Rise up

~41~

It's eerily quiet in the dim room, nothing but the sound of my ragged breathing. Dabi left after he was called away by one of his colleagues, but not until after he had his 'fun'. I try my hardest to listen in on the outside, yet nothing comes through the walls. They must be soundproof.

I stop breathing for a moment to be able to hear better, hoping to make out anything. An explosion sounds off and shakes the walls around me. Katsuki must have broken free and managed to attack. I expect multiple explosions to follow after yet none do.

My eyes widen as his voice echoes in my head. Y/N can you hear me? They set me free. If my eyes could widen any further now would have been the time. They freed him, you've got to be kidding me.

I concentrate hard so I can send back a reply. Yeah, I can hear you. I heard the explosion, but other than that I think this room is soundproof.

My face scrunches up as Katsuki's voice in my head grows louder. Why the hell hadn't you responded earlier?! I've been trying to communicate with you since we got here! I thought you... He doesn't finish his sentence, but he doesn't need to.

I'm fine. Just took a two-day involuntary nap is all. As I finish the last message I can faintly hear shouting outside of my room, but it's barely a whisper. Katsuki doesn't respond, most likely caught up in conversation with the enemies.

No matter how hard I focus I can't decipher a single thing happening out there. After a few minutes of unbearable silence, the shaking of the building startles me.

I shout out hoping that it is someone there to rescue us. The door ahead of me harshly swings open and Katsuki steps in. He hurriedly unties the straps around my body releasing me from the chair.

"All Might and some other heroes are here," He informs me as his eyes scan my body. He looks back up into my eyes tucking a strand of hair behind my ear, "You look like hell."

I smirk amusedly at the boy, "What? Scared of a little dirt and blood?" I'm grateful that he doesn't show noticeable pity for my current state. I'm littered in bruises, burns, and cuts from head to toe.

Katsuki shakes his head at me before pulling me out of the room hand in hand. The tight hold he has around my wrist makes me want to flinch away, but I remind myself it's Katsuki. The villains are all trapped in Mr. Woods's branches. All Might, Gran Torino, and Edgeshot are all gathered in the bar-like room and turn to acknowledge Katsuki and me. As All Might speaks up I move my hand to release it from Katsuki's hold, but he doesn't let me.

"You two must have been scared, but you stayed strong. I'm sorry. You're safe now, young ones."

As All Might spoke I could feel Katsuki's hand twitching in mine. He surprisingly waited patiently till the Hero was done speaking before having his outburst. "What?! I wasn't scared! Not even close!"

I stare as Shigiraki seethes in his restraints. He thrashes a little and shouts a command at his comrade, "Kurogiri, warp over as many as you can!"

I frantically search around me, waiting for the Nomu's to begin appearing. One is bad enough, even All Might struggled to defeat it back at the USJ. Katsuki squeezes my hand, gaining my attention as he already holds a firm look calming me down. When the Nomu fails to show up I relax a bit, giving Katsuki a faint smile.

"Your little League underestimated all of us. The soul of this young man. The resilience of young Takami. The police's diligent investigations. And," All Might pauses, placing a hand on both mine and Katsuki's shoulders, "our righteous fury!"

Katsuki and I begin to get escorted out of the building when Shigiraki catches our attention. "You think it's over? Don't be stupid. I've only just begun to play," Shigiraki struggles in his binds as he wills himself to his feet, "Justice. Peace. You created a garbage society by lifting up such ridiculous ideals. That's why I targeted you, All Might. You think this is the end?" Shigiraki finally manages to pull himself up to his full height, lowering his tone creepily, "Then you've lost."

"Tell us where your boss is located." Gran Torino demands as Shigiraki watches Kurigori fall unconscious, losing his escape route.

"Just you wait. The game is still mine," Shigiraki begins sputtering out like a madman. All Might gives the same demand as Gran Torino but he ignores him continuing with his crazed ramblings. "Go away. Disappear!" All Might tries to shout over Shigiraki to break him from his episode but it does nothing and he keeps shouting out, "This is your fault. I hate you!"

Appearing behind Shigiraki in a flash is two black portals. My eyes darted to Kurogiri but he was out cold and his portals would be hazy purple. Emerging from the darkness like a nightmare are two Nomus. Before anyone can jump to attack the first two more black holes begin sprouting around the room.

A choking feeling climbs up my throat until I'm spitting up black sludge. I claw at my throat and cough trying to get the slime to disappear. It rapidly encases my whole body blocking out any sound and light.

Crashing against the rough ground I turn over in a coughing fit. The sludge is gone and no longer there but the sensation of it lingers in my throat. Looking up, Katsuki is next to me in the same position with his hand holding his throat. We were transported in the middle of a destruction zone.

"Damn it," Katsuki chokes out, still trying to regain his breath, "What the hell?"

"My apologies, Bakugo," The robotic voice comes from behind me and I turn my body. I face a built man dressed in a tuxedo with a black helmet covering his entire face. I freeze remembering this same feeling and the man turns to address me, "Takami, I've waited so long for you."

I hear the splashing of more portals opening up behind us, but can't bring myself to look away from the man. I don't need proof to know that he is the man from my dream. The feeling of death lingering in the air around him is enough to conclude that he is the monster haunting my nightmares.

Shigiraki addresses the dark man as Master. He must be the big boss actually running the group, the League of Villains. My eyes stay trained on him but not focused or processing anything, just zoned out on his mask. I hear him speak but it's just vibrations hitting my ears and bouncing back off never filtering the information.

I feel nothing but raw and undeniable fear. My heartbeat sounds like an alarm violently ringing in my ears. My breathing is ragged and sporadic as cold sweat forms on my neck and face. Eyes jumping from his mask to his feet as he begins stomping towards Shigiraki. The only sound I can hear is the crunches of his footsteps.

A forceful gust of wind knocks me from my trance, almost knocking me to the ground. All Might makes his entrance colliding with the villain, "I'll have you return my students, All For One!"

All For One. A name to the vile man who haunts my dreams. The name of the villain who feels like death and misery. He embodies a grim reaper, only coming at the end of your time, no escape.

I'm thrown back when All For One pushes All Might away. The shock wave sent me spiraling in the air until I skid meters away. In a rush, I spring to my feet searching the dust cloud for the blonde who was next to me seconds ago.

"Katsuki!" I shout waving my hands in front of me in a futile attempt to clear the dust. As the cloud looming in the air begins to disperse I spot Katsuki on the ground a few feet away. I stumble over the uneven ground desperate to reach him.

In my peripheral, I can see both All For One and All Might lined up to attack. As All Might charges, All For One releases his attack knocking the hero back several blocks away. My eyes widen and I pick up my pace eager to get to Katsuki.

Reaching Katsuki as he gets to his knees his look turns shocked. "All Might!" He shouts for his idol who is a mile away from us due to one blow from the man behind us.

All For One speaks as if trying to console him, "Don't you worry. It'll take more than that to kill him. Get off the battlefield Tomura. And take that child with you," He lifts his hand stabbing tendrils into Kurogiri who is passed out still, "Kurogiri. Warp them away."

A giant purple gate opens ready for the villains to step through. "Forcible Quirk Activation. Leave this place." All For One instructs his student, Shigiraki. As the blue-haired villain begins to protest, leaving him behind All For One cuts him off, "I have business with my old friend and the one and only Takami."

My breathing stills as All For One gestured back to me. What importance do I have? I'm just an egotistical UA student in her first year of the Hero course. I have nothing to offer, my quirk isn't even that powerful.