Notes:

***Hello everyone! Finally, I'm back with an update! I know, it's been a while. Things are still a bit hard and stressful on my end here during the pandemic, so I haven't been able to get as much done as I would like at a decent speed. Things are just crazy right now. Still, I hope you enjoy the chapter! It's a bit longer than the others.

***Warnings: Language, smut scene, humor, suspense, cliff-hanger

***Please read, comment, and enjoy! I hope everyone is staying safe and healthy! We're all in this together!

***Also, I put a little 'easter egg' quote in this chapter! I hope you'll see it! ^_^

Last night and the night before,

Tommyknockers, Tommyknockers,

Knocking at my door.

I don't want to go out, don't know if I can,

Because I'm so afraid of the Tommyknocker man.

Chapter 22: Thump, Thump, Thump

By some odd stroke of luck, Dabi was able to catch the sack of hearts before they could tumble out and shatter. However, he was not so lucky as the process of saving the jars had HIM tumbling out of the tree. He couldn't get his wings to open fast enough as he hit every branch on the way down to land hard on the ground. Dabi was able to flip himself during the fall so the sack landed on his body, sacrificing his back instead. The force of the fall knocks the wind from his lungs. Gasping for air, the monsters hear him and shriek loudly, ready to attack.

Hawks comes to Dabi's defense, turning only his wings to stone and uses them to knock the monsters away. Only the ones of four feet were circling and attacking. The other paced nearby, making guttural growling sounds as if speaking to the others.

"We need to fly!" Hawks says quickly, placing the jar he was holding into the sack and helping Dabi to his feet. "Open your wings!" Hawks hit another of the monsters away, holding them back until Dabi was well enough to become airborne. He helps Dabi hold the sack as they fly above the trees, leaving the monsters to roar and shriek. "Hopefully, they're too stupid to go back and say what happened,"

"I can't believe I'm even doing this," Dabi says. "I don't care about them getting their hearts back...I'm doing this for my brother."

Hawks smiles and shakes his head to shift the wet bangs from his face. "I see the castle! We're almost there!"

Bakugo doesn't understand what Deku is holding, though he can sense the immense amount of power coming from it. How long has Deku had this, and why was he hiding it? The babies squirm in his arms, trying to reach for Deku, but Bakugo holds them firmly. Deku puts the pearl to his lips, keeping eye contact up unto the moment he swallows it. Bakugo tilts his head to the side, wondering why Deku ate the pearl. His tail twitches when Deku chokes a bit, then coughs.

"And...why do you swallow that thing?" Bakugo asks him, but Deku doesn't answer. "Hey? Deku?" He watches Deku suddenly bend forward, holding his stomach. "DEKU!" Bakugo shouts. "What the hell did you do to your-" he gasps when a glowing white misty light encircles his mate. "D-Deku?"

Izuku swore he felt the pearl land at the bottom of his stomach but it didn't hurt when swallowed. The warmth pooled in his belly and then spread throughout his body. The feeling was calming, like settling into a hot tub of water after being cold. The words of his past self echo in his head, saying that he will know what to do once he accepts the power. And then, he hears the voice of the other man, the Symbol of Peace, All Might, say, 'The magic will know what to do- do not be afraid of what power it holds and the type you will wield to ensure victory.'

'What do you mean by that?' Izuku asks the voice in his head as he stands upright, looking at his glowing hands and body in amazement. "Kacchan! Look at me!" he smiles happily at his mate. "I'm strong now! This power...it is the power I was born to wield! Passed down from the Symbol of Peace himself! This magic will help us now! You can call me Izuku Midoriya-Bakugo: King Omega!"

But Bakugo is only staring at him, as are the babies.

"What's wrong?" Izuku asks them.

"You're…changing," Bakugo says flatly. "You…you look like a demon!"

