"Dress!" Rin said.
"Tux!" Delilah countered.
"Dress!"
"Tux!"
The two went on like that for a while going back and forth on what I should wear for my Date with Three while Sonya was coaxing me from my panic attack at my approaching date with Three.
"Why did I agree to this!?" I said in a panic, having been crying a literal waterfall from my eyes in all the emotional induced panic that was thankfully being kept from flooding the entire house with the power of many, many super sponges. "And stop laughing at me." I mentally shouted at the laughing Jaku in my head.
"Easy there Midoriya." Sonya said, rubbing my back. "It will all be fine. You already know everything about them, and with Izukie's heart in you now you also have the emotions she felt for them. Think of it like catching up with someone you haven't seen in a while."
"And by 'a while', you mean countless millennia…" I whined. "I don't even know where to begin, cause he's had…so long without me…" I shook my head.
"Chill my guy, thing's will go alright. Just be yourself." Jaku tried to help me. "That's all he really wants and needs at the moment."
"You'll do great Midoriya. Now, you might want to decide if you're wearing a dress or tux because Delilah and Rin look about ready to fight or make out… or both?" Sonya noted as the two were quite literally butting heads against one another.
"I'll…go with a Tux cause I'm more used to that." I answered, which Delilah gave a quick 'Ha!'...and then proceeded with a make out session cause why not, I'm currently trying not to panic, why not pop a boner before my date? "Well…you were right about the making out…"
"I figured. Those two have been getting very close lately." Sonya said, shaking her head.
I got suited up and reluctantly let Sonya put some make up on me. Some lipstick and eyeliner. Looking in the mirror I looked… wow…
"Perrrr~" Delilah said as she rubbed against my neck. "Me like~"
"Wow…" I said in surprise. "I…look really good." I said, looking over myself front and back.
"You should dress up like this more often."
"Later." Sonya said, pulling Delilah off me. "Midoriya had a date with a man tonight."
That… oddly didn't feel as weird to hear as I thought. Not sure if it's the both genders thing or the mixed memories… huh…
"Gonna have to sort through…a lot of feelings and memories…" I shook my head. "But hopefully Three likes this…"
"If we do, he definitely will~" Delilah said.
I went off to my date location. A bistro that just opened. I stood outside, waiting and feeling honestly… agh. I have the combined minds of a fifteen year of Izuku and twenty seven year old Izukie, both have done a lot so why am I feeling like a-
"Hey."
Ah!
I spun around and saw Three. He was dressed in a gold and black suit and…
I snorted… then chuckled. He wore that stupid wig again!
"Look what I got Izukie!" Three said as he held up a jet black wig in a bag.
"Oh my god…don't." I was quick to tell him.
"Yes!" He said, quickly putting it on his head. The hairs were fairly even, but sticking out and around.
I shook my head, putting my hands over my face and trying not to laugh my lungs out.
"Three…you look…" I tried my absolute best, I did…
I laughed. I fell over laughing at them while they just frowned at me.
"Hey, this will help me look great in a suit!"
"You look so fucking stupid!" I laughed. "Whe-where did you f-find that?"
"...Street Vendor."
I nearly passed out laughing.
"Still think it's stupid huh?" He asked as I was trying not to fall over laughing. He chuckled and took it off and put it away in their Assistant.
"I'm…I'm so sorry, but…yes, it's still as stupid as I remember it was." I said, trying and this time succeeding in not laughing my ass off. "Though nice suit."
"Thanks." He said. "So, ready?" He asked, holding out a hand.
I blushed, nodding as I took their hand.
We went in and were seated. Once we got our drinks I figure it's time to talk…
"So… you… remember everything?"
"Well…most likely yes." I nodded. "Still trying to sort everything out given…well, everything that's happening."
"I suppose that's fair… so, how long have you had… the memories?"
"Since I got her quirk which was…oh god was it only a week ago?" I frowned.
"Seriously?" He asked. "Wow. I expected longer." He said, the first round of meat came and we ate and talked. "So, any questions for me?"
"Well…what do you think about…me?" I asked. "Given that I'm…not entirely Izukie."
"You… look just like her, and you have her memories and… with her heart, her emotions too… I guess it's something between like seeing a ghost and having a wish come true… Feels too good to be real and kinda scared that it is."
"Well…I learned how to get her soul back." I said honestly.
"The gate, right?" I nodded. "I remember hearing about that… I actually tried suckerpunching the Grandmaster when I learned that. Got quite literally bitch slapped across… a small galaxy for my effort."
"Oof." I winced. "That…yeah that would have sucked." I shook my head.
"I've managed to hunt down a few pieces, but not all the Void Dungeons on Homeworld have been found plus I've had no luck finding the keys." Three said. "At some point I took a break, would get back to it… my breaks went from a day to a week… then months… then years. And at some point I… stopped looking."
"I…understand." I sighed. "It's rough trying to search for something that's…practically impossible."
Three nodded, looking down. "Well, clearly not. You're sitting across from me. Just one piece missing and… Izukie will be alive again." Three said.
"And…things will get a lot better." I nodded. "I just…have absolutely no idea where to even start."
"A rough idea." Three said. "The undiscovered void dungeons are in the still unmapped hazard zone locations on Homeworld. Hard part is exploring them. They're still massive."
"Yes, I have heard a lot of how huge Homeworld is." I nodded. "And it'll probably be a bitch to look for it, even with a large enough search party."
"Well, want to help?" Three asked. "Can… make more dates of it? You can even bring your… Lovers Pod People…" Three said, though I seemed a little off when he mentioned the Pod People.
"You're…still a little off about Pod People?" I inquired, remembering that Three was a member of Nexus and…probably thought less than good things about them.
"Well, more or less. Back when I was in Nexus they were… assets… but so was I. I guess I shouldn't feel this way about them still, considering I'm basically no better. I was built for a purpose, they exit them with a purpose but… I guess I'm also jealous. It took dying and meeting you to become my own person, they're already people out of the pod. Guess I let my envy turn to anger too easily."
"I understand." I nodded. "It would take a lot of work to do change what Nexus did…but hey, technically it still worked like a Prize Pod." I said, which made Three tilt their head. "You 'opened up' after meeting the right person."
They chuckled. "I guess I did. Still…" He sighed, grabbing his wine glass. "I spent a long time… trying to go Mad… or die." He admitted. "Void Admins won't fight or kill you if your suicidal and unfortunately Madness never… took root. Well, guess it was for the best I didn't." He said, looking at me.
"Yep." I smiled. "Now, do you have a question for me?"
"Well… I guess I should ask if you still like All Might. Katsuki told me about… what happened before you arrived in this reality and that you've been avoiding things relating to him."
"I mean…technically, All Might did have a point." I shrugged. "Hero work is dangerous…and well, even with my powers, is still very dangerous…while I still hate the fact he crushed my dreams…well, without him, I wouldn't be here funnily enough."
"Heh. It is rather odd how things like that work out." Three nodded. "So, you have all the old powers and then some new stuff huh?"
"Pretty much." I nodded. "I have all of Izukie's powers, and everything Izuku got so far…which horribly delayed me from using One for All properly without giving my bones the explosion juice."
"Heh. Yeah, I remember hearing about your old training and how many bones you'd break."
"Yeah, and while OFA is super happy for all the new crap to work with to make me even stronger…it's gonna take even longer to actually use it, and all of my brand new quirks kinda."
"That's fair. So, I heard you got in trouble with the Mother's Daughters."
"Yes…because even though I'm technically Izukie, they all took offense to me coming back to life basically."
"Well, it's not like they have protocols for that given, well, no one has ever come back to life before. Pretty sure they considered you a security risk. Isukie did have very high level clearance before so, yeah the info she and therefore you would have access to is probably something they're concerned about." Three shrugged.
"And I…mostly looked up about Izukie or how to fully bring back her Soul and Heart…which I got the Heart part kinda, but nothing on the Soul."
"Hence why we need to make that gate, get through the Empty and do all that while not dying…" Three said, taking a long drink of their wine. "Only the most difficult and harsh, near impossible task in creation…"
"Well…yeah." I said sheepishly. "I will have to ask around the Daughter's to try and find some leads on the other Void Dungeons…"
"True. Though the Mother's Sons might know more. That's typically their area of expertise."
"Well, hopefully they won't bar me from asking questions there."
As our meal went on we mostly talked about small things. For the most part everything was pretty good as far as dates went. Simple, nice.
The next day I was training under Eluza. She had me using Starlight to hack and slash at seemingly endless swarms of orbs of light.
No quirks.
No abilities.
