"Hawks, what are you doing?!" Midoriya shouted before turning back to Eri, who once had a curious and welcoming look, turned into pure rage.
"You're with him…" Eri breathe heavily as she felt the pain on her arm, "I shouldn't have trusted you… you're all the same."
"Eri… I…"
"YOU'RE A LIAR!" she shouted, "YOU TRICKED ME!" she then jumps towards Deku with an outraging cry, getting her hand ready to kill him.
Only for Hawks to throw another feather that hit her in the other arm.
Eri takes steps back, screaming before holding the feather from the other arm, trying to pull it out.
The moment it got out, Hawks threw four more, each hitting Eri in various places.
Midoriya watches in complete horror, seeing the girl injured, seeing blood squirting out from where the feathers hit.
"Stop!" Midoriya turn to the number three hero, "you are hurting her!"
"I'm not trying to hurt her." Hawks said in such a tone the Midoriya wouldn't imagine, serious and straightforward, not the calm relaxed voice he was used to, "I'm going to kill her."
"What?!" Midoriya shouted just when another feather hit Eri, enough to get her to her knees.
The flying hero land on the ground, approaching the injured young girl, "thanks for the Distraction Deku," he said, passing the green hero and going up to Eri, "now to rid this filth."
Midoriya couldn't believe what he was hearing, he watch the blonde hero, someone he once saw as a great hero, pulling a string of feathers to make a make-shift sword, ready for the final blow.
"No!" he shouted, as Hawks raise the sword, Midoriya tackled him, pushing the wing hero away from the angered girl.
"What are you doing?!" Hawks demanded, struggling to break free from Midoriya's hold, "it has to be done!"
While the two heroes struggled at each other, it was a perfect opportunity for Eri to escape, using her quirk to recover herself, she rushes to the nearest exit door, fleeing from the scene.
By the time Hawks broke out of the hold, he stood up, ready to strike, only to find her gone.
He froze with a disappointed look, taking a moment before turning to face the young hero who stopped him. "what the hell was that?"
Midoriya was disgusted by the question. "You tried to kill her!"
"So?"
Another step back from Midoriya, horrified more than ever from Hawks response, "So? She was just a child."
"A child who murdered innocent lives and cause this mess!"
"And that's a good excuse to kill her?" Midoriya counters, "we're heroes, Hawks, we're not supposed to kill, we're supposed to save."
"We don't save villains, Midoriya!" Hawks shouted in rage, "we stop them, no matter who they are, how about we go and stop her before she kills more."
As Hawks approach the exit door, he quickly turn to see Midoriya who stood still. He was uncertain for Hawks, after hearing what he said, after seeing his actions, he saw the true side of a hero he didn't expect him to be.
"You're not going to try and kill her again? Right?"
Hawks kept his crossed expression, taking a moment to think before answering.
"I'm just following orders." He answered before turning around and leaving with Midoriya following behind.
Five years.
It took her five years to finally see him again.
She ran through the chaos, dodging criminals who tried to attack her, all to reach a certain cell. It was a surprise and a concern when she hasn't seen him already, she thought that, like everyone else, he would be running for his freedom.
But it doesn't matter, arriving at the cell block, she jumps into the entrance, shouting "Gentle!"
And there he was.
For five years she was dreaming of this moment.
For five years, she spent her life searching for him.
For five years, she finally get to be with Gentle Criminal.
"La… La Brava?" the man in front of Briseuse said in surprise, who was sitting on his prison bed. The moment he stood up, the girl jump to hug her, embracing him with full tears.
"I… I finally found you… I finally feel you…"
"What?" Gentle was still surprised, but notice her former assistant's sad expression, he didn't want to ruin the embrace.
So for the past few moments, he holds her as they join in this embrace that either one of them wants to last forever.
But reality kicks in, Briseuse pulls away, holding a gleeful smile.
"La… Brava…" Gentle kept his shock, "did you cause the prison riot?"
