[ Y'all ready for this? ;) ]
Warning : Gore
.
.
.
"How fortuitous."
All For One uttered the words with distaste while watching the Heroes finish securing the Nomu. His Nomu. He took note of every Hero he could see: Mount Lady, Best Jeanist, Gang Orca, Tiger, and Fatgum. All excellent Heroes, but they were nothing more than bugs he could squash beneath his expensive Ferragamo leather shoes at the end of the day.
The sinister villain sighed.
They were merely an inconvenience.
He thought the wild goose chase would have held them off longer.
All For One straightened the cuffs of his sleeves and corrected his posture. His towering figure remained hidden in the darkest shadows. The Heroes couldn't see him and the back half of the warehouse even if they tried.
"It seems your luck hasn't run out yet, little bunny," the evil man glanced over his shoulder and studied the teen.
Since she was thrown across the room, she landed in an awkward position slumped on her side against some medical equipment and cables. Her long hair splayed out in a messy bun and silk strands obscured her face. And a grotesque puddle of blood began to form under her mangled leg.
The perceptive teen was a sad sight to behold.
"Such a pity. I didn't want you to suffer this way," All For One sighed as if he didn't enjoy her pain. "Unfortunately, you're going to have to suffer a little longer. I've got some pesky Heroes to deal with."
Upon hearing his menacing words, Rini forced herself to look up and witness the scene for herself. She stared through the rubble-ridden doorway, and the moment her lavender eyes saw the familiar faces of Heroes, she nearly broke down in tears. She was relieved, but that relief quickly turned into distress when All For One started walking towards them.
"Be a dear and stay put," he ordered while stretching out his left hand and using a telekinetic quirk to pull a helmet from across the room.
Once in his grasp, he paused and fixed it on his head. The black and grey equipment looked clunky and Rini stared at it curiously before he slowly looked over his shoulder. She felt a shiver run down her spine when she met his unnerving masked gaze.
"This will only take a moment."
Rini trembled at the obvious threat his words held. She watched him walk out towards her rescuers. He was going to decimate them. They had no idea what they were up against. She couldn't lay there and watch them die. She wouldn't be able to live with herself if they died because of her.
"Hey-!" She tried to yell but started violently coughing.
"I hear someone back there!" Fatgum announced.
"Someone get a light!" Gang Orca ordered.
No, no, no, you have to get away! The teen yelled in her head.
As the teenager struggled to clear her airway, All For One made it outside. He approached the Heroes as if he were taking an evening stroll. Within a few seconds, he admitted to stealing Ragdoll's quirk while Tiger and Gang Orca tended to the catatonic Hero, then Best Jeanist immediately took action and restrained him in the very suit he wore.
Rini watched in shock. She hadn't noticed Ragdoll earlier among the others, and after hearing All For One admit to stealing the Pro Hero's quirk, it made tears of guilt well in her eyes.
She needed to warn them. She needed to save them. . .
"HEY! GET BACK! HE'S GOING TO-!"
All For One's arm expanded.
The hold Best Jeanist had on him snapped.
Then. . . KABOOOM!!
First there was the deafening sound. Then came the cloud of destruction.
Everything happened in an instant.
Rini barely registered the wall of white dust and debris until she was swallowed by it. Everything turned grey. The air was sharp with flying shards of glass and cement. She felt the warehouse around her crumble and fly away like a dandelion hit by a strong gust of wind. And her body blew away with it.
The teenager flew through the air like a ragdoll tossed by a petulant child. Again. She couldn't scream even if she wanted to; the air was knocked out of her lungs the second the cloud of destruction collided with her chest. All she could do was squeeze her eyes shut and wait for it to be over.
Suddenly, she was no longer airborne.
One second she was soaring through the air, the next she was smacking into a half demolished wall. Her back collided with it first, followed by her head; luckily, her voluminous pink hair cushioned her cranium. She groaned as some small debris pelted her skin while the larger chunks thankfully flew across her as she slumped to the ground.
Everything happened so fast.
After a few more painstakingly long seconds, the dust began to settle.
Rini slowly opened her eyes to take in the scene, but she furrowed her brows when she saw fireflies dancing above her in the night sky. It took her a moment to realize they weren't fireflies, they were flickering ashes descending like fallout.
She had never seen - or rather experienced - such a disaster in person. All her life she lived such disasters through her vivid visions via the news. Now she finally experienced the calamity in the flesh.
Her wide eyes followed the bright ashes descend until she saw a dark figure hovering in the background, their body unfocused and blurry. Chills immediately ran across her entire body when she realized it was him.
Frozen with fear was an understatement when it came to this man.
All For One remained floating and unmoving in the center of the chaos. His sleek black suit seemed unscathed. His fine leather shoes appeared unscuffed. His daunting mask seemed untouched.
Everything about him appeared clean. Yet when Rini looked around, there was nothing but a crater left of the warehouse with the Heroes - her rescuers - carelessly strewn about amongst the rubble. She found it hopelessly ironic.
Clap. Clap. Clap.
A slow and dramatic applause suddenly sounded above the scene.
The teen glanced up at the villain.
He started clapping.
She could not believe her eyes or ears.
"As expected of the Number 4 Hero, Best Jeanist. That blast should have annihilated the lot of you, but you were able to manipulate everyones clothing and pull them out of the way just in time. Quick thinking. Consider me impressed." All For One commended the Hero.
Rini looked between the gaps of rubble to witness the scene in front of her.
Laying on the cold hard ground was Best Jeanist, his clothes tattered and body visibly tense from the previous instantaneous attack. His focus remained on the monster hovering above him.
"It wasnt supposed to go like this. . . But that doesn't matter. A true Hero doesn't make excuses-!"
Before Best Jeanist could finish his sentence, a gaping hole appeared in his stomach. All For One's air blast attack was so swift the Pro never saw it coming. And as Jeanist slipped into unconsciousness, his gurgled breath was the last thing that echoed in the area.
Rini flinched at the sight. If it were possible, her eyes went even more wide with shock and she didn't move a muscle.
"Now I see. Your strength comes from practice and practical experience. Not raw power. I don't need your quirk. . . It wouldn't pair well with Tomura's disposition."
The pink haired teen took shaky but deadly silent breaths upon hearing that monsters words. She knew what he meant. He wanted her quirk. She didn't want to gain his attention again. She needed to help the Heroes by helping herself get as far away from this monster as possible.
With bated breath, the teen watched All For One's back.
He didn't move.
She hoped he'd stay that way.
She quickly glanced down at her haphazardly thrown body. A metal beam laid over her right foot, but luckily she had space to wiggle out from under it.
She started maneuvering and glanced back up, only to soundlessly gasp at the sight of All For One slowly turning to face her direction. She held her breath and slowly ducked behind the rubble, hoping his eyeless gaze would miss her presence. . . And it worked. . . Kind of.
