Interlude I
Green eyes stared out the window, into the skyline and a ruined city. Among the rubble, if she dared to look close enough, she would be able to see abominations clearing the debris. All to make way for something.
What it would be, she had no guess.
Some kind of 'utopian' city, for those deemed worthy, a crown of an empire that he was building? Or just more facilities, to make more of those abominations.
The rain coming down didn't bother those creatures at all, of course it didn't. She tried to avert her eyes from them to watch raindrops race down the windows. There were a number of other things she could do. A bookshelf filled with novels, a drawer somewhere filled with yarn and knitting needles.
She refused to touch any of it.
Because it came from him.
When she heard the door open, it was like another wave of exhaustion hit her. Every step across the carpeted floor only compounded on that.
She was tired. Tired of him, tired of this place, tired of this cage. Tired of looking out the window and seeing those disgusting creatures. Tired of him asking about his child. Tired of how weak she always felt.
She was tired of this world.
It took everything in her not to cringe as she felt large, cold hands appear on her shoulders.
"Good morning, Inko my dear."
"I suppose it is." She replied dryly. His voice sounded different now, not as muffled as it used to be. Not like how it did when he found her, and brought her to this place.
"It's a lovely view is it not? Being able to see the beginnings of something grand. Isn't it?"
Oh, here he goes.
"Nothing but debris and ruin, but soon to turn into something glorious. As much of an eyesore as it may be now, in time it'll become something truly worthwhile." He leaned down, and she repressed a shudder.
"Even so, I'm sure there's someone else who would appreciate my efforts just as much. Someone, who isn't here."
Of course, that's where it always leads to.
"I don't know where your son is." She said, "How many times do you have to hear it?"
"You can give me that answer as many times as you like dear, but I'm sure there's some detail you could give me? Something that slipped your mind?"
She was quiet. "No."
"You know, as frightened of you as Izuku was, the child was still fond of you, you're still his mother. If you told him to do something, he would do it." He lightly squeezed her shoulders.
"I told you, I don't know where he is." Inko was watching raindrops racing down the window again.
"Inko…"
The large hands let go of her shoulders, and he stepped around to the side of her. A cold hand grabbed her chin and forced her to look at the man she so despised, and she stopped.
Instead of scar tissue and some kind of breathing apparatus, she was met with the sight of the man she had seen all those years ago. Short white hair and red eyes, simmering with irritation.
How? How did he-
"Ah, stunned into silence I see. I've certainly cleaned up now, haven't I?" His smile didn't reach his eyes. "Let's just say, I received quite a helping hand from a new face. I'd be happy to introduce you, but first…"
He leaned closer, and the air dropped a few degrees.
"Where is my son?"
Inko couldn't look away from him, she couldn't get any part of herself to move away from him.
With a shuddering sigh. "I. Don't. Know. I told you when I last saw him, when he went off to school. A place that your monsters were kind enough to attack. For all you know, those abominations killed your son."
His smile fell and the grip on her face tightened.
"I assure you my dear, my Nomu are under strict orders not to kill our son, but to bring him back. You knew something was going to happen, surely you did. I know you must have told him something. I want my son, Inko."
"And I want to go home. But we can't always get what we want." She hissed.
She could feel his temper rise, and waited for something. Anything. And instead he let go of her. She rubbed her jaw as he stepped away.
"Fine then. If not today, I'm sure you'll tell me another day. In the meantime, shall I introduce someone to you?" He looked toward the door. "Come in, little one."
Little one?
The doorknob slowly opened, revealing his loyal servant, Kurogiri, and beside him was…a little girl.
A small, timid thing. Her pale gray hair cut short to just below the chin. A small horn poked out of the right side of her head. Red eyes nervously look from Inko to the floor. The girl wore a light pink sweater and a red skirt. She's practically drowning in the sweater, she's so small.
"Eri dear, come here."
He held a hand out, and she hesitantly stepped away from Kurogiri and hurried over to the monster. Showing no fear.
The man knelt down and picked her up, then turned to Inko with a smile.
"Inko, this is Eri, a new addition to the family. She's the one who was gracious enough to help me. A kind soul, isn't she?"
"Who is this, papa?"
