Chapter 10: All for One part 2: The Heroes of Tomorrow
"ROUNDFACE? WHAT THE HELL?" Bakugou screamed as he bounced lightly on the roof of the office.
Superman struggled to stay on his feet as raw pain radiated intensely from his side, and it burned to even breath. He coughed into his hand and blinked when he saw not only blood in his palm, but his veins and arteries turning green, glowing through his skin.
"O… Ochako…" He wheezed out, as he looked at her stony face, and eyes that glared with hatred. He put a hand on the desk to keep himself from falling as she walked away from him. She sashayed around the desk to Tenko, who put an arm around her shoulder and she rested her head on his shoulder and stared hatefully at Superman.
"You know what the most beautiful pain is, Deku?" Tenko smiled, "Betrayal by the one who you love the most."
"You're… a monster…" Superman managed to get out, not able to keep off his knees.
"Yeah, proud of it too. Oh, I take it back, there is a pain greater than that, it's so much more beautiful and fun to watch," Tenko said, stroking Ochako's face, "Knowing YOU hurt someone you love. I did a special little number on this pretty little thing, specific for this little meeting all together. See, she has no idea she's been calling me and giving me all sorts of interesting information on you, Deku…" Tenko laughed, "Such a pathetic name, I don't get why she likes it. But anyway. While she had no knowledge of our past meetings and phone conversations, or the fact she planted the bombs in her own father's equipment. But right now, this very second, she is fully conscious, hearing and seeing everything. But She's trapped like a puppet on a string."
"Now how long do I want to torture her, too? I wonder…" He asked, hugging her lovingly, "Should I allow her to cuddle up in my lap and watch you die? Sounds like a fun show. Don't you agree, Deku?"
"But it's not as good, seeing as she has no control of even her facial features or external emotional responses. Not even shedding a tear, even though I bet she's screaming in her mind. Should I let her go? What do you say, DEKU?"
"Alright, Deku, let's see her pain, too!" He said snapping his fingers in her face. She instantly swung, hitting him right in the face.
"YOU BASTARD!" She screamed, before turning to Superman just as he fell, "IZUKU!"
She glanced up, and pressed her fingers together, "Release!" She said, as she slid on her knees to the faced down Man of Steel, "Izuku! Izuku!" She cried, rolling him over into her lap, "Izuku, open your eyes and look at me." She said, horrified at the green web of lines all over his body.
O…Ch…ko…" He wheezed, opening his now almost completely green eyes. "Sorry…got you… into… this…" he forced out as Bakugou hit the ground.
Tenko got up, rubbing his jaw, "I agree, I kind of deserved that one…"
But the two heroes ignored him as Bakugou, grabbed their badly injured friend. "Make us light, Ochako," Bakugou ordered, and she touched her chest then the two men, making them float slightly off the ground. "Ok, hold on to him and me, tight." He instructed, and she wrapped an arm around both.
Bakugou pushed his arms back using his quirk as a thruster sending them flying out of the window of the office, flying through the air.
"Thanks for stopping in," Tenko sat back in his desk, "That was more fun than I expected." He said, taking a small knife and putting another notch on the underside of his desk, "So long… Superman."
-S-
Inko was busy bandaging Toshinori's wounds when Bakugou kicked open the front door. "What on Earth? IZUKU!" She gasped seeing the body cradled in the fiery hero's arms, with the teary eyed Ochako right beside him. "Laying him here," She said, jerking the back cushions off the couch to make a make-shift bed.
"I… He's been stabbed," Ochako whimpered, as Bakugou laid him down. His skin was now turning green with every vein now greenish black.
"We gotta get the rock out…" Toshinori said, not caring at the moment that they the two didn't know. If Young Midoriya trusted them, then so did he. So, to the shock of Bakugou and Ochako the small man transformed into All Might before their eyes.
"All… All Might?" Bakugou gasped, as the Number One Hero reached down and grabbed the kryptonite dagger.
