The Flap of a Butterfly's Wings

We're Getting Somewhere

Izuku walked out of his cell at the very early hours of morning. For once, Keres wasn't the one dragging him around like a rag doll. It was a different guard, and he looked new. He was a lot more tense than the other guards and he always glanced wearily at Izuku as if he might try something.

Midoryia eyed the keys that were bouncing lightly on the man's hip. Izuku thinks the man does have a right to be worried, after all, this was too much of an opportunity to pass up.

They walk for a long time. This place is a Labrinth of its own (not maze. Mazes are tied to bright smiles and white ribbons. They're connected to nightmare after memory after nightmare of unblinking eyes and a waterfall of blood), with twists and turns and an infinite number of steps.

The guard and time traveler make it to the designated area. Izuku notices the door leading up to the boss's room is right across the huge metal one they're standing in front of right now. A new spark of irritation rises as Izuku realizes that they just about went in a full circle. All of that sauntering was only to tire him out. Not that he even needed it; Izuku was already severely debilitated from everything.

He wanted his mom.

He wanted her sweet smiles and warm hugs. He wanted her loving eyes directed towards him that always made him feel at home. He wanted to hear her beautiful soothing voice whisper reassurances to him.

Izuku knew he was selfish and stupid to wish for such a luxury.

Hato watched as the guard pulled out the key ring and grabbed the smallest silver one. He put the keys back to his hip and opened the big metal door. The inside of the door had gigantic claw marks and had dry blood smearing half of it. It looked as if someone had roughly collided with the door and was dragged down against it.

As Hato tentatively started to walk towards the door, he pretended to run into the side of the man. With how short he was (was he five or six now? It's been so long since he's seen the world. Was it possible to feel claustrophobic in a space so big?), it was easy to snag the keys from the man. Izuku swiftly tucked the keys underneath his shirt and fastened up his paste towards the inside of the room.

The sound the door made when it closed made Izuku flinch. His ears picking up a soft click of the door automatically locking. Izuku attempted to cease the rising panic that was building up in his chest, but the lone finger and splattered brains next to him did nothing but escalate the feelings of consternation.

The room was medium size; the only light were the torches dimly lit on the walls. None of that mattered, though, because the biggest dog Izuku had ever seen was sleeping in a corner of the room with skeletons surrounding it like stuffed animals. The dog was clearly one of those quirked animals. The dog being at least ten times bigger than himself. The giant hound had a scar the shape of an 'X' over it's left eye. The claws looked razor sharp, no doubt used to tear people to shreds.

Izuku stayed as close to the door as possible. Cautiously taking steps backwards in order to manage a fast escape. He needed to get out and run as fast as he could to Jude's office. He needed to make a phone call, and this may be the only chance he could do that.

Right as Izuku was about to turn towards the door, Jude's voice spoke up through the invisible speakers. A spike of fear ran through him when the hound's eye snapped open to reveal a bloodthirsty orange color.

"Ohhh Demetrius~," Jude's voice sounded playful and excited, "I got you a new toy! Don't worry, Eighty-eight. I won't let him kill you. After all, how would you learn your lesson if you're dead?" Right as Jude finished speaking, the hound bolted right towards Izuku. Hato jumped to the side, missing Demetrius's charge by a landslide. The dog slammed into the door before going at Izuku again.