The good guys weren't the only ones unhappy with the outcome of the skirmish.

AFO was outraged. He was in disbelief that it had been that easy for them to fight him. Him!!!

All Might couldn't even kill him!

Ujiko attempted to calm him down with the reminder that they'd still killed All Might and two other Top Heroes.

AFO laughed at the memory of killing All Might but didn't care about the others.

"If that woman wasn't one of them, we still have a problem," he said. "And Likstar...we're going to think of a really horrible way to kill her--and her stupid boyfriend, too."

"Actually, they're married now," Ujiko said, "so it's her stupid husband."

AFO's silence implied "and I would care because...?"

"Anyway," Ujiko cleared his throat, "Akume tells me their plan to take care of those two is still on track...but I'm beginning to think all our training of the boy has failed. He's disappeared now."

"What? He ran off."

"Well, not exactly," Ujiko said. "According to one of the people who was running around, he took his League members and left, informing them they were going to a safer location until things settle down. I haven't found him yet though... Since they destroyed my nomu, tracking people is not the easiest thing."

"Oh, don't worry, old friend." Akume suddenly came in. "I have found them. Tracking people is simple enough for us. They're just at some ratty, old lair. They're alone, too, just awaiting further orders. I think your project is still in hand, if you'll pardon the pun."

AFO sat back. "Well, that's the first good news I've heard all day..."

"Well, it's the last, I'm afraid," Akume said. "I've examined that boy, Tomura, as you so quaintly call him. Turns out he let them go again."

"What?! What will it take to get him to finally kill those people!" AFO said.

Ujiko sneered too. "I don't understand it. We had it! It was all lined up. It looked perfect! And yet he still believes they would never betray him."

"Aside from asking yourselves if that's because it's true they wouldn't," Akume said, "you both rather miss the obvious. And as unfortunate as it is (for you), the truth is, the boy just does not want to destroy these people." He seemed amused at it. "It's sort of like how foolish parents let their kids off, even if they do something totally unacceptable to the parents. Something about family bonds and all that. He's come to feel possessive of his League."

"And so we wanted," AFO said.

"Ah, yes, but in the words of one of the authors of the other side, you've taught him to be possessive. But funny, you can't control exactly how that works out." Akume sat down and began to fiddle with a pencil. "Calling everything mine, as they say, can mean two things. 'My boots', 'my mother', and so on. 'My teddy bear' was the example he used, I believe. And a person may say 'my teddy bear' and mean the object of his special and unique affections, or he can be taught to say 'my teddy bear' as in 'the bear I can pull to pieces if I like.' And of course, you taught him the second. But there was always the danger, if left to himself, that he'd begin to see things the first way. No accounting for what people will do when left to themselves."

[Akume is referencing The Screwtape Letters, chapter 21, if you want to see for yourself. It's brilliant.]

"Human beings are so unpredictable at inconvenient moments," Ujiko remarked. "Giving them the obedience of nomu, without losing intelligence and initiative, has been my biggest hurdle."

"I maintain your lack of success is due to trying to remove the will," Akume said. "The will is necessary to do evil as much as good. To do anything. Is a puppet really what you want to serve your goals?"

"At this rate, they won't be served at all," AFO said harshly. "So if you have nothing more tenable to add to this, leave us."

Akume glanced up at him. "You'd want to watch your tone." His tone turned icy. "My master will not tolerate disrespect, after so kindly providing you his services to escape also."

AFO didn't care much, but, as he wanted Akume to explain if he had an idea, he refrained from replying in kind.

"So do you have a plan?" Ujiko pressed.

"What if you could get him to do as you wish, willingly, and sever his attachments that are stopping him?" Akume said. 

"You've said it before, and I said then that I think we will lose too much progress," AFO said.

"That is where you're wrong," Akume said. "That's the beauty of it. At some level, emotions remain, even when you tweak the mind. You could keep the progress that matters-- experience in fighting and planning and what not-- but remove the loyalty. And no loyalty, means no conscience."

"You can do that?" Ujiko said. "But your attacks have not worked."

"Oh, my attacks were never going to be enough, but I did get plenty of information," Akume said deviously. "And I know enough to do what you want. I have a tool ready, an interesting specimen. Pulled him off the streets some weeks ago. In fact, I believe Ujiko has heard of him."

Ujiko sat up. "Him? Really?" he said. "You think he'll cooperate?"

"I think by now he'd hardly dare to do anything we didn't tell him to do," Akume said. 

"And if we do this, he will be refocused?" AFO said.

"He will be as focused as he was when you started this last year," Akume promised, "but a little more adaptable, no doubt. He will do whatever you put into this head, trust me. If he doesn't, why...well, there's always Master's way."

