Shigaraki felt like an ant in a maze as the tiny Yakuza led him through the labyrinth of corridors. Shigaraki's fingers itched to scratch the base of his neck. Overhaul, the bastard, first he killed Big Sis Magne, injured Compress, then he had the audacity to make Shigaraki wander the halls for what seemed like hours before allowing him the meeting that Shigaraki didn't even want to have.
Eventually, they stopped making him look like a fool and led him to an empty room devoid of anything except two sofas and a table. Perfect for meeting a dangerous guest, with only one perceivable exit and no exact way to escape. Shigaraki didn't know whether to be more annoyed or honoured at the precautions.
As the tiny Yakuza sat down and pulled out a wad of cash, Shigaraki definitely decided that feeling was an annoyance. These pretentious Yakuza were really getting on his nerves. Abandoning all pretense, he flopped down on the provided couch, placing his foot on the table. Underneath Father's hand, his lips quirked up into a smug grin at Overhaul's irritation from his behaviour. Shigaraki never claimed he wasn't petty.
Shigaraki was mostly interested in the quirk erasing bullet; the Yakuza were a dying breed. They never posed so much of a threat to his master, and he doubted that would raise an issue for the League. However, that quirk erasing bullet could put a wrench in his plans. The lack of information had rebounded on him in the warehouse. They lost Magne, and Shigaraki did not need another lesson. Too many times now has one of his plans backfired, and people other than himself had paid the consequences. No more. All the more reason that Shigaraki had agreed to come alone, despite Dabi's rare suggestion not to.
As Overhaul explained his plan to take control over the market for quirk erasing bullets. It made sense, but Shigaraki had a hard time caring. He wasn't interested in stripping quirks from society, the lack of quirks wouldn't change anything. Reliance on heroes was the real problem, no the League's goals went deeper than that.
"Ever play Shogi?"
His master tried to encourage Shigaraki into playing the game a couple of times. He would explain the game as a crucial component of Shigaraki's training. But All for One had never forced the issue, and Shigaraki never so much looked at the rule book. The games Shigaraki played had more life to them than just a wooden board.
"Since we are having some difficulties coming to trust each other, I propose a game between two new allies. The winner can make any request, within reason of course."
The air of confidence around Overhaul grew with each moment Shigaraki hesitated, and he refused to be outclassed by this Yakuza leader hiding behind a bird mask. He gave a small flick of his hand to signal an agreement.
He liked to think that for never having played the game or even knowing the rules, Shigaraki did fairly well. The loss had still been spectacular though.
"So give me Kurogiri or Toga perhaps Bubaigawara."
Ah, so the game was just a ploy, and a poor one to get Shigaraki to lose some of his more valuable players.
"Kurogiri is busy. And anyways he's indisposable, doing so would weaken the League considerably."
Overhaul held his golden-general, twirling it pensively "tell me about your fire user."
"Dabi? What about him."
"Ah, so that's what he is going by these days." Overhaul left out an amused hum. "He doesn't get creative with those names, does he?"
The information stung like whiplash. Overhaul knew Dabi? And by a supposed different name. His jaw clenched, and his teeth groaned at the sudden pressure. When Giran had introduced Dabi to the League, Shigaraki suspected that the fire user had been more involved in the underground than he had let on. However, Shigaraki couldn't dig up anything on him, strange for someone with such a 'distinct' face. And his master had been of no help, only strongly encouraging Shigaraki to accept Dabi into his group. Firm words left no room for protest.
After the successful kidnapping of Bakugou from the training camp, Shigaraki had learnt why. Edgy bastard he might be, but Dabi proved himself as an asset and skilled tactician. Clearly his master had hoped Dabi would become another learning tool for Shigaraki, all it really accomplished, was creating a begrudging camaraderie. Where Dabi was more of a pain in the ass than a teacher, and the only lesson Shigaraki had learnt so far was the patience not to disintegrate more annoying personnel. And at least Dabi had been adamant that he wanted no more responsibility than absolutely necessary, and made no attempt to seize leadership over the League. Did it make him any less of a pain in the ass? No.
"A quirk like his is invaluable to a group like ours. Currently, I feel like you are wasting his talents."
His brain as if disgusted by the earlier compliments, redacted the sentiments, Shigaraki didn't know what talents Overhaul referred to, Dabi so far had been more of a wildcard. As unpredictable and dangerous as the fire he wielded. At times Shigaraki felt as if controlling Dabi was like trying to tame a forest fire, both were impossible so why try. Better to admire from afar and hoped the flames burnt to your advantage.
But Shigaraki could understand, that without meeting the bastard, on paper Dabi's quirk was highly valuable. Fire quirks weren't exactly rare, however, ones as powerful as Dabi's being unclaimed by the heroes were practically unheard of. It came with one hell of a drawback, but the sheer destructive ability went unmatch.
In the League, only his Decay offered a close-range competitor for Cremenation's catastrophic potential. After losing his master, Cremation and Decay's combined power had been one of the few things that kept weaker groups at bay and discouraged any potential usurpers.
"Ya wanna tell me about it?"
Overhaul leaned back into the sofa, hands still whirling the shogi piece as he sent Shigaraki a bored expression. "There are two groups of people in the underground that you don't want to anger." Overhaul held up a single gloved finger. "First are doctors, irritate one, and the next injury you get will likely be your last. Their connections run deep, and without them villains, Yakuza, you name it, wouldn't survive."
"I didn't come here for a lesson in the workings of the —"
"Second," Overhaul continued as if Shigaraki hadn't spoken, "Second are the disposers. They erase the evidence and keep our secrets that otherwise pose a risk to us being found out by the heroes. Good ones, however, are few and difficult to find. I hope you can see where I am going with this."
It took all Shigaraki had not to turn Overhaul into dust right there and then. There was nothing Shigaraki hated more than being patronized. Of course, if he did; Shigaraki wouldn't get any information about Dabi from Overhaul. But at the same time Overhaul flaunted that he knew more about members of the League than Shigaraki.
It was a burning embarrassment.
The meeting had been nothing short of a disaster. Overhaul had demonstrated his ability as a leader, and Shigaraki could not shake the feeling that Overhaul had just been toying with him throughout. Overhaul managed to keep up a polite mask from the pretense of playing shogi to the snide comments while also demeaning Shigaraki's authority. Clearly, Overhaul believed he had the upper hand in the meeting, arrogance radiating off the clean freak.
Shigaraki hated people like Overhaul.
Not to mention how Overhaul let slide information of previous interactions with a certain fire user that made Shigaraki uneasy. He had known from the start that Dabi hid things from the League. That much was obvious. It was one of the few things Shigaraki could say for sure that he knew about Dabi.
