Heroes in the Dark

by Iffondrel

Taking place during the School Trip Arc, we center on Tokoyami in the aftermath of Dark Shadow's rampage. Villains wanting to capture Bakugou set their sights on Tokoyami, and the connection these two have had since fighting in the Sport's Festival will decide what'll happen to them after being brought over by Tomura's League of Villains, with devastating consequences for Tokoyami.

69. Chapter 69

Heroes in the Dark chapter 63

Another two weeks passed in what might've been called uneventful if not for the daily toils it consecutively brought. Every day continued increasingly difficult tasks, but none of them ever got to the point that the first day had. Quirks were rarely ever invlved after that evening, for which Tokoyami was greatly relieved. A few of his feathers had been scorched that day – right as the ones that had been burned from their old training sessions had grown back in, no less. He accepted that his feathers would never be left alone, considering how flammable they ended up being before Dabi's cruel fires.

Besides that first day, it was plain to see that Tokoyami's training required that they take two steps back from what it used to be. It felt so much like a loss of progress without Dark Shadow at his side. Even through all this, the dark presence slumbering internally still refused to cooperate, remaining an inactive part of the process. Instead, Tokoyami got used to the physical taxation that was being demanded of him. Lying around the living room was no longer as much of an option. Even when Dabi wasn't around, he expected him to be proactive. Otherwise he was warned that failing to build his strength could prove consequential. He was never told why, nor what he was supposed to be expecting, but the threat of that statement hung in the air, a constant cloud that followed Tokoyami throughout each day spent in isolation.

There were days when Tokoyami did all he could within the limits of his space, passively lifting weights or performing cardio exercises that wore him down until he resigned himself to rest, only for Dabi to come in through the front door and tell him that they were going to the parking garage to train. And maybe Tokoyami would bemoan the arduous schedule more if not for the familiarity he got from living through it day after day. Training like this and pushing his limits… was something he did as a student. Dabi was a far cry from the teachers that had been there to promote his education and transition into heroism as a career. But he had to admit that it wasn't the worse.

There had been a training session where Tokoyami had been trying to hone his physical prowess without the aid of any weapons or anything on his side – back to the bare basics, as it were. They were back in their cement training ground, this time with more sunshine to light up the area. Tokoyami had caught Dabi of guard while he'd been in the middle of talking. It had been something of a dirty move, but Tokoyami hadn't cared at the time – that smug face of his had been in desperate need of being punched.

He just hadn't expected him to start bleeding. That hit had been fueled by speed, not so much power. But when a bloodied staple fell to the ground and Dabi held a hand to his jaw, Tokoyami had begun to panic. Where were the lines that he couldn't cross when it came to dealing with villains? Or rather… when it came to the person overseeing him. He really didn't know what to call the lanky, burned man anymore.

Not that Dabi seemed all that offended by the attack that left blood trickling down his face. He'd yelled a curse, and Tokoyami had immediately dropped his fighting stance to appraise his handiwork in shock, stuttering something that might've been an apology. Only for Dabi to take advantage of the opening and sweep his legs out from under him and declare the end of today's session. They'd dragged their aching bodies back to the hotel room in silence. The next day Dabi said that it had been a good hit. Tokoyami wasn't sure if he was willing to deal more of those to Dabi given the result, but it left him with a weird sense of comfort. It had also been a reminder that even while Tokoyami continued to build himself up and grow stronger, there were parts about Dabi that were… admittedly kind of weak? Physically, at least. Not that he'd ever tell him that.

Nor could he really spare anything akin to concern for him, given that Tokoyami was rightfully far more invested in ensuring his own well-being, whatever that meant. It was difficult, but over time his scars didn't ache so much from the strain. The aging wounds continued to heal, albeit roughly, and although the bouts of training didn't make the process any easier, there was still a certain degree of caution being taken to ensure that they didn't get worse. Tokoyami could only figure that it would stay that way for a while, at least until he was at the point where he didn't have to bandage them every day.

Dabi had only really commented on it once, while Tokoyami was changing the soiled bandages out after getting back from their training session. "I mean, if it ever gets too bad again, I got plenty of staples to patch it up."

To which Tokoyami had gifted him with a scorching glare. If that was supposed to be a joke, he hadn't found it very funny. If anything, there were far more serious implications regarding how well he could recover and how fast. The whole time where he hoped he was getting stronger, the idea of a ticking clock tracking his progress and counting down to something unforeseen hung over his head. It followed his daily activities like an unwelcome dark presence, one that he wished desperately could be replaced by his quirk.