"Izuku… this is going to hurt, son." All Might said soothingly, stroking his hair.
Izuku unconsciously reached for Ochako, and she took his hand. Her already teary eyes widened at how weak his grip was, and how cold and clammy his skin had become.
He screamed out and jerked in pain as All Might jerked the emerald crystal from his body. "Give it to me!" Ochako said, grabbing the bloodied crystal from his hand, removing all weight to it. She opened the window and threw the now weightless object as far as she could. She took a sigh of relief before she turned back to her love. "Why isn't he getting better?"
"No sun light," Inko said, stroking her son's face as she glanced out at the dark storm clouds.
"He needs a sun?" Bakugou gritted his teeth and clinched his fists. "I'll give him a goddamn supernova…" he glanced to Ochako, "You three, get out of here. get in another room and closed the door… don't look this way. I'll fix whatever gets blown to shit, I promise." He then glanced to the stunned Inko, "smack me for my filth mouth later, I'm going to save your kid."
All Might gathered Ochako and Inko and pulled them into Izuku's old room and closed the door. Once he was sure they were clear Bakugo turned to his fallen friend.
"Just like when we were kids, eh, Deku?" Bakugou growled, building up his sweat for his quirk. "You know you're going to owe me for this, right? You better remember it, you hear me?"
Bakugou held out his hands toward him, "NOW WAKE UP YOU PIECE OF SHIIIIII" He screamed as he released every bit of power he had.
He very seldom used the supernova hyper move. It was dangerous because the full release of heat and explosive energy caused a radiation effect. But seeing as his best friend's alien cells survived off solar radiation. It was the best move he could think to make. But as the blinding flash and release of all his energy caused the young hero to stumble backwards away from the singed couch and fall backwards to the ground unconscious.
After a moment, the returned to small form Toshinori, Inko and Ochako rushed from the room. "Deku? Bakugou?" Ochako asked.
"Young Bakugou is fine, he just used up all his strength," Toshinori said, checking on the blonde, before glancing to the couch.
"Izuku?" Inko asked, his skin was still faintly green, but the green veiny lines had lessoned. As well as the wound on his side has closed. "It worked, he absorbed it. His wounds are healed… But it wasn't enough…"
"He needs sunlight to recover his strength…" Ochako said, glancing to the storm outside, knowing it would likely be at least another hour before it blew over. They didn't have time. Ochako touched Izuku's chest and kissed him lightly on the lips as he began to float.
She guided his weightless and unconscious form toward the still open window and eased him out. "Shouldn't take him long to get through the clouds." She turned to the others. "When Izuku comes back… tell him… tell him I'm sorry…" Ochako smiled.
Realizing what she was planning Toshinori held up a hand, "Give me sometime to recover some of my own strength. The fight with Midoriya took a lot out of me. And he'll be back soon."
"Tenko will either get away or have his defenses raised. He may even have more of that rock." She said, glancing them, "I'm still a hero. I have to do what I can."
-S-
Tenko had gone back to doing paperwork at his desk. It would be difficult to find a replacement for Eri, but not impossible. Perhaps he should have listened to Sensei and taken her quirk while he had the chance. But he just was not fond of the risk of developing the horn that held her power. It got in the way of his hands. Too much of a drag.
He glanced up when the elevator dinged. He raised an eyebrow as Uravity rushed out and ran straight toward him. "Oh? We're going to do this now? Ok."
He stood up and stepped away, as she touched the desk and lifted it into the air. He put his arms behind his back as she threw the weightless desk at him and released it as it flew toward him. "Lame…" He said, releasing a blast of energy from his eyes. Destroying the desk. "Do you know how expensive that desk was?"
Ochako gritted her teeth before she rushed him with a barrage of punches and kicks. He effortlessly docked and side stepped them, till a well-placed kick barely missed his face. "Listen, you little…" He growled before she drove her knee into his stomach and clutched her fists together and brought them across his face in a fist.