"Their plan actually got some bit to it. Starting today, Toga, Twice, and Dabi, you three will be Yakuza."
Tension clung to the room, thick and heavy, threatening to drown Shigaraki. Breaking unwanted news never boded much fun, but telling a group of villains to do something none of them wanted to do spelled a death warrant. Toga and Twice would likely agree to the plan as long as Shigaraki stressed that the mission held a critical value to the good of the League. Dabi, however, Shigaraki didn't know if the bastard ever intended to follow any orders that deviated from the destruction of the hero society. Despite completing Shigaraki's initiation request to bring Bakugou to him, Dabi so far remained mostly independent from the League's activities.
Unavoidable, but they needed to clear this side challenge before they could level up. The Overhaul revenge quest could not be complete without a few undesirable actions.
"They wanted Kurogiri too, but we settled with Dabi."
Red locked on to blue. Seated on top of the metal bed frame, Dabi gave a shrug but otherwise didn't seem concerned. Dabi had warned him this may happen. Before Shigaraki had gone to meet up the young head of the Hassaikai, the fire user cornered him behind the destroyed entrance of their previous hideout. Dabi whispered warnings like the thin smoke that constantly hung around him. Cautioned how Overhaul would attempt to weaken the League and the clever tactics of the Yakuza.
However, Dabi's words only served to reaffirm Overhaul's hidden statements. As more came to light, Shigaraki quickly realized that the two had knowledge of each other extended past street rumours. Shigaraki had to keep his hands from reaching up to scratch his neck at the memory. Bubbling annoyance rose to the surface. To think that Overhaul had more knowledge about his reluctant second in command than him was an embarrassment to his strength as a leader.
The bastard must be feeling pretty smug at the moment, and not for the first time the mystery that clung to Dabi made his blood boil. Had Dabi given him this warning earlier or kept in communication better, before Overhaul tricked Twice into arranging a meeting, Shigaraki would not have needed to play clean up. He would not have even let Overhaul anywhere near his League. But Shigaraki also knew that he was just as equally guilty. The information his master left him behind went largely unexplored; Shigaraki had let his pride get in the way. And as a result, Big Sis Magne died, and Compress lost his arm.
Toga and Twice's reactions were expected. Shigaraki knew as he had agreed to the exchange that neither would be happy with the outcome. But they would follow his orders for the good of the League, and the two of them wanted revenge just as much as Shigaraki. Still, it was a challenge not to flinch when Toga had held a knife to his throat.
Dabi remained perched on what had to be the most uncomfortable place to sit in the room, his face unreadable throughout it all. Though that wasn't new, the scars kept the mask of indifference carefully in place. Overhaul had explained how he needed Dabi's quirk to get rid of some highly illegal evidence from experiments he was conducting. Shigaraki wasn't exactly fond of the fire user, but Dabi was effective at getting things done.
Not trust per se, but as long as the League's goals matched with Dabi's, Shigaraki knew that Dabi wouldn't risk his own plans. One of these days, Shigaraki would unlock all the layers of Dabi's backstories. He just hoped that it won't come at the cost of something Shigaraki would regret later on.
Despite Dabi's nonchalance, the waves of heat spoke otherwise. The nights might be edging on the cooler side, and the drafty walls of their current hideout let the cold air through without much resistance, warmth, however, was one of the few things the League had in excess. Just because the dramatic campfire refused to show emotion, didn't mean that Shigaraki hadn't learnt some tricks to reading Dabi. Generally speaking, if the room felt like a sauna then Shigaraki could make an educated guess that Dabi was in a testy mood. And from the never-ending sweltering heat, Shigaraki understood that Dabi wanted revenge for Big Sis Magne just as much as any of them.
The two shared a look and a silent message passed between leader and second in command.
"Twice, please make a clone of Dabi before you leave. I don't want the heroes to find out that we are down our long-distance fighter."
~ ~"Oi, short stack, you better not take us the long way." Dabi drawled at Mimic, cracking a lazy grin at Mimic's silent rage.
The tiny bastard had been gloating the whole morning about the Shie Hassaikai's superiority; snapping at Toga and Twice over trivial matters, and he was starting to wear Dabi's limited patience. Mimic, however, couldn't bark at Dabi. After Overhaul took over the Shie Hassaikai, he had ensured that Dabi received the Yakuza members' respect. And Dabi didn't feel like walking around the base for half an hour because of Mimic's paranoia. Not when this could quickly turn into a bloodbath, Overhaul couldn't be pleased with Dabi siding with the League.
"Hey Dabi, you know what's going on?" Twice leaned in to whisper in his ear.
"The pipsqueak is taking us directly to Overhaul. Isn't that right?" The words dralled louder than a private conservation would dictate and Dabi grinned at Mimic's clenched fists.
Toga let out a soft giggle, breaking the sombre cloud that had been hanging over her head since the warehouse. Twice, too, still hadn't fully recovered. The poor guy kept beating himself up over what had happened and guilt flayed Twice's already fragile mind. The League had become too quiet without Toga's pestering and Twice's odd habits. The silence started tugging at the edges of Dabi's consciousness, reducing the hideout to a gloomy cage as Shigaraki forbade Dabi to leave. Likely afraid Dabi would make a run for it, he couldn't blame the boss for thinking Dabi would just bailout. His track record didn't speak much confidence, and if Dabi was being truthful to himself the thought of faking his death and starting over did cross his mind.
He wasn't thrilled at being sent to work for Overhaul and face the high risk that Overhaul asked for Dabi specifically to get rid of an eye witness of the dirtier side of the Hassaikai. But running from the League didn't forward his plans either, and Dabi's position in the League granted him the publicity he might not have been able to achieve otherwise. Hard to ignore the destructive blue flames that engulfed the forest of the UA training camp. From that act alone, Dabi craved a reputation in the hero society. Dabi also doubted that All for One or the sketchy doctor would just let him off the hook again, not after Dabi made contact with the successor. No better; for now, Dabi would continue to follow along with Shigaraki.
Surprisingly Mimic ended up taking a somewhat direct path to one of the larger meeting rooms. The boss had complained non stop about being made to wander the endless hallways before finally being allowed to see Overhaul. Too bad Shigaraki was still too inexperienced to realize the power he held to influence the meeting.
Any longer and their walk to the room and the headquarters' trip would take up more of his limited stamina than he would have wanted, especially before a potential fight. Dabi's knees began to nag painfully, and the tearing staples near his ankles practically begged him to stop. The constant change of hideout for ones further and more run-down than the next meant that Dabi had to take extra precautions against the excess amount of dust mold.
