Notes:
Fun fact: Did you know the main inspiration for Itsuka Kendo was Kamala Khan from Marvel...
Running down a narrow path the grass crunched under his chunky red shoes. His lungs burned, screaming out, begging for him to stop but he knew he couldnt. Not even take a breather for just a second...he had to keep moving, couldn't stay in one place for would think he would be used to this by now, heaven knows he's had plenty of practice, but it never got easier. Every day after school was a mad dash home, sometimes he made it...and sometimes he didnt. His worse days were the ones when he didn't make it...The promise of pain kept him running far after breath dwindled and his legs had given he could barely hear the flapping of wings over his own beating chest. His heart pounding against his ribs as if it were trying to leave his body, like a fist slamming against a drum it was constant and frantic.
Despite the fear. The adrenaline pumping through his young veins wasn't over the flapping of wings nor the portly classmate the wings belonged to...No, if he heard wings that meant Tsubasa was nearby...and if Tsubasa was nearby that meant Kacchan was not far behind...
Running through the thick and vast forest he slid to a stop near a big tree, one hand going to the ground to catch himself while the other went to touch the old worn bark. Taking a slow breath his green eyes flickered to the tree line, a good chunk of the sky blotted out with dark patches of leaves.
There was no way he escaped whatever that thing was that easily, it was probably looping around to try and catch him by surprise...
Turning his head a little he tried to piece together where he was, all of the trees looked the same to him and when he was swept into the air any semblance of direction was snuffed out. Add on to the fact that the sun had long since set and it was near impossible to know where he was.
The smart thing to do would be to group up at base camp with the others...if only he knew which direction that was.
His gaze lingered at the empty sky, his head tilting a little as he tried to hear the flapping of wings.
Nothing...maybe he really did los...
Turning around to leave he jolted when he walked right into something large and imposing. Cocking an arm back like it was an instinct he drove his fist into the being as hard as he humanly could, the silent forest filling with a loud smack followed by a thud.
"Oww!"
Wait, he knew that voice...
Sitting on the ground the hairy frame of Shishida was busy rubbing his jaw, his large furry hand massaging it slowly.
"My goodness, how is it that you somehow hit even harder since the last we fought? We only fought a few months back." Grumbling a little to himself he turned to reach down and pick his glasses back up, rubbing them onto his chest before putting them back onto his face. "What has you so spooked my friend?"
Midoriya almost immediately felt bad, cringing a little as he went to try and help him back up. Large furry claws wrapping around his wrist as he was wrenched back to his feet.
"Shit I'm sorry Shishida, you startled me."
"I'll say! You skipped right past fight or flight and immediately went to fight!" Patting himself off the large man chuckled. "I imagine it's not because you dont do well with scary things?"
"You would be right...somethings happened, my buddy and I were attacker by a creature separating us."
"A...creature?" Letting out a hum Shishida frowned, his glasses glinting in the moonlight. "It's as I feared. The air is full of the smell of decay and something sickeningly sweet. I would normally be able to find where it was coming from but something is burning, making it harder to smell anything else. What can you tell me of this, creature?"
Even as Midoriya spoke his gaze didnt leave the tree line, refusing to be sneak attacked again. "When the USJ was attacked by the League of Villains they had something like it, something All Might personally fought. Weird decaying skin and dead eyes. The thing didn't seem as tough but it had wings and it was fast..."
Now Shishida was also looking at the tree line as well, his toothy maw taught into a frown. "I see. We should meet up with the others, I can lead us back."
"Good idea. When the thing swept me up I got a look at where the fires were started. We should swing by to make sure no one is caught in the middle of that and then we can regroup with the others."
Nodding at each other they started to creep across the forest, Shishida leading the way as Midoriya followed not far from behind. Pulling a low branch out of the way it bent back under Shishida's arm as they wandered past.
"What happened to your partner Shishida?" Midoriya asked, trying to make small talk to calm himself down. For whatever reason the creature has him more rattled then it should. Something foreign yet familiar tugging at the back of his mind.
"I wasn't given one. Since we had an odd number I was forced to go alone. I was with Kendo and Awasa on the scare side but I lost sight of them early on..."
That got his attention. The mere mention of Kendo's name making him drop his guard. "Wait you were with Kendo? Which way did th..."
