Merry Christmas! A Child of Many Secrets will still be coming out, so don't worry!

Third person pov

Harper's quirk was an odd, almost living entity that had bonded with her. It was good at picking people out of a crowd when needed, but seldom did it ever recognize someone right off the bat based on their mind's structure alone. There were only a few like that. Kurogiri and Aizawa, for example. They had such unique mindsets and ways of functioning that there was no possible way she could ever forget them. She wouldn't need them to think of anything for her to know it was them. Their minds were too prominent to be mistaken for anyone else. Right off the bat, she'd always know who they were. 

This was rare in the fact that Harper could only do this was a handful of people. People's minds were unique, but most bore regular similarities that would prevent her from knowing who they were without a bit of digging or without hearing what they were thinking about. But this man in front of her... he was someone she would never, ever forget. Not because his mind was particularly unique or special, but because she'd found it engrained in her after that night. She had tried numerous times to forget what Atsuhiro Sako felt like. And she had failed at every attempt. 

His mind was smug, polite, and sticky. That's the only was she could describe it. He was a nefarious person with bad intentions. He displayed himself to have good manners, but his neat visage hid what was underneath. He was responsible for the deaths of dozens of children. He'd probably still be at it if they hadn't stopped him. Hell, he could still be at it right now, since he clearly wasn't dead. Him popping up had sent a shock through her. One unlike anything she'd ever felt in her life. This grim coil that had been waiting to unspring itself inside of her bounced forward, shooting through her painfully and causing her heart to bleed. Harper had never been optimistic, but right now he'd never felt more dreadful.

The fear that invaded every part of her was unmatched in every aspect. She couldn't move. She could hardly breathe. Harper was positive she'd killed this man. She'd been there. She'd done it! Harper had watched them take his body away, and had felt the crumbling relief that came with knowing he was dead and couldn't hurt her or anyone else anymore. They'd had to pry her from what remained of her brother's body. They'd had to put quirk-canceling bracelets on her to stop her from hurting anyone by mistake, because she was too hysterical to control herself or her quirk. Things had felt so empty with them on, she could recall. So quiet that she'd been sick to her stomach. Not even her parents could calm her. Without her quirk, things were simply too quiet.

Kota only vaguely knew of what Harper had gone through as a child. That her brother had been taken and killed, and that Harper had found him somehow. No one dared talk about it aloud outside of that. Harper became fiercely angry when the topic was brought up. The longer she looked at the man before her, the more her rage grew. Even with how angry she was getting, she doubted anything could overtake her fear right now. The shock factor was too much. Atsuhiro Sako was alive. He was fucking alive! Harper hadn't killed him. She... She didn't know how to feel about that. What to think, or do. 

"He's got Kacchan!" Midoriya exclaimed, realizing just what that marble was ad where Katsuki had disappeared to. Harper's teeth ground together painfully at the sight of it. Those marbles were one of the reasons she was so afraid of small, enclosed spaces. She could feel it like it was yesterday. The empty, tight feeling that came with being inside one. Your quirk didn't work, and you couldn't move. But you were conscious. You could still think. It felt impossible to breathe. Dark, tight, and suffocating. Just the thought of being in one again made her eyes water. She tightened her grip on Kota unconsciously. 

"Harper." Shoto put a hand on her shoulder, shaking her. The girl didn't budge, her eyes never leaving the man in the top hat before them. "Harper. Snap out of it. What's wrong? Do you know this guy?" 

Harper opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out. Knew him? She more than just... she... what did she do? She didn't know what to do. Her quirk was panicking, spiraling out of control without her consent. She didn't even try to get a hold on it, staring with wide eyes at someone she'd never wanted to see again. His face was one she still saw in nightmares. She could still hear his laugh, hysterical and unforgiving. Her brother had trusted that man once. Harper had too to an extent. And now they were here, and she couldn't breathe.

