Chương 2343: 85
Chapter 85: Panacea
A/N: And here goes - technically the last of the chapters that will be heavily featuring Garaki's lab! (well, from the perspective of a restrained Izuku, that is). Just how will this all go down? Well, you'll all find out soon enough. Though, some of you already know...
He may have never told anyone, but when he had first gotten his powers, Izuku was scared. Rightfully so, considering he was but a young boy who had suddenly gained control of hundreds of thousands of bugs.
It had been strange, waking up the next morning. Feeling the senses of so many other organisms other than himself. It was something new that he had to deal with; and it had been a bit difficult, attempting to get over it the days following the momentous event.
His power's nature left it with a perpetual on switch, and that meant that he would always be feeling his bugs no matter what. Whether he'd be falling asleep, working in class, or eating his food, he'd have the intrinsic knowledge of skittering legs, flapping wings, and the interiors of walls and trash cans within his range.
But he had gotten used to it — he had to really. But he didn't begrudge his power for that — rather, he came to embrace it. Sure, his power may have had a few stipulations to it that may have caused a few little mishaps here and there.
But it was his own power, one all to himself.
He worked to get his senses used to being connected to thousands of little organisms at a time. He developed his sense so he could see and hear clearly, with little to no problems in the way of communication. He grew used to knowing every nook and cranny of his surroundings, whether such specifics irked him or not.
He went to sleep observing his surroundings like an outside observer, and he'd wake up the same way if he wasn't all too tired. It was a crutch, in all honesty, when he looked back at it.
The veiled feeling of dread and unease hadn't left him since he's woken up and realized he didn't have his bugs to fall back upon. He didn't know if opening his eyes would reveal to him horrors beyond his hope, whether he'd wake up and find himself being dissected or already turned into a Nomu.
So when he blinked his weary eyes open, waking up from his rest from Garaki's rather extensive session, his breath hitched upon seeing the pink blotch right across from him.
It could have been a whole slew of things, after all — his organs being pulled out by the Doctor, some Nomu here to kill him after the villains finally decided he wasn't worth it — it was a horrible feeling.
It was only when his vision cleared, and his eyesight came up to full speed, that he allowed himself to settle down and take a breath.
Pink curled hair, crooked yellow horns, and vibrant colored clothing — only one person that he knew fit the bill for all those combined.
"Midori?" Ashido breathed, her eyes widening. "Midoriya!" Her breath took a sharp inhale. She immediately jerked her head left and right, only focusing back on Izuku once she was sure they were alone.
"You're awake!" she said, her voice almost a whisper. "Finally! You don't know how long I've just been laying here!"
Izuku took the sight in. She was restrained to an upwards operating table, just like he was. And despite what he knew of her rather impressive flexibility, there wasn't any way she'd be getting out of the metal restraints around her ankles and wrists. The fact that — unlike his own— her head was free didn't give him much hope either.
But unlike with him, a tube ran from a drip stand to her left arm, secured tightly to the skin by a strap of leather. The liquid within the bag was rather clear, so Izuku wasn't sure if it was a normal IV bag or not.
"Midoriya?" Ashido's voice called out, wavering just a bit. "Are—! Are you…"
Izuku shook his head — or attempted to, considering the restraint around his head.
"Yeah," he said, the words coming out strained. "Sorry. I was just… thinking."
"Had plenty of time to do that myself," Ashido muttered, followed by a sigh.
Izuku grimaced. "Sorry. I just—"
"Oi!" Ashido interrupted. "Stop right there! I know exactly where you're going with that! You have nothing to be sorry about! It's not like you wanted me to get kidnapped! Just as to how you didn't want to be abducted yourself!"
"Yeah," Izuku relented. "I guess. It's just that I..." He stopped himself there; Ashido would probably berate him further if he didn't. So he did the next best thing and strayed off into a new topic.
"So…" Izuku continued. "How'd she get you?"
Ashido groaned, her head dramatically falling forward. "You have to remind me? Because it was stupid! I was in the restroom at the karaoke place!"
Izuku raised an eyebrow at that. "You were… at a karaoke box?"
