Chapter 57

Kurogiri needs to go and I'm not sure how to get rid of him. My main issue had been Shigaraki, but after Kurogiri got in the way of Yoroi's bullet and Shigaraki's head, it has reminded me that Kurogiri is the main threat because he has the ability to summon the main threat. If the Nomu pops up, things won't be pretty because I'm not sure how long it will take for reinforcements to arrive. Currently, Midnight, Kuma, 13, and Aizawa are more than enough to handle the situation, especially with Yoroi and Izuku picking off the fodder to make things easier. I've told Nitsu to work on getting that thing off Kurogiri's neck, but have stopped him before he could do much, if anything. When Nitsu gets it off, Kurogiti will teleport away to keep himself safe, so there needs to be some sort of plan to handle this guy.

I've got options in the form of, Alissa, Gin, Kaminari, and of course Nitsu. Nitsu can get that thing from around his neck and Alissa can pop up and knock him out with whatever gadget she may have on her person. Or, if I use Nitsu again, Gin can go in, as I'm sure he's faster than Kurogiri can react. Then there's the obvious use of Kaminari's power and just shocking Kurogiri into unconsciousness. It is also the quickest and safest way to deal with him.

It should be the most obvious option, but I'm worrying over the fact I don't know how much protection that thing around his neck offers. What if it has some sort of padding within that would protect him from being electrocuted? Our attempt would fail and he would be more alert, making it harder for following attempts to succeed.

"Kaminari" I'll have to hope beyond hope that Kurogiri did not think this far into making his protective gear.

Whether Kaminari had heard me or not is irrelevant, as I would have him at my side either way. I'll have to consider how morally grey it is to perforate the minds of my classmates and teachers without consent at a later date. I don't plan on having them know what I've done either way, and if there are any signs of them tracing their behavior over to me, I'll just have them forget.

I'll have to consider how morally grey that is as well.

Man, I'm a terrible person.

Then again, this is the best way to handle the situation as far as I can see. In such situations, there is no telling how others would react and some of my classmates would be too eager and heroic to simply stay behind and remain safe. Controlling the situation entirely seems to be the best option.

"You okay?"

No, Kaminari, I'm not okay and the fact you're asking me that lets me know that I look as terrible as I feel.

"I'm not, but that's not important" I wave off his concern, and his attempt to say something is met with a hand to his face. "Hush and listen"

And he does, because I said so.

"I need you to electrocute portal guy" I point to the man in question. "Hit him with everything you've got"

While he's nervous and excited at facing a villain, he protests after processing what I've told him, as I expected him to. Currently, I'm telling him to fry his brain, and obviously, he does not like the sound of that.

"I'll fry my brain"

"No you won't" I pat him on the shoulder and turn him towards Kurogiri. "You don't have to worry about that, I won't let you fry your brain"

I'll be giving myself more of a headache to keep his senses intact, but I'll have to endure it for him.

He doesn't voice further concern, we don't have time to waste. The pain behind my eyes makes it hard for me to steel his nerves, harder still to quiet any doubts that try to wiggle their way into his brain. Controlling a person's emotions is a difficult thing as it requires me to keep that confidence. Calm is easy enough - my mind is oftentimes in a state of tranquility. Other emotions can be an issue at times.

"I need you to aim for that thing around his neck," I tell him. "That's the only way this can work"

He makes finger guns aimed at Kurogiri and there is a moment of silence as he uses his thumbs to better his sight and aim. My hands are on his shoulders, ready to prevent brain rot. Anxiety will make this harder, he's calm, his breath is even, his arm is straight and still.

Kaminari has a powerful quirk and I'm not sure many realize this. His body heats up with the use of his ability and the shock that travels down my arm would be painful with the heat it brings with it. Kaminari needs no buildup to release his highest voltage and that's what makes his quirk and his body amazing. Any normal person wouldn't be capable of withstanding the heat that comes with 1.3 million volts, and Kurogiri surely won't be able to withstand such an attack even if his neckpiece has some sort of defense against electricity.

