When Tokoyami had told the doctor to name his time, he didn't think the man would be so derisively abrupt. The day had been long enough as it stood, with bitter thoughts of Hawks still bouncing through his muddled head, but evidently the devil waited for nobody. Rather than schedule a day where Tokoyami could take the time to mentally prepare himself for what horrors awaited him, he could feel the man smiling gleefully on the other end as he took advantage of the bold declaration. Before Tokoyami was even given a proper response, the warm bedroom fell away like a forlorn dream. He was drawn into the depths of hell by that damnable black ooze opening beneath his feet and swallowing him whole with a cut-off yell of protest.

Did the doctor consider himself wise for such actions? Or was this meant to be a punishment for daring to leave the communicator unattended for a brief while? Such swift action felt fueled by disdain that couldn't be so easily ignored, let alone forgiven. Either way, Tokoyami was dragged, somewhat unwillingly, into uncharted territory by a truly insidious force. In hindsight, he could've worded his answer better, but that made the offer feel even more targeted – the doctor had to have known how close Tokoyami was to losing faith in their already tentative deal, to have acted so swiftly in response. Had Dr. Ujiko known that there were unspoken consequences to his rash behavior, then maybe he wouldn't be so quick to impose his will unto others.

The fact that, even after so long since their last communication, he was still capable of using that wretched transportation quirk on a whim made Tokoyami resent him all the more. He didn't know how the man could so precisely pinpoint everyone's locations for the sake of moving them around with that bastardized ability, and at this point he was afraid to ask.

Whatever the case might've been, Tokoyami was unceremoniously dumped onto the cold steel floor of his dimly lit laboratory. Tokoyami struggled to regain his senses as soon as possible, coughing and retching all the while. His eyes came into focus while his head continued to swim. He forced himself to look at his hands, clutched into white balls against the floor, so that he could feel grounded and reach his senses quicker.

His thoughts came to him in spurts, each one revealing more about the situation he found himself in.

This is… Ujiko's domain. This is where he resides with his nomu and…

And Shigaraki should be here too! Dark Shadow eagerly reminded him. That means we get to see him! There were still things you wanted to ask him, yeah? Hopefully he's not too different than when we last saw him. I mean, it's only been a few days, right?

That is to say… we'll need to see it for ourselves. Tokoyami raised his head, looking around where he'd been deposited to take in the eerie surroundings. It was much of the same from the previous time: dark test tubes, abundant pipes and cables crisscrossing the ground, strange mechanical sounds clinking in the distance. Unlike before, there was no glaring surveillance screen emanating light, suggesting that this part of the lab was further back from the central control areas.

Okay, okay… what else? Tokoyami asked himself, going over everything that he'd kept on him through the transition through space. My anklet isn't going off… since I never directly went through the barrier around the mansion.

Do you still have your night-vision goggles?

Tokoyami felt around in the pouches around his waist until he located the right one. He'd yet to actually be given a reason to use them, but had kept them amongst his belongings nonetheless. If he was going to be prepared, he may as well carry all he had wherever he went. It was a level of wariness that he'd picked up from Dabi, whose insistence on bringing medical supplies everywhere had carried over during periods of healing when he'd needed those most.

I regret… that it's only us here. I'd be more at peace if we'd come with some better company, Tokoyami mused, pulling on the goggles and rising unsteadily to his feet. He patted his pockets, lest he forget something, and his hand hovered over a concealed item that'd been recently added to his arsenal. Tokoyami went rigid, feeling his breath hitch in his throat. The feather.

You still have it?!

Of course I do! I didn't have time to—! Tokoyami reached in, feeling the fragile red tuft. It was utterly still at the bottom of his pocket – unresponsive. Wherever we are, I think we're too far away for Hawks to pick up the vibrations in the air.

Dark Shadow wavered uncertainly in the air. Is that… good? If he's a hero, shouldn't he know what's happening here? On the other hand, it's not just him overhearing that we need to think about. He'll know we're not where we're supposed to be. We're out of his range… but he always has that uncanny ability to find where his feathers went. He might end up finding our location before he gets close enough to hear what's going on.

Tokoyami quietly cursed himself – and the doctor and Hawks and everyone else who made this all so damn complicated through association. That man may be fast, but we can't possibly be here long enough for our location to be tracked.

So we don't want the heroes to find this place?

I…I don't want to be the reason why Hawks—

Tokoyami tripped over a wire, stumbling for a few feet before properly catching himself. Poised over the mess of cables, he adamantly shook his head to rid himself of the residual fog. No. this isn't the place to lose focus. Running his fingers across the night-vision goggles, he located the power button and took in his surroundings once more.

He wasn't familiar with these nomu. That's what they had to be, but the ones stored back here were decisively unfinished. He wondered if there was a particular reason why he'd been placed here in the facility – looking around, it felt even more disjointed than what he'd seen here before. Still the same cold, unnatural atmosphere tinged with animosity towards the human form. But left to wander through a maze of test tubes, he was caught pondering just how this collection came to be – half-formed humanoids with dangling black limbs, lumps of incohesive flesh hooked up to countless tubes, and what appeared to be scavenged roadkill undergoing a metamorphoses. It was all quite grisly to behold – and not at all like the fully formed super-soldiers that Ujiko kept closer to the core of his facility.

