A/N: I told ya I'm a horrible person, not to worry, the pain is almost over... probably. Really am just taunting the line of 'Crossover' with what I've done... meh. Review Time!

To Murtaito: I really don't know when to hold back when I really get into the sad themes, sorry. As I said, light at the end and all that, promise :)

To Random Guest: Preach, my guy.

Enjoy.

Chapter 47 - Find Your Perfection, Aksis!

Four days have passed since Yuki was confirmed to be in a coma, since then all of Class 1-A received a notice in the mail, declaring a proposition for the students to be moved into a dorm system at UA. It was down to All Might and Eraserhead to convince the parents of this idea, sure, there were words of worry and criticism but everyone seemed to be on board. To divide and conquer, All Might agreed to handle the Midoriyas while Eraser moved on to the next, especially since this family was... a personal matter he had to address.

Before, the Bakugo residence was actually all for the idea of moving the kids into dorms, both parents were glad for the opportunity and appreciated what Eraserhead said about Katsuki during the press conference. Despite his rather silent state, they had heard of him going to a therapist after the kidnapping, so far things looked good, though they suspected that was due to Yuki's state that motivated the ash-blonde into accepting.

Even when he approached the door and found Izuku peeking through the melancholy tension was there, All Might felt so bad for his successor, he had dark rings under his eyes, and even as he watched him and his mother freak out about his sudden arrival he saw it clear as day, Yuki was no longer active in his life, and that brought the boy's shining aura down into despair. He still wore her mask to the left side of his head too.

It was good though to see a glimpse of the boy's room, it was plastered with his merchandise, that alone brought a small smile to his face, especially the number of blue items and girl-like attire that was stashed in his room for a certain someone. After some awkward tension and greetings, the trio sat around the dining room table to discuss the idea.

"As you've heard we were planning to conduct a new dormitory system and wanted to explain personality beforehand, and hopefully gain your consent." All Might explained, breaking the silence while Inko fidgeted for a moment

"Yes, I read the letter..." She stopped looking at her hands, facing All Might directly, he saw it, that need to protect. "...and I won't allow it."

Izuku gasped suddenly at that, shocked at her sudden twist of an answer. "Wait what!? But yesterday you said-" She cut her son off, closing her eyes tightly for a moment

"I thought about it since then and I changed my mind!" She blurted out, a small silence passing between them, she couldn't look at her son's gaze. "Izuku has admired you for so long even though he never developed a Quirk as a kid, and then miraculously one suddenly appeared," She felt happy but then the moments came flooding through, of his broken arms and mangled fingers, the horrid images of her baby boy's destroyed body. "But ever since enrolling in UA my child just keeps getting hurt,"

She eyed his bandaged arms. "Do you know about his arms? If he continues to break them he may not ever move them again." All Might was aware, seeing his right arm after the camp was horrifying, he knew he had improved but this was beyond reckless endangerment, we wish he had taught him better than this

"I watched you on TV, and I saw what that man did to you, as a citizen I can't thank you enough for your bravery," She pulled her gaze back to his ocean blue orbs. "But... as a mother I was terrified, Izuku wants to be just like you, but is that what I'm expecting him to follow, a path filled with blood?"

It hurt so much to say this, even if he hated her she didn't care, she wanted her son to be safe and happy, and so far already one of those things have been robbed from him. "I'm sorry, Izuku," She could barely keep from tearing up. "Back when you were Quirkless you were always so happy just watching the heroes... So maybe it's better off that way, I don't know..."

"That's not true!" Izuku snapped, he couldn't believe it, what he was hearing or feeling... his nightmare had only grown so much darker, to hear that... "If I never tried... I..." "I wouldn't have met her."

"Honey, I told you I'd support you and that I would stop worrying, do you remember that?" He flinched at her words. "And I know all you want to do is keep going to UA, but... I can't take any more heartache," She lifted her head, filled with resolve as a mother. "I'll speak frankly, sir. As Izuku's mother, I do not have the nerves I need to entrust my son to UA. Not with everything that's happened at your school." She was tearing up and still held strong

"This is nothing against you, All Might, but classes that are being attacked by villains, and students that are left injured, and one even comatose," Izuku felt his heart flinch at that, even Inko, horrified for the bright girl she'd host on weekends laying there motionless on TV. "I can't approve of a student going to a school that cannot prevent that, I just can't."

"Hate to admit it but I can understand that," All figures jumped at the fourth figure walking into the room. She had a key with a SIVA charm attached to it, smiling with a small peace sign. It was Akame, "Sorry for barging in, but I thought I'd pass along something I found my little troublemaker had sitting out just for the occasion."

"What?" "M-Miss. Akame!?" "How did you...?"

"Had Yuki's key, as I said, sorry, but I saw All Might walking by so this actually makes my timing perfect yet again, haha," Akame grinned, scratching her wild hair. "Ahem, getting side-tracked..."

Akame held out a few sheets in her hands. "You may not realize it but Yuki overthinks alot, so much so she's got files upon files of written scenarios for various situations," Akame shivered. "Almost kinda creepy how accurate they are, ahem, sorry, let me start again," She held out the pages. "This here's something she wanted both myself, and the Midoriyas to hear encase of a situation where UA had to implement the Drom System, I was meant to give them to you earlier but... I had alot to digest recently."

