Heroes in the Dark chapter 53
After over a week of recovery in the villain hospital, it'd been decided that the League would be taking their leave the next morning. They'd already overstayed their welcome through mere existence alone, and the staff were losing their patience by housing the well-known criminals. Though there hadn't been any more notable incidents over the last few days, the whole facility was growing restless, eagerly anticipating their leave. And throughout all that, Tokoyami was able to accept his meager victories awarded to him through improvement in his strength and well-being. His wounds were still ugly to look at and would need considerable time to heal, but he could stagger around on his own and was more or less capable of changing his own bandages. That didn't mean he was ready for where he'd be going from here, though.
In the aftermath of the group discussion that had set him on edge and determined his future, the League had grown increasingly restless. Twice had attempted a few more times to offer up his own apartment as a good location for Tokoyami, but the divided man was ultimately his own undoing as he struggled to properly convey his intentions. Shigaraki shot his proposals down each time, and Twice quietly gave up when their leader had to bluntly explain that he didn't trust Twice to keep track of the bird-headed boy. Whether this was because of Twice's personal inability caused by mental illness or because he was worried that Twice might try and return him to the heroes was uncertain. Either way, Tokoyami was appreciative of his efforts, even if he didn't completely understand the reasoning behind them. Despite the precariousness of his situation, he couldn't help but view Twice as a sort of neutral ally. The man wore his expressions on his sleeve, even though he made it a point to hide his face.
But that was circumstantial. He didn't have as many unpleasant experiences with Twice as he did other members of the League. That being said, their personalities on their own, without thinking of the dangers they pose to society and to him, were tolerable. The only one he could say with certainty that he didn't want to be around was Shigaraki.
After that decision of his, Twice hadn't been the only one to approach him. Dabi was justifiably pissed with the decision, especially since it had come from nowhere and put him on the spot. He had been thrust a responsibility he hadn't wanted, and at the expense of his own home no less. It was enough to have been in charge of Tokoyami previously, but he was certain that Dabi hated the whole ordeal surrounding this.
Now there was only one more night left here in the hospital. In the early morning, the League would leave here and deliver him to a new location for him to stay temporarily while the rest went ahead and scoped out new potential hideouts. With the time for that fast approaching, Tokoyami couldn't rid himself of the existential dread plaguing him.
At the moment, the doctor that had been treating him was finishing up one last bandage change, showing him the different cleaning solutions and reminding him of safety precautions. He cared an awful lot for someone who cared for his health on only a surface level, but Tokoyami supposed that was to be expected. His job was to aid physical healing, not help him in any fundamental way. Tokoyami was never even given a name for him. Though this probably isn't a good environment to be sharing your name in anyway.
The doctor closed up the aid kit and set it on the ground next to his bed. "These supplies are for you to take – don't let anyone else use them. You'll need everything you get if you're going to heal properly, so keep them close and make them last. I can't trust if the people you're with will actually be good about continuing your healing, so look out for yourself the best you can."
Tokoyami watched him clean up. "…Understood." He carefully prodded at the tightness of the new bandages, mentally running through all the things he needed to remember.
It had been only the doctor in the cramped room with him, a rare moment where nobody from the League was here to keep an eye on him, but right as he was packing up to leave the door opened. The doctor fumbled a startled greeting and Tokoyami looked up sharply, his feathers already prickling with unease. Shigaraki walked into the room, and the doctor sidestepped to get past him.
"The kid is fine to move, if that's what you were wanting to know," he assured, clutching his kit.
Shigaraki glared at him through the fingers of the hand adorning his face. "I already knew that, not that it makes much difference. The only reason we ended up staying here this long is because you're so damn persistent."
The doctor huffed indignantly. "With all due respect, there's worse places to recuperate. Especially after the nasty stunts you've pulled. I can't speak for it, but I hope for your sake that you be careful where you go from here."
Shigaraki blinked slowly, weighing him mentally. "Is that a threat?"
