Izuku knew this feeling – it was hard to forget. Like he was on the edge of falling asleep while sinking into cold water as a light fractured across the surface far above… His eyelids felt heavy, but then, he heard something–recalled it. "Nothing dangerous today…"

His body jerked as he tried to breathe. "W-Wait…"

"Do you promise…?" The 'air' felt like sandpaper, carving swaths through the inside of his throat.

His fingers clawed into the space surrounding him, trying to reach the surface. "I… I can't…"

He saw himself stepping toward Kaminari. "Either get on board or…"

"GET OUT OF THE WAY…!" angrily screamed a thirteen-year-old Kacchan, using an explosion to knock a young Midoriya to the ground.

He sank further and further. "S-Stop… Wait…" He wanted to shake his head – to move, but a numbness started to sap away from his limbs and body. "I didn't mean it like that… I…" He stretched out his arm over his head. "I c-can't…"

His hand grasped at nothing, "I just need to… please…" but it didn't feel like nothingness in his hands. "I just…" It felt like fabric… "Not like this…"

-XXX-

Ichimoku Samazu's hand fell onto Midoriya's as that hand dug into his dress-shirt. They were in the ambulance, jostling down the road and racing towards the nearest hospital. Midoriya's armor clattered across the ground as it laid below, abandoned. The paramedic said that he did all he could until they reached it. Midoriya was strapped down to a gurney and to a machine that beeped in pace with his heart. A mask covered his nose and mouth and… and Midoriya was reaching for it.

His other hand landed on Midoriya's, trying to stop it, as their eyes met. "You need to keep this on, kid." He shook his head. "It's helping you breathe; it needs to stay on."

Midoriya's lips moved underneath it, forcing his own hand closer to the mask.

Samazu looked up at the paramedic who considered it for a moment. "Quickly," she concluded.

He reached for the mask and pulled it away from Midoriya's face. "W-What is it?"

"M-My… My m-mom…" coughed out Midoriya.

Samazu nodded, "K-Kaguya's calling her. She'll–She'll meet us at the hospital."

"K… K-Kam…" He fell into a fit of coughs, struggling to recover. "K-Kamin… nari…"

Samazu shook his head. "Kaminari?" He tried to see if he knew the name, but he couldn't. "W-Who's that?"

"S-Sorry…" Midoriya coughed, "T-Tell the–them…" His whole body shook as he struggled to breathe. "I'm sorry…"

Samazu's breath hitched before he took a deep breath and forced a smile. "You're–You're gonna tell them that yourself, okay?" He swallowed, "Don't… Don't do this to us, Midoriya…"

"P-Please…" Midoriya sputtered out.

Samazu shook his head. "I… Fuck…" He slowly nodded, "Okay… okay…" He met Midoriya's eyes. "I'll… I'll tell them. I promise I'll tell them…"

He watched Midoriya's eyes as they struggled to focus. Then, he saw how they shined as they grew wet; as tears pooled in the corners of his eyes before rolling down the sides of his head. After that, his gaze faded, weakened – like Midoriya wasn't looking at him, but past him. The breathing became wheezing once again as his body suddenly jerked. The hand that once firmly gripped his dress-shirt for dear life spasmed before turning limp. The once consistent beeping began to pick up pace, going faster and faster.

The paramedic cursed as she pushed Samazu back. "He's going into shock. Get back!" Her fist slammed against the back of the ambulance's driver's compartment. "Pick up the pace!" Samazu's hands shook as the racing beeps suddenly became one long tone. "Dammit!" She put two hands over Midoriya's chest and pushed down hard. "Come on, Midoriya!" Samazu flinched at the snap of one of Midoriya's ribs. "Come on!"

-XXX-

Kyoka followed alongside Ashido's gurney as the girl groaned, clasping onto her hand tightly. "You're gonna be okay. We made it!" The gurney jostled as it ascended into the ER. "We're in the hospital. These guys are gonna take care of you." Her jack was pressed against her friend's wrist, listening to her heartbeat.

Ashido's head turned as her eyes barely opened. "W-Woods?"

"He got here first. They already took him in."

"Shinso… Did–Did someone attack him…?" she questioned.

Kyoka's face contorted, "I…" She admitted, "I'm not sure. He was unconscious the last time I saw him, but he should be here soon."

Ashido's head began to lay down as her eyes fluttered. "Okay… okay…" But then her eyelids snapped open as her hand tightened to the point of hurting Kyoka's. "Midoriya!" She shook her head. "I-I heard Mount-Lady! She–she was screaming his name. W-What… What happened?"

