#Emiyo Miya | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

agentark88 · 2 years

Text

Think: Chapter Seventy-Nine: Emotional Damage

My Hero Academia Fan Fiction by Agent ARK 88

Disclaimer: The following is a work of fan fiction using characters and settings from My Hero Academia/Boku no Hero Academia created by Kohei Horikoshi. I do not claim any ownership of characters present in this piece that are owned and created by Kohei Horikoshi. I do not own My Hero Academia/Boku no Hero Academia.

Any references to historical events, real people, or real locales are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead is entirely coincidental.

Warnings: This work contains mild language, blood, death, and violence. If you are easily triggered by violent scenarios, please do not read this chapter. This chapter could be triggering to some readers. Reader discretion is advised.

Please be aware this piece is in second person perspective, following my original character, Think, Anna Kokoro, who is a transfer student from America.

Chapter Seventy-Nine: Emotional Damage

You crashed back into your head with cut breaks. Your mind jolted you awake with painful sparks of consciousness. Aches erupted through your senses as clarity came to your forefront. Your cheeks and eyes were raw with tears. Your wrists ached. Your quirk quivered in your mind as it gained some semblance of traction. You couldn’t remember what happened, not after Kobura appeared. Now that your quirk had come back to life, the fog in your head was lifted.

Bodies, blood, and death surrounded your restrained form. You choked out a noise. It was vile, absolutely horrifying to look at. You turned your attention away from the gore, uneasiness and fear settling in your chest. Your horrified stare finally met the back of Kobura’s head, his white hair stained with blood. One of his many knives were clutched into his hand. Kobura snatched Emiyo by the jacket. Her hand went weakly up to his wrist. Tears pooled in her eyes.

“Please! Mercy! Y-you weren’t supposed to be like this… You’re not a supervillain. You barely show up in the media! You have to understand! The last thing I wanted to do was hurt you! I just wanted you to care for me the way that I care for you!” Emiyo Miya begged for her life.

Nausea crept up your raw throat followed by an unbearable burning. Had you been screaming? You leaned forward, once again putting tension in your binds. Your eyes widened when Kobura angled his knife for her neck.

No. No more death. No more blood had to be shed. You just wanted to leave, wanted to go back to U.A.. Kobura didn’t have to stab anyone else, especially not if he thought it was helping you. He may have thought he was doing the best for you, when he was doing the worst. No one needed to die like this.

A pulsing energy rippled through your flickering quirk, expanding through the cavernous warehouse. The drug must not have completely run its course through your system because your quirk sputtered as you attempted to use it. You whipped a strand of your mind toward Kobura’s wrist, snagging it just before he was able to pierce into Emiyo’s neck.

Kobura’s callous expression was washed clean with realization. Guilt tugged his mouth into an uneasy frown. Your quirk faded slightly in its hold, and you could sense Kobura trying to fight against the strand of your mind.

“I can’t let you,” you choked out. “Stop.” You didn’t know what had happened since he appeared. Despite being tortured by her, Emiyo didn’t need to die. The police could hold her in custody. A true hero wouldn’t just sit by and let this happen.

Kobura took in a quivering breath. “Anna, close your eyes,” he said. “You shouldn’t watch me do this.”

You bit into your lip, tears burning at the edge of your vision. “No, you can’t,” you pleaded. “No one else has to die. Please.” Had Kobura really killed these people? Had he killed all of them for hurting you? You had hoped, begged for him to save you, and this is what became of your wish? You trusted him. You had faith that he would protect you, but you didn’t expect him to take it this far. He knew you were a hero in training. He had to know you would never agree with what he’d done.

Emiyo Miya was pleading for her life, and he was going to end it without remorse. There wasn’t a single ounce of hesitation. Had you not caught his wrist, he would have killed her. Was this truly what Kobura was capable of? Were you so enchanted by his words, you’d forgotten what he was capable of as a villain?

Kobura’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he gulped. Sadness pinched his expression. “Close your eyes,” he repeated.

Your quirk couldn’t hold him. Kobura put more force into pushing the blade toward Emiyo’s exposed neck, and your quirk weakly held on to him, losing strength by the second. Fresh blood began to trickle from the new cut on Emoticon’s skin, but you wouldn’t let go. You couldn’t let go. Your quirk flickered, and you thought all was lost, but you gained a sliver of control back. Your quirk wrapped tighter around Kobura’s wrist, only for your power to slowly trickle away again.

“Please! This is wrong!” You cried out. Your vision blurred from fatigue. Your quirk pushed back, angry that you were still fighting in this condition. Kobura’s thoughts flashed into your unstable mind.

If being a villain is the only way to ensure I never have to hear her scream in pain again, then that’s my only option. If killing someone, means Sweet Anna doesn’t have to suffer, it’s worth the distance it puts in my relationship with her. Emoticon needs to die for what’s she’s done, or she will do it again. His thoughts were resolute, pained but certain. He didn’t want to do this. He felt like he had to for you, and it made your heart ache.

“Close your eyes,” Kobura whispered. “Please, Sweet Anna.”

Your quirk burned down to a mere ember. With fresh tears streaming down your face, you obeyed Kobura’s request, shutting your eyes. Your quirk slipped from his wrist. You heard the blade plunge into Emiyo’s neck. She shrieked for a moment, until she couldn’t. You wanted to cover your ears to keep out the horrid gurgling noises she was making as she fought for breath. There was nothing you could do for her, and it made you sick. You choked on a sob. Kobura swore under his breath. Mercifully, you heard Kobura’s blade plunge into flesh one last time and then silence.

Cold. The room felt cold, lifeless. You would have collapsed had you been standing up. You flinched when something violently crashed ahead of you. It sounded like the tripod, the phone broadcasting this all live to the world. Kobura crossed the room to you in only a few paces, his footsteps echoed off of the concrete. His trembling hands tentatively reached for your face.

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry I wasn’t here sooner. Please forgive me for what I had to do,” Kobura said. His thumb wiped at your tears but more fell. “I know. It’s terrible. This is terrible. I understand. I get it if you can’t stand me. But, I have to get you out of here. I need you to be safe.” He continued to talk as he cut your legs free first. “She would have threatened you again, kidnapped you again. The police would have done nothing. They’ve done nothing about her for years. She tortured you, Anna. You have to understand that she was hurting you, and I had no other choice.”

You remained quiet, eyes still shut as you tried to catch your breath. Kobura finally made it to your wrists. He carefully cut them free. You let your arms fall to your sides. Your body felt numb.

“Are you…? Are you okay, Anna?” he asked. His voice was laced with worry.

You opened your tear-filled eyes, meeting his concerned gaze. No. You were far from okay. You were captured, tortured. No one knew where you were but Kobura, and he came. Your head was a mess. You were terrified. But, looking into Kobura’s eyes, all you wanted to do was reach for him for a source of comfort. You sprung up from your chair, wrapping your arms around Kobura’s neck and burying your face into his chest.

“No. I’m not okay. I’m not,” you babbled helplessly into his shirt. “I was so scared.”

“Sweet Anna, my blood… I could infect you. You’re in a delicate state right now. I don’t know if your quirk will protect you.” Kobura refused to touch you with his wounded arm, holding it away from your trembling body.

“I didn’t think you were going to come. I thought no one was going to come.”

“Of course I came. I promised.” Kobura rubbed his clean hand over your back.

“But, all of those people…” you trailed off. He killed them.

“Can’t hurt you anymore,” Kobura’s voice deepened as he finished your sentence.

You pulled far enough away to look up at him, stare into those toxic green eyes of his. “But…” It was wrong for him to kill them. You wanted to shout it at him, berate him for the horrible things he’d done. How could he expect you to forgive him for that?

“They sat by and watched you be tortured, Sweet Anna. They helped kidnap you.” Kobura’s words were soft. He could hardly make eye-contact with you. “I killed them to save you. I’m not asking you to agree with it. You did your best to stop me. You’re the last person that needs to feel guilty for what they brought upon themselves.”

“But, you did it because of me,” you said. Guilt ripped through your already bleeding chest. If you weren’t involved, all of those people would have still been alive. You were a part of his villainy, regardless of how indirect that involvement was.

“I did it for you,” Kobura corrected. “It wasn’t because of you. None of the blame falls on your shoulders.” Kobura gripped one of your hands as you retreated further from him, shaking your head.

“I… I don’t know what to do,” you said, conflicting feelings revolving through you. “I shouldn’t be here. I shouldn’t trust you.”

“And, that’s your right. No matter how much I want us to be together, I would never force you to trust me, to stay with me.” Kobura slowly released the hand he had grabbed. “Let me get you out of here, take you back to U.A..”

Your eyes widened. “The School Festival,” you said breathlessly. A chill ran through you, and a wave of nausea spun its way back into your stomach. Your vision blurred.

“Sweet Anna? You’ve gone pale. Are you…?”

Your legs buckled beneath you. Kobura shot forward, grabbing you before you could collapse. He supported your limp body as if it were made of the finest glass.

“Was it my quirk? Stay with me, okay? Hold on. If you black out, I’m not sure I can do anything to help you. You can’t let the venom take over,” Kobura sputtered out. It was strange to hear him speaking so frantically.

“It’s not your quirk. She lost too much blood, Doku,” Toga said.

Kobura snapped his head in her direction, his expression engulfed by uneasiness.

“Mission accomplished! We saved the sweet angel! Are we sure she’s going to pull through? She looks half-dead,” Twice said.

Toga quickly stepped in front of the tall masked villain that you recognized as Twice. Kobura’s muscles had coiled, but when he glanced at her he relaxed a bit.

“We can’t stay here for obvious reasons. And, I don’t know about you, but bringing her back like this is going to cause issues. We need to get her medical attention without going to the hospital.”

“I need to get back for the School Festival,” you muttered deliriously. “Eri will be so sad if I don’t make it. Aizawa…” Nausea swept your voice away as you tried to hold back vomit.

Kobura clenched you tighter to him. Before you said anything else, he swept you up into his arms. “Anna, it’s going to be okay. We’ll get you back so you don’t need to worry. I managed to redirect your phone’s ping. They’ll think you’re still on campus, even when I tracked you here.” Kobura turned his attention back on Toga. “First, we get her out of here. Can you contact Spinner? The only place that I know there’s supplies is my apartment. We can’t bring her to the new hideout nor the hospital for obvious reasons.”

“Isn’t it a little early to bring a girl home? I’m sure it’s a great idea to bring a hero to your cozy secret base.” Twice crossed his arms over his chest, tilting his head.

“Her wellbeing matters more to me than my privacy. I have to move anyway because that psycho ransacked my place. I upgraded the system since, but who knows who else knows where I live. Besides, we’ll blindfold her to avoid the heroes interrogating her when she returns,” Kobura explained.

The three villains left the building with you. The sun was barely above the horizon, blinding, actually, compared to the darkness you escaped from. There was carnage out here too, but it was much less gruesome than what was inside. Kobura walked far enough away so you weren’t able to see anymore gore. The odd bunch of you huddled together as Toga called Spinner. She’d put the phone on speaker, waiting impatiently for him to pick up.

“Do you have any idea what time it is?” Spinner asked gruffly over the phone.

“We need a ride,” Toga said. “Can you come get us?”

“Boss didn’t say anything about needing a chauffeur, today. Who’s ‘us?’”

Toga glanced up at Kobura, shrugging. “Doku, Jin, and me, we need a ride. We have one extra passenger too.”

Spinner groaned. “I don’t suppose you cleared this with Shigaraki?” he asked. There was a long pause. “I’ll take your silence as a, ‘No.’ Sorry, Toga. I don’t do anything without the boss’s permission. Can’t you guys catch a cab or something?”

Kobura audibly ground his teeth together. Toga glanced at him, rolling her eyes.

“Can’t you help us out this one time? We promise we won’t say anything to Shiggy. We’re kind of in a hurry here. We wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t an emergency,” Toga explained.

“I didn’t sign up for this shit—”

That’s when Kobura lost his cool. In your hazy mind, you watched as he bared his fangs in anger. “Dammit, Spinner! Get the hell off your ass and come pick us up! It’s an emergency! What do you want? Money? A new van? Fine! I know you hate that shitty thing any way. I’ll buy you a brand new one, but you get here now!”

The line was quiet for a moment. “Could’ve just said please,” Spinner muttered. He sighed. “I’m coming. I’m coming. But, this van better be top tier, untraceable. And, this shit better be important because if Shiggy even catches a whiff of us using League property for whatever this is, I’m throwing all of you under the bus. I’m not getting disintegrated for any of you.”

“Just get here. You know I’m good for the money,” Kobura snapped.

“Send me the coordinates,” Spinner said, hanging up.

Toga moved away to send Spinner the details. Twice huddled beside her, curiously watching.

Kobura carefully set you down. He removed his jacket, cutting the seams of his ripped sleeve and removing it with one of his knives. He wrapped the jacket around your front. You’d almost forgotten your dress had ripped down the center. He unclipped a knife vest from over his t-shirt, holding it loosely in one hand before setting it aside. He removed his shirt in the next instant, tearing it apart into strips. He knelt down ahead of you, his abdominal muscles flexing on his exposed chest, barely shielded by another set of knives strapped across his body. The only imperfection visible turned out to be the whip wound on his midsection.

“Get a room. Nobody wants to see that. Woah, dude! You’re totally ripped!” Twice interjected, peering toward both of you over his shoulder.

Kobura ignored Twice, paying close attention to you. He scanned the length of your body, glancing away and clenching his teeth when he came to the puncture wound in your leg. “May I?” he asked, pointing to your leg.

“You can help,” you murmured.

Kobura wrapped the wound with the clean strips of his shirt. You clenched your teeth as he tied the fabric tightly around your thigh to help with the bleeding. “This should have never happened,” Kobura said softly. “And, I will make this up to you. I know it doesn’t seem like that’s possible right now, but I will.”

You remained silent with your eyes downcast and distant.

Kobura pressed his lips closed, clenching his fingers over his knees. He might have been shaking, but he was doing a decent job hiding it. “We’ll get you cleaned up. I’ll patch you up at my place. You can get back to U.A. for Eri, for yourself. You can continue like before. Become a hero like you want to. I’ll bring you back, and it will be like nothing happened.”

“But, something did happen,” you murmured, trembling.

“I can’t take it back,” Kobura bluntly stated. “I know it’s going to take time for you to process what—”

“Time?” you asked, cutting him off. “You killed those people! And…” you trailed off again, shutting your eyes. Your shout only made your sore throat burn, and you felt your open wounds ache under the slightest movement. “…all I could do was watch.” You winced, feeling pain sweep through you again. You doubled over, covering your mouth as you coughed.

Kobura moved to support you, but you raised your hand to fend him off. He clenched his fists at his sides, refusing to touch you without your consent. Your trembling fingers came away from your mouth with splotches of fresh blood. Kobura’s chest rose and fell rapidly as his attention trained on your hand. It was killing him to see you like this. His eyes were filled with worry and regret.

“I know I can’t take it back,” Kobura said, choosing his words carefully. “I just… I could never, no, I would never see you like that again. She was going to kill you, Anna. I know it seemed like she was remorseful, that she wanted to take it all back, but she was lying. Villains like her don’t change. It may seem like they will, but it is ingrained in them.”

You bit into your lip, anger welling in your chest. “What about you, then? Are you like her, like those villains you know so much about? Is it ingrained in you? Will you never change?” You glared at him with tear-filled eyes. You didn’t want to believe that. You never wanted to believe that no one could change, be better. You had hoped Kobura could be better. You believed he could change. Were you just lying to yourself?

Kobura scowled. “I’m nothing like the monster that was in there. She was devoid of anything honest. Her emotions were twisted. She’d gone far too long unchecked, unstoppable. If it weren’t you, it would have been someone else. She needed to be stopped. If she was sent to prison, she’d use her quirk to get out, and the cycle would begin again. She needed to die.”

“What gives you the right to decide that?” you pushed.

Kobura winced. “She challenged me, my devotion to you, and she lost. It had nothing to do with my right to kill her. I killed her because she played a game she couldn’t win.”

“But, she didn’t need to die,” you choked out. “People make mistakes. They do things that they don’t mean!”

“Only, it wasn’t just any ‘mistake!’ That mistake, that thing she ‘didn’t’ mean to do, was choosing to hurt you!” Kobura shouted.

You flinched, shrinking away from him. Kobura immediately retreated, realizing he’d scared you. He let out a defeated breath of air, pinching the bridge of his nose.

“I like a lovers’ quarrel as much as the next guy, but don’t you think the two of you are just talking in circles? Go on! It’s good to let off a little steam in a relationship! Shouting means that you’re communicating,” Twice piped up.

“Easy, Jin. It’s not our place to get involved,” Toga said.

“But, isn’t Kobura our friend? You’re right. Why should I care?”

“You’re fine, Twice. Just, give Sweet Anna some time. She went through a lot today. I deserve to be yelled at,” Kobura said. He stood up, combing a hand through his ghostly white hair and looking up to the sky. He sighed, sliding his hand over his face. He glanced at you between his fingers. “Again, I can’t take what I did back, no matter how upset you are about it. I can only say that I’m trying to be better for you. You don’t have to believe me. I don’t expect you to believe me. But, I want to focus on fixing you up. We can talk about this…” Kobura trailed off, probably realizing your phone was gone, and, even if you had one, you might not want to speak to him again. “Let’s just get you back to U.A. in better shape than you are now. I’m not worried about anything else. So, do you mind if we don’t argue about the situation now? I know that’s a tough ask, but I’m afraid your condition will only get worse if we continue like this.”

You considered his ask. Your throat could hardly handle speaking, let alone yelling. This situation was odd enough. You’d been rescued by villains, and they had no intention of using that to their advantage to kidnap you. You could sit on the discussion for now. Kobura had your best intentions at heart, even if they were twisted. He was still your only hope in getting back to U.A. without setting off any red flags and shutting the whole School Festival down. You didn’t have much choice at this point but to follow his lead.

You slowly nodded. Kobura gave you a small smile, kneeling down next to you again. He kept his hands away, but he scanned over you to ensure he was prepared for the damage he’d have to take care of at his place.

Spinner showed up about ten minutes later. You held on to consciousness with feeble fingers. Your quirk weighed heavily in your mind, and your eyes kept wanting to shut. Kobura went to lift you from your place just as Spinner stuck his lizard-like head from the van window.

“Oh, hell no! No one said anything about that kid! Wasn’t that the same U.A. student we kidnapped? We got our asses handed to us in that fight! Are you all insane? She could destroy The League of Villains from the inside out!” Spinner shouted out.

“We’re going to blindfold her,” Toga explained.

“Yeah? Well then, by all means,” Spinner said sarcastically.

“Really? He changed his mind fast,” Twice said.

