Chapter 122 - The Perfect Hero's Heart
"Hey... hey, Izuku?" An angelic voice pulled him from his slumber, the murky darkness fading away to the same, slate grey that hung in the sky before a wall of bluish-white strands of hair. "13, he's awake now."
"Thank God, can you hear me, Midoriya?" The voice of a familiar hero, 13, called to him as he regained his bearings atop a rough body of metal but his chin resided on a soft fabric next to the hair.
"...yes..." He croaked, his voice dry as he realized Yuki had carried him. That's right, Yuki and the others were really back, this wasn't a dream after all. His arms clenched harder, exciting a tiny gasp from Yuki as she nuzzled the side of his face.
"Be careful, that's a little too personal in public," She murmured but his arms wrapped under her chest despite that, he wasn't letting go. So she smiled and let him wake up.
13, who had been waiting for the group's arrival to UA, greeted Izuku with her helmet off, short, lightly-coloured hair, as well as some lighter bangs on the top, simulating a spiral. Her irises have rings around them. "As of right now, most civilians are moving to various evacuation centers. The ones remaining outside are Anti-Hero Vigilantes, and an extremist group that has become violent alongside the escapees,"
"The number of Anti-Hero civilians entering each evacuation center due to exhaustion is increasing, since the extremists tend to work in groups they're easy to spot, as the evacuation continues it's become easier to spot the two groups," 13 elaborated before the giant entry to the facility ahead. "Everyone is doing they're best to help improve the situation," She hit a button on her suit, and the wall came to life. "That solo journey that you did really helped to ease the burden, I just wanted to inform you of that effort."
"U... UA...?" Izuku muttered, Yuki kneeling down for him to wobble to his feet, holding her hand tightly instead while leaning up against her side. If he wasn't so tired, he'd be asking a million questions as to UA new look.
"Can I just add something?" Rayla raised her hand, then waved it forward at the titanic shadow over them. "WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS SCHOOL'S BUDGET!?"
"I must admit, the scale of which this complex has undergone is quite impressive, it's as large as the old Cosmodrome wall," Solaire praised.
"I know, and in only three months!" Rayla gawked.
"The extensive work is... worthy of praise," Tekres marvelled at the sight, curious to know how it all functions.
Sero, sensing Izuku's curiosity pipped up next to Hana. "The UA Barrier is currently active, this wall is just a taste of what it can actually do!" He beamed, overwhelmed by the new look himself since it was relatively updated.
"Just hearing about the security system will freak you out!" Hagakure waved her hands wildly. "Siva's actually partially responsible for the big overhaul, it even connects to Shiketsu High!"
Despite this overwhelming level of security, Izuku felt his posture stiffen when the gate opened up for them, his tired eyes watching the scene unfold. "I want to meet Class A's expectations, but..." He looked down at his feet. "Going back... is not an option for me."
"Huh?" Yuki blinked, coming to terms with what her class had told them that they missed about Izuku.
Ever since they lost that day, Izuku and All Might had left UA to pursue Shigaraki and Kovik, as a result, Izuku fought countless villains and even took down a majority of the Barons himself before his battle with an assassin called Lady Nagant that led to Izuku abandoning All Might shortly after. The state he was in was a massive accumulation of damage over the course of four constant days of fighting. Yuki thought her own troubles were hard, she had sorely misjudged how big of an impact their departure left on her partner. Now... he couldn't even look his friends in the eye without this dark, gloomy stare. "Oh, Izuku..."
The final door opened up, but the commotion made 13 flinch. "It's noisy inside..." She had a feeling what that was.
Once inside, they quickly realized why. Dozens, probably a hundred people or more had gathered with a massive wave of animosity toward the teens with the two Hosts and Nightmare actually surprised by the level of negativity that was supressed by the UA Barrier. "DON'T LET THAT BOY INSIDE UA!" Many screamed at the Pros at the vanguard.
"The rumour about a boy Kovik and Shigaraki are after... it's him, isn't it!?" "And that girl next to him, she's the one that Splicer fought a few months ago, why is she here!?"
They even targeted Yuki who didn't say a word, biting her cheek while standing close to Izuku who stared completely expectantly at the response, he didn't even blink, his gaze lost in a haze.
~HEY, HEY, CALM DOWN, PLEASE!~ Present Mic attempted to quell with a megaphone went on deaf ears.
"The Principle explained to all of us that our safety was guaranteed!" One exclaimed.
"Do you understand what that means or not!?" Another snapped. "We left our homes because he guaranteed our safety! So why would you put a ticking time-bomb in here with us!?"