"I…" Kyoka's mind traveled back to the scene they left. As if she was standing there all over again, she watched as Midoriya rolled by. She saw his burned, charred skin, and worst, she smelled it. Just thinking of it threatened a spout of bile from her stomach before a sense of guilt nearly turned the threat into a promise. "I'm not sure, but he should be here soon too."

As the gurney neared a set of double doors, a nurse placed his hand on Kyoka's shoulder. "Ma'am, you have to step back now. You can't come past this point."

She was held back as the gurney continued. "Okay… Okay."

Ashido's fingers fell away from Kyoka's. "W-Wait…"

There was something on the edge of her voice, fear, and it made Kyoka's breath hitch. "I'll be waiting out here!" She cried, "I'm not going anywhere! I promise!"

As the doors swung shut behind Ashido's gurney, Kyoka turned and she saw a gurney-less hall. She twisted and turned before she spotted a paramedic. "Hey, wait!" She pushed her way past a nurse and a patient or two. "My friends, they were in the two ambulances behind ours." She questioned, "Are they here? Where are they? Why aren't they being wheeled in?"

"Ma'am, please take a deep breath," the mouse-faced woman said. "There was an accident in the tunnel the ambulances took to get here." She squeaked, "The other two had to turn around and take a detour. They'll be here as soon as they can."

Kyoka frowned, "How long is 'soon'? One of them was really hurt."

"I… I can't say…" said the paramedic. "You should take a seat." She guided the girl to the waiting rooms and the seats within. "Do you have anyone you can call?"

"Wait, no!" She demanded, "Who can say, then?"

"Ma'am, please." The paramedic laid a soft touch upon the younger's shoulder. "Rest assured that we are doing everything we can to help your friends." She repeated, "Do you have anyone you can call?"

"Yano!" called out another medic. "We need you over here!"

'Yano' turned to her. "Please."

"I…" Kyoka swallowed, stepping back. "Fine, fine. I do…"

"That's great." The paramedic offered, "Please wait here for now, okay?"

Kyoka muttered, "Like I have a choice." She raked her hand through her hair as she fished for and through her phone. Her locked screen held a number of notifications: missed call after missed call from her parents. "Shit…" However, before she could make the call herself, her father's name appeared on screen.

Her Dad's, Kyotoku, voice screamed into her ear. "KYOKA!?" It hurt, but she honestly didn't mind. "Honey–Sweetie, are you okay?!"

She took a deep breath. "I'm… I'm fine, Dad…"

"But, one of the people from your internship called, you're at Toriyama Memorial?"

"I am," she replied. "But, I'm fine. I wasn't the one who got hurt," she clarified. "I was riding in with one of them."

"One of them?" he echoed.

Her jaw tightened, "Yeah… You met them. Ashido, the pink girl?" Her father recalled her. "She just got wheeled in. She was awake, but… she was really scared." She started to pace back and forth. "And, you remember Midoriya and Shinso?" Another acknowledgement followed, "They were being driven in too, but apparently, they had to take a detour, so… who knows where they are…"

"I'm sure they'll be fine." She could hear her Mom in the background before her Dad said, "Listen, sweetie, we're on our way to you."

"You wouldn't say that if you saw him," countered Kyoka. "He was…" She scowled, "I should've ridden in with him, but…"

"Kyoka?"

"I was grossed out—freaked out," she spat. "I rode in with Ashido because I could handle her wounds, but…"

"Kyoka, don't do that to yourself please." Kyotoku sighed, "And, you know, maybe I don't know your friends that well, but I'm sure none of them would blame you."

"Yeah…" She muttered, "I'm sure they wouldn't…"

-XXX-

Chizome couldn't describe the feeling that took hold of his stomach, twisting it. It was a new yet familiar feeling that had only started brewing earlier that night.

After throwing his dagger, he crossed the rooftop and descended the fire escape. He stopped at an open window, stepping into the vacant apartment. Spinner had stepped forward to say something, but he dismissed him. His trained ear caught the opening doors and windows occurring through the floor. They were leaving this place as the chaos outside peaked.

After some time, Spinner left first, carrying their limited equipment in bookbags while melding with the flooding hallways. Screams were scattered about the halls as the building shook violently and the ground rumbled. Chizome had covered his attire in baggy clothes before pulling his bandana, mask, and scarf off and shoving them into a basic bag hanging under his arm. Soon, he too descended the building, but as others exited the front doors to gawk, he joined Spinner in exiting through an employee exit, slipping into the alley outside.

