Author's Note: Hey there everyone, what do you think of this fic so far? It's the first time I've ever made a crossover, and this is also my first time posting on FFN, I'm also on AO3 if you want to read on there, as well as my other fic, My Hero Academia: A Hero's Call. I wanted to take this opportunity to invite you guys to this wonderful Discord server I'm in. We have many fics and we love to just have fun as well. So if you're interested, then kindly copy/paste this link, and I'll see you there. /gaF5u49MFW
So many dreams, so many thoughts, so much going on all at the same time. The bird-headed boy of Class A was drowning in his thoughts, and the dead sea waited calmly for him. He looked up with his beak ajar, his tongue tasting the salt air of the gray ocean. He took a step, the waves washing on his bare feet, he took a second step, the waters roaring up to his legs. A third step, the water was now up to his stomach.
Yet something called him back.
"_i!"
The bird froze.
"_yami!"
He turned his head.
"TOKOYAMI!"
His eyes widened as he saw… his friends. Midoriya was shouting at the top of his lungs trying to call him home.
"M-Midoriya?!" Fumikage cried.
"TOKOYAMI!" Izuku cried again.
Fumikage gasped and he felt a sadness burn within him, yet he also felt… hope. A light in the darkness, the entity he held so dear.
"COME BACK!" Another voice shouted.
Fumikage grunted in shock again. The familiar crimson hair shined like a beacon. There stood Eijiro Kirishima standing next to Izuku, and both were wearing their U.A. uniforms. Eijiro was reaching out to the sea as Fumikage stood there motionless, the water now reaching his chest. He couldn't move, he was frozen, petrified. Fear and hope coursing through his veins.
They're right there, I don't understand… He thought to himself. Fumikage move, they're right there!
"We're worried about you, don't leave us!"
Tenya Ida suddenly appeared from the sands.
"We're your friends aren't we?"
Kyoka Jiro Jumped into the scene.
"Why did you leave?"
Mina Ashido flicked into the scene.
What are you all talking about? Fumikage thought.
He took a step forward trying to reach out to his friends… his anchor… his memory of the other world. He tried to run…
"Why did you have to die?"
SPLASH
Fumikage felt the water grab his legs, and in front of him…
Higgs rose from the depths, and poked Fumikage on his chest.
And without notice, Fumikage was violently yanked deep into the ocean, his screams muted by the water as he yelled for help…
"AH!"
The boy jolted awake as he, Cathal, and Cora remained on the elevator, the Demens staring them down with assault rifles trained on their heads. Fumikage could barely breathe, the air choking his lungs, and he gasped and begged for oxygen. He looked down with eyes widened, so wide they felt like they were about to fall out. His body refused to stop trembling as he attempted to stand, yet the pain in his right leg clawed into him, the blood drenching his skin.
"DON'T SCARE ME LIKE THAT!" Cathal screamed. "I THOUGHT YOU DIED!"
Fumikage weakly looked upward as Cathal looked down with horrified eyes. His white left eye and his right black eyes shining onto him like a pair of lights.
No… it was so… real… they were all right there.
And yet, the Demens etched closer to the trio. Cathal grit his teeth and was ready to fight as he snapped his head upward at their assailants, however, one of the Demens stepped forward.
"I swear if you put a finger on them!" Cathal screamed. "I'LL FUCKING-"
FLAP
"Huh?" He and Fumikage cried.
The Demen lowered her weapon and threw a suit at Cathal. It was a standard Bridges coverall suit, dark blue in color with the word "Bridges" written in bright white on the hood and shoulders.
"Put it on." The Demen said.
Suddenly another one stepped forward with a smaller Bridges coverall. It was black, with gray "Bridges" text on the hood and shoulders.
"You too." The Demen said to Fumikage.
"And if we don't?!" Cathal shouted.
The boy was immediately hit in the face by a Demen. He felt the large impact right in the nose, and he felt the snapping of bone and cartilage sting his face. Something so small yet so strong, he leaned forward, his face close to the ground, and he covered his face with both of his hands. Slowly he took them away, and his palms were soaked in his blood.
"SUMMERS!" Fumikage cried. His rage boiling to the surface.
"Hey, HEY! Stay calm…!" Cora cried as she breathed in frantic breath.
"Put the suit on… now…"
Cathal and Fumikage both grunted angrily, blood running from Cathal's broken nose. He grabbed and rubbed his nose softly, feeling the burning sting his face once more. He squinted his eyes and moaned in pain, but he looked up with anger. He scoffed and grabbed the uniform, starting with the legs and working his way up his body. Slowly, he changed into the suit, but the pain of his nose never left. As Fumikage stared, he could see that Cathal's nose was visibly shattered, the cartilage bending halfway down, it was like it was snapped in half. Blood poured vehemently down the boy's nose and it dripped on the floor. The liquid flowed onto the boy's upper lip and stained his tongue whenever he tried to lick it away. Every drop, every scent of the blood overtook Fumikage's sensations, they absorbed him as his body started shaking in rage.
"You too bird…"
Fumikage grabbed the coverall suit and started putting it on.
"Let me help you." Cora said quietly.
Fumikage started with the pant legs, and he slowly dragged them up his exposed leg.
"Geh!" *fzzzzz* Fumikage grunted.
"Careful! Any sudden movements could make the wound worse!" Cora said as she helped him with the suit.
