[MHA] Shoto Todoroki : Modern-Day Terrorist

[Nar_cisse]

Overhaul abhorred blood.

As a matter of fact, he hated anything that had to do with human secretions and universal filth.

Under other circumstances, he would have simply called an ambulance or left Neito to his henchmen.

But since he'd just murdered a teenage girl and the city was in chaos, he had no choice but to take care of his nephew himself.

It was either dirty his cloak or leave Neito at the crime scene, and he definitely had better things to do than be the focus of a police investigation.

When he received Neito's distress text, Chisaki had just concluded a promising deal.

The crisis Tokyo was in had been extremely beneficial to them. His men were able to distribute their goods safely, and they also took the chance to rob a small bank to replenish their coffers.

It seemed that some idiots had robbed Tokyo's Central Bank ; Chisaki wondered what face they'd make when they would try to spend their money and the cash would be identified.

Chisaki had been to the address sent by Neito and found nothing ; resolving he had better things to do than foolishly search the streets, he had called Yuei's headmaster.

After a short explanation, the headmaster had given him Neito's live geographical coordinates, thanks to the tracking system in his heroic outfit.

Chisaki had followed him without hurrying, taking advantage of the fact that the streets were empty to breathe in the fresh night air.

He loved rain ; it had the merit of cleansing everything.

Thus Chisaki, after taking care of the few nuisances, left the now burning building and went his own little merry way.

He hadn't even left the residential area when he came to an abrupt stop.

Before him stood a hero, tall and sallow, eyes narrowed in suspicion.

Chisaki knew he had every reason to be : a lone man daring to venture out on a night like this, with a bleeding teenager on his shoulders, was anything but normal.

Chisaki saw the hero's thoughts flash through his eyes.

Maybe he'd taken advantage of the chaos to kidnap the kid. Maybe he was with the enemy, whoever that enemy might be.

Slowly, Chisaki slipped his hand into his jacket's inner pocket.

"I have a license that allows me to use my Quirk on public grounds" he said calmly, anticipating the tension in the hero's shoulders provoked by his sudden gesture

He examined the licende from afar. Clever.

"Who's the kid ?", the hero asked

"My nephew", Chisaki replied evenly. "There was one of the creatures nearby and he called me to help him"

The hero's eyes darted between Kai and the tee,.

It didn't take a genius to realize that they didn't look alike at all.

"Adopted", Kai said

The hero remained silent.

Chisaki waited quietly, tucking the license back in his pocket.

He was usually a patient man, but to stand in the rain when Neito obviously needed urgent care was not something he appreciated.

"What's his name ?"

"Neito"

The hero's eyes lit up in recognization.

He took a step forward.

"You must leave him here"

Chisaki cocked an eyebrow, not the least bit impressed.

"My orders are to bring him back-"

Suddenly, the hero's phone rang.

Without taking his eyes off Chisaki, he put the receiver to his ear.

Chisaki heard nothing of the conversation.

Rain poured down his face in waves, beading at the corners of his eyelashes.

He blinked and shook them off.

The hero handed Chisaki his cell phone.

"It's for you"

*
28 minutes.

28 minutes was the time it took for Tokyo to become a true war zone

He hadn't been notified - at least not immediately.

He'd been asleep, relishing one of the rare nights when he didn't have to linger late in his office.

He should have known something was wrong ; he rarely got a good night's sleep, and each time he had the opportunity he always was dragged out of bed for yet another crisis.

By now, he'd learned not to bother going home and slept in the Defense's headquarters assigned to him.

This night, he'd barely had time to lay his head on his pillow and close his eyes for what seemed like an instant before his phone rang loudly.

He'd answered, scowling, and put the receiver to his ear before he'd even opened his eyes.

"Head of Special Forces"

The voice that answered was one he knew well but rarely heard.

Gunhee stood up immediately, eyes wide open, feet flat on the cold floor.

"President Pantu", the other voice said. "We are dealing with a crisis"

The mere fact that the President of the Heroic Commission had reached out to him was already proof enough of a dire situation.

Within seconds she explained the whole situation ; he listened quietly, slipping his feet in his shoes.

It was a good thing he was used to going to bed fully dressed and shower in the morning.

All of a sudden, his bedroom door swung open.

It was his assistant, alert, her hair a mess and a pillow imprint on her cheek :

"Sir, I've just-"

He silenced her with a raised finger.

"The Nomus have now moved to the foot of Atago Jinja's shrine, following an unknown order"

Minato's district, a voice whispered to Gunhee. Not that far, but they'll need time to travel through the city.

"You have drones there, right ?" he asked, "How many creatures are there ?"

"At first glance, there were almost 40," she said. "But black portals keep popping up in the area, and Nomus are still arriving in bulk"

She didn't need to say who was responsible for it ; people with space-wrapping Quirks were so rare that Japan could count them on a single hand.

The Special Forces had been trying to kill this one in particular for years.

"How many ?", Gunhee stressed

Usually she wouldn't have liked his tone, and he wouldn't have dared to speak to her like that - she wasn't his subordinate, after all - but the circumstances were too grave, and neither of them wanted to waste time on pointless civilities.

"At the latest count, almost sixty"

It was silent.

Gunhee had received several reports about excavations in Tokyo's underground after the Gigantomachia incident : hundreds of Nomus had been found and exterminated by the Commission.

Entire underground networks had been discovered, connecting the city's hospitals and cemeteries to the "Nomus Garages," as they had dubbed them.

By then, everyone had realized the extent of the catastrophe they had avoided ; they had scoured the capital from top to bottom, razing each and every hideout they found.

The underground exits had allowed them to understand where All for One was furnishing himself.

There'd been several discussions about a law requiring all corpses to be cremated in the presence of a public official, but nothing had yet ensued.

"And the area is full of civilians"

Gunhee clenched his teeth.

"How could this have happened ?"

The shrine was in the middle of a business district ; nobody - or almost nobody - should have been there in the middle of the night.

"Endeavor and his son, Shoto Todoroki, are here," she explained. "A few minutes ago, an entire section of Minato was wiped off the map. All that remains is dust. Almost simultaneously, nearly seven hundred civilians appeared out of nowhere at the foot of the shrine. We assume it is owed to Todoroki's abilities and that he was able to evacuate them all barely in time, although he might have left some behind"

Gunhee exhaled slowly.

Evacuating almost seven hundred civilians in a few minutes was nothing short of a miracle.

They owed the kid.

"And what exactly are they doing ? How are they holding up ?"

"They're still alive," she said. "But there are seven hundred people to protect, and the Nomus..."

Pantu hesitated.

She never hesitated - never.

"We have a visual on them, and it looks like they're tiring out"

Gunhee didn't even bother to ask if there were any other Heroes around.

With so many Nomus around, sending second-rate Heroes would turn into a pure butchery.

"You're putting me in charge", he said

There was no other reason why she would have called him.

"The situation is completely out of my jurisdiction," she said. "I've tried to limit the damage as best I can, but it's getting out of control"

Gunhee agreed easily.

"I just got off the phone with the Prime Minister", she said. "And he's declared martial law in Tokyo"

*

A/N : It's back to school for a lot of y'all so good luck with that everyone !

(And try not to spend too much of your free time reading FF. Go out and touch some grass)

If you want to read ahead of schedule, go check the story's P@treon, Nar_cisseENG

See you in the next update everyone !

 

[Nar_cisse]

Endeavor, fist aflame, thrust his hand into the Nomu's chest and ripped out his heart.

He squashed it as it burnt, pieces of shredded flesh gliding through his now-closed fingers.

The Nomu fell to his knees, the shock pinning him down.

Endeavor grabbed his head with both hands and snapped his neck as he set fire to his corpse.

The air whistled behind him ; Endeavor, eyes narrowed, whirled around, elbow raised, to strike at the one who'd crept up behind him.

Simultaneously, the sound of wet flesh gliding and grinding was heard.

Endeavor came face to face with a Nomu whose skull had been pierced by an ice arrow. Blood flowed from his forehead, splitting at the bridge of his nose.

On Endeavor's right, Shoto's backhanded kick sent one Nomu crashing into another, effectively knocking them to the ground.

When his sole barely brushed the first Nomu's torso, blue fire burst from his foot and spread like wind onto the pushed Nomu, lighting him up like a torch, flames then spreading to the fallen Nomu behind him.

The skewered Nomu's hands shook as they slowly and inexorably rose towards the ice arrow to yank it away.

Endeavor grabbed his skull, his fingers on either side of the arrow, and roasted him in a split second. He sharply pushed his charred body away.

It reeked of burnt flesh, shit, corpses and death.

Hundreds of bodies littered the ground around them, half-eaten or yet to be touched.

Endeavor and Shoto stood in the center of the square, Endeavor burning hotter than the sun to draw the creatures' attention, Shoto fading in the shadows, leaving a wake of corpses behind.

Far behind them, civilians continued to stream through the tunnel of ice that spanned the stairs from the first Torii to the second, at the very top of the steps.

The ice was thick and solid, ensuring safe passage as long as no Nomu attacked. When they did, Shoto was forced to go all the way back, kill the Nomu, then return as fast as he left.

It had happened three times already.

The Nomus loved loud noise and the bright flashes of fire. Once Endeavor and Shoto had teamed up to fight, they had mostly left the civilians alone.

They were like flies, always drawn to light, whereas the real threat spread quietly in the darkness.

Three Nomus appeared in front of Endeavor, trapping him within a triangular configuration.

Simultaneously, a shadowy figure - more like a gust of wind than someone - flashed behind them.

The three Nomus collapsed to the ground, tendons severed, wriggling like worms.

Fire burst from Endeavor's body : he burnt all three to crisp.

Endeavor paused briefly to steady his ragged breathing.

He then unhooked a small cutlass from his tool belt and finished the job, walking round to each and striking precisely three times into each of their exposed brains.

Meanwhile, right in front of him, Shoto was caught between two Nomus.

There was a ripping sound.

With a swift gestyre, he could barely make out in the dim light, Shoto sent one of the Nomus tumbling towards his father.

Endeavor, anticipating the gesture, caught him by the skull.

The exposed brain melted the moment Endeavor's fingers touched it.

He smashed the brain as much as he burn it.

Shoto's figure leaned dangerously close to the Nomu's, their shadows merging.

Another ripping sound.

The wind picked up and a play of light lit up the figures of Shoto - drenched in sweat - and the Nomu.

Endeavor clearly saw the moment when Shoto, mask torn and red eyes flashing angrily, ripped out the Nomu's windpipe with a snap of his teeth.

He spat out : the piece of flesh flew up in the air. Blood dripped from his lips down his chin.

The Nomu couldn't even scream.

Shoto's hands closed ominously over his skull as the wind swung the other way, darkness engulfing them once more.

Endeavor caught a flying Nomu which, propelled by his speed, had tried to take him by surprise.

He slammed him to the ground so hard it shook.

Endeavor's hand, hot as iron, left red scar on his throat.

Endeavor was a pragmatic man ; he knew that the brain - or the heart and then the brain - was the best way to go about killing Nomus.

But the longer the battle dragged on, the more exhausted he grew, the more Nomus appeared, the more civilians screamed, the more bodies littered the ground, the less pragmatic and logical he felt.

Endeavor tore the Nomu's throat in half with a vicious, sick satisfaction.

Then he crushed his skull with his bare fist ; his head popped off like an overripe fruit.

Blood splattered over his mud-stained shoes.

Slowly, Endeavor raised his head.

A few Nomus were hunched over human corpses, feeding hungrily on organs and innards, their small, sneaky eyes warily locked on Endeavor.

Endeavor's face hardened as he watched them.

He had no idea why they ate humans - necessity or cruelty, it didn't matter - but he hated the sight of his fellow used like food.

Endeavor checked for a second that no one - except Shoto - was in near vicinity before he blew up, a ring of fire shooting out of his body and devouring everything in its path.

Every bodies - Nomus and humans alike - went up in flames, the supernatural fire catching quicker and fiercer than what ordinary fire would've done in such pouring rain.

The eating Nomus were hit by the tidal wave of fire head on.

Shoto didn't even let them hit the ground ; he went from one to the next in a blur, shattering their skulls and shredding their flesh with horrifying savagery.

Shoto suddenly appeared at Enji's side, panting, soaked in blood from head to toe, as though he'd been swimming in it.

His clothes were torn to shreds, bloody scratches streaking his forearms and neck.

His face was uncovered, his torn mask hanging limply from either side of his ears.

The synchronicity between Enji and Shoto was perfect.

Had he known that he had the slightest inclination to becoming a Hero, Enji would've instantly offered his son to become his partner.

"I have to take care of him", Shoto grumbled quietly, still slightly out of breath.

His bright, fierce eyes were trained on Black Mist who, on top of the overlooking building, kept spawning portal after portal, Nomus pouring forth by tens.

Enji tore off a piece of his shirt and wordlessly handed it to his son.

Without taking his eyes off Black Mist, Shoto tied the black cloth around his face.

"I'll make the opening you need" Enji murmured, alert to their surroundings, "And you get rid of him"

Such a large quantity of civilians had initially prevented Endeavor from going all out, for he had to protect them ; despite all the trouble he and his son had gone to to protect them, the Nomus had killed them by hundreds.

Now it was the sheer number of Nomus that hindered him : he wanted to use God Mode, but the civilians were still too close for them not to die.

Fighting at high intensity without being able to go all out and end the fight quickly tired him out more than anything else.

In truth, fighting at high intensity against foes whose ranks kept growing was strenuous for both Enji and Shoto.

Adrenaline made them alert but even so, they started slowing down, reacted less quickly, took longer to catch their breath.

"We need to-"

An alarm wailed loudly through the city.

The Nomus raised their heads simultaneously, their attentions drawn momentarily by the sound.

Shoto took the opportunity to spear two of them mid-air, causing them to fall like shot birds.

"What's that ?", he asked.

Endeavor, eyebrows furrowed, tried to listen closely to what was said.

"It sounds like..."

Shoto, whose hearing was sharper, repeated the words echoing endlessly around them.

"Martial law has been declared : proceed to go home and wait for further instructions"

Shoto was silent.

The alarm was on full blast.

Wrinkles creased Enji's forehead.

Suddenly the Nomus turned around and moved farther away.

Enji squinted to see what was go-

A Nomu exploded in a shower of blood, as if a confetti cannon full of human flesh had been fired.

Enji didn't even have time to blink that Shoto was in front of him, ice sword in his right hand, posture both threatening and defensive.

He looked at him, surprised.

He didn't need to see his face to know that he was incredibly tense.

The Nomus kept bursting like over-inflated balloons, fireworks of guts and organs flying everywhere.

The crowd of Nomus broke up and parted, obviously allowing something - or someone - to walk through them.

Any Nomu that got in the way blew up on the spot, organs flying high up before falling back down with the reddened rain.

"Ah, I've dirtied my cloak"

A tall, black haired, golden eyed man stepped out of the crowd.

He wore a fur coat whose back was blood stained.

Shoto lowered further, a second sword forming in his left hand, looking even more threatening than he did before.

The newcomer eyed him curiously ; he stayed at a safe distance, his back cheekily given to the Nomus.

"Who are you ?", Endeavor asked authoritatively.

He knew his son ; he would not waste time with pointless questions and would rather choose to strike swiftly and deadly.

Given the worrying Quirk of the newcomer, Endeavor preferred not to.

"I've been sent to help you"

Something stirred beneath Endeavor's foot.

He looked down at his shoes, which were bathed in darkness.

Like a puddle into which a pebble has been thrown, the shadows stirred.

Enji didn't have time to process what he'd seen that a shadowy figure, fully shrouded in darkness, sprang up from the ground.

"I come in peace," the figure said, a smile in his voice

Shoto's sword was already at his throat.

Shadows dripped like ink from his body as the shifting darkness reverted to human shape.

Endeavor recognized the individual at once.

Standing to his right was Sung Jin Woo.

*

A/N : If you like the story and want to read ahead of schedule, go check the story's P@treon, Nar_cisseENG

See you in the next update everyone !

 

[Eggmaster]

Yo? My solo leveling Boi?

 

[Nar_cisse]

Yo? My solo leveling Boi?

Click to shrink...

Just using his identity so readers don't forget him (that's not a cross over lol, and we've seen him in the tournament arc).

 

[Eggmaster]

Man it's been a minute since the sports festival this slipped my mind

 

[Nar_cisse]

The alarm rang through the city, deafening and terrifying, shaking walls and rattling bodies.

Nearly fifteen helicopters flew overhead, blinding white spotlights sweeping through streets awash in blood and littered with torn human limbs.

Whole streets were destroyed, shops were burning, wounded civilians were dragging their bodies, stunned, through the remains of Tokyo.

Grim soldiers high in the sky watched the slaughter quietly.

Megaphones hanging from helicopters simultaneously broadcast the announcement.

"Martial law has been declared : proceed home and wait further instructions. Martial law has been declared : proceed..."

The heroes lifted their heads, stunned, rain streaming down their swollen faces.

Exhausted, groggy, wounded, they were in the midst of an evacuation.

They blinked, minds foggy, then kept working slowly.

Armed soldiers flooded the capital.

One group reached Tokyo's Central Bank.

They came face to face with villains, who, bags full of banknotes, were about to leave.

They stopped as soon as they saw the soldiers standing in a semicircle, guns drawn, waiting for them behind the glass doors.

"Get down !" shouted one of them, hooded, showing the ground with his. "I said get down !"

There were five villains ; one of them, a mixture of human and tiger, laughed gleefully, shaking his paws.

"Hey, buddy" he laughed. "No need to shake your-"

They had made the error of talking to them as they would Heroes.

The soldiers shot them down without mercy.

Doors burst in a glittering shower of shattered glass.

Throughout the city, the same commands were barked : any villains who'd tried to take advantage of the chaos were told to surrender immediately or they would be unceremoniously shot.

Within minutes, the troops had spread all over the city, evacuating civilians and clearing the worst-affected districts with brutal efficiency.

They took control of hospitals, schools, and every public building they could, setting up emergency rescue centers and sorting areas for those whose homes had been obliterated.

Recovery Girl ran from one patient to the next, her little syringe-shaped cane clicking rapidly on the floor.

"Over here !" called one of the military doctor.

She stopped and kissed a patient's forehead, a light sheen of sweat on her skin.

"This one is stabilized"

Chiyo, Quirk induced healing process barely started up, straightened and ran to the other end of the room, spreading kisses all around until spots grew in her vision field.

"You've done enough, thank you," another soldier told here, hand on her shoulder. "Now please sit down, ma'am"

Ma'am, not Recovery Girl.

Chiyo sat down on a chair, her old knees creaking.

Martial law had decreed that all heroes were relieved of their duties ; Heroes' licenses were worthless.

Heroes and civilians were all demoted to the same rank - she could tell by the fact that there were almost more civilians than Heroes in this emergency ward.

Under normal circumstances, Heroes would be given priority care in order to be sent back into battle immediately ; but not today.

Today's Heroes were nothing more than big kids in colorful costumes who had failed to protect civilians.

There was another round of gunfire.

Chiyo jerked.

None of the medics reacted.

They brought her a glass of water with some sugar and left her in a corner.

Farther into the city, one of the last standing Heroes carried a civilian to a quickly erected emergency area.

Swollen purple bags darkened his gaze.

His eyes were dull, his shoulders slumped under the weight of the body he was carrying, his eyebrows perpetually raised in a permanent state of shock.

A hand rested gently on his shoulder.

He paused.

"You are now relieved of your duties," a soldier told him quietly. "All Heroes are"

The Hero blinked slowly, as if waking from a long dream.

Dried blood covered his hair and temples. There were hard, dark lumps in his beard.

"Relieved" he muttered

His voice was quieter than a breath. The soldier leaned forward to hear. In a slow, pasty gesture, the Hero pointed to the wounded civilian on his back.

"Who'll take care of him ? He needs urgent care"

The soldier's eyes slid over to the civilian. His eyes stopped on the civilian's stomach, which was half hidden behind the Hero's shoulders.

He looked back up in his eyes.

"Give him to me ; I'll personally see that he gets all the care he needs"

The Hero smiled, but it was a smile that failed to reach his eyes.

He gently put the sleeping civilian in the soldier's arms.

"Thank you", he said, "Thank you very much"

With the same sensitivity a nurse would have for a senile patient, a second soldier took his arm.

The soldier supporting the wounded civilian waited until the Hero had turned the corner of the street.

Then he reverently laid the body against a wall, trying not to look at the corpse's ripped stomach, from which its intestines hung like tinsels over nothing.

*

Overhaul.

And now there was fucking Overhaul.

The second the first Nomu had exploded, the hairs on the back of Shoto's neck had stood up, his blood had boiled, lightning had crackled in his palm.

He'd stepped between him and his father with the certainty that the Nomus had become the least of their worries and that civilian lives were worth nothing to him ; he'd kill Overhaul and then, with the last crumbs of energy he hadd left, he'd take his father with him, willing or not, and run far, far away from Tokyo.

Then Jin Woo appeared and Shoto reacted instinctively, his instinct - a strange mixture of protective and murderous - taking over.

To tell the truth, he didn't stop his sword in time.

It was Jin Woo's shadows that had stepped in, discreet but nevertheless dangerous.

Shoto had seen how easily they'd stopped his icy sword ; he'd etched it in his mind.

Jin Woo, amused, had smiled as he met Shoto's gaze.

Shoto was exhausted, wounded, covered in blood, edgy, and bloodthirsty. He didn't smile back.

Slowly, he lowered his sword.

His eyes had immediately gone back to the dancing shadows on Jin Woo's skin, slowly merging with his flesh until they fully disappeared inside.

Shoto should have been happy - or at least relieved to see him.

The only thing on his mind was that Jin Woo was indeed extremely dangerous.

"Sung?", Endeavor asked. "What are you doing here ?"

"Martial law has just been declared," he said calmly. "Gunhee has taken control of the city"

His eyes fell on Overhaul.

"You must be the contractor, right ?"

Overhaul had stopped staring curiously at Shoto and turned his attention back to Jin Woo.

A gleam of amusement passed through his sullen gaze before it faded, stifled by the dullness of his eyes.

"Contractor ? I guess you can say that, yes"

Shoto shot him a sideways glare.

Enji - who had been watching him intently for some time - put his hand on his shoulder to calm him down.

"Do you have a license ?"

Overhaul, as if he'd expected to be asked, held out his card.

Shoto looked at his outstretched hand as if he was going to tear it yet he didn't move, his father's hand grounding him in reality.

Yellow eyes moved back to Shoto.

"I've heard a lot about you. My nephew is in your class"

The sentence obviously surprised Shoto.

"Nephew ?"

"Neito"

Shoto looked astonished.

Enji handed the card back to the newcomer.

"Thank you for coming, Mr. Chisaki," Endeavor replied diplomatically.

He did his best to compensate for his son's wildness, although neither Chisaki nor Jin Woo seemed to hold it against Shoto.

"Good", Jin Woo said while clapping. "Now that the introductions are done, let's get to work"

The four men exchanged looks.

Shoto was still watching Chisaki suspiciously.

Chisaki, for his part, cast a bored glance at the Nomus gathered around them, who stood at a safe distance and watched him warily.

"We just have to get rid of them, don't we ?"

Endeavor's feet were as hot as burning irons, turning the muddy ground to dry earth under his shoes.

"The civilians are in the shrine," he declared. "Let's finish and get them out"

"No need," Jin Woo said. "My men are getting throught it from the back. They'll take care of it"

He pointed with his chin at a helicopter circling above the shrine.

A wry smile lit up his face.

"Let's get to it, shall we ?"

Shoto looked at his father as a screaming, flying Nomu crashed into them at full speed, hoping to catch them off guard from above.

Flames flashed across Endeavor's skin, shadows darted across Jin Woo's skin, and Shoto bent his legs, sharingan whirling.

It was Chisaki who killed him, his ungloved fingers brushing the tip of the translucent wing as it passed over his head.

The Nomu exploded like a bomb of blood and organs, splattering the three of them.

Jin Woo blinked and disdainfully removed a piece of crushed flesh from his cheek.

"Charming," Jin Woo said evenly

"Ah, what a mess", said Chisaki, who hadn't been hit.

Shoto's arsenal was limited to mass destruction, yet even he wasn't able to commit such brutality.

The Nomus attacked in a single, compact, powerful wave.

No one spoke, and all threw themselves into the frenzy of battle.