Just plain physical attacks.
"This is…kind of boring…" I muttered, though it was still physically taxing due to the sheer number of the things, it was still boring as there wasn't much else to it.
"I can always speed it up." Eluza said with a smirk, snapping her fingers as the orbs doubled in numbers and became much faster and now shot out beams of light all around them.
"Better…" I said, dodging the beams of light quickly and continuously smacking away at the now speedier orbs, this time using my analytics skills and what endurance training I went through for a long time in earnest.
I kept this up for a few hours before my exhaustion began getting to me and I made a mistake that ended with me getting assaulted by the beams all around me.
Once the attack was over they all faded away and Eluza was standing over me. "Not bad. Now that the warm up is done you ready for the actual training for today?"
"That…was just a warm up?" I panted heavily from the massive work out.
"Yes." She said, pulling me back up to me feet. "You have a Keyblade but you also need Keyblade armor."
"Keyblade armor?" I inquired.
"Think of it like Katsuki's cloak mixed with a space suit. The armor can keep you alive and mobile in space, the Lanes Between, and protects from darkness and dark based attacks. Though most get them as part of a collection, for specific purposes and even for ceremonial use Modern Keyblade armors are highly modifiable and customizable so it's also a good resource to have if you want to put the time, rem and effort into them."
"That's pretty cool.* I said with a smile. "So…how do I get it?"
"Some people buy them in a premade form. Others can acquire them from Dungeons. But you will be making yours."
"How in the world am I supposed to do that?" I inquired, trying to figure out how to make something complex like that suit of armor..
"By first gathering the raw ingredients."
"What kind of materials would we need?" I inquired.
"Some ores and special magic gems/ores." Eluza said. "Once we have a good enough supply of them we take them to the Armorer Guild and find a Smith who can help you build it."
"Alright." I nodded. "Which mine do we have to go to specifically? Or is it just a bunch of common enough materials?"
"The basic armor takes several pounds of Oricalcium+, five Lightning Stones and ten Light Gems. All of these are dropped by specific enemies in Hazard Zones or Dungeons."
"Alright…so gonna have to go monster hunting then." I nodded.
"Basically. The enemy that drops the Lighting Stones isn't one you need to fight, just solve its puzzle thing and it will literally give them to you among other items. Light Gems are typically dropped by Negative and Titanic Shadow Creatures. The Oricalcium+ is dropped by various mini Boss level enemies. It can be mined but is hard to find."
"Alright…so best start with the Lightning Stones cause that's probably the easiest."
"Alright then." Eluza nodded, waving her hand and a portal of shimmering bright light appeared.
She then dragged me by the shoulder into it.
For a minute. Probably less there was just a very bright light and soothing warmth all around me. Then, it passed and I stood in a very humid environment as the smell of fertile dirt and mist filled my nose.
Looking around we were now in a thick forest surrounded by towering trees, bamboo and grass with a thin path ahead and behind us.
"Well, this place looks…really nice." I said honestly.
"Watch your step, the snakes here will either kill you twenty seconds after a bite or wrap around and break your leg before hauling you back to finish crushing and eating you."
I immediately put eyes to the ground.
"Y-you're…not kidding are you?" I asked worriedly.
"Nope." She said.
I followed closely behind her. After what felt like hours of walking we came across a small clearing where I saw a large log laying in a pond.
Eluza pulled out two large hand cannons and opened fire, the log busting open in a shower of bloody bones and gore as a massive screech went off. The half that was blasted off was left behind as the other half rushed off into the jungle.
She then put her hand cannons away and kept walking.
"Uh…the fuck what was?" I asked worriedly, staying close behind her as I was now concerned for my safety even though i should be strong enough to shrug these thing's off.
"Chameleon Basilisk." She said. "Giant nasty fucks that look like huge logs, trees or rocks."
"Oh!" I immediately pulled out a notebook and pen, cause even if they were terrifying…it still sounded rather interesting. "So are they a perfect combination of a Chameleon's ability for camouflage and a Basilisk's stone gaze?"
"They don't actually turn you to stone with their gaze, their venom does though and lot of people farm them for it to make poisons for their weapons or alchemy." Eluza explained.
"Well, Petrification has always been a bitch no matter what medium you're in." I shrugged. "So…best not to get caught by them…"
"Yeah. Typically they eat their prey whole and their stomach acid is strong enough to dissolve steel." She added, making me gulp.
We walked down the path further until we came across another clearing where all that was here was a mossy bolder. And floating over that was a small black and purple looking monster. It was shaped like a lamp, or even a bell, the small yellow glowing eyes peered from under it's hat like top half at us from a shapeless face of darkness.
It's little torso had an emblem on it, a black heart covered in red thorns that shaped most of the hearts outline.
"Welp, there's the Black Ballade Heartless."
"Aw, it's adorable." I chuckled at the tiny bell-like creature. "So, what's the puzzle?"
"Walk up to it and tap it on the emblem."
With a nod I did. Once I did four more of it appeared, making me jump back. The one I touched did a sort of floating jump… then they all scrambled around.
I focused on making sure I kept my eye on the one that did the jump, but wow these things are fast!
Eventually they stopped and formed a single row. "Now tap the one you think is the one that jumped." Eluza said.
"And…what happens if I fail?" I asked, moving to the one that I was pretty sure was the correct one.
"It will despawn and reappear tomorrow morning."
With a nod I tapped the one I was sure of.
It jumped up and down, making a noise like bells going off and I got an Assistant Notification.
[500 rem received.
300 HP Orbs Received.
120 MP Orbs Received.
1 Lightning Stone Received]
"Okay, first, adorable." I chuckled at the bell doing it's little jump dance. "And second…this is gonna be annoying if I have to do this more than once…" I muttered, gently patting the Black Ballede's wizard hat head.
That head pat initiated the next round.
Each time went like this. By the time I got all five my eyes were sore from keeping track. I got the five Lightning Stones though.
"Alright, now that that's out of the way- hang on." Eluza said, raising her guns and shooting into the bamboo.
Shortly after in a bleeding heap full of holes was the rest of the Chameleon Basilisk.
"Cheeky bastard." I huffed.
"It had been waiting there for the last half hour. Just now it was gonna attack." She said, putting her guns away as she opened another portal of light.
Exiting this one I was met by a very opposite scenery to the jungle.
Here, large plains of land were burned to the dirt, singed black and covered in ash as the scent of smoke was all throughout the air.
"What…the hell happened here?" I asked worriedly.
"It's just the Dungeon Aesthetic." Eluza said. "None of this was an actual place or event. Also keep away from the hills; they might be giant trapdoor spiders." She said as she began walking.
"You…just had to say that…" I shuddered in horror as I stayed close, again, to Eluza so I didn't get stuck by giant spiders.
My babysitter and neighbor might have had a spiders head but I draw the line at Trapdoor Spiders.
We walked for a while until we came across the burned husk of what once might have been a village. The charred frames of the buildings still stood alone with black stones.
Walking almond them were humanoid blue and black silhouettes that seemed to speak backwards words.
"Welp, there are the Negative Shadow Creatures."
"Well…that's not creepy at all…" I frowned, bringing out Starlight. "So…just do some monster murder?"
"Yup." She nodded.
With that Charged in, using Scan real quick before I began attacking.
[Scan Complete.
Negative Shadow Creatures.
Threat Level: 2
Negative Shadow Creatures are born from blood soaked soil and the festering negative emotions of the dead. While technically a form of evil spirit they possess a physical form and can shift their bodies to beat combat threats or targets.]
"Right…" I muttered, using Starlight with my Telekinesis spell and starting to lift up a bunch of the Negatives and force the group into a ball. When they were all struggling against each other, I skidded and let loose a powerful stream of flames to hopefully burn them all to ash before they had a chance to shift their bodies.
It took a bit but all of them were burned and I received the rewards.
[4,000 Rem Received.
6 Dark Ectoplasm Received.
7 Light Gems Received.
2 Death Realm Apples Received.
9 Grams Powdered Human Bone Received]
Well that's a list and three of those I have no idea what they are… but it's disturbing…
"Right…" I said carefully. "So uh...the hell did I just get?"
"Let me see." Eluza asked as I pulled up the notification for her to read. "Well you almost got all the light gems already, Dark Ectoplasm is an ingredient in alchemy and some dark magics. Death Realm Apples are just apples from the Realm of Death and the ground human bone is self explanatory. It's also an alchemy ingredient."
"Right…" I muttered. "So…why would I have gotten these when I'm literally getting crystalized light?"