The doctor shook his head. "I would never. I'm not about to start trouble, even though my career says otherwise. It's just a warning, nothing more. Next time your group does something like this, I hope you don't come here. But if you do, then I'll treat you all the same." The tired man went to close the door behind him. "That being said, I put a lot of hours into that kid over there. I'd hate it if you were responsible for his death, so next time try to avoid that if you can."
And then he was gone, closing the door that trapped Tokoyami in with his least favorite person. With changes on the horizon, he should've known that this would happen. The rest of the League had been coming and going, interacting with him regularly over the past several days. But Shigaraki had maintained a more quiet, watchful presence throughout it all, speaking only ever for the sake of giving out direction or showing authority.
But now it was just them. With a jolt, he realized this was the first time he'd ever been alone with the villainous leader. Usually someone like Dabi was with him, but now there was nobody to defend him. It was only Tokoyami facing off against a villain that had caused him and the world so much grief. Not even his quirk was here to comfort him.
Tokoyami scooted further back onto his bed until his back was pressed against the concrete wall, and he watched cautiously as Shigaraki leaned against the opposite wall, where he steadily looked back at him.
Tokoyami chanced a glance at the doorway. "Where are the others?" he asked, unable to keep the nervousness out of his voice.
"Off doing other things, but that's not important." A second passed, as though they were both waiting for someone to come through the door and prove him wrong. When everything remained quiet, Shigaraki let out a raspy sigh. And then he reached a hand up. Tokoyami really wasn't sure what to think when the crusty villain removed the grisly hand from his face and set it on the chair next to him. Sure, he'd noticed the way the man was growing used to not wearing his hands as much, but that was only ever around the other League members. This was the first time Shigaraki was truly looking him face to face, in such a way that he couldn't ignore the deep etched scarring and dull, red eyes peering out from under a mop of messy, light blue hair.
"What is important is me having a better idea of what all happened during your first mission. I've already gotten accounts from Toga and Twice… but it sounds like you were up to significantly more when they weren't watching you," Shigaraki hummed.
Tokoyami's shoulders slumped. "If this is about "furthering your goals," whatever those are, then I don't think I have anything worth sharing. Besides, you can hardly call that whole incident a mission, as if it were something you assigned to me. It was Overhaul's decision to have me there, only for me to work more on the heroes' side than anything. Did you expect that in your plans?" Tokoyami clamped his beak shut when he realized that his words sounded more like a challenge than anything. He didn't want to anger the dangerous individual, but he had so much he wanted to say while he had the chance.
Shigaraki was drumming two of his fingers against his arms, which were crossed over his chest. He looked impatient, but he wasn't getting irate yet. That was good.
"…I heard you spent a fair amount of time next to Overhaul. You also interacted extensively with his followers."
"And? Toga and Twice were there too," Tokoyami muttered nervously, thinking back on those fearful days spent in hell. In truth, the time spent next to those yakuza made training with Dabi beforehand not nearly as bad in comparison. Not that he was about to admit that. "You can just ask those two about whatever you want to know, right?"
Shigaraki tilted his head back against the wall, exposing his bare neck. It was riddled with cross-hatching scars both old and new. The ugly red tears decorated over fading marks from years of self-affliction drew Tokoyami's eyes, and he found he couldn't look away. "I can ask them a lot, but not everything."
"And so you would turn to me?"
Shigaraki's head snapped back forward. "I'm the one trying to orchestrate this whole thing, so why shouldn't I?" he hissed.
Tokoyami winced at the venom shot back at him, and he felt the wound in his gut protest at the sudden movement, sending a ripple of dull pain through him. Gritting his teeth, he placed a hand gently over the damaged area, and he glared accusingly at Shigaraki is if he had somehow caused this. Which he did. If the villain wants to take responsibility for orchestrating these sorts of things, then that includes all the pain he'd had to undergo. With Overhaul out of sight, he had other malicious puppeteers to focus on now.
Shigaraki let out a raspy sigh, letting go of his burst of anger. "I have no expectation that you'll answer me. After all, why would you of all people help a criminal like me? You must hold yourself in such high regard to have helped the heroes like you did. That's what you're probably thinking, right?" Tokoyami didn't respond, but he could feel the heat rising to his cheeks under his feathers. Was it truly embarrassing to think that just maybe he'd done something right? But here he was being called out on it, and the fact that he couldn't help but agree at least somewhat made him uncomfortable. "But no, things worked out in the end. I may not have gotten a business deal, but at least I'm rid of one more rival. That much, at least, I think we can agree on… You're glad he's gone now, right?"
