Seeds of Light and Darkness.
Luxu and Giran had brought in two possible recruits to join the League of Villains.
"Kurogiri, get rid of them." However, Shigaraki was not at all pleased with the two individuals that were brought in. "Everything I hate came together. A brat and a rude guy." The decay villain said as he pointed at the girl and young man in front of him.
"Come now. They came all the way here to visit us. At least hear them out, Tomura Shigaraki." Kurogiri tried to convince him in a calm manner.
"And don't forget that me and our good friend Giran over there brought them here." Luxu approached him with an unconcerned smirk as he pointed at the shady businessman in the background as he smoked his cigarette. "He says that they are valuable and I can attest to that. I got a good eye to find recruits and they check the boxes, you don't lose anything." He said in a persuasive manner.
"I don't care what you do with them, I'll take my commission, Luxu-san." Giran said to him with a smirk.
The Ancient Keyblade Master chuckled. "Gee, you made it sound like we're human trafficking in here." He replied with a smirk of his own.
Giran walked closer and stood right in the middle of the two newcomers. "At least I present them. First, the cute schoolgirl." He gestured at the blonde girl. "They hid her name and face from the press carefully, but she is suspected of several deaths from exsanguination." He explained the villainous duo about her.
"Spoiler alert: She's guilty of all of them. Hell, the first time I met her, she made quite a bloody mess." Luxu explained to his companions with a smirk. "She's the smallest, most adorable and craziest assassin that you'll find and she's pretty darn good at it to boot." He added. "Actually she reminds me of this other blonde lady with knives that I worked with in my previous job, although she was a huge bitch lemme tell you. I prefer this one." He pointed at the girl with his thumb.
"I'm Toga! Himiko Toga!" Himiko presented herself cheerfully, which is a huge contrast of what one would expect from a suspected killer. "Living is hard! I wanna live in a world where living is easier! I wanna be like Stain-sama! I wanna kill Stain-sama! Lemme join the League of Villains, Tomura-kun!" She said to him in a excited and demented manner, her blush seemed to depend too.
"See? Cute and crazy in a single small package." Luxu said, keeping his smirk. "But hey, I like her, she's funny and honest too. And I like working with kids, sure they can be troublesome at times, but at this point we know kids can be quite the effective agents. Little Himiko-tan here will be plenty useful." He said as he approached her and patted her on the head as she just stood there smiling cutely.
"Thanks, Luxu-senpai!" She thanked him cheerfully.
"And she respects her seniors as well." The man in the black coat added grinning. "I really like you, little girl. Almost makes me want to take you under my wing." He glanced down at her.
"And now, this guy." Giran now looked at the young black haired man. "He didn't commit big crimes, but he clings to the ideology of the Hero Killer." He elaborated.
"He sure loves Bloody Edge's way of thinking." Luxu commented as he crossed his arms with a lax smirk.
"I'm not convinced." The burned guy said bluntly with both hands in his pockets. "This organization really has a cause? Don't tell me that they'll let in this crazed girl." He questioned as he glanced at Himiko, she flinched at this, still smiling.
"Oi, you can't even do what that crazed girl did." Shigaraki outright insulted him.
"Wrong, Handy Kid, wrong." Luxu said to him, smirking still. "Burn face over here might yet do something big in the underworld, but trust me, he's got all he needs to eviscerate many single handedly and cause the eternal hatred of all environmentalists while at it. He sure packs some real heat." He explained nonchalantly pointing at him with his thumb.
The burned young man just glared at him silently. He narrowed his eyes at him with suspicion.
"Whatever. You, tell me your name. You're an adult, aren't you?" Tomura asked the black haired guy.
"I'm called Dabi now." Dabi replied bluntly.
"Not that. The real one." Shigaraki talked back in a more demanding tone as he pointed at him.
"I'll tell you when the moment is right." Dabi refused to reply. "Anyway, I'll fulfill the will of the Hero Killer." He added as he glared coldly at the Decay Villain.
"You don't have to say what you weren't asked for." Tomura replied. "Damm, everyone's so infatuated with Stain… I don't like it." He then got up from his seat, his tone turned darker.
"Wait, Shigaraki!" The mist man tried to stop him.
"Oh boy, here it comes." Luxu simply muttered in a bored tone as his head glanced down and closed his eyes.
"I don't feel good." Shigaraki glared at Toga and Dabi with a murderous intent, both reacted in surprise as they recognized this. "You're no good!" He then threw his hands forward at them, in response Dabi threw his right hand at him, embers and smoke came out of his palm, at the same time Himiko drew out a knife and thrust it forward.
Fortunately Kurogiri reacted in time and created several portals to redirect all attacks away from hurting anyone.
"Calm down, Tomura Shigaraki." The Mist Villain said to his leader in a calm, yet stern manner. Giran simply stood there smoking calmly while Luxu looked unamused. "If you want to get what you desire, we must have more members. Even if it is strange, we are in the spotlights and it is our chance." He elaborated. "We must not reject them, but receive them. You must use everything… And the ideology he left behind…" Kurogiri then extended his misty head and moved it towards the back of Tomura's like a snake, whispering directly to his ear.
The gray haired young man removed both of his arms from the portals. "Shut up." He replied as he walked forward.
"Where are you going?" Giran asked him as everyone else watched Tomura as he approached the door.
"Shut up!" He barked angrily as he walked out through the door before slamming it shut. As Kurogiri's head morphed back to normal.
"I wouldn't like to criticize a client, but he's young. Very young." Giran commented as he rubbed the back of his head with his cigarette in his mouth.
"Yep, he's a kid after all. As if." Luxu agreed with him.
"I thought he would kill us." Toga said, never wiping her smile from her face.
"He makes me sick…" Dabi complied with a very displeased look on his face.
"Is it alright if we reply to you afterwards?" Kurogiri asked politely. "I believe he knows what he must do. It is because he knows it that he left without saying a word. All Might, the Hero Killer… Had stopped him twice. He surely will get to an answer… that you and he will be satisfied with." He explained to the guests.
"Misty's right." Luxu agreed with him with his usual grin. "I know that Tomura can be both impulsive and repulsive, but just bear with it, okay? He'll turn around and take you in, all we ask is a bit of patience." The Ancient Keyblade Master added.
"Hmph. Are you sure he really is the one in charge? Any of you seem more competent than him." Dabi replied bluntly.
"Yep, Misty here and I just follow orders and make sure everything goes as planned." Luxu replied to him casually. "I get it where you're coming from though. As if, the kid is too immature and lacking in a lot of aspects, but with time he will become much much more and you will help him with that so everyone can achieve what we all want, a good deal in my opinion." He added with a persuasive smirk.
"..." Dabi didn't reply. Himiko just looked at him smiling and Giran took another breath of his cigarette.
"Oh and Burn face…" Luxu said to him with a knowing smirk as he approached him and surrounded him with his left arm. "...You don't have to tell me about yourself, I already know all of it... " He whispered to his ear in a teasing manner.
"...!" Dabi's eyes widened in utter shock.
"...Your baby brother took a lot after you, eh T.T?" Luxu teased again about what he knows about Dabi. Said youth reacted in fury and attempted to move one of his arms to attack him, but he froze in his tracks when a blade suddenly was placed on his neck. "I wouldn't do that if I were you, kid. Unless you don't need your arms to use your Quirk." He threatened him in a dark serious tone, he had summoned his No Name Keyblade and aimed it at Dabi's neck. "Don't worry though, I ain't a snitch, if you won't say anything, I won't either. I get why you don't want to say anything right now." He concluded as he let go of him and moved the blade away from his neck.