"It seems Tomura needs my assistance. . ." He trailed as if he were pondering his options.
The villain stopped turning and instead looked towards the Nomu scattered about. Rini watched as his back faced her again, and she mentally sighed in relief. But then he held out an arm and suddenly the Nomu were all burping grey ooze. The teen grimaced at the sight of the strange ooze covering them completely and then suddenly they were gone.
Where the hell did they go?! Was her initial thought, before she pieced together he must have teleported them to the bar. . . the bar where she presumed Heroes were raiding as well. . .
Oh no.
"Time to turn the tide in this game."
Rini stared at All For One as he slowly descended to the ground like a fallen angel. When his leather shoes - with her blood stained on his soles - made contact with the ground, she wanted to run. Her fight or flight instinct seemed to default to 'flight' in his presence and she hated her instincts more than ever.
"You."
All the energy Rini miraculously had left in her reserves went to her legs and hands the second he uttered the word. She scrambled onto her good side and started crawling her way out from the rubble. She kept the evil villain in her periphery as she used her good leg to push herself forward. Pain coursed through her body with each desperate movement and she grit her teeth while traitorous tears slipped down her cheeks.
A bellowing laugh resounded in the silence.
"Where do you think you're scurrying off to?"
Rini trembled and tried to ignore him. She managed to put six feet between herself and the monster. And she wasn't going to stop unless she went six feet under.
"Still trying so hard to escape. But this game is over." All For One taunted as he waved his hand.
Suddenly, Rini heard coughing followed by a familiar gruff voice in the distance behind her.
"What the hell-?!"
She knew that voice from anywhere.
"My apologies, Bakugo," All For One mused.
Soon more coughs followed and she recognized the voices.
"Blurgh!"
"That was so gross!"
"This black stuff reeks! I love it!"
"Sensei. . ?"
It was the rest of the League of Villains.
The pink haired teen stopped and turned to see the group who were trying so hard to sway her for hours. Everyone stood present in the crater besides Kurogiri and Dabi who were unconscious on the ground. And in the middle of the villain circle stalk still was Bakugo.
Rini tried to process what was happening. All For One brought Bakugo and the League to them. Which meant her and Bakugo were defenseless while the Heroes were distracted at the bar. And that meant the villains had a small window of time to escape. . . and take her and Bakugo along with them.
The perceptive teen felt weak and defeated all of a sudden.
First the Camp attack, now this. They were hopelessly repeating history. The Villains were going to win. Again. She was going to fail everyone. Again.
"N-No. . . This c-can't be happening. . ." She muttered while pushing herself up.
Ever so slowly, she got to her feet. She kept all her weight on her good leg. Her head felt heavy and groggy as if she were underwater. She was losing more blood than she realized. Fatigue was beginning to set in. . .
"So you failed once more Tomura. But you must not be discouraged. . ." She heard All For One speaking but began tuning him out.
The teen looked down at her leg and knew it was the cause. She remembered her rescue training from school and took off her shirt, revealing her spaghetti strap tank top underneath. She tore her shirt and started wrapping her wounds properly like a tourniquet to stop the bleeding.
Meanwhile as All For One spoke to his successor, Bakugo noticed his classmate. His eyes widened upon seeing her tattered state. From the deep purple bruises to her bloody leg. He had never felt more ashamed in himself for allowing the villains to harm her despite his promise.
What kind of Hero am I if I can't even protect my classmate! His critical self-conscious got the better of him.
He watched as she finished tying her wounds and swayed on her feet. He wanted to rush over and help her. But his feet were planted to the ground. His attention warily went back to All For One when he heard the man finish his monologue.
". . .Claim your game piece. . ." All For One spoke.
With exhaustion slowly taking over, Rini looked up and watched as All For One gestured to Bakugo with one hand. . . Then he glanced in her direction. . .
"And I'll claim mine." He stated with conviction before turning and walking straight towards her.
Rini gasped. She looked at Bakugo, seeing the absolute fear concealed in his ruby red eyes - the fear he had for her - when he saw her injuries and the monster of a man make his way towards her. She tore her gaze away and found herself looking into similar ruby red eyes, though this time they belonged to Tomura.
The young villain seemed to hold the same amount of fear in his eyes as Bakugo. . . And something more. . .
Remorse.
Tomura studied the teen with regret nagging his conscience. He noted the concerning wounds on her leg. The blood. The handprints around her neck and wrist. The blood. The ripped clothing. The blood.
She had only been with his Sensei for approximately ten minutes. Yet she looked like hell.
He couldn't help but feel responsible.
Regretful.
Remorseful.
"Sensei!"
Tomura yelled the word before he could even register he opened his mouth.
All For One stopped.
Tomura hesitated - surprised his mentor actually listened - and suddenly couldn't find the courage to speak. . . But what he didn't realize was All For One actually didn't stop because of him. . .
"You're here after all. . ." The great and despicable villain muttered the words with unnoticeable anxiety laced in his tone.
Suddenly, All Might entered the metaphorical arena with a huge entrance. The Number One Hero, Bakugo and Rini's teacher now savior, flew through the air like a missile. And in the blink of an eye, he collided with All For One and exchanged heavy blows with the monster of a man. Each blow created a whirlwind of power yet the villain didn't move. He simply caught his fists with his hands.
"I'LL HAVE YOU RETURN MY STUDENTS! ALL FOR ONE!" The Hero proclaimed.
"HAVE YOU COME TO KILL ME A SECOND TIME, ALL MIGHT?" The Villain retorted.
Suddenly, All Might unleashed everything he had into his punch and another more larger blast exploded around them, causing anything and everything to fly back. Dust, debris, and of course the close spectators: the teens and villain group.
Bakugo, Tomura, and the villains flew backward with a cloud of dust. They tumbled a couple feet away and watched in awe as All For One and All Might clashed like titans.
Meanwhile Rini flew backward but didn't get too far since she smacked into another wall of debris. She shielded her face from the plume of debris and dust, watching in shock as her teacher and tormentor leveled the area.
Then to her and everyone's surprise, All For One appeared weak. Instead of blocking or redirecting blows with ease, he was taking hits. Almost like his quirks weren't working-
The answer hit her and Bakugo at the same time.
It could only mean one thing.
Their Sensei and exhausted caterpillar of a homeroom teacher, Shota Aizawa Eraserhead had arrived.
"NOW!"
Rini and Bakugo, along with the League, looked across the battlefield to find the source of the voice and couldn't believe their eyes.
There racing across the rubble was Mirko, Nighteye, Vlad, her aunty Midnight, and three students. Those three students were their upperclassmen Mirio, Amajiki, and Nejire. Surrounding the area stood dozens of Police in heavy duty armor and Rescue Personnel waiting to assist; she couldn't see him, but her father stood among them with the most serious expression on his face. And in the distance on top of a rooftop were three figures. Aizawa, Present Mic, and Water Hero Manual.