The commotion ramped up endlessly, Akio felt it, his head craned to the left to see Izuku not even exhibit emotion, he was completely blank.
"It doesn't have to be UA!" Someone screamed, by then, Yuki felt his hand starting to slip away as he turned to leave. Her eyes widened, and she quickly supressed a glare. "If you're gonna hide him, do it somewhere else!"
*Thump*
A hand cupped his left, "Don't worry about it," Ochaco smiled simply, and back in Izuku's other hand, Yuki squeezed his palm reassuringly. He stared at them completely flabbergasted, why didn't they let him leave? Why were they so insistent on him staying if it put everyone on edge? Yuki and the others were here, he... didn't need to burden the people looking for safety now.
Ochaco, on the other hand, pressed her lips into a thin line, watching the crowd through the rainfall. "Iida, everyone, and Katsuki made this possible, we won't let go of you anymore, we can't," He squeezed his two friends' hands and made a b-line for the front of the angry mob. "Who will save heroes when they're the ones in trouble?"
"Don't come in here!" "Get out!" "Take that blue-haired brat too!" "She's got the same power as the Devil Splicers!"
Their words drove like knives into the young couple. They were true though, if anyone in the world had the hatred of Kovik and Shigaraki it was the two that always thwarted their efforts. First at the USJ, then Hosu, I-Island, the Training Camp and Camino, Overhaul's Yakuza, Harbinger's Endless Night, even the Jaku City Incident, all were given trouble, some of which led to victory for the heroes. Yuki and Izuku were two blades that dug deep into the League and Devils plots.
"What is AFO and NARA anyway!?" Another prompted.
"How scary..." "Get lost brats!" "Do you think you can get away by covering it up again!?"
"The fear they hold is overwhelmingly strong..." Hana murmured, staring back at the people while Velk hid inside her for the time being.
"We can't do anything...!" Sero was at a loss.
"There were some who we convinced, but by now, there isn't even a shred of belief in them," 13 grimaced at the horrible scene before her.
~EVERYONE, CALM DOWN-!~ Mic tried again but another voice interrupted behind him, patting his shoulder to put the blonde at ease.
"It was my proposal," Best Jeanist approached.
"Best Jeanist...!?" Someone gasped. "We came here because we trusted your words!" Another screamed.
"Yeah! Like the Principle explained! UA is currently the safest place you can be! Your safety is our utmost priority!" Jeanist declared. "To take the first initiative, we came up with a plan to use Izuku Midoriya as bait to figure out where the villains were located and devise a way to return the students we lost in the Jaku City Incident! However, we were only able to capture a few due to the inefficient amount of investigators, not to mention the deadliest targets were held up in strongholds no Pro could penetrate alone!"
"Although Izuku Midoriya is the villains' target, he is also the heroes' greatest asset!" Jeanist put his foot down on that fact. "If he stayed out in the field all alone, he would have surely died by now!" That made a few shrink back at that awful idea. "We understand it may not be the best option, but be don't have a choice! Knowing that you don't feel comfortable under the anxiety-provoking circumstances," The sharp-dressed man raised his voice again. "Please allow him to rest here where he is safe! So that he can be prepared to fight! He needs to be in the best condition to fight for us!"
The rain tumbled down for a while after, the crowd taking in Jeanist's words but those that sensed it knew better than most, that anger, fear, and sorrow hadn't even been punctured, just scraped, and the darkness that festered in voices rose into an acrid storm. "Japan is currently lawless... 'cuz you heroes failed as heroes..." One snarked with a dark smile. "And... because you failed again... we're telling you... to accept the burden of all of it!"
"Okay, the hell's that mean you little rat!?" Rayla had finally had enough verbal spit thrown in her ears, shoving past Kirishima and Tekres who was cloaked at the time to glare daggers at the people. "You freakin' clowns think we wanted this!? Think any of us fought as hard as we did just so we can get you to kiss our asses!? Sure, some wannabe heroes think that, but I fought for my damn life and my allies to win with all we had left! Where the hell do you get off playing the victim when you're cowering behind walls you ignorantly sat behind for years!? Huh, tell me, I'm all ears!?" She boasted. "That's right... you're no different... just the same maggots like us, crawling on the ground!" Her eyes could set people on fire with their intensity.
It was all the same, be it Japan in this realm or the Last City, the second shit hits the fan the masses cry out because their fragile peace is shattered. And they easily shift the blame onto those that weren't even aware of the grime built up in the gears, instead, Guardians or Heroes were cut from the same cloth in their eyes. Rayla furrowly had enough of it.
"THAT'S UTTER CRAP!" "ARE YOU GUYS EVEN HEROES!?"
