Chapter 39: Cruelest Appeal
"It was cruel. Like opening a birdcage to let the bird fly out, whilst all the while it's tethered by the leg, and freedom is only an illusion."
― Laini Taylor, Strange the Dreamer
Izuku & Katsuki
"Hey Deku, don't go getting any fucking crazy ideas on me. I don't like that look in your eyes you've got!" Katsuki sneers.
His voice sounds an ocean away, static in his ears watching the waves of destruction Shigaraki and the League continue to create on the monitors before them. This is his calling card essentially, his invitation/taunt for them to have one final fight together before he does any worse.
'Kill. I have to kill him and end this all, no matter what happens to my body afterwards...' Izuku watches himself, all those grisly images from his past come alive since his first activation of Infliction and feels heat circling up his chest ready to burst forth at his command.
Katsuki blows out an impatient breath at Izuku's silence, waves his hand harshly in front of his face while crackling his fingers off like mini fireworks.
"Nerd, you are not running off like an idiot before we have a plan down pack; you got that!" He warns again.
Izuku finally gazes to him, nods slowly.
"Sorry, yeah. I know." He grumbles.
That is not at all convincing to Katsuki's ears and realizes now for sure that Izuku is a potential flight risk.
And he may try to knock him out if he tries to get in his way.
"Whatever. Let's just keep moving." Katsuki grunts after observing Izuku for a minute to ensure he's truly listening.
He can't trust what's running through that mind of his right now.
"Deku, when we get there, let me go ahead of you." Katsuki begins as they get back into a steady pace.
Izuku opens his mouth to retort, but Katsuki holds up a hand.
"I don't wanna hear it! We're doing things my way and that means making sure as much as possible that Shigaraki doesn't get One for All from you! Don't forget the sacrifices people have made trusting in you!" He snaps.
Izuku deflates just slightly and he feels the tiniest bit of relief that some clarity returns to the darkness of his verdant eyes.
They move the rest of the way in silence, following the smoke trail.
"Can you at least tell me what plan you have in mind? I'm not going to watch you get impaled in front of me!" Izuku mentions as they come to a halt outside the entrance to Jaku's city limits.
The sky above is streaked with reds, pinks, and golds. Near daybreak.
Sunlight crawls against the ruins of the city, buildings toppled over like dominoes, trees upheaved exposing roots, shattered glass shimmering along cracked pavements. A Nomu attempts to shuffle out of what looks to be the remnants of a burnt apartment building, gold orbs turning their way briefly before collapsing, trickle of blood coming out of it's ashen lips.
Izuku wrinkles his nose, mixed within this all is the overwhelming scent of blood; of death...
Katsuki scoffs, Deku knows damn well he hasn't had the time to come up with a plan in their rush to get here, but he has some ideas.
"His past, it's the best way to distract him. We looked into Tomura Shigaraki's past and I know it's still a sore subject for him. It's a long shot, but I feel a good way to slow him down is to mess with his mind mentally in the facets that All for One hasn't gotten to, bring up images of his dead relatives. Is that possible to do with Infliction?" He asks.
Izuku's expression turns thoughtful. "I've never tried to implant images into a person. I'm not sure with the way All for One has apparently taken over so much of Shigaraki's mind and body that would be an effective method. What All for One hates the most is people who reject his authority, who stand against him. I need to attack his mind, but also suppress his strength too by making him be as weak as the people who once came to him to get quirks."
'There's a hundred what-if's. He's gathered hundreds of quirks by now and I'm sure he has some type of Rewind quirk he got off of Overhaul during the period when he was trying to merge with the League.'
Katsuki pauses, recalls what he read about Shigaraki's early crimes, past brokers/followers who went to All for One with deals that went utterly wrong.
"Do you think you can do this without losing control? I've seen the toll of using Infliction back to back does to you, especially the bigger the pain inflicted."
He promised Round Face he would look out for Deku, however he isn't going to make that easy for him seeing a bitterness rise back into his features.
Izuku knows what he means, digging into the darkest parts of himself means becoming just a bit more like the villains, becoming the monster he's been portrayed as in the media time and again.
His lack of an answer says it all, whatever it takes, no matter the aftermath.