"If you fail at this, there will be consequences," AFO warned. "I want him left intact. No use losing all that now."

"I daresay you don't really care about his well being," Akume said, "so why the concern? Even if he dies, we have plenty more people."

"True," AFO said, "but I hate to give up a project once I start it. I'm persistent like that. I killed All Might, didn't I?" He chuckled.

They laughed too. "Well, in that case, to persistence." Akume made a bow.

[This sounds very bad.]

* * *

https://youtu.be/vgAQzPK53Rg

[This song just fit too well not to use. But it will make you cry.]

Wally found Mrs. Midoriya making tea and shaking her head.

"I'm glad to see someone has come to see him," she said. "That Uraraka girl, she stopped by, but he didn't perk up much. She left pretty quickly, said she didn't want to impose. And a young man named Iida did too, but he didn't have much more luck."

"Well, I'll try to talk to him," Wally said. "It's hard for him, you know. Everything fell apart at once, but we'll get through it, ma'am."

"Thank you." Mrs. Midoriya dabbed her eyes. "I'm sorry. I promised myself I wouldn't cry anymore in front of the guests..."

Wally discreetly left her to compose herself.

"Hey, De---uh, Izuku," he said, knocking on his door. "It's me, Wally."

"Oh...uh, come in," a very dejected Deku's voice answered.

Wally opened the door.

The room was dark and a mess of All Might paraphernalia.

Some of it looked like it'd been knocked over recently, though, or taken down.

Deku was lying face up on his bed, staring at the ceiling, All Might figurine alongside the bed.

It was like a little kid, Wally thought. Sad.

"How you doing, buddy?" he said weakly. The answer was obvious.

"Okay, I guess." Deku's tone belied his words. "I mean, everyone's been really nice about it."

"Yeah, but it still sucks," Wally said. "It's the worst when your friend... Well, I just know what it's like a little. I mean, my buddy sort of died once... I remember wondering if I'd be able to go on, with just his example...so I can imagine it's rough for you."

"Yeah." Deku turned his head slightly. "That's just what I've been thinking...along with everything else. Can I really become the new Symbol of Peace, like I'm supposed to be, without...All Might?" He choked up. "I just don't know, Mr. West... I mean, you know about the holders...but...can I really? I'm not ready yet."

Wally thought it was actually nice to hear Deku admit that, even if it was for a very horrible reason. He was being honest for once.

"I shouldn't have gone to that place," Deku went on. "I thought I could do it, but I couldn't do anything." He clenched a fist. "It's...my fault. All Might would never have been there if I hadn't gone. I thought it was my job, but that was foolish."

"It was," Wally said without thinking.

Deku looked like he'd been punched. "Yeah...I know."

Wally thought... He didn't know what to say...but maybe just the truth would be a good start.

"Hey, Izuku, can I shoot straight with you?" he said.

Deku sat up. "Yeah, sure," he said dully.

"We've never been that close," Wally said, "and that's for a lot of reasons, but Shine and I did still think about you and pray for you and stuff. And we talked to All Might about you... Let me tell you, I don't think he had a doubt you'd surpass him one day. He was your biggest fan."

Deku started to cry more.

Wally went on. "I know that doesn't make it better, but, if at least a little of the pressure you're under would lift, then, you know, I hope that helps. I think...if you focus on how you failed, you're gonna bury the actual pain of loss here...at least that's what I've heard in the past. We push aside grief and feel guilty. Shine likes to say it's because it's easier to feel guilty than to feel loss. Guilt feels like we can control it, but loss just happens... But I think, if you accept that, accept that it's out of your control...you find peace, eventually."

Deku wiped his face. "Peace? About this? All Might is...gone, Mr. West. How can I ever accept that? Or forgive myself for it."

"Because he would," Wally said. "Look, protecting your student, that's just what teachers do. We don't care if you do dumb stuff or not, because we love you. That's how love is, man. It forgives. All Might protected you because he cares about you, kiddo. Don't feel guilty for that. It's a special privilege to be able to protect someone you care about, and he chose it...and the dude didn't even have powers. I think that's pretty cool, myself."

Deku almost smiled. "It was cool..." he said. "But...still..."

"Deku, I got news for you," Wally said. "You're gonna make mistakes for the rest of your life. I do. We all do. Because to error is human, as that saying goes. And if you did screw up-- which, yeah, I think you did-- that's also human. But you know, it's okay to just ask for forgiveness and let it go. All Might would forgive you, I guarantee it. He always did before, right?"

Deku wiped his eyes. "I know he would," he said, "but that makes it worse... If he'd be mad at me, I'd feel better."