You could be here right now, helping me.

Every day of training, every practice swing of his sword, was bringing him closer.

We could be in this together right now. But we're not. And that scares me.

Dark Shadow remained dormant. After that first day when Dabi took him into the parking garage to goad him into using his quirk, Tokoyami had been left to wonder – what will it take? And how much longer did it have to last?

A part of him thought that Dark Shadow would probably be having fun with the dingy sword that had been added to his arsenal when he finally came around. In the past they'd talked excitedly about being equipped with cool weapons to help fight evil… then they'd learned that that was generally frowned against. Being a hero meant showing restraint and subjugating targets peacefully, and having something like a sword be part of their image portrayed something far more dangerous. Only villains or people looking to cause serious damage used sharp-edged weapons. And Dark Shadow was dangerous enough on his own with those sharp claws. So Tokoyami had really only ever had decorative swords that were stowed away in his room.

In any case, given the current situation, Tokoyami was finally given the chance to practice with an actual sword now. Which worked well enough in his favor. It wasn't something that he could normally incorporate into typical training sessions, but whenever Dabi was in the main room he would usually pull it out of his bedroom to let Tokoyami practice with it. He was never left alone with it, but some days there were varying levels of supervision. By now he was growing comfortable with swinging it around. Maybe not in the strategic, cool way that anime characters did, but it still felt like he was pretty cool to be wielding it. And… he supposed the most important part of it was that he might be able to defend himself with it in a bad situation – something he was becoming increasingly confident in doing.

The sword was more efficient than he thought it was at first glance, too. There was a day where Dabi had handed it to him while he went to the kitchen, so supervision was tentative at best. That had been when Tokoyami had gotten a bit too comfortable swinging it around. And now there was a sizable slash marring the wall of the living room, much to Dabi's chagrin. There was no way they were getting that patched, so Tokoyami just had to look at it every day and remember that he was the one who did it. Not that it was intentional or anything, but it was a friendly reminder that this was, in fact, an actual sword made to deal damage and not just a play thing. So if he was ever going to use it outside the room for anything, he'd have to be careful. He didn't want to hurt anyone.

Though that did make him wonder why Dabi had told him to bring the sword – that he had almost no idea how to use – with him during that first session. He could've really hurt him back then. And yet Tokoyami couldn't stop thinking about what he'd said to Dabi at the height of the conflict: You wouldn't dare. He wasn't sure why he had said that or where it had come from. Obviously a person like Dabi was fully capable of hurting the people around him, but for some reason that didn't apply in the same way to Tokoyami. Even though he knew what those flames felt like, how much his body ached having to put up with that bastard during training, and how frustrating he was to deal with, he never got the impression that he'd be truly hurt by him. The same could be said in reverse, though. Dabi had complained at first that he was probably going to end up getting stabbed by that sword, but during that first day – the only time he'd actually gotten to use it against a person – Tokoyami had kept the sharp edge away from him at every chance. It felt like some unspoken agreement that neither one of them were looking to actually maim each other.

Not that Tokoyami thought he ever could… but if he ever did try to hurt Dabi with malicious or lethal intent, he probably wouldn't be able to run fast enough to escape his flames. And likewise, Tokoyami figured that Dabi would never hear the end of it if something were to befall him. And just maybe the villain would be remorseful, he liked to think. So maybe that's why Tokoyami had just assumed that so long as he was here and not wrapped up in the chaos of the League, that he could tentatively claim to be safe.

Time passed all the same, regardless of Tokoyami's feelings, and at this point he had accepted that. So when the days gradually became colder, he came to expect it. Just like when the training became harsher, he didn't shy away from it. But there was never a warning for just how cold it could become, and despite the new blankets that found their way to the couch to keep him warm, there were some days that were too cold to truly prepare for.

A stiff breeze came in through the broken window that had remained haphazardly boarded up the entire time he had been here. It had been dark for a while now, so Tokoyami had already taken refuge in his nest of blankets. Despite his attunement with nighttime affairs – and admittedly a complete lack of schedule – he'd turned in early for the night and laid himself to rest in an attempt to ease his sore muscles. Dabi hadn't been around today, which wasn't necessarily uncommon despite their renewed training, so Tokoyami had done what exercises he could on his own.

When Dabi inevitably did come in through the front door, Tokoyami quickly realized that tonight would be different.

He stood there in his hooded coat, silhouetted by the faint glow of a small flame in his hand to guide his way. But he didn't close the door, remaining in the open frame expectantly.

