Deviant
Disclaimer: I do not own My Hero Academia.
Warnings: Violence, Drama, Peril, Death
Pairings: Midoriya x Amajiki, Midoriya x Shinsou, Midoriya x Bakugou, Midoriya x Todoroki, Midoriya x Uraraka
Plot: Life after the apocalypse has drastically changed for those who survived. Contracting with demons is probably one of the least interesting developments in the new world. For Midoriya and Amajiki, it's become a standard way of life, the only existence they've ever known. They must rely on one another to avoid possession, and live whatever semblance of life remains now that the planet has been ripped apart.
Ch 04: Ingress
They made it back to basecamp as the sun was setting, Midoriya and Amajiki both exhausted from everything they'd experienced throughout the day, their stomachs still empty aside from the squirrel they'd shared that morning.
They fell asleep side-by-side, cuddled up together beneath a thick blanket, leaving Jirou and Aizawa on active watch.
With their human hosts asleep, the demons housed within were free to roam the astral realm as they liked, expending as little energy as possible while conversing and lounging about, several watching Shinsou curiously as if trying to discern his newfound place amongst them all.
They knew what he was, what they didn't know was why he was here. Why would he choose to contract with a human? There was no reason to, he was above all of them. He could have easily taken his own body without a contract. Chaos were always able to manifest physical forms. Their capabilities were practically limitless.
Bakugou eyed the embodiment reclining nearby warily, snorting irritably and flashing his fangs before returning his attention to Asui once again. She was speaking with Uraraka, Toga resting beside them and adding to their conversation now and then. Todoroki was sitting quietly nearby, his eyes trailing across the wilderness surrounding them before settling on Shinsou as well.
The quiet greater seemed to sense Bakugou's gaze, for he glanced up and met his eyes, Bakugou clicking his tongue lightly and giving Todoroki a little nod, gesturing for him to draw closer. The other demon appeared at his side a moment later, his manifestation flickering slightly with his sudden shifting movements, Bakugou crossing his arms irritably while Todoroki let out a little sigh.
"What are we going to do about him?" Bakugou asked, his eyes returning to Shinsou. Todoroki frowned a little, looking towards Shinsou as well. He was quiet for a long moment, then opted to speak.
"We could try talking to him." Todoroki mused, Bakugou exhaling an irritable snort at the suggestion, Todoroki's tone calm and even as he continued. "It wouldn't hurt to try. He doesn't seem to be hiding anything. He already stated his contract with Midoriya isn't threatened by any of ours. Why would he bother lying to us now? The contract has already been made. Besides that-" He shrugged a little, exhaling softly through his nose, "He could devour any of us at any given time if the mood strikes. It's unlikely he feels the need to deceive any of us. It's a moot point. He's untouchable."
Bakugou frowned deeply at that, his fingers twitching lightly against the air, drawing aura into himself subtly and building his strength, small sparks of light flickering between his palm and fingertips. "Why is he here, what's his end-game? What's he even playing at being here like this with us?"
"Hey." Uraraka called, drawing Todoroki and Bakugou's attention. She glanced down at Bakugou's hand purposefully then met his eyes again. "Let him rest. He's had a long day."
Bakugou huffed and allowed the aura he had gathered to dissipate, forcing himself to relax while glancing towards the tent nearby. He felt for Midoriya through their link, ensuring he was still resting peacefully before returning his attention to Shinsou once more. The embodied demon was staring at him directly, and it sent a shiver coursing down Bakugou's spine. There weren't many things Bakugou feared, but being devoured by a more powerful demon was decidedly one of them.
Todoroki was quiet at his side, contemplating for a few moments before stepping closer to Shinsou, Bakugou hissing and calling after him but making no move to follow. Todoroki crossed the short distance between them, then settled down at Shinsou's side, the chaos offering him a friendly smile in greeting and sitting up a bit, crossing his legs under him.
"Hello." He started simply, cocking his head slightly and holding Todoroki's two-toned eyes, waiting to see what the greater demon had come to say.
