Heroes in the Dark chapter 42
Feeling came first, and thoughts only later. It was incomprehensible, just how entirely wrong everything – him, the world, the absence – felt. But it was undeniably beyond his control. Everything had been, and it was easier to believe that if it meant that he didn't have to dwell on it. And yet try as he might, when finally he came to and could form ideas, it brought no solace. It was own voice, just the one, lamenting his case, berating him ceaselessly. Peace of mind was such a foreign, such a fleeting, thing. Even when he could swear that nobody was around to cause harm, he felt a disservice to himself.
Nothing hurt. Not physically. Even yesterday's ache in his side from his scuffle with the clone had vanished entirely. But the phantoms of his mind plagued him relentlessly. He felt weak, not just in the sense of being powerless, but every movement felt labored. His mere existence felt like an afterthought, like he shouldn't be here, living, and that idea, much like all the others, didn't sit right with him. But what could possibly be done to remedy that?
Nothing at all.
Overhaul's quirk: the manipulation of matter. It could take apart any physical object on the molecular level and reconstruct it. It was a remedy to mishaps, to dirty work, to achieving a desirable outcome. How laughable it seemed now. How destructive. No matter what it was able to reconstruct, there were always going to be parts that remained broken. But it was unlikely that those consequences made any difference to him. After all, anyone capable of abusing such a power would never be able to fully understand the repercussions it would have on others.
"…"
He didn't want to think about it. It wouldn't do him any good. Not now. Not ever. And maybe it never did in the first place, but thinking to himself felt impossible now. He couldn't trust himself to keep his thoughts aligned. Because without a doubt it would take him to places where he didn't want to be. And even then, what would be the point? He couldn't do that to himself.
Tokoyami had been lying in the bed of his room for some time now. He hadn't kept track of the passage of time – it was meaningless anyway. There was nothing he could do to make this situation any better. So he made no attempt.
The room was lit by his bedside lamp, although the presence or absence of light didn't make much difference anymore. He felt restricted to his bed, not wanting to move unless absolutely necessary. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw things he didn't want to see, and so sleep eluded him without fail. The feeling of uselessness was overwhelming, and it kept him in a state of mind that he struggled to free himself from.
Every so often a knock would sound on the door, or a voice would be heard outside, and panic would seize him. The idea that Overhaul might come back filled him with dread, for maybe the yakuza boss might decide that his business had gone unfinished. And so he didn't make a sound, or move an inch, or did anything that might resemble a response, hoping instead that whoever it was would leave him alone. It seemed like for the time being that was to be the case, as he never had to see anyone for quite some time, and he preferred it that way.
But he couldn't stay like this forever. It was pathetic, and he knew it. So then why was it so hard to move or get up, to do anything at all? He wasn't paralyzed, he could still get up. He wasn't hurt; there was no pain to speak of. But it was so debilitating, the position he was in. It was all in his head. But maybe that was the problem.
His senses felt dulled. Shadows in the corners of the room moved, but every time he hoped that they would come to him, he was able to focus long enough to realize that there was nothing there. His stomach felt follow, and his mouth was dry. He didn't know how much longer he'd be able to stay like this, but it couldn't have been for much longer. Something had to change.
A knock on the door, just like any other. Maybe a bit more hesitant? It didn't matter. It sounded again, the same pattern, only this time much more insistent. He didn't care to think what that meant. But then when a different sound was made, it became much more of his problem.
The door creaked open ever so slowly, allowing a trail of light from the other side to spill in. Tokoyami's breath hitched in his throat, and his hands clenched the blankets around him.
"Tokoyami…? Oi, stop moping around!"
Another voice shushed him quietly before being directed to Tokoyami. "Heeey, there. Don't you think it's been a while? I know not everything had gone as planned, buuut…"
Tokoyami peered out from under the sheets, eyes narrowed into slits to appraise who was disturbing him. Toga and Twice were standing outside his room and peeking inside uncertainly, like they weren't quite sure what to make of this. They… they were villains, though, so he didn't want them getting any further. He loathed the fact that they were here in the first place. Could he never just be left alone?
