Cleansing Fire

A gust of wind passed through a desolated street of the city. All Might ran all over the city, frantically searching for the sludge villain that had escaped his grasp. There were not many people outside, as the sky over the city had darkened, and the sound of distant thunderstorm announced an incoming storm. As All Might felt the first droplets fall on his skin, he cursed under his breath.

"I must od this quickly and make sure Izuku reached the house safely," All Might thought as he checked a street in less than a second. There weren't many places left for him to look over. After recovering some of his strength, he had started to check the more far away areas of the city, as he guessed the villain would have tried to make a run for it and hid somewhere in the outskirts of the city. After exploring the outer areas and a bit out of the city, he decided to backtrack and check the whole place.

As he moved at Mach speed, it was easier for him to cover much more ground in the least amount of time. When he passed by an alley, he caught a glimpse of something that caused him to stop dead in his tracks. As all Might turned around and went to look in the passage, the metallic smell of blood flooded his nose, causing him to gag for a moment before regaining his composure. He examined the site, there was blood all over the floor and on one of the walls.

"What happened here?" All Might asked himself as he frowned. It almost seemed as someone had exploded in there.

As he analysed the scene, something caught his attention…

"Is that… slime?" All Might thought as he kneeled down touch it. Now, closer to the floor, he noticed that there were bits of slime scattered all over the place. "This can't be a coincidence…" All Might took a phone out of his pocket and dialled a number. He brought the phone to his ear and waited for the person on the other side to answer.

"Hello?" The voice of a man answered.

"Naomasa, I need your help. I will send you my location, and I need you here as soon as possible! Make sure to bring a forensic team too," All Might exclaimed to his friend.

On the other side of the line, the last bit made Naomasa perk up. He sat correctly in his chair as he frowned. "I'm on my way, stay there,"

Naomasa hung the phone and stood up from his chair. On the alley, All Might placed his phone back in his pocket and frowned as he looked back at the scene. The image of the sludge monster's morbid smile appeared on his mind. "Just what did you do?"

In the Yagi household…

Izumi lied down on the couch of the living room as she rested against the back. Izumi looked up at the ceiling, but her eyes were not fixed on anything. Every time she remembered what had happened after the end of classes, she felt like something sharp pierced her in her chest. Today it had been the first time they had a fight. Sure they would argue over things, but it had never escalated to something like that. Every time she remembered Izuku yelling at her, it hurt, but nothing hurt more than having to come to terms with the fact that she yelled at him as well, and possibly hurt him.

"I'm his sister goddamnit…" Izumi said as she looked down and placed the back of her hand against her forehead. Her lips were trembling, and so were her hands. She felt as her eyes were starting to get watery. "I'm supposed to be with him… not leave him…" Her hands curled into fists as she continued to tremble.

Izumi brought her legs to her chest and buried her face in her knees. Her mind was busy imagining every possible scenario, and what she could have done to make the situation better. "I shouldn't have forced it on him…" The words of All Might whispered to her in her mind. "But I also don't want him to die…" Confusion took hold of Izumi's thought process. "What should I do?"

Izumi raised her head from her knees and looked at herself in the reflection of the turned-off T.V. "I must look for him…" Izumi told herself. "What did Izuku sometimes say?" Izumi closed her eyes, thinking for a moment. "Oh yeah…" Izumi opened her eyes, the light was now back to them. "Everyone makes mistakes, but a mistake only becomes a failure when you refuse to correct it," Izumi took a deep breath. "I must apologise to him. I must listen to him. I must stand by him, and be someone he can lean on… I must keep our promise,"

There was a sound coming down the hall, someone was opening the door. This caused Izumi to perk up. She stood up and walked toward the entrance. She saw the doorknob turning, was it Izuku? Izumi felt as her heart started to beat faster, and her hands began to tremble. Her breathing became harder as cold sweat started to drip down her face. She was at the border of hyperventilating. Things were moving fast. Izumi swallowed, getting her breathing and her heartbeat back under control.

The door opened. To Izumi, it seemed like time had slowed down as she watched the door move. Her eyes widened as she saw Toshinori step into his house, an umbrella in hand, looking dejected. "Hi dad," Izumi greeted him, although she was not too enthusiastic to see him.

"Oh, hello Izumi," Toshinori said as he stepped into the house and closed the umbrella.

Izumi eyed him cautiously. If Toshinori was here, then could Izuku also be there too. Izumi looked as Toshinori closed the door behind him. "Something's wrong…" Izumi narrowed her eyes as she looked at her dad.

"Tell me," Toshinori started. "Is Izuku around?" Toshinori had suspected that Izuku would have already reached the house by the time he left the police station.

