Word Count: 4041
The Next Day . . .
"Hey, Katsuki." I call from the bed I was laying on, my eyes gazing on the ceiling. The cold colour above me swirls, although I know for a fact that the paint is still.
Katsuki is keeping an eye on the person outside the room, sitting there to keep an eye on us. I note to myself that it's the person that had the giant metal object wrapped in cloth. I think I heard the blonde girl call her 'Big Sis Mag'.
I don't know her power, but Big Sis Mag seems strong. Physically. She has to carry that huge thing around everywhere. It looks like it could crush me. And I don't even know what it does.
Katsuki grunts in return from his spot across the room from me, leaning against the wall, "What is it?"
I glance over to him, tapping my fingers on my stomach. I see him keep his gaze on the person sitting outside. It makes me gulp a bit as I turn my head. "Do you think the others are okay?" My quiet voice calls out as I stare back at the wall.
He turns his head to me, tilting it so he's slightly looking up to meet my gaze. "What are you talking about?" He questions, arms still crossed over his chest.
I blink as I swallow the lump in my throat. Then, I speak, "There must've been other villains around. We only met two, but then there was Kurogiri and that—that Dabi guy." My hand lays over my face. "We don't know who else was out there."
Katsuki questiond, tilting his head down as his gaze goes to the floor now, "What's your point?"
I huff back, sitting up and pushing my legs over the side of the bed with my hands on my lap, "Y'know, Midoriya was pretty beaten up. And Todoroki, he using his left side the entire time we were fighting, and he was practically frozen to the touch." I clench the fabric of my shorts as my expression hardens. "And what about Shoji and Tokoyami? They were hurt too, and—and what if they, none of them, are going to... to—"
Next thing I know, I'm getting pulled up from my spot on the bed. I place my hands out to brace myself for whatever it is.
I feel his warm hands landing on my cheeks, thumbs brushing the skin underneath my eyes.
My breathing hitches as my shakey gaze lands on Katsuki's red eyes. Then, I slowly let out a sigh from my lips. I didn't realise him walking over to my side if the room. It seems like he come over here slowly. I was too focused on what I was thinking about to even notice it.
Katsuki tilts his head down a bit to be level with mine.
"Calm down."
I nod my head, feeling the dizziness of it all rush through my head. It gives me a slight headache, making me close my eyes tightly. My fingers reach out and wrap around the fabric at his torso.
He keeps the same expression on. Although, he kind if squishes my cheeks a bit, making me squint my eyes a little. Like he was getting used to holding my face in his palms.
Leaning my head down a bit, I huff out to him, "They're okay then? You think they'll be okay?"
"I think we should worry about ourselves before we go off sacrificing all we've got for others." He tells me, lifting my face up so I can't look away from him. He wants me to know that he's talking to me.
I bite on the inside of my cheek before nodding my head. I clench my fingers before removing them from his waist. "Right, we need to... to get out." I sigh, looking around the room, his hands leaving his face.
But before I can take another step, Big Sis Mag walks into the room, knocking on the doorway with a smile. "Sorry to be the party-pooper, but I'll need you two to come with us." She spoke, Kurogiri behind her with his arms crossed, "Shigaraki wants to have a little chat before we begin."
I blink, clenching my fists at my side as I murmur, "Begin what?"
Big Sis Mag shrugs at me, fixing her glasses before walking out of the room. "The less I know the better." She sighs out, "I just don't want you brats on my hands for much longer."
Katsuki clicks his tongue, stomping after her as Kurogiri waits for me to exit before closing the door behind him. The blonde walks just a bit in front of me. His hand occasionally brushes against my wrist, as if making sure I was there. I watch the floor, my shoes making small noises against the wood. Kurogiri walks a few paces behind me.
"Ah, finally." Shigaraki says, watching us fill inside the room, surrounded by all the League of Villains members. He squints at us, face covered partially by the hand on it and his hair. "You. Bakugou. Sit in the chair."
"Tch. Why?" He growled, lifting his shoulders a little.
Shigaraki retorts, leaning his chin in his palm, "Because, I can tell you still want to hurt us." He jabs his finger to the chair again, more force now. "Just comply and sit down. Now."
Katsuki glares harder before looking around. Dabi held his palm towards the blonde, leaning against the wall with ease. The high school girl, Toga Himiko, laid on the counter a bit, playing with the knife digging into the wood. The lizard-looking one, Spinner, hangs onto his weapon of many, keeping an eye on us. Big Sis Mag sits against the wall, her mysterious tool beside her.
There was no way Katsuki could fight it off right now.
He sits down, Kurogiri coming towards him to hook on all the belts to keep him still. He also clings the metal covers around his hands and forearms, meaning Katsuki couldn't use his quirk. I bite on my lip at the disadvantage.
