Oh my God! I'm so so sorry! I haven't had time to write this! Its been a struggle! But it's here! I hope y'all enjoy! Thank you to each and everyone of you! The song above is Save Me by Globus! I'm not sure if I've put this one in, but its such a good song!
Terrible dread, that's all that people felt when they woke up; a lurking miasma of 'something BAD!' seemed to fall over the world overnight. It pervaded into people's action, the streets were barren, work had all but stopped, nobody had stepped a foot outside in fear of something.
What that something was, however, alluded many.
Green eyes glared in confusion as lightning sparked in a hospital room, Izuku felt as One for All flickered within his veins, the sheer agony that accompanied the lightning was new, and Izuku felt a twinge of fear; was this because of his failing body?
'No...'
Whatever it was, it wasn't because of One for All killing his body, no, it felt as if One for All was an angry creature, blinded by red rage and lashing out with wild abandon. This was One for All, instinct and power without the Vestiges to stem the flow, to control and harness it properly.
Darkness loomed...
Deep in the bowls of All for One's fortress, Toshinori heaved for air, trying in vain to heave as much air into his lungs, greedily drinking in what he could as his head was plunged right back into a bucket of icy cold water.
"Now, now All Might. It's not so bad, you've suffered worse than a little torture."
Toshinori had no idea who was talking to him at this point, he'd all but retreated into his mind at the face of the torture; his mind trying to protect itself the best it can, and it managed that by completely breaking his connection to the conscious world.
For days, he'd drifted through a limbo of foggy actions, never able to remember what was happening to his broken body. At first, he tried to be strong, but the pain was worse than he'd ever felt before, and that included having his entire side torn out by a quirk enhanced fist.
It started small, a beating here and there, maybe some emotional and psychological torture, but All Might could deal with that. It was when the knives, and whips and batons, along with a so-called expert, who knew how to use them effectively that Toshinori felt part of his spirit die.
The man, gods he was an ugly being. He was pudgy and big boned, not necessarily fat but larger than a normal person, his face was clean and those eyes would haunt Toshinori's dreams forever. Pale and milky, they held no life, they were dead, emotionless unless his torturer was using Toshinori as a live cadaver.
Knives, blunt or sharp, were run down Toshinori's skin, with such precision that removed his skin from muscle, and he realised what was going on. He was being flayed alive. This terrible man was so skilled at it, Toshinori felt his guts revolt at the thought; has he done this before?
When Toshinori rasped out his question, finally gaining the strength to do so, he wished he hadn't.
"Oh yes. I've done this plenty of times! You see, my father was a higher up in the Hero Commission, so he had certain... hmm... protection." The man gleefully tattled.
"Protection which extended to me! So I went into the underworld and practised my skills first hand with the people down there. Don't make that face, nobody cares they're gone. If it was a girl..." The man playfully let his statement hang, the implication there.
"Oh I had fun with them before I practised"
At that, Toshinori spewed his meagre meal up; what monster did that to someone?
It was that dark confession that caused Toshinori to dissociate completely. After all, finding out that the Hero system had failed so terribly that this man could walk free without any punishment would have, especially knowing he had fought for the system that allowed this man to work freely.
"Look what has become of you, All Might. But a shell of the hero you once were. Are you even here any more?"
Toshinori knew that voice. It whispered in his nightmares, it hounded his waking dreams, it echoed through his cells and Toshinori woke up for the first time in many days.
"All... For... One..."
At that point, Toshinori quite literally had no strength left; it was all being used to try and keep his body functioning. Speaking was irrelevant after all, if you were dead.
"So you are here. How quaint. For a moment, I thought my friend had truly broken you. Lucky for me, I suppose, that you are still as stubborn as ever."
Unable to shoot back, Toshinori simply glared at his captor, blue eyes blazing with a faded power. A power that was once a marble pillar of power, now a crumbling sandstone pillar in a storm, trying to withstand and hold against the worst odds imaginable.
Ignoring the glare, All for One pressed on, his tongue dripping with disdain.
"Your little successor managed to escape Japan. Annoying, I know. But I have the perfect little plan to draw him back."