"You bastard…" Dabi glared at him in deep anger. Kurogiri remained silent, Giran looked curious and Himiko's eyes lit in awe in wonder at the sight of Luxu's Keyblade.
Luxu simple chuckled. "Of course you wouldn't respect your superiors, you never had a good example after all." He said with a smug smirk.
"Who or what are you…?" Dabi asked him in visual anger in his expression. Not understand how this freak came to learn that sensitive information about himself.
"Someone with many many secrets." Luxu cryptically replied. "One day I might indulge you in some of them if things go well, that is." He added with a smug grin.
"That's a cool looking sword, Senpai! Where you'd get it? Can I grab it? How did you make it appear like that? Is it like those black portals you make? Are you a magician?" Himiko asked him with childlike wonder.
Luxu chuckled. "I get that you're amazed and curious, little girl, but those would be questions for another day." He patted her on the head.
"Aww boo…" She pouted cutely.
"For now I'll go out and keep an eye on Handy kid and make sure he doesn't turn everything in sight to dust, I might help him turn around faster." Luxu declared as he opened a dark corridor. "You just get comfy and relax, we'll be back later. Make yourselves at home." And with that Luxu walked into the dark corridor before it vanished.
"Hmm. I like Luxu-senpai, but he's a little weird and I feel like he treats me like a baby at times." Himiko commented out loud, still pouting. Dabi just looked down with a notable frown while Kurogiri remained silent and Giran just continued smoking without a care.
The day after the Final Exams came. Class 1-A were in their classroom, waiting for the results, although for a group of four students, they already knew what their results were.
"Guys, I hope to hear… Your stories of the camp…" A very sad Mina said between cries as Denki, Eijiro and Rikido also looked really bummed down.
"It's not certain yet! There could be a last minute surprise!" Deku tried to cheer up his classmates. Sora stood right beside him with a sympathetic look on his face and Hanta stood right behind them.
"Yeah, we don't know yet, so chin up." Sora also tried to cheer his friends up
"Wait, you two. If you say it outloud, you'll ruin it." The tape teen said as he put his hand on the greenette's shoulder.
"If we failed the exams, we would miss the camp. And since we didn't pass the practical exam…" Denki began with a depressing aura around him. "If you still don't get it, you're dumber than monkeys!" He then turned around and pointed at them upset, although he ended up poking Izuku right in his eye.
Denki suddenly received a hard slap in the back of his head. "Calm down already, Denki." It was Riku that did this.
"Besides, I don't know it either. My team passed because of Mineta, but I slept the whole time." Sero said as he pointed to himself. Mineta heard this with a smug smile. "Besides, we don't know how they grade…" He added as Deku covered his eyes as he winced in pain, Ochako and Sora looked disrauted at this while Riku glared unamused at Denki holding the back of his head from the slap he gave him.
"If you feel bad for us, bring us something!" The electric blond shouted angrily as he cried.
Suddenly Aizawa slide open the door. "When the bell rings, sit down." He said to his class as the teens quickly returned to their seats and went silent. As the homeroom teacher walked in, however most teens suddenly tense when they saw someone else enter after their teacher.
"Cloud!" Sora greeted said SOLDIER cheerfully.
"Hey Sora." Cloud greeted him back nonchalantly.
"What are you doing here?" Riku asked him not a single bit disturbed by his presence unlike the rest of his classmates. The reason for this is because they all know how Cloud gave Sora and Riku a horrible beating in their exam on top of how in the match the whole stage were turned to rubble a ruins, it was safe to say to most Hero Students now fear him, just like the ground that witnessed the match with their own eyes. It was actually crazy how Sora and Riku were not afraid of him.
"I work here." Cloud plainly replied without batting an eye as he stood right beside Shouta on the podium.
Before the conversation continued, Shouta spoke. "Good morning." He greeted his whole class. "Before talking to you about the results of your exams, I'll inform you that from now on Cloud will be working as my teacher assistant, therefore you'll see him everyday so better get used to it." He informed them and a good bunch looked very scared, but knowing what Cloud can do, they opted to not say anything.
"In other words I'll be imparting your classes when Shouta feels like taking a nap, which is all the time." Cloud said to the class with his arms crossed. Aizawa just hummed in reply. "You can all relax, I won't slice anyone in half." Cloud noted as most teens looked uncomfortable with him around.
"On to your exams, unfortunately, some didn't pass the Final Exam." Aizawa informed his students. Denki, Mina, Rikido and Eijiro knew that it was them who he was talking about and they were bummed about it. "About the camp in the woods… Everyone will go!" He then announced with an uncharacteristic grin.
"You look weird like that." Cloud said to him bluntly.
"A last minute surprise!" The four students thought at the same time shocked.
"Can we go too?!" Eijiro asked with a grin
"For real?!" Mina also asked with tears of joy. Most of the rest of the students were also surprised.
"Yep." Cloud replied plainly.
"No one failed the written exam. In the practical one, Kirishima, Kaminari, Ashido, Sato and Sero failed." Aizawa informed the students.
Said tape teen flinched in surprised. "I knew it… Just because the team passed, it doesn't mean that they would grade me well…" Hanta facepalmed feeling bummed. Izuku looked at him with concern as Minoru just leaned on his seat with his hands behind his head unconcerned.
"Our side made sure to leave a way for the students to win while we observed how you manage. If not, many would be stuck before the start." Shouta explained to his class.
"Then, when you said you would crush us…" Mashirao began, understanding where this led.
"It was to scare you." The teacher confirmed. "The camp is to increase strength. Those who failed will need it more. It was a rational falsehood" Shouta yet again wore a grin.
"You have a weird sense of humor." Cloud commented to him bluntly again.
"A rational falsehood?!" Denki, Mina, Eijiro and Rikido thought at the same time again before they started to cheer.
"The same goes for Sora and Riku's exam." Cloud informed the class. "When I said I would go all out, I lied. It was to make them come at me with all they got, which they did." He explained. "If I did go all out… Well, I don't think I need to tell you what would have happened." He added and a good bunch of the teens paled with some gulping nervously. Even Sora and Riku looked slightly uneased.
"You're both lucky that your grades weren't affected by collateral damage." Aizawa said to the young Heroes.
"Well, it couldn't have been helped anyway and sometimes it can't be avoided in the real world." Cloud said to his co-worker with his arms crossed.
Sora rubbed the back of his head with a sheepish grin. "Heh, we'll try to not wreck everything next time." The boy said.
"Yeah." Riku nodded in agreement.
"Good to hear, even if you save lives, people would still complain about damages to their property. Be mindful if those types of situations happen" Cloud replied.
"Hai." Sora nodded.
"Understood." Riku nodded as well.
"They tricked me again! As expected from U.A!" Tenya muttered with his usual overtly seriousness, he even trembled a bit. "But since you lied to us twice, our faith in you will decrease!" The class rep suddenly stood up with his right hand raised high.
"You're very serious, Iida-kun." Ochako said to him, smiling unsurprised.
"Yes, I'll consider it." Aizawa replied to the robot-like teen. "But I didn't lie about everything. A failure is a failure." He then glared at the cheering group that failed their exam, they stopped mid celebration when he did. "We prepared extra lessons for you. It'll be harder than classes at school." He reminded them that they still have to attend summer classes, which immediately bummed them out.
