Here is my spin-off of Fear No Evil by Chibikaty! We discussed this story in the comments of that story, and I made a full fic out of it here! So enjoy!
Posted just one day after Beros' Birthday (I really should have doublechecked the dates)
Beros always had mixed feelings on the outside world. On the one hand, she enjoyed being outside, particularly in forests and meadows when wild flowers bloomed. The sort of place Humarise taught were truly pure.
Then there were the cities. Crammed with people, choked with disease, crime, and other wickedness. Some of its people were victims, others perpetrators, most both. Worst of all though, was the disease known as quirks. The cities were positively drowning in them. Every crowd filled with the diseased, none realizing how terminally ill they were. Instead they praised powers, and indulging in them like addicts, seduced with propaganda, blasphemies and lies from their leaders. When Doomsday occurred, the cities would surely be the first to fall. Beros shuddered at the thought of the bodies lining the streets, killed by the very powers they once worshiped.
If Humarise waited until Doomsday happened naturally, it would be too late for the species. Chosen ones, the pure still untainted by quirks, were becoming fewer and fewer by the day. Waiting too long could mean not enough pure ones left to save the species after Doomsday. So, the Supreme Leader in his wisdom chose to create an artificial Doomsday, sooner but less terrible, so that more Chosen Ones would live.
Beros felt pity for all the lost souls they would kill, but it was necessary. If Humarise did not act, they'd die anyway and the species would go with them. She wholeheartedly trusted the leaders of the true way to do the right thing. For the salvation of humanity.
Right now, Beros was part of a mission to retrieve a specific Hero, Eraserhead. His disease could disable others' powers, making them momentarily clean. A sliver of light among shadow. Some felt he was a chosen one, or his powers a gift, but that was obvious blasphemy. A less evil or more useful curse was still a curse.
However, what interested Beros most about this msision was that this same city also housed one of the Chosen. A young one! Humarise investigated this boy and found that, like always, this diseased world treated him poorly, subjecting him to torment and bullying. Not surprising, the wicked often hate the righteous' presence.
Several times, Beros had watched the boy from afar, helped by her curse-strengthened vision. He was a teenager, with green hair that reminded Beros of a bush, freckles, and round eyes that reminded her of a young dog. It was so wonderful to see a Chosen One so young! Nevertheless, Beros never approached him. Not only was she tainted, but Humarise didn't want operatives meeting the Chosen Ones without permission unless it was absolutely necessary. Beros dutifully followed this rule until she saw him.
The Fallen Messiah, the former Chosen One who became infected as an adult. All Might. Beros shuddered at the sight of him. If he'd been infected later in life and was now talking to the young Chosen One, then he might-
Beros couldn't stop herself. Wearing Humarise robes to hide her combat outfit, she approached the boy. "May I speak with you, Chosen One?" she said.
The Chosen One stopped and glanced at the other people on the sidewalk, then looked back to her and said, "I've already told you that I'm not interested in joining Humarise. You're harassing me."
Beros wrung her hands, feeling chastised. "I'm sorry, Chosen One. I'm not supposed to approach you like this yet either. But you seemed to be in danger."
The Chosen One's face softened, but not by much. "Call me Izuku, not Chosen One. What's your name? What danger?"
"I'm Beros. But I could never call you by your first name. You're too special. It's so rare to see such a young Chosen One." Beros stared at the boy's face, taking in its youthfulness. There were so few left as young as him that some feared no more would be born. "You represent the hope of mankind."
The Chosen One looked uncomfortable, probably from having to be so close to one as diseased as her. He shifted his backpack over his shoulder. "What did you want to tell me?"
"I saw you with the Fallen Messiah, All Might. Please, you must understand." Beros said. "That man is dangerous. He used to be one of our Chosen Ones, free from the disease of quirks, but somehow he became infected as an adult! It was an unheard-of abomination. What if he seeks to corrupt you as well?" The very idea made her nauseous.
The Chosen One's eyes widened. "Do you mean All Might was born quirkless? And he used to be a member of Humarise?"
Good, perhaps he recognized the risk. Beros held out her hand. "Come with me, and I'll tell you everything."
For a moment, the Chosen One seemed to consider it. Then his hand tightened on his backpack strap. "No, thank you. I would like you to leave me alone from now on. All Might is a good person. Don't harass him or spread strange rumors about him."