"Hey," he called out, breaking the silence of the dark room. Tokoyami lifted his drowsy head, shaking the wisps of sleep from his mind to make sense of what was being asked of him. "Get up. We're heading out. Don't keep me waiting."

Tokoyami pushed himself slowly into a sitting position, casting aside the mound of blankets that he'd piled around himself. His feathers stuck up oddly from bedhead and he had to blink the sleep out of his eyes. When words clicked in his head, he couldn't help grimacing. "What? The hell, Dabi, I was already asleep. If you wanted me to train, you should've gotten here earlier."

His voice sharpened in a way that Tokoyami wasn't used to. "I'm not asking you. Grab your sword and a coat and let's get out of here. This isn't something we have time to discuss." Because of the dark flickering shadows, Tokoyami couldn't tell what his expression was. When he got off the couch, the cold hit him, and the chill that crept down his spine settled uncomfortably inside him.

With movements encumbered by sleep, he tied on a pair of rough combat boots and looped the sword carefully into his belt. When he reached for his usual cloak, slung across the back of the couch, Dabi stopped him. "Not that – it stands out too much. Get your hoodie and make damn sure you keep that hood up. I don't even want to see your beak peeking out."

That gave Tokoyami pause. "That isn't… Where are we going? This isn't just another session at the parking garage, is it?"

Dabi stayed quiet, waiting for him.

Tokoyami pulled his old hoodie over him – the same one he'd worn in the forest that night. It was frayed at every edge and had some rips in it, but it was one of the few things he still had that belonged to him before everything else had happened. Because of its condition, he didn't wear it very often, usually opting for one of the dark coats that Toga had picked out for him. But he got this uncontainable feeling that he didn't want to ruin any of his newer coats, and this one brought him a weird sense of comfort.

When he pulled the hood over his head, red eyes peering out from under it, he caught a whiff of dirt and blood from the fabric, even though it had been washed a couple times since then. Memories permeated the threads, and Tokoyami knew that memories didn't so quickly wash away.

Instincts told him to strap his medical pouch to his side as well, which he did so under Dabi's scrutiny.

Tokoyami approached the door, resigned to whatever awaited him, and Dabi watched his every step with a judgmental gaze. "Do I at least get to know when we'll be back?"

Dabi pondered that for a brief moment. "I guess it would be… a couple hours at best. Now come on, and don't slow me down."

Tokoyami trailed after Dabi, who drifted through the halls of the abandoned building with more urgency than normal, as if they had a meeting to make. When that thought occurred to him, Tokoyami felt resistance in his movements. Wait… we're not meeting someone, are we?

The parking lot was empty, indicating that there was nobody waiting around to pick them up, like what would happen in the instance of visiting the League. From what Tokoyami understood of what was happening with the others, they were busy dealing with the Gigantomachia business that Dabi wanted no part of. They were also even more homeless than before without their little cabin, so there was very little chance of Tokoyami and Dabi going back to check in with them at this point in time.

So it wasn't anything like that. But at the same time… it became readily apparent that they weren't heading to the parking garage, either. Dabi headed out in the opposite direction, creeping down a road lined with very few working city lights that stuttered in the dark, eliciting an eerie atmosphere. Tokoyami knew that stray people wandered these parts, so he kept his voice low when talking.

"Don't you think you should tell me now? Where we're going? Because it's new to me, and I don't appreciate you dragging me off into the night like this," Tokoyami growled, his heart thumping dully in his chest as his eyes wandered the streets looking for ugly surprises. But besides for the sleeping bodies of homeless people and the sounds of vehicles nearby, he wasn't sure of anything else awaiting him.

Dabi looked back at him, as if considering if it was worth telling him. When he did finally speak to shed some light on the situation, his words casted shadows that left him feeling colder. "We're taking the subway, alright? It's the only way we could travel this time."

Tokoyami perked up at that, nervous but intrigued. "Wha—we can do that?! People will see us, won't they…?"

"Not here they won't."

"But surveillance cameras—"

"Nobody will check them."

Tokoyami stared at him in amazement. "How can you be so casual about this? You're a wanted criminal and I'm a wanted…" he stumbled to a halt, not entirely sure what he was considered. This elicited a smirk from Dabi.

"No point getting so worked up over it. It'll be a whole lot easier if you just keep your beak shut and follow my lead. If you try to make any kinda move while we're in public… well, I feel I'm getting redundant at this point. You already know."

