Season Three, Episode XXVIII

The Message

. . .

Ryoko

. . .

It was almost a month after I was free of that place, allowed to walk around again. The doctor had done things to be, saying he needed to improve me. But when I woke up, I didn't feel any different. I don't know what he did, but there were no new quirks, no new powers I had to be told about. Instead, he simply sent me out, on whatever mission his boss had left for me.

I emerged from that disgusting, black sludge warp coughing and sputtering. Standing now in some back alley, trying to gather my bearings before the doctors voice rang into my earpiece.

"Your contact should be in the apartment complex just up the street, apartment number 35, Second floor."

"Blech... Great..." I grumbled, regaining my composure and adjusting the large overcoat I'd been given. It didn't exactly do much to hide my appearance. "And what do I do if somebody recognizes me?" I was a wanted criminal now I think, right?

"I've already run through the information all Hero Agencies operating in your area," He explained quickly, "There is only one in this small town, and you're more than a match for the members working there."

Good to know, I guess. "Alright... And what exactly am I supposed to tell this guy?" He said I was delivering a message, but neglected to actually tell me what said message was.

"Simply let him know, that it's time to wake up."

Well that was vague, and spooky. "Fine, whatever..."

Making my way through the backstreets, I neared the apartment complex. There weren't many people around, it was late morning so most were probably at work or school. This small town probably only had a few thousand people living in it anyways. Still, it was only just outside a major prefecture, so if something did start between me and a local hero, other pros could be called in pretty fast.

So I kept my head low, making my way up to the back door of the complex. Nobody was around to watch, not that I could see anyways. I made my way through the door and into the lobby, stiffening as I spotted a little old man sitting behind the counter. He had to squint to see me I think, adjusting his glasses before giving a smiling wave.

"Why hello there! Did you come to see our vacant apartments?" He asked, sounding excited. He clearly couldn't see my full appearance.

"Uh... No," I replied, "Just visiting... A friend." It wouldn't be hard to slip something by this senile old fool, right?

"Oh well then I won't keep you," He waved me off casually, "You have a nice visit!"

"Right, thanks." Huh... Been awhile since I had a nice, casual human interaction.

Anyways, the doctor said this guy lived on the second floor so I made my way to the stairs. Keeping any eye out for anyone else here at the complex, this whole thing seemed so strange. How did the doctor even know this man would be here? What was I supposed to do if he wasn't? Just stand around until he came home? Break into his apartment? Dammit, I was on edge, I needed to calm down.

"Apartment 35..." Coming to a stop outside his door, I took a deep breath and knocked. My large knuckles banging against the wood, rocking the door in its frame. "Hello? Anyone home?" Banging the door a few more times.

"One sec!" Well, he sounded annoyed. The sound of shuffling on the other side, footsteps stopping just beyond the door. Likely checking who it was through the peephole. "Whoa..." The sound of a lock moving, before it opened. I was greeted with a scrawny young man, maybe in his twenties. He had glasses, a rough unshaven face, and a complete lack of musculature. Wearing baggy sweatpants and a stained white shirt, he had combed back black hair that was equally unkempt. "I didn't order a hot monster girl, how much you charge?"

How much do I... What? "I just came to deliver a message." I grunted in response, crossing my arms over my chest. Suddenly feeling creeped out by his stare, "Doctor Ujiko says, it's time to wake up."

"What?" He blinked, tilting his head. "What the hell is that supposed t-" His words hitched, his body stiffening and twitching awkwardly. He almost collapsed, head going limp as he leaned forward, glasses falling to the floor.

That was... Freaky. "Uh... Are you okay?" I asked, confused.

He lifted his head, staring back at me with twisted eyes. They had been green before, now the schlera were black and his irises were a glowing golden color. "Aaaah... Yes, yes I am fine... Now." His voice had changed, guttural and much deeper now. He righted himself, limbs moving strangely as if he wasn't used to his body. "Come, this degenerates apartment is hardly worthy of either of us." Stepping past me so casually, he started heading for the stairs, did he want to talk on the roof?

"Right..." I followed cautiously, feeling even more on edge now. We made our way up and to the roof, in short order because it was the next floor up.

"I wondered when you would contact me, with All For One behind bars." He mused, stroking his unshaven face as the morning breeze washed over us both.

"So, you weren't really sleeping..." I noted, wondering what that message was really supposed to mean, "You some kind of back up plan for the League? Who are you exactly?"

"I see the good doctor told you nothing more than what was necessary... How interesting..." The young man hummed in thought, staring out over the city. "Tell me... What do you know of the criminal world beyond Japan?"

Well, "Nothing, really..." I answered, being honest. "Never figured I'd need to know..."

"Ah, such woeful ignorance..." He shook his head, "It is true, as Quirks emerged, All For One became a ruler of the underworld for a very long time... But one mans reach can only extend so far." He turned halfway around, staring back at me. "What if I told you, many countries around the world have villains just as heinous as All For One?"

Hmph, "I'd call you a liar." I answered simply. I wasn't exactly an expert, but I know All Might was one of the most powerful heroes in the world, if not the most powerful. And it took everything he had to defeat All For One, I have a hard time believing every super villain had All For One's patience in waiting to make a move. "If there were criminals of his caliber hiding all around the world, they'd have made their moves by now."

