Air swept past at a fast rate, flattening burned and broken feathers to his head. Up here, far above the trampled forest and path of destruction, it was difficult to breathe. In and out, he could feel his consciousness fleeting, blotted at moments with encroaching darkness that threatened to take him under. But at least here, in the quiet sky, he went unchallenged by friend or foe. It was the closest he'd been to experiencing a moment of rest in the cataclysm that had followed him every step today – and that which, in turn, he had followed.

Dark Shadow was in control of flying right now. The quirk had assured him at various times that he should take it easy while he still could, especially if the fight they were en route to was as grim as they imagined. Tokoyami would need every ounce of strength he could muster if he was to face Dabi again.

His mind was kept awake as long as possible by incessant thoughts that clouded his judgment. He thought, more than anything, of the League. And each time, he thought of how he must've failed them. It really shouldn't have resulted in such a grand measure of guilt, but when he looked back to just how disappointed and distraught they'd been… how could he ignore their cries for help?

A difficult hallmark of being a hero was knowing that he couldn't save everyone. And, if he tried, then he was doomed to lose himself. If that was the case, then he had to wonder if he'd saved the right people today. That remained to be seen.

He wished he'd had more time to be with his old classmates. It had felt so hopelessly reassuring, seeing the way they all still cared for him. He hadn't liked turning his back on them again so soon. But they hadn't tried to stop him, either – a fact that wouldn't go unappreciated, if he made it through the next day.

At some point, his racing thoughts must've finally surrendered to exhaustion, because he awoke with a sluggish start to Dark Shadow urgently prodding his consciousness.

Hey, Fumikage, we're getting closer!

Tokoyami brought a hand up and over his face, desperate to feel more awake. But his bones felt stiff, and his wounds had dulled to a heavy ache that wracked his body. He couldn't imagine being much good in this state. It was optimistic to think that he could avoid another ruthless fight.

Tokoyami shook his head. If he thought about it too much, he might actually think better of it. And knowing what he'd done already today, he couldn't afford to leave it alone. The repercussions of saving Hawks would have to wait for later. Right now, there were others who needed him more than that man ever had.

How far out do you think we are?

Well…

Tokoyami looked around. He could no longer muster as much sympathy as before when faced with the amount of destruction awaiting him. Bearing witness to the travesty of ruined cities and desecrated livelihoods didn't hurt as much when he'd already watched his own world crumble over and over again.

Beneath him, heroes were scrambling. It looked like this area, at least, had already been properly evacuated. Dark, ominous forms crawled out from the woodwork to wreak havoc against those who wished to do good. They were nomu, freshly unearthed from the Doctor's lab. Knowing what those monsters were capable of, he couldn't help feeling sorry for the heroes. If Tokoyami had the energy to spare, he would've liked to help. But he'd only be a liability. No, the best thing he could try and do now was talk to the remaining members of the League one last time.

Up ahead, Dark Shadow warned, shuddering underneath his cloak.

Did we make it in time? Tokoyami asked, peering ahead. Sure enough, he could just make out the hulking silhouette of Gigantomachia. The mountainous man had finally come to a halt, meaning they'd be able to catch up. But it also meant they were too late to stop the League from stepping into what could only be a full-scale fight on Shigaraki's end.

Gigantomachia has been slowing down for a while now, I just don't know if the League has noticed any difference, the quirk explained. If anything else, Dark Shadow had been able to keep himself together through the whole ordeal. At some point, he must've run out of tears.

Something crackled in his pocket, making Tokoyami's stomach lurch. Then he remembered what had only recently been handed to him. It wasn't a device given to him by those who wished to use him – it was a gift from his class. He hadn't wanted to use it, because he wouldn't know where to start.

Dark Shadow peered carefully over his shoulder. Yaomomo's communicator?

I think it's picking up on a radio signal, Tokoyami guessed, turning it on just to hear what it could possibly be. For a moment, he could hear the overlapping voices of his classmates. Then they became distorted and ultimately drowned out. In their place was a widespread broadcast.

It was Dabi's voice, as cold and earnest as ever.

As Tokoyami listened, he realized he could hear it everywhere. Down below, from broken monitors and screens, from the radios of heroes and upturned cars, came Dabi's laments.

"I am Toya Todoroki. The eldest son of Endeavor. To date, I've killed over 30 innocent people in cold blood. And today, I'd like everyone to know exactly what drove me to such despicable acts."

Everyone… everyone will know now.

He's wanted this for a long time, Tokoyami considered, even as he felt the victorious words weigh him down. He chose this path, not caring about his life. He'd do anything to send a message, even if it meant giving his life. Whatever it takes to bring down a corrupt hero society.

Do you think he's justified?

Tokoyami set his face into a scowl. He could make out more of the battlefield by now. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the small armored form of what could only be Iida, racing out of range of the fight. He held something in his arms – a casualty, perhaps? Who all was supposed to be present here? There were others, too. He could swear he saw Aizawa being guided away from the turmoil at a painfully slow pace. Ideally, the only heroes still left on the field were those still capable of fighting. The easiest ones to make out were Shoto Todoroki and his father, who were the subjects of Dabi's relentless upheaval. Beyond that, there was… just Midoriya, characteristically bloodied and beaten, along with one other student. He felt like he should've recognized the long-haired heroine, but failed to recall where he might've seen her before.

Facing against the heroes, it was far easier to recognize the League that was waiting for him down below. Dabi had naturally positioned himself in the spotlight, his back turned to him. Tokoyami had assumed that nothing about him would've changed in the time since he'd last parted ways. Instead, Dabi's hair was now bright white. Much like his initial name reveal, this didn't come as much of a surprise. When he'd lived with the man before, he'd seen his white roots begin to show through the greasy black hair dye on several occasions.

