-3,4,5,6,7-

Kai Chisaki, aka Overhaul, is a young man with a narrow build, short auburn hair, small eyebrows, and small gold irises with relatively long lower eyelashes. When Eri escaped from her sitters, she had expected her capture to be easy. But unlike other times, she had been craftier, maybe more desperate. That or her sitters had become so lax that they would have to be removed from their post. Well, that was going to go without saying. But now, these two children had become involved.

He wore a black dress shirt with matching dress pants, a pale gray tie around his neck, and a belt with a long, thin buckle around his waist. In addition, he had three beaded lobe piercings in his left ear. Over his shirt, he donned a dark olive-green bomber jacket with a thick purple fur collar. On his feet, he wore white lace-up sneakers with tan soles and no socks. Kai's most noticeable accessories were the white surgical gloves on his hands and the magenta plague mask he wore over his mouth, which was tipped and embroidered with gold.

His eyes widened when the white flame erupted, causing him to jump back. He had expected heat, but there was none. He saw the old wounds on Eri's heal and knew he had just stumbled upon something amazing. This fire healed not just present wounds but past ones as well. He could do that, but he was reconstructing someone. Was this power similar to Eri's rewind? Was he rewinding their body to do this? He knew he would take them both, Eri and this green-haired troublemaker. The blonde, well, she was unnecessary.

Overhaul went to move, but suddenly, the boy was in front of him. The boy's eyes glowed with an inner fire; they burned with rage, with an anger that would have frozen him if he had been able to react. But he couldn't; it took his brain a moment to recognize that he had been hit. The punch to the gut lifted him off his feet; the rising spin kick launched him into the air.

-12,13,14,15-

Overhaul was coming down; he saw the boy ready to strike again, and his senses catching up. Overhaul exploded as Izuku went to hit; Izuku was even more stunned when he reformed perfectly unharmed. The hesitation nearly cost him his life when Overhaul went on strike; if not for One for All, he would have died. He could lean back out of the strike but couldn't dodge the spikes that exploded, running him through. Overhaul sneered, feeling that the fight was his.

-20,21,22,23-

Izuku spat out blood; he had hoped to avoid the feeling of being impaled again after the battle at the school. He brought his fist down, shattering the spikes. The white flames erupted, healing him as he sidestepped an attack by Overhaul. When he saw Overhaul go for the ground again, he dashed forward with a leaping knee. It crashed into Overhaul's face, his nose, jaw, and orbital socket collapsing as he flew back, crashing into the side of the building. Again, Overhaul exploded and reformed, fresh as a new. He glared at his opponent, who, aside from holes in his clothes, was wrapped in flames and looked just as fresh.

Himiko had run as soon as she saw the look in Izuku's eyes; the little girl in her arms clung to her desperately as they ran. Himiko grabbed her phone; she paused for a second and instead dialed All-Might. An alert would have brought heroes descending on them; the look on Izuku's face she knew that having heroes falling on them would not be good. She wanted to turn back, but she knew that something had happened to the little girl, something so terrible that Izuku would kill that man.

"Young Himiko?" All-Might's voice rang out from the phone.

"All-Might, a child came out of an alley she was being chased; Izuku…he will kill him. All-Might Izuku is going to kill him," she blurted out, her heart pounding.

"WHERE ARE YOU?" Himiko quickly relayed the information. "I AM COMING; KEEP MOVING. A SAFE HOUSE IS A BLOCK TO THE EAST OF YOUR LOCATION; GET THERE AND ENGAGE THE SECURITY."

Himiko held the girl tight as she ran. She whispered reassurances to the girl as they ran. Please, someone, help, please!

-30,31,32,33,34-

"You can't win," Overhaul spat out. "One touch and you are done; then the blonde and Eri will be mine again. This world is diseased, and she is the cure. Nothing will stop me from ridding this world of the disease known as quirks."

"I don't care what the reason may be; I know what you did to her, and you will never touch her again." Izuku's voice was cold; the firestorm running through his body was raging, ready to explode. Only the promise of sweet release kept it in control. "This is where you end. Your ashes will scatter on the winds as empty and meaningless as your words."