"Yuki knew about it?" Izuku blinked, but again it wasn't impossible given her ability to hack into almost any form of technology, so this was honestly expected. That did raise his mood a bit, seeing that Yuki had something written for them to hear

"Inko, you don't mind, right?" She addressed the troubled woman who watched the hero's motherly smile grow. "Believe me I get it but... maybe you'll understand if I just tell you what my child, who despite the risks never once gave up fighting, I know that influence is my doing."

The woman didn't speak but offered Akame a nod while she remained standing, tucking a hand into her cargo pants pocket. "Ahem, okay... 'Scenario One-Hundred-Fifty'."

"That many!?" The three paled

'If you're reading this then there's a high probability that something has happened to result in the staff at UA to instigate the Dorm Program. I really overthink too much, it's a pain sometimes, I have to write it all down just to get it off my chest, I don't know why I wrote this but, maybe I just... felt something bad was going to happen before Camp, I don't know, I hope I'm wrong, but... if it turns out my hunch was correct, then Mom, 'cause I know you're reading this, please, tell Izuku and Mrs. Midoriya these words'

'I'm not a mother so I don't know how you truly feel, watching Izuku and me break ourselves, facing villains at such a young age, I know my Mom worries, it's the role of a parent to worry for the safety of their child, even if they are hated for that protection, it feels harder every time, the League of Villains, the injuries and more to come in the future, but, that is something you have to accept'

'This world is cruel, people like us who dream and aspire to change its darkness to light will always be at risk, our lives are to be put on the line of our own willingness to put our lives before another, for the innocent, it's a sign of hope, that the world can see a brighter tomorrow, for a parent it can feel so harrowing, to watch as their child ventures into that darkness, fearing they may never return'

'My life since I lost my family has been hard, the sacrifices I have made would implore any parent to want to shield me from the world, but that is not living, to close them off from the world's every test of cruelty would be so suffocating, so... lifeless, and I know what that feels like, more than anyone of my age should, tch, how many times have I heard that?'

'Mrs. Midoriya - Inko, I've seen the worry you burden yourself with for Izuku, I feel that too when I'm around him, but... you have to see that his path won't be filled with darkness, he is not made of glass, he has you, me, Mom, All Might, all of our friends and more, and if he falls down, I won't hesitate to be there to fix him up, to hold out my hand for him'

By now, Akame had to wipe her eyes a little as she continued. Inko was unable to hold back her tears at the sweet and mature words she heard as her heart ached. All Might stared widely at Akame, feeling his own chest tighten with pride at his young student's words, then he saw Izuku, his hand twisting his shirt, bowing his head as she silently wept fresh tears at the final line.

"'Izuku, I don't know what has led to this message being revealed, I have a feeling... I'm not here right now. But I will sacrifice all I have to see you soon, you are braver than you believe. Stronger than you seem. Smarter than you think... and Loved more than you know'," The next words stung deeply. "'You will always be my hero. Sincerely, Yuki'," Akame sighed shakily, chuffing once. "Still gets me, damn..."

"Inko," Akame's voice drew the woman's emerald eyes to the azure. "My little girl means the world to me, and I'll always worry that's natural, but I'm not just her family, that girl acknowledges you and Izuku, All Might, and her whole class as her family, and she'd give up everything for them, so I know she's still fighting, deep down she hasn't stopped giving it her all."

Inko looked down at her hands, contemplating all she's heard, all these different opinions, "I-"

Without warning, Izuku shot off his seat, sprinting off to his room, startling the adults. No one knew why he just ran off, and Inko was going to call him back, she expected this, for him to be upset with her choices, however. With a hard stare, Izuku emerged not a moment later, a note held in his hand. "Mom, Miss. Akame, All Might, read this," He held out the short message written onto the page. "I got this while I was still at the hospital, it was from the boy me and Yuki saved at the Training Camp,"

"His name is Kota, and he was someone who despised heroes and Quirks all together, but he wrote this letter to me and Yuki, thanking us for saving his life," He held it close, creasing the page. "Even if it was just an instant, even with all this pain I feel... when I read this over-and-over again I felt like a real hero!" He declared, biting his lip. "Yuki isn't here right now... I don't need anyone to tell me that... but... when I read this I felt it, I felt so happy because when I fought beside her that night I felt I could do anything and beyond!"

"I know I make you worry, and it's my fault for never addressing it sooner, but this is who I am! And I will give it my all to be the hero I want to be, the hero Yuki saw in me, even if it's at UA or someplace else!" He grasped the note close to his chest. All Might could see it now, he saw it without realizing it before, Izuku's heart was in pieces but his soul, tha spirit he saw long ago raged on, to burn and burn until the very end.

With what lingering sparks that remained, All Might burst with steam, standing tall toward the trio in his muscular form. "I see now Young Midoriya, you are not just an aspiring hero following in my footsteps, you are on your own path toward greatness, that is what she saw in you," He took off his slippers, getting down on his knees. "As your teacher, I must walk beside you."

He bowed, surprising Akame as well while she folded the notes in her hand, it's been a long time since she's seen him this way, she understood that this was all he had left, Izuku Midoriya was his pride, his legacy, and he wanted to prove how much that meant to him, to Izuku's mother.

