Chapter Text
“Thank you for helping me.”
Mind Matter side-eyed Tokoyami. “What?”
“You provided a distraction that gave me adequate time to escape.” While Tokoyami flew, Mind Matter stayed on his reflective hoverboard, gliding by him at a distance. The flight had been silent until Tokoyami spoke up, nearly back at the HPSC headquarters. “I am thanking you for it.”
“Oh. You’re welcome, kid!” Mind Matter smiled wide before turning his head to continue surveying the sky. Once his face was away from Tokoyami, he dropped the smile and rolled his eyes.
“I do have a question for-”
Mind Matter cut him off with an exasperated tone. “What.”
“Um.” Tokoyami spoke quieter than before, looking away. “How did you know to be there? My mission was going well. His-” Tokoyami felt a sour taste in his mouth even alluding to the hero trying to hunt him down. “-untimely arrival could not have been predicted.”
“I was just in the right place at the right time.” He didn’t give any explanation besides that, but he did shift his hoverboard closer to Tokoyami. “You do trust me to get you out of your own messes, don’t you?”
Tokoyami didn’t say anything right away, and Mind Matter’s face immediately drooped, hurt by his words. “You don’t trust me, Tsukuyomi? After everything, with training and the rescue? I really try my best to be there for-”
“I do.” Tokoyami quickly fumbled to reassure the older hero. “I do trust you, Mind Matter. Truly.”
His smile came back easily, a glint in his eye as he ruffled Tokoyami’s feathers. Dark Shadow jolted. “Good. I’m glad to hear that. And unlike other people, I won’t misplace it.”
Tokoyami exhaled in relief.
“ He doesn’t get to touch your feathers. ” Dark Shadow growled in their shared headspace. The malice was clear, especially since thick clouds covered most of the sun. “ He should NOT get the privilege. ”
“ I’m the one who decides that, Dark Shadow. ” Tokoyami thought back. “ He’s just looking out for us. ”
“ He hates us! And we hate him. ”
“ No we don’t. We- ”
“Hey.” Mind Matter snapped in front of his face. “Your eyes are glazing over. You need to focus, we’re almost there.”
“Sorry.” Tokoyami mumbled. “I was just conversing with my quirk.”
“I didn’t hear anything.”
“I can talk with Dark Shadow telepathically.” Tokoyami dropped the information about his quirk like it was nothing, and Mind Matter’s eyes narrowed in realization as he stored the intel away. Dark Shadow glared at him.
“Well, since you’re back, I’m expecting there to be information you can give us about your mission.” The two touched down in an unknown alleyway. Tokoyami nodded.
“There is.”
“See? Look at what being here has done to help your hero skill set. You’re getting closer to your potential. Good job, kid!” Mind Matter spoonfed the sickly-sweet compliments, inwardly scoffing when Tokoyami’s posture straightened at the praise. “Now here, put these on.” He handed Tokoyami a bracelet and a black hood.
Tokoyami was about to take them, but Dark Shadow put a claw over his hand. “ The hell are these for? ”
“It’s protocol. I had to use it when I first started too.” Mind Matter lied through his nonchalant smile. “Protects everyone involved.”
Dark Shadow moved his claw away, subconsciously floating closer to his host’s body. Tokoyami didn’t know why, but he could feel the quirk buzzing with anxious energy, almost like he was anticipating something.
And then, the voice in his head:
“ Hold on. ”
Without command, Dark Shadow grabbed Tokoyami for Dark Fallen Angel, traveling up the alley wall to hide in the clouds. The ascent was rocky, with the joint task of carrying Tokoyami while also fighting off his host’s lunge for control-
Mind Matter snatched Tokoyami out of the sky, grabbing his ankle and throwing him back down to the ground where he was quickly pinned. “What the hell are you trying to do? Do you want Hawks to find you?”
“No, no I-”
“Then why did you try to escape? Should I tell the President that you’re disobeying orders?” Mind Matter pressed down harder.
“I didn’t- I didn’t know Dark Shadow was going to do that.” Tokoyami struggled underneath the older man’s weight, trying to get his arm out from underneath the awkward position it was forced to. “Mind Matter, you’re hurting me-”
“Control. Your. Quirk. After all I said about your progress, it looks like you still haven’t gotten anywhere. You need to keep training, Tsukuyomi.” Mind Matter got up on his own accord, not because of Tokoyami’s quiet discomfort. He roughly pulled Tokoyami to his feet, snapping on the bracelet immediately. Dark Shadow zipped back into Tokoyami, a squawk of surprise being cut off by forceful deactivation. A quirk suppressor.
“I’m sorry.” Tokoyami stared at the bracelet on one wrist, then the chip in his other. “I’ll do better.”
“Sorry won’t cut it on the battlefield.” The hero had no empathy in his voice, and he snapped in front of Tokoyami’s beak when he saw the boy stare at the chip for too long. “You need a clear head for what’s coming next, so you’re not going to get a dosage. I won’t tell anyone about this incident, okay?”
Tokoyami bowed deeply, and he could feel his body relax knowing he wouldn’t be made sick. He was anxious about his return, but it wouldn’t be wise to voice his concerns; he’s lucky enough to be granted a mercy like this already. “You’re very just. Thank you, Mind Matter.”
“Uh huh. I’m just trying to look out for you. Now let’s get this on, we’re wasting time.” The hood went over Tokoyami’s face, completely covering his vision. He felt Mind Matter put a guiding hand on his back as they began to walk.
Back into the building. Back to gray walls.
“I cannot stress this enough, do NOT leave your teams.” Hawks stared down each and every student, making the extra motion of angling two fingers to his eyes and pointing them at Bakugo, Todoroki, and Midoriya. Those three always seem to run off to do their own thing, which is why he separated them. “The building is a maze on a normal day, and since it’s safe to assume they know I’m coming, it’ll be filled with danger that can easily pluck you off if you’re alone. I need you all to promise me that you’ll watch each other’s backs. Okay?”
The students solemnly nodded as a response.
“Nezu was able to get us a warrant.” Present Mic called back to the students from the bus’ driver's seat. Yes, a bus. A promise was a promise, and with 19 kids to inconspicuously transport to break into a corrupt heroics department to save a student, there aren’t many options. They just look like they’re taking a field trip. “Which means that they can’t take your licenses away if you get caught. But we can avoid that whole situation if you just don’t get caught in the first place. Sounds good, listeners?”
“How did Nezu get a warrant so fast?” Hawks leaned over to whisper to Aizawa, who was trying to sleep. The teacher cracked an eye open. “We have a friend in the force. And I’ve grown to just trust what Nezu does and not question his efficiency.”
“Ooooooookay then.” Hawks’ voice lingered on the vowel with suspicion. He perked up when he heard someone call his name from the sea of hero students. “What’s up? Who said that?”
“I did.” Sero raised his hand.
“Um… Give me a second, I know the name-” He snapped his fingers like it would help jog his memory. “Sero, yeah?”
Sero was already tense, but his face grew more serious at the hero’s words. “It’s Cellophane here, sir.”
“Right, Cellophane.” Hawks clarified, giving him a singular nod of respect. “What’s up?”
“Tokoyami’s arm. I don’t-” He beat a curled fist against the seat in front of him and switched to a tangent. “I had him. If my tape was stronger, or I pulled him in, or- I don’t know, did something , we-”
“Oh my God, you’re all the same.” Hawks couldn’t help the exasperated wheeze that leaked into his words. As an afterthought, he cringed at himself when Sero rested his head against his arm in defeat, leaned against the seat in front of him. Bakugo and Ashido glared at Hawks.
“Ah damn it, I didn’t mean to interrupt you or sound like that, just… Look. This is for all of you. If you spend time making yourself the only player in the blame game every time you finish a fight, you’re not going to survive a day on the field.” Hawks didn’t sugarcoat his words in the slightest, not caring about the wide eyes that came from his statement. “I’m not saying you’re never going to be in the wrong; stuff happens, and yeah, it might be your fault. But worrying about it to the point where you can’t focus on what’s going to happen next is a problem. You never know what’s going to go down, no matter how much you plan.”
He was never one to try and be inspiring, but the looks on the wonder kids’ faces made him realize that he wasn’t half bad at giving good advice in a serious way. As much as he wanted to savor it, he knew the attention span of teenagers, so he began to wrap it up. “The important thing is adapting. What’s a hero going to do with a broken spirit? I know it sucks, but you have to keep going at it. And Cellophane?” Hawks waited until the young hero looked up at him. “You caught him. I couldn’t even do that. Alright?”