Tokoyami hung his head grimly, hunching his shoulders against the cold that seeped in through his coat. He kept a hand on his sword, for all the comfort it provided, and decisively kept up with Dabi's long strides as best he could.

So this was a different kind of journey, one far more uncertain than previous ones. Dabi kept his cryptic bullshit to himself most days, so Tokoyami really had no way of knowing what was in store. Was it normal for him to just… take a subway to get to places? How did he manage that in such public spaces?! And… why was it now that Tokoyami was joining him? What was so important that he needed to leave the hotel room so late at night and hop onto the next train to some unknown location? If you're trying to scare me, then I can't very well let you. Whatever you plan on doing tonight, I'll be right behind you, so don't think you can pull anything on me.

Several blocks of walking through suburban wasteland of filth and drudgery brought them to the nearest subway station. The way Dabi had it set up, they were taking the last subway of the night. By now, even despite the usual bustle associated with subways, it was unnervingly quiet. Very few people were actually around the station, as if people in this area didn't have many places to go.

But it was the signs listing locations that left Tokoyami feeling the most betrayed. He could hardly believe that this is where he'd been living for the past two months, holed up in that dingy room in such a poor-looking part of a sprawling city. And maybe he would've been able to recognize it when he had sat on that rooftop weeks ago, but still it didn't feel real to him.

Tokoyami grabbed onto Dabi's sleeve right as he finished scanning their passes and pulled him close. "We've been in Osaka this whole time?!" Tokoyami hissed quietly in disbelief.

Dabi blinked slowly at him, unamused, and grabbed his sleeve back from Tokoyami. "Oh yeah, I guess there is that. What, did you not get any hints? Though in fairness, I guess most of the country would rather not talk about this part of town, if you know what I mean."

Tokoyami shoved his hands into his coat pocket, dipping his head low in embarrassment. It looked like a few people were boarding for the last stop of the night, but none of them regarded their exchange in any capacity. Which was fine – he already expected that anyone around here would actively avoid any sort of confrontation. This was his first time in a truly public space being used by other members of society, but he was definitely still alone.

"I… I don't know this area at all," Tokoyami mumbled.

Dabi headed towards the subway doors, and Tokoyami dogged his heels. "I wouldn't expect you to, either. People don't really like talking about Kamagasaki thanks to its bad reputation. That's what always happens, though – it just gets swept under the rug. No help, no maintenance, just quiet whispering and a general disregard. That's part of what's so wrong with this world."

Tokoyami had no response to that, feeling only numbness as he boarded the subway. They stood off to the side, as far away from any other passenger as possible, and went unbothered. Tokoyami kept his head down, hood up the whole time. That didn't stop him from glancing out the windows to stare in awe at the passing lights that lit up the city. There was something so unnatural and yet familiar about this entire escapade, and it made his gut clench anxiously. It wasn't a very long ride, just a few minutes, but as the clock on the subway neared midnight it became readily apparent that this was definitely the last ride of the day. They wouldn't run again until the early morning. You should've told me if we were staying somewhere overnight, you know.

Right as Tokoyami was getting used to the passing lights and blurring buildings, they reached their stop, indicated only when Dabi tugged sharply on his sleeve and wordlessly took his leave. The stop they walked out into was devoid of people. Is this supposed to be another rough area? Tokoyami wondered, taking a shaky breath as he walked out into the cold night air again. This district was only slightly more upscale than the last place they were in, but at least that part was readily evident just by looking out.

Walking out into streets lined with working lights felt strange somehow. It didn't look like this place had a very big nightlife, being on the fringes of the city near a more urbanized area, so it almost felt like there were even less people out here. All the better to ensure there were no witnesses, he imagined. But nothing they did gave even the slightest indication of where the hell they were going, and Dabi remained quiet even now as he led him through these new streets.

By this point, Tokoyami was already fully on edge. Every little noise from alleyways and street corners made him jump, and he loathed feeling so vulnerable while having to cling so close to Dabi. He wasn't getting anymore answers, either, much to his disappointment. "Dabi…"

"Not now. We're almost there."

Tokoyami stifled a yawn, fighting to keep his wits about him. Were they supposed to be walking into an ambush? Meeting up for some kind of sketchy business deal. I swear, Dabi, if you're trying to get rid of me now after everything then you're definitely doing it wrong. Or maybe this is some sort of elaborate ruse. Tokoyami dwelled on those thoughts further, his feathers prickling. Is this… something to do with my quirk?

