Chainsaw Hero

Like a Dog

...

"Pochita.... Pochita!" The dog hesitantly opened his eyes, staring at the bright white of an open door. "Come on! It's time to play!"

Izuku and Pochita both ran outside, though Izuku stumbled on his way out. He was only five years old, but they had big plans today. For one, they needed to test Pochita's chainsaw abilities! So, holding Pochita up by his handles, Izuku tugged on his pull-start tail, and the chainsaw on his head came to life.

He didn't exactly tell his mother that he learned to operate a chainsaw, nor did she even know that Pochita could be used as one. She may have her suspicions, but she couldn't keep the two of them separated for long. And so, after a long day of cutting through discarded pieces of wood, small metal poles, and various other pieces of found trash, the two of them sat on the soft summer grass and stared at the perfect blue sky. Izuku had discarded his notes a while ago, having only gotten the hang of reading, but writing anything was a difficult struggle. So, he felt the green grass with his hands, leaning back to find pictures in the clouds.

Sighing, he said, "Do you think... Do you think I'll die if I become a hero?" Pochita tilted his head to the side, snuggling closer to Izuku as he continued talking. "If I do, you'll be left all alone. I mean, you'll have Mom and Kacchan adores you, but I won't be there... I don't want to leave anyone."

Pochita jumped onto his chest and Izuku held him close as he cried. "I-I just... Do you know how to save me? If I die? I know Mom calls me an over-thinker... but if you have a solution, then, please! I give you permission to... ugh, what am I saying? I-I'm so sorry. I just wanted you to make my dreams come true." Izuku looked up at the blurry sky, pointing to a cloud right above them. "Ha, that one kinda looks like Kacchan, doesn't it?"

...

"Pochita?" The dog sat on Izuku's chest in a stark white void inside of a box, both of them smiling with the joy of seeing each other again. Somehow, both of them weren't surprised to end up here. "Did you save me like I told you to?"

Then, the dog spoke. It was a young voice, kid-like and friendly as Izuku laid there, baffled. "I've always... loved listening to you talk about your dreams. This is a contract."

The dog walked forward and put a paw on Izuku's face. "I'll give you my heart, and in exchange, show me your dreams."

...

"Pochita!" Izuku burst out from the dumpster, arms outstretched to grab his dog from the white void... but he wasn't there. However, Izuku paused, muttering to himself, "Huh? My wounds are gone?" He was... whole.

But he looked down, shirt long gone after being torn to shreds, and found that same pull-start tail coming out of his bare chest. "Pochita!" Feeling for his pulse, he tried to find his heartbeat, but only the soft, rhythmic beat of a chainsaw remained. Inside of him... Pochita was there. They were one.

...Izuku wanted to throw up.

"D-Deku?" A broken voice called out to him, and Izuku looked down to find Kacchan, trembling like any gust of wind could kill him. "What... What the fuck?"

"Kacchan? You're alive?"

However, the waves of relief that Izuku felt were short-lived he took notice of the countless zombies staring at them, dumbstruck and surprised by Izuku's sudden arrival. "Hmm?" The giant Zombie Devil in the center growled in annoyance, disgust covering his features. "You're still alive after being cut to pieces?! Gross! I really hate you, awful kids! You guys! Eat him up!"

Izuku gripped the side of the dumpster, ready to jump over until Kacchan rushed over to push him down. "K-Kacchan? What are you doing?"

"You...! You are such a dumbass, shitty Deku! Stay here, and I'll handle this. I'm not having you die again, fuckin' weakling!"