RISE 2

"Well, if it isn't one of the two that helped make this all possible… You may have changed your hair and your name, but I know that quirk anywhere…" Hands said, snarling, "Nomu, say hello to one of your helpers…"

The creature looked at little Red and she stumbled back in fear, falling back onto her hands. Her eyes glazed over as if she was seeing something else and her body was shaking.

"You college students and your flashy quirks… Making the League of Villains look like amateurs… Can't have that." Hands continued. The Nomu started healing and Red whimpered at the sight. The sound brought the villain's focus back to her, and he snarled. "We should've killed you and that mind control freak before we left you two there… No matter. Nomu, free our-"

"KATSUKI MOVE!" Red shrieked, and All Might shifted his gaze to Katsuki.

"-escape route while I take care of this loose end."

Time moved in slow motion for Katsuki as he watched All Might and Nomu race towards him. Red's warning already had him jumping out of the way, and he felt the air rush around him as he was sped away on All Might's shoulder. His head moved up as he was being put down, and his eyes met Red's. She was so focused on him and All Might that she had only just now started turning towards Hands, who was already within reaching distance of her. Her mouth opened in surprise and he felt his own mouth slowly open as well to yell her name as All Might turned around, seeing what Katsuki was seeing as well. All Might started towards her, Nomu started towards All Might, Red put her arm in front of her face, Hands reached out and was an inch away-

Then time went back to normal and a piercing scream filled the air. It mixed with the Nomu's ear piercing screech and suddenly Katsuki was-

=Hitoshi's scream of horror mixed with Nomu's terrible screech as the people fell one by one, dead. Her own scream rang in her ears. They watched as even the children were hooked up to machines and drained, the life fading from their eyes. She felt Hitoshi's horror and guilt on top of her own, they were the reason these people died. And when that group was done, she had to find more and he had to make them come. The agony of the drug being injected, their quirks being used against their will by the masked man, ripping their minds apart... the cold sank into her bones as she sank to her knees on the concrete. They would've been better off dead. Then those people would've lived=

Katsuki gasped deeply as his thoughts and vision returned to him, and the sound was echoed around him as everyone else in the small area recovered as well. What… He reeled in shock at what he had just experienced. It felt like he was there. It was like he felt her... and it was fucking terrifying. There wasn't even time to ask questions, either. Red's unconscious body was suddenly next to Katsuki, and he looked up to see All Might panting in front of them, also recovering from the vision.

"These are students… AND YOU DIDN'T HOLD BACK?!" All Might shouted, horror stricken. What? That probably meant the villain caused the illusion. Katsuki was fine though. He looked down at his body to ensure he had no injuries, and stiffened when he noticed the dark red spots on the ground. He looked over to little Red's unconscious body, and saw the skin was just… gone... from part of the arm she had put over her face. All that was left were muscles and blood. Katsuki felt his stomach churn, almost feeling nauseous.

"I didn't have much choice… She shouldn't be alive with what she knows… The angry one was threatening my companion… The plain one, the frog, and the purple one all came at me earlier to protect their violent teacher…"

Katsuki and the rest of them stilled in shock at the twisted words falling from the villain's mouth. As if what he had just done was a mild inconvenience. As if trying to kill both of them and almost succeeding with one of them, was a mild inconvenience. Feeling his adrenaline fade after being rescued and his lack of sleep from the night before catching up to him, Katsuki stiffened as he endured.

"We need to get Olivia out of here." Todoroki breathed, lips pressing together. Kirishima was also struggling with his composure, fingers twitching. Midoriya was looking back and forth worriedly between her and All Might. The illusion they were somehow forced to witness and the blood pooling under Olivia's arm put them all on edge.

"You think you can get away with being as violent as you want, as long as you can say it was for the sake of others…" The villain continued. Katsuki's skin crawled.

"I'll take her." Todoroki said, bending down to pick Olivia up.

Katsuki snapped out of his shock.

"Well you know what, All Might?" The conversation between All Might and the villain continued behind them.

Katsuki shoved Icyhot out of the way. "Hands off Icy Bastard, a weakling like you wouldn't be able to carry her anyway." Katsuki growled, scooping up the small girl in his arms. He would never admit it, but his exhaustion was catching up to him, and like hell he was going to be a liability again.

The Icy Bastard shrugged, ice forming under his feet. "Fine, have it your way. I'm going to find Momo then. Good luck." He skated off, following the sparks of electricity coming up from the earthquake zone.

Katsuki turned from the group and started walking back to the entrance. He tried not to shiver at the images from the illusion that flashed in his head again as he looked at her. All those dying people, the screams, the feeling of his mind being torn apart along with hers…

Suddenly, there was a loud sound and a gust of wind shook the area. Katsuki cursed as he and Red were blown forward, hitting the ground a few feet away. He groaned and stood up, looking over to Red who was opening her eyes after hitting the base of a tree.

"Ugh, Katsuki…" She reached for him and he let her as he approached her. Once he reached her, she touched his foot and groaned. "You seriously dropped me? You should've let Slushie take me, he could've put up a wall…"

He pulled his foot away from her hand, suddenly remembering her quirk and growled at her words. She was out of her damn mind. "Well aren't you just a picky Princess? Stay still, you're injured." He picked her up again, straining from the effort as she wiggled in his arms.

"Are you talking about my head?" She asked, continuing to squirm.

"Stop fucking moving! Your head is fine!" He snapped, where the fuck was Chipmunk when he needed her? Little Red wasn't heavy, but damn she's being annoying, and he's beyond tired.

"Why are you annoyed with me? Hey, my head hurts Katsuki, maybe because I didn't sleep much either." She sighed, closing her eyes tiredly.

"Would you stay out of my mind for one goddamn second, Red? Shit, no wonder you didn't tell me your damn quirk." He bit out. They were almost there, he could see the people on the level above.

"Stop being mean, your brain isn't right anyway... Is it because your head hurts too?" She asked, eyes flying open like she had an epiphany.

"What? Why would my head hurt? And what the hell do you mean my brain isn't right?!" Katsuki had to consciously stop his hands from heating up, and had to admit that half and half bastard probably would've been better suited for this task, because he was about to kill her himself.

"It's not right, I can't hear your words! I can only see images and five different stupid feelings at once that change before I can untangle them! Your mind is fucking chaos, Katsuki!" She groaned, putting her hands on her own head, as though the thought pained her. He was surprised by her curse word. "Hey look, my hair dye is coming off!"

He knew her hair was dyed! Both the Hands villain and little Red herself had confirmed it now! Does that mean her name was changed too, like the villain said? Was the rest true as well?

He looked down, and she was showing him her hands that were stained not with hair dye, but blood.