We are the Future
Author's Note: LONG CHAPTER! I debated cutting it in half, realized I didn't want to. The legal jargon I'm going to be spouting later in the fic is not necessarily accurate… as much dedication as I put into my fics I cross the line at reading law books and such, so bear with me. :P
Chapter 25: Suffering Consequences
"Deku…" Bakugo murmured to his lover and put up his fists ready to fight. "Stay back and analyze as Icy Hot and I take him on. If you find a weak point, take it."
"Wouldn't it be better if I take him head on? You said yourself the guy has crazy speed, and I can move faster than you." Izuku murmured back earning a glare.
"Don't make me hurt you, Deku. Just do as I say and stay back. Todoroki, let's-" He turned his head to address Shoto, but felt the change in air pressure around him. His eyes darted forward and saw No Mercy had already closed the gap between them. He brought his hands up, his quick reflexes at work, but the guy had him by the wrists pulling them away so his blasts triggered out hitting his team mates instead.
Shoto managed to duck low and avoid it, and Izuku backed off coughing on the smoke and shaking off the burn of the explosion.
"Kacchan!"
"Bakugo!" Shoto shouted in sync and set his hand on the ground creating a floor of ice. No Mercy, still holding Bakugo by the wrist, jumped up avoiding being frozen in place and kicked his legs into Bakugo's chest sending him flying into a nearby wall. He then rolled to avoid the second Ice attack thrusting his fist out to break apart the ice and knocking Shoto off his feet.
"He's so fast…" Izuku murmured his eyes wide in disbelief. "I've only ever seen my dad and Iida move so quickly. Just how many quirks and abilities does this guy have?"
Bakugo launched from his place in the wall, concrete splitting apart from the explosions. He landed between Shoto and No Mercy and thrust his hands out with another explosion to keep No Mercy at bay. He then launched himself forward attacking head on with fists and feet.
Izuku watched, analyzing as Bakugo asked, and had to let out a shuddering breath. No Mercy was evading Bakugo's onslaught as if he knew exactly how he would fight. Kacchan had a unique style of fighting, one that hadn't changed much since their school days. No Mercy had a style of his own, very swift, and elegant like a dance.
"He's got martial arts training, I can tell from his fighting style. He's using Kacchan's own power against him to create weak points for him to attack." Izuku suddenly wished he had a notebook or his tablet so he could be taking notes. He let out a sound of relief as Bakugo finally managed to land three solid hits on No Mercy… but it hadn't phased the guy at all. "He's made like a brick, punches are just bouncing off him, but from the looks of it he's vulnerable to elemental attacks. The fire from Kacchan's explosions are burning him, and No Mercy's doing his best to avoid being directly hit by them and Shoto's attacks."
"Bakugo get out of the way!" Shoto noticed the weakness too and decided to take point. Riding a wave of ice, Shoto lit his left hand and zipped forward punching fire out towards his opponent. Bakugo skirted out of the way, No Mercy backing up and bouncing from wall to wall to avoid being hit, but the fire singed and forced him to sweat.
"What's the verdict, Deku?" Bakugo asked landing beside him and wiping sweat from his chin.
"We can beat him… but it's not gonna be easy. Yours and Shoto's quirks are really effective against him, but we need to get him to stay still long enough to do some damage, and find a way to knock him out so he doesn't slip away the moment he realizes he's losing."
"I would ask if you have a plan, but-" Bakugo's lips peeled back in his trademark sinister grin. "I already know you do."
Izuku nodded, smiling some and standing tall.
"Let me take him on. I'll keep his focus on me with a hand to hand fight… and give you guys the opening that you need." Izuku brought up his fists ready to use them.
Izumi's blood pumped fiercely through her. The thrill of the fight, the rage of her internal battle, and the adrenaline of it all kept her in the zone even while she was being yelled at.
"You've gone crazy!" She heard Whiz shout and rant in her earphone. "You can't just take on the top three heroes alone! Get yourself out of there boss. Twice and the others are waiting for-"
"Shut the hell up, Whiz, you're breaking my focus!" She shouted at him and had to leap over Shoto to avoid his next attack. She used an extended arm to punched him solidly in the back sending him skidding across the ground.
She landed, panting softly and her palms shaking a bit from the overuse of her quirks. She sensed Izuku before seeing him. Her body whirled around and she brought up her arms just in time to block his oncoming punch. The ripple of it had the concrete around them breaking apart and the sturdy structure of the building wavering.