There is a bright flash of yellow, the tingling burn of electricity, and the numbing pressure on my mind as I try to keep Kaminari tethered to his consciousness. Lightning moves faster than a person can perceive and react so the shocked expressions on everyone's faces are expected.

My head feels like it's going to explode, but I'm sure I must look like a madman with the smile I can feel splitting my face when Kurogiri convulses and his purple mist begins to retreat.

A part of me feels bad, knowing how Kurogiri came to be, but another part couldn't give two shits knowing the trouble this man causes.

"Holy crap" Kaminari stumbles away from me, just barely catching himself before falling, and he stands deadly still in front of me. He swivels around with wide eyes and hands on his head. "Holy crap I didn't fry my brain"

Yeah, but I came pretty close to frying mine.

Having electricity in my body is the weirdest feeling I've felt so far and the constant shivers are not something I'm looking forward to. The floor is uncomfortable but I sit anyway because standing is becoming bothersome.

"You don't look so good"

I appreciate the concern Kaminari, but I'm fine. My heart is just beating a million miles a minute because of your ability, it's no big deal - I can handle it

I definitely won't get a heart attack or anything, no sir.

"I could just die"

"Are we sure Kaminari didn't just kill that guy?" I hear Gin ask and I shrug. Kurogiri is a Nomu of sort, I'm sure his body can handle far more than a normal one could.

"Are we supposed to just sit around while our teachers fight the bad guys?"

"Yes," it's the best thing to do.

"Bu-"

"There is no but, you fool" Jesus Christ, I'm out here with a death-inducing headache trying to protect us and TetsuTetsu thinks it's a good idea to fight?. "What can you do? What can you possibly do to help our teachers - professional heroes? We're heroes in training, we don't have the skill nor the experience to run in guns blazing. If we do that we'll get in the way and if we get in the way people get hurt"

"Just say you're a coward and get it over with," the ever arrogant and overconfident Bakugo says, because he just has to. "Only cowards stand by and let others fight for them"

"Only idiots think that staying safe and out of the way is an act of cowardice"

"Kitsune is right" Tsuyu agrees, the only other person I expected to agree with me without needing to influence them. "Some of you may have incredibly powerful quirks, but we've never faced true villains and don't have any experience, so attempting to help our teacher will just make things worse"

"Besides, Kaminari took out the biggest threat, our teachers won't have many problems now"

Someone opens their mouth only to realize he can't speak and anyone else who tries to say much of anything else is met with the same issue.

"No more talking" it's making the headache worse. "Quiet, things are fine. Most of the villains have been taken care of and the ringleader is the next to go down"

Where the hell are my pills?

"Your pills"

The small bottle will be my only saving grace and I thank everything that Mina remembers to have an extra bottle on hand in case I forget my own.

"Thanks"

"You'll pass out after this, won't you?" she asks, concerned.

"Maybe"

"What did you do?"

"What I thought was best for us all"

I place a single pill in my mouth, ignore the weird taste and nearly empty my bottle of water to make sure it goes down properly. These pills are not something I'm meant to take often, only when in situations such as this when I need something to take the edge off.

Enough of these and I'll be high off of whatever they put in this. One alone is enough to have my head drifting and that's the feeling that mellows the migraine.

"Boom!" Yoroi laughs as if she had won the boss fight, and one look over the scene explains her good mood.

She and Izuku took down all the fodder villains, leaving Shigaraki by his lonesome to face Aizawa and company.

The fact that this is far less climactic than what had happened in the anime is incredibly relieving. I kept everyone from being scattered across the building. Kept Kurogiri from bringing in the Nomu. Kaminari hit him with over a million volts of electricity so he'll be out like a light, meaning he can definitely be detained and brought in for questioning. Izuku and Yoroi picked off the fodder fighters like expert snipers in CoD, and Kusei's imagination has constructed a barrier that cannot be penetrated by anyone we deem an enemy. Now Shigaraki is by himself without Kurogiri to offer protection, and facing five professional heroes.

