As I stood there, facing my father Hisashi and Detective Tsukauchi, I could feel the weight of the situation pressing down on me. Despite everything, I had made it abundantly clear that I would never forgive my dad. The quirk suppression bracelets on my wrists were a constant reminder of the control they sought to maintain over me, but they only reduced my quirk to 15% of its output. Not bad, considering I was expecting complete suppression.

I wore a long-sleeved shirt, dark green with a hint of black, loose enough to hide the countless scars that marked my skin. The pants I had on were dark, almost black, blending into the shadows, while my shoes were worn, the soles almost smooth from countless steps. My hair, still a deep green, fell over my forehead, barely kept in check. The sleeves of my shirt covered the scars on my arms, the ones that crisscrossed like a map of pain and suffering.

Hisashi, standing across from me, seemed to be choosing his words carefully. "Izuku," he began, his voice steady but laced with an undercurrent of regret,

Hisashi:class will start next week, so...

I cut him off, my voice cold and sharp.

Izuku:Where's Mom? Where's Inko?

He hesitated, then sighed heavily.

Hisashi:She... doesn't know about everything yet.

Izuku:So you haven't told her

I said, raising an eyebrow, my voice dripping with disbelief.

He looked away for a moment, the weight of his guilt evident in the slump of his shoulders.

Hisashi:She almost took her life on the anniversary you left... or more specifically, on your birthday. If I tell her what happened to you... everything you went through... I'm afraid of what might happen.

Silence stretched between us. A smaller, nearly buried part of me felt a pang of guilt, but the larger part, the part that had been hardened by years of suffering, felt nothing. Just emptiness.

Izuku:And what about Izumi and those other monsters?

I asked, my voice darkening with every word.

He sighed again, deeper this time, as if the weight of the world rested on his shoulders.

Hisashi:they haven't spoken to each other in several years. Shiori and Katsumi took it the hardest when you ran away.

Izuku:So I'll meet them at UA, right?

I asked, my tone flat, void of any real emotion.

Hisashi's eyes met mine, and I could see the pain in them.

Hisashi:Izuku, I know they hurt you. I know you have every reason to hate them, but please... don't let that hate consume you.

I snorted, shaking my head slightly.

Izuku:I'll be sent to Tartarus if I attack a student, right? Not like I'd care. I bet they already know what I am.

Hisashi's thoughts must have been running wild. I could see it in his eyes.

"I wanted to walk Izuku to UA back then, but not like this... Izuku, I'm sorry. Even if you hate me for life, I'll never stop trying to make it up to you."

Tsukauchi, sensing the tension, cleared his throat, drawing our attention.

Tsukauchi:izuku, sorry to interrupt, but apart from the teachers, no one knows about your true identity. As far as everyone is concerned, your name is Izuku Midoriya, a late bloomer with a quirk. Your quirk is officially 'Energy Manipulation,' which can be used for physical enhancement or discharge. You were recommended by the Public Hero Safety Commission after passing their tests to enter UA, so you have a clean slate.

I paused at his words, my mind briefly wandering to the memories of Touya and Dabi, the only two people who understood me as Nemesis. With these restraints, even now, I was still caged. I sighed, a rare moment of vulnerability slipping through. "Thank you."

We arrived at UA shortly after. As I stepped out of the car, carrying a small duffel bag with what little I owned, I was greeted by the sight of Principal Nezu, the principal of UA, standing next to the heroes known as Midnight and Eraser Head-Aizawa Shouta.

Aizawa's eyes assessed me instantly, his mind already working out what he was seeing.

"Dark green hair, almost borderline black, dark green eyes, pale skin... those dark circles under his eyes, obviously from lack of sleep. Cold, steely gaze... deep trauma. He doesn't trust anyone-not even himself. This is going to be tough."

Nezu was the first to speak.

Nezu:Hello there, Izuku. It's nice to finally meet you. I'm Nezu, the principal of UA, and these are-

Izuku:Midnight and Eraser Head. I know them

I cut him off, my voice neutral, not giving away anything.

Nezu nodded, seemingly unfazed by my interruption.

Nezu:Yes, that's correct. We've been briefed on your situation, and we're here to help in any way we can. Your father and Detective Tsukauchi have given us a good overview, but we want to make sure you're as comfortable as possible during your time here.

"Comfortable?" I echoed, the word sounding foreign on my tongue.

Izuku:I don't think comfort is something I've ever really had.

Midnight exchanged a glance with Aizawa, who remained silent, his gaze never leaving me.

Midnight:We're aware of that, Izuku

Midnight said, her voice soft, almost gentle.

Midnight:But we want to change that. You're here now, and we wnt to help you heal, to move forward."

