Angel: Will I do season 8? I mean…do I really need to answer that? I feel like the answer is obvious. And that one episode with Bakugo is coming out next week. Get ready for it, guys.
A few days ago
"The success of our plan will likely come down to one thing," Toshinori started off to the team in front of him. "We must take our most fearsome enemies...and split them up! Based on the data recovered from Star and Stripe's fight, Tomura Shigaraki is currently far more powerful than All for One." Star's death was still fresh in their minds... "And I know that everyone is aware of how strong All for One is. You no doubt saw the reports from Kamino. The two of them can communicate via radio waves, but also through a shared consciousness. We first noticed this during the attack on Tartarus, though we don't know much about it. If they coordinate and attack us at the same time, we will not defeat them." Shigaraki was already bad enough, and most people in the last mission didn't get out unscathed...dead or alive. So if All for One did think to team up with Shigaraki, no one would survive.
"Hold on," Ethan spoke up skeptically. "If that's true, why didn't the two of them show up and fight Star together?"
"All for One likely guessed how New Order functioned. He knew that if Star called his name...she'd be able to impose any rule she wanted onto him." It was the same reason why All for One in Shigaraki's body called a retreat: because multiple Quirks would work against him on a worn-down Shigaraki's body. Ethan slowly nodded in understanding. "Right now, we're scoping our battlegrounds. The goal is for us to keep them at least ten kilometers apart. Consider that the minimum distance we need for us to have a chance."
"Of course, they're likely expecting as much," Naomasa narrowed his eyes a little. "They'll do their best to counter our plan."
"Exactly right, Tsukauchi," Toshinori placed down a Dabi magnet next. "Dabi's fearsome flame will burn everything in its path. We've run into that problem already at the training camp and at the mountain villa," He then used his marker to draw a bunch of fire. "We can't allow him to be on the field. His interference there would cripple us."
"I see where this is going!" Ragdoll stepped up, holding up three fingers. "If we want to separate All for One and Shigaraki, then we'll also have to send Dabi away!"
"He's not our only concern, though," Officer Sansa pointed out with a knowing frown.
Toshinori nodded, knowing that those three weren't the only obstacles they'd face. "That's right. To win this..." Everyone stared at him in anticipation. He then slammed the board so hard that all the magnets flew off it. "We have to scatter everybody. Their entire vanguard. We must lure out the enemy, divide them, and systematically crush them! First, Young Shinso will use his Brainwashing Quirk on Aoyama and his family when they speak on the phone. That way, All for One won't detect any lies. When the villains arrive at our trap, we'll use System Troy to capture them. Before they can break free, Young Monoma will use Kurogiri's Warp Quirk and transfer the cages to locations we've chosen. This fight will span the country. Our largest threat, Shigaraki, will be transported to UA's Coffin in the Sky. A fortress designed to counteract his Decay. There, Young Monoma will copy Aizawa's Erasure, ensuring Shigaraki can't use any other Quirks in his arsenal. Our strike team at UA will center around Young Midoriya, and Young Mido as well. The roster will include high-ranking heroes like Best Jeanist, Edgeshot, and Mirko, along with select students. All for One will be taken to the Gunga Villa, far away from his protege. Endeavor and Hawks are set to lead a highly capable group of heroes against him there. The cage containing Dabi will end up in Kamino Ward Ground Zero. He'll face Young Todoroki, Endeavor's sidekicks, and others with Quirks useful against his flames. Since Himiko Toga is an unpredictable opponent, our plan is to isolate her on Okuto Island. Gang Orca, Young Uraraka, and Young Asui will lead the capture effort, since the girls have previous experience going toe-to-toe with her. Most of the remaining villains will be sent to Takoba National Stadium. Those left behind when the Warp Gates close will be rounded up by System Troy and a small group of heroes who'll remain in the area. We can't forget that Gigantomachia is currently locked down at Jaku Hospital, while Kurogiri is being held here at Central. As Shigaraki nears completion, All for One will no doubt attempt to reclaim his other trusted servants. We'll keep forces posted at both locations. In all, this operation will be carried out simultaneously on eight different fronts. And there you have it. The plan that Tsukauchi, Aizawa, and I devised together. This is a decisive battle," Toshinori's eyes shined in determination. "Our last chance to defeat these enemies!"
On that roof of the building Shigaraki was looking at...was a cackling Neito as his eyes were flashing red like Mr. Aizawa's would. Water flew from his eyes as he was surrounded by Mr. Aizawa and Manual.
"What's the matter? Is the Final Boss having trouble using his powers?!" He was merely touching Mr. Aizawa's hand while the teacher was using Erasure. But that was more than enough for Neito to copy it just for this moment.
"You've gotta stop shouting! Please!" Manual pleaded, as the bragging was making it harder for him to keep the eyes open.
