Exploding Through Dimensions

Chapter 11: Combustion Man

"Hatsume, psst Hatsume!" Deku tried to wake the sleeping girl from her current slouched position on one of her working tables. It was already six in the morning and while he, Iida and Todoroki decided to go for a run before classes started, they decided to come and check on the girl as well since it became pretty obvious since the beginning that she had been losing more sleep than usual. They knew she continued to work throughout the day and well into the night to try and find a solution on how to bring them back which was a difficult task for anyone to handle.

The tell-tale signs of motor oil, dirt, grease, and something he couldn't pinpoint continued to stain her cheek as she continued to lightly snore. With blankets and a pillow laying on the worn couch nearby.

"Maybe we should let her sleep." Todoroki quietly said in an attempt to not try and wake her. Everyone was worried and took turns to see if there had been any new updates on the situation but had yet to hear anything and after a while felt reluctant to even ask Hatsume again knowing the poor girl didn't have the answers.

Nodding Deku accepted the blanket Iida handed him to place on her shoulders until she jolted awake at the contact, startling them all when she screamed which let them to do the same.

"Wait what's going on?!" she whipped her head around trying to remember where she was until her eyes landed on the small tracer she'd been working on. "Oh."

Awkwardly clearing his throat Iida straightened his glasses. "Hatsume how long have you been here this time? You do realize it's not healthy to neglect your sleep."

"Noted." She dismissively waved a hand before forcibly blinking her eyes in an attempt to help her refocus on the important thing that matters. "But I have work to do."

"Hatsume." Deku walked forward until he was facing her. "Iida's right. As much as we all want them back in one piece, you do need rest. We're worried about you too."

"Pfft sleep? Who needs it." She grinned. "You know how much stuff I could accomplish if I didn't-"

"Hatsume." Iida's stern voice said from behind which made her drop her energetic smile. "Get some rest."

"But you don't get it!" she spun around to face them. "This is all my fault! If it wasn't for me then none of this would be happening."

"Hatsume-"

"And besides..." she continued to speak while grabbing the small metal screen in her hand which they recognized as being the tracer. "I think I was able to find a way on how to locate them using the information I recorded from the bracelet as well as some dusty old manuals I happen to luckily stumble upon."

"You have?" Todoroki's eyes grew in surprise.

"Yeah." She frowned down at it. "But anytime I try and get it to work it just goes haywire and is unable to locate them. Power Loader says that it's still malfunctioning but I'm not so sure..."

When Iida saw Deku begin to mumble to himself and placing his finger to his chin deep in thought he shared an understanding look with Todoroki.

"Midoriya?" Todoroki asked.

"What are you thinking?"

"Oh." Snapping out of his racing thoughts the One for All sure blinked back at them in surprise as if just now realizing they were here. "Sorry it's just...what if you've really managed to get it to work Hatsume."

"Huh? I just told you..." Her expression changed from confused to amazement when she caught on to what he was thinking. "Unless...they're not even in this world to locate!"

X

By the time they finally made it back to the cliff above the Western Air Temple everyone was beyond beat and headed over to their makeshift beds while Sokka, Mina and Uraraka quietly made their way back into the temple to get some much-needed shut eye.