He had dropped his guard for just a second but that second was all the creature needed. Descending from the tree line the alien looking creature dive bombed upon them, soaring past them with a startling speed and sinking it's claws into Midoriya's shoulders. Despite Midoriya's size it somehow lifted him off of the ground, taking to the skies yet again with its prey.
"Midoriya!?" Shishoda shouted from below, the sight of his large frame running after him disappearing from the tree line.
For whatever reason this thing had targeted him specifically twice. It wasn't hurting him but its like it was taking him somewhere...
Struggling in the creatures grip he turned his head before staring in complete horror. The damage was far greater then he originally thought. Blue flames fed off of the tree line and illuminated the dark areas in a eerie glow. Pink mist descended down the mountain side like an ominous warning.
This wasn't just a bunch of monsters or common thugs...this was a coordinated attack...
Before he take note of where everything was happening a large boulder flew in from his right side, taking the creature by surprise and clipping one of its wings. Knocking it back before him and the creature started to plummet towards the ground. Looking at the creature he could see it trying to take flight again. Lunging forward he took hold of its swings and pinned them back, holding it in place before plummeting to the treetop fast. Tucking his body the best he could he activated his quirk, the warm glow pumping through his body. Tree branches snapping around them as they tumbled, hitting almost every branch on the way down before his vision was obscured by leaves and a sharp pain hit his body.
Sitting up he gasped, his head turning to try and assess the situation. He had fallen onto a rocky area, his quirk already healing any major damage he might've taken. Turning his head quickly he heard a gurgling, gasping sound. The sound was almost primal and animalistic but it was higher pitched, the sound foreign to his ears.
Not far away the creature was impaled upon a fallen tree, its muscles jerking and twitching in a way that was unnerving. Its pale yellow wings flapping about like a grounded moth.
Now that he could get a closer look at the thing he could see more of its bizarre shape. Its inhuman angles and bloated, stretched out form. The exposed brain, milky white unblinking eyes and gas mask esc face painted a picture of cruelty and pain.
What could created such a creature?
"D, d..." It almost sounded like it was trying to communicate without ever having used its voice box before. Like a child trying to speak for the first time but mixed with a dog or some kind of animal. After choking on its words its gaze met his and for a split second something clicked in it's brain. "D-deku..."
Everything froze to a stop.
An uncomfortable feeling coming up to the surface like vomit the moment he heard that old name. A ghost of the past stumbling before him in a monstrous form, all angry flesh and bleeding cruelty. Staring at the creature his brain ran into overdrive...the voice sounded familiar. His eyes flickered to the still flapping wings before widening when he finally connected the dots.
The sound of rustling could be heard as Shishida shoved his way into the clearing where he currently stood. Midoriya's body was ramrod still as if he was petrified in place. His gaze trained on the creature as his mouth slowly opened.
"W...what did you just say?"
Time seemed to creep to a crawl. The slow, monotonous tick of the clock on the wall the only noise drifting into his tired brain. Letting out a small yawn bags hung low on Tenya Iida's face. The normally very clean boy was now a complete and utter wreck. Long nights of going out to patrol on his own had worn away at the young man, leaving him a dull, dimming shadow of his once self.
Never had the expression "burning a candle from both ends" been more pertinent.
Despite the heavy pull of his body towards the ground he stared down at the paper placed before him. He was supposed to be taking a test...he believes. A test after a lector about the fact that he failed his exam. He really didn't want to think about it,the mere thought of "failure" made him cringe...because it made him think about everything he's done wrong the last few months. He failed at the sports festival, he failed at the mid term exam and most importantly, he failed his brother. Tensei had yet to be found despite his best efforts, every hint at his or the hero killer's location vanishing without so much as a trace.
Shaking his head a little he blinked slowly, remembering that he was supposed to be taking a test right now. Yet try as he might the neatly typed text on the paper would not become words, the text moving in a small blurry motion as it moved along the page like a boat in the ocean water.
What was the point?
While he was here taking test his brother was out there somewhere, who knows what happening to him. Exhaustion mixing with bitterness, a deep scowl forming onto his face.
"That's enough, turn in your test." Mr. Aizawa's voice cut through his thoughts in an instant.
