Chapter 8: S1, Ep 8: Search and Steal (2)
Masha Sung-Woo was what some might call a misfit. That was entirely reasonable, of course, given how they were one of the "lucky" people to receive superpowers. Though, theirs was a little on the strange side, to say the very least—albeit it was also very fitting for someone like them, but that was beside the point.
Then again, when one considered that they, quite literally, saw a person walking around town who looked as if they had turned into stars damned cockroaches, just with human appendages, then maybe their power wasn't all that weird after all?
Masha's power was simple. They gained the ability to summon Tarot Cards out from their wrists. Quite an interesting ability, right? Well, it got weirder. While the cards acted as regular cards, if they so choose, they could tap them and activate a special ability.
For example, The World Tarot card could do two things. If it came out upright, they could teleport to any part of the world they chose. If it came out upside down, for a maximum of five seconds, time would stand still. Though, it would cause them to vomit afterward.
They came out randomly unless they did a Tarot reading. During those they came out as fate deemed it; they didn't mean it metaphorically or poetically, their power quite literal interacted with and viewed Fate as it was meant to be. Granted, they weren't able to interact with said fate, for it was predestined.
There was one time when they read the fate of a blond-haired, golden-eyed girl—Julia was her name, if their memory recalled—and what they saw mortified them. They tried to intervene, but the moment they tried they collapsed to the ground, clutching their chest and gasping for breath. That was the final time that they tried to intervene with someone's fate. It simply wasn't worth the pain it caused.
However, that did give them an idea. They had always wanted to be independent from their parents, and seeing as they now had access to an infinite number of Tarot Cards, they decided to become a Tarot reader and set themselves up in a comic book shop.
They had been doing this for about a week, and already it had pulled in a decent profit. As it turned out, there were a lot of people who believed in Fate and spiritualism. Gravesfield was essentially a gold mine. Granted, once they had been able to read everyone in town they'd have to move, but that wasn't a problem, because by that point, they'd be rich.
And that was the goal. They wanted to be filthy rich and live lavishly—who wouldn't? The more money, the happier one would be. It was just simple science, really. Money equaled dopamine, dopamine equaled happiness, and happiness equaled prosperity. How more simple could that be?
Of course, there were other factors that contributed to happiness, but money was a massive player in it all. Sure, you could be poor and happy, but that happiness was limited by the lack of funds and the stress of potentially being evicted or having your house foreclosed upon.
That aside, over the course of the last week, they had made over $3,500, half of which went to helping their parents pay that months rent, which gave them more wiggle room. Today was no different either. In fact, today had been one of the most successful days thus far. They had just finished doing a Tarot reading for someone, and were paid well over $1,500 for it, which was just slightly under half of what they made in the last five days.
But, of course, it wasn't over yet. They sat in front of another customer, although unlike the last customer, they had only paid $50, which was their usual fee to be fair. That being said, they couldn't deny that they were a little concerned about said customer.
The customer in question was a woman with thick green glasses, brown skin, and curly brown hair with some white hairs mixed in. She looked as if she were about to fall over from exhaustion, and the sombre expression didn't help things either. She was dressed in a green cardigan, and black, no pocket pants, with a purse over her shoulder.
Masha, on the other hand, had short black hair done up in a pixie bob and was dressed in a black and purple long-sleeved dress that went down to their ankles, completed by a small white ribbon that sat just below their sternum. They had blacker-than-night eyes, and a medium-tan complexion, much like their father.
There was a tired look in the woman's eyes. One that reflected regret, frustration, fear, and worry. What it was all aimed at Masha didn't know. What they did know, however, was that they looked skeptical. It wouldn't be the first time that had happened. Most of, if not every customer that wasn't already a true believer in Tarot cards was always skeptical.
"So, Camila, was it?" Masha asked, their eyebrow quirked as Camila nodded silently. "Well, for $50 I can give you a basic reading on a close family member. But just know, anything that I draw from my power is guaranteed to happen."
"You're bluffing, right?" Camila asked, her voice deadpan.
"Nope," Masha replied, leaning back in their seat. "Had a heart attack when I tried to change the fate of a customer. Her fate was to die, by the way."
Camila blinked, staring at Masha with a blank expression. "And, who was that person?"
"Some girl named Julia something or another," Masha answered nonchalantly, Camila breathing out a sigh of relief. Did she think that maybe it was the person who she had come to do the reading of today? If so, that probably would've sucked. "So, who do you want me to read the fate of?"
"My daughter, Luz Noceda. I… Fear she's in danger, she was one of the kids who had been kidnapped… I would know, I… I received news of it, and I want to know if she'll be okay. If your power really does do as it says, then… maybe I can sleep better at night knowing about a decision I made recently…." Camila said as Masha nodded.
It was clear that this Camila woman harboured a lot of guilt for some action, or potentially multiple, she had committed. Hopefully, the cards would be nice to her. But then again, Fate wasn't exactly kind. Whoever controlled it must've had a stick up their arse or something. That aside, without wasting anymore time, Masha breathed in deep and laid their right hand against the table, their wrist exposed.
And then, the cards came out. First, there was The Magician, in the reverse, which didn't spell out anything good. That symbolized manipulation and illusion, and typically it was the person in question who the reading was about that did the manipulating. Only on rare occasions would it be they were the ones being manipulated, and it all depended on context. Context that Masha didn't have.
