"Here we are," Void said as she touched the memory. The world around them rippled as it transformed from the messy plane of the mindscape, into a more organized area. The duo was back in the city, a copy of Void was to their left and Endeavor was to the right. "This is where he betrayed us," She explained.
Drifter glanced at the scene before with skeptical eyes. She watched as the fight played out as it did. Endeavor blindsided them, Void noticed then she engaged. The fight between them escalated and Endeavor's sidekick soon appeared. Then finally the copy had enough. Endeavor and his sidekick were pressed on the ground and Void had summoned numerous lances, all of them ready to strike.
Yet when she launched them.
"GAH!" the copy screamed, clutching her head. The lances all glitched out of existence.
"I had them right where I wanted them, and he stopped me," Void explained to Drifter who simply stared at the scene before her. "But that wasn't the end..." She hissed.
The scene continued to play out. While the copy was distracted, Endeavour stood up and then channeled all his power. "PROMINENCE BURN!"
The copy summoned a portal to redirect the flames…however, the portal fizzled out. The Herrscher was exposed to the full brunt of the attack. Drifter winced as she saw the now charred Herrscher fall to the ground.
"See," Void spoke as she looked at her charred body. She rubbed her arms subconsciously trying to soothe whatever memories came with it. "It was his fault."
Drifter sighed at the sight of it. "I don't blame you for hating him for this." She admitted. It was not good to expect anyone who suffered to be open to the one who caused it. Still….
"It was an accident," Drifter told her.
"An accident….AN ACCIDENT!" Void growled as she walked up to Drifter, yelling straight in her face. "HOW IS THIS AN ACCIDENT?"
"He didn't want me to hurt the heroes, so he let me get hurt instead." She added.
Drifter didn't flinch at her words. She merely turned around and looked back at the memory. "You never told him how he affected your powers," Drifter explained. Void's eyes widened slightly before she turned to look back at the memory. "Every time his emotions and desires tried to affect you, you played it off and pretended they didn't. As far as he knows…you gave him an illusion that nothing he did could affect you and you would only act because he…. convinced you," Drifter explained.
"So…" was all Void could say. "He still picked them over me. They attacked me first. I saved those people at his behest and then got ambushed by them." She added. "He should have had my back, especially since I was only out because he wanted me to help," She argued.
"I won't deny that," Drifter told her. "He should have had your back, but you forced his hand just the same,"
"Oh please, because I was going to beat those heroes,"Void scoffed. It was just like Kiana all over again. Void wanted to kill the organizations that had hurt Sirin and enabled Babylon, with their Valks and whatnot, and Kiana didn't because she had been brainwashed and allied with them.
"No…because of this," Drifter said as she brought back up the section with Void preparing the lances. "Look closer and tell me…who else is here," Drifter spoke.
Void glanced around noticing Endeavor and his sidekick and the other heroes. "The Heroes…" She answered.
"Look closer," Drifter said. "Who's standing behind them?"
Void starred once more. She furrowed her brows when she saw it. "Humans," Void whispered.
"What?" Drifter asked. "I didn't hear you."
"I said HUMANS," Void answered.
"Innocent humans, humans who had nothing to do with your fight," Drifter pointed out.
"They shouldn't have been there watching in the first place." Void retorted. "They should have just left."
"You're right. It was foolish of them, but as it stands not everyone could leave right away, with how much destruction had been caused around the area." Drifter argued.
"Your point…he still picked them over me,"
"No…he picked her." Drifter pointed out as the memory showed one person in particular standing amongst the crowd. It was Inko, Izuku's mom. "She was still in the area," Drifter noted. "She was still within range." She whispered to Void.
"I wouldn't have hit her." Void tried to defend.
"Are you sure about that?" Drifter asked. She snapped her fingers and the scene reappeared with the lances once more. This time instead of glitching out of existence, the lances were allowed to fire. The entire field was littered with them after. "Are you sure you can guess and control where dozens of your lances will go, especially when you were so emotional?" Drifter asked once more.
