Chapter 14: His Revival

Izuku's Interview-

"What were you doing last Saturday?" The terrifying officer interrogated Deku, whose memory and body trembled. He looked at the table for a few seconds before answering, recollecting his last actions and whereabouts. Then, he turned his face to him again.

"I was at the park, a little far from my house. I went there to have some fresh cold air even if it is winter. I didn't do anything other than sitting and looking around," he reminded himself. The officer looked up to the camera that was set at the corner of the room. He nodded to himself.

He was a very dressed, formal guy with his tie and fascinating coat, but with no hat or cap. He looked like a young adult around his 20's or 30's, seemed matured but easily convinced. Not to mention his height, which was almost two inches less than the length of the room's door. His hair all refreshed with clear skin.

"Okay," he shortly stated and looked at the next page of a paper. "What about... what were you doing at 10:10PM? Were you still in the park? Where you somewhere else?" He questioned firmly and was attentive to Deku's psychological response.

"I think I was about to go home at that point. I probably spent some time walking and had cut my trail to peek at new places..." he said. The officer was left there thinking on his own.

"Hmm..." Doubt was shown. "Was there anyone with you?" Deku caught up in a surprise. He forgot to mention the fact that Kacchan was there, but hoped that there was no importance in that exclusion.

"Yes. Actually, Kacchan had come to the park a few minutes after I did. I didn't even know how he knew where I was, but he sat with me for a while," truthfully, he stated. Although, he'd be lying if he said he wasn't nervous.

"..."

Short silence sat by while the officer took a glimpse of the paper's information and turned to the camera before Deku. "Who's Kacchan?" He asked. "O-oh, I meant Katsuki. Sorry, I tend to call him Kacchan." For some reason he was embarrassed. "That's okay," he reassured.

"..."

"So, Katsuki was with you until then..." he repeated without directly looking at him, but while taking some notes with a pen. "Tell me, at what time did he leave?" He looked up, and Deku hesistated.

Katsuki's Interview-

"I went for a walk," Bakugo roughly said. "That's it? Where were you heading? At what time?" The same officer asked and was shut quickly by Bakugo's tired groan. He laid his head on the chair. "You think I know what time I was walking on Saturday? Please!" He mocked rudely.

"At least tell me where you were going," he replied, ignoring his lack of discipline.

Bakugo crossed his legs. "Fine. I went to this park, but that's only because I crossed paths with it. I would've bought my spices which was in the store next to the area," he said. The officer hummed in consideration that he listened. Bakugo stared at him.

'If I'd say I was straight up going to the park, he'd find it suspicious, and think that I knew where Deku was. Probably that I tracked his location from his phone or something,' the blond thought. 'Also, if I were to say I bought the spices, he would ask for a receipt and the surveillance cameras to the owner.

"Let's see, and why didn't you buy your spices before entering the park?" The officer questioned again.

"Who said I entered the park?"

"Did you?"

The blond looked aside and disconnected his eye-contact, annoyed to an extent. "I did," he muttered. The officer turned down again but switched his vision to the camera to check if it caught what he said. "Why did you enter? Was there someone you knew that was there?" He asked, and Bakugo looked up with a smirk.

'Ahah!... so he's playing that game, huh? I know you're doing your job, but you surely know that Deku was indeed there. Unless, you're trying to see if I lie, whether I am referring to a different park.'

"Yes, shitty Deku. You probably don't who it is so basically is Izuku." In an instant, the officer noted it down.

"Okay. Based on Izuku Midoriya's alibi, you both stayed at the park, no?" He recalled.

'I knew it. And I know Deku's a stupid bastard, so he'd say I left the park after I checked what time it was. Fuck! I remember telling him. This'll definitely won't look good on me.'

The brown-haired officer raised an eyebrown.

'Old Hag would then tell him I came home late. All I have left to say is that I walked to my house without a hurry.'

"Yeah," Bakugo lowly said. "He also mentioned how you left after looking at the time, but couldn't remember what time it was. It seemed that you were rushing to somewhere." The officer brought up.