It felt like an eternity, slowly dragging the leg up, feeling the blood and dripping liquid stick to the skin and rub against the rubber and fabrics of the suit. Fumikage couldn't stand it, the irritation arising in his soul, the worry for his new friends as the terrorists stood there and waited for them to finish changing. It was… strange, eccentric, why would these Demens want them in the Porter suits? No, there's no time to wonder, Fumikage had to comply. He pulled the suit over his chest and shoulders, zipping and clipping every zipper, every button. He clipped the carabiners together and finally, he was changed into the Porter suit. It was noticeably tighter, and it was the perfect size for the short boy. Cathal was also changed, and he helped Fumikage to his feet with Cora.
"Move."
The trio felt as a Demen shoved them forward, and together they begrudgingly walked onward towards the entrance. The metal entryway slanted upward as the hall started to take a triangular shape, the walls squeezing in, giving a suffocating nature to the trio as they helped the raven-headed boy out to the surface. Step by step they slowly moved forward. Another Demen aggressively pushed Cora forward, then a second Demen shoved Cathal, such barbarism cannot go unpunished. Fumikage grunted as the Demens continued their nonsensical violence, and he felt his anger rising.
Come on Fumikage! I can take all of them… Dark Shadow said in a monstrous voice.
And risk Summers and Cora in the process? We can't take that chance! Fumikage protested.
Together, they reached the surface of the center, and were forced to step out into the city, and waiting for them was an unholy sight. Cora gasped as tears suddenly formed, and Cathal widened his eyes again. Fumikage raised his head and stared at what laid before them, and his fear shot through the roof. The clouds loomed in the sky, gray clouds blocking the sun. Crows flew into the air releasing harrowing caws, the wind rose and blew a warm breeze into the boy's face. The destroyed and dilapidated buildings seemed to stick out even more now… for five souls sat on their knees on the street. Above them, a figure all too familiar at this point, despite being in this world for nearly two hours, Fumikage saw a face scorched into his mind.
A hooded man wearing a golden mask.
Higgs was standing over five people, all of them forced onto their knees, and they were all wearing black bags over their heads. He simply stood there not moving a muscle, yet he turned his head towards the trio, his skull mask shining in the light. He took a single step forward from his hostages… all of them trembling on their knees.
BLINK
Higgs Jumped to his Beach and suddenly appeared right in front of Fumikage, he was so close that he could feel this strange metal tap the end of his beak. The stench of blood and tarp overwhelmed his nostrils, the feeling of dread and… maddened curiosity loomed over the boy, and the sinister bloodlust crept up his back.
"HIGGS!" Cathal screamed with unyielding rage. "YOU SON OF A BITCH! REMEMBER ME?! HUH?!"
Higgs turned his gaze over to Cathal as the redheaded boy's eyes boiled with ravenous fury. He flared his breath and teeth as a Demen grabbed him by the hair and violently thrust his face into the ground.
"SUMMERS!" Fumikage screamed.
The boy looked up as Higgs forced himself into his face once more, the gold mask shimmering.
"Shhhhhhh, it's gonna be okay Birdy, he's all fine and dandy for the time being…" The crazed man muttered. "But why don't we focus on more… important matters…"
Fumikage grunted angrily as he felt the blood in his ankle dripped on the inner pant leg.
"The name's Higgs by the way, the Particle of God that permeates all existence…" The hooded man continued. Suddenly, he grabbed Fumikage's chin and brought him close. "Oh… that look in your eye. You have no idea where your friends are… and they have no idea where you are for that matter! Oh those precious friends…"
Higgs stared into Fumuikage's eyes again, and he winked.
"Shoto Todoroki, Eijiro Kirishima, Tsuyu Asui… or Izuku Midoriya, right?"
"What do you know?! What did you do to my friends?!" Fumikage screamed.
Let me out…
An intense struggle raged out inside Fumkage's body, and he felt his breath being taken away. He fell down, feeling an immense pain in his chest, like his heart was about to burst.
SNIFFFF
"What's that? Your 'Quirk' is about to completely wipe us out is that it?" Higgs asked ominously. He suddenly smelled the air again. "So I guess this beak and weird lookin' hair isn't the only avian part of your body…"
"Stop that!" Cora yelled.
SMACK
"CORA!"
Higgs backhanded Cora across the face, and another Demen forced a rifle against the back of her head.
"Just ignore her right now, let's focus on you and me. Your friends are all fine, I mean they're probably losin' their shit because you just up and vanished! But hey… now you're here in our world now… and I'm gonna learn everything about yours soon…"
Fumikage tried to strike, but the pain in his leg forced him to remain still. Higgs simply chuckled and paced back and forth, never taking his eyes off the boy.
"You just don't understand the truth… it makes everything so much easier to understand!" The madman cried.
"There's a Tie that's Binding us all together… this world and that world… and the other side…"
Fumikage tried to stand, but the Demen held him forcefully on the ground, the cold metal from the man's hands screeching into Fumikage's shoulder.
"You know Birdy, I understand that you're a Hero where you come from… this other world that exists beyond this one. A world that hasn't seen the Death Stranding…"
Higgs looked Fumikage dead in the eyes, and suddenly pat him on the shoulders.
"Oh but don't worry, we can't go over there… well not yet anyway." He stated with an eerie chuckle.
"'We?'" Fumikage asked frantically. "Wait, you mean you can go back to my home?! I demand that you tell me how to get back, you villain!"
