Trigger Warning:
- death
- nuclear bomb-like decimation
There are people whose worth you recognize immediately.
Then there are those whose value you realize when you lose them.
However, there is a third: the people in between.
Those whose importance you acknowledge from very early on, forget about, recall occasionally, forget again, and finally remember when they are about to go away forever. For me, Shigaraki falls into that third category. This man, not much older than I, changed my life in ways I never thought possible. All those nights ago, when his broker Giran abducted me from the Hanada manor and brought me to him, I knew nothing would ever be the same.
First he blackmailed me into becoming the League of Villain's spy; otherwise he would have made the prostitution public knowledge. I countered his blackmail with an offer of my own. This crazy youth readily accepted it. In fact, he passed an opportunity into my hands, telling me that I was capable of seeking vengeance all by myself.
If Shouto believed I had the potential to become a clever businesswoman, then Shigaraki believed I had the power to become a formidable villain. In drastically different manners but with the same convictions, both men had faith in me.
Now I have lost one of them.
Fisting his shirt with one hand, I pound the other against his heart. With each thumb, I hope to hear the sound of blood coursing again. Absolutely nothing. His eyes remain stubbornly shut, as though he is happily lost in the city of dreams. If you go off to seek merriment, what will I do, hmm? You're the one everyone looks up to. None of this I can manage by myself.
Dissociatedly, I notice Present Mic-sensei dragging a hysterical Daruma-san out of the laboratory. The other heroes follow suit, leaving just the one hero who performed the immediate autopsy and myself behind. Ha! There goes my two milk thermoses! I cannot even bring myself to enjoy the joke.
I should kill the hero. Teleport Shigaraki's body to Yotsubashi-san. Follow his commands from here on out. But I do none of that. For a while, the world has stalled. Everything ceases to exist besides me and Shigaraki's cold corpse.
Thank you. Not just for letting me have my revenge or protecting me from the rapists. I know I've expressed my gratitude to you plenty of times before, but not for what I am about to say now. You gave me an actual fighting chance. Albeit dark and twisted, I found strength somewhere inside this crippled, broken body to resist my circumstances because of you. I became Lucifer Morningstar due to you. So thank you, Shigaraki Tomura. For all that you have done for me.
Just as my internal monologue finishes, a spasm rocks beneath my fingertips. I still, convincing myself that what I felt was just my desperate imagination. But then I feel it again. That twitch.
Shocked, I back away from Shigaraki's body.
Good thing I do.
Because the next tremor is so powerful, his back arches up unnaturally. So small is the angle that I fear his spine will break. The Pro-Hero forgets how to move. So have I.
Suddenly, Shigaraki sits up. Water drips down his hair, sending shivers all across his skin. "I'm cold," he grumbles faintly.
No sooner does he utter those words does the earth roar beneath my feet. Where his fingers touch the ground, ripples of decay and destruction emanate in all directions. Like concentric rings, the power spreads, crumbling everything in its path. I watch the lab hospital shatter. Then the hospital structure. The city skyscrapers. Any heroes who could not take to the air in time. Any heroes who decided to sacrifice themselves for the sake of their comrades. Finally, apartment buildings. Dust billows into the air, creating beige clouds that obscure all vision. The so-called forensic expert Pro-Hero is the first to die.
When the clouds finally settle down, the ravage Shigaraki wrought upon Jaku city greets the eye. I can see a plain field spanning five kilometers in radius. It would not be farfetched to assume that his quirk damaged everything ten times that distance. All that remains is a small, circular plateau where his container once stood.
How I survived this onslaught, I have no idea. I'm just glad I did. Let's just attribute it to a miracle. Because this sight means that without any drugs or supplements, Shigaraki was able to hone his power to exponential degrees. He decimated everything that he did not touch. If Daruma-san were here, he would be so proud.
Daruma-san! In my grief, I had ignored the senile grandpa. Is he alive?
But I cannot bring my legs to move. Rather, I watch Shigaraki pry the hero's cape from the corpse and wrap it around himself. He turns toward the remains of the tank, where a massive hole appears in the base. Smoke gushes out in dark masses. Shigaraki throws the metal cover off like it is weightless.