"Anything else to say?" Uravity stood proud.
Tenko smiled insanely as he pulled a dismembered hand and placed it on his face. "It's my turn." He stood up and his arms began to grow. "Air Cannon, Springlike Limbs, Kinetic Booster, Strength Enhancer, Rivet stab, Impact Recoil, Multiplier, Hypertrophy, Rivet, Spear like Bones, Electro-Pulse, Hardening Plus, Muscle Augmentation, Absorption and Release." He named off each quirk he activated in his arms as they bulked up mysteriously with spikes, protruding bones, hardened skin and claw like fingers with electricity running up and down. "It's been so long since I got the chance to play, Ochako, thank you!"
Ochako barely was able to jump from the massive strike that shattered the floor where she stood. "Come, little rabbit!" Tenko grinned, "Come play with Shigaraki!" he yelled as he connected with a backhand that sent her flying into a pillar, cracking it.
Before she could get the stars from her eyes, He wrapped his massive hand around her throat, all but one finger. "I could turn you to ash right now!" Tenko laughed, as he squeezed her throat, making her gasp in pain, "I'll even put you in a nice pink urn to put next to Superman's cape! Wouldn't that be nice?!" He said, before throwing her into the coffee table, shattering it.
"You're not going to win…" Ochako spit up some blood as she struggled to get up. She winced as she looked at small pieces of glass that cut through her uniform and skin.
"And who's going to stop me," Shigaraki asked, growing two pair of bat-like wings, "YOU?!"
"Yes…" She struggled to her feet, brushing some blood from her lip with the back of her hand, "Or die trying."
"Come then, Hero." Shigaraki smiled, as Ochako made one last run, but was hit hard by a massive punch from the monster, sending her flying through the window on down toward the streets far below.
As she fell she glanced up to see the sun breaking through the ending storm. "Deku…" She whispered as she closed her eyes, preparing for the impact.
Meanwhile, Deku had broken through the clouds and the pure sunlight began washing over his form, reenergizing his cells, allowing them to fight back and destroy the invading kryptonite. He unconsciously lifted his hand upward toward the sun, enjoying the feeling of energy flowing into him, when suddenly he heard Ochako's voice. "Deku…" and in the twinkle of an eye he was gone.
Ochako braced to hit concrete or even a vehicle but gasped when she landed on a cushion. She glanced around and found herself in the Midoriya apartment. "W-What?" she breathed out in confusion.
"Tea?" Inko offered.
"It's pretty damn good," Bakugo said from the chair where he rested.
"Language!" Inko scolded.
Realization hit her instantly. He was ok. "He's ok…" She smiled as tears formed in her eyes.
-S-
"It's a shame these heroes die so easily," Shigaraki groaned in disappointed as he walked away from the broken window. "No fun."
"Excuse me, Mr. Shimura," Shigaraki froze as a familiar voice spoke from the broken window, he slowly turned to see Superman floating at the window, glaring at him with his arms crossed. "Would you care to step outside?"
"YOU?!" Shigaraki screamed, "HOW ARE YOU NOT DEAD!"
"It'll take more than a dirty trick from a weak little man like you to stop me," Superman smirked. "You have a lot of quirks, let's see how you measure up."
Shigaraki growled and took flight diving toward the Man of Steel but hit nothing but air. He flapped his wings and hovered in place trying to see where he went.
"Not surprised to see you lacking," Superman said floating directly above him. Shigaraki growled and dove at him again.
"I'M GOING TO TURN YOU INTO DUST!" He screamed grabbing for the much faster hero. He finally grabbed him with both hands and laughed but stopped when he realized Superman was smirking at him.
"I assume you have some form of decaying or destroying quirk?" Superman cocked an eyebrow, "also I assume that my invulnerability is stronger than that, huh?" Shigaraki's jaw dropped open. "My turn…" Superman said, rearing back a fist, and punching him with a fraction of his power, sending him spinning wildly through the sky.
