The Emerald Prince

Chapter 115: Loud Cloud

He's sunshine, he's grace, he'll punch anyone who hurts children in the face.

To clarify for you fabulous theorists, Izuku took Eri's quirk and, though you are right that if Izuku had an exact copy he'd be immune to the drug...that's if he hadn't upgraded the quirk...and this is Izuku we're talking about.

Also, just checked this now before I pass out from exhaustion, and we hit 900K! Thanks guys for putting up with my shit, vents, and occasional random life advice none of you probably need.

Also I am genuinely sorry.
This chapter's fine, but I thought I'd have until Sunday before I'd be publishing the Chapter 116...just, I'm really sorry and I swear I love you all, who have placed your hearts in my care, and I promise to you, I love Izuku and all my children who I have helped grow in this book. I will take good care of them all.
So just...yeah. It'll be okay.

———

Over the last few months a lot had changed for 'Kurogiri'.

Shirakumo Oboro had always been a fighter. As charismatic as Hizashi, but with Aizawa's empathy and staying power he'd been certain of great things. But his greatest attribute, his unswerving kindness had killed him... sort of. He hadn't been kind to the falling building, but the children underneath it he had saved instead of himself. Yeah, he was allowed to be a bit smug about that.

Though it had been reasonable, he could hardly blame Izuku for underestimating him. How could you judge someone who was barely alive, and trained and manipulated to such an extent it was almost impossible to tell there was anything left. Izuku was actually unique for even noticing there was.

But he was a fighter, so when Izuku had used his quirk to give him ground, Shirakumo had not given it up. And the time in the forest had given him just enough control and strength to start fighting on his own.

After the interference at the training camp, his fog had gotten gradually lighter, a baby blue tinting the edges, as he slowly overpowered the artificial barriers in his mind, unblocking memories, inhibitions and instincts.

By the time Tomura - the poor manchild too blinded by hurt to notice - had gone to negotiate with the Shie Hassaikai, his fog was fully blue. Only one more barrier away from regaining his original handsome self. A barrier completely shattered by the state of the people that came through his sky blue portal.

Tomura almost carried Izuku through it, and at the sight of him - though with the quantity of water the kid's eyes were producing, it was a wonder he could see at all - the greenette wriggled free and knelt at Shirakumo's feet, sobbing into his shoes.

A continuous stream of apologies tumbled from the teen but Shirakumo got the gist.
"I'm so...sniff... sorry Oboro! I... I had the power to save you but I... I lost it! I lost it all...m'worthless..."
The fog cleared, quite literally, as affection and desire to protect rose overwhelmingly in him, and his face broke through the swirls of pale blue mist that now gathered as his hair like it used to, so long ago.

He'd ditched the waistcoat for a leather jacket weeks ago and he pulled it off to wrap around the trembling and bleeding greenette and lifted him carefully, barely appreciating what it was like to see his hands again.
Shigaraki was staring at him in awe and slight fear. He smiled gently, not all his care for the guy had been manipulated.

"K-kurogiri?" Stammered Tomura.
"It's Shirakumo, but we don't have time for this." He answered briskly. "He's exhausted and injured, I'm taking him upstairs to wash him and dress his wounds, hopefully he'll fall asleep. You should change, and get your story straight."