'I can't move from his side. As long as I keep physical contact with Monoma, he can copy my Quirk well beyond his normal limit of five minutes' Mr. Aizawa stared at the Coffin in the Sky, knowing that even though they were counteracting Shigaraki...they were still at a disadvantage. Even with Neito's training of being able to copy a Quirk for more than five minutes, this plan was still missing their big trump card. 'We were supposed to create the ideal scenario for Midoriya. One for All is at the center of the operation, but now...' He gritted his teeth at their situation. 'This isn't good. Midoriya's missing. And Galaxy, as trained as it has been up until this point...might not be enough.'
Shigaraki spun around...revealing a bunch of fingers from a now larger hand.
"Hey, Dynallista! What the hell is he doing now?!" Mirko gritted her teeth in alarm.
"The hell?!" Izuka stood up in alarm to see this development.
"We don't know!" Katsuki looked towards it in a panic, as this was something that no one could've predicted. "This is-"
Shigaraki grew the arm towards Mirko, and it was too fast for her to stop. He managed to break off her robotic limbs, to the shock of everyone else. "Mirko!" Izuka shouted in concern for her, all of them stunned by this new move...even though Erasure was still in effect.
"I still can't believe I used to think you were cool," Shigaraki remarked, blood already over his...grotesque arm. "But you turned out to be another disappointment..." He then looked right at Mr. Aizawa with sunken, desolate eyes. "Eraser Head..."
All of them gasped sharply and Shigaraki let out a grunt, swinging up his arm. Katsuki hugged Izuka as he jumped out of the way. Her hair flew as she looked up in alarm.
"You're kidding me!" Katsuki shouted as the fingers were starting to grow everywhere. "This is disgusting!"
If Izuka could gag, she would. However, Shigaraki already used his new power to attack the school building. "No!" She grunted in worry as she looked towards the damage.
"Phantom Thief!" Edgeshot was already in his tinier form, wondering if it was because Neito managed to blink.
"I haven't blinked yet!" Neito confirmed, as Manual was still helping him with his eyes. "Erasure should be working as planned!"
"Then...it's not a Quirk?" Edgeshot murmured in shock as his head became whole.
"This is simply my physical body. Growing," Shigaraki explained, causing Izuka to flinch. It was kind of like with Fat Gum in a hypothetical sense. Erasure couldn't do anything about the physical body of someone, only the Quirk itself...and since these fingers weren't part of the Quirk, Erasure wouldn't be able to stop them. "The same way my hair gets longer. Or my nails. Just faster." Mirko spun away from a horde of fingers reaching out towards her. "In order to accommodate the numerous Quirks housed inside of me, my body had to take on a new form." Best Jeanist landed on a platform while Katsuki rolled with Izuka to a safe stop. Both of them stared up at the damage being done to UA. "This is where society is headed. The singularity that Garaki proposed. You people cover up the truth. Try to ignore a future you can't hope to change! You'd never understand this...just like you didn't, Hana!"
She glared up at the villain, wondering how long he was going to keep up the whole Hana thing when she could not care less. She may want to help Izuku save the person inside of him, but at the same time, it was hard to do it when he did and said stuff like this...
Mirko slid across the grass. "Spares!" She shouted and a compartment appeared behind her, revealing spare prosthetics on standby for the rabbit hero. She reached the supplies, and clicked in the new arm and leg within seconds. She then flipped around, soaring towards Katsuki and Izuka themselves. "Dynamighty! Calli! Get a hold of yourself and prepare to fight! Stop gawking!" She gritted her teeth as she landed between the two.
"It's Great Explosion Murder God Dynallista!" Katsuki insisted in irritation, earning a weary look from Izuka. She was fine with the last part, but everything else before it she still wasn't used to... "And you should stop charging in without a plan!"
"Oh?" Mirko stood up with a smirk towards him. "Aren't you a cocky piece of TNT?"
"Yeah?" He returned the smirk, as both of them felt very similar to each other right about now. Izuka just looked irritated towards them. "You wanna have a go right here, bunny wabbit?" Katsuki challenged the number-five hero.
"Both of you knock it off," Izuka deadpanned towards the both of them. "Do we really have time for this?!"
"Girlfriend or not, you don't tell me what to do!" Katsuki looked over to her.
"Literally not the point here..." She pinched her nose for his response. It was a wonder how she didn't notice until just now that both of them could get pretty hot-headed...
"Focus, you three!" Best Jeanist called out from his spot.
"Huh?!" All of them looked at him with the same dumbfounded expression. Izuka's mostly for getting scolded when she didn't even do anything...
"It's not huh, it's yes sir!" He corrected the trio.
"We can't just stand around, we need a plan!" Izuka spoke up with narrowed eyes. Katsuki glanced at her as he could tell by the look in her eyes she was worried about her brother. After all...since it was most likely Himiko Toga, he could get hurt, or maybe not. She couldn't tell someone's intentions just by actions alone. Why do I get the feeling it's personal...Himiko Toga...she's both a mystery and a fear in of itself. Can I really expect her to not kill him?
"Hey, focus on Shigaraki!" Katsuki spoke up, getting her attention. "I know you're worried, but Deku can handle himself! And if he does die, I'm gonna explode him after all this is over!"