So, Izumi thought as their eyes met. Izuku had finally decided to join the fight. He'd probably been watching and analyzing the whole time. Testing she pivoted bringing her hand up to thrust out a punch which he snagged. The ripple effect knocking both Shoto and Bakugo off their feet.
"Kacchan was right… you've got a strength quirk on top of everything else." Izuku murmured almost to himself.
"Let's see which one of us is stronger, Deku." She thrust out a combo kicking up her legs only to have them blocked, and then whirled around smacking her fist to the side of his head. He'd built up some impressive dexterity over the years, Izumi noticed with a wide grin. In the old days that would have sent him hurdling. Now he just twisted his head, shaking the ringing out of his ears.
He hit back, his punches far more powerful than Bakugo's, but her shock absorption quirk ate up the hits anyway. Still she could feel the trembling in her gut, and knew it would be a real fight if he gave it 100%. She wanted to see just how impressive he'd become… a one on one like they had from the tournament. All out, hold nothing back!
"The surrounding area is unoccupied… we've got twenty miles of uninhabited land." She told him and pushed him back with a head butt. "So if you're holding back because of that, then don't. If you really want to beat me Deku, you'd best go all out." Behind her mask her grin was wide and caused her eyes to go a bit wild. "...because there's a reason my name is No Mercy."
The way it was said, the look on his face triggered a memory for Izuku. He saw Izumi standing in front of the crowd of UA students telling them to come at her with everything they had. He put a hand over his locket, wondering why he would think of her now at this critical time.
"We're already causing this building to wane… if I use full force it could come crashing down on our heads." He explained.
"Is that what you're worried about?" She removed one of her gloves holding out the bare palm. "Let me alleviate that for you." She went to the ground, slapping her palm on the concrete ground. Wind pulsed around her as she combined One for All and Overhaul. The walls around them began to crumble and turn to dust. Heavy pieces of debris falling but nothing Bakugo couldn't blast away or Izuku to punch to dust. Shoto kept his hands above his head just in case, but as the shaking stopped he let his eyes wander, taking in the surrounding area. The entire building had turned to sand and pebbles under their feet leaving a wide open area with crumbling buildings and broken down scrap heaps.
"That quirk… I know that quirk!" Izuku said with a shaky voice. "That's Chisaki's quirk, Overhaul!"
"That's right… the fool thought he could become the king of the underground. He abused and tortured that poor girl to create a serum that erased quirks. I bartered him for the serum… once I had what I wanted I made plans to extract Eri myself… but plans changed when he caught wind of what I was doing. I had to come up with alternative means. I tipped off Nighteye and several other heroes to his location and goals. Taking that fool's quirk was just the cherry on top."
"Eri… she went missing from the hospital right after the attack. What did you do with her." Izuku demanded, his temper starting to snap.
"She's safe and happy, living with a new identity and a new family and now has some control over her quirk. She idolizes you, yah know. I may have been the one to relocate her, but you're her hero."
"Thank goodness…" Izuku held his heart tears forming. "I've always wondered whatever happened… and if she was alright. I'm so glad she's safe and happy."
"Oi! Deku, don't let him smooth talk you! If you're gonna fight, then fight or step aside so I can do it!" Bakugo shouted at him.
"Right…" Izuku nodded. "Thank you, No Mercy, for alleviating that worry from my heart. I still can't let you go."
No he couldn't… Izumi thought with some sorrow. Her hunger to fight was dulling from that reveal. She debated on just fading away, ending it here on equal terms… but the look in Izuku's eyes had her back straightening.
"I know you can't… so I'm sorry for what's about to happen."
Izumi put her fists up, ready for round two, but then the sound of rushing footsteps caught her attention and she lowered her guard to look in that direction.
"Nero?" Izumi narrowed her eyes and lowered her fists. He came alone, no Twice, no clone… and warning bells went off in her head.
"I thought you could use some back up…" He slowed his run as he approached and eyed the heroes with a confident smile.
"How did you get here so fast?" She turned him to face her. "Better yet how did you know where I was?"
"I always know where you are…" he took her hand kissing it which caused Izuku to shift uncomfortably and glance at the others who looked on puzzled as well.
"It's time we showed these heroes who they're dealing with… No Mercy" Nero's eyes changed, the hand that had held hers now gripped tight breaking bones and his free one morphed into a long thick blade. Izumi barely had time to yank her hand free before he was slicing that blade in an attempt to cut her open. She screamed out as her right arm was cut off, Izuku and the others staring in shock at what just happened.