Distinctly aware of the pitiful state of his body, the empty sofa on the side of the room promised some respite. And the two large windows gave some comfort that Dabi hadn't just walked into his death room, providing an easy exit if needed. Nothing like the dark chambers hidden deeper in the headquarters. Dabi had been in enough of those to know that being led into that room was a one-way trip.
Out of the room's inhabitants, Dabi recognized most of the masks of the eight bullets. Only the towering figure was unknown. Settled between them sat Overhaul, looking as calm as ever. Dabi gave a soft tilt of his head, to which Overhaul returned a small nod before Dabi made his way to the other seat. Mindful of the staples lining his back, Dabi melted into the couch, relieved at not having to stand any longer. At least he could trust that Overhaul kept a clean place, hopefully limiting the inflections that came from hiding in the rotten holes the League took to calling a base.
Toga and Twice stood rigid on the other side of the room; unsure how to proceed and still bitter at having to switch sides to the Yakuza. The reluctance of being the part of the Hassaikai radiated from Toga's blank stare. Twice wasn't much better, but at least he could play off the contradictions. Honestly, they were so short-sighted. The best revenge was a crafted one, and Dabi would play nice until the time was right.
Tapping a small scar on his forehead that hadn't been there when Dabi last saw him, Overhaul greeted them "I'm sorry about what happened with Magne. I didn't mean to kill him."
Cold seeped into Dabi's chest as anger simmered inside him. Flames seething, begging to be allowed to surface.
"You mean her, you jerk."
"Don't make that mistake again."
Overhaul managed to cross nearly every line, time to return the favour.
Like water boiling over the top of a pot, Dabi let the blue flames lace a mocking grin, and sickly sweet venom leaked into his words, "Do show some respect, Kai. I know the old man raised you better than this."
The response to the fire and to the insult occurred instantaneously. Dabi ignored Mimic and Chrono's indignant roars, but neither invaded Dabi's space. The both of them had seen countless times the azure fire's gluttonous appetite consumed those that got too close, and the way hauntingly beautiful blue light destroyed flesh and bone. Dabi always found it funny how the Hassaikai prided themselves on their willingness to sacrifice their lives for the boss. However, no sane person ever willing volunteers to be set on fire. What that said about his own mental state Dabi never cared to find out.
Overhaul raised a single gloved hand, putting a pause in the room's hostility. "Apologies, but let us continue with the business. Toga and Twice starting today, the two of you will be working alongside us. But in order for this alliance to work, I will need detailed knowledge about how your quirks work."
Somehow the vacant hatred in Toga's eyes cut deeper than the knives she carried. "I'll let you know when it becomes necessary."
Complete with the 'I'm better than you' head tilt, Dabi snorted as he recognized the line as the same one Dabi had given Shigaraki when they had first met. Somehow those simple words grew a fuzzy feeling in his chest. Toga met his eyes briefly, and Dabi saw a glimmer of light return as he gave Toga a small nod of approval. After all this, Dabi would take her to rob a blood bank or something.
Twice's explanation of his quirk effectively destroyed the cool air of mystery, and Dabi felt a soft cringe for the loss of Toga's moment. Out of all the eight bullets, Nemoto's quirk posed the most significant risk to Dabi's long term plans. All it would take was one question and all of Dabi's plans would collapse around him. Dabi didn't know how his stock in the Hassaikai held up now that he joined the League. If luck, for once in his life, was on his side, Overhaul might keep Nemoto from using his quirk on Dabi. If not, Dabi would have to make a quick exit and risk the League's chance to get revenge. Toga's own explanation followed, her bewildered look joining Twice's.
Well, Dabi would soon get his answer.
"One last question: have any of you talked with Shigaraki about betraying us?"
With this question, Dabi felt the irresistible compulsion to answer. Thankfully, Shigaraki realized Nemoto's quirk and withheld any information about a potential revenge plan. It was risky heading in blind, but even more dangerous to be exposed for traitors. Neither Shigaraki or Dabi had wanted to risk the possibility, and after spending countless hours in each other's company a silent agreement between the two took place. Shigaraki wouldn't ask about Dabi's knowledge of the Hassaikai, and Dabi would take the lead once the three of them joined the Yakuza.
"Now that's over with, the two of you will be staying at the base until we can be sure that we can trust you. Rappa and Nemoto will be showing you where you will be staying. Please follow them out."
"Hold on, how come Dabi doesn't have to explain his quirk/ Leave Dabi alone!"
A heated sigh escaped burnt lips as Dabi let his eyes slip shut. At the same time, Overhaul began to speak again.
"There is no need for that, is there, Kasō?"
There it was. Dabi had predicated Chisaki to sow the seeds of doubt in the League about Dabi's loyalty. Dabi didn't want to see the betrayed expressions of Toga and Twice. Dabi hadn't informed the League about his previous dealings with the Hassaikai, at the time it seemed like an impossibility for the two groups to meet. And afterwards, well Dabi's trust didn't extend to telling them about his connections outside of the League. None of them knew about the secret networks Dabi spent years establishing, and he didn't plan on telling the League anytime soon. Toga and Twice trusted Shigaraki, despite keeping information hidden from them. Still, Dabi's lack of involvement meant that their trust didn't likely extend so easily to him.
"Then if you don't mind, I would like to continue this friendly reunion with Kasō—"
Dabi cracked open a single eye waving a wrist lazily in Chisaki's direction. "It's Dabi now."
"With Dabi," Chisaki continued without hesitation. No doubt, the bastard already knew that. "Please leave us."
Dabi didn't watch Toga and Twice leave the room, the strongest betrayal always left a storm in its wake.
"Are you done with the power play?" The corner of Dabi's lips twitched in a sneer. Overhaul couldn't manipulate Dabi as easily as the Handyman. Being the Hassaikai's new leader clearly had led Chisaki to believe that he could control the world. The upstart had forgotten he had yet to win against Dabi.
"Apologies, but you know how it is." Gloved hands moved to set up the shogi broad, fluid movements spoke of countless hours of practice. "However, I am eager to play against you. It's been a while."
Dabi nodded. "Two years."
Truthfully, Dabi had also missed the competition. Not many opportunities for a fun intellectual challenge when you're always on the move and Chisaki was a skilled player, taught by the old boss of the Hassaikai.
