Tokoyami paced the sidewalk outside of Nighteye's agency, itching to be on his way already so that something could be done about Midoriya before things took a turn for the worst. In the midst of it all, he'd still had no response from his old classmate. The message hadn't even been read, rendering any potential warning useless. What was the point of trying to do right by this hero-forsaken society if they couldn't even keep up normal communication after a few days? Tokoyami couldn't believe he'd managed to do better than his usually so rational classmate by willingly finding Nighteye again – even though he wasn't a recognized part of this damnable mission that had involved the likes of Hawks and Endeavor.
It feels so laughable, and yet here I am.
You're doing this for Midoriya and Sir, though, and that's what really matters, Dark Shadow reassured him through the layer of gloom that hung over his head.
Tokoyami hummed out loud, considering the truth of that. His desire to help those he cared about outweighed whatever animosity he held against others. That had to be somewhat reassuring, right? That he wasn't fated to fall so far into darkness that he couldn't climb his way out of it. But, well… that wasn't so much an issue, either. He already knew where he stood in this world, and the direction in which the light shone did little to affect that.
The sound of an approaching car freed him from his heavy thoughts, and he stood to attention as Sir brought his vehicle around from the garage of his agency. Tokoyami had already refused the offer to ride with him – it was already hard enough for him to have accepted a communicator from the hero, given his history with such things. But he'd been promised that it existed solely as a means to talk between the two of them. Sir had Midoriya's GPS and could provide him the directions he'd need while covering the ground, and hopefully that'd be enough for Tokoyami to track his ex-classmate down before his warning came too late.
Sir pulled up next to him and rolled down his window, expression grim. It was a bit too late to be having regrets, wasn't it?
"Tokoyami, I'm very thankful to you for stepping forward in this mission when you didn't need to. I…" A shadow of doubt clouded his eyes behind the shine of his glasses, and Tokoyami felt his gut clench. He couldn't have already done something wrong in Sir's eyes, did he? Tokoyami could hardly care if every other hero in the world was against him. But Sir Nighteye… he was the one that Tokoyami had decided needed to be around for Midoriya. He'd given everything so that he could still be here. And even though that was a thought that he didn't intend on hanging over their heads, it was one that plagued him nonetheless. Because if Sir found his actions irresponsible or unnecessary… then it would hurt, much as he hated to admit it.
Instead, Sir surprised him.
"Could I gain some Foresight on your future? Even if there's nothing I can do to stop whatever happens tonight. Even if it won't change anything. I want to know how this mission will end in your eyes," Sir Nighteye explained.
Tokoyami hesitated. He'd been in Sir's visions before, the effect of his quirk to see the future mapped out before him from the perspective of the person he touches. But it'd never been used directly on him. It felt like it should've been a breach of privacy – he already didn't like when others knew his whereabouts or kept tabs on him. He valued his new-found freedoms too much for that. But he also readily accepted that Sir most likely had his best interests at heart. There weren't very many people looking out for him.
Tokoyami settled his hand down on the car, next to the rolled down window, and gave a great sigh as he acquiesced. "Very well. Use your quirk on me, if it brings you peace of mind." And I pray I'm not making some horrible mistake in the future he sees.
Hmm, you could be. It wouldn't be unusual for us, Dark Shadow supplied helpfully.
Tokoyami grimaced. How reassuring.
All Sir had to do was brush his hand with his own. The hero's eyes changed for a moment, and he sat in silence as he pieced together a future that Tokoyami wasn't privy to. Tokoyami shifted uncomfortably, taking his hand back as his eyes reverted back to normal.
"Was… was it bad?" Am I allowed to ask that? Or will that change things?
Sir shook his head. "It is what it is. But I understand your concern. I think… I think you just need to proceed as normal and go with your heart. I have faith in your decisions, Tokoyami. You'll take us to where we need to be."
Tokoyami relaxed almost immediately. We're going to be alright. And so is Midoriya!
We should get a move-on, then! Dark Shadow trilled, squirming eagerly under his cloak.
Tokoyami reached a hand through the folds of fabric with a laugh, his fingers trailing along the spine of his quirk with a chuckle. "If that's how it is, then let's be off. The sooner we locate Midoriya, the better."
Claws wrapped around him and he took off to the sky readily while Sir followed below. Using the communicator, the hero gave him the directions of their target. They changed all the time, with him never standing still for very long at all. Had Midoriya truly been moving at such a frantic pace this whole time?
It was concerning, but all the more reason why he needed to act quickly. Sir announced when he lost sight of Tokoyami, though he assured he wasn't too far ahead. He just needed to catch up while his ex-classmate was stalled. If Tokoyami wasn't able to navigate the city at his own speed, then he'd never catch up. There was no point waiting around when that was exactly why they'd lost contact with Midoriya in the first place.
Hours passed, drawing him closer still to the target. The sun was starting to set, and heavy clouds had rolled in during the time it had taken him to make it this far. But finally, it seemed as though the end was in sight. Sir updated Midoriya's position, and Tokoyami adjusted his flight path just in time to see a trail of green fading behind a corner near the ground.
