Journey to the Past
Chapter 4: Revenge and Regrets
Toga had served under Tomura Shigaraki since before the siege. A bat of refined tastes: all she desired was the opportunity to taste the delicious blood of cute girls and handsome men. Shigaraki promised her ample opportunities to feast on the blood of others, provided that she followed his orders.
She had delighted in tasting the blood of royalty; the princesses they'd slaughtered had been so cute and their blood was sweet from plush living. She stayed loyal to him just for the chance of tasting that sweet red nectar again.
"Tomura-kun! Tomura-kun!" She flapped through the broken window of his hideout and landed on the bar counter. "I've got great news!"
"What is it, Toga?" Tomura swished the liquid in his glass, admiring the golden liquor with a speculative eye.
Before Toga could say what she wanted the door burst open. Toya Todoroki, known to his new companions as Dabi, sludged into the hideout shivering off the bitter cold of the night.
"Its fucking freezing outside." He tossed snow off his coat and brushed Toga aside. "Move, you crazy rodent." He reached behind the counter of the bar for a bottle of whisky.
"Humph! You're so mean, Dabi!"
"You shut up, I've been out in the freaking cold collecting Intel." He took a swig. "They moved up the schedule. My father, brother, and his guard are taking a train out tomorrow afternoon."
"We better move up our plans too. We can't miss the opportunity to finish what my master started ten years ago."
"Were you able to acquire the item?" Dabi asked, lounging into a dusty old love seat.
To answer, Tomura stood up and went over to a drawer and pulled out a small brass chest. He opened it and the eerie green glow that emitted lured Dabi and Toga over to him.
"The source of my master's power… it is now ours to use." He stroked the glass watching the ghostly figures dance inside. "More power than we ever imagined… the power that extinguished the entire royal lineage and freed our country from their feeble monarchy."
"Well… almost." Toga giggled. "There were two survivors, after all."
"We'll take care of… wait." Tomura closed the box. "Two survivors?"
"Yeah there's the Queen that we're gonna assassinate in Tattoin, and then there's the Prince!"
"You mean to tell me you found that royal brat and didn't bother to tell me?!"
"Well I tried to, but you and Dabi were-" Toga nervously tapped her wings together.
"Shut up!" Tomura sliced his hand through the air. "Just tell me where he is before I wring your tiny neck."
"Oh, he's at the old palace with those funny guard men." Toga smiled. "You know the ones who were holding auditions for lookalikes."
"So my brother's pathetic friends actually found the genuine article." Dabi laughed. "A pity the prince will be dead before the two will be reunited."
"This is the perfect opportunity to test out the power." Tomura pulled out the reliquary from it's box. He held it up and Toga and Dabi circled around him, ready for a real show.
"So how does it work exactly?" Dabi reached over to touch the glass. "Do we just say what we want or-" The moment his finger touched the glass the reliquary activated. A black portal swallowed them up pulling the three of them and the artifact inside.
"KYA!" Toga flapped violently trying to stay upright, but the portal sucked them right into a big black abyss.
"Dabi what did you do!?" Tomura shouted as he claimed in the air.
"ME!? It was your stupid idea! SHIT!" They crash landed on a pile of bones. The impact scattering the marrow all over. "Oof! Shit that hurt!"
"Incoming!" Toga fluttered and landed atop Dabi's head. "Whew! Nice catch, BLEGH!" She made a squishy sound as Dabi grabbed her in his palm and squeezed her tight.
"Crazy rodent, get off me." He tossed her sway and scrambled off the pile of bones. "Boss you alive?"
"I think so, but where the hell are we?" Tomura dusted himself off looking around.
"The better question to ask, dear Tomura… is where in limbo are we?"
Tomura choked back a scream when the voice startled him from nowhere. He whirled around and saw the figure emerging from the shadows.
"Master? You're alive?"
"Yes, in a manner of speaking." To make his point, All for One removed his head from his shoulders. Toga shrieked and Dabi made a sickened face at the sight. Tomura just stared in awe.
"Limbo… we're in limbo?"
"Yes, when you activated the reliquary it sensed my presence and brought you to me." All for One held out his hands and he took the artifact from Shigaraki, sighing with relief. "My soul is stuck between life and death, for the curse I placed on the Royal family has not yet come to full fruition."