The real rescue team had arrived.
We will save you and prevent this future from falling into All For One's hands. Just hold on you two, Nighteye declared in his mind as he led his team to battle.
Unbeknownst to Rini and Bakugo, Nighteye used his quirk and saw a different future from the one they were living now since Rini accidentally changed it. The change occurred when she grew impatient and asked Tomura her questions in the middle of his speech. If she had waited a couple more minutes, Tomura was going to release Bakugo and ask them to join, then All Might and the others would've burst through the building and saved them.
Unfortunately, that future still resulted in All For One bringing the teens to him, so that's why Nighteye had his rescue team lay low near the warehouse and made Best Jeanist's group go first. They were sacrificial pawns, but they knew it was for a good reason.
"Heh, looks like the cavalry has arrived," Fatgum chuckled before getting up.
The large Hero didn't take as much damage from All For One's previous attack as the others thanks to his durable fat body. He shook off some debris and got to work. With everyone safely stored in his fat, he ran towards the Police and Rescue Personnel as Nighteye and the others charged forward.
While Fatgum raced to the back where the medics were, Rini's father watched from the front lines. He spotted his battered daughter across the battlefield and had to painfully fight back tears of guilt. He was so close. He managed to get here because of Chief Akagi:
After Akagi left his office, he went straight to the HPSC. Since they were co-leading this rescue mission the meetings were held there. Nighteye, All Might, Gran Torino, Hawks, Aizawa, Rini's father, Midnight, and a few others were waiting to hear back from the other possible locations intel when the Chief walked in unannounced.
"Madam President, I'd like to lend my hand in this matter. You may have forgotten, but my quirk may be of use to this situation."
"What's your quirk?" Aizawa didn't bother with formalities and asked.
"Luck Absorption. I can absorb the luck from others in small amounts and apply it to myself."
"And how is that helpful?" Gran Torino spoke with sarcasm.
"If I want to find two teenagers in all of Japan, my luck will help me narrow down the search effort. Give me a map. I'll need it in this case."
"Lucky for you, we already have one with twelve possible locations. And five of them are promising." Hawks mused while the hologram appeared in the center of the table.
"How does your quirk work-?" Nighteye questioned, but Akagi's actions answered.
Akagi circled the table and simply touched each person present. With so many people, he only needed to steal a tiny amount of luck from them - say the equivalent of getting a papercut - and in return his body grew lethargic. When he was done, he slumped into a chair next to Midnight and looked at the map. He took one look at it and his gut instinct- his luck - told him the real Hideout.
"That one. . . The others are duds." He groggily stated.
Everyone at the table shook away the mild buzz in their heads from the effects of his quirk and stared at the location he pointed at: Kamino Ward.
"Did we send a squad there yet?!" All Might questioned.
"The covert team should be arriving there in a few minutes," Hawks answered while looking at his watch.
"Tell them to gather as much intel as possible. And call in everyone now!" Aizawa ordered the HPSC's agents.
"We need to coordinate and prepare before we make our next move. I'll get the welcome wagon organized in the other meeting room," Midnight took initiative and left.
"I'll use my quirk the moment we get everyone here. Hopefully Rini won't change anything," Nighteye said in a low voice. Midnight understood and gave a nod. She too hoped her niece could hang on and hopefully refrain from changing the future for once.
While the Heroes raced around to get the rescue operation underway, Rini's father walked up to Akagi. He studied his lethargic demeanor. Then he bowed his head.
"Thank you. . . I know why you helped. . . So thank you. . ." The father whispered.
Akagi gave a weak nod in return. No words were needed.
But then the man added:
"Madam President! Make sure this man is on the front lines for this mission. He has more luck here than anyone else I've stolen from at this table. He can increase the success rate for their rescue."
Mr. Otani's eyes widened.
"I'll take your word for it and see to it that he does," the woman replied with a stoic expression.
Back to the present, Mr. Otani recalled Akagi's words. His eyes were locked on his daughter who stood yards away. His feet started moving on their own. . .
"Hey! You can't go out there!" A Police officer - Cat Cop - held him back by the arm.
"She's my daughter! I can't stay here and watch her suffer! I can save her while the Villains are distracted!!" He fought.
"NO! We all got strict orders from Nighteye to stay put! He said the future is uncertain from this point on because your daughter is involved. If you do something irrational now, you could risk everything!" The officer grabbed him by both shoulders.
Mr. Otani met the officers gaze. Then he glanced at his daughter. He grit his teeth and clenched his fists to the point of drawing blood.
Akagi said I had more luck than anyone else in that room. . . But this officer is right. Rini accidentally changed this future. I don't want to risk her and Bakugo's life by doing something risky now, he reasoned.
The officer directed two others to watch the anguished father. They slowly pulled him away but he broke free of their hold to look across the battlefield again.
Rini swayed on her feet. She was exhausted and beat up. Her eyes were focused on the cavalry charging forward and she didn't see her father.
Mr. Otani hated seeing her so battered and hated the fact he couldn't help her. He was so close to having his little girl in his arms again. But the villains were the only thing separating them now.
His thoughts were interrupted when suddenly Rini got yanked upward by a familiar plume of red feathers. The same went for Bakugo; the explosive teen yelled a string of curses as he rose above the oncoming onslaught of action. Mr. Otani relaxed and smiled when he noticed the man responsible flying overhead.
"Gotcha! Time to get you two outta here!" Hawks yelled from above.
The Hero flew with half his feathers on his back and the other half carried the teenagers under him. He held onto their hands, his left taking Bakugo's and his right taking Rini's, all while the other half of his feathers balanced underneath the teens like clouds carrying them to safety.
For once, Bakugo couldn't think of a snarky remark. He was glad the ego-maniac Hero had saved him. Especially Rini. He was scared she wasn't going to make it with her wounds.
Rini on the other hand smiled weakly at the Hero. "Thank you," she whispered and briefly closed her eyes.
"Don't mention it. I'm just returning a favor," Hawks smiled, but it was forced considering he was concerned about her state. "Now let's get you two far away from here!"
Meanwhile down below, the League of Villains couldn't keep up with what was happening all at once. Or rather Tomura couldn't keep up. The Heroes were about to mop the floor with them. The teenagers he was supposed to recruit were now flying away. His Sensei was taking damage from All Might thanks to Eraserhead. His two best players Kurogiri and Dabi were unavailable to fight or get them out of the situation. Everything was going to shit.
He started scratching his neck.
"Shigaraki, what should we do!?" Spinner yelled.
"Yeah, the Heroes will be on us in a second!!" Toga pointed at their opponents.
He started clawing at his neck with both hands.
"Twice, make some doubles for us!?" Mr. Compress ordered.
"Right! But they will just get destroyed by Mirko with one kick!" He argued.
