Jirou's brows furrow low over her eyes. In her hands she watches as universes collapse and shutter and collide, the threads of fate snapping as if it is nothing more than a worn tapestry made by human hands. Jirou curses, drawing the attention of those around her.
"What?"
Jirou gnaws at her lip, completely oblivious to the current match between the two gen ed. students now that she's seen the next page of the universe turn over. "Do you guys remember that vigilante that helped us at the USJ?"
Mina leans over from the row behind her. "Did he get caught?" she asks, peeking at the girl's phone.
"He died."
There's a long pause, a moment of quiet that even the universe stops to listen to.
Todoroki stands stiffly, slipping his way out of the student box without a word. No one goes after him. No one so moves or says anything to disturb the newfound quiet in their student box. Bakugou watches Midoriya's fight, gaze unwavering, but thoughts drifting back USJ.
"He shouldn't've been there," Bakugou grunts as the universe tilts, flipping on its axis. Uraraka's head snaps towards him, an angry glint in her eye. "He saved us!"
"You left," Bakugou states, "He should've left with you. He didn't do anything else after you all left besides get hurt."
"Bakugou," Kirishima's voice drifts from behind him, "Not cool, man."
Uraraka glares in borderline tears before looking away again, eyes fixed angrily on the field below.
Katsuki glances at her only momentarily before tuning back into the match. If Midoriya wins they'll be going head to head. His lips curl into a smirk. He had ignored Katsuki's warning to stay out of UA and it seems that since making it in he'd managed to grow some semblance of a spine.
He bares his teeth in a grin as the universe heaves upwards and Midoriya ragdolls as Shinsou's foot steps over the boundary line.
Bakugou would make sure to snap it in two.
In an alleyway in Hosu a man takes advantage of the universe's collapse, rewriting his destiny and the destiny of those deemed unworthy by his blade. The vigilante's death has left a tear in the tapestry that must be filled. He will be the one to fill it.
Someone must answer for his death.
Pied Piper is dead. The universe shutters and weeps.
Strangely enough, Midoriya doesn't feel as nervous as he thought he would when stares at the updated bracket. He's trained for this, lived through scenarios like this. He's fought, he's died, in fights like the one he's about to undertake. Izuku has proven his skills, that's how he made it this far. That's how he's still alive.
Even so, it's Bakugou that he's up against next. Izuku would have to beat him if he wanted to make it to the finals and beating Bakugou, to him, feels like an impossible task. He's spent so many years of his life holding himself back from fighting with the boy. But, in a way, Bakugou has been doing the same thing. He was always cautious not to do anything that may draw the eyes of concerned adults.
Midoriya's fists curl at his sides before he releases a deep sigh, fists relaxing. He'd like to see Reo one last time before his match, even if it's only for moral support. But, Izuku doubts he'll have enough time to make it all the way up to the stands and back again before the start of his round. Todoroki has had notoriously short matches after all.
He gnaws at his bottom lip as he makes his way towards the prep room assigned to him and shares a short text conversation with Reo once he gets back. They casually banter with one another to help calm Izuku's nerves and discuss his match with Shinsou before Todoroki's next match.
Once it starts, he opens the live stream on his phone. He watches enraptured as Todoroki wins against Tokoyami. Wisps of flame ignite in a soft half-halo around the scar on his face as fire flickers to life along the boy's left side, eating at his uniform in a blinding display of pure, unadulterated power. It's the first time Izuku's seen him use this side of his quirk. He's surprised by its sudden appearance, but not by its existence. The light of Todoroki's blazing flame has his opponent's quirk shrinking in on itself. Even in the USJ, Midoriya doesn't recall ever seeing Todoroki use this part of his quirk.
And, with the end of Todoroki's match, the start of his own once again rears its head.
A message comes through from Reo. It's an image of him and Shinsou in the stands. A sly smile graces Shinsou's lips, beside him Reo offers a bright grin of his own. The text below it reads, "Kick his ass, broccoli boy."
Midoriya stares down at his phone with a dopey smile. He replies with a simple message of his own: love u guys, i'll do what i can o7
The speaker above him crackles to life. "Midoriya Izuku please make your way to tunnel B for standby. Midoriya Izuku please make your way to tunnel B for standby."
Another message comes through as Midoriya stands. It says simply: love you too but please be safe, okay?
Izuku smiles softly. Sending one last message before he leaves his phone on the table and exits the room. The message reads: i promise not to worry you
The halls beneath the stadium are quiet and lonely. They amplify the unease he feels whispering at the back of his mind. There's a hum-like vibration of noise the closer he gets to the starting tunnel, the roar of the audience carrying through the underground like the echoing thrum of supernovae.
