The Forest Thing

Chapter 22: Izuku vs All for one

The heroes had come.

Nedzu, along with the rest of the UA Pro Hero staff had arrived with police and paramedics not far behind. Those with the paramedics jumped into action immediately. As soon as the ambulance came to a stop, they began to treat the injured students while Heroes went into the forest to search for the students who were still missing and find any villains that might have been left behind.

The principal gave Izuku a quick glance. His gaze didn't linger and his expression didn't hold any specific emotion, but the forest thing could tell he was studying each student that sat around Izuku, who was still in human form. Maybe he was wondering why Izuku was choosing to be in his human form in front of all the students, but the forest thing assumed it wouldn't be too hard for the principal to figure out he just couldn't fight that many people as a dog, especially a villain like Muscular.

Soon, all the students were found and the remaining villains were taken into police custody, no doubt on their way to Tartarus prison, The students of classes 1A and 1B who didn't need to go to the hospital for further medical care were escorted by Pro Heroes back to UA campus where a detective could question them.

Izuku didn't go back to UA. Instead, he accompanied Katsuki, and others, to the hospital.

The staff at the hospital were hesitant about letting him stay in Katsuki's room while he was recovering, but after Aizawa, who was there getting his own wounds treated, talked to some of the nurses, they let him stay.

Safe to say it was one of the longest nights Izuku had in a very long time. Even after the villains left and everyone got to safety, the hours he spent waiting by Katsuki's bed felt like an eternity.

He knew he should be with the heroes, helping them find the villains and get Hitoshi back, but no matter how many times he told himself to get up and go help, he just couldn't. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't leave Katsuki.

Izuku had seen this kid grow up. He saw almost every stage of his life so far. He saw every mistake and success, every good decision and bad, every smile and every tear since he was six years old. Izuku knew the blond would want him to help the teachers get his classmate back safely, but Izuku just couldn't leave.

After the sun had risen it was almost a full day before Nedzu entered the room where Izuku was watching over the unconscious teen, which meant it had been almost twenty-four hours since Hitoshi had been kidnapped. Izuku's chest tightened with the feeling of guilt, thinking about what might be happening to the lavender boy.

The rat creature approached slowly, keeping his eyes on Izuku's humanoid form. He had changed back to a dog briefly when Katsuki's parents had visited but had changed back after.

"I apologize for the interruption, Izuku," The principal said quietly, stopping a few feet away from the bed the usually loud and explosive teen was sleeping on. "But it seems like All Might is going to need your assistance."

Izuku pried his eyes away from Katsuki's sleeping form and turned to the principal with a dark expression.

"How can I help?"

_______________________

Shouta crouched on a roof near the battle, somewhere he wouldn't be seen.

The plan was simple, really.

It was obvious that All Might wasn't as strong as he used to be, and it was likely All for one also knew this and would use it to his advantage. They sent All Might in anyway.

The blond oaf was meant to keep most of All for one's attention on him while other Pros try to overwhelm him and take him down.

It wasn't a very good plan, in Shouta's opinion, but nobody had any better ones.