How could so much have gone wrong in such a short amount of time?

It feels like this was something that Tokoyami had to continually ask himself. And he would continue to do so for as long as there was no end to this crippling chaos in sight.

He stood in the entryway of the alley where, mere minutes ago, he'd left Toga and Twice to fend for themselves. Twice clones raced past him, barreling their ways into the streets to combat the army that was trying so hard to destroy them. In front, he bore witness to the fate he'd left them to. Those maskless, emotionless Twice puppets that had no purpose being here were now being pinned to the ground and trampled under the real Twice's authentically cloned forces. Tokoyami could only assume that these enemies had moved in the moment he'd gone to find Mr. Compress. And at the center of the maelstrom was the real deal, the bringer of this monumental reawakening the likes of which he'd never seen.

"Move aside, you fakes! I won't watch a friend die! My quirk is double! You Liberation Army bastards… are gonna learn how terrifying it really is!"

Twice – Jin Bubaigawara – stood victoriously in the midst of the one-sided brawl. Tokoyami knew that it was the real one. Only him. He was the only one in his – now tattered – villain outfit, and also the only one to have his mask off. It must've been ripped off and cast aside at some point, because Tokoyami couldn't imagine Twice doing that to himself. It was always startling to see him without his mask – to see that carefully stitched scar in the center of his forehead, short-cropped blond hair, and those perpetually worried eyes of his. But there was a smile, too, and relief written across him, like a grand weight had been lifted from him. In his arms there was Toga. Even from a distance, Tokoyami could tell that something must've happened to worsen her condition, and it made his gut lurch.

Mr. Compress rushed ahead of him, moving against the grain of the infinite forces. "Impromptu medic, coming through!" he announced, unbubbling a med kit in his hand. "Rest assured, I am not a licensed physician, but this is still my business!"

Tokoyami stood numbly in the center of the alley. Clones rushed past him, jostling him on each side with a passing quip every now and then. This just happened. Behind him, he could already hear the cries of surprised Liberation soldiers quickly getting overwhelmed by this new legion of destruction. What did this mean? This ability, this… army. A quirk that could create a million men. It was dangerous, it was impossible. But it was Twice, a man that, despite villainous connotations, had only ever been nice to him even at the worst of times.

And he'd kept Toga safe when Tokoyami had failed to do the same.

Tokoyami raced forward, grateful to see that they'd made it through whatever had gone down in his absence. He didn't want to say anything, but when he reached the three League members he could feel that his quirk was more outwardly emotionally invested.

They'd set Toga back onto the ground while a circle of clones guarded them from any potential intrusion. Compress had already unpacked an assortment of different bandages and medications to help slow down the bleeding, both internally and externally.

Twice mumbled something about how teens are his worst nightmare and then barked a command to one of his clones to go find Toga's syringe device before he set about taking Toga's measurements. It was hard to process everything that was happening at one time.

Dark Shadow hovered worriedly over his shoulder, flitting from one side to another to see everything that he saw. Now that they were closer, he could see more hints of what had changed while he was gone. For starters, Twice's arm was bent horribly, broken at a weird angle.

That… must've been what hurt.

It sounded bad. And it looks bad too. I wish we could've been here.

And Toga…

"Is she gonna die?" Dark Shadow croaked out loud, his lower beak quivering.

No no no, please don't cry in front of them!

I can't help it! The quirk sniveled.

Tokoyami couldn't have possibly imagined her being in a worse state than when he'd left her, and yet here she was. Her teeth scarf had been ripped off, and if he looked closely he could see bruises already beginning to form on her neck. This was on top of all the other horrid injuries that she had already sustained. They really were seconds away from killing her. What a truly frightening thought to have.

He didn't like thinking about it.

Tokoyami straightened up, locking eyes with Twice. "Wha…" His voice came out a choked rasp of worry. He cleared it, embarrassed, before trying again in confidence. "What can I do to help?"

Twice's bewildered expression eased into a light smile. "You already helped. You did what I asked and brought Compress all the way over here so that we could get Toga patched up. That couldn't have been easy, but you put yourself out there anyway. Thank you, Tokoyami."