If there's monstrosities like this in every stage of development, then just how far back does this go…? Tokoyami asked himself, looking behind him to where the laboratory continued into the seemingly endless abyss.

All his senses were on end, straining to see every unforgivable detail and hear every metallic creak that echoed through these chambers. So when a voice sounded over the intercom, broadcasting Ujiko's wry words throughout the facility, he jumped in alarm.

"Ahh, Johnny was a bit off mark when transporting you – not to worry, just a minor glitch, I suppose. Pardon the inconvenience, but could you report to Sector B, Fumikage? We can hold a proper discussion while I give you a brief tour—consider it a show of good faith. To get there, merely follow the path."

Tokoyami watched as a trail of LED lights emerged on the ground, guiding him through a row of unfinished test subjects. He took note of each one he passed until he began to grow accustomed to the unethical sights. If he were more careful, he might've done better to keep his wits about him in this hostile territory, but he couldn't shake the feeling that these anomalies needed to be seen to be believed.

There was only one that made him truly stop to process. It shouldn't have stood out any more than the other monstrosities infesting his vision. But it did. And he took his goggles off briefly to look at the thing by the light of the path Ujiko had turned on.

It wasn't finished by any means. Another work in progress like the rest in this section. But it was a bird – a crow maybe? It was all black, though it no longer had any feathers. Its bottom half was crushed, as though it was run over, and tubes ran throughout. In actuality, it didn't seem any different than the rest, but it felt more unsettling than the others he'd encountered. From its dim yellow eyes to its slightly hooked beak, he found it difficult to look away. It wasn't until Dark Shadow spoke up that it clicked.

Hey. It kinda looks like me.

Tokoyami stepped back from the glass containment with a sharp intake of breath. I don't like it.

…Is there a way to turn it off?

Tokoyami scanned the surrounding area for any sort of interface, but he quickly accepted that changes made to these test subjects were probably done from that hub network the doctor controlled. There were no tangible buttons or switches. Which may have been for the best, unless he wanted to land himself in trouble right before this crucial meeting.

Forget it. Something in such a state will never see the light of day, anyway, so what difference does it make?

Tokoyami pressed on, convincingly undaunted. This time around, though, he was more interested in keeping his gaze trained on the illuminated path.

When the lights ended, he raised his beak to take in his surroundings.

Ah. This was familiar now.

Tokoyami picked his way through the last stretch, sizing up the fully formed high ends being completed at the heart of Ujiko's operations. He kept his guard up, stopping when that man's voice rang out – not from an unseen intercom, but right in front of him, silhouetted before a large monitor.

"There he is, my wonderful assistant!" the doctor sang, swiveling around in his elaborate chair to greet him.

Tokoyami looked him up and down in disgust. "I am no assistant to you," he growled, low and threatening for all the good it might do him in such a precarious situation. "Our connection is strictly a temporary exchange, and I won't have any part in your nefarious deeds."

The doctor sighed, his shoulders slumping in disappointment. From under his desk crawled that unsightly little monstrosity that possessed the warp quirk. "A shame, too. True company is hard to find around these parts – not that it particularly matters. Shigaraki never took much interest in my experiments, and even Dabi has proven hard to contact these past few weeks. I was really hoping he'd double down when he failed to bring back poor Hood."

"…He's kind of just like that," Tokoyami sagely agreed. He had to wonder just how much Dabi was speaking with the doctor beforehand. After all, he'd been in possession of one of the first high-end nomus and was granted access to a secret testing facility. Recalling the dark memories of that night of encounters, Tokoyami traced his fingers bitterly across the jagged scars that marred his forearms. He could still vividly remember the intense yellow eyes of that monster, berating him and calling him weak in that broken voice while he called desperately for his quirk. If Dabi had strayed away from negotiating with this man in the period of time following the Hood incident, then that was for the best. Thinking about it now, it feels ironic that I might find myself here in his stead.

Well… he took an interest in us. Which, honestly, has never ended very well for us. I mean, I'd be pretty happy if we never saw him again after today!

Agreed. But if we can't get anything out of this, then it all may as well have been wasted. I can't walk out of here empty-handed.

With the images of the test tube nomus fresh in his mind, he pried for any information he felt was deserved. "You wouldn't have singled me out from the others if you didn't have a good reason. You did the same to Dabi, keeping him close to you for one reason or another. But I don't have what he does, nor am I seeking power like Shigaraki is. I've been a quiet participant in this for far too long, so I need to know: what the hell is it for? Why do you need to involve me in these schemes at all? I can't possibly fathom that you'd help someone out of the goodness of your heart, let alone strike a deal that wasn't one-sided in some way."

Hey, you're making it sound like we're working for scraps here…

Because we are!

