Chapter 61 - How We Were Once Perfect

To say tensions were high would put it mildly in Izuku's eyes, facing the last person he'd actually expect to ask for help in his roadblock toward his goals. "Nope." Yuki booped his nose, turning away to continue working on some coursework with the haste of a computer. Izuku's whole body shattered at her straightforward answer, even a few of the guys in the dorms winced.

"Wow, that's harsh." Kirishima, Sero, and Kaminari all turned away from the conversation

"B-b-but Yuki, you knew N-Nighteye too, right?" Izuku tried to collect his thoughts again, rubbing his neck. "I tried asking All Might but..."

"Well, I refuse."

He still found it weird how easily All Might sunk the plan entirely, though he reluctantly said 'He' wouldn't be doing the introductions himself, rather, one other person would help him in roughly ten minutes. Izuku understood where All Might was coming from, given his abilities he was only now nearing fifty percent of his power, and his air-force attacks were becoming a little easier to handle, but his Shoot-Style remained limited in terms of development.

Sighing, Yuki spun around on her chair with an almost serious look in her bluish-red eyes. "I can take a guess who's going to introduce you to Sir, the issue is Sir himself," Yuki knew the man well, mainly from the few times All Might spoke of him when she was still training herself, but one thing irked her most about Izuku meeting the ex-side-kick. "All Might has his history with him, but... it's you I'm worried about."

"Why me?" Izuku was flattered but the secrecy was a little grating. Picking herself up, Yuki tugged Izuku away to prying ears, heading for the kitchen while she sat up on the counter, raising a finger.

"He'll be against you having One For All," That single sentence, and Izuku's mind cracked wide open. The very idea of being denied due to the power he inherited merely pulled something Kovik once sneered his way for something similar, it was enough to make his frown tense.

"Give up, kid. You think you're a hero, you were gifted where others were not, and still suffer, what makes you any different from some prodigy when you never earned your gift through hard work and intellect, using your own strength and not the gift of another? Call it 'heroism' but you're no better than that dead thief."

He knew his power alone wasn't special, and that he was just lucky to have met All Might and Yuki at all. Izuku did wonder if he never moved that day if he and All Might never crossed paths, would Yuki have inherited One For All or someone else? Would... they have-

*Flick*

"Ah." Izuku winced at the sharp finger to his forehead, followed by that same digit poking his freckles. Yuki smiling down at him sweetly, moving to stand eye-to-eye with the nervous successor.

"If you really want to, I know that whoever will introduce you to Sir will see what I see, regardless of how you obtained your strength," Patting his shoulders tightly, Yuki offered a fanged grin, enough to make the greenette's heart skip. "No matter what that old jerk says, you'll always be worthy of it, I know that, and so does All Might, okay?"

Those words exactly, how was it Izuku always found her saying what he needed to keep his frantic mind under wraps? That smile, even after how much had changed about her, she never let it slip. "...I'm sorry..." He muttered, pulling her into a loving embrace that she happily returned, stroking his curls gently. "I'll do my best, I promise."

"Like you ever needed to do that," Yuki whispered, then she pulled away, blinking into space. "Uh... it's happening again... ugh." Now her eyes were spinning, forcing Izuku to hold her steady while she balanced against the counter with a wavy smile. It had happened for the last two days, Yuki's mind coming to terms with more of SIVA's memories caused her to suffer a slight instance of nausea, something the class adjusted to quickly,

"What is it this time?" Izuku pried curiously, seeing her pupils refocus with a blunt stare.

"I got hit in the face with a molten hammer, then a lightning knife, and the 'Hunter' screamed, and I quote, 'You know, up close you really do look like someone wrapped you in red Twizzlers'," Despite the unsettling feeling of said knife driven through her face, Izuku's laughter made her own giggle cut through that dark feeling with ease. "Sorry, kinda ruined the moment, huh?"

He shook his head. "So long as you're okay, it's fine," Then came an idea, one that made his cheeks tingle with heat as he leaned closer to her ear. "We have all the time to ourselves later tonight, so I don't mind."

