Chapter 40

A Gift.

Aizawa-Sensei had brought me to the hero association headquarters, but he hadn't told me why. He bought me some new clothes and shoes. He had me dress up all nice. So nice that even a few guys tried to talk to me. Something that Aizawai-Sensei did not like at all. We rode the train the entire way here. It might sound a little childish, but I was excited. It was my first time on a train. I had been here for a little while now, but there were still so many things that I hadn't done yet. At least I could cross a train ride off of my list of a million things. I played with the bracelet on my wrist.

"Yami," he called.

I speed-walked across the lobby over to him. I was eager to see what we were doing here.

"This way."

He led me into a different room on the first floor. It was pitch black, and dead silent. He closed the door behind him. Suddenly the lights clicked on.

"CONGRATULATIONS!"

I jumped back, bumping into Aizawa-Sensei, nearly having a heart attack. My hand was on my chest, trying to calm my pounding heart. Everyone from the class was there, and the heroes were as well.

"Congratulations? For what?"

Principal Nezu walked over to me. "On becoming a hero."

I blinked a few times. "Not sure that I had heard right. I'm what?" I asked in disbelief.

He smiled. "A hero," he said, holding something out to me.

I took it from him, looking at it. I couldn't believe my eyes. It was my hero license. I could feel the tears about to hit.

"I thought I had to take a test?" I said getting choked up.

Aizawa-Sensei set his hand on my shoulder. "You have more than proved yourself, Yami."

I was crying now. "Thank you, everyone," I said, rubbing my eyes.

"Chin up, you deserve it!"

My head snapped up, searching for her until I found her.

"Mirko?"

I took a step towards her, stopping in my tracks. I saw her arm and leg. She had prosthetics attached to them. I could feel myself getting choked up again. She walked over to me, stopping a few inches away from me.

"I'm sorry," I whispered. "I should have been there," I said resting my forehead on her arm. "I could have stopped this from happening. I could have saved you."

She tilted my head upward, making me look at her.

She smiled, giving me a hug. "Don't sweat it. I look much better like this anyway. You have nothing to apologize for. You saved me Yami. You stopped that building from caving in on me. So, you did save me Yami. I am here thanks to you. That is more than anyone else could have done. Besides, I think these are an upgrade always. So, smile, and celebrate. Today is a good day." she said smacking me on the back.

I tucked my license into my pocket, whipping my eyes again.

I was practically beaming. "You're right, let's-."

Everything was moving in slow motion. There was this high-pitched ringing in my ears. Was that… an explosion. I couldn't see straight, let alone stand up straight. I tried to stand but instantly fell to my knees. My vision was still a bit blurry. I could feel something wet dripping on my leg. I touched my head. Bringing my fingers close to my face. Was that blood? Was it my blood? I could hear faint screaming. It was coming from all around me. I slowly looked up, and there was a hole in the ceiling. I could feel someone touching my shoulders.

"Yami?! YAMI!"

"Aizawa-Sensei?" I said, my word slurring.

He was all dirty, covered in dust, and scratched up.

"Can you hear me? Are you alright?"

"I feel dizzy."

My vision was starting to clear. We were surrounded by rubble. Large debris all over sat in what looked like puddles of blood… people had been crushed. There was a good chance someone I knew was lying dead under there. The realization slowly crept up on me. My heart rate picked up. I was breathing too fast and I couldn't stop. I felt Aizawa-Sensei's hold on my shoulders tightens.

"Yami, Listen to me. You need to focus. I need to get you and everyone out of here."

He pulled me close and rubbed circles on my back. Telling me that it was okay, that I should calm down. Eventually, I managed to slow down my breathing. He helped me to my feet and I could hear the sirens in the distance. I rock fell to the right of me. Mirko came climbing out. I felt relieved that she wasn't one of the smooshed bodies under the rubble. She was covered in dust, but besides that, she seemed to be fine. She ran over to us, taking a closer look at me.

"What the hell was that Eraser-Head?"

"I'm not sure. Hopefully, we can find out." He said, leading us out of the building. "We need to get this area on lockdown. Mirko I need you to make sure she stays put," he said heading off.

Mirko helped me over to the ambulance and sat me down. The EMT was taking a look at my head. I felt strangely calm again. Was this what shock felt like?

I could see the look in Mirko's eyes. She was used to seeing this kind of stuff. She most likely felt bad for me. My mind kept drifting to the crushed bodies under the rubber. Was it a student? A hero? Why did all of this happen?

"Some people are dead inside," I said quietly.

The look in her eyes became even sadder. "I know," she whispered.

She set her hand on mine and gave it a slight squeeze.

"What if it was one of my friends?"

She didn't answer me. I guess she didn't have an answer.

"How is she?" she asked the EMT.

"Slightly concussed, with a mild head wound, but that is all. She will be fine. The shock should wear off in a few hours." he said.

He placed a bandage on my head, checking my pupils one more time. I watched everything just roll by slowly. They tended to the injured people and carted out dead bodies. I made sure to make note of everyone who came out of that building. Counting everyone I knew, dreading the moment I would notice that someone was missing. I had double-checked, and triple-checked. Everyone I knew and cared about was outside. Had I missed someone? Aizawa-Sensei came running back over to us. He looked me in the eyes and I tensed up.

"It was the staff… under those boulders you saw."

I let out a breath I didn't know that I was holding. Did that make me a bad person? That I was relieved that it was them and not my friends. I still felt a little fuzzy. Like I was just floating like I didn't really exist. I looked past Mirko and Aizawa-Sensei. A strange man came walking up to us. He was holding out a phone to me. His eyes were dead, and his face was expressionless. We all looked at him strangely.

"For you miss."

I took the phone before either of them had a chance to push him away, or protest. He stepped a few feet away from us.

"Hello," I said

"Hello Yami, did you like the gift I left for you?"

My chest tightened. I knew this voice. I would know it anywhere.

"Shigaraki… you did this."

He cackled. "I had to get you a special gift for your special day. It is not every day that you become a hero. It is surprisingly easy to find out things like the details for a private party."

"I am going to kill you," I said quietly and calmly.

He laughed again. "Now Yami, you couldn't do it the first time. You surely won't be able to do it now."

I was too calm. "You've gone too far."

"No! You are the one who has gone too far Yami. You took what is mine and now I have to return the favor. I will take everything that you hold dear to you. This is only the beginning."

There was that voice in the back of my head again. Telling me all of the terrible things that I should do to him. Only this I was agreeing with the voice. I wanted to do those things to him. I wanted him in pain. I wanted him to feel what he has done to everyone else.

"I'll be seeing you Yami. Oh, one more thing. Enjoy your second gift." He said hanging up.

I looked up. The man with the dead eyes, opened up his coat revealing a bomb. I acted as quickly as I could. I pushed past the two of them and grabbed him, flying up and throwing him further. He detonated the bomb. The blowback knocked me back. I was free falling… until everything faded to black.