Tokoyami breathed a quiet sigh of relief. He was starting to worry that Midoriya might never slow down, opting to race laps around the city until he inevitably dropped from exhaustion. That was the small blessing Tokoyami had of working alone with a goal that only he possessed: he was left alone, and he had no obligation to reveal his whereabouts to others. Nobody was technically after him – though the run-in with Rappa had been an unpleasant wake-up call, and the subsequent incident with All for One calling for his head had left a foul taste in his mouth.
As it stood, his goal now was to engage with the ex-student, in a way that was hopefully smoother than the last time they'd parted.
Tokoyami dropped down into the shadowy alley behind Midoriya, right when he'd sensed a lull in his movements. He kept up such an unforgiving pace that Tokoyami wouldn't dream of approaching from the front and risk colliding with him, even though he was confident in his ability to match Midoriya's speed.
His boots hit the grimy pavement with a muffled thud, and his cloak settled into place around his shoulders. "There you are," he rasped lowly, voice hitching in relief as he felt his shoulders relax.
Midoriya turned on a dime, and Tokoyami was immediately struck by just how on edge he looked. This boy was far removed from the cheery smiles and nervous stutters that Tokoyami had first associated with him when class 1A had first met each other… almost a year ago, now. Has it really been so long? Or rather, only that long? He couldn't decide what was worse.
Nor did he know what to think when Midoriya's first response to seeing him was to raise his arm against him, readying an attack that would no doubt knock him flat at such close range.
"Deku, wait!" Tokoyami yelped, hastily stepping back as Dark Shadow rose protectively around him.
For a second, nobody moved, the only sound that of Tokoyami's frantic breath slowing to something more level.
Midoriya lowered his arm, though it seemed as though he had some misgivings about doing so. Rude. "Tokoyami? What are you doing here? If Shigaraki catches wind that you're tailing me, then he might not show up. Besides, I've been fighting off some strong villains lately – I don't want you getting caught up in anything while you're still…"
Tokoyami's eye twitched. It was a classic case of the pot calling the kettle black, and yet it felt particularly degrading because, injured or not, Tokoyami was fully capable of taking care of himself!
Do you really think that?
Or at the very least… he'd met his fair share of challenges, and thus far he'd managed to overcome each and every one of them. Difficulties be damned, at least he had a stable shelter and a food supply, dwindling though it might be. As far as appearances were concerned, however… It's only been a few days – how many fights did he get in to become so battered?
Beyond the red, bandage-like support item that now supported Midoriya's arms, the state of his hero costume was degrading at an alarming rate. Every rip and tear was exacerbated by his sporadic movements, as if the material itself couldn't keep up with its wearer's demands. This should've been the same hero suit supplied by UA. Tokoyami had never really gotten the chance to use his outside of school events, so the standards set by Detnerat was all he had to compare to. And so far, his all-black gear had help up better than anything he'd ever had before. It was still horribly tattered and burned, its holes and tears fixed with an embarrassing amount of stitches and staples, but he was at least confident that it would continue to hold out through whatever else awaited him in the future.
Tokoyami pushed the comparisons aside. They made no difference at the moment. "Midoriya, there isn't time. Sir and I have been trying to get in contact with you. Have you not seen my message? I need to warn you about—"
With a curt exhale, Midoriya turned away from him, green electricity flaring around him. "So that's what this is about. You don't have to worry – really, I have it handled. I already know what to expect at this point."
Tokoyami lunged forward with an uncanny speed of his own before Midoriya could dart off again. If he thought Tokoyami was the kind of person that he could leave in the dust, he was dead wrong. "No, you don't," he argued, grabbing Midoriya's wrist and whirling him back around so that he could face him. "Don't even pretend that you do!"
"My Danger Sense doesn't work on you," Midoriya grumbled darkly, the outline of a scowl beneath his shadowy mask.
Tokoyami's eyes widened momentarily in surprise. Danger Sense? If that was one of his new abilities, then it sounded rather self-explanatory. "I—I assume because I'm not a danger to you?" Tokoyami suggested, bewildered as he was that he might have to spell that out for him.
Dark Shadow tilted his head curiously, watching their not-so-friendly exchange unfold. Something's not right here.
You're telling me! Tokoyami huffed internally.
Oh! I get it now, Dark Shadow decided, before he took one of Midoriya's tattered bunny ears in his beak and tugged sharply on it.
Tokoyami snickered as Midoriya gave a startled yelp of dismay. Frizzy green locks spilled from the hood, bordered around a face that was crusted with street grime and dried blood. His usually vibrant eyes were a dull green, and heavy bags saturated the skin beneath him. This boy was exhausted… and rather unkempt, even for Tokoyami's standards.
"Oh, Midoriya," Tokoyami sighed as the green-haired boy rushed to pull his hood back over his head. "This treacherous lifestyle isn't quite cut out for you, is it?"
"Don't say that!" Midoriya snapped. But it was a defensive demand, and he had no obligation to take back what he'd said after speaking the truth. "I'm needed for this mission. It can't be anyone else! People will only get hurt by the very same villains that are coming after me. If you hang around me, you'll just… you'll be a liability!"