He knew that Dabi wasn't about to give in under his steadily building inquiries, but he was growing so tired of keeping them to himself. "Dabi, can you please – "

"We're here."

Tokoyami stopped dead in his tracks. He'd been keeping his head low, reading passing signs out from under his hood, but now he looked up to see where they were. By now they'd been spending a good portion of the night walking, and considering that it was supposed to be the end of the day for him a long time ago, his feet were aching. His whole body was, in its demand for sleep. So when he looked up at the building they'd finally stopped in front of, he couldn't help the annoyance sizzling under his skin. "Are you… is this some kind of stupid joke?"

Tokoyami looked up at the small, two story building. It looked entirely plain, with no lights on inside or defining features. The only thing to note was the sign, dimly lit by a nearby street light: Hidamari Kindergarten.

Still no answers. "Let's go."

Tokoyami grumbled under his breath, a scowl settling on his face. Looking to either direction of them, there was nothing. And looking back at the building… it still felt like there was nothing. With no choice but to follow after him, he begrudgingly joined Dabi at the door, where he pulled out a keycard to access the inside. Tokoyami took the brief moment to look at his face again, or even catch his eye, but Dabi gave away nothing. He couldn't even tell if the villain had any emotion to show or if he was just that good at hiding it. Either way, Tokoyami felt his initial feeling of agitation drop when the door clicked open.

Dabi opened the door wide enough for him to slip in through, gesturing with a tilt of his head to go inside. Tokoyami stepped inside.

This place… looked like a kindergarten in the same way that Eri's room in Overhaul's hideout had looked like a normal children's bedroom. It had all the defining traits of a perfectly mundane space, but even that couldn't erase the feeling of unease that rippled through him. There was something so undoubtedly off about this place that he couldn't possibly pin at a glance. Whatever it was wasn't just a visual aspect, either. It was something so much more – the same thing that had honed his uncanny sense for danger after everything he's had to endure. The pretty clouds and cartoonish city painted on the walls in what might've been bright colors were tarnished by the grim orange light leaking in from the streets. It was the sort of atmosphere that made his scars ache. There was just too much that had to be hiding here. More than that, this building looked unused and just a bit too clean for the kind of place that it claimed to be. Despite its name, there was no way that kids actually played here.

The only sound present was that off Dabi's boots crossing over the cold laminated ground.

Tokoyami wasn't going to hold back anymore. He couldn't. Something had to be said here, or else there might not be any hope for him.

He took his hood down and stopped in the middle of the room. "I'm not going any further."

Dabi had reached the far side of the room where an elevator faced them and pushed the button, standing with his foot set on the doorway to keep it open. "…What do you mean? Hurry up already."

"Are you even listening?" Tokoyami demanded, raising his voice. "You can't just drag me all the way out here with no explanation. You never tell me anything! And yet you always do this!" He balled his fists. "The first time you did this was when you used me to sneak me in on that first meeting between Shigaraki and Overhaul." He saw the way that Dabi's eyes darted to the side – guilt? – and felt anger course through him. "Or hell, why don't we go back farther than that? How about the night you dragged me into that portal for the first time? The League doesn't need me, I was just a casualty of all your bullshit! So why? Why keep doing this to me even now?!"

Tokoyami's words hung in the air like a fog that stifled the atmosphere, and it felt like after all of that… Dabi wasn't looking at him.

"You've been thinking about this a lot, huh?" Dabi mused. "That's what I get for leaving you alone so much. But that's what I want to change. You're right to be angry – angry at me, at everything. But there's a lot you don't know."

"Then tell me!"

He shook his head, almost sadly, and Tokoyami felt his heart sink. Even after all this, he was still getting nothing. "Not yet, but someday. So that's why I gotta ask – do you trust me?"

Tokoyami was taken aback, his question bringing him surprise. And then frustration washed over him all over again. "Wh—? No! Why the hell should I trust you, you're by all accounts the shadiest person I have the displeasure of knowing! I don't even know anything about what you want from this world, let alone who you are."

Dabi regarded him with immeasurable coldness, something he was good at doing despite his scorching quirk. "Tokoyami. That's not what I asked. We all have our secrets. You told me next to nothing about your experiences with the yakuza, never mind about your life before all this. I'm not entitled to that information, and at this point I could hardly care less. You already know I'm not looking to hurt you. I have enough regrets in my life as it stands – I don't want to see you become another one of them. I just need you to believe right now that my intentions aren't evil. So be honest, just this once: do you trust me?"

Tokoyami hung his head in resignation. He hated it, really he did. Every step of this journey spent alongside the villains had been agonizing for many reasons. This was one of them.