"That's not healthy, though," Wally said. "We can't forgive ourselves, I know...but you can't be a Hero like All Might if you hold on to this guilt... It'll crush you. I think you should be sorry and upset and cry and grieve and all of it, but I don't think you should blame yourself forever. You have to move on. And...at least you were trying to do the right thing. It'd be worse if you weren't, right? So we'll let it go. No one's mad at you-- I've talked to most of them."

"They should be... Kaachan's going to be livid," Deku said.

"Actually...from what Shine told me, he's not mad at you," Wally said. "More at himself. You guys can be kind of similar there...but it's fine. You guys will be okay, eventually."

He put a hand on Deku's shoulder. "Trust me."

Deku started crying harder. "I'm sorry..." he said.

Wally let him for a while, though it was awkward. He never handled crying as well as Shine did...but he held it together.

Finally Deku subsided a bit.

"You know, everyone says it wasn't my fault," he said, "but...I think it was."

"Let's say it was the fault of multiple people," Wally said. "Yours, ours, everyone's. The whole thing was a mess... I think you can take your share of the blame, but don't take all of it. That's not fair to the rest of us. And let it go. I mean, there, I said it, it was partly your fault. But we'd all forgive you. And a real hero, admits he did it wrong, and then tries again."

"Yeah...but I can't undo this either..." Deku said, "not like with Eri."

"It's true some mistakes can't be undone, but you can do better in the future," Wally said. "That's all we can do... It might take a while to get there, but you will."

Deku sniffled. "Thanks, Mr. West... I needed to hear that...I guess... I still feel horrible, but...we have to face it, right?"

"Yaeh, we do," Wally said. "And usually when we finally face it, it's not quite as hard as we imagined. Just my personal experience. But if you need more time, or help, or just to be upset, you take that time. That's what I think. The bad guys can wait a little longer, I think."

"I...don't know if I even should try to fight them," Deku said. "I'm...not ready." He looked at his hands. "I don't want to make the same mistake as before. I need more time...to think...and process it. Is that okay?"

"I think that's for the best," Wally said. "Don't worry so much about AFO either, though. It's okay if you're not the one to take him down... He's outdated anyway. He's just trying to be relevant, but without that scary quirk, no one would take a guy like that seriously. It's kind of weird that anyone does."

"He's dangerous," Deku said darkly.

"Well, yeah, the way anyone who has a gun is dangerous, but that doesn't mean they're a super tough person if you take that away. Really being tough means you're tough all the time," Wally said, "quirk or no quirk... You remember that? You used to not have one."

"And I still wanted to be a Hero," Deku said.  "And then I got a quirk... It was like a dream come true."

"And it's still true," Wally said. "But it's not as easy at it seemed, right? A quirk does make you a Hero or ready. It's just a tool. Remember that."

"Yeah...I guess you're right," Deku said. He frowned. "I...kind of wonder...will I see All Might now...in those visions? Will he be part of this quirk?"

"I think...yeah, in a small way." Wally wasn't sure how this stuff worked.

"Then...as long as I use it, he's not fully gone," Deku said. "So that's what I'm gonna do, use it to help people. And...I think he'll...know, in a way. Like the others."

"That might be true," Wally said. "It seems like they are connected still."

He took his leave after that.

Deku didn't get over his grief all in one day, naturally, but he was better after that... Things seemed a little less hopeless to him. And his mom noticed he ate more and seemed more determined.

It would be a long time before he was ready to really embrace his future, but it was a start.

[And this may be the last time we really focus on Deku in this story, so I thought it was  good send off.]

* * *

Silk and Compress were sitting around the lair listlessly when they heard something outside it.

Cautiously, Silk went to go check.

Outside, she found Kali leaning on the wall, cracking gum.

"Hey," she said casually. "It's time."

Silk recoiled.

"For last time," she said, "is bad idea. You'll regret it."

"I don't make the plans, lady." Kali made lady sound like an insult. "I just enact them."

She put a hand on Silk's shoulder and dug her nails in. "And you will too. Remember what I told you?"

Silk shuddered from head to foot.

"Kira--" Compress looked out and frowned. "You...so you found us."

"Technically, Akume found you," Kali said. "He sends his regards, by the way. Now, you bring everyone to the right spot--" She flicked an address card at them. "--and we'll take it from there. Make sure the guy with the hands knows it's his Father or Master, or whatever he calls him, asking for him."

"You know you're crazy right?" Compress said. "And evil."

"Says the two-bit magician with one parlor trick," Kali said, "who joined a League of Losers because he had a family legacy to uphold or whatever. How different are we? You know the major separation between us? I'm actually effective."

Compress winced.

