Hello, hello, hello again, everybody! I hope you all had a pleasant week, and for those of you that chose to celebrate it, I hope you had a pleasant Valentine's Day. Welcome to the conclusion of this take on the Pro Hero Arc. I realize a lot of last week's chapter didn't much differentiate at all, but you will ultimately see that what changes are ultimately made here will have some very surprising consequences going forward. That's what helps adapting certain essential arcs that don't directly involve my OC's like this one much more fulfilling.
I would like to once more thank you all for your continued readership to this day, even though I still really wish some of you would take the time to just write me an honest review, whether the impressions are positive or negative; any reaction is worth it.
I would also once again like to thank my three beta readers, consultants and friends, Mizu, Jonny and Carlos; as well as the current roster of DA fanart contributors to this story: Syyndev, Akane Kahomi, AliceKuroCross, Suki-Chan2509, effasempai, Eliza-Frost, Vanera-Taro and Yumake.
My Hero Academia is the property of Kouhei Horikoshi and Shonen Jump. I only own my original characters and the original events surrounding them.
A/N: [[]] indicates that characters are contextually speaking Russian.
Chapter 114
A New Era
(Новая Эра)
Life can be good, just as much as it can be cruel. Anyone who typically lived long enough could see this as an indisputable fact. Even some youths that were unfortunate enough could come to the same conclusion.
And for the students of Class 1-A, this realization was inescapable. After all they had just gone through the mother of all emotional roller coasters in the process of watching their new Number One Hero, Endeavor, nearly give his life in the process of defeating a devastatingly powerful and intelligent Nomu, only to now see him being confronted by none other than the Fire-Quirked League of Villains member known as Dabi, when he was already battered, bruised, bloodied and all-around too injured to fight back.
More than a few of them felt the growing impulse to voice their desperation and frustration to the heavens, asking for some kind of miracle to come in to save Endeavor at his most vulnerable. But one student who surprisingly couldn't be brought to that point was Mina; for when she had laid eyes upon Dabi on that TV screen, she'd felt her heart momentarily seize in her chest.
Not only had she remembered glimpsing his disfigured form with her friends at Kamino Ward mere months ago, but she could still clearly remember his stitched grinning face staring down at all of them like a bloodthirsty predator after having smoked them out of the facility at the Forest Training Camp, ready to burn them all to ashes with his Quirk before Nikolay had managed to blow him away…
…right before his heart had only momentarily given out from the blood loss and strain.
It was impossible now for Mina to not associate Dabi's face with the suffocating, deathly anguish she had felt when she had realized her beloved Nikolay had stopped breathing after having saved hers and the rest of their friends' lives back then. So upon seeing him standing alone against the two Heroes on-screen again, as she'd sucked in an immediate gasp of paralyzing horror in response; she'd immediately latched onto Nikolay with both her hands in a terrified, vice-like grip; embracing him for dear life as her mouth quivered in silent horror.
Nikolay likewise held onto Mina in his own blind desperate need for some kind of comfort; unable and unwilling to take his eyes off the screen as the news reporter in the watching helicopter struggled to succinctly describe exactly what was happening.
Hawks had immediately gotten to work trying to help Endeavor back onto his feet the moment they had seen just who was confronting them now; all the while silently cursing the fact that the Flame Hero had already gotten so badly injured, and he had used up virtually all of his feathers just to get rid of the extra Nomus all over the place; his wings now puny and barely protruding from his back.
With the cocky, sadistic grin stretching across Dabi's face as he stared the two men down; it was hard for Hawks to imagine that the young Villain hadn't come to the same conclusion when seeing the state they were both in. if so, then he was an especially cocky sort, to just step out into the open all on his own like this.
As for Endeavor, with his vision having become so blurred with the major injury to his left eye, it was hard for him at first to make out exactly who was approaching him. But the further he focused, he could slowly but surely start to make out the most distinctive details, especially when listening to the sheer malice lining the Villain's otherwise casual way of greeting him.
In the nick of time, it all finally came together for the furious Flame Hero, as he defiantly called back: "It's you! The one who went and murdered Sand Hero Snatch during the police convoy attack! The League of Villains member, Dabi!"
FWOOOOSH!
Dabi's ice cold blue eyes reflected an almost childlike excitement at the sound of the Flame Hero calling him by name, just at the same moment as he lifted both his hands, and proceeded to send out twin towering walls of scorching blue fire from them; forming an oval-shaped inferno down the length of the street as the two leading flames collided together behind the two Heroes' backs, effectively trapping them inside with him.
"Sna…who? Why're you bringing up meaningless nobodies right now? You should be focusing on this, right now; our first chance to actually talk! That's far more important, isn't it?" Indeed, Dabi wasn't even remotely intimidated, knowing that with the inhuman heat of his particular flames, none of the other Heroes outside this barrier would have any hope of getting even close to interfering with this clandestine meeting.
The utter mockery and indifference of Dabi's words left Endeavor's blood burning as he tried to get back to his own two feet of his own fighting will…but the excruciating pain of all his wounds quickly rendered that plan moot as he quickly collapsed back down to his knees. This left Hawks standing resolute between him and the grinning Villain mere feet ahead; calling back urgently: "Take it easy, Endeavor. I'll handle him. I only have my tiny feathers left…but I can at least buy us some time."
But the sight of the Wing Hero standing so defiantly while his usually glorious wings were in such a pitiful state, made it so Dabi could only chuckle mockingly, as though he were physically pretending to be threatened. "Come on, I'm just here to recollect the Nomu. There's no way I could actually win, right? Not against the two top dudes, already beaten and bloody?!"
With another two raging blue fireballs erupting from his hands, Dabi finally made the first move; breaking into a mad sprint straight for Hawks and Endeavor; a manic grin spreading across his stitched-up face as he rapidly closed distance, ready to completely and utterly lay waste to his two weakened opponents.
As Dabi rapidly approached, Endeavor could only watch with a wide-eyed rage in his one good eye, while Hawks was already preparing to send the last of his feathers into an attacking flurry in the span of a heartbeat, and just hope that would be enough.
But before the first impact could finally be made, Dabi spied the slightest movement from up above, just outside his field of vision. This naturally forced him to chance a momentary glance upward…
…just in time to see a single young adult woman come racing down from the nearest rooftop in a blur of white, just before she brought a single reeled back heel of one leg slamming down onto the ground in a bouncing impact of unbelievable power, enough to disperse both impenetrable walls of fire in a deafening concussive wave, and force Dabi to stop dead in his tracks.
"I SAW THE NEWS AND CAME HOPPING! ENDEAVOR! HAWKS! IF YOU WANT HEROES TO REALLY START CHANGING WITH THE TIMES, THEN YOU BOYS DON'T GET TO HAVE ALL THE FUN!"