Tokoyami thought back on all those unpleasant and life-threatening encounters with the masked yakuza boss. And then about his fight, the brutality, the hardship, all just to take down a single, insane man. "He's in custody now, I imagine. But truthfully, people that deluded and power-hungry shouldn't…" Tokoyami felt a curl of raw anger unraveling in the pit of his gut just thinking about it. But it surprised him, and he quickly quashed the feeling and shook the dark ideas from his head. He didn't need that right now.
Shigaraki looked at him, a curious spark in his eyes like he was waiting for Tokoyami to spill his thoughts. When he didn't, and silence settled between them yet again, Shigaraki pressed on. "I'll hear it soon enough, I guess. Really, I don't expect you to spill any secrets. You're not going to name names and quirks, give away valuable info, or even mention that little girl you were fighting for. I'm right in that regard too, aren't I?" he pressed further.
Tokoyami's throat caught in his chest, and a brief fear flashed through him, wondering if Shigaraki would've wanted to snatch someone as potentially valuable as Eri had he known more about her. Of course, he had no idea what Shigaraki knew of in the first place, so for all he knew Eri could've always been a target, despite being one of Overhaul's most secure secret weapons. It left a foul taste in his mouth to think of how other villains that still roamed the world freely might still have it out for the little girl. Whatever heroes were in charge of her now better be doing everything they possibly can for her. She deserved that much and more for everything she had to endure. But more than anything, just keep her safe. If Eri can just live a normal life and put these awful memories behind her, then maybe the rest of the world will leave her alone and she can be happy.
"You're right. So don't even bother," Tokoyami growled.
"That's what I thought," Shigaraki said, the beginnings of a smirk crinkling the lines of his face. It looked like he could laugh at this point, but just as quickly the moment passed. Shigaraki let his arms drop from where they'd been crossed and leaned forward slightly. The air turned more serious as the villain's expression changed to something he hadn't seen before on him. Determined? …Desperate?
"I want you to tell me: what was Overhaul actually like? How did he lead and maintain order? You must've seen the way he worked. He was too guarded during our meeting for me to dissect him. And now… he'll never be the same person he was before we got involved." There's was something especially ominous about those words, but Tokoyami didn't have time to think about that because the truth of the matter being pressed towards him was much more significant. "Overhaul was who he was, and the League I've been building is far different from anything he ever had. But I'd be foolish if I ignored his successes during his time and the amount of people he swayed to his side. So tell me, Tokoyami, how do you think he was able to command such loyalty in his followers?"
Tokoyami looked him up and down warily, trying to figure out his intent. But it just sounded like he was wanting to compare leadership qualities. The question here, though, was whether whatever Tokoyami had to say would be useful to Shigaraki. He wasn't looking to help the villainous leader… and yet this imploration felt benign compared to anything else he could say about his experiences underground. And maybe, just maybe, by answering his inquiries something beneficial would emerge from this. Even though Tokoyami found himself weighing the actions of both Overhaul and Shigaraki, there was something very different about the person standing in front of him. While Overhaul had been eager to share his plans for the future to him, he still knew so little about Shigaraki on a fundamental level.
With a tired sigh, Tokoyami found it within himself to relax just a bit. He reminded himself that Shigaraki wasn't going to do anything to him lest it damage how the rest of the League regarded their leader.
Tokoyami swung his legs over the side of the bed and rested his arms on his knees, sitting comfortably and properly facing the hand villain.
"If you're trying to figure out how to command more power, you won't be learning anything from Overhaul. As much as I hate him, his actions were far more calculating and ruthless than anything I could ever see you do." Tokoyami watched the wrinkles of Shigaraki's face deepen with a scowl, but the man stayed quiet. He kept going. "Ever though he always held the capacity to kill, he rarely ever had to because the threat of failure was often enough. Nobody wanted to displease him because everyone, even newcomers, knew what he was willing to do.