'Tsk, idiot. Should've kept those thoughts to himself! I went to auntie's house, yes I did, but if I said that I did it would make me a suspect. I can't let that happen, even if it means I have to lie.'

"I wasn't rushing, I just wanted to go home. It took me time because there was a villain attack at the moment. Just when I was in my neighborhood, Old Hag called me," Bakugo said.

"Hmm," the brown-haired showed his interest. "May we have the permission to investigate your phone for the solving of this case?" He asked, and Bakugo rapidly looked up. "No."

The officer knew it was an important piece. Bakugo would have known what time it was quickly if he had a watch, because there was no reason to lie about the time he went for a walk. Then, that meant his phone could be significant to clarify some elements that could not really fit in. However, this could also be because the case is focusing on Bakugo secretly, without informing the parents just yet.

According to the security cameras of the places he claimed to be in, he had avoided them, or had rather dressed suspiciously without recognition of his face. Sometimes he disappeared from a camera to another. Not just that, but his phone could reveal conversations with Inko, if he had any, and to exclude the thought of him using a tracker.

It was additionally believed that there was some planning done. Not so eye-catching clothes that were black, had his phone in order to catch up with occurences such as a tracker, news, alerts, and time, and did not have a busy schedule, meaning that he could come up with any story.

He may not be the perpetrator, but he could be an alliance or witness.

"Okay. If not that, could you tell me what were you talking about with Midoriya? He seemed to avoid mentioning anything, so could you? If it helps in any way?"

"It doesn't, that's all I got to say," Bakugo concluded with his crossed arms.

Izuku's Interview-

"He then left and a few minutes later I had the urge to leave, too. It took a while until I was in that same street. A store blew and turned on fire, and a villain escaped with the things he stole," Deku said.

"That's when you saw your apartment?" The officer asked. "Yes. I couldn't believe it. There were many people running outside and some were severly injured. That's when I turned on my phone, since I had if off, and tried calling my mom to see if she at least wasn't inside but somewhere else," he explained while tearing up.

"Continue," the other said.

"I stood there in the middle of the people. It was so full. Then I heard Mitsuki call my name from behind, and hugged me. She brought me to her car and Kacchan was there. It only lasted shortly until we decided to leave."

Mitsuki's Interview-

"I was at work with my husband. Once looking at news around 11AM on the television, I was so shocked to see the place where Izuku lived on fire," the blonde-haired mother informed. "Since I didn't know Izuku's phone number at that time, I called for Inko's phone, but she did not answer."

"What happened next?" The officer said while writing it down. "I excused myself to my employees and gave the lead to a trustful worker. I went with my husband to our home but Katsuki wasn't there yet. We called him, and he said he was nearby," she took a moment to recollect the next event.

"Then we went to the apartment and called for Izuku. I couldn't see him easily since he blended in with the crowd, but thankfully was able to reach him."

"Where's your husband right now?" The officer noticed his absence and wondered.

"He's currently working," Mitsuki said.

"Do you leave work earlier than him?"

"Yes."

"Very well. If it is needed, we'll send you an email from the office. But for now, you're free to go," the officer finished by standing up and holding the door open. "Thank you for your patience, Mrs. Bakugo," he said as the mother grabbed her purse. "No problem, and thanks to you, too."

The door closed from behind.

"Done already?" Bakugo sighed after seeing his mother leave along with that obnoxious adult. "Yeah! We're done. Where's Izuku?" She asked looking around the prodigious space.

"He went to the bathroom," Bakugo said as he stood up. "Okay, let's wait for him at the car. Send him a message."

---

This time Bakugo took advantage of it and sat at the front passenger's seat. With his usual, sitting position, he crossed his legs and looked outside in dismissal. Deku shyly sat at the back, he hadn't gotten over this unfamiliar vechile. He usually walked to anywhere he wanted to excluding transportations. Mitsuki drove attentive at the road, but could not bare the distasteful silence that was accumulating.

"How's school? Are y'all happy winter break is coming?" Mitsuki asked without separating her vision. Before Deku could open his mouth to speak, Bakugo began.

"Never have been happier..." He looked outside, bored out of his mind. He placed his palm under his chin.