Nero struck out again slicing long ways this time and Izumi dodged to the side before collapsing, the slice on her side wasn't deep but was enough to have her black clothes going muddy. She felt the hot pool of blood trickle from her blood as she held the dismembered arm. As Super Regeneration kicked in and reformed her arm her eyes went hot and angry.
"You!"
"Thank you for your help, my friend." Nero's face, body and clothes all melted away into that of a dapper dressed All for One: Young, handsome, and dangerous. Izumi's blood stood out against the white gloves he wore and he brought the red liquid to his lips flicking his tongue over it. Izumi immediately felt the paralysis hit. Shit! She should have known with the access he had he'd take Stain's quirk. "I'll take it from here."
"Mnnng, bastard…" She collapsed to the ground unable to move. "You've been watching me this whole time?"
"Correct… Toga and Stain were the very first quirks I stole once my new body was complete. This lad and his position had all the necessities I needed in order to gain access to the very organization you used to ruin and humiliate me. Now I'm going to return the favor."
"The hell just happened?" Bakugo wondered aloud to his partners, both he and Todoroki stood next to Izuku, flanking him. Izuku was the only one unharmed, Bakugo and Shoto were still winded and injured from their previous bout. "Who the fuck is this guy?"
"He was telling the truth…" Izuku said shaking with fear as the sudden dread hit him like a cold spell. "That's No Mercy's copycat."
"Well done," All For One clapped as he turned to the heroes and loosened the tie of his suit. "I must say you really are the strongest heroes of your time, Deku, Ground Zero, and Shoto. I've seen No Mercy take down armies of men without breaking a sweat... and yet you not only gave him a run for his money, but got him monologuing. Very Impressive"
"You're not gonna think it's so impressive when it's you on the receiving end, you damn Copy!" Bakugo shouted lifting up his hands explosions bursting from his palms.
"Copy?" All for One laughed. "So amusing that people keep using that word. Who's the real copy I wonder?" He smirked down at No Mercy who twitched on the ground. "Ne… should I tell them how you got your powers, No Mercy? Should I tell them who you really are?"
"Mnnng go ahead…" Izumi said through gritted teeth as she managed a confident smirk behind her mask. The look in her eyes was a challenging one. "I've got nothing to lose."
"Oh?" He gripped Izumi by the neck hauling him up. "I think you do… your reputation may not mean much to you anymore, but I think I know of several other things far more valuable to you. Three of which are conveniently right here. OH!" He laughed as he watched Izumi's eyes go wide in fear and panic. "There's the look I'm after! Sit tight and watch like a good little victim, whilst I dispose of these so called heroes."
"Run!" Izumi shouted at her brother through wheezing gasps. "RUN ZUKU!"
"Eh?" Deku's serious gaze flickered with shock for a moment. "Zu-" he didn't have time to register the use of his nickname. All for One was already attacking. Dropping Izumi to the ground once more he was on the heroes in a flash his arms shifting to sharp diamond hard blades that glistened.
Shoto took no time at all to send out his flames blocking the villain from attacking Izuku and then following up with his ice trying to capture him. Bakugo leapt above the chaos of it sending his hands a lit with massive explosions that rocked the ground and covered the area in dust and debris.
"Idiots… you're not working together." Izumi muttered struggling to stand but the paralysis was stronger, and was lasting a lot longer than it had before. Why? Did the effects of the blood type change with the user? Could it be her type O blood was more susceptible now?
"Boss, are you alright?" Whiz spoke through the comlink.
"No…" she said through gritted teeth. "We're in trouble. Contact the others, get us some help!"
Izuku zipped and dodged the blades swung in his direction, and he used his speed to gain the upper hand, thrusting his fists out trying to knock his opponent off balance. Like no Mercy he showed little reaction to the hits and kept going. Bakugo shoved Izuku aside taking the next attack himself, the blade slicing diagonal across his chest but not deep. It was just enough blood for All for One to paralyze him.
"Kuso! Damn it! Bakugo went stiff and coughed as All for One thrust his foot into his chest to kick him down and then stomped on his hand breaking all the bones in it.
"KACCHAN!" Izuku rushed forward, but then quickly got out of the way as Shoto sent a wild blaze of fire that covered All for One from head to waist.
"Ouch… that hurt." All for One laughed, the burns from Shoto's attacks fading as his skin healed on its own. "You're a bit of a pest aren't you, Shoto Todoroki? Just like your brother."
"What?" Shoto's eyes widened and he cried out in pain when All for One released an explosive power from his entire body. Shoto was sent him flying the dark attack burned him like fire, and ate away at his flesh like acid. Izumi inwardly screamed as she watched her lover choke on blood and lay bleeding on the ground.
