Inky, black, shadows cast over the murky room and candles glowed golden from the flickering fire atop their wicks, shedding a dim light across the house. Monsters lurked in the darkness as they waited to jump their victims and break their spirits down bit by bit.
The floor was ice against my bare feet and floorboards creaked with every step I dared to take as a constant reminder to the monsters of my location. I could hear its whispers from where I stood, begging me to step out and submit myself to them.
I sprinted away from the sounds and down a long hallway. The home, my childhood home, wasn't the same as it had once been. The hallway was far longer than I remembered, with plenty of twists and turns. I didn't recognize the paintings and the doors from within, but after having walked for many minutes, I found myself back in the living room.
"Izumi," the low, raspy, sound whispered from the darkness.
"Who's there?" my normal deeper voice was replaced with a shaky squeak.
"Izumi," the growl of my name echoed throughout the hallways, haunting my every thought.The floorboards protested loudly as I shifted towards the kitchen, letting out screeching groans with every weighted step. The closer I got to my destination, the louder everything became. I came to a complete stop and placed my hand on the kitchen door.
There was a screech from the door as I slowly nudged it open, and I cautiously moved inside. The kitchen table was covered in dirty dishes that couldn't fit in the overflowing sink. The cupboards were falling off the hinges, yet still swung open and closed on their own. The fridge, which sat in the corner of the room, was old and dirty. The door didn't close properly so it didn't keep all the food cold.
"Welcome home, darling."
My mother was as beautiful as the last time I saw her as she sat at the table, which had suddenly been completely cleared of the mess. She was drinking green tea like every other regular morning. Mother said it relaxed her. She'd offered me a sip once, but I'd been disgusted after one taste and chose to never try it again.
"Mother, I miss you."
"I know," her hand was freezing to the touch as her fingers gently ran across my cheek, "but we're together now."
She pulled me into a gentle hug, and my body tensed at the affection. It had been a long time since my mother last hugged me. It had been a long time since I received a genuine hug from someone who cared about me. The feeling had become strange as time went on. I couldn't explain the trembling of my limbs.
"Your mother doesn't love you," the raspier voice from earlier whispered directly into my ear. "I am the only one who cares about you, Izumi. No one else matters."
The voice sent shivers down my spine as the gentle embrace of my mother turned tight and strangling. Despite my pushing and struggling, the grasp grew stronger for each passing second. I couldn't explain the feeling that I experienced while receiving a hug such as that, or I was trembling so harshly.
"You will become the leader of the next era of villains," the arms finally loosened from around me as the figure pulled away and I knew this man well enough to realize that, had it not been for his mask, a devious smirk would make it home on his features.
"It's time for your training," my father glanced down at me, a flash of insanity in his eyes.
My feet wouldn't move. Glancing down, a heavy sheet of ice held them in place. All for One's maniacal laughed echoed my home and my hands rapidly went to cover my ears from the noise. His footsteps grew louder with each step he took, and soon enough came to a stop in front of me.
"Pain is the only way to truly learn," drawled into the depths of my ear.
I shot out of the air mattress, nervously glancing around as I tied to figure out where was. It only took a minute to recognize Nezu's living room and the fire to keep everyone warm. His door was closed, which meant he was likely still asleep. It's not like it mattered. I wouldn't tell anyone about my dreams.
My heart raced, and I found myself short of breath. The constant pounding threatened my heart would burst from my chest. I didn't understand these emotions. Why did my chest hurt? Why did my body feel shaky? What was the strange and uncomfortable tingling in my spine?
I pulled my backpack onto the air mattress beside me and pulled the zipper down. I hadn't really bothered to unpack my things since I only stayed somewhere for a few days before moving on. It didn't make sense. Plus, I didn't want to spend all summer just packing and then re-packing.I threw my clothes on the ground with a sigh and dug through the bottom of my bag. It wasn't here. I didn't have it. I must have left it at Snape's house. My hand flung to my chest, which suddenly felt very constricted. It hurts. My chest hurts. It hurts to breathe. I-I can't...
I lost it. I lost it. I need it. It's the only thing I have left. It's all I have left of her. It's the only thing the heroes let me bring from my childhood home. They made me leave everything behind. I only brought one thing. I could only bring it. I want it. I need it. I need it back.
It was back in the dark room. I was afraid of the dark room. I can't go back there. I can't go back. I left mother alone in the dark room. She's all alone. Mother hated our home because it was dark and scary. I knew this. I knew this and I still left her there. I needed it back.
Scrambling to my feet, I pushed the covers off of me. I needed it back. I need to find it. I had to go get it. Still wearing my pyjamas, I rushed to the door and pulled on a coat. It was cold at night. I didn't like the cold. The cold gave me too many memories. When I was warm, I was safe.
The clock by the door read 4:27am as I pulled my shoes on and tied the laces. There was no time to waste. I needed it. I needed to go and find my mother. It was all I had left of her. It was all I had left of my childhood. I needed to find it before Snape did something to her.
The door was locked when I jiggled the knob, and I quickly paced back and forth with a tingly feeling rising in my body. I needed out. I had to get out. The apartment had a balcony. I could go out there. It was connected to a fire escape that I could use to climb down. I needed to find my mother.
