Hey, guys. It's been a couple of months since my last update. Sorry about that, but I'm back and this chapter will be picking up immediately where the last one left off. I was pretty eager to write that scene as the story's finally reached its more action-filled phase. That phase will be continuing this chapter, but as for how things will go…well, I'm sure you've all been waiting to find that out. The wait is over, so here you go and I hope you all enjoy the chapter!
I do not own anything.
A Big Pink Ball of Sunshine
Chapter 11-When Lightning Strikes Pt. 2
It came from out of nowhere and he couldn't respond to it. No, something told Izuku that wasn't quite right. He couldn't quite explain it, but he felt in his bones that this wasn't happening for reasons he knew. What were those reasons? His gut told him it had something to do with his-his and Mina's-current situation.
A hostage situation involving her older brother at his high school. Someone had tried to get through him through Mina's family. It was one of his worst nightmares manifested, but he didn't have time to dwell on it. The people of her brother's school, her brother, was in danger. That was the thing about times like this, time was of the essence, so lamentation was put on the backburner. That's what it always seemed to be like for him. Maybe it wasn't such a bad thing. As he'd discovered, most of the time, the situation was bad enough that there was no time for that sort of self-pity or agonizing over what was done.
This had been one of those times.
Two men, one American and one Japanese, both wielding Quirks that made them incredibly dangerous. At the very least he didn't have to worry about civilians getting caught in the crossfire of their battle.
Their battle. Not his fight, their fight-his and Mina's. Him and his girlfriend.
They'd gotten her family involved in his battles.
Izuku knew he couldn't dwell on that for too long. It was buried deep in the back of his head while what to do about the battle at hand occupied the forefront of his mind. Anything less and he was going to get himself or Mina killed. Or maybe captured. Between the two of those things, it was hard to tell which would be worse. His intuition told him being captured might-that meant they'd live suffer whatever horrors these two men had in store for them. And they would potentially witness whatever disaster came about from their capture.
Speaking of the two who'd assaulted Nishiyama Senior High School, they were proving remarkably dangerous opponents. Not only were their Quirks dangerous, they had the skill to use them, effectively.
The redhead had some kind of prior training, which complimented his animalistic fighting style. Izuku had watched switch out various sets of jaws lines, each resulting in a new animal-themed transformation. His Quirk seemed to be a sort of mimicry based on whichever set of teeth he inserted into his mouth. Quite a wondrous ability, but one that was extremely dangerous to fight against. Whenever he looked to Izuku, he could tell the man was taking on not only the physical traits but the mental ones as well, namely with the predators he was mimicking. Then again, he wondered if the teeth were necessary. He theorized that this redheaded man was someone who enjoyed bloodshed. That speculation was all but confirmed every time they engaged in physical battle.
Izuku had no idea how many animal teeth he had on him, but so far, he'd seen a grizzly bear, wolf, and a gorilla. All quite dangerous animals, but Izuku knew the animal kingdom had numerous predators which the American could call upon, assuming he had the corresponding animal jaws. He really didn't want to keep this fight going to find out how many teeth he had on him, but he couldn't afford to be reckless either. Especially with Mina beside him and fighting off the mercenary's companion.
While this redheaded American was a physical fighter with an animalistic Quirk, the other one possessed a form of telekinesis. It was a limited form from what he gathered, being able to only manipulate six things at once. Unfortunately, he'd came with six guns, each fully loaded. Such mundane weapons like pistols may have seemed miniscule compared to the powerful Quirks he'd faced over the last several months, but he knew that wasn't cause to relax; it was the opposite since a well-placed bullet could kill him. Either kill him, maim him, or do either of those things to Mina, albeit her Quick was the perfect counter to it.
Mina's acid was more than strong enough to melt the lead bullets into nothing, and that included the pistols themselves. More importantly, thanks to their training, she had the accuracy to neutralize every shot. That severely limited the threat firearms posed, but Izuku knew he couldn't say they'd been completely neutralized. Mina could only shoot down the shots she was able to identify, not to mention the American had a way to counter her acid. When he roared, it produced blasts of air that he knew would be able to cancel out Mina's acid blasts, and that was on top of them being so loud they could disorient their hearing.
There were so many variables in this fight, so many his mind was running as he fought off the American. He'd swooped out his wolf-like powers for those of a gorilla. The sight of his transformation brought forth the memory of an old American movie in the likeness of Japan's kaiju films, Izuku believed it was called King Kong. It was the kind of movie he wouldn't have mind watching with Mina.
She was several feet from him, having just returned from shepherding her brother to safety. That was good, it meant they wouldn't have to worry about him being caught in the crossfire. Also, Mina's acid shots helped neutralize the telekinetic's bullets. She'd be able to keep on covering him, but that relief vanished in the next heartbeat.
The American turned his focus to Mina, his face twisting into a hideous grin that promised only one thing.
As his gaze shifted to Mina, his next attack was aimed at her as well. His hands rose and fell in a primal ground pound that sent a shockwave tearing along the ground toward Mina. Izuku's eyes widened at the projectile attack, watching it barrel toward the girl he was sure he was falling in love with. The blast of pressurized energy towered over her by a solid three feet, and by extension him. Even worse, it was moving fast.
I've gotta-!
Click! Click!
Suddenly, his arms and legs were bound. He fell fast-first onto the hard floor; Izuku immediately struggled against the bounds restraining him. A quick glance at them allowed him to see they were some kind of metallic rope, a pair strong enough even his enhanced strength couldn't break, or not in time. Panic seizing his throat, he looked back up, watching the shockwave continue to barrel toward his pink-haired girlfriend. "MINA!" The scream forced itself up through his throat like a volcanic eruption. I have to save her! I have to save her! I HAVE TO SAVE HER!
At the end of that shouting came something, a resounding, hammerlike thump deep within his chest. Was it his heart? Something else? Izuku didn't know, but he felt its reverberations throughout his body, like ripples across a pond. Strangely, his body was the pond, and yet he was pulled into it; he found it wasn't a pond but a lake, a gigantic lake. Everything vanished around him as he was pulled deep down into the shadowy depths. Air rushed past him, sliding across every pore of his skin, even through his clothes. He'd been stripped bare as some invisible force pulled him down. A gleaming light awaited him at the bottom of the colorless abyss he was falling into.
It flashed bright, bringing with it a myriad of voices that rung in his ears. "Welcome."
All around him, inky blackness exploded outward like a water balloon had gone off. Except the water took shape around him, loose and flailing shapes, but shapes none the less-tendrils.
"Gaaaaahhh AAAAAAAAAHHHH!"