The dual watched him closely for a few long moments before offering a greeting of his own. "Hello again. Would you be amenable to conversing with me for a while?" He gestured lightly as he spoke, motioning over his shoulder briefly to the demons sitting nearby who had paused their conversation to watch Todoroki and Shinsou interact. "We have questions about your presence here, but most are too wary or too stubborn to approach and simply ask what they want to know."
Bakugou crossed his arms over his chest, snorting and narrowing his eyes while taking a step closer, then pausing again. He did not want to engage with Shinsou. His energy, his presence alone, was enough to set Bakugou's nerves on edge, his survival instincts screaming at him to keep far, far away. He looked towards Uraraka, Asui, and Toga, the girls exchanging a few soft words before falling quiet once again, simply waiting to see how the chaos would react to Todoroki's request to exchange.
Shinsou chuckled softly, nodding and glancing towards the other demons nearby before refocusing on Todoroki once more. "I would be receptive to such an exchange, if you would answer questions for me in kind about your respective contracts with Midoriya?"
"That's fair." Todoroki agreed, nodding lightly, Shinsou smiling and flashing his fangs as he chuckled heartily, pleased at his response.
He let out a heavy sigh, reclining back a bit while gesturing for Todoroki to continue, shifting his palms slightly behind him to rest against the damp earth, digging his claws into the soft soil. It had been raining off and on all night since Amajiki and Midoriya had fallen asleep, and steam curled languidly from the embodied demon's exposed, heated skin wherever chilled raindrops fell.
Shinsou was quiet for a moment longer, his tail tapping lightly against the ground beside him before he asked good-naturedly, "What would you like to know?"
Todoroki paused for a moment, thinking of how he wanted to start his approach. "The name you gave to Midoriya, is that really your true name?"
Shinsou blinked in surprise and tilted his head slightly, nodding while humming an affirmative and offering Todoroki a smile. "Yes, Shinsou Hitoshi is my true name."
"Why give it so freely?" Todoroki asked, Shinsou's smile turning into something mischievous as he arched his brow and shrugged lightly.
His tone was dismissive as he replied, "Why not? If it makes him feel safer around me, I see no reason to withhold such information."
Todoroki watched him quietly for a long moment before asking, "Giving a human power over you doesn't concern you in the slightest?"
"Why would it?" Shinsou asked, his irises narrowing slightly as he focused on Todoroki's manifestation, parting his lips to taste the other demon's aura lingering in the air. "You gave him power over you as well. Does he know what you are? How close you are to deviancy?"
"I have no desire to possess my host." Todoroki said softly, and Shinsou grinned and hummed while glancing aside, shrugging lightly.
"That makes two of us." He took a handful of earth, molding it between his fingers and squeezing the malleable soil against his palm, his tail tapping lightly against the leaves beside him. "Why I am here, why I've chosen to contract with Midoriya, it isn't so different than your own personal reasons, I'm sure."
He glanced up and nodded towards the other demons nearby, still watching Todoroki and Shinsou while listening quietly.
"How many of you are there? Are the majority of you dual?"
Todoroki turned to glance over his shoulder at the cluster sitting nearby, Uraraka glancing between the demons at her side before returning her eyes to Todoroki's, giving a little nod.
It wasn't as if any of them could hide from Shinsou anyway. Todoroki might as well answer his question in full.
"As of now, there are ten of us total. Midoriya wields two power duals, the first being Bakugou. His quirks are power and combustion. The second is Toga, her quirks are power and darkness."
"Combustion is rare." Shinsou mused, and Todoroki nodded lightly, glancing towards the greater standing nearby. As Bakugou was a greater, Midoriya typically called out to him whenever he needed a source to fight, especially in hand-to-hand combat. Toga was strong, but as a power mid and a darkness lesser she could only partially manifest. When she had first contracted with Midoriya, she had been a lesser in both power and darkness. In the years they had spent together, her capabilities had strengthened and grown. With any luck she might one day be a greater class in both aspects, but that all depended on Midoriya.
Demons were only able to become as strong as the host who commanded them. Should they try to ascend beyond what their host was capable of handling, it could spell disaster for both human and demon alike.
This was a common factor in both deviancy and possession; grievous instances of either could reduce human hosts to nothing more than hollow husks. Mindless, soulless fragments of the sentient lifeforms they used to be. The more demons a human contracted, the higher the probability that one day they would be overwhelmed, possessed, devoured, and either left as a withered husk or consumed by a shade.