"It's part of their drop table. All enemies have a variety of items they can drop. Some are more consistent or guaranteed than others. Have you never played an RPG before?"
"I mean…not really?" I said nervously. "I…did play a few games with Tomura but…that's about it."
"Ugh, and you're supposed to be smart." Ouch. "Look, Dungeon and Hazard Zones function a lot like RPG games. Enemies drop specific items, but only monsters. Animals and beasts drop dead and have to be skinned, gutted, harvested, ECT for their resources, dungeons have typically theme based loot save boss drops, chest loot, and such. That is all usually randomized save one or two specific items they will drop regularly or constantly."
"Thank you…but I've only ever been to a dungeon that wasn't training in Kurogiri's Void Dungeon once…and that was during a date after I got Izukie's quirk…and then thing's kind of spiraled from there."
"Great. Also pull out those Death Realm Apples." She asked as I did. I was surprised to see they looked exactly like human skulls-
"Aaaaaaaaaahhhhhhh!" The 'apples' screamed.
In a panic I tossed them up, Eluza catching the screaming skull looking fruits and taking a bite out of the jaw. I was genuinely surprised when I heard an apples crunch as she chewed, seeing under the bone like exterior was indeed apple fruit.
"Uh…what?" I asked worriedly.
"Death Realm Apples scream." She said, shrugging as she continued to eat them.
I looked at my current screaming apple…and decided to take a bite out of it to make it stop screaming.
It. Tasted. Amazing. Like a Granny Smith and Yellow Apple mixed together. Lots of tang and not too strong on the sour while being firm yet not hard enough to need effort to bite the parts off.
"Well…this is probably one of the best apples I've ever had." I said honestly.
"I know. Most of the fruits and such from the Realm of Death are like that." Eluza said, finishing up her apple and tossing the core away.
I finished mine and got back to looking for Negative Shadow Creatures. I know I need three more Light Gems still.
It thankfully wasn't long and I finally found enough that I got the last few gems, plus extra.
As I was running back I stopped… is that…
"Eeep! Eep! Eeeeep!"
Is that…. Someone screaming?
"Do you hear that?" I asked, starting to run towards where I heard the weird screaming.
I came across a bunch of the Negative Shadow Creatures all gathering around one pile of burned debris where I saw a scratched up arm of a person reaching out and trying to swipe at the monsters.
"Hang on!" I called out, rushing over and fighting off the Negatives swiftly.
The mindless beasts were easy to deal with. Once the last of them was slain I went over to the ruble and saw the emerald eyes of a red haired woman looking back at me… she was… hissing?
"Hello?" I asked softly to the woman. "Are you alright?"
She kept hissing, glaring at me as she poked her head out of the ruble. Her face was a bit dirty but she seemed… alright? If, a bit odd…
"Hey, can I get some help here? I…think this lady is rabid." I said worriedly.
"That's more accurate than you think." Eluza said as she walked up to me. At that same time that lady stood more out of the rubble- she's naked?! "She appears to be a Feral Man-Beast."
"Feral man beast?" I asked worriedly.
"Remember, this reality was constructed out of a multiverse of Multiverses all parallel and different from one another ranging from minor to extreme. And in some of those realities, sentient species like us evolved physically as we are now but mentally remained nothing more than animals." Eluza explained.
"Well…that makes sense." I nodded. "So…why do you think she's here? Pretty out of the way don't you think?"
"My guess is she got separated from her pack or spawned here."
"So…do we bring her back to her pack or…?" I asked, given this was my first time dealing with such a situation.
Eluza shrugged. "If she can't find her way back to her pack not much we can do for her. If she spawned her then, well, she's basically already home but won't be around for long." She said as the Feral Man-Beast girl walked around us, half crouched and sniffing us. "Course if she takes a liking to either of us we could keep her as a pet."
Say what?!
"Uh…you…can't be serious about…the pet thing right?"
"Well legally she is considered an animal and as long as you register her as such or have marked her with a Tamers Mark from a Beast Tamers Guild no one will say much. Some might think it wrong or bad, and to be fair they are right most of these critters end up being used inappropriately by their owners but you're not like that."
"W-well…" I started. "I…would treat them right yes…" I nodded. "But…it's still really weird…"
The animal minded redhead sniffed me a bit before nuzzling into my stomach.
"Welp, guess that settles it. She likes you and you got a pet human."
Of course I do… I groaned, covering my face and silently begging whatever sick divine being is doing this to me to kindly piss off…
"Cause why not…" I grumbled.
"Who's a pretty girl, who's a pretty girl?" Delilah asked our new… pet human. It took a bit to register her and get her that mark. After that I immediately got her clothes… and on a leather collar on her neck was her tags… and name. Red.
This whole situation is beyond weird…
"Looks like even girls with animal minds Midorya can get to like them~" Rin said with a chuckle.
"Rin please…" I whined, rubbing my temples lightly. "This…feels so weird and so wrong…"
"I guess it could be worse… She could talk. That would make it worse." Todoroki said.
"And I'm glad it's not worse…" I sighed. "And thank you for pointing that out…"
"She is cute." Sonya said, giving Red a scratch as well. "So, who's gonna give her walks?"
I facepalmed.
"Can…can I not think about that please?" I asked, really not wanting to have that image in my head. "It's still weird enough to treat a human being like an animal…" I shook my head. "And this isn't even one of those weird kinks Delilah tried showing me…"
"All I need is my own leash and collar…" Delilah pouted.
"Well remember, despite how she looks she is indeed an animal." Sonya said.
"I know…I know…" I sighed. "Still just…feels weird…"
Red walked up to me and was nuzzling my stomach…
The following week wasn't any easier. Red was… well, somewhere between a house cat and a chimpanzee… she was smart enough to know where the food was kept and tried to steal some when she could, but would just make loud crying noises when we… caged her as punishment…
To make it worse she was always taking her clothes off and I'd walk in to see… yeah…
By weeks end I was just beyond fed up with this… there has to be a means to make her smarter…
"Okay, is there some way to make them smarter and not…all of this?" I asked incredulously.
"Hm? Lots why?" Eluza said.
"Because this is getting a little ridiculous…"
I looked over at Red and saw her wrestling with her new shirt again…
"Well, you sure? Giving an animal sentience and intelligence isn't something to do lightly."
"Is it going to be worse than…this?" I asked carefully, even though I was currently petting the poor feral human it was…getting really annoying.
"Well, technically no. But it will have it's own problems."
"Like…trying to teach a child or something?" I inquired.
"Not exactly. Giving her intelligence and sentience for one won't make her like you or I, biologically she's basically a normal human like back from your home reality. She will age and die normally. To change that takes someone who is a God to alter. Second is that even with her newfound intelligence and self awareness she won't just immediately be a regular person, her animalistic behaviors and nature will still be present and just try and merge or be dominant over her newfound mind. And, lastly of course will be her confusion. Imagine living your whole life in darkness, never knowing light or what anything around you is like, then suddenly, light, colors, shapes, the initial shock alone will terrify her as will discovering she isn't how she remembers herself having always been."
"Oh…that's…that's a lot of problems…" I said nervously.
"The choice is up to you and I won't tell you which to pick but, that's the information."
"Thanks…" I nodded, finding this now a bit worrying as I'd rather not give her shell shock or…accidentally cause her a heart attack from shock and horror.
Well, I don't know what to do now…
I spent the rest of that day contemplating.
"Hello Midoriya." I looked up and over to see one of the Lovers Class I hadn't seen yet. She was short, easily half my size but had green skin, a pig like nose and two small tusks sticking out her bottom jaw and over her upper lips. Her ears were pointed and she had frazzled long brown hair.
"Hi there." I said. "And who…as well as…what are you? I don't think I've seen a Goblin like species before." I said, thinking they were a Goblin due to the size, the green skin, and the frazzled kind of look.
"I'm Galla, and yes I am a Goblin." She said with a nod. "I overheard you were having issues with Red?"
"Yes…yes I am." I sighed. 'Cause I don't know if I should give them intelligence or…just leave them as is…"
"Why not strike a middle ground and train her?" Galla said, making me look over at her. "I happen to subclass as a beast tamer. Training animals is easy."
"That would be great." I sighed happily. "Thank you…cause I don't want to hurt Red and…I can't keep them as an animal…"
"But, in exchange I'd like a date and a lovely night together~" Galla added.
"Of course." I said with a warm smile. "You are my lover after all."
She smiled, blowing me a kiss before taking Red by the wrist and walking off with her.
I leaned back in the couch and sighed.
"You do know when she said a Night Together she ment sex right?" Delilah asked, appearing next to me on the couch, just outside my line of sight.