"Try believing that yourself before you go saying that to my face," Tokoyami snarled, his deep, scratchy voice more imposing than he'd intended it to be. At his side, Dark Shadow bristled in agitation. "Don't you dare undermine everything I went through just so that I could stand here before you now!" Tokoyami let go of him with a shaky breath. This time, Midoriya didn't try to dash away. Good. Maybe somebody can actually get through to him now. "Now. My warning. Since you would be a damn fool to dismiss it –" Tokoyami noted the wince that rippled through Midoriya's shoulders at the accusation "—is about the bounty hunter that's out for your head."
Midoriya nodded slowly. "I assume you mean Nagant? That just confirmed what we were already theorizing. I was already briefed on that."
"Be that as it may, I've already made contact with her."
That got Midoriya's rapt attention. "Did she hurt you?" he inquired, a familiar note of concern in his voice. That sounded more like him.
Tokoyami hesitated. That was a more complicated answer than it had any right to be. He hated having such discernable misgivings over a prison escapee that he'd learned about just yesterday. It hardly seemed fair.
He glanced around warily, wondering if there was perhaps a better place for this. If Nagant caught them on the ground like this, they'd be like fish in a barrel. Perhaps there was more to Midoriya's constant running than Tokoyami had expected. "Let's move somewhere higher," Tokoyami suggested, Dark Shadow's claws wrapping around his midriff. Midoriya followed behind him curiously, and they made their way to the top of a tall building that gave a good vantage point of the city sprawled out around them. With their view covered, Tokoyami explained Nagant's new, unlisted ability, Air Walk. He could tell that Midoriya was troubled by the revelation in a way that was somehow more dire than if this was just any ordinary quirk, though he couldn't pinpoint the deeper reason behind it. Tokoyami went on to explain how she needed to take him in alive, which again only confirmed his suspicions. And… and he even revealed her unlikely accomplice in all this.
"Chisaki?!" Midoriya gasped. "What's he doing in all this?"
"Helping to bring you down, evidently," Tokoyami glowered.
It had come as a surprise, but… nothing that couldn't have been a possibility. Midoriya mulled over this information in uncomfortable silence. It looked like he'd finally slowed down enough to sit down on the roof of the building while Tokoyami scoured the skies around them for any potential threats. It was the least he could do to put Midoriya's mind at ease while he took some much-needed time to think things through.
"Tokoyami, how… how did you discover all this, while I've learned nothing?"
Tokoyami grimaced. So far, he'd been keeping his communication line active with Sir Nighteye. Nothing thus far had been said that he hadn't already explained to the pro hero. But for this… he'd rather have his confidentiality. He knew Sir's quirk already knew what he was doing, but even still, he wanted to believe he had more control over the situation. He turned the communicator off with an audible click.
"It's not like I sought it out, if that's what you think," Tokoyami grumbled dejectedly. "In fact, I was trying very hard not to get caught up in the mess that's been the last 24 hours. But that's never helped me before." The cold anger in his tone was easily discernible. "I got hurt by a surprise villain attack – no, not Nagant, though I did run into her not long thereafter. But she… she took me in, if only for a day. She stitched my wounds and gave me food… and then later that night, she tried to kill me." Tokoyami's eyes left the sky, flicking over to Midoriya to gauge his reaction. His eyes were downcast, face sullen as if this were somehow his fault.
"I'm sorry," he sighed.
"Well, you shouldn't be," was Tokoyami's resolute response. He crouched next to Midoriya, dragging his attention back to him. "There was value to this experience. Listen to me, Midoriya. I know she's after you… but I don't think she wants to truly hurt either one of us. When she's not being driven by someone else's orders, I can tell that she has a good heart. If there's a way to get through to her without needless sacrifice, I want to try. I want to give her the same chance she gave me when she took me in and let me go."
"Is that how you see it?" Midoriya asked dubiously. Though his mask was properly covering his face now, Tokoyami could tell he was frowning again.
"Trust me on this. I've met too many genuine people that ended up in… unsavory positions that made them villains. But she's still undoubtedly human, and I don't want her past to be the only thing to define her."
"She is a good shot, though, so don't think you can let your guard down around her!" Dark Shadow cawed.
"I wouldn't dream of it," came Midoriya's more resolute response. He pushed himself back onto his feet, his short-lived break over, and Tokoyami stood aside to let him pass. He stood overlooking the city, preparing to spring back out into the world.
"I'll be tailing you from now on," Tokoyami called, prompting the green-clad hero to cast a look back over his shoulder. "She'll be focused on you, so I'll have no trouble staying out of sight. Don't think you can outrun me. If the need arises, I'll be able to assist you in neutralizing her." I hope, anyway.
You're… are you not gonna tell her that All for One gave her new orders to kill you? You shared everything else that was important… Dark Shadow pointed out.
It'd just worry him. And I need to be here when Miss Nagant emerges from where she's hiding.
Dark Shadow didn't comment on his decision, but he could sense his quirk's disappointment.
Midoriya gave a stiff nod and disappeared over the edge of the building. Tokoyami waited a beat, then another, before he stepped out to the edge and watched the quickly disappearing streak of green lightning flit through the deepening shadows of a city wrapped in dusk.
Tokoyami took a deep breath. His shoulder was beginning to burn, and the ache in his ribs was returning with a vengeance. The feeling of restfulness he'd managed to obtain through the few hours of sleep he'd obtained on Nagant's couch was starting to wear off. When this was all said and done, he was going to take a long rest.
