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The war was over. Small flakes of embers and ash filled the sky while silence filled everything else as All for One's body lay on the cracked asphalt concrete road, slowly dusting away as he rewound out of existence.
But that wasn't the only thing missing from its original place in this broken, cracked society. One for All, the quirk Izuku, the heroes, and his friends (his family) all fought to protect was gone. It was stolen so quickly that he couldn't fight back or hold onto the quirk to keep it to himself.
When Shigaraki raged against All for One's control over his mind and killed the quirks' vestige of the monster, he instinctively pulled on One for All. The powerful, heartfelt emotions of betrayal, hatred, and the urge to cause destruction overpowered One for All's boundaries and snatched them from his very core.
He couldn't hear the former predecessors of One for All in their void--his mind, and couldn't feel the blanketed warmth that the powerful twin quirk to All for One consistently provided him. (He couldn't hear them. They're gone. They're gone. They're gone. They left him. They left him. He's alone. He's alone.) Shigaraki now had the desired quirk, the only thing that would ever hope to stop him. He won. He beat all of them.
Almost every hero that was sent after the Paranormal Front was down. No one stood in Shigaraki's way. And currently, the most powerful man in the world was staring off into the distance, not seeming to pay attention to anything in particular (probably trying to take mental control over the two most powerful quirks). I hope he's okay...STOP! You can't help him, he's too far gone.
A single tear fell down his cheek, splattering upon the ground. It's all my fault...I wasn't good enough...All Might should've never chosen me! But it was too late to tell All Might that--not that he could. All Might tried to help stop All for One from reaching Shigaraki and Izuku, but it was all for naught. He died in his fight like a true hero. (Izuku, a day earlier, would have broken down sobbing, but at this moment? He was too far gone in shock.)
Maybe I should just ask Shigaraki to kill me now...No..That'd be the easy way out... Shaking away the intrusive thoughts that were crawling into his head, Izuku slowly struggled to stand up, his beaten body barely covered by his torn-apart hero suit. Turning his head to double-check if Shigaraki noticed him (he didn't), he walked off the battlefield.
The once loud comms in his ears were silent. They had been for a while. He could still hear the screams of the police informants, begging for backup as they watched the civilians hiding out in UA get crushed from their screens. No one came.
The entire group that went to fight All for One was defeated; meanwhile, Todoroki and Iida's group was overpowered by Dabi's explosive power, and there was no news from Ochako's group--but from the lack of communication from them, it's safe to say they didn't make it. He kept walking, agony burning his entire body. There's nothing left to be a hero for anymore...not that I can be one without a quirk...
One Year Later
When he ran away from Japan, he came here to escape from it all, unable to ever show his face to his friends again. He betrayed them by losing! (How could you be SO stupid?!)
Initially, it was hard. The shack he had first come to was a total wreck. Luckily there were some leftover tools in a shed not too far away, and he went to work on building a shelter. He grabbed vines off the trees along with branches and built up a nice little shack.
He ventured into the town and met some of the locals. Their tribe had lived here for centuries as their ancestors were the original Incas! (So cool!) They were, originally, hesitant of him, but when he expressed his only desire of survival in the forest, they pitied him and taught him some of their ways. They taught him how to plant with the local crops and which plants here were poisonous. They showed him how to woven wool into clothing and the art of making ceramic dishware! (Super cool!)
He practiced a lot as they let him spend a week in their town to allow him to gain some skills. He had quickly mastered the skills thanks to the past knowledge from Hik-the Fourth user of One for All. You don't deserve to call them by their names when you failed them so badly...
Eventually, he trekked through the forest, back to his shack, and created a home out of the abandoned shack. He made candles with mini designs such as orange with black spots and a half-white-half-red candle (those colors look familiar), attempted to rid the mosquitos in the area alongside blankets, and even made a successful garden! He hunted fish from the nearby river and made sure to make fires to make (sorta) clean drinking water.
He was glad for the number of journals and stationery supplies he carried with him because he used those a lot. There was a red notebook on hunting, which animals were endangered or poisonous, and he made sure to be careful to not kill or eat those creatures. Another notebook, a light green one with flowers and leaves drawn or pressed into its pages was his plant knowledge of the area that grew daily. A dark blue notebook was covered with mini white scratch marks, making it appear to be little stars decorating the front. He used to track the stars alongside the moon cycle to keep track of all his old friends and family's birthdays and important days.