Beyond Dabi, he could make out the rest of Gigantomachia's passengers. Mr. Compress and Skeptic were present, along with Spinner, who was gently holding onto the limp body of Shigaraki. He thought he'd seen the villainous king in horrible condition before, but right now he looked ready to fall apart entirely. What else could keep him together, but the deep-set rage and ambition that had brought him this far?

But that was it. There were no other familiar people present.

Toga, she… she's not here! Where did she go? Tokoyami wondered fretfully, scouring the ruinous cityscape for any sign of her. I thought when she left that she would at least be kept safe. So why isn't she with the rest of the League?!

Dark Shadow pressed his head between Tokoyami's shoulder blades in a show of support. She probably just decided that this wasn't her fight. Maybe she went off on her own. I'm sure she's safe – this is Toga, after all.

The sounds from the radio waves began to mix and overlap with Dabi's own monologue as they came within reach. Mr. Compress was the first to notice Tokoyami, him being the only one with his attention not entirely diverted, and went so far as to wave him over. Evidently, Dabi must've neglected to tell them anything significant about how they'd parted ways. How typical.

"The past never dies!" Dabi screeched, audible now as Tokoyami drew nearer. "Get it yet?! Y' reap what you sow! So let's tango, you and me – Enji Todoroki! A dance with your son, here in hell!"

Anyone could tell at a glance that this was a deeply personal matter. And yet Tokoyami couldn't help feeling that it was his right to intervene. The vengeful man was intent on burning down the people that had wronged him. And sure, maybe Tokoyami had finally earned a spot on his hit list, if their last confrontation was any indication. But that was all the more reason why he had to get involved.

Then Tokoyami heard a different voice being broadcast. Pre-recorded audio, from a separate encounter.

"The others are waiting for you."

"Yeah… I'll do it!"

A gasp wretched its way from Tokoyami's damaged throat. No, he couldn't be… he's broadcasting Twice's death!

Tokoyami's flying slowed down. Despite how urgent the matter at hand was, he… he couldn't just ignore something like this. Not if this was what everyone was hearing and seeing right now, all across Japan.

"That crying villain who's trying to run away? We did our best to protect him, but Hawks skewered them both, the two people I cared about, without the slightest hesitation."

As if Dabi had been waiting for this moment in the broadcast, he prowled triumphantly across Gigantomachia's back to explain himself to the heroes below. "This is my present to you, Endeavor! See, I did some digging into Hawks, that filthy spy." For Tokoyami, hearing the information come from two sources made his head spin. He couldn't take much more. After all, he wasn't here to help with Dabi's selfish agenda. He turned off the communicator, but just because he turned off one source didn't mean he couldn't hear the other. When Tokoyami crossed the last stretch to reach them, it was with reluctance. "In order to curry favor with us, Hawks even killed a hero… the number 3 hero, in fact. He killed Best Jeanist!"

An uncontainable shudder passed through him as he remembered that night on the roof. Dark Shadow had alerted him about the nighttime meeting between Dabi and Hawks, and when he'd raced to the roof to see what was happening with his own eyes, the Wing Hero was already gone. Rather, it had been Dabi that had shared the details of the encounter with him. That had been the night that Hawks had made his murder – and his loyalties – known. Even then, Dabi had voiced his doubts. But it was hard to disprove a body.

Dark Shadow tightened his hold of Tokoyami, as though afraid he might lose him. Something else is coming through the air! he warned, cutting through Tokoyami's rampant thoughts. Find a place to land – quick!

Tokoyami hesitated. Sure enough, he could hear the sound of an approaching plane over the din of Dabi's ranting. He hadn't actually had time to think of where he was supposed to land. But he knew what he was here for, so he reached the conclusion that there was no point wasting time in approaching the scene with caution.

Tokoyami alighted onto one of the massive ridges lining Gigantomachia's back, his head still reeling. Spinner noticed his presence, and figured he only had seconds before Dabi noticed him as well. It was probably for the best that Dabi didn't get the chance to finish what he was trying to say. If he already hated him for taking Hawks' side, then what was there to lose?

Mr. Compress had started walking towards him with a dip of his hat. Tokoyami almost felt bad taking off on the wings of Black Fallen Angel and soaring right past him. Maybe later he would find the time to have a decent talk with the magician, but that was far from his first priority.

Dabi wasn't done. Rather, he was just getting started. "Thanks for going strong up until now, Endeavor!" And then he readied himself to leap into the fray of damaged and devastated heroes.

"Dabi!" Tokoyami howled, straining his throat. The fire-clad man turned, eyes flaring in surprise and then anger. Then Tokoyami bowled right into him, hitting Dabi off his enormous soapbox and sending them both spiraling through the air.

Dabi screamed in uncontainable outrage. "Tokoyami, what the hell do you think you're doing here?!"

Tokoyami clutched onto his tattered overcoat, desperate to not let go as Dark Shadow's claw-like wings struggled to right themselves in the air. His skin was boiling with heat, and rough hands wreathed in flames shoved him away. What am I doing?! I… I'm just…! "I'm trying to save you!" Tokoyami wheezed, wincing with every scattered blow that reached him.

He thought that Dabi, in all his hatred, might just strangle him on the spot and finish what he'd failed to do back at the PLF villa. He could tear right through the carefully bound bandages and bring ruin with a viciousness that no other enemy had ever shown him. That was what these overflowing emotions were telling him. But if that was Dabi's intent, he never got the chance.

From underneath the fiery villain, Tokoyami could see into the sky. He watched, in amazement, as reinforcements arrived. A plane raced past, directly above them. And a single person jumped out, with no need for a parachute.

