victory_road | 01 ✦ Video

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01 ✦ Video

[It could have all been a dream, given the way Izuku wakes up in a bed that isn't his own. It could also very well be the hospital- a fact that wouldn't have been surprising- but the stark lack of a sterile atmosphere leads him to believe otherwise even as he sits up with a start. His heart is hammering in his chest and between his ears with such ferocity that believing this is anything but reality would be difficult...

He isn't afforded much time to collect himself, because someone has noticed he's awake and immediately lept up onto his chest to greet him, his fluffy tail wagging excitedly.

Okay, maybe this is a dream after all.

Everything happens pretty quickly after that. Your usual fair of arrival: Izuku's "mom" comes in the room upon hearing his Eevee chirp at him, ushering him up-and-at'em even as he's stammering questions and trying (and failing) to get her to give him a straight answer. She is in fact not even remotely his mother but she doesn't seem to know that or care, and before he's able to get a word in edgewise he's out the door with a bag over his shoulders. Eevee had taken advantage of the chaos to climb up Izuku's back, sitting pretty on his shoulder as if he belongs there. So what does Izuku do? Well...

He starts to walk, hoping he'll be able to come into a town and maybe someplace more familiar than the route ahead of him. ...only for a Pineco to drop from a tree and attack both him and his Eevee pretty much immediately. It's a pretty sudden and surprising introduction to Pokemon battling before he's even finished reading up on it, leaving him to find a tree to sit down under for a while before anything else can happen. He has the PokeGear, so let's just try to contact someone. Anyone.]

Hello? I don't know if anyone can hear me on this, but it's worth a try...

[He pauses as Eevee pushes his head into the screen's view, hello he's here too.]

My name is Midoriya Izuku. I'm not sure what's happened, but I'm really not where I'm supposed to be right now. My only guess is this all is due to the effects of a Quirk, but I don't remember anything that could have lead to that.

[Unless Shigaraki had some tricks up his sleeve he really wasn't prepared for. Doesn't explain how his injuries have ceased to exist, either.]

I've been reading the guidebook, but it's really just giving me more questions than answers. Not only that, the pet the lady had in her house where I woke up followed me outside and I can't get it to go back home to her. She won't answer the door now so I'm not really sure what to do about that.

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[He can't help it. He's immediately tearing up as he snatches the device up off the ground, springing to his feet fast enough that his Eevee nearly falls backwards off his shoulder, only managing to catch himself by digging his paws into his sleeve.]

Kacchan!!

[Nobody else calls him Deku. Nobody.]

Kacchan, where- where are you?! Are you okay?!

[Even if Katsuki can't see Izuku's face, it's clear just from the emotion in the tone of his voice that he's leaking like a faucet. Strangely though, it isn't just Izuku's normal reaction to hearing from Katsuki.

It's frantic. Panicked in a way that Izuku doesn't get unless something is actually wrong.]

[ You know, he had been about to go off on the nerd, but then he hears that tone of voice. Deku's a crybaby, make no mistake. Usually there's a difference in his wailings. Right now it's a very distressed one that, well, he has no idea what it could be from? He hadn't done anything yet to merit that sort of blubbering.

Honestly it sounds like the shitty nerd right before he loses his mind and does something phenomenally stupid.

Something ain't right there. ]

The hell wouldn't I be okay!? Who do you think you're talking to!?

[ "Are you okay?" Well shit that doesn't settle right on Bakugou at all. ]

[There are a lot of reasons Katsuki wouldn't be okay. Namely, the fact that- in Izuku's timeframe- just minutes ago Katsuki was speared through by Shigaraki. So realistically, he shouldn't even be talking without difficulty right now.

Still, even if hearing Katsuki growl at him like nothing's wrong is too good to be true, it isn't enough to save his Gear from the tears dripping off his face onto the screen.]

I- Shigaraki, you were there-

[You were there when you shouldn't have been. When he should have-

He takes a deep breath. Calm down, you can't articulate yourself to explain if you don't calm down.]

Where are you?

[He ends up repeating himself. It's not helpful, no, but he just- needs to figure out a way to get to where he is, somehow.]

[ None of that has even happened for Bakugou though. For him it had been the evacuation. All of them had meant to focus on that and only that. Though Katsuki, more than a lot of pro heroes, realize the importance of taking down Shigaraki before the guy is a threat.

But to hear Deku say that he had been there - ]

Dig out your map from your bag.

[ Because the nerd won't understand what Bakugou is referring to otherwise. ]

You are in New Bark. We are in Goldenrod.

