From Distant Lands - Juro's Return

Chapter Twenty-One

The instant I was able to report what happened on my patrol, an emergency meeting was called between the local heroes and police force and almost everyone was pulled from their own patrols to attend. Now, as I arrive at the last minute, I have to push through several people to get to the center of the briefing, listening as the top agencies argue over what to do next.

"We need more information. As a former student of mine, I'm fairly certain I can guess Bakugo's next move. There has to be a reason for his actions" Endeavor says firmly, but Hawks shakes his head, an agitated look on his face.

"We don't know that. He attacked another hero!" he argues and Shiori nods at his side, a grave look on her face.

"Everyone needs to calm down. As far as we know, Bakugo hasn't harmed any civilians. We have no reason to believe that he's gone off the deep end" Aizawa interjects from across the room, just as passive as ever. I clench my fists. They don't know. I was there.

"We should put together a team to go after him" Hawks insists and Endeavor gets that same stubborn look on his face.

"There isn't a need to go after him" he growls and it sets something off within me. A fierce reaction that I don't recognize.

"Of course we have to go after him!" I snap, drawing everyone's attention to me. All around the room I see familiar faces. Shiori, Shoto, Kirishima, Deku... Kaminari, Tokoyami, Ojiro, and Koda... these are all faces I grew up with. People I know. Shoto shares a look with me, the expression on his face torn between a multitude of emotions, but I ignore it for now, that same unfamiliar feeling welling up inside me.

"I understand you're upset, Kaida, but we can't go running after Bakugo if there's a chance we're putting him in more danger" Endeavor tells me and I glower at him.

"You weren't the one he attacked. That isn't Bakugo anymore" I tell him, remembering the sense of wrongness I felt coming off of him.

"And how would you know that? You haven't exactly been around" Kaminari retorts. I freeze, feeling his words like a slap across the face. I know what he's trying to imply... and he's not wrong. Bakugo changed after I left him, but somehow I just know it. I can sense it. There's something wrong here and none of them seem to be listening to me.

"That's fair... but I need you to trust me, Kaminari. This wasn't Bakugo" I tell him, meeting his eyes as bravely as I can. I never thought I'd ever see any amount of malice in Kaminari's expression, especially when it comes to a friend, but as he looks at me now, there's bitterness on his face.

"Arguing amongst ourselves here isn't going to help Bakugo. Kaida, what do you know?" Aizawa interrupts again, somehow making me feel like we're all back in high school. I tear my gaze away from Kaminari, trying to ignore the violent guilt churning around in my stomach.

"I'm not sure if he was going after civilians directly, but when I showed up he attacked immediately... there was no emotion, no talking, nothing. Bakugo wasn't himself. I'm one-hundred percent certain of it" I reply, voice clear and concise. Shiori looks at me from across the room, her gaze tense and worried and Hawks clenches his fists beside her, staring me down.

"Is he dangerous?" he asks me head on and I don't know why I hesitate. Hell, I don't know what's going on with me, but the need to go after him is stronger than anything else.

"If not to others, then definitely to himself... and there's something else..." I tell them and a silence falls over the room, everyone watching me closely. I grit my teeth, the truth burning through me as impossible and hard to accept as it is... I know it down to my very core.