You better, Dark Shadow grumbled, echoing his body's demands for sleep.
Tokoyami donned his night-vision goggles and dropped down into the city's depths, keeping Midoriya on the edge of his sight. He turned his communicator back on to touch base with Nighteye, explaining the situation and their trajectory. He couldn't see the hero's car yet, but he knew he couldn't be too far behind. As night crept over the city faster than before, Tokoyami became more aware of flashes of fire that would emerge over the tops of buildings, and with a grimace realized that this meant Endeavor was also hot on the trail. But since the Number One Hero was less discreet, there was a more significant distance between him and Midoriya.
It started to rain.
Tokoyami paused atop a building as droplets flattened his feathers. He gave an involuntary shudder and adjusted his cloak around his shoulders to better cover him. He closed his eyes to listen to his surroundings better, since even his goggles could only do so much against the elements and the different sized buildings did a good job of concealing unknowns. He could hear petty squabbles and screeching car tires. He could hear the now normalized sounds of civil unrest breaking out on street corners.
Bang!
Tokoyami's eyes flew wide. That noise was unmistakable. He was already taking off again, flying at a break-neck pace to catch up to Midoriya. At the same time, his communicator crackled and Sir's voice came in as Tokoyami adjusted the sound.
"His GPS signal is gone! What's happening out there, Tokoyami?"
Tokoyami held the device close to his beak. "It's Nagant. She's made contact. I don't have a visual, but I'll be caught up in just a moment."
He went to tuck the device away, only for Sir to finally respond again. "Please be careful. I want you to be okay."
"R…right," Tokoyami mumbled. The request felt strange. Didn't he already know how this would play out? Or was asking this question somehow essential to his self-preservation? Either way, he didn't want to let anyone down, and that included Sir, who'd put more trust in him than most other heroes.
Another bullet shot rang out, this one closer as Tokoyami homed in on the action. He caught a flicker of movement from up ahead, and arrived in time to watch a fluttering form jump from atop a tall building.
Take me higher, Dark Shadow. She'll be looking elsewhere.
The quirk did as requested, climbing higher into the sky so that nothing was above him but the night, which camouflaged him better than anything else.
From up here, he caught sight of a particularly loathsome being that had been brought along for the show. Chisaki had been left behind on the roof of a tall building, and he was overseeing the match, no doubt taking joy in seeing Midoriya get taken down. Tokoyami noted his location for use later, swallowing his contempt for the man in lieu of focusing on the more pressing matter at hand.
He could see Nagant in plain view now, weaving her way through the skyscrapers as she worked to circumvent Midoriya. He couldn't attest to Midoriya's experience in these kinds of conditions, but watching another well-placed shot find its target was all he needed to see that his friend could be overtaken if nothing was done. The two were playing a dangerous game of chase, stepping through the air with very different kinds of ease and grace. Midoriya was at risk if he kept trying to run circles around somebody who could match his pace.
Midoriya must've realized this too, because after taking a hit from her bullet, he plummeted to the ground, throwing up some kind of smokescreen in the process. Tokoyami didn't know what all these abilities were, but it would at least buy him a moment to recalibrate. Only problem was that it also meant that Nagant could camp him out from above, waiting for him to emerge.
He needed a decoy.
Tokoyami draped himself in shadow and dropped from his high vantage point. "Miss Nagant! He's not the only one you should be concerned about!"
Nagant whirled around, never lowering her rifle, and stared at him in bewilderment. "What are you doing?! Didn't you get the message – I'm supposed to kill you. Do you ever care?!"
Tokoyami winced. She didn't have to sound so angry at him. It was her gun being aimed at him, after all. So he really wasn't surprised when she took aim and fired a speedy bullet directly at him.
It clipped the building that he fell behind – there was only so much that could be done about an evasive target – and he could practically feel the air of indecision that surrounded her. He'd become yet another mission to complete in her eyes, though he doubted he took as much precedent as Midoriya did. Nevertheless, his distraction had been enough, as he heard the sound of battle breaking out from the sky he left behind. Midoriya must've seized the moment to leave his smoky cover and taken a pot-shot at Nagant, if her surprised gasp was any indication.
Tokoyami circled back around so he could see what was happening. He was surprised to find that Midoriya was practically on top of her, as if he'd dropped down from above, and he briefly noted the broken glass falling around him from a nearby broken window. Clever of him to use the building as cover from the inside.
"The best way to handle a sniper is to get close! I'm going to make you tell me everything you know about All for One!" Midoriya declared, bringing his leg down with a kick.
She recoiled as it connected, but Tokoyami could see the exact moment her arm shifted from the long-ranged sniper model to the more familiar weapon that he'd had pressed to his head several times already.
"You fool! She can shoot at any range!" Tokoyami yelled as she lined up the shot.
Another flash sparked through the air as her bullet hit Midoriya dead-on. But… she wasn't trying to kill him, so even though it definitely hurt and left the young hero winded and injured, it wasn't going to put him out of the fight just yet.
"The Safety Commission taught me everything I know," Nagant said, almost tauntingly, as if it was the heroes themselves that had put her in this position. And hell, knowing what he did, it very likely was.
"Then why work for All for One?" Midoriya yelled as he plummeted. "You know he's plotting to take over everything, right? So why?! I knew you used to be a hero!"