Sero nodded slowly, and that was all the confirmation he was willing to give before returning to the original topic. “...There’s something metal embedded in Tokoyami’s left wrist. A tracker maybe?”
“Whatever it is, it’s probably not doing him any good.” Jiro leaned over the bus seat. “It’d be safest to remove it asap.”
“Good thinking, aux cord.” Hawks pointed a finger-gun her way, and it was enough to get a small snort out of Kaminari. At least someone appreciated his humor and was willing to keep things light. “Here’s the dealio. I’m going to distract the higher-ups, the guards, as many people as I can. I’ll draw it out with a few tricks here and there while you all get in. There are two entrances we’re focusing on: a connector via an alleyway and the second story elevator shaft. Teams 1, 2, and 5 will take the alley. 4 and 3 have the second floor. It’s mostly storage; not a lot of people and lots of cover.”
“What about the teachers?” Uraraka asked. She was twisting her pinky around, probably a nervous habit.
“One with each entrance. Once you’ve all safely entered, you need to divide and conquer. Once I have the higher-ups relatively subdued, I’ll join the search as well. We will not leave until we have Tokoyami, and only then we rendezvous through the lobby. Got it?”
“Yes, sir!”
“And what are we not to do?”
“Leave our teams.”
Hawks nodded with satisfaction. He looked at Eraserhead. “Is this what it feels like to be a teacher?”
“Nope.” Present Mic answered for him. “I hardly get their full attention.”
“Hate to break it to you, but it’s because you’re not me.” Hawks flexed his wing muscles. “It’s very hard for people to look away.”
“Your cockiness needs to be left on the bus.” Aizawa grumbled after a particularly rough pull to a stop. “They’re focused for the sake of someone that isn’t you.”
“Um…” Tentatively raising her hand, Yaoyorozu spoke up from the middle of the bus, apologetic for interrupting the teachers. “Who was the man we saw help Tokoyami escape?”
Hawks groaned, loud and long in a way that wasn’t professional whatsoever. “I forgot most of you haven’t gotten the pleasure of meeting Mind Matter.”
Bakugo cut him off with a bark of a laugh. “Mind Matter? His name is Mind Matter ? That’s rich.”
“Oh yeah, you’re telling me. He’s an HPSC contracted hero who served as my sidekick before getting booted the day he was sent to me.”
“Hawks, why’d you hire that guy?” One of the students blurted and Hawks immediately shrugged his shoulders in defense of himself.
“I didn’t! He was given to me against my wishes, and I kid you not, is THE reason why we’re in this mess. God, I hate that guy. What a kiss-up snitch.” As he rambled, a couple students inched closer, soaking up the Number Two Hero’s gossip. “Insufferable. He’s got such a basic quirk, but I hate to admit, he’s a tough opponent. And that stupid costume- he’s got this weird coat design and an obnoxious shade of purple that glows in some areas, and a stupid smile that he wears everywhere and makes SO convincing!” He threw his hands up in exasperation. “He’s a master emotional manipulator who can really get to you, so be. Careful. Mind Matter’s faker than I am, and that’s saying something.”
Hawks himself didn’t mind the self-burn, but salt was thrown onto the wound when Mr. Aizawa mumbled under his breath. “Damn.”
Present Mic found a spot a street down from the HPSC headquarters, parked, and turned around in his seat to wait for Hawks’ cue. The Number Two scratched his nose, bringing himself back down from his rant. “Okay… Whew. This is it, heroes. We got this. Remember who you’re fighting for. That last bit was for me, by the way. Needed to hear it aloud. Damn!” Hawks held his hand against his head and blew out air with a tight funnel. “I am freaking out a bit for unspecified reasons I will not be getting into. Okay, no! Nope! We’re good.” He slapped his face a few times, ignoring the few confused (and judgemental) looks from the students.
“Hawks.”
“Yep?”
“Focus.” Aizawa’s curt, single-word response left no room for arguing. He stood and stretched his shoulders, bringing his goggles down over his eyes. It was his turn to address the class, and he motioned for all of them to stand. “The only reason why you’re here is because we deemed you crucial to this rescue mission. Don’t prove me wrong.”
The bus door opened and each team left to their designated entry points. Hawks watched the kids go; the way they silently assumed position almost made him think that they weren’t, but he didn’t allow himself to dwell on it for long. It was of little concern compared to how badly he wanted to see Fumikage again.
Hawks walked down the street and towards the building, mouthing each story as his eyes traveled upward, stopping once he found his drop-in point. With a deep exhale through his mouth, Hawks ditched his sticky emotions and dug deep- he moved past his TV face and reached straight for his mission mask, allowing himself to feel cold, invigorating determination. His face was void of any emotion, which said nothing for the ticking time bomb within the rest of his body; the calm before the storm. He spread his wings and prepared for takeoff, mumbling to himself a familiar phrase- a little battle cry that would help him get through this
“Revelry in the dark.”
All Tokoyami could register was sound: footsteps clattering through lifeless halls. At least he didn’t have to see what was becoming his least favorite color. He couldn’t gauge how long they walked for or how many turns he took, but was grateful nonetheless when the mask was finally pulled off of his face. With cowlicked feathers and squinting eyes as he readjusted to the light, he stared at Mind Matter patiently, who's posture was as serious as a schoolgirl about to receive secrets .
“So? What did you find out?”
“Shouldn’t I wait until I see the Presid-”
“C’mon, you know you can tell me! Think of it as a practice report. I have to hear if it’s good!” Mind Matter punched his arm playfully, and if Dark Shadow wasn’t being suppressed, he would have bit the sidekick’s hand clean off.
“I know who the traitor is among my class.” Tokoyami started there, monotone and quick to the point. Mind Matter’s mouth made an ‘o’.
“Are you serious? UA seriously let some villain kid sneak in. Wow. That’s…” He clicked his tongue. “That’s why your class has gotten the brunt of everything. A traitor. Damn. So many sad reveals today. This, plus your friends trying to hand you over to Hawks…”
Tokoyami glared. “You’re reminding me of this why?”
Mind Matter pointed at him. “Hey, don’t give me attitude.”
“I have no attitude. This is how I talk normally.”
“Then don’t talk- just-” He waved his hand about dismissively. The friendly, coworker-like approach dropped as Tokoyami showed distaste for it. “Mission report, Tsukuyomi. Who’s the traitor? And how’d you find out?”
“His name is Yuga Aoyama.” Tokoyami spared the briefest glance to look at his bracelet. Dark Shadow’s comfort was being missed at the moment. “I figured it out because he gave himself away.”
“Oh? How so?”
There was a frantic knocking on Tokoyami’s door. With an annoyed huff, Tokoyami got up. He couldn’t pretend that he wasn’t in here; the lights he had on shone under the door and gave him away. He opened the door just wide enough to poke his head out, confused when he saw one of his floormates panting. “...Do you need something, Aoyama?”
“Is it true?”
Tokoyami frowned. “Excuse me? What are you implying?”
Aoyama looked down the hall on both sides, double-checking if anyone was there. They were in the clear. “I overheard Uraraka and Shoji talking to Mr. Aizawa. They were telling him that they found out you were Toga. Why wasn’t I told about this?”
Tokoyami opened the door wider, feeling something start to simmer inside of him. “Are you serious?”
“Oui.” Aoyama was nervous. “So, are you?”
Tokoyami replied snarkily. “What do you think?”
Aoyama’s eyes widened. “Madame, I wasn’t aware that you were sent to infiltrate. Did you need me to help with anything?”
“It was truly upsetting to hear that my friends assumed I was a villain, but I was not lost to the anxious servitude within Aoyama’s words. It’s clear he’s the one working with the League if he was so quick to want to help a presumably shapeshifted Toga.”
Mind Matter nodded slowly as he pondered what he was told. “This is huge. I’m actually really proud of you, Tsukuyomi. And you kept this under wraps?”
“He doesn’t know I know. No one does. How harrowing to know one of our own has been the key to our downfall, like traitorous Macbeth sent to slit our throats at the darkest hour.” Tokoyami bowed his head with his eyes closed. “My emotions were great- resentment overtaking my despondency and bringing me to dance along the cusp of my control. They messed up, and I had publicly chided them for their rumors.”
“Wow…” Mind Matter drew out the consonant in a way one does when they’re falsely invested in the speaker across from them, voice cheery and facials carefully intrigued. “That sure is one way to put it. But I would like to ask you: there wouldn’t have been any reason for me to believe your cover was blown, right?”
Tokoyami shook his head no, slowly at first, but then more confident as he thought back the past few days. “No, they don’t know anything.”
Sugary belittling slank into condescending. “I don’t lie to you, do I? So why are you lying to my face?”