"Oh, really? Why? So you could continue playing your drums?" She asked contently, not expecting her son to have spoken. And probably predicted him to ignore her and Izuku to express himself.

"Nah, so I could train more before entering U.A." Turning to the next road in which led to their house, Mitsuki smiled again to his thoughtfulness.

"I'm proud of you, Katsuki. All you've been doing these days is look forward to getting in that amazing school. And I'm glad that all of your efforts are worth as well." Mitsuki pulled his ear playfully and he made a disfigured-mad face.

"Ugh! Get those hands off my ears!" He yelled.

"Shut up, Katsuki! I'm your mother! And I can touch you wherever I want!"

"Don't make it sound nonconsensual!"

Deku giggled from their interaction, though it had become dangerous for them since Mitsuki was fighting with Kacchan. She might get into an accident. However, they were in the neighborhood and not in an area where vechiles passed by frequently.

He fidgeted with his hands, not knowning what to say but enjoying this funny scene. Then the interview popped in his mind, how nervous he felt, and an odd motive he had been following. He became nervous whenever he had to mention Kacchan, as if he was defending him in case he was involved.

It happened mindlessly, so it wasn't as if he was "protecting" the murderer of his mother. By the way, Kacchan would never do that. He knows how both are too obssessed into striking to become the No. 1 hero, and not the greatest villain.

"See? Now you fucking passed the house," the blond sighed in frustration. Mitsuki continued driving the plain and straight street. After his response, she smacked the back of his head. "Language! Scumbag!"

"Old Hag," he mischeviously whispered.

"I did it on purpose. I'm going to drop you both by on this forest you told me you went when you were kids," she said. "I remember it was prohibited, but the gates are removed now."

Bakugo turned his head to her. "Huh? What are you thinking? We just left the police station! Tomorrow we have to go school, and I also want to take a shower, idiot!" She smacked him again.

'Mitsuki could be a little scary sometimes,' Deku thought.

"We're going whether you like it or not. Stop making yourself busy! Get your mind off the world!" They were nearing this forest she mentioned, but it looked like a park overwhelmed with hairy bushes and horizontal trees.

"As if that'd happen," Bakugo leaned back again, uninterested. The blonde mother came to a stop as she parked perfectly aside the sidewalk. "Katsuki, Izuku, you can open the door now."

And they did as she said. Once opening it, they were greeted by that same noise of tweeking birds in their comfy nests. Under the sun and under the trees, they were embraced by a concreteless shadow. Relaxed by the wind, and warmed by its rays, they felt the nostalgia from years ago. Of course, the only difference was age and the season.

"You're not leaving the car?" Bakugo asked while she lowered the window.

"No, I'm going home. You have your phone, right?" She said.

"Wait what? You just gonna leave us here and go home?!"

"Hey, lower down your voice. Also, tighten that scarf of yours." Bakugo lowered his head to the mentioned scarf and scoffed. Mitsuki turned her head to Izuku and waved to grab his attention. "Do you have your phone, too?"

"Y-yes!" The green-haired had gotten caught up with the place's beauty.

"Ugh, just leave already," the blond said in annoyance. "Brat." The other took her tongue out to mock him and left directed to the opposite direction.

"She failed as a mother. Leaving me here freezing with fucking Deku." Bakugo mumbled to himself. Once hearing the car leave and no voice from Mitzuki, Deku looked forward with speed.

"Huh? Where's Mitsuki?!"

"I guess we need to have your ears fixed. Didn't you listen, bastard? We gonna stay here for God knows how long!" Bakugo entered the shattered gate, ripped in half, probably a villain's doing. Nobody secured the area anymore, so it wasn't considered trespassing.

"Ah, wait! Be careful going inside the forest, Kacchan!" Deku got nervous to see him get absorbed in the midst of darkness with light used as a complement.

"What? You scared?" He stopped and turned to him. "Funny how your weak ass younger-self had the courage to come in than the now you."

Deku was offended. He was convinced, feeling the anger for being misunderstood and for being looked down. Of course that after hearing those words, he'd be motivated to even walk further. Guessing these two weren't that different.