"...Yeah, okay," Izuka replied back in understanding, taking a second to calm down. She knew Izuku would be able to handle it, and to get back here safely on his own. He had done a lot of fighting while away from the school, after all. So she shouldn't worry too much, and it would end up breaking her focus anyway the longer she dwelled on it.
"I swear, I'm using it like you taught me, Mr. Aizawa!" Neito insisted, gritting his teeth. "I'm not screwing up. Something else is wrong!"
"I can see that," He murmured, biting his lip nervously. Those hands...
"Eraser!" Mandalay appeared, shouting up at him. "We've got Midoriya on the line!"
"Damn it, Class A! Get your crap together!" Neito shouted towards the building.
"Where are you, Midoriya?" Mr. Aizawa questioned, ignoring what the blond just said.
"I'm sorry! Himiko Toga grab—at Okuto Island!" Izuku got cut off a bit, but his teacher could still understand what was going on.
"Okuto Island?" Mr. Aizawa murmured, knowing that it was very far from their location.
"Use Kurogiri's-" Izuku's end had bad reception, though...but using Warp wasn't going to be as easy as they thought.
"We have to Warp Midoriya back as soon as we can!" Tamaki called out, gritting his teeth.
"That's not possible," Edgeshot told the third-year as he popped up.
Monoma can't Copy more than one Quirk at a time. It would take at least ten seconds to switch from Erasure to Warp and bring Midoriya to this location Mr. Aizawa gritted his teeth at the roadblock Himiko gave them...
"Eraser," Best Jeanist turned around with an intense look towards them, warning them to not switch Quirks. "You realize it too."
Those hands won't stop multiplying Mr. Aizawa realized as they showed no sign of stopping... If every one of them is capable of using his Decay Quirk...we're dead the moment Erasure is released. Shigaraki had a big grin on his face, knowing that it would be more difficult for them to land a hit now.
Tamaki then looked towards Izuka. "Callista, can you use your teleportation to bring back your brother?"
"No..." Katsuki stated seriously, catching him off guard. "It'd be a crapshoot."
"He's right," Izuka frowned deeply while staring at Shigaraki. "My teleportation wouldn't bring him back. I've never been to Okuto Island, so I don't know its layout very well. I have to visualize that specific island to be able to go there. Otherwise I'm just going in different islands until I just happen to find the right one. And I wouldn't even get a second to search anyway," Her eyes shook a little in anger, furious at the limitations of her Black Hole. However, the other part of her didn't want to take any chances. Izuku was already pulled back into a warp unexpectedly, and she didn't want to know what would happen should a villain notice her using her Quirk on their side. "I don't wanna risk bringing back a villain or someone whose Quirk won't work well here..." Not to mention that the bastard wouldn't even let me use it long enough to find Izuku. He'll use that chance to take me out…so I can't use my teleportation even if I could. I don't think we can buy that kind of time even if they didn't know how it works.
Mr. Aizawa glanced towards the girl, knowing that they couldn't rely on her to bring back Izuku. I can tell she regrets not being able to get more time with Black Hole. Otherwise, this wouldn't be an issue for her. But even then...she still has the risk of something else going wrong like with Midoriya's sudden absence.
"Sorry, Midoriya," Mr. Aizawa spoke up into the comm. "But you're going to have to find a way here on your own. We'll do our best to hold Shigaraki back in the meantime. Mido's Black Hole isn't going to help either if she doesn't know where Okuto Island is." He knew that if she could bring Izuku back, she would've already done so.
Mandalay looked towards Coffin in the Sky, using her Telepath to contact the others. We can't warp Deku right now. And we can't use Mido's Black Hole either.
Izuka glared knowingly after hearing the message. Because Monoma's Quirk won't let him use multiple ones...and they won't risk switching out Quirks if it means that we die. We can't let that happen and let Shigaraki easily escape. Which means that we're entirely on our own here. And I don't wanna use my new move this soon. It'll put me at a disadvantage if it ends up not working on Shigaraki. His physical body is too much for me to do significant damage even with Erasure in effect.
"Even without One for All..." Best Jeanist stated as Tamaki, Mirko, Katsuki, Izuka, Nejire, and Edgeshot gathered around him. "We can defeat this vile enemy!"
"Yeah!" Izuka and Katsuki declared in unison.
"Yes, sir!" Tamaki responded, looking towards Shigaraki. "Come on..."
Meanwhile, on Okuto Island, the fight still continued.
Okuto Island. Located in the Pacific 200 kilometers off the coast. A paradise known for its expansive beaches and luxurious resorts that look out over tranquil waters. The island's showpiece is Okuto Aquarium, which brings in tourists from across Japan and beyond. Kugo Sakamata, aka Gang Orca, serves as its director.
He was standing with his crew as they were about to face one of the Nomu. It then detached its own limbs from its body, to the shock of the others. Then it broke apart the arm in pieces.
