"So why is that batshit evil lizard bitch still part of the party?" Saw asked as we were eating lunch at the bar.
"Cause she's really strong and it would be a waste to have them just sit around doing nothing but moping." I said.
"And?" Saw asked.
"And…because I didn't want her to somehow slip out of her Coding so this would be some decent 'relaxation' if she were to get into fight's and let out some stress." I sighed.
"I still don't trust her… the fact you fucked her and had a little hell spawn is perhaps the dumbest thing you've ever done."
"Hey, Hope is neutral in all of this." I admitted. "They're just doing their best with…both mine and 682's memories."
"I saw them eat a squirrel alive!"
"They were probably hungry?" I asked sheepishly. "Listen, I'm still trying to figure out thing's here with 682 and her entire species, and let's be real, from what I managed to read up on, their favorite food is rotten flesh so eating a wild animal alive isn't as bad as rotting meat."
"At least if it's rotting then it's already dead…" Saw huffed as they took a swig of their drink. "Will never get how that's some people's fetish…" He added, shivering. "Gross…"
"No idea, and I don't want to know cause that's gross." I shook my head in disgust about that. "So anyways, on today's docket, I'm going to try and see how the Ethereal Plane is and if there's any towns or stuff I can possibly recruit."
"Right and that is… what?"
"So from what I looked up and my brief stint there when I accidentally gained the ability, it's basically where all the 'Ethereal' beings are, like Ghosts, Force Creatures, and other such being's that are Spirit Like or more attuned with the Force element." I explained.
"Force like… star wars?"
"Well, considering this kind of world it would be that, and also Force like Magic Missile or those Invisible Walls made up of it." I explained.
"Huh… well, I guess?" He shrugged. "Going alone?"
"Probably, cause I doubt Saint wants to go with me as their pretty busy with all the new machines and resources we got from that Lust Facility and I'm probably the only one that has the ability to travel between here and the Ethereal Plane."
"Maybe. Still, don't go doing something stupid."
"I'm neither drunk or taking you with me Saw, things will go alright." I said readily.
"Bullshit." He replied. "Besides, it can always go bad. You know what they say about plans never surviving the battlefield."
"It's not going to be that bad, especially since I'm just going to be traveling around the place." I said honestly.
"Eh. Just take care. You know what they say about traveling into unknown territories, especially if they're magic. Leads to early graves or fate worse than death."
"Literally never heard that before. My home world didn't have magic."
"Right… Just try not to get trapped or anything."
"I'm not going to get trapped." I said, as I'm pretty sure there wouldn't be anything that could use some dimensional anchor on me.
"Alright." Saw said, though his tone was clearly unconvinced.
"It's all going to go fine, I promise." I said, finishing up my food. "Nothing bad is going to happen."
The Ethereal Realm was… interesting. There was color, some a pale version of the original, others more bright and maybe semi transparent. Something about this place felt… oddly, relaxing. Or maybe, familiar? I wasn't sure why.
All around me was the overgrowth of a jungle. Some bits of buildings torn apart by the vegetation growing over and through it.
"Maybe it has to do with my new Force Dragon biology?" I wondered, starting to float around as gravity seemed to be a bit wonky here. "Which I should look into all these new skill trees from my new biology…it could lead to something rather neat…" I muttered to myself, thinking gaining the skills and powers of a Force Dragon would be neat…even though I don't fully know what that thing is besides a Dragon born of Force.
I floated around a bit, reaching the top of a tree. The view was… amazing. The view felt like something out of pure fantasy.
Why do I feel like I've seen this before?
"I…have a bad feeling about this…" I muttered, as all this deja vu stuff could either mean I'm about to experience something good or something rather bad, as I looked around carefully for anywhere specifically to try and trigger whatever this feeling wants me to see.
As I walked around this tree I stopped as I spotted something… carved and burned into the wood here by this one large branch you can stand on easy was some kind of symbols. Letters, I realized. They didn't translate from the Assistants auto translator… but I felt like I knew these words…
Somehow, I knew what this wrote…
'We will not be forgotten.'
How do I know that…?
"Wait…" I muttered, pulling out that note from…so long ago, from my Hunter Shadow's… husband… and when I looked at them both they were the same written language. "Oh no…" I muttered, slowly realizing why this was so familiar.
I felt a slight bout of nausea and-
Agh!
"Traveling through this realm of the Nightmare is more cumbersome."
"True but it's also safer when night falls in the physical realm. Makes it easier."
"True. I guess if anything we can at least stock up. More edible foods here than the other realms of the Nightmare."
"Yes-"
"Why do you always carve those words into everything we pass?"
"Because I refuse to die or let some Flesh Demon get the better of me. We've lost too much to them already to let them take away our imprint on the land. The Nightmare is our home, we were created in the base of our Elder Tree here. They have no right or claim to these realms."
I leaned against the tree and slid down til I was sitting…
… fuck…
"Damn it…" I muttered…wishing there was some way to fix this…as I was now the last Hunter Shadow by some weird technicality…I made a promise…
I took a few breaths before I pulled myself up… wait… if, if I'm remembering her memories then… r-right… there's a cache of supplies nearby…
I spread my wings and floated down. Near the base of this tree as I landed here and began digging at the dirt… if those memories are right then that means…
My fingers dug through the dirt until they hit something metal. Smirking I pulled it out and found the small metal box. Opening it, Inside was a compact crossbow with special bolts, some potions, and a scroll that contained a ready to activate explosion spell.
They left caches like this all over the Nightmare across all the realms it had…
"Right…" I muttered, putting a hand on the tree. "I will always remember."
I put the box and it's contents into my Assistant and sighed. Unlike Izukie, the memories of the Hunter Shadow, and the memories of The Phoenix were… fuzzy. Scattered and fragmented. Izukie's since I accepted them and then later her Heart were clear, as if recalling my own memories… but those two, it was like trying to look through cracked glass. Sometimes I'd get bits and pieces of something incomplete and usually incoherent. Sometimes. Sometimes I feel like I forget I'm me and for a moment I act like them.
The Phoenix's disdain for humans and distrust of others.
My Hunter Shadow, her anger at people who… took everything from her…
They're short. Usually lasting a second or less but it happens. It's not the same as feeling them there though… more like… it's a reminder that we're forcefully merged with me.
Knowing the Phoenix, this was his worst nightmare come true, falling to the same fate as his brother had…
"Soul Searching will have to wait…" I muttered. "I have work to do." I said, using my Hunter Shadow ability to learn where the next Cache was…and if there was any Chaos Guild bases around here.
I ran through the trees and vines, flying over what some as well as I looked around-
"Erraaaaaahhh!"
The sound of some creature screeched as I paused, turning in my flight and heading towards it.
I landed on a branch just tall enough to see… something capturing what looked to be some strange dragon-unicorn creature. Its limbs were long and abnormal as flesh and metal mixed. Its head had kind of stitched or melted in armor helmet with goggles of sorts where the eyes should me. It's mouth was reminiscent of the kinds of toothed bear traps you see in old movies and cartoons. Most Interesting though was the way it moved… the weapons it was using… it was like looking at something that perfectly replicated a Hunter Shadow…
"Yeah, I don't like that." I said, floating up and dive bombing after the strange abomination.
I neared it, ready to impact-
It looked up, in a swift motion it redirected my motion to slam into the ground next to it.
It then jumped back, keeping some distance as it seemed to be studying me.
It redirected my attack? With that much momentum behind it? It's strong…
"So this thing is strong and skilled…" I muttered, standing in between it and the dragon unicorn creature as I readied myself for this fight.
We circled each other for a time. Lights, I noticed seemed to flicker and blink in those glass goggle like eyes of it's. Eventually its maw opened wide with a metallic squeaking. From it's maw, deep in the back of its throat came out a handle. It reached in, pulling out a blade that glowed an odd purple and white.
What the? Okay… new… and gross…
"O~kay…that's new…"
It readied it's weapon and charged. I used Harden and Steel to block-
"Mother fucker!" I yelled, the blade cut through my defense quirks and natural armor. Feel as if my bones get sliced. I let off an explosion as I gave myself distance with the air as I flew up.