At this, All for One grinned down at Toshinori, a dark foreboding trailed up Toshinori's spine at the sinister grin.
"I don't have his family, but I do have his 'mentor' or 'third' father or whatever. You. And his boyfriend. But he is for the finale." All for One added on, like an afterthought.
Like this was a game...
"You will be the lure, the key. All for One and One for All, finally together, thanks to you." Theatrically, All for One held his arms up, as he grinned manically.
"It will be you, Number 8, to end One for All. You brought a child into this war. And I will use that childish, naive boy and his ambition for a family he lacked to take what is mine." Holding a hand out, he smiled gently, so out of place on that face.
"Just as I foresaw."
Frowning, Merlin overlooked the child in the bed. While he hated to force someone so young into a position that nobody should ever have to be put in, it was inevitable for the kid to be in it. Izuku Midoriya had been the centre of this play since before he took on the mantle.
To be forced to be a Saviour was a weight that nobody should have to bear.
"I wish I could save you from the pain that is to come, but I can't. My hands can only stop so much, and I have done all I can. I hope you can pull through."
All Merlin could do now was watch, and wait and pray to the weavers of Fate that Izuku Midoriya survives what was to come next.
Grunting, Izuku pulled himself up off the bed, mumbling to himself, or more to the lightning flickering across his form.
"Alright, alright. I'm up. I'm up. You can stop it."
Stretching, Izuku let out a satisfied groan as his muscles worked after being idle for a bit, feeling them unwind and then ready themselves. Patting his abdomen, Izuku blinked in confusion; being on the run for so long forced him to ignore the biting hunger that ate at him from within. Yet, it was gone now, he no longer felt its hungry rumble.
No matter, all it meant was he was ready to begin training and gathering his allies.
Departing his room, Izuku walked down the white halls of the hospital; they were damaged, some broken and many in a state of repair. It had been attacked recently, obviously, and Izuku felt terrible for anyone that may have been trapped inside, a quick prayer was all he could do for the lost souls, and a promise of justice for them.
But for all the damage, the place was bustling with life, people hustling and darting about, nurses and doctors working and scurrying about helping people, with heroes and the like around to protect and provide comfort for the people within; they, without a doubt, were traumatised, from the attack or the collapse, it was hard to say, but the fact remained these people needed the comfort the heroes provided.
It warmed Izuku's heart to see the heroes being actual heroes, just helping for the sake of helping, and not for the money and fame behind being a hero.
Once again, the lightning One for All produced flickered across his skin and he blinked. One for All hadn't done this before. Why was it acting up now all of a sudden?
What had caused such a radical change within One for All?
Groaning, Toshinori felt something clasp around his wrists before hands, cold hands, gripped his arms and began to drag him out; blue eyes, too exhausted to move, sluggishly blinked open taking in what they could for Toshinori to interpret.
Around his wrists were some bizarre, damn near medieval style, handcuffs that were attached together by a huge bar of steel, connecting both his wrists onto cuffs. Gingerly, Toshinori tried to use his skinny form to try and wiggle out of the cuffs, only for them to begin to grip harder than before.
"Ah you tried to get out. Good. I didn't want to tell you about that niche little thing." The man dragging Toshinori grunted. It was the same madman who had been flaying him for pleasure.
"If you try to escape those cuffs, they will tighten around your wrist. If you do it enough, you run the risk of it just lopping off your hands. Have fun."
With a deep sigh, Toshinori resigned himself to whatever was about to happen next, he knew he had no way to escape now; not that he ever had a chance to begin with.
It wasn't long before Toshinori arrived to where he was expected; a large door boomed open allowing for Toshinori to look within. It was a large hall, with spiked pillars that held up an arched roof, crimson banners hung, all had the same design on them: That of a world held in the palm of a hand.
The hall was full of people, some faces he recognised; it was the members of the Paranormal Liberation Front. All of them had gathered here today, and dread pooled in his non-existent guts. Dabi, Spinner, Toga, Mr. Compress.
Names he knew just kept flooding into his mind as he walked further into the hall; Muscular, Moonfish, Mustard.
Long forgotten faces, ones he'd thought had died were there too.