Izuku gasps at that, feeling his body changing now though there is no pain, only pressure. He rushes to the body mirror to look at himself. He's not only engulfed in white mist, but Bakugo's observation is true. Izuku's hands fly to his mouth as he takes in his new appearance; black where white used to be in his eyes. Green snake slits instead of his round ones. White horns curl up and out from the corners of his forehead, thick at the base but narrow at the tip. His neatly trimmed nails lengthen to points and turn green, the same shade as his hair. From his back sprout wings, though they are nothing like a demon's or a gargoyle's, which are normally bat or dragon-like in features. They resemble bird wings, white with green tips. He checks for a nail and fangs, yet neither are present. The rest of his changing body seemed to stop at the wings.

"W-What's happened to me?" Izuku asks out loud, turning his hands over and back to stare in disbelief.

'The magic of the power will know what to do,' his past self echoes again. 'This form is what you need now to face the Dark King and obtain our goal of peace.'

'But…I'm a demon now!'

'No, you are not a full demon; just as Bakugo and the others are not full demons either. You are still human with features that will help you before you awaken Legion.'

"Deku!"

Bakugo's voice breaks Izuku from his trance and he turns to face his mate. "Kacchan…the power made me this way," When Bakugo asks why, Izuku explains it to him as his past self did. "I'm not really a demon…I'm still mostly human."

Bakugo goes to put the babies in their cradle. "All For One will be coming here soon," he says. "He can't see you like that," Bakugo returns to Deku's side, feeling the wings and horns. The feathers are soft…very soft. "Can you retract these?"

"I…I don't know. I can try, but I'm not sure what to do," Izuku closes his eyes tight and concentrates very hard on making the demon features go away. He hears Bakugo say 'it worked' and Izuku opens his eyes to look in the mirror again. He smiles. He's back to normal. "I…I guess I can," To test the theory, Izuku imagines the features and they all appear, then he retracts them. "I can do it! That's a relief!"

Bakugo spins Deku around to face him, trailing his eyes along the omega's body. He leans forward and sniffs behind Deku's ear and the mating mark. His mate smells…different. It's an earthy smell mixed with a type of musk that is neither omega nor alpha- not even beta. Deku asks him what he's doing, but Bakugo doesn't answer. Instead, he keeps sniffing his mate, then asks for Deku to bring out the demon features. Deku does so, and the smell of his mate intensifies into one of the most dreadful, irritating, and unthinkable power: the power telling HIM to submit. Whatever aura now rests instead Deku after swallowing that pearl was strong enough to bend Bakugo's will and spirit. Behind Deku, a tall, muscular figure appears in a white shadow and Bakugo's only thought is, 'He's stronger than me!'

"Kacchan? What's wrong?" Izuku asks when Bakugo takes a few steps away from him. Bakugo seems to be looking past him. Izuku looks over his shoulder but sees nothing. "Kacchan?" Looking over at their children, he notices the babies are doing the same thing as their alpha father. Who's behind him? Izuku looks again, but no one is there. 'Wait…I bet it's All Might,' Izuku smiles at that and says to his family, "Don't worry, it's okay! Whomever you see, he is a friend!" The babies were content with Izuku's comforting smile, but Bakugo was looking bewildered. "Kacchan?"

"Deku…you're different now,"

"No, I'm not different," he counters. "I have awakened the power within me, but I am still your omega mate! Why are you suddenly afraid of me? Oh!" Izuku has an inkling and he can't help but smile. "Is it because…I'm stronger than you?"

Bakugo's confused face returns to its regular scowling. "Hmph! You needed to gain your power from someone else! I always had my strength!" he defends, crossing his arms and looking away from Deku.

Unable to help himself, and because Bakugo was just too cute with that pout, Izuku embraces him with arms and wings. He hears Bakugo growling low in warning, but Izuku ignores that, snuggling and nuzzling his head under Bakugo's chin, mindful of his new horns. Not surprisingly, Izuku feels Bakugo's erection pressing against his lower belly. The demon's tail whips around to slap his ass, making Izuku yelp and blush.

"You won't dominate ME," Bakugo hisses at him, "So, don't get any ideas into that stupid green head of yours!"

Izuku feels his eyes change and his courage grows as his lust builds. He stares into Bakugo's eyes, which have turned a solid black. A moment later, they return to their normal red, though his mate is still glaring. Izuku starts to push Bakugo towards their bed, and the alpha doesn't resist.