On each birthday, he'd make a tiny muffin with personally-ground corn flour and put it on a handmade-ceramic plate. It doesn't taste as good as a cake would taste, but it's the thought that counts. (He makes sure to plant a group of flowers around his shack home every time it comes to the second hero vs. villain war anniversary).
Finally, he kept the last notebooks as a journal of his daily life. (Not like a lot that occurs around here.)
Five Years Later
As he pulled the giant net out of the shore, water splashed onto Izuku's face. The water dripped down his body, mixing with his sweat that formed from hard work and the grilling, hot summer sun. Before, this job may have been a monotonous chore to continue to do for the rest of his life. But now? He welcomed the familiarity of the constant pull on his, albeit slimmer, muscles. His sun hat covered the top of his head and face while his grown-out long hair, pulled into a high ponytail, made a cover for his neck.
Continuing to haul the thick-knotted fishing net up, he realized that it wasn't as heavy as usual. Actually, now that he thought about it, there weren't a lot of fish in the water. It's probably the upcoming weather. It appears that a storm will be coming soon...I'll have to travel to get some wool from the locals in town if the weather gets colder. Maybe I could make a new blanket, as the older ones aren't keeping me as warm through the nights.
Digging around the net to clear out anything that wasn't food, Izuku bent down when he heard a slight noise that'd typically be hard to hear for those untrained. It sounds like footsteps, but no one is out here but me. It must be some animal that needs a quick drink. It doesn't sound loud enough to be a jaguar--that was a tough fight. (Yes, that was tough. Not the countless almost-deaths back in Japan.) Reaching for the net, he continued probing the net for anything he could use.
"We never did get that tea, did we, hero?" In an instant, Izuku's entire body went rigid and froze--not a breath coming out. Not out of fear of dying to the man--no, that'd be warranted for his crimes. He froze in utter shock at the situation. He never thought he would hear the voice of the man who plagued his nightmares since he was fifteen. His destined nemesis. Without turning, Izuku managed a shocked mutter, "Shigaraki Tomura."
"Aw, I'm so glad you remember me, hero!" Shigaraki mocked. Anger surged through Izuku, clenching his hands as he tried to keep it to himself. But after years of isolation and allowing his emotions to guide him, it was difficult to restrain himself as he snapped at the man, never moving from his position, "Don't call me that!"
A pause. "Oh?" To most, it'd appear that the man was teasing him, but Izuku knew Shigaraki too well.
He, at one point, could see everything the other saw, hear everything the other heard, and feel everything the other felt. Now he wasn't even sure what the man was doing these days. There were no cable or news stations out by the area. (Not that he'd listen to it anyways. It was too painful). But despite it being so long ago that he had heard from the other, he knew that Shigaraki was genuinely surprised by his rejection of the once beloved title he carried with pride.
Not wanting to pay attention to the past, Izuku bluntly blurted out, "How'd you find me?"
Despite knowing Izuku was changing the topic, Shigaraki wisely ignored it (I bet he shrugged). "I was passing by the area when Search notified me of your location, which I guess I had forgotten to take off of you, and figured I'd stop by."
He was in the middle of nowhere, so why was Shigaraki out here? The only people who knew where he was were Melissa and Rody. Immediately after the war, Izuku called one of his last known friends, Melissa, to help him escape Japan. She tracked the globe for the best remote location that wouldn't stick out like a sore thumb.
Using the money All Might would give to Izuku on a credit card (which was A LOT of money that Izuku never used, never wanting to take advantage of the kind man), the two paid for a remote shack in the middle of the Amazon rainforest. She then hired a private pilot for herself to get to Japan. She picked up Izuku at a small remote airport, and the two took off, never needing to answer any questions from the pilot, for he was paid in advance to ask no questions.
They stopped in Otheon, where Melissa handed Izuku the extra clothes for the boy alongside some essentials (yes, the notebooks were essential), and the two set off to find the next, recently became pilot, Rody Soul. Izuku and Melissa explained everything as the three flew to an airport near Machu Picchu, Peru. They rented a car, and Izuku waved goodbye to his beloved friends.