The dam had burst open, much to Rayla's expectation, she was one of the few that didn't immediately recoil from the uproar. Yuki and Izuku clenched their hands tighter, almost sustaining whiplash from the noise. It was too much to bear. Their anxiety was spreading and exploding. Like poison so potent it spread like wildfire.
"OH COME ON, ALL WE'RE ASKING IS..." A figure snatched Mic's megaphone, leaping high over the heads of the masses and toward the top of UA itself. "TO SLEEP AT NIGHT KNOWING WE'RE SAFE!"
"U-Uravity!?" Present Mic was astonished.
She safely landed on the edge, adjusting her posture to turn and face the crowd, flicking the megaphone on. She saw it first-hand, Izuku was lost still, they brought him home but his spirit was still out there, fighting turmoil he couldn't bring himself to shake awake from. Yuki was the same, she hid her own grief well, the months had changed her considerably too. Akio, Rayla, Hana, Velk, Tekres, all of them had changed and were at a crossroads before the people they came all this way to protect again.
She... had seen and heard enough.
No longer would she be silent.
They had spoken, and now, they will listen.
She inhaled. ~Izuku Midoriya and Yuki Azuru... have a special power!~ She yelled so loud the whole crowd turn to her.
"That's exactly why them two can't come back here just 'cause they're tired!" One snapped back at her but that only made Ochaco even angrier.
~NO! That's why Yuki and the others decided to banish themselves, to stop Kovik from spreading more chaos that day! Why Midoriya left UA, because he didn't want to put any of us in danger! We were the ones that brought them back!~
"Uraraka.../Ochaco..." The couple muttered up at her.
~SIVA is the origin of NARA but what Kovik did was steal a power that was never his, he stole it rightfully from Yuki! And Midoriya's power is similar in a way... it is meant to defeat AFO that resides in Shigaraki!~ She cupped the speaker with both hands, taking in a breath. ~That's the reason he was targeted, that's why he left! Have you even looked at him!? Do you see the state he's in now just to protect us!?~
He stood there, completely transfixed on her words, his armour was weathered and falling apart. He was covered in dried blood, dirt, and soaking wet. His iron soles were splintered, his gloves looked more like claws, the Mid-Gauntlet mere threads stuck to his shredded barding. Only the mask on his hip retained its cleanliness, but he was a warrior standing at the edge of obliteration. Yuki didn't have any notable battle damage, but her eyes, they were swimming with exhaustion, she was so tired but refused to let it show. She didn't sleep right either, not for months.
~Both of them want to change the situation the most out of anybody! He kept moving for others despite knowing he could be... be attacked at any moment! I don't know what Yuki's gone through but I can see it, her eyes are in so much pain, she's doing so much even now to ease everyone around her!~
"She..." Yuki stared up without a word more, her façade was cracked apart that easily? Had she really lost touch without her mask? Her eyes started to twitch.
"Even with a security system like ours in place, they're still restless," Katsuki grunted beside them both, watching the brunette scream her frustrations and emotions out to the disturbed crowd. He refrained from showing his smirk at her bold move. Then he looked downright irritated by the extras. "If you can't wipe something, leave it to us to wipe it for you."
Ochaco had always loved it when heroes worked, because she would find herself drawn to the looks on the crowds' faces, the emotions in display, she loved to see them all when times were tough or a hero was about to win, the glow they had made her smile and cheer for an entirely different reason. It was those moments the tiredness in her parents' eyes would fade, she always hated seeing them so tired.
~Even though they have special powers, they aren't special people!~ She bellowed loudly, taking a moment to catch her breath.
"He's all beaten up..." "Now that I see it, she does look really exhausted..." "How frail..." "These kids, what have they gone through...?"
"He was fighting..." Izuku's head shot up to the person that stood taller than the crowd. It was that same mouse-woman, she had made it to UA. "Even after he saved me... he just kept on fighting..."
But the one that argued with Ochaco wasn't about to relent after a few nice words. "Tch, the hell are you talking about? Don't tell me... That you want us to be covered in dirt and grime as well!" He sharply screamed back at the girl above.
"You probably never worked a day in your life, pretty boy..." Rayla snorted but just low enough not to stir his anger.
Good thing Ochaco was way ahead, ~The only ones who will shoulder any burdens is us heroes! We'll pay you back with our blood and sweat! So please, give us time!~
Her class were completely enthralled to her empowering speech. "Ochaco..." Asui croaked.
"Midoriya, Azuru, Uraraka is fighting too... to make sure that you, and everyone else... can smile," Iida stated calmly beside his shaking friends. The last of their walls were crumbling beneath them both.
