Chapter 35: From Yesterday
"The timeless in you is aware of life's timelessness. And knows that yesterday is but today's memory and tomorrow is today's dream."
― Khalil Gibran, The Prophet
Izuku
Everything around him starts to slow down, Eri's hiccupped cries into Ochako's chest, Katsuki's sharp curse and yell for him to get out of the way…
And Ochako, Ochako's hand reaching for him trying to pull him back while Chisaki thrusts a hand forward, gold orbs wild with anger.
"You'll regret trying to cross me, all of you. This is what happens when you try to play hero!" He sneers, disassembling the walls ready to trap them in.
'Twist his arms!'
Infliction activates a second too late.
Because even though his arms turn in mangled, disjointed angles it still doesn't stop the floors and ceiling from beginning to collapse upon them, Katsuki blasting through a wall roughly pushing Eri and Ochako out.
Izuku grits his teeth glancing to them all, Katsuki is already overdoing it he knows and this fight hasn't even truly started yet.
"Rookie mistake Midoriya! You shouldn't ever lose focus of your opponent! Just because you screwed up my arms temporarily doesn't mean I still can't fight!" Chisaki laughs chillingly despite the pain, cracking the bones of his arms back into place.
Just one finger is all he needs to scrape against him, he can't be sure though if Izuku healing himself can counteract the effects of his quirk's power.
"I'm not letting you hurt or abuse Eri any longer!" Izuku snaps, emerald eyes glowing to life once more.
A little break or twist of his hands or arms won't be enough, will never be enough for someone with such a powerful quirk.
He has to match his maliciousness; his cruelty.
So he decides on the body part that he knows will slow him down even if for just the few more minutes they need...
His spine.
Chisaki's eyes widen as soon as it takes effect, teeth clenching in true pain.
He drops to the floor, knees crackling.
"You'll pay for this, you can only run for so long before I-"
Izuku doesn't bother to wait for what else he'll say, following the manmade path Katsuki created.
'Have they gotten far away enough?'
He can only hope so, gathering energy into his feet to push himself off a piece of broken tile and wood. A hand curls around his leg before he can fully get away, slamming him back down into a pile of glass and splintered wood.
"I told you, you're not escaping. No matter how good that quirk of yours is, you won't be able to heal yourself in time before I crush your limbs one by one." Chisaki sneers, gold eyes swirling a violent red.
He follows his gaze down to his leg, to his skin boiling hot and breaking down into nothing...
"GET AWAY FROM HIM!"
Izuku twists in time to see Eri and Ochako rushing back towards them, Eri's horn glowing brightly in the dark like a beacon. Chisaki's glare turns to them as well, moving to stand as Infliction's hold weakens.
"Oh good; you came back to Papa Eri. Though you'll have to be punished for running away like that." He promises.
Eri bites her lip, avoiding his gaze as her hand brushes quickly against his shoulder while Ochako's reaches his opposite lifting them all up.
"She didn't come back for you!" Ochako hisses as he gets pushed back into a pile of debris, shoulder Eri touched shrinking in size.
Slowly becoming that of a child's.
"You bitch, I'll crush your head in until your unrecognizable!" Chisaki yells before his voice is swallowed by a swath of metal and wood piping and floorboards.
'Have to protect them, get them away from here.' Izuku pushes himself, wrapping an arm around Ochako and Eri.
His head throbs, revolting from the movement.
He's completely unsteady on his feet, even as Eri reverts it back.
'Come on, there's no more time to waste!' He grits his teeth.
Nausea bites on his tongue but he feels the spark of energy return to use One for All, kicking them up and backwards with his legs straight into the main dining area once more.
Katsuki's flame glows in the corner of his vision, face too blurry to make out.
"Izuku, stay with us!" Ochako's voice hovers from somewhere above him. He tastes iron and bile on his lips, Eri's soft whimpering the police still aren't here...
And then, darkness.
Katsuki
"Well shit, you made him exhaust himself!" Katsuki berates them looking at Izuku's slumped form.
He shrugs him onto his back, griping at his heaviness as they break into a run towards the glow of an emergency exit at the side.
Who knows when this idiot is going to wake up when the police haven't yet fully secured the area?
He hears an abrupt shout in the distance opposite of them, the thunder of footsteps breaking down doors.
"Police! Kai Chisaki, come out with your hands up!" A man shouts.
Katsuki snorts, his command met with silence.
'You're a little too fucking late officer.' He muses.