"Are we leaving him?" questioned Spinner.

Stain said, "He was given more than a helping hand." He shook his head. "If he doesn't succeed now–"

Then, he heard something. He just barely made it out, a name.

He paused for a moment, and Spinner tilted his head. "Sir?"

"Nothing," he said, refocusing.

However, they both had to brace where they stood as the ground quaked. Dust and pebbles from the rooftops above rained down on them. "What the hell is she doing!?" cried Spinner.

Before Chizome could respond, he heard it again, "MIDORIYA!" from the lungs of a building-sized woman.

"Midoriya?" echoed Chizome as he started down the other side of the alley.

"Sir?" Spinner turned after him. "Sir! That's where the fighting is! The Hero–" He started to follow. "Sir!"

When Chizome reached that side of the alley, he didn't cross its edge and into the street. He stood near a dumpster as he watched a scene unfold. He watched Dabi hold someone hostage. He heard Mount-Lady offer herself as a sacrifice. Then, he saw the bloodied, green-eyed, freckled face in the helmet of the hostage.

"Midoriya Izuku…" he muttered.

After that, he saw the boy burn…

And that fire broiled something within Chizome as he paced across the lobby of a once-fumigated restaurant. "Midoriya…" Spinner was investigating a nearby parking garage, looking for their exit. "Why him…?" The occasional passing car's headlights would shine through the boarded-up windows, casting away shadow with light. "How could a True Hero stand on the wrong side of this path twice…?" The grin on the image's face was taunting, disapproving, condescending… "Unless…"

As the siren of a car approached, the door to the arcade swiftly swung open before slamming closed.

Stain tensed at first, but upon seeing the man's mask and formal attire, he relaxed, "Compress," slightly. The exposed portions of skin were covered in bandages.

"At your service," the man greeted with a bow. "Our firebug has managed to make quite a mess of things." He dusted off his shoulder. "These streets are so active. It'll be hard to complete the usual vanishing trick."

"Yes, he has," said Stain.

Compress took off his hat. "As such, I took the liberty of contacting Innsmouth." He gestured out the door. "There's a trash-covered beach nearby with a usable dock. We can disappear by sea."

"I know of it… Good work…" praised Stain. "Spinner went to procure a vehicle in a parking garage South of here." He directed, "Collect him and head to the beach." His jaw tightened, "I must speak with Dabi alone."

"What do you intend to say?" asked Compress.

Stain glared at the man before his mouth eventually moved. "I watched… I watched both of your actions, calculations, intentions, thoughts…" He started to pace. "Most importantly, I saw what you both do in the face of failure." His scowl deepened into a grimace. "You were smart… you ran when the force against you was overwhelming, and most importantly, collateral was caused by Heroes, not you. The Lieutenant you harmed lives. Dabi… He was reckless… hapless… And, when he failed to reach his target, he settled for whatever he could get his hands on. Someone he knew was weaker."

"But, he's a powerhouse." Compress said, "His Quirk is strong."

Stain turned, "A strong Quirk is not enough."

"It makes him useful enough, doesn't it?" he questioned. "Forgive me for saying, but… destruction is necessary, is it not?"

Stain paused, "…" The vestige of Midoriya Izuku stood closer than before as blood soaked into the carpet. "It is, but not thoughtlessly." He raised his head. "Destruction of the decrepit and rotting means nothing if there is nothing left to replace it."

"Replace?" chuckled Compress. "If we believed in that, we'd let these Heroes redeem themselves."

"That's different."

"How so?" laughed Compress. "Can't you see how ridic—"

Stain growled, "ENOUGH!" Whatever mocking jovialness laid under Compress' mask disappeared as Stain stalked towards him. "You came to me. You all came to me." His head tilted as his teeth came to bare. "Why? Because I was the only one willing to take the first step. Because I was the only one who saw the necessity – the need of this society for someone like me."

He stepped away, declaring. "I fulfill our world's need of a culling! To weed out the cowardly, the liars, and the lavish – the unworthy." He turned back, pointing with his katana. "Do you know how I see this grand work?" He answered, "A necessity.

And do you know what I saw in Dabi's eyes tonight? That was not a necessity; it was enjoyment. It was a thrill to burn." He then asked, "Do you wish to know who he burned?

A teenager, a child. He wasn't even a sidekick to his target – an intern from Shiketsu High."

"What?" Compress stepped back.

Stain pressed forward. "You had one too, didn't you?" He questioned, "Did you even consider killing him?"

"N-No."

