So that's how my body was crushed into an unrecoverable state, how am I still moving? Whatever they had given me earlier through the injection had faded away, leaving me to a shell, a hollowed being, unable to comprehend what would happen to me.
My quirk, it was feebly attempting to soothe me, to begin fixing the damage, and I allowed it because I was flooded with the stench of blood, injury, and teetering on the edge of death. My lungs and internal organs were the only things intact. I sighed, lifting a finger to weakly scratch at the cement I lied on.
I'm not being saved. I'm going to die.
The memories of the last day had finished rushing forth, and my blurred vision only cleared slightly to watch the way Toga still prowled on me, watching me with glee. For a brief second, her face contorted to pity.
Should I keep counting? Don't count anymore, don't trust anyone, you can barely trust yourself, you're pathetic. I know.
Shigaraki must've thought I didn't hear the next words he muttered to Toga, or himself, I couldn't tell. "Master said if this didn't work, we have to turn her into a Nomu. Her quirk is too powerful to go back to U.A."
A Nomu? The fear I caved into earlier began to whine, demanding that we stand, no matter the cost and die. I wouldn't resort to being turned into a monster, an unrecognizable version of myself.
He exited the blackened room with the young girl. I sighed, attempting to move my limbs and see if I had anything to work with. Although they were broken, they still had a decent range of motion to them, these idiots didn't know how to harm me properly, if I was capable of movement, then they failed at whatever the hell their task was.
I couldn't mull on what they did previously, if my thoughts lingered on it too long, I would fall into a surpassing hopelessness, one I would never recover from.
I need to go home. You don't belong anywhere, only six feet under.
It seemed I had a new friend to welcome inside my head, the voice from my childhood and present had morphed into an escalated version of herself, she molded with fear to turn into a plague. One that countered every thought my somewhat normal consciousness had.
I shut my eyes momentarily, only concentrating on nothing but the ground and the black hole that littered my mind.
I was still high up in the same building, only a floor below where I first awoke. I pressed my ear closer to the cement, begging my quirk to let me hear the outside world as I plugged a vine into the cement, hoping it could work its way down to the ground. Moments passed, and my vine finally reached solid soil. I transferred some of the nutrients from the ground to my body, feeling energy simmer through my muscles in the smallest amounts.
From the vibration of the ground, I wasn't familiar with the terrain of this city. This wasn't Musutafu, it wasn't near the camping lodge with the Wild, Wild, Pussycats either. Where the hell am I?
I dissipated the vine, opening my eyes and breathing slowly because the door slammed open. Dabi walked in, revealing keys as he toyed with the entrance to my cell. "Come on, kid, you're needed upstairs." I watched, remaining silent.
He kneeled to the ground, tucking his arms under my body as he lifted me up. "Just drop me, burnt bitch. I'd rather crawl." I barked out, he ignored me, walking out into the hall through the makeshift door from my failed attempt at an escape. He placed me back in the seat, I was suspicious because he no longer carried the same heavy blows or rough animosity from the beatings I took.
Don't trust anyone.
I was in new cuffs, my shorts were shredded at the hems, and my sweatshirt had holes in it from Dabi's flames. I summoned the healing qualities of every plant I knew to soothe my injuries somehow while I focused on not bringing any attention to what I was doing. I glanced at Twice and Spinner, they hadn't participated in any of the things the others did to me, both men left, shouting that it was too much. Neither of them didn't stop them, though. But for now, the pair were the only ones I could tolerate looking at.
"Our attempts at brainwashing her only worked slightly. I have to call him before we make any new moves, we have to leave before they find our hideout." Shigaraki whispered to Dabi, but since my vine was secretly pierced into the wall near me, everything became amplified.
Who's they?
"Oh, pretty girl, Shigaraki says we've gotta show you this!" Toga squealed, and I clenched my jaw, only sparing her a quick glance. A screen hung by the stools of the bar turned on, I watched, feeling my heart skip a beat then throb painfully at the man who stood in the podium, hounded with reporters. Principal Nezu was sitting beside him and Vlad King, the teacher of class 1-B, was as well. I analyzed the man in the center, his hair was half-tied back, exposing his clean and shaven face with the crescent shape scar underneath his eye. He wore a fine business suit, and I scowled, feeling the tears pool in my eyes when I noticed the blue-shaded tie with patterns that he wore. I picked it out for him when I went to the mall with Mina once, as a joke. I handed it to him and told him to wear it when he wanted to dress like an actual school teacher, he laughed loudly for the first time when I gave him the little gift adorned in a small bag.