Tokoyami sank deeper into his bed with an agitated growl, hoping they would take the hint and leave him be. But of course, knowing these two, it was never to be that simple. He could never just be left alone by the scum of this earth.
Seeing him be as unresponsive as he was, Toga took an uncertain step into the somber space. "Sooo, Fumikage, I heard you had a little run-in after I, ah, left you alone. That… that's on me. But…"
"It's been two days! Where've you been?!" Twice demanded. His demeanor softened. "We've been worried about you, ya know…? But nobody wants to tell us what happened…"
Ah. So that's how it is. It made sense, though – nobody here would ever want to make their movements and their faults so transparent. Overhaul would hate to admit that anything this troubling ever happened all because he didn't take enough care in supervising his guests. The day that man realizes his flaws is the day he loses everything.
Tokoyami shifted in bed, moving to prop himself up in slow, meticulous movements. He viewed the two that were looking down at him apologetically from across the room and felt bile rise in him. "I didn't give you permission to enter," Tokoyami growled.
"We, uh, were let in?" Twice said. "You weren't answering, so people were getting worried! We were too…"
It's fine, isn't it? If I died, Overhaul would just bring me back.
"Get out," Tokoyami spat.
Toga raised her hands before herself defensively, but the simple act of raising a hand made Tokoyami tense instinctively. "Okay, okay, we didn't come here to harass you, I just thought you'd know. We just feel kinda responsible for this."
Ah. That's right. It's all because of villains. If they'd never captured me, this never would've… no. Evil happens no matter what. Even if I hadn't been here, people like Eri would still…
"Tokoyami?" Twice called out. The door hovered partially open uncertainly. Twice looked back behind him, and if Tokoyami focused he could see a faint shadow waiting behind them. They weren't alone.
Toga assessed the situation and crept over to his bed. She wasn't necessarily the last person he wanted to see – other people had earned that right – but allowing her to come this close filled him with disgust. She signaled to Twice to stay put and came to crouch at his bedside.
Tokoyami made no move to stop her, and when she came close he leaned forward to hear her whispers. If this was all just one of her nasty tricks concealing a knife, then so be it.
"We're almost done here, alright? Unrest has been spreading through the ranks here, and we've done more here than you think. So just hold on a little longer and then we'll be back with the rest of the League. Now doesn't that sound nice?"
Tokoyami looked her dead in the eyes. She was smiling, but this time around it was so obviously fake, with not a hint of merit. "Prove to me that you have but a single redeemable quality. But regardless, nothing good will ever befall you for all the things you've already done."
Toga bit her lip, her sharp incisors digging in. "That's… about what I expected. But now they can't say I didn't try. So from here on out, whatever happens is your problem. Twice and I still have things to do. I know we've done a pretty shit job of keeping an eye out for you, but now I can't even promise that. But you can handle something like this, right? After all, you didn't seem to mind tolerating us after long enough~"
Tokoyami raised himself completely from bed, swinging his legs over the side. He brought his beak close to her, and delivered to her words that only she could hear. "All villains in this world will get what they deserve someday."
"Hmm. You might want to be prepared for that, then," she responded without missing a beat.
"Get. Out."
She shrugged. "Okay, but just remember that I was the best you had to work with down here." She stood up, beginning to retreat from him, but not before whispering one last thing to him. "But if it means anything, well, sorry I wasn't there."
An actual confirmation of her guilt. A sincere apology. He hadn't been expecting that. He watched her leave, though, and felt nothing but relief when she vanished into the hallway, disappearing behind Twice. But Twice was more reluctant. It looked like he was still trying to decide if he should say something. But before he could make up his mind, he looked behind himself, seemingly distracted. He mumbled something dejectfully, and Tokoyami was almost disappointed when he, too, slipped out of sight.
