Chapter Text
"Midoriya, get the hell out of here!"
Defiantly ignoring the sharp voice in his ears, Izuku continued fighting. He just barely managed to dodge the blue-haired Villain's wild swipe, desperate and furious. Hand clenched into a rigid claw, Shigaraki's fingers passed by only inches away from Izuku's skin. As the wind from Shigaraki's attack caressed his face and the earth beneath his feet trembled from the distant impacts of Hawks and Noumu's battle, Izuku wondered just how in the world his day turned to this.
He was having just a regular, normal day; even going on a field trip across campus! There was absolutely nothing to indicate just how horrible his day was about to turn, not at all. But ever since he woke up that morning, Izuku just knew today was going to be a terrible, no-good, very bad day.
And then that gigantic inky portal unfurled from nothing in front of the central fountain, drawing all eyes to it. When an entire legion of Villains emerged from it, prepared to do whatever was necessary to kill All Might, he could hardly move - only sigh internally as he cursed his intuition.
Izuku had a nagging feeling that this was, well, karma. He'd used up all of his (admittedly poor) stocks of good-luck in order to become All Might's successor, and now it was coming back to bite him.
He was certain that was the exact truth when the warper-villain attacked again, throwing Izuku through one of his rogue portals without any warning whatsoever. Choking on thick residual abyss, Izuku had all of a sudden plummeted towards the deep waters without any plans formulated in his mind - only panic, plain and simple.
All Might's training had prepared Izuku for a lot, but definitely not for an honest-to-god Villain attack during his first week at school. His usually whirring mind was silent as he fell towards the water, unable to do anything other than prepare for the painful impact of crashing into the placid waters.
Almost drowning wasn't exactly on his bucket list, but Izuku supposed he could cross it off now. Once they were safely evacuated and far, far away from the USJ, Izuku was going to thank Asui so many times. If it weren't for her, he had no idea where he and Mineta would currently be. Likely floating… he didn't want to think about it.
That helpless feeling hadn't evaporated yet - struggling uselessly beneath the waves had been a terrible experience, unforgettable and harrowing. It hung over his shoulders now, sticking to him like the warm water still dripping off his uniform as he fought Shigaraki alongside Aizawa-sensei.
But Izuku ignored it anyway. He was pretty good at that.
If he was being fully honest, Izuku managed to shake off the feelings of uselessness faster than he'd expected. The adrenaline running through his veins likely had something to do with that, pushing him to do what he needed to do and leave any hesitation at the door. Like jumping into the fight at the central plaza, or jumping off the edge of the boat with a half-baked plan in mind.
After all, formulating a plan to get back to the mainland was his highest priority then - preferably before the Villains circling them managed to sink their ship. It took the trio of thinkers some time, but in the end they did manage it. All of the Villains in the Flood Zone were dealt with and captured in the whirlpool they'd made, and all without a single scratch on their side!
Well, one of Izuku's fingers was broken and swollen and felt like it'd been run over by a truck, but that hardly counted. The most important thing was that his classmates were safe and sound.
And he would do anything to keep it that way.
Izuku winced as his fist slammed into some other Villain's side, his middle finger throbbing uncomfortably as it impacted against their padded shirt. The Villain stumbled backwards and groaned, leaving themself open for a strand of carbon fiber to whip out of nowhere and trip them. Fighting alongside Aizawa-sensei was an electric experience, the elder Hero protecting him just as Izuku kept an eye on the man's six.
And they worked surprisingly well together, might he add.
Izuku wasn't using or even touching One For All, only utilizing the rudimentary martial arts he'd learned, but the Villains were falling in heaps nonetheless.
Sure, Izuku might have not had anywhere near the same experience as Eraserhead or Hawks, but these Villains… well, they weren't exactly the cream of the crop. It looked like the ringleaders had decided to go for quantity over quality. They were suffering greatly for that decision. Izuku was pretty sure he had more training than most of them, and he had exactly ten months of it.
Plus, with Aizawa-sensei erasing their Quirks, they were truly on equal footing with him. Like he said, an electric experience.
But honestly though, the only Villains they had to look out for were Shigaraki and Noumu. Hawks had Noumu occupied, and sensei would be able to take out Shigaraki soon enough. Izuku hoped, at least - the man had finally retreated, hiding behind his thick lines of henchmen with a frantic and wary snarl on his face. Not exactly fearful, but worried nonetheless. Annoyed and irritated, more like.
Izuku's eyes narrowed as he watched the man recuperate, both his fists clenched and shaking. Shigaraki observed the many battles going on across the building with thinly veiled anger, realizing that he was losing his henchmen by the dozen and that he could do nothing about it.
Not much longer, right? Once the leader's dealt with, Izuku can help the rest of his class evacuate too. Though… he has a feeling he'll have to suffer through a lecture first. Aizawa-sensei doesn't seem too pleased with him for jumping into the battle, but what else could Izuku have done in that moment? With his heart pounding and screaming at him to take action, he could hardly have stayed back with Asui and Mineta.
Once that whole ordeal on the shipwreck was finished, the trio had paddled through the Flood Zone in search of relatively solid land. Considering the way the USJ was arranged, the indoor domes of the Conflagration Zone and the Downpour Zone surrounded them on the sides. The only direction they could really go was towards the Central Plaza - towards sensei.
With Asui supporting them in the water, they made quick work of the deeper sections and managed to reach the shallows pretty damn quickly. Izuku was glad, though he had a few more pressing issues on his mind at that moment.
In the middle of the Central Plaza, Aizawa-sensei was fighting a losing battle and it was glaringly obvious. Standing alone against leagues of bloodthirsty Villains, the underground hero was more than holding his own - but they just kept coming. Someone had to assist the man before he wore himself out, and faltered enough to fall. That moment was rapidly approaching, but Izuku wasn't going to let it arrive without his interference and neither were his two classmates - friends? They were friends now, right?
Whatever the case, Izuku was not going to let sensei get hurt as long as he had any say in the matter.
For a moment though, it seemed as if he wouldn't have to do a thing.
Well, he'd jumped in anyways, but for a short time it had seemed like Hawks and Aizawa-sensei had the situation handled. That was simply not true. Not anymore.
"Midoriya, I've got this. Go!"
"No, sir!" Izuku shouted, shaking his fist to try and lessen some of the ache. Perhaps he should stop punching with his left hand… "There's still Villains at the top of the stairs, and we're not leaving without you!" Sensei only grunted in response, slightly occupied by the three Villains he was fighting.
Shigaraki stared at Izuku with blatant confusion, seemingly unable to understand why he'd try to help his sensei even while his chest was heaving and his heart was fluttering. The way the Villain scratched at his neck from behind his legions of henchmen was unerringly distracting.
Izuku was just glad the manic Villain hadn't noticed him and his friends when they were hiding mere feet away from him.
After trudging through the sandy shallows for many long minutes, the trio finally arrived at the Central Plaza just moments after Aizawa-sensei and Shigaraki clashed for the first time. Concealed behind a conveniently placed rock, they'd debated what to do as they watched sensei fend off wave after wave of untrained Villains.
Even with that agonizing-looking injury on his elbow, the Hero was a force to be reckoned with. He was faster than fast, slipping through defenses and taking out Villains with a precision anyone would envy. But still, he was tiring.
As he suddenly drew Shigaraki into a distant conversation to distract the Villain, the vaguely annoyed glint in his eyes was clear as day to the three students - he'd noticed them skulking about, and he wanted them to leave.
The other two were the ones to finally convince Izuku to leave, though he was reluctant at first. Listening to and obeying their sensei's orders was of utmost importance - well, at first.
Obviously, that was no longer on the forefront of his mind.
"Midoriya, just - just stay close to me, if you won't leave!"
Once he'd gotten over the initial spurt of fear, helping sensei against the low-level Villains he was fighting was honestly kind of fun. Let's be real - Izuku hadn't just cleaned trash on Dagobah. He'd learnt martial arts from All Might himself, and the Hero's speed was insane even when he wasn't trying. Taking on the teachings of one Gran Torino, the man was not at all partial to holding back.
All of these Villains were laughably slow and easy to predict. As the ranks thinned, the quality of their opponents did too. Even if they still had their Quirks at hand, Izuku might have still been winning the battle. None of them were actually dangerous.
Other than Noumu.
The beast of a man was still engaged in his earth-shaking battle against Hawks, chasing him across the entire USJ. The two flew through the air at ludicrous speeds, Noumu ricocheting madly off the earth as he tried to catch Hawks. Eraserhead was no longer able to focus solely on the ping-ponging pair, too distracted by his own fights to support Hawks. And with Noumu at his full power, Hawks had his work cut out for him. Like an insane gorilla trying to catch a tiny hummingbird, the scene was disturbingly comedic.
If, y'know, Hawks' life wasn't on the line. And theirs as well, if Hawks failed.
Izuku wondered just what was going through the Heroes mind as he blurred across the USJ with a lethal Villain right on his heels.
Was this deadly battle something he was ready for? Is this what he expected to face when he shattered the skyglass and descended upon the Villains like an angel of judgement?
The relief then was palpable - this hellish journey was finally over, every student across the USJ was thinking. But when Hawks rained maroon feathers across the USJ, pinning dozens of Villains to ground with sharp cracks that resounded through the entire building, some of the more perceptive students had a strange feeling that this was only just the beginning of their ordeal.
Izuku was among them, his eyes narrowing to slits as he watched Hawks knock out a dozen Villains in half a second. Even Aizawa-sensei seemed saved, jumping out of the battle and catching his breath with his relief visible. Yet as he annoyedly gestured for Izuku and his classmates to head towards the staircase, Izuku knew this wasn't the end. The strange feeling hadn't left yet, those miniscule doubts and fears still ruminating in his head.
And then… Noumu entered the fray.
As the USJ shook, those fears were well and truly realized.
Trudging through the Flood Zone as fast as they could, the trio were only a few more seconds away from the staircase when it happened. Everyone had stopped as one, Izuku and his friends almost tripping on the muddy earth under their feet. Shigaraki screamed something furious in the distance, and Noumu moved.
Hawks barely dodged, both combatants moving so fast they seemed to teleport beneath the steel dome. Noumu left a trail of destruction behind him, craters and rubble and dust clouds everywhere he went.
He was like a bolt of lightning, Izuku thought. Inescapable, incalculable, unrestrained and devastating.
The man was almost as fast as Hawks, whizzing through the air fast enough to leave wispy wind trails. Where Hawks' feathers had been mostly assisting Aizawa-sensei and racing around the rest of the USJ, dozens of them suddenly returned to Hawks' embrace. No one blamed him for it. The man sorely needed them. Noumu was hardly slower than him, nipping right at his heels.
Izuku had wanted to go back and help somehow. But with Asui holding him by the wrist and pulling them towards safety, he couldn't really do much else but follow her. After all, evacuating was their most important priority. It was.
Until his gut lurched, his eyes suddenly wrenched towards the closed doors of the USJ. A mental pressure, pulling his gaze up without any immediately visible reason.
Gleaming silver, silent and unassuming as he watched them, Izuku almost tripped over his feet when he felt something emanate from without. Something - someone - was up there, behind those doors. Someone who shouldn't have been there, couldn't have been there.
Paradoxes and impossibilities, inexplicable sensations, unbelievable truths - the Ninth couldn't quite understand what he was feeling from beyond the steel doors, but the other seven certainly could. Slumbering ghosts awakened at last, shock and disbelief coursing through incorporeal nerves.
Izuku tripped over himself, falling face-first into clear water only moments before the doors to the USJ shattered.
As he pushed himself up, hands scrabbling for purchase on the muddy earth beneath him and shaking water out of his hair, he felt the shockwave ripple over his back. Soft and gentle, a familiar touch of wind on his skin. Reminiscent of a power he'd become intimate with over the past ten months… yet not. This was not All Might's expert control over One For All. This was something else entirely. Something greater.
Helping Izuku stand while overjoyed tears filled his eyes, Mineta had reverently whispered, "All Might?"
It wasn't All Might. Izuku was certain of that. As he stood straight again with warm water dripping down his face, the ghosts following him whispered as much. Whoever the hell it was up that flight of stairs, it was not All Might.
A flash of green, barely visible through the expanding dust. Emerald lightning flashed through the dust, sharp crackles of energy that resonated with his very soul - a storm was brewing at the top of the staircase.
But this was no single flash of fleeting lightning. This was a hurricane, all-encompassing and eternal.
The smoke grew. Tendrils of wispy grey smoke curled outwards, quickly swallowing the entrance hall whole. The distant figures of his classmates and Thirteen disappeared in seconds, ensconced within the aberrant smoke. But before they vanished, the shock and fear emanating off them was evident.
The trio of students turned to one another, confusion and fear dripping through every face. Staring at their fearful expressions, Izuku took in a shuddering breath. He had to do something.
Why? He didn't know why. He just knew he had to.
The sensation suddenly running through his veins had little to do with fear or adrenaline - One For All seared through his bones. The Quirk slithered through him, sparking to life on it's own accord. He stomped it down before it could harm him, ignoring the painful echoes wriggling in his skin. Whatever was up there… it shouldn't be. It couldn't be.
An echo of themselves - but friend or foe? Was this another mad machination of their now-dead creator, a distorted reproduction of themselves, a final effort to end their existence? Or was this somehow an impossible ally? The Seven did not know, and Izuku himself had little comprehension of the quandaries that plagued the many minds within his heart.
Izuku twisted his head around, emerald eyes scanning their vicinity carefully. His skull was pounding and his gut was lurching, but he couldn't falter now. He had a job to do, he had to be a Hero.
Good, okay; no Villains anywhere nearby. He could talk to his friends, and he had a feeling he should. Inside his heart, One For All both urged him towards the staircase and warned him away. The Quirk was split, unable to choose between one or the other. Unseen debates went on within him, harried and urgent. But in the end, caution and suspicion won out; four to three. Izuku acted accordingly, though he wasn't truly cognizant of his reasons for it.
"I don't think that's a Hero up there."
Mineta remained silent as Asui stared at him, her wide eyes unblinking. After a long moment of silence, the dark smog only growing in a way that smoke simply shouldn't, she replied, "Then we should go up there and help them."
Izuku turned to her, his jaw slightly parted. He snapped it shut, clenching one hand into a tight fist. Next to her Mineta nodded hesitantly, violet eyes still watching the smoke. "You trust me?"
She raised a single eyebrow, her verdant eyes staring at him emotionlessly. "You have good instincts, Midoriya." Turning her face back to the smoke, she continued, "Besides, it - it makes sense. If they blocked off the entrance, then we wouldn't be able to escape."
Izuku nodded silently, biting the inside of his cheek. She was right, it did make sense - block them in from everywhere at once. With no exit, they were well and truly screwed. Not to mention, the first force of Villains was already massive, but they'd brought a warp Quirk with them as well. Reinforcements would be far too simple to summon.
Dammit.
Suddenly stumbling backwards and drawing the two's attention, Mineta raised a shaky finger. "Midoriya's right. That's… that's not All Might."
Izuku twisted his neck, staring up the staircase. He squinted his eyes, trying to make out any figure in the smoke. But his blood froze when he managed to discern the newcomer.
Tall and lithe, floating unnaturally within the smoke. He wore a strange costume, torn and bloody and barely visible through the thick smog. But even from the bottom of the stairs, his emerald irises were distinct and clear. As he stared out at the USJ from over his shoulder, lightning flashing through his eyes and across his limbs, a shiver went up Izuku's spine. This wasn't supposed to happen, he just knew it.
The smoke expanded, covering the man from view once again. Somewhere in the deep folds of his mind, Izuku found himself to be glad for it. His breath came a little easier, but Izuku could confidently say that person was not any Hero he was familiar with. Seemed to possess an aerokinesis Quirk of some type, the floating coupled with the smoke still growing outwards - but lightning? He was unsure; could be an atmospheric Quirk, storm-summoning and the like. Rare and powerful.
Whatever it was, it was unfamiliar to him. Izuku didn't know who the hell he was, and the man's dark attire didn't encourage him one bit. Him being a Villain was seeming more likely by the second.
"So they're blocking us in." Mineta said slowly, rubbing the top of his head. He looked like he was on the edge of tears. "Oh man, oh man, we're so effed!"
Asui blinked at him, managing to concisely convey annoyance despite any change in her expression. "Just say fuck like a normal person."
"A-Asui?!"
"It's Tsu to you, Midoriya."
"I - I - okay, whatever." Izuku shook his head rapidly, a faint blush creeping up his neck. Was this what it was like to actually have friends? He shook his head again; there were more important things to be doing. "The two of you, go up and help Thirteen."
Tsu turned, her unblinking eyes back to staring at him. "You're going to go help sensei."
Not a question - she was perceptive. Izuku nodded, meeting her eyes defiantly.
"Why?" she questioned, a finger tapping on her chin. She tilted her head, green-hued hair cascading to the side. "He doesn't really need it. Does he?"
Izuku turned and looked back towards him, alone in the swaths of Villains. He couldn't help but disagree with her.
The man could handle all these Villains on his own, he had no doubt. But his movements were much more sluggish than when the battle began. Fatigue was a dangerous foe, but that wasn't the only reason Izuku wanted to help. Something - a strange stinging sensation at the base of Izuku's skull, phantom pressures pulling his gaze to unseen dangers - told him that he had to help. That something bad was going to happen if he didn't.
Something else told him that it would probably happen with or without his interference, but he had to try anyway. A sixth sense of some sort, whispering to him. He didn't understand it, but he didn't have to. In the midst of a terrifying fight, his nerves were calmer than ever.
"Call it instinct," he grunted, his hands already clenched into a fist as he turned away from his comrades. One For All called from his chest, eager and enticing. He had to learn how to use it, and soon. And what better way was there to learn than through doing? "Just… go help them, alright? I'll be fine."
Mineta shook his head, looking rather disapproving. "I don't get it, but whatever. I trust you, but be careful, Midoriya." he muttered, still shivering from his fear and chill. The young boy had pulled himself together quickly, though - Izuku was glad. "We'll go help Thirteen-sensei." he said, puffing himself up and smiling weakly.
And besides… One For All was subtly pulling Izuku away from the newcomer, it's cautious nature overbearing. The sensations rushing through his veins tugged him away. They pushed him towards the battlefield, because that was somehow a safer option than meeting the man at the top of the staircase.
"Don't even worry about it!" Mineta'd shouted, as Izuku back-tracked, jogging towards the brunt of the fight without any hesitation. "We'll deal with this Kurogiri guy no problem!"
False confidence. Izuku wished he had more of it. Maybe then, some of these Villains would think twice before rushing him. He looked weak and terrified, he knew.
He was still shaking - dammit. Not from fear, he didn't think. Satisfaction, perhaps? Joy? They were actually winning.