The green-haired sprinted towards the broken entrance. He followed the clarified path, stomping on the leaves simultaneously. Bakugo looked back again to see Deku trying to challenge him, as he thought to himself. He then passed Kacchan and had the number one lead.

"Ohoho, I see how it is. So it's a race?" Bakugo dared and stretched his arms. The other kept on running, already filled with provocation and a goal set to his mind: Beat Kacchan. Show your your worth. Surpass him. It won't be that easy, but he'll try with everything he can. Funny, how they had already adapted to the familiar woods, to the place where they once, as friends, explored together.

Bakugo used his explosion downward, making himself fly up and advance while repeating the same movements. It was as if he was jumping on land mines, only that he used his palms and had complete control. He passed Deku, who wasn't at such bad velocity. Sometimes they skipped a few logs that blocked the way. Sometimes they avoided insects that also occupied the ground.

It was becoming tiring, but Deku didn't stop. He saw Kacchan who had taken his spot.

"That's totally not fair! You're using your quirk, Kacchan!" Skipping another log, he slowered a bit.

"Too bad!" Bakugo looked behind.

The direction in which they were heading was covered by vines.

"H-hey! Look!" Deku pointed in front while the blond hadn't his gaze where he needed. Once blowing the ground again and looking in front, he caught himself caught in the vines like a spider's prey. The green-haired laughed. Bakugo was trying to move but rotated and fought like a distressed cat.

"What you laughing at, asshole?! Fuck. Just you wait until I get these off of me!" Exploding the vines off weren't such a bad idea. It created atrocities, or rather, destroyed the nature's form, but was a fast and easy tactic for somebody with such gifted power. Soon laughter became worry.

The blond pushed his body forward and landed crouching. The other backed away to the left side and not following along the pathway. He started running towards him, and the green-haired attempted to run to the left even faster.

"AAAAH! I'M SORRY, I'M SORRY!" Hyterically, he pleaded while laughing as he got tangled with the branches of every tree, scratching his facial skin. Bakugo wasn't using his quirk to avoid damaging the environment, so he stuck to running. His athletic body aided him anyway.

Deku looked behind him and saw Kacchan just inches away. This gave him a push to accelerate, closing his eyes dangerously. Bakugo managed to grab a hold of his arm and yanked it to the other side. It made Deku stumble on a elevated log.

"Forward march and here we gio, members of the agency Bakugo say-" A memory tingled.

They were now in that area, the area in which Bakugo had fallen into the river when he was a kid. They were on a shortly-high view, the one that seemed like a bridge for its enormous log tree that was set on the other side. That meant the sun was now more visible, considering that the trees revolved the space and they were at a tall height.

The green-haired placed his arm over his eyes, and huffed air consantly. Bakugo stood on top of him, admiring the lively logs and fresh water.

"Stand up," he ordered as he backed away.

Deku sat up and caressed his bleeding marks. They weren't deep and only bled without dripping.

"I said stand up." He forcefully did by holding onto his collar and pulling it up.

"That was fun," he admitted.

"Fun to make a fool out of me?"

"N-no! It's not that! I meant fun by chasing and challenging each other," Deku needlessly clarified.

"If that plant thing wasn't in the way, I would've beat you," he grunted in frustration.

"Yeah sure."

"What you say?!" Bakugo snapped at him and stomped to his form.

"W-what I mean is that you d-don't know if the vines would have affected the outcome!" Deku defended himself and used his hands as shields.

"Oh, shit. The scarf is all ruined." His eyes got a glimpse below his chin. "It's filled with tiny branches. Old Hag's gonna kill me" he lowely groaned and accommodated the fabric.

Meanwhile, Deku looked behind Kacchan into the woods due to curiosity. He accidentally noticed two figures, and his face's colors drained. He descended into shockness. Not uttering a single word, barely, but trying.

"Ka...cchan..." He stuttered.

"What do you want?" He paused the removal of the branches, and saw Deku pointing behind him, aghasted.

"What?" He trailed off after noticing from far away.