Shigaraki screamed as he flew out of control, but Superman lazily flew after him, throwing another punch sending him flying farther toward the outskirts of the city.
The hand fell off his face on the impact of the ground, and the villain slowly climbed back to his feet. "Kill you… kill you …"
"Not today, Tenko Shimura," Superman said landing before him, his hands resting on his hips.
"MY NAME IS TOMURA SHIGARAKI!" Shigaraki screamed at the top of his lungs, "I'M GOING TO KILL YOU! THEN YOUR LITTLE FRIENDS! THEN ANY HEROES THAT WON'T SUBMIT TO ME! THEN ANYONE ELSE! I AM A GOD! DO YOU HEAR ME?!"
"I did Tomura Shigaraki, was it?" Superman smiled, then pointed to the side, "And so did they."
Shigaraki slowly turned to see that Superman had guided the fight to a news station, and several cameras and reporters were watching his every move.
"So are you going to surrender, or …" Superman raised an eyebrow.
Shigaraki screamed as he dove for Superman again but was met with a fist that knocked him completely out.
-S-
The next day the headline was Tenko Shimura was locked away. And the board of directors had named Eri Chisaki the new CEO of the company. Izuku smiled as he looked at the headline.
"Thanks for everything, Mr. Midoriya," Izuku looked up from his desk to see Eri walking toward him.
"My pleasure," Izuku smiled.
"I figured it out by the way," Eri grinned at her friend.
"Figured what out?" Izuku glanced around to make sure no one was paying attention.
"I know who you are…" Eri made a little S with her finger. "I won't tell anyone. Don't worry… but … my old boss…"
"He said he wasn't saying anything either," Izuku sighed, "He said it won't be useful if everyone knew." He said with a shrug.
"Beat him once, if he shows up again you can beat him again," Eri nodded, "And I've got control of his company and his money. So, he doesn't have that edge anymore."
"Right," Izuku nodded, still a little concerned.
"So tell me…" Eri glanced back at him as she started to leave him to his work. "What are you going to do when you're not saving the world?"
Izuku looked at his desk, and the three pictures on it. One of him, Toshinori and his mother, one of him and Bakugou, and his most recent one of him and Ochako. "I'm going to live in it."
"See you around, Hero," Eri smiled walking away.
He smiled and went back to work but froze as his ears perked up. He got up slowly and began adjusting his tie. He glanced around as he moved to a supply closet with large window and removed his glasses as he closed the door.
Superman took to the sky flying into orbit, enjoying the feel of the air rushing past. As he looked out over the horizon he glanced to the readers, and gave a wink before soaring toward the danger.
End of Arc 1
Epilogue 1:
"You got a phone call…" Shigaraki growled as the guard moved a video monitor into his cell. "Leave you for your privacy…" He said, turning and walking back out.
A moment later a shadowing figure appeared on screen. "Sensei…" Shigaraki squeaked.
"You failed." The figure growled.
"Sensei… please… just give me another chance…" Shigaraki begged.
"One." The figure growled, "one chance. But at the time of my choosing." He gave a little chuckle, "Until then, enjoy what failure feels like." He finished as the screen went blank.
"Sensei!" Shigaraki cried, "Please!"
Epilogue 2:
Eri read over reports and suggestions from the board. But what she was focusing on is what to do with the new Hero Hub that was constructed. The outside was completed but it was incomplete on the inside, little more than a hall.
The company still owned and controlled the Hero Agencies, but she was working at possibly cutting them back loose, but before that she wanted a contingency plan. Greed and laziness were what led to the heroes almost falling to Shigaraki. She wouldn't allow that to happen again. But what could safeguard.
She glanced out the window and saw Superman flying through the air. She smiled wistfully. If there were only more like him. But wait. What if there are? She blinked and pulled up her computer and pulled up the files on the Hub. She smiled as an idea formed in her mind, inspired by her friend as she began to type the name of her new side project.
"Project: Justice League"
