Hey, everyone, how are ya? This is the first official chapter of my new fic, or fics. Yeah, there's a bit of a gimmick to this one. This fic is actually half of a pair. The other one should be posted soon after. This is the Blood Red version, so this is technically the 'villain' side of the series. if you want to see the 'hero' side, check out the Acid Pink version. I'll be alternating when I post the chapters after Chapter 1. It'll likely be Blood Red then Acid Pink, so this one will likely be updated a bit sooner. But enough with that boring talk. Lets talk about the fic itself. I've read quite a few self-insert fics in my time, but the ones that I always liked best were the ones where the self-insert takes over the body of an existing character. Like for example, Why am I on Fire? By Yojimbra. But what bugged me was that for most of them, there seemed to be a lack of fics where the self-insert was in a villain. I saw maybe one for Shigaraki, and that was it. So I rectified that with this version of The World in My Hands. I have so much planned, and I am so excited for this, so enjoy!
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What's interesting about sleep is just how much you can ignore in that state. Of course, it depends on the person, but a lot of us can slumber through so much chaos. We could sleep through massive fires, gargantuan thunderstorms, destructive tornadoes. To sum up my point, sleep makes us oblivious. Or at least, makes me oblivious. I'm a heavy sleeper. Very little can wake me up and I've woken up after roughly eight and a half hours since I was like ten.
Why talk about this? It's to establish why my first thought on waking up in a dank alleyway was not how I got there, but rather, what the hell woke me up?My guess was that someone had moved me. Or they had snuck in and built a very detailed replica of a dirty city alleyway in my apartment, but that was… less likely (still won't count it out though. Anne and Jake can be very creative).
I pushed up from the ground and managed to stagger to my feet. Something was… off with me, but the wave of exhaustion hitting kept me from figuring it out. That itself was weird too. I've never had too much trouble sleeping. The hell was going on? I scanned the alleyway as I tried to no avail to shake myself awake. Immediately, my eyes caught the form of a glass bottle roughly in the same spot I had been laying. Must have rolled under me somehow.
I shook my head. What was with this? Once I was up, I was good to go in about a minute. But this tiredness hung like a haze over me. It felt like fog in my brain. What the hell? That kind of thing happens if you don't get your sleep, but I know I went to sleep around nine last night, and from the sky it looked like mid-morning. What was going on?
Save the questions for later. Now I have to get out of here and get home. When I do, I can tell Jake to quit the pranks. Don't even know what's funny about this one. "Ha-ha, I put you in an alleyway Evan, now you'll be mildly inconvenienced this morning?".
The walk out was quick. I saw some strange shapes passing by, But I chalked it up to my strangely groggy state. Must be hallucinating. It turns out I was not hallucinating, but likely still dreaming. The crowd I was in was not normal. Sure they were bustling and walking to and fro like an average city, but it was all off. Blue hair there, green hair over there, bright orange skin on the left, and does that guy have a goddamned plant for a head?! What the hell what the hell what the hell?
I started to walk faster, my breathing increasing in pace as I looked around, trying to find a familiar sight to ground me, only to fail utterly. This wasn't Chicago. I knew that city like the back of hand, knew all the landmarks. This place had none of them. I reached down and pinched my hand. Pain shot through it, even more than what was normal. My nails felt sharper, and my skin was somehow more sensitive. That was weird, but I was too focused on my increasing panic to contemplate that. I wasn't dreaming, so what was going on?
The more I walked, the more frantic I became, and the more people with strange features I saw, all walking and acting as if nothing was wrong, as if this was the norm. Plant guy was dressed in a business suit and appeared to be having a casual chat with one man with a dog head. What the fuck?
After ten minutes, I was desperate for answers. I got them when I stopped to catch my breath in front of an electronics shop. I looked over to the TVs on display in the front windows and saw something that put all the pieces together. It was an interview. The woman doing it was normal looking for what I'd seen, but the person she was questioning was a familiar face. But that can't… How? That's just fiction! But there it as clear as day. Hulking, massive muscles, stuffed into a gaudy yellow pinstripe suit and barely fitting the chair he was given. Bright blonde hair that stuck up in the front like bunny ears. And a smile that could put out a thousand watts. It the Symbol of Peace. The Superman analog. A character in anime and Manga only. All Might.
