Encroachment

Chapter 15: Camper

The Sludge sat on the large ledge that overlooked a beautiful forest. The inky night sky glittered with millions of shining stars. Dark silhouettes of trees erupted from the valley below them and blended seamlessly into the darkness from above. Inside Izuku was the same hum as always. The drone that never seemed to fade. It was constantly pulling at him, willing him to cease existing. Viran dangled his legs over the edge of the cliff, sending Izuku's heart into overdrive. There were mumblings and muttering from several people behind him and they occasionally broke into chatter. Viran had not yet turned to observe or speak to any of them. Yet Izuku could still pick out and give personalities to everyone who spoke. There was a young girl with a high, eccentric voice. There were several males, some gruff and rude others more sophisticated and careful.

There was another man standing next to Sludge, overlooking the very same valley. The sweet night air wafted past his nose. "It's such a calm night." Viran sighed under his breath, cocking his head up to the man next to him. It took no genius to know this man was the leader of their rag tag group. When he spoke, the others listened. The man looked like a patchwork doll. Sections of his skin were badly burned, only held on by thick staples. He had unruly black hair that seemed to blend into the night sky above him. The man stared at Viran from the corner of his narrowed eyes. "Who are we waiting on?" Viran asked gently.

The man held Viran's stare, his eyes were a frost blue and cold as ice. "Just Twice," He stated simply. His voice was as empty as his expression. Izuku felt sweat bead his forehead and for once he was happy for the mask that entrapped his face. The man narrowed his eyes, "you're the copycat, aren't you?"

Sludge lent back onto his hands and Izuku felt his lips tug downwards. "Yes, I believe that is what the media have nicknamed me." He snorted. The man cocked a brow. A cold breeze blew past them. "I do not murder for my love of Stain." Viran spoke evenly. "Even though our ideals were in line, we never really got along."

"So you have met him then?" He questioned further, his stare unmoving. Izuku's heart thundered in his chest.

"Several times." Viran replied. "We've known each other for a long time." The burned man cocked his head to the side and ran a judgemental eye down the Sludge's small stature. "I'm older than I look." Sludge replied evenly.

"I see." The man hummed. His dark coat fluttered out behind him. "You've been killing all these heroes, and you say your ideals match with Stain's, but you don't support him. What is your goal?" The Man finally stared back out at the forest and Izuku's heart stuttered back into its normal rhythm.

Viran stared at the man for a moment. "Dabi," he spoke with a little more edge to his voice, causing the villain to turn his head towards him. "I always ensure the heroes I kill are deserving. That they have broken the law seriously in some shape are form and I do that all because of my goal. That this world will one day only have heroes that are worthy of the title. Heroes that are really heroes. Heroes that fight silly because they want to help. Heroes that care."

Dabi's eyes lit up. His lips split into a crooked smile and his staples glinted under the bright moonlight. Izuku's whole chest seized up and his hairs stood on end. "Perhaps you and I also have similar goals."

*

Bakugo was running. He could hear his feet drumming against the floor. There was a bright light shining in front of him. Throwing a hand over his eyes, he shielded them from the intensity. It didn't work. The luminosity still burned his vision. Hissing through his teeth, Katsuki picked up his pace. An awful feeling gripped his stomach. Another set of footsteps thundered behind him and were approaching with a frightening pace. Katsuki let out a strangled cry and picked up his speed. As he ran, his heart raced against his lungs. Terror knitted his stomach and he began to grit his teeth. A sharp pain erupted in his cheek and a tangy metallic taste seeped into his mouth. Bakugo rose a hand to his face and withdrew it. In his palm were rotting, cracked teeth. Katsuki ran his tongue around his mouth. In the place where his teeth should have been remained mushy, gummy stumps.

Bakugo let out another strained cry. The footsteps were directly behind him. Blood trickled from his mouth. With a bang and a thud he was sprawled out across the ground, his hands pinned behind his back by some heavy figure. A blunt object dug into his back between his shoulder blades. Katsuki hissed between his gums and craned his neck around to see a masked man holding him down. Bakugo roared. The man tilted his head towards the boy, his monochrome mask sent him a wicked smile. The man reached up to his face and slowly yanked the mask away.

Bakugo's blood ran cold. Deku. It was Deku. The same stupid face he pulled whenever Katsuki lashed out at him was plastered on his features. The teary eyes, flushed cheeks, wobbling lip. Just as he remembered. Deku's face suddenly snapped into a sneer and he leant down close to Bakugo's ear. "I'm not coming back," he whispered. His voice was shrill and sharp, "Not until you take it back."

Bakugo woke with a start. His eyes sprung open, only to be welcomed by the same darkness they had been previously enveloped in. Heat ran its harrowing hands down his body and sweat made his pyjamas stick to him like a second skin. Heart thundering and head spinning, he ran a hand down his face as the ringing in his ears began to die down. The hairs on his arm were raised, making his skin prickle. A sharp pain burned on the inside of his cheek. Gliding his tongue over the spot, a metallic and bitter taste greeted his taste buds. The boy pinched the bridge of his nose and ran a hand down his face. Katsuki took in a deep breath and slowly released it. He lay flat on his back with his arms by his side and repeated it again, and again, and again. The sounds of his classmates gentle breathing sent waves of calm rolling through him. Occasionally one of them would murmur incoherently or shift position. Their serene peace washed over Bakugo and infected him. Eventually his heart rate dropped and the intense panic began to subside.