Izumi felt a chill go down her spine at the question. "Wait…" Izumi said before she swallowed. "Izuku isn't with you?"

Toshinori froze in place. "What?" Toshinori thought in his head as he turned his head to look at Izumi. "So… Izuku isn't here?"

Izumi slowly nodded her head. "If he isn't with dad then… where is he? What happened? Is he okay?!" Izumi thought as she started to tremble again, the cold sweat returning to her face. "Dad… Where is Izuku?" Izumi said, her voice cracking midway.

Toshinori was petrified. The image of the alley and the blood returned to his mind. "That was just a coincidence… right?" Toshinori felt as what remained of his stomach dropped.

"Dad… Where is Izuku?!" Izumi exclaimed loudly as she looked at her father. Izumi looked at him hopelessly as she raised her eyebrows and her mouth gaped. Izumi felt as her eyes grew tired, feeling as she would pass out.

"Come on," Toshinori said sternly as he opened the door and took his umbrella. Toshinori stepped out of the house and opened the umbrella, which now shielded him from heaven's cries. "We must find him!" Toshinori then began to walk away.

As if something had struck her, Izumi regained control of her emotions and quickly grabbed her own umbrella. Izumi didn't care that she was practically in pyjamas, nor about the possibility of getting sick, she only cared about one thing, Izuku. With such a goal in mind, she walked in the ferocious tempest.

As Toshinori struggled to walk through the dreadful storm, he coughed into his hand. When he looked down at it, he saw the reddish-brown droplets of blood that covered his hand. The horrendous image of the alley passed through his head once more. Toshinori continued to walk, taking his phone out of his pocket. He dialled Naomasa's number and brought his phone to his ear, waiting for the detective to answer.

"Naomasa!" Toshinori practically yelled as he was gasping for air. "I want… No… I need the results of the DNA test from the alley! I need them! I need them NOW!" Toshinori struggled to keep himself on his feet as the rain, and the wind threatened to wash him away.

On the other side of the line, Naomasa grew tense, he had never heard Toshinori talk like that before. "I will see what I can do. The moment I have them, I will call you,"

"Please…" Toshinori said in a tired tone. "I need those results… I need to know…" As he said that, Toshinori hung the phone and continued to move forwards. "I can't lose you… I won't lose you too…"

The storm continued as the opera of the skies, the instruments determined to sing out, and the trees and grasses as their percussion. It was a twirl of perfect black ballet dancers, each dressed in windswept grey. They danced to the roar of heaven's drum and called lightning to their stage.

Izumi sat on a chair in the police station, looking numbly at the floor. The policemen had been kind enough to give her a towel with which she could cover herself with. The umbrellas had not been sufficient to protect her from the force of nature that raged outside. Toshinori sat next to her, a towel around him as well. He chewed on his nails, Naomasa had told them that the results were almost ready. Izumi received an enormous impact when Toshinori told her the possibility of Izuku being dead from the sludge monster attack.

"I refuse to believe it…" Izumi thought as her gaze was fixated on the floor. She had bags under her eyes as they had been searching for Izuku the entire day before without rest. Her strength was slowly fading away.

The door to Naomasa's office and the detective stepped out. The moment Naomasa saw father and daughter in such pitiful states, he adverted his eyes, turning around to close the door. Naomasa stood looking at the door for some time. This made Izumi and Toshinori wary.

"Naomasa… What's going on?" Toshinori asked, there was still some hope in his heart, but his reason told him otherwise…

Naomasa turned around to face father and daughter. He swallowed thickly and opened his mouth, but no words came out. Naomasa struggled for a few seconds as the sentence refused to leave his mouth.

"Naomasa! Tell me whose blood that was!" Toshinori demanded as he stood up and grabbed the shoulders of his friend. Toshinori's eyes looked desperately at Naomasa, hoping for an answer.

"It…" Naomasa choked on his own words. "It was his…" Naomasa looked down, avoiding Toshinori's eyes.

Toshinori's arms fell limply to his side as the colour of his face faded away. "No…" Toshinori said as he looked up at the ceiling. The image of mother and son appeared on his mind. "I lost them…" Toshinori fell to his knees, his gaze now fixated on the nothingness. "I lost them both…"

Meanwhile, Izumi stared at Naomasa with wide eyes, a petrified expression in her face. "You are joking, right?" Izumi finally managed to say. "This is all a joke, isn't it?" Izumi smiled as her thoughts tried to convince her that what she had heard was not true at all.

Naomasa felt as something stabbed him in the chest. It was already difficult having to say it the first time. He simply shook his head as he avoided looking at Izumi. Naomasa hated this part of his job.

