Hi :3
Opposites merch drops tomorrow! Check IG for details <3
"Everyone run south!" Burnin' yelled, hanging onto a traffic pole with a single hand, her foot propped against the metal, fire burning away any dust that came near. "Get those people moving!"
The destruction was coming in waves, like a tsunami made of pure power. It was only a matter of time before it'd reach the low level of the city surrounded by mountains.
Her interns sprinted, got to work, did all they could to stay calm and keep civilians safe. The shouting, the crying, it took a toll on them. They were just kids, Burnin' thought. Even if they'd been through this kind of thing before, they were supposed to be home safe by the time anything like this even happened!
"Endeavor?!" Burnin' yelled pressing her fingers to her earpiece. He and the rest of their efforts were back at the hospital. It was impossible to see with those clouds of dust, but she could only wonder if that building was even still standing. Jumping back to the ground, she stopped beside Bakugo and Midoriya, the two of them running towards the crumbling earth rather than away from it. "Endeavor what's going on up there!?"
"Y/n!" Burnin' looked over to see her student yelling into his own comm. She'd never seen Bakugo so shaken up. Not till now when he was sprinting down the streets, propelling himself atop falling buildings with Deku at his side. "Answer me, damnit! Y/n!"
"It's not stopping Kacchan!" Deku yelled back, the both of them breathing heavy at having to stay elevated as long as possible.
The city would be destroyed in a matter of a few dozen minutes if this kept going. Burnin' fed into the panic, following her students.
"Everything's crumbling to dust! The road! The buildings! Everything!" Uraraka yelled, joining the group.
"It's Shigaraki. I know it is." He breathed, using One for All to jump off rooftops, keep running into the action. He tried to keep calm, although the same couldn't be said for his partners. It began to dawn on him too. That this was just the beginning. Not only that. No one from the hospital was responding. Which left him with the inevitable grief that you, Endeavor, Aizawa- you might've not been sparred by Decay.
"Y/n! Answer me!"
"What's going on at the hospital!? Someone respond!?" Burnin' screamed. "Endeavor! Ryukyu! Miruko!?" The pro who'd always been so sure of herself was trailing a crumbling city, a screaming city, a dying city. A city where her boss, mentor, and interns would die too if she couldn't help them. "Anyone!?"
***
When Tomura lost Atomic there was a hole inside his heart. He thought it would be easy to fill. It only grew, as if scratched and mauled by a wild animal, once you were lost. Still, after his tears were shed, he was certain things would work out.
Waking after so long, with All for One in his veins, the man felt drowsy. His injuries were no longer, yet his mind was a blurred mess. A tremble shot through his bones, a chill chattered his teeth. Yet when he opened his eyes, the cold was gone.
He saw a semblance of his sister, the little girl with dark hair playing heroes in the yard. He smiled, played with her over the corpses of his parents, his grandparents, his other sister, his grandmother too. Tomura laughed, saw the ghosts of his family come alive, grab ahold of his limbs. They pulled him towards the light. Told him to never forget them. Told him to turn around and go to the one person he had left in the world.
But Tomura shook them off. He walked where his master called. Into the darkness. Into the clutches of All for One's power.
When he woke, he still felt their hands on his body. He still felt their pull to the light. When he opened his eyes, the cold was gone. He saw you. Your gaze met his. In a surge of threat, All for One awoke too. And it set the world afire, searching for its challengers- One for All, Atomic- if only to burn them till their existence was mere ash in the wind.
A black cape hung around Tomura's neck, his white hair falling atop it with grace. Atop whatever was left of the hospital- a mere minuscule piece of the doctor's lab now without wall or ceiling, just enough room to stand on and pace a few feet back and forth.
The man coughed a few times, the tiresome pull starting to fade.
"Weren't things supposed to start when I woke up?" He asked himself, blinking a few times, locating the transmission device hooked to his belt.
As he did, Shigaraki caught sight of the chaos below. Surrounded by a wall of mountains and forest, the city on the valley floor decayed away into nothing mile by mile. Soon enough, there wouldn't even be a battleground. Somehow though, it seemed the heroes were holding up their promise to the public.
"Ah," Tomura sighed, rubbing his wrists. "Things aren't looking good for us, are they Atom-" Tomura stopped. All for One, the quirk as violent as its true beholder, growled at the name he almost spoke.
Tomura blinked. The hole in his chest throbbed and ached. His injuries were healing- regeneration long a part of All for One. But for a few dazed, naive moments, the boy of a man truly forgot his friend was gone.