Tokoyami frowned. “I don’t-”
Mind Matter snatched up his wrist, shaking it in his grasp in front of Tokoyami’s face. “You got a dose while you were on campus, which only happens if warranted. Unless you’re becoming addicted to the stuff-”
“It was a small slip of the tongue.” Tokoyami admitted. “Unacceptable, I know, but no one knew what it meant.”
Saying it aloud helped convince himself of this. Because Mind Matter was right- if there wasn’t a chance of a breach, nothing would have happened. But Class 1A was smart, and it was his reaction to Midoriya’s words that resulted in the dosage. He realized he gave too much away in his anger, and he knew instantly that it was enough to spur Midoriya’s line of thinking. But surely Midoriya couldn’t expand on whatever theory Tokoyami knew he now had; it wasn’t enough to prove anything. Surely. “My friends are none the wiser.”
“Your friends.” Mind Matter mimicked. He swapped from sympathetic to aggressive quicker and easier than what should be plausible, but the rapid changes kept Tokoyami enthralled; he was dependent on them. “Tsukuyomi, those aren’t your friends. They called you a villain and almost let Hawks take you.” He dropped Tokoyami’s arm and casually hooked his elbow around the student’s shoulder. “I’m rough out of compassion, they’ve got some ugly colors that have been revealed. But you know who you can depend on now?”
Tokoyami closed his eyes again. “You. And the HPSC.”
“There we go. Exactly.” Mind Matter ruffled his feathers, and the crow-headed boy tried not to flinch when he felt a feather snap. As he was doing so, Mind Matter seemed to belatedly realize something, bringing his grin down to furrowed concern.
“Mind Matter, are you alright?”
“Yeah, just-” He looked at where they were. A medium sized, empty storeroom. It’d be hard to find them if you didn’t know the underground layout. “Your classmates. Do you think they’re going to come for you?”
That made Tokoyami pause. They didn’t try to save him before, but if Hawks was revealed to be with them, then he was probably using his charisma to manipulate them into moving at his timing. He was hurt by them, and though he badly wanted to forgive, they probably didn’t want to salvage anything.
“...I don’t think so, no.”
Before Mind Matter could say anything else, an intercom system screeched to life. It wasn’t the President’s voice, but her secretary. “We’ve been invaded. Do not let-”
A horrible buzzing sound filled the room, the noise being too loud for the speakers so it completely warped the audio and released what sounded like someone screeching into the microphone. The two quickly covered their ears, only removing them after the intercom blinked out after an uncomfortable amount of time.
Mind Matter stared at the door with a hand returning to the side of his helmet, the dread in his stomach making the pleasing silence less palatable. “I think you might be wrong.”
-
A few minutes before
“Where is he?! Where is Tokoyami?!” Hawks kicked the balcony doors open, feather blades in both hands. He was purposefully being loud and ready to snap at every movement. This was the entrance he usually entered from: away from prying eyes and ears, but most importantly, very far away from where 1A was trying to enter. The people around him jumped, some making calls for security. Good.
“Hawks, you can’t-”
“What, be here?” Hawks channeled his brother as he served a deep glare to everyone in the room, especially to the worker who had the audacity to speak to him. “I’ve been here longer than you have. You don’t get to tell me where I can be. I kept my distance as promised, but kidnapping my intern was TOO far. He didn’t do anything!”
The elevator dinged, and about five guards and 2 heroes came through. They didn’t attack, but they looked ready to. Hawks scoffed. “Cute. Is this all you could spare? I want to talk to the President, now .” He aimed a blade about a foot away from a higher-up’s chest. “You have her contact, and most people in this room don’t, so that leaves it up to you.”
The woman raised her hands. Despite being at slashing distance, she felt entitled enough to snap back. “Clearly Tsukuyomi has done something, otherwise you wouldn’t be throwing a tantrum this way! What are you trying to accomplish?”
“I want-” Feathers pinned a guard that tried to advance to a wall. “-to talk to the President. I no longer choose to be tied down because your paranoia and control complex gives you the urge to make child soldiers. So, I offer a deal: Tell me where Tokoyami is, and I tell you the identity of Dabi.”
The room stilled.
“You’re giving conditions? That information is owed to us.” She snarled. “Who is Dabi? How long have you known?”
“When I suspected you went against our agreement, I figured that morsel of information could be saved for my benefit.” He pretended to think. “If that isn’t enough, I’m sure I could think of some other things to bring up. Not to you, but the media. Now that’d be something!”
It was working. They took the bait and were finally seeing how scary he could be. He just had to keep it up for a bit more. He turned his focus to a man sitting at a computer, one with camera screens being shown live. A feather flew straight into the screen, causing the whole machine to fizzle out and die. There were screams. A hero ran at him.
“You’re acting like a villain, Hawks! Stand down.”
“I guess I’m reflecting what I’ve been taught.” The grapple didn’t take long- Hawks had his arm in a twist that left him wiggling in pain. “President, now.” No one was moving. “NOW!”
The higher-up finally pulled out her phone, sending a hasty call with shaking shoulders. “Sh-she’s coming.”
“Good! Now, while we wait… Would anyone like to talk about how you set me up?” He shoved the hero away and circled his target. “I’m afraid that’s you still, sweetheart. You were probably in the meeting that made the plan. If one child is enough to take down an entire regime, how strong does that really make you? You wanted Tokoyami back, and knowing he was afraid of me- which is ALSO YOUR FAULT-” Real rage seeped into his shout, the grip on his feather so tight his arm shook. “-and got me to see him, which would bring him back here. How SICK do you have to be to exploit a trauma that YOU MADE?!”
Her eyes and mouth were squeezed tight. Another guard tried to step forward and was met with the same fate as the other. “Nope. Too many failed attempts, not enough talking. So SOMEBODY NEEDS TO-”
“For someone so young, I’d expect you to be more tech savvy.” The elevator dinged, and out came the head of the HPSC. “The agent who visited your agency for checkups added his number to your phone under a false name.”
The Number Two hero shoved the higher-up aside and stormed over to the President. There were more security guards with her, and they stepped between her and Hawks when he got close. He got as close to them as he could, not caring if he spit on them. “Where. Is. Tokoyami.”
“He’s here.” She said it with no problem, like telling someone your favorite color. “As controlled as we keep you, I will admit, I was not expecting you here so quickly. I’m afraid we haven’t prepared for you.”
“Hey, I need to catch you off guard somehow.” In his ear, he heard two beeps: the signal that 1A made it into the building without issue. He’d keep going to give them more time.
“Ah, but being rash means making mistakes.” She clicked her tongue disapprovingly. “Hawks, why are you here?”
“I’m here for Tokoyami. You’ve taken him twice now, and I’m prepared to bargain. Is Dabi’s identity enough?”
“But why like this?” She seemed to mull over what to say next, her stone-cold face showing the barest hint of satisfaction. “Your star pupil isn’t as good as you say. It didn’t take long for him to crack- moreso, his quirk deemed his suffering unsuitable for the information he was withholding. You told him about your mission with the League.”
Hawks shied away. His pupils expanded at her words, not because his brother revealed something, because she admitted that they tortured Fumikage-
“You should not have come. You practically turned yourself in for treason. And this time, you will be dealt with accordingly.”
Hawks didn’t waver. Her words acted as a silent command, and every guard and hero pounced.
In the end, it was about a… 13v1. All of their quirks were aimed at him, both long-ranged and short. Hawks just kept swinging, trying to knock down as many as he could, but he had to admit: this was a challenge. All of his blindspots were open, and for every hit he gave, he got four in return. Someone hit him in the back of the head, leaving something small hidden among his hair. Before anything else could happen, they were quickly thrown into a desk with a mighty flap of Fierce Wings.
The President smirked. She pressed the button on the elevator and waited for it to come back up to her, but the few moments of waiting allowed realization to strike her square in the head. The elevator was coming back up? She just used it.
Oh. Someone else was coming up to join them. Oh- it wasn’t someone she called.
Hawks no longer cared about punishment or control. Tsukuyomi’s plague successfully took his mind. It wasn’t Hawks’ fighting style to purposefully draw foes to himself. But that’s why he was doing it now. It was because-
He was the bait.
The elevator dinged and opened. With a split second of reaction time, she dove to the side just as a speaker blasted waves of sound throughout the room.
“WASSUUUUUUUUP!” Present Mic leaped into the fray, his starting attack disorienting everyone. Including Hawks.
“Mic!” He elbowed a hero in the face, smiling at the older pro with a hint of a wince. “Welcome to the party! You weren’t invited!”