Tokoyami sighed. Whatever they were hoping to accomplish, they'd managed to get him out of bed. That must've counted for something.
Against his better judgment, he raised himself completely from the condescending comfort of the bed and walked painstakingly towards the door and the sliver of nauseating light that was seeping through. He peered out into the hallway, flinching as the bright light stung his eyes. "Twice?" he croaked uncertainly.
And then his eyes adjusted, and the fogginess in his mind that was making it difficult to think began to clear. Only for a most unpleasant sight to block his view. He looked up at the visitor that had paid him a visit, feeling his heart twist painfully.
Overhaul was standing there expectantly. Just waiting for him. What immeasurable bullshit was this?! Was there never to be any relief for him, or any semblance of security in this hell-driven underworld? But he was there, again, towering before him with a keycard in his hand.
Twice whipped around, surprised to see that he actually followed, and the eyes of his mask stretched wide in alarm. He had the sense to read the situation for once, even if he wasn't aware of all that had happened between him and the yakuza, and made an attempt to step in front of Overhaul so as to separate the two.
Overhaul's expression quickly switched to one of annoyance as he was forced to take a step back and avoid coming into contact with the man.
"Don't you think you all have far too little faith in me? I hope you still plan on following my orders as per our agreement. Bubaigawara, get out of my way," Overhaul said coldly.
"Go to hell! …Yeah, sure thing," Twice responded meekly. He looked miserable as he stepped back, but he was keeping a watchful eye on Tokoyami all the while. He knew this situation wasn't the most hopeful, and he had to adhere to the duties set forth as part of this deal. But Tokoyami got the feeling that he'd be genuinely upset if something happened to him. If he knew what had happened. It was the same thing with Magne – Twice was responsible for setting this whole ordeal in motion, and it was an ongoing process that was still seeing the consequences even now. That was something that, regardless of what one voice said, he wouldn't be able to live down. Because Tokoyami could understand that mindset.
But that was for later. Right now, Tokoyami was struggling to comprehend why this stain on society had approached him yet again. Hadn't he done enough already?! Tokoyami felt stuck, frozen to the door as he looked past the plague-doctor mask into the face that was permanently etched into his memories: the last thing he'd seen before everything went dark. He hadn't wanted to face it again, but clearly that had been far too much to ask for.
He might've wanted to be defiant at some point in the past – to the League, to Dabi, to the yakuza, to Overhaul – but now that was an unachievable thing. Instead he strained his voice just enough to ask "W…what do you want from me?" and left it at that. It had no power to it. It wasn't a demand. It was an honest question. Because at this point he just didn't know, and that scared him the most.
"It's come to my attention that you hadn't left your room in a while, and I was beginning to wonder if something might've been wrong. Nothing is wrong, I would hope?" the yakuza boss asked. He cast a pointed glance to the two League villains that were standing off to the side, on-guard for whatever might happen. So that's how it was.
"Everything… is fine," Tokoyami gritted out. But he looked away, and the knuckles of his hand gripping the doorknob turned white. That had to have been his most transparent lie yet. Toga and Twice were giving him looks of concern. But it was enough for Overhaul.
"I'm glad to hear it," he said, his expression not changing. "I must say, it's been a bit troublesome keeping you three here, but that will pay off soon enough. At the very least I was able to get you out of your room, so we're making progress."
Tokoyami glared past him to where Toga was standing, but she avoided him. So that's how it was. And yet even then he couldn't bring himself to blame them, at least not entirely, because much like everything else he imagined they didn't have much say in the matter. A part of them had to have been concerned, but ultimately it was Overhaul who had told them to get him from the confines of his room. Otherwise he probably never would've left. Not if it could be helped.
"Now then, you asked me what I want from you. To put it bluntly, I believe we have some business to attend to. So why don't we take a little walk? I think there's someone you want to see."
