17

Kacchan's fight with Uraraka was next and I snuck down to his waiting room to see him after wishing Uraraka luck. I hope she doesn't get hurt too badly.

"Kacchan?" I whispered only for a pair of arms to drag me inside the room and I was pulled against him while he blocked the doorway, the door all but slamming shut.

"It's about time you showed up, I was about to go crazy," he huffed in my ear.

"Sorry Kacchan, I wished Uraraka luck so that I wouldn't have to leave before it was time for you to go out. You know my fight is right after yours," I whispered, running my fingers through his hair. Of course I'm sure he'll win but that isn't the issue. He is more concerned with accidentally hurting her. As in seriously hurting her.

We talked for a while and it wasn't long before he had visibly calmed down.

"You're just jealous that I already fought Todoroki and I'll be fighting Shinso next. I grinned at him. Technically Todoroki is out but he still has one more fight and Kacchan would have been pissed if he didn't get this fight.

"How does it make sense that you get to fight the two hardest students to fight?" He snapped back at me playfully. Unlike with Todoroki, if Shinso loses Kacchan won't get the chance to fight him, at least not during this tournament.

"I'll ask Dad if he can supervise a match for you two later," I giggled and he grumbled some more but I could see that he was happy with at least this much.

"You better not go easy on me, beautiful, I'll be pissed if you do," he hummed and I giggled in his arms.

"I love you," I whispered in answer, I would never insult him like that, even though I also don't really want to fight him either but a sparring match will be just fine. So that's how I'll look at our match.

***

"Next up, Shinso from the general studies class and Yagi from class 1A!" There was murmuring about how out of balance this fight was because how could a general studies student even hope to compare to the strongest hero students? But that was really stupid on their part. Shinso is worth every defense that I have and I already talked to Kacchan about it. I'm not going to be able to hide any of my quirk during this fight.

"I hope you're ready for this Shinso. I won't be going easy on you!" I called out, still smiling.

"Oh come on, not even a little?" He teased smiling but I didn't respond and he snapped his fingers as if I saw right through him.

"As per the rules, student Shinso, Hitoshi, has gotten prior approval for his capture scarf to use in this fight!" Midnight announced and snapped her whip in the air. "Let the match begin!"

"You know, after today you won't be able to call me Shinso? It won't be my name anymore," He called out but I didn't respond even while he was using the capture scarf to lash out to try and distract me.

We danced around for a while before I finally caved.

"Still I never would have thought that you two would think I was so strong. It's something that I never would have dreamed of," he called out and now I'm confused.

"What-?" The fact that I had used so much of my quirk already was crazy considering so few people seemed to notice at all. But that didn't stop me from freezing the moment that I answered. Crap!

"Sorry little brother, only one of us can go on from here," he smirked at me. "Let Blackwhip out!" He commanded and large thick ropes of Blackwhip started snaking out of me like tentacles, the sheer amount of effort was simply too much for me though and I started screaming from the pain. The black whips thrashing around me in the madness and I'm unable to control any of it.

I'm alone.

In the darkness surrounding me, no matter how hard or loud I scream no one seems to answer.

I'm alone, I'm being ripped apart or it feels that way.

It feels like my skin is being ripped apart, then the muscles, slowly one by one only for my body to force them back together again.

An explosion. An explosion? That's right I'm not alone. Kacchan is here, somewhere he is here and even with the pain, so long as I know that, I know that I can make it out again.

I stop screaming. I force myself to stand again. The black seems to be clearing, the pain is still there but it's bearable. Even now it feels like I'm getting sliced apart but I could also feel myself healing again.

I'm okay,

I'll be okay.

I try to look through the darkness but it feels like my face is covered. I wipe away whatever it is but it sticks to me. I claw at it with my fingernails and finally I'm freed of the blackness only to find that it was Blackwhip covering me, trying to protect me.

Right. Of course. I'm safe. I'm fine. It hurts but I'm safe.

I take a deep breath and force myself to relax. It's only now that I see the black figures standing in front of me. Eight, I recognize those but there are more, so very many more that I've never seen before.

"You're lucky that the holder sees you as not only a friend but as a brother," I heard a voice say but I don't really recognize it. It was coming from the oldest figure though, the one that was the hardest to make out.

