Chapter Text
Hibari Kyoya had finally gotten to the same level as the Lightning (they didn't feel under him anymore).
It had taken a bit more time than he could have if he had just powered through, but he was still being stealthy, taking care of everyone he saw, and sabotaging the elevators he found. (He took the stairs and would do the same with the victims, even if he had to carry them. Better that than have the culprits escape while he was busy.)
There hadn’t been a lot of people, mostly empty rooms, from a cafeteria to training rooms at first. Too open and lacking the restraints used on unwilling participants. Still reserved for the employees.
But two levels lower, it was another story. The smell of disinfectant was becoming more pronounced. The doors had multiple locks, the glass windows between rooms were unbreakable. He was getting closer.
Finally, after making his way carefully to the stair, he was at the labs.
White walls, multiple medical instruments, the overwhelming smell of chemicals, blood and fear, and giant tubes to put people in. The first room he had ended in was empty, but not the next one.
He could feel the Lightning’s pain and fear, their force already waning (though he had lasted quite long for a newly Activated) from the continuous abuse. Their Flames could prevent most physical damage, but only so much. They eventually got exhausted and unable to protect their user.
He could also hear scientists. Three if his senses were right (and they always were - unless the Pineapple Menace tried to mess with them-) who were arguing.
“It’s two in the morning. We’re not paid for the overtime, let's go rest already ! We haven't even eaten dinner, you’ve been on it for hours ! The specimen will still be here in the morning. It not like he can leave, right brat ?”
A whimper answered them.
“Shut up and pass me the next vial, you fool !” answered the one who was probably their leader “This is bigger than you. Don’t you understand what we have found ? The specimen is virtually quirkless, we have the X-rays. And yet, this reaction, those results ! Strength enhancing, unbreakable skin and electricity manipulation ! Just imagine what we could do if we manage to find why !”
“You do realize that if we get the results, we will have more than overtime pay ? The Big Boss is said to recompense greatly those who are useful… And this is the kind of results he’d be interested in.” intervened the third.
Hibari decided he didn't need to hear more. One of his objectives was almost in front of him and there were very few obstacles between him and them.
None of the scientists had the time to scream.
They were out cold on the floor before they could notice something was wrong.
As for the Lightning he could now see clearly (who was from appearances a boy), he was laying there, eyes closed and tears streaming silently from his eyes, in a barely conscious daze. Body restrained by strong leather straps, clad in only a not-white-anymore medical blouse open at the front. Leaving in full sight his chest and injuries.
If he had been the type to do so, Hibari would have said he was lucky to have gotten here in time before the Flames totally gave up. (But he never did because Hibaris didn't rely on luck. Only on themselves.) The scientists still had had time to test the limits of the Flames, and the result was not pretty, but at least not fatal nor permanent.
Using his own Cloud Flames, and intricate knowledge of the human body in a way he rarely bothered to, he healed the wounds instead of causing them. Coaxing the natural regeneration, replenishing the blood, while avoiding uncontrollable growth that would become cancers was not his specialty (this was usually a Sun job, and they were a lot better at it than him -only because he wasn’t interested in doing much more than healing himself to continue fighting of course-), but he had been taught by the Loud-Baby Skull, and Reborn.
He might have to use that skill some more tonight, as he refused to have to carry everyone to the exit.
He took the opportunity to multiply a bit the boy’s Lightning Flames (a neat technic he had used plenty of times Before). It would be useful. He wouldn’t have to protect him as much if the other was impervious to most physical attacks.
Hibari then got a small knife from an hidden pocket of his vest to cut the restraints (always useful to have one on yourself just in case, even if he never used it in combat) and sliced them in a few precise movements.
(Even if he didn’t have one, he could have snapped them with his own strength or used the scalpels lying here and there, it wasn’t like the room lacked cutting things. But it wasn’t necessary and he didn’t want to deal with a Lightning seeing him with one and associating him with the scientists. He’d struggle too much.)
The boy, who until now had been unresponsive, woke up with a gasp. He weakly tried to scramble away from the new person, possible threat, in vain. (Oh, if he knew how much he was right, even if his fear was misguided. He wasn’t the one in danger in this facility.) His nails scratched the metal table, but he couldn’t move much or he’d fall from it.
His eyes were green, but puffy and red from the previous tears. They were still leaking water, but despite the shaking of the slight frame, the boy stayed silencious. (A stark contrast with the Lightnings from Before, always so noisy.)
He refused to admit that he didn’t like it.