"Incoming! Watch out!" Gang Orca shouted as the pieces fell towards the group rapidly. They all screamed while attempting to dodge. The Nomu let out a roar, surrounded by its body parts. It was almost like an evil version of Class B Setsuna's power...the water rose as villains revealed themselves. They all cried out while holding weapons and ready to strike.
"These guys are way stronger than the ones we faced in Jaku, Boss!" One of the crew members cried out while trying to fend off a villain.
"Don't back down!" Gang Orca shouted while using a sonic wave against his opponent, knocking him into the water. The Nomu could only simply watch while regenerating its arms and legs.
"That Nomu. No telling how many Quirks All for One gave him," Another one of Gang Orca's crew shocked a villain with his weapon, pushing him into the sea. "Take him out!" He gasped as he saw something...a bunch of razor-sharp teeth attacks that was very familiar. All the heroes shouted while trying to dodge...because Moonfish was there too in a new outfit.
"So much flesh..." He murmured in a creepy way.
"Don't ignore the Jailbreakers," Gang Orca ripped off a blade from his bleeding arm. "Keep your eyes open!"
More body pieces from the Nomu rained down on them.
Tsuyu landed on her knees as Sirius braced herself. "That attack even reached the rear guard!" She frowned, looking towards the green-haired frog-like girl. "Froppy, you're not hurt, are you?"
"Nuh-uh," She responded quickly, and seemed to be in thought about something. "But that was an intense wave. It swept up Uravity and Deku!"
Ochaco touched a villain, catching her off guard as she floated up to the sky. "What did Mr. Aizawa say?!" She called out to Izuku, since it was a private call.
Izuku reached out to knock back a villain with Air Force, sliding to a stop. "They can't Warp me out, and Izuka doesn't know where Okuto Island is to bring me back! I have to get back to UA myself!" He informed the brunette, having a bad feeling about what was going on with them. "Things must not be going well there!"
"Then you should hurry!" Ochaco flinched as a knife was held above water. Himiko was running in fast towards Izuku, who turned around with a sharp gasp. He swung up his arm to use Air Force against the water, which flew around them.
"No, Izuku, you can't leave!" Himiko insisted to him with a happy grin. "I love you! So you've gotta stay here with me!"
"Toga!" Ochaco shouted, about to run over, but the wave crashed into her. So now it was just Himiko and Izuku.
He looked at her anxiously as...he still couldn't get Danger Sense when she was around. And it was kind of unnerving. There was no reaction from the Fourth even though she tried to stab me?
Hikage appeared as a projection right behind him, as he had a good feeling on why Danger Sense continued to not work on Himiko. Because Danger Sense didn't recognize her as a real threat He had never encountered someone like this when he was using it...but someone able to not be recognized by his Quirk was very well possible. I can't believe someone like her exists. And that she's survived in this world so long.
"...Okay, I'm listening," Izuku spoke up, wondering what was so important that Himiko wanted him to stay. And to the point where she had to drag him out to Okuto Island. "What is it? Tell me what you want from me!"
She moved up her hands to her blushing face, fangirling on the inside. "That's easy. I want you to be my boyfriend!" She confessed to him without hesitation. She did recall her conversation with Izuka over the phone...
"Turning into someone else for me...is love. That's the only way...things can turn out happy for me."
"...Okay," Izuka went along with it, turning to the window. "But it's not just about yourself. When you really love someone, you think about what would happen to them. If you don't have that, you don't have a relationship at all. Otherwise, it won't be happy. You might be pleased, but they won't be. What about how they feel?"
Himiko didn't respond at first, starting to look a little more upset the more she listened. "What am I supposed to do? Am I supposed to change? Why should I?" She implored, sounding a bit more...sad. Izuka pressed her lips together at her tone, wondering if she made the right choice or not...because it was starting to sound like she messed up, but all she could've done was be honest. "Is this your way of saying...that you won't support me and Izuku?"
"That's not what I said," Izuka reminded her, closing her eyes while gripping the blanket in fear. "Sometimes...people do change for those that they feel strongly for. And that's exactly what Katsu did." She gave a look of discomfort, not sure if she was really the one to have to tell Himiko this, villain or not. "What I'm telling you, from the bottom of my heart...is that maybe you can try what you want to show in a different way because of who you love, even if it's my brother. Where both of you can feel that satisfaction. It's not a one-way concept, and it feels good when it happens. If you really have to get blood...then get it without having to hurt someone. That hasn't crossed your mind at all?"
Ever since then...it had crossed Himiko's mind. Because what she felt...she felt like it was something she was supposed to be feeling. That Izuka was both correct and wrong at the same time. It still felt good regardless of her actions. Ochaco stood up in alarm towards the both of them as she had overheard.
This girl...feels genuine affection...whenever she hurts someone! Hikage thought in horror from just the concept alone...
The Nomu continued to attack the water, while villains and heroes continued to fight in the chaos. The Nomu fired up something from his hand and used it to attack. Meanwhile, Izuku stood there in shock of Himiko's...request of him. A huge splash of water appeared right next to them as it was utter silence between the two.
