Author's Notes: Chapter edited and corrected by Vongrak.
Tenko Shimura POV.
I moved my hands slightly as I tried to regain mobility in my wrists, stiff from so many restrictions. I turned my equally rigid neck before my hands instinctively reached for my family's hands.
I stopped irritably, remembering that those damned heroes had taken them from me. I clicked my tongue and looked at Kurogiri, nodding in agreement.
"Create a portal, Kurogiri." I ordered Kurogiri. She simply extended one of her hands, and the mist began to spread. I looked at the security camera inside the room where they had been holding me, extended my hand, placed two fingers in a V sign over my mouth, and stuck out my tongue. With that obscene gesture, I stepped through Kurogiri's portal.
I glanced quickly around until my gaze fell on the only patient inside the nursing room.
Izumi Miyamura was asleep. A pang of anger, hatred, and contempt surged through me, stopping my hands before they could begin to scratch my neck out of habit. I approached him slowly and extended my hand, only to stop it mid-stride.
I no longer had Decay. The quirk I'd had for almost 15 years had vanished. Just like that. My Master—All For One—had snatched it away without a second thought and given me back my Grandmother's original quirk, my own.
Hatred resurfaced strongly because of the whole situation.
All For One had betrayed me, discarded me without a second thought, as if I were worthless. I hated myself for feeling a pang of pain that I quickly buried while letting hatred and anger completely fill me.
"You know, you're a really terrible assassin." I shuddered at Miyamura's voice as my eyes widened. I took a step back only for the shadows to begin moving; a snake emerged from the shadows and moved with great speed.
The snake coiled itself around my body several times, restraining me once more. I groaned instantly.
"You were awake." I grunted without even bothering to try and free myself from my restraint. Heroes were so pathetic; Miyamura wouldn't do anything to me, I'd just go back to that stupid restraint chair.
"I was sleeping, it's just that you're so incompetent that you let all your emotions out as soon as you came in, that's what woke me up. I just wanted to see what you would do, but you just stood there halfway." Miyamura mocked as he sat up.
His hair was down, which meant that his face was mostly covered, and thanks to the darkness of the room, I could barely see his face; I could only see his eyes shining slightly.
"Shut up." I grunted in annoyance, Miyamura sneered.
"So, any reason why you tried... to do whatever you tried? What the hell did you come here to do? " Miyamura asked, puzzled.
"Killing you, does that ring a bell? " I mocked him, Miyamura smiled mockingly.
"I don't see a weapon, you... tell me you didn't forget you didn't have Decay anymore and that's why you stayed still." Miyamura mocked, and I could feel myself blushing.
"Shut up!" I growled again through gritted teeth, Miyamura burst out laughing.
"Was that all you wanted, Shigaraki? Are you still using the name like that idiot AFO?" " Or did you go back to Tenko? " Miyamura asked, still laughing. I could feel my eye twitching.
"Tenko Shimura or Tomura Shigaraki, use whichever you want." I grumbled in annoyance as I looked away. "My father hated me, AFO tried to kill me, I couldn't care less about my name right now." I said mockingly, and Miyamura hummed softly.
"Very well, Tenko," Miyamura said, nodding. "Then, since I'm awake because of you, let's talk," he added playfully.
"I have nothing to say to you." I growled, glaring at him. Miyamura stared back, and I clenched my teeth, fighting back a shiver. It was just like AFO's stare, that look he gave you when he seemed to be peering into my head.
"Then let's play." Miyamura said, shrugging. I blinked in confusion as the snake turned into a pool of shadow and released me. At that moment, Miyamura tossed me something, and I instinctively caught it. "I asked Ruby to bring these so I wouldn't get bored," he said, holding up his own handheld console.
I looked at my hands and saw an identical one. I stared at it, puzzled, before shrugging. I grabbed one of the chairs and dragged it to one of the far walls of the room.
I turned on the console and started the game, a… fighting game? I caught a glimpse of Miyamura doing the same, and I quickly received an invitation to a match. I accepted without hesitation.
My fingers moved easily across the console; I almost wanted to mock Miyamura, but I said nothing, I just kept playing and-
….
I lost.