I snorted.

Izuku:Heal? Move forward? From what? The torture? The experiments? The nightmares? I'm not here to 'heal.' I'm here because it was either this or Tartarus.

Aizawa finally spoke, his voice as calm and steady as ever.

Aizawa:Healing isn't something that happens overnight, Izuku. We're not asking you to forget what happened to you. We're asking you to give this a chance. A chance to find something better.

I looked at him, my eyes narrowing.

Izuku:And what makes you think I want something better? What makes you think I haven't already accepted what I am?

There was a pause, and Aizawa's gaze softened slightly.

Aizawa:Because you're here. You chose this, even if it was the lesser of two evils. You're not beyond hope, Izuku. No one is.

I didn't respond, the weight of his words hanging in the air as I followed them inside. They led me to a room within the school, one that would be my new home. Compared to the lab where I was tortured or the sewers where I hid, it was... nice, actually.

The room was small but cozy, with a single bed, a desk, and a small closet. The walls were a soft beige, and the floor was carpeted, adding a warmth I hadn't felt in years. A window allowed sunlight to stream in, illuminating the room in a way that almost felt... comforting.

Midnight began to explain my schedule, drawing my attention back to the present.

Midnight:You'll be starting classes next week, but your schedule will be different from the other students. You'll have regular classes in the morning, but in the afternoons, you'll have sessions with us-either Aizawa or myself. These sessions will focus on quirk control, as well as rehabilitation.

She glanced at Aizawa, who continued where she left off.

Midnight:your quirk is extremely powerful, and it's clear you've been trained to control it under... extreme conditions. But here, we want to make sure you're in control, not just of your quirk, but of yourself. That means understanding your limits, knowing when to push and when to pull back. These sessions will also cover mental health-addressing the trauma you've been through.

I gritted my teeth, the familiar anger bubbling up inside me.

Izuku:I don't need to learn how to control my quirk. I've been trained-tortured-to control it. It's not the quirk that's the problem. It's everything else.

Aizawa nodded slowly, his expression serious.

Aizawa:We understand that, Izuku. But the fact remains that during your last encounter, you lost control. The energy around your body surged to a point where it almost destroyed everything around you. We're not saying it's your fault. We're saying that it's something we need to address.

I paused, the truth of his words cutting deeper than I wanted to admit. I had experienced more negative emotions than I could count, and each time, I had managed to keep my quirk in check. But that time... something had been different. Something had slipped.

I couldn't refute what he said, so I stayed silent, my thoughts swirling in a chaotic mess. A clean slate. A fresh beginning. But at what cost? How could I start over when the past still clung to me like a shadow, refusing to let go?

Timeskip

I felt my body jolt upright, my breathing ragged, as the vivid memories of Dr. Kuroki's twisted smile faded into the darkness of my room. I was trembling, my heart racing as I tried to push the remnants of the nightmare out of my mind. My hands instinctively reached for my neck, still feeling the phantom pressure of those restraints, the cold metal of the quirk suppressor. I couldn't tell if it was real or if my mind was just playing tricks on me. The only thing I knew for certain was that I didn't want to go back to sleep. I couldn't face him again, not in the state I was in.

I barely had time to process my surroundings when I felt something soft pressing against my face. My initial thought was that I was still trapped in that nightmare, something else Dr. Kuroki had cooked up to torment me. But when I opened my eyes, I found myself staring into a sea of soft fabric, and large boobs which quickly realized was the front of a blouse-Midnight's blouse. I felt my face grow hot, my pulse quicken, and I bolted upright, scrambling out of the bed.

Izuku:What the hell is going on?!

I stammered, my voice shaky as I looked at her with wide, bewildered eyes. I could feel the heat rushing to my cheeks, turning my face a deep crimson. I didn't know how to handle this. Of all the situations I'd been trained for, this was definitely not one of them.

Midnight-no, Nemuri Kayama, as she was known outside of her hero persona-just grinned at me, her expression playful, almost mischievous.

Midnight:Oh my, how rude of you
she teased, her voice dripping with amusement. She didn't seem the least bit phased by my reaction. In fact, she seemed to be enjoying it.

I could barely find the words to respond.

Izuku:W-Why are you here? What are you doing?

I managed to choke out, still trying to process the situation.

She chuckled softly, a sound that sent shivers down my spine.

Midnight:I thought boys your age would love to wake up to something like this

she said, her grin widening. She had that glint in her eyes, the kind that told me she knew exactly what she was doing, and she was loving every second of it.

I didn't know how to respond. My mind was still reeling from the nightmare, and now this? I felt completely out of my depth, unprepared for whatever game she was playing. After everything I'd been through, everything I'd seen, this was the last thing I expected to face.