A voice so far away reached his ears, but the distance made it impossible for Izuku to make it out. Then again, he couldn't exactly devote much attention to it. His eyes were darting all around him, watching the black tendrils strike out in every direction, as they did, he caught the light teal outlines along the black tentacles. While the color brought a fleeting sense of familiarity to him, his panic was still too strong to be quelled. That was reflected in the tendrils that raged around him, thrashing about like an angry octopus. The sound of their smacking against the ground and through the air was all-consuming, sending his heart into an even greater state of panic.
He could only see flashes of the overhead lights through the thrashing tendrils. Parts of the ceiling were suddenly missing, falling to the ground as the tentacles crashed into it. Some of those pieces were grasped and thrown, where Izuku didn't know. He didn't even know where these tendrils had come from.
From you.
The voice was a solitary wind blowing in the middle of a raging sea. Izuku couldn't chase it for the tides consumed him, again. Hearing the strange voice furthered his panic; it was growing by the second, and in tandem the tendrils grew wilder. One sound Izuku could hear identify was walls crashing, he'd heard that sound quite enough to be able to know it. It seemed they were going to be joining the ceiling; through brief glimpses Izuku could actually see the sky. It looked like it was sunset.
"W-W-W-What's…h-h-h-happening…to me?!" Izuku yelled as if the sky had some answer for him. He'd have appreciated it if it did, but clearly it didn't.
"-UKU! IZ-!"
Wide-eyed, he looked around, desperately searching for Mina. He couldn't see her, or much of anything through the maelstrom of tendrils. Had he saved her? Was one of them holding her? Had he crushed her by accident?
His fearful green eyes caught a glimpse of the sky again. Orange and red were steadily being overtaken by gray. It was going to rain.
Somehow, amidst the swirling black tentacles, he spotted a single raindrop descending from the sky. It grew closer and closer, having a clear path through the tendrils flailing about around him. Izuku focused on it, feeling like he was watching not a droplet of water no bigger than his pinky but a meteor the size of a building coming down atop of him Ultimately, it was just a raindrop, one that he sensed touch the tip of his nose with an immediate and forgettable splash.
"Finally! Finally! You're here! Dammit, I wish it were under better circumstances, but that's just how things are!"
He'd seen that lone raindrop, and now he was hearing the thunder. Except thunder didn't sound like a human being.
Blinking, Izuku realized he was…somewhere. A quick glance around him graced his eyes with shadows. Not like the whipping tendrils that had erupted around him, but shifting waves of darkness. Beyond those waves was a white nothingness. An invisible wind blew across the strange expense, pushing the dark waves aside; it was like being in a low-level dust storm. Odd, but he actually found this strange place performable to the chaotic gymnasium, albeit he also wanted to know what the situation there was.
Looking ahead, Izuku was met with the biggest shock of them all.
The man had almost two feet on him, not to mention much more muscle. He wore no sort of undershirt beneath his pad-adorned black leather jacket; a bandolier wrapped over his bare chest. It went well with the golden goggles he wore atop his bald head. Between it and his iron-like square jaw and short stumble, the man cut an impressive physique. More so when he started yelling again.
"Pull yourself together! Cuz if you do, most things will work out!" He boomed again. His hulking form was marred in the shifting shadows.
It was something Izuku noticed about himself when he looked down, and when he tried to speak. He found no words came out; his mouth was sealed shut by a tight band of whisp-like darkness up to the bridge of his nose. I-I-I can't talk! I-I-It doesn't even feel like I have a mouth! He thought in a panic.
"Yeah, I know you can't talk! Don't sweat!"
Amazingly, he did exactly that. While he may not have been able to talk, he could still breath. The more he focused on the man, the more relaxed he became. With that relaxation came a realization. I can see him so clearly. He's…more than some vestige now! And This isn't a dream either! I…the I think the predecessors…could they somehow be…alive in One for All?! At times he'd felt the stirring of the power within him, the Quirk that had been passed down to his mentor and finally to him. Standing before one who preceded his teacher, he began to wonder just how many mysteries his inherited Quirk contained.
The man's form began to fade away, the shadows clawing away at it before dissipating in the invisible wind. It didn't go unnoticed by him. "Hrm, looks like I'm short on time, so I'll have to make this quick. Listen up, kiddo! That power that just exploded outta you is my Quirk!"
The revelation hit Izuku like a sudden gale. In his eyes, an image began to manifest, a marble-like sphere surrounding by a whirling flame. For only a second, he saw person, someone with their back turned to him, overlaid with that flaming sphere. After a blink the image had shifted. Instead of a turned back, he saw the bald-headed man overlaid with the flame. He quietly digested the realization as the man continued his explanation.
"Our Quirk Factors were mixed into the core of all this power. They've been inside One for All this whole time. That tiny core," He nodded seeing Izuku's eyes widen. Either he saw what Izuku saw or maybe he'd experienced himself while he held One for All. "The small center within the raging flames, or crashing waves, whatever it is you see, that' the source wrapped up within all that accumulated power. And now, after all this time, it's starting to grow and kick. You've caught glimpses between those flickering flames, right?" Feeling the stirring of his heart, Izuku quickly nodded. "One for All…is growing!" The man answered in response to Izuku's curiosity.
Still, his explanation stirred new questions, one he mentally asked. "But why? What's going to happen?"
"Just now…you were focused on getting someone out of the way of an attack, right? Your girlfriend." There was no room for embarrassment as Izuku quickly nodded. The memory came back to him in an instant, as did the crushing sense of panic that must have spurred One For All into awakening his new Quirk. "That's what you were focused on, saving her? You couldn't move your limbs, but you knew you needed to get to her."
Yeah…that's…exactly how I felt. He affirmed.
Holding out his hand, the predecessor manifested a set of the same black tendrils from his right arm. Unlike what Izuku saw, these moved in a benign, controlled manner. The difference between the two was night and day. "It just so happens that my Blackwhip is perfect for the job. You're lucky you're getting me first, since my Quirk's top grade." On that, Izuku had to admit, the man was onto something. His quirk had not only done the job, but it'd been demolishing the entire gymnasium like it was nothing. "But understand this!" Barked the blue-eyed man. "This Quirk has also been building up in One for All! It's bound to be way stronger than it was back in my day!"
So…originally Blackwhip wasn't that powerful. Still it must have been hell of a useful ability.
"Damn right it was us-ACK!" His words were interrupted by the sudden dematerialization of his body into shadowy whisps. Izuku gasped in shock, then watched as his body rematerialized. That said, the shadows were encroaching on a larger part of his body, and subsequently vanishing into nothing. "Sheesh…I'm vanishing. Guess being a spirit means feeling like you're getting blown away when your time's up." Likely knowing his time was running short, the man stepped forward and thrusted his hand into Izuku. His body had become completely enveloped in shadow save for his hand. That probably was why he hardly felt a thing at the intrusion. "Listen, when you use this power in anger, it'll really start working for you. However, what really matters is control your heart." The shadows had stretched up to his face; it didn't distract from the genuinely kind smile he wore. "It's okay to get mad, especially when it's for the people you care about. That rage can be a source. But in the meantime, you gotta control it better, okay?"