"Yuki's been hiding it but..." Kyoka turned her head to Akio's solemn state. "...I've heard her, almost every night... she didn't stop for nearly an hour every time..." He wanted to comfort Yuki but he held back, feeling it wasn't the time, not until now.
"Uraraka...!" Izuku's face fell apart, tears welling up in his eyes as some already fell from Yuki's, her legs starting to buckle.
~Right now, in regards to your safety... we're sorry we cannot guarantee it! We're just as frightened as you!~ Even the Pros present were speechless. She knew well of the turmoil Izuku had gone through. He saved people left and right, fighting off villains and Barons in a frenzy to stay standing. She wanted them all to see and understand the lengths her best friend had gone to, and the one she didn't know about yet. ~Everyone here is under the same circumstances!~
Everyone. Her classmates. The Pros. Mr. Aizawa in his hospital bed. All of them were watching her scream her heart out. For when a hero is in pain... when heroes are in pain... She raised her head, jamming her eyes shut with her voice raised so high it felt like her lungs might collapse. "We have to save the heroes!"
~That's why I'm asking for your full cooperation! So that tomorrow we can all smile together!~ Her thoughts briefly thought to the blood-sucker Toga, that cheery smile plagued her mind. ~With everyone's help, please, give Izuku, Yuki, Rayla, Tekres, Akio, Hana, and Velk time to rest and recuperate, is that too much to ask!?~ By now, Tekres stopped cloaking, lost in the girl's words too, some flinched at the sight of the Fallen but he too wasn't focused on the crowd anymore.
~Izuku and Yuki... are trying to carry the burden of their powers on their own, they have all this time! They've got alot more to learn, but... they're just ordinary high-schoolers!~
"But..." That same guy tried again to no avail, Ochaco clenched her teeth.
~LET THEM STAY HERE! AT THE HERO ACADEMIA PLEASE!~
This is the story... of how I became the greatest hero...
That final line brought Izuku down to his knees, sobbing loudly with his back hunched, Yuki cupped her mouth, failing to hide her own emotions as she fell next to him, unable to stop herself from falling apart.
The crowd shuffled aside as the tall woman pushed her way past, discarding her umbrella to reach for her hero. To join her, Kota had appeared, running with tears in his eyes also at the sight of the pair he hadn't seen in months. Kota then heard the slap of shoes next to him, and the next person in Yuki's gaze finally brought her head down into a snivelling sob. Nana... it was Nana running full-tilt toward her.
"Big Bro Midoriya/Yuki!" The two cried out their names.
Kota held onto Izuku's shoulders, helping him sit upright slightly. "I-I'm sorry! I was so scared I-I couldn't move! I'm so sorry, I'm sorry! But when I heard that lady I-I had to go! To become someone like you two... that's why!" He was smiling with tears flooding down his cheeks, "I am here! So please, don't cry anymore, it's okay!"
"Kota..." Izuku muttered between sobs.
Yuki was another story, wrapping her arms around her little sister so tightly she might crush her. "You're back... you're really back!" Nana wept. "I was so scared! I thought you were gone like Mama and Papa, I... I'm sorry...!" She screamed into Yuki's chest.
"I'm so sorry I left you behind... I couldn't stop think about you..." Yuki muttered back, nuzzling her sister's head, kissing it. "I love you... so much...!"
"I love y-you too!" Nana sniffled, burying her head into the crook of Yuki's neck.
"So you were a UA student," The mouse woman lifted Izuku back to his feet while Yuki found the strength to stand, still clutching her sister tightly.
"Miss...!" Izuku was grateful to see her again.
"I went to so many shelters but they all refused to let me in... and said mutants weren't welcomed... and I ended up here," She then cocked her head, eyes closed with tears while smiling down at him. "But thanks to that I got to see you again, lucky me! Thanks for helping me, crybaby hero," She then wrapped her hero in her arms with Kota's arms around Izuku's legs.
The people watched this, as a broken hero reunited with two he saved. And two sisters reunited in a tight embrace. One spoke up, having been one to keep his silence until now for that starry-eyed middle-schooler he saw way back jotting down notes on Pros in the middle of the street. "Instead of blaming them... shouldn't be atleast hear the kids out?" He handed his umbrella to another to free his hand. "It's not like they're staying here forever, right!? Right now, we don't have the manpower to fight off the villains! UA is the only place where they can rest so they don't wear themselves out, right!?"
He then called over to the Principle nearby. "That's the gist of it, right, heroes!?"
"You're right," From the dark skies, another hero landed in silver armour, retracting their wings while shaking their hair free from their helmet. Valstrax nodded to the man. "No more no less."