Sensei was looking at him with a novel gleam in his eyes, no longer telling him to scram. It was a new experience for him, he had to admit. Teacher's didn't praise him often.
Some of the Villain's had wised up to his imperfected martial arts though, keeping their distance and exchanging wary glances. Izuku hardly cared - his only objective was survival, to hold off the storm until All Might arrived. As long as these Villains stayed away from him, they were winning.
Shigaraki was still hiding, but his teeming lines of Villains were slowly depleting. It was almost over. The smoke above the USJ had vanished at last, his friends somehow managing to take down Kurogiri and whoever his new allies were. This was all coming to an end. Finally.
He should've known it wouldn't last.
He was almost too invested in his fight to notice the deadly hit, but he certainly heard it. A victorious roar sounded through the hall, echoing against the steel dome. Noumu had scored a hit.
And with Noumu, it was obvious that a single hit was enough to end the fight.
At the edge of Izuku's vision, a beige-and-crimson figure fell through the sky. Spinning uncontrollably as it fell, Izuku gasped when he realized who it was.
Hawks.
"Finally," Shigaraki gloated, spreading his arms out in glee. Izuku's legs were already pumping him towards Hawks' crash zone, but he skidded to a stop on the smooth concrete. Noumu had punted the Hero through another looming glass dome, right into the middle of the Conflagration Zone - shit. The entrance to the Zone was too far away. He had to stay close to sensei, now more than ever.
As if to prove his point, a Villain who'd been straying at the edges of the fight took his shock as an opening. They charged him. An unthought out attack and terribly slow, Izuku jumped out of their path easily enough. He was running on autopilot, though… his mind was all but empty, filled with nothing but horror as he stared at the cracked glass. Backpedalling to sensei's side, his eyes flitted between the freshly encouraged Villains. Leering and boasting, they seemed far too glad for Hawks' fall.
Shit.
Was the Hero okay? He desperately hoped so. Izuku hadn't seen the hit itself, but any attack from that man was enough to permanently disable the victim, no matter who they were. He exchanged a glance with Aizawa-sensei, the man's face sharper and stonier than ever. Hands on his capture weapon and hair afloat, the man's hackles were raised. His desperation was clear.
"You should've stayed away," he muttered, his crimson eyes flicking to Izuku for a miniscule moment. Gulping, Izuku nodded in hesitant agreement. Neither of them took their eyes off the Villains slowly surrounding them, bolstered by Noumu's victory.
They were in a tough spot now, weren't they? They needed a plan, desperately.
"Noumu! Come here, now!" Shigaraki shouted, his voice hoarse with pleasure.
Izuku blinked, and he missed it. Noumu was standing by Shigaraki, his head lolled like a puppy waiting for their master's next command. The air rumbled over them, making Izuku throw his hands out against the powerful shockwave. He couldn't remember ever seeing such brutish speed and power from All Might.
There wasn't a scratch on his skin. Not even a bruise or blemish. Hawks' had only been able to distract the beast of a man - nothing more.
"Crap." Izuku muttered, his voice anxious and worried. "Crap."
His gaze turned to the staircase for a half-second - empty? It was too high to see clearly, but it looked like it was empty. The smoke was long gone and the doors were left open… well, destroyed more like. Sunlight filtered in through the hole, pure and captivating and alluring. So Tsu and Mineta had done their jobs, and evacuated the rest of their class. Izuku wondered if he and sensei would be able to do the same.
There was no sign of the lightning guy or of Kurogiri. They both had powerful presences, now missing and silent. That was… good. Yeah, it was good.
Fragments of One For All muttered otherwise, but Izuku decided it was good.
"Perfect," Shigaraki purred, his voice suddenly grating across Izuku's ears. He stared at Noumu joyfully, a child glad to have his favorite toy back. "Now," and he smiled again, making Izuku's gut drop down to his ankles as an ashen finger pointed at them, wavering between the pair of heroes, "bring me… mmm, bring me that one."
Izuku narrowed his eyes, planting himself in front of sensei with his fists thrown up in the air. Not a chance in hell Noumu was going to-
A crack of thunder, a surprised yelp from behind Izuku and a tremor sent through the earth. That was all Izuku had to warn him, and it was not enough. Noumu was holding Aizawa-sensei by his ankle in front of Shigaraki, and Izuku was unable to even see the man move. He stood unmoving instead, his jaw slack in horror and eyes wide in terror.
Impossible. He could barely comprehend the sight, his heart stopping in his chest and his jaw hanging open.
"You - you fucker!" Sensei shouted, struggling helplessly in Noumu's unyielding grasp. "Let go of me!"
Izuku's legs trembled. Hand splayed out and fingers shaking, he stopped. Breathed in. Paused. Can't stop, can't give in now. He refused. He breathed out. Opened his eyes, clenched his hand into a tight fist, called upon the ocean in his chest, and took the first step.
His tiny glass dipped into the deep ocean swells, trying to gather all the water in it's miniscule volume. It succeeded, the hungry glass swallowing the power whole. The glass began cracking apart immediately, but Izuku ran forwards nonetheless. His veins glowed, the air around his arm beginning to steam and hiss as he ran.
Seven steps in, he stopped dead in his tracks. Shigaraki hadn't even taken notice of him, too focused on his new prey. Noumu eyed him in his place, two onyx irises watching Izuku aimlessly. In the man's lifeless eyes, it seemed he was not even worthy of being eliminated.
But that wasn't why Izuku was stopped.
His head exploded with pain. More than he thought he'd ever felt before. His skull was on fire, liquid nitrogen being poured into his nerves. He didn't know how to describe it - searing heat and chilling frost in equal portions, infinitesimally small needles stabbing into him, a warning that he didn't know the source of but trusted implicitly.
"Meet Noumu, Eraserhead. This is the tool I'll kill All Might with, you see." Shigaraki's voice came from far, far away. The man tilted his head, red eyes locked onto Sensei's form. He was happy to see the man in pain, his fingers flexing dangerously by his side. "You really are awesome, Eraserhead, but you're beginning to annoy me. And when things annoy me, I usually just… get rid of them."
Izuku had to move, had to do something… but… the pain in the back of his skull… DANGER.
Shigaraki was about to do something that would make the danger Noumu posed laughable, and there was nothing Izuku could do about it. The pain only increased in intensity, a white-hot dagger stabbing into his nape as Shigaraki's fingers hovered inches over sensei's skin.
danger danger danger run run run NOW danger danger danger HIDE danger danger danger
Somewhere inside a soul, watching the scene intently, the Fourth holder of One For All recoiled.
Danger Sense should not have been active, the boy hadn't grown enough to survive the power, One For All shouldn't have hit singularity so early, but it had all occurred nonetheless. He was trying his best - they all were - to yank his Quirk away from the boy and save him from the pain of his own senses, but the premonitions echoing from within it stunned Hikage to inaction.
The last time Danger Sense told him to run and not to fight was when he faced…
…when he faced All For One himself.
When he died.
"Noumu," Shigaraki continued, his cracked lips stretching into a smile that split his face into a monstrous thing, " hurt him."
Izuku - Izuku couldn't move. Not an inch. Red shoes bolted to the ground, all he could do was watch with eyes blown wide in horror and hands shaking uncontrollably. As much as he wanted to, as much as the blood pumping through his chest told him to move and act, he didn't. He couldn't.
He was scared. Terrified. Like a deer in headlights, he was trapped by his own heightened senses that screamed at him that there was nothing he could do to save sensei.
The pain subsided, piece by piece - as if someone else was pulling it away from him, telling him he wasn't ready to face that part of himself just yet. But even without the pain, Izuku still couldn't make himself move.
Aizawa beat on any part of Noumu he could reach, fists hammering on his flesh to no avail. Almost gently, Noumu clasped his other meaty hand above the first, holding Aizawa-sensei's leg like a stick of kindling. Then, like it was simple as thought, he snapped it.
The sight would haunt Izuku for the rest of his nights. It was simply horrifying, in every single aspect - from the vomit-inducing snap that echoed through the USJ, to the splatters of crimson that painted the air as splinters of pearly white bone ripped through flesh and skin and sensei's strangled gasp of pain and labored breaths afterwards, the sight would be burnt into his mind for the rest of time.
One For All sparked within his veins, screaming at him as it begged to be set free. It burnt, boiling his blood and electrifying his heart. The Quirk was just waiting to be used, the glass waiting to be filled, wanting to be filled.
But still, Izuku couldn't move. Uselessly, he sucked in what he thought might have been his last breath as he stared at the two lethal Villains standing and rejoicing in front of him. Shigaraki laughed maniacally as he stood straight again, cackling as he took slow and methodical steps towards him.
Izuku still couldn't move.
Sensei… how could Izuku have let that happen?
How could they have lost so quickly? Without Hawks, without sensei… Izuku was alone now.
No, no. He had to save sensei. He had to. And he would, somehow. He had to, he'd never forgive himself if he didn't.
At the very least, he took some small joy in the fact that all of his friends had escaped. Thirteen and all his class-mates were gone, and All Might had to be near. All wasn't lost.
From a distant part of his mind, that strange stinging sensation still echoed.
Perhaps they hadn't lost just yet.
"Hey, hey, make sure the guy's lookin' here. I want him to see this." Shigaraki grunted, every soft step bringing him closer and closer to Izuku. None too gently, Noumu complied. Hoisting sensei further into the air, the muscular Villain grabbed sensei's head in his meaty hands and roughly turned him to face the scene.
Izuku's blood turned to ice and his heart to steel as he realized… Aizawa-sensei's eyes were closed. Blood trickled down his face, streams of crimson flowing into his raven curls.
The fear trickled into his chest, but he ignored it. His heart was stronger than steel, and at that moment Midoriya Izuku knew one thing - he had to save sensei.
"Hey, kid." Shigaraki began, eyes the same shade as sensei's blood staring right into Izuku's soul, "You look like one of those blabbering idiots that worship All Might, huh? Yeah, yeah. I can see it in your eyes." Izuku's throat closed up, his fingers shaking as he prepared himself for a final flick. Just one, right at the Villain's abdomen. It would be enough.
One For All screamed from within his chest, seemingly ready to erupt on it's own. But Izuku stopped again, an ephemeral intuition telling him not to. His hand dropped numbly yet again, the power in his chest dimming as he let go.
Shigaraki smiled again, his lips cracking as they stretched. Izuku glared right back, a gentle calmness and powerful purpose washing over his senses. Like someone else was guiding his actions, soothing his fearful and weary body. "So. Where's your Hero at, brat?"
Izuku had felt it, when the doors exploded. The concealed Vestiges were the ones who'd understood the sensation, but Izuku had still felt it. He'd thought about the possibility of the person being another Villain at first, but he'd felt that connection nonetheless.
One For All, a tug in his gut pulling him towards the entrance hall.
But… not, at the same time. A false echo, something unnatural and impossible.
Not the warm string that connected him and All Might, the inexplicable proof that he truly was the Hero's successor. No, this was something else, something different, something exactly the same.
Who was it, at the top of those stairs? Izuku felt that he was about to find out.
"Answer me, brat. Where is your-"
Behind Shigaraki, the world exploded.
The shockwave sent the two teenagers careening into the Flood Zone, screaming and shouting as they struggled against the calm waters turned to tidal waves. The air rustled over their heads, a gentle ripple of wind that belied the power behind the impact.
Perhaps his initial assumption was wrong, Izuku mused in the recesses of his mind as he fought for solid ground to stand on. That could have only been All Might. No one else could shatter the earth and rend the skies like that. No one's rage could scream such potent danger quite like that.
But when he managed to get solid footing, Izuku found himself wondering, yet again, if he was dreaming. In a nightmare, perhaps.
Because he didn't come face-to-face with All Might and Noumu throwing punches at one another, the Hero's smiling visage reassuring everyone that everything would be alright. Not at all. Not anything remotely close.
Instead, he saw a young man wreathed in emerald lightning, void pouring from his fingers as the air around him crackled with an absolute power.
He wasn't surprised, to be honest. He wasn't much of anything - it was like his blood was frozen. He couldn't think of anything, no emotions lurching through his body and wracking him with indecision. Izuku was empty; but as he watched the fight continue, he decided that was for the best.
With his heels rigidly entrenched in the earth, the new fighter's hands were locked against Noumu's meaty hammers. His fists, covered in a crimson-tainted metal, were laughably small against Noumu's, but… the beast's muscles bulged, his tongue lolling out of his cracked beak and his obsidian eyes wobbling pathetically. It was all he could do to hold the smaller man back.
Viridian lightning sparked off his skin, snapping between the two combatants like an uninterested spectator. His face, shadowed by his dark and matted hair, was tight with anger and exertion both. Narrowed and tired and angry, his emerald eyes stared only at Noumu, not flickering or wavering at all.
" Die."
Words spoken in several voices, all coming from a single mouth. Terrifying in the sheer purpose behind them, in the powerful determination and scratchy yet melodious tones, the voices made Izuku stiffen up. Not because of the bloodthirst echoing through the single word, crystal clear and undiluted, but for another reason entirely. The voice, voices, were familiar…
He didn't care who he was. Others might have felt differently, but Izuku couldn't give any less of a damn for the man's identity. Not at that moment.
He swung his head around, searching desperately for sensei, emerald eyes roving the stone floor with panicked scrutiny - there! Almost as if was deposited, the man was lying carefully on a clean stretch of concrete far away from the fight. Arms crossed over his chest, laid on his back as he stared up at the skylight.
Had the man put him there? Whatever, Izuku could find out later. He had to look at this logically now. As long as the man was fighting Noumu, he was a friendly. As long as he stayed far away from Izuku and sensei, he was a friendly.
But still… the man felt familiar.
It wasn't like Izuku knew him; in fact, he was certain he didn't know him.
He simply felt like he should have.
Ignoring the stinging feeling at the base of his skull, distant yet powerful, Izuku ran. Leaving Shigaraki spluttering in the water behind him, Izuku clambered back up onto solid ground. His soles almost slipped on the water lapping back up. He didn't falter, keeping up his sprint. Feet pounding across the concrete, he made his way to sensei's limp form. He refused to believe his teacher was… no, he refused.
He kept running, but even so, he was unable to take his eyes off the ongoing clash. Neither of the combatants took notice of him, but he couldn't say the same for the nearby Villains. Most were sprinting away as fast as they could, but plenty were watching in awe. More than one saw him, but decided against attacking. Apparently watching the spectacle was a higher priority.
Izuku could understand them.
Fists locked against one another, the pure power behind both their arms turned the air around them into a miniature hurricane. The two were in a sort of stalemate - if it wasn't for the man's strange Quirk. Tendrils tore out of his hands, weaving their way up Noumu's arms and squeezing as they did. Snakes coiling about their victims, Izuku was shocked to see that the vicious attack had little effect on Noumu - until they slithered up his neck, to his face, into his jaw and eyes and over his exposed brain.
Noumu screamed.
His jaw cracked in two, snapping as the snarling abyss tore chitin away from itself. It ripped his scream apart as well, the screeching sound breaking off into a terrified warble. Izuku watched in horror as he slid to an unsteady stop by sensei's side, his eyes as wide and scared as Noumu's were. Even as he bent and hunted for any sign of life on his sensei, Izuku's gaze was locked only on the battle.
With a flurry of movement, barely discernible to Izuku and instant to the other observers, the man pushed past Noumu's already broken defenses. Slipping closer to the muscular man, his smaller stature working as a boon, he slammed a dozen punches into the man's chest in a matter of milliseconds. But one final fist collided with the underside of Noumu's already broken jaw, sealing the Villain's fate. Izuku winced, feeling the power behind that impact roll over him even as far away as he was.
The next moment, Noumu was fifty feet in the air.
The man followed - on the earth one second, floating right behind Noumu the next and reaching for the man's skull. Izuku couldn't watch it anymore, couldn't crane his face up to the sky to watch the two titans duke it out. That was fine. Aizawa-sensei was more important. His hands brushed over the man's face, wiping blood off and checking for a pulse. Wasn't necessary, thankfully.
He was breathing!
Izuku's relief was palpable. Tears leaked out of his eyes, and he blinked them out rapidly. There was no time to cry, he could and would do that later. Sensei needed assistance first.
The snap on his right leg was disgustingly clean. The tibia was broken in two, the lower half poking out of the back of sensei's leg in a frankly horrific way. Massive bruises - likely from the Noumu's fists - surrounded the break, but the blood was the real issue. Bright red, it was gushing from the wound already. Izuku didn't waste a moment, ripping a strip of cloth off sensei's trousers. Carefully navigating around the protruding bone, he tourniqueted the wound with shivering hands. With the bleeding staunched, he could breathe a little easier. His eyes scanned the USJ, searching for Kacchan, for Hawks, for anyone who could help him.
There was no one. Not a single friendly face in sight. The man fighting Noumu definitely didn't count.
His limbs were getting lethargic and weary, but Izuku slipped his arms under his sensei anyways. He pulled on his first aid knowledge as he did, his head aching as he searched for it. The wound was an open fracture, so he shouldn't risk movement, but this situation called for it. With extreme caution, he hoisted the man up, keeping his broken leg as stable as he could. He was glad for all the training All Might had given him, because he wasn't scared. He knew that with an injury like this, sensei would in all likelihood survive. All he needed to do was get a trained doctor, pronto.
Easier said than done. He grunted as he moved forwards, it taking all of his power to not let the man in his arms sway or shift. He had to keep him stable. He had to.
But the battle in the air above him continued, regardless of his rising fear and newborn worries. The ensuing winds from the pair's encounters above the plaza ruffled his hair, almost fatherly in their gentle embrace. Izuku ignored it, continuing on his path - the staircase wasn't far now.
Crimson splattered over the central plaza, a shower of blood coating the entire hall.
Izuku almost vomited as a thick arm fell to the earth in front of him, still twitching and writhing. High above, someone screamed - in victory or pain, he honestly couldn't tell. More blood spilled into the fountain, the clear waters quickly turning red. Izuku chanced a glance upwards, his heart about to jump right out of his chest. What the fuck.
He took in the scene with disgusted horror, watching as the newcomer flitted through the skies like gravity was just a suggestion to him. Hovering in the air, kept afloat by the fighter's many uppercuts, Noumu was losing. He was missing his left arm, the jagged and torn edges of his stump still dripping blood uncontrollably.
Had the man ripped off Noumu's arm?!
Holy shit.
Noumu didn't seem to care though, fighting on just the same. Even as the newcomer's precise and world-shattering attacks sent him flailing higher and higher into the sky, he kept going. He kept fighting his losing battle, with not an iota less of his ferocity and rage.