Tokoyami was left at a loss of words, and so stood in stunned silence. It'd been so… so long since he'd been given sincere gratitude. It left him with a feeling similar to when he'd been enrolled in the hero program. But it was fundamentally different now. And yet, it cemented in him thoughts that had been in circulation for a while now. Even a villain deserved to be saved. A life like this didn't always have to end in misery. Not if something could be done to help it. Because a person like Twice… or Toga, or Mr. Compress. They were still people, and he was in no position to cast judgment on them based on prior actions. If somebody cried out for help, it should be his job to do just that.

Tokoyami gave a small nod in response, and that was enough for Twice. He went back to work, getting the last of Toga's measurements for a clone to aid in a blood transfusion. "I think… she'll be alright," he sighed. Maybe such a thing was still a bit premature, but it came as a great relief. So maybe it was said for their sakes.

In any case, Mr. Compress had been making efficient work. No doubt he'd had to get used to treating his own injuries, so despite the limitations of one arm he was pretty handy with a bandage. "Both of you look like you could use a bit of medical assistance yourselves," he pointed out while in the middle of bandaging Toga's face. The medications would keep her steady while a blood transfusion was performed, but otherwise there weren't very many external injuries to treat, other than burns and what might've been a damaged eye under that mask of blood.

"I'm fine! It only hurts a lot," Twice said defensively.

"I'll get by on my own," Tokoyami mumbled, his gaze dropping to the ground.

Mr. Compress had his mask off to see Toga's injuries better, so Tokoyami couldn't ignore the dissatisfied grimace that tugged at the man's face. "You have time for this, so please take care of yourself. You were with Toga when she was reduced to this state, weren't you? It must hurt something fierce. Especially since you still have those injuries from…"

Tokoyami watched where his skeptical look went. He thought he would bring up the wound that Tokoyami had sustained from Overhaul. It was maybe the one thing they shared in common: that they'd both been grievously injured by the same loathsome man. But this time, when Tokoyami followed Mr. Compress's eyes, he found that they'd settled on the still-healing claw marks that were dragged roughly across his arms. It was all that remained from his confrontation with the high-end nomu. He didn't have to bandage them anymore, but they still stood out vividly across his flesh.

Tokoyami hid his arms under his cloak, tattered as it was. "That's none of your concern," he grumbled, lulling into awkward silence. He suddenly felt restless, and he wasn't sure if he could just stand idly by while the two of them were working to heal their teammate. Nevertheless, he continued to keep watch over them, as if in vigil. And without fail, his mind began to drift elsewhere.

Tokoyami turned back out to where the cramped alley opened up into a cityscape, filled as it was with the swarming masses of vengeful clones. Toga will be alright. I have to believe that, because there's nothing else I can do. But…

Tokoyami stepped over to the end of the alley and poked his head out to look at what lay just around the corner. A whoosh of frigid air met him, ruffling his feathers, and he squinted through miniscule ice shards in time to see a wave of clones get devastated by a gargantuan iceberg that split right through them.

…There's still the other half of the League.

Is there anything that can be done about them? Dark Shadow asked nervously.

I'm not sure, Tokoyami admitted to his quirk.

If we're tired, then we should just stop, right? And treat our injuries while the opportunity remains. His quirk hesitated. There was no hiding thoughts from each other. He got the sense that the shadowy being was disappointed, knowing what he was thinking. But you still want to go back out there, huh?

Tokoyami watched fire and ice dancing in the skies while black flecks of cloned bodies were cast aside, separating and regrouping. Inevitably, his line of sight landed on the skyscraper at the center of the city: MLA Headquarters. He remembered what Mr. Compress had said earlier about everyone's locations, and wondered how close Shigaraki and Spinner had gotten to reaching Giran. That's what all of this was for, after all. Well… it's maybe more than that, now. Saving one of your own… by putting the offenders in their place through any means possible. Shigaraki's the kind of person who would want absolute victory over those that dare to act against him. Just like with Overhaul.