Turning the corner finds him at the far end of the starting tunnel, staring out where the light touches the field. It creeps into the underground, reaching into the cold of the shadows. Dust particles float aimlessly through the light.
Izuku can't see over the raised section of earth in the middle of the field to where he knows Bakugou is waiting. He can, however, feel the excitement crackling through the air. This match would be the last one to determine who would be participating in the finals.
The red light above him fades, casting him in darkness before coming back a bright emerald green. He marches forward, greeted by Present Mic's voice booming through the stadium.
"He's been speeding his way through the one v one matches! It's Midoriya Izuku of general education! Versus! The powerhouse that's been blowing away the competition! It's Bakugou Katsuki from the hero department!"
Midoriya stops at the edge of the field as the world around him dulls. The sounds of the crowd come to him as if underwater. Before him stands his bully of some ten-odd years. The boy who gave Midoriya his first scars. The boy who told him he would never be a hero. The boy who punched him, who burned him, who told him to pray for a quirk in his next life.
Bakugou's hands spark with the promise of unrestrained violence.
Midoriya is standing in his way.
Somewhere within the watery outside world, the crack of a whip calls a start to the match.
Izuku smirks past his timeworn trauma, determined to overcome it once and for all. Bakugou charges. Izuku's emotional competence crumbles.
Izuku blocks his first punch with a panicked swing of his staff, steel slamming into the other boy's wrist. Bakugou bares his teeth in pain, switching to an explosion-fueled high kick that Izuku ducks under.
He darts away, doing his best to put some distance between the two of them. Izuku thought he was ready for this fight, he'd prepared himself mentally as much as he could. Even so, he can feel the invisible tremor in his legs, can hear the age-old voice in his head telling him to submit in order to
avoid stoking the other's anger any further.
Bakugou grabs at the back of his uniform in the midst of his attempted escape, palms crackling with heat that comes far too close to his neck for him to be comfortable.
"Never turn your back to the enemy, little listener! How will Midoriya escape this one!"
Izuku struggles, trying to rip himself out of the boy's grasp as fear crawls up his throat. Heat prickles against his still-sensitive scar and, without a second thought, Izuku unzips the front of his uniform and frantically slips out of it. Bakugou slings the jacket away, palms cackling menacingly as he marches forward. He takes his time, stalking towards Izuku as a predator would its prey. Izuku uses this time to compose himself, viciously shaking off old memories, angry with himself for letting them get the best of him.
He readies himself, dropping into a defensive position in the same moment that Bakugou pauses. The universe holds its breath. Bakugou stares and an infinite number of galaxies stare with him. The explosions in his palms fade out like dying stars. Izuku is unprepared for his sudden silence, only able to watch the other carefully. It's too small of a detail for anyone else to see, but, as it is, Bakugou gets a full view of the scars littering Izuku's upper arms. With his jacket gone, Izuku's exposed every last one that's not covered by his tank top for the scrutiny of his former bully. They stand out beneath the sunlight, shiny whites and puffy reds that are visible to no one but his opponent. They're as difficult to count as the stars in the sky, streaked by the occasional splash of red sequence galaxies.
Anger, fiery and hot, graces Bakugou's face once again. He looks away from the multitude of scars to lock eyes with Izuku. "This is why you'll never be a hero," Bakugou sneers, "You can't even protect yourself. How the hell did you ever expect to protect other people?"
Something inside Izuku snaps, something hot and ugly forming at the base of his throat. It writhes there like the molten core of a newly formed planet.
Izuku pulls himself to his full height. "How the hell do you ever expect to protect other people if all you do is hurt those weaker than you," Midoriya hisses. "I've seen people like you, Bakugou." There's a newfound confidence that radiates off him. "All of them were villains."
Bakugou doesn't hesitate to charge at him after the taunt, fury writing wrinkles between his brows and around his mouth as he bares his teeth. "Die!" His fist swings wide and Izuku lets go of his staff, catching Bakugou's fist, wrapping his arm around it, and spinning.
Midoriya has, admittedly, never really fought Bakugou before. That's why fighting back feels so foreign. That's why watching Bakugou's back slam into the arena floor feels so forbidden.
Spittle flies up from the other's mouth as all the air is forced from his lungs. "You always lead with your right."
fake.lovejoy
[Image : A screenshot of an online news article. A bolded headline proclaims, "Hero Killer Stain Loose in Tokyo". Beneath it is a blurry screenshot from security camera footage of the man fleeing. It's the only image police have managed to get of him.]