The girl nods her head as though she was a child feeling proud of what she has done, "not by myself, I got help." She then turns around, "come on Gentle, I'll show you the way out!"
She takes a few steps towards the exit, before turning around to see the man she admires, he didn't move an inch.
"La Brava?"
"I'm Briseuse now" the former La Brava corrected the gentleman. "It's Breaker in French. Since I break codes I…"
"I know what it means darling," Gentle hold out his hand, "but… you didn't need to do this."
"Of course I have." Briseuse said, "it's how you're going to go back to the world, be remembered as a great villain."
"Did the video work?" Gentle asked, "Was there anything wrong with…"
"No, it did work," the girl answered, taking a step towards Gentle, "it showed you invading the U.A festival and I made sure to keep it up…"
Her smile expression slowly fades away.
"But?" Gentle expected, expecting something going wrong with his intended plan.
"But it was like any other video, not a lot seen it and… not a lot if not, nobody remembers you at all."
There was silence in the room, Gentle took in the information, he thought the idea was going to work, that he would be remembered, even when arrested and taken in, he made a little lie claiming to be part of the League to give himself extra credit, which is why he ended up on Tartarus.
To hear that he's no longer remembered, was… disappointing to him.
All he can say was, "oh…" before turning to sit on his bed.
This confused La Brava, unsure about why he was sitting down, "get up Gentle, you need to show the world again who you are."
"I would love to, La… Briseuse." Gentle turn to face the girl, "but… after spending time here, I come to realise, my time was already gone, I did my best and in some way, I managed to accomplish what I set to do, even if it doesn't last." Gentle takes a breath, making his mind up, admitting the truth, "I'm not going."
With the clear cut truth from the Gentle Criminal, Briseuse felt like her heart snapped in two, she walk closer to Gentle, "but… no… no! you can't stay, this prison isn't meant for you."
She came close, holding Gentle's knees with tears, "you're supposed to be my hero, you're supposed to inspire others to how much of a gentle criminal you are, to give your legacy, I can't live without you. Please… please…"
Briseuse head fell onto the Criminal's legs, having a sense of comfort.
The gentleman meanwhile notice her expression, he didn't want to straight out the truth that would hurt La Brava, but it was his choice.
He has to make it up for her, he knows how fragile she was if it wasn't for him. He wasn't sure what La Brava would have done if he hadn't become Gentle Criminal.
He has to choose his words wisely.
"I have a legacy, La Brava," he spoke, catching the girl's attention before he looked down at her, "my legacy is Briseuse, everything I did, it's all for you, I wanted to make you proud, that's why I became the Gentle Criminal, and I don't know what you have done as Briseuse, but everything that came out of it, it was all from my teachings, my examples, my lessons, I helped you to become the woman you are today, and I could never be more proud."
Hearing this, La Brava gave a weak smile, taking short breaths before wiping her tears.
"My time had passed, I had my spotlight and now, I'm giving it to you."
Just after he said this, Briseuse ear device activates, "Briseuse," the voice of Eri spoken up, "help me, I'm badly hurt."
With the shift expression and Briseuse going to press her device, Gentle notice and saw that she had friends, "already, there are those who need your help." He said "be there for them and share the spotlight as we did,"
Briseuse smile strengthen up, letting go of her device, "I will… I'll be better than you, you'll see."
"Excellent," Gentle smiles, "now fly, Briseuse, leave this place and show the world my legacy."
With that, the former La Brava stood up, and walked out of the cell, leaving Gentle behind, where he will spend the rest of his life in Tartarus. A choice she didn't like, but respect for a better cause.
She was Gentle's legacy.
And she will make him proud.
Helping out Eri will be the first big leap towards her accomplishments.
It hurts.
Hurts so bad.
Eri ran as fast as she could, she held herself, use her quirk on herself to recover, but the pain followed.
Not just physical, but a mixture of feelings.
