Chapter 147 - Don't Give Up
|Siege Engine Collison - 00:00:00|
Across Japan, those a part of the Ground Team were brought to silence say for the lingering villains, any and all copies of the infamous Devil Splicers and their subsequent copies of past Barons had crumbled without a trace, simply reduce to dust and rusting metal. Aboard the Siege Engine, the Observation Wing, also known as the Perfection Complex, had been reduced to rubble. Tomura Shigaraki and all his followers were defeated, Kovik, the Splicer Priest and false Kell of Kells, had too been slain by Yuki and Izuku in a final stand against the deranged Fallen Devil.
But the victory is pyrrhic; despite Kovik's death, Izuku stared with one wide, petrified eye at the sight a few meters from in the sunlight. Yuki stared up at the sky, her face paled, her eyes expanded and lifeless. She was gone, her heart had stopped beating. Katsuki, who had found the strength to move, could only stand and share in Izuku's horror at the all-too-familiar nightmare. They won... but she didn't...
I was so weak... I had nothing, just a lowly Dreg that scrounged in the dark... I could still hear the cries of those who were docked. Heartless, relentless, those days aboard the Ketch were taut with brooding feelings. We had become scavengers, festering off of ruins and decay to survive. The others were with us, sometimes, Houses would squabble and I would be swept up with the storm. I have killed those that I should call my brothers and sisters. But during those times? Those like me born after the Whirlwind knew one truth.
Only your House is family. The others are simply distant, they fend for themselves, even personal gains together were often kept professional by Kells. But everyone knew of the negative thoughts brewing behind closed doors. I was no fighter, I was too weak and starved of Ether to do so, but... I used my head to keep the others above me from treating me like dirt. With my mind, I fixed our weapons, I repaired systems and star maps, I kept the flow of Ether pungent for greedy Devils. But they welcomed me, they accepted that only those who can offer their brothers and sisters safety were welcomed. Those that did nothing... deserve nothing.
Through SIVA, we grew beyond the need of Ether, those Lightbearers that work with us? They are not family, they have no right to be among us, to be considered one of us. With SIVA, we showed their worthlessness, the futility of the Light they were given by the God that abandoned us. My mentor, the one that helped me, raised me with many hatchlings. Aksis was the one true Kell I would die for. His lessons engraved into my mind, one that I had passed off as unneeded; 'Where machines rust and decay, feelings and memories are eternal'.
I understand now, for in death, a body rots away into dust and bone, but the memories and emotions are passed on like a torch, they inspire others, and in turn, they inspire those after. It is a cycle that had consumed me, thus, leading to my end. The Thief... Yuki had passed on her feelings to others, and now, they had bested me...
But...
My own memories and feelings are eternal, they too have left their mark on those I have met... where my brothers and sisters entrusted their feelings to me, I will do the same for you... Yuki Azuru.
Your body is dying, but there are still signals being sent to and from your brain, you haven't died yet, there is no lasting damage to be seen. I will act quickly, my time is limited. With what's left of NARA, I will heal your wounds, and pour my emotions, memories, and thoughts into yours. You will survive... I promise you that... and entrust my will to you alone.
Suddenly, Yuki's face contorted with pain as she doubled over, coughing up spit and blood as she writhed for a moment in agony, breathing heavy and laboured until she found the ability to move her hands in front of her, helping to keep herself up her hands and knees. "Yuki...!" Izuku, overwhelmed with relief pushed his shaking body to its feet, almost falling from the pain that followed in an attempt to get near her. He knelt down, wincing as sharp flushes of pain wrapped up his right leg.
Now... you will all die...!
Her face was obscured by her hair. Without much warning, Izuku had stumbled backward as Katsuki pulled him by his collar at the last second, avoiding Yuki's right hand before it could slash Izuku's throat with her sharpened nails. "Huh? What? Yuki... why?" He muttered.
"Stay back!" Katsuki yelled, panic racing to his features. "Any hero awake right now needs to get up and fight!"
"I'm impressed... you saw through me so quickly... I underestimated you..." Yuki's voice was sickly sweet, and a frantic laugh escaped her lips as she took a stand, rising to greet the boys with a sadistic smile and ice-blue eyes, the sheer volume of her laughter shaking her shoulders. "Hehehehahahaha! You really are so annoying, Dynamight, was it? You heroes and your empty names!"
"Yuki... what...?" Izuku couldn't believe what he was witnessing. But Katsuki kept screaming orders in his rush, holding his good arm wide.
"Kovik's taken over Yuki's body! We need to defeat her now, hurry up!" He bellowed as the news sunk in quickly to Izuku's pale face as 'Yuki' took a few steps forward, then, lunged, grabbing her sword to slash down at Katsuki.
"Do me a favour and die gagging on your own blood, human!" She screamed, her sword meeting steel as Katsuki threw Izuku away and dodged himself as her swing followed him, nicking his chest as the fabric was slashed. "Oh, the irony, that I'd be saved through the one person that stole my victory from me! Well, I can't deny the results, even if SIVA no longer circulates inside her," He opened and closed his free hand, running his fingers down his blemished left cheek. "But I can easily recreate NARA, and then, all that loss will have been erased, hahahahaha!"
Kovik took another stab at Katsuki, avoiding a small blast from his palm as the blonde wrapped around and slammed his good arm into Kovik's side, knocking him backward, but the Splicer continued to laugh as he stood up again, flashing Katsuki he fanged grin like Yuki would. "Tch, no point now... I gotta take the shot and blast her away!" He raised his burned and bleeding hand, feeling his sweat starting to crackle and pop. "I'll burn the bastard right outta her!" But all Katsuki could feel was his arm tremble. All he could see... was her smile.
"Even if I die..." She lifted her gaze to smile back at him. "I'd do it all again to meet you, Izuku, and everyone else again!"