In some extreme cases they were eaten in entirety by their own plethora of demons. It depended on just how hungry they were once gaining possession of their host.
Once the human host had expired, the demons held under contract were released, and they were once again free to roam the earth in search of a new contractor.
Demons that didn't require a human contractor to walk the physical plane, and fed primarily off of lesser and mid demons instead, were known as the highest tier of demons in existence. Chaos.
Shinsou was watching Todoroki expectantly, and so the greater continued after a brief pause, taking care to remain conscious of just how much information he revealed as he answered Shinsou's inquiry.
"Of the elements, Midoriya houses at least one of each class. I offered Midoriya fire in our official contract. He has yet to wield my other element. I fear he is not strong enough to handle both in his current state." He frowned a little at the thought of causing Midoriya any unnecessary hardship, reaching up and rubbing at his nape gingerly while adding, "Duals are a handful for humans to manifest as it is, without him having to deal with a deviant dual controlling two of the strongest elements."
Shinsou hummed quietly, considering. "They're malnourished, both of them." He cast his eyes around the empty wilderness surrounding them, listening to the steady drum of the rainfall. "We'll have to do something about that. Feeding from him physically will be exhausting for him as it is, but asking him to do so consistently while in his current state is almost cruel." He frowned a little and returned his eyes to Todoroki again. "Why do they linger here? Why haven't they moved on to another area where they can hunt and scavenge for themselves?"
"They're too weak to survive alone in the city." Todoroki replied quietly, a little frown turning down his lips. "There are greaters and deviants that roam in packs in the cities, not to mention the other contractors living there that would fight to defend their established territories." He looked towards the tent, adding quietly, "Midoriya and Amajiki have done their very best to keep themselves and each other alive, living out in the middle of nowhere like this. They do what they can to make it through each day. They never complain, no matter how hungry or discouraged they get. They focus on supporting and comforting one another instead of dwelling on what they cannot change."
The embodied demon was quiet for a long moment before letting out a slow, deep sigh. "How long have they been living like this?" Shinsou asked softly, watching the emotions twisting in Todoroki's expressions, the obvious concern hidden just beneath his calm exterior.
"Almost a year." Todoroki murmured, letting out a soft sigh and tilting his face up towards the rain. "The last of the animals living in the surrounding forest moved on about two or three months ago. Now, they're lucky if they can find a living squirrel or rabbit." He shook his head, meeting Shinsou's eyes once more. "All of the bigger game has already been hunted down, or migrated to other more secluded areas. Any stragglers that initially remained were quickly infested by shades and devoured."
"Greedy little pests." Shinsou frowned, Todoroki nodding his agreement, thinking about the state of the town nearby. "The husks are quiet for the most part, they rarely risk approaching us anymore. We've had to dispatch a few of them, but they typically have just enough sense of self-preservation to turn in the opposite direction and flee whenever they see one of our hosts."
Shinsou chuckled softly, nodding and asking for clarification, "Alright, so you're fire then. Who contracted his water element?"
"Asui." Todoroki replied, gesturing towards the demon nearby. She watched them both quietly, not speaking but giving Shinsou a little nod instead, the chaos offering her a smile and returning the small gesture, glancing towards the girl beside her as she spoke.
Uraraka held his gaze evenly, politely introducing herself. "I am air, and I dual with gravity. Levitation, specifically."
Todoroki nodded, adding on to her words, "Uraraka has been with Midoriya nearly as long as Bakugou has. She was his second contract, whereas I am his third."
"The three of you are his originals then," Shinsou clarified, glancing between the three demons to solidify their importance in his mind, "You're his powerhouses."
"We are, yes." Todoroki confirmed, nodding his head lightly. "The three of us have been with Midoriya since he was very young."
Shinsou hummed softly, his expression smoothing into something gentle as he murmured quietly, "You've taken good care of him. Despite the conditions they're living in now, if they've survived the past twenty years it's only because of your protection. You've raised him well."