Umbra, Fortress, Armory along with the rest of the old guard of the Crimson Wyverns.
Has it really been so long since that group?
At the end of the hall was a terrible and yet beautiful throne. It was made from a black stone, obsidian maybe? It shone with an almost oily texture and held no symmetry or order; it was chaos given shape, with spikes all over, and made in a way that made it twist and turn as it rose over 15 metres into the air.
And sat on that throne was the personification of chaos. All for One.
He was decked out in a black armour that almost blended into the throne, however, unlike the throne, the armour was sleek and well fitted, with a crimson cape that was wrapped around the man. He was the picture of menacing.
What was even more so was the sword beside him.
It was a huge blade, no doubt put next to Toshinori it would reach his neck; and Toshinori wasn't a small man in any way shape or form. It pulsed with a beat, like a heart was trapped within that blade. The main blade looked as if it had been forged with blood, it glowed an eerie red, the edge wasn't so much as a straight edge, but a bunch of jagged spikes in the vague image of a sword.
"Welcome Toshinori Yagi. Or All Might as you once were called." All for One projected. The people hissed and growled at that, they booed and threw curses at him before All for One calmed them.
"Yes. We all hate that name here. But, today is the end of that!"
Dread that had been building in his guts sprouted into a blend of fear, anger and a smidge of happiness; he knew what was coming.
The happiness came from the thought of being free...
"All Might has done much to us, but no more! Look at him! Decrepit and weak!" All for One crooned, before he got up, effortlessly lifting his blade up.
"Today is the end of your era, All Might. Today is the day we wash away your pathetic Symbol of Peace!" Confused, Toshinori glanced up, who else was he talking to?
Then, he caught it.
A camera.
This was being recorded, being broadcasted for all the world to see.
'No... They can't see this! He can't see this!'
A new found fear filled Toshinori.
If this was being broadcasted, it meant Izuku could see. And if he saw...
Toshinori knew the depth of loss, he had witnessed his own master throw her life away to stop this monster, and it was forever seared into Toshinori's mind, a scar that would never heal and made Toshinori feel a hatred like no other.
His fear came from Izuku succumbing to the same hatred Toshinori had; a single burning goal to slay All for One.
"Really going all in on that Demon Lord look, aren't you, All for One?"
The man in question simply raised his eyebrow.
"No. I am more than a simple lord. I am a God." Then, All for One raised his blade and held it towards Toshinori.
"For too long you've lorded over us, using your power to further the system, but I say no. You will never be a symbol of oppression again. I will make sure of it." Toshinori stood defiant, glaring at All for One and replied.
"Oppression? You think this is the way to change things? It is. All you've done is made everything worse. So much worse." All for One shook his head in mock sadness.
"Blind even now. But, enough of this charade. Toshinori Yagi. Eighth User of One for All. Do you have any last words?" Toshinori grunted as he was forced to the ground, his head low as if he was bowing.
"Going ancient on us? Beheading." Toshinori grumbled before he looked directly into the camera.
"To every person watching. Quirked or Quirkless. Heteromorphic and others. No matter who you are, no matter what quirks you have or lack, do not let Hope die out. To lose Hope is to lose yourself. In our darkest hour, look beyond; even if you feel lost, alone, afraid. Hope will guide the way. Even if the night is long, Dawn will come..." Toshinori grinned at the camera.
"And, even now; if you're afraid, if you're hurt, angry and alone. Smile. Show the world how strong you are. Smiling is strength. To smile at the darkness, to say not today. Smile!"
Green eyes watched in horror; all the eyes in the world were glued onto their screens.
All Might.
One for All was lashing out, lightning and power flooded out as Izuku whispered.
"All Might... Toshinori!"
Tears sprouted in Izuku's eyes, holding at the corners of his eyes as he was listening and holding onto the words that his mentor spoke, his hands clenched tightly, with enough strength to cut through his skin.
Lightning was scorching the room, leaving black trenches as they torched the room, feeding from Izuku's emotions and the ones that resided in One for All itself.
"I'm so sorry, Izuku..."
Then...
Then, Fire.
Flames, bright as a star and just as hot, exploded outwards.
And the world changed forever.
(How are you feeling?)