The heroes made that victory easy, though. He just finished what you'd already started.

In that case, I have to wonder if there's anything else we can do here.

His quirk perched on his shoulder, peering out over the crumbling landscape alongside him. Tokoyami could feel his wicked talons sinking in through the fabric of his cloak. "You're thinking that we won't know until we see for ourselves, huh?"

Tokoyami gripped the handle of his sword. "I just… don't want anything regrettable to happen again." And, steeling his resolve, he made his way back over to the trio of League members. "I'm going to go check on Dabi and Spinner. If everything is alright here, then I just want to make sure that the others aren't in compromised positions…"

Twice's tape measurer dropped from his mouth and rolled back into his bracelet. His face slipped into a look of obvious concern that felt all too familiar – without a doubt it was the same face he was always making underneath that mask of his. "Are you sure you're okay to be going back out there? I think that's an excellent idea!"

Mr. Compress stood to his full height, brushing the dust from his coat and groaning as his knees creaked from where they'd been situated on the ground. "It should all be fine now, shouldn't it? With all these clones set loose, I'd imagine it's safe enough to go back out there. Personally, once I'm done here, I'd love nothing more than to be protected for once. It'd be an honor to have a modest platoon of Twices escort me through this wretched place!"

This suggestion was met with a barrage of complaints and enthusiasm from various Twices.

"What? No way, fight for yourself!"

"Sure thing! What are friends for?"

"Stay off the battlefield, Magic Man!"

Mr. Compress backed off from the surging Twices, bewildered but still hopeful. At least some of the clones were committed to sticking close to him out of sincerity, which was good. With such a rampant increase in military strength, at least Tokoyami wouldn't have to worry about those three getting injured any longer. He hoped, anyway. Anything could happen, but those three people didn't deserve to be hurt more than they already were. A lot had happened today, and it still wasn't over. Which was why it felt so much like there was still work to be done, even though the last thing he wanted was to take responsibility for any of this.

That's not true. The last thing you want is for them to get hurt.

Twice – the real one – stood and patted Mr. Compress on the back. "Don't worry, you won't be getting roughed up anymore, not after all your help here. You won't be in any danger while I'm around! Get ready for a world of hurt."

Mr. Compress returned the gesture with an uncertain nod. "That's most kind of you?" And then he turned his attention back to Tokoyami. "I'll admit I haven't been around you much in, um, these sorts of endeavors, but oddly enough I feel like I can trust your word, considering you've come this far. So to that end, I wish you the best in locating the others. And, well, if all else fails, then Gigantomachia should be waking up about an hour from now…"

That was apparently supposed to be a good thing. Tokoyami wasn't sure about it, but Mr. Compress spoke confidently enough that he wanted to think the same.

An hour. So that's how much longer we need to hold out.

But when he gets here it'll just be more unnecessary destruction.

Twice sighed wearily, as if sorting through some decisions of his own. Tokoyami could see the way his line of sight kept flicking back to Toga, and he knew that the man would have to focus his attention back to her the moment his clones returned with the blood transfer devices. "Tokoyami, I… I feel like I didn't do enough to look after you back in Overhaul's base, and I still feel bad about that. How was I supposed to know you were gonna go and get impaled!" Tokoyami wilted, and Twice's voice shifted from accusatory to calm. "And then, just now, I made you find Mr. Compress. I just panicked and – arrrrgh, I'm no good at this!" Twice's hand flew to his temple, his eyes scrunching up like a massive pressure was building in his head. "I guess what I'm trying to say is—! …Just be safe out there, okay? I'll look after you this time, for sure! After all, what good villain wouldn't wanna save his friends? So don't let those Liberation soldiers get ya."

Those words settled like silt in Tokoyami's stomach, coming from a place of sincerity while also contending with some thought-provoking implications. It felt sweet, but with a bitter aftertaste. He didn't want to worry Twice – the poor guy did enough of that in his own time. But he couldn't stay here, either, and they all kind of realized that.