"We can't keep running in circles, we should meet with the police and go from there." Katsuki determines.
Ochako's mind flashes to Himari Sugiwara, the smug smile upon her pink lips assuming the worse.
"Hold on, the police don't fully trust Izuku. I need to contact Nishimura and explain the situation." She replies.
Katsuki scowls, brows furrowing.
"How the hell are you going to contact him, huh?! You don't have any Wi-Fi connection in here, especially not with that crappy flip phone you have! You should've escaped with Eri like Deku wanted you to." He snaps.
Ochako huffs, hushing him with a 'be quiet' gesture.
"Listen arguing isn't going to help us here! We couldn't just leave Izuku behind! The best option was to come up from behind Chisaki while his attention was fully focused on him!" She retorts.
"He's going to get out of that weak trap you put him in shortly. Did you forget he can break down anything; living or nonliving?" Katsuki further mentions.
Eri sniffles before the two can drag out their argument, clutching her head.
"Umm, I know another route we can take; it's underground." She whispers.
Ochako immediately brightens, hugging her close while Katsuki restrains the urge to ask why she's just now mentioning that.
"Lead the way! You know how Chisaki's operates best and all his routes of escape compared to us!" She smiles.
Eri weakly nods, pausing as she stares between the two of them, stepping back.
"Are...Are you two okay?" She asks hesitantly.
Her horn is still glowing, tears shining in her crimson eyes.
Ochako blinks, looking herself over. Now that she mentions it, the rolling of her stomach has stopped, spots where she felt bruises forming no longer there.
Everything about her feels lighter, injuries no longer aching.
Katsuki merely shrugs when they peer to him, rolling his shoulders.
"I can still fight." He regards.
"Step back you guys...it's her quirk." Izuku states, lifting his head up off his shoulder.
"Her quirk?" Katsuki repeats.
Izuku nods, sliding out of his hold, emerald eyes alarmed.
"Yes, Sir Nighteye told me about it. It's called Rewind, it reverts a body back to a previous state; hence why our injuries are better." He explains.
He clicks his tongue, staring Eri down directly.
'Sleep.'
Slowly, thankfully Eri's eyes drift close, Ochako catching her before she can hit the ground. Her horn shrinks back down some, Ochako softly brushing away at her tears.
Izuku breathes a sigh of relief, turning back to his companions.
"Eri doesn't have full control over her quirk, the longer we touched her or were near her while it's active could've had her accidentally erase us from existence."
Ochako blanches, skin paling while Katsuki looks caught between anger and surprise.
"Well, doesn't solve our problem of getting out of here any faster!"
And in the distance they hear the creak of metal bending, everything around them getting warmer.
Elsewhere-Chisaki
'Damn it, Damn it, Damn it!'
Off all the ways for the night to go...
Fine, it's fine. They haven't gotten far and he can still turn this around.
He reaches into his pocket, clicking rapidly through his phone.
"You need me boss?" A raspy voice asks out of the speaker a minute later.
Chisaki restrains a yell, he doesn't have time for this.
"Wouldn't be calling you if I didn't." He grunts.
"...The other bullets are distracted right now by the other Pro-heroes. Each of their locations were compromised and-"
"I don't need your damn excuses or anymore negative news right now Nemoto. Eri has escaped, but there's still time to get her back. It's time." He orders.
There's only a second pause before Nemoto's voice returns.
"I understand. I'll be right there sir."
"They won't be able handle an ultimate fusion." Chisaki grins, gathering himself.
No matter what, Shie Hassaikai won't lose, won't fall tonight.
Nemoto approaches a moment later out of the darkness clipping back in his pistol, not fighting when Chisaki shoves him roughly to the ground.
This is all for Shie Hassaikai, even if that means he has to die.
"I'm ready sir." And even beneath his mask he can tell he's sending him a final grin.
"Your death won't be in vain." Chisaki promises as he hears the crunch of his bones breaking in his ears, skin slushing off, grin widening as Nemoto's body fully collapses and slowly merges with his own.
Energy ripples through him like a wave, rips and molds his skin as he feels two new arms erupt.
'Yes! No quirk will get in my way now!'
A light abruptly strikes him from the side, a pair of officers approaching.
"You! Get on the ground; now!" The first officer commands while the second officer shines his flashlight straight into his eyes.
He grins when observing the flicker of panic in his gaze taking in his new body, stepping back onto broken wood and shattered glass.
"This the guy we're looking for Ogawa?" He asks nervously.