A single uproariously defiant female voice tore through the air with all the energy and bravado in the world, for as Endeavor, Hawks and Dabi alike watched the dust settle, they all now found themselves joined by the widely grinning bunny-eared powerhouse that was the new Number Five Hero in Japan: the Rabbit Hero, Mirko; her burning red eyes already zeroed in on Dabi alone as she stood on both feet and a single hand, as though she were already about to break into a blinding charge. "AND YOU, YOU'RE WITH THE LEAGUE OF VILLAINS?! THEN PREPARE TO GET YOUR BUTT KICKED!"
FWOOOSH!
Not backing down, Dabi immediately followed up with a dual burst of his fire headed straight for her, but Mirko was much faster, launching herself with another powerful stomp up into the air, throwing herself into a cartwheel so she could drive her heel straight down onto the Villain's head.
THUNK!
Only for both Dabi's flames and Mirko's foot to get stopped dead in their tracks, as an invisible barrier suddenly seemed to form between them, leaving the Rabbit Hero ricocheting off of it with her attack so suddenly interrupted, while Dabi called off his fire with a look of clear annoyance as she landed back on her feet; only now noticing the large gouge mark in the road, like an unseen wall forcefully getting slammed down.
But while she, Hawks and Endeavor could only see this sudden change in the flow of battle with angered confusion; in the 1-A dorms, this interception left Oleg, Izuku, Eijirou, Ochako and Tsuyu all visibly shaken with an inescapable horrified remembrance. There was only one Villain they knew of now who could do such a thing.
And soon that fear filled the hearts of the rest of the students present, as the unmistakable black-clad, steel-clawed, fang-bearing Vukodlak suddenly came dropping down beside Dabi from the skies, staring down the three Heroes as well.
"I could've handled this myself…but so long as you're here, what do you say we clean house of these three?" Dabi uttered in clear annoyance at the interruption, before just as nonchalantly cracking the joints in his neck and igniting his hands all over again.
Only, instead of simply charging in alongside his fellow Villain, Vukodlak instead placed a firm clawed hand upon Dabi's shoulder, shaking his head as his silver eyes burned into their three opponents. "Now's not the time for this fight, Dabi-san…not yet. There are more important things for us to deal with right now."
The moment Dabi rolled his eyes and extinguished his flaming hands, Mirko suddenly came ricocheting off the side of another building, launching herself straight for the two with her left leg reeled back for a devastating roundhouse kick. "DON'T GO TALKING TO YOURSELVES WHILE THERE'S A FIGHT TO BE HAD!"
But just as before, Vukodlak quickly swiped his arms across, creating two more Air Shields to absorb the Rabbit Hero's kick at its full force. But this time she was ready, as she just as quickly sprang off of it like a bouncing platform, sending herself airborne and plummeting down like an artillery strike with both her feet at the ready.
As Dabi quickly backed away, Vukodlak hurriedly formed another Air Shield directly overhead and immediately punched upward into it, sending it flying up her way…only for Mirko to roll her body forward and send her fully powered armored heels directly into the rising invisible projectile, ricocheting it right back down onto Vukodlak with a deafening crash that left a large circular indentation in the street.
But with his new wounds already healing within seconds, Vukodlak still had the energy to spring himself sideways, avoiding Mirko's incoming stomping attack by a hair; her moment of needing to realign her aim for a follow-up attack giving the Russian Villain a perfect opening to send a power-boosted flying punch straight for her midsection, which she barely managed to deflect by lifting one of her legs up as high as it could go while folded at the knee; her armored and reinforced leg-wear taking the full force of the impact, causing her to go hopping back a few paces from it as a result, but still ultimately remaining on her own two feet.
As her burning red eyes focused on Vukodlak's vicious silver ones; mere feet away, Dabi observed the two's respective speeds and powers, and ultimately came to the decision: "I guess Mirko's a little more than just a big mouth, after all. This wasn't how things were supposed to go…but oh well. Oi, Ujiko, a little help here?!"
And at that call to whom nobody else could see; within seconds, a thick black viscous fluid suddenly began to bubble up and run from within Dabi's mouth; a sickening display that was all too familiar now to Oleg and Toshinori alike from where they both were watching.
As the fluid continued to pour and ultimately start rising and engulfing Dabi's whole body; his murderous cold eyes once again focused solely on the furious Endeavor on the ground before him; their gazes burning into one another as the young Villain called out mockingly: "Bye for now, Mr. New Number One Hero! I'm sure we'll get another chance to talk, but until then, just make sure to keep doing what you're doing, and don't die on me just yet, okay?! TODOROKI ENJI!"
At the same time, realizing that Dabi was finally enacting their escape plan, Vukodlak could already tell that Mirko's speed and aggression would make it far too difficult for both of them to escape unhindered. As such, the moment he could see the Rabbit Hero getting ready to spring forward for him again; and with his sharp ears having long since figured there was at least one news helicopter overheard watching their fight; he proceeded to hurriedly create one last Air Shield with one hand over the top of his head, and once again quickly punch it upward with his other, sending the high-flying invisible battering ram straight for the helicopter nearest.
And having long since seen the poor states Endeavor and Hawks were both in as far as their abilities to act lightning fast, Mirko's fighting spirit and Heroic nature came into immediate conflict; before the Rabbit Hero let out a furious shout of frustration at the underhanded tactics of Villains, as she launched herself upwards with another all-powerful stomp, springing off the corner of the nearest rooftop to boost her own speed and height that much more so she could kick downward into the invisible wall just before it could destroy the helicopter and the people inside it, sending Vukodlak's last-second attack slamming harmlessly back into the ground where he no longer stood; having since then taken his opportunity to rush and leap into the freedom of the black teleporting slime with Dabi.
Having already landed back upon another rooftop, and seeing how both Villains were now out of sight alongside their surprise escape route, Mirko childishly kicked at a tiny piece of rubble nearby like a disappointed little kid. "Darn, they both got away. Hey, Endeavor, that's how they got away back at Kamino Ward too, right?"
But down below, with all of his injuries having finally taken their toll, alongside his own burning anger and confusion as to how Dabi possibly could have known his real name, Endeavor couldn't possibly have answered Mirko up above, as he could no longer keep himself conscious, his remaining good eye finally shutting in his exhaustion, while he could only barely hear the ecstatic cheers of the crowd as the recently rescued reporter in the helicopter cried out: "The Rabbit Hero Mirko has stepped in at the critical hour, and with the efforts of all the Heroes gathered here, the crisis has finally passed! They headed off the danger! The threat is now gone! They may not be able to hear me down there, but let me say this: ENDEAVOR, HAWKS, MIRKO, EVERYONE! YOU RISKED YOUR LIVES TO PROTECT US ALL, AND YOU WON! FROM THE SHADOWS OF OUR UNCERTAINTY AND FEAR, OUR NEW TOP HERO HAS TRULY ARRIVED! HE IS DOWN THERE AS WE SPEAK, AND WHAT I'D LIKE TO SAY TO HIM NOW IS: 'THANK YOU'!"