"You will end up going one step too far," Silk said. "A child like you should not be this psychotic."

"I prefer the term goal-oriented," Kali said. "And I wouldn't talk, ex-spy. Or reinstated spy, I should really say. Besides, soon we'll be in charge." Her eyes glittered. "So you should probably talk nicer to me. I can make your life a living hell if I want. They won't stop me. They think it's entertainment."

"We'll comply because you twisted our arms," Compress said, pulling Silk back, "but we loathe you."

"I can live with that." Kali walked away. "I got things to do, places to rob, people to kill, so I'll see you later. Don't be late." She melted into shadow.

"Definitely scarier than Toga..." Compress muttered.

"I hate myself more than her for going along with this," Silk said, "but...no choice..."

"None at all... It's so...frustrating," Compress said. "I think I didn't appreciate Shigaraki's lax method of handling the League while I had it... AFO runs a tighter ship."

"AFO...I somehow wonder if it's really his ship," Silk said. "Something about that girl...it's different. It's like...there's another thing going on here. Whatever it is, I hate it...more than I've hated anyone I worked for, and I thought it couldn't get worse than Hantai."

"I think it's the total lack of mercy, humor, or any of the qualities that really make a person a good Villain," Compress said. "I mean, she's just...ugh..." He shuddered. "But talking about it won't make it better. In fact, I think it makes it worse."

"She leaves a bad taste in mouths," Silk said.

[Mine too.]

* * *

"So they've finally found us," Shigaraki said when they passed on the message. "Well, it's time, then. Are you all ready?"

"Yeah..." Spinner said. "But...this seems weird."

Compress and Silk shook their heads at him.

Shigaraki ignored what he said.

They went to the location.

This one was, rather sacrilegiously, to Compress's mind, an old theater. It had mostly been emptied out and used as a dumping place for old rubbish, but homeless people would live in it...but this group chased them out...or killed them--it wasn't clear.

From the opening ticket booth to the back wings, it was kind of creepy. There were a lot of dressing rooms, which was where most of the vermin, as Compress referred to these new "teammates" of theirs, were living.

The theater had a basement, which is where they all went.

AFO was waiting for them in the place under the stage, where the special effects would have been kept in the old days. 

"Welcome back, Tomura Shigaraki," he said. "You had us worried, disappearing like that."

"We were lying low," Shigaraki said. He bowed.

"Well, as long as you're all safe," AFO said slowly.

Compress wanted to spit, but he held back.

Kali appeared out of the shadows, file in hand.

"Hey," she said, "you three are with me. I'll give you the grand tour."

Silk tried to shoot Shigaraki a look like "help!"

But either he didn't see, or did not understand it, and Kali herded them all away.

"Come with me, Tomura Shigaraki. I wish to show you our tool shed," AFO said.

Shigaraki obeyed.

The "tool shed" was a row of storage rooms that had been converted into holding cells, as it seemed there always were in these bases.

Shigaraki had seen the like before but...never ones like this.

He had a high tolerance for horror, thanks to Ujiko's exposure, but even his skin crawled when he head the screaming coming from one room.

"Get away! Get away! Leave me alone!"

"Don't mind them. They have attacks of hallucinations," AFO said.

Shigaraki nodded, but his stomach curdled.

"This is where our new friends keep their more difficult recruits," AFO said. "They move them to each new location, so as not to waste any time... You know we can warp more efficiently now, I assume."

"But when do I meet this new friend of yours?" Shigaraki said.

"He is a busy man," AFO said. "I want you to meet him when you're recovered. You've seemed off lately."

Shigaraki couldn't argue that.

"But soon," AFO promised. "I just have one more task for you first. But let's see if you recognize this tool of ours."

He paused in front of the last cell. This one had a sign that said not to enter it without protective precaution.

Akume was waiting for them here.

"He's not likely to attack but keep a meter or two off from him just in case," he said.

He opened the door and showed them in.

The ceiling was bigger inside than Shigaraki thought it would be. There was some kind of restraining equipment in the corner, some medical equipment, including an IV machine, a thin mattress, and a tray of food...

His eyes adjusted to the dark, and he saw the very scrawny kid who was huddling against the wall.

His eyes were sunken in and blood shot. 

He was hooked to the IV.

[Design by Onerose.]

Akume flipped on a dim light bulb. The kid blinked at it, then croaked in a horse voice,

"Shigaraki?"

Shigaraki finally recognized him... It was Lethe!!!

Well, what was left of him... He was all wasted away...

"What's happened to him?" he said, startled.

"He's been a bit difficult to manage." Akume didn't sound regretful at all. "But he's coming around. You remember him. He's a dangerous weapon in the hand of the enemy, but in our hands, think of the possibilities."