Liked by oneday_ncfc and 538 others
fake.lovejoy I know that the sports festival is going on rn but this is an important PSA, especially for people who have friends or family members that are heroes, there's a villain running around rn that's killing heroes, I heard he almost killed someone else today in Hosu, he never stays in one place for too long so please be careful and spread the word, information is power
#herokillerstain #stain #heroes #PSA #rip View all 12 comments
ashkabuso Do you know who he got today???
fake.lovejoy not yet, ill let you know once i hear something though
Yd.U Rip Traunt Stream she's gone too soon they better find that bastard
Half_Two This dude seriously needs to be stopped, he's just gonna keep killing people if he's not caught
killmy.kat bro wtffff i hope the most recent dude is okay
Once Bakugou's on the ground it's easy to get on top of him. He does his best to pin the boy down but it's not long before he breaks out of Midoriya's hold and Izuku takes an elbow to the chin. He rolls off Bakugou, making a dive for where he'd dropped his staff. He grabs both it and his discarded jacket before scrambling back up as the other boy recovers. It's got a large hole burnt into the back of it, but Midoriya tucks it into the waistband of his pants for safekeeping nonetheless.
Behind him, Bakugou's explosions carry the other boy into the air. Izuku rolls to the side as Katsuki barrels into the ground just beside him. His landing kicks up a cloud of dust and sand as Izuku is thrown back. The dust obscures their vision as he pulls himself back to his feet. He squints, checking for movement in the cloud, doing his best to hold his cough. He pulls the jacket out of his waistband, pressing it over his nose and mouth so he can breathe. As the dust begins to clear Izuku catches sight of Bakugou's side.
"Look at that quirk! Powerful enough to throw up its own smokescreen! But the real question is will he be able to use it to his advantage or will Midoriya use it against him! Remember audience, this is the same thing that happened in Midoriya's first round!"
Izuku takes a deep breath and pulls the jacket away from his face, hanging it from the top of his staff, and flinging the jacket towards the boy as hard as he can. It flutters through the air, catching Katsuki's eye as Midoriya melts back into the cloud of dust. Bakugou charges at the jacket, chasing the afterimage of his opponent. Izuku slips behind him, footsteps quiet against the harsh ring of explosions as Bakugou swipes the jacket from midair.
Izuku appears suddenly from behind, the light of a thousand galaxies illuminating his eyes as his staff slams into Bakugou's upper back, just shy of where Midoriya had been aiming for. Katsuki stumbles forward from the blow, palms crackling as Izuku disappears again.
"Coward!" Bakugou spits, whipping around, "Hiding because you know you can't beat me head- on!"
"Coward!" Izuku calls back with a laugh, "Claiming your one-sided bullying as a mark of victory!" Something sour wells up in Izuku's chest, as acidic as the rain on Venus, eating him alive. "Quirkless! Powerless! Deku! If I'm so weak, then why am I holding my own against you! What does that make you, Kacchan?! If you can't even beat me then what makes you think you'll ever become the number one hero!"
The dust has thinned even more now and Bakugou scans his surroundings without offering a response.
In the time it takes him to spot Izuku, a staff is being hurled at him from the side, pinwheeling through the cloud of dust and smoke. Izuku is rewarded by a dull thunk and a string of curses as it slams painfully into the side of the Bakugou's head.
Izuku grins, rushing in and delivering a harsh kick right to Katsuki's ass. "I'm literally kicking your ass if you haven't noticed, Kacchan."
Bakugou spins on him. An explosion-fueled punch aimed directly at his face that Izuku deflects with a grimace. Izuku knees him in the gut and, in return, receives an exploding fist in his unguarded side. Despite his year of vigilantism, Midoriya is quick to eat his own words, swiftly overwhelmed by the boy's quirk. Bakugou goes airborne again, using his momentum to aim a kick at his head Izuku can only block with his arms.
"Deku!"
Strong, flashy quirks weren't that common in the underground. They drew too much attention for Izuku to ever have to deal with. In this open field with nowhere to escape and no backup to call the moment he understands he's gotten himself in over his head, Izuku's loss is guaranteed. One of Bakugou's fists slips through his defense, slamming into his cheek.
Izuku throws a fist of his own and feels the other boy's nose give way beneath it. He follows up with an elbow that splits Bakugou's brow and drips blood into his eye. Unfortunately, this is not enough to make him give in.
An open palm slams into his chest, hot and fiery, and more painful than Midoriya remembers Katsuki's quirk ever being.
It's because he's not holding back.