The second card was The Hierophant, also in the reverse. Unlike The Magician, The Hierophant was a card that, when in reverse, was a good thing. It represented rebellion and subversiveness. It also represented freedom and personal beliefs.
But, when mixed with The Magician in reverse, it could mean a variety of things. And if that was where it ended, then it already painted a bad picture in Masha's mind about this Luz Noceda individual's fate. But, that wasn't the end. The cards kept coming. And the next one changed a lot about Luz's fate.
The Chariot, in the upright position, was the third card. It symbolizes direction, willpower, determination, success, action, and security. All good things, but in combination with the Reversed Magician and Hierophant, it didn't spell out good tidings.
Together, it represented a misguided direction created by manipulation that subverted one's personal beliefs. What that could mean, Masha didn't know.
The next card didn't make things any better. It was The Reversed Devil. It represented good things, naturally. Overcoming addiction, independence, and, reclaiming power, detachment, and freedom. Two times, freedom has shown itself. Freedom of what? Well, considering Luz was one of the captured kids, that must've meant that Luz was going to go free from being imprisoned.
That was good, obviously. But then came everything else. Reclamation of power? What power, and whose? Luz's power? But what power did she have? Was it symbolic or literal? Masha didn't know, and it was also concerning. Once again, when combined with everything else, it painted a bleak image.
But, there was more.
Then came the one thing that caught Masha completely off guard. The Tower, upright. That… didn't spell out anything good. Intense and sudden change, release, painful loss, tragedy, and revelation. It was sending mixed signals now, and they felt deep inside that The Devil and The Tower were fighting for dominance in the situation. Like two bickering siblings.
"This is… Bizarre. What the hell is happening here? It's like I'm reading the fate of two different people…."
In the end, The Tower wound up winning, and it once again made Masha feel extremely nervous about what would happen to Luz. So much so it showed on her face, which didn't seem to put any security in Camila's expression either.
Upright Judgment was next. Reflection, inner calling, reckoning, awakening, rebirth, and absolution. That could mean plenty of different things. It seemed as if, following along with the rest of the reading, Luz was going to either go on a spiritual journey to lead to a rebirth of sorts or a literal rebirth. And with how the cards were playing out, Masha believed it was more toward the literal side.
And finally, the final card, The World, in the upright position. Fulfillment, harmony, completion, integration, travel, and unity. If that didn't spell out to Masha that they were right, then they didn't know what did. A sigh effortlessly passed under Masha's breath, and they turned to look at Camila. They could feel Fate weave itself into the cards, locking them in.
And then, they were granted a glimpse into the near future. Their eyes turned fully black, pupil, iris, and sclera whole.
And it was horrible.
In a vision, it became clear, and it played out in their mind like a movie.
A lake of fire, ash, corpses and charred blood. Fallen trees, pluming smoke, and all of it caused by a lone figure. Hateful, vengeful, anger-filled crimson eyes bore into the person whom they were viewing this future through. They reached their hand out toward the figure in an attempt to beg them to stay away.
And in a flash, the figure rushed toward the person whom Masha was viewing the future through, and for a brief second, they saw a psychotic, malicious, hate-filled smile. A smile that said it all. Behind that smile lurked nothing but death, destruction, and damnation. Anywhere that the figure went, death and despair would follow.
The figure's fist was cocked back to hit the person, and then…!
Nothing.
There was nothing.
The vision skipped to another scene. This time, it was of Gravesfield. Buildings were collapsed, bodies lined the streets and slumped against walls. Two figures fought, one with a sword and a pair of wings, and another with the same crimson-red eyes as before. Masha viewed the vision through the eyes of someone watching on the roof of a building.
All they could do was stare in horror at the death and destruction that was wrought. The ruins of homes once filled with families, the destroyed library, the destroyed statue, and the upturned streets with cars and bloody smears lacing the ground.
What they witnessed…. It was nothing but destruction and chaos. Loud explosions and shockwaves filled the air, leaving no room to dispute that the two combatants were to blame, and one of them, Masha knew, had to have been this Luz Noceda individual. Otherwise, their power wouldn't show it to them.
It all came to an end when a lone chunk of rubble flung into their line of sight.
Masha was taken out of the vision with sweat pouring off of their face in the bucket loads, followed by tears and shivers. Camila looked horrified, and as Masha looked up at her, all they could say was the first thing to come to mind.
"Ms. Noceda?" Masha began, their voice trembling and their heart pounding against their chest as fear shined in their eyes. "You're daughter… she is The Devil reborn…. A monster given human flesh. I tell you this, knowing of the future to come, but please, for your own sake, abandon her. Leave her. You will be safer if you do."
"What?!" Camila shouted, anger in her voice as Masha shook their head, ignoring the irate woman. Masha knew, instinctively, that they needed to skip town. Convince their parents to move. Do anything but stay in this place.
"I am deeply sorry for what's to come. I should have turned you down, take your money, and go. I'm leaving this doomed town before it's too late," Masha said, throwing the money that Camila gave them back to her, before booking it as they collected themselves.
They didn't know how long this place had left, but due to how visceral and detailed the vision was, chances were that it would not be long until everything went tits up. And as far as Masha was concerned, they would not be sticking around to find out.