As Izuku watched, the abyssal strands roaring around the young man's palm jerked, tugged to attention. Without rhyme or reason the void solidified, tapering off into a spear that gleamed in the faint sunlight. There was an oily sheen to the darkness, sharp and tragically beautiful. With a flick of his hand, Noumu was speared right through the chest. He hung in the sky for a moment, blood waterfalling from the wound. Izuku's heart missed several more beats.
Did he just… did Izuku just witness a murder?
What the fuck?!
But no. Noumu ripped himself off the spear instead, ignorant or uncaring of the pain he was no doubt in. The hole in his chest filled in seconds, bones snapping together and organs knit from nothing in a torturous process. Bile rose in Izuku's throat, acidic and unwelcome. He forced it down.
He tore his eyes away from the gruesome sight and kept running. Sensei was warm and pallid in his hands, far too large for him to comfortably hold, but he kept running. No Villain paid him mind, most out of their minds with fear of the thing in the skies above them. Izuku kept running, even as the fight above him continued. The pair exchanged blows dozens of feet above the plaza, but every hit rattled the earth and almost sent Izuku sprawling to the ground.
He ignored the battle as best he could, feeling the earth tremor and his eardrums rattle and not caring. His mind was only on sensei's condition. As he sprinted over cracked concrete, he tried his best to get any indication of how the man was. The task was more difficult than it seemed. The man's pulse was strong, which was good. His blood loss had been minimized but a tiny stream was still drip-dripping out - Izuku needed to fix up his binding, it was a slap-dash job - and his breathing was steady, but Izuku was no doctor. There were other factors, things he simply didn't understand. He needed to get sensei to Recovery Girl.
When he reached the base of the staircase, trudging up the first step with a heart beating on silver wings, Izuku felt like he was, at last, in the final stretch. The sunlight gleamed all around him, enchanting and perfect - freedom was at hand. Escape, an end to this little nightmare was tantalizingly close.
Of course, that was when the fighter came crashing in again. Literally.
His lithe form collided with the staircase at meteoric speeds, sending dust and rubble down the ramp. If it weren't for Izuku's iron will and steel heels keeping him planted, he and Aizawa-sensei would have been goners. They were barely fifteen steps up the staircase, but even that fall might've been fatal for sensei.
He clutched Aizawa-sensei closer, the man groaning quietly. He was still unconscious, but Izuku hoped he'd awaken soon. That'd be helpful, he thought blankly, watching the strange young man lie unmoving in his crater.
Was he… ?
No. The tingling sensation in the base of his skull, returned in full force, told him that much. He was still alive, though Izuku didn't exactly know how to react to that.
Pebbles and rogue stones clattered to the earth as he finally shifted, coughing and groaning within the hole. One gloved hand grasped the edge of the crater, shaking as it pulled the rest of his body up with it. Izuku watched with detached interest, wondering whether he should risk continuing the climb or wait for the man to recover.
He waited. While he didn't dare utter the words yet, he knew somehow that sensei would be fine. And… he wanted to meet this man. Learn who the hell he was, why his mere presence called Izuku to him.
Inside his heart, several desperate souls shouted out in protest. He didn't hear them.
The young man stumbled out of his makeshift grave slowly, one hand wrapped around his forehead and the other clenched around the edge of his unfamiliar cape. He pulled it close to himself, wrapping himself in the thick yellow fabric as if it could hide him. He was hunched over, his jaw trembling behind the high collar. Izuku blinked, cocking his head to the side in blatant confusion.
He was… crying.
The man raised his face slowly, vibrant green irises dulled by life searching the USJ for something. Izuku turned as well, panicking as he searched for Noumu's no doubt incoming attacks.
But there were none. The beast of a man was lying in the crumbled remains of the fountain, steam hissing off his wounds as he slowly recovered. Good, good… Izuku shook his head. Sensei groaned again, trembling in Izuku's arms. He didn't have any time to waste. He took another step up the stairs - he'd best get going, whoever this man was.
But the man suddenly turned his face towards Izuku, stopping him in his tracks. The movement was jerky and slow, as if he was terrified of what he was going to find.
Izuku watched silently, no longer afraid of him. His heart only had space for worry now, worry for Aizawa-sensei and his class-mates and Hawks. If the man proved to be an obstacle, if the danger radiating off the man was directed towards him… well, Izuku wouldn't go down without a fight. All Might had to be near. All Izuku had to do was survive, and protect sensei while he was at it.
But he wouldn't have to, he sensed.
Their eyes locked, both of them carrying their own burdens. So different yet so alike.
Izuku stared into his emerald irises, lightning still sparking off his skin. The determination was immaculate, the despair overpowering and his mercy despairing. There were worlds within his eyes, vicious thoughts and melancholic sentiments carefully hidden away yet easily deciphered by him. Far too easily.
Because, after all, those eyes…
Those were his eyes.
Those were his eyes.
'What the fuck,' Fifth whispered, his voice flat yet horror-struck. 'What the fuck did we just do?'
But they weren't his eyes.
This boy, Midoriya Izuku, he still had dreams. Hopes and ambitions, something beyond survival and revenge fueling his actions. He was alive, and it was clear from his vibrant eyes. Like two emeralds shining inexplicably in the dark, they simply drew his gaze.
Izuku was shorter than him by a fair few inches, but he was also slouched over, bleeding from several cuts, and bruised beyond belief. He moved on nonetheless, looking not at all aware of his injuries. His hair was shorter, his eyes brighter, his muscles smaller, but he was undoubtedly Deku's younger self.
Deku forced his lips into a wobbly smile. It felt fake, even to him, but Izuku relaxed ever so slightly. As if the smile was a symbol of something… he supposed it still was, in this timeline.
But his smile fell the moment he noticed Izuku's cargo - Eraserhead lay limp in his hands. The wound was bound; dammit, Deku should have done that himself. Whatever. The man was safe and sound, and Deku doubted there was a person in the world he could trust more than himself. Now to just get him professional help.
"Good job." he muttered, his voice hoarse and dry and tired and who knew what else. "Good - good job, Izuku."
Izuku blinked at him, eyes roving up and down his figure in a frankly suspicious way. Staring at an older version of himself, more scarred and weary, but still the same person. Deku wasn't surprised by the scrutiny. More so by the intimidated silence.
Spirits above, what the fuck just happened. Deku blinked rapidly, his breath coming much faster as he came back to himself. He stared down at his hands, slowly raising them to his stricken face. The crimson of his gauntlets was a very different crimson from the blood now staining them.
'One For All.. what did you do?'
'What did we do?'
No response came, but the Vestiges murmured to one another. He couldn't make out their hushed conversations, and it angered him.
Anger… Deku stomped it down fiercely. It was still inside him, that protective rage, the vengeful demeanor. He'd gone too far with it - anger was only a tool, but he let it control him. They let it control them. Why?
It hadn't even worked… rather, it had worked too well. The Noumu was recovering at the middle of the central plaza, slouched over and steaming as it diverted all its energy towards regeneration. The Villains surrounded it, curiously prodding at it as they pondered it's status.
Deku pulled his - Gran Torino's - cape closer to him. He buried his nose in the thick fabric, choosing to not look at Izuku's bloody face. The fading scent of taiyaki and the far too familiar scent of rust filled his nose. He'd done his best to keep the cape clean, but miniscule splatters of blood now covered it.
What would Gran say if he saw him like this?
The old man would hit him over the head with his cane and tell him to get over himself, voice harsh yet understanding. One For All was as biological as any other Quirks. Emotions would affect it just the same as they affected Explosion or Hellflame. Anger and sadness were natural, kid.
So he made a mistake, so he messed up and let Eraserhead get hurt, so he let his anger control him, and so what? Own up to it and work towards fixing it. That's what he had to do. That's what his mentor would tell him to do.
But he couldn't make himself follow the man's instructions.
Deku was too disgusted with himself and what he'd done. Reflecting on his actions only made him pull the cape closer, as if he could hide himself from the world's gaze within it. Hide from the minute fear and horror coming off Izuku, from the hate that had been in the Noumu's eyes as they'd fought, from the unmistakable satisfaction he'd felt.
Deku hadn't been fighting with it. If he was, it would already be dead. He'd seen it's capabilities first-hand, close-up. The regeneration wouldn't have been able to survive against a barrage of his Blackwhip attacks, or even a long bout of normal punches. It simply wasn't powerful enough, it tired too quickly. Deku was more powerful than All Might was when he fought this Noumu, and All Might didn't have the entirety of One For All at his behest either.
The only reason the Noumu was still kicking was because he wasn't fighting it.
What he was doing was hurting it. And he was enjoying it.
Fuckin' hell. What had he become? Was this the outcome of power? Was this the result of war?
'No. No, it wasn't your fault, Izuku.' First began. His voice was calm and rational, but sorrowful beneath. 'We were the ones-'
'Stop.'
He sighed immediately, staring out over the USJ. So many unconscious folks, so many students and so much else he could have harmed. There were no excuses for this. ' We could have hurt someone. Worse.'
'We didn't, though.' Sixth argued. ' You know how to protect others, Ninth. You were able to control yourself.'
A flat-out lie. No. No, he wouldn't have been. The rage had been too powerful, too expansive and vicious.
All Deku can do is be glad nobody had the bright idea to get between him and Noumu during that fight. If they had… he was horrified even thinking of the possibility.
'We are not letting that happen again,' he commanded after a long and thoughtful moment. His tone brooked no argument, not even to those two centuries older than him. 'Not even against All For One. We cannot.'
The Vestiges were silent, before Izuku received seven simultaneous nods. He nodded himself, somewhat glad for the begrudging understanding.
This was what All For One wanted, wasn't it? For him to break away from his morals, to become a monster just like him? For him to break.
Deku was already well on that path. But that bastard wouldn't be able to change who he was, no matter how hard he tried. This may be war, but Deku was a Hero. He wouldn't change who he was.
'Is it war?' Seventh asked. She'd been silent for a long while, and her voice now was quieter than it had ever been. 'Can this still be called a war, Izu?'
He paused, blinking. Is… is this war?
The time they reside in is unequivocally before the first clashes of the war, but... his war was not that straightforward. There was no simple beginning to it. His war started when One For All was created, when he was chosen to be the NInth, when the safety of Japan fell on his shoulders.
'Later. Thinking later, fighting now.'
He turned back to Izuku, faster than he should have. The man - no, the young boy - flinched, Eraserhead twitching in his grasp. The man mumbled something, his voice inaudible and faint. He needed hospitalization, quick.
"It's…" Deku didn't quite know what to say. He stared into his own uncomprehending eyes, noted the fear and the apprehension that was uniquely his, and sighed quietly. He hadn't expected any of the revelations to go smoothly, but he didn't have the time to deal with the consequences right now. Izuku could parse this situation himself. "Get Eraserhead to Recovery Girl. You can do that, right?"
Izuku nodded, slowly jerking his head up and down.
He didn't quite know how to talk to himself. It was strange, to see himself in the flesh, see all the differences and similarities. He'd been able to talk to Uraraka and Iida and the rest, but talking to himself? He had zero clue on how to go about it.
And so, he decided not to.
He had to return to the fight and eliminate the Noumu once and for all. There was no time to waste. Giving Izuku a single nod, he tensed. Coiling up, he let One For All rise up inside him once again, but with a much more strict and reserved hand. But just as he was about to leave again, Izuku spoke up on his left.
"But," Izuku began, voice small and wobbling, "you're - you're me."
Deku paused, lightning arcing between him and Izuku. The strange energies were magnetized to him, snapping through the air just to touch his skin. One For All wanted to meet One For All, and he could hardly blame it.
But he can't stay.
"A time travel Quirk," he muttered begrudgingly, carefully slotting his restraints back in place. They'd been destroyed moments before, his mental barriers turned to little more than dust as he went all-in on the Noumu. His arms and legs and body were sore from that battle, a dozen muscles pulled and several new bruises. Possibly another fracture too, lower ribs. Nothing urgent, just painful.
"It was accidental," he found himself clarifying, because he felt like Izuku deserved to know that this was no well-planned journey. "When I realized I had an opportunity, I came here to stop the USJ Incident from happening."
"You're me," Izuku continued, giving no sign of having heard. His lips were softly parted, eyes shimmering with unshed tears - anger, despair, sorrow, fear, pity. How strange. "That's… that's One For All."
Try as he might, his legs wouldn't work with him. As much as he attempted to take off of the earth, activate Float, do anything in his power to escape the conversation, he couldn't. It was just like when he was talking to his classmates, but he had even more of a responsibility to Izuku.
He swore mentally, mind racing as he pondered his possible actions. 'Talk?' First suggested timidly.
Deku sighed, a defeated breath leaking out of him as his sight zeroed in on Noumu's steaming form. He stared at it with all the intentness of an apex predator, Shigaraki's confused figure nearby it just another target in his eyes. The moment it so much as moved…
"So it is, Nines." he whispered, watching the unmoving form of Izuku at the very edge of his peripherals. The boy was stiller than stone, his eyes wide and unblinking. The word Ninth would probably be enough to convince him, if the phantasmal connection between them wasn't enough. "This is One For All, alright." Accentuating his words, the energy surrounding him intensified.
Izuku tried to speak, but his words were choked off by indecision. Deku chanced a glance at him, taking in the fearful posture and the anxious gaze in an instant. He turned back to Noumu and noted little change in his targets, his eyes steely and empty. There was little he could do! He still had to go fight Noumu, there was no one else here who could!
Wait.
"Where's," they both began at the exact same moment, two voices that were practically the same overlapping with one another. Melodic yet grating.
Blinking rapidly, Deku motioned for Izuku to speak first. He shouldn't have, but something in the boy's nervous and agitated eyes told him to. Ingrained in him, the ways to deal with victims of Villain attacks - help them reach or direct them towards safety, listen closely to their words for any possible information, if not currently fighting then assist them in any possible way, and always remember that their safety is your first priority, not the Villain's capture.
"Where's," Izuku gulped, eyes flicking to and fro as his breathing grew shallower, "where's All Might? Why isn't he here?"
Deku's eyes narrowed at the question, his brows knitting together. "He's not coming," he responded, not looking at Izuku to see his reaction. A distant gladness filled him at All Might's continued safety, though it was tainted by his many continued failures. "But I'm here. And I swear, I'll keep you safe. No one's gonna hurt you or sensei anymore, alright?"
Deku's eyes roved the USJ, madly searching for Hawks' striking figure - the man had been shouting in his comms not long ago, hadn't he?
Where was he now?
"I'll keep you all safe," he vowed, voice soft yet humming with power. 'I have to. We have to.'
Izuku shifted, his feet brushing the stairs apprehensively. He was worried, he was tired, he was angry, he was so much more that he didn't know how to show. Deku could understand his unspoken words, if he wished to.
He didn't want to, though. Intimately knowing his own perception of himself was a harrowing concept, one he didn't have the time or willpower for. Deciphering that might've hurt him more than it helped. After all, Izuku's first impression of his future self was of him attempting murder.
Not that Deku wasn't about to go and do it again, that was.
Just… more humanely, this time around. If murder could be called humane. In the case of the Noumus, yeah, it probably could.
"Anyways," he finished, letting One For All surge through his veins again, "that's all we have time for. Get out of the USJ, keep Eraserhead safe, and be careful, Izuku."
No response graced his ears.
Deku turned to himself, wondering if something had gone wrong while he wasn't looking. He wasn't surprised to say, yes. One For All dimmed.
They say the eyes are the windows to the soul, and as Deku stared into his own eyes, he knew that to be wholly true. This Izuku was on the edge of crashing, the sheer stress of the situation finally beginning to catch up to him. His viridian eyes, blank and glassy, only proved it. The only reason he was still active and moving was because he had to save Aizawa-sensei.
After his own USJ Incident, he'd heard that the rest of the class had reacted in pretty much the same way. Eyes blank, minds empty and unthinking as they sat outside the building with shock blankets covering their shoulders. Waiting for Tsukauchi to interview them, so they could go home and collapse into bed.
And now, Izuku here was going through the exact same thing. Just… a little earlier than they had.
Because Izuku was safe. Safe enough that he could stop, pause, let the responsibilities that should have never fallen on his shoulders fall to Deku's. Because, again, he was safe.
Deku was planning on keeping it that way, but dealing with an unresponsive Izuku was a little bit in his way. Not exactly something he'd planned for.
'Crap.'
'Panic attack?' Sixth muttered questioningly. The Vestiges had been rather quiet ever since Deku's rampage. Blood still trickled down his arms, none of it his own. 'Nope, he's in shock. The revelations were too much. He can't process it all.'
He can't waste time, not again. Noumu, while beaten and tired and broken, will regenerate. Shigaraki was crafty, he could somehow escape the USJ. There's so many things that could go wrong, and he's already learnt his lesson with Eraserhead. Deku cannot stay to help Izuku, he can't-
"Let me carry him," he said gently, blood-stained palms moving forwards to grasp Eraserhead. Izuku gave him up easily, his verdant eyes trained on Deku's form as his burden was lessened. He wasn't disbelieving, like the rest of 1-A was. In awe, perhaps? Horrified, more like.
Horrified of what he would become.
The Hero was light in his arms, barely a burden. But Deku couldn't just sprint out of the USJ with him - he had to be kept stable. The injury wasn't immediately dangerous, but it could be. With one arm under his shoulders and one delicately keeping the wound stable, Deku started the trek up the stairs.
"Follow me," he ordered gently, staring over his shoulders at Izuku. The boy followed, all of his movements languid and thoughtless. The poor kid was crashing hard, and it wasn't pretty. Deku had to get him to safety.
The pair-slash-trio made their way up the rugged staircase, carefully stepping over the many cracks dotting it. Deku made good time, jogging up the steps with the smallest pinch of One For All enhancing his movements. Every now and then, he glanced over his shoulders to confirm that Noumu hadn't regenerated, and that Izuku was still following.
The poor kid. At least he seemed a bit more… responsive? He was looking around, searching for enemies and keeping an eye on his blind spots, all reactions ingrained into Deku by All Might. But he was only doing the bare minimum to survive and escape.
Hell, he looked like shit. With a sickly pallor to his skin and a strange glint in his eyes, wobbling legs, and shaky breaths, Izuku was on the brink of collapsing.
Deku himself had collapsed after the USJ, hadn't he? Shit. And this Izuku had actually been fighting Villains, not just running around uselessly like Deku had. His energy levels were probably much lower than Deku's at that point.
He'd better keep an eye on the kid, make sure he didn't trip down two hundred steps and break all his bones. Not like Izuku could fly yet.
That reminded him…
As he continued up the stairs, he uncomfortably tapped the communicator in his ears, muttering into the microphone. "Hawks, come in. Hawks." Only static returned, buzzing ominously in his eardrums.
