The high pitch beep slowly sounded through the room, the constant and steady rhythm somewhat soothing the people that stood over the hospital bed.
It meant that they were alive.
Looking down at the body that lay there a voice asked timidly. "Will he be alright?" The words came out slowly, as if by just asking it was a risk. A risk that the answer wouldn't be what they wanted. Making it all the more real.
The words hung in the air, the weight being felt by all who stood in the room. A weight that shifted when the doctor finally answered.
"We… I'm sorry but we do not know. We have never seen anything like this. By all accounts he is fine. Just… sleeping. We have no idea why he has been sleeping for so long. We cannot answer your question… I'm sorry ma'am." His words were hesitant. Not liking that he was the one that had to say the news.
They really didn't know. By all accounts, the boy before them should be fine. There was nothing wrong with him, but his skin was pale and cold. Almost waxy… like that of someone dead.
But he was breathing, his heart was beating. Slowly, but surely. The sound of the monitor confirmed that.
"Thank you Doctor, can you give us some time?" The third occupant of the room said, his voice filled with worry and doubt.
He had heard rumours, about someone who might be able to save his son. He would look into them… he had to have hope.
---
The tree spread further than light could reach. The thousands of threads made the tree expand endlessly out into the ashen white dunes.
He felt at peace, his soul was… homely.
The soul of Toya could not talk, he just cried. Weeping tears that looked like droplets of blue fire.
He just sat next to the boy and rubbed his back. He didn't know if it was doing anything. But he should be thankful to Dabi, the man had saved him twice now… at least the fire he gave him had.
Even if that fire wasn't actually the quirk it helped the idea form in his mind. The soul was an odd place… maybe it was because he had the quirk he had been able to do that. He didn't know. The soul, despite having seen it and even now being in it was something he would probably never understand.
He wanted to leave, to get back to the outside world but it was alright to stay here just a little longer, right?
Leaning back against the trunk he felt the warm golden threads against his back. He needed to deal with Toya… but he didn't know what to do. He felt sorry for the boy- no man. He was just a boy in this reflection. But he still felt sorry for him.
It wasn't right what he had to go through, was there even an option to bring him back though? He had hurt others, he was someone who shouldn't be let back into the world no matter how tragic his life had been.
He was broken, he was as broken as Andrew had been. The world had broken him and that wasn't his fault but that didn't mean that he should be let loose to lash out at the world.
He would keep Toya within him, he didn't really feel like he had a choice now. But he would do what he could to curb the feelings of the man before him. Now that he knew that he was here it would be much easier to see the emotions that were his and those that were not.
Although he didn't know if it was Toya speaking or not, he wanted to take revenge against Endeavor. Not in a major way, but reveal what the man had done to the world in Dabi's place.
Maybe it was because he couldn't take revenge against those that hurt Andrew. But he felt some form of bitterness toward those that hurt people like Andrew and Toya. He felt a heavy amount of sympathy for those that suffered from the unfairness of the world.
Standing up he saw the figure of Toya look back up at him and try to say something but no words came out of his mouth as he went back to crying.
"I'll be back, I promise, don't worry I will set your grief free. I cannot do it as you would want it to be done but I will make sure the crimes that hurt you do not go unpunished." Nick said as he patted the boy's head once more.
Closing his eyes he decided to focus on the world outside.
He didn't know how he knew to leave. But he did.
---
Opening his eyes again he found himself staring at the roof of a hospital room, the tiled roof white and the blue curtains having been drawn shut around his bed. The shuffling of feet was the only sound he could hear.
Looking around as he sat up he saw the curtain slowly be drawn to the side to let this person on the other side of the curtain in.
"Hey, Mum…" He said as he gave her a weak smile, he didn't know what was going on but he felt guilty about it already.
Seeing him awake she let out a sigh of relief as she went over to him and hugged him to her chest. Shaking her head as she said. "A few more days and I would be crying in relief right now… god you worry me sometimes you oaf." Her voice was fond yet tired… too tired.
"How long have I been asleep for?" he asked, it was clear enough that he had fallen asleep when he went into his soulscape. But he didn't know how much time had passed in the real world. After all, time clearly moved differently between the two worlds.
"Don't act like you've been asleep for a few years dummy, you were found passed out in front of the dorm yesterday at around noon when your classmates got back. They reported it to the teachers and brought you to the first aid office." Her voice let out a breath as she talked, sighing as if she had done it so often lately that it was becoming second nature.