"Damn," he mutters, plucking a tiny cylinder from the base. "After the Doc went to all that trouble to make more, most of them are now ruined. Overhaul would be so disappointed."
I finally dredge up my voice from whatever depths it receded to. "He won't," I gasp.
Shigaraki whips toward the source of the sound. Too late, I realize that I forgot to drop the invisibility. He chucks the cover at me. Narrowly, I evade it. Revealing myself, I raise my both hands to placate him.
"Hello! Please don't hurt me!"
The pipe he had lifted to throw next slips from his fingers. "Idiot!" he greets. "I almost killed you!"
"Good to see you, too," I reply.
And then I do what I never imagined myself doing in a thousand lifetimes. I embrace him. Crossing the two meters that separate us, I wrap my arms fiercely around his waist. Burying my face against his sternum, I murmur, "You nearly died, and it was my fault. In an effort to speed up your enhancement, I electrocuted you while simultaneously repairing your body. Then Present Mic-sensei arrived, destroyed the tank with his soundwaves. You were pronounced dead. I felt that you were dead." The tears have not stopped flowing. Instead, they stream more quickly, wetting Shigaraki's already wet shirt even more.
His hands, which were hovering midair, unsure of what to do, ultimately settle on my shoulders. Then he gives me an awkward head pat. Shigaraki's not used to physical affection. So I breathe out a laugh at the gesture. "Don't blame yourself," he rasps in between pats. "While I may have been comatose in there, I did feel my organs healing themselves as the shocks intensified. Thanks, I guess." I cry even harder. "Stop that! I'm not your therapist!"
It takes the fool a while to realize that my sobbing is not going to stop any time soon. That's when he changes his approach. Although the head patting continues, he says, "Just before waking up, I had these visions. Of my family. My birth family." I listen with rapt attention. This is the first time he has ever spoken about his life before the League. Part of me is surprised that I had never been curious about his past. "My older sister was there. My mom. Grandma, grandpa. My dad." He spits out the last relationship as though the resentment has not faded after all this time. "I saw All for One-sensei. Strangely, I saw you there, too."
"Me?" I repeat like a parrot.
"Yeah." He sounds as confused as I am. "You were standing behind Sensei, looking the way you did the night we first met." I was wearing a bathrobe at the time. My hair was wet. "Even though you looked like you went through shit, there was still this steely determination in your eyes. Silently, you were making me choose. I'm guessing that was because of all the efforts you put into resuscitating me."
Comprehending his words, I make a speculation. "Perhaps the image of me you envisioned was challenging you. It's April now. You have no idea of all the feats I accomplished in these four months. For your sake. I did not want all that work to be for naught."
"Ah, that's right! Has it really been four months? Doesn't feel like it."
I release him, smirking. "Let's get you ready for battle, shall we? I'll tell you while preparing."
To our surprise, the one machine that remained intact in Shigaraki's earthquake was a mini-refrigerator. Of course, the fridge would survive such an onslaught. Mythically protecting people from nuclear bombs, magically protecting itself from decay waves! Hail the almighty fridge!
As if the intact nature of the refrigerator was not enough, it came with a built-in touch screen. The ones that allowed you to search things online, play videos, check social media, amongst other things. Smart refrigerators, I think they are called. Regardless, this one has one. From wherever it is catching a Wi-Fi signal after that rampage … I have no idea. Shigaraki is quick to peruse the features of the smart device, while I teleport to my room at the dormitory and shove toiletries in a duffel bag.
Toothbrush, toothpaste, shampoo, soap, deodorant … oh, comb, dental floss, razor, shaving cream, nail cutters, and perfume! They're not for me. And they are unused. It's for Shigaraki. Too late, I realized that I had hugged a man who had not taken a proper shower for months. Floating in an aqueous solution does not count. In fact, that is the source of the smell that lingers on my own clothes. Like still water.
