Hey you guys! I'm super glad you like the story, but it would be super awesome if you could stop asking me to update or asking me when I am updating again. You all know it general takes a day or two for the next one to come out XP I'm going as fast as I can, but it's a bit stressful to have people constantly asking. Especially if I already posted that night! Thank you! 

Third person pov

Lillian has absolutely no idea what to do. So much was happening, and so fast. She'd bashed Endeavor, discovered that she had actual fans, and even communicated with Bakugo without him blowing her up. She'd even bashed Endeavor with zero shame whatsoever. Shoto's mother was out of the hospital and going to be living with them at the Shinso household, and the half-and-half boy was helping Hawks become the new Number Two Hero. Speaking of Hawks, he was Chad's brother, and Chad and Bakugo had both taken down a small portion of the Yakuza.

Neito was still MIA. They'd tried to call and text, but the most they'd gotten was a series of emojis not even Izuku could decipher. The freckled boy was, oddly enough, an expert. He probably had to be with all the time he spent on the internet doing god knows what. Probably stalking chat rooms about pro heroes, along with quirks and quirk analysis in general. Internet slang had evolved into a whole other language in and of itself.

Truth be told, she was pretty sure she was about to have a mental break down. She didn't know exactly what to do with the information Hitoshi had just given her, her plan to gain confidence was working, but slower than it needed to for someone gaining popularity. Internships were notoriously stressful, but she hadn't expected this. Then again, not everyone found their birth father while interning, nor did they accidentally gain fans because of some things they blurted out. 

"Hey, Shoto." Lillian greeted, sounding oddly despondent even in her own ears. She was almost surprised with herself. Almost. The girl knew exactly what was happening. This was the calm before the storm. For a while, all would be numb. Then the wave would hit. It would crash down on her and leave in a hyperventilating mess of tears that couldn't form a coherent sentence even if her life depended on it. It was a sad realization, but she took it in stride. She was getting a little better. With the support of her friends and teachers, and with Hound Dog's vigilant help, she was getting better.

Shoto had picked up after several rings. Lillian would have thought he'd be done flying by then, but immediately felt bad for making assumptions. She was probably interrupting his sort-of-reunion with his mother. It was almost hilarious, actually. She'd found her dad, and he'd gotten back his mom. What would happen next? Neito's parents would stop being assholes for two seconds and decide to give a shit about him? Wherever Neito was, that is.

"Hey." Shoto grunted, seeming oddly far from the phone. In the background, there was a clang. "You're on speaker. I almost wasn't sure I'd answered."

"Are you at Mihoko's already?" Lillian frowned a little, brow creasing. She didn't like the background sounds she was hearing.

"No, I got held up. Hawks and I both." Shoto grunted again. "I got a text from Fuyumi and didn't even see it coming. Hawks got tackled out of the air by one of those... one of those things before I even knew what was happening. I fell into an alley. I think my father is nearby, too. There are pros everywhere." Her blood ran cold at that.

A million things ran through her mind. It was in her nature to panic, but it felt justified this time around. What did he mean they'd been tackled out of the air? She cursed herself for not being more tuned into the news. It was possible this was a recent development, but it would have hit at least one station by now. The chain reaction would carry it to the front lines after than. She took a slow, deep breath. She needed to stay calm.

"What... What things? Shoto, where are you?" Lillian tried her best not to sound too frantic. By the concern on Hitoshi's face, she wasn't doing a very good job. There's another clang in the background, and the whoosh of something. Fire, maybe? She can hear a few other people in the background. They were definitely in the midst of a fight. How he'd found the time to answer his phone was beyond her.

"Nomu." Shoto chokes out, sounding further from the phone. Lillian's spine went straight as a rod, eyes going wide. "The alley I fell into-- Iida and Midoriya are here. We're in Hosu." 

"Hosu." Lillian breathed out, waving a hand at Hitoshi. It took him a moment, but he took out his phone with a fumble and shoved it into her hands. Almost as though its been ingrained into her muscle memory, she tapped in the code and immediately goes to the contacts. She can hear her heart beating in her ears as the sounds of fighting and Izuku's terrified shriek echo in her ear. She's was sure she was shaking as she tapped Chad's third phone number. The emergency one. The one he always picked up, no matter what.