Well, I'm not sure if Kuma is a hero, but she is a professional.

Thank God.

No one got seriously hurt, Kurogiri can be brought in for questioning - Shigaraki too if he doesn't get away because of plot.

I did a decent job, eh?

It took a bit to get into Aizawa's head, that's for sure. That man's defenses are impressive, but he's tired out of his mind more often than not and exhaustion on that level weakens the mind. Aizawa was my key to getting Midnight and Kuma to tag along on our trip so we would have more heroes on the scene to handle the situation.

Good call Zena, you did well.

"Kitsune"

I barely get the time to register Midnight's presence before she's tilting my head back with the expected look of worry written all over her face. I'm faintly aware of Mina moving to stand behind me, a bit more aware of her arms slipping under my own and I'm realizing that I've not been balancing very well.

Oh yeah, I'm going to pass out.

"You're bleeding, what happened?"

Ah, a nosebleed I'm sure.

"Nothing much" fifty-one people isn't that bad, is it? "Just a migraine"

"It's not just a migraine" Mina objects, pulling me onto my feet when I almost lose my footing entirely. "You're bleeding"

" 'tis but a scratch" I chuckle and Midnight frowns, very much not pleased with my nonchalance. "Sorry, meds are kicking in, I think"

"What did she do?"

"I don't know "

"What did she take?"

"Her pills" there's the telltale sound of pills in a bottle. "She's supposed to take them when her migraines become too much. She doesn't take them often, but when she does she gets a bit spacy"

"She's high off pills?"

"No" I'm not high. "Just affected a bit, I can still think quite clearly, but I feel very relaxed, you know?"

"No, I don't know"

Yeah, makes sense.

Midnight says something, I don't pay her much attention. Kuma and Vlad King are dragging the now immobilized Shigaraki whose hands are bound by the scarf Aizawa always has on him.

That's good.

"Villains taken care of?"

Midnight nods

"No danger?"

She shakes her head.

"You guys did great, I'm glad none of you tried to play hero or things wouldn't have gone so smooth"

"Yeah" Can't have that. "We did great, but now I need some rest"

"You need medical attention"

Midnight is quite strong. Either that or I'm lighter than I thought I was, because it feels like she picks me up with no effort.

"I don't need medical attention"

I'm fine without such dramatics, it's not like I'm injured.

"You do"

"I need to sleep it off, I'll be fine in some hours"

"I don't know that and would feel that much better if I am certain one of my students is okay," she says and her tone makes it clear this is not open for discussion.