"Yeah?" Ashido blinked. And then realization dawned on her. "Oh, right! You weren't there! Anyways, the thing is that the principal let us have the rest of the day off! So a couple of us went karaoking and…"
She groaned again. "Gah! It should have been safe! I mean, it was a public and crowded place! They even had Ectoplasm-sensei and Hound Dog watching us! But noooo! They just had to pick someone who couldn't check into the ladies' room without being a pervert by doing so! And guess what?! Turns out restrooms are muffled enough that noise barely goes out! Who would've known?!"
She sighed, raising her head up to look properly at Izuku. "Sorry about that. You didn't need to see that."
"No, no," Izuku replied. "You needed to get it off your chest. What you're going through is pretty stressful after all — I'd know."
Ashido grimaced. "Yeah… this isn't your first time after all. And doesn't that just suck? You don't deserve getting kidnapped — let alone twice!"
A short silence reigned after Ashido's outburst, the girl taking a few breaths to calm down.
"Right. Don't panic girl. It won't do you any good. First things first, figure out the whole scope of your situation."
She looked towards Izuku. "You wouldn't happen to have any guess as to why the League's kidnapped us and dragged us away to this creepy lab, do you?"
"Probably not the same fate for you," Izuku said, despondent. "Well, at least I hope not."
"What— what do you mean?" Ashido stuttered.
Izuku let out a puff of air through his nose. "Oh, that's easy. Garaki's told me plenty about how he's planning to turn me into a Nomu. He can't shut up about it, you know?
Ashido blinked. "You're... You're kidding right? 'Cause that's not funny you know!"
Izuku gave her a flat look.
"Oh god," she breathed. "You aren't. You really aren't."
"Wish I was," Izuku sighed.
"Well then what are you doing just lounging around?! Ashido demanded, struggling in her restraints.
"We need to get out of here. I need to get you out of here!" She looked over at Izuku, her eyes narrowing at his unresponsiveness.
"Why the heck aren't you panicking?" she asked. "I mean, I'm already very nearly bursting at the seams! I'm barely able to hold it in, and if I let it out now I don't think I could hold myself together! But you— You look like you're just… gonna let it happen?!"
"It's not that!" Izuku rebutted, taking a breath. "I wouldn't just give up like that. It's just… I've been here awhile; I've had time to think things through — and test the restraints. They won't break, and I'm pretty sure that you won't be able to melt them off," Izuku gestured to the drip bag.
Ashido grimaced. "Yeah, I notic— Hey! Wait wait wait. Hold up! You said 'a while!' How long have you been here? It can't have been much longer than me, right?"
Izuku blinked, pondering over a few things before coming to a solution. "Right, Toga and Garaki did say that they were covering it up, didn't they?"
Ashido looked horrified at the implication. "You mean that—"
"I've been here for a few days already, Ashido," Izuku interrupted.
"But the principal just told us that you were busy," Ashido exhaled. "That isn't right! Why would UA do that?"
"I'm actually thinking that it was a joint effort among UA, the police, and the Commission," Izuku admitted. "There's no way that I got taken unnoticed by at least Edgeshot and his agency."
Ashido scrunched up her face. "That probably explains why Kaminari and Bakugou were a bit more miffed than usual."
Izuku did a half-shrug. "Eh. Setsuna and Todoroki too, probably. And they've most likely taken a pledge of silence or something, because otherwise—"
"Dude," Ashido interrupted. "Stop rambling. Now's not the time. We need to get out of here! Can't you use that big brain of yours or something to think up a plan?"
"You think that I haven't exhausted all options?" Izuku asked, exasperated. "Look, Ashido. There's some sort of ashen construct with Shigaraki's powers patrolling the halls. I get random visits from both Toga and Ruka — and the Doctor has a schedule for when he periodically comes and tinkers with my brain. So if I'm right, he'll be coming in here any moment now."
Izuku sighed. "There's no getting out of my restraints. I can't even feel any of my bugs. The only thing I had going for me was the slightest hope of getting rescued like last time. Heck, it's a bit selfish of me but I'm kinda glad that I got you to talk to!"
Ashido licked her lips in contemplation. "Midoriya…"
A flash of white and blue manifested itself behind Ashido. The shape was a bit more refined than last time, and Izuku swore it looked almost human like this time.
