Secrets [Todoroki]

*Chapter Forty-Five*

All was silent within the first few seconds. Nobody spoke. Nobody even moved.

Suddenly, Hibiki smiled. "Nightmare! It's so good to see you again. Still on that useless conquest to take down Endeavor? How about the husband? Ex-husband? I wasn't sure on your marital status, if I'm honest."

Nightmare narrowed her eyes. "Why have you taken Mirianne? Wasn't my dismissal of you more than enough to express how I didn't want you around me, and most definitely not her?"

Hibiki shrugged. "See, it's hard to listen to you. You're really all bark and no bite. You have no power. You're just a forty-year-old woman who couldn't get over the fact that a boy turned her down in high school."

Miri's eyes widened. 'What is he talking about?'

A cold, dark aura steamed off of Nightmare. "You're just a twenty-year-old man who couldn't make it as a hero. I don't think you have room to judge me."

Hibiki's body erupted into his alligator form, his white teeth gleaming in the bright light of the area. "Such a weak comeback." He charged at her.

"Purses shouldn't talk." Nightmare slunk into the floor.

As they battled, Miri tried desperately to crawl her way into the dark parts of the room. The drugs were still moving around her system, but she could feel they were wearing off. The urge to puke wasn't nearly as strong, however there was still the pounding headache.

There was a loud scream and the sound of breaking glass. The room was thrown into darkness, and Miri felt a surge of energy through her body.

The room was bathed in a purple light as her night vision kicked in. She could see Hibiki and her mother exchanging blows. She could also see, however, that Hibiki was overpowering her mother.

'We will die here unless something changes.' Miri tried to push herself up again, but didn't have the energy. She could feel the pain in her foot coming back, knowing that her pain tolerance buff was running out fast. 'I have no energy. Not even enough to stand or keep my pain tolerance up. I couldn't even heal myself if I wanted to, the injury is too old.' She stared at her mother, watching her dodge a punch, though barely. 'However...'

Miri shut down her quirk completely. Her foot erupted in pain, the shattered bones not liking the position they're in. 'Conserve your energy and move quickly.' She told herself as she began dragging her body to her mother and Hibiki. 'I won't be much help, but I can do what I can.'

"Why don't you tell me the story about you and Endeavor, again?" Hibiki suddenly stopped fighting.

Nightmare took several deep breaths. She was exhausted. Her head pounded, and the whispers seemed to get louder and louder with each passing second. Her control over the darkness was slipping. If she let too much go...

Miri would be in danger.

"No. Your diversions from the task at hand won't continue to distract me." Nightmare held up a shadow ball.

"Please, you're hardly standing. Think of this as a grace period. I want to hear the story again one last time before I kill you and it dies with you. Actually, who knows? When I go after Endeavor, I might tell him the story. I'm sure he'd enjoy it." He smiled. "Now, tell me the story and I may make your death quick."

Nightmare opened her mouth to object again, but noticed Miri moving towards Hibiki's back. Whatever she was doing, she had a reason for it.

Miri bought her time once before. Now it was her turn.

"I went to U.A." Nightmare began, her voice flat and devoid of emotion, much like it always was when she thought about these memories. "I wanted to be a hero, just like everyone else in the world." The shadow ball disappeared and instead, shadow people began dancing around her in the darkness. Faint wisps, hardly visible, but very much alive, mimicked the stances of heroes.