"Enough, you end now!" Overhaul roared as they charged at Izuku."

-40,41,42-

Azreal was beside them, a few feet away; his approach had been steady since the start. There is no rush movement, just a regular walk. The pace of death was never to be slowed; it was never rushed; it didn't run. It came for all just the same.

Overhaul and Izuku collided; Overhaul feinted to the left and slipped past Izuku's right-handed swing. He smiled as his hand came inches from his target. Victory and the future were within his grasp.

-44-

All he felt was fingertips lightly touching his throat.

-Kai Chisaki-

Kai was a person who had a strong fear of germs, avoided social interactions, and had a deep-rooted desire to restore the world to the way it was before the Quirk phenomenon. He believed that Quirks came from rats and that they caused people to develop heroism or villainy "syndromes." Kai considers these abilities a plague on humanity and looks down upon anyone who uses them for good or bad. He sees these actions as "sicknesses".

Kai was determined to eradicate all Quirks, not only because of his phobias but also because it would enable the Yakuza to regain the power they once held over society. His sense of morality was lacking, and he possessed a huge ego, believing that he was the only person in the world who understood the "true nature" of Quirks.

The paradoxical nature of Kai's reliance on his quirk that he named after himself, giving a simple but grand name. Not after a disease or a sickness that he believed them to be. Kai's disregard for human life is evident in how he treats people as mere tools to achieve his goals. He would not hesitate to experiment on or sacrifice them for his benefit. This brutal perspective extended to everyone around him; they were all beneath them, all diseased. He would be the one to cure everyone.

He frequently mistreats and humiliates Eri, his boss's granddaughter and the linchpin of his plans, using threats and guilt to assert his dominance over her. No one was safe from his ruthless methods and willingness to go to any lengths to achieve his goal.

No one is safe from Kai's ruthless methods, and he will go to any lengths to achieve his objectives. He had been ready to sacrifice everyone and anything for his goal; nothing mattered but riding the world of this disease.

The touch was gentle, a caress; as his mind registered, he had to be touched. He was preparing to activate his quirk to remove the latest obstacle, this boy. Then the pain, pain was the only word to describe it, but it was lacking. Suffering, agony, misery…no torturous. Over and over, the pain flooded his body, enflamed his mind with self-loathing and wishing for it all to end. The pain would be gone for a fraction of a second; then, he would feel himself put together for the pain to be renewed. Over and over, it happened with no end in sight.

-Izuku-

The images of Overhaul's life played through his mind, showing him the type of person he had fought. The type of person he had killed. The firestorm that had been built up and raging as soon as he had healed Eri and the knowledge of what had been done to her been screaming to be unleashed.

He let it go as soon as he felt his fingers make contact. The raging inferno begged for release; the black fire longed to be free. Izuku obliged; there was no hesitation. When he healed the girl, Eri, he knew what had been done, what Overhaul had put that girl through. His mind was diseased in a way similar to Himi's when they found her. He could absorb it, but he couldn't have cured him. There was no madness to lift, no fog of confusion to relieve.

This man who could have been great, changed the world and been a hero to rival All-Might was so broken that he couldn't be fixed. He had crossed the line in a blatant disregard for anyone that wasn't him. He would kill anyone or anything that didn't conform to his ideal, and with the proliferation of quirks, that was the entire planet.

It was tragic; his power would have been such a boon to society and his mind, but there was no saving him. His future was now only ash.

-Himi-

She burst through the door of the safe house, slamming it behind her. The little girl finally unburied her head from Himi's shoulder. "It's okay," Himi whispered. "It will be okay."

"But Overhaul?" she whimpered.

"Izuku will stop him," Himi told her. "Izuku will make it all better, like how he healed you.

"He will never stop," the little girl cried. "Please don't let him get me; please don't make me go back." She begged.

"He will never touch again, I swear," Himi said, pulling the girl close. "I promise. Everything will be okay."

One should not make promises that they cannot keep Himiko.

Himiko spun around at the sound of the voice, expecting the little girl to cry out, but she wasn't moving. The man speaking was sitting in a chair in the corner; he leaned forward with an enticing grin.

I am pleased to meet you; I hope you guess my name.