"I... can't follow through..." His arm lowered in defeat, his eyes hardened as a few tears built up in his eyes out of sheer frustration. "...I can't kill her..."
"Watch it, Work Study!" Without a second to lose, Hawks commanded two feathers to yank Katsuki back in time, Quickfang striking the air as he turned his attention to Hawks who withdrew his katana, though it was noticeably nicked from the fight with Nara prior. Hawks smirked as he flew into view with what little feathers he had, landing to strike his sword against Kovik's. "Not cool taking over a girl's body without consent, you really are a sore loser,"
"Is that all you got for a witty remark? I expected more from you Hawks," Kovik grinned back, using Whirlwind Slash to send the hero flying as his katana shattered from the sheer force of the Void. Of course, Hawks brandished his feathers only for them all to be deflected away from Kovik. "She really admired you for your tenacity despite your family's background with a criminal, she respects you alot for teaching Tokoyami so much," His taunting put Hawks on the edge, gliding back to avoid Kovik's relentless strikes. "Now all that's left is some burnt up flying rat,"
"Now that's not very nice, I didn't even name call you yet," Hawks quipped but his frown was clear and evident of his worry. "This guy's plugged himself right into her mind, there's gotta be a way to sever it, or... is it already too late for that? He said SIVA's not working anymore, so she's quirkless, but if he gets away now, he'll rebuild..." Hawks shook his head at the sinister thoughts that cropped up. "No, I'm not going down that route 'till I know for certain!"
Kovik swung haphazardly in a circle with another ramp-up of Whirlwind Blade, slicing apart the small blasts that tried to throw him off balance and the feathers attempting to lift his body away. He spun his wrist around entirely thanks to the cybernetic, bringing the blade down toward Katsuki only to find two arms wrapped around his body tightly. "Please... stop this, Yuki!" Izuku cried, both in desperation, and in the pain from his right arm being broken, but his face was no less determined as he squeezed her body tighter. "It's not your fault! You can fight this! Fight Kovik and come back... come home with me... please!"
"Get your hands off my body!" Kovik growled, kneeing Izuku in the stomach before punching him across his wrapped eye, causing him to recoil from a surge of pain. Without thinking, Izuku drew his own fist forward against Kovik's stomach, causing him to wince. "You wouldn't kill her... she means too much to you!" But where he thought he saw pain, there was also a fury like no other behind that emerald eye.
"You are not Yuki!" Izuku snarled. "She is kind, compassionate, loving, strong, brave, and so many things you could never be or hope to understand! Get out of Her body, right now!" He demanded, striking Kovik in the wrist to disarm him but that didn't stop the Splicer from swiping his hand forward, leaving three thin cuts across Izuku's right cheek. "You can fight this, don't give up, listen to me!"
"Dammit, wake up already, Mute!" Katsuki came in from behind, grabbing under Kovik's arms only to be thrashed off and thrown into Izuku's chest. The two scrambled to their feet, avoiding the sword that was quickly snatched away by two more feathers. Hawks kept his distance, watching the boys as they attempted to get through to their friend. "This seriously how you're gonna die!? After everything, you're okay with this!?"
"Come on, kid, there's more fight in you!" Hawks added in, avoiding an arc of Void unleashed from Quickfang as it swept the air over Izuku's head, nicking a few strands of hair.
"So long as a slither of my consciousness remains... the Devil Splicers will never be erased!" Kovik hollered, slashing the air again as he missed with his claws, feeling something strain and pull his arms back. "What...?" Two black hands attached to thin black arms were pulling him away.
"That's not a line I'd ever want to hear come from your lips, Yuki," Akio stood firm, smiling weakly as a blackish-purple gateway of Kurogiri's closed behind him, allowing the boy to use what little mana he had recovered to pull Kovik back with Gloom Grip. "Come on, Yuki, you know you can fight this, isn't that why we spent three months fighting with Ceres and the others!?"
"Yuyu, listen to us!" Beside him, holding herself up against Akio's side was Kyoka, she was banged up and her left earlobe continued to drip with blood from the loss of her jack, but she used her remaining right to support Akio who was starting to quiver, almost losing control of the spell.
"Don't you get it? She's gone," Kovik then let himself be snatched up by the shadow arms, loosening slightly for him to twist and slash to ribbons, rushing the two injured teens directly. Akio raised his right hand to form a seal only for it to flicker and die. Instead, Kyoka plugged her jack into her wrist gauntlet and punched the air, the sonic blast tearing up the ground that Kovik previously stood on as he dove down and grabbed them both by the jaw, slamming their heads into the ground.
Raising his right hand to slash Kyoka's throat as she shook off the dizziness, a single, silver streak of light split straight through Kovik's right hand, leaving a sizable hole through his palm as it twitched and spasmed from the distant ring of a handcannon. He glowered at a small mound of arching scrap to see Rayla slump down, Hard Luck clattering beside her.
"Oh, do you ever shut the fuck up?" She spat, leaning her head back to spit some blood off to the side.
"Red Gauntlet!" From Kovik's blindspot, Quickfang was sent flying by a solid right jab to the hilt, but he lashed out, slamming his cybernetic hand down on Kirishima's shoulder before socking him in the face. "Come on Yuki, you're tougher than that!" He smirked, even as a boot sent him flying on his back. "You ain't gone yet, show us that!"
A blinding refraction of light made Kovik recoil, missing his follow-up strike on Kirishima. "I'm not losing anyone else to you, give me back my best friend!" Hagakure yelled, refracting a beam of light that narrowly shaved past Kovik's growing expression of rage and contempt, Aoyama winced but held strong, his own armour badly broken down in several spots.
Suddenly, others had either been warped in to help the team only to stop and stare as Izuku locked his hands with Kovik's, fighting to overpower the possessed Yuki. "You aren't dead, you aren't gone and I know it!" He refused to let this be the end, there was a way! "Please, fight him!" He headbutted her, much to his own throbbing headache and then wrapped his wounded arms around her to pin Kovik to his knees with him. Kovik continued to scream and thrash, causing Izuku to grunt and resist the pain of his claws digging into his back while Kovik bit down on Izuku's shoulder to wrestle free. "Yuki!"