"Your class sure is lively, Shouta." Cloud commented to him.
"Now it's your class as well, you'll get used to it quickly, trust me." Shouta replied to him.
Cloud had a tiny, but noticeable smile as he glanced down and closed his eyes with his arms crossed. "It better be worth the paycheck then." He joked.
It was now afternoon and the students from U.A were on their way to leave. The teens from Class 1-A were picking up their stuff and talking to each other before leaving.
"Well, anyway, we can all go together." The tailed teen said to his friends. In his hands were a guide informing the students about the upcoming training camp.
"A week of training, eh?" Tenya said as he, Midoriya, Kaminari, Sora and Riku read from the guide in his hands.
"We'll have to bring a lot of things." Izuku commented.
"I don't have a swimsuit. I'll have to buy a lot." The electric blond commented.
"Night vision goggles." Minoru chirped in. He flinched when he saw Sora and Riku giving them blunt glares. "It's not for what you think! It's just for uh… you know, just in case!" He tried to excuse himself, but Sora and Riku didn't buy it.
"Uh-huh." Sora said sarcastically.
"Anyway, you're warned." Riku said as he thundered his knuckles.
The grape-headed midget got the point across and nodded fervently and got as far away from them.
"Since tomorrow we'll be resting and we finished the exams, why don't we go shopping together?" Tooru cheerfully asked her friends, somehow the others knew she was smiling.
"Good idea. It'll be the first time that we hang out together." Denki replied to her happily. Ochako nodded at him, smiling as well.
"Yeah, I'm in!" Sora grinned happily as well.
"Oi, Bakugou, come too." Eijiro said to the explosive teen as he walked towards the door.
"As if I were to do something so annoying." He declined bluntly.
"You miss it." Sora said to him, shrugging.
"Say Shouto, you wanna come too?" Riku asked his friend as he approached him, he wore a smile on his face. Sora and Deku did so too.
"I would like to, but I visit my mother on my off time. I hope you understand" The half teen replied.
"Sure we do, man." Sora nodded at him smiling, Deku did the same.
"Thanks. Also I won't ask you to come with me if you rather want to go with the others." Shouto said to his closest friends.
Riku shook his head in denial. "No, I would like to pay Auntie Rei a visit too." He said to him with a sincere smile.
"You sure? I wouldn't want you to miss out of something you would prefer to do for me." Shouto asked him to be certain.
"Nah, there'll be another chance in the future, besides Sora can take care of the things we'll need for the camp." Riku replied, gesturing at his best friend. Sora nodded in agreement.
Shouto smiled at him. "You're a good friend, Riku." He raised his fist up and he and Riku bump fists.
"You're very boring! Understand the situation!" Mineta chirped in again.
"Minoru…" Sora said to him with a grave tone.
"Just kidding!" The midget shouted.
On the next day.
"And here we are!" Mina announced excitedly. "With the most stores, it's the new, coolest, and most advanced Kiyashi ward shopping mall!" She, Izuku, Sora, Ochako, Tenya, Eijiro, Fumikage, Mezou, Minoru, Denki, Tooru, Momo and Kyouka now were at the huge Kiyashi ward shopping mall. The group gathered today as planned to go shopping for things that they'll need for the upcoming week at the training camp in the woods. Some of the teens, like Sora and Deku were looking around the mall in awe and wonder.
"It doesn't just cover all types of the body, they have designs for teens and adults…" Deku just went into one of his muttering sprees as he looked around the stores that do cover everything for all body types for teens and adults.
"Uh… Deku, you're muttering and kinda creeping out the kids around." Sora told him, sweat dropping.
"Hey! Aren't you from U.A?!"
"From 1st year?!"
"I saw you on TV!"
"The Sports Festival, yeah!" Three young men recognize the students, making passerbys look at them.
"There's still people that remember it…" Ochako commented with a wavering smile.
"Hey! Isn't that Sora Nomura!?"
"He is! The Champion of the 1st year!"
"He's so cute!"
A group of girls recognized the Keyblader and gushed at the sight of him and of course of other people also looked excited at him, some even taking pics with their phones.
Sora grinned sheepishly with a blush. "Eh hehe. Guess I'm still well-known." He commented rubbing the back of his head.
"And with a fanclub it seems." Denki deadpanned at him while Minoru just glared at him pissed off.
"Is this normal for everytime you go out?" Eijiro ask him.
"Not all the time, but when it happens it's not that bad, honestly this is the most calmed that I had it." Sora replied, still grinning. "This time girls aren't jumping at me, asking for autographs or putting phone numbers in my pockets." He added, shrugging. A certain perverted duo just glared at Sora with dark auras around them.
Momo wore a displeased yet composed expression as she looked at the group of girls looking at Sora and taking pictures of him, thankfully they weren't swarming him and if that were to happen she would get them off his back. Kyouka on the other hand, while slightly disappointed that Riku wasn't here, she was grateful that she didn't have to watch a dumb group of girls ogling at said sliver haired teen. Mina and Tooru just glanced at each other with knowing grins (Asume that's Tooru's expression), they can tell that Momo was jealous, which only adds more to the obviousness of her feelings for Sora.
Kyouka decided to start a conversation with Momo to get her mind off what was obviously bothering her, thankfully, it worked. "By the way, I'll need a backpack." The earphone jack girl commented to her friend.
"Why don't we go together?" Momo cheerfully suggested.
"Hey, you guys going for backpacks?" Sora then approached them. "Mind if I come along too? Riku and I need that and a few other stuff." He asked with a smile. "He even left me with a short list of what we'll need and I was hoping you'll help me." He put his hand behind his head as his grin turned slightly sheepish and even closed one of his eyes.
"Of course!" The raven haired girl beamed, but back tracked immediately as she said louder than intended. "I-I mean, sure, Sora-kun." She corrected herself, she wore a happy smile and a pink blush on her face.
Thankfully for her, Sora didn't catch that and just smiled. "Cool, thanks." He then surrounded the girl with his right arm, which made her face turn hotter, but she smiled a bit shyly at him.
"Aaand… I'm a third wheel now…" Kyouka now looked noticeably bummed, not that she didn't want Sora around, but now she really wished that Riku was here too, he would have tagged along with them and he would talk to he, she might have had a good time with him... She shook off those thoughts and tried to look cool.
The pair of shipper girls squealed lowly at this, for one another cute moment with Sora and Momo and they can even tell Kyouka misses Riku.
Mineta looked angry at Sora, he was now rubbing his luck with Yaoyorozu in public! The nerve of him! Kaminari just looked at this uncaringly.
The midget decided to not mind this and focus on something more important "Where can I buy lock picks and drills?" He asked out loud looking at the stores. Not at all for the wrong reasons! Good thing Sora didn't hear that. (How can he even bring a freaking drill to the forest?)
"I don't have running shoes. I'll need a pair." Denki commented to the invisible girl.
"Me too! Me too!" Tooru replied energetically raising her left arm up, which was noticeable due to her sleeve moving upwards.
"The guide said that they must be used!" Tenya then chirped in raising his left arm really high up, being loud and serious as usual. "But of course, maybe I should choose based on the utility." He then got more composed and cupped his chin. Sora, Deku and Ochako looked at him smiling, they were used to the engine teen's antics by now.
"Everyone's looking for different stuff. We decide an hour to reunite?" Eijiro asked the group of friends.
"Alright!" Mina replied energetically.
