"I'll be working late tonight," Inko informed her son as she packed her purse. "Make sure you're back before sundown and lock the doors." She instructed.
"Got it, Mom," Izuku answered, as he also prepared himself. Maybe he'd stop and see if there were any interesting books to read, or any new magazines or hero merch available. He needed something to take his mind off recent events. He was also feeling cooped up for the past few days. It was time to get some fresh air and hopefully, he could also figure out what to do next, both concerning schooling and his future going forward.
For the past few days, they had been going back and forth with what school he should transfer to. In the end, they decided to wait for a short bit. His plan was simply to see what school Bakugo chose and make sure his choice was on the other side of town.
Considering Bakugo was being treated by some of the best doctors, no small part thanks to All Might, though Izuku couldn't mention that out loud as his mom had told him it in secret after Bakugo's mom told her. Although in hindsight it could also be a good story to help take the heat off All Might. While Izuku didn't doubt his hero's intentions, the media had not been kind following the Herrscher fiasco.
Izuku had tried to forget about his encounter with the Herrscher, but he just couldn't. It was hard when she seemed to be the talk of the town. He understood why, but that didn't mean he enjoyed seeing her face appearing on every news outlet on the web. He could have sworn that the images were now looking at him and Izuku was sure he had heard her voice laughing in his head now and then.
It was troubling for the young boy. The villain had only met him once, but she had left quite an impression, even more so than the slime villain. The Herrscher hadn't tried to kill him, quite ironically she hadn't even hurt him. She scared him but that was it.
She didn't do more than spout her creepy and frightening threats. So why was she still haunting him, when the villain who had nearly suffocated and choked him didn't? Maybe it was because she was a pretty girl.
Izuku shook his head trying to remove those thoughts. The Herrscher was a villain, he shouldn't be thinking like that. Yet for some reason, Izuku was dreaming about her. Dreaming about her being in his house, eating in his room, lying down on his bed, bathing in his shower. Most unsettling of all, he had dreamt the Herrscher standing by his mother's bed, with a knife in hand. It…. terrified him, how frequently she was appearing in his dreams.
Her words still echoed to him. "Your body, mind, soul, they are all mine now." She had told him. He had thought she was being dramatic, but the way she appeared in his dreams.
It was so vivid.
Elsewhere….
"This is a nice change of pace, isn't it?" Recovery girl smiled as she looked around the area. She and her patient were currently relaxing on a bench, just outside her office, enjoying the fresh air outside.
"When you said I was ready to leave my bed, I didn't think you meant to come and sit around." Yagi sighed as he leaned back. "I thought you'd clear me to get back to work."
"Oh please, you've been working non-stop." Recovery Girl scolded.
"Not true, I didn't leave the ward until today." Yagi defended. The response he received was a light tap on the head with the elder lady's cane.
"That may be true, but you haven't exactly been resting," Chiyo noted with a sigh. It was to be expected, how else would All Might be the number one hero if he didn't work diligently? That said, he needed to learn more self-control. "You've been going over any lead, report, or news footage you could get your hands on." She grumbled. "Rather than working your body, you're over-taxing your mind."
"It was just light reading." All Might defended.
"Yagi," Chiyo warned. "If you overexert yourself, you'll recover even slower. Besides you should leave all the research stuff to the others." She warned.
"Come on, Chiyo, you know how it is. I can't just sit still and do nothing." Yagi complained.
"Resting isn't doing nothing." The nurse pointed out. "As it stands you're still the strongest hero around. Ensuring you are healthy and ready to go, is a must."
"Yes, I know."
"Then stop being difficult and relax, take in the sights, get some fresh air." Chiyo scolded. "You won't be a hero forever. One day you'll retire, and when you do, you'll need to learn to relax." She pointed out.
"I see…so that's what this is about. Nighteye put you up to this." All Might accused. "He wants you to convince me to retire and choose a successor."
"He tried but I told him no." Chiyo dismissed. "You'll retire when you either can't keep up mentally or you physically can't keep going. As for a successor, while I don't doubt Nighteye's judgment, I know very well that a successor is someone who you will personally want to choose."
"I've considered retirement myself." Recovery girl noted. "However I much like you, am very strict. I don't just want someone who has the same qualifications, or a good healing quirk. I want to know that they truly share and hold my values. The one who comes after me must not only understand what I did but also why. They don't need to be the Second Recovery Girl, but they just need to embody the same ideals."
"Well, it's nice to know someone gets me." All Might chuckled.
"Oh, believe me, we all understand you," Chiyo admitted. "It's just we worry that you'll do something reckless and get yourself hurt or worse. Nighteye in particular wouldn't have been this eager if you didn't crawl out of your hospital bed, and go rushing to work while still injured."
However just as they were talking, Recovery girl's phone went off. Without hesitation, the pro hero took it out and checked. "Oh my." She gasped.
