Finding Me (Todoroki x Reader)

Chapter 130

The first thing I noticed when I opened my eyes was that I was back here again. Back in the space between nothing and everything. Back in the infinite darkness I stood once more, no Shoto or anyone else beside me.

"Hello?" I called out, but my own voice was the only one to answer back. My echoed cry bounced off the invisible walls of black that surrounded me, simultaneously closing me in and leaving me open. I was alone. It was so dark that I couldn't see my feet if I looked down, or my fingers if I reached out in front of me. It was dense, like fog, swallowing every inch of me until there was nothing left.

The next thing I noticed was how cold it was. From my toes up to my legs I was frozen, unable to move despite every single one of my instincts telling me to. No ice, no chains held me down, but something else. Something frozen and cold and dark. Despite the darkness, my breath fanned in front of me - the only sign that told me I was alive. I rubbed my hands up and down my shivering arms, but it did nothing to appease my frozen state.

"Damnit, where am I?" I was getting frustrated, and admittedly frightened, now. Why was this place so cold? Where did Shoto go? My room? Everything! Maybe if I could use my energy to light this place up, I could-

"I wouldn't try that if I were you, dear."

Pinpricks of terror erupted along my spine. That voice - so deep and malicious. No, it couldn't be him. It couldn't. Stepping out from the darkness before me - as if stepping out under an invisible light - All For One revealed himself.

"Sorry," he said, "did I scare you? I know it's been a while, L/N."

"How are you here?" I muttered, more out of disbelief than wanting an answer. "You're... You're in jail - unable to use your quirk!"

A sickly laugh echoed about the darkness, and, despite his mask, I had a feeling he had a sick smile, too. "Oh, L/N. I'm not using a quirk. This is all just inside your head."

"And why the hell would I think of you?"

He shrugged. "Like I said: this is all you. I have no real reason to be here-"

"Well if you don't, then get lost!" I raised a hand to blast him, but nothing happened. My energy was completely gone. Finally noticing its absence, a wave of exhaustion washed over me, sending me tumbling to the floor. "What... What have you done?"

"You didn't let me finish before," All For One said, crouching down and grabbing hold of my chin to look at him, "I have no real reason to be here... except to see you tear yourself apart."

One moment he was there, the next he was gone along with the darkness. And in their place was the world. The world... on fire.

I didn't recognise where I was, though - it wasn't Musutafu, but it looked pretty big all the same. I sat amongst piles of debris - of destroyed buildings and torn up streets - and watched the world around me burn. Where once my S/C skin was clear and unharmed now were multiple scratch wounds, bruises and streaks of blood. A shot of pain struck me, my hands immediately going to my left side of my torso, where I finally noticed a gaping wound was. Blood trickled over my fingers despite my best efforts.

I wanted to call for help, but I stopped at the sight of someone lying unconscious close by. No, not just someone. "Ochaco!" I bellowed, struggling to my feet and taking a few steps before falling at the brown-haired girls' side in a mess of limbs and groans. She didn't respond, only continued to lie on her back with her eyes closed. If didn't know any better I would say she was just asleep. But she wasn't breathing - no rise or fall of her chest came from her.

To my horror, she wasn't the only one. Looking around at the decimated battle field around me, all of my classmates laid motionless around me - even Tetsutetsu and Shinso were amongst them. But why?