This means - flashback
'This means' - thoughts
"This means" - Dark's speaking
"This means"- Dark's thoughts
"This means" - Dark and Kirra talking together
"This means" - Anti speaking
"That's a wrap!" All Might announced. "Super work! You really stepped up to the plate, and we didn't have any major injuries, except for Midoriya. You should be proud! Excellent first day of training, all around!"
"It's nice to hear such encouraging words, especially after our Home Room class," Tsuyu commented. "Mr. Aizawa was kinda a buzzkill."
"I'm happy to bring such staggering positivity to my alma mater! That's all for now, folks! I should go and check on Young Midoriya's progress! Now, watch how a pro exists, like he's got somewhere to be!"
The number one hero ran so fast down the hall that wind whipped in torrents around the hallway.
"Okay, you guys! THAT, is a hero!" Kiminari gushed.
"Awe, I'll never be able to run that fast," lamented Ojiro.
"Super awesome!"
Kirra and Dark watched, the demon uninterested while the teen nodded in agreement with her peers. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw green hair part from the group. She couldn't help but want to stop him, ask questions about Kaen and Anti, but let him go. They weren't friends. He owed her no explanation.
Just before he left her sight, however, the male turned, catching her brown gaze. He mouthed something slowly.
After school.
Clenching her hands into fists, the brunette nodded once in confirmation. Guess he was curious about her and Dark as well.
Speaking of said demon, he spoke firmly.
"Do not trust them."
Kirra decided to not stay behind in class to discuss the results. Her classmates were so bright and talkative, and she wasn't used to being social. Being labeled quirkless meant no one had wanted to associate with her. She wished she could accept their kindness at face-value, but experience made her unnecessarily weary.
Dark walked beside her, hands behind his back.
"You do not have to trust them," he said of-the-blue. "I've seen your dreams of memories. Humans are.. cruel, uncaring to those they deem different or beneath them." Those last two words were emphasized. Kirra wondered why.
Still, the effort he made to reassure the teen made her smile. She hadn't pegged him as the comforting type.
"Thanks."
They exchanged no more words as they arrived at the gates. Kaen was leaned against them, waiting. Upon spotting the pair, he nudged his chin to signal he wanted to talk elsewhere. Kirra silently agreed and followed. They went to a quiet place toward the left of the school building. It was out of the way so they wouldn't likely be interpreted.
"So," the taller of the two began. "How'd you and Dark meet?"
The ravenette rubbed her neck. "Well, he found me, really."
The multi-colored eyed boy looked to the entity, an eyebrow raised. A green mist seeped from the eye with a black sclera, taking shape beside him. A pale, very foreign looking adult male stood with crossed arms, tattoos on either one. One eye was as Kaen's had been -sickly green like sepsis- and the other a crystal, ocean blue. He was tall with shapely hips for a male. Brown scruff covered his chin and lower cheeks. Very obviously, this was what the demon looked like himself.
Kaen now took on a different appearance as well. His once green hair was now a light black, his eyes a stormy gray. His ears weren't even pierced, nor did he have clawed nails.
"Been a while, Daerk."
His spoke in English, making Kirra struggle a little to understand what he said, especially with his thick accent that rolled off his tongue.
The taller entity seemed less than pleased to be talking to the other, if his rolling of his eyes was anything to go off of.
"Not long enough, in my opinion."
"Ya wound me~ An' 'ear I thought we were buds~
(You wound me. And here I thought we were buds.)
"Cut the small talk and tell me why you wished to 'catch up'."
The scrawnier of the two let out a glitched chuckle. "If we're goin' ta get inta specifics, then let's talk by ourselves, yea?"
(If we're going to get into specifics, then let's talk by ourselves, yeah?)
Darkiplier narrowed his eyes but gave in. "We won't be long," he informed Kirra, then he and Anti disappeared.
Kaen stared at where they stood for a second before fixing his gaze on Kirra.
"I can't believe he agreed.. Listen, we may not have long before Anti annoys Dark too much. He told me to tell you what I can."
He grasped her shoulders firmly.
"Dark isn't what he wants you to believe. He's selfish, cruel, and manipulative. Most likely anything and everything he told you is a lie. Anti says you haven't let him take up permanent residence yet. That's good. You can still severe him from you. It's not too late-"
"Whoa, whoa, whoa," the girl interrupted, removing his grasp on her. "Slow down. What are you talking about? Dark's only helped me. He's teaching me magic, he's the only reason I got into U.A.! Surely, he can't be as bad as you're implying."
Kaen seemed exasperated.
