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Thank you

Chapter 23: Dazed (Part 1)

"DETROIT SMASH!"

Suddenly, Shigaraki sprang into action, leaping backwards with a speed that caught me off guard. And then, before my very eyes, something truly shocking unfolded. His body began to melt, dissolving into a thick, white, molten substance that oozed from his form. This viscous, lava-like material evaporated into a swirling cloud of inky black smoke, obscuring my vision as his physical form vanished entirely, leaving no trace behind.

I stood there, dumbfounded, looking at the last vestiges of Shigaraki evaporating in the billowing, ethereal smoke and then nothing. What just happened? Did he really disintegrated before my very eyes? Or was this some new Quirk that he had acquired from All For One? I felt dizzy, my head spinning as I desperately tried to make sense of the situation. Had I imagined the whole thing? No, it had been all too real - the sheer terror I felt in Shigaraki's presence, the adrenaline coursing through me.

I could still feel his piercing gaze upon me, even though he had vanished without a trace. But where was he now? Where could he have gone? I blinked rapidly to clear my vision, my eyes frantically scanning the dense forest, squinting against the sparse moonlight. Where did he go?

I felt utterly exposed, vulnerable in a way I'd never experienced before. The uncertainty was maddening, my nerves frayed as I waited with bated breath for him to reappear. I clenched my fist, wincing as the movement sent a jolt of pain through my veins. I whipped my head around at the rustling sound.

God my head... It took a few blinks to make sense of my surroundings again, though the blurriness and spinning were still there. Damn it. The dim moonlight filtering through the thick canopy of trees did little to help, casting everything in an eerie, silvery glow that only served to disorient me further.

"Don't be sick" I thought desperately, taking hollow breaths.

The punch had felt like a jolt of electricity coursing through my veins, the sheer force of it renewing the agonizing pain radiating from my battered body. I should have used my left arm, I realized, cursing my lack of foresight. But in the haze of anger and the overwhelming need to protect Kacchan from that monster, I had thrown caution to the wind, lashing out at Shigaraki without properly assessing the situation. I shut my eyes to think - and God, thinking has never been this hard before.

All I can think of is pain, pain and PAIN. It was as if the wolf's savage jaws were still clamped down on my arm, its razor-sharp teeth digging deeper with each passing second. And my lungs - they felt like a fluffy mat beneath the stomping feet of a herd of rampaging elephants, making each breath a strained and laborious effort. I longed to cry out to them, to beg them to stop their merciless assault, but the words caught in my raw, aching throat.

Each throbbing heartbeat reverberated in my skull, the pounding rhythm sending spikes of agony lancing through my head. It felt as though the sturdy bones in my legs had been replaced with limp, quivering spaghetti, rendering them wobbly and uncertain as I fought to regain my footing. They could scarcely support my own weight, let alone carry me forward. And my midsection? It feels like it doesn't even exist. I don't know if I should be happy a bout it or be worried.

I would have felt satisfied to land a solid blow on that bastard, to wipe that twisted grin off his face, but in the blink of an eye, he just vanished into thin air. Yet the persistent sensation of being watched weighed heavily upon me, and as I whirled around, the world began to spin out of control. I had to pause, taking a series of shallow, ragged breaths until the haze cleared and reality righted itself once more.

Shit. I don't have the luxury to rest. I can't focus on the pain right now. Our very lives were at stake, and I knew I had to pull myself together and stop Shigaraki before he could carry out his plan.

"I'm here to take the most precious thing that you hold close to your heart...your sweet friend Kacchan."

The very thought of that bastard laying a finger on Kacchan filled me with a surge of raw, unbridled fury that momentarily eclipsed even the agonizing sensations wracking my body. I would not - could not - allow him to succeed. Gritting my teeth against the agony, I forced myself to focus, blinking to clear my vision to search the darkness for any sign of movement, any indication of where Shigaraki might be.

My ears are ringing but I clearly heard the unmistakable sound of explosions - Kacchan is here, ready to fight. "What happened?" he asks. I opened my mouth to answer but no sound escapes. I don't try to clear my throat as I know it will be futile. The third attempt left me hacking, increasing the burning sensation in my throat. Finally, a coherent sentence comes out. "Shigaraki is here."

I could see the tension in his muscles, the concern etched on his face as he asks for confirmation but I can't do anything more than a weak nod, clutching at my chest. I was overcome with a crushing sense of failure. It was my duty to keep watch, to protect us both, and what did I do? Woke up Kacchan from his much needed rest to come help me. How could I ever consider myself a true hero when I couldn't even handle a simple night watch without succumbing to injury? The guilt threatned to consume me.

"Stay here" he says, his usual gruff demeanor masking the concern I knew he felt. He activated his quirk, scanning the area for any sign of the villain, ready to fight him head-on and keep me safe. As much as Kacchan's brash nature can be a bit much at times, right now, I am truly grateful to have him by my side. He was acting like the true hero I've always admired, willing to put himself in harm's way to defend me.

Yet, a part of me couldn't help but feel like a burden, as Kacchan dashed off to confront the enemy, leaving me behind, alone. I know he's just trying to protect me, but the thought of him leaving me behind, always squeezed my heart. Still, I couldn't dwell on that now - there was a villain on the loose, and I had to stay alert.

