STRINGS // KATSUKI BAKUGO [2]

Chapter 43 // Goal

You fell asleep some time after claiming your throne, and, when you woke up, you found Midoriya gone and the mist previously covering your mouth vanished.

You looked around, observing the former users of One Far All, who slowly parted from their conversation at the realization that you were awake.

"She awakens," the white haired man from before spoke. "Hello again."

"Didn't say hello the first time," you replied shortly. "How long am I gonna be here?"

"That depends on how long it takes One For All to leave," he stated. "Although, once it does, you won't remember any of this."

"Maybe that's for the better..." you muttered before raking your eyes over the crowd once more, "so, are we gonna do introductions, or?..."

The white haired man spared you a chuckle before beginning to introduce not only himself but the rest of his companions.

Yoichi Shigaraki, the First User.

Kudo, the Second User.

Bruce, the Third User.

Hikage Shinomori, the Fourth User.

Daigoro Banjo, the Fifth User.

En Tayutai, the Sixth User.

"Nana Shimura," you stated, revealing the name of the Ninth User before Yoichi could do so himself. "You're Tenko's grandmother."

The woman narrowed her eyes at you, asking, "so you're aware."

"He told me himself," you shrugged. "We've had one too many one on one conversations, and you," you pointed at Yoichi, "what's with the Shigaraki part of your name?"

"It is my family name," he began. "It is also the name of my older brother, All For One."

"Oh, so you got a real batshit family then, huh?" you wondered. "That douche really fucked up my life."

"He has ruined all of our lives," Yoichi responded. "Speaking of lives, we aren't so sure how much you're going to remember of yours when you come back from this."

"Excuse me?" you questioned. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"The part of One For All that currently resides in you resides in your conscious, the part of your that's here," Yoichi explained. "This means One For All will have no damaging effects on your body, but, if it does any harm on its way out, it will do so on your mind. It's a guarantee you won't remember any events revolving around One For All, but you may lose other unrelated bits and pieces. It just depends."

"Well, that's just great," you scoffed, shaking your head. "As if the cognitive brain dysfunction wasn't enough."

You dropped your head, which was previously craned back to rest against the head of your throne, to find the users staring at you intently.

"I'm dying," you continued, curing their confusion. "Overhaul's brainwashing created a tumor that, when ruptured, caused slow deteriorating of my brain. I'm already forgetting things, dying."

Your eyes eventually traveled over to the chair where All Might's spirits resided. It was only an aura, not a picture perfect body like the rest of the users since the man was still alive and breathing. However, he had a good enough outline of his features for you to observe the distressed look on his face at your confession.

"That's unfortunate," Yoichi stated, his calm facade falling as his expression morphed to accommodate his sympathy. "I'm sorry."

"I'm not," you disagreed, shrugging your shoulders. "I lived my life the best that I could. I got to be a hero, help people. That's all I've ever wanted. My last goal is to defeat Shigaraki. Well, Shimura. Then, I can rest."

"Hm, you share a similar goal with your friend."

It was Kudo who spoke this time, one of the two users who didn't sit in a throne and instead stood facing the wall.

"Let's hope it doesn't end with both of you dying," he added.

"Kudo," Yoichi hissed, "enough."

You dismissed the Second User's attitude and brought your knees into your chest, wrapping your arms around your legs as your feet rested on the edge of your seat.

The silence allowed you to come to a  sudden realization that had you jumping from your throne.

"Wait," you began, panicked, which gained everyone's attention, "if my conscious, my soul, my being, is here, doesn't that mean my body is—"

"—without a host?" Nana finished. "Yes. It's unmoving, not breathing, lacking warmth. Back home, you're dead."

"What if someone finds me?" you questioned. "When I don't wake up in the morning, my d-" you stopped yourself upon realizing your slip up, "—Aizawa is gonna come looking for me. What's gonna happen when he thinks I'm dead?"

"Let's hope One For All parts from you before that happens," Yoichi stated.

"What if it's already happened?" you wondered.

"It could've," Yoichi admitted. "We don't have a concept of time here. It could be minutes since you first appeared here or days."

You sighed and collapsed back into your temporary throne, hoping that this entire interaction was only a split-second scenario, and you'd wake up right back where you fell asleep.

[EDITED]