Dr. Ujiko's goggles gleamed under the harsh blue light of his overbearing display screen. He let out a wry chuckle before getting up from his chair. "Fair enough. Now that you're here, there's not much merit in concealing anything. I ask that you consider just how busy my line of work keeps me. Allow me to show you the service you've done for me these past few weeks." The doctor crossed over to a set of controls and, scrolling through several pages, came to display a spreadsheet of analytics. "I've merely been keeping track of your vitals, power progression, and exhaustion rates in combat. Nothing horribly invasive, I'll have you know. It would've been more informative had you stayed with me, but that idea was off the table for whatever reason. I suppose Tomura and the others didn't trust me? It's unfortunate, I know!" he sighed, as if waiting for a show of reassurance from Tokoyami. But he was right the first time: no way in hell was Tokoyami going to spend any longer around this guy than what was absolutely necessary. The League was right to keep him far away from this guy… even if the end result felt largely unchanged. After all, he'd still ended up in this hellish place, hadn't he?

Tokoyami appraised the compiled data in much the same way he would his old math homework. That was to say, he wasn't very confident he was understanding it. "So then… how exactly does this help you?"

And while we're at it, is there anything useful that we can learn from this, too?

With a swipe of his hand, the doctor pulled up a comparison chart on the development of a high end nomu. "You're able to house an incredibly powerful entity inside yourself at no expense to your own ability, yes? Well, the main drawback in my own studies has been the lack of stable bodies to house the multiple quirks. I've poured countless resources into augmenting the durability of these organic vessels so that they wouldn't buckle under the weight of all the abilities stacked onto them. But when contrasted with your prowess in quirk control, I was able to find a work-around!"

That's bad.

Tokoyami offered a strained smile. "That's… that's great," he croaked unconvincingly.

"I know it to be so!" Dr. Ujiko excitedly declared, scrolling through walls of text too fast to read while gibbering about his discoveries. "For you see, there's actually a very specific way in how your quirk fluctuates during battle. Since it functions as both an extension of yourself and a separate entity, I figured there'd be a greater gap in the struggle for power. Instead, the quirk is far more fluid than I'd previously anticipated, hence the sheer amount of accessible powers. I dare say, it's by far one of the most complicated cases of quirk singularity that I've ever seen. Marvelous! Exceptional, even!"

Dark Shadow wormed his way deeper into the darker crevices of Tokoyami's mind. Usually I like praise, but I don't like the way he's talking about me…

Nor do I, but we can't lose him now. I can only expect that we're close to a breakthrough.

That's only if he's a trustworthy person, yeah?

Ujiko's many monitor screens went dark, and he rested his open palm on the beeping terminal with an oddly wistful sigh. "For the sake of creating a truly beautiful being, it was never about creating a perfect vessel. My studies have concluded that there's far more in the way of quirk negotiation that needs to be understood in order to create the ideal soldier. Now, I still have a long way to go, having only gleaned a basic understanding of these fickle mannerisms, but I do believe I've been set on the right path."

"Does that mean… you're no longer in need of my service?" Tokoyami inquired hopefully.

Dr. Ujiko pushed himself out of his contraption of a chair and whipped around to face him. His demented little pet scurried around his feet to avoid getting stepped on. "I'm always in need of more data! That resource can never be wasted in my continuous studies." Though the doctor brimmed with excitement, he settled down upon seeing Tokoyami's cynical expression. Clearing his throat, he continued in a less off-putting way, as though he might curb his own obsession. "Of course, if you'd still like to continue contributing after today that is ultimately up to you. Currently, the communicator I gave you is the only way I have of recording information. I can close out our deal by the end of the day and be satisfied with that… though I will always have an open door for you."

"What a generous offer," Tokoyami grumbled. "I suppose I'll have to see for myself where this leads." By now he figured this was an appropriate time to discuss what he wanted, having heard all he needed from what he'd given the doctor. "We can discuss my compensation in full – but first, seeing as how I'm here, I wish to speak with Shigaraki.

In the shadows of the dimly lit room, Tokoyami saw Dr. Ujiko's mustache twitch as though he were trying to conceal a smile. "Yes. Of course. You've been curious about him for a while now, correct? I can only imagine the excitement at your new headquarters has died down considerably since Tomura took his sudden leave." Without wasting a beat, he began to walk off in a set direction. A click from a control he kept on hand illuminated a new path that he followed at a rather slow pace. "I can show you where he's currently situated. No need for this silly goggles of yours, just so long as you do well to mind your business and follow me."

Despite the peculiar way that the doctor had revealed himself the first time the League had seen him, he appeared far more open to visitation this time around. Tokoyami wouldn't want to get much closer to the man than he already was, following along in his wake, but he had to admit that there was a certain degree of transparency that hadn't been present before. Maybe he'd grown to be more comfortable around them?

Maybe he doesn't view us as any sort of threat to his image. We've already seen the worst aspects of him… I think.

Tokoyami wished he could agree with that idea, but the more he was led through this grand place, the more nervous he started becoming in anticipation for what awaited. This place reminds me of a hell I've already witnessed before.

Dark Shadow went quiet as their exploration continued. The doctor prattled on like this was a private tour, with facts kept just vague enough to sound impressive without revealing anything too classified. All the while, even as rows of grotesque nomu changed to narrow hallways of blank, gray walls, Tokoyami couldn't rid himself of unease. Occasionally they'd walk past locked steel doors, darkened one-way windows, and unlit intersections splitting off into different, untouched parts of the lab.

Dr. Ujiko prattled on pridefully, ever conscious of his silent shadow as he struck forward. "You missed it, but I've been quite busy running Tomura through a series of tests preparing his body for the transition. Of course, the biggest test I required of him was initially taming Gigantomachia. Though being such a formidable beast, that could've also been a mind over matter sort of deal."