Tokoyami perked up at that. The idea of being left with Overhaul was nauseating. The only solace was that he couldn't possibly do anything worse to him than what had already been done. But he hated that this was the point that had been reached, the ultimatum for everything that had brought him here. In this position, at this time, there was nothing he could refuse. And even if he could… he knew where Overhaul was going, who he wanted to see, and it was inconceivable that Tokoyami would back down now just because he was scared. Just because all his senses were telling him to turn back now and never risk doing any more harm to himself and others.
"That's… yes. Please don't lead me astray. I need to see…" Tokoyami mumbled, his voice straining for clarity.
"But not without us, right? I want no part in this!" Twice chirped up, demanding their attention.
"You two are to stay here until I ask for you. That being said, I expect you to be ready and on standby should anything significant occur. I may have need of you soon," Overhaul answered simply. "Now then, Tokoyami, are you ready?"
"Am I ever?" he sighed, shoving down his instincts and the thoughts telling him to run, to ride, to do anything that made sense. He slipped back into his room for only a moment to fetch his shoes and cloak. The rest of his attire was the business-casual default that he had awoken in and never bothered to change – a purple dress shirt and black slacks – for all the difference it made. He was beyond caring at this point. It was just better to agree to what expectations Overhaul set for him, as much as it filled him with dread. And sure enough, Overhaul couldn't complain when he stepped back out, as presentable as he was going to get.
Toga grimaced as he passed, and Twice looked like he wanted desperately to say something before thinking better of it. There was little time for words now. But at least when he passed them by and followed Overhaul's lead, he felt no regret. Only responsibility as he held himself accountable for his actions.
The two League villains disappeared behind him. There was nothing they could've said after all. This defeatist attitude was getting to them all, that much was apparent. And by this time very little about that could be changed. Not with where they were headed. Not with what they were responsible for.
When enough distance had gone by, with Tokoyami walking dutifully behind Overhaul yet again like miserable clockwork, he finally brought it upon himself to speak up. "What… did you do to me?" he croaked.
Overhaul remained silent for some time, and he wondered if he would answer at all. But then he did, exceeding his expectations in the most limited way possible. "It was a reset. You acted far out of line so I set you straight. There was nothing wrong with that – I know for a fact that you have no negative physical effects. I made sure of that. You still have your uses, after all."
Tokoyami gawked at him. This was baffling. This repulsive villain really didn't think he had done anything wrong. He was justifying this, as though it had been the only conceivable answer! How many other people have you forced to undergo this?! What right did you have?! Tokoyami wanted to scream at him in outrage, but his voice wouldn't allow for that, nor his spirit, and he couldn't bear to stand up to him uselessly yet again. How utterly pathetic.
"Is that all? I would've thought you'd have more to say."
Tokoyami took a deep breathe, hoping that he could say this next part cohesively. Instead it came out as a choked sob, a thinly veiled cry for help that just barely held back his desperation. "M-my quirk…! It…"
He couldn't say much more than that. But he didn't have to. Overhaul came to a stop, looking down at him in irritation like he was asking for so much. After everything the yakuza boss had put him through, everything was just so inconvenient to that man. But he answered nonetheless, if only so that the bird-headed boy wouldn't make a scene. "Are you daft? I know I used the right one: fast acting but not long lasting. Those are easy to make. I wouldn't dare use anything more valuable on the likes of you. After all, I see more potential in you now than ever before. You don't plan on being a waste of my assets, do you?"
Overhaul leaned down until his eyes were level with Tokoyami, his mask hovering mere inches from his face. He produced a plain white key card and held it triumphantly in the air as though it meant something. Focusing further, though, Tokoyami saw the faint pink smudges on it. It hadn't been properly cleaned since Tokoyami had last used it.