Izumi's smile faded away, and so did the light in her eyes, which briefly came back. And so, the pressure was too much, the dam broke, and the waterfall was let loose. Izumi felt like her world shattered in front of her. It was too much for her already exhausted body, and suddenly everything turned pitch black.

Izumi began to fall back from the chair she was in. Naomasa quickly glanced up and saw Izumi falling down to the ground. The detective reacted speedily and ran past a frozen Toshinori still kneeling, and he managed to catch Izumi before she hit the floor.

"A medic! Bring a medic!" Naomasa shouted to his subordinates, who were watching the scene in perplexity. Naomasa looked down at Izumi, and then he looked back at Toshinori. Naomasa closed his eyes, cursing under his breath as the workers had finally snapped out of their shock and went to aid the detective.

The deluge had been raging for a week, it's incessant winds attacking the city along with the waterfall of the sky. They had all convinced themselves that Izuku had died in that alley, murdered by the sludge monster as an act of revenge. Nobody could have survived after losing so much blood unless they received help immediately. The funeral had been more of a memorial, with nobody to bury, there were only pictures, and an empty casket, which was added to give a sense of normality to the funeral.

The grieving part had been the worst, as, without a body to bury, it was still challenging to associate the idea of death with someone whose body hadn't been found. Even, all the evidence presented indicated that Izuku would have more than likely died a few minutes after he started to bleed.

Izumi sat alone, away from the bulk of people, or well heroes, who had come to give their condolences to All Might. Izumi couldn't help but realise that most of those condolences seemed half-assed and that they were only trying to get into All Might's good grace rather than actually helping him through his grieve. Izumi scoffed at the sight.

"If only there had been a hero there…" Izumi thought as she scowled. "If only I was there…" A pain appeared in her chest at the thought. Her eyes were becoming watery again, but she prevented herself from crying once more. Her eyes already hurt enough from spending practically the entire last week in hysterical cries as she denied the possibility of Izuku being dead. She wandered the city like an errand spirit, searching for Izuku, looking to maintain their promise, but she found no one, she only found herself alone.

Izumi felt a hand on her shoulder, causing her to look back in surprise. There she saw Shouko. They hadn't seen each other in the past week, not since Izumi told her what had happened. Her eyes were visibly red too. Crying is a cleansing of one's soul, a rebonding with our vulnerable selves a chance to realise what suffering and pain are for you… and for others… "So this is what happens when heroes fail…" Izumi thought.

Shouko sat next to Izumi in an empty chair. There were no words spoken in between them, they both knew exactly how each other was feeling, and so they said nothing, just silently comforting each other. A few minutes of silence passed, with only the rain's soothing sound, the natural melody every bit as beautiful as a mother's soulful hum.

Finally, Shouko decided to break the ice. "What…" She stuttered. "What are you planning to do?" Shouko still looked down at the floor, not being able to look up at Izumi.

"I will do what any hero would, I will protect the weak, the vulnerable, the people who are loved by those around them," Izumi started. "I will fight against those who do injustice so those that can't fight won't have to," This caused Shouko to look up at Izumi. "I will achieve nothing by just sitting here and think about the what-ifs… In a sense that is what got us to this situation in the first place," Izumi remembered all the times she tried to push Izuku away, afraid of hurting him. "This world will always be full of injustice, but if I have the time to give up or hold a grudge against those injustices then I indeed have the time to stand up and fight against such injustices," Izumi looked down at her hand, clenching it into a fist.

"And what plans do you have to achieve this?" Shouko asked as she raised an eyebrow.

"I will become the number one hero," Izumi started. "With such a position, I will have enough influence to cause the change necessary in the hero system. No more fake heroes will be allowed, only those capable and willing to truly save those in danger, not from a lust of power or fame, but because they really want to have a positive impact in this world," Izumi said as she frowned. "Heroes such as your father," This caused Shouko to tense up at the remainder of Endeavour. "They will have no such place in my world," Izumi closed her eyes and sighed. "That way, what happened to Izuku, and the pain we feel, will never be again,"

Shouko looked at Izumi, shocked for a moment, but then she smiled fondly at her friend. Shouko placed her hand once again on Izumi's shoulder. "In that case, you will need help," Shouko stated. This caused Izumi to perk up and look up at her. Shouko chuckled at her reaction. "You can't do everything alone. I will be there too, standing next to you, and supporting you,"

Izumi smiled at Shouko as she felt the tears starting to form again in her eyes, which she quickly suppressed. "Thank you…"

Shouko chuckled once again. "You don't need to thank me, we made a promise, remember?" Shouko said as she smiled. "We will reach the top, together,"

"Is there room for one more?" A female voice said.