The three met once a year, careful to not be followed, to check up on Izuku. They respected his wishes and never mentioned any news from Japan. They took every precaution, and with only the three knowing Izuku's whereabouts(he never talked much with the locals with the fear of growing attached), it was a miracle for Shigaraki to "pass by the area."
However, similarly to Shigaraki, Izuku wisely ignored the questions that had risen from the man's suspicious answer (he doubts the villain would tell him if he had hurt Melissa or Rody).
The two were quiet once more as Izuku thought about Shigaraki's answer. He only came out of said thoughts when he heard the other man's footsteps coming near him. Izuku, feeling vulnerable as he was still crouched on the ground with his back facing the world's most dangerous villain, stood up, not yet having the willpower to meet his old nemesis face-to-face. "Now what? Here to finish the job that you've come to see my fall? To further mock me?"
Shigaraki chuckled. He chuckled. Izuku could feel the hairs on the back of his neck and arms rise. "No. I'm here to collect what's mine."
What? What could he possibly come to collect? He's taken almost everything that I held dear from me. I have nothing to offer. Another chuckle breaks Izuku out of his thoughts.
"You already have One for All. What could you possibly want from me?"
The footsteps continue, and before Izuku can turn, he's held in unwavering, strong arms against the other. As Izuku tries to hold back the flinch at the sudden contact, he pushes back the man who seems to be giving him an awkward hug? What is going on?
"I want you, little brother."
Barking out a sharp laugh, he thought back on his previous belief. Suddenly, asking for quick death doesn't seem too bad.
He won. He could feel All for One slowly tear away One for All and feel the two most powered quirks try to merge into one coherent quirk, All for One more enthusiastically and One for All seeming to be excited to be whole once more with its other half and yet sorrowful? When he looked up, he expected to see the ash-covered sky from the fires of Dabi and his second little family reunion. But now, he could only see stars that looked like it was painted on a pitch-black canvas. He also expected to see his nemesis, Midoriya Izuku, looking up at him in horror. And yet he was nowhere in sight. Not even the expansive quirk, Search, could see him around. He's not dead. Somehow, despite not having the brat on his "Search radar," he was convinced the boy wasn't killed.
Due to already using Search, he looked around for his comrades and the other hero students. They were gone. Only a few leaders from the Paranormal Liberation were still standing, and the only members left of the original League of Villains showed Spinner, who he'd have to revert before the rest of the quirks in the lizard's body killed him, and Toga Himiko who was unconscious and barely breathing. Dabi was long gone, but then again, he expected that.
Not many heroes were left either. Eraserhead and Present Mic were unconscious with, interestingly enough: Kurogiri watching over them. Slowly turning, Tomura prepared to grab his lasting comrades and start his destruction of the rest of the society.
One Year Later
Spinner was still in a deep coma from his surgery, and Toga was...not Toga. She was moping consistently and rarely seemed excited. She was depressed, and he could hear her sobbing with sadness for her fellow fallen friends, mainly Twice and Big Sis Magne. Sometimes though, she'd cry out of heartbreak for that floaty girl and from her obvious crush on Midoriya Izuku.
He knew that the floaty girl was hiding out with the other heroes and hero-wannabes, but he figured they couldn't do anything against his rule, seeing as they had given up a long time ago without their shining star of a student. They had scoured through Japan, and even Eraserhead had screamed at him, asking where his student was when he had taken Eraser from the man. (Not knowing if your student was constantly tortured alone was worse than any death).
Typically, he wouldn't have ever told him where his student was, but even if he did want to, he literally couldn't. Midoriya Izuku had completely disappeared off the face of Japan. Search, consistently looking out for the boy, couldn't detect him anywhere in Japan. None of his classmates or old heroes seemed to know where he was. And as Tomura ruled Japan, he still felt empty?
Like a piece of him was missing. When he had first gained All for One, his entire body and soul seemed to constantly hunt for One for All, its other half. And no matter how much Tomura hated the little hero, he couldn't deny the sense of an interchangeable connection the two had shared. It was rancid, but once he took One For All, he knew all those cloying sentiments toward the brat would expire alongside the brat's life. Well, he thought that they'd cease to exist.