"Get off me," Bakugo whispers when he is seated on the bed and Deku straddles his lap.

"I won't," Izuku embraces Bakugo and brings their lips to meet. At first, Bakugo doesn't respond but then starts to kiss back. Izuku's own arousal pressed against the hard muscles of Bakugo's stomach. He was not in heat; all Izuku wanted was to be close to his mate, to see how far this power can go, and to let Bakugo know that he doesn't have to feel threatened. "I love you, Kacchan," he whispers against Bakugo's lips. "I want you in me, but only if I am on top,"

Bakugo looks at him and then gives a challenging, almost playful smirk. "Sure, you can do that. IF," he pauses "You can get me ON my back! You may have new powers, but let's see if you can use them!"

Izuku's new eyes sparkle with mischief. "So, I have to pin you to the bed?"

"Yup."

"Alright," Izuku starts to make a move when he sees the twins in the cradle looking at them, tails wagging. "Oh…we have company," he chuckles.

Bakugo grumbles and suddenly shouts for a kobold, telling it to fetch the closest person to take the twins for a while. "They should just get used to us doing it," he tells Deku. "They're babies. They don't understand this,"

"But I still don't want them watching," Izuku says, nuzzling Bakugo's cheek. "Besides, they are so much like you, they will probably crave attention and keep us from having fun like this," he points out.

Bakugo wags the tip of his tail. "Yeah, you have a point," A knock at the door reveals Kaminari, who has come to take the twins.

"Hey, you two! Uncle Kami is here to-" Kaminari notices the physical changes in Izuku. "Dom-Omega? What-"

"Ask questions later!" Bakugo growls at him. "We're not to be bothered unless someone is dying, the castle is on fire or All For One visits. Got it?"

Kaminari quickly scoops up the twins and gives a lopsided smile, saying that he'll take care of them and pass that message along.

Alone now, the pair return to their coupling. Bakugo kisses Deku hard, pushing the smaller man back as the wrestling match to pin the other begins. Deku surprises him with the sudden show of strength that must have come with swallowing that pearl. Bakugo still has an upper hand, though, because he has a tail and fangs. While they join hands and try to push the other back, Bakugo uses his fangs to bite Deku's skin in an effort to bring the other down. Deku holds strong, using his claws to rake across Bakugo's chest, ripping open the tunic. Bakugo growls in pleasure and strikes out his tail to slide between Deku's thighs making the omega let out a cry of surprise. Bakugo takes this moment to try and pin his mate, but Deku's wing smacks him in the face! Not just a smack, but viciously flaps the primary feathers at his nose, which makes him sneeze; not once, not twice, but three times! That bastard is tickling his nose! Bakugo manages to grab the wing and bites down on it.

"OUCH!" Izuku cries but strikes back, digging his claws into Bakugo's tail.

"GAH!" Bakugo's tail retreats as does his fangs. "Don't bite me!"

"You bit me first!"

"That's because I can because I say I can! OOF-!" Bakugo didn't expect to be head-butted in the gut by Deku's new horns.

"I challenge that!" Izuku counters.

"You can't head butt me!"

Izuku grins and says, "I can because I say I can!" He uses Bakugo's words against him and takes advantage of Bakugo's surprise. Izuku reaches his hands out to grasp the base of Bakugo's horns, searching for the sweet spot there. He hears Bakugo moan, but the alpha doesn't give in to it; instead, he returns the gesture! Izuku feels himself melting when Bakugo touches the base of HIS horns. However, unlike Bakugo, he can retract his horns, so he does!

"DAMN IT!" Bakugo shouts while wrestling Deku's hands away from his horns. Bakugo attempts to use his tail again, but Deku's hand grabs at the tip and pulls. PULLS! No one has ever pulled his tail before! "You won't get away with that!" Bakugo full-on tackles Deku, pushing the omega down on the bed. He tries to pin Deku, but the omega's new strength pushes him back and Deku sits up. They return to their test of strength, linking hands, and pushing. Pushing.