They couldn't get that awful, hate-filled stare out of their head. It was nothing but cruelty and anger. There was nothing human about those eyes. Was it wrong to tell that to a grieving mother? Maybe, but Masha didn't care. All that they knew was that they needed to leave. Because they knew, deep down, that in the coming months…
Gravesfield would be no more.
[XXXX]
Luz felt a pit grow in her stomach as she stared down the very man that she had no wish to see again. The pit in her stomach was quickly followed by annoyance. She had fallen asleep, most likely after having taken Julia's power. Her Vines. They now belonged to her.
Now that she thought about it, it was definitely because she hadn't taken anyone's power that she hadn't been able to fall asleep. She remembered that once she had finished sapping away Julia's power, and after she had comforted Julia due to the pain that she had inflicted upon her, she felt a wave of drowsiness, and immediately blacked out.
And now, here she was, within The Vestige Realm, staring down the man she had grown to loathe, who was sitting down on his throne across from her, with an impressed look on his face. Rikitasu Shigaraki was still dressed in that same, matte black and white-stripped suit that he had worn the day they had met. He had one hand resting on his cheek, as he leaned on his elbow with his other arm draped across his lap.
"You…" Luz practically hissed, disdain in her voice as Shigaraki smirked.
"Well, it took you long enough. But now, here you stand. And, you've done the one thing I have been waiting for you to do. Congratulations, Luz Noceda. You have stolen your very first Quirk. And, frankly, I think you made the correct choice."
"I didn't steal it. I was given it. Julia wanted it gone, so I took it. There was no stealing involved," Luz rebutted as Shigaraki waved her objection away, sitting up straight on his throne, his arms resting flat against the armrests, just like a king would, staring down Luz with a neutral expression.
"Semantics, my dear successor. That is all that is. What matters, is that you've taken your first step toward success. Though, now, I feel the need to warn you, now that you've taken your first Quirk, I'm afraid you won't be able to stop now," Shigaraki said as Luz crossed her arms, staring him down with narrowed eyes.
"Oh, really? Says who? What if I decide to stop today, and have Julia's be the only "Quirk" I take, huh?" Luz spat as Shigaraki shook his head.
"You know, Luz, you should take my word at face value. I am the first wielder of All For One. I know it more than you do, so when I say once you've taken your first, it only spirals further from there, you should believe it," Shigaraki noted, staring Luz down as he spoke. "I never had a reason to mention it in our first meeting. But, you see, All For One comes with two downsides, and it is the reason why I had as many Quirks as I did."
Luz rolled her eyes. "You mean aside from the fact you were a tyrannical supervillain?"
"Yes, aside from that," Shigaraki replied honestly as he steepled his fingers together. "Technically, there are three downsides, though I do not count them as separate. For starters, I'm sure you've noticed it by now, but All For One warps one's perception of reality. For example, let's say that you don't believe one thing the day before the Quirk appears, but then suddenly, you have a different opinion of it that is polar to the original. That has happened, yes?" Shigaraki asked as Luz nodded, if not reluctantly.
That had happened, at least, she thought so anyway. If she strained herself to think about it, before she awoke her power, she felt less inclined to agree with her more "repugnant" actions. As a matter of fact, she had felt… remorse for what she had done to Amber.
But, that didn't feel right.
Why hadn't that felt right?
Amber deserved what happened to her. For everything that she had done, remorse was out of the question. The fact that she hadn't died was criminal. She—
"Wait… What?" Confusion dressed Luz's expression. Now that she was thinking about it… "Oh…! Oh no…"
"I can see it in your eyes. Now that I've brought it to your attention, you notice it, do you not?" Shigaraki asked as Luz, once again, nodded.
"Yeah…." As Luz said that, her eyes widened. Was this power… changing her? "What's happening?" Luz asked, slight panic in her voice as Shigaraki waved her question away.
"Nothing out of the ordinary. All For One, as I said, is alive. Most Quirks are, and they have their own, unique personalities. And when two clashing personalities meet, they change each other over time. This is what is to be expected. You are changing, that much is true. But, what is also true, is that change is needed. You see, you're body has evolved. It's not that you have spontaneously gained a new power. You're body, and as a result, your brain has evolved to fit the Quirk," Shigaraki began as he stood up, snapping his fingers as suddenly, a whiteboard appeared.
On that whiteboard, there was a very detailed drawing of Luz, with an x-ray of a brain over her forehead and next to it was a drawing of a computer with an equal sign drawn between them. Luz stared, confused, as Shigaraki spoke.
"Think of it like this: Your brain is a computer, and All For One is a software update. However, because the hardware isn't strong enough to handle the software, the hardware must be updated as well. Thankfully, nature can handle most of this process, and so, to fit the software, the hardware—in this case, your body and brain—gradually begins to evolve. I'm sure you've felt it, but if you haven't, I'm sure you will in the future," Shigaraki continued, before flipping the whiteboard, revealing another drawing.
It was of Luz, once again, extremely detailed, putting a hand on someone's head, and activating All For One on them. "However, All For One is the type of software that needs constant updates to maintain functionality. This leads to the main topic, for the time being, that is that All For Oneenforces an addiction on its user. An addiction to sapping away power from those around the user."