"What should we do, Tomura!?" Toga asked while anxiously hopping back and forth.
He looked up at the sky and glared at Rini.
"He's not listening!" Spinner yelled.
"Quick! I can repel some of them with my magnetism!" Magne suggested while activating her quirk to appear around Midnight. But before it could fully activate and pull all the men to Midnight, Nighteye launched one of his support weapons - his five kilogram stamp - directly into Magne's gut with a flick of his wrist. The villain didn't stand a chance and crashed a couple yards away completely unconscious.
"Magne!?" The League yelled in shock just as Mirko was closing in.
"Get ready to taste the heel of my foot, you villains!! LUNA ARC!!" The Rabbit Hero declared as she jumped into the air and posed her leg ready to strike.
Just as Mirko was about to create a new crater directly where Tomura stood, out of nowhere All Might crashed into her and they both were sent through another set of buildings like it was nothing.
All For One was responsible thanks to his brute strength.
Tomura blinked then turned to look at his Sensei.
"Pesky imbeciles getting in my way." The great villain grumbled. "I guess I have to deal with Eraserhead too," he said nonchalantly as he grabbed a steel beam and held it like a javelin.
With some effort and a strong throw, the beam flew through the air straight towards Aizawa, Mic, and Manual standing on a nearby rooftop. Everyone's eyes went wide in shock, totally not expecting the villain to be THAT strong despite his quirks being cancelled. As the beam grew closer, Manual jumped to action. On the rooftop behind them stood a watertower, and using his quirk, Manual forced the water to explode from its container and channeled it into a jetstream to deflect the metal beam.
All For One scowled at his interference, but within that few seconds, Aizawa blinked, and so the villain regained control of his quirks. And he only needed two to foil the Heroes plan.
All For One lifted his hand and blasted a gaping hole straight through the buildings. The structures started toppling backwards onto one another like dominoes until reaching the one Aizawa and the others were on. They had no choice but to run. . . The rooftop beneath them started to cave in from the damage but they kept running anyways. . . However the building was crumbling faster and they fell into the rubble.
To everyone watching, they were crushed and claimed by the destruction. But to Rini's father, they were alive. He knew with his years of experience they managed to cheat death and were stuck under debris, so he rounded up some police officers and took off.
However, All For One was now free to use his quirks.
"Sensei!"
"I know, Tomura."
With Aizawa out of the way, the great villain turned his attention to Hawks who had managed to fly a great distance. All For One could care less about Bakugo getting away, but he needed Rini if he ever wanted to reach his goal.
Using the gross warping quirk, he used it on Rini. The teen felt the strange sensation gurgle through her mouth and encase her body. Hawks and Bakugo heard her short shriek and watched helplessly as she was consumed by slime.
"Otani!"
"Taffyhead!"
Before either of them could grab and hope to keep her there with them, she disappeared into the goop. And they knew where she ended up.
"WE HAVE TO GO BACK!!" Bakugo yelled.
"I HAVE TO GET YOU TO SAFETY FIRST!"
"SCREW MY SAFETY!! WE NEED TO SAVE HER!!"
The explosive teen started fighting the Wing Hero. Hawks got deja-vu and instead of fighting the teen, he gave in. He knew he couldn't stop Bakugo if he tried. And if anything happened to Rini - if her quirk got stolen - then it'd be game over for everyone.
"FINE WE'RE GOING BACK. NOW CAN YOU PLEASE STOP HITTING ME!?!"
Bakugo huffed as the Hero reattached his feathers, held him, and flew back at top speed. He squinted his eyes as the wind pelted at his face. He'd be damned if he let All For One lay another hand on her. As a future Hero, as a classmate, and as a friend, he owed it to her.
Meanwhile on the ground, Rini coughed hysterically as the goop disappeared. She looked around and realized she was right back where she stood a minute ago.
A familiar force emanated behind her and goosebumps rose all over her bare skin. She gulped down whatever saliva she had left in her mouth and slowly glanced over her shoulder.
All For One stood there once more. This time, he wasn't smiling that devilish smile. He was scowling. Fed up with all the Heroes interference.
"I thought I told you this game was over."
Rini felt complete dread wash over. She physically paled at the sight of his busted face mask and terrifying promise of death lurking behind his sunken in eyes.
Suddenly she was scrambling away from the giant man. She limped and hopped as fast as she could, only amusing All For One more.
"You made this game a lot more challenging like a proper Queen Chess piece should, but I'll be taking that quirk now."
The monster used his red tendrils from his fingers and wrapped around her torso like a hand. Rini tried to wiggle out of it, but it was no use. He began to reel her in when suddenly. . .
"KEEP YOUR FILTHY HANDS OFF MY STUDENT!" All Might launched himself at the villain with his giant fist aimed at his head. In an instant, All For One flew backward from the blow and released the teen.
However, before Rini could hit the dirt, Mirio popped out of the ground and caught her. The teen was very surprised and startled to see him.
"Don't worry, I gotcha!" He beamed.
Rini stared at him wide eyed. The shock was beginning to get to her.
"Now I need to get you outta here!" He looked around and saw the chaos.
A couple yards away the Heroes clashed with the League. Spinner fought with Nighteye, Toga fought with Vlad and was admiring his blood, and Mr. Compress was trying to seal Midnight in a marble while holding his breath. Twice was making countless doubles of his teammates to fend off Hado and Amajiki while Tomura stood next to him trying to wake up Magne, Dabi, and Kurogiri.
It was a circus at this point.
"Let's try another way!" A bead of sweat rolled down his forehead.
"WAIT! B-But All For One will just bring me back with his warping quirk!" Rini snapped out of it and yanked on Mirio's chest and pointed at the fight taking place behind them.
All Might grabbed All For One by the throat and raised him up before striking him in the gut, launching the villain away into debris, leaving a trail of dust in his wake. Then with his powerful legs, he took off towards the villain with a single stride, hovering inches above the ground with his fist tucked to his chest ready for another blow. A battle cry erupted from the number one Hero as he struck his foe.
"Oh. . . But All Might is keeping him distracted-"
"He won't let that stop him! He's determined to steal my quirk! And he'll hurt anyone who gets in his way-!"
"We can't just give up! We have to try! I will get you out of here." Mirio declared before running straight down the middle of the action.
All Might and All For One were clashing to his right and the League vs the Heroes were clashing to his left. He ran towards a half demolished wall that looked intact, not realizing who stood behind said wall.
Cowering in the shadows stood Shinso, Midoriya, Todoroki, Iida, Kirishima, and Momo. The teenagers had snuck out to try and find their friends when 24 hours had passed without a single update about their classmates whereabouts.