Todoroki was taken back at that, having not expected the chaos to praise them for such a thing. Uraraka was surprised as well, Toga murmuring something to her quietly and Asui nodding before adding to the lesser's previous comment in a hushed tone.
The girls exchanged words for a moment before looking towards Shinsou, Uraraka and Toga offering the embodied demon small, friendly smiles while Asui said gently, "We all care for Midoriya sincerely. We do whatever we can to keep him safe. If your presence here isn't a threat to that, then we have no reason to distrust you. Midoriya's continued survival is our utmost prerogative."
Shinsou nodded his agreement and understanding, returning their smiles and replying to Asui, "I can assure you his continued survival is my main prerogative as well. Given the nature of our contract and the intimacy of our relationship, I doubt there will ever be a time when that will change. For any of us."
Bakugou was listening quietly to their exchange, absorbing everything Shinsou was saying, innate distrust still keeping him at a distance, his arms crossed irritably across his chest as a low growl rumbled in the back of his throat. Despite Shinsou's reassurances, and the other demons' apparent acceptance of his presence amongst them, Bakugou couldn't shake the distinct feeling that Shinsou's contract with Midoriya was a threat to them all.
Bakugou turned away from the cluster and surveyed the dark, rainy forest surrounding them, taking in a deep, shaky breath. If anything were to happen to Midoriya because of Shinsou, he would stop at nothing to rip the other demon apart. Bakugou could care less if he were chaos or lesser. If Shinsou took Midoriya from him in any capacity, he would unleash the full extent of his wrath upon the embodied demon until it ultimately destroyed them both.
Without Midoriya, Bakugou had no reason to exist. He was everything to the greater. Midoriya was Bakugou's entire world.
It twisted something inside of him, a rage and jealousy unlike anything he had ever experienced before, knowing that Shinsou alone was privileged enough to carry a part of Midoriya's precious soul. Knowing the demon had tasted their shared host. He grit his fangs, his growl hitching as he tried to force his anger down, not wanting to disturb Midoriya from his sleep. Uraraka was right, he needed to rest. It was rare that Midoriya slept through the night as it was, plagued by endless nightmares.
"Who else?" Shinsou asked, and Bakugou turned towards his voice slightly, watching as Todoroki reclined back a bit and continued where he'd left off moments before.
"For earth and light there's Kirishima and Kaminari. Kirishima is a shield, and Kaminari's alignment leans towards harnessing raw energy, manifesting as lightning."
"So, no healers amongst any of you then?"
"No healers, that's correct." Todoroki agreed, tilting his head slightly as he searched Shinsou's eyes. "That is, until you."
Shinsou hummed thoughtfully, glancing towards Toga as he asked, "She's the only darkness within your ranks?"
"Before you, yes." Todoroki replied, watching the chaos curiously. "Though I've heard of shadow being self-healing, I had no idea it could manifest the capability to heal injuries in others. You healed Amajiki completely, and he isn't even your contracted host! You manipulated your energy through Midoriya, into Amajiki." He shook his head in mild disbelief, recalling the details from the previous afternoon. "I've never seen or felt anything like that. It was as if you were pouring your aura into Midoriya. You used him as a conduit."
Shinsou nodded, humming lightly while gesturing against the air, "Yes, that's it exactly. That's just how it works. Instead of drawing from the host, you burn through your own energy and supply it to them through possession. The host accepts it subconsciously while relinquishing control of their body, and through your combined efforts you're able to cast the quirk into another entity." He paused, thinking for a moment before continuing on. "It's complicated, and only as effective as what your host can handle, but luckily the altercation produced quite an excess amount of energy fluctuating between all parties involved, and that allowed me just enough wiggle room to heal Amajiki before dispatching our aggressive guest."
Todoroki hummed thoughtfully at that, letting out a quiet sigh as he recalled the finer details of the altercation as well. "You took down that deviant as if it were nothing more than a lesser. Watching you cut through their defenses, shattering their core, it was-" Todoroki shook his head, not having the words. Shinsou watched him with a small smile, letting out a soft, amused chuckle.