"Raaaaaahh!" Kovik was going to tear Izuku flesh from bone, but Izuku held on, even as he was thrown onto his back, arms locked around the girl's body as Kovik dragged himself forward in an attempt to escape.
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Yuki sank deeper into the ocean around her, the light of the surface was so far away by now. She heard voices calling to her, they were begging her to stop, to come back, to fight... "I want to go back too..." Her eyes cracked open partially, but half her body resembled that of Kovik, leaving her left eye exposed to the deep blue sea and the rays of sunlight refracting down into her gaze. "I'm so tired... please... let me go back to him," Her eye welled up with tears that bubbled up into the water.
She reached up with her right, trying to swim forward. "I want to go to UA with my friends again, I want to live with Izuku, to marry him, to be a family with him..." Her arm then seized up, the red lines pulsing with a deep voice buried in her head.
And then what? Everyone you care for is dead and gone.
"No, you're lying, shut up," Yuki was then pushed forward by a pair of hands that belonged to her mother and father. "I can hear them."
More hands joined in, the other visages of One For All, Dren, Hansuke, and Nighteye. With their strength she swam forward, parts of Kovik's armour beginning to crumble and sink into the dark ocean below.
Can't you taste the blood on your lips? You've hurt them all.
They hate you.
They want to kill you.
No one loves you or wishes for you to return.
"I want to say 'I'm Sorry' for making them worry, and for hurting them, I have to make amends; My sister... I can't leave her alone again," Yuki swam harder, thrashing against the cold pull of the water. But the harder she swam the heavier her armour became.
They'll never forgive the things you've done.
You and I have brought ruin to this world.
You are no hero, no saviour, no Guardian.
You're the same as me. Fallen.
"It's not your choice, that's there's," She ignored and kicked harder. "Even if I'm scorned by everyone in the world, I want to go back!"
SIVA is gone.
That made her heart clench tightly, eyes shimmering with grief.
Without it, you are useless.
You can never follow them down that path you once walked.
You will be left behind.
"Then... I'll rebuild him," Yuki declared, and two hands grabbed her shoulders, pulling off more of Kovik's metal from her body. Aksis swayed next to her, pushing her faster toward the surface. "I will become a hero, not because I was born with a quirk, but because, I was given the chance to be blessed with power, to make my dreams a reality, but I never needed SIVA to do that, he... just made it easier,"
Her legs kicked harder, Aksis nodding to her solemnly, "I'll recreate SIVA, and I'll meet them at the end of that road!"
"No!" Kovik appeared before her, grabbing back against her shoulders to push her down into the dark waters below. "You will not leave me here! You and I are one! I won't go back to that void! I'll drag you down with me!"
Slowly, Yuki felt herself starting to slip away again, but before her hand could fall, two soft, warm hands she recognized cupped her wrist and forearm. Then another hand appeared from the water's surface, breaking the light to reach out and offer their hands, behind her, more hands pushed her onward toward them, shoving past Kovik who yanked on her left arm as almost all of Kovik's armour had sunk to the void.
"Yuki!" "Come back to us!" "This isn't your fault!" "I won't let you down!" "Please, come back, Yuyu!" "This isn't goodbye!" "Aksis, you can beat this!" "Don't give up!"
"I can hear them...!" She pulled away as best she could but Kovik's hands were clamped around her, drawing blood.
"They hate you! Those that have died resent you! Why is it you get to live while they died!?" Kovik growled. "You'll be just as bad, just as conniving and evil, as ruthless as those so-called Guardians and Heroes!"
Yuki stopped just shy of the surface, hands still clamped around her right arm. She turned to look down at his face unmasked, eyes wide in terror, the fear of death washed over his eyes for the first time since the two crossed paths. For a moment, Yuki felt pity but that mere speck couldn't overshadow her spite. "Kovik, this is it... it's over..." She replied softly.
That single response quickly shifted his tune, eyes shaken by fear. "No... don't leave me here... don't send me back there!" He fell, clawing at her torso down to her belt. "You don't know what it's like! There's nothing... there's nothing down there..." He begged, trying to hold onto her as his claws slipped down her legs. "Don't do this...!"
Kovik had taken so much from her. She watched him struggle as he hung by her foot, she closed her eyes. "You can't keep running from your past, your brothers and sisters are waiting beyond this place... Aksis is waiting," She twisted her foot to throw him back. "I'm sorry, Kovik..." She then stared down into her monster's eyes. "...goodbye." The last of his cursed armour fell from her body as she kicked forward, pulled toward the surface as he reached out with his arms.
"NOO-"
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Light flooded back into Yuki's eyes as she felt her head resting against someone's lap. When everything came into focus, she met with the single emerald eye she had seen almost everyday staring down at her, and the hopeful tears that fell from it onto her own face. "Yuki...!" Izuku smiled down at her as she did the same, feeling tears creep into her eyes as she raised her left hand to run across his cheek.
"I'm sorry... for being an idiot again..." She raised her body, turning to him only to be wrapped up in his arms tightly as he started to laugh, burying his head against her shoulder as Yuki did the same, holding him with as much strength as she could muster. "
"SHE'S BACK!/SHE'S OKAY!"
~Whatever happened just now... it seems... it's over... the heroes are cheering!~ The reporter perked up loudly, wiping a tear from her eye. ~Kovik the Devil Splicer... has been defeated!~
Shuffling to inspect the area, Yuki couldn't help but laugh blissfully at the various injured heroes around her and Izuku. Katsuki sat down with a glare but was smirking all the same, releasing a breath he didn't know he held. Akio was hugging Kyoka around the neck tightly, the two grinning at the sight of their best friend being herself again.
