Worry ate at Izuku’s heart.
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What if he is too late?
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What if someone gets hurt?
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What if he can’t turn off the security system?
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Regardless of this multitude of worries, he flies through calmly. Because panic will only make things worse. He can’t afford to make mistakes now.
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Thanks to this, he was able to escape outside, fly past the turbines, and reenter the top of the central tower through another door. Ascending the last few floors was a bit harder due to the guards. But each one was easily knocked out by slamming them against a wall.
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Eventually, he made it to the top and what seemed like a vault. To his surprise, within the vault were David Shields and his assistant.
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Izuku: ‘Great! Maybe they can tell me how to properly shut everything down. I just need to save him from whatever villain brought him here.’
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As Izuku goes to sneak into the vault, he hears David speak.
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David: “I’ve unlocked it, block 1147.”
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“Wonderful!”
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The assistant nods and goes to unlock the hi-tech safe. Doing so reveals a briefcase. The man takes it out and shows the contents to David.
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“You did it, professor, look. Everything is here!”
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David: “Finally, I’ve gotten it back.”
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Izuku: ‘Wait… doesn’t that mean… ’
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David: “All my research, and they just took my device away from me. But now it’s mine.”
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“Just like we planned. And it looks like the villains are holding things down.”
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David: “Thank you; I couldn’t have done any of this without your help, Sam.”
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Izuku: “What’s going on here?”
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The two men look toward a less than pleased Midoriya.
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David: “Who are you? Wait… aren’t you the kid All Might was telling me about?”
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Izuku: “I asked you a question.”
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He says while taking a heavy step forward.
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David looks away from the glare of the child.
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Izuku: “Are you behind this whole crisis? Just so you can steal something.”
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Sam: “The professor is only trying to get back what was stolen. The invention inside this briefcase can amplify someone’s quirk.”
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Izuku: “Is that… even possible?”
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Sam: “Yes, it’s still being tested, of course. But unlike with drugs, this can amplify anyone’s quirk without damaging the body or brain. Yet despite that, the sponsors confiscated this prototype and the research data. They demanded the project be abandoned.”
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Izuku: “Why?”
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Sam: “Because they were afraid this could uproot the current structure of hero society. But we all know it’s because it would make heroes too hard to control.”
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David: “Fearing that, they put pressure on me. Even foreign nations wanted this buried. I couldn’t stand by and let that happen, not when this device can save All Might.”
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Izuku: “W-What are you saying?”
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David: “You may not know this, but All Might’s quirk is disappearing. But with this device, he’ll be his old self. No, he’ll be even stronger. The number one hero, the symbol of peace, can get his strength and light back again. He can keep saving people, like he always has!”
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Shadows pass over Izuku’s face as he comes to terms with what he just heard.
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Izuku: ‘So he doesn’t know that All Might passed One For All to Momo. That even with the device, he won’t return to normal.’
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David: “So you understand, right? So please, let me hand this over to All Might! I don’t care about what punishment I receive, as long as-”
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Wolfram: “I’m afraid I can’t let you do that.”
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Metal spikes are launched at David’s head, but they’re stopped by a green glow.
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David: “What the-”
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Wolfram: “I finally get to meet the psychic quirk boy everyone has been talking about. You don’t look so tough.”
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Izuku turns to see the mastermind of this whole night. But he wasn’t alone. There was a ninja woman sporting a blue-haired ponytail. At her waist were two longswords with a moon emblazoned on their scabbards. But the real standout was her dead eyes and pale white skin.
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David: “What are you doing?!”
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Wolfram: “What? Are you still under the delusion that we’re fake villains?”
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David: “But aren’t you-”
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Sam tries to grab the suitcase, but he’s lifted up into the air before he can do anything.
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David: “Sam you-”
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Izuku: “He did it for money. I think I understand everything now.”
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His eyes flash green as he looks toward the two villains. But for some reason… his quirk was not working on them.
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Wolfram: “Impressed, right? I paid a great deal to hire this girl. For whatever reason, psychic quirks don’t really work on them, or those around them, well.”
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Izuku: “What?”
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Wolfram: “Sick’em, Pariah.”
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The girl burst forward toward Izuku, and he quickly dropped everything to focus on defense. The boy has trained and gotten much better at close quarters combat.
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But it pales in comparison.
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They exchanged several dozen blows in a second; not a single one from Izuku landed. The throat thrust, liver punch, and elbow to the face told a story; he was being overwhelmed.
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Izuku: ‘I can’t even read her mind. What is she?”
