In the wake of Shimura Nana's appearance at USJ four Lost Souls have escaped from One For All, and it's up to Midoriya Izuku and his little sister Kiri to retrieve them. On their journey they encounter those who came before;
The aloof Chen, a bounty hunter who turns out to be Itsuka Kendo's ancestor,
The headstrong Johnny, one of the very first heroes,
The excitable Koko, a dog who can turn into a human,
And the mysterious Aftermath, a strange man in armor who attacks Kiri on sight, claiming that she has stolen something from him.
Aftermath is the one who caused the breach. Desperate and furious, he possesses the uncanny ability to ignore Kiri's Invulnerability and use All Might's trademark Smash attacks. As the battle progresses it is revealed that Aftermath is doing this all for love, and that the armored man they see is in fact a mental projection. His true form is that of a young girl, who breaks down in terror and distress after her defeat. A young girl who has lovely green eyes that look just like Izuku's.
[Chapter 7]
A young boy stood in the ruins of a charred forest, his feet rooted to the broken ground in shock and confusion.
Fear coursed through Izuku's body, a thousand icy spears stabbing into his body and rendering him immobile. Cold sweat ran down his face, heart pounding at a hundred beats a minute. His breath hitched in the parched desert of his throat, much too short and tight. All he could think about was that girl with the green eyes… that poor girl…
He didn't know what to do, lost and frozen with indecision. Time became tar, an eternity echoing within thumping heartbeats and gasping breaths. Hesitation flooded between ticking seconds as he tried to think, tried to move, but his body just wouldn't listen. A small hand tugged at his frantically, pleading for him to snap out of it.
"Izuku-nii-chan!"
The world shifted back into clarity, Izuku's eyes focusing to see the his little sister doing her best to drag him out of the shattered clearing in that child form of hers. His immobilizing fear drained away, melting into a sudden realization that spurred him into action.
"I… I'm fine! Thank you, Kiri." Izuku gasped, shaking his head rapidly.
A strange chopping noise filled the air, distant but rising in volume and closing in. Helicopters, he guessed. The blaring klaxons of Musutafu City's emergency alert system could still be heard in the background, only adding a sense of unease and underlying fear to the situation.
"We have to get out of here." Izuku whispered. "Can you transform?"
The little girl shook her head tiredly, exhaustion clear on her features. She was stumbling unsteadily as they ran, her footsteps and pace uneven. Her super-strength seemed to be missing when she tried to drag him earlier, indicating that she'd been completely drained by the battle. Even worse, she was beginning to shift in and out of reality; doing her best to not turn translucent and retreat back into his mind or shrink back into that miniature form for fear of leaving her brother alone.
This isn't working. I have to help her!
"Here," Izuku knelt down and presented his back to her. "Climb on."
She nodded, clumsily grabbing onto him. The boy picked her up effortlessly into a piggyback, feeling her light body slump onto his back as he sprinted along the broken ground. A trio of white helicopters thundered overhead, headed towards the clearing they'd been in only minutes ago. Izuku made it to the main road, his panting breaths seeming to echo across the empty street. Right, the evacuation order… nearly everyone had already left the area.
"Onii-chan…" Kiri mumbled weakly from atop his back.
"Don't worry, it's going to be okay!" Izuku called back confidently despite the crushing uncertainty that he felt.
In all likelihood there would be a police barricade set up on the perimeter. Izuku began to think as he ran, planning for the next obstacle in their path. He could disguise himself and Kiri as civilians who had been trapped or too terrified by the battle to move; there were always reports of those whenever a big battle took place. He kind of looked the part of an injured civilian too, with his bruised fingers and scraped joints. All he had to do now was—
The surrounding area was suddenly blanketed in darkness when something massive blotted out the sun overhead, casting a gigantic shadow onto them. A humongous dragonlanded only inches away from them, the tempest from its wings nearly bowling him over. Izuku's heart sank, having seen this particular heroine before on TV and knowing exactly how powerful she was.
Number nine on the Hero Billboard Chart. Dragoon Hero, Ryukyu.
Izuku's grip tightened around his little sister, backing away in alarm. With Kiri drained and him unable to properly control One For All, there was no way to escape or fight the hero. Before he could think any longer a taloned hand curled around him and Kiri, Ryukyu taking off with a single flap of her enormous wings.
No!
Fear coursed through Izuku's body like lightning. They were high up in the air now and heading towards the city, towards the perimeter. He couldn't let the heroes discover that Kiri and Valkyrie were one and the same! Not only would that land both of them in hot water, it would also bring about a whole slew of problems that neither he nor All Might was ready to deal with. He struggled against Ryukyu's grip, about to activate One For All in his desperation until—
"Hang on, kids! I'll get you out of here!" Ryukyu cried, her voice tight with worry. "I know you're scared but please, stop struggling! Everything's going to be alright!"
Izuku froze… then the words sank in and he let himself relax slowly, inwardly letting out a heavy sigh of relief. He had misunderstood the situation; the Dragoon Hero had indeed thought they were a pair of injured civilians. On his back Kiri shifted tiredly, groaning and resting her cheek against his shoulder. Ryukyu soared above the ruined remains of the forest, giving Izuku a clear view of the sheer damage that had been done to the land in that single battle between his sister and that mysterious girl. It was a miracle that it took place in the empty forest instead of a populated area…
The boy frowned. Or was it? It looked like Aftermath had tried to get them as far away from the city as possible… perhaps he knew the scale of destruction the battle with Kiri would result in. Static crackled from a device on Ryukyu's ear, coalescing into radio chatter.
"Mama Dragon, this is CP." a voice sizzled over the comm. "Status update, any sign of Valkyrie or the unknown? Over."
"CP, this is…" Ryukyu sighed tiredly. "...Mama Dragon. No sign of them. But I've got two hurt civvies on the way, I'm bringing them back to Scapegoat. Ryukyu out."
"Negative. Your main priority is to locate and subdue both combatants. Do not deviate from the mission. Secure the perimeter and find the targets, do not let them escape—"
"Cannot comply, CP. I am not leaving these kids behind." the dragon-lady growled derisively, her statement final. "Over."
"...Unfortunate." There was another buzz of static the operator switched channels. "Team Bravo and Echo, you are being reassigned to sweep for primary objectives. Hawk One, standby to engage. CP, out."
"CP, Hawk One is on station." a new, confident male voice drawled. "Solid copy, over."
Ryukyu switched channels with a flick of her claw, annoyed. She then turned to the two civilians in her grip with a look of profuse worry. Draconic eyes flickered over Izuku, then onto the slumped form of Kiri.
"Don't worry, kids." the woman nodded reassuringly before Izuku could say anything. "You're going to be okay."
Minutes later they landed in the midst of a temporary operating area, a medical hero quickly tending to Izuku wounds. The boy noted how his light wounds disappeared and reappeared on the healing hero, realizing what the man's Quirk was: the power to transfer injuries to himself. Luckily Izuku managed to lie about Kiri's condition before the hero could apply his power, masking her drained state as simple exhaustion.
"Scapegoat, report." Ryukyu rumbled.
"Zero fatalities so far, ma'am. Got a couple of civvies with a some scrapes and bruises like the kid here." 'Scapegoat' grunted and winced, his transferred injuries fading away rapidly. "Nothing my Transferance won't fix. These two should be the last civilians in the area after bravo team's sweep. If you ask me, it's a bloody miracle there haven't been any casualties."