It…can be? The pondering thought came as he watched the man's arm unravel into strips of shadow. Instead of being blown away, they were absorbed-into Izuku. The shadows that obscured by his body and the man's were being sucked into that spot like a vortex.
"One for All's grown crazy strong thanks to eight of us who came before you. So be ready, kiddo, cuz you're going to get all six of our Quirks! Control your heart…and make good use of us."
All six Quirks?! Oh man, that's…that's a lot! He honestly didn't even know how to begin to process that news.
The shadows around them were being drawn into the vortex. It seemed this entire mental landscape was vanishing as the spirit's time neared its end.
"Good luck, kiddo!" Spoke the man, wearing a confident smile on his face. It truly felt like he was trying to send that confidence into Izuku; it reminded him of his mentor. "We'll be right behind you! You're gonna be the one to complete One For All!" He exclaimed with pride before vanishing completely.
Wait, me?! Why me? W-W-What if I can't do it! His words were lost to the swirling void, and eventually Izuku himself was as well. Everything vanished in a swirling maelstrom of black and white, and then came the burst of color. Eight bright colors.
"IZUKU! IZUKU!"
He gasped for breath, feeling sweet air rushing into his lungs via his mouth. His hands went to it, feeling for any wispy darkness. A sigh of relief left him feeling none of that, feeling the movement of his mouth. "I-I-I-I'm back. I'm, I'm-"
"IZUKU!"
Turning in the direction of the voice, he felt joy seize his heart at the sight of Mina approaching him. Then she tackled him to the floor.
"M-M-Mina! Mina! I-I-I'm alright! Y-Y-You're alright!" he yelled in response to her near vice-like grip on him.
It loosened, though only by a fraction. With its loosening came her hoisted herself above him. Izuku was able to get a clear look at her face, and the shocked-the frightened look on her face made his blood freeze in his veins. He'd never seen her look so frightened, downright on the edge of tears almost. Even as that panic receded, traces of it remained. While he contemplated that, he suddenly found himself brought forth into another bearhug; he didn't fight this one, only returning it by wrapping his arms around her as she'd done him. In holding her, he felt her sob against him.
"Mina," he whispered knowing that what was hitting her was a tidal wave of relief.
"…I didn't know…I…I didn't know what the hell was happening to you. O-One minute you're tied up, a-a-and the next…t-t-those c-c-creepy black tentacles were bursting out of you. I-I couldn't see you, just hear you screaming, and then…" Pulling away, he saw just how disheveled she was. Shock remained, as did curiosity. Izuku could only imagine how many questions she had running through her head.
Ironically, he could actually answer them, but he was sown to secrecy. But…but…I-I can't just leave her like this. She'll want to know about what just happened. Hell, I feel like I need to tell-
"Damn! Didn't know that One For All granted a person this kind of power! Hmph! Gotta say though, it explains all the hype around it! Not to mention it makes this much more interesting."
Hearing that voice made Izuku blood chill again, but this time in the worst way possible. He could tell Mina felt the same. Immediately, he jumped to his feet, jumping in front of her with his arm held out.
Emerging from the smoke, the American chuckled with that same danger-laden voice. He hadn't been unscathed by Blackwhip's rampage. Blood dripped from his forehead and through exposed cuts on his arms and legs. While roughened, he was very far from out. More so given his smile-it still carried that same hunger for battle.
Wait, if he's here… "Mina, did you see the other one, the telekinetic?" The green-haired youth questioned.
Mina growled. "No. Izuku, when your…when that…stuff lashed out at you, it was pure chaos. I mean, I think I saw him get hit, but I don't think it was the kind that would have knocked him out. Meaning he's still around here, somewhere."
Great, just great. He mumbled.
Ahead of them, the redheaded American wiped the blood from his brow. "So, ready for round two?"
In the back of his mind, he wondered when the pros or police would be arriving. They really should have been here by now. He had no idea how long he'd been talking to the user of Blackwhip in that mindscape, or how long the Quirk had raged out of control, but he knew given the ruckus they'd caused someone should have been here by now. In trying to wrap his mind around why that wasn't the case, Izuku remembered something else-it'd been raining before he went under. His out of control second Quirk had torn open multiple holes in the ceiling allowing for plenty of rain to fall, yet he felt none on his face. Mina hadn't seemed wet either.
Careful not to take his eyes off the enemy, he looked skyward.
"Hate to break it to ya, but this is something of a private party. We put it together just for you." Cackled the brawly man. "Outside this school's a barrier, top-quality. Sure, it fluctuated earlier, but it's still holding strong. Just strong enough for us to have some quality time together. That…and a few other precautions."
The pieces clicked together. "You planned this."
"Hunting prey like you meant we had to think this one out. You're a smart kid, Izuku Midoriya. It's no wonder All-Might chose you as his successor. I'll say this, you're a hell of a lot more likable than All For One's protégé. Heheh, you two haven't had it out yet, have you?" With every word, Izuku felt a bead of sweat form and slide down his brow in anxiety. This man knew a lot, a little too much to be just a lucky guess. "The next gen Symbol of Peace and Symbol of Fear, it would have been a hell of a smackdown."
"The hell do you mean 'would have been,' asshole?" Mina barked. Her voice was a reminder that she was still there, and listening in on everything. Izuku knew that would probably create complications down the road, but he had to focus on the situation at hand. One enemy was in front of them and the other was nowhere to be seen; however, he was more than likely nearby, just binding his time. "You're not going to lay one finger on Izuku, got it!"
"Hahaha! Sorry, Pinky, but I'm afraid I'm going to have to lay more than a hand on the kid." His hand was held up, feral claws replacing human fingernails. The sight brought immediate flashbacks to his previous fight with this man. "He's gotten me all riled up, especially with that little tentacle trick!" His eyes morphed, becoming like those of a wildcat. Izuku knew the pounce came next. "You're full of surprises little rabbit, so let's go!"
He came at him with the same blinding speed he had before. Without a doubt, the man hadn't lost his stride.
But then again, neither had Izuku. Especially now that he had a new trick up his sleeve.
"Mina, stay behind me." She questioned his words, but she didn't move despite an impulse to do so. Knowing she was behind him gave him the strength and focus he needed to call upon Blackwhip.
Izuku waited until the American was near literally right on top of him, too close to jump away, and too closed for Izuku to miss.
Throwing his arms out, he imagined the teal-outlined black tendrils bursting forth from his arms, just as they had before. That's exactly what happened, one each shot forth from his arms. It was a far cry from the sudden and wild previous manifestation of the Quirk, something that Izuku was grateful for. As they slammed into the American, Izuku could have sworn he felt the impact as if it were his fists connecting with the enemy. In that split second, he pictured his hands extending, fists turning into open palms that grabbed at the man.