"You and Overhaul's quirks are similar in their ability to destroy. Only Overhaul can always undo whatever happens. So if a follower of his ever made a mistake, it was their worth that would determine if they ever came back. There was one Precept serving under him that had picked fights with him over and over, challenging him. And every time he would get killed, only to be resurrected. You can't do that. You can't make the rest of the League fear or respect you just because of the nature of your quirk. And you certainly can't challenge them, either, because fighting won't help you here."
Shigaraki looked down at his hand. The ratty hair spilling down his face concealed his expression. Tokoyami craned his neck to try and gauge his reaction, but instead he spoke up before he could. "Keep talking. You have my interest, but we may be short on time. If our quirks serve such different roles as you claim, then what else is different?"
Tokoyami thought about that for a moment. It occurred to him that by now he'd already attained a better understanding of Overhaul than Shigaraki, even though the amount of time spent in their respective hands was significantly different, several weeks versus just a few miserable days. But there was a few things he understood about Shigaraki, just by watching his interactions with the rest of the League.
"The way you two regard your followers is different. From what I've seen, you don't have the same authority as Overhaul. That yakuza demanded loyalty from his followers. He inherited his boss role and manipulated countless people into thinking they were garbage whose only purpose was to serve him. I don't know what strings you're trying to pull by leading this group, but I can't possibly imagine it ever being like what Overhaul had." Tokoyami's eyes narrowed at him accusingly. "You don't have a name for yourself yet. Most of your support comes from coat-tailing off of the Hero Killer Stain or because of the stunt you pulled with your Master. Overhaul commanded a legion of yakuza. Meanwhile, you're equal to the few people who have decided to stay by your side. But that's not a bad thing. Overhaul was the kind of person that was willing to throw away whatever pawn he could if it meant furthering his goals. There was nothing he valued more than holding control over the wills of others. Even the people who served him most faithfully and would do anything for him were not viewed the same way by Overhaul. They were all disposable. That's exactly why he wanted me in his underground, if you didn't realize – so that he could use me as a distraction if the heroes ever got involved. But that didn't exactly work because I wasn't about to let him decide that for me."
Shigaraki stared back at him evenly, meeting his red eyes with his own. There was something particularly contemptable about how the villain held himself, as though he should be angrily defending himself or complaining but was instead taking in this information calmly. Just how much had changed in the time when Tokoyami was gone? Or was Shigaraki always in a state of undergoing change, beyond what he could see? In any case, it prompted Tokoyami to keep going.
"Even now, I don't know this for certain… but I think you value your members more than you let on. I think that the fact that you're able to listen to each other on equal terms says much more about how you handle leadership than Overhaul, who never wanted to truly hear the complaints of his followers, were they brave enough to do so. You may be able to manipulate people like Spinner on a surface level through make-believe ideals while you pursue your own selfish goals, but you don't truly have complete control over any of them. The most important thing is that those who were rejected by society have chosen to follow you. They can deny you anytime they want without fear of punishment, but in the end they mostly follow your orders because they want to see the League, not just you, succeed."
Shigaraki thought about this for a moment in silent contemplation, and Tokoyami began to wonder if he had said something wrong. Maybe under his calm façade, the villain was rife with anger at the suggestions he was making. That maybe his theory was actively looking down on what Shigaraki was trying to accomplish.
But no. He remained emotionally neutral. "So that's how it is, hm? As much as I don't want to validate your insight, I'll admit that you've been paying attention. I feel I should say that it still annoys me how that yakuza bastard tried to get the better of me, for all the good it did him. I don't plan on letting anything like that happen again, though. As for the state of the League… they've stayed with me this far, so I can't complain. But is that really a surprise?"
Shigaraki peeled himself from where he'd been standing against the wall throughout the conversation and took a few imposing steps towards the bed. Tokoyami tensed but refused to budge, letting the degenerate approach. When he was just a few feet away, he stopped, looking down at him without giving away any intent. Part of Tokoyami wanted to fear the unpredictable nature of the lanky figure, but he was growing tired of that. Instead, he held onto the knowledge that if something happened here that jeopardized his position, the rest of the League would be at odds. Shigaraki wouldn't risk doing anything to him at the expense of harming the meager reputation he held within his own group.