Izuku Midoriya is the 9th wielder of One for All, a crystallization of powers. It's no surprise he's the most important asset in this battle. His archenemy is All for One, a villain who has been plotting and maneuvering behind the scenes in Japan and around the world since the beginning of superhuman society. He's desperate to get his hands on One for All. Midoriya has had a number of chance encounters with Himiko Toga, but she's never shared her romantic feelings with him directly. Even his sister, Izuka Midoriya, knew the truth before him. The poor kid had no idea this scary girl was in love with him.
"...You want me to be your boyfriend?" Izuku finally reacted as his entire face turned red. Not once had anyone ever asked him anything like this before in his life. And even then, he never thought about himself in romance escapades. He was always more focused on Izuka and Katsuki's relationship than his own. So it was both a shock and surprise that Himiko straight-up asked him this. Especially after so long. "Where the heck is this coming from?!" He hollered as he tried to calm down.
He may be super strong, but he's still a damned nerd.
Himiko turned away a bit shyly. "Well, I've liked you since I first saw you. You were so bloody and broken. In fact, you looked just like my first crush! It stirred something deep inside me. You're so dreamy, Izuku. I even asked Izuka for permission, but it didn't work as well as I wanted!"
Izuku gasped as he remembered being told about the phone call. "...They said that...you called Izuka while she was still recovering in the hospital, right? That was the reason? Why did you do that?! She's been through enough already!" He demanded the girl, trying to be calm so that he didn't get attacked by potentially upsetting her.
"I just wanted a taste of what she has with Bakugo...in Kamino...he was trying to confess his feelings when he thought she was going to be all bloody and limp by us. So I wanted to see what it was like for her, but I had to wait for my chance!" Himiko then grinned widely as she blushed hard. The girl then started panting in a...strange way, as if she was craving for something. In fact, she stared at Izuku like he was a piece of meat. "Come over here...I wanna get a taste of your blood...that way I can become you. Just like how Izuka has become Bakugo..."
"Don't you think this is all moving way too fast?!" Izuku blushed again, starting to feel a bit overwhelmed by it all. "By boyfriend, you mean like, we would go to the amusement park, and hold hands, and share a crepe, and do date kinda stuff?!" In comparison to his sister, she had only done two of those things. And her relationship status changing was relatively recent, not that he had the opportunity to stop and ask her what she did with Katsuki.
Ochaco flinched from Izuku's question, feeling very bothered by all this unfolding. Just thinking about him doing that with Himiko...it was a feeling that she didn't like.
"Whenever I like somebody, it makes me want us to become the same person," Himiko confessed as she covered her eyes. Izuku looked up at her in alarm, and so did Ochaco. Because...she said the exact same thing to Izuka over the phone. "That's the only way I can satisfy these feelings."
"Incoming attack! Brace yourselves!" Gang Orca cried out as the Nomu attacked. Izuku grunted as they hit the water, causing a wave to crash towards him. Himiko was unfazed by it while people were knocked down around her.
"So, hero. Tell me...what do you wanna do to me?" Himiko wondered and Ochaco blinked at the specific wording.
"Hero. What do you want to do to me...?"
Izuku jumped towards Himiko's spot, but she was nowhere to be found. Gone again. She always manages to disappear! And with the water crashing everywhere thanks to the battle, it was easier for Himiko to move around without detection. Gotta stay on guard or she'll get the best of me. But this is a terrible matchup. There was a reason why Izuku wasn't supposed to be here: Not just because Shigaraki was supposed to fight him. But because Himiko was unpredictable, especially towards him. Not to mention dangerous and he couldn't let her get a hold of his blood. He didn't even know if she could use it, but he would rather not find out. Danger Sense doesn't perceive her! He then leaped backwards, looking up ahead. "You know what?" He called out while using blackwhip against the Nomu's attack. "I grew up wanting to be a copy of All Might," He slid backwards hard while hanging on as much as he could. "To be as strong as he was!" He then broke the projectile into pieces. "So I understand what you're saying. Really, I...wanna be like him! But I don't want to become him! Don't you see that your actions don't match your feelings?!" As he talked, she continued running up to him. "The truth is...the last thing you should want to do is hurt a person you care about!"
She opened her mouth...and then closed it as she had a small fond smile on her face. "What about Bakugo...? He hurts your sister..."
"That's not entirely true!" Izuku shouted towards her, sliding to a stop and looking up. She blinked in alarm at his sudden statement. "Yes, some people can say that Kacchan would hurt my sister with how much he looked down at her! But even then, he never once laid a hand on her with purpose! Even now, he's the one who asks her to hurt him because he wants her forgiveness for what he did to her!" That time that he asked Izuka to yell at him for what he did to the twins was a prime example of that. "And yet, even though he's not the first person I would've thought won her heart...he doesn't want to hurt her anymore!" In his head...he imagined Katsuki reaching out to hold Izuka's hand as cherry blossom petals fell. "Because despite everything, he loves Izuka Midoriya and would die for her!"