Izuku rolled his eyes. "Oh great! And there goes that blur again! That freaking Doctor better fix my brain up correctly or I swear!
"Blur?" Ashido asked. "What blur? What are you—"
"Ah, I see that you're both awake!" Garaki shouted out, walking into the room. "Splendid! Splendid! This makes things easier!"
The ashen figure stepped in behind him, following the Doctor's gait at an even pace."
"Hello, my young friend!" Garaki said, stepping in front of Ashido. "Glad to see you awake! I hope I got the dosage right? The suppressants aren't too heavy-handed now, are they?"
"Well," Ashido cocked her head, "I mean I guess—"
"Tut tut tut!" Garaki interrupted. "That was a test; wanted to see what types of tricks you might try to pull. I don't doubt the dosage — I've been testing the grug for months, after all!"
"Now," he gestured towards the figure beside him, "Miss Ashido, meet Kaijin-chan. He'll be watching over me today, considering I don't know your exact capabilities. And while I do know that Midoriya here told you about him…"
Garaki pulled a pen out from his coat, tossing it into the air towards the figure. The so-called Kaijin-chan didn't move, but when the pen collided with its head it immediately disintegrated, it's remains absorbed into the figure's body.
"Just so you have a hint of what he can do," Garaki nodded.
Ashido gulped.
"Right!" Garaki cheered. "Now, on to the main event! He turned, making his way to his usual spot behind Izuku. Kaijin-chan stayed off to the side in watch, much to Ashido's unease.
"Did you reverse engineer that from the one you stole?" Izuku asked. "The quirk erasers, I mean."
"A yup!" Garaki said as he climbed up to reach Izuku's head. "Figured out the permanent and temporary solutions for the drug. Luckily from your friend there, I'm using the latter."
"Garaki cleared his throat. "Alrighty then. Henry! Your aid, please?"
"Squawk!" There was a little pattering of feet as the miniature nomu arrived and used its quirk on Izuku.
It's grotesque features, alongside the casual reveal of Izuku's brain, almost led Ashido to hurl.
"Oh god! You've been messing around with his brain?!"
"Been so for a few days, missy!" Garaki cheered as he began poking around with Izuku's brain.
"You know, I've been wondering," Izuku interrupted. "Did you purposefully make us face each other just so she could see this?"
"Midoriya!" Garaki scolded. "You wound me! You think that I'm that cruel?"
He chuckled. "No, no! I was just being considerate! Like I said, I know how boring it can get without my ramblings or one of us popping in to play around with you, you know?"
Garaki shrugged. "I was trying to be a little nice! You know, make it so you two could talk, catch up and stuff!"
"Could have fooled me," Izuku gibed.
"Oh, you kids and your sarcasm! Oh, watch out for this one, it's going to sting."
True to Garaki's words, whatever he did did sting, enough so that Izuku's whole body twitched in response.
The hallucinatory blur flickered between its two color palettes again,and ended up residing just beside Ashido. That was when Izuku noticed Ashido's expression, one of realization and horror.
"You…" Ashido breathed. "I knew that was something familiar with you when you walked in here!"
"Oh?" Garaki mused. "Do you recognize me then?"
"You were my quirk doctor when I was younger!" she accused. "I remember because we had to keep coming back to work on my acid's viscosity!"
The words brought a distant memory back to the forefront of Izuku's mind, one that used to bring him pain just by the mere thought of it.
"You're right," Izuku whispered. "I remember too."
Garaki focused back onto Izuku. "Ah, you finally do? Your friend's realization cleared up some cobwebs in that 'ole noggin of yours?"
Izuku tapped a finger against his side. "You didn't…"
Garaki chuckled. "Oh, no, no! I remember your case, Midoriya. It's a bit rate finding quirkless these days, you know?"
"But that doesn't mean that you haven't done it before, right?" Izuku asked.
"I have many legitimate and illegitimate businesses, Midoriya. If they help me find interesting quirks that I could use in my projects, I see that as a win! Who am I to say otherwise?"
"That's disgusting!" Ashido yelled. "You just look for little kids and steal their quirks just so you could make your monstrosities?"
