Shigaraki sat on the floor, staring at his console's homescreen, looking through his library of games for the hundredth time. Sighing he threw his head back over the dusty couch to stare at the door. Right on time Kurogiri portaled in, A plate of food in his hands. Today he was getting a beef bowl from the smell of it.
“Did Sensei say when I can leave yet Kurogiri.” The misty man in question simply put the food down “I’m not allowed to say Tomuru” Tomoru sighed in frustration, He knew full well that sensei had ordered Kurogiri to not tell him. That’s the only time Kurogiri would talk like that. Kurogiri sat down next to him “Stick through it for a bit longer Tomuru, I promise this part is almost over.” The misty man put a hand on his shoulder. Shigaraki relaxed a bit in spite of himself, feeling the cold fluffy feeling of the man's hand.. Kurogiri was the only one that would touch him, not even Sensei would touch him. “I just want to be useful, not hidden away in some bunker.” Kurogiri nodded, “I’ll talk to him again, just stay here.” Kurogiri opened a portal, exiting to his master’s hideout, set up in a remote region miles from Tokyo Proper.
His master was set up on multiple life support systems. Sitting in his chair with a grin on his face. The doctor was in the room next door, Screams could be heard from his work..
“Ah Kurogiri, you baby that boy too much. That’s the second time you’ve visited him today.” Kurogiri knelt “He grows restless, maybe giving him a task would..”
“NO” the man erupted into coughs. “That boy has done enough damage to my empire. It’s been getting harder and harder to get information out of the commission. The last thing I need is more publicity. And that boy is one of the most wanted villains in japan. He’s much more useful as a.. Backup. “
Something in Kurogiri felt hurt when he heard that.
“As you wish, master.” He left his master to his plotting. Exiting the door, about to leave before he heard the doctor’s voice pipe up. “The test went remarkably better than before, they actually held onto the copy of your quirk, Although it did destroy their brain in the process. If only I had more quirkless hosts around.. They seem much sturdier…”
“Doctor do not worry, we actually have one right under our feet. Being kept safe until I can be sure your experiment will work on the first try.”
The doctor sounded excited ‘Where did you hide this one, I could’ve sworn I used all of them in previous testing”
All For One laughed “There’s a reason I kept that boy alive after the Kamino disaster, And it wasn’t his quirk..” Kurogiri hastened his exit. He felt his brain splitting in two. One side wanting to follow his master’s orders to follow him no matter what. The other to protect Tomuru, and foster his growth, no matter what. He teleported himself to his room, collapsing onto the bed. Mist freely escaped his body as it began to spread throughout the room. Master plans to hand Tomuru to the doctor.. He knew full well what happened to all of the doctor’s test subjects. His mind flashed back to the mangled corpses of failed experiments. And The sewn together and rotting monsters that were his successes. Their minds shattered. He wanted to get Shigaraki as far from Master as he could. However, the master had told him to not let Shigaraki out of that room, to keep him occupied and fed. His head began to hurt as he felt his very soul contradict itself. How could he protect Tomuru whilst not disobeying master. Not to mention young Tomura wasn’t one to mistrust master, even after everything. He wouldn’t be able to help the young Tomura afterwards either, since he’d be ordered to bring him back. How could he do this?
Shigaraki who had been gaming had jumped back as he saw several portals open around him. Tentatively he stood up, reaching his arm through one. Why would Kurogiri do this? It couldn’t be accidental, not with how precise they have to be. This might be a test. He stepped through one of the portals. He looked around, seeing a dark alley, the night sky shining down on him. He saw the glint of a paper on the ground, picking it up carefully. Flipping the page over.
Do not Return
Young Tomura I apologize for not being able to see you on this part of your journey. But It seems my ability to protect you has been compromised by master. I don’t know where you’ll end up, but I tried to give you the best chance no matter where you go. I’m sorry I couldn’t help more but I can’t forgive myself if I were to aid in your demise, the doctor Had horrible plans for you. Plans I couldn't stop, nor can I say. Live a life you’d be proud of, a life all your own.
Your former caretaker Kurogiri.
On the back of the note there was roughly 200 thousand yen attached.
Shigaraki was careful as he folded the paper and put it into his pocket. Before he grabbed onto the nearest object, a dumpster and watched as it crumbled into dust. Trash spilling out all over the alley, his breath hitched as he began to feel moisture on his lips. It was trailing down his cheeks, from his eyes. He didn’t understand. Why would sensei.,
He knew Kurogiri couldn’t lie, not to him or Sensei. That’s why he knew that what Kurogiri was saying was true. Tomura felt his stomach begin to swim. His vision blurring as he threw up on the ground.
He picked himself up pulling his hood to cover as much of his face as possible as he put on the mask he always carried around. (His lungs weren’t immune to the dust he made) Turning the street he came across a strange mural. Showing the pictures of a bunch of NPC’s on the rubble that seemed to be a part of what remained of a building. The posters traveled up two stories, covering every inch of the wall. He walked up studying the posters, seeing if any could give him an idea of whatever dump he was dropped off in. He got interrupted by an old lady touching his shoulder. He shoved his hands into his pockets, turning to meet the lady who stared at him as if he were some puzzle she hadn’t solved yet.