Had she been this tired when he saw her at the meeting? She hadn't…
"What's up mum? Is something wrong then? Why am I in the hospital then?" If he was just asleep then he didn't know why he was brought to the hospital.
"Oh since they didn't know what was wrong they brought you here to be safe. After all your body self heals so they thought it might be something to do with your mind. Who knows what the villains must be willing to do to get rid of you…" Her voice trailed off as she leaned back into the chair. Seeing her son's worried look she added quickly, "I'm fine, just didn't sleep well." Her voice clearly tried to mask her worry.
"Is there something wrong with me that you're not telling me about or is something else happening? Because in both those cases, I want to hear what's wrong. You're clearly bothered by something." His voice was concerned as he swung his legs over the edge of the bed and faced her.
God he really needed to pee. Let's hope she didn't break down.
"Your fathers spending more and more time at the warehouse, he hasn't come home for 2 months now? You know what? Ever since you left living at home it's just felt so… empty. I'm worried about him that is all. He didn't even come when he heard his son was in trouble. It's made me a tad bit mad, to be honest. But that's not your issue. Just keep on doing well in school." Her voice gained some pep as she forced a happier tone of voice on.
Dad wasn't coming home? He guessed he never noticed because he always came home late anyway. But he hadn't seen his dad in a long long time… a long time actually.
Ever since 'the project' that he couldn't talk about he hadn't been home much, it seems that it was becoming less and less so. Almost unhealthy. Maybe he would try to drag him home. He didn't want his dad in this life to overwork himself either…
This life, he guessed Andrew was still a part of him. Memories made a person after all. Despite having burnt the part of the tree that was Andrew it seemed that he had kept his memories of his old life. At least the flashes he had seen. That was probably because he had seen them himself. That and he still knew most of the plot. After all, he as Nick had looked at it a lot when he first arrived in this world.
So it made sense.
Now wasn't the time for that! Standing up quickly he said. "Well I'm sure it's going to be alright, we can go visit his work this weekend if you want to?" Shuffling from foot to foot.
"Go to the toilet, you idiot. We can talk after." Her tone was genuinely lighter as she watched her kid.
Watching him just dismantle the bed to run through it before putting it back together she couldn't help but chuckle lightly. He really was the best thing to ever happen to her… motherly love was a wonderful thing.
---
It had been a few days since he had woken up and after calming Eijiro's and Mezo's worries he was back to the normal swing of things.
Jumping backwards he curled through the air. A wave of energy blasted towards him which he quickly blasted away by solidifying the air in front of him and using it like a fist to slam into the attack.
The shock wave caused all battlers to slide backwards. From the metal catwalks, he heard the voice of Mirio call out. "That was a shocking attack!" his voice followed by a hearty belly laugh as he looked down at his three friends.
As Nick sent a mechanical arm crashing into Tamaki's chest, deep gouges being ripped into the concrete surface as he slid back. The harsh keratin claws that had replaced his feet sliced through the concrete as he was forced back. His shell still withstood the attack as clam parts formed to fill in the breaks in his armour.
He felt like the wind had been knocked out of him. Dashing forward he took a deep breath as he focused, he needed to focus. He knew that he could have more power, hell he and Nejire had been able to make a fucking plasma cannon! That was a massive deal!
His augmentations were not bound by logic that one would normally consider. He could imagine.
'Have some confidence in your attacks, unlike me you're not bound by the realities that one would normally consider. You just need to believe you can, and you can. Remember mate, your quirk doesn't have a factor in how great you are, but you can affect how amazing your quirk is.' The words of his opponent echoed in his mind.
The peak that he so truly believed was well beyond him. Carbon black skin was doused in glowing golden threads that whipped around him like the tails of a wounded animal. Striking at any attack that came near and turning it into an attack of his own. His eyes glowed the same furious and divine gold that cracked down his body.
"Come at me with all you got. Nejire I know that you can hit me harder than that. I know I might be younger but that this is almost patronizing." His words unlike his emotions, it was clear that he was just trying to rile them up.
Oh, he would get what he fucking wanted. If all Tamaki needed was confidence he would show Nick how much he had grown and why he was off doing whatever it was that kept him from the group training sessions.
Starting the preparation he felt his flesh start to warp. He didn't know how it worked, he didn't need to though. He just had to believe it could. And it could. It would.
Manifest.
He would manifest his dreams into reality if need be. He could do it.