Bakugo Katsuki was in that marble. Compressed into this tiny little ball, unable to move, scream, or even breathe for that matter. But he was alive, nonetheless. And he would be until Atsuhiro chose to release him. That's what her brother had gone through. What dozens upon dozens of other kids had experienced. It was by his hand that they vanished. Though he hadn't technically killed them himself, their blood was all on his hands. Harper's brother's included. Her brother had been so happy and full of light. Harper had been too, she supposed. 

Now, Harper didn't know what to do. She didn't know what to do! She was usually so calm, so collected, and so level. But everything felt muddled. The situation had clouded itself. She couldn't see or think clearly. She was scared. Terrified. She wanted out. She needed out. That man killed her brother. He'd taken him away, and he'd take her away just like last time. He had Bakugo. Were they going to kill him too if they got away with him? What was Atsuhiro's motive here? Was it the same as before? To obtain children's quirks? Or was it something else entirely? Did it matter either way?

Memories flooded through her unbidden. A panic attack, she distantly acknowledged, and perhaps a resurfacing of the PTSD she'd acquired that night. Distantly, she could hear the clanging of metal. Like a hammer slamming down on an anvil. It was repetitive and unwavering. So rhythmic it would drive even the sanest person crazy. Shoto couldn't hear it, and neither could Shoji or Midoriya. But it was there. The whir of an overworked AC system. The sound of a drill. Her brother screaming, telling them to let her go. To take him instead. Her, fighting to get to him, but failing. His smile and assurance that she'd be okay right before they--

No. No, no, no. She was fucking losing it. She couldn't afford to do that right now, could she? Not in this situation. Her brother had died. It had happened, and it fucking sucked, but it was over. She had moved on and was progressing with life. She wanted to make him proud, and she wasn't going to do that by breaking down. If she hadn't killed Atsuhiro Sako before, that left only two options. She either had to capture him somehow and make sure he burned in prison for what he did, or she had to find a way to kill him now. Simple enough, right? She'd killed him-- nearly, apparently-- once. She could surely do it again. Right? Right?!

"H-Harper." Kota's voice was what snapped her out of her hysterical thoughts. Whatever had previously been blocking her ears washed away in an instant, and she blinked. Shoto was shaking her shoulder, looking frantic, and Shoji was shouting her name. Kota stared up at her with big, terrified eyes that were begging her to move. He was scared. Just as scared as she was, probably, and she wasn't helping by losing her shit. She stared at him for a moment, taking in a stuttering breath. She could feel that her cheeks were wet. When had she begun to cry so hard? "Harper, please, w-we have to--"

"Sorry." Her voice came out strangled. She shook her head. She had to get a hold of herself. Her little baby cousin was here. He was relatively defenseless, just like she'd been all those years ago. But she wasn't alone here. Shoto and Shoji were staring at her with concern in their eyes, and so was Midoriya. His thoughts were willing her to fight through it and to be okay, even if just for a second. Harper blinked again. Time, previously so slow and dragging, sped right back up before her very eyes. Who the fuck was she? This was pathetic. She was being pathetic. She couldn't let him win like this. What would Eric say? "Sorry, I'm okay now. I just... fuck, never mind. I'll be fine. I've got it. But right now he's got Bakugo. We have to get that marble." 

Shoto looked beyond relieved to see Harper's eyes harden like they usually did in dire situations. Harper wrapped up all her emotions and tucked them away. She could cry later. Freak out, throw shit, lose her mind. She was in the hero course at UA high school. If Shoto could go home and face his dad everyday, if Shoji could get a hand cut off and still fight, and if Izuku could break both his arms and not completely lose himself in the pain... she could buck the fuck up and deal with it. 

"My, you were quick to recover. Over me already?" Atsuhiro laughed. He slid his mask to the side, revealing an all too familiar grin that only made her angrier. Kota stared at her with big eyes. His gaze alone made her fear wash back. Not completely away, but it shrunk enough for her anger to take the wheel and slam on the gas. Her wish to protect him and get Bakugo overtook her. She clung onto it for dear life. "I go by Mr. Compress now, you know! You made my name a taboo. I guess you really did kill me that day. Just not as permanently as you'd hoped, my dear." 