Nearby the other students around him started to hand in their papers before his teacher stopped at him. His cold judging eyes bearing down at him before flickering to his blank page, a frown pulling at his lip. Tenya could see a flicker of concern cross his teacher's face as he stared down at him in thought.
Was he angry? Disappointed? Certainly he had some not so nice words for him considering his history as their teacher.
He thought of his father's disappointed face.
"Listen Tenya..." his teacher started, his words coming out slow and measured as he tried to think about what to say.
Words of either reprimand or encouragement that would never come.
Everyone! We're under attack! They look to be after the children!
The words rang out in everyone's head in an instant and they immediately knew the words were from the pro hero Mandalay.
Eraser head and Vlad king's bodies tensed into action. Their history of being pro heroes out in the field taking effect in an instant. Turning quickly they rolled out of the way just as blue fire erupted from the entrance door. Flames smothering the entrance as a tattered man emerged from the fiery gateway. His classmates screamed, the man raising a stitched up hand towards them in an attempt to blast them but nothing came.
Eraser head's hair floating as he glared at him with his piercing red eyes. With a lash his binding cloth wrapped around the man's outreached hand, pulling his arm to the side as Vlad King grabbed at his collar and slammed him into the chalkboard with a rattling smash.
"Stand down villain!" Vlad King demanded, his large frame pinning him down as red blood coated the intruder and trapping him in place. "Your outnumbered here!"
Letting out an amused chuckle the man's voice was gravely and deep. "I don't think you understand...you think your so high and mighty on your pedestal! Try and resist all you want the hero killer will knock you down to where you belong!"
Like emerging from a dream everything snapped back into place for Tenya Iida. Light returning in his eyes as they widened, clicking into focus and zeroing in on what the villain was saying.
The hero killer was here!?
"The hero killer? Here? Why?" Vlad king demanded, his large fist shaking the villain against the chalkboard. Mr Aizawa's eyes sharpening at the words.
All the man did was laugh, his head throwing back as he released a smug, terrifying sound. His body shifted and whoobled before turning into some kind of brown sludge and falling onto the ground.
"I thought you were stopping him with your quirk?"
"I was..."
Realizing something Mr. Aizawa abruptly turned before shoving his way through the burning door. Emerging from the other side to find that the side of the mountain was now on fire. Billowing smoke shooting into the sky.
In a rush of wind Tenya Iida had blasted past his lanky form, rocketing off into the chaos for his own purpose and vanishing amongst the burning trees.
"Tenya! Come back here this instant!" Mr Aizawa demanded but the stern boy did not stop, the commanding tone of his teacher silenced by the sound of an explosion of fire rocketing right into his face point blank.
Something was wrong, horribly wrong.
Stopping her step Itsuka Kendo turned her head to look amongst the forest, her partner Yosetsu Awase stopping to stare at her.
"What's wrong?" He asked a loud, concern evident in his voice.
It took her a second to place what it was that had her feeling so off, why a sudden chill ran down her spine.
"Its quiet." She muttered, her orange ponytail swaying softly. "Normally there would at least be a few birds or something but we haven't heard anything for a while now."
Turning his head Awase nodded, his eyes widening when he realized what she was talking about. "Hey yeah, you'd think we'd at least hear some of our classmates screaming but there's nothing at all. Did something happen?"
She wasn't sure but she didn't like it. Every part of her was screaming out that they were in danger.
The two stood next to each other for a moment as they listened for anything, any kind of sound at all.
"We should start heading back." She whispered to try and not draw attention to themselves, Awase nodding quickly next to her. Shuffling slowly they crept along the trees, the only sound coming from their own shoes on hard, shifting gravel.
In an instant the silence was broken with the sound of a fallen tree, it bending under some kind of unknown might as it filled the air. Something large paving it's way through the forest, like a bat out of hell and making a beeline straight for them. Whatever it was, it was fast and it was heading straight for them.
Breaking into a sprint she ran straight for Awase, the young man frozen in place and staring back at her wide eyed. Throwing both of her arms out she put all of her weight into him, knocking him to the ground and away. A loud buzzing filled the air as something barely missed them, a semblance of movement coasting along her head as the two tumbling down a small incline before finally coming to a stop. Kendo was back to her feet in an instant, not bothering with the slight sting of the fall as her teal eyes zeroed in on what just tried to get them.