"Then, let's meet up at 3!" The hardening teen announced.
"Alright!" The group shouted in unison and went in seperate directions real quick. Only Izuku and Ochako remained. "Everyone's very fast." The emerald child was dumbfounded at how quickly everyone left.
"Yeah." Uraraka agreed.
"Even Sora left." Deku said, surprised and slightly saddened.
"Yeah." Ochako agreed again. "I guess he can do things without us, huh?" She commented in a joking tone.
Izuku smiled. "Yeah, apparently." He played along and the two shared a brief laugh. "Hey, what do you want to buy, Uraraka-san?" He asked her. "I want some bigger weights." He added.
"I wanted insect-" Her reply was cut off from the sudden memory of what Aoyama told her during their exam. "In…" Her rosy cheeks turned a dark shade of red. "Insecticide!" She then took off running away from him out of huge embarrassment and awkwardness.
"I'm an insect?!" Deku pointed at himself with a shocked face as he saw how the girl quickly ran away from him.
"Dang it, Aoyama-kun! You're wrong! I think." The round-faced girl thought as she cupped both of her hot cheeks as she ran away. (She's not even fooling herself)
Izuku now stands alone and yet surrounded with other people that passed by in the mall. "Even if we all came together, I'm alone…" The boy muttered to himself a little deflated. He then glanced to the side to begin to look for a store.
"Oh great, someone from the U.A." Someone said near the boy. "Give me an autograph." Right when Izuku turned to look who it was, a guy in a black hoodie over his head came up and surrounded him with his right arm. "You're the one that ended up all battered at the festival, right?" The guy said to him cheerfully.
"Um. Hai…" Izuku replied bashfully. "U.A. is amazing. Many people saw us and remembered us…" The boy thought to himself, still not getting used to this notice and attention he's receiving from strangers.
"And aren't you one of those that encountered the Hero Killer at Hosu? Amazing." The guy commented to him.
"You know a lot…" Izuku replied, still a little uncomfortable.
"I can't believe it. Who would have thought that I would see you again at a place like this?" It was then that Izuku recognized something familiar in the way this stranger's voice. "I feel there must be a reason… Something like destiny…" Izuku then felt the hand of this individual grabbing his neck with his right hand, however he left out his middle finger. "But well, from your perspective, we haven't seen each other since the attack at U.A., right?" The heartbeat of the emerald teen increased rapidly, he started to sweat and his eyes widened in shock. He slowly turned his head to look at the guy holding his neck. "Why don't we take tea together, Izuku Midoriya?" And then he saw his face from under the hood and behind his gray messy head, this time not obscured by the sercenated hand he always wears. The same pale skin and red eyes, but now he could see that his lips were chipped that had a tiny scar on the left side and even had a spot on the left side as well as a tiny scar on his right eye. He was looking at the boy in a maniacal way…
"Tomura Shigaraki!" There was no doubt, it was the same villain that attacked U.A. during spring, the ringleader of the League of Villains... He was here, holding Izuku hostage...
Flashback…
A few moments earlier…
Tomura stood at the entrance of the mall, he came out of his lair to mediate about current events, he didn't wear the hand on his face and used a black hood to conceal his identity.
"What sense does it have to kill without conviction?" He remembered what that lunatic Stain once told him.
"Just watch, Hero Killer. Almost everyone thinks that it doesn't affect them. No, they don't even think about it. It doesn't matter where someone tries to kill another for any reason, they'll continue smiling and living without worries." Tomura thought to himself as he walked silently through the crowds of people, watching as they just go on with their days as if there isn't a single thing in their lives that they have to worry about. He glanced to the side and saw two brats fooling around with merchandise of the Hero Killer. He just continued to walk aimlessly. "But, on the other hand, you have sympathizers totally alien to your ideals. What's with that?" He then thought of the two that wanted to join the League earlier. "Don't we do the same? In the end, you were just destroying what you didn't like. What's wrong? What's the difference?" That was when his eyes caught on the sight of one of the brats who got in his way, Izuku Midoriya…
End of the Flashback…
"Act normal, as if I were a friend. Don't make noise. Calm down and breathe easy. I wanna talk to you. That's all" The decay Villain ordered Midoriya in a low voice as the boy stood totally still. Tomura had an evil grin on his face. "If you think about doing something, it'll be easy. As soon as my five fingers touch your neck, you'll crumble from your throat. You'll turn to dust in less than a minute." He deviously warned him as his middle finger softly caressed Midoriya's Adam's apple. The boy was petrified by fear.
"If-if you do it in front of so many people, a Hero will come and will catch you…" Izuku maintained composure as best as he could and glared at him with a frown, trying to have a brave face despite the obvious dread he felt.
"Of course." Shigaraki replied unconcerned. "But look at them. Anyone can use their Quirk at any moment. How do they gather and smile like that? Laws and rules suppose that people have morals. They're convinced that no one would do something like that." He explained as he pointed at the civilians around them as they go about their day blissfully oblivious of what was happening. "Before they would catch me, I could finish off with 20… no, 30 people. And before you start thinking about that overpowered best friend of yours, Sora Nomura, I can summon Heartless at any moment, even if he can destroy them like nothing, they would still claim victims and cause damages before he stops them and me and by then plenty of people would be either Heartless or dust in the wind, the latter includes you." Tomura said with a evil and sadistic grin, Izuku paled in horror as he let that sink in
Izuku's fist came undone. "What do you want to talk about?" He had no choice but to obey him if that prevents causing a major tragedy…
Tomura chuckled in victory as he brought his hostage closer. "Great. Since it doesn't happen often, why don't we sit down?" He suggested, but the boy knew it was an order. A few moments later both were now seated on a bench. "Anyway, I hate everything, but what bothers me the most is the Hero Killer." The Villain told the boy with a flat tone.
"Wasn't he one of you?" Izuku asked him.
"I didn't accept him, but that's how it ended up in the news." Shigaraki replied. "That's the problem, almost everyone admires the Hero Killer. The attack at U.A. and the Noumu I unleashed at Hosu… He opaque all of it." He explained with notable resentment. "Even worse, the media had completely censored anything related to the Heartless I used in both incidents, but it makes sense of course, to maintain apparences, otherwise you wouldn't be seeing all this people going about as if everything is alright in the world, but how long you think they can cover it up? Even now more and more Heartless are being born as they attack and devour the hearts of men, women and children… As a result more and more people are vanishing into thin air... Rumors are spreading, Midoriya, it doesn't matter how much those in power try to cover it up, neither if the Heartless are restored to humans. The more the Heartless attack and spread, the harder it'll be to maintain that pointless lie and sooner or later the facade will be broken…" He said in a dark tone and the implications of what he said sent a chill down Deku's spine. "But that doesn't matter right now, I'll take care of it later." Tomura then dropped that subject. "Everyone looks at the Hero Killer, Stain. No one looks at me. Why? It doesn't matter how much he bragged about, in the end, he just destroyed what he didn't like, right?" He elaborated with a visible dark expression on his face, he then leaned closer to Izuku's face. "What's the difference between him and I, Midoriya?" He then asked the dreaded boy with a sinister smirk on his face.
