Victory and Losses

Meanwhile above the ground. Sora breathed in relief as the villain was put in shackles. Maybe he wasn't so much of a trouble, but he was persistent. I hope Yuu and the rest are alright. Now we can go after them. She said looking back at the mansion.

Just as Ryukyu told them to go after Nighteye and the rest, something weird happened. Sora's feet could no longer hold her. She felt heavy as though she was suddenly made of iron. Her red eyes flung towards the villain. Don't tell me. He was inhaling and absorbing their life force. But how? He isn't touching us?! The boosting drug? It couldn't be, Yuu said so himself. Even if it renders one's Quirk stronger, the conditions never change, unless...

Her eyes widened, realizing it as she struggled to sit up. The report was wrong! He doesn't have to touch his victims, they have to be within arm's length from him! But with the drug, the radius extends!

The man's size increased the shackles were no much for him anymore. He was getting stronger while they were getting weaker. As he pointed a punch at them, a transformed Ryukyu stopped him, protecting them.

Sora gritted her teeth when she looked up at the dragon fighting while she couldn't even lift her arm. Move! She yelled inwardly. Move! Move! They need you!

Feathers covered her arms and neck, she felt a little revitalized as more of her locked-away energy swept over her body. Wings held up high, she pushed herself to her feet despite her dizziness.

Hado was unleashing her energy at him when Sora went over to him, kicking him on the side of his head he fell to the ground, his giant head crumbling the fence where it had fallen.

" Hado-san! Let's keep attacking together!" She shouted as the man stood to his feet again, rubbing his head.

" I feel like some fly had touched me."

Fly! Sora swept at him angrily, this time using her formed claws to slash at him. Hado backed her up with her spiraling blows.

" Uraraka-san!" Sora looked away when she heard Midoriya's voice. However, as she saw him, something felt off. It took her a moment to notice it. Just one aura... that's not Midoriya!

But before she could warn the rest, they had already moved the man away. Sora couldn't linger behind, she joined Ryukyu and Hado as they slammed him against the asphalt of the intersection where the fake Midoriya pointed, only to fall down into a large distorted hall with spikes growing from its ground and its walls contorting.

There, they saw the real Midoriya, with his odd eight auras. Sora looked back just in time to see a member of the League of Villains skidding down the hole they had just dug. Was it their doing?

" Uravity-chan! Angie-chan!" Sora snapped back as Asui called her in a worried voice. As she looked beyond the smoke, she saw Nighteye lying face down, his left arm missing and a chunk of rock piercing his abdomen.

" Nighteye!"

" What happened here?"

But Midoriya as they passed them said nothing, only asking them to look after the injured man, although Sora could see he suffered deep injuries himself.

The three girls rushed to the man while Midoriya chased Chisaki. Sora didn't bother looking over he shoulders at what was happening between them, their priority was saving Nighteye's life. She tore away from the fabric of her costume and used the thread to stop the bleeding of his arm. Now that should give them some time. Just as she thought that Ryukyu's shadow was cast upon them as she used her body as a shield, just when a strong flow of gale filled the place.

The three girls huddled together so as not to get blown away by the impulse. This strength, Midoriya...

" What... just happened?" Ryukyu asked when everything went quiet.

" Where's Deku-kun ?" Uraraka looked around for any shade of green amongst the gray surroundings.

" He kicked off, with Eri-chan..." Sora shrugged simply before their attention went to the man standing in the rubble. It was Chisaki with his right arm seriously damaged. He fixed it so nonchalantly before tottering over to the villain they had brought down.

Sora held her breath when he disassembled the man and his blood came falling like rain upon him. She felt so sick she was about to vomit.

One moment Chisaki was there, the other, he too disassembled and morphed into something big, something huge, gigantic with many limbs and a distorted form. Sora took a step back when she saw him through the dust.

"... He'll head to the surface in pursuit of Midori and Eri-chan. Then, he'll kill Midoriya." Nighteye recounted the future he saw. Their eyes went wide.

How could he say something like that nonchalantly like it didn't matter, like if it was a mere sentence in a book, like if it was a fact they had to accept?! But for him it's. She thought. For him, it's the future. The unchangeable reality that awaits all of us.

" We have to-" Uraraka wanted to catch up but she was too weak to even hold herself and she fell down.

" We can't do nothing after hearing that!" Ryukyu spread her wings wide.

"With the shape you're all in, you couldn't beat him if you tried." The man so much as whispered.

" So what?" Uraraka swung her hand over the debris surrounding her. As she stood, they floated around her. " We can't just do nothing!" Even though she shook and she could hardly hold herself, she moved forward. " You don't know how the future will turn out!"