There was a major villain attack on the other side of the city. Numerous pros had already mobilized to go and solve it. Upon relaying the information, All Might was ready to bulk and leap across town, but Recovery Girl stopped him.
"They've got this." Recovery Girl told him. She sincerely hoped it was true. She knew All Might was always the number one choice, but you had to leave it to others at times.
"Fine." All Might grumbled. "But if it escalates, you let me go."
"Fine," Chiyo noted. He'd leave either way, there was no use in arguing, he was a hero after all. She just hoped it didn't reach that point.
Izuku felt dazed. He had finished up most of his errands for his mom and was just grabbing a bite to eat at a café. The next thing he knew a car had been flung through the window. He coughed as dust was thrown up everywhere. People were panicking and screaming outside. A lot of people were already leaving the café and joining the masses in panic. It was….
"Amusing."
No, not amusing, it was horrible. Izuku shook his head. He hurried to leave as well, however, when he was at the door he heard something. Something he couldn't refuse.
"Help me." A kid called. Izuku's eyes widened as he looked back. A kid had gotten stuck under some nearby rubble. Instinctively he rushed to aid the kid.
"Don't worry. I'm here." He told the kid as he hurried back to help them. He hurriedly started to dig through the rubble. Much to his relief, the kid hadn't been seriously hurt and he was able to clear everything away easily.
He could have sworn he heard someone scoff at this. Izuku didn't mind. Taking the kid up in his arms, Izuku was about to run to the exit when he heard a cracking. He froze looking around while he tried to identify the sound and that's when he noticed it.
"Oh no," he muttered as he saw the cracks begin to form in the ceiling. It didn't take a genius to figure out what was going to happen next. Rushing forward Izuku used all the strength he had and threw the kid out of the window. The child may get some bruises but that was better than….
The ceiling collapsed.
Izuku wasn't fast enough and he found himself buried under the rubble, not unlike the child from earlier. This was far more than before, and Izuku could only look in horror as he was trapped in the darkness, alone and with it crushing him slowly. He prayed and hoped whatever Hero was out there that they would come, and save him before it was too late.
He was scared. He didn't want to die. Yet at this point, that was all he could expect with the pain he felt. His body was squashed under the concreted. His bones and organs were being compressed against his will. Well…at least he did some good. He'd die helping a kid, that must have counted for something right.
"That's your dying thought?" A familiar voice echoed in his mind. Izuku blinked in the darkness as two familiar glowing golden eyes appeared before him. "Seriously?"
"Wait a second…Herrscher of the Void?" Izuku realized. What is she doing here?
"Watching the life slowly leave your body." She answered. "I must say it was far more disappointing than I thought it would be. You're dying and the only thing you can think of is how you saved that insect." She told him. "Pathetic."
Izuku didn't say anything, too dumbfounded by her response and her behavior. It disturbed him how casual she was about his imminent death and how dismissive she was of his actions. Surprisingly though he hadn't anticipated what her next few words would be.
"Nevertheless, you'll have ample time to reconsider your dying words when I get us out here." She informed.
Wait…that can't be right. Did she say she was getting him out of there? Why would she do that?
"I told you Izuku. You're my host. Your body is mine. Ergo it is in my best interest to keep it alive, so that I may also remain alive." She explained.
"Wait…you were…you were serious about that!"
"I swear, you're a bigger Idiotka than Kiana ever was." The Herrscher muttered under her breath. "You know what, let me, not waste my breath. I'll just show you instead." The Herrscher announced.
"Show me wha-.." Izuku stopped mid-sentence as his body…from what little he could feel frozen in place. He had been immobilized before…but now he couldn't move at all. He couldn't feel his fingers, his toes, even his tongue and eyes weren't obeying them.
Suddenly Izuku felt his body move once more. No, moving was not the correct word. It was more like…something was happening to him. He could feel his body begin to grow, and shift, parts of himself seemingly conforming and moving, shifting the rubble around him.
"Much better." The Herrscher commented. Before Izuku knew what was going on, he felt the floor suddenly disappear beneath him as he was pushed down by the rubble, a bright light suddenly enveloping his view as he found himself staggering forward. He was lying down right…then why was he now standing up?
Wait…
Izuku looked forward, he could only look forward but he could recognize it enough. He was on the roof. He was on the roof opposite the café. He could hear the people screaming and running, he could hear everything.
He was outside. He was saved. A hero had saved him.
"It's surprising how naïve you are," Izuku spoke. No…that wasn't right. Izuku didn't say that. That wasn't his voice. Yet he felt it, he felt his lips move, no that's not it. It wasn't his lips, they were on his face, he could feel them, but they weren't his, they were foreign.
His whole body felt foreign to him. Then it clicked on him. Izuku felt his…no the Herrscher's lips begin to curl into a smile. "Finally." She chuckled. He finally realized the situation.