"I couldn't let them live. Not after threatening our contractor in such a way." Shinsou shrugged lightly, adding in a heavy tone, "If I had let them go, they wouldn't have given up the hunt. They would have come back to that same place and tracked down Amajiki and Midoriya as soon as they were able to do so. Their unique auras are the only human signatures for miles. We couldn't have kept them hidden for long even if we had tried."
"I couldn't agree more." Todoroki replied, nodding his head lightly. "I just wasn't expecting such a visceral, monstrous display. I was caught right in the middle of it." He arched his brow a bit, letting out a soft peal of laughter. "When you first approached, I thought you were coming for me. Your contract with Midoriya was so fresh, I almost didn't recognize you as one of us."
Shinsou chuckled as well, reaching up and carding his fingers through his hair absently. "I apologize for startling you. It looked like you needed some help."
"I most certainly did." Todoroki glanced over his shoulder towards Bakugou, catching his eyes only for a moment before returning his gaze to Shinsou. "As a chaos, could you teach us how best to break free from a deviant's suppression? If you hadn't been there, and with Bakugou suppressed, if it had been left up to me alone…" He shook his head, shivering lightly at the thought. "I'm not sure if I could have won that fight. Not without the help of Amajiki's contracted. Midoriya wouldn't have been able to handle it if I had tried anything more than I already was."
Shinsou nodded slowly, holding Todoroki's eyes. "I have plans for that. From now on, we're in this together." He reached out, offering his hand, Todoroki hesitating only for a moment before reaching out and grasping his forearm, Shinsou clasping his forearm in return, offering him a friendly little smile.
"Together." Todoroki agreed, a small smile turning up the corners of his lips.
"Now then," Shinsou sighed, drawing back his hand in favor of gesturing towards the other plethora of demons nearby. "Tell me of the enhancements our host has contracted with, and those that have bound themselves to his human companion."
Todoroki nodded and pushed himself up, Shinsou following suit and trailing after him, the pair slowly approaching the other demons lounging around the clearing nearby. Jirou looked up first, frowning a little at their approach, eyeing Shinsou warily before shifting her gaze to Todoroki. "What is it? What do you need?"
"This is Jirou, her talents include enhancements in sight and sound." Todoroki glanced between the chaos and the lesser, Shinsou smiling and offering her a little nod in greeting. Jirou frowned at that, bristling slightly and glancing away, catching Aizawa's eyes.
The greater was watching Todoroki and Shinsou quietly, not showing any indication of wanting to engage with either of them. He simply took a deep breath, exhaled a slow sigh, and then returned to surveying their surroundings, his eyes glowing blood red in the dark.
Shinsou watched him for a moment before asking Todoroki quietly, "He's Amajiki's sight?"
"Yes." Todoroki replied in kind, just as quiet as Shinsou, not wishing to disturb the greater while he was on watch. He nodded to the girls nearby, taking a few steps closer to them to introduce them as well. "This is Hagakure, she is Midoriya's stealth." The lesser looked up as her name was spoken, offering Todoroki a smile before her face fell a bit, the smaller demon backing away from Shinsou instinctively and hiding slightly behind the girl beside her.
The mid blinked down at her friend in confusion for a moment before laughing gently and glancing up to meet Shinsou's eyes. "Don't be afraid, Hagakure. This one won't eat you. He seeks other means to satiate his appetite."
"This is Nejire, Amajiki's water." Todoroki said, giving the other demon a little smile. Nejire nodded her head and returned his greeting before Todoroki continued, gesturing to the other girl sitting at her side. "This is Shiozaki, a binding enhancement. She is also Amajiki's."
The mid nodded slowly, looking between Todoroki and Shinsou before opting to verbalize her greeting. "It's nice to meet you."
"You as well." Shinsou smiled, glancing towards the sound of rowdy laughter nearby, Todoroki stepping away from the girls and continuing towards the other group of chatting demons, one of the mids turning towards them at their approach and greeting Todoroki cheerily.
"Well well! Making rounds, are we?" He grinned, giving Shinsou a once-over before nudging the other mid at his side. "Get a load of this one, eh? The first one to get a piece of our contractor's soul! Lucky, greedy git."