Overhaul held the card before him, and with deliberate movements placed it on top of Tokoyami's beak. When Overhaul applied pressure, Tokoyami was forced to tilt his beak along with it. "You try so hard, but for what purpose? Did you really care that much, or were you just trying to fulfill a sense of self-satisfaction by thinking that you were doing anything noteworthy? And, be honest with yourself here, what good did any of your efforts actually accomplish? Because all I see is a child that stepped way too far out of his comfort zone. You really only have yourself to blame, I want you to realize. Go ahead. Defy me again. See what happens."
Tokoyami reached up with a shaky, desperate hand towards the card, which Overhaul swiftly withdrew. "B-but then, where's Dark Shadow?"
Overhaul scoffed at him. "Your quirk? I figured you'd have it back by now. It should come back gradually, so don't be surprised if its presence is rather weak at this point. Have you even tried to properly use it? Or have your own fears finally caught up to you?"
Tokoyami actually hadn't considered that. So overcome had he been, calling out desperately waiting for a response, that he'd neglected to make any physical attempts at usage. That's something a normal quirk user would try to do: use it.
Tokoyami tried taking a shaky breath, focusing hard on using his power. But nothing came of it, and his thoughts crumbled once again. He just couldn't focus. It was asking too much of him right now.
Overhaul watched him struggle, his expression blank. "I see. That's fine. Just make sure you're of use to me when the time comes, and we won't have any problems. Is that understood?" Overhaul continued walking. Tokoyami followed, because what other choice did he have? But all the while he was trying so hard to reach out to a quirk that was there somewhere. It had to be. Would Overhaul lie to him? Probably. If it suited his needs and made his servants more conforming, then absolutely. But Tokoyami reeked of desperation. It was all he had left.
They walked in relative silence as Tokoyami kept himself preoccupied reaching out for what he wasn't even sure was there. But just like before, it was easy to think that it was gone, that his quirk – that nobody – was around to protect him anymore. Because his quirk had only ever done what he could, right? Because it wasn't his fault. It was…n't…his…
"What happened to that man." Tokoyami asked, his hoarse voice barely a whisper.
Overhaul heard loud and clear in the emptiness of the halls, and knew what he meant. "Tch. That was your greatest disservice to me, I hope you know. So much cleanup had to be done for that whole room, it was repulsive. As for that scientist? I wasn't in the mood to pick him up immediately. You made a lot of work for me that night, and it was horribly inconvenient."
"So…he's…"
Overhaul sighed. "Of course I brought him back. It was annoying, and I might've left him in that state for a bit too long, but never doubt my abilities. But after that he refused to be cohesive. Those bastards don't even want to continue serving me after I was kind enough to resurrect them. A shame, too. If he'd been more focused then maybe he would've completed the research. But as it turns out he was a lost cause."
Tokoyami racked his brain trying to understand what was being said. This felt important. He thought back to that incident and what the man had said before his life had been… interrupted. It was difficult to think past the gruesome images that kept popping up, though, and no matter how much he tried he could only collect vague recollections of what the man had been saying about his research.
Overhaul seemed to consider something for a moment. "If not for that incident you caused, we'd be in a better situation. But don't get your hopes up. We can still make do with what we have." He turned to look down at Tokoyami, and he couldn't shake this feeling of unease. There was something undeniably hungry about that golden gaze, and all Tokoyami could do was avert himself against it. He didn't want to talk to him anymore.
So he followed along in silence instead.
This walk was beginning to be familiar, if progressively unbearable. Not that it could be helped at this point, since it was necessary if he wanted to reach his destination. And sure enough, this time around, the further they walked the more he was able to recognize his surroundings. Until they rounded that corner, and came into that hallway. The mediator was standing by, nervous as Overhaul tipped his mask into view. But that was the least of his worries.