Izuku would not give up or give in despite his body aching to feel his mate inside of him. He had to prove to Kacchan that he is just as powerful, if not more so than he is. In the past, Izuku was the stronger one, and he'll make sure he is that again. To obtain Kacchan's respect, (and knock him down a few pegs) Izuku has to win. They continue to flop around on the bed in a tangled mass of limbs and wings like amateur wrestlers. Bakugo is trying to use his weight along with physical force to pin Izuku to the bed. Izuku is slowly losing, but he can't give up! He reaches down into his soul where he can feel the flickering flame of his power, only the size of a candle flame. He must make it into a mighty bonfire, and then a volcanic explosion! For now, the candle flame will have to do.

Bakugo pauses in shock when he sees Deku's body suddenly begin to sparkle with what looks like green lightning. It resembled Kaminari's power though the energy flow was different. Deku used this as his moment to attack because Bakugo was too distracted to notice. And then, Bakugo finds himself pilled to the bed with Deku's hands holding down his arms by the wrists while the rest of the omega's weight keeps him from escaping. Bakugo growls, snarls, and snaps his jaws at Deku who avoids each other. He attempts to use his tail to swipe the omega away, but yelps when the sparks of the lightning shock the flesh. Bakugo wonders if Deku knows what he's doing with this lightning attack because the whips of sparks tear off his clothing like the claws of a great beast. The sparks give his body a jolt of sensation when it flickers and snaps against his nipples, instantly turning them rock hard. His cock swells to life, harder than before, and even rips through the light fabric of his pants (though it could have been from the strips of lightning.)

"I win," Izuku whispers against Bakugo's lips before planting a chaste kiss on them. He had done it. Bakugo has surrendered, and he has won! However, he did not want to wound his mate's pride too much, so he turns his tactics to sensual nuzzling and kissing while using his newfound magic power to keep Kacchan helpless against the bed. With tender love and care, Izuku kisses and licks at all the marks and bruises he made of his mate's body while rubbing their erections together. He gasps at the hardness of Bakugo's cock when the tip pokes at his inner thighs and entrance. "Be an alpha of your word, as I know you are...and let me mount myself on you,"

Bakugo, still panting from the little electric shocks, sneers at Deku but gives a silent nod. Right now, all he wants is to feel his cock buried deep inside his omega. Perhaps Deku has won this little battle, but in the end, it is still the omega who spreads his legs and gets dominated. "Well? I'm waiting,"

Izuku didn't need to prepare himself for the playful struggle of power and the thrill of victory had every part of his lower region dripping with slick. He wants Kacchan to obtain some award, even though he lost, so Deku took to stroking Bakugo's member a few times before positioning himself and guiding the solid, throbbing organ into his backside. He closes his eyes and arches his head back with a deep moan that comes from his belly as the erection pushes past all the inner muscles, like a spear impaling its enemy. Izuku spreads his wings as wide as they would go, letting out a soft, breathy gasp at the tip of Kacchan's erection poked at his pleasure spot. Izuku grows the horns again and lets his eyes turn black as he gazes down at his alpha mate, licking his lips with pink flushed cheeks.

Bakugo, agast, stares up at him and asks, "How do you look so innocent yet sinister at the same time?" he moans when Deku's hot, wet insides squeeze his member.

Izuku, rubbing his lower belly, replies, "I want to be what you are in most need of," he says. "I can feel you here," he refers to his belly. "I promise to be this way for you and only you in the privacy of our own company...but will forever carry myself as a faithful, friendly, ever pious and with a heart for peace and justice. I don't know exactly what this magic holds for me, but I want to share it with you too," he licks his finger then circles it atop of the erect nipples on Bakugo's broad chest. "Now, I will ride you like a mighty stallion, or a mighty beast!"