"No… not again…" Tears form, and she struggled to stand, struggled to move. "Whiz… Whiz can you hear me."
"I hear you Izumi.. I sent word to the others but none of them have a quirk that'll get to you soon enough, and your clone's time expired a long time ago." He told her.
"Last Resort… did… did you finish the preparations, are they still active?"
"Yes, but…"
"Activate them now!" She told him managing to get to her knees. She then shook loose one of her daggers from her bootstrap and a bottle of quirkless serum from her belt. "Don't question, don't hesitate, just do it!"
She had to act fast… Izuku was strong, but All for One had the healing and experience advantage. Her brother was fast at calculating how to take down a villain but the man wasn't giving them anytime to think. She fought off tears as she heard Shoto scream in pain again, followed by Izuku's mournful cry as Bakugo was hit and was now bleeding profusely from his shoulder.
"I can't lose anyone else." She held up the serum looking at it with desperate hope. "I just can't!"
"I'm a very patient man, Izuku Midoriya." All For One stepped up to Izuku as he cradled Bakugo's broken body to his. "I've spent years planning my revenge on your father… revenge will be very sweet when I go to his doorstep holding both his children's decapitated heads in my arms and presenting them like gifts."
"You stay the hell away from my sister." Izuku stood up on shaky legs. He wobbled and wavered struggled to see through the blood pouring from his forehead. "I couldn't protect her before, but I can now! You wanna kill me go ahead and try, but I won't make it easy for you!" He powered up all for one, his eyes lit ablaze.
"Oh I will…" All for One laughed. The pathetic hero could barely stand, could barely see in front of him. He held his arms out offering Izuku the first blow. "Go ahead, son of All Might. Take me on."
Izuku rushed him, punching him and kicking him with what power he had left, but each time All for One took a hit he pulled himself up and dusted himself off. Losing energy and endurance Izuku stare with wide disbelieving eyes.
"How… how can you not be affected?"
"Oh I feel every hit, but my newest quirk that I've obtained protects me."
Quirk: Self Recovery, heals the body at an accelerated rate including loss of stamina and internal injuries. Quirk only works on the user, and the healing process is very painful.
"Lucky for me I have a high tolerance for pain." He told him with a smirk. He formed his hands into swords again. "Let's see how much you have."
Izuku staggered back, his brain refusing to work and he panicked. All for One rushed at him and Izuku put his fists up prepared to fight to his last breath. The purple mist appeared and he felt a hand shove him onto his back. Izumi let out a cry as she took the hit for her brother. The sword stabbing right through the gut. All for One grunted as he too was stabbed by Izumi's dagger, the blade lodged firmly in his chest.
"No mercy…" Izuku got to his knees. He heard something clink to the ground, saw the gold oval locket with two rings glinting on the ground. The chain had been cut from the last blow. With shaking hands he picked it up, opened it and stared with disbelief. "Oh no…"
"Stupid child…" All for One laughed yanking the sword free and his hand morphing back to normal to yank the dagger free from his chest. Izumi staggered and held her wound wheezing. "Still trying to play the hero?"
"No… I'm no hero." She said mournfully. She could tell from their connection that Izuku figured it out. It was time to come clean. She pulled off the mask and tossed it aside along with the wig. "Just a civilian trying to protect the people she loves."
For a moment everything was silent, the people around them trying to process what they'd just witnessed.
"It can't be…" Shoto stood his body shaking and eyes wide as saucers. He staggered forward shaking his head. "It just can't be true!"
"It's a lie… it has to be," Izuku said, his trembling hands still clutching the locket, his voice stammered with disbelief at what he was seeing. "You can't be... Izumi?"
"Half Pint..." Bakugo wheezed as he finally managed to sit up. "Damn it… now it all makes fucking sense. Your disappearance, your strange behavior, No Mercy's excessive knowledge of our tactics and fighting style. It's always been you."
"Yeah…" She said with tears stinging her eyes but she kept her head held high. "It's always been me."
"Hahahaha… letting it all out are we?" All for One laughed. "This is priceless and perfect. Now that your identity is revealed, all your secrets out in the open… I'm going to complete my revenge."
"You're showing your true colors, All for One…" Izumi warned watching as that handsome face twisted maniacally. She wondered if the original knew how demented his younger clone was appearing right now. The All for One she'd known was always so calm, calculated, and confident… but this guy had a few screws loose. "Be careful what you say next."
