Post Vitam

Chapter 28

Izuku's mind was working overtime to figure out how any of this made sense... Why was the quirk doctor here? It's way too soon for anyone to have been called to help them. Was he behind the explosion? But why?

"Why...." Is all Izuku could manage to get out before his voice faltered.

Hahaha... "Oh my oh my! I had no idea you'd be here! What are the chances of my most fascinating subject being here?!"

The doctor sounded crazed. "Lucas get your ass in here boy!" 

"Coming dadda!" In skipped the boy izuku met all those months ago. His hair was longer and the pink streak had taken over more of his hair but those neon yellow eyes were something Izuku could never forget. It was Lucas after all, so it was really his father that blew up Izuku's life. Literally this time.

"What you want dadda?"

"Look buddy! It's your friend!" Pointing over to Izuku.

Lucas gave his father a questioning look. "friend?" Lucas then turned his gaze to Izuku and sat on his heels studying him. His eyes wandered to Izuku's head and widened at seeing hair. "Knockoff Yoda! Is that you?"

Izuku was so confused about what was going on. He was worried for this friends and if he was honest with himself he wondered if he could regrow limbs with his healing. He didn't have to wonder too long about one of his many questions however. He felt the familiar slight itch when his healing kicked in. His face was regenerating and closing, he even felt new teeth popping out.

What he didn't expect was the sudden and violent manner his arm regrew itself. It felt like someone was scraping his raw flesh with a rake. As soon as it begun it was over only to return in his foot and then leave just as quick. Each time Izuku was about to scream but it was already over.

Izuku looked over at Lucas and then to his father. "Will you two please tell me what's going on?!" Doctor Connelly laughed Lucas joined him. "Isn't it obvious son? We came here to destroy this place and kill everyone in it." 

Izuku panicked. They were here to kill everyone? Why? Did that include him? Is anyone besides him still alive? Why does death follow him around like a lost puppy. He had just managed to not feel like Tobio's suicide wasn't partly to be blamed on his actions. Now the only friends he's had beyond Bakugo were dead too? Izuku felt cursed and angry.

"WHY? DAMMIT?! WHY MUST EVERYONE I CARE ABOUT DIE?!"

Lucas suddenly slapped him. "Because they cost me everything! THEY MUST PAY! THEY WILL PAY! I'LL KILL THE ENTIRE WORLD IF I HAVE TO! NOBODY KILLS FOXIE AND GETS TO LIVE HAPPY LIVES!"

"Mikki-san is dead? How? Why?" Izuku had been crying without him realizing but hearing that even someone he wanted to be friends with is dead broke him some more. Was he this cursed? That just knowing him was a death sentence?

The doctor looked like he was struggling to stay awake, constantly shaking his head. "Lucas... what... what have you done my boy?!" Lucas grew angry and slapped Izuku again. "Look at that! Now the buffoon is awake again. It's your fault!" He went over to his dad and stretched his neck and then shocking Izuku he bit him like some kind of clichéd vampire. "There. That should hold till this is over."

He returned his attention to Izuku and spoke like nothing just happened. "My foxie hanged himself soon after we met you. He was still living in this very house back then. Some bastard had bullied him everyday. He was so miserable living here. When he went to the Miss for help she didn't believe him. Saying shit like boys will be boys. Like having almost drowned in the toilet was normal boy pranks..." Tears were falling heavy and hard. Lucas hit the broken table as he spoke, clearly still angry.

"Everyone here has been kind to me though? Who here could've done that?!" At that Lucas gave a sick laugh. Nobody now... They've already paid. It was just the house that remained. The place where it happened. It needs to be a crater!" He turned to his father and just pointed away, an instruction he seemed to understand as he stood up and left.

"I'm sorry about Mikki Lucas but this wasn't the way... you killed all of my friends haven't you?" Izuku wasn't holding back his tears anymore. He kept thinking about how there was so much to look forward to with all of his friends. Some of them even started to feel like family...

Lucas looked at Izuku like he was speaking an unknowable language. "Of course I killed them. Don't be stupid dude. They watched it happen and did nothing! They were just as guilty! All that's left is this horrible house where it happened. Isn't that right Dadda?" Doctor Connelly had returned and smelling heavily of gasoline.

"You're going to burn it down?!" Izuku asked panic setting in yet again. He also felt very tired from regenerating limbs and healing from an explosion. He stood up trying to stay awake. He needed to make Lucas stop. Standing up was a mistake and Izuku knew it the second he felt faint. Blood loss was taking a toll after using his quirk. He stumbled and Lucas caught him. Izuku looked him in the eyes "Please.." Is all he said touching Lucas's exposed shoulder. 

Izuku wasn't sure if it would work and it was the first time he's planned it, he felt the heat nonetheless and his hand refused to leave Lucas's shoulder. Many events occurred in quick succession. Lucas started screaming in agony. "I'm sorry Lucas but you killed everyone I cared about..." The doctor snapped out of whatever trance Lucas's quirk had put him under. 

"NO!" Shock making him drop what he was holding... A open and lit lighter. A fire breathed into life and expanded along the gasoline lined floors and walls. Lucas dropped to the floor as a shriveled corpse. 

Screams could be heard from upstairs and Izuku without thinking ran avoiding the larger fires and falling debris best he could. Somehow he made it to the top of the stairs unscathed when he heard the screams again. It came from his room. He moved fast and swung open the door to see The twins and Robby cowering and coughing in a corner. They only had minor cuts.

"You guys are alive!" Izuku ran to them and they met him halfway and they all hugged in a group. "We have to go there's a fire!" 

"Right! Let's go!" Robby sped off. Izuku and the twins started running too but a huge beam fell in front of them nearly crushing them. They fell to the floor and shuffled back. The twins started screaming and crying "I don't want to die! Izuku what are we going to do?! We cant die! WE CAN'T! Please HELP US!"

The only exit was blocked and Izuku didn't know what to do to calm the twins down. He was a wreck himself. He grabbed one of the twins baseball bats and started to hit the window hoping it would break. The bat collided with the window and it felt like he hit a wall his arms feeling numb.

"Dammit Viktor why is your quirk so strong?!" Izuku readied himself to keep trying as the smoke made it harder to see. Occasional coughs came from the twins and Izuku's eyes burned from the smoke. Just as he pulled back to swing again a creaking made him stop. Before he knew it another beam on fire fell through the roof right on top of Izuku pinning his leg. Izuku yelled in pain, it wasn't the first time he's been burned but this was different. It was an open raging flame and it was constant.

The twins rushed over. "Izuku?! are you ok?! Please be ok!" Izuku worried they'd burn themselves on the new beam too. He managed to fake being okay. "Stay away guys, I don't want you to burn." 

"But you're burning!" They protested.

"I'll be okay guys, I heal remember..." Izuku was trying his best to speak without screaming from the pain. The twins and izuku were coughing constantly now that the air was truly thick with smoke. They heard sirens in the distance. "See guys, they are c-coming to get us!"