Endeavor, who had woken up and was being tended to immediately, relaxed his stern frown, watching the two teens laughing in each others arms, bloodied and in serious need of medical attention, but they were alive and crying in jubilation. Endeavor closed his eyes, allowing the cries of joy to flood his ears with a faint smile of his own, that massive, almost insurmountable weight lifting from his weary soul.
~W-what's this!?~
Izuku grabbed Yuki's left hand, interlocking their fingers as he raised their joint hands into the air above them, causing another chorus of laughter to flood from their mouths, heads resting against one another for all to see.
~Deku and Aksis... they've raised their fists together!~
Back at UA, Nana was sobbing with a big smile on her face, feeling a twist in her heart at the news before her. Tomoya, Mitsuki, and Kairi all gathered around her as she bowed her head. "M-mama... P-papa... they beat him... they did it!" She felt nothing short of love for the greatest news imaginable.
"I can't believe it... they really pulled it off...!" Tomoya chuckled, to think that this nightmare was finally over made him feel light headed.
"Aksis and Deku are amazing!" Mitsuki gushed, hugging Nana from the left while Kairi soothed her girlfriend's sobs from the right, herself no less happy.
~A sign to their victory!~
All Might, who had been with Tsukauchi fell back into his seat, his friend standing next to him to place a hand on the retired hero's shoulder at the unbelievable sight. "Young Midoriya... Young Azuru... I haven't the words for either of you..." Never before had he thought he could be any prouder of their accomplishments together, now, he was overwhelmed as he cast a hand over his eyes.
"They've given it their all, Toshinori," Tsukauchi commended, a genuine look of relief washing over his face. "But we've still got work to do, their are many injured, your students included."
"Yes, yes they are..." But not once did their smiles fade in from of the camera or the Pros working around them to help tend to the wounded.
~Of Japan's victory!~
Eraserhead leaned back in his chair, hands gliding through his hair as he let out a long-winded sigh, Vlad King was rejoicing with the officers present while patting Monoma on the back as the young blonde laughed maniacally at his underhanded tricks against the villains. But Aizawa focused not only on the image of Akame sat with the students that had fought with her, themselves all lying in a circle with their backs together while heroes arrived to help them. But his gaze fell to all his students.
To Iida and Shoto with the former helping Shoto to stand and walk over to Sero who celebrated with Burnin' squad and the students from Ketsubutsu Academy. Then to that of Ochaco and Tsu watching over the villain Toga as they carefully helped her unconscious form to the surface of the Siege Engine, apparently, the villain had defected and aided them. And the majority of his class that were atop the deck, all tending to their wounds or to meet with others and help them escape the Siege Engine before it finally crashed into the ground now that its systems were coming offline.
Aizawa closed his eye, "Well done, you problem children." His students have more than earned it.
~Of the world's victory!~
Izuku leaned his forehead against Yuki's, enjoying the warmth of her body, the vibration of her body laughing, and the sound that graced his ears. His arm didn't feel tired for quite some time, he barely noticed it at all.
"It's over..." Yuki murmured to him so no one could hear.
Hearing herself say those words made the reality of the situation that much lighter. The years of running, training, fighting, all to defeat Kovik had finally come to an end. So many people were lost in the process, and so much has changed that it made her head ache. Yet, it was like taking a breath of fresh air, the first in the longest time.
Izuku felt the same, his own battle, the path he set out, not just as All Might's successor, but as the hero he wanted to be, a massive part of that journey had been settled. Shigaraki, AFO, and Kovik were defeated and gone. He had seen to saving Tenko's soul buried deep within Shigaraki, succeeding where all the other predecessors of One For All gave their lives to complete.
Yuki's lips curled upward, "Heh, I guess we're famous now..." She eyed the news chopper flying overhead.
"Sounds like it..." He whispered back.
"What happens now?" She asked, leaning back to meet his gaze as he moved his left hand into her right, their rings still present and unstained by the battle.
"Whatever we like," Izuku replied, leaning in to kiss her briefly as they savoured the sensation.
"Hm, I'd like that..." Yuki closed her eyes, resting her head on his chest while he pressed his good cheek against the top of her head.
While they fell into a world of their own, not far away Kovik's severed head at been watching, the eyes on the right side of his head visible as what remained of his helmet shrouded the rest. They seemed to flicker, and eventually, the glow dimmed, a steady beat growing distant. Then, the light faded to black.
One Month Later...
The road to recovery came next for a majority aboard the Siege Engine. A month-long step to being fully healed and the what was dubbed, The Battle of the Siege Engine had left its scars on Japan, and the world as a whole, for the rest of time. The Siege Engine eventually crashed into the rooftops it was stationed above with no casualties, but a large section of Tokyo was quarantined until demolition crews could safely dismantle and repurpose the dreadnaught for better use in repairs to the country and the affects cities under villain skirmishes and the Barons' rule.
The destruction left behind would take well over a year to fully remove, and the damages to Tokyo and other cities even more so, the lives of hundreds of thousands would be changed forever in the fallout of such a calamity. But all agree, that in the light of a new era for super human society, it was a start of a better tomorrow, one step at a time between heroes and civilians. Much had been learned, many views and functions within their everyday lives would change. Many for the better.
"How's your hearing?" This had to be a new routine for Kyoka, not that she minded the extra affection but she had to sigh as she stared at the two mugs before her, one for herself, a much needed coffee, and a tea for the non-addict currently looking at her.
"Akio, look at me," She then raised her fully healed left jack to prod at his nose. "See that? Perfectly fine, you gotta give Eri more credit, she's a real lifesaver," Kyoka still hadn't felt like she thanked the young girl enough for what she did for her. To lose something so vital to her identity was harrowing. Sure, Kyoka knew the stakes, it's apparent with their line of work, but with Eri's willingness to help, even if just a little bit, Kyoka's left jack was restored, and so was her hearing in that ear. "I know I can't thank her enough..."