I remember him complaining about feeling cold, but I do not have any spare clothes for him. Shame. A new outfit would certainly solve the stench problem. We'll just have to make do with everything else! When I return, I find that Shigaraki has already found the YouTube feature on the fridge. The ending theme for the anime Joshiraku - Nippon Egao Hyakkei - appears on the screen. We stare at each other for a moment. Him hunched in front of the fridge with his finger hovering over the play button; me holding a heavy bag under one arm and a towel in the other.
He presses the button.
Immediately, the five cute girls wearing kimonos burst into song.
"Not one word, Selene," he warns.
Biting the inside of my lip to keep from laughing, I give him the 'okay' gesture. With both hands. With nothing to listen to except an old man's ramblings for four months, you deserve serotonin. Besides … it's a good tune.
"Here," I say after suppressing the urge. "While the heroes reconvene and formulate a new strategy, you should groom yourself." I beckon him to stand close to the edge of the circular plateau as a small cloud hovers directly above his head. Rain droplets fall from it, soaking him further. "Should I change the temperature?" He nods, unable to speak after being caught. Pointing my finger upward, the temperature of the water a bit. He raises his hand once the heat is just right. I open the soap from its box and pass it to him. Gesturing toward the fridge, I tell him, "If you need me, I'll be there. Otherwise, just listen as I narrate to you the Marvelous Adventures of Selene the Debonair."
So I begin with the events that transpired after he and the rest of the League conspired to kill the Hanada sons. The refrigerator is stocked with plenty of fruit. My eye catches on three pomegranates. Oooh! They look tasty! A public funeral was held for the boys, where Hanada-sama and I received plenty of sympathy. Then my inheritance and succession to the Hanada Group of Companies. He chortles when I mention Hanada-sama's alcohol addiction. There were the conditions Hanada-sama set before me, Sasaki-san, Ahearn-san, Shouto's involvement, the financial incrimination. How I achieved the four-person term and at which costs. Shigaraki huffs in admiration when I detail the slow poisoning agenda. Daruma-san tested me to create more drugs, Yotsubashi-san used me to study the quality of his designs. I quickly remind him not to destroy any of the animatronics in case he crosses paths with them. Knowing Yotsubashi-san, he will have undoubtedly made use of the marionettes to trick the Pro-Heroes. They're easy to recognize. All of them have expressionless faces.
Fury radiates from Shigaraki when I bring up the two assault attempts. He stops scrubbing his skin altogether. I do not dare to turn around. Instead, I continue with the story, finishing with the debutante party and my freedom from Hanada-sama's clutches.
"This morning Todoroki-kun told me that the heroes were going to launch an ambush," I add, having finished peeling the last of the pomegranates. The seeds rest on top of plastic wrap, which I also found in the refrigerator. The song has long since changed to other happy tunes, but who is paying attention to it anymore? Until the heroes arrive, time is of no significance. "I debated between coming to the hospital and the villa, ultimately deciding to warn the people who were in majority. Yotsubashi-san told me to come here and protect you. You are the Grand Commander, the pinnacle of the Paranormal Liberation Army."
I expect him to gloat at the title or make some exasperated remark. Neither happens. "Can I have that towel?" is his response.
For some reason, I find that immensely irritating. Without looking at him, I pass him the towel. He drapes his clothes over my arm, which I promptly levitate and dry them with flurries of wind.
"What did you mean by Overhaul wouldn't be disappointed?" he asks once I return his now-dry clothes to him.
Fishing out the syringes from the interdimensional vault, I show them to Shigaraki. "Prototypes. Not as refined as the ones you have. But they work. They're made from my blood. Hence the different colorings. Don't worry about the forensic team finding out it was from me. The Doctor mixed blood samples from other donors to contaminate the product. He also said the green ones boosted quirks, and the yellow ones did the opposite. Apparently, he made an entire collection, but most of them got destroyed when the rabbit hero went on a justice rampage." I make him take a few of the anaesthetic tubes because God knows when that arthritic flare will inevitably hit me, my fingers will be completely incapable of plunging that drug into my system.
Shigaraki jerks his head in one direction. "Is that the rabbit head?" I nod. "You killed her?" Another nod. "Good job."