Tokoyami grimaced at the unpleasant casualty with which the doctor spoke. "A whole city was leveled in the process," he numbly pointed out, feeling his words ring hollow in this uncaring space.

"And many more will follow, I'm sure," the doctor cruelly decided, leading him through a dimly lit hallway.

This part of the facility was distinct from the rest in that it felt insufferably cramped, drawing more and more within itself. He'd never been fond of close-quarter hospital spaces, but something about this place in particular put every nerve on end like a lightning rod for fear. He was having trouble properly conveying such tension – shouldn't the ghoulish army they left behind be more intimidating, or the infinite depths of evil coursing through the hellscape he'd initially emerged in?

Tokoyami slowed his pace to an unbearable degree until he was all but stopped.

"Can you sense it?"

Close.

Tokoyami shrank away from the doctor, who'd doubled back to stand a comfortable six feet away from him. Ujiko was looking steadily through the window into the room running alongside them. They'd passed a few rooms like this already, but this one was by far the largest. And, judging by the length of the hallway, also the last before this portion of the lab ended.

Tokoyami's fingers clenched tightly onto the thin rail protruding from the wall beneath the window, doing everything in his power to support himself while he looked into the room. His gut twisted painfully, and Dark Shadow tapped earnestly at his consciousness in warning, as though he might protect him that way. The doctor watched him all the while, analyzing his every move in a way that stripped away every layer of strength he possessed until he was nothing but a scared kid in the eyes of this analytical adult.

Mouth dry, hands trembling, he asked the question he wanted no answer for. "I don't know what you mean. What… what is it?"

And once again, the doctor was overjoyed to explain his experiments in full detail to his captive audience of one. "This is where Tomura began his procedure! His ascent to a higher being started with a few simple operations. I'd informed him of the sort of things he might expect going in, but my goodness what a tenacious being. Any sane person would quake at the prospect of what he endured… truly an agreeable patient," he said almost wistfully, appraising the remains of his handiwork.

Bearing witness to the horrific scene, Tokoyami felt his willpower leave him in one swift attack on his precarious mental state. And how could he not feel such afflicting weakness when such horrors forced him to stare? He couldn't avert himself, not even to help himself.

Tokoyami had hoped he might never see another scene like this. But he was never very lucky to begin with.

Tubes littered the ground and mechanical armatures were suspended from the high ceiling, much like the rest of the testing facility. But rather than a test tube waiting in the center of the room, there was a mangled hospital bed. He didn't have to wonder what assaults on humanity had been dealt within the confines of the tattered restraints hanging limply from the arm and foot rests.

Because there was blood. Everywhere.

It splattered the ground and soaked the chair. Every utensil in the room had the dark red substance dried onto it in some capacity. By all rights, there had to be a whole person's worth of blood spilled across the wretched scene. And he wished he could've told himself that he'd never seen anything so grim, but that would've only been a lie formulated to mask his wretched memories. The idea that anyone might willingly engage in such a sad fate was too much to process. This couldn't have been all from Shigaraki. He couldn't have wanted this!

He… he couldn't. How could anyone…?

Tokoyami retched, pressing his head into the hold he had of the guard rail lest he look any more pathetic. He squeezed his eyes shut until tears pricked the corners, and he couldn't say for sure where they'd come from.

"I've been rather busy, so don't mind the mess."

Tokoyami's eyes flashed open, and he whipped his head around to glare daggers at the doctor's audacity.

I've killed people like you before.

The thought flashed through his mind, unprompted, and Tokoyami felt his chest heave again, desperate to rid his body of a sickly poison.

Dr. Ujiko took swift notice of the waves of animosity being directed at him and took a cautious step back, as though that additional distance made any sort of difference.

And then Tokoyami was coughing into his hand, holding back the urge to throw up while his knees threatened to give out.

It's alright, it's okay, you'll be safe, I'll keep you safe, Dark Shadow soothed, swirling through his head with words of encouragement, over and over until he calmed down. Nobody's being hurt anymore. It's over. It's already done.

But… but not even Shigaraki would ask for something so… I can't stop thinking about what they did to Eri. All this mutilation for the sake of quirks – it shouldn't ever be this way!

Eri's still safe. We already know this, Dark Shadow continued, his voice hitching. It wasn't very common, but sometimes the quirk was able to give him the kind of reassurance he needed to calm down. Since that was usually the kind of service Tokoyami offered to his quirk when he got upset, it was good to know that the opposite was also true. Tokoyami… tried not to be so emotional. Not if he could help it. That was what his quirk did, instead: amplified every emotion he tried to quell.

And yet here he was, suffering for the feelings he couldn't stop.

Was this panic? Or a total upheaval caused by those harrowing memories created in Overhaul's headquarters.

Either way, he didn't want them to eat away at him forever. He couldn't do that while in such a vulnerable position – and thankfully, Dark Shadow was forever at his side to make sure he held himself together.

