Chapter 63 - Infernal Imperfections

The car bumped along the dirt road with Jin at the wheel. The second day of Work Studies had begun for Yuki, who was with Yukino on this scouting party. On a call with them was her mother, Akame. The blue-haired girl staring blankly out at the wilderness far and wide peacefully.

~Alright, while out you guys refer under your Hero Names, you'll be working with the lovely Jin on investigating Site Epsilon, a Quarry that's been quarantined for investigation. I'll handle things at Site Beta with Tekton (Jura). Remember, report anything and be wrapped up an hour before lunch. Take care, guys~

Jin shook her head in the mirror. "She's both formal and informal, perhaps that is her Quirk," Yuki giggled at the remark as they pulled up. "Right, you two pair up, and stay in contact - Aksis-" She sat up sharply at her Godmother's sharp gaze. "-I know this is more personal to you, but try not to be hasty, take a breath to steady yourself."

"R-right, I will," With that done the girls exited the car to start their work. Yuki did as Jin requested, taking a breath to calm her nerves, "Strange, after working with Endeavor during my internship this is a vast contrast."

If our work varies it will benefit us, in the long run | Coming from experience as a leader | I can provide some assistance if you need it

"Always count on you, SIVA," With a smile, Yuki slipped her mask over her face, Yukino, or Velkhana as she calls herself, gave a small nod, and the two turned left. "Is it like that for you, hearing a voice in your head?" Curious to hear from another Nightmare Host, Yuki split her attention.

"To a degree, we've merged so her thoughts and mine are open, we can ignore them but they are there," Yukino replied, pushing the gate open for Yuki to step through. Machines and equipment parked and gathering white dust. "It feels as though her presence is over my shoulder constantly, holding me, and given the state her soul was in this is more apparent."

"Her soul? What happened?" Yuki kept her head to the machine before her, a digger. Using her nanites she infected the abandoned machine to scan its internal systems for damage. "Could use some headlight fluid."

With Yukino, her eye shifted to an ice-blue, frowning down at the earth while inspecting the drag marks, sensing the area for any wayward souls. "I'm fractured, since Harrow - sorry, that is his Host - Harbinger... I have needed a Host to survive entirely, I cannot leave her regardless of our bond," Yukino grazed the earth with a sheet of ice, sliding down a slope that led to the edge of the massive quarry, Yuki carefully sliding behind her. "If I do, I would die. Viral knows this..."

"I'm sorry about him," Yuki huffed, bumping into the girl, or girls, once the ground levelled out. Yukino helped her stand evenly while peering down into the various levels the rectangular pit descended. Machines, piles of stone, machinery to move filtered rock and ore. It just laid there, dormant. "Akio can't really control him."

"No-no, I understand his feelings... or I did," Velkhana looked depressed, staring longingly down into the quarry. "I... hurt him..."

Atop a world of black, a sky bathed in a lilac hue, several figures stood among the many colourful wisps and motes of light, souls. Velk stood with them, Viral too, Ravage, and three more. At the top, one bound in chains with a grin to pair with a sadistic gaze.

"We were strong, Harrow taught us all how to steal, fight, and harness our powers. In a sense, he was our leader, we all looked out for our own... that's how he played the biggest ploy of all."

The image changed. Those same Nightmares were now shredded like paper, bones snapped, and bodies strangled by chains. All cried in pain as their own flames were harvested, leaving them on the brink of becoming feral again. All while Harrow smiled, eyes wide with wonder and jubilation.

"He never killed us, using a sickening spell, a lesser form of one belonging to an acolyte of Eve herself. With it, he stole the souls we spent lifetimes obtaining, leaving us broken or close to death. I... watched as he stole it all from Viral, I just stood and... and let him suffer."

When Viral's eye was torn from its socket, the last he could see was Velk, her back running in the opposite direction.

Yuki's eyes curved downward with sorrow, staring intensely while Velk recited her past with a mournful look in her eyes. Even behind Yukino's body, she swore that Nightmare was standing there, shivering. "I paid for my cowardness, once Harbinger found me he attempted to do the same, only I played a risk and tore my soul in half, effectively dooming me to die, but keeping a large sum of souls from his grasp."