“No! Idiot! She’s not getting into this van! I don’t have a death wish. If the Pro Heroes don’t catch us, then the boss is going to decay me!”

Kobura clenched his fists at his sides. He turned away from you, rushing up to the driver’s window. Spinner leaned back as he got up into his face. Kobura pulled his wallet out, shoving a wad of money at Spinner’s chest.

“This is only a piece of what I’ll give you. Get whatever car you want. Want a van, a truck? You name it, and it’s yours. I don’t care. Money isn’t a problem. But, don’t give me any more bullshit about not helping. You’re taking her wherever I need you to take her, got it?” Kobura said.

Spinner rolled his eyes, flicking through the bills with his eyes widening. “You carry this much cash on you?”

“Are you driving us or not?” Kobura snapped. “Sweet Anna’s health is on the line, and I’m losing my patience.”

Spinner shoved the wad of money into his pocket. “Get in. Shigaraki better not hear a damn word about this. You’ve got me for three hours. No more, no less. The boss will get suspicious otherwise.”

Kobura spun away from the van. He knelt down beside you. “Is this okay?” he asked, reaching his hands out to you.

You nodded, and he lifted you up. Toga and Twice clambered into the van. Twice handed over a small bundle of gauze to Kobura as he set you down.

“I’ve got to cover your eyes. It’s for your safety and ours, okay?” Kobura asked.

If you really wanted to, you could probably read his mind for the location, so you weren’t sure what all the precautions were for. Then again, your quirk was weak at best. If you knew where he lived, it would be one more secret you would need to keep from your classmates, from Aizawa.

You nodded again. Kobura wrapped the gauze around your head, until you couldn’t see at all. There was a little back and forth about location. All you could tell was that Kobura must have shown Spinner where they were going because he didn’t appear to know where exactly his apartment was. When the van started moving, you had to assume wherever you were going had been clearly communicated.

It took longer than expected for the van to stop again.

“Wait here. It might take a bit,” Kobura said. “I’ll move as quickly as I can.”

“Need any help?” Toga asked.

There was a pause. “No. I mean… Yes, she has wounds on her chest. But, only if it will be more comfortable for Anna if we are both there.”

There was another bout of silence. You hesitated before nodding again, realizing they had been waiting for your input.

“Ooh, three’s a company, and four’s a party. What do you say I come too? I see how it is. Four wheels aren’t good enough for you?” Twice said.

“Will someone make up their damn mind? Clock’s a ticking!” Spinner shouted from the front.

“We are! What’s it to you? You’ll get the money I promised,” Kobura hissed out in annoyance.

“Just saying that we’re wasting too much time on little things,” Spinner grumbled.

“It’s not that we don’t think you’re good enough, Jin. We just want to make sure Anna’s comfortable, okay? Besides, we need you to make sure Spinner doesn’t take off with our ride. Think you can handle that?” Toga said gently.

“Don’t need a babysitter. I’m not going to go back on our deal,” Spinner mumbled out.

“Aye, aye, Captain Toga! Your ship’s safe with me. Does that mean I get to man the wheel?”

Kobura sighed. The van door slid open. Kobura put a steadying hand on your shoulder, but he made sure it was light. “Anna, I’m going to lift you up, okay?” Kobura asked.

You nodded again. Kobura picked you up, entering a building and climbing a few flights of stairs before he stopped again. You barely heard Toga following behind him. A scanner buzzed, followed by Kobura typing into a keypad, and then the door set off a series of clicks indicating several locks opening.

“I thought those types of security systems could only be found in spy movies,” Toga said.

“Couldn’t have been too cautious after the first break-in. Don’t tell the landlord though. He’s not fond of unauthorized modifications to his building,” Kobura said. Kobura shifted you over again to open the door. He gently set you down in a chair. “One second.” Kobura left your side. A few things were shifted in the room. He drew the blinds. And, it sounded like something was aggressively thrown away.

Toga settled beside you. She leaned down to your ear. “He’s just trying to tidy up for you. You know how boys are when they show a girl their space,” she whispered.

You really didn’t know how that was. Kobura might have been the first person to directly invite you over to his place. It wasn’t as if you really had a choice in the invite, but you found it odd how Toga had completely bypassed the very abnormal situation by equating it to an average relationship step. You’d never been to a boy’s home before. It wasn’t like a dorm room. This was where Kobura had been living for a long time.

The blindfold was taken off. Kobura took a few steps away from you, smiling sheepishly. “Sorry for the mess. I would have cleaned up more if I knew you’d be here.”

The place was spotless. In fact, you were utterly amazed that someone had so recently broken in. All of Kobura’s things were organized or contained. The apartment room was modern and sleek. You imagined this is what it would look like if there was a room in a laptop. The color scheme of the place did not sway from green, black, and gray. He had a king-sized bed, with gray sheets and green accents. You’d been placed in a high-end computer chair that was black and electric green that sat in front of a hand built computer desktop with three screens. There were bins, labeled and sorted with all kinds of tech. They were pristinely stacked in a far corner. A small mini-fridge with a microwave seemed discarded in a more hidden area of the space behind a contemporary kitchen table and chairs. The only thing that seemed out of place was the wall behind you, which appeared to have been recently painted. There were several tack holes in the wall as if there were thousands of pictures once there and there was a dartboard that was heavily gashed by knife holes.

“It’s not much, I know. I plan to get a bigger space. One where I can have more company, you know? I’m very aware that this place is more like a Bachelor’s pad,” Kobura tried to explain himself. “I used to have a flat screen too, but you can imagine what happened to that.”

You continued to survey the large apartment in awe. He said it wasn’t much, but everything in the room looked expensive and was clearly bought with his aesthetic in mind. You could only imagine what was there before the break-in because the apartment was complete, as if it was meant for a magazine.

Kobura’s face was flush with embarrassment. He cleared his throat as you’d turned to his extensive keyboard that flashed different colors of the rainbow. You forced down the impulse to press a key. You peered back at Kobura, gulping. It was a lot to take in at once, but you weren’t here to admire his home décor.

Kobura handed you a pile of clean clothes. “I don’t have anything small enough for you, but at least it will be clean. If it’s okay with you, I was going to ask that Toga help you in the bathroom. I wouldn’t want you to fall. Once you’re done in there, you can come out here, and I’ll do what I can for some of the more serious wounds.”

“O-okay,” you said unsteadily. What were you doing? Only moments before, you were mortified by Kobura’s actions and now you were obediently following his orders? You clenched your knees tightly, looking to the floor. He killed people. He murdered someone who was begging for their life.

“Anna?” Toga asked. “You’re looking pale again. Do you feel lightheaded?”

You blinked, shaking your head. You snatched the clothes out of Kobura’s hands. You made a move to sprint to the bathroom, only to feel your own body betray you. Your knees buckled with your next step. Kobura snagged you by the waist before you fell, holding you tightly to his chest to support your body.

“Don’t move too fast. You need to be easy on yourself. You’re lucky that you’re still conscious with the wounds you sustained,” Kobura said with his breath brushing the edge of your ear.

You flushed. Once you’d gained your footing, you pulled away from him, throwing his hands off of you. Kobura didn’t reach out for you as you stormed toward the bathroom.

“I wouldn’t take it too hard on yourself, Doku. She’s been through a lot today,” Toga whispered.

Had you had more energy, you might have argued with her. Instead, you continued forward, knowing that time was of the essence to make it back to the School Festival. You paused in front of the enormous rain shower that was complete with extra jets. There were about four different knobs to turn on the shower, and you were scared to pick any of them.

Toga and Kobura were still talking quietly outside the bathroom. You wondered if you’d ruined your chances for help, until you heard the scrape of a chair from room over. Moments later, Toga came in carrying one of the kitchen chairs with her.

“What are you doing with that?” you asked her.

“Kobura said it was okay to bring this in the shower with you. It will be easier on you to sit down.” Toga shut the door behind her, locking it. “So he doesn’t get any ideas,” she said jokingly. She opened the large glass shower door, setting the chair inside.

“I-Isn’t that expensive? And, part of the dining set?” you asked.

Toga waved her hand dismissively toward the questions. “A chair is less important than your safety, Anna,” she said, her voice echoing off of the natural stone walls. She leaned forward, checking the knobs suspiciously. “I’m pretty sure it’s this one.” Toga let out an unearthly squeal as she turned the knob, and she was blasted by the jets in front of her. “Cold! Too cold! Shit!” She shut off the water, cursing under her breath. She turned on the correct one next and then slipped out of the shower, before she could be drenched further. “I’ll busy myself with prepping the first aid kit, so you won’t need to worry about me watching. Towels are there. Take your time. Kobura said to use the two bottles with flowers for your hair, and…” Toga scratched her head in thought. “…he also told me to apologize for the manly smelling soap. Let me know if you need a hand.” She smiled brightly at you, before she went to retrieve the medical kit from beneath the sink.

You watched Toga for a moment to see if she was being truthful about leaving you alone. Once she began laying things out over the sink, you felt comfortable enough to get in the shower. You went as quickly as your aching body would allow. You winced whenever you got close enough to a wound. There was a lot of blood, so much so you kept your eyes up. When you were done, you stood up from the chair and shut off the shower. You dried off as best as you could, having difficulty bending too much. You slipped on the loose fitting pants and sweatshirt that Kobura had provided, thankful to be out of that sacrificial white dress that was stained with blood.

“I’m done,” you said softly, shivering in place.

Toga spun back toward you, giving you a toothy grin. “Okay. Mind if I take a look at your chest wound?”

Thankfully, the cut on your chest was only a surface wound. The dress had taken the brunt of the lash, but it was still severe enough to need bandages. Toga applied them fast and efficiently. She checked your face next, gently tilting up your chin into the light. You winced when her fingertip skimmed what you could only assume was a fresh bruise.

Toga frowned. “I can’t believe she punched you while your hands were tied. I can cover this up with some makeup, but you’ll need to be careful not to wipe it off. It’s going to be difficult to hide the swelling, let alone the bruise, after it begins to heal.”

Toga was gentle when she applied the foundation, but it still stung. Looking in the mirror, you could hardly tell there was anything abnormal with your face. Toga had been right though, if you looked hard enough you could see the raised area of the bruise itself. You would need to take care to hide your face for a while. That was easier said than done when you had Bakugo as a classmate.

Toga wrinkled her nose at checking your leg. You knew that was going to be the worst of the wounds. It’s where most of the blood was leaving your body too, even if you’d left the shirt tied around your thigh. The longer the cut was left untreated the more dangerous it was for you. Still, she left it be as it was, telling you she was going to wait for Kobura to check it first.

Toga helped you out of the bathroom. You staggered, despite trying your best to seem fine. You were having a hard time keeping it together. Toga assisted you back into Kobura’s gaming chair. She rolled up your pant leg.

Kobura had changed into a fresh set of clothes, his bare chest no longer exposed to the world. He’d even bandaged up his arm. He knelt down in front of you, looking over the injury in worry, his eyebrows knitted together in concentration. Toga stood back with her arms crossed, looking just as uneasy.

“Has your quirk stabilized yet? Do you think it’s back in place for certain?” Kobura asked, peering up at you with his attentive green eyes.

“No,” you answered honestly. You’d felt it fluctuating since leaving the abandoned warehouse. There was no telling when it would come back fully.

“I’m scared to use my saliva on you like I’ve done before. You’re going to need stitches.”

Your eyes widened. “Stitches?” you squeaked out.

Kobura nodded solemnly. “If we don’t do something, it’s only going to get worse, and you’ll have to notify a teacher as soon as you make it back. I have experience with making stitches, but I won’t do it if you don’t want me to. It’s your choice.”

Choice? You didn’t have a choice. It was either get found out and ruin the School Festival, or get patched up and deal with it after. The hospital wasn’t an option. Recovery Girl wasn’t an option. Everyone’s hard work would go to waste if an investigation was initiated on what had happened. Eri wouldn’t be able to go to her first festival.

You clenched your fist at your side, biting hard into your lip. “Do it,” you said resolutely. “Please.”

10 notes · View notes

agentark88 · 2 years

Text

Think: Chapter Seventy-Seven: Emiyo Miya: Feel Haunted

My Hero Academia Fan Fiction by Agent ARK 88

Warnings: This work contains mild language, blood, and violence.

Please be aware this chapter is in third-person perspective, following my original character, Emoticon, Emiyo Miya, who is a villain.

Chapter Seventy-Seven: Emiyo Miya: Feel Haunted

Emiyo Miya sat outside in a dark corner of the school building, eating a single rice ball she’d brought for lunch. She tried her best to appear invisible in her middle school days, hoping that she would be ignored rather than bullied for her quirk. This was her lunch spot. A place where no one would bother her. Being out of sight, meant you were out of mind. At least that was what it was supposed to do.

She’d set her phone against a small rock, watching people enter in and out of her live stream. Every once in a while, someone would talk to her, making her smile brighten. It was easier to talk to people online. They didn’t know about her quirk, and even if they did, she couldn’t affect them with it. It made it easier to talk freely.

Emiyo gulped down the last of her lunch, and her stomach growled. She always wanted to eat more, but she needed to keep thin for the few fans that she had. She was scared that they might look down on her. If her FlikFlok fans saw that she wasn’t taking her role seriously, she might just lose them. She adored the compliments on her figure, her outfits. The more attention she received, the more validation she got for her very existence. It wasn’t like her classmates gave her the time of day. As Emoticon, she could be a star, or at least that’s what she thought the username would make her. Right now, she only had about one hundred followers, but one day she’d have thousands of new friends and followers.

“There you are Feeling Freak!” Atsuko shouted from across the school grounds. She’d been Emiyo’s self-pronounced bully since Elementary school. Her silken black hair was always perfectly tied back in a braid, and her mom let her wear sparkly lip gloss to school.

“S-sorry, I’ll talk to you all later,” Emiyo whispered quickly into the phone camera. She frantically shut off her live to keep up her online persona, but there was a good chance her followers had already heard Atsuko. It hadn’t been the first time Atsuko had interrupted a livestream either.

Atsuko had enough time to reach Emiyo, before she could hide her phone away. Atsuko stomped on Emiyo’s phone along with the hand that was holding it. Emiyo cried out in surprised pain.

“W-why would you do that?” Emiyo asked. “M-my phone is important to me.”

“You’re lucky I didn’t break your face, you skank! I heard that you bewitched my boyfriend with your stupid quirk, and he broke up with me!” Atsuko accused loudly.

Atsuko’s normal girl group was with her. Two shorter girls that always stood in Atsuko’s shadow. They’d cut their hair, wore clothes, and put on shiny lip balm just like her. Of course, they couldn’t wear the sparkly kind. Only Atsuko was allowed to wear the glittery kind. They were now looking at Emiyo as if she was a stain on the earth that needed removal.

“I-I didn’t use my quirk on your boyfriend,” Emiyo stammered out.

“You’re a little liar! He told me everything! He said that you forced him to love you, so he couldn’t be with me!” Atsuko stamped her foot, ensuring Emiyo’s phone was absolutely destroyed.

Emiyo blinked up at her with tears in her eyes. Shards of glass cut into her hand, and she finally came to the realization there was no hopes in saving her phone. It was the only thing that she had that made her feel whole. Her community of fans kept her sane. Atsuko had destroyed her precious phone without even thinking about how it might have hurt Emiyo. Atsuko was blaming Emiyo for something that she didn’t even do. There was no way Atsuko’s boyfriend was affected by Emiyo’s quirk because he wouldn’t have remembered her using it on him.

“I’m telling the truth. If I used my quirk on your boyfriend, he wouldn’t have remembered what ha—”

Atsuko kicked Emiyo over, making her yelp as the back of her head hit the brick wall behind her. “So, you use your filthy quirk on my boyfriend, and now you dare call him a liar too?! I don’t want to hear your excuses! Fix him!” she shrieked. Atsuko kicked dirt onto Emiyo.

Emiyo whimpered, trying her best to back away from the group of bullies, but with a wall between her and them, she couldn’t just escape. When she moved left, they did.

“Yeah, fix him!” one of Atsuko’s lackeys piped up.

Atsuko, being much taller and stronger than the average middle schooler, picked Emiyo up by her blond strands of hair. She forced her on her feet, shoving her in a direction. Emiyo had no choice but to move in the direction that Atsuko wanted her to.

“I didn’t…” Emiyo trailed off when she caught sight of Atsuko’s angry expression. Emiyo’s whole body trembled in fear as she wiped tears from her face.

“The next words that come out of your ugly chapped lips better fix my boyfriend, skank, or I’ll cut your tongue out of your mouth!” Atsuko threatened.

“Yeah!” one of her friend’s squawked.

Atsuko continued to coerce Emiyo forward for what felt like an eternity, until they’d come into contact with a group of boys joking and laughing together. The tallest of the boys Emiyo recognized as Atsuko’s boyfriend. She’d normally steer clear of him to avoid Atsuko’s wrath, so she had no idea why he’d blamed Emiyo for their break up. Genji Ito looked up from beneath his well-kept black bangs. His red eyes tracked the approaching group, his face growing ashen when he noticed Atsuko. A confident grin replaced his expression when the girls got closer.

Atsuko gave Emiyo a final shove, forcing her to her knees in front of the boys. Emiyo’s palms scraped against the cement parking lot that the group had congregated in. Some of the boys snickered and laughed. Genji continued to hold that tense smile.

“Take back what you did to Genji!” Atsuko demanded again.

Genji looked between Emiyo and Atsuko, his smile fading and thought processing in his vermillion eyes. He’d clearly lied. Emiyo gulped, not wanting to encourage another wrathful attack from Atsuko. But, there was nothing Emiyo could do because there was nothing to undo.

Just as Emiyo thought Atsuko might get violent again, Genji spoke up instead.

“S-she can’t take it back. Once her quirk enthralls you, it’s over, don’t you know? I can never feel for you romantically again,” Genji explained, lying through his teeth.

The men around Genji snorted out successive laughs. That wasn’t true. Emiyo’s quirk had always ended when she willed it to. It was difficult at times, but no one had ever been completely and wholly controlled forever.

“That can’t be true!” Atsuko cried.

It wasn’t true, Emiyo thought, feeling her original uneasiness begin to fade.

“Don’t you love me, Genji? Can’t you fight this Feeling Freak’s quirk?” Atsuko violently pushed Emiyo’s head.

No, he doesn’t love you. He can’t fight it because he’s lying. Emiyo clenched her fists at her sides. The only thing that she’s held precious to her was her phone, and Atsuko destroyed it all because of a lie. Genji was using Emiyo to get out a relationship he didn’t want to be in. It wasn’t fair.

“Fix him!” Atsuko shrieked at Emiyo, pulling her by the hair and shaking her.