Another rustling sound caught my attention, and without thinking, I hurried unsteadily in that direction. Wrong Move. As my footing suddenly betrayed me, I tried to slow my descent but failed. The impact was jarring, as my hands and knees slammed against the uneven ground, sending shock-waves. Tiny stones embedded themselves in my skin. Pain exploded in every nerve ending, a searing sensation that radiated up my limbs and through my body. Clamping a hand over my mouth, I tried to muffle the pained cry that threatened to escape from between my clenched teeth.

I tried to breathe. Oh God... breathing hurts...breathing HURTS. Each breath I took felt like hot knives stabbing my chest. Nothing was going right - every decision I made seemed to lead to more trouble. Trying to stay quiet only made the nausea worse. I could feel the scorching bile rising up my esophagus, burning a fiery trail as it went

I feel sick...I feel SO sick...I feel so SICK

And then I heaved, the violent convulsions ripping through my body, retching until my vision blurred and my sense of direction was completely lost. I made a strange sound like a horse neighing, my eyes burning as I kept them shut too tightly. I clutched at my abdomen, tears streaming down my face, attempting to ride out the waves of pain felt like I've been burned alive.

God, it hurts so much...it hurts...it HURTS

After what felt like an eternity, I tentatively opened my eyes, blinking through the pain to try and make sense of where I was. Looking down, I saw the putrid remains of the mint bar I had eaten earlier, not even fully digested before my body had violently rejected it. The overwhelming stench made me shift to the other side, but a tickle in my throat quickly had me coughing, and that's when I saw it - crimson fluid on my palm. Blood. I am coughing up blood. I blinked in disbelief, trying to convince myself it was just a trick of the moonlight, but the truth was there, stark and undeniable.

INTERNAL BLEEDING

The realization hit me like a ton of bricks, I am not going to make it out of this alive. That only means one thing - Kacchan must complete this assignment. He is the only one who can. I have to make sure he does. And for that to happen, I have to hide this from him. He must never know of my condition. I cannot put more burden on him. More than I already am. I need to act like a partner we were meant to be on this assignment. I need to show a bit more courage.

Suddenly, I heard footsteps near me and I tensed. Is it Shigaraki? Has he finally came out of his hiding spot? I should alert Kacchan. I am not in a state to face him. Then I heard the familiar and not so familiar voice of Kacchan calling my name with such gentleness in his voice, I let myself relax a bit. Thank God. I am safe...we are safe...we are SAFE.

"Are you sure you saw Shigaraki? 'Cause I've looked everywhere, and there's no sign of him." he asked as he placed a cold hand on my shoulder. I could tell he was kneeling beside me, his presence a comforting anchor in the chaos. I hastily wiped the blood from my hands and mouth, praying he wouldn't notice.

"I'm not lying, Kacchan, I really saw him. He was right there. And then he started melting. There was white larva flowing out of him and then he was gone. Poof. No warp gate, nothing" The words tumbled out of my mouth in a rushed, breathless manner, my vision swimming as I struggled to focus on Kacchan's face. I can't rely on my eyes as I see four of him.

"It's okay now. I think you scared him off. Good Job." What? Did I hear that right? Did Kacchan just...No, Kacchan will never compliment me. Just as I can't rely on my eyes for the truth, my ears have followed the same path. I can't rely on my ears too. Damn it. I have to warn him that I still feel Shigaraki's presence, lurking in the shadows, waiting to strike.

"Now it's my turn to take over, alright? Let's get you back to the tent so you can rest." No, we can't. Not with a blood thirsty villain keeping a watch on us. Not when I know what he wants. I will never let him win. Never let him lay a finger on Kacchan. I am unsure how I will do it but I have to. There is no other way. Kacchan must complete this assignment at all costs.

"No, I think he is still here, somewhere, watching us." I said, blinking slowly to focus on the real Kacchan. They are multiplying with each blink. God my head hurts.

"You said he melted. Right? That means he's gone." But is it true? Is he really gone? Are we safe?

"And if he returns, I'll kill that bastard. Now, get up." Of course, he is gonna kill him and protect me. Just like a hero he is destined to be. And I will be here, dragging him down, like a Deku I am. Always a road block in his path to success. He was right all this time. I am utterly useless.

I accepted my fate and grimaced at the thought of getting up. I attempt to rise, first using my hands to push myself up.

Wrong approach. The moment I put weight on my injured arm, the pain flared up. Resulting in failure as I crashed back down.

Need to change the strategy.

Second try, I twisted my body and tried using just my left arm to slowly push myself up.

Success. Now I just have to use my legs...

Fail. My knee buckled under the strain and I crashed back down to the ground on my right side, the impact sending fresh waves of agony through my battered form.

Change of strategy.

Gritting my teeth, I used the tree beside me as support, slowly pulling myself up.

Fail. The moment I put weight on my injured side, a searing twinge of agony shot through me and I said hello to the ground again with a pained cry.

I have heard people talking about seeing dark spots. I thought I was experiencing the same a while ago. But right now, it feels like my eyes had been transformed into a camera, each blink capturing a new, fleeting image - the world flashing white before coming back into focus.

Through the haze, I suddenly felt arms around me, lifting me up. The world was spinning wildly, and another agonizing twinge ripped through my side. Instinctively, I reached to clutch at the injury, to try and apply pressure and dull the pain. But as my hand grasped at the area, I felt another hand there - firm, unyielding. Shit, Shigaraki is here. Panic seized me as try to break free of his grip, but he only tightened it further, crushing me.

Please...Please...PLEASE, I can't take it anymore. Just kill me already.