Birds of a Feather

I had no idea...

カラス

"What's going on?" Karasu groaned as she sat up, gasping in pain. All of the adrenaline that had been keeping her stable was clearly gone. She was completely alone in a hospital room- which was odd. If Hawks was okay... she knew he'd be here, especially given the gravity of her injuries. She only currently had an IV attached to her, so she used the metal stand to get herself out of bed. All of her strength was drained- she could barely stand. The loss of the last half of her right arm was also catching up with her, and balancing was now harder too.

Karasu used one of her wings to push open one of the doors to her hospital room. "Hello?!" she called weakly as she limped into the hall, clinging to the IV stand. "Hello? Where's Hawks? I want to see my brother!" she dragged herself over the floor, her wings barely working enough to help keep her vertical. Everything was an extreme effort at the moment. Like moving the rock off her foot during the Hassaikai Raid, but a hundred times harder because she was the rock now. "Hello?!" She shouted again as she winced and stumbled. Everything hurt, every move, every breath, even blinking caused her pain. It was like a nightmare she couldn't wake up from. "Anyone?!" Why were there no doctors? Why was there no one? "Shoto?!" She stumbled again, this time falling to her knees as she let out a shout of pain. She covered her face with her hand and let out a sob. "Please! Anyone?! Help me!"

"She's awake!" someone shouted from down the hall. When Karasu looked up, a microphone was being shoved in her face. "You! Karasu- Takami? That's your last name? Hawks' little sister?! Why did he take you from your mother? When did he take you from your mother? Did he force you to become a pro? Does he abuse you like Endeavor did to his children?"

"Get out of my face!" she screamed as she knocked him back with her wings. Karasu stumbled away from the reporter and down the hall. "Anybody!" she called desperately. "Help me!" She tripped and fell to her knees with a scream again, tears running down her face.

"Karasu?" Natsuo said from the other end of the hallway, his tone surprised as he stopped walking when he saw her.

"What? Oh my gosh-" Fuyumi hurried over to her and helped her to stand up again. "What are you doing out here? Where are your doctors?"

"I don't know. No one's around except that stupid intruder reporter." Karasu looked back at the reporter as security dragged him away. "I can't find anyone. No doctors. Hawks."

"We're going to see Shoto and Enji. Why don't you come with us?" Rei Todoroki stepped up beside her children.

"What? Mom, don't you think this is a family matter." Natsuo looked at his mother warily.

"I know everything she's done to help Shoto," Rei said as she smiled at Karasu. "She's basically a part of this family now."

Karasu looked from her to Fuyumi and Natsuo as Fuyumi helped her stand against her IV stand. "I- I don't want to intrude if I'm not welcome." she said quietly, folding her wings behind herself. "I just don't know where Hawks is, if you can get me to someone who could tell me-"

"Hawks? He's already been discharged." Rei responded, looking down at Karasu. "I wanted to see him, but that's what they told me."

Karasu's eyes widened. "No. He wouldn't- he wouldn't leave without seeing me- I-" she hung her head forward, taking a deep breath as she closed her eyes tightly. "That can't be right- I need to find my phone-"

"Come on. We're going to go see Shoto first." Fuyumi said gently, putting a hand on her shoulder. The four of them started walking, each of them silent. The gravity of the situation was evident to all of them- especially as the cries and screams of the crowd out front became clearer and easier to understand each time they passed a window. Karasu felt like she was drowning- both mentally and physically. Hawks.. Keigo. Keigo had left without talking to her? He hadn't left a note or a message for her in her hospital room, and no nurse had found her to deliver a message from him. It was so unlike him. She clutched her IV stand tightly as she limped along, focusing on breathing. What was going on? Had Dabi said something about them in his broadcast? She took a deep breath and continued forward. She couldn't think too much about it or she'd have a breakdown. Todoroki. She could focus on him- was he okay? Was he awake? She needed him to be okay. She needed to see him, to talk to him, to be held by him.