The Fallen and The Deranged [BNHA]

Chapter Twenty: The Flames

It had happened in a little over a minute. But to Mai, it may as well have lasted an hour.

Her heart was slamming so hard in her chest it felt like she was going to explode.

She heard, but did not see Shigaraki point at the bloody
bruised
and smiling Toga behind her.

"Get her out of here. To a doctor, a healer. I don't particularly care Kurogiri."

Mai heard the remnants of a warp behind her. Heard her pulse slamming into her ears. Her chest moved violently. Every muscle stood on edge.

She kept her eyes on the ground, opened her hands and closed them. Opened and closed and opened and closed.

The world tilted, blurred. Expanded and closed.

Any part of her, normal and sane and good part- the part of herself she pushed to the front of her mind always. Always pretended. Any piece of that, that was flooding into her when she was standing over Toga.
Was gone now.

More more more more more more more more.

"Mai."

A voice cut through the fog, cleaved through the mist- a hiss.
And her eyes slammed into his.
"I was talking to you."

And if Shigaraki was anyone else, he would have flinched at that spark in her eyes. But he wasn't anyone else.
He smiled.

More more more.

"Hey, scar face." Shigaraki murmured, the sliver of his eyes visible behind the hand never leaving her. "It's your turn."

Mai, unaware of herself, felt her fingers twitch.

"I'm going to destroy her wings, fuck face. I thought she was important to this operation."

Concern?

Shigaraki, for the first time, turned his attention from Mai.

"And why do you give a fuck about what happens to her wings?"

Mai, somewhere outside of herself heard a growl building in Dabi's throat. "I don't give a fuck about her. What I do care about is you coming at me sideways when I hurt your little bird."

Mai twitched. Her eyes slamming into bright blue.

Dabi didn't flinch either.

"What the fuck did you call me?" Mai didn't recognize her own voice. It was deep. Primal. Anger. Fury. So much building and building and had been building her entire life- threatening to overflow.

And Toga, she'd only opened the tap.
And it was dripping.

Mai felt like she was going to-
no, wanted to
overflow.

"I said it's your turn." Shigaraki spat.

Mai, unaware of her own body, raised her hand. And in an instant- a flash, faster than there had ever been- her entire right arm turned to gold.

Somewhere Shigaraki let out a noise of surprise.

"I asked you what you called me?" Mai demanded.

"Your quirk is good for close combat." Dabi preened. "Actually quite perfect for it. Protection. A close range weapon. You'd be a deadly opponent if you put your mind to it."