"That's right, you sold your soul for the power to destroy King Toshinori's legacy. Two members of his family still live." Tomura clenched his fists. "We must kill them, and set your soul free."
"Yes, you are correct, Tomura. My loyal ward, will you and your companions accept this gift…" he held out the artifact, the green mists swirling around him, Dabi, and Toga. "...and use it to destroy my enemies!"
Tomura shuddered as the power resonated inside him. He recalled the first time he'd tasted it, that quick ripple of excitement at possessing such raw power. He smiled wickedly.
Next to him, Dabi's hands ignited with flame and he laughed eerily. Toga did a little air dance and morphed into human form, her beautiful teenage body covered only by long locks of blonde hair.
"Yay! I'm finally cute again!" Toga spun around and the green light shimmered into a simple skirt and tunic. "Master's like a Fairy GodMother."
"Yes, and just like Cinderella, these powers are only temporary. They will last for one week. If you wish to make them permanent, then you must fulfill my wishes, and destroy the last of the Toshinori dynasty!"
"It will be done, Master." Tomura bowed low. "We will set you free from this place, and end Prince Izuku and his mother Queen Inko."
"Good, now go, my children." All for One summoned the portal and transported back to the world of the living. "Fulfill your duty!"
Once they were gone, All for One looked into the glowing reliquary. In it he saw visions of the young prince, holding a blonde puppy as he happily talked with a redhead.
"Prince Izuku… soon you will pay for what you have cost me." All for One strokes fingers over his scarred face. "For were it not for you, I would have succeeded in destroying the royal line."
~With Deku and the Others~
"What do you mean he's gone!?" Kirishima gawked at the guard of the Todoroki manor.
"I'm sorry Eijirou, but due to the Prince's strange behavior. Lord Enji moved up the schedule." He handed Kirishima the packets. "The prince did manage to give me these though."
Iida took the packet and opened it.
"Train tickets and Passports for all of us." Iida noted the time stamp. "The train leaves in an hour. We can still make it if we hurry."
"Alright let's go then!" Kirishima saluted. "Thanks for the heads up, Tetsutestsu!"
"No problem! Godspeed!" He saluted back as the two hurried to meet with Denki and Izuku.
"Change of plans, we're leaving right now! Iida, you're the fastest, can you handle grabbing our cash and gear while we check in?"
"Naturally! I'll meet you at the gates!" Iida hurried off, and Kirishima wrapped an arm around Deku.
"Ready to meet your destiny, your highness?"
"As I'll ever be… but wait, are we really leaving the country? I don't have a passport and neither does Kacchan."
"No worries'' Kirishima held up the packet. "We've got ya covered. Iida will meet us at the gate with our belongings, and once we're safely aboard the train we'll make arrangements to meet up with Prince Todoroki. No sweat!"
~Meanwhile~
Shoto glanced around the train station, his father's guards keeping the bulk of the foot traffic away from the two rear cars that served as the VIP rooms. He gave a deep sigh and pulled out the drawing from his pocket, stroking a thumb over the face.
"Maybe… you really are gone." He sighed heavily and lowered his head. "It was stupid to get my hopes up."
"Shoto…" Enji strutted to his son. "It's time to board, son. We must get you out of sight and secured." He looked around cautiously, scowling.
"I still don't understand why we had to leave early. There's plenty of time between now and-"
"It's your own fault, Shoto. You've been neglecting your duties, and letting yourself become distracted by these peasants you call friends. They will be inconsequential to you once you take your place as King."
"If I do. Izuku could-"
"Stop talking about such nonsense. The boy is dead." Enji looked at the paper he clenched and he yanked it away. Shoto got a look of pure fear and panic on his face.
"Don't-"
"I'm holding onto this until we reach our destination. When we do, you are to hand it over to Queen Inko." He folded it and placed it in his breast pocket. "If anyone should have this, it's her."
Shoto opened his mouth to retort… but quickly silenced himself. His father, as much as it pained to admit it, had a point. If Izuku truly was dead, then Inko would need all the comfort she could get. It was only right that she'd have this momento of Izuku.
"Very well." He conceded.
"Good, now let's go inside." He motioned him towards the train. "We've a lot to discuss during our journey. I want to make sure we're good and settled in before bringing up business."