And just like the countless civilians that could be heard and seen cheering on screen, all of the students of Class 1-A were riding that penultimate spike of joy that had risen in their hearts at the sight of the two League of Villains members having been forced to flee, and thus leaving Endeavor, Hawks, Mirko and all the other Heroes the final victors of the day.
As everyone cheered, embraced (and in Nikolay and Mina's case, once more kissed in their boundless relief); they all soon once more crowded Shoto to express their admiration and respect for Endeavor, as well as their own envy of his having such a powerful Hero for a father; he could scarcely find the words to express himself one way or the other…but he couldn't deny feeling a general relief that his father's efforts to become Number One hadn't truly been for nothing, and he was at least still breathing at the end of it all. And with how badly he'd ended up getting hurt for his troubles today, he knew the man well enough to know he would be taking those failures to heart, and pushing himself to become that much stronger for it. That was all he could truly confirm feeling for certain.
Then of course, everyone's enthusiastic discussions couldn't help but start drifting to impression and admiration for Hawks and Mirko as well, with Fumikage soon finding himself being hounded by a handful of his classmates as to whether he'd gotten to see his old mentor in action like that before.
But as the students all simply reveled in their relief…Oleg, Midnight and Aizawa couldn't afford themselves that same luxury. With even two faces of the League having so brazenly shown themselves to the nation again, and even attempt to fight three Pro Heroes in broad daylight like this; there was no denying that things around Japan were going to start moving that much faster before long.
And whether that was for the better…or for the worst, ultimately remained to be seen.
Outskirts of Kyushu City, shortly after…
All the buzz around getting Endeavor to the hospital and helping all the other Heroes in organizing the repair, evacuation and humanitarian efforts for the civilians took a considerable amount of time to get through. But by the time all was said and done, Hawks could breathe easy, knowing that his new colleague was in good hands, they had kept civilians casualties to a minimum, and within a few days at most, his city would be back in tip-top shape like nothing had ever happened.
Naturally, much of the media on the scene wanted word of when Endeavor would regain consciousness so they could get some reassuring words from their new Number One Hero. As far as Hawks was concerned, this was not only deserved, but ultimately for the best of everyone. After such a close fight, he certainly needed some time to hit the road and recollect himself.
And with nobody ever even knowing just where he was going, he was able to peacefully make his way to one of the quieter industrial parts of town, at that magical time in the evening where the day shift workers would have already since gone home, and shortly before the night shift workers would start filling these streets. All the better, as the last thing the Wing Hero needed was prying eyes and ears.
Making his way into an otherwise nondescript empty warehouse, he quickly came to a stop once he spotted a single human shape barely hidden in the shadows: the quickly unmistakable shape of nobody but Dabi himself, who had likewise noticed his opponent's sudden arrival with all the nonchalance on his face as there could be, in contrast to Hawks' own twitching brow of annoyance. "None of that was according to plan."
"That so?" The feigned air of innocence with which Dabi answered, managed to get right down to Hawks' last nerve, as in the blink of an eye, he had one of his last full-sized feathers poised right at the Villain's throat. "How about some actual cooperation here, Dabi?"
Looking from the razor sharp feather in the Hero's hand, up to the intensity in his eyes that betrayed his laid back smirk; Dabi still showed no sign of being remotely intimidated, speaking to the Hero he had just tried attacking as though they were old buddies instead: "Hey, now, what's all this? I thought you just had those little baby feathers left."
Where for Hawks it was usually in his nature to look cool and calm in even the tensest of situations; now it was actually taking him actual effort to not start outwardly losing his temper as he stared Dabi down. "You really think I'd meet with a liar like you unarmed? The plan was for it to happen tomorrow; and not downtown, but at a less populated factory near the shore. Plus, this Nomu of yours was a cut high above the rest. You couldn't have let me know of that beforehand?"
But still, Dabi's smirk never flinched, and before Hawks could say anything else, he suddenly heard the lightest of footsteps from behind his back, as well as the jolting sensation of feeling eyes upon him…and it was especially unsettling, since he already knew that the person these footsteps belonged to only made them even this loud, because he wanted Hawks to know he was there.
And as Vukodlak bore his cold silver eyes into the Wing Hero's back, he answered in similar casualness: "Hey, if anything, we should be the ones mad at you right now. You said it yourself that no Heroes would believe your Nomu story without potential evidence. I held up our end of the bargain, thanks to Twice-san; spreading those Nomu rumors from town to town in the first place in order to provide you that evidence to draw in whichever Hero you chose. But you fumbled your end, bringing in a powerhouse like that Endeavor instead."
Dabi, grinning in agreement with his comrade's criticism, likewise answered: "That's right. Vukodlak and Twice did the footwork to help make this happen, while I decided to just change the details of our plan for the sake of the test. You're the one that made us waste one of our High-End Nomus, with no reports of its capabilities to show for it, thanks to you bringing Endeavor along."
Hawks, knowing he was at a big disadvantage with his wings in the shape they currently were, made the serious effort to keep his tone peaceful, while still refusing to lower his feather in defense. "Don't you two start acting like I made some kind of double-cross here. I figured you'd want to jump on the chance to inflict that kind of damage on the Number One Hero, of all people. Besides, no matter how you spin it, pushing the time table forward makes you guys the ones responsible for breaking the agreement in the end."
A silent, calculative glance was exchanged between Dabi and Vukodlak, before the fiery Villain answered back with no humor to be found: "That's because there was never a concrete agreement between us…not yet. You didn't really think we would just take the Number Two Hero at his word just like that, did you? This was just as much a test to see whether we could trust you or not."
With Hawks still holding his ground, he remained stone still, even as Dabi and Vukodlak both proceeded to start stepping forward, closing in on him from both sides while staring him down. "With that being said, maybe you can explain something to us: why was the civilian casualty count reported as zero today, Hawks? Do you seriously sympathize with us like you say you do? You came looking to cooperate, but you sure as hell aren't acting like it. It doesn't exactly inspire confidence."
Hawks refused to take his eyes off Dabi, just as he was keeping his ears open for every move Vukodlak was making behind his back. "I gotta keep up appearances. I can't just go losing the public's trust right off the bat, after all. The more faith they have in me for as long as possible, the juicier intel I can get; intel that you and your people can definitely find a use for. I'm just trying to consider the long game, here. What I do is all for the sake of the League."