"Alright, I'm heading back for another look. Keep me updated!"
"Ryukyu-san!" Izuku called, causing the giant dragon to pause and look back. "I… thank you… for saving us."
"Thank you…" Kiri whispered from atop his back, her voice weak and nearly inaudible.
"No need to thank me. After all—" she flashed them a quick, toothy grin. "A hero will always help those in trouble."
With that Ryukyu took off, her massive form diminishing rapidly as she made distance. Izuku adjusted the child on his back, making sure she was comfortable as they slipped past the multitude of heroes and law enforcement moving about. The boy flipped his hood on to make himself even more inconspicuous, knowing they had to get out of here before someone noticed them. He took note of the sheer scale of the operation; there had to be at least two dozen pro heroes and countless police officers roaming around, organizing search teams and rescue parties.
Izuku shivered. It was pure luck that they'd encountered Ryukyu… she had managed to get them past the search teams, eliminating any suspicion anyone might have had about them when they arrived in her grip. He sighed and relaxed slightly, feeling Kiri snug against his back he trudged back home.
Everything had turned out relatively okay from the catastrophic situation and nobody had died. All things considered, it really was a bloody miracle. The electric atmosphere from the battle earlier had dissipated, and things were calming down.
For now.
[x]
In the depths of Midoriya Izuku's mind a small figure shifted into existence, tumbling across the grass painfully. Shimura Nana and Yagi Toshinori whirled to face her, a fiery green soul igniting above the latter's head. A small sob emanated from the little girl that had been controlling Aftermath, her fingers digging into soil as she tried to stand, staggering and disoriented.
"No… I can still…"
She took a single step, her hands clutching at the air and longing for an embrace that was stolen from her. Her frail frame met the soft grass only seconds later, collapsing like a puppet with cut strings.
"Mimi!" Nana cried in horror, dashing over.
Toshinori followed shortly, and together they leaned over the girl worriedly. Her hair was messy locks of ivory, pooling around her head like a glowing halo as Nana cradled her small, doll-like body in her arms. Her pale skin coupled with that beautiful snow-white hair made her look like an albino, or someone that had never been exposed to sunlight. Now that he got a better look he could see that two bony protrusions were sticking out above her ears, a pair of tiny white horns that were previously hidden by her fluffy, voluminous hair.
He finally saw what she truly was. Her slim shoulders, thin torso, and delicate limbs. This tiny little girl was once a wielder of One For All? She was so young… too young, Toshinori thought. She looked like a child... The implications that came soon after made him feel sick.
"Oh, Mimi…" Nana groaned, supporting the girl's head gently. "What happened to you? Why did you do that?"
'Mimi' whimpered and refused to answer, eyes scrunching shut. There was another sob as she tried to curl into a ball, tried to hide from the world and everything else around her. Nana leaned in to hug her—
The girl weakly flung her arm towards Toshinori, her own emerald soul speeding towards her. She spiraled into it the moment she made contact, quickly reuniting with the others upon that shining halo as they flashed erratically, no doubt demanding answers.
"She's…" Nana paused for a moment, hearing what the others had to say. "They're telling me she's unconscious. Must have used all her power—"
"What's going on?" Toshinori whispered. "Who—"
"Her name's Mikumo Akatami, or Mimi for short." Nana said hastily. "She's wielder number four."
"She's..." The breath seemed to catch in his throat. "She's just a kid."
"Mimi's not a kid, she has this genetic condition which stunted her growth—" Nana bit her lip, a complicated expression on her features. "At least, that's what she told us. The most secretive among us all, only ever sharing snippets of her memories. She can be a nasty piece of work sometimes, but she was always someone who thought logically. I never expected her to go berserk like that..."
"But… how was she a villain?"
"There were things about One For All that not even I knew until I got here. Mimi… she…" Nana turned to him, her expression uneasy. There was a moment of silent hesitation before the woman seemed to resolve something within herself, letting out a small sigh. "Mimi hunted for a successor. Challenged every hero and vigilante she came across, seeking but never finding. Into the nightmare again and again until…"
"Until she found someone powerful enough to inherit One For All." Toshinori whispered.
"Not powerful." There was a glimmer of anxiety in her gaze. "Worthy. She searched for someone who matched her criteria; the willingness to sacrifice."
"She knew about One For All and its true nature, how it could be passed down from one person to another. But… it doesn't make sense. How does she know?"
"Mimi was…" Nana shook her head sadly. "Always a little different from us. She claimed she was from an organization that monitored and tracked One For All, to ensure that it would get into the right hands eventually. That when the time was right she'd tell us about it..."
"You didn't think this was a little important to tell me? You should have mentioned how her Quirk was so similar to Izuku's, how both of them can create mental projections—"
"Remember the first time we encountered Kiri?" the woman said hastily. "We only managed to figure out that she was a mental projection with Mimi's help; she's the one who first realized what Kiri-chan was since her Quirk; 'Aftermath' was so similar."
Toshinori thought back to the first time he met Kiri in her child form, when he and Nana were still trying to identify what she was. Back then, one of the previous wielders hadwarned Nana that the little girl might be some sort of split personality. Mimi. She had been the one to warn them first… because she probably had an inkling of what Kiri truly was. She had the same power as young Midoriya?
Similar, not the same. Quirks are an inherent part of a person's genetic makeup. But for two people separated by decades to coincidentally have such uncommon, esoteric Quirks that were so terrifyingly similar… Something doesn't add up.
"I still don't understand… why? Why would she want to escape into the real world? And everything she said, it didn't make sense! Did she ever tell you of… a goal that she left unfulfilled, or anything similar?"
"No, she was simply content to just hibernate but recently… recently she's been monitoring you a lot. For the past few years, I believe."
He groaned and glanced at the floating green orb, a deep sense of unease flowing through him.
Who are you?
[x]
"Is everything all right, Izuku?" Midoriya Inko asked worriedly from across the living room.
Izuku sighed from his position on the couch. He knew she had every right to be worried, seeing as an hour ago her son stumbled back into their home exhausted, his little sister resting atop his back. Kiri was currently sleeping in Izuku's room, too tired to even eat dinner. Inko immediately panicked when they got home since she saw what happened on TV, but quickly calmed down with Izuku's reassurance that they were both okay. An immense guilt about withholding information on what really happened ate way at him, but it couldn't be helped. Telling her would only complicate matters, so for now he just told her that Kiri had stopped a villain from attacking the city.
Flipping on the TV only proved his claim as the evening news covered what had happened earlier, blurry images and video capturing snippets of their battle with the last shot being that catastrophic final clash in the forest. All sorts of theories and speculation were spreading like wildfire as Valkyrie and her opponent were nowhere to be found. As crazy as it seemed, Izuku knew exactly where they were; one was sleeping in his room, while the other was sealed within him. The image of that young girl still haunted him, her desperate gaze and green eyes seeming to flash across his mind.
Her eyes had looked just like his and Inko's, a distinct trait that was from her side of the family. He had hugged that child out of the blue as well, something that he normally wouldn't have done. Why did he do that? The boy leaned back, eyes closed in deep thought. When he saw her like that, crying and alone... he was somehow reminded of himself as a child, lamenting at the unfairness of the world. Her Quirk was similar to his as well.
