Running Solo

Chapter 4 - The Broken Boy

~Kurogiri's Perspective~

"Come on, Kurogiri!" a voice whined. "I just want to get back to the base already! I'm sooo hungry!"

"Tomura-Sishou, I promise that we'll head back soon. I just want to check it out first. You never know. It could be something of value to us." Kurogiri said patiently.

"How valuable could it be if it fell off of a building. Especially since no one else is coming to check it out." Tomura huffed, irritated.

"Perhaps," Kurogiri said slowly. "But we should at least check it out. You never know." Kurogiri said as he turned the corner into the alley. He froze at the front of the alley.

"I just want to go back and eat someth-'' Tomura whined before bumping into Kurogiri's misty form. "Ow! Why did you stop?!" Tomura demanded, rubbing his now sore nose. "That really hur- oh." Tomura said quietly.

"It's a boy," Kurogiri said quietly. "He's so small. He looks like he was in middle school." Kurogiri said, taking a hesitantly step closer.

"A jumper?" Tomura asked quietly as he walked to Kurogiri's side. He surveyed the scene before him.

There was a small form in the middle of the alley. All around the form, blood was beginning to pool on the concrete. There seemed to be something in the boy's hands. The boy's hands were over his chest. He was wearing a black school uniform. His eyes were closed and his face was twisted with a dead expression of pain.

"I'm not sure..." Kurogiri said quietly in response to Tomura's question. "But I believe that is a safe assumption."

"What's that in his hands?" Tomura asked, sounding bored again. "It looks too thick to be any kind of 'goodbye' letter." Tomura said as he leaned back against one of the alley walls.

"I'm not sure." Kurogiri said as he stepped through the blood to the boy's still form.

Kurogiri bent down and pulled it gently from the boy's limp fingers. A little bit of blood had started to seep into one of the corners. Kurogiri squinted, trying to make out the writing on the front but having a hard time in the dark alley.

"It says 'hero analysis for the future, number thirteen'." Kurogiri said, looking up at Tomura.

"Well is there anything in it?" Tomura asked, hands in his pockets.

His face was hidden by the hand in front of it, and the hood over his head. Kurogiri didn't respond and instead carefully flipped to the first page. His eyes widened as he read and continued to go through each page.

"This is incredible." Kurogiri breathed. "This is exactly what we need!" Kurogiri said, almost sounding eager. He looked up at Tomura who was beginning to show a little interest.

"Well what is it then?" Tomura asked.

"It's extensive notes on heroes, their strengths, their weaknesses. There's even a little bit on All Might in here." Kurogiri said as he gently closed the notebook. He held it with great care. This was their ticket to success.

"Well if that's number thirteen, then there has to be more somewhere, right?" Tomura said, pushing himself off of the wall and taking a step towards Kurogiri. "Check him for some ID. Then we'll go to his house and look for the others."

Kurogiri nodded and squatted down beside the boy's still form. He reached for the boy's jacket but stopped when the boy's hand twitched. Kurogiri froze when the boy's hands clenched weakly around a notebook that was no longer there. Kurogiri saw the boy's chest rise haltingly and then he faintly heard a shaky exhale.

"Kurogiri!" Tomura whined. "What's taking so long?! Just hurry up!"

"Shhh!" Kurogiri whispered urgently. Tomura froze.

"What is it?!" Tomura whispered, anxious. He looked around the alley and then started scanning the surrounding rooftops and windows. "Is there someone here?!" Tomura whispered, nervous.

"Shhhh!" Kurogiri whispered again.

Tomura quickly went silent. He stared at Kurogiri expectantly. Kurogiri leaned closer to the boy and listened. There it was. The shaky, labored, and pained breathing he'd heard earlier. There was even a near silent groan of pain as the boy tried to tighten his grip on the notebook that he no longer held.

"He- he's breathing. He's- he's still alive?!" Kurogiri breathed, incredulous.

"He's what, Kurogiri?" Tomura demanded, annoyed.

"He-he's still alive." Kurogiri said a little louder.

"There's no way the kid is alive." Tomura sighed in annoyance. "No one could survive a fall from that height. I mean, have you seen all of the blood? Not to mention all the pain the kid would be in if he was alive. He would have been screaming." Tomura said in irritation.

"All I know is that I saw him move and he's breathing, too. You're welcome to come and listen." Kurogiri said as he stood back up. Tomura shook his head, a look of disgust on his face as he looked at the blood on the ground.

"I believe you, but what does it matter? Just finish him off and take me back to the base. This is all so pointless." Tomura huffed.

"Tomura-Sishou," Kurogiri sighed. "If we can get him healed, he can join us and write more current analyses for us. Then we won't be relying on outdated information." Kurogiri said patiently.

"And what makes you think that he would even want to help us? It's not like we have any leverage on the kid." Tomura said, irritated.

"Well if he jumped, there is obviously something he wants to get away from. We should be able to use that." Kurogiri said quietly. Tomura didn't look convinced. Kurogiri sighed. "If you must, simply consider this boy one of my 'projects'." Kurogiri tried.

"Hmph! Fine!" Tomura huffed. "As long as I don't have to be involved. I don't even care about the brat." Tomura said. He leaned back against the wall and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Thank you, Tomura-Sishou." Kurogiri said, bowing his head slightly.

"Whatever." Tomura huffed. "Just send me back to the base while you deal with the kid. I'm hungry." Tomura said, avoiding Kurogiri's misty gaze.

"Very well, Tomura-Sishou." Kurogiri said. He quickly opened a portal back to the base. "Please ask the doctor to prepare. This boy needs to be stable if he is ever going to recover, and we need  this boy."