Memories of cool tea and shogi games after a cleanup job crept unwanted to the front of Dabi's mind. The old boss had tried to scoop Dabi off the street more times than he cared to count. In the early days, Dabi could almost be tempted by the gentle ruffle of hair after incinerating evidence, a quick well done as bones crackled in the heat. The old boss had promised Dabi a place in the family of the Hassaikai, one to replace the recollections of ice and fire. At last, though, the plans of the Hassaikai never quite matched his own. Didn't stop the old man from giving Dabi a good meal and a game of shogi before Dabi went back to the streets. Little did Overhaul know that Magne's death effectively destroyed the warm feelings Dabi held for the Yakuza group.
"You've dyed your hair again."
"And you have a bird mask."
Chisaki huffed in polite amusement, moving his Golden general in the first move. Some things never change. If Dabi had to bet, Chisaki would set up an enclosed system and follow a Yagura strategy. "Shigaraki was quite the disappointment. I expected more from the successor of All for One. He had neither tactic nor manners."
Dabi began to set up his own boat castle strategy "Ya the boss is more attuned with his inner man child than most people would be in his position."
"Boss then?" Chisaki looked him over. "I didn't think anything could get you to choose a side."
Dabi shrugged, placing down another piece. "Our plans correspond at the moment."
"And yet you didn't prepare Shigaraki for the Hassaikai." Chisaki moved to take his lance.
Looking at the board, Chisaki had undoubtedly improved over the last two years. "That would violate most of my contacts. Overnight I would gain too many death warrants to survive till the morning."
"I am going to be honest with you." Chisaki sucked in the air, uncharacteristically nervous "I think you are wasted in the League. Shigaraki is nothing more than a child pretending to be a leader. He is nothing like All for One, and he doesn't have control over the underground. Eventually, another group will defeat him —"
"I'm assuming that this conversation is you telling me that the Hassaikai will make an attempt?"
If Overhaul felt comfortable enough to boldly tell Dabi about this, the previous acquaintance be damned, meant that the League's reputation amongst the bigger groups took a more significant hit after the loss of All for One than Dabi thought. Lower thugs still feared the League's power, but anyone with a brain could see that the power was an illusion. For the last few weeks, the League behaved like common criminals, hiding in abandoned areas, stealing to stay alive. Nothing like their reputation had the general public believe.
"Not necessarily, but you should expect something from the other gangs. Under Shigaraki, the entire League's potential is being squandered, yours in particular. Dabi, you know the influence we have, the resources. You can't get that from the League at the moment."
Dabi hummed in acknowledgement. It was true that the League had a more challenging time as of late. Chisaki made sense, and so far, all his words had a ring of truth to them. But Overhaul had only seen Shigaraki at one of his low points, not the raw determination and strength of will. Despite their differences, Dabi could see a lot of himself in Shigaraki. Nor could Overhaul be aware of the extent of All for One's rot.
"Still trying to erase quirks?"
"That hasn't changed."
Dabi leaned back into the couch, eyes fixated on the clinical ceiling. "Then I'm not interested. Checkmate, by the way."
"Tsk" Chisaki examined the board in a vain attempt to salvage the game. "What if I could offer you something else."
"I'm listening."
"I could guarantee that your quirk would stop causing you to suffer."
Dabi scoffed, "A little late for that." He motioned a hand over his more visible scars. Like hungry dragons hidden beneath his ruined skin, Dabi's quirk was ravenous to devour the world in hungry blue fire. Additionally, his quirk often grew displeased when Dabi limited the use of his quirk, and turned against him. Cremation consumed Dabi's body, whether he used it or not.
When Dabi had first met Chisaki, after escaping from and subsequently losing the medical advantages, Chisaki attempted to put him back together. However, neither was precisely sure where Dabi began, and the mess of random flesh started. His body tended to reject skin grafts without rhyme or reason, and Dabi hadn't been enthusiastic about finding out what might happen if those grafts became a permanent fixture. The potential risks outweigh the reward, and the two of them agreed to stop trying. Interesting that Chisaki brought the offer back, likely a desperate attempt to get Dabi to join unless Chisaki got his hands on an insane healing quirk.
"Since we last saw each other, I have recently had great success with my experiments." Chisaki rested his head on his hands as he leaned over the table between them.
"The quirk erasing bullets you used against , ya I heard about those."
The whole reason Shigaraki refused to let the League just destroy the Hassaikai and Dabi was forced into cooperation.
"Yes, but I also have a theory on how to reverse quirk damage. What if I could offer you a life free from scars and the cause of your pain?"
Dabi blinked, the careful mask of indifferent sarcasm fading into mild surprise. That was unexpected. And an option he hadn't considered, scars like his were permanent, but he wondered what it would be like. To be free of the constant burning, he couldn't remember a time before his blood hadn't felt like lava under his skin. What would it be like, he wondered, to not have to worry about overheating in the summer, to enjoy the sun? Discard the quirk that transforms his waking hours into a haze of pain. Distantly, Dabi could recall a white-hair boy wishing to be as quirkless as his younger brother.
But.
But, to abandon his quirk also meant relinquishing his plans for revenge against Endeavour. It would mean that everything he had ever gone through up until this moment would be worthless. Could Dabi let go of all the suffering that he went through, that his family experience? Not to mention Dabi couldn't be sure how the hyperactive ice part of his body would react without the fire to offset hypothermia. Despite the suffering Cremation put him through the fire had been one of the few constants in his life. Eager to burn, the blue flames never failed to come to Dabi's aid, protecting and endangering him. The fire was both his oldest friend and his greatest enemy.
No, as lovely as the offer sounded, it wouldn't fill the empty hole in his heart, and without the thing that made him unique, Dabi once again would question his reason to exist. Despite everything his quirk had put him through, Dabi took pride in the powerful blue flames. The hottest fire quirk ever recorded, created to take down the number one hero, and throughout all these years, Dabi's goal hadn't changed.
Dabi raised an arm over his head, watching as the light reflected off the staples. "Sounds nice, Kai, but I need my quirk for bigger things."
Chisaki nodded "The offer will still be here if you ever change your mind. The Shie Hassaikai will always welcome you with open arms when Shigaraki fails you."
For the next three days, Dabi had free reign over the hideout and enjoyed the luxuries Chisaki provided. Dabi could comfortably say that he slept for a solid ten hours on the first night, passed right out on a bed that didn't threaten the open seams along his body with some unknown disease. The food had also been a plus, an endless supply of cold Soba and soft foods that didn't hurt his jaw to chew or upset his temperamental stomach. Simple indulgences ready at the ring of a bell, and Dabi fully planned to exploit the Hassaikai's generosity.