“Please, it doesn’t start ‘til I walk in. YEAHHHHHHH!” The Voice Hero sucker-punched a guard, sending him flying with the volume. The pros found themselves back to back, dwindling their enemies at a quicker rate.
“Where’s Eraser?”
“With the kids! Once- DUCK!” Present Mic put his weight on Hawks’ back, forcing him to bend at the waist. A beam of green sparkles sliced off the tip of Mic’s tall hair. “Once my groups got through the shaft, I took this sick ride up. I’m here to help ya!”
“You’re my favorite UA teacher, I hope you know that!” Hawks dropped to the ground and sweeped his leg to knock down a guard. With the man on the floor, he revealed someone else behind him, winding up to throw a spear. Hawks got to his feet and pulled Present Mic in, wrapping his wings around him as a shield. The spear bounced off.
“Let’s at least get that drink first before you try anything, damn.” Present Mic joked.
A woman ran to a button hidden underneath broken desk pieces. Covering her ears in a panic, she began to speak. “We’ve been invaded. Do not let-”
Hawks’ wings went up, and Present Mic screamed. “NOPE!”
Whatever she was going to say was indiscernible, and the noise became so much that she eventually clicked off the machine. Each time Mic used his quirk, their opponents stopped, so Hawks detached about a dozen feathers from his wings while he could. They went everywhere- whizzing around at extreme speeds and subduing anyone who hadn’t fleed or been knocked out. The President was no longer there.
With a moment to breathe, Hawks reconnected his feathers while laughing. “How have we not hung out sooner?”
The older hero sprayed something into his mouth. “Shota told me if we ever hung out we’d end the world.”
Hawks was genuinely amused. “He’s damn right! Sounds like a nice Sunday brunch activity.”
“Hm. A nice activity…” Present Mic zoned out for a moment as an idea formed in his head. He crouched down in front of a man in a lab coat. His ID was attached to it, and the back was currently facing outward with a map. “You look like you’re smart. Where would Tsukuyomi go in a situation like this?”
“U-um… I only worked with him once or twice. I wouldn’t-”
“Should I repeat the question a little louder this time?” The Voice Hero lifted up his badge. “Where would a guy find a bird-headed hero student with a sentient quirk that doesn’t belong here?”
“I was going to answer man!” The man shuffled backwards. “Training room. That’s my only guess- he’s there a lot and it’s pretty secure. I can’t really point, but about-”
“I see the label. Thanks, listener!” He smiled and stood back up, walking towards the elevator. “These guys won’t give us much trouble now that they’re handled. I say we find this place- it’s our best lead.” Present Mic pressed the elevator button, but Hawks grabbed his shoulder and pulled him away.
“Nah, man. You’re flying Air Hawks today.” Shuffling through his pocket, he pulled a bill out and laid it in the lap of the higher-up he’d been bullying. “Here, I’ll pay for the broken window.”
She looked at him with disgust, struggling against her binds. “What broke-”
Hawks and Present Mic jumped through the glass, shooting down to the lower floors while hollering with excitement.
-
“Time to go, Tsukuyomi.” Mind Matter took the quirk-suppressing bracelet off. “They’re coming for you. I’ll buy you time and hold them off- just keep running. The safest place you can be is the training room. Make it there and you’ll be alright until you get further instruction. Can you do that?”
Tokoyami nodded and took off. He spared a glance behind, to which Mind Matter smiled encouragingly. Looking back ahead and stopping to check the halls, Tokoyami turned the corner and disappeared from view.
“Finally, damn.” Mind Matter took off his helmet and dropped the smile with a tired sigh, scratching an itch on his temple. His somewhat spiky, dark auburn hair was slick with sweat, leaving the short strands matted in a permanent case of helmet-hair that clung to the top of his neck. With some time to spare, Mind Matter removed a gauntlet and ran a few fingers through his ends.
Now that the little freak was passed off, Mind Matter felt he could finally breathe. He felt no urgency about the unknown number of people that made it inside; he’d go and fight eventually, but his one, painstaking task that he’d been getting a generous stipend for had been momentarily relieved; he’d take the opportunity for a break without another thought. He caught a glance of his reflection in his helmet.
When the contracted hero was told he would be a sidekick for Japan’s Number Two, he was ecstatic for the opportunity. He’d finally get the recognition he deserved! What boosted his pride even more was that the HPSC higher-ups decided that he would be in charge of keeping an eye on the Commission’s prized jewel himself. How his skills shone in many ways from one conversation alone. But what could this red-winged angel have done that warranted such surveillance?
And then the intern walked in.
Mind Matter’s biggest fault was that he let his smile slip, but even so, he doesn’t fully blame himself. He was just caught off-guard by the small, weird-looking teenager that was apparently the star pupil, if Hawks’ sudden amiability said anything. What did Hawks even see in him?
Whatever the reason, he failed to make a good first impression. Every other sidekick he talked to before Hawks came, he greeted with a warm smile and excitement that raised the morale of his new coworkers. But each interaction just went further downhill- with the kid’s sentient quirk hissing at him and upstaging him in every attempt at getting Hawks’ attention, Mind Matter’s basic training was starting to slip each time he was near this Tsukuyomi freak. How could anyone smile, real or fake, around him ?
Slamming him into a car was so satisfying, but in his lunge for satisfaction, he forgot to mask the pleasure he got from seeing the kid slide down the face of the vehicle. Anyone cut from the cloth could read the smallest of eye twitches, so when Hawks turned to bore holes into his skull, Mind Matter knew he messed up.
Hawks was mad . He yelled at Mind Matter without pause, and as he did, something in Mind Matter sunk lower and lower, dipping into a trench of disgusted realization.
This was why the HPSC called him here. Hawks formed an unapproved bond, one of the worst things a contracted hero could do, and it was with this ugly-ass child. Out of everything, out of everyone , Hawks chose for this to be his fall from grace.
He thought telling the Commission would be the end of it; he’d watch Hawks be punished for his mistakes and go about his life, being raised up for successfully following orders.
But no. It tethered him to some grand scheme involving kidnapping, torturous training, brainwashing, and who knew what else was still left.
Would it not have been easier to kill the kid on sight?
Mind Matter did not think his hero career would be like this. He didn’t expect to hate a random kid with a burning passion, or use his arsenal of charms so frequently, yet here he was. It was starting to get a little tiring, the way he was stuck with this new life trajectory. This wasn’t the glamorous hero life he wanted or was promised, and it was the hero-in-training’s fault. Now he had to constantly be around him, but the one reason why he kept at it was that he was in more control than he’d ever dream of being.
In the HPSC, this was an opportunity rarer than sentient quirks. He was given input and the luxury of command. Mind Matter was completely okay with having full reign over Tsukuyomi’s emotional and physical wellbeing, and he used these to test how far he could go with what he was given. If he succeeded here, maybe he’d get more.
It was his idea to bring Tsukuyomi back, because he thought it was stupid how the Commission just let him go like that without any other plan. Everything they- everything HE- worked for would not be thrown into the sea just to avoid suspicion.
Did he want to see Hawks’ face as something he cared about was ripped from him? Selfishly, yeah, that was a reason, too.
Mind Matter reattached his gauntlet, snapping the metal cuffs closed and shaking his wrist out. He didn’t want to fight anymore kids than he needed to. But the fact that they successfully infiltrated a conglomerate’s head of operations almost made him think that they weren’t, and he wouldn’t allow himself to dwell on it for long. This was his life now, and he wasn’t going to let anyone make changes that he didn’t have a hand in.
He put his helmet back on and began a light jog. He tapped a red button on the side of his helmet, turning on a built-in comm that connected his coworkers. “I’m in Sector C if anyone wants to help me set a trap, over.”
The first person to respond was from a quintet of contracted fighters. From what Mind Matter heard, they had made contact with Tsukuyomi back when he first escaped containment and unknowingly participated in a timed maze. They weren’t meant to win, but the beatdown they received was telling- this kid fought hard . It was an unarguable fact that 1A would be the same, probably worse, but he was in luck: the one who answered his call hadn’t used his quirk in that fight, and this would be perfect for what Mind Matter had in mind. He turned a corner. “Great, so whenever you can-”
Mind Matter was knocked to the ground. With fast reflexes, Mind Matter backwards rolled into a crouch, getting to his feet with a cautious sneer. Nothing was there. His hand went up to the button again. “On second thought, now would be-”
He was hit again, this time by numerous strikes at different parts of his body. “What the hell?!” He lunged for the air, swiping at what he could before drawing his arms back in to haphazardly block more attacks he couldn’t see coming. His body lurched with the impacts, and it was a lucky jab that allowed him to connect to flesh. There was a high-pitched grunt that followed.