Tokoyami dipped his beak. "I understand. I won't let your efforts go to waste."

Mr. Compress grumbled something under his breath as Tokoyami made his way out of the alley once more, followed by a few of the infinitely multiplying Twices. No doubt the magician was envious of how quickly the clones had joined Tokoyami's side, but that was neither here nor there. For whatever reason, they were more dedicated to his well-being. It was convenient, knowing that it wouldn't be just him and his quirk setting out against the many forces that were standing by in anticipation to tear him down.

Right as he turned the corner, he heard the arrival of Twice's clones with the syringes. They had everything they needed to stabilize Toga, so he just had to believe that they'd all be fine for now. In the meantime, Tokoyami figured he would be able to navigate this city a bit easier.

He was slowing down, that much became readily apparent. The Twices were considerate enough to keep pace with him, but he wasn't immune to the comments of "Could you be any slower?" and "It's okay, you run when you feel like it" that slipped from under their masks. It was true, though. He'd gone as fast as he could just to reach this location, and even that didn't seem like much in hindsight. Yet here he was throwing himself back into the fray. No doubt if he found a quiet curb to sit down on and rest, he wouldn't be confident that he'd stand back up.

We're gonna take a loooong nap after this.

I think that's just sleep… don't tempt me. At this point, that dilapidated couch back in Dabi's crappy apartment felt so far away. The more he thought about it, the more he had to wonder… what was the resolution of this whole ordeal? Where did it end, and what was even supposed to come after? I wonder if the heroes – the real heroes – have caught onto what's happening in this city.

You don't think that the League is gonna just go back to how they were before once this is all over, huh?

Tokoyami found himself looking up at that central skyscraper – the beacon of everything that would happen here today. "We'll see, so long as I'm here to witness it," Tokoyami hissed under his breath.

A clone keeping pace beside him lifted his head curiously. "What was that?"

"I'm more worried about how Spinner's faring in all this, but Dabi's on the way," Tokoyami said, shifting subjects while tracing the complicated smoke patterns drifting through the sky with his eyes.

Skeptical thoughts prodded his mind. You're still really worried about him, right?

Why should I be? It's his fire versus some random person's ice. He should be fine.

You're right. He should be. But he's not.

Tokoyami cursed silently under his breath as ice arced in the sky. It wasn't his fight, but a selflessly selfish part of him wished that it was.

Before long he was back where he'd first tracked down Mr. Compress. At least, he was pretty sure that he'd taken a similar enough path to get here. It was hard to be sure, considering that all the buildings that had been standing here previously had been reduced to desecrated ruins of their former glory. All around him, chunks of infrastructure teetered precariously on each other, and puddles of goop in the streets indicated areas where Twice's clones had been wiped out in droves. Even still, the parade hadn't eased up at all, only adding to the amount of turmoil bombarding the city. The screams and cries of clones and soldiers fighting and fleeing were only interrupted by the stark contrast of their absence when they were snuffed out. Tokoyami could no more keep track of people's lives being struck down than he could tally the forever multiplying clones.

And yet the continually unfolding idea of just how much destructive power one man's quirk could hold was somehow contending with the cataclysmic might of two savagely warring forces that were wiping out the neighborhoods Tokoyami was running through. Over a short amount of time, the amount of ice that was on the battleground had grown out of control, seeping from every possible water source until it was practically stealing the clouds out of the sky.

Tokoyami stood in the shambled remains of roads, in what he could swear was the same place he'd stood in not too long ago. The small crowd from before had long since scattered in the wake of their escape. He glanced over to where someone had previously been helping an injured Liberation soldier, only to see that the two were gone. It didn't matter that they were the League's enemies – he hoped they'd gotten out of the damage zone.

Though he was quickly getting the impression that he might be the only one here with that sentiment.

He didn't see Dabi yet. Generally speaking, that wasn't a good sign.

He could almost believe that the fighting had died down for a moment. His protective squad of Twice clones were standing around, puzzled, while the rest of Twice's mob stormed the half-destroyed streets in every direction. He could hear them calling out for Dabi in their search, heckling and building each other up.