At the same time, Ochako was walking through the top floor of the mall. "I got nervous and I fled at full speed." The gravity girl muttered to herself as she fanned herself with both hands. She stopped walking and leaned into the rail and looked down at the people walking by on the ground floor. "Surely Deku-kun is confused… I feel bad about it. Yes, I have to go back and apologize. Yes, I must go back… No, I'll just apologize when I return…" She made up her mind to go back to Deku-kun and apologize. "Yeah. That's it. It's not that I wanted to go on shopping with him. Besides, I thought he was cool because he wanted to be a Hero like me. Yeah, I'll go back. No, it's not for that. What Aoyama-kun said is ridiculous!" She then turned around and walked back the way she came from with a somewhat nervous smile on her face. She had told herself what the french blond said to her was nonsense and it was true! (Press X to doubt).
Back with Izuku and Tomura…
"What is the difference…?" Deku repeated the question imposed on him by Tomura, the boy remained calm and composed as best as he could. "I don't understand nor accept what you are. I don't agree with the Hero Killer, but I understand him. Because for the Hero Killer and I, it all started with... All Might." He began to give his answer. He remembered when Stain made the declaration that what he was doing was to create a fairer world and how after the fight he saved him from that flying Noumu. "That time he saved me… He had a twisted, objectively wrong ideology, but he genuinely believed that what he was doing was for the better. At least, he didn't destroy because he wanted to." The boy then remembered the attack at USJ and how Tomura seemed to treat it all like some sort of sick, childish game. "He didn't abandon it in vain like you. Even if what he did was wrong, I believe he tried to live by his ideals." He concluded as he looked at the Villain, only his blood to freeze when he received a soul-piercing glare from him.
Tomura let out a sigh. "A weight got off my shoulders. I feel like I get it now why the Hero Killer bothers me and why you irritate me. I feel like I get it." The Villain said with a twisted glee in his voice. "It's all because of All Might." A sickening smile was drawn on his face. Izuku's eyes widened in shock, fear plastered on his face. "Yes, that's it… In the end, that's what it's about. Why was I so worried? They can smile with no reason because All Might smiles with no reason." He then looked towards the civilians walking by with a clearer sense of understanding. His hand then started to squeeze on Midoriya's neck, of course still not touching it with all of his five fingers. "Because that scum always smiles as if he could save them all." Tomura's red eyes were dilating maniacally. "I'm glad that we talked. Nice. Thanks, Midoriya. I don't have to do anything different." He thanked the boy he was choking, Izuku slowly moved his hands towards Shigaraki's hand as he felt himself being deprived of oxygen. His right hand grabbed the Villain's hand. "Don't struggle. You wanna die? You think it's alright for people to die?" Tomura threatened him with a malicious tone. "It's ironic, Hero Killer. I'm your opposite, but you let me live and now your ideals and convictions will help me move forward." The future Symbol of Terror now understood that Stain inadvertently gave him all he needed to move forward with his plans…
Deku's face twisted in pain as he was being choked by Shigaraki, tears were coming out of his eyes. "Deku-kun?" Then to his shock and horror he glanced forward and found Uraraka right there watching in confusion. "A friend…? No…" She quickly realized that her friend was in danger as she saw how Deku-kun was being choked. Tomura slowly turned his eyes to her, maintaining the malicious grin. "Let him go…" She muttered as fear settled in her.
Izuku then saw the slight movement of Tomura's left hand coming out of his hoodie pocket. "It's nothing! I'm okay! Stay away!" He shouted at him, fearing for her life. However, Shigaraki suddenly let go of him, raising both hands up, his left hand was bare.
"You came with a friend? Sorry. I'm leaving." Tomura freight innocence. As Izuku held his sore throat as he coughed. "If you follow me, I'll get mad." He whispered to the boy in his real voice before standing up and starting to walk away.
Ochako briefly saw him before rushing to Deku-kun's side. "Deku-kun!" She was deeply worried for him.
"Wait, Tomura Shigaraki!" After recovering his breath, Deku glanced at his enemy with an enraged frown.
Ochako looked at the guy clad in black in shock. "Shigaraki?"
The decay Villain then stopped walking and tilted his head slightly back at Midoriya. "What does All for One want?" Izuku demanded. "Who is giving the Heartless and Nobodies? I know they don't come from you, who is helping you and why?" He demanded answers of the three biggest questions he had about the threat against Hero society and the world at large, the latter two being the most important.
Shigaraki glanced down. "For your first question: I dunno." He plainly replied. "As for who is helping me, If you wish to know, it's this old creep who I know nothing about nor why he's doing it, I barely get the nonsense he shows about, but he did say he has a score to settle with those overpowered friends of yours." He replied to his second question. Izuku's face turned into a confused expression as he heard this. "I believe he can kill them anytime he wants, but is waiting on it for whatever nonsense of a reason he has, so you should tell them to be careful." He added and Deku's face turned into shock at this. While Ochako didn't get the first part that Deku said, she was completely clear on the latter and she was also shocked to hear that there was someone with the power to kill Sora and Riku and that he could do it anytime he wants… "You should be careful too. Next time we meet will be when I decide to kill you." He gave him a chilling warning and Izuku only glared at him enraged and with that Tomura started to walk away again.
Ochako stood up still with a shocked face as she saw how the Villain was quickly missed in the crowds of people…
Tomura was now walking fairly away from the shopping mall.
"What sense does it have to kill without conviction?" Again that question from Stain resounded in his head once more.
"I already had convictions and ideals from the beginning, Hero Killer. Nothing has changed." However this time he had an answer, the question won't haunt him any longer and he smirked pleased because of it. The Villain was now walking through a deserted alleyway on his way back to the lair. "But everything I'll do now will focus on that. Create a world without All Might and expose how fragile justice is. And from today, that will be my conviction." Tomura's grin turned wider as he pulled out his mask-hand out of his hoodie pocket.
"The only ones I would let kill me are the true Heroes… ALL MIGHT AND SKYKNIGHT ARE WORTHY!"
"It's all because of All Might…" With a huge grin of twisted glee, Tomura Shigaraki realized that all in this cursed society is because of All Might, everything came from him…
"So, you finally realized it…" Tomura stopped in his tracks as he saw a dark corridor manifest in front of him and from it came Luxu, with his ever present smug smirk. "You sure took your sweet time, but I knew you would make it, kid." He said to him, still smirking, looking positively pleased.
"Luxu…" Tomura uttered with a plain face. "You've been following me?" He asked, already knowing that was the case.
"Sure did." Luxu confirmed it as if it wasn't a big deal. "I'm the guy that's supposed to make sure you get where you're meant to be, of course I'll keep an eye on you, can't let Misty do all the work there, can I?" He added smugly. Tomura just glared at him silently. "Who would have thought that a simple strode would do the trick? Of course you were very lucky to bump into that green kiddie, Izuku Midoriya, and have a small exchange of perspectives. You were even luckier to not bump into Sora, and Riku just so happened to not be around today either. Now those are many strokes of luck, too many coincidences in a single day, don't you think? The piece lined up perfectly for that encounter to happen… Almost as if it was… Destiny." Tomura knew what the one-eyed man was alluding to.
"You knew this would happen? What happened today was part of my destiny?" The younger Villain asked him, even if it sounded absurd to even entertain the idea that this freak really knew what would happen in the future.
