62

 Chapter 62: Chapter #61 | Burden of the Exiled

Notes:

We had a hell of a time with this chapter, I had to scrap a scene once and work with my medical contact to get something closer. My editor had a hell of a time editing it from where they are right now. Think two paragraphs at a time before they had to step away.

BUT get it done we did and hopefully that means that it's a good chapter. We've got a direct continuation from last chapter.

Last chapter we had:

-Conversation with Nedzu and Snipe

-Brief interlude to gather people

-Trauma starring Monoma

Enjoy!

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Midoriya's steps down the stairs were heavy with how much his body craved sleep. Sleep that wouldn't be terribly forthcoming that night. Monoma's steps behind him were just as heavy. The two stepped into the common area of Class B's dorm, which was thankfully devoid of anyone except the people he was hoping to speak with.

Midoriya counted them in his head. Twelve students, six from his own class, five—six now with Monoma joining them—from their sister class, sat around in varying states of dishevelment. He would have to have this conversation with their seventh, Hagakure, in the hospital in the morning. Slowly, as he met each of their eyes with his own, he realized that the students in front of him wore expressions of concern.

What expression am I wearing? Midoriya reached up and touched his cheek briefly before using that hand to crack his neck. He'd have to hide that motion if he wanted to keep their concerns minimal. Letting himself slip like that had been a mistake. A small smile graced his face, practiced, with the beginnings of a grimace in the corners of his mouth.

"Thank you for gathering everyone up, Kendo. If you would excuse us, though, the news should be directed to them before anyone else." Midoriya spoke softly, his tone apologetic, but noted the easy dismissal on her face.

"It's fine, Midoriya." He turned to Monoma, the last person he'd expected to speak tonight. "It's fine for Kendo to listen."

Midoriya glanced briefly over at the students of 1-A in silent question. He needn't have looked far, though, as they made it quite clear with their impassive shrugs and nods that they didn't care whether or not Kendo stuck around. Midoriya sighed.

"Alright, earlier today, the president of the university received a visit from a little birdie, who told him a number of very interesting things. By this, I mean that Hawks was sent to the school to deliver a list of people that the Hero Commission has deemed unfit for the hero course. They are to be removed. On that list were the twelve of you, myself, and Hagakure. I need to have this same conversation with her when she wakes in the morning, so if you could all refrain from telling her, that would be ideal."

The response was a mixed bag. Several of the students hung their heads, fists clenched, jaws set. Others burst out with half-hearted complaints. Tokoyami stared down at his hands as Dark Shadow cheered obnoxiously, while Toga and Pony appeared completely disinterested. Uraraka paled, her pallor sickly and green.

"That- They can't just- Fuck that!" Kamakiri's shock quickly turned to burning anger. "They can't just throw us out of the hero course for defending ourselves!"

Midoriya held up a hand. "If you were at any other school, the HPSC probably would have succeeded at that request. But you're at U.A., and your president very politely tells them to fuck off as a routine."

Kamakiri slumped back into his seat with a satisfied snort,muttering, yeah, I bet he did.

With a steeling breath, Shiozaki spoke up, her cadence calm and even. "What does this mean for us, Midoriya? If we aren't going to be removed from the hero course."

"Eh, doesn't really matter." The flippant tone had 1-B looking over at Toga who just shrugged her shoulders. "Midoriya will take care of it, and we'll be fine." More surprise as students looked back and forth between Midoriya and Toga.

"How- how do you know that Midoriya will take care of it?" At that, the group's attention focused on the large, straw-colored man sitting towards the outskirts of their little cluster. Midoriya sympathized as Bondo seemed to cringe back into his chair, away from their stares. "Not to say that there is anything wrong with you, Midoriya, but- but how- how are you going to take care of it?"

Midoriya let out a slow breath. "Relax, Bondo. No one thinks that you are suggesting anything. It's a valid question, as well. 1-B doesn't know me, as some of 1-A does." Bondo relaxed minutely as Uraraka spoke.

"Well, he fixed me right up." She clanked one leg against the other, letting the metal plates clatter together before putting her foot back down on the ground.