Tokoyami couldn't stand to be at Overhaul's side any longer. He was here for one reason, one thing that motivated him to keep going because apparently he didn't care enough about himself to act for just his own reasons. He snatched the keycard – his keycard – from Overhaul's hand, and broke free from his side to run towards the door. Overhaul made no attempt to stop him, not even a noise when that critical card was yanked from his possession. It was as though it didn't surprise him. After all, this bird wouldn't step too terribly out of line after everything that had happened. He was only doing exactly as instinct dictated, and playing into the wishes of that girl. And that, to some degree, was forgivable so long as he didn't push it any further. Because even if two pawns tried to stick together, he would be the one to move them according to his whim. That's just how these things tended to play out, right?
Tokoyami barged past the mediator, who let out an indignant "Hey!"
Without waiting on either of them, or rather hoping they wouldn't interfere, Tokoyami ran the keycard and heard the door unlock. He grasped desperately for the doorknob and entered the room before another word could be uttered, and slammed it shut behind him upon slipping into its midst.
It was much of the same, exactly as he remembered. That haze of melancholy and eeriness still filled the child's room. It was still a room that was light but dark, full of things and yet so empty. It promised a space where one could live, but was only ever really a prison.
And there she was. Sitting on the bed.
Tokoyami had scared her with the abrupt opening of the door, that much was certain. Her lip quivered and her eyes were wide in surprise, but then she registered who it was that had appeared and her expression shifted to one of confusion.
"Tsukoyomi…? Why are you…?" she started to ask in a small voice, shifting to face the door that he had hastily closed. "Did Overhaul…? Is it time…?"
Tokoyami almost couldn't bear to see her after knowing what she'd been through. It was too much. Nobody her age should have to… But he had to do his best to remain composed. It would be mean to make the little girl worry after everything she'd been enduring.
Tokoyami crossed quickly to her bed, not knowing how much time he'd get in here. "Are you okay? Are you hurt?!"
Eri flinched away from his sudden approach and pointed questions, which didn't surprise him but stung nonetheless. He crouched on the floor in front of her bed. But she found the courage to speak. "You… did something, didn't you? It's been too long since my last appointment. Everyone looked very upset, something about the new members, but they left me alone so I didn't think too much about it. Tsukoyomi, what happened?"
Tokoyami shook his head stubbornly. "It's nothing you have to worry yourself over. So long as they left you alone, that's all I care about. I can't believe – " Tokoyami's voice began to quiver, and he had to force himself to stop before he could continue. "You've been so brave up until now, Eri. I don't want you to feel any more of that. Eri, you don't deserve that. More than anyone else in this entire underground hell, you don't deserve that."
Eri looked down on him with such an acute sense of sadness that he felt it like a weight on his shoulders. "You know? No… you saw?" Tears began to well in her crimson eyes. "I-I'm sorry. I never should've… you shouldn't have gotten involved w-with me. Overhaul was right…and…"
Tokoyami climbed onto her bed. There wasn't anything he could say that would make this situation better. So he let actions speak for himself. He came close to her, and she looked up in surprise. He placed what he hoped was a reassuring hand on her back. She'd been shivering like a leaf, but calmed down with just that. "It's okay," Tokoyami rasped. But even he didn't believe those words, so he forced a smile and made sure that his next words rang with determination. "Because I am here."
The door to the room opened up. That was the most they probably could've asked for. Tokoyami had his back turned to the entrance, so he couldn't see who it was. But it wouldn't have taken much guessing.
"You must think quite highly of yourself to be acting like this," Overhaul observed.
Tokoyami laughed bitterly. "You couldn't be farther from the truth."
Eri shrunk at the sound of Overhaul's voice. Tokoyami instinctively brought his arms closer around her in the hopes of shielding her from the cruel world that she'd been forced to endure for far too long. His cloak spilled around her as he shifted to look around at the detestable adversary. If he was the only thing standing between Eri and more pain, then so be it. And he knew that it was futile – that one wave of the hand would make his efforts naught – but if he didn't try them there was no point in him being here.