Higgs laughed demonically and started walking back to his hostages. His steps were strong and almost… relaxed. He was swaying his torso back and forth with his hands held behind his back. As he reached his first hostage, he dragged his hand on their shoulder and grabbed them like a father encouraging his son.
"Oh I ain't gonna make that easy! You think I'm just gonna tell ya everything I know just because you asked? Nope! That would just spoil the fun…" Higgs shouted from across the street, his voice strangely playful. "Say, how about we make it a game?! Right now I have my Homo Demens sprawled out all over town, so I'm gonna ask you and the… little Handyman over there to race all across Mirror Knot!"
Higgs grabbed one of his hostages by the shoulders.
"Sure, you can save the city and all of its precious inhabitants, but you will have to deal with some 'friends' of mine in the process. Gotta learn our rules don't ya? Learn what it's like livin' in this shithole of a world?!"
"ENOUGH!" Fumikage roared. "This isn't a game! Let these people go now! If you refuse to stand down I'll release Dark Shadow upon you all!"
Higgs turned around swiftly as his cold gaze struck Fumikage in the chest. Something felt different, like the man was suddenly dead in the eye… like a creative spark was suddenly whisked away, and an endless rage and bloodlust replaced that kind facade.
"Okay, okay…" Higgs said in a disturbed yet playful voice. "You want to act all serious then, like a good superhero? Fine, I'll give you a choice then Birdy… Mirror Knot has a population of over 90,000 people, and the Teardrop is the main connection to all of it."
A Demen approached Fumikage from behind.
PUNT
"AHHHHHH!"
The Demen slammed the butt of his gun into Fumikage's injured leg, the sting of injury erupted, like someone was stabbing needles into his flesh and ripping his leg in half.
"Now then, it's time for your debut as the big Superman!" Higgs said demonically.
"But we'll have to up the ante on this one Little Birdy…"
Higgs snickered with an evil intent, and suddenly Fumikage watched as his left hand started to spark. Cathal was violently rummaging, kicking, and screaming trying to break free from the Demen's grip, and Cora was trying to remain still as another Demen held the rifle to her skull.
It's time Fumikage… RELEASE ME!
NO!
Higgs' hand turned a shining white and he suddenly pointed his index finger in the air. A loud, painful screech roared into the air, one that nearly destroyed everyone's ears. Fumikage grunted in immense pain, so much that he let out a scream as his eardrums almost shattered. Only a single white light was in sight, and with a smirk on his face, Higgs laughed.
BOOOOOOOOOM
Lightning streaked into the air and crackled with deadly force. Cathal was screaming into the concrete, blood dripping frivolously from his nose and even his forehead. Cora kicked her feet and even raised her head, but the Demen pressed harder, the iron barrel of the rifle searing into her skull.
DRIP, BURN
Fumikage felt a drop of water hit his head, and he felt the stinging burn near his eyes. He looked up and saw it all… the rain. Drip, drip, splash and splash. The rain picked up, more and more the rain sped up.
WARNING: TIMEFALL DETECTED.
A spurt of gas exploded from the back of Fumikage's neck as a black hood automatically rose up and covered his head. It covered the majority of his noggin save the tip of his beak, and when Fumikage tried to pull it off, it became stiff and unmoving. He looked around as the Demens suddenly released Cora and Cathal, their hoods both rising and covering their heads as well. The hostages sitting under Higgs also had the same effect, each having their hoods covering them.
"Well now ain't that a STORM!" Higgs screamed. "Hehehehhehehe woooohoooo! The Chiral Density is skyrocketing as we speak, and that means they'll be showin' up any second… tick tock! Better save those people, hero!"
Fumikage violently wailed as the Demen increased the pressure on his leg.
"SO WHAT'LL IT BE FUMIKAGE TOKOYAMI?!" Higgs screamed as he spread his arms to his sides in a pretentious manner. "One for All?!"
BLINK
A flash of orange blinked in an eye as Fumikage jumped back in fear. Higgs teleported directly in front of him. The man suddenly grabbed the boy, raising him to his feet. Fumikage grunted loudly and moaned violently in pain as the scorching sensation of torn muscles screeched in his right leg. However, Higgs simply walked up… and gave him a hug. He leaned in creepily, and whispered in Fumi's ear…
"Or is it gonna be All for One?"
Fumikage stared Higgs dead in the eye, and behind that golden skull mask and black gas mask… the raven-headed boy could see the man's eyes. The cold, psychotic blue eyes that lacked a soul. Something was strange, disturbed, and Fumikage could only watch as Higgs winked. He brought his finger up to his mask, like he was telling someone to be quiet.
"Shhhhhhh"
BLINK, BLINK, BLINK, BLINK
Higgs and the Demens all vanished, they disappeared as multiple flashes of orange and the crisp sound of something burning echoed on the street. The Timefall storm raged, transitioning from a sprinkle into a heavy rain. The storm only increased, the water rumbling the very air and raging into the ground. It turned into a demonic nightmare, and Fumikage soon learned he was free. Cora picked herself up and quickly whipped her head around, looking anywhere for Demens. She widened her eyes and grit her teeth, running to Fumikage and Cathal and grabbing them both.
"Your leg!" She cried. "Shit! The wound's been opened again, try not to move too much young man, you're losing blood!"
"I understand but we have to save those people!" Fumikage retorted. "What about Summers?!"