Endeavor sent bolts of fire into the sky, charring the last flying Nomus.

Chisaki, almost bored, waited for the Nomus to pounce on him without moving ; blood bombs exploded like fireworks all around him.

Jin Woo stretched out his hands, and shadowy tentacles sprang from the ground, wrapping around the Nomus, brutally crushing them or dragging them to the ground, drowning them in pools of darkness - never to surface again.

Shoto flashed through the Nomus' ranks like lightning, a tantô in each hand, slicing ankle after ankle.

With a kick, he hurled them toward his father, who, predicting his movements, caught them and brutally charred them.

Soon, burnt corpses piled up around Endeavor like a pyre.

Shoto's eyes, between two slain Nomus, kept returning to Kurogiri, who stood on the roof of the tallest building, still releasing Nomus in waves.

Jin Woo, who had followed his gaze, came closer.

"Need express transport ?", he said.

And he pointed to the ground below them, where shadows swirled like a vortex.

"I'll kill him," Shoto warned, not willing to be reproached afterwards.

Jin Woo smiled.

"We'd be very grateful"

Shoto studied him quietly.

His eyes flicked back to his father ; he was too close to Chisaki.

A Nomu appeared discreetly behind him : the ice arrow hadn't finished materializing in Shoto's palm that shadow tentacles grabbed him by the throat and shoved him in the ground, drowning him in a puddle of darkness.

"Go or I'll go myself", said Jin Woo

Jin Woo had the luxury of being cool and refreshed as he had recently arrived ; he hadn't faced All for One, hadn't had to evacuate half a thousand civilians within a few minutes, hadn't seen all his efforts reduced to nothing as he watched, powerless, hundreds of those he'd bothered to save die.

Jin Woo didn't have to stand in the middle of a field littered with human corpses - corpses of innocents - and tell himself it was his fault.

But he had come to help.

Shoto should have been grateful.

Again, he couldn't help but feel that he was too dangerous to be left to his own devices.

Shoto took a resolute step forward and fell through the shadow portal.

The feeling was strange, as if he was being squeezed from all sides by cold, wet hands.

It lasted only a second.

He reappeared, crouched, behind Kurogiri, sharingan spinning wickedly in his eyes, pouring rain drowning any other sound around him.

Cold wrath seized him.

It was because of him that his efforts to save the civilians had been worthless.

It was because of him that even though he'd tried to help and save, he'd still ended up with more blood on his hands than his foes themselves had shed.

Far below, he saw Jin Woo open his hands wide, and suddenly all the Nomus covering the square fell into his shadows, as if sliding through quicksand.

A new portal swirled in the air, growing larger by the minute.

Shoto's chidori slammed from back to front across Kurogiri's metal chest.

The sound of a thousand birds chirping filled the air.

Kurogiri gasped, his smoky mouth opening as if he were actually able to spit blood or saliva.

Shoto leaned forward so that Kurogiri could hear him whispering into his ear, his red eyelids glittering maliciously.

"And that is because I couldn't get All for One"

At once, half a dozen bolts of lightning streaked across the sky before crashing down on Shoto and Kurogiri in a pillar of blinding yellow light.

The portal closed.

*

A/N :

Can't believe it's been one year (well, one year and twenty days) since I started posting this fic.

I believed I would've finished in around ten months and at chapter 200 : and here I am wondering if I'll be able to finish before chapter 300...

Shit, I need a break (from life).

If you like the story and want to read ahead of schedule, go check the story's P@treon, Nar_cisseENG

See you in the next update everyone !

 

[Nar_cisse]

"Ladies and Gentlemen. This is a difficult time for Japan. Today we have suffered a national tragedy. Individuals have attacked our capital with the aim of bringing our country . The victims were at home, with their families and friends : fathers and mothers, friends and neighbors. Thousands of lives ended because of cowardly and heinous acts. The visions of horror we have all witnessed, fires spreading across the capital, buildings collapsing, fill us with a sense of disbelief and profound sadness, but above all with a silent but unshakeable anger. These acts of mass murder were done to frighten our nation and force us to retreat into chaos and fear. But they failed : our country is strong. A great people has been called to defend a great nation. Terrorist attacks can shake the foundations of our tallest buildings, but they cannot shake the foundations of our country"

The whole country was silent, in shock, hanging on the General's every word.

"I've spoken to the Prime Minister, the Mayor of Tokyo, the Director of the Heroic Commission, and ordered that all the resources of our government shall go to help the victims and their families. To ensure the safety and peace of our fellow citizens, a series of measures will be put in place. An international investigation is now underway to track down those behind the attack. To this end, Tokyo is and will remain under martial law until further notice"

Armed soldiers were stationed at key points around the conference hall in an intimidating show of power. They were broadcast live all around the country.

"No one, Hero or civilian, is allowed to enter or leave the capital. All government offices, schools and non essential businesses are closed until further notice. Hospitals, grocery stores and other essential facilities, a detailed list of which will be provided shortly, will remain open, but under the exclusive and temporary management of the army"

The general - an old man with a hard, sharp, cool face - paused to emphasize the gravity of his words.

He had the face of a man who had known war, a man who had had to make tough decisions and who'd stuck to them.

Bright military decorations shone on the chest of his fatigues, light flashing on them when he moved.

"All Heroes are hereby relieved of their duties : Quirks licenses are now null and void during this special regime. A curfew will be in effect from 8 p.m. today until 6 a.m. tomorrow until further notice. Anyone violating the above rules will be tried by court martial at our discretion"

The Commander in Chief's eyes were cold, pale, yet intense.

"In order to avoid unnecessary and misleading propagation of news concerning last night events, we will temporarily revoke the rights of all media in the country as of tonight. A single, army-owned broadcast channel will keep all our citizens updated on the latest developments in the capital every night at 8 pm"

The journalists' faces were tense, their eyes nervous.

"The aim of this exceptional regime is not to jepoardize the population, but rather to maintain control and prevent the spread of disorder and insecurity. As part of this effort to restore peace and security within our capital, an investigation will be opened regarding the events leading up to last night. A closed-door Martial Court will be set up to try the various parties involved in last night's events. The ins and outs that led to the invasion and destruction of Tokyo will be assessed. Judicial reports will be made public at our discretion"

The word "closed-door" echoed bitterly in the minds of journalists.

In a single night, Tokyo had been transformed into a dictatorship.

"As for the creatures that roamed the capital last night, rest assured : they've all been incapacitated"

Relief swept through the room.

The General paused to give everyone time to process the news.

"Our research teams are actively at work on the origin as well as biological aspects of these creatures. Though the answers are scant at the moment, we now know why they were so intent on feeding on us ; their metabolism is highly energy-intensive, thus they need to feed regularly - but they need to feed on individuals with ample resources"

The General looked up from his paper.

"In other words, these abominations must feed on other Quirk individuals to draw energy from their singularities, otherwise they are to decompose and die"

Disgusted faces.

"I'd like to emphasize that there are none of these creatures roaming our capital. Our army has secured our streets and all strategic points in the capital : rest assured that the events of last night will not be repeated. I insist that you should remain calm and refrain from panicking. Follow the instructions that will be sent to you shortly : do your shopping in authorized places, respect the law, do not create unnecessary disturbances that could interfere with the work of our armed forces"

He briefly looked down at his speech.

"The rebuilding task that lies before us is arduous and difficult, but it is a collective task that, I am sure, we will accomplish without the slightest worry thanks to our collective efforts. More than ever, we must all rely on our tight knitted community and help the community. To this end, I ask all the wounded who are currently sheltering at home or elsewhere to go to the emergency relief zones set up in the capital, which you can see on the map below. Do not go to hospitals, which are overcrowded. For those whose homes were damaged or completely destroyed in last night's attack, I encourage you to call the toll-free number you see at the bottom of your screens. You will be fed, housed and clothed at our government's expense ; you will not have to pay for your homes to be rebuilt or for your lost and damaged property. A compensation fund for the victims and their families has just been set up"

The general paused, moistened his thumb, and then flipped his page.

"The emergency number you now see at the bottom of your screens is available 24 hours a day for any difficulties you may encounter. If you have lost a loved one or are yet to receive any news, we ask you to stay calm and refrain from panic ; several areas of the city have suffered power outages and network disruptions. Our teams are actively working to fix the problem. We ask that you wait for the official fatality list and search notices before beginning your mourning and burial procedures"

The General looked up from his speech and stared directly into the camera in front of him, as if he could see each and every citizen behind their screens.

"I would now like to address the perpetrators of this attack. Whatever your motives were, Japan is not the kind of nation you can attack with impunity and suffer no consequences. You attacked us on our soil, used our civilians as shields, targeted our law enforcement officials. You thought you could hit us and get away with it, but you were wrong"

The general's eyes, hard as steel, shone with ferocity.

"We have been attacked with fire, and rest assured, we will respond with fire"

His powerful words echoed in everyone's minds, etching themselves into memories like a scalding iron, engraving themselves into hearts like a bearer of hope and a promise of vengeance.

The General took two steps back away from the microphone.

He greeted the crowd of journalists with a short, curt movement of his chin, then turned on his heels and left.

 

[Nar_cisse]

64.

Of the 722 civilians I'd fought so hard to save, only 64 had survived the confrontation with the Nomus.

Among them, 42 were wounded, 19 of them critically.

To say that I was angry was a serious understatement.

Killing Kurogiri hadn't been enough to soothe my frustration.

I'd gone out of my way to save them - hell, I'd almost been caught in the explosion myself while saving the last of the civilians, and what for ?

I'd led them straight to slaughter.

They'd been eaten alive, screamed in terror as their children and parents were killed in front of them, whereas the only two fucking Heroes present hadn't been able to save a single child.

I was lucid : I knew it wasn't my fault.

I hadn't been the one to bring the Nomus, I hadn't even considered the possibility that All for One might have as many operational ones available ; but it was I who had gathered all the civilians in one place, I who had herded them like dogs in a crowded space, I who had led them all to their deaths because I had a fucking chance to hit All for One and hadn't wanted to waste it.

Why everything always went wrong even when I tried my best ?

Why, for fucking once, things couldn't go my way ?

Every time I didn't care about the consequences, things went to shit. Every time I tried to help, things went to shit.

I was tired of trying, tired of always fighting against all odds, tired of doing everything I could to be a better fucking person and nothing ever-

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath to calm myself, my head resting against the cool wall.

I counted to ten three times in a row to quell my nerves, trying to think of everything but the kid I'd knowingly left to die because if I killed All for One, then I'd save more civilians in the long run - it was mathematical, and-

I breathed in.

Breathed out.

Keigo would have told me to stay positive.

I didn't even know where they'd taken him.

"Still not asleep ?"

I looked up at my father who, was standing in the doorway, had his arms full of sandwiches, salads, sodas, and just about anything else a machine could sell.

"Too hungry", I said.

And the shrieks and pained moans from the patients I could clearly hear were grating on my nerves.

Rain was still pouring outside, yet a dim light bathed the city in a gray glow.

"You really need to get some sleep," he insisted. "I know how tired you are"

My eyes were so heavy that my eyelids were burning hot yet my eyebags were dark and icy.

My thoughts were light, foggy, unwilling to focus on a specific idea.

I felt like I was going to faint.

"I'm hungry", I said, reaching for the plastic boxes he was handing me

Which was true, but not really why I was forcefully staying awake like this.

The shadow of a smile crossed dad's lips. He sat down in the chair next to mine, the only other one in the office. We were both uncomfortable sitting, hunched, shoulders sloped - they were too small.

A nurse had quickly assessed our condition earlier : since there was nothing "troublesome" about us, they'd given us the keys a doctor's office on vacation, so we could rest there while waiting for someone to attend to us.

In truth dad had had nothing but a few scratches, which I'd already fixed with microdoses of iryo-ninjutsu.

As for me, I had nothing but a concussion, a shoulder bite, scores of scratches all over my torso and neck, and knees that felt like crushed ice.

More than being on the verge of chakra exhaustion and blacking out, it was the possibility of someone seeing me injured and then noticing I'd miraculously healed that kept me from doing anything.

All for One might have understood that I could make clones, that didn't mean the rest of the world had to know that I could heal myself.

I bit into a sandwich, my thoughts drifting back to the shrine.

Kurogiri must have been the one who decided to bring the Nomus to us because the last time I'd seen All for One, he was half delirious, hysterical and most importantly, dismembered.

He must have panicked and tried to get me to stay in Atago-Jinja while he decided what to do with All for One.

Kurogiri, once dead, had morphed back into human before my eyes, his smoky body reverting back to that of a black-haired teenager.

I'd thought about telling Aizawa to stir the pot, but then I remembered that his eyes had been gouged out and he now was helpless and powerless in a world of monsters.

It was a pretty harsh revenge for what he'd done to me at the summer camp, altough I had no hand in it.

He was in this very hospital, barely a few rooms away from where I was.

"Let's just say it has its pros and cons. The pros include immediate hunting of All for One and his henchmen : no need to wait for permits or comply with laws... Give me the chicken salad"

I handed him the box, devouring a pasta salad myself.

"The downside is that the army, in short the government, will take this opportunity to clean up Tokyo. There's going to be a lot of quick executions following mock trials.
A lot of vilains are going to be killed in the next few days"

"I don't see why that's a problem"

I believed those who took benefit of last night's chaos to secretly carry out their plans deserved nothing less than prison, so death penalty...

He swallowed before answering.

"I mentioned the villains, but that includes each and every civilians and Heroes suspected of having a connection to All for One. It's as though we've restored death penalty"

My thoughts went back to Keigo, who had vanished.

They wouldn't execute him for assaulting a civilian, would they ?

No, of course they wouldn't do anything to him.

Hawks was far too useful.

"The most worrying thing is that there is only one man in charge. He can do whatever he wants, and even after the state of emergency is lifted, he won't be held accountable for anything"

His outlook on things surprised me for he had been a soldier.

"Don't you agree with martial law's establishment ?"

He qualified his remarks.

"I understand the necessity, but no one should ever have the right of life and death over their fellow human beings. It's that kind of thing that leads to abusive situations and overzealousness"

I could see what he meant, but on the other hand, in light of that night's disaster, I also understood the need to hunt down culprits and make examples of them.

We kept eating quietly, each of us shoveling sandwich after sandwich without stopping.

I drank a can, watching him out of the corner of my eye, waiting for him to finish his egg salad before I asked.

"Hey, I was wondering"

"Hmm ?"

He opened a can of cold tomato soup and drank right out of the lid.

"We didn't have time to talk about what happened at the shrine"

He shrugged.

"It happened what happened"

The can I set on the table rang louder than I'd expected.

"Don't your feel guilty ?" I asked. "All those people... they died because of us"

Without looking me in the eye, he kept eating.

"Not because of us" he said. "In spite of us"

It sounded worse.

"Still, I feel..."

It took me a few seconds to find the right words.

"I feel we could've done more"

Suddenly, he snapped.

His angry eyes glared at me.

"And what did you want us to do, huh ? Neither you nor I are gods. We can't bring the dead back to life, no matter how hard we try. We fought at the risk of our lives to save them, but every time we thought one would make it out alive, another one of those fucking Nomus fell from the sky and beheaded them"

His mouth was a hard line, his wrinkles more accentuated by fatigue, his eyes red from burst blood vessels, his dirty skin covered in dried blood.

His tone was rough, yet there was something fragile in his gaze, a gleam that told me his anger wasn't aimed at me.

"Don't make the mistake of thinking this night our fault," he said. "And don't make the mistake of blaming yourself. We did the best we could've and it wasn't enough. There's nothing more to say"

I held his gaze for a second before looking away.

Hadn't that always been my problem ? Wasn't this the root of all the ills that had plagued me since childhood ?

I was afraid of not being good enough, so I trained harder and harder to be invincible, but it had never been enough.

Worst of all, I could only see two solutions to the problem : feel sorry for myself or train harder.

I was like a horse with blinders on, unable to see anything but the path laid out for him, driven by the whips it was given.

Dad's soothing hand rested on my shoulder.

His voice had softened.

"It's hard for me too", he murmured. "I was there with you, just as helpless : you weren't alone as they died around us. Remember one thing, Shoto : you could be the most powerful man on earth, you still wouldn't be able to save everyone"

I refused to believe it.

There had to be a day when I'd be enough, there had to be.

Otherwise, what was the point of everything I'd went through ?

There had to be a reason, there had to be a point, there had to be something at the end of the tunnel.

Or else I don't know how I can go on with my life.

There was a knock at the door.

I stretched my senses around us.

Only one person and no one I recognized.

"Someone needed to see you ?", I asked dad

Surely he had Hero business to attend to - even though Heroes were all temporarily relieved of their duties.

"Not that I know of", he said, eyebrows furrowed.

Before he could make the smallest gesture I was already on my feet, right hand on the handle, left arm at my side.

From my left hand, slightly hidden behind my thigh, sprang an ice knife.

Dad did not comment.

I opened the door, barely ajar enough for the one behind to only see me

"Endeavor-san, Todoroki-san," a loud, clear voice greeted

A soldier in fatigues stood in the doorway.

"General Shirai wants to speak with you"

*

A/N :

End of the week chapters were previously published Friday and Saturday ; from now on it will be Saturday and Sunday.

Thanks a lot for your comments everyone, especially when you're just thanking me for the chapter : it's nice to know that the story is appreciated.

And by the way I read chapter 197 after publishing it and I was astonished by the amount of errors and nonsense I translated. Sorry about that, seems like my brain turned off at some point... I've started using grammarly on recent chapters and am now writing directly in English so hopefully there will be less mistakes.

Anyway, if you like to story and want to support it/ want to read ahead of schedule, go check the story's P@treon, Nar_cisseENG

And see you in the next update everyone !

 

[Nar_cisse]

General Shirai was a tall man.

Even when he was sitting behind his desk with his hands folded before his face, everyone could easily see as much.

His pale blonde hair bordered on white, and his equally pale blue eyes were sullen under low-set lids, yet alight with a menacing sparkle.

"Do you know why I sent for you ?"

It was eight in the morning, I hadn't slept in thirty-six hours - my father definitely more - dried blood caked my skin, blood clotted my hair so much I wanted to shave until bald, and I really, really didn't feel like playing riddles.

Neither did my father, clearly, because he didn't answer.

The General's office was large and spacious, a glass wall on the right overlooking Tokyo.

It wasn't a pretty sight.

"There's no need to be so tense", Gunhee grumbled, a smile in his voice, sitting nonchalantly in one of the four leather chairs behind us.

Easy to say when soldiers haven't dragged you from the hospital to the defense headquarters as if you were a criminal.

Under other circumstances I would've enjoyed a free tour, but since they'd cut us off in the middle of our meal - and especially in the middle of our conversation - I wasn't in a friendly mood.

I could see only one reason for this early summon, and that definitely had to do with being executed for some bullshit like "failing to protect all civilians as required by your Hero Contract".

I wasn't even a Hero, but this was the kind of catastrophic event to which I was accustomed.

The worst was still being hit by a point blank missile eleven years ago.

Oh, and also the fact that All for One had gouged out Aizawa's eyes.

How do you steal eyes anyway ? Do you screw them in and out like light bulbs ?

I never thought All for One the electrican kind of guy.

That's it, exhaustion is starting to make me delirious.

My eyes went back to the window.

Ten - no, eleven - floors separated us from the ground.

I hope Dad has enough gas for a Hell Flame.

With a bit of luck, we'd make it to China.

Then the Communists would get us.

Was China even Communist ? And was China the China I knew ?

Ever since the chaotic map of Europe Teka had shown me, I'd had no trust in my geographical knowledge.

The continents were the same, so surely-

"I wanted to thank you personnaly"

My eyes snapped to the General.

A micro-spasm flashed across my face : I felt my left eyebrow twitch in incomprehension.

If I'd had less decorum, I would have turned to my father, thumb up at myself, with the most bewildered look this world had ever seen.

"We don't deserve these thanks", Dad answered calmly.

I knew that, for him, we'd done nothing worthy of praise.

And I wholeheartedly agreed.

Shirai quietly studied us over his clasped hands.

He sighed, looked down at the scattered papers on his desk, and picked one up.


"Last night, at 5:06 a.m., you, Mr. Todoroki, and your son, here today with us, went to Tokyo to stop Dabi, a criminal under house arrest, while he was fighting Hawks, a Hero. Correct ?"

Dad showed no emotion.

"Correct"

"You were then the first responders to last night's terrorist attack. You tracked down Hero Eraserhead to rescue him, and then you faced the perpetrator of the attack, just the two of you, alone, to prevent him from causing any more harm. Correct ?"

"Correct"

"You managed to evacuate a neighborhood of precisely 722 civilians in merely minutes before it was obliterated. You gathered them at the foot of Atago-Jinja and begun organizing them when no less than" He glanced at his sheet "112 creatures, according to our initial count, were apparated at the shrin"

"It wasn't 112", I said. "At least not at first. They came in waves"

First 38, then so many I couldn't count.

The General looked up at me.

"What difference does it make ?"

He spoke harshly, yet I could tell he was genuinely surprised.

Saying there were 112 Nomus suggested that we'd been overwhelmed all at once, not gradually.

112 suggested that we had no alternative but failure, that the deaths of all those civilians weren't our fault, that we shouldn't feel guilty.

I shrugged.

"I like precision"

The General nodded briefly and resumed his reading.

Dad, on the other hand, shot me a sideways glance, and I knew he understood what I was getting at.

"You stood your ground, alone and without backup, for nearly 40 minutes in hope to save the civilians. You fought relentlessly against creatures that single-handedly wiped out entire sectors of our city"

He put down his paper and looked at us one by one.

"What, in this account, doesn't deserve appreciation ?"

I felt as I were both scolded and praised simultaneously.

"Don't be like that, General," Gunhee said. "The Todoroki are extremely modest"

Shirai mouth's opened, but my father cut him off:

"We merely did what we had to do. I'm sure there are dozens of Heroes and policemen out there who have done at least as much as we have, but who will never get the credit and appreciation they should"

He didn't look at me, but I knew he was talking to me.

Shirai scrutinized my father for a few moments, his mouth resting against his closed hands, pensive.

"... admittedly"

He sank back into his chair, his features smoothing somewhat, though his gaze remained steely.

"I have very little free time, as you can imagine. I'm sorry to have sent for you so early in the morning and not have left you time to, ah, freshen up first"

He shook his hand towards our clothes.

We were still dirty and covered in blood.

In fact, I had the impression that my bloodied footprints were leaving traces on the grey carpet.

- Even if you don't want me to thank you, let me offer you breakfast"

He pressed the microphone on his intercom.

"You may enter"

Moments later, a hearty breakfast for four was placed on the coffee table and we all gathered around it.

I sat across from my father and next to Gunhee, while the general sat in my diagonal.

"Please, go ahead"

He motioned for us to get started, helping himself to eggs and toast with a cup of coffee.

Dad ate immediately ; I had the impression he had no regard for the General nor his rank.

I slowly filled my plate and poured myself a cup of tea, knowing full well that the little caffeine in it wouldn't keep manage to keep me awake once we got home.

I could have used a genjutsu, but I was too tired for that, so I settled for the good old technique of gulping everything down in one fell swoop, tea included.

I gulped hard.

My stomach gurgled loudly and painfully as if I were about to have diarrhea.

Gunhee and Shirai both looked up at me, the former with an amused expression and the latter with raised eyebrows.

I put my hand on my stomach, my eyes squinting like a crescent moon as if I were smiling.

I think something went down wrong

"The food was nice, thank you"

Dad was buttering a piece of bread, a quiet laugh shaking his shoulders.

I knew he knew I was going to have the shit of my life when we got home.

"You're very fast," Shirai said.

I didn't know if he was waiting for an answer, so I shrugged.

"There are faster people than me"

Gunhee laughed.

"What happened to the confident, reckless teen who told me merely six months ago that he'd once day open the sea in two ?"

I shrugged again, though the memory of the Yuei's championship amused me to no end.

So much had happened since then.

It seemed as if it were a decade ago.

"I was young"

And extremely stupid, and extremely arrogant, and extremely self-centered.

"You were in charge of evacuating the civilians, weren't you ? Not that I don't think you're up to the task, Mr. Todoroki, it's just that the speed with which events unfolded suggests that a Quirk was involved"

"No offense taken", Dad replied indifferently

Shirai focused back on me.

