"Jingle bells, All Might smells, Iida is an idiot~!" I sing while dragging an ice sled loaded with two passengers.
"Mgrhm!" Said idiot tries to object to my completely accurate claim despite the incredibly clear evidence supporting it as fact. Exhibit A: Running off to hunt a serial killer who'd proven more than a match for people much, much stronger and better trained than him. Exhibit B: Ignoring the injured hero in front of him while shouting at said serial killer about how he's a terrible person and that he should feel guilty for crippling Ingenium. Nothing about all the other heroes Stain had killed or maimed, just a rant about how Ingenium was a true hero who had his career cut short.
I know all this both due to his ranting while I watched from the rooftop, and because Iida started ranting at me about how Stain was his to defeat, that only by his own hands could his family honor be restored during the few short minutes we tried to leave him ungagged. Sounded an awful lot like one of those old period dramas, honestly. It was really hard to take him seriously like that.
Anyways, that's why he's currently tied/frozen in ice restraints alongside the man he tried to kill, which obviously does nothing for his temper. I do find it funny how he can't seem to decide whether he'd rather spend time glaring at me or kicking his fellow unconscious passenger though, so bonus points to Shoko for the idea. But since we don't have any prizes to award for those points, I give her head pats instead. She seems happy with them, so I'll count it as a success.
I have to admit, we probably make for quite an… interesting sight. A UA hero in training walking alongside a villain/rehabilitation applicant (lol), with said villain holding onto a rope tied to an ice sled carrying another hero in training restrained by more ice alongside the Hero Killer tied up in regular rope. Why is Iida restrained with ice and Stain with rope? Because, as loath as I am to say it, I trust the established killer to be smarter than the glasses wearing idiot. Plus I'm pretty sure we got all his knives. Which of course means that he definitely has one or two more that we couldn't find hidden somewhere on him. So says the rules of Himi!
Back to the point, I think that it's fairly understandable that the reaction of the heroes we stumble upon after exiting the alley is one of shock. I mean… a couple of teenagers took down the Hero Killer, one of whom's injuries look minimal. Sure, I have blood staining my outfit and it's covered in cuts, but most of my injuries are pretty minor despite looking serious. You know, except for the one that nearly killed me, but Shoko covered that one with ice (along with the ones in her shoulders) so I wouldn't bleed out, which was sweet. Not necessary since I would have just come back to life later, but sweet nonetheless. Plus it means I can keep that secret for a bit longer!
"Is that… the Hero Killer?"
I snap my fingers and point at the crowd of awed heroes. "That's correct, random citizen! For stating the obvious, you get diddly squat! Redeemable only at participating vendors!" I pause a moment before remembering that heroes -in general- are idiots. "Just to be clear, I'm mocking you. There is in fact no store that I'm aware of which takes diddly squat as a currency. Well, unless you're stealing from them. So, y'know."
I ignore their glares with great skill and practice, choosing instead to shoot a well deserved scowl at the fiery form of the bastard that incited his daughter to hunt down a serial killer parting the crowd with his mere presence. And his flames. Mostly his flames.
Endeavor comes to a stop in front of us, his gaze scanning over my various injuries and resting for a moment longer on the serious one before he switches to Shoko. Seeing the two patches of ice and the shallow cut on her cheek, he at least has the good grace to grimace. He doesn't say anything about them though, instead electing to give her a nod of respect. "You have done well to capture Hero Killer Stain. His mad slaughter has ended, thanks to you."
The crowd of heroes start murmuring to each other at this significant event. Never before has Endeavor publicly endorsed the skills of another hero, not even All Might. In the case of the Symbol of Lies, he admits to his superior strength, but never says anything other than that on the subject. Yes, Shoko is his daughter, but she's also still only a first year at UA, meaning that she's had minimal official training. It's an event that causes the heroes and news crew both to fall still in shock.
Which is why none of them are able to react when someone with a very familiar figure wearing a red version of my rabbit hoodie jumps down from a rooftop, stomps on Endeavor's face reminiscent of what I did to Stain, flips next to me, picks me up in a bridal carry, and books it into the crowd. Even I'm stunned by the rapid series of events! But once I shake off my shock, I can't help but cackle.