Now that the fight had been brought in so closely, her shots were becoming more frequent, chasing after Midoriya and keeping the heat up so that it was difficult for him to react.
"Midori—" Tokoyami drifted out from behind the building as Midoriya came close to him, urging him to get under cover. Hell, this lady even shot his utility belt off, and his uniform was more tattered than ever before. But he'd only put himself back out into the open for a second, and that was all it took to have her quirk land squarely on his head.
A choked gasp escaped him. Nagant hadn't even hesitated, firing a sharp, devastating bullet directly at him. It slid past his beak, so close he could feel the air coming off it, and come painfully close to his newly stitched shoulder. It told him all he needed: that she was prepared to undo the work she'd done for him last night.
The bullet shattered the window directly behind him and, thinking fast, he rolled into the darkened building and scrambled away from the wall, his heart beating in his throat.
Fumikage! Are you okay?!
"Y-yeah, just grazed is all. Just like last time."
We can't keep testing her like this. Isn't there some better way to get her attention off of Midoriya without endangering ourselves?
Tokoyami stumbled out into the building's hallway and searched around for a stairwell that could safely take him up to the roof. After locating one, he flew up the stairs on his quirk's wings and broke down the locked door at the top.
The sounds of bullets being fired filled the air, making everything feel rushed for time. He'd promised to be there for Midoriya. And… and he'd told him that the person trying to capture him wasn't a bad person. He could hear Midoriya still trying to appeal to her, but with a pang of worry wondered how long he'd be able to keep it up before Nagant managed to silence him.
If it was too risky to get caught up in the midst of the ongoing crossfire, then he'd just have to try a more underhanded method of stalling the fight. Miss Nagant was so focused on her target, and he didn't doubt that she wouldn't hesitate to take him out if he got in the way again. But if he did something to catch even someone as steely as Nagant off her guard, then it might be enough of a distraction to give Midoriya the upper hand.
All that and more ran through his head as he dropped down on top of one of the tall buildings that he'd noted earlier. He tore his eyes away from the zipping line of green and the blasts of vivid bullets, turning instead to the silhouette of a truly haggard man. The dreaded villain was standing tantalizingly close to the edge of the building, and it looked like a stiff wind was all it would take to knock him off.
If Nagant stopped him last time, then he was willing to bet that she'd do it again.
Tokoyami sprang at the vulnerable Chisaki, catching him totally unawares. The repulsive man screeched in alarm and writhed as shadowy claws wrapped across his shoulders, holding him in place. Tokoyami stepped towards the edge of the building as his screams rang out over the sound of battle, and he placed his foot on the small wall separating them from the drop below.
"Nooo! Nagant, help me! You were supposed to take me to the boss. Not… not this!"
Chisaki continued to twist madly in his arms, until Tokoyami finally had enough and reached his steel claws up to his throat with a threatening growl that arose from somewhere animalistic and unkind. Chisaki's movements only succeeded in getting his throat nicked by the blade, and at the first drop of blood his eyes went wide with a haunting realization. There was no escaping this. He was truly and utterly at the mercy of the young bird-headed boy he had once terrorized, mere months ago.
"The fighting stops now, Miss Nagant!" Tokoyami roared, a hard edge in his voice that was only amplified by a threatening rumble supplied by Dark Shadow, who hovered over him like a looming beast. "Fire again, and I'll end this man!"
It was a gamble, there was nothing else to it. He couldn't even be sure that the ex-hero cared that much about a man as pitiful as the washed-up yakuza boss. Or she could call his bluff and decide that he wouldn't actually kill him. Because… because he wasn't planning on doing that. Even if, for a scary moment, it seemed far too easy. Even if it meant he could come to terms with the hell that he and Eri had been put through under this man's callous, now non-existent hands.
Tokoyami tightened his hold on Chisaki that little bit more. He could feel Chisaki's jugular press against his blade as he cried out, "He's going to kill me!"
Miraculously, the fighting did stop, as both friend and foe alike turned to him with horror legible on their faces, even from a distance. He… he hadn't meant to distract everyone, yet here he was, screwing things up. But Midoriya was quick to recover – not just from the realization that Chisaki was here, overlooking the battle, but from the idea that he was being held hostage by Tokoyami.
What Tokoyami wasn't expecting was for Miss Nagant to look so devastated. She lowered her rifle arm for the first time that night, if only for a single, distractible moment, and her pained expression was more targeted than any bullet she'd ever sent his way.
Tokoyami froze, his grip loosening slightly as he pondered why she'd responded as such. It couldn't be because she would truly feel much loss if Overhaul were to perish. So maybe it was less about the life hanging in the balance and more about…
She doesn't want his blood on my hands!
Tokoyami remembered the way she'd grabbed his wrist yesterday while leading him out of Chisaki's room. She'd been stern but gentle, in a sense. As if she understood the reasons behind his hatred but wasn't about to let him succumb to it.
He was startled from these thoughts as a cry pierced the air: "SMAAAASH!"
Tokoyami was barely given time to process Midoriya's all-out attack – considering his inability to get a proper hit before now, he understood the need for a big blow, but still – before another sound pierced the air.