"Got my sister and me away from my abusive sperm and egg donors!" Toga gave two thumbs up and a bloodthirsty smirk that made the rest of them shiver a bit.

"He's a good ma-"

"Nedzu and I are working on a plan right now to make sure that you all will be able to get your hero licenses, if that is what you are wanting to do with your degree." Midoriya cut off whatever horrifying statement was about to fall out of Tokage's mouth. "In reality, the Commission may like to profess that they are a government body, but they aren't. They have ties to the government but no real authority to bar you if we go over their heads."

Kendo frowned, her eyebrows drawing together. "That doesn't make sense, though? Why would the government allow a private entity to enforce laws?"

Midoriya pointed at Kendo. "Precisely that. They go to great lengths to hide that from the public eye, especially as tension grows between them and the government. The power to appoint heroes and their licenses was given to them back during the Urbans, a time in which the government needed them to be a third party."

"That sounds like a time bomb waiting to go off, Midoriya." The concerned look on Tokoyami's face had the group's anxiety ratcheting up a notch.

Midoriya couldn't help but sigh. "Yeah, you can call it that, and you wouldn't be wrong. Going as it is now, I would give it a decade at most before it blows up in all of our faces. But there is a lot going on behind the scenes that I can't and won't talk about with you guys right now. Besides, we're getting off track. Don't worry about any of that. We'll talk more about the HPSC, the government, all of your options, and what is happening in the world as a class in your third and fourth years before you graduate."

"Then, you're just letting us know this is happening and that there's nothing to worry about?" Midoriya glanced over at Kaminari and smiled.

"Yes, I am informing you all that this happened because your names were on the list. We have a responsibility to relay that to you, but all you guys need to think about is making it through your four years of training. Nedzu and I will deal with the rest."

"Can we do anything, Midoriya?" He looked over at Kendo and shook his head.

"Only what you were going to do, anyway. If you really want to help, like I said, focus on your training. Give it everything you've got, and when the Sports Festival rolls around, think very carefully about what makes someone a hero. Not the job title, but the trait. Do that, and you'll all be just fine."

Midoriya kept a smile on his face as he answered a few more questions before eventually dismissing everyone back to their dorms. He let his expression drop as the last of the students rounded the corner towards the stairs, leaving only Kuroiro remaining on the couch with Komori pulled onto his lap. She was staring fixedly at the space in front of her, unblinking and absolutely still. Midoriya kneeled down beside the pair, his voice soft, face carefully neutral.

"How long has she been like this?"

"Since sometime in the middle of your announcement." Midoriya took Komori's arm gently, adjusting his fingers once or twice before he found her pulse. There was a long moment of silence, then Midoriya pulled back, sucking on his teeth for a moment as he took stock.

"She's tachycardic."

"What does that mean?"

"It means that her resting heart rate shouldn't be well over one hundred. Komori?" Phoenix pull up the medical records of Komori Kinoko and display them on my left. Midoriya clicked his fingers a couple times before gently turning Komori to look at him.

Alert. Air composition abnormal. Advise immediate scans to determine the cause.

Tsk. Shit. "Komori? Komori?" A slight twitch of her hand. "Komori. Look around you, Komori, you are fine. Talk to us, please. Can you take a deep breath for me?" No response.

Midoriya's eyes flicked to Kuroiro's eyes, and he gave a subtle hand gesture to pick up where he had left off. As Kuroiro started muttering to Komori, Midoriya took note of Kuroiro's use of her first name. As it came into his field of vision, Midoriya skimmed the medical file and physician's notes, grimacing as he continued to read. Included in her own files were the details of what her mushrooms had done against the villains at the USJ. When he turned back to the two on the couch, Komori was responsive again and sobbing into Kuroiro's shoulder.

"Komori? Could we speak for a moment?" Komori turned as far as she could in Kuroiro's hold, choking back sobs as she wiped fruitlessly at her face. Her eyes continued to stream.