"I know, I just..." Akio zipped his lips, muttering to himself. Exhaling through her nose, Kyoka turned to him with her arms crossed. Now he was even more squeamish. "...I'm just worried about how you feel..."
His phrasing made her body lock up as her arms tightened their hold, turning away to focus on their drinks. "I'm fine, Akio, you don't need to worry." Her voice was unbearably curt, even for her.
Frowning for a moment, his brow creased, Akio shifted to stand behind her, hugging Kyoka from behind in a tight embrace. She shook in surprise but he pressed his face to the back of her head. "I'm sorry... it must've been terrifying... but I wanted to give you time," Now, Kyoka's body was starting to tremble. "I know it frustrates you..."
"I hate it... I should be grateful, I am, b-but..." She bit her lip, feeling that cold look of death in Drevis' eyes pierce into her gaze. The feeling of blood and static burn the side of her head and slice through her flesh. "...I-I really thought I... that I lost a part of me, I-I did and... and I'm..." She didn't want him worrying about her, about why she just sat there late at night, feeling herself jump at the shadows in her own room. They won... but Drevis was still there, preying on her thoughts. "Everyone else can move on but I c-can't... I can't stop thinking a-about it..."
Akio held her tighter, pulling her back against him while bringing his right hand up to brush the tears beginning to form. He then smiled, "I was so scared to kill Infernal... it terrified me because... then that's when Viral would've been gone. If I let that arrow fly, then I'd have to accept it, and it scared me more than the times I thought about it, when I held Wish Ender in my hands," He nuzzled the back of her head. "Our situations were different, but we both were scared of something we couldn't let go of... but I knew that firing that arrow, I was saving everything he had given to protect, now... I want to ensure that remains the same, Kyo..."
He heard her sniff, and Kyoka turned to place her head on his chest, burying her frustrations into his body while he carefully held her left ear, running his fingers down to touch her jack, wrapping it around his index finger. To her surprise, he kissed it, soothing her fearful heart. "I hate feeling like this..."
"I know," Akio rubbed her back until her soul began to calm. "It's just me, take your time, I can wait, I've certainly waited long enough to meet you,"
"Ugh... that was so corny," She grumbled, a tiny smile breaking through.
"Hehehe, yep, I know!" He beamed, rocking slightly side to side until Kyoka had the strength to stand on her own two feet. However long that takes, he wasn't going anywhere.
Sat outside under a new morning sun, Lady Nagant, rather, Kaina Tsutsumi, was enjoying the warm breeze that tickled her face as she brushed a few stray hairs behind her ear as she simply basked in the sunlight quietly. "Oh, hey, there you are!" Well, it was fun while it lasted. She smiled a little, seeing the peppy blonde with two messy buns approaching with a cutesy wave.
"Good morning, Toga," Kaina greeted as the other patient waved something in her arms. "Hm, what's that? The news?"
"You bet, didcha hear!? Look-look, it's really cool!" She sat down beside Kaina and practically shoved the paper in the woman's face. Taking her eyes off Toga, she started to read the headline on the page Toga had folded it to.
"'New research and investigation into those suffering from quirks that have a phycological affect on a person's health. Examples of which have been found to have been simply neglected or outright silenced in recent investigations into the mental health of several volunteers that offered their extensive reports on such matters. More to follow on Page Ten'," Kaina set the paper on her lap, looking to Toga with surprise. "It's about your blood quirk?"
"Yep! Yuyu and Izuku asked someone to talk to me about... alot of things, 'course, only what I wanna talk about," Toga then rubbed her right wrist to hide some of the bite mark scars. "But hey, what's done is done, hopefully it'll be better for others, I guess," She shrugged.
Kaina had recovered from her battle injuries from the Siege Engine, but Toga was still wrapped in bandages around her legs, having been severely injured in the process. Kaina sighed but remained optimistic. Her days so far at this institute have been... nice, everyday was a battle, and some nights were harder than others, but... she felt better, there was a reason to get up every morning.
"I heard after being interviewed by this detective who's been looking into the crimes of the HPSC committed under wraps, they said if my health improves I could be absolved of my crimes," Kaina crossed her arms tightly, steadying her heartbeat. "Mind you, that's not an overnight fix, but... maybe things can be better for both of us,"
"Doubt they'll give me a pass," Toga snorted, leaning on her hands as she stared up at the sky. "I've killed a lot of people, and hell, I've enjoyed it too, nothing's changing that... but being stuck here isn't so bad..." Toga looked genuinely pleased about that. "My cravings for blood have really gone down thanks to that synthetic stuff, it's not as good as real blood but it's okay for now, though blood from farm animals has a better taste, but yeah, totally bored now..."
Kaina chuckled behind her hand at that, seeing the girl pout as she flopped onto the grass. "Ah, yes, whatever shall you do now."
"Hey! Not my fault all I ever thought about was blood and how to get it!" Toga's pout intensified, but she realized it was a losing battle and turned back to lie on the grass. "Yuyu and Izuku said they'd visit when they had time..."
That made Kaina perk up, hearing their names made her smile brighten some more. "Really now? Then I suppose we both have something to look forward to, unless you want to work on the crossword on the back of this?" She joked, waving the newspaper in front of Toga's face.
"Ugh, I'm gonna go crazy again in here...~!" Toga whined, and once more, Kaina chuckled to herself, but a tiny smile split Toga's lips.
Camino Ward was already under renovations, rather, ground zero for both the battle between All For One and All Might, and recently, Dabi and Infernal versus Shoto and Velkhana. The ground was mostly warped by the flames that had once covered the grounds, the statue having been reduced to molten slag. And at the time, many buildings were covered in ice. Thankfully, people from the community that still lived in the evacuation zone or out of simple kindness, came together to rebuild the monument to the former Symbol of Peace, to bring some form of restoration to the war-torn city.