"I told you before, I can't see the future, but I do know a good gist of what is meant to happen then, the most important bits, but I don't know everything that will happen." Luxu began. "I knew that one day you were meant to go out to clear your head and come back more resolved after an encounter with that kid. However even if I didn't know it beforehand, it doesn't take a genius to know that it was inevitable. Sooner or later you would have realized what I did from the get go, that all of the current superhuman society- no, this world- is sustained by one single pillar, the 'Symbol of Peace', All Might… Tear him apart and you will tear apart everything you hate in one fell swoop." He continued with a darker tone of voice, but without changing his expression. "And the best part is that you came to that conclusion for yourself, just like the Old Guy wanted." He then approached the younger man and surrounded him with his right arm. "Now you know it, from the get go you were going in the right direction, you just didn't have a clear idea as to why beyond just because of your hatred and resentment. But that's all in the past, now you know what you must do: Create a new world by destroying All Might and showing how easily peace and justice can be turned to nothing." He smiled at Tomura, with an odd sense of sincerity and kinship towards him.
"And you'll help me create that world, right?" Tomura replied to him, not with disgust nor resentment towards him, but actual sincerity in a slightly softened expression.
"Heh. About time you'll start to be more cooperative." Luxu smirked playfully at him as he shook the young man slightly.
"I have to trust in what you're doing, we're partners in this after all. If you're so sure that this is meant to be, my destiny, then I can't help but cooperate so I can have everything that I want." Tomura replied calmly.
"You're right on the money, partner." Luxu replied, smirking.
"Just don't push it and don't make me regret it." The decay Villain then removed Luxu's hand from his shoulder before putting on his hand-mask.
"'Kay, you call the shots." Luxu replied casually.
"Also, there's something I want to ask you." Tomura said to him.
"Fire away." Luxu replied.
"You said you have a score to settle with those brats, Sora Nomura and Riku Yasue. When will you finally kill them? Like everything else in this world, they are connected to All Might and they will cause us trouble." He demanded to know, but in a composed manner.
"Look, I told you before, I can't get rid of them yet, they are meant to live to fulfill their roles. When that happens, I'll take care of them, but not a moment before that." Luxu explained calmly.
"And when would that be? What do you even think their 'roles' are?" Tomura asked him again.
"I just said I don't know every single little detail of what will happen, that includes when the important stuff is meant to happen. And even if I could explain to you what those two are supposed to do before they outlive their purpose, to you it would sound like a whole lot of gibberish, so there's no point in telling you, at least not right now, down the line, who knows?" Luxu explained as he shrugged. "If it were up to me, it would have done so ages ago, but everything must happen a certain way. If we are to achieve everything we want, good things come for the patient, okay? For now, just focus on the present and what you must do right now." He added that Tomura was displeased with that answer.
"The more you wait, the stronger they'll become. Aren't you concerned about it?" Tomura asked him.
"The kids are strong, talented, gifted even, with huge potential for growth. But don't worry, even if they train all day everyday for years, I would still surpass them in power and certainly experience, with time they might surpass my level, but it's a shame that they would never get to that point." Luxu replied with confidence and certainty in his tone.
"Fine." Tomura acknowledged calmly.
"Oh. And don't think I didn't catch that tiny slip you had when that green kid asked you about me." Luxu then pointed out that fact.
Tomura scoffed. "I barely said something, or you think that would be enough to give you out?" He asked again.
"To the Heroes? As if, they'll never figure out who I am, from them and the rest of society I don't exist." Luxu began his response with a lax smirk. "But, that might raise a flag for Sora and Riku, they know me after all and rained on my parade more than once." He continued with a more serious tone.
"You fought them before." Shigaraki said knowing this was the case.
"Bingo." Luxu pointed at him. "And that's why I'm not concerned about them getting stronger, I know how they think and how they fight, I know them like the back of my hand. The key to defeating your enemy is to know them from top to bottom, from the obvious to the subtle. I know them just as good as they know each other, sounds stalkery? Yep, but all's fair in love and war, this case the latter of course. And you don't have to worry if those two do figure out, it won't change a thing." He continued being half-serious and half playful.
"..." Tomura remained silent briefly. "If you're confident about yourself, then I'll take your word for it, as if I had a choice anyway." He replied flatly.
"Don't sweat it kid, I got your back." Luxu then patted Tomura's back. "Now let's go back and properly welcome the new members of the League, we'll have to teach them about Heartless and Nobodies and, since they are super fans of Stain, they would like to know who 'Skyknight' is." He commented in an easy-going manner as he opened a dark corridor.
"You know who that is?" Shigaraki asked him.
"Yep, I do." Luxu nodded. "I never said anything because you never seemed interested in knowing it, but I'll tell you when we go back to the others. You'll be surprised, but at the same time you'll feel like you should have seen it coming." He added, still smirking.
"Whatever." Tomura said bluntly and started to walk towards the portal.
Luxu looked at him with a pleased smirk. "And so the seeds had been sown… For them to bloom into the future. Light and Darkness, Peace and Terror, Izuku and Tomura... Now it's up to us to nurture them and make sure they grow into the Symbols of this world that they are meant to become, for that is a role we share, etched by destiny itself, right Sora? I know you won't let me down, you never had." And with that Luxu walked after the leader of the League of Villains, assured that the Passage of Fate was going as it was supposed to be, with Luxu assuring that Tomura fulfills his destiny and Sora making sure Izuku will fulfill his…
The sun was setting. Ochako had reported the incident and the shopping mall had been temporarily closed. The group of friends were reunited, with Sora and Ochako sticking close to Deku. Everyone was being asked by the authorities about what happened. The Heroes and the police investigated the emergency, but they couldn't find Tomura Shigaraki…
That very same day, Deku was taken to the police station accompanied by Sora, both were brought to Detective Tsukauchi, All Might's best friend. After expressing his relief for seeing that Sora was fine, the detective was told by Midoriya about Shigaraki's appearance, their conversation and the clue he got out of him about the otherworldly Villain.
The teens sat together across a table in front of Naomasa, the table had documents and pictures about the League of Villain's case. "From what I heard, it seems that they don't have a defined leader. But he hadn't changed about defeating All Might…" The detective commented after gathering all the available information. "Alright, thank you, Midoriya-kun." He then smiled at the greenette.
"You're welcome…" The emerald teen replied as he glanced down. "I wish I had stopped him." He said with a tinge of regret.
"Don't worry about it. You did well stopping yourself for your life and everyone else's. Most people would have gotten scared and panicked. The fact there weren't any victims is thanks to your calm." Naomasa eased the boy with a smile as he put down his tablet.
"He's right, Deku." Sora nodded in agreement. "If anything, I should apologize for not being there, if I were there I could have stopped him without a problem." The spiky brunette said with a regretful frown, he felt bad for not being there when one of his best friends needed him the most.
"Don't, Sora." Deku shook his head in denial. "None of us had any way of knowing this would have happened, you can't blame yourself." He looked at him with compassion.
"You friend is right, Sora, no one knows what would have happened if you were present. What's important is that everyone is fine." Tsukauchi said to the boy with a smile. Both boys nodded in response. "Besides, now we have more information about Tomura Shigaraki and even a clue, even if it's vague, about the Villain from your universe. Sora, you think you have a possible idea of who it might be?" He asked him.
The Keyblade Hero glanced down with a serious frown. "I… I think I'm starting to have an idea, but I'm not totally sure yet. I'll have to discuss this with Riku." He replied as he looked back at the detective.
"Very well." Naomasa replied in understanding.
"I'm concerned about what Shigaraki said about that guy, that he could kill you and Riku anytime he wants." Deku said to his best friend with concern.
"Nah, he was probably bluffing, you know that when Riku and I work together we can take on anything." Sora eased him with a smile. "When we find out who that is, Riku and I will take care of him." He added with certainty.