One last bullet left Nagant's rifle and split the air on its way to find him.
Tokoyami flinched at the sound, wondering if his rationale up until this point had been wasted on someone far more blood-thirsty than he'd given credit to. Dark Shadow slashed the air in front of them and Tokoyami had just enough time to move his arm defensively. It wasn't… it wasn't a particularly fast bullet compared to the ones he'd seen her target Midoriya with. It slipped through his quirk's claws—
-And shattered one of the steel claws of his right gauntlet with a heavy, blunt-tipped force.
Tokoyami gasped as the fractured blade was sent flying. The force caused him to stumble back, drawing him and Chisaki away from the edge with a spluttered curse. He let go of the man and cast him aside, careful to make sure his remaining claws didn't injure him. His arm was shaking, nerves numbed by the collision, but he pushed the sensation away and stepped back onto the low rampart overlooking the city.
"Your gun barrel's busted! It's over, Lady Nagant!" came Midoriya's successful cry.
Tokoyami breathed a sigh of relief; if that was the case, then the fight was over. Perhaps now he could get close to her again. He stepped off from the edge, calling out to Chisaki over his shoulder, "I'll be back for you," and glided out over the darkened city on shadowy wings.
He was just in time to watch Nagant miss her footing in the sky, her Air Walk going out in a moment of uncertainty that sent her free-falling several stories. Tokoyami let out a choked gasp that pulled at his vocal cords, and his first thought was to go after her. But Midoriya was closer, and his own Air Walk brought him to exactly where he needed to be in order to catch her. Nevertheless, Tokoyami knew his old classmate wasn't an adept flier. He wouldn't hold out like that for long.
Tokoyami flew in closer as Midoriya hung desperately onto Nagant's hand and tried to appeal to her. "If you were really allied with All for One and his brand of evil, your very first shot would've hit my lower body and stopped me cold!"
Tokoyami felt a jolt go through him at the validating decree. That's what I've been saying!
He swooped in to get a better look at the damage, now that the fighting was decisively over. They both looked rough, and even though he wasn't one to talk, he at least wanted to be there for Midoriya and the alleged villain that had stitched his wounds and given him much-needed medical supplies.
"Miss Nagant, please!" Tokoyami shouted, following their plummet. "Fight for what you believe in, not the pretenses set before you! I can tell you have a good heart – you showed that to me yourself!" He was so used to his words being insufficient or falling on deaf ears. He wouldn't be surprised if his desperate pleas went unnoted, leaving him to cry into the void and watch yet another person slip into the darkness. But when he flew in close enough to see her expression, he felt his throat tighten. Tsutsumi's battle-hardened eyes and tight expression had grown lax, revealing a face lightened with hope and the beginnings of a smile on her face. Tokoyami let a nervous, albeit relieved laugh escape him. She looked like she'd be okay in the midst of coming to terms with something.
He just hadn't realized it was her own demise she'd accepted.
Tokoyami's face twisted in horror as cracks broke out across the ex-hero's face. She let go of Midoriya's hand as the cracks ruptured further, hissing like a fuse, and energy coiled under her skin, hot and radiant.
"Tokoyami and Midoriya, huh?" she mused. "I'm glad to have met you."
Then her body was lost in a devastating explosion that lit up the night sky and decimated the nearby building facades. Screams of anguish tore through the throats of Tokoyami and Midoriya as the young heroes watched the scene unfold in the span of mere seconds.
"Nagant!"
Tokoyami dropped down into a nosedive, keeping Dark Shadow's wing-like claws close as they delved through the lingering blast area. His goggles protected his eyes from the quickly dispersing heat and fumes, and he locked onto her swiftly plummeting body leaving the initial damage zone. Urging his quirk forward like a fire had been lit beneath them, Tokoyami caught up to Lady Nagant and reached out his arms to catch her. At the same time, Dark Shadow tightened his hold of him and stretched his claws out to slow down their fall. Nagant felt like a dead weight in his arms, and would've pulled his arms from his sockets had Dark Shadow not reinforced his hold of her with the shadowy arms of Black Ankh.
Tokoyami wished he could be more relieved that she hadn't hit the ground, but at the moment he was devastated by what he saw instead.
Nagant's body. It'd been rigged as an explosion, no doubt as some sort of failsafe when All for One had gifted her with Air Walk. It was exactly the kind of thing he would do, given his history of body modifications. It… it made him so angry. That wasn't fair! She was working under him, helping him, and he'd deemed it necessary to doom her from the start. Seeing her now, with jagged scars tracing her body and blood dripping from every orifice, made him rife with anguish and frustration. A gut-wrenching, genuine sob escaped him, despite his best attempt to keep his composure. Because he'd done this before, held someone exactly like this when they'd been detonated from the inside out. It's just like what happened to Toga in their fight against Curious. Only the extent of these injuries looked considerably worse, at least on a surface level. And back then, Toga had nearly died if not for Twice—
Tokoyami pushed it down. He swallowed his despair and fought to keep his beak from trembling in the start of another childish sob. His shadow-covered hands tightened around Lady Nagant, as if there was even the slightest fear that she might slip his grasp.
Her head lolled onto her chest, and Tokoyami thought that maybe he was too late, that her eyes were already clouding over in the telltale signs of death. But she let out a tattered breath – a laugh? – and he was quickly reassured of her state of liveliness, precarious though it might've been.