Currently, Izuka was spinning around to dodge the fingers from Shigaraki, who looked up at her with an evil grin. A wave of them appeared right behind her, causing the girl to look back in alarm. Katsuki flew in to catch her in his arms, flying away from Shigaraki as both of them looked down at the villain silently. Izuka stared at Shigaraki, analyzing him and trying to figure out what was on his mind right now...
"And she'd do the same for him!"
Izuka held out her palm towards another attack. "Neptune Darkness!" She sent out a black shockwave similar to Shigaraki's own, to his alarm.
"Why can't you just be a regular girl?" Mrs. Toga pleaded with her daughter upon seeing her creepy smile. "Why can't you be normal?"
"What a poor soul," Curious held Himiko's cheek gently while placing a hand on her head. "Trying to suppress your true nature."
"If you threaten people so you can do what you want, then you deserve whatever's coming to you! Now tell me what you want with Izuka!" Ochaco demanded of Himiko.
"If you really have to get blood...then get it without having to hurt someone," Izuka gave a look of discomfort.
Himiko slowly opened her eyes...as she felt that the twins were on the same mindset as Ochaco. That none of them could really understand what it was like for her. "Oh, Izuku. You're just like Ochaco, aren't you? Same as my mom and dad..." She looked up ahead at the two of them...as the more she looked at them...the more that they were becoming her parents. People who questioned why she wasn't normal. "You don't get it."
Both of them gasped sharply while looking up at her. Ochaco looked back out to the view. "All of a sudden...I started thinking about Himiko Toga. I was kind of surprised by her reaction, and then equally as surprised that she reached out to Izuka about it."
You think that the only people worthwhile are heroes and the ones they protect. That I don't matter Himiko thought as she continued running along the water. She then summoned her capsules while putting on her mask. That's why you won't give me the time of day.
Izuku turned around with a sharp gasp, as he was able to dodge Himiko just in time. He spun around while dodging her attacks.
"Wait, let's talk about this!" Ochaco ran up to the both of them, tackling Himiko. Both of them spun around away from Izuku. "I've been thinking about you ever since we fought each other one-on-one!" She shouted down at the villain.
"That's strange. Cause I don't think about you anymore!" Himiko confessed; because Ochaco reminded her of her mother so much...she didn't want anything to do with the girl anymore. So whatever the brunette had to say, she wasn't interested in hearing it. "I hoped maybe Izuku would understand, but now I'm over it!" She kicked Ochaco away from her. "Izuka was already the first...I should've known it'd be the same!" The blonde was referring to when Izuka tried to tell her what love was. And that Himiko's way of thinking was fundamentally flawed.
Izuku slid against the water. "She'll counterattack!" He cried out in warning.
"If the world is going to reject me..." Himiko started off, wanting to get the last word in...of how she could never be their definition of normal. "Then I'll reject the world right back!" Her wires reached out to Ochaco, who gasped as she looked back...but it was merely a distraction. "I'm just so sad, Ochaco," She reached out...and stabbed Ochaco in the shoulder from behind. The girl let out a yelp of pain from the sudden attack. "I thought maybe we'd bond over this. Because we're so similar, you and me! We're both in love with the same-"
Blackwhip was heading in fast towards the both of them. Tsuyu reached out to save her friend, using both legs to kick Himiko away. "Ribbit!" Blackwhip had caught Himiko as well, just in case she tried to attack again.
"Asu-Tsu—Froppy!" Izuku stammered, trying to find the right name.
She landed on all fours, looking up ahead. "I'm sorry I wasn't here sooner!"
"Are you hurt?!" He yelped while looking over to Ochaco.
"I'm fine!" She called out, kneeling and holding her shoulder. "It's barely a scratch! We have to get the knife, though. My blood is on it!" She looked back, as her costume had a slight mark against it. And the knife didn't thankfully go that deep into her.
"They warped her way out here because she's such a wildcard," Tsuyu murmured knowingly while staring at the villain. "But I'm starting to think it's not good to be stuck on an island with her." Then again...she wouldn't be easy to defeat in any situation. If Izuka had to deal with Himiko, she probably wouldn't be able to handle her either. Even with Himiko...asking Izuku the question that she did so boldly.
Himiko used her knife to cut Blackwhip off of her, laying eyes on the one who stopped her. "Hi, Tsu," She replied in a creepy way, with murderous intent in her eyes.
"Go, Deku!" Tsuyu shouted without looking back at him. "You're needed elsewhere. This isn't the time to get distracted by a conversation about romance!" Izuku flinched, unsure if he could leave his own classmates to deal with Himiko alone...he knew that he wasn't supposed to be there, but still. "We've got this! Uravity and I were always supposed to handle Himiko Toga. We know how to fight her better than anyone. And besides, what about Mido? As someone who has siblings herself, I know what it's like when you feel you've disappointed them..."