Overhaul was scratching at his arm, as though trying to claw off some unforeseeable filth that continued to cling to him. If he thought that he could continue to use Eri as a tool to control Tokoyami, then that was his fault. Instead he'd given the crow-headed boy a reason to fight against him. "You're letting your impudence define you. I thought you had the common sense to learn from your mistakes," he seethed, irked to see the way he tried in vain to protect her. What did he think he was, a hero?!
"Not at the expense of others," Tokoyami growled. "And never for someone as sick as you."
That tested Overhaul's patience more than any other. "I've given you so many chances, and yet even now you decide you're going to act like this? If I'd known that I never would've brought you back, Shigaraki's contract be damned."
Tokoyami felt Eri wince in his arms, as though an attack had been dealt to her. But it was only him. He was responsible for his own downfall, and she shouldn't have to feel the burden of that.
Overhaul began stepping into the room, and all he could do was watch. "I'm wasting my time here. How dare you continue to set me back? You have no idea how much I've dedicated to my research, to making this society into something redeemable. Sacrifices are always going to be made, and you can't even but your feelings aside to see my vision?"
Tokoyami clenched his teeth and tightened his grip on reality. He peered out from the depths of his cloak, feeling his anger at this man bubble just below the thin surface of his consciousness. And a truth came to him, more poignant than any other: this man doesn't deserve mercy.
Tokoyami didn't stop to think about the last time he'd had anger like this well within him. So much of the past few days had been feelings of horror, guilt, dismay, and confusion that there had been little room for much else. But anger was something much stronger.
Tokoyami felt the shadows quiver around him in response. Overhaul's silhouette blocked out much of the light from the hallway, making this all the more easier. And the more Tokoyami thought about it, the more he willed it, the more readily the shadows answered his call. As reckless as it was certain to be, Tokoyami couldn't keep his thoughts to himself any longer. "Overhaul, you have wronged too many people to be promised a place in this world. Villains like you are scum that fester the hearts of the innocent. And because of that, you will not come out of this unscathed. Karma will collect its debt from you, that much is certain."
Overhaul's breath hitched in his throat. His hands clenched and unclenched, looking for something to grasp onto. His typically cool demeanor dropped quicker than he'd ever seen before, and he moved to cross the distance between them. "Those words will be your – !"
Shadows crawled from the corners of the room, knitting themselves together to answer his call. They were weak, easily undone, but they congealed together anyway at his call. It was everything he could muster, all he could do.
A visage came to life in the center of the room, connected to Tokoyami and blocking Overhaul's path. It shuttered like tv static, doing all in its power to fulfill its purpose. Dark Shadow, small and weak but still very much there, let out a long, grating hiss that Tokoyami could feel resonating within his mind. He wanted so badly to speak with his quirk, but couldn't for fear that it would undo this fragile connection keeping it in the material plane.
"B-baaack…stay…back," it rasped in a brittle, barely audible voice.
"So you figured out how to bring it back after all," Overhaul sneered, unimpressed. "But it seems as though I might've made a miscalculation on my part, allowing this in the first place. And I will admit that I feel somewhat responsible for this. But now you should know that I don't like you playing these little games any longer. I hope you understand."
Tokoyami could only guess what was about to happen next. Whatever it was could not have been good, but he didn't much care anymore. It didn't matter so long as he could keep Eri safe for just a bit longer and prolong the time between her next "appointment." The silver lining to all this was that his quirk was still here, struggling much like him to retain its shape. Only it was likely that this haphazard position wouldn't bode well for them, no matter how much they defied what would happen. But that didn't come. Not in the way he expected, anyway.
Footsteps sounded nearby, racing towards this direction, and someone came to an abrupt stop right outside the door. "Is the Boss here? Overhaul!"
Chronostasis appeared at the door, breathing heavily. He paused for just a moment when taking in the situation, but didn't waste any more time than that. Whatever was going on in this room, his message took priority. "I hate to interrupt, but we have a problem: police forces and heroes are beginning to gather in front of the headquarters!"