Quirkless

What Kind of Victim Uses Pepper Spray

Izuku Midoriya, the Deku, award-winning strategist, top ten hero under the age of 30, and successor of the one and only All-Might, should have seen it coming. The villains were too eager to retreat, the doors blasted off their hinges with too much ease, and while his ego told him that it was because he was just that good, his intuition was screaming at the edge of his subconscious that something was wrong.

The sound of a gunshot rang through his ears.

He raised his hand out of pure instinct, as if the fragile bones and muscles would be better to block the ball of lead than the kevlar vest he wore. One for All sparked across his skin as the small red bullet shattered his bones. His vision went white with the kind of nostalgic pain that he hadn't felt since he'd gone pro. He clutched his injured hand to his chest as he turned to face his shooter, gritting his teeth. Izuku could barely make out the silhouette as they lowered their weapon. Obscured in shadows, his assailant's white smile stood out as they raised their wrist to their face.

"Objective achieved. Withdraw," a gravelly voice rang out over the PA system.

"No you don't," he growled, lunging forward to grasp at the retreating figure. "You're coming with me."

He was greeted by a thick mist of what he could only describe as spicy air. He coughed, gasping as his nose and eyes filled with mucus. Pepper spray? He wondered as he knelt on the floor coughing up gobs of mucus. What goddamn villain used pepper spray?

He wasn't sure how long it took for the rest of his team to catch up to his position - long enough that it was sure to earn him another lecture on the dangers of forging ahead. He felt soft hands, and then cold as Kendo tried to rinse the pepper spray out of his eyes with her canteen. The cold water spread the burning sensation deeper into his orifices until it finally started to rinse away.

"Situation report?" He spat as he cleared the last of the goop from his throat. The ginger-haired hero pulled her mini first aid kit from her breast pocket and began sprinkling clotting powder over the oozing hole in Izuku's hand.

"Five villains apprehended. Most of them have a history of violent crimes, but nothing that ties them to the drug trade." She paused to unwrap a gauze pad. "Other than being here, of course."

"So all low level grunts?" Izuku asked, flinching as Kendo put pressure on his wound.

She nodded, then added "As far as we can tell."

Izuku took his hand back, maintaining the pressure with his good hand, and began walking stiffly towards the other side of the room. He nudged the pile of beige grime with his boot, letting it squish under his weight. "Where's the gun?" he asked, not bothering to ask where his shooter had gone. Either Twice was back from the dead or this cartel had found a similar quirk.

"Bagged and tagged while you were...incapacitated." Kendo answered. "There were no bullets in it, so I guess they got lucky hitting you with their last shot."

Izuku frowned. "They only fired once," he muttered, turning back to his teammate, staring down at his wrapped hand, "I wonder if..." He went quiet, summoning One for All into his legs - no need to risk further injuring his hand. It came, slower than usual, but he could feel the buzz down to his toes.

He still had his quirk, thank god.

"Wonder if what?" Kendo asked, looking at him patiently. It wasn't uncommon for him to drop off mid-sentence, but her eyes were still worried.

"Nothing," Izuku answered, smiling brightly. The quirk-repressing drugs had long been off the market, ever since Eri had been rescued from the hands of the cartel. And even if they were back, the government had the antidote now. It was nothing to worry about.