"Then you fell into this world to escape," Yuki surmised, understanding how she came to bond with Yukino. Reaching forward to clasp the girl's hand, she squeezed the cold palm reassuringly. "I'm sorry, for all of you." Yuki understood this, so did SIVA. The fear of facing death.

Yukino's posture shifted, releasing her hand from Yuki's with her mouth forever in its 'V' form, though her eye was softer. "That is why I chose to accept her, our ice combined we will face Harrow, to find the truth as to why he wished to steal their souls, and in turn, I hope it will reunite Velk and Viral."

"Wait what!?" The Nightmare shrieked from the shadow behind the pair. Yuki's own mask flashed two question marks.

"Eh?"

Yukino looked to her shade, blinking once. "I have seen your memories, I know," She sniffed humorously as two eyes widened, arms flailing. "Don't deny it."

"I-I-It's not like that!" From the humans' perspective, it clearly was.

"Aw, that's cute," Yuki cooed, SIVA chuckling in her head. "Even SIVA's approves."

Velk narrowed her eyes, pointing a shaky hand out from her shadow. "Don't you start too! I've told you I and V-Viral were never - I-I never." Was... her shadow blushing? "Stop filling my head with stupid thoughts Hana!"

"I think I've seen everything," Yuki giggled, Yukino nodding in agreement while leaving the Nightmare to whine in embarrassment.

Continuing their investigation, Yuki soon came upon something peculiar in the excavation on one of the walls. It was hollowed out or within the process. They were digging around white stone columns, the same could be said for the foundations too. It was strangely smooth and parts were broken to reveal an old, brass metal underneath. Like bones under the flesh.

"I've never seen a rock formation like this," Granted, Yuki wasn't a geologist but one can humour. Rolling her eyes she ran her fingers over the surface. "It's old but retains its smooth texture."

"I have not seen anything like this, perhaps ruins they've uncovered?" Yukino suggested, investigating a pillar. That was when Yuki's mask flashed red.

There is no way... | This dead metal and stone | It is the Vex's doing

"The Vex?" Of all the memories Yuki had bottled up, this one was the vaguest. "Are they one of your enemies?" By now, Yuki's one-sided conversation drew the Iceborne hero closer.

The very same | They are machines of time | They attempted to form a gate here

"Why is it abandoned then? Did they just give up?" Now the site felt far less inviting, it was like the place was haunted. "If they're as bad as you say..."

No | the Vex are beyond my understanding | House Wolves had more experience, Winter too

"Is something troubling your Quirk?" Yukino inquired, nudging the masked girl to stand, shaking her head at the ruins.

"It's fine, it belonged to the same world SIVA came from, but since it's all offline it's not much more than ruins, fancy ruins, but ruins nonetheless," Much as it continued to unnerve her, Yuki led her partner out of the hollowed-out site, continuing their sweep of the perimeter. "Back on topic, Sero was worried about you."

While Yukino was continuing to loom over the edge to spot anything that stood out, her head did turn back curiously, "Hmm?"

"I think out of all of us he was the one about to jump in to break up the fight, though getting between a Nightmare that is an embodiment of the cold and one with a lot of spells under his belt probably wouldn't have been smart," Yuki droned on, hands clasped behind her head. "I'm still a little confused, why did you give him your number?"

"..." Yukino didn't speak immediately, she herself didn't quite understand why she did that, not that she regretted the choice, he was a good friend, and humorous in his own quirky way. "I suppose I wanted to thank him," She admitted; Yuki noticed how the ravenette played with the straps for her bracers. "I was caught unaware of my surroundings, he moved much faster than Velk could and pulled me from danger, while it may seem minor to a Host, he didn't know, nor do I think he would care."

"Why's that?" Yuki's smile was hidden, listening closely.

"I asked him myself, he said as much - although he does tend to fumble with his words," She answered, becoming distracted. "My intentions were to keep communication, though it also seemed like the most forward situation to offer my contact."

Yuki, seeing her bait had worked to the intended effect, decided to make good on a deal earlier today, "You owe me, Sero," Slithering closer she nudged Yukino. "So do you - mmm?" Her mask was pressed closer to his face, silencing her. Yukino kept them still, eye searching the area carefully. "Mmm?"

|Target Detected|

Moving back slowly, Yuki enhanced herself with twenty percent right off the bat, arms and legs converted. Yukino withdrew her sword, the act alone releasing a small breath of mist from the blade's wrappings. The two stood apart evenly. "Ahead of us, a soul is approaching, be ready." Nodding, Yuki conjured two swords, prepped for a fight.