With a snap of his fingers, the whiteboard disappeared, as Luz stared at Shigaraki with a confused expression on her face. An addiction? To take away other people's powers? "That's the most made-up thing I've ever heard in my life. And I get told I think anime is real," Luz snarked as Shigaraki frowned.
"Do you think I'm lying, Luz?" Shigaraki said, his tone ebbing with seriousness the likes of which only a judge could carry. And for a split second, she could've sworn that he had an honest look of concern in his eyes. Not that Luz believed it to be real. He had already said in their last meeting he was a manipulator and a villain, so therefore, she refused to fall for the same thing that he most likely employed on those whom he victimized.
"Well, yeah, duh! You said it yourself, you're a manipulator. Why the hell should I believe you?" Luz replied as Shigaraki chuckled to himself, putting his hands behind his back as he did.
"Touché, Luz. Touché," he quipped, before clearing his throat. "But, then, if I was lying, why were you restless for the last few days?"
"Because I was restless, duh? Ever heard of stress?"
"Yes, that's true," Shigaraki agreed, putting his hands to his sides before sitting back down on his throne. "Stress is a key factor in remaining restless and being unable to sleep. But, did you know that another sign of someone experiencing withdrawal is not being able to sleep? Or, perhaps paranoia, as well? Things you've become familiar with in the last four days, have you not? Only, those symptoms were alleviated when you stole Julia's power, were they not?"
Luz blinked, her expression taut in the realization that once again, she found herself agreeing with Shigaraki. For the fourth time since they first met, Luz found herself agreeing with the man before her. And it was infuriating. The worst part was that she couldn't rebut him.
Once again, she was reminded that Shigaraki, the man before her, was a manipulator. But more than that, he was someone who had decades of experience talking to others, and he had more than perfected his craft. He wasn't just a manipulator, but a master manipulator.
That look in his eyes. The gaze of someone who saw others a pawns and the knowledge of how to wield them…. She knew people like that had existed. She was fairly certain most politicians were like that.
But, there was a catch. Yes, he was a master manipulator. That much was true. However, most people who acted that way simply knew their way around a sentence. Knew what to say at the right time. But Shigaraki was different. Just by looking at him, she could tell that he didn't just manipulate people; he studied people. Learned how to find the right weaknesses. Learned how to poke holes and slowly whittle them down.
It was what made talking to him frustrating, made even more infuriating by the fact that she was inclined to believe what he said based solely one the fact that he was the first. He had All For One before she did, and therefore, he knew more about it.
Meaning that, until she was experienced enough with it to know what was correct and what was false, she, by default, had no choice but to listen to him.
And he knew that.
From his perspective, he probably saw her as an idiot. Saw her like an impudent child playing with a weapon she was far too stupid to understand.
But, at the same time, there was that level of care and concern in his voice that made her want to believe that he was trying to guide her properly.
Then, there was the other voice in her head telling her not to trust him with a ten foot pool.
Luz was stuck between a rock and a hard place. Because, of course, he would know the inside-outs of the power. Of course, he would know full well the drawbacks of it.
The question was: How much of the information he gave was true, or false?
What was the lie?
What was the truth?
The annoying part was she didn't know, meaning that she had to take what he said with a pinch of salt, meaning that she needed to be cautious. "You're not lying, are you?" Luz questioned, eyes narrowed as Shigaraki nodded.
"I wish I was," Shigaraki replied, frowning. "Believe me, the addiction that this Quirk comes with, while useful at times, can cause problems. For example, because of my addiction to stealing powers, I would find myself sapping powers from those whom I cared about. While that list was a short one, and that wouldn't have been so bad, had it not been for another thing I found out regarding All For One."
As Shigaraki spoke, there was a hint of regret in his tone. How his eyes narrowed and his eyebrows knitted together to create an expression of both anger and annoyance, once again directed at himself. She couldn't tell if it was an act, but what she could tell was that, if it wasn't, he seemed to harbour regret over something.
But, more importantly… "What are you talking about? I thought you said there were only two drawbacks?" Luz said incredulously, as Shigaraki smirked, looking back up at Luz.
"Well, I did say that I counted the first one and the second one as a singular drawback. Mostly because they function the same way. But this one is more serious than the other," Shigaraki continued before tapping the side of his head. "You see, remember when I said that the brain is the representative of hardware, and a Quirk therefore would be the software?" Shigaraki asked as Luz nodded, not quite following along as his smirk turned into a smile. "Now, tell me, what do you think would happen if the software was suddenly removed without any warning?"
"The hardware breaks," Luz replied curtly, and as soon as those words left her mouth, her eyes widened. "And if the hardware breaks, then that means the rest of the machine—"
"Dies," Shigaraki finished Luz's sentence, crossing his arms. "All For One's more dangerous side effect is that, when taking someone's Quirk, there is a chance that the person might become brain dead, and therefore, die."
"And you didn't think to tell me that before I used All For One on Julia?!" Luz snapped, her voice increasing in volume as Shigaraki shrugged.
"Well, considering you were so hellbent on not using All For One, I didn't think it was necessary. But now you have, and therefore, I feel obligated to tell you. It's just that simple, there's no harm in it, is there? Besides, Julia's alive, is she not?" Shigaraki said his voice calm as was his tone. Although, Luz could tell he was enjoying her frustration.