"I know. The Originals were using him to brainwash people." Shigaraki took a step back. "And he took Miss Likstar's memories. He was forced, but it was still reprehensible. Why would you use such a quirk?"

"Sometimes you need to forget certain things," AFO said, "things that are in your way."

Shigaraki was too naive to see what was coming.

"But messing with people's heads like that, it's not going to make them really loyal, it's just... And anyway, his quirk is not permanent. They remember with the right trigger."

"In the past, I agree," Akume said. "Our Lethe was a bit weak when we found him, weren't you, Lethe?"

Lethe's expression was pure hatred, but he was...too afraid, from the looks of it, to say anything.

He stared dully at the ground.

"But with Ujiko and I working together on it, we've enhanced his powers," Akume said. "His suppression will be almost foolproof now. Completely. Unless he chooses to unravel it."

"And the side effects?" Shigaraki had not missed those.

"Minimum," Akume said. "Mostly reduced to a few dreams here and there, soon to be nothing. Isn't that right, Lethe?"

Lethe was silent.

"What do you think, Tomura Shigaraki? He is useful, isn't he?" AFO said.

Shigaraki felt...kind of guilty... Maybe he didn't like to picture Medea's face if she heard about this.

"Does he want to be of use? I heard he retired," he asked.

"We talked him out of it," Akume said lightly. "You want to help us now, don't you, Lethe? Saw the benefits of it."

Lethe seemed to snap.

"Shigaraki!" He lurched up, using the IV to support himself because he could barely stand. "Quick! Kill them! Run...or kill me!" He grabbed at Shigaraki's coat, making Shigaraki recoil. "Do it now! Before they--"

Akume snapped his fingers, and Lethe suddenly yelped and fell back like he'd been shocked.

He clutched his head.

"He's still a little jumpy," Akume said, like nothing had happened. "It'll pass."

Lethe started to cry...but then he did stop and just sat still.

The whole thing made Shigaraki feel sick.

"He doesn't seem to be doing well. Perhaps you should let him go," he said.

"We never throw away a useful tool," AFO said.

"Why don't you take his quirk for yourself?" Shigaraki said.

"In due time, I intend to," AFO said, "but we need to work out the bugs first. The side effects would be pretty inconvenient for me to deal with. But in enough time, I will take his quirk. We can set him free then, if you like."

"It seems best," Shigaraki said.

Lethe looked up slightly, eyes widened. "He's lying. He'll just kill me then, and they'll--" He stopped and started choking.

"His time with the Originals made him paranoid. You see the kind of state they left him in," Akume said. "Hantai was such a violent boss."

"Why keep him in this...place?" Shigaraki asked.

"For his own safety. He's tried to hurt himself many times since we found him," Akume said. "The scar Hantai leaves on a person's mind...it's sad, really."

Lethe whimpered.

"But that's not why we brought you here," AFO said. "I think you could benefit from Lethe's ability yourself, Tomura Shigaraki. Some things are standing in the way of your realizing your true destiny. Wouldn't you agree?"

And then it made sense...

Only it didn't... What could he possibly mean? Master would never suggest using Lethe's quirk on him.

Shigaraki tried to understand him.

"You mean...on my enemies?" he said. "I don't think I need his power. We have enough."

"Don't be thick, Tomura Shigaraki. I mean in your way, personally," AFO said.

Akume seemed to whisper something to Lethe. 

"I won't do it!" Lethe muttered.

"You'll do it, or we'll drag your sister in here and do just to her what we did to you, and you can watch and know it was your doing," Akume hissed.

"What did you just say?" Shigaraki said.

AFO grabbed him by the shoulder. "It will be for the best, Tomura Shigaraki. You'll be free."

"What? What do you mean?" Shigaraki tried to get away.

Lethe bit his lip. "I'm sorry," he said, reaching out his hand. "Though you won't remember I said it later, I didn't want to do this--"

Shigaraki tried to pull free and reach out and stop him, but AFO was too strong for him.

And then everything went black.

https://youtu.be/PhqoTS6BY4w

[Amber Run--Worship]

[AHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!

Also, I know Lethe's state is upsetting for many people. It is for me too.

These people are very, very twisted and evil...and if that's too intense for you, I recommend skipping either to Part 277, or to the last part of the story, after this arc, because it's going to be hard to read.

I beg of you not to leave comments about liking any of the new villains. I will seriously have a conniption.

On the plus side, I sure am good at making dislikable villains, aren't I? My siblings say none of mine are likable, which was kind of intentional--with the exception of Silk and the Twins, that is, but they aren't pure villains.]