Emiyo bowed her head, biting into her bottom lip until she tasted blood. How many years had Atsuko bullied her for a quirk she never used on her classmates? Over ten years. Since they could barely walk, Atsuko had targeted Emiyo simply because she had a quirk that appeared threatening. It wasn’t fair. She’d never used her quirk intentionally on her classmates. It was not only prohibited but also morally wrong. But, what was keeping her from doing it now? Nothing. If they wanted her to use her quirk so bad on them to make her the bad guy, she’d use it.

“I’ll fix him,” Emiyo muttered under her breath.

Atsuko breathed out a sigh of relief, releasing her hold on Emiyo and wiping tears from her face. “Did you hear that, Genji? We’ll get to be together again like before.” She clasped her hands in front of her, grinning.

Genji looked mystified by Emiyo’s response. “But…” he trailed off, realizing if he attempted to correct Emiyo, it would only reveal his lie.

“I’ll fix all of you,” Emiyo said.

Genji’s eyebrows furrowed. All the girls crossed their arms over their chests with a look of disgust on their faces.

“Feel guilt,” Emiyo said, feeling the strands of her quirk connect to each of them in turn. She’d never used her quirk on so many people at once, but it surprisingly felt liberating instead of taxing.

One by one, Emiyo’s classmates’ expressions changed. They all looked down ashamed, for multiple reasons Emiyo had to guess. A few of the girls shed tears. The men shifted around, alternating from rubbing their neck to apologizing. But, Emiyo wasn’t done with this simple emotion. She would make them pay. She would let them be right about her for once.

“Feel admiration.” Emiyo could feel the tingle of the word across her tongue. All she ever wanted was for everyone to admire her, see what they were missing out on by ignoring her. She deserved the attention. She never deserved to be bullied and dragged through the mud.

To Emiyo’s surprise, her quirk took them over instantly. The girls were now surrounding her, preening her clothes and admiring her face. They spouted words of great awe and showered Emiyo with compliments. Seeing Atsuko falling over herself to get closer to Emiyo was absolutely delicious. Emiyo had never thought anything so simple could bring her so much instant gratification. It was like getting more than a thousand likes on a video she posted on FlikFlok. The boys kept their distance, but they were just as awestruck, practically bowing at Emiyo’s feet and begging her to notice them.

Emiyo smiled, soaking in their adoration. Once she stopped using her quirk on them, they would completely have forgotten what had happened. That is, if she stopped using her quirk on them. After all, they deserved to be in a never-ending emotional state for the rest of their lives. If Emiyo was capable of such things, she would consider keeping them under her spell. At least Genji’s lie would be a sick truth if she did that.

“Please, please! Take my lip gloss!” Atsuko pleaded, tugging at Emiyo’s shirt. “I would be honored if you wore it instead of me.” Atsuko began wiping the slimy makeup from her own lips. “Only you deserve to shine brighter than the sun. Your aesthetic inspires me so much.”

Emiyo hesitantly took the small container from Atsuko, examining the expensive sheen on the gloss. Emiyo couldn’t express the joy she felt when she dipped her finger into the sparkling goop and spread it across her lips. She smacked her fattened lips together, ensuring every inch was covered with the glittery gloss. If her smile got any wider, she was certain she would pull a muscle.

The power Emiyo wielded over her classmates rippled through her middle-school brain with a heavy sense of entitlement. Why had she not done this years ago? She’d been through more than enough to use her quirk on anyone who’d wronged her. Emiyo was a good girl, respectful, quiet. She minded her own business, and these hateful people tore her down.

Atsuko’s eyes were trained on Emiyo’s glossed lips. Emiyo grinned, clutching the container of balm in her hand. How could she make them feel exactly how she had felt all of these years? Emiyo felt afraid to do anything against their approval. She hated herself for being born with her quirk because of them. Emiyo cried for days about being excluded from her classmates’ fun get-togethers. She spent hours thinking about what it would be like to belong, to be treated like everyone else.

Emiyo was constantly reminded of her differences from Atsuko and her click. She was forced to accept she could never be good enough. She would never forget how brutally she was treated, physically, emotionally, and mentally. She might as well have been a monster in their eyes, and she’d done nothing to assume that role. Emiyo would be forever haunted by her mistreatment. Who could she ever trust to truly respect her? If they knew about Emiyo’s quirk, it was fair to assume that they’d hate her. Emiyo would be forever haunted by her childhood because of them. She would make them feel haunted too.

Emiyo grabbed Atsuko by her hair. “You disgust me,” Emiyo said coldly.

Because Atsuko admired Emiyo in this state, her face immediately fell. She quaked under Emiyo’s grasp. It must have felt so heart wrenching to be rejected by someone she was currently looking up to.

“W-what can I do, Emiyo? How can I get back on your good side?” Atsuko asked in a panic. Tears streamed naturally down her face. She looked completely horrified to have upset Emiyo in such a way.

Emiyo pulled harder on the girls scalp. Atsuko barely reacted to the pain. She was more concerned about what Emiyo would say next to her. She’d displeased the girl she admired most, so she would do anything to fix it. There were so many emotions that Emiyo wanted her to feel, so many things she wanted the girl to experience to get the smallest of ideas of how Atsuko had treated Emiyo for all of those years. Emiyo, however, could feel the strain on her quirk. Never had she held so many people under her control for such a long period of time. This emotion would need to be her last, and she could hold it as long as she needed to before she made it back safely to her home. And, both groups would be none the wiser of what had actually happened.

Emiyo could sense a side of herself that she had kept shadowed for so long emerging. Darkness lingered in her normally unbothered heart. Atsuko would be forced to apologize for her bullying through her emotional devastation. Emiyo wanted to rip Atsuko’s mind apart from the inside out. An evil girl like her deserved no mercy for the wrongdoings she’d done.

Emiyo smirked down at Atsuko, her now adoring fan. Atsuko returned Emiyo’s expression with a genuine smile. Atsuko had no idea what torments awaited her. She would be punished for what she’d done, and Emiyo wouldn’t feel the slightest ounce of guilt for it.

“Feel haunted.” The words dripped out of Emiyo’s mouth like honey, sticking to her memories sweetly.

Atsuko’s expression twisted into one of utter horror. She stumbled away from Emiyo in a panic. Emiyo couldn’t fathom what her middle-school bully could possibly be imagining. Emiyo was delighted to think Atsuko could be seeing a monster beyond even her own imagination. Emiyo spread her quirk to the rest of the groups, and it didn’t take any of them very long to crumple to the ground in a symphony of screams and cries. Their terror was music to Emiyo’s ears.

Emiyo retrieved her broken phone, making sure the device was actually broken. It was beyond repair. She came back to her panicking peers, humming softly to herself. She pressed her glossed lips together, spreading the balm with an even pressure. Emiyo sat amidst the chaos. Her eyes followed Atsuko and Genji with the attentiveness of a predator toward its prey. Oh, how she wished to record the scene so she could watch it for eternity. This was one of the greatest days of Emiyo’s life.

It’s a turning point, she thought. She wouldn’t let anyone treat her the way that they did ever again. She wasn’t born with a curse. She was born with a gift. She would change anyone’s mind if they thought differently. She would only have to tell them how to feel so they’d agree with her.

Emiyo left her classmates, entering back into the school for classes. Their tormented screams rang in her mind like a sweet melody. The middle school staff were so oblivious, no one had approached them out by the parking lot for the remainder of the day, probably assuming they’d skipped. Atsuko and Genji had done this before several times. Their parents were Pro Heroes, and they often got away with anything that they wanted. This included their friends. Atsuko was so popular in school that it wasn’t something that raised any red flags when the friend groups didn’t show back up inside.

Emiyo walked home, only releasing her quirk when she crossed the threshold of the small house entrance. Emiyo removed her shoes, walking into the quiet house. She headed straight for her room, hoping not to run into her parents, less they notice how disheveled she appeared.

“Emiyo, please come here,” Emiyo’s father called out sternly from the other room.

Emiyo paused by her room’s doorway. Atsuko and Genji wouldn’t have remembered a thing. She should have been in the clear.

Emiyo moved into the kitchen where both of her parents were lingering beside the stove. The home phone was positioned on the counter beside them. Emiyo’s mother gasped when she caught sight of Emiyo.

“Look at how dirty your face is! Oh my, is that a tear in your clothes?” she asked.

Emiyo brought a hand up to her face, trying to clear off the dirt that she couldn’t see. Her father frowned, shaking his head in disapproval.

“The school called, but I suppose you already knew that,” he said.

Emiyo didn’t respond. She set her attention on the ground. Her father was always strict. He didn’t care what quirk Emiyo had. He wouldn’t have his daughter prance around like school didn’t matter. He would see no child of his skate their way through life without a care in the world like any other wannabe hero.

“Someone saw you being pushed around, Sweetie,” Emiyo’s mom said bluntly. “The school called to check that you made it home safely. Apparently, there was an anonymous tip called in.”

Emiyo’s eyes widened. This wasn’t about her using her quirk on her bullies after all? The school had never cared before. This didn’t seem right.

“Do you really think that this an appropriate way to conduct yourself, young lady? Not only did the school inform us you were using a social media app during school hours, but one of your ‘fans’ had called in to check on you. Do you have any idea how important your education is? Why would you waste your time on an app instead of catching up on your studies? Not to mention, getting into fights at school is disgraceful,” Emiyo’s father said. He crossed his arms over his chest, his forehead creased in anger.

Oh. They didn’t really understand. Emiyo was going to be accused for something she hadn’t done yet again, something that didn’t affect the “perfect” life that her father had forced her into. He didn’t even ask why she was being pushed around. He just assumed she had started the fight herself.

“I wasn’t fighting anyone…” Emiyo trailed off, watching her father’s expression morph into disgust.

“How can you lie to my face like that? Look at you! You’re absolutely filthy. Do you really think I would believe you weren’t involved in a fight?”

“I was pushed,” Emiyo said in a small voice.

“Honey, you can tell us the truth. Did you get into a fight because Atsuko was playfully teasing you again? You know how girls can be.”

“She came up to me and blamed me for using my quirk on her boyfriend. Then, she broke my phone.”

“Did she actually break your phone, or did you drop it? You know how clumsy you can be, Emiyo,” her mom said.

“Atsuko attacked me. I didn’t drop my phone,” Emiyo said, her voice shaking. Emiyo dug her nails into her palms, biting into her bottom lip.

“What is that on your mouth?” Emiyo’s father asked.

Emiyo’s muscles coiled. There must have been remnants of the glittery lip gloss on her lips. Her father hated anything on Emiyo that would make her stand out.

“Emiyo Miya, I asked you a question,” her father snapped.

Emiyo jolted back in fear. “It’s l-lip gloss.”

A vein rose in Emiyo’s father’s forehead. “Wipe it off this instant,” he demanded.

Emiyo hesitated to remove the makeup. She’d worked hard to get it in the first place. She deserved to wear it after all she’d been through. When Emiyo didn’t obey, her father crossed the room, towering over her with his piercing blue eyes glaring through instead of at her.

“A child of mine will not wear something of that nature in my house. I said to remove it.”

“But—”

“Wipe it off, or I will!” he shouted at her.

Emiyo winced. Why didn’t they understand? All she wanted was to be seen, be heard. No one ever listened to her. No one ever listened to Emiyo. They assumed. They all just judged her without asking for any details.

Emiyo didn’t know what came over her. That darkness appeared again in her heart. It felt warm like a blanket around her frayed nerves. If her parents didn’t understand, she would make them understand. She had a gift to help them understand. Emiyo’s life could be so much better. She saw what her quirk could do at school. Why not improve her life at home too?

“Feel responsible,” Emiyo said flatly. She laughed, showing her father her cut up hands. “Feel responsible for allowing your only daughter to be bullied! Feel regret for assuming the worst of me! Feel foolish for guessing wrong! Feel responsible for my phone breaking!” Emiyo shoved her father back.

Under the power of her quirk, her father’s expression shifted. He stumbled back from the small push his daughter had given him. Emiyo was screaming at her mother too, forcing her under the coercion of her quirk as well.

“Feel sorry for blaming me for everything! Feel guilty for how unpopular I am! It’s all your fault! It’s both of your faults! Feel disgusted with yourselves! I hate you! I hate you both!” Emiyo continued to shout, tears streaming down her cheeks. They had no idea what she went through. They’d given birth to a girl with a quirk they wouldn’t let her use. They thought the worst of her. They never gave her a chance to explain herself. Her life was miserable because of them, not because of the bullies or the people that ignored her. Her parents were the reason her life was a living hell, and she was going to make sure she made their lives the same.

“Feel miserable. Feel horrified. Feel ashamed!” Emiyo continued to flip their emotions like they were simple playing cards. She watched on emotionlessly as their faces twitched and twisted into new forms. She made them feel everything. Everything that they deserved to feel. She wanted them to suffer, to break. Then, they did.

Emiyo continued to shout out emotion after emotion, until the words fell on deaf ears. Her parents’ expressions went blank. There wasn’t a thought behind their eyes. They didn’t move. Emiyo’s throat felt raw from screaming. Her eyes itched from crying. She thought she would feel terrified to see her parents like this, but she felt… nothing.

Emiyo released her quirk, but both of her parents didn’t move. She scanned them over curiously, uncertain to the point that her quirk had evolved. Was it temporary? She didn’t much care if it was or not. If they awoke from this trance, they would only blame her for putting them in it. They’d forget what she’d done to them, but not what they were saying about her, what they assumed about her.

Emiyo’s quirk was so much more than she expected. She could control whomever and however many people she wanted. She didn’t need her parents. She didn’t need school. She didn’t need anyone to succeed. All she needed was her gift.

Her parents could never understand her potential, and they were one of the firsts to be exposed to it.

Emiyo took her time packing the necessities to live on her own. There was no telling if and when her parents would come to their senses. Emiyo came to the conclusion it wasn’t her problem anymore either. They brought this on themselves.

Emiyo took all the cash in the house, the jewelry, and credit cards. She stole her mother’s makeup and dresses that she always wanted to wear but never could. She would be able to get much more on her own. No one would be able to stop her from getting what she wanted now. Her quirk was limitless, and she was excited how far she could push it.

Emiyo left the house with only a small suitcase and a handful of cash. Her first purchase was a brand new phone. She did her best to clean herself up. As her restrictions were lifted, she could wear whatever she wanted. Then, she went live on FlikFlok. It was the start of her new life, her created life.

Emiyo never heard from her parents again. She was far too distracted by the following she slowly began to amass. It didn’t take long for the person who’d called to check on her had reached out. It turned out he was one of her original FlikFlok followers, and he would do anything to ensure she continued to post. He was elated to hear that not only she was safe, but she would be posting fulltime. Emiyo never asked for his name. In fact, he blended in with her other followers shortly after, but she’d met him in person. He’d bestowed her with gifts and money and asked for nothing in return. All he wanted was to see her smile. Imagine that? Someone wanted Emiyo for just being Emiyo. He was the first Little Emoji of her loyal group, and many others followed.

Emiyo Miya trampled over the villain competition even at such a young age. She was unstoppable, unpredictable. She’d strike and then post. She’d go live on special occasions. She had the police scratching their heads and emotionally unstable. Her Little Emojis ensured the great villain Emoticon was seen on every phone screen in Japan. Her name was infamous in a few years’ time, and her past was far behind her.

Life became lonely. Emotionally manipulating people Emiyo had no interest in became tiresome. She’d tried the other FlikFlok stars, made them feel love for her, only to feel an emptiness around them. Their smiles, as unmeasurably filled with affection as they were, came off just as fake on their livestreams as they did in person. Emiyo’s following grew faster without a love interest anyway, so she’d discard the boys promptly after they couldn’t give her the adoration she wanted. It fit her villainous persona perfectly, so no one batted an eye at her behavior.

Emiyo searched elsewhere. She’d climbed her way up the FlikFlok market and had plenty of money to live wherever and wear whatever she wanted. She was a star to the public. What better way for her to shine brighter than to be romantically involved with another star? Heroes and villains were on her radar. But, the hole grew larger near the abysmal darkness next to her heart with each passing day. Nothing fulfilled her anymore. Millions of likes and not one gave her the same happiness she’d gotten when she started from nothing. She wanted attention a different way, affection.

This desire led Emiyo to the FlikFlok post to find an eligible suitor, the one that started it all. Then, him. Doku Kobura, the hot mystery man that saved a maid at a café. He was nothing compared to Emiyo Miya. His rank as a villain couldn’t even be considered a rank. His quirk was loosely defined. His income was unknown. His parents, barely considered petty thieves, were a couple imprisoned at an unnamed facility. His social media presence was non-existent. In all categories, he was the exact opposite of what Emiyo usually went for, which made him absolutely perfect.

Emiyo met him in person and fell in love. Never had that emotion ever crossed her heart’s path. If anything, love was a construct made up of lies and forced emotions to Emiyo. But, when she first laid eyes on him, her heart fluttered in a way she’d never experienced before. He was gorgeous. The news video of him didn’t give him justice. His angled features were reminiscent of a model’s. His clothes were expensive, designer. His piercings were overshadowed by his handsomeness. His white hair was combed back and styled to perfection, not a single hair out of place. A villain like him was a diamond in the rough. Emiyo intended to steal that diamond for herself, force it into a ring, and wear it on her finger for the rest of eternity. Emiyo Miya would be the best thing that ever happened to Doku Kobura, and she would ensure he would know it.

Thinking about it now made Emiyo grind her perfectly white teeth. She’d come across people that weren’t affected by her quirk, but it was rare. They’d have to be completely enveloped by that emotion for nothing to happen. Of course, if her voice can’t reach the target’s ears directly it doesn’t work either. But, it certainly wasn’t the case for Doku Darling. He’d blatantly shunned her quirk because he was in “love” with someone else, with her.

It was evident from the photos and his computer activity that Doku Darling was absolutely infatuated with Anna Kokoro. His life currently revolved around her. Stalking was too gentle a word for the way he tracked her every move. Emiyo was disgusted to find the evidence, and she was convinced that it was simply a novelty relationship, one where a villain found it fascinating to be with an upcoming hero.

Anna Kokoro was a plain girl. She wore glasses, covered up, and she’d done nothing remarkable before this year. Her quirk was rare, unheard of, but she hadn’t used it. She just barely made it into U.A. and has had trouble maintaining that student status since due to quirk mishaps. But, Emiyo couldn’t fathom what made Doku Darling fawn over her like he did. As far as Emiyo was concerned, Kokoro was nothing compared to her.

Doku’s so-called rejection infuriated Emiyo. She’d gotten everything she wanted since the day she abandoned her old life. Doku had no right to refuse her. All Emiyo had to do was remove the problem. Once Anna Kokoro was gone, obliterated in front of his very eyes, he’d have his own emptiness to fill in his heart. He’d know just how Emiyo felt. He’d be able to love Emiyo once Kokoro was out of the picture, and she truly believed that. But, she knew it wasn’t as simple as slicing the girl’s throat. Doku Darling was too enthralled by the idea of him and Anna together that it wouldn’t do anything just to kill her. Emiyo would need to expose Anna and Doku’s relationship as the lie it was. Doku Darling would do what’s best. He’d make the obvious choice when it came down to it.