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Well, if he can’t affect her directly, he can still control everything else. With more effort than usual, Izuku unleashes an explosion of wind that pushes Pariah back.
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Now with breathing room, the boy rips metal from the room and sends it after the woman. But she simply unsheathes her swords and cuts apart the metal rods.
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Removing his red tie, Izuku turns it into his signature psi-blade before bursting forward.
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Being so close to Pariah makes controlling the continuing metal onslaught while attacking difficult. The green light of his psi-blade even flickers occasionally.
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But he doesn’t stop; he uses his cultivated superhuman body to overpower the woman. Even though she may be skilled, each parry nearly breaks her guard.
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Before long, a metal rod hits her head. Dazed, Pariah was unable to stop Izuku from tripping her and knocking her to the ground with the broad side of his sword.
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Thinking she’s done, he goes to help David but-
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Wolfram: “I’m impressed; you managed to defeat Pariah. Even your friends managed to subdue Scoria for a moment. You kids are good, but you’re still just kids.”
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He says while holding the briefcase and a gun to David’s head. Worse, Sam was on the ground with a fatal bullet wound.
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Izuku: “No… “
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Wolfram: “Yes, and if you don’t surrender, I’m pulling the trigger.”
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Izuku: “I…”
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A part of him wants to refuse. How could he bow to this coward? But a larger part remembers the priority.
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Izuku: ‘Save lives. I’m not a villain.’
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Izuku: “O-Okay.”
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Wolfram: “Good boy, now let’s-”
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Suddenly, the room goes red and alarms start blaring.
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Wolfram: “Damn it, Scoria, that damn-”
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Midoriya reacted quickly, saving David and ripping the briefcase from Wolfram.
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Wolfram: “NO!”
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The boy flung the man and his precious device out of the vault and-
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Izuku: “Escape and shut down the security!”
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Closed the door. Whether David listens, only time will tell. Right now, the boy has bigger problems.
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Wolfram: “You made the biggest mistake of your short life.”
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The man lifts several bent rods and aims them at Izuku. Meanwhile, the woman has gotten up and is none the worse for wear. Surrounded, Izuku can only tighten the grip on his sword and prepare for the worst.
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It’s happening again, the screams of panic and widespread violence.
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Alice already dealt with this once, and she had enough. But she was a hero; she couldn’t say no when asked to help.
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But what can she do?
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She throws seeds into the cracks of concrete to make tree barriers. Yes, they work better against mindless and chaotic robots. But the stress doesn’t leave just because of that.
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Especially when she hears explosions echo across the island. She’s not Kaoru or Uraraka; she can’t save everyone.
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Alice: “This way!”
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But she does try. She leads those outside and surrounded indoors while covering for them with trees.
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However, it was only a matter of time before she got hit by-
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Alice: “Aaah!”
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Each robot is equipped with a net gun and some sort of energy weapon. Right now, nearly every one of them is firing near-lethal blasts.
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Alice falls to the ground as she grasps her bleeding shoulder. She watches those she saved run away, not giving her much of a glance. After all, this is a hero’s job, to fight and die for them.
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She turns to see the robots coming closer, weapons primed and ready to fire. Was this it? Was this her reward for trying to be a hero with a quirk like hers?
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Alice: ‘Miss Fubuki… I’m sorry.’
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Before she becomes another in a long list of fallen heroes, a powerful kick knocks away all the robots.
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Arriving on the scene, like a hero he so desperately wants to be, is Ida. He takes a breath and rubs his fake leg. It’s getting hot; it won’t last long, but he won’t stop.
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His brother wouldn’t, so he won’t.
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He turns to Alice and gives her a comforting smile.
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Ida: “You did well, Emory. Leave the rest to me.”
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Alice: “But your leg… ”
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Ida: “I can keep going; don’t worry about me. We all have a role to fulfill; yours is making walls and leading people to safety. Can you do that?”
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Alice: “I… don’t know anymore.”
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Ida looks at the girl and sees familiar eyes, ones without hope or confidence.
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Ida: “If you can’t do it alone, then we’ll do it together. Hand me some seeds.”
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Alice: “O-Okay.”
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She does so, and Ida takes off, albeit slower than normal. He kicks aside more chaotic robots and throws seeds inside others.
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Ida: “Now, Emory!”
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Alice: “R-Right.”
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Using her quirk, she makes the robots explode from the inside due to the sudden plants growing out of them.
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Ida: “See? You can do it.”
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She still isn’t sure, but maybe-
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Suddenly, all the robots stopped in their tracks and collapsed.