The concrete broke as he slammed the massive arm down into the floor. The crab-like legs dug into the ground as cracks webbed out across the already breaking floor. The look in Tamaki's eyes was one of deadly certainty. He didn't have to worry about killing Nick, but he sure as hell could hurt him.
"NOW!" He yelled out as Nick was thrown back by an especially hard attack from Nejire's arsenal.
Nick hadn't expected the sudden wave of energy to change course, it had happened so quickly almost like it was homing but the wave of power had 'waved' through the air changing its course into his back. The blast had been enough to pull his focus for a moment.
He knew that Tamaki was making something big. He didn't expect it to only take a fraction of a moment to use.
A fraction of a moment that he felt.
As Nicklaus' vision filled with an unfathomably bright yellow light, he felt his flesh starting to burn. The power was so instant that Nick had to stretch the moment into many to understand what had happened. Tamaki had made the fucking plasma cannon!
He had done it! Finally!
Laughing proud bark of sound he felt the blast impact his chest. And almost obliterate it.
---
Staring at the trail of smoke that had sailed into the sky as the very air itself had started to burn he couldn't help but hold his breath.
Where Nick had been standing was now just a smoking wreck. The already ruined Gamma gym was a complete mess as the roof had been blasted open like the exit wound of a gunshot. The sheet metal curled back.
"I think we can stop here for today. You guys have done amazing… well beyond what I ever expected." The voice Nick sounded from the smoking cloud.
As the figure of Nick stepped forward from the cloud his lithe figure wreathed in the clinging coils of destruction as he walked from them.
Smoke trailing from his Carbon black shoulders Tamaki couldn't help but have his eyes widen as he looked at Nicklaus, the boy was fine. He didn't even have a single mark of a wound on him. Golden cracks covered his chest.
"That attack was something else let me say, like it hit harder than anything I have felt so far. And I fought All Might so be proud you too." His voice filled with clear pride, the pushes he had given them both led to this masterpiece of a combo move.
"If I didn't focus on keeping myself together I would have had my upper half removed in an instant. Hell I even had to reconstruct my pants, didn't want to go all Mirio on you guys." He said with a small laugh.
"Your just embarrassed, at least I bear mine with pride!" Mirio yelled, getting over the shock from what had just happened, honestly, seeing that he felt he was falling behind his friends. That just motivated him to push harder though.
"You risked showing yourself to underage kids! That's not pride mate! THAT IS A CRIME!" Nick yelled back at Mirio, an argument they had been having ever since Mirio had fought his class and ran around without his clothes on.
"Whatever, back to you guys. Simply amazing, like brilliantly amazing you guys. As I said, that made me hold my body together and that is no light task. I can say with confidence that the attack would even give All Might something to worry about. Keep on training it and I can promise you that will be one hell of a killer move. And one that will be remembered." His smile was wide as he went over to them and patted Nejire on the head as he walked past. A simple smile was enough for Tamaki, the boy was finally coming out of his shell properly.
Hearing approaching footsteps he mouthed at Tamaki and Nejire, 'it was impressive enough for this,' just before the gym suddenly had 3 pro Heroes run into it. Cementoss, Erasurehead and Hound Dog.
Seeing Nicklaus Aizawa immediately said, "What did you do?" his voice cautious as he straightened his back a little. Clearly wondering what had happened.
"Actually, it wasn't me this time teach." Nick said, a grin plastered on his face as he motioned with his head towards the offending duo.
"This school is going to give me grey hairs,," Aizawa said while looking at a happily waving Nejire. "This is still your fault Hendrix, clean this up." He said motioning to the destroyed gym. "The principal wants to see you again, for a separate reason I suspect however." His voice was slightly amused as the entire gym fixed itself.
This generation truly had some monsters. His own class were almost catching up… it was because of Nick, he knew that much. Such amazing talent dragged out the best in everyone around it. It led to a golden generation.
A golden generation guided by such an intense light. Such an intense light it was almost unfathomable at times.
Looking at Nicklaus as Mirio jumped down and harmlessly fell onto the floor without his clothes only to pop up again slowly enough that he didn't launch into the air. A classic way to cancel fall damage he guess.
Watching the two bicker as Nick made clothes around him he couldn't help but shake his head. Over the last few days, Nick had seemed more… real.
=======
Thanks for all the support so far! Managed to get a chapter out today so yay for me! Also I think I am going to do a Jujitsu Kaisen fanfic next. I'd have to actually read the manga since I have only seen the anime but I loved it!
Reviews and comments are always welcome! Let me know how I am doing!