Scourge sat atop a building that watched the workers pulling up a brand new statue of All Might with his fist high into the air, once set in place, everyone applauded one another for their work. In the Nightmare's sight, he saw his host's pale purple hair ruffle as he scratched it, speaking with the same woman they had watched come clean the old statue time and again during the country's downfall, herself laughing at whatever was said.
"You're sticking around then?" To his right, Velk floated down, folding her wings to stare at Scourge curiously, his hat tipped forward, but his eyes remained on the pair. "What made you change your mind?"
"No reason," He shrugged, tail whisked forward for him to wave in front of his eyes. "Infernal is no more, the last ghosts of Harrow's shadow are destroyed, as well as Hunter's, in reality, I also have no reason not to leave, and yet..." His Host was an odd sort, but he didn't mind, it balanced out his cautious nature.
Velk found what he was staring at, then smiled herself. "Non-Hosts can only live so long..." She knew her own had come to accept that the moment she became romantically involved with another. "It's not often we're so willing to allow them to live normal lives to spare them that burden."
"But without a sense of normality you could say they become less of why we chose them," Scourge noted, hearing her hum in agreement. "I suppose... we'll meet again, Velk."
She bowed her head to him, extending her wings. "Don't be a stranger, Scourge, I know Viral wouldn't want that if he were here."
"Yes... you are correct," He bowed his head back, watching her leave snowfall in her wake as one flake landed on his hand. He leaned back, and continued to watch from afar.
Within a city among the Okayama Prefecture ravaged by the presence of the Baron, Zarlik the Tormentor, a commotion had sprung during reconstruction. A handful of people were dragged into a skirmish with two criminals still acting out while the country focused on healing one piece at a time, this peace made it easier for small-time crooks and villains to try and have their fill of violence while everyone's guards were down.
Or, that would be the case, had many not anticipated such an obvious stunt of violence.
"A poor showing, wouldn't you agree, La Brava?" Standing with his hands close together, Gentle Criminal kept an elastic pyramid around the small-time criminals, their punches and kicks doing little to break his barriers of rubberized air. The man used one hand to now stroke his beard.
"Definitely, and after all these nice people put so much time and energy into fixing up this place," La Brava smiled smugly, holding up her camcorder to document the crime committed. "What are you going to do now, Gentle?"
The man gave a lofty chuckle, eyeing the men now fearful of their capture. "Quite simple and elegant, my dear La Brava, we will deal with these ruffians and have them pay for the damages they have caused, as that is the true essence of a hero,"
"Perfect!" She agreed, giving the pair a look where she pulled one eyelid down while sticking her tongue out at them, riling them up as one punched the barrier and immediately recoiled into his accomplice. "Someone mind calling the authorities for us!"
The sun was cast beautifully over the memorial garden at UA. Many civilians and heroes came to pay their respects in the last month, some renovating the sacred garden for those lost in the Battle of the Siege Engine, despite the heroes' efforts, lives were lost in the chaos above and below. One name in particular stood out to signify its importance to that fateful battle, the support for the addition approved by Nezu without question.
|Tekres, Wolf Splicer|
|Honourable member of Fireteam Homura|
A girl with short, bubbly green hair stared at the name for the longest time, her right hand subconsciously rubbing the silver bracelet around her left as she mindlessly thought of the Splicer who was so different from the likes of Kovik. He was kind, honourable, and selfless. Anyone that objected overwise was quickly shutdown. He was a hero, a true Splicer, one that she could never forget.
"Y'know, he'd be annoyed with you always making that face," Rayla perked up behind Hagakure, snapping her fingers to create a spark, bringing her lit finger down to light two candles the wind had blown out. Even as the wind blew again, her Solar Light raged on.
"I just wanted to tell him I've got the hang of controlling my invisibility!" Hagakure smiled again, but her eyes couldn't hide the grief she felt in her heart. It had gotten a little easier, but she was a long way from fully accepting he was gone, right before her eyes. "But... I still like to keep it," She tapped the bracelet she normally relied on to disrupt her light refraction. "In memory of him, you know?"
"I getcha," To emphasize her point, Rayla had Solaire summon two fully restored ghost shells, the empty frames of the ghosts that once belonged to Freed and Wash. "Keeps them close," With a flick of her wrist, they vanished once more.
"You don't mind if we...?" To Hagakure's surprise, she saw Shinso approach, not saying much else before handing his own candle to Rayla for her to light. "I don't visit often, but every once in a while, I guess..." He murmured.
"He really means it!" Perking up behind him, the eccentric support course student, Hatsume, grinned ear to ear as Rayla rolled her eyes and lit another candle. "Light me up, Burning Woman!"
"What am I, a walking matchbox?" She grumbled, then jabbed her finger at Solaire's burning shell. "Don't you say a word - hold on, 'Burning Woman'?"
"She has nicknames for everyone she can't remember," Shinso replied like it was second nature.
"She calls me 'Invisible Girl' so she's not entirely off point with my name," Hagakure smiled sheepishly.
"Who are you?" Hatsume blinked widely with a smile like always, but she was completely clueless.
"Eh? I-I'm Hagakure! You saw me visible for the first time with Tekres!" The greenette waved her arms frantically, pouting. "How can you forget me, you saw me!?"
"Nope, not ringing a bell!" Hatsume laughed once, slapping Shinso's back. "Ain't that right, Shinso!?"
"So she can recall your name but not ours..." Rayla deadpanned, Hagakure sliding up next to her to leer at the boy slowly tugging his scarf over his mouth.
"What are you talking about?" He asked, looking elsewhere.
"Totally close," "Definitely close."
