I don't own anything except any original characters (including the Reader's concept) and/or any original plot

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Chapter Sixteen - It Takes A Monster

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"Not much longer" amounted to another two days. You were in Eri's room, coloring another picture with her when the compound seemed to shake. Swearing under your breath, you took your newest drawing and wrote a short note.

Heroes, take care of her. Watch her carefully. Teach her what it means to be loved. - Energy

Stuffing it into Eri's sweatshirt pocket, you swung the backpack you'd taken to carrying around over your shoulder. It held a pair of your new clothes and the computer. Because you never wore it around the Eight Bullets or Overhaul, no one asked any questions about it. Good, because you wouldn't know how to explain that you were aware the heroes were planning a sting operation on the compound and it was only a matter of time.

"Come with me," Overhaul was at the door, gaze angry and frantic at the same time, "Quickly!"

Picking up a shaking Eri, you held her close and hurried out the door after Overhaul. Chrono was there as well. Sadly, it wasn't the time and place to think about or mock them for the weird tension that hung in the air. There was no way you were the only one who saw it, the Eight Bullets had tons of different bets placed on them.

Not the point.

Despite the seemingly dire situation upstairs, the pace the four of you took was slow and steady. Overhaul was completely confident in his team and their abilities. Part of you was nervous. The much larger part of you remembered killing one of Overhaul's men without struggle and wasn't very worried.

Overhaul and Chrono were talking quietly ahead of you. You were more focused on keeping Eri calm and comfortable than paying attention. Until Overhaul pulled out two small boxes. One red and one blue.

"As long as I have the concoction and the serum, I can bring us back from the brink of extinction."

Was that what all of the experimentation on Eri was for? Obviously, Eri was just as important to him as those boxes if they were all going with him. It left little room for interpretation in your mind. You had to get those boxes.

"Eri," you stroked the poor girl's hair, "Are you alright?" She shook her head ever so slightly, but it was enough. Holding her closer, you sighed, "It'll be okay. I promise."

"Pinky promise?"

"Pinky promise."

The four of you passed Himi and Jin, both of whom were leaning against the wall without a care in the world.

"It's time to pull your weight, temps."

Making eye contact with them both, you winked. Jin gave a thumbs up and Himi winked back.

"Kay."

"You can leave it to us, Overhaul."

It took another few minutes of walking before a body suddenly popped up through the wall. It was one of the hero interns from before. Lemillion. Perfect. If he could survive the oncoming fight - you had hope, but you wouldn't get your hopes up too high - then you could easily give Eri to him and get out of the compound before things got too nasty.

"Excuse me, we need to talk. You've got some explaining to do."

"You got here fast."

"I took a shortcut. Now, give me the girl. I'm here to rescue her."

"Now that you know the situation you've decided to play hero, eh schoolboy? You were happy being ignorant when we first met. Unfortunately for you, this girl didn't want to go with you. You're no hero to her."

Lemillion looked at Eri, then at you. Faintly you wondered if he recognized you. Still, you widened your eyes and put on a scared facade, flitting your gaze between Overhaul and Chrono as if they were the ones you were scared off. Lemillion picked up on the hint easily.

"That's why I'm here."

Overhaul sighed, "I'm not gettin' through to you. You're going to die down here."

Overhaul and Chrono turned around and continued on. You watched Lemillion long enough to see him stumble into the wall before you went on.

It was too risky to say anything to Eri directly with Overhaul and Chrono right in front of you. You settled on watching her and continuing to hold her close. Lemillion would inevitably be her hero. If all went well then she'd be found and well-taken care of. You'd fade into the recesses of her mind as the one small flicker of light in her dark past.

That was okay. Your flicker guided her to the sunrise she wanted- she needed to see.

The four of you didn't get very far before the distinct sound of two thuds came from behind. Then Lemillion was coming up from the ground while you were distracted. He managed to skim Overhaul and kicked Chrono in the face. While Overhaul was recovering from his shock, Lemillion turned to you.

"Eri, this man will save you. He's a hero."

"You're my hero," Eri clutched at your clothes frantically. She knew what was happening. She was always too smart for her own good. You could sob.