"Eh?" Yuki's startled expression steadily turned red, eyes becoming hesitant to face him directly as he inwardly smiled at his achievement. Pouting, Yuki scratched her blemish at her boyfriend's smooth words lacking a stutter. "How come your stupid sweet flirts are getting better...?"

"I learned from the best."

"I-idiot..." She soon smiled, nuzzling his cheek before returning to her work, no longer in need of energy to refuel herself. "But my idiot all the same..."


"I did it!" Izuku fell to his knees, trembling at the prospect of earning a chance to apply for his Work-Study. He was still unsure of how Mirio would help him apply to work at Sir Nighteye's but he was grateful nonetheless. Beside him, Yuki's eyes sparkled with glee, high-fiving him.

"Knew you'd get your chance, never doubt the word of this Archon, haha," Yuki grinned, putting her hand out to Mina. "I know what I said, and I stand by it."

"Nevermind~" She slipped back to the sofa with Nana peeking over with a grin of her own.

"Why didn't you ask to study with Yuki's - ah, I mean our Mom's agency?" One thing was apparent with Nana, she was still very unsure how to properly address Akame given the years' difference in knowing the hero compared to Yuki. "I mean, seems kinda dumb to work for some grumpy guy that might hate you."

"That's not the point, Nana," Yuki reminded her, crossing her arms while resting against the edge of the sofa, the others listening in. "Sir might be... alot to handle, but it's still Izuku's choice who he wants to apply for a Work-Study for, and besides, his agency has a great track record over the years, so does Mom's," Noting the sly look on her sister's face, Yuki glared. "If you're implying I can't live without my ma - erm, my boyfriend for a long period of time-"

"Never crossed my mind, but it sure did in yours~" The little girl sing-songed, the few present chuckling at the pinkness on Yuki's now irked face, Izuku trying nervously to keep her calm

"H-hey, it's fine, Yuki, really-" A finger was pushed to his lips by Kyoka appearing from the kitchen, herself smiling.

"We do not want to miss this, Green Bean, probably best to step back." He did as he was told, himself and the rocker watching closely when Yuki dived over Mina to tackle the failed retreat of Nana's, her tail snaking out to try and tickle Yuki's nape, only to be pinned down by the girl's knee while Yuki moved into start tickling the girl's sides.

"Ah hahahaha, s-s-stop ahahaha, t-that's hahaha!" She was crying at this point, begging for mercy while Yuki grinned triumphantly.

"Say it~" Her own, dark melody ringing in Nana's bat-like ears.

"Pfft, hahaha n-nev-ver hahaha - I-I can't breathe!" Was her wheezed reply, feeling the cool sensation of her older sibling's fingers grove against her sides, keeping her pinned in a state of discomfort and hysterics. "Ah, o-o-okay! I-I hahaha I'm G-Giv-ve~!"

In a heartbeat, the young girl flopped to the carpet, hearing only the hysterical laugher surround her while Yuki sat back, panting with a smile. "Never mess with the best, hehe." That was when Kyoka had to snort a laugh behind her hand with Izuku, the two seeing the familiar figure move in behind the unsuspecting mask-wearer.

|Incoming|

"YAAAAH!" Yuki's whole nervous system went haywire, falling beside her sister in a heap, her whole body's muscles locking up from Shoto passing by, running his fingers across her neck, tickling her in passing with a hidden smile, even as her shaky hand rose. "Damn you, Shoto Todoroki - and what's with the delay, SIVA!?"

|I was busy|

"And good afternoon to you too, Yuki." Shoto's own words seemed to finish SIVA's.

"Don't side-step my glare, you asshole - and how are you 'busy', those updates were finished two hours ago!" She roared, though her threat meant little as she was grovelling on the carpet, Nana still face down in the fabric

"Even?" Came the muffled reply, a hand raised. Reluctantly, Yuki lifted her hand to shake, making it official

"Even." With that, the two slowly recovered from their banter with the rest, the afternoon slowly spiralling back down to normality that the class enjoyed, a few others arriving.

Yuki helped Sato and Mina prep dinner, everyone's minds on who will be joining the Work Studies. Yuki just pondered on how vicious Sir would be with Izuku, he knew of him being the Ninth Holder but would Sir accept that?