Something from afar was moving in from the treeline beyond the quarry, it was powerful and very potent. Neither Velk nor Yukino recognized the aura but it was infested with malice and bloodlust. Once ice crystals formed to reinforce her costume, something black leapt high above the lip of the quarry, diving down with tremendous force between the girls, splitting them apart.

The entity rose from the dust with a horrific smile sown with flesh, tiger-orange eyes bore gashes of the same tint across its forehead, the hair wavy and pulled by an invisible wind. Curved horns jutted from the temples. It only wore baggy, ashen cargo pants, the pointed tail swinging by while obsidian seemed to grow from its shoulders and back, and across its thighs. The torso appeared sunken and covered in orange gashes along the chest.

The skeletal arms were long, reinforced with obsidian while it seemed to exsponge hot embers from its melded jaws. "Hehehe...hahahaha...!" The pair heard bones snap and configure as it twitched to stand upright. "ROOOOOOAAAAARR!" Its wail deafened the pair, itself rushed Yuki immediately after.

Yukino intervened with a slash of her blade, creating a jagged wall of ice to divert it her way. The Nightmare lunged for her instead, she clashed with its claws, throwing a frozen kick that it evaded and struck her arm, pinning the girl on her knees. It struck with a high-kick that Yukino avoided on her hands, spinning around to slash a spiral of ice as it sliced its arms and throat. It didn't stop the Nightmare from seeping through the shade and striking up with both feet, sending the girl flying several feet.

It turned for Yuki again who rushed forward with two slants to its chest, warping from its backhand and blasting it with two orbs from her extra arms. It slid backwards and crawled up the wall and over Yuki's Burst, slamming down behind her to rip the left extra off her side, bashing her face with it. Wrapping its tail around her lower right it pulled it off by the elbow, land a strike on Yuki's right arm, causing her to cry out at the pain and him to laugh. She didn't break stride however and leapt away while a geyser of ice swallowed the Nightmare. It quickly shaved the top off, standing proudly until it propelled downward, shattering two more arcs of ice with its bare arms. The volcanic armour pummeling Yuki's swords into shards.

It spun around and landed from the impact, dipping back to avoid the misty sword until it dived into a handstand, kicking Yukino in the face while the tail whipped and sliced out her eye, black mist spraying from the wound. Blinded, she brushed her locks behind her ear and blocked a claw and pushed her off-hand against its chest, freezing it several feet through another spear of ice. crystals erupting underneath its feet.

Slowly, the rime shattered, and the Nightmare slithered out, tugging the crystals from its flesh, chewing on a chunk in its mouth as it hissed. "Who are you?"

Yuki stood with her, "And what do you want?"

It snapped its own neck, humming an eerie melody to itself. "My name doesn't concern either of you; My purpose? Well, that matters... I guess to you both," His finger poised to Yuki in particular. "You are all that matters to me."

"Flattering," Yuki chuffed, clusters pulsing and infecting her further two fifty percent, her lower arms reformed. The Nightmare observed this, cackling like a hyena.

"Hahahaha, you haven't the slightest idea why I'm here, what you're worth, do you?" It only served to anger the two girls. "Do not worry, my master has plans for all of you - especially the coward behind your frostbite."

"Harbinger..." Yukino hummed, her degree of anger not visible, but the Nightmare could see it all. The right eye turned blue, the mark glowing the same tint. "We won't let you take her." The pair declared.

Its frown was evident, or for a moment, heat suddenly rising in the area. "Harbinger wished, but... Good...!" Delighted that they are willing to fight, it rushed with a blazing trail of fire behind it, appearing behind Yukino.

"Block!" Yuki called, firing several plasmablasts to ricochet off the sword and into It. The Nightmare covered his eyes with his arm and then cartwheels onto Yukino's sword, mist crawled across its arm, freezing him or until orange and red cracks seeped through, expanding into a halo of fire that blinded and threw the ravenette into the quarry.

"Blackbird!" Yuki shot forward, cracking its lower jaw with her leg, spinning in place with her right arms back. "Devil's Ruin!" While the Nightmare tumbled it was shredded by the twin beams, countering with his legs thrown upward in a backflip, rings of fire redirecting the shots skyward.