"H-H-Holy shit! Izuku, you got him!" Mina exclaimed from behind him. "Y-You're…you're controlling it. You're…"
"Mina, keep an eye out for the other one! I'm sure he's still here somewhere!" He could only imagine the questions she had for him, but they couldn't rest until they had both of these villains subdued. The one with the most physical power had been, but not the one who could move things with his mind, the one who posed more of a strategic threat.
And then, as to validate his concerns, his voice penetrated his ears. "How right you are, Izuku Midoriya."
Simultaneously, they looked to the side. Their eyes widened at the sight of something small, spherical object coming their way. Mina immediately lobbed a ball of acid at it, disintegrating it before it could detonate. Izuku felt himself relax, but something snapped at him, telling him it wasn't over yet.
He was proven right as four more spheres, grenades, came flying at them. Mina threw both her hands out, desperate to shoot them down before they could go off. She might have been able to, if, it wasn't for the teeth-rattling roar that assaulted her ears, and Izuku's.
Screaming in agony, his concentration broke, and with it Blackwhip dissipated. His hands went to his ears, desperate to cover them and block out the supersonic soundwaves. It wasn't helping since it still felt like his ears were going to explode.
A second later and he found he didn't have to worry about that.
It was sudden and painful, Izuku imagined that's how most snake bits were. He'd never been bitten by a snake, not until now. As the muscles in his body slackened, he realized something-he didn't like it, at all.
His strength was fading fast, his ears rung, and then his vision was stripped from him. All around him and Mina blinding light went off. Normally, he'd have defaulted to his hearing, but that was no good now. The poison sweeping through his body was simply too much.
THUMP!
Apparently, the combination of injuries wasn't doing the job fast enough. Something hit the back of his head, slamming him into the floor. A faint voice called his name from nearby-Mina. He reached out for her, knowing she was there, knowing she was depending on him.
And he'd failed her.
Sometimes it was simply amazing how much of a hard turn a day could take. One minute everything's fine, and then the next, it's like a continuous elevator ride that keeps on descending further and further down. No matter how many buttons you pressed, it simply wouldn't stop. It wasn't going to stop until it reached rock bottom, wherever the hell that was.
Mina was pretty sure she was at rock bottom. If things could get any worse, she wasn't sure she'd be able to handle it.
As consciousness returned to her, so too did memory. The last five minutes of it played out in her mind like a recording.
She thought she and Izuku had the situation under control. Somehow, the plethora of black tendrils that had burst from him had stopped. Not only that, but Izuku had somehow gained control over them. How he'd done it was a mystery to her, exactly what in the hell they were was a bigger mystery. They had to be a Quirk, but her boyfriend already had a Quirk-physical enhancement. What she saw-those black tendrils-they were in no way related to Izuku's original one. It was something else, something entirely brand new. Somehow, someway…her boyfriend had developed a second Quirk.
Was such a thing possible? She'd heard some stories, but Mina took them with a grain of salt.
It'd manifested in a hell of a horrifying way. Mina remembered the shockwave sent by the American heading toward her. If it didn't kill her, it would have probably broken every bone in her body-which would have really, really hurt. She was getting ready to dodge it, but suddenly something grabbed her by the waist and yanked her out of the way. Surprised was an understatement, but that surprise quickly turned to horror when she followed the trail of the strange black tendril that had saved her life. There were so many of them bursting from Izuku's body, thrashing about like an angry octopus. She couldn't explain it, and from the looks of it neither could Izuku. The terrified look on his face was a match for Mina's own, thus it fueled her desperation to get to him.
That'd been easier said than done though. While the tendril holding her waist eventually released her, the rest were busy smashing up the gym. In the back of her mind she knew they were probably going to get an earful for collateral damage, but that was completely secondary to getting to her boyfriend.
She immediately ran toward him, dodging those tendrils that came at her, although there were times she had to stop and completely focus on evasion. The more time she wasted, the more Izuku suffered. It sent her heart into a greater panic that fueled her struggle to get to him. Mina had no idea what the black whips were other than solid, and powerful, but she tried her acid anyway. Some of them melted, recoiling in pain as her Quirk ate at them. That said, few of the tentacles melted all the way through; Mina didn't need them to though, she just needed them out of the way. They almost always responded with a counterattack, but her training had taught her how to move, and she moved as fast as her legs could carry her. It was honestly just like running some obstacle courses at U.A., except it was the life (or death) of someone she cared about. Just like their teachers had warned them it might be someday.
"Guess I owe all of you. I'd…honestly love to tell you all how right you were. I mean, if me and Izuku can get out of here." Mina muttered. Her heart trembled at the mention of her green-haired boyfriend. "Izuku. Oh, Izuku,"
Somehow, she'd made it to him…just as the black whips ceased their thrashing. Mina couldn't have been any more than a few feet away when they suddenly disappeared. She'd have paid some serious thought to that if her mind wasn't entirely focused on Izuku. He was still there, and as she saw, he was still alive. She'd launched herself at him like a rocket; not the first time she'd done so, but the circumstances made this time extremely memorable to say the least. What mattered though was he was alive, he was okay.
Then, in true Izuku fashion, he was back to business. The focused and analytical Izuku Midoriya that she'd come to know, that she'd come to love, returned as if nothing had happened. It was actually a little unnerving if she were honest with herself. That said, she felt, no, she knew Izuku had immediately processed the weird tentacle feast he'd been ground zero for. It no doubt had something to do with how he suddenly manifested those black whips again, but this time he had them under control.
Scooting up against the wall that sat to her left side, she pulled her heads up to her knees and thought about it over and over. In the span of…maybe two, three minutes tips, something had happened to her boyfriend. Something she desperately wanted to know. A shame she had no idea where he was, or where she was for that matter.
It was a cell. Sure, it was dressed up nicely, resembling a basic room barefoot of anything besides a bed and a desk, but it was still a cell none the less. Okay, maybe it wasn't dressed up that nicely, but still. The featureless slate-gray walls around her drove home the feeling. The one behind her seemed like a cold hand gripping not just her body but her soul as well. She'd never felt a coldness like this before; Mina immediately hated it.
How the hell did I end up in a mess like this?
To her left sat the bars to her cell. Aside from the walls, that was the most soul-crushing thing about her current predicament. Looking hard enough, Mina saw the bars had a faint blue outline to them. If she had to guess, they were reinforced of some sort.
Almost as soon as she made that realization, she recalled her training to eat through reinforced material. "No," she verbally called. "It can't be that easy." Holding out her hand, she tried to produce a small amount of acid. To her frustration but lack of surprise, nothing happened. "Well…shit. I knew that one was coming." Throwing her arm out, she tried again despite knowing the end result.
Hopelessness stung at her like an angry hornet, and worse, it kept on stinging her. Repeatedly trying to conjure acid in the palm of her hand yielded no results. Each time Mina's frustration grew until she finally couldn't bear it anymore.