"I'd like to know how you managed to evacuate the civilians so quickly. On such short notice, it's nothing short of a miracle"

I humbly accepted the praise, for praise was better than public execution.

"I ran"

"I beg your pardon ?"

"I ran", I insisted.

Then, under his persistent gaze, I added :

"I ran very fast"

The general looked at me for a long moment without blinking, completely stunned.

Gunhee, on the other hand, was covering his mouth with his hand, although his narrowed eyes shone with mischief.

Dad looked at me over his cup of coffee, amused.

"He's very tired" he explained. "He always gets a little dizzy when he hasn't slept in a while"

I wanted to argue that I really hadn't done anything but run, but my attention was drawn to the golden rays of the rising sun, finally breaking through the clouds.

The rain seemed to have stopped.

I really, really wanted to sleep.

Does God Mode mean we can use the sun's energy ?

A super attack like a solar flare would be pretty dope.

But how do you connect to the sun ?

My eyes went back to my father, who seemed to be in deep discussion with the other two.

I'd ask him later : he always had an answer for everything.

"And what about you ?"

The three of them looked at me intently.

"What about me ?"

"As a token of my gratitude, I'd like to offer you something - within reason, of course. Tell me what you'd like"

The rational, strategic part of my almost asleep brain screamed at me that there were a thousand things I could ask the Supreme Commander of our armies that would give me a major advantage in the future, especially for my big plan of global terrorism - but no matter how hard I tried to rack my (empty) brain, there was only one thing I really wanted.

*

A/N : If you want to read ahead of schedule, go check the story's P@treon, Nar_cisseENG

And see you in the next update everyone !

 

[Nar_cisse]

"I'd like some information concerning Hawks"

"Hawks ?", Shirai replied, surprised

"Hawks the hero," I explained.

Perhaps he didn't know who I was talking about.

Did soldiers give a damn about heroes, or were they, for them, merely idiots in tight suits ?

"I know who Hawks is"

"Do you ?"

I doubted it.

He looked annoyed.

"I've got a picture in my phone," I said. "It was when I was teaching him how to ride a bike for...."

I fumbled in my pocket.

Damn, seems I've lost my phone.

"You taught Hawks how to ride a bike ?"

Dad seemed stunned.

"I figured he had to learn how to, since no one would expect him to. Now he can go around town incognito. The Zodiac did the same thing in the '60s"

Everybody looked at me like I'd gone crazy.

"You know, the Zodiac, the murderer"

No reaction.

"Anyway," the General said, turning to my father. "I'll make inquiries about him and send you according information"

"I'd like to see him," I insisted. "To visit him, too"

The Commission had all but disappeared after soldiers took control of the city : it was impossible to know where Hawks had been taken or who had done so.

Even Jin Woo hadn't been able to answer my queries.

The only thing I knew was that in his condition, he was either in a bed or in a grave.

"We'll get your credentials," the general said. "What about you, Mr. Todoroki ?"

"I can't think of anything"

The general nodded.

"There's no time limit"

His clear eyes slid to mine.

"Why don't you tell us why you really brought us here ?"

His attention snapped to Dad.

"Doesn't the lure of lunch in the company of the two men who held the creatures' attention long enough for my army to sneak into the city seem like a good enough reason ?"

Dad didn't even bother answering.

Shirai chuckled, mouth hidden behind a cup of coffee.

"I knew you weren't as gullible as all those Heroes parading through the streets and taking selfies"

He made a mocking gesture ; to me, the compliment seemed backhanded.

"Told you so", Gunhee smiled.

Shirai took a sip, then slammed his cup as he put it down.

"I'll be frank with you : the yen is in free fall, the population is on the verge of a nervous breakdown, and the Prime Minister wants radical and effective action. I've got a lot to do in a very short amount of time, and I think you can help me. As a matter of fact, Gunhee recommanded you to me"

Gunhee's gaze crossed with dad's : he modestly nodded.

"We did our military classes together a long time ago," he explained to Shirai. "He's a good man - his son's proving be made of the same stone"

The corner of my mouth quirked up unintentionally.

"It seems so, yes" Shirai said. "That's why I wanted to talk to you today - and obviously because of the major part you played last night. It is my intention to hold a court-martial in private. The results of the proceedings will be broadcast each evening at 8:00 p.m. to keep the public somewhat updated.

He poured himself another cup of coffee.

It was his third.

"I'd like the two of you to be there ceremionnaly " he explained. "Of course, you and several other heroes will fill the ranks of the court room, but you were recommended to me first. You will not have to attend the trials : they will be held in private, and the sentences will be carried out just as quickly. I only want you to be seen on camera during public announcements. Any objections ?"

Gunhee and I turned together to Dad.

"Aren't Heroes relieved of their duties ?"

"They are"

"And you want to use our notoriety to support your politics ?"

Shirai shot him a blank look.

"Are you going to ask me to pay for your image rights ?"

Dad shot back the same look.

"That would be a legitimate request"

Gunhee smiled.

My eyes darted between my father and Shirai.

"Should I take your answer as a refusal ?"

"We'll think about it," Dad replied, drinking the end of his tea in one gulp

"Which, of course, is your right, despite all of those who pretend martial law is a dictatorship"

Exactly what Dad believes.

Shirai's pale eyes darted towards me.

"Seeing how... tired you are, I won't keep you any longer. Again, thank you for your service to our country"

He dismissed us without further ado, keeping Gunhee with him to discuss 'strategy'.

If I'd been thinking clearly, I would have left a clone with them to listen to what they were saying.

And I'd be dead because I don't even have enough chakra to make a kawarimi.

"Come on, let's go home," Dad said. "I've got an extra bed in my tower. I'll take the sofa"

It took a few moments for my brain to register what he'd just said.

"Right, your headquarters. But weren't we supposed to check out the hospital first ?"

"The general has allowed us to get a check up at their sick bay"

That explained why the four soldiers escorting us were taking a different route.

"You'd know that if you'd listened instead of staring stupidly out the window"

I grunted in reply.

"Am tired"

Maybe after a good year's sleep I'd find the strength to be ashamed of this self-inflicted public humiliation.

"I know"

We walked down some stairs.

"Why did you refuse his request ?", I murmured.

"For the same reason I've never agreed to appear side to side with any campaigning politician" he replied in the same tone.

We arrived at the first floor.

"We're still going to be stuck in Tokyo for a while. Neither you nor I will have anything to do. At least it'll keep us busy"

He shot me a sidelong glance.

"You sound like you're keen to get involved. I didn't think you were much of a patriot"

I shrugged.

"I'm not really, no, but I thought it might be good for your public image"

"Shoto" he said, eyebrows furrowed. "I've told you many times that what happened wasn't your fault. You don't have to force yourself to do anything in order to-"

"I know", I cut him off. "I know. But the opportunity is too good to pass up. If I'm seen with you - if we're seen - among those who protected Tokyo, it will be a great PR success for your reputation"

I was one of the people who saved Tokyo.

I wasn't used to thanks nor praise - to be honest, I was accustomed to bringing chaos and sowing misery.

I may not have saved all of the civilians, but no one held that against me.

And now, because I'd helped, because I'd done something good, I could repay my father and ease his burden.

"We didn't talk about what happened on the roof," he said, "When we... found Hawks"

We turned a corner.

I didn't want to argue with him again, but I wasn't going to back down.

"I wouldn't have fought with you," I explained. "But I don't regret what I did, and if I had to, I'd do it all over again"

"I know," he said. "And I don't blame you. I'm actually quite proud"

I had to look at him twice to make sure he wasn't lying.

"Are you ?"

He scoffed.

"Of course I am. Why would I ever lie to you ? It takes courage to do what we believe is right, even when those closest to us are against us. I may not have agreed with the way you acted, but you stood your ground. That's a quality few men have"

My heart swelled with pride.

"But do me a favor : in the future, if you disagree with me, talk to me. Nothing is ever worth us fighting over"

When we got home, I slept for three days straight.

*

A/N : If you like the story and want to support it, go check the story's P@treon, Nar_cisseENG

And see you in the next update everyone !

 

[Nar_cisse]

When Neito woke up, he was handcuffed.

For a while he, confused, tried to sit-up, metal chain clanking against the bed's rods. Tear-filled eyes, he blinked, gazing at the room while he was trying to recall his whereabouts.

A white door stood before him.

There were no furniture, no windows.

Neito groaned and propped himself on one elbow, left arm stretched out behind because of the handcuff.

The sheets covering his knees fell to the floor, revealing an ugly blue hospital gown riding up his thighs.

His throat was on fire, and a throbbing pain - as if someone were punching him repeatedly - shot up from the left side of his skull and thundered down his face to his jaw.

Something was strangling his throat.

Groping awkwardly, Neito's fingers worked their way up from his torso to his neck.

A hard but slightly spongy surface encircled his neck : a cervical collar ?

He tried to look down, but a new wave of pain stabbed him from top to bottom.

Neito flinched, grimacing.

Simultaneously, the door opened.

A woman entered, walking purposefully over his bed.

Neito turned his head to ask for water, but another flash of pain struck him.

The woman's lips moved : Neito heard nothing.

She waited a few seconds, her hands on her hips.

Neito noticed that she was dressed in green.

What kind of nurse dressed in green ?

She grew impatient and spoke again.

Neito frowned.

She was tapping her foot - Neito knew this because he could see her leg twitching - yet she made no sound.

Was it the sleeping pill they'd administered him ?

"I can't hear you", Neito said.

The woman winced and drew her head back, yet she remained quiet.

She grabbed him by the chin and gently turned his head to the side ; Neito flinched.

He thought she was speaking because he felt her warm breath against his ear.

Neito, bewildered, watched her as she left the room, mumbling a few words to him that he, again, could not hear.

As the door slammed behind her, Neito absentmindedly noticed that she was wearing fatigues.

A soldier ? Why would a soldier be looking after him ?

And where was his uncle ? How long had he been there ? Why couldn't he hear anything ?

The woman soon returned with two more medics in fatigues

They were all talking lively and Neito watched them bustle around him, puzzled.

One of them grabbed his left bicep, while another forced him to look into his eyes before pointing a flashlight at them.

Neito jerked back, eyes burning.

They kept going through their lightning-fast checks without a care in the world, their mouths opening and closing rapidly whereas his anxiety grew.

The door opened again and a new man entered, carrying white sheets and a large black marker.

He smiled kindly at Neito, sat down at the foot of his bed and scribbled on them.

Neito watched him quietly, feeling increasingly as if he were pranked on national TV.

The man turned the sheet over to him.

It read : 'You are Neito Monoma, 16, a student of the Heroic course at Yuei, right ?'

Neito nodded.

The man withdrew the paper, making room for the next one.

'Do you remember what happened last night at Tokyo?

Last night ? Neito had the feeling that he was talking about what had happened before he fainted.

"I do"

The man pulled his head back, grimacing as if Neito had screamed.

He raised his hand, then lowered it three times in a row ; Neito understood what he was getting at.

The man turned over to the next page.

'Martial law has been declared in the capital : the military has taken full control of Tokyo'.

New paper.

'You are now under our jurisdiction until further notice'

Neito frowned and jerked his head back again : a new surge of pain ran through his head.

"Jurisdiction ? Why ? I haven't done anything"

He had whispered ; no one flinched.

The man scribbled on the paper.

'You confessed to pro Hero Mirko yesterday that your classmate was a traitor allied with All for One, didn't you ?'

Neito confirmed.

'Mirko has disappeared, just like your classmate'

"Mirko was eaten by three Nomus", Neito said. "And Uraraka tried to kill me"

He barely paused for half a second.

"Then the Nomus killed her"

The man seemed to consider his answer.

He wrote something else.

"What's wrong with my ears ?" asked Neito. "I can't hear anything. Is it a tranquilizer ? And my uncle, where is he ? When can I go out ?"

The man seemed to examine Neito for a bit before he crossed out his first sentence and wrote something else.

Neito watched him anxiously.

He turned the paper over to him.

'It seems you've become deaf'

*
The first thing that crossed Nezu's mind when he saw Aizawa was the word 'waste'.

He was sitting on a hospital bed, his back supported by bouncing pillows, a bright window behind him.

The room was spacious, luxurious, the best one could afford in a hospital.

Bands of white gauze were wrapped around his eyes and head, running through his hair. Two large cotton pads covered the empty cavities that acted as his eyes ; this was to mop up any pus leaking out.

The nurse busied herself around Aizawa.

He followed her movements with a second's delay, catching on the sound of her shoes clattering on the tiled floor.

"I've put a new pillow for you," she said, her voice trailing off.

She cut off every words as if talking to a child, her voice perky in a way that had no reason to be.

Nezu watched her, gaze blank, inwardly assessing her every move.

Aizawa gave an embarrassed, disparaging smile.

He nodded in her direction.

"Understood"

His face was tilted too low ; it was as if he were talking to her stomach.

The nurse smiled brightly, placed her hands on her knees, and leaned forward.

"If you need anything, you only have to push this button"

She took Aizawa's hand and led him to the top rung of the bed, where a big red button protruded.

"It's a very big button so it's easy for you to find, ok ? Press it once and somebody will come right away. But don't play with it, ok ? It's only for emergencies"

Aizawa's face tightened: Nezu expected him to get angry.

But his features smoothed out and he answered calmly :

"Alright"

"You're a good boy. I'll bring you a treat tonight"

She left the room, beaming, shoting Nezu a big smile as she walked past him.

Nezu, standing at the foot of Aizawa's bed, watched him quietly.

Aizawa clenched the blanket between his fists, frustrated.

The door slammed shut.

He remained motionless, head down, petrified by his weakness.

Nezu, gaze sharp, couldn't help but wonder what he was feeling, he who had had the power to make men powerless and now was nothing.

Nezu wondered what it felt like to have been a god among men and to now be worth less than the weakest among them.

Shota had dedicated his life to being a Hero ; what did he have left now but misery and self-scourging ?

Without his Quirk, he was worthless.

Would he spiral downward ? Would he drown his impotence in alcohol ? Would he try to destroy himself ? Did he hate humans, now, now ? Did he resent them ? Would he try to make them pay ?

Would he kill himself ?

Suddenly - as if moved by a sixth sense - Aizawa raised his head.

"Is anyone there ?"

His eyeless face swept over the room from right to left, foolishly, as if he hoped to see someone.

His voice lowered until it was but a whisper.

"Nezu ?"

His voice, weak, wavered.

He sounded like the child he'd been when Nezu had rescued him from the orphanage.

What use was he to Nezu now ?

Aizawa waited.

Nezu didn't answer.

Then, slowly, Aizawa lay down on the bed, turned on his side and pulled the blanket up to his nose.

Then he cried.

Silent sobs shook his shoulders, waterless tears rolled down his cheeks, the blanket folded over his face muffling his moans.

Nezu watched, his scornful mask crumbling in spite of himself.

When he couldn't stand it any longer, Nezu silently stepped outside, his face twisted in fury.

*

A/N : This is Sunday chapter. Monday one is coming tomorrow

If you like the story and want to support it, go check the story's P@treon, Nar_cisseENG

And see you in the next update everyone !

 

[Nar_cisse]

Chisaki raised his hands : the handcuffs clicked, the wire connecting them with the table rattling ominously.

"You said we'd talk," he said, calm for now. "May I ask why am I handcuffed ?"

Arms crossed, mouth resting on his closed left fist raised, the officer in front of him examined him intently.

He then sighed and straightened up, tapping the file on the table with his knuckle.

"There are some inconsistencies in your story, Mr. Chisaki," the soldier said. "We'd like to clarify a couple of things"

"And does that warrant me being treated like a prisoner ?"

"Your Quirk deserves at least these precautionnary measures"

Kai had no outward reaction.

Didn't they know that he could-

"Although it's not much use since you can also affect non-living things..."

Ah, there went his advantage over them.

"But it reassure my colleagues," he said, gesturing to the stained glass window overlooking the audition room.

Kai's eyes slid over it for a second : how many people were watching him ?

"Listen," Chisaki said. "I was asked to help against the creatures last night, and that's what I did. Give me back my nephew and let me go home"

The officer tapped on the table, impervious.

"Speaking of your nephew... I hope you know he's the reason you're here"

Kai fell silent.

He feigned surprise and straightened.

"Neito ?"

"This is what we're going to do," the soldier explained. "We'll ask you a bunch of questions that you'll have to answer honestly. Once you've done so, we'll let you go, alright ?"

It sounded too good to be true, but with all those soldiers out there, he wouldn't be able to get out of there by brute force.

And he still didn't know where Neito was.

"Understood ?"

"Yes"

He opened a folder.

"You went out last night around 5 a.m. to get your nephew, who"d sent you a text. Correct ?"

"It was around that time, yes"

"What were you doing awake at that time ?"

"I have insomnia"

The soldier shot a discreet glance at the window.

Kai watched intently.

"Why did you get out despite the chaos you knew the city was in ?"

Kai raised his hands ; the handcuffs jingled.

"You said it yourself : my Quirk"


"Did you went out in order to hurt people ?"

"My Quirk enables me to defend myself well, and I have a licence to use it on public places. As you know, this includes self-defense in the eventuality of an attack"

"Were you attacked by anyone ?"

"Only by Nomus"

"Did you use your Quirk on them ?"

"Several times, actually"

"Did you use your Quirk on civilians ?"

The girl had been a Hero in training.

"No"

"How long did it take you to get to the location your nephew sent you ?"

"I wouldn't know exactly".

"Give me a rough estimation"

"I wouldn't know exactly"

The officer glanced over his documents.

"Did you find him there when you went to the location ?"

"No"

"Was there anything unusual about the place ? Maybe blood or screams ?"

Chisaki's eyebrow cocked arrogantly.

"There were screams all over the city that night"

"Was any screams there, yes or no ?"

"How could I remember ?"

"I'm asking you to answer only with yes or no"

"It's difficult : I don't remember well"

Another glance at the window.

Chisaki's gaze sharpened : he was starting to get a hunch as to why he was in this room.

"How did you know where to find your nephew?

"I called his headmaster"

"You do have the phone number of Yuei's principal ?"

"It's given to all parents in case of an emergency"

A certain number was given to all parents: Chisaki, on the other hand, had his private number - not that the officer needed to know.

"What did you tell him ?"

"I explained the situation and asked if he could help me find him"

"Are you close to Nezu ?"

They weren't friends, merely business partners.

"No"

"How did you know to call him ?"

"Who else could I call ?"

"Keep your answers clear Mr. Chisaki", the soldier reminded him firmly

"I'm thirsty," Kai said. "Can I have some water ?"

"As soon as you've answered all of our questions, I'll bring it to you personally"

"I thought you were going to let me go once we were done ?"

"You'd waste your time looking for our kitchen : I'll bring it back to you"

Chisaki said nothing else : his eyes drifted back to the one-way window.

He had been grilled by police officers in his youth, but no one had ever asked him such closed questions : usually, the aim was to get detainees to talk as much as possible in order for them to give themselves away.

Today, it seemed like they just wanted to lock Kai up and force him to respond to hyper-specific scenarios.

He had to remain evasive.

"Once you arrived where you nephew was, did you find him alone ?"

"There were also Nomus. I took care of them"

"Do you know who Ochaco Uraraka is ?"

Kai took longer to answer.

"She's one of Neito's classmates, yes"

"Have you ever met her ?"

"I don't think so"

"Do you know what she looks like ?"

"I think I've seen her on TV, yes, at Yuei's Championship"

"Did you kill her ?"

Surprise and confusion crossed Chisaki's face.

"What did you just say ?"

The officer's dark eyes bore into Chisaki.

He uttered every word carefully.

"Did you kill Ochaco Uraraka ?"

And all of a sudden, Kai realized that the agonizing wait they'd made him endure, the hours of isolation, the cold, damp cell, and now this whole fucking discussion had no other purpose than to lead him to this very question.

"Why would I have killed her ?"

"Answer the question Mr. Chisaki"

"I had no reason to kill her"

True : either she stayed alive or not, nothing would've changed in his life.

He killed her merely because he coul.

"Did you kill her or did you not ?"

Whatever his answer was, Chisaki was in deep shiy.

"I killed the three Nomus and then took my nephew with me. Maybe they killed her first, I don't know"

The soldier started to get annoyed.

"The question I asked you is very clear, Mr. Chisaki. Did you or did you not kill Ochaco Uraraka ?"

And only because he had a very good idea who was listening, Chisaki didn't dare to lie.

Instead, he chose to go on the offensive:

"I've been here for 36 hours," he snarled, anger visible in his eyes. "Not one of you has even bothered to bring me a glass of water. You took my nephew away after explicitly telling me you'd heal him : I cooperated, I helped you get rid of those damn creatures, and now you ask me if I've killed a child ?"

The soldier, eyebrows furrowed, opened his mouth but Chisaki interrupted :

"My daughter is waiting for me. She must be worried sick. Let me go home"

Anger surged through him as he spoke.

He had thought it strange that they'd wanted to take a statement from him and him alone after he had helped the three Heroes in Atago-Jinja ; and now he was in the lion's den, unable to do anything.

The soldier, lips pursed, seemed to think for a few seconds, then put the file back on the table.

"I'll be frank with you : we suspect your nephew of being a traitor allied to All for One.
His classmate disappeared at an extremely convenient time, perhaps to make us think she'd escaped in the chaos"

"And you think I helped him ?"

The soldier didn't answer, but his silence was clear.

"I've told you the whole truth," Chisaki insisted. "Now it's up to you to listen to me or not"

His eyes shone wckedly.

"Either you let me go home, or..."

The soldier looked down nervously at his handcuffs : hairline cracks were spreading across the metal.

Overhaul let his threat hang in the air for a few seconds.

"Martial law is in effect," the officer reminded him. "If you show the slightest inclination to violence against law enforcers, we will have no choice but to retaliate with equal lethality"

They'd execute him like a dog.

Chisaki took a long breath to calm his nerves.

"Did you kill Ochaco Uraraka ?"

Chisaki didn't answer.

With so many soldiers around, he was plainly screwed.

All they had to do was send him the shadows dude and everything would be over for him.

And if he did manage to escape, what would happen to his family ? His clan ?

Thus Chisaki didn't answer.

The officer looked unfazed.

He repeated his question three times.

Chisaki didn't even look at him.

The soldier stood up, chair scraping against the floor.

He slammed the door behind him.

He stepped into the second room.

"Detective Naomasa, what do you think ?"

Naomasa held his chin in one hand, eyes fixed on Chisaki.

On the other side of the window Chisaki raised his handcuffed wrists, eyebrows raised.

"He's telling the truth"

"The way he avoided the question about Uraraka is suspicious"

"True," Naomasa admitted. "But it would have been even more suspicious if he'd known I was there : you'd think his refusal to answer could be the result of frustration or anger"

Naomasa wasn't the kind of person you'd hire to deal with petty criminals.

Few on the force knew who he was, and even fewer knew his Quirk.

"Still, he avoided the last question concerning the girl way too much..."

The officer wanted a clear answer, so Naomasa cleared his throat:

"I don't know. We need more time to be sure, but it'll be difficult if he refuses to talk"

At first, they'd only kept Kai Chisaki under observation because of his connection to Neito Monoma, yet his Quirk and the weird mistrust he'd shown had made them wary of him.

"We'll keep him for another 24 hours", the officer said. "Thank you for the trouble you went through, Detective. We'll be in touch if there's any need for your services"

*

A/N : If you like the story, want to support it and read ahead of schedule, go check the story's P@treon, Nar_cisseENG

And see you tomorrow in the next update everyone !

 

[Nar_cisse]

Paralyzed.

Even if he woke up, Touya would be paralyzed for the rest of his life.

The doctors had said he'd used his Quirk too much : they said his organs were slowly melting away and there was nothing they could do about it.

They gave him three months, maybe two.

Then his body would shut down completely.

His skin, parchment-like, was a striking contrast to the clean white sheets of the clinic, burned and stitched amateurishly.

The doctors had admitted that any attempt to forcefully wake him up would be nothing short of suicide.

Touya, hair dyed black, was nothing like the child Enji remembered.

He looked dead.

He was dead

Killed on the roof of an abandoned building by Keigo Takami.

What Enji saw before his eyes was a corpse, nothing more than a fleshy shell that held nothing.

He would never wake up again - never.

But Enji kept hoping that he would.

Was it wrong of him to hope that, by some miracle, he would open his eyes and live ?

Was it wrong to hope that he would live a normal life like every other kid out here ?