I gritted my teeth and placed the rematch… I lost again. I closed my eyes tightly, this time I chose a different character, but I lost again. And again and again and again.
"Wow, you're really bad at this too." Miyamura mocked.
"Shut the fuck up! You're cheating somehow! You're using that Future Haki to cheat! " I spat out furiously, slightly blushing with embarrassment. A man had just beaten me in a fighting video game; I'd really sunk that low.
"Come on, Tenko, just admit you're really bad." Miyamura mocked. I gritted my teeth and focused on my handheld console once more. I pressed the buttons harder as I tried to beat Miyamura, but—
"You're cheating, damn it! You can't be that handsome and good at video games, it's unnatural!" I growled furiously when I lost again. Miyamura burst out laughing as he mocked me. I glared at him.
I took a deep breath and went back for the rematch, this time I calmed down more, I touched the buttons almost distractedly without really noticing what I was seeing.
"I hate you, you know that, right? " I said calmly while continuing to press the buttons.
"I know, anyone could notice it being near you," Miyamura said with the same calmness, without any worries in the world.
"You took everything from me." I said, my voice slightly trembling. "All For One may have planned everything—planned my family's death, wanted to steal my body, kill me— but even so, I had a purpose. She gave me a purpose after losing everything for the first time. She... she was all I had." I said hoarsely, barely containing my fury.
"She's the one who took everything from you," Miyamura pointed out.
"My father was a bastard, he deserved what he got." I growled, filled with hatred.
"Yes, your father wasn't good. His hatred for heroes, for his own mother, blinded him. It was going to end with you two fighting irreversibly in the future, but you would still have a family, a sister, a mother, a pet. All of that was taken away by AFO from the very beginning." Miyamura said, and my fingers tightened around the console.
"Don't talk about them." I said hoarsely while clenching my teeth tightly.
"Alright, let's talk about why you're here," Miyamura said, rolling his eyes. "You said I'd taken everything from you, is this going to become a habit? Will you run for guidance from the person who takes everything from you? " Miyamura asked mockingly. I felt my eye twitch slightly.
"Shut up, damn it." I growled angrily; I could hear Miyamura sigh.
"Honestly, I don't know what you want me to say," Miyamura said as he continued to kick my butt in the video game. "Do whatever you want, listen to your heart and all that," he added casually.
"You're terrible at this." I said as dryly as the Sahara. Miyamura shrugged.
"You came to kill me, not to listen to my advice," Miyamura said nonchalantly.
"... Touche." I conceded this time.
"Besides, you hate me, I don't like you anymore," Miyamura said, and I laughed.
"Wow, a hero with a bad attitude?" I asked mockingly.
"Only against children in adult bodies," Miyamura mocked. "I mean, I can't really blame you for much, you're just a kid who was manipulated by someone 200 years old, forced to be the way you are, but still, I don't like you. Those tantrums at USJ and the mall cost you points," Miyamura said dismissively.
"Die." I growled with hatred, Miyamura just rolled his eyes.
"But seriously... just... do whatever you want." Miyamura said casually, and I sighed.
"Yeah, right, as if heroes let me do whatever I wanted, be realistic Miyamura." I mocked him, Miyamura just snorted.
"Tenko, you practically have the entire Midoriya family eating out of your hand. They'll find so many excuses to spoil you, it's not even funny," Miyamura mocked. "They want you to become a hero? That family is completely insane. Being a hero is in their genes, and the worst part is, they're good at it."
"You'd be good too, you'd be spectacular if you put your mind to it, but just... do whatever you want, create a video game, draw a comic, create stupid, pointless stories, really do whatever you want. Yes, you won't be able to leave UA in the short term, but it won't last forever." Miyamura said nonchalantly.
I stared at him in surprise, not caring that I might lose another game. He… he was absolutely right. All Might and that irritating son of his practically jumped at the chance to do anything I did. I could practically announce that I wanted to do something, and they'd go out of their way to make it happen.
"What if I want to be a villain?" I asked mockingly. Miyamura snorted so loudly it surprised me.
"You want to be a villain? Do it at your own risk." Miyamura said mockingly, making me bristle with insecurity.