"I don't doubt that, but it is concerning what Shigaraki said about the Heartless. We can only suppress for so long the information and we can't avoid rumors on the street as more people are going missing, you and Riku have to be ready to face off against armies of Heartless and Nobodies when the time comes and hope that the populace at large remain mostly unaware." Tsukauichi said with seriousness, in truth the cases of people keep on the rise in contrast with cases of people returning as mysteriously as they vanished, that stopped coming in. The enemy was amassing a large army of the foreign monsters from the looks of things...
"You can count on us, Tsukauchi-san." Sora nodded with determination.
A bit later, Naomasa brought the boys outside of the station through a door in an alley. It was night time already.
"Midoriya-shounen! Tsukauchi-kun!"
"Sora." The three of them looked forward and saw All Might accompanied by Cloud, (Who was wearing his Cloudy Wolf attire minus the black gloves and sleeve on his left arm, he still carries his Buster Sword on his back. This outfit can be considered his off-duty look.)
"Cloud." Sora greeted him, surprised.
"All Might, what are you doing here?" Izuku asked, surprised to see his mentor. Sora was surprised to see him as well, but was mostly focused on the SOLDIER. The boys quickly approached their teachers with the detective right behind them.
"I wanted to talk to him in person." Naomasa informed them.
"I'm glad you're alright." The skeleton-like man said in relief as he patted his successor on the head. "You too, Sora-shounen." He did the same with Sora. "I'm sorry I couldn't help you." He apologized to the shounens.
"It's alright." Deku replied and Sora nodded in understanding.
"What are you doing here, Cloud?" Sora then focused on the blond swordsman.
"I was with Toshinori when I heard what happened, I just wanted to make sure you and Deku were alright, I'm glad to see that's the case." The SOLDIER Hero explained calmly as he crossed his arms.
Sora smiled. "Thanks, Cloud." He thanked him and Cloud nodded in response.
"You're Cloud Strife, right? I heard of you, it's an honour to meet you." Tsukauchi extended his hand with a friendly smile.
"Same, Naomasa, right?" Cloud then shook hands with him. "Thanks for looking after Sora and Riku." He commented.
"Don't mention it, it's a pleasure." The detective replied with a smile.
Izuku looked down as he remembered what Shigaraki said to him earlier, All Might could tell there was something bothering his student. "Eh, All Might…" The boy began.
"What?" His mentor asked him.
"Are there times that you can't save people?" Izuku asked him.
Toshinori was silent briefly before he lowered his head. "Yes, many." He replied. Izuku looked surprised, but Sora remained calm. "Right now, there could be someone getting hurt or passing out. It's frustrating, but I'm human. I can't save those I can't reach." He continued as he looked to the starry night. "All the more reason to get up and smile." With that Izuku's saddened face turned into a surprised one. "So that the 'Symbol of Justice' can be ignited in the hearts of the people, Heroes and Villains." He concluded.
"Sensei's right, Deku." Sora put a hand on his friend's shoulder. "We're all human, not even the greatest Hero is perfect, we all have limits, but that's no reason to feel down, it's the opposite, it should push you to try to help as many as you can and inspire others to do the same. That way in a sense, we can all be heroes in our own right." He said to him with a heartfelt smile.
The greenette smiled at him and nodded in response, the other three adults also smiled as well.
"He's worried about what Shigaraki said." Naomasa explained to his best friend before turning to look at the emerald teen. "It must be unjustified resentment. He never failed to save anyone when arriving at the scene." He assured him. The detective heard some noises coming from nearby, he briefly glanced over where it came from before looking back at Midoriya. "C'mon, it's getting late. They came to pick you up." He informed him.
"Izuku! Sora!" The boys turned to look to the side and found Inko right beside Officer Sansa.
"Mom?" Izuku asked.
"Auntie Inko." Sora was also surprised to see her.
"Izuku!" The woman approached her son, nearly tripping down. "Izuku, I can't take this anymore. My heart can't take it anymore…" She latched on to her son's right arm as she started to cry and wiped her tears with a tissue in her free hand, from the look of her eyes she had been crying for a while. She was an emotional wreck.
Sora felt a wretch in his stomach and guilt swelled in his heart when looking at Deku's mother like this.
"I'm sorry. I'm fine. Don't cry. The Heroes and the police took care of me." Izuku tried to console his mother with a smile, putting his right hand on her shoulder.
"He's right, Auntie." Sora then approached Inko with a compasinote look on his face. "I'm sorry I wasn't there when it happened, but from now on Riku and I will make sure your son is safe, he's our best friend and we'll protect him and that's a promise." He swore with absoluteness in his voice.
"But… But what about you two? Who would protect you? I can't… I can't bear the thought of something happening to you both either… You're both family for me and Izuku…" Inko glanced at him with watery eyes.
Sora was taken aback by this, he didn't have a reply to assure his Auntie. Then he felt a hand being laid on his shoulder.
"I'll look after them." He turned and saw Cloud with a composed expression. "I'm their teacher, it's my job to protect my students. You can rest easy about your son and nephews, ma'am." He assured her.
Sora glanced at him in awe and only received a glance of certainty from the SOLDIER in response, Sora nodded silently in gratitude.
"Thank you…" Inko softly thanked Cloud as she wiped away her tears.
"Sansa, make sure they get home." Tsukauchi ordered the cat-headed officer.
"Yes." The officer saluted in understanding.
"Sora, you should go with them too." Naomasa said to the Keyblader, putting a hand on his shoulder.
The boy nodded in understanding. "I'll text Riku to come over too." He said to him.
And with that, Sora, Deku and Inko got in a patrol car before it drove off towards the Midoriya residence. All Might, Naomasa and Cloud watched as it drove away.
Inside the police car, Sora sat right beside Deku, who was in between him and his mother. Inko had a dejected look on her red and swollen eyes, while her son looked lost in thought as he held his backpack in his arms.
Sora finished sending the text to Riku, he and Shouto were already told what happened via the group chat and Riku was on his way to the police station when Sora texted him to go to Deku's house. The Keybladers have a lot to talk about when they arrive. Sora saved his phone in his pocket before leaning on his seat and letting out a sigh, he then glanced to the window on his right. "...We don't have many enemies left from our world: Xehanort is long gone along with his other incarnations including Vanitas and Riku's Replica. No way it's Maleficent and Pete. I doubt Marluxia, Larxene, Luxord and that Demyx guy would cause trouble ever again, by now they all should be human. Saix-or rather Isa- is on our side now along with the researchers in Radiant Garden… Except for one that was missing as far as the others know…" Sora went through his memories about all adversaries he had battled and defeated during his adventures back in his universe, discarding all those he knew for sure wouldn't be behind the Heartless and Nobodies in this world, reducing the list to one very likely candidate that checks out with what Shigaraki said to Deku… "I have to check with Riku, but if it's truly who I think it is…" He clenched his right hand on top of his leg into a fist. "No. It doesn't matter who it is, it changes nothing, no matter what Riku and I will stop him and put an end to the infestation in this world." He wore a determined frown as he looked at the world passing by the window outside.
Meanwhile with All Might, Cloud and Naomasa.
"This time it seems it was by chance… But it's possible that he or another student will be attacked." Naomasa said with seriousness to his best friend and the SOLDIER as they watched the police car getting lost in the distance. "Of course we'll be on alert, but the school should take measures." He added.