Enji knew that Touya had caused harm, far too much harm to be allowed to live unpunished. If he woke up, he would surely be sent to Tartarus to atone for his crimes, regardless of the few months he had left.

He wished so much things were different.

Enji remembered how blissfully happy he'd been when he'd found him at the police station.

He remembered the tears on Rei's cheeks, the disbelief on Natsuo and Fuyumi's faces.

He remembered the anger in Shoto's eyes.

Enji had ignored his displeasure, hadn't tried to figure out the reason for such a strong feeling.

He'd been far too happy for that.

Touya coming back to life meant that Enji could redeem himself. Touya's return meant that they could all start over - maybe even become a real family again.

Enji shouldn't have ignored Shoto's anger.

Because soon after, Touya and Hawks had found themselves at the same place at the same time in the middle of the night.

And they had resolved to kill each other.

Enji stopped cut short his thoughts, unwilling to think about it any further, even though deep inside he knew.

He knew Shoto better than anyone else - hell, he could even say that he knew his son better than he knew himself.

When Shoto had remained behind for Hawks while Enji had run towards Touya, alarm bells had gone off in Enji's head.

When Shoto had frozen when he saw that Touya was still alive, Enji had understood.

He should have been angry.

He couldn't.

Enji knew Shoto better than anyone else.

Looking in his eyes he'd felt his confusion, his anger, his frustration and his fear as if they were his own.

Enji couldn't find it in himself to blame him.

He understood his son better than he understood himself.

He knew exactly why he did what he did.

Enji had begged him to save his brother and despite all his hatred and resentment, Shoto had knelt in his blood and obeyed.

He'd knelt down and nursed him back to health because his father had asked him to.

Enji couldn't blame him.

He loved him far too much do to so.

The envelope crumpled in his clenched fist.

Enji tore himself away from his bedridden son for a moment to look at it.

It contained everything about Hawks whereabouts.

Enji could kill him for murdering his son.

But Shoto was already far too worried about all the civilians they hadn't been able to rescue - Enji didn't feel like making him any sadder.

He was too tired of fighting, too tired of catastrophic revelations, too tired of life.

Slowly, Enji opened his fist, smoothed the letter's folds and put it in his pocket.

His eyes flicked back to Touya.

His pale fingers dangled lightly from the edge of the mattress.

Enji took his icy hand between his and squeezed it between his palms as if to warm it.

He remembered the day Touya had been born.

It had been spring, the first flowers of the year were in full bloom : Rei had called him in a hurry to tell him that she was on her way to the hospital, that the labor had begun and that he had to meet her there.

He'd been so panicked that he'd fumbled on arresting a random villain and had flown all over the city, Hell Flame blazing. Many civilians had panicked when they'd seen him rushing by, believing that there was an actual disaster.

He remembered the first time he'd held him in his arms. He remembered the softness of his skin against his, the way his tiny hand had wrapped around his finger, the little blue hat he'd worn. He remembered Rei's amused look when he took him in his arms and his panic when he repeated over and over that he would drop him.

He remembered how much he loved soccer. He also remembered the silly fairies cartoon he'd loved.

Then Shoto was born.

From then on, Enji's memories of his other children were hazy.

Their birthdays were just blurry memories that blended into each other, their smiles and faces merging into one rough 'failure'.

Shoto, however, was perfect

He'd had both his wife's and his Quirks, the body to back them up, and the right mindset. Shoto was intelligent, not whiny. Shoto didn't feel sorry for himself, he moved forward and looked for solutions within his reach. Shoto was different from his other children ; Enji had known that from the moment his eyes had first met his.

Shoto would be strong, Enji was sure of it.

The others didn't have the gifts, the ambition or the strength to live up to the perfect being Enji had envisioned, the one who would surpass him - who would surpass them all.

Shoto had needed Enji like no one else had ever needed him in his entire life.

Therefore, Enji had disregarded his other children.

Touya had disappeared for over ten years.

He and Fuyumi and Natsuo had drifted apart until it was awkward to greet each other. They didn't need him anyway ; they had Rei.

Enji had truly believed he loved all four of his children equally.

It was weird it took him so much time to realize that he was deluding himself.

He smiled bitterly.

Rei had been right all along, but he'd been too stubborn to acknowledge it.

If she'd realized it, then Touya did too.

Enji wondered how much it had hurt him.

He wondered how alone he must've felt, knowing his father saw him as a failure, as less worthy of his time, as less worthy of being loved.

And wasn't it ironic ?

Enji had spent his own chilhood trying to live up to the expectations of his mother, to be a worthy son of the powerful Teka Todoroki. Her love had been conditionnal on Enji meeting her expectations : he had to be stronger, smarter, faster, always two steps ahead of what she'd ask him to do next.

He'd shed sweat and blood for her to merely quirk a lip in approval, acknowledging his existence for the barest of moment before she looked elsewhere.

He'd craved her love, craved her time, craved her attention.

Having children had always been difficult for the Todoroki : their Quirk rendered difficult fertilization. He'd remembered how happy he'd been when he understood he would have no sibling : he wouldn't have to compete with anyone for crumbs of her affection.

He wondered if Touya had been annoyed at seeing baby after baby come in their household.

He wondered how differents things could've been if he'd listened to his wife and tried to understand his son, rather than punishing him for hurting. He'd wondered if Touya would've been normal if he had had another father.

Enji imagined Touya opening his eyes, groggy, asking where he was.

He tried to picture his eyes holding neither disgust nor loathing when they settled on him, but rather sparkling with joy and mischief, just as they had when he was a pure, innocent child.

Enji wished that Touya would stand up and hit him, he wished he would hear how much he hated him, he wished he would see anger lighting up his eyes the way it always lit up Shoto's ; Enji would have liked him to wake up and hate him with every bone of his body, telling him what a lousy father he'd been, cursing him until his throat hurt.

Enji wanted to apologize.

He wanted to apologize for being a pathetic father, too obsessed with his work to recognize the scope of the suffering that was eating away at his son.

He wished he'd been fifteen years ago so he could have plucked out the anger gnawing at him, held him in his arms and told him that he loved him, that he had nothing to worry about, that he loved him as much as he loved his brother.

It would've obviously been a soothing lie.

And wasn't it worse, in some way, this cruel honesty that Enji had only learnt after irreparable had happened ?

Enji would've given anything for one last chance to talk to him, to try to sort things out, to discuss things. He would've given anything for him to open his eyes one last time.

Enji wanted anything but that smothering silence.

He wasn't ready to let his son go.

Thus alone in a room with his child who would never wake up, Enji Todoroki cried.

*

A/N : If you like the story, want to support it/read ahead of schedule, go check the story's P@treon, Nar_cisseENG

And see you saturday in the next update everyone !

 

[Nar_cisse]

"You want me to sell you drugs ?"

Leo looked at me, mouth wide open, bloodshot, yellowish eyes wider than a fish's.

I got impatient.

"I'm not a cop, don't act like you have nothing"

His eyebrows were so furrowed that wrinkles creased his forehead vertically, as if a line split his face in two from the bridge of his nose to his hairline.

"That's not what I'm saying"

I stifled a sigh, my eyes sliding to the window overlooking Tokyo.

Léandre lived in a penthouse in one of the few parts of the capital that hadn't been struck during the attacks three days earlier.

His parents were extremely wealthy, they loved him dearly and spent all of their free time with him when they returned from business trips.

Leo decided to sell drugs for some reason that had nothing to do with lining his pockets ; I assumed it was boredom.

I guess when you don't have problems you feel the need to create some in order to feel alive.

"By the way, where is Natsume ?"

He took so much time to answer that I thought he wouldn't.

"He's training," Leo said, voice trailing off. "His coach says he's got what it takes to be a gold medalist"

I nodded.

"Why did you ask ?"

"I was just wondering what he was up to," I said. "It has been a long since I've seen him..."

"No, I meant, why do you want drugs ?"

I knew where he hid them : his apartment reeked.

It would only take a second to grab the packages and run - but I didn't feel like stealing from a friend.

"Why do heroes usually want drugs for ?"

Leo scowled.

His whitish skin was thinner than I remembered, drawn over his cheekbones like a thin curtain. His cheeks were more hollow and he looked weirdly tired.

"How do you know I sell to Heroes ?"

I snickered mockingly.

"How could you not ? They're the most overworked, exhausted guys in the world. After what happened this week, there's no way any of the heroes in this town are clean"

Except dad, of course, but he had the luxury of having tens of sidekicks taking care of paperwork and other administrative tasks, unlike everyone else.

"Is that why you want it ? Because you're tired ?"

I didn't have enough energy left to beat around the bush.

"Yes"

"What are you so tired of ?"

I frowned.

"You ask too many questions"

Leo laughed.

"If I didn't know you so well, that look would've scared me"

Sometimes I forgot that to people who'd known me for years, I was just a taciturn kid wearing a mask.

"Give me what I came for"

Leo sighed, slapped his thighs with his palms and shook his head sadly.

"Whereas I was so happy to see you : now all I want is for you to take you stuff and leave me alone"

He smiled and went to find what he needed in one of the bathrooms he didn't use.

He returned with a bag of white powder in see-through plastic, which he put into an empty flour bag.

"These are special bags," he explained. "I know a girl who knows a girl... Anyway, someone's Quirk can make bags odorless. No police dog will be able to catch you with it: but be careful, the moment you open it, the magic wears off"

He handed me the package : I raised my hand to take it but he pulled it back, eyebrows furrowed.

"Do you even know how to take it ?"

I was definitely irritated now.

"Leo"

"I don't want you to screw up and have Endeavor banging on my door, wondering why his kid died in his bathroom"

He pushed back his sofa and sat down in front of his coffee table then patted the floor next to him.

I reluctantly sat down.

He spent twenty minutes telling me how to take it, in which quantities, the ideal way to take it without dying, and all the emergency things to do if I felt something was wrong.

Then we tried together for he wanted to be sure I knew how to do it properly.

We ended up sitting on the floor laughing like sea lions, Mario Kart controllers in our hands, playing while the TV wasn't even on.

And then I threw up because I hadn't eaten in three days.

Leo laughed even louder.

*

Doing fuinjutsu under influence was either the worst mistake of my life or a stroke of genius.

I was painting at breakneck speed, the brush whirling and the ink hardly drying in time.

By letting my clones do all the work I'd forgotten the excitement of creating something new, of trying to push the boundaries of reality.

I didn't need to tire myself hoping to recreate Edo Tensei or Rinnegan or any other fantasy : fuinjutsu was art and I was the artist.

I needed to recapture the state of excitement that had allowed me to create my artificial sharingan ; drugs, in small doses, put me in a state of near-spiritual reflection. It allowed me to forget my physical limitations and focus 300% on what I was doing : I hadn't felt this energized in months.

Moving my head to the rhythm of an instrumental rock song, I was working in a darkness shrouded room.

My father's headquarters had been temporarily vacated until the Heroes got their licenses back ; his entire skyscraper had been emptied.

His side-kicks belongings were still scattered around, but apart from the two of us, there was no one else.

I leaned down and inhaled a line of coke through my nose, a finger pressed against the other nostril.

My body seemed to consume and purge drugs much faster than average ; I had to take doses every half hour to keep the effects from wearing off.

At this rate I'll have to go back to Leo's in a few days.

Dad was asleep a few floors up : he'd come home late from who knows where.

I'd used a headache as an excuse to go to bed early, and fortunately he hadn't paid too much attention to me, preoccupied with other things, thus I had no trouble slipping away.

I'll have to study the effects of drugs on my body. I feel like I've already recovered more chakra than I should - but maybe I'm just delirious.

Maybe that's what the soldier pills were all about ; drugs in capsules that make you forget your limits and boosted your chakra.

I just had to be careful not to become addicted.

There.

I lifted the paper sheet up to my face.

I still didn't understand how Tsunade was able to create her Seal of Creation and Rebirth without blowing her brains out, but maybe I had found a way to bastardize the process.

Two clones appeared next to me.

I put the matrix on the ground. The first one stepped on it, bare feet flat on the circles.

I glued my hands together, all fingers folded except for the index and middle fingers, which were facing their counterparts.

I activated my Sharingan and stepped back : the clone focused, his chakra flowing from his body to the drawing.

The concept was easy : if I could enclose a kunai in a storage seal, why not a clone ?

I had a vague recollection that you could seal corpses : the main difference with what I was trying to do was that kunais and human bodies were both physical and tangible.

Although clones were tangible, they had no physical matter as such and left nothing behind when they disappeared.

When sealing an object, it was necessary to coat it with a layer of chakra and then activate the seal with the same energy so that the matrix would recognize what it was : since a clone was pure chakra, I believed that-

The seal exploded.

I remained motionless and expressionless as a blast of hot wind swept across the desk and sending all of the things I'd been drawing everywhere.

Fortunately I'd put a silence seal before any experiments.

I grabbed one of the flying paper while my second clone cleaned up the mess.

I closed my eyes and visualized my clone's last memories, trying to figure out what had gone wrong.

It's going to be a long night.

*

A/N : If you like the story, want to support it and read ahead of schedule, then go check the story's P@treon, Nar_cisseENG

And see you in the next update everyone !

 

[Nar_cisse]

Keigo still hadn't woken up.

The doctors had put him in an artificial coma to protect his brain from the traumatic injuries he had suffered.

From what I was told, his condition had been so serious that even the Commission had been forced to send him to a private hospital for emergency treatment.

He had suffered two cardiac arrests during his first night in the emergency department, and another one only yesterday.

He had several broken ribs, a traumatic brain injury, and an aortic aneurysm.

His skin was so badly burnt that if they hadn't told me it was him, I wouldn't have believed them. Most of his hair had been incinerated, leaving a bald, reddened forehead. His head was wrapped in strips of gauze soaked in a green cream that made him look like a mummy - or a corpse in a shroud.

Even his smell had changed, muffled by the medicine.

Now he smelled like old people in nursing homes, weak and dependent.

Worst of all were his wings.

Hawks, because of the peculiarity of his anatomy, wasn't really resting on a hospital bed.

His body lay on a white foam mattress, raised slightly above a real mattress : a hole at the level of his shoulder blades left his wings hanging around him, so much so that the tips brushed the floor.

They, too, were wrapped in white bands.

No one would tell me what was going on : the doctors had made it a state secret, and the nurses refused to talk.

They all acted as if his wings were of national importance, as if learning about them would put the whole country in danger.

I could visit Keigo, but not worry about his wings, as if they were worth more than he was.

I was desesperate and yet afraid for him to wake up – I didn't know how to explain to him that he'd never be the man he was before that night.

His face was scarred.

I couldn't even bear to look at him while he laid motionless.

I felt as if I were the one who'd marked him.

We'd have to talk when he'd wake up.

I'll have to tell him about Dabi – tell him that he did it and, even if the crazy psychopath had been as resilient as a cockroach, he'd manage to wore him down enough for him to die.

He wouldn't have to know about his comatose state – it was as if he were dead, anyway.

I wanted Keigo to wake up and to tell me everything was okay, that he didn't hold it against me.

I wanted the guilt that was eating me from the inside out to be gone.

I wanted to have been cold enough to kill Dabi with my bare hands without a care for my father's feelings.

I was, too, weak and dependent. I'd always been, really.

I wanted to laugh out loud about how insane this whole situation was yet I couldn't for I felt it would be disrespectful towards Keigo.

I'm sure he would've liked you telling him how ironic this whole situation is.

I'd spent countless hours devising what should have been the perfect murder for Dabi to merely die because of an overused Quirk.

His medical record said his organs were melting, drop by drop, as if his own body was eating itself from inside out.

He'd spent his life devouring everything around him only to end up devouring himself.

Wasn't that some kind of cosmic justice ?

Things were finally going my way.

I was considered a savior, Touya was dead, Dad had no clue I did it and, well, Keigo would wake up any day now.

They said some special Doctor with a convenient Quirk would come from the United States once Tokyo's entrance ban ended ; meanwhile Keigo's body would have to heal the old fashioned way.

I just needed Keigo to wake up to be as close to happiness as I could ever hope to be in my whole life.

I wanted to tell him that he'd been more of a brother to me than my siblings could've ever been.

I needed him to wake up.

My gaze rose to the man next to me.

"I'd like to leave now"

The man nodded and guided me out.

I wasn't allowed to see Keigo alone – I didn't know if it was a specific rule for me or because of Hawk's status as the Commission golden goose.

I walked as if I were lost in my thoughts, barely acknowledging my surroundings, mentally mapping the whole place.

It was early morning when I'd left his room.

By early afternoon Dad and I were seated at Tokyo's court of justice for the beginning of the trials.

Plenty of others heroes were there : I recognized some of them but did not most. Among them were Kamui Wood and Cementos.

We were all wearing our Heroics suits as if we would be the ones delivering the sentences, smoothing out the idea of massive trials for people.

We had designed seats.

Dad and I were front row : massive cameras were everywhere, recording from every corner as to not miss a crumb of our sorrowful faces.

The one in the front was so close to us I felt as if the camareman was trying to shove it in our faces.

It felt as if we were on a movie set : there were light engineers, makeups artists and even someone who looked like a movie director. We would shot for one hour every day from monday to friday which would be compiled in a three minutes daily video for the public.

Boring was not a word strong enough to describe how I felt.

We'd had to wait for a while until everyone was ready.

Then it would only be one full hour of a judge reading sentences already carried out and concerning villains.

Between two shots I'd heard people talk about heroes fleeing their duty when they saw the Nomus : if it was true, we were not told about it.

At the end of the first day Cementos took me on the side to speak.

It was always an eerie experience to hear the rock box talk.

"I've heard you tried to help Aizawa"

I didn't expect him to forgo simple greetings.

"We did, yes. But we arrived late"

"You did your best ; that's what truly matters"

I wondered if he said it because he was a teacher or if he truly held no resentment towards those who did not manage to save his friend – or was he not his friend ? I knew Present Mic was, at least.

"How's everyone else at school ?"

By everyone else I meant Katsuki and maybe a bit that bitch Uraraka – she was the one who told me where to find Aizawa even if we got there too late. Thus, she deserved – if not my respect – then me not murdering her in a Genjutsu again and again and again.

I still don't know she knew where to find Aizawa.

"They're a bit shaken by what happened to Aizawa and their classmates"

I frowned.

"Classmates ? What do you mean ?"

Cementos stayed silent for a bit.

"No one told you ?"

"I've lost my phone"

Cementos looked at me warily.

"A few of the students in 1-B where in Tokyo and they were caught in… the fights. And Uraraka as well as Monoma were shadowing Aizawa as part of their training that night"

"They're dead ?"

"...Ochaco Uraraka, unfortunately, has dissapeared"

My first thought was, she has been eaten.

My next was to Katsuki.

"Concerning Aizawa… I think it would be nice if you could visit him someday. He's alone right now and I'm the only one from the teachers that has the right to get in and out of Tokyo. I'm sure he'd be happy to see one of his student there for him"

I nodded, but I wasn't sure about it.

Aizawa and I… I'd liked him a bit at the beginning of the school year, but it had been nearly a year ago.

Too many stuff had happened for me not to be resentful towards him : under normal circumstances I wouldn't have gone, and yet now that he was disabled I both felt a tiny bit of sadistic glee and horror at his situation.

If I went out he'd knew it was only out of pity, and I wasn't sure I wanted to make his situation worse by doing so.

"I'll think about it"

When we left, I resolved to get a new phone and log into my old social media accounts.

The class's group chat was crazy as always.

I sent a text to Katsuki :

'I've learned about what happened. How are you ?'

It sounded a bit awkward, especially because I didn't see the last three tweets he'd sent me.

He didn't respond.

I sent three more texts.

Surely he did not love her, did he ?

Teenage love was supposed to be… well… I had no real experience in the matter, but it certainly shouldn't be that deep.

Maybe he was just trying to process everything ?

I hesitated for a bit then sent a fourth text.

I spent my afternoon doing light training to ease the pain in my muscles as well as working a bit on my fuinjutsu.

I took a bit of coke, too, but only because it made more productive.

At night, when I knew the hospital was closed, I sneaked into Keigo's room and endeavored to heal him.

Iryoninjutsu had both the advantage of accuracy and being able to mend internal damages without cutting skin nor flesh.

While healing him I tried not to think too much about how fucked up his body was.

Around two in the morning, once I'd gone back home, my phone rang.

Katsuki had left me on read.

*

A/N : If you want to support the story and read ahead of schedule, go check the story's P@treon, Nar_cisseENG

 

[Nar_cisse]

Two weeks went by in a flash.

By then I'd mastered the way of looking as if I were listening but internally dozing off eyes wide open.

We kept going to trials, I kept training my ass off, and I gradually started going to Leo's more and more often.

Katsuki still hadn't responded, and Keigo still wasn't awake.

I did great progress on my fuinjutsu.

My goal was an easy one : if I couldn't store chakra the way Tsunade did, then I'd have to store full clones inside seals that would pop up fully refreshed when I needed them.

It seemed harder than Tsunade's way but it was technically easier : clones, though not me, had a certain degree of awareness and cognizance.

Once inside a seal, they should be able to hold tight onto the chakra they had and avoid its dispersion, whereas I still had no idea how to store unused chakra without, a), making my head explode, b), avoid its dispersion.

Dad looked rather down nowadays.

I believed it was because of Touya.

He still visited him every day.

I had no idea what to do to make him feel better.

Anyway, rather than try and store clones inside seals, I decided to try a new approach : sealed kunais, for example, needed a very low amount of chakra coating to be recognized by a seal and stored inside.

Putting more chakra on it would result in nothing except losing my energy quicker and without storing anything.

I believed if I worked gradually on the amount of coating, I would figure a way to store clones in seals.

I had a hunch the way I chakra-coated stuff was the problem ; rather than cover it thickly, I had to change the way I layered my chakra.

My goal was to make a spider thin web on objects that would criss cross so much that, through a normal eye-sight, it would seem like normal coating but it would not be. By superposing coatings in such an intricate pattern I'd be able to put more chakra in a smaller space and avoid seals going off.

I still was stuck on how to make the spider web.

I was good with chakra strings but nowhere near good enough to make something so complicated without the strings losing their shape and melting into each other.

I worked hard on physical conditionning, too.

Evacuating that many civilians in such a short amount of time made me realize I had unexplored limits.

Adrenaline and stress made me go faster than I ever thought was possible.

I used to believe that even chakra augmented individuals had limits : Tsunade's strength was, in my opinion, the peak one could hope to achieve.

Yet it wasn't : Tsunade's strength was insane, but it was merely a beginning.

It had came easily to me, a bit like breathing did to any individual.

I remembered the day I'd broken a sink by merely holding it between my hands.

I worked on it for years before I managed to control it.

I thought it was nice, but now I realized it was nowhere near enough.

I had fucking chakra between my hands. This shit was pure gold.

People had managed to bring back the dead to life with it and, for someone who died once, I knew this was an absolutely insane feat.

If I managed to work on my speed the way I did my strength over the years, nothing could stop me from becoming the next Minato Namikaze.

Hell, what wouldn't I be able to do if I improved my strength ?

Shattering boulders was nice ; shattering continents was my new goal.

And everything started with good old fashioned training.

Over the last few months I'd neglected completely the physical aspect of my training : chakra enhanced individuals, once they reached a certain threshold, would not lose completely their built once they stopped working out the way normal people would.

Chakra would passively strenghten your muscles and avoid them thinning and getting back to what they used to be.

Yet chakra wouldn't make your body better if you put no work on the physical aspect of stuff.

Thus, I started waking up very early in the morning and sneak out of the city and to Mount Nokogiri.

It was close enough I could go to easily and thankfully not as popular as Mount Fuji, thus I was mostly left alone, especially because with the recent events Japan was not at the top list of places to visit for international tourists.

My training was rather common yet original in its own way : I did push-ups on one hand, did handstands at the peak of the mountain on the verge of a three hundred meters fall, I fought my clone – one on one and then plenty of them against me – and all of this with gravity seals.

Using gravity seals was like moving through a mix of oil and mud : you felt your chest was compressed, you had a hard time breathing and feeling the world around you, yet it was the fastest way for me to improve.

Another thing I realized was that my skin was too soft : going as fast as I did at Atago-Jinja I had half expected my flesh to start peeling layer after layer.

My bones had nearly gave out, too.