Standing up above them not far away was something that chilled her to her very bones.
Whatever it was it was large, a bulky muscular build with mint green skin. Coming from it's back were six arms each of them ending with a whirring chainsaw blade. Despite its size it's frame was hunched, its shoulders angled low as it did not even bother looking back at them...not that it mattered. It was wearing a bizarre purple helmet that covered its eyes and a gag that went over its mouth. On the top of its helmet it was opened up to reveal a pink, exposed brain.
She almost immediately was reminded of the thing that Midoriya talked about at the USJ...a nomu. The same type of thing that almost killed Midoriya all those months ago.
Does that mean this was the League of Villains doing? Were they after something? I hope the others are ok...
Shaking her head sharply to dispel her nerves she frowned. She didn't have time to worry about that now! She needed to focus or else they would be the ones in trouble.
If this thing was really as strong as All Might they had a serious problem...
Letting out a curse on the ground next to her her eyes flickered to Awase and then to the beast again. It had not moved a muscle since its arrival, unmoving as if it were a really ugly statue, the only sign of it even being alive was the still turning blades on it's back. Leaning down slowly to help her classmate up her eyes were trained on the creature.
Maybe it didn't see us...
Crack
Awase's foot snapped on a twig, the small sound almost defeaning amongst the silence. A normally non consequential sound making everyone's heart drop. Before they realized what was happening everyone was moving, a mad dash deeper into the forest where the trees were thicker and light refused to shine. It was instant, not unlike two prey scrambling to escape a predator. As if it were instinct.
The whizzing buzz of blades ripping through the air as it followed quickly behind them and paving a path through anything in it's way. A large fork in the tree line and they split up. Kendo jumping left and Awase jumping right. Turning her head she had one finally glimpse of Awase before he vanished from sight, his panting frame being swallowed up by the encroaching darkness.
She didn't have time to worry about him however because the roar of blades and splintering wood continued toerupt from behind her.
It was still following her...and it was gaining fast.
Wandering through the deep dark forest the sounds of screams rippled around him. Bakugo's gaze searching the tree line coldly as they walked in the hopes of spotting one of his stupid classmates. Scowling he raised a hand to slap at his neck where something just bit him.
God he hated bugs.
This whole thing was stupid, wandering through the forest in the dark. Being bitten by fucking bugs as his classmates and strangers tried to jump out to scare him. Like a simple "boo" was going to spook him, he and his mom watched horror movies with each other since he was a child. He seriously doubted some stupid hero kids were going to do anything even remotely close to being scary.
Of course the only thing worse then this snorefest of a team building exercise was the person he was stuck with...
Looking over his shoulder he glared at his walking companion, the multi colored boy walking in relative silence.
Todoroki was moping, because of fucking course he was.
Ever since he got his ass handed to him at the Sports Festival Icey Hot had been quiet...well, quieter then usual anyway. Usually Bakugo would relish in the quiet but something about his moping pissed him off.
When he first met him he felt like a mountain, something that Bakugo devoted himself to climb. A challenge. Icey winds and cold stares daring him to try and best his peaks and oh did Bakugo love proving people wrong.
The Sports Festival was supposed to be their grand clash damnit, he was supposed to best him or shitty hair as a massive climax that would be a nice foothold in his story. A story told by future generations on his journey to becoming the best god damned hero the world had ever seen! Instead they both fell short.
Even just looking at the stone cold boy now he seemed less angry and more just...sad. He may have impressed him at the beginning but Bakugo saw him for what he really was now, a child having a fucking tantrum. An angry, bitter sad sack who's entire existence is to flip off his old man.
Clicking his tongue he faced forward again, a hand raising to slap at his arm where it was just bit.
Just two bitter sad sacks wandering around in the middle of the woods while everyone had fun during a camping trip, the thought would be comical if he wasn't part of the joke.
What a pair we make...
"Bakugo..." Icey Hot actually spoke, his voice quiet and stagnant like the wind. It was like a gentle nudge to try and get his attention.
"The hell you want Icey Hot?" He shot back, his voice coming out more angry then he intended. His hand clenching and unclenching as he shoved them into his pockets.
"Why are you still here?"