Izuku shuddered internally, remembering a little detail that Inko had mentioned upon her first meeting Kiri.
"It was decades ago, sweetie. Your great-grandmother Taiga—my grandmother, was able to create tiny little mental projections too. Little animals the size of her palm that she used to entertain me with..."
Taiga.
"My grandmother's constructs were never this detailed, nor did they have a will of their own. They were just telekinetic puppets… but this girl—she has a mind of her own, doesn't she?"
Telekinetic puppets.
"—it shows that you're not just some brainless puppet. You can think for yourself, can't you? Under different circumstances we might have been friends. Perhaps in a different world."
Aftermath.
Izuku took a deep breath to collect himself. There was possibly some kind of connection between them… or he might just be overthinking things. Yet, there was this odd feeling in his gut that urged him to continue, to seek answers. To find the truth. Slowly, he made his way to the kitchen and helped his mother to wash the dishes, earning him a small smile.
"Mom?" he began nervously after they were done.
"Yes, sweetie?"
"Could you um, tell me more about great-grandma Taiga?" Izuku asked.
"Oh? Why the sudden interest?" Inko hummed, giving him a curious look.
"Um, I thought it'd be useful to know more about someone with a similar Quirk. I mean, it may help me to understand mine better."
"I see. It's funny that you brought this up, I was looking through her old photo albums just the other day for inspiration on your costume design—"
Wait, what?
"My costume? What are you talking about?"
Then the realization hit Izuku like a speeding truck, his blood running cold. Aftermath's outfit had looked eerily familiar, almost like he'd seen something like it before. He had seen something like it before: his own hero costume, the one that Inko had presented to him proudly a few weeks ago. The one that had been damaged in the combat exercise against Bakugo and Iida.
They looked like each other.
His heartbeat began to quicken. "Mom, can you bring out that photo album you were talking about?"
A few minutes later Inko placed an ancient book down gently on the kitchen table, prying the pages open with utmost care. Izuku sat down beside her, impressed at the pristine condition it was in. This wasn't just a collection of photographs, but memories of those who came before him. Moments of their lives frozen in time, snapshots in remembrance of his family before him. Inko's family.
"There's your dad…" Inko said as she pointed to a man standing beside her, smiling sadly. "My, he looked so handsome back then. Just like how you're looking now…"
Izuku said nothing, though his fingers curled ever so slightly.
She flipped the page carefully, showing a scene that took place before Izuku was even born. A man and a woman, hand-in-hand, united in holy matrimony. Inko looked so young, so happy in that picture… "Congratulations, Inko and Hisashi!" the caption read in faded green letters.
"And here's my wedding, over a decade ago." the woman whispered. "I still remember as if it was yesterday."
Another turn of the page, another distant memory. Inko as a little girl, standing next to her parents. Together they smiled for the camera, happy as can be. The words "Family vacation, Okinawa beach, April 5th." was written in cursive.
"That's me and my parents."
"Grandma and Grandpa." Izuku noted.
Paper rustled as the pages turned once more, now showing a photograph of young Inko next to a short old woman, the child's hand clutching the a wrinkled one lovingly.
"And that's my grandmother, Taiga." Inko smiled. "She was quite a lively one, even in her twilight years."
Taiga. Izuku squinted, focusing on the old woman's face. For one, her hair was white… but that could easily be attributed to her old age. Her features were already wrinkled with age, too much for him to identify if she'd been the girl controlling Aftermath. He needed to go further back.
History was unfolding before him, as if time itself was rewinding in pages of the book being turned. More and more pages went by, Izuku quickly skimming over photos he found irrelevant. Pictures of people with Inko's eyes. His eyes. "Taiga, triplets!" one caption proclaimed proudly. "Wedding anniversary, November 11th." another caption read. "Congratulations, Taiga and Ryuuji! We love you!" a third one displayed. Even as an adult woman, his great-grandma was tiny. Izuku continued to look further and further into the past, for something he wasn't even sure he'd find.
Then he saw it. In a faded old photograph was Taiga as a little girl, no older than ten years old. This particular photo stood out as her parents looked a little roughed up beside her, the father's clothing even sporting several small tears. The family looked a little shaken, though they seemed ultimately unhurt. They wore grateful expressions, gazes cast at the heroic figure that must have saved them. And standing beside them, arms folded defiantly…
Standing beside them was the armored form of Aftermath.
Izuku gasped, squinting his eyes to read the minute text beneath the photo. It seemed to actually be a newspaper clipping that the family had saved, probably in remembrance of the one that rescued them. "Unknown vigilante saves dozens from villain attack! July 6th, 20XX."
Was this it? Did Taiga mimic the form of the vigilante had saved her family so many years ago? Or perhaps Aftermath was already her projection… but it still didn't make any sense. Why would she be in possession of One For All? Taking a closer look at the photo made him think twice; Taiga had long, wavy hair as a child, but hers was a warm chestnut-brown instead of snow-white. Her eyes were brown as well, not green. Though they looked a little similar, she was not the girl Izuku was looking for. But Aftermath was there…
"Mom, what do you know about this guy?" Izuku gestured at the unknown, knowing that it was worth a shot.
"Not much, really." Inko admitted. "I just know that he's a hero—well, vigilante that saved my grandma. Like I said before, I just used him for inspiration."
"Inspiration?"
"Yup! I used his costume—" Inko pointed at the armoured figure. "—as a basis on what yours would look like when I was making it. I thought it was a neat look for you and it does help that it belonged to an actual hero. The hood design was all yours, with you trying to mimic All Might and everything— but this guy has similar headgear, doesn't he? How strange."
Izuku felt a shiver creep up his spine. So that's why Aftermath's costume looked so similar to his. Inko had designed that green jumpsuit that he used in the combat exercise after the image of the person who had saved her grandmother. Things went full circle.
"Now that I think of it, my grandmother had the same problem with her Quirk back then—"
The boy's gaze shot up lightning-fast. "What problem?"
"The term didn't exist back then, but I guess Taiga was also what you would call an Abnormality. She didn't know how to use her Quirk, just like you. Only difference is that she didn't manage to discover how to use it by herself." Inko answered casually, nodding at the book. "She had a little help from a friend."
Taking a deep breath, Izuku flipped the page one last time… and finally found what he had been looking for. It was another picture of Taiga as a child, looking delighted as she gazed at the tiny, translucent figure of a miniature tiger atop her palm. One of her mental projections, just as Inko said before. But what ultimately caught Izuku's attention was the person next to her, a little girl with pale skin and hair, her lovely green eyes lighting up with an adorable smile. His eyes shot downward to read the faded caption below, squinting to focus on the cursive handwriting.
"Taiga and her best friend Mimi, May 20th, 20XX."
This was her! Izuku did the math in his head, just barely holding back a gasp. The photo was taken 91 years ago, decades before he was born. He thought back to the villain's words, how she had claimed to wait nearly a century for her chance. Aftermath, or rather, Mimi, had met Taiga in the past and was quite possibly the one that taught her how to create and control her own mental projections. Saved her. Without her intervention, there was the possibility that he would have never been born. Somehow this 'Mimi' had infiltrated One For All with a purpose of her own. The only question was why. There had to be a reason for all this, a reason she was so desperate to break out of his mind.