Cora raced over to Cathal as he groaned and muttered in pain, and she raised his head.
"Oh my God!" She screamed.
Fumikage raced over as the rain poured onto his body, and he knelt down next to his comrade. And as he laid there, Fumikage gasped in horror. Cathal's nose drenched blood every passing second, and his forehead suffered from several lacerations, the red stream of blood falling into his face. Yet at this moment… Fumikage felt… rage.
BU-BUM
He suddenly felt a pain in his heart.
No… I won't let him gain control!
I will not allow history to repeat itself!
A flash appeared in Fumikage's eyes… the forest. The night Bakugo was taken by the League, the night Shoji lost an arm trying to save the bird-headed boy… the night he lost control of Dark Shadow.
Never again! I made that promise, and I will follow it to the end!
With all the strength he could muster, Fumikage clapped himself hard in the face and stook several breaths to temper himself. Cora snapped her head backwards and looked at the boy with immense confusion. And yet, Fumikage grunted loudly and peered into her eyes with focus and commitment.
"We need to get him out of here! He needs to get to a hospital!" Fumikage cried in terror.
Cora shook her head attempting to rid herself of her confusion. She took a breath and recomposed herself.
"I know that, we need to move now!" Cora cried. "I can take care of him but do what you can to get to those people over there!"
Fumikage didn't hesitate, he stood up and ran as fast as he could towards the people on the street. He let out a violent scream however the moment he put pressure on his right leg, the breaking and tearing of muscle, every sensation overwhelming his body. He tripped onto the ground and his face smashed into the concrete, his teeth rattled by the impact. He looked upward and grabbed his beak in pain as a numb "punch" knocked his senses into a daze. But that's not important now, he needed to get to those hostages at any cost. With stinging pain in his leg, Fumikage dragged himself over to the person in the front. The blood streaked onto the road as the rain poured.
BOOOOOM
Thunder raged in the sky as the Timefall continued to hammer down on the poor boy, he crawled and pulled, gritting his teeth as if a monster was tugging at his leg keeping him from his goal. Fumikage reached his left arm out, pulled his body, and repeated with his right arm. Then, he slapped his hand onto the person's knee.
"Hmmmm?!" The person muddled from behind a black bag on their face.
Fumikage pulled himself further, and he reached for the bag. He carefully removed it from the man's face, and saw the treasure ahead. It was a dark-skinned man, one with green eyes.
"What the?!" The man cried in an English accent.
"Calm down!" Fumikage screamed as the pain tore at his leg. "We need to get you out of here! Can you stand?!"
The man looked him dead in the eye as he started trying to move.
"I can but my hands are tied, cut the rope." He said in a hurry.
Fumikage crawled over and saw the ties the Homo Demens used to cuff these people, he summoned Dark Shadow and carefully used his claws to sever the plastic ties.
"Thanks… whatever you are…" The man said.
"Of course sir. We need to find somewhere safe."
"Is the Distro Center secure? I think we can get a comms relay working and contact the outside for help." The man continued.
As Fumikage tried to stand, the man looked at him and gasped.
"You're injured, you shouldn't be out here right now especially with those damn terrorists!" He cried.
"I know that! I'm doing everything I can to get everyone out of here, then I'll retreat once they're safe."
As they talked, Cora approached them from behind, carrying Cathal on her back.
"Elliot?!" She cried.
Fumikage grunted in shock, and looked at the African man, whose face lit up with surprise and shock.
"Cora!" He shouted.
He ran to her, almost hugging her as he approached the red-clad woman, but he stopped short seeing Cathal on her back.
"Who the hell is that?" He asked.
"He's Handyman, the kid I told you about." She replied. "He's just a kid but he needs medical attention!"
Fumikage tried to get up once more, but he couldn't resist the pain.
"Is he alright?"
"Handyman's unconscious but we can't stay here!" Cora shouted as the rain continued to pour. "We need to get him to a Bridges facility with proper equipment and staff, he's losing too much blood!"
Damnit… Fumikage thought.
"Alright, listen to me then!" Elliot cried as he quickly helped Fumikage. He crouched down and lifted Fumikage up, and allowed the teen to lean on his stomach. "There's too many of those terrorists in the city. Higgs brought an entire God damned army with him. The best choice right now is a tactical retreat and return with reinforcements!"
"I think our first priority should be getting out of here alive!" Cora retorted. "I'm surprised you didn't try to take them on your own!"
Elliot turned and faced Cora as he supported Fumikage on the ground, his eyes almost glowing.
"How do you think I ended up as his hostage?" he asked.
"You idiot…" She cried.
"Can we please focus?!" Fumiakge screamed as the pain stung his leg.
Cora and Elliot nodded as Dark Shadow flew around the scene. He flew to another hostage and severed the rope binding their hands.
"Here we go! You're free! Now come on, we have to get outta here!" The beast cried.
"Well done Dark Shadow, now come back to me…" Fumikage moaned.
"But you're hurt! You need help!"
"I KNOW THAT, NOW RETURN!"
Dark Shadow was stunned, shocked, mesmerized by the rage that Fumikage displayed from the bottom of his heart. It made the Quirk feel… powerful.
"I can grab these people and get them safe!" Dark Shadow protested in a monstrous voice.
"Wait!" Fumikage shouted.
As hard as he may try, the beast would not listen. Dark Shadow hovered over to another hostage and removed the bag covering their head. The man was white with a rather gaunt face. His blue eyes looked up and his brown hair fell in his face.