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Alice: “What’s happening?”
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Ida: “Midoriya must have done it. The security is-”
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No, it was more than that. All the lights of the city followed suit, sending the entire city into darkness.
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Ida: “Must have had to completely shut down the power across the island. But at least All Might is freed.”
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Alice: “Yeah… it’s over.”
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Ida: “It is.”
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Just then, the fake leg finally gave out. But Ida didn’t fall; Alice caught him and kept him standing.
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Ida: “T-Thank you.”
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She shakes her head.
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Alice: “No, thank you. For helping me to stand for a bit longer.”
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A trembling, a cold sensation, a silent scream in the distance.
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Ida: “What is it now?”
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Alice: “I don’t know, but I would feel better if we were back with everyone else.
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Ida: “Agreed.”
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They walk off in search of the others, not noticing the chaos occurring at the top of the tower.
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Izuku is blown to the ceiling of the tower, battered and bruised. He falls to the hard metal with a thud. His shirt is in ribbons, but at least his wounds are healing thanks to the fire. Still, he’s exhausted.
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Out from the hole his body made came Wolfram and Pariah. They don’t look that damaged and even had the energy to taunt.
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Pariah: “I’m a bit disappointed. I heard much about this boy.”
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Wolfram: “Don’t be; he’s just a kid who thought being a hero was going to be all fun and games.”
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Pariah: “Was that why he was laughing?”
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Wolfram: “Who knows?”
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The man looks over the ledge and sees the city. It was in chaos, but he knows it won’t be long before David Shields fixes everything.
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Wolfram: “This mission was a bust. Call the helicopter and let’s get out of here. I want to be gone before All Might gets here. Weakened or not, we can’t take him.”
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Pariah: “Acknowledged.”
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As she speaks on the phone, Wolfram kicks Izuku over and clicks his teeth.
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Wolfram: “At least one of us is getting what we want. Your organization really wants this boy?”
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Pariah: “Yes, so don’t damage the merchandise too much.”
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Wolfram: “Whatever.”
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Before Izuku could attempt to get up and fight once more, a fist came down and turned his world dark.
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He’s falling.
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Falling into the black of his mind.
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Izuku: ‘Why?’
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Izuku: ‘Why am I so much weaker?’
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He knows why. He knows what he’s rejecting.
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Izuku: ‘No, I can’t… I’m not like that.’
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A monster that breaks and remakes people? A villain that likes fighting and indulges in their quirk? One that… that kills?
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Izuku: ‘Yes… I can’t do it… not again.’
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But he tried to compensate, to ignore and repress. But where has that gotten him? Failure after failure, weaker and weaker.
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Discordant voices peek out from the shadows, familiar sounds that whisper in his ear. Not for him to give in, but to accept.
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To become whole.
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Izuku: “It’s yours! It’s your power!! Use it!!”
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Were these not his words to Todoroki?
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Izuku: “This way, you won’t have to rely on mind control or any other power society deems as evil. See? You can be a hero.”
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Were these not his words to Shinso?
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Izuku: ‘I’m… scared… but if I don’t… I’ll fail. My friends will get hurt or worse… I have to save them… ’
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Those incomplete can’t save anyone.
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They can’t be heroes.
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Izuku: ‘Then… what am I?’
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“OUR PRINCE.”
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Fear bubbles in his veins as the tight control breaks. He pushes back against the collapsing door. But it will open one way or another.
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The signs have been there, the cracks in the facade.
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The question is, who will be in the control?
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Izuku: ‘What should I do?’
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Before he loses himself completely, words from the past echo in the deep.
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Kiri: “I told you, I won’t leave your side again. Knowing this doesn’t change that.”
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Momo: “No. You’re not a villain or some monster. You’re Izuku Midoriya, the boy I fell in love with. You helped me when I didn’t see much worth in myself. Let me do the same for you. It’s your quirk; no matter what’s in it, you are the master of it.”
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Izuku: ‘If they can accept me… if Momo’s words are true… then… ’
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Sink or swim, Izuku Midoriya.
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Only one will save him now and others in the future.
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He makes his choice; instead of letting the darkness overrun him, he opens the door and flows with it.
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All the repressed feelings, desires, and power. It all converges in on him and swells before settling within his vessel.
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When all is said and done, he is back where he started, in that golden desert.
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But now, the suns no longer burns his skin. He breathes out a sigh of exaltation.
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All that has been repressed has been given wings to fly.
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It is time.
ns216.73.217.31da2