"No, Eri. I can't be." Overhaul stood to his full height. You held out your hand and blasted him down the hallway to buy more time. Lemillion was silent, observant, but obviously riding the line between shocked and confused, "I can't be your hero because I'm a villain."

"No! Villains hurt people. You- you made me feel happy. Please..."

"Eri," you blinked back tears. It wasn't the time to get emotional, "I love you very much. If I could begin to be half of what you think of me then- Eri, you are so good and I'm nothing like you and that's how I know I'm not a hero. But I pinky-promise that if you go with Lemillion then you'll understand what a hero is."

You held out your pinky, and Eri hesitantly wrapped her own around it. With that, you quickly handed her off to Lemillion, "Take her and get as far away as possible. I'll hold him off."

"What-" In one smooth motion, you slid your backpack down your arm and pulled your mask out of the pocket. Lemillion's eyes widened in recognition, "Oh."

"Go."

Turning around, you pulled the Shie Hassakai mask off your face and threw it to the side, swiftly securing your much more comfortable full-face mask. The cape would have to wait. Overhaul was stomping down the hallway, more pissed than you'd ever seen him before. All you had to do was not let him touch you. It seemed easy enough.

He stopped, took off his glove, and knelt to the ground. Whipping around to face Lemillion's retreating form you shrieked- "Look out!"

The ground fell apart and reformed beneath your sneakers. Spikes protruded from what was once smooth concrete. Kicking off of one, you narrowly dodged another. Lemillion was several feet behind you, holding Eri in the air to keep her away from the hazards.

"You could have hit her!" He yelled, "You don't care if you hurt her!"

"If I put her back together immediately it wouldn't matter. Eri already knows what I can do." The ground shifted again, and you sprung into action. It didn't last long however because Lemillion was soon trapped and that was all that mattered to Overhaul, "What will you do if she gets injured? I'm the only one that can heal her. I've sealed off your escape, and you won't be able to use permeation while holding her. So, you going to fight me, school-boy?"

Chrono was awake and holding the gun again. He aimed for Lemillion. Weaving your way around the spikes, you stepped up behind Overhaul and punched just as Chrono pulled the trigger.

Spinning around, Overhaul's hand swiped at your face. Jerking back you thanked Himi for her insistence on teaching you yoga. Flexibility would come in handy in a fight based on avoiding the hands.

Overhaul's other hand reached for the ground, but Lemillion was on him with a punch to the face before it could connect.

"Of course you would do that, monster! You wanna know why a hero wears a cape? So they can use it to comfort someone who's suffering. That's why!"

Lemillion had Overhaul, leaving you with a much less capable Chrono. Swinging your hand up, a well-placed burst of acid-green energy knocked the gun out of his hand. Diving for it, you went through the motions of unloading the chamber and throwing it across the room.

"You won't lay another finger on her, Chisaki!"

"Since one of us is bound to end up dead or in prison, care to share if you've ever slept with your dear boss?" You grinned ferally, relishing in the hesitation that created an opening for you to jump up and wrap your thighs around Chronos' neck. (That was surprisingly Compress' teaching. You didn't dare ask where he learned it.)

The man jerked around as you tightened your hold and cut off his air.

"Nemoto! Shoot!"

The red case flew through the air. Reaching out for it, your balance was lost and you fell backward, dragging Chrono with you. Still, there was a chance. A split second where the bullet was in the air instead of in someone's body. All it would take was a twitch of your fingers and-

Lemillion took the bullet for Eri.

"You're diseased. Your Quirks allow you to dream you'll become something bigger. But that way of thinking is an illness of the mind. I'm offering a cure. You came here to save this girl, but it's her power that will end everything you've come to rely on. You're powerless!"

Pick up the body and throw it at Overhaul. You weren't sure how long you had. It will cause a distraction long enough to get to Lemillion. The knowledge had been with you for mere days. With no practice to prove the theory. All I need is to make contact with his body. But it was the same energy transfer as always. Then he'll have a chance.

It wasn't your Quirk. You were gifted someone else's. But Lemillion could be given his.