Izumi and Shouko turned around to look at the front, and there they say a pretty, blonde girl with blue eyes.

"Melissa!" Izumi exclaimed, her mouth opened. She really not expected her to be here. Not that she was bothered by it, after all, it had been a year since the last time they saw each other.

"I made a promise too, remember?" Melissa asked.

"Yes, I remember," Izumi said, remembering the first time they met eleven years ago.

"I may not have a quirk," Melissa started. "So I won't be able to help you on the battlefield directly, but I do have the ability to help from the sidelines with my equipment, so please, let me support you with everything I have!" Melissa exclaimed.

Izumi looked up at Melissa, and she saw the small tears that were falling down her cheeks. Izumi smiled at her and stood up, placing a hand on the shoulder of the taller girl. "We will make this world a better place, a place where Izuku could have lied happily," Izumi said.

Melissa looked at her and nodded her head. Shouko looked down, the smile she had fading away. Her mind trailed back to the last words Izuku told her. 'See you tomorrow!' The beaming image of Izuku as he smiled appeared on her mind. "I really wished to have seen you one last time… That way… Maybe I would have been able to express this feeling I have for you…"

The beeping sound of a pulse oximeter reverberated around the room—there was a single white bulb which illuminated the place. The lights pierced the eyes of Izuku, who lied on a hospital bed. As the light started to disturb him in his sleep, he began to open his eyes. Izuku blinked for a few times. Izuku begun to sit back up, and instinctively, he tried to lift himself using his right arm. As he sat up, he then felt, or rather, not felt, his right arm. He looked to his side and saw a prosthetic metal arm. Izuku brought his new prosthetic up, staring wide-eyed at it. He began to remember how his arm was forcibly removed from his body. Izuku closed his hand a few times and scrutinised it.

Izuku then felt something on his nose. Izuku brought his left arm and touched his nose, feeling a few tubes coming out of it. He followed the pipes, and he saw they were connected to something at his back, Izuku brought his arm and touched his back, feeling like a small tank strapped to his back.

"What… What happened?" Izuku brought his flesh arm to his head and gripped it, trying to remember. Izuku remembered the sludge, the pain, and then, nothing. No, there was something else he remembered, a man, but who was this person?

The doors of the room opened, causing Izuku to tense as he went on guard. A man stepped in, he wore a black suit without a tie. He was tall and bulky, but what caught Izuku's attention the most was wearing a pipe mask that covered his entire face.

"Oh, you are awake now," The mysterious man said in a calm, yet firm tone.

Izuku eyed him carefully. "Who are you?"

"Ah yes, my apologies. I'm the person who saved you when you were brutally assaulted by that vile sludge creature," The man started. "I go by many names, but I am mostly referred to by one, my name is All for One,"

Izuku widened his eyes, his senses going on high alert. "All for One?" Izuku thought. "The underground villain?" Izuku asked.

"Of course, the one and only," All for One replied, a bit amused by the boy's reaction. "I see you really have been one of the few to have been able to find out about my existence,"

"All records say All for One died after his battle with All Might, 14 years ago," Izuku stated as he narrowed his eyes.

"Do I look dead to you?" All for One asked as he extended his arms to his sides.

"No," Izuku narrowed his eyes once again. "But, how can I know you really are All for One,"

"Cautious, I like that," All for One told him. A few spikes popped out of one of All for One's arms which were then covered in flames, and the muscles of his other arm grew bigger while claws appeared from his hand.

"Multiple quirks…" Izuku said in awe as he looked at All for One.

All for One deactivated his quirks. "Indeed, so, did that convince you?"

"I guess so," Izuku said, but he still didn't lower his guard. "Tell me, why did you save me?" Izuku said as he narrowed his eyes.

"Because I like you," All for One simply said.

"Like me?" Izuku asked as he raised an eyebrow. "Why would this god-like villain have taken a liking into me?" Izuku thought a bit weirded out.

"Yes, let me straight with you," All for One started his explanation as his tone shifted to a more serious one. "I've been observing you for some time now, and I admire the level of skill you have, despite your age. In you, I see a raw, untamed potential, and beyond that, something truly special, that I just couldn't let go to waste," All for One the let out a small chuckle. "You, my boy, are a rare gem in between rare gems. Despite not possessing a quirk, your intellect rivals, perhaps even surpasses that of U.A's principal, Nezu. Beings such as you, who have the potential to change the course of human history only appear once every several generations, I just couldn't let your abilities be wasted with people who don't even see you as an equal,"

Izuku scoffed at the reminder of how Izumi had been treating him for the past years. Izuku did not hate Izumi, but he was upset by her behaviour. All he wanted to do was stand by side with her and to keep their promise. He knew that he may be weaker than the average heroes and villains when it came to physical strength, but that didn't mean he couldn't find a way to even the battlefield. Still, if Izumi didn't want him to stand with her, then fine, he will stand against her, and he will prove to her just how capable he actually is, and maybe, in the way, they will be able to join forces, and be together once again.

