Redemption {Book Two}

Chapter 26: Falling

{Midoryia's POV}

I quietly take the controls from Deku. He seems more distraught than I do, and it disturbed me that I wasn't feeling much of anything. I keep repeating to myself 'Ed is gone. He hates you. He doesn't like you anymore. He's gone,' hoping for it to click in my mind to see if it pulls out any emotion. But it doesn't. I just feel numb, and bitter. Angry and cold. Spiteful.

I can't figure out why. I silently follow Salem, or Toxi, in the direction of The League's building.  Our arms are intertwined as she skips beside me, greeting passersby and cooing at any stroller that had the pleasure of coming by. I'm used to people have two sides or two faces, I know my own mood swings get exhausting but both of her personalities are overwhelming. Whether she was overwhelmingly sour and brass, or overwhelmingly bubbly and happy.

My eyes dart around, making sure no one was watching us. I didn't want Ed or the rest of the group stumbling upon us and asking questions. Toxi's laughing hits some nerve that makes me horribly irritated.

"Hey Toxi," I ask, trying to sound calm, she looks at me with her wide eyes, fluttering in a dramatic and cartoonish way, "Can I guess what your quirk is?"

"Oh. Well sure!" 

Jesus.

"Both of the names you go by imply magic, or y' know... Toxi. Toxic. Does that possibly have something to do with your quirk?"

"Maybe it does, what do you think it is?"

What're you trying to do...?

Just trying to annoy her.

"You can make a thick cloud of poison," I say confidently. I see on her face a spike of irritation and displeasure.

"You're right." She sounds miffed, "How'd you figure that out?" 

"Oh I dunno. I just wanted to let you know that you're practically announcing your quirk, and thats not the wisest thing. I'm sure you know my quirk at this point, but what about my ex-villain name would hint to it."

"Smartass..." she whispers, "Well, it used to be Deku," I wince at a spike of pain, "Deku means... useless, doesn't it? Failure? Something like that. I don't actually know your quirk, but based on that name I assume you can drain others' energy. Make them useless."

"Oh!" I tease, "That's a good guess."

"Really?"

"Of course not," I say bitterly, "My name has nothing to do with my quirk. My quirk... well actually maybe its more fun if you don't know."

Hey uh... buddy?

What.

I can feel you spiraling a little.

What do you mean?

I can feel you slipping into hysteria.

You can feel that?

Uh, duh? The same way you know when I'm going a little crazy. I can feel you losing it a little. Your mind is fragile and it has been for years. Leaving everyone the way you did, and now Ed walking away is affecting you a lot more than you realize. 

I'll try and watch myself.

"Just shut up and get to headquarters." Toxi says angrily.

"See you there then." I wrangle my arm free from her grip and launch up into the air. My vision fades in and out as I deliriously fly to the skyscraper housing The League.