But the kid just kept crawling into his mind like a parasite. And it didn't help that the sudden disappearance made him more and more curious every time he thought about the boy. Nor did One for All help with any of it. The quirk was constantly begging to see the boy, to help him.
While Tomura was sure the other male didn't share the same space with him any longer, he could feel everything. It was so annoying feeling the discombobulated emotions. One moment it was a relief of freedom, but the next was an overwhelming pour of guilt and self-hatred. Honestly, Izuku's self-hatred was almost as vigorous as his own! (When'd you start calling him on a first-name basis?)
He understood the guilty conscience; knowing the kid, it's most likely why he ran away to who-knows-where. But despite these intense, for lack of a better word, emotions, he was grateful for them (not that he would tell anyone this).
With most of his comrades gone, the ones still alive either in a coma or depressed 24/7, and his Sensei's death, he got lonely. Even for him, and he was an isolated gamer pro! But the ache in his heart? Like he was missing a part of himself? Never. Went. Away. And it was driving him insane!
Regardless of having both twin quirks finally together once more, they both seemed to long for the boy. The constant thoughts of the young hero-ling that tried to save him played like an old-time record loop. It was never going to work. I was destined to be a villain. But despite trying to confirm these thoughts, the thoughts of 'what-ifs' grew. And soon enough, he realized that he apparently grew a small room in his cold heart for the kid. He's unsure when he opened his prisoned heart to the brat.
Was it during the USJ when he selflessly pushed his classmate away from being dusted away? Or was it at the mall when he held such strong against Tomura and made him find his conviction that he had to respect him as an opponent? Honestly though? He couldn't care less when these soft emotions towards Izuku showed up. He wants to find his object of obsession. He needs to find him, like a parched man in a desert needs water.
His...nemesis no longer sounds appealing to him with this newfound revelation. And a friend would definitely be incorrect. A large grin that'd crack his lips and cause blood, if not for his regeneration quirks, suddenly sported his face. Maybe...Maybe All for One wasn't wrong in the beginning...Izuku...You were destined to be my equal. Destined to be mine. Mine...hehe...Izu-no. Little Brother, I will find you and make you stay with me where you belong, by my side forever!
Five Years Later
He's still missing. Where. Could. He. BE?! Tomura seethed, and everyone in the room took a step back. (Wise decision). He was the Supreme Overlord of Japan, and the entire world quaked before him. How has no one found his little brother yet?! (Yes, he has started calling him that mentally. No, he will not stop. Izuku is his little brother. He was created for Tomura! Izuku was meant to be his).
Five years ago, after the enlightenment on his relationship with his dear Izuku-kun, he immediately sent messages to every news station and radio in the world to find him. He ordered out bounty hunters and put a ginormous bounty on his little brother's head. He even reminded (threatened) everyone that he was NOT to be harmed, and if his little brother was to come back harmed, he'd make sure to ruin their entire life! (Like the good big brother he was! Izuku-kun was so lucky to have him!)
Toga especially grew excited at the prospect of seeing Little Brother again. She was like her old self again (not in a depressive mood 24/7) and was out threatening every person Izuku ever met! (There were a lot). The two also learned of Izuku's past and the people who had harmed their dear Izuku-kun. (They worked hard serving "justice" to those who even looked at him wrongly).
Spinner, who had woken up three years ago, wanted to join to find the boy Stain had deemed a true hero and Tomura's beloved little brother, but his body was still weak from the quirks Sensei stuffed inside him. (He hates what Sensei has done. If the man was still alive, he'd kill him and rewind him, again and again, and agaIN, to show him his little meaning to Tomura). So instead, he manages all the radio stations of messages and keeps an ear out for Izuku. But despite all their efforts, they can't find him.
"Supreme Overlord?" Some NPC snaps Tomura out of his thoughts.
"What?" He snaps at the quivering man.