"Oh right! You!" The blonde girl with buns in her hair gasps, making her way over to me with a happy smile. She waves her snife in the air haphazardly. It makes me shiver. "You were the cute one on the list. Ah, it's a shame I couldn't get to you in time. We would've had so much fun!"
She comes closer and grabs my forearm tightly. I flinch at her hot hands.
"Mm, you've got the same smell as me!" She states, her hand drifting up my skin and landing on my shoulder. I glare at her, lips in a thin line as I grip her wrist. The heat is rushing through me.
She squints back at me, chuckling out, "Yes, you do... You, me and Ochaco! Oh, imagine all of us hanging out together!" Her fingers dance across my neck. "We could be the very best friends!"
I scoff, stepping away a bit, "You don't even know us."
"I know you're very beautiful, aren't you?" She sighs dreamily to me, her bade drawing closer to my hand, "You'd be perfect with just a few streams of blood right here—"
"Hands off, you freak." Katsuki spits out, chains rattling at he moves forward. He focuses on the blonde. "Draw one drop of blood from her and I'll kick your ass."
"Toga." Shigaraki speaks up, tilting his head tot he side, "Let her go. We have a plan to follow through. Don't push my patience."
Toga groans, pouting at me before going back to her spot, "Fine. I'll be good. For now."
I notice the look Katsuki gives me. He seems... sorry. For what he said. Like he still remembers how I felt about that insult. I only shake my head.
"And you." Shigaraki suddenly says, pointing a finger towards me. I feel a shiver up my spine at his icy glare. It makes my heart drop. "Put these on and get ready to go."
I widen my eyes as he throws the same shackles and cuffs to me, as he had put on Katsuki. I lift them up with a grunt, "Where—... Where am I going?"
Katsuki shuffles in his spot.
"You'll find out when you get there." Shigaraki states, giving me a sure nod. He sends me a cold stare. "And you will find out. When you put those on. 'Cause if you don't, you won't look as pretty."
I gulp, glaring a little at Shigaraki as my heart beats faster.
"Watch it, Sun Dried." Katsuki yells out, struggling against his restraints as he watches Shigaraki, "I'll kill you."
Twice speaks up loudly, pointing at Katsuki, "Hey, I like this kid! He's funny!" He then crosses his arms and looks away dismissively. "To Hell with this brat!"
Shigaraki grunts, pointing at one of his League of Villain colleagues, "Dabi. Help her. The faster we split them up, the faster we can get this over and done with."
I stiffen up at the noise of Dabi walking over to me. He towers over my form, roughly clasping the shackles around my hands. The coldness of the metal brushes my skin. But I stare up at Dabi.
"I hope your old man won't mind us dragging you around like this." He says lowly, almost mockingly. Like he knew what he was talking about. "Heroes always worry most about their family, isn't that right?"
The metal tightens around my wrist.
"I know your auntie would. If Yori was alive. She was always so emotional about everything, it would make sense that she'd make a big deal out of you." Dabi states, tilting his head menacingly, "Do you mind verifying that for me, L/N?"
I bash the metal cuffs into the side of his jaw.
Gasps sprawl out around me as I huff out a breath I didn't know I was holding. My shoulders feel more relaxed as I watch blood drip out of Dabi's mouth. He's staggered back by now, one hand covering his lip whilst the other is strained in an open palm. His hair covers his eyes. But I can feel the irritation radiating off of him.
"Hey! Stop that, you rascal!" Twice shouts out, low voice on before switching, "Yeah! Hit him harder!"
The others begin to zone in towards me, but Shigaraki holds out his hand to stop them. He doesn't say anything.
I don't care. I'm stepping towards Dabi and kicking the side of his head, to which he quickly blocks with his arms. I take a deep breath in, seeing red.
"Take her name out of your mouth." I order Dabi, readying another kick as I can't quite punch at the moment, "You don't have the privilege to even mention her."
Dabi growls, turning his head to me before holding out a flamed hand, "You little shit! I'll burn you alive!"
He sends a flash of fire towards me, to which I duck under quickly. But Dabi comes forward after the light vanished, kicking me in the stomach once before I choke on air. Stepping back, I wipe my mouth with my arm before I see him smirk and light up another blue flame.
He goes to slash the flame towards me before I hit the metal bearings into his wrist. As he grunts in pain, I jump up and hook kick him in the shoulder. Dabi gets knocked a few paces back and glares harshly at me.
"Kurogiri." Shigaraki groans.
Without a word, Dabi rushes towards me, making me furrow my brows in concentration. I wait for his attack before stepping forward. But a portal pushes me out of the way. I get thrown back, Katsuki behind me gasping.