He didn't say anything, not this time. He just followed Dabi into the elevator, and that was his answer.

No words passed between them as Dabi pressed a button and they descended to a place far beyond prying eyes, where neither hero nor civilian could ever hope to see what was happening. And in a way, this did remind him bitterly of being back in Overhaul's prison. Only he didn't know why. He hadn't been told anything, so even after all this time he had no clue what the hell he was supposed to expect. It would be more infuriating if he weren't so damned scared, and he hated that. Hated that he felt so stripped of power even though the only person held accountable for him was Dabi. That's it. That was the only thing keeping him here. And yet he'd followed him every step of the way into unknown territory.

School had taught him to follow orders and follow the lectures put forth by teachers. Society told him to stay in line before the people who held higher positions. Nobody ever told him what it meant to go against that grain when the tables turned and he found himself in the hands of villains. As the elevator continued its descent, he couldn't help but wonder if there was more he could've done to keep himself from coming here. A person like Bakugou… would probably never had allowed for this, he thought to himself glumly, drifting off into thought. Maybe this whole time I could've done more to stand up for myself. Now that I'm alone in all this, it's clearer than ever before. I act on my emotions… but do I ever really think things through before it's too late?

The elevator dinged and the door opened. They walked out into a hallway lit by luminescent lights, and Tokoyami felt his panic begin to build again. Doors lined the hall, but they passed by all of them until they reached the end of the hallway. Dabi unlocked it with his keycard – who the hell is even giving you these things? – and it opened easily.

Dabi walked inside and, just like at every other point, Tokoyami followed behind miserably.

He tried peering into the shadows of the room. It was a pretty large space underneath the kindergarten, with standard square floor tiles and a few dismal lights hanging high overhead, leaving the corners of the room wrapped in shadows. It was… actually pretty unincredible, and he wondered if this was just supposed to be a new training area to test him out, something better equipped than the abandoned lot they'd been using. It made sense. So he was only left to ask why Dabi had gone so far out of his way to withhold this from him. It would've made the whole trip so much less stressful if he'd been honest from the start.

Tokoyami breathed a weary sigh, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword. With a complaint ready on his tongue, he turned to call out Dabi on his dumb scare tactics. Only to watch Dabi exit the room, closing the door behind him while Tokoyami remained inside.

That took an uncomfortable second to process. "…Dabi? No, wait!" And he rushed to the door, trying immediately for the handle. Locked. "W-wait, what are you doing? We can keep talking, but what do you accomplish by just leaving me here?" He slammed his fist into the metal door. "I know you can hear me, you asshole! This better not be you getting rid of me so that you can have that shitty hotel room to yourself! Hey!"

Dabi never did respond. Once again, he remained quiet where it mattered most.

Instead, from the darkest corner of the room, a different voice emerged. It felt raw and strained, coming from somewhere deep inside of something unhuman.

"A-are… are you… y-you strong?"

Tokoyami whipped around, pressing his back against the door. "What?" he whispered hoarsely.

A dark figure emerged from the shadows, uncoiling from where it had been at rest until disturbed. As the lights fell across the monstrosity, Tokoyami held his hands to his beak to keep from crying out at the sight.

The creature had jet-black skin stretched taunt over bulging muscles that spilled out in places, red and sinuous. The bones of its spine jutted out oddly, and it crouched on the ground with long, impossibly long limbs that it used to crawl towards him like something straight out of a nightmare. But Tokoyami had been exposed to more than anyone his age could ever be expected to, so he knew already that nightmares existed in the real world, regardless of how much he wished it wasn't true. He could be naïve no more than he could deny the thing creeping towards him. The closer it came, the more it became increasingly clear just how big it was, and how outmatched he was. All the while, it stared him down with ragged yellow eyes set against a black façade.

With trembling hands, he unsheathed his sword – the only thing to even remotely defend with. Panic turned to fully incomprehensible fear, left alone to fight a fight so horribly unbalanced. As it closed in on him, two thoughts rose above all others: This has to be a nomu, but it's different… this has to be one of the high-ends created by the doctor. But at the same time, I can't help but wonder… is this what people see when I use Dark Shadow? A dark monster with glowing yellow eyes?

"Y-you didn't… answer me," it growled harshly, digging its claws into the tile floor. It cracked easily under the pressure. "So then-then… that makes… you weak?"

Tokoyami tensed, and without thinking yelled "I'm not!"