"Dammit! What the hell is this!" The angry scream was simultaneous to her slamming her knuckle against the wall behind her.
There was no immediate response, again, not like she was expecting anything. However, eventually her ears picked up the sound of footsteps.
Jumping to her feet, she ran to the bars and pulled at them. "Hey! Hey! Where the hell am I!"
The figure came into her line of sight from her left.
"I'm afraid I can't tell you where you are, you are a prisoner after all."
"Yeah, I got that much." Her anger was keeping her from giving into despair. Mina was all for it, and she was all for finally having someone to focus on despite that person being her likely jailer. She was dressed like a businesswoman, a pair of black pants, heels, and a black and gray lining shirt. Businesslike, yet still somewhat on the casual side. The way she cocked her hips to the side with one hand on them reeked of absolute confidence. She not only looked the part of a tiger she had all the haughty demeanor of one as well. Atop her head sat a pair of feline ears that twitched in amusement as Mina glared daggers back at her.
Her laughter was brimming with malice. "Be a good girl and you won't be a prisoner for long. In fact, you'll be living the highlife."
"I was already living that life, then you bastards targeted my brother." Mina spat. As angry as she was, she knew she had to keep a hold on her temper. That wasn't easy to do though-she was an emotional person by nature. "Where the hell am I?"
Smirking, the tiger-striped woman answered, "In prison, little girl."
"Yeah, I got that much. But where?"
"Come on, you're really not expecting me to answer that, are you?"
Honestly, no. Mina knew the only way she'd be able to gather information was by to keep this woman talking. The more she talked the more she might give away Was that going to be easy? Hell no, but she had to try. Her life, and Izuku's, was depending on it. "I don't know. Most villains I've ran into aren't that bright."
"Villains, hmm, I'll give you that. The League aren't the brightest bulbs in the bunch, but they're nothing if not entertaining." The black-haired woman remarked with a casual smirk. Minor as it was, Mina gleaned a small piece of information from that remark. First off, they hadn't been captured by the League of Villains, which was a plus.
Granted, that just raised the question of who these people were. "You've got a funny definition of entertaining. What, you've been tracking them? Afraid you're going to get overtaken by the competition?"
The sight of the fangs in her mouth sent a shiver down Mina's spine. It brought back reminders of the animalistic American mercenary she'd fought at the gym. She quietly wondered if there was any relationship between the two.
"Oh, that won't be a problem, Mina Ashido." She refrained from reacting to the use of her full name. It didn't go unnoticed by her feline captor. "Come on, no big, 'How the hell do you know who I am?!' Nothing?"
She felt her hands trembling in anger. It was anger and not fear, the latter was still buried deep down, suppressed by the anger at the captivity this woman had forced upon her. "You bastards…attacked my brother's school. You knew you'd be able to get to me through him." Her hands reached a new level of tightness with her next words. "No, the truth is…you knew…you'd be able to get to Izuku through me."
Her grin grew insidious, proof that Mina was on the right track.
That's what must have set her off. "What the hell do you want with him!" Mina grabbed at the bars in a purely impulsive move. She felt the hum of electricity beneath her fingers, but ignored it. Everything was secondary to the protective anger that was surging through her.
There was a darkness in her eyes, but again, Mina was too hyped up on her own feelings to care. "There's a lot about your little boyfriend you don't know. I imagine he never told you to protect you, he's one of those selfless do-gooders. Heh, it's why he was chosen to be the inheritor of One For All."
Mina kept her guard up, but she was intrigued. Inheritor?
A brief lick of her lips revealed her fangs again. She brought her hand up, half-masking her face, yet revealing the sharpen claws that went with her feline appearance. If it was an intimidation move, it failed, but Mina acknowledged that this woman would be dangerous in a fight. "Admittedly, I don't know all the details myself, but I know dating that boy dragged you into a long-standing battle, one that's unfortunately swept you up. You poor thing."
She tried calling up her Quirk again, and again, to no avail. Mina channeled her fury though, reminding herself that roaring and raging wouldn't help her. "I don't need your pity."
"Oh, I'm sure you don't, but with what you've gotten involved in…I'm afraid that's something I feel like I've got to give." As she leaned forward, she flashed her a primal grin that quietly chilled Mina's blood. If it weren't for the bars between them, they'd be throwing down, and Mina knew she wasn't going to be holding back. "This war that you've unknowingly gotten dragged into, trust me, it doesn't turn out well for people like you. It can get messy."
Mina gave a short pause before responding. While she knew there was a strong chance this woman was lying to her, she also couldn't help but entertain the possibility she wasn't. Still, how much of what she was saying was true? How much of this was true? She had no way of knowing any of that; if she let her doubts show this woman would seize on it in a heartbeat. When predators smelled blood, it usually led to one of two things.
With a breath, her anger temporarily cooled, but it didn't vanish. It was funneled into something else, something she wanted to believe was purer.
"Whatever it is…whatever he's a part of, I'll face it." She declared looking the older woman in her bright yellow eyes. This was now a battle of wills, and Mina wasn't going to go down without a fight, it just wasn't in her nature.
"Bold words, little girl." The tiger woman rebuked while still wearing that devilish smile. She knew what this was as well, and she enjoyed playing this game. "You know, I like that spark, you've got a backbone."
"That's a requirement to be a hero."
"Heh, on paper. So many of them fold when the going gets tough. I would know, I've shredded a couple myself. Still, I'll give you this, a handful put up a fight. Those were the fun ones."
She was face-to-face with a hero-killer, and a proud one at that. Mina kept her cool and continued to hold the woman's gaze. "You're going to pay for that."
"And let me guess, you're going to be the one that makes me pay? Sorry, pinky, dozens have tried and failed. I doubt you're going to do any better."
"Well, I may just surprise you. After all, we gave your two goons a harder fight than they were expecting."
The tiger woman's smile fell, but only for a second. It came back, albeit greatly reduced. Her head bowed, "Alright, I'll give you that one. Gokuto and Darren a tougher fight than they expected, granted neither of them were going all out. Still, not bad. Then again…considering what that Deku kid's been through, maybe it's not surprising. He's the reason we went to such extreme measures. Swiping him wasn't going to be easy…but you definitely helped."
If it weren't for whatever the hell was inhibiting her powers, Mina would have melted the powers by now. And probably punched this woman in the face. On some level, she knew she was still trying to rile her up, but ignoring that was easier said than done. Still, she was managing. Ironically, her imprisonment was probably helping her.
"Why the hell are you after Izuku?" It was another question she knew she probably wasn't going to get an answer to. Even worse, her question could be turned against her. Mina knew this woman was privy to more information than her, a lot more. She somehow knew about Izuku's Quirk, and to be frank, she guessed it was her goal as well as that of whoever she was working with. She remembered the way those two thugs, Darren and Gokuto, seemed focused on Izuku-the entire attack on Nishiyama High was an attempt to lure him out.