"You...!"
"Oh, please, you don't need to be mad. I mean, for all I knew, you were going to keep to your word, but now you've taken your first step—your first, proper step, into becoming a true user of All For One. You can never truly forget your first. Such as mine, having been my mother's Quirk. Bone-like Spears. If I could show you it, I would. I take great pride in it. It was the first and last thing I had to remember my mother by," Shigaraki continued, his voice gaining a sentimental tinge to it.
As he looked up toward the endless ceiling, Luz felt her annoyance and anger begin to fade away. There was no point in wasting her energy on him. He was just trying to get a rise out of her, that much she knew. And so, rather than try to argue with him, she exhaled. "Alright, fine, I get it. Can I go now?"
"No," Shigaraki said curtly, before gesturing for her to sit down on the throne next to him. "I would like you to take a seat. There is still much we need to discuss. And seeing as you are sound asleep at the moment, now is the best time to have a thorough conversation."
Without another word, Luz walked over to the throne next to Shigaraki and sat down. When she did, she couldn't help but immediately relax. It was comfortable. Extremely so. "Whoa…" Luz muttered as Shigaraki smirked.
"Comfortable, isn't it? A throne is a throne, after all. They are meant for those who are royalty, and as such, they ought to be comfortable," Shigaraki stated as Luz glanced over at him, before sighing and sitting up straight, clasping her hands in her lap.
"So, now what?"
"Well, may I point your attention in that direction," Shigaraki began as he pointed toward a dark corner of The Vestige Realm. When her eyes followed to where he was pointing, Luz paled. Standing there, idly, was a black, human-like shape of nothingness bobbing back and forth like one of those wacky-wavey-inflatable-arm-waving-tube men. Luz recoiled at the faceless, shapeless humanoid. It had white, oval eyes, and was undulating like the black blob that it was.
"W-What the heck is that?!" Luz asked, disgust in her voice as Shigaraki huffed.
"That, Luz, is the imprint that is left behind when you take a Quirk from someone. Much like myself, it is a vestige, but an incomplete one, seeing as the person who you stole the Quirk from is still alive. A vestige of someone cannot fully become their own entity if the original is left alive. As such, I've dubbed them "incomplete vestiges." They are quite disturbing," Shigaraki explained as Luz turned to glare at him, eyes narrowed as she did.
"You better not be telling me that I should kill Julia because if that is what you're telling me to do, I swear—"
"Oh, heavens no!" Shigaraki quickly interrupted, putting his hands up defensively, prompting Luz to relax a little. "In fact, if this Julia person were to die, it would only make your quality of life worse," Shigaraki continued with a distant look on his face. "You see, the more people you take the powers of, the more this place becomes full of other vestiges. Now, granted, they do not have power over you, nor can they do much of anything against you. However, depending on how you took the Quirk, be it forcefully or otherwise, a vestige of them will appear here," Shigaraki explained, his expression twisted slightly into one of annoyance as he stared at the incomplete vestige.
"Now, some are silent, much like that one over there, but some are more vocal, and can even be nasty. especially if you killed them after taking their Quirk. It would be better for yourself if you didn't kill anyone you took the Quirk of, or kill them first, then take their Quirk. Otherwise, you will be bombarded by the voices of those whom you've stolen the Quirks of. Believe me, this happened to me on multiple occasions, so much so that I eventually found and stole a Quirk that made it so I didn't have to sleep."
As Shigaraki spoke, he cringed at the last part. "Trust me when I say that, if you kill someone after taking their Quirk, it will bring down your quality of life, I mean it. Hence why I recommend doing it the other way around, as only an incomplete vestige will form, and nothing else. It will also happen that way if they were to die outside of you being the reason for it. So long as you keep it that way, they will always form into shapeless blobs without a shred of their original personality," Shigaraki said, pointing toward the incomplete vestige in the corner. Luz felt a shiver run down her spine when she looked at it, her shoulders tensing as she pushed deeper into her throne.
"It's creepy…" Luz murmured as Shigaraki nodded.
"My point exactly," Shigaraki quipped, clasping his hands together. "Now, moving on. There is one more thing I must tell you about All For One that is crucial once you acquire more Quirks," Shigaraki said as Luz placed a hand on her cheek, a disinterested gleam in her eye at the mention of "acquiring more Quirks."
Don't get her wrong, she wasn't exactly against taking Quirks from others. But she knew what it was that he meant. He was implying that she went on a rampage and stole from everyone. And that was something that she couldn't stomach doing. Taking a Quirk every now and then? Fine, she didn't mind. Even if it did leave her with a sour taste in her mouth.
But going on a rampage? Absolutely not.
Shigaraki caught her change in demeanour, his face morphing from a slightly jovial expression to a frown. "Luz. Let me ask you a question, and I want to hear your honest response. Why is it that you seem so annoyed when I mention stealing other people's powers? There is clearly a reason behind it, and in order for this to work, you have to come forward about it."
Luz scoffed. "Do you really want to know, or are you just trying to pick my brain super villain style so that you can turn around and say "I kNoW yOuR gReAtEsT wEaKnEsS" later down the line."