The sound of Vukodlak suddenly chuckling to himself behind his back, left Hawks scowling just that tiniest bit further. "Something funny about that? For someone who knows how strong Heroes can be, I'd think you'd appreciate the caution."
Vukodlak, flexing his fingers in preparation to strike at the first possible sign of trouble, was still smiling mockingly as he too answered: "Oh, I do…I just find it refreshing, seeing a Hero like you that so perfectly exemplifies exactly why they need to be wiped out in the first place; the living embodiments of pure selfishness and hubris, rather than any genuine form of selflessness or empathy for the less fortunate. I'm honestly amazed more Heroes like you haven't made this kind of transition so much sooner once the tables started turning."
A corner of Hawks' mouth only barely twitched in annoyance, while Vukodlak and Dabi exchanged one last look with each other, before the Russian Villain gave only the slightest of nods, the unspoken but agreed upon sign as to where this inevitable meeting would end.
With that, Vukodlak lowered his clawed fingers, and Dabi simply stepped past Hawks as though they were simply two strangers passing each other on the sidewalk. "If you say so, Hawks…but you still don't get a face-to-face with our boss just yet. You just keep on with your little plans…and we'll be in touch."
With that, the two Villains left the Wing Hero in rigid silence in the shadows; remaining stone still for a good several seconds, before he finally let out the deepest, yet lightest, sigh, finally lowering his feather and getting out of his natural defensive position. Everything had been said that needed to be said, and he could finally take his leave from here.
And as he did so, he couldn't hide the distinct dimness of shame in his eyes as his mind once more began racing back; back to the very point that had set him on this course with the League of Villains to begin with…his last official meeting with the same older woman that had attended and spoken at the Hero Billboard Chart announcement just yesterday: the Madam President of the entire Hero Public Safety Commission.
"Join the League of Villains, Hawks. With your proven sharp eyes and ears, you know all too well the deadlock that our previous efforts to investigate them have ended up in. We jumped the gun in the Kamino Ward fight, scrambling to rescue the kidnapped Yuuei boy. As a result, our intel was lacking, and we severely underestimated the enemy…and intel is exactly what we need if we ever want to have any hope of defeating this shadow organization once and for all.
"With their recent catastrophic actions in Russia, we're already starting to feel the growing pressure from the international community to arrest and hand over the League for judgment as well, which is a whole other situation we can't even begin to consider until we actually have them. And it's not even just their arrest we're hoping you can ultimately help us secure, either. Those bioengineered creatures of theirs, especially; is All For One's power all that is needed in order to create them? Until we can fully and confidently expose the ins and outs of this League, we're doomed to make the same mistakes all over again."
Back when first being informed of this surprise new mission of his, Hawks had already been feeling a growing uncertainty in how well-suited he was for such an in-depth infiltration mission…but he likewise couldn't say he didn't understand the President's concerns if he didn't do it, either. So that made accepting his responsibility a little easier…but there was one detail that he couldn't justify not clarifying first: "A mission like this will obviously take time and commitment to the part…so what am I supposed to do about the people they end up hurting while I'm pretending? Am I supposed to just turn a blind eye to that?"
Unlike what he could have easily imagined a grand majority of politicians to be like; he could tell that Madam President and her inescapable lone assistant at her side had likewise tried to juggle through this big moral grey area as well before running it by Hawks himself. And as her furrowed brow showed just how troubled by the matter she still was, her assistant had to be the one to address it for both of them: "You can…and you will, Hawks. That's precisely why we came to you. You've always been a Hero dedicated to effectiveness, rather than fame. You must know already that there will be no recognition or accolades awaiting you at the end of this road. Set your sights on the long game and act accordingly. There's simply no better man for the job, as we see it."
In the wake of such words from the people who had ultimately been responsible for helping him become the Hero he was now, it was hardly surprising that there was always a sense of being beholden inside Hawks when it came to Madam President. That was why, rather than giving an outright refusal like many other devoted Heroes likely would have done, he could only try to brush off this moral weight with his trademark smirk. "C'mon, you guys; is all this really necessary?"
Alas, there was no give in either of his superiors here, as the troubled president kept her arms crossed. "We wouldn't be suggesting this otherwise. By infiltrating their organization, we'll be able to get them both from within and from the outside."
And, of course, knowing her as well as he did now, Hawks couldn't help but chuckle, even if it was out of pure sarcasm: "'Suggest it'? Funny, calling it a suggestion when it's an offer I can't refuse. Shame on you."
Indeed, the shame on the older woman's face was unquestionable. "I won't deny it, Hawks. We honestly got lucky that you didn't make it to the Kamino battle. That's the only reason this plan has any chance of success…and you're the only one we can count on to make that chance count for something."
And seeing that this overall plan wasn't weighing any less heavily on her than it already was on him; with a humble bow, Hawks finally had made the hardest decision in his life: "If getting my hands dirty can somehow bring everyone else peace of mind, then I'll gladly take on this task."
And even as he said this of his own accord, in his mind, there was only one declaration to make to nobody but himself: 'I am Hawks, the Hero who's just a little too fast. A society where Heroes can actually enjoy a little boredom…I promise I'll make it happen, and all at my trademark speed.'
This entire scenario that had sent him down the darkest path he could have imagined had been repeatedly playing over and over again in the back of Hawks' mind ever since. And with every minute that passed where he had to keep the truth of it all hidden from the few people in this world he could trust, the more painful it became.
And when he had finally returned to the hospital and found Endeavor conscious in his bed, all but mummified in bandages as a result of the League's actions, and he couldn't even tell him why…the Flame Hero never would know that the smile the Number Two Hero at his door was wearing at that moment was one wrought with pain beneath. 'I'm…I'm sorry, Endeavor-san.'
At that same time, no more than a mere hop, skip and a jump from the very warehouse they'd had their clandestine meeting with Hawks in; Dabi and Vukodlak had both taken the opportunity to simply observe the setting sun on yet another eventful day. But while Vukodlak was simply keeping his ears open for any potential civilians about to risk seeing them out in the open like this, Dabi's otherwise emotionless face was sharpened by the intense disapproval in his blue eyes. "You shouldn't have gotten in the way back there, Vukodlak-san. Even if that Mirko had interfered, I could've incinerated her and Endeavor together no problem and you know it."
Vukodlak simply breathed in deep as he pulled his heavy black coat tighter against himself. "I already told you; this isn't the time for us to start getting reckless and impulsive. I honestly expected to be having this discussion with Toga-san or Twice-san by now; not you."
The stitches lining Dabi's cheeks gave his resulting smile a much more unsettling air. "That's rich; it's not like you've never acted out of impulse before since you joined up with us. The whole abroad trip could pretty much be a testament to that."