To return the favour, Chisaki asked him to cremate some bloodied bandages, and strange liquid simply labelled as 'waste' Dabi didn't care to ask about. The minor jobs allowed a release of heat from his quirk that had been building up over the stressful last week Dabi spent with the League. But not enough to use up too much that Dabi would be weakened when the League commenced the revenge plan.
In the evenings, Chisaki called him out to the underground garden to enjoy a game of Shogi. More often than not the two ended up in random debates and silly memories of their youth. The offer never resurfaced, and Chisaki hadn't pushed joining the Hassaikai further. The only restriction placed on Dabi during his stay with the Hassaikai was interaction with Toga and Twice. Any time Dabi made to meet up with the two League members, one of the Eight Bullets intervened, cutting him off from reaching them.
Clearly, Overhaul remained suspicious over the League's loyalty. Identified as the brain of the three, Overhaul isolated Dabi to prevent communication or forming plans with Toga and Twice. The distance also served to form a wedge of distrust between the three, Dabi could only hope that when the time came Toga and Twice would have enough faith in him to follow his instructions.
That afternoon, Overhaul had requested Dabi to venture deeper into the labyrinth, to the dark rooms that reminded Dabi too much about a particular doctor. Of days where life didn't extend past the liquid of a glorified test tube that had been home after the death of Touya. Locked in an unpleasant trip down memory lane, Dabi missed the soft patter of bare feet running across cold tiles.
He did not miss the way a small body collided with his leg.
Dabi winced at the feeling of staples ripping free, barely able to hold the weight of scarred skin together, the addition of tiny hands furiously gripping to his pant leg left no hope for the struggling pieces of metal. Well, tonight promised a terrible time, and Dabi briefly mourned the end of the stapler free streak.
"Oi, brat," Dabi twisted his face into a grin that exposed the edges of the muscles in his cheek. "Whatcha think you're doing."
Leaning down, Dabi caught the sight of panicked red eyes. Dressed in a ragged white shirt that passed her knees, the girl was the most unkempt thing Dabi had seen in the hideout so far. Shaking and looking like a deer in the headlights, Dabi took notice of the bandages.
White hair, bandages. Fear.
Too familiar. Static buzzed in his ears as rage engulfed his senses, and his false smile turned manic.
"Eri!" one of the other masked members called out. "Sorry about that. She always gets out. We will take her back now, sorry for the disturbance."
Tiny fingers strengthen their grip.
It was all the signal Dabi needed.
Blue flames erupted from his hand and sent a recoil down his arm with the power of their expulsion. Freed, at last, the flames lapped up the screaming Hassaikai member. Before long, nothing was left. Only the foul stench of burnt meat hung in the air of the narrow underground hallway.
Turning to the girl, whose face now buried itself into his leg. She hadn't let go. Dabi just murdered a man in front of her, and she still felt safer with him. On the street, Dabi had seen enough tragic kids to know that if they thought Dabi and his Frankenstein appearance was less scary than whatever they were running from, then his flames would be well fed once Dabi found those responsible.
"Hey kid," Dabi cringed at the harshness of his smoke ruined voice, "what's your name."
The girl didn't let go, but she let a lone eye peak through the messy curtain of hair. "Eri." Despite her fear, her voice was clear.
Don't mumble boy, speak clearly when I talk to you.
"Ok Eri, how about you and I head to my room."
"I'm not allowed to leave here."
Dabi swore, making a silent promise to his flames that they would soon be well fed when Dabi found who had hurt this girl. Gently with carefully obvious moments, Dabi placed the knee free from Eri's desperate grip on the ground. Lowering himself to her level.
"Hey kid" Dabi stretched his hand out away from them, creating the softest flame he could. Eri's eyes traced the blue flower that danced in his palm. "Do you see this?" Eri gave a small solemn nod. "This fire burns the evil from this world. You saw what it could do to the bastard chasing you, and as long as I own this flame, no one will ever hurt you."
"He will kill you"
Dabi let out an amused snort. "Let him try." He's a dead man walking already.
Eri's lower lip trembled, but no tears fell. "Please, I'm cursed. If you get involved, something bad will happen."
"Fuck kid, if you're cursed, then I'm damned." Dabi sighed. This was going to be a long process. Looking Eri in the eye, Dabi ruffled the girl's hair. "Now, you have two choices. I can leave you here with the ashes. Or you can grab my hand, and I'll take you away from here. You're free to choose."
Dabi pushed himself up into a standing position and turned to walk back up to his room. Barely taking three steps before a small hand slipped into his own.
The two walked in silence back to Dabi's room. Stares followed them. Masked members of the Hassaikai stood to the side, tracking the pair with shocked eyes. Gone were the years where looks bothered him; now, Dabi relished in the fear and disgust his appearance created. Coupled with a Glasgow smile, it sent a strong message to leave them alone.
No one blocked Dabi's path.
Despite his fury, Dabi opened the door to the room with practiced quietness. Stealth ingrained into him just as much purpose. Eri continued to latch onto his hand, fragile tiny fingers engulfed by his scarred ones. Gently Dabi guided Eri into his room. The poor girl seemed frozen in disbelief. Dabi suspected nobody had treated her kindly in a while, if ever. Without thinking, Dabi grabbed a shiny red apple, one of the expensive kind that only grows once a year on a secluded mountain or some shit like that.
"Hey kid, ever had one of these before?"
Eri shook her head, hugging a bandaged arm close to her chest. She looked smaller in the light. Red eyes darted over every shadow as if her monster was hidden in any of them, little did the girl know that the worst monster stood right in front of her.
Dabi sighed but held the apple out to Eri, "normally you slice them, but I can't be bothered. Just take a bite."
Eri nudged her way over, her small hand taking hold of the apple delicately and unsure. Clearly, she suspected that the moment she grabbed the treat Dabi would snatch it away, a trick of kindness. Her unnerving stare never left Dabi's face as she searched for any hint of doing something wrong. Gingerly, Eri took a small bite and her face burst with delight. Shiny tears dripped down her face, her smile never wavering.
"It's good." Cautiously Eri held the apple out to him "would you like some?"
If his quirk didn't kill him, Eri's cuteness would. Softly Dabi waved her offer away "Nah, hurts my jaw. It's all for you."
Dabi watched as Eri took another bite as the tiny stream of tears continued unashamed. She reminded Dabi of everything he had left behind in the ashes of Touya. Carefully, Dabi worked his fingers in the long tangled hair, moving strands into an orderly braid. Tender motions that Dabi hoped brought some comfort, and by the way, Eri's shoulders steadily loosed as she relaxed into the reassurance of safety, Dabi would say it worked.
The two continued in soft silence, Eri enjoying her apple and Dabi messing with her hair. It was a peace Dabi hadn't experienced in a long time.