I had to find a way to strengthen my muscles and joints enough for I did not want to snap like a twig next time I tried to go as fast

I used to like hunting food, and I started too once again.

It had been years since I'd felt as blissfully peaceful.

I had goals, and I had means to achieve them.

Dabi was dead.

I could change the world if I worked hard enough.

Everything would work itself out.

I started munching on a grilled piece of fish on a kunai.

I was a Hero, I'd saved Tokyo, One for All was on the run, people liked better Dad.

For once, I did well.

Hope and happiness crept up my heart, warming my chest nicely.

I really can change.

I would be enough as long as I did my best.

*

Of course Chisaki would become a liability.

As soon as he'd heard he'd been spotted by the Commission, Nezu knew he was in trouble.

If he had managed to get his hand on him before them, he would've find a way for him to flee from the country and never come back : with a Quirk like his, the Commission would never leave him alone.

And now that martial law had been declared, Nezu's leverage was limited.

The army was not as kind nor compassionate as the Commission, and the Commission had never been known for either of these attributes.

The reach and power of the military was one of the many reasons Nezu tried to get his hand on it years ago.

"Thank you for honoring us with your presence"

It was sarcastic.

She was a soldier, a woman with a low bun and a hard face. Stress lines run under her eyes and her skin was tanned, as if she'd spent hours sweating under the sunshine.

Nezu did not play the cute mouse act : everyone in the room was far above falling for his cheap tricks.

They looked at him warily, their gazes a mixture of repugnance and scorn, as they would an animal experiment that could talk.

Nezu hated humans, and his hatred had ground by leaps since Aizawa's eyes had been gouged out.

They'd said his power was of national importance and once he'd lost it, had one of them come to see him ?

By the sixth day, he'd stopped eating.

Nezu knew him well : he was too proud to kill himself, yet too weak to bear the weight of being the shadow of the man he'd once been.

Nezu wondered, while looking in the soldier's black eyes, if she knew that the only thing that kept him from putting all of them – weak, puny, self-important creatures – against each other was his love for this country.

Japan had welcomed him with open arms and enabled to live a respectful life, a live worthy of living for any sentient creature.

He knew it was mainly because he was useful to them, of course, but many other countries saw him as too much of a threat for the pros to outweigh the cons.

If they had given him control of the army, he would've gotten rid of All for One years ago.

If he'd had control of the country as he wished so much, Aizawa would still have had his eyes today.

He was greedy, and humans were greedy too, yet he was so much better than these inferior creatures.

"I had parents to soothe after the tragic events that happened. I hope you better than anyone can understand why I couldn't come sooner"

They saw him as an aberration, an abnormality of nature.

Nezu wondered how humans would react if animals suddenly started developing sentience thanks to Quirks.

"Of course"

She slid a picture towards Nezu.

"Do you know this man ?"

Kai Chisaki.

"I do, yes. He is one of my first year's parents"

"Are you personally acquainted with him ?"

They merely had a mutually beneficial partnership.

"No"

She hummed.

Nezu would've been more than surprised if they found anything about his and Chisaki's little affairs : Nezu had carefully covered all of their tracks.

"We suspect Monoma to be a traitor affiliated to All for One. We think his uncle helped kill the Uraraka girl in order to make us think she left and to put our focus on her"

As Nezu expected.

"I assure you, young Neito is no traitor. Rather he is the one who told me about his suspicions concerning Ochaco"

"Did he ?"

She tried to act surprised ; Nezu was no fool.

Chisaki may not have batted an eye, but Neito was only a fifteen years old kid.

He wouldn't whitstand pressure, especially after how physically damaged he'd been.

Of course he'd told them.

"It was after the Summer Camp. I decided not to act on it until we had enough proof"

"You did not think it was relevant information for the Commission ?"

"Yuei is mine to direct and mine to protect. I saw fit to act this way thus I did"

If he showed weakness, they would eat him in one bite.

She showed no outward reaction.

"We ran analysis on the place civilians said they last saw Monoma and Uraraka. Uraraka's blown up remains have been found among those of Nomu's"

Luckily.

Nezu took a second to reply.

"She may have been eaten by one of them before Chisaki came to help his nephew. We can't know for sure he killed her"

"How do you know Chisaki was there to help his nephew ?"

"I told him where to find him"

"How did you know where to find him ?"

"All of Yuei's students have track devices on their costumes and school uniforms. It's a nice precautionary measure, especially as – as you may remember it – it helped us find Shoto Todoroki when All for One kidnapped him a few months ago"

"And he knew your phone number ?"

"Each and every parents has it"

"How convenient you responded so late in the night"

Nezu smiled.

"Or rather so early in the morning"

She did not.

Suddenly, she leaned forward, eyes cold.

"I'll tell you what I think : I think Kai Chisaki and you have a stronger connection that you want to admit. I think you expected Uraraka to die when you sent Chisaki after his nephew"

True.

"I think you and him are doing shady stuff together. I think if you'd told anyone about your suspicions concerning the girl, we could've avoided everything that happened together"

Nezu said nothing.

The soldier sighed dramatically.

"Our General is very angry. He wants results, and he wants results soon. He wouldn't mind making you our scapegoat. We could, say, take Yuei from you"

Nezu's eyes shone darkly.

"Careful here. I am not one you can threaten lightly"

This time, she indeed smiled.

"I do know. You are indeed a very powerful individual ; we had to work against quite a few politicians before we managed to get you to come to us."

And even then they did not manage to get him into a proper interrogation.

He was merely here of his own accord.

"Yet martial law has been decreed and, despite everything, we do have the right to hold back your privileges if we believe you may have contributed to the events that led to the biggest terrorist attack on our country"

Nezu had come to show his good will ; yet now they tried to pin the blame on him ?

"I believe there has been a mistake : I am, as everyone, extremely shocked by what happened. I am offended you believe me even a bit responsible for what happened. You do know how close I am to Eraserhead and you can't fathom how angry I am about this whole situation"

She raised her hand to make him shut up.

"Sure-"

"I do not take lightly those who hurt what's mine. I am angry about what happened to young Neito, angry at how his uncle has been treated despite helping our country, angry that young Shoto Todoroki has been put in such dire situation because the Commission hasn't been able to handle the situation. But most of all, I am angry at All for One"

She choose to let him speak as if he were merely venting his anger ; he took the opportunity.

"Yet I believe you forgot the most important : All Might was coincidentally called far away from Tokyo that night. Hawks has been taken out of commission by a man that is known as one of All for One's closest allies. Endeavor, half of the Peace Symbol, and his son have been lured on the other side of the city, far away from where, coincidentally, Uraraka was with Eraserhead"

They had obviously realized as much.

"What are you implying ?"

"Uraraka told All for One she would be with Eraserhead that night. Earlier in the evening All Might has been sent away by the Commission to fight off a Nomu that appeared North of the country ; Hawks had sent the Commission a text before clashing with Dabi"

She jerked up.

"How do you know about Hawk's text ?"

"Young Todoroki and Endeavor have also received a mysterious text that sent them coincidentally where they wouldn't be able to reach Eraserhead in time. What do you think it means ?"

She mulled his words over for a few seconds.

"You think someone in the Commission is sending All for One information ?"

"I do. And I also have a way to take both him and All for One out"

She leaned forward, clearly interested.

Nezu barely contained a self satisfied smirk.

How the tables had turned.

"Have you ever heard of the One for All ?"

*

A/N : If you like the story, want to support it and read ahead of schedule, go check the story's P@treon, Nar_cisseENG

And see you in the next update everyone !

 

[Nar_cisse]

"Go see him"

I looked up from the book I was reading : the pages glowed faintly blue because I was perusing my Chakra Encyclopedia.

He couldn't see it, obviously.

No one ever did.

"I beg your pardon ?"

Dad kept drinking his black coffee.

Shit tasted like hell, I had no idea how he could even wet his lips with it.

"Aizawa", he said. "Don't act like a moron and go see him"

I frowned.

"I told you why I didn't want to"

I'd told him about Aizawa and the way he blackmailed me to save all of the other kids.

By the way his gaze had darkened I knew that if Aizawa hadn't had his eyes ripped off, he would've went and done so himself.

"Truly you feel a man who has lost his eyesight has paid enough, don't you ?"

I held back a sigh.

"Of course I do, but-"

"Don't tell me you'd feel awkward going there, or that it would merely be a demonstration of pity"

"It would be a demonstration of pity"

"Everyone who will go see him will be doing it mostly out of pity"

I shut up.

"Listen, Shoto. Sometimes we do thing we don't want but that we have to. Showing support to your teacher who has lost his Quirk is one of them, regardless of whatever happened between the two of you"

I hadn't been fair to Dad recently.

I'd believed he was more like me than I'd liked to, yet he'd always been the best version of myself.

He was a good man, the kind of man I strived to become, the kind of man I knew I'd become with enough hard work.

Nowadays I was content with my life, satisfied with the person I was growing be, eager to do more and get better.

"If you insist, then"

He watched me intently, as if he expected me to argue more.

"You're surprisingly docile"

"I indeed am because I know you want to know he's okay and you don't feel legitimate to check up on him"

Aizawa had been one or two grades under Dad when he'd been at Yuei.

They may have been close twenty years ago, close enough for Dad to push me so much to do things I didn't want to.

"Do you think I should get flowers or something ?"

He grunted.

"I am sure Aizawa would greatly dislike it"

*

The room was full of flowers.

I'd never seen as many in such a small space.

It smelled too sweet, so much the very air seemed rancid.

There were flowers on windowsill, flowers on desks, flowers everywhere around the bed, put in such a way it looked as if Aizawa was in his grave and we were paying our last respects.

"Smells like rotten fruits, don't you think ?"

Aizawa's head snapped to mine.

He was previously trying to push back a pot put too close to his bed without making it fall : a green leaf was grazing his cheek.

"Sho… Todoroki ?"

The leaf grazed his cheek again.

"Himself", I said smoothly

I looked around disdainfully even though he couldn't see me.

"Would you like me to burn them ?"

Aizawa didn't laugh or quirked a lip, yet the shadow of a smile was on his face.

"Are there really that many ?"

"So much you'd think you're dying"

This time a true smile blossomed on his face.

It highlighted the hollowness of his cheeks and the whitish shade of his skin.

"Push it a bit more to the left"

"Sorry ?", he asked

His hollow eyeballs were covered by a thick white band ; I couldn't see his eyebrows yet I knew they were raised.

"The pot. Push it a bit more to the left. If you push it to the right, it'll fall"

He pushed it to the left.

Then his hands went back on his tights, resting lightly, palms turned up to the roof.

A thin blanket was covering his legs.

None of us said a thing.

Aizawa was tense, knowing I was watching him without actually knowing I was watching him.

"I wanted to tell you I was sorry"

He perked up.

"What for ?"

"We..."

I closed my mouth, mulled over the words for a bit.

How did you told a man he'd still have his eyes if you didn't plan your brother's murder ?

"We got your location. Me and my father, I mean. We were barely late. If we'd been here only minute earlier..."

I was surprised by my own statement.

I'd never been the kind of guy who'd blamed himself for things happening to others and that he had no hand in.

Yet since I'd accepted in some way the 'hero' tag – even if I didn't truly feel like one – I believed that, had I been stronger, I could've saved everyone that night.

Calm down Shoto, no need to go full hero complex.

"I heard about that", said Aizawa. "And I don't blame you nor your Dad. You're barely sixteen. We shouldn't ask of you what pros can't handle"

Even if his voice sounded confident, his face – or what I could see of it – looked grim, his lips quirked down sourly.

We were only humans.

I knew he, too, in some twisted way, wondered what would've happened if we'd been a tiny bit faster.

If I were in his shoes, I would've blamed everyone, sixteen years old kid included.

"If that's any solace to you, I think I nearly killed All for One"

His face softened a bit.

"That is great comfort. Thank you"

I nodded.

Then I looked around again.

I didn't know what else to say or when was the polite time to leave.

Usually people died before I got the opportunity to settle things with them.

"Nezu… The headmaster told me something about you a long time ago"

Aizawa was looking down at his clenched fists between which flowed white blanket.

"He said you were powerful, that I – as your teacher – would have to guide you on the right path. I told him you were too proud, too egoist, too vicious to ever become a Hero"

Well thanks old geezer-

"I was wrong"

It instantly shut me up.

"Thank you for trying your best. I'll be eternally grateful to you"

I felt bittersweet.

When will people stop thanking me for not being enough ?

"I-"

My mouth closed.

My eyes shot up directly to the right.

The door opened.

I couldn't keep in check my surprise.

"Katsuki ?"

A mop of messy, ashy blond hair, entered.

Dark eyebags, blood injected yes, chapped lips, pale skin.

He looked as if he hadn't slept in days, as if he'd been living in a nightmare from which he was unable to wake. He smelt like sweat and tears, yet his knuckles were bloodied and raw from hitting something too hard.

He was hunched, muscles both weirdly coiled and strangely taunt, his clothes drenched in way too much sweat for someone with a Quirk like his to not have noticed.

He looked lost and hurt, frightening and frightened.

I took a step forward.

"Kat-"

His glazed eyes glided over me.

I shut up.

"Bakugo ?"

From the corner of my eye I saw Aizawa turning roughly in Katsuki's direction.

I wanted to ask 'How did you get in Tokyo ?' but something else went through my mouth :

"Are you okay ?"

Why was he sweating so much ?

Aizawa's face broke into a faint smile.

"Thank you for coming"

If he'd seen the face of Katsuki, he wouldn't have said that.

Katsuki stopped in front of Aizawa's bed.

His eyes roamed over our teacher, not even acknowledging the way his eyes were bandaged.

"I-"

His voice was hoarse.

Katsuki cleared his throat several times, hand on his jawline, clenching and unclenching as if he were trying to make his mouth work again.

Then, finally, he said :

"I came to see you, sensei"

His voice sounded either broken from screaming or crying.

Aizawa leaned forward and, worry evident in his voice :

"Are you okay Bakugo ?"

Katsuki blinked slowly.

His eyes hadn't left Aizawa's face.

There was something dark in his gaze, something painful and worrisome.

Bells rang in my head, paranoia on full blast.

Is he going to blow us all with him ?

"Katsuki", I said "How did you manage-"

"Where's Ochaco ?"

I felt Aizawa frown even though I did not see him actually frown.

"What do you-"

My head snapped to the right.

"-mean by 'where is she' ?"

The door opened once more.

It was Monoma.

*

A/N : Congrats to us, we've reached 100,000 on scribble hub and 450,000 thousands words on FF !

If you like the story you can support it on P@treon and read ahead of schedule too (up to 27 chapters).

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[Nar_cisse]

The first thing I noticed about Monoma was his reddened wrists.

Then came the hearing aid.

His left ear was covered by a cotton pad and a bandage ; even from here I could smell blood and bodily fluids pouring from it. An hearing aid was on his right ear.

His eyes went over us all, starting from me and going to Katsuki ; his gaze settled on Aizawa whereas Katsuki, impervious to the whole world, was still watching intently our teacher.

"She was with you", Katsuki said slowly, gravely. "She was with you when she..."

His voice broke, yet his face remained calm.

It was as if his own body was betraying his mind.

"Who came in ?", Aizawa wondered aloud. "Did Todoroki left ?"

"Sensei"

Monoma put himself on the right of Aizawa's bed, whereas Katsuki was on his left's.

I was further back against the wall, as far from them both as they were to each other.

"Monoma ?"

Aizawa's face lit up as if he couldn't believe his own words.

He leaned forward, lips quivering, and I didn't know if he was going to cry or if he was merely smiling from relief.

"Nothing happened to you ? You're alive ?"

Monoma frowned ; he leaned forward too, looking intently at Aizawa's lips.

"...are you wondering if I am well ? If so, yes, I am. I mean, I mostly am, but I can't hear anymore from my left ear"

He laughed, yet there was no joy in his voice, and his worried gaze was roaming over Aizawa's eyeless face.

I noticed his weird way of speaking, his words starting loud and then growing back to a whisper.

"It's a bit… troubling"

Funny, if we combined both of them they'd make a full man.

Aizawa nodded three times then cleared his throat, looking rather flabbergasted by the news.

"I see"

I cracked a bitter smile.

My eyes went back to Katsuki and my smile vanished.

His gaze still hadn't left Aizawa, as if he hadn't heard the discussion going on around us.

"How did it happ-"

"She was with you", Katsuki insisted. "The headmaster told me she was with you that night. What happened to her ? Did you leave her behind ?"

The more he talked and the more worried I got.

"What ? Of course not"

Aizawa's head spun to the right : he looked confused.

"I have no idea what happened to her. No one told me a thing about what happened. I didn't even knew Monoma was alive until he came right through this door"

"I'm sorry, sensei", said Monoma. "About leaving you. If I had known sooner..."

Aizawa's head spun to the left, maybe a bit too fast ; he winced as if he were light headed.

"There's nothing you could've done, Neito"

He articulated each word carefully to allow Monoma to read on his lips, which he did.

Neito, eyebrows furrowed, focused on his lips before mimicking the words without a sound : his gaze lit up when he understood what he said.

"Of course I could have. If I'd known-"

Katsuki cut in, chin shaking, eyes shining.

"No one knows a thing about her. I asked so many different Heroes and police officers, and, and even the headmaster…"

He closed his eyes, took a deep breath in, fists closed.

He looked both exhausted and yet willing to do more to find her ; I wanted to ask again how did he fucking get in Tokyo, yet I felt guilty for diminishing how hurt he was about Uraraka's disappearance.

Now Katsuki's voice was barely above a whisper :

"I need to find her. Where is she ?"

And the hurt I heard in his voice struck me as hard as if I were the one hurt.

I grounded my teeth and took a step forward, resolve steeling;

I fucking hope for this bitch she hasn't fled because I'll drag her back by her hair.

"Sensei", I said, my hand now on Katsuki's shoulder

He was startled : his eyes were wet and I sensibly looked straight at Aizawa, acting as if I'd seen nothing.

"Could you please tell us where you last saw her ? Then we'll leave you to speak with Monoma"

Aizawa's head, who had been going from left to right, snapped in my direction.

He looked utterly drained, disheveled, as if the whole discussion was taking a toll on his body.

"Of course, yes. Of course"

To me Aizawa felt old and confused, a tad bit senile.

I indeed felt great pity for him.

He licked his dry lips.

Monoma frowned, looking at us three in turn.

"The last time I saw Uraraka she was with Monoma. I left them because things were getting too dangerous and I didn't want them to be hurt. I'm sorry but I don't know anything more"

"Monoma ?"

He was still frowning.

"You want to know about Uraraka ?", he asked slowly

He had trouble modulating his voice.

"Yes, please"

"She died"

My eyes widened.

Aizawa gasped.

Katsuki tensed then wavered.

My hand on his shoulder became an iron gripe : I grounded him firmly, preventing him to fall for his knees were buckling.

I didn't look at his face : I was scared of what I'd find here.

He put his own hand on my shoulder, as if he were trying to hold himself straight yet couldn't on his own.

"What do you mean 'she died' ?"

Katsuki wasn't able to ask the questions : thus I had to.

Monoma's eyes were cold : there was no regret there, not the slightest proof of guilt nor mourning.

"She was eaten by Nomus in front of me'

My eyes narrowed.

"And you were not ?"

He took a few seconds to answer, and I couldn't say if it was because it took him time to process what he read on my lips or if he truly were thinking about what to say next.

"I was saved in time"

Even freaking Mirko died that night.

"Who-"

The hand on my shoulder shook.

"I- I need to sit"

Katsuki was colorless.

Blood had left his lips ; he'd clenched his white fingers over my clothes so hard I felt his nails sink in my skin.

He was shaking from head to toes, pulse so slow he felt like death between my hands.

Slowly, I lowered him to the ground, his back against the bed's leg.

"I just need- I-"

His breathing grew ragged, growing panic widening his eyes.

He looked like he was going to faint.

"Breathe slowly, okay ? Sync your breathing to mine"

He did not.

"I- she-"

Now he was fully shaking, heaving as if he would throw up, swaying from side to side as if he were dizzy.

"Bakugo ? Todoroki ? What is going on ?"

I heard Aizawa shuffle in his bed, yet he did not got up.

"Is that a joke ?"

There was anger brewing in Monoma's eyes, hatred in the way he spit out words.

"Don't tell me you're getting upset over this- this-"

And now Monoma was fully red, shaking too but for another kind of reason, his voice getting higher and higher.

I tried to calm down Katsuki but he was spiraling down further and I felt utterly useless ; thus I did the only thing I was good at.

"How did she truly die ?"

And now Katsuki was holding his own head between both hands, dry heaving above the floor, spittle sticking to his lips and chin.

Monoma's fiery eyes were locked to mine.

"I told you, she-"

I stood up.

Monoma took a step back, wary, panic flashing in his eyes.

"What do you think you're-"

"How did she die ?"

I knew if I heard Katsuki – the proud, loud mouthed, arrogant Katsuki – cry, I'd lost it and hurt Monoma as much as needed to get my answers.

"I told you, she-"

And wasn't I only acting this way because of the guilt I felt at diminishing Katsuki's feelings ?

For I was in some part glad she was dead : another loose end that had been taken care of without me needing to do anything.

"Todoroki ? Monoma ? What is going on ? What is happening to Bakugo ?"

I walked slowly to Monoma, left hand itching and shaking.

He kept getting further back, panic rising in his eyes.

"How many Nomus ? Where was it ? Why are you not hurt ?"

"I don't know, my ear was already-"

"Who saved you ?"

"I-"

His back hit the wall.

I did not need any weapon, did not need to touch him nor turn on my sharingan.

"Fucking speak before I make you"

He was shaking like a leaf, was a sputtering mess, and I wanted to hurt him more because of it.

"I-"

He sent Aizawa a distressed look.

"Did you do something to Uraraka, Monoma ?", asked Aizawa, confused

And then suddenly, something snapped in Monoma.

His face, already red from shame, got two shade darker.

"How can you say that after I-"

He sputtered, his voice going higher and higher from a near hysterical state.

Veins bulged so hard on his neck they looked like throbbing hearts.

He leaned forward so close our nose were nearly touching and I had to resist the urge to headbutt him to oblivion.

He spit out harshly :

"Uraraka was a fucking traitor and I'm glad she died"

*

A/N : If you like the story and want to support it, then go check its P@treon, Nar_cisseENG

And see you in the next update everyone !

 

[Nar_cisse]

I was frozen in shock.

Behind me I knew Aizawa was stunned and Katsuki had stilled.

Monoma mistook my reaction for disbelief.

"She was a freaking traitor", he said slowly and loudly "And she's the reason Aizawa sensei'eyes have been stolen"

I knew she'd sent the text with her location too late for everyone to really do a thing about it ; I knew she'd merely fulfilled her end of the deal on paper but did not really want to screw All for One.

But Katsuki didn't need to know.

Katsuki didn't need to be hurt more than he already was.

"Shut the fuck up", I said, and this time I pushed violently Monoma against the wall, arm across his throat

He didn't waver, his anger growing by bounds.

"She fucking told me herself that she served Aizawa to All for One on a fucking platt-"

My arm was pressing so hard against his throat I was choking him.

His eyes widened, red and bulging as if they were going to pop out.

He grew a different shade of red ; standing on his tiptoes he tried, with both hands, to push my arm away.

I didn't move an inch, eyes reduced to two narrow slits, feeling a vicious kind of anger creeping up on me

"Who else was there ?"

Neito gasped and choked, panic settling in his eyes, whereas I kept pushing.

His nails scratched my skin but made no damage.

His eyes rolled back as if he were going to faint.

"Uraraka… ?"

In this sole sentence I heard both Aizawa's confusion and hurt ; yet it wasn't him who had drawn my attention.

A moment later I dropped Monoma : he fell on his knees, taking huge gulps of air as if he'd had been drowning in water.

I moved to the side while looking down on him, feeling nothing but the want of hurting him more.

I had a particular relationship with air privations techniques ; I only choked people when I felt particularly ruthless.

Monoma was panting and shaking, both hands rubbing his sensitive throat.

Katsuki's shoulder brushed mine when he bent down to grab him by the collar.

He lifted him up easily, as high as I had a few seconds ago.

"Tell me you're lying"

His voice was shaking, weirdly high pitched.

He sounded as if he were struggling to push the words out of his mouth.

I clenched my jaw.

Monoma was limp as if he had no bones under his flesh, held only by Katsuki's iron grip.