"W-well…" I stuttered a bit, blushing brightly at that point. "Well…she asked nicely .."
"Does that mean if I ask nicely I'd get more special nights with you~?"
"This is Galla's first date…and I want to be nice." I said nervously.
"So that's a no on sex for me?" Delilah said with a pout as I rolled my eyes.
"Not right now." I said, patting Delilah without really thinking about it.
"Boo…" She frowned, dropping her head onto my lap. "So, how's training been?"
"It's going well…tiring, but well."
"Same." Delilah sighed. "Midoriya?"
"Yeah?"
"What are we going to do?" She asked.
"What do you mean?" I inquired. "Is there something wrong?" I asked worriedly, hoping I'm not doing anything wrong here.
"I just kind of wish we weren't always training to survive some potential Chaos Guild attack again. I know the only reason they're after me is because… I just wish we could have a normal life and actually have a life."
"I know…" I sighed. "I wish things could be simple again…here, how about after my date with Galla, I take you out on a date?"
She chuckled. "That sounds nice but honestly I just wish our not so little family could be a family."
"I'm trying Delilah…I really want to be a family…" I said softly. "I'm…just worried about…a lot of things…also I'd be a first time parent…both now and…back then…"
"I know. I just wish we could."
"I mean…we still can technically…" I said honestly. "So far, there hasn't been any siting's or even rumors about Chaos Guilds coming this close to either Candlelight or our home."
"I know but then I worry about… if something happens, and we do have kids…" She sighed. "Maybe at least a more active sex life."
"Well…" I blushed. "I…suppose a more active sex life would be…a little nice."
"Just a means of relaxing and keeping intimate~" She said, taking my hand in hers. "We got to keep some form of normalcy in our lives after all."
"Hmm, true." I nodded with a smile, squeezing her hand happily.
"So, you gonna try and meet up with all the girls?" She asked. "Galla and the others have been waiting a long time."
Well, between training, dating… gotta keep them all happy somehow… Heh. Maybe I should look for an ability or quirk so I can be in multiple places at once.
Before my date and night with Galla began I was off to get my Keyblade. I had left the commission and supplies at the guild and was picking it up now.
The color was a dark green with black stripes and the armor seemed to just me a metal sleeve with straps that goes on one of my arms.
"Put it on then push the button." Eluza said.
"Alright…" I nodded, putting on the arm guard and pressing the button at the top.
A flash of light and suddenly I was covered in dark green armor with black stripes along my legs, arm and torso. It felt… honestly not as clunky as I expected and seemed to move very well with my body.
"Wow, this…feels a lot better than I was expecting." I said honestly, looking over myself and my new cool armor.
"It always looks more clunky than it actually is." Eluza nodded. "Just come back here and see how to upgrade and improve it and it can take hits, offer a variety of protections and such."
"Thank you." I nodded to Eluza. "So, I suppose the next thing would be…getting my own Keyblade?" I inquired, remembering that Starlight was a 'Blank Slate' keyblade, a training sword type weapon.
"When your true Keyblade is ready it will take the place of Starlight. If Starlight is to be your true Keyblade then it will glow with a golden aura and gain more power than normal. So, you just gotta wait and see."
"Fair enough." I nodded. "So, what's next?"
"Next sadly does have to wait until you unlock your true Keyblade, so from now on your trainings will be more recaps and if not then we can go out and hunt for the supplies to upgrade your armor."
"Alright." I nodded. "Just gonna be more of the daily grind I suppose."
With that done I went back home and found Galla, who had Red dressed in a sports bra and shorts, cleaned up with a hair cut and looking… well, better.
"Hey Midoriya!" Galla said. "I got Red to ask for food, keep these clothes on, and bathroom trained."
"Awesome." I nodded, gently patting Red and Galla's heads cause as I've learned, giving head pats feels good.
"I also got her to do a few tricks." Galla added. "Red, sit." She sat. "Stand." She stood back up. "Lay down." She laid down. "Good girl." Galla said, tossing Red an apple she rapidly grabbed and began eating.
Well that was… weird but at least she's keeping clothes on and won't cause trouble anymore…
"Well, glad things are going well." I nodded. "Better than it was before."
"Much. I'll keep working with her to make sure the training sticks and she stays out of trouble. Alright Red, go back home." Galla said, Red heading back inside. "So, ready for our date Midoriya?"
"Just need to get washed up first, then…well, where did you want to go on our date?"
"Anywhere is fine." She said. "I mostly just want to be with you."
"That's fair." I nodded. "Alright, first, washing up, then, date time."
After a quick shower and getting dressed in a new set of clothes I met up with Galla outside and we began walking down the stairs of our small mountain home. "So… Want to catch a movie?"
"Sure." I nodded. "What movie do you have in mind?"
"There's a new Jumanji movie out. Looks fun."
"Sure." I said. "I remember a lot of people talking about the old pre quirk Jumanji back home, but let's watch that."
"Cool." It was a fairly quiet walk to the theater. Once we got the tickets and watched the movie Galla kept herself wrapped on my arm from her seat.
She's so short it's kinda nice. Both Izukie and Izuku have always been shorter than most everyone for their age range so… feels nice being the tall one for a change.
After the movie, we went for a walk.
"It wasn't bad. Few of the jokes missed but all in all, not bad." Galla said.
"Yeah, it wasn't bad." I shrugged.
"Should we grab a bite to eat or… get right to dessert~?"
"Hmm…" I hummed, mulling over it. "Well…I suppose jumping to desert wouldn't hurt." I said, wanting to at least try and be more sexually active.
"Well then. Will we take this home or… keep it private?" She asked, motioning to a hotel ahead.
Wow… Okay… why not… also, convenient.
"And here I thought you might be Asexual." Tomura chuckled, holding a baby. It had been a while since I saw him. Turns out, he's a dad now.
"First, congratulations on being a dad, and two, I'm extremely busy with things and barely have time to be as horny as you." I chuckled.
"I honestly didn't think you were capable of being horny. Also, nice tits."
"Thanks, and also I can be very horny thank you very much." I huffed. "Though…maybe I did go a little overboard…didn't mean to break the hotel's bed…" I muttered with a bright blush.
"Eh, your Goblen girlfriend isn't complaining. Or walking so, no harm done." He shrugged as I sighed. "Gave her a real Detroit Smash huh?"
"Yeah…I did…" I said sheepishly. "And Delilah is…a little miffed that she wasn't taking it…" I shook my head. "She…did warn me about…endurance potions…"
"Well, either way at least you're finally doing something other than training." He said, looking down at the baby in his arms. "I know I got a lot to do ahead of me."
"Yeah, parenthood is something special." I said honestly. "But how goes it besides being a dad and being super horny?"
"Well, now that the majority of construction is done I've started streaming as a source of income. It pays enough and some of the girls also got jobs." Tomura said. "Kai is back off running around hunting monsters to turn into his taxidermy art."
"That's fair." I nodded. "Currently…well, I'm a combination of Izukie Midoriya and…am now on a quest to get her soul back."
"Ah. So you're more or less a fusion of two different versions of yourself?"
"Yes…cause that apparently happens when you're biologically similar and get their quirk." I said nervously.
"Well, at least this makes being a Hero easier right?"
"It would…but then it makes things awkward with Mom…" I said sheepishly. "Ho boy I have a lot to explain…and I still haven't even figured out anything with Twice…crap…" I groaned, immediately remembering that I was supposed to investigate literally anything about our missing brother that could be being used as a Legendary Ability farm.
"Well, there is only one place they would have taken him." Tomura shield. "And no way in hell can we go there. Especially me, not now."
"Where?" I asked, wanting to know where it would be. "Cause if it's where I think it is…well, ironic considering that's where the final step of my quest is."
"Armageddon. Chaos Guilds thrive there. One of the few worlds they can go without having to constantly worry about The Family. Some people say it was made for them. Maybe it was. But very few people who go there ever escape it. Something about that place, like it keeps people it wants."
"Well…that's ironic since I need to go there after I finish this reality's hardest Attunement Quest ever." I frowned, which made Tomura's eyes widen, now with me making a reference to old MMO quests to go to actual Raid's or because he knows what I'm talking about I'm not fully sure.
"Well, if you do end up going there, try and make it back. Too many people never do."
"I'll try." I sighed. "But first, I need to find and beat every Void Dungeon on Homeworld…which is supposedly impossible."
"So you got time to kill." Tomura shrugged.
"A whole lot of time to kill." I said honestly.