The monster in the distance growled and chunks of the ceiling fell down. " Ochaco-chan!" Sora hurried to her and pulled her back before she was buried under one of them.

" You're right, Ochaco-chan." Sora smiled softly as she helped the brunette to her feet, holding her so she wouldn't fall down again. " The future doesn't belong to one person after all. If we work together, we can change it."

" Sora-chan." Uraraka beamed at her and Sora nodded.

" Let's save him, together." She looked back at Nighteye. "No matter what you say, we're going to make our own future, Sir Nighteye."

He stared into her eyes before speaking again, this time a little louder."Froppy, Mirio should be beyond that hole in the wall, Tsukai and Eraser are underground. Help them."

Asui nodded.

Yuu? Underground? Why did they get separated? Sora shook her head. Yuu would be fine, she believed in him. Plus, Aizawa was there too. Now she needed to focus on what she had to do.

" Uravity, Angie, take me... head to the surface with me!" Just as he said that, the monster of Chisaki climbed out of the hole and into the surface.

Uraraka and Sora exchanged looks and nods before hurrying over to Nighteye." I'll render both of us weightless, Sora-chan you will carry us."

" You can depend on me!" The white head smiled at her. But just as they were all set, Sora's eyes caught someone moving among the thorns of rocks. " Ryukyu, the League of Villains!" She warned the dragon who immediately stepped on the intruder and he was reduced to nothing but mud.

" Go on, I will catch up with you after I get everyone else." She told them and both girls nodded. Spreading her wings wide apart, Sora aimed toward the blue patch of sky.

" Make sure you don't move that chunk, it's stopping him from bleeding to death now." Uraraka, who was holding her breath, nodded. " As soon as we get there we will give him to the police. They will deal with him and call for an ambulance."

As soon as Sora rose above the ledge of the chasm and put both Uraraka and Nighteye down, something large fell from the sky and a strong gale picked up that the still-weightless two were about to get blown. Thankfully it didn't happen, she managed to anchor them.

" Deku-kun!" Uraraka looked breathlessly beyond the hole where Chisaki's humongous form lay motionless.

Midoriya was standing a few meters away from them with Eri secured to his back with a red cloth. " I... did not see... this future," Nighteye murmured. But then something unexpected happened.

Midoriya started writhing in pain as he was overwhelmed by a strange yellow energy. Chisaki, half unconscious as he was, attempted to squash him but then, by force of the same yellow energy... the monstrous form faded away and all that was left behind were Chisaki and the giant villain.

Uraraka didn't wait, leaving Nighteye to Sora, she hurried to apprehend Chisaki midair. " Gunhead Martial Arts!"

Wow. She could give me a run for my money in a few years. Sora thought. But again, the pressing matter of what was happening with Midoriya was urgent.

Ryukyu climbed out of the hole, helping up all who were left underneath the mansion. All stood helplessly watching Midoriya as he struggled against the surging energy. Was it getting stronger by the second?

At that moment, Aizawa, who was held by Yuu and Asui, raised one finger up. Realizing it, both of them exchanged nods and positioned him so he was looking at Midoriya and Eri. A second later, the flow of energy stopped and the girl dropped forward, caught in Midoriya's hands.

" I-It's over..." Uraraka said in a shaky breath and Sora exhaled deeply. Her body then gave up she even wondered how she was able to move at all the whole time.

Half an hour later, the mansion and its surroundings were swarmed with police officers and medics, both capturing what was left of the villains and tending to the wounded. Sora watched as Nighteye was taken from her and laid on his side by the entrance, waiting for an ambulance. The girl bit on her lip, and now all she could do was wait. She couldn't help him from there, Bubble Girl rushed past her to tend to him.

No sooner than that, Kirishima was rolled out of the mansion on a stretcher while Fat Gum ushered the medics to hurry up and the girls wondered who might he be for they never had seen him in his thin form before.

Kirishima was all beaten up but he was smiling at them. Just like Kirishima. Sora smiled softly.

Aizawa was taken into an ambulance too, being unable to move and having a deep cut on his back.

Sora then looked around for her friend, but she couldn't see Yuu anywhere. It wasn't until she came across Fat that he told her. " He was taken to the hospital too." He frowned. " Apparently, aside from the wounds he suffered, he was shot by the Quirk destroyin' drug. So they want to take a look at him as well."

Sora barely held back a gasp of horror. She scrutinized Fat's face carefully, there was something about his expression... something that worried her.

Sora, couldn't head straight for the hospital. As the ones who were able to move yet, they had to check on the damage caused by the fight.

By the time Ryukyu let them go, they all rushed to check on their friends...