Shigaraki frowned. "Luz. I'm serious about this. Whether you like it or not, your Quirk is designed to steal other people's Quirks. And yes, I truly do want to know your reasoning. Because if it is what I think it is, then perhaps I can make this easier for you. In our first meeting, you mentioned that you didn't want to take people's powers because you saw it as wrong. Care to explain that a little bit more?" Shigaraki questioned as Luz sighed, sitting up straight and looking the man dead in the eyes.
Maybe it was because of how he phrased that question. Maybe it was because he implied that he already knew her reasoning, or maybe it was because she was just starting to get fed up with what he was saying. But she could feel herself starting to get angry again.
And so, because of that, she went off on him.
"Why do I have to explain it!? Shouldn't it be obvious? Look, don't get me wrong, I'm fine with taking a Quirk, superpower, whatever the hell you want to call it, every now and then. But I know what you're implying. I'm not stupid. You want me to go around and strip power from everyone. That. That's my problem!"
Shigaraki went to say something, opening his mouth to talk, only for Luz to keep talking, her eyes narrowing as she jabbed a finger into his chest, making him recoil, if only because he was shocked that she had the guts to touch him.
"Taking other people's powers for the sake of taking them is evil. Period. And while I might be a little screwed up in the head, and I might be a little violent and impulsive, I'm not evil. Besides, why should I be the one to decide who gets to be special, and who doesn't?" Luz spat, before reclining back in her throne, pulling back her finger and cupping her forehead as she looked down at the ground.
"All of my life, since the first day I went to school, I've been seen as "the weird one," or "the kid who can't separate reality from fiction." I was always picked on, made to be seen as less than human and treated as such by others just because I looked different. Now, everyone has something that makes them equal to others, and now, you're telling me that I should strip them of that?!" Her voice raised, her fury evident as she shouted at him. However, as if completely unaffected, Shigaraki straightened himself out, his expression one of utter calm.
It was like he wasn't even phased by what she was saying. As if it was going through one ear out the other, and it only served to make her more angry. "Here's a question for you, Shigaraki, what gave you the right to do what you did in your world? 'Cause I'll be honest, you strike me as the kind of person who takes over countries and steps on babies for fun!" Luz ranted, glaring at Shigaraki, who gave off a calm aura. "Go ahead, tell me I'm wrong because I'll call you a liar if you do."
Shigaraki reclined in his throne, looking up at the infinite expanse above them. He remained like this for what seemed like hours when in reality it was only a few seconds. Finally, he came back with an answer, glancing at Luz with the kind of gaze only someone who had seen horrible, awful things could claim to have.
The kind of look a war veteran would give to someone who knew nothing. And it was because of that, that Luz suddenly felt bad for what she had said. She knew she shouldn't. But she did. And it was strange. And then, he spoke.
"For starters, Luz, let me paint you a picture. The worlds we inhabit, or in my case inhabited, were far from the same. For you, Quirks are just awakening en masse, and while they have appeared before, they were able to be wiped out easily. But now? Not so much. A large portion of Quirk Users have come out of nowhere, and your government and many other governments across the world are freaking out. But, they had time to prepare a measured response. My world? Not so much.
"In my world, much like yours, humanity began to evolve. It started in my mother's generation in the 1950s—the silent Quirk boom. Only 0.1% of the population had superpowers at the time, the Government being unaware. Then, I was born alongside my twin brother in 1969, and my mother died, having birthed us in a ditch. We were Left to rot. I, unaware of myself and my actions, took her Quirk. I was a second Generation Quirk User. But, I was undocumented. Left unaccounted for. And I wasn't alone. Hundreds of children like me were born in such a way. We were street rats. I was their leader. Myself, along with my brother, who I will refrain from talking about unless needed." Shigaraki began, glancing over to Luz, who began to pay attention.
"I saw horrors on those streets. Rape, murder, overdoses, drug dealings, all the kinds of things that a child my age should not have seen. It shaped me into the man I am now, or, well, was. But, back then, all I wanted was to see my kind, those with powers, dubbed Meta-humans back then, succeed. But not in the same way most would think. I wanted to own the world. I wanted it to be mine. Because I took excellent care of those I claimed to be my possessions. At the ripe young age of 13, I made my first step in this journey. One of many."
The vestige realm began to turn into an old-timey cityscape, with a much younger-looking Shigaraki dressed in white shirt and black pants, standing in front of a crowd of men, women, and children of various ages, who had seemingly gathered in some kind of field. The vestige of the young Shigaraki was giving some kind of speech, but Luz couldn't hear it. He looked emboldened by something, and there was a certain fire in his eyes that reminded Luz of her own fiery passion for things that she cared about.
It was very, very eerie, to say the least. In fact, the more she looked at him, the more she could see herself in how he acted. How he gestured, and how he shouted—even if she couldn't hear what he was saying in the memory.
And the people in front of him… They weren't just listening, but they were enamoured. He had them wrapped around his finger, and it looked like he knew it. It kind of reminded her of those old-timey speeches that her socials teacher would make them watch about how Germany succumbed to fascism in the 1930s. How Hitlers speeches were able to sway thousands of people to believe that they were the ones in the right.
And to think, that version of Shigaraki was able to carry that same kind of weight as a teen….
It was terrifying.