"Lillian, what's going on?" Hitoshi asked carefully, glancing back into Aizawa's open apartment. He could hear Mic and Aizawa talking heatedly, maybe even sounding a little panicked. He couldn't worry about that right now. Lillian looked like she was going to fall over, eyes wide as saucers as she shakily pressed the dial button, bringing Hitoshi's phone up to her other ear. She looked odd, standing there in the hall with both mobile devices held up, but she clearly didn't care. Hitoshi found that he didn't either.

"Don't interfere!" It sounded almost like Iida, but Lillian couldn't be sure. Chad picked up on the second ring.

"What's the sitch?" His voice is dead serious. It's not snappish, but that's only because he knows. She's never used this number before. None of them have, but they all knew the gravity of what this phone number meant. It connected to a flip phone Chad always had on his person. It was practically indestructible. Lillian was pretty sure it was a Nokia, so it made sense. It didn't matter right now. She couldn't get side-tracked. Her brain was trying to divert her attention, and she couldn't let that happen.

The implications of Shoto's location were crushing in the most stifling way. Not only was he in Hosu, but there was a possibility that Iida was there too. Everyone knew what had happened to Ingenium, and everyone knew where it had happened. At first, Tenya interning there hadn't seemed that odd. But now it made so, so much more sense. All the pieces were clicking into place. Iida wasn't there just for his internship; he'd gone for revenge. Revenge that could be going on right at that very moment. Revenge that Izuku was wrapped up in, and that Shoto had quite literally dropped in on.

"H-Hosu." Lillian tilted her own phone away from her mouth so Shoto wouldn't be too confused or get distracted. She wasn't sure what exactly was going on, but she knew they were in danger. The girl was pretty convinced Todoroki's phone was on the floor of whatever alley they were in.  At least, that's what it sounded like to her. She continued, "Shoto and Izuku are in trouble. I... I think I heard Iida there too." 

"I've got the police on my tail, so they'll tango right on after me." Chad said with firm assurance. The skidding of his tires was soon heard, followed by Bakugo's many curses. "Stay there, kiddo. I'll go buck-wild on this."

"I should-" Lillian was cut off before she could continue.

"No. Stay where it's groovy. I won't let anyone rain on my parade, and you can count on that." Chad said, a grin clear in his voice. Lillian heard a loud honk followed by a shriek from Eri, a curse from Bakugo, and a laugh from Chad. Police sirens could faintly be heard through the speaker. She bit the inside of her cheek worriedly. "Look, if you really want to boogie, bring adult supervision. And no. Mic does not count, especially if he's wearing leather. I'll handle it, and it'll all be fine."

"O...Okay." Lillian responded quietly. Chad clicked his tongue on the other side of the phone. She was comforted knowing Bakugo was there with him. He'd be a big help if they ran into trouble, and maybe their car chase would draw the attention of some pros. Hopefully, it wasn't too late. She could still hear Todoroki's fight in her other ear. No screams or cries. A good sign.

"Toodles, taco consumer. Sriracha me in your prayers." Chad said hurriedly. Lillian heard his car accelerate before the line fell dead. She understood only a fourth of what she'd just been told, but took a shaky breath nonetheless. Hitoshi was looking paler and paler by the second. He couldn't hear much of what anyone on the other lines were saying, but Lillian's words were more than enough. She handed his phone back to him with a trembling hand, swallowing thickly. Sweat poured down the girl's face, but she didn't cry. Not yet.

"Shoto, Chad is on the way. B-Bakugo is with him." Lillian said into her own phone after a moment, seeming to realize there were others still on the other side. She appeared to be near hyperventilating. Hitoshi stepped closer, bringing an arm around her shoulder. "Are you guys... a-are you..."

It was surreal. Todoroki had simply been on the way to his mother, and now he was... he was in an alley, fighting for his life alongside Izuku and maybe Tenya. Probably Tenya. And she was on the phone with them as it was happening. One wrong move, and she could experience the horror of their deaths through the phone. She could hear their end, and it terrified her. It terrified her so much that she couldn't end the call. How could she just leave them? There was no way. She just...

"We're okay." It was Izuku, panting heavily. She heard the distant sound of police sirens, extremely faint, but approaching fast. The freckled girl hoped with everything inside her that it was Chad and whoever was chasing him. "Todoroki put up a wall of ice. It won't hol-" There was a loud crash, and that line fell dead too. Lillian swallowed thickly, pulling away from Hitoshi and beginning into Aizawa's apartment in a manner that was near frantic. Hitoshi rushed to follow as the girl dialed Mihoko, almost stumbling into a wall in the process.