"W… what is it?" Tokoyami asked, wondering if he need fear the worse.
"That just leaves you. Where do you think you fit in with all this?"
Tokoyami was taken aback. It must've shown on his face, too, because Shigaraki let a smile slip for a brief second, seeing his confusion. But then Tokoyami could only feel irritated. "Where do you think?" he spat. "I'm a prisoner in all this, so it doesn't matter!"
"No. That's not entirely true. I think you're lying to me," Shigaraki said easily, as though this were the obvious answer.
"Do you think I want to be here?! You're delusional. You can't manipulate me like that." Tokoyami could feel his anger rising.
Shigaraki began to scratch at his neck in that ugly way of his, but it didn't look like the habit was brought on by stress or anger. He was thinking. "Toga and Twice saw you within the grasp of the heroes. You fought alongside them, that much is certain. For how long, I don't know. Overhaul almost ruined everything because of the poor way he handled you. You were so close. The heroes were so close. To taking you back and reclaiming you. But that didn't happen. Because your hatred towards Overhaul was stronger, you didn't want the other heroes to stop him. If you'd waited, they probably could've handled it. Instead you acted out, unleashed the hell that is your very own destructive quirk, and distanced yourself from the pros all to further your personal goals. And because of that, you ended up right back with us. Don't you think you could've just escaped us? Left the villains to their own devices and have the heroes do their job while you quietly turned yourself in during the height of the raid on Overhaul's base? But you didn't. And now you're here with us again. After that, do you really have a right to complain?"
Tokoyami's jaw hung open, horrified. The last thing he'd expected was for Shigaraki to come at him like this. And the worst part was that he didn't know if he had a good rebuttal against it. "I just… wanted to help the heroes," he muttered, beak tipping down towards his lap in resignation.
"And look where that got you," Shigaraki sighed. He didn't sound triumphant about any of this. It was all so matter-of-fact, as though Tokoyami had only himself to blame for the fact that he was back with the League of Villains yet again. "Next time you find yourself within the grasp of the heroes, ask if that's really what you want. And just know that if you run from me, I won't give up easily. I've already had to sacrifice too much to get here."
"Is that right?" Tokoyami challenged, turning his dismay into anger and steeling himself to defy the person so intent on orchestrating these blights against humanity. "And what, dare I ask, has that left you with? Where do you go from here, if not towards blind failure?"
"Usually I wouldn't feel compelled to tell a little bird like you, but since you've answered my questions I figure you deserve something from this. As of now? I have very little. A van-full of irritated, optionless outsiders that followed me on a whim and stuck with me for reasons I'm still trying to figure out. Where do I go from here? Well, I still have to get rid of some scum and clear my path of anyone who might oppose me. The League of Villains will find conquest and stability. And maybe someday, if we move in the right direction, a legion of dedicated followers that surpasses anything Overhaul could ever think to control."
"That… you're bluffing. You could never have that much. You're not competent enough."
Shigaraki blinked slowly, unbothered by the accusation. "Just watch me. I'll get what I want. I just have to work for it. That's how I was able to get these results, too."
Tokoyami was ready to talk down on him, to say to his face that there was no hope for a villain like him. Even though Shigaraki was keeping himself composed, Tokoyami could feel disgust bubbling within him. He didn't think that the person standing before him could possess such outlandish ideas, yet here he was. It was infuriating, and he didn't want to be responsible for just sitting and taking it.
Tokoyami pushed himself off the bed and stood directly before the arrogant villain, standing as tall as he could but still coming up short. He hadn't been planning on getting this close, but somehow he felt this was what he had to do if he were to be taken seriously. Shigaraki appraised his challenge with interest, his eyes widening just slightly with managed surprise. "Do you honestly believe—"
Tokoyami never got to finish. Instead, the door to the room opened unexpectedly, jarring them both from the heatedness of the conversation of ideals and villainy. Dabi stepped through, one hand absentmindedly being run through his hair. "Hey Toko—" And then he caught sight of the two of them, standing just a few feet apart. He saw the way that Tokoyami simmered with rage while Shigaraki stood by coolly, almost smugly. Dabi's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Did something happen? What did you do?"