Dabi is on the other side of the room, flames gone out as he stands back up and calms himself.
"You're just mad because I'm what you could've been." Dabi spits at me, looking as mad as Hell.
There was no way I would end up like him.
"I'm nothing like you." I spit back, wiping my mouth with my arm.
I get up and glare at Dabi. Taking a step towards him, I feel something on my back.
"Calm down." Katsuki says to me, voice low and quiet, yet still gravelly. His forehead is against my shoulder blade, making me freeze.
I'm panting as my vision focuses again. I slouch my shoulders and stand up straight, staring down at the floor with knitted brows. I need to calm down. If I don't, I might get more than one person hurt here.
Shigaraki scratches his neck harshly, glaring at Dabi. As if he wasn't on killing me yesterday night. But he then moves his gaze over to Kurogiri. He grunts, "Take her away now. Before anything else happens."
Without another word, Kurogiri nods his head as Shigaraki grabs the TV remote and turns on the news. I widen my eyes as Kurogiri walks towards me, a portal showing up in front.
"What?" Katsuki and I say, Kurogiri taking hold of my arm and tugging me along.
I look over my shoulder to him. His red eyes are grazing to me, looking almost as scared as he was at camp. He strains forwards, against the lashes holding him to the chair.
"Hey..." Katsuki begins to yell out, trying to stand up in his spot, "Hey! Where the fuck do you think you're taking her? Don't ignore me!"
Shigaraki, not looking away from the news explaining UA's situation, only hums back to Katsuki, "Where do you think? Who else would need a UA student in their grasp?"
I pass Shigaraki. His stare suddenly goes to me, and I see it through his hair and passed the hand on his face. I spot the sickening smile on his face, growing only bigger. He squints at me, making me widen my eyes even more.
"Say 'hello' to my master for me."
I inhale sharply at what Shigaraki says.
And then I'm pulled through the portal with Kurogiri.
I try to keep my breathing steady as we pass into a dark area. It's night time still. I can tell, because the windows of this building are shown to the left of me. It's dark. But I can't tell where I am.
I hate the chill going up my spine as I search the place. This seems like a spot two drug gangs would meet up for. I think I've watched too many shows.
"Where am I?" I grumble out, feeling Kurogiri let go of my wrists, "Where did you takr me?"
"There'd be no point in exposing it now." He states, voice as ghostly as ever. I don't know how I am meant to feel about that. His voice doesn't waver. It doesn't tell me whether it's a good thing or not. "You won't be able to leave anytime soon."
I stare at the floor before another portal comes into existence as I turn around. I'm examining my surroundings, because I've never seen this place before. But Kurogiri is looking back at me. He's about to step through the entrance. But there is something stopping him from doing so.
He faces me again and I clench my fists. I could make a run for it.
"You should refrain from trying to escape, L/N." He warns me. But for some reason, I don't take it as a threat. He's genuinely giving me advice. "There are things not even I can prevent from injuring our members. I don't believe you will be able to either, in your condition."
My legs are shaking and so are my hands. My nerves are still running from the thing that happened with Dabi, and even with Katsuki. He's by himself again. But I suppose Kurogiri is right, I can't fight like this. I'd do more harm to myself than good.
"If all goes according to plan, you'll see me very soon to get picked up." He informs me, fixing his vest before turning towards the portal again, "This should only take two hours at most."
I step towards him and reach out a hand slowly. Shaky fingers, as if using my quirk too much.
"Wait..." I whisper out as he steps into the portal, "What do you mean 'picked up'? Don't tell me—Why are you leaving me here?"
But he's already gone with the portal. It's quiet, except my breathing and the sound of my heartbeat in my ears. I'm freaking out. So bad right now.
I turn around, my footsteps echoing through the building. What makes me shiver is the fact that I can see glass containers in the corner of the room. I can't see what is in them yet, I'm too far away.
So I get closer. My heart leaps into my throat as I cover my mouth.
Nomu. Tons of them.
I hold my breath, enough for myself to begin coughing. My heart races at the sight of the nomu. I've only ever seen one. The nomu that All Might fought at the USJ attack. But even that was frightening.
Taking a few steps back, I turn around and try to calm myself. I won't be of any help if I'm panicking. There's no one here. To help me, or to attack me. So I need to find a way out by myself.
Once I'm calm, I try not to make anymore noise. By the sounds of it, there's no one really here. In the building. All I hear is the bubbling of the eater the Nomu were in, and the heartbeat in my chest. So I was alone, right?
But why would Shigaraki say that?