Katsuki inhaled.

"Tell me you're lying", he said, more firmly this time

The fist holding Monoma was shaking.

Monoma gasped.

"She's the one..."

His voice was faint, barely above a whisper, his mouth was slightly opened, his eyes glassy.

I noticed his left's ear patch was growing wetter with blood.

"She's the one who killed Kaminari"

Anger distorted Katsuki's face.

He pushed Monoma against the wall, fist raised as if he wanted to hurt him.

"I-"

And then, as suddenly, all fight left his body.

"I-"

Katsuki, eyes brimming with tears, looked at me, pleading.

I knew what he wanted.

I'd tried to warn him about her. He didn't listen.

And now he wanted me to tell him Monoma was lying.

I could not support his gaze any longer and cowardly looked away.

"I'm sorry"

And for the first time since he entered, Katsuki cried.

I could barely force myself to watch his movements from the corner of my eye ; I wanted to turn my back on him and ignore everything that he was going through, shielding myself from the empathy I felt for him.

Uraraka's death was of no consequence to me ; it was my friend's suffering that hurt.

Monoma slowly slid back against the wall, finally falling on the floor. He wisely choose to shut up.

Aizawa was not peeping a word.

The room was silent, devoid of sounds except for Katsuki's sobs.

That was not how it was supposed to happen.

He should have never known the truth about her- he should have not liked her in the first place – I should have not let him get close to her.

Careful with the hero complex.

Was that what it felt to see the people around you suffer knowing you could've done something – anything – to avoid that ? Was that what Heroes felt everyday knowing that if they'd done something different, if they were just one minute earlier, if they were just a tad bit stronger or faster, things could've been different ?

What was a Hero if not someone that kept on shouldering the world's horrors, everyone's pain and suffering ?

I barely could bear the excruciating weight of my own mistakes : I could fucking not carry Katsuki's too.

Thus looked at the walls and then the ceiling above Katsuki's head, everywhere in his direction that wasn't him.

And then, the doors opened.

"Ah, young Bakugo. You did manage to find-"

The one on the threshold stopped.

My eyes met those of a careful Nezu : his shining eyes roamed from me to Katsuki to Neito to Aizawa.

"I see"

He closed the door behind us.

He shot me a glance.

"Todoroki, would you mind making sure no one can hear us ?"

I showed no reaction yet inwardly, I was taken aback.

How… ?

He could've been bluffing. No one really knew what I could do : it could've been a way for him to confirm some of the suspicions he had concerning my abilities.

I heard Katsuki sniff and then I heard clothes brushing against skin : I imagined him wiping his eyes with the back of his shirt.

Stiff as a branch, I walked to the door : Nezu shot me a grateful smile.

Old me, paranoid me, wanted to grab him by the collar of his shirt and make him spill everything he'd guessed or known about me but the new me, the one that was better, recognized that Nezu was one of the people on my side.

Of course he'd have deduced some stuff ; it would've been more surprising if he didn't.

I could trust him.

To some extent.

Thus, I put my back against the door, my hands on top another and behind my back.

A silencing seal sprang up from my fingers, isolating us from the world.

I watched intently Nezu while he did so : not even his ear twitched.

Nezu stopped at the foot of Aizawa's bed.

"Is this true ?"

Aizawa's voice was not the one I was used to ; it was like chalk on a chalkboard, the kind of voice that make you wince and look away.

"Yes"

Katsuki, who held himself one hand on Aizawa's bed, deflated.

Monoma was still on the floor, head against the wall and eyes lost on some spot in the ceiling.

There was no more gloating, no more wicked joy. He just looked tired.

He was just a kid. We were all.

If I'd known for sure Katsuki wouldn't have seen it as a personal slight, I would've went and helped Monoma get up.

"You weren't supposed to tell anyone about this, Monoma. You were supposed to wait for me in the care"

Yet there was no bitterness in Nezu's voice.

He was as calm as a lake.

I wanted to be like that, too, without the perpetual brewing anger beneath the surface.

"I just wanted to see Aizawa sensei"

And his broken voice squeaked painfully.

"I know"

Nezu shot a glance at Katsuki, then his shoulder moved an inch on the side – as if he were going to look at me – but he suddenly stilled, stiff as if he'd been shot by lightning.

"What did you tell them ?"

My eyebrow half twitched.

What – not merely 'Did you tell them', but 'what did you tell them'.

"I told them what happened. She died, eaten"

Nezu looked at him intently.

From the corner of his eyes I saw his gaze shift to the right, as if he were going to look at me but caught himself at the latest moment once more.

Is he playing with me ?

"This is not..."

Nezu sighed.

"There's still an investigation going on. This is not things that we can speak lightly about. Monoma, I'd ask you not to tell anyone else about it. Bakugo and Todoroki, you shall not talk about it to anyone else. Did I make myself clear ?"

Neither Katsuki nor Monoma responded.

"It is"

Nezu shot me a glance.

"I'd like to speak to Todoroki now"

The area around Katsuki's eyes was reddened and irritated.

He left without looking at anyone.

I moved to the side to let him get through the door.

Monoma's mouth opened and closed : frowning, clearly confused, he finally pursed his lips before getting up on wobbly legs.

When he was next to me, I started to speak.

Monoma raised his hand.

His gaze was blank.

"Save it"

And he limped away.

The door closed once more.

I looked at Nezu.

In the back I saw Aizawa shuffle with the covers of his bed : he drew them over his head and turned his back to us, not moving anymore.

Nezu shot me an half apologetic smile.

And then, he said :

"I was just wondering… How did you manage to fight off All for One after he stole Aizawa's eyes ?"

I cocked my head slightly to the side.

"You know, don't you ?"

He looked as if he was not going to speak and then, slowly, a smile grazed his lips.

"You weren't particularly careful during the Sports festival"

I'd been too cocky : of course I'd made a mistake at some point, and of course Nezu would've picket on it.

"Why did you make Katsuki come to Tokyo ?"

Nezu leveled with me an assessing gaze.

"I have a way of making All for One come out of hiding. Bakugo is paramount to it"

"And let me guess : you need me too ?"

Nezu's dark eyes were still evaluating me.

"There's so many people wondering what you can really do. Your abilities are so versatile, and the sheer power behind it… There's equal fear and wonder. Or maybe they fear you more than what you'd like to believe"

His tone was severe yet filled with something akin to a warning.

"They see your usefulness and they all know your true and only weakness"

My eyes narrowed.

"Be careful, Shoto"

He then dismissed me.

*

A/N : If you like the story and want to support it, go check the story's P@treon, Nar_cisseENG

And see you in the next update everyone !

 

[Nar_cisse]

"How did you find me ?"

The cold wind was billowing around us.

"I do hope you're not here to kill yourself"

Katsuki, hands in his pockets, standing on the edge of the roof, snorted.

I was a few feet behind : the door to the roof was still slamming against the wall, its hinges screeching.

"Not gonna"

I walked up next to him and jumped on the edge too, watching the sun setting on the other side of Tokyo.

The sky was gray and dark, and the city still busy with construction workers finishing their day. Golden rags of light burst through the clouds.

It was weird how everything we spent our time building could be shattered as easily as a deck of cards by a gust of wind.

A small explosion at the wrong place and at the wrong time could send the world into full chaos.

One wrong person dying could provoke the extinction of humanity.

"I'm sorry", I said

The wind was whistling in my ears. Locks of my hair were flying all around my face.

"Don't be. I should've listened to you"

I said nothing.

He could have, but I also could have insisted.

I let him get into the situation fully expecting to kill Uraraka myself and dispose of her body.

I'd rather have had Katsuki thought her wronged, a victim, rather than him knowing the truth.

"Did you love her ?"

"I don't know. Maybe."

The golden rays of the sun were now smothered by the growing darkness of a day ending.

"I think I hate her"

I said nothing.

"I don't even think I really knew who she was. She may have been playing a role all along. Maybe- maybe she was using me to get to you, seeing how All for One is crazy about you"

The idea had crossed my mind a while back.

"She was not"

"Don't lie to me"

"She was not"

I had threatened her, and yet she'd kept seeing Katsuki.

If I'd felt she was trying to use him against me, I would've killed her – and she knew it, too.

The risks were far too important for her to lose her time on such meaningless strategy.

"I-

Katsuki cleared his throat repeatedly, as if something heavy was preventing from breathing properly.

He shot me a scared, confused and wondering glance ; the kind of glance that asked if he could trust me with everything he was.

I nodded slowly and severely.

His eyes shone, and he bit his lower lip while his shin shook, looking up at the sky as if were trying to push back the tears inside.

And then it was as if the dam preventing him from speaking properly broke.

"I don't understand. I just- She was… And all the moments we spent together, were they false too ? I'm second guessing everything she has ever done or said, and yet I keep on feeling like shit because she's dead and there's some part of me that miss her too-"

He shut up.

"And I hate that I miss her. And I hate that I couldn't tell her goodbye. And I hate that she didn't tell me herself she was a traitor. And I hate that I hate her and I- I just miss her so, so much that it physically hurts and I hate myself for that too-"

He licked his dry lips, gaze growing unfocused and maddened.

"We could've find a solution together. We could've worked it out."

And now anger brewed in his voice, making him shake from head to toes.

"Anything would've been fucking better than her dying on me and now I'll spent my life wondering-"

He said nothing.

His hands, which had been vividly moving around while he spoke, closed to fists then fell helplessly to his sides.

"I don't get it. Yuei wasn't supposed to be like that. I was supposed to be the best, the brightest, the next All Might and now that everything is at hand's reach I'm wondering if that's what I really want"

"Don't be stupid. You can't mess up your whole life for someone who's dead"

"I feel I could. It would be so easy to just let go off everything"

I felt that, deeply.

"I know"

The dark clouds were rumbling. A few drops of rain fell all around us.

"We're fucking sixteen", he said "And I feel fucking sixty. I just- I'm just so goddamn tired of everything"

I smiled bitterly.

"Is that wrong of me ?", he said "Is that wrong if I miss her ?"

"It isn't"

"It should be. Aizawa's eyes have been gouged out right while he was conscious and yet I'm here crying over a traitor. I didn't even ask him how he was. I couldn't bring myself to care. I still can't"

The rain was now pouring.

My wet clothes were now a new layer of skin.

"I don't think I want to be a Hero anymore"

Thunder flashed across the sky.

Katsuki's lighted face was turned right at me, water running down his cheeks and pooling under his chin.

"What should I do ?"

I think you're lost. I think you need a purpose.

"You're my friend and I-"

He pursed his lips and closed his eyes for a moment, Adam apple was bobbing up and down.

His red, pleading eyes, locked up with mine.

"Tell me, Shoto. What should I do ?"

He was putting me on the spot.

He was trusting me with was probably the most important decision of his life.

The new Shoto would've told him to quit if he wanted to. The new Shoto would've told him that it was okay, that things would be fine.

But something in the back of my head was buzzing ; something unsettling, dark, refused to let Katsuki quit so easily.

She died, so what ?

Plenty of people died everyday. He couldn't crumble at the first setback

It was too fucking easy.

"It's not my decision to make"

The weight of the consequences would be mine to bear too.

"I trust you", he said

I shifted uneasily, shook my head, resentment starting to boil up in the pit of my stomach.

"That's not about trust"

He couldn't avoid making his own decisions, couldn't thrust them on other people and expect things to be fine.

"You need to choose your path. Only you will be held accountable for what you do with your life, not me nor All Might nor whoever else"

It wasn't fair that he had the opportunity to stop when things got hard : it wasn't fair that he could say no and nothing tragic would ever happen again because other people would be there to pick up the broken pieces.

In the grand scheme of life, Katsuki quitting or not would mean nothing.

I felt I should tell him to quit and let him unravel himself until he was everything but the one I knew, yet I couldn't stand being the only one of us two that had to stay.

It wasn't fucking fair that I was the only one that had to grow the fuck up.

He should too.

"I need the help of a friend. I can't- I'm just so lost. I don't know what to do"

Katsuki and I were alike.

I felt that thanks to Uraraka's death, he could grow to understand me better.

For a moment I considered a future where he and I stood atop of the world, strong and equals.

I saw a path where him and I would understand each other ; I saw the possibility of getting someone else on my side.

I wouldn't let Katsuki quit – I couldn't let him quit.

He wanted me to find the answer to his problems ? Fine.

But I ever only knew one way to move forward in your life, and that was to bring in more chaos.

"If I told you she didn't die the way they told us she did… what would you say ?"

Katsuki perked up.

His hunched back straightened, and his dull gaze grew sharp.

When you hurt, it was fair that you hurt other too to make them feel your pain.

Katsuki needed an outlet, something to evacuate all his anger and frustration on.

"What do you mean ?"

He needed a purpose.

I would give him one.

*

A/N : If you like the story and want to support it, go check the story's P@treon, Nar_cisseENG

And see you in the next update everyone !

 

[Nar_cisse]

After what happened last time in Aizawa's room, I didn't visit him again.

I was sure he didn't want to see anyone else, especially not after Katsuki and I nearly thrashed Monoma through the wall.

It'd been three weeks and Keigo still hadn't woke up.

The secrecy around his wings worried me so much I'd had endeavored to find and real his whole medical analysis.

Not a word had been written about them.

Still, I'd managed to find a decent book about bird's wings and planned to check it tonight before paying Keigo my daily visit.

I needed to see Leo, too.

I'd finished my last bag today and though my body was still pumped up, my organism was still processing the drug too quickly.

Already sweat pooled over my upper lip and under my arm pits.

Breathing through a mask seemed weird today, as if it was the first day I was wearing one.

Shit, it was hot in here.

"You're okay ?"

I shot Dad a short glance, making eye contact but not as much as I usually would : despite how I'd hidden the smell and the visible effects on my body through various genjutsus, I was still scared that he'd discover everything just by looking at me.

I put down the hand I'd used to weep my clammy face and nodded.

"Just a bit-"

'Hot' wouldn't cut.

My physical discomfort was only due to chemicals released by my brain to make me feel the need of the drug.

" - tired"

He hummed and said nothing else.

I'd considered stopping drug use but it wasn't viable for many reasons : it was not because it made me feel better or calmer or happier in general – no, this was merely a nice bonus.

Drug was useful because it kept me sharp and strong ; I only managed to go through all the things (training included) I had to in a day because I used it.

But I really didn't use because I needed it. I could stop if I wanted to. A few hours without were nothing for me.

"Stop twitching"

My left leg had been hitting the floor repeatedly and nervously without me realizing it.

"Sorry"

The last heroes were seating ; the cameras rolled on, and the judge started listing out the usual 'criminals' names, the crimes they committed and their sentences.

As usual, no heroes were taken apart : but I'd heard of people who'd fled and abandoned civilians, crumbling under the pressure.

I couldn't find in me to blame them.

But I knew they'd be put through justice, too, and I knew they'd face harsher consequences.

Nothing was worse than a coward.

Mentally dozing off, I kept dutifully my eyes on the judge, fingers hitting in rhythm my thigh.

The cameras were rolling around us, zooming on our faces and then going back to the judge.

One on my left came painfully close to my face, as if the cameraman wanted to headbutt me with it.

By now I was used to it, and I knew everyone here was too ; I was reviewing the last progress on my fuinjutsu.

I'd successfully managed to store a clone inside a seal.

Taking him out had been easy, but I was now trying to put more inside : the greater the number, the more important the chakra boost I'd get afterwards.

Once I'd manage, I'd have to work on putting the seal on an animal and try to stabilize it.

I was pretty sure I'd blow up quite a handful of rats, but-

"… Todoroki"

The name slipped smoothly from the judge's mouth.

Everyone froze, even the camera crew.

On my right, Dad had turned white, his fists gripping the fabric of his dark blue trouser so hard it looked like he was going to tear it apart.

"For participating in Tokyo's terrorist attack and inflicting debilitating injuries to a prominent Hero that inhibited him from carrying out his duties in this period of crisis, the sentence is the following"

Dad stood up, eyes ablaze with panic.

His skin was getting red. He was sweating bullets.

"Death by lethal injection"

My head snapped to the judge.

Eyes still on the sheet of paper, she pursed her lips, frozen for she knew who she had just condemned.

Slowly, she took off her glasses and put them on her desk ; then she waved at the cameras and all were turned off.

She looked up to Dad, apologetic, her voice not anymore business like :

"I'm sorry sir but the sentence has already been carried out"

And the shock that I read in Dad's gaze morphed into dread then settled on pure terror.

"I-"

I stood up.

He blinked.

My muscles were coiled, my eyes roaming over the room full of tense Heroes, my heart beating so fast it hurt.

My sharingan threatened to come to life but I reigned it in, waiting for Dad to make the decision and move first : who would he kill first ? The judge ?

And if he went for her, I'd have to strike the most important Heroes first ; they were the biggest threats.

I saw Ryukyu two rows back and (?) behind us.

I'd behead him and then freeze them all ; no, the farthest would have time to get away. Cementos could be troublesome.

I'd have to hit them first and strong, make sure none of them could escape or pose the slightest threat to us ; thus I'll burn them alive.

Ryukyu was the only one I expected to survive ; I'll have to behead her.

Even if Tokyo was fully locked, I was confident the military wouldn't manage to respond in time.

Maybe Dad would want to go after Shirai.

I was certain this decision couldn't have been taken without his permission.

I hoped Jin Woo was away. There really was something about this guy and his Quirk that rubbed me wrong.

Otherwise, between him and the might of a full country against us, and considering I'd have to protect my father from, let's say, people like Overhaul or Jin Woo, then I'd have to use my joker way ahead of time and take hostage the whole city.

They would let us leave ; I knew enough people saw me as (instable) to make them believe my threats.

Then we'd have to take a boat, fuck off to China, certainly fight off their own military that will wait for us there and then and find a way to get back to Italy.

Teka would find a way to meet us and get us back home quicker.

thought he'd blew up, start screaming like a madman, try to threaten everyone around us.

"I-"

It was a whisper that broke into nothing.

My eyes snapped to Dad's face.

Eyebrows furrowed, his eyes were full of confusion.

I waited, heart beating more slowly, a weird sensantion de calme filling my whole body.

Two kunais were hidden in the cuffs of my tailored coat, ready to glide in my hands in a second.

I waited.

I expected the confusion in his eyes to become pure anger, I expected the temperature to rise until everyone's lungs started cooking from the inside, I expected him to scream like a madman, I expected him to grab the judge by her throat and threaten to kill everyone.

That's what I would've done.

I waited for him to hit first.

Yet he spinned on his heels and calmly went to the door, as stiff as a robot.

Everyone watched him leave.

It took me a moment too long to realize we wouldn't hurt anyone.

I followed him briskly, yet a few paths behind, still a bit taken aback.

His muscles were rolling under his shirt like an uncoiled (voir déf) panther's preparing itself to strike.

We didn't hurt anyone even on our way out.

Once in front of the car I asked, perplexed.

"Are we going to see Shirai ?"

Maybe he only wanted to hurt him.

I'd mapped most of the defense's headquarters and I could confidently say that even if we were outnumbered we'd manage to murder our way out.

"No"

His voice was hoarse, full of emotion.

Eyebrows furrowed, I said nothing.

He didn't spare me a glance.

The ride to the hospital was a silent one.

He was still unhealthily white, creases around his tired eyes, wrinkled skin resting heavily on his furrowed brows.

He looked as if he'd gotten twenty years older from the trial's room to our car.

The car stopped in front of the hospital's sliding doors and left us here.

As soon as Dad's foot hit the paved, he picked up his pace.

The faster we went the more I felt his distress and my heart clenched painfully.

We climbed the stairs two by two, ran through the corridors and went up two more levels, nearly running, then breaking into a full run that had a nurse shouting at us to stop.

And then, suddenly, Dad stopped in front of an unassuming door on the last floor ; I smoothly spinned to avoid colliding with me.

Breath short, chest heaving, he looked at the closed door with wide eyes.

I expected soldiers on either side of it.

Of course there would be no one.

His mouth became a hard, cold line. He clenched his fist.

I waited for him to open the door.

He didn't.

It was as if he couldn't muster the courage to open it.

He looked like a sentenced to death walking to a scaffold, knowing what was going to happen but refusing to accept that it was ineluctable.

I had to look away for a moment, Adam apple bobbing painfully in my throat.

Slowly, eyes resting on him, I moved forward and put my hand on the handle.

I expected a word, a nod, a confirmation.

But his gaze was full of anguish and I couldn't bear to see for a moment longer how frightened he was.

Jaw clenched, I pushed the handle and moved aside.

A fresh smell hit my nose, as if the room had been thoroughly cleaned not long ago.

The bed was made and curtains moved slowly in front of a half open window, pushed by a winter breeze.

On the clean sheets was a blank urn full with ashes

Dad didn't move an inch, as if the mere sight of it had stunned him.

I went closer and opened the lid ; a foul smell hit my nose.

"Is it him ?", he croaked

The weakness in his voice hit me like a stab to the heart.

No child should ever have to witness his father so hurt.

For a moment, I considered lying.

"I'm sorry"

He clenched his fists, closed his mouth as if he wanted to keep inside everything, emotion building up in his eyes, chest heaving as if he had trouble breathing.

The memory burned itself in my mind.

"That's it- I-"

He moved his hand, gesturing at the room, lips pursed into a thin line, eyes glassy.

"I can't anymore. That's too much. I've given too much"

I perked up, hand still holding the lid of the ash coffin.

"What do you mean ?"

"I've given them too much. They just took again and again and I-"

His voice wavered.

"I can't be a hero anymore"

He shook his head, jaw clenched as if he were trying to keep in all of his bottled up emotions.

And he left me alone with my dead brother's ashes.

*

Author's note :

Guess who's not dead and hasn't abandonned the story ?

I was actually on a ten days break (as mentionned on my P@treon's public space, you should check it if you feel like I'm dissapearing 'without a warning') to plan the last chapters of Part 2 : there are now only 12 chapters left before we start Part 3 (for the P@treon members I mean, because otherwise you and I are still together for 39 chapters before Part 3).

And after that we'll start Part 3, the last part of this story, which should be the most violent, gore and intense part of the story - and should be around 20 chapters.

And after that I get a break, wow ! Can't believe I'm still alive lmao.

Anyway, just wanted to say we're back on the usual schedule, hope I didn't scare you (too much) with the sudden vanishing and, as always, see you in the next update everyone !

 

[Nar_cisse]

I should've been happy.

Wasn't it what I wanted all along ?

I wanted him far away from villains, far away from Japan and anything else that could've been a threat to his well-being.

I wanted him peaceful, resting, and enjoying his life as he deserved for his twenty-five years of hard work as a Hero ; I wanted everything but to see him hurting and shedding blood and sweat for undeserving people.

Yet it wasn't how things had gone.

Instead of peacefulness, he'd found sorrow ; and worse, he'd found it at the hands of those that he'd sworn to protect.

Hadn't he already been through enough ? Hadn't he already given enough ?

As soon as I'd taken the piece of bone out of Touya's throat, he'd been as good as dead.

What had laid in this hospital bed had been nothing but an empty shell for somebody who'd left long ago.

There was no need to destroy it.

It only hurt those who had cared about him.

Dad should've quit long ago ; I should've found a way to put things to an end before those he'd protected all his life turned their back on him.

Wasn't he worth being told beforehand ?

Or was he worth so little in their eyes that they didn't give two shits about the hurt he'd feel at knowing they'd put his fucking child in a box ?

Shirai's face appeared in my mind.

A slow, insidious kind of anger started boiling in my stomach, mixing up with the acid taste of resentment.

He shouldn't have been told in front of all of these strangers that his son was dead.

He shouldn't have had to drive anxiously back to a hospital where they'd barely had the courtesy to leave him a jar on a bed as if it was a fucking present.

I hated them for making me see how weak it'd made him, how devastated he was.

My first reaction had been to retaliate ; his had been to grieve.

My hands clenched on the cheap urn, and the coldness of its surface managed to snap me back to reality before I'd broke it absentmindedly.

Those were Touya's ashes between my hands.

What the hell was I supposed to do with them ?

I vaguely considered exchanging them with dog ashes and pissing on what was left of him before throwing everything in the gutters ; that's what I'd promised myself I'd do all these weeks ago.

And the more I thought about it, the more I wanted to do it.

I wasn't above pettiness, and especially not for a dead fucker.

Yet Dad still hadn't paid his respects to him - and neither Rei nor Fuyumi and Natsuo.