The question was so blunt it almost knocked the wind out of his lungs. Turning to face him Bakugo retaliating the only way he knew how. "THE FUCK YOU SAY ICEY HOT! YOU WANNA GO!?"
Icey Hot blinked at his angry shout for a moment before realization met his eyes.
"Oh...I see why that might have come off as rude. Let me rephrase that." His words placated Bakugo for now, the tension leaving his shoulders as he frowned, turning back around to continue his march through the woods. "How do you keep going after everything your quirk had done? At the Sports Festival it hurt people, how can you trust it?"
If his first question was like a slap his second was like a gut punch. Bakugo freezing in his tracks, his boot hanging in the air right above some fallen branches.
After all the pain it caused huh...
"WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT!?" Abandoning his previous direction he instead stomped over to Icey Hot, wrenching a hand forward to take hold of his collar and pull him in closer. "I dont know why you decided for once in your life to actually use your brain but you best start using it better!"
Icey Hot just stared back at him confused. "Using my brain...better?"
"Listen here you little shit!" Bakugo growled as he shook his collar. "I'm only going to say this once. My quirk didn't do shit, if anything I was the one who hurt people! Not my fucking quirk!"
At that moment something clicked in Bakugo's brain, his grip on Todoroki's collar loosening a little. It's as if saying it a loud made it real. Todoroki stared back at him, his eyes widening slightly at the admission and an entire other conflict moved along his face. They stared at each other for a long moment before Bakugo let Todoroki go, his breath slow as he thought about the lessons he learned from Hound Dog.
"I was the one who hurt people, me. No one else did it. I know that dammit...I just..." A breath of air came from his nose. "Its something I'm gonna have to live with..."
Turning to leave Todoroki stared back at Bakugo with a thoughtful expression of his own until suddenly something lept at him from behind a tree and tackled him to the ground. A being of pure black skin and distorted frame wrapped its arms around Bakugo's smaller body.
Thrashing in the creatures grip Bakugo let out a curse as his teeth clenched, the creature's arms were like two thick tree branches hard and unmoving. Growling out Bakugo struggled to even move an inch in the creatures hold a creaking sound coming from the angry blonde's bones as a pulse of pain ran down his spine.
This thing was going to break his ribs!
Running in to help Todoroki was intercepted by a second creature, its white skin and four wide eyes bulging as it sprinted at him on all fours. Opening its mouth impossibly wide its tongue lashed and snagged onto his wrist, wrenching it to the side and forcing his targeted ice blast to instead fly harmlessly into the trees.
"What the fuck!? Let me go!" Bakugo's hands sparked before he slammed his palms into the black nomu at point blank range. With a crackling pop the area he was standing erupted into flames.
"Bakugo!"
Todoroki screamed out before being yanked to the ground by the white nomu. Turning to face his opponent the creature was crawling towards him on all fours like some kind of lanky predator. It's lithe frame fighting taught against it's own skin. Turning his wrist around he put his fingers on the long tongue. With a single touch the creatures tongue was frozen enough to pull his arm free, the ice and flesh shattering onto the grassy ground.
With a shrill shriek the white nomu took a step back, recoiling away but not because it felt pain. Regaining its baring it lept at Todoroki with its jagged claws drawn.
When the fiery explosion cleared the black nomu was still standing, its grip tight around Bakugo. Its flesh was burned and crispy yet before his very eyes it started to regenerate.
"What the fuck is this shit!?" Bakugo screamed, his body now littered with self made burns. "Let me go!"
Lunging a head forward Bakugo's forehead crashed into the nomu repeatedly, his hard skull smacking into soft tissue of its exposed brain.
Dodging out of the way of the white nomu's attacks Todoroki ducked and weaved through its attacks like a pro. The creature lashing out more like an angry animal then a man. Wincing Todoroki felt one of the claws tear at his arm, slicing at the sleeve and the flesh underneath. Slamming his foot on the ground it froze, the terrain turning slick and slippery making the alien like creature slip and fall into a tree not far by.
Turning back to Bakugo he took a steady breath before a long icey spear appeared in his hand. Cocking the arm back Todoroki threw it like a javelin, the long sharp shard soaring through the air before sinking into the black nomu's arm with a sickening sound.