[Notice! An attack using Light Magic and Chaos Magic was received! Natural inborn Nature and Dark Magic bases of Nokori Biology are weak against these magics.
Magic weakness attacks deal twice as much damage and ignore physical resistance.]
Oh that is bullshit! Why didn't anyone tell me I had weaknesses as a Nokori?!
"And how the hell is any Nokori able to survive if they have such easy and blatant weaknesses!?" I thought to myself in a mild panic. "Alright, no more mister nice Midoriya." I said, deciding to take this thing down and down hard as I used Gear Shift, Full Cowling and Engine all at once as I blurred towards the thing and slammed Memory Stealer into the thing.
The Keyblade impacted them, stabbing into it-
[Notice! Memory Stealer ability ineffective against target! Target has no memories to steal.]
What-
"Ugh…" I breathed, feeling that sword it has stabbed it through me.
I felt pain. Pain I thought I'd become numb to suddenly hurt like it did before as the heat and the feeling it was spreading out from the wound.
It's maw opened again, and out from its throat shot a net that covered and wrapped around me.
Despite pain I struggled. Agh!
[Notice! Net is infused with Light and Chaos Magic!
Notice! Net is Infused with Magic Suppression enchantments!
Notice! Net is Infused with Ability suppression enchantments!
Notice! Net is enchanted with sleep spells!]
No! No! No!
I struggled against the net, trying to do anything or everything to get out of this net. "How in Mother's name is this even possible!?" I thought to myself, now wondering how in god's name Saw's David was able to fight against this when it could just completely fucking ignore anything he could do.
As I struggled I felt the net's sleep spell start to affect me. Fuck… Saw is gonna gonna say 'I told you so' when I get back…
"What is this thing?"
"I recognize this… from those Nexus wanted posters."
"Oh… one of the Nokori God's little toys then…"
"Looks like it. What should we do?"
"Take some samples then put them in a cell. Make sure to put the proper restraints on them. I don't want this thing breaking out and killing us before we wrap up."
"Wasn't really thing, wasn't really searching for an answer~"
I stirred, hearing someone sing something. I felt… heavy… I groaned as I woke up. I saw my limbs were bound in various clasps and chains, runes and markings etched deep into the metals of each chain and shackle across my arms, legs, torso, neck… I think I can feel some on my wings too.
Shit…
"Ah you're awake." I looked up, sitting on a thin cot bed mounded to the wall was a… he looked like he was part cat, humanish. He was short, maybe three feet almost like a toddler but he had an adults voice. His fur was black with patches of white, six ears poked out of his head and his eyes were an emerald green. His tail, I noticed, has some spikes along it. "Wondered when you'd wake up."
"Where am I, who are you, and if you let me go right now I will try and not turn this entire facility into a new Star."
"Woah woah easy there I didn't put you in here, this is my cell buddy!" The cat person said with raised hands. I looked around, seeing we were in a small single person cell. There was even a sink and toilet I was almost leaning against given this was a rather small cell, at least for my size. "Guards threw you in here. That was maybe two hours ago."
"Fan-fucking-tastic…" I grumbled, raising a hand and trying to use Harden as a test.
Nothing. Explosion, nope. None of my quirks or magic or anything is working…
"So, you a new fusion?" The cat asked me.
"I've been a Nokori for a while now." I admitted. "And of course they put ability and magic suppressors on me…" I slammed my fist against a wall in anger. "Damn it…"
"Yeah. That's these crazy Y Labs nuts for ya. Only pull it off cause they work with Violence." The cat huffed.
Y Labs? The people, or at least a version of them that made Saw a Nokori? So this is one of their facilities… so that thing was a Stalker… not what I was expecting…
Saw told me a bit about them. Made from corpses and technology mixed together and they serve the scientist recapturing Nokori… meaning it was likely built to do just that… shit…
"Fuck…" I mentally grumbled. "Right…so this bites…" I shook my head.
"Yeah. But hey, at least we won't be here for long." He shrugged.
"In what way?" I asked carefully.
"Doc's said the quota was almost done. After it is they say they're gonna let us go." He shrugged again, laying down on the cot now.
"Yeah, 'let us go'." I rolled my eyes. "They're not going to let us go like we were just some rowdy kids needing a time out, their probably going to try and kill us."
"From what I hear that's what Y Labs does. They set up shop, kidnap passerbys, then some time later a crowd of Nokori is found near a settlement in whatever zone they are in." He shrugged. "I'm Trevor by the way."
"Midoriya…and that sounds…weird."
Trevor shrugged. "That's life on Armageddon. Few things ever really make sense."
I sat in silence for a while, waiting…
I heard the door open. Looking up that same Stalker was there. It grabbed my chains, pulling me out of the cell and closing the door once I was out, then began pulling me along down the hall…
Looking around… there was a lot of cells, and maybe ten or more floors I could count from here.
"Jeez…there are a lot of cells…" I muttered.
The Stalker dragged me to a room with a metal chair and desk. My chains were locked to the chair and desk, both I noticed were bolted to the ground.
Once it left, in walked someone. An actual person. They had pale skin, flat brushed brown hair. Brown eyes and they wore a lab coat. I noticed he was… he has ethereal, transparent white wings coming out of his back, and over his head was a halo…
"Hello. I'm Doctor Jefferson Opal. Pleasure." He said as he took the seat across from me.
I frowned. "And…why the pleasantries?" I asked carefully, finding this rather weird considering all I've heard of these nutjobs.
"I just have some questions is all." He said as he opened a folder in his hands. "Your name is Izuku Midoriya? One of Armageddon's unwilling residents for the last ten years, correct?"
"How do you know…any of that?" I asked carefully.
"Nexus has a bounty on you with some basic details." He said, lifting one of the wanted posters of me from the folder, showing it to me before putting it on the table. "You were then a victim of the Nokori God, fused with a Sun Phoenix, a Hunter Shadow and Keyblade Armor, correct?"
"...Yes…but how did you know I was unwilling and…I suppose all that Nokori information was from that bastard Doctor."
"Blood tests, and, few if any people are willing subjects." He said.
I frowned. "Sounds like you know everything you need to."
"No." He said, taking a pen out of his coat pocket and putting it to a paper. "Question one. Have you learned to tap into your Phoenix Pyromancy? If so, how has it affected your other fire related abilities?"
"Why should I answer your questions?" I asked. "Cause everything I've been told about Y Labs is that you're a bunch of lunatics run by an insane person with delusions of godhood."
"Y Labs and the Nokori God may share an… employer, but the Nokori God works alone. The rest of us here either want to continue the work on mixing genetics and magic, or understand our creations better given we did this to you. Well, most of the Nokori."
I sighed. "Fine…but to answer your question, kind of, and it's made my Quirk Half-Hot Half-Cold's fire a lot more intense."
"Interesting." He said, writing down some notes. "Question two. Have you learned to access your internal nuclear fission/fusion to achieve molecular transmutation?"
"I did it while I was drunk…and made a giant stone middle finger that was pointed towards the ocean for…some reason." I admitted. "I…think I can do it normally, it's kind of like my Creation Quirk."
"Hmm…" He hummed, writing more things down. "Question three. Have you tested your resistance to subzero temperatures and airless environments?"
"No I haven't." I admitted.
"Question four. What is your current top speed?"
"Now is that normal speed or with abilities? Cause I haven't tested how fast I can go with each of my abilities, let alone all together."
"Normal unaided speed when in flight."
"Uh…I went maybe…half way through the Troposphere with one flap with all four of my wings." I said, not entirely sure cause I wasn't keeping track.
"Fascinating." He said, writing his notes down. "Question five. Have you discovered any unique features in terms of your fusion with Keyblade Armor?"
"I learned on pure accident that…I have a button on my back that turns me into Keyblade armor." I said, leaving out the part where it makes me completely helpless cause I'd rather that not get out and have it hopefully act like I turn into a Dullahan or something.
"Interesting…" He said as he wrote down some notes. "Now, you have a settlement in the Physical Realm of the Nightmare correct?"
"I'd prefer not to answer." I said, wanting to keep that to myself and not let it slip.
"I see. Would you prefer we release you and the Nokori here in the Ethereal Realm and you take them to your settlement personally?"