Suddenly, Hatsume's face was softer, running her gloved hand over the smooth stone for the monument, eyes gazing down at Tekres' name. "He always compared his inventions with my babies, he never got sick of hearing me ramble on and on about new ideas or updates to updates," She sighed slowly, smiling tenderly. "He was so withdrawn unless it came to technology, kinda like me, always got new ideas on the brain that it can be hard to remember to talk to people about other things. I guess we helped each other in that regard since so many people remember him for who he was now,"
"Never said it, but..." Everyone looked to Rayla now as she spun Tekres' shock pistol around her index finger inquisitively. "First time we met... I had gotten myself into the thick of things on Venus, Vex were starting to box me in, I was out of ammo for the most part say my handcannon. When I fell into that pit, who do I find? A Fallen of the House of Wolves, more than likely one of the last remnants of their House. Of course, we drew are weapons on each other. He never said a word, he just watched what I would do,"
"Before I knew it, the air burned hot as a streak of arc energy whizzed past my face, gutting a Goblin that had snuck up on me, he had seen it in the shadows before I realized what had happened," Rayla smirked. "Back to back with a Wolf, I can't say how long we fought off the Vex until an opening was made. We didn't so much as cooperate but more trust the other to avoid our shots, and yet, we survived, we crawled out of that Vex trap without the threat of a knife to our backs,"
"It was the first time I've seen the Eliksni, not Fallen. Sure, the Devils are our allies but I always felt tense around them, now? I get it, who and what they are, Tekres was the one that gave me that chance to learn past my ignorance," She rubbed the back of her head as the wind passed by. "He could be so recluse and almost cynical, but he would watch your back if you earned his trust. He still had my back even at the end... there was no other Eliksni more selfless than him."
Her words made them all silently agree with each other. Rayla placed her hands on Hagakure's shoulders, feeling the bubbly girl stiffen as she exhaled a shaky breath. Shinso stood by Hatsume, hand to her shoulder as she held up a strong smile too. Another breeze cut by, not a single of the five flames died out.
Outside of UA within the forest that would lead down the hillside toward the nearby residential area, a red brick path led between the trees to a large clearing newly constructed. Round lights were fixed into the edges of the open space of brick with two blank spotlights pointed toward the statue fitted as the centerpiece. Not many knew of its location aside from those who constructed it, and those who requested it.
The statue was that of a large Eliksni, a one-to-one scale of the real one. His arms held onto two large cutlasses, his cape frozen in the wind with the etched symbol of his House, House Devils. His eyes watched the forest rustle in the warm breeze while a girl finished wiping down the pedestal he was placed on, the words read as followed; 'Aksis. An Archon. A Splicer. A Brother'.
"And there, perfect," Yuki hopped back, going over her hard work after looping the rag she carried into her belt. She adjusted her mask to the side of her head again, smiling softly before she leapt up, wrapping her arms around the statue's neck, closing her eyes for a moment. "Goodbye..." Letting it go, she returned to the ground, dusting her gym trousers off. She looked at her watch, seeing that she still had enough time to get back before school started. Then her ear twitched. "Morning, Zuzu!"
From the pathway, Izuku walked up to see how pristine the statue was once more. For the last two weeks, once a week, Yuki would come to keep the statue as clean as possible, even if it was only recently constructed, she was adamant about seeing it remained untouched by time. He smiled, joining his left hand with her right as he leaned in to kiss her briefly. "You could always ask me to come with you, one day out of my morning routine won't do any harm."
She shook her head as they walked. "I know, but... I just like to be alone for a time, to clear my head," Not that she'd never appreciate his generosity, but for now, this time she spent cleaning the statue was something she wanted for herself. "In any case, how's the eye?" She pointed to the left that was lost during their final battle. It was healed thanks to Eri, but now he too had a thin scar running down from the left brow to his cheek, mirroring Yuki's right scar.
"Eri did a really great job with her quirk, but there's still some fuzziness and colours are a little... I guess diluted? I doubt I'll see properly again with it," He tapped his chin while Yuki nodded, listening completely. "But it's fine, the fact I can see at all is what matters in the end,"
"That's true," She agreed before his hand reached up to motion to her right eye, brushing a few locks away as she giggled. "Yes, my eye is fine, just like the rest of my cybernetics - I discussed it with Yoshiharu during my check-ups," But she saw that look on his face many times. So to quell his worry, she nuzzled his cheek, then waved her left hand mounted with a black watch. "It sucks not having a literal internal clock but I'll get used to it... among other things,"
"Today's the day, right?" Izuku perked up, moving past that topic. "Power Loader said he made a private studio for you to work in?"
"Yep!" She beamed, closing her fist forward. "I don't know how long it will take, I'll be playing catch-up with all of you now, but... with the cluster I left behind, I'll rebuild SIVA,"
The cluster she had given to Izuku in the unlikely event she could've died during her risky final attempt to defeat Nara, the infusion of Kovik's and Shigaraki's consciousnesses, she had intended to leave her power to the one person she trusted the most to use it well. Fortunately, she survived, but SIVA... was gone now, she was quirkless again, but she had one, living cluster of SIVA left.
"I can help if you want?" Izuku perked up, "After classes when I'm not busy, I can help you organize notes, or give you another head to think of ideas," Yuki smiled sweetly at his suggestion, making his heart flutter constantly as he leaned closer to press his side to hers. "I'm here for you, whatever you need."
"...you seriously are too nice," She snorted.
"Eh?" He didn't know how to respond to that as they made it to the road in front of UA's massive entrance. The Barrier wasn't needed anymore but shutting it down would take time that was better spent on repairs to the rest of Japan as well as other important issues still around in the fallout of the final battle.
Yuki pecked his cheek, "Everything you do, I just... can't wrap my head around how lucky I was to meet you," She felt herself say this a lot now. Her perspective on life had been given a new mindset. She was no longer tied down to the threat of what Kovik was up to. How she would combat his next scheme. How all of them would make it out alive. Now... there was no need to feel that way. She was free to live her life the way she wanted it to be. Yuki rested her head on his shoulder as they stepped through the entrance. Some people coming and going now that it was safe to leave, of course, those with the authorization to enter UA. "Everything's so surreal now..."