“I’ve never seen you here before, young man.” Recognition seemed to light up in her eyes as Tomura flexed his fingers. On edge. “You must be from out of town. Did you lose someone in the attack?”
Attack. That sounded familiar. “No, I was just curious about what this was about” he gestured his elbow to the wall, unsure on why he was still talking to the lady, she just seemed so disarming.
“Ah” she suddenly looked sad. “These were the people who were lost, or never found. Or their bodies too destroyed to identify. So the people who stayed in Hosu made this as a mural, and people kept adding friends or family that were never found.”
Tomura looked around, so he was in Hosu? He felt his palms become sweaty. His mouth dried as he looked at the sheer size of the mural. Why, I killed All Might with my own hands, I knew this would happen. So why does my heart care for these NPC’s. Sensei had always told me npc's were acceptable losses. He shook his head, he couldn’t think about Sensei right now.
She had put a hand on his arm whilst he had been distracted, putting a statue in his pocket. “It’s not much, but my quirk can make a memento of those whom you miss the most. Keep it, and good luck finding what you’re looking for." With that she walked off, Tomura reached into his pocket, his pinky held away from the object as he turned it over. Seeing a beautiful wooden piece, the edges of it purple, hiding an armored man in a suit. He stuffed it into his pocket. Looking around the lady had seemed to disappear. Leaving him alone in the rubble. He began to wander the area. As he left the mural the area seemed to become more intact. Less and less buildings were condemned, and the area’s became more filled with people. He stopped in his tracks when he saw the neon sign, signaling a net cafe. Stepping in he saw a few patrons sitting on computers, whilst others sat and ate at the tables. A young man ran the desk, although, kid might have described them better. Looking no older than 14 they stood there, bags prominently under their eyes.Well it seemed that he at least had some place to sleep.
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The kid greeted him, yawning “What kind of room do you want?”
Shigaraki coughed "whatever works"
The kid nodded "and would you like to include the shower package and the laundromat package?"
Tomura looked down to see his clothes covered in loose garbage. He wrinkled his nose. "Yea sure, whatever"
The boy hummed "that'll be 4 thousand yen."
Tomura handed over the money, picking up the keys and sluggishly heading to his room. And letting unconsciousness overtake him.
Tomura woke up, rubbing his eyes as he looked around. Reaching for his phone only to come out empty. Where did he leave it again? Usually it was right next to his game.. he looked around again seeing the pc in the corner. And the bland white walls surrounding him. That's right, he wasn't home anymore. He pulled out the folded note, careful not to touch it with all fingers as he read it again. And again. Studying each word for a hint that Kurogiri could've left. Before something clicked in his brain. The doctor had only worked on two things for as long as he has known them, sensei and the nomu's. And if the doctor had a plan for him, it probably involved Nomus. But why? He had done everything sensei had asked of him. He even killed All Might, something his sensei hadn't been able to do. Sure he had failed to capture the boy, but he didn't know why his sensei did not stop him. Or even as Kurogiri implied, encourage it. That thought seemed completely alien to Tomura. Dragging himself up he took the complimentary breakfast, putting his clothes in the wash before jumping into the shower. Tomura thought of his next move as he felt the cold water hit his body. For the first time in his life, since the age of five. He was alone. Left to make decisions wholly on his own. Kurogiri wouldn't be able to save him if he was in danger of a game over. He was amused how similar this felt to his favorite rpg, Heroes End. As he got out of the shower and dressed in the complimentary robe. He sat down at the computer, looking for a way to make some money. Since kurogiri's money wouldn't last forever.
Tomura searched the web for hours, only stopping to eat breakfast and change back into his clothes. But at every turn he ran into issues, as it turns out you need a quirk registry to get most jobs, Or a government id. Two things he did not have. And it’s not like he could just go get registered, as they’d arrest him on the spot once they realized his quirk, and who he was. Sighing he got up, walking out into the lobby. Sure he couldn’t get an official job, but he could probably find one that was under the table. As he entered the lobby he spotted the same boy from last night, looking absolutely exhausted. “Shouldn’t you be in school?” was the first thing that blurted out of his mouth.
The kid stared at him for a moment, before yawning, getting a stretch in as he answered. “Can’t I’ve got no one to run this place during the day, and if I can’t earn enough money, this place will shut down.”
Tomura spoke up again, without thinking “What about your parents?”
The kid looked away, staring out the window “They didn’t make it. I was the only one who could run the business after it all.”
Realization hit Tomura like a truck as he stared at the boy, they had died in the Hosu attack.. He felt a strange emptiness in his heart as he thought about it. He knew things like this would happen, at least on a logical level. So why did it surprise him so much to see it in person? His mouth moved faster than his brain though “I can help run it for you”
The kid raised an eyebrow “I don’t know how much I’ll actually be able to pay you, seeing as how this place is barely staying afloat right now.”