No. Not a friend. A quirk. A silly power of a thing that dreamed of being more. It was a good thing Shigaraki rid himself of such a demeaning thing. Why would a tool dream of being equals with its wielder after all? Why would a hammer want more than to hit nails into wall and bone?
Tomura laughed, tears trailing down his cheeks as he repeated those words to himself over and over.
"Come to me, Machia. Bring the others." He said, still laughing to himself, watching the buildings fall and dust rise around their foundations. Holding the device to his mouth, Shigaraki wiped at his lips with his sleeve, catching the water falling to his jaw. "This is when we destroy everything."
"Everything?"
Tomura turned around, causing friction against the damaged ground beneath his feet. His laughter ceased upon the sight.
With her knees bent, her chin dipped, eyes hooded, only violent intentions behind her stare, his little sister stood right across from him. The gray overtook the black of her hair- the black he'd come to love. He'd once caressed the back of her head, comfortable nostalgia piercing at his heart as at once fond and painful memories flooded him.
That darkness was disappearing from the strands. So quick, Tomura thought, that maybe his touch had been the poison that took its shade.
"Long time no see," The villain said, a few chuckling breaths shaking his chest. Smiling with his teeth, he cocked his head to the side. "New friends have you?"
"There was one flaw in your plan, Tomura." You said. Nodding your head towards the dying city, you waited for him to turn back around. "Look closer."
Peering down at the destruction, at the faint ant-like heroes dancing across his work, Tomura squint. It wasn't till he realized he couldn't so much as sense Atomic's presence in you that his face turned into a knowing expression.
"I split open all the underground electricity grids with the shockwaves." He said, turning back around to face you with an undeterred smile. "And Atomic moves through any system that can store energy."
As you spoke, Atomic traveled beneath the earth, a monster of what he used to be. Catching the remanence of the decaying bonds, Atomic followed the thread of destruction, repairing everything he could map.
The buildings? The roads? They might still become dust. But the ground, the soil, the people still in danger, the heroes helping them? As long as Atomic spread himself throughout that city, not a single person was losing their life.
Zero casualties in an event that should've claimed thousands. And all it took was a little quirk others once thought a nuisance.
"That's clever of you," Tomura laughed.
It was. But-
"I wasn't talking about Atomic," You replied, the sound of explosions in the distance, fire, and ice shielding the dust and wind, even the power of countless heroes still standing sounded through the quiet.
"Ah, your little friends," Tomura chuckled. "I should've killed them when I had the chance."
"Nah," You shook your head, eyes flicking down the to the city as the destruction began to slow, Atomic working his hardest. In your mind, you heard his breathlessness, felt him clinging to whatever energy sources he could. This would exhaust him, Atomic couldn't do this forever. But as long as you gave him some seemness of hope, the power wouldn't give up. Your eyes flicked back to Tomura, the faint sounds of flames at your back keeping you upright. "You should've just killed me."
The moment heat so much as grazed your skin, you sprang forward, knocked Tomura backward, and started running down the hill, past him. Enji-san gave you an order. You would follow it and get as far away from the danger as possible.
Atomic lived in you. That meant if you died right now? So did everyone he was currently protecting. The hospital wasn't too far from the city, especially if you didn't actually need to breathe to run. In any case. You trusted Enji-san as much as he trusted you...
"Shigaraki!" Endeavor yelled, propelling himself forward with jet burn. Heat overflowed his body, torn costume, and injuries not so much as slowing him down.
When the hospital disintegrated, there were so many potential victims, people screaming that he had to save. Losing sight of you made his heart drop. The last thing he saw before the dust took all but his peripheral was Aizawa reaching you and failing. All that kept him going was the possibility you'd survived and he could still save you.
Before it cleared, when everyone he could possibly save was back to safety, Enji took to the sky. It was as if you knew he'd come. No. As if you had faith in him to make it in time. Turns out, you were mighty good at saving yourself.
"Number One hero." Tomura cooed, a lazy smile crinkling the skin around his eyes. Watching the hero come his way didn't even make him take a step back. "You're in for a wake-up call."
Yes. He was. But while the entire country and his children were in danger, nothing else mattered other than stopping the person responsible.
You sprinted past Tomura, ducked, and rolled down the hill, Atomic at once flickering through your veins and spreading throughout the valley. The more ground he covered, the stronger he felt. But that only meant Tomura knew where he was all the more.
Just before Endeavor made impact with his flashfire, Tomura's attention diverted. Not to the man challenging him. But at a throbbing sensation through his muscles, down to his core. All for One awoke within him with vengeance, but it was only now starting to stir with its true intentions.
