A Merfolk's Tale

Chapter Twenty Two

The door slamming caught Shoto's attentions after several hours of waiting for Shouta and Touya to come back after their trip to the village. The two adults had insisted on going around since they were the least to attract anyone's attention and they were both used to doing stealth mode missions with Touya doing it almost all his life.

They had planned a few days ago to infiltrate the castle but they had to make sure first that Izuku was inside rather than outside since most of the guards were roaming around the streets of Yuei under Shigaraki's command and they wanted to avoid a big fight given that they were totally outnumbered.

"Well...?" Katsuki was the first to ask as Shoto looked at his brother in anticipation.

"We didn't see him in the circle nor did the guards give off any hints that Shigaraki was chaining him back there," Touya said.

"The pirate king had been keeping him inside the dungeon, as to what we heard," Shouta said. "Said that Shigaraki had no intention of letting him out anytime soon since none of us had given a sign that we were to rescue him anyway,"

"Shigaraki's starting to grow anxious," Touya said, "He starting to think that his plan to lure you out using Izuku was starting to fail,"

"We have to rescue him now," Shoto said as he tried to stop himself from imagining how much torment Izuku had been enduring for the past days and the more time they delay the rescue operation, the more time Izuku spends trapped in the pirate king's hands.

Touya walked towards his younger brother and gave him a pat on the shoulder and a reassuring smile. "We've had it all figured out," he said, "We will get Izuku and Yuei back,"

"We're coming," Eiji said and Touya nodded.

Shoto looked at Momo who looked like she wanted to come too, as well as Uraraka and Mitsuki. "You have to stay here," he said and Uraraka started to voice out her protest.

"But Izuku--"

"He wouldn't want you getting in the middle of the fight," Shoto said, "Neither do I. Stay here with Mitsuki-san and Yagi-kun... it will be safer if you wait here,"

"The guards are probably blocking up every secret entrance around the castle," Momo said.

"You can't come," Tenya said.

"You can't stop me," Momo answered as the twins glared at each other. "Izuku is my friend as well. I want to help save him and I can't sit idly by knowing you're all risking your lives here... so please... at least let us help,"

Shoto looked between Momo and Tenya when Shouta stepped up. "I think letting them come would be a good idea,"

Immediately, the girls' faces lit up but Tenya clenched his fist. "I am not letting my sister fight!" he argued.

"They don't have to," Shouta said, "I'm sure Shigaraki had his ways in injuring Izuku severely and if they catch us and fight breaks out, they'll be the one to carry Izuku to safety before we flee as soon as they're in a safe distance,"

"And if the other guards catch up on them?" Tenya asked but turned when Eiji put a hand on his friend's shoulder as the redhead pointed at himself.

"I'll come with them as soon as we grab Izuku," Eiji assured and Tenya looked away.

Momo took a step forward and grabbed Tenya's hand and she sternly looked at him in the eyes. "I'm fighting with you whether you like it or not," she said.

"Why are you so stubborn?" Tenya asked in a whining tone that made Momo smile. "Because we're twins and growing up with you and those two stubborn princes would make anyone stubborn in the long run,"