Hand resting on his shoulder, a familiar warmth pulsed through your glowing veins. Then it all stopped. Your hand phased through Lemillion's shoulder.

"I don't know how it works, but use it while you can," you advised.

Nodding once, Lemillion dug his heels into the ground and gave a big leap toward Overhaul. Giving Eri a simple pat on the head, you followed in his footsteps.

A punch. A dodge. A kick. A near miss. The fight was a flurry of limbs and Quirks. A routine formed in milliseconds, an alliance born of hope for a little girl's future. It was beautiful. It was disgusting. You wanted to rejoice and vomit and fall to your knees and never stop fighting.

Lemillion's Quirk wasn't as strong. It seemed to come and go in increments, with a buffering with the phasing, but it was there, and it didn't seem to be fading. The energy you'd stolen had immediately acclimated back into his body as if it never left.

A spike caught a tangle in your hair and without hesitation, you tore it out, adrenaline masking the pain and convenient placement allowing for a fixable haircut. Another grazed your temple at the same time your hip suffered a deeper wound.

Lemillion was worse because he had half a Quirk, but neither of you were willing to let up.

"You wanted to be a hero so badly, Lemillion. But you couldn't even save Eri. Your betrayal was foreseen Energy, your easy attachment the weakness that will kill you. You're sick, and I'll cure every last one of you."

Crash!

Through the wall came trouble magnet Izuku Midoriya himself.

Behind him was Eraserhead and the man from the store- Nighteye! Of course! You were such an idiot! Both of their gazes passed over you, quickly assessing the situation and deciding Overhaul was the biggest threat. You tried not to be offended. You were standing in front of a defended Lemillion and helpless Eri like a shield.

"Don't expect this again," you hissed at Nighteye when he ran over, "Children are innocent in this war, and shouldn't be included."

"And what are you?"

"The world stole my innocence. You can thank your picture-perfect society for that," you snapped, "Get Lemillion and Eri out of here."

Then came another round of spikes. Nighteye held Lemillion and Eri close, protecting them.

"I'll be a good sport and admit you bested me Lemillion, Energy," a monster was being made of Overhaul and Nemoto, "But in the end, I will still be the visitor. Now, I'll have you return Eri to me!"

"Energy, steal his energy!" Nighteye handed out the order as if you were one of his sidekicks.

"It's too much! There're two bodies in there feeding off of each other because of Overhaul's Quirk. Sucking out enough energy from both of them to knock them unconscious would turn me into a walking bomb if I didn't release it fast enough!"

"Cleanliness is an obsession of mine. When someone contaminates me with their filth, I lose control. It's never gone quite this far before, though. What an unfortunate turn for you, Lemillion. You lost your Quirk, and yet some of it still remains. Energy provided you with a second chance I wasn't expecting."

"Energy-"

"I don't need to explain shit to you, hero. It looks like Lemillion has half a Quirk. Don't mention it. Seriously, don't. I have a reputation." Yeah, a reputation of hating the weight placed on Quirks, yet you restored a hero's. It was for a cause you wanted to fight for. And wasn't that you entire bit? Fighting for what you wanted when it served your interests? You didn't feel very guilty about it.

From the pocket of your jacket buzzed your - definitely cracked - phone. Once, twice, then a small pause and third time. Tomura was texting you in code. Himi and Jin must have contacted him. It was time to get out.

As Midoriya and Nighteye leaped into battle, you stepped up next to Lemillion and Eri, 'Don't be disappointed if your Quirk doesn't last. I don't know how it works. Eri, remember what I promised?"

"Yeah."

"Good. It's time for me to leave now." Her already tear-filled eyes overflowed, "Trust the heroes."

If you said anything more or looked at her any longer you were convinced you'd switch sides for her. So, you stood, sucked in a deep breath, and used the energy you had left in your body to enhance your physical strength. It created a jump that took you straight through the roof of the compound with a simple punch. Is that basically what Midoriya's Quirk was?

The rest of the battle was solely up to the heroes. If Overhaul got away with Eri you'd track them down and kill him yourself. Then go and kill the heroes that had failed. But - and you really hated to say it - you had faith in the hero team and their ability to get Eri out.