"Oi! Don't bad-talk my creations! You just don't understand them!"
"I understand that you're trying to turn my friend into one! And that you don't at all about his well-being! You're basically torturing him with what you're doing!"
"Hey!" Garaki retorted, pointing a scalpel at Ashido. "I resent that remark! I am in no way torturing young Midoriya here! In fact, he's barely even complained much since he got here!"
"What'd be the point?" Izuku scoffed. He sighed, taking a breath before looking over at Ashido.
"And I'm fine, Ashido; you don't need to worry about me. Worry about yourself!"
"I can't do that!" Ashdio yelled. "What kind of person would I be to just let you suffer human experimentation?!"
"It's not all too bad, actually," Izuku said, trying to focus on the positives. "I'm not sure if it's that Henry-Nomu or something Garaki's doing himself, but his prodding barely hurts aside from the periodic harsh headaches and strains. Heck, I half expected to have been full-on dissected on at this point."
"For your information, none of that was Henry; I'm just that good!" He cheered, a giant smile on his face. "As for the dissection, that comes in the later stages of the Nomu transformation. Though… not w that you mention it…" His smile instantly disappeared as he began musing over Izuku's brain, his expression exposing his contemplative thought.
"What?" Izuku questioned. "I didn't just bring an early dissection onto me, did I?"
Garaki hummed. "No, no. Well, technically, yes. But for your brain instead of your body, rather."
Ashido paled. "You mean that you're lobotomizing him?!"
"Excuse me?" The Doctor said with a raised eyebrow. "When did anyone ever say anything about a lobotomy?"
Ashido scrunched his face up in thought. "Well, I mean all the nomus that I've seen we're pretty dumb, so—"
"They just couldn't handle the strain of having so many quirks!" Garaki rebutted.
"And he was never planning on doing anything of the sort," Izuku tacked on. "He wants to reserve me for being a High-End, after all. Remember, like the one that attacked Endeavor? It could think on its own and used ample tactics without first hand directive and—"
Izuku cut himself off, realizing that he was going off topic. Or rather, trying to stall whatever fate befell him next.
"Sorry," Izuku said aloud. "I'm getting off topic."
"Oh no!" Garaki said. "Please, do go on. I like hearing your analysis of my creations. I mean, you sound so impassioned by them too!"
Izuku shivered. "I'd rather not. I want to know what you have planned with me instead?" He asked, uneasily.
Garaki paused, eventually shrugging his shoulders. "Oh well, your loss. As for what I'm planning… Well, I do profusely apologize in advance my boy — but you definitely spoke too soon just a little while ago. Because this next part is going to hurt; I'll explain while I'm working though, for your sake. Keeping you focused on something will preserve most of your mental facilities, so pay attention, you hear?"
It took a good few seconds for the implications of Garaki's words to come into full effect, but before Izuku could say anything back it was already too late.
His entire body spasmed, the signals from his brain echoing throughout the ret of his body. Sharp pains and aches made their way through his skin, and for the first time since he'd been captured he felt pure, unbridled pain.
"Now, you see, I already mentioned the odd growth on your brain. So right now I'm—"
Izuku screamed, his voice twisting into a feral spiel of sounds and grunts. His body convulsed, and it was only the power of his restraints that were keeping him from scratching his skin off in an attempt to rid of the pain, no matter how illogical the notion was.
"Stop!" A scream pierced the air. "You're killing him!"
"Nonsense!" another voice called out."Sure, tts a bit more of a violent reaction than expected, but—"
There was an explosion of color in his vision — a myriad of whites,blues blacks, and greys. The blur danced in and out of his vision, weaving between his vision and his eyes twitched open and closed at the pain.
"Listen Izuku! You don't have much time but—"
Don't you have the balls to fight a teenage girl? Or are they one of the things you cut away?
"You need to stop! Stop! Please!"
"It'll be over soon! Stop fretting, little lady! I just—"
Maybe I'd like to think I was a little bit heroic as a villain, and I'm a little bit villainous as a hero.
This was over from the moment we stepped into the room.
"Just a bit longer! After that then—"
"Nearly there! And…!"
Izuku fell to the darkness.
A/N: And there we are. So, what's next? It'll be something… different.
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