"As long as me or the people I'm bringing aren't tracked." I said. "This isn't against you personally, but your…employers would be a tad too enthusiastic knowing my location."
"Probably." He nodded. "Don't worry, we only produce Nokori, run a few basic tests to get them used to the new bodies and their new power, and then that's it."
"Alright." I nodded. "Thank you."
"Final question." He started. "Have you…" He looked me up and down for a second. "Mothered or fathered any children since becoming a Nokori?"
"I have fathered…okay, so you're gonna have to bear with me here…" I said carefully. "I fathered a 682 child, that I named Hope. They are currently neutral on hating all life and…hopefully I can get them to at least be a bit positive on it."
I swear I think I saw his pen flinch in his grip. "I… see. Unexpected." He said, quickly writing something down before gathering all the papers together and closing the folder.
"Yes, it is and was unexpected but…it's a thing." I said.
"Our work will be done here in a few more days. After that we will set you all free out into the Ethereal Realm of The Nightmare where you can take the three hundred and fifty Nokori here to your settlement." He said as he got up and began to leave.
I nodded, as it would be rather easy to get them to a semi-safe spot and use Frontier to get them all out of here. "Alright, thank you."
After he left, that Stalker came back in, grabbing my chains again and pulling me back to Trevor's cell.
"Hey roomie." Trevor said with a wave as I was locked back in here.
"Hi." I said, really wishing I could break out of these chains right now cause this is bull.
"How'd it go?"
"They asked me questions and didn't try to do anything weird or bad." I admitted.
"Sounds about right." He said, still laying on that small cot. I sat on the floor and heard Trevor start humming again.
Surprised he's so… easy going about all of this.
"So…why are you so easy going about this?" I inquired.
"Well, it's better than where the others and I were before." Trevor said. "Got three meals a day, a bed, weekly showers, personal bathroom. Better than the cages." He said with a happy tone.
…
"Uh…" I blinked. "I…didn't hear many positive things about Y Labs…are you sure I'm in the right place and not some weird reverse land here?"
"Like I said, this place is better than the cages back in the Nexus Slave Markets." He said. "Ain't that right Jenna!"
"Damn straight!" Another, younger, female voice called from a cell nearby.
"Shame we'll be losing this in a few days. Good run while it lasted. Least those of us with fur can probably do well in the winter or colder zones." He sighed.
"Oh no, you're all going to be living in my Settlement when we all get out of here." I said. "It's safe, well funded and well supplied."
"Heh. Yeah, sure, and I'm a hippo Nokori." He said sarcastically.
"I'm serious." I stated.
"Even if you are, why take us in? Most everyone here is former Puritan turn slave, child purchased from the slave markets or a random person they picked up."
"Because I care?" I asked. "Because it's better than having all of you be out in this hellhole by yourselves? To get recaptured by the same bastards I've been currently ransacking like it's a Pinata Parade, because someone needs to show genuine kindness and compassion in this wide world of apathy?" I listed off.
"He's telling the truth." Trevor looked up, looking at the bars on that door through it's small window as he sat up. That was… a kid's voice.
"You sure Anthony?" Trevor asked.
"There's no lies in his words. He's telling the truth…" The mystery child, Anthony it seems, said.
"Well… I'll be damned…" Trevor said.
"Don't worry, you're not the first and you'll probably not be the last." I admitted.
"Well… this is a change of pace." Trevor said. "Guess it's better than the alternatives." He sighed as he laid back on his bed. "So, where are you from then Midoriya?"
"I'm in The Nightmare area, with a growing settlement that is thankfully well protected as I'm also being helped by the Saint himself."
"Not that, I mean where were ya born."
"Oh…well that's a bit more complicated, cause I'm an Isekai that was born in Musutafu Japan in the year 2178."
"Heh. You can just say you're an Isekai." Trevor chuckled. "I was born to a family in a Puritan colony all the way in Crystalvania."
"That sounds like a weird mixture between Steven Universe and Castlevania." I admitted.
"Heh. It's a lovely place, but ya know how it is in puritan colonies. Lots of racism, hatred, and of course, oppression both of other races and their own people. I was sold to Nexus as a slave after a rebellion I took part in failed. Spent thirteen years in those cages before Y Labs bought me and the others I was with. That was four months ago."
"Right…so go there and burn the Puritan camp to the ground then." I admitted.
"Hey, that's still my home!" Trevor said, shooting upright and glaring at me.
"Alright fine, murder all the puritans, is that better?"
"... Midoriya, I was born in the puratin colony…"
"You were born in one, you were also a part of a rebellion against said Puritans, am I wrong?" I asked. "There is a difference between being born to something, and being a part of something, and you have stated you are not a part of it. Understand?"
"I know that… still… even if they're bigots and assholes, I don't want my family slaughtered for it. I joined that rebellion to overthrow the government and try and make good changes, not just burn the whole place down."
"Well…" I sighed. "Saw's terminology is getting to me…" I grumbled. "Okay, so I'm just kind of…upset at the moment, but I have two Keyblades that'll keep me from not murdering everyone, Memory Stealer and Second Chance." I explained. "So no, I won't be 'killing' people…just…rather upset about a lot of things at the moment."
"Right… you'll just be erasing everything that they are and then turning them back into a baby. Physically they're alive and fine but who they use to be is just gone forever…"
"Will it help if I don't use it on your family and friends?" I asked, cause at this point it feels like he's trying to guilt trip me into just leaving them alone even after they literally sold him into slavery.
He sighed, laying down and turning his back to me.
"Don't worry about Trevor… we all wish things could have been different with our families before ending up here." Anthony's voice spoke from wherever his cell was. "Well, most of us at least."
I sighed. "Well…I'm trying to help fix things here." I admitted.
"I know. You mean well, but this is a very personal matter for Trevor. Many here share his struggles, wanting their homes, where they came from to be better but afraid that even if they did, would the people they called friends and family care? Your solution, while sensible, is it really any different than death?"
"It's a better option than killing them and having them get flung to Mother knows where, where all they'll be thinking about is hate and revenge against those that killed and scorned them." I admitted. "At least with this…they get a chance to start over and do better, cause in my many fights against Nexus…there are people that do this because they can…and others that literally don't know better that can't see past what they've been taught for years on end without knowing anything else."
"Erasure over educating? If they know no better, then how can you expect them to do better if they are not taught?"
"Because I have personal experience over people not wanting to give a shit about learning better, that are so set in their ways that there's literally nothing you can do to stop them…an old acquaintance of mine that's also an Isekai made it very clear he never learned a fucking thing even after I died." I growled, remembering Bakugo and how he was still dead set on his bullshit.
"This acquaintance… were you two close?"
"We…used to be friends, even after he physically and mentally tortured me, I always thought I saw the better in him, that he could be a great person and a great hero…lo and behold, he threw away his emotions and is now dead set on becoming a Void Admin so he can permanently kill people because he believes it's the right thing, that it's his way or the highway and that nobody else matters but himself."
"Sounds like you two have a lot in common." Trevor huffed. "He wants to perma kill bad people, you want to erase their memories and make them forget who they were and raise them to be someone else entirely. Surprised you two weren't fucking…"
"Let it go Trevor." Another voice, Jenna, I think, said. "Not like we get a say in this anyway."
"So you'd be alright with this guy walking up to your folks and making them newborn babies with no memories of you or themselves?"
"I dunno… all I do know is that even if they did throw me away… I still miss them. I hate that I miss them, but I can't wish them bad either, no matter how much they hurt me…"
I sighed. "I know that feeling…all too well…" I shook my head. "I still remember some of the scar's he gave me, but I thought it was alright, I thought that he would be a great hero and I would be by his side, even without powers…but when he literally suicide baited me, and what he said when I met him after so long in this world…I know how you feel, I really do…"
There was a long pause. The silence was… almost haunting. Guess everyone here has problems… strange… in a way, knowing they were hurt and had similar feelings about the people who hurt them made me feel… comfort. Feels nice, knowing there are others who understand what I went through…
Three days later, the Y Labs facility cells were pumped with knockout gas. Not sure how much later it was but woke up surrounded by all the Nokori, three hundred and fifty, as that Doctor Jefferson had said, and we were all fine. I checked and there wasn't any kind of tracking magic or implants on or in any of us. Once I confirmed that I set up an Outpost in the base of a large tree and finally went home after three days of being missing.