[ Which implies two things: that Katsuki isn't alone and that he maybe... Has been around for a while. ]

[There's an audible rustling on Izuku's end as he immediately leaps to dig in his bag again, pulling out his guide so he can get to the map the moment Katsuki tells him to. It only takes him a moment of frantic searching to realize that where he is in New Bark is several cities away from Goldenrod. He'd been told multiple times that New Bark was where everyone arrived apparently, which does indicate Katsuki has been here longer.

But how? Why? And...

...we?

Questions that can be answered while he's figuring out how to get there, first.]

What's the fastest way for me to get there? There has to be a train or something I can take in the next town, right?

You can't. Quick math tells me it will be about a day at the earliest.

[ He can use Fly outside of battle, but doesn't have the HM yet. So he can't just force Corviknight to haul them all around. ]

On our end we can take warp pads to Cherrygrove and set out from there. Bug's pretty damn huge and Shitty Hair's got Onyx if he comes along.

[ A pause. ]

If I feel like it's worth the hassle. Otherwise it'll take you a while.

Kirishima-kun...

[Izuku ends up whispering before he can stop himself. So he's here too, with Katsuki. He's glad to hear he hasn't been alone, but the fact that any of them are here at all is a lot to process.

Izuku's eyes dart across the map until they land on Cherrygrove. That's the next town off from the route he's on, isn't it?]

I'm going to go to Cherrygrove right now. I'm already on the route between New Bark and there.

[ Ironic because, well, Katsuki and Eijiro actually got in a really nasty fight over them being here. Lots of pent up frustrations and miscommunication - or lack there of in general. ]

Oi! Didn't you hear what I said? I said if! IF!

[ Riding would only take him a day from Cherrygrove. Otherwise Deku has a 3 day walk. ]

[That isn't too surprising. Izuku can't imagine he wouldn't have been in a similar boat, considering how well he and Katsuki tend to get along...

Especially now as he's got his blinders firmly on and is already walking with his Eevee adopting a more secure position atop his trainer's shoulders. He'll eventually get the message and stop and wait, probably...maybe.]

How long have you been here? What can you tell me about what's going on? And- you said you're okay, right? You're absolutely sure? You're not injured or anything?

[Izuku woke up injury free, so...maybe Katsuki was the same?]

Can't believe this shit -

[ It's like what he says is going in one ear and out the other! Pretty par the course for fucking Deku.

Not that it matters at the moment. Katsuki's actually snapping on his video feed. There! See? He's perfectly fucking fine even with his Typhlosion hovering over his shoulder. ]

Five months. It's bullshit. Yes. ABSOLUTELY FUCKING FINE! AND GODDAMN IT NO!

[ By the end of it, his own Eevee pops right underneath his chin - pretty little ribbons and all. ]

[Izuku's being Izuku while Kacchan is being Kacchan...even with Izuku giving him the 20 questions treatment, Katsuki still went through with answering each and every one. He's acting like himself which is more of a relief than anything, but it isn't until Izuku can see him with his own eyes that he's able to accept the fact that he is okay.

It takes a bit of doing to get his own feed on so Katsuki gets the same in return, giving him full view of Izuku with tears in his eyes and cheeks wet with what already fell from earlier. His Eevee turns his attention to the gear immediately only to get really excited when he sees another Eevee.

He scrambles forward a little with his tail wagging a mile a minute, reaching his paws out in an effort to get Izuku to bring the Gear closer, which he does. Also wow, what on earth is that thing behind Katsuki it's huge-]

You...you really are okay...

[Izuku quickly brings up one of his hands to scrub at the corner of his eyes with the heel of his palm.]

I'm so glad...

[ Honestly the little fucker probably really won't give it all a rest until he sees Katsuki in person. Not to mention, this weird ass behavior is getting Bakugou a bit concerned. Not that he will show it nor will he express it. This is kind of freaking him out. ]

What the hell is your malfunction?

[ Not that his Eevee minds with the other shows up on the screen. She wiggles her ears happily, causing a soft jumgle to be heard over feed. forgive her, she's still young. ]

[Haha...there's a lot that is his malfunction, right now. He's just not sure where to even start in explaining. It doesn't sit right with him at all that Katsuki doesn't even seem to remember any of it...could his injuries have been that severe that he forgot, or is this something else entirely?]

...can you tell me what you last remember, Kacchan?

[Izuku decides to start quietly as he wipes his eyes some more to try and stem the flow of tears, letting his Eevee chirp a friendly greeting to Katsuki's Eevee on the other side. So small...]