"I get it, I thought the same alot," Izuku replied as sunlight met their faces again. "I was nobody before I met All Might, when I was training, I never imagined I'd have met you at all, or that everything in my life, not just my career, would change because of our meeting," His stupid smile didn't disappear, just being near her made him feel like everything was okay, that he could let his guard down and feel safe. "I'm glad it did, love,"
"Eh?" Yuki's head rose, and as if a blue moon had rose, her face broke out in a red hue while Izuku tried not to look too pleased with himself. He had taken her by complete surprise. "W-w-where'd that c-come from?"
"Did I do it wrong?" He cocked his head, making her mouth stutter for words. He was so sweet and innocent that it made her head spin.
"W-well, not r-really... I-I actually liked that..." She murmured under her breath, the sight of her bashful state making his cheeks heat up at her cuteness.
"Yuki-" He began to say before a cold presence washed over them.
"So this is what you two have been up to this early," Mr. Aizawa sighed as he saw the Problem Children of UA flirting with each other. Of course, being caught in the act made their heads steam as they looked away but their hands remained connected. He blinked slowly, then continued now that they had suffered enough. "You're not late, but, Azuru-" The bluette perked up. "-if you want to visit the statue, either schedule with me later to fit a timeslot amongst your lessons to avoid any issues, or plan it for the weekend, am I clear?"
"Y-yes sir," She nodded quickly.
"I know you'll be busy and will miss some of your practical lessons due to your new private workload at the Support Studio, but try to make an appearance just as frequently, while you can't participate in quirk-focused lessons, you're no slouch, so I expect you to bring your all in practicals regardless of your 'quirklessness'," He air quoted.
"Don't forget about what you've got planned after today, sir," Yuki replied, a sly grin on her face. "My Mom's been going on about it for a we - ack!" A cloth bind found its way around her neck. "No... denial...!" She wheezed as Izuku desperately tried to remove it. The cloth slithered back to its owner, and Yuki pouted. "You're so high maintenance about this... we're public about our relationship and you don't see me using my boyfriend to threaten people that point it out!"
"Some of us prefer privacy to their personal affairs, Yuki," He narrowed his remaining eye to her.
"You know as well as I do Mom would be all over you if she wasn't busy, Shota," She shot back as sharply.
"W-we'll get going so we're not late to homeroom, bye, Mr. Aizawa!" Izuku smiled nervously, tugging Yuki away as teacher and student retained eye-contact, but Yuki snickered and waved, leaving Aizawa to hide his relaxed face behind his scarf again. "You two are as bad as each other..."
"Hey, if he ends up surviving long enough to marry my Mom, I'm gonna have to deal with that for the rest of my life, might as well poke fun at him while I can," Yuki rolled her eyes playfully.
"I guess..." Izuku trailed off, his eyes drawn to the rings visible on their connected hands. It still made butterflies flutter in his stomach and his heart tick faster. The implications of that future with Yuki... they had admitted to it more than once, but it felt so impossibly nerve-wracking to think about. "Someday, she'll be my..." Then he realized he was staring as she poked his freckles, snapping him from his daydream. "W-what?"
"Mr. Roboto is coming - Hey, Iida!" Yuki waved to the Class Rep.
"Good morning, you two, how are you today?" He quickly stopped before them, joining their walk back to the dorms.
"Morning, Iida," Izuku smiled.
"Same everyday, you know how it is," Yuki replied with a shrug.
"Hey guys!" Not far from the path to their dorm, Ochaco waved next to Katsuki who tucked his hands into his pockets, watching with his typical scowl but it wasn't nearly as glaring as it used to be. "We've got breakfast waiting!"
"Thank you so much," Izuku beamed as she moved in beside them. "What were you guys doing out here?"
"Just morning stretches, its really warm today," Ochaco replied quickly while Katsuki watched Izuku.
"You know, something's different about you, Katsuki..." Yuki hummed, rubbing her chin. "Your resting bitch face is much more relaxed."
"Say the one covered in dirt! You have a leaf sticking out of your hair!" He seethed at her, plucking a green leaf from the back of her head.
"Huh, so it would seem, whoops," She giggled.
"And you call me sloppy," He mockingly huffed but she deadpanned.
"I didn't say you were sloppy, as said you have a resting bitch face, Dumb-Dumb, there's a difference. One is your overall appearance, one is irreversible," By now, sparks began to fly between their eyes before Iida's arm chopped through.
"Now, this isn't anyway to behave this early, please restrain from shouting!" Iida didn't realize he too was yelling to supress their bickering.
"Things never change..." Izuku sighed a small smile.
"Hehe, yeah, but it's really only fun if they bicker everyday," Ochaco giggled, the two agreeing with one another.
"-Okay, since we're clearly at an impasse that I'm totally winning on all accounts, let's eat!" Yuki suddenly yanked Izuku down the path, their dorm in sight now.
"Woah, Y-Yuki, wait!" He stumbled, seeing her laugh as his own caught in his throat, holding her hand tighter as he quickly jogged into pace with her. Katsuki kept his arms behind his head with a grunt, but his glare relaxed as he watched Ochaco laugh at Yuki's over-eagerness. Beside them, Iida smiled happily that all was resolved.
That's right, it was just another day on their journey's to becoming even greater heroes.
Kovik and Shigaraki were gone, but their story was far from over.
To Be Continued...
Many perspectives this time. Two converted villains are now on the mend. Scourge is sticking around. Akio helping Kyoka overcome her trauma from her fight against Drevis. And Yuki is on a new path to rebuilding SIVA which we'll be looking at soon! This is it, I hope you enjoyed, I appreciate the support as always; seeya in the next chapter, Heroes!
Next Chapter Intermission: The Perfected Hero, Aksis!
Kovik is dead, but Yuki's battle with herself was far from over...