"Why not Shiketsu!? Aren't they just as well-equipped!?" One tried to shove the problem over, but someone countered with a solemn look.
"But... that's just pushing the problem onto them..." She stated.
"Y'know, until all this happened, none of us noticed... we civilians were the 'audience' while the heroes were 'performing' up on stage," The man from before added. "Once All Might was an unparalleled hero that paved the way for others. Everyone admired him! They cheered him on! But while doing so... we stopped putting our spirit into it along the way..." He lowered his hands. "Now the stage has been swept away, mistake after mistake, they wanted neither fame nor money and threw themselves out there as heroes,"
"Who do you think the ones left... are fighting for? The ones that came back from another world, what are they fighting for?" He pressed and pressed deeper, picking the truth apart from all the lies and fear. "If we reject them, then who will we have left!? How do we get back the lives we used to have!? I know this is all coming as a shock but calm down!" He snapped at those driven by fear. "How long... do we plan to be an audience!?"
Under rainfall, that same man that was so adamant about keeping Yuki and Izuku away hesitated, gripping his phone and umbrella tightly. "The rumours spoke of a beat-up man... who could use multiple quirks at once... a man serving as a decoy for the villains... some even called him a true hero...!" He sniffed, lifting his head to look at the young couple with flickering hope behind his terror. "Give us an answer! Will you staying here... give us back the lives we had!?"
"I give you my vow..." Yuki dragged her head upright, clutching Nana with one arm, her left hand interlocked to Izuku's once more, both had the light they once had return to their eyes, reflecting off each other. "...I will use the power I stole from Kovik to defeat him!"
"I am... we're..." Izuku did the same, tears fell from his eyes, but he wasn't screaming, he looked forward with a steadfast gaze. "...no longer alone,"
"And We Will... Take Back Everything!" They vowed to everyone.
The crowd soon dispersed a bit to allow the students through. Tekres was stared at by a few kids, himself tucking his blue hood closer to his head while Hagakure giggled at his abrasiveness. Rayla grinned alongside Solaire, waving off the crowd with an apology for her outburst. Some offered their umbrellas to the students, and some were asked to keep theirs out of kindest.
Iida helped to escort Yuki and Izuku through. Inko hugging her son with tears of her own while he tried to dry his eyes with a faint smile, the man who once objected to them holding up his umbrella for him and Yuki. As for the Machinist herself, she thanked the man, still hugging Nana as Valstrax ran to scoop her daughters into her arms tightly, bringing on a fresh wave of joyful tears between the Azurus. Akio used a fire spell to try and bring a little warmth to those around him, Kyoka pressed to his side to enjoy the warmth, definitely not because she wanted to hug her boyfriend...
Back in Camino Ward at the same time, All Might had returned to the scene of the crime. The place his final battle with All For One took place, and very sight his students saved his successor from himself, and the return of his other students from beyond their realm. The battered remains of a gruelling battle with Halimaka were fresh, thankfully, the statue was only defaced, as usual.
Upon the wet ground, All Might stood before the ruined mask of Izuku Midoriya, picking it up, he could feel it starting to crumble just from the touch. It felt so heavy too... His sunken eyes then locked with his statue, mocking him. "You... couldn't do anything when your student was struggling, only until the last second, just like before," Those words on a board around the neck of the statue caught his eye the most. 'I Am Not Here'. "You're just dragging them down, All Might."
"Well, if this isn't fate," A tail swept close to All Might's throat from the boulder next to him, but the man didn't budge, instead, he eyed his visitor. "Slating your own name? How you've fallen from grace, All Might."
He wore a black tricorn, a grey duster coat, a pair of brown leather boots, a pair of black, gloveless gauntlets with golden ornaments, and a reddish bandanna covering his face, leaving only a triangular space for his pupilless, yellow eyes to stare endlessly ahead. His right forearm gnarled and mangled with yellow crystals, the bone and flesh twisted into a crooked river of a crossbow, the fingers forming the fleshy mechanism. Former member of Harbinger's crew, the Nightmare, Scourge.
"Scourge, I thought you left this realm?" All Might greeted, feeling the bony tail graze his skin.
"No, not yet, I had unfinished business, and with Harrow's defeat I was given the time needed to accomplish this," Scourge replied, looking at All Might curiously. "This place is considered 'hollowed ground' by some, a place of two true heroes, perhaps more if the future is not so bleak, but I am not omniscient, I work with what I can see," He tapped All Might's chin, his crossbow swaying close to the ex-hero's face. "And yet, hearing you speak those words here... it infuriates me somewhat, it took alot to keep Halimaka from damaging the place further, and then an imposter like you comes along to spit on its legacy, have you no honour left?"
