Black Fox (Vigilante Deku AU)

Part 37- Minotaur Is A Bitch

Deku POV

My brain kicked into overdrive in a fraction of a second. Analyzing what was holding on to me- long thin fingers with dull claws at the end, skinny legs, torn wings, jaw with sharp teeth- and how I might get out of it- knife to the fingers to make it drop me, but I might be injured by the fall, attack its face to make it fall, but it might fall on me and I might be injured in the process, just shoot it through the heart and let it kill me-

A snarling shriek pierced the air as a steel blade jutted through the beast's throat. The long and thin talons released me. I twisted in the air and landed in a neat crouch, wildly searching for my savior/assailer. The Nomu fell with a dull thud next to me. Stain landed on the far side of it, hands bloodied. I drew a thin knife and held it in front of me in an offensive stance, but the villain froze.

Endeavor rammed into the villain, but even when tackled to the ground, Stain didn't move. Did he manage to freeze himself with his own quirk?

A trickle of blood from his mouth confirmed my theory. Ingenium's kick must have broken a rib, which pierced his lung, or he bit his tongue at some point, or blood from his face wounds dripped into his mouth.

With a grunt, he squeezed words out from between his paralyzed teeth. "I will not...let a true her be destroyed...by such an abomination."

Those were the last words he uttered before Minotaur delivered a swift kick to his temple, knocking him unconscious.

My hero shadow nodded to me. "You call Molly. Finish routes on your own. I will reconvene at morning."

I nodded. Todoroki reached a hand out to me as if to ask something, but I turned and sprinted away.

Once at a safe distance, I leaned against a wall heavily and dragged off my mask to slap myself across the face. "Stupid, stupid, stupid! You're supposed to be strong, how could you be stupid enough to get caught like that?! It's a Nomu, they're dumb and loud! You didn't even hear it, you stupid weak moron!"

I groaned and rubbed the bridge of my nose. "Whatever. They should already know you're not worth their high expectations."

I slid the mask back onto my face and pushed the hood back over my hair. "Just get a move on, Izuku. No time to sit around. Hosu is in danger."

I grabbed hold of a fire escape ladder and quickly made my way to the top of the apartment building, now empty after the evacuations. With a quick assessment, I ditched the plan that Night Tiger and I had laid out entirely and launched myself in the direction of the water tower, where I could make out a few vaguely familiar shapes.

Clambering up the side, as I expected, Shigaraki and Kurogiri were awaiting me. When I stood on top of the tower, the smoke from the various fires outlined their figures in hazy, fiery red light. Shigaraki turned to face me. "Well, well, well. Hello again, little Fox."

"Tom."

"Any particular reason for this unexpected visit?"

"Any particular reason for destroying a massive part of the city?"

"I was just in a...a particular mood for it, I suppose."

"Of course. So logically, you set all of Hosu on fire, unleashed genetically engineered monsters on innocent people, and decided to stand imposingly on a water tower. Makes perfect sense."

"Obviously."

I sighed heavily. "I can't stay and talk. If I'm seen here I'll be in hot water for sure."

Shigaraki shrugged. "I think I'm done with the destruction for tonight. Run along now."

I glared at him and turned to leave, slipping away before anybody could see the vigilante and the villains together.