Manifest Monsters

Part 9~Flames

I swung my legs back and forth, waiting for the heroes to clean up the USJ. Aizawa had to be taken to the hospital. Recovery Girl had tried to heal him up as much as possible but they needed to take him off anyway. At least she helped heal me enough to not be chucked into a hospital. Now I have bandages wrapped around my neck and I'm going to get some scars.

Slowly everyone made their way back to the meetup point. Tokoyami sat beside me, he- like most people- had avoided getting hurt. The only people missing was Kirishima and Katsuki, and Tiny, but I don't think many people were worried about her. She'll show up eventually.

Bubble laughed to herself as she laid down against her throne. Dom was performing minor surgery on the robotic part Bubbles damaged. Bubbles almost seemed proud of herself for what she did. It was the first time she had used the missile launcher and at least it worked.

"Izu! Izu! Over here!"

Lifting up my head, I looked around the corner, spotting Tiny pulling on something. Putting down my book, I jumped up. I rushed over to Tiny, some of my teachers doing the same. Tiny held Katsuki's shirt in her mouth, pulling him along the ground.

"Tiny," I called out, linking my arms under Katsuki's shirt and pulling him up the last few steps. "What happened?"

Recovery Girl looked over Katsuki. He wasn't bleeding which was a good sign but burns covered his body.

Tiny jumped onto my lap, her own burnt fur scratching against my skin. "He was attacked. Flame area. But there was something else."

"One of the villains," Kirishima explained, "He- it whatever it was- knew Bakugo. Bakugo was scared of him."

"Izu," Tiny called out to me, burying herself into my lap. "I thought I saw him. I thought he was here. Then he was. He was here, Izu. He's back." Tiny shook, her fur standing on edge. Tiny never shook.

It didn't take me long to work out who 'he' was. There was only one person Tiny was afraid of. But she was wrong. She had to be wrong. The person she was thinking about was dead. I made sure of that.

Recovery girl took Katsuki as Kirishima collapsed on the ground. He seemed unharmed but it was clear he's mind was somewhere else.

Kirishima didn't stay that way for long as a man wearing a trench coat walked out. "Alright, my name is detective Tsukauchi. We are going to be asking you questions about the event before we send you on your way."

Running my fingers through Tiny's fur, I waited. If what Tiny said was true, there was one person who could tell me for certain.

"Midoriya," Jiro called out, sitting beside me with a confused expression on her face. "I thought they told you to go home."

"They did. But I'm not leaving."

"Does this have something to do with Bakugo?"

"Something like that."

"Something to do with what Tiny said?"

"Yeah." Groaning, I rubbed my eyes. "She said it was him. But it can't be."

"Who's 'him?'"

"Someone who should be dead," I answered simply, leaning back and hitting my head against the wall.

Jiro's eyes flickered over me as she stood back up. "Just go back home. You won't do anything by worrying all night." Jiro pushed my shoulder lightheartedly before turning away and catching up to Momo who greeted her with a smile.

Looking into the infirmary, I could see Katsuki laying on the bed. He was covered in bandages but he was sleeping soundly. Jiro was right, I should just go home. Giving one look back I preyed Tiny was wrong.

At first, Bakugo didn't know where he was. All around him was fire. Smoke clogged up his lung, making it hard to breathe. Kirishima was shouting at him. Villains were surrounding them. No matter how many they fought off more would come. They couldn't keep this up. They couldn't keep fighting.

"Well, well, well, little Bakugo Katsuki. It's been a long time."

Bakugo knew that voice. That voice haunted his dreams. It couldn't be him. He couldn't be back.

"Bakugo, look out!"

Bakugo didn't have time to react as the beams came crashing down and buried him underneath them. The flames burnt through his clothes, scorching his skin. Kirishima was beside him in a second, pulling off the wood.

"Katsuki!" Tiny jumped forward, scratching at the villain who went to attack the others. She landed next to Katsuki, hissing at anyone who tried to come closer. She ignored the embers singeing her fur. "Get him out of here!"

Kirishima pulled Bakugo onto his feet as Tiny ran and turned the nearest villain into a doll. Screaming told Tiny that something was wrong. Kirishima crashing through the wall a second later confirmed it.

"You should know better than to run, Kacchan."

Tiny's eyes widened at the sight. "No... Get away from him!" Running forward, Tiny launched at the villain but he was gone. Grabbing onto Bakugo's collar, she dragged him out of the building. "It's going to be okay. Just a little further."

"Why... are you helping me?" Bakugo tried not to look at the cat who made his life hell.

"Cause Izu would kill me if you died, ain't that obvious? Now shut up while I save you."

Bakugo may hate the monsters with every fibre of his being but at that moment, he knew that cat was just as scared as he was.

Kirishima hesitated before he knocked on the door. He wasn't sure if he was wanted here and if he wasn't this was not going to end well. "Bakugo?" Pushing open the door, Kirishima looked for a sign of the explosive teen he had somehow learnt to call a friend. "Are you awake? School starts in ten minutes and I was wondering if you were coming."

Kirishima jumped as Bakugo pounded his fists against the wall. He was muttering under his breath, glaring daggers into the mirror. His hands gripped onto the tie, way too tightly to be considered normal.

It was a good thing Kirishima had no sense of self-preservation as he spun Bakugo around and hugged him. He petted Bakugo's hair, whispering words of comfort into his ear. "It's okay. It's over." Kirishima pulled away, smiling at Bakugo. "Now, let's get this tie done."