Top pic credit: unknown

Hawks POV:

One week.

I had one week left until my time was up. One week until I was supposed to deliver Ari to Dabi, so he could make her a High End Nomu.

I'm not gonna lie and say I haven't been freaking out. Actually, it's quite the opposite.

I have been absolutely panicking for the past three weeks.

I've gone through every possible solution in my head. I've thought of every way I could get Ari and her family out of this situation unscathed.

On a side note, I severely underestimated the amount of help Diane would give me in this situation. She gave Ari the HFRA device....and that is literally all she has done.

Now, don't get me wrong. I know this is my fault. I'm the one who got Ari into this mess, and I'm doing everything I can to pull her out of it.

But, the fact that Diane has been so aloof and uncaring about this whole situation has only added to my stress. I feel like it's her way of saying "Well, you built this mess, Keigo. Now, you can get yourself out of it." It sounds like something she would do. However, the thing is...Ari's grim fate wouldn't just affect me. It would affect Diane, too. Ari is her superstar client. She's the one who's supposed to rake in all of her success. Because of that, I thought she'd be a little more cooperative with me.

Apparently, I couldn't have been more wrong....and quite frankly, when I told Dabi of my choice to bring Ari to him....I said that with Diane's help in my mind. I was really betting on her advice.

I hate Diane. She's a bitch, and I absolutely despise her.

But...she is all I know, when it comes to authoritative figures. In my mind, she is discipline and responsibility. Whenever I have a problem that I can't get out of on my own, I go to her. Because she's the only person I've ever gone to for sixteen years. She's conditioned me that way. Unfortunately, I depend on her. I trust her to some extent. By that, I mean I trust that she will help me, if I ask for it.

But, I couldn't have been more wrong right now.

Moral of the story? I'm in some deep shit, my friends. Who knows where this situation will take us.

Text Message Sent To: Diane H.

Can you please answer ONE of my fifty messages?! My timeline is almost up!
12:34pm

I've outlined guidelines from the "heroes family protection program" manual. Maybe we could get Ari and her family into that for the time being? Check it please, I left it on your desk
3:57pm

What about a quarantine of UA until the month passes? Then that might at least give me more time with Dabi to think of something else
6:26pm

Fuck it I'm going to tell Ari I'm a spy
7:15pm

Text message from: Diane H

No don't tell her that. And watch your language. Working on it, just sit tight
7:15pm

I knew my last message would get a response from her. Honestly that's all I wanted at this point. A reaction from her. Any reaction, negative or positive. That's how our relationship has worked ever since I've been a child.

Scoffing in pure irritation, I jammed my phone back into my pocket, trying to just relax as best I could.

Okay, I need to calm down. I still have a week. Of course I'll be able to think of something in a week-

"So if you're supposed to be part hawk....why are these red?" Twice asked, aggressively flapping my wing back and forth in his hands.

I snapped my attention back to the present, forcing myself to let him continue yanking on me uncomfortably.

"Hah! W-Whatdya mean? There's plenty of red hawks out there, Twice. You got the red shouldered hawk...the red tailed hawk-"

"Does the red coloring mean the blood tastes sweeter?" Toga giggled, looking at my veins as though they were nothing more than a tasty snack.

I was about to blow off her comment, before Dabi came sauntering into the room.

Clearing my throat, I quickly turned some flirty eyes on Toga.

"Hm, can't say I'd be surprised if that were true, dollface. I mean, I am pretty delicious." I grinned cockily, shooting Toga a cheeky wink.

I heard Dabi scoff from the corner of the room, making me mentally roll my eyes at his, already condescending, attitude.

"I'd tell you to keep it in your pants, but it seems as though you have absolutely no problem doing that." Dabi smirked at me, opening up his laptop.

Of course, he's referring back to a few weeks ago, when I refused to sleep with those club girls.

I lazily stretched my arms over my head, shrugging my shoulders carelessly.

"Eh. Worked out well for you, didn't it?" I countered, my tone holding a subtle hint of bitterness. Honestly though, I was more bitter at myself, than anything. Not because I wished I'd hooked up with the club girls, but because if I'd just picked that option...I wouldn't be fighting for Ari's life right now.

I saw the corners of Dabi's mouth turn up again, clearly picking up on my slight annoyance.