When Dr. Go and her team of medical professionals helped wake up Midoriya, Momo, and the other students, Tsukauichi showed up with All Might to ask about the tracker. Shinso, Todoroki, and Kirishima overheard their conversation and knew they needed to help search without getting caught. They tried to recruit more of their classmates in Midoriya's hospital room but that didn't sit well with a few of them:
"I don't know guys. You shouldn't try to look for them yourselves," Ochaco said in an unsure tone.
"Yeah, what if you get caught?" Hagakure added.
"Maybe we should just leave this to the Heroes. I'm sure they'll find them quick," Kaminari tried.
"You guys don't understand. We need to find them now before it's too late. . ." Shinso muttered in a cold tone while a shadow cast over his eyes.
"We do understand-"
"No you don't! If we don't find them - if we don't find Rini - in time, then the whole world will be in danger." He cut off Shoji.
The room fell silent.
Midoriya, Todoroki, and those who discovered Rini's quirk stared at Shinso knowing what he meant. After a tense moment, Tokoyami spoke.
"Remember her last words before they disappeared?" He asked rhetorically. Before anyone could answer he continued, "She said that we will see them again. What if us trying to help find them affects that future? What if our involvement ruins the Heroes chances of saving her and Bakugo?" He ended on a dark tone.
Everyone remained quiet, digesting his theory and weighing the possibilities in their minds.
"What if her words meant that we'll see her again BECAUSE we go and help find them?" Shinso flipped his theory.
Now everyone was torn.
Either stay put and see if their exclusion helps save them.
Or risk finding and saving them on their own and fulfilling that promise.
"I stood by and did nothing when the Villains attacked and kidnapped them. I'm not doing that again. If some of you feel the same, then meet us at the front of the Hospital tonight," Kirishima spoke up.
"We're going. If anyone wants to join, then join." Todoroki declared.
The class averted their gaze to the floor in guilt. They wanted to help rescue their classmates, but the stakes were high and they didn't want to gamble everything away by interfering in the investigation.
"If you guys go. . . Be safe." Ochaco looked Midoriya in the eyes then turned to glance at each and every one of them.
Tsu wanted to say they would be the same as villains if they interfered, but she thought against it last second. She gave her classmates a respectful nod and said, "I don't know if staying is right, and I don't know if going is wrong, but good luck."
Iida clenched his fists and looked at the ground. "As class rep, I'm going to accompany you so you don't do anything stupid."
"I feel a lot better if Iida is going," Denki quietly sighed to Mineta.
"And so am I," Momo suddenly appeared in the doorway behind them.
The class stared at her as she walked in and held her palm up. Suddenly the tracker materialized and she held it in front of the boys. Kirishima was about to grab it but she pulled her hand back.
"I'll navigate us. And I'll also make sure you guys don't do anything stupid."
Todoroki and Kirishima gave firm nods of gratitude. Whereas Midoriya fought back tears.
"Thank you guys. . ." He sniffled. "And if you don't want to come, I understand. We will be careful and stay out of the Heroes way if we aren't needed. And if this proves to be the correct thing to do, we'll save them," he directed to the rest of his class.
Class 1A gave their six classmates encouraging nods. They only prayed Rini and Bakugo would be saved in the end.
Back to the present, Midoriya reflected on his pledge. After witnessing the chaos taking place on the battlefield, he realized their involvement was needed.
Midoriya peeked through a crack in the wall and watched with wide eyes as All For One blasted All Might away into more buildings. The destruction rumbled all around them. And with All Might out of the way, All For One turned his sights on Mirio and Rini.
"GET BACK HERE!" The beyond angered villain bellowed while using his flying quirk to chase after them.
All For One's composure was slipping.
At that moment, Midoriya turned to jump, but Shinso was already moving.
The purple haired boy scaled the wall and stood firm. He cupped his hands around his mouth and proclaimed at the top of his lungs:
"HEY ALL FOR ONE! YOU LOOK LIKE BOOTLEG VADER!!"
"WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY BRAT-"
The great villain fell victim to his quirk in the nick of time. All For One froze and fell to the ground, but due to his speed he slid through the dirt towards them. When he finally came to a stop, he was only ten feet away, and Mirio and Rini stood wide eyed beside Shinso.
"Hitoshi. . . You came. . . You all did. . ." Rini whispered in disbelief as she stared at her best friend and the others who peeked over the wall.
"Of course we did. . . You promised we'd see each other again, right?" He grit out with a strained smile while keeping his concentration on the despicable villain.
With all his quirks, it seemed All For One was fighting against his Brainwashing and the teen felt the growing mental strain. It was hard, but he had him under his hold. . . For now. . . When he finally got a good look at his best friend, his chest burned with anger towards the villain for inflicting such wounds. He turned his sights on the giant man and glared as hard as he could.
"Thanks for the assist. . . but why are you guys here?" Mirio sweat dropped at all the teens.
"We can explain later," Todoroki dismissed him.
"First, let's get you out of here Otani-chan!" Kirishima declared.
"What should we do now?" Momo asked, assuming Rini used her quirk to get them out of this mess.
Rini glanced between everyone with anxiety growing in her chest. They were counting on her to get away unscathed.
"Um- I don't know. I didn't get the chance to look ahead. I'm so sorry-"
"Its okay," Shinso gently calmed her.
"Let's run to the Police Squad and let them take care of your wounds first. Then they can arrest this villain while Shinso keeps him under his Brainwashing hold," Iida thought of a quick plan.
"No, we should get as far away from here as possible. The more distance we have between ourselves and him, the better," Midoriya cut in, reflecting on All Might and Nighteye's warning.
"We already tried that!" Bakugo suddenly landed beside them while Hawks landed in front of All For One.
"Kacchan!"
"Bakubro!"
"Bakugo!"
All the teens shouted at once besides Shinso and Todoroki who were not entirely enthused to see him. Happy he was out of the villains clutches, sure, but not enthusiastic.
"He's got a weird warping quirk that brings anyone back to him. Running won't solve this. Defeating him will," the explosive teen glared at the great villain on the ground.
All For One's hand twitched.
"Well we can't stay here!" Kirishima argued while gesturing to the battle taking place in front of them.
Suddenly, All Might came flying towards them. The number one Hero saw All For One on the ground and figured he could get a good hit in, but upon analyzing the situation - specifically seeing his students - he pulled back at the last second and landed to the right of his enemy.
"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU KIDS DOING HERE?!" He shouted in complete exasperation.
Midoriya stepped up and faced his mentor with a determined look on his face.
"We came to save our friends."
All Might face palmed and grumbled something under his breath before looking at his students.
"You all are in serious trouble-!"
"That's great old man but you can chastise us after we get the hell out of here! I don't know if I can hold this monster any longer!" Hitoshi snapped.
Everyone whipped their attention on All For One. His hand was twitching and beginning to claw at the dirt, like he was focusing all of his energy and strength into the action.
"You all need to get as far away from here as possible. I'll take care of him." All Might stated with a cold tone while a shadow casted over his eyes.