"I'm ending this; it can't go on any longer than it has." He reaffirms.
Katsuki scoffs, nodding.
'Well, I'm not letting you do it alone.' He readily decides.
Ochako
"You know I plan to stop you, right? Turn you in if you truly don't regret anything at all of what you've done." Ochako voices, glad her voice remains clear.
It's near impossible to keep her throat from tightening or breaking into a stutter, that she actually has to make this threat in the first place.
Tsuyu hums, verdant orbs swirling with black.
And she realizes then just how disillusioned her friend has become during her time with the League, a darkness she isn't sure she even wants to escape from now. Dabi or Toya Todoroki has proven that with his announcement, it feels like all the good Heroes have tried to do has amounted to nothing if you have a quirk that's looked at as 'weird' or 'evil'.
"I didn't start out doing it because I wanted to, you know that Ochako-"
Ochako holds up a hand, grits her teeth.
"Don't. Don't call me so familiarly anymore." She hisses.
Tsuyu frowns and for a moment she thinks she's truly hurt, that she's been weighed with regrets all this time until she sighs.
"Himiko did say you were going to give me trouble. I can't say I blame her or any of them really; that's what changed for me." She hums, stepping closer.
Ochako clicks her teeth as she steps back, side eyes her environment on how to prevent her from ensnaring her. Tsuyu flicks her tongue out before she can go for any sharp projectiles, eyes narrowing.
"We've trained and sparred together so many times before this, don't forget. So we both know each other's weaknesses." She asserts.
'Cold. If I can make her cold, she'll get sleepy and slower!' Ochako recalls.
But nothing in her immediate room is cold enough to cause an effect, she's going to need to lure her away somehow.
She taps at her blankets and pillows creating a mini barrier before launching herself backwards just as Tsuyu's tongue tears through the cotton to nearly coil at her leg.
"I know the layout of the dorms as well Ochako, trying to lead me into a trap isn't going to work as easily as you think." Tsuyu mentions from somewhere up above her and Ochako bites her lip as she tries to navigate into a maze of darkness.
Her tongue launches out again, Ochako ducking before it can wrap around her arm.
'That's fine, because there are other ways to trap you, to ensure you don't catch up to me!' She knows.
There's only one place she can go that she recalls is the coldest place of the dormitories, to the ground level where storage for the larger meals/goods that require the freezer are kept.
Tsuyu leaps along the walls beside her, camouflaged, probably already has an idea of where she's trying to go.
They zigzag around the dorms, Ochako searching for the one object that can help her in this.
And just as they past where they all normally gather to study, she sees it.
A lone glass of ice water someone left behind.
She moves it behind her out of Tsuyu's sight, tapping at the table to push her back just as she spits a glob of mucous. The burn of the secretion immediately stings, rushing down her whole body like a lit flame.
'Don't stop! Keep going!'
She turns the corner, racing down the steps two at a time ignoring the tingling of the paralysis kicking in.
"We can end this now Ochako, I don't want this to be difficult." Tsuyu states from behind her just as she wrenches open the door resisting the urge to look back.
Inside already feels cooler, taking in steel gray containers lined up against the wall, the crackle of ice in the air.
Her fingers brush at the first fridge, Tsuyu's tongue wrapping around her legs lifting her into the air before she can move toward the second one.
Green to brown eyes meet each other, blood bubbles up her tongue as Tsuyu tightens her grip.
"Give up. I can cut off circulation to your legs right now leaving your permanently paralyzed. It would be the end of your hero career before it even started. Just say you're done fighting and I'll let you go." She promises.
Ochako manages to shake her head, concentrates ignoring the pain and nausea battling at her stomach and legs.
"No. You stayed so focused on me, you didn't see what else I touched in getting here."
She taps her fingers together and Tsuyu turns just as A splash of ice water hits her.
Her body slows and Ochako uses her chance.
"Release!"
The freezer opens as gravity sends it tumbling, crashing against Tsuyu pinning her against tile flooring.
Her shoulders burn, swallowing back bile swimming up her throat.
Tsuyu lays motionless and Ochako watches her carefully for any sudden moves before letting her muscles unwind just a bit. Memories rush up she can't shake away of midnight talks, study sessions, secrets over which boys in their class are the cutest.