"U-um..what if...what if Midoriya-sama is...de-"
"HE'S NOT DEAD! How dare you! You think you're above me?! That you know any better than me?! Your Supreme Overlord?!" Tomura angrily huffs out as he stands, dangling the choking lieutenant as he rapidly shakes his head of the thoughts. He's not dead. He's not dead. He's not dead. He's noT dead. He's NOT DEAD! HE'S NO-
"You're right, Shiggy. He's still out there, we will find him." Toga gently holds onto his arm, bringing him back from his downward spiral. (She's been doing that a lot lately...) With the warm smile and weight on his arm, he feels his breathing slow down, and his vision becomes slightly less red. The purpled man falls to the ground and quickly crawls away, tripping slightly. Everyone in the room is on edge as if they saw a predator that could strike at anything any minute (they're not wrong).
Loudly, the doors to the meeting room unexpectedly slammed out, revealing a panting Spinner. "Boss! I-," he paused to catch his breath. "I think I may have a lead!"
Like a Christmas tree, Tomura's face lightened, smiling manically. "Where is he?"
"A private pilot mentioned that a boy that shares the exact same features as Mid--your little brother asked him to take a flight to Otheon. I tracked the plane, and it appears he is near Machu Picchu, Peru!"
Turning to Toga after the declaration, Tomura excitedly orders, "You're in control while I'm gone." A face-splitting grin crosses her face. Spinner, now standing beside the girl, suddenly looks like he's about to faint; whether from running or Toga in charge was left to be determined. Tch, wimp.
"Hey!" Spinner squawks face flushed red. Oh. I said that out loud. I've been doing that a lot more... With a quick shrug in response to Spinner's flustered face, he storms out of the room with a giant fluffy cloak trailing behind him (I have to make sure Little Brother remembers me) and slams the doors.
As soon as he's out of the others' eyesight, he races using multiple quirks and One for All to boost them all to get to the South American country as fast as he could (like a child).
He's used Search on the entire city, yet he still couldn't find his little brother. Annoyed and about to turn around, when a bright, albeit small, shimmer of light caught his eye. And the voices stopped.
It was as if the twin quirks and all the quirks inside All for One held their metaphorical breath. While normally when the quirks went quiet (which rarely happened unless around-) he would feel unease. But now? It was like something was drawing him to the dense jungle.
And as quick as the quirks went quiet, they were now screaming and pounding inside his head. “GO. GO! FOLLOW THE LIGHT! HE’S THERE!” And like any sane person, he followed the voices’ directions inside his head.
He trod carefully through the heavy mud and noticed how the creatures around him became quiet. The light became bright, and Search screamed out to him. And then, he was there.
He looked different since he last saw him. Longer wilder hair. Broader muscles. And an inch taller. But he recognized him. The freckles that littered his arms may have multiplied but they were his. The green in his hair had a slight fade to white, but it still was as bouncy as ever. And the ever gentle (good, kind, heroic) presence of him was still there. Little Brother.
He was waiting here for Tomura! He must have known Tomura was waiting for him and decided to play hide and seek! But it was all worth it, and the game was done. He wanted to run up and hug his little brother and never let go of him again.
One for All and All for One sobbed in happiness at the sight of the boy. (little brother—ninth—my hero—Izuku). He could feel every being, every atom inside his body be pulled to his little hero. (Who wasn’t so little anymore. That’s wrong. He’s supposed to be his little brother forever. He changed! He tricked Tomura! Wrong. Wrong. WRO-)
He was muttering. He was muttering! (A welcomed familiarity). Little Brother, like always (like he remembered), was so, so, so precious. How did he ever survive without his little brother? His little brother never changed! He merely changed his skin and outfit while he was gone! But that can easily be fixed. Will he even remember his big brother? He must have been so scared all alone! It’s a good thing his loving brother found him. He should go up and say hi to his little brother! But what if we scare him away?! No. We’re his big brother, he has no reason to be frightened. I won't let him leave me. Not again. He promised to save me and now I'm going to hold him to it.
Slowly and with caution, Tomura stepped towards the other.
"We never did get that tea, did we, hero?" Apparently, that was the wrong thing to start off with as his little brother instantly froze. Is he ok? He's not breathing! Shoot, what do I do?!