"It's getting late, Izuku." Inko nudged his shoulder gently, bringing him back into reality. "Come on, you should get some sleep. You can continue looking though it tomorrow when you come back from school."
"I… yeah. Nevermind, mom." Izuku closed the book. "I think I found what I was looking for."
[x]
When the boy finally awoke after a good night's rest Kiri was beside him, breathing softly into her pillow. Thankfully she seemed much more relaxed now compared to last night, probably having gained a bit of her power back.
He lightly nudged her, trying for a response. The little girl batted away his hand carelessly while still asleep, letting out a small mumble at the disturbance. Izuku sighed. Well, at least she was alright. He'd leave her to rest for now, not wanting the poor girl to exert herself any further. Before he left the room he made sure to put a blanket on her and leave a small sticky note attached to her hand, instructing her to lay low and take the day off.
Half an hour later he was out the door, waving goodbye to his mother. As he trudged along Izuku couldn't help but feel the noticeably charged atmosphere around him. Everyone seemed to be talking about the battle between Valkyrie and her unknown opponent yesterday, the local TV stations still covering the event. They played shaky video clips of the two fighting mid-air, twin blurs of white and green clashing in bursts of light.
The news report playing atop a gigantic TV screen downtown began with a rather alarming statement; that an unknown villain had appeared out of nowhere and battled Endeavor, fleeing when All Might showed up. She had been strong enough to match the number two hero? Wait, she had also mentioned using One For All against him, the 'hothead', but not against Kiri. Why was that? He got the feeling that she had been trying to prove something…
More information was revealed to Izuku as the reporters went on. The public assumption was that Valkyrie had been badly wounded after the fight with this unknown villain, and that there was overwhelming support for her quick recovery despite her not being a true licensed hero. Thankfully, there had been zero casualties… Izuku suspected that the two combatants had planned for it to be that way.
With both Valkyrie and the villain nowhere to be found, there wasn't much more information. The latter was given the temporary designation; 'Surtr', and a request was put out for anyone who has information on him to contact their local police department. Finally, the Hero Association had announced that they would be increasing hero patrols for an indefinite period.
Increased hero patrols, huh. Looking around, he could see that the order was already being put into place. The Hero Association had made a good play; the increased hero patrols would suppress any small-time villains thinking of acting in the wake of the event while simultaneously reassuring civilians that they were safe. The public needed that feeling of safety especially after what happened yesterday.
"Good morning, Midoriya-kun."
Izuku snapped out of his thoughts, looking up to find Iida before him as he began to enter the school. "Ah, Iida-kun! Good morning."
"Did you watch the news yesterday? They had live coverage of the battle between Valkyrie and that powerful villain. Quite the nerve-wracking experience, don't you think?"
"Ahahaha. Ha. Um, yeah." Izuku said nervously, averting his eyes. Nerve-wracking was an understatement. After all, he had gotten a front row seat to the battle through his sister's eyes.
They continued chatting along the way to the 1-A classroom, stopping when the two boys met a familiar face just outside the door. Brilliant orange hair bobbed about as Kendo took notice of them, giving the two boys a little wave.
"Oh, if it isn't Iida-san and Midoriya-san! Good Morning!" she greeted them cheerfully.
"Good morning, fellow class president!"
"M-morning, Kendo-san." Izuku said nervously. Right, she was the 1-B class president after all. She had probably met Iida in that meeting he mentioned previously.
"You two know each other? Networking already... I'm impressed, Midoriya-kun!" Iida nodded, his arms waving about robotically in some strange sort of praise.
"Um, it's a long story."
"You okay dude? You're looking a little stressed." Kendo noted, frowning a little. "By the way, where's Ki—"
"AHEM!" Izuku coughed abruptly out of nowhere, causing both class presidents to blink in surprise. "I, um, er— need to speak with you for a moment, Kendo-san. Iida-kun, why don't you go on without me?"
He'd just barely stopped Kendo from blurting out Kiri's name… there would be questions if word got around that Izuku had a sister in the same school that nobody had ever heard about or even seen. Questions that he couldn't answer. There was also the chance that the teachers might somehow get ahold of this information via's U.A's rumor mill, something that he wasn't willing to risk.
Iida and Kendo exchanged glances, then shrugged. "If you insist, Midoriya-kun."
Izuku let out a small sigh as he watched Iida enter the 1-A classroom, announcing his arrival energetically to those already within. Kendo shot him a confused smile as he walked up to her, not knowing what to expect.
"What's up?" she asked, her tone friendly as ever.
"Well, um. I need a favor from you, Kendo-san." Izuku hesitated. "Please don't tell anyone about Kiri-chan."
"Huh? Why not?" Kendo frowned. "Hey, she's your sis, right—"
"It's really complicated. She's…" Izuku wracked his brains for an answer, before deciding to lie through his teeth in desperation. "We have... different mothers."
There was a short pause where neither of them spoke, with Izuku cringing internally and asking himself what the hell he was saying.
"Ah." the girl's eyes widened before nodding in understanding, completely believing his absurd lie.
"Yeah. People might view her differently if they knew." he blurted awkwardly, hating himself for lying yet again. "So, um… please—"
"Right, I won't tell anyone." Kendo scratched the back of her head nervously. "I don't really get it, but I guess you two have your own reasons. Sorry, I didn't know."
"It's okay, and thank you. I really appreciate it." Izuku breathed. That's one problem solved for now. He had to be careful though… building a foundation of lies would only trap him and lead to a mountain of trouble. Then there was yesterday's issue that he had to settle. "Also, Shiozaki Ibara is in your class, right?"
"Yeah, I know her. She's a friend of mine, actually." The girl smirked smugly, apparently misunderstanding his intent. "Oho, what's this? Don't tell me she's caught your fancy? Tell you what, let this onee-san help you out—"
"N-no, it's nothing like that." Izuku stammered.
"Now, now. Don't be shy!" She pat him on the shoulder for encouragement. "I know that girl can look rather unapproachable, but I'll put in a good word for you! After that, whatever you two do is none of my business."
"Um, just tell her that I'm sorry for yesterday. I don't think she particularly wants to see me after what happened."
"Wait, what?" Kendo paused, frowning as Izuku edged away towards his own classroom. "Yesterday?"
"Again, long story."
"C'mon, you can't just leave me hanging! What happened between you and her?"
"I would tell you, Kendo-san…" Izuku gave her a nervous smile. "But like you said, it's none of your business, is it?"
The orange-haired girl blinked, then let out a short laugh. "Hah! I totally walked into that one. Fine, I'll give her your little message." She gave him a little wave as she opened the door to her own classroom. "See you around, Midoriya-san."
"Thanks." He waved back tiredly. "See ya."
Neither of them noticed when a shadowy figure titled their head curiously, peeking out from the corner. Ashido Mina emerged from behind a wall as Izuku made his way into class, a small frown upon her features. She had accidentally eavesdropped on the last part of the conversation, though she didn't have enough context to understand what they were saying.
Something happened between Midoriya and another girl in 1-B? And since when was he so friendly with their class president? I don't think any of us even know them yet.
Hmm.
Meh, probably nothing. Mina shrugged, skipping into the classroom with a carefree smile.