"I must apologize I have not been upfront, please, let me try again," His head was pressed to the floor. "I believe that this young man is the right person to succeed me, that is... he is my choice to become the next Symbol of Peace," He openly declared, shocking Izuku to his soul. For Akame she felt her eyes widen, the last time she heard those words, her daughter and 'Symbol of Salvation, that was how All Might saw the girl and SIVA would become.

'A-All Might? Why are you... what?' Yuki's note couldn't form correctly, shocked while she stared down at the kneeling Symbol of Peace, her own Mother sat on a chair, clearly taken back herself. She shook her head. 'Why are you bowing? Am I missing something?'

"No, Young Azuru, I... must confess, ever since Hosu I have read so many reports across the media, many stating of your heroics alongside Young Todoroki that night, you actively fought with all your heart to save so many in dire need of your aid," He began, "I haven't given you both my apologize and gratitude for that, for protecting dozens of lives from such horrid fates."

Yuki was smiling hesitantly, back to the wall while unable to formulate a word, hands jumbled together, her Mom just smiled, hand to her chest as she breathed. All Might continued. "Yuki Azuru, I have trained and watched you grow for years, where most would quit or fall into despair you kept rising to the challenge, willing to put your life before another's to save them from suffering as you have," She jolted as if he figured something out. "Yes, I know of your actions under the radar, the many people you have offered your hand to where heroes have mistakenly turned a blind eye to."

"Yuki, you once asked me if you could become a hero, because you see yourself as a monster, right?" He asked, seeing her feet flinch, her hand clutching her heart with tears breaking at the corners of her eyes. "You can, you can become a finer hero, one that will walk beside many more blossoming heroes with a smile on your face."

"Akame, my friend, I believe that Yuki is the one to inherit a new Symbol someday, one that will stand by those who have nothing, who are without a guiding hand," His left, piercing sapphire eye struck Yuki who stared flabbergasted, unable to move. "Yes, I believe you are to become a Symbol of Salvation, that is a future I know will come to pass."

'Why... why are you tell me this now?' Her shaky note reached his eyes as he lifted his head

"Toshinori..." Akame murmured

He smiled, lifting his head as he reverted to his skeletal form, smiling with pride and warmth in his eyes. His student was trying not to cry, hunched over with a tsunami of emotions he had never seen on her face before, he was proud of her. "Because I feel you should know how far you've come, and to not be afraid of the power you hold dear."

A decision was made that day, and a vow between a teacher, a student, and a mother.

[Yuki's POV]

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Oh, it's on? Um, uh... Hi, my name is Yuki Hiroshi Azuru! Though I guess that doesn't matter since we're kinda in my own mind... like uhh... a lucid dream! I'm a student at UA High, and my alias is The Enhanced Hero, Aksis, pretty sweet title, eh? Sorry, I'm getting side-tracked, let me explain why I'm here.

After I... died, I guess, SIVA saved me, rather, the second I achieved complete control of SIVA I pushed it too far, my body couldn't handle the power in its current state thanks to Vosik. The shock stopped my heart and yet SIVA's nanomachines kept flowing through my body, keeping my vital organs running even though it looked like I had died, sadly as I am, until I can completely control SIVA at its source I won't wake up, I can't imagine how everyone's taking that.

I should explain that too, I was able to completely control SIVA due to Vosik's torturing, it wasn't pleasant at all but that strain on my body forced my body to adapt to the numerous mutilations, in a sadistic way he screwed himself over, he wanted me to suffer, and that was his downfall. There's alot going on inside me, SIVA's extremely complex, so I'll summarize this only once. If I cannot find the core of SIVA itself I will never wake up.

That was four days ago...

I braced the sharp chill that seeped through my armor, shivering a little. "So... this is the place?" Stepping forth in my hero costume, I inquired with a tilt of her head, curious to what the super-serious Fallen sat on the edge of the man-made cliff had to say. He was dressed in the armor I once more at one-hundred percent of my power... before the world ceased to be

Aksis sat forward, claws taut at the memory's detailed visage, eyes glowing before turning back to my curious hum while I tilted left and right. "Yes... this is it... the Perfection Complex..." He was silent a moment. "And the source of SIVA."

"Why is it an eye?" I asked

"What?" He craned his head back

"The big... gate? Door? Eh, you know what I mean - why it like a big ol' eye? Is that like an imitation of a Servitor or somethin'?" I referenced a machine owned by his kind, something they used to produce a life source they needed to survive, or until his allies found SIVA. Still, I was utterly perplexed by the image sat before me, it was bigger than a cruise ship!

"I..." Aksis paused, cupping his mask's chin. "I don't know, huh, it does look like an eye?"

"Or a big, gaping -" His hand was shoved against my helmet, throwing me back as I giggled, he knew what I was going to say. "Gotta admit, someone's been treating it rough, ouch." I could feel the intensity of his stare through that helmet

"Let's go," He drawled, hopping down onto the cargo containers below, leaving me to pout, crossing my arms as I shuffled over to follow

"You're no fun today,"

Without another word, I followed the ex-Archon down to the snow-ridden world, a fragment of his past. This was another Earth, in a place called the Cosmodrome in Russia, according to what Aksis told me this place used to be just rusted ships and military graveyards, ever since his House scavaged SIVA it became this crimson-stained world, it was what we could do if he allowed SIVA to run rampant, chaos and twisted creations over peace, it was unnerving.