Not a great sign.
Something came in after a few dozen more tense steps, barely audible through the static. Hawks' mic, or his entire headset, was obviously broken. "-inally!- shzzt -m coming. Been hi- shzzt -the Conflagration Zone. Just… gimme a fe- shzzt."
He'd been hit? Deku hadn't noticed… he'd been too furious to notice much, to be fair. Must've been before the Noumu caught Eraserhead, though; how didn't he notice?
'You were talking to the rest of the class,' Seventh muttered, her voice soft and understanding. 'Though, you still should have felt it through Danger Sense.'
He should have, dammit-
'Not how the Quirk works,' Fourth murmured, sounding rather annoyed. Deku felt he'd said these exact words many times before. 'He can sense the danger that an enemy poses in general and specifically towards him, but not towards others. He could feel Noumu's danger, yeah, but he couldn't have realized the Noumu was attacking Hawks.'
Deku bit the inside of his cheek, hard enough to draw blood. That was no excuse, he thought, as the coppery taste coated his senses. Still, he's somewhat glad he hadn't seen it - if he had, he might've still been fighting Noumu, hurting it in his inane revenge fantasies. Stupid of him, but probably true.
At least the man seemed relatively alright, his voice strained but not injured. He could take a hit and keep trucking, Deku knew it. If he was still moving, he'd be okay. That was just the type of person Hawks was.
Deku kept telling himself that, ignoring the sharp swirling feeling in his gut that told him he was truly living up to his namesake.
They reached the entrance hall not long after that began rumbling inside Deku's mind, stepping over the final step to greet the light streaming in. Minute dust particles hung in the air, illuminated by the bright sunlight. Izuku regained some energy as it hit his skin, breathing in the morning air with relief and happiness. No more words were spoken, though. The kid was silent, trudging behind Deku with heavy and uneven footfalls. Limping; he was much more hurt than he let on.
He took one final glance back at the central plaza - Noumu was still unmoving, but Deku knew he didn't have much longer. Just to get Izuku and Eraserhead out of the USJ, just a little further. He kept walking, his cargo rustling in his arms and his past self just a few strides behind him. The eerily empty foyer drew his gaze, the clean floors catching his eyes for some reason. Not much further no-
He stopped dead in his tracks, Izuku almost stumbling into his back. He recoiled immediately, sensing the danger radiating off Deku. Not a result of a Quirk, just simple intuition. Izuku took several steps back, almost tripping all the way down the staircase.
"Where," Deku growled, his voice dark and rightfully pissed-off, "is Kurogiri?"
The Vestiges were silent for a short and stressful moment. Not that long, though - they exploded into activity immediately after. Annoyed shouts and despair and misery, Deku blotted them out without a thought. He needed time to think and plan and hopefully not kill someone.
He turned on the spot, scanning the empty floor for any sign of the warper, but came up empty-handed. Crouching and swearing purposelessly, he deposited Eraserhead on the ground with care, before standing and stepping forwards with dark intentions.
"Where," he repeated, his voice much tenser and much sharper, "is Kurogiri?!"
No response. Behind him, Izuku made a soft sound that might have been of worry for him. Not the fear he'd been expecting - worry.
He clenched his fists almost tight enough to dent the skin-tight metal. That recognition didn't make him feel any better. In fact, his past self worrying about him only made him feel worse. Though he should have expected it, especially from himself.
Goddamnit, he knew he'd been forgetting something - how could he have let Thirteen leave but never reminded them to capture the fucking Villain?! How many mistakes can one man make?
He swore at the empty air, each word making him feel a little better and making Izuku look a little more awake and worried. Deku'd picked up quite a vocabulary from his years with Kacchan. It helped, sometimes.
He's a Hero, he can't make mistakes! Not like this! He has to go back, has to take out Shigaraki right now.
Shigaraki and Noumu remained in the plaza. Kurogiri hadn't gotten to them just yet - perhaps the conversation with Deku had rattled him? Deku wasn't getting hopeful, but perhaps he could still be saved. If he was battling with himself, perhaps…
But as of now, Kurogiri was a target. As long as he was active, Shigaraki could escape.
And Deku cannot let that happen. No more mistakes. He refused. Shimura will not go back to that monster's embrace. Not a damn chance.
"Right," he said finally, forcing his tone to less of a murderous snarl and more of an annoyed growl. Small steps. "That's a problem. A big problem."
At least Izuku looked a little more rejuvenated. The novel situation had woken him up, of sorts. He was still out of breath and tired beyond belief, but at least he didn't need to fight. That was Deku's job. Before the kid could ask him anything about the situation, Deku spoke up in a slightly more understanding tone. "You feeling any better, Izuku?"
Gulping in a large breath, Izuku rapidly nodded. He looked terrified; probably only just realizing just how close he'd come to death today. But he was awake and alive, and that was all he really needed to be.
"Good. Take Eraserhead and get out of here," he ordered, gesturing at the slowly waking man and shrugging off his backpack. He had no desire to be there when Aizawa-san first awoke. Someone else could explain the situation to him, because Deku didn't feel like crying into the shoulders of a man that didn't actually know him. Holding the soiled yellow sack from one strap, he proffered it to the stunned boy. "First-aid supplies inside, second pocket. Good luck."
He stayed for only one more half-second to watch Izuku nod sharply, the same determination that ran through Deku's veins now encompassing him. The young boy felt the exact same need to protect, to save.
Deku knew that Izuku was him, just one year ago, but the two of them were such different people he couldn't help but refer to them as so.
What a strange existence he's been thrown into. These moral quandaries would haunt him for as long as he remained in this timeline - another good reason to get this all over with as soon as possible.
Like a gunshot, Deku took off. At speeds rivalling Hawks and exceeding All Might, it barely took him another quarter-second before he slid to a rough stop in the center of the plaza with a harsh boom. Several eyes turned to him, stunned by his near-instant appearance.
And that included a far-too familiar pair of crimson irises, incensed and terrified.
Deku wouldn't deny that he froze up the moment he saw Shimura again, his sight this time unclouded by rage and fury.
The Villain looked different yet he looked the same. He was less muscular, had more color in his hair, was still wearing that terrifying hand costume - he looked so different from the Shigaraki that had killed thousands. But he had the same crazed look in his eyes. The same derangement, the same murderous intent, it was right there.
And through the cracks, there was the same desolate soul of a broken man.
'Still wanna try this out, kid?' Third murmured, his ghostly form appearing in the corner of Deku's vision. He ignored the senseless question. 'What am I saying, of course you do.'
'Actually, I don't.' He glared at the incorporeal man, his expression one of annoyance as their eyes met. Deku wasn't quite enough of an idealist to hope Shimura would change with a single conversation. And besides, speed was of the essence at the moment. 'I'm not an idiot, we can deal with all the talk-no-jutsu later. I'm just gonna knock him out.'
Third hummed, looking legitimately surprised. 'Not a bad idea.' That only served to make Deku scowl harder.
Taking in a deep breath, Deku prepared for a fight - Shigaraki's few minions wouldn't go down without a fight. He stepped forwards, lighting arcing across his limbs, and gave the closest Villain a death stare. Eyes narrowed and furious, lips thin, electricity sparking off his skin… perhaps he could get out without a fight.
"Stay away from me, you m-monster!" the Villain shouted, throwing both his arms up as a shield as he stumbled backwards. Deku ignored him, continuing on his path and turning his glare onto another Villain. They both scrambled to get out of his way, pulling all of the other Villains along. The path to Shigaraki was cleared in seconds.
The man was crouched in front of Noumu, shaking the beast and muttering frantic orders at it. Crashed into the edge of the fountain, gurgling water gushed out over the shattered concrete barriers, the Noumu's blood mixed in with it.
The regeneration was exceedingly slow, Deku noted. From his past experiences with it, he remembered that this Noumu had to focus in order to regenerate.… the High-Ends didn't have the same problem. Their regeneration was always active and completely instinctual, but it seemed the original prototypes still had some kinks and issues.
Deku walked ever closer.
"Who the hell are you?" Shigaraki rasped, his eyes wild and untamed behind the clawed hand. He stumbled away from the Noumu, his posture defensive and scared. "S-Sensei'll kill you! Don't come any closer!"
He scowled, staring at the man who had changed Japan for the worst. A flame burst to life in his chest, threatening to swallow the man whole and never let go. He pushed down his white-hot anger until it was only dull annoyance filling him.
'I don't have the energy to deal with his bull.'
"Wh-Who are you?" Shigaraki started, his hands raised in front of him as if they could protect him from One For All. "Who?"
He paused, thick strands of hair falling over his eyes and covering his face. He wondered if he should even bother answering the question. "You can call me Deku."
"Deku, huh?" Shigaraki faked a smile in milliseconds, some sickly thing behind his calcified palm. "Now that doesn't sound much like a Hero's name, does it? Let's talk, Deku. You seem like quite an agreeable man."
'He wasn't very good at manipulation yet, was he?' Sixth mused quietly. En was watching Shigaraki with curiosity, one of the seven most accepting of Deku's plans. He was a good man, trusting and kind almost to a fault. But against All For One, his heart was steel. Deku was greatly surprised that he too believed Shigaraki might be saved.
'Took All For One just one year to turn the brat into a monster.' Fifth continued on, his voice sharp and mistrustful where Sixth's was thoughtful. 'Unless he was already well on his way there, ya know. This ain't a good idea, Izuku.'
"Well?" Shigaraki was staring intently at Deku, his arms spread out. Tearing his attention from the Vestiges, Deku turned to the mons- young man. "You're pretty powerful, Deku, but I can see it in your eyes. That rage, that anger, it's so clear. Why would you want to be restrained by society and heroes when you could use that Quirk of yours for whatever you wanted, huh? Join me, and I'll give you everything you ever wanted."
He blinked rapidly, disbelievingly. Staring at the young man with incredulity, he responded, "Why would I ever want to join you?"
"I mean, Deku?" Shigaraki began, half-laughing. Well-veiled terror and prodigal ingenuity was tucked into the insane cackle. "Useless, huh? Not many people would call themselves that willingly."
This man was an utter fool. Did he really think Deku would join him for that?
Shigaraki pushed his open palm towards him, his fingers closing into a rigid claw. "Join me, and I'll-"
Deku rushed forwards, moving faster than Shigaraki could react. He's had enough of the man's pitiful attempts at manipulation.
Nothing too difficult, just a single swift chop to the neck and this'll all be over with. He kept his gaze on the nearby beast as he moved. The Noumu remained slumped over, one foot well in the grave. No movement, not even as he rushed towards Shigaraki. Eyes remained closed - perfect.
One strike, simple and practical.
Shigaraki slumped to the ground, Deku floating a few inches off the ground behind him. Muscles locking up, the man fell right onto his face.
'That was easier than I expected.'
'Goddamnit, Deku,' Third groaned, smacking a palm onto his nonexistent forehead. 'You just looove to invite misfortune, don't you?'
Danger Sense roared to life, and Deku turned just in time to see the indigo fist rocketing towards him. Eyes widening, he moved to dodge the unexpected attack. The first punch flew past his face, missing his nose by inches. The second hook almost snagged his cape. The third went way wide, Deku using Float to escape quickly.
The Noumu was still hurt and exhausted, but it was protecting it's master defiantly. As he rose higher and higher away from the hateful beast, a foreign object tickled his open hand - a feather?
Hawks!
Twisting his head, he saw the winged Hero standing a fair distance away, alone and unbothered. Any of the small fry that Deku or Hawks or Eraserhead hadn't knocked out yet were deep in hiding.
Hawks' massive wings were hanging strangely, crooked upon his back. The edges of some of his feathers were singed, his hair smoking slightly. The hit the man had taken was worse than he'd expected. Not a broken wing, he hoped - just minor complications.
He leaned towards the man, letting Float pull his body towards Hawks. The Noumu didn't follow, instead crouching over the unconscious Villain it was bound to protect. Heart beating out of his chest, Deku's feet touched down right beside Hawks. Stumbling lightly, he stared up at Hawks' unamused face.
"You okay?" he asked, eyes focused on the blood trickling down his face. Small cut, nothing serious, but the man could have more injuries.
"I'm alright, I'm alright," he waved off Deku's worries, wiping the blood off his forehead with a thumb. "Just a small hit. Back's sore, but I'm mostly fine." He paused, raising a hand to rummage in his shock of hair. Retrieving a sparking and hissing bit of metal, he said, "Can't say the same for my comms, though. Sorry 'bout that, they weren't really working all that great."
Shit, that wasn't ideal. Whatever, they'd survive. The important thing was that Hawks was alive and well.
He looked Deku up and down, his eyes even more worried than Deku's were. He hid it behind a well-crafted mask, though. "The hell happened?" he groused, one of his hands massaging the small of his back. His eyes flicked to the space behind Deku, watching the Noumu with evident fear.
"You took down Shiggy, I see. But Noumu's still kickin'." He peered closer, eyes widening minisculely. "On death's doorstep, though. Poor bastard."
Hawks sighed, slumping forwards as all the energy leaked out of him. "Eh, that's good enough for me. Kurogiri's with Thirteen, right? What about Eraserhead? Also with them?"
Deku bit his lower lips, averting his eyes from Hawks. "Um, Eraserhead's with Izuku. They're all safe, but, uh, Kurogiri escaped." An ashamed blush crept up his neck, burningly hot. Deku steeled himself, taking in a deep breath before continuing. "Keep your eyes open. We need to make sure Kurogiri can't take Shigaraki and retreat."
Hawks stared at him unblinkingly for a far too long moment. Shaking his head rapidly, he asked, "If Kurogiri's free, why hasn't he taken Shiggy already?"
His hand rose to rub the back of his neck and conceal his embarrassment. "I think he's questioning some things. If you see him, there's a possibility he might be able to be turned to our side, but it's - it's unlikely." Deku's eyes sharpened, determination settling over him like a second skin. "Not worth the risk. If we see him, we have to take him down."
Damn Kurogiri. Deku hoped the man could be saved as well, but different issues for different days.
"Understood." Hawks nodded at him, forcing his back straight. His lips were set into a thin line, his sleek eyebrows furrowed together. "Still, he could save Shigaraki pretty easily. We need to get custody of the brat first."
Deku turned his head, examining the dogged beast over his shoulders.
The Noumu stood protectively over Shigaraki. It snarled aggressively at Hawks and Deku, but didn't approach either of them. Saliva dripped off it's renewed beak, it's two pristine hands clenched into fists. Fully regenerated, although it had taken it some time.
Shigaraki was in a clumsy heap underneath it, dwarfed by the monster. If Kurogiri was watching, he'd have been able to kidnap-save Shigaraki with ease. The fact that it hadn't happened yet was all they had to go on.
"You're right," Deku murmured, locking eyes with Hawks again. "I'll deal with the Noumu, you get Shigaraki out of the USJ and into actual custody."
Hawks pulled an arm close to his body, a newly summoned feather-blade steady in his gloved hand. The weapon was starkly dangerous, meant to eliminate and not capture. "Got it. You take point on Noumu. I'll run interference for you."
"No." Deku's arm flicked out, stopping the Hero from rushing forwards and distracting Noumu. He turned his verdant gaze on Hawks, his eyes quietly sorrowful. The man was not putting himself in danger's way any longer. "You're not fighting, Hawks. You're injured."
Hawks stared intently at him, something novel ruminating behind his gaze. "I'm not leaving."
"Didn't expect you to." Deku turned to the pair of Villains, pointing a crooked finger at the smaller one. "I'll fight Noumu. You go take Shigaraki, hide him somewhere Kurogiri can't steal him. And, uh, there's bodies on the floor, get them out of the way so I don't have to worry about hurting them in the fight. You should focus fully on retrieval and evac, not fighting."
His wings ruffled uncomfortably behind him. It was clear he heavily disliked the idea, but Deku wouldn't budge. "That'll all take me, like, two or three minutes. Less, even. After that, I am going to hel-"
"Just get to work." There was no convincing the man to stay away. He was hurt, but he wouldn't let his pride be wounded alongside his body. At the very least, Hawks was as much of a Hero as he was. He'd help Deku save Shigaraki, no questions asked. He was a good man at heart.
But Deku had the responsibility to ensure he didn't get hurt in the process, something he'd already failed in. He was the Ninth, he couldn't let others be harmed in his battles! But he let it happen - twice.
Never again.
Deku isn't playing anymore. This Noumu is done for. Kurogiri is done for. All For One is done for.
Never again.
Hawks says he'll deal with his objectives in only two minutes? Fine. Deku'll deal with the Noumu in one.
As he took his first step towards the hunched-over beast, a feather tickled his arm. He turned back, shaking the scratchy weapon off. Raising an eyebrow, he stared at the winged Hero. A dozen feathers burst free of Hawks' wings, each headed to a different Villain on the USJ's floor.
"Deku," Hawks started, his tone brooking a stern warning as his posture grew defensive and irritated, "you and I are going to have a talk, real soon."
"About?" he asked, ears perking at the sound of sluggish movement behind him. Noumu was shifting about on the balls of it's heels, devoutly protecting it's master as it instincts ached to charge Deku. "What do we need to talk about that's so importa-"
"What you're doing to yourself."
"I - what?"
"You know exactly what I'm talking about, kid." Hawks eyes narrowed further, the crooked wings behind him silhouetting him against the USJ. Dozens of feathers were clearing the floor of distractions already, searching for students and hovering far above Shigaraki's unconscious body. "This whole… not letting others fight with you. Thinking you have to do everything alone."
Deku turned his back to Hawks, his fists clenching tightly.
"This is… "
He sighed, not finishing the sentence. One For All sprung to life and he tensed. Behind him, Hawks huffed and released more of his feathers as well. Neither of them continued the conversation. Some things were better left unsaid.
'This is our fight. Not anyone else's.' Second continued for him, whispering the words into his receptive ears.
With that thought in his mind, Deku took off like the wind. Four or five feathers accompanied him as he raced towards the Noumu, keeping pace with him as they headed for Shigaraki's body. They'd carry Shigaraki to a safe location, hopefully somewhere Kurogiri wouldn't be able to find. The proto-Noumu could warp between locations, yeah, but he wasn't omniscient. Hawks had that problem dealt with.
Deku slowed slightly, letting the feathers rush past him and past Noumu's tired form. Hawks stood still with his fingers steepled in front of him and his eyes tamped shut. With all of his concentration diverted to controlling his feathers, the man would be able to swerve past Noumu and steal Shigaraki from right under the beast's nose.
Settling underneath his limbs and torso, the maroon weapons whisked Shigaraki away like a genteel wind. Noumu didn't react in time. The beast turned towards the rapidly vanishing body with primitive shock and anger filling his features. His beak opened in a wordless scream, his eyes focused on Hawks' feathers and not Deku's approaching assault.