Bakugo is speechless. Looking upon Deku's new form has him in a trance of desire and awe. The omega starts moving his hips, lifting up and slipping down in a slow, sensual rhythm. Those feathery wings curl around them, shielding their writhing forms in a curtain of silk. Deku moves faster, lifting himself up and down to bounce on Bakugo's cock, which slips in and out with dripping ease. Bakugo moans at the sensation surrounding his cock as the omega juices flow freely across his lower stomach and thighs. The smell of it drives him into alpha mode and he attempts to throw Deku back on the bed and pound into him until the omega snaps in half. He tries it, only to fail and ends up back in the same position with no chance in physical pleasure. Deku rakes his claws down Bakugo's chest, leaving red lines in their wake. Watching this new form of his mate taking pleasure with his body, covered in green and a wall of pure white silken wings does it in for him. Bakugo grips the sheets as he feels his orgasm boil viciously hot in his belly, travel up, and to the tip until he explodes inside his omega. The climax had never been better, wracking his body with tremors of pleasure and ecstasy.

Izuku gasps out loudly when he feels Kacchan's seed fill his insides, warming every never and sensitive spot. It had been the best orgasm for him so far in the relationship. Whether it is true or not, Izuku swears that Bakugo's seed erupted and shot up directly against his prostate only adding to the build-up of his own climax. His shudders match that of his alpha and he cums all over Bakugo's chest and belly. For a second, he fears Bakugo will scold him for making a mess with his essence. Instead, Bakugo sits up and pulls him into a hard, passionate kiss. Izuku kisses back, running his fingers through his Kacchan's spiky hair while he gratefully accepts the long demon tongue thrusting into his mouth and down his throat. He whimpers in pleasure against the kiss when Bakugo's thumbs rub against his nipples, which are extra sensitive due to feeding the twins. Izuku shudders and cums again, only this orgasm was not as earth-shattering as the first.

Izuku has proved his point- he is just as strong as his alpha mate and deserves the title of King Omega. Once he heard Kacchan say it from his own lips, Izuku laid back on his wings and spread his thighs to welcome his mate back into his body. His thighs were aching a little red from straddling Bakugo's hips but the pain was quickly forgotten once his mate was thrusting inside of him.

"The world will be ours," Bakugo pants out through his thrusts.

Izuku feels tears of not just pleasure but relief and love as well at hearing Bakugo say the word 'ours.' Once they finish again, coming together this time, Izuku cradles Kacchan in his arms and wings.

"We'll be a power couple," he whispers in the blonde hair. "Together we can do anything. Our twins, and the other children that will follow, will rule after us. I know what I have to do now. It's our life, and our one and only."

Bakugo lays his head on Izuku's chest. "You're right. Now go back to looking human. I like you looking that way."

Izuku chuckles. "Threatened by this side of me?"

"Pfft. Hardly. Just go back to the way you always were."

"I will…but I think we should go and get the twins from Kaminari. We have some explaining to do to the others because I'm certain Kaminari has told everyone of my sudden change," Izuku says as he retracts the features.

"Yeah, I guess so," He rolls off of Deku and sits up to crack his back. "Come on, then. Move your ass," he flicks Deku's nose with his finger.

"Are you certain of what you saw?" Iida asks Kaminari for the fifth time.

"Ugh! Yes! How many times do I have to tell you, Iida? I saw Izuku with horns and wings!" Kaminari defends himself from a swap of the baby boy's tail. "Izuku looks different! I don't know what happened!"

Kirishima had the baby girl on his back while he crawled around on all fours on the carpet. Her little claws dug into his hard skin but he couldn't feel them. "Don't get so testy, bro," Kirishima says to Kaminari. "You also thought you saw a giant flaming spider crawling on the ceiling of the grand room!"

Kaminari lets the baby boy nibble his finger. "First of all, that was a bad trip, okay? I saw things that weren't there, but that doesn't mean that every time I see something, I'm making it up!"

Iida crosses his arms. "Well, that's what you get for going through Tokoyami's supply shelves without asking! Although, I must say I'm more concerned about them mounting so soon after Izuku gave birth. I mean, we know the strength and endurance of our own bodies, but still-"

"We'll have to wait for Izuku to tell us," Kirishima says, now tossing the squealing baby girl in the air to catch her.

The conversation is interrupted by a kobold announcing that Hawks and Dabi have returned with the hearts. Kaminari remembers what Bakugo ordered- for them not to be bothered. Instead, he decides to throw Kirishima into the fire by taking the baby girl and telling him to go and alert Bakugo. Kirishima eagerly does so, and Kaminari follows Iida.

