Chapter 9: Him
U.A. High
CJ and Kirishima were running as fast as they could through the gates of U.A. Not only was their train running behind, but the foot traffic was heavier than normal as well.
"Shit shit shit!!! We're so late!!", shouted CJ.
"Yeah, I hope Mr. Aizawa is in a forgiving mood today", responded Kirishima.
The two of them darted through the halls, deciding to take the stairs instead of the elevators. They rounded the corner into the hallway leading to their class. Kaminari and Sero were walking out of the room behind the rest of the class.
"Yo Slade! Kirishima! Where were you guys?!", shouted Kaminari.
"Sorry guys. Our train was delayed. There was debris on the tracks from a villian attack that happened overnight", said Kirishima.
"Oh yeah, I heard about that. It was another win for Mt. Lady. Anyways, hurry up and change. We have hero training today, come on!"
The four students hurried to the locker rooms to get changed into their hero costumes. CJ was the last one to leave the locker room, as he took an extra moment to pray before heading out.
"...Amen", he says as he sets his hat on his head.
His outfit consisted of black jeans with black hide chaps over them. His boots were a dark brown with steel coverings over the toe tips. He wore a white button up shirt with a red neckerchief, all under a knee length gray trench coat. His cross hung proudly in the middle of his ensemble. On his waist was a gun belt, and having gotten permission through Principal Nezu, a silver six gun loaded with rubber bullets. It was polished to shine like that of a mirror, and the gun's grip was a fine ivory with a golden cross inlay on either side. Atop his head was the hat that his great-grandfather had given him all those years ago. Wrapped over his shoulders was the chain with the railroad spike hanging down by his hip. The most prominent point of his outfit though was the custom belt buckle, that in big silver letters read the word 'RAGE'.
He walked out of the tunnel towards the rest of his class, seeing they were crowded around someone. He looked past his classmates and saw a tall man with two long bangs, standing tall as if they were horns and a smile that spread from ear to ear.
"Woah CJ! Dude you look badass!", shouted Kirishima.
CJ didn't even turn his head to acknowledge his friend. He was more focused on the man who had failed to save his mother.
All Might.
"Why is he here?", CJ asked Kirishima, his question lined with disdain.
"All Might's teaching at U.A. now. Something about personally overseeing the next generation of heroes."
Kirishima remembered the story that CJ told on the training field, about All Might not being able to stop the plane crash.
"Hey man. Don't let the past get in your way. You were given a second chance, remember? Not a lot of cons get that these days, especially if they were in for murder."
CJ looked his friend in the eye, knowing that what he was saying was true. He couldn't risk his chance on personal vengeance.
"So, you must be Carter Slade.", said the booming voice of All Might.
Who knew that someone's voice could hit the ears with such tenacity. It boomed with pride and power. CJ would've been intimidated by it if it weren't overshadowed by his hate for the Number One Hero.
"Yeah…", he replied, disdain again settling in his voice.
The hero picked up on this and decided to change up the day's lesson a bit.
"Listen up students."
All eyes and ears were now on All Might.
"Today we'll be conducting mock bomb threats. You will each be divided up into teams, which will then be pitted against one another. One team, acting as the heroes, must make their way into the building where the other team, playing the villains, will be holed up with a mock bomb. To win, you have to either disarm the bomb by touching it, or capture the team with this roll of capture tape."
All Might's gaze then fell on the young Texan, who looked like he couldn't possibly care any less about the lesson.
"Young Slade…", began All Might.
The boy looked up at his teacher.
"Your Grandfather has told me that you have personal issues with me. He explained everything to me about the plane crash. Believe me when I say that I am sorry. Because of you, I will be dedicating a portion of my agency to tracking down the villain who brought down the plane."
This gave Carter some comfort, but he still wanted more than to just have the villain found.
"And…", continued All Might, "Your opponent for the mock trial… will be me."
All of Class 1-A turned their heads towards CJ as All Might extended his hand towards the boy.
"What do you say?", he asked the boy.
Hesitant, he reached out towards the man's hand, grasping it firmly and giving it a solid shake as he looked him in the eye.
"I won't hold back.", he said to All Might.
"Nor would I expect you to.", replied All Might.
The mock battles went smoothly, except for Bakugou and Midoriya's match. The two of them had to be sent to the nurses office to recover from their wounds.
After the two had made their way down to the field, a silence fell upon the rest of the class. Since they had heard CJ's side of the story, each and every one of Class 1-A knew how personal this was to him. All Might and CJ walked side by side in silence. As they walked to their positions, All Might called out to the boy.
"Young Slade, one more thing. No guns. I've heard about your other power, and I'd very much like to see it for myself."
CJ hesitated for a moment. He was nervous to unleash his power. It had been years since he had last gone into his Rider form. He then unbuckled his gun belt and threw it aside.