Tokoyami didn't recognize the silhouette of the falling hero at first. Rather, it was his quirk that reached them first. Some kind of wire whirled around the hero, coiling like snakes, and in a moment they lashed out towards every villain in sight. These wires constricted the onlooking League members, before swiftly looping their way around even the massive bulk of Gigantomachia. In the span of mere seconds, they were being brought to their knees. Then he could only watch, vulnerable as he was in this precarious position, as the quirk came for him.

Tokoyami briefly let go of Dabi, a moment that left the villain confused. And then realization struck him, about the same time that the constrictive entrapment came for the both of them. The quirk wrapped securely around Dabi several times over, halting his descent mid-air. Then, just as quickly, they jumped to Tokoyami. He unlatched his steel claws without hesitation and swiped wildly at the quirk, horrified at the idea that he'd walked into a fight to help the heroes only to be restrained like a villain yet again.

What he'd first registered to be wires slipped through his claws like nothing. He couldn't even slice through them properly, with how little resistance they had, and in the end they latched onto his arms, tying them together before wrapping around his body. Panic rose in his chest, and as he thrashed against the restraints he could feel the crude stitches in his shoulder begin to unravel.

What is this? What is this?! Tokoyami thought frantically, as scratchy gasps escaped his beak.

Dark Shadow vanished, letting the strings tighten around empty air, before reemerging at his side. It's thread!

"Apologies for the delay!" boomed the voice of the hero as he descended onto the battlefield. Tokoyami lifted his head, finally making sense of who had entered the scene unbeknownst to everyone else. "As of today, Best Jeanist is back on duty!"

His eyes widened in amazement. He was… alive? This whole time, his death had just been another carefully planned detail in Hawks' infiltration of the League. After everything that had happened, the murder of the Number 3 hero hadn't been real – he'd just been lead to believe that, and to think otherwise had never even come up. Tokoyami didn't know whether to be relieved that Hawks wasn't as horribly irredeemable as he'd thought or livid that, once again, he'd withheld such important information. More precisely, he was probably never supposed to know about the details of Best Jeanist's disappearance. But it'd still impacted him. Much like Dabi, he was feeling the effects of this betrayal. In the end, he was just… glad that not every top hero out there was lost.

While Tokoyami calmed his internal turmoil and came to terms with the fact that Best Jeanist was alive and well, Dabi writhed in his restraints, hissing with contempt. "You! You're supposed to be dead! That corpse was real!"

If Tokoyami thought that the hero might actually have a logical explanation for his faked death, then he was sorely mistaken.

"You've overreached, and now you're coming apart at the seams… like cheap, inferior denim!" Best Jeanist declared, tightening his restraints on the League.

Tokoyami sighed inwardly. Leave it to a hero to shout some cheesy line. But at least, while he watched the threads tighten on those around him, he didn't feel such a response from the ones wrapped around him. Not only that, but while the others remained suspended in the air, he had been getting slowly closer to the safety of the ground this whole time. Dark Shadow had been hacking away at the fibers holding him ever since he'd freed himself, but stopped the moment Tokoyami was carefully deposited on the battle-marred earth. The strings carefully unraveled themselves, leaving him standing in a dazed state while, just behind him, those very same strings constricted Gigantomachia with a fierceness never before seen in cloth fibers.

Best Jeanist himself had landed on a suspended bridge composed of his quirk, balancing on the fibers while he focused on his real targets.

He wished right then that he could find time to take a breath. Knowing that the hero wasn't looking to suppress him had been a relief. To not be attacked by a hero seemed like a low bar, but he'd been disappointed too many times to count by now – his expectations were understandable.

Looking up at the web that Jeanist had woven for himself, it looked like he had everything temporarily taken care of. The likes of Spinner and Mr. Compress, at least, would be hard pressed to escape.

Dabi was another matter, however. After all, these were cloth fibers. They'd be rendered useless in seconds.

Knowing this, Tokoyami readied Black Fallen Angel again, and pushed off the ground to meet Dabi face-to-face.

As his foot left the ground, someone else rushed forward, propelled by a pillar of ice. Todoroki, Dabi's apparent younger brother, was prepared to beat him to it. In passing, their eyes locked, and exchanged in that fleeting moment a sense of bewilderment. It were as if they were both quietly begging the question of how they'd gotten involved in this mess.

Above them, Dabi had wreathed himself in flames, yelling all the while: "So what if you're alive?! That doesn't change the hard truths about my family's past! Look at me, Shoto!"

Todoroki, in turn, prepared to launch a fire attack of his own. Tokoyami urged his quirk to go faster, until he was so close to his old classmate that he could feel the warmth of his flames. He wanted to cry out, to stop him from fighting fire with fire. Because he couldn't help thinking about how much that would hurt Dabi. And maybe, just maybe, that was what the villain wanted.

"Stop!" Tokoyami managed to cry, though the target of his plea couldn't possibly have realized what he was trying to say.

Todoroki didn't hesitate.

And neither did Dabi.

He dealt away with the last of restraints and sent his blue flames every which way, deterring anyone with any common sense from approaching him. Tokoyami held up an arm to shield his face from the blast, only to realize that it'd been nothing but a distraction from his real target – that heroine he'd seen before, who'd been using this lapse in momentum to go after Shigaraki.

The light blue pillar of fire hit her dead on, earning a yelp of pain from the unfortunate ally.

Tokoyami didn't have time to be stunned by the act of aggression. He didn't know her. And even if she was out of the fight, a blow like that wouldn't kill her. He knew that firsthand. But from his place in front of him, Todoroki looked on in devastation. "Nooo!" he cried out, frantic to not lose another teammate. "Hado!"