With a conceding nod and a click of his teeth, Vukodlak answered; initially calm, but with a bristling intense anger gradually becoming more and more noticeable the further along he went: "That is true…but that doesn't change the fact that Tomura-san gave us explicit instructions as of right now, and since I gave my word to help the League see its goals through, that means I intend to follow those instructions. Right now, one of those instructions means keeping an eye on you, Twice-san and Toga-san to make sure none of you bring too much attention to us while we're still on the move; and especially now that we're conducting this secret business with the Number Two Hero, of all people!"
As Dabi observed this subtle change in his foreign comrade's demeanor, he could only grin knowingly. After the news had hit the airwaves of the world about Russia's new president actually calling for Quirk amnesty so soon after the League's all-out attack on Moscow; such a drastic emotional and mental 180 on such a large scale, was the last thing Vukodlak had expected. What had seemed like the perfect way to twist the knife into Tunguska and Nikolay's hearts even further, had completely backfired, and it had been silently eating away at him ever since.
So, with an indifferent shrug, Dabi finally asked: "So, you were listening to his heartbeat the whole time. Do you trust him?"
The scoff that Vukodlak immediately answered with couldn't have been filled with more spite. "I don't give my full trust to anyone anymore, not even all of you. Don't forget, the only reason I've pledged my loyalty to the League is because our ultimate goals line up. Whatever happens between now and then, we'll see where it lands me when it comes to trust. As for Hawks…I don't trust a word that comes out of the mouth of anyone who made the conscious choice of becoming a Hero; especially not one so dedicated to the job as to end up with that kind of distinctive rank. I know what happens when people put all their trust in those types. That's why I'm here. But as for his heartbeat while he was talking to us; if he was lying, then he's damn good at hiding it, because that heart rate never once faltered. He never even broke into a sweat when outnumbered and weakened."
Finally, Dabi broke his gaze from the sunset as he looked upon his fellow Villain. "Well, be that as it may, if you don't trust him worth a damn, then why didn't you just kill him back there and save us the guessing game?"
Straightening himself out, Vukodlak sighed; his silver eyes now looking especially distant as he put his thoughts to words. "Because on the off-chance that Hawks is being genuine in his desire to switch over to Villainy, then we can stockpile the evidence of it and leak it out to the public whenever we see fit. That could be one of the most effective ways we'd have to forever destroy the people's faith in Heroes as an institution, not only in Japan but in every other country across the globe. Wouldn't that just make it all the more satisfying before we end up killing him and all the others in this country?"
Dabi's smile certainly showed that he couldn't have agreed more. But there was still a flicker of doubt about him. "And how exactly do you plan on gathering that kind of evidence if he's going to keep cozying up to the rest of Hero society and the authorities in the meantime?"
Again, Vukodlak began chuckling in satisfaction to himself; an insidious smile upon his grey stubble-lined face. "Already got the means for that covered. With how widespread that battleground was made, I was able to procure just the tiniest samples of both Hawks and Endeavor's blood. I already ingested them before I stepped into your little battle, too. Wherever either one of them goes, I'll be able to hone in on them…and not just me alone, either."
At first, even Dabi looked admittedly impressed at how prepared Vukodlak already was…but as he once more took to watching the last of the sunset, his whole body visibly flinched, drawing the Russian Villain's attention. "What is it? You never let anything make you flinch."
However, Dabi's cold smile didn't falter, even as a single trail of blood began to run down from one of the stitches below his left eye. "Oh, it's nothing to worry about. I just finally remembered: Snatch; that Hero who Endeavor was yelling at me about earlier, the guy with the Sand Quirk at the police convoy. I was having trouble putting a face to the name, to be honest. I just over-thought things and kinda snapped back there when he brought it up."
As Dabi reached and wiped the single tear of blood from his face; he either completely ignored or failed to notice the penetrating sideways glance Vukodlak was shooting his way, having already gotten a full whiff of the young Villain's blood, and picking up a trace element of it that he hadn't remotely expected.
Yuuei Academy, 1-A Dorms, Three Days Later, Wednesday, December 3rd
Over the last three days, Nikolay had at last received his very own bass guitar and small amp he had ordered back during his and Mina's date on Sunday; and just as he had expressed the desire to, in what little real free time there was for him outside of studies and training, he had dedicated himself to joining his girlfriend in continuous music practice alongside Denki, Fumikage, Ochako and Tooru, under Kyouka's precise tutelage.
There was no denying the sheer energy in the air between all of them whenever they got to play; but what had become painfully clear right out the gate was not only Nikolay's difficulty memorizing the exact sounds each string and fret together would make (not even considering the added element of tuning), but especially his troubles with keeping up with the much faster punk-like pace his fellow learners all clearly had a preference for.
And with his insistence on playing with his fingers like he had seen Kyouka do constantly during festival prep, it was leaving him with blisters on his fingers more than a few times…and even with Mina applying her healing salve to them; it still did nothing to help his playing struggles.
After three days of this continuous speed bump, and after a fourth fumbled play-through of another one of Kyouka's many old Western punk rock songs, she finally called for a stop to practice. "You know something, Kolya-san; maybe you should give pick playing a shot from here. The last thing we'd want is for you to hurt your fingers so much you can't even use your Quirk through them when something happens."
Listening to the regretful agreements of his friends in response, Nikolay couldn't help but look crestfallen. "Well, if you really think that could help, I'll try, but you're all already able to play so well and so fast. Where would you honestly suggest I start if I have any hope of catching up?"
Ever prepared for just these kind of issues, though; Kyouka was quick to go rummaging through one of her many CD racks, before grabbing a small handful and giving them to her fellow fledgling bassist. "It's not about racing to catch up, it's just about being able to adjust to what you're playing to where speed won't matter. For now, just focus on memorizing what each chord sounds like at different tunes, figure out which one sounds best for you, and practice off of that. You'll want to be able to memorize what every fret at that tuning sounds like and dedicate it to muscle memory, associate it with whatever position your fingers are in when you pluck it so that you don't have to keep breaking your concentration by continuously looking at the neck. Once you have that down, you'll be ready. I'd suggest you start with some of these Om* albums of mine; they're nice and slow and crystal clear so you can really listen and practice off of it at your own pace."
As Nikolay gratefully accepted his new learning material; Kyouka chanced a glance at the clock on her wall, as well as observing how tired Ochako and Denki both looked. "Y'know what, everyone, I'd say that's enough for tonight. If we're all feeling up for it, maybe we can pick it back up tomorrow."