"That was the day I first began to plant the seeds of rebellion," Shigaraki continued, an almost proud look on his face as he stared at his younger self. "Children, teens, and adults of various ages, all wanted change in such a way that those with power were those that ruled. I was the one who started the criminal underground the way that it now looks back in my home. Interlocked and with very little infighting. All the while, to the surface, I was the son of a shrine maiden with aspirations to become a police officer, much like my brother, who dreamed of becoming a lawyer."
The vestige realm shifted once more, returning to what it was before, as Shigaraki continued. "The years would go on, and I would work steadily toward my goal. Until finally, in 1991, at 24 years old, I began my war against my country of Japan, and in a matter of two years, I took over the country with brute force. I ushered in a new era. An era of fear. An era of loss. An era of strength. For fear begets loss, and loss begets strength, and with strength comes power."
Once more, the vestige realm changed in appearance to an overhead view of a major city wreathed in fire, explosions going off in the background, a true war zone. Luz had a look of utter horror wash over her face. The amount of death that no doubt came about because of Shigaraki's war…. "It's a blood bath…" Luz muttered as Shigaraki nodded grimly.
"Would you believe me if I said I disliked the amount of death that occurred during the war?" Shigaraki asked as Luz glanced at him. For a moment, she went to call him a liar, but the genuine look of remorse in his eyes made her hesitate. Was he being serious? Or was he playing it up to make her think that he wasn't a complete monster?
She didn't know, and that was the scary part about this whole conversation so far. "A part of me says you're lying. But… another part of me believes you, and I don't know what to think…" Luz said, a sternness in her voice that earned her a nod.
"Believe what you will. Regardless, after the war, I made two discoveries. One that led me down the path of realizing the Multiverse was real, and another path that led me to discover that there had been an insurgency growing. The former isn't important for the time being, so let's focus on the latter. I'm sure I mentioned my brother, correct?" Shigaraki asked, looking over at Luz, who nodded.
"Well, you see, my brother was sick. He had been since birth. This was due to something that happened while my brother and I were in the womb. You see, there is the chance that, during the gestation period, if the mother has twins developing, one might siphon the nutrients required for the other to grow. This is what happened to myself and my brother. I stole the nutrients needed for him to grow healthy and strong, and as such, it was my job to watch over him. To care for him in the best way I knew how. And so, that was what I did," as he spoke, once again, that same sombre tone leaked into his voice.
This time, Luz knew, that it wasn't a trick. It was real. True, honest emotion. Why he was opening up to her, she didn't know, but it seemed like something he had kept pent up for a while. She said nothing, only listening intently as he spoke.
"I took care of him. Did what I needed to do. I fed him, bathed him, bought him clothes, healed him when I could. I protected him from the world, and he kept me stable. He tried to keep me on the right track. But, sometimes, nature overcomes nurture, and I did something that I heavily regret to this day. It was both the beginning of my downfall as a criminal and the beginning of my fall from grace."
Slowly, as those words left his mouth, the vestige realm began to change into an empty, blank room with a vault door, and within it stood an identical vestige of Shigaraki looming over a sickly, frail young man with long white hair dressed in a blue shirt and black jeans. The top half of his face, along with Shigaraki's, was covered by a cloud of black smoke, not revealing their eyes, only their mouths, as the younger brother spoke.
"Brother! For the last time, I will not aid you in this… in this massacre!"
"It is not a massacre. It is what needs to be done. We are at the final stretches of the war. We can rule side by side once this is over, and my doctors will be able to cure you of your illness! Please, Yoichi. Join me. I won't ask you again."
"Forget it!"
"Fine then. You leave me with no choice."
The vestige of Shigaraki reached out to this "Yoichi" individual, forced his hand on his brother's head, and activated All For One. Familiar black and red sparks jumped from his arm to his brother. His brother screamed in pain, and all Shigaraki's vestige did was stare, either forcing or taking something onto or from him.
The scene abruptly ended, as Luz stared in horror while the vestige realm returned to normal. The idea of forcing anything on anyone made her want to puke. As far as she was concerned, forcing anything on anyone was akin to a form of rape, just like forcibly taking something from someone was. It was a non-consensual act, be it forcing a drug on someone or something similar, it was wrong and disgusting.
A new form of anger filled her body as she glanced over to Shigaraki. Oh, sure, there was regret painted all over his face, but that didn't change the fact that what happened had happened. "You… what the fuck is wrong with you?!"
"Many things, Luz Noceda," Shigaraki replied calmly, breathing in as he looked straight ahead. "I will freely admit that what I did back there was both stupid and also heavily wrong. But, what you must understand is that I wanted my brother to survive past his thirties. And so, I forced upon him a Power Stockpiling Quirk. This was in a vain attempt to make his body gain the strength so that he could support himself. Because, back then, I was under the impression that my brother was Quirkless. And I believed that if I gave him a Quirk, he would start his journey of healing. So that he could rule by my side till the day he died."
Shigaraki's expression became one of anger, narrowed eyes, and a scowl. "But that was not what happened. Not only was my brother not Quirkless, but he was born with the ability to divest himself of his Quirk and give it to others. And whatever that Quirk that person had became attached to it and passed down to the next person. However, that wasn't all. A mutation occurred, merging both his Quirk Transfer ability, which I later dubbed Transfer, and the power stockpiling Quirk. When they merged, they created a new power. A power my brother called One For All in his dying breathes."