*Knock-Knock*

"Huh, is someone at the door?" Kaminari murmured.

"Of course there is," Kyoka stated plainly, making him flinch.

"You know what I mean! But at this hour?" He defended until Izuku quickly ran to answer before they left. Once opened, everyone who could see was pleasantly surprised.

"Eh?" Izuku's brain was a little slow until he jumped back in shock at the ravenette with a cloth-bound sword on her back. "Y-Yukino!?"

She bowed her head, mouth formed into a downward 'V' once more. "Good evening... Midoriya was it?" He nodded dumbly as she spotted a few others, repeating her action. "Greetings to all of you, I apologize for my intrusion at this hour."

"How... did you even get through the security?" Kyoka blurted out, then recalled something all Nightmares and Host can do, slapping her forehead. "Ah, right, that shadow thing you can do."

"Correct, I didn't wish to be an inconvenience to UA staff so I invited myself in to pass along sensitive information to Akio and Azuru." She explained, Izuku quickly letting her in until her eye met Sero staring at her from the lounge area, her expression brightened a little. "Hello again, Sero."

"H-hey, I didn't expect you to just drop in all of a sudden," He grinned, scratching his nape while the girl blinked.

"It's fine, I never intended to cause any of your friends' trouble," He just put his thumb up to her.

"Hey, no worries, we're all friends here." That again made her posture relax, even if just for a moment.

"Hana!" Velk's voice caught in her head like a hitch to the throat.

"That's funny, I don't recall considering you my friend," From the shadow by the staircase Akio emerged, though his smile was gone and only his eyes portrayed any sense of emotion, amethyst in their hue. Viral's voice was low and lacked that mischievous pitch. "Didn't I warn you - oh who am I kidding, like you'd ever listen to me..."

Yukino held her ground, turning toward the approaching Nightmare. "I do not wish to fight, only to pass along something concerning Harbinger and Kovik," That last part drew Yuki's eyes and ears, the tension between the two increasing. "Do not make me do anything hasty."

"Don't antagonize him," Velk warned, making Yukino flinch. "I can talk to him, please."

"You know he will not listen." She countered.

"He wouldn't either way - but I don't want you getting hurt protecting me," Velk begged softly, enough to ease any other woes that crossed Yukino's mind.

"Oh?" He stopped a few inches from her, fingers wiggling with static. "Threatening me too? You are quite the pair," He leaned forward. "But I don't care, I agreed to work with you in facing Harrow... Harbinger, whoever's in control at the time being; not to play the good samaritan with either of you."

Yukino stood her ground in silence, everyone remained still, even Kyoka and Sero while a Host and Nightmare squared off in breathing distance. Even Yuki was held back by Izuku's hand on her wrist, his head shaking slowly.

We shouldn't interfere | This is between the four of them | Just stand and watch

Ocean met twilight for the longest time. "Viral, I understand your conflict with Velk, but Harbinger remains a danger to everyone in this world," She explained smoothly, "Your grudge with her can-"

*Boosh!*

Horror and a few screams of fright escaped the class as Yukino coughed up a swab of blood, shakily looking down at the arm now firmly through her stomach and out the back. Viral hissed, shrugging off Akio who grunted behind him, revealing how jaded his face was under his cowl.

"This is more than a 'grudge' little girl!" With that he hoisted her up, listening to her cough and gag before tossing Yukino across toward the doorway, her back slammed into the wood. "Stay out of my way this time..." Viral warned, tail thrashed against the carpet as he sharpened his claws with magic seals. "Vile Spine."

Yukino's eye focused and quickly leapt over the piercing spikes that ruptured under her, then she yelped, several impaling her left arm where she grasped the top of the wall above the doorframe. Locked, Viral appeared behind her, knocking her down onto the floor while his hand grabbed her head from below, slamming it into the ground repetitively.

She freed herself, drawing her sword while rime instantly froze a small circumference around her, Viral appearing in front of her with a line of electric yellow runes under them. "Volt Tackle."

"Viral stop!" Akio, Kyoka, Sero, and Yuki screamed before Yukino was sent flailing out the doors and onto the pavement with a painful tumble and trail of blood. Her wounds closed with black skin and mist, panting once risen toward the apartment entrance to face the glowering form of Viral wrapped like a ruined knight.