Deku's fist slammed into the beast's gut with all the force of a meteor.
All around them, the earth splintered and the air cracked. The Noumu stumbled backwards, thick flesh absorbing the impact. Far behind the Noumu, the Flood Zone turned into a tidal wave, born from the sheer force behind his assaults. The power of One For All was intoxicating, flowing through his veins in a way that made him feel like he never wanted it to end.
Yet, the past few minutes had shown him just why he could not do that. Why One For All was not his end-all be-all, why he relied on himself and his experiences over his Quirk alone. WHy he chose to fight alone. Because humans were imperfect. He could fail. He could crack. He could break.
He had to be careful to never let anything like that happen again. Never, ever, again would he let that anger take control of him. Revenge is an alluring thing indeed, but he won't allow himself to fall to it's siren song. Human he may be, but he won't let his emotions overpower his morals ever again.
But was he human? He was Deku, was he not? He would not fall, not to himself.
He paused, mind running twenty thousand miles an hour as he ducked under a retaliatory punch. That was a slippery slope indeed, and one he was racing down with a reckless abandon.
He may be Deku, but Deku is only a mask. He is the perfect Hero, what he's always wanted to adhere to and become. But with every day, that goal grows further and further away from his outstretched hand.
He can force his way through these philosophical conundrums some other day. Perhaps even with Izuku's help. With someone else who can understand his thoughts, comprehend his reasoning - the idea sounded nice to him. But it was a thought for later, a distant later where Deku would have the time to breathe and think and live.
Now, he had to fight.
Moments after the first smash, Deku's knee impacted right into the Noumu's gut in the exact same place. The beast was pushed back, hovering in the air for a short second with all the wind knocked out of it. He didn't give it the time to react, so it could get it's bearings and go on the offensive once more. His right fist landed on the side of its face, the beak shattering yet again as it went careening through the air.
He wasn't here to hurt it, not anymore, but Deku's mercy had long since expired.
He despised thinking of them in this way, but fact is fact - this entire situation, his classmates and his past self, his sensei, it's all just an obstacle to him. All For One is his only goal. Everything else is either helping him or in his way.
Including this wretched Noumu.
It twirled as it went flying, spinning through the air madly. He'd sent it careening towards the Downpour Zone at terminal speeds. Still screeching bloody murder, it tried to stop itself from crashing through the dome by windmilling its arms - to no avail, of course. Going back-first, it smashed through the dome with another tinny screech.
Before it had even cracked the glass, Deku was nipping on its heels.
By the time he slipped through the rift the Noumu had created, the indigo beast was still windmilling in the air uselessly. Deku caught up quickly, grabbing it by the thick ankle. His hand could barely wrap around even that, but the strength imbued in him was more than enough for him to yank the beast closer and drop his elbow right into its gut.
Shock Absorption managed to eat up the impact, but it still sent the Noumu shrieking towards the earth once again.
Still afloat, Deku took a millisecond to raise his eyes and examine the inside of the Downpour Zone. He'd been here several times before, but it had been a long while since his last visit to the USJ. A fully-sized city block was built inside the massive cobalt dome, an eternal storm pouring down on the tall buildings at all moments. A midnight typhoon.
So many opportunities… to Deku, the environment was but another tool for him to utilize. And that was exactly what he was going to do.
The earth boomed as the Noumu landed, cracking the pavement. Painful, but survivable. Shock Absorption was a powerful Quirk indeed. As it staggered back up, it's indigo skin was slick and darker. It didn't seem to react to the rain too much.
Deku landed in front of it, sighing as the rain gently caressed his face. It reminded him of the times he just came from… what he had lost. Japan in turmoil was not something he wished to return to, but the people certainly were.
The Noumu threw a sudden punch, wild and uncontrolled. The soft pop as it raced through the air was perfectly tuned with the distant sound of faux thunder. Deku crossed his arms just in time to block it, the force of the attack vaporizing the rain around them and sending him sliding back several feet. Panting out a surprised breath, he let his arms drop to his sides. That had hurt.
As he forced his breathing back to natural levels, he paused. His eyes widened. Taking notice of the broken and crumbling buildings looming behind the Noumu, a dangerous idea popped into Deku's mind.
This was gonna hurt. But Shock Absorption meant that he had to think up more creative ways to deal with the beast. Even if they were ill-advised.
Stepping back, the Noumu stared at him for a long moment. It didn't attack again. Deku ignored the humanity trapped within it's irises, instead activating Float and preparing himself to face Thirteen's dejection.
Once he was eye-level with the beast, Deku raced forwards. With a flicker of Fa Jin augmenting his acceleration, he moved at unimaginable speeds. Reaching the beast's position in miniscule fractions of a second, he grasped it's thick skull in his right hand. Its eyes widened to fearful and terrified things beneath his hands.
' Ignore it,' Second urged, voice flat. ' You're here to fight the damn thing, not pity it.'
Fine. Fine.
Before he could even sense the exposed brain and dense flesh beneath his hand, Deku was rushing forwards and pushing it face-first through a dozen walls. The Noumu tried to fight back, but with its face being used to shatter ten-inch thick walls of steel and concrete, its attempts were rather futile.
Using the beast's face like a damned battering ram, Deku bulldozed through an entire block of buildings in mere seconds. The Noumu's pained groans were drowned out by the overpowering sounds of crumbling buildings and false lightning.
Most Zone's in the USJ were made to be destroyed, after all. Didn't mean Thirteen wouldn't be cross with him afterwards.
He kept forcing the beast through wall after wall, his eyes locked on a distant target - the tallest building in the Zone. As rain slipped down his forehead, he wondered if it would be worth it. But just then the Noumu finally slipped out of his grasp, throwing unexpected punch after punch Deku's way. Some of its strength was still retained.
Ah, to hell with it. Why not.
With well-calculated smashes and baiting, he forced the beast closer to the twenty-story building, a dangerous plan rolling about in his mind. He pushed it closer and closer to the looming skyscraper, giving and taking several hits as he did.
Hurt like hell, but in his life, what didn't?
Finally arriving at their destination, he jumped up. Just like how he'd forced the Noumu through all the previous buildings, he grabbed the Noumu's face again. This time, the monster was expecting it. Grasping it's massive hands around Deku's arm, it tried to snap it the same way it had broken Eraserhead's leg.
Didn't work. All it served to do was make him angrier and dent his gauntlets. Surging even more of One For All into his right arm and holding back his anger, Deku smashed the Noumu's face right through the wall. Not any further, though. As plaster and thick flakes of concrete clattered onto its face, he supercharged Float. With half its body inside the building, it seemed like the Noumu had gotten some semblance of an idea of what was about to happen. It shrieked at him, struggling madly.
Blackwhip tore out of Deku's right hand, spiralling around the Noumu's face and shutting it up. The extra grip was helpful too. With his other hand braced against the exterior of the building and his feet hovering feet off the ground, he put as much energy into Float as it would take.
And with that, Deku went up.
The Noumu's skull smashed through every floor as it rose with him, pulled along at borderline unsurvivable speeds. Even his skull was hurting. Deku didn't even get to hear what it sounded like as they tore the building apart. They were moving a tad too fast for that. The rain grew stranger and stranger as they sped up, glittering teardrops hanging impossibly in the sky.
The sensation was… interesting. He would have liked the transient sight, if not for what he was doing.
Deku kept rising, the Noumu valiantly struggling and fighting as he did. It was a useless effort. He gritted his teeth, feeling the discomfort settle in his gut. In the end, the Noumu had to be taken down. He shouldn't feel for it. He shouldn't. He knew this.
As the final floor was shattered and broken, Deku finally let go of the Noumu's skull. It continued upwards, vertical momentum carrying it for a short few moments. The sudden open air surprised it, coming immediately after it could breathe nothing but chunks of ceramic and steel.
It flipped in the air once it reached its apex, beginning its descent face-down and spread-eagle to slow itself. A startlingly intelligent gesture. As gravity took control of its body once again, it twisted its head around. Searching for Deku.
Unfortunately for it, Deku was already above it.
The building below them was already crumbling - just perfect. Two strands of Blackwhip flew past the Noumu, drilling through the building all the way to the ground. Grasping the thick ropes in each hand, he prepared himself. Within the span of milliseconds, he calibrated himself and began the new attack.
Effectively turning himself into a loaded slingshot, Deku fired. His steel-toed boots landed on the Noumu's back with unimaginable force, working alongside gravity to push the Noumu back down through the twenty stories it had just been pushed up through. It didn't even react - it might have given a pained shout, but he didn't hear.
The building crumpled in on itself, the walls falling inwards now. By the time the pair reached the bottom and pulverized the entire bottom floor, a fair few tonnes of concrete were already plummeting down onto them.
Like a flash of lightning, Deku moved out of gravity's warpath. Skidding to a stop on the slick asphalt far away, he watched with sick satisfaction as twenty stories worth of stone and steel fell on the unmoving Noumu's back.
After the resounding crash, there was nothing but the patter of rain on him for a long, long moment. The mountain of rubble stared down at him, imposing and powerful. Even he would have had a hard time if he was trapped under there.
But he kept his fists up and eyes focused, awaiting the Noumu's emergence. He already knew it had survived. Poor beast had power and regeneration enough to survive most of what Deku threw at it, but not enough to actually stop him.
The mound of stone and rebar shifted slightly, moving around and tumbling. Eerie and impossible. But Danger Sense ensured Deku knew the beast was alive. Suddenly, a hand emerged from the stone. And then, a bloody beaked head. And then an entire body, a landslide created as the Noumu forced its way out of the rubble pile. What a terrific beast.
The joy of its survival left it wide open. It didn't catch him as he approached, too invested in itself to notice.
As it screamed triumphantly, yet another foot slammed right into the side of it's skull. Deku winced in pain as the impact traveled up his calves. Far too much power was used in an effort to end the beast once and for all, his leg muscles burning up as One For All rose to painful levels.
But surprisingly, the hit did manage to send the Noumu flying. It shot down the empty street, thick rainfall turning to steam around it as it zoomed past. Seemed Shock Absorption was reaching its tail end of storage as well. Not bad.
There was a distant crash, glass breaking and shattering. But the Noumu's screams echoed in the dome for another small moment. He'd hit it harder than he thought, his leg screaming at him in protest as he set it back upon the ground.
With a single (kind of) hit, he'd thrown the bastard straight out of the Downpour Zone. ' Not bad.' Second praised quietly.
Taking a second to collect himself and lessen the ache in his legs, Deku raced out after it. He slipped through the gigantic hole it had created in the side of the glass dome, shattering even more of the thick glass as he raced through without any hesitation.
He huffed out a glad breath as he escaped the drizzling clutches of the Downpour Zone, feeling a slightly more natural light wash over his face. Continuing on with One For All at the absolute maximum he could handle, he darted through the USJ with roving eyes.
...where the hell did Noumu go?
The Downpour Zone was behind him, Flood Zone on his right, the entrance, Ruins, and Landslide curving around on his left, and the central plaza straight ahead - oh.
The almost defeated beast had finally skidded to a stop right by the central plaza, face-planted and heaving at the foot of the fountain. It was almost invisible, the utterly destroyed ruins of the plaza camouflaging it.
Perhaps Deku had put a little too much power into that kick. His foot stung like hell, as if to say, 'yeah, obviously'. He had the feeling he was going to be limping for a little while.
He ignored the Noumu's predicament for a change, charging past it and sending wind over its cool skin. Deku chose to fight closer to the back of the USJ instead of near the entrance. Rogue students were still whizzing through the air towards the entrance hall, carried along by Hawks' feathers. Stopping with his back to the Ruins Zone, Deku stared at the tired Noumu and the rest of the USJ.
Hawks was high in the air and well out of their way. He was still occupied by the evacuation efforts, but Deku hoped he wouldn't take the opportunity to break rank and attack the Noumu. He could more than handle his own, but like his inner ghosts whispered, this was their fight.
Slowly, the beast began pushing itself up. The concrete crumbled beneath its hand as it staggered straight. He watched it stand carefully, letting his analytical side rule him for a short moment.
It pulled itself to its feet, standing and suffering as it did. As it did, obsidian eyes locked with viridian once again. Hate and anger swirled in both gazes. The Noumu staggered straight, the telltale crackle of Regeneration echoing over the demolished earth. He let it attempt to regenerate, a critical gaze roving over it and observing its every tired and pained movement.
It took three seconds flat for Regeneration to activate, the long-broken beak initiating regrowth first. Fifteen seconds - much more than he'd expected. The chitinous structure should've taken half a second at most. After all, it had regrown an entire arm in less than three seconds in the first timeline… but he'd ripped off more than a few limbs while in his blind rage, hadn't he? Goddamn. Not much else for it to recover, just a few cuts in it's flesh that were sluggishly closing up.
Well, Deku could safely say the Regeneration Quirk was overloaded.
There was a sickly feeling in his jaw, blood and putrid pity mixing into a terrible concoction. Spitting some of it out, Deku stood straighter and wiped his face dry of sweat and blood and tears. The Noumu was weakened; he should strike now.
But no - the Noumu took the opportunity before he could.
A foolish decision. He saw it coming, inhuman reflexes allowing him to see its every step in explicit detail. Verdant eyes rose to meet it's obsidian, reading a silent challenge in their dark irises. Deku sighed, pulling himself straight as the wind rustled and the earth shook.
It raced at him nonetheless, a devastating punch prepared. He watched it come with dead eyes, tracking the lightning-flash movements with ease. It would truly be a monster, mindless and furious - if it weren't for the beast's eyes.
Something was there, something ruminating inside the dark irises, something he couldn't quite bring himself to meet.
It was yet another soul All For One had destroyed.
Another reason to bring that vile man to his knees. ' As if I needed more.'
But he was getting ahead of himself. That moment would come eventually, but he had to work for it.
Deku moved instantaneously, dodging underneath the wildly flailing fist and turning his back to its feral advance. By the time it realized he'd even moved, Deku had one hand wrapped around the base of its arm and one gripping its wrist.
Now, the thing was a bit too big for a normal shoulder throw, so he improvised.
Letting One For All surge to his full potential, he leaned forwards and pulled at all the speed of sound. With a grunt of exertion, he forced the Noumu's momentum to work with him in the throw, and turned what should have been a minutely debilitating attack into a crippling strike. He ended up throwing the beast several dozen feet, thick rings of displaced air coming into being as it flew through the sky. The earth shook beneath his feet as he let go of it's navy arms, his ears popping from the shockwave he'd created.
The Noumu soared through the air, flipping madly and screeching. Deku huffed, raising his right hand and training his index on it within the span of a quarter-second. The mundane movement sent tremors through the air.
Before it had even reached the apex of its trajectory, an Air Force attack slammed into its chest. And then another, just to the right of the first impact. Two more struck it immediately after, sending it careening higher and higher into the sky.
Without his Air Force gauntlet's, Deku's precision was severely diminished. Enough that civilians could get hurt in the crossfire, that the collateral damage could rise to colossal levels, that the shock could rebound and he could injure himself.
Thankfully, precision was the furthest thing from his mind. Pure power was what he needed, and what he already had. And with Hawks clearing the field of non-combatants, he could release it.
Letting his handgun's sights fall to the earth, Deku watched as the Noumu plummeted. It landed with yet another mighty crash, right at the edge of the Landslide Zone. Rocks and sediment clattered onto the beast and the resulting shockwave sent his cape streaming behind him in a heroic flutter. He ignored the once-familiar sensation, eyes focused only on the Noumu.
He watched grimly as it struggled to stand, one hand rubbing its exposed brain and the other on its knees, steadying it. It left its back wide open, disoriented as it was.
Deku's wrist raised again, his aim now directed right at the back of its knees.
No Air Force smash, not now. Blackwhip whizzed out of his skin, eager and overjoyed. Fingers splayed out, he directed the Quirk towards it's target with minute flicks and twists. It shrieked softly as it raced through the air, managing to catch the Noumu's attention. Obsidian eyes widened to saucers as it turned, the motion useless against the onslaught.
Blackwhip wrapped itself around the monster's leg, tightly coiling around its navy skin until the two were indistinguishable from each other. Twisting his wrist, Deku began recalling the Quirk. As Blackwhip crawled back into his skin it pulled Noumu along with it. The poor beast could hardly do anything to sever the connection between it and Deku.
Scrabbling against the floor, it tried to dig its hands into the concrete to slow itself as Deku slowly dragged it towards him. The Noumu kicked up rubble and dust and tore thick trenches in the earth, but Blackwhip continued on mercilessly.
Revenge was revenge. Deku didn't want revenge. But this Noumu would be dealt with anyways. He'd drawn out the fight once before, bloodlust making the battle enjoyable - now, he just wanted it over with.
With a flick and a thought, Blackwhip raced back into his skin in a split instant. Noumu came with it, an unwilling passenger yanked through the air at supersonic speeds. Blackwhip reached him first, whizzing through the air to settle back into his skin. It was pleased, gleeful almost. It's former captive was still soaring through the air, set on a crash-course right for Deku.
The air suffused with energy, lightning dancing across Deku's knuckles as he cracked them in preparation. He shifted his position, calibrating… Noumu's face, eyes wide in primordial fear, crashed perfectly into his fist. Time seemed to stop for a moment, the sound of the Noumu's bones breaking beneath his hand dragging on for centuries.
This move, while never truly stored in his arsenal, was undoubtedly the infamous 'United States of Smash'. To smash the enemies face into the ground so hard that neither were recognizable afterwards. But even as he pulled on all of his stores of kinetic energy and as much of One For All as he could handle, he knew this attack would barely stand up to that city-breaking punch.
With a surge of energy, his muscles hummed and Deku slammed the beast down into the concrete. The practically instant stop sent rumbling shockwaves out through the air, through Deku's arm, through the earth itself. A powerful hurricane surged to life around his tensed arm, rising a hundred feet into the sky and ripping a massive hole in the top of the USJ's steel dome.
The aftermath of the singular punch continued on for a solid five seconds, ripping the world around him apart and shredding what was left. Deku held strong, One For All humming within his blood as he pushed down on the beast's skull.
Slowly, the power buzzing through the air died down all at once. The searing fire in his veins did not die, but the thunder came to a sudden, booming end. Once the aftermath was finished, the crater expanded outwards for at least twenty feet from the Noumu's body.
His fist still on (or in) it's brain, Deku slowly withdrew his bloody arm and grimaced.
The Noumu did not move again.
Soft and green eyes watched the bloody beast beneath him, sorrowful yet triumphant. There was little pride or glee in this victory, though.
Not dead, Deku realized with a start. He cocked his head, forcefully blank eyes waiting for any movement. Blood coagulated and flesh regrew at snail-like paces, but the Noumu didn't move again. It was barely breathing.