Even so, the idea of joining a supervillain was not something Izuku particularly liked. "I've wanted to be a hero all my life," Izuku started. "All I've wanted to do is to help people, to create positive change and that way, I could make this hell of a world just a bit more of a better place," Izuku then raised his head and looked at All for One directly where he supposed his eyes should be. "If that is my ultimate goal, then why would I want to join the symbol of evil?" Izuku said glaring at the villain.

There was a small pause, but then All for One began to laugh, surprising the young boy. "You are still so naïve my boy," All for One said in between laughs. When he finally regained his composure, All for One looked directly at Izuku's eyes. "Evil?" All for One still said a bit amused. "What is that? Who gives more shape to human history? The good, who adhere to the tried and true? Or those who seek to rouse being from their conformity and lead them to glory? Those willing to wash away the old and complacent, and purge this world of dead weight,"

All for One let his words sink in and then began to walk around the room. "Heroes…" All for One continued. "Crippled by greed, shackled to obedience, to their masters, their governments. They perpetuate a myth of safety. Serving their government as if it was programmed into them, instead of the people they supposedly work to protect. The nation can't be set on its proper course until the heroes and their corrupt government have been brought down," All for One then turned around to look at Izuku. "For decay has no cure, it has to be eradicated by the flames of a cleansing fire."

Izuku looked at All for One in surprise. Izuku had to give it to him, he was right. The words resonated inside his head, if he wanted to bring the change he so desired into this world, he could not bound himself by the laws of the system. He would have to rise up and shake this society from its foundations, and when the pieces all come crashing down, he will pick them up one by one, and from the mess it once was, he will rebuild the world into something beautiful. "You are right on that, the state is no longer what it once was."

"The state is not what was important, ever," All for One stated. "It was, but a shell which surrounds the heroes, just like the teachings of the heroes are but a shell surrounding the hearts of humanity. If we bring down the heroes, the real colours of the government, which is full of greedy, squabbling bureaucrats, will be revealed to the people, and without the heroes to sustain them, the government will come crashing down, and fall on the people in the process, breaking the world to its very core,"

"And then, the pieces will be up for grabs," Izuku finished the statement.

"You are starting to get it," All for One said in a pleased tone. "We both hate the current state of affairs, and both are the only ones with enough will to do something about it. This will be our world, my boy, our reality," All for One extended his hand towards Izuku.

"To be united by hatred," Izuku thought. "It is a fragile alliance at best," Izuku looked at All for One's hand. "I pledge myself, to your teachings," Izuku said as he bowed his head.

All for One retracted his hand. "Very well," All for One stated. "Together, we shall bring an end to this world, and from its ashes, build a new one where we will reign supreme, like master and apprentice," All for One turned around and walked toward the door. "Now, rest, my apprentice, you need to recover your strength so we can start working as soon as possible, for time waits for no one,"

"Understood," Izuku bit his lip. "Master…"

All for One then opened the door and walked out of the room, closing the door behind him. Izuku remained sitting, glaring at the door. "It's only natural that we will have a conflict of interests in the future," Izuku thought and then furrowed his eyebrows. "I will continue to study at your feet. I will learn from your wisdom. I will discover your secrets, until everything you know, all your knowledge, and all your assets, are mine…"

Outside of the room, All for One walked toward a window, and he saw the rainstorm was starting to dissipate, the first rays of light began to pierce the clouds.

"Did you convince him?" A male voice said coming from the side.

All for One turned around and saw Dr Ujiko standing in the hall. "Yes, where there was conflict, I now sense some resolve," All for One, then audibly sighed. "Still, he remains naïve, but it is my job to set him straight," All for One admitted to his old companion. "He believes that it is possible to create peace in this world," All for One chuckled. "Peace is a lie, there is only passion, and through passion, strength, through strength, victory, and through victory, my chains will be broken. That way, I will rise to my rightful place, for this world, is mine, I just need to claim it once more. Then, we will reign together, and take the place which was stolen from me so many years before,"

All for One turned to the window once again, the dark clouds were mostly gone. "I ignited a fire today, one that will consume the globe. The world will never see something like what is to come. From the flames, he, shall rise from the ashes, like a true phoenix… And in his hellfire, the heroes will burn eternal…"