She lets her tears freely escape, knows she needs to get going before Toga or another League associate finds her. Shivers race down her back. In the low buzz of the lights above she swears she hears Himiko, voice a soft purr in her ears that her blood is tastier than Tsuyu's.
'The blood of someone in despair, in the throes of anger and betrayal always taste the sweetest.'
Ochako turns her gaze skyward, searches for her manic grin between the vents, gold orbs shining with want.
Nothing, just the sound of her heavy breathing and restless heart.
For now, this is over.
Toshinori
"They're en route to Jaku City! I don't know if any other Pro-Hero is with them at this time, but all I know is they aren't accounted for here at U.A!" Toshinori exclaims, trying to keep his voice steady and loud enough through the chaos he hears on the other end.
A painfully long silence stretches out, forces him to speak again.
"And you're sure you didn't see either young Bakugo or young Midoriya with one of the Pro-Heroes in the search and recovery teams or with the division assigned to go up against the Nomus?" He pressures.
"No and that's the thing, after seeing that video I'm sure Midoriya feels his only option is to face Shigaraki head on no matter the potential consequences for himself." Aizawa relates.
Eri tugs nervously at his jacket. "Is Big Brother Izuku going to be okay?"
Toshinori gazes to her, tacks on a weak grin. "I'm sure he will be, though I'd feel happier if I had more information."
He hears Present Mic's come in beside him that none of the students should be at or near Jaku City at this point, that only faculty and some 3rd years have rushed to the scene.
"That still doesn't when is the last time either of them were seen? None of the students here report having seen either young Bakugo or young Midoriya since this morning!" Toshinori snaps, patience thinning.
A cough to his side makes him turn.
Aoyama.
"Ah, actually I can. I mean, I at least saw Midoriya before he left." He explains meekly.
Toshinori pauses his call, twists in his chair to look at him fully.
"Tell me all that you remember."
Aoyama runs back through his last encounter with Izuku, the anger in his eyes that turned to resolve at what he's decided to do.
"You're one of the traitors." He breaths out and Aoyama can only feebly nod confirming his statement.
His mind rewinds back to all the events the First Years have gone through, sabotaged by Aoyama and whoever else was working with him. Pain needles into his chest, burrows all the way down until it feels like he's been lit aflame. All those injuries so many students got caught up in from the League's attacks on the school, some so severe enough it made them drop out of U.A. altogether leaving behind dreams of becoming a Pro-Hero before even getting started...
He may not have One for All's strength left in him, but the iciness of his glare is enough for Aoyama's posture to straighten.
"Start from the beginning. How did you even get involved with All for One and the League?"
Aoyama nods, clasps his trembling hands together.
"When I was maybe 4 or 5 my parents realized I wasn't just a 'late-bloomer' in getting a quirk as we all hoped; I was quirkless. It...It was devastating to say the least and my parents couldn't bear the thought of me growing up to be discriminated against. Though one doesn't need to be a Pro-Hero to be a successful adult, it's a known fact despite what people say that it's better to have any type of quirk versus nothing at all." He starts.
Toshinori nods slowly. He recalls the sting of seeing old friends passed up for job opportunities due to not being the 'right fit' for a company when they marked themselves as quirkless, stories of disaster dates in which the light leaves the eyes of their prospective match at realizing they have no quirk.
"Before I was to officially start elementary school, they were able to set up a meeting with All for One. He explained his ability, the positives and negatives and both Mom and Papa were instantly on board." Aoyama continues, eyes clouding over.
Toshinori grits his teeth. "And afterwards?"
Aoyama smiles weakly. "Afterwards, I was so happy just to have a quirk! It hadn't seemed to cost my parents anything and they knew now I could fit in; be wanted someday at a Pro-Hero's agency if I put in the effort to strengthen my quirk."
Toshinori gestures then to the flickering lights above them, the faint scent of smoke growing stronger encompassing the room.
"We put the deal my parents made with All for One to the back of our minds until the day he came back to collect." He murmurs tightly, voice growing raspy.
A silence sits upon them like stones, ready to topple over from the slightest touch.