Tokoyami took a deep breath and rose back to his full height, careful to avoid looking back into that deplorable, blood-soaked room. He couldn't ignore it – that'd be a dismissal of all the pain that'd been endured within that tainted room – but he could at least look past it if it meant pressing forward. This wasn't a rescue mission by any stretch of the imagination. He just needed answers. And sure, his quest for knowledge has placed him in some truly twisted situations prior to now, but that wasn't about to stop him. "Where is he now?" he asked, quiet but firm.

Dr. Ujiko's glasses gleamed in the low fluorescent light, revealing nothing. If he'd been intimidated by Tokoyami's reaction before, he didn't show it now. He merely turned back around and continued down the last stretch, undaunted. "He's just up ahead. I only ask that you keep a level head, young man. There's no reason to be angry now. If my work has struck a nerve, then might I suggest that that's a personal issue?"

Tokoyami simmered quietly, pushing off the hand rail and trailing after the doctor while maintaining a respectable distance. He caught sight of that little Johnny creature looking at him with curious, bulbous eyes. He sneered at the beast and it scuttled back to the doctor, practically hiding beneath his white lab coat. What now? Is my face truly so scary to another monster?

When Dr. Ujiko opened a set of double doors at the end of the hall and entered into a large, dark room, Tokoyami stopped just shy of the threshold to stare out into the abyss. He listened to sounds of dripping water and mechanical clinking. Large ventilation shafts and more of those strange tubes hung from the ceiling, leading to a large form waiting in the back of the room.

Tokoyami peered through his night vision goggles, surveying the mostly empty room with as much caution as he could muster without his insatiable curiosity taking over. There's no movement.

"Hello? Shigaraki…?" Tokoyami called out, wondering if he'd made a fool of himself by coming out here like this. When the only response he received was a muffled laugh, Tokoyami felt a wave of anger sweep over him. Throwing caution to the wind, Tokoyami walked out into the room, setting his sights on that deplorable doctor. "You! What do you take me for?!"

The doctor's laugh died swiftly on his lips at Tokoyami's brash approach, and once again he backed away as though dealing with a feral beast. Was it so strange to be dealing with someone he didn't have total control over? How pathetic a man he must actually be to not stand up on his own.

"What did I just say about controlling yourself, boy?" the doctor spat, an edge of warning in his tone. "If you can't be civil in my own facility, then I'll send you right back on your way with nothing to show for it. Youths like yourself are so impatient these days," he grumbled.

Tokoyami stopped himself halfway through the room with a growl, trying his best to be mindful before he got the better of himself. "I'm plenty patient." You insatiable maniac. "But you've shown me nothing but a blood trail and no Shigaraki. If you care so much for his growth then where is he?"

Ujiko looked up at the large object taking up the space in the back of the room, assessing it with unparalleled admiration. "He's right here. Though I don't think he'll be taking any questions right now. I regret to inform you you've already missed your chance!"

The man must've been quite proud of himself to be so fully in control of this entire place. He ran his hands over the control panel set before him, turning on the lights and illuminating the grand test tube that this room had been dedicated to.

Tokoyami lifted up his goggles to rest on his forehead again. With a few wobbly steps, he took in the sight before him, mouth hanging open with no words to speak.

Because it really was Shigaraki. At least, it was supposed to be. Suspended in the space of that liquid-filled tank, hooked up to wires and cords with a breathing device wrapped around his head. But without the sharp red eyes, biting words, and lively ambition that Tokoyami had grown used to seeing of him, it was hard to see him for the person he was supposed to be. No, rather, he looked more like a lifeless puppet, waiting in defeat for those strings to be cut so he might splatter to the ground – or in this case, sink to the bottom of the tank like a dead fish. Poking out from under his dark clothes were fresh lacerations that almost simmered in the transparent ooze – remnants from whatever the doctor had just finished putting him through.

"What is this?" Tokoyami asked feebly. "He's not supposed to be in there. He's supposed to be leading the League. Get him out of there. Get him down!"

Dr. Ujiko leaned back against the console while analytics ran on the screens behind him. He didn't seem very amused. And maybe, perhaps, he was growing weary of Tokoyami's toneless demands when they both knew damn well that he had no power in this place. "I'm afraid that would only prove detrimental at this point in time, young Fumikage. Why, you should be happy! This is the best-case scenario for Tomura. He survived everything I threw at him, endured countless hardships, and now he gets the reward of becoming a truly unstoppable being."

"But to what end, dare I ask?" Tokoyami lamented, stepping up to that impossibly dark tank. "He was already such a formidable opponent. His quirk had only just awakened and he was already leading armies. Why alter that? Why was that not enough?"

"For someone as ambitious as he, it would've never been enough," Dr. Ujiko explained giddily, marveling at the fruit of his labor. "And now we stand before the dawn of a truly glorious new era. He's still in the starting phase of his recovery, but once he reaches a hundred percent he'll step out of this place as a king among men: the new host of All for One!"

Tokoyami didn't have a response ready for that. What could he say now that would prove any different from his previous woes? He wished he could be surprised or even formulate a shred of disgust.

But no, none of that. After everything else he'd borne witness to in this hellish place, it made sense. The nomus with their stolen and bastardized quirks, the experiments, the way this fiend could so easily and callously trifle in the lives of others… This was the magnum opus of his scientific endeavors, and it showed.