The two gazed over at where the lances had struck. Before them lay Inko impaled in her stomach. Just above her was another Inko, impaled in her back. The left and right were two more impaled on either side. All around the initial standing point were different Inko Midoriya impaled with Void's lances in different locations.
"Even if you ignore…every other human or hero," Drifter whispered. "His mom was still in the range of your attack. So, tell me…what was he supposed to do."
"He was…." Void started but she couldn't bring herself to finish it. She knew what she wanted to say but she also knew…despite everything it was not the right answer.
"Go on…say it," Drifter told her.
"Why does it matter to you?" Void asked.
"It doesn't, but it matters to you." Drifter motioned. "You are the Herrscher of the Void, the big bad Queen of the Honkai, the Destroyer of Humanity," Drifter said. "Something as easy as this sentence should be no problem for you."
"You know the answer," Void said.
"Perhaps…but I just want to be sure," Drifter said. "After all…I could be wrong. You are the embodiment of trauma, the manifestation of pain and suffering, the desire for revenge. The one who will avenge Sirin's loss." Drifter continued. "You are a being who only knows anger, hatred, and sadness….that is all you act on…right?"
"It…it is…." Void told her but her voice was weaker.
"Then what was Izuku supposed to do? What was he supposed to do when he saw his mom in the blast range? What was he supposed to feel when he saw the most important woman in his life have her own life threatened?" Drifter asked. "Come on….Herrscher…what is the answer a being who only knows pain, loss, and suffering, can give?" Drifter said as her eyes glowed neon blue as she stared directly into the Herrscher's eyes.
"He should have saved her…no matter the cost," Void relented. It's what she would do if it were her mother. The loss of Sirin's mother, the pain felt from that emptiness left behind. Void knew it well. Cecilia left a similar hole…as did Himeko.
"See…you knew the answer deep down," Drifter smiled as her eyes dimmed. "Doesn't it feel better to admit it now?" Drifter asked as she glanced at her other half.
"No…no it doesn't," Void told her. "In fact, I feel even worse now." She admitted as she shivered.
"That's guilt," Drifter told her.
"What?" Void gasped. "Why would I be guilty?"
"Do I really need to tell you?" Drifter deadpanned.
"No," Void admitted. She had gotten angry that Izuku had hurt her and used his heroism and idealism as an excuse. In reality, he had just been trying to protect his mom, and she had no rational reason to be angry with him. She knew what Inko meant to him, and how hurt he would be if he lost her. If Void was in position, she knew she'd do the same.
"Just go kiss and makeup," Drifter told her other half. Void didn't dignify a response, merely fading out as she headed back into the real world. Drifter stared where the Herrscher had been a soft smile on her face.
"Now you're starting to accept…that you are more than just Sirin's desire for revenge,"
"No civilians are allowed," A young man spoke up as he blocked the doorway. All Might glanced at the individual taking note of the tired expression on his face. "I'm a friend," He told the boy as he waved him over.
"That's what they all say," The boy told him. All Might let out a soft chuckle as he glanced the boy over. He definitely was his father's son. The pro hero glanced around making sure none of the cameras were on him or at least not his whole body. He shifted his form briefly going from his small skeletal form to the buff All Might form the public knew before shifting back. "All Might," the boy gasped.
"Believe me now…Young Todoroki," All Might told the boy.
The boy, Shoto, if All Might recalled correctly glanced to the side. He moved out of the doorway to let him pass. "Thank you," He told the young man as he walked inside.
"He's not responsive," Shoto whispered under his breath.
"I see," All Might mused. "Thanks for telling me," All Might told him as he entered the room and closed the door behind him.
Shoto scoffed as the door closed. Still, curiosity got the better of him. So he sat a little closer and maybe pressed his ears a little close against the door.
"Oh bother, where do I begin?" All Might wondered as he sat in the chair near his former classmate. "I'd suppose it would be good to ask how you've been…but considering the circumstances….I doubt any response would be pleasant." He mused.