"Do you know what Young Midoriya's plans are?" He questions. He has to know, needs to figure out some idea of what's running through his mentee's mind.
Aoyama shakes his head, swiping at another rise of tears. "No, however he was muttering about 'ending things' when it came to Shigaraki's overwhelming presence, the constant cycle of crimes and destruction he's been doing across Japan."
Toshinori pauses, it sounds like himself in his early days starting out as a Hero...
And now he's already too far away for him to stop.
"Who else? Who else is All for One done a deal with here? And don't cover for them." He warns.
"Asui. But, I don't know the full details of her situation; I swear! It's something with her family I know that, her Father in some muddy waters at her company or one of her siblings was sick." Aoyama spits out quickly.
Eri perks up hearing this, eyes widening.
"Big Sis Ochako!" She cries out, scrambling out of the office.
Toshinori moves to stand to quickly follow, connecting the dots.
He nods in Tsukauchi's direction to keep an eye on Aoyama, nodding locking him into handcuffs without a fight.
His muscles ache at moving to pick up the pace to catch up to Eri, taking deep breaths not to assume the worse.
'The last person Young Uraraka was seen with was Asui.'
Katsuki
They arrive in Jaku City close to daybreak.
The sky is a patchwork of warm yellows and reds, matches the volatile mood in the air.
"Tired?" Izuku asks from his side and he snorts.
'Moron I've been running on adrenaline all night!'
"Like you need to ask! Even if I was, I'd ask you to jolt me awake with your Infliction. If we're truly ending things today, then I'm sure as hell not about to go to sleep or fall back!" He barks back.
Izuku sighs, but says nothing this time to stop him.
It doesn't matter what happens to him, they just need to make sure All for One/Shigaraki don't get to him first by cornering him alone.
"So, where do you feel he is?" Katsuki questions.
Izuku points southeast, towards what looks to be the remnants of the hospital.
Katsuki nods, then gestures towards the trail of Endeavor's flames leaving trails of ash and smog.
"How do you want to get about maneuvering around him?" He questions.
Izuku clicks his teeth, thinking over their options. He's thoroughly distracted at the moment by his long lost eldest son's reappearance as a villain, sapphire and crimson flames dancing together in the coming sunrise.
"We can approach the hospital via the debris field of toppled buildings and trees. Shigaraki will be expecting us, will most likely have Nomus set up around the area to give them the alert of our presence as soon as they see us." He determines.
Katsuki grunts his agreement, blasting away piles of cement and splintered wood.
His stomach tilts at motionless bodies piled upon each other like dominoes, vacant eyes reflecting the sky above.
'Bastards don't even care if these were people in support or against their cause. If they were in the way, they got killed.'
A crackling of rocks comes from his left, turning just in time to see glowing yellow orbs peering at them from the darkness.
A Nomu.
It leaps forward, row of razor sharp teeth gleaming going for his arm.
"Like hell I'm letting you take a bite out of me bastard!" Katsuki snaps.
They tumble into a corner, dust and grime spraying out.
"You. You're the one master told me to dispose of; Katsuki Bakugo! Foolish boy, coming here when you have no chance of winning! Have you forgotten that your quirk, your abilities are worthless in comparison to your friend?!" It laughs.
"Don't talk as if you know me!" Katsuki snaps back, unleashing an explosion straight into it's mouth before it can clamp down on him.
It's face bursts into ash and flesh, Izuku kicking away another Nomu from behind him.
"You alright?" Izuku questions.
Katsuki snorts. "Of course."
Low growls emit from the corner, shadows moving forward like snakes and Katsuki scowls at seeing they're moving to encircle Deku. He takes note of the biggest one at the forefront, metal pipes protruding from his shoulders and arms melded with it's skin.
He's sure Deku could rid the area of all them in an instant, but the cooldown period afterwards of Infliction wouldn't be worth it.
At least, it wouldn't be to him.
'Damn it Nerd, don't even think about it!' Katsuki rushes forward at seeing Izuku's eyes begin to glow.
"Katsuki, move back!" Izuku yells, but he ignores his command, ensures the first Nomu that's about to rush them doesn't reach to him first.