Dabi laughed, a harsh sound torn from his throat, and he jeered at the injury he could inflict so easily upon others. "Check it out, Endeavor! History's repeating itself! I'll burn anyone that gets in my way, even those kids hoping for a bright future!" When he made this declaration, he sounded thrilled by the idea, even allowing a smile to slip onto his face. He was about to send out another wave of concentrated fire, this time aimed right for his little brother. Then he caught sight of Tokoyami, rising up in front of Todoroki, and his twisted elation slipped.

"Maybe you didn't get the memo, Bird. This… is a family matter!"

Tokoyami stretched his wings out to each side, stopping just shy of tackling into Dabi this time. "I just want to ta—!" Perhaps he'd acted too hastily, though, because Todoroki collided into his back, sending him hurtling forward the rest of the way.

Dabi had his flames, growing hotter, ever hotter, around his right hand. For a second, Tokoyami imagined just how much that would hurt when it hit him full-force. After all, he'd made the horrible decision of coming here not long after Dabi had promised to kill him next time they met, and Dabi looked murderous enough to go through with it.

So imagine Tokoyami's surprise when, instead of the perfectly positioned Hellfire Fist, it was Dabi's other hand that reached him. Much like before, it felt like heated metal grabbing onto the front of his shirt, but the only flames accompanying it were the ones of anger he couldn't restrain. Dabi pulled him forward, holding his haggard body like a shield in front of Todoroki.

"It doesn't involve you!" Dabi insisted, desperation beginning to creep into his voice.

Tokoyami was left dumbfounded, staring in alarm at his attack and wondering when it'd come crashing into him. But that was all Dabi had in store for him before flinging him aside like a troublesome piece of trash.

Tokoyami didn't see what happened after that. He could feel the heat of Dabi's fire going off, but it didn't reach him. Instead, Tokoyami hit the ground – hard – sending up a cloud of dirt as the fight continued not far above between the two brothers. The breath left his lungs, and his vision went white as a spark of pain erupted in his shoulder. Tokoyami coughed – once, twice – and struggled on the ground for all he was worth. All the energy he'd accumulated during his flight here was swiftly leaving him, much to his dismay. If he'd taken that other attack just then, he had no doubt that he'd be left in as useless a state as Hawks was in now. Dabi could very well deliver on his promise to kill him at any moment. But he hadn't.

From under his cloak, Dark Shadow tugged at his arm and wiggled his way beneath him – anything to get him back on his feet. But he understood his quirk's limitations; it was difficult to maneuver under the light of the fire fight roaring to life above them.

Tokoyami thought he must truly be losing his senses, for the ground felt like it was about to give out from under him as he struggled to his hands and knees. Instead, it was the overwhelming threat of Gigantomachia roaring back to life and breaking free of his restraints that shook the foundation of the battlefield. Tokoyami staggered, searching the area for wherever Shigaraki and Spinner had gone. If that gargantuan weapon was reacting like this, then Shigaraki must've been able to send out a command. If he was around here, then Tokoyami needed to find him. Anything to change the tides of battle. It was hard to see anything through the inferno of bright orange and harsh blue – almost white – flames scorching the very air he struggled to breathe.

A haggard shadow fell in next to him, and a shaky hand appeared at his side. In this pathetic condition, he must've really looked like he needed help.

"Tokoyami… you made it back!"

Tokoyami accepted the outstretched hand and looked up into the grim, blood-splattered face of Midoriya. His old classmate had crawled over to him, unable to do much else with everyone else fighting for their lives. He felt his stomach twist into knots. There'd been… some miscommunication last time they'd fought a common enemy, but ultimately had overcome that and worked together to defeat Overhaul. That'd been so long ago, and just by looking at each other they could tell that so much had changed, more than could ever be properly shared. But right now they understood that, regardless of their fleeting strength, they still had to fight.

Even though Midoriya had made it to his side and wanted to offer his help, there wasn't much he could do. The hero couldn't even stand properly. Dark Shadow extended one claw to each boy, gently bringing them back to their feet, whereupon their legs trembled like newborn deer. Then the quirk wrapped his claws around Tokoyami's midriff to carry him again. With all the blazing fire, it'd be difficult to fly, but he had to push past it if he was going to get through to Dabi. Because despite the fiery villain's wrath and need for vengeance, he could still feel that the person who trained him and maybe even cared about him was still in there.

"You look wretched," Tokoyami wheezed to Midoriya, his smoke-choked throat breaking out into a fit of coughs that made his ribcage ache. He wasn't one to talk, but that was fine. "Can you still fight?"

Midoriya looked like he'd successfully broken every bone in his body for the umpteenth time. How he was still standing was a mystery. Furthermore, it didn't look like he was capable of firing off anymore big attacks. However, strange black ropes of energy seemed to hang off of him. That was new. More than anything, he looked desperate, and when Tokoyami followed his concerned line of sight, he saw that it was firmly set on Shoto Todoroki, who was still locked in hellish combat.

"Everyone's suffering right now. Nobody's been saved," Midoriya explained glumly. Tokoyami regarded him with shock, not expecting to hear such a pessimistic outlook from the ambitious hero-in-training he'd known before. "I still… need to keep fighting! Todoroki needs me. Bakugou's already given everything to save me. And… if I don't cover Best Jeanist, then everything could be lost!"

The eardrum-shattering roar of Gigantomachia forced its way through the ominous thoughts. Tokoyami gripped Midoriya's shoulder. "I'm… I'm here to help Todoroki! I won't let Dabi kill him," he explained, as close to the truth as he was willing to get. "I'm not done here, so if you can do anything to back up Jeanist, then go!"