"Welp, get laid, father lots of kids, mother lots of kids, maybe pick up a hobby and for fucks sake get a lift installed on that mountain of yours walking up it made me more winded than the nights the girls all want a go in the same night."
"I'll have to talk to both the god of this mountain, my girlfriend, about it, and also get it set up…which might be a complete pain in the ass for some contractors." I said. "Plus, you need the exercise, plowing your girlfriends isn't good enough if you're going to be a streamer for a living."
"We have a gym in the house. Not my fault my dry pasty skin never looks good. And yes I have tried getting a tan before my skin just blistered and sunburns."
"That's a little strange, I assumed your skin was mostly dry like that due to your quirk, cause you're normally highly resistant to close to being immune to such effects, but you tended to chip your own skin off with your quirk, so it could have been it decaying the hydration in your skin…" I explained, unconsciously going into a mutterstorm as I tried to figure out how he could still be physically like that.
"Well, glad to know that hasn't changed." Tomura said with a chuckle.
I felt my face go beat red in embarrassment at that. "Uh…sorry, its…an old habit…" I scratched the back of my head sheepishly.
"It's alright. Means that even with the weird stuff going on with you, you're still you."
"That…at least helps considering my…current situation." I said sheepishly.
"So, what do you have planned for today?"
"Well…trying to think of other things besides train, maybe try to ask the Mother's Sons where all known Void Dungeons are, and see if they know where any of the 'missing' ones are."
"Well, take care of yourself while you're at it. I best head back home."
"Got work or have a bunch more kids to take care of?" I inquired.
"Bunch of kids. Whole reason I took Sam here is because he's the quietest." Tomura said with a chuckle. "Oh boy when their Quirks develop I'm gonna be scared."
"Depends on if they have Quirk Factors." I said, remembering that bit odd our DNA that even lets us have the capability of getting quirks. "Just be careful, cause depending on their mothers…they could get some very strong quirks."
"I know, hence why I worry."
Tomura left and I tried to relax a little for a while. I had fallen asleep at some point and when I woke up, Delilah, Rin, Sonya and Todoroki were all either leaning against me or on top of me.
"Hi there…" I said groggily. "What's up?"
"Clearly not us." Run said as she looked over at me. "We just saw you napping here and took an opportunity."
"That's fair…" I yawned. "Sorry…was just relaxing…guess I was tired…"
"You are always stressed." Todoroki said.
"I'm not always stressed." I pouted.
"Yes you are." The others all replied.
I pouted harder at that immediate response. "Say it faster why don't ya?"
"Yes you are." They complied.
"You're all mean." I whined.
"Well when all you do is train, eat, sleep and train again what do you expect?" Sonya asked.
"I don't do just that." I huffed. "I go out on dates with you, I just went on a date with Galla." I said, even though I knew I was throwing out a technical truth and I have a problem, I sadly don't have the time.
"Yes, after she managed to make that date possible by utilizing her skills as a Beast Tamers and training Red." Delilah pointed out. "Cause that was the first date you went on since Sonya."
"And that was a while ago." Sonya added.
"It…couldn't have been that long ago could it? Also no, before Galla was Three." I pointed out. "You were fighting over if I should wear a tux or dress…and then started making out…"
"Yeah well given your… situation you're also technically married to them so he doesn't count plus you know everything about him already." Rin said.
"It…can't be this bad can it?" I asked, knowing I'm not going to win here.
"It's kinda bad." Delilah nodded.
I sighed. "I'm trying…"
"You could be our stay at home husband~" Rin said.
"Sadly that's not the case." I sighed, patting Rin's head. "I know you really want that, but I have very important things to do…like try to do the hardest side quest in existence."
"Doesn't mean you can't take breaks every now and then. Three already has all the pieces from the known void dungeons and the unknown ones haven't been found yet so not much you can do there anyway."
"Well, that's why I was going to ask the Mother's Son's if they know, because there is no way in hell that nobody knows where every Void Dungeon is."
"You forget how huge planets, especially Homeworld, is." Rin said.
"Someone has to know, it would be statistically impossible if someone didn't know after God knows how long this worlds existed."
"Do you know how big Dechamore is?"
"Not…really." I said carefully.
"Let me put it this way. The Equator is 12.9 billion light-years in a straight line. Homeworld, is even bigger. Continents and oceans in this reality can span hundreds to thousands of light years in distance."
"And how long has this reality existed?" I asked, trying not to be awestruck at the size of this place.
"Well this is currently Era 5, each era is a centillion years. So, four centillion, roughly?"
"And you're telling me that nobody found everything there?" I asked, now finding it a little egregious that they had that massive amount of time and haven't found everything.
"Keep in mind some dungeons are below the countless miles of dirt, high up in the sky, hidden, existing on a parallel plane to the physical one and, of course, the sun and moon."
"Cause why not…" I shook my head.
"So in other words there is a reason not all have been found." Delilah stated.
"Cause nothing can ever be simple…" I grumbled.
"Are you surprised?" Sonya asked.
"In a world where anything is possible, being told 'no, this is impossible' is a little surprising, yes." I admitted.
"It's not impossible, just difficult." Todoroki said.
"Still…" I frowned. "Well…maybe if I ask Kurogiri, maybe he can offer hints to where some of the missing dungeons are?"
"He's a shut in who put his dungeon in a secluded area to keep people away. You think he knows?" Delilah asked.
"Maybe?" I said nervously.
I headed out and ran over to Kurogiri. I knocked on the door. "Go away Midoriya." He replied.
"I have some questions though." I frowned.
"I do not care."
"It has to do with the missing Void Dungeons." I said. "Do you actually know anything or are you just a shut in?"
"I genuinely do not know or care."
"Do you know anyone that might?" I asked carefully.
"No. That's kind of the fucking point of finding them."
"It's apparently been four centillion years, and somehow one mad man hasn't found all of them yet…which should be impossible all thing's considered."
"That's also the point. Hard to find, huge areas to cover, finding a new one is typically a big deal when it happens."
I rubbed my temples, hating how this was going nowhere. "Cause why not…"
"Now get off my lawn!"
I huffed as I ran back home, the girls all sitting on the couch.
"Didn't know and didn't care?" Sonya asked.
"Sadly." I sighed. "And I doubt mom will tell me anything…"
"So, gonna wait and at least keep an ear to the news? Plus, I don't think you can tackle a void Dungeon yet."
"And this is why Training is important…" I frowned. "Just hate how another thing I need to do is going to take even longer…"
"It's not like there's a time limit." Delilah said.
"There could be, considering that the Chaos Guild's might have a Legendary Skill farm for them to use and abuse however much they like." I sighed. "I have all this power now…all these abilities and skills…and yet all I can do is wait…" I frowned, knowing being a Hero could be a bit boring but…not like this.
"Would waiting really be so bad? Yeah you can train and such, maybe explore and enjoy life and make more time for us?"
"It just…feels like I should be doing something…" I sighed. "I suppose going from quirkless and powerless to…all of this in such a short time is getting to me…"
"Now that you can, all you want to do is help people?" Rin asked.
"It was my dream back home…even if All Might was the one to make me…jump…" I sighed. "I…I still wanted to be like him, the Hero that saves the day, appears with a smile that pierces through the darkness and tells the world," I couldn't believe I was doing this, but I did my best All Might Impression. "I am here!"
That made them laugh. "That face was bad…" Delilah said. "But… well… how about a middle ground?"
"That face is perfect, I trained for years to do that." I pouted. "But…what middle ground do you have in mind?"
"The Heroes Guild in this reality is a lot like back home. Being a hero is a job. You register, fill out some information and you get days, hours and pay." Rin informed. "The days you work and such you will be, well, a hero. But, your days off and hours off the clock, you are ours." Rin stated. "Meaning unless the Heros Guild calls you for a job or Eluza pulls you for training, no training on your own or heroing off the clock."
"Well…" I muttered. "That…works I suppose."
"That's all we ask honestly." Delilah stated.
"Name?" The Heroes Guild representative asked. He was some kind of… golem person?
I had to stop myself before just saying it due to this not being Japan…and me technically being both Izukie and Izuku…uh…"Izuku Midoriya." I answered, might as well just default to my name. "And…hero name…Green Knight." I said, might as well tack that on just in case.
"Alright… do you have or will you be using anything as a hero costume?"
"Yes." I nodded, tapping my pauldron and equipping my keyblade armor. "This work?"