Once stationary, Yuki gasped as her back was torn apart by a set of blazing hot claws, the flames erupting under her into a streak of flames, tossing her across the earth, singed. Behind the pyromancer Yukino rose, wings of pearl and aquamarine catching the sun while her right arm appeared more scaly and frozen. With a vertical slash, a massive, light blue contrail left the sword, excavating a massive line through the earth. A wall of ice erupting from the stone.

*Boosh!*

It exploded, the Nightmare's own torrent of flames shattering her forearms armor, melting the rime membrane of her wings, slanting her descent, and her startled eyes. "He... melted my ice?"

"Hana!" She was too lost to realize she had been flanked. She quickly pivoted, slicing through its chest though that only served as an anchor. It flipped over her jagged wings, the frost missing its tail.

It latched onto her back, ignoring the spikes that punctured its arms and feet, instead, it tore his own body apart to tear off her wings. He grabbed the girl's jaw, plunging his flaming fingers into her throat to silence her scream while the two impacted the granite wall, himself laughing as he left Yukino buried into the surface.

"I'll play with you later, 'kay?" He giggled, sending Yukino flying with a solid, blazing kick to her stomach, blood staining the ground, hearing her organs explode in the process.

It leapt back into the fray. Quick diverting Yuki's right hooks with its tail, wrapping it around her neck to sling itself over her hands, flicking her up and down into the granite. She spun with her thrusters, snap-kicking through a whirlwind of flames, locking her leg with the Nightmare's forearms, the flames and rubble exploding outward over the edge.

The dust cleared with another diagonal column of flames, the SIVA-enhanced girl performing a helix spin through the flames and behind the monster, striking with four blasts of energy, gliding back to vault over the cracks in the earth that opened up with several smaller explosions. High above the creature, she shot down at a devastating velocity. "Perfected Impact!" The heel of her boot struck true, or it did, a tail slipping around her ankle to throw her aside and into the far wall.

Her ears rung, stumbling away from the surface while her mask's right optic cracked, attempting to evaluate the situation. Yukino pushed from her own crater, grasping her sword to aid her friend hastily. The Nightmare was only a few inches away, and its arm was split open with molten rock. "Yuki!"

"Night-Night, Thief." Its eyes curled in jubilation.

*Shiing!*

A red streak of light cut off the Nightmare's assault, silencing the chaos with a single blow. When it looked down, both its arms slowly slid off by the wrists, spurting black mist, and blood. "Oh, I forgot there was a third." He dismissed the sight, shaking out two new hands. "Ah, good as new!"

Yukino ran to Yuki's aid, helping her sit upright to spot standing to guard them was none other than Jin, her weapon's scabbard moved to her left hip. A katana with a black and white woven pattern for the grip and fabric tied to the end. She kept her expression hidden under a cloth and the cowl of her hood.

"Aksis, Velkhana, step aside and report to Valstrax," Her voice was sharp and authoritative. "I shall cull this beast."

"Ooooh, you cut through obsidian? And no Midnite?" He narrowed his eyes. "Hrm, I can't see your soul, are you a Hollow? A Lord?"

"Do I look like I come from Dark Souls to you?" She hummed, sheaving her sword but clutching the handle. The students watching in astonishment, even Yukino who, until seeing the Nightmare's fire, was usually impassive about Jin's talents. Impressed, but never openly. "What are you?"

It put a hand to its chest, motioning forward. "Good Hollow, my name is Infernal," He growled, "And I must whisk the blue-haired one away with me to a magical place." He was taunting Jin.

"Cute," She kept her posture firm. "Now come take her and see where it ends you."

Infernal hissed, the flesh binding his jaws stretching his smile. "GLADLY!"

Rushing Jin, Infernal twists to the right as he throws his weight into a slash at him with his left flaming claw. It is deflected by the body of Jin's weapon unsheathed once and Infernal easily comes round to attack with his right claw. His attack is once again deflected and Infernal steps back from Jin, his momentum carrying him.

Jin slashes twice at the Nightmare, missing both times with quick strikes from the sheath. Infernal jumps into the air and spins so that he can deliver a landing kick to Jin, flames expanding around them, followed by a slash with his claws. Jin dodges both. He continued flipping, moving away from Jin's range until he is ready to come at him again, laughing.