"It was you then?" All Might sighed, tucking his hands into his pockets. "I suppose I am a fake, huh?"
Looking up at the sky, it was the same that day too, the day Toshinori Yagi was told he could be a hero. "For the longest time, I couldn't stand the feeling of being unable to do anything. I couldn't permit it, the constant unreasonableness, of both those who stole and those who were stolen from," The world was much like it was back then, ruined and decayed. "Despite being powerless, I couldn't remain still, I wanted to make the world a better place,"
"..." Scourge studied his soul with careful consideration of his words and feelings.
"But then I reached the end, and the result is all this, I wasn't even able to protect the student I promised I would, nor the one ripped from her world," He hated himself for that. To see Yuki suffer the way she did, dragged alongside her friends to an unknown world beyond their consent. "I couldn't even stop him to take a breather... how did it come to this...?" His eyes weren't visible anymore. "I keep... getting farther and farther away from the hero I once was..."
Like a viper in the grass, Scourge's tail snaked around All Might's shoulders, dragging him behind the boulder closer to that crossbow, All Might didn't even resist, making a dry joke at his last moment. "What? I haven't sensed any bloodlust the entire time..." "I don't think we're close enough to be joining shoul-"
"Your humour is as bad as Viral's was..." Scourge rolled his eyes then nodded over the boulder.
"Did they put it up again!? Seriously...!" A brash voice huffed close to the statue. All Might and Scourge poked their heads out to watch. She folded her umbrella and made a snow pile beneath her feet to stand near the neck of the statue, unhooking the sign much to All Might's surprise at the kind gesture. "Haven't they had enough by now?"
"Everyday I've seen her come by to clean the statue those Anti-Hero activists find such joy in defacing, she's staying at a locale evac shelter, she's been doing this to maintain the peace at the shelter for her fellow man," Scourge had documented in his time at Camino, she always done this, even in the days of rainfall they've had.
"But why put herself in that sort of danger, who is she!?" All Might had to wonder why this brave soul would risk her life in this way.
Scourge eyed the Pro, then the girl cleaning the statue with vigor. "She is the last person... All Might saved."
It came flooding back to him, while Vosik battled with Yuki and he with All For One, one woman cried out for his aid where the rubble at pinned her. If he had moved to avoid any of AFO's attacks, she wouldn't have been here to continue admiring the man that saved her life. He... wouldn't have been touched by her honest heart this day.
That's when the Nightmare flicked All Might on the forehead with his tail, waving his mutated arm around. "It had nothing to do with power, All Might smiled and brought that to those in their darkest hour, a strength very few can manifest in their lives, and I have been around for a long time," Scourge lamented. He grabbed All Might by the collar, bringing him close the assassin to look him dead in the eyes. "That ideal was engraved in his soul, something the masses extolled to this day! And yet... I see a man pretending to mirror that flame, rather, I saw it flicker briefly in the defence of his pupils, inside of you... that flame hasn't burned out, you simply believed it has!"
He threw All Might back, arm wide, "The result? That conclusion has yet to be reached, the embers you left kindle in those that believed and follow your example, they gather in every man, woman, and child to form a great bonfire that will burn out the dark, and cast a new light on this harrowing world!" Scourge huffed, his black skin starting to retreat into itself. "If we allow that flame to die now... then the darkness has already won, we... I, cannot allow the sacrifices of those I've lost to be in vain, what say you, Hero?"
"Let's do this, I believe in you," The woman muttered to herself, cleaning despite the rain. All Might... felt a tear run down his face at how easily he had forgotten. Back then, his body moved before he had a chance to think, all to save the children he raised.
Scourge was gone, now, a healthy man in his twenties slapped All Might's chest lightly, leaving behind a device no bigger than a phone in All Might's hands. "Ah ain't here to judge or anything, that's all on Scourge, but if yer the kinda hero most admire, ah reckin' you'll need tha' to give yerselves the edge ya need," He winked, giving a curt nod to All Might as he shook the rain off his pale purple hair, golden eyes staring ahead. "Everything... for ah just society,"
All Might watched as the Host to Scourge approached the statue, waving up at the woman who's face suddenly lit up in pleasant surprise. "Hey, Alex, I didn't know you were in town!"
"Ah knew ya missed me," He grinned with a wink, waving his hand again. "Need ah hand?" He suddenly kicked the ground, creating the Windwalker spell to levitate up to her height, herself handing a cloth to polish off any spots left hidden from the rain.