It clicked at that revelation. The strange appearances and weird hair colors were due to quirks! And looking around, I spotted a billboard with an ad for clothing. The model? A familiar snake haired hero. I no idea how, but I had been dropped into My Hero Academia. That shook off any grogginess that the panic hadn't.
I reached out and put my hand on the window as my mind started to settle, but that's when I noticed something wrong. The hand on the window, didn't look like my hand. It was smaller, softer looking, and the arm attached to it was clothed in the tan sleeve of what looked like a cardigan. That's when I started to notice more things that felt wrong. Little things. My weight feeling lighter, my clothes feeling looser, breezier, and I could feel my hair was longer, and pinned up on top of my head.
I looked down to examine my body. I was wearing a tan cardigan over… a girl's uniform? That was confirmed by the skirt. Was I a girl?! Further examination said yes. My earlier settling was thrown out the window as my breathing quickened and I started to panic. Not only was I somehow in an anime, but I was a girl too!
Hy heart started hammering in my chest, the noise around me quieting as the world fell. One thought dominated my mind as soon as it popped into my head. The outfit I was wearing. It looked familiar.
I have to see myself. Not that I think that theory is true, but I just… have to know. I started running, pushing people aside as I searched frantically for someplace with a mirror. Find a mirror find a mirror find a mirror find a- aha! There! I barged into the clothing store, not even bothering with the attendant, who luckily just gave me a weird look and didn't do much else. The place was small but not dirty, so there had to be a mirror here.
Come on come on com- finally! The reflective surface caught my eye from a mile away. Each step toward it only made my nerves fray more. I knew that outfit, and it would fir the universe, but it had to be wrong, right? I was nearly there after what felt like hours, my reflection starting to some into clear view. Ash blonde hair, pinned up into two messy buns, a roundish face, yellow eyes with cat-like pupils, and when I opened my mouth, I could see sharpened canines. No way to deny it. The person staring back at me was Himiko Toga, future member of the League of Villains. That was who I was now, or whose body I was in, or- whatever!
The fuck am I supposed to do? I backed up, the figure in the mirror doing the same, and I moved faster, not looking behind me. Have to get out of here, find somewhere to think. Get out get out get out get- I felt an impact on my back as I collided with someone, and I heard an exclamation of surprise.
"Ow! Watch it! Nah you're good."
I knew that voice. I turned quickly to see a man in his early thirties, looking pretty average, aside from the grey and black mask over his face. There was no mistaking the voice, and the odd declaration. Plus there was the mask. This was Twice. Of course! Why wouldn't I run into Twice in a random clothing store in Japan in an anime world!? Why not run into one of my future teammates or– wait I'm in control, should I join the League? I tried to calm my shaking as I apologized.
"S-sorry tw-sir…"
Hearing Toga of all people's voice come out of my mouth was not helping my mental state, and it was strange hearing it sound so…unsure and shaky. Twice, despite his face being covered, looked confused, before the look shifted to one of vague concern. Guess he noticed the state I was in.
"You okay? You don't look too good. You look great!"
His double talk was confusing, not helping the fact that my head had started spinning. His concern shifted to a look of…recognition? He took a step toward me.
"Hey, you look familiar. Have we met before? No we haven't!"
That was weird. Why did Twice of all people recognize me- I mean Toga? I tried to look back at my experience with the anime, but I was too panicked, and the world was spinning. It just made my head hurt more.
Twice looked like he had just had some sort of revelation, before he spoke in one voice, no contradictions.
"What's your name?"
I opened my mouth to respond, but I was stopped as a wave of vertigo hit me. I stumbled back, swaying on my feet as spots began to appear in my vision. Twice's look of revelation turned to panic.
