SMRY: The assault on Universal Studio Japan continues while Bone Hurting Juice and Ded Hands have a debate while Chilly meets his brother Crispy. Meanwhile, Magnet and Stunt Double must find a way to deal with Eraser Daddy.
Desolation: A Tomura Shigaraki SI-OC
Chapter Nine: Words as weapons
"Man," Magne whistled as she watched another member of the League fall to Eraserhead's martial prowess. "He is really kicking their asses."
"Don't you mean our asses? I don't know who these guys are!" Twice questioned.
"Does it really matter?" Magne mused. "At this rate, we might have to step in ourselves. Or just make more clones." The magnet master turned towards her cloner friend. "Speaking of which, could you make a clone of Shimura?"
Twice nodded, and a clone formed from dust and mud. The clone looked toward Magne, and she could not help but notice how it…he seemed somewhat…unreal. Like there was something that held him back from being the real thing. Maybe it was the fact that he was too hunched over, and his eyes seemed dulled.
"So, I'm a clone, right?" He asked. Magne only nodded in response.
"Cool." The clone grunted. "How're our guys fairing against Eraserhead?"
"Kinda bad." Twice responded. "They're doing GREAT!"
"Wonderful." Shimura's clone said, sarcasm miring his voice. "It's not to be unexpected, considering that the man himself has both a mastery of martial arts and a quirk that can disable quirks. Not to mention his scarf." The clone reached up to scratch his neck. "However, his quirk seems to have a time limit. If I can get close enough without taking a large amount of damage, I can probably disable him for the rest of our incursion."
Then the clone shrugged. "Or we could just let the Nomu handle him, but I'd rather Eraserhead get out of this alive."
One of Twice's eyebrows rose under his mask. "And why is that? I ain't interested in knowin'!"
"Underground hero. Understands the true value of what he is doing, unlike the fakes calling themselves heroes." Shimura answered.
"So he's on the side of the angels instead of in the Commission's pocket." Magne simplified. "Good to know. What's the plan?"
Shimura sighed. "You and Twice distract him while I try to get in his blind spot."
Magne looked on as Eraserhead tossed another man across the clearing. "Does he have a blind spot?"
"…We're about to find out." Death Hand's clone answered.
Izuku and Shimura stared each other down while Mustard watched and Jirou listened.
"So, since I have left you so silent, why don't I begin?" Shimura ordered without really ordering.
"…go ahead." Midoriya replied.
"Well. Good! I'll start with this." Death Hand Shimura took a breath. "Heroes. What do you believe them to be?"
Midoriya took a shaky breath. He knew the answer he wanted to give but…would it be the answer that Shimura was looking for?
"Heroes…are people who use their quirks to protect and save others." Izuku Midoriya answered.
Shimura let out a huff of amusement. "Ah. I forgot that most of you—the hero students—view the world in black in white. So tell me then Midoriya, what of the ones who use the position of power they are granted to hurt others?"
I…what?
"What are you talking about?! Heroes don't—!"
"Harm others? Oh yes they do." Shimura said. There was a smirk in his voice, but it wasn't the happy kind. It was a sardonic, bitter poison that ate away at the soul. "You, my naïve friend, just haven't looked deep enough. Take your classmate—the one named Todoroki—for example. Where do you think he got that scar from?"
It is a good question. One that stumps Izuku Midoriya for a time. But before he can try and answer it, Shimura moves on.
"And speaking of students, let's talk about another issue. An issue involving an old 'friend' of yours. Katsuki Bakugou."
"…why would you want to talk about Kacchan after talking about Todoroki?"
Shimura held up his hands, curling all of his fingers—save the index fingers—into fists as he raised his hands. "Let me finish and you might find out how and why these two issues connect, Izuku Midoriya."
So—in spite of his better judgement—Izuku Midoriya lets the man talk. "Let's see. Katsuki Bakugou is a bright kid. Always the top of his class, the best at everything he does, and better yet, he has a quirk that is quite suitable for heroics. This would all be true…"
Something nasty begins to build in the green-haired boy's gut.
"…But his personality is that of a narcissistic sociopath who cares little for the wellbeing of others and only for his own advancement."
Izuku bristled at that. And yet…he couldn't bring himself to deny it. The villain seemed surprised as well.
"Nothing to say?" He asked. "I thought you would have gone on a tirade about how he was your friend and how Bakugou would make a great hero? Ah, well…" Shimura's red eyes pierced him, as if trying to divine Midoriya's every secret. "I suppose that just means you aren't as naïve as I thought you to be."
Midoriya gulped, feeling tension ripple throughout his entire body. "How does this connect with Todoroki's situation?"
Death Hand placed a finger on his chin, as if contemplating some great secret. Then, he lowered the finger and his eyes smiled. "No, I don't think I'll tell you. You're a smart boy, so I'll let you figure that out yourself. There is, however, another topic I want to discuss."
"…And what's that?"
Shimura's eyes brightened with a disturbed glee. "All Might, and the adverse effect that he has had on this society."
This time, Midoriya feels One For All surge through him. "All Might—!"
"Has saved a whole lot of people and defeated a whole lot of villains." Shimura interrupted, circling Izuku as a hungry predator would circle its prey. "Yes, I know. And for that, he is to be commended! But you cannot deny the fact that his mere existence—the mere existence of a man who can solve almost any crisis, save any person—has made this world reliant upon him!"
"And what would happen once he was gone?!" Izuku shouted back. "If he wasn't here, the world would be a worse place than it already is!"
"Oh I agree!" Death hand told him, shocking Izuku. "But one would have to be Atlas to hold up the world for eternity…and All Might is no Atlas. No, he is a mere mortal man whose time is running out. Best the world be shown that today so that they can prepare to live in a world without a Symbol of Peace!"
