Coming for the Crown

Ten

"What are we gonna do? What the hell are we gonna do?"

Todoroki frowned at Bakugo, who was pacing, visibly agitated. Uraraka was sitting in a chair with her head in her hands and Iida was trying his best to comfort her, patting her awkwardly on the shoulder. The group had gone back to the shop after the disaster of the party, and they were now positioned around the upstairs part of the shop, which was used as a living space for the four shop owners. 

Kirishima was sitting next to Mina, his face full of worry. 

"We don't even know where they took Deku. How are we supposed to get him back?"

Todoroki reached out and pulled Bakugo into a chair, shooting him a look. "Calm down."

"I am calm!" Bakugo yelled, but he quieted down, leaning back in his chair and folding his arms over his chest. It was bad enough that Deku had gotten himself kidnapped, and it was even worse that it had happened right as Bakugo had been about to confess. But the worst part was that no one knew exactly where the LOV fortress was. Mostly because no one who went into the LOV empire's territory ever came out again.

"We need to come up with a real plan." Todoroki's gaze swept around the room, taking in all of the people gathered. His low voice seemed to calm everyone, including Bakugo himself. No wonder he was the favorite prince. Todoroki had a strange way with people, which made him good as an ambassador to other kingdoms. 

"For starters, we need to figure out a way to track down where they took Izuku."

Bakugo glanced around the room, seeing that everyone appeared to be stumped. Then, from a chair near Kaminari's, Jirou raised her hand. Her eyes were fixed on the ground, and even as Bakugo watched, her cheeks seemed to flush.

"I may know someone who can help."

.-._.-._.-._.-._.-._.-.

Izuku was getting kinda tired of his cell.

It was a boring stone box, nothing to look at but floor to ceiling bars on one end and a small, barred off window on the other. There wasn't much in the way of a bed, just a dirty blanket sitting in the corner, and the bathroom was nonexistent. So, ya, lovely. 

Izuku had been in the cell for three days. The only people he had seen were the guards who brought him food once a day. The only sounds he heard were the distant shuffle of footsteps and the quiet breathing of guards outside. 

Which was why it was so surprising when, on the morning of his fourth day stuck in the cell, hurried footsteps were heard coming towards him. Sunlight was just barely streaming in slits through the barred window, sending strange shadows across the floor. It couldn't have been more than 7 in the morning. So who was coming?

Izuku waited with baited breath as a man rounded the corner and came into view of the cell. He was tall and skinny, with long, light blue hair that hung around his shoulders limply. He was dressed in fancy clothes emblazoned with the LOV symbol right over his heart. But he wasn't holding himself like royalty. He was slouched, as if there was an invisible weight on his shoulders, pushing him towards the ground. The lower part of his face was covered in a mask, but his eyes were bright, shining with a mixture of worry and nervousness. His skin looked dry and cracked, and his hands kept straying up to his neck and itching it, as if it was some sort of nervous tic. 

"Who are you?"

Izuku's voice came out hoarse and cracked from the lack of use it had gotten. The green haired boy sat forward, getting as close to the bars of the cell as he dared. The older man surveyed him warily before crouching down and leaning his back against the opposite wall.

Instead of answering, the man asked in a raspy voice, "Are you really the heir?" 

Izuku hesitated before nodding, shooting the man a curious look. "Ya, why?"

The man visibly seemed to become more tired. His shoulders sagged and he dropped his head into his hands, groaning. "Dammit. Dammit, dammit, dammit."

The green haired prince stared at him in confusion. "Are you ok?"

The man just shook his head, getting to his feet and brushing off his robe. Then he looked up, and Izuku recoiled. The gaze the man was shooting his way was pure terror, and it shook Izuku to his core. What could possibly have made this man, this royalty, look so scared?

"It's nothing. I apologize for my outburst." Then he turned and walked towards the exit. "Be ready for anything. Tomorrow is going to be hard for you."

"Wait!" Izuku ran to the cell bars, trying to get the man's attention. "What's your name?"

The man turned, not meeting Izuku's eyes. "Tomura Shigiraki. Crown prince of the LOV Empire."

.-._.-._.-._.-._.-._.-.

"Jirou? Is that you?"

Jirou smiled, blushing slightly as she walked into the shop. The walls were covered in small trinkets, the sizes and shapes varied. The place was brightly lit, and it smelled like roses and the ocean. Bakugo found the place beautiful in a strange way. 

"Ya, it's me."

A girl came around the corner, smiling warmly. Her black hair was pulled into a high ponytail, and she was wearing a dark red dress. The girl walked forwards, pulling Jirou into a hug. 

"Hey, Kiyo. Haven't seen you in a while."

The girl pulled back, pressing a kiss to Jirou's cheek before pulling back to survey the others. Mina's eye were wide, her eyebrows slowly climbing up her forehead. She, along with Kirishima and Kaminari, turned to stare at Jirou. The blue haired girl plainly ignored them.

"Ya, it's been too long, Mo. These are the friends I told you about."

"Oh!" The girl's smile grew, and she turned to the others in the room. Uraraka, Iida, and Todoroki had stayed back at the others' shop, but Bakugo had wanted to go with Jirou. "It's nice to meet you all! My name is Momo Yaoyorozu! I'm Kiyo's girlfriend."

"I knew it!" Mina's shriek made Bakugo jump, turning to scowl at the smiling pink haired girl. "I knew there was someone! It's really nice to meet you! I'm Mina Ashido, but I assume you know that already."

Yaoyorozu nodded, smiling, before turning back to Jirou. "So why the sudden visit? Got something on your mind?"

Jirou nodded, her brows creasing a bit. "Actually, yes. I hope it's not too much trouble, but I was wondering if you could make something for us."

Yaoyorozu smiled brightly, clapping her hands together. "Of course! What did you have in mind?"

"We need to find someone."

"Oh, I see." The black haired girl's eyes had taken on a bright light, as if she was already working through the process of what she needed to do in her head. "Did you bring something of the person's with you?"

"I have it," Bakugo spoke up, stepping forwards. As the others watched, he pulled a small figure from his pocket. It was worn with time, and you could barely make out the carvings on it, but it had been one of Izuku's favorite toys when he was little. Before Bakugo had left for the mountains, the green haired boy had pressed it into his hands, smiling.

"So that you'll remember me! And remember to come back, one day."

Scowling, he passed the little figure to Yaoyorozu, who had been watching him quizzically. It was stupid, but Bakugo had held on to the thing for so long that it felt wrong to just give it away so carelessly. But if it would help them find Izuku, it was worth it.

Yaoyorozu examined the small toy and smiled. "Ok. This will be easy."

Then her hands began to glow.

.....................................................................................................................................

(A/N) Have I mentioned how much I love MomoJirou? No? Well now I have. Sorry for vanishing, I was having a bit of mental health struggles and I had no motivation to write. I'm fine now, and I should be back to posting regularly!