She can't believe that hero, someone who tried to help her, instead, tricked her so another hero can attempt to put her down.
The pain, the feathers, she had to break them and pull them off.
They are supposed to be heroes?
But she attacked her. It makes sense for them.
Heroes stop villains.
And she is a villain.
Feeling she was far away, she sat down behind rubble, taking breaths to ease her pain.
She thought about that idea of being a villain, why is this world so cruel?
Why did all of this happen?
All she wanted to be is a regular person, but because of her power, because of who she is? This world pushed her down, only seen as a villain for the heroes to put down.
Just thinking about it, it made her thought of the lies that the green hero gave to her, it stressed her out, why should it always be heroes to help people, all they do is fight, all they do is make things worse. And yet people see them as angles.
Leaving people like her, to be demons.
It wasn't right, she doesn't want to be a demon, but it's how they see it.
Her mind was already up, heroes are not going to save her, why should they? She doesn't need saving? And apparently, she doesn't deserve being saved either.
Just when she saw a zooming wing hero again, she slammed her arm in anger and formed a wall to block the passage.
But to her surprise, the wall was smashed through by the winged hero.
First, it was beaks, now wings.
How much she hates to mean birds. Like crows and hawks, they'll the same to her.
She got up, unsure if she can fight against the winged hero. But was willing to give it her all.
Only for a sudden moment, when a larger prisoner jumps in and punches the hero, sending him flying through the wall.
This surprised Eri, who looked up at the man in a prison uniform, his skin was brick-like, his eyes glow red and looked down at the small girl.
She hesitated at first, unsure if he was going to hurt her, she move back against the wall, only for the villain to kneel and give out his hand.
"You're the one who freed us, right?" he spoke in an intimidating, yet thoughtful voice.
Eri stuttered, a little nervous but wanting to respond, "Y… yes?" she hold the hand of the villain, as he pulled her up from the ground.
"Then how about you get us out of here."
Right when Eri stood up, another figure ran up to the two, "Sorry I'm late," the voice of Briseuse said, "did I miss anything?"
With Briseuse leading, she use her map to guide not only Eri, but several prisoners who were willing to protect the two girls, they started the break-in, so they know how to get them out.
"Exit is just up ahead" the red hair girl called out, looking behind to see more and more prisoners before turning around to see even more of them.
It causes the two to stop at their tracks when they see a crowd of prisoners, huddling together over the door.
"What's going on?" Eri asked, confused by the huge number of villains.
"That's why I brought you here," the red brick prisoner pointed out, "some hero broke that bridge of yours, I need you to make it again."
Eri look upon the many prisoners, a little shaken, yet confident, she could easily make a path, but that would mean killing the prisoners, these weren't mean birds like the crows and hawks, these were birds that were locked in cages for too long, "first I need to get past the birds."
"Birds?" the villain question.
"We're using metaphors," Briseuse corrected.
"Then let me lend a hand" the brick villain pulls out his big arm towards the small girl, "hop onto my back, I'll clear a path for you."
She wasn't sure at first, but after seeing him punching the horrible wing man who tried to kill her, she had a sense of trust.
"Okay," she nods, climbing on the hand before going onto his back, holding onto the back of the prisoner's cloth. "Lead the way."
"ERI!"
A sudden loud sound caught everyone's attention, they turn to see a figure running fast with green lightning following behind. Quickly, Eri knew who it was.
"Don't listen to them!" Deku cried out, "they're just using you!"
Lies.
Eri raised her arm and point towards the hero.
"Stop him."
The prisoners that followed listened and getting their quirks active and charging towards the green hero.
All the while, the red villain starts his charge, running through the prisoners, those who notice an attempt to get away with little space they have, those who didn't get pushed or trampled.