Before long, All Might took his leave, drying away his tears as he knew what to do, pocketing the device gifted to him by the dangerous Nightmare now conversing with the woman. Both stopped working, blinking up at the first rays of sunlight in days. "Huh, it finally stopped raining?"
"Ah good omen," Alex replied, looking over to where All Might once was, his mark flashing gold momentarily. His piece has been placed, now all he had to do was wait.
To say the return of Izuku and his friends, those from another realm, was to be enjoyed was an understatement. It wasn't long after they arrived back in the familiar common area of their dorm building did the guys and girl burst from their respective bathing areas. "The water's 42 degrees Celsius!" Kaminari and Ashido bellowed, and before Izuku could mouth a word, he was hoisted into his, Kirishima's, and Sero's arms. Ashido, Tsu, and Nana doing the same to Yuki as the pair were pulled into the private bathing rooms like hand luggage.
After being stripped of their clothing the two sides moved like a cyclone, cleaning both from head to toe before tossing them into the hot bath with a splash. For the boys, Izuku wasn't really sure he registered the events that just happened, sitting with his head above water with the guys. "Told ya, a bath really takes care of most problems." Kaminari smiled, relaxing into the water's heat.
"There's dirt all over the bathtub! Scrub if off with detergent right now!" Katsuki exploded with venom at their messy procedure, shaking a fist at the group. "And makes sure to follow the instructions on the side and use the correct amount!"
"You might have apologized for your past shortcomings, but you still haven't changed," Tokoyami stated the obvious.
"Let up already..." Sato's words fell on deaf ears as Katsuki struck the bathwater with enough force to cause a large wave to crash into the lot.
"That was excessive...!" Akio spat some water out, shaking the bangs from his eyes. "Ah, feels good to be back..." He sighed, floating atop the water in peace. "No more jumping through random rifts in space and time, no more nearly taking the head off my teacher practicing Wish Ender, aaah, worth it."
"Those seem like awful events, you sure you're okay man!?" Kirishima sweatdropped.
Katsuki stared at the murky water, completely serious. "I haven't given up on becoming Number One... you're all still my rivals," His arm then jutted forward, spraying water in the direction of Izuku. "That includes you! De - Izuku!"
Blinking a few times, Izuku stared at Katsuki with the same, soft look. "Deku is fine, you don't have to force yourself, Kacchan." Given all that's transpired, while it was great to know his old friend was willing to amend for his actions, even using his name again. Hearing anything but 'Deku' pass Katsuki's lips felt so out of place for Izuku, and with how his name was represented since starting UA it was hardly an insult in his eyes now.
"I'm not forcing myself!" He splashed again.
"Well, a strong ambition is a good thing, right?" Sero suggested.
"This is a great time to submerge Bakugo, let's do it!" Kaminari grinned ear to ear.
"Whadda mean 'a great time'!?" He dared as he was attacked from all sides. Izuku just smiled lightly while Akio closed his eyes, enjoying the banter.
With the girls, Ashido gasped in awe as Yuki stood up in the bath, blushing slightly from being 'put on display' as she thought. Her body looked just the same only now, the scales that peppered certain parts of her body had grown. Her cheeks' scales were more defined, same for the ones across the backs of her hands, biceps and forearms. Some were located on the outside of her thighs and down her shins to the tops of her feet. Not to mention her hair now flowed to the middle of her back, obscuring her unique long strand from view.
"That's crazy... so you really did grow like a reptile!" Hagakure blurted out, and as Yuki sat down in the hot water next to Nana, Siva appeared on her shoulder.
"To a degree | Her body underwent a 'moulting' | This likely will not happen again" He explained as Yuki was already a 'matured' Eliksni despite still being a teenager, most adolescence in the Eliksni do not undergo this state less they've received high amounts of Ether, but since Yuki didn't require such she was a peculiar case.
"Oooh, I can't wait to hear about what you guys did in another world!" Ashido squealed with delight. "The action, adventure, perhaps some new romance sprinkled in~" Her eyes droned over to Rayla, the Guardian immediately splashing her face with a laugh.
"Hate to burst your bubble, Pinky, but there's not much to say," Rayla entertained the thought, looking to two others. "I saw that, by the way,"
Hana, who was staring off into space, snapped back to reality, Velk in her human form enjoying the warmth compared to her ice-cold body. "Huh?" Hana's lips formed that downward 'V' again.
Rayla rolled her eyes, "You and Sero holding hands, didn't quite catch anything before, was being hugged to death by two goofballs, the works," Her nonchalant tone made Hana lower her body into the water until her mouth was hidden, face heating up further.
"That's right! You totally have a thing for Sero!" Ashido grinned, and now even Hana's ears were red.