"So where now?" one asked.

"Man, this place is a dump," chimed another.

Tokoyami watched a swarm of Twices overrun a nearby standing building, contemplating their next movement. "They must still be nearby. All this destruction just happened. I didn't think it'd get so bad, but looking now I'm surprised there's still buildings standing at all…"

A fast approaching rumble put him on edge, and Tokoyami raised his head just in time to see a train of ice tearing through the streets. It plowed right through the building, eviscerating the previously standing clones, and continued its path of destruction undaunted, headed right towards them.

A rough shove to his back pushed him in the right direction and sent him towards cover. Tokoyami bolted away from its projected path, followed by frantic encouragement of "Go, go, go!" and "Could you be any slower?!" Nearing cover, the clone in front of him grabbed onto his wrist and pulled him behind a partially broken wall. The temperature around them dropped abruptly, and Tokoyami felt snowflakes freeze to the shafts of his feathers.

"Take cover!" yelled the clone behind Tokoyami, only for it to be ripped apart by a pinnacle of ice. Tokoyami stared, awestruck and horrified, as an untouchable wall of ice ripped past him. Gunk from the clone splattered the ground at his feet, and Tokoyami pulled his cloak close to his side to keep it from catching on the renegade ice. When it finally stopped, Tokoyami was left staring at the frozen façade in disturbed fascination.

"Damn, that was cold," muttered a clone.

"I'm sweatin' up a storm here," said the remaining other.

Tokoyami didn't hear them. He was too focused on the newly spawned wall before him. Its reflective surface, warped as it was by cracks in the ice, showed him an image that was difficult to process. The scars on his arms looked magnified in the ice, the jagged lines marring his flesh aligning with those that decorated the surface of the ice. His cloak – the gift from Mr. Compress from just a few months ago – was already so grossly tattered from fire and fighting to the point where it was disturbingly similar to Dabi's own ragged coat. A fresh cut under his collar bone from his recent encounter with Curious was crusted over with blood under the torn shirt. His feathers were frayed and uneven from all the times they'd caught fire, and his sharp red eyes felt alien as he locked onto them, as if challenging why they held such bottomless weariness.

Seeing this image, he felt small. Not just because of his height in comparison to the blurred reflections of the Twices further back, but because that's exactly what he was in all this. Small. And for all he knew, maybe not all there.

A dark, hazy apparition appeared in the ice beside him, giving him a start. His quirk was different too. Looking at those yellow eyes glowing defiantly – the same as they always had – it would've been difficult to tell otherwise. But it was impossible to deny the fact that everything they'd gone through, they'd gone through together.

And yet, despite everything, it was still the two of them standing here.

Dark Shadow slithered forward until the tip of his beak was almost touching the ice. Hey, Fumikage? Where do you wanna go from here? You're not stopping now, are ya? That doesn't sound like you.

No. I'm not. Tokoyami turned back to the clones. "Quick – someone give me a boost." The clones scrambled to heed his command, crouching together and linking their hands to form a foothold in front of the frozen blockade. Tokoyami stepped onto it, bracing his hands against the icy surface. He was hoisted up all at once, and he teetered in alarm from the suddenness before his fingers found the ledge above him. He gripped onto the ice as best he could, grunting as he hauled himself up the rest of the way. The ice splayed out in front of him, about a hundred feet of slick terrain before it dipped back to the ground. Bracing his boots into a layer of frost, he marched in that direction as fast as what could be managed, climbing over jutting spears of ice and fractured glaciers. I can't stop. There's some people that still need to be saved.

The clones helped each other up behind him, moving along the ice at a slower pace. Figuring they'd catch up eventually, Tokoyami climbed the last of the way over the frozen wasteland until he was standing at the lip of a slope. From here, he could hear voices resonating off the frigid walls.

"—In the future that our Liberation Army foresees, one's rank in society will be directly tied to the strength of one's meta ability."

