- . My Hero Academia: 180 degrees . -
38. Where Hawks faces Dabi, Izuku encounters his doppelgänger, and Uraraka dreams of a life with two Dekus.
Hawks gently held the hands of the fake Rei Todoroki between his own, trying to convey a sense of calm he barely managed to hold onto himself. The situation was critical, and with every passing second, he felt the weight of responsibility growing heavier on his shoulders.
"Please… it doesn't matter who you really are," he said softly, his gaze fixed on the woman before him. "If you know where these criminals' hideout is, tell me. I swear they won't come after you anymore, and you'll be free to live your life as you wish."
The fake Rei lowered her gaze to their joined hands, studying them in silence. After a moment, she began to slide her hands out of his grasp, her movements slow but deliberate. Hawks' expression briefly flickered with surprise, but he didn't look away, trying to decipher what she might be thinking.
"She won't talk," came Dabi's voice from the shadows, his tone as cold as ever, laced with amusement. He leaned casually against the trunk of a nearby tree, his posture as relaxed as his words were biting. "Even 'that thing' knows that all you care about is the information you can squeeze out of her. Isn't that right?"
Hawks frowned, his expression hardening as he turned toward the villain. Dabi smirked, continuing with a nonchalant shrug.
"I've seen you on the news. When the time comes to show your true colors, you just don't know how to act, do you? You're nothing but an insolent clown. Guess your mother never had time to teach you proper manners."
"Don't talk like you know me, criminal!" Hawks shot back, his voice sharp.
Dabi's smirk widened into a cynical grin. "And let's not forget about your father…"
Hawks seemed to hold back a sharp retort, his jaw tightening, but before he could say anything, his assistant urgently pointed ahead.
"Sir, look!"
Behind Dabi, Twice and a clone of Dabi rushed forward. Using their joined hands as a makeshift platform, they launched Dabi into the air with ease. As he ascended, Dabi cast a disdainful glance at the fake Rei Todoroki before turning slightly to address his companion below.
"Twice, I appreciate you using one of your clones for this," he remarked, his voice dripping with contempt, "but the real mistake was using a woman as the base. I've said it before, and I'll say it again—women are all useless."
"Funny you'd say something like that," Hawks commented with a sudden smile as he took off into the air, carrying the fake Rei with him. Flames erupted behind them as Dabi launched a barrage of fire, chasing them through the trees.
"Don't act like you know me either!" Dabi roared, his flames intensifying as he pursued them.
Hawks maneuvered skillfully, dodging the relentless fire attacks. The heat licked at his back, and the air was thick with the acrid smell of burning feathers, but he didn't stop.
"Please!" Hawks pleaded again, his voice more urgent now. "Tell me where Shigaraki and the others are!"
The fake Rei stared at him intently, her gaze unreadable. Instead of answering, she suddenly twisted in his arms, attempting to break free, as if she'd rather fall than remain in his grasp.
The momentary distraction was enough for Dabi to land a precise flame strike. The searing heat hit Hawks squarely, causing him to lose control. He began a rapid descent, forced to land roughly on the ground. As he impacted, he released the woman, who tumbled across the dirt.
At that exact moment, just a few meters away, Shoto began to get up, still recovering from being swept away by the wave of scalding water caused by Dabi. He had barely managed to stand when he heard the desperate scream of the fake Rei.
"Shoto!" she called out, extending a hand toward him. "Help me!"
Shoto summoned his strength, attempting to create a platform of ice to reach her, but Dabi was faster. A wall of fire erupted in front of him, blocking his path and cutting off his power.
Then, as if time slowed, Twice lunged at the fake Rei, driving a metal pipe into her back.
"AAAAAAH!" Shoto screamed in horror, his voice raw as he watched the scene unfold through the veil of flames.
The supposed body of Rei began to disintegrate, crumbling into a gray, mud-like substance that oozed onto the ground. Its true artificial nature was revealed in a grotesque display.
Shoto stood frozen, his eyes locked on the spot where the imitation of his mother had fallen apart. His breath hitched as he struggled to process the horrifying sight, the weight of the moment crushing down on him.
Standing up, Hawks was breathing heavily, the scent of burnt feathers still lingering around him. He knew he had lost a valuable opportunity to achieve his goal, but his resolve did not waver.
Suddenly, a dark, rippling portal materialized behind Twice and the Dabis, slicing through the air with a soft hum. From the other side emerged the imposing and shadowy figure of Kurogiri. His elegant stance and unnerving calmness caused everyone to stop and turn toward him. In a grave, emotionless tone, he announced,
"I found them."
His words didn't seem directed at those present but at someone beyond the portal, hidden from view.
Twice and Dabi turned toward the portal, alert but not overly surprised. Dabi, tilting his scarred face slightly, gave Shoto a mocking glance as him remained frozen in place.
"Wait!" Hawks exclaimed, reaching out a hand in an attempt to stop them. But his gesture hung uselessly in the air as blue flames erupted around the portal, forming a fiery shield that barred his path.
For an instant, just before the portal closed, Hawks caught a glimpse of Dabi in profile. Then, unexpectedly, Dabi turned to look directly at him with unusual calmness.
"Dont come ..." Dabi murmured softly, loud enough for Hawks to hear.
And in the last moments before the portal vanished, Dabi's lips moved once more, forming a word Hawks read clearly:
Keigo.
Suddenly, Hawks found himself transported back to a distant memory. He was just a boy, standing on a hill overlooking the grand Endeavor residence in the distance. Clutched tightly in his arms was a small stuffed doll of the hero, as though it were his most treasured possession.