"The stronger the light is, the greater the darkness. That's a fact, not just in my universe, this one too. As the world, any world, is made up of light and darkness and so are the people. You can't have one without the other." Cloud said solemnly.
"You should consider leaving U.A." Naomasa turned to look at Toshinori.
The skeleton-like man lowered his gaze at the ground. "I've just been teaching for three months." He replied.
Tsukauchi had a small chuckle as he looked forward again. "That's why I told you that you weren't made for it." He said in a lighter tone.
"C'mon, Toshi is bad as a teacher, but he doesn't completely suck at it." Cloud said to him with his arms crossed. "Besides, you don't have to worry about him remaining there, that's why I came in." He added, pointing at himself with his thumb.
"Well, considering you can match Toshi here, I'll take your word for it, Cloud-kun." Naomasa smiled at him.
"Speaking of which." All Might turned to look at his younger friend. "Thank you for easing Midoriya-shounen's mother back there, it was very thoughtful of you." He thanked him with a smile.
"I meant it." Cloud replied before he looked up at the night sky. "The darkness in this world is gathering and growing exponentially stronger by the day, it's not just Deku, but I believe that Sora and Riku are also in grave danger. They're just kids, but they already did so much, they saved countless people, worlds, the whole universe more than once. But this isn't like anything any of us faced before and I can't help but wanting to protect them, at least until they're strong enough to face all of that on their own." He said in a reflexive tone.
Toshinori smiled at him. "That's what happens when you become a teacher, you grow fond of your students, a paternal instinct to help and protect them. I can tell you're fond of Sora-shounen most of all." He said to him with a proud smile.
A tiny smile was drawn on his face. "I guess so." He replied as he looked at him.
"And you're right, Cloud-kun. As their teachers, it's our job to protect and nurture them until they far surpass us, become strong enough to defeat any evil and darkness coming their way. That's all we can really do for them." All Might said to him with a serious look on his face. Cloud nodded in agreement.
Naomasa then looked up at the sky. "We'll capture All for One properly." He declared to the pro Heroes.
"Yes." Toshinori nodded before also looking to the sky. "This time… I'm counting on you both, Tsukauchi-kun, Cloud-kun." He said to his friends.
"Yes." The detective replied.
"You can count on me." Cloud also replied. There was a brief silence as the three men looked at the sky, Cloud lowered his head with slight concern in his eyes as he decided to bring up an important question. "Toshinori… Be honest with me, how much do you think you have left?" He asked his friend as he looked at him with dead seriousness.
All Might only looked back at him with a disheartened face. "I don't know…" He replied as he looked down at the floor. "But I hope long enough." He added. Naomasa seemed saddened and even Cloud looked slightly affected.
"Did you tell him?" Cloud asked him again. All Might only silently shook his head in denial. "...You have to tell him, Sora and Riku as well. I understand it's hard, mostly for how Deku will react, but it'll be the best for them to hear it from you, the sooner the better." He concluded.
All Might nodded. "Yes, I will." He replied to him. He then glanced back at the sky again. "You know, Cloud-kun… I came to realize that what matters in life is not how much time we have, but what we do with it. The mark we leave in the world, the legacy we leave behind along with the connections we made with other people... That is what's more important" He said to his friend with a reflexive smile. "That's what I wish to do with what time I have left, not just Midoriya-shounen, but all his classmates as well. I want to help nurture the next generation of Heroes that are blooming in front of us. They will be not just mine, but our gift from us teachers to the world, what will remain after we are gone and we have passed the torch, our living legacy." He then glanced at him still smiling.
"What I leave behind…? My… Legacy…?" Cloud muttered in a thoughtful manner as he glanced down.
He heard Toshinori chuckled a bit before putting a hand on his shoulder. "I know you live haunted by grave dangers, but you're still too young to concern yourself about that yet, you haven't reached your prime yet, my friend." He said to him with a chirper tone.
"Right." Cloud nodded at him in reply. "And you're turning into an old man." He smirked a bit at him.
All Might laughed a bit in response. "I am, indeed." He replied, smiling. Cloud and Naomasa also smiled before the three of them went back to look at the starry sky.
"...!" That was when Cloud saw it… A black, bluish feather gently falling from the sky… Cloud's eyes widened in shock as he saw how the feather softly touched the ground.
"Cloud-kun?" He heard Toshinori called, making him snap back to reality. "Are you okay?" He asked him with a concerned look.
"...Yeah, I… just zoned out for a second." He lied as he didn't want to concern his friend. He briefly glanced to where the feather dropped only to see there wasn't anything there, but he knew what he just saw only meant one thing… "Sephiroth… You're here, somewhere in this country…" The young man clenched his right hand into a tight fist, he could sense the presence of his sworn nemesis somewhere in the country… "I'll find you and finally put an end to this…" He wore a serious frown as he looked towards the sky once more.
The next day came, all students from the U.A. High School's 1st year were gathered in the auditorium to receive a speech from Principal Nezu to celebrate the end of the first semester and the start of summer break.
A lot of things happened in the short time of 3 months: From the entrance ceremony to the aptitude exam, the first battle training, the League of Villains' attack, the sports festival, the internships, the Hosu incident and the final exam… And so the first semester in U.A. for Sora, Riku and Deku came to an end and vacations started.
However, that didn't mean that they and their friends could just have fun. All of them have to be ready for the incoming darkness and evil, and to continue their path to becoming true Heroes. They couldn't remain still…
The sun was rising on the park beach, Sora and Izuku were doing a morning jog with the Keyblader close followed by the One for All heir.
Deku came to a stop as he ran out of breath and Sora backtracked to check on him. The boys glanced forward and found there All Might offering a bottle of water to his successor, beside him was Cloud with his hands in his pockets.
All Might smiled at Izuku before the emerald child smiled back at him before standing straight up again and reaching for the bottle. Cloud approached Sora before smiling at him and extending his right arm at him, the Keyblade Hero smiled at him before bumping arms.
At All for One's Dark Tower…
"You seem very happy, Sensei. Is it because the League of Villains is growing?" The doctor asked his superior, seeing that he was in a good mood today.
"That's a good thing, but that's not it, right Oldie?" That was when Luxu appeared from a dark corridor.
"Ah Luxu, my good friend. Impeccable timing as always." The Ancient Villain greeted him with a pleased smiling. "And yes, you're right, always perceptive." He praised the otherworldly Villain. Luxu was approaching All for One, who sat on his chair in front of the computer screen showing the live footage of the LoV's lair with all current members, minus Luxu, present. "It's because Tomura Shigaraki now has conviction. The League of Villains needs people that approve of his convictions. I'll make him decide everything. Of course if he asks for help, I'll save him. I've even prepared for that. For him to become the next me..." He said with a villainous grin. "And everything is unfolding as dictated by fate, you've seen to it, my friend." He said to Luxu, who stood right behind his chair.
"Yep, everything is in place and at this rate the kid fulfills his destiny without a single inconvenience. It's unavoidable now, the gears are already turning, we just have to wait for it." Luxu declared and All for One laughed, he was pleased to hear this.
"Thank you, Luxu. You'll be in my eternal gratitude for everything you did to ensure our success, including of course your generous gift of the Heartless and Nobodies, and of course the help you provide to the doctor to create more Noumu." All for One thanked him sincerely.
"It's a pleasure, buddy. I like to be helpful." Luxu replied with a smirk of his own.
Meanwhile in a secret location, there were many containers and within them were humanoid shapes inside purple liquid with only exposed human brains sticking out…
To be Continued...