"Our champion will rise, succeed where we have failed," a woman's voice announced but the one from before seemed to give her a dirty look. Their figures were just black shadows though, a face wasn't able to be seen at all but somehow I still knew.

"If anything happens to him we will be released on this world, and no. It will not stop at my brother or his army. We give you this one warning. Our chosen is free or we will be freed," he spoke up and now I'm confused.

Wait, is he talking about how the government told me that they couldn't guarantee my freedom before? When I was basically forced to do any mission at any time, unlike other pro heroes? Is the original holder… Protecting me?

"What army are you talking about?" I looked around to see Nezu sitting on Aizawa's shoulder, he was the one talking to the previous holder. At least right now.

"All-For-One's army of villains, this hero is our champion, the one to save us from our murderer," another spoke up but I can't tell which holder he was. "He is the one that can bring the dead and dying peace. The hero of heroes, past, present and future, we have seen it."

"You can see the future?" Nezu asked tilting his head.

"We have seen two possible futures, one with him as our champion and one without him. The world will be no more without him," another voice spoke up. Another old one, maybe the second holder? Possibly the third.

"That's a lot to put on a child's shoulders," Aizawa Sensei spoke up, he looked angry but I also saw him turn his eyes to me, looking surprised to see me standing again.

"He is already far stronger than most of your current heroes. More just," the same voice answered.

"More true," the woman added.

"He is our chosen one for a reason. Only he can do what needs to be done to save the world from All-For-One's terror. He is the only one to attract the souls of those tortured to death by the villain. The one whose soul is so strong and pure that the lost ones can finally find peace again," I have no idea who said that but for some reason I don't think it was any of the previous holders, it was someone altogether different.

"For that we have blessed him but it won't feel like a blessing, it is by far much more like a curse," they all turned to me making me nervous.

"We are sorry," they echoed each other and slowly returned back to me but it felt like each one was tearing me apart again. Like my body was being destroyed and remade again and again and the screams that were ripped out of me hurt my ears but honestly I preferred it over the searing pain of being burned and frozen, electrocuted and sliced, shrunk and melted. So many sensations and not nearly enough time to sort through them all but all of them have one thing in common; pain. They are all so painful.

When the pain finally subsided I dropped to my knees, I saw Shinso still standing there looking at me, frozen in fear but I didn't hear anyone call the match. At least not that I can remember.

"Blackwhip," I whispered and flicked my hand at him only for him to be flung out of the arena and out of bounds. I collapsed on my stomach and just focused on breathing until someone seemed to finally snap out of it. Midnight came running over to check on me and I forced myself to lift my hand and she announced me the winner of the match and I closed my eyes, letting the sweet darkness start to consume me until I heard an explosion.

"Oi! Deku!" I heard him screaming from nearby. Guess I can't sleep just yet after all. I try to force myself up but I only succeeded in rolling myself onto my back, the fact that I am breathing so heavy was now visible for anyone to see but I just don't have the energy to do anymore.

"Sorry," I started but my eyelids were by far too heavy and I could feel myself slipping off to sleep.

"DEKU!" I heard Kacchan scream and then there were several explosions and I felt something slam into my side making me wince at the contact. However it worked to wake me up a little bit.

"So tired," I whispered, or I tried to. I don't even know if I was audible or not.

"Deku, does it hurt? I swear those bastards never give you a fucking break!" He swore much more colorfully but I just chuckled at his antics. I know that he is anxious. He is probably out of his mind with worry but he is trying to keep it light so that I don't panic.

"I feel like I've been put through a meat grinder," I groaned before chuckling and adding. "And like I haven't slept in a week."

I heard him snort at that, "You WOULD know what that feels like." I laughed a little and yawned.

"I need a nap, help me to a cot?" I asked and I felt him pulling me up. At this point I just don't have any energy at all so he is forced to do it all himself. When he finally stood up with me all I could do was lean my head on his shoulder so that it wouldn't flop around while he walked. His smooth rhythm was peaceful though and even as angry and worried as he was he was lightly humming for me. In moments I could feel myself relax and finally fall asleep.