He released a laugh suddenly, one that echoed unnaturally in the air around us. Making me flinch, "Yes! That is quite correct, you're sharper than you look... All For One was truly one of a kind, there may never again exist another with his raw power and guile... However," His smile turned to a twisted smirk, "What if any of those who tried to challenge his rise, and refused to be apart of his plan weren't gone but simply... Indisposed?"

I shifted nervously, getting an eerie feeling from this man. "What do you mean by that?" Hoping he just meant prison.

He brought one hand to his chin, pacing around me in a circle. I kept turning, refusing to let him get behind me out of instinct. "Did the doctor tell you, about my power? And why I am so important?"

I shook my head, "No, nothing..."

"Ah, then you are disposable, no... An offering... " What the hell did that mean!? "You see, I was once a criminal lord that attempted to rival All For One," He explained casually, amusement coloring his twisted voice. "Kibari Gendo, The Overmind, that's what they called me... Because of my unique power, every would-be rising power in the underworld would serve All For One, as a reserve or on the front lines." He spread his arms wide, smirking wickedly. "Those he defeated, were given to me! Their bodies added to my collection, the collective of puppets I can freely control and influence!"

The doctors voice chimed in my earpiece, "Hmm, he is behaving much differently than before... Perhaps the absence of All For One has made him bold."

Bold? What the hell did that mean for me!? Dammit, "Yeah well, that's pretty impressive, the League will make great use of you I'm sure..." Starting to tense up a bit, there was some kind of pressure surrounding me. My instincts screaming.

"All For One underestimated my power," Gendo went on, "He assumed I needed direct contact to add another possessed thrall to my collection... But no," My body froze up suddenly, as he turned those glowing golden eyes on me. "I can spread my control through even the lowest of pawns!"

"Gnngh!" I struggled, unable to do more than tremble against this strange power holding me in place. "W-What is this!?"

I heard his mocking, annoying voice in my earpiece. "Seems I miscalculated, how unfortunate." He chuckled lightly, as The Overmind's eyes started to glow brighter, I couldn't look away. "Oh well, the chaos this misguided fool brings will be more than enough to assist in young Tomura's own endeavors, by shifting focus away from him of course... And I'm sure he will put your body to good use."

"Gnnngh! Y-You bastard!" I growled out, fear gripping me as I felt control over my own body starting to slip away.

"I tried to make use of you, truly I did," Ujiko replied with a heavy sigh. "But even after finishing your transformation into a Noumu, you could not be conditioned properly like the others..."

"You... When I get my hands on you!" I snarled, gritting my teeth, trying to dig up every bit of willpower I had to resist. "I-I won't... Y-You can't!"

"In the end, it seems you were never going to be more than this," He added, throwing salt in my wound. "Never more, than a failure."

"AAAAGH!"

My Overdrive Matrix kicked on, I could feel control returning to my body. Not completely, but it was enough. "Hnngh!" The Overmind's voice echoed through my mind and the air around us. "Surprising amount of strength, your resistance is strong!"

"I-I am not-" Raising all four arms above my head, my skin slowly turning red. "And I... Will never be," Fists clenching together tightly, "ANYONE'S SLAVE!"

With all the power I could manage, I brought all four arms down onto the rooftop. The flooring beneath us was completely destroyed, cracks spreading rapidly throughout the upper portion of the structure. I began to fall through immediately, crashing into the room below, Gendo doing the same in a different apartment because of our distance. The moment we'd been separated, I felt my full control returning.

"Aaagh!" My eyes darted to the sound, spotting a young woman with spiky red hair standing nearby. "A-A monster!"

"Shut up," I spat back at her, making my way towards the door. I kicked it open and stepped out into the haul, leaving her behind as I started making my way to the door across the hall, "Now where the hell are you?"

I'll admit, I let my anger get the better of my judgement.

Breaking open the locked door with ease, I was met with the sight of a young man trying to help Gendo to his feet. His eyes turning to me in horror, while Gendo merely smirked. "You came after me?" He asked, eyes still glowing yellow. "Foolish, this body is nothing to me, I have more, so many more."

"Yeah, well this one is pissing me off." I growled, stomping towards him. The man that had been trying to help him quickly stumbled away, crying out for help. "Try to posses me again and I'll break every single body you have!" Just as he'd gotten to his feet, I slammed two arms into his gut, delivering a brutal lariat that sent him crashing out through the window.

I could feel the bones crunching, but I didn't care. Whoever the poor bastard was he was controlling, it didn't matter to me. The body landed limp on the balcony across the alleyway. Dead or unconscious, I wasn't sure. "You know," I stiffened, as the man across the room spoke. His voice completely different than it had been a second ago. "I only posses bodies with useful Quirks..."

I turned to face him, ready for an attack. But it was then that I noticed a thin layer of dust in the air, a twinkling silver dust. Following the trail, I saw it lead out to the first puppet I'd just crushed. "What is-"

"You're going to be mine," The man sneered, a few sparks popping between his fingers. "Even if I have to break you first!"

The air around us ignited, that dust acting as some kind of catalyst. Everything went white, as the entire apartment around me was engulfed in a massive, fiery explosion.