Eri saw a big wave of villains, many all looking in one direction, she turn to see the gap, someone did break it, there only one way in and out, if Eri can do it once, she can do it again
There was a large sound above, larger than the countless cries from the crowd, she look up to see a helicopter in blue and white, one that has some words and a number that she can't understand.
"Get out of our way!" the red prisoner shouts, with prisoners noticing and trying to move, some ended up being pushed off the edge as a result.
Closer, and closer, almost ready.
"Now!"
With the signal, Eri jumps off the brick villain's back and in front of him, landing just at the edge before striking down, both hands on the ground, to create another spike, another passage for the remaining villains to cross.
"Go!" Eri shouts when the prisoners start running with their lives through the new makeshift bridge.
Once Briseuse caught up, both Eri and the red prisoner watched in amazement. People in jumpsuits run towards freedom, escaping the biggest cage in the world. the girl couldn't be more proud of what she did.
Only to be cut short when she realises police and pro heroes were arriving at the scene.
Before they thought about their escape plan, a prisoner approaches the group, "Hey, just saw what you did." A thin man with green hair said, "I got a teleporting quirk that can get a lot of use out of there, just need to make some space, help me cross the bridge and protect me from heroes."
This was sudden, this prisoner was more likely one who was at the front and witness Eri building the bridge, probably another villain willing to help her.
"O… okay…" she said as they start running on the bridge.
That really hurt.
Once gain consciousness, Hawks endure the pain, still feeling the impact of the hit, he grunts upon touching his face.
Awakening, he lift himself, finding himself in an empty part of the prison, how hard was that punch?
He sighs, disappointed and a bit angered by what Deku did.
He had her, right in front of him, it would have been easy to end it. And the biggest threat would have been vanquished if it wasn't for Deku.
Honestly, they shouldn't have assigned him with Deku, he read his file when he was tasked to kill the One Horn Demon, he knew that he once encountered her five years ago.
What would he think of this moment?
"I get why you asked me," Hawks started, "I know the truth of our society, I know the responsibility I have. This should be nothing, I dealt with it before."
Hawks stood up from his seat, walking around in thought after listening to his new task, "I killed villains that opposed the balance and structure the commission built, I did their dirty work and you did yours."
He then slams the desk with both hands, looking his higher up in the eye.
"But what you're asking me, is to kill a child."
The man looks straight back, not even flinching.
He adjusts his glasses, "Hawks, I'm aware of what I'm asking you, but this is necessary."
"Necessary?" Hawks couldn't believe what he was hearing, "you know, when I first met you, I thought you're going to be different, that you're not going to be like Nagant or everyone I have to deal with."
"And what they did in the past, they serve their time to keep society stable," the man kept his cool, before standing up before sighing, "I don't like this either, but you didn't see what I saw, that child, her future, if we don't act, she will burn our society to the ground, taking the One-Horn Demon out before her debut, its to ensure that society will remain safe. That's all that matters, Hawks."
The wing hero understood what he meant, to keep society stable, just unsure how one bad child could lead to utter chaos. He hasn't killed a kid before, and this task would be his most difficult as of late.
"This isn't about society isn't it." Hawks pointed out, "it's personal."
The man turns around, surprised by the statement, but kept his cool. "I won't lie to you, but she will cause the death of someone close to me, I can't let it happen, I wouldn't know what to do or how to keep the commission in order if it happens, already I am struggling,"
The man sighs, looking at the hero, "I'm not ordering you to do this, I'm asking. Do this to save lives."
It took a moment for Hawks, he lessens his argument, still unsure but was ready to do it.
"Whatever you say, Nighteye."
At this point, he can see why Nighteye wants him to kill the One Horned Demon.
She just caused the biggest prison break of all time, if they failed to contain the fleeing prisoners, chaos will ensue, the biggest threats society had faced would run rampant throughout the country, lives will be taken.
And it's all her fault.
He has to stop her.
As soon as Hawks recovered, he let his wings spread, he's not playing around.
It's time to finish this.