It was easy to break into the school records, and it was easier to locate the school-loaned phone given to Anna Kokoro. There was a failsafe attached to the phone, that when it was tracked it would alert the school. Her Little Emojis found it child’s play to simulate a location back at the school should they even realize Kokoro’s phone was being tracked. Everything had been set up to kidnap her early that morning. Why Anna Kokoro had gone alone out in the middle of the night, Emiyo would never understand. For Doku Darling, Emiyo was perfectly content traipsing the sidewalks all morning until the girl went to the store, as the loaded permission slip from U.A. had indicated. It was dumb luck the girl decided she’d go earlier instead. It made Emiyo’s plan that much more seamless. All that was left was for her to get what she wanted: Doku Darling to pronounce his love for Emiyo Miya.

#mha think #bnha think #Emiyo Miya #Emoticon #mha emoticon #bnha emoticon #doku kobura #mha doku kobura #bnha doku kobura #Anna kokoro #mha anna kokoro #mha fanfic #mha fanfiction #mha fanficition #bnha fanfiction #bnha fanfic #MHA x OC #bnha x oc

4 notes · View notes

agentark88 · 2 years

Text

Think: Chapter Seventy-Four: Doku Kobura: Emiyoku

My Hero Academia Fan Fiction by Agent ARK 88

Warnings: This work contains mild language, blood, and violence. If you are easily triggered by violent scenarios, please do not read this chapter.

Please be aware this chapter is in third-person perspective, following my original character, BioVirus, Doku Kobura, who is a villain currently a part of The League of Villains.

Chapter Seventy-Four: Doku Kobura: Emiyoku

Doku Kobura scrolled through his phone, sighing dramatically as he passed by Sweet Anna’s name for the fifth time. He wanted to call her, to text her as him. There was an unbelievable realness to it, speaking to her; a connection had been made between him and Anna since he stopped pretending to be the people she knew and started being himself. But, the last time he reached out, she declined answering. He needed to give her time. He knew that, but it didn’t make it any easier to wait.

Kobura placed his phone screen down onto the white-linen table. Since the destruction of his favorite maid café, Kobura needed a new place to blend in and get his citrus fix. It had been a habit of his to get out of his apartment room. He was more than comfortable becoming the villain hermit, but he knew isolation wasn’t good for his head. Thoughts not only overwhelmed him but also became a distraction. Kobura also tried to build up his social skills when he could, as much as it drained him. He’d always found his ability to communicate a vital skill as a villain.

“Would you like another citrus tea, Master?” one of the butlers asked.

Kobura nodded, spinning a small teacake fork between his dexterous fingers. He preferred them not to refer to him as “Master,” but it would be more trouble than it was worth to explain why, considering he’d chosen a butler café of all things, and it was part of the overall experience. Kobura had replaced his lovely maid café with a butler café. The men all wore gloves, and even though some patrons ogled Kobura, most were too shy to approach. Besides, there were plenty of attractive butlers serving the guests, so it brought less attention on him. He liked it that way. His small interactions with the staff were more than enough for his liking. Although this establishment’s citrus cakes were inferior to the ones at the old café he frequented, this place had tasty mini-lemon-meringue pies. No orange juice though. It was a shame really.

The butler-dressed waiter returned, pouring Kobura some fresh tea. The man’s eyes scanned over Kobura curiously.

“Something troubling you, Master?” He steadied his dark mysterious gaze on Kobura.

Kobura straightened in his chair, raising an eyebrow. He narrowed his eyes, covering his mouth with his fingers laced in front of his lips. “Love,” Kobura stated plainly. It was a simple enough answer, one that was truthful.

“Why would that be troubling for an attractive young man like you?” The butler collected a dirtied plate, delicately placing a cloth over his extended arm, and removing his eyes from Kobura.

Kobura frowned. Attractive? Sure, his outward appearance had always been perceived as attractive. If only people knew how monstrous he was on the inside, they’d leave him be. Appearance never truly affected the outcome of love, did it? It didn’t matter to Sweet Anna how handsome he was, how appealing. She cared more for whom he was. It’s what made her so uneasy about their relationship together. But, recently, who he was had given him some leverage, gotten him closer to Sweet Anna.

“It’s complicated,” Kobura said. Smalltalk. All he needed to do was pad the conversation with meaningless words. This butler, like so many people in this quirk-filled world, wouldn’t understand.

“Not complicated on your end, I suppose. Am I correct, Master?” the butler said.

Kobura looked at him, observing the butler’s professional posture and the glint of understanding in his brown eyes. He could have been a model with how symmetrical his features were. Kobura wondered what drew him toward this profession. Was it the interactions with the ladies, the men? Kobura was certain the butler got a lot of attention and would be very good at bringing in regulars. The man’s black hair was set so perfectly that Kobura almost wanted to ask him what hair products he used.

“Why are you so interested?” Kobura asked.

The butler’s expression remained stolid. “Is a butler not supposed to worry about his Master, who sighs and gazes into the distance with sadness?”

An act. It was all an act. Kobura had gotten caught up in the fantasy and was now disappointed. This butler, this actor, was good at what he did. He must read people daily, observing from afar to get their patronage. The more customers who requested him, the more money he got. Kobura closed off emotionally.

The man shifted, a flicker of real concern crossed his features. “Have I done something to upset you, Master?” he asked. “I apologize for prying too deeply into your private life.”

Kobura slipped his slender fingers back over his phone, tapping the back of it in contemplation. “I just prefer not to relax into a fantasy,” Kobura said, but his mouth had gone dry. Was that not what he was doing with Sweet Anna? He believed so wholeheartedly that she was the one, his only one, and she still pushed him away.

“I see,” the butler said. He somehow stood straighter. “Might I ask then, why you’ve chosen to come here so often? Is this café not a hotspot for fantasy?”

Kobura’s finger paused atop his cellphone. He hadn’t been there that often, not yet at least. Kobura found that rather suspicious, and he became acutely alert. “It’s for the food really. The old place I went to…shut down,” Kobura admitted. “The company here isn’t half bad either.”

“You’re not half bad yourself, Master.”

Kobura scoffed out a short laugh. Yes, this man played the game too well. He must go home with pockets full of cash. He must have been a favorite too. Still, he shouldn’t bother with Kobura. He would come back regardless if his butler was competent. If it weren’t for Kobura’s quirk, he wondered if he would have ever considered becoming a butler at a café.

“I must take my leave,” the butler said. “Please inform me should you need any more citrus treats.” He left.

Kobura watched the man walk away, irked by his attention to detail. It was possible the butler knew that Kobura was a villain, and he was feeling him out. A lot of people probably saw that news story about the maid café. It wouldn’t surprise Kobura to be recognized. Maybe the butler didn’t care.

Kobura gave another wary glance at the butler who’d already put his charm on two ladies at an opposing table. Kobura flipped his phone back over, sliding a single wireless headphone in his ear, paying attention to the butler with half of his attention just in case. Kobura scrolled through his phone, until he slid into the FlikFlok app that Anna had been so interested in. He hadn’t been surprised to see one of the users abusing the app’s code, but he was genuinely surprised the person that had done a video about him was responsible for it. Emiyo Miya, a.k.a. Emoticon, the self-proclaimed FlikFlok star had set her eyes on him of all people. It annoyed him more than anything. The less attention that Kobura got, the better, especially for the sake of his relationship with Anna. Emiyo must have been working with some topnotch hackers to get her videos boosted the way that she did. Too bad their skills were nothing like his.

Kobura took another sip from his specialty tea. It tasted bitter compared to his usual orange juice. Kobura scrolled further through Emoticon’s profile, scowling in disgust at how showy and fake she was. She elicited herself as a pretty face, but Kobura could see the ugliness under her façade. Blond hair with a teal streak, a slim body, heavy makeup, and a false bubbly personality barely covered up the demon lurking beneath her powdered skin. She was nothing compared to Sweet Anna. Irritation crawled under Kobura’s skin just thinking about Anna worrying if Kobura would prefer Emiyo Miya over her. It was an absurd idea, and it wasn’t one that Kobura wanted Sweet Anna to worry her pretty little head about. Kobura was Anna’s for life. No one could change that.

Kobura noticed the heavily pocked-faced man first. He’d arrived with a group of other males and occupied a table close to his own. Kobura set his phone in his pocket, removing his earphone. Kobura became acutely aware of the men alternating glances his way. One much smaller individual, compared to the nerdy looking brutes around them, sat between the group of men, face covered.

“You have got to be shitting me,” Kobura said under his breath. Why the hell couldn’t anyone leave him alone? He only made trouble when necessary. He didn’t want to lose yet another place to hang out in the city due to being a villain. It felt like even more bullshit that it wasn’t the heroes or the police that were actually being tasteless with his capture, but instead it’s been other felons or fallen heroes.

Kobura shot back the rest of his tea. It burned as it moved down his throat. His venom was roiling at the slightest detection of danger. He paid for his food with a wad of cash, and stood from his chair as subtly as he could manage. The men at the other table stood too. Kobura clenched his fingers around a knife in his jacket. What does a guy have to do around this city to have a couple of sweets in peace?

The men had unoccupied their booth. The tiniest-looking of them walked ahead, most likely the leader. Kobura turned to face them, not because he couldn’t protect himself had they attacked, but because he hoped to defuse the situation before another one of his precious comfort places were demolished. The mystery assailant’s blue eyes widened at seeing Kobura confronting them, but the expression quickly softened.

“Come here often, stranger?” the girl asked.

“Go around stalking people often?” Kobura shot back.

“So harsh,” she said. The girl slid a well-manicured finger over the top of her mask, tugging it down to reveal a teal-lipped pout and a small beauty mark. “The least you could do is say hello. It was nearly impossible to track you down.”

“Do I know you?” Kobura asked. Unfortunately, he did know her. Emiyo Miya, the same girl who he’d been so annoyed with before, was now in his very presence.

Her peanut gallery of followers began murmuring to each other in anger. They must have hated Kobura not recognizing their precious leader. They’re probably not going to like what Kobura has to say to her either.

“Oh, Doku Darling, of course you know who I am. I’m your future girlfriend after all.” She slowly removed her hood, fluffing out her blond hair.

“You’ve got the wrong person,” Kobura stated flatly. He spun on his heel, hoping they’d follow him out of the café. They’d already caused several heads to turn.

A hand gripped Kobura’s sleeve, and he reacted. His knife pressed into Emiyo Miya’s abdomen, out of sight of those looking because of how close their bodies were too each other. Miya lowered her eyelids seductively.

“I suggest you release me, or you won’t have a hand to grab me with again,” Kobura whispered into her ear.

“Did you know you could call me by my first name, Doku Darling? Don’t be shy. Go ahead and call me Emiyo. You don’t have to continue to pretend like you don’t know who I am.” She tightened her grip on Kobura’s sleeve, pressing closer into him despite the knife. Her lips came dangerously close to his ear. “Feel love, Doku Darling.”

If Kobura caused a scene in the building, he’d never be allowed back. Right now, it looked as if two lovers were getting into a playful quarrel. He could back away and fix this. Although the problem now was that this psychopath knew he went to this place. He’d have to ensure she would not come find him again, not want to find him again. Kobura retracted his knife, guaranteeing it was out of sight. Emiyo reached up to Kobura’s face, caressing the side of his cheek.

Kobura grabbed her wrists. “Don’t touch me,” he growled. “Only one person is allowed to put their hands on me, and it’s not you.”

Emiyo’s expression changed. Her confidence shrunk away in awe and displeasure. Anger wrinkled her perfectly preened skin. “Don’t you love me?” she practically shrieked at him.

“Love you?” Kobura scoffed. “I told you that you have the wrong person.”

The butler who’d been serving Kobura had stepped forward, tossing glances between Kobura and Emiyo. “I must ask the two of you to take this quarrel outside. This is a place of business.”

“Feel indifferent!” Emiyo shouted, but her eyes were still on Kobura. The butler appeared suddenly disinterested in what was going on, completely turning away.

To Kobura’s surprise, he wasn’t the only one to lose interest. The rest of the café staff in the room averted their gaze, going about their business as if Kobura and Emiyo didn’t exist. For the moment, it solved Kobura’s first problem of causing a scene.

“You will feel love for me, Doku Darling. There’s no reason that you shouldn’t,” Emiyo put more emphasis in her words.

Kobura felt nothing but irritation toward her, anger. She’d waltzed right into his new favorite café, caused a horrible scene, and now was demanding his affection. She was lucky that Kobura didn’t feel like stabbing her for her inconsideration of his feelings. He would stab her too, if he knew that he’d be able to come back to this café again. “Sweet Anna is the only person I love!” Kobura snapped at her. He had to have been drooling green venom at this point. His saliva had gotten thicker the more aggravated he’d become.

Emiyo was glaring through Kobura, evidently not even looking at him like a human being. Rage, pure unadulterated rage burned through her blue eyes. Had she been a toddler, she would have fallen to the floor throwing a fit. “How dare you,” she said.

“We love you, Emoticon! Forget about him. He has no taste,” one of her followers piped up.

“Yeah, you are a goddess compared to any other woman. He’s clearly braindead!” another chimed in.

“Feel speechless,” Emiyo stated with darkness in her tone.

The group behind her stopped speaking, but appeared to struggle to find their voice. Kobura finally recognized what was happening with her quirk. For some reason, it hadn’t yet affected him. Had Kobura had the same immunity that Anna did to his own quirk? Or, was it something else.

“There is no way in hell you’re already in love. I’ve been tracking you. You do not have a lover. You don’t meet with anyone. You’re a lonely freak. So, why are you not being affected by my quirk?”

Dumb luck, Kobura thought. Although if that was the case, he wouldn’t be having this interaction at all, be called a freak yet again. “I’m leaving,” Kobura said. He shifted, and she grabbed for his wrist. “I said, don’t touch me,” he hissed.

Emiyo tightened her fist in front of her, having been rejected yet again. “Feel belligerent, Emojis.” Just after the words left her mouth, the group behind her reacted.

Four large men in total, mostly overweight and acne-covered with thick muscles, marched toward Kobura. It would be difficult for Kobura to subdue them without harm, but he was trying to be better for Anna. He didn’t want to ruin everything because of one crazy girl that decided to stalk him. For that very reason, he refrained from drawing any of his knives as he’d done before.

Kobura could fight. He’d trained his body at a young age to defend himself. Being as he was a smaller child, he had to work hard to get to where he was. Once he grew into his body, no one could come close to beating him, aside from Anna. Kobura found out early on, as he unfolded the mystery life of his greatest love, that her exceptional abilities weren’t all created from natural causes such as her quirk. She had developed her skills in hiding like he had done. She and Kobura shared that harsh upbringing. They were both plants fighting their way between slabs of concrete; only, Sweet Anna had bloomed into a beautiful blue rose, while Kobura was a decrepit green weed. They’d crawled through horrid conditions, survived, despite the odds. Knives were a small piece, an extension, of Kobura’s fighting talents. His speed and agility were what really gave him the advantage over his opponents. He thought no one would match him, ever, until Anna came along.

Kobura took a defensive position against his attackers. Bloodlust pulsed in their bloodshot eyes. Their strikes wouldn’t hope to touch him. His stamina and reaction speed were far superior to theirs. Despite how beefy they were, if they couldn’t touch him, they didn’t have a chance. Kobura had been backed up against a table. A few patrons shrieked, fleeing their seats. Kobura evaded another attack, only to hear the man’s fists collide with the surface of the expensive table and break it in half. Kobura drew in a breath through his teeth, glancing at the unfortunate event. They were ruining his new café.

Another Emoji had forced Kobura toward a wall with a series of attacks. Kobura ducked out the way of a punch, and the man’s fist went right through drywall.

“Call off your simps, you psychopath!” Kobura shouted at Emiyo. “You’re destroying the place!”

“Not until you admit you love me,” Emiyo said, examining her painted nails with great interest.

“I already told you that I’m in love with someone else!” Kobura weaved out of the way of another blow. This time the Emoji had broken a vase.

“Bullshit! I saw no evidence of a girlfriend of any kind. I don’t know what delusion you’re in to avoid being controlled by my quirk, but until this makes sense to me, I hope my Emojis kick your ass!” Emiyo stomped her foot like a spoiled brat.

Kobura rolled his eyes. He couldn’t believe that the staff had not intervened yet. How powerful was this girl’s quirk? She could just direct multiple targets without a care in the world? She had to be suffering from some kind of strain.

Kobura saw an opening. One of the men was moving abnormally, as if there was pain in his left leg. Kobura struck just at the right moment, twisting the man’s body and putting a jolting amount of pressure on his leg. There was a sickening crack, and the Emoji squealed, collapsing to the ground. He was sobbing, seemingly knocked out of the control of her quirk. Emiyo frowned at the man in disgust.

“You came all this way, and you’re not going to fight me yourself?” Kobura asked, dodging another blatant attack. What he could tell from her was that she was easy to anger. If Kobura took her out, then her Emoji army would most likely stop.

Emiyo clicked her tongue. “I prefer not to get my hands dirty if I don’t have to, Doku Darling. That’s why I found us to be the perfect team. We have similar mindsets, don’t we?”

“We’re nothing like each other,” Kobura snapped.

Emiyo shrugged, running her fingers over a whip she’d pulled from her hip. “Funny that you say that, when I distinctly remember you telling me that you didn’t even know who I was.”

An Emoji grabbed at Kobura’s slick black jacket. Kobura’s feet left the ground; however, in one fluid motion, Kobura unzipped his jacket, slipping out from it. The coat became a casualty of battle as it was launched away. Kobura winced, hearing his phone hit the expensive marble floor. It had a protective cover, but marble was marble. Emiyo’s cool blue gaze fell to the jacket. She swept up the fabric into her hands. Kobura jolted forward to try to take it back from her, but he was suddenly grabbed by two of the men while he was distracted. Kobura’s eyes widened as he was launched into a nearby table. The surface broke upon impact, sending a pain up Kobura’s back.

“Tsk, tsk, Doku Darling. You should really pay more attention to whom you’re fighting. You’re so sweet to be worrying about what I’m doing, but I assure you that my only intention is to ensure our relationship can be brought to the next level.” Emiyo procured Kobura’s phone from his pocket.

Kobura hissed in pain, rolling out of the way of two fists coming down on him at once.

“Want to know what my Little Emojis call us? It’s the cutest thing. Our lovely internet ship is Emiyoku. Don’t you find it endearing?” Emiyo pressed the screen of Kobura’s phone, and her confidence and cheeky smile wavered once again. “Who is this little slut?”

