The towering villain begins to slowly lift an arm high above his head as you watch, your breath caught in your throat as you anticipate his next move.
The man moves in a flash of speed. His arm cuts through the air as he aims a palm down to where Bakugou stands. A flux of the scorching flames of a firestorm jet down towards the explosion quirk holder. At the speed the blinding hues of yellow come rushing down, you have no choice but to deactivate your air abilities and summon the water spirit.
Almost as if it had already sensed the imminent danger of a fire, the spirit flows within you like a powerful stream. You swing your arms up, palms to the blaze. The earth splinters and cracks before water breaks through from beneath the surface, erupting with the likes of a turbulent geyser.
The flames sizzle and extinguish, smoke rising from the collision between fire and water. The connection between the water spirit and your own grows stronger, allowing you to push your ability further. The pressure of the spring increases and you watch as the water advances on the diminishing flames until it drowns them out completely.
Behind you, Bakugou manages to land a few blows on a weakened Twice and Compress, sending them flying a good distance away from where the two of you hold your ground.
Bakugou presses his back against yours, "The ugly has a quirk similar to yours. Air and fire. How the hell-"
You cut him off, confirming with yourself that this man is, without a doubt, the one you came to know as the 'Big Man' from your past, "He can steal quirks. And from the looks of it, he has more than we can begin to fathom."
From afar, Twice and Compress push themselves back up to standing while a wheezing Shigaraki and Toga finally recuperate and take a fighting stance.
"I told you extras to stay down!" Bakugou growls as he takes a step away from you and towards the villains. You turn back around as the large man makes his descent back to the earth.
"Give him hell, fireless."
And with that Bakugou charges towards the four members of the league, sparks dancing across his outstretched palms.
You study the Big Man with caution as he walks towards you, wrinkles forming where the ends of his eyes would normally crease from a smile.
"I'll admit, I had my doubts watching you compete in the Sports Festival. But the shadows hiding, lurking behind your eyes will always give away who you truly are."
Your lip curls up in disgust at the man's words, "You know nothing about who I really am."
Again, his bitter laugh cuts through the thick air.
The Big Man stops, keeping a generous distance between the two of you. His fabricated demeanor of nonchalance let's you know he has no intention to fight you. No. Because his intentions haven't changed. He wants to keep you alive in order to finish what he started long ago.
And the only way to do this is through a tactic people like him, people who are never satisfied, people who crave more, resort to. One he believes will work on you. Manipulation.
The edges of your lips curve into a smug grin. Even at a young age you couldn't be convinced to follow in the vile footsteps your own parents geared you in the direction towards.
'Give me your worst.'
"You were brought up surrounded by crime and ruthless killings. Your parents showed you how flawed the world truly is, opened your eyes to the harsh reality. You crave a fantasy. A world of peace. Well let me tell you. There will never be peace in a world so long as those who are stronger are praised and those who are weaker are discarded, useless to the city. Thrown aside until they have no choice but to give in to the role society forces them to take."
This time you laugh, "You and I see the world in very different colors. Regardless of whether one carries a quirk or not, no human is truly useless. Our world runs on both quirkbearing and quirkless humans alike. Yes, our world is flawed. I see no need for the social ranking amongst pro heroes but that is something that I believe can be fixed through sensible communication, not crime and hatred. Society does not always determine one's fate. It is exactly as you said, I was born into a world of violence and raised by malicious people and yet even I saw through the immorality. I chose the life I wanted to live. Stop excusing your agenda of malevolent actions and placing the blame on anyone but yourself."
The Big Man tilts his head, cracking his neck in annoyance, "I see you've already been corrupted by those you so proudly look upon."
It is sickening to hear how easy it is for the man to resort to violence as the best action to fixing a flawed society. You know damn well he couldn't care less about the injustice in the world, it's just his game. His way of trying to get you on his side. But not to gain followers. To gain power through your quirk.
"In the same way you corrupted Shigaraki?" Your breathing quickens as anger floods through your veins, "All it took was one look at the way you treat him and I can almost unfold your scheme. Whatever it is you plan to do with him, make it end right now."