"I said I wouldn't hold back. I intend to keep my word."
All might chuckled.
"HA… I wouldn't want it any other way. Come on then. Let's see the fire within you!"
CJ closed his eyes and breathed slowly and calmly. Clouds blew in slowly from the west as the wind picked up. The dust around CJ's feet began to swirl. His senses extended outward, taking in everything around him. He could hear everything. He could hear his classmates in the observation room. He could hear All Might's footsteps.
…
…
"CJ…", called out a voice.
CJ's eyes shot open. He knew that voice too well. Without hesitation, he drew a rifle out of the dust and pointed it towards a seemingly empty building. His breath shuddered, and more noticeably it was visible in the now cold air. All Might turned around, noticing the boy's distress.
"Young Slade, are you all ri-", he started, but CJ cut him off.
"R-Run…", was all the boy could say.
All Might was shocked. Having read the boy's file, he was shocked that anything could scare him this much.
He began turning and aiming at the shadows. Suddenly Carter Sr. burst out of the door to the observation room, and like CJ he was also brandishing a rifle.
"CJ!", yelled the old man.
"I-It's him… it's him… it's him…", repeated CJ, his voice becoming shakier by the minute.
"I know boy… I felt it too…", he said, a tinge of fear clouding his voice.
Now All Might was nervous. He raised his fists slowly, preparing himself to face the unknown foe.
Carter Sr. started aiming his rifle around at the shadows as well. Soon, all of Class 1-A was out in the arena, wanting to see what was happening.
"Slade..." repeated the voice.
The two members of the Slade family narrowed their rifles towards a single darkened doorway. Slowly, a man emerged from its shadow, wearing a black suit and carrying a cane. His eyes glowed red for a moment before fading.
"Hello boys… It's been a while.", he said.
As if by instinct, CJ let out a yell, firing shot after shot into the man, not giving him a chance to speak. Carter Sr. followed his grandson's actions, unloading his rifle as well. The man continued to walk forward as the bullets appeared to pass right through him and embed themselves into the concrete wall at the back of the room.
"What do you want?", asked Carter Sr. to the man as he quickly reloaded.
"What do I want? Hmmm...", started the man.
"I just wanted to check in on my creation.", he says, his gaze falling on CJ.
CJ threw his rifle down, kicking up more dust and pulling a shotgun from it. He looked over to notice his class overlooking the situation.
"Kirishima! Take the class and run!", he yelled.
"Got it!", he yelled back, but it was too late.
The man in the suit raised his hand slightly, aiming it at CJ's classmates.
"Sleep…", he said calmly.
One by one, the students and teachers of Class 1-A, including Carter Sr. fell to the ground, unconscious.
"Mephistopheles…", said CJ.
"Ah, so you DO remember me. I'm touched.", he said.
"I'll ask again", he began, chambering a shell into the shotgun.
"What do you want?"
Mephistopheles chuckled at the boy's action, but decided to play along.
"I've heard that you're trying to set yourself on the path of the righteous now boy."
"Yeah, and what of it?", he asked.
"I'm just curious. I had laid out a clear path for you, given you the powers of the Ghost Rider. Why haven't you followed your clear destiny?", said Mephistopheles.
"I walk by faith, not by sight.", retorted CJ.
This made Mephistopheles laugh.
"Faith… Can't you see that your "faith" has done nothing for you? Where was your "faith" when you were digging through garbage and sleeping in boxes to survive. Where was your "faith" when you killed that man in that alleyway? Faith has failed you boy. I have not."
CJ gritted his teeth, bright red embers smoldering in his eyes.
"There he is… There's that fire inside you.", laughed the unholy man.
CJ tried his best to remember his grandfather's teachings and not let his judgement get the better of him. He thinks of the friends he had made, the thoughts bringing a calmness to his mind. This angered Mephistopheles.
"You've grown stronger boy… How?", he asked.
CJ glanced over at his unconscious classmates, who had been so kind to him even after knowing of the blood on his hands.
"As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.", he says.
This angered him even more. Not only was the boy resisting him, but he was using the scripture as a weapon.
"You've won this round boy. But be warned, as I will send servants to remind you of your place."
He was suddenly shrouded in black mist, and just as quickly as it enveloped him, he was gone. Slowly, CJ's classmates and teachers regained consciousness. Kirishima was the first to speak.
"Ugh… What happened? My head is killing me."
"Mine too. Who was that guy? He was creepy", replied Kaminari.
The class' gaze shifted to CJ who had fallen to his knees, his weapon long since reduced back to dust. They all began to make their way over to him, a look of relief resting on his face.
"CJ… who was that?", asked Ururaka.
He looked up at his classmates, each of them having a different look of worry.
"That was Mephistopheles…", he finally said.
His classmates looked on, waiting for further explanation.
"The man I sold my soul to…"
…
…
"The Devil…"