"She's right. Stop Shigaraki, and keep that promise to Izuka," Ochaco looked towards Izuku, telling him to trust her.
"Well, then. I guess we're both kinda weird."
"...I need you to do one thing if we're gonna do this together."
"Uh!" Izuku looked up at her in shock. "Anything!"
"You're gonna go out there...fight your damn hardest...and come back here still breathing. If...if you can do that...only then will I have anything left in me to forgive you. And don't try to protect me by keeping me in the dark again," Izuka glanced over her shoulder.
Izuku gave a happy expression and then closed his eyes. "I promise, Izuka. I'll win your trust in me back."
He stared at the brunette, a bit conflicted. He knew that this was the plan, but...with Himiko's feelings towards them...he wasn't sure if he could just leave. At the same time, he couldn't keep his promise to his sister if he wasn't there to stop Shigaraki to fight like he was supposed to. And yet...Ochaco was helping him get the chance he needed in order to keep his strong bond with his sister. Because she knew how important Izuka was to him, and to defeat Shigaraki.
"Uraraka..." He murmured in disbelief and she gave a small smile.
"You got this. Your sister knows that too. So go back there and show her that you still care about her," She confessed, having complete faith in him.
"This is how you act when I confess my love?" Himiko asked in anguish while getting onto her feet. "Why is it so hard to be me?!"
"Go now!" Ochaco urged, as the next time Himiko attacked, they might not be so lucky.
He turned around without another word, preparing himself. Okay. Seventh. Float! He jumped up into the sky, floating in midair. He then started to move his legs back and forth for some kinetic energy. Third. Fa Jin! He let out a grunt as he propelled himself away from the island at a rapid speed. He went off like a rocket, alarming a bird int the process. The green-haired boy opened and closed his palms repeatedly to release Air Force. I can use Air Force for propulsion and balance. But it's slow! He gritted his teeth as he wasn't going as fast as he wanted to. Not like I'm going to find anything for Blackwhip to latch onto. If he could, it would make getting to the Coffin in the Sky much easier. But since there was only just water around him, he was stuck going at his slow speed. And he would probably continue to go at that speed for the rest of the way. It'd be so much faster if I could use it and Faux 100 percent! He narrowed his eyes, not wanting to get there before something terrible happened to the others. Faster. Whatever it takes!
"You're flustered."
He gasped sharply from the voice, glancing up to see the projection of Kudo, the second user of One for All...the one who reminded Izuka of Katsuki. "It's clouding your judgment. Think about your new gloves. They're not up to the task of handling One for All if it's used at full power. Do you want to be injured when you finally reach the battle? And in turn disappoint your sister?"
Izuku looked away in defeat. "No."
"Ah. So are you planning to exploit my power?" Kudo couldn't help but wonder.
"...Yes," Izuku answered after a few seconds.
"I thought we told you my ability is meant to be used as a last resort," Kudo attempted to remind him. "As One for All grew stronger, our meta powers evolved alongside it. Some were affected more than others. And eventually, they seeped into Galaxy. My Quirk turned into something...unique. It can no longer be used the same way it was in the past. This is no time to overreact. Don't forget that the future depends on your victory. Believe in your friends and in Izuka. Trust in their abilities and perseverance. From now on, you need to focus on the battle ahead of you."
"I know that it might seem pointless or risky to put your faith in him...but he's proven that he can be a hero!" Izuka clenched a fist, narrowing her eyes. "And he can't do this without any of you! He'll win by saving the world, and put smiles back on everyone's faces!"
"Your sister still fights for you even if she can't fully trust you right now. So don't keep upsetting her..." Kudo stated as...he felt like Izuka was why he was helping her brother. Because she showed him that Izuku was a determined person, one that all the wielders could stand behind.
And with that, Izuku zipped away, almost like a star.
Ochaco narrowed her eyes as she and Tsuyu stood together. "He's gone," The brunette murmured, keeping her eyes narrowed at Himiko.
"That's for the best. I don't think Midoriya could ignore her if he stayed," Tsuyu stated, knowing that with Himiko's love towards him, he would've tried further to talk things out. Something he didn't need to be distracted by, and he was supposed to fight Shigaraki anyway. She then stared at her friend, knowing what Himiko would've said if she didn't stop her in time. Besides...I couldn't stand to let her reveal the precious secret you've been hiding. What a villain She looked back towards Himiko, as she couldn't believe she was going to expose Ochaco like that. Tsuyu already knew that her friend wouldn't want Izuku to know like this, especially compared to when Izuka revealed her pushing away her own feelings in proximity of Katsuki. Which she didn't know about until he confronted her, but still.
"Enough. I love Izuku," Himiko panted out, getting more and more frustrated. "And Ochaco. And Izuka. And even you, Tsu! But I can't take this anymore. I wanna be who I wanna be! No pretending. I wanna live in a way that makes sense to me!" She then reached out to touch her green pack at her waist. "Like you...Jin," The blonde glared towards her opponents. "I am Himiko Toga! I don't need heroes! So goodbye. Go off and die somewhere!" She almost sounded like Shigaraki declaring this to them...