The white nomu was back up, making an inhuman sound as it leapt at Todoroki's back. It's claws poised to strike.
With the grip on Bakugo loosened he yanked himself free, turning in its grip before propelling himself past Todoroki and at the white nomu. Flying right past Todoroki him and the white nomu were flying at each other head on. Flipping in the air Bakugo grabbed its head and used the momentum to yank it out of the sky and slamming it into the ground.
Pulling the spear from its arm the black nomu turned towards Todoroki, rushing at him as fast as it could but it wasn't fast enough. With Bakugo out of the way of the attack Todoroki slammed his foot on the ground completely encasing the black nomu in a wall of ice and unlike the USJ, this nomu stayed frozen.
Taking a slow breath Todoroki shook off the cold growing on his face before turning back to Bakugo. The blonde was smiling as the lanky white creature thrashed in his grip.
"Stop moving freak or I'll kill you!" Bakugo taunted, his hands sparking as he held the creature down. Despite its agility it was actually pretty weak when it came to muscles mass, Bakugo holding it down with glee.
Slowly walking up to the two Todoroki looked down at the white nomu before also incasing that one in ice as well. Freezing it to the ground.
"Thanks for the help, Icey Hot." Bakugo chuckled, standing back to his feet before slapping his hands together. "Not bad I guess."
"Of course."
"Guess that means the team bonding is over huh."
"I guess."
Everyone! We're under attack! They look to be after the children!
The two flinched at the sudden message invading their heads. Bakugo wincing before rubbing at his head.
"Shit that feels weird." He muttered out annoyed. Shaking his face he scowled before huffing out. "Let's start heading back. I'm sure we got other shit on the way."
Heading back towards where he thought the base camp was Bakugo realized that Icey Hot wasn't following him, turning around to find Todoroki staring at him.
"...what?"
"You...WANT to head back?" Todoroki sounded startled by what was happening. His heterochromatic eyes searching him over as if he was replaced by a dooplegangeror something. "I do not understand..."
"Of course I dont want to!" His gaze was making Bakugo feel subconscious, making him shift from side to side. Anger flickering across his face before giving way to something more thoughtful.
"What will you have at the end of things young Bakugo?"
"I guess...I decided I want to save more people then I hurt."
Todoroki's eyes widened again, his mouth opening a little as if he wanted to say something but nothing came out.
Interrupting their little moment a large shadowy hand emerged from the darkness, gripping hold of Bakugo tightly.
"Oh you've got to be fucking kidding me..."
Was the last thing Bakugo remembers saying before being flung into a large tree and everything going dark.
Dodging to the right Kendo's body stung, tree branches pricking and prodding at her skin as she moved. Her movement was slower and more sluggish then usual. Her grandpa would probably scold her for having improper form but her body hurt too much to care.
After a day of pushing her muscles to the brink she was a little surprised she could fight back at all really. Blood filled her ears as she dodged another incoming swing of blades, the loud buzz of the blades drowning out the pounding of her heart.
Kendo had gotten into many matches in her life, gotten into even more backyard brawls...but this was different. It wasn't about a simple grudge match or petty pride, hell it wasn't even about standing up for what was right. Ideals, beliefs, honor, none of that mattered at this exact moment. This was so very different then anything she had ever faced before. This, was survival. Every instinct running on overdrive, telling her, screaming at her, begging her, to get away. To get to safety. To get as far away from the threat as humanly possible. It was both terrifying and all consuming. There was no thought, just pure instinct and fear.
Stumbling to the side her body shifted as loose gravel gave way under her, her lithe frame shifting as she fell backwards and against a tree. A pain ran down her back as she hit old wood her teeth gritting from the sting. Wincing her eyes snapped open just in time to notice a large green arm coming right for her. Ducking at the last moment the tree she was leaning against was now gone, cut in two as if it were a twig.
Ducking down low her fist clenched before pounding away at the creatures chest. She swung as hard as her aching muscles would allow but the thing didnt even flinch from her blows. Her knuckles meeting cold flesh as if she was hitting a big slab of meat from a boxing movie Izuku showed her once.
There was no give or even sign of her punching something that was alive.
Backing up she tried to stay in the things blind side which was a little hard with it having multiple arms, all seeming to having a mind of it's own. Its reach was insane and its movement was unrelenting, she doesn't think she saw the thing breath even once.
