Chapter Text
Midoriya
“My dreams have turned into fish food…” I say, reaching for my notebook, which floats away slightly before I scoop it up with my hand, as I do, the fish surrounding it scatter into the back of the pond, hiding under rocks. “That's enough, Give it back- dammit-”
I think back to class this morning, How Bakugo; one of the people I admire most in this world threw my work out the window without a second thought- other than maybe the idea to set it on fire.
“Stupid Jerk-”
The paper; formerly white, is now wet and dark, burnt by flames. I flip through some of the pages, at least I can still read all my notes… I stop on the page of All Might; the strongest hero that's ever lived, the symbol of peace for people all around the globe, my biggest idol. Sometimes I still wake up dreaming that I could ever be anything like him, that I might spontaneously gain a quirk of my own and use it to fight beside All Might, learn to save people while going to the best school in the country: UA High.
I shake my notebook for a moment before clutching it close to my chest. I might never get a quirk, but that doesn’t mean I can't still find ways to be useful to All Might; if I can only get into UA… train to be a hero- but in order for me to get that far, I’m going to need to get stronger. It takes more than brains to be good in a fight, especially against a villain with a quirk.
I take a step, planting my feet down in the ground as I walk. I have to look strong to be strong. I walk this way for a few minutes before realizing I’ve started to slack. I stop in front of a tunnel that goes under a road, I still remember the day my mom sat me down on a chair at the doctors office, an x-ray of my foot on the light-board thing as the doctor tells me my dreams will never come true.
There’s a strange feeling in my gut, something that tells me I'm in danger- I almost turn around and go the long way before remembering to ask myself, ‘what would All Might do?’ he’d tell me to laugh in the face of danger and smile through it all.
I square my chest and clench my fist, smiling to prove to myself that I can do it. I can be just like All Might. It doesn’t matter what anyone else says, only what I think has an impact on my future. I take a deep breath of air and let out a rough laugh, walking like I mean it through the dark.
A quiet sloshing sound makes itself known behind me, making me pause my laughter and turn back towards the entrance; there, from the ground, a dark green sludge swivels up from the manhole on the ground, rising up taller than myself and forming into a distorted face.
The sludge makes something eerily similar to a smile, and that's when I realize- this is a person- and not just any person. This is a villain. “Oh yes, you’ll make a perfect skin suit.” he towers over me and descends, aiming directly for my face. I brace myself for impact, which comes faster than I expect it to- I breath in hard, I guess out of instinct to scream; but That's what the villain was hoping for, as he takes the opportunity to launch himself into my mouth, cold sludge making contact with my skin all around my body, holding me still from the waist up.
Panic takes over as I claw at the villain, who’s sludge lifts me up and off the ground. I kick frantically and continue to grab at the sludge. “That won’t work- brat! I'm made out of liquid!” he laughs again, grip tightening; he squeezes, as if this is just a game for him.
Each moment that passes just brings my thoughts to shit- going slowly from logic to desperation. I can’t breathe… the sludge crawls down my throat slowly, prying into my skin with force so strong it feels like my neck is going to burst. Pain starts like needles, but within a moment needles turn to barbed wire. The chill of the sludge is replaced with a heat that feels wrong- though after a moment, the heat fades, and it’s almost like the sludge spreads- until it feels like the chill spreads, numbing the pain slowly.
I think… I’m dying… no- no, I can't be. I pray this works and try to breath outwards as hard as I can, I manage to push the sludge back slightly. Then I realize my mistake as my body forces me to inhale again, which only makes the situation worse. I know I’m crying, and I know it’s not something All Might would do, but I have to hope that somehow, he’ll find me, and save… me-
Black spots fill my vision, “I only need your body to get myself out of town. You know if you just give in it’ll only hurt for a second”
“No!” I try to yell, letting out a sound that will never reach the air around me- wait that's not right, there is no air… not anymore. Just the sludge, which doesn’t even feel cold anymore, just… numb. Please no… my mom; I have to tell her- that I love her.
“Nighty night!”