All Might sighed…maybe he could have said it better. "Look I just wanted to let you know that for what it's worth a lot of people…your fans, your friends, and your family and I…they still believe you'll wake up," He told Endeavor. "You're too stubborn to die." He chuckled.
Still….
"Of course when you do wake up that will be another story," All Might admitted. "I never told you this but after my big fight a couple of years ago, things weren't always the same with me. It seems like you also had your own big fight with the Herrscher, so just so you know…if you want to talk…" All Might scratched the back of his head.
"Yeah…good talk," All Might said. "Look I know things haven't exactly been good with your family. First Toya and then Rei, I can't imagine having hard it must have been to handle that and be a hero. So…I'll make you a promise. I'll look after the kids for you…or at least keep an eye out for them. I heard your son is applying for UA, I'm going to be a teacher there soon so you know. I mean I won't play favorites of course that wouldn't be right but…..just wake up soon Enji." All Might said.
With nothing else left to say, All Might left the room. On his way out he found the young Todoroki boy sitting by the door trying his best not to look like he had been eavesdropping. He merely smiled at the boy's naivety before patting him on the head.
"How much did you hear?" He asked Shoto.
"Most of it," Shoto answered, hiding his embarrassment at being caught. "Nothing slips past a pro I guess."
"I've had to learn to keep my fair share of secrets away from prying eyes and ears." All Might told him.
"Like that injury," Shoto wondered.
"Yup…like that injury," All Might said as he lifted his shirt slightly to show Shoto the scar before dropping it back down. "Hero work isn't all the media portrays it. The danger is real and the price we pay is also a big part of it."
"It's hard to see it. Sometimes I swear all some heroes even look for is the "glory", regardless of what damage it does to themselves or others." Shoto answered.
"Yeah…it's an unfortunate reality for us," All Might answered grimly. "Nevertheless we should always try to do what we can to make it better," He told the young boy.
"Yeah…" Shoto answered.
There was a moment of silence between the two. All Might never felt so awkward before in his life. He was unsure what to say to the son of his former classmate.
"I'm sorry about your father," All Might told him after much deliberation on his words.
"He had it coming," Shoto muttered under his breath much to the hero's surprise.
"What?"
"Nothing," Shoto quickly corrected. "I was just thinking about how reckless it was. The Herrscher didn't seem like a threat at the time and he went and escalated things with a strike from behind." Shoto explained. "Isn't rule number 1, never escalate the situation?"
"It is. Always try to de-escalate, talk it down if you can, especially if you aren't in control." All Might explained. "Alas, it's probably the one rule we break more than anything else." All Might admitted. He knew very well he wouldn't even entertain the idea of negotiating when faced with some monsters, especially if he had no incentives like innocent civilians to keep him at bay.
"At least you can admit it," Shoto told him.
"Yeah…I'm going to be going now, I still have some more places to check," All Might said. "You know how it is,"
"Yeah," Shoto told him. "I know,"
Before he left he reached into his pocket and pulled out a card. "Look I meant what I said, if you ever do need anything, anyone to talk to or whatnot, I'm always a phone call away," All Might said as he handed Shoto his card.
"I'll keep it in mind," Shoto said as he put the card away.
"Oh…one more thing, about the celebration tomorrow," All Might noted.
"I'm not going," Shoto told him. "That 'memorial' or whatever they are calling it is nothing worth our time. It's a tribute to Endeavor but it doesn't really seem like something he would attend. Knowing him, he'd probably send Burning or someone else while he actually did other hero work," Shoto noted. "I think Fuyumi might be more interested in attending than me," He added.
"Oh, well…I uh, I was going to say I might not be attending either," All Might laughed nervously.
"Oh…." Shoto answered sheepishly.
Izuku sighed as he started to clean up his room. It wasn't that messy but it was still far less than ideal after Bakugo was here. The rest of the night had been uneventful. His mom and Mitsuki chatted, he and Katsuki didn't and that was it. Katsuki didn't bother him after which he was grateful. He doubted it would last.
Still….
It was a start.