"I have to stay here with you though," Shinso pointed out.
"No, you don't." All Might pointed at a rooftop and everyone looked up in surprise.
Aizawa stood with Manual and Present Mic at his side supporting him. His eyes were burning a bright red, his focus unwavering and directed towards All For One. And next to the Heroes stood many officers, most notably Rini's father.
Moments earlier, the father arrived at the rubble and didn't waste a second in activating his quirk. He closed his eyes and saw a perfect map of the area that revealed Aizawa and the others location stuck under some walls. He ordered the Police to remove the correct pieces that wouldn't compromise the integrity of their triangle of life and soon enough he reached them.
"Need a hand?" The father asked the Heroes.
Aizawa, Present Mic and Manual shook away their stunned looks and gave firm nods. Aizawa was the first to grab his hand, and when Rini's father pulled him out of that hole, they shared a serious look. The unspoken promise they shared to save the teens - to save Rini - fueled them.
"Save them."
"I will."
When Rini tiredly locked eyes with her father, tears streamed down her cheeks. She recalled the last time she saw him and her mother - she ran out the house with Shinso and didn't give them a proper goodbye. Regret gnawed at her insides for taking that moment for granted.
"Your father has been a great help. And he is anxiously waiting for your safe return," All Might said with reverence.
All For One's hand curled into a fist.
"Now go. I will finish this once and for all." All Might commanded them after clenching his hands into massive fists.
Rini glanced at his fists with confusion and concern.
"You heard the man," Hawks pushed the teens. He then turned to Mirio with his arms out. "I can fly her to the nearest Hospital. You all hide in the city."
Mirio didn't argue and handed her off to him. Rini was too tired to think or talk, but she kept her eyes locked on All Might's menacing demeanor. . . The promise of death lingered in his words and gesture.
"Hang in there, Rini," Hitoshi squeezed her hand, scared he'd lose her again after just getting her back. "You better fly as careful as possible," he directed to Hawks.
"Of course."
With Rini safely tucked in his arms, Hawks spread his wings. . .
"We'll see you soon!" Hitoshi and the others waved at Rini.
"Yeah, see you soon. . ." The perceptive girl tried to smile, but she got a sudden chill of dread trickle down her spine.
Mirio, Midoriya, Bakugo, Shinso and the others turned to run toward the city. . .
"This ends today."
All Might shifted his stance and got his fists ready. . .
Rini glanced over Hawks shoulder upon hearing the number one Hero's words. Then her eyes went wide. Not at All Might's threatening pose, but at the figure standing in the background aiming their hand towards her and Hawks.
Then to everyone's surprise, bright blue flames blasted across the battlefield straight towards her and Hawks.
Within seconds, Hawks' wings were engulfed in flames. The winged Hero barely lifted off the ground and he was already crashing down. In order to protect Rini, he sent a few feathers that weren't on fire and lowered her to the ground abruptly while he collapsed on the ground to try and pat his wings.
"HAWKS!?" All Might yelled.
Just as he was about to run toward them, flames circled the area and divided Rini and Hawks from him and the others. The teens turned around to witness the scene.
They all knew there was only one person who possessed such flames.
"Jeez, why the hell did Shigaraki have to wake me up with a kick. Between him and that Hero geezer I probably have brain damage."
Everyone whipped around and found Dabi rubbing the back of his head with annoyance. The villain then dramatically lit both hands on fire and dealt a death glare.
"You brats aren't going anywhere."
All Might wanted to help, but he had more pressing matters. All For One's fist made cracks in the ground as he fought Shinso's Brainwashing. He was going to snap out of it any second now.
While everyone remained frozen, Mirio jumped to action and phased through the ground. Dabi, completely not expecting the teen to vanish, stared at the empty space then figured his best option was to grab Rini before he did. So, he took off towards her.
Rini forced herself to her feet and hobbled away, her injured leg dragging behind her like dead weight.
Soon enough Dabi caught up and his hand nearly grabbed her long flowing hair, when suddenly, ice encased his body and froze him where he stood, leaving only his head peeking out of the frigid ice.
Rini felt the sudden drop in temperature behind her and glanced back to see him frozen. And then Mirio popped up behind her and steadied her.
"Don't worry I got you," he reassured her since she jumped at the contact.
Both of them stared at the ice statue that had become of Dabi when suddenly he started laughing. Or rather cackling.
"Nice one, Todoroki Shoto. But a little ice won't stop me," he stated before flames erupted from his entire body and instantly melted the ice. The villain then turned to Mirio and Rini. "Don't be a Hero. Hand her over-"
Before he could finish his sentence, Hawks tackled the villain and locked his arms around him. Then with a powerful flap of his semi-burnt wings, he took off with the villain. He did what he thought was necessary; prioritize the rescue by removing Dabi.
"HAWKS?!" The teens yelled while he and the villain flew out of sight behind some buildings in the opposite direction.
A few seconds later, bright blue flames illuminated the city and they knew the two were engaged in a heated fight. Literally. They didn't want to let his sacrifice go to waste, so Mirio took the lead and turned around to pick up Rini. . .
But then a huge air blast blew them all away.
During Hawks and Dabi's situation, All For One broke Shinso's Brainwashing and All Might immediately started punching him while he was still down. He threw everything at All For One while Aizawa canceled his quirks. Somehow the great villain got up and defended himself, and so here they were now, duking it out and causing a disturbance.
Everyone on the battlefield got blown back a few yards. Even with his quirks cancelled, the Symbol of Evil still had enough strength to stand against the great Symbol of Peace. And in the midst of their battle, Tomura and the League decided to take advantage of the cloud of dust.
"Make doubles of all of us!" Tomura pulled Twice aside and ordered him.
Which included Moonfish, Mustard, and Muscular.
"Sure thing! No way!" Twice quickly created them.
Desperate times. Desperate measures.
"KILL EVERY HERO IN SIGHT!" Tomura barked his orders.
"I LOVE THIS PLAN!" Muscular's double bellowed out a laugh before charging straight for Sir Nighteye and his team.
"Meeeaaat!" Moonfish gurgled while his teeth extended.
"Damn, I don't have my gun. Oh well, I'll try my best," Mustard shrugged and jogged toward the Heroes.
Meanwhile, Rini and the others watched as everything unraveled. The teenagers knew that although they were doubles, they could still deal a lot of damage. They also knew Aizawa couldn't cancel all of the doubles quirks AND focus on All For One. They were about to race to action - namely Midoriya, Bakugo, and Todoroki - but then the rest of the Heroes had arrived.
Just as Muscular launched himself at Nighteye and Mirko, Ryukyu in her dragon form tackled him to the side and crash landed in some rubble. The double took the most damage and in an instant it turned to mud. As for Moonfish, Gran Torino zipped through his mess of blades and landed a knock out kick strong enough to destroy him. Mustard, and the rest of the League doubles, they were intercepted by Endeavor's flames. And when they turned to mud, he scowled.