"I see. So you sympathize with the boy." The demon of a man avoids your assumption completely, "Or rather, empathize. You and Tomura are more alike than you may think. Two sides of the same coin, I'd say. Same upbringing, different paths. You see, at a young age Tomura dreamed of becoming a hero too. Just like your parents, his father despised the idea. You and Tomura were mistreated by your own parents for that perilous dream all of society glorifies. And what do you know, both you and Tomura killed your parents and ran away."
You snap your head back to where Bakugou continues to fight, a sigh nearly escaping your lips as he isn't within hearing distance. You watch for a moment. The villains struggle with no way to get near him. Bakugou sends explosion after explosion, warding the four and Twice's copies off.
"While there was no astounding hero to save Tomura from his misery, there was Eraserhead for you. And I was left to take in Tomura and guide him along his path. If anything, you and him should be allies. Examples of what happens to children who wish for the hero's life that's constantly being shoved down your throats."
"I was saved. Shigaraki made it out of one hell and was pulled right back into another." You steady your racing heart, sorrow pumping into your veins as you're told of Shigaraki's past. "I'll save him. I'll make up for the hero who never did. I want to save people. Protect them from people like you who stop at nothing to get their iniquitous way."
The Big Man takes a step towards you, hands balled up in fists at his side.
"You refuse to cooperate, leaving me no choice. I will have your quirk."
You brace yourself, calling forth the three spirits in preparation to defend against any of his abilities. The vexed man moves with a deadly calm, knowing of his capabilities. You refuse to cower, the nerves you've felt before melting into adrenaline. Somewhere within your shell, your soul unites with the spirits of the elements you've grown connected to.
The Big Man lunges forward, the arm at his side a disturbing sight as it grows in size. His muscles double at an inhumane rate, tearing through the dark fabric of his tailored suit. His movements are swift and stealthy despite the looks of his age. You let him come to you, memories of your own childhood and Shigaraki's story driving a newfound determination within you. With a slight twist of your foot, jagged rocks jut out from the ground in a circle surrounding you in a protective nature. Following your wrist and arm movements, both water and air soar around you in the path of a sphere, keeping you protected well inside the makeshift globe.
The vile villain lets out something close to a snarl as he closes in on you, arm pulled back behind him to draw up momentum for a swing. 'There can only be a slight chance that exists for his punch to break through the intensity of my element barrier.' Still, the complete change in his disposition makes you question all logical assumptions. Focusing in on his arm, you eye the red lines of electric-like light spark around his arm like veins. Placing all of your trust in your own abilities, you brace for the impact mere seconds away.
'Three...'
'Two...'
He stops.
Feet frozen in place as he turns to look towards the sky.
"He finally decides to show up."
You do not turn your head in the direction he focuses on. Knowing exactly who's above you and the power he holds, you step back out of your ring of unforgiving rocks and let the high winds and twisting water settle.
"I've come to retrieve my students All For One!"
All Might's declaration rings valiantly across the expanse of destruction.
You turn and let your legs carry you far from where the two will meet head on. Your heart pounds furiously in your chest as the Big Man's alias unlocks a few memories of your biological parents mentioning 'All For One' in passing. Only, truthfully, you had thought it was the name of some sort of function or gathering for their criminal allies.
"Have you come to finish me off All Might?"
A chill runs up your spine. You've never heard any villain, let alone anyone challenge the number one hero with such ease and honest confidence.
The ominous gray clouds part in the sky, revealing All Might, in all his glory, as he soars down towards All For One with the agility and speed of a rocket.
"I will put an end to your ruthless agenda. And I will take these children back!"
The hero swings his arm down on All For One in one of his many powerful signature punches.
For a moment everything is still as you watch All Might drive his fist into his rival's bare palm. In a matter of seconds, the stillness turns to a whirlwind of debris and dust. The attack causes a powerful gust of wind, sweeping everyone in the proximity away with it.
