Toga gently embraced Kimika, softly stroking her back like a child, trying to comfort her and understand what could have upset her so much in the few minutes she had been away.
Her gaze accidentally fell on the bound Nezu — the only one, besides the three of them, who was in the theater. She immediately noticed a faint smile on his face, almost self-satisfied, as if he was enjoying what was happening, and that instantly made her realize: this was the reason for Kimika's tears.
An inner rage flared up, and Toga barely held herself back from attacking him right then and there. But she had to control herself. Nezu was needed alive and unharmed for their mission.
Though it was an incredibly strange but important condition set by the League of Villains. Despite her own emotions, she forced herself to calm down so as not to ruin their efforts. "What did he say to you?"
Kimika, breathing heavily, tried to hold back her tears, and barely managing to speak, she replied. "He… we were talking about our rehabilitation… Toga, you… we can get through it…"
"What? Rehabilitation?" – Toga was initially surprised, then nervously laughed. "Haha, this is just unbelievable… Sorry, but it's a bit... of a bad idea, Kimi. There's nothing for free in this world. You don't think he'll just let us go after this, do you? No, my little naive girl. They'll make us heroes and work for them from morning to night. Because if not, what's in it for them to help us?"
"That's not entirely true," – interjected Nezu, his voice calm and confident.
Toga immediately gritted her teeth, her fists clenched in tension, and anger flared in her eyes. She shot him a look that clearly said: "Shut up while I'm still being patient."
But Nezu seemed completely unfazed by her warning. Instead, he simply smiled, and his gaze exuded calm, which only fueled Toga's anger even more.
"It's not what you think," – Nezu said calmly, continuing to ignore Toga's growing furious stare. "As experienced criminals, you'll be able to teach our students how to act in the real world, where not everything happens according to the rules we teach them. Your knowledge and experience will be invaluable to them."
He paused, as if expecting his words to spark interest. "But that's all. I won't demand that you work as heroes 'from morning to night.' All I'm asking is for you to become students and help your classmates with your knowledge."
Toga, unable to contain her anger, sharply turned to Nezu, her eyes burning with fury. "And how long will this 'education' of yours last? How long do we have to play 'students'?"
Nezu simply smiled again, as if he had been expecting such a question for a long time. "Four years," – he answered in a steady, calm voice. "You'll join a group of students and study alongside them. And when you 'graduate,' just like everyone else, you will be completely free. Free enough to move to another country or simply enjoy life, walking the streets without fear. You'll start fresh. However, if you decide to return to a life of crime, remember this: if you get caught again, there will be no talk of rehabilitation."
He noticed how Toga, and especially Kimika, started to listen closely to every word he said. A faint gleam appeared in his eyes, and he felt a sense of satisfaction from their reaction.
He could tell that soon they would agree, and the heroes wouldn't have to intervene in the situation.
"You will be regular students, learning to become heroes. Yes, you'll be required to study everything the other students do, at least at a minimum level, and attend all classes. But the rest of your time, outside of lessons, will be yours to use as you wish. I'll even give you money, and if you like, you can leave the academy grounds, stroll through the city, and spend time together. But of course, there will be some restrictions."
He paused, watching their reactions.
"Don't worry, the restrictions are just a few rules and a GPS bracelet so we can know where you are. And that's it, nothing more. The rules are simple, just like for the other students: obey the teachers, don't kill or maim anyone. And for good behavior and grades, you'll even get something like rewards."
Once he finished, he saw how both girls began to doubt even more, leaning toward agreeing. All of his conditions were framed in a way that made them seem absolutely simple and perfect for them. Though he had lied, as there were a few additional conditions and rules he hadn't mentioned, but they would find out about those once they got to the academy.
Toga stood frozen, as if turned to stone, not knowing what to say. The conditions were incredibly good: they were allowed to be together, they were given money, and they didn't have to become heroes after all this circus. But still, questions swirled in Toga's mind, and she couldn't understand why they were offering this. They could simply run away, and no one would catch them.