Needless to say my return home was…
"I." Slap! "Told!" Slap! "You!" Slap! "So!" Saw yelled, pausing to say that after each slap.
"Was that really necessary?" I muttered as I rubbed my cheeks.
"Oh trust me, that was just a warm up for what Delilah and your mom are gonna do." Saw stated.
"And I'm not in the mood for it, I have over three hundred Nokori to integrate into the town, I have a lot of Shadow Hunter caches to find, and I have some extra soul searching bullshit to go into cause I'm now seeing memories of the Phoenix and Shadow Hunter I was forcibly fused to." I explained my sudden checklist of shit.
"... huh… that might explain my old recurring dreams of eating grass in a field…" Saw hummed. "But that aside, you leave alone for three days and come back already going to overwork yourself!"
"First, are you sure you weren't just drunk and remembering things you did?" I started with a joke here. "And two, it's not my fault that I have crap to do, it's not overworking, I'm just listing things on my to do list."
"To do list my ass." Saw huffed.
"That's Scotch's To Do List, not mine." I countered.
"Okay now I know you're not right in the head right now cause you made an innuendo joke…"
"Why do you think I had 'Soul Searching' on my to do list?" I asked. "Also, it's not my fault you made that joke super easy."
"You literally never take the super easy jokes! Or any lewd jokes!"
"There you are!" I flinched at hearing the angry Delilah.
"Nice talking with you Saw bye!" I said as I ran away from the angry cat girl.
I turned to- oof!
"You forget how my Schrodinger's Cat ability works don't you?" Delilah asked as she grabbed me by the shoulders.
"No, I totally didn't." I answered. "I can explain."
"Start." She hissed.
"So it started with me fighting a Stalker that was…designed to hard counter anything, and I also learned Nokori's are stupidly easy to harm…then I was sadly kidnapped to Y Labs as they were…rather accommodating which was really weird…then three days later I bring all their 'captives' here." I explained.
"So these Y Labs Scientists are dead? Or infants?"
"They had ability and magic suppression cuffs on me at all times, at least eight of them…but it's best you talk to the others about the Labs because I'm confused on why they were nice."
Delilah took a deep breath. "We will talk later…" She said flatly, forcing me to spin around. Once she did and let go of me I turned and saw she was gone. Oh… oh well that's not good at all…
"Well…that happened…" I said carefully. "And…I'm really worried."
I sighed, but decided to take some time to check on all the new arrivals.
I spotted Trevor next to another Nokori. She was some kind of deer/snake, her snake half covered in fur that was a mix of blue and brown and white. Her upper deer half was mostly brown and white, with her head having blue antlers, dark blue hair with white spots. Four ears, two that were deer like, two that were wolf like, big bright yellow eyes and her mouth showed fangs that poked out past her lips. She was easily one of the largest.
The other, a smaller bird looking kid, and I think he is a kid. He had a mostly owl-like body with brown and black feathers, a white beak over his mouth and their eyes were completely fogged over.
"Hi there." I said to the trio. "How you three doing?"
"Well, it's nice to be in an actual town again." Trevor admitted.
"It's so different from back home." The deer-wolf-snake, Jenna, I recognized her voice, said.
"I'm sure it looks amazing." The small owl, Anthony, I realized, said.
"Yeah, it's Home." I chuckled. "But you must be Jenna, and you must be Anthony right?"
"Yeah." Jenna nodded.
"Yes." Anthony said.
I nodded. "Good to see you face to face, and glad you like the town, me and a lot of other people have been working hard on this being a Safe Haven."
"It's definitely hidden, which is good." Jenna nodded.
"Yep, which I made sure we weren't tracked or told them of our location." I admitted.
"So, where will we be living?" Anthony asked.
"Well, we do have some spare rooms in some inns until we get you all some proper housing." I admitted, cause getting over three hundred people would need some quick construction for them all.
"Right… that just leaves the kids." Trevor said.
"We'll be fine wherever." Anthony said.
"You should at least have some adults to care for you all."
"There's plenty of areas for the children, with plenty of adult care and supervision." I explained.
"If you insist." Anthony said.
I nodded. "It's better than just trying to fend for yourself."
"Well, is that all for now then?" Trevor asked.
"Just need to talk and help the rest of all our new arrivals get acquainted with the town and people." I admitted.
"Think the townspeople are helping with that plenty." Jenna said. Ahead she motioned and I saw much of the townsfolk helping with some food and a few seemed to be giving them checkups.
"That's good." I nodded. "Glad the town is helping…means I'm doing good." I said with a smile.
"Right. Well, guess we'll see you around then." Trevor said.
I nodded and walked over to some of the townsfolk who were here.
I spotted Scotch here, clipboard with papers and a pen in his hands, well, three of them. The fourth was in in his pocket
"Hey Scotch, how you doing today?" I asked the multiarmed crafter.
"Busy." He replied. "Taking names and details on the new residents you brought in. As well as any special requests so Luna can build them accommodating homes."
"Sorry for the busy work, but at least they'll be in good hands and hooves." I nodded.
"Yeah. So, killing time before you face the music?" Scotch asked me.
"No, I'm busy doing my job here." I frowned. "And I'm not in any mood for people getting pissy." I admitted, scratching my head as I really need to get something's sorted out.
"They're only pissy because they care about you Midoriya. That's how relationships work."
"I know…" I sighed. "But I have a lot of thing's going on right now, and having people be aggressive and threatening me is not entirely something I'm in the right mood or mind to deal with."
"Alright, but the longer you take the more mad they're gonna be." Scotch stated. "Just a warning alright."
"I know I know." I shook my head. "It's been three days, they're acting like it's been ten years."
"Well three days can feel like eternity when you don't know what happened to someone you care about and even with your name and HP and all that still in the Party reading as fine, it's worrying. I mean, if the roles were reversed you'd have booked it looking for Delilah or Sonya or Rin or any of them if they went somewhere and didn't come back for days."
"Yeah…yeah I know…" I said, clutching my head a bit as all this shattered memory stuff was giving me a headache, especially when he said that I caught a glimpse of the Shadow Hunter's perspective when…they were hunting me. "Well, how soon will the construction start?" I asked, hoping to distract myself here from my other annoying problems.
"Luna's building a temporary common house to hold them all. Basically a giant warehouse full of beds and bathrooms and such. Gives them a place to sleep at least and then I can start giving her the lists and she can start making some houses for everyone. In terms of the kids though, well, some so far are sticking with people they knew in the facility. The older ones are willing to hang around some residents if they'll take them. Others would prefer to live alone or with the other kids they knew."
"That's fair." I nodded. "We'll give them as long as they need to adjust."
"So, what are you doing now?"
"Mostly just checking to see how everyone is doing being integrated with the town, then after this maybe do some soul searching nonsense cause apparently I have both my Phoenix and Shadow Hunter's memories to sort through so I don't believe I'm someone else for some reason…"
"I mean… I guess it depends on how you look at it." Scotch said with a shrug.
"Currently it's giving me a headache with how I have to juggle two different sets of memories where one hates people because they burned her tree down and killed her race…as I also unknowingly killed her husband…and my Sun Phoenix who just hates people because his brother, a Galaxy Phoenix, was used to make David a Nokori." I explained.
"Huh… Sounds almost like some fusions that aren't fully… completed." Scotch hummed. "Actually, how much do you know about fusion in this reality?"
"Not much to be honest." I admitted. "Only thing's I can base my logic on is Dragon Ball and Steven Universe on 'Fusion' stuff."
"Well, I guess they can apply here." Scotch said. "Basically you aren't entirely wrong. The way it works is that it combines the bodies, minds, and stats and abilities of the two or more beings into one. The souls are kept separate though but are synchronized either through magic or through a general compatibility that keep the many acting as one. In your case though the souls were all force fused together, as were your bodies and minds. In the normal cases of Nokori fusions, if there is two intelligent beings fused it prioritizes one over the other, but there was you, the Phoenix, the Hunter Shadow, three separate entities that each carry intelligence. Your personality and mind seem to be the primary one in charge but if the memories and personalities of the other two are just now surfacing, if you don't either reestablish control or accept them and merge properly, it could get very bad."