"Not happening!" Ochaco frowned deeply at her, clenching her fists. "I'm going to take a stand and do whatever I think is right! I have to be true to myself too!"
Meanwhile at Kamino Ward, Kanagawa, a giant flame was in the center of the area. It also surrounded the all Might statue... "There weren't many heroes to begin with, and now they're dropping like flies. Hm," Dabi stared at the many heroes already on the ground, while fire surrounded the bodies. A Nomu dropped a hero, surrounded in spikes. "A Nomu fighting in a sea of flames. That's a sight that takes me back, though I guess it wasn't actually that long ago," He stood on top of the statue's platform, looking out to all the damage he already did. He could still picture the Hosu Incident, his face showing that he didn't care if his actions got the heroes here killed. "I started to get serious after I saw those creatures battling in Hosu..."
"Shoto!" Tenya shouted, looking out to the giant flame in front of them. "It's hot! No, absurdly hot," He tried to brace himself from the intense heat. "I can't get any closer or my engines will be ruined!"
"Oh, sorry," Dabi floated away from the statue. "I was talking to myself. Dad is ignoring me again. That always makes me feel a little depressed, you know? You'd think I'd be used to it by this point," He was a kid when Endeavor ignored him at home, always leaving him with his wife. Which he should've been accustomed to, but...he never was deep down. And it had come back to bite Endeavor hard years later... "Can't believe he didn't come himself." Shoto and the Flaming Sidekickers looked up at him from down below. "Instead, I get stuck with his third son and some sidekicks. Guess this is his answer to my question."
"Enji Todoroki! Let's fall together! Come and dance with me in hell, won't you?" He gave a big smile; he didn't care if he lost his life. He just wanted to ensure his entire family suffered for the past.
"I can't catch a break," He spoke up, half his clothes already gone to show his mostly stitched and burned body. There was hardly any skin left of him... "That's so disappointing."
"Kido," Onima turned to his comrade. "You need to get further back. You don't have a heat-resistant body like I do."
"It's not a problem," Kido's wrappings flew to the side thanks to the wind from the heat. "I can change the trajectory of anything. That includes this superheated air. I'm pretty used to it by now. It's basically second nature." After all, everyone else from the Sidekickers used heat, so he had been using that tactic for as long as he had been with Endeavor. "I've been keeping my cool for ten years, trying to stay even-keeled and logical around a bunch of hot heads." Part of his face started to show underneath his bandages. "The big guy gave us specific orders. And I'm gonna make sure I follow them to the letter."
"He may be a stinkin' geezer with family issues out the wazoo, but Endeavor's hero work has always been incredible," Burnin defended while her hands were on fire. "Past and present! We're here because that old fart gave us a job. We have to support him with every ounce of firepower we've got!"
"Thanks, Burnin. I appreciate it," Shoto called out, grateful that they weren't doing this just because they worked for him. But because they looked up to him still.
"Save your breath, kid. We don't need any thanks," Burnin dismissed, as they would've done this whether or not Endeavor did ask them.
"Toya..." Shoto glared up at...well, who was still his older brother...but definitely not in a mental sense. "Dabi. I think you have the wrong idea. I'm not standing here because our dad told me I had to. Or because of what he did to my own good friend, Mido. I'm here on my own accord, because I want to be the one who stops this madness!" Part of him did want Izuka to be happy once he defeated Dabi...because it meant that she didn't have to deal with his family issues. Even if she wanted to help him, he wanted to ensure that Izuka wouldn't have to worry about anything anymore when it came to the Todoroki family...
"Tell yourself that," Dabi retorted back with a smirk. "But the truth is, you're still acting as Dad's perfect pawn. And you really care about that shrimp this much by telling me?"
"No, that would only be the case if I kept trying to be a hero while ignoring you," Shoto pointed out to him, gritting his teeth. "And don't you dare call her that!"
"Yeah, sure. Fair enough, and I can call her as it is. But in the end, this battle isn't about soldiers acting on orders. Our armies don't matter," If someone were to get a bird's-eye view of the area...they'd see a big flame in the city, and with a huge smoke cloud coming from it. "This is about each of us getting resentments out on the table. One person against the other. Each trying to achieve our own goals. The ability to live freely. To change society. To destroy. This world has been out of balance for a long time now, and some of us won't accept that. Superhuman society has reached an end. You may not see it yet, but it's the truth."
"...You survived the fire. So why didn't you come back home?" Shoto couldn't help but wonder...why Dabi decided to bide his time instead of confronting their father right away.
"...Do you really wanna know?" Dabi grinned while smoke came from his jaw. "Okay, then. I'll tell you. One last story for my little brother." He grinned...as part of his mouth started to come apart, showing the root of his teeth. "The tale of how I became Dabi. The reason I was able to keep living in this hellish world. Why my flames burn so much hotter than yours!"