Lightning Serenade

Chapter 104: Finale II

The intense, unnatural fog drew in the heroes, and therefore the crowds and the media, like flies to honey.

The villains were just meant to cause some relentless (though, essentially harmless) havoc and then disappear again. They were just meant to be the main distraction for the media and the heroes to keep them away from the actual main event of the day so that the actual plan can go unhindered.

Too bad nothing ever goes according to plan.

It had to be Deku.

Fuck. It had to be Deku.

It was supposed to be his day off, but of course he was covering for Shouto who actually needed the day off to partake in the actual main event that was taking place off the record. Go fucking figure.

Deku was a scary dude.

He was scary when he crash-landed through the metro tunnel ceiling, pure power literally crackling off of his skin, unable to be contained. He was scary when he caught up with the villains and civilians in that same metro tunnel, though it was kind of funny looking back on it when the villains rushed to explain that they weren't hurting anyone and it wasn't their fault at the same time the civilians rushed to explain that they were agreeable to the villains' help at the same time that Deku rushed to explain that he knew of the situation and he was sent by Phantom Thief and Razor to assist. Everyone rushing to explain and diffuse without anyone trying to escalate and nothing needed to be diffused in the first place for once.

But, standing there now, against them instead of with them, across the street, power crackling, as Razor, Haze, and Full Throttle found themselves in an impromptu hostage situation, they were reminded of how capable and threatening Deku could be.

This was very bad.

And hell, it wasn't even their idea for the hostage shit in the first place! That crazy old man and his granddaughter with the wacky healing quirk from the metro tunnel collapse noticed that something was off and decided that they wanted to stick themselves in where they definitely don't belong! What were they thinking?! Just because they helped them out once doesn't mean that they aren't still villains! It doesn't mean that they aren't dangerous!

To be fair to the old man, though, it was the little girl who rushed in first, so he probably didn't feel as if he had any choice but to rush in after her. But, hell, for someone who had a healing quirk connected to emotions, she was one hell of an actor.

Razor thought she was actually scared and wondered why the hell she'd rushed in, then, eyes already tearing, pleading for the lives of everyone around as she grabbed at his hands before he even had the sense of mind to withdraw his quirk. And when she grabbed onto him, he then realized what exactly she was doing. Because in that moment, every scrape he had gotten since the beginning, every strained muscle, every fatigue had just melted away.

Either she had suddenly gained an insane amount of control over her quirk that could surpass Phantom Thief's, or she was a great actor and her tears and fears on her face weren't real.

And, well, what drew a bigger crowd than a hostage negotiation? If everything went well, then the HPSC would hold up their end of the deal and they'd all be pardoned for everything anyway. They wouldn't be too thrilled about a fucking hostage situation, but Razor was pretty sure it could be overlooked if it was all staged and consensual.

Until Deku got involved and he might end up, you know, dying.

The HPSC can pardon him and pull him out of the deepest cell of Tartarus, but the HPSC can't pull him from the River Styx.

"Deku!" the little girl called, tears streaming down her face as she fake-struggled in Razor's grasp. Razor could tell that it was fake and there was no effort behind it, but he could also tell that it looked very real from where Deku stood, the little traitor. "You've come to save me!"