"What?" Himiko looked at the girl and then at the man; she drew a small blade and put herself between the man and the little girl. The man rose to his feet; he was slender as he walked forward. He almost seemed to float and glide towards her as he came into the light; she realized it wasn't a man but a woman. "Who are you, and what are you doing here?" Himiko asked, doing her best to maintain her composure.

The woman was beautiful, stunning even; she had an unearthly allure. It surprised Himiko, but this quality called to Himiko; it pulled on a primitive instinct. It was a strange, frightening experience but somehow also arousing.

Don't worry too much about it; now the problem is that the Overhaul problem has been dealt with, but the fallout. Now, that is going to be something.

"What are you talking about?" Himiko lowered the knife some.

Izuku just killed a man in the middle of the street; there will be consequences for that. The commission will pounce on him like a cat on a mouse. Noble as it was, there is no proof of Overhaul's crime. The school was one thing, but stealing a child and murdering the person who claimed to be their guardian.

"What are you doing here? What do you want?" Himiko said, her fear trembling at the back of her voice. Fear of what would happen to Izuku, of what would happen after this night. Would she even see him again?

You called for help. I am here to provide that help.

"Nothing is for free; you are not doing this out of the goodness of your heart," Himiko said, keeping her eye on the being.

Normally, there would be more of a process, but this suits my best interests. But there will be a cost; I will call upon you for a favor in the future.

"Why should I believe you? How do I know that you are telling the truth?" Himiko stepped forward, her grip tightening on the knife. "Why should I believe any of this? Why shouldn't I just stab you right here and now?"

You have such spunk; I like it. But look into my eyes, Himiko. If you do not take this deal, your Izuku will be taken when the sun peaks over the ocean. I will be able to adjust and adapt, but what about you? And yours? You knew there would be a time when you had to save him from himself. To cross the lines that he couldn't. Now, Himiko, do we have a deal?

"I want the little girl to be safe with us," Himiko countered. She knew what she was doing was dangerous. She knew this person wasn't lying; something in her soul told her that, but it was also screaming that this was a trap and wrong. All Himiko could do was say yes; she hated and feared it, but she knew what to do.

Excellent, have a wonderful evening.

-Izuku & Azreal-

Izuku stood there in the street; it was then that he noticed that others had gathered. Some had their phones out; he watched as they looked at their phones simultaneously, pressed some things, and walked away. He turned his attention to the ash rising from an unnatural breeze, twisting and floating in front of his eyes.

It had once been a man, a person, a diseased and evil man, but a man nonetheless. Now that person was ash in the wind. He looked to the side and saw Azrael standing there, staring at the ash, his hand moving. The ashes swayed and moved with his every gesture, bending to his whim.

"In the end, it doesn't matter?" Izuku said.

This isn't the end; it is merely the end of the physical. Why would I be needed if this was the end?

"I don't know how to feel?" Izuku said quietly as he extended his hand towards the ashes. They withdrew from his hand, still dancing but not touching him. "I wanted him dead; I knew what he did, I knew what he put that girl through, and I wanted him dead. I wanted him dead before I even considered that he could be saved."

I have no words of comfort for you.

"I want to blame you; I want to shift blame, but I know what my actions were," Izuku withdrew his hands from the ashes. "You gave me a chance to live; what I healed from her should have killed me instantly."

What I said was the truth. I was coming to collect you for what you did; I just allowed you to give me him instead. I wanted him more anyway.

"Couldn't you have just taken him whenever you wanted?"

It doesn't work that way; it used to, but that was long ago. Rules and all.

"It is strange to hear you talk about rules with what you are," Izuku said. He pointed to the people just walking by, ignoring everything that had happened. "You're doing?"

No. That was someone else. As you are aware, our interactions have attracted the attention of others. I will look into it if someone wants to curry favor with me.

"What happens now?" he looked as the ashes rose into the air and began to disperse into the night.

You must answer your friends, mentor, and family and live with what happened today. You dance along this edge with me; I will not allow you to exchange your life for another's every time you decide to act rashly. You can heal slowly, not all at once. Act like it, or those ashes will be yours.