Unconscious. After All Might's beating, it had remained that way for several hours, before awakening in an unresponsive state. Hopefully the same would happen now. But likely not.
After all, they weren't going to give it the opportunity to wake up.
He straightened, his cape falling back down to his ankles. Eyes hooded, his gaze roved the familiar colorful floors - utterly empty. All the Villain's were gone, deposited neatly at the very back of the building, and Shigaraki was long gone. Deku suspected Hawks had sent his feathers and cargo out of the USJ and up to the top of the world, where finding him would be practically impossible.
No sign of Kurogiri as far as Deku could see. Not great, not horrible. It just was.
There was a soft flap behind him, uneven in his ears. Hawks stumbled onto the ground on Deku's right, a sharp feather held in his gloves. He used it almost as a cane, poking the tip into the concrete to steady himself as he straightened.
Deku turned to face him, one eyebrow raised questioningly.
Hawks stared back, his gold-hued visor dotted with innumerable cracks. Behind the thick glass, his amber eyes gleamed, flecks of gold dancing in them. With what emotion, Deku couldn't quite decipher. "Holy shit, kid. You almost hit me with that thing."
"Shigaraki?" he asked in a rough voice, twisting his head to look over at the rest of the USJ once again. "Where is he?"
Hawks continued staring at him owlishly, his blond hair in disarray atop his head. "He's, uh, safe. For now. Kurogiri won't be able to find him." Perfect. Their job here was practically done. All that remained was… clean-up.
Hawks tilted his head, his eyes flicking to the Noumu. "Good job," he muttered, slowly turning his entire body to face the motionless beast. "That's one thing dealt with, at least."
"Now, we just gotta finish the job," he said darkly. "Get it out of the picture."
His fingers twirling the feather-blade in his hand, Hawks took a tentative step forwards. The blade in his hand jerkily rose into the air, hovering there for a short moment. He took in a deep breath, closing his eyes. Deku knew he was sensing the Noumu's heart beat underneath him. And he hesitated for it.
'So much blood spilt.' Second murmured. 'This poor man was thrown into the struggle between One For All and All For One needlessly. So many more Noumu's will be created, as well. So many more lives destroyed. Why?'
'Why must my brother always treat human lives as expendable?' First's voice was despondent and bitter and melancholy. Second hummed comfortingly to him, the scarred man's demeanor softer than Deku thought possible. 'Others will always pay the price for our battles. All For One will never suffer the way they had - but that is why we are here, Yoichi. To bring an end to the suffering. To stand up and fight against All For One when no one else can. To dedicate our lives towards the safety and happiness of everyone else.'
He felt that was a conversation not meant for his ears, but it resonated within him nonetheless. Second was far from his favorite Vestige, but the man's inner monologue matched Deku's perfectly.
Hawks' hands wavered, the feather twitching with it's sharp tip high in the air. Just as he began to swing the feather down, Deku placed his palm over the Hero's bicep.
Pausing in his lethal action, Hawks turned his face to him. His eyes were dejected and regretful, but turned curious as they fell on him. Deku's hand traveled down the length of his arm, stopping at the edge of his wrist. He tilted his head and watched Hawks for any spark of understanding.
There was a miniscule flicker of comprehension, disturbed and confused.
The blade departed from Hawks' fist, gently twirling in the open air until the hilt was facing Deku. Empty. Ready for his hand.
"Why?"
Such a loaded question so simply stated.
"Like you said," Deku began, his throat dry, "Like Kronos said. We have a chance to stop everything from happening. But it's just that. A chance. The USJ was only the beginning of All For One's return, and if… if I can't… I have to be able to stop him, when the time comes."
Hawks stared at him, the way his lips slightly parted and eyebrows raised making Deku want to wince. "God, you're just a kid," he mumbled, turning his tight face away from Deku. "This… just because you have One For All doesn't mean you have to do all of this, Izuku. You are not alone, we will hel-"
"It's in the name." he interrupted, his voice pinched and expression drained of emotion. " One For All. This is my responsibility."
Hawks didn't respond, instead turning away from him with a quiet huff. But he left the feather-blade hanging in the air between them. An unspoken question echoing in the sudden silence of the USJ.
"We could just keep it in jail," Hawks said quietly. He hadn't really wanted to eliminate it either. "Like the last time-line."
But they both knew this whole debacle was about more than the Noumu itself.
Deku stared at the stiff handle for a short moment, his mind peculiarly silent. The first Noumu was barely important, that much was true. All four of the Heroes knew the intel that had been gleaned from it by heart. It wasn't a necessary asset.
They were in the middle of war. Some habits were difficult to break, even when they were merely months old.
The war hadn't yet begun. Some things were permissible then and horrifying now.
Both were true.
People would die.
People would kill.
Nothing he could do would change that. That was life.
But is this revenge, or is this how he chooses to protect those he loves? Can he save one through hurting another? Can he be a Hero, through this blade? Can he stay true to himself?
Deku knows that this raging battle will not end as easily as everyone else hopes. The clash between One For All and All For One will only come when one of them is rotting in a grave - perhaps even both of them.
If he wants to save Japan, he knows what he must do. He's known for a while now. This will hardly be the first Noumu he's granted peace. He's fought and 'defeated' more than his fair share of them over the past months. They were just another necessary fight on his path to saving the world.
But he doesn't want to save Japan. Saving it implies he let it fall into danger in the first place. He doesn't want even the concept of danger of that magnitude to ever cross his people's minds.
He wants to protect Japan from All For One, to defeat the threat before it even arises. And for that, he'll need to do more than he currently is. He'll need to be more than he is.
Will Deku do what is right, or will he do what is necessary?
' What an inane question.' Second was irritated by his indecision. ' This is not revenge, this is not something wrong! This is protection. This is how you safeguard the world. This is One For All, Deku. One person with the entire world on their shoulders.'
Third jutted in, his voice harder than steel. ' All For One will not hesitate. Will you?' The other Vestiges were silent, only watching and waiting for him to decide. ' When the moment arrives, will you fail? Or will you kill?'
Steady as stone, Midoriya Izuku's fingers slowly closed around the handle of the blade with a severe finality.
Kurogiri didn't know what to do.
The synthesized wind of the USJ ruffled his suit, putting unwanted creases into his meticulously prepared clothes. But he couldn't find it in himself to care. Crouched on the railing of a building at the edge of the Ruins Zone, he stared down at the central plaza without uttering a word.
The green-haired boy, the one who'd thrown his inner mind into disarray, was now standing over their single Noumu. Crimson blade held aloft, the boy's chest rose and fell steadily as he prepared to give the thoughtless beast a final rest. Hawks, the ranked Three Pro Hero, stood right next to him. The elder Hero's eyes were sharp and inscrutable, his gaze only a flick away from catching Kurogiri in it's sights.
Taking in a final deep breath, the boy raised his makeshift sword higher. Viridian lightning danced across it's edge, giving the blade an unnatural glow. His sunflower cape fluttered out behind him, the bloody cloth setting him apart from any other Hero Kurogiri had ever known of.
Who was he?
He was strangely familiar, and Kurogiri felt that he'd seen his face somewhere before. But that was impossible. If that was the case, he would remember .
That boy was power beyond belief, strength incarnate. He'd effectively eliminated Kurogiri in a second flat, and now, he'd defeated their Noumu in less than a minute. The final blow had managed to collapse several buildings in his proximity through just the shockwaves.
But Kurogiri wasn't quite as interested in his identity and the imminent death of the Noumu, as he was in the murmured conversation that had preceded it.
The upper echelons of Hero society knew of the existence of All For One, yes, but that was supposed to be all they knew. Just of his existence and his death, that was all. Yet here were Hawks and this young boy, somehow aware of All For One's status and planning to eliminate him. Here was this child, planning on ending All For One in the same way he was about to end the Noumu.
That wasn't supposed to happen.
The world was supposed to think he was dead. There was no feasible way that they would be able to plot against the villain like this, but the evidence was right in front of his eyes. And Kurogiri, smart and perceptive as he was, had an inkling as to how.
'Kronos,' the ancient lord of time. '-the last timeline,' Hawks had said, his tone fully serious.
Time-travel.
Kurogiri had seen things more impossible than that while under All For One's employ. He trusted in his intuition. He trusted in himself. He trusted in the young boy, for some unknown reason.
These Heroes had somehow returned from the future to stop All For One in his tracks. A dangerous goal, but noble and understandable.
It wasn't a question - he had to go and relay this information to his master, and immediately. This was critical intel, dozens of times more important than any of the protective parameters ingrained in Kurogiri's minds.
But… should he?
That boy, he fought with all the ferocity of a lion. Not a single motion of his wasted, the boy was a fighter beyond any Kurogiri had ever seen. With his Quirks - several, not one - the boy was a force to be reckoned with. His determination was clear as day, and the path he walked was one Kurogiri had dreamt of treading long ago.
He wanted to save Shigaraki.
He wanted to carry the burdens of the world on his shoulders, he wanted to protect Japan, he wanted to be a hero.
He wanted to defeat All For One, once and for all.
And, surprisingly enough, Kurogiri believed he had a chance. He had more of a chance than All Might, even. Intuition honed from years of experience told him that much.
Such speed, such power, such passion - the boy was a rare breed indeed. His strength rivalled that of All Might and All For One both. And with the many Quirks he seemed to possess, Kurogiri wondered if his master had a secret child sequestered away somewhere. But he doubted it - if the man had such a spawn, they would have been as corrupted as Shigaraki was. Yet the child in front of him was a true hero.
A hero who wished to save Shimura. He - he wanted to save Shimura.
Kurogiri didn't know what to do.
The many voices residing within his head did, however. The greatest of them all, the original, the man who he was before and would be after, won out. It whispered it's words desperately, clutching and grasping for a single thread of hope.
Over the years, he'd given little thought to the many voices that haunted him.
The Vestiges.
Kurogiri knew exactly what he was. Quirks were ghastly things, and All For One's gifts came with heavy prices. The people whose abilities made up Warp Gate whispered in his ears at all times, angry and vengeful things at every moment of the day.
But one was always noisy, always there, always traitorous. It grew unbearably loud at times - when he met that Eraserhead fellow, when the boy defeated him, when the opportunity to save Shigaraki was in front of them.
'The boy said all you needed to do was help him.' it whispered. 'So help him. Don't you want to save Shigaraki?'
His form blurred and sharpened as he fought to ignore it's treacherous words. Perhaps, perhaps he did want to help Shigaraki escape that vile man's clutches. Maybe, he even wanted to escape himself.
But Kurogiri couldn't. Even if he wanted to, he couldn't. And he… he wanted to. He so, so, so terribly wanted to.
But he couldn't.
Kurogiri was programmed, made, tailored to All For One's needs. He could not betray his master so simply. It was absolutely impossible for him to join back up with the Heroes. He could not do anything like that, no matter how hard he tried to.
But he could fight back in other ways.
That voice, the loudest one in his head, had taught him some of those methods itself. It was ingenious and intelligent, never insulting and demeaning him like the rest. Perhaps it, unlike the rest, understood that Kurogiri never asked for life. He was made, created, designed.
And so, the voice guided him in it's devious ways. He rarely listened to it, but he knew that it was smart and cunning and caring.
It knew, all the voices knew, that Kurogiri could not help the boy directly.
But Kurogiri had seen how the boy had treated Shigaraki. His anger was pushed down and forgotten, and he needed but one single strike to eliminate the man. No prolonged suffering like he had granted the Noumu at first. Kurogiri had heard it in the boy's voice when they spoke - all he wanted to do was save Shimura's life.
The boy was merciful. He was kind. He was a hero.
And that was exactly why Kurogiri could not help him, and exactly why Kurogiri allowed him to capture Shigaraki.
He could not help the boy, but the boy could help Shigaraki. Something inside of him told him that much, laid it out as fact and soothed his aching worries. The boy would save Shigaraki.
And all Kurogiri had to do was… nothing.
The plan in his mind was terribly stupid and incredibly dangerous. It wasn't even his plan, but the plan offered up by the never-silent voices in his mind.
After all, Shigaraki was lost. Even if he wanted to retrieve the young man, Kurogiri didn't know where to start. Hawks' feathers had carried his unconscious body right out of the building, and once it was in open air, it was practically unfindable to Kurogiri's limited Quirk.
That boy had known exactly how to counter Warp Gate as well. The smoke he'd summoned had been more than enough for Kurogiri's internal compass to go haywire. When he'd awoken at the Entrance Hall all alone, not even the slightest hint of the smoke in the air, he'd debated retreat.
And now, he made his final decision.
If this retreat was a personal choice and not a last resort, nobody but he had to know. Not even his master would be able to deduce that, after all. All he had to do was be overly cautious with his words.
Time-travelling Heroes had returned for some unknown reason - unless pressed, he wouldn't reveal this All For One business. The little freedom he already had was enough for that much, at least. These young heroes would need all the advantages they could get. And he'd just have to give them that.
As long as they saved Shigaraki from himself, Kurogiri would do everything he could to help them.
"Sorry." The boy's voice, a minute whisper yet loud as a scream to Kurogiri's ears, caught his attention suddenly. It was full of choked up emotion, power, determination, and so much more Kurogiri couldn't even begin to explain. "I'm sorry."
Kurogiri's gaze returned to the central plaza once again, right at the moment of execution. The ground beneath him trembled, a distant building crumbling to the ground from the shockwave sent out.
Lightning struck and rent the earth in two.
The Noumu lay dead beneath the boy's sword.
Watching the blood of his brethren seep out into the earth, Kurogiri breathed out carefully. He couldn't stay here much longer. No, no, he couldn't.
Standing straight, he called upon his Quirk with a single thought. The void beckoned, wishing to pull him into it's cold embrace for time eternal.
It was time to leave. Time to return to All For One, explain what he'd seen, and nothing more. The voice inside him rejoiced, shocked that he was finally listening to one of its many insane plans. He was never quite so impulsive, but today was a day like no other in history.
"Oi!" another voice screamed behind him, right as the void grew into something corporeal. The sound was guttural and furious. Explosions echoed behind him, rattling the windows of the building. "Stay right there, fucker!"
"W-Wait, Katsuki! Wait!" Another voice, strangely familiar to him. It was the two heroes-in-training that had attacked him at the main door. Idiots, the two of them… but heroic idiots.
Kurogiri turned, his calm and golden eyes meeting the boy's approaching angry crimson. He'd propelled himself up the wall of the building in moments, his palms crackling with an explosive power. The annoying brat wouldn't be able to harm him as long as Kurogiri kept his brace far out of sight.
Sensing an important opportunity, Kurogiri spoke up. Keeping his voice to a slow and soft drawl, he gestured at the scene behind him - Hawks and the boy speaking to one another in soft and dulcet tones. The body of the Noumu was already growing cold in front of them. "Tell the green-haired one that I am… amenable to his plans. If he keeps up his end of the deal and helps save him, then I will do what I can to help."
Even those words burnt as they left his inexistent lips. That boy had ignited a flame of rebelliousness within Kurogiri, one he was going to nurture and protect. Even if it hurt him.
For Shigaraki's sake.
"The green haired one?" the blond barked, his palms crackling defiantly. He was seconds away from attacking Kurogiri when the man decided that he'd said more than enough. "The fuck?!"
"He'll understand what I mean." Kurogiri said, his body already twisting into a minute wormhole. "Repeat my words, child."
With those final words, Kurogiri at last entered the space between space. He ignored the infuriated screams of the young boy he left behind. That brat was rather annoying, he had to say.
The void called to him as he travelled through it, another inky portal slowly opening in a far-too familiar place. Kurogiri solidified onto dirty floors, the hazy scent of alcohol assaulting his nostrils. Dark wood and peeling walls greeted his vision as his eyes raised to the far wall.
The television opposite him crackled menacingly.
"Kurogiri." Sensei's silky voice locked him in place, and for a moment, the man wondered if he'd made a terrible mistake. "Where is Shigaraki?"
Taking in a deep breath, he started praying to whoever would listen. It was time to face the music.
The head rolled away, blood still spurting out of it.
Deku tried not to vomit, pushing down the bile with the ease of practice. This Noumu had been his most bloody battle to date, no doubt. Simply because it was too weak to actually pose a danger to him. Just to the people he cared about, and that made it dangerous enough to be eliminated.
Hawks was silent. The air was still. The feather blade went limp in his hand, blood beginning to drip off the end. The sound was unbearably loud as it stained the concrete crimson.
'Good job,' Second's voice was soft and understanding, but his satisfaction was clear. 'It's not the first and it won't be the last, Deku. All For One awaits.'
Yes. All For One. Right. That was why he did this.
The feather pulled itself out of Deku's hand, floating back to Hawks' open palm. He examined the blade critically. He still wasn't speaking.
This was a test. A question Deku posed to himself, a moral complication that Second only intensified. And he'd answered it at last.
The implications, the lessons the Vestiges wanted to know and engrave into himself, were clear.
Not everyone can be saved. Some people, like the Noumus, cannot be saved. No matter how hard he tried, it would be utterly unachievable. What made them human had been removed with surgical precision. Saving a monster was impossible.
And All For One was the exact same class of Villain. Too dangerous to be left alive and impossible to save. One day, he too would share the same fate as this Noumu. One For All would make sure of it.
But despite the implications of Second's lesson, Deku refused to believe that Shigaraki was in this same category. And nothing would ever shake that belief. Not even the Vestiges.
"Clean kill." Hawks twirled the blade, flicking the blood off it's edge. He sucked in a breath, gritting his teeth and turning towards Deku. "Don't like it, but… good job."
Deku nodded, his hand feeling far too light without the weight of the blade. "What now?"
"Now, I guess we keep goin'." His voice was forcibly cheery, Deku could tell. "Feathers don't sense Kurogiri anywhere nearby, and pretty much all the Villains are down. We can leave."
"What's the status in the USJ?" Anything to get his mind off what had just happened.
"One hundred and fifty five of the one-seventy-seven Villains at the USJ have been captured and relocated. Kurogiri is missing, Noumu's dead. Your classmates took care of the rest, I assume." Hawks' voice was soft in sound yet sharp in tone. His wings ruffled again behind him, a clear sign of his discomfort.
"As for students… just dropped off Todoroki, you mighta seen him flying around. Think the kid's scared of heights, his heart was going bonkers. All that's left is Bakugou and Kirishima, and, well, they're right-"
"Deku?!"
He clenched his hands into tight fists instinctually, the surprise of hearing his name in that tone getting to him in a way that little else could.
These days, Deku wasn't an insult to him. Even Kacchan's bite was gone when he said it, the nickname just another sign of their strange bond. Everyone called him that, Uraraka-san especially. It was familiar. It was kind. It didn't hurt to hear.
