Ethereal ◆ Shoto Todoroki x Reader

Alive

◆ Part 2: Chapter 33 ◆

Alive

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"I'm not killing someone innocent," you mumble to your husband, walking briskly to the dungeons, "I'm not doing it. We were going to kill him anyways."

"Are you sure?" Shoto asks, "He's your father."

"He's never acted like one," you answer, "the Duke is a coward. A traitor. A murderer. Now it's my turn."

"Alright. I just don't want you to blame yourself after this."

"Trust me," you smile at him, giving him a peck on the cheek, "I won't. It's for our children."

"For our children," Shoto returns the gesture, a soft, encouraging smile. "For us."

Once you're at the dungeon doors, you hold out an arm. 

"I want . . . " you take a deep breath, "I want to do this alone."

"Are you sure? We don't know the Duke's quirk. It could be dangerous." Your husband furrows his brows, concerned, "You need to stay safe. I can't let you get hurt again."

"Alright," you compromise, "just two guards, to scare him. That's it."

Shoto nods, giving you a firm hug. "I'll be waiting right here."

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The man sits, curled up in the corner of his cell. Chains bound him to the wall, holding him in place. You don't know his real name. You don't know his story. You don't know the sound of your real father's voice.

"So you've come to kill me?"

There it is. It's familiar, but not in a way you would feel any connection. All you see before you is a traitor. He's of no relation to you.

You don't answer him. You owe him nothing.

You notice the duke shaking; his hands tremble at your entrance. You step closer to the cell, to the bars encasing him. They're cold. The whole dungeon is.  

Your voice is firm.

"Why did you do this?"

His eyes snap to yours. "Do what?"

"You don't have to keep anything from me," you tell him, "Where is my mother? My biological family?"

"They're all dead," the Duke mumbles, shaking his head slowly, "you and I are the last ones."

"Don't make it sound like some sad story. You will get no sympathy," you sigh, "I am a queen now. I don't need you."

You pause for a moment, and a grin creeps onto your face. You can't help it. "Actually, I do, but you probably won't be too happy with the reason."

"You're going to kill me."

"Yes."

"I assumed. You always were so impulsive as a child," the duke says, "just another thing that followed you into adulthood. You're just like Mirai."

"Who's Mirai?"

"She was your sister." The duke sighs, not resisting your questions or trying to fight. He's just talking, and it's stressing you out. "She was six years older than you, but she was the smartest girl I knew. It really is a shame she's dead."

You furrow your brows. You've always wanted a sister; you just had Hiro growing up, but you always wondered what having a sister would be like.

"H-How'd they die?" You ask.

"I killed them."

You clench your fists. This whole time, you had a family you didn't know of, but now they're dead. A sister. A mother.

Another crappy father.

"I had to. You don't understand, I had to!" He shouts, sensing your anger, "They would've died anyways! I had to kill them!"

"You don't have to do anything," you growl, "you are the master of your own mind, so you can't go blaming your actions on the influence of others! Make your own choices, dammit!"

You look at the duke. His eyes are red in the dark of the dungeon.

"So you killed them? Then what?" You ask, taking a deep breath. "How'd I end up at the Mizuki's palace?"

"I was desperate," the man says, "and you were all I had left. A simple trade. A good job for the most powerful quirk in the land. I became part of the palace staff, moving up the ranks, and you became the princess. It was good enough for me."

"Guards," you motion to the two behind you, "bring him closer. Just enough so I can kill him."

They do so, dragging the chained man to your feet. You step inside the cell, getting a little nervous.

On your knees, your eyes are level with your biological father's.

"Are you afraid of death?" You ask him, resting your chin on your hand.

"No."

"Your trembling hands say otherwise," you grin, "because you know how I'm going to kill you, right? I'm not a powerless little kid anymore. I can control my quirk now."

"Please," the man begs, putting his head to the wet ground of the cell, "please kill me, but not with the likes of our power."

"Did you give my real family this mercy? Did you use your quirk to kill them?"

"Please, Your Majesty," he says, "you're going to need my help."

"Why would I need help from the likes of you?"

"I can feel their energy. I can feel your weakness," the duke snarls, his voice becoming cold, "your children will not be able to control their quirks, even if you manage to live through their birth."

You look away from him. The guards stand tall beside the duke, holding his shoulders.

You're not scared of him, you're just scared he's right. What if you go through all this, only to die anyways?

"I can tell," the duke grins, "I can tell you're scared of the future. The storm will overcome you, my queen, and you will drown in the flood. The whole world is against you."

You take his hand in yours, lifting it to your lips.

"I do not fear the storm. I am the storm."

The duke's eyes widen.

"You will drown. Your death will be my life, and no one will mourn you. No one will remember your name, and thousands will benefit from your passing."

You put all of your anger into your voice, your desperation, your frustration, your sadness, your mourning. 

And your lips touch his hand, a Queen bowing to a Duke.

In one last attempt to save himself, the duke screams, putting all his effort into that one wail. It reverberates through the dungeon, embedding the sound in your skull.

Your father's body hits the damp floor of the cell, empty and cold. You listen as his breathing slows and his heart stops. He's dead. But you?

You feel more alive than ever before. 

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