Get One for All. It spoke, within his mind, Tomura stunned silent. Get Atomic.
Flames swallowed Tomura's shadow, surrounding him with all the might of the number one hero. Not once, did the villain's smile fade through it all.
"Attention all! Endeavor here!" Endeavor spoke into his comm, firing firepower after firepower, anything to keep the villain under control. "I've engaged Shigaraki at the hospital ruins! Anyone who can move without touching the ground needs to form a perimeter!"
When the flames cleared, Tomura stood still standing, the quirk artificially flowing through his veins healing fresh burns. Laughing quietly to himself, he barely paid any attention to the hero before him. Instead, his attention remained on the feeling. Cold, hateful, powerful spreading through him. Regeneration didn't take the pain away. But then again after being tortured and put through agony for so long, pain was just an old friend come for a visit.
"I need," the villain breathed, his head swaying side to side, a whisper of laughter tickling his throat. "Atomic."
"In your dreams!" Endeavor yelled, propelling himself once more, targeting his attack at Tomura's center, hopefully damaging the core of his new quirk. "I won't let you take my child again!"
"I need," Shigaraki's chest filled with hot air, the red of his eyes disappearing in the black as he repeated his powers' askings. "One for All." A fit of laughter along with tears trailed down Tomura's face. "They're down there." Looking over his shoulder, the man caught sparkling spots lighting the way through the clouds of smog, a similar sort of energy shinning at the base of the valley. "Both of them."
"One for all?" Endeavor spoke, brows furrowed, hand still on his comm.
Down in the valley, Burnin' was still rounding her students up, grabbing as many civilians as she could.
"One for wha?!" She asked, blinking in confusion. More chaos ensued, more dust and unpredictable destruction. She didn't have time to dwell on her superior's odd wordings.
Deku however, listening on the frequency stood wide-eyed on the rooftop. A whole other type of panic made his stomach drop.
"Whatever!" Burnin' waved a hand, ordering her troops of heroes into the front line. "Help is coming your way!"
A heavy gulp went down Midoriya's throat. Him and Bakugo exchanged a knowing look, the wind blowing against their trajectory.
"He's heading for evacuees!" Endeavor spoke, a sound like that of Bakugo's explosions going off from the hospital grounds. Shigaraki. He could use his power to propel himself just like Endeavor or Bakugo now. "Expand the battle perimeter!"
Deku sprang into action, taking a B-line away from Burnin's path.
"Y/n! Endeavor" The boy called, fingers pressing on his earpiece. The air pressure, One for All's flashing green sparks, even his screaming all outweighed by his heartbeat thrumming through his skull. "Sorry for using a private frequency, but-" Deku's eyes scanned the rooftops as he jumped between them, traveling to the treeline and hills wherever you might be hiding. "Y/n I think he's after us!"
"No, it's not him, it's way worse than that!" You screamed into your own earpiece, still running down the hill, skidding to a halt over crumbling trees, jumping over broken landmasses. The sound of your voice brought comfort to Midoriya's fearful notions. "Tomura's not in control of his own mind anymore, All for One is. The quirk itself has sentience from its original user, Atomic is afraid of it. It's stronger than either of us! We've got to get him away from the city!"
"We may be able to bate him into a deserted area!" Deku yelled, Bakugo growling at not being able to hear what the hell you were all talking about.
"I'll wreck that bastard!" He grumbled, Deku ignoring him as the two trailed buildings, their class yelling wondering why the two were suddenly departing.
"Requesting permission to keep contact this way, sir!" Deku screamed, hoping Endeavor hadn't gone silent for the worst.
"What are you saying, Deku?" The man was busy chasing down the very villain they were arguing over. You, he understood, but why on earth would he be after Midoriya?
"We'll explain later! Just do as Deku says, damn it!" You screamed, Enji craning his neck back, eyes going back at your commanding tone. He promptly shut up, did as he was told.
"I'm too far away to see Shigaraki with all this dust and smoke!"
Deku and Bakugo caught the skyline over the veil of debris and ash, caught it slowing at certain spots, flashing lights settling only to reveal what was broken was being put back together. Atomic.
A surge of hope hardened Deku's gaze. "Y/n, Endeavor! Can you tell me if he suddenly changes course!?"
"He's heading southwest, Atomic can feel him!" you answered, looking through the tethered ceiling of leaves like a prey animal hiding from a hawk.
"I'll try to lure him away!" Deku screamed, running straight in your direction. "Y/n! Follow us!"
"No!" Bakugo yelled, grabbing his friend by his shoulder, tugging him back as the two of them halted over one of the still intact rooftops.