"What's going on?! Are you okay?!"
The spots began to grow, blobs filling my sight, and I felt my legs give out. I was losing consciousness.
Just before I finally faded, I felt someone catch me. I looked up, and the last thing I saw was twice, looking down at me, worried. Ah well. It didn't matter. I opened my arms and let the darkness swallow me up. I didn't expect that darkness to turn white.
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The white faded quickly, and I found myself in a new place. It was a rather large room, stark white in all appearance. The walls, floor, and ceiling were all the same bright white color, and from what I saw, there was no furniture. It was surreal enough that I immediately guessed, aha! Now this is the dream! And yet it was somehow less weird than the waking world I had just been in. I looked down. Thankfully, I was myself again. Medium brown hair, a t-shirt and jeans, and a bit of muscle Jake always said I was way too proud of. I let out an all too relieved sigh before a voice behind me made me freeze.
"Hi! Who are you? Are you a new friend?"
I turned slowly, to see Himiko Toga waving at me enthusiastically. Okay, that actually made some sense. Maybe once I passed out, I entered a dream state of sorts. Toga's mind must still be in her body, but I'm in control. That was not important right now. What was important was the homicidal teenager currently approaching me, getting far too close for comfort.
"Uh, hi. I'm…. uh…Evan. Nice to meet you?"
Toga giggled at that.
"You seem so nervous. That's cute."
That was not good.
"Thanks, I guess?"
"Now then Evie, do you know where we are?"
"Uh, I'm not sure. A dream maybe?"
Toga smiled at that.
"That's right. A dream. Now,"
Her look turned serious before a knife appeared in her hand, and in a flash, it was up against my throat. I was terrified, but then again, she couldn't kill me in a dream, right? Right?
"Will you explain why you're in my dream? After running around in my body?"
I gulped.
"You saw that?"
She glared; all levity gone.
"Of course I did. I saw it all. I felt it all too. I just couldn't control it. I wasn't sure what was going on, but now I know. That was you. How did you do it?"
I yelped as she pressed the knife closer to my throat.
"I don't know! I just woke up in your body I'm sorry! If I could leave I would! I didn't even think this was possible it was fiction!"
That made her pause.
"Fiction?"
Shit. I said too much. I was never good under pressure.
She got closer, a glint of curiosity in her eyes.
"What do you mean fiction?"
I swallowed hard. This was going to be one hell of an explanation.
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"This was a story to you?"
"Yeah."
"And you don't know why you're in my body?"
"Yeah. That sums it up."
We had changed the room to be a bit more comfortable since this was a sort of mind space. It now half resembled my apartment. Toga's influence had caused parts of it to resemble a girly nightmare, with bright pink and white walls, and several over-sized stuffed animals. The table was another victim, looking like a cross between my dining room table and a table little girls would use to host tea parties. As such, it had no chairs, both of us sitting on the floor on either side of it.
Toga looked, perturbed, for lack of a better word, by my explanation. She had been skeptical at first, and I had nearly been stabbed several times, even after she had realized I was not malevolent, but she believed me after I spouted several intimate details about her life, thanking my lucky stars I had chosen to watch subs for season five and had seen the more recent episodes.
The blonde girl was silent for a bit, which made me a bit nervous.
"You okay?"
She looked up, and smiled.
"I'm fantastic. So tell me, do I ever find someone to love? Do people love me? You gotta tell me, Evie!"
She was getting in my personal space again, serious disposition all but forgotten.
"Uh, I can answer some of that. People do like you. Everyone loves a good villain after all."
She paused at that.
"Villain? I'm a villain?"
I was a bit surprised at that.
"Aren't you already a villain in this world already? But yeah. You're one of the main antagonists."
Her smile dropped a bit at that.
"Oh."
That was odd. Toga didn't seem the type to be affected by that. Then again, from what I saw, she is good at putting up masks. The thought hit me. Now what? Obviously, I had no idea how to exit her body, so for now I was stuck. I could change canon, help the heroes. But that would be easier with the guarantee that a crazy teenage girl wouldn't be screaming at me twenty-four -seven. So how to convince her? That look struck me and an idea formed. I made sure to keep my voice even as I spoke.