The ravenette meets his obsidian claws in the air with her rising blade, resulting in a clash of metal that is strong enough to loudly propel them away from each other, flames between them. Infernal flips away while a slightly pushed back Jin holds her ground in a lunge.

Infernal uses his claws to help him stay upright and the ninja immediately appears, striking down. The monster evades, parrying the second swing with his tail, then slides right. Their attacks constantly deflect, whips of embers rising around them. metal rang, and the temperature rose.

Jin leapt back, feet pressed to the wall to somersault over a wave of fire, unsheathing once to amputate Infernal again, knocking him down onto the level below, Jin pursuing the Nightmare. With another downward stroke, they clashed with enough force that the contrails of fire sliced chunks from the level above. Pausing at that moment, the pressure the two of them are creating formed tiny sparks.

He suddenly vanished into the shadows, tripping her up and into his rising feet, kicking her. She focused and banished four balls of fire from striking her. To her surprise, the tail coiled around her arm, sliding down to disarm her, embedding the katana in the wall behind Infernal.

Up above, Yuki and Yukino approached the edge, the former constructing a Wire Rifle into her hands, pinning her sights to the Nightmare who shambled toward Jin. With a static pop at the muzzle, a bolt of electricity pierced its right eye, though that did little more than throw its head back. Shrugging off the damage, she fired more trace rounds, each dismissed with its pointy tail, amusing Infernal who took pleasure in seeing her mask's eyes flicker with irritation.

Meanwhile, Jin rubs her wrist, shrugging before walking close enough to punch Infernal in the face. It wasn't what anyone expected from the ninja. Infernal quickly shielded his face, groaning through a broken nose. He straightens and looks at Jin, surprised, only to get punched in the face again. He's driven back by the woman who follows with a right uppercut, then a kick to the torso sending him flying and onto the ground. Infernal remains crouched while Jin casually retrieves her weapon.

Infernal hissed, snapping his nose in place while giving the woman's a sickening look the second her hand touches the sword. She tisked, dodging by planting both feet against the edge of her katana, revealing a smoke bomb between her fingers as it blinds Infernal.

The knockback throws her upward, performing a handstand against the lip of the quarry. Infernal roars and lunges for her, taking out a chunk of stone, missing the woman to waved from the large wheel bucket excavator. He snarls and shifts into the shadows. Lunging out with two columns of fire rising behind him.

Jin keeps her distance, stepping across the neck of the machine, unsheathing her blade to counter the two claws tearing streaks of red hot flames on either side of them. Using his tail to help volley around the apparatus of the excavator, he continued to propel dozens of flaming attacks in Jin's direction, each one evaded or banished with a stroke of silver.

The two continue to swing at each other and make contact through their attacks as they move across the large machine. Spotting the supports for the crane attachment they battled on, Jin swipes at the suspension cables, rushing to the opposite end. Infernal pursues, stepping down heavily, causing the crane to groan and give way underneath them. Jin leapt back as the crane dropped suddenly, gasping as a tail wrapped around her ankle and pulled her down into the dust and collapsing metal.

The two observing it all from above looked on in horror, nodding to one another. Yukino quickly swiped horizontally, creating a rampart of ice for them to decent the quarry quickly. With a rush of wind and a stumble at the base of the mine they looked around the area, seeing something escape the dust cloud, rolling across the ground until a kunai was driven into the earth, stalling their tumble.

Jin's hood fell back, blood trickling down her forehead while her mouth and nose remained covered. She stood up, hand on her handle and stance wide. She didn't even flinch, inspecting the dust for subtle movements. There was a spark, and the dust fanned out in a dome, flames erupting behind Infernal who cackled, eyes fueled by rage.

She was ready to use it, or until a blade of ice and nanites intersected, throwing Infernal back with a sickly smile. "Oh, so eager to be taken away, hehehe, what fun!"

"I've already been taken once," Yuki spat, her body warping, metal grinding from the remains of the crane behind them, turning black and red. "SIVA. Enhance! One-Hundred Percent!" The hot rush of wind tickled the Nightmare, himself grinning away as he rushed the ladies.