"Hello again, my little vampire~." Himi doesn't respond, too focused on weaving through the crowd without losing her hold on me, but I do feel her hold tighten around me and hug me closer to her, causing me to smile warmly at her. "If I knew you were watching I would have put on a better show. Maybe I can show my appreciation for my bloody rescuer once we're back at home~?"
"Bad Izuku, you're going to be sent to horny jail!" Her eyes shine with amusement in the brief moment she meets my eyes before looking up and holding a hand above her. I hear a high pitched screech and catch sight of the flying nomu from earlier swooping down on us, letting Himi grab onto its leg before rapidly beating its wings to rise into the air.
Narrowly dodging the streak of ice that would have frozen her feet to the ground.
I look down, hugged close to Himi and supported with the one arm around my chest alongside my own arms hugging her tight. Both to prevent me from falling, and also because it's been far too long since I've held her. We didn't get to spend nearly enough time together the one time she snuck into UA last week, and certainly couldn't be as close as we are now.
On the ground, Shoko is glaring up at us, her right foot coated in a light layer of frost from her previous attack. I give her a small wave, feeling sorry about not properly being able to say a goodbye but reassure myself with the fact that I can always call her later since I got her new phone number. Unfortunately, it seems someone else has other ideas. Well, Shoko doesn't like this idea either, given how she creates an ice pillar that she expands to rapidly climb to our level, but the other person manages to get to us first. Somehow.
One of the knives we couldn't find on Stain stabs into my hip, with said villain still attached to the other end. The weight of a second person proves too much for Himi to handle one armed, most likely two armed as well. She yells as the nomu continues to fly away, taking her to safety away from the heroes while Stain and I plummet to the ground together. Unlike the Hero Killer, who slams into the ground with a loud thud, Shoko leaps from her ice pillar to catch me in yet another bridal carry.
Should I be concerned that this is the second time that's happened in as many minutes? Because it kind of feels like that's something I should be concerned about.
She shoots off flames from her left foot powerful enough to nudge us a bit to the side, but that's all. Thankfully that's all she needed. Her right foot makes contact with a lamp post and she lets loose a wave of ice that fully encases the light, as well as creates a steep ramp that we slide down to safety. Relatively, given that we do crash into a couple of the police who happened to be here to take statements and formally arrest Stain. Still, she saved us from going splat.
I swoon dramatically with the back of my hand on my head, using the dramatics to hide the fact that I'm looking sadly at Himi's retreating figure. So close… "My hero~!" She blushes from where she's splayed out on the ground looking up at me. The ice that was covering my wound broke in the tumble, but it's cold enough that the blood isn't flowing much, so I'll get to the hospital in time before I bleed out. Well, I would if I didn't have a giant gash in my side from where the knife was dragged out in the fall. That is definitely something to be concerned about.
"How is he standing!?"
"Because I have the power of anime on my side!" I shout at the rude person who decided to question my capabilities, only to realize that all eyes are actually on a different figure.
Stain stands firm despite having enough accumulated injuries that any normal person would have long passed out. Hell, most abnormal people should have passed out at this point! Yet here he stands, red mask falling from his eyes as his bloodlust flares. It's strong, stronger than the time I felt it back in the bar our first meeting. Strong enough that they're all frozen.
"I… have conviction!" The man takes a heavy step forward, his footing sure despite the way his upper body sways and the blood pouring in a river from his mouth. "Something you fakes lack!" Another step.
"I will make things right! Dye myself in blood! In order to take back what it means to be a hero!" Every sentence is punctuated by another step, another flinch stolen from the gathered crowd. Even Shoko, still on the ground, seems enraptured by the sheer surety of the man. Even with the madness shining brightly in his eyes. "So come! Try to get me, you fakes! For I'll only let a true hero kill me! Yes, All Might! He alone is worthy!"
I take a final step of my own, now standing beside him, my journey unopposed and unnoticed by all with Stain holding their attention. I raise my hand-
"I thought I told you-"
-and I pull the trigger on the gun I stole from the officer I crashed into.
"-that you talk too much."
The only sound in the aftermath of the gunshot is the Hero Killer's body falling to the ground, a bullet in his head.