"Lillian, slow down. Breathe. You need to explain what's going on." Hitoshi tried to keep himself calm. Panicking wouldn't help anyone at the moment. As far as he could tell, Izuku, Shoto, and Iida were all in danger. They were in Hosu, and everyone knew what was going on in Hosu. It was littered with heroes at the moment due to the fact that the Hero Killer was still lurking around those parts, hunting his next victim. Ingenium had been one of the few to survive an encounter with Stain.

Lillian knew well and good that she needed to calm down. She just... couldn't. What had happened? Had someone stepped on the phone? Ended the call? Was it fried by Shoto's fire, or covered with his ice? Was it destroyed? What had destroyed it? The freckled girl wasn't sure what she'd do if they got hurt. If they... if they died. Just thinking about it sent fear akin to what she'd felt at the USJ shooting through her and striking her at her very core.

"M-Mihoko?" Lillian stuttered. "We're going to be a little late. Sh-Shoto ran into s-something. Just- d-don't worry. I have to g-go."

"Lillian? What's going on?" Mihoko sounded startled by the quiver in Lillian's voice. "Are you safe?"

Lillian paused, a lump in her throat. She wished she wasn't safe. She wished she was in that alley to help. If she were there, she could freeze the Hero Killer. Probably not for long, but it was something. Was it even the hero killer? It could be a Nomu, now that she thought about it. Nomus were worse. They were worse, and if that's what it was... was it a Nomu? What if it was a Nomu? It could be a Nomu, and they could be hurt. They could be hurt, and it could be a Nomu, and they could die. They could die! They could die, and she wouldn't be able to-

"Lillian?" Aizawa's voice snapped her from her stupor. Hitoshi slipped her phone from the girl's grasp to talk to his mother, glancing nervously back at Aizawa and Mic. They'd both entered looking somewhat irritated, but the expressions had melted off their faces the moment they saw Lillian looking pale as a ghost and shaking like a leaf in the wind. Something was clearly up, and somehow, both knew it wasn't because of Aizawa.

It was dumb to cry, she knew. She couldn't do anything to help them. They were in Hosu, and she was here. It was that simple. That didn't make it any less horrifying for her and for Hitoshi. Even if he wasn't as panicked-- even if he hadn't heard the sounds-- he was still scared too. Crying and freaking out wouldn't help anyone. It wouldn't help her, and it sure as shit wouldn't help her endangered classmates.

She began to hyperventilate anyway.

Lillian gazed at Aizawa, who was apparently her father. She couldn't think about that right now. Her eyes were on the scar under his eye. She felt panic well up bigger inside her, fresh and raw. This was't good. It had taken All Might to take out a single Nomu. Now, one could fly? It had taken Hawks out of the sky, and was keeping him busy enough that he couldn't swing back around to check on Shoto and help him out. By the other chaotic background sounds she'd managed to pick up as her friends fought for their lives- against the Hero Killer or a Nomu, she didn't know- she could hear the panic. Hosu was a mess.

The dark-haired girl could imagine Mr. Aizawa's arms twisted behind his back at an odd angle, bones stretching grotesquely against the skin. It was wrong. It was all wrong, wrong, wrong. The blood that dribbled down his head was something she could recall with surprising clarity. The gash on his cheek that was now replaced with a scar. She felt bile rise in her throat, hands twitching as she searched for the eye of her inner storm. Shoto was fighting. Izuku was fighting. Tenya was... well, she didn't know if he was truly there, but if he was...

"Mr. Aizawa." Lillian whispered, eyes stinging as she looked at her father. He looked stunned and unsure of what to do. The way he looked at her was a little different now. It was something she barely noticed, especially considering the circumstances. 

"What's wrong? What happened?" Mic blurted out. Hitoshi offered Lillian her phone back in a grim manner. His lips were pressed into a straight, thin line. He knew exactly what Lillian wanted to do at the moment. He could just barely make it out in the shake of her shoulders. She was moments away from darting out the door and finding the fastest way to get to Hosu, even if she got killed in the process. He doubted either of them could make it in time. It wasn't a positive outlook, but it was the truth.

"Something is going on in Hosu." Hitoshi said as levelly as he could. Shoto and Izuku would be okay, as would Iida if he was there like Lillian seemed to suspect. "Shoto is wrapped up in it, and so are Izuku and maybe... maybe Iida. I don't know the details, but there are Nomu swarming the area according to my mom. It's all over the news. The entire prefecture is up in flames thanks to Endeavor. It's..." He trailed off, feeling sick to his stomach.