They were right. You really won't ever be the same after this, will you? Tokoyami truthfully didn't know much about All for One: who he was, exactly how his quirk worked, and what his plans entailed were all concepts beyond his narrow understanding. But he had an impression of him, and that was enough. He couldn't forget the way that man had regarded him on the battlefield, back when All Might had crumpled, Bakugou saved, and Tokoyami himself dragged back into the void of pain and misery. Though everything was a blur and his moments were fleeting, Tokoyami could never forget the way All for One had regarded him as though he were an important piece to somebody else's puzzle. He'd laughed at him when Tokoyami had spoken to defend himself. That coldness was deeply rooted in the back of his mind. If Shigaraki… if whatever he was trying to accomplish was bound to turn him into something like that, then Tokoyami wasn't sure he wanted to see Shigaraki's reawakening come to light.

Despite everything this man has put him through, he couldn't help but be hurt by that thought. If he was fated to devolve into a heartless monster, then what was to become of the League? To the people who already accepted him as a leader or companion. Tokoyami himself couldn't regard Shigaraki with any kind of fondness, but even he had to admit that he preferred one version of him over another, if these promises of a greater foe were any indication.

Tokoyami looked up somberly at the slumbering figure suspended in space. "Shigaraki… when this is all over… will there be any way of reversing what he becomes? If he decides he doesn't want this future anymore, can he ever go back?"

"What an absurd question!" Dr. Ujiko huffed indignantly. "Why would anyone go through all this trouble just to let it all go?" And then he considered it a moment, holding a finger to his chin to ponder the implications. "Though, I guess, a being as powerful as he could deal with the quirks in his body however he pleased. Seeing as how he'll be playing host to a greater entity, my guess is that any significant change comes down to whatever residual willpower he has."

Tokoyami blinked slowly, steeping back from the glass encasement. If that's something Shigaraki desires, then he'll reach it. And if he decides he doesn't need such a vengeful outcome, then I believe he'll see to that as well. Because he's strong. And… he doesn't need to be someone else's puppet.

If we'd known about what he had planned, do you think…?

Tokoyami shook his head. I don't know. But if there remains a way to steer him out of this, then I only hope we're there to try it.

And if we only end up standing in his way?

He won't kill us. I can't say for sure what he personally thinks of us now, but if anything ever happened to us then the rest of the League would be outraged. Regardless of where his mind and body is after this is over, I have to believe he'll still care about the League. They're his only friends – and he already promised them the world, here in this lab when we first met the doctor. That had to have meant something.

I believe you. I just hope that's still true, wherever this ends, Dark Shadow quietly agreed.

Tokoyami heaved a weary sigh. "Doctor, it would've been easy enough to say that I couldn't speak with Shigaraki at the moment. Why go through the trouble of showing me all this, if only to laugh at my dismay? I can't help but think you seek to waste my precious time here."

"You're not impressed," Dr. Ujiko observed, disappointment laden on his tongue.

"I've seen a lot here today," Tokoyami explained evenly. "At this point in time, I'd rather reap my benefits and get myself far away from here… I believe you understand."

The doctor straightened immediately. "Let's not be hasty, now! There's still so much left to do, you see? I haven't run all the necessary tests needed to finish your end of the bargain."

Tokoyami narrowed his eyes to suspicious slits. "After everything, you ask more of me?"

Ujiko twiddled his fingers together. "Ah, well, you see, the data you've provided is incomplete. I can't exactly budge an inch on my half of the deal if you can't fully submit your end. After all, I can tell from your expression that you want something of great significance from me in return… or am I wrong?"

Tokoyami scowled, glaring at him with whatever residual loathing he could muster. "Nothing you've said today has alluded to me needing to do anything else."

Dr. Ujiko ran his gloved fingers across the button display, approvingly checking over his handiwork. "It's a great honor to be seeing so much of my exclusive facility. I was hoping you could level with me… offer some extra incentive, if you will."

What if we don't wanna?

I…

You can't actually be considering?!

Despite everything, I don't think… he's an unfair man, necessarily.

Fumikage!

I know! I only wish to know his terms. If it's too much, there's no shame in backing down. But with everything this place represents, I don't want to bar myself from this opportunity, slimy though it may be. Tokoyami held his head high, peering upon the doctor with unveiled disdain. "I'll consider it. But I am no tool to be played with, if that is your intent. What is your final request of me?"

"Follow me this way," Dr. Ujiko answered vaguely, setting out towards the left-hand side of the room.

Tokoyami stayed put, causing him to falter. "I will not. I asked you a question, and if you have any hope of cooperation you will answer it. I'm tired of being unknowingly guided through one upset after another. Do you take me for a fool?!"

His glasses went dark, and his tell-tale smile dropped from his face. "You've provided me with some truly wonderful analytics, I'll give you that. But all of it means nothing if I can't see it for myself."

"You wish to see me fight."

"I want to see you win," Dr. Ujiko insisted, hands grasping the open air as though his thoughts were something so tangible that he could bring them to life with the flick of his wrist. "If you could only show me your incredible quirk and prove my hypothesis correct then I can give you anything you could possibly ask for! Now how's that for an offer?"

He intends on pitting us against a nomu, Dark Shadow warned. He didn't sound scared, though.