Both Dabi and Hawks are exhausted when they finally reach Black Ram Hall, dragging the sack of jars between them. Iida greets them, praising their success and safe return. Hawks notices the two children in Kaminari's arms and comments that they're cute while Dabi doesn't say anything. Iida takes the sack from them and they go to the main meeting room to wait for Bakugo and the others to come. Iida also orders for warm food and bloodwine to be brought in. Hawks tells Iida about the monsters that attacked and what they did while waiting for everyone to join them. Tokoyami and Shoji come first, followed by Tsu, then Sero, and lastly, Bakugo and Izuku. Refreshments arrived with Kirishima.

"Welcome back," Izuku smiles at Hawks and Dabi. "We're truly grateful for all your help." He takes the babies from Kaminari and sits down beside Bakugo. "Why are you looking at me like that?" Izuku asks Iida and Kaminari.

"Kaminari said that you had different features when he saw you," Iida answers. "Obviously, he misunderstood what he saw,"

"I swear I did see it! You have to believe me!" Kaminari pleads.

"Bolt-Head is right," Bakugo tells them. "But that's for later. I want to see these hearts."

"Well, it wasn't easy," Says Hawks as he helps Dabi remove each jar to place on the table. "We left without being seen, so we don't believe All For One knows the hearts are gone."

"We did run into monsters, though," Dabi says. "Those same creatures that follow Tomura around." Dabi realized he was being ignored because everyone was looking at the jars of beating hearts.

"I have a question," Tsu speaks up. "Which heart is which?"

Dabi crosses his arms and narrows his eyes at Hawks, waiting for him to explain since it was his fault. Hawks sheepishly tells them what happened, how they had to move fast, and how he did not realize the hearts were labeled on the shelves. Hawks' final say in his defense was, 'At least we got them here.'

"I wouldn't worry," Says Izuku. "The hearts will know who to go to,"

"This one is mine," Sero says, pulling one the jars to him. "I can sense it! Everyone else try!"

Kaminari picks one up and holds it towards Shoji. "This is the only heart that is the largest of the bunch, so it must be yours."

Deku was right, Bakugo realized, as he could pick out which heart was his own. It was the lifeforce that drew him to the right jar. Soon, everyone in the room is holding their heart and silence falls among them. Hawks says, 'See? I told you so' to Dabi. Bakugo studies his beating heart, trying to fathom that he is actually holding his own organ. Once his heart returns to his body, will memories of that day come back? What kind of new powers will he get? Deku's hand covers his as it rests atop the jar lid. His mate smiles lovingly at him and Bakugo almost smiles back, but he snorts instead. He's in public right now and has an image to uphold!

"Everyone, we must not lose sight of our mission," Iida reminds them. "Keep your hearts hidden and safe until the time is right! Tell no one about this! Currently, we are awaiting Lord Mirio's return from seeing All For One!"

Bakugo looks up from his heart and asks, "What's the latest with the other Blood Lords?"

"Blood Lord Todoroki and Blood Lord Inasa returned home," Kirishima answers. "They'll start gathering their armies and preparing for the uprising."

"You were briefed on Mirio's plans earlier," Iida reminds Bakugo.

"Yeah, I remember," he says. "Everyone keep yourselves busy, so you're not tempted to take out your heart. Start preparing your armies. I want to know the moment we receive word from Happy Face. And, as for your Dom-Omega," Bakugo allows Deku to explain to them about the pearl, about the past, and his newfound power and demon-like features. The others looked surprised and impressed.

"I still don't know what to expect or what is going to happen after we defeat All For One," Izuku says, shifting the twins in his arms as they fall asleep. "I would like everyone to prepare themselves for the unexpected, and that, no matter what, we have to work and stay together." He turns to his mate. "And I'm no longer Dom-Omega. I now hold the title King Omega," he smiles and adds "Although, I'm not really one for such formal titles, so please feel free to call me by my name whenever you like,"

"Speaking of names," Tsu starts, "The twins still don't have one. Have you thought of any names?"