"Ohayou~!"
A chorus of friendly voices greeted her, then went back to their excited chattering. In the background Izuku was listening to a group of his classmates discussing yesterday's incident.
"Man, did you see battle on TV yesterday?!" Kaminari was saying to Sero. "It was absolutely crazy, man. Like watching a scene from a movie or anime."
"I know, right?" Sero grinned. "I couldn't help but cheer for Valkyrie, I was on the edge of my seat the entire time! I mean, she did help out during the USJ attack."
"Me too! But that villain was super-strong as well." Mina exclaimed. "To be honest, it makes me a little nervous about what kind of threats we'll face in the future when we're heroes."
Izuku had a grimace on his face as he snuck past them.
"It was so awesome, yet super scary when they were fighting mid-air and stuff!" Hagakure chirped, her invisible hands waving through the air excitedly. "And that part where they fought through the construction site was awesome!"
"I heard the site collapsed." Yaoyorozu murmured. "The construction company's not very happy about it."
"I'm just glad nobody got hurt." Ochaco piped up. "It's almost as if they were trying to avoid populated areas. It was really scary when the evacuation alarms started uptown..."
"I'm not surprised they decided to trigger an alert, especially for a threat of that scale. Apparently there will be increased hero patrols in the entire city, kero." Tsuyu chipped in. "Just this morning I saw twice as many teams moving about, I think they're still looking for signs of the villain."
"Really? Man, hard to imagine that he got away. What are they calling him? Soot?"
"Oh, because of all that green fire and explosions?" Hagakure asked curiously. "Everyone online is saying he has some sort of combustion or fire-based Quirk. There was that big fire blast attack he used in the forest as well..."
"Surtr." Sero corrected. "What kind of name is that, anyway?"
"It's a name from Norse Mythology." Izuku said absentmindedly while in a daze, not noticing that the group turned to face him. "Surtr was a flame giant foretold to battle with the Gods, and the inferno that he brings forth will engulf the Earth. A major figure during the events of Ragnarok, otherwise known as the Twilight of the Gods. Armageddon."
"Woah, that actually sounds pretty cool!" Kaminari grinned, giving him a thumbs up. "Figures a guy with book smarts like you knows about all this stuff."
But I don't. Izuku wanted to say. What? How did I...
Before he could think about what just happened the charged atmosphere in the classroom dissolved as Aizawa-sensei shuffled in, looking very much like an Egyptian mummy with all those bandages circling around his entire body. The man was back at work so quickly despite his injuries, apparently not minding them too much.
Classes went on as usual, Izuku thankful to see that all four teachers involved in the skirmish with Johnny were perfectly fine. He did however feel his heart skip a beat when Ectoplasm-sensei called out his name during math class, but luckily the teacher was just trying to get him to solve an equation. He didn't seem to suspect that the boy was involved in what happened yesterday.
Then it was time for the Foundational Hero Studies class…
"I AM HERE—" All Might entered the classroom, a magnificent cape billowing behind him in his silver age costume. "—TO TEACH!"
The number one hero looked the same as always, a wide, confident smile on his features. Izuku gulped, swallowing his guilt. He… he had to tell All Might. The man had a right to know. Izuku still remembered his reaction to Nana in USJ, how he had been rendered speechless from her smile. Back then, All Might had been hiding it but Izuku had an inkling of how the man truly felt. To see someone precious just slip through your fingers and fade away into nothingness… it probably was like he had lost her all over again. Izuku grit his teeth, making up his mind to tell the man what had really happened yesterday.
"Today we'll be learning about Quirk power classifications!" All Might announced cheerfully. "Naturally, with the advent of Quirks there was also a need for identification and cataloging of such information. As time passed Quirks have also made the baseline human stronger, smarter, and much more resilient, allowing even normal people to survive injuries they would have easily succumbed to in the past. Now then, can anyone tell me what the three types of Quirks that can be identified using the Simplified Quirk Identification System?"
Yaoyorozu's hand shot into the air like greased lightning. "Emitter-type, Transformation-type, and Mutant-type."
"Excellent!" There was a small series of squeaks across the whiteboard. "As you can see, Quirks can be classified into three distinct groups using the simplified standard system. However, fledgling heroes such as yourselves may be required to work with foreign heroes and law enforcement; many of whom may prefer to use the International Quirk Classification System which is a tad more advanced."
"Much like how some countries prefer the Metric System while others use the Imperial one, kero."
"Exactly, young Asui! Although the two systems coexist, here in Japan we prefer to use the Simplified System. The International System is used by many foreign agencies, so it's best that you have a basic understanding of it." All Might nodded. "There are a total of twelve different Quirk classifications, and the easiest way to remember them is through the use of mnemonics; specifically through the use of a rhyme."
"A rhyme? Like, a song or something? Cool."
"That's right, young Jiro! The rhyme is as follows:" The teacher paused to take a breath.
"Mover, Shaker,
Brute and Breaker."
"Master, Tinker,
Blaster and Thinker,"
"Striker, Changer,
Trump and Stranger."
Izuku already knew the words by heart, echoing them in his mind alongside his teacher's voice. Now that he knew Aftermath was just that girl's projection, he could classify her as a Blaster/Master. Though her attacks reminded him of Bakugo's, hers were much more focused and controlled. That move of All Might's that she used; 'Iowa Smash'… instead of a colossal tempest of spiraling wind like the original what came out instead was a gargantuan vortex of emerald flames. Flames that were reminiscent of Endeavor's attacks.
And that other move she used; 'Manchester Smash'. He didn't remember All Might having an attack like that. He should know, he was an All Might otaku, after all. The boy decided to put that aside in favor of analyzing 'Mimi's' Quirk.
If she truly had a Quirk that was similar to his, he could already guess how she was creating those blasts. Using her Quirk to form that projection around her and unleashing it whenever necessary, resulting in those psychic flames that burned with ethereal light. The opposite of Kiri's invulnerability… she pushed her energy outward from every part of her body instead of using it as a shield. A hybrid style that incorporated the combustion aspect of a fire-type Quirk and the psionic capabilities of a projection-type Quirk. In the end she was breaking herself apart to do damage to the opponent, a truly reckless way of fighting.
She didn't create explosions… she was the explosion. A human bomb.
The rest of the lesson was rather uneventful as he already knew what all twelve classifications in detail, along with their countermeasures. When lunch break came he tried to talk to All Might in private, but unfortunately there were some complications that had arisen over everything that happened recently.
"I'm sorry, young Midoriya… we teachers have an important meeting later!" All Might scratched his head sheepishly. "Then I have to attend another meeting downtown regarding the incident yesterday, so I won't be able to meet you after school either. I'll be honest, my schedule is packed to the brim! I'll have to notify you when I actually have time to meet you, my boy!"
"Um, it's okay! Sorry for bothering you but…" Izuku gaze was pulled towards the floor. "It's really important. It has to do with One For All."
"I see… but unfortunately," the hero shook his head hastily. "There are… responsibilities that I have to uphold as the symbol of peace. I promise that I'll make some time for you, but right now it simply isn't possible. My deepest apologies, young Midoriya!"
B-but… Izuku groaned internally, but nodded his head. He had to be reasonable, All Might was the symbol of peace, after all. Millions of people across Japan depended on him every single day; the man probably had dozens of duties to fulfill as the number one hero.