I sighed heavily, trying to regain my composure.

Izuku:What are you doing here?

I asked again, this time with more control in my voice.

Her expression shifted, becoming more serious, almost concerned.

Midnight:came to check on you

she admitted, her voice softer, more sincere.

Midnight:You seemed... intense in your sleep. I was worried.

I sighed again, the tension in my shoulders easing slightly.

It's nothing

I muttered, looking away from her.

Izuku:Just a bad dream.

Midnight:if you want to talk about it, I'm here

she offered, her voice gentle, understanding.

I could feel her eyes on me, waiting for me to say something, but I just couldn't. The last thing I wanted was to open up to someone, especially someone I barely knew.

Izuku:Why do you care?

I spat, the words leaving my mouth before I could stop them.

Izuku:We've known each other for less than a day. Why do you suddenly care about what happens to me?

Her expression softened further, a hint of sadness in her eyes.

Midnight;Because I'm a hero

she replied simply.

Midnight:And you need help.

I scoffed, shaking my head.

Izuku:But I've killed people

I said, my voice cold, distant. I wanted to push her away, to make her see the monster I truly was.

Izuku;I'm no hero. I'm a killer.

Midnight didn't flinch. She didn't look away or show any signs of fear. Instead, she stepped closer to me, her eyes filled with something I hadn't seen in a long time-compassion.

Midnight:But you've also saved people

she countered gently.

Midnight:You didn't attack the innocent. You didn't take the lives of those who hadn't done any evil."

I stared at her, my mind racing. I had never thought about it like that before. In all my time as Nemesis, I had always justified my actions as necessary, as part of the mission. But now, hearing her words, I couldn't help but question everything. Had I really been doing the right thing? Or was I just another villain hiding behind a twisted sense of justice?

I sat down on the edge of the bed, my mind spinning with conflicting thoughts. "Was I really evil?" I asked aloud, though it was more to myself than to her. I couldn't shake the doubt that was creeping into my mind.

Midnight moved closer, and before I could react, she wrapped her arms around me from behind, pulling me into a gentle embrace. I froze, not sure how to respond. Her warmth was foreign to me, something I hadn't felt in years. It was almost enough to break through the walls I had built around myself.

Midnight:You're not evil

she whispered, her voice soft and soothing.

Midnight:You've been through hell, and you've done things you're not proud of. But that doesn't make you a monster. It makes you human.

Her words hit me harder than I expected. I felt something inside me crack, like a dam about to burst. I wanted to believe her, to let myself feel something other than anger and pain. But I didn't know how. I didn't know if I could.

Izuku:I don't know how to be anything else

I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper.

Izuku:All I've ever known is how to fight, how to survive. I don't know how to live like a normal person.

Midnight:That's okay

Midnight said, her arms still wrapped around me.

Midnight:You don't have to figure it all out right now. You've been carrying this burden alone for so long, but you don't have to anymore. You have people who care about you, who want to help you.

I wanted to believe her, but the scars ran too deep.

Izuku:I don't deserve help I said, shaking my head.

Izuku:I've done too much, hurt too many people.

Midnight:Everyone deserves a second chance

she countered, her voice firm but kind.

Midnight:Even you, Izuku.

I didn't know how to respond. For so long, I had convinced myself that I was beyond redemption, that I was nothing more than a weapon, a tool to be used and discarded. But now, with her arms around me, I felt something I hadn't felt in years-hope.

Izuku:Why are you doing this?

I asked, my voice shaky.

Izuku:Why do you care so much about me?

She hesitated for a moment, then finally spoke.

Midnight:Because I see something in you, something worth saving. You're not just some lost cause, Izuku. You're a person with a future, a future that doesn't have to be defined by your past.

Her words brought tears to my eyes, tears I hadn't shed in years. I tried to hold them back, but they came anyway, pouring down my face as I finally let myself feel the weight of everything I had been through. Midnight didn't say anything, she just held me, letting me cry until there were no more tears left.

Izuku:I don't know how to move forward

I admitted, my voice trembling.

Izuku: I don't know how to be anything other than what they made me.

Midnight:You don't have to do it alone,

she replied, her voice steady and reassuring.

Midnight:We'll figure it out together, one step at a time. You're not alone anymore, Izuku.

For the first time in a long time, I felt like maybe, just maybe, there was a way out of the darkness. Maybe there was a chance for me to be something more than the monster I had become. I didn't know what the future held, but as I sat there in Midnight's arms, I realized that I didn't have to face it alone. And that, more than anything, gave me the strength to keep going.