"Shigaraki Tomura." Happiness, like a tsunami, flooded through his entire body. He remembers me! I knew he was destined to be my little brother! He knows me by my voice! He must love me as much as I love him! He's so sweet!
"Aw, I'm so glad you remember me, hero!" Shigaraki cooed. He couldn't help it, he really was so happy! But Search showed that his Little Brother was upset. Why? Is he going to leave?! What did I do wrong?!
"Don't call me that!" Oh? Is this the cause of guilt and self-hatred? Not being a hero? (That doesn't sound like his little brother).
"How'd you find me?" Tomura narrowed his eyes at the hasty change of topic but could see that it would only push his little brother away, and he didn't want to fight when he just got him back! So, he ignored it and shrugged. "I was passing by the area when Search notified me of your location, which I guess I had forgotten to take off of you, and figured I'd stop by."
His little brother was clever. He probably knew that wasn't completely true. I mean, I technically was just passing through this area when Search. But I definitely didn't forget to take Search off my Izuku. Similar to Tomura (aw! he's acting like me!), Izuku ignored his answer.
Izuku became quiet again, deep in thought. He's ignoring me. I want him to look at me! I need him to look at me! Taking a couple steps forward, prepared to turn Izuku to face him by the shoulder, he stopped at Izuku's standing up.
"Now what? Here to finish the job that you've come to see my fall? To further mock me?" At one point, he wouldn't have hesitated to kill the other. But now? He's horrified by the motion of doing anything that'd harm Izuku. It was so funny how the times have changed that a slight chuckle escaped his lips. "No. I'm here to collect what's mine."
"I have nothing to offer." Izuku didn't appear to realize he was muttering. So cute! Another chuckle manages to escape him.
"You already have One for All. What could you possibly want from me?" There's so much I want from you. A step forward. I want your happiness to stem from me. Another step. I want everything from you. I want to help brush your hair. I want the touch I desperately crave that only you, my sweet little brother, can fulfill. I want your kind smiles again. I want the only person who ever tried to save me by my side for the rest of my life. To rule with me. I want the pain in my heart to stop. What could you offer me?
And then he was instinctively lunging forward, capturing his beloved little brother in a hug. "I want you, little brother."
Izuku barked out a laugh but when he realized he wasn't joking, he started to squirm, probably upset at not seeing his big brother properly, so, like a good big brother, Tomura holds him tighter using One for All to show that he is grateful for the quirk his brother gifted him and turns him around bringing the two down onto the ground to give him a proper hug. Izuku's so happy he's starting to shake! He's so cute!
[Get off of me! My...my quirk! Why...why has he come to mock me?! WHY?! I KNOW I FAILED!]
"It's been so long since I've seen you Little Brother!" I don't think I ever want to let him go! When we get back I'll procure a bath right away and bring the softest sheets. Oh! He'll want plenty of stuffed animals as well-
"I'm not your BROTHER! You're insane!" Tomura could feel his face darken as Izuku pushed him by the chest to get away. To get away from him. His big brother! He growled and grabbed Izuku pulling him right back into his chest, making the latter fall into his lap.
"I am your brother! Can't you feel it? We're meant to be together! To rule as brothers! You were destined to be mine! Mine, mine, mine, mine, mine, mine, mine, mine...." He grabbed Izuku's head and held him close to his chest, cradling the delusional brother. "If this is about our old fights, I am sorry for almost killing you on a multitude of occasions."
[How could he say it so easily?! HE'S the delusional one!]
“Did you truly think, Izuku, that you would be able to escape my grasp? To run away from everything and evade me for the rest of your life?”
The question was extremely loaded; as if he wasn’t talking about the very moment but their ever entwining lives in general. He wanted to say yes, but that would be a lie. He always knew the latter would come find him. Ever since the USJ, he knew that he’d never be able to ignore Shigaraki.
If Shigaraki set his sights on something, or in this case: someone, nothing is going to be able to keep him from achieving whatever he desired. It’s what made their battles so dangerous to everyone except the two warriors who danced around each other.
"WELL I WON'T ALLOW IT! Hehe...Don't worry Little Brother, I'm here now, and I promise to never let you go again."
[That's what I fear.]
Looking down at his little brother, he smiled. "Let's go home."