Behind him, a young woman with dark hair and purple streaks approached silently. She gently ruffled his hair, causing him to turn toward her.
The boy's small fists clenched as he declared with a rare determination for someone his age, "I want to save that boy!"
The mysterious woman's eyes widened in surprise before she smiled, letting the wind tousle her hair.
Back in the present, Hawks blinked, shaking his head to clear the images that had overtaken him. In front of him, his assistant was tending to Shoto, who was still breathing heavily and visibly shaken. But Hawks couldn't focus entirely on him.
He frowned, his gaze fixed on the spot where the portal had disappeared, then shifted to the destruction littering the grounds of Endeavor's estate. Questions swirled in his mind:
What had just happened? Why hadn't the reinforcements he requested ever arrived? Where were the other heroes?
...
Izuku couldn't take his eyes off the villain standing in the crater. Something had definitely happened to him, but... why did he feel that sting of concern for someone who was supposed to be a villain? After all, he was still a person, wasn't he?
The weight of uncertainty hit him hard. Was any of this real, or was it just another part of the entrance exam? The words of that boy from earlier—the one who had boasted about his high IQ—echoed in his mind as he struggled to find meaning in the situation.
Shinso, still on the ground, watched Midoriya with a mixture of frustration and urgency. From his perspective, Izuku was just frozen in place, holding the unconscious boy in his arms, showing no signs of acting. A sigh of irritation escaped Shinso's lips before he decided to take the opportunity. Frowning, he raised his voice firmly:
"Hey, villain! What was that? Are you okay?" he shouted as loud and clear as he could, carefully maintaining the right tone for his intent.
The villain turned his head toward the source of the voice, his body going rigid instantly, just as it had before.
Izuku's eyes widened in surprise as he fought the urge to turn his head toward Shinso, afraid the same thing might happen to him. His mind began connecting the dots quickly. "I get it!" he thought, a chill running down his spine. "Shinso's brainwashing quirk activates when someone responds to his voice, even with something as small as turning their head."
In that moment, he remembered what Shinso had said earlier:
"Because of my quirk, people usually say I'd make a good villain, but I'm not. That's what I'm here to prove."
Shinso's voice brought him back to the present, firm and commanding:
"Midoriya! What are you waiting for? Get that boy to safety!"
Izuku shook his head, forcing away the thoughts distracting him. Whatever this was—whether it was real or just part of the exam—the only thing that mattered now was protecting the unconscious boy in his arms. He prepared to move, but as he adjusted his grip, he couldn't help but glance at the boy's face.
His eyes widened in disbelief. He stared intently, unable to ignore what he saw.
It was him.
Or at least, someone who looked strikingly like him. Except for the hair color.
...
Uraraka's dream continued amidst a hazy, surreal landscape:
"Well, of course, I knew there was a chance this might happen, but I guess, in the end, it wasn't a complete failure. You keep one, and I'll keep the other! Hahaha!" Uraraka waved her hand dismissively, as if trying to brush away the memory of Hatsume's words after seeing the results of her experiment. Still, one last phrase lingered in her mind before fading entirely:
"Don't be so greedy as to want both of them all to yourself!"
"Yeah... sure," she muttered irritably, taking a sip of her green tea while glancing toward Izuku's open room. Inside, one of him was lifting weights with his left hand while the other did the same with his right, seated face-to-face like a perfect reflection in a mirror. To her surprise, they seemed to get along quite well, as if this absurd situation was the most natural thing in the world. Despite her initial exasperation, Uraraka couldn't help but feel her mood lighten as she watched them interact with such synchronicity.
Later, the three of them sat at the table, sharing a peaceful meal together.
"Deku," Uraraka called suddenly.
"Yes?" they both answered in unison, their voices blending seamlessly.
She couldn't stop the slight blush that crept up her cheeks, but she worked to maintain her composure.
"Have you two thought about what you want to do until Hatsume can fix this situation?"
The Deku on the left gestured for the one on the right to speak first. He nodded before responding calmly.
"The main issue we've considered is that if Hatsume can't merge our consciousnesses when we're fused back together, we might end up with incomplete information if we do things separately or in different locations."
"I see," Uraraka said, nodding as she thought it over. "So it would be best if you stayed together all the time, right?"
This time, the other Deku gestured for the one on the left to reply.
"Although, we've also thought it'd be a shame not to use this opportunity to be more productive. There are several things I've been putting off, like visiting my mom or shopping for groceries," he explained while the other Deku nodded in agreement. "Also, since I've always been in the habit of talking to myself, it doesn't seem too strange to us to catch up at the end of each day. That way, we could double our productivity and, in theory, have the same information."
Uraraka clasped her hands together, impressed by how well they organized themselves even in such an unusual situation.
"That's a great solution! You never cease to amaze me!" she said enthusiastically, showing her support. But then she seemed to recall something. "Oh, right. Tomorrow is a holiday, so I could go with whoever's going to the store. I need to pick up some toiletries."
"I'll go," both Dekus said in unison before turning to look at each other, confused.
"S-sorry, I didn't mean to— If you want to..." the Deku on the right started hesitantly.
"No, no. If you'd like to go with Uraraka this time, I'll visit my mom," the other offered with a conciliatory tone.
"R-really?"
"Sure, no problem."
"Alright, but next time, you can go."
"That sounds fair."
Uraraka smiled, both amused and touched by their willingness to cooperate. As surreal as the situation was, Izuku's characteristic warmth seemed to double with each version of him.
Unbeknownst to her, both Dekus were gripping their knees tightly under the table, as if holding back something they dared not express.
...
Author's Notes.-
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