Your throat burns from the sprint but you make it to Bakugou in time to take hold of his wrist and dig your foot firmly into the ground. A thick slab of rock rises from the surface and you push the blonde behind it. Bakugou catches your hand and pulls you against him as he presses his back against the barrier blocking the two of you from the vicious current.
"That bastard blocked All Might's move with just his mere hand!" Bakugou yells over the wailing winds. The boy doesn't bother moving the firm hand he placed behind your shoulders as he reflects on the situation.
"He was only toying with us earlier! He held back on his attack just to see how we'd counter!" You shout back.
Bakugou shifts his gaze from the dust swirling around the sedimentary shield over to you.
"He wants your quirk." Not a hint of a question in his tone.
His words catch you by surprise. You turn to look at him, bright red eyes already piercing into yours. You study his face for a moment. A soft flush of pink, tint his cheeks and nose from the exertion of a fight. Blonde locks wave in a graceful dance with the wind, as his brows furrow slightly with growing concern. Concern for you. The boy is always ready to throw himself into any mess you've gotten yourself into and quite frankly, you are too. It is simply what's become of your dynamic.
The ends of your lips tug into a playful smirk, "I'd like to see him try."
Bakugou gives you a smug grin, "Big words, fireless."
Judging by the way the Big Man defended himself against All Might's attack, he is right. But nonetheless, should All For One come after you, you are sure to put up a hell of a fight.
You raise a brow, "I know a certain blonde in case I need some backup."
The boy returns your expression with a scoff, "Tch. Like hell am I just backup!"
"I was actually talking about All Might. But you can come too." You tease him, relishing in the sight of annoying the boy. He's had his fair share of taunting you, why not return the favor.
"Watch it, fireless." He dips his chin slightly.
You lift yours, "Oh, I'm watching."
The forceful winds die down and the dust settles back onto the ground, a suspenseful silence looming over the disastrous area. You feel your own heart beating in anticipation, waiting desperately to receive some sort of signal from the Symbol of Peace.
"You don't look well, All For One. It seems these years haven't done you any good."
All Might's voice breaks through the dark quiet, a lighthouse in a raging storm.
"You dare say, All Might. It took you quite some time to arrive. It's been about three minutes since I sent the Nomus to the bar a few streets over." All For One retorts, "Seems you've gotten weaker."
Bakugou lets out a hushed scoff, taking offense to the comment thrown at the hero he deeply respects. Shifting in his hold, you allow your eyes to peek just over the side of the earthly shelter. Lingering dust hangs in the air, casting an ominous fog-like murkiness across the field. You strain your vision, making out two large figures in shadow only around thirty meters away. They stand before each other, two lions readying to attack in defense of their territory.
"Three minutes. In those three minutes I could've easily rid of your treasured students." All For One jabs at All Might, "Sudden ends to their worthless lives and two quirks added to my collection."
With that, the mantle of the number one hero's composure falls away with the ease of a discarded cape. "How dare you terrorize the lives of the innocent!" All Might rages, fist already raised. The pro hero activates his quirk and bellows the name of yet another vigorous attack, sending a powerful strike down on the villain.
"Bid your great hero farewell. Without a doubt, this will be his last fight."
All previous sentiments of sorrow for the man drain from your body as you hear Shigaraki's words. You turn your attention to the twisted criminal as he pushes himself up to standing. Shigaraki brushes off the debris that clings to his dark clothes before starting his trek over to where you and Bakugou stand. Three other shadows emerge behind him, rising from the rubble littering the earth.
You and Bakugou move away from your quirkmade cover, taking a firm position beside each other as the League members approach. Shigaraki halts before you, leaving a short distance in between. Behind him, Toga skips up to where he stands, pure excitement radiating from the wide smile on her face. Mr.Compress struts his way over like a magician opening a grandiose show, Twice his nervous assistant.
"It's so good seeing you again." Toga hums a little laugh, keeping her bloodthirsty eyes on you, "Too bad you didn't bring your other green-haired friend. I would've loved to see the both of you quiver as I drain you-"
"That's enough." Shigaraki interrupts the girl, clearly irritated by her remark.
While Compress rolls his marbles between his fingers patiently, Twice looks between the members of the group frantically, waiting for an explanation.