He glanced at the bats he owned. Reaching for the one he had used against Bakugo, Izuku took it out and examined it. It hadn't been damaged much to his relief, nor was there any blood on it, unlike the one from that dream he had. He glanced at the mirror looking at himself as he held the bat. Feeling a little cheeky he held out the bat and gave it some practice swings.
"Ha," He swung. He envisioned the monsters coming as he did and smiled as he swatted them away. He imagined villains coming and Bakugo, as he swung the bat against them to defend any people being attacked.
After a few rounds of playing, he glanced at the bat once more. A soft smile graced his face as he remembered the friend who taught him all the techniques he needed to use.
Suddenly something moved in the corner of his eyes. He looked up at the mirror seeing his reflection once more, only this time it looked like his eyes were Void's. He blinked in disbelief. That's when his reflection changed completely. Before him was none other than the Herrscher.
"Void?" Izuku gasped. She glanced at him with a sad smile, her eyes no longer empty and cold as before. He ran up to meet her, only as he did the person in the mirror morphed back into his reflection. "Void?" He repeated weakly. Was she not just here?
"No…she probably wasn't." He thought dejectedly as he placed the bat back where it belonged and headed to bed. Closing his eyes he tried to focus on returning to the mindscape once more. However he didn't return there, instead, he merely fell asleep, his mind simply falling into the realm of dreams.
Once she was certain Izuku was asleep, the Herrscher manifested herself right beside him. She floated around glancing at the sleeping boy with uncertainty across her face. A hand stretched out to caress her host but she froze not knowing if she should. Sighing to herself the Herrscher didn't make contact with her host, instead fading back into her little corner in his head.
"Back so soon," Drifter noted as she approached the Herrscher. "I presume everything went well,"
"Yeah…everything went swell," Void answered.
"Don't lie to me, you can't lie to yourself Herrscher," Drifter told her aggressive side. "What happened?"
"I was there…I was right there. I had appeared before him for a few seconds and then as I floated there, I didn't know what to do." Void explained. "All I knew was that in the moment….I didn't want to be there." She told Drifter as she paced back and forth.
"Come now, all you gotta do is apologize," Drifter said. "Tell him you overreacted, that in the heat of the moment, you acted irrationally," She continued.
"Tell him…that you were wrong,"
"Wrong…I'm never wrong," Void defended. "I've never been wrong," She added.
"Well there is a first time for everything," Drifter added. "Think of it this way, you were wrong, and you're owning up to it, that's more than most humans will ever do," She tried to appease the Herrscher.
"That's not the issue," Void told her.
"Hmph….what is the issue then?" Drifter asked. "You know what you need to do. You know he misses you and he wants to apologize and earn your forgiveness. What's the challenge now?" Drifter questioned. "What's so wrong in admitting you made a mistake?"
"EVERYTHING!" Void snapped at the other girl. "Everything's wrong with it!" Void told her. "Everything is wrong with it." Her voice whispered weakly.
"In all my existence I have never once doubted myself or my purpose." The Herrscher told Drifter. "It's always been so clear to me. This is what I must do. Every decision I made, I was sure was correct for me, Sirin, and even Kiana." She told Drifter. "Yet now…I'm not so sure,"
"If I was wrong about this…then what else could I be wrong about?" Void wondered.
"I don't think I can answer that without sounding biased," Drifter sighed.
"Gee…that's really helpful," Void snarked.
"Look Herrscher, I don't know if you noticed, but that boy considers you a friend, not to mention his mother also has come to care for you. If you want, you can ignore and throw it all away because of your pride, and a heartless, lonely girl whose only purpose is to bring destruction for the Honkai….or you can put it aside…and have something beyond just the hatred, grief, and trauma Sirin left you." Drifter told her. "It's your choice. Figure out what you want more,"
This time Drifter was the one to leave. She offered all she could to Void and was now annoyed more than anything at the other half's indecisiveness.
"You better have a good excuse for what happened back there," Re-Destro growled through the phone. Overhaul merely rolled his eyes as he looked over the footage of the Herrshcer's fight with the Trigger-enhanced villain, taking notes of what had transpired.