"O-okay. I understand. Um, sorry for taking up your time."
All Might was silent for a second, then broke out into a great big belly-laugh. He laid a massive hand on Izuku's head and tousled his hair, grinning. "Nonsense, young Midoriya! I'm glad you decided to seek me out for advice! If anything, it's a teacher's job to check on the progress of their students! Move along now, you still haven't eaten your lunch!"
"A-alright. Thanks, All Might." Izuku managed to mumble, just barely keeping the guilt out of his tone.
"Don't mention it! I'll make an effort to meet you as soon as I can!"
Izuku watched his mentor go, gulping subconsciously. He'd better start thinking of what to say when the time came. The boy slowly trudged his way into the cafeteria, recent events still heavy on his mind. He should first make sure Kiri was okay when he got home later, then he had to ask her what was going on inside his head—
Did I really just think that? Izuku questioned himself, then groaned softly. It was as if his life had been turned upside-down in a single day. The previous wielders of One For All lived on within him as memories, ghosts of those who came before. Would he become one of them as soon as he passed on that power? Izuku wasn't exactly a superstitious person, but now… he wasn't sure how he was to feel about all this. Life after death, and what came after.
Then there was the issue of this 'Mimi' person, Aftermath's true form and master. He was beginning to suspect that she was somehow related to him, and that photo had shown that she was friends with his great-grandmother.
Izuku continued thinking hard, putting a hand to his chin. Mimi's Quirk was similar to his, and yet... Aftermath and Valkyrie. Offense and Defense. Internal and External. Endothermic and Exothermic. They were seemingly opposites of each other, yet at the same time there were undeniable parallels between the two. There had to be a reason for why she escaped from his mind. Again, he considered the idea of how she had clearly wanted to prove something back then… but to who?
To him?
"Over here, Deku-kun!"
He looked up to find Ochaco and Iida waving him over, having saved a spot for him at their usual table. He smiled tiredly, making his way over until someone behind them caught his eye.
Shiozaki Ibara blinked owlishly as her eyes met his, and for a moment she seemed to breathe a sigh of relief until a warm red tint slowly began coloring her pale cheeks.
"Ah—" Izuku began, reaching out to her.
The thorn-haired girl whirled around and hurried away, blushing furiously. A pair of girls from class 1-B trailed behind her, both shooting Izuku quick glances of suspicion before joining their friend. The boy groaned, shoulders sagging.
I guess that's the end of my social life in U.A.
"Hmm? Is there something wrong, Deku-kun?"
"It's nothing, Uraraka-san." Izuku gave her a tired smile. "I've just got a lot on my mind."
Both literally and figuratively. He decided not to add that last part.
Meanwhile, Mina eyed the green-haired boy from her table with a hand to her chin.
"What's up?" Hagakure said from opposite her, food vanishing into thin air as she gobbled it down cheerfully. "You're thinking about something, I can tell."
"How can you tell?" Jiro remarked dubiously from beside her.
"Well, Mina-chan doesn't really think most of the time so it's really obvious when she does." Hagakure chirped jokingly. "She gets this face of intense concentration that I've only seen in math class."
Mina sniffed the air, taking in several quick whiffs. "Do you smell it?"
"What?" Jiro asked flatly.
"That smell. That kind of smelly smell. The smelly smell that smells… smelly." Mina announced dramatically, smacking her palms onto the table while the other girl rolled her eyes. "Something's fishy around here!"
"Is your steamed fish going bad?" Hagakure pointed out, eyeing the dish cautiously. "You probably shouldn't eat that if it smells weird~"
"Nonono, it's not that… my pinky sense is tingling!" The pink-haired girl tapped her horns excitedly. "Something strange is going on, I can feel it."
Jiro and Hagakure exchanged confused glances, then shrugged.
"Is this what they call 'having your head in the clouds'?"
"More like 'airhead'."
"Hey!"
[x]
Kiri woke up covered in a warm blanket on Izuku's bed, looking around sleepily as she recalled the events of yesterday. Wandering around the empty house proved that no one was at home for the moment, Inko having probably gone out to do some grocery shopping. The girl decided that the first thing she should do was look for Toshinori and Nana, letting out a small yawn as she focused. A second later she was within her brother's mind, wading through a field of colorful flowers as she looked around for the two adults.
After a few minutes of searching she found them, though there was a little complication. The pair were meditating under the gigantic tree that represented Izuku, eyes closed in serene concentration. Nana was somehow in the form of a kid like her and no longer translucent, sitting beside Toshinori as they meditated together. The two were in quite the picturesque position, ironically looking like parent and child.
"Hellooo~" she tried, only to get no response.
Humming, she picked up a long stick and began poking Toshinori in the face for a reaction. Maybe he was just sleeping? Unfortunately her efforts were in naught as the man continued to meditate, seemingly unaffected by his surroundings. Frowning, Kiri floated up to his face and began prodding at his forehead. That didn't work either. She then tried to boop Mini-Nana on the nose for a reaction—
Her world spun into a dazzling array of colors and noise, a corridor of rainbow light stretching endlessly before her. She could hear two people talking, their voices simultaneously close and far…
"—her intent, but she's still not waking up. I've already tried everything else, Nana. We'll just keep focusing..."
"It's not hurting her, right?"
"Of course not. To put it simply, we're lending her our own energy to 'recharge'. If anything, it should make her feel better—"
Kiri poofed into existence, startling the pair mid-conversation. Shimura Nana was still in her child form as she jogged over to the confused girl, a thin, disheveled man following closely behind her.
"Kiri-chan!" Nana exclaimed in surprise. A golden orb of light floated above her shoulder, flickering warmly. "I didn't know you could come in here!"
"Nn." She looked around, confused. So this was what the halo looked like on the inside.
It looked… really normal, actually. She had expected an empty plain of nothingness or some sort of abstract landscape, not… this. The sight of rolling hills and lush fields of green met her eyes, the scene looking like something grounded in reality. But what really drew her attention was the beautiful white walls of the enormous mansion before her.
"Oh, you like the mansion?" Nana smiled proudly. "Amazing, isn't it?"
Amazing was a bit of an understatement. She gazed at the absolutely gorgeous building before her, the vast structure clearly having borrowed aesthetics and intricate designs from both eastern and western cultures. It was a fortress, a castle, a kingdom in itself. Dazzling, exotic flowers lined the perimeter in countless pavilions. The domed top reached right up into the clear blue sky, decorated with a multitude of spires, turrets and towers. The scene was breathtaking, awing the eyes and overloading the senses.
In the main courtyard was what looked like a hospital bed, the girl that had been controlling Aftermath resting upon it. Sitting around her in a circle were the previous wielders, eyes closed in apparent meditation. Streams of multicolored energy flowed out from them and into the unconscious girl, with Kiri assuming it was the 'recharging' process she had overheard earlier. Nana herself wasn't taking part as she was already running low.
Trotting over to the bed, Kiri peeked over the covers in curiosity. So this was the true form of the one that had fought her yesterday. This other girl was the same size as her and dressed in a dark, tattered cloak, wearing a grey wetsuit-like attire underneath. She was so pretty, so… small, like a little doll, Kiri observed. Nothing like the fearsome opponent she had fought.