"We refuse your rehabilitation! We don't need it, and I'm deciding not just for myself, but for Kimika as well!" She looked at Nezu, completely confident in her choice, made both for herself and for her friend.
Kimika wanted to argue, but the words caught in her throat. She couldn't understand why Toga was so adamantly refusing this offer. All the terms seemed great: simple, clear, and even more beneficial for both of them than for Nezu himself.
Nezu also couldn't understand it. Sensing that his perfect plan was beginning to fall apart, he asked, with a hint of surprise and disappointment, "Why... why...why are you refusing? This is a chance for you and Kimika to start a new life from scratch!"
Toga didn't answer right away. She simply smiled, grabbed Kimika's hand, and, without stopping, led her toward the stage. Looking at the shocked Nezu, something appeared in her eyes that could not be called anger or doubt, only certainty. The feeling that she had made her decision irrevocably.
"Watch our little show and find out the answer," Toga added with a cold smile, as if she no longer had any doubts about the choice she had made.
Kimika, still bewildered, couldn't understand what was happening. She couldn't comprehend the reasons for the refusal, as the conditions seemed so good that they were impossible to reject. Doubts swirled in her heart, and despite Toga's confidence, she couldn't understand why they should turn down such an opportunity that she had so badly wanted.
Toga, carefully watching Kimika, smiled and almost bounced with excitement as she said, "Kimika, did you forget something? Everything's going smoothly, so… I have one wish I can make, right? And my wish is… drumroll… a tango dance!"
Toga, ignoring all of Kimika's doubts, took her by the hand and said firmly, "I don't care that you can't dance. I'll lead, and you just have to trust me, my little one."
She squeezed Kimika's hand even tighter, completely disregarding her doubts, and with a slight smile, began to lead the dance. Her movements were clear and confident, with a blush on her face that only emphasized her certainty and dominance.
Each step Toga took was aggressive and sharp, her movements precise like strikes, and every gesture commanding, as if she were leading not only the dance but everything happening around them. She wasn't just guiding Kimika in the dance; she was guiding her toward a decision that was so crucial. Kimika, as always, trusted Toga, feeling that this was the only right path.
She didn't know how to dance, but allowed herself to surrender to her friend's lead, feeling how her heart, like a mechanism, began to beat in sync with every move Toga made.
The dance grew increasingly passionate, the movements sharp yet filled with emotion. Every turn, every gesture from Toga pulled Kimika out of her doubts, and she began to surrender to the energy that, for a few moments, pushed all questions and hesitation aside. She felt a powerful, unpredictable energy building between them, intensifying with every passing second.
When Toga leaned in toward Kimika, everything around them seemed to freeze. Their faces were so close that Kimika could feel the warmth of her body and breath. All the tension, all the emotional intensity of the dance reached its peak, and despite the lingering doubts, Kimika could no longer hold herself back.
In that moment, in the silence, a kiss blossomed between them — a deep, passionate kiss that needed no words. It was a kiss that spoke of trust, of the strength of their bond, and the readiness to stand by each other, as always.
The dance ended, but the charge of emotions between them remained. Their bodies slowly parted, yet their hearts still beat in the same rhythm. Kimika realized that Toga was there — always by her side, the one she could trust.
She no longer needed anything else. And even though she had once thought about starting fresh, apologizing to her family, those thoughts gradually faded into the background when Toga took center stage — the one who had always been by her side, supporting her. Toga had become her support, her hope, and in that moment, Kimika realized that the most important thing was that they had each other. Apologies to her family became less significant when Toga was there, the one with whom she could feel true confidence, safety, and complete trust.
Toga saw how Kimika's face changed, how doubts and uncertainty disappeared, leaving only absolute certainty. In that moment, Toga understood that she had finally become the most important person to Kimika, surpassing even her family.
This was what she had longed for—to be the one Kimika would turn to first, to be the one she would trust completely, without questions or doubts. And now, as that moment had arrived, Toga felt like she was on top, having everything she needed: the unwavering loyalty that could not be broken.