“Invisible, hm?” He searched for the body again, putting full force into his swipes. “Fi-”
He gagged when a firm kick dug into his lower body, making him droop forward. Before he could hit the ground, something unseen and slimy wrapped around his abdomen and slung him forward, right into a yellow-and-white fist.
“SUGAR KNUCKLE!”
Mind Matter went backwards yet again, ending with a skid. He got up with a growl and aimed his quirk for Sato, but his concentration was interrupted by a girlish shriek of anger, followed with a firm punch to the neck. Without letting himself be taken advantage of again, he whipped his head around and fired. The light from the Brain Wave revealed the iridescent outline of a light green-haired girl, glaring at him as she moved her head just in time to avoid being hit. “Oh, you wanna go? Light refraction!”
As his pink beam came spiraling back, it bounced against something in the middle of the hallway and bent against his will. He couldn’t recall it, either- whoever this was was holding it in place.
“Get him Sugarman!”
Sato came running at him, but Mind Matter was more than ready now. Even if his beam was being polarized, he had plenty more to work with. Mind Matter turned and sent both fists forward, which met Sato’s halfway.
“Hm, augmented strength. With a time limit, probably.”
He wasted no time in sending a metal boot into his stomach, drawing back and shooting again and again faster than Sato could react. Whipping his hands up and around, Mind Matter grabbed the top of his wrists and used his body weight to throw him over his back. He hit nothing, but it was the right placement of nothing that got his quirk to successfully retract, meaning the girl went down. If he was but a year older, a move like that would have thrown out his back.
“Cute.” Helmet glowing, Mind Matter picked up the two students and flung them up into the ceiling, then down to the floor. “Just you two? I’m gracious enough to give the enemy advice- anger makes you rush, and rushing puts you in a mess you could’ve slowed down to see.”
There was a burst of rubble a few hundred feet away, where a boy with grenades strapped to his wrists stepped out of the hole he made. “You think that’s angry?” He stormed towards Mind Matter with a gruff bark that reeked of aggression. “Wait ‘til you fight me, loser. Hell, you haven’t even seen the birdbrain’s girlfriend yet.”
On cue, a kick connected with his forehead, the hit melting away to reveal a frog-themed suit. The other camoflauged attacker. A scowl framed by seagreen bangs greeted him as her foot followed through with the attack’s momentum, putting a crack into the helmet’s enhancer. There may have been damage, but at least it absorbed most of the pain. Mind Matter grabbed Tsuyu’s foot before she could leap away, pulling her down and using his studded gauntlet to nail her right in the nose. The metal was decorated with specks of red. Broken, for sure.
Mind Matter didn’t toss her aside like the other two, but kept her close as an incentive to not be attacked. Despite the hostage, Bakugo blasted forward, streaking the walls with charred lines.
Tsuyu wasn’t held for long; she brought her leg up for a perfectly vertical kick, connecting a blow that did hurt like hell, and she was able to writhe away just as Bakugo used his classic technique of an arch of explosions that launched himself above and behind Mind Matter. The older man turned, which was the wrong thing to do. Sparking up a palm right next to his chest, Bakugo sent Mind Matter reeling, grabbing Tsuyuand tucking her away so she wasn’t caught up with the close-range explosion.
“God-” Mind Matter hissed. His entire front ached, and for a moment, he couldn’t breathe without irritating newly singed skin. He wasn’t down for long, though. “Look, you’re here for Tsukuyomi, right?” He went on the defense, beginning to effortlessly dodge Bakugo’s advances. “I’ll help you out. I’m only doing what I’m told for the face of the HPSC. Like Hawks. I’m not a real enemy! Please, you’ve got to believe me!”
“Liar!” Hagakure yelled, reengaging with the fight. “Hawks told us all about you, Mind Matter! We won’t trust ANYTHING you say!”
“Hurry up on that damn sugar, Type 2!” Bakugo snapped. Sato swallowed the chunks in his mouth and charged again.
“Oh, you won’t?” Mind Matter unclipped the two M’s from his belt, which were extremely sharp on the ends. He used one like a shank, slashing at Sato’s neck when he got too close. The other he threw into the air and hit with his quirk, flying it around the room and aiming for Tsuyu, who had started to climb on the walls. Bakugo blew it back before it could hit her. “So if I tell you Tsukuyomi’s in the training room, you wouldn’t believe me. Or that I’ve got a backup of at least ten on the way- that’s out of the question, yeah?”
“We ain’t stupid!” Bakugo was getting antsy- in such a small space with his classmates around, he couldn’t use full explosions. “So shut your mother-”
“It could be reverse psychology, ribbit!” Tsuyu jumped from her spot on the wall and went for Mind Matter’s head, wrapping her legs around his neck and trying to pry his helmet off. “Both or one-” She almost lost her balance as Mind Matter bucked about, drops of blood flinging off her face. “-anything he just said could be true!”
Mind Matter chuckled darkly. “Well, that’s a fun thought.” A little disk popped up from the top of his gauntlets- a mirror. Angling his hands at different levels in front of him, Mind Matter activated his quirk and shot at one of them, directing it towards the other and refracting behind him to hit Tsuyu right before she removed his protective gear. Unable to do anything now that she was stuck, she was sent through the hole Bakugo made earlier. The discarded rubble was latched onto next, and Mind Matter began to hurl projectiles at the hero students without giving them much room to dodge. Tsuyu was thrown right after, and as she careened towards her friends, she tried to use her quirk to stick to the wall and force against Mind Matter’s power. It didn’t work.
“Another fun fact!” Mind Matter pointed to a button on his helmet. “I’m rigged up with a bomb. At any point, I will take this entire building with me. That means you, the rest of your friends, Tsukuyomi, and Hawks are done for. And if you think I’m still lying,” Slowly, his face fell strikingly neutral, eyes holding a hollowness behind them. “Try me. You step into my shoes and tell me I’ve got something to lose.”
“I’m good! Your shoes- and whole costume, may I add- are ugly anyway!” Hagakure didn’t hold back with her response, but even her invisibility couldn’t hide her newfound nervousness.
“Do we tell the others? What if it’s true?” Sato pressed down on a rip on his collarbone, lips pressed together. “We should-”
There was a shout to the fight’s left, where Bakugo had momentarily stepped into another corridor. He had triggered a large, metal bear trap that sunk long teeth into both of his legs, sandwiching the flesh between the steel and making it near impossible for him to move his legs without pain. Gritting his teeth together, he attempted to blow them up, but Mind Matter threw both his M’s and pinned his hands back by the metal decal of his gauntlets.
A gasp. “Bakugo!”
“Oh no- Bakugo!”
“Hold on!”
“None of you should be here.” Mind Matter pressed a button on his costume, followed by a mechanical click. From two slits on his back, little robotic arms extended, all bending at a different angle behind him. A mirror was attached to each one, and the visual was akin to a spider’s many legs, or the hollow bone structure of some sort of cursed wings. As his gear powered up, he multitasked and kept Bakugo pinned from a distance with his quirk while sidestepping and maneuvering around the assault of the other three. With all of these reflective surfaces, about 12 in total,Mind Matter’s singular Brain Wave could multiply, allowing him to catch each of the 1A rescuers and take them out in one fell swoop. It didn’t matter if that un-handicapped Bakugo; by the time he could free himself from the trap, he’d be grabbed by a spiral. “ Children don’t belong out in the field, or sitting with the high and mighty. You’re not real heroes yet. Humbling is downright deserved.”
The center Mind Matter’s helmet glowed as his quirk charged up, being recalled about 100 feet away. With a special frequency made to stimulate the brain, he aimed for the mirrors, refusing to make eye contact with the students. That would make this easier.
Nothing happened.
“What you said would be plausible if you didn’t have full control over whether or not you fought children.”
A new opponent made himself known and Mind Matter’s mouth went dry. “Out of everyone who could have showed up… It had to be you, Eraserhead.”
With the wrath of a thousand sons and levitating lockes, Mr. Aizawa threw his capture scarf forward and snaked it around Mind Matter’s neck, pulling it tight. Red light glowed between the cracks of his goggles as Mind Matter gagged.
With the change of focus, Sato ran over to wedge open the trap, worry etched into his voice. “Bakugo, can you walk?”
“Even if I can’t, I have other ways to move.” His hands sparked, and he nearly jumped back into the fray, but the teacher spoke first.
“Leave.” He unfurled his capture weapon and tore off one of the mirrors at the base, stabbing it into where Mind Matter’s quirk fired from. Pushing it in far enough, a full chunk of Mind Matter’s helmet broke off, revealing tufts of hair underneath. “He’s hurt enough of you.”
