Apotheosis

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE: A SOUL?

In the middle of a crowded street a woman was surrounded by a large group of journalists and camera operators. These people had finally tracked down the mother of the infamous Apotheosis that recently took on Allmight and exposed his secret to world and now the public wanted to know more about him.

"When did you realize your son was a villain?" One of the reporters asked. "Or did you always know?"

"Please leave me be", Inko pleaded as she tried to walk past the crowd of reporters and photographers blocking her path on the sidewalk.

"Was it the way you raised Izuku that turned him to a life of villainy?" Another reported asked accusingly.

"That's not...please let me pass", Inko just wanted to go home.

"Do you know why your son has turned out a villain?" A more aggressive one asked while shoving a microphone in the poor woman's face. Unknown to any of them on the outside of the crowd stood someone a head shorter than most of the adults wearing a brown trench coat, hat and scarf to hide his face. The figure watched these media vultures harass the lady with his hands in his pockets. His fingers twitched underneath the fabric and suddenly all the cameras, microphones and devices the reporters were using shut down.

"What the?" The reporters and journalists didn't understand what just happened. Inko took advantage of the situation and slipped past the hoard while they were distracted. She silently thanked whatever god was watching over her. The figure in the trench coat nodded his head in satisfaction and strolled away. He had an important reunion to get to after all.

HOSPITAL

'I lost', Bakugou laid in his hospital bed staring at the ceiling vacantly. He barely heard the doctor say that he was being released today and that his parents were on the way to pick him up. 'I lost to Deku', he just kept thinking of that battle over and over again. 'I was utterly crushed by that nerd', Katsuki glared hard at the space above him.

"You've seen better days Kacchan", with a startled flinch Bakugou turned to see Deku sitting in one of the chairs his parents used when they visited. The nerd looked exactly how he did during their battle. Shirtless and covered in dirt and blood spatters, with his gauntlet strapped to his left hand. "Tell me. Does it hurt? Does it sting? To be so utterly useless", Izuku chuckled. "Maybe we should start calling you Deku" Katsuki stared daggers at him.

"Shut the fuck up!" He shouted. "Leave me alone!"

"Oh Kacchan", Izuku stood up and smirked down at him. "You're already alone", he chuckled. "You've got no one. Even me, your mortal enemy has long since surpassed and left you in the dust where you belong", stepping closer to the bed he leaned over, getting right in the blonde's face. "If you really want to beat me...take a swan dive off the roof and hope you'll be reborn with a better quirk"

Bakugou suddenly snapped awake. His wide red eyes spanned around the room. He realized it was just a dream and calmed himself down. Still though, those last words Deku said in his dream continued to haunt him.

ACROSS THE CITY

"Dammit", an amorphous blob of green sludge cursed. His gooey body was pressed against the wall of the alley. A mysterious red aura covered his form that prevented him from moving or escaping. He didn't know what happened. The sludge was merely moving to a new hideout after recently escaping prison and this mysterious figure in a brown coat appeared out of nowhere and attacked him.

"Imagine my surprise to find you escaped from prison mister Sludge", the figure chuckled. "Surprise and delight", he slowly approached the slime pinned to the wall.