"There! Now let's get-"
"WHAT THE FUCK?! GET AWAY!"
The man attacked Dark Shadow by hitting him right in the dark beak. The Quirk yelled as it hovered closer to the man.
"Hey I'm trying to-"
"STAY BACK!"
Suddenly… the man reached for his waist and…
"HE'S GOT A GUN!" Elliot roared.
BANG
The bullet shot right through Dark Shadow and tore through the dark energy binding him to Fumikage.
"OWW! WHAT DIDYA DO THAT FOR?!" The Quirk shouted.
"STAY AWAY! JUST STAY AWAY FROM ME!"
Fumikage grunted loudly as he suddenly escaped Elliot's grasp, and he shot up trying to walk.
"Please don't fire!"
The man simply glanced at Fumikage, and his eyes filled with something alien… something unknown, as if all the light left his soul.
BANG
It felt like time had stopped, yet passed through in an instant. Pause then skip, and Fumikage suddenly heard no sound, he couldn't feel the pain in his leg, and yet…
He watched as blood poured out of his shoulder.
He screamed at the top of his lungs and fell to the ground backwards, the Timefall still raging. He turned over and his face was protected from the storm, but the bullet tore away at his muscles just as they have in his leg.
"FUMIKAGE!" Dark Shadow roared.
Its eyes became red and the beast grabbed the man.
"GET OFF ME!"
As this happened Elliot sprinted for Fumikage and quickly grabbed him. Fumikage felt Elliot swing his left arm over the man's back, and then he felt Elliot grab the back of his legs. The man hoisted the boy onto his shoulders, and he only saw the ground, his blood pouring from his body and creating a puddle of deep red…
"GET OUT OF HERE NOW!" He screamed at Cora.
Cora nodded and ran back towards the Distro Center, trying to get clear from the rain, and yet.
CLICK, BEEEEEP
Something felt… wrong, something felt… unknown. Cora felt a shortness in her breath and soon after, the pod on her chest lit up. A three-pronged Odradek suddenly came to life with a light blue light, and it started flapping its arms rapidly, almost like it was clapping its "fingers" into the center of its "palm." The clicking and strobing of the light became ever more present, and she backed away from the building. She kept backing up until she hit Elliot in the back.
"What are you doing?!"
"Shhh!" Cora blew as terror reigned on her face. Elliot stared at her, her eyes and face grimacing in horror, and Fumikage looked at her as well. However, he knew what was coming. He felt this sensation before with Cathal… in the cave. Cora looked at them both, Fumikage being held on Elliot's shoulders face down… and she let out a simple whisper.
"They're here…"
HRAWWWWWWWW
SPLAT
Suddenly, a handprint as black as the night sky slammed onto the ground, and the air grew cold. Another handprint shook the earth, and it came closer to the group. The flapping of the Odradek increased in speed, and soon, it started spinning, the lights turning from a pale blue to gold.
ROOOOOOOAAWWW
SPLAT
Another handprint slammed on the concrete as Dark Shadow and the stranger stopped, they too felt the horrid, unmistakable feeling of dread. A second pair of handprints appeared from inside the dilapidated building next to them, and it stomped its way out towards the people on the street. Without hesitation Dark Shadow retracted all the way into Fumikage's body, and it nestled inside of him like it was cuddling on his soul.
There's a monster in that place Fumikage! He cried.
"I… I… k-know…"
"Quiet." Elliot whispered.
The BT slowly approached the group, with Cora quickly covering her mouth, and Elliot doing the same. All three of them remained as silent as possible as the black handprints crept and hammered their way towards the group, the howling and screeching of the creatures haunting every one of them. Elliot felt sweat drench the back of his neck under his hood, and Cora could feel the air leaving her body, she struggled to breathe and wanted to take a deep breath. However, the Odradek only spun faster, so fast that the prongs looked nearly invisible. Yet, as Fumikage tried to look, his world became inverted. As he sat over Elliot's shoulder he simply saw the BT floating right in front of Cora, its umbilical cord floating away and moving rapidly in the sky. However, the hands simply turned towards Elliot and Fumikage, and he grunted with fear.
HEHEHEH YEAAHHHE
Something shook Fumikage to the core, he looked around trying to understand what he just heard, and Cora suddenly placed her hand on her chest. Fumikage looked down… and his eyes widened.
Inside the glowing orange pod… was a baby with an umbilical cord…
The small child looked Fumikage dead in the eye and placed both of its hands on the glass of the jar, and it blew bubbles from its mouth. Cora rubbed the glass trying to calm it down, yet it seldom worked. The baby cried and cried, and yet, for some reason the BT didn't react at all.
SPLAT
Another black handprint splat onto the ground right in front of Elliot, and the man held his breath for as long as his lungs would let him. Fumikage held his as well, and he could feel his heart squeezing inside of him. The loss of blood made it beat faster and faster, his vision became blurred, and he could barely stay awake. Is this it? Is this really the end?
SIIIIIIIII
Suddenly, all three of them saw smoke, a burning on the ground as a handprint stepped in blood. Cora and Elliot watched slowly and gazed upward noticing a trail, and then, they saw what it was.
The blood dripping from Elliot's shoulders, Fumikage's blood, seemed to be burning the BT before their very eyes.
HRA HRA HRA!