"Is this a threat?" I growled defensively, Miyamura snorted again.
"Of course not, I couldn't care less about you." Miayamura said almost dismissively, and I glared at him. "But you're practically part of the Midoriya family now, and they're all so stupidly stubborn, they won't let you go, they'll follow you everywhere, good luck being a villain with them constantly breathing down your neck." Miyamura mocked, and I paled slightly.
"Oh no." I said in horror. Miyamura burst into a huge laugh.
"Tremble, Tenko, tremble before the power of the Midoriyas! They are stupidly stubborn and tireless, you'll never have a day of peace if you become a villain! " Miyamura laughed maniacally, I could feel my eye twitch.
"Rot in hell." I growled as I stood up. This was a complete waste of time. "Kurogiri!" I yelled, and the mist reformed.
"Tenko." I stopped mid-stride and looked over my shoulder, glaring at Miyamura. "You still have my console." He said with a mocking smile. I gritted my teeth, turned around, and threw it at his head with all my might.
…only to pass within a dozen centimeters of him, Miyamura absorbed the console with his shadows before it hit the wall, but even so Miyamura stared at the spot where it was absorbed with wide eyes before his smile grew.
" Wow, you really are bad-"
"Shut up, damn it!!" I yelled while blushing slightly. Miyamura burst out laughing, and I started to turn around once again.
"Tenko." I froze again and closed my eyes tightly.
"I swear, Miyamura, I'll find a way to kill you." I growled furiously as I turned around once more. Miyamura chuckled.
"I know," Miyamura said, shrugging his shoulders.
"What?" I asked curtly, crossing my arms. To my surprise, Miyamura's smile softened.
"You hate everyone." Miyamura said softly, and I glared at him.
"Wow, you noticed." I said so coldly, but he didn't even flinch, he just looked me in the eyes.
"It's okay to hate everyone." Miyamura said with the same gentleness, and I froze in place.
"What?" I asked stupidly as my eyes widened slightly. Miyamura hummed as he bowed his head.
"You were dealt a terrible hand from birth, and someone cheated to give you an even worse one. You have every right to hate the world. Your father failed you, your family failed you, society failed you, All For One failed you. Truly, the world ruined you, and you can look back at it by hating them completely," Miyamura said while staring at me intently. I gritted my teeth.
"You know nothing, I don't need your permission to hate everyone." I growled in his direction, Miyamura nodded.
"I know, I just wanted to say it," Miyamura said, nodding. "You can hate everyone, especially your family, but you can also give them a chance." My eyes widened.
"You want... you want me to give All Might a chance?!" I hissed hatefully. Miyamura hummed softly, unfazed by my fury. That kid was irritating.
"Would anything change?" Miyamura asked simply, tilting his head. "You can give him a chance and hate him at the same time. Sooner or later, you'll make your move, right? You'll escape UA, become a villain, or do something. If nothing's going to change, why not give them a chance?"
"You can always decide to keep hating them after all and go back to your plans for world destruction or whatever," Miyamura said simply.
"You think... you think it's that easy?" I growled incredulously. Miyamura just shrugged.
"Of course not, but I know you're capable of it." Miyamura said, staring intently at me. "Do you want to know what future I saw when I first looked at you?" Miyamura asked. I could feel his gaze pierce my soul. I clenched my fists. "I saw you as 'the Symbol of Fear.'"
My whole being trembled strongly as my eyes opened wide.
'Symbol of Fear'
That would have been my epithet, my name, what I would have stood for. Not the Symbol of Evil like All For One. Symbol of Fear, something entirely my own.
…
And Miyamura snatched it away from me. I could feel a new level of murderous rage growing enormously.
"And then you died." I could feel the bucket of cold water being poured over my body as my eyes snapped open. "You acquired All For One's quirk, you amassed an army, you instigated a world war against the heroes, several countries even surrendered, but ultimately you were stopped and died in the end."
"You didn't even die controlling your body, no, at the end of the war, All For One took advantage of your weakest moment and controlled your body by pushing your consciousness down. And... strangely enough, you died peacefully, satisfied."