"Hang on, Miss Nagant! We'll get you patched up, just like you did for me, a-and you'll pull through this!" He couldn't keep the slightest tremble out of his voice. She must've seen how strong he was trying to be, even while painful memories creeped up on him. She managed a smile, lips cracked and stained with blood, and there was that same sympathetic look on her face. Her hand reached up, shaky but confident, and trailed past his head to pet that of the worried Dark Shadow, who was peering over his shoulder with teary yellow eyes.
Her voice came in the form of a strained rasp, and Tokoyami had to lower his head to listen over the sounds of car tires screeching and yelling around him. Evidently, back-up had arrived – not fast enough, as always. He couldn't concern himself with that just yet. "You told me… you'd been training to be a hero. And it sounded like you hated them, like they could never be forgiven. Not… not the Commission. They can't be forgiven. But… but you didn't tell me that you were still a hero. Even after everything you went through, and what All for One said… you're still saving people. Somehow, you still care and see hope in this world. How do you do it?"
Tokoyami alighted on the cracked pavement and gently set her down, careful to cradle her head. "I know what loss feels like," Tokoyami murmured quietly, so as not to be overheard. "I know what it's like to fight for things and people I don't believe in. And it's never great, but… I've learned to see the good in people, too. And I know what's worth protecting. It may not be the same for you, but it was enough to keep me going through all this."
Tokoyami watched Nagant's eyes flicker, and there was a contented smile on her face like she'd just heard a most wonderful thing. She looked ready to pass out, and maybe Tokoyami would've let her if he didn't have such pressing questions being pushed to the front of his mind. Feeling a bit guilty, he shook her gently, and narrowed eyes looked up at him with a sharp inhale. S-sorry. "And that's why I need to know what All for One is planning. He was trying to keep me away from the League, is that it? Where is he? Where can I find them? Miss Nagant, please, I… I need to help them."
She was quiet for so long, he worried he'd already missed his chance to get an answer from her. He was dimly aware of people moving around him, but his sights were only for the battered ex-hero set before him. Finally, her lips parted, and Tokoyami held his breath in anticipation.
"Within… two months… I was s'posed to bring… the target… to a mansion… in Haibori woods! Not just me… he reached out… to some others," she managed, each word labored. Her breathing became more tattered, eyelids flickering to stay open, and Tokoyami thought that'd be the end of it. He wished it had been, so that she wouldn't force herself so much after sustaining such horrific injuries. But no, she wasn't done. "Tokoyami… please… don't kill anyone… over something like this. It's not worth… the blood on your hands."
It shouldn't have been such a heavy ask, and yet it was. Even now, he could feel her blood dripping onto his hands and shirt, leaving them stained with dark blotches. But that wasn't what she meant. This wasn't his fault. He knew what blood on his hands really felt like, and it wasn't this.
Tokoyami dipped his head close to her, until his beak was hovering just over her collarbone. He whispered a quiet promise that weighed heavy on his skull and let her relax as the desperate words died on her lips. When her eyes slipped close again, he let it happen, watching the faint rise and fall of her chest to be sure that she was still alive.
He rose to his feet in an unsteady movement, and Dark Shadow finally unwrapped his claws from his midriff. With a sudden realization, Tokoyami looked down at his hands: they were still wreathed in shadows, claws forming over fingers. But… Dark Shadow had just been using his claws for wings. Tokoyami looked up sharply at his quirk, eyes wide in surprise.
Dark… Dark Shadow? How are you doing both?!
The quirk looked sheepishly between his own claws and those that were equipped to Tokoyami, as if he'd also just realized it. I… I don't know? It just seemed like you needed an extra set of hands!
Tokoyami took a shuttered breath that split into a smile. No, that's… that's incredible, Dark Shadow: a set of claws to be my wings, and another to make sure that the people we can save won't fall.
The quirk preened at the admiration being directed at him, taking the compliment in stride. The residual shadows of Black Ankh dissipated as Dark Shadow returned to drifting at his side, just in time for the others on the scene to gather around.
"Deku, Tokoyami, there's no one else besides him, right?" came Endeavors demanding rumble as he approached, Chisaki wrangled under one arm like a sack of potatoes.
Tokoyami turned stiffly, eyes narrowed in suspicious slits as the other partakers of this mission converged around him. He hadn't even noticed how close Midoriya had come to him, the boy's tattered silhouette having fallen into place behind him to get a good look at Lady Nagant. He looked… remorseful, as if this were an ill-fought battle. Nobody had truly won here, and though Tokoyami was also privy to this knowledge, he dare say his eyes weren't quite so hollow as his friend's.
He did, however, possess an unquenchable anger as Chisaki opened his disgusting mouth, with the lines of his face deepening into an open scowl of contempt at the very sight of him. It was just barely enough to turn his attention away from the unpleasant presence of Endeavor.
"No… no, this wasn't the deal!" Chisaki wailed, struggling futilely in the Number One Hero's grasp. You weren't supposed to get caught. Take me to the boss! He's all I've got left!" His voice choked in the start of a pitiful sob. "I gotta… tell him I'm sorry!"