The trio moved in to attack Infernal. Yuki materialized behind Infernal, cross-chopping the air as he pressed both feet to her face, unleashing a massive torrent of flames to knock the girl away while a wrapped sword hooked to his waist, gouging out his side while he blocked Jin's rising slant with a hand, tossing the ninja into her student, spin-kicking them aside.

Yuki blocks several more flames, swinging her fists in a peek-a-boo formation, swiveling under his flaming claws to land her devastating punches across his torso. He slipped away from her twin beams, grabbing the bluette by the crown to slam her into the earth, feeling her form warp a few feet away on her knees.

Within inches of her Jin countered, cutting off his arm during his twirl, evading the blazing extension to his tail while blocking a downward chop. They were locked in a stalemate, allowing the ninja to glare back at her students. "I told you both to stay back!"

"I know," Yuki huffed, unable to maintain one-hundred percent before dropping down to fifty. It took a lot more metal than what she could just steal from the excavator, and her concentration wasn't as linear. That didn't leave the Enhanced Hero defenseless. "I just wanted to help buy time."

"Hyrah!" Yukino lunged from the dust cloud, unbeknownst to Infernal, his face dropping in fright as the living blizzard brought a fist across his cheek, sending him spiraling through a dozen arcs of ice, embedding him into the lowest wall of the quarry. Most of Yukino's body was transformed into a living, scaly beast of ice, she even had a tail of compact blue ice, forming into a sword. Velk was in control. "Still believe I'm a coward as Harrow says?"

Falling onto his face, Infernal peered up to find all three standing at the ready for him. He grimaced, "If Velk decides to bear her claws... hrm, I hate plans," "Oh, we'll see," His marred mouth spat a puff of flames. "I'll burn your scales, melt your sword, and shred that soul of yours completely! Besides, this kept you three busy, that's also good..."

With a hand to the wall, he molded into the shade, vanishing without a trace for Velk to uncover. She sighed tiredly, allowing Yukino control while her ice broke away. "He is gone, ironic."

Jin relaxed with Yuki, the girl coughing up blood. "Are you well?" Jin was by her side, seeing the girl smile while cleaning her face.

"Y-yeah, using my power at max isn't as fluent as the first time, I think about thirty seconds at most," Coughing up a few specks she was sat down, Jin pulling out her phone. "What now?"

"Now we call it a day, I believe we have found more than enough information, aside from Infernal's appearance," She glanced at Yukino who stared down at her sword, running her fingers over it shamefully. "Do not feel guilty, none of us knew he could utilize fire, even I'm impressed."

"But... it's not possible," She murmured, clutching the wrapped sword tighter. "Our ice combined have never been melted; Cracked and broken, sure, but turned to liquid? That's... never happened before."

"Kovik made a deal with Harrow," Yuki added calmly. "It's only natural he found something that could, so just grow stronger," That lifted the somber girl's eye to Yuki's tired but confident smile, fang visible. "If your ice is melted then freeze it as many times as it takes - you said to me your Quirk is dangerous around others, but it's your power if anyone can break its limits, control its strength, its both of you. Like me and SIVA, together, you guys can overcome this."

"I see..." Looking down at the old weapon, Yukino felt her chest tighten with responsibility. "...we will try."

Yuki nodded, winking. "Then that's already amazing - also-" Yuki flopped onto her back. "-I think Infernal broke my leg, little help please, and ow..."

Underneath though, Yuki realized how deep this investigation led them. If their joint operation with Nighteye's agency concerns Dren, and Kovik, possibly Harrow, then how many more were caught in the web? Why a Nightmare? And what else could Kovik want from Yuki and SIVA? It left her mind plagued with questions again, but if she knew one certainty, she was going to find answers.

To Be Continued...


This was a lot of fun to write outside of just having Yuki encounter Eri with Izuku a day prior, she'll be involved in time, just you wait. And no reveal on Jin's Quirk, not yet anyway. I hope you enjoyed, appreciate the support as always, seeya in the next chapter Heroes!

Next Chapter: Declaration of Perfection

Izuku: Everyone's here? What's going on?

Kirishima: Can't be good, even Mr. Aizawa's here!

Yuki: You guys too, huh?

Yukino: Strange, dread is in the air...

Jura: I got a bad feeling about this.

Izuku: Coming soon, Declaration of Perfection.

Yuki/Kirishima: Go Beyond!

Everyone: Plus Ultra!