________________

Yuu's wounds weren't simple, he got some deep cuts both by the blade or with the sharp strands of Chrono. But what he was worried about wasn't the stitches he got on his arm and back, but what came after that.

They took a sample of his blood and took it to the lab for investigation. They couldn't say anything about the possibilities yet. As he sat back on his bed that day with the IV drop sinking into his arm, he couldn't help but wonder what he would do from then on.

There was a possibility the drug that was used on him was the finished product, the same one that was used on Togata. He might not be able to use his Quirk again. That thought alone made his chest grow tight.

" Cheer up," Whisper told him. " You've been saved by a miracle after all! You're alive! I frankly doubted you would make it out of there in one piece!"

" It was thanks to Thunderbird and Kyubi." Yuu pointed.

" I know." Whisper shrugged. " When I saw they were back I knew you would be safe and went to fetch help."

" Thank you Whisper."

" That's right, thank me, be grateful to me!" He said sticking his nose high that Yuu almost regretted saying that.

The boy looked down at his quilt, his heart felt heavy." Shouldn't you...get going too."

" Going where?" Whisper didn't even bother looking back at the boy. He knew he couldn't look at him in that state.

" I no longer can keep you around anymore..." Yuu began, his bandaged hand grasped the quilt. " You can't stay in that physical form for long. So you better-"

" Ack, man! What's with kids these days? Getting all emotional and serious!" Whisper turned around, staring right into Yuu's purple eyes. " Don't talk as if it's over yet. It could have been just the test bullet, right? Then you will be alright by tomorrow morning and everything will go back the way it was..."

Yuu swallowed." And what if it wasn't? What if-"

"Then we'll figure a way to fix it, together." Whisper jabbed a finger at the boy's forehead. " I won't abandon you. I'm your mentor after all."

Yuu rubbed the place where Whisper hit him. " But you can't-"

" I will find a way around it. Plus, I still have about three days in this world before I could fade away. We will figure something out." Whisper smirked proudly. " We always did. With your mind and mine together, nothing could dither us. Not even this trash of drug they made."

Yuu's lips pulled into a small smile at that and he looked out his window. " You know, it feels strange. Years ago I would have given anything to get rid of my Quirk but now that it may have been gone forever, I really feel frustrated and angry with myself." He looked around the room. " It feels rather lonely now that everything is going calm and dull. I kind of got used to those voices and colors only I can hear and see."

" I know what you mean. It feels like having a whole world for yourself, right."

Yuu's eyes widened by a fraction as he looked back at Whisper as if seeing him for the first time. " What?"

" Nothing." The boy shook his head. And it was at that moment that Aizawa knocked on the door and went in. " Aizawa-sensei!" He attempted to stand.

" Rest up." He strolled over to his bedside.

" How are your wounds?" The boy asked in concern.

" I had ten stitches already." He rolled his shoulder. " Could have been worse if you didn't shield me back then. How are you feeling?"

Yuu shrugged. "I'm fine. My wounds may be deep but not fatal."

Aizawa gave him his stern look and Yuu felt like shrinking under the bed." You've been pretty reckless down there yourself. Especially with the bullet, it would have been more rational for me to lose my Quirk back then seeing how I couldn't do as much as even defending myself. Nor were you obliged to put your life in danger, Chrono wouldn't have thought of killing you hadn't you stepped before me."

" I'm sorry." Yuu lowered his head.

" Nevertheless, you saved me today, Seijin. And it should have been the other way around. Not to mention that thanks to your irrational act, we were able to save Midoriya later on." Aizawa continued, his hard look softening a tad."I'm sorry I couldn't do anything for you there, it must have been hard."

Yuu shook his head with a smile. " You being safe is the best I could ask for."

Aizawa merely blinked at him. " The results of the test will come out tomorrow. Until then, rest well and don't think much about it."

" Thank you very much." He bowed his head at him and Aizawa disappeared behind the door. But just as he took a few steps, Whisper caught up with him, phasing through the wall.

" Wait, Aizawa." Aizawa looked back at the ghost. He seemed hesitant but as he faced him he was serious. " You know it already, just how hard Yuu's life had been. You saw what his family's like. He had very few people who cared about him, and even fewer who had acknowledged him. Yuu treasures those people deeply and would stop at nothing to keep them safe."

The man said nothing, merely listening to the ghost. " That day, when you came to visit, you stood up for him, and not out of pity. You acknowledged him as your equal. It wasn't something often done to Yuu."

The only exception was always Sora. Even Aizawa could tell that.

" I just said the truth. Seijin has the potential after all, when it comes to both his Quirk and his will." Aizawa retorted. And Whisper gave a satisfied smile.