"Which is why I need to get to work figuring out how to fix this before talking to everyone and why I'm just…not in the mood for this."
"Right… I think either a Dive to The Heart or a visit to your Mental Realm should help you with that."
"Yeah…" I sighed. "Things just keep getting more and more complicated…"
"Sounds about right." Scotch nodded.
I took a quick leave and found a quiet place to calm myself and start this process… alright, let's see if I got this right…
My dive to the Heart was the same as times before, only this time… my heart looked very different.
The image on the stained glass floor depicted my family and friends surrounding a blank space that held no image.
"That's…not good." I said carefully, wondering why there was just a blank space there.
I walked over to it, and I noticed there was a hole there in the shape of a missing piece… huh…
"Okay…so why the hell am I missing a piece of my Station?" I frowned, knowing there wouldn't really be anyone here to answer my question but still.
I stood over the hole where the missing piece was meant to be. I pondered what to do…
"Long time no see." I jumped, turning and seeing… me. Younger me, still in the old school uniform, but looking more like I do now… Envy. "What brings you back to your broken insides?"
"Trying to figure out why it's Broken and how to fix it." I said simply.
"Would you like that list in an alphabetical or chronological order?" Envy asked with a smirk.
"I'd like it in the 'tell me now before I go find Wrath who will actually point me in the right direction'." I frowned.
"Oh Wrath is rather preoccupied these days. Got fused with two newbies that really added fuel to their fire and these day's Wrath is more vocal… and rabid."
I groaned. "Of course…so mind telling me what's actually wrong?"
"It's it obvious?" Envy smirked. "You're not who you think you are."
"Yeah yeah, I got that the first soul merge, mind being a bit more specific or should I go find someone else to explain and make you finally act like your name sake?" I asked, seeing their smirk falter for a moment at that.
"Oh if only Pride were around, they'd love you." Envy chuckled. "It's simple. You see, you have one soul, one heart, one body, but your mind… The fusion prioritized the personality of Izuku Midoriya, but that's not who you are anymore. I mean sure had they been fused with a dumb animal or an infant or something he'd be fine but two other intelligent beings minds merged into his and while everything else was blended together properly, his mind and his personality kept control, but it's not any more powerful than the other two. The Phoenix, hundreds of thousands of years old and the embodiment of life and death, and the Hunter Shadow, last of her kind wanting nothing more than to have seen her people thrive… only to watch them slaughtered for fun and for sport."
"Great…" I sighed. "So how do I fix this?"
"Simple." Envy said as they looked at me. "Answer this. Who are you?"
"That's a tough question considering I've done this twice." I admitted. "Cause I'm Izuku Midoriya, but I'm also Izukie Midoriya, one born quirkless in a world of Heroes who…sadly ended his life, but I'm also a War Veteran that was sadly killed in Action during the All Maker War, want me to go into more specifics?"
"Hmm… that's half of you, but what about the rest?" Envy asked as he took a step backwards and to the side, revealing two doors. One showed the Silhouette of a tall tree, the other, the image of a sun in the cosmos of space. "What about the rest?"
"Oh dear…" I muttered. "Well…let's go with door number one, let's see what the Hunter Shadow has to say…"
I walked up to the door, opened it and was met by blinding light.
Wind met my lungs. There was a darkness around me and I felt… what… where…
"Easy, easy." I looked up. Before me stood a taller Hunter Shadow, dressed in clothing similar to my own, black leather and metal. "It's alright, you just emerged from the Elder Tree. Welcome to life." He chuckled.
"Wh-who are you?" I asked weakly.
"My name is Rust. Do you know your name?"
I was about to answer with my name…but…"My name's Matilda."
"Matilda. A fine name. Come, and welcome to your home." Rust said as he led me into some light. I blinked, seeing the cloudy day sky, and all around us were others like me. Hunter Shadows. Most wore similar or same clothes as I. "This is Home, the birthplace of we Hunter Shadows here within The Nightmare."
"There are so many." I said in surprise, seeing so many of our race wandering around doing their own business.
"Yes. Currently we are a little over two thousand strong, and the Elder Tree, mother of our race, only increases our numbers by the day." Rust said. I turned to look where he was looking. Behind and above us was the massive tree that reached so high into the sky. It's branches without leaves and bark white as snow, but it didn't feel dead, it felt alive but old and standing tall amongst the landscape.
"It's beautiful…" I said in awe, seeing it in it's full splendor and at a loss for words at the sheer magnitude of it.
"Yes, it is both our mother and our home." Rust said with a chuckle. "Come, a tour then we can start figuring out your role in town."
The tour was lovely. So many here were so kind and welcoming. The beasts, tamed over the years, were friendly to us, and gentle.
I was told my home, a placed called The Nightmare, was vast and held many secrets, but we Hunter Shadows were born to know this land and it's secrets. I was excited to see the lands outside town.
The next morning came and I was given my first weapons. A blunderbuss common to The Nightmare, and a many toothed blade.
I traveled with Rust and saw everything out here, like watching another world. It was strange, it was empty save for monsters, but it was amazing. The history, the past of the lands it felt like it all played before me in afterimages that told the stories the land held.
"And remember, be very weary of the Flesh Demons." Rust said, snapping me out of my wonder.
"Flesh Demons? These…'people' not born of the Tree, yes?"
"People? People, are civilized, people talk and communicate. The Flesh Demons see us and attack, speaking in strange tongues and unknown languages. They come in many shapes and sizes but they all are the same. They attack us to kill us. Even as we plead and beg for mercy, they only seek to kill us. We'd be five thousand strong where it not for those monsters." Rust said, his voice full of hatred and rage.
I heard him, and I felt my blood boil. "Damned Flesh Demons."
"Be careful should you run into them. They hold very strange powers, most seem different from the last, and to make it worse, even if we do kill them they come back. Some kind of immortality. Even if they leave behind a rotting corpse, the same Flesh Demons reappears in a brand new body same as the old."
"That's bullshit." I stated.
"Heh, incredibly so. Luckily there are ways to avoid, deter and the hardest, make that work in our favor." Rust said.
"And what are these ways?" I inquired.
"They are oddly tempted by treasures and monsters, the stronger the better in some cases. We use those to act as lures or traps to keep them away from town. Avoiding them is best. They are bored easily, and will leave if they can not find something to kill. Lastly, if you can kill one of them, there is a chance you can take over their body, and their power can become yours."
That sounded rather interesting with the last part. "So…for the most part, distract or avoid…or possess their body and use their own strength's against them."
"Yes, there is a ritual that we can preform to gain this power, but it is permanent, and once done can never be undone. As far as the Flesh Demons will be concerned, we would be one of them, but we would not be able to tell you are really one of us unless we witnessed the event. You even lose the ability to speak our language."
I blinked. "Wh-what?" I asked in surprise, wondering how that would be possible.
"I know. It's part of why so few ever do this ritual."
"Has…there ever been someone that became a Flesh Demon but could still speak our language?" I asked worriedly, cause no longer being apart of my people would be…so horrible.
"No. They can read our language and write it but… in the heat of the moment of an encounter, one can not write fast enough to avoid a battle. Most of the Hunter Shadows that have taken upon themselves the power of the Flesh Demons are forced to live amongst them. Cursed to forever be a part of our tribe and no longer one of our people."
I looked down, feeling saddened by any of our kind that did do this ritual, that would forever lose their connection to our people. "I understand."
"Yes. It's an unfair trade, but some argue the rewards for doing so are worth it." Rust nodded. "In the end, it's up to you and only you."
"I understand." I nodded, understanding the drawbacks and needing time to think of I should.
The days blurred as time passed. Each day one or two new Hunter Shadows were born from the Elder Tree, and our numbers grew… but then, just as fast, we'd lose people. Our numbers dropping to the Flesh Demons. I remember the first time I saw one. They were an ugly pale thing with brown hair and eyes. They reminded me of a monkey without a tail or fur. They use strange powers, and right before me, killed Rust.
They made a noise that in their language even I could understand. They were laughing. They were excited… they were happy to have killed him…
I wanted nothing more than to spill that demon's blood. Treat them the same they treated us.
