back to the screen, feeling my heart flutter up when I saw Ari looking directly into the camera now.
Diane was looking at her in concealed question, meaning that this bit probably wasn't part of the rehearsed speech.
But, either way, Ari's stiff, posed posture suddenly relaxed. Her fake smile slowly melted away into something more genuine, at whatever thought she was clearly thinking about.
And it was right then and there when I met her eyes. Sure, there may have been the tv and the distance separating us, but there was no mistaking that look on her face. That look from her, I've seen a thousand times over. That soft, genuine, relaxed look I could get lost in all day long.
It's a look she always makes when we're alone. When she wants to say something serious, or heartfelt.
A look she always has whenever she's talking to me.
"To everyone watching at home, or.....wherever you are. If you're even watching this..." She sighed out a little hopelessly, but still continuing on, anyways.
I am. I'm watching, Ari. I'm listening.
She sighed softly, as if coming to terms with something about herself, before she spoke to me.
"I hope....that you find your dreams, too. Your real dreams. I hope you can be happy, even when it's hard to be. I hope you can love again, someday-o-or, for the first time, citizens. And most of all.....I hope that you fly high and free, the way you were always meant to. You deserve it all. You deserve to.....be at peace. That's all I want for you. That's all I've ever wanted. I love you and I just want to thank you for giving me everything I could have ever wanted. Because that is my dream come true. So....thank you. And Goodbye. I promise...I'll see you again." Ari stated with a light, peaceful smile, continuing to meet my eyes through the distance.
And while her look may have been peaceful and accepting....
My look was anything but that, as I felt a storm of heavy emotions brewing inside my heart.
"No....no-D-Don't.....don't....don't say goodbye, like that. This is not....goodbye. You know that..." I breathed out inaudibly, balling my fists together in stress at what I knew she was doing.
She's giving up. She's accepting her death. She's basically telling me to move on, and forget about her.
She's accepted her fate with this mission. Accepted that Shigaraki will kill her. And that is not okay with me. I do not accept that. I will not accept that.
Because, I am her angel of the sky. And it is my job to protect her, no matter what.
I promised Ari that when all of this hell was over, she'd be smiling. I promised that I would make sure she's smiling.
And I'm not about to go back on my promise now. Not after we've come this far.
We're too close to the end to give up now.
I felt my teeth grinding together in a toxic mix of anger. Stress. Frustration. And everything else you could think of.
The emotions built up so fast and so intensely, that I was unable to stop small bits and pieces of my true self from slipping through my demeanor.
My mental state of mind was already crumbling before Ari's speech. And now? It's just getting harder to keep my sanity.
Cursing softly under my breath, I rested my elbows atop my knees, closing my eyes as I began wildly running my hands through my hair-allowing my capped inner demons to unleash free at the wrong time.
I'm losing my mind-no-Calm down-no-I can't calm down. The pressure just keeps building up. I'm.going.crazy-
It's simple, Keigo. Come on!!! What the fuck is wrong with you?!! It's so damn simple, on how to put a stop to all of this! A name. A name. A simple name to a simple hospital is all you need to save Ari's life!!!
What is wrong with me? Why can't I figure it out? I've tried everything. Why am I letting her slip through my fingers, and practically kill herself, so easily? Why am I so incapable? So weak and timid?!
No. No. I won't let it end like this. I'd never forgive myself if I let it end like this. I can't let her die.
Bolder-yes, bolder, is what I need to be! Right? More risks. Right? I need to take more risks. I need to find out the name of that hospital by tomorrow. An impossible timeline? Sure. But, I don't care, anymore. I don't care about what happens to me. As long as I get the name of that hospital and tell Diane, then nothing else matters. Right? Got it? That will fix everything. Nothing else matters. N-Nothing else matters-
"Red? Hello, Red?!" Twice asked curiously, causing my crazy state of mind to quickly fly back down into the darkest parts of my soul.
I'd become so lost within myself, in a matter of seconds, that I didn't even realize my eyes had closed until they whipped open, causing my startled self to quickly pop off the couch to standing.
"H-Huh? What..?" I muttered dazedly, cursing the way I couldn't quite meet anyone's eyes yet, as I felt Hawks slipping away from me at the very wrong time and place.
Toga, Twice, and Dabi all remained quiet for a moment, burning their eyes into me with a silent curiosity that made my head quickly come back to reality and gain my composure.
Pull yourself together, Keigo. If you're gonna lose your mind, then lose it when all of this is done. When you know Ari's safe.
Clearing my throat softly, I turned my attention back to the group, letting out a small, sheepish chuckle.
"Hah. Sorry 'bout that. I just got a really bad headache." I justified lamely, rubbing the back of my neck tiredly.
"Ah, that's no good, Hawks. Maybe you should take the rest of the day off. It must have been a really bad headache, since it got ya hyperventilating and flapping your wings, the way you were, a few seconds ago." Twice pointed out innocently, causing me to continue giving myself a mental smackdown for being such an obvious moron.
I'm really losing it.
"He doesn't need a day off. He'll pull his weight today, just like the others morons do." Dabi chimed in commandingly, crossing his arms in petty stubbornness.
