This Time

Chapter 28

When the goo spit me out on the rough ground, I collapsed, heaving while I waited for sight and sound to return to me. To my left the first sound I heard was Bakugo retching and swearing, and I staggered to my feet as my eyes finally started to work again. What I saw made me wish vehemently that I couldn't see again.

All for One was here.

He didn't look like I remembered - the face covering was a new addition, and the bits of skin that showed through were scared and damaged (All Might's handiwork, I was sure). There were no eye slots in the mask, making me wonder how he could even see, but even so I felt like he was looking into my soul as he stared down at my blindly. Even with the change in appearance, I knew it was him.

"Ah, Hara Mei. What a pleasure it is to see you again. It's been too long, my dear," he said in a raspy, filtered voice that somehow still held a hint of the smoothness his speech had once conveyed.

Around us was debris and settling smoke, and whatever had been here before had likely been demolished quite recently. In the distance there were screams, but in the area of destruction... silence. He'd leveled this entire section of city, and it didn't seem like a single soul had been spared. I felt death like a physical sensation - it was all around, and it was crushing.

"What the hell is going on?!" Bakugo coughed, stumbling to his feet.

"My apologies, Bakugo Katsuki," he told the boy. Meanwhile more of the portal goo was spitting out the League of Villain members around us. Most of them were coughing and complaining as well.

When Shigaraki emerged, he sank to his knees before All for One and bowed his head. "Master."

"So, you've failed once more Tomura," All for One said, and he didn't sound disappointed or angry, but was merely like he was stating the facts. "But you must not be discouraged, you'll try again. That's why I brought your associates back with you, and even this child since you judged him to be an important piece on your game board," he said, gesturing to Bakugo. "But I also must thank you for delivering Hell Fire back to me," he continued, and a chill ran down my spine.  All for One stepped forward and extended his hand towards the villain on the ground, and it was like a step back in time to see the way he treated the young man. He'd treated me like that once too. "Start over as many times as it takes - I am here to provide you with help. All of this is for you."

The crime lord stopped suddenly, and turned around. There was no telling what expression he may have under the mask, but when he spoke, his voice was amused. "Ah. There you are."

All Might came soaring from the sky, and landed both fists in a double blow on the villain's raised arms. All for One held the block, holding his own against the unshakable power of the number one hero. "I'll have you return my students, All for One!" he yelled over the shockwave of energy let lose by the attack.

"Students?" villain replied, not a hint of strain in his voice. "There's only one student here. The vigilante, Hara Mei, is no child. But I think you knew that already, didn't you, All Might?"

The hero growled and pushed even harder, and this time the power of the blow shook the ground and threw everyone back. "You will return her to me!" he shouted again.

The two were blown apart from each other, and I scrambled back to my feet, trying the shield Bakugo incase any other explosions might misdirect and come our way. The minor villains around us were beyond my concern at this point. They were small fish, and I was much more worried about the leviathan that had emerged from the deep. At this point I was running on pure adrenaline, and it was probably a blessing that everything was a happening too fast for me to think. The terror in my chest would be crippling were it not for the knowledge that if I let myself crumble now, Bakugo could pay the price. I may die here tonight, but with paralyzing clarity I understood suddenly that I might not be the only one.