In the darkness, an older man was walking alone with a young girl in the opposite direction. This seem suspicious, but he might be someone she knew, or his family member. The thing was that it was too obvious. He held her wrist instead of her hand. He looked around to see if there was anyone. The child was reluctant to continue walking. The abductor jogged without the girl even being able to catch up. He surely wanted to make this quick.

"Kacchan, we need to do something! He's taking her away, I can feel it!" Deku's heroic stance could not have shone brighter. He felt responsible for what was happening, and wanted to be a part of the solution.

Bakugo smirked with intended hostility. "Those are the kind of people that I hate" He blasted his way on the lower ground.

"Kacchan, no! Don't be so reckless! He may have a weapon and use it to harm the kid!" Deku dropped on the ground as well, following him.

"Don't tell me what to do! I'll get him!"

The abductor, after hearing voices and a combustive noise coming from behind, pulled the girl so he could see what was up. He saw Bakugo's velocity come right at him, but he dodged a predictable explosion that he instigated to his face.

"Who the hell are you, kids?!" The old man cursed, unbelievable.

"We're here to ask you the same question! Is this kid yours or did you ilegally seized it from its parents?" Bakugo shouted. The green-haired finally entered the forest to the individuals while gasping for breath. The man made an undecisive grunt.

He quickly took out a gun from whatever pocket and pointed it at the two consciously but shaking. Deku backed away in an instinct and Bakugo remained alerted. With his other arm, the abductor pressed the crying child's neck roughly.

"Leave now or this child's brains will ooze in front of you!" He threatened and pointed at the kid who started screaming.

The green-haired didn't urge to say anything, only carefully paying attention. Bakugo understood, so he did so as well.

"Please, you don't have to do this. Think about what you're doing; you know you can fix your mistakes now by letting her go." Deku gave a lecture that even Bakugo was tired of hearing ever since he started.

"Shut it, kid! Who gave you the right to tell me what to do?! I'll say it again: Leave or...-" The desperate man pointed his gun at the green-haired's head. "One of you dies."

Bakugo could not hold the patience and anger he was storing inside. The child being suffocated was the thing that mostly angered Deku. The man's inconsideration and disgusting motive was what angered Bakugo. They knew anything could happen, but could not simply let go of this situation without managing it.

The blond rapidly lowered his back and tackled the man to make him stumble backwards. The girl was set free from his chains and hugged the lovely green-haired, whose kindness easily made her trust him.

To incapacitate the guy, Bakugo was about to explode him, but before he could, he was kicked by him. The man turned to the girl and shot to her and Deku's direction. Luckily, he dodged and held her safely.

But not for too long, as Bakugo avoided the bullets that directed him, and Deku was backing away cautiously. The man elbowed the blond's face, pointed to the clearest access to the girl, and shot three times. He was restrained after Bakugo blew his hands, making the gun launch until it could no longer be reached. The first trigger, he missed. The second and the third...

"WAAHH!!-" Deku was stunned with fear as the girl in his hands kicked her leg, making herself fall on the floor. She was shot on the right leg two times, and it was not a pretty injury. Bakugo was pushed and the man cowered from him, no longer seen again.

"Fuck. He got away...imbecile."

"UUAH!" The green-haired whimpered with guilt and covered his mouth. "I'M SORRY! I-I REALLY AM!" He helplessly mourned along with the horrific cries of the girl.

The blood that leaked from her inmobilized leg created a puddle of blood. She collapsed on the floor, screaming, but with no avail to move. "DAMN IT!!" Deku shouted. Bakugo turned to him in a hurry.

"What was that?"

"It's over here!"

He dragged the miserable one bridal-style and led him farther away from the girl, attempting to escape and leave the mess they have made. Skipping the tiny logs, he went ahead and directed to a hiding place.

"No! No! We can't leave her there! She was shot!" Deku fought.

"Stop moving, idiot. The adults heard it, so they're taking care of it. We can't stay since we are already caught up with your mother's death. If only he hadn't run away!"

Deku gasped. He tried to punch Kacchan but made both of them crash at the same river. They got wet, even their hair and clothing.