"If that's the path you want to follow... go for it, I know you can do it, but just as you could achieve that, you would be capable of achieving anything you want to do. Throughout the war, you denied AFO control, your will was indomitable, you would be capable of achieving anything you set your mind to."
"If you want to be a villain? Go for it, you'll be spectacular. If you want to be a hero? I'm sure you'll be damn good too. If you want to forget about that and do something else? Just do it. The decision is yours, Tenko, don't forget that, this time... this time the decision is completely yours, don't let AFO, All Might, or anyone else keep whispering in your ear." Miyamura said while staring intently.
I remained silent, completely silent, I was speechless, I didn't know what to say.
"Now, go, I need to rest." I didn't even notice when a rabbit came out of the shadows and punched me in the stomach, pushing me towards Kurogiri's portal.
"I hope you had a good conversation with Miyamura." I blinked a few times and looked at the rat that was the UA principal sitting happily with a tablet in his hands. I didn't answer, I simply walked slowly to the chair where I had been restrained and slumped down heavily.
I… had a lot to think about.
---------
Tanya POV.
"HAHAHAHA WE WON THE LOTTERY!!" I said happily as I began to celebrate joyfully, I grabbed Visha and started to spin her happily.
"Tanya!?" my sister yelled, confused.
"Our future is secure, Visha! I can already see it! Married to Ryuma-sama's grandson! Running Izumi's mother's business without any hassle! Ah! I can see it, a nice 5 or 6 figure salary while I sit behind a nice office in my 30s and then retire at 50."
"I'll have to have one or two children, to secure the legacy obviously, then everything will go smoothly! Ah, how good life is!" I said happily as I finally let go of Visha.
"First, be more respectful, Izumi is hospitalized, and second, we're not even engaged yet, we're not even dating, we've barely had a few dates with him." Visha said while laughing amusedly.
"Nonsense! We're practically guaranteed to become Izumi's partners, it's just a matter of time!" I said confidently. After all, we both shared a huge secret, and there was nothing better than the camaraderie and closeness born from a deep shared secret. I'd be the only one capable of holding a conversation with him about the old world. My value was through the roof; Izumi would choose me no matter what.
"I think you yourself have said many times, 'assumptions are the mother of mistakes,' I'm sure you don't want 'this' to be a mistake." Visha said while laughing, I froze in place.
"You're right, Visha! We need to prepare! An action plan! We need to formalize our relationship with Izumi in any way possible! " I said immediately as I started walking. "First, we need a gift, a welcome-back gift, a get-well gift. One that shows how much we care about him, that's proportional to our interest in him." I said quickly.
"He likes chocolate." Visha pointed out, sounding strangely amused as she looked at me, but I ignored it, I just snapped my fingers.
"Good start, Visha! Chocolate can never fail in Izumi! Call our parents immediately, Visha! Tell them to buy the best chocolate from Germany and send it express, those chocolates have to arrive yesterday! " she ordered quickly as she began to plan.
"Okay, but you're explaining the plans to our parents." Visha said with a giggle as she grabbed her Scroll.
"Later, there are still plans to make!" I said almost frantically before freezing up. "Tell me... do you know where to get sexy nurse outfits?" I asked while humming.
"For Izumi?! You want to give him a nurse's outfit as a gift and force him to wear it while he's hospitalized?" Visha squealed in surprise, blushing at the thought. I snorted.
"Of course not," Visha thought, "for us, it's a nurse's outfit, white or pink, with tiny lace lingerie that shows a lot of skin." I said immediately as if it were obvious.
"For us?!" Visha squealed once again, the sixth time the blush was even greater.
"Of course, we have to 'take care' of Izumi, and I know exactly what he thinks—he'll love this." I said confidently. I could hear Visha swallow audibly.
"I... I think we can order it from a clothing store if you're... sure?" Visha said puzzledly, I nodded.
"Okay, okay, okay, everything's coming together. We also need to coordinate with Izumi's fiancées. We can't get in her way. The better we get along with them, the better it will be for the group's cohesion in the future, and we'll also look better in Izumi's eyes. Oh... where's my scroll?" I asked as I started searching the room for it.
Yes, this would work out perfectly fine.
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