Landing several buildings away from the actual battle site, you pulled out your phone and called Tomura.

"Is it done?"

"Chisaki has been thoroughly betrayed and screwed over. You called me out of a fight early, so I hope this is important."

"Betrayal isn't enough. Don't you think someone so hellbent on getting rid of Quirks shouldn't have one?"

"... what's the plan?"

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Spinner was a terrible driver.

Of all the things that should have been on your mind, getting thrown from the back of a truck was not one of them.

"In shogi, the point is to get the king, right?"

"I prefer chess metaphors. The queen is the most powerful piece," you quipped, keeping the edge of the truck in a death grip.

"It's not that simple," Dabi deadpanned.

"Yeah, they're here just like you said! To get from Hassaikai to the nearest villain hospital, it's fastest to use this highway. Thanks for letting us know, Toga. You're very efficient, much obliged." Compress listened for a few seconds, "I only have one hand, though." He listened for another few seconds before hanging up.

"Hey, lizard! Stop weaving! I get motion sick."

"Don't call me lizard! I'm Spinner!"

"What are you complaining for? Shut up?"

"I hate this family."

Rolling his eyes, Dabi lit his hand up with blue flame. The blast he sent out was blocked by someone in the police car in front of the transport vehicle.

"A hero. Of course, they'd have one. Ugh," Tomura complained, "Spinner, slow down."

When the truck got closer, Tomura jumped off the top and was quickly stopped by sand.

"If your Quirk can decay things, then you can't do anything to sand!"

"Then we're natural enemies."

"What a good decoy our leader makes," you teased, gaining an amused smirk from Dabi and a quiet chuckle from Compress.

Sending out a marble, a giant boulder appeared in front of the police car, flipping it. Tomura jumped from the police car to the truck. You, Dabi, and Compress stepped out of the still-moving truck onto the highway.

Dabi and Compress swiftly dealt with the sand hero while you went on ahead to open the back of the truck for Tomura. Giving Chisaki's medical cot a simple tug, you pulled it out of the transport vehicle and onto the road. Tomura kicked the side.

"Who's going to be the next leader again?"

"Did you come to kill me?"

"No, I thought of what you hate the most," Compress came up and absorbed one of Overhaul's arms into a marble, "I hate you. You're too full of yourself."

"Me too," Compress flaunted the marble before pocketing it.

"There are two boxes here. Which is the finished product?"

The red one. You remained silent.

"Give it back."

"You know what, Overhaul? A person who erases people's Quirks shouldn't depend on their own Quirk, right?" Tomura placed five fingers on Chisaki's other arm, "If I don't cut it off, your entire body will decay."

Blood spattered. Tomura discarded the knife without care.

"All right. Now you're a powerless, helpless, quirkless man. (Y/n), what is it like?"

"To be quirkless is to know that the tortures waiting for you in your fiery afterlife will feel like home."

"Yes. And the fruits of effort you grew are now mine! Now you won't even have a finger to put in your mouth as you look enviously at the rest of us! Let's do our best!"

Spinner honked twice from the truck, "Reinforcements are on the way!"

Placing a hand on Overhaul's shoulder, you sent some energy into his body, "We wouldn't want you passing out or dying now, would we? No. I want you to feel every second of this physical and mental anguish."

"You call me a monster, but even the villains are blind to the demons I see in your eyes."

Leaning down, your lips hovered next to Overhaul's ear. You were quiet enough that there was no chance of Tomura or Compress hearing as they walked away. When you pulled back, Overhaul was even more terrified than before. A single tear rolled down his cheek.

"Oh Chisaki, don't cry. There's so much to celebrate," with that, you stood and joined the others in the truck, "Spinner, I'm driving."

"You aren't old enough."

"I'll be old enough soon. One of us is gonna throw up if you drive again, move over!"

As you adjusted the seat and rearview mirror, you met your own eyes in the glass. Tilting your head slightly, you couldn't see what Chisaki did.

Everything seemed normal. And wasn't that the scariest part?