Midori the Villain

The Challenge

"I gotta tell you, My Queen." Doctor Nakahara told Izumi as he examined her face and neck. "I didn't expect you to need my services so soon."

"Trust me, neither did I." She laughed, her voice a little raw, and rubbed the tender skin when he pulled away. "Lucky for me you had a free moment."

"The current tests I'm running are gonna take time for results to show." He explained and rustled through a drawer for a pair of gloves. He snapped them on and then went through a cupboard of medicines and salves. "The facial tissue is completely dead and is gonna scar even with my quirk. I do have some some special salve that will help alleviate the bruises."

"I'll take what I can get." She sat cross legged on the examination table and let him get to work. Her eyes drift over to the two containers across the room that held his wife and daughter, both in a deep cryogenic sleep. "This is the first time I've seen your wife and daughter... they're both very beautiful."

"Thank you..." he gently rubbed the salve on her neck and wrapped it up in bandage. "I'll be sure to make proper introductions once they're healed."

"I can't wait..." she smiled and winced a little when he placed his bare fingers against her cheek and knit the skin together. A thick scar now traced the outline of her cheekbone. Izumi pulled up the mirror and scowled at it.

"I'm gonna have a hard time explaining this to my teachers and classmates." She gingerly touched it. "I have to do some damage control as is."

"Damage control?" Nakahara raised a brow.

"Yes... The King was an idiot and decided to pop up right in front of my classmates. Luckily none of the girls got a good look at him, but I don't want to take the chance that they'll blab to Kacchan or my teachers. Next thing you know I'll be getting the third degree about who he is, where he lives, and having him brought in for questioning and abuse and all kinds of other messes."

She jumped off the table and stretched out her limbs.

"Can I ask you something, Izumi." He sat back down in his chair and folded his hands in his lap.

"Sure," She turned around to face him.

"You're a good person... you're actively doing all you can to better the world, helping people, saving people... why are you in league with someone like Shigaraki?" He held his hands up when her face twisted up. "I'm not telling you what to do, or questioning your methods. I will continue to hold up my end of the bargain either way... but it seems strange to me that someone as sweet natured and kind as you could wind up mixed in such a dangerous game."

"A game, huh?" She laughed and she looked down at her hands, her fingers fidgeting in an old nervous habit. "It's funny, that's kinda how I picture my situation. Life is all one big chess game, White vs. Black, Good vs. Evil, Me vs. The World."

She conjured up a chess board in her mind, pictured it between her and the doctor and methodically started moving her pieces.

"When I started the game, I didn't know how to play it. I knew the basic rules... don't do this, don't do that, this piece goes here, that piece moves there... all the essential stuff. I never knew there were so many different combinations, I never knew there were so many options other than what was clearly laid out in front of me..." she lifted a hand as if to flip the board around. "I never knew you could switch sides so that the game could change entirely."

She lifted her eyes to the doctor, something in the glint of them had his hair standing on end. He visibly swallowed when her lips curled into a confident smile.

"I never knew how much I enjoyed winning, no matter the stakes. It's a potent and powerful thrill that just takes you over. More and more I wanted to play, and even if I occasionally lose I want the chance to set all my pieces up again and start over."