Tokoyami could see the source now. In retrospect, it should've been hard to ignore. But there they were, that same ice-wielding Liberation loyalist from before. They were elevated above all the layers of destruction, standing atop a dragon-like spiral of ice that kept them aloft. Even from a distance, they looked untouched – undaunted, rather – by all the havoc wrecked on the earth below. It was hard to gauge what kind of person they were from an appearance standpoint, but hearing their words made him stop in his tracks. Tokoyami was struck with a feeling that the ice he stood on was razor-thin, ready to crack and crumble apart if he so much as took a wrong step.

It's shifting. Get off.

What?!

Move!

The ice user lifted their hand, flexing gloved fingers in rigid movements. From Tokoyami's perspective, it felt like the shadowed face of the MLA soldier got suddenly darker. Tokoyami stepped off the edge, one foot in the lead while the other bent beneath him for balance. He skid down the ice-crafted slope, picking up speed and keeping his weight low to the ground right as he felt tremors begin to shake the grand structure. All around him, ice ruptured, broke, and reunited, spearing through buildings and cleaving streets apart. Above the cacophony of wanton destructive, a singular voice rang out in cold clarity.

"Elevating one's ability will be the only way to really live. Beyond that sheer strength… life has no value!"

Hidden in the sounds of neighborhoods being stripped from their foundation, block after block being uprooted by the power of a single person, were the anguished screams of those unfortunate enough to get caught in the crossfire. Twice's clones were easy enough to recognize, but it was the cries of people – real people – reaching to the heavens that made his blood run cold. There were the lives of the people who supported the Meta Liberation Army, and they were being thrown aside by the very people who led them.

In the wake of the message spoken by the person situated on a throne of ice, those words felt even more chilling. Who were they to decide what life held value or not? The strength of a quirk… that shouldn't determine your place in society. That didn't sound right.

It determines heroes, though. Only the strong can be on the top in that case.

In a world like this, wouldn't we be high ranking…?

These thoughts edged into Tokoyami's mind unprompted. Power and quirks, going hand in hand with the quality of one's life. Was that how it already was, and he just hadn't realized it? Then where was he supposed to be in all this? Had his ability not already earned him a place in the most revered class at the most prestigious hero school in Japan?

Or had it merely been a self-fulfilling prophecy that had sent him spiraling into unforeseen darkness, the depths of which he never would've fathomed before?

The ice fractured beneath Tokoyami, forcing him off balance. His foot slid out from under him, and he dropped to his side. The frozen surface burned his forearm from the friction, pulling a pained hiss of contempt from his beak, and he slid the rest of the way down the rugged slope until he came to a stop in a haggard pile of feathers and frost-covered fabric.

His head was pounding, echoing with the cries of the unsuspecting victims. But he pushed himself off the unsteady ground anyway. Because he had to. Because he was here for a reason.

When a new voice joined the conversation, sounding over the background noise of disaster, he recognized it immediately.

Dry and unamused, he spoke his words as though he were spitting venom. "Sounds miserable. I'm gonna need you to die."

Dabi.

He was but a speck amongst the wreckage, standing poised amongst mounds of ruin caused by his adversary. Compared to the continuously building mounds of ice, Tokoyami could swear that he was being dwarfed both in size and power. It didn't help that the person he was supposed to be fighting was hoisting themselves above it all, taking a seat away from the idea that they could ever be equals on. No, there was a hierarchy that had been implemented into the very battleground. Despite what was supposed to be a type disadvantage, an ice age had taken control of everything surrounding this person. While this ability caused the ice to grow and expand with every passing moment, the one to face them held his power on the inside. It was a depleting resource that was quite literally burning him out.

Against his better judgment, Tokoyami began walking towards Dabi. I don't… want him to be outmatched. Not in this place. Not against a person like that.

The ice-user seemed almost amused at Dabi's snide remark. "The one who will die is you, Blueflame," they said with so much confidence that Tokoyami, with a sinking heart, could almost believe it. Dabi's so strong, though. So I should believe he's capable of winning a fight, right? "I can smell it from here. Your body is burning away. Keen observation of the enemy's meta ability is fundamental. And your festering skin looks ready to slough right off… you can't fight for long, can you?! Not when your own flames eat away at you!"