Tsuyu croaked disapprovingly. “But Mr. Aizawa-”
“There’s too much ground to be covered for you to stand there.” The two grown men began their fight. “Find Tokoyami!”
“Like hell I’m admitting defeat to this fake. If the bird beat him, there’s no question I’d murder him faster! You he-”
“Yeah, well Hawks said to stick together and we’re leaving, so… Tough luck!” Hagakure picked up the shuriken M’s and took off down the hall, followed by a hopping Tsuyu and Sato who had lugged Bakugo over his shoulder, with the latter cursing the entire way.
Mind Matter smirked like he was the one letting them go. “So your master plan is to lose them all one by one?” He grabbed Eraserhead’s arm with his metal gauntlets, squeezing until a grunt came from the teacher. He twisted it around until it was stuck squarely against his back. “I know all about you as a great underground hero, but you seem like a really subpar teacher.”
“Who are you again?” Aizawa sent his head back and slammed it into Mind Matter’s face, applying overbearing pressure on the delicate arch of his nose. Continuing backwards, he vaulted himself backwards until he squashed Mind Matter flat against the wall.
“Where the hell is my backup?” Mind Matter wheezed under his breath before conversing with Aizawa. “I’ll be frank. Let’s talk like men, because I know I don’t need to waste any of my efforts on you- you’re not gullible to the tactics of persuasion.” In a cheap move, he pulled Aizawa’s hair to get his head to face him, blowing air into his eyes so he’d blink. The momentary cooldown let the pink beam free, sending Aizawa to rocket around the walls like a pinball machine.
The tether broke halfway between strikes as Aizawa’s eyes lit up again. He landed on his feet and boosted forward with intense speed and accuracy. Hands skillfully gliding along the fabric of his capture weapon, Eraserhead pulled Mind Matter into his knee, getting a hand on the base of his neck and shoving him through a wall.
“Oh geez-” Mind Matter coughed on the dust, feeling something wet against his lips. “You don’t do banter or shout out super moves, do you?”
A punch across the face was his response.
“Look.” He got up and engaged in equal-paced hand-to-hand combat. “Go a little easy, it’s not like all of this is a personal daily choice. I’m paid. You think I wanted to trick and fight the kid? Of course not. He’s such a dark streak- pouring all of my efforts into someone I hate is so unideal. And I don’t care that he’s a kid! You really shouldn’t underestimate Tsukuyomi like this- kids shape the future, and this bastard could ruin countless lives with the information he’s got! If people want heroes to do their jobs correctly, they really should stay out of the way.”
Mind Matter caught his reflection in one of his broken mirrors, the split image on the surface somewhat haunting. Usually, it didn’t bother him, but something about it plus the fight he was currently in made him pause. Look at him- his costume was damaged in multiple places and stained with dust and blood, with his constant smile nonexistent and pupils small. To add to it, he was monologuing and paying no mind to the kind of moves he pulled to win. His eyes widened. Mr. Aizawa still didn’t say a word, but his face said what Mind Matter was thinking. The connecting of the dots was like a worm to the soul, and the word vomit that burst out of him wasn’t even prompted- it was his inner desperateness to defend himself as his conscience dissolved.
“I’m not a villain.” He protested while sloppily dodging a blow. “I’M NOT. THE VILLAIN. I became a HERO. That’s what I am. I’m a hero that does what’s necessary!”
“Coming from a teacher,” The Erasure Hero glanced at the open trap. “You sure are a sorry amalgamation of a wasted hero education.”
Mind Matter jolted, something other than his finger snapping as another blow connected. “YOU DON’T KNOW! I AM A HERO, and I’m going to finish my job!” He pressed the comm. “Now!”
Mind Matter shoved Aizawa away and backpedaled. Clear, blue-tinted blocks began to form from nothing, keeping the two apart. They became tangible too quickly for Aizawa to escape, and he soon found himself surrounded by mirrors, like the gray battlefield had been morphed into a carnival funhouse. The teacher blinked and readied his capture weapon, on the defensive.
This was the doing of Mind Matter’s call for assistance- an HPSC ally with a quirk called Blueprint. Anything someone visualizes in their mind, he can create and make real, bringing it into the existing plane by using the person’s hair. The quirk’s user wasn’t in sight, but must have been hiding if it activated at this range. Aizawa didn’t care how it was done, for that was now a detail of the past. The new problem was that Mind Matter just created his ideal environment: a place where his quirk could be used to the fullest extent without the risks of being seen. Erasure won’t work on reflections.
A laugh echoed around Mr. Aizawa as he circled to find where Mind Matter was hidden. No matter how many mirrors he broke, Mind Matter’s reflection moved from glass to glass like a taunt, switching between a dozen reflections separated by cracks to perfectly whole across from it. The sheer amount proved damage to be too time consuming.
“Wasted education?” Many Mind Matters became bigger as they closed in. “Old man, you’re about to get schooled.”
-
Meanwhile…
“Mic, I think we should split up.”
The man beside Hawks stopped. “What? Why?”
“I have a way to find Tokoyami. Can’t say what, cause you never know if-” He whistled, pointing his finger to the ceiling. As he did that, however, he flapped his wings. Present Mic nodded with understanding. “I don’t want him to get mad at you for being with me.”
“It’ll be fine. That anger won’t exist once we-” Mc’s voice came down in volume. “-break the brainwashing.” It went back to normal. “I can take a few minutes of hate.”
“One: I don’t even know how to do that yet. Two: Your class is his favorite, Mic. He told me that back when I was rushing him to a hospital. Tokoyami already thinks his friends left him alone. Thinking you betrayed him too is an insult to injury I don’t want to add. Do you see where I’m coming from?”
“...yeah.” He grumbled defiantly. “But I don’t want to leave you here by yourself.”
Hawks tried to joke, but it just came out sad. “Heh, that’s the only way I’ve ever been within these walls. I can take a few more minutes.” The self-jab became a bit more altruistic. “Go help the kids, Mic. They’re more of a concern than I am.”
Present Mic’s green eyes narrowed in on him. “I don’t like that you’re right.”
“You sound like Eraserhead.”
The comms cracked to life. It was Uraraka. “Um… We lost Red Riot. NOT LIKE DEAD LOST- but a wall came down from nowhere and separated him from the rest of us. We could use some help?”
Without breaking eye contact, Present Mic answered. “I’ll go. You still near the shaft?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Hold tight.” The comms went silent again, and Present Mic’s sigh rattled Hawks’ bones. “Don’t do anything stupid.”
“How do you think I got to the Number Two position?”
“ Hawks. ”
The hero in question cringed. “Oh, ew. Please leave. You’re REALLY sounding like Eraserhead. I don’t need two of you.”
Present Mic smirked. With a two fingered salute, he ran back the way they came.
Hawks stayed in his spot for a minute or two, tapping his fingers against his thigh. He could feel the feather in the building. The thing is… He knows where the training facility is. Years and years of being here means he learned the layout- even with its monstrous insanity. He wasn’t going to waste the feather on that. If they found out Tokoyami had it, dead on the spot. Both of them, actually. He’ll save that ace tucked in his pocket for now.
He got to the training room slower than he’d like. Hawks had taken his time trying to be stealthy, and while he didn’t run into a single aversary on the way there, he made sure to be careful anyway. Hawks paused in front of the doors, taking a deep breath. His one solace was that this wasn’t a place where Tokoyami could run. It would give him time, time he desperately needed. He walked inside.
As expected, Tokoyami didn’t react well when Hawks made himself known. Hawks could pinpoint the very moment Tokoyami saw him- not even by sight, but by the fact his feathers could hear the spike in his heartbeat.
Sitting near the back wall of the room, Tokoyami bolted to his feet. “There’s no way. Out of every room in this place, the possible chance for-”
“An agent told me where you were. And even if he didn’t, remember I was in your shoes once, which means I know the good spots. Sucks, right?” He kicked the door closed with his foot, keeping his hands visible. None of his feathers were sharp or unattached.
Tokoyami frowned. “No. They said I was safe here- they wouldn’t-”
He must’ve told himself to get it together, because he clenched his fists and suddenly the haunted look on his face became spite. “You certainly live up to your name. Hunting me like the predator that you are, Hawks.”
Ouch. Tokoyami was using his intimidation voice; Hawks has only heard it used against villains, so to hear it now meant he was being added to that category. He’s heard hundreds of people say his name like a death threat, but by his brother? He never wanted to hear it again.