Aizawa looked horrified, and Mic was no better. The underground hero momentarily contemplated rushing off to the scene, but he knew it would all be over by the time he got there. He'd be useless, and he'd be getting a call the moment the police figured out it was his students involved. That's what he had to wait for. He couldn't go running off at the drop of a hat, not knowing he was needed here and seeing that he wouldn't be of much use if he did run off.

"I'll go try and figure out what's going on." Mic seemed to decide, uncharacteristically serious as he looked between the other two males. Lillian needed Shota right now, and he had a car. They were just as much his students as they were Aizawa's, even if Mic wasn't their homeroom teacher. "Stay with Lillian." 

The blonde gave the girl a swift hug before rushing off towards the door. For a moment, Lillian looked ready to follow. She was ultimately blocked when Aizawa stepped up in front of her, heart in his throat. This wasn't how he imagined he and Lillian's sort-of-reunion going, but it was okay. She needed him, and he was here. He was finally, after all this time, here. He had faith in Midoriya, Todoroki, and Iida. They'd be okay, and help would arrive in time.

"It'll all be okay." Before he could give much thought into it, he wrapped his arms around her. "They'll be okay."

It took a moment for her tears to fall, but when they did, they fell hard. Hitoshi turned to turn on the news as Lillian returned her father's hug, mourning the distance between herself and the friends she desperately wanted to help. Mic was going, and it was a comfort to know. She just wished she could go with him. She... wished she could see with her own eyes they they were all okay.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hitoshi's explanation hadn't given much, but it was enough to get Mihoko out the door. She knew her son wasn't involved, but Shoto was. So was Izuku, and from what she knew, he was a total sweetheart. One Shoto seemed fond of. The woman wasn't about to leave one of her teenagers alone, or any teenagers, for that matter. Hosu wasn't far if you sped. With a quick apology to Fuyumi and Rei, she was rushing out to her husband's car. He wouldn't be happy about having to take a bus to work, but he'd forgive her.

Rei and Fuyumi had just gotten slightly relaxed. They chatted with Mihoko, and introduced themselves to the gruff, but very kind, Hajime. They were just ordinary people. Hajime was a surgeon, and Mihoko was a programmer. They both loved their son and the kids they'd brought into their home and didn't seem at all opposed or worried about Rei moving in. Hajime had simply shrugged. They'd already started, so why stop? Having other people in the house was a pleasure to the both of them, even if Hajime showed it less. And to think it was just them and Hitoshi at the beginning of the year.

"Wait!" Rei called, rushing out after her with Fuyumi close behind. The two woman held nothing but concern in their eyes, reminding Mihoko with a jolt that they'd heard everything she had, and that they were blood relatives of Shoto. Blood relatives who actually gave a shit about the precious little boy. Rei loved her children more than anything. Five minutes of conversation with her conveyed the passion she held for her kids and regret. 

"You have to let us come with you." Fuyumi was jittery with worry. "Please. It's Shoto, and... a-and..."

"Endeavor might be there." Mihoko warned as she unlocked the door and threw the drivers side open. Rei was already climbing into the passengers, her expression steely.

"If I get reinstated, so be it. My son is more important." That was all she said, and it's all that was needed before Mihoko was buckling in. Fuyumi barely had time to hop in the back before they were peeling out of the driveway and taking off down the street at a dangerous speed that caused all of them to clench their teeth and squint as the houses raced by. There was no telling how dangerous things were at the moment or what they'd be driving into. For all they knew, it was already over. 

That didn't stop them. Mihoko's quirk was essentially useless in a fight, but that was fine. She just wanted to be there. To show up and show she cared. It was the same for Rei and Fuyumi, who seemed almost physically ill with worry. The both of them kept tight-lipped, keeping the car in dead silence as they rolled along. They were nervous, but focused. Mihoko had to respect that. The fear she felt was very real. If it were her Hitoshi, she knew it would be worse. Whatever Rei was feeling was probably excruciating. 

The traffic going into Hosu wasn't bad at all. In fact, there were barely any cars on the road as they sped forward. No police cruisers sought to pull them over either. They were all in the city trying to evacuate. Everyone was going out. Nobody that wasn't an ambulance or fire truck was rushing towards the flaming city the same way they were. Fuyumi and Rei grimaced at the flames, which were visible even from a distance. It was a sign of how risky this was. Risky, but worth it if they could get to Shoto.