Kobura saw red. No matter what pain was searing up his spine, he wouldn’t stand for that girl to slander his beloved. Sweet Anna’s picture was on his lock screen because she was the only angel he wanted to see when he turned on his phone. This villain would not insult her anymore, and if she did, Kobura would personally cut her tongue out.

“I’m sorry, Sweet Anna,” Kobura said under his breath. “I have to do what is necessary to defend your honor.” Kobura had sprung up. Within a matter of seconds, he’d slit the throat of the man that had sent him through the table. His next knife had sunk into the legs of the second attacker. The Emoji collapsed, the emotion in his eyes changing to agony. Kobura had his next knife ready to end the last Emoji’s life, but Emiyo had caught his wrist with her whip. It didn’t keep Kobura from stabbing the man with his other hand. She had no time to stop him from sinking a lethal blade into his chest.

“Feel helpless,” Emiyo’s sultry voice struck Kobura with the weight of a freight train.

Kobura dropped his knives. A single emotion overwhelmed his senses, one of fear and feebleness. He clutched at his chest with his free hand, his heartbeat erratic. He staggered back, but he had still been captured by Emiyo’s whip. She released him from her hold by coming closer. Kobura clambered back. Flashbacks of his father, standing over him with his fist raised, looped over and over in his mind. Kobura was so small, tiny, and weak. He never hoped to fight back.

Emiyo tossed Kobura’s phone at his feet, sneering at him. “Looks like my quirk does work on you. Poor, Doku Darling. You’re so helpless, aren’t you? I wonder how you’re looking at me right now. What makes you weak, Darling? Am I some kind of monster in your eyes?” Emiyo leaned forward, giving Kobura a pout in pity. She flipped her own phone out, angling the camera at him and pressing the screen. “Emotions are a powerful thing, aren’t they?”

Kobura stumbled back, tumbling over a nearby chair. He was trembling, shaking so bad that he wouldn’t be able to pick up a weapon if he wanted to. Emiyo kicked Kobura’s phone closer to him, and he flinched away. Emiyo chuckled, tilting her own phone over him to get a better angle.

“We’ll see how much you care for your little distraction, when I take matters into my own hands. You will love me, Doku Darling. It’s only right that you see the power couple that we can be. We’d be an unstoppable villain duo. Brains and beauty as one.” Emiyo stepped closer.

Kobura’s back pressed into the far wall. His chest heaved in succession with his heavy breaths. Emiyo reached out to him, running her finger beneath his chin. Kobura shut his eyes, whimpering.

“It’s a real shame that you won’t remember this when my quirk leaves you. I relish in the fact that I can recall how pathetic you look in this moment. Maybe, if you did remember, you’d be able to stop me from what I’m going to do to your ‘Sweet Anna.’ But, you’ll see we were meant to be together after all, so it shouldn’t be an issue. I’d actually be doing you a favor by removing her from your life because the funny thing about emotions, Doku Darling, is that they can come on strong and then fade with time. I’m saving you from heartbreak.” Emiyo squeezed Kobura’s jaw before turning it forcefully way from her and releasing him.

Kobura put his arms up to defend himself from her attacks.

“I was hopeful you were different. Or, at least you would have liked me without my quirk. It’s no matter. I can use you for what you’re worth, a pretty face, and toss you out when I get bored.” Emiyo flicked a hand through her hair. “I love a project. You’ll look like the perfect fixer-upper once I edit this into one of my videos. Poor Doku Kobura saved by the FlikFlok star. Sounds like a good video title, doesn’t it?” She stood back up, her heels clicking against the marble floor as she weaved through her fallen followers. She left the building.

Kobura blinked. At first, he was confused about where he was. Some memories came back right away, like being attacked by Emiyo and her Emoji goons. The rest was fuzzy. Had he blacked out? He hadn’t done that in such a long time. His violent past had been consistent with those blackouts, but they hadn’t transpired in a while. He’d managed to find more joy in his violence than when he was younger. As he surveyed the room, a blackout was entirely possibly due to the sheer violence before him. Blood pooled over the glossy white and black floors. Two men were alive, but barely.

Kobura carefully stood up. His back ached, and his head pulsed with pain. The café was wrecked. All the customers had fled. Emiyo had disappeared. Evidently, the staff were still around, but they moved around like ghosts, indifference clouding their expressions.

Kobura grabbed for his phone. Funny that she wouldn’t have taken it, not that anyone could hack into his technology anyway. Kobura tucked the device into his pant pocket, groaning as he stood up straight again. Kobura retrieved his knives, which was a bloody ordeal, that had the conscious man screaming and begging to keep him alive. Kobura didn’t care about disposing of any of the Emojis. It was when he removed the knives from the one man’s legs that he passed out, becoming even less of an issue for Kobura. They were basic thugs. Emiyo was really the one Kobura had issues with, and she was gone.

Lastly, Kobura retrieved his jacket, hanging the black fabric around his shoulders to conceal the blood. He’d inspect the majority of his own injuries back at his apartment. He was almost certain that he had minutes before the staff came to their senses. The faster he got out of the building, the better.

“S-stop right there, villain!”

Kobura sighed in annoyance. So much for having minutes. Kobura slowly turned toward the butler that had demanded him to stop. Kobura raised his hands in surrender. He wanted to scream out a chain of swears for his bad luck. He’d never be able to return to this café again. Not after what had just transpired, not after being labeled a villain by an employee.

The butler who’d been schmoozing him the entire time had part of an antique teapot in his hands. One side was broken and jagged. He was brandishing it as a weapon, but he was clearly trembling. Kobura raised an eyebrow at him, pointing at the pitiful porcelain shard.

“Are you going to cut me with that if I try to leave?” Kobura asked, scoffing.

“Tell me what happened!” the butler demanded, panic making his eyes crazy. His once pristinely gelled hair, was now disheveled. “Y-you’re covered in blood. You killed these men, didn’t you?”

Technically, at least one was alive. His leg was broken, but he was definitely alive. Kobura smiled internally to himself. Maybe he could get away with this, or at least leave the café without having to deal with the police. “Oh, I’m so grateful I’m not the only one who can’t remember! You can’t recall what happened either, right? I woke up, and I was covered in blood!” So far, so good. Kobura only had to talk his way out of the building. “I was going to rush outside and look for heroes to assess the scene. I called the police as soon as I got my senses about me. That blond girl seemed really suspicious. I think she caused all of this to happen.” Kobura could lie when he wanted to, rather well too. Unless this man was an undercover spy or had a mindreading quirk, he should have convinced him.

The butler lowered the broken teapot in his hands. His legs were shaking so badly, it was evident he couldn’t move if he wanted to. “I-I’ll keep an eye on things in here. Hurry and get a hero!”

Kobura nodded at him, dashing out the front of the building. Kobura would have doubled over in laughter if he hadn’t been so pissed off. Yet another place that he frequented was ripped away from him because of some idiot’s need to involve herself in Kobura’s life.

Emiyo Miya, the FlikFlok princess, had decided to target him. Kobura thought he had enough to deal with on the hero side, let alone having to worry about villains too. No matter how much Kobura tried to remember the events of his blackout, he couldn’t. He could remember Emiyo grabbing his wrist with a whip, and then it was fuzzy.

Kobura weaved into the crowded sidewalk. His jacket did a good job covering most of the gore on him. Kobura rolled out his shoulders, vividly recalling going right through a table. That was probably going to bruise.

The big thing that bothered Kobura about the whole ordeal was how Emiyo had referred to Sweet Anna. In retrospect, Kobura shouldn’t have mentioned her at all, but he couldn’t help it. Emiyo kept questioning his feelings, and it got under his skin.

Kobura turned his gaze to his phone. A sense of uneasiness filled his chest. Emiyo had seen Sweet Anna’s picture. She’d heard Kobura say her name. He was careless. Emiyo was so hell-bent on being in a relationship with Kobura that it wouldn’t surprise him if she made it happen by any means necessary. It wasn’t that Kobura didn’t think that Anna could take care of herself. It just worried him to know someone would target her because of him. Kobura shook the horrible thought from his mind. He would ensure that nothing would happen to Sweet Anna because of this. He could warn her. Besides, she was at a secure location, and, even if he’d rather not rely on them, she had wannabe heroes keeping tabs on her.

Pain shot up Kobura’s spine as he took another step. He wasn’t sure how he was going to recover from an injury like that. With the League of Villains ramping up with their plans, and Kobura’s daily routine, it wasn’t exactly easy to take days off to recuperate. Not only that, he wouldn’t be able to get a back adjustment or something due to the possibility of infecting someone with his quirk.

Kobura went to the dark web on his phone, doing much more research on Emiyo Miya. Her fascination with him was a danger to Sweet Anna. He would need to ensure that Emoticon wasn’t an actual threat. The more research he did, as he walked down the street, the darker his mood became. Her quirk was called Emotional Manipulation. From the police reports, she was only able to entrance a person if they heard her directly. She couldn’t use her quirk through video platforms or if her voice was modulated. She was a wanted felon, but most of her acts of crime appeared to have been overlooked. She was an influencer on FlikFlok, one that had a lot of pull. Her followers, her Little Emojis, were made up of an army of simps. Her core inner circle appeared to be a mixture of muscle heads and computer nerds. With this group of brainy and brawny men and women, she was able to manipulate the FlikFlok code in her favor, gaining a much larger following in a short amount of time. Her own intelligence and prowess were unknown; however, while battling her, it was clear that she specialized in using a whip but preferred to use her quirk. Her curiosity in Kobura appeared to have started after he’d been attacked at the maid café. To her, he must have seemed the like the perfect target, a man that both had the intelligence and the athletic prowess to be seen with her.

Kobura groaned, shoving his phone back into his pocket. To him, Emiyo Miya was just another annoyance. He’d find a way to divert her attention from him, but it would take time, most likely time he didn’t have. At this rate, Shigaraki would disintegrate Kobura for being more trouble than he was worth.

Kobura reached his apartment without receiving a second glance from strangers. He rounded the corner to his door, only to freeze in place when he saw that it had been left ajar. Kobura slid a knife from his jacket and clutched it in his fingers, approaching his apartment room carefully. He nudged the front door open with his foot, and it creaked on its hinges.

His alarm system had been disabled or at least tricked into thinking it had been him entering the room. Not just anyone could have hacked into his security system, and they had to have been an incredible hacker to sneak in his system unnoticed. It didn’t take long to determine that whoever had been there had left. Kobura’s things were strewn across the room haphazardly. Nothing appeared stolen, at least at first. Kobura scanned the room, anger running its course through him. His attention finally came onto the wall full of Sweet Anna’s pictures, but it had been defamed. Photos had been burned, torn, and scribbled on. Some of his favorites were missing. And, on top of all that, “Emiyoku” had been spray-painted across the wall of photographs.

Kobura’s eyes focused on the wall of Anna’s self-proclaimed suitors. They’d been stabbed beyond recognition from the numerous knives he’d thrown at them. The photos had been untouched by the intruders. Three knives normally stayed stabbed into the wall beside them for easy access, but one was missing. The one with the green handle from his early days.

Kobura took in a heavy, shaky breath. Venom frothed in his mouth. The only thing keeping him from going on a vengeful rampage was the thought of Sweet Anna finding out. He moved toward the photographs, barely hanging on to his sanity. One by one, he removed the ruined pictures. Two, there were only two photographs he could salvage. He’d find a way to make Emiyo Miya pay for this, a way that would still keep Kobura in Anna’s good graces.

6 notes · View notes

agentark88 · 2 years

Text

Think: Chapter Seventy: Hashtag Villains are Trending

My Hero Academia Fan Fiction by Agent ARK 88

Warnings: This work contains mild language and violence.

Please be aware this piece is in second person perspective, following my original character, Think, Anna Kokoro, who is a transfer student from America. Thank you for reading.

Chapter Seventy: Hashtag Villains are Trending

“It’s all the more reason that you should get better at using social media,” Ochaco said, showing you her phone with numerous pink colored apps.

“I’m almost all the way healed up. That’s why they let me out of the hospital early. There’s no reason for me to be on those types of things. Besides, Aizawa literally just traded my ancient school-loan phone with this heavy block of a smartphone. It takes like ten minutes to power on, and it freezes when it detects anything strange.” You showed her the new device, frowning. Unfortunately for you and Shinso, these new high-tech bricks were what you were given in response to your phones being hacked by Doku Kobura. You’d be lying if you said you were upset about it. You appreciated the extra security. You barely wanted to use your phone anymore due to the fact you could never tell the person on the receiving end wasn’t Kobura. “I’m terrible at haystacks and what-not anyway,” you said.

Ochaco slapped her forehead. “Don’t tell me that you’re talking about hashtags,” she said in exasperation.

“Yeah, those.” You slipped your aggressively large phone into your pocket and went back to fiddling with your boot lace. You’d have to get some new ones. The laces were wearing down to the point they might snap, then you would lose your cloud charm and panic would ensue. Better to buy them sooner than lose something important to you later.

“You know Shoto can get you a new phone,” Ochaco said, pouting out her bottom lip. “The expensive one he could buy you probably has way more security than that thing the school gave you too.”

“I wouldn’t ask him for one. Honestly, I’d like to avoid using phones at all, considering what I’ve been through with them. Emergencies-only phone works fine for me.”

“But, I want to take pictures with you and tag you in them!” Uraraka whined.

You straightened up from examining your boots. You put your hand out and touched her shoulder. “You’re it,” you said. “Go ahead and take a picture when you tag me back.”

Ochaco narrowed her eyes at you. “You’re hilarious,” she said sarcastically.

You gave her a weak smile, rubbing the back of your head. “I’d rather spend time with you than wasting the time taking the pictures.”

“You don’t use any social media platforms, Kokoro?” Denki piped up, walking in with Mineta at his hip.

“No, I’ll stick with my video games.”

“You play video games?” he asked. He looked genuinely surprised. He smiled brightly. “We should totally play some time.” He had picked up his phone from Mineta’s eyesight, and Mineta huffed.

“Dude! You were in the middle of showing me that hot chick on FlikFlok! Don’t pull the phone away now.”

“FlikFlok?” you asked.

“It’s one of those short-video apps, where you can dance, go live, take small videos, and do just about anything really,” Kaminari explained. “I was just showing Mineta this girl that I follow religiously.”

“She’s a total babe!” Mineta chimed in.

“Emiyo Miya,” Kaminari said, practically drooling when his eyes went back to the screen.

Uraraka rolled her eyes and lifted her lip in disgust. “Don’t tell me that you follow her. Isn’t she a so-called villain?”

“Sort of, but she’s hot, so it negates the sinister stuff, you know?” Kaminari explained.

“I don’t know. I think as a rising hero you should refrain from condoning such behavior,” Iida said, appearing from nowhere and breaking into the conversation. “These apps and social media in general can influence an impressionable young man such as yourself rather easily. I would take great care, Kaminari, that you are not pulled over to the dark side.”

“Emoticon hasn’t really done anything that bad. She mainly just follows trends and wears cute outfits. She actually outs how pathetic villains are with their own social media presence. It’s like her niche. Sure, she steals the occasional purse or shoes, but she’s really doing a service by showing other villains’ bad sides. If you followed her, you’d understand.”

Mineta pulled out his own phone. “I’m following her right now. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with supporting a hottie.”

Iida raised one of his sharp thick eyebrows. “I suppose I do not have enough information to make a final decision about the matter; however, I would still be careful.” Iida adjusted his glasses. He turned toward you, chopping his hand gently in your direction. “I hope that your injuries have fully healed, Kokoro. I look forward to seeing you around campus again. We missed you.”

You blushed. “That’s really sweet of you to say, Iida. I’m almost at one hundred percent. I look forward to hanging out with all of you again. It’s been pretty dreary in the hospital.”

Iida cleared his throat. You thought you may have seen a light pink dusting his cheeks, but the color was gone before you could really check.

“No way! Bakugo made it into one of Emiyo’s videos!” Kaminari said, looking both jealous and astonished at the same time.

“What the hell are you on about, Dunce Face?” Bakugo asked, walking into the common room with Kirishima beside him.

Kirishima still had a couple of bandages wrapped around his body, but at least he didn’t look like he belonged in a sarcophagus anymore. He flashed you a smile, and you smiled back, waving.

“Emiyo just announced her online survey for her Little Emoji’s favorite ships with her, and, apparently, a bunch of people had shipped you with her,” he explained.

“You had better start making sense, Dunce Face, before I feel like blasting your phone into pieces again. We’re not on a boat, dumbass.”

“Bakubro, Denki is saying that a bunch of people think you and that girl should date,” Kirishima tried to explain before things got violent.

“I don’t even know who the hell that is. She could at least meet me first before she started spouting out my name for something so idiotic,” Bakugo said in irritation.

Denki stifled laughter. “No worries, dude. She’s totally not into dating a hero anyway.”

Uraraka nudged you with her elbow, showing her phone to you again. “Although Denki’s not using it for the right reasons, FlikFlok is a great app for watching just about anything. They have a lot of recipe videos. I’m sure you’d love it just for that. Mina posts a lot of dance videos too.”

“Recipes? Really?” you asked in curiosity. It could give you ideas about more treats to make. It was really the only app that Ochaco mentioned that drew your interest. “Could you show me how to download it?” you asked. You pulled out your phone again and handed it over.

Uraraka smiled, nodding vigorously. “Of course. I can friend you too, so I can forward you videos you might like.”

“Totally add me too!” Denki announced, clearly having eavesdropped. Denki slid up next to you, wrapping his arm around your shoulders. “My username is ChargeBolt69.”

“Really mature.” Ochaco rolled her eyes.

“Don’t touch her, Dunce Face. She’ll catch your stupid,” Bakugo snapped, snatching Denki’s arm off of you. Bakugo guided you away by pressing his hand into the small of your back.

“You’re no fun,” Denki whined.

Uraraka suddenly gripped your wrist, tugging you away from Bakugo. He clicked his tongue in annoyance, as she pulled you into a less crowded area. She showed you the fundamentals, describing how to send direct messages, like videos, and follow other users. Much like a video game, it was just a matter of figuring out the right buttons and icons. As you were navigating through the videos, there was pop-up, informing you of unknown activity. The phone froze, and a loading bar appeared as it had done many times since you’d gotten it. You huffed, slipping the phone into your pocket. It would take ten minutes alone for it to scrub for viruses and kick out whatever entity was trying to hack in.

Kaminari and Mineta had moved on, probably to get away from Bakugo. Iida apologized for needing to leave as well due to the fact he had some studying to do. Ochaco hummed a tune to herself, while she was scrolling through her own phone. You and Bakugo made eye-contact. He blushed, actually blushed, before glancing away. You raised an eyebrow at him, but he didn’t meet your gaze a second time. You glanced over to Kirishima, and he shrugged with a laugh. Bakugo raised his hand, having heard his hardening friend beside him. A few explosions went off, and Kirishima raised his arms up in defense.