"But, Dabi would. Not even because he was in the way, but because he'd enjoy it." As he neared Compress' shoulder, he laid a hand on it, whispering, "Do you think that 'Hero' saw your arrest as a necessity? Or did he smile when he accepted his paycheck?" He squeezed before releasing him and stepping away. "Do you understand where I'm drawing the line?"

Compress stood silently, lowering his head. "I…" He took a deep breath. "I understand. Innsmouth will, too."

"And Spinner will follow," said Chizome.

"He will," said Compress. He turned, stepping towards the door, but paused, looking over his shoulder. "Beware of Dabi."

Stain unsheathed a dagger – recovered from underneath a fire truck. "Do not worry." It was stained in dried blood. "I have all I need."

-XXX-

"What–What's happening?"

Hitoshi's head shifted as his gurney bumped and jostled. Bright lights passed overhead and each one caused the ringing in his ears to worsen. "W-Where am I?" He lifted his hand, but one of the nurse's to his right pushed it back down.

Hitoshi's vision slowly focused on the duck-billed nurse. "Stay still, sir." He nodded, "You're in Toriyama Memorial Hospital."

"Where's Ashido?" he questioned.

"The pink girl, right?" He gestured past Hitoshi. "Her ambulance arrived before yours. She's already inside." He gave a reassuring smile. "Last I heard, she's gonna be just fine."

Hitoshi groaned. "What… What about Woods?"

"Stabilized," said the woman to his left with floating hair. "He's already being prepped to be airlifted elsewhere for more specialized care for his Quirk."

The man assured, "He'll be right as rain in a couple of days."

"G-Good… That's good…" His eyes rolled in his head before he refocused. "Is Midoriya here?" He caught something washing over the man's face. "Is he?" He then looked at the woman. "Is he okay?" He lifted his head, taking in his surroundings. "Where is he?" Then, far down the hall, he spotted another gurney near the door they probably entered through, and the green tuft of hair was unmistakable. "W-Wait, is that him?" Hitoshi pulled on his arms, propping himself up. "Why–Why're you just leaving him down there?" Their hands landed on his shoulders, trying to lay him back down. "Why aren't you helping him!?"

"Sir, sir! Please calm down!" said the man.

"Why're you just leaving him there!?" shouted Hitoshi.

"He's gone!" said the woman. "He's… He's gone." Her head hung as she shook her head. "They called it… as soon as the ambulance parked…"

Hitoshi blinked, taking in for a moment, before scowling and shaking his head. "Bullshit… No way, not him…" He felt sick. "He's been through this before… I…" He pushed himself up. "I need to see him."

The man sighed, "Sir, we can't–"

"That is my friend. I want to see him." He shoved the hands of the nurses off his shoulders. "And I'm not going to go with you until I DO!"

The man looked like he was about to argue, but the woman spoke first. "Okay…" Her eyes met her co-worker. "It's okay…" She gestured with the tilt of her head. "Go inside. I'll take care of this."

"If they found out you did this, it'll be your ass."

"I know," she said.

The woman began to pull the gurney down the hall, and Midoriya came closer and closer in view. "He can't be…" muttered Hitoshi. "I…" As he did, it became less and less deniable. "No, no, no, no…"

His eyes traveled over Midoriya's neck – the blackened char that covered it. "Fuck…" The burns throughout his costume exposed portions of burnt flesh underneath. "I…" Hitoshi's teeth ground together. "Those shutters…" As his stomach twisted and his vision blurred, his fist slammed against his gurney, "All I needed to do was open those fucking shutters!", again, "Fuck…", and again. "FUCK!"

The gurney came to a stop and the woman stood solemnly, frowning, "I'm… truly sorry for your loss."

Hitoshi wiped tears from his eyes. He looked at Midoriya's face, and that feeling in his stomach deepened into a pit. It wasn't merely the fact that was his friend, but the grimace that his face rested in. Then, he noticed something…

There was a wave in the air, like steam. It radiated from Midoriya, escaping the holes of his costume. His eyes retreaded over the burns and scars, and he noticed them shift. Char began to fade. Burned holes to bloody tissue were covered by crawling flesh. The once redness started to lessen, turning pink-ish.

The nurse voiced his confusion. "What the…" She took hold of the gurney. "This could be a factor of the villain's Quirk!" Hitoshi's eyes landed on Midoriya's chest. "We need to get you out of here!"

"W-Wait, he's breathing!" cried Hitoshi.

She shook her head as she moved his gurney. "That isn't possible!"