"I understand," Izuku said quietly. His phone ringing suddenly gave him a jolt; looking at the caller ID, he saw it was All-Might. When he looked, Azrael was gone. "Hello All-Might."

-Izuku-

After a brief explanation to All-Might with a promise of more, he was told to head to the safe house. He immediately called Himi to tell her he was on his way to her and to expect him. When he opened the door, he saw her visibly relax as she pulled him into her arms. The little girl was hiding behind a chair as he came in.

"Overhaul?" he heard her scared voice eke out.

"He will never hurt you or anyone else again," he said reassuringly. He saw the questioning look in Himi's eyes. He expected to see disgust or repulsion, but he saw none. He saw her relief, love, sympathy, and understanding.

The little girl peeked her head out more, "You promise?"

"I promise, Eri," he said, doing his best to smile. "No one is ever going to hurt you again."

"But my quirk, it is a curse," Eri said, wiping her eyes. "He said so; it makes people disappear, and anyone who tries to help me gets hurt. He hurts them."

Izuku eyes glowed; he could see the mental trauma. "He told you a lie, Eri; he was a bad man who will never return. Remember how I healed you?" The little girl nodded. "Can I heal you some more? I promise it won't hurt." He could see the fear in the little girl's eyes.

"You won't take me apart?" she asked. Himiko looked confused but didn't say anything.

Izuku knelt and waited for the girl to come to him. Slowly, she walked over; she flinched slightly when Izuku placed his hand gently on her head. He slowly activated his red fire and let it wrap around her. "It feels weird."

"Does it hurt?" he asked, his voice gentle. He smiled when the little girl whispered no; as he felt it seep into his mind, he fought back a tear. He did his best not to rush the process or scare the girl. It was difficult as he began to feel the terror, the self-loathing, and all the other emotions seep into his mind. When he removed the hand, she looked at him, her eyes full of wonder.

"I feel better," she whispered. Izuku could feel the relief in her voice. There had been moments where he questioned if he had done the right thing, but the trauma he took from her mind reassured him that he had not killed a man but a monster.

Regardless of how he tried to rationalize it, though, a single thought kept running across the back of his mind. He had killed someone.

A knock at the door startled them; Eri jumped and ran to Himiko's arms. Izuku checked the camera and saw All-Might, "It's ok, Eri, it's our mentor." Eri looked at Himi for reassurance.

Izuku opened the door, and the hero stepped in; though not in muscle form, he had regained so much of his bulk since Izuku had healed him those years ago that the difference between the two was not nearly as startling.

"Young Midoriya," the hero said, stepping inside; he noticed Himiko holding a child dressed in rags with White hair and Red eyes. All-Might could immediately tell the girl was malnourished; she looked relatively healthy besides that, but he was almost sure it had something to do with Izuku and his healing. "The child?"

"Her name is Eri; she was being held captive by Kai Chisaki, the man I fought…the man I killed," the last part he said quietly.

"I am afraid I need a better explanation," All-Might said.

"She came barreling into us as we were heading home," Himiko said. "She was begging for help."

"When she came out, she was hurt, and when I read her injuries. I healed her, I reacted and healed her. Then Azrael showed up." Izuku said. "It is not an excuse, All-Might; I should have acted better."

"How bad was it?" he placed a hand on his protégé. He could see the struggle behind the boy's eyes. He had taken a life and was struggling.

Izuku pulled All-Might to the side; he started slowly, and then it turned into a ramble; he told Toshi everything. What he could tell Eri had been to physically and mentally, everything Azrael had shown him. By the end, Izuku was fighting back tears as he told him about the final blow that landed, the ashes that hung before his face before dispersing to the sky.

"I know he was evil, vile, and diseased. I know that…" Izuku struggled to regain his composure.

"You took a life, Izuku," Toshi said softly. "It should never be taken lightly; I am sorry, my boy."

"What happens now?" Izuku asked.

"I will fill a report, and there will be an investigation." He said. "We will whether whatever storm comes. But we must get Eri some clothes and check out at a hospital. We need to see if she has any living relatives."

"If not?" Himiko said, still holding the little girl protectively.

"My mom will help," Izuku said. "I know she will."