Those yellow eyes widened, and piercing red pupils fell into place to focus on him. From the indistinct face of darkness, a wide row of jagged, angular teeth stretched from one side to the other in a corrupted smile. "Good."

It cleared the space between them in a single bound, its arm stretching towards him.

Tokoyami was barely given time to react, flinging himself out of the way just in time for a monstrous hand to strike the place he was just at. It pulled itself forward, breaking apart sections of the floor. Tokoyami barely kept his balance, jamming his sword into the ground to keep himself steady from the sudden movement. Suddenly he didn't feel quite so tired, adrenaline rushing through him in the heat of this unprecedented battle. "W-wait, no!" Is this something I can reason with?!

Its neck turned at a weird angle, eyes narrowing into slits that stared right into him. But that smile remained, targeting him like a cat eager to catch its prey now that the door of the birdcage had been left open. It stood to its full height, and Tokoyami could feel its shadow even from a distance.

This time it shot forward with its whole body, coming down on him with arms spread wide to keep him from dodging to the side. In gut instinct, Tokoyami lashed out with his sword, piercing the air above him while he hit the floor to avoid the monster. He felt the sword hit its dark flesh and tear through tendons as it soared directly above him. Drops of red rained down on him, sticky and nauseating. Tokoyami gasped, realizing with a jolt that he was cutting through a living… thing. With a sharp tug, he brought his sword back to his side and rushed between the legs of the nomu, sliding out from under it before it could hit its mark.

Tokoyami stumbled into a run, sword held at his side. His chest was heaving, every breath a toil. "I can't believe I did that!" and he looked down at his sword. The rough edge was splattered with blood, and he felt his stomach churn in seething guilt. Tokoyami turned quickly on his heel, wondering if he should apologize, only to realize that the nomu was already upon him again. It was much closer than it had any right to be, not even flinching after that attack. And Tokoyami could see why: just like back at USJ, the nomu quickly regenerated itself, erasing all evidence of damage. Muscles coiled over the gash in its abdomen, knitting the flesh back together with ease.

I'm gonna be sick. I—what am I supposed to do here?!

"You… attacked!" it said gleefully, opening its mouth. Tokoyami looked up into its face with unrestrained horror. From this close up, he could see the fleshy pink brain of the abomination taking up half its head. It was on full display for whatever poor bastard facing it to see, a telltale trait of a nomu. Nomus… were something that even All Might couldn't easily defeat back then. And something like this was supposedly even more dangerous than those ones? How was any hero supposed to stand a chance?!

"I'm defending myself! Stay back!" Tokoyami yelled, holding out his sword for all he was worth.

It sat back on its haunches, appraising him. "Is there… more?"

"I'll slice you, I swear!" he said, doing all he could to keep the quiver out of his voice.

"Ahhh… n-no quirk then? S-such a… a disappointment."

It reared its hand back in a wide sweeping circle aimed low at the ground, and Tokoyami tracked his movements just enough to avoid it by jumping into the air as high as he could. This thing was fast, but at one point he'd been getting used to keeping track of things that were too fast. When the arm swept the ground beneath his feet, he slashed his sword again. It felt awful to be cutting through the muscle and feel every tear, but if the nomu felt any pain it didn't give an indication.

The beast didn't give a moment of hesitation, either. The second Tokoyami was back on the ground, the opposite arm was already delivering a second blow, this one aimed higher. Tokoyami could only put up his sword before he felt the force ram into him. His sword sank into the arm, but it wasn't enough to keep him from being shoved back. Tokoyami skid across the floor, coming to a stop with a strangled gasp. The impact sent a ripple through his core, and the scar on his abdomen throb. By the time he got a sense of where he was, he was met with that gloating face again. It was relentless and for every movement he saw coming he was being hit with another that was aiming to snuff out his miserable existence. There was no way he could keep up with this forever.

"A-are you going… g-going to fight… back?" it asked. It looked desperate to engage, but it was holding itself back, that much was clear. If it killed its new toy too quickly, it'd have nothing left to do. And then where would the fun be in that? Tokoyami thought bitterly to himself… that this monstrosity had already labeled him as something far less than an actual opponent.

"I'm trying!" Tokoyami screeched, his voice filled with rage and desperation. His body burned, but for once it wasn't because of fire, and he struck the sword directly towards that leering face, aiming for that disgusting exposed brain.