Beros burst into tears. Such kindness, such purity. The Chosen One further proved his pure heart by digging into his backpack and giving her a pack of tissues. Her. She should be comforting him for having to be near her!
"Are you feeling unwell? What's wrong?" The Chosen One said.
"You're so kind." Beros dabbed at her eyes. "Even despite all the bullying you've been through, you still care about other people so much—including the unholy monstrosity All Might. Only the blessed quirkless are so pure of heart."
The boy flinched, now looking uncomfortable. Beros felt guilty, burdening him with her tainted grief. Obviously even he could only tolerate her so long.
The Chosen One growled, "I disagree with you. The balance of power might have turned against the quirkless now, but during the dawn of the age of quirks, metahumans were mass executed in many countries. That goes to show that people are equally capable of cruelty no matter their quirk status. I believe people are equally capable of kindness as well. I hope you learn to hate yourself less. But I insist that you leave me and All Might alone." He turned and walked away.
Beros ran after him, calling, "Wait! You have to listen to me—"
"If you keep following me, I'll scream." The threat finally stopped her. She stared after him, feeling so helpless. He was walking straight into danger, and she couldn't stop him.
She returned to the others. As she approached their van, she stripped off her Humarise robes, unveiling her battle costume. It was the standard gray jumpsuit of Humarise's diseased assassins, with a few personal touches. Her crimson glove for her left hand, the matching finger guard for the middle finger of the other, her face mask, and finally her green cloak. With the cloak, she resembled the hero of her favorite movie growing up, Robin Hood. A man who resisted a corrupt regime to protect the innocent. For some reason, she drew fewer stares from the few passerby's than she had while disguised in her robes. No matter. She had work to do.
The capture plan went like clockwork. A teenage sister knocked Eraserhead out, while she and Sidero picked him up to load into the van. Then it went wrong. Without warning, Eraserhead was pulled from Beros' grasp. Beros turned around to see he had Eraserhead on the ground with someone underneath. She knew that mop of hair.
"Help! This is a kidnapping!" the Chosen One said.
Faces turned toward them.
Next to her, her partner Sidero tried to cover their tracks, "We're professional heroes assisting a fallen comrade to the hospital. This boy seems confused." Beros paid him little mind. Her eyes were focused on the Chosen One
"They're not heroes! This is a kidnapping! Someone call the police!"
Warmth bloomed in Beros. "I knew you were a kind person," she said leaning over him. "How many others would leap in to save someone else?" She wrenched his arms behind his back and dragged him toward the van.
The Chosen One writhed and kicked in her grasp, forcing Sidero to drop Eraserhead to help her. As the Chosen One was almost in the car, they heard the sirens.
"We're out of time!" said Sidero. They threw the Chosen One in the back while their younger sister injected him with a tranquilizer. Beros closed the door while Sidero took the wheel.
Beros readied to activate her curse should anyone follow them.
"We're clear," said Sidero. "That brat better be what their looking for, or I'm paying him back for that blow to the head…"
Beros glared at him. "Do not even joke of harming a Chosen One! They are the ones Humarise exists to protect!"
Sideros glared back then grumbled to himself. Beros supposes she shouldn't expect complete devotion from him. After all, he'd only joined recently. If he was truly sincere then he'd learn soon. Personally, Beros sometimes questioned the wisdom of letting him go on missions, but supposed they needed the help. She still wished the new members were kept on a tighter leash.
As they drove back to the compound, Beros cradled the Chosen One in the backseat, lest a sudden bump strike him.
"Is he really one of them?" the teenage sister said in awe. "A real Chosen One?"
Beros beamed at her. "He is. He shall be the key to humanity's salvation."
Shortly after, a supervillain received a call from his wife informing him that the cult he'd intermittently supported had kidnapped his son. He considered going after said cult himself, but realized that that might give his son the wrong sort of attention.
All for One needed an agent to retrieve him, one that wouldn't be traced back to him. However, none of his minions could be trusted with the knowledge of Izuku's existence, and a Nomu couldn't have the level of independent thought he needed.
All for One looked at the file at one of the kidnappers, Beros.
And like that, he knew just the person for this job.
Kaina woke up choking.
Man, fun thing of making a spin off is that for the moments that are the same I can reuse the same dialogue! (Yes Chibikaty has read and approved this so don't worry)
(Don't worry, that won't last past next chapter. Even then I hope the different POV makes up for it)
Hope you liked! Reviews bring me joy!