" I'm just... glad that Yuu ended up under your wing. Just..." He looked back as though expecting someone to eavesdrop on them. " Don't tell him I said that."

The ghost's smile was short-lived as he shifted back to being serious. " Aizawa, if... if it ever..."

" Whisper, Seijin proved to me again today that he's worthy of being a hero." Aizawa's seriousness leaked out of each and every word he said. " Even if he was to lose his Quirk, I would stop at nothing too to raise him into one."

Whisper stared into the man's eyes before he gave a small bow. " Thanks a lot." And he drifted back through the wall...

________________

" I'm just tired..." Sora slumped down on the stool by Yuu's bed and allowed her head to be buried in his quilt. Yuu giggled as he proceeded to pluck the feathers stuck in her hair.

" Thanks for all your hard work. And sorry for leaving you there alone." He told her and Sora looked up at him, stretching her arms before her.

" You don't have to worry about that. More importantly." Her look softened. " Are you alright?

Yuu gave a weak smile. " I've seen better days..." He was definitely feeling down, the loss of his Quirk affected him more than she had thought.

" You miss your Quirk?"

" Of course I do," his head fell. 

" I thought you would have liked to get rid of it, judging by your words about the drug the other day." She straightened up. 

Yuu kept silent for a moment as he looked out the window and then gazed back at her. " If it was me from years ago, I would have rejoiced but..." He looked away, sensing the absence of his Quirk. " Now, this is really uncomfortable..."

Of course, it would be. Yuu had come a long way to accept that Quirk bestowed on him, even with all of its drawbacks. He would never have wished for it to disappear now. It felt like a stupid and rude question to ask.

" I heard about what you've done down there," she gave her best smile. " You protected Aizawa-sensei. You were brave and awesome." Yuu blushed at that and sank further under his covers.

" I've learned about Togata-senpai too." Sora dragged the stool closer to him. " But, from what I heard after they apprehended the villains, the box with the finished drug was with Chisaki. Only one bullet was missing which they assumed to be the one used on Togata-senpai."

There was a new sparkle in the purple eyes as he heard her words.

" Which means there's a high chance the one used on Yuu was unfinished." Whisper smiled at the purple head. " Let's not give up hope then."

Yuu nodded at him before looking back at his friend. " Sora, what about the others?"

" Well, Ochaco-chan, Tsuyu-chan, and Hado-san are getting IV drops now for revitalization. They had been drained out pretty badly by that life force stealing Quirk." She rubbed the place where she had hers too. " They want us to stay overnight to monitor us. Kirishima-kun had severe wounds and broken bones, but he'll be just fine. Amajiki-senpai had a cracked bone in his face, but they will be able to heal it."

" What about Fat-san?" Yuu inquired.

"He has a few broken bones too, and despite losing all the fat he had been storing, he is quite energetic nonetheless."

" There was that hero who got stubbed. What about him?" Whisper added.

" Oh, Rock Lock? Thankfully the blade didn't damage any vital organs, so his wound wasn't fatal." Sora plucked a few feathers that were yet still stuck around her wrist. " As for Eri-chan, apparently she got feverish after the incident with Midorya and is quarantined now. Togata-senpai suffered severe wounds to his leg and abdomen, but they took care of that."

Sora's eyes dropped and she fell silent. Yuu never took it for a good sign. " What's wrong?"

" Sir Nighteye..." her voice cracked slightly. " Passed away..."

Both boy and ghost hold their eyes wide open at those words. " You sure?"

Sora nodded. " We met with Aizawa before they let us go. He wanted to ask about what happened down there." Her head fell even further. " Yuu... wasn't there anything else I could have done for him... maybe if I took him myself to the hospital... maybe..."

Yuu gently touched her shoulder and she looked up at him. " You're overthinking it. There was nothing you could do..."

" An ambulance was the only choice, Sora." Whisper flew beside her. " He required emergency treatment and you couldn't have done it yourself."

Sora nodded her head and held her hands up as if she were inspecting them, expecting to see blood covering them just like when she treated the man's wound. " This is... another part of being a hero... this won't be the first time we would be seeing someone die before us..."

" You shouldn't let it hold you back, Sora. Make sure it will push you forward, so you won't see anyone else dying in the future." Whisper said patting her back. Sora smiled softly and nodded at him.

" Thank you Whisper, you're really such a nice ghost."

" Well, it just..." Whisper's proud smirk faded away as her words sank in. " No! I'm not! I'm the strongest most terrifying ghost you could ever face!"

" But you're so docile and cute." She added and it seemed to only piss him off further.

" I AM NOT!!"