Thankfully, nobody had any objections, and with good night wishes, everyone began making their way back for their rooms. But as Nikolay and Mina instinctively bid each other good night as well, she quickly reached and grabbed his sleeve gently; naturally grabbing his attention. "Kolya-kun, wait a sec. There's something else I wanted to tell you before anything else. I just wanted you to know that; despite what Midnight-sensei had said a few days ago, I've made up my mind. Whether it goes anywhere or not; when we're finally able to go for internships again, I want to really go for it and try to intern under Mirko."
The dedication to her decision was clear as day on Mina's face, while Nikolay was as encouraging as he'd always been for the idea since they'd last talked about it. "That's great, Mina; but I was under the impression you'd already made that decision before."
"Well, I was, but what Midnight-sensei said about her never taking on interns before had me second-guessing, y'know? But when we saw her on TV, fighting against Vukodlak and that freaky fire Villain from the League without even a second of hesitation…well, I needed, like, a couple days to really, really think about it…and like I said, I'm making it official. That's exactly how I wanna be out there: a Hero who doesn't hesitate even for a second when facing danger, who isn't afraid of anything. I really feel like Mirko could be the Hero to help me with that, so I gotta go for it."
Likewise, ever since Midnight had helped them express their thoughts and feelings on this looming matter, Nikolay was more than understanding of why Mina felt she needed to go for this possible path; why he needed to do the same on his own. "If you want to go for an internship with Mirko, then I know you can do it, Mina. Even if she were to say no; I have no question that you'd be able to become that brave under any Hero you learn from. That's why I know we'll both come out the best we can possibly be when our internships come back and we head out there again. Besides, as long as we'll still have our times together here in between and until then, then I really don't think there's anything for us to immediately worry about."
There was no questioning the sincerity and support in his words as he told her all of this, hence why Mina's very first reaction to express her gratitude for Nikolay's confidence was to throw her arms over his shoulders in another joyful hug. "You took the words right out of my mouth, you adorable little word thief! Aww, I'm still gonna miss you, no matter where we have to go, Kolya-kun. I love you."
With another lingering good night kiss and further expressions of love as they parted ways for the night, Nikolay made his way back down to the commons area so he could head back up to his own room. But as he was halfway through, he heard the front door suddenly open, just to find Shoto and an especially exhausted-looking Izuku making their way inside.
"Todoroki-san, Midoriya-san, where have you two been all evening? Everyone was really starting to worry. Can I make either of you some tea?" As soon as Nikolay asked, Izuku could barely bring an assuring hand up as he yawned; his usually optimistic green eyes visibly bloodshot and tired. "I'm sorry, Kolya-san…*yawn*…I've been training all evening…I don't think I could eat or drink anything if I tried. I just…need to get some sleep."
But as Izuku apologetically made his way for his own room, Nikolay quickly saw that Shoto had actually decided to stay. "I suppose if you're offering, it wouldn't do to just say no. I'm not feeling particularly choosy, so go with whatever you want."
With a smile, Nikolay quickly got to work, preparing a tea with traces of ginger, cinnamon and lemon. "Yaoyorozu-san's been kind enough to give me some pointers about more Japanese teas and how they're made, but in cold weather like this, I figure you can't go wrong with some more rustic home favorites."
Within minutes, he and Shoto were both sitting in silence at one of the kitchen area tables, both partaking in Nikolay's fresh hot tea; the Russian feeling a tingling of accomplishment when he saw his classmate's brown and blue eyes only slightly soften upon his first sip. But, unwilling to sit in such uncomfortable silence with his outwardly distant classmate for much longer, Nikolay once again cleared his throat: "So, I know it's no business of mine, but where exactly did you go if you didn't come back from Remedial Training with Bakugo earlier?"
With another shallow sip, Shoto looked Nikolay square in the eye, answering as bluntly but straightforwardly as always: "You're right, it's not any of your business nor anyone else's…but since I can see why it would make you all worry, I figure I can at least tell you, since you're here, Bezpalov. The truth is that Aizawa-sensei had gotten a request from my big sister, Fuyumi, for me and my big brother, Natsuo, to come back to my family home for the evening; on account of our father having returned from the hospital today. Obviously, he gave his permission."
As Shoto contemplatively took another drink, Nikolay's expression brightened in contrast. "Oh, that's right; I remember hearing about Endeavor getting released on the news this morning! How…how is your dad holding up?"
Nikolay watched concernedly as Shoto subconsciously reached his left hand up, barely gracing his fingertips across the burn scar around his left eye, before briefly shaking his mind clear of any other thoughts and straightforwardly answering: "If there's one thing he's always been, it's stubborn. No matter how badly he got hurt, I just know he'll use it as a means to push himself further, like he's always done."
As Shoto once more followed up with another drink, he momentarily glanced across the table and saw the clearly worried, hesitant look on Nikolay's face as he too took a drink. With that, Shoto sighed. "Don't worry, Bezpalov. I am glad he's back on his feet. As a Hero, he is admittedly pretty darn impressive, and the people can't take losing their new Number One Hero so soon after losing All Might…and if his example has already gotten people to stand up and rally others to not lose hope in the face of danger, like that one guy who spoke up on TV on Sunday during that Nomu attack, then they're going to need Endeavor to stick around for quite a while. That's the best way I can think of for the people to regain that hope they need in order for us to make any real difference as we are right now."
For but a moment, Nikolay could actually feel relief that Shoto was acknowledging this good his father's influence would hopefully result in. But as he saw Shoto furrow his brow and tighten his grip on his own cup; the scarred boy continued: "But no matter what good his work as the Number One Hero may lead to…his actions as a parent will be a lot harder to walk back from, for any of us. I told you and Midoriya how I've been trying to move past it all by interning under him, but it hasn't been easy…and for Natsuo, it's been even harder."
Nikolay didn't want to risk breaking Shoto's opening up at this moment, giving his classmate all the time he needed to collect his thoughts while still pensively sipping away at his tea.
"I guess you might say my brother and I inherited our father's temperament; his habit for holding a grudge; but it's been especially strong for Natsuo, ever since we lost our oldest brother, Touya, back when I was very little. Natsuo practically cut ties from us after high school…not that we were ever very close even beforehand, since father kept me separated from all my siblings for so long. On the other hand, Fuyumi has definitely inherited our mother's habit for forgiveness; even despite everything that man did to us over all these years. Our mother's actually been making much more of a recovery over the last several months…and believe it or not, she's even been expressing total understanding for why he is the way he is…even after he'd put her in that hospital to begin with ten whole years ago."
It was so clear, just how hard Shoto was trying to keep the anger bubbling up inside him in check as he talked; his grip on his cup only barely beginning to shake. But as he and Nikolay once more made eye contact, he seemed to visibly recollect himself; finally spurring Nikolay to ask: "So…where does that all leave you now, if you don't mind me asking?"