"I don't," Overhaul lied. "Perhaps his quirk didn't agree with Trigger, or perhaps fighting the Herrscher had some sort of side effect," Overhaul explained.
"Do you think you can trick me by blaming the Herrscher," Re-Destro questioned. "You made a bad batch and now one of my followers has lost his quirk. Given your views on quirks….." He trailed off.
"Yet you still thought it fit to hire me to make drugs for your followers to use, even paid me to do so," Overhaul mocked. "Do you really think I would bite the hand that's feeding me?" He questioned.
Re-Destro didn't say anything to respond. Overhaul smirked as he continued to speak noting how he had gotten the man's attention. "Listen Re-Destro, I didn't do it, and whether you believe me or not, I don't care. If you don't want me making Trigger then find another supplier." Overhaul informed. "You'll still run into the same problem regardless,"
"Is that so?" Re-Destro questioned.
"Yes," Overhaul told him. "After all if you continue to have people operate in that area, they'll eventually be dealing with the Herrscher and the infection she brings." Overhaul explained.
"Come again,"
"In case you haven't noticed, the first outing of the Herrscher left Dagobah Beach irradiated, with a strange substance that's been dubbed the Honkai. The Honkai 1st Impact has left that place uninhabitable by most, making many people sick and even spawning strange beasts in its wake. As someone with territory there, I made it my mission to learn more about it." Overhaul explained. "Honkai and quirks don't mix," Overhaul added. "It destroys quirks."
"I see," Re-Destro noted. "And you don't have plans in mind with this Honkai substance,"
"As powerful as it is, it runs the risk of destroying the very territory I seek to control. I don't about you, but I'd never risk using something I can't control."
"There was a Second minor Eruption of Honkai not that long ago by the Herrscher with Endeavor. Though the place is less irradiated, I wouldn't rule it out as being any less dangerous." Overhaul noted. "I can sense you still doubt me, but I'd advise you to look into all the cases around the city with Honkai corrupted victims and tell me if you don't see similarities between them and your fallen follower," Overhaul chided.
"I'll make sure I look into it then," Re-Destro spoke. "But I'd advise you Chisaki, you are still on thin ice. If I find out you've been playing me,"
"You'll kill me, destroy the Shie Hassaki, make the Yakuza go extinct," Overhaul listed off. "Yeah, I know, now go do your homework, I've got my own problems to worry about," The Yakuza leader said as he hung up the phone.
"Moron," Overhaul was finally able to say as he turned back to his research. The experiment was a success. Honkai could remove quirks even when used with enhancers like Trigger. He was skeptical at first, wondering if the Trigger would counter it, and testing on his own was not a wise idea given the potential chance of the user going rouge and destroying his territory but it seems like it was all for naught. Honkai still won in the end.
With this result at hand, Overhaul was in a rather pleasant mode as he left his lab. Destro was on a wild ghost chase, no doubt going after the Herrscher. Overhaul expected she'd either wipe him out or be back into a corner enough to cause a 3rd Eruption, either way, he'd benefit by getting more material to work it or removing a nuisance to his plans.
Not long after he arrived at Eri's bedroom. He knocked on the door of his 'special' helper. "Oh Eri," He called.
He heard her shuffling inside as she came and opened the door. "Yes," She greeted. "Is it time to help you?" She asked weakly as she rubbed her arms.
"No Eri," Overhaul told her. "I've had a change of plans. I'll be doing some other work tomorrow." He informed. "So you'll have tomorrow off," He told her as he patted her head.
"Oh okay," Eri answered.
"Good, you're dismissed." Overhaul told the girl as he turned to leave. Eri nodded as she closed the door. The Yakuza leader yawned, maybe he should get some rest as well, he thought as he turned and walked back through the hall. The guard returned to their posts as he left and made his way back to his own room.
However unbeknownst to Overhaul….
"So are you ready to resume our tea party?" Eri asked the little white creature that was hovering by her bed. The creature merely nodded its head as she poured out more pretend tea for it. "Here you go," Eri smiled.
"Izuku, we need to talk,"