"I'll make you regret insulting my motives," Viral didn't spare a second for the girl who gagged in agony once more purple spines erupted from a seal under her, impaling her in multiple angles before she shattered them with ice, sending a single stroke of frost toward Viral who braced, the ice freezing his forearms and the pathway. "Huh? I can feel my insides crystalizing, smart and dangerous."

Yukino cracked her neck, blood, and darkness covering her form now that she no longer was trapped. From the windows, the whole class present watched in awe and fear as the girl rushed with a burst of ice behind her every step. No, rather everything she touched quickly dropped in temperature with a flick of her sword.

Yukino lunged for Viral who quickly left the earth with a burst of air, evading her sharp crescents of ice, firing his own burst of magic upon her head that were blocked by a sheet of frost. Spinning sharp for a snap-kick he shattered her ice and knocked the girl flying down the walkway, appearing behind her to carve two large strokes with his claws through her clothes and skin. A chime from the sword quickly pulled them away, ice enveloping Viral.

"Watch out!" Velk warned but the sword was discarded toward the campus door before Yuki and Akio, ice freezing it in place. Yukino gasped, feeling heat boil her blood and blast in her across the pavement with a halo of fire between her and Viral. "No!"

Coughing up soot by the steps, Yuki and Akio rushed to Yukino's aid, seeing the girl's body beginning to regenerate. "Get back inside," Viral warned them, lightning crackling between his fingers. "I won't kill her."

"That doesn't make it right," Yuki peered up in anger. "I get it, she hurt you! More than was fair, that much is obvious, but she's trying to help us now! Against Harbinger and Kovik - he also took a lot from me-!"

"But YOU had something left!" Viral howled, eye practically dripping with malice. "I... had... nothing...!"

Pain. Yuki saw it all before, she had her life changed and robbed by force. She now shared more with SIVA, feeling the waves of guilt, anger, despair welling up from countless brothers and sisters lost to hardships. Viral was just another wounded brother, one that Velk should've mended long ago but without real evidence, it was all vague to Yuki. She had no backing to her claims.

"Stand back..." Yukino breathed, the mist frosted her own arms and from Akio's expression, it was time for them to fall back. Once past the frozen sword, Yukino stood up, a chilling wind gathered around her form. "That's... Enough!" A large eruption of ice crystals forced Viral backward, the very plantlife froze in blue rime while the marking hidden by Yukino's bangs was revealed, glowing snow-white. Her eyes an ice-blue.

"So you've finally stopped hiding..." Viral mused, magic gathered to the forefront of his arms with an almost sadistic smile. "I've waited... so long for this!"

He moved one foot forward, then it shattered under the sudden expansion of ice under his feet. Then a massive rush of white wind flew from Velk's black arm, the tips of her fingers white while bluish-white scales crept up her arm, hardened by ice. Even her forehead now produced a large, frozen horn. Not a word was spoken as Viral's body shattered into pieces under her dazzling eyes.

"Oh no..." She gaped, then felt her form drag itself downward, several dark hands snaking to tug her down onto her own frozen land and into a hand turning scarlet. "How did he avoid my ice!?"

"Fire Scourge!" Viral had survived, blowing the Nightmare away with a column of flames, melting her ice while she slammed into the steps again. Prying herself from the ground she evaded his second blazing fist, his tail swept forward, however, shattering her icy stomach and bones with a jagged formation of stone, another deposit of spikes emerged but ice caught the woman's back, expanding to form two large, elegant wings of ice that quickly curled and slammed her body into Viral's foot first.

Many arcs of ice froze around him while sliding back on his toes, the ice super freezing his organs until he shattered them, his fingers clicking twice. Surrounding Velk were several orange seals, hastily, she protected herself with her frozen wings. "Will o' Wisp," 1-A swore his eye glowed at the name.

"Hit the deck!" Kaminari cried and they did so from the series of flashes and the issuing explosion that followed that surely everyone at UA could hear - or... that was the intended effect. "Are we dead!?"