Midoriya looked between Chisaki and Tokoyami, his brow cinched. Was he apprehensive about something? He looked almost guilty, compared to Tokoyami's barely restrained anger. And then Midoriya spoke up, as if to reach a hand out to the washed-up villain. "Chisaki—"
"Shut up, you diseased maggot!" he screeched, voice pitching. Endeavor glowered down at the struggling dead weight. "I'm talking to her!"
"Well, she's not responding anymore, so there's your answer!" Tokoyami spat bitterly, directing his full hatred at the pitiful man. "Face it, you lost. Again. And you deserve nothing." He had more to say. So much more. He wished the man to go back to rotting in jail, shackled by his failures and damnations. It would be the only end fitting for someone like him.
But when Midoriya answered to Chisaki again, his voice was level – less spiteful than anything Tokoyami could ever offer him. "Do you remember everything you did to Eri and Tokoyami?"
Tokoyami stepped back, caught off guard by the admittedly forward question. He didn't need Midoriya dredging up old memories. How was he to know what they went through?
Chisaki's eyes clouded, and he went limp in Endeavor's arm as he reminisced the past. "Eri… ah, of course… With Eri, I could've… and, and with Tokoyami, they should've…!"
His nowhere ramblings drifted as Midoriya's voice hardened. "You want to say you're sorry, don't you?"
Something dark and vicious coiled behind the scars on Tokoyami's stomach. Sorry? What the hell would a sorry fix? Midoriya… he, he didn't know! Not a damn thing! And if he did, he wouldn't be speaking to Chisaki with a tone that suggested a chance of forgiveness.
"…If you're willing to direct that same energy toward Eri and Tokoyami… I'll honor your deal in Lady Nagant's place," the green-clad hero finished, watching Chisaki's expression carefully. When he didn't get an immediate response, he turned away, walking past Tokoyami on his way to crouch by Lady Nagant's side.
"Your words are wasted on him, you know," Tokoyami growled bitterly under his breath as Midoriya came within earshot. "Broken though he might be, he won't ever confess to any wrongdoing. And in the first place… I don't need you speaking on my behalf. I could never accept an apology from him."
"You don't have to," Midoriya rasped, turning his head away. "I just thought… it could be some kind of closure. And if he cares for his boss that much, then maybe…"
Tokoyami grit his teeth. Closure… that was the kind of idea that had come to his mind when he'd aimed for Chisaki's throat.
Midoriya kept walking.
A car came to a screeching halt nearby, and Sir Nighteye clambered out. He rushed forward, but stopped just shy at the sight of the heroes before him. "Is everyone alright? It's just, I didn't get the chance to…"
That's right. If Nighteye had been able to get ahold of Midoriya sooner, he probably would've rather used his quirk on him. As it stood, the pro didn't have a full view of everything that had happened. Tokoyami shuffled out of the way so that Sir Nighteye could see his intern. The man stepped forward with a grand sigh of relief, though his face was pinched in concern and his eyes were dark behind his glasses. He came to a stop next to Tokoyami and placed a reassuring hand lightly on his back. "You did good – I knew you would," he murmured, the words for him alone. In a louder voice, he called out to the others. "What's our status? I need a report." Business as usual.
Endeavor swept over the small group with a critical eye. Chisaki had stopped struggling underneath his heavy hand once he'd been given something to consider. "Lady Nagant and Kai Chisaki are in custody. Get word to the cops! And we'll need medical aid for this one!"
Tokoyami gave a stiff nod. He tried to discreetly wipe an unexpected wetness from his eye – if Sir noticed, he gave no indication. Only when he knew he could speak without that damnable tremor did he say anything. "I believe… Midoriya was also injured. He should probably get some medical attention, as well."
He looked to the green-haired hero, who had yet to move from Nagant's side even though nothing more could be done. Though his face was forlorn and carved in shadow, Tokoyami didn't think it was solely because of Nagant's condition. If help was on the way, then she would pull through. He'd seen what that medical team at Central Hospital were capable of. There must be something else on his friend's mind. Now hardly seemed the time to ask about it, though.
Tokoyami gently removed Sir Nighteye's hand from his back. He didn't need such unnecessary gestures. "You should check up on him – he needs you right now."
Sir Nighteye brought his hand back down to his side with a judgmental grimace. "What are you planning on doing? If you know the League's location, then that should be the end of your mission. Why not go back to UA? You're missed there. And you're still hurt. You deserve to rest, just as young Midoriya does."
Tokoyami shook his head stubbornly, already stepping away. "Nothing's been determined yet. There's still too much to do… and Miss Nagant said it herself: All for One has other hired help out there. Nowhere is safe. I'd rather be where I at least feel secure – hopefully without running into trouble this time."
Sir Nighteye wasn't satisfied with that answer, he could tell that much. But he had to let Tokoyami go in order to redirect his attention to Midoriya, who seemed to be stuck in a daze. Endeavor saw him turn to leave and reached out to stop him. Maybe to ask if he'd learned anything about Dabi – maybe to impede him. Whatever it might've been, Chisaki chose that time to squirm beneath him with a few choice curse words spat in his direction, and Tokoyami hurried his step. He didn't want to speak to Endeavor. Or anyone, really, for that matter.
He just wanted to sleep this hellish day off.