Shoto stared down into his cup for a good several seconds, looking as though he was actually trying to find the answer to that, himself. "I've been trying to go by your advice from the Sports Festival; yours and Midoriya's, over all this time since then. If you're able to forgive Tunguska-sensei for his mistakes like you have, then there's no reason I can't one day do the same for my father. I can't become the Hero I want to be until I do…
"…but until that day comes, I can at least say I'm looking forward to seeing just what kind of father Todoroki Enji will eventually become for us, now that he's gotten what he's always wanted, regardless of how. After all, even a little bit of encouragement; like from that same one guy on TV; can make all the change in the world for him. Considering how little I could've cared if he'd just dropped dead back then, I'd be willing to say I've made a serious change, myself, thanks to all the encouragement from you and Midoriya."
By this point, as Shoto finally reached the end of his recollection and all-around release of his many thoughts and feelings on the matter; his usually stoic face briefly reflected what looked like genuine surprise and subsequent mild embarrassment. "My apologies, I didn't mean to start rambling on."
But on the contrary, Nikolay looked genuinely pleased with everything Shoto had managed to get off his chest, smiling happily as he was about to try placing a reassuring hand on his classmate's shoulder, only to stop himself halfway through. "Oh, no, you don't have anything to apologize for, Todoroki-san. If I didn't want to know, I wouldn't have asked. Like I'd said before at the Billboard Chart; we both have that much more in common now…and that goes for the forms of recovery we've decided to go for, as well. I know I still have a ways to go, myself, before I can really say I've fully moved on…but now we can both cross the rest of that distance together."
Shoto looked at the optimistic expression on Nikolay's face; knowing that back at the beginning of the year, he would've viewed such optimism as idiotic and naïve. But now, listening to the way the Russian boy was saying these things, he could actually feel himself starting to believe it.
And this belief came in the form of the one thing Nikolay never expected to see one day: Shoto Todoroki actually forming the faintest of genuine smiles. "I have Midoriya to thank for helping me embrace the whole of my power…and I have you to thank for giving me the courage to start going down this whole recovery-by-forgiveness path to begin with, Bezpalov. I'm not sure, exactly, how else to say this; but in those two ways, I'd actually be willing to say I consider you two my friends by this point."
If seeing Shoto actually form the beginnings of a smile was surprising enough; to actually hear him outright admitting something so heartfelt left Nikolay nearly dropping his cup altogether; fumbling to try and keep from spilling what little of his tea was left while he tried to find the words to answer him with.
"I-I…well, I—I don't…t-thank you, Todoroki-san. Not just for that, but for giving us both all the support you have been over all this time, as well. I have to admit, I feel bad; not having spent as much time getting to know you like I should've by now. Regardless, I'd also like to think we're friends, too; just as I'm sure Midoriya-san does. In fact, I never even thought to thank you for everything you said back after the School Festival had ended…you know, regarding things between Mina and I. I know you had no reason to get involved at all. In fact, you had every right to chime in on Iida-san, Yaoyorozu-san and Tsuyu-san's concerns about us, if anything…but I'm grateful you said what you did then, and I know she is, too."
As Shoto finally took the last of his tea, he got back up to his feet, looked Nikolay in the eye, and answered with a resolute nod: "I only spoke out of what I'd seen between you two out on the field so far. Despite your vastly different Quirks, you both have an admittedly impressive sense of synergy between you that's allowed you to find creative and effective ways of combining them. To have such a potentially good team get broken apart would've just been wasteful. As your friend or not, if I didn't see that kind of potential between you and Ashido as Heroes, I wouldn't have said anything. After all, I can't exactly become the best Hero I can if my classmates aren't reaching that same full potential with me."
Nikolay's immediate response was a much more accustomed smile and nod. There was the much blunter and semi-distant Shoto Todoroki he was much more used to. He could at least appreciate that kind of honesty. "Well, either way, thank you. I know what you mean. For the last few days since the Billboard Charts, Mina and I have come to accept that if we want to become the best Hero team we can, we'll need to start interning apart under different Heroes. She wants to go for Mirko; but as for me, I'm still trying to decide whether or not I'll go back up to the Kapenta Hero Agency in Hokkaido again…or just transfer over to someone else; assuming another different Hero weren't to recruit me when the day comes we can go out again to begin with."
And Shoto, closely observing how self-reassured Nikolay was trying to keep himself through his body language, while unable to completely hide the nervousness in his eyes; answered only with this: "Whatever you decide to do, Bezpalov; you're the one who has to make the ultimate decision, nobody else. I'm sure by now you have a pretty good idea just what you need by now to get as close to your potential as you can."
With that, he finally bid his foreign classmate good night and made his way for his room; leaving Nikolay with the clear understanding that Shoto was absolutely right. Only Nikolay himself could decide where he would ultimately go next when and if internships got reinstated. Mina had already made her first choice, and now it was his turn to do the same in preparation. This was all he could think to himself every step up to his own room and into his bed, before he ultimately had to try and force his mind to quiet down so he could finally try and get a good night's sleep.
Nikolay could feel the warmth of the summer sun all over his body, the crisp cool breeze kissing his skin. Upon opening his eyes, he was momentarily blinded by the brightness of it all, but as soon as his vision cleared, he could now see that was overlooking a vast yet peaceful cityscape under the same deep azure skies as there always had been. And even from as high up as he now was, from what he could see of the people walking the streets below, there seemed to be not even a trace of unease, fear or danger among any of them. It was as though this whole city…no, this entire world, he could feel was just completely at peace. He could simply feel it in the core of his being.
"You ready, Kolya-kun?" Mina's voice suddenly spoke up from right next to him, and as Nikolay looked her way, he was immediately stricken speechless by what he was seeing. She was indeed there, but she looked just a bit older, no more than twenty at the oldest. She was noticeably taller, her arms and legs had gained a little more visible muscle without sacrificing any of her shapely figure, and her Hero costume had changed to where her purple-turquoise patterned body suit was now in two separate pieces, revealing her similarly more toned midriff, and her forearms were now adorned in what looked like burgundy sleeves, while her elbows and knees had what looked like armored pads with tiny holes in the centers, and her hands were now wearing purple fingerless gloves, with little white squares on the back with even tinier nozzles sticking out.
But as Nikolay's surprised gaze looked beyond his brightly smiling and grown up girlfriend, he was stricken with the sight of even more of his classmates standing side by side beside her, all of them, too, fully grown up with updated costumes and eager smiles on their faces. And when he looked to his other side, there was all the rest of them just the same, with Izuku just at his other side, looking even taller and more filled out with muscle as he feasibly could have been, with Bakugo, Eijirou and Shoto right next to him, all looking similar grown and powered up in terms of muscle and a pure atmosphere of confidence and preparedness.