He's wearing it. He's letting me know something.
I blinked the sadness away, focusing on his expression. If I didn't know him better, he would've came off as calm and collected, ready to answer any questions the press threw at him.
But the thing was, I did know him. His eyebrows never stopped furrowing, his irises were expressing a smoldering rage, one I never saw on him before.
Shota Aizawa.
The reporters began their onslaught of an interrogation. The more they pestered him with responses, I grew angrier, unable to contain the way I wanted to claw their eyes out.
"Why did U.A fail to protect Florence Reyna and the other students who suffered by the League of Villains?" A random person questioned briefly, pressing their mic to the face of the man I trusted most.
"We apologize for not apprehending the fact that villains infiltrated our training camp, we are working on different safety measures to reassure the public that our students will not suffer under the hands of villains anymore. The safety of our children is our top priority, I can assure you that." Nezu answered instead, hopping up towards the microphone to sound as passive as he could.
"Mr. Aizawa, you're Florence Reyna's teacher. What do you have to say about her getting kidnapped by the League? Will you take responsibility for her? Will she be coerced into becoming a villain by the League? What will happen, then?" A male asked, his question brought about a flurry more, all blending together as Aizawa finally narrowed his eyes, revealing his anger.
"Shota Aizawa, Florence Reyna was a transfer student from the U.S, if she's dead or becomes a villain, will America lose faith in Japan as a source that produces the best heroes, since the best school in the nation couldn't even protect one of their own?"
That was harsh. They're trying to make my school and the staff look bad, when this wasn't their fault... right?
Aizawa lost his composure, snatching the microphone from the nearest person. "Don't use past tense when you speak about Florence Reyna. She is alive, and the League of Villains attempted to kidnap Katsuki Bakugo, they made a mistake to begin with, that boy would never budge on his dream of becoming a hero. They made an even bigger mistake when Reyna sacrificed her safety and got kidnapped instead. She's strong and capable, she has a passion for helping others and remains a light to the students of U.A. She will never become a villain, that much I can speak of on her behalf." He paused his heated speech to compose himself before looking straight into the camera. "We will stop at nothing to bring her home." I knew he spoke directly to me.
Home. The word stilled both voices in my head for the smallest moment, for the briefest second, I gained hope. Shota didn't forget about me, he wants to save me. I could die right at this very moment, but that one sentence from Shota was all that mattered to me. I clung to the low embers of warmth, it was the first time I felt it in days. Even when the screen cut off, even when a fist flew across my jaw throwing me to the floor, even when my wrist was sliced once again, I maintained a fervent grip to that hope. I stared out at the small glass window to the side of the wall that had moonshine pouring in from the small creaks, it was nighttime. As I got a slight glimpse into the outer world, I promised I wouldn't let the wish slip from me until it withered away to ashes.
"It looks like your beatings didn't work yesterday, how tragic. We're going to have to turn you into a Nomu after all, we can't let U.A have such a powerful quirk like yours." Shigaraki stood over me, whispering as he handed Dabi a syringe, the male with blue eyes leaned close, preparing to plunge it into my skin once more.
"Dabi, make her lose her sanity this time." Shigaraki instructed, stepping away while Toga took his place.
I could kill Dabi right now if I wanted to, I could release stones to crush his head and simultaneously crush Shigaraki's. In doing so, I had a higher chance of escape. I would throw my body out of the window, I didn't care if I died from the fall, I just didn't want to become a Nomu.
Three knocks from the makeshift door froze us all, my thoughts included.
"Hello, I got a pizza delivery here." A male voice called from behind the door. I nearly roared with laughter. That was the most normal sentence I've heard since I got taken into Kurogiri's portal. It was so out of place, and I watched the confusion flit through all the expressions of the people in the room, mine included.
We all stared at the door for a few seconds, watching, when the wall that carried moonshine erupted, "SMASH." All Might bellowed, punching Spinner across the bar as my body nearly flew with the force.