I guess I need medical attention.

~~~~~~~~~~

Waking up in the school infirmary is not the most glamorous thing to happen to me, but I have no right to complain. Curled up in a fluffy blanket and kept warm by the nearby heater, I can't remember when I had fallen asleep, just as I can't remember much of what happened after Midnight decided I couldn't walk on my own. Well, it seems I'm suffering from short-term memory loss. That isn't concerning at all.

It's quiet. Incredibly quiet and it's a merciful thing to my tired mind. All that can be heard in my mind are my own thoughts and all that can be heard in this room is the ticking of the clock. I'll have to thank Mina for getting my gear, as I'm sure she's the one who considered the need for my mind to rest after the stunt I had pulled.

How long have I been asleep anyway?

"Oh you're awake"

Normally I would be surprised by the sudden voice as I'm especially jumpy when my quirk isn't around to warn me of approaches. Turning in bed, I'm met with a girl I've never met before standing at the side of my bed with a bottle of water held out to me.

Huh?

"Drink," she says when I don't immediately accept the bottle.

When I do take it, she watches me the entire time, red eyes glinting under the light of the white room. I've never seen this girl before.

"I should introduce myself" she realizes after a moment of awkward silence between us. Despite it all, she doesn't seem bothered. "You can call me Kai"

"Kitsune," I say absently, only realizing what I said some moment later. Have I gotten so used to the nickname that I'm introducing myself like that?

"So, you've been asleep for a few hours" Kai informs quite bluntly. When I look at her she's wrestling unruly dark hair into a short ponytail atop her head. She has a sharp gaze when she looks at me, as if she's seeing something more than a tired dumb ass in front of her. "I figured you'd sleep longer, but I'm glad you're up sooner than predicted"

Is Kai a student here?

There are likely far more important matters at hand, but Kai is another person I've never seen before, so I am curious. Kai isn't wearing our school uniform, instead, she's dressed much like a doctor, with the white coat and everything. I'm assuming she does have the medical knowledge to back the outfit.

"Did I need medical attention?" I ask, just to see if I had been wrong in my assumption.

"No, you just needed some rest," Kai says to my pleasure.

Hah, I knew it.

"You did have a nosebleed though" Kai adds. "But that wasn't too big of an issue"

"Thanks for the info," I say stretching. "Am I allowed to leave?"

"Oh yeah, you're free to go" she smiles. "This is gonna sound horrible, but I hope to see you again"

I stare at her and she stares back.

"You're right that does sound horrible"

"Sorry, sorry, it's just that you have an incredible brain," she says, sounding very infatuated. "I've never met anyone with a mind quite like yours, it's amazing"

Again I'm left to stare at her, not knowing if I should be creeped out by her words. On one hand, I understand why my brain may be different, on the other hand, she seems very fascinated, making her former statement of wanting to see me again that much worse.

"I sound weird" She realizes when I don't say anything. "Yeah I sound weird, I should stop that"

"I'm glad you like my brain?" I'm not gonna ask how exactly she has come to learn how unique my brain is as I'm not sure how I'll react to the answer to that question.

"I probably shouldn't say anything else," Kai says with a wobbly smile. "I'm sorry for making you feel uncomfortable it's really hard to keep my mouth shut sometimes"

"Don't sweat it" I've met my fair share of nervous or excited ramblers.

~~~~~~~~~

As has become the custom when I'm entering the dorm building, something always happens the minute I step my foot through the door. Today is no different and with my mind as quiet as it is today, I get no warning before I'm tackled into a tight hug and nearly sent tumbling backward onto the hard stone floor. The only person that enthusiastic when it comes to hugs is Alissa, and I'm not surprised to have her clinging to me like some koala. She's holding onto me far tighter than I'm used to, but I don't question her, considering I must have worried her sick after everything that had happened.

"I wanna beat the hell out of you" I hear her whisper and sigh. Yeah, I worried the poor girl sick.

"Sorry, sorry"

A mere apology does not cut it for Alissa, who hops down only to glare at me. I smile and am not surprised when she punches me, just as I'm not surprised by how weak it is or the curses that spill from her as she tries to contain herself.

It's not often Alissa is worried for me, so a distressed Alissa is not one I'm used to.

"What the hell were you thinking?" she hisses. "Do you know how dangerous it is to put too much pressure on your brain? You're lucky you only got out with a light nosebleed, it could have been so much worse, Zen"

Alissa marches back and forth as she lists off the many terrible things that could have happened to me, growing more distressed with every word.

"Lissa"

She doesn't hear me, or if she does, she chooses to ignore me.

"Lissa"

Again, nothing, so I sigh. Really, it's unbecoming of me to have my usually cheerful cousin this distressed because of my dumb actions.

Mina has said this many times before, but I'm not very assertive when it comes to physical affection. That has always been something she and Alissa initiated between us as I can't do it myself for some reason.

Still, I have to if I want to calm Alissa down. It's the only form of comfort that will work on her as words might only make things worse for her.

Alissa goes almost limp when I hug her, which would be funny were I not worried about her current state. Ah, when she's worried she doesn't sleep and tends to overwork herself, so I should get her to go to sleep after this.

Alissa and Mina are almost the same when it comes to such affection. They absolutely revel in it and it is the only way I've learned to calm them down when they get a bit too agitated. It's a good sign when Alissa nuzzles into me and refuses to let go. Good, that's good. It means I'll be stuck with her clinging to me until her concerns have faded, but I can live with that if it'll make her feel better.

"You're an idiot"

Says the one who has practically melted into my arms.