From total confusion did Nikolay finally realize just what he was seeing: they had all graduated. They had all become official Pro Heroes, and best of all, they were actually able to go out and work together as one giant team after all. All these thoughts together made it impossible for Nikolay to put his feelings of joy and contentment into words.
In answer to Mina and the watchful eyes of all his classmates and friends, Nikolay could only smile and prepare to launch himself forward, with all of them ready to take off right alongside him.
But the moment he began to crouch down in preparation…he suddenly found his whole body shivering in an all-consuming icy grip that left his heart racing and his body trembling. This wasn't just a cold front. This was the physical manifestation of pure, overwhelming terror, the likes of which even he knew he'd never experienced before. And with that fear also came the unmistakable feeling of his being watched.
Looking back, Nikolay suddenly found he was no longer upon a city rooftop, but was now standing atop a vast ocean, with what looked like a world-ending storm engulfing the skies and approaching with every passing second. But Nikolay couldn't even ask where he was or what was happening, for within the storm front, his eyes could immediately make out what looked to be the pitch black shape of a single adult man approaching him with a determined stride, walking upon the water as well…only this was no messianic figure. No, the only thing Nikolay could feel coming from this enigmatic man-shaped creature was pure and simple killing intent.
So powerful, in fact, that the only thing Nikolay could think to do was flee, knowing that fighting was not an option, not with this mysterious enemy that was still staring pure malice into his back. And as he immediately turned around in preparation to take off and put as much distance between himself and his pursuer…he immediately found he was now no longer upon the ocean, but was now instead staring at vast empty rolling hills of grain, snow and tall grass; a landscape he knew far too well.
"What the hell? This…these are the Central Steppes of Siberia! What am I doing here?"
BWOOOM!
And without any warning or preparation, even as Nikolay tried to find the words to voice his confusion and suffocating fear, his body was suddenly aiming his arms back and flinging him up and over through the air entirely by its own will, leaving him an unwitting passenger within his own body.
But even for as strange as this sensation of his body running on autopilot was, there was something even stranger that immediately became apparent: with every move that Nikolay's body made as it flew for its life, he could feel the sheer sensation of power coursing through all of his muscles like he'd never felt before; something decidedly similar yet different to what it felt like to built up his kinetic power stores through his Quirk.
But no matter how far or fast Nikolay's body flew, he couldn't escape that sensation of being chased, as if he knew all he was doing was buying himself time at the very best.
Nikolay couldn't even tell how much time had passed after he'd started flying himself forward with such speed and power, but once more with no warning, just when he felt he was ready to black out from the sheer force of wind against his face; all that momentum his body was building up instantaneously vanished, and his whole body came to a complete frozen stop, floating in a vast and empty mental void.
Where Nikolay tried to look, he couldn't make out anyone or anything. He was alone, helpless, trapped in a place where he just knew there was no friction or vibration for his body to absorb whatsoever in order to try and escape. It was almost as though his entire body were incorporeal.
He couldn't even make a sound, no matter how much he tried to call out for someone, anyone, to come and help him. That still didn't stop him from trying, though, and after feeling like he was going to destroy his own vocal chords with how much he could feel himself trying to scream out with all he had…he suddenly felt that instinctive feeling of being in the presence of another person, even if he couldn't see anyone around him still.
And no sooner than this presence had made itself known, then did Nikolay suddenly hear the voice of a young adult man speaking to him, unmistakably in Japanese, even though he already knew it was the voice of someone he had never met nor even heard of before, speaking to him with such an unsettling air of familiarity:
"Looks like this is just about as much as I can show you, for what little that is. The bridge between you two just isn't finished yet. But don't worry. You'll both get there in time…then you'll both know, and you'll both be ready. Until then, just remember that neither of you will ever truly be alone; you especially. You've got blood watching over you, after all. I'll do what I can to show you the right way."
*GASP*
Nikolay came shooting up from his bed so fast and intense, he nearly gave himself instant whiplash. Even if he had, he wouldn't have noticed, as his face was still awash with a frigid sweat, and his heart was still racing like it was about to give out from inside his chest. There were so many confused questions racing through his mind as he tried to take in his surroundings and make out that he was back in his dorm room safe and sound.
But even once he'd realized that what he'd just experienced was a dream and nothing more, the very next thing he realized was the immense buildup of pain in muscles all throughout his body, as though in the time he'd been asleep, he'd been absorbing the collective vibrations enough to account for everyone in the building for a good hour. It felt like his whole body would burst if he didn't expel this store of power fast.
With his adrenaline still racing and his mind still trying to recover from his original panic, Nikolay could just feel there wasn't enough time for him to go running all the way down to the front entrance, and thus he was left with no other choice.
Gritting his teeth to try and ignore even a little of this kinetic bulwark rippling through the fiber of his being right now, Nikolay hurriedly threw his window open and nearly threw himself from the sill down onto the foliage of the nearest tree in the back. Once he'd managed to absorb the landing and get back on solid ground, the only thing he could think to do was run, somewhere nearby where he could release this energy without risking waking up half the dorm buildings.
But the more he could feel this power clawing away at him from the inside in a desperation to get out, he knew there was nothing more he could do before running the risk of severely hurting himself. And so, with a pained cry through clenched teeth as he tried to straighten out his fingers out of their vice-like grip on his short sleeves, Nikolay fervently slammed his palms down flush to the ground and let it all out deep into the earth in his usual Shockwave move that often kicked up every loose piece of debris around, just as it now did here.
And as all countless rocks and twigs came raining back down, Nikolay's eyes were already running with tears of pain and relief, now that he knew he'd gotten all that kinetic power out before it was too late. Every move he made to get back to the 1-A dorms afterward still hurt like hell, but he could at least rest assured that a solid night's sleep from this point forward would be enough to get his muscles soothed back to normal, or at least close.
But after Nikolay had finally made his way back inside, hurriedly washed his face and made his way back up to his room; his exhaustion, dizziness and lingering pain ended up momentarily blinding him to the fact that not only was Izuku's dorm room door still halfway open, but another door on that same floor was as well, with an inquisitive but quiet eye watching the departing young Russian's every step with nary a discernible emotion visible in it.
And there you all have it today, everyone. I hope the seeds of the future I've planted throughout this short little arc have you all intrigued to see where they'll ultimately go, and what effect they'll have on the events the die-hard fans among us already know. If you're excited to see what will happen, please let me know either through a review or even a private message; any communication efforts from you all will be greatly appreciated and reciprocated.
I hope you all have a more pleasant week; give thoughts, prayers and support to the people of East Palestine, Ohio; and I will see you all with the next chapter on 02/25!