Izuku jerks away, doing his best to put more distance between them. He makes a b-line for where he can see his staff. While it'd been rewarding at the time, throwing his weapon isn't the best choice he's probably made. Before he can reach it, however, Bakugou's using his quirk to catch up to him. His hand tangles in Midoriya's unruly hair, pulling him to a violent halt. He drives another open palm into Izuku's back, explosion easily ripping through his tank top. Izuku grunts in pain, pinching his eyes shut before he grabs at the hand in his hair, trying to break Bakugou's hold to no avail. Izuku turns to face the boy, glaring up at him.
"What happened to your taunt from earlier?" Bakugou sneers, "'You'll lose', wasn't it?"
Izuku grins at him, blood in his teeth and fear burning bright in his chest as Bakugou's grip on his hair tightens. "I didn't say I'd be the one to beat you, Kacchan." His eyes are viridescent, a sharp, toxic green.
"My name," Bakugou grits out, "Is not Kacchan."
"And I haven't been Deku in a long time," Midoriya laughs.
Katsuki shoves him back, releasing him.
Midoriya lets himself be pushed, falling back. The boy catches himself on his elbows, propping himself up on the dirt, legs splayed out in front of him. He could fight more, could push himself further. His everything hurts, but he could do it.
Shirakumo Oboro is watching the end of Midoriya's last match when he receives the call. He mutes the tv, briefly checking the caller ID to make sure it's not a client before picking up the moment he sees who it is.
On the other end of the line, the caller wastes no time in getting straight to his point. "He's dead, Oboro," Aizawa's voice is strained. "The kid that saved me is dead."
Shirakumo leans back in his seat, eyeing the tv. "Are you okay?"
There's a pause. "Hizashi can bring me back once the sport's festival is over."
Oboro's eyes fall shut, worry settling in his chest. "That's not what I asked, Shouta."
"What does that matter right now? This isn't about me."
"Shouta," he repeats, pushing himself out of his chair to pace the living room.
"I'm fine."
Oboro shakes his head, pushing further for an actual answer to his question. "You called me for a reason, Shou."
Aizawa curses under his breath. "I know... I'm—" there's another stretch of silence, "It's just..." the man sighs, "Can we save this for when I get back?"
Their cat, Sushi, rubs against his leg, trying to grab Oboro's attention. He glances down at the cat, crouching to pet him absent-mindedly. "If that's what you want to do then that's fine. I can come pick you up now if you need me. I'm sure it'll be a while before 'Zashi's done."
"I can survive 'til he's able to leave." The sound of rustling filters through the speaker.
"You sure?"
"There's only two more matches."
Oboro's eyes flicker back towards the tv, resigning himself to the wait before the other two get home. "One now, the last one just ended."
There's a short pause. "Who won?"
Bakugou wants more of a fight. Izuku can tell this much from the way he's pacing the field several yards in front of him. But, he's waiting for Midoriya to get up. He's waiting because, just maybe, Izuku's earlier words had gotten to him. He casts his eyes skywards instead. He makes a Bakugou wait. Wouldn't it be cruel to make him wait the rest of his life? he thinks absently. The sun hugs his cheeks, wind brushing through his hair, whispering sweet comforts to he who has experienced pain worse than this at the hands of people seeking to kill him. To he who has experienced death in more ways than just its physical form.
His thoughts turn to Reo. Izuku can picture him anxiously watching from where he's leaned against the balcony edge. His friend has only ever seen the aftermath of his fights against villains, seeing them first hand is a new experience for him. "He's probably worried right now, huh?" Izuku breathes.
Bakugou wants a fight.
"I'm tired," he sighs quietly, watching the clouds drift lazily above him. His head lulls towards where Midnight stands on the sidelines. He eyes her quietly before coming to his decision. Stay unsatisfied, he curses silently in Bakugou's direction. "I forfeit," Izuku calls, loud enough to be heard by the woman.
Bakugou's head whips back towards him.
Izuku only smiles at him lazily. "Any more than this and the people who care about me will start to worry. They'll think I'm trying to kill myself again." He hides his mischief behind a soft smile.
Bakugou wants a fight. Midoriya refuses to give it to him. He originally had hopes of beating Katsuki in this fight, had hopes of 'settling the score' .
This ending, Izuku decides, is better punishment. Izuku smiles, it's bright but tired.
There were other ways to become a hero. Reo had reassured him of this fact countless times before the start of the festival. Besides, he'd made a promise not to worry his friend as well.
The hero nods reluctantly, raising her hand to address the crowd. The boy's eyes flutter shut. The sun kisses him softly, doing its best to ease his pains. "Midoriya Izuku has forfeited the match! Bakugou Katsuki advances to the finals!"