More time passed like this. It was like once our numbers grew, the Flesh Demons appeared to cull us back to a smaller population… even the strongest of us were unable to do much against them.
"Why so glum Milly?" I looked up, seeing Gravel, one of the newer arrivals from the Elder Tree standing before me, and standing at an odd pose at that. His body leaned to the side unnaturally as he stood.
"It's that our race is…being hunted like wild animals, for sport…they laugh at our deaths and enjoy the fact we can't come back…" I explained bitterly.
"Always letting those demons get to you isn't healthy." He said.
"Those demons aren't healthy for our race to begin with, and there's not a single thing we can do to stop them…not even our strongest can stop them."
"Which is rather strange since some of us are really strong." Gravel hummed.
"Yes and it's infuriating…because all we can do is run and hide, we can't grow at the same rate as those fuckers…"
"Yeah, but to be fair they reproduce like animals too. They aren't from Elder Trees and the… what's it called, Infant that is born is all small and weak and can't do anything. Has to be taught and age into a true demon. Takes years. Slow."
"That's true…" I sighed. "Like a disease…"
"Yeah. Nasty. So, I'm gonna head to the harbor and look for Squids. Wanna tag along or are you gonna sulk in here all day?"
"I suppose going squid hunting can be good exercise." I admitted.
Gravel was… odd. He was always trying to make others happy, cheer them up. Even if it made him look like a fool.
The harbor was fairly uneventful. Only a few squids appeared but it was something.
I wonder if other Hunter Shadows deal with this outside the Nightmare? What those other lands must look like…
"Do you smell that?" Gravel asked.
"Yes…" I said, readying myself for a possible fight.
We waited but nothing seemed to happen. There was just the smell of… smoke. Ash and the embers of a large fire. I can see the smoke beginning to block the sky-
My eyes widened as I felt dread and horror build from within me… that smoke is coming from…
"NO!" I screamed. "They couldn't! The Elder Tree can't burn unless they have at minimum God level powers! And even then they'd need to burn life!" I screamed, running towards the tree. To Home.
Gravel followed and-
No…
I fell to my knees. Home… the town was… gone. Rubble and ashes littered what used to be Home… and the Elder Tree… it was… it was gone. Not even the roots seemed to remain where the giant proud tree once was planet… just a hole where the earth had turned to molten glass…
How did… when… how…
"Why…why did the Mother make us…only to suffer like this…" I cried, feeling such hopelessness as those…damned Flesh Demons just committed Genocide for fun…
"How could the demons… I… how strong are they?!" Gravel shouted. "We were gone less than two hours!"
"I don't know…I don't know!" I snapped, slamming my fists into the ground and cracking it. "Why!? Why the fuck does Reality just allow wanton Genocide! What did we do to deserve just a merciless fate without any respite! WHY!" I shouted to the sky, hoping someone could answer my plight.
After that day, Gravel and I spent centuries… millennia, looking, hoping that there was one, just one more of pur people… but no matter how far we traveled. No matter which realm of The Nightmare we searched… we never found a single one… it was just us…
The last two Hunter Shadows of The Nightmare…
Life for a long time felt… dull. We'd survive. Stash away caches of useful items. We traveled from one end of The Nightmare to another…
"Do you think… we should kill a Flesh Demon… and obtain their body?" Gravel asked.
"What brought this on?" I asked.
"There are only two of us left. All these years, not a single other has been found. We're hunted by them because of what we are… but if we looked like them, they'd ignore us. And with their power, we could get stronger. Strong enough to avenge our people." Gravel said. "We may not longer be Hunter Shadows in body, but our hearts and spirits will forever be part of our people."
"But…what if we fail in doing this?" I asked. "I…I can't lose you…you're all I have left…"
"We won't… we can't. We can find a weak one. One of those not fully adult ones but not a weak child either… agh. I don't know what they call them… but it would be easier than taking on a fully grown Flesh Demon. If anything, maybe we could take out a weak looking adult."
"But…what if they're strong?" I asked worriedly. "This…it's too risky…everything dealing with the Flesh Demons is too risky…"
"We either take a risk and no longer fear being hunted by them or spend the rest of our lives running and get cornered and die anyway."
"I…I know…" I sighed. "Just…I'll back you up if needed alright? Don't go running off cause you wanted to get me a gift again when I'm not looking alright?"
"Pfft. You love that ax and you know it." He laughed, elbowing me lightly.
"Yes, the Ax is amazing and it's almost as amazing as you." I laughed, one of the few genuine laughs in my life and it always filled my soul with joy when it happens.
"Maybe once we obtain Flesh Demon bodies we can have those… uh, family things. Be gross but we can raise them as a Hunter Shadow, not a Flesh Demon."
"Having a family would…it would be amazing…gross, but amazing." I said, having seen some of those 'Civilians' in our travels…I saw how happy the civilians parents were over their children.
"Let's hope it goes well then… promise me something. If… if we… if I die trying to do this… please… leave The Nightmare, maybe find more of our people in another zone."
"I…I promise." I said, even though in the back of my mind I knew I would hunt down and murder whoever killed Gravel, take their body and murder all those they love and care for.
We traveled for many years more, stopping as we spotted one Flesh Demon. A skinny, rather unattractive looking green haired one. It was pale too… gross…
"Well, wish me luck." Gravel said, giving me a hug before heading around to attack.
Gravel…
I walked out the door and fell to my knees… I felt the rage. The hatred of the Flesh Demons… the people… of me Matilda harbored and now it was mine. I felt not just the shame of being the cause of Gravel's death but disgust with being human, being part of the people who did nothing but slaughter her kind… my kind…
"I already hate enough as is…what the fuck…" I muttered. "I tried to stop him to! I know why but…I tried to stop the fight but he wouldn't stop…"
"Run Matilda!"
That's what he said… the whole time… that's what he said, once I…
… Still… I didn't hesitate to kill him… and from Midoriya's perspective… and Matilda's…
"I thought it was just another monster when he didn't stop…I thought they would have chosen not to fight…" I said weakly.
Shakily, I stood up… another monster… I'm one to talk…
I wiped away the tears, looking up and seeing Envy sitting across from me, that same smirk as always. He waved at me.
"Whatever…" I muttered, turning to the birds door. "Great…can't wait to see what nonsense in this bird's life will hurt me…"
I turned around, looking at this door… honestly… it looked beautiful.
I pulled them open, and was met again by blinding light.
Darkness… there was nothing. Not even the noise… then… it happened. An all consuming light and heat that I felt. For the first time, I felt. I heard. I saw. From the plasma of the surface of this newborn star that birthed me, I emerged, despite the vacuum silence of space, my caw shot out to the heavens around me.
I have been born.
The heat of my fire kept the cold of space away. I didn't feel it. I didn't feel the need to breathe or hunger but I felt everything. This is life?
Where… am I?
"Well I thought I heard a newcomer!" I looked up. He was like me. His feathers were red and white. His eyes bled thin lines of plasma, and his tail feathers, long and colorful, every color of light shimmering bright. I could feel it when I saw them. He is my elder. My superior. My sun, my fire can not compare… to my brother, born from a Galaxy.
"My brother...my lord…" I said, doing some form of bow to the Galaxy Phoenix.
"No, no, none of that." He said, using his wing to give my back a pat. "You were just born, and only a few of us want those titles used." He laughed. "Welcome to life, little brother. Do you know where your sun is? The locals call this the Ifrit system." He said, confusing me some. Locals?
"Uh…Locals?" I asked in confusion.
"Oh yes, locals, see that star there?" He asked, motioning to a star I could see many light-years away that's light shimmered brightly. "That star has a planet around it that developed life. Intelligent life. They can't use magic but I love visiting and seeing how much they change and sometimes I listen and learn things and they call this area of space the Ifrit System, after the old fire demon. Can you imagine?" He chuckled. "Mortals are so weird."
Mortals… the ones who die and don't revive…
"Mortal lives are…short and they can't revive right?"
"No. Some can life a hundred, some even a thousand years, but unlike us, when they die they are gone forever. They live such interesting lives. Some I've seen build their whole lives around death. So strange. Oh! Look! The old man!" He said, pointing his wings behind me.