"I- I'm sorry. Sometimes I- I just. I can't stop seeing-" Midoriya felt his expression slip again as the sorrow and anger and understanding crept back in. Too young. They're all too young for this.

Weren't you too young?

"No, Komori. It's fine, I know all too well. It's okay. Kuroiro, could you possibly get Komori a glass of water, please?" The man gave Midoriya a pained smile before shifting Komori off of his lap and onto the couch. He stood up, took four steps, and Midoriya's alert pinged in his head again.

His eyes snapped to Komori's and noticed with unease the growing panic in them. Calmly, but sharp in tone, Midoriya raised his voice. "Kuroiro. On second thought, I'll get it. Please, just wait with Komori." Though confused, the man was confused but sat back down.

Midoriya pulled his phone from his pocket as he stepped from the room. It took him only a moment to find Hound Dog's number in his contact list. After several moments, the dial tone turned over to the man's low, grumbling voice. "Midoriya, I hadn't thought that you would call me first. This is a pleasant surprise."

"Sorry, Inui, this isn't about me."

"You've yet to come in for a session, Midoriya. They are mandated for your classes for a reason."

Midoriya sighed, shaking his head. "And I told you, I'll come in when the rest of the students have been seen to. I've lived with my problems for a long time now. I'm in no rush to be told that the problems I have are the same problems I think I have. I don't need it."

"We'll have to disagree on that point, Midoriya. I would say that it is more important for you, as their teacher, to have your head clear. But you didn't call me to rehash this argument. What is it that you need?"

"Has Komori Kinoko from 1-B had a session with you yet?" Midoriya could hear the shuffling of papers on the other side of the line before Hound Dog finally confirmed Midoriya's suspicions. Pulling the phone away from his face, Midoriya pinched the bridge of his nose as he thought. "Alright, please schedule her for a psychiatric evaluation in the morning."

"What's happened?"

"Our rat overlord had me deliver the news regarding the HPSC and their list to the students involved."

"Please tell me that he wasn't there."

"He wasn't, no. But Komori went unresponsive, almost used her quirk unconsciously. The spores in the air were thick enough to trip atmospheric alerts from my gear. Nonreactive to external stimuli until Kuroiro started trying to talk her down. It took us a few minutes. You should have him there with her, as well."

"Why's that?"

"She almost panicked again when he went to step out of the room for a glass of water and she hasn't left his side since the incident."

"Are you thinking she's trauma bonded to him?"

"That's your job to figure out. What I know is that she let out more spores when she panicked, so you and Shuzenji should wear respirators when you do it."

"Alright, any other symptoms?"

"The standard for panic. Breathing issues, shaking, tachycardia."

"Alright, I'll go speak with Shuzenji. Have her come to the medical ward by ten, please."

"Will do. Thanks, Inui." There was a short bark on the other side of the line, which Midoriya took as an affirmative, before the call died. He stuffed the phone back into his pocket, filled a glass from the kitchen cupboard with water, then made his way back towards the common area with quiet footsteps.

When he rounded into the room, he immediately noticed that Komori was exactly where Midoriya had left her, as was Kuroiro. Gently, Midoriya passed the glass of water into her thankful hands and watched as she tipped her head back to take several long gulps. As it was, the woman needed more water than the rest of them as a byproduct of her quirk. As emotionally wrought as she'd been, Midoriya could understand the sudden, desperate need as she drained the glass. With that, Midoriya paused to take her in. The dark bags under her eyes, the dry, chapped lips, the sunken eyes. The way she'd drunk the glass in mere moments. No, it didn't look like she had been getting nearly enough fluids.

"Komori, in the morning, at ten o'clock, you and Kuroiro are going to report to the medical ward, alright?"

The young woman's eyes widened in confusion. "Why? I'm not hurt? Neither is Shihai."

Midoriya slanted an unimpressed look in her direction. "I'm a doctor, Komori. I know the signs of dehydration. The only thing I don't know is how severe it is."

Komori blushed, turning her head as she muttered. "It's fine. I'll just drink some more water. I don't need to bother the doctors over there."