Or at least it was until the door swung open, and an angry Mimic broke the rapture. "There she is! What the hell do you think you're doing?"
Eri cringed back, leaning into Dabi to escape from the shouting. "Piss off Mimic."
"Oh no not this time Kasō, the Boss might like you, but you can't win this one. Let the girl go and I won't kill you."
Dabi placed a hand over Eri's head, not backing down. "You can try, but take one more step and I will ignite this place. Wonder how happy your boss will be when I reduce the headquarters to cinders."
Mimic hesitated, he might not have back down a few years ago. But the true destructive magnitude of Dabi's quirk to burn entire forests to the ground was broadcast across Japan when the League had kidnapped that yappy kid. Even a week after the news stations reported the fire continued to blaze wild.
In an attempt to maintain the peace, Nemoto stepped forward "Dabi we appreciate you finding the girl, but please hand her over. This does not need to turn into a fight that you can not win."
At his words, Eri began to move towards them as if on autopilot. Conditioned to obey, the girl had likely been stripped of the ability to think for herself. Dabi's arm wrapped around Eri's shoulder, halting her procession forward, but loose enough as to not make her feel trapped. "A bold statement from two of the Hassaikai's weakness members looks to me that the girl doesn't want to leave you. So how about both of you leave before I feed you to my flames."
Eri turned wide eyes to look back at him "please I don't want you to get hurt."
Dabi didn't take his eyes off the threat in front of them, but let the corners of his mouth slip into a cocky smile. "Come on kid, have some faith. No one here has a chance of hurting me."
A lie if Dabi ever heard one, though the kid didn't need to know that. However, Dabi needed the Hassaikai to believe him more.
Neither side looked ready to budge, and Dabi sent a quick mental apology to Toga and Twice who would likely be sent unknowingly into a fight.
Just as Dabi shifted his left hand to get ready to let loose a stream of blue fire, Mimic's phone interrupted them. "Boss. Yes I understand, we will be there right away." Mimic placed his phone back in his pocket "Change of plans Overhaul will see the two of you."
Mimic's words trigger a round of new shaking from Eri, violent trembles as the girl curled a wrist to her chest. "Ya I don't think so. Eri will stay here. If any of you so much as pass that doorway, let me ask you are you absolutely sure that Overhaul can beat Cremation?"
Both Mimic and Nemoto stepped out of the room. Dabi wasn't even sure if he could defeat Chisaki in a fight, but a battle between them guaranteed a war zone. For now the threat would be enough. A shaky hand reached to catch him as he moved to follow Mimic to Overhaul. "Please don't go."
Kneeling down Dabi ruffled the hair he had just braided, wispy strands coming loose "Listen kid I promise I will come back, in the meantime no one will enter this room."
As Dabi left he could feel that Eri didn't believe him, fair enough Dabi wouldn't either.
~ ~"I see that you have found Eri." The shogi board between them lay untouched.
"Sweet kid." Dabi leaned back. It was times like this he was glad that the heavy scars hid anything but the most deliberate emotion. They allowed Dabi to keep the air of indifference while beneath the surface, fury raged like coiled snakes.
Overhaul brushed off the words. "She's useful. Her quirk is like nothing I have ever seen before."
"Touya's body may be defective, but his quirk is powerful. Use him however you wish."
Overhaul's words struck up old nightmares. How many times had he heard it before? Doesn't matter if the kid gets treated like shit, as long as you could put their quirk to good use. A mentality that burrowed itself into every inch of this corrupt society.
"Right."
Overhaul examined him, and Dabi found himself wishing to turn those gold eyes into melted wax. "Shigaraki was awfully interested in how the quirk erasing bullets were made," Dabi could taste the bile that started to rise in his ruined throat as he began to put things together. "Well, you have your answer. Eri's quirk is called Rewind. It allows her to reverse a person's individual timeline. Entirely unique, and coupled with my knowledge, her quirk can accomplish truly amazing things."
Overhaul paused to gauge Dabi's reactions, but he schooled his face to utter blankness. Experiments. That's what Eri had been used for. Dabi knew from personal experience that being placed under the knife of a curious mind was as close to a living hell as one could get. Still, he refused to let Overhaul see his disgust.
Changing tactics Overhaul continued, "I saw the tape." Dabi winced, so Overhaul seen him murder one of his cronies, a new blood debt to worry about. "She seems to like you, and I know kids are your weak point." Of course, Overhaul knew about that too.
"Like I said, nice kid."
"She hasn't engaged with anyone since she came to be under my custody. It's becoming dangerous. I worry that she will do something stupid if she doesn't make a bond" Overhaul spread his hands wide. "So I have an offer. Join the Hassaikai as Eri's guardian."
Dabi didn't let a reaction slip through. "What's in it for me?"
"A high place in the Hassaikai would be enough for anyone," Overhaul continued scanning Dabi for any crack in his expression. "But that has never persuaded you in the past. So here's my offer: you take care of Eri, and I will make you my right hand man. You keep your quirk, and the two of us rewrite Japan."
Dabi seethed. The offer threatened to raise a storm of fire unlike anyone had ever seen before. Dabi would reduce the world to ash before he ever considered allying himself with someone who abused and manipulated children for their quirks. After everything Dabi had done, he refused to become like Endeavour. Dabi might not have any problem cremating people that stood in his way, but he drew the line at harming an innocent child.
Including if that meant abandoning the League's revenge plan, Dabi got ready to let loose a wave of fire.
However, before he got the chance to turn Overhaul down spectacularly, flashing lights and angry ringing alarms cut off his reply. Distantly in the hallway, four words were enough to dispel the previous conversation.
"The Heroes are attacking."
Soon there would be more chaos and casting looks, the two made their way to the hall, mutual understanding that the conversation was far from over. Eventually, Dabi would ignite Overhaul in a wall of fire for the hurt he would Eri through.
But right now, Dabi needed to find Twice and Toga. The passageways buzzed with chaos as the Hassaikai members rushed to face the heroes. Such a large organization had little hope of maintaining order in the face of a surprise ambush. It was one of the reasons that Dabi liked working with a small group of elites.
"Oi idiots." In the mass of panicking Yakuza, Toga and Twice's calmness stood out.
"Dabi! Boy am I glad to see you!/ We don't want you, you traitor." Twice greeted him, and Dabi couldn't tell which one of the contradictions was how Twice really felt.
However, Toga's quick hug gave Dabi some reassurance that the two of them hadn't decided to completely cut him out of the League just yet. Good Dabi would need them to cooperate with him if he wanted his plans to work.
