Flaws [BNHA x Pokemon!Reader]

23: A League of Their Own

The last thing Bakugou remembered was a hand around his throat.

He awoke, thrashing instantly like a caged, rabid animal, and found that his arms and legs were both strapped to a chair. Seeing so didn't stop him from his aggressive movements, however, and if anything only bolstered his rage. No, being tied up didn't make him want to listen to reason, but what did was him realizing that he was not alone. And he wasn't talking about the group of villains surrounding him, but rather the girl to his left, also strapped to a chair: you.

You looked at him in confusion, having just woken up yourself. There wasn't much you remembered–although you didn't know it, there had been a wild fight between your classmates when they discovered the League of Villains had a goal to capture both you and Bakugou–except that something had gone horribly wrong at the training camp.

"Bakugou...?" You muttered, straining only slightly against your binds. "What's going on?"

Bakugou clicked his tongue and muttered. "These assholes want something out of us." He sent a glare toward Dabi, who only returned his gaze with a gentle smirk.

"Finally, you're awake," Shigaraki rasped, that infernal hand still covering his face. He had been sitting at the bar, but stood up to address his captive audience. "Let's begin."

"We're not beginning shit with you!" Bakugou barked.

I'll give him credit, you thought woozily. That orb-travel took a lot out of me, but he's just as angry as always.

Shigaraki waved a hand (his actual hand) in the air as if swatting a fly. "Oh please. What is a villain but someone who sees through heroes? Someone who sees through this corrupted society of ours? Someone who knows that none of them give a fuck about saving people unless it helps bolster their ratings? Show me a hero who isn't selfish and I'll show you a liar."

"You're wrong," you glowered, trying to channel your inner Bakugou. "Just because a few heroes are corrupt doesn't mean–"

"--Ah, corrupt," Shigaraki said, scratching at his neck absentmindedly. "Corrupt, yes, I like that. Yes, hero society is corrupt. And when one egg is cracked, the rest aren't far behind."

"Stop talking about fucking eggs!" Bakugou screeched. "When I get out of here, I'm gonna crack your fucking head open like one!"

Shigaraki seemed unperturbed. If anything, he seemed somewhat satisfied. "There's that rage again. Are you sure you're fit to be a hero with a mouth like that? Surely heroes shouldn't threaten to crack open anyone's skulls. You'd be better off on the other side of things."

You furrowed your brow, a vague understanding of what was happening beginning to form. "You... You want us to join you?"

"Like hell we will!" Bakugou's grin was sick and twisted, his voice hoarse from yelling. "Do you really think we'd ever join you? You've gotta be shitting me!"

Shigaraki shrugged, as though it didn't matter to him either way. "The girl said it herself, society is corrupt." He suddenly turned to focus his attention directly on you. "Just think of all the army we could build with all of those creatures following your every order. The heroes want to regulate your quirk, they want to destroy those creatures you love so much. Becoming a hero isn't going to change that, but joining us and showing the world just how much they fucked up when they decided to hunt them would."

Though you hated it, his words managed to strike a chord within you. They didn't make you want to do something so drastic as to do a total 180 and join the side of the villains, but they did serve as a not-so-gentle reminder that the side you were working for historically was actually working against you. Sure, you may have managed to change a few people's views on Pokemon, but the overwhelming majority of the population still shrank back in fear when encountering them in the wild. But you weren't going to give in to Shigaraki's speech, not when there was still so much you could work toward.