Mihoko knew what she was doing was idiotic. Naturally, sitting it out and waiting for some sort of phone call would be best. Only she wouldn't be getting a phone call. Hence their frenzied drive. If Shoto was hurt, Endeavor would be called. He was listed as the teen's guardian, after all. She didn't want to assume the worst and think Shoto was gravely injured, or hurt at all. But if he was, then she needed them there to run interference. Even Rei, as long as she'd been hospitalized, knew this.

She'd give herself up as a distraction if it was required.

"God, it's... it's horrifying. What happened here?" Fuyumi felt her entire body constrict. Her throat felt like it was closing up, and frost tinged her fingertips as her quirk activated threateningly. She knew what heroes had to deal with. Growing up with her father as the Number Two hero, she was all too aware of the dangers they faced. As gruff as he was, even her father wasn't invincible. Nobody was, and she'd witnessed him come home with various injuries on several occasions. 

"Shoto..." Rei trailed off, gulping. She hoped and prayed her baby boy was okay. She hadn't been a good mother, and she knew that. If she could go back, she'd do it all different. She'd fight harder. Harder than Endeavor ever could have prepared for. Instead of simply baring her teeth and hoping to ward Endeavor off, she'd bite. Of course, she couldn't go back and change things. But the future... well, it was still here. She wasn't about to let that go to waste.

The smell of smoke permeated the car. Mihoko made sure all the windows were closed and the vents, shut. They made excellent time as they plunged into the cloud of smog that had taken over Hosu. Even just driving into it felt chaotic and panicked. Mihoko knew she needed to slow down. It would be all too easy to hit someone, even if she was pretty sure the streets were deserted at this point. People had long since ran for cover. Leaning forward, Rei could see why. She could just barely make out two shadows clashing in the sky, the faint sound of enraged shrieking reaching all their ears. It sounded near inhuman. 

Mihoko had to swerve several times to avoid running over rubble. Even then, the road was rocky. They were lucky they didn't get a flat as Mihoko haphazardly pulled off onto the side of the road, bringing her shirt up to cover her mouth as she hopped out of the car. Rei and Fuyumi's eyes connected only briefly before they followed in suit, shirt collars held carefully over their lower faces in a desperate attempt to keep the pollution from invading their lungs.

Rei was terrified. Her legs shook dangerously, but her eyes were cold steel as she and Fuyumi rushed single file behind the woman who'd opened her home to Rei just earlier that day. She'd just gotten out of the hospital, and it was scary. It had been a painfully long time since she'd been outside, and to think her first day would be sent rushing into the thick of a high-risk situation in which she could get caught by the man who was unfortunately her husband. It wasn't ideal, but for Shoto, she'd do anything. It was the same for Fuyumi.

Hosu had once been a charming little prefecture, despite it's fairly high crime rate. It had its own little jewels, and now it was all falling to the ground around them. Shoto and Izuku were in here somewhere, along with an Iida. The thought made them all shudder. They were just kids. Kids who had to be terrified out of their minds right now. Even if they couldn't do much to help, they all wanted to be there. All of them were very aware how reckless this was. They were going forward anyway.

"I can feel them." Mihoko said in a hushed tone, unsure of who was around. She glanced back and Rei and Fuyumi, noticing the question hiding behind the fear in their eyes. "I'm an empath. My range isn't far, so they've got to be close."

Rei felt herself relax only slightly, still on edge. Anyone would be in this situation. Even Fuyumi found herself sweating buckets, and it wasn't just from the near-unbearable heat sweltering around them. She was a pre-school teacher. Typically, she didn't jump at the chance to go rushing into a dying city with her terrified mother and a total stranger who'd apparently adopted her youngest brother to some extent. That didn't matter now. It was too late to go back, and she sure as hell wasn't leaving without Shoto now that they were here.

Mihoko broke out into a sprint when she felt the fear radiating from an alley nearby. There was malice mixed in. She had no idea what she'd find when she turned the corner. She knew Shoto was alive. Mihoko knew him well enough to recognize him if she really pushed at her quirk. She tended to keep it very low, or off completely. It was a breach of privacy to probe at someone's feelings without permission. She was lucky she could pick up that it was him, and that he was relatively unharmed. 

Rei and Fuyumi raced after her. Rei felt dizzy, whether it was from all the smoke or from her fear, she didn't know. Fuyumi just felt... numb. She'd seen a lot in her life. She'd seen her youngest brother get thrown through a wall with a flaming punch. She'd watched her mother go insane under the pressure of their broken family, if you could even begin to call it that. Fuyumi had been neglected and insulted and thrown to the side like a piece of trash. This was something she could handle, even if just for a little.

