The Many Lives of One For All - An MHA Short Story

Chapter 13: The Deciding Factor

Maeko laughed and generated a cylindrical grenade from his glider. "Now to destroy all timelines."

"WAIT, WHAT?!" Everyone shouted in unison.

"Don't you get it, boys? We've been given a second opportunity to finish what we each set out to do. A new world to conquer." He explained as he looked toward Future Shigaraki, who looked down to avoid eye contact.

"Each of us were taken from the point in our time when we're ultimately defeated. Or at our lowest. This is a gift. And to ensure that it stays this way, I rewired the machine to destroy every other universe but this one." Maeko continued.

"You're insane!" Doctor Souter yelled at him.

"And you are now useless to me." Maeko held up his arm, which generated a laser cannon over his wrist.

"You don't know how long it took me to build up my empire!" Evil Deku protested.

"Eh you can make another." Maeko shrugged.

"This wasn't part of the deal." Future Shigaraki sighed.

"Yeah I don't want to be stuck with you freaks!" Shigaraki called to him.

Future Deku and Izuku powered up and leapt up the steel beams and platforms to the machine during the arguments.

Popper was also climbing the flights of stairs.

Vigilante Deku set Uraraka down beside Iida and took off to join the others.

Now Stars n Stripes, Popper, and the five carriers of One For All stood before the villains and the machine.

"New Order: You will drop your weapon and surrender." Star spoke out.

Each of the villains lowered their heads under the power of her Quirk, but Maeko freely tapped the ignitor as he dropped the grenade before his feet.

"Wait stop!"

KABOOOM!

The tower erupted in a fiery explosion. The machine and hostages were out of the circle of the blast but everyone else was either thrown off the platform or off of their feet.

Star gripped on to the edge with one hand, and caught Izuku with the other.

He shook himself awake and looked up to see Popper struggle to stand. Uravity, Lemillion, Vigilante Deku and Future Deku had regained their footings. The villains were equally messed up. Either knocked unconscious or badly burned. The Nomu simply regenerated but stayed attentively motionless like a soldier. But Maeko was gone.

Star groaned as she held on to the teenage boy. "Listen to me, Izuku. I'm going to throw you up on to the walkway, then pull me up. Got it?"

Izuku nodded silently.

"Good. Go!" She swung her arm, and him up, releasing her grip as he let One For All take over. He landed on his shoes and grabbed her arm, pulling her up easy.

"Is everyone okay?" Star asked as she finally stood on solid ground again.

"S-Star..." Popper strained.

He was already being tended to by Uravity, but he had a piece of shrapnel pointing out of his heart.

"I'm so sorry... There's nothing I can do here." She spoke softly to the heroine.

"We'll get you to a hospital. This mission is over." Star stated to him as she knelt down by his side.

"N-No... They have to finish it. Send those p-people back." He coughed.

"We will. But priority now is to save you." The muscular woman declared. She bit back emotion in her voice. "I promised I would get everyone home. This was supposed to be a smaller operation."