The tiger woman's grin broadened. "I hear your boytoy had a little surprise when Darren was about to pulverize you. Some mysterious black tendrils whipping about. I know you saw it too." She leaned toward the bars, but not close enough for Mina to reach out and grab her. As much as she wanted to tease her, she wasn't stupid; this wasn't the woman's first time doing this, so she knew how to work her prisoner's nerves. "Curious about it, aren't you?" Despite choosing silence, Mina knew that was still a response in itself. The grimace on her face was further confirmation. "Like I said, there's a lot you don't know, pinky. A lot about your boyfriend he hasn't told you, but again, not that I blame him. When he inherited One For All, that kid inherited hell."
"And now you're trying to take it from him. Sure you're on the right track here?" It was small, but Mina took the opening that presented itself.
A level of malice entered the woman's face as she responded. "Oh, that won't be a problem. See, we're some of the demons lurking around in that big black hell. Took us some time to track him down, but we've got him."
"For now." Mina retorted. "Whatever you've got planned for Izuku, it's going to fail."
"Awww! Still keeping the faith in your boyfriend! That's so cute! Tell you what, since I'm starting to like you, pinky, I'll put in a word for you. There may be a place for you in the organization, and maybe one for your boyfriend. The kid's got grit, and that's actually worth something."
Chuckling to herself, the tiger-stripped woman turned her back to Mina. She could have sworn a feline tail was swaying about as she left her. Mina heard the clack of her heels against the cold floor, then came the sound of sliding doors open and shutting.
"Oh, I'm so going to knock her block off when I get out of here." Of course, at the current moment she had no idea how she was going to get out of where, or where here was. Groaning, Mina returned to her bed, dropping down upon the edge and running her hands over her face.
She wasn't going to cry. Not yet, even though she felt a tidal wave of fear and confusion pressing against her. It crashed against the wall of willpower she'd erected. While dented, it still stood tall. For now.
Okay, okay. Calm down. You've got to figure a way out of here. Once you're out, you can find Izuku, figure a way to get the both of us out of here…THEN I can grill him for some answers. Repeating those instructions like a mantra, the clawing tsunami was greatly reduced. A sense of calmness gradually swept over her. With it came an image of her green-haired boyfriend. Think like him. Think like him. Think like Izuku. With that image, and thought, a sense of warm confidence was also injected into Mina.
Breathing out, her black-and-yellow eyes had a clear focus that had been absent moments ago.
Looking around the room, she took fuller stock of what she had to work with. Honestly, it wasn't much. Aside from her bed, there was a small desk directly across from her, one that she'd have to kneel at to use. From what she could see, it was also bolted to the floor, so moving it was out of the question. Unless she figured out a way to call forth her Quirk. About three feet from her desk was a small room that she guessed led to a bathroom. Getting up, she walked toward it and turned the knob, twisting it and finding instead of pushing forward, she had to pull. Her face held a completely flat expression as she stared at the incredibly small bathroom. Just enough room for a toilet and nothing else. At least she had a full roll of toilet paper on the left.
Closing the door, she looked around the cell, noting the black off security cameras. Her initial joy was muted as she pondered the possibility that there might be some she wasn't able to see. As absurd as some of the movies she watched were, she always liked to believe a handful had a grain of truth to them, especially those that got high marks for their realism.
Having surveyed her surroundings, Mina turned her attention to the next, and perhaps most important matter-why the hell could she use her Quirk.
Unlike the metallic rope that had bound Izuku, which he'd broken out of during his whipping rampage, her arms and legs were free. Speaking of which, her school uniform was gone. It'd been replaced by a pair of gray pants, white clinical slippers, and form-fitting gray t-shirt. Temporarily biting down the disturbing question of who changed her clothes, Mina gloomily noted that her phone was, of course, gone. Still, the lack of any physical restraints left her wondering how in the hell her Quirk was being suppressed.
Suddenly, for the first time she realized there was a slight pressure on the back of her neck. Rubbing her fingers over the spot, she felt something small and metallic.
"Oh, so that's how they're doing it." Though she couldn't see it, she knew it was some kind of inhibitor device. They were commonly used by prisons to disable the abilities of criminals. Mina heard they came in all shapes and sizes; some actually being outlined for their severity and threat to the health of prisoners. She imagined that hers was one of the "safer" ones since besides inhibiting her Quirk, she felt nothing else except a minor pitch on the back of her neck. She curbed the impulse to try to remove it; trying to use force would probably result in her tearing her skin off, and that was assuming she had enough physical strength to do it.
Returning to her bed, she sat back on the edge, keeping one hand on the device while the other, her left, rested on her knee. Alright, so I've got to get this thing off somehow. If I can, I'll be able to melt my way out of here. Her eyes widened as a thought occurred to her. While it was possible there really were cameras in her cell, perhaps the inhibitor device was also some kind of monitoring device. Mina would have guessed it also monitored her vital signs so if she was in danger, the guards or whoever would know and come running.
For a hot second, the thought of self-harm jumped into her mind. Unfortunately, she didn't have anything she could do that with…short of banging her head against the wall. She'd probably give herself a concussion that would render her unconscious when the guards came to check on her, so that one was out.
"Dammit! Dammit! There's got to be a way to get this stupid thing off!" Her frustration rose like a geyser, straining her self-control. For a second, the phrase, hopeless, entered her mind. "N-N-No. Not yet. I'm not giving up just yet." Quickly, she regained her lingering confidence and held onto it. Granted, she still had no idea what she could do to free herself. "Ah man, in the movies they almost always make this look easy."
Though she didn't mean to, her mind drifted back to those movies. It was undoubtedly a far simpler time, and that included when she got Izuku to watch a few with her. Mina had a list of a few she wanted to watch with him as a couple. Some she knew would leave her freckle-faced boyfriend terrified, and some she had a feeling would leave him in awe-struck tears. Izuku was an emotional guy, and that was something about him that Mina genuinely loved. He was someone that wore his emotions on his sleeves, much like her. Then again, that didn't mean he was incapable of hiding things. Their entire relationship had started with a simple mix up that led her to finding out just how much he admired her. That seemed like almost a lifetime ago, yet Mina remembered it so clearly. She found herself drawing strength from it.
Throughout her reminiscing, Mina smiled. It was the first time she'd done so since waking up in her cell. It continued as her reminiscing continued, but it suddenly stopped.
"Wait a sec," she muttered. Her unnatural eyes widened while her hand shot back to the inhibitor chip pressed into her back. Mina felt around it and tried to feel underneath it. While it hurt, she realized some part of it had indeed penetrated her skin. Some of its needle like parts were inside of her.