Giving in, the man asks, "What are we doing?"
Shigaraki's scarred, pale lips pull into a twisted grin, "We'll help the master get what he wants."
Almost like the words are a signal, the group moves in synchrony towards the two of you, a looming wave washing far onto the shore. Twice copies himself, multiplying quickly as Compress traps many of the clones in his turquoise marbles. The magic-enthusiast then tosses them near Bakugou, releasing the many Twice's in an attempt to surround him. Bakugou activates his quirk, blasts of orange and yellow sparks dance through the air as they send the copies flying. The villains continue the tactic mercilessly, managing to land multiple hard blows to the boy.
Toga lunges forward, two large metal syringes with their menacing needles clutched tightly in her hands. You bring your arms up gracefully, lifting water from the soil beneath the cement. The girl closes in, her sharp needles only a foot away. You make to slice your right arm across your body, motioning for the water to crash into Toga's side and send her far from you. But your arms don't move. They remain frozen in their place.
Your muscles tense as they try to break through the force restraining them. 'What the hell.' Frustration builds up inside of you. Toga laughs maniacally, jumping high into the air as she approaches you. She raises her hands up above her head, preparing to bring them down and gouge her mechanisms into your skin.
You lift your foot up off the ground and slam it back down with purpose. A column-like block of gray rock breaks out of the wreckage and collides with the sadistic blonde's torso. Her eyes shut and a soft yelp makes its way out of her throat while she's hurtled towards the sky; crashing down right before Shigaraki's feet mere seconds later.
Your arms fall to your sides, released from their invisible air prison. You clench your teeth, knowing exactly who to blame for the hindrance. Sure enough, you turn your head and find All For One drilling his eyeless gaze through you from afar. 'That bastard.'
The tyrant directs his attention back to his enemy. All Might pushes off of a knee, standing back up from a strike that left him down on the cold ground. The two ready themselves, keen instincts awaiting the next attack. You turn back to face your next opponent. An unsettling sensation runs down your spine knowing the Big Man will limit your range of skill in an attempt to protect his loyal subordinates.
Shigaraki steps over an aching Toga, her hands clutched around her middle as she rocks on her back like a child. Callous red eyes the color of bloodshed, target you with the intensity of a predator stumbling upon its prey.
"You know, it's not too late." His voice is soft yet sharp, a blade within the confines of its sheath. Shigaraki is the last you want to hear from. You curse the cruelty of this world for the poison running through a once hopeful child's mind. And you blame the heroes too, for not hearing his cry.
An innocent child no longer, Shigaraki is made up of everything you wish no person should experience: abuse and neglect turned to rage and desire for revenge.
"I don't want any part of your League, Shigaraki." You lift your chin, not backing down to his threatening presence, "I won't be another quirk to your master's collection."
The pale man reaches a hand to his neck, scratching vigorously at your denial.
"You're willing to die rather than to accept the generous offer." The skin beneath his fingers starts to tear. Shigaraki takes a few steps forward, "You're making a big mistake."
You shake your head, "Is it I who has made a mistake? Or is it you?"
The hand at his neck comes to a stop. Blood trickles down from the exposed abrasions. You study his face, searching for any suggestion you've struck a nerve or a reason for his sudden stillness. A creeping inkling sends a shiver down your spine and you spin around, twisting your foot firmly into the ground in the process. In the same time that a large slab of solid earth rams into a reaching Compress, Bakugou fires a forceful explosion right to him. The two of you seemingly wipe him out, launching him near the pile of unconscious villains.
Shigaraki uses the distraction to his advantage and closes the distance between you and him stealthily. You snap your head in his direction, a fatal hand already far too close to your shoulder. Your heart nearly stops at the idea of once again being trapped within his determining hold.
Lifting your leg in a swift fan kick for momentum, you slam the base of your heel down directly into Shigaraki's outstretched arm; following the deflection with a sequence of jabs to his ribs. He folds slightly, taking minimal damage from the series of attacks. Shigaraki bends over and you prepare a gust of wind to send him flying back into what's left of a wall. With the tenacity of a viper, Shigaraki shoots his arm out from the cover of his upper body; striking true with a deadly grip around your neck.