But, I couldn't even be bothered to reply with a snarky comment, as the present situation quickly came back to me. Remembering why I was here, I immediately turned my eyes back on the tv to get another look at....
"Ari's gone, if that's who you're looking for. She left the stage a little bit ago." Toga pointed out with a small pout, pursing her lips in disinterest for Diane's closing speech.
I felt my heart drop all the way to the floor at Toga's words. It's not as if my situation is any different. Ari was miles away from me, before her speech, and she's still miles away from me now.
But, I guess my heart dropped, because, even though our distance hasn't technically changed....she suddenly feels even further away from me, than before.
If only I could get the name to the hospital that Shigaraki is being kept at. Then, I could put a stop to all of this. All of it-my infiltration mission. Ari's suicide mission. The villains.....
That simple name is the golden ticket to finally ending it all, and I'm running out of time to get it.
"Agh, come on, guys!! Why does everyone seem so down and quiet now? It's not as if Ari's really with those hero schmucks! She's just playing a part. She's helping us." Twice pointed out with pep, causing Toga to puff out her cheeks and nod in agreement.
But, Dabi and I still remained silent, not commenting on Twice's statement.
And as much as I wanted to wallow in my own stresses for the rest of the day, I can't stay quiet any longer, without getting suspicious.
Unable to clear away the thoughts of Ari from my mind, I simply forced a smile on my face, giving my arms a big stretch over my head to try and gain some Hawks back into the mix.
"Ah, yeah, totally. You're right about that, Twice. But, anyways, who cares? Ari's miles away from us, at the moment. So, no use talkin' about her now, right?" I pointed out 'carelessly,' mostly just wanting to veer the conversation away from Ari, for fear that I would lose my mind again and blow my cover.
"See? That's the spirit, Red! No use crying over spilled beans, hah!-ah, and speaking of beans, I've been starving from the moment this whole Ari thing started. I don't know about you guys, but I could definitely go for some grub." Twice groaned out dramatically, giving his stomach a few pats with his hands.
I'm so distracted and stressed at the moment, I couldn't even imagine the thought of trying to stomach a meal.
"Same here! I'm absolutely starvin.'" I lied effortlessly, quickly turning off the tv before Diane finished up her closing speech.
The only good thing about being so far away, is that I can just flip the off switch when I don't wanna hear that demon speak.
Twice and Toga quickly popped off the couch once I turned off the tv, starting to make their way towards the door now.
"You hungry, too, Red? Hey, remember the other day how we were talking about 'eating to our heart's content,' and all that other jazz? Why don't we do that now? We both deserve a good meal." Twice suggested casually, causing Dabi to mutter some countless insult about me as we all exited the room.
My mind was completely preoccupied with other matters, but it's not as if I can say no to Twice. I can't really say no to anyone, here. So, it looks like I'll just have to suck it up for now.
"Sure thing, buddy! I'm always down to eat. What place were ya thinkin' of?" I said with forced content, trying to calm the anxious flutter of my wings.
"Oh, I've got just the place I think you'll like! I know you said you're a yakitori kinda guy, but this ramen place is really outta this world! The owner's a PLF guy, himself, and he really is quite the chef!" Twice babbled on rapidly, already starting to strut down the hallway, as I tried my best not to trail behind broodily.
"Oh, ramen, you say? Yeah, sure. Sounds great." I uttered mechanically, really not even paying attention to the conversation as I tried to think about my next move in gaining the one piece of information I needed-
"Alright, alright. I know you don't sound super excited about it now. But, just give it a chance! Don't be so picky! And, anyways, I think this ramen place is good luck! You know, I took the Shig-ster there, before he headed to Jaku, and when I tell ya that he had six bowls of ramen!! Six!! Now, he's a little guy, like you, Hawks-And he's also picky, like you! What I'm saying, is that if he can like it, then you can give it a chance, as well." Twice babbled out justifiably, his words starting to tune out as white noise to my ears.
"Mhmm. Yeah, definitely." I smiled in disinterested sweetness, shoving my hands in my pockets as we began walking out of the entrance to the PLF mansion.
It wasn't until the very last second, before Twice's statement left my ears-to be forgotten forever, that I actually took in what he just said.
No way.
I must be hearing things.
There's no way.....he just spilled that piece of information to me.
There was a small pause of silence between Twice and I, as we leisurely walked outside the mansion. It would be the only moment where I would be allowed to act on my curiosities of Twice's previous comment, without looking too suspicious about it.
So, needing to take more risks. Needing to get things done quicker. Needing to save Ari's life, as well, as countless of other lives....
I asked the simple question that would be the simple answer to all of my complicated problems, hoping for my own sanity that I had, indeed, heard Twice correctly.
"Hey, pal......what was it you said, just now? About Jaku?" I questioned casually, legitimately holding my breath for whatever Twice's answer would be.
And then.....he said it...
"Hm? Jaku...?-Oh, yeah! You mean, Jaku General Hospital? Well, that's just the hospital where Shigaraki's undergoing his enhancement treatment."
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Next Chapter Title: Calm Before The Storm.