It was true. Painfully true. Tokoyami had known it to be fact for far too long. What else was he supposed to think, when every training session they'd ever had left Dabi looking so much worse for wear? His skin never healed, his burns never got better, and his body never got used to the damage inflicted upon it. Those flames of his were hot. They hurt in a way that was specific to him. It was as if Dabi was never meant to hold a quirk like that, but something else entirely, and it made Tokoyami wonder what could've possibly happened for him to be where he was now. He'd dare not voice these concerns, but it left him asking – if only to himself – if someday Dabi's flames would burn the hand that created them until there was naught but ash left behind.

What if he were to get hurt like Toga? What would I do then?

Tokoyami watched Dabi – Blueflame, he'd been called, as if the quirk was the only thing about him that mattered – climb from the wreckage and position himself atop a pile of ruin.

What if he died?

"Dabi!" Tokoyami called out. He skidded on the ice, only barely managing to catch his balance before running the rest of the way. Under his breath, he growled "Black Ankh," and Dark Shadow stretched over him, providing him with battle-ready cloak and claws.

Tokoyami slid to a stop in the center of an icy field marred by destroyed buildings, tentatively placing himself between the two elemental opponents. At this range, Dabi was much closer now. Enough so that he could see the way his eyes were brimming with uncontended fury. His skin might as well have been boiling – Tokoyami could feel the heat coming off his body from where he stood, despite the fact that the only flames in use were flickers around his fingers.

He looked haggard. He looked bad.

Despite all that, when Dabi looked at him, it felt like it was only to redirect his anger. Those eyes narrowed into cat-like slits that conveyed unconcealed animosity. "What are you doing here. Bird," he seethed.

Tokoyami wavered, shocked by his response. N-no, I'm not the enemy!

Dark Shadow shuddered, a full-body spasm that rippled through Tokoyami's shadow-sewn armor. Are we doing something wrong…?

Tokoyami brushed that idea aside. "I'm here to help!"

A cold-hearted laugh drifted down from above. "An ability user like yourself couldn't handle this alone after all, huh?" they jeered, watching the scene unfold in amusement.

Dabi wouldn't actually fall for that, would he? He's smarter than this, there's strength in numbers!

Tokoyami stepped towards the pinnacle of ice, readying his claws to fight on Dabi's behalf.

A wave of heat rolled off of Dabi, hot enough to melt a layer of ice beneath his feet. Tokoyami whirled around to find that Dabi had lit up like a torch, brilliant flames running up and down both arms.

"I don't need your help!" Dabi snarled, spittle and smoke flying from his mouth.

Tokoyami took a step back, stunned. "But I just–!"

"Get. Back!"

This wasn't how it was supposed to happen. So long as Tokoyami still possessed the power to keep fighting, that's what he should rightfully be doing. Especially when the situation… was this. After the state that Toga and Twice and Mr. Compress had been left in, why wasn't he supposed to do anything now?!

And that's when Tokoyami found himself thinking that he'd never seen Dabi so desperate before. It was like he was standing on the precipice of defeat, fighting a battle with himself to keep from falling off. Dabi was fending off an enemy – had been for a while – but he was also clinging onto the ability to control his unruly flames.

And yet, Dabi wasn't the kind of person to hold back, even if it meant sacrificing his own skin.

In a surge of intense heat, a wall of vivid blue fire rose up between them, cutting Tokoyami off from the chaos ensuing beyond his control. It wasn't as big as what Dabi was truly capable of, though. Tokoyami had only to retreat a few feet to get out of its range, all too used to dealing with them before. Regardless, Dark Shadow shrank away from the lively radiance.

Oi, Fumikage, it's too bright!