But this tone of voice, the emotion it was spoken in, was just as familiar to him then as kindness was now.
Like it hurt him to say, Kacchan's younger version screamed Deku's name. There was no doubt over whether Deku was an insult or a strange nickname. None at all.
But as he turned, he found himself smiling. His face only softened as he finally caught sight of his friend, slowly stomping towards them from the edge of the Ruins Zone.
It had been far too long since he'd seen Kacchan. He'd left his oldest friend with only a letter to remember him by. Kacchan must've been furious.
Some things just didn't change.
This younger version looked pretty much the same; angry, indignant, and outraged. Pretty much the same outfit, same messy blond hair, same scent of caramel, same posture and expressions. Though, there were some… rather significant differences. His eyes were much more uncontrolled than Deku expected, the crimson actually somehow reminding him of Shigaraki's wild gaze.
"Hey, Kacchan."
"Deku?!" he repeated, his palms suspiciously free of explosions. He stared right at Deku, eyes wide and defensive. "What the fuck!?"
Ye ahhhhh, Deku wasn't explaining time-travel a third time. Not even for Kacchan. He ignored the uncomprehending exclamation, instead turning away and placing a finger on his chin. Hawks could deal with the simple things like this, because Deku had to ponder their next move.
"Nice to see you too, kiddo." Hawks interjected for him, letting the tip of his feather-blade brush the earth. Gesturing at Kacchan with his free hand and snapping his fingers when the boy didn't immediately look his way, he asked, "Where's Kirishima at?"
"H-Here!" the other boy huffed out suddenly, panting as he sprinted between a crack in the ruined buildings. He was desperately trying to catch up with Kacchan's now motionless form. The explosive boy's gaze was caught on something that had stunned him to silence, and Deku had a pretty good idea what it was.
Kirishima's face shuttered down as well, once he saw it. Blinking uncontrollably, he stared at the Noumu's headless body without speaking a single word. On the red-haired boy's right, Kacchan's lips were slightly parted and his eyebrows had risen to his hairline. He stared at the body disbelievingly, red eyes flicking back to Deku's bloodstained form after a short moment.
Deku swallowed his own disgust. Stepping in front of the body, he muttered, "Don't look at it. You're too young." Their gazes snapped to him, wordless noises escaping from their lips.
Somewhere beside him, Hawks scoffed to himself. "Really, now? They're too young?"
"M-Midoriya?" Kirishima whispered. Sweat beaded down his brow, disbelief and mistrust painted all over his face. "Is that - is that you? What - who - how?"
Deku's sight slipped back to the body for a split second, taking in the scene. Blood still trickled out from the stump, pooling onto the stone floors. Where the head should've been, there was instead a several inches deep trench in the earth, long and perfectly straight. The cut was clean. The blade had sliced through flesh and bone and stone like they weren't even there.
"Don't worry about it." he said, finally turning his eyes back to Kirishima. His green irises were clouded over with some emotion that no one present could decipher. "We should leave, now."
"L-Leave?" Kirishima said with both his hands raised placatingly. "Are you, um, sure about that?"
He tilted his head curiously. Damp hair fell to the side, irritating him just a little bit. "Yeah, of course. We need to leave, now."
"But-" Kirishima began. Deku cut him off, locking eyes with the younger boy and raising an eyebrow. "Now's not the time. Say what you want later, but now, we leave."
Kirshima shut up. Smart boy.
Kacchan didn't. "That man's dead." he said, voice thick with rare emotion. "You - Deku, what the fuck?"
"Later." he repeated, his voice harder and softer both. "I'll explain later, Kacchan. Right now, we should leave."
"You can't just explain a dead body!" the boy exploded, his wavering gaze rising to meet Deku's steel one. "You - how? You're not Deku. You can't be Deku."
"Time travel," he said in lieu of even attempting to explain the dead Noumu. "Displacement of one year. I'll prove it later. First, we need to leave."
Complete silence greeted him after his words. Hawks began rubbing his forehead, sighing at Deku's bluntness. Meanwhile, Deku squeezed the bridge of his nose - a habit he'd picked up from his Aizawa-sensei.
"T-Time travel?" Kirishima said in a soft tone that had steel concealed beneath. The young boy had his hackles raised, sharp teeth visible as he grimaced. "You're kidding, right?"
No one answered, even Kacchan staring off in silence.
"Right?" His gaze ran up and down Deku's bloody figure disbelievingly. He shook his head at last, sight falling on Hawks. "There's no way. This is, this is impossible."
"Yes way!" Hawks popped cheerily. "Trust me, I'm as terrified by it all as you are!"
Deku glanced at the man over his shoulder. It took great effort for him to not roll his eyes. "You do know you're supposed to set an example?"
Hawks stared back, a single eyebrow raised in mute amusement. "Eh, you're enough of a 'shining example', kid. Let me panic a little." A little was an understatement.
"How can you joke like that?" Kacchan asked suddenly, staring up at Hawks with a dark anger rising in his palms and chest. The man was still holding the blade, Deku realized. They thought he'd done the deed. "I - you have to be lying. The two of you have to be lying. Time travel isn't fucking real."
Deku's getting to be in a bad mood. This is a distraction he doesn't really need or want to deal with. But… it's Kacchan.
"I eliminated it," he responded, swiping his hand through the air as he stepped in front of Hawks protectively, making sure both their eyes were on him. Threatening explosions popped off Kacchan's palms, scarily powerless. Deku almost couldn't believe how much Kacchan had grown in the past year. "I killed it. It was a threat."
'It was a test.' Second amended, a sliver of pride in his voice. Deku hated it even as he accepted it.
"It?" Kacchan repeated in a voice far higher than Deku had ever heard, his tone revolted and horrified. Kirishima looked rather green behind him. "You killed it?!"
He paused, taking in a long and calming breath through his nose. Kacchan always knew how to hit him where it hurt, didn't he. "It," he confirmed with faux calmness. "The Noumu's aren't exactly… human."
Kacchan stared at him wordlessly. Shaking his head, he muttered, "You're - you're not Deku. What the fuck." Kirishima hardly stirred behind him, his adam's apple bobbing up and down as he gulped in agreement.
"No, I'm not. I'm just a bit older." Deku said in a soft voice, a smile that was more a grimace spreading across his face. Didn't seem to comfort either of the two boys. "Anyways, I'm on your side, aren't I? That's enough for now."
On his right, Hawks slowly nodded. "We'll explain it all soon. Proof and all."
Deku nodded, already turning towards the staircase. "Eventually." he murmured, feeling tired of this concept already. Or, just… tired. He was tired.
"Explain now!" Kacchan barked, explosions accentuating his words. "Yeah!" Kirishima said, bolstered by Kacchan's courage. "You can't just… say that stuff! Prove it!"
Goddamnit, how many times was he going to have to do this?
'A lot,' Third said dryly. 'Get used to it, and be efficient.'
"Kirishima Eijirou," Deku said, his eyes closed and his body stiff. The boy made a soft, surprised sound. "You got your Quirk when you were three and cut open the skin above your right eye. Your favorite Hero is Crimson Riot, and you're going to name yourself Red Riot in honor of him. You went to middle school with Mina."
"The f-"
"Bakugou Katsuki," Deku interrupted Kirishima, his voice growing louder for a moment. "You got your Quirk at four during daycare. I was with you. We went to Aldera Middle School together." He paused, smoothing his rather erratic breathing. Strange. He turned over his shoulder to look the boy in the eyes. "You were attacked by a sludge villain a few months back, and I ran through the fire to try and save you when no one else would. In the end, All Might saved both of us."
A moment of complete and absolute silence.
"Is that proof enough for you two?"
'Damn, kid.' Second muttered, a hint of incredulity in his voice. 'Not bad.'
'No, very bad!' First said immediately afterwards. Deku sensed a pout in his voice. 'You're a terrible influence.' he groaned in annoyance. 'Now, I understand you're at the end of your patience, Izu, but be a bit kinder to them. They deserve that much.'
He sighed, some of the tenseness leaking out of his frame. First was right. He needed to be better. "I - I apologize for that, you two. I'm just kind of tired and I'd really like to be done with this already."
The silence stretched on even further. Watching a stunned Katsuki and Kirishima stare dazily at him, Deku gritted his teeth and turned away. Without another word in mind, he began walking off towards the staircase. They would follow.
"Anyways, uh, we should get the hell out of here." Hawks said after a moment of tense silence. He raised his blade and sheathed it within his wings. "The longer we spend here, the more chance we have of Kurogiri-"
"Kurogiri?" Katsuki interrupted unexpectedly, his fists clenched tight enough to shatter steel. His heavily strained voice showed that he'd surprised even himself by talking. "The warp fucker? I saw him."
Deku turned on the spot. His gaze zeroed in on Katsuki. "Where."
Katsuki recoiled minimally. After a long moment of wide-eyed staring, he answered. "Top of a building in the Ruins Zone. He said some weird shit, and just left."
Deku bit his tongue, disbelief and giddiness filling him. Could it be possible?
His tone inquisitive and urgent, Hawks asked, "What'd he say?" When Katsuki took a moment to answer, he added, "Quick, kid. This is important."
His gaze flicking between the two Heroes, Katsuki responded, "He said that he was 'amenable' to the, uh, the 'green-haired one's' idea as long as he kept up his end of the deal."
Hawks' eyes snapped to Deku immediately. With worry and despair in equal parts, his gaze wasn't as much questioning as it was accusing. "What deal, Deku?"
He frowned, cocking his head to the side. Now that was actually helpful information. "Nothing I wasn't already going to do."
"Deku." Hawks said warningly. "Kid. Get more specific, please."
His eyes flicked to the blond for a moment. "Saving Shigaraki." he muttered, a palm raising to cup his chin. That changed things…
An explosion popped in Katsuki's palm, drawing the two's attention. Reenervated ruby eyes flicking to Hawks, he said, "You know that fucker's name isn't Deku, right?"
Hawks didn't answer, instead tilting his head in rather bird-like confusion. Fair enough. Deku didn't expect him to know the origins of Deku's name. Hawks was a trustworthy friend and a kind man, but this was an open secret somehow kept private. No one ever looked too deeply into the origins of Deku, though it was clear and unmissable.
"It's my Hero name," he revealed, staring directly at Katsuki. If that didn't make him believe the truth, nothing would.
Scarlet eyes widened, before narrowing to venomous slits. Anger - a very Kacchan-like response. He'd expected nothing less. "Bullshit," he spat out, anger rising again. "Time-travel's bullshit. You're bullshit. This whole thing's bullshit."
Deku shrugged calmly. The exhaustion was getting to him, and Sixth's whispered suggestions weren't helping. The man had a penchant for rudeness.
"Sure, I guess." Deku turned away not a moment after, steel boots echoing across the USJ as he walked off. "We're still leaving."
They followed, thankfully. After a long moment in which he almost began worrying, but whatever.
The small group moved silently through the remains of the USJ. The air was eerily quiet, not even a rogue breath to be heard. They kept walking anyway, not another word spoken to Deku until they reached the base of the stairs. Kirishima and Katsuki argued under their breath far behind them, Hawks jutting into their conversations every now and then. As for him, he was too tired to even attempt to use One For All's enhancing properties to listen in.
But eventually, Kirishima huffed and moved away from Katsuki. With purposeful steps, he strode up the stairs and caught up with Deku.
Before he reached him, Deku stopped and turned. "Kirishima. What's wrong?"
The boy blinked in surprise. "Uh, nothing. I just, uh, wanted to talk?"
"Oh." Deku tilted his head, eyes flicking towards where Hawks was attempting to wrap a comforting wing around Katsuki. Attempting being the key word there. "We should keep walking, but sure. What's up?"
Kirishima's warm red eyes flicked around uncertainly. "I, uh, I believe you?" he said quietly. "That you're from the future, I mean. You - um, Midoriya - wouldn't lie to us."
Deku stared at him. He didn't quite know what to say to that. After a moment, he turned away. Eyes back to the top of the staircase, he responded with a soft, "Thanks."
"So!" Kirishima began again, voice audibly cheerier, "if you are from the future, can you tell us anything? Anything at all?"
He didn't even think about his answer. "No."
"Thank y- wait, what?" Deku didn't turn to see his crestfallen and stunned face. "Why not?"
"Confidential," he grunted, continuing up the stairs with heavy steps. "I'll answer some of your questions about the future after we talk to Nedzu. But not before."
Kirishima bit his bottom lip. Almost hard enough to draw blood - the boy had constant sores on his lips. The only reason Deku knew that was because he knew Kirishima. But that wasn't true anymore, was it? "Alright," he acquiesced quickly, "but then can I ask you some questions about what… what we just saw?"
His gaze flicked sideways, curious but tentative. "About the Noumu, you mean."
Kirishima nodded sharply, his expression tight and guarded. Fair enough. It would be natural for them to have questions about such a horrifying scene. 'Not human'? Maybe he could have phrased that whole thing better… a little late now.
"Ask Hawks." he responded instead. Deku didn't have the energy for that type of stuff - hell, if he didn't have important shit to do, he'd have probably passed out already. "He'll answer your questions."
The winged hero gave him a dirty glare that Deku felt more than saw.
"Yeah, sure thing kiddo." Waving a wing, he motioned Kirishima over towards him and Bakugo, leaving Deku all by his lonesome. The sensation was more familiar than he thought it would be. He welcomed it nonetheless.
They continued in relative silence after that. But halfway up the staircase, Kirishima began asking Hawks all of his questions, at once. The winged Hero managed to answer them without much issue.
"Noumu's are an… experiment that you're far too young to actually know about. But, to ease your mind, I'll say that they're not human. More like very lethal, very dangerous, very mindless dogs. And I gave Izuku permission to do that, so don't worry about it too much."
"Yeah, that is Midoriya Izuku. The same person you know. He's just a bit older. Not much wiser, though." Deku had furrowed his brows at that.
"...you're a smart kid. Yes, time travel was the result of a Quirk. Can't tell you more than that." The man was more secretive than Deku, so the young man wasn't worried about him spilling any important secrets. "...no, time travel didn't hurt. Um… sure, I guess it was fun?"
"Hm. Yeah, we're here to take down a really big Villain. I think that's obvious." Some more soft murmurs, and a bemused, "No, I'm not telling you who they are."
Katsuki didn't speak up or ask any of his own questions, instead just trailing behind the rest. Deku wondered how he was feeling. If he was a little more energized, he'd go and at least try to talk to his oldest friend.
But he didn't. He walked alone and Katsuki walked alone, all the way up to the top of the staircase. Neither approached the other, neither so much as looked at the other. It was like invisible barriers had popped up over the past few minutes, but Deku wasn't all that surprised. Katsuki valued his thinking time, especially in the earlier days.
Still, he sighed quietly to himself as they walked through the empty foyer. The concrete was dotted with a dozen cracks that spider-webbed across the entire floor. Thirteen was not going to be happy with him.
They stepped out of the USJ at last, feeling the sunlight shine on their skin. Hawks stopped right then and there, stretching lithely and popping his back. Katsuki and Kirishima had paused to watch the strange man's mannerisms, but Deku continued onwards. His head on a swivel, he searched for Thirteen and the rest of the students.
Ah, perfect.
Stood by the edge of the road and speaking to Todoroki, Thirteen was keeping an eye out for them. Behind them, the students were waiting quietly by the bus. For all the missing students to arrive, he suspected. They'd created a makeshift med-bay, some students sitting around with head wrappings and bandages on their arms, but he couldn't see Eraserhead.
The man had to be fine, though.
Thirteen had a hell of a lot of trust in him to stay so close to the USJ, though. He had a feeling he knew why.
That rampage, while likely terrifying, had put little doubt of his abilities in their mind.
Clicking his tongue, he motioned for the three behind him to follow. With a quiet and surprised chirp, Hawks flapped on over to him. The soft noises drew Thirteen's attention. The deep black helmet turned to them, defensive at first but open once they realized the approaching figures weren't Villains.
Thirteen's eyes roved over the four gladly, but stopped immediately when they fell on Deku. They recoiled slightly, the puffy costume exuding large amounts of surprise.
Wet, bloody, tired, bruised and broken - he was not a pretty sight. He walked onwards nonetheless, flicking his right hand up and gesturing for Kirishima and Katsuki to join up with the rest of the student body.
As the two grumbled (mostly Katsuki) and ambled towards their classmates, they alerted the rest of them of Deku's existence. Some of them stared at Hawks, but most only had eyes for the younger Hero.
Sure enough, none of the gazes suddenly on him were pleased or glad. Fearful and shocked instead. Most of them had seen him get angry, after all. He doubted any would approach him quite as easily now.
Dammit.
Whatever. He forced himself to take his mind off that, reminding himself that he wasn't here for them anyway. Deku was here to save them, nothing else.
Still, he stared out over the crowd. His eyes roved over the many heads. With a tight chest, he counted them, reassuring himself that every single one of his friend's were safe and sound.
They all stared at him shamelessly as he did so. Seated on the ground and murmuring to one another, every pair of eyes was a new emotion he didn't want to face. None had quite gathered the courage to approach him.
With a barely concealed shudder, he spotted Izuku. The boy was seated beside Uraraka, near Tsu and Iida. He looked half-dead, barely keeping himself awake. He'd jerked a little when Deku's gaze passed over him, but nothing much beyond that.
Uraraka glanced at Deku, her eyes heavily concerned. He offered her a half-smile, nodding his appreciation to her for helping Izuku. The young heroine turned back to Izuku and Iida. Murmuring with the latter, she didn't turn her face to Deku again.
Deku walked up to Thirteen, stifling a sigh as he amicably waved to them. "Glad to see you're okay."
"Morning, Thirteen!" Hawks exclaimed after him, smiling joyfully. The man switched masks like no one else. It was perfectly natural. "Haven't seen you in a while! You're looking wonderful today!"
Beneath the abyssal helmet, Deku sensed they were blinking in surprise. "Um - thank you? How about you two, are you alright? Are all the Villains dealt with?"
Deku answered first, letting some of the accumulated stress fall off his shoulders now that they were safe. "The USJ's all clear. Hawks took a big hit, across his back, but I'm alright."
Likely a cracked rib or two, definitely a fracture across his upper right arm, something painful in his right foot, and several strained muscles. So he was mostly fine. Recovery Girl could deal with those easily. He didn't need to worry anyone else.
Todoroki stared at him emotionlessly as Hawks declared several useless dissents to his injuries. Thirteen began fussing over the young man nonetheless. "You're… Midoriya-san? Through… time-travel?"
Deku stared into his mismatched eyes, the boy's frosty demeanor strange and unnatural now that he actually knew Todoroki. "Yeah."