I turned and froze. They were… made entirely of stars and space, magic and matter with eyes as black as the void. The being seemed to tower standing in the ever expanding space.
"Uh…hi?" I said nervously to the giant star creature.
"He doesn't talk. None of the Old Gods did. Some screeched but that was it. He's the last one." Brother said as he looked at the being, the last Old God. "When I was born, there were so many of him, so many in different shapes and sizes and all wandering the cosmos creating galaxies and magic and… so much… now, it is just him." He sighed. "Even the Old Gods die to time where we forever continue on."
"That's…horrible…" I said, thinking that…even being's such as this Old God would die to time but we can't…
"We are life and death embodied. As such, despite the fact he, and the others were stronger, they are not immortal. Extremely long lived and all kinds of powerful, yes."
"So…no matter what, it'll only be us at the end of it all?"
"For a time, but that is when I, and others of my power, ascend to King or Queen Phoenixes. When all is gone and every star has burned out, then I or another like me will take our power, and burn either alone, or together. With luck, we can generate enough magic and heat to, like us, rebirth the universe from fire. Still a long ways away but it's something to do."
"I…see…" I said carefully. "This is…quite a lot to take in just after being born…"
"I know, but the direct and honest approach is best. But, there are many millions, billions of years ahead before we have to worry about that now Brother. For now, there is the whole of the universe to explore." Brother said, waving a wing out and showing the endless stars and cosmos around me.
"There's…so much to explore…" I said, as all that space, all what could be seemed…rather daunting.
"Fret naught, little brother. We are Phoenix, should anything have the audacity to battle you, even if you lose, even if you die, you will rise again to get back up, and burn them. So don't be afraid to show whatever challenges you the power of your sun."
I nodded. "Thank you big brother." I said, thankful to have someone here to help me through this new daunting reality.
After that day, I soared across the emptiness of space, finding bodies of the Old Gods giving way to new life in their death. Death and rebirth. I saw many planets, some with mortal life upon their soil. Each time I saw them I saw more of the same. Mortal life is a violent, wrathful thing. I'd land on their planet and sometimes, there would be peace, but it is never long lasting. So much anger and violence and hatred.
How could beings so short lived hate so much?
Over the thousands of years, I watched them build, create empires and advance themselves, only to so willingly throw it all away in the name of hate. Shedding blood and creating illness that could kill one another in painful ways no weapon could ever achieve. It was madness. Why do they throw their one life away so wastefully.
Planet after planet, each story was the same. In the end, the planet would become empty, inherited only by plants and mindless animals, if even that remained when the mortals were done and the last of them were gone and dead.
Such a waste of life…
I was looking upon one such planet, the sky green and black from poison and dust from what these mortals called the Sun's Rain. Heh. If only they knew what a true Sun's Rain would have done to that dirt rock…
"Hello, little brother." I looked up, seeing big brother land next to me. "Shame what happened here. They were such an articulate species." He said as he looked upon the destroyed, poisoned planet below.
"They were pitiful barbarians that wasted their lives and their planet for petty bullshit." I stated. "Same as all the others I've watched."
"It's true, mortal life has a violent streak about them, but are we any better." Brother chuckled. "Anger does… strange things to people. It's like a miasma that spreads and festers."
"We are better, because we have the capacity to learn from our mistakes, they can't." I moved a wing to the dead world. "To rather permanent effects."
"Maybe. But I still like to look at all they were, not just their mistakes. After all, we are the only ones who will remember them, heh, unless some life ends up getting far enough to finally soar among the stars like us. Maybe one day."
"It won't ever come, I've seen countless species get so close to such a possibility, but then petty squabbles ends the entire planet."
"Have faith, little brother. There is a new species emerging, actually, many species emerging on a planet in the new Milky Way Galaxy. The locals call it earth, and it's home to many of the lesser gods born from the last Old God's flesh." Brother said. "Some are called Elves, some Orcs, Fairies, there are even this new very odd race that call themselves humans."
"And I can't wait to see them murder each other to the last like so many before."
Brother sighed. "Such negative views are so unhealthy little brother. You need to find something that makes you happy. Otherwise, you might lose your fire's light in the hole you form in your heart."
With that, brother flew off. "I will be on earth for a while. Should you seek me, find me." He added as he flew.
… Something that makes me… happy?
"Well…my brother makes me happy…" I muttered. "But…he probably doesn't want me around right now…" I muttered, spreading my wings and flying, hoping to find something to enjoy.
I flew across the stars, observing the strange life forms that thrive in the cold vacuum of space. They were… odd creatures… or maybe they are plants… maybe both? Whatever they were, the mostly seemed to live off of asteroids and comets.
Suddenly, I felt something… I turned to that Milky Way Galaxy Brother mentioned. For a moment, it felt like his fire… changed. Somehow it felt both less and more all at once… brother?
I flew towards the Milky Way, wondering what in this wide Galaxy could cause a Galaxy Phoenix to…change. "I have a bad feeling about this…" I muttered, remembering a rather common saying among sapient life and feeling it was apt for this situation.
I flew for what felt like years until I arrived upon the earth. Finding brother's fire was… easy. Oddly, I found it outside some odd building with even odder creatures. Most looked to be a mix of those humans and other races with various animals. Odd… I'm certain these were not native to this planet before? For some reason, I sensed his flame coming from this odd being, a human I believe, dressed in what they call clothes that covered most all it's body save the head and hands.
It was talking to some pink and white fox creature…
Why does he have… brother's fire…
I frowned, deciding to fly around to figure out what has been going on, as these mortals might say what I need to know.
"-So I'll be working in the office late helping Holy with the paperwork. You can check on the kids, Dante, Dorje and Eve are gonna be watching the store for the next few days while I'm out." The fox said.
"I can do that, just check on them and make sure nothing happens." The human with my brothers fire nodded.
"Yeah. Sorry for the inconvenience."
"No problem, besides you do kinda owe her this since Holy lets you get away with being absent and just mails you the papers for the Agency that need your signature." The human chuckled.
"Yeah yeah, I know. Ugh… This is gonna be the most boring week of my life…" The fox whined.
"Heh…" The human said, then began to look around. "Huh… do you get the feeling we're being watched?"
"Outside the Agency? Possible but why would anyone watch us- Holy shit David turn around!" The fox said in a yelp.
The human, David, turned and spotted me. I didn't move and just continued to watch. "Is that… a phoenix?"
"Heh, bet you're related~" The fox said in a teasing tone.
"Pfft. Yeah sure." The human laughed.
"What did you do to my brother?" I asked, hoping they could understand me, especially this 'David' as they had my brother's flames so he should at least understand my intentions.
"It's cawing at us! I think it knows you." The fox laughed.
"Uh… hi?" The human, David, said with a raised brow. The confusion on his face told me that he did not understand me. He looked around for a moment, then held up a hand to me. From their skin emerged a small flame… brother… "Maybe it recognized the mana from the Phoenix I was fused with?" He said.
Fused… with…
I brought up a small flame in my wing, motioning for David to do the same as I really didn't like what I heard.
"Awh. He looks sad." The fox said.
"He does look upset and confused… can't blame him. If we learned anything from Sunny, can't help but feel bad for him. Fusion basically kills the animal's mind in the process…"
Kill… But… we are Phoenix… We are immortal! We can't die!
I screeched, sorrow filling my heart as tears fell even as I tried to attack David. "Give him back! Give me back my brother, you murderer!" I cried.
"Owe- Hey, ouch!" David yelped as I scratched and pecked at them.
I then breathed fire upon them. I saw as those clothes were burned and what I saw under them made my horror grow. My brother's feathers, adorning most of his body. Those wings on his back, the tail feathers… it was as if he was wearing brother's flesh.
What kind of abomination is this?!
I…I fell to the ground, seeing my own tears hit the ground as I weakly used my flames to show what he's done…my fire showed David how he stole and killed my brother…
"I uh… What is he-"
"Move it, people can't see you're a Nokori remember!" The fox said, pushing David inside the building fast.
N-Nokori? What… is that? Is that what he is… what the fox is? I… I need answers. I need to know how this happened!
I took to the sky and flew off to the nearest forest, hoping something can help me understand.