He jump up in the air, breaching through the top of the prison to get a higher ground of the scene.
Flapping his wings over the prison facility, he witnesses the prisoners running away, while officers and heroes attempt to stop them, some managing to catch some of them, others were struggling.
But he was focused on finding her.
She was the target.
She was all that mattered in this prison break.
Kill her, cease the threat.
He looked, seeing every inch until he sees a large group of prisoners standing in the open field, a little far from the path leading up to the prison, many were running towards it and stopping while one prisoner was running around the group in a circle.
And in the middle of it, was her.
"There you are." Hawks gritted his teeth, wanting all of this to end, the quicker the better.
He slightly pulls back, before lunging through, pushing himself at top speed. Charging in the air towards the circle.
He was giving it his all, his strength, his speed, he pulls the sharpest feather he had and all prepared to strike at his target.
Hawks gave a battle cry, at the moment, he saw Eri turn to look at him in shock. He was so close to ending this.
Then he reaches the ground, throws his fist and gives a big stab with his feather.
Taking a couple of breaths and closed his eyes to let out his anger, was it over?
Hawks opened his eyes.
Only to see the ground.
He looked up, standing up from the ground, seeing his surroundings.
The prisoners, the girl, a huge chunk of Tatatrus inmates, all gone.
Leaving nothing but a circle on the dirt ground.
he failed.
The hero could do nothing, he collapses to the ground again, stress was built and he burst out his complete rage.
"DAMNIT!"
Eri closed her eyes, her arms away closed to her head.
The second she saw the mean flying bird charging towards her, she flinched, waiting for him to attack her.
Only that there was no attack.
And the air felt… colder.
Her feet don't feel the soft muddy ground, but a more harden.
There wasn't any light in her shut eyes, as it changes to a darker view.
She opens her eyes, finding herself, along with Briseuse and the rest of the prisoners, no longer near Tartarus, no longer outside. But inside a chalk circle in an abandoned warehouse.
"What just happened?" Eri asked, unsure about her new environment until she heard a groan from a nearby prisoner.
She approaches the sound to see the green hair prisoner, collapsing onto the ground, taking many breaths before responding.
"My quirk allows me to teleport anything in a circle to another…" he explained before catching a few more breaths, "I put a circle in this place In case I got caught… in case I somehow found a way to escape… in case I bring others… sorry… that took a lot out of me… I need some…"
Then he was knocked unconscious, with the prisoner's stare in confusion.
"I… guess that's it?" one of the prisoners in the crowd said, with all of them looking at him, "we got out."
"Yeah." Another prisoner said.
"We're free!"
"Thank goodness"
"Finally."
Eri looked around, seeing the prisoners cheering in happiness, coming to the reality that they got out of their cage.
She felt a sudden nudge, she turn to see Briseuse, who seemed proud. "you did it," she said, "you didn't get all of them out, but they're free."
"Yeah…" Eri respond.
"That's right." The girl suddenly felt a grab, not a forceful, but a hold, she was surprised but her alert lessens when she saw the brick prisoner.
"You're the one who lead our escape, you're the one who got us out!" he announces, putting Eri on top of a box and stepping back, pointing at the young girl, "this girl, she got in, made our bridge and got us across! Let's hear it!"
With that statement, Eri looked upon the crowd, several prisoners, many in prison uniforms, many have mutations, all of them clapping their hands, giving their full applause towards the girl.
To see so many people, happy for her, to get this amount of respect, her chest felt warm, tickling up inside, her first time of appreciation.
"Thank you…" Eri said, lifting her lips to form a smile, giving a soft chuckle, the first time in her life, the first time she felt happy. To see the birds cheering on to her, praising her for being saved. It wasn't too much, it was enough.
Enough to make her happy.
She stood above while the escaped convicts cheer her. Perhaps the greatest moment in her life.
Within this moment, The One-Horned Demon made her appearance to the world.
And they fear her.
To be Continued…