Beginning of a New Spring (MHA/PJO crossover)

Chapter 49

Her legs strained to hold herself up when she appeared out of the shadows. Her chest rose and fell with each deep breath she took, not to pass out. Everything around her stilled. The voices that shouted had stopped. Ash-blonde hair faced away from her. His hand froze in a way that she knew he was about to use his quirk. The only sound was the blades of a helicopter cutting through the air above them, circling their position.

Kirishima's voice shouted over the helicopter from above. She glanced up to find him dangling from Midoriya's hand, a pleading look in his eyes that begged them to grab on. It would have worked with Katsuki's quirk, but neither one moved, closing the window Katsuki had to escape. She wasn't leaving, but it didn't mean she wanted him to stick around those who also took him against his will. He didn't need to be there any more than he already had been.

Gods, she really kept screwing up.

She watched Katsuki slowly turn to face her. His ruby eyes were wide with guilt, horror, and relief. Her eyes softened just seeing the bags under his eyes. She put him through that. She put them all through that. Shouta and Hizashi also awaited her return. She didn't want to see the disappointment in their eyes and the torment she also put them through.

"Aizawa?" She ignored All Might, who stood between them and another man.

Katsuki met her halfway, throwing his arms around her and pulling her flush against him. A grunt of pain left her lips, making him pull away. His hands grasped her shoulders, eyes narrowed while he inspected her figure.

He wouldn't find anything noticeable to the eye.

"I see you were able to break free from even quirk suppressants."

"You held her captive? You have gone too far, All for One," All Might declared with horror laced in his voice.

All Might, in a sense, was a true depiction of a hero. He would fight until his very last breath. Protect everyone—including those who could fight for themselves. He was selfless, yet dense in so many ways she wondered how he made it this far. He'd fight against the villains for the justice of doing what was right, but he didn't understand why the villains they were up against were doing what they were. He saw them as the same villains who took up petty theft just because they could. Not the bigger picture. It didn't take her long to find out, though she had the advantage of already having gone through the same scenario. Whoever said lightning never struck the same place twice had obviously never met Zeus.

Ophelia let out a hollow laugh. That's what the restraints were for. How they kept Katsuki compliant when they sent her away was a wonder. She bet they had a blast dealing with him.

"Because that's what some mortals do. They take and take until they die. Never satisfied with what they have and seek it from those who do." Her tone flattened with grief at each word.

Katsuki glanced at her, lacing his fingers with hers. It was all she needed to know that no matter what she said to convince him to leave, he wouldn't. She was torn between wanting him safe and not leaving her side. He was so stubborn that he'd most likely ignore her even if she tried.

Pulling out two squares, she popped them in her mouth. Her body instantly flushed, and a drop of sweat formed on the side of her head. She pushed her limit on ambrosia, but she also knew going up against All for One wouldn't be easy.

Her attention turned to the man that towered over them. They stood in the remnants where a building once stood. Lumps of dirt settled here and there, making the terrain uneven. She had trained and taken up on worse places. "You tried to take my powers. Powers you have no right to possess. You will pay for what you have done. I am done tolerating you mortals and your conniving ways to control power like it's your own!"