The other mid laughed impishly and crossed his arms over his chest, leaning against his companion's side and looking up at Shinsou with a fanged grin. "Never met a chaos before. What are you doing here anyway? Get bored having too much freedom and time on your hands?" He took a step closer, obviously unafraid, lightning jumping between his yellow irises as he gave the chaos a teasing little curl of his fingers. "I'll trade places with ya, for a price! Wanna barter with that piece of his soul?"
Shinsou arched his brow and let out a snort of laughter, the two mids grinning and exchanging laughter of their own before the first demon spoke again. "Thanks for saving us out there. A few more blows and my shield would have collapsed without Midoriya's full attention. You really did a number on that unbound! Do all chaos have the ability to shred cores like that? It was vicious. Like watching a wild beast on a rampage!"
"And that was while contracted! You weren't even using your true form!" The smaller mid whistled and clicked his tongue against his teeth, shaking his head and glancing towards Todoroki. "I thought you and Bakugou were Midoriya's main powerhouses, but this one exudes more raw strength than the two of you combined!"
Todoroki was quiet at that, simply watching the mids with a soft expression before gesturing to each one in kind. "This is Kirishima, Midoriya's earth." Kirishima smiled, giving a little wave. "His mouthy companion is Kaminari, Midoriya's light."
The smaller mid giggled impishly and reached out his hand, lightning jumping between his fingertips as he watched Shinsou mischievously. The chaos blinked down at him in mild surprise before chuckling low and deep, taking his hand and snuffing out his lightning easily with thick swirls of creeping shadow.
"Nice to meet you." Shinsou purred, Kaminari squeaking softly and trying to pull back his hand. Shinsou's grip was sure and easy as he held Kaminari's smaller hand captive, slowly searching the light demon's eyes as he struggled nervously to pull away.
The mid let out a series of anxious laughter and nodded quickly, "Yeah, sure! Nice to meet you too!" He inhaled sharply as Shinsou's shadows slowly crept up his wrist and forearm, withdrawing a safe distance as soon as Shinsou released his hand, hiding just behind Kirishima's shoulder and shivering as that tingling, creeping sensation began to slowly fade away.
Kirishima watched his companion with a soft expression, reaching back and taking his hand, lacing their fingers gently. "All bark and no bite, aren't we? Afraid you've bitten off a bit more than you can chew with teasing this one, eh?"
Kaminari laughed again nervously, nuzzling against Kirishima's shoulder and watching Shinsou curiously, squeezing the larger mid's fingers hesitantly while peeking over his shoulder. "I guess I just wasn't expecting him to snuff me out so quickly!" He shivered again, tightening his hold on Kirishima's warm fingers. "That felt cold! Like Death Herself was sinking into me!"
Shinsou chuckled heartily, flashing his fangs as he grinned, "Ah, I'm sorry if I worried you. As opposing elements, you would naturally feel more sensitive towards my darkness. It only makes sense that we would repel one another with our quirks."
Kaminari pouted lightly, frowning against Kirishima's shoulder before tilting his head slightly, blinking up at Shinsou curiously while asking, "You're seriously just here to contract with Midoriya? You're not going to eat us all?"
Todoroki and Kirishima exchanged a glance at that, looking towards Shinsou to watch his expressions, the chaos chuckling softly before letting out a deep sign.
"I have no desire to consume demons already under contract." His expression was soft, his tone genuine as he spoke. "Midoriya cherishes each of you, and would understandably be upset if I started feasting off of his established plethora. I do not wish to cultivate a host tainted with sadness or anger towards me. Besides," He glanced around the wilderness surrounding them, focusing towards the direction of the abandoned town nearby, "Why would I be interested in eating any of you, when there are perfectly vulnerable unbound lessers occupying the city streets?"
Todoroki hummed softly at that, nodding lightly and saying to Kaminari, "It's true that chaos feed off of other demons, but hunting lessers would be far easier than trying to consume one of us." He looked to Shinsou while adding, "We would fight to defend one another if he tried to turn on us. For a hungry chaos, dealing with that would undoubtedly become entirely too much work."
Shinsou grinned and nodded, waving his hand dismissively against the air. "Exactly. Why bother? Unbound demons tend to taste fresher anyway."