"That's strange. Do you not like being a villain?"
She looked down. For a minute as she spoke, her voice quiet.
"Well, maybe. But this is better. I don't have to hide behind a mask, pretending to be 'normal'"
She practically spat the last word. My guess was it was something one of her parents said to her. Her smile returned, but it was more forced.
"Why don't we talk about something fun? This is boooring!"
There was something she didn't want to tell me. I decided to press the issue. After the first few stab attempts, I learned that we couldn't harm each other, so I was far more confident I wouldn't be hurt.
"You don't miss anyone? Any family or friends?"
Her grin faltered at that. Got her.
"N-no. My family was horrible. You should know that."
"I do, but fiction can only show two dimensions. There must be things I couldn't know. There might be people you still care for. Who care for you. Who were sad and shocked when you left."
She looked away, avoiding my eyes.
"I guess. But this is the only way I can live like me. It's the only way I can do whatever I want, so I guess it's not so bad. I just wish I didn't have to hide. I wish that I could do what I wanted without people judging."
I grimaced at that. My opinion of MHA society was…not great. It was a place with systems badly in need of fixing. And it was my opinion that the league as characters were all products of those systems. But still, a question poked at my brain that I just had to ask.
"Is that all you want? What would you do if you had that freedom?"
That made her stop. She was silent for awhile. My guess? She never really thought about it, aside from draining people's blood. I kept going.
"Would you keep doing what you do now. Draining random people's blood? Is that really what you want to do for the rest of your life? Or is that just your quirk talking?"
Toga stayed silent, a far away look in her eyes. Huh. Didn't expect it to be that easy to evoke an existential crisis. Then again, I'm barely putting off having one myself. It took a few minutes (seconds I have no fucking clue how time works here.) before I heard a quiet response.
"I…don't know."
That was a response I was half expecting and half not expecting. But that fit perfectly with my plan.
"Then I think I might have something that could help us both. You were failed by the system. Honestly if you had been given the proper therapy you could have easily dealt with the effects of your quirk. But that didn't happen. You were pressured to be normal to fit in. This society failed you."
Her head perked up and she leaned in a bit as I continued. I smiled at that. If there was one thing I pride myself on, it's being persuasive. I stood up at this point and began to pace, gesturing as I spoke.
"You want to be who you are, but how can that happen if people are still forced to fit a mold? It's a ridiculous idea from a time when there weren't people capable of flight. So why not try to change that? Why not show people the problems with the world they live in? I know you aren't the only one who has been hurt. We might be able to do something. That could be a concrete goal."
I held my hand out to her, having stopped pacing to stand beside her seat.
"And one we work toward together, for as long as I am here. As I said, I don't know how I'm here, but I think I know why. To help you. So will you let me help you Toga?"
Toga looked at my hand for a minute before grinning widely. It was honestly a little unsettling.
"That was quite the speech, Evie. I think I like you. But since I can't stab you to make you my friend, I think I'll try this."
She grasped my hand, and gave it a firm shake.
"How about you call me Himiko?"
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I really hope I wrote Toga at least slightly in character. My explanation for some of it is that this is of course a sort of dream space, and that the person who controls the body controls the quirk, and thus Toga, relegated to her dreamspace, is not as affected by her quirk as Evan will be as we go on in the story, so she isn't as psychotic. And Evan himself is fun to write too. The notes on both versions will be going into the differences between the main characters, so this is Evan's. Unlike Jake (the main character of Acid Pink), Evan is kind of high strung and does not take pressure well. He tends to freak out if something throws him off, hence his reaction for the first half of this chapter. However, he's also pretty smart and persuasive if he puts his mind to it, hence how he got Toga on his side. Also, I kind of threw Twice in there a bit for fun, and for a reveal down the road, but that's neither here nor there. See ya guys next time, and have a great day!