The BT made these strange choking noises, a howl that echoed living nightmares, and suddenly, the figure seemed to walk away. The handprints started forming in the opposite direction as a loud thud rang out, and soon, everyone took deep breaths. Cora and Elliot rested on each other's heads, and Fumikage took a massive breath, his eyes were heavy as he tried to stay awake, and Elliot suddenly moved. He ran for an area that was safe from the Timefall, and after some quick sprinting, he found a place covered by a bridge. He set Fumikage on the ground and stayed with him closely.
"Holy shit…" He exclaimed as he took several fast breaths. "Holy shit! I've never been that close to a BT before!"
KABOOOOM
The storm raged on as thunder clapped in the, a force so powerful it rattle buildings in the distance. Cora rushed to their side and carefully set Cathal on the ground, and as Fumikage moved his left hand over his mouth with fear, he could feel a faint breath tickle his skin.
"Oh fuck me we're surrounded." Cora cried, the Odradek was starting to settle down, each "clap" became slower until it suddenly stopped with the prongs sitting motionless.
"We need to get those other hostages out of there damnit, I'll go in, you make sure these two are safe." Elliot ordered.
"Let you go out there alone?!" Cora retorted. "You don't have DOOMS and you sure as hell don't have a BB either! And there's no way in Hell I'll leave you alone!"
Elliot scoffed with anger.
"Fine, come with me, we'll get those people and that guy, then we're getting out of here…"
Cora snapped her head towards FUmikage.
"I've done what I can to stop the bleeding, but you cannot under any circumstances move your shoulder, understand?" Cora asked.
"Y-yes…" Fumikage replied weakly.
With one final nod, Cora and Elliot stormed out into the rain, and the Odradek on Cora's shoulder started flapping once more. It was slow, it "clapped" once, then after about five seconds, it "clapped" again. Elliot crouched and slowly made his way towards a hostage, and he grabbed their wrists.
"We're with Bridges, we're getting you to safety." Elliot stated as he jogged back to the bridge with the hostage.
"Hmmmm! Mmmmm!"
Finally, Elliot returned with the stranger and unmasked them. She was a woman who appeared to be in her forties, and she took massive breaths.
"Thank you!" She said in a thick German accent.
"Elliot!"
Everyone looked as Cora returned with another hostage, and as she took off the black bag the stranger was revealed to be a man.
"Gracias señorita." He said in Spanish.
"De nada." Cora replied.
As they all sat under the bridge, Fumikage started to waver. He couldn't see at all, the world becoming a blur and lifeless. He felt his head slouch forward dangling from his neck, and he tried to move, tried to call for help. He blinked once… and was on the Beach.
He looked up and saw Izuku Mirdoriya, the boy who seemed so special even among his peers. The green and rustled hair, the freckles on his cheeks, his strong stature and aura, it all felt so real, so human… His face spoke terror and worry as he looked Fumikage dead in the eye, yet strangely he was wearing casual clothes. A cyan shirt with the words "dress shirt" written on the front, coupled with a pair of gym shorts.
"You have to bring us together again!" He said ominously. "Tokoyami I still believe in you. Come back to us!"
"Mi… dori…" Fumikage mumbled.
He closed his eyes again, and as he slowly opened them.
"Fumikage?! Son?! Where are you?!"
There he was, Fumikage's father Ken was standing on the beach wearing a professional black suit. His head was that of a black eagle, a hooked and tan yellow beak just like his son's and his eyes were a crimson red. He was stuttering around the Beach, the gray sands clamping to his black dress shoes like leeches, and his head was constantly on a swivel.
"Son I know you're out there! Your mother and I are terrified, please just come home!" He screamed. "I know you have the strength to find your way back! Use your power and follow your heart!"
Fumikage looked up… and tears fell from his eyes.
"Dad…" He said.
Ken looked over at him, with his son's body slouched against a rock.
"What was that?"
The man stepped toward the voice, and he took small, short steps.
"Dad… I'm right here…" Fumikage whimpered. His voice had become tired, dry, and nearly faint.
Ken knelt down in the sand in front of his son. He looked forward into Fumikage's eyes, their red beads nearly matching, and the man simply looked on.
"Dad… help me, ple-hease." Fumikage muttered as tears fell.
Fumikage started crying more and more, his confidence shattered and his soul crushed. He let out a cry like a child would, and Ken hugged him immediately.
"It's okay, it's okay you can get through this." He said.
"Dad!" Fumikage screamed.
"It's fine Ken… you can get through this…"
Fumikage stopped short for a moment.
"W-what?" Fumikage asked with a horribly scarred voice.
It felt like someone just stabbed him in the stomach, like all hope had been drained from his mind and body. There was something… off about his father.
"Fumikage's gone… you just have to accept it…"
"What?!" Fumikage cried with fear. "No, no I'm RIGHT HERE! DAD!"
Ken suddenly gasped. He backed away staring at his son with a surprised face. His beak slightly ajar, and suddenly... he started crying.
"Toyo?"
Fumikage… lost his voice.
What? Who… dad?
Fumikage closed his eyes and embraced his father in a tight hug. He was so scared, he felt like a small child once more. Yet as he opened his eyes.
"Guess you chose One for All in the end, but it looks like I made it too easy."