Hitoshi watched as steam escaped Midoriya's mouth, floating over his head. "You need to help him!" Her arm pushed him down onto his gurney as he was wheeled into the ER. "He's alive! You have to help him!" He bucked against her arm, but either due to his weakened or the woman's surprising strength, he couldn't wrestle himself free. "What're you doing!? You can't leave him like that!"

"Sir, please," she said. "We don't know what's happening. We have a procedure for these things! The body needs to be quarantined." She assured, "If anything can be done, we will."

Hitoshi relaxed slightly at those words before a wave of nausea washed over him. His head wobbled as the gurney shoved through a pair of doors. It fell upon the pillow underneath his head as his vision began to swirl once again before he forced his eyes closed.

"He's okay…", he whispered to himself. "Everyone's going to be okay…" he thought as his consciousness slipped away.

-XXX-

After they arrived, after Midoriya was declared, Samazu couldn't bring himself to stay in the ER. Once the necessary paperwork was filled out, he sat on the curb outside, and he waited for Midoriya's mom. "I promise…" Then he heard something from the doors the paramedics ran through. A few more nurses appeared in what appeared to be hazmat suits. The automatic door was shut and crossed in orange tape. "What's happening…?" he pondered.

Soon after, a doctor in orange scrubs and a lab coat walked over to him from the ER's front doors. "Sir?" He looked over the clipboard in his hand. "You arrived with a patient earlier… a… Midoriya Izuku?"

"Yes," he said as his eyes lowered to the name tag, Dr. Toga.

"Are you a parent or…?"

Samazu cleared his throat. "E-Employer, technically. Is something wrong?"

Dr. Toga's face contorted, "It's a bit complicated. If you'll just follow me, please?"

Then, Dr. Toga led Samazu through the ER and into the main building. They crossed through halls, following an orange line painted along the floor before eventually coming to a strange set of halls. The doctor stopped before a window to a room, gesturing inside. Samazu looked and saw Midoriya in a bed hooked up to a monitor letting out a prolonged bleep.

Samazu blinked, "What…?"

"Something was happening to the body," explained Dr. Toga. "To be honest, we don't really know. It was emitting steam or some kind or a gas, and the burns were… seemingly healing?" He looked over the clipboard again. "You didn't list a Quirk in the paperwork. Does he have one?"

Samazu didn't look away from the monitor. "Uh… N-No, he's Quirkless…" He shook his head. "W-Why is he hooked up to a heart rate monitor?"

"It isn't just a heart rate monitor," he answered. "We're trying to keep track of any further… changes to the body." Dr. Toga looked down at his clipboard, muttering, "He's Quirkless… Must mean that this is most likely some aftereffect of the attacker's Quirk." After writing something down, he turned back to Samazu, clearing his throat. "For the time being, we're going to keep the body in our Quarantine Ward, and… Has the parent been contacted?"

"She's, um… on her way."

"We'll wait until she arrives then," he said. He turned to a panel beside the room's sealed door, gesturing across its buttons. "If you need anything, please just press this blue button and a nurse will be down."

"Thanks…" he muttered as Dr. Toga left.

Samazu stared at the flatline on the monitor. "Do you have a healing Quirk…?" Under his breath, he joked to no one. "You holding out on us…?" He leaned on the sill below the glass. "Come on, kid…" He nodded to himself, "If you can – if you really, really can… Pull through…

Takeyama's counting on you, you know? And–And Woods'll probably recover faster without having to worry about how you're doing…" he offered. "Your friends are probably worried, too," he added. "Do you know that some of the folk at the agency are staying late, waiting for me to call them about you?"

Samazu paused as his phone chimed. He fished it out of his pocket, looking at his screen. "Your–" His breath caught in his throat. "Your Mom's here." He turned to walk away, but paused, "Midoriya… if you got something up your sleeve, now's the time…" With that, he walked down the hall.

Then, as he disappeared around the corner, the long, muffled bleep that emitted from the monitor was suddenly interrupted by a single beep.

To be continued…

COMPULSION S2: "Midoriya Izuku: Rebirth" FIN.

-\ XXX /-

Welcome to Compulsion S2's finale!

Thank you all for continuing to follow me on this endeavor. I greatly appreciate every follow, favorite and review, and I look forward to what comes next.

To give time for me to receive to any responses to S2 in general and finale, the S2 Retrospective will be adjoined to S3's beginning, Chapter 54: Begin Again.

With all that said, thank you for reading, and please criticize away!

Update Window: January 26th - February 1st

Intended Due Date: January 28th