He understood the implications, the behavior not a rare sight for someone used to the underbelly of the society. Mafia was not kind, not even (especially not) to children. Be it civilians ones, homeless ones (those in between, aware of the darkness but not totally involved, still able to leave maybe), or their own. You adapted or you died. And even when you survived, something was always broken.
Having worked for years with the Vongola, and alone to protect his city before that, he was no stranger to that kind of reactions. He never enjoyed seeing it, because as ruthless as he was, he did not think he was needlessly cruel. He punished those who deserved it. (And Little Animals so rarely did anything to justify such behaviour. They were to be nurtured, not crushed. Even the weaker ones. But he guessed that it was very much an Herbivorous thing to be that stupid.)
Anyway. He had a kid slowing him down now. (To leave him here was too risky for several reasons, and the Lightning might be of help if he was familiar with the layout of the facility and its people.)
(Despite the fact that the boy looked like he was his own age, Hibari continued to think of him as a child. He tended to forget his physical age sometimes, and even when he didn’t, his mental age made him, well, act more maturely. Though only by Hibari Clan standards.)
He had yet to see what category he fell into, even if it would probably the Small Animal one. He hadn’t even screamed at him in fright yet, and he had carefully stepped around the unconscious bodies, following Hibari like a duckling. Yes, he was definitely keeping that one.
In terms of looks, he reminded him more of a sheep though. Was the curly mane of hair a Lightning thing ? The baby Cow had a very similar one. Not green of course, but just as fluffy.
Hibari had just gotten outside of the room when he stopped and turned toward the boy, who had a dazed look, and was definitely not alright (eyes still shining like he was on the verge of tears). Thankfully, not Pineapple levels of not alright (aka ; murderous rampage). With some luck, he’d be able to train him to react like Tsunayoshi. As long as he was capable to roll with the punches and fight, it wouldn’t matter too much if the boy was a crybaby.
“You.” he started, “Where are the others people kept ?” he demanded, staring directly in his eyes, with a voice hard and commanding (for how, well, high pitched like a child it was).
The boy seemed to blink back to reality (even if he probably didn’t want to, or was surprised that his rescue was actually real), and he started to tremble some more. He had a very round baby face, even if he definitely looked too thin, and freckles. He opened his mouth, but it took him several tries before any coherent sound got out.
“Ah, um... errrr… I think two levels below ? I’m not sure, I didn’t see much and they don’t let us look, but from the estimated time it took in the elevator…” His voice trailed off. He had said all of this quite fast, almost mumbling and in a voice hoarse from too much screaming. He refused to look Hibari in the eyes, kept fidgeting his fingers, and occasionally flinched.
This was a better answer than what Hibar expected, and he patted the fluffy head in front of him as a reward. Positive reinforcement to help him overcome the whole thing and keep him from trying to supress the trauma via murder.
(Looking at you Pineapple. At least he had the perfect example of a bad coping mechanism ? Disregarding as usual the fact that it was the kind of reaction Hibari himself would probably have. Anyway.)
No surprise, the boy almost flinched out of his skin, but Hibari ignored it. (Flinching was nothing ! It was far from the worst reaction someone had at his touch ! (Alright, most of the times it was because said touch was very violent. He hit people often, they deserve it. But, really, they could try reacting better !) He really hated the ones who, well, pissed themselves. Sometimes even just at his sight. Disgusting memories he wished he could forget, and that had been sadly pretty frequent.)
He almost started walking onwards again, planning to continue with his plan to go through all the levels, to be sure he wouldn’t miss anyone, victim or enemy, when he realized something. There would probably be lots of other boys, and he couldn’t all call them like that. He didn’t know yet what kind of person the kid was either (Herbivore, Carnivore, Omnivore), and he didn’t like correcting himself so that would wait until he was sure of it. Sure, Sheep or Lightning would work, but the kid needed a… kinder ? softer ? approach to have him trust him, so he needed to get his name.
“Who are you ?” he asked, as abrupt as always.
“A-Akatani Mikumo.”
OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO
(I would say poor, poor scientists, but no. Honestly fuck them.)
(Poor, poor Lightning, or Akatani Mikumo, who is not in a pretty state of mind right now, and quite traumatized. Hibari will absolutely adopt him in his pack, so he should get better. Inko Midoriya will help. A lot. (Her son will probably dump him in her lap so she can take care of the boy, like he always do when it comes to, you know, comforting others.) He’ll still suffer from the Hibari brand of craziness once better though.)
(Poor, poor Pineapple Bastard (I mean, Rokudo Mukuro). Even an universe away, Hibari continues dissing him.)