If not for these 'Guardians' he kept referring to there might not be much left of the Cosmodrome. It's only a memory of the world but... it really felt dead and cold, now my armor didn't feel so chilling compared to this ruined world.

Eventually, we made our way inside the dark crypt, without any life around us it just felt so... eerie, dead. My footsteps constantly echoed while we traversed a strange array of suspended machinery and pipes to cross the interior of the walls. Strange, black marks coated much of the interior, literal manifestations of 'Vague Memory', since Aksis had spent so long inside both mine and his mind, he learned that much of our memories had these black marks that condensed and blotted out most of the world since the details were not the desired focus of the memory they were merely smudges in the mind.

Since Aksis was a Fallen he had no issue traversing the large corridors within the walls, crawling across the verticle masses while I kept up my agility through the jumping puzzle. Hopping and swinging from a dangling wire I saw his hand and snatched it, himself swinging me up into a tall, narrow corridor. "My memory of this place is foggy, we may arrive at our destination with ease."

"You don't sound so fond of that idea?" I murmured, keeping close while we passed through a hallway of black, inky nothingness, suddenly standing inside of a large cave, pools of icy water up to my ankles while spears jutted from the earth, lanterns attached to the pikes. I held my head, shaking away the dizziness. "Bleh, I'm never getting used to that..." Felt like the air just instant changes from clean to acrid.

Aksis grimaced, prying a strange, diamond-shaped door open, leading inside the high-tech, metal complex. "This is the place I lost my sense of self, drowned in blind ambition and SIVA's directive to consume," His throat clicked like a fake chuckle. "Ironic, I was the one that gave the command."

"Consume, Enhance, Replicate," It dawned on me, myself stopping while he turned to face me momentarily in the silence. Clutching my hands together I skipped toward to stand beside him, nodding once. "I told you, we're in this together, I wouldn't have searched your memories for the source of SIVA if I didn't trust you, and you earned that long ago."

He stared at me, silent, prodding my words probably, he always overthinks things, huh, no wonder we work so well together. "...Thank you," Aksis took the vanguard as I followed him inside a massive, black and red server room, the lights barely making it easy to navigate. "Eliksni see in the dark, I can find our way forward."

"Good for - Ack!" I headbutted something with an audible 'dink', hearing him chuckle while I bent down to clutch my helmet, having smacked the sharp corner of a server poking out in the dark. "Son of a fuuuu-!"

We continued to delve further into the tomb Aksis cultivated his kin, transformed them into more than what they were, more machine than flesh. Passing through into a massive room full of cylinders and a gargantuan hexagonal... diamond... thing? It was very big and sat in the center of the catwalks. I feel like it was irritating me with its complexity but I ignored it and followed Aksis my tour guide to this empty world.

Then we traveled down a small, SIVA infected hallway, the door shut until I approached with him, hearing it click as the four plates slid back, revealing a far less clean and organized space. The world was far more twisted with SIVA's machinery and wiring, clusters bulged, and infested the floor in a net-like pattern. Aksis didn't approach the next door, stopping dead in his tracks.

"...We're here..." His voice was a breath, peering up at the larger Fallen while his hand buckled at his side. "Beyond here... is darkness itself, I feel it... SIVA is so very close, it's... taunting me." I couldn't imagine what that was like, I experienced his variant of this nightmare for a few minutes tops. But Aksis... it was days... weeks of simulation and code, infecting and converting without control... a living nightmare he couldn't sleep away and pretend otherwise

With my left I slipped my hand around his, squeezing his large hand tightly and affectionately to keep him stable. "We can do this..." I craned my head up, seeing his look down in the darkness, my hand tugging his forward, "You can do this, you're a Fallen of the House of Devils, you are not that monster anymore."

His arm didn't budge at first, the door ahead splitting apart with a chilling, still air that blew away any warmth for coolant waves. My arm jolted, his claws curled around my palm while striding forward. "...no..." He looked to me, standing at the edge alongside me. "We are both under the Devils Banner."

I giggled, a sweet smile twisting at my hidden lips. "Well, I'm honored to be considered one of you." Not sure how to process being under the title of an alien race of pirates but that would be an awesome story to tell Izuku... if and when I get out of my own head... huh, that's a double meaning right there.

We stepped through and down the longest flight to steps I have ever seen, suspended by wires as the titanic size of the Perfection Complex spanned the underground, dark red lights beaming across the walls that jutted in an angular fashion, the stairway lit the same though I hugged Aksis' side do to how little space there was between us and the abyss below. I don't exactly want to know what dying felt like in the mind just yet.

Once at the final doorway, the locks released a jet of steam, revealing the darkroom within, and the pit centered among its dark walls. Stepping slowly the grid under us flickered to life, signifying the place was indeed still active, but I felt like it was waiting for us, SIVA I mean. Outside of our control, it was a programmable mass that if given the wrong commands could run rampant without a controller.