"Listen, now's our chance. Continue following Overhaul's orders. For now, we don't stand a chance fighting two enemies at once." They didn't have much time, and Dabi couldn't risk spelling out a plan. But after the raid on the training camp, Dabi also knew that he could rely on the two to act accordingly if they had skeletal goals. "I found out how they made the quirk erasing bullets, if we play the game correctly the League can take control. Use the heroes to your advantage, I'm going after Overhaul."
"Dabi, that's the dumbest plan ever. We should stay together/ You can do it!"
Dabi sighed, the longer they stayed in one place, the further Overhaul got and the risk of a Hassaiki member, especially Mimic, who would likely keep a close eye on the three, listening in on their plans increased. Now was not the time to get in a fight with the Hassaikai, they were outnumbered and in enemy territory, but if the heroes weakened the Yakuza group enough then the three of them might stand a chance of getting revenge for Magne and getting Eri out of here.
Remembering how Shigaraki conceived Toga and Twice to join the Hassaikai, Dabi swiftly took off his coat. "Hold on to this for me Twice. I expect that back once this is all over."
Despite his mask, Dabi felt Twice's eyes lock on his and as Dabi made the pass, he raised a hand. The 'see you later' high five from Twice sealed the promise of meeting again.
"Bye Dabi. Good luck!" Toga called after him.
Dabi wished this hadn't felt so much like a goodbye.
The walls suddenly lurched from under him as a new passage opened to the left and Mimic's voice echoed in the new hallway "the Boss wants you."
Convenient, saves Dabi the trouble of finding Overhaul in this mess. In the commotion Dabi suspected that his threat to keep out of his room would be the least of their worries, meaning Eri likely was already with Overhaul. Dabi's movement strode with resolve to keep his promise to the scared little girl that never believed that he would.
Damn Overhaul was right, he did have a soft spot for kids.
"Dabi, how nice of you to finally join us."
Overhaul had led him to one of the old hallways they had explored years ago when the two of them had been little more than teenagers. Distantly, Dabi remembered that to the right was the same bunker the two had given each other their first piercings. From here there was only one way out, but Dabi only intended for him and Eri to get out of here alive.
"Told you I would come get you kid." Eri turned scared eyes towards him, disbelief and resignation etched in her face. "I also believe I said that if anybody entered my room I would incinerate this place."
From welcoming an old friend to the shock of facing a new enemy, Overhaul tensed. He truly had grown overconfident, too bad Dabi's humbling lesson wouldn't give Chisaki a chance to learn from his mistakes. "Let's be real Overhaul" Dabi's words hissed in savage laughter "did you really think I would join you after what you did to Big Sis Magne. What you did to Eri just happens to take the cake."
Dabi spread his arms, blue fire encircling the room licked up the legs of the man holding Eri. Both Nemoto and Chronos watched as Eri fell from the man's grasp and the angry flames consumed him. Even as Eri ran towards Dabi, Overhaul's eyes never left him, watching Dabi's every move.
"You are making a grave mistake Dabi."
Overhaul placed an ungloved hand to the ground and large stone spikes surged at Dabi. Making sure that Eri was safely behind him, Dabi let loose a powerful stream of fire, with enough strength to create a small explosion. Destroying the stone into large scorched ruble.
Fire and stone danced to the death as they collided in a whirl of lethal chaos.
Dabi moved back as he sent a blast of flames in Overhaul's direction. This was the worst possible battleground for a firefight. The enclosed room meant there would be little air circulation, and the material designed to keep heat from entering also insulated the area, making the temperature rise faster. The eerily blue light from Dabi's fire never failed to amaze him as it turned concrete into puddles of liquid cement.
Fire changing from white to blue. Burning. He's burning.
Flames hot enough to melt the walls converted the room into something apocalyptic, threatening to soon rage out of control. Dabi's breath hitched, no this time would be different. Dabi had better control over his flames than Touya had. He needed to clear his head, but Overhaul didn't grant Dabi any time to organize his thoughts, sending endless waves of crashing stones. It took all Dabi had just to defend against Overhaul's attack, few of his offensive moves managed to bypass the protective walls Overhaul built to stop the flames.
Finally, Dabi managed to score a hit on Overhaul, his shoulder glowing a blistering red as the flames instantly charred that stupid purple feathered jaket. Dabi knew from the wound wouldn't be enough to slow Overhaul down for long, but the pain did affect the accuracy of Overhaul's next attack giving Dabi some time to recharge the second round of fire.
Protecting someone also made the battle ever more difficult. If it was just him and Overhaul Dabi might not have dialed the fire back, but with Eri cowering behind him, Dabi couldn't let the room become a crematorium. Determination to keep this scared little girl alive kept Dabi from unleashing the full destructive power of Cremation. Overhaul had no such disadvantage and injuries from his Quirk could always be repaired later. Carbonized flesh had no hope of regeneration, Dabi would know.
The worst possible situation and Dabi began to doubt his ability of making it out of the underground hideout.
He won't crumble to ashes now Dabi had grown stronger than Touya had ever dreamed of becoming.
Another burst of blue, and trapped in the spot Overhaul's stone crashed into his outstretched arm breaking bone. Dabi gritted his teeth, but refused to allow a sound of pain to escape his lips. Dabi couldn't fail. His right arm came up to shoot more deadly fire in Overhaul's direction, but the waves of heat made it hard to pinpoint the other's moving position. Throwing caution to the wind Dabi prepared to release Jet Burn, the attack would inflict heavy damage to the already smoking seams on his arms, but it would have the best chance at taking Overhaul out quickly.
Overhaul next attack of stone spikes did more damage.
Blood dribbled from the corners of his mouth as Dabi looked down to see the stone impaling his abdomen.
In the end, even his flames left him.
Blue flames boiled down into a low flicker, clearing a path for Overhaul to approach.
"I didn't want to have to hurt you." Overhaul allowed the ground to return to normal and Dabi collapsed forward, his face hitting the harsh ground with nothing to support his body. "But if you promise to follow me I can still repair you."
"Fuck off." The threat lacked its normal bite as Dabi struggled to find his breath.
Shit this was not how Dabi planned on dying. Not in the slightest. Where had the countless hours and years of painful planning to destroy Endeavour go? Dabi never thought he would live to see his mid-thirties, always saw himself going out in a blaze of glory after he finally took out Endeavour. Not like this, face down on the ground of a Yakuza headquarters.
Eri's small hand came into his view. With his vision fading, he could almost convince himself it was Fuyumi reaching a cool comforting hand to Touya after a rough training session. "Hey kid."