Fumikage cried in fear as his eyes shot open, and he slowly looked to his left. His father had disappeared, his beautiful black suit replaced by a black tarp-like cloth. And this voice felt sinister…
"You can fight as much as you want but this Big Bang is still coming Little Birdy…"
Fumikage shoved the man away, and Higgs simply looked down at him with that eerie smile. His golden skull mask coupled with that hood truly made him feel like he was staring at a Shinigami, death itself.
*WHEEEEEZE*
Fumikage jolted away as he was brought back to Mirror Knot City, the rain shooting down onto the earth with the might of a maelstrom, and Cora ran over to him.
"Are you alright? You passed out there!" She cried in terror.
Fumikage simply stared at her.
"Shit we still got two more out there!" Elliot cried.
Fumikage, Cora, and the two hostages all looked out into the street as the man from before and the last hostage stayed on the street. They were both motionless, with the brown haired man wavering back and forth, his pistol gripped hard in his hands. Elliot didn't hesitate, he sprinted back out into the rain, his hood automatically rising up and covering his head, he sprinted faster and faster through puddles and… tar.
"¡¿Pero qué estás haciendo?! ¡Ven aquí antes de que el Declive te de una buena hostia, puto maníaco!" The Spanish man cried.
But it didn't matter, Elliot kept moving forward while Fumikage did everything he could to stay awake, the blood loss from both his right shoulder and right leg were too much for him. His skin turned pale, his vision blurred, and his breath became weak.
There's nothing I can… do… He thought. I can't… let anyone else get hurt for my sake… not again… what do I do?
Elliot finally reached the final two hostages.
"Listen to me, we have to get out of here, there's BTs in the area and we're ill-equipped to deal with them right now!"
The man looked back up at Elliot, and he formed a twisted smile.
"We're already fucking dead." He chuckled in a disturbed manner. "Hhehheheheheeh, we're gonna fuckin' die!"
"Not on my watch, come on, give me the gun." Elliot said in a calm voice.
"Hehehehehehheheeh…." the man laughed.
Fumikage looked over, squinting his eyes as hard as he could muster and stared out at the street, the rain was raining with such intensity that it became difficult to see just a few feet away. The rain battered and destroyed the street, even just inches in front of him… he saw a stem. A plant grew from a crack in the road, starting with the root and suddenly the stem burst instantly. It grew taller and taller, greener, and in the end a beautiful white flower sprung forth. It was a sight, a hope in all of the despair brought forth, yet as Fumikage looked past… he saw it. A creature from the abyss itself as its umbilical cord waved in the air slowly. It's human form floating in the air, unmoving as it reached for the sky.
The BT was so close… yet so far…
"What's your name?" Elliot asked as he started to sweat. "I'm Elliot, nice to you Mr…"
The man looked at him again.
"Why does it matter? We're dead either wa-hay-hayyyy…."
"WOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
BANG BANG
The man took his pistol and started shooting in the air, his face covered in Timefall. Elliot tripped backwards from horror as he tried to get away from the madman.
"AHHH! AHHHH HOOO!" The man screamed.
With every passing moment, his face aged. Wrinkles rapidly appeared and his laugh lines became far more defined. His hair was burned a gray coloring, and his skin became old and leathery.
SPLAT SPLAT SPLAT SPLAT
The BT started running, handprints slammed and crushed the concrete underneath as it violently charged towards the screaming man, and Fumikage grit his teeth. Suddenly, a large pool of tar burst forth underneath the man, and bodies squirt from the tar.
HRAWWWWW
Each and every body from the pool reached and grabbed the man's legs, pulling him downward. They clawed, dragged, and slapped the man all over.
"OH FUCK! FUCK FUCK FUCK!"
The man dropped his gun and Elliot reached for it, he grabbed the weapon and pulled the slide backwards, loading a bullet into the chamber.
"HA AHA AHHH AHH HELP MEEEEE-HEEEEEE!"
Elliot took a deep breath, and he shed a tear. Fumikage saw it all.
"NO!"
In a burst of adrenaline, Fumikage shot into the air and sprinted out into the Timefall, his hood rising above and covering his head. He felt the blood pouring from his shoulder and leg as he limped and fought his way towards Elliot.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" Cora screamed.
"¡Espera!" The man cried.
"What the hell?!" The German girl cried.
Fumikage limped and ran as much as he could, Elliot lined the shot, and suddenly.
"NOO NOOOOO HELP!"
The BTs dragged the man through the tar at speeds so fast that they knocked FUmikage over in an instant. The man was being dragged faster, and faster.
"I'm sorry…"
BANG
The BTs vanished instantly, the tar evaporated, the umbilical cords disappeared from all sight, and Fumikage was left speechless. He couldn't breath, only gasps and mutters left his beak, as he was petrified by the events. He grabbed his chest… and he coughed, almost puked on the ground.
The stranger laid dead with a hole straight through his skull, and blood poured out onto the street with a violent ebb and flow.
Elliot turned over and ripped the bag off the final hostage's head.
"We need to run!" He cried.
The person didn't say a word, only followed as Elliot helped them to their feet and they sprinted towards Fumikage. Once they reached the boy, Elliot stared at him with raging eyes, like the beacons of light tore him asunder in this foul stage.
"What are you doing?! You're injured and BTs are everywhere!" He shouted.
You killed that man…
YOU CAN'T TRUST HIM
Why…? He was just scared…
Fumikage looked up weakly at Elliot, who continued to stare at the raven-headed boy with rage in his eyes.
"I'm sorry, but it just felt like my body moved on its own!" Fumikage cried.