I flew into a nearby forest, it was rich in magic and I landed on a tree above a dryad that sat upon a mossy log. "Oh, hello, Immortal Phoenix. What brings you to the forest of Hulda?" They asked me.
"The fuck is a Nokori, and how the fuck did the kidnap and kill my brother?" I demanded.
"The Nokori? Oh. A race born from pain and anguish. The greed and fault of mortals bore the fruit of something only before capable by the hands of gods. Merging magical objects, beasts of nature, and the bodies and minds of their fellow mortals, creating new life born from an unnatural birth."
I stared at the Dryad like they just grew another person from their body…"What?"
"Tis the sad truth. Many creatures, magical and not, were taken by these mortals and merged and fused with the bodies of unwilling mortals. Down to their souls, they are neither the beasts they were but somehow, the mortals emerge. Their minds and their memories on top, but sometimes some fail, but this is rare, for the ones who created them value the lives and minds of the mortals they merge the beasts with. Be them human, elf, orc or fairy, not even one like you nor even the gods that call this forest and this planet home could come out unless the ones who fuse them want them to. It's hard to say, such magic is new and taboo. Never before has magic of mortals affected the soul in this way."
I looked at the Dryad…I went over everything they just said…"This planet shall burn…" I growled. "Under my wings all shall be not but ash as they will know the Wrath of the Sun!" I screeched as I took to the sky, my rage burning brighter than the sun I was born to, as I could not believe these mortals would desecrate life to such an unholy degree.
I reached the atmosphere, ready to-
"Stop."
I paused, feeling my fire flicker out… brother?
"B-brother? Is that you?" I asked weakly. "Where are you?"
"Alive, if that's what you're worried about." I heard his voice chuckle.
"B-but they said you're dead! You were apart of some sick experiment even Demons and Devils wouldn't stoop to!"
"Perhaps, but so far it's been fun."
Fun? Fun?!
"Are you insane!?" I squawked. "You are no longer yourself! They twisted your soul into a fusion! I…I lost you and you call this fun!?"
"Brother, you are only a few hundred thousand years old. You are young. I was born when the Old Gods were plentiful and marched across the cosmos creating magic and entities and planets and entire regions of creation. In my time I have seen much, and in my time I have seen much of the mortals… but as I am now, yes, my soul is bound to this human, David, but my mind remains my own. I lay deep in their subconscious, keeping hidden but watching everything they do. Life through the eyes of a mortal is so fascinating."
"They committed an unforgivable sin and…and you're just okay with this?" I asked incredulously. "Are you insane!?"
"Worse brother. I am bored. In all my years, there is nothing I haven't been able to defeat or overcome, save the boredom of my own eternity. But seeing life through this mortal, David's eyes, it's so interesting. They have so many ways of alleviating boredom, they call it entertainment and there is so much of it! This place, this world, and this David I find fascinating."
"Then why didn't you just do it without fusing?"
"I was interested. The rune work and spellcraft was interesting. Plus, I had to add in some extra magic to make it work, otherwise I would have burned out that poor human's soul and body." Brother said with a laugh. "Seeing things, life through his eyes has been and still is fascinating. I try not to interfere with him. I don't want to ruin or mess with his life."
"B-but…" I slowly descended. "You…you were the only thing in this damned universe I cared about…" I admitted, landing on a small meteor caught in orbit as my wings sagged in sadness.
"Oh brother, I don't expect you to be happy with my choice. But please, respect it. Don't burn this world because of my choice. Maybe if you watched more than just the violence of mortals you too could see the value in them that I do. Take care brother. Despite what you might think, I have a good feeling about this planet, these people."
"I…I'll try brother…" I said weakly.
With sorrow, I flew to the moon, landing and looking down upon the planet from here… I will watch… for you…
I emerged from that door. I was filled with a loss and confusion… everything just so confusing.
At least, in the end, they did it. That world and its mortals made it to the stars…
I blinked, wondering why I thought of them like that. "Hold up…well, firstly the Phoenix was just being a bitch, so good to know I was right about that." I frowned, as the Phoenix's attitude towards me was a lot less a burning hatred and more him just being petty over his brother doing a thing.
His brother- My brother… agh! All these memories in my head… I'm… I'm… who am I…?
"Come on…why did I agree to do this bullshit…" I growled, trying to figure out who I was and get my shit straight here.
I'm… a quirkless boy who jumped off a building to end it all…
I'm… a soldier, who died in a war protecting all she held dear…
I'm the last Hunter Shadow of The Nightmare… vengeful of Flesh Demons and the people who embody the name…
I'm a Sun Phoenix from another reality… who just misses my brother… my family…
I am… all of them. One body… one soul… and… one mind… The more I remember, the more clear… but, also not clear? The memories overlapping and cluttering…
I need to relax… and decide… because I'm all of them now… but also someone new…
"Who am I…and what'll happen to everyone Midoriya cares about?" I asked myself, cause at this point I'm not Midoriya and I'm not technically a part of his family…
"Izuku, Midoriya, Izukie, Matilda, Phoenix, Deku… names are just part of what makes someone who they are." I turned around… I was looking at myself. "You are part of that family, those children are still yours. Just part of you, part of who you are is part of them. Now and always." The other me said.
"Only a part…not the whole…" I shook my head bitterly.
"But that part, makes the whole. Makes you." The other me said, poking gently at my chest, over my heart which glowed bright. "You, who will fulfill the dreams of a child, who will live the life cut short in the madness of war, who will avenge the people lost to an uncaring world, and who will find and reunite with the family of a lonely immortal. All of these parts make you, and all these parts make you whole. You need not think of yourself as just something new when all these parts make you complete."
"...I…suppose you're right." I sighed. "Just…wish this was simpler, you'd think going through this the first time would make this easier."
"These things are never easy. Back then, you were still confused, the memories of Izuku and Izukie were so vastly different yet also similar, and your hearts were almost identical. Almost. But now, all is one, and you just need to accept it. Accept that yes, you are someone else, but you are also all these people. You and only you exist and you will live all their best lives and dreams. Because you are them."
"Not going to be fun trying to explain this to everyone…" I sighed.
"Maybe, but isn't your happiness and understanding who you are just as important as their safety and happiness?" I sighed, but nodded to the other me. "Now then, what is your name?"
My name… what is my name now… Hmm… Well, definitely not going with Deku. None of the other names I know would really work out either… maybe… hmm… I know one thing… what I still want to be to this world… I smiled, and knew my name.
"Hero." I answered.
With a nod, the other me was gone. Floating in their place was the missing piece. Gently, I took it, and carefully placed it into place. The blank spot filling, showing… me.
"It's about time." Delilah said.
"You'll always be my child. No matter your body or name." Mom said.
"Wow you really went soul searching." Saw said.
I finished my recap and explanation. My new name and everything was now known to them.
"I'm glad you all are okay with this…it's just…a lot to be honest." I admitted.
"I'm happy you found yourself out, and you feel more… better with yourself… you're still in trouble for leaving off to uncharted territory alone and while I'm glad you're back, you shouldn't have gone alone." Delilah said.
"No, you are upset about someone else going into uncharted territory, I was doing something in town." I said cheekily.
"That's not gonna work on me and you know damn well that…"
"The power of technicalities will compel you to completely ignore my daring escape." I said as I made a b-line out of this situation.
I bolted out the- oof!
"You really forget about my ability don't you?" Delilah asked as she wrapped her arms around me-
Click!
Oh shit!
I yelped as the light flashed. Delilah was gone and now… crap.
"I'll only wear you for a day… but I'll be dressing in lots of sexy clothes and outfits and taking lots of pictures while I do." Delilah said through my mouth and began walking towards the bedroom.
"Don't you fucking dare." I mentally told her, as I really needed to figure out a way to stop this cause it was super abusable and possibly the worst draw back imaginable.
"I will fucking dare and I will be making so many copies that I will have Rin and the others print, distribute and hide so you can never get them all… Now hush I need to find that string bikini we made for you that you never wore." Delilah said.
NO! That's literally lines and three triangles!
"Why are you being so mean~?" I whined. "I have enough issues as is, you adding this isn't helping."
"Oh calm down, you're gonna look hot as all hell."