Midoriya looked torn. Maybe it wasn't the best idea to send out somebody who could drop in defeat at any second, but Midoriya was the kind of person who couldn't be stopped, even when faced with the threat of death. At least if he was fighting with the others, he wouldn't get caught up in the ongoing firefight. Tokoyami just hoped he was convincing enough to get the hero to leave this to him.

He must've been, because Midoriya gave a firm nod. Despite the hardships he must've endured, his eyes still reflected a certain degree of kindness. Tokoyami knew that Todoroki was an important friend to Midoriya, and he didn't want anything bad to happen to him. Especially not when something had already befallen Bakugou within the same fight. It was a relief when Midoriya instilled in him the trust that he could help here, where maybe nobody else could.

A black whip coiled around Midoriya, and with a flick of his head he pulled himself towards the fighting surrounding Best Jeanist. Whether he not he'd be able to do anything in his condition had yet to be determined. Tokoyami, at least, had been tasked with aiding in the duel between fire-users. A truly unfortunate outcome, but it was what he'd wanted most.

Above him, the brothers were grappling face-to face, their flames intermingling. As Tokoyami urged his quirk to get him closer, the heat was unimaginable. His feathers were beginning to catch fire again, and his breathing became difficult once again. When he'd been cast aside, Dabi had gone right back to turning his attention to Todoroki. If he could intervene again, then maybe something could still be done to break up the fight before they scorched each other to ashes.

Nevertheless, it was hard to ignore just how intense their conversation had become.

"You really sent those villains our way, didn't you?!" Todoroki accused with another flash of fire. "One of them almost killed Natsu! Remember him? The brother you cried to every day?!"

It was difficult, even now, to imagine Dabi crying. But he recalled, long ago, him mentioning something about a family member he trusted – maybe the only one. If he'd tried to kill someone like that, it was easy to imagine that Dabi held no consideration for others whatsoever.

"Almost killed? I wasn't aware," Dabi sneered. "I bet that would've really hurt Endeavor, though!"

"Are you freaking insane?!" Todoroki yelled, alight with rage.

Dabi's cool response almost came too easily, like he'd been waiting for such an accusation. "Sure am, Shoto. See, your big brother's not so big on feelings anymore."

"Liar!" Tokoyami howled over the crackle of flames, feeling a flash of white-hot anger ignite within him. Was this the kind of sensation that motivated Dabi to keep going? He couldn't stomach this blatant disregard any longer. "You do have feelings, Dabi! I know it because I've seen you every damn day, trying so hard not to care when you actually do. So don't pretend I'm not here…!"

It was only for a second, but Dabi acknowledged him – no doubt to regret not properly shutting him up sooner. It was in that fleeting span of time that Todoroki managed to knock him back and create space between them. Todoroki dropped down not far from him, finding stability on the solid ground. Dabi had spent a lot of time trialing his flying abilities with him, so he could stay in the air as long as his flames were there to fuel him.

Tokoyami drifted over to Todoroki's side, showing them both whose side he'd be fighting on. Todoroki looked to him with a clouded expression. "Toya, he…"

I don't know Toya.

Above them, Dabi had begun ranting again. "Now that I'm here, I can at least kill you, Shoto! And anyone that gets in my way, do you hear me?!"

Tokoyami dipped his beak next to Todoroki's head. "He won't actually kill me," he whispered hoarsely. Todoroki gave him an exasperated look, dubious of his claim. No doubt he could see just how many burns adorned him, including the most recent ones peeking out from the bandages around his neck. "He's already tried. I don't think he has the heart to go through with it." Tokoyami couldn't possibly explain the extent of his history with the fiery villain in that brief moment, but Todoroki seemed to understand.

"How dare you try and stop me again," Dabi growled, finally dropping down on the ground to meet them. "I really thought you might learn something for once!"

"On the contrary, you taught me everything I know!" Tokoyami shot back without hesitation.

Dabi roared in frustration, feeling the comment hit a bit too close to home, and wasted no more time in channeling a great inferno towards the two of them. As opposed to the last time Dabi had fired off such a massive attack, it wasn't dead set on a specific target. Tokoyami saw it coming and dodged to the side, grabbing Todoroki along the way and dragging him out of the vortex's reach. Dark Shadow pulled their weight at the same time, and the fire passed by them almost harmlessly. Even still, his lungs probably wouldn't be able to take much more of this, and Todoroki could tell.

Dabi rushed forward to close the gap between them, only for Todoroki to raise up a great wall of ice between them. Dabi had more than enough experience handling ice, so he knew it wouldn't last long. Tokoyami took the moment to gasp for air and lean his blistered head graciously against the cold surface.

With Dabi temporarily inconvenienced, Tokoyami did a quick scan of the rest of the battlefield. Gigantomachia had been restrained again, but dark, sinewy enemies had arrived on the scene to finish off the heroes trying to hold down Shigaraki and his cohort.

Nomu. Lots of them.

Tokoyami instinctively staggered in their direction. He's fought them enough times before that he knew he could do it again. But he'd sworn to stay by Todoroki's side in the hope of quelling the flames between the brothers. Midoriya was already over there, as was the girl from before, Hado. They both looked to be in no condition to fight. If those nomu succeeded in overtaking Best Jeanist, then how were they supposed to see this through to the end?

"POWER!"

A triumphant battle cry like no other entered the field, heralding the arrival of some much needed help.

"Lemillion!" Tokoyami called out, feeling a rush of elation. He was here! That hero that had fought alongside him to save Eri! That hero… that hero had given everything so that Tokoyami and Eri could escape the yakuza hell. And in return, he thought that Lemillion had suffered the greatest lost by taking a quirk erasing bullet for him. If not for his sacrifice, Tokoyami would've been without Dark Shadow. And what kind of life would that have been?