Tokoyami's fingers twitched, drifting near the mechanism that would release his steel claws. There's some truly formidable foes here, waiting to be set free upon the world. And yet… I want to know. I want to feel one of these beasts tremble before me. Because regardless of what we do, there will be many more of these enemies in the future.

How much do you think we're actually helping him develop these nomu?

It's nothing he wouldn't have been able to figure out eventually, I'm sure. Rather, this whole thing may just be a way to see more of you… I'm sure that's all this way: a perverse way of getting closer to us, if he can't have the quirk for himself.

I shudder to think…

As do I. but we're almost in the clear. The sooner we deal with this hurdle, the quicker we'll be rewarded.

Dark Shadow's eyes flashed before him, and he materialized as a specter looming above his head. Then let's get it over with.

Dr. Ujiko jumped back in surprise. A cry of delight escaped him, utterly enraptured by the quirk's emergence. "Yes, yes! That's the spirit!"

Tokoyami began walking after him while Dark Shadow coiled freely around the open air. "Don't waste my time any longer. Let's get this over with."

The doctor picked up his pace, maintaining a safe distance. "R-right, of course!" he mumbled, tripping over his words while he scrambled for the next door.

As they left the sinister room behind, Tokoyami felt his quirk waver. Bye, Shigaraki. Get better soon…

Tokoyami looked back at the dark test tube that his quirk had bid farewell. Yeah. I hope so too. And then he left the old League of Villains behind.

The hallways didn't seem as formidable anymore. He'd already seen so much of the worse this world had to offer, what else could there possibly be in store for him? More rooms passed him by as they crept ever deeper into the facility, until they descended an iron stairwell and stepped out into another large room.

Tokoyami's boots clunked against the floor. This whole space was padded with reinforced steel plating and, as opposed to every other room thus far, was entirely void of any exposed wires or mechanical parts. It was very much similar to one he'd been in before. It hadn't even been so long since then, but that had marked a different time. One where he was weak, afraid, and quirkless.

"I'll have an opponent for you momentarily," the doctor assured, walking a wide circle around him before opening a hidden door and vanishing in the wall.

Tokoyami waited. One beat. Two beats.

His voice returned over an intercom, tinged with undisguised excitement for what was to come. "I understand you're already familiar with my first attempts at a high-end specimen. Allow me to introduce you to a new model!"

Tokoyami wandered out towards the center of the room, stopping when he felt the floor begin to tremble. A hatch emerged nearby, and fluorescent light beamed down upon a new test tube, revealing the dark form waiting within.

Tokoyami flicked his claws out with a shliiik of metal and brandished them before him warily while approaching the specimen.

Beeeep!

An alarm rang throughout the room, indicating that something was about to happen. Sure enough, the test tube began to drain and break down, opening up the glass barricade. Murky fluids splattered out onto the floor, and the creature inside began to move. Its head lolled to the side, and vivid yellow eyes blazed to life, searching its surroundings. Claws gripped each side of the tank, and it used that leverage to step out from the restraints of the tank.

Black, sinewy body. Exposed brain. Long fingers that twitched and trembled in search of something to dig into. Strips of dark flesh fell away from its body, exposing patches of muscle, and gnarled protrusions broke out along its spine like obsidian spearheads.

Its head bobbed up and down, latching onto whatever lay within its sights. Then it finally settled on Tokoyami, and a low, incomprehensible rumble escaped its throat.

Get ready.

We'll have this over in a flash.

The intercom crackled. "You've already fought Hood, though I hear the results weren't very remarkable. Allow me to introduce High End Nomu: Spine. Do be kind, but more importantly show me something worthwhile…"

With an ear-piercing screech, Spine lunged forward.

Tokoyami waited, allowing it to cross the space between them. He slipped into a familiarly defensive stance, waiting for the target to fling itself openly at him. Was he supposed to be viewed as a weak target to these beings? They were smarter, surely. But they were also confident, more prideful in the fact that they were stronger. And creatures like that were prone to error.

The nomu lunged towards him, winding back an awkwardly long limb to deliver a slash. For a moment, Tokoyami saw Hood bearing down on him instead, gibbering on about how weak he was.

"A-are ya goin' ta f-fight?!" the nomu hissed through blocky teeth that didn't fit its crowded mouth.

This thing was fast, he had to admit. It had precise aim and, though it looked down upon him, he could see the way it moved with calculated intent, using its claws the way an assassin would use its knives. It feinted, made him lurch, and then darted to the right to blindside him.

But it didn't matter. It never did, for Tokoyami saw him coming all the same. When it finally did lash out – with real, deadly aim, looking to hook him in the side – he slipped right through its defenses, ducking under the gangly limbs and black fleshy ribbons to get as close to the monstrosity as feasibly possible. It was an undesirable task, but one he took up regardless. To prove a point, if anything.

It looked down at him in surprise, wondering how he got so close. At the same time, Dark Shadow slipped through the creature's grasp like an eel, unbothered by such sharpness.

Within the tight space of its grasp, Tokoyami quickly flicked his arms up, piercing his claws through the creature's throat. Dark red ooze spilled from the open gashes he left, but within the same breadth the nomu brought his arms in to trap him in its sinister clutches.