Midoriya sighed and shook his head. "I'm sorry, Komori, but that isn't all. Hound Dog and Recovery Girl will also be there to evaluate your state, psychologically."

Both Komori and Kuroiro froze in place. "What?" The word came croaking out of Komori's mouth like a death rattle. Confusion had turned to shock, shock to horror. "I- I don't need a doctor- a shrink poking around in my head. There is nothing wrong with me! Nothing wrong!" The woman stood up, seeming to move automatically towards the door, only to return a moment later, pacing back and forth, from one side of the room to the other.

"No, no, no. I won't, I will not. There isn't anything wrong with me. Sure, I can't sleep sometimes, and I can't stop seeing it, but that's normal! I don't need to go to the crazy doctor because I'm not crazy!"

"I never said you were." The pacing halted for a moment. "Everyone needs help sometimes, Komori. You don't need to be crazy to see a doctor for your mental health."

"Oh yeah, I'm sure. Heroes don't need help. They are the help. Look at all of the top heroes! They don't need help like that!" Midoriya gave Komori a slow shake of his head.

"Who told you that, Komori? Out of the top ten alone, I can give you four who see a therapist regularly and one who is quite vocal about it." The statement seemed to freeze Komori in place midstride. "You also aren't the only one who is having this done. Everyone in the hero course has to see Inui at some point. It's mandatory after what we've been through."

"Oh, but I'm the only one that has to have a full workup?"

"Not everyone has to have that, you are correct. But several students do."

"Who then?"

"I can't tell you that, Komori."

"No. No, you can't force me. I won't-"

"I can, actually." Kuroiro, who had been making his way across the room towards Komori, stopped and stared.

"What- what do you mean you could force her, Midoriya?"

"I mean that since everyone has left, Komori has used her quirk twice… make that three times, without her even realizing it." Komori blinked, puzzled, before finally looking around and feeling out for her spores. When she did, her face paled.

"If I have to, I will classify her as a threat to not only herself but to others, as well, and force this issue."

"Wha- what?" Midoriya stepped forward, closing the distance between them for the first time since the conversation began.

"I don't want to do that, Komori. We all need help. Every one of us needs it." He watched as tears began to drip down her round cheeks, moisture catching in her eyelashes.

"What? Are you really saying that you're going to talk to a shrink, too?"

Midoriya stopped, taking in a deep breath as he consciously relaxed his fists. "I made a deal with Hound Dog. He believed me to be one of the students most in need of help. Perhaps, but I was only willing to get that help after every one of you got it first. Because that is what you all need."

Slowly, Midoriya pulled his shirt up and out of his pants and tugged it to the side. Fading scar tissue networked across his skin from surgeries and injuries alike. Faint starburst, just shy of disappearing, underlaid the more obvious scars, eliciting gasps from the two students standing opposite him. "Hound Dog thinks I need to speak with him, but for that to happen, I need you to get help, too. Won't you please help me?"

…

Midoriya was halfway back to class 1-A's dorms when his communicator chimed. He groaned, even as he reached up to tap his ear. "Dabi, you'd better have a damn good reason for this. I have paperwork I need to finish and yet another research paper for the vindictive rat."

That Nakayama Suto kid finally made it through the front door. Figured you'd want to do something with that.

Midoriya felt his mood improve as the giddy feeling of success flowed into him. I knew that kid would do it. Seal the front doors behind him before he realizes he's trapped, then go sit on him. We're on our way.

Midoriya gave a little hop and a laugh as he bolted towards the parking lot. He pulled his phone back out as he speed walked, video calling both Mei and the president together.

"Well, Midoriya, you certainly look as if you're in a good mood."

"And you will be, too, Nedzu. Grab your entry tests for electrical engineering through material sciences and meet me at the parking lot. You too, Mei. The kid did it."

Nedzu smiled, his razor-sharp teeth on full display in the comfort of his own office.. He didn't know precisely who this was or what he had done to elicit this kind of excited reaction from his students, but this was certain to be, if nothing else, interesting.

Notes:

If anyone would like to support my writing, remember you can find out how Here! I'm infinitely grateful for anyone who can and does!