Kaminari didn't look completely convinced, but he wasn't hiding as much anymore. Kirishima looked down at him, wrapping his arm around the smaller mid's waist and nuzzling into his messy hair, planting a kiss against the curve of his closest horn.
Shinsou watched them quietly for a few moments, taking in their closeness, their intimacy. His tail swayed rhythmically against the air, a soft hum escaping him as he made the connection, letting out a soft exhale before he murmured, "Oh I see. You're cherished, aren't you?"
Kirishima grinned at that, chuckling to himself while Kaminari snorted softly, turning and hiding his face against the larger mid's shoulder, his cheeks dusted with pink. Todoroki nodded, gesturing back towards the girls they'd spoken with before, adding, "Kirishima and Kaminari are the only cherished pair within our plethora. As for Amajiki, he hosts Nejire and Mirio, as well as Aizawa and Hizashi."
"Hizashi is an informal arrangement." Kirishima clarified, glancing towards the sight enhancement nearby. "As far as we are aware, he has never officially offered to contract with Amajiki. As Aizawa's cherished, he comes and goes. They've been like that for years now. I doubt if Hizashi will ever desire to be bound to a human host."
Shinsou hummed quietly at that, nodding his understanding. "Is he a lesser? His cherished?"
"No, another greater." Todoroki replied, meeting Shinsou's eyes.
"Good then." Shinsou sighed, shrugging lightly while offering an impish smile. "I won't have to be concerned about accidentally eating him."
Todoroki arched his brow, letting out a soft exhale that could have been a laugh had he allowed himself to chuckle, the greater clearing his throat softly before gesturing towards the other demons nearby who had been listening in on their conversation.
The remainder of Amajiki's plethora had been observing their exchange almost silently, but as Todoroki and Shinsou directed their attention towards them, one of the greater stood and approached.
He offered his hand, watching Shinsou with a friendly expression, smiling as he introduced himself. "Mirio. Dual power and light. Welcome aboard."
Another greater approached as well, his large crimson wings dragging against the ground behind him. He didn't offer his hand, but gave a little salute instead, shoving his gloved hands in the confines of his oversized pockets, a captain's jacket lined with cream-colored fur.
Shinsou gave him a once-over, tilting his head slightly. It was curious that the demon would choose to waste excess energy on crafting the illusion of clothing, but as soon as he began to speak Shinsou understood why.
"The name's Hawks. It's Shinsou, right?"
His voice was different, almost harmonious with the way his words flowed and blended together. Shinsou watched him curiously, breathing against the air and tasting his aura, the winged demon grinning and chuckling softly, nodding his head.
"Yeah, I get that reaction a lot."
The chaos exhaled and grinned, asking with a hint of laughter in his tone, "How did you manage to contract with a human host without one of the others warning Amajiki about you?"
Hawks laughed cheerily at that, flexing his wings and grinning mischievously. "How else? I was the first, of course! I've been with the kid since day one."
"Bizarre." Shinsou mused, shaking his head lightly and giving the demon a once-over. "How rare, to find a remnant dwelling within a contractor." He glanced towards the demons surrounding them, adding hesitantly, "I'm assuming the others know what you actually are?"
"A fallen angel." A voice offered simply, Shinsou glancing past the span of Hawks' wings to meet eyes with the deviant who had spoken before. She was watching Shinsou with a calm, patient expression, reclining back against her companion slightly, the other deviant narrowing her eyes slightly as her tail tapped against the ground beside her.
There was a mid sitting with them, reclining lazily across a pile of dead leaves, Shinsou's eyes dilating into slits as he took in the other demon's appearance, immediately recognizing him as another darkness.
"Fumikage?" He asked, and the mid hummed softly and gave a little wave of claws in greeting.
"Been a while." The mid demon sighed, stretching out slightly before pushing himself up from the ground, stretching his arms above his head and yawning before looking towards the pair of deviants beside him. "I know this one. He's not a threat to our host. You don't have to worry about him. If he wanted to eat Amajiki or Midoriya he would have done so while they were under attack instead of offering a contract and rescuing them both."
A greater appeared at his side, bumping his shoulder against Fumikage's and nodding towards Shinsou, asking curiously, "This the chaos you told us about before?"