The massive pit below was smothered in that same darkness. "Um, Aksis, wouldn't you remember this place?" He nodded, confusing me further while I tilted to observe the abyss below. "U-um... I don't think you do." I whispered

"Because it's not the Perfection Complex itself, it's beneath it, that's where the core of SIVA lies," He elaborated, holding out his hand only to close it. "A relic of this world's humanity conjured SIVA, but we had the source to replicate it underneath the Complex, good thing too, the Guardians stormed that bunker and reduced it to smoldering ash, without a source SIVA would cease to function, turning to dead clusters without command."

I nodded slowly, finally piecing it all together. "So when Guardians came for you and Vosik you weren't just waiting for them..." My gut twisted. "You were luring them to a deathtrap..." A horrifying idea but something I think Aksis in his state would have done

"Guardians can not live again without their little machines, those Motes of Light," He lowered his arm. "But SIVA eradicated them, made it impossible for them to be revived, same for their Light, I attempted to do the same and failed, thankfully." His voice sighed a great relief at that, God knows what would have happened to the world if he won. "Now, let us end this bitter memory."

"Right, ladies first," I shoved him forward, hearing him snarl something in his kind's tongue as I giggled, yelling as I dived after him, crossing my arms behind my head with my legs crossed as we descended into the dark below. "Hehehe... this is actually alot of fun!"

"Of course it is to you...!" He called back, and soon the world bent and warped, and I landed on my backside with a great thud, even though the sudden change in gravity took the brunt of the velocity that still freakin' hurt! "That's what you get for being cocky, now get up, we're here." Man he really wasn't one for taking things in when on edge, can't blame 'em, I just got sick of the whole weaving through memories about a day ago.

Rubbing my ass I wobbled to my feet, finding that the dark grey walls rose higher than before, white SIVA symbols crudely painted on each face. A wide, square made up the arena, the floor being a large grid with a few raised battlements surround the two back walls, the corner that faced us was something like the heart of a machine beast. Wires and clustered spilled from a pulsating core of pure nanomachines, a few bundles of the nanites bobbing through the air like a swarm of flies.

Centered just above this beating heart were four monitors, three of them hung at odd angles by cords, all displaying a fragment of SIVA's emblem in red static, the image buzzing and twitching. It was what hung from large strands of scarlet wire that froze my blood over, immediately putting me into a wide stance with two longswords drawn. My eyes stare up, horrified by the visage.

It was a human corpse, or rather, an enlarged one that stood twice as tall as All Might. The abomination was swarmed in SIVA nanites, red cords wrapped and ensnared to the limbs and infested armor, its silver sheen corrupt, the emblem of an ax half-covered on the breastplate. The wires snaked in the air, looped round the rotten barding and flesh underneath, then, it jolted, startling me as the wires pulled and tugged at the corpse, causing the head under a helmet to twist and snap. Without warning, the body was yanked straight upwards, into the red abyss.

"One of the corpses we found in the Replication Complex," Aksis growled, drawing his large, shrapnel launcher of a shotgun, the red accents hissing with plasma. "This ends now,"

"Yeah, let's-" The very instant I moved the enormous, SIVA-covered being landed right upon us, sending me flying backward. The monster, this Revenant, towered massively over me and wielded a heavy machine gun that looked to be bound to its fingers and what appears to be a prosthetic drill for the left arm, jagged and clearly an old piece of hardware. "Aksis!"

I threw myself back as the drill arm slammed through the ground followed by machine-gun fire that kept me on the retreat. Aksis lunged in, unloading a gradual burst of molten plasma into the monster's side, it turned, eyes ice-blue with... a rotten grin... it was smiling at us... my God...!

Aksis rolled, evading the arm before ducking under a swing, pumping slugs into its face before it forced him to warp back, evading the arm but gunfire battered his armor, followed by the Revenant bending down to leap higher than I thought possible. Slamming between us while I leapt to evade the sudden rumble, slicing down in a horizontal cross, twisting around to slide between the legs, carving through the calves while the drill backhanded me, followed by several bullets pelting my armor while red bursts ruptured across its back, forcing it to lumber around and stomp, the impact shoving Aksis into a wall.

Aksis rolled from the drill slamming through the wall, firing two more slugs as it spun its body right, tearing the drill free to fire a small arc of energy that crashed against the Fallen, throwing him back while his weapon clattered to the ground next to him, facing the lowering drill as plasma discharges snaked between the small stump to feed against the tip.

I flew onto the scene, roundhousing Revenant while twisting fast enough to drop a solid ax-kick down its shoulder, throwing off the aim while the rifle poised to my stomach, forcing my hand to latch onto the wrist, throwing me over the muzzle while piercing the barding between the shoulder and collarbone. Revenant grunted, shaking me as I latched onto is back.

Aksis attempted to fire his launcher but with my thrashing he couldn't, I yelped as I lost my hold, the drill catching my waist, tossing me aside while it backhanded the launcher, the plasma skimming its thigh while the drill expelled a bolt of energy into Aksis' chest, throwing the Archon backward, his claws sunk into the ground to slow his tumble, myself rising to my feet.