"Agh!! Fucking nuisance." Standing up, Bakugo moved his fingers through his hair. He also took a look at his soaked clothes. "If you wanna stay here then at least hide under this bridge!"

"That's not it, you jerk! Our goal was to put her to safety, and all we did was get her into a lethal condition!" Deku argued.

"Yeah? Well at least it's better than dying! We saved her from that creep, didn't you see?" The other snarled back.

"She still was harmed! But not just that, got shot two times on the leg! What if she can't use them anymore?"

"We did what we could," he coldly answered.

"Huh?"

"We made the creep let go of her. What happens next doesn't concern us," Bakugo tried to finish and turned, shoving the water with his shoes. Deku opened his mouth, not being able to believe such response.

"How...how could you say that?!" He went behind Bakugo.

"She's fucking alive, Deku. Shut up now." He lowered his head. "They can't see us. After all, we live in the same neighborhood, so they'll try to reach me."

The troubled green-haired tried to peak at the situation. He couldn't listen clearly, but the adults were terrified from the sight of seeing a girl bleed exccesively to the point of dying. He was anxious and feared for her life, empathizing with the aftermath and effects.

'Her mother, her father, they will be so worried once seeing her. What if she can't find her parents at all? What if the abductor led her to a far distance from them?'

Bakugo tugged Deku downward from his shoulder, making him collide on the cold river and splash the water. He didn't squeal a sound as the other dragged him for his back to lay against the dirt wall.

"Stay there!" The blond scolded him pointing with a finger. Sighing deeply, Deku agreed to follow his order.

"But...can you tell me if she's okay?"

"God damn it! Shut the hell up already! Of course she is! The adults are already there!"

The boy lowered his head and sat down. Fun experiences awakening memories and spending time in a childhood dream, all went to waste. It went wrong. All of the least things that happened, such small conflict, probably had traumatized Deku permanently. Heroes... He knew he was not a real hero. He did not have the strength and the potency to sustain what a hero goes through. But, what he forgot was that he had the heart of a loyal hero, one that can be trusted.

Is such rare thing for anyone to have, but he could not help but put himself in the poor girl's parent's shoes. They must be worried to death as well. They must be crying and calling out for her name. Searching her, yet no response. Yet, no sights of her. He thought that he and the parents had something in common: despair. For that reason, he wished for her to be safe.

Suddenly, he felt alone. He felt as if he looked deep into other people's problems when he is supposed to be fixing his own. He was too kind but too oblique. Lively but broken.

"Oi, why you crying again?" Bakugo jerkly kicked his leg, snapping out of thoughts. "Ow!"

"Geez, are you still thinking of her?" His voice sounded dissapointed. Bakugo jerkly sat down next to him.

"I can't help it," Deku likely whispered, staring off-space.

"She'll be fine. Just forget about it."

"..." Was what was heard. The green-haired was concerned on something else.

Last time Deku went to court, he felt nervous, and sad to remind himself of his mother's expiration. Yes, he went to court along with Mitsuki today, but Bakugo did not come since he was absolutely not needed. It took hours until the judge decided for Mitsuki to take care of Deku with exceptions. If she ever had financial problems or any family issues, they could return again to make arrangements, though it would be quite costy.

This meant that the boy's probability to be sent to an orphanage were not as low. Therefore, he felt pressured, thinking that any time he could be separated from those that surround him, from that life he was already satisfied with.

"Kacchan?" He muttered and turned his head to him with gloomy eyes. He hummed for him to speak. The green-haired hesistated firstly.

"I... I want you to be with me... and never leave me. I don't want to lose someone close again," he confessed. Bakugo was perplexed so he did not answer afterwards. Just a few seconds until he came up with something to say.

"As if I'd die..." he scoffed.

"Also... promise me you won't hurt me. You make me scared each time you get mad or make me do things." The other repeated the same reaction. This time, he slowly stood up.

"Quit your rambling, nerd. Let's go, they must have left already," he dug his hands in his pockets as usual. Deku stood up vaguely and walked along with him embraced by a frozen breeze.

'You did not promise me the last part...'