Pulling at the sliding glass door, it wouldn't budge. All of the doors were locked. It was just like my home underground. I would be locked inside my room for hours at a time and never be able to escape. The heroes always locked me up. They locked away my quirk, they locked me inside their homes, they locked me inside their damned school. I needed out. I needed out. I need out! Ignoring the pain in my arms, I yanked a plug out of the wall.
There was a high-pitched shatter as the blender smashed through the glass and landed out on the balcony. The moment I stepped outside, a loud alarm began going off from within Nezu's apartment and the bracelets around my arms began to beep loudly.
"Izumi!"
Ignoring Nezu's call I burst through the hole in the door, wincing as the glass scraped down my arms. I needed to get out. I needed to find my mother. I want to go home. I need to find the picture. I need the picture. I need my mother. I want my real mother. I want her back. I want my mom.
My feet hit the pavement and I was soon sprinting down the sidewalk during the middle of the night. I don't know where I am. I don't know where my mother is. I need my mother back. I want us to sit together by the fireplace and wrap ourselves in blankets. I want her to hold me again like she did when I was little. I need her to hold me and tell me I'm okay like she did after training sessions with my father.
Turning around a random corner, I wrapped my arms around my shivering body. It was cold. I didn't like the cold. The cold brought back memories that I wanted to forget. I didn't like the cold. Go away. Go away. I'm cold. Help me. I'm cold. It's too cold. I'm cold. I want my mother. I want my mom. Why did she leave me?
I ducked into an alley and my back slammed against the brick wall. I slowly lowered myself down to the concrete, burying my head in my lap. The violent trembling grew worse from the temperature and a severe feeling of discomfort. What was this emotion that I could never explain? I always felt it when I was around my father or when I remembered him.
I reached up to wipe the tears away from my eyes, but I couldn't hold them back. I choked out a sob and I tried to ignore the police car sirens as my outer walls shattered. My sobbing grew louder as the tires skidded to a stop and I could hear doors being slammed shut as they got out of their cars.
"Put your hands above your head! We've got you surrounded. If you try to run, we have weapons and are not afraid to shoot."
My arms couldn't move. I only pulled my legs closer to my body as I tried to will away the shaking. My teeth chattered and I clutched my body tighter together in desperation for warmth. It was too cold. It was way too cold. I'm cold. I don't like the cold. I want to be warm. I want my mom.
"Izumi," a tired voice grumbled from right in front of me. "You need to listen to the police. You're already in enough trouble as it is. Do what they say."
"I-I want my mom," my voice was only a squeaky whimper. "I-It's so c-cold."
"Why did you run off?"
"I-I left the picture of my mom a-at Snape's house. I-I want... I need my mom."
"Your mother left you," came the harsh reply. "She doesn't love you. She told us she never wanted to see you again."
The words didn't come as a surprise to me. I'd heard them before. My mother had screamed them to me at the top of her lungs when the heroes brought us up from our underground home. I knew this. Why did it hurt so much? Why did I suddenly feel so much pain picking up in my chest when I had only been reminded of what I already knew.
"I-I miss her," I sobbed to the man in front of me, whom I still didn't know the identity of.
"I know," he whispered back, and a pair of arms wrapped around me. The man was very warm as he pulled me into his chest, and I let myself relax into his embrace. He was warm. He made me feel safe. Was a father's affection supposed to feel like this? It was nothing like the coldness given to me like my birth father. It was more like the warmth that was given to me by my mother. He pulled away from the embrace, and I kept my head up. I flinched upon seeing the man's face, as Aizawa stared at me with a harsh glare. He looked angry and brushed himself off. The man stood up, taking several steps away from me as the police moved forward.
Of course, it was him. Aizawa was a true hero so it made sense that he would be the one to save me. He knew when I had been hurt in the sports festival, and he knew how to help me calm down from my panic attack. The hug he had just given me reminded me so heavily of life with my mother. Aizawa made me feel so much safer than any of the other teachers at UA. It was just my luck that he happened to hate me.
"S-stop!" I cried out in a panic as the police grabbed me. "L-let go! Get off of me! Stop! S-Stop!"
I flailed against their grip randomly, trying to pull away at a handcuff snapped around my risk. No. No! I can't... I can't! Please help me. Someone help me. I can't do this. I don't understand my feelings. My heart is pounding. My body is shaking. I don't understand. Help me. Help me! Please... I can't. I can't!
"G-Get off! Help me! M-Mr. Aizawa, help me!"
In a rare moment, I used his actual name rather than his nickname. He was a hero. Even if he hated me, he would help me, wouldn't he? He would save me, a villain, when I needed help. True heroes protected everyone. He would save me. He had to!
N-no! Why? Why is he turning away? Why is he walking away? Why is he leaving me alone with all these men? The other cuff snapped around my right wrist and I jerked forward. No. I don't want to go back to that scary place. I don't want to go back! Last time they took me, they shoved me into a dark, locked room with bars. I can't go back. I can't go back.
"Mr. Aizawa," I shrieked. "D-don't leave me, please! I-I'll do anything. D-don't! No! Pl-"
"-Shut up, villain!" my legs were knocked out from underneath me. My head hit the concrete and as my vision grew blurry, I could only sob as Aizawa walked away. He left me behind without bothering to turn back. Heroes protected the innocent.
I was just a villain.