However, this moment of absolute trust between Toga and Kimika was suddenly interrupted by Nezu's voice. "This is some amazing teamwork. You truly have incredible trust in each other... Your relationship... is quite extraordinary. I'd even applaud... well, if I weren't tied up."
With each step they took, Nezu realized that the bond between them was stronger than any of his conditions or proposals. He saw how Kimika's doubts slowly faded and how, in the end, she fully accepted Toga's choice, even if it meant never seeing her family again.
Although Nezu had the urge to praise them, he couldn't bring himself to do so, and disappointment reflected in his eyes. It became clear to him that his plan had failed — Toga and Kimika had chosen their path, and he simply had no words to change that.
Toga merely hummed, watching Nezu's facial expression, where she could clearly see his disappointment. This sight couldn't help but please her — what could be better than seeing the calm expression of the most intelligent being on the planet lose its flawless serenity?
With a smile on her face, she grabbed her phone and called Kurogiri again, but, as before, he didn't answer. The calls didn't stop, and with each new attempt, her frustration only grew.
"How can they ignore our call?" she hissed through her teeth, unable to believe this was happening. "We're doing their job, and they're too lazy to pick up a simple phone call?"
Toga paced nervously back and forth, dialing the number again and again, only to hear silence on the other end each time. And suddenly, as she raised the phone to her ear once more, she noticed the smile on Nezu's face. He was watching her frustration with a strange, barely perceptible, satisfied grin.
"Well, if the good way didn't work…" Nezu said, barely hiding his joy. "I suppose it's time to try the bad 'Demons in a Cage'."
The girls froze, exchanging confused glances, unsure of what he meant by the "bad way" he was about to implement. Toga, not underestimating Nezu, began to feel a growing tension.
She grabbed Kimika's hand, ready for any kind of reaction, scanning her surroundings for any sign of danger, prepared to run with her friend if needed. Toga's eyes were alert, and with each passing moment, she felt the atmosphere thickening with threat. She was just about to approach Nezu and demand an explanation of what he meant, when suddenly...
The theater doors slammed open, and four heroes appeared in the doorway, bright and powerful. Eraser Head, Present Mic, Midnight, and the most terrifying of them all — All Might. He stepped forward, his smile, which was always present on his face, now looked completely different.
It was the same smile Kimika and Toga had only seen on TV, but now, seeing it in person, it was almost magical, instilling fear. Kimika's knees buckled, and Toga felt her hands tremble uncontrollably.
This was exactly what All Might wanted to achieve — his smile always did its job: among peaceful citizens, it instilled calm and hope, but among criminals, it brought only terror.
The girls felt their fighting spirit crumble, but it seemed that wasn't enough for him, and suddenly, his voice, like thunder, split the eerie silence: "The games are over! Surrender!"
Toga, ignoring the fear that consumed her, gripped Kimika's hand tighter. Her heart raced faster, and with it grew a sense of hopelessness, but she wasn't going to give up. Not today — not when she had finally gotten what she had longed for.
"Run!" she shouted, pulling her friend toward the exit. Their legs carried them at an incredible speed, and the closer they got to the back exit, the stronger the feeling of hope began to return.
All Might, seeing the attempt to escape, took it as a rejection of his offer. He let out a heavy sigh and, without hesitation, leapt in their direction, realizing that neither he nor Nezu had managed to resolve this peacefully.
The girls were running with all their strength, the exit just a few steps away. The hope of escape burned brighter in their hearts, but suddenly, right in front of them All Might landed.
"AMERICAN SPLIT SLAM!" he shouted, clapping his hands together with a sharp motion. Instantly, a powerful vertical gust of wind tore through between the girls, so intense that Toga, overwhelmed by the pain, had to let go of Kimika's hand. The blast split them apart, hurling them to opposite sides of the theater. They slammed into the walls, hitting the surfaces hard, and for a moment, the shock left them breathless.
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