"Heh, thank you for your concern, my dear. I've been waiting a long time for this... Too long. I'll enjoy killing everyone here just like I killed all those other heroes using the name No Mercy. I'll make you watch them bleed, just so I can hear you scream in agonizing grief exactly the way you did when I killed your husband. It will be so delicious."
Izumi's lips suddenly curved. Despite being pale from blood loss she stood confident and laughed.
"Is that your final statement?" She pulled out her cell phone and held up the monitor. On the screen was a live feed of his confession.
"What?!" All for One stared at the screen. "There's no cameras in the area so how did you-"
"Satellite cameras are amazing… they pick up a whole lot more than people realize." She coughed a bit as she laughed, and wiped blood from her mouth. "I told myself that if I fall, I sure as hell am taking you with me. My last resort."
All over the world the feed was being broadcasted. People watched from home on their TVs, computers, cell phones, tablets. Out on the street people stopped to watch monitors that normally had advertisements on them and instead saw the villain's confession. The world now knew Izumi Midoriya was No Mercy… and All for One was the true villain behind all the recent killings and attacks.
"Well played, Izumi Midoriya…" All for One's lips twitched half in amusement half in irritation.
"That's Izumi Todoroki… if you're gonna compliment me do it right." She wavered and went to her knees wheezing as she struggled to stay conscious.
"Todoroki, Midoriya… it don't matter. You're going to die, but not before I kill your brother and his-" All for One stepped forward but stopped as he choked on blood. "Damn why isn't it healing?" He looked to the wound on his own chest.
"Oh that?" Izumi lifted the empty bottle of quirkless serum she'd used to coat her blade. "Just a little extra security…"
"No! No you didn't!" He tried to use the various quirks he'd stolen… but nothing. His eyes went mad and possessed and the once calm, cool, and collected persona raged. "Damn you! Damn you to hell!" He picked up the dagger she used ready to strike the killing blow but Shoto's ice covered him fully freezing him in place.
"You stay away from her, you bastard." Shoto stumbled over and used his good arm to punch All for One out cold. "That was for my brother!"
"Shoto…" Izumi smiled weakly at him and she heard the sirens in the distance. Ambulances and the authorities were rushing to the scene. "I'm sorry."
"We'll talk about it later." He told her and cradled her against him holding the wound. "How bad is it?"
"Not as bad as it looks…" She told him. "Missed my vitals, but I'm losing a lot of blood. My super regeneration quirk is the only thing keeping me from bleeding out right now."
"Izumi…" Izuku crawled to her and took her hand. "Why didn't you tell us?"
"I couldn't…" Izumi told them tears falling down. "I was afraid… afraid you'd all be ashamed of me, afraid you'd cast me out, or turn me in… I'm so sorry, Zuku."
"You'd have been right… about the second part anyway." Bakugo told her hobbling to plop and sit in a circle with all of them. "We're heroes, it's our duty to stop people who don't follow the rules."
"Even if the rules are stupid." She said with tears, not realizing the cameras were still on. "What's so wrong with wanting to protect those that you love? There's so many villains out there who know how the system works, who worm their way in and around it and get away with such violent and insidious crimes. I can't tell you how many families I've come across who've lost loved ones, friends, and more to those kinds of people. Who the hell protects the world from them?"
"We should be…" Shoto agreed. "You're right about that, Izumi. Not every villain is going to come out an announce himself to the world." Despite himself he kissed her temple, his heart was breaking for a multitude of reasons… but at least she was alive, at least she was safe.
"It's not just on you. It shouldn't be. Look how much damage was done by a villain that was strictly after my family. As heroes you guys take the brunt of the hate… but the citizens need to be able to protect themselves, to be able to use their quirks in dire situations without the need of a license or worry of backlash."
"It's not how the world works…" Bakugo started and held up his hand when she went to argue. "...even if you're right, until the world can adapt to that, until the rules are changed or altered to fit the needs of the people, we as heroes have to do whatever we can to protect those within reach."
Izumi's lips twitched.
"Since when have you been so calm and rational?"
"Shut it, half pint! I'm always calm and rational!"
She laughed even though it hurt and just lay in the warmth of Shoto's arms.
"Maybe you're right. Whatever the case my days as No Mercy are over… Now that my sons are safe, and the world protected from All for One, I can accept whatever consequences follow." She sighed in relief. "It's finally over."
With that said she let the world slip away and fell into unconsciousness.
~Ask Briry~
Briry: This was supposed to be the last chapter, but it got a little too long so I've decided to break it up and make that epilogue chapter. I'll post it immediately after this so you won't have long to wait!
Final Chapter: Epilogue