Melted Snow and Clipped Wings

9: The Pain

3rd person pov:

As natsuo carries touya inside. He notices the burns. So he checks on the power box to his cooling system. That's when natsuo sees that it's been destroyed.

Nat:"Hey, sis. We need to call the Commisioner. Touya needs the upgrade."

Meanwhile, Hawks comes too and looks up at the tree. Only for enji to step in the way.

Haw:"Why?"

Enji:"You've done some research. Why don't you tell me what you think."

Haw:"I only saw the accident reports and how touya saved all but one person."

Enji:"Two. She was pregnant and giving birth."

Haw:"So that's it. You hate him because he didn't save you?"

Enji:"Not even close. My quirk is the reason why he must be dealt with. You see, touya todoroki wasn't supposed to be a hero. Infact he was gonna be a great villian."

Hawks goes to taunt the person before him. Only for a memory of touya to stop him.

^Touya:You can't just taunt them. That's how heroes get killed. I couldn't bare to lose you."^

Hawks goes silent and hangs his head down.

Haw:"You're wrong about him. Touya would never be a villian."

Enji lifts Hawks head up by grabbing his jaw.

Enji:"I wouldn't expect you to understand. You can't see what I see. So allow me to share it with you aswell."

Hawks gets stuck with a splinter out of enji's index finger and gets visions of touya covered in burns, standing over him with an evil grin. Then flashes of him killing Snatch, and the entire todoroki family in a massive blast that turns the rubble of the city into glass.

The splinter is removed and hawks is out of the trance and quivering at how real it felt.

Haw:"Did you show him this?"^if he did. That would explain why he hasn't slept well, but when did they meet?^

Enji:"I've set everything in place. Now we wait for him to come to us."

Haw:"HehehAHAHAH! If you're betting on that. You might aswell pay up. He won't fall for anything you show or tell him. Even if I die. You won't get your way."

Enji:"We'll see about that. You have about six days until the seed sprouts. I'm sure you noticed, but my mom doesn't have anything else to feed me with."
Hawks looks over to the bottom of the tree and sees a skeletal hand peeking out from under it.

Haw:^So that's his mother I saw?"

Hawks remembers the sight of the human remains with ribs busted apart from where the core of the tree is coming from. Moosh of what's left of splattered organs leaking around the body with a crushed examination table under it. Skull has a root coming out of the mouth, nose, and eyes. More roots piercing through the length of the limbs and out the heals and palms. That's when hawks realizes that the tree is made of muscles, tendons, and wood for the trunk. Bark is made of small bones like armor.

Hawks glares at it with a look that could kill.

Haw:"No matter the cost. I'll stop your plan and save everyone."

Thorns grow deeper into hawks. Causing him more pain. Yet he tries to show no sign that it hurts.

Elsewhere, touya is on the couch surrounded by a surgical team.

Nat:"So will he need batteries now?"

Com:"The new implant won't. It uses the heat to power the cooler, but it has a limit. If he breaks this one. It'll leak coolent into his bloodstream."

Nat:"Which means that he won't last long."

She nods and taps natsuo's shoulder.

Com:"My advice is to hide him far away. Don't let him keep his phone either. All outside contact is forbidden until we catch this son of a bitch."

Natsuo nods and takes a bag that the commision hands over. Then him and fuyumi get in the car that touya was placed in the back seat. Where they leave to a hideout up in the mountains.

When touya wakes up. He finds himself on a couch in a tiny camper. Natsuo is in a bunk of the bunkers, and fuyumi takes the bed in the back.

Touya looks around in a confused mindset as he searches for his phone. Only for natsuo to inject touya with a sleeping medication.

Nat:"Rest. You can't move too much or you'll open your stitches."

Fuyu:"Are you sure this is the right thing to do?"

Nat:"It's only for three days. Then we'll explain what's going on. For now. We gotta keep him sedated. Otherwise, he'll charge into battle without thinking."

When touya comes too again. It's to the sound of the TV. Fuyumi is cooking and natsuo has left to get more food.

Jeanist:"Our top three are on an important mission to uncover a criminal sindicet. They'll return soon.-"

The stations are cut off by static. Only to come back with multiple camera views.

Touya sits up and watches as Shoto's bedside at the hospital, and Hawks are streaming live on the screen.

Hawks is wrapped up in a trunk of a tree now. Only the top half of his torso and his head are out. His shirt is ripped to show the progress of the roots growing inside him. As it's been four days now.

A voice filter is used to change enji's voice.

Enji:"So you turned off your phone? No matter. There are other ways to send a message. Meet me where it all began. We'll talk your surrender there and make a deal. Your life for theirs."

Fuyumi looks back to see touya sitting up. So she looks over at a drawr. As she moves to open it. Touya pins her to the wall.

Tou:"Trying to put me under again? Natsu isn't here to help you this time. Let this be a warning to you sis. If you try to reach for it again. I'll use it on you. Just give me a few minutes' head start. No one else can save them but me."

Fuyu:"If you go. They'll kill you."

Tou:"No, they won't. T b ey want to change me. So I'm gonna let them."

Touya walks back and turns around to get ready to leave. So fuyumi reaches in the drawr.

Fuyu:"I won't let you."

Touya sighs and flair up. Melting the objects he's touching. So touya walks out with a bag in hand. Leaving fuyumi behind.

Tou:"I'm sorry, fuyumi. I hope you can forgive me."

Meanwhile, natsuo is at the store. When he smells the scent of flowers fade into a corpse. As his father  stands behind him.