Harper's eye twitched. The smugness this man radiated was stifling. She had to do something. All those kids he'd taken and brought to that... that place. They deserved justice. Harper hadn't been all that big on being a hero. Sure, she was in the course and trying to help people, but it hadn't been of big concern to her. Not until this very moment at least. Now, she was angry. Harper could see why people did it. Why they became heroes. It was to stop people like this. If Harper could spend her entire life and just put one of these monsters away behind bars, she'd be happy. Even if it was just a single, treacherous, awful person. She'd do it.

"Yeah. I guess so." Harper cocked her head. And then, she smiled. That's what her brother had done, even in the face of death. He'd laughed at them, so clearly and so proudly. Because he'd saved Harper that day, and he was okay with losing his life over it. For a moment, Mr. Compress paused, staring at her. He moved his mask back into place. Harper only grinned wider as his thoughts, suddenly a little unsure, bled through and fueled her angered quirk. Shoto and Shoji took a small step back from her. Harper didn't care if she had murder in her eyes. When it came to Atsuhiro, this was about as heroic as she was going to get. "I think it's about time I changed that."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The frantic knock on the door had Mina and Kaminari shrieking. Iida shushed them with a sharp look as Vlad King moved to open the door. Kirishima perked up slightly. He'd been stressing so heavily he was pretty sure he could feel years falling off his lifespan. Each minute that passed was another that this situation hadn't been resolved. Harper wasn't back yet. None of their classmates were, actually! Mandalay's quirk hadn't called out to them since the authorization that they could use their quirks in combat came through. No news about what was going on or if things had been handled. Nothing! 

Iida was starting to get impatient too. Kirishima had gotten better at reading people since becoming such good friends with Harper, and he could tell the teen was getting antsier and antsier by the second. He too wanted to race out there and find them. But he also knew it was a bad idea. Why did Iida have to be so rational? Kirishima really didn't know, but he wished he'd stop. Maybe then they could get out of here and go help! They were strong and capable. They could do it.

Vlad King's quirk readied itself as he opened the door. He paused when he saw who it was. Half because he didn't recognize the two in front, and half because they'd brought a fair amount of students with them. Kirishima and his present classmates all leaned forward to try and see who it was. Kirishima especially found himself scooting as far as Iida would allow him. He caught a glimpse of a pair of frantic brown eyes and it hit him. He shot up from his seat, against the frantic whispers of his peers to sit back down.

Hope rushed through him at the sight of the two familiar faces. He'd been wondering where they were as well. In theory, they should've come and met up with them in this building ages ago. They had to have rushed out to help in the scuffle when they found out what was happening. Based on the small hoard of students they'd brought back with them, they'd been fairly successful in that. 

"Mr. and Mrs. Rye!" He exclaimed, rushing to the door. Akiara had wide, scared eyes, and Elijah's arm had a bloodied shirt tied around part of it, implying he'd been injured. The man also had Jiro slung over his back. The girl's face was pale, and her brows, furrowed with pain. She was out cold. Behind them were Momo and a student from 1-B. Awase, maybe? The redhead stood on his toes, catching sight of a few more 1-B students. One was Tetsutetsu, and he was bleeding heavily. The other was... the girl who could enlarge her hands. Kirishima forgot her name. She had several gas masks with her.

"Ah! Hello, Kirishima!" Elijah smiled, sounding cheerful but tired. He adjusted his grip carefully on Jiro. His eyes remained optimistic despite the situation. "Might we come in? I'm afraid some of us have been shot!" 

Vlad King snapped out of whatever stupor he'd been in and stepped aside. Kirishima gasped. Shot? Was that why some of them were bleeding? He watched them all file in. Harper wasn't with them, he noted. His jaw flexed as his stress spiked. The door was open. He could easily run out. But his classmates and Harper's parents were injured... the might need help. But the people here were capable too. He was more of a fighter anyway. What did he really know about first aid? He could be of more help out there...