Tossing a large stone at it chainsaw clashed with a loud grinding sound before parrying it aside.
She had to keep moving...stay one step a head of it at all times.
Weaving between the trees she tried to use the size difference to her advantage but when her foot met the root of a tree she found herself stumbling backwards
Enlarging her hands she slapped them together, sandwiching a spinning chainsaw blade between her palms to try and stop the incoming blow. Wincing at the the cuts and lashes along her enlarged fingers her muscles singed out in pain, the gravel shifting to push her back as the creature took a step forward and another.
She was so tired.
Everything hurt and she could feel herself on the brink of collapse. Her vision warped around her as a burning sharp pain hit her shoulder. Tips of the blade were thrashing through her uniform and into her bare skin. Her arms shook from the strain of trying to keep the whirring blade at bay.
There's a reason that chainsaws were never used in combat. Blades cut, but chainsaws tear...
Panting orange hairs dangled down along her sweaty face, her teal eyes closing as she felt her death coming upon her fast.
There was so much she still wanted to do.
She never even got her motorcycle license or said goodbye to her parents. She wished she could see Izuku one last time, even if it was for just a moment..she should have confessed when she had the chance.
Hopefully Izuku didn't blame himself for what happened...
Standing unmoving a young Itsuka had her eyes down towards a self made grave. Fresh dirt was dug up before buried over a small patch in the ground, a little marker made from sticks she had found sticking out of the top. As if a reminder of what was buried there.
Not that she could ever forget...
She wanted something nicer but her mother said they didn't sells gravestones that small.
It had been a week since Taeko had died but it still felt like it was just yesterday. Rubbing her small hands together she frowned, the feeling of his blood not going away even after scrubbing away at them so many times. Blinking her tired eyes she felt like crying but the tears would no longer fall.
Was it ever going to get better or was this her life now?
The sharp pain in her chest refused to leave her. All she could do was think about that day over and over in her wouldn't he just come home with her? Why did he have to be so stubborn? A dark, twisted part of her wanted to blame it all on him. To kick and scream at his grave but she knew that wasn't fair, especially towards like Taeko deserved to be free. What right did she have to force him into being her pet?
Would he have even been happy living with her?
Sitting down on the ground her gangly legs pulled up into her chest, curling into a ball as a small sniff came up from deep down inside of her.A sliding door opened nearby and she didn't even bother to look up at whoever it was. A large shadow crept over head, the sound of footsteps getting closer before whoever it was sat next to her.
"You doin ok kid?" a deep gravely voice asked, a voice she was all too familiar with.
"No Uncle." Itsuka said softly. "Not really."
A breath of air, the man pausing to think of what to say next. He was weirdly being gentle with her right now, much smoother then he usually was.
"I bet you feel pretty fucking useless right now, yeah?"
She did.
What was the point of trying to get strong if the people she loved got hurt anyway? Wasn't that the whole point of being a hero? To save people?
Even though she didn't say anything her uncle already knew the answer. A low rumble escaping his chest as he hummed.
"You know that ache you feel right now? That hopeless feeling buried so deep inside of you it may never leave? That feeling like you just wanna climb into a ditch and give up?" She shifted, her teal eyes leaving her cocoon of shame to flicker up to his large imposing frame. "Use it. Never forget this feeling, hold onto it tightly and let it be a reminder of what the world took from you. A reminder of what you couldn't save and what you couldn't have."
His muscular shoulders were taught showing his stubborn pride as his long, light brown hair swayed softly in the wind. Her uncle looked down at her with a crooked smile and a single eye poking out from hair hanging in his face. The sun beaming down from behind him bathing him in a dark silhouette that was casted a shadow over her and obscured his face.
"Let it be an important lesson that power is the most important thing. If you never want to feel like this again get stronger, strong enough you never have to feel loss ever again. Clench your fist over that pain and pull it tight."
"AND FUCKING SCREAM."
Snapping her eyes wide her arms started to bulge. Opening her mouth she started to scream, barring all of anger and frustration from deep down inside of her and bringing it up to the surface. Her voice raising louder then the sound of thrashing chainsaws, loud enough for even the gods to hear from up above.