The annoyance starts to fade. This time, I really appreciate how well Shigaraki cleaned up in spite of all the compromises. The smell is gone. Wonderful. But more than that, he looks healthier. He already brushed his teeth underneath the makeshift shower. All that's remaining is his diet.
He tells me to hand-feed him because he has to shave. He appears surprised by the fact that shaving cream exists for women. Well, it does. I don't know if it works on the face, but I suppose we'll figure it out now. Plucking a few pomegranate seeds from the selection, I place them inside his mouth. I'm not sure that eating while shaving is a good idea, but he somehow manages to find a balance between the two.
"So once you got the news, how quickly did you get to the villa?" he inquires, incorporating a third item to his multitasking abilities.
Readying another batch of seeds, I answer, "I skipped my morning routine. Brushing, bathing, breakfast, the like. So many other compromises, too."
"Ah, that would explain the lack of flowers and choker. And the hair. Why are you wearing your hero costume?"
"Because nothing remained of my villain attire after the war in December. And I was too preoccupied with other responsibilities than having another one made. Besides, if this battle will be anything like the December one, these clothes will also be turned to shreds."
He achieves shaving one side of his face without any cuts. An orb of water manifests in front of him to clean the razor. "Eat some."
I shake my head and remind him that I have not cleaned my teeth.
"Poor little, Selene," he begins to mock. Oh, great! "Teeth so weak that one meal will give her cavities. Oh, all the sacrifices she has to make! From her morning schedule to her clothes, from her aesthetic to her contacts. Your humble disciple shall never forget your offerings!" I hit him with the towel. Some shaving cream is removed in the act. He complains and lathers more onto his face. "What the hell, woman!"
"One more taunt, and the latest version of the video game you were obsessed about goes back to the dealer."
That makes him pause. He stills completely, registering the meaning behind my words. "You bought my favorite game?"
"With the gaming console. It was supposed to be your happy-awakening present. The plan was to give it to you near the end of the month when you woke up per schedule. However, the company has a 90-day return policy. What will it be, Shigaraki dearest?" He keeps his mouth stubbornly closed. Good choice. "Keep eating," I order, bringing more pomegranates to his lips.
He narrows his eyes at me. "You know, I think I've figured out why you appeared in my vision."
"Care to share with the class?" I reply, unfazed and unimpressed.
"We fight like siblings." If there were seeds in my mouth, I would have spit them all out in one burst. He grins at my incredulous expression. "That exactly proves my point. I saw all the people who had a profound impact in my life. All for One-sensei resembled Kurogiri quite a bit. Which means that you were also a factor in shaping who I am. I think I see you as a little sister of sorts."
I want to refute the point, but how? Reflecting on all the times we have interacted with one another, I cannot deny that indeed our arguments were very much like how I saw other brother-sister pairs fight. Save for the murdering and mutilating threats. Otherwise, yes. Our dynamic was very much where we would die to protect the other, but also feel the urge to kill the other.
"Older brother," I say.
"Little sister," he affirms.
"Onii-chan." We simultaneously cringe at the name. Out of the question. "Onii-san?" That's not much of an improvement either. "Aniki?"
Shigaraki covers his ears. "No nicknames. Please. Actually, let's forget this conversation ever happened." As if to prevent me from potentially saying anything about the subject, he changes the topic. "You're quite close with Endeavor's son."
There are plenty of questions hidden behind that statement. Carefully concealing my alertness, I tell him that he is a friend. "Good thing, too. Otherwise, I would have never learned about the heroes' plan."
He finishes the last of the pomegranate seeds. We pack up the toiletries. I worry that he might decay the items to hide evidence. But he does nothing of the sort. "You do realize you'll have to face him, right? And the rest of the obnoxious students?"
"I do."
"Do you have the strength to kill them?"
I level a glare at him. "Do you doubt my ability?"
He shakes his head. "Not your ability, but your loyalty. The brat has done a lot for you. So I need to know whether you've gone soft."
His words prick my pride. "Not at all," I respond without hesitation. "Give me your orders. I will carry them out without fail."