Skidding around the corner, her eyes fell upon the Hero Killer immediately. A brief jolt of relief upon realizing it wasn't a Nomu jolted through her as Izuku's foot slammed into the noseless man's shoulder. Shoto and a boy she recognized from the sports festival as Tenya Iida were lying motionless on the ground, stiff but alive. Stain had been reported to have some sort of paralyzing quirk. Another man was there; a pro. He was too heavily injured to even register them. 

"Shoto!" Rei cried out as soon as she saw her son lying there, unable to stop herself. Stain whirled to face the three women, looking momentarily confused as he drunk in their appearances. Fuyumi looked like exactly what she was- a preschool teacher. Beside her, Rei and Mihoko looked like humble mothers. Not the pro-heroes the Hero Killer had probably expected to see. A couple of housewives and a young woman in a grandma cardigan. 

"Mom?" Shoto croaked out in a fear-tinged voice. Izuku and Iida both seemed to pale, looking as confused as Stain felt at the moment. He knew there were pros in the area, and he'd prepared for the possibility that he'd be taken down, or even killed. He'd go down fighting. He just... really hadn't expected anyone's mother to show up. How they'd gotten here or knew he was here was beyond him, but they were just civilians. He wasn't about to hurt them. They had nothing to do with this corrupt society as far as he knew.

"Leave them alone." Mihoko snarled, fists clenched so tightly her knuckles were turning white. The skidding of tires sounded as a car rounded the corner somewhere far down the road, but they were too focused on what was in front to really care. Fuyumi was silent with fear, her tongue feeling heavy as led. Rei seemed stuck between terror and rage towards the man who was harming her son. She was tired of letting her kids get hurt.

"Go away. You're not a part of this." Stain said flatly. Mihoko rose an eyebrow. Did he really think they were just going to walk off, just because he said so? Fat chance. She did not just drive through a cloud of smoke thicker than Stain's skull just to turn around and leave these kids to die. The idea sounded so ludicrous as she thought about it that she wanted to laugh. Hajime was going to have her head for this later. 

"The fire." Fuyumi hissed as the buildings across the street began to crumble. Stain glared harshly at the woman, not startling when a car screeched to a halt behind them. Several others skidded, swerving to avoid the red car as Chad stepped out, sunglasses on his face despite the smoke covering the sun. Mihoko felt relief bubble in her chest as the man walked forward. Police clambered out of their cars behind him, crowding forward.

Chad hadn't expected his evening to take such a turn. His third cell phone was one that had only been called a few times, so he'd known it was serious when Lillian dialed in. The shake in her voice had spurred him forward and into action. Bakugo had protested vulgarly, clearly having questions. Giving him and Eri a sharp "stay in the car or else", he'd stepped out to assess the situation. From what he could tell, it wasn't a good one. He had no idea what the fuck he was doing. Only that he'd probably die doing it.

"Stop right there!" Tsukauchi grit out. They'd chased Chad across town before he whirled around all of a sudden and shooting off down a one-way street, rushing off to Hosu. It was pretty clear he had a set destination in mind. It wasn't until they rushed towards the alley he'd just waltzed into that he realized why the man had been called. Well, he didn't understand why Chad of all people had been contacted, but the Hero Killer was called. A few police officers stopped at his car to peer inside at the annoyed Bakugo and clueless Eri. 

Chad was an enigma. Tsukauchi had found out just today that he and his intern had taken out Yakuza base Nighteye had been searching for for months. He'd entered and wiped them out. Very few had succumb to their injuries, and Chad technically hadn't broken any laws. He had a hero license, and he was supervising his intern when it all went down. Bakugo Katsuki had clearance. But just because they hadn't technically done anything against the law didn't mean he didn't have questions. How so many other police had gotten wrapped up in the chase, he really wasn't sure.

"Is that the Hero Killer?" Someone asked in horror as silence dominated the small crowd. Stain narrowed his eyes as Chad stepped up.

"Sorry I took so long. I like to be fashionably late." Chad paused. "I also had no idea where you were, but that's besides the point." 

"And who the hell are you?" Stain clenched his jaw. This wasn't looking good. The man in sunglasses standing before him had an air of confidence that wasn't just for show. He had a feeling he had the skill to back it up, and that made him dangerous. Not only that, but he'd brought at least thirty police officers with him. Police officers who were currently dragging his prey away from him. Had the women called them?