"That it did, bird brain. That it did. I'm definitely not complaining about your choice. I've even finished all the preparations on my end, a week early." He explained, continuing to type away on his laptop.

His words only made me more uneasy, as I imagined what sort of "preparations" Dabi was talking about. As if to punish myself further for this situation, I couldn't help but find out.

"Oh yeah? What kinda preparations are we talking?" I asked, running an anxious hand through my hair.

Dabi was clearly waiting for that type of response, as he immediately waved me over to his laptop.

"I'm so glad you asked. Come see for yourself." He stated darkly, causing my heart to practically stop.

I really didn't want to see. I didn't want to know.

But, at the same time, I had to know. I need to know what Dabi's planning so I can stay in the loop with what's going on.

Wordlessly, I made my way across the room, trying to calm my wild imagination on what possible information he could have on Ari.

I finally laid my eyes on the laptop, holding in a gasp at the sight. I literally wanted to die.

Picture upon picture of Ari....information on her quirk....her vitals....notes on her fighting style...her family...everything you could think of about her was on this laptop.

Not being able to speak, I simply stared at the screen in blank, somber shock...letting Dabi slowly scroll me through the pages on Ari's life.

There was a lot of stuff on here that I didn't even know about her! Her blood type...the fact that she had a perfect attendance record, during her freshman year at UA, the fact that she's been spending the last eight months trying to build up her quirk tolerance even stronger-

"So as you can see, I know just about everything there is to know about little Ari. Her quirk logistics, her diet, her combat strengths and weaknesses. You name it, I've got it." Dabi mumbled nonchalantly, slowing his scroll pad over a video.

"What's that?" I rasped out, gesturing for him to play the video.

"Oh this thing? It's a clip Ujiko requested I put together. It highlights all the strongest components of Ari's quirk and fighting style. Watch." Dabi mumbled, before clicking play on the video.

To my dismay, Toga and Twice also came over to watch.

The video began with a slightly younger looking Ari. Her costume was different than the one she currently wore. This one was more simple, with less attachments and weapons-

"This is Ari during her freshman year at UA. I got most of these videos from news footage. This particular clip was from her very first fight against real villains. That jeaned bastard put her out in the field very early on. Not something one normally does with their interns I've noticed." Dabi explained, as we watched Ari dive fearlessly into the action.

She quickly outstretched her hands, activating her quirk on a car swerving out of control, and a giant, falling oak tree-

In the next instant, Dabi abruptly paused the video.

"See? Right there? During her freshman year, Ari was only able to stop two things from moving at once. Not three. And she used to only have a time limit of thirty five seconds. After watching these videos over and over, I've estimated her current time to be forty five, possibly fifty seconds." He stated, before playing the video again.

Shit. He's right.

A few more clips of younger Ari continued playing, and my heart squeezed whenever I saw her flash a smile or a wave to some fans-

She's too good for her own good.

Dabi paused the video again, to explain something. I really hated the fact that he knew so much about this.

"Okay. In these next clips, it's obvious she's gotten stronger. Some are a little more recent. She must have trained much harder to improve, which means the stronger she gets....the more powerful her quirk becomes. Vessels like that make the best bases for High End Nomus." He smirked, pressing play again.

A vessel. He just called Ari a vessel, like she's not even a breathing, living human being.

The video started off with Ari sprinting at some villains, immediately jumping into a three vs. one fight. Sure, I've been watching Ari since I saved her life all those years ago. But, I never really saw her fight. There weren't a lot of times her and I were fighting crime in the same places, and watching her at the sports festival every year just isn't the same.

So, I can safely say....I'm seriously shocked at how amazing she is. Once again, I underestimated her. I really have to stop doing that.

With ease, Ari took down three full grown men, with hand to hand combat...all while holding up three more in the air with her quirk.

Miruko, who absolutely despises working on teams, hopped over a few moments later and gave Ari a fist bump-

"Damn, Miruko. Never get her and Ari together in the same room, or we're done for." Dabi mumbled, watching the friendly exchange between Ari and Miruko on the laptop.

He played the video again, narrating Ari's every next move.

"Watch Ari's wrists. She always flicks them when she's about to activate her quirk. I've concluded that the flicking motion helps her somehow. It's not something one would notice, if they didn't find hours of research on her. Watch her body language. She favors a right roundhouse kick a lot more than other moves. Watch her lips, she's counting down the seconds she has left until her quirk wears off-" Dabi called out, going on and on about Ari's fighting and quirk style.