"They did seem to hit it off when they first met," Tsu added, tapping her chin. Steam rose from Hana's head now.
"Please don't break my sister, I have to share her thoughts at times," Velk knowingly smirked to herself until Hana submerged herself for a few seconds. Yuki just prayed she wasn't next on the chopping block.
"Then there's you, little miss rockstar!" Ashido was right back on the machine gun today.
"Which one?" Nana and Kyoka looked to one another.
"Nope, not you Mini Yuki - yes, we're using it, bleh!" Ashido avoided Yuki's splash at the horrible nickname. "But yeah, you and Kairi are too damn adorable all the time so I can't tease you, but I definitely saw that back there, Jiro!"
"I-I don't know w-what you mean, shut up," Kyoka's brow twitched, tapping her jacks together.
"You KISSED, I half-expected Yuyu and Midoriya, but you just pulled that loverboy right in to - ack!" Finally, the pink demon was silenced by a jack frying her brain, leaving her to slowly drown into the murky depths if not for Yaoyorozu.
"Oh God, I did, didn't I?" Kyoka ran her hands down her red face, shaking her head. "Why the hell did I do that!?"
"Because you love him," To speak up was Yuki, who had been enjoying the banter with a gentle smile. "He really missed you, and Akio put his all into every day to grow stronger to see you again," Kyoka stared at her with wide eyes, and a timid smile graced the purplette's features. "What we went through was alot on all of us... but, we'll save that until later, for now, Yaomomo?"
"Yes?" The mature teen perked up as Yuki tugged at her damp hair.
"Think you can help me out? I really don't like having long hair for too long but I got side-tracked, hehehe..."
"Dimitri was sure you'd steal her vibe," Rayla murmured.
"What's that even mean!? Lots of people have long hair! I just totally rock a sexy short hair vibe," Yuki exclaimed, exaggerating her hair by brushing it to one side like some cringy commercial, earning a round of laughter from the girls.
After the bath was over, everyone gathered in the common area to discuss the topic of the afternoon. "Hey, where's Uraraka?" Izuku asked, sitting next to Yuki with their hands joined once more, rings touching.
"She fell asleep, she was completely knocked out once the situation died down," Ashido explained.
"I see..." Izuku wanted to thank her but he supposed that could wait. "Well? Is everyone here then?"
"For the most part, but we can fill in the blanks as they show up," Tokoyami replied, crossing his arms. "So then, what did transpire after you all ventured through that rift?"
"And how the heck did you survive a gut wound like that!?" Hagakure waved her invisible arm forward, earning a smack on the head from Rayla.
"Sensitive much?"
"It's alright, I... honestly think I got lucky," Yuki chuckled slightly, rubbing her stomach that had another scar to bear. "...we all did with where we ended up."
"Where is that exactly?" Katsuki huffed, sitting down with his feet up on the table.
"You okay?" Sensing his partner's worry, Izuku rubbed her tense palm to ease her mind. She smiled sweetly, nuzzling his cheek again to enjoy the feelings she missed.
"Yeah... yeah, okay, here goes," Sitting up straight, she recounted the days after the defeat at the hands of Kovik, when she was certain she would die. "It all started... when we arrived through a portal in another world..."
A world of Light and Darkness...
To Be Continued...
In only 10 chapters we arrive at the halfway point of this arc, technically this is the start of Yuki's arc but it's more to parallel hers and Izuku's journey separated. Ochaco is just... awesome, and while a certain someone wasn't around to confront All Might, we have the return of Scourge, who still hangs around the realm after Harrow's defeat, but why? So much is still left to explore, what comes next is anyone's guess. I hope you enjoyed, I appreciate the support as always; seeya in the next arc, Heroes!
Next Chapter Intermission: Beyond Perfected
"Oh, we're back again! Feels weird," Zane blinked at the preview screen, paling at the sight. "Uh, that's pretty dark..."
"Hey, no spoilers!" Yuki covered his eyes, turning him around, blinded as he held up a finger.
"Sorry Splicer Lady!" He grinned, expressing himself with his hands while Yuki hung her head over his shoulder. "You remind me alot of Ceres, you too are very nice,"
"Aw, thanks," Yuki cooed, cocking her head. "She's... the one in... red, right?"
"Well, either that or the ever-so-charismatic Chrome Dome, yes," He nodded, pulling down a notice of the next chapter. "Up next on the docket, Beyond Perfection - oh hey, that's the name for the Rise of Iron Book!"
Yuki shook her head, smiling all the same, "How does it go here...? Continue on-"
"-Towards the Light!" Zane finished for her.
"Yeah, that one!"