"Well I don't care! We need to get the fuck out of here now!"
Just then however, something changed. The streets nearly vanished as a black liquid soon rose, and within seconds it reached Elliot's knees.
"Oh shit! Where did this tar come from?!"
"ELLIOT!"
Every turned as Cora and the two other hostages ran towards them, and reached their hands out.
RAAAWWWWWWOOOOAAA
BTs erupted from the ground and grabbed Cora and the two strangers by the legs, they pulled the trio into the earth.
"No oh GOD! HELP!" Cora cried.
"CORA!" Elliot screamed.
He trudged through the tar, BTs dragging him down into the surface, and he reached out his arm trying to grab his beloved. Cora did the same as a BT grabbed her by the stomach and tried to bring her into the mud. The others screamed like they were in a a waking nightmare, the abominations scratched and tugged at their arms. Fumikage tried to help until he felt a BT grab him by his upper thigh.
"YAAAA!" He roared.
He slammed his left arm into a BT, only for another one to spring up and thrust itself onto Fumikage's chest.
"GET OFF! DARK SHADOW!"
The Quirk emerged from his stomach and attacked several BTs at once.
"I got em Fumikage!"
REAAAA
"What the?!"
A mass of BTs shoved Dark Shadow into the tar and grabbed onto Fumikage as well.
"I CAN'T MOVE!" Dark Shadow cried.
Fumikage grunted loudly as a BT grabbed his shoulder and tore at his wound, and the others were struggling to break free.
Why…
Cora and Elliot managed to grab their hands and embrace, the BTs slowly pulling them in to the tar.
Why is this happening…
Come back!
Why is everyone suffering?
The other strangers grabbed onto each other and beat the BTs as best as they could.
Is this my fault?
Another BT grabbed Fumikage and finally knocked him off his feet. He felt himself being dragged away from the group as tar flew into his mouth, and he choked trying to stay awake.
Hey Tokoyami! Tsuyu Asui said in the back of his mind. Did you want to have lunch with us?
Yo, come hang out with me man! Said Eijiro Kirishima.
Why…
Yet in the back of his mind… laid a single figure, no, there were several. It was his friends, his family.
No… NO!
And with every morsel in his body, every cell, every muscle… Fumikage ripped his head out of the BTs hands… his eyes bursting. With the power of all his might, he let out a scream.
"STOOOOOPPPPP!"
CRACK
Something cracked in the air, as if the wind itself just… shattered like glass
BOOOOOOOOOM
A flash appeared and absorbed everything in sight. It was so bright and so warm that Fumikage covered his face in shock, it was powerful, so much so that the BTs all evaporated before they could take him, and then… silence.
"What…."
He looked at the empty street and…
Where is everyone…?
Yet as he stared…
They all vanished from sight, not a soul to be found.
The rain continued to pour in the city as the boy laid on the ground, the pain in his leg eating away at him once again. For moment, it seemed that all the dangers of this world simply ceased, a moment of respite in this horror. Fumikage could finally breathe, finally have a chance alone to himself. Yet he couldn't take his mind off the events. For a mere two hours, he had seen and experienced more things than anything else in his entire life. It was cold, crude, and yet deep in his heart he was truly... afraid.
Did... did I do that? He thought in confused terror. What's happening to me?
The only person that remained was the last hostage, who stumbled in the street trying to understand what was going on. They took one step forward, then two to the side. Fumikage looked up and tried to grab their attention, his arm still bleeding.
"Hello?!" He cried.
Yet the person turned around… wearing a golden mask. They simply stared not saying a word. Then, they took their index finger and brought it to their mouth.
"Shhhhhh." They shushed.
And with a simple stare, it felt like the world had truly ended. Fumikage's heart stopped… and a massive black "being" appeared from behind this stranger. A being with golden fingers on its head, a being that appeared human but was as tall and as large as a skyscraper. It looked down, choking and gurgling on something, and suddenly its golden fingers opened up, revealing a golden circle inside. It growled and screamed… and finally…
It dropped down and ate the stranger.
And within seconds, a bright white light emerged from the being. Gravity became heavy, the rocks fell to the ground, Fumikage was helpless, and all he could do… was watch. The light absorbed him, and within a single second... Fumikage let out a blood-curdling scream, and his body was...
"YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"
BLINK
A boy longing for answers appeared. A boy who wanted to know what happened drifted in the open space looking for something. Everything felt so real, yet it felt like an illusion. What was real, what was fake? Where was he? Blood dripped from his face as he tried to remain balanced. He looked out at the mountains in the distance, the fields, the trees and the rivers. The Timefall was gone, and all that remained was a clear blue sky, something so beautiful that he became lost in the moment
"Hello?" Cathal asked with a broken nose, blood continued to pour from his head and nose. "Fumikage?!"
What happened here? He thought. All I remember is that asshole hitting me and-
And yet as the boy turned around, his heart stopped. His lungs constricted and he lost his breath. The shock of what he had just witnessed… destroyed him. And all it took was a single glance.
"No…" He managed to mutter. Tears welled up and fell from his cheeks. "No… no no no no no no…"
Yet the reality set in, for what Cathal saw was indeed the truth. No matter how much he wished it to be a nightmare, a dream he couldn't wake from, he couldn't deny what he saw.
Mirror Knot City… was gone… and all that remained...
Was a citywide… black… crater…