Of course, none of that showed. Hawks shrugged, scratching the side of his chin. “I prefer the term ‘lookout’. Like how I’m trying to look after you.”
“I don’t want you to.”
“Too bad.” Hawks didn’t even take a full step forward and Tokoyami shied backwards, so he stayed in front of the door. “I understand if you’ve forgotten what it was, but it’s called free choice. We’re on the same side, Tokoyami, and that side isn’t with the Commission.”
“A familiar refrain.” It was a small action, but Hawks caught the way Tokoyami’s eyes flicked to the lights above, as if calculating how quickly he could break them.
“Hey, no.” Hawks called him out on it, but kept his tone light. “I know what you’re thinking. Just let me get close and I’ll show you. You’re in no danger to warrant the lights going off, I promise.”
“And I know your dirty secrets, killer.” Tokoyami spat. “All the things you’ve done.” He didn’t get closer to him, but he did start to move- in a circling-like manner, he began to walk the perimeter of the room. “From my distrust in you, my acquisition of this forbidden knowledge makes me privy to know your feathers are red for a different reason. I will not be added to your tally today.”
“Great, we both agree.” Hawks kept his face blank. “I wasn’t planning on killing you.”
Tokoyami stopped and made a show of looking around the room, still dramatic as ever. “What audience are you trying to charm? It’s just me, and I know better than to believe your fallacies.”
“Ohh, do you?” Hawks questioned. “C’mon, DS can back me on this one-”
“Do not bring Dark Shadow into this, fiend-”
“You know,” Hawks spoke over him without stopping when Tokoyami tried to interject. “There’s always an audience with the HP-”
Hawks paled, jaw clenching in realization. Audience. There was always an audience when it came to the HPSC. Which means…
Acting on a hunch, and without putting his back to Tokoyami, Hawks tried to leave the way he came. He pushed, but the door didn’t budge. He pulled right after just to test, but no, it was still a push door. Hawks tried to push again, harder this time, but it appeared to have been locked from the outside. With more urgency, he rammed his shoulder into it. More like deadbolted. He didn’t even need to look around to know there were cameras hidden at more than one angle.
It was ANOTHER setup. The employee from before- it wasn’t a guess, he knew Tokoyami would be here. And it explained why he got here without a fuss. They WANT Tokoyami and Hawks to fight. They want to turn Hawks into what Tokoyami was brainwashed to believe. If he had to guess, knowing who his employers were, their ideal scenario was that Hawks finishes the job for them and gets rid of Tokoyami to secure everything for him. He peered at the device embedded in Tokoyami’s wrist. They’ve probably convinced Tokoyami he needed to be killed for this all to end. But…
A meager idea formed. Maybe… maybe doing what the Commission wanted would work. There was no way he could fake this, but if he held back just enough, he could scare Tokoyami away rather than starting a fight where they’d destroy each other. It was the exact opposite of what he had in mind originally, but it really did make sense the more he thought about it. It was like reverse psychology- in order to keep the two separated, the HPSC wanted them in proximity because all they would do is clash. For the rescue to work, this would need to be the only time they interact. Also, if it was plausible enough, Tokoyami wouldn’t be punished for “not following orders”- heroes know when retreat is necessary. And finally, getting him to run could bring him to someone he’d be more willing to leave with, someone who’d be more of a help for him, someone who could think of a way to free his mind. After all, the only thing that mattered is that he got out of here; the in-between process was quite flexible at the moment.
He’d have to really, really make sure that flight won over fight.
The kicker: scaring Tokoyami? Near damn impossible. That being said, Hawks would rather take those odds over more blood on his hands, especially Fumikage’s.
“You are a traitor of the Hero Public Safety Commission. You betrayed my trust.” Oh, okay, Tokoyami was getting closer to him now. “I don’t want to live in fear of you any longer. For the sake of my own survival, and the greater good, I’m going to finish you before you can get to me.”
Tokoyami didn’t have his hero costume. His stance was always shrouded by his cloak, but Hawks knew what position he took before a fight, and he was ready to go.
Hawks held his hands up and rushed to speak. “You remember that talk we had a while back? Don’t be like me. You’re right, I am a killer. You’re not. Don’t let the HPSC make you into one, Tokoyami!”
“Shut up.” His voice had a tinge of a tremble in it. “I don’t back away from a battle I know is necessary. That’s what heroes do.”
“And what do you know about being a hero, huh?” Hawks’ wings twitched, purposefully speaking with gall.
“Certainly nothing learned from you.” Tokoyami was done talking. He was slowly closing the gap between them. “They act even when afraid, even when they don’t want to.”
(Hawks thought back to text chains, to shutdown plans, to thousands of reassurances. In a mind bloated with lies, truth still had a way to be the most painful thing he heard)
“That’s not fair.” Hawks murmured, taken aback. “That’s-” He switched to incredulity before he could sink too low, just talking and talking for talking’s sake. “We’re literally on the same page here- do you hear what you’re saying? You’re supporting what I’ve been trying to tell you.” He gestured towards Tokoyami, acting flabbergasted. “They got you high on some hard stuff, didn’t they? Geez, even when trying to support these wackos, you’re on my side. Y’know-”
With a flick of his wrist, a small, sharpened feather made its way around his fingers. “I can take that chip out. It’ll make you feel better.”
Tokoyami stopped.
Yes, there it was. “I’ll get it out quick and-”
“Dark Shadow.”
Said quirk slowly morphed from Tokoyami’s abdomen with a worried frown. “Fumikage, we really shouldn’t-”
Tokoyami held up a hand, cutting off the shadow being. The same hand switched at the wrist so Hawks could see the dorsal side, and four fingers curled down to touch his palm, with his middle finger remaining upright.
Hawks’ mouth dropped in righteous anger. “Okay, who taught you how to do that?! Nuh uh, Tokoyami. Put that down, now.”
Tokoyami raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. In defiance, his other hand mimicked the action. Hawks drew a blade. “Say goodbye to your fingers, smartass.”
Honestly, it might be easier than he thought to scare Tokoyami. His mere presence was already doing too much- Tokoyami reacted like a cat raising its hackles. He just had to back him into a corner and make him feel like he couldn’t breathe. Turn it into a desperate situation where the kid felt like he wouldn’t get out alive, forcing him to choose the fleshly desire of life over mind-controlling commands.
Hawks started to walk towards him as menacing as possible. “You want a fight? You got it.” His chest ached as he heard Tokoyami’s heart rate increase. “Let’s dance.”
In an indiscernible signal, Dark Shadow flew upward at a great speed, aiming to break the lights and give Tokoyami more power.
“Not on my watch!” Hawks wasted no time- he shot up into the air even faster than Dark Shadow did, throwing himself at its cord and tackling the quirk away before the lights could go out. Twisting his body midair, Hawks put both of his feet against Dark Shadow’s body and barreled toward the ground, smashing the quirk into the ground. As he did so, Hawks sent his feathers towards Tokoyami, who was using Dark Shadow as a distraction while he ran for the control room. They weren’t aimed to harm, only to pull him in. Hawks had to make sure Tokoyami wouldn’t play into his long-distance strengths. Dark Shadow bounced back and extended his cord, snaking around Hawks’ entire body like a constrictor. He kept pulling tighter and tighter, even ending up right around Hawks’ neck.
“No pulling-” Hawks hacked as his airways became blocked. Shaking his head around as much as possible and pressing his ear against his shoulder, he got his visors to slide down his face, loosening them enough where he was able to get one end in his mouth. Angling his head, Hawks got the light from the ceiling to reflect a concentrated beam onto Dark Shadow’s head. The shadow monster screeched as his dark energy supply took a hit, but he wouldn’t let go. “No pulling punches? Fine. I won’t either.”
(He still was)
He sounded very unthreatening in his raspy state, but it seemed he’d get his desired reaction anyway. The good thing is, he knew who he was fighting against. The feathers he shot at Tokoyami before redirected, becoming impeccably sharp and speeding straight for Tokoyami’s jugular.
Dark Shadow turned and gasped, immediately unwinding and flying back to its host. “Fumikage!”
The quirk bat the feather away at the right moment, and Hawks didn’t reengage, sending it back up to connect to his wing. Dark Shadow slowly turned to look back at Hawks.
“That was too close.” The quirk coiled up, flexing its claws in anger as Hawks put his visor back on. “I thought you didn’t want to hurt Fumi. I thought you would fake this. THAT was a killing move.”
With a yell, Dark Shadow flew at Hawks and pinned him into a wall. “You’re DEAD, Hawks!”