But he was here now, that shining beacon of hope from months ago. It was like nothing at all had changed. How his quirk had come back, he didn't know. He was just grateful that the hero had returned in the nick of time.

Nevertheless, the amount of nomu that had arrived outnumbered even the likes of him. As Lemillion emerged on to the playing field, planting one blow after the next while flitting through the ground and defending Best Jeanist, his limitations were becoming quickly known.

Then a string of explosions ruptured the air, followed by a rush of wind, and Bakugou and Iida made their return to the field as well. Everyone, regardless of the injuries sustained up till now, were fighting with everything they had. Just as Midoriya had left the fight amongst Todorokis to him, so too could he trust that they could handle themselves on the other side of the field.

Just in time, too, because the lull in the fiery fight had reached its end. The wall of ice melted at its center, giving way under Dabi's ruthless assault, and a burned hand broke through the wall, quickly latching onto Todoroki's shoulder in an intense blaze of blue. Todoroki was pulled through, with the ice breaking apart altogether, and Tokoyami reached out desperately. He missed his chance as Dabi tried to drag Todoroki back into the air, where he'd have the upper hand.

Tokoyami took off after him on tattered wings of shadow, each blast of fire to come off the brothers chipping away at his quirk. Dabi clutched onto Todoroki, taking him higher off the ground in a swirl of white flames, as if he wouldn't let go until they were both reduced to nothing.

"Dabi, no!" Tokoyami choked. He didn't think his words could reach him with the fire separating them. It was infuriating, too, because he'd been right there, and Tokoyami had been too slow to stop it.

"Everyone's having a blast down there, aren't they?" Dabi growled, his teeth clenched in determination as he struggled to keep Todoroki from escaping his grasp. It was a frightening exchange, seeing the kind of strength Dabi was capable of. "Poor Shoto… no fun for you, just pain!"

"But… you're burning up too!" Todoroki gasped, writhing in his grasp.

Tokoyami's wings couldn't bring him through the wall of fire. Every attempt to break through eviscerated his shadows, causing him to fall back before reforming them and trying again. Broken screams left his ruined throat, and even those were incapable of reaching him. He cursed his weakness with every painful breath he breathed. Had Dabi not taught him to overcome such hurdles?

"What does it matter?" Dabi challenged, blazing brighter still like a star getting ready to burn out. "Seriously, it's great that you were given a bright future to look forward to. You don't have to worry about me, though, because this is everything I could ever want! Just look at his face – " Dabi snarled, jerking his head down towards the ground, where Endeavor had been watching, unable and perhaps unwilling to intervene throughout the whole ordeal. Tokoyami admittedly didn't know much about the hero, nor did he know what struggles he'd faced before the start of this fight, but he couldn't help feeling disappointed by his lack of action where it mattered most. "The guy's about to watch his puppet masterpiece burn up and die in the fire of his failed experiment, and he can't do anything!"

Tokoyami circled the sphere of fire enveloping them. There was no way to bring his wings through it, and he didn't have to guess at just how intense the eye of that fiery storm was. Dark Shadow, take me right above them.

Are you sure?!

Tokoyami didn't respond, but the quirk did as instructed. Then, when they were positioned right below him, he had Dark Shadow retreat back under his cloak. Shadows protected his body as much as possible as he hurtled through the layers of flame – right on top of Dabi.

"Dabi, what the hell are you saying?!" Tokoyami gasped, dropping down on top of his shoulders and clinging on with everything he was worth. His body was numb with pain, and he squeezed his eyes shut tight to the blinding flames.

"Let go of me, you flying rat!" Dabi shrieked, swinging around in the air. "Why can't you ever fucking leave me alone?!"

"Because… you deserve help! I owe that to you!" Tokoyami gasped. If he could stay there forever, explaining to Dabi that his life was worth living, then he would've. But time was always too short, and his words were far too limited to say everything that lay heavy on his mind.

"I put you through hell!" Dabi insisted, writhing in his grasp. Todoroki escaped his grasp, prompting another flare of heat that battered Tokoyami with ruthless abandon as the villain mourned his loss. "I put you through my flames time and again. You should hate me! With every fiber of your being, you should wish for my death! I'm a villain – a killer – and knowing me will only bring pain!"

Tokoyami buried his beak into Dabi's back. He couldn't breathe. There was no more oxygen, and he'd already said as much as he could. Dark Shadow couldn't help him here, either, despite the amount of training they'd done to withstand those blue flames. All he could do was cling on desperately, even going so far as to cling on with those steel claws of his. They dug easily into Dabi's deeply burned flesh.

"Toya, you're killing him!" Todoroki yelled, throwing himself back into the fray.

He is?

The white flames began to ebb, as if this information had come as equally surprising to Dabi, and with it Tokoyami felt his head become weightless. He'd tried, but in the end he couldn't hang on, not even to save his own life, and he felt himself begin to fall. Dark Shadow didn't have the strength to respond fast enough, either, so he felt himself begin to fall. How nostalgic, it seemed. Last time he'd felt this sensation, it'd been Dabi that had called out to him, telling him to fly. Now all was quiet.

Todoroki caught him instead, launching himself on a pillar of ice to meet him. Despite the heat of combat, the hands that reached him were gentle – one cool to the touch, the other nothing more than a mild warmth – as they wrapped around his torso and brought him back to the ground in a safe landing.

Behind them, a separate blast of fire went off, the result of Endeavor finally entering the fight against Gigantomachia. If Tokoyami had to guess, he probably couldn't bring himself to fight his son, but at least he could still prove useless in other ways. Either way, he couldn't imagine this fight lasting much longer – for both sides.