Something was up, Aksis was far better than this! Dammit, is he still thinking about it? "Aksis, focus, we can do this!" He didn't seem to be listening, grabbing his shotgun before his body warped to the right of Revenant, a hail of bullets battering my armor while I summoned two new blades, grunting as I rushed in a zig-zag pattern. "We won't win at this rate!"

Revenant kept taking buckshot to the face, diving back as I lunged in, propelling itself high into the air, unleashing a volley of SIVA bursts that kept us divided. Aksis refused to move, leveling his shotgun with his own small bursts of cherry-red slag. It merely dispersed across the armor, the drill coming down like a gavel, caving the heavy weapon in two, the force throwing Aksis back while I swung right to left with my cutlasses, slicing plating and wires. The drill countered my strikes blow-for-blow, the third swiping my right leg, leaving my side exposed to its solid upward swipe, slicing down to my skin while I cried out, landing in a heap.

The downside was, while this was my head we were in Aksis' memories, altering reality in here wasn't an option so I had my armor but no augments other than my swords, and Aksis was so lost in his dread and despair still to this day he couldn't bring out his full power. He's supposed to be an Archon, not some generic Fallen for crying out loud!

Kicking to my feet with a roll I brought my right arm forward only to be troubled by a resistance. Snapping my head round I realized I had fallen closer to that heart of SIVA, and... the wires were wrapped around my arm!? "Oh, crap... Aksis!" I tried to call before more of the red bindings snagged my waist, making it hard to keep myself upright. "Aksis!"

He conjured another shrapnel launcher, the crooked, black teeth on the front hooked in like fangs against the rifle as both fired at point-blank, the blowback decimating both weapons in seconds, but that only freed the hand wrapped in SIVA's coils, the fist colliding with Aksis' abdomen, striking with a powerful uppercut with the drill as it fractured the helmet, the wires snaking tightly around his foreleg to lift the Fallen high, tossing him skyward only to bring him down hard into the floor with a massive clang of metal, the pannel bending from the force.

While he struggled in vain I drew my left sword across my right gauntlet, splitting the wires as more snatched from the darkness above, breaking through twisted panels to bind my left, quickly followed by the right as I was left helplessly tugging against their painful coils, I couldn't budge, and my feet were beginning to slip. Desperately I threw my head in the fallen Archon's direction. "AKSIS!"

Finally, a response, seeing him lift his head in time to evade a plunge of the drill, warping far to his left and onto his knees. "I... I can't..." He was shaking, he... was afraid like me... that's why SIVA's attacking me, it's trying to wrestle what little control it has left from us, it would be that nightmare all over again. "I... can't do this again... become an abomination," His head bowed, accepting defeat. "I'm sorry you were burdened by my sins... the Guardian was right... what right does a living being have once their soul is replaced with metal?"

*Shiiing!*

A blackish substance stained the floor as I felt my voice hitch, Aksis was sent flying by a sudden strike to the chest, crashing into the ground from the solid slash. My teeth ground together, thrashing angrily to try and break free. Aksis never gave up on me, I never saw it, how he denied his name until now because he offered it to me, he was trying to forget everything he was before. He helped me through so much, I have to save him! I can still save him too!

...

...

...

"...you are human too..." My words slipped out as the wires gradually coiled around my neck, slipping through my armor's cracks. His head titled up slightly. Steeling my resolve I strained against the wires, feeling the metal behind me groan as my muscles contracted, blood drawn from the friction. "Regret, grief, relief, anger, a need to do better, everything you are is what makes you human!" I yelled, coughing, wires tugging at my skin, it hurts but I've been dealt worse

Closing my fist I held it toward his form, Revenant looming, energy fluctuating across the drill that rose to level with Aksis' nape, one swing and it was over. "You are Aksis, you are NOT the Archon Prime of the Devil Splicers! You are NOT SIVA!" My voice broke, a rising tide of emotions swelling in my heart, screaming high to the complex. "YOU HEAR ME, IF CHELCHIS WAS YOUR HERO THEN YOU'RE MINE!" I dropped my head, seeing blood dribble down my wrists. "So stand... stand as many times as you must..." My helmet fell away, revealing my warm eyes and a soft, friendly smile. "...I know... you can."

Aksis didn't move, staring down at his claws while the build-up of swarming nanites grew, surrounding Revenant who hobbled over to the frozen Fallen. Yet his hands moved, closing slowly against the metal floor. "...I..." The drill's mast came crashing down, splitting the panels as it caused the ground to unearth a tremble

All that was left were tiny little motes of red light. Aksis appeared, standing to guard me while I felt the binds weaken, his body was growing larger, nanomachines and metal tore from the darker corner of the arena, bulking up his form. The triangular pauldron broke away, replaced with large, rounded metal with small spikes jutting from their faces. The cloth that made up the scarf fed with bioluminescent cords, covering the chin of his helmet.

More of his active wires tugged across his armor freely, giving him a far less tame suit of armor compared to my hundred-percent form. Aksis now stood as tall as Revenant, glowering with a jet of steam from his mask. "I am Aksis of the House of Devils, I am no Kell, no Archon, no Baron!" He hissed darkly, stomping toward the undead SIVA-Hybrid. "I am my own warrior!"