Harper was his best friend. She was his everything. Talking to her everyday and being a part of her life made him unimaginably happy. Their dynamic was so weird, but he could tell she trusted and valued him almost as much as he did her. Though, his adoration was a lot stronger than hers ever would be. He was fine with that. He loved her. She was just amazing, and the thought of her being in danger out there alone was... irritating. She'd come running if he were in trouble! He was positive she'd drop absolutely everything for him. He wanted to do the same!

"Don't even think about it, dear." Akiara smiled at him sadly, closing the door. Kirishima jumped slightly, snapping out of his train of thought. That's right. She was an empath, wasn't she? She had to have caught onto what he was feeling. "I know you're worried about her. I... I am too. But she's the baddest bitch I've ever met. She'll be fine."

Kirishima didn't have time to think about Akiara calling her own daughter a bad bitch before a lizard-looking fellow crashed through the door with Aizawa's arm slung around around his shoulder. Kirishima's fists hardened on instinct, and everyone's attention snapped over to them. Vlad King put himself between Aizawa and the villain and everyone else immediately. Aizawa grunted, looking irritated by the entire situation overall. The lizard guy seemed frantic, his tail swishing behind him anxiously.

"He's with us." Aizawa managed to grunt out. He seemed injured. Had he been shot too, or had something else happened? He looked pretty beat up. He was holding his stomach with his free arm. Broken ribs? Kirishima swallowed heavily, his own nerves spiking. He hated this. He hated that this was happening. How had they found out? The traitor had been caught! Sero had no idea where they were. Even if he did, there's no way he'd tell. 

"Yes, and I've got bad news!" The Lizard announced a little too loudly. "The villains have accomplished their goal! Mr. Compress has captured both Katsuki Bakugo and Harper Rye! " 

Kirishima's heart sunk, and he whirled around just in time to see Akiara and Elijah's faces twist with unexplainable grief. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dabi was reading a book while Kurogiri sobbed on the couch as though they'd just killed his first born in front of him and then set his cat on fire. Dabi was too used to it to care or be distracted by it. He simply turned a page in a book and blew out a puff of air. Kurogiri had been crying and just overall losing his shit since Harper left. He paced the house anxiously, tears leaking from his eyes as panic overtook him. Dabi felt bad for the guy, but it was pretty good exposure therapy. He had to learn to be a part from her at some point.

Kurogiri was at the height of panic. Harper had been gone several days. There was no word from her. He had been unable to contact her in any way, shape, or form. He couldn't see her, speak to her, and had received no proof that she was okay aside from Tsukauchi's word. He didn't trust that! He hated not knowing where she was. The villains were after her! Didn't they see that?! What if they got to her? What if they captured her, and he wasn't there to protect her? He should've done something-- tracked them somehow, or followed. He shouldn't have let her go alone!

"She's dead!" Kurogiri wailed out, hunched over on the couch with his face in his hands. His mist was going wild, twisting and warping heavily with his panic. Dabi just blew out a puff of air and flipped another page in his book. Kurogiri's foot was tapping a mile a minute as he sniffled and wailed. "She's not coming back! I-I have to be there to protect her. How am I going to protect her if I'm not there?" 

"She's fine. Calm the hell down before you accidentally warp the couch into the middle of the highway again." Dabi sighed, flipping another page in his book. Kurogiri didn't say anything in response. Dabi was just fine with that. Kurogiri had been nonstop just... this. This was how he'd been. Rambling about how he had to protect her and how the League was after her. And maybe he was right. The League of Villains probably was after her after all she'd stirred up for them. But the camp was a secret, and she was surrounded by heroes and classmates with capable quirks. She'd be fine. 

There was a moment where Dabi just kept reading, but he stopped being able to focus after a moment. Not because Kurogiri was freaking out, but because he... wasn't. Dabi looked up and expected him to be gone, but he was still there. He was sitting straight up, his posture immaculate and his mist under perfect control. His glowing eyes stared straight ahead, looking rather menacing. They lacked the usual emotion they usually managed to radiate. Dabi slowly lowered his book, his heart sinking. The man wasn't crying anymore. He wasn't tapping his foot. He was just... sitting.