[ Wow. That question doesn't raise any flags whatsoever. Katsuki takes a moment to look over his shoulder and wave something or something off to the side - out of view.

Telling his little beasts to pack shit up and get ready. The Eevee lingers though. She gets horribly spoiled so it is what it is. ]

Evacuating the city. What else?

[Evacuating the city. That was...some time ago compared to what they're all facing now, considerably. And that is enough to cause Izuku's complexion to pale. Katsuki isn't the type of person to bullshit. He tells the truth 100% of the time, even if it hurts. So...he's being honest with Izuku here, for better or worse.

He's not sure which it is, ultimately.]

I...that happened a while ago.

[He doesn't know how this is possible, but it is.]

Things are bad back home.

What do you mean a while ago.

[ A couple of days? Months? How long are we talking about? ]

Shit went sideways didn't it?

[The phrasing is a bit misleading, but for Izuku it feels like it's been days, months even, despite all of it happening within the same day. Now that he's being presented with the daunting task of having to fill Katsuki in, though...

He has to stop off on the side of the road again, leaning against another tree with hopefully nothing inside waiting to pounce on him. He thinks maybe this isn't the best conversation to have over the Gear- and with Kirishima out of the loop besides- but it needs to happen now. Katsuki won't let him off the hook without explaining, and he can't blame him.]

Shigaraki. He escaped from the lab. It was interrupted, but...

[Not enough. Not nearly enough.]

He came for the city. We went after him, both of us, but he-

[Izuku takes a shaky breath, his grip on the Gear slipping a bit.]

Y-...you got hurt. Really bad. I thought- I didn't know if- he was right in front of me, but then you were there-

[ Wait. Did this little fucker just stop? Is he that emotionally distressed - ]

Knock it off. As much as I'll smack you around later, it probably isn't the best thing for you to be talking about in the goddamn open.

[ See, Deku thinks all this shit, but who is the one that scolds him AND All Might about keeping their shit a secret? They're horrible at it. Bakugou doesn't know how they haven't managed to clue people in with their obvious as fuck behaviors.

But Katsuki getting hurt bad... God. Deku probably blames himself for it. The bastard. ]

[If Katsuki thinks that's bad, just wait until he finds out that it technically was Izuku's fault, insomuch as having someone take a potentially fatal blow for you can be. His one saving grace for the time being is the fact that he's alone on the routes, his Eevee the only one who could be privy to this conversation. Katsuki is right, though. It's sensitive information, even if he hasn't mentioned anything actually secret yet by name.

He forces himself to look back at the Gear's screen, if only to look at Katsuki directly again. Just...making sure he's really there.]

I can explain everything more when I get there, but...that is the last thing I remember.

[Katsuki was skewered, Izuku went after Shigaraki with all the force of a thousand suns...and then he woke up here.]

[ Now his reaction to that might surprise them both. ~~Since he's being pretty vocal about his "concern" in more recent chapters ammirite?~~

Augh whatever. This is all headache-inducing. ]

This shit's -

[ Something else... But honestly the other concern here is, well. ]

Did you come with basic camping supplies or what? Not that you probably know how to use that crap.

[He sure is! Gosh Kacchan you really do care-

Camping supplies though, he does have those. He took the time to go through his bag in its entirety before he contacted the network, he just...hasn't bothered setting up camp yet or anything like that. He hadn't planned on camping just yet if he had some traveling to do, but it seems like plans might be changing.

His mouth works soundlessly for a moment before he's nodding dumbly while his brain works to catch up to the sudden topic change.]

I have them, yeah...it doesn't look like it should be that hard to set up.

[Famous last words.]

[ Yeah, it is a bit of a sudden topic change. A needed one though. As much as Bakugou would like to talk this all out and get it sorted... There's just some things that don't need to be overheard by a public network where everyone can comment about it. Or know his business.

Their business. ]

This is a disaster in the making.

[Smart move. Izuku would likely just keep rambling and trying to explain if he's not distracted, and this is at least something else that is relatively important he needs to figure out. It's cold out here, and it's not like he can just sleep on the ground. Even if Katsuki and Kirishima manage to get to him within a day, there's nowhere for him to stay until then. So! Camping it is.

Assuming Izuku can do it.]

I can figure it out! But...maybe I should at least go a little further, first. Even if I can't make it to Cherrygrove before it gets dark, I can save you guys some traveling time if I meet you halfway?

[Because you're definitely coming to get him right]

Are you saying that because you want to get a bit further or because you're using that as an excuse.

[ Bakugou is now snickering. ]

Just one more thing on a list of shit you could never get right.

01 ✦ Video

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Manga spoilersss

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