Shoto stayed silent, but paused as he took the first step into the train. He turned his head looking out at the crowd of thousands in the train station. When he didn't see the face he'd been looking for he hung his head, closed his eyes tightly and disappeared inside.
~Some Time Later~
"Whew! We made it!" Iida tossed their bags into the front baggage car just as the last boarding whistle rang.
"Barely! Come on man, let's go before they take off!" Kirishima leapt into the next car presenting his ticket and passport to the checker.
One by one they entered, Izuku and Bakugou bundled in a carry-on to prevent any further questions or delay. The picture the Prince had provided for his passport was blurry but the image matched enough that he was given a pass. He let out a slow breath and looked around.
"This is my first time on a train. It's so cool!"
"You'll get used to it once you reunite with your family. I hear Queen Inko loves to travel down to Lake Nabu for vacation. It's really pretty scenery." Denki commented.
"Queen Inko… you mean my mother, right?" Izuku felt a fluttering in his chest. "I can't wait to see her. If anyone would know if I'm really the prince, she will."
"That's right, though Shoto should be able to recognize you too. He's thought about you a lot these past ten years." Kirishima gave him a playful slap and jerked his thumb towards a room. "Here we go. Rooms 3A and 4A…We're just one cabin away from the baggage car which will be the perfect meeting spot."
"Should we pass on the message for Lord Shoto to meet us now?" Iida inquired.
"Not yet. Better wait until the train is good and gone from the station. This way if Lord Enji happens to find out what we're up to, it'll be too late for him to do anything about it." Kirishima suggested.
"Oh yeah, good idea, Bro!" Kaminari gave a thumbs up.
"What the hell does this Lord Enji have against Deku anyway? I mean aside from the fact that it's Deku!" Bakugou growled and took the spot by the window. Everyone else sat down to have a quick pow wow of their own.
"That is a good question, Kacchan. I would think Lord Enji would be happy to know I was alive. Weren't he and King Toshinori friends and allies?"
"It's kinda complicated…" Kirishima scratched his cheek. "They were friendly, but they were also rivals. The Todoroki family were second tier in the royal lineage, so the only thing keeping Enji from sitting on the throne himself was the Toshinori family."
"I see… that's kind of disheartening. I'd always heard that Lord Enji was a good and fair man."
"He is, when it comes to ruling." Iida explained. "He's just… eager in his endeavors I guess you could say. He works hard to make sure he and his family have stature and wealth."
"That still doesn't-" Deku yelped and jerked forward a little as the train pulled away from the station. He quickly got distracted, and leaned towards the window to watch the scenery of Aldera pass by.
"Move your fat head, Deku! I can't see!" Bakugout barked, pressing his paws on the window sil and nudging his nose so he could look out the window too. "Ha! See yah later, hell hole!" He yipped when Kirishima plucked him up. "I don't need your help, Shitty hair!"
"Easy, Bro, just trying to give you a better view." Kirishima laughed and then set him on his lap when he did nothing but growl. "So… we need to figure out how to jog your memory. Iida and I know a lot about the Toshinori family in general terms, but Shoto's the expert."
"Could very well be that there's nothing to jog." Deku shrugged and rubbed the back of his neck. "It could just be a coincidence that I look like him, am the same age as him, and... stuff."
"I highly doubt that." Kirishima pointed a finger at him like a gun. "Nah, you're the real deal, alright. I just have this feeling, yah know?"
"Humph," Bakugou grunted and slumped into Kirishima's lap. "Fat chance."
"If it is true, then I'd just be grateful to have found where I belong. Do you think Lord Shoto would know who I could go to in order to get Kacchan back to normal?"
"Oh I wouldn't worry about that…" Iida motioned with his hand. "I have a friend whom we'll see in Tatooin that has some knowledge of magic. In fact she is good friends with your mother."
"Really? Oh that's good."
"You're talking about your sweetheart, right?" Kaminari nudged Iida making him blush. "Oooh yeah, you are. I knew there was a reason why the big stiff wanted to come."
"Oh yeah, and Mina will be there too!" Kirishima grinned. "Can't wait to see our old friends."
"Sweetheart?" Izuku smiled. "iida-kun I didn't realize you were in such a relationship."