Specks of blood splattered into the earth, welling from the scratches that Tokoyami had left in Dabi's collarbone.

"If you're really a hero, Shoto, then you'll defend even someone like Tokoyami!" Dabi crowed, raising his clenched hand. "So how about this? Flashfire Fist!"

Todoroki situated himself between Tokoyami and Dabi, sheltering him from the blast, and raised his fist for an attack of his own. He cried his brother's name, the name that belonged to someone who was already dead, and tried to fight back.

The fires were overwhelming. Tokoyami covered his head and as much of his body as he could with the flame-retardant cloak. Above him, Todoroki protected him as best he could, but even from under his meager protection he could tell it was a losing battle.

The heat finished washing over him, a lull between attacks, and Tokoyami peered out to see what had happened. Todoroki had dropped to his knees before him, energy spent and body scorched. He'd done everything in his power to keep Dabi's flames from reaching him – just as Dabi had anticipated.

Dabi was saying something, but it was hard to make out what it was. His head was swimming with smoke and exhaustion. If he couldn't stop Dabi here, then it was difficult to imagine that anything more could be done.

And yet he'd stopped. At least for now.

Currently, the most activity on the battlefield came from a truly unexpected sight. For starters, Gigantomachia had been broken free of his fiber restraints, though he moved sluggishly and wouldn't be much of an opponent for very long. More importantly, though, Mr. Compress was darting towards Dabi with remarkable speed for someone who was heavily injured.

"To me, Dabi!" The magician declared, reaching towards the battle-weary fire user. Dabi let it happen, getting plucked from the air in the form of a small, inconspicuous marble. There might've even been a look of relief on his stapled face before his teammate had given him a way out.

Mr. Compress, meanwhile, looked to be in a truly unthinkable condition. Tokoyami had seen the older man get put through the wringer before, sustaining injury and fighting uneven battles. But now he was sprinting across the ground, leaving a trail of blood in his wake. His clothes had been torn from him in the struggle against Best Jeanist, leaving him with only some horribly tattered pants, and he was missing an alarmingly big chunk of flesh from his right side.

He clutched Dabi's marble with a flourish, and cast aside his mask, whereupon blood began to spill from his mouth. And yet he looked victorious, refusing to be deterred by the heroes chasing after him. Tokoyami realized that he could see no sign of Shigaraki or Spinner. With one more member of the League in Mr. Compress' grasp, he pushed on to the last, circling around Tokoyami and looking for an opening.

Tokoyami found his breath and turned to gauge Todoroki's condition. The number of active players on the field continued to dwindle.

"Todoroki… are you okay?" Dark Shadow asked hoarsely, peering out from under the cloak. Residual flames died down around them, but his old classmate didn't move. His mouth was set in a thin line, and his arms trembled. He was breathing just fine, but the fight had left him… troubled, to say the least.

Tokoyami wished he could support him in some way, but this chapter of the fight had ended, and he was still needed elsewhere.

With glum determination, Tokoyami asked that his quirk drag him away from the charred battlefield. Maybe he could intercept Mr. Compress and… then what? What's the answer here?

Dark Shadow dragged Tokoyami to a small, rocky outcropping that stood out amongst the destruction.

"I am Harima's great-great-grandson!" Mr. Compress declared, eluding the hero – it's Lemillion! – who was hot on his heels. Tokoyami had never heard an outburst so filled with pride come from the mysterious man. "The Bandit King's blood flows through me!" And all over the ground. "What's that, you say? You barely noticed me?! All part of the act! It's all for that ta-da moment… that the true trick is saved till the end!"

He was certain that Mr. Compress had been waiting on him, as if he had an important role to play during this momentous occasion. The magician was racing towards him – every time Lemillion slipped through the earth and sprang out to intercept him, he reacted swiftly, dodging to the side.

"Tsukuyomi!" Lemillion called out. "If you can move, help me! He's got Shigaraki, we can't let him escape!"

Tokoyami felt a rush of red-hot guilt burn through him. He knew he wouldn't be able to answer the hero's call to action. He just couldn't.

Mr. Compress and Lemillion rushed past him. Tokoyami kept his eyes trained down, incapable of meeting either one of them. And just as quickly, they were gone, continuing the dangerous chase for as long as they both had the strength to run.

Clink!

Two marbles rolled out from where Mr. Compress had discreetly cast it aside. A master of trickery, indeed. Lemillion hadn't noticed the sleight of hand, continuing his pursuit as it left Tokoyami behind.

All the while, Mr. Compress kept all attention trained on him. "The curtain rises on the first and final escape artist performance… of Mr. Compress!"

Tokoyami's hand hovered over the precious marbles. Without a doubt, this was the League that'd been left in his hands. Just what had that madman been thinking?

One marble came undone, and for a moment Tokoyami was so scared to face Dabi again.

Instead, Spinner and Shigaraki popped out onto the ground. Spinner was clinging onto their leader desperately, as if he never wanted to let go.

Spinner took stock of the situation quickly, knowing they were on borrowed time. He quickly identified the other marble, pocketing it without hesitation. His hands were shaking, and with a start Tokoyami realized that Spinner was reaching into Shigaraki's pant-leg pocket. From it, he pulled out a twisted lump of severed flesh. A dismembered hand.

Spinner looked to Tokoyami apologetically. "He… he won't wake up. But if he can feel the rage he gets from wearing these things, he'll be able to do something, right?"

Tokoyami felt his heart seize in his chest. No, that's not the way!

Dark Shadow came to his side, shouldering past Spinner so that Tokoyami could reach Shigaraki instead. Not knowing if he would ever be able to make a single damn difference, Tokoyami gripped onto Shigaraki and began to shake the unconscious body.