Revenant lacked that care for words, bounding high into the air, lobbing a payload of energy that Aksis merely swatted like flies with his right hand, using his folded left to bring it hard against the creature's collarbone, snapping metal and something organic underneath. He didn't hesitate to warp away, bringing his fist across its jaw from the right, followed by a left hook to keep it's drill from reaching his legs, the right snapping up to break the nose-guard of the helmet, tossing the beast backward.

I couldn't help but feel giddy at the awesome showdown. "Hehehe, kick his ass, Aksis!" I threw my thumb forward

The Fallen snorted. "Confirmed." He brought his right hook down across the monster's face, then back with the left, then again with the right. He swerved his left shoulder back, evading the thrust of the drill, catching it with his left, leaving the side exposed for Aksis to throw several haymakers into the softer barding.

The drill threw itself back, craned back to puncture Aksis' chest so he threw a right cross, diving at the last second to skim the jagged weapon across his pauldron, his right fist folding over the mutated arm, digging into the jaw of the grinning Revenant, throwing it up against the far wall. Aksis immediately appeared, sinking his claws between Revenant's waist and collar, dragging it through the wall and through the air above him, planting its head firmly through the ground.

Holding our his palms they condensed many of the swarms in the air, dishing out two large blasts of plasma that sent the abomination sliding across the arena, using the crooked drill to turn, clawing at the ground while building energy in its arm's drill at the slow approach of the large Fallen warrior.

Bolts traced and struck the wall, the particle effect of Aksis' warp placing him to the right, another stream of plasma and he warp to the left of it, continuing his approach. A third time and now Aksis appeared just after the beam left the spine of the drill, forcing Revenant to impel the drill high, the strike wave evaded but left a long gash across Aksis' helmet.

Revenant took a stand, grinning while its body lurched with the weight of the mutated arm. Aksis stepped back, keeping himself tilted left or right as the drill's point came close to frying his body with a crackling aura surrounding the wires that infested the augmented arm. The fourth thrust struggled immediately under Aksis' hands clasping the tip of the weapon, hands twitching from the gathering of energy across the sharp point to the spear.

Moving back with his right foot, twisting to the side, he allowed the drilled to sail by, bringing his left elbow down on the joint sharply, the spikes jutting from his barding shredding the wiring and moldy leather. Feeling resistance from the abomination he let the drill go and materialized on the opposite end as the drill was brought across horizontally, discharging a small wave of unstable plasma.

The second his body reappeared his elbow cracked across Revenant's skeletal face, the left grasping the body of the drill, twisting while coiling his fingers atop the monster's shoulder. With a great deal of force applied Aksis bent and tore the massive weapon clean from the undead's socket, spinning under the right hook to smash the remains of the sparking drill across Revenant's face, blinding its glowing gaze with scrap and light.

Swiveling under the right arm's attempt to grab him, Aksis shoved the grotesque limb aside, sinking his claws against the helmet, sweeping the legs, and slamming the creature into the ground. He growled, "This is MY world!" The Fallen declared, charging while tearing the side of the SIVA-Hybrid's face to shreds through the paneled floor.

Metal and red sparks flew through the air, Aksis ripping the body off the ground and high with both hands pressed firmly to the eye-sockets, draining the resonating energy from the air before unleashing a massive torrent of SIVA through Revenant's skull, fragmenting the twisted grin into millions of pieces that scattered in the air like scarlet sand. The headless body wobbling on its legs, attempting to withhold any semblance of control before it ultimately crumpled like a sack of bricks under the intimidating Fallen.

Behind me, I yelped as a hot blast of air threw me from the wires, Aksis appearing to catch me while shielding me from the sudden rupture of the heart, small waves of red light expelling from the core, causing the floodlights to flicker and whirl back to life on back-up energy, only now we no longer felt the chilling presence of something watching us. It was over, we... no, Aksis did it.

"Are you okay?" I blinked, lifting my head to find the large eyes of his mask bearing down on me. That alone caused a smile to break across my face, wrapping my arms around his neck with a laugh

"...I think I should be asking that you dummy," I murmured into his ear, pushing off his arms to lift a fist high toward him. "We did it!"

He paused, then ultimately breathed a heavy sigh as his fist tapped off of mine. "Human customs will never cease to elude me."

"I know right? We're so weird," I pouted, sticking my tongue out teasingly before inspecting the shattered remains of the core. My face softened while I just... took it all in. "...we did right? We... we can..." I was almost too afraid to say it, as if my own head would jinx me

Aksis read me loud and clear. "The last remnant of SIVA's control is ours," My body flinched at that, lowering my head. "SIVA's capabilities are now ours to command," To think... after so long I can... "We can save her now."

My legs lost their strength, falling to a heavy heart while a few tears sprung up. My breath trembled while that the words I had dreamt of playing for my ears someday finally came to pass, I wasn't fooling myself, that near-impossible reality was really in my hands now. My little sister... I could save her...

"Thank you... thank you..." My body hunched over, all these scars weren't for nothing in the end.

Time was strange here, what felt like minutes could have been seconds or hours and I'd never realized it unless Aksis told me directly. Eventually, my tears of relief passed, and I finally had the strength to stand and see the crypt of his past slowly begin to peel away, with his fears faced there was no reason for us to be here.