"Yeah." Fumikage replied, giving Shinsou a once-over, "Almost didn't recognize him in that shell, but he's definitely the reaver I spoke of. His capabilities are nearly limitless. He's the most advanced shadow I've ever known."
"A glowing review." The deviant who had spoken before purred, Shinsou meeting her eyes once again, the woman sighing softly and arching her back slightly, the other deviant pressed against her side letting out a soft, rumbling growl as Shinsou's eyes wandered between them. "Well, chaos? How do you plan on handling your host? Aren't you concerned your presence here will ultimately be the death of him? It's hard enough for our hosts to feed their contracted as it is, let alone worrying about satisfying the needs of a chaos within the ranks."
Shinsou blinked slowly, glancing between the two deviants and the greater beside him, holding Hawks' gaze for a moment before asking the deviant who had spoken curiously, "The three of you are draining Amajiki to the point of exhaustion, and yet you're concerned about my impact on Midoriya? I could ask you the same. You're leeching your host's lifeforce with every heartbeat. Why haven't any of you done something to help your host sustain your cluster? I can feel your hunger. You're all practically starving."
"It's not that simple." Hawks said softly, his eyes narrowing a bit. "Amajiki and Midoriya are both malnourished and weak. Their bodies cannot handle the minimum requirements needed to handle our true strength. We take turns manifesting. It's rare that Amajiki can engage with more than two of us at any given time. Most of us are greater and above."
Shinsou frowned a little, "So what you're saying is, if you were to try to move into a more populated area to hunt for them-"
"We would quickly be outmatched. You saw what happened in town earlier today." Hawks ruffled his feathers irritably, exhaling softly while glancing back at his friends nearby. "Shimura, Usagi and I are all fully aware of our impact on Amajiki. We do what we can to share our energy amongst ourselves whenever possible, instead of drawing from Amajiki directly. It's one of the only ways we've been able to survive this long, without inadvertently killing our host."
Shinsou was quiet for a moment before asking, "Do they know?"
Hawks pressed his lips into a firm line, replying after a short pause, "Amajiki is aware we are cutting his lifespan short. As far as I know, he has not mentioned our situation to Midoriya. Knowing your host, such knowledge would only plague him with concern and guilt, leading them both to attempt something reckless."
Shinsou closed his eyes, pinching his brow and trying to think of a resolution. His tail lashed the air behind him, and he met Hawks' eyes again while asking in a strained tone, "How long since they've eaten more than scraps?"
"A week, maybe." Hawks replied quietly, his expression softening a bit, the greater unable to hide the obvious concern in his tone. "Tethered as we are, we can only search so far for viable hunts in an attempt to assist our hosts. We do what we can to help and support them, but as weak as they are now it cuts our capabilities dangerously short. The majority of us can only hold our manifestations for a few minutes at most."
"Alright." Shinsou sighed heavily, eyeing the deviants for a moment before asking, "Your quirks?"
"Light and gravity." Shimura responded, the woman at her side growling steadily for several moments longer before Shimura and Hawks both turned their attention towards her.
The demon snorted irritably while tapping her tail quickly against the ground, clearly angered by what Shinsou had implied before. "Power." She snarled, turning her face away and resting her chin against Shimura's shoulder, the older deviant watching her quietly and wrapping her tail around Usagi's wrist and forearm, squeezing gently to calm her without words.
"Air." Hawks offered when Shinsou met his eyes. "I'm sure you're aware that Fumikage is darkness, and Kuroiro is Amajiki's enhancement in stealth."
Shinsou glanced towards the darkness mid and greater enhancement, eyeing them both for a moment before stepping closer to Fumikage. The mid watched his approach with a calm gaze, Kuroiro tensing only slightly as the chaos came to a halt directly before them. He smiled down at the other darkness, offering his hand palm-up while saying, "Alright then. Let me give you a fraction of my energy to disperse between your companions." He looked towards Shimura and Usagi, giving the deviants a little nod. "I have a plan in mind, but to carry this out successfully I will need both of you to help."
Shimura watched Shinsou quietly for a few moments before nodding her head lightly, her dark eyes flickering with refractions of bright, glittering lights. "Tell us what we need to do."
Thanks for reading! More to come!