Lost Bonds

Chapter 15: Shoto

Darkness. That's all there was. I tried to move, tried to breathe. I couldn't. I thrashed and twisted and turned, but still nothing. It was a lifetime, but at the same time only mere seconds. I was choking on the vacuum I seemed to be stuck in, yet I was perfectly fine. I remained unaffected by the lack of oxygen. My memories swam in my mind, half formed thoughts as easy to latch onto as smoke with your bare hands. Transparent faces, echoing voices, fleeting touches. I knew I must have been dying, your life only flashes before your eyes in those moments. I didn't want to, I had so many unfinished tasks. So I didn't die. By force of my own will or some higher power, I didn't die.

Smoke. Ice. Cold hands. All of those senses came back. Just as I felt the presence of that dreaded last finger, the dry caress of Shigaraki's hands left my face. He flew across the ruined ground, propelled by a strong, burning force. I coughed and gagged and retched as I sat up. I threw up a disgusting mix of half digested food and burning bile beside me. Shivering, pale and lightheaded: I looked up to see who my mysterious saviour was.

Toya. His eyes blazed with a fire more dangerous and fueled than he could create with his hands. Strands of white peaked through his cheap box dye, making him look stressed and old. The staples across his wounds were pulled taut, they looked ready to dislodge at a single movement. He looked lanky, weak, pathetic. But he was the opposite. Flames erupted around him and Shigaraki, cutting him off from me.

"We finish this, now. Only one of us is walking away from here alive, and I damn well expect it to be me!" Toya yelled. The authority and rage within his voice made me expect the same.

Shigaraki slowly rose from the dust and rubble, "Be careful what you wish for. Where will you go if I die? The League won't take your authority, and you'll be arrested and executed for your crimes if you come out of the shadows. You don't want me dead." His voice had a slight trace of panic, he was trying to talk Toya out of fighting.

A tongue of flame shot out in response, but it was quickly dodged. Another, but was yet again dodged. The flames surrounding them died down as this pattern repeated, and the game of cat and mouse continued. Shigaraki crept closer and closer with each dodge, not to Toya but to me again. I could barely sit up, let alone stand and run. I didn't want to die, but maybe my will wasn't enough. I couldn't use pure stubbornness to stop my flesh and bones decaying at his hands. As Shigaraki got closer, the flames did too. My skin almost burned, as it did so many times when using my own flames. If they were my flames, I would balance them out with my ice. It slowed me down sometimes, but it kept me going.

An idea shot through me, and seconds later ice spikes shot towards Shigaraki. It was all I could create, three indiscriminate spears of ice.

And indiscriminate they were. Toya moved to burn Shigaraki, and was speared by one in the leg.

Another hit its mark, right through Shigaraki's stomach.

The third hit the falling, flaming form of my father rushing in to come to my aid.