Ogawa, the braver and more foolish of the two nods, even as he sees the second set of arms on him.
"Yeah, he's the one Masuda. Don't worry. My barrier quirk can stop any moves he sends our way-"
His voice is cut off by Chisaki's hand, nails digging tearing out his throat.
"Looks like your barrier quirk doesn't compare to my speed." Chisaki muses, flicking off his blood as Ogawa's body drops to the ground.
Masuda looks on in horror, brown eyes wide, caught between running away or staying to avenge his friend as he brings up a howl of wind in his ears in an attempt to blow him back.
"You should've ran." Chisaki mutters, tossing his body straight into the wall.
His gaze twists to the ground the , listening.
'So Eri's trying to lead them out the back way, huh? I'll cut them off.'
He slams a fist into the ground, even with Izuku's Infliction he'll still be caught off guard.
That's when he'll kill him; all of them.
Darkness surrounds him until he reaches a crevice of light, catches a flash of Eri's silver hair.
The element of surprise is ruined by the sharp whine of metal beneath him.
"Everyone, get down and scatter!" Izuku yells out as Chisaki drops down upon them, punch blocked by a slab of metal.
"Traps and blocking me won't work this time." He promises, ripping the metal in one clean slice.
Izuku leaps back, eyes glowing.
"That's fine because we're all ready to deal with you!"
It has to be something quick, something that won't cause an immediate migraine.
'Break his feet!'
Chisaki laughs mirthlessly even as the pain takes effect, drawing sheets of warped metal and twisted wood and rocks towards him, merging them into his body.
His body grows into half-machine, wires and wood pieces lace over him like a second skin, crackle and sharpen to his ready.
"Same old tricks, huh?! You think causing me a little pain in the feet to is going to stop me?!"
He puts a hand to the ground, unleashing a cascade of metal and rock separating them all.
Ochako scowls in realization, tapping at as many objects as possible to try and keep them at bay and form a clear path.
A spear of metal flies through the air, tears through the side her right shoulder nearly piercing her neck.
'He's throwing out aerial projectiles too?!'
Blood hits the back of her tongue, pulling out the shrapnel, blinking to focus on Izuku and not this rush of pain.
The mission isn't over yet.
'I can float him if I get close enough, I can't let him get hit by any of the objects!' She promises herself.
A torrent of metal and wood rockets over her, crashes behind her booming in her ears.
"Damn it, he intends to crush and trap us in Deku!" Katsuki shouts, blasting through as many panels of wood and metal quickly.
He glances back to see Ochako injured but still standing, ignoring the fatigue and burning in his hands.
Chisaki pauses, noting Eri at Izuku's side, the glow of her horn again.
His eyes narrow as she clutches onto Izuku, the way he secures her into his back.
"So you're truly betraying me Eri after everything I've done for you? You're one and only Papa?!" He questions sharply.
Eri stiffens at the title, scarlet eyes meeting his golden, lips twisting into a tiny frown taking in his new monstrous form.
She warily peers back to Izuku who nods, they'll do everything as planned.
"You...You're not my Papa." She breathes out.
And then Izuku races forward, fists tightened.
"One for All, 100%!"
His fist connects with his jaw with a sickening crack, Eri's hand reaching forward causing his reinforced muscles, his armor of oakwood and steel to crumple away.
A second blow lands in his gut, bile and blood erupting out of his lips.
"Get off, get off!" He shouts, thrashing back.
But Eri tightens her grip, his body rewinding further and further back.
He thinks of the boss, of the day he took Eri away by force despite knowing the risks of her unstable quirk, of the moment he met with the League of Villains...
'It can't be all falling away; not like this.'
When he finally rips out of her hold his body isn't his own.
"This is over!" Izuku yells.
He lands a final sweeping kick to his legs crumpling him to the floor, his hands too bruised and broken to retaliate.
"Are...Are we done?" Eri whispers behind him.
Izuku nods, sending her a tired grin.
"Yes, you did well Eri; Ochako and I are proud of you."
Eri beams, wobbling in his hold and Izuku forces her to sleep via Infliction again before Rewind goes out of control.
In sharp gasps Chisaki sees his reflection through a shard of cracked glass, every bruise, broken bone, and bloody trail.
A child gazes back at him, slumping down.
Defeated.
All Might
"He's been immobilized." Gran Torino reports.
"But how bad are his injuries?" Toshinori mutters, clutching his hands to his face.