"Say Aksis, what now?" Finally gaining my voice I looked over at him, saddened at the lingering issue. "We have control but... my body is still messed up, I can't imagine what kind of damage I've sustained."

His head tilted to the sky, hand lifted to begin listing off my question. "You have sustained several fractures in your abdominal region, your left radius has been split in two, blood loss, many torn muscle fibers, a concussion, missing teeth, and-"

My deadpanned face said it all, "Thank you for that analysis that was very concise," My index and thumb connected to an 'O' just to draw home my sarcasm. "Christ I got messed up... Mom, Izuku... God everyone's probably worried sick, just... seeing me drop like that," I held my fists tightly, glaring down at my feet. "Everyone else is suffering while here I am laughing, what the hell?"

"This was not your intention, I had no other choice but to sustain your body and pull your consciousness into your own mind and my own, I-" My arm waved wide at his logic, scowling while patting my chest

"I dropped dead Aksis, I died in front of them! How am I supposed to feel after knowing that!?" I yelled, biting my cheek. "To them, I stopped living and now I'm in a coma due to my injuries and I might not ever wake up in their eyes! They don't know what's going on, we do! So don't try and tell me it's okay!" The world shook at my words a microcosm of emotions.

Running my hands through my hair I growled angrily, lowing my voice. "Sorry, I-I know you're just trying to help, but... I can't do anything and that frustrates me!" I feel as useless as I was when I woke up and my world was turned on its head and my old life became a mere memory

While the world continued to fall apart, his shadow stepped over me, offering out his hand for mine. "I never intended to say otherwise, I'm glad you finally said so yourself," This guy... I bowed my head with a small chuckle. "Come now, we have work to do."

Nodding with a small grin I reached out for Aksis' hand, my partner, and... my brother from another world. "No rest for the wicked." Clasping his palm I was pulled into the white light. There was still so much left to do, so many variables and conditions we needed to apply while my body finally began to heal. "Hey, all you Fallen have titles, right?"

I couldn't see him, but I felt the cool steel against my palm as we drifted through the mindscape. "Hmm, yes, mine was Archon, a title given to those that work under a Kell, some had more specified titles." His voice echoed throughout the blank canvass yet to form. "Why do you wish to know?"

He couldn't see it but I was grinning happily at the idea sprung to mind, "Weeell since I'm a Devil now... can I have one? Oh! Yours can be... um, ah, Aksis the Rekindled!"

"'Rekindled'?" His voice trailed a sharp clicking, perplexed by my offering

"Because you fought to break free from your past mistakes, you've worked so hard to do better like me, so... I thought that was what best described you, like it?"

"...I see... then, your name shall be..." Aksis's voice was low, I wonder if he was smiling too? Wonder what a Fallen smile looks like with those mandibles? "...Yuki the Champion," Oooh, I like that, sounds bold and awesome! "I believe it suits... you strive to be a warrior to defend those around you, and seek to guide those along your path toward a brighter world, like a champion who carries the hopes of those that praise them."

I giggled, finally a new, brighter world beginning to materialize. "Hehehe, you're making me blush, thanks!" I'm glad he's so accepting to this, though that did raise my brow while we set upon the edge of a sandy beach. "Say, I'm not... overstepping your customs, am I? I-I don't want to be ignorant."

His throat clicked with a chuckle, letting my hand go. "Not at all, without a Kell the Devils would fall under their next form of leadership, and she... respects the word of humanity far more than most," His body moved as if to chuff, waving his arms, flabbergasted. "She can speak so boldly to Kings and survive then clearly anything among us is possible."

I didn't get the whole 'Guardians', 'Light', 'Houses' and stuff, but in time to learn I suppose, it sounds like one crazy adventure, especially since we've got alot of work to do and I think a few breaks here and there would do us both wonders, we have been working for nearly five days straight after all. "Well then, let's crack on, what's on the list, buddy?" I clapped, seeing him stare off toward the ocean while I remained enthusiastic, my biggest mistake

"First we must recalibrate the nanomachines' biodegradable fallout to compensate environmental effects and to ensure no residual radiation remains-" He put his hand on his chin, and question marks began to spin around my head, my mouth ajar. "-though this shouldn't be a concern given the unique chemical compounds found within their digital conflux due to their production within your own biology. Then there's the neural link between each individual nanite that-"

Huh? Okay, I need to stop learning about SIVA, it hurts my brain.

To Be Continued...

Man, this was a huge relief compared to the doom and gloom. I thought a little change of perspective was good since we're inside Yuki's head. Again, apologize if all the terminology was a little head-scratching, you don't need to know the whole story behind Aksis and his kind to understand but if you did then hey, a few references here and there for your pleasure.

Also, All Might considering Yuki as her own Symbol was something I had from the start since Izuku would be Peace, and Endeavor will eventually represent Hope, I wanted something that alone would characterize Yuki and her actions, so Salvation was my pick. I hope you enjoyed, appreciate the support as always, seeya in the next chapter heroes!

P.S. Next chapter's gonna be an emotional one! Hehehe...

Next Chapter: Perfect in my Eyes

Yuki: ...

Aksis: Open your eyes.

Yuki: ...

Aksis: You needn't suffer any longer.

Yuki: ...

Aksis: Wake Up, my kin