It made me absolutely mortified that he has seriously memorized her strongest points-

In the next instant, the video panned to Kamino...a fight I wish I could have been there for.

There was a bunch of screaming and yelling from Kamui Woods, Gran Torino, and some of the villains.

Dabi's voice was heard in the video, before the sound of Ari cut him off.

"Hah! Oh, no you don't!" Ari sang out fearlessly, quickly jumping down from a roof to land in front of Dabi.

She was a mess with blood and debris covering her body, probably from the All for One nomu fight.

"We don't have to see this one." Dabi mumbled begrudgingly, before trying to turn off the video.

Toga and Twice quickly stopped him, laughing their asses off.

"Oh yes we do!" Toga giggled, holding his hands down.

I watched blankly, as Ari side stepped Dabi's blue flame with ease before immobilizing him and gracefully kicking him square in the face.

She knocked him out in one fell swoop, with almost no exertion.

"Valiant effort, villain. I almost broke a nail." Ari mocked at Dabi, casually walking away.

I cringed slightly at her cocky, hero attitude. Dabi hates being mocked. This is probably another reason why he can't stand her.

Toga began cracking up now, as Dabi's unconscious body lay there on the screen.

"Hah!! Ari got ya right in the kisser, Dabi! Is that why you hate her so much?" Toga giggled, clearly trying to get him all riled up.

Dabi quickly slammed his laptop shut, before walking over to the bar area.

"No. I hate her, because she's nothing more than an attention seeking, wannabe hero bitch. She's just like the rest of the heroes I hate. I've seen her attitude first hand. And with a name like Hourglass? With all that makeup she wears to fight crime. That girl's just looking for attention. Stain would not approve, and neither do I." He scoffed, pouring himself a drink.

My jaw tensed at his words, realizing how misconstrued he was.

Is that what he thinks?! That Ari's one of those fame hungry heroes?

Oh man. Dabi's got it all wrong. If it weren't about trying to please the hero commission, Ari wouldn't give a shit about being famous.

Ari's hero, "Hourglass," is nothing more than a product of Diane and the others. The same goes for "Hawks."

It's not real. It's all an act. An illusion. An image. I thought he was smart enough to know that.

Of course, I can't tell him that, unless I wanna blow my cover. But, man. I wish I could. Maybe then...he'd actually leave her alone.

I cleared my throat, feeling my loose jacket collar starting to invisibly restrict my breathing.

Ugh. I need to get out of here. But first, I need more information. I'm the only person in the world who can fix this, so I need to stay as the middle man.

"Wow. That's a lot of info you got on Ari, man. Almost seems like you're her number one fan, more than anything." I chuckled, trying the best I could to make light of the situation, while figuring out why he had so much data.

Once again, he scoffed before downing the rest of his scotch.

"Yeah, well it's not mine. I mean, I'm the one who found all of that stuff....but I only gathered everything that Dr. Ujiko requested. He's already looked it over, and said she's the perfect vessel. Like I said before, the guy's got a thing for quirks that power up, the stronger one gets. Ari Parker's quirk is just like that, which means that her quirk, as a High End Nomu, will practically be unstoppable." He stated casually, making me swallow the bile that crept up my throat.

This is worse than I thought. Much worse.

My heart began pounding much too fast for my body. I felt a cold sweat starting to form on my neck and face. My teeth were clamping down so hard on the inside of my cheek, I tasted blood. My breathing-

Fuck. Another panic attack.

No. Not now. Not here.

Practically swallowing my nerves, I forced myself to hold it together for a little while longer, while Dabi continued detailing to me Ari's Nomufication process in great thoroughness.

All of the torture she will go through. What she will look like. How he plans to mesh her quirk with another's to create an even more powerful Nomu.

It was horrifying.

"S-Sounds like a plan man. One week from today...e..everything will change." I muttered out, cursing the very obvious shake that crept its way into my voice.

Dabi either didn't notice, or he was too consumed with blood lust, as he simply nodded in agreement.

"Yes, bird. One week from today....everything will change."

One week, Ari. I know I'm running out of time.

But, I will still save you. You can count on me. Just like everyone else can.

I will save everyone. And I'll do it all by myself.

By myself.

That's the way I've always done things, after all.

A/N: Next chapter title - Broken Bird.