Her fingernails started to dig into green skin, her knees tensing as her shoes grinded into the dirt. Something was changing in her, the sharp pain of her muscles starting to tingle before her arms started to bulge and expand. Her hands growing large and then her wrist, her forearms, her biceps.
In one quick motion both of her arms expanded far past what was normal, a burst of strength rocketing through her as she shoved the larger creature back. Crouching down low her enlarged arms cocked at her sides before she twisted her hip and exploded them outward. Dual massive fist collided with the creatures sternum, its feet leaving the ground as it soared far into the air and slamming into a row of trees. The sound of splintering wood filled the air as trees started to collapse around it.
Panting, Itsuka Kendo looked down at her massive arms as they started to shrink back to normal size, her eyes wide and in awe.
"Huh...that's new." She wanted to laugh but now wasn't the time.
A large green hand clamped onto a tree before pulling itself back onto its feet.
"Ok you ugly son of a bitch." Slamming a fist into her open palm blood started to trickle down from her shoulder. Sweat and grime covering her face, her teeth bared as she stared the beast down.
"Let's dance!"
"A-aoyama? W-what are we doing?"
"Shhh, mon ami...please don't move so much. They might see us!"
"T-they? Who's they? W-what's going on?"
Shifting behind some bushes Yuga Aoyama and Koji Koda were hidden away. For whatever reason Aoyama was acting weirder then usual, his body tense ever since they had partnered up and wandered into the woods. At first Koda thought it was because Aoyama simply did not do well with scary things but now he realized it might be something else...something more concerning. After a while of them wandering in the woods he all but pounced on the stockier boy, shoving him into some bushes and begged him to stay quiet. The smell of burning filled their noses.
"a-aoyama please! If our friends are in trouble we have to help!" Koda all but begged, his voice low in fear of whatever has Aoyama so spooked.
"N-no! Please dont move! I promise it will be over soon, we just have to lay low until then!"
"Lay low? Over soon? W-what are you talking about!?" Despite his shy nature Koda was still much stronger then Aoyama and there was only so much the boy could take before having enough. Placing a big hand on Aoyama's shoulders the tall young man stood to his feet in frustration, his voice rising higher then usual. "I need to m-make sure the others are ok! Wait here!"
"K-koda please! You don't understand!"
"Aoyama! What are you doing!? Let me go!"
Tussling with each other Aoyama frantically tried to pull his friend back into hiding, his eyes were frantic and bulging as tears threatened to spill from his face.
They just had to wait, to sit still until it was all over! He promised him that no one would get hurt, that no one would be in danger! If they all just did what they asked they wouldn't have to hide anymore! They just had...
"Well well well, there he is! The man of the hour!"
The two froze at the voice, their fighting amongst each other coming to screeching halt as they both turned towards the source of the voice. Emerging from some bushes was non other then Shigaraki himself, his long coat billowing behind him as he walked. The cracks on his face shifted and twisted under the mans terrifying smile.
"I have been searching everywhere for you my little mole. You've been quite hard to pin down amongst all of this chaos..."
Gulping Aoyama locked up, his eyes meeting the man's cruel red ones before looking away. Koda stood next to him looking at him as if he was piecing it all together, horror across his shy face.
Wiping off his hand Shigaraki took a step forward, his gaze aimed solely at Aoyama as he spoke. "Now that I finally caught up with you...I have a very important question."
"Where. Is. Izuku Midoriya?"
End notes:
Man, its been a while. I keep thinking about this story and wanting to get back to it but stuff keeps happening in my life. The irony of writing a chapter about a big fire where everyone fights for their life while dealing with an actual big fire and all of the stuff that comes with it has not gone unnoticed.
On the subject of the actual story I keep thinking of the phrase "Ain't no party like a Nomu party."
I imagine putting the nomus that originally tangled with Endeavor and a bunch of pros at Hosu and instead put them in a forest full of kids would have a devastating effect on what happens.
Midoriya had his past come back to meet him in a way he for sure did not see coming. Aoyama had his past come back to meet him in a way he should have seen coming, Kendo's quirk evolved while fighting a bunch of chainsaws, Bakugo and Todoroki are a bunch of angsty boys and Iida ran off into a burning forest screaming.
The nightmare had just begun and there is much more to come before things get better.