They'd lost their class, the heroes too. No civilians remained in this sector. Now, it was all about surviving. Making sure Tomura and All for One kept their attention away from those who could get hurt in the fighting.
But Bakugo protested to one fact and one fact only, guided by his emotions. "Get her to safety! If he's after you both it makes more sense if you separate!"
"Kachann, think! He knows Atomic! He'll go for her first! She can't be alone!"
For once, Bakugo had to concede. He shook, his eyes betraying the fear in his heart. Deku didn't wait up. He heard more collisions, more violence brutalizing the land. There wasn't time to waste. The moment his friend ended up a few blocks ahead, even in the sky, Bakugo clamped his hands down on his hair, near tearing out the roots.
"Damn it!"
"Wha-" Deku looked over his shoulder. "Kachhann?! Why are you following us!?"
"Want me to kill you instead!?"
"Erm, no!"
"Then why don't you think!? We're short on time and who's the only guy who knows your deal without needing some long-winded explanation?!" Bakugo clenched his teeth, thinking of you and Deku needing to go at this alone because of poorly organized heroes and underestimated villains."And if you think I'm letting the two most impulsive pig-headed people I know fight this loser alone, you're insane!"
"In that case, thanks!"
"Don't get a big head about it!" Bakugo groaned, rolling his eyes, using his explosions to get ahead. "And follow you!? Did you forget, I'm the main character in this story!?"
"I think technically Y/n-"
"Just keep it together and don't trip me up!"
"Got it!"
They were so close. Deku swore he could see you emerging from the treeline; the sight made of white and black hair belonging to a girl surrounding by glowing silver light.
"I see her! Kacchann loo-"
Another gust of wind hit them both without warning, knocking both hero students backward, their powers. A cracking high-pitched ring took over their left ears, the comms frying. That wind wasn't a random occurrence or another one of Shigaraki's decay tactics. It was calculated. It was a radio wave transmission meant to keep you from communication any longer. And with it, came its origin.
Shigaraki appeared in a flash, a smile on his face, cape in the flowing with the ashes.
Bakugo and Deku's eyes went wide, the look of a brand new Tomura Shigaraki smirking down at them with a crazed, murderous gaze. White hair like the sun's rays, blood eyes shrouded in darkness, and an aura unlike any other.
All it would take was a fraction of a second. A single touch of all five of his fingers. And Bakugo and Deku would disintegrate into nothing.
Midoriya's breath left him all at once, One for All trembling within him. A fraction of a second. That's all it would take. He swore, for a moment, he felt his body already becoming ash in the air.
Do not be afraid. Deku's breath hitched. You aren't alone.
"Atomic?"
This will hurt.
"What?"
Forming a barrier between Tomura and the two heroes, Atomic ran through Bakugo and Midoriya's bodies, frazzling their nervous systems. Both boys yelled out in pain as if an electric shock paralyzed them both.
All for One stared down with spite at Atomic's efforts, both energies meeting one another with enough force to create a blast ten times Bakugo's capacity. But if the power could smirk, Atomic would've laughed at Tomura.
He wasn't planning on fighting All for One's quirk head-on, he wasn't strong enough for that. He was, however, smart enough to trick it into believing he was until a pro hero arrived.
Gran Torino flashed through the sound barrier, his lucky speed coming just in time. Atomic dropped Bakugo and Deku right into his hold, springing back below ground, traveling through the electrical circuits All for One couldn't reach.
Their minds blurry and lost, Bakugo and Deku both took a moment to even realize who'd quite literally grabbed them by the ankles.
"Gran Torino!?" Deku yelled, Tomura losing sight of them in the distance.
"You're as foolish as Torshinori you stubborn fool! We're getting you to safety!"
"What about Y/n!? Where is she!?"
"Eraser's looking for her now! Our comms are broken! There's no way to track her!"
Bakugo's lungs ceased. Shigaraki wasn't on their tail. That meant one of two things. Other heroes had arrived, caught up with him, Endeavor maybe, and taken Atomic's place, started battling it out with the villain. Or. Maybe he'd set his sights on the source of the troublesome power slowing down his progress. Maybe he found you before him or Deku could regroup.
A shiver traveled through the boy's body, the cold air and whooshing speed of his savior not responsible.
When this is all over? Your voice echoed in his head, your hands on his face, a gentle smile on your lips.
When this is all over.
"I'm not breaking my promise again," Bakugo breathed, kicking at the man who'd grabbed him, dropping onto a rooftop as he let go of Deku too.
"Kacchann wait!"
"I'm not letting her break hers either!"