"Name them after me!" Kirishima grins proudly. "Eijiro Junior and Eijina Junior!"

Everyone in the room laughs except for Bakugo.

"No! Name the boy after me! Call him Denki!" Kaminari offers.

"That's too close to Dunce-Face," Bakugo says, which makes Kaminari hand his head in defeat.

Izuku blushes softly and looks at his daughter, then says, "I would like to name her after my mother, Inko. And we can name the boy after you, Kacchan."

"That sounds like a fine idea!" Iida poses proudly. "The names represent both of you in the best manner possible!"

Bakugo rolls his eyes. "Yeah, that's fine."

Kirishima gets up from his chair and lowers to one knee. He bows his head and says, "I pledge my life, my honor, my loyalty and friendship to Prince Katsuki and Princess Inko!"

Izuku can't help the tears that moisten his eyes when he sees all the others follow Kirishima's lead, bowing before their children, and pledging their lives to their safety. He can feel in their bond that Bakugo is very emotional at the sight as well but won't show it. Hawks bows as well, but only at the waist. Dabi is the last to show any type of respect with just a simple head bow.

Izuku decides to say a few words himself and stands from his chair, still cradling the children.

"I promise to be a fair and honest ruler whose friendship you may always have unconditionally," he tells them. "All I ask is that you always put the children before myself, for their lives mean more to me than my own."

Bakugo rudely adds, "You're all assholes who should only know your jobs and what's expected! Now get up and go do what you're supposed to! This meeting is dismissed!"

That evening, Iida was in the armory with Shoji and Sero, helping to keep order and inventory. No one could keep track or write as fast as he can to properly record data. His main goal for this night is to ensure Kaminari has his army properly prepared and arranged for battle. Sero was sharpening his sword and Shoji helped the soldiers with the heavy lifting of weapons and supplies in barrels or chests. Iida looks up from his record book when a messenger comes in with a letter, stating that it is from Blood Lord Mirio. Iida snatches it from the messenger's hand, thanking them for their service, and calls over Sero and Shoji.

"This is it! Let's hope it's good news!" Iida says, breaking the wax seal.

"Should I get Bakugo?" Sero asks.

"Not yet," Iida replies. "I want to read what it says," He reads the letter quickly first, then re-reads it at a slower pace with a smile on his lips. "Blood Lord Mirio has succeeded!" he states proudly. "All For One does not know anything about the hearts missing! All For One wants to begin tomorrow evening!"

"What else does it say?" Shoji asks.

"Mirio relays instructions from All For One. He says that we are all to meet at the tear with our armies. Bakugo and Izuku bring the twins. Then, All For One and Tomura will take over from there,"

"Then we strike!" Sero adds.

Iida nods. "We need to finalize the battle plan though. Shoji, you and Tokoyami fly to the other Blood Lords- tell them to meet us here first thing tomorrow morning." Shoji nods and leaves the armory. "Sero spread the word to Bakugo and the others! Tonight will be our last night as servants of the Master of All Evil, and a new world will begin!"

~*~ The Next Evening ~*~

Mirio takes a deep breath of air, dressed in his demon armor, and turns to Amajiki, asking if the other is ready. Amajik nods, holding up his sword. Behind them their army stands at attention, ready to move out on Mirio's command.

"You know what's to be done, yes?" Mirio asks his friend and lover.

"Yes. We are the decoy army. When the barrier beam is open, we take Izuku and the children with us. Once in the human world, I stand guard to protect Izuku and the twins."

Mirio smiles and nods. "That's right! You'll have Tokoyami, Shoji, and Tsu with you as well. We mustn't let any harm come to Izuku or the babies! I'm depending on you to keep them safe while I hold out on the front lines!"

Amajiki swallows hard but then turns serious. "I won't fail you."

"ALRIGHT EVERYONE! MOVE OUT!"