This time around, the nomu knew better than to let him get a successful hit in. With a precise slap of its hand, claws raked over Tokoyami's right arm. The sword flew from his hand, clattering off to the side, and Tokoyami let out a pained gasp. He stumbled back, the edges of his mind growing fuzzy, and he brought his arm to his chest. Gashes ripped through the sleeve of his coat, where blood dripped freely through the fabric and onto the floor. Somehow, he should've known that this coat would be getting utterly trashed tonight. Especially since the nomu was beginning to look bored with him.

"Need… strong heroes t-to fight… not you," it spat.

Tokoyami felt his heart twist at those solemn words, and his beak dropped open with uncontained sorrow. "Is that it then? Is this what my life has led to?" Tokoyami lamented, the words pouring out before he could stop them. This crime against humanity already saw him for the weakness that he was. There was nothing to hold him back anymore. He didn't have to pretend. "No, please. You can't, there has to be a person in you somewhere. You're speaking to me!"

No scars remained on its body after its swift regeneration, but the words it spoke sounded pained. "I have p-purpose… Y… you do… you do not."

Tokoyami took another step back. The nomu stepped forward, its large gait bringing it closer than ever before. Tokoyami stared right into its red eyes, boiling with ferocity and malicious intent. Its muscles coiled and rippled unnaturally underneath its skin. Words felt useless now. He couldn't turn his back on this, couldn't run or make distance between them, or ever hope to reach his sword. He held his arm close, feeling the blood drip between his fingers, and he was trembling uncontrollably in the shadow of the beast.

The nomu was done with him. Nothing to stop it, nobody to interfere. Behind it, the door remained closed. The dark dredges of its tattered head peeled back to reveal every detail of its horrendous face, and its arms contorted at either side into sharp weapons ready to tear him apart.

In the face of everything that had happened and every decision that had brought him to this point – be it his or another's – there was only one thing he could think of. While regret burned within him, Tokoyami voiced a single thought above all else.

I'm so sorry. I… I don't want to die!

Before the nomu could even move to land its killing blow, a familiar presence erupted from Tokoyami with enough force to knock him to the ground. He wheezed at the impact, bloodied hands scrambling on the slick tiles. Shacking a wave of sickness from his head, he looked up to gaze upon his savior.

Two black forms wrestled with each other, hissing and spitting. The nomu's claws sank into darkness with incredible strength, but thick black talons gripped its flesh with equal ferocity. A screech of pure anger ripped out from the beak of the twisting creature, and the nomu stepped back in surprise.

Dark Shadow coiled around the monstrous foe with everything he was worth. Shadows rippled, falling apart and joining together. His form weeped like a festering wound, unstable and threadbare. But he was here, a physical manifestation fighting for them where Tokoyami had failed to.

Tokoyami could hardly believe it, his beak trembling with the onslaught of emotions that threatened to overwhelm him. But this time there wasn't an ounce of rage or despair. Despite the peril he endured even now… he couldn't help being happy for the first time in a long, long time.

"Fumikage!"

Tokoyami jerked back to attention. He couldn't relax even now… but with a sorry pang of his heart he was relieved to hear his name be spoken by someone he trusted. Now wasn't the time, though. Even though Dark Shadow was fighting at his side once more, preserving their lives with everything he was worth, it was evident that something was still wrong. Tokoyami couldn't remember having ever gone so long without using his quirk, and Dark Shadow's physical manifestation reflected that. The foils of shadowy tendrils that comprised his quirk stuttered, and for a split second Tokoyami thought he saw a gaping hole in Dark Shadow's body. Tokoyami's hand drifted to the scar on his abdomen, and he painfully remembered the attack that Overhaul had dealt to the both of them when he'd made the decision to protect Nighteye.

"I… I can't—!"

The door trapping him in flew open, and Dabi rushed into the room. "Hood, that's enough! Stop it right now!"

Dark Shadow spluttered out of the physical realm, retreating back to Tokoyami's mind with a whimper. T-tired… he cawed sadly, but Tokoyami was so thankful to hear that little voice in his head that he didn't even care.

The nomu had stopped its plight. Its face reverted to the void-like entity it had been before. As Dabi ran forward, it drifted away with a disgusted growl. Heavy scars on its arms and shoulders worked to repair itself, and it stared down Tokoyami with the frustration of not being able to finish off its prey.

Dabi stood between the two of them, chest heaving and eyes wild with panic. He held a hand out to either side to separate them, and Tokoyami flinched. Dabi stood there for a moment, deescalating the situation, and he looked over at Tokoyami with a conflicted expression. His eyes showed remorse, but a strangled smile split the features of his face. "We're done here. We're done."