No longer able to speak loud enough to be heard, Tokoyami screamed his thoughts in his head and left Dark Shadow to cry them out in his stead.

"Shigaraki, wake up! What are you doing at a time like this? Why are you still fighting?!" Beside them, Spinner had stopped trying to intervene, stunned into silence. He lowered the dismembered hand that he'd been ready to place on Shigaraki's face. "Twice is dead! Toga's gone! Dabi's going to get himself killed and Compress is bleeding out! Don't you even care about what happens to the League? They're your friends – get them out of here!"

It occurred to Tokoyami that this was probably a massive betrayal to the heroes. And yet… and yet… he couldn't just watch this band of misfits fall to ruin. At his core, he felt like this was the right thing to do, and he couldn't explain why.

Shigaraki's vivid red eyes opened to dangerous slits, and Tokoyami flinched at the sudden sensation of danger that filled the air. What is this intensity?

Shigaraki's voice was cold and slow. But it was definitely him, despite everything that he'd undergone. "My… friends," he hissed, the word unfamiliar in his mouth. "Where are they?"

Spinner piped up beside him, face awash with relief. "We're right here, Shigaraki! We came as fast as we could, but those heroes have us cornered now! Can you do anything?!"

Shigaraki rose slowly from the ground, standing over them as he surveyed the battlefield and the mess unleashed upon it. "The nomu… I can't control them. But Master can." He turned his calculating gaze to Tokoyami, and with sinister intent reached his hand out to him.

Tokoyami felt his hopes sink. It'd taken the last of his quirk's strength just to drag his damaged body over to Shigaraki's side. There was nothing he could do to defend himself.

Spinner straightened up quickly, his loyalties to both Shigaraki and Tokoyami hanging in the balance. "Shigaraki, wait! Maybe you shouldn't –"

"It's alright," he assured. He placed his hand on Tokoyami's shoulder, every finger brushing against him, and he appraised the mess of blood and bandages solemnly before speaking again. "My Master. He's in my every thought, telling me what to do. He wants you with us."

Tokoyami shook his head, eyes wide with horror, and Dark Shadow answered for them in a scared, squeaky voice. "I… we… can't go with you. Please… not again. We have to go home. You understand, don't you?"

Shigaraki withdrew his hand with a weary sigh. "In that case, I won't let him take you."

Then his body sagged, and Spinner lurched up to support him in the moment of vulnerability. He hadn't said anything else, but all around him the gathered nomu raised their heads, as if in response to some unspoken command. A great heaviness spread out over the area, crumbling every remaining rock and pebble to dust and flattening the very earth.

A new voice rang out, using Shigaraki's own vocal cords to send out one last message as the nomu began to swarm around them. "Seems as though he's found himself some truly decent allies. Heart is power, and the more fiercely he embraces that source in his heart, the more it will allow me to prosp…er." The words began to feel forced, as if they couldn't flow as easily as the man in control had hoped. Shigaraki's fingers twitched in agitation; Tokoyami couldn't tell who was getting annoyed from within that body. Hell, he had little idea what was going on at all. But he thought back to a conversation he'd had with the Doctor back in his lab. This must be the end result of that training.

An uncharacteristic sneer pulled its way across Shigaraki's face. "For some reason, I can't seem to take you with us, young Fumikage Tokoyami. I guess he's decided that your time with the villains has reached an end. How aggravating. I'll have to… teach him a lesson!"

Nomu rushed past Tokoyami, ignoring him entirely as they fought back the heroes and turned their attention to ensuring Shigaraki's escape. One of the dark beasts picked up the villainous leader and bolted with the rest of the herd. Then another grabbed Spinner, intending to spirit him away, along with the encapsulated Dabi.

"Spinner! Everyone, wait!" Dark Shadow cawed, darting out to where they were retreating. It was the first time his quirk had left his side since they'd arrived at this place.

Spinner reached back over the nomu's shoulder, his voice reaching Tokoyami. "Tokoyami, this isn't good-bye! I'll… I'll find you again!" Something fluttered out from Spinner, and Tokoyami watched his quirk grab hold of it before slowing to a stop.

The heroes cried out at the turn of events.

"Dabi's with them, too!"

"Don't let them get away!"

But they could only move so fast. The only one to come close, incredibly enough, was Midoriya, who drew himself close to Shigaraki through the use of that tendril-like quirk.

And then he was thrown aside, where he hit the ground and joined the ranks of so many other heroes that couldn't get up anymore. The nomu continued their escape with the villains in tow, virtually leaving everybody else in the dust.

Dark Shadow came back to him. In his claws he held a red scarf, the very one that Spinner had always worn. It must've come undone during their escape.

Surveying the emptied battlefield, Tokoyami could see just how much damage had been done. Midoriya, Bakugou, and Todoroki were all downed. Iida and Hado had raced after the nomu as best they could, but the beasts had outmatched them in strength and vitality.

Lemillion, meanwhile, had finally caught up to Mr. Compress. He had the injured magician pinned down. It seemed the nomu hadn't even tried to rescue the man who'd given his all to protect them. This… must be part of that "lesson" that Shigaraki's master is trying to leach him… he thought gravely, wondering just what consequences would come his way. Compress, you damn old fool, you were supposed to be the sensible one. Is this how you thought it would end, so long ago when you first captured me?

It was over. There could be no other explanation. The villains were gone, and Tokoyami felt their absence like a thorn of guilt that wouldn't leave him alone. Sooner or later, he'd have to answer for his actions here today. But right now, he wanted nothing more than to close his eyes and lay down on the broken earth. After so many months of living amongst villains… finally… finally… he was back with the heroes.