Withdrawing her hands, she looked around the room again. Either there were hidden cameras or no cameras. Either way, she had to give it a try. Trying and potentially getting caught or failing was preferable to sitting on her ass and doing nothing. Every second she wasted Izuku was somewhere…and she had an overwhelmingly feeling he wasn't being treated any better than her. More importantly, she had the undeniable feeling that the more time she wasted, the more danger he would be in. The tiger-striped woman had mentioned his Quirk, One For All, specifically in a manner that made Mina think they were going to somehow take it from him.
An uncomfortable rumble sounded in her stomach. A year ago, she'd have laughed off the notion. Now? Not so much. Izuku and Kirishima had fought against a crime boss manufacturing bullets that could eliminate a person's Quirk. The last she remembered, the former had manifested a second Quirk right out of nowhere. With those things in mind, Quirks had now seemed a lot more…flexible, and not in a good way.
If these people could somehow take away someone's Quirk, Mina had a hunch it wasn't going to be a painless thing.
Trying out some mediative pose wasn't her style. If she did, it might come off as strange if her captors were watching. To mask herself, Mina pulled her legs up to her face and crossed her arms around them. She knew how small and broken she must have looked. That was good, it masked the ironclad concentration she summoned within herself. It was all or nothing, if there was one thing Mina knew about herself in those situations, she knew how to dig deep. That's exactly what she did.
"Urgh…"
"Hmm, finally waking up? Normally, I'm not a fan of being kept waiting, but since this is a special occasion, I'll make an exception."
The voice pulled him closer to consciousness. This was different from when he was pulled into his own mindscape shared with his predecessors. Izuku remembered-this time someone had simply knocked him out cold.
He and Mina had been fighting at her brother's school. After he'd awakened and managed to control Blackwhip, the telekinetic had struck. A set of flashbangs that blinded them, allowing the American to move in and knock them out. Amongst his assault on him, Izuku remembered being bitten and injected with poison.
"W-Wha…b-b-bite…" he muttered.
"Don't worry about that. Since I ordered him to take you alive, Straddler made sure to use nonlethal poison. Had I wanted you dead, well, let's just say that you'd be feeling much worse. Consider yourself lucky that you're alive, and you have a chance to remain as such, Mr. Midoriya."
Forcing his eyes open, Izuku found himself sitting directly across from a man. His dark swept back hair almost appeared blue; maybe it was but he just couldn't see it through his still hazy vision. His caramel brown eyes lit up with amusement once Izuku focused on them, yet he felt nothing but danger radiating from him. He sat at a massive black wood desk with a laptop to his right and a stack of folders beside it. Across from it to his left stood a desk lap that was turned on. As he continued to examine the man, everything from his sharply pressed black suit and tie to the furniture in his office, Izuku's focus was drawn to the windows behind him. It was pouring outside with the occasional clap of thunder rolling across the sky.
Turning his gaze back to the man, he found him holding up a green folder. Smirking, he slid it to him. A hundred termites gnawed at him as he reached for the folder. As he did so, Izuku noticed metallic cuffs around his wrists. One look at their semi-smooth structure and blinking lights told him they were Quirk-suppressing cuffs. He was really trapped.
"All things considered, I'm happy to final meet you, Izuku Midoriya, inheritor of One For All." The man spoke in an insidiously calm voice. Izuku's eyes couldn't help but widen in fear, something that amused the man. "Surprised? Well, I'm somewhat in the loop, you see. I was there for some of your predecessor's battles with my former boss. I gotta say, those old coots ended their feud with a hell of a bang. Then again, they only ended their portion of it. The conflict rages on now, in you and Shigaraki, the next generation."
Still holding onto the file, Izuku immediately analyzed the information the business-suited man had just revealed to him. "You…by former boss…you mean…All For One, right?" he nodded, the smile never dropping from his face. "So…that means you no longer work for him now."
"Correct. We went our separate ways a few years back. You could say I was one of those underlings that decided to strike it out on my own. As you can see," he swept his hand around the office, Izuku doing a minor look around. "I managed to make it on my own. There comes a time when we all have to leave the nest and see what we're capable of on our own. I believe you were in that phase, having taken the reins with All Might's retirement. Like I said, he went out with a hell of a bang."
It didn't surprise Izuku this man had been watching his mentor's final battle with his archnemesis. The latter had apparently been this man's boss as well. Remembering the battle caused him to grimace in discontent.
"What, you thought he wasn't trying hard enough?"
"No! Absolutely not! I know he gave it his best, especially since…especially since…" he kicked himself at the naked display. The man wasn't above riling him up, either for his own amusement or for whatever sinister purpose he might have already had.
"He gave it his all, right? Went Plus Ultra, is what you're going to say, correct?" All Izuku did was glare at the man. He found that amusing more so than anything. "Well, I for one think the old coots gave it their all. It was clear that All For One was trying his hardest to put that musclehead down for good. In turn, the feeling was mutual. Even with the world watching, I don't think he'd have minded killing him. Really…if he did, the world would have breathed a sigh of relief. You see, Mr. Midoriya, there are some forces in this world simply too great to be allowed to continue to exist."
One some level, he agreed with that statement, though Izuku wondered if he'd have the willpower to actually do something about that. As awful as it might have been to some, sometimes heroes were forced to kill. Not every villain could be taken down nonlethally. Sometimes…sometimes it just had to be done. Izuku had learned that from his studies, and it was a lesson that some of his teachers had told him and his classmates.
"This isn't easy to say, but sometimes…somewhere out there in the field, you may have to take a life. It won't be proud, it won't be something you'll want to do, but it may just have to be done." Aizawa-Sensei had told them with a stare that had quieted them down to their very heartbeats. It honestly left some of them wondering if he'd been in that situation himself, or any of the other U.A. staff. For Izuku, that included his mentor.
"Young Midoriya, it is not something I, or anyone should relish, but shedding blood for peace…is a regrettable but necessary evil." That was essentially a confirmation there, a week after their shaggy-haired homeroom teacher had instructed them in that hard lesson.
The chair he was sitting on had arm rests. Izuku gripped the end of them with tightly controlled emotion. "…Do you…wish he'd died? Or…is this revenge for your old boss?"
Lacing his hands together, the man leaned back with a cocked eyebrow. At least this man wasn't a mind reader, otherwise he'd have been privy to all the thoughts bouncing around in his head. Izuku didn't need this man knowing just how far down the well of contemplation he'd driven him.
