Little Miss Aizawa | Dadzawa [BOOK 2]

Chapter 13 - At The Heart of It

WARNINGS: vomit, mention of amputation

Neito didn't have a chance to think twice before he doubled over and threw up. He dislodged the arm wrapped around his torso, pushing it aside to rub the sore band around his stomach. His ears pounded from the abrupt change. He'd gone from standing perfectly still, to being dragged around the waist, to find himself miraculously outside. 

Somewhere to his left, Hanta was gasping for air, the wind having been knocked out of him.

"Sorry, guys." Midoriya rubbed the back of his neck, sheepishly looked down at his feet. The electricity crackling around him had subsided, leaving a slightly singed smell clinging to his body. 

"A- A lit- little warn-ing- next t-time." Hanta's wobbly knees buckled under him, and he crumpled to the floor in an undignified heap. Neito straightened, wiping his mouth on the back of his hand. His gaze fell to the wreck just behind them. Smoke billowed from the absent ceilings, rising into the air with little regard for the people clearly injured in the explosion. If there wasn't much left of the structure beforehand, there was basically nothing now. Any remaining walls had been pushed out with such great a force, chunks could be found way out from the site, impaling the landscape sporadically. 

"Well, they're late." Neito huffed, feeling sweat gather along his hairline. A group of Pros descended on the scene, some setting right to work and approaching the rubble. Endeavour held back, arms folded and flames roaring. His words were lost in the distance between them, but the sour look on his face and irritated gestures he was making towards the emergency response team conveyed enough of the general tone for Midoriya to grimace. Whatever made him late would be surely paying the price.

"Well." Hanta lay back on the ground, mask retracting from his face and arm thrown over his eyes. A sheen of sweat made his fringe stick to his forehead, cheeks blotchy from exertion and heat. "That's all the evidence gone."

"We did see that screen." Midoriya countered, his chin pinched between his fingers. "Whatever Blue Crossed wants, Eri is clearly a key factor in the plan." 

"Maybe." Neito muttered, removing his own mask. "Though I think we have a more pressing matter." 

Hanta lifted his head, squinting in the sunlight glaring conveniently into his eyes. "What?"

"Someone's running from the building."

Midoriya and Hanta's eyes snapped to the rubble. A cloaked figure was sprinting across the back lawn.

"Oh, fuck."  Hanta rolled to his feet, donning his mask in the process. "Izuku!"

"I just used One For All, you have to give me a second!" He shook out his arms, but not even a flicker appeared. Neito's eyes rolled, heaving onto his sore legs before taking off after the shadowed figure, Midoriya and Hanta just behind. 

The figure was fast, he had to give them that. For every step Neito took, it felt like they were taking two more. Superspeed couldn't be at play - if it were they would be well gone by now - so did that mean it was just... raw ability? They glided over obstacles in the path, swerved around trees effortlessly, and didn't even flinch when one of Hanta's blades embedded itself in the dirt just beside their foot. 

Suddenly, they spun around, two fingers raised to their concealed face in a mock-salute before disappearing into the treetops. Hanta readied his tape, but Midoriya's hand on his arm held him back. 

"Don't. We won't catch up." 

They slowed to a stop deep in the forest. The facility behind them was nothing but a pile of rubble. Any remaining fires had been extinguished by the sheer force of the collapse. Dust clouded up from between the cracks, filtering into the plumes of smoke looming above.