The immediate burning sensation comes before you get the chance to comprehend what just happened. Your old scar is torn open, dismantling the skin that had already been partially repaired. Tears fall from your eyes and a whimper builds in your chest from the pain. You lift shaking hands and take hold of Shigaraki's wrist and forearm, twisting vigorously in opposite directions until you hear a harsh snap. The bones beneath his skin snap and he hisses out through clenched teeth, dropping the limp hand from your neck.
You bite your lip, silencing the agonizing cry you wish to let out from your wound's sudden exposure to the contaminated air. Taking multiple steps back, you listen to the chaos unfolding around you. Bakugou's rounds of explosions and Twice's self-bickering occur to your left while All For One and All Might pummel each other with a range of attacks to your right.
Shigaraki brings his arm up, staring down intriguingly at his hanging hand. He slowly draws his eyes up to your neck then to you, his pupils very constricted. The edges of his lips stretch into a crazed grin and his shoulders shake with a slight laugh. You raise your palm in his direction and push against the nothingness before you. Without a second's hesitation, your air ability follows. The element imitates your movement loyally, shoving Shigaraki a safe distance away from you.
Bakugou lets out a struggled groan from a short stretch beside you. You turn quickly, cursing at the sight you're met with. Nearly ten of Twice's copies hold Bakugou down, five gripping his arms and legs on either side. His arms shake as he tries furiously to break through their clutches. A look-alike you can only assume is Twice, himself, walks up to the detained Bakugou.
The fighting boy expels explosions from his palms to no avail. A silver reflection catches the bright lights of the orange flashes, catching your attention. Twice pulls out a knife from a pocket on the leg of his suit. Bakugou strains his muscles, fighting desperately against the clones.
'C'mon think! How do I stop them? There are so many.' Your mind races in search for an answer. A memory of mere instinct from earlier flashes behind your eyes.
You kneel down and press your hands atop the hard surface. In a similar way to how you cushioned the ground to avoid shattering the bones in your body from the Big Man's first attack, you soften the earth beneath Twice and his clones'. However this time, you manage to liquify the material so it becomes something like quicksand. Focusing your energy on solely the villain and his copies, the men begin to sink while Bakugou remains above on solid land. In their shock, some of the copies let go of their grip on their rival, leaving a few who manage to maintain their hold. Bakugou easily shakes them off. You reverse your intention, letting the ground harden back to it's normal form.
Twice and his clones pound infuriatingly at the earth they're trapped in, only their upper half left free above the layers of rock and soil. Bakugou looks over at you, baring his teeth in annoyance. You roll your eyes at the ungrateful blonde. A quick movement catches your attention. "Bakugou!"
From his spot in the earth, Twice throws his arms back. Firm hands gripping the knife. You race towards the boy who just then becomes aware of Twice. Before you reach him and Bakugou has the time to react, Twice drives the sharp dagger into the boy in an instant.
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First, sorry not sorry for the cliffhanger hehehe.
Second, hi hi! I had a crazy busy weekend so I'm sorry I couldn't post the chapter. My family had a going away party for me since I'm leaving for school soon! It was really fun :) I hope everyone else had an amazing week and a great start to the new week!
I really hope you all enjoyed this chapter! This one had a lot of fight scenes, which are my favorite to write. It was especially fun to write the League too, they are very complex characters.
Thanks for all of your support, it seriously means so much to me. I can't even explain how happy it makes me when you all vote for Ignite and comment nice things! You're all the best, truly. Thank you so much.
Lastly, i may or may not be working on a new fic...so for research...*wink wink* what point of view do you all prefer reading in? First, second, or third?
First using I, my, mine, etc.
Second using you, yours, you're, etc.
Third using she/hers, he/him, they/them, etc.
Let me know ;)
I hope you are taking care of yourselves! Make sure to drink lots of water, eat well, and take breaks if you need! You deserve the best!
As always, I love you all so much and...
See ya next chapter!