Shigaraki screamed instructions to Kurogiri, but I could barely hear because of the ringing my ears had taken. Kamui Woods flew behind All Might, as thick branches encased every villain, restraining them. I was stunned, were they here to save me? Why are you questioning them, Reyna?
The small body of Gran Torino zipped past, knocking Dabi out cold. The hope. It grew, but within that hope, fear multiplied.
"You can't run anymore, League of Villains." All Might snapped, his blue eyes shone with a fury that rivaled Shota's. Calm down, Florence.
Don't trust anyone. "We are here!" The number one hero cried while giving me a reassuring smile, I only stared blankly with wide eyes, I couldn't feel relief, my mind was at war right now.
Edgeshot slipped in through the door, I'm surprised that isn't broken, as he explained that the building was surrounded by the police and heroes like Endeavor.
"Young Reyna." All Might neared me, I stumbled back as the fear fought with my rationality. Don't trust anyone. All Might would never hurt me. He studied my reaction, walking to me at a slower pace as he whispered, "Young Reyna, what did they do to you? We're here now, you're safe. Are you hurt?"
That's a funny question. Am I hurt? I only blinked, saying nothing as I tried to control myself, I didn't want to give into the negative thoughts that surrounded every inch of me. Am I hurt.
"Yes." I whispered, before grabbing onto the sides of my head as I realized my mistake, speaking allowed the terror to take over. I hunched over, sinking to my knees as I bit my lip, refusing to sob but being unable to control the quivers. I am hurt, All Might. What scares me the most is I can't differentiate who hurt me anymore, Dabi didn't need to inject me with any more of the things that made me hallucinate.
I was already insane.
"I'm so sorry, Florence Reyna." All Might choked out, wanting to near me, but fearing my resulting actions if he moved any closer.
Don't trust anyone.
I struggled to remember the moments I spent with him and Izuku during lunch, I fought for those memories, anything to regain my trust. Why did I even lose my faith in them? Why?
All Might began speaking to Shigaraki, who was still trapped while signaling for Gran Torino to take me to the nearby ambulance.
So much spit was flying from All Might's mouth as he screamed at the man with hands all over his body. He shook with rage, explaining that due to the pro-heroes anger and the police's diligence, they found me and he praised my resolve for never wavering. Apparently, there was a hangar full of Nomus ready to attack, and they located that, too, capturing them all to imprison the creatures. I almost became one of them.
Shigaraki responded to him by saying that this was only the beginning. As much as I hated to admit it, I knew he wasn't lying. Whatever the hell this disastrous League was planning, there were more horrors in store for the future, that much I was certain of.
Gran Torino and Edgeshot exchanged words to the villains, but my thoughts kept getting infiltrated by the same words.
Don't trust anyone.
I was too focused on shoving the emotion away, that I didn't pay attention to the clogged feeling in my chest. I coughed, hands reaching to grab my throat, as my mouth opened, I felt the urge to vomit but nothing came out. My eyes were watering from the built pressure as All Might screamed, "Young Reyna!" Hands reaching out to grab me as I stumbled back, too terrorized by fright to comprehend what was happening.
Black semi-solids poured from my mouth, what's causing this? All Might's hands nearly grabbed me to secure me to him but the gooey substance enveloped me by then, as my body felt like it was being squeezed to death, I couldn't move or release a single noise.
After a minute of the painful sensation, I gasped, crashing into a clearing that was surrounded by towering buildings. My bones ached once more, begging that I give them a break.
I lifted my head up, eyes meeting a man who stood in the center, almost casually, as if he had no care in the world.
He turned, and I saw his odd mask, but even if I couldn't see his face, I knew his eyes were boring straight into mine. My body became deadweight, I was frozen, gaping at him as I finally gave myself to the voice that begged for the reigns in my mind for years.
This was All for One. All Might's story that day in the staff break room finally made sense.
This man wasn't just evil, I knew evil all too well. I would see it in the man that abused me, but this was worse than evil. This being wasn't human, it was as if the worst demon came from the pits of hell and embodied this creation. He was an overwhelmingly tainted form of hatred and greed, there was no safe quality to this creature.
I nearly collapsed and sobbed from terror with his next words, it wasn't the sentence itself, but the implication behind it. The aura that laced his tone with a conniving and malevolent force as it landed a heavy blow to my chest.
"Florence Reyna, your time has come to an end, child."