"I'm Chad." Chad glanced at Shoto as Izuku hauled him up, rushing towards a tearful Rei and trembling Fuyumi. Mihoko flipped Stain the finger before she could stop herself, feeling grateful Chad had made it in time. Mihoko wasn't anything other than a programmer, and Fuyumi and Rei were both too meek and humble for their own good. Them facing off a villain that had taken out so many pros wouldn't have gone well on their end.

"Chad." Stain sounded like he didn't believe him. "And what makes you think you can face me?"

Chad grinned widely, pulling out his pistol. Stain's expression fell slack, a small "oh" escaping him when he realized someone had just brought a gun into a knife fight. He was many things, but bullet proof wasn't one of them. His first instinct was to run. Most cops in Japan actually weren't armed with guns unless they were SWAT or some other form of special forces. It was pretty clear that, whoever this guy was, was pretty special to be wielding such a weapon. A hero for sure.

A shot cut clean through the back of his knee, earning a muffled grunt of pain. Another took out his other leg, and another cut through his shoulder. He fell hard, blood rushing to his head as he gasped for air at the sudden shock of being shot. His fingers curled around his sword as officers rapidly fell upon him, yelling at him to stay down and drop his weapons. He faintly registered blood pooling under him, and wondered just what had happened. He'd been the Hero Killer for a few years, and a vigilante longer. He'd never been stuck in such an absurd situation.

Many police had joined the chase after Chad's car. Seeing Tsukauchi's lights, they'd flipped on their own and followed in pursuit. None of them had suspected they'd be here to take the Hero Killer in. Police officers were underpaid and underappreciated. Them hauling in the Hero Killer was a big win, for society and for themselves. Maybe the police department would finally get themselves some recognition. That, and as far as anyone could tell, Stain had taken no new victims.

"That... was really easy." Chad seemed to decide, looking down at his gun. He stared at it for a moment before shrugging, turning around to come face to face with Tsukauchi. The dark-haired man didn't look amused in the least as he took Chad's shoulder in a death grip. The Uber Eats driver didn't seem to mind, peering around him to see if Shoto, Izuku, and the other boy were okay. Iida, he was pretty sure his name was, but he didn't want to assume.

They were fine. Shoto's paralysis was wearing off rapidly as he all but hyperventilated over his mother. Mihoko was cradling a traumatized Izuku while Rei and Fuyumi freaked out over the half-and-half boy. Iida hadn't stopped apologizing and looked near tears. Native had been rushed off for medical attention, bleeding heavily and too groggy to even talk. He'd taken a lot of damage.

"What are you doing here?" Shoto hissed, eyes wide. "You could have been hurt. Father's in the area, you can't-"

"I couldn't just sit around knowing you were in danger." Rei insisted tearfully. Her life had never been so exciting before, or so terrifying. She'd felt fear like this before, but never to this extent. Behind them, a building toppled, sending dust and soot falling over them like a black rain. Fuyumi covered her mouth with a cough, squinting as her glasses were covered. Shoto was used to the eye-stinging irritation that came from the polluted air.

"Lillian called, and Hitoshi explained. We weren't going to leave you, Shoto. We would never do that. We wouldn't leave Izuku or Iida either." Mihoko said, voice soft. Coming here wasn't the best idea, and she knew that. They hadn't done anything at all to help. If nothing else, they'd gotten in the way. But now they were here, the previously endangered teenagers safe in their arms. Mihoko even had arm arm hooked around Tenya's shoulders, squeezing him into her side comfortingly.

"Thank you." Izuku whispered, shaking. "I-I'm, I know we don't know each other but- I'm just glad." His voice was rough with exhaustion, the adrenaline he'd probably been experiencing not moments before dropping as the weight of the situation dropped onto his shoulders. He'd come a hair lengths away from death. Mihoko swallowed dryly, knowing her son would experience this too one day.

 Tsukauchi had lost sight of Chad to second he let go of the man to get cuffs from his car. He had no idea where he'd gone off to, but the building about to fall on them and all their cars told him it didn't really matter right now. He gulped down his fear, eyes shooting to the ambulances that were quietly pulling up to their location. He didn't want to know why their lights and sirens were off, but the large fist-like dent in the side of one gave him a pretty good idea. Mihoko rushed to stand, pulling a shaky Izuku and Tenya up with her.

Shoto had no idea what to do. His mother was here, and he knew his father was on the way. He could only hope his mother and Fuyumi could get away in time not to be caught. There was no telling what his father would do if he spotted Rei here with Shoto. Even Fuyumi was pushing it. He was controlling in the most terrifying way. Seeing something unexpected like his daughter here would put him on the edge. Seeing Rei would push him way, way past it.