Shinso loped in, irritation clear in the creases in his face. He looked exhausted, covered in sweat and in his workout clothes. He could have been working with Aizawa. It would explain his rather sour mood and the sweat drenching his tank top. You knew Shinso hadn’t been the same since you’d gone into the hospital again. No matter what you said to him, he blamed himself for Kobura’s escape. You had tried to go back to the way things were, but there was always an expression of guilt that crossed his face when he’d look at you. He might have just needed some more time. This was Hitoshi’s regular cycle after all. He’d think he made a mistake, he’d beat himself up over it, and then he’d workout until his muscles wouldn’t let him train anymore. It was his process, not something you wanted him to do.

Shinso moved with purpose, almost as if he wouldn’t regard any of you. You might have let him leave, had you too not felt guilty for his current mood. Had you not gone into the Yakuza’s hideout alone, you may not have gotten hurt the way that you did.

“Hitoshi,” you called out to him.

Shinso paused mid-stride, his eyes widening. Bakugo prickled, his red glare now on Hitoshi. Bakugo had completely lost interest in whatever conversation he was having with Kirishima. He folded his arms over his chest.

“Hitoshi, I…” you trailed off, rubbing your arm.

Shinso sighed, pulling the towel from his shoulders and turning in your direction. “Kitten, I don’t really think you want to talk to me in this condition.” He wiped some sweat off his body with the towel, smirking faintly.

“I hope you’re not pushing yourself too hard,” you said.

“If I said I wasn’t, would you believe me?” he asked.

“No,” you stated flatly. “Hitoshi, we should talk—”

“The hell?!” Bakugo suddenly burst out. He stomped over to the three of you.

Uraraka puffed out her cheeks, Shinso raised a purple eyebrow, and you shrank away a little. Unfortunately for you, Bakugo had made you his target. Shinso took a step between his path to you, his hand clenched into a fist. Bakugo eyed him with a snarl on the tip of his lips.

“Why the hell are you calling Brain Drain by his first name?” Bakugo asked.

“Why do you care?” Shinso snapped back. “Jealous?”

“I’m not—” Bakugo’s eyes went dead.

You gasped, biting at your bottom lip. “Hitoshi,” you chastised.

Bakugo was released just as quickly as he was brainwashed. Anger had him shaking. His fiery glare reached Shinso, and Hitoshi only smiled at him mockingly.

“Don’t bullshit me, Bakugo. You wouldn’t have answered me if you weren’t bothered by something. Out of any of our classmates, you’re the most diligent in keeping me out of your head.” Shinso wrapped his towel back around his shoulders. “But, I’m also too tired to get into a bout with you. I’m going to take a shower. See you around, Kitten.” Strangely, Shinso did leave. You were glad he’d actually stopped to speak to you, but it wasn’t like him to step down from a mental match with Bakugo. Shinso must have been training with Aizawa if he was this tired.

Bakugo slid his attention back on you. He too didn’t make a move to start the squabble back up. His trembling ceased. His frown faded. Ochaco stuck her tongue out at him, taking a defensive stance in front of you.

“You better not be fixing to start something, Bakugo. You still got me to deal with if you are. Think just got back from the hospital. She doesn’t need you yelling at her for no reason.” Uraraka put her hands on her hips, daring him to try something.

“Relax, Pink Cheeks. I didn’t want to fight. It’s just…” Bakugo trailed off.

Kirishima appeared just as confused to be watching this conversation unfold. It must not have been something that had come up while they were talking. Bakugo shifted, scratching angrily at the back of his head. He looked uncomfortable.

“You good, Bakubro?” Kirishima asked, placing a hand on Bakugo’s shoulder.

“Give me a minute, Shitty Hair!” Bakugo snapped. He glanced at you again, but this time he didn’t look away.

Dead silence. No one said anything, and it made you more than uncomfortable. It was just a staring match between you and Bakugo, and he didn’t care who was watching. You fidgeted in place, tugging at your braid in worry. Bakugo clicked his tongue. Your hand paused.

“Katsuki,” Bakugo said.

“What?” you squeaked out.

“Call me Katsuki from now on,” he growled. Having said what he wanted to say, Bakugo abruptly grabbed Kirishima by his shirt and dragged him along as he rushed away.

Kirishima waved goodbye, before the stairwell door shut in his face. Ochaco let out a heavy sigh in exhaustion.

“Why can’t any of the boys at this school act normal?” she asked.

“Did Bakugo just get pissed off that I wasn’t calling him by his first name?” you asked, answering her question with your own.

“Looks that way to me,” Ochaco said in disinterest. “I’m not sure why you care. He’s so mean, and there are much more suitable boys fawning over you.”

“Suitable?” you snorted. “What are you my matchmaker?”

“No, I just have my money on Todoroki,” Uraraka muttered under her breath.

“What?” you asked. “What money? Don’t tell me you—”

“Don’t get mad at me.” Ochaco put a hand on her chest in false innocence. “I didn’t start the betting pool.”

“Betting pool? Ochaco!”

“I think of it as a lucrative future investment. As your best friend, I have the greatest chance of getting it right.”

“What right? And, it better not be what I think it is.”

Ochaco groaned. “Don’t worry about it. I shouldn’t have said anything.” Uraraka waved her hand in the air dismissively, as if that was enough for you to stop bothering her about it. “Enough about me. Are we just going to skip over the fact that you’re now calling Shinso, Hitoshi?” She perched her chin atop her hand, smiling devilishly at you. “What’s been happening at that work-study of yours, other than hero work?”

“Yes, because nothing is happening other than hero work at my work-study,” you said. You winced when you had a flashback of Overhaul’s attack, the spiked rock stabbing through your skin. You shook your head. You didn’t know what triggered it, but it was enough to shut down your jovial mood.

“Hey. I didn’t mean to upset you. I was just teasing. Are you feeling okay? You suddenly went pale,” Ochaco said in worry.

“Yeah, I, um, I think I’m not feeling too well. I should probably rest. I’m going to go lie down.”

“Oh, okay. I’m sorry to hear that. I hope I didn’t push you or anything too soon.”

“No, I’m sure I’m fine. I just need a nap or something.” A pain arose in your leg, and you clenched your jaw. Even though the wound had fully healed, you’d been feeling an ache there every once in a while.

“I can walk you back to your room,” Ochaco offered.

“I should be okay on my own. I’ve gotten better at finding my dorm room.”

“Okay,” Uraraka said in worry. “Text me if you need anything.”

You gave her a thumbs-up, moving into the stairwell. As soon as the door shut behind you, you buckled, placing a hand on a nearby wall to keep standing. You were hyperventilating. You placed a hand on your chest to steady your breathing.

Your work-study had been on hold since the raid. You had already been behind on classes. It had actually kept your mind at ease to throw yourself into your studies, but it didn’t stop the nightmares from coming or the ghostly aches forming in your previously injured limbs. There was a lot of paperwork to be had after infiltrating Overhaul’s stronghold. Not only that, the police took you in for questioning. It wore on you heavily, especially since they focused on asking you about Kobura. You hadn’t mentioned how you’d faltered emotionally about his possible capture. Between that and Sir Nighteye’s funeral, you were struggling to keep it together.

How long had you been standing there? How long did it feel like you were going through a heart attack? Minutes? Hours? Did it matter? If you disappeared into the darkness of your mind, the pain and anxiety would go away. Wouldn’t they? It all felt so overwhelming, like you were sinking into your own thoughts.

“Anna?”

You jolted away, slamming your back into the wall. You met Shoto’s gaze, and he withdrew his hand from you.

“It’s just me,” Todoroki assured.

“I’m sorry,” you mumbled absently. You inhaled in a ragged breath to the point you were practically wheezing.

“Are you…?” Shoto trailed off. His eyes stayed on you, uncertainty crossing his expression. “May I help you?” he asked.

You nodded, barely able to make any audible response. Shoto shot forward, pulling you to him. His hand started rubbing circles over your back.

“You’re having a panic attack,” he said. “Please, lean on me if you need to. Try your best to focus on your breathing.”

“I’m sorry,” you repeated. You pressed your face into his chest, gripping his shirt with such intensity it felt like it would rip in your hands.

“Breathe,” Shoto murmured. “Just breathe. No apologies. There’s nothing you need to apologize for.”

You breathed in so deeply your chest ached, then it all came spilling out. “I shouldn’t have run into that building like that. It was reckless. I could have died, and worse I could have gotten someone else killed. All I thought about was saving Eri, and I couldn’t even do that right. I didn’t save her. If anything, I had just been in the way. Kobura had a chance to kill me, and he didn’t. I felt like I owed him something for sparing my life. But, I know it’s wrong to think that way about a villain. I should want him arrested. And, Overhaul, his eyes, his yellow eyes glare at me when I close mine. They haunt me. I know what Eri went through. I saw it. I was supposed to be the hero, and I felt so helpless. If Midoriya hadn’t been there, I wouldn’t have made it a step into that room. I would have been skewered. I would have been dead. And, poor Sir Nighteye. I didn’t make it in time to save him either. He died, but I feel like it should have been… It should have been…” You cried, unable to say what you were thinking, feeling pitiful for doing so.

“Don’t ever think that you should have replaced him. He sacrificed himself, as a hero, to save Eri and you.” Shoto brought his hand up to the back of your head, threading his fingers through your hair. “You’re not alone, Anna. Midoriya feels the same way. He feels as if he could have done more, especially since that was his mentor. But, Eri is safe. She’s safe because of everyone’s heroism, because of you. I think Midoriya has learned to smile just because of that, and you should too.”

“I just want to feel okay,” you said.

Todoroki’s body stiffened. He set his chin atop your head, rocking back and forth. “I can’t make you feel that way, Anna. I wish I could, but I can’t.” He hummed softly. “I can assure you that you did everything in your power to save that girl, and she knows that. She’s thankful for it. And, I’m thankful that you’re still here too, that you’re safe. I don’t know what I’d do without you, without seeing your bright smile in the morning. I’d be lost.”

“Shoto…” you said, sniffling and burying your face deeper into his shirt.

“I know. It’s okay to feel overwhelmed or sad. You can tell me. You can talk to me, and I will listen without judging you for it. You went through a lot.” He moved his hands to your back again. “I only wish I could have been there with you to help, to keep you from experiencing the burden you feel.”

You took in another gasping breath, but your breathing had managed to slow. Shoto pulled away, running a cool hand over your scalp. He gently wiped away your tears with his thumbs.

“Better?” he asked.

You nodded, but you still had a death grip on his now tear-stained shirt. He covered your hands with his own, a subtle warmth flowing from his body. He didn’t try to remove your hands, but you found yourself relaxing enough to let his shirt go.

“Thank you,” you said, relief lightening the tightness in your chest. You hadn’t realized how much you’d been holding in, until it all came out.

“You don’t need to thank me. I will help you whenever you need it, without question. You were headed back to your dorm, right? I will escort you,” Todoroki said, taking your hand in his and leading you up the stairs.

You stood in front of your door, hesitating to unlock it. You pictured being alone with your thoughts again, and it made your stomach queasy, but you’d worried everyone enough for one day.

“Please don’t tell Ochaco what happened. I don’t want to worry her,” you said.

“She was the one that texted me. She said you’d been looking rather pale and wanted to make sure you got back to your room safely. When you hadn’t shown up, I went looking for you.”

“She messaged you?”

“Yes.”

You cast your gaze down. Maybe you weren’t hiding how overwhelmed you were as well as you thought. You bit into your bottom lip hard, almost to the point you could draw blood.

“I’ll just tell her you made it back safely,” Shoto said.

Your eyes widened, and you turned your attention up to him again.

“That’s what you’re worried about, right? You don’t want her to worry. I won’t be lying to her if I tell her you made it back safely, so I don’t see why I can’t just tell her that.”

“That would be very helpful, Shoto. Thank you.” You hesitated to enter your room.

“Is that everything that’s bothering you?” he asked.

“No, it’s not,” you admitted, dropping your hand to your side. “I… I’d really rather not be alone with my own thoughts right now.”

Shoto looked up and down the hallway. “I could accompany you for the time being. I don’t have plans for the rest of the day.”

“As long as it wouldn’t be any trouble,” you said.

“You would have only caused me trouble had you been suffering in silence. I would be glad to spend some time together,” Shoto said.

You opened the door, only realizing that Todoroki hadn’t entered until the door shut. You opened the entryway, looking at him in confusion.

“Are you comfortable with me coming in?”

You raised an eyebrow at him. “I asked you to stay with me. Of course I am.”

Cautiously, Shoto walked into your room. He’d done this before, and you thought that maybe the two of you had gotten past that together. Clearly, you were wrong. Shoto stood awkwardly in the middle of the room. Aside from how strange he was acting, you were still happy to have the company.

You sat on the edge of your bed, feet dangling off the side. Shoto followed your lead, taking a seat in your desk chair. He settled his hands onto his thighs, but his fingers were stiff, clutching at his pants.

“I truly wish that I was there for you. It was because of my own selfishness that I failed the Provisional License Exam. I promise you that I’m working as hard as I can so I can fight alongside you, so I can protect you.”

“Please don’t feel like you need to get your license for me. You’re going to be a great hero, Shoto, and you should become one if you want to, not for anyone else. Besides, I need to be able to protect myself,” you said. You picked at an invisible piece of lint on your leggings. Work-studies were on pause, but when and if they came back, would Shoto even see you? You were working under his father’s agency, and they weren’t exactly on good terms. “Who were you thinking of doing your work-study with, when you get your license that is?”

Shoto tilted his head, glancing at the far wall. “I’ve been considering my options,” he said, a shadow looming behind his eyes. “My father would have me at his agency, but I’m still not sure if I want to work with him.” Shoto sighed. “It would allow me to be closer to you, however.”

You chuckled half-heartedly, blushing at his forwardness. “I’m not even sure Heart of Hearts would want us back. She got an earful when Mr. Aizawa discovered that Shinso and I hadn’t been redirected from the raid.”

“Hearts has always been a very loyal hero. She’s got ambitions that far surpass my father’s agency, and I know she’ll open her own someday. You’ll be back with her in no time. From what I understood, she and Aizawa were very close. It probably wasn’t the first time he’d reprimanded her actions, and it won’t be the last. She’s an admirable mentor for her quick-wit and tenacity alone.”

“Then, why don’t you work under her? You wouldn’t have to work directly with your father that way,” you said.

“I don’t have a mind quirk. She would only be able to help me grow and develop my quirk so far. And, it would make my father’s skin boil to see his son so close, yet so far away. Although that seems amusing to me, I’m not trying to actively anger him.”

“Right,” you said in understanding. Your phone buzzed in your pocket. You were thankful to think of anything else except hero work to talk about. “Oh, Shoto. I don’t know if you have it, but I just joined FlikFlok. We can be friends on it, and I think I can send you funny videos.” You held up your phone toward him, showing him the app. “I’m going to try out some new recipes that I find on here too. It should be fun.”

“I don’t believe I’ve ever used that app, but I can give it a try.” Todoroki squinted to better see your screen. “What does ‘Villains are Trending’ mean? It has a number sign in front of it too.”

“Huh? Trending?” You turned the screen back to you and noticed an array of short clips, depicting different villains. “I’m pretty sure that means that they’re popular right now, but that doesn’t make sense. Why would people be supporting villains like that?”

Shoto shrugged. “Maybe ‘trending’ means something else,” Todoroki suggested.

You frowned, scrolling through the videos. Emiyo Miya appeared several times while you were scrolling. She must have had an active following, including Denki and Mineta of course.

“I can name myself whatever I want to?” Shoto asked.

Your gaze moved up from the screen. “Yes. Mine is just Anna1233 for now, but I think I’m going to change it. Ochaco set it up for me rather quickly, probably to let me get used to how to maneuver through it.”

“I have called myself ColdSobaMan. I can’t believe no one else has taken it yet.”

You giggled at his enthusiasm. “It certainly fits you.”

Todoroki scrolled through the app, his expression shifting minimally every once in a while. “I’m not really used to using these kinds of things. Texting is about as far as I’ve come when using my phone.” He slowly moved through the app, painstakingly pressing buttons like it might set his phone on fire. “There apparently are many ways to make soba. I will have to do more research on the cold kind.” Shoto shifted, leaning in your direction. He handed his phone over to you. “How do I friend you?” he asked.

You took his phone, bravely navigating through an app that you would be more likely to close than find a way to friend yourself. But, if you had trouble with it, you could only imagine how much trouble Todoroki would have with it. You found a person icon with a plus sign next to it. By some miracle, you had found the search button for other accounts. You added yourself and Ochaco to his friends, and then handed his phone back.

“I’m not sure I’m going to post any videos at all. It’s not really my thing,” you said.

“I think I’m going to,” Shoto said.

“You’re going to post FlikFlok videos?” you incredulously asked.

“I’ve found that I’m a bit socially awkward, especially as a hero. It may help me to open up more if I can create videos to reach out to an audience. Plus, I have time to edit them, so it’s less pressure than something live.”

“I don’t think you’re awkward. Maybe, soft spoken or particular about what you say, but I’m not sure you’re socially awkward. I would only post things if it’s something you actually want to do. What would you post about? I mean Mina does dances, some people make soba, and others do reviews. What do you think you might like to do?”

“Maybe quirk demonstrations?” Shoto offered.

“Wouldn’t that leave you vulnerable to your weaknesses being exposed to villains?”

Shoto turned his gaze down thoughtfully. “You may be right, but if I’m going to be scrutinized by the public eye as a hero, so I may want to be getting experience now. Should I request some assistance from Mina to learn some popular dances?”

You covered a giggle. “Something tells me that kind of dancing will not be your strong suit.”

“I know the basics. My father dragged me to a few galas at a young age.”

“I’m not sure that that’s the dancing that they do on the app, but I’ve never had to dance for any reason in particular. I’m not sure I have room to speak on it. Like I said, you should do it if you want to.”

Shoto lifted his gaze to meet yours. “Would you make some FlikFlok videos with me? It’s much easier to dance with a partner.”

Your face heated up in embarrassment. “Shoto, I just said I’ve never danced before. I wouldn’t be much of a partner.”

“I would take the lead. It’s rather simple.” Shoto put his phone away. He held his hand out to you. “May I have this dance?”

You covered your blushing cheeks. “I…” You gulped. “There’s not even music to dance to. I-I wouldn’t want to step on your toes.”

“I’m thinking of a beautiful classic waltz. If you read my mind, you should hear it too. It’s one that I remember fondly as a child.” Shoto offered his hand to you again. “I would appreciate your input. I may be better at it than you think.”