"Can you kill Todoroki Shouto?" he asks, unconvinced.
"Yes," I lie.
The false conviction must be believable enough because he leans close to my ear and whispers something. It is a list of commands. Listening with rapt attention, my eyes widen with each order ushered. Some of them I can understand. Others are unbelievable.
First command: transfer One for All.
I extend my hand. He takes it. Amongst the weapons of power hidden in my body, I search for the one with that is an enormous stockpile of raw strength. Red lightning that courses through the body like veins. Super-strength capable of shattering a finger. Impressive agility, durability, and speed. The quirk that made Midoriya Izuku a formidable opponent.
Dredging it up from the deepest parts of me, my body succumbs to a sensation I had never felt before. I tense up the way a corpse does during rigor mortis. Rigid. Stiff. Inflexible. My nerves stop firing completely. Am I brain-dead?
Oh, if I am, that's absolutely disappointing. There are already so many issues to deal with, and now this. Stupid quirk.
However, Shigaraki's voice and touch ground me. "Don't stop halfway," he calls out. Why does he sound as if he is speaking from a distance? I feel for where his palm presses against my glove. Focusing on one bolt of red lightning connecting our hands.
Suddenly, the world around me disappears. There is just a black void and colorful rays. I could almost believe that I ended up in outer space somehow. But space does not look like this. It does not have colorful shooting stars or white clouds found on sunny days. This is something else. Another dimension. A realm created by One for All. One silver ball of light shines brighter than the rest. It originates from me, pulling me in the direction ahead. Is this how I transfer the quirk?
I consider submitting to the will of the light when seven faces manifest in front of me. More accurately, silhouettes of faces. Where their eyes should be located are instead two orbs the color of fireflies. Where their hair should be growing are wispy outlines. The rest of the face is a shroud of black.
"Don't," they groan out collectively, seven voices acting as one.
If years worth of trauma have taught me anything, it is not to trust masked people. One look at these shadow people, and I much prefer the will of the silver ball than theirs. The second I stop resisting the light, I feel myself being whooshed. The ball becomes a point, leaving a trail behind. I literally experience how fast the speed of light is. Safe to say, I never want to experience it again.
After what feels like eras later, the ray explodes. With it, so do I.
A jolt passes through my body as I return to the real world. Falling to my knees, I wheeze for oxygen.
Shigaraki helps me up. "Damn! I thought the quirk got the best of you."
"Do you have it? Feel any different?" I gasp between breaths.
"I guess I feel a little cold," he replies, rubbing his hands up and down his arms. "But that might be just an aftereffect of the shower or the uselessness of this cape."
Well, wasn't that anticlimactic?
Shucking off my trench coat, I give it to him. He raises both eyebrows and scoffs. "Oh, just take it. The last thing we need is for you to suffer from hypothermia. Believe me, it is not a recommendable experience. Would not try again." Much to my satisfaction, the jacket fits him perfectly in spite of our height difference. "Hmm. It seems to suit you more than me," I remark.
He grumbles, "Much appreciated." Although the way he adjusts the lapels of the coat belays his genuine appreciation.
Shigaraki scavenges the ruins of the plateau for another device that also astoundingly survived the rampage. A communication device. It looks like a smartphone, but the only function it is capable of is walkie-talkie mode. "To me, Machia. And bring the others. This is when we destroy everything." Then he faces me.
Second command: fight on both fronts.
"Thirty minute intervals," Shigaraki determines.
I confirm, "Before switching battlefields."
"Oh! One more thing! The most important order of all. Have fun killing!"
For the second time today, an unintentional snort escapes my mouth. Just before turning my back to him, I retort, "I'm a villain, Brother dearest! Dark humor is part of the job description!"
"I told you to forget I said anything about that!"
"Ah, but I found something too good to tease you about for the next ten years!"
And the next warp gate transports me back to Gunga Mountain Villa.
I never get the chance to listen to his comeback.
Note: I have copied some dialogue from one of the English-translated versions of the manga. The link to the chapter is here:
.online/manga/boku-no-hero-academia-chapter-273/