Shigaraki held up his hands innocently, but Tokoyami still took it as a threatening gesture and took a step away from him. "I didn't do anything. We were just having a talk, that's all. It wasn't anything important."
Dabi left the door open in case any other League members were about to come by and walked into the center of the room. "Oh yeah? Then why'd you wait until nobody else was around to have this unimportant talk?"
"Don't misinterpret me – I just figured this might be the last time I'd be able to hold a conversation before the League splits ways to find a new hideout. You're prepared for that, right?"
Dabi's shoulders slumped and he rolled his eyes in annoyance. "Yeah, whatever. I had Twice drive me back to my place so that we could get it ready. Thanks for the warning on this whole thing, by the way," he sneered, clearly not still happy with the decisions made here.
"This is just what needed to happen. Complain all you want, but as of now nothing is going to change. You two should both understand that," said Shigaraki.
Dabi sat on the bed now that it was unoccupied, something that almost everyone in the League had done at some point. "Yeah, maybe. Nothing's going to change if we don't take action. So you better not be wasting time while I'm out getting shit done and watching over that kid over there. I don't like that you're keeping me busy, got it? So it better be worth it in the end."
"And it will be, but that's something we all have to work for," Shigaraki assured.
I can't tell if this is supposed to be cooperation that was built on trust… or a desire to selfishly attain personal goals by using others, Tokoyami thought to himself, watching the back and forth between the two.
Shigaraki glanced at the door, which was still hanging open. "That being said, why is nobody else here? Where are the others?"
Dabi stretched lazily on the bed. "Hm? Oh yeah, that's right. Compress was complaining about not having a bed so he decided to stay this last night at a hotel. Toga and Twice went with him, and the lizard is around here somewhere. I don't know, I'm definitely not in charge of them so I'm not really keeping track."
Shigaraki's hand reached towards his pocket. "They booked a room? How did they pay for it?"
"You gave them a card for League expenses, remember? They thought it was important and wanted to go swimming or something. Does it really matter?" Dabi drawled, a flicker of amusement in his cold eyes.
An irritated growl escaped Shigaraki. It was monetary expenses that always seemed to aggravate him the most, especially now that Kurogiri wasn't around to do that part for him or even offer guidance. "Fine, they can have that much—"
"Not that they really cared what you thought."
"—but that's only going to make it harder for us to find a location if they insist on burning through our budget," Shigaraki lamented, finishing his thought.
"That sounds like tomorrow's problem," Dabi said, brushing off his complaints. "Let them have their fun. But it's on you if something doesn't work out. Good luck finding a home, hand man. At least tomorrow I get to sleep in my own bed."
Shigaraki glowered at him. "I'll take what I can get and the others will be happy for it," he growled unconvincingly. But now that Dabi was here and giving him snide remarks, the villain leader wasn't about to argue. He'd already gotten what he wanted from Tokoyami, after all. "I want us all to be ready early tomorrow so that we can leave before it gets too active. Make sure Compress and the others are reminded of that."
"No promises," Dabi assured, watching as a disgruntled Shigaraki left the room. When he was gone, Dabi turned to Tokoyami, who was still standing tensely off to the side. "I don't know what you two were talking about, but that's not my concern."
Tokoyami slid down the wall to sit on the ground. "It… wasn't anything important. Though I'd be lying if I said that it didn't have me worried about the odd future in store for us."
Dabi looked down at him with a lazy expression. "That's fine, so long as it gets the League somewhere. I'm not about to underestimate him – if he has something planned, I want to see it. But in the meantime, I'm busy with my own shit. You don't have to do anything yet, so be grateful for that."
Tokoyami rested his head on his knees with a heavy sigh, watching as Dabi got off his bed and made his way out much like Shigaraki had. "The lizard has night-watch on you tonight. I'm gonna get some peace while I still can. Enjoy your last night here, because I can promise that my place isn't gonna be much of an upgrade."