You tentatively placed your hand in his. “Shoto, I really don’t think this is the kind of thing that people watch on that app.” You reached out your mind to his. To your surprise, an entire orchestra was performing. A slow melodic tune tickled your senses.

Shoto assisted you with your other hand, placing it upon his shoulder. He then comfortably placed his free hand on your hip. “I often despised those parties, but I was comforted by the music.”

“I’m sure all of the ladies asked you to dance,” you said, avoiding his gaze.

“None as beautiful as you,” he said.

Heat rushed more fervently to your face. In no time, he was guiding you across your tiny dorm like it was an elegant marble-floored ballroom. The music swelled, washing over you like golden silk. It felt rich and soothing. You closed your eyes, and the music filled your chest with warmth. Glimpses of a grandiose room filtered into Shoto’s thoughts. Men and women were dressed in royal-like garments, swirling around both of you. Your casual clothing had morphed into a full-length gown, blue and glittery like the night sky. You wanted to examine it closer, but Shoto’s hold was firm. He was careful to lead you into the next dance seamlessly. His basic t-shirt had changed into gray and royal blue suit which matched your dress. He gently smiled in your direction, and you were suddenly lost in his eyes.

You slipped into his mind, forgetting that you should be in your room, that you should be in your own consciousness. The music halted, and the image faded. Shoto’s grip tightened around you. You snapped out of it, pulling your mind back and realizing what you’d done when you woke up. Shoto held you up from falling. He breathed out a sigh of relief, seeing your eyes open again.

“I apologize. I didn’t think that would have put a strain on you.” Shoto assisted you into bed, concern rippling over his expression. “I should have been aware that you still weren’t feeling at your best. I may need some more practice to ensure no pressure is being put on my partner.”

You furrowed your eyebrows. You had just reached into Shoto’s mind like you’d done with Shinso’s, but he was still conscious. Was he even aware of what had happened? He must think you simply passed out from exhaustion.

“Shoto, I was just in your mind,” you tried to explain.

“I’m aware that you were. I gave you permission to listen to the music,” he said.

“No, I was actually in your head. That’s why I passed out. My mind wasn’t where it needed to be.”

“Oh, I’m not entirely sure that’s still a good thing. You should rest. You may still be recovering from what happened. I’m sorry I pushed you to dance with me,” he said.

“You’re not listening. I—”

Shoto brushed some hair out of your face. “I hear you, but I don’t want you to worry about your quirk after all you’ve gone through. I feel as if this is my doing. Please rest. We can talk about what happened when you’ve had some more time to recuperate.” Shoto pulled his phone from his pocket. “I’m still glad for this. I expect you to find all of the best soba recipes. Don’t hesitate to send them to me.”

You scanned over his sincere smile. He was truly just concerned. He wasn’t wrong that you should let your quirk rest, but you weren’t just going to let go of the fact you’d fully entered his daydream. This event was just another facet of your quirk coming to fruition. It was exciting yet terrifying.

“I’ll send you more recipes than you can handle,” you said back, matching his smile with your own.

Shoto patted your hand with his own. “Contact me should you need anything.”

“I will.”

8 notes · View notes

agentark88 · 3 years

Text

Think: MHA Fan Fiction: Current Complete List of Chapters

Chapter One: Think of the Beginning

Chapter Two: Cold Soba

Chapter Three: Practicing Control

Chapter Four: Truth or Dare

Chapter Five: Sleepwalking

Chapter Six: When Quirks Collide

Chapter Seven: Waking to Fire

Chapter Eight: Parental Guidance

Chapter Nine: Healing Sweets

Chapter Ten: Mind Split Versus Purple Death Explosion

Chapter Eleven: Carnival of Chaos

Chapter Twelve: Player One Versus Fear

Chapter Thirteen: Studying with Broccoli

Chapter Fourteen: Fighting Toward Finals

Chapter Fifteen: Mind Control and Strange Feelings

Chapter Sixteen: Study Session Turned Toxic

Chapter Seventeen: Watching Closely

Chapter Eighteen: Final Exam Trust Fall

Chapter Nineteen: A Villainous Encounter at the Mall

Chapter Twenty: A Heated Swimming Competition

Chapter Twenty-One: BioVirus

Chapter Twenty-Two: Summer Training Camp Begins

Chapter Twenty-Three: Lifting Boulders and Minding Cuts

Chapter Twenty-Four: Are You Scared?

Chapter Twenty-Five: Safe

Chapter Twenty-Six: Too Many Bakers

Chapter Twenty-Seven: Parents’ Day

Chapter Twenty-Eight: Sneaking Out for Cold Soba

Chapter Twenty-Nine: First Dates

Chapter Thirty: Burned and Broken

Chapter Thirty-One: Buried in Ash and Forgotten

Chapter Thirty-Two: Don’t Let Go

Chapter Thirty-Three: Movie Night with the Bakusquad

Chapter Thirty-Four: Shinso’s Secret

Chapter Thirty-Five: Missing Buttons

Chapter Thirty-Six: Upgrades, Improvements, and a Mad Inventor?

Chapter Thirty-Seven: A Sickening Nightmare

Chapter Thirty-Eight: Survival Training with the Sniffles

Chapter Thirty-Nine: Training with a Rock

Chapter Forty: A Snake in the Provisional Hero License Exam

Chapter Forty-One: A Rescue of the Mind

Chapter Forty-Two: Guilt, Glitter, and Gang Orca

Chapter Forty-Three: Beneath the Blame

Chapter Forty-Four: Doku Kobura: Remnants of Obsession

Chapter Forty-Five: The Big Three Work-Study Students and Offers

Chapter Forty-Six: A Picture Unveils a Thousand Nightmares

Chapter Forty-Seven: Fat Gum Agency First Steps

Chapter Forty-Eight: A Little Trouble with a Hero’s Debut

Chapter Forty-Nine: Think’s Tiny Adventures

Chapter Fifty: Doku Kobura: Snapped Sanity

Chapter Fifty-One: The Emerald Earrings

Chapter Fifty-Two: Losing Control and an Unbreakable Heart

Chapter Fifty-Three: It Takes a Heart to Explain a Mind

Chapter Fifty-Four: A Day in Shinso’s Shoes

Chapter Fifty-Five: To Switch a Body and Mind

Chapter Fifty-Six: A History Between Hawks and Hearts

Chapter Fifty-Seven: Endeavor’s Proposition

Chapter Fifty-Eight: First Dealings with Divulged Desires

Chapter Fifty-Nine: To Disguise a Pro Hero on a Budget

Chapter Sixty: Mind Smash

Chapter Sixty-One: An Icy-Hot Comfort

Chapter Sixty-Two: An Explosive Day at the Park

Chapter Sixty-Three: Discarding Toxic Reminders

Chapter Sixty-Four: Doku Kobura: An Untouchable Pawn

Chapter Sixty-Five: A Fake Date with Shinso

Chapter Sixty-Six: A Chained Heart

Chapter Sixty-Seven: Doku Kobura: Anything for Anna

Chapter Sixty-Eight: A Heart Stabbed by Fangs

Chapter Sixty-Nine: Overhaul’s Destruction and the Emergence of a Guardian Hero

Chapter Seventy: Hashtag Villains are Trending

Chapter Seventy-One: Go Beyond the Bounds of Flight

Chapter Seventy-Two: Promising Candy Apple Smiles

Chapter Seventy-Three: Emoticon’s Villain Evaluation (E.V.E.)

Chapter Seventy-Four: Doku Kobura: Emiyoku

Chapter Seventy-Five: A Hero’s Recipe for Disaster

Chapter Seventy-Six: Sleepwalking into an Emotional Nightmare

Chapter Seventy-Seven: Emiyo Miya: Feel Haunted

Chapter Seventy-Eight: Doku Kobura: Sweet Anna’s Secret Rescue Mission

Chapter Seventy-Nine: Emotional Damage

Chapter Eighty: An Unbelievable Performance

Chapter Eighty-One: Parental Control

Chapter Eighty-Two: Lockdown

Chapter Eighty-Three: Kobura’s Dream Date

Chapter Eighty-Four: Doku Kobura: A Villain Playing Hero

Chapter Eighty-Five: Kobura’s Sacrifice

Chapter Eighty-Six: The Newish Oldish Kid

Chapter Eighty-Seven: A Copied Quirk

Chapter Eighty-Eight: Quirkphobia

Chapter Eighty-Nine: Back in the Field

Chapter Ninety: A Volatile Operation

Chapter Ninety-One: Newfound Power

Chapter Ninety-Two: Evacuation and Evolution

Chapter Ninety-Three: Doku Kobura: The Cobra of Tartarus

Chapter Ninety-Four: Decaying Knowledge

Chapter Ninety-Five: The Dead Speak

The Beginning of the End (Ending Prelude)

An Explosive Ending (Katsuki Bakugo)

A Mind-Bending Ending (Hitoshi Shinso)

An Icy Ending (Shoto Todoroki)

An Unbreakable Ending (Eijiro Kirishima)

A Venomous Ending (Doku Kobura)

A Villainous Ending

A Quirkless Ending

A Bittersweet Ending

Think: Alternate Futures: Our Kids Collection

Think: Alternate Future: Katsuki Bakugo: Our Kids

Think: Alternate Future: Doku Kobura: Our Kids

Think: Alternate Future: Hitoshi Shinso: Our Kids

Think: Alternate Future: Eijiro Kirishima: Our Kids

Think: Alternate Future: Shoto Todoroki: Our Kids

Think: Alternate Futures: Next Gen Collection

Think: Alternate Future: Todoroki: Next Gen

Think: Alternate Future: Shinso: Next Gen

Think: Alternate Future: Bakugo: Next Gen

Think: Alternate Future: Kirishima: Next Gen

Think: Holiday Specials

Think: Halloween Special

Think: Alone on Christmas

102 notes · View notes

agentark88 · 2 years

Text

Think: Chapter Seventy-Eight: Doku Kobura: Sweet Anna’s Secret Rescue Mission

My Hero Academia Fan Fiction by Agent ARK 88

Please be aware this chapter is in third-person perspective, following my original character, BioVirus, Doku Kobura, who is a villain currently a part of The League of Villains.

Chapter Seventy-Eight: Doku Kobura: Sweet Anna’s Secret Rescue Mission

Doku Kobura stared at his phone screen in disgusted horror. He was already out his apartment door before Emiyo had even opened her mouth. His hands fumbled to hide the extra knives he’d grabbed from his room, unhinged and rattled by what he’d just seen. He’d been notified by the feed from Sweet Anna’s phone. Kobura was surprised at first that she was watching FlikFlok’s so early, but then he saw his beloved on the screen instead. She was unconscious, tied to chair, and helpless.

Kobura immediately called Toga. The phone rang once before her groggy voice picked up, chipper even when tired. “What’s up, Doku?”

“It’s an emergency,” Kobura said back. He’d put his phone on speaker as he was hacking through the system to find Sweet Anna’s location. “Anna’s been kidnapped.”

“Shit. Who the hell would do that to someone like her? I’m coming,” she said. A clatter rang on the other end of the phone. She must have tripped. “I’m adding Jin to the call.”

“It’s that damn FlikFlok villain that’s been stalking me!” Kobura held himself back from slamming his fist into the nearby building. “I should have been able to find her before now, but her location is never stagnant. I was supposed to catch her before something like this could happen.”

Kobura felt his heart drop, when he finally found the location of Sweet Anna on his map. Emiyo Miya ensured it was a blinking beacon to him. She didn’t try to hide her location from him this time. He didn’t even have to bypass a firewall to find it. It was far.

Kobura grabbed for his ghostly hair, his breathing already erratic. His venom frothed in his mouth. “Toga… I can’t lose her. I’d kill everyone in Japan before I lost her.”

“You’re not going to lose her, Doku. I promise you. We’ll make it in time.”

“Dammit,” Kobura breathed out, tears coming to his eyes as he picked up his pace. “I promised I’d protect her.”

“And, you will,” Toga said firmly.

“What’s going on so early that you needed to interrupt my beauty sleep? I was having nightmares. Wasn’t sleeping anyway,” Twice spoke up.

“Kobura needs us. We’re going on a rescue mission to save Anna,” Toga explained

“Isn’t that Kobura’s girl? She’s that hero chick we fought in the woods, right?”

Kobura took in another shivering breath, wincing. “Sending you the coordinates now. I’m going in as soon as I get there. I’m not taking any chances by waiting.” He pushed his pace even harder.

“We’ve got your back. You can’t let your emotions take over. She’ll be expecting that,” Toga said.

Emotions. Shit, from his research, Emoticon’s quirk would easily be able to control them. He’d made earphones to siphon her voice for himself, but not for them. There was no time to make them. He’d already failed by allowing Anna to be captured.

“Earplugs!” Kobura shouted into his phone. “Stuff your ears with loud music, cloth, anything. This villain is bad news if she can control you.” Kobura was going so fast he could barely hear himself over the whipping wind of the very early dawn. His breathing was steady for an active runner, but he was going at a speed where he wouldn’t be able to elaborate further.

“We hear you loud and clear. Don’t worry about us. Just get to her! Jin and I can take care of ourselves!” Toga reassured.

That’s all Kobura needed to hear. He hung up the phone. Darkness engulfed Kobura’s every step. He hooked the sound modulator headphones into his ears. How could he ever forgive himself for letting down Sweet Anna like that? He promised. He promised he wouldn’t let anything happen to her. Kobura could still hear Sweet Anna’s panic from the day he told her. He wanted nothing more than to hold her, but someone else was there for her, not him. He thought he was doing the right thing by giving her space, but he never imagined she’d leave campus, become vulnerable to an attack.

Kobura saw red. If Emiyo Miya harmed a single hair on Sweet Anna’s head, Emiyo’s end would be anything but merciful. Kobura had made up his mind. He would kill Emiyo Miya for putting her hands on his Sweet Anna, whether or not she’d done any harm to her. To threaten the person he cared for most in this world was offense enough to be sentenced to death. She’d left him no choice. He only hoped that Anna would forgive him for the monster he was about to unleash. She had to understand. Kobura would sacrifice the headway he had made in his relationship with Sweet Anna, if it meant she was forever safe from that she-devil.

Fear ripped at Kobura’s beating heart. He couldn’t imagine a world without Sweet Anna now that he knew she existed, now that he knew there was a chance she could care for him back. He was so close, so close to being understood by her. Emiyo Miya had no right to rip that future from him like this.

As Kobura rounded the final block, he slowed his speed. He had no doubt that Emiyo would have men posted outside the location. He attempted to slow his ragged breathing, so he could more easily hide. Sweat had his black jacket clinging to wet skin. Before he was in eyesight of the final location, he checked his phone again. The live feed was still playing.

Sweet Anna’s eyes were open, blinking blearily up at the screen. She struggled to get herself free. She wasn’t using her quirk. Why wasn’t she using her quirk? The least she could do was push back that woman from getting so close to her, but she appeared completely trapped. She was draped in white, something that fit Anna’s angelic persona but made Kobura uneasy. She wore darker colors most of the time, aside from glittery accents, which meant that Miya had put her in that outfit to signify something sinister, almost like sacrificial garbs.

Emiyo Miya twirled around the room, making a show of presenting Anna. Kobura’s blood boiled. Nothing appeared to have happened to Sweet Anna yet, but the look in Emiyo’s cold blue eyes twisted Kobura’s stomach in knots. Kobura jerked forward as he watched Emiyo slapped Anna across the face. A ringing clouded Kobura’s hearing, his hands trembling in anger. For every time she had hurt Anna in any way, Kobura would slice open a new wound on Miya.

Kobura plunged his phone back into his pocket. He flipped his hood over his head to hide his bright white hair in the night. His breathing had already steadied, and he clung to the shadows as he sprinted quietly toward his final destination.

Shadows guarded the building, roaming in groups around the large facility. This area of the city wasn’t guarded heavily by heroes. This could have been due to the low residential area or that any hero with a brain wouldn’t walk through a desolate area crawling with low lives.

Kobura steadied his breath. The angrier he got, the harder it would be for him to think rationally. Sweet Anna needed a hero, not a villain. In order for him to be that for her, he couldn’t let his natural instincts to take over. If he lost his head, there was a possibility he could hurt Anna in the process.

The first of Emoticon’s guards was easy to take out. Kobura silently slit the man’s throat, and forced him to the ground to avoid any noise. He would be the first of many to die by his hand that night. Mercy wasn’t an option when his precious jewel had been targeted. What Anna didn’t see couldn’t hurt her. And, Kobura would ensure anyone that had worked toward bringing her harm would pay the price for underestimating him.

The next thug rounded the corner, patrolling the same route as his fallen ally. Kobura took advantage of the man’s surprise, taking him out just as quickly as the first. Decrepit empty buildings dotted the search area, but Kobura knew he was looking for the biggest of them all. Based on the depth and echo of the area in the live video, it would be the largest of the buildings. There wasn’t enough light to fill the room, nor were there any distinct landmarks within the video. The windows must have been blocked out too.

A spotlight glided across the cement parking lot. They must have expected Kobura to show, and they intended on either slowing him down or killing him before he got inside, hence the swat team of “Little Emojis” as Emoticon annoyingly called them. Kobura assumed it was more likely to slow him down, considering Emoticon’s desire for him to fall in love with her. Kobura couldn’t wrap his head around what she planned to do. Her quirk didn’t work on him, and he wouldn’t change his mind about his feelings toward Sweet Anna. If she intended on torturing or killing Anna to gain his favor… Kobura shook his head. He wouldn’t allow Sweet Anna to die while he still drew breath. He didn’t even want to entertain the idea that that’s why Emoticon had brought her here.

Kobura became numb to his blade sinking into flesh. He was moving so quickly that each face merged with the last. An adversary would appear, and they would fall. Still, his focus remained on the buildings. He knew he was getting closer because the Little Emojis became denser. More men stood at attention. How many simps did Emiyo Miya have under her thumb? Had she brainwashed them all with her quirk, or had they joined her willingly?

Finally, Kobura’s toxic gaze locked onto the largest of buildings. Kobura shifted his body tightly against a brick wall, blending into the darkness. He scanned the area, attention continuing to flicker toward the building. The windows were covered with tarps or stained black to block out the light. Men and women of all shapes and sizes congregated about the structure, eyes vigilant.

Movement out of the corner of Kobura’s eye had him twisting his head around. He guarded, knife pointed toward the source. Toga put her hands up defensively, motioning Kobura to be quiet. Her yellow eyes were sharp and awake. She glanced in the direction of guards. Twice stood behind her, rubbing his eyes through his mask. He probably hadn’t even noticed Kobura had turned a weapon on the two of them by accident.

“She’s in there,” Kobura whispered, nodding his head in the building’s direction.