"...Kurogiri?" Dabi asked hesitantly after a moment. Kurogiri didn't respond, still staring. Dabi slowly put the book down whilst progressing into a standing position. He moved slow, afraid he'd startle the man or cause him to run away. "Kurogiri, what's wrong?" 

"...I fear nothing is, Dabi. That appears to be the issue at this time." Kurogiri said in a level, emotionless tone. His glowing eyes turned to Dabi. They were empty. No... no nothing. He was void. Dabi felt his heart beat into his throat. He stood up, fists clenching and breath stuttering. Harper. The connection had broken. She would never dare do such a thing intentionally. Even accidentally. That wasn't something she'd toy with. That had to mean... it had to mean it was broken forcibly. That she hadn't had a choice. And if that were the case, then Kurogiri had been right before. She was in danger. 

For Kurogiri, it had snapped out of it as fast as it had snapped into him those many months ago. The emotion Harper had gifted him vanished in a split second. His connection to her severed, sucking everything out of him. For a moment, he sat there and stared. He searched for something within him. The smallest spark of anything, really. But he was empty again. So painfully void that he felt he could be sick. But he wasn't upset about it. In fact, he couldn't say he was much of anything right now. Perhaps shocked. Was shocked an emotion? He guessed it was, maybe, but he didn't feel that kind of shocked. Just... taken aback, he supposed. It was gone.

He turned to Dabi, and he could see the man was scared. He remembered being scared. He'd felt that just a moment ago, when he was worrying for Harper Rye. If his emotion was gone... that meant she was to. She was either dead or taken. Perhaps placed somewhere she couldn't reach him. Her quirk could've been suppressed, he supposed. She was in danger either way, he was sure. He dwelled on that. Harper Rye in trouble. Harper... who cared for him, and had saved him. 

He searched in himself. He cared for her. He knew he did. They'd taken her. Who had the right to do? Who in their right mind would dare to touch her? Did they not realize she was under his protection? That he would come searching for her at any cost? The League of Villains had to know who they were dealing with. He'd been a part of them before. They'd made a mistake taking away his emotions. He would not hold back now. He wouldn't hesitate when it came to taking their lives.

Dabi watched with quiet caution as something flickered to life in Kurogiri's eyes. For a moment, he thought maybe his emotions had turned back on. He sucked in a sharp breath of air when he realized that was not it. There was only one thing in Kurogiri's eyes right now. It was an emotion, yes, but only one. It was terrifying. The only thing shining through him was a calm, bland sort of anger. Raw, present, and deadly. They had enraged him beyond the emotion suppression of his warping quirk. They'd broken his void, but only enough for him to become murderous.

"Take me with you." Dabi breathed out as Kurogiri stood, straightening his tie and adjusting the cuffs of his button up shirt. Kurogiri cocked his head. "I won't let them take her either. Not like this."

Harper had saved him, really. Who knows where he'd be if she hadn't knocked on his door that dark night. Perhaps he'd be a member of the League as well right now. He didn't know. All he knew was that he wasn't going to sit by and do nothing. Kurogiri needed her. Dabi did too. He cared about Harper. She was useful to a lot of people, but few actually cared about her outside of her quirk. If Kurogiri was going after her, he was going to. Reputation be damned. He'd get himself arrested if it saved her. She was the reason he had a relationship with Shoto now, and why he had a steady job and friends who actually gave a shit about him. He... He owed her everything.

"...Very well." Kurogiri agreed. He thought about who truly cared about Harper Rye. About who would owe her, and who would do anything to help her. Regardless of the heroes or of the law. Those who would stop at nothing to get her out of danger. He blinked. Ah, yes. He could think of a few capable individuals who could aid them in this fight. "We have a few more stops to make. The League shouldn't be taken lightly, after all. We will need all the help we can get."

Dabi nodded. And with that, they warped.