Inasa lets out a mighty laugh when his army is the first to arrive at the tear in the sky. Dismounting his riding beast, he goes to the odd stone table that looks to be recently placed directly beneath the tear. Inasa looks up at the white glow, then back to the stone table. He knows that the twins are needed to break the barrier...but why was this table placed here? And who made it? Frowning with suspicion, Inasa decides that he will snatch the infants from this stone table should All For One attempt to sacrifice them. There is no other reason why this altar-like table should be here.

'There will be no innocent lives taken here this day on my watch,' Inasa promises himself. 'Differences aside, those twins are only innocent children...and I won't allow anything to happen to them at the hands of All For One!'

Shoto strolls along the front line of his army, checking that each demon is armed and ready. Behind him is Dabi and Fuyumi, each armed in the same style as he; silver and blue for their mother. His long cloak flows behind him until he mounts his riding beast. Two soldiers attend him quickly, fixing the cloak so it lays along the length of the beast. Shoto sees the white tear glowing in the sky. They have a long march ahead.

"Fuyumi, you know what to do when we arrive?"

"Yes. I go with Izuku and the babies. I'm to stay with Amajiki and help protect Izuku and the twins."

Dabi adds, "Remember; you are not to join Amajiki if things get rough. You fall back with Tokoyami and Tsu to protect Izuku and the twins."

She smiles. "Yes, brother, I understand."

Shoto looks from Dabi to Fuyumi. "Brother, you will have my back during the ambush at the barrier,"

Dabi nods. "Of course,"

"Should I fall, do not avenge me," Shoto tells him. "Escape to Fuyumi and Izuku to save them," He places the helmet skull of his father onto his head. "No excuses."

Dabi doesn't answer as he helps his sister onto her riding beast before mounting his own.

'This is it,' Shoto says to himself. 'The world as we know it is going to change. Our battle is not won yet. I still have to face Bakugo if he won't allow equal reign of the new world,' Shoto takes a deep breath and summons his army to march forward, the heavy sound of clanking armor behind him. 'It's fine though, Shoto. Should it come to the point where you must slay Bakugo, you will offer your hand to Izuku and adopt the twins as your own. Let's hope it doesn't come to that...we'll see how this turns out...and then...decisions will be made.'

They march onward.

Izuku holds his children tightly to his chest, each one wrapped in silk jeweled blankets as Bakugo mounts the riding beast behind them. Kacchan insisted they ride together. Izuku had never seen his mate in full battle armor before; metal and bone welded together. If this was the first time seeing Bakugo, he would be terrified; yet at this point in his relationship, he wanted Kacchan to ravish him like a beast in the sanctity of the bushes. How can he even THINK about that at a time like this? The answer was simple, of course; he is confident in his new powers and the battle plan they have set in motion. Izuku wishes he could do more to help Bakugo and the others fight, but his children come first, and they need his care. Prince and Princess they may be, they're still only infants.

'I promise to protect you both,'

"Deku, are you ready?" Bakugo whispers in his ear.

Izuku is silent for a second. "Yes. We're ready. Do you have your heart?"

"Tucked away in my back sack," He says. "Everyone else has theirs as well,"

"Good. Then," he looks down at the smiling faces of his children and then to the tear in the sky. "Let's waste no time in ending His reign!"

Bakugo snaps his fingers.

Kirishima brings the war horn to his mouth and blows, its deep sound vibrating through the air for all to hear.

The army moves out.

Izuku looks up to see Tokoyami and Shoji flying above them with an army of gargoyles and Hawks. Iida rides a few feet behind them with Tsu choosing to use her own limbs to move rather than a riding beast. Kirishima continues to blow the war horn. Bakugo's commanders sit high and proud on their riding beasts as they all lead their armies as one solid fighting source.

'This is it,' Izuku says to himself, feeling his heart thumping radically in his chest. 'There's no turning back!'

"Thump, thump, thump goes the beating of my heart," Tomura chuckles breathlessly as the army of Nomus behind him shriek, roar, and squawk with the anticipation for battle. All For One floats over to stand beside him. "I can't wait to have my green-eyed human," he says to All For One.

"There is only one heart that will be broken this day," All For One tells Tomura with a malicious grin. "And it won't be yours."

TBC

***The next chapter is going to be a DOOZY. Please bear with me at this time!***