“Then, we clear a path for you to get there. We’ll do it quietly. Right, Jin?” Toga said.

“Huh?” Twice yawned, scratching the back of his neck. “Quietly. Sure thing. Loud is more my speed though.”

Kobura nodded to each of them in turn. He made a move to go, but Toga grabbed his shoulder. She gave him a sympathetic look.

“We’ll get her out,” she assured again.

Kobura couldn’t do anything but nod in her direction. Whether or not they got Anna out was never the question, it was whether or not she would forgive him for what he was about to do. Anna was getting out of there. Would everything they’ve built to this point be destroyed because Kobura simply wanted to protect her? His aching heart was well aware that would be the outcome.

Toga, Twice, and Kobura split off from each other. Toga had no problem disposing of her enemies quietly. Twice’s approach was haphazard, and it made Kobura wince to hear the slightest of noises in this delicate situation. There was no time to correct him, however. At least the attention would be drawn to Twice so Kobura had a chance to slip inside.

Kobura’s hands became stained with fresh blood. Cut after cut, brought him closer to the building and closer to retrieving Anna, taking her away from that psychotic villain. At some point, who was guarding versus who was running away became blurred. Anyone in Kobura’s path, however, died. It didn’t matter why they were here at this point. It only mattered that they were involved, involved in kidnapping such an innocent soul. Kobura would have kept going, until every living soul within proximity of his captured love had met their fate, had it not been for the horrid sound that invaded his device-muffled ears.

Kobura heard Sweet Anna’s bloodcurdling scream within the echoing chamber of the large warehouse. He’d finally reached the outskirts of the building, and the rest of the henchman were already preoccupied with the chaos Toga and Twice were causing. Kobura slid toward the side of the building. He sliced through a thick black tarp, slithering into the small space to avoid detection. Anna choked on a broken sob, and Kobura nearly lost his resolve. Despite how much he wanted to dash into the room, he had to be cautious because at any moment Miya could decide to dispose of Anna. Kobura’s best bet would be to surprise her, so there was less of a chance Emiyo would use Anna as a hostage. There was a high possibility it would come to that in the end.

A rosette of blood blossomed over of Anna’s white dress. Her small body trembled. Kobura felt her pain. It pierced his heart like a thousand daggers as he watched his love being punished in place of him. He promised he’d be there for her, and each indiscretion made on Anna’s body was one that he was responsible for.

“That wasn’t so hard, was it? Be a good guest and show the Little Emojis your tears,” Miya said. She pointed the tip of a blade toward the light in the center of the room.

Kobura’s eyes trained on the weapon, his lips morphing into a scowl of disgust. That was his knife, the same knife stolen from his apartment the day it was ransacked. Miya stabbed his Sweet Anna with his knife. Kobura clenched his fingers around the knife he was holding. His attention shifted between Anna and Miya. He was waiting for the moment where he could throw a knife directly into Emoticon’s throat. He hoped her death would be slow and painful.

Kobura became suddenly distracted by Anna’s expression. Her bottom lip trembled. She tilted her head in an attempt to hide her expression from what Kobura realized was the camera, recording this horrid event. How could he have not seen this coming? How had he failed so miserably at protecting the one person he cherished more than life itself? She deserved better than to be tormented for Kobura’s failure as a protector.

Miya closed in on Sweet Anna again. She used his knife and inched up Anna’s dress with the tip of the blade, exposing her trembling thigh. Sweet Anna struggled against her bindings, panic settling in her gentle features. Miya put a hand to her shoulder to keep her from moving. Kobura felt himself losing his composure. He could barely focus on his stealth. He wasn’t at a clear angle to strike. If he let a blade fly now, he might hit Anna. He would need to get closer, risking being caught.

“Let’s carve your x-lover’s name right here, so you’ll never forget what I’m willing to do if you even look at him again,” Miya announced, as if she knew Kobura was watching, taunting him to expose his hiding place. Miya drew the blade’s handle over Anna’s thigh.

Sweet Anna didn’t deserve this. He could see the fear peeking its way outside her expression. Kobura felt his promise crumbling between his fingers. His heart shattered a little further every second he didn’t just attack. He promised he wouldn’t let Sweet Anna get hurt. He felt as if he’d betrayed her. This was all his fault. It took every ounce of his willpower to not take the shot, despite the risk. He couldn’t bring himself to hurt Anna by accident, especially with what she’s going through now.

Miya purposefully placed the blade’s tip closer to Anna’s knee, bending over and peering at her flesh as if she had the right to survey it. Her free hand was set on the chair behind Anna, keeping a proximity that ensured Kobura hesitated. All Miya would have to do was shift, and he’d hit Anna by mistake. Without giving Kobura more time to get a better angle, Emiyo started to carve into Sweet Anna’s flesh. Bravely, Anna clenched her teeth, but a whimper escaped her soft lips.

Kobura’s eyes widened, and his original plan to stay hidden was doused by his protective instincts. Kobura sprung forward, only to hold himself back just out of the light’s reach after he gained sense again. Even with his light steps, he knew it wouldn’t go unnoticed by the trained ear. Miya paused the incision she was making in Anna’s upper thigh. She smiled, and Kobura swore she spotted him out of the corner of her eye.

It didn’t matter. He couldn’t wait and think if Miya saw him or not. Kobura had his opening. He couldn’t hit Anna from where he stood. He threw his knife, aiming straight for Miya’s slender neck. The projectile whizzed right past her as Miya shifted out of the way, avoiding Anna by mere inches. Had Miya not moved, the knife would have lodged into her throat. Kobura ducked back into the darkness, cursing to himself for so foolishly giving away his position before.

Anna slumped forward, choking out another heartbreaking sob. She peered out toward the surrounding area, her eyes frantically searching.

“Kobura!” she cried out.

Kobura’s chest tightened, his fingers constricting around the handle of his next throwing knife. “I’m here, Sweet Anna. Please forgive me for what I’m about to do. We’re going to get you out of here. I promise,” he replied, hoping it would reassure her that he meant to keep his promise. Despite trying his best efforts to hide it, anger tinged his tone. He heard his voice reverberate back to him off of the warehouse walls. He suspected the building’s acoustics would give him another chance to hide his presence.

Kobura carefully glided around the edge of the inner building, stepping carefully around debris using his innate senses. “Emiyo Miya, I will kill you for hurting my Sweet Anna,” Kobura growled out. “I will show you no mercy.”

Miya cackled. “Will you? Doku Darling, you won’t touch me, until you admit I’m the only one you want to touch for the rest of your life!” Emoticon unstrapped her whip, giving it a crack. “Show me your face, Doku Darling. I want to dance!” Her hands were still tightly wrapped about the knife she’d sliced through Anna with.

Aside from the first stab wound and a few bruises, Anna didn’t appear to have more injuries. Her leg was still bleeding and without pressure, it may become serious. Miya circled Sweet Anna’s chair like a starved lion. Her intense blue eyes searched the darkness for Kobura.

“Come now, Doku Darling! Playing hard to get when I’ve got all the cards in my hands?”

Emiyo cracked the whip closer to Anna this time. Anna flinched, her whole body quaking in fear. How had Miya nullify her quirk? If only Anna could protect herself, Kobura could focus on defeating Miya. Kobura was keeping his distance, if only to get Miya further away from Anna.

“Maybe, you need a little persuading! Feel protective, Doku Darling? Feel heroic? Let’s see you come out into the light,” Miya stated dryly.

Had Kobura not been wearing his specially made headphones her quirk may have activated. The fact she would want him to jump out and fight her, only reaffirmed that Miya had no idea what Kobura was actually capable of.

Anger rippled over Miya’s expression. “Cheating?” she asked breathlessly, cocking her head to the side. “Are we playing a dirty game, Doku Darling? You’re using something so my quirk doesn’t work on you. You’re not the only one who likes to bend the rules. A shame you seem so keen on hiding. I thought you might have had feelings for this girl in return, but I guess I was mistaken.” Miya cracked her whip again. “Let’s see how long it takes for her to break.”

Emoticon raised her whip. Kobura’s eyes widened. He shot out from the darkness and into the light, but it was too late. Emoticon had lashed out at Sweet Anna, slashing through her delicate skin again, diagonally across her chest. The shriek that echoed through the air shattered Kobura’s heart into pieces. Emoticon pulled her arm back again, a sickening grin playing across her painted lips. Had Kobura decided to stab her, it wouldn’t have stopped the strike from landing on Sweet Anna again. Instead, Kobura stood between Emoticon and Sweet Anna, raising his arm up to protect her from another blow. The whip wrapped around Kobura’s arm, slicing through his skin with a sharp burn.

A moment of tense silence followed, Sweet Anna’s sobs being the only sound heard. Emoticon looked sadistically pleased to see Kobura in front of her. Her eyes widened, along with her smile. She tightened her grip on her whip, and she tugged Kobura toward her.

“I won’t let you hurt her anymore,” Kobura said through clenched teeth, feeling the fresh cuts scorch his arm as the whip tightened.

“Do you really think this is about hurting some nobody student hero? No, Doku Darling. You’ve got it all wrong. She was just supposed to bring you here. You’re the one I want, and the one that will pronounce your love for me.” Emiyo gave a sharper tug, and it made Kobura stagger.

Kobura’s tainted blood oozed over the whips end. Emoticon pulled again. Kobura moved his knife, angling it over the thick leather. Miya pulled back her weapon. Kobura stepped back, until the back of his leg brushed Anna. He needed to confirm the distance, ensure she’d be safe from further harm.

Emoticon cracked her whip against the cement floor, kicking up dust into the stale air. Ever the show-woman, she stepped to the side, exposing her audience to the scene unfolding.

“What took you so long, Doku Darling? Get cold feet?”

Kobura’s blood dripped from his fresh wounds, down to his fingertips. He clenched his hand into a fist, fury making his body shake. Kobura’s muscles coiled, preparing to strike. His fingers were already poised around three separate throwing knives.

“I’m done talking,” Kobura growled.

Emoticon’s eyes narrowed. “You’re not here to make things work out between us, are you?” She clicked her tongue.

“Of course not, you psychopath! I came here for Anna! I came here to make sure you can never put your hands on her again!” Kobura was seething. He was drunk on his own venom. He felt it roiling through his veins, dripping from his fangs. His jaw ached.

Emoticon’s expression darkened. She dropped her stance. “I don’t know why you came all this way only for you to end up with a lifeless doll. She’ll be nothing when I’m done with her, and you’ll regret how you’ve treated me.”

“Enough!” Kobura threw his knives, noticing right away that his anger was affecting their trajectory. He rarely lost sense like this. His emotions overwhelmed his overall motor functions.

Emoticon dodged the projectiles. Not easily, but she did. She was faster than expected for someone so fake, her villainy might not have been a complete façade. Her whip came next. Kobura couldn’t dodge, it would hit Sweet Anna again. Kobura took the attack with his arm again.

“Feel betrayed,” Emoticon said.

Kobura furrowed his eyebrows. She had to have known her quirk wouldn’t work on him. He still had his ear pieces in. Anna’s sobs instantly subsided. Her sniffles turned to heavy breathing. Kobura’s eyes widened.

“Feel useless,” Emoticon said next.

No, she wasn’t using her quirk on Kobura, she was using her quirk on Anna. She was going to keep using her quirk on Sweet Anna until her mind couldn’t take it anymore. She was planning to break her so Kobura had no choice but to choose Emoticon instead, or so she thought in her insane mind. How could Anna be controlled? Wouldn’t she have some kind of immunity like she did for his quirk?

Emoticon’s grin widened. “Feel pathetic.”

Kobura would slit Emoticon’s throat for this. She had no idea who she was dealing with. Kobura twisted the end of the whip around his arm. He planted his feet, using all of his strength to pull Emoticon toward him.

A familiar darkness shadowed Kobura’s thoughts, the same darkness that overwhelmed him before a blackout. Emoticon had no idea the monster she was about to release. She would regret underestimating him, underestimating his love for Sweet Anna.

Emoticon stumbled in Kobura’s direction, her heels folding under her as she lost footing. Her cocky expression faded, and she dropped to her knees. Kobura didn’t hesitate to pull his knife on her. He lurched forward, targeting her neck. He would have sliced straight through flesh, had he not been struck first.

Kobura barely caught himself from smacking his head off the concrete floor. Stars blurred his vision. He was struck by something blunt. Kobura cursed to himself. Had he not been tunneling Emoticon, he may have seen the attack coming. Of course she had minions in the building too. They’d probably been waiting in the shadows like he had. Too many mistakes, he was making too many errors. Not in front of Anna, not while she depended on him. He couldn’t keep screwing it up. He couldn’t keep failing. He was an embarrassment to Sweet Anna, to himself. What good was he as a villain if he couldn’t use his skills to protect her!

The whip had been released from Kobura’s arm, but he was grabbed on either side by Emoticon’s Little Emoji’s instead. Kobura was hoisted from the ground, shaken upside down. A dozen of his knives came clattering over the ground, falling from the various pockets on his person.

Emoticon was helped back to her feet. Her knees were covered in dirt and dust. One of her Emoji’s quickly cleaned her off with his own jacket no less. Kobura swung upside down between the two men holding him, legs and arms held firmly so he couldn’t escape. As disoriented Kobura was, he knew that his viral bodily fluid was still dripping from his open wounds. Emoticon must not have known about Kobura’s blood, or at least she never warned her Emojis about it because the man had foolishly gripped Kobura with his bare hands. It would only be a matter of time. It wouldn’t activate as fast through the skin, but it would.

Emoticon chuckled. “You almost had me, Doku Darling!” She spat at him, smile widening triumphantly. “I bet you’d beg me to use my quirk on you so you won’t remember what I’m about to do to both of you. I hope you’re plagued by nightmares of me.” Emoticon struck the front of Kobura’s body, leaving a large gash in his chest.

Kobura sucked in a painful breath, counting the seconds, the moments before he’d be free. The rage overtook the Emoji holding him on his left side suddenly. The man’s fingers tightened and released as the anger clouded his mind. Kobura’s hands were on his knives before anyone could breathe. He sliced through the ankle of the man still holding him. He shrieked, letting go. Kobura deftly rolled backward, managing to get to his feet and to take a defensive stance before Anna.

Kobura lunged forward. His blade slit through an Emoji’s jugular, fresh blood spraying the surrounding area. Kobura put the infected Emoji out of his misery next, plunging his knife into his heart as he landed on his chest.

“Incapable swine,” Emoticon hissed. She whipped the knife from Kobura’s hand as he stood up, blood soaked.

“Careful, your persona is slipping,” Kobura snapped. “Don’t want to disappoint your fans, do you?” Kobura wiped fresh blood from his cheek with the back of his hand.

“I assure you, Doku Darling, what you see is what you get. Why would I bother wasting time with a façade?”

“So others don’t realize how ugly you really are,” Kobura said.

“It’s unwise to antagonize the villain with all the cards in her hands, don’t you think?”

Kobura pulled free one of the knives he kept strapped to him. His breathing was ragged. His vision was blurred. His wounds burned. He should have killed this witch when he met her in the butler café, or, at the very least, cut her damn tongue out.

Kobura glided around his next attacker, cutting through his vitals without a second thought. If Kobura had any luck, Anna would be too stunned to know what he was actually doing. At this point, it was their lives or hers. To him, there was no choice when it came to Sweet Anna’s survival.

With each Emoji disposed of, Emoticon took a tentative step back. Kobura could see the fear slowly crawling into her expression. Once her thugs were disposed of, it would just be Kobura versus Emoticon. No more distractions. No more help for her. She would die by Kobura’s hands. Mercy was the last thought on Kobura’s adrenaline-soaked mind.

Emoticon cracked her whip, then attacked Kobura with it. As it extended, Kobura moved out of the way. He’d already pushed her back far enough that it wouldn’t strike Anna, so dodging was no longer a problem. Kobura slashed through her wrist, forcing the whip to drop from her hand as she held it to her chest.

“F-feel pain!” Emoticon’s words echoed across the warehouse.

Sweet Anna’s screams made Kobura stagger. He gritted his teeth in anger. Emoticon’s death equaled Anna’s safety. Kobura stabbed in Emoticon’s direction, and she barely dodged.

“Feel tormented!” Emoticon shrieked.

Kobura blocked out the sound of Anna’s sobs. Her pain wouldn’t stop until this villain died. There was no amount of coaxing that would force the quirk from controlling her. The only thing Kobura could do was kill the source of Anna’s pain.

Kobura snatched Emoticon by the jacket. Her hand went weakly up to his wrist. Tears pooled in her eyes. Emoticon begged for her life, but her words fell on deaf ears. Kobura had already crossed the threshold of no return. He angled his knife for her neck. He’d relish in her death, in her choking on her own blood.

A pulsing energy rippled through the open space. Kobura stabbed, but his blade never cut through skin. His weapon hovered across Emoticon’s neck. Kobura’s wrist had been snagged by Anna’s quirk, keeping him from plunging his knife into Emoticon’s flesh.

Sense washed through Kobura. He’d nearly lost himself to a murderous blackout, but it didn’t change what he intended to do. He felt Anna’s hold on him weakening. Her quirk hadn’t stabilized yet. She might have gotten only a piece of it back.

“I can’t let you,” Sweet Anna choked out painfully. “Stop.”

Kobura took in a shuddering breath. “Anna, close your eyes,” he said. “You shouldn’t watch me do this.”

“No, you can’t,” Sweet Anna pleaded. “No one else has to die. Please.”

Anna didn’t understand what Kobura was doing for her. Kobura didn’t expect her to understand. She was an aspiring hero. She walked in the light, and he loved her for that. In her eyes, killing someone pleading for their life was wrong. No matter what they’d done, it was wrong to her. This was why Kobura had to be the villain. He had to make the choices that Sweet Anna couldn’t to keep her safe.

Kobura gulped. His resolve not breaking for a second. “Close your eyes,” he repeated.

Kobura focused wholly on his weapon, putting more force into pushing the blade barely touching Emoticon. He gained some traction and blood began to trickle from Miya’s neck, but Anna held firm, keeping him from killing her outright. Anna’s quirk fluctuated. Kobura felt the strength leaving his wrist, only to attach again.

“Please! This is wrong!” Anna cried out.

Kobura felt the weariness in her tone, the weakness in her quirk. She wouldn’t be able to keep him from making this decision for them. If being a villain was the only way to ensure he never had to hear Anna scream in pain again, then that was his only option. If killing someone, meant Anna didn’t have to suffer, it was worth the distance it put in their relationship. Emoticon did this to herself. She secured her demise as soon as she kidnapped the one person Kobura cared for the most. Emoticon could die because she tried to take Sweet Anna’s life.

“Close your eyes,” Kobura whispered. “Please, Sweet Anna.”

6 notes · View notes