"I'm sorry. I'm sorry you got hurt because of me." Vaguely on the unburnt section of Dabi's cheeks, he could feel the soft drop of tears landing.
Weakly he placed a hand on Eri's face "t's not your fal't" the words slurred together as the final air flowed from his lungs. His hand fell and Dabi saw only blackness.
~⫸~There were very few friends of Chisaki that remained with Overhaul. Overhaul might have the entire support of the Hassaikai behind him, but most followed him out of loyalty to the old ways or out of fear from his quirk. From the Hassaikai, he considered Chronos as his oldest and most trusted friend, and Mimic as one of the most loyal. However, the two lacked the instant charm and wit of Kasō.
They had both been nothing more than street rats with powerful quirks. Still, the burnt teenager could discuss anything from shogi to politics to flowers without skipping a beat. Kasō had been a breath of fresh air from the stagnancy, and the brilliant intellect and biting sarcasm drew Chisaki like a moth to a flame. Outside of his lessons with the Boss, Chisaki spent hours trying to learn as much as possible in order to add to the debates between the Boss and Kasō. He lived for those evening shogi games before Kasō returned to the streets. The old Boss had made a point of hiring Kasō for disposals, even for things that could have just been thrown out without arousing suspicion from the authorities.
Multiple times the old Boss had offered Kasō a place in the Hassaikai. Still, each time the boy refused for unknown reasons, Chisaki found himself wishing that the other boy would agree one day.
Standing now as he watched Chisaki's friend bleed out, Overhaul wondered if it was worth it.
But just as quickly, he pushed all those feelings aside, Overhaul had no room for humanity if we wanted to save the Hassaikai and cure this world of the filth of quirks.
"Do you see now, Eri, you are cursed."
He ignored the girl's distraught tears as he examined Dabi's face. He looked oddly peaceful for a man whose goal went uncompleted. For some reason, Overhaul felt oddly disappointed he would never get to see Dabi accomplish the unknown mission he spent years labouring over. But then again, Chisaki knew just how unfair life really was to those cast out from society.
Consumed by a whirl of raging emotions he tried desperately to suppress, Chisaki didn't notice Eri's quirk activating as the girl held Dabi's hand.
Dabi's body convulsed violently, distorting his features as yellow rays of light buzzed around him. Interesting, Dabi's hair had been naturally white, over the years Chisaki had seen a variety of colours, but white had been the first yet Chisaki always assumed it was bleached. Chisaki had never seen Eri use her quirk on a person, and he watched in abject horror as staples and skin grafts fell to reveal healthy disgusting wet 'plop' would haunt his dreams tonight as Dabi's jaw came loose and landed on the ground. Sickening and filthy. How curious, it seemed that Rewind only worked with the original DNA. Chisaki would have to research that more later, pity that they hadn't discovered this earlier.
"Are you done, Eri? We should go before you contaminate more people, do you realize just how much of a cursed human you are? You destroy everyone around you, that's just how you were born."
Chisaki made to continued, but a low groan stopped him dead in his tracks. He turned. That couldn't be. Dabi had been dead too long for Chisaki's quirk to repair the damage. But Eri's quirk rewound an individual timeline. Could it be that her quirk could reverse death also? It would mean Eri's quirk had a whole new range of power.
Unscarred eyes fluttered open to reveal blue. Confused, Dabi glanced around his surroundings. How much had Eri rewound, how had it affected Dabi's mind? Chisaki craved to know more, so much potential with an alive test subject.
Dabi locked on Eri.
Gingerly, Dabi pushed himself up to reach a now intact hand to give Eri an affection pat on the head "hey don't look so worried," Dabi turned to face Chisaki. "I heard what you said." Dabi spread his arms in front of him. "But I won't let you hurt this girl anymore."
A stream of white flames sprung to life. So Dabi's quirk had been impacted too, how fascinating. However, the boy's posture held an uncertainty to it and lacking the tearing heat of the blue flames, Dabi had little hope of posing a real threat to Overhaul now. However, Overhaul still wished to see this white fire in action, useful data for later.
"I am the son of the number two hero, and I, Touya Todoroki won't let you continue hurting her." That terrible biting smile, missing staples, but so achingly familiar. Blue eyes alight with determination in a stormed frenzied.
"Just watch me."
And Chisaki laughed.
This had to be a joke. A terrible joke. Barely able to control the sound, he sent a flood of stone to extinguish flames, crashing into Touya, and knocking the boy aside. Laughing all the while.
It all made sense now. How many times had the two of them discussed the corruption in today's hero society, and Kasō often cursed Endeavour as a central figure of everything wrong in this world. The fire, the blue eyes, how had Chisaki not put it together before? It was so obvious.
"Do you see what you have done Eri? You have damned him. He will be condemned by both sides, and neither heroes nor villains will accept him. You have destroyed the life of the only person who ever showed you any kindness."
It really was a shame things had turned out this way, oh well Chisaki could make use of the situation, and he was curious to examine how Eri's quirk had changed Kasō. He wondered how much profit and notoriety the Hassaikai would receive once the world discovered that it had the ability to bring back the dead.
A face emerged for the wall next to them, "We need to talk about Eri."
The next series of events passed in a blur of white and green. The Lemillion kid put up a good fight, but Nemoto ultimately shot him with a quirk erasing bullet. In the beginning, Chisaki knew the Hassaikai held the advantage. Chisaki knew that they had been close to winning until the other student, Deku, appeared crashing through the barrier. The fight quickly transformed into a battle between monsters as Chisaki dirtied himself by combining with Nemoto.
He had never faced someone like that before, and now Chisaki lay strapped to a gurney in the middle of the highway, Shigaraki standing over him.
Numbly he saw the League's magician compress his arm into a marble, but felt nothing. How had Overhaul lost so badly? He had planned everything, all the shogi pieces set for a total victory. Where had everything gone wrong? Looking at the bleeding stump of his arm, Chisaki's mind repeated the same mantra of 'he could repair himself later' as he tried to process the shock.
"Where's Dabi?"
Shigaraki's cracked and scarred face came uncomfortably close. "Destroyed, Eri destroyed him."
"Impossible."
Oh ya, Shigaraki's league members were important to him. Had Chisaki found his wits, he might have been able to take advantage of the situation. But as it was, Chisaki's mouth moved without conscious awareness. "Ask Touya Todoroki."
Shigaraki's smile wavered for a fraction of a second before growing to a grotesque size. "Well then, all the more reason."
The hand Shigaraki placed on Chisaki's burnt arm set shivers down his spine. And vaguely, Chisaki realized that the terrible noise spreading across the crash site
Was him screaming.