"That's fine." He said, typing in some information before pulling out a scanner. "Please put your Assistant to the scanner." I nodded, deactivating the armor and did that. "Alright… Dechamore, city of Candlelight. Currently registered as the only hero so… four days a week, eight hours. Beginners pay is two thousand rem an hour. Overtime is basic time and a half, custom calls to other cities or planets are a flat bonus of five thousand rem and three thousand five hundred an hour for your time there."
"Well…that's uh…that's a lot of money…" I blinked in surprise.
"That's the average beginner's salary. Prove you can handle bigger threats and tougher enemies and you'll get paid more." He stated.
Once that was all done I received my Heroes Guild ID cars. This guild, Residential, specialized in city/town protections.
With that I went home and… guess I wait til Monday…
"Monday already?" Delilah asked from next to me in bed.
"Well that was a fun two days." Sonya added from under me.
"Definitely can't wait til later." Todoroki said from the other side of the bed.
"I feel complete~" Rin said from on top of me.
"Definitely just as fun as the first~" Galla added from under my head.
"I can't…feel my legs…" I grumbled. "And I have work today damn it…"
I managed to get up and after a healing and energy potion I rapidly ate breakfast before activating my armor and heading out. Okay. First day as an official hero. Wonder what I'll do? Who will I fight or save?!
[Seven and a half hours later]
I hung my head sitting on the edge of a building… nothing. Absolutely nothing…
"I know I should be happy that nothing happened…but come on…" I muttered bitterly. "I'm so bored…"
I laid on my back and watched as the last of my first days shift count down.
When my last thirty minutes were up I sighed as I got up and headed home.
My assistant alerted me that sixteen thousand rem was deposited to my Assistant from the Heroes Guild. So, paid day by day. Neat.
"Well, that's at least good to know." I muttered. "But…that was disappointing…"
[One Year, Four Months Later]
I woke up with a yawn, crawling out of the bed pile and heading to the kitchen. Coffee was already ready thanks to the clock on the coffee pot and I made myself a large cup.
Still hard to believe it's been over a year since I came here…
Hero work has been slow. Occasionally some Villains Guild people showed up. Robbed a bank. Blew up a building. Stole a purse. Still think it's weird that purses are around when the Assistant holds everything.
"Ugh…my one and only savior…" I sighed, grabbing my favorite coffee cup and pouring the wonderful savior liquid.
"Morning." Three said, walking up behind me and kissing my cheek.
At some point over the year… Three mostly moved in. I had been in a lot of dates with them and recalled so many of Izukie's memories that at some point… this happened.
It's definitely strange and feels odd yet… wonderful having Three here and all the Lovers I've come to know and… love. Emotionally and… physically…
Three included…
"I brought some breakfast." He said, handing me some take out breakfast bag.
"Thank you." I said, taking the bag and kissing Three's cheek as I shuffled over to my comfy chair…never thought I'd be in this situation, slippers, a robe, half awake with a cup of coffee and breakfast take out.
"So, expecting anything interesting today?" He asked, pulling his own bag from his Assistant and sat in the chair next to mine.
"Not really…" I said, sipping at my coffee and sighing happily. "Ah, that's better…" I sighed, sitting down on my comfy chair and putting down my mug on the coffee table and getting my food out.
"Heh. Still remember you complaining that the hero job was a fairly boring 9-5."
"I know this isn't back home, where villain's are out and about but…come on, I at least expected something more…" I huffed.
"Well, to be fair it gives the others peace of mind. Plus while a quiet, simple city might not be so special, it's better than constant chaos. Especially with Delilah expecting."
I smiled… right. Our first kid… might feel a bit soon, what with Izuku being sixteen but Izukie is five hundred and forty so, add those two ages together. Technically older given… but, eh.
"Yeah…my first kid in either life…" I said honestly. "Which…is incredibly worrying for me…"
"You'll do fine." Three said.
"I hope your right…" I sighed. "So…how goes fighting against your new rival?"
"They're growing strong, which is good, by the time their real enemy shows themselves they'll be over prepared for them. Which is what would be best." Three said.
"Real enemy?" I asked carefully. "What do you mean by that?"
"Can't say." Three said, popping half a boiled egg into his mouth. "Time Walker stuff. Only reason I know is because of my role in their destiny."
"Ah, yes, the ever elusive 'destiny'..." I sighed.
"Mostly just Time Walker stuff. They'll be fine when it happens."
"But…collateral might prove differently…" I sighed, already expecting something to go wrong with all that.
"Possibly but buildings can be rebuilt." Three shrugged.
After breakfast I headed off, equipping my armor I've modified a bit. Mostly more durability and a jaw modification so I can open it and use Pyrokinesis properly.
I stood on top of a building and looked down and over the Candlelight.
"Well, so far so good…" I muttered.
As I was looking over the city I suddenly…
Thud.
"So sorry about that Midoriya." That voice! Walking over from behind me and into my line of sight was… him… the same Nexus Guild Member! "But I felt this was the only way for us to chat. And yes, you can still talk but I'm afraid powers are offline for the moment."
"Who are you, and what the hell is going on?" I asked carefully.
"You can call me Sanderson. And as you know I work for the Chaos Guild Nexus." He stated. "Last we met I worked for the Ability Obtainment section of our organization, but recently I've finally gotten my new department up and running. I call it Immigration."
"Yes, cause kidnapping people to harvest their abilities wasn't enough, now you just kidnap people and throw them into whatever deplorable places you want." I frowned.
"Oh no no no don't think of it like kidnapping Midoriya. Think of it as… moving. Many look at Armageddon and see it as either a cesspool of evil or a challenge to test their skill and metal but it is so much more. The planet asks for so little of it's residents and contrary to popular belief it will provide to those who satisfy it's request." He said, talking almost like a preacher in a church.
"You're…you're completely insane!" I shouted. "I don't know much about Armageddon, but considering what I've learned about it, it's a giant world of every world ending event all at once…and again, you used to harvest people like god damn cattle! Why in the Mother's name should I believe that Armageddon is some sad widow wanting a kid?"
"You don't have to believe me." He said, kneeling down and looking me in the eyes. "You'll see for yourself. Soon. And the best part, you won't be alone there for long. Taking you there will easily bring your loved ones to it's soil as well. After all, where you go, they will follow. That's just how Lovers are." He said, smirking as he snapped his fingers and everything went black as I fell into a portal.
This portal felt so… cold. I felt like all my senses were off save for one… the sense of falling.
It felt like an eternity until light filled my vision and I crashed in a wooden roof and once I fell through it I landed again on what looks like a nice dresser… ouch…
"Ow…" I groaned, getting up carefully as I looked around. "Hello?" I asked, looking around the room to see if either anyone was there or at least get some bearing on where the hell I am.
I got up and off the dresser, disbanding my armor and wincing at the bruise on my side and arm. Their room looked… Victorian…
It was some bedroom, dust and cobwebs filled the room among old untouched things. At least it was still day, the sunlight from the hole in the ceiling my crash landing made.
"What the hell…and where the hell am I?" I muttered.
I looked around the room some before opening a nearby door, with a creek from rusted hinges it opened and I was greeted by a dark hallway that went downstairs.
Moving down I saw, on old dusty couches and chairs sat a collection of skeletons all dressed in dusty, aged fancy clothes. An old wine bottle and glasses sat on the table with a box simply labeled as poison.
An old banner hung from the ceiling simply saying in faded red paint 'To End This Nightmare.'
I recoiled.
"Where the hell am I?" I asked worriedly, wondering where in Mother's name I was.
I spotted what must have been the front door and rushed outside. The sunlight making me blink a bit before I adjusted.
Outside looked… old. Not just like old as in near ruins but old as in I was blasted back to the 1800's. Though some things here and there I would see looked more modern.
The street was all cobblestone, wet in something old, drying and black as it seemed to boil under the sunlight. The air was thick with the smell and taste of iron and along walls, the street and buildings there was claw marks, crushed gates, or charred embers of whatever was once on fire.
The first thing I noticed was the lack of noise. Not a sound. No people, monsters, not even the noise of animals or the wind. Complete silence save my own movements and breathing.
"What weird demented victorian era nonsense am I in?" I frowned. "Claw marks, the smell of blood and iron…the hell…"
Without any other way to go I walked out into the street. Down the dirty cobblestone road and through the ruined carriages, cars, decaying Hoarse carcasses and various other corpses. As I walked I spotted a building, door wide open and a sign with the word 'Shop' painted on it.
I walked inside, seeing shelves of stuff in surprisingly neat order-
"Why hello hello." I jumped, seeing a giant spider with a bald human head slide down from the ceiling on a web in front of me. "You're a new face in these parts. You respawn here?" The man spider asked.