Before it could get much further, Dark Shadow began to grow in size. Blobs of inky darkness fizzled and swelled, and the quirk swatted its hands away as though it were child's play. Those claws were no closer to harming Tokoyami than they were when it had first emerged from its chambers.

Shadows bolstered under his steely gaze, growing ever bigger, dancing to the tune of his apathy.

"I detest your existence," Tokoyami said coldly.

The creature regarded him differently now. Beady red pupils swiveled down into the amber puddles of its eyes to look at him with renewed disposition. Everywhere it moved its arms, it was blocked by walls of darkness that shoved it away. It's feet were tangled in invisible wires – every step back was met with adamant defiance from Dark Shadow, and stepping forward… was impossible, since it couldn't get any closer to Tokoyami. The spines along its back flared in length as though to impale some unseen force, and that, too, was in vain.

When it spoke again, there was something else in the nomu's voice that he had never heard from such a monstrosity. "Y…yer s-strong, ain't ya?"

It was finally starting to come to him more readily. The growth of power he felt at his fingertips was a natural extension of himself, not something he need fear or hold back. He didn't want to live in fear of lasting scars or haunting memories anymore.

Just for a moment.

Dark Shadow expanded in every direction, eyes flashing red and wild. But the quirk didn't roar or lash out wildly. With their target this impossibly close, already in their collective grasp with nowhere to run, it almost felt too easy.

The Spine nomu staggered as darkness enveloped them, and Dark Shadow took that as the initiative to strike. Claws like blades of night trapped the beast's sinewy arms to its side, and it began to struggle and squirm, each movement sending for droplets of bile from its weeping neck.

"Let me go! Let me go!" Spine howled. Without its arms to attack, it swung its neck around, desperately gnashing teeth that grew longer and sharper with every bite in the hopes of sinking them into something – anything.

Oi, that's not a bad idea.

It'll leave a bad test in your mouth, though.

That's fine.

So then it's…

Ragnarok: Guillotine.

Dark Shadow opened its beak wide, revealing the abyss of its gaping maw. Rearing his head back, the avian monstrosity bore down on the writhing nomu like a trap snapping shut. Bones crunched, the sound reverberating through the room, and the hooked beak held it in a fierce grip. It howled in pain and outrage, the curdling wails near deafening. For as strong as Dark Shadow was, it couldn't bite all the way through. But it was enough.

With a forceful shake of his massive head, Dark Shadow threw the damnable thing aside. The nomu clashed into the nearest wall, leaving an indent in the steel plating before crumpling to the ground in a nigh unrecognizable pile of broken bones and crushed internals. There it lay, and if it truly was smart then it would do well to stay there.

A click sounded over the intercom. Then a pause of silence followed by a breathy sigh. "I suppose that'll do. Spine, your work here is done. And Fumikage, you may put your quirk away now."

The nomu didn't respond.

Tokoyami stared at the ground with great intensity, his shoulders heaving with every breath. That's enough. That's enough. He said we're done. I'm done.

I'm done.

I'm done!

Every pent-up shadow swirling around him burst apart, falling like ashes from an eruption. Tokoyami gasped as if he'd been deprived of air, and he felt his muscles tremble at the exertion. He staggered. But when the fog cleared and the darkness had properly retreated from the edges of his vision, he was thankful to discover that he was still standing.

The doctor stepped out from his hidden door now that his quirk was put away. "What a truly enlightening display. I figured it'd be adequate to pit you against a work in progress, seeing how I considered you to be the same way, but it appears I've underestimated you, lad!"

Tokoyami raised his head up, letting the fluorescent lights blind his eyes momentarily, and he felt a wave of accomplishment wash over him. "I don't care. I did everything you asked of me, and now it's over."

Dr. Ujiko looked between him and the defeated nomu, eying the differences that had been made blatantly clear. "I… see. I suppose I've kept you here long enough. Now, then. What do you want, as per our terms? For your efforts, you must simply pose your request and I'll grant it to the best of my abilities."

Tokoyami already knew what he wanted. He'd known it for a long time, he's just never been able to ask anyone. It'd never felt appropriate, let alone possible within the context of his circumstances. But here, now, it finally felt like he could reasonably ask for what he wanted more than anything. "I want to go somewhere – a place beyond the PLF and the League, where they won't know of my absence. I know damn well you have that power; that control. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but when I need it I expect you to give me that in return for all I've done."

The doctor tilted his head curiously to the side, his bushy mustache following the path of a grimace. "You only desire a day of freedom? No bodily augmentations, no increase to power, but rather a casual stroll through town?" And he laughed. He laughed at the idea that anyone could ask for something so trivial. Of course he wouldn't understand the wishes of someone who's been blocked off from society for so long. How something so mundane could possibly mean so much.

Dr. Ujiko readily agreed, if only because it seemed so easy. "In that case, I barely need to lift a finger, hm? Very well, then! Keep in contact at your own discretion. I'll be listening. And whenever you wish to see new pastures, I'll allow you a day to roam freely wherever you'd like – provided nobody important sees you, of course! Try anything, and the deal will be immediately forfeit. If that's understood, then I will happily send you back to the PLF headquarters for the time being."

Tokoyami gave one last baleful look at the defeated nomu, its twitching body growing ever stiller. "Yeah. I think I'm done here."