"Where are the real ones?!" He bellowed after landing in front of Nighteye and his wounded team.
"And where are the kids?!" Gran Torino added, his mind flying to Rini and her quirk falling into his nemesis' hands.
"The dust!" Midnight answered and pointed at the plume.
Following her finger, Gran Torino caught sight of the teens, and Endeavor saw his son.
"SHOTO!?!"
Said teen cringed at his father's loudness. He didn't realize he would help save his classmates, particularly the one he insulted and undermined back during their internships. Yet here he was.
Just then, All For One managed to throw All Might aside and tried to leap toward Rini. One by one, the Heroes and teenagers eyes widened in shock. Rini, facing the other way, felt his presence and slowly looked over her shoulder. Then Midoriya, Bakugo, and Todoroki suddenly had the same thought running through their minds: protect her. And so without thinking, they jumped forward to meet the villain half way.
In an instant, Todoroki created a glacier-sized wall of ice that froze half the villain from the torso down. Bakugo propelled himself and performed a small scale Howitzer Impact. Then in slow motion as All For One fell to the ground, Midoriya used Full Cowl and struck the villain in the head with his strongest kick.
The scene happened so fast Rini couldn't comprehend it.
Nobody could.
Silence fell over the battlefield save for the clambering of rubble rocks and shifting debris.
All For One was down.
Midoriya stood over him.
Bakugo and Todoroki were a few feet away on either side.
The fight was over. . .
"Damn those students of mine," Aizawa grumbled as he stared at said students.
"I said it before and I'll say it again, what the hell are you teaching them," Mic muttered in awe.
As they stood and watched from their rooftop, they didn't notice the fiery individual making his way towards their building. Down below in the alleyway, Dabi jogged with multiple cut and stab wounds earned from Hawks. . . The Winged Hero looked much worse than him. . . And as soon as he got in range, the blue flame user sent a massive raging torrent of fire at the Heroes. The building was engulfed in flames in an instant.
Meanwhile, Tomura overtaken with rage, ditched all rationality and sprinted for Rini within the split seconds everyone was distracted with Dabi's display. Mirio didn't notice him from behind until it was too late. Using his wit, Tomura held his palm out and Mirio instinctively turned intangible to avoid being killed. Then Tomura passed through him and got Rini in a choke hold.
On the roof, Aizawa, Mic, Rini's father, Manual, and everyone present, never saw it coming. They jumped away from the edge, but the flames were pouring over. The intense hellfire forced them to flee to the other side of the rooftop, and Aizawa couldnt keep All For One in his sights anymore.
Tomura wrapped one arm around Rini's neck and walked backwards with her like a hostage. His free hand hovered over her head as a warning to Mirio and the others.
All For One felt it.
He felt his power return.
Hitoshi, Kirishima, Iida, Momo, Midoriya, Bakugo, and Todoroki turned around and watched in dread as their classmate was threatened. They turned their back for one second and they failed her.
"This is all your fault!" He hissed at her as she struggled in his hold.
Within the blink of an eye, All For One flipped the fight.
A bright flash.
A gust of wind.
A crater of destruction.
Seconds passed like hours. A huge plume settled over the area and nobody on the outside could make out what happened. The news helicopter that had been filming the whole ordeal circled the scene in anticipation.
When the dust finally settled, only All For One, Tomura, and the League, were untouched. Somehow in some way, the great villain used a combination of quirks to incapacitate everyone besides his targets. The Heroes and teenagers were on the ground trembling and clawing at the dirt.
Nighteye in particular trembled with fear.
This didn't happen in his vision.
The future had changed.
Rini was in danger.
"Sensei. . ?" Tomura trailed in confusion. He was on his hands and knees. . . He had Rini, but she broke his hold and shoved him. . .
All For One, barely standing after using all his strength for that powerful attack, straightened his posture and ignored his successor.
He walked past him and the teenagers strewn about on the ground.
Dirt crunched beneath his shoes as he made his way forward.
The dust began to clear and he found what he had been fighting so hard for. . .
Blood.
Blood.
Blood.
Blood.
All For One stopped in his tracks.
Tomura and the League silently gaped at the scene.
The Heroes and teenagers who could lift their heads stared on in horror.
There, on a pile of rubble, Rini laid impaled in multiple places on her torso by a mess of steel rods protruding from a cement beam.
She took shallow breaths, each one more painful than the last.
Her eyes were dull, threatening to close with fatigue.
Her messy hair tainted with blood splayed behind her on the rubble.
Her skin lost its color and she looked paler than ever.
The person they had all been fighting over. . . trying to capture. . . trying to protect. . . trying to save. . . was knocking on deaths door.
And it was no one's fault but her own.
She saved me, Tomura thought while staring at her with wide eyes.
The young villain replayed the moment slowly in his mind. His mentor created a powerful shockwave, and in a split second, Rini performed a move she had learned from all her training that got her out of his grasp. Then as the blast approached, she shoved him aside. She had noticed the steel rods behind them earlier, and she did what she had to do to save his life.
She chose to save his life.
For some reason, Tomura recalled the Hero Killer's words:
"People always show their true colors on the verge of death."
Oh, how right his words were.
Tomura lowered his head and a shadow covered his eyes.
Of course you saved me. You're a true Hero after all. . . A Hero to the very end. . . His thoughts echoed in his mind.
He grit his teeth in anguish and guilt.
It was never supposed to end this way.
.
.
.
\\ Rini //
.
.
.
I could feel it.
The numbing tingles crawling from the tips of my toes up to the crown of my head like static electricity.
I knew the second after I looked down and studied my wound that it was fatal. There was no way I could walk away from this mess of steel rods protruding from my torso and make it out alive. It simply wasn't possible.
Everytime I wheezed a breath, my lungs lit up with searing hot pain. It radiated mainly in my right lung considering a metal rod currently resided there painted in my crimson blood. Then the pain circled around every other red stained steel rod that skewered my torso.
The twisted metal kept me firmly in place. That, I knew. And that is what I accepted.
Shigaraki, although he was a villain, was still worth saving.
I don't regret my decision in the slightest.
A chill snapped me from my thoughts. The tingles continued creeping up my body like a growing frost. That feeling I could now identify:
Death.
And it's harbinger stood in front of me.
All For One.
With unblinking eyes, I tore my gaze away from the monster in front of me and glanced up at the night sky, studying its blanket of stars. They were so beautiful, just twinkling without a care in the world up there while we clashed like animals down here.
A stray tear slipped from my eye at the thought.
I didn't know why I cried. Perhaps to mourn the world and the chaos it held. Or to mourn my own life that fell victim to it.