"Oh." He blinked. "How interesting."
"I'm here too." Hawks muttered, sounding put-out as he somehow managed to interrupt his own protests. Thirteen watched confusedly as he turned to Deku and Todoroki. "I traveled through time as well!"
The pair stared at him. "Good for you?" Todoroki said, his head tilted ever so slightly. Hawks deflated in an instant.
Deku stared at the young boy, wondering what more he could say to his good friend. Should he tell him about Endeavor? Maybe, or it might be better if he didn't. That conversation would be fraught with sensitive landmines.
It turned out he didn't have to, as Thirteen asked in a curious tone, "Hawks? You're also a time traveler?"
The winged Hero nodded blithely, his smile blinding. "Yeah! Deku, Endeavor, Jeanist, and I were sent back in time together!"
"Endeavor?" Todoroki said sharply, putting more emotion in the single word than he had in the past minute. "Him as well?"
"Yeah," Deku muttered lowly. He placed a comforting hand on Todoroki's shoulders, squeezing. Todoroki tensed at the contact and Deku gritted his teeth. Sure, Endeavor had gotten much better in recent times, but they weren't in recent times. "He's in Hoth City at the moment, with Best Jeanist."
Thirteen stared at him, clearly more interested in the rest of Hawks' statement. "Deku," they began hesitantly, "can I ask why you were sent back in time with three of the Top Ten Heroes? This seems… unorthodox."
Hm. Good question.
Deku bit the inside of his cheek, chewing on his indecision. The best course of action was to keep explicit details of the future vague for now, so as to not cause undue panic. Considering Nedzu's hyper-genius intellect, the principal should be the first to be notified of everything the future contained. "I'll, um, it'll all be explained soon."
Thankfully, Hawks nodded beside him. "We need to speak to Nedzu first. And get Endeavor and Jeanist here, so we can start making plans for the next Villain attack." Someone nearby gasped.
The students eavesdropping on the conversation weren't even trying to hide it. Well, to be fair, Todoroki was listening in on it without any trouble. Wasn't too far-fetched for them to think they could too.
"Did you notify Yuuei of the situation?" he asked Thirteen quickly, trying his damndest to not lock eyes with any of the people in the crowd. There were too many familiar faces, too many memories not yet transpired. And far too many emotions he'd never seen before, especially not on those faces. Apprehension and shock. "About us?"
Thirteen shook their head, scratching the top of their glass helmet with a massive metallic finger. "No - well, actually, yeah. I didn't tell them about… you, but about the Villain attack and medical assistance? Yeah, of course I did."
"Good," Deku nodded gladly at them, aware that their tight-lippedness would help out in the long run. Less distractions, the better. "Who's coming?"
"All Might's on his way," Thirteen revealed, discarding their helmet at last. Short tufts of black-green hair hung off their head, framing their face on either side. They smiled at the pair of Heroes, bright and relieved. "He'll be bringing Recovery Girl with him, Nedzu said. The med-bots won't fall far behind." Gesturing for the pair to follow, they slowly walked towards the rest of the class.
Exchanging a peculiar glance, Deku and Hawks followed them.
His former classmates remained sitting on the ground as he approached. For the most part; some of them were already standing and chatting, trying to make light of the traumatic situation. They were resourceful and resistant. They'd survive this and come back stronger for it, he already knew.
Deku stepped past them, weaving through the scattered students as he followed Thirteen. Some tensed up as he neared. Others subtly shifted away. More stared up at him. He didn't meet their gazes, instead keeping his eyes firmly on Thirteen's back. The Rescue Hero kept talking as they walked, empty reassurances that everyone was alright.
Deku hardly heard them as his eyes suddenly locked onto a laid out stretcher.
The ravenet seemed mostly alright. Eraserhead was deposited across the sterile cloth carefully, likely created by Yaoyorozu. The wonderful young girl had probably made all of the bandages and shock blankets everyone was using as well. Deku would have thanked her, but he doubted she'd appreciate it.
Now that the smoke wasn't concealing his costume, they all had ample reason to be wary of Deku. At the beginning of this ordeal, he was proud to say there was little blood on his hands. He couldn't say the same anymore.
Hell, it seemed only Kacchan was unaffected by the blood and grime. And Deku could tell that was all just an act. He'd rather die than be visibly unnerved by Deku.
"Eraserhead's alright, as you can see." Thirteen said brightly, dragging his attention back. "Midoriya-kun brought him in, didn't say much else. Did the two of you talk?"
"Yeah," Deku said slowly, turning his head to look at his distant past. "He was in… shock, I want to say? How's he doing now?"
Thirteen hummed. "Better. Uraraka's keeping him company, kind girl. But I think he was the worst off, he definitely had the most injuries other than Eraser."
"Yeah," Deku nodded slowly, "he was fighting alongside Eraserhead, after all."
"Was he now?" they asked, surprised and interested. "I hope he didn't do anything too dangerous."
Despite himself, Deku snorted. Yeah, that was a lost cause.
Thirteen stared at him curiously, beginning to say something before stopping.
"What now?" Hawks interrupted, flinging an arm over Deku's shoulder and whispering in his ear. "Eraserhead’s good, all of the USJ’s been dealt with. What's the plan?"
Deku paused, taking in a rattling breath. "Where's Shimura?"
"High up. Still K.O'ed, and in extreme danger if he tries anything." Hawks responded. "There’s fifty-two feathers up there with him, and I'm keeping him there until Nedzu offers us a cell. Not worth the risk to bring him down, whatever Kurogiri says. As long as he's untrackable I'll be happy."
"Fine." Deku narrowed his eyes. "In that case, the plan's simple. We have to touch base with Nedzu, reconvene with the other two, and start planning out our next moves."
Eraserhead groaned loudly, drawing everyone's attention. The man seemed to be in intense pain, which was to be expected. Shrugging off Hawks' hand, Deku made his way towards the Hero's side. The avian hero trailed behind him, turning and speaking in a dull whisper to Thirteen.
"All Might's almost here, I think," Jirou murmured after a moment, her dark eyes flipping between Deku and Eraserhead. Her voice was quiet and soft, almost afraid to speak up in the quietness of the USJ's aftermath. Her earphone jacks were embedded in the soft earth, resonating as they picked up on a distant sound.
Deku didn't respond to her, instead slowly kneeling by the man's side and grabbing his hand. Hawks nodded politely instead, one of his feathers hovering inches over Eraserhead's chest. "Great job, Jirou, that's good to hear." he said, before turning to Deku and continuing, "Eraser seems mostly alright, Deku. We just need to get him a bed and some rest."
Deku nodded to himself, barely listening. After a long and painful moment, he placed the man's clammy hand back onto his chest.
Hawks was right, of course. But it didn't help. His sensei was still suffering, and it was still his fault. He stood again, suddenly stepping away from Eraserhead with his head bowed. Deku tried to force his tears down to no avail. Some still rolled down his cheeks, silent yet speaking volumes.
He stumbled out past the crowd of seated students, walking to a secluded spot where he could hopefully gather himself. They all stared after him shamelessly. Hawks followed him after a long moment, his footfalls deliberately loud. Deku let him approach.
"It hurts, doesn't it?" Hawks murmured. "This time-travel stuff doesn't mean we're gonna be perfect, Deku."
An attempt at comfort, or an attempt at a lesson? Either way, the man was failing at it.
He grunted softly, his throat choked up all the way. Still, he managed to mutter, "You ever heard of the butterfly effect?"
There was a thoughtful pause as Hawks pondered how to respond. He nodded eventually, placing a hand on Deku's shoulder in a way that reminded him of Mirio. Brotherly and kind and gentle.
Oh god, Mirio… Sir Nighteye… Eri…
"Don't think about that kinda stuff, kid. We have to believe that whatever we're doing, it's going to end up helping." His hand raised from Deku's shoulder all the way up to his hair, ruffling the rat's nest fondly.
"Stop looking at the bad and take in all the good - All Might's still got a full three hours with his Quirk. Eraserhead's still got his Quirk at full power and his injuries are far less than they were, just a single limb instead of a full-body cast! And not to mention, we've got Shiggy in custody. So far, we've done absolutely amazing."
Deku looked up sharply as Hawks finished his soft speech. Not because of sentiment, no. His chest prickled with an unfamiliar sensation… another active wielder of One For All was near. The massive dust cloud in the distance brought an unexpected realization to Deku's mind.
All this time, when speaking of All Might, he'd been seeing his hero as eternally Quirkless. But no - he still had One For All. The thought made him giddier than he thought possible.
As Hawks straightened and pulled them towards the edge of the road, the Hero's wings flapped in excitement. It seemed Deku wasn't the only one aching to see the Hero again..
All Might was here.
But… not his All Might. Just like how that person wasn't his sensei.
Deku didn't really know how to react. He wasn't given the time to decide, either.
The earth boomed gently as All Might skidded to a stop upon it, much softer and safer than Deku had ever been able to manage. Recovery Girl eeped in his arms, her syringe-cane slipping out of her hands. Bending and letting her clamber down, the titanic man politely offered her the cane again. It was like a toothpick in his massive hands.
The sight was incredible to him, something Deku thought he'd never experience again.
All Might, in the flesh. One For All running through his veins, powerful and frothing and controlled. Amazing and incredible.
This man was no different than the person Toshinori was, but still… Deku let himself enjoy the euphoria that was filling the rest of the class. It was something he'd missed.
"I am here!" he shouted, grinning apologetically at the many overjoyed faces staring at him.
So he was.
What an incredible fact. Deku pushed his face deeper into his cape, feeling a bit like Tamaki. The man was almost too bright to look at. On his right, Hawks had taken his visor off and let it clatter down to the earth. He blinked over and over again, visibly stunned.
Everyone in 1-A was overjoyed to see him, a blanket of safety settling over them at last. Many let out identical sighs of relief, breathing easier in a way they weren't doing around him. Because Deku and Hawks weren't safe. They were dangerous, lethal and committed to an entirely different goal. But All Might would always protect them.
Seeing the Symbol of Peace once again, Deku wondered if he'd ever be able to compare.
"But it appears that I'm… late? Huh."
And so he was.
Not that it mattered - that was what Deku was hoping for, after all. Even now, the man was running on fumes. He was straining to just keep up his appearance. It was for the best that he stayed away.
Wasn't like Deku even needed his help. The Noumu was… well, the Noumu was dead.
"Thirteen!" All Might exclaimed brightly, stepping forwards and placing their palm on the cosmic Hero's shoulder. "I'm relieved to see you alright. How is Eraserhead doing?"
Tottering past the pair, Recovery Girl answered for Thirteen. "The boy'll be just fine. Good job on the bandages, youngin'. And on the fighting, too. Must've been hard."
They rubbed the back of their head, a slight blush creeping up their cheeks. "Ah, well, to be honest, I didn't fight at all. It was all them!" With their other hand, they pointed directly at Deku and Hawks.
The two exchanged a furtive glance. Now how was this going to go?
"Hawks, my boy! I haven't had the chance to have a real conversation with you yet!" All Might said in his ever-booming voice, strutting towards the two. "Let's change that!"
Hawks coughed as All Might approached, elbowing Deku madly. The younger man barely reacted. "Uh, yeah. It's… good to finally meet you?"
"I'll say the same! In fact, I must thank you for keeping my students safe when I was unable to. I am eternally grateful." As the veteran Hero began bowing, Hawks waved his arms in the air uselessly. Poor Hawks, he hadn't ever been on the business end of Toshinori's sincerity before.
"Oh, um, I didn't do anything either! It was all this guy, right here!" Hawks pointed his hands at Deku, both his pointer fingers framing Deku's face on either side.
The younger Hero glared at the man for a moment, before turning back and meeting All Might's eyes. He flinched as he did, the sunken blue irises so similar to a face he'd seen only hours ago. Gasping back tears silently, he forced a wobbly smile onto his face.
Over a year of experiences and lives… just gone. Snapped away like that. When he met Kronos again, Deku didn't know if he'd hug or punch the man for his great gift.
All Might stared right back at Deku. His shadowed eyes were clear yet foggy, his eternal smile replaced by a stunned expression. "What…"
His throat closing up, Deku resisted the urge to jump towards and hug his mentor. Instead, he waved weakly. It felt limp and worthless, even to him. "Hi, sensei."
"That's Gran Torino's cape," the man said dumbly. "That's… you're Midoriya-shounen. How?"
Hawks wrapped his arm around Deku's shoulder, whispering in faux-secrecy. "I explained it last time. It's your turn now."
Deku shrugged him off, giving the winged man a pointed glare. The Hero smiled giddily. He shook his head in annoyance as he turned back to All Might. He examined the man's expression for a moment - not much suspicion or disbelief, surprisingly. Just shock.
"Time travel is the long and short of it," he murmured. All Might's jaw hung open, the smile now vanished. Raising his right palm, Deku let the energies of One For All flicker through his veins. "But it's not all of it."
All Might blinked silently.
"Yeah, that is what you think it is. It's… proof, I guess."
All Might remained silent, but Deku could read his mentor's emotions easier than he could read his own. It was all there in the man's sky-blue eyes. Sheer belief and trust, and a desperate question.
"And yes, there's only one reason I'd come back to the past." He sighed, closing his fist and cutting off the flow of One For All. " He's back."
For a moment, Deku feared the man would collapse in shock. But thankfully, all he did was stumble back a little. No one else caught the minute movement.
"What in the name of…"
Hawks grinned dejectedly. "Yeah, Deku's telling the truth. That man's still kicking, and if we want to bring him down forever, we're gonna need your help."
Deku couldn't help but frown.
'Oh, come on,' Seventh muttered in annoyance. It seemed she drew the line here. 'It's Toshi. If you're going to let anyone fight All For One with you, it's gotta be him.'
…Fine. If the man had ample time to prepare and gather up One For All, then he'd be able to hold his own against the immortal Villain. After all, he was All Might.
"Time travel?" All Might shook his head rapidly, not quite on the same wavelength just yet. "I - him? I'm going to need more information than that, please."
Deku stared at him, biting his lower lip. "Alright, uh… where to begin?"
"Anywhere, just start," All Might asked desperately. "All the information you can give. Time travel, I can't even imagine… how bad did it get that you decided coming back was a better idea than fighting?"
The two exchanged a quick glance.
"Where we came from," Hawks began resolutely, "was a lawless place. Villains were one good day away from ruling Japan, and society was crumbling as the Hero class withered away and died."
He paused, and Deku jumped right in, "This wasn't anyone's fault, though. It was all part of his plan. You see, he was heavily injured after your fight, and so he began to groom a Villain named Shigaraki into becoming his successor."
"And Shigaraki quickly grew into an even worse Villain than he," Hawks continued grimly. "Thousands, dead at his hands. Shigaraki needed to be stopped dead in his tracks, so we came here to capture him. Now that that's done, we can strike directly at him. We know where he is, where all his associates are. With that knowledge, we can strike back."
"And we're going to make sure it's done all the way this time." Deku said, staring All Might dead in the eyes. "So that there's no way he can ever come back again." Hawks nodded, a bit more reserved than Deku.
All Might stared at the two of them. He was silent for a long, long moment.
"So he picked a successor too." he mused, stumbling backwards and cupping his chin in his right hand. "So he's alive." He didn't want to believe it, but he was. The elder Hero forced his own determination to override his doubt.
All Might's gaze rose and locked with Deku's. One For All flickered within. "You said you knew where he was? Let's go."
Hawks slammed a palm into his face and grimaced beneath it. "I see where he gets it from now." Staring at the pair between the cracks in his fingers, he very loudly muttered, "We need to prepare, you two. Brutes, honestly. We can't just jump into a fight like that."
All Might blushed - actually blushed. "Right. Right. Good man, Hawks, you're completely right."
So he was. They had to prepare. And they didn't have a moment to waste.
The preparations began now.
Deku turned, looking up into the boundless blue sky and staring directly at the sun. Calibrating his internal compass, he slowly faced north-west. If his mental map was correct, Yokohama was that-a-way. Just a few dozen miles in flight, and he'd likely be able to pick out the bar and the Noumu facility from the air.
A hand grabbed the back of his cape's collar, yanking harshly. "And what the hell do you think you're doing?"
Shrugging off Hawks' hand with ease, he responded, "Like you said, preparing. Just gonna do some light surveillance, Keigo, I'm not going to fight. He might be in Kamino, he might not, and we need to know." Kamino wasn't that far, he could make it easily in just a few minutes.
Hawks loosed a breath that made it feel like he was valiantly resisting the urge to shout at him. "You can do that later. When you have actual back-up. And rest. And also people who know how to do surveillance, because you do not." he said, every word of his strained and enunciated. "When I said preparation, I didn't mean starting our stake-out now!"
Coughing, All Might interjected quickly, "He's right. You look very, um… tired, Midoriya-shounen. Why don't you wait? Relax for some time?"
Deku stared at the two men for a moment, his mouth set in a thin line and his eyes sharp and narrowed. Back-up… fine.
After all, even he couldn't be everywhere at once. There were several targets to eliminate - the man himself, the Doctor, Gigantomachia, the Meta Liberation Army, and possibly Kurogiri. They all had to be captured and-or eliminated. They'd need to make teams to take down those targets and all, yes, but first the targets had to be located.
But relaxing? That wasn't quite possible.
Surveillance was an important duty to consider before battle, but it was also something they just barely had the time for. They couldn't give the Villains even a few days to prepare themselves or escape.
"Fine. But we're not wasting too much time. We have to get started soon."
All For One could come for Shigaraki at any moment. He wouldn't fully reveal himself just to save his protege, though - the man was far too secretive. But they'd be stupid to think some sort of attack wasn't coming soon. Hell, it could even be Gigantomachia he sent out. That would be catastrophic.
Hawks' gaze turned skywards and he half-closed his eyes, like he was pondering something. "Deku…" he began, speaking like he was explaining something to a particularly stubborn fifth grader, "we're going to need weeks to get everything ready, you do realize that? We can't just go and fight him like that."
Hawks opened his eyes and stared directly at Deku, his eyes unblinking and wide. And he didn't look away.
"Fine, fine, I'll wait," he acquiesced, turning away from Hawks' worried yet accusing gaze and All MIght's determined expression. He stared out at the anxious faces of Class 1-A instead. Not many of them met his eyes anymore. He'd kind of expected that, but it hurt anyway. "What do we do now, then?"
All Might smiled at him, his signature grin gleaming in the sunlight. It was forced and fake, the situation turning his reassuring smile into a deadly and terrified expression. "Now, Midoriya-shounen?"
"Now, we go and talk to Nedzu, and make a plan."
Like a viper tensing before striking, the man's smile sharpened into the very weapon he'd once defeated All For One with. "And then, I'm going to end this."