"But if you kill him it would be chaos!" Izuku cried. "Do you know how much crime he stops by himself alone!? If he were to die or go into retirement—!"
"The other heroes would have to do actual work and pick up the slack instead of focusing on dropping the next hottest Christmas rap album, how horrible!" Shimura interrupted, his tone taking a mocking turn. "The problem is kid, this would happen eventually, but it's happening even faster now that All Might gave you his quirk, One For All!"
The silence was deafening. One could hear a pin drop from how quiet the world had become.
"…What?" Kyoko Jirou gasped, taken aback by the revelation.
"So what!? I'm the problem!? Just like I was back when I was quirkless!? Just because I am not good enough!?" Izuku roared.
"God no!" Shimura replied. "This isn't your fault! This attack would have happened regardless of you receiving One For All! The world needs to be shown that All Might cannot be relied upon to be a singular pillar for hero society! His current status must be unveiled to the world so that they can begin building new pillars and so that he can erase this 'Might make Right' mentality his presence has created! He must—!"
There was a sudden explosion of wind and dust by one of the entrances of the Unforeseen Simulation Joint, and Death Hand Shimura sighed.
"I didn't think he'd be here this quickly. Guess that'll teach me to underestimate the Symbol of Peace." He put a hand up to his right ear. "Haze. It's time. Bring me, Mustard, and the two students back to the central plaza and tell Toga to get ready with that camera."
There was the smell of sulfur, and the world fell out from Izuku's feet yet again.
Eraserhead punted another villain into submission, releasing him from his capture scarf as he did so. The bastards were sending in wave after wave at him, and while the Erasure Hero didn't try to show it, the fight was beginning to tire him—both physically, and with his quirk. Whoever organized this attack had clearly done their homework.
Eraserhead returned to the real world as one of the villains—the big red-head with the massive club wrapped in cloth—charged at him, intending on bashing him with the large object. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed another villain—this one in a black and white jumpsuit—rushing towards him with…measuring tape?
Eraserhead prepped his capture scarf and concentrated his vision on the big one, and let the two villains come to him. He would deal with the black and white man afterwards.
"Twenty-seven."
Then, his eyes widened as he heard footsteps behind him. The underground pro dealt a swift strike with his elbow. The man behind him let out a quick gasp of air…before grasping his elbow with four fingers.
"That's the current amount of time you can keep your quirk active, isn't it?"
The stranger let his pinkie finger fall and Eraserhead felt a white-hot flash of pain. He quickly kicked the hand-covered man away and leapt backwards, away from the red-head and towards the one in the jumpsuit.
Said villain swung the measuring tape like a whip, and the hero's eyes went wide as he heard the sound of steel scraping against his goggles. He leapt back towards safety again as he heard the hand-covered man—who he suspected was the leader—speak again.
"At first your quirk ran for longer…but this fight is wearing on you, isn't it? You've centered your abilities on ambush tactics…"
Something large and black blurred into existence.
"And thus, have allowed me to turn your weakness into my strength."
A blow to his stomach sent Eraserhead tumbling across the courtyard, the wind having been knocked out of him. The teacher flashed in and out of consciousness for a few moments, before he regained his full vision.
The white-haired man was standing over him, an unrecognizable look in his lifeless, red eyes. "You know Eraserhead…" The villain began. "You're a very cool guy…"
"DIE!"
There was a familiar battle cry and the sound of explosions as Bakugou Katsuki crashed into the jumpsuit clad man. Said man was now on the ground with an arm pinned behind his back, as Bakugou rested his right hand on the back of the villain's head.
"Don't move pal! Unless you want them to be piecing you back together for weeks."
The hand covered villain seemed…largely unconcerned.
"You've taken one of my lieutenants' hostage. Good for you kid!"
"…Shimura?" The redhead asked.
"So how about I cut you a deal…." Shimura turned back to Eraserhead…and the black beast that stood over him. "Nomu."
Within Shimura's voice was a command that could not be ignored. The Nomu flipped Eraserhead on his stomach, taking an arm in one hand and his head in the other.
Shimura turned back to Bakugou, who now had an expression of shock on his face. "Oh what. Not used to fighting someone who can actually play hard ball?" The villain hummed. "Oh right! You're Katsuki Bakugou! You've never been told no in your life! You are so used to playing superior, that once someone actually takes charge, you feel afraid! Threatened! Intimidated! Bet that's why you suicide baited Midoriya, huh?"
What?!
Eraserhead shook himself out of his thoughts. Bakugou could be interrogated later, when they had escaped this predicament.
Bakugou's look of shock turned to horror while Shimura smirked under the hand mask. "Ah, yes. I know what you are, and what you are is a bully! Do you want to know what bullies also are, Bakugou?" The villain's triumphant gaze turned into a malignant glare. "Cowards. They—and by extension, you—are cowards. You want to kill a man, but you don't have the guts to do it. That is why you are going to let Twice go, or I will follow through on my threat here." He spoke, gesturing towards the Nomu and Eraserhead.
Eraserhead looked into Bakugou's eyes and saw the panicked look of someone who had utterly lost control of the situation. The blond let the man in the jumpsuit go, and the villain scurried back towards the red head, who stared at Shimura with wary eyes. Shimura either didn't notice or didn't care.
"Now then, Bakugou, how's about you and I—!"
The earth trembled as a mighty blow knock the doors into the USJ off of their hinges, and a powerful and angry voice echoed throughout the facility.
"Never fear…for I am here."
AN: Clone!Shimura acting sus as fuck.
Next time: Crispy vs Chilly, and Japanese Superman vs Nomu.
Oh, and to those of you asking how Bakugou escaped the boat...Kaminari. Water. Fill in the blanks.