It would be too disrespectful to let him cry while holding dog's remains.

Still doesn't tell me what I have to do with this.

I understood why Dad had left without even touching it ; there must have been something terribly twisted in knowing that your child's corpse was contained in a twenty centimeters jar.

I watched the urn for a bit, undecided, both disgusted and repulsed by it.

I genuinely wanted to throw everything in the trash.

I sighed and took it with me before leaving.

*

"I'll take two double-cheese burgers, a bucket of twenty wings of hot chicken, one fish wrap, one coke, and three sets of fries"

I looked down to the young cashier who, though typing my command, was looking unabashedly at the urn held under my arm.

I patted it with one hand like one would a nice dog.

"Yeah, that's my dead brother. I'd say he's happy to see you but I'd be lying because he's always been a douche"

She shot me a weird-out glance and finished typing quickly.

I took my ticket and felt the urge to pee.

Once in the bathroom, I put the urn between my urinal and another one that was empty, shooting it a nasty glance :

"Stay here and behave, or otherwise I'll wash you down the drain"

Behind me one of the toilets was flushed out ; I heard the guy getting out stilling abruptly before he hurried out, zipping up his pants with one hand.

I chuckled and shot a happy glance at the urn

"Why is it that we can only see eye to eye when you're dead ?"

Because I'd died once I knew that Touya was already in his next life and that he had certainly forgotten about everything.

He was a blank slate, everything but the one he used to be.

And wasn't this ironic ?

For someone that had hurt so many people, he'd died so peacefully.

Well I mean, except for the part where he'd choked on his blood.

It was still extremely peaceful compared to what I'd planned had Keigo not managed to end him.

Still, I felt I had the right to desecrate what was left of him.

People may have been looking at me as if I were a psycho, but I had this gut feeling that Touya -wherever he was - would still be able to feel how disrespected his body was.

Once Dad had paid his respects, I wondered if I could make some jewelry out of the ashes.

Maybe I could make a necklace out of Touya – or worse, some cheap belly ring that a teenager would wear for two weeks before she'd lost it somewhere incongruous.

I knew some people used to make jewels out of dead bodies ; a weird practice, but in Touya's case I'd be thrilled to know he was worth nothing more than a clipboard.

Even feeding the earth would be too good for someone as shitty as him.

A few drops of piss fell on the whitish lid : I finished my business and then considered leaving the stains on it, but the idea of carrying it around while my piss touched me disgusted me to no end.

I washed my hands and then washed the urn with a bit of paper.

My mind went to Dad and then shifted to Shirai.

I wondered what had crossed his mind for him to accept something like that without informing us about it beforehand.

He should've at least had the consideration of telling us what the sentence was without letting Dad humiliate himself in front of such a large audience who were his colleagues.

I'd had wrongly believed Shirai and us had a common understanding, that he'd valued us ; now I understood that his 'presents' were nothing but placating gifts to keep us on his good side.

If he had to hunt us for the good of this country, he would.

Nezu's words came back to my mind.

'They see your usefulness and they all know your true and only weakness'

This life truly was only an eat-and-be-eaten game.

At the scale we were playing, no one was friends with anyone.

I still remembered the rats under Nezu's desk ; even he was too fucked up in the head for me to fully trust him.

I got out of the bathroom, took my food, paid, and left.

I ate while walking through the city, my appearance hidden under a henge.

I'd gone through Léo's house earlier and gotten new supplies.

Natsume had been there, too.

They'd wanted me to stay with them but when I'd grazed the urn with my knuckle and told them I wanted to take my dead brother on a stroll they'd been unsettled enough to leave me alone.

Touya is truly revealing itself as an invaluable people-repellent.

I considered training but, because of how weird this day had been until now, it seemed wrong to do so.

I could find out who'd killed Uraraka – Katsuki was still waiting for me to drop a name – but I had a hunch I shouldn't search too hard.

I could find Dad.

I had a rather good idea where he was.

But if he'd wanted me with him, he would've told me so.

I patted the urn.

"Guess we're going to see your best friend"

When I showed up with the urn, the nurses looked at me as if I'd grown two heads.

They had to bring in someone with a specific Quirk to analyze before letting me go upstairs ; and even then they barely let me up, clearly wondering about my sanity.

Keigo's room was, as usual, empty.

The flowers I'd brought the last time I 'officially' came to visit him had wilted.

Except for the synthetically clean smell of the nurses and doctors, there was no one else's lingering presence.

No one ever bothered to visit him or send him cards.

Not as if he could've read any but still – at least once he'd wake up he wouldn't feel so alone.

I brought a chair close to the bed and sat on it, urn propped up on my left hip.

Keigo was sickly white, a different shade than he usually looked at night.

I tapped my fingers against my thigh, wondering.

Then I leaned forward, smiling, and wrapped my arm around the jar like I would around a friend's shoulder, showing it off to Keigo.

"Look who's there to see you"

I took the lid off and clapped it to make it seem as if the urn was babbling.

Only the life monitor's regular beeps echoed through the room.

I waited a bit more, eyes locked on Keigo's.

My smile turned sour and I sighed, straightening up, and putting the jar on the ground.

"I believed that if one thing could've woken you up it'd be his dead body in a box"

My voice sounded lonely in this room, maybe a tad bit desperate.

I straightened my smooth pants repeatedly and looked out the window, trying to take my mind out of there.

Weren't we supposed to be in a magical world where miracles happened every day?

Touya's decaying smell should've magically woke up Keigo.

Hell, this bastard's death was so important it should've ended wars, worldwide hunger, and racism.

Yet I was the only one – aside from Dad – who cared about it.

And I am the only guy on earth fucked up enough to thrive while all the people that matter to me are suffering.

Why was it that when things went well for me they were shit for everybody else ?

"You would've made a better brother"

Silence answered.

I pursed my lips and looked down at the jar.

I'd spent my day carrying a dead body with me : there truly was something wrong with me.

Maybe I should-

My phone buzzed against my thigh.

I unlocked it, hoping it was Dad, quickly reading the text.

It was from Nezu.

He needed to see me urgently.

Under was written an address.

"Tokyo's central hospital, fourth floor, Dr Shigaraki's office"

*

A/N : This is the second chapter written directly in English (and corrected with Grammarly).

Tell me if you like it better - if it seems better written - or if it doesn't change a thing for you.

See you monday for the next update !

 

[Nar_cisse]

Something had snapped in him when he'd seen that urn.

Why ?

He had given them everything : his youth, his power, his life – and now they also took his son.

Why ?

They did not care to discuss it with him. They did not even bother to inform him beforehand.

They fucking killed his firstborn and put him in a box as if he were nothing more than a dog.

He'd given them everything. Everything.

He'd shed sweat and blood for Japan, had suffered so many injuries to save its citizens.

He'd spent years working himself to death, getting home late and on the verge of exhaustion for people who didn't fucking care about him.

How many school events had he missed to work a few more precious hours ? How many times had Shoto eaten alone as a child because they fucking needed him ?

They did not care.

No one did.

He had endured the public onslaught once the hangar's video had been leaked out ; he'd endured being shamed and cursed in public, had endured (déf) people spitting on the floor when he walked by, endured when they'd screamed at him to retire because they did not need a rotten, corrupted Hero like him.

He'd been thrown a bottle square in the face in a room full of a hundred people and yet he'd still held his son back from retaliating.

He'd been humiliated in front of his child and he'd said nothing.

Nothing.

Were they only supposed to take more and more without him saying anything ? Was that what a true Hero was supposed to be : someone who gave again and again and again while no one ever cared ?

Often he'd heard Heroes say how dehumanized they felt.

He'd heard of Heroes being berated for saving full families from a disaster yet not managing to save the goddamn house.

How many whose families had been targeted by villains despite how protected they were supposed to be ?

How many had suffered PTSD from not managing to save just one – only one – person more ?

He'd seen a colleague cry over a dead child's body at a playground because a villain had decided to take it hostage.

He'd let a sobbing mother hit him with her bare fists when he'd brought her the burn plush of her son.

He'd seen his fair share of horror in the military – he'd done his fair share of horrors, too.

When he was offered to become a Hero, he accepted it immediately.

He thought it would be easier – that it would hurt less.

It didn't.

People thought Heroes were gods.

People thought they could not – should not – do any wrong.

They had to save everyone and everything all the time. They had to act as if it was easy, with a dumb-ass smile on their face.

Maybe that was why Enji had started to hate All Might.

He'd made it look so easy while Enji was swimming in a pool of corpses that kept on getting deeper.

He'd endured so much bullshit for the sake of these people.

He'd sacrificed so much.

And the only way they found to thank him was to put his son in a jar.

They didn't even let him hold him one last time.

One last time – that's the only thing he would've asked.

'Let me hold him just one last time'.

And suddenly, Enji felt so tired of his life.

He felt tired at a soul-deep level, tired for he had taken one too many hits and couldn't keep going on.

He felt too tired to go outside, too tired to eat, too tired to get out of his bed.

He could feel the warmth of the sun hitting the black curtains and he hated it.

It was too much.

He just couldn't anymore.

Enji blinked, the covers tucked tightly under his chin. It was too short. His feet were cold.

And then suddenly, his feet were not cold anymore. They were tucked tightly too. He didn't care about the how or why.

He looked intently at a yellow spot on the wall below the window.

And then suddenly, he couldn't see the spot anymore.

Something had come up between him and the spot.

Enji blinked.

He still couldn't see the spot.

The smell of food hit his nose. It disgusted him.

Enji blinked again, gaze blank.

Teka had been right all along.

Being a Hero was giving again and again without getting anything back in exchange.

It was just sad.

He felt he should've been angry.

He couldn't muster up the strength to be.

He was just so, so tired.

He closed his eyes.

The thing between him and the wall stayed a moment longer – he could feel it even when his eyes were closed.

It was as hot and bright as the sun.

Enji just wanted it to leave.

What had his life amounted to ?

Nothing.

People didn't care that he – in particular - had saved them.

Another Hero with a fire Quirk would come out in a few months and everyone would forget about him.

In the grand scheme of things, he was no one.

He'd never been anyone.

The sun left.

*

"Why did you ask me to come here ?"

Nezu, paws crossed above his belly, shot Shoto a sharp look, gaze gliding down to the urn.

"What's that ?"

"My brother"

Nezu showed no outward reaction, yet inwardly he was trying to assess if the teen in front of him could be considered as clinically insane.

The kid couldn't be crazy.

It wouldn't do if he were.

Shoto sat more comfortably on the couch, eyes gliding across the room and the various diplomas with feigned nonchalance.

"Why are we here and not somewhere else ?"

"I've been lent this office kindly until his owner comes back from his vacations abroad"

Shoto's eyes snapped to the name written on one of the documents : 'Shigaraki'

"We've been here before, haven't we ?"

"The doctor's kindness shows no bounds, especially as the city is still under lockdown and no place can be rented"

Shoto nodded.

"Why did you bring me here ?"

"I believe you had questions you would like to ask me"

Shoto shot him a sharp glance, considered, then decided that playing mind games with the smartest being on earth would bring him nothing but headaches.

"When you talked to Monoma in the hospital room, you specifically asked him 'what' he had said"

"I did"

Shoto's eyebrows furrowed.

The admission was a tad too fast for his liking.

"You wanted me to notice the way you choose your words"

"Indeed"

The casualness of Nezo puzzled Shoto.

"Why ?"

"Because I know what you'll do with the information once I give it to you and it could be of great help to me"

"Are you trying to use me ?"

"I indeed am"

Shoto stayed silent for a bit.

"Is the person that killed Uraraka someone that would be better off dead in your books ?"

Nezu stirred his tea.

"Well, not necessarily. He's quite useful but some other… questionable people are looking into him and it's bothering me a great deal"

"Why ?"

Nezu smiled enigmatically.

"Has he done something for you that you don't want to see unearthed (déf) ?"

Shoto was a smart kid, but he was also way too smart to attempt blackmailing him.

And he also needed the teen to trust him – at least as much as his paranoid psyche could let him trust anybody else that was not him.

Thus, Nezu conceded.

"Correct. I would be rather bothered if some… unsavory events were to resurface again"

Kai was still in detention.

His refusal to respond to any question directly had started to rub people in the wrong way and some were wondering if he – for some reason - knew about Tsukauchi's Quirk or his possible presence during his interrogations.

Shoto's finger was grazing absentmindedly the lid of the urn as if he were stroking a pet's head.

Nezu glanced at his middle finger, slightly weirded out.

"Who killed her?"

"Kai Chisaki"

Shoto's face was carefully blank.

Great.

At least he wouldn't have to bother finding out who did it - he already had way too much stuff on his plate.

And Katsuki was growing impatient.

"Why ?"

"She nearly killed Neito and he didn't like her putting her hands on his nephew"

Shoto's brain short-circuited.

Chisaki and Monoma were fucking related ?

He did not see that coming.

"Alright. Do you plan on turning me out once I'm done with him ?"

"No"

Shoto's eyes narrowed suspiciously.

"I don't get it. What's in it for you ?"

Nezu admired how fast his mind worked : everyone else would've been way too concerned about killing Chisaki rather than consider the 'why'.

Nezu was a powerful man, and he had plenty of powerful friends too.

He didn't need Shoto to kill Chisaki for him : he could've done so a thousand times already.

A bit of anything slightly dangerous in his food would've taken him out for good long ago.

Yet Nezu wasn't a short-sighted man : he always played two games simultaneously, way too ahead for anyone to really understand what his true goal was.

"Your trust"

Shoto's eyebrows rose so high they nearly touched his hairline.

He scoffed.

"Will that be all ?"

"I believe it is enough already"

Shoto leaned back confidently in his chair, arms crossed

"That's not the way to go if you want my trust"

"I rather I believe it is"

Shoto quirked a disdainful brow.

Nezu leaned forward.

"Over the years, how many people have tried to get your loyalty by forcing you to do things you didn't want to ? How many will try to lure you in with false promises in exchange for your trust ? I am m not like them. I will always tell you what I expect of you"

The teen's face was blank as if none of the things Nezu had said had phased him.

"And right now you need me"

"I do, for I believe your father has retired" Shoto stiffened "And All Might is on the verge of retiring. My political power is decreasing : I need new strong Heroes on my side to prove that I am still relevant"

"I'm not a Hero"

It was said with a definitive tone.

Nezu's dark eyes gleamed.

He froze for the barest of moments.

Out of everything he had said, Shoto had decided to focus on the Hero tidbit.

He put the information away for further consideration later on.

"Are you not ? You did put yourself at risk to save all of these people a few weeks ago. I believe it was a rather Heroic gesture"

Shoto grunted.

"I just did what had to be done. No need to label me a hero for it"

Nezu looked intently into Shoto's eyes as if he could read his mind.

And he could.

Sort of.

He'd carefully studied all his psychological files, watching again and again recordings of him on Yuei's grounds to get a better understanding of him.

And right now, what he saw in his answer was 'I'm still the vengeful kid carrying around his dead brother's corpse ; of course I can't be a Hero'.

"Heroes are not perfect individuals", said Nezu carefully. "Wearing a costume doesn't make someone flawless. They're still prideful, vengeful and easy to anger. There is nothing wrong with that"

Shoto had no outward reaction – or at least none that Nezu could pick up on.

Most of the time his face stayed blank, though sometimes micro-reactions – split moments when his face instinctively moved before his conscious mind reigned the natural reaction back in – allowed a glimpse into his profound self.

And right now Shoto was considering what he said, trying to see if it aligned with his peculiar moral code.

"You can't ask someone to trust you and expect them to say yes"

Nezu agreed.

He had anticipated the discussion going this way.

"What do you think of the Commission ?"

The sudden 180° took Shoto by surprise ; that's what Nezu had wanted.

He wanted him to be on his toes, to keep wondering what was the point Nezu wanted to make.

He shrugged.

"And the military ?"

This time Shoto sent Nezu an assessing glance.

Nezu allowed himself to smile, showing his sharp teeth the way that Aizawa used to tell him made him look too much like an animal.

After all, weren't humans mammals too ?

"Do you believe that they trust you ? That they're on your side ?"

"Because you, on the contrary, are on my side ?"

Deflecting answers was his favorite way of dealing with questions he didn't want to respond to.

His motto was 'ambiguous enough for no one to understand where my real thoughts lay'.

Nezu found it as adorable as a cute little mouse not eating its cheese for fear of showing everyone how much she was fond of it.

"It seems you believe they are", Nezu answered, amusement clear in his voice

Shoto shrugged, not showing an ounce of reaction toward Nezu's obvious condescending tone.

"You said it yourself : I've saved plenty of people a while back. They must believe I'm not as bad as people say"

"And that's only because you saved these people that they allowed you to see Keigo Takami, right ?"

Shoto tensed.

He'd thought the gift – if not fully harmless – at least mostly won because of his hard work that night.

"If they truly cared about either you or your dad", Nezu crooned "They wouldn't have dared to put your brother in a jar"

Shoto said nothing.

Nezu waited for an answer that didn't come.

Of course it didn't.

Yet he knew his mind was running a thousand miles a second.

All of these were things his psychotic mind should have already considered but hearing them said aloud – by someone else – was like confirming his suspicions.

But it still wasn't enough.

Nezu needed to make him realize that no one was on his side and that no one would ever be.

"Are you free right now ?"

Nezu started gathering the harmless work he'd brought with him ; losing something valuable in this office would bring nothing but complications to his projects.

"Why ?"

Nezu stopped, eyes locking with Shoto.

"Because you're going to get the One for All"

*

A/N : If you like the story, want to support it/read ahead of schedule, go check the story's P@treon, Nar_cisseENG

And see you in the next update everyone !

 

[Nar_cisse]

"You're joking"

Nezu didn't answer.

Shoto's eyes were two narrow slits.

"It'll freeze in hell the day I accept All Might's-"

"You'll come to accept it", Nezu shushed him. "And think about the monstrous power you'll have. You'd be able to walk on the world"

How delightful it sounded in Nezu's ears : walk on the world.

Being a God among men.

He craved such existence.

"I don't care about-"

"Come with me. Let's get out of here"

Shoto's eyebrows were furrowed.

After a beat, he followed Nezu, though it was obvious how reluctant he was.

Nezu locked the office behind them and then shot Shoto a surreptitious smile that made him frown even more.

The teen followed him until they reached his car, a black, glossy model of a vintage Aston Martin.

"You do not truly consider giving me All Might's power, do you ?"

Nezu had noticed the lack of comment over the fact that All Might's power could be 'given'.

He opened his trunk and put his suitcase inside.

"I indeed have no influence over who will get or who won't get All Might's Quirk"

He pressed a button on his car key : the trunk shut automatically.

"Then why did you say I would get his Quirk?"

Nezu mulled over his words.

"There are… people that could hurt the one that will get the One for All. I'd rather have them focused on you"

The teen crossed his arms.

"I'm wondering when I'll start getting paid for all of the shit you put me through"

Nezu smiled.

Shoto has talked without an ounce of anger or frustration.

He wondered how he'd react if he truly knew why had All for One managed to get to the Summer Camp.

"If you'd allow me, I would like to start paying you back right now"

Nezu gestured towards the passenger seat of the car.

Shoto's eyebrows rose.

"Trying again to get my trust ?"

Nezu smiled with good humor.

"I'd rather say trying to show you who you should not trust"

Curiosity lit up Shoto's eyes, yet he didn't say anything.

"It will be worth your time, I assure you", Nezu pressed

The teen pondered then nodded.

"Alright. Show me"

*

As soon as Nezu opened the door, dust fell from the ceiling.

Shoto had taken a step back to avoid it but it had fallen on Nezu's shoulders, who was clearing it away.

The room Nezu had brought him to was so small and cramped up it looked like a corridor, yet it was as dusty as an attic. Old cobwebs were hanging like threads from the ceiling as if even the spiders had long fled the place.

There barely was enough room for a chair and a computer on a dirty table.

Shoto knew that even while sitting his knees would touch the wall and he'd feel as stiff as a stick.

Nezu stayed on the threshold of the room while Shoto surveyed it.

"This screen is connected to a camera in the room next to it. I will conduct a meeting there that will be of great interest to you…The wall is thin enough for you to hear through it without trouble"

Shoto was still looking around, weirdly disgusted yet nonphased by how dirty it was.

"Do you want me to poison someone ?"

He only needed a peephole to feel like a spy in one of Ian Fleming's novels.

"Of course not. I merely want you to listen about what will happen next door"

Shoto shot him a sharp glance before he focused once more on the screen.

"Alright"

Nezu smiled and closed the door behind him.

*

"We'll give Shoto Todoroki the One for All"

"No"

The General's answer had shot up abruptly from his mouth, not leaving any room for discussion.

President Pantu shot him a side glance and said nothing, her gaze settling back on Nezu.

In the back, All Might, hands crossed, had not batted an eye.

"I believe he has what it takes to become the next bearer", said Nezu calmly. "He is clever, resilient, and strong-minded"

"Giving him that much power would be foolish", answered Shirai. "He's sixteen and he's already way too powerful. Few people in Japan would be able to restrain him if the need arose"

Nezu felt blood and went straight for the throat :

"And you as well as all of us here saw how capable he was when he fought those Nomus. With the One for All in addition to his own Quirk, he'd be a boon for our country"

Shirai took the bait.

"A good weapon is a weapon that won't turn itself against us. He won't have it"

It was a sentence that invited neither argument nor protestation.

On the other side of the wall, Shoto was startled.

Why was Shirai acting as if his possibly getting All Might's Quirk was a personal slight against him ?

Granted, he did not care about the One for All – wouldn't even touch it with a stick – but was he truly so bad that they could not even fathom him getting it ?

Nezu nodded humbly.

President Pantu shot Nezu an assessing glance.

"You know as well as we do how dangerous one individual holding that much power could be"

"I do", Nezu conceded

She expected him to speak, to explain his point of view ; his lack of response only served to make her more puzzled.

Shoto was getting more and more confused about what was happening.

He'd saved Tokyo, saved millions of people with only his father to help him : certainly it had to mean something for them, didn't it ?

"And it is without considering his mental state", Pantu added, gaze leveled on Nezu. "Trusting someone so volatile with such power would put us all at risk"

Shirai nodded, and a spike of anger pierced Shoto's chest.

Was he such an awful person that they could not even consider him as a potential candidate ?

Nezu nodded humbly and said nothing else.

"Though I am still wondering about something… When did you come to know about the One for All ?"

Nezu shot President Pantu a tight-lipped smile.

"All Might told me all about it quite recently"

All Might, arms crossed, looked bored out of his mind. There were dark bags under his eyes, and blood capillaries had exploded in his eyes.

Pantu did not smile.

"How convenient"

The air was thick with tension.

Shirai chose not to pay it any mind : he bent down and took out a portfolio as thick as his arm.

"Here is the list of candidates I am proposing as the next bearer of All Might's Quirk"

There were at the very least fifty candidates.

Shoto's frustration was growing by leaps.

That was it ?

They'd talked about him for barely a minute and dismissed him so quickly.

Was he not worth more ? Had he not done enough to prove them he was worthy of- of bare consideration ?

"Sung Jin Woo", Nezu read aloud

"Obviously", Pantu said

"He has a great Quirk and he's been working in the military for years now", Shirai said, choosing to ignore him. "He'd make an excellent Peace Symbol"

"I believed Gunhee was grooming him to become the next head of the Special Forces ?", Pantu asked

"He says himself ready to partake in it if no better candidate is found"

"And I believed concentrating too much power in one's hand was too risky for us to consider ?", Nezu said innocently

"He's different"

And he did not bother to develop.

Shoto's left fist clenched.

"He may be", Pantu conceded. "But I believe I may have more interesting options to offer"

She too put on the table a portfolio as big as Shirai's.

They started discussing other potential candidates, their Quirks, and achievements, whereas Shoto was seething.

They'd dismissed him so quickly to discuss fucking background characters ?

These people were nobodies – they were unable to do even a tenth of what he'd done, All Might's Quirk or not.

He could crush them as easily as he'd crush bugs, and yet they were worthy of consideration ?

He had saved people.

He had fought for Tokyo's citizens.

They should be grateful.

They should be on their knees, licking the sole of his shoes, begging him to accept being the next bearer.

They had not even considered him.

To them, he was nothing.

Suddenly, All Might's voice rose.

"I have someone else in mind"

The three heads turned to him.