"If we were we'd - forget it," Mina sighed, lifting up with the rest to inspect the damage.

Izuku helped Yuki up, having protected her with his own body that she was grateful for. The couple peered out the door, still shivering once Akio's jaw dropped however, the sense of battle changed dramatically.

The spell was still active, rather, the seals simply crumbled into shards of ice, even the dust molecules in the air were frozen stiff by Velk who sighed, quickly turning to retrieve the sword before her ice grew anymore unstable. She reached it, prying it free as her ice slowly started to recede and crumble to nothing but specks of blue dust.

"I... am sorry," Velk panted, standing by the doorway while her wings curled up. "While my ice is formidable, I now share Hana's fate of uncontrollable bursts of ice, without this sword infused with Midnite I may be unable to contain her Quirk's expansive nature, the metal, while it cannot hurt me, acts as an inhibitor."

"Good to know,"

None budged as Velk's breath was stolen from her, eyes wide in unbearable pain that her Host shared. Viral appeared, face-to-face while half his body slowly reformed, bones and flesh shaking off the lingering crystals while his right clutched a most beautiful, frost-tinted ember. He squeezed it, and Velk tried to scream.

"They say this is the worst pain a living being can suffer, their soul ripped away by a Nightmare while they're still alive," Viral cooed, playing with the flame. "I cannot hold a candle to your raw power," He squeezed again, making her hand quiver toward his in tearful agony. "Yet, I can still pluck your soul, Harbinger will use this weakness against you,"

Within an instant he shoved the flame back into her chest, ice disappearing and leaving Host and Nightmare hacking on the floor, Yuki rushing to help soothe her pain while Viral stared down at Velk without a trace of sympathy. "You either learn to master your Host's ice or Harrow will be done toying with you."

"W-w-what?" She gagged, wiping her mouth as Viral pulled back his cowl, hearts missing a beat, none more than Velk who... teared up in terror. "I..."

Viral lost his scowl, his missing eye was scarred and left marred and rough. His hair was somewhat pulled back because of it, cracks of purple were all that remained of his eye. "You didn't leave scars, you just left me all alone," His words sunk deep, tearing at Velk's emotions that only served to sicken Viral further. "He wanted you to come here so I'd kill you- he let you run here with whatever info you had."

"How is that possible?" Izuku murmured, then he dropped his arms with a gasp. "Unless... they expected she'd strike a truce with you!"

Viral grinned. "Smart as always, Green Bean! Harbinger's played all of us for fools, but as much as I want to kill her... that's what he wants, so I don't," With that, he turned and gave a wave in passing. "Don't ever come back here, or I'll make good on Harbinger's plan myself."

"I... I'm sorry," Velk whimpered, sitting on her knees in defeat. "...I never meant to hurt you."

"Why do you care so much? We're Nightmares, it's in our nature to be feared, with a side of manipulation on top for good measure." Viral hummed.

"Just because we're comprised of darkness, that doesn't mean we're incapable of living normal, peaceful lives - I don't think Eve would've wanted us to be monsters for all our lives." Velk smiled fondly. "I... certainly have more hopes for my future than destruction..."

That made him pause in step, looking over his shoulder with his marred eye, tugging his cowl over his head. "You're a few centuries too late - you always sucked keeping track of time."

After that, Yukino and Velk soon departed. No one bothered Viral who remained on the roof of the building all night. And nothing could prepare us for the days that would follow...

To Be Continued...


Fuzzy stuff, bonding, tension, and action all in one! Viral and Velk have a history that both their Hosts have no clue about, probably best though. And Yuki's still coming to terms with her merge of context with SIVA's. I hope you enjoyed, appreciate the support as always seeya in the next chapter Heroes!

Next Chapter: Perfect Promises

Yuki: It's time for the big day~!

Valstrax: Haha! You better be ready for some serious work!

Aksis: I feel we've made a poor choice...

Valstrax: Aw, don't be like that~!

Redacted: I look forward to working with you.

Yuki: Holy crap, you're here too!?

Redacted 2: You know it!

Redacted: Next up! Perfect Promises!

Yuki/Aksis: Go Beyond-!

Redacted/2: -Plus Ultra!