"You know, I worked for All For One for several years. Really, since I was practically your age. While not the most benevolent boss, I did come to respect him. Without him, I wouldn't be here…still, his time has come and gone. If he died fighting his archenemy, I think I'd have considered that a worthy end. Like I said, the world would have breathed a sigh of relief if old All Might had offed him. Unfortunately, he couldn't get the job done. As for if I'm doing this for revenge…" A bolt of lightning flashed behind him, seemingly illuminating his eyes. He could have sworn that he saw lightning flash inside of his eyes. "No, this is just me being greedy. I want my shot at that position. I'm not content to just go along with All For One's will and let Shigaraki inherit everything. Perhaps more importantly, I want to succeed where he failed." A hand-a finger-rose and was pointed straight at Izuku. He didn't finch under its direction, merely maintaining his harden gaze. "I will take One For All myself, and I'll use it as I see fit."
"That won't happen." Izuku cooly retorted.
"Don't be so sure. I've spent these last several years working towards this. As you know, Quirks are not solely bound to one person, they can be passed from one to another, either willing…or unwillingly."
"One For All isn't one of those Quirks." Izuku countered despite a growing sinking feeling in his gut.
"Not under normal circumstances." The sinking feeling peaked. "Like I said, I've spent several years working toward this. It cost me a fortune, but this moment…this moment I will make it all worthwhile." Pushing his chair out, he stood up, revealing his imposing six-foot figure. His broad shoulders and muscles were almost on par with the American's. Izuku didn't know if he had the same combat skill, but he wasn't in a hurry to find out. Not yet. "Come with me, there's something I want to show you, Mr. Midoriya." Lifting his fingers up, Izuku suddenly felt his arms rise. "Don't worry, the only cuffs on you are on your legs. They're strong enough to inhibit the rest of your body."
Well, that answers that question. Begrudgingly, he rose to his feet and began to follow the mysterious man. That brought him to another matter, "Who are you?"
"Ah, I never gave you my name, did I? Well, as the soon to be tenth inheritor of One For All, I'll tell you. Sanjūgo Namase, you might have heard of my company, Kuroko Corporation."
"The tech company." His green eyes moved to the cuffs surrounding his hands.
"Yes, that was indeed one of my company's creations. As was the barrier that kept the police and pros out. One of our best products, and as you've no doubt realized, for good reason."
"Yeah, a shame that you're using them for evil." Izuku snidely swiped.
Namase merely chuckled and continued walking with Izuku having no choice but to follow him.
They took an elevator down. The all-white walls reminded him of the plain white clothes he wore. They were dull and lifeless, resembling more medical garb than anything. Or prisoner outfits.
"Where's Mina?"
"Finally got around to asking about her, huh? Well, don't worry. She's in a holding cell. I promise, no harm has come to her, or will come to her so long as you behave."
Begrudgingly, Izuku knew he'd have to do exactly that. He took solace in the fact that Mina was alive though. If something had happened to her…he doesn't know what he would have done with himself.
Several minutes and hallways later and they were in a massive scientific laboratory. All the scientist working immediately took notice of Namase's arrival, greeting him with respect. As for him, they eyed him like he was some exotic specimen, one that a few of them couldn't wait to get their hands on to study.
But that wasn't what held Izuku's attention. Several feet away, on an elevated platform stood two giant rings. Within them rose two platforms, atop of each spherical devoices. The sight of them made Izuku's blood turn to ice. Even without having a clue what the machine was called or how it worked, he knew what its function was. The exchange he had earlier with Namase certainly helped.
"Ah, smart kid, just like your file read."
Unwilling to show his fear, Izuku shot a sharp glare his way.
"Like I said, I don't need you to be willing, Mr. Midoriya, but it'll make this process a lot easier." Holding his hand out, he gestured to the machine. "As you must have realized, this is a Quirk transferal machine. It's already been tested several times, so don't worry."
Actually, I'm sure as hell worrying. Not to mention saying you've tested it…that means you've…you've…
"If you comply, I promise, I won't leave you Quirkless like you originally were. This machine can give and take Quirks, for some people…that's rather hopeful. Wouldn't you agree, Mr. Midoriya?"
The clear pointed jab struck him like one of the lightning bolts raging outside. Though he tightened his fist in anger, Izuku couldn't deny a part of him felt a tug at his heart. It was an extraordinarily painful tug.
"Give up One For All and I'll make sure you get a new Quirk to replace it. Perhaps one almost as powerful. Given your intelligence, you'll find a way to make it work. Who knows, perhaps in time we'll make such advancements that you'll be able to handle multiple Quirks. According to Straddler, you manifested a second Quirk. Sure, it was uncontrollable at first, but that didn't last long. You already started down the path to control it. I can give you a similar Quirk in time. Your girlfriend might prove powerful enough to handle a second Quirk as well. His grin was anything but cheery despite his attempts to seem cordial. "It may be the perfect gift to use as an apology to lying to her!"
The reminder that he'd lied to his girlfriend stung him, and it showed.
"Like I said, a new Quirk could be a hell of a thank you gift. Few people can claim to be able to give such a thing." Namase continued. "Of course, all of this is on the premise that you cooperate, Mr. Midoriya. I am going to take One For All." He stepped forward, bringing his full six-foot figure to bare in an imposing show of force. Regardless, Izuku wasn't intimidated. "It's just a question of if I'm going to have to take it the easy way, or the hard way. One of these ways will benefit you and everyone you care about, Mr. Midoriya, and the other…will not. It's your choice which it will be."
To Be Continued…
I'm pretty sure you all know what Izuku's choice is going to be, but hey, the suspense! I'm sorry if this chapter didn't have as much action as the last one, especially after the cliffhanger, but it builds to what's going to be an even bigger fight when our heroes make their attempt to escape.
I grafted Izuku's talk with Banjo directly from the manga. I honestly liked his introduction and rundown regarding how Izuku's inheriting the Quirks of his predecessors. I mentioned back during the festival chapters I thought of having him unlock Nana's Float before deciding to somewhat stick to canon. Now that I've done that, I'm going to play around a little more.
Speaking of playing around, the latter half of this chapter had a lot of that. Namase and his organization is me taking advantage of the fact that All For One probably had a lot of underlings and subordinates working under him throughout the years. Some of them struck out on their own, especially after the battle with All Might that left them both crippled. Rather than follow his will and support Shigaraki, those like Namase are trying to seize power for themselves. In a sense, this is another ugly part of One For All's legacy, the part that likely was the reason why Izuku was sworn to secrecy regarding it. Part of that secrecy's been thrown out the window though.
Given All For One's been playing the evil overlord for decades, likely a century or two, I went with some of his underlings looked into Quirk transferal on their own. After all, given the crowd he ran with, someone probably got greedy or began to wonder if they could follow in his footsteps of manipulating Quirks. The idea crisscrossed with the inFamous games, which I had on the brain as I was finishing up this chapter. That influence is going to show up next chapter in a way I'll leave you all to guess at. Oh, and guess what movie Mina was thinking of when she thought of a way to get rid of her suppressor!
Sorry for the long wait, you guys. The break between this chapter and the next one won't be so long, so rest assured. Let me know what you thought of this chapter, and until next time! Oh, and happy (early) Easter!