"I…was forced here by…'Immigration', apparently a new sub group in Nexus…" I said carefully. "Now, who are you, and why shouldn't I stab you for giving off 'I'm going to murder you in your sleep' vibes?"
"Hey, hey, easy there child. I'm just a humble spider selling my wares to passers by." They said raising two… legs, in a mock self defense. "I'm Patches. Patches the Spider. Now, what's this about Nexus opening up an Immigration service?" He asked.
"They gave me some gospel level bullshit about Armageddon wanting people to live on it, like a woman wanting a child but unable to do it themselves, and then forced me here specifically." I frowned. "The bastards name was Sanderson…and now…I can't get back home…"
"Have ya already received your Dark Skill Trees?" Patches asked.
"No, and I'd rather not." I said bluntly. "Why in the world would I want to get a 'Dark' Skill Tree? I'm not allowed to do that, only Villains do that."
Patches chuckled. "Kid, Dark Skill Trees are not something Villains back where you're from even have. They are unique to Armageddon and Armageddon alone. Skills and abilities received for preforming certain… actions of depravity, cruelty and evilness the likes is very frowned upon everywhere else but here. So long as you're still lacking them going home for you can be possible if you can find a means of getting past the Welcoming Committee. But once you unlock them, intentionally or not, you're officially a resident of Armageddon and will not be allowed to leave."
I looked at him. "No, I'm out, how the fuck do I leave this place?"
Patches shrugged. "Ship can work but the Welcoming Committee will most likely find ya. They shoot down any and all who arrive or attempt departure by ship."
"That's not very welcoming at all." I huffed.
"They know, and don't rightly care. Aside from that, not many other ways come to mind."
I sighed, rubbing my temples. "I'm gonna have to get out of here fast before my family gets here…they deserve to be happy and safe, not stuck in this place." I shook my head. "All ten thousand of them…they need to be safe…"
"Wow. Ain't you a right hound dog then." Patches said with a cackle. "But how and why would they show up here? Hmm… actually, never mind, I bet I can guess."
"Three's gonna be super furious I just know it…" I groaned, putting my face in the palms of my hands.
"Well, it makes sense. Their goal is to better populate Armageddon so, bringing all them here to be with you would definitely do that."
"But why would they do that?" I asked worriedly. "There has to be some ulterior motive than just…praising this planet like some god."
"Sometimes a belief is all people have, and on a world like this, where you put your faith says a lot about you as a person." Patches said. It honestly surprised me to hear such a… seemingly odd person say something so profound. "I've heard rumors of some mini cult forming, or according to rumors, has always been within Nexus. Nutties think the planet has intelligence. Wants and needs and desires. Bunch of people losing their sanity before Madness can take em I say." Patches spat. "Still that group ain't nothing to be ignoring either. They are the ones who gave Lust the means to make Breeders."
"Excuse me…what?" I asked carefully.
"Ah right you're new to Armageddon so you don't know. Well, Breeders are as the name implied, either people made, born and age accelerated, or taken via trade, pods or willingly giving themselves up are, well, reprogrammed. They scoop out their memories, their personalities, Identity, and replace them with an unending desire, lust and need to service and satisfy their Master. It's more or less how the Chaos Guilds keep their population up but also they sell them to anyone with the rem to buy. Nasty business."
I…I was honestly shell shocked to hear such…absolutely deplorable actions…"Wh-what? That's…that's beyond just villainy…that's monstrous…"
"Welcome to Armageddon kid. Get used to it." Patches shrugged. "If they don't become Breeders they become Serf's and Slaves. Same mind set only with a desire to protect and complete any and all requests their Masters ask of them. Regardless of health and safety to themselves."
"This is completely insane!" I snapped.
"That's life. For the unlucky ones anyway." Patches replied with an indifferent eye roll. "Trust me kid, purer souls than you have tried to best this world and all it's horrors. Every one of them end up either part of the Chaos Guilds, just a survivor, insane, or end up as a Serf, Slave or Breeder. You might get lucky, become part of or make a small settlement, but it's typically a matter of when something comes along and destroys it."
"So…it's all pointless?" I frowned. "When you're here you're just…stuck forever? That can't be true…"
"Unless you're high up in the Chaos Guilds or have more power than what most of the planet can throw at ya, you are stuck. But cheers! It's not so bad." I glared at Patches. "Oh don't give me that, this Zone isn't so bad. In the daytime anyway."
"And…what happens at night?" I asked carefully.
"That's when the Nightmares come out."
"Of course…" I grumbled. "What kind of 'Nightmares'?"
"They vary. But they all come out when the moon does and they all disappear when the sun rises. Course they can cause a lot of damage when they smell prey." Patches said. "Only thing that keeps them away is a lantern." He said, pointing a limb up to a hanging lantern that seemed to burn with a white flame.
"That seems…wait…" I muttered, before my eyes widened. "I remember this place! Tomura used to complain about this all the time! This is Yharnam!" I shouted in both realization…and panic, like, a lot of Panic. "Oh…oh no…."
"Well, this place isn't exactly Yharnam proper. This whole zone is known as The Nightmare."
"That makes it even worse…" I whined. "Crap…so, just in case…you're not going to try and lock me in with monster's or try and shank me when I'm not looking right?" I asked carefully.
"I'm insulted you asked. Understanding of why you asked but Insulted all the same." Patches said. "I'm just an Independent merchant selling and buying as people go by. Maybe every so often I'll loot a corpse but I can promise you I had nothing to do with their deaths. Travel by night is deadly and all here know this. Best to set up your lamp someplace for the night in my opinion."
"Sorry, just wanted to make sure." I said carefully. "And how can I create a lantern?"
"You can't. They're either found or purchased, and lucky for you I happen to have one spare." He said, climbing up his web and into the ceiling. After a bit he came back down with a lamp similar to what was on the ceiling but a little rusted. "She's old but works just fine."
"Never underestimate something that still works even after a bunch of use." I said, grabbing the lantern with a nod. "Thank you…oh, and uh…how much will this cost? Cause I have enough rem…but I don't know if you use another currency…" I said sheepishly.
"I accept Rem and that will be ten thousand." I was thankful my Hero job back home paid a lot. I paid it immediately. "Excellent. Now remember, the Lanterns only work if you fill them with Blood Echoes."
"And I won't get Blood Echoes until I…start killing monsters." I said carefully.
"Ironic, isn't it." Patches said. "I will warn you, once you start killing them, get used to blood stains. Trust me the stuff gets everywhere."
"Yeah…that's not going to be fun." I sighed. "Thank you Patches…better find a safe spot before the sun goes down and…then try to do some monster hunting."
"Good luck to ya, and if you need to discard some excess stop on by."
With a nod I headed off. It was still midday so the sun will still be up for a few hours. Okay, think… this is all residential but not at all very defendable… I used Explosion to rocket myself into the air and get a better look around, seeing more and more houses eventually lead into a town center. Hmm… maybe… wait what is that?
Using Explosion I blew myself over to what looked like a mansion of sorts. It was large with a stone and brick body and wall surrounding it with large metal gates. It's big, but easily defendable and for now I can set up the lantern in a high up room with a window for easy access.
I first made sure all the gates were closed and locked, then went inside.
The main foreyar was massive. A two sided staircase with second floor balcony hallways leading to other rooms and areas topside while several doors here on the ground floor went to other places. Aside from the dust and some aging of the wood it was in good condition.
The first room I found was the kitchen where to my luck jars of still edible preserves sat on shelves and a large can of beans was hiding in a broken oven.
From there I checked other rooms and to my surprise found a fully stocked Library. The books were largely medical in nature, a few dark fantasies and one book of children's fables.
Most of the other rooms were storage, bedrooms, and bathrooms.
Eventually I found the attic and it too was a remodeled bathroom complete with a small bathroom, a large bed, and windows I can open and close.
Well, guess it's as best a place as any.
"Alright…so a good enough fortified doctors house…" I muttered, putting down the lantern on a sturdy enough table. "This is gonna be a…nightmare…" I sighed, hating my own stupid pun.
I figured I'd eat and used Half Hot Half Cold to heat up one of the jarred preserves. It was some kind of meat and carrots. Tasted fine enough.
When that was finished I sat by the window and waited for the sun to go down.
"First night in this place…I hope everyone back home is okay or…at least not freaking out…" I muttered.
When the sun came down I saw them appear. The Nightmares. Some seemed to just fade into existence from thin air. Others crawled out of the dirt. Others formed from growing piles of that boiling black liquid that was in the streets.