“Dark Shadow-” Hawks’ head hit the metal with a sick bang. “I’m trying to get you out of here. You have to play al-”
“I’m not doing ANYTHING for you. You shouldn’t have pissed me off by aiming at Fumikage!”
Dark Shadow slapped Hawks, the sheer size of its claw overlapping his face and sending it far enough to hit the wall again. Well, any chance of having Dark Shadow’s support in this was dwindling to single-digits. Due to its unwavering loyalty for Tokoyami, the shadow couldn’t see the bigger picture, but if he just calmed down-
With the hero disoriented and far enough away to make leeway, Tokoyami moved for the lights again. Hawks beat his wings in an attempt to get the quirk off, but he couldn’t get any wiggle room. All he could manage to do was send out the feathers lining the lower tips of his wings- not his strongest, but would have to do.
Tokoyami dodged most of them- stepping side-to-side quickly and flipping out of the way. Damn, he’s gotten faster. Hawks piloted his feathers to come back and snag Tokoyami’s black and red hoodie, dragging him backwards. Tokoyami reached behind his back, grabbed a feather, and stabbed it into a wall, holding tight as he refused to be pulled away.
“Dark Shadow.” Hawks whispered. “Dark Shadow, please . They’re trying to get me to kill him.”
“I won’t let you!” Dark Shadow squeezed Hawks’ wings and he could feel them flare up with the pressure. It was enough for Hawks to lose focus and stop pulling Tokoyami, and the boy began again the moment he was freed. He backed away from the wall to get a running start before charging at it and jumping, digging his fingers into the metal cracks. Like a spider from a horror movie, he began to traverse the open face of the wall.
Hawks grimaced and cursed aloud. “What in the-”
“I could rip your wings off right here and now.” The shadow hissed, beak inches from the pro hero’s face. Hawks never saw Dark Shadow as scary, but looking into lifeless pools- yellow eyes that held nothing but rage made the hairs on his arms raise.
He didn’t want to.
He didn’t want to.
He couldn’t.
“They act even when afraid, even when they don’t want to.”
…
“You asked for it.”
Dark Shadow was about to question what he meant, but a howl of pain left its beak before words could as Hawks injected a dozen feathers into its chest area. Finally getting free, Hawks put his speed on display and unleashed a barrage of undodgeable strikes on Dark Shadow. Slash after slash, moving out of the way before Dark Shadow could turn as if he could teleport, Hawks used his primaries to rapidly deplete Dark Shadow’s energy. The quirk screeched from both the pain and fury for the illusive hero. There was no way Tokoyami could use Ragnarok now.
Tokoyami slipped from the wall and plummeted from the near top, fingers raw and no longer able to hold on virtually nothing. Before he could hit the ground, feathers picked him up and pinned him to the wall. Tokoyami covered his left wrist and glared as Hawks hovered in front of him. He spread his wings wide, puffing them up like a threatened animal would do. “Wanna see why I call these bad boys Fierce Wings?”
“To compensate for your awful personality?”
Hawks glowered. Grabbing Tokoyami by the collar, he threw him across the room and dove after him to engage in close combat. Tokoyami has never won a sparring match against him.
The bird-headed teen skid across the ground before popping up and righting himself with a crouch, but was unable to react in time for Hawks’ first hit. Tokoyami called Black Ankh and tried to keep his arms up, but Hawks was just too fast. He fought with one hand empty and the other holding a (dulled down) feather sword, and he alternated between the two, constantly pushing Tokoyami back. Pupils so small they could be thread through a needle never left red irises that scrunched together with every hit, that slowly filled up with desperateness and fright as his own punch or maneuver did nothing to help turn the tides. He heard strained breathing as Tokoyami tried to keep his cool, to never give up as was embedded in his nature.
There was only so much Dark Shadow could take, and the quirk sunk back into Tokoyami not too long after they began thanks to Hawks’ wearing down. In horrible timing, as Black Ankh melted away, Hawks came down with his blade, leaving a red line from the top of Tokoyami’s beak to his cheek, inches away from his eye. There was no stopping to hold the wound, or a shout of pain. Just a quiet, shudder of a grunt.
He couldn’t stop. He needed to keep going.
A mighty flap of his wings sent Tokoyami further away, and the teen found this to be an opening for offense. Just by the way Tokoyami attacked, Hawks could tell his plan was working. Tokoyami used Hawks himself for a boost to deliver two kicks in quick succession at his face before hopping down over his shoulder, darting under his legs to get behind him. With enough dark energy to only cover his arm, Tokoyami called for a Covert Black-Ops Arm. His arm extended more than humanly possible- the shadow limb clearing the leftover distance between them and sent Hawks through the doors. Not in a way where they opened as intended, but by creating a gaping hole through the fortified material that nearly tore it off the hinges.
That last hit hurt, and Hawks guessed that it did something to his head, because his vision came in and out of focus a few times. From the debris, he saw a black blob inching closer with a jagged piece of metal. He was coming in for the kill.
From the contrasting light of the hallway, Hawks emerged, shadow falling over the wreckage and darkening his face to the point where only his eyes were seen from a distance. His body was on auto-pilot, each step hulking and slow and menacing. Blood splatters lined his costume’s collar, and he had to let a wing fall slack to get back into the room. With a shout, Tokoyami aimed his makeshift weapon for Hawks’ heart, but Hawks caught him by the neck and lifted him off the ground. His short stature left him swinging his feet, and the unfortunate duo of cut-off ventilation and hyperventilating filled Hawks’ ears with pitiful, panicked hacking.
(Hawks hadn’t been near death by a villain’s hand until he was 19.)
“No-” Tokoyami shakily gasped. “Just leave me alone. Please .”
“You’ll look back on this and see that my ruthlessness is mercy.” He spoke slow and serious, each word injected with a calculated amount of intimidation. “You’ve lost, fledgeling.”
The term of endearment was infected. Tokoyami claws at Hawks’ gloved hand with a cry.
The hero spread his wings as far as they could go, making a show of releasing each individual feather to form a sharpened sphere of projectiles around Tokoyami, all aimed for vital organs.
“Dark Shadow-” Tokoyami hoarsely pleaded for his quirk, but his body showed no proof that the shadow had the energy to engage, or even heard him. “Mind Matter, help-”
Hawks tsked. “He won’t come. Not when he was told to get you here.”
Tokoyami thrashed more, slowly running out of air. “My friends-” He closed his eyes, a singular thin tear sliding from his ducts and mixing with the scratch on his face. His beak curled back to reveal clenched teeth. “ANYONE!”
“You want them so badly?” Hawks dropped Tokoyami and let him fall to the floor in a heap, taking in a breath of air that was too big for his lungs. He crouched down and lifted Tokoyami’s beak upwards. “Go find them.”
Tokoyami didn’t dare move for the fear of being skewered on the spot. His beak clacked together, and even that he tried to subdue to not tick Hawks off.
“Get outta here!” There was a whooshing noise as every feather sheathed at once, and it was when Hawks drew his hand back that Tokoyami scrambled away. “Even if you do find someone!” Hawks called after him. For extra effect, he threw feathers like darts to embed in the walls, corralling him towards the door so he really did make it out. “I’ll be there. You said it yourself: I’m a hunter.”
Tokoyami cut his hand climbing through the hole, but he didn’t stop or look back. It was like he couldn’t breath fast enough- the command of flight, flight, flight crashed into his natural instincts, creating the loud gasps broken by the occasional sob. Tokoyami ran and was out of eye shot in no time, leaving Hawks alone.
It worked. Hawks did it. He made himself the monster.
“I found him. He’s on the move- out and wandering and scared . I... be careful. I'll support the best I can, but you guys need to get him back. I'm counting on you.”
He turned his comm off.
This was the best way to save Tokoyami.
This was the best way to save Tokoyami.
This was the best way to save Tokoyami.
He helped . He gave Tokoyami an opportunity.
His feather blades fell to the floor, and so did his knees, with the rest of his body curling in on top of them. Red wings reformed and framed him, protecting him from anyone that would try to get the jump on him in his vulnerability.
But his mind? There was no shield from that. His mind was raging, both from a possible concussion and the consequences of his own actions. His hands gripped his chest as he suppressed silent tremors. He saw only his tan pants physically, but his brain was like film, showing him frame by frame the way Tokoyami genuinely believed he was going to die. From him.
He would never, but that didn't matter anymore. Hawks never cared about what people thought about him, so doing so now threw him for a loop. But he had hope- he had faith he could keep Tokoyami safe and get him back to being his brother. No matter how unconventional, he couldn't back down. If he could continue to control things, if Tokoyami didn’t run into him anymore, he’d live, surely.
…the thing is about that, is that it’s been true since the very beginning.