The Emerald Prince

Chapter 72: Revelry in the Dark

Izuku looked over the forest pensively. The dark trees looked back, refusing to give up their secrets as he stretched his range quirk to the limits in search of them. Whoever they were.

"Hey, Izu."
"Izuku?"
"Deku, snap out of it."

He jumped when a hand touched his shoulder, and felt a stab of guilt when the hand flinched away at his reaction, Kaachan. He pulled his gaze away from the tree line and turned to look at his friends.
"Sorry, just me being stupid."
"Oh really?" Said Shinsou, his words playful but his tone serious, "I've never seen you being stupid, could you explain so I can fully enjoy the experience?"
He shook his head unable to laugh, "just feeling uneasy."
"Revelry in the dark." Murmured Tokoyami.
"Not a fan of jump scares huh dude?" Asked Kirishima grinning brightly, though something in his eyes told Izuku it was slightly forced. They'd all been a bit odd since the hot springs on the first night, but he was too preoccupied to think about that now.

He watched as Asui and Uraraka headed into the forest, meaning only four pairs were left.
Shinsou and Ojiro, Kirishima and Todoroki, Bakugou and Tokoyami and him and Kouta. He felt Kouta's hand clutch his and glanced down at the kid.
"Don't need to worry Izu-ni! I'll be there with you to protect you from those 1B fuckers!"
The greenette grinned, and squeezed Kouta's hand back. "Thanks Kouta! That's very reassuring!"
Bakugou snorted, and Kouta raised his middle finger at the blond.

"Oi! Shinsou, Ojiro! Your turn!" Exclaimed Pixie-Bob enthusiastically.
"See you on the other side Izu." Said the purple haired teen with a grin.
"See ya Izuku!" Called blond, smiling softly as they walked away.
Izuku nodded, fighting the urge to grab onto the back of Shinsou's jacket, he felt nauseous with the amount of adrenaline his body was producing.

He watched silently as Shinsou and Ojiro disappeared down the forest track and were swallowed into the darkness.
His companions watched him silently in turn, each one worried. Izuku looked more on edge than any of them had ever seen him, excepting perhaps before he faced Bakugou in the Sports Festival.

The air was still, not a breath of wind, though the forest still twitched and rustled with creatures and 1B students unseen. No forest was ever truly still or quiet, the trees talk, and life and vitality saturate such places, interconnecting thousands of creatures in a vast, shifting and evolving network. And yet it seemed far stiller than it had, the past couple of days... like it was waiting.

The group waited too, in taut silence for several minutes since Shinsou and Ojiro had left. Kirishima was just about to speak when Izuku noticed their presence.

He took such a sharp intake of breath as the reality hit him, he almost choked.
"Izuku?" Murmured Todoroki, looking at him searchingly as he watched all colour drain from the greenette's face.
Izuku didn't even acknowledge him, sprinting across to where Mandalay and Pixie-Bob stood, keeping an eye on the time to know when to send the next pair in. They looked startled when he skidded to a halt in front of them, but he interrupted whatever they were about to say or ask.

"Do you trust me?"
His eyes were round in pleading, he needed their cooperation, this would be so much harder without it. Thankfully, the pair were too surprised to question him and nodded.
He sighed in relief and his eyes darted from one to the other as he spoke. "For reasons I don't have time to explain, I was just able to sense the arrival of the League of Villains, they're in the forest."

The duo stared and Izuku pressed forward. "I've faced Shigaraki twice, I know what I'm doing and I'll explain just how qualified I am after we get through this. Please Mandalay, message my Da- Eraserhead, get him to bring everyone to this point. Give students permission to use their quirks in defence, and get them to make their way back as quickly as possible?"