"Not officially, I'm afraid…" Iida held his heart and stood up from his seat. His arms positioned and spread in wide elaborate moves that covered the whole room. "She's a tender woman, warm and inviting and I hope to one day express my undying love and devotion to her."
"There he goes…" Kirishima chuckled and ducked Iida's moving arms.
"Blegh, all this talk about love is making me sick." Bakugou grunted and barked when he was lifted up and made to dance with Iida in the cramped space. "Hey! Put me down!"
"Is that a dog I hear?!" A voice called out from behind the door. Everyone paused and panicked. Izuku snagged Bakugou back from Iida and shoved him in his bag. Before Bakugou could complain he gagged him with a sock and closed the latch. The door opened and a thin but tall and intimidating man filled the doorway. He wore a very neat and tidy black and blue garment and adjusted his spectacles while his eys scanned the room. "I heard barking."
"Sir Nighteye, I didn't expect to see you on this trip!" Kirishima stood up and maneuvered himself forward. "Yes you did hear a dog, but that was just our friend Deku here. We were playing a game you know, where you act out scenes and stuff. It is a long trip to Tattooin after all."
"Well do keep it down as all that noise is bothering the other passengers. You may be friends of the young lord, but if you continue to make a nuisance of yourself I'll have no choice but to dismiss you at the next stop."
"Yes sir." Kirishima saluted. "It won't be a problem again, I promise."
"Very good, carry on then." He closed the door and everyone took a collective sigh of relief.
"Bakugou…" Kirishima opened the bag, the ball of fluff growling and gnawing on the sock in his mouth. "You're gonna have to keep it down buddy, or you're gonna get us caught."
"Humph." Bakugou raised his tail definitely, then jumped out the bag to curl in a ball on the corner of the seat. Deku, recognizing the brooding position, gently petted his head.
"Don't worry, Kacchan. We'll get you back to normal soon, I promise." He assured, earning more growls and grumbles. He then sighed heavily and stood up. "Do you think it'll be okay if I wander the cabins a bit? I know it'll be awhile before we get to our stop, but-"
"Sure, I getcha, but just be careful. Not every passenger is gonna be nice. Also be sure to take your passport with you." Iida handed it to him. "The conductors like to do random checks to make sure there aren't any stowaways."
"Sure thing, thanks." He grabs his bag and puts the passport inside. He then pulls out his notebook and hugs it to his chest before exiting the train. He'd find a nice quiet spot to sit and draw for a while, he decided. Away from everyone so he could be alone with his thoughts and questions.
The entire situation hit him hard, like a battering ram. Ever since he'd gone to the palace he found himself daydreaming and thinking of people he might have met or seen. He could hear the murmured voices of the past, almost haunting-like. Conversations he might have overheard, or been a part of.
Yet all of it still felt like a dream… or a wish. Maybe he wasn't the prince the others were thinking about. Maybe he just dreamed all this up, hoping for a connection to his real family, and his life before.
"Maybe… all I really am… is worthless Deku." He sighed and stumbled back as a body bumped up against him. "Oof! I'm so sorry, I wasn't paying attention!"
"Oh that's okay…" the man pulled him under his arm, almost friendly like. "It was an honest mistake."
"Uh… yeah…" Deku looked nervously at his hand and then tilted his gaze up at the face. Something felt off… he knew this face, but how? It was then he noticed the conductor's uniform, and relaxed some. He probably had just seen him at the station.
"Hey, this is your first time on a train, isn't it?" He ushered him towards the back of the car. "I've got something great to show yah. Follow me."
"Oh… okay sure." Not wanting to cause a scene or get in trouble, Deku walked side by side with the man to the back of the car. He opened the connecting door and gave him a little push inside. Deku browsed around, confused. "Um… I don't understand, isn't this just the baggage car?"
"No… it's your private car… your majesty." Shigaraki removed the hat with a bow and slammed the door shut locking Deku inside.
"What!? Hey wait a minute!" Deku ran to the door and tried to wriggle it open. "Hey! Help! Somebody!" He banged his fist on the door, and jerked as the train suddenly picked up speed. His heart rate quickened with it and a sense of immediate dread came over him. "LET ME OUT!"
~Ask Briry~
Briry: Dun, dun, dun! Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, please look forward to more!
Next Chapter: Train Wreck