The outside sounds like the city. In the distance, there's loud cars and lights flashing through the windows. I can hear the faint talk of some passers, I don't know whether close or far. But It's definitely people. At least I know I'm still somewhere with people.
I blink, looking around for anything to help me find out where I was. But nothing.
"Shit..." I heave out, the weight of the situation now laying out on me. My fingers run up my neck and onto my shoulders. "Holy shit... Katsuki's by himself..."
I squat down, feeling the heat rush to my head. It's times like this where I begin to think too quickly and mess up. This happened when I versed Katsuki in the Sports Festival, or in my internship the first time I versed Tomioka. Not to mention the moment in the Final Exams, the first part of fighting against the Hashira.
I need to learn how to calm down.
It's the voice inside my head that helps me.
"I'll be fine, just worry about yourself, dumbass." Katsuki says in my head. I can picture him squatting down in front of me, leaning his cheek into his fist as he raises his brow at me. "How about you get the Hell out of here first, huh? If you wanna' help so bad, then escape from here and meet me on the other side."
A sigh leaves my lips as I rub my eyes. "Right. Katsuki can handle himself." I say to really no one, standing up straight, "I need to get out of here—"
But I hear a cough from the far side of the room. I jump.
My voice goes quiet, and I hesitantly walk backwards to the wall behind me. Taking a deep breath, I clap my hands and let the tingling sensation overflow me. I strike out a palm to the metal against the wall, creating a bright light as well as a sword, just like the one I used against Tomioka.
But as the light flashes out for a couple seconds, I keep my eyes on where the noise came from. A flash of green. A familiar colour.
I stop, holding my breath.
"Ragdoll?"
I clap my hands again and turn the floor into a mold before returning it to dirt again. I'm not in need of anything, but I need the light to show me the room. It only travels so far, but I can spot the figure a few feet away from me.
The member of the Pussycats. I gasp upon seeing Ragdoll laying on the ground on her side, face to me. But her eyes are closed and she looks on the verge of passing out. I rush over to her after confirming that it was her.
"Ragdoll, it's L/N from Class A." I say to her, reaching out to trying to make her sit up, "Are you awake?"
My hand lands on her back when I realise she's shirtless. I stop my movements and carefully lean her against the wall. Ragdoll doesn't respond, but I can hear her breathing. It sounds dry and forced out. Worry rushes through my veins.
I pull out the ends of my shirt. This t-shirt I'm wearing is pretty big, as it flows down to my knees. Luckily, I have enough material to use. I touch three fingers and press them against my shirt. A flash of light emits from my palms as I create a blanket from the material.
Thankfully, it's enough to cover Ragdoll from her collar to her knees. I made it thin, since it wasn't much to begin with, but it's doing a good job of covering her up. I wrap it around her midsection, apologising for the action.
"This is the best that I can do at the moment." I sigh, slipping my arms under her knees and behind her back. I slowly lift her up, making sure to steady both her and myself. I'm surprised by how easily I can lift her up. I suppose I've gotten way stronger than before.
"I'm going to put you by the other side of the... the building, I think." I say to her, knowing full well that she won't respond to me.
Once I set her down, I let out a breath and turn around. I wanted to take her away from the Nomu. They were dangerous. The ones I saw. If Kurogiri and the rest of the League of Villains know this place, there would be a chance of a Nomu being at the camp attack.
That's frightening.
"Ah, you've arrived in one piece."
That's even more frightening.
"And you've met once again with the hero." They sigh out to me, "I wouldn't have guessed you would aide her so easily."
I shiver, looking over my shoulder tot he far side of the building, beyond the containers of water and Nomu. I stand up and grip the sword I created earlier, guarding Ragdoll.
Whoever that is, must've hurt Ragdoll or knows something about it. I'm leaning more towards the first option, mainly because if they knew something about it and didn't hurt her, she wouldn't be in such a vulnerable position as she is now.
"Who are you?" I call out, my voice echoing in the room.
Moonlight shines through the windows, just barely lighting up the building. I squint in the direction, breathing heavily.
"Oh? You've forgotten already?" The voice says, their voice deep and sending chills through my shoulders. I hear footsteps and I tense up. "And here I thought I had made such a big impact on your life."
I furrow my brows and grip harsher onto my weapon. I have no idea what they're talking about.
"Well, I suppose I can't blame you."
They step into the light shining from one window behind me. I almost choke on the air in my lungs as I see what it is.
They have a mask over their mouth, the collar of it running all the way from the base of their neck to the back of his head. Like it's helping them breathe.
But what's scarier, is that I know for sure they're looking at me. There's no one else here. But they can tell where I am, exactly my spot. Without having eyes to search with.
I step back in fear.
They lift their head to me.
"How could you remember the villain from all those years ago?"