Inko wasn't sure if she was able to hide her reaction.
"Eri, this is my lovely wife. She will now be your mother."
"O-Oh, I see."
He smiled as he looked at Inko. "I'm sure once I bring Izuku home, he'll be thrilled to have a little sister. Won't he?"
Inko gripped the arms of her chair tightly as the man- no monster put Eri down.
"Perhaps I should leave you two with some time to bond. You are family now, it won't do for a family to be so disconnected now would it?"
He began to walk away, and only turned around once more as he reached the door.
"Oh, and Inko? Try not to fail this child, hm?"
With that the door shut, and she was left all alone with a little girl who looked almost terrified to be near Inko.
A child that was brought into this awful hell.
-Interlude-
He had been having strange dreams as of late.
Dreams of a boy with curly green hair, and a foul mouthed cat.
The boy was familiar, he knew he was. He had seen him once before, a memory that feels so distant.
In those dreams everything was lighter, less painful. Watching a reel of impossible things, yet seeing it somehow put him at ease. It bought him hope.
He dreamt of standing in a great hall of some sorts, with a strange man in a billowing coat at the end of it.
He dreamt of a rather nice town, but it was pouring rain.
He dreamt of a bright, golden light that chased away the darkness.
He dreamt of a warm place, with people that could be considered family.
His dreams were far more pleasant than the reality he faced nearly everyday.
The sound of footsteps echoing loudly pulled him from his hazy dream. They weren't too far away, he knew what was coming. There wasn't much he could do to prepare himself though.
He shifted to sit upright, chains rattling and allowing him little room to move. Still, he refused to let that man believe he had broken him.
He shut his eyes as he heard the locks of his cell door come undone, then the unbearable creaking of the metal door being pushed open. He made sure to avert his eyes from the light that streamed in, or else it would have blinded him.
Black dress shoes tap against the cold stone floor and walk right up to him. He could practically feel the smugness radiating off the man.
"Good morning, Symbol of Peace. Haven't keeled over yet I see."
Toshinori didn't dignify that with a response. He hadn't died yet for the sole reason that the bastard wouldn't let him die. Even so, if All For One did want him to die, he'd probably live out of spite.
"Oh? No response? Still tired from my last visit I see. I suppose I was rather cruel. However I did heal you, so you shouldn't be that tired."
Toshinori only glared up at him in response, seeing the face that he had once ripped off, now back and looking down at him with a smug smile. He remembered the shock he felt when he saw that the man had regained those features, stating that he was back to his former glory. Thanks to the help of a child he had so 'graciously' taken in.
He could only hope said child was alright.
"That's quite the look you've got on your face. Seems you're not as tired as I previously thought."
Toshinori watched as the man raised a hand, watching the fingertips disfiguring themselves into metal spikes. That was new, maybe a Quirk he just stole or remembered he had.
"So, before we begin once more, would you like to hand over that which is rightfully mine?"
He eyed the spikes then looked the man who despised him in the eye.
"No."
His smile fell, replaced with a displeased frown.
"I see. It appears I haven't broken you down enough yet. Very well, at least you know how to keep me entertained."
Toshinori steeled himself for the oncoming pain. He would take it, he had to, he'd survive. Because All for One was so certain he still had One for All.
He needed to buy that boy as much time as possible.
He hated that he had to hand such a great responsibility to a child, but there was no other choice.
Everything was hinging on that boy, and him smashing the future All for One sought to create.
-Interlude-
There were echoes in the distance, he felt the eyes of someone on him. He doesn't know who it is, where they are, but can only assume it's one of the wisps somewhere in his field.
Izuku eyes the mist that's overtaken some of his field, turning the grass around it into a soft green. The parts where his field and the mist are merging continue to spark and fizzle. The push and pull of two forces.
No more running…
Izuku takes a deep breath and walks forward into the mist. As he steps inside a chill runs through him and he feels himself losing his solid form. More of the mist overtakes him as he appears in the space of the strange power he was given.
Seven figures look up at him, a few of them look pleased that he's appeared.
"Okay." His voice sounded muffled to himself, but came across as clear to the others. "I'm ready to hear you out."
-Interlude-
A big thank you to Bola and KeeperofHounds for beta-ing this!