She's just like me.
"Let me apologize on Mimi's behalf. We never expected something like this would happen…"
Kiri whirled around to face the disheveled man from before, his light, unruly hair blowing in the wind. He was clad in a simple white t-shirt and jeans, looking painfully ordinary for someone who once wielded One For All. An ethereal tether of white energy flowed from his body to the unconscious Mimi; he was the only one that didn't need to meditate for the transference process.
Then the girl realized that she had already seen every other wielder except this man. She slowly began counting off her fingers. Four… five… six. Turning to face him, she found a gentle smile on his features. Sure, he didn't look like much; boasting a thin frame that looked rather sickly and kind of weak. But his eyes… his eyes twinkled like aging stars; pale diamonds that held knowledge attained over a century.
There was no doubt. This man… this man was—
"Hello, Kiri-chan." he said softly. "I am Ichikawa Hiro. Everyone calls me Hiro."
This man was the first and original wielder of One For All.
"Hello." she replied curiously, giving him a little wave.
"I see you're concerned about our little troublemaker." Hiro glanced between the two children. "Unfortunately, she still hasn't woken up since her return."
"The others are doing their best." Nana said, seemingly talking to the golden orb that floated beside her. Kiri quickly realized that was All Might; Toshinori, in an incomplete form. "We still don't know how long this will take..."
Some of the others noticed Kiri had appeared, giving her a few quick greetings.
"Hey, kiddo."
"Friend!"
"Privyet, tiny girl."
"Hello."
She greeted them back in turn, noting that they could change their outfits to whatever they wanted. Johnny now had an added buttoned shirt on, while Koko was in her human form but dressed in an ordinary tank top and shorts.
"What if she wakes up and…" Misha began, frowning as he referred to the unconscious girl. "...she go boom?"
"Then we'll be on her like white on rice in a glass of milk on a paper plate in a snowstorm." Johnny offered helpfully. "There's what, six of us and one of her."
"If we have to restrain her, let's not use our Quirks." Chen nodded towards aforementioned little girl. "We need her calm."
A strange coldness permeated the air, whispers of things long past seeming to escape from the unconscious girl in wisps of grey and silver. Kiri shivered, knowing the feeling all too well but never experiencing them in this format. She reached out and to her surprise, managed to touch a wisp but was unable to consume it. Negative emotions made tangible…
"Brace for memory leak." Johnny warned.
A maelstrom of negative emotions swirled around them and unknown voices echoed through the air in undulating tones, ghostly and foreign.
"A complete failure. She does not have it. However, there is an… unexpected development. Reassign her to Antithesis. If she fails, dispose of her. Simple as that."
"No…" Mimi whimpered, beginning to stir.
"How dare you use my fucking moves, you goddamned little freak! I'll do everyone a favor and exterminate you, you disgusting abomination—"
The girl began shaking horribly, the entire bed rattling and shuddering as if under possession.
"You said it wasn't going to hurt her!" Nana yelled in concern. "Stop the transfer!"
"It's not supposed to! It was never this bad when we did it with Johnny—" Hiro said, gritting his teeth as everyone began pulling back their energies in alarm. "Hang on, Mimi!"
"Pathetic little creature. You're an inferior defect, a mistake. A failure; that's all you were, that's all you will ever be. Weak… and unwanted."
Mimi's eyes shot open, and she woke up screaming. The threads of energy that connected them snapped abruptly with a high-pitched shriek, sending everyone sprawling backwards.
"I'M NOT WEAK!"
The girl exploded from her bed in a whirlwind of green, emerald flames igniting along her arms and legs as she hovered in the air. Wild, unfocused eyes scanned for threats, her pupils narrowing into pinpricks when she realized she was surrounded. Behind her the ghostly form of Aftermath manifested, looming over the girl like a mystical wraith.
Johnny and Chen sprang forward and the armored projection solidified, its hands catching them around the throat with blinding speed. A rocket-boosted kick crashed into Misha before he could react, jets of flame lancing from Aftermath's kneecap as he stomped onto the larger man's chest to pin him down. There was a blur of movement as Mimi scrambled to climb atop her projection's shoulders, her gaze still unfocused and panicked.
"Wait, stop!" the first wielder exclaimed.
Three wielders were held immobile, the adults struggling in Aftermath's grip. Koko arched her back, ready to jump into the fray but rooted on the spot as she looked back and forth between Hiro and Mimi rapidly, clearly hesitating and not wanting to hurt her friend.
Nana was a monochrome blur that rocketed into the air, rebounding off Aftermath's forearm to land on his shoulder. Mimi snarled from atop her projection as Nana caught her hands, extinguishing the psychic conflagration on her palms. A violent crackling began filling the air as the pale girl opened her mouth wide, an unstable sphere of neon flames forming within as she prepared to unleash it at Nana like a dragon's searing breath—
"MIMI!" Hiro shouted, hands held out in panic.
The girl jolted at the sound of his voice, snapping her gaze towards him. Within those wild eyes there was a spark of recognition, then confusion as her pupils began to refocus. Nana let go of her gently, careful not to make any sudden moves.
"Mimi, please." the original said softly, his tone gentle and worried. "It's us… remember? You're safe now. It's okay… nobody's going to hurt you."
Her ragged breathing began to slow, the burning energy in her mouth dissipating. Aftermath's grip loosened, the projection backing away. Mimi's enraged expression melted away into one of terror and she was a little girl again, looking confused and very, very alone. Then her eyes met Kiri's and there was the despair and distress that the vigilante had only seen in those who had lost a loved one.
"I'm… I'm not weak. I'm not!" Mimi hiccuped, her breath hitching while she looked around in panic. "D-don't throw me away."
"Nothing like that is going to happen." the man assured. "We just want to ask you some questions..."
He reached out slowly but she flinched and backed away, looking too much like a frightened child.
"I… I…" She swept her gaze across them as tears beaded at the corner of her eyes, her lower lip trembling. "I'm sorry."
Before anyone could say a word Aftermath's chest unfolded to reveal a hollow cavity, the girl quickly darting inside and sealing herself within. Johnny, Misha and Chen got up slowly, dusting themselves off as Nana hopped off the projection's shoulders. Everyone waited for something to happen but it just stood there, still as a statue and refusing to move.
They were taken aback by how emotional she was; this was a far cry from her usual logical yet snarky attitude. In all the years they spent together the girl could be a handful at times, but never like this. Hiro sighed and made his way over to the stoic projection, knocking on its armored chest softly like a parent knocking on the door to their child's room.
"Mimi? Come on." he frowned. "Do you want to tell us what happened?"
A little sniff emanated from within the armored figure.
"Hey," Chen said gently. "You can't hide in there forever."
"Wanna bet?"
The older woman shot a quick glare at Johnny, her fingers forming a line across her mouth. Zip it. With a shrug of his shoulders the blonde strode forward, lowering his tone to be as delicate as possible.
"Come on, Mimi." he tried. "Everyone's worried about you."
"Go away!" the girl yelled, voice slightly muffled.
"Look…" Johnny scratched the back of his head hesitantly. "I know what it feels like to lose control, to be consumed by your feelings. We can help—"
"Shut up! Just shut the fuck up!" she screamed from within the armor, prompting him to take a step back. "You don't know how this feels!"