Fuyumi looked to her mother, eyes wide in panic as Endeavor's flames spread and spread. Rei made eye contact with her daughter as Shoto was pulled away from her and carefully set on a stretched, being rushed towards the ambulance. The white-haired woman felt herself being pulled up, but couldn't look away from the young woman she still saw as her little baby girl, even after all this time. Mihoko bit her lip worriedly as Shoto gazed at his mother with desperate eyes, unable to move as he was loaded into the back of the ambulance. Izuku and Tenya were sitting too, leaning forward to peer out at the trio of women.

"I'm a bit out of practice." Was all Rei said before she and her daughter were holding out their hands. Rei had been blessed with an extremely powerful ice quirk. Once, she'd wanted to be a hero too. Those dreams had been crushed the moment her family sold her to the vile man she'd been forced to marry. It was the main reason Endeavor had chosen her. Fuyumi had gotten such an ice quirk, along with a mild fire resistance most people didn't have.

Illegal use of a quirk without a permit was usually strictly prohibited, but the police created a wide berth for the two women as they outstretched their arms towards the towering flames. Fuyumi's activated first. At first, a soft frost escaped, cooling the air around her. She took a deep breath. Of course she practiced in secret, but she didn't have near the training her siblings had. She hadn't been enough: simple as that. She clenched her eyes shut and focused, trying to forget all the eyes that were on her.

Rei dug deep, pulling at the memories of her previous training and drawing them out. She hadn't used her quirk in years, but muscle memory kicked in the second her fingers started to cool. Soon, a powerful, frosty mist was spraying itself at the fire, joining with Fuyumi's to create a massive cloud of icy snow that clung to the building and fought back the flames. Cheers erupted around them as people began to move their cars and rush to surround the ambulance with the Hero Killer in it.

Bakugo cursed, climbing into the drivers seat. He had no idea how to drive, but he couldn't sit here and wait for a building to fall on himself and Eri either. He didn't know what was happening. Chad had rushed off to God knows where, and apparently Deku, Half-and-Half, and Square Face were here. Along with the Turnip's mother and what seemed like Half-and-Half's. Another woman too. His sister, maybe? Cousin? Aunt?

"Are we going to die?" Eri sounded mildly perturbed by the idea.

"Fuck no." He shifted it into drive, squinting and experimentally putting his foot on the gas. The pedal sunk easily, and the vehicle jolted forward. He sighed heavily. This wasn't going to go well, but he'd be damned if he was going to admit that to anyone. Clenching the steering wheel with two hands, he took off at a slow roll, hyper-aware of all the cars rushing past him as he slowly sped up. They were going after the ambulance that apparently had the Hero Killer in it. The thought made him sour considerably. Good riddance. 

Mihoko watched in awe as Rei and Fuyumi's ice climbed the buildings, stabilizing them only momentarily and dousing the flames in their chill. Both were shivering, but they held strong. She gave a nod to the paramedics. It was better they get the boys out of here, especially before Shoto was able to move again. She didn't doubt he'd jump out and run to his mother the first chance he had. As sweet as that was, it was the last thing they needed. They were still in danger just being here.

"Rei, Fuyumi!" Mihoko called once the building stopped to creak, covered in a thin sheen of ice that was sure to melt soon. Shivering, Rei blinked rapidly and in a very disoriented manner. Things were happening in rapid succession, so it made sense. Fuyumi grabbed her mother's arm and pulled her back towards Mihoko's vehicle. Tsukauchi jumped to intercept as Mihoko threw open the driver's side door.

"We can talk on the way out or not at all." Mihoko said as she climbed in. That stalled the detective for a moment. He really had no idea what was going on or where these women had come from. He knew the one with the white hair was Todoroki's mother, and the younger woman with the glasses seemed to be related to him as well. As for the one who'd just snapped at him, he had no idea.

"Uh, right!" He sputtered, scrambling around. The two women suspected to be related to Todoroki dove into the back as he climbed into the passengers seat. This whole thing was in disarray. That being said, it wasn't at all organized. They hadn't been called in to this location at all. Chad had simply led them there and then vanished. Tsukauchi wasn't sure if he should be grateful for that or not.

"Everybody in?" Mihoko glanced in the rear view mirror briefly. "Good." 

They were speeding off before Tsukauchi could get a single word in.

~

That was 7,000 words and it wasn't even good literally kill me.