Why won't he tell him already and rip off the band-aid?
Gran Torino gives him a look, sighing. "Do you really need to ask that question? Bad enough we're all sitting here having this discussion."
His tea sits cold on the table, Inko offering him a weak grin that none of this is his fault.
But it is.
He recommended Young Midoriya to Sir Nighteye, allowed him to get in harm's way even if he agreed to Nighteye's assignment no matter the risks. Flashes of his his bruised and bloody skin race through is mind in an endless loop. It feels like the gift of One for All that he gave him is more like a curse when combined with Infliction's toll on him.
Not even Eri's Rewind quirk erased the full extent of his injuries.
Across from him Ochako's honorary grandparents (who at this point consider the Midoriyas family calling each other by their nicknames) fidget, unsure what to make of this whole conversation except that Ochako willingly followed her boyfriend into danger.
The police offered little feedback on why she left their gala behind, Nishimura stating it must've been something officer Sugiwara said to her.
"Well, I have a few choice words for that Lady whenever this is all said and done!" Gamps scowls between cracks of his knuckles.
Hisashi clears his throat, verdant eyes reminding him so much of his son's in holding the same compassion and amazement.
"Mr. All Might sir or Mr. Yagi, not sure which one you prefer to go by! Even though you've retired now from all your Hero Work, I'll still say you could kick any villain's ass despite your current state!" He chuckles.
Inko nudges him to hush and Gran Torino snickers.
Toshinori shrugs, helpless at compliments even more so now without his previous buff form.
Hisashi turns then to his box of capsules, little scarlet pills that have been both his help and his apparent poison.
"So...from what I understand correctly, you need me to stop taking these pills effective immediately? I know most drugs have side effects to them, but the way you've explained this is that the strength I was getting was going to make me weaker in the long run? None of the doctors mentioned this; were they working with these villains?"
Toshinori nods, leaning forward. "Perhaps, though it's possible they were in the dark as well. We're still running preliminary tests, but yes. These pills came from a criminal organization that goes by Shie Hassaikai. They've created quirk destroying bullets and we can't be sure yet of what these quirk pills they've managed to get into hospitals and clinics throughout Japan will do to one's body in the long run I'm sorry to say."
Hisashi nods, smile dampening as Inko squeezes at his shoulder.
"Ah, I see. Guess...it was too good to be true."
"Don't say that Dear. They're still other options we can go with once we schedule an appointment with the other hematology and infectious disease specialists." Inko murmurs.
Hisashi hums his agreement, looking back to Toshinori.
"So when can we head over to see those two?" Ochako's Gamps questions.
"Young Midoriya is still being evaluated by the neurology and pathophysiology teams to ensure no extensive damage was done to his brain and organs from being near Eri. Young Uraraka has already been cleared and simply needs to finish out her course of antibiotics and fluids." Toshinori confirms.
Ochako's Gamma nods in relief, moving to stand.
"How about we rumble them up some lunch then? I'm sure they'll pleased to have a home cooked meal over the bland crackers and sandwiches they normally pass out."
"I can attest to that Gamma! Hisashi agrees brightly, following her to the kitchen.
Inko watches him fondly as he gives Gamma a crash course in where everything is before being gently shooed away, breathing out a nervous sigh.
"Why is it my two favorite men in the world can't seem to help themselves from being constantly injured or hurt?" She asks aloud.
Toshinori knows she's being rhetorical, but still his stomach tightens, old scar at his side burning in mocking his failure.
It's his job still to protect their one and only son. Not as All Might anymore, but as his mentee and successor.
Ochako
"You should still be sleeping." Nishimura regards her thoughtfully.
"I am." Ochako mumbles back, though she does the opposite of what he wants shifting up off her pillows.
Her right arm regrets that decision, half turning to see it wrapped in thick gauze.
Through hazy eyes Nishimura's caught in the half glow of a falling moon, sky the pastel pinks and purples of a coming sunrise.
Morning.
The last time she had been fully awake it was still nightfall.
And then the memories slam into her all at once like a cold wave.
Overhaul. Eri. This stinging ripple of pain in her shoulder.
"Hey sleepyhead, guess you're still a bit dazed from the pain medicine." Izuku notes.
Ochako nearly jolts out of bed at hearing his voice, turning too fast towards him for her head not too spin.
"Izuku is here too?!" She yelps, face flushing trying to pat down her surely disheveled hair.
Nishimura laughs, well that's one way to wake her up.
"How long was I out?" Ochako questions.