Suddenly, a shadow loomed over me. It crawled up my feet, legs, and torso until it stopped at the crown of my head. The shadow belonged to that monster no doubt. When I glanced down, I couldn't see his face. I don't know where the light came from, perhaps a stray street lamp that fell over in this mess, but it shone directly behind his head like an ominous halo.
The great Symbol of Evil.
I watched as he silently lowered himself to my level. . . His hand came forward. . . He smiled. . .
"Finally-"
"NOOOO!!"
All of a sudden, All Might - or what looked to be a skeleton of All Might - using the last shrivel of power he possessed, tackled him to the side.
I blinked in surprise.
Then a bitter taste of irony made me smile with tears streaming down my face.
It's a little too late for that now, ain't it? I thought.
I listened as All Might fought. He shouted at his enemy. Saying things like monster, murderer, and more. His voice was raw. No doubt aware of my state and the reality I faced. Death. His guilt was palpable. I felt sorry for making him - and the others - feel that way.
I'm so sorry. I'm so so sorry everyone, I thought, hoping they could hear the words in my head.
Another shadow approached.
It was Shigaraki.
The same halo of light appeared behind his head, casting a shadow over his face. He towered over me and looked down at me with those blood red eyes. Those blood red eyes that were now holding pity within them. And when I managed to see past the veil of darkness, I could see the crestfallen expression etched on his face.
Remorse.
The show of emotion struck my dying heart.
Suddenly, an explosion happened behind his back in the distance - the cause unknown - and I swore the plumes branched out like deformed wings on either side of his haunting figure. The sight made my eyes widen ever so slightly to take in the tragically beautiful image of the young man who walked down a path of villainy.
I watched for what felt like an eternity as the orange and black smoke dissipated in the background like withered wings. He stood there in front of me like an angel of death. He was an angel of death in my eyes since I could feel my lifespan run out with each passing second like sand in an hourglass.
"You don't seem to have much time left, do you?"
His voice came out softer than I expected. Not like the raspy and violent tone he used with me earlier.
No.
This tone held sorrow. Commiseration. Sympathy. Regret.
I opened my mouth to reply with a "yes" but a wispy croak escaped instead.
Suddenly I winced and coughed, causing some blood to sputter from my mouth and slowly trail down the side of my lips.
Shigaraki's lips pulled down into a more sorrowful frown at my dismal state.
"You. . . You weren't supposed to end up like this. . ." He began in a quiet tone.
He didn't sound like the Shigaraki that spoke to me earlier. No. This was someone else. I stared at him. Eyelids slowly growing heavier with each passing second. Wondering who this was in front of me and why he sounded like the real Shigaraki. Like the Shigaraki hidden behind this villainous facade.
"This is what happens when you try to be a Hero. . ."
Suddenly his tone shifted back to being rageful. Back to the Shigaraki from the bar. Back to the villain blinded by hate.
In the background, the League silently watched the teenager suffer. Hours ago they were trying to recruit her. And now she. . . Well, they didn't want to think about it. For once in their villainous lives, they hated the sight of blood and concept of death.
I felt the cold, numbing sensation take over me completely. I could no longer feel the pain radiating throughout my body. Or the ground beneath me. Or anything else for that matter. I could only hear the sound of my heart thumping in my ears and slowing down with each stuttering ba-bump.
"But don't worry, we'll put your quirk to good use. . ."
I watched through the edge of my lashes as another figure appeared behind him. This man - this monster - casted a larger shadow that covered both him and my mangled body.
Once again, a spark of true, unbridled fear washed over me as I stared at All For One. All Might was no where in sight. I watched with unblinking eyes as he stepped around Shigaraki, practically pushing him aside, and replaced the spot he stood in a second ago. Though, the halo of light that surrounded Shigaraki didn't surround All For One. No light followed this man this time.
"What a shame. Its despairing to see you like this my dear."
All For One's sick and twisted voice surrounded me like a thick suffocating fog. I watched as he took a small step forward, his fancy black dress shoes scuffing the debris, and then he leaned down closer. His hideous eyeless face inched closer. That stomach churning grin spread wider across it.
In the background Midoriya screamed. . . Hitoshi yelled with pure agony. . . Bakugo and Todoroki hollered in denial. . . Kirishima, Iida, Momo, Nighteye, Aunty Midnight, and every Hero present shouted in anguish. . . Distantly, her father, Aizawa, Mic, and the police screamed too. . .
"But, I want to thank you for your sacrifice. I wouldn't be able to achieve my dream without you. . ."
Suddenly my attention went to his hand that made it's way into my periphery. It inched closer and closer. Consuming my entire world.
"Thank you so much. You'll forever be my Hero-"
"I. . . I. . ."
All For One hesitated. He stared at me blankly.
With my very last breaths, I forced the words in my heart out in hopes of reaching my friends, family, Heroes, and everyone watching. I turned my head and looked in Hitoshi and the others direction. Their anguished expressions scarred my mind and made the last of my tears flow freely.
"I. . . I w-was. . . hoping. . . to have a f-future. . . as a Hero. . . with you g-guys. . . I'm sorry. . . I won't. . . be. . ."
My chest rose and fell for the last time.
All For One's hand slowly hovered over my face, I let my heavy eyelids flutter closed. I no longer heard my heartbeat in my ears, now it was replaced with silence.
I didn't want it to end this way.
I didn't want my Hero journey to end here.
I didn't want my life to end here.
It just couldn't.
I wouldn't allow myself to let it end here.
I will not allow it to end here.
Not like this. . .
Not like this. . .
Not like this. . .
Not like this. . .
Not like this. . .
Not like this. . .
Not like this. . .
Not like this. . .
Not like this. . .
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Not
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Like
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
This
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
°
○
●
○
°
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Darkness
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Then light
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
I woke up in the strange void.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
The black sleek floor turned liquid.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
I fell.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
The other side was pure light.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Like dawn after the dusk.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
It was an awakening.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
I had transcended TIME.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Looking up, the streaks of light were now black. Glistening like obsidian sand and glitter. I reached up and touched it.
I touched it.
Then it unraveled like a scroll, going left and right, extending into the distance until I could no longer see the end.
I stepped back in awe.
This time the sands were orchestrated.
They were no longer a cacophony of madness.
The melody was sweet to my ears.
A humble hum of peace.
I walked to the left, dragging my hand over the black strands like an experienced harpist.
It felt like I had done this before.
It felt natural.
Then without meaning to, my finger caught on a string.
A chime rang out and the black glistening strands backed up except for the one I touched. Then it turned horizontal to reveal a black screen playing a moment in my life.
It was the day I went to the pool with Hitoshi and the others.
Not knowing any better. . .
I tapped the memory. . .
And suddenly I was falling through the floor again.
Down.
Down.
Down.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
°
•
○
•
°
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Then I was back
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
My story had only just begun.
.
.
.
.
.