"You don't know anything! I've watched those old videos, I know what he is!"
"He's a tulpa! He may look and appear bad, but he's not what you're describing at all. My dad's videos are meant to be fun for the fans. Dark separated himself from their influence on him."
"No! He's nothing like a Tulpa, nothing like Anti! For fuck's sake, he isn't even fully a demon anymore!"
Kirra shook her head, confused.
"Did Anti tell you all of this? Is he trying to undercut all of Dark's hard work?"
"I-"
She held up a hand, cutting him off.
"I'm talking." She sighed. "Look, I know you mean well, but Dark is trying to repay my dad for all he's done for him. My dad is Markiplier," she explained, seeing his unasked question. "It's the only reason he started helping me for. I'm basically a charity case. I never really wanted to be a hero before. Being quirkless, I had resigned myself to a boring life in the future. He never filled my heads with promises of being admired or adored. He only wanted to help me live a better life. I chose the hero road after being inspired by another quirkless kid. Dark's done all I asked, never more or less. I owe him so, so much."
Kaen searched Kirra's eyes, looking for any hint of a lie. She appeared absolutely genuine. His frantic behavior ebbed, his posture sinking from fatigue.
"If that's what you think, then fine. I can't make you renounce him. Let me fill you in on something, though, while I have you here. You can keep your thoughts from him, if you try. Anti and I have an equilibrium. He sees what my eyes see in the moment, and can recall them himself. He can see my dreams, too. All our thoughts tend to blend together, but I can block him from my stream of thoughts. It's a bit harder, since we agreed to intertwine ourselves, but not impossible. He keeps his own to himself, too. I suggest you hold this memory close, just on the off-chance he isn't as friendly as he wants you to think. Can you at least promise me that?"
"I guess so," she relented.
Dark and Anti stood in a familiar black plain, the two standing across from one another. A not as quite black mist floated about. Every sound seemed to echo about them.
"What is so important that we had to speak freely?"
He gave a careless shrug, shoving his hands into his tight pants' pockets.
"I figure th' lass didn't know whot ya really are~ So I took this precaution. Would ya pref'r I 'ave said yer true intentions out loud? An' ruin yer chances of mergin'?"
(I figure the lass didn't know what you really are~ So I took this precaution. Would you prefer I have said your true intentions out loud? And ruin your chances of merging?)
The broken entity narrowed his black eyes. He seemed to stand up straighter despite his already perfect posture.
"Don't worry~ I'm not gonna int'rfere. It's none o' my business whot ya get up ta these days. This game ye're playin', though, is odd. Ya chose someone that won't increase yer pow'r. I 'ave ta wonder why."
(Don't worry. I'm not going to interfere. It's none of my business what you get up to these days. This game you're playing, though, is odd. You chose someone that won't increase your power. I have to wonder why.)
"That's none of your business."
" 'Ey, I'm not pryin'. Do whot ya wont."
(Hey, I'm not prying. Do what you want.)
In all honesty, Anti was just buying time. He wasn't sure how long Kaen needed to convince that girl to leave Dark, but he couldn't just talk aimlessly. He could get suspicious if he dragged it out too long.
Eventually, seeing as Dark's replies were short and vague, the demon couldn't keep procrastinating. They left the Void and appeared with their respective humans.
"You guys done?" Kaen asked.
"Yeah," came the reply. "Let's go."
The two said a brief goodbye and began heading home.
"Did ya figure out why 'e chose 'er'?"
(Did you find out why he chose her?)
Kaen didn't bother giving a verbal response. Instead, he opened up the memory for Anti to observe.
"Maerk's daughter? He's 'ad plenty o' kids bef're.. Quirkless?" Then it clicked.
(Mark's daughter? He's had plenty of kids before... Quirkless?)
"He.. chose 'er 'cause she didn't 'ave a quirk.. 'cause she would be.. easy ta manip'late."
(He.. chose her because she didn't have a quirk.. because she would be.. easy to manipulate.)
He could feel Kaen's lips tug down into a frown due to their emotions being closely linked together.
"I can only 'ope she listens ta us soon'r rath'r than lat'r."
(I can only hope she listens to us sooner rather than later.)
Dark watched Anti/Kaen leave the school grounds, not taking his eyes off them until they were completely out of sight.
"I hope we did not keep you waiting," he remarked, starting like a statement but ending in a question.
"Oh, no," Kirra answered, seeming to break out of a daze at his words. "It's alright."
Dark narrowed his eyes a bit but didn't push it.
"Come on. We should get back before it gets too late."