Nishimura looks to the clock, shrugging.
"At least over half a day now kid. You took a pretty big wallop to your shoulder back there." He notes.
Izuku gazes at her worriedly and her face warms all over again as his fingers lightly brush at her hands.
"Are you still hurting anywhere?" He questions.
"No, I mean my head still feels a bit foggy and my stomach feels sore probably from not eating or throwing up maybe at some point?" Ochako begins.
It probably can't compare to Izuku, taking in the wrappings around his arms and legs making him look half-mummy.
Nishimura shakes his head outside of Izuku's view.
"Guess I'll leave you lovebirds alone for a moment before the whole cavalry arrives." He jests.
Ochako sends him something of a glare, too weak to be taken seriously.
"Kacchan woke up yelling and cursing as usual. Asked why he was even admitted in the first place." Izuku describes.
Yeah, that sounds about right.
"And Eri? All those quirk-destroying bullets and pills?" She pursues, frowning as Izuku's expression falls.
"She's currently in Aizawa-sensei's care with 24-hr surveillance to make sure her quirk doesn't go haywire. It's the first time she's used it so extensively twice in a short period of time and it took such a toll on her body. She still had a fever from what Mirio told me." He reviews.
He taps his feet before going on, Ochako squeezing at his hand.
The next parts involve his Dad, their fellow classmates.
"The other '8 bullets' that were under Chisaki have been neutralized, though not without major injuries to some. I haven't received a full update yet, but it seems like somebody lost their quirk to a sniper and of course my Dad is back at square one when it comes to treatment options." Izuku sighs.
Ochako feels her chest turn in, breath knocked out of her. It seems like with every villain attack or outing there's always more bad mixed in than good...
She thinks of Sugiwara, the iciness of her features. It's wouldn't be too far fetched for her to twist the narrative that this is what Izuku wanted to happen to try and portray himself in a better light to the media.
Would the police and other heroes consider this overall a win or loss?
Izuku pats at her hand getting her attention once more.
"The most important thing for us to focus on right now is healing." He remarks.
Ochako blinks, leaning into his touch as his arms curl around her, his warmth.
None of that sounds easy.
"I'll try." She whispers.
Elsewhere- Shigaraki
"Oh how the mighty have fallen!" Tomura jests, weaving through the maze of fortified steel.
The police did a terrible job of restricting such a supposed high class criminal from being checked on, Dabi going to work melting at doors locked with handprints, Toga taking blood for disguises.
And of course when all else fails, Decay makes for a clear path when certain officers tried to stop them.
"Heh, nobody will take you seriously as a leader now, especially not as a child!" He further teases at Chisaki's silence, having to actually look down at him now.
Golden orbs finally narrow at his taunting, gritting his teeth.
"I won't be this way forever. I still have all my data and samples of my quirk destroying bullets and pills that can-"
Tomura stops him before he can go on, hands reaching into his cell.
"Ah, you don't get it; do you? You lost. To a kid no less. The days of Shie Hassaikai are over. Besides, you won't be able to use that quirk of yours without hands." He grins maliciously.
His scream is silenced by Spinner and Twice binding and gagging him respectively, giving him the go ahead to continue.
"Remember when you thought the League of Villains beneath you? That we should've merged? Oh how things change." Shigaraki hums as he pulls off his mask, beams at the hives that break out across his skin, yellow of his eyes dulling at his new reality coming...
While Toga happily cleans up the blood from his arms a moment later he considers his next steps.
Izuku Midoriya continues to be a thorn in most villain's sides; big time players or small he seems to be always there.
'It's clear now he doesn't want to be a villain, his quirk is dangerous enough and difficult to counteract quickly.'
It's time to get rid of him and All Might. To kill all the Pro-heroes who know nothing truly about the dark underbelly of society, the forgotten quirks looked at as 'cruel' and 'strange'.
He needs to meet with All for One again.
Because like everyone Izuku has people close to him like his parents, classmates, and girlfriend. People he loves...
And as long as someone have loved ones, they can always be used as a weakness.
"What's our next step?" Dabi asks from the side, grinning at the look he catches in his eye.
"We're going to start a war."
-x-
I want to start moving into the final arcs I have planned for this story as I feel like I've been dragging this story out too long. It will still follow canon to a certain degree, but obviously not 100%. Thanks for sticking with me through the craziness and ups and downs of this story!
Let me know your thoughts as always!
Enjoy. Review. Favorite. Follow!