His first blast melts at one of his pipes, but the others tear straight into his chest too fast for him to dodge, taste of blood on his lips instantly. Pain courses through him like a lightning strike, everything turning annoyingly hazy.
Izuku tenses, air stilling except for a distinct clinking noise approaching.
'What is that? It isn't another Nomu.'
He forces himself to focus on that sound alone until he realizes what it is, instantly knows who's coming.
Clapping.
Shigaraki approaches him with a manic smile, calming his applause.
"Don't you just hate it when your so called friends try to interfere in your plans?"
Izuku
"Good, we're alone now in a way!" Shigaraki regards.
Izuku looks between him and Katsuki, his oldest friend/rival breaths coming in sharp gasps, eyes screwed shut in pain. Shrapnel from the pipe exploding messily broke through muscle and skin, may have even reached his bones.
"Don't forget about me now! If you're so upset by his impending death, I can have you join him!" Shigaraki teases, jabbing his fist forward heading for his face.
Izuku dodges him, eyes igniting to a brilliant green.
Shigaraki's grin widens seeing it, has been waiting for him to show it all along. "Is this where you kill me Izuku Midoriya? Are you not going to try and rehabilitate me? Incarcerate me until I'm old and gray?"
Izuku scoffs, ignores his taunting. "I've read all about your history Tomura or really I should say Tenko Shimura. I know you once wanted to be a Hero, that the abuse you sustained by your Father drove you to give up on that dream. Once your quirk manifested, you had all the hands of your dead relatives embalmed so they could always be with you in a way. Is that something All for One recommended that you do? Is that one of the ways he molded you into his perfect villain?"
Shigaraki's smile cracks at his questions as if he played no role in his actions. And 'Tenko' died years ago, no one who called him that is still alive today and yet here Izuku is discussing the worst days of his childhood so casually.
"It's a mistake to bring up my past like that." He sneers, unleashing bursts of heat and air that makes his ears ring, whole body thrum.
'Push through, end this; now!'
"You're at a point of no return, I know that keeping you alive would only lead to more deaths, more destruction across Japan and any other countries you would set your site on next." Izuku steps forward.
'Paralyze his heart.'
The countdown starts, Decay slowly ebbing away at the field, is getting too precariously close to Bakugo...
"Tell me Midoriya, do you think my death will stop the League? There will always be someone you Heroes deem a villain to rise and take my place. Someone like me maybe who experienced an unlucky childhood or just someone the world decides has a quirk that's unfit for society."
He squeezes a hand to his chest finally and Izuku moves in close, enough to see his reflection in his scarlet eyes.
"Then we'll stop them of course. Ensure we save as many lives as we can of those who get caught in the unfortunate crossfire. This is where it ends Tomura, Tenko."
He balls his hand into fist as energy gathers, heat pulsing around his knuckles.
"Wyoming SMASH!"
The blow slams Shigaraki backwards into the wall, slumping down towards the ground. Izuku crouches down to meet him at eye level, takes in his warped smile before his gaze moves towards his sunken in chest, scattering of bruises and swelling across his head.
"Congrats." He whispers, bemused at Izuku's pained expression taking in the extent of his injuries. So this is the power of Infliction combined with One for All, no wonder All for One desired it so strongly for himself...
Izuku has it wrong about him, he didn't full accept everything All for One offered him, refused to let him take over his body despite having already given in the other modifications he'd done to him to improve his strength, speed, and durability. No matter how many adjustments/improvements he made though can't stop a quirk that can freeze his heart in a near instant from a connected look.
He forces himself to continue on despite his swimming vision, blood dripping into his eyes and lips. Midoriya has to know this, will need this reminder for the rest of his days ahead as a so called Pro-Hero.
"Guess what?" Shigaraki hisses, doesn't wait for Izuku to respond feeling his vision and everything nearby melting into black.
"...You're a killer now; just like me!"
-x-
I really and truly am going to try and wrap up this story hopefully by the next chapter. I know things feel rushed, but I definitely did not want to drag out an Izuku vs. Shigaraki fight the way the manga seems to be doing. I wanted all the fights to be plausible enough to reach the outcomes I did based on how I created the world and hopefully it came out that way!
Enjoy. Review. Favorite. Follow!