Shigaraki shook his head “Just let me rest and eat here, and call it even.”
The kid sighed, thinking it over, before shrugging “Sure that works. Want to start right now, I can walk you through the basics.”
Now this was something Tomura was used to, a tutorial. Walking up to the counter he nodded, as the boy tiredly began explaining how everything worked.
“Oh one more thing, what is your name?”
Thinking for a moment “Takashi, Takashi Shimura”
The boy nodded “Mine’s Hayate Murada, Nice to meet you Shimura”
Kurogiri stood before a very pissed AFO “Something just doesn’t add up. You say you didn’t see him leave?” Kurogiri nodded “I do not know where he is master” AFO sighed “I knew the boy was antsy, but I didn’t think he’d disobey me at the worst time possible.” He sighed “Kurogiri find the boy, and try to make it quick, he couldn’t have gotten far.” Kurogiri bowed, feeling his will bend, before his duty to protect the boy snapped it back into place “Right away master” he opened a portal, exiting the room, leaving the man alone with the beep of his medical equipment being his only company. He mulled it over, wondering how long he’d have to wait for the doctor’s newest experiment to start. He smiled to himself, he gave the boy a day or two, he had that boy wrapped around his finger after all..
Tomura fell into an easy enough cycle as his new life continued, he’d run the net cafe during the day, letting the boy he now worked under continue school. And get some much needed rest, while the boy took over at night, leaving Tomura to spend his nightly hours browsing the web, and eventually. Gaming. However he did find himself buying an ad for the place, just as an investment for this place, so they could hire someone else. Days went by the same as before, but more people began to show up. They even had some nights where the rooms were all packed. Leading to a new guy being hired after a few weeks, Giving them enough people to actually take days off. Days like today. Tomura was about to leave, entering the lobby only to be stopped by his boss, the kid still seemed exhausted. Although it didn’t seem to be overpowering like it used to be. The boy smiled at him, before turning back to the new hire.
Tomura waved as he exited, his 3 fingered gloves making him feel self conscious as he walked out into the blinding sun, passing construction site after construction site as he headed towards the mural, and the less contact part of town. Although people had started moving back in, clearing the streets of rubble. He continued passing the mural, his eyes not leaving the monolith until he was well past it. Flowers littered the bottom of it, candles and little wooden figures accompanying them. People from all over the region entered Hosu to help with the massive cleanup operation. Meaning that the parts of town deemed uninhabitable were dwindling by the day. As he continued his walk he saw something out of the corner of his eye, a darkish purple in the rubble. He walked over using his quirk to get towards the object, he realized what he was uncovering when a purple mass of an arm erupted from the hole he had cleared, writhing around as a long, wet appendage smacked Tomura away, sending him into the pavement. The Nomu erupted from the cover of the building, the thing was built like a tank, its arms and legs the size of his head. The thing had a more amphibian face, reminding him of a frog.. Its eyes scan the area before landing on Tomura. He knew what that look meant. “Nomu Stop!” he yelled. But the monster seemed to ignore his command charging towards him as Tomura barely dodges grabbing onto it, cursing as he saw his gloves on, The Nomu shook him off. . Charging him again with a piercing shriek that made his ears ring. As he dodged the monster, frantically pulling off a glove before it clipped him in the side, sending him flying into rubble, he felt a warmth spread through his arm. He pushed himself off the rubble just in time to dodge what would’ve been his skull being crushed. The monster seemed to have some sort of speed quirk, Tomura barely able to keep up, alongside a lessened strength quirk. Tomura grabbed a piece of rubble disintegrating it in his hands before chucking it into the Nomu’s eyes. Managing to dodge the arms reaching for him as the Nomu pawed at its eyes. Tomura took the chance to grab it by the neck. Getting solid damage before its tongue grabbed him, smashing him into the beast Tomura gasps as he feels the air leave his lungs. It lifted him in the air again, but Tomura held onto the things tongue with his free hand as he felt it disintegrate in his hands, the monster’s screech seemingly louder than a jet engine as it writhed in pain. But Tomura was too dizzy to stand, his body fighting him for every inch of movement.
He laughed to himself “Figures, I’d die to you, even when you’re not here”
Just before the monster regained its composure it fell to the ground, its head rolling away from the body as it fell to the floor. He saw someone in a hoodie stand behind where the monster was, breathing heavily as he stared at Tomura. Before he kicked the nomu's body, satisfied when the thing didn’t move he extended a hand to Tomura, he couldn’t place it, but the face felt familiar. He grabbed onto the hand with his gloved hand, nearly doubling over from the rush, before throwing up on the ground. “Are you ok?” As he nodded the boy sighed in relief before quickly Chastising him “ This area is off limits, They still haven’t cleared it with heroes yet y'know, that thing could have easily killed you!” He coughed, still feeling lightheaded “Damn heroes, Why haven’t they?”
But the boy wasn’t done. “Not to mention the villains using this place as a hideout due to that, you couldn’t have picked a worse place to be.!”
Tomura snapped back “Then why are you here!”