Fat. Beautiful. Tasty. Ravenous.

Chapter 32

The flavor of Tomoyo's fear is comparable to black licorice. It's, unsurprisingly, disgusting.

Despite that, her energy flows into me in a rush, strengthening my muscles and refilling my energy stores.

As before, I can feel my wings begin to grow as they spread behind me. But, all too quickly, the energy flow ebbs and dies.

What the hell is going on?

Did I- Did I kill her? So quickly? Have I become that powerful?

No... All Might, I wish that were the case.

With a strength I would've never guessed she was capable of, Tomoyo grips my neck, nearly choking me, and throws me off of her, practically across the room.

My wings fan out, catching at the air and steadying me as I land a few feet away in a crouch.

Tomoyo sits up, rubbing at her neck over an already purpling blotch where I bit her.

"What the hell is wrong with you?!" she yells at me.

I don't answer, just jump for her again, claws extended. But she's ready this time, rolling back to kick upward and forcing me to shield myself, lest I want to be kicked in the stomach.

I land a few feet back again, crouching as my hatred continues to burn.

I'm aware of other things going on around me- Whitney and the blue-haired girl fighting, the other girls still attacking the men who are struggling but slowly gaining an upper hand in their battle.

But I don't have time to worry about them right now. I can't help them as Tomoyo rises from the floor, her eyes practically glowing with rage. In fact, they are glowing. What looks like heat waves ripple from her as her spine straightens.

"So that's how your quirk works," she says in a hateful tone and I see multiple pointed teeth have appeared in her mouth, "You try to steal my energy? Well things aren't gonna go your way, Aiko."

A sleek, black tail, spear tipped and sharply pointed unfurls from around her waist, snapping with anger. Her own set of razor sharp claws, longer and thinner than my own, protrude from her fingertips like giant needles. And horns like a goat's jut out from her forehead and curve back.

I'm stunned for a split second. Tomoyo... has a demon quirk. It's not the same as mine but still... I've never met another demon quirk user. Why did she never tell me?

"I told you I protected you. I told you you were dear to me. Why do you think that was?"

"You're... You're like me?" I shake my head in disbelief, "And you never told me?"

She rolls her eyes. "Clearly not exactly like you."

"Are we-"

"Related? Christ, Aiko. You're really that desperate, aren't you? No. I'm not some long lost aunt or some bullshit. I'm a demon quirk. You're a demon quirk. I protected you because I got too soft for a girl with a similar quirk. That's it. Case closed."

Disappointment pricks at me momentarily until I realize I shouldn't be disappointed at all. I should be grateful. This woman is a monster. Why would I want a relative like her?

"So why would you want me to get rid of my baby?" I ask her pleadingly, "They could be like us."

"Because I care about you, Aiko. Not what some little cluster of cells might be one day. All I know is it'll ruin your life," she says as though she's the one being reasonable and I'm the insane one, "I'm not going to stand by and watch you throw everything away just to become an average housewife with extra weight she can't shed around the middle and a gaggle of kids pulling at your skirts."