What do you...?! Tokoyami flexed his borrowed claws, feeling the thinness of the shadows. He took note of his surroundings, realizing that, true to his quirk's complaints, it was unnaturally bright. He'd gotten accustomed to dealing with those flames from the depths of a sheltered training arena that offered no end to dark nooks and crannies. Here, however, all buildings that would've otherwise provided cover had been blown aside and replaced instead by ice. In the open daylight, he realized that the ice was magnifying the light. This was no position for him to be fighting. Not in the state he was currently in.

If Dabi was supposed to be fighting with an elemental advantage only to come up short, then…

Picking a fight here would be our downfall.

Dabi held back last time we were here, too.

As these realizations fell into place, Dabi was picking his way across the battlefield, away from him. "If you get in my way, I'll kill you!" Those were his parting words, the last warning he would bother giving Tokoyami if he knew what was good for him.

Another wall of flame rose skyward, grander this time, and smoke clogged the sky as Dabi brought the ongoing fight away from him for the second time today.

In retaliation, the ice beneath his feet breathed an earthy exhale as it was brought to life once again. Even if Dabi was trying to control the flow of the fight, that wouldn't be enough to stem the large area that the ice already covered. It cracked and splintered like bone, fracturing into sharp points before reconvening wherever was most convenient. And above it all was its controller, lording over everyone else while boasting of ability and status.

Dabi was right to detest their very nature. Tokoyami could feel it, too.

Even though this wasn't to be his fight, he didn't want to leave it behind as if he'd been defeated without even an attempt. Who was he to deny his somewhat petty nature? Outmatched as he may be by flashy flames and translucent ice, he could at least leave an impression, brief so it may be.

The ground shifted beneath him, but he was ready. Tokoyami sank his wickedly curved claws into the ice and pushed through the distorted terrain. The Liberation lieutenant was focused on Dabi, taking pleasure in mocking the way his flames were dying down. All the while, Tokoyami honed in on the tower of ice that was holding them aloft.

Too late, they realized how close he had gotten. They crooked another finger, and the ice erupted under Tokoyami. Instead of letting it deter him, he worked with the movement, springing off the ice that jutted out from under him so that he was launched into the air. The column of icewas right in front of him now. Acting fast, he readied his claws. Directly above him, the ice platform blocked out the sun. In its absence, he bolstered his claws, feeling them grow in size and strength.

"Covert Black-Op Arms!" Tokoyami yelled out, smashing the sets of enlarged claws into the ice pillar. It shattered under the force, fracturing like shards of glass in the open air. The shock fragmented the rest of the way, breaking it apart until it shattered the very floor its creator had been standing on. A startled yelp slipped from the mightier-than-thou ice enthusiast as they plummeted from the sky. Knocked from their throne, they scrambled to regain their composure, twisting in the air and commanding their element to heed their last-second call.

Tokoyami hit the ground – hard. He hadn't been sent that high, but it was still considerable enough to make for a rough landing. It knocked the breath out of him, and he stumbled into a haphazard roll the moment he felt his knees start to buckle. The cover from Dark Shadow absorbed some of the shock, but in turn dissipated from his body. At the very least, though, he got the satisfaction of getting that hit in. Even if it didn't amount to much, it still felt good to do.

The ice user didn't reach the ground the way he had. They manipulated the ice to catch themselves before dropping all the way. It was the closest they'd gotten to Tokoyami, and he looked up to see a brief glimpse of what was hiding under that heavy parka hood: long white hair framing a slender, feminine face. And a look of pure outrage.

Now would be the best time to take his leave.

Tokoyami quickly mapped the quickest escape route, clearing a chunk of ice and sliding down its other side towards the remains of a neighborhood. "I leave it to you, Dabi!" he called, leaving the battle behind before it was too late for him.

Dabi smiled. The expression looked a bit unhinged on his face, but it felt genuine, like he was uncharacteristically elated to hear those words from him. Then he launched an all-consuming conflagration, large enough that Tokoyami could feel his back burning from the heat even as he retreated.

Instilling that faith in him, Tokoyami slipped through the labyrinth of ice and debris, ever closer to the center of the city and away from whatever destruction would continue in his wake.