He had not spoken a word since the beginning of the meeting.

Shirai gestured for him to continue.

"Someone tenacious and that will hold his ground, no matter who faces him"

"What's his name ?"

"Katsuki Bakugo"

There was a moment of silence.

"Who ?"

All Might was sprawled in his chair, looking like a bored king talking to people he did not want to talk to about matters that should not have been theirs to discuss.

"A student from Yuei", he explained. "A strong, capable boy. He'll do what needs to be done, no matter who's opposing him"

Another round of silence.

"All Might", Pantu said slowly. "No matter the… qualities of this boy, he may not be the best candidate. You can certainly find-"

"Too late", All Might cut her off. "I've already given it to him"

*

Bonus :

"What ?"

A beat of silence.

All Might sighed then looked up at the sky.

The moon was high, hanging as a watchful being over the clouds.

"My Quirk", he explained slowly. "It's called One for All. I can pass it down. I want you to be the next bearer"

There, another lie.

All Might did not want him to be the next bearer : rather, he needed the kid to be the next bearer.

Not as if he would be able to pick up on it.

Confusion and shock flashed through Katsuki's eyes.

"I-"

All Might waited for him to get a grip on himself, still looking up at the sky.

Despite not being there during Tokyo's attack, All Might had learned everything about what had transpired.

He'd felt guilty about the whole ordeal, and had felt foolish for not having realized that the few Nomus spotted north of the country were only a distraction made to push him away.

To punish himself, All Might had learned by heart all of the deceased names, printing it in his brain to never forget those he had failed.

He'd also learned about the neighborhood that had been blown up, totally obliterated.

Scorching, destroyed pieces of torn buildings had been the only thing left in a humongous pit.

He'd heard about Endeavor and his son being there that night and being praised as the main reason the city hadn't been erased from the map.

All Might had felt weird when he'd heard Shoto had managed to evacuate more than six hundred people in a matter of seconds, all alone ; the feat had been nothing short of godly.

He remembered reconsidering everything he'd learned about him : had he judged him wrongly ? Had he seen something wrong in him that wasn't there ?

He felt as if the world's axis had shifted.

All Might had always trusted his guts and it had never failed him.

Since the first time he'd met him, he'd felt uneasy around young Todoroki.

Even when he was a child, something in the back of All Might's mind had always tingled whenever the kid was near.

His senses had never been as wary when he'd faced All for One himself.

Uneasy, All Might had asked more questions.

That's one he learned about why the neighborhood had been destroyed.

All for One had blown it up.

Supposedly.

All Might hadn't bought it for a second.

If All for One truly had the power to blow up a street with a snap of his fingers, he wouldn't bother raising his army of monsters.

What was the point of fighting when you could just hold the whole world hostage ?

If someone such as this existed, everyone would have to bend to their will.

And deep in his heart – the same way All Might knew the sun would always rise and the night would always come - he knew that this – someone who would always break others before breaking himself - was what Shoto was.

He'd blow up the whole world with a snap and he wouldn't bat an eye.

The realization had chilled him to the bones.

All for One hadn't blown up this street ; Shoto had.

And worse than that, All Might was too old and too tired to stop him.

He was far from his prime : chances were that if he tried to stop him, the kid would simply crush him.

Once again, All Might wondered what would happen if Endeavor died.

"Does that mean you were Quirkless ?"

All Might's blue eyes snapped to Katsuki's.

It took him a moment to remember where he was and why he was talking to him.

The One for All truly had eaten him, body and mind alike.

"I indeed was"

The boy looked at him intently.

His reddish gaze was sharp, focused.

He'd been close to Uraraka, from what All Might had heard.

And when he'd learned – not even from Nezu – that the girl was allegedly a spy, All Might hadn't found it in himself to be upset.

It was Nezu who had pushed her into All Might's elite group. He'd had insisted, had asked All Might to treat her like he did everybody else.

The small, cold part of All Might – the one that had been hardened by years of fighting for his country – had wondered what new game Nezu was playing.

After Nana's death, Nezu had lent All Might a helping hand : yet only now did All Might understand that all along he was truly the one who had helped Nezu.

The 'Symbol of Peace' title had been nice for the first decades.

It had stroked his ego, even if he knew that were he to die, the country wouldn't crumble to pieces.

Sure, the civilians would be shaken, but All Might wasn't paramount to their country's security – no one was.

Maybe Nezu, feeling that All Might was growing more and more irritated with him, wanted to push someone he knew would've been loyal to him.

The Uraraka girl would serve Nezu, had All Might felt her worthy of the One for All.

She could have been. Truly.

If only All Might hadn't felt in Shoto a growing threat.

And now that everything had come to light, All Might's mind had worked quickly : he'd connected the dots and realized something.

Uraraka wouldn't have ever gotten the One for All ; Nezu would've merely pushed All Might to play his game and make her think she would get it.

All for One would've sprung up once she'd gotten it : it would've been a trap.

All Might's legacy was nothing but a mere game for Nezu, a mere setup that he would've used to catch All for One.

He didn't care about what such power meant.

He didn't care about the legacy it represented.

He didn't care about All Might, never had really.

It was all about power.

Everything was about power.

All Might despise them all, the fucking General who acted as if he were a mighty god – having the right of death or life over everyone else – and all of those fucking politicians that cared only about the money depreciating and the fucking Heroes who'd fled their duties when civilians had died by hundreds and he fucking despised-

"Why me ?"

All Might blinked.

He was standing against the railing of a rooftop, one hand on the cold surface.

He realized he'd crushed it without realizing it until it was but a mere straw.

Years ago, he would've obliterated the thing without thinking.

He truly was getting old.

"Don't you feel you're worthy of it ?"

The teen straightened, pride and ego swelling in his eyes.

He had potential.

But he was not worthy of it.

If only Shoto hadn't existed, All Might could've chosen someone else.

"Of course I do"

All Might nearly smiled.

"Of course", he repeated blankly

All Might considered telling him he'd only get this power because he was friends with who was certainly the next All for One in the making.

He would've probably refused to get it, then, and All Might would've been robbed of the only one he felt could stop Shoto Todoroki once he started his killing spree.

It didn't matter why or where or when.

All Might just knew deep down that the boy would be far, far worse than anything this world had ever seen.

But there was hope.

All Might knew how much he cared about his father, how concerned he was about him.

If he cared this way about people he was close to then maybe- maybe Katsuki could talk him out of whatever he would want to do someday.

It was a gamble.

The whole future was a gamble.

Yet All Might had lost the other half of the Peace Symbol and, despite everything, he had liked having someone else standing by his side.

It was time to put the burden on someone else's shoulders and go live somewhere far away, where he could rest in peace for the last few years he had to live.

It would be nice.

He'd always wanted to go to Bali.

All Might straightened up, shooting one last glance at the sky.

"There is one condition for you to get it"

The boy nodded seriously, though the bags under his eyes were red from crying.

All Might felt both pity and cold resolution wash over him.

"If I give you this power, I want you to promise that shall you have the opportunity of killing All for One – or anyone else of his level that could threaten the well-being of our fellow citizens - you will kill him"

The boy looked surprised, then frowned.

"You have to promise", insisted All Might.

He did not want the next bearer to repeat his own mistakes.

"Even if it is your friend"

All Might's eyes were hard and unyielding.

He wouldn't give him his Quirk if he didn't promise.

"I swear I will kill All for One at the first opportunity that arises", Katsuki repeated slowly, looking resolute yet slightly weird about the words coming out of his mouth. "And anyone else as dangerous as him. Even if it is my friend"

All Might smiled, yet it barely lighted up his dark face.

"Now open your mouth"

And then, the teen did something completely unexpected.

He took a step back and said :

"Thanks for the offer. I'll consider"

And he left.

*

A/N :

If you like the story, want to support it/read ahead of schedule up to 27 chapters, go check the story's P@treon, Nar_cisseENG

See you in the next update everyone !

 

[Nar_cisse]

"You did what ?"

All Might's bored eyes turned slowly to Shirai.

Half bent above the table, a crumpled paper in his hand, left eyebrow twitching uncontrollably, he looked as if he were on the verge of losing it.

"I already gave him my Quirk", All Might repeated slowly

Shirai's steely eyes turned to pure cold.

"And under what pretense did you take this decision alone ?"

All Might scoffed

He pitied Katsuki : the kid really would have his head full with these people.

"It is my Quirk", he said "I believe it is enough reason for me to do whatever I want with it"

Pantu's head turned so fast toward Nezu that it looked as if her neck had snapped from the motion.

"Did you know about it ?"

Her tone was accusatory.

Nezu shook his head, looking utterly surprised.

"I had no idea about it"

All Might's eyebrows rose in disbelief : he smiled while shaking his head, arms crossed.

Liar.

Nezu had been the one to tell him to choose whoever he wanted and not to give any of the people they'd bring up credit : this meeting had another purpose that evaded him.

"We're talking about the next Peace Symbol", Shirai insisted "You shouldn't have-"

"If I may say", Nezu interjected "It is indeed All Might's Quirk. No one here has any right over it"

Pantu bit the inside of her cheek.

All Might couldn't help but feel some twisted amusement.

"We should have been informed", she insisted "We should have..."

It wasn't about All Might choosing someone without asking for their opinion : it was about All Might choosing someone they disapproved of.

Nezu had created the 'Peace Symbol' title, but it had garnered power – social and political - as well as prestige over the years.

Having a Peace Symbol – someone virtually unbeatable – frightened villains, reassured civilians, and contributed to the soft power of a country.

A Peace Symbol was an advertisement at an international level, it was a way of screaming 'Our country is stable, Quirks users are well regulated'.

Many foreign countries, seeing how well it had worked in Japan, had replicated the idea, giving birth to their own "Peace Symbol".

Shirai and Pantu had both wanted to put someone who would've been loyal to them as a Peace Symbol.

It would have helped them garner more power and leverage in Japan as well as internationally.

They did not understand the profound reason for being behind the One for All.

Even if Nezu had created the title, the One for All truly had been born by the will of someone who wanted to protect others, to be the 'Peace Symbol' of everybody else.

That's why All Might would've never left any of them to get it.

"If it can reassure you", All Might said "I choose the next bearer while considering future threats"

Nezu moved awkwardly in his seat.

Pantu's eyebrow rose.

"Which means ?"

"Maybe we shouldn't-"

Nezu was cut off by Shirai :

"What kind of threat ?"

"The one we've all considered", said All Might

Nezu tried to shut down the discussion.

"I don't think-"

"Endeavor's son", finished All Might

Shirai sank back in his chair, hands crossed.

"I see"

Both Shirai had considerably calmed down.

Pantu seemed pensive.

"Are they close ?"

"Close enough for young Bakugo to talk him down if the need arises", All Might said. "And the One for All will only make him more… compelling"

Nezu looked conflicted.

Shirai turned to him.

"What do you think about it ?"

The way he mulled on his words before speaking aroused All Might's curiosity.

"It is All Might's choice", he finally said heavily through gritted teeth

Shirai nodded.

"I believe everything has been said"

He gathered the papers he'd brought out and then stood up.

Pantu did the same.

"Congratulations on choosing the next bearer", Shirai said

His gaze turned to steel.

"Let's hope none of us will come to regret your decision"

He nodded politely at them both then left.

Pantu lingered at the door, one hand on the doorknob.

"If you had already chosen the next bearer..."

Her eyes slid over to Nezu.

"I wonder what this meeting was for"

She looked around the room for a bit, as if trying to catch onto something that would give her a clue about the situation.

She left a second later, closing the door shut.

Nezu's gaze automatically shifted to All Might who, still sprawled out, looked oblivious.

His face turned to Nezu.

"Is there something on my face ?"

Nezu looked as if he wanted to say something but decided to hold up at the last moment.

"You can come in"

He pressed a button under the table and a panel of the wall in the corner of the room – carefully hidden behind a paint and a vase – opened.

From there got out Shoto.

All Might's face was blank.

He did not even bother asking Nezu to explain himself.

He had believed Nezu had mentioned Shoto at the beginning of the discussion to make whoever All Might proposed next look as a reasonable choice ; yet now he truly understood why he had mentioned him – and why he'd looked so agitated when All Might had mentioned the way they could use his friend against him.

The kid was red in the face – at least the part of his face that they could see – and there was no denying the anger brewing in his eyes.

Nezu truly was always two steps ahead of everybody else.

"I believe it has been a rather insightful conversation", Nezu said, smiling

All Might kept on watching the kid.

Shoto nodded curtly, eyes still locked on the closed door.

Silence stretched.

"Can I leave ?", he asked after a while

Nezu checked a small device that looked like a miniature computer.

"Don't forget your urn in my car"

Shoto left.

The door shut so hard it shook the wall.

All Might looked at a picture hanging next to it, wondering if it would fall.

"Was it necessary ?", he asked

"He needs to understand that they're not his friends-"

Nezu's gaze turned pointedly at All Might.

"- that no one truly is, anyway'

"I see"

All Might wasn't an expert when it came to Shoto's psyche, but he wasn't sure if playing mind games with him was the wisest thing to do.

*

"Overhaul killed her"

The wind was cold, biting.

I'd left the urn at our penthouse after taking it back from Nezu's car.

"Who ?"

"Kai Chisaki. Neito's uncle"

Katsuki was stunned ; his jaw moved, clenching and unclenching as if he were trying to taste the name of the guy, making it roll off his tongue.

"Why ?"

I snapped.

"Does it matter ?"

Confusion flashed through his eyes.

I exhaled slowly, nostrils flaring, trying to reign back in my temperament.

"He killed her", I repeated through gritted teeth. "There's nothing else we should worry about"

If I were Katsuki, I wouldn't care about the how or whys – I'd just make him pay a hundredfold.

From the corner of my eye, I saw Katsuki nodding, jaw set, before he looked away.

The sun was setting far above the clouds, golden rays piercing here and there. It looked like mist.

"What are you going to do ?", I asked, tone quieter

He seemed to search for his words then, finally, said :

"I don't know"

He sounded exhausted, as if the whole situation was not something he could handle.

I waited some more, trying to gauge the situation, yet I couldn't help but grow more and more irritated.

Shouldn't it be easy ? Shouldn't he know exactly what he'll do to him ?

Shirai's words were playing on repeat in my head.

"What do you mean, 'you don't know' ?"

Katsuki's shoulders sagged.

"I just don't know"

He sounded so weak it disgusted me.

"You should know", I said harshly "You asked me to help you find her murderer, and I did. You should have already planned what you'll do to him. You should know"

Katsuki snorted.

"And obviously you know what I should do to him"

"I do"

"Killing isn't always the easiest way to deal with your problems"

The remark unnerved me.

"You don't kill because it's easy", I explained "You kill because you don't have any other option"

There is nothing more frightening than to realize that your life is fading away at the hands of someone who won't back down, nothing scarier than bored eyes looking at you in a way that says 'You won't get saved this time'.

I really want to piss on Touya's ashes.

"Same thing"

Katsuki confused me.

"Aren't you supposed to care about her ?", I ask, frowning

He mirrored my expression.

"I do"

"Then why are you hesitating ?"

"Because we're talking about murdering someone"

"And ?"

Katsuki looked as if he wanted to speak ; then, frustrated, he threw his hands up.

"We can't kill someone because we want to"

"We can"

Katsuki snorted.

He was a few feet on my right, half leaning over the railing of a rooftop.

I nodded, looked away, then silently shunshined behind him.

The wind picked up.

"I could kill you right here and right now, and no one would be the wiser"

Goosebumps ran over his body : the hair on the back of his neck stood up.

He gripped the railing and then shot me a perturbed glance over his shoulder.

I was standing right behind him, close enough to slit his throat with a flicker of my wrist.

"It would be easy. I'd get it done quickly, and then I'd go eat dinner with my father like I always do. No one would be the wiser"

"But you'd know you'd have killed me. You couldn't possibly live with it"

I cocked my head to the side.

"Couldn't I ?"

Katsuki relaxed then smiled, turning around to face me, leaning, arms crossed, over the railing.

He looked at me as if he didn't believe me, as if I was bluffing.

I could push him and he'd end up plastered on the street like an art project gone wrong.

I was perplexed.

"You've heard about all of these things they said about me on TV", I said. "You know that I've killed, yet you don't believe that I could kill you"

It wasn't a question but rather a statement.

Katsuki didn't think that I could hurt him.

He had been startled because I'd crept up on him, not because I – as a person – scared him.

"It was in legitimate defense"

"And what about the villains at the Summer Camp? Was it in legitimate defense too ?"

He shrugged coolly.

"They were villains. That's different"

"I put my sword through one's mouth so hard I pierced his throat and made mash out of his brain"

Katsuki shook his head.

"They were villains"

"And isn't the one who killed Uraraka a villain too ?"

Katsuki said nothing.

I kept on scrutinizing him, trying to understand his thought process.

It wasn't about killing Chisaki – not really.

I didn't give two shits about killing him or not.

But for the principle of the thing, I believed Katsuki had to.

When someone was wronged, they had to wrong others ten times: it was how life worked.

Yet Katsuki didn't seem to have any of it.

"All Might choose you as his successor"

Katsuki did not react, rather looking blankly at me.

"I said I'd consider"

A small smile lifted the corner of my lip.

I would pay to see what expression All Might made.

"Do you know why he chose you ?"

"Because I'm the best"

My smile widened.

I nodded in acknowledgment.

"Maybe, yes. But more importantly, he chose you because of me"

His brows furrowed.

"What do you mean ?"

"He expects me to become a threat to Japan one day"

Seeing how everyone had reacted when Nezu had merely mentioned my name as One for All's possible next bearer, I knew they – Shirai, Pantu, and all these higher-ups fuckers - still considered me as a possible threat too.

It had hurt surprisingly much.

Was I so bad that they could only expect the worst out of me even when I'd saved a full city ?

Was I such a horrible person ?

Did I already have what it took to become such a monster ?

Katsuki snorted.

"Yeah, as if"

"He thinks I'll become the next All for One, and he believes that if you're the one with the One for All, then you could stop me"

His smile wavered, his amused expression faltering.

"Does he ?"

He looked so flabbergasted I felt pity for both of us.

"Do you remember how surprised you were when All Might didn't take me in his little group ? If we'd ranked students out of strength, you know I'd have been there with you"

Katsuki nodded.

"He didn't because he doesn't want me with the One for All. He's scared of what I could do with it. They're all scared of how untouchable such power would make me"

And in hindsight, they were right.

If I were them, I wouldn't even give myself the One for All.

Too paranoid, too distrustful, too prone to violence.

Yet I'd saved Tokyo. Shouldn't have someone – at the very least - talked a bit positively about me ?

"You'll get the One for All whether you want it or not. And if the need arises, they'll make you kill me"

Katsuki looked utterly confused.

I steeled myself, pretending that the situation didn't bother me, that them trying to use my friend against me wasn't so utterly hurtful that it made me want to prove them right by killing them all.

"I wouldn't kill you"

And he sounded so sincere, too.

It warmed my heart.

"Would you not, if I killed all of your friends ? If I hurt your family ? If I threatened to destroy Japan ?"

Katsuki looked at me as if the idea of me hurting people – people who were not villains - was utter foolishness.

"You won't do that"

And his gaze was so trustful, so pure of faith in me, it stunned me for a moment.

I only managed to say :

"All Might would kill me"

"All Might didn't-"

"Every hero has killed someone at a moment or another. Don't look at me like that, that's the truth. You could be the greatest hero this world has ever seen, even you will someday make a mistake – and a mistake with Quirks like ours cost people their lives"

Katsuki still shook his head.

"I told you I wouldn't kill you-"

"I would. I'd kill you"

He looked at me intently.

"If you stood on my path, I'd kill you. And I'd kill everyone else who'd try to stop me"

I meant it.

Katsuki looked at me for a moment, then he shook his head as if I were messing with him.

"I won't kill him because you want me to"

"You won't kill him because I told you so but because you have to"

I took another step forward.

"You're at a threshold, Katsuki. If you get the One for All you'll have to prove yourself worthy of it. If someone worse than All for One ever comes-"

He shot me a glance heavy with significance.

"-you'll have to kill him. That's what they expect of our Peace Symbol. That's what's expected of Heroes. If we need to kill someone to save thousands of lives, we have to"

"We don't have to. I can forge my destiny"

I was confused by his reaction,and his rebuttal.

He was categorically against this scenario – him killing someone – and I was categorically against letting him think he could get away with it.

"Do you believe yourself so much better than anyone else that you think you can solve all of the world's problems without violence ?"

"I don't-"

"Do you believe you're so important that once you get your hands on All Might's Quirk no one will want to stop you ? Do you believe you'll subdue thousands by the sheer force of your charisma ?"

"I've never said that-"

"Do you truly believe you're God's gift to this world ? That once you get the All for One, everyone will simply let you be ? That your sheer existence will bring peace to our world ?"

Katsuki jerked his head back.

"Hey, I never said I was some kind of chosen one or some dumb shit like that. Once I get the One for All I will be different from All Might, and-"

"How ?"

"What ?"

"How different will you be ?"

Katsuki looked taken aback.

"What will you do that he didn't do ? What will you try that he didn't ? How will you, a mere sixteen years old, succeed where he failed ?"

Katsuki's mouth closed, his lips pursed so hard it looked like it hurt.

His Adam's apple bobbed up while he was trying to find the correct words.

I cut him off before he could speak again :

"Newsflash : even if you get the One for All, you'll be no one"

The bitterness in my tone surprised me but not as much as I would've thought.

I'd once believed I'd buried all of my resentment long ago, but I guess no one could truly heal from realizing that despite being reborn, you were no one.

It was hard healing from a bruised ego.

"None of us are. In the end, whatever we do here doesn't matter"

"What the fuck are you trying to do by telling me all of that shit ?"

Katsuki was growing more and more confused and I was growing more and more agitated.

"I want you to fucking understand that we are not playing. This isn't high school grounds anymore, this isn't the kind of stuff that you can fuck over and be like 'My bad'. Your actions will have fucking consequences. If you are not up to the task, people will die because of you"

Despite everything that had happened, he was still so naive.

The passion I saw in his eyes when he talked wasn't that of a man but rather of a child with bright eyes who thought he was special and unique, and that Heroes were mythical, untouchable creatures.

I didn't want him to believe himself unique like I once did, thinking that it would shield him from the world.

I did not want him to hurt as much as I did when I realized that I could die and that it would not matter.

"If you're not enough", I said, tone lowering "You'll die too"

And the world would keep turning.

Katsuki looked at me intensely, red eyes narrowed.

And then, suddenly, the tension in his shoulders vanished.

His voice was low, deep.

"Is that what you think will happen to you ?", he asked. "That if you're not enough, everyone around you will die ?"

My left hand shook ; I hid it behind my thighs and frowned, spitting harshly :

"Don't fucking try to psychoanalyze me"

Katsuki shot me a shit-eating grin.

"Isn't that what you tried to do ?"

I didn't feel like joking.

"You know what ? I got enough of this. Kill him or don't, I don't give a shit. I didn't even give a shit about Uraraka"

Katsuki's smile dropped ; hurt flashed in his eyes.

I was too proud, too far gone to backtrack.

"Once you get the One for All, people will come after you – it won't be a matter of if but merely of when. And they won't just come after you, they'll come after your family and friends too. You'll have to make examples out of them. You'll have to show them that you are not a pushover and that you don't take slights directed at you lightly. One day, you'll kill someone – be it Chisaki or someone else. You won't enjoy it. You'll probably get PTSD because of it. You'll need to see a shrink. And then you'll have to kill someone else. And someone else. And someone else."

At this point, I was seething with anger.

"I haven't even said I'll get the One for All", he insisted. "I haven't even decided if-"

"You can choose to kill someone in a set environment, where the events are controlled. Or you can choose to kill randomly and get so frozen once you realize what you've done that the people around – the ones you'd said you'd protect - will die because you didn't manage to get your fucking head out of your ass"

At this point, Katsuki had shut up and was looking at me the way he would a wild animal, careful not to move to not set him off.

I saw my reflection in his eyes : panting, red-faced, as frightening as a rabid dog.

"No matter what option you choose, you won't ever know peace again"

I left.

*

A/N : If you like the story, want to support it/read ahead of schedule up to 27 chapters (and get to see for yourself the final chapter of part 2 that will be dropped soon) then go check the story's P@treon, Nar_cisseENG

And see you in the next update everyone !