"Mimi…"
"It was supposed to be me!" More small sobs and sniffling. "It's not fair! I've waited for so long and s-she stole it from me… my chance..."
The wielders exchanged glances, sharing the same bewildered looks. Kiri found herself as the center of attention when they turned to her. She fidgeted around a little under their gaze, a little nervous from the sudden attention she was getting. Everyone glanced between the two projections, already making some sort of silent connection between them. Hiro quietly stood in front of Aftermath, clearing his throat with a small cough.
"Mimi, please." he said carefully. "Tell us what's wrong."
Silence from the armor.
"You can't keep hiding in there forever, Mimi. Even if we all have our differences, we still want to help you."
More silence.
"We're supposed to look out for each other, right?"
Aftermath's chest unfolded like paper origami, revealing a tiny form curled up inside that empty cavity. She let out a small sniff, her lower lip still trembling. The projection slowly reached into itself and carried its master out, holding the girl gently under her arms like how one would carry a cat. All things considered, they would have looked pretty cute if one didn't take the current situation into account.
Mimi glanced around, jaw clenched as she tried to put on a strong front.
"I will take full responsibility for everything that happened." she began, her voice shaky. "I acknowledge that I… I lost control."
"Lost control? You blow up building." Misha stretched up his palm, opening all five fingers. "Kaboom. No more building."
"Actually that was me." Kiri admitted timidly, raising her hand. "I made sure it was empty first."
Misha blinked, then turned his attention back to Mimi. "You blow up forest! Kaboom. No more fores—"
"Words can't even begin to describe how pissed I am with you right now." Nana interrupted him mid-sentence, striding towards the little girl with an infuriated, scathing glare. "You… are in so much trouble young lady!"
"Fuck you." Mimi spat angrily, seemingly regaining her bravado out of nowhere. "Don't act like you're my mom or something."
"Then don't behave like a child!" Nana shot back. "You went out there and threw a bloody temper tantrum in the middle of the city; a rash and utterly egotistical decision with no regard for the consequences! What were you thinking?!"
"Whoa, you don't have to be so harsh with her—" Johnny started.
"I'm being harsh because I need to! Look, I don't like doing this either." She turned back to face the younger girl. "Innocent people could have been hurt! You could have been hurt! I know you were careful in regards to where you were fighting but this… This isn't how we do things, Mimi. I'm disappointed in you."
"Don't patronize me from your moral high ground. People like you are born with a silver spoon in their mouth and think that the world is all sunshine and rainbows!" Mimi yelled, her voice raw and furious. "You don't know me! You don't know what it's like to feel this way!"
"Wait, you two—" Hiro tried, only to be completely ignored. "Calm down—"
"No, apparently I don't know you. I don't know what it's like, so why don't you bloody tell me?!" Nana roared, her voice clearly taking on a stressed tone. "How are we supposed to understand you if when you've always refused to tell us anything? Even now, we have no idea of what's going on. Whatever the issue is, there was no reason to act on your emotions so recklessly—"
"You're such a fucking hypocrite! You're the one who acted on your damn emotions in the first place at USJ!"
"I—at least I did it for the greater good! Need I remind you that you attacked Kiri-chan and drove a quarter of the city into a full-blown panic? I thought you were better than this!"
"Well I'm not! I was always a useless piece of garbage from the start! Is that what you wanna hear, huh?! I'm not afraid of you—"
"And I don't want you to be! What are you gonna do, fight me? This is how it always is with you, isn't it?! All you know how to do is fight… but you can't solve all your problems with violence, Mimi! For people like us it doesn't take much strength to hurt someone, but try working things out peacefully despite all this power in your hands! Then you'll know what self-restraint means!"
"Enough!"
Hiro quickly got between them, ending the impromptu screaming match. "Both of you need to calm down, bickering will get us nowhere. Mimi, we need to know exactly what happened. Why did you cause the breach and fight Kiri-chan? Things are not looking good for your case."
"Hold up." Johnny grunted, standing beside the diminutive white-haired girl. "You know how she's usually content to keep to herself. For her to lash out like this… something serious must have happened. She knew there'd be consequences, but she did it anyway. At least they were careful that nobody got hurt, right? Come on, cut her some slack."
"I agree." Chen took up a position beside Mimi as well. "Even with that horrendous temper of hers, the girl still thinks logically most of the time and isn't so easily swayed by emotions. There must be a reason for her actions."
"Then let's agree to disagree." Nana spoke up, a mix of conflicting emotions swirling in her eyes. "No matter what the issue is, there's no reason to lash out at the world like that. We've always tried to settle our differences peacefully and you… you of all people did something so ridiculously asinine. We care about you, Mimi…" she grit her teeth, her voice unsteady. "I care about you. But this time you've gone too far!"
"I'm with Nana as well. You cross line, leetle one. Scolding is least of your concerns." Misha scratched his beard thoughtfully. "Wait, we taking sides now?"
"Let's not." Hiro muttered. "Koko, what do you think of all this?"
"K-koko is neutral! I'm just a doggy, wan." Koko said quickly, clearly trying to escape the incoming standoff.
"Well..." Hiro nodded towards the tiny girl. "I think that Mimi here has been planning something like this for a while now. Her talk of her plan being ruined, how she waited for so long…"
"It's the boy." A small voice cut through the air like a thrown knife, everyone turning to face a wide-eyed Nana. "Midoriya Izuku. You broke out of here… because you're planning something that involves him! You—" The brunette's expression flashed into one of fury. "I don't know what you're trying to do, but I won't let you hurt him!"
"N-no! I… I…" Mimi's grip around her cloak tightened, much like how the hypothetical noose was tightening around any hope of her escaping. Her eyes were shimmering with anger and barely restrained tears. "You don't understand… I would never—"
"And how do we know that, after this stunt that you pulled?! It seems that you don't care about anyone other than yourself!"
"If I didn't care then I wouldn't have bridged the fucking connection!" Mimi screamed, her voice cracking with emotion.
The fury slipped off Nana's face, replaced by a bewildered gaze. "What?"
"Back at USJ. It was me. I bridged the connection between here and the outside world. I was trying to manifest myself though Izuku's Quirk to help All Might when y-you hijacked my mental link, Nana…" The white-haired girl cast her gaze downwards, sniffing miserably. "It's how you were able to fuse with Kiri-chan."
Nana thought back to the burning rainbow bridge, and the anguished scream that she had heard when she merged with Kiri. 'LET ME OUT'. A look of reluctant understanding came across her features, realizing that she had inadvertently stolen away Mimi's chance to help.
"This only raises more questions to be answered. Back then you told us that you were part of an organization that tracked One For All and made sure that it survived for future generations. You said you'd give us the full details 'when the time was right.'" Hiro let that statement hang in the air for a moment before bringing it down like an executioner's axe, grimacing as he did. "I think now's a pretty good time, Mimi. I'm sorry to do this now, but you owe everyone here an explanation for what you did."
Silence. Nobody moved nor spoke, the spotlight on Mimi now. A tiny fist clenched at the sides of her cloak tightly. The girl knew she was cornered, anger giving way to regret and looking like she was about to cry. Seeing her like that with that miserable, trapped, and defeated expression… an old memory drifted into Kiri's thoughts.
T-that's mean, Kacchan! C-can't you see he's crying?