Each one varied. Some looked almost like people, deformed and sickly. Some resembled feral, sick dogs. Some flew, looking like a biblical depiction of an angel. Others look like HP Lovecraft had a field day. And some, those huge and terrifying ones floated high up into the sky, circling the moon like fish in the highest point of the atmosphere, looking down at the world as if all below them held no value.
I swallowed.
"Yeah…I don't like this at all…" I muttered in horror. "But…I should be strong enough…I will be strong, for my family…" I took a deep breath.
I activated my armor, summoned Starlight and jumped out the window.
My first target was one of those sickly elongated looking humanoid monsters. It was dressed almost like a farmer and even wielded a rusty jagger pitchfork.
I coated Starlight in flames and hacked them. The blood splatter immediately covered my armor as their body dropped.
[40 Rem Obtained.
50 Blood Echoes Obtained.]
"Alright…this is really really gross…" I muttered in horror at how much blood was already on me. "But…at least this is hermetically sealed…so no getting hepatitis from this…"
Reluctantly I continued attacking the humanoid ones. Some hound ones that chased me down, and one that looked like it was a werewolf of sorts.
By the time I got back to my base and the lantern, my armor was black from all the dried and drying blood.
Thankfully my some mercy water in the pipes still ran and I hosed myself off before disbanding the armor. Once that was done I went to the Lantern and put all two thousand Blood Echoes into it.
It immediately burst to life, the room suddenly felt more… at ease too as it's pale white glow filled some of the room.
[Lantern Time Left, thirty three hours]
Okay so that's… about a Blood Echo a minute. Good. If I only keep it on at night I can make that last a lot longer… now for some sleep…
"I should kill you!" Three yelled.
"But why? I know where they are and can send you all there to be with them." Sanderson replied, standing on the front lawn of Midorya's home. Three holding them at a sword tip and Delilah barely standing from the news next to Three.
"This…this can't be happening…" Delilah said, lightly panting as she tried to fight off a panic attack at Midoriya, her Midoriya being taken and thrown to Armageddon. "Why? Why did you do this?"
"He had a spark about him I liked." Sanderson said with a smirk. "And once you all move with him, Armageddon will welcome him and you all with open arms."
Three raised the tip of his blade against Sanderson's neck. "And why do you want that? Why kidnap Midoriya then ask us to go there?!"
"Because, love is the greatest of motivators, and for Lovers, that is all they know and need to make a choice." Sanderson said, eyeing Delilah as she found herself genuinely wanting to go. And she knew the others would all want to go as well.
"I hate you…" Delilah growled. "I hate you so god damn much…" She hissed. "Where is he specifically?"
"Ah ah, I can't just tell you. I have to bring you. Otherwise you might just take him and leave."
"I can go between Armageddon and back. Why shouldn't I just do exactly that…" Three stopped, eyes widening as he stepped back. "No… you… Midoriya…" Three said, dropping his weapon. "Delilah…"
"What…did you do?" Delilah growled, ready to rip open this assholes throat.
"Gather the others and accept his offer." Three said, surprising Delilah. Then he pulled his left pinkie finger off and tossed it to her. "Each one of my limbs has a tracking beacon I can use to find it. Keep that on you when you get there and give it to Midoriya. And you…" Three looked at Sanderson. "Take them and the house."
"I can do that." Sanderson said with a nod. "Bit of an unfair advantage but hey, Armageddon can adjust."
Delilah grabbed the pinkie finger. "Alright…I'll go warn everyone…"
"Good… I got to have a talk with Katsuki now…"
"And that is how the Hunters Dream came to be." The doll lady I met when falling asleep and appearing here answered.
"Wow…" I muttered in awe. "That's…rather interesting ma'am." I said with a warm smile, even though I'd like to say the doll lady was pretty, currently I just met her and don't want to make thing's weird.
"Now then, Hunter, would you like to select a new weapon?"
While I do like Starlight, having some back up weapons would be nice. "Sure, what do you have?"
"You may choose one of three." She said, showing me a large ax. A toothed saw-like blade, and the last one appeared to be a cane of sorts.
"Well…let's go with the Saw." I said honestly.
She handed me the saw blade as well as a blunderbuss. I started at it for a while.
"Every Hunter wields both a blade and a firearm." The doll lady informed.
"I…I don't do well with firearms…" I said carefully, shaking lightly as the weight of the old gun felt a lot more heavier in my hand than it really should.
"You do not need to use it should you choose not to, but please, take it." The Doll said. "A gift from the Hunters Dream to you."
"Well, I can't really turn down a gift now can I?" I chuckled. "Thank you miss…actually, what is your name?"
"I have no name Hunter. I am a doll, and a tool for you during your journey and life within The Nightmare." She informed.
"Well that's not right." I frowned. "I'm technically married to a Synth so you just being a doll isn't right." I huffed. "Here, why don't I give you a name?"
"If you wish, Good Hunter."
"Alright…" I nodded, thinking about a name and going through some old Victorian names. "How about…Maria?"
"If that is what you wish to call me Hunter, then so be it." She said with a nod.
"Alright Maria." I nodded. "So, what can you do to help me besides information?" I inquired, knowing she could be able to tell me almost anything about this place, but I wanted to know if there was anything else.
"I can fuse Blood Echoes into your weapons and armor to make them more resilient, stronger and better suited to dealing with The Nightmares monster population. I can also use them to augment yourself in various ways."
"Augment me how?" I inquired, interesting in learning what she could do to change me as a being.
"Make you stronger, faster, more durable, attune various things but each time requires much more echoes to augment you."
"Neat." I nodded. "Well, looks like I have a lot of grinding to do for Blood Echoes…oh, also, do you work with Keyblades and Keyblade armor or just The Nightmares gear?" I inquired.
"I can modify a variety of items, including your Keyblade armor and weapon, but I warn you that it might change their nature in unexpected ways."
"Right…" I said. "Better wait to hear Three's opinion on it…" I hummed.
"Very well good Hunter." Maria said.
Eventually, I woke up and upon doing so I heard a loud slam.
Jumping up I was admittedly confused as I saw the sun was up… then Delilah tackled me on the bed.
"Midoriya!" She cried into my chest.
"D-delilah!? What are you doing here?" I asked, hugging her back as tight as I could but still more worried as to how and why she would be here.
"We're all here!" Rin said, grabbing me in a hug.
Sonya, Galla, Todoroki, they're all here…
I looked out the window, only to see the roof of our mountain top house there.
"We accepted that bastard's offer to join you here." Sonya said. "Three said he had to bring the house to so… all of us are here."
"Oh, and here." Delilah said, giving me… is this… Three's pinkie finger?! "Three said he could find us with that bit of him."
"No…no no no…" I muttered. "I…I was supposed to make it back to you…I just got here and…I didn't want any of you to be stuck here with me."
"Well too bad. What can we say, you're just too darn lovable." Galla said with a chuckle.
"Hey." We all looked up, seeing Three there. "Thank goodness you're alright… also, nice place." Three said.
"We need to escape this place, I know the not so Welcoming Committee are a pack of assholes but we need to leave." I said carefully.
Three sighed, looking down before walking up to me. "Midoriya… you… can't. At least not now." Three said.
"Why can't I leave yet?" I asked. "I only killed like…a few monsters, and slept here and met Maria in the Hunter's Dream, that's it." I said, worried that it had something to do with what I already did and not just this place being difficult to leave.
Three shook their head. "I spoke with Katsuki before coming here… you were meant to end up here." Three said. "That man, Sanderson, he's who the person I've been testing is meant to face off against. She couldn't tell me everything, but from what I'm guessing they'll end up here too… and, the entire population of Candlelight too." He said.
"No…that can't be right." I said in a panic. "Candlelight is supposed to be a safe haven for Prize Pod people, for them to experience life instead of just being stuck in those dumb pods…they can't be thrown into this place…" I said, hating how a simple dream of helping the Prize Pod People is now going to be thrown straight into a literal Hellscape.
"That's why you're here." He said. "She didn't say much but I get a feeling you and the others were meant to come here to make safe havens like that. Places where the people aren't just surviving but Thriving, like before The Final Apocalypse."
"Well…I suppose you're right…" I sighed. "But I'm not getting any of those 'Dark Skill Trees'...they sound awful."
"If you can avoid them, try. Those things are… different." Three said. "I'll be coming and going. The good news is that this makes me an Invaluable line of information and resources between the outside planets and here as well as other settlements on the planet."
"So, it should be easier?" Delilah asked.
"Maybe. This planet has a way of testing settlements but we can work to be ready."
"Well…hopefully it's going to be simple enough to work on. This night is…going to be very rough…"