"Dying breathes?" Luz asked incredulously as Shigaraki inhaled sharply.
"I don't want to talk about my brother's death. All I will say is that his death is what caused a lot of horrible things to transpire. My descent into utter madness, and my obsession with his power. It ruined my empire, destroyed countless cities, and plunged the country I once loved into an era of darkness. I pray you never experience something as horrific as that because the last thing any world needs is another me running around. That much I am more than willing to admit," Shigaraki spat, anger coating his words as he spoke.
Luz kept silent, looking at the ground. The fact that she felt bad for the monster next to her… it shouldn't have been possible. And yet, here she sat, feeling bad for Shigaraki. Maybe that spoke to her inner selflessness and the fact that she could see the good in most people. The fact that she could see the glimmer of goodness in someone as monstrous as Shigaraki, who admitted that he was a monster, proved her right in that regard.
The only thing that she wondered now was…. "Do you… regret what you did?" Luz asked as Shigaraki raised an eyebrow.
"Do I regret my actions?" Shigaraki asked back, huffing out hot air. "The only thing I regret is putting my brother in the position he was in. Everything else? Not even remotely. You know why I did what I did. The only thing I probably wouldn't have done was kidnap that strange wolf creature and the creatures owner… I'd more than likely kill them and move on with my life, and destroying the door that they came from. It would've saved me a lot of trouble. And maybe I wouldn't have destroyed Asakusa… but that would be just about it. Everything else I would keep the same."
Luz frowned, disappointment on her face. "So, you're saying that you'd still become a tyrannical monster on purpose?" Luz asked, furrowing her eyebrows at the man, who shrugged.
"Who knows? For all I know, if what I said I'd change does end up getting changed should I have the chance to redo it all over again, perhaps I wouldn't become a tyrant. We will never know what that future holds, or what it would turn out to be. But, what I do know Luz, is that we're getting off-topic," Shigaraki said, smirking.
Luz cringed at the hideous smirk on his face, avoiding eye contact. Shigaraki's smirk faded back into a neutral line, as he adopted a more thoughtful expression. "Let's get back on track, shall we? I think I finally know why you're hesitant to strip power from others en masse. And it all has to do with your view of morality. Let me take a guess and say that you find it abhorrent to steal from others because you equate it to something even worse. Like, for example, rape, right?"
"Because it might as well be, I—"
"Incorrect," Shigaraki shot down, making Luz recoil, annoyance painting her features. Before she could explain herself, he continued. "Rape is taking away something sacred that can never be returned. Denying someone intimacy with another is not, nor will it ever be, the same as removing a superpower from another. The notion you would compare the two is, frankly, disgusting in my opinion, and takes away from the seriousness of rape in general. Especially given your own experiences with that Amber individual and the whole pencil thing. I mean, really, come now. You said it well enough yourself, did you not? To try and upscale the actions of a Quirk and what you and so many others experienced, regardless of the means and how it happened, don't you find that a little disgusting?"
"That's not—"
"That's not what you mean, yes, I am aware. But, you are implying it, and because you're implying it, you are therefore meaning it. I believe the saying is: Think before you speak?" Shigaraki said, raising an eyebrow as Luz flinched.
"Moving on, I can also pinpoint why you refuse the idea of taking powers en masse. And that, my dear successor, is that you were merely looking for an excuse not to. Because you know, deep down, you would just love to go on a stealing spree. To accrued power and strength. Because you, by yourself, could end this game right here, and right now, and all you'd have to do is run the risk of causing a few to become brain-dead."
Luz practically snarled at Shigaraki the more he spoke, "I— No! I wouldn't! You don't know me at all if you think that—"
"Oh, but that's just the thing, Luz. I do know you." The way that Shigaraki said that. The way his voice gained a heaping ton of confidence, and the way that his neutral expression turned into a smile that trumped most villains she had seen on TV caused her skin to break out in goosebumps. "It seems you've forgotten, but I'm in your head. I know your thoughts, your wishes, your dreams, and desires, your fantasies both light and dark. I can even read your memories like a book if I so choose! How else do you think I know about what occurred between you and Amber? The point I'm trying to make here Luz, is that you cannot lie to me. I know all that there is to know about you."
"I know you enjoyed brutalizing that Amber Stirwell girl—after all, you're right in that she deserved it. Anyone who would do half the things she committed on you deserves nothing less than being flayed and set ablaze in the deepest pits of hell. If I were in your shoes, I would've slit her throat instead, but to each their own."
"I know you'd love nothing more than to inflict grievous harm on anyone who slights you. Yet, because of your adherence to the morality society drilled into your head, and because you wished to not upset your mother, the same mother who has now practically abandoned you and told you to die might I add, you have stopped yourself from indulging in your darker, baser instincts."
"You and I, Luz. We are the same. The only difference between you and I is that while I had a supportive, loving foster mother, she encouraged my behaviour and believe me to be in the right, whereas you did not. You were left to fend for yourself, and look at how you've developed? In the end, you and I are more alike than you want to believe."
"Your mother left you to rot. She chose the bottle and her work over you. I'd even wager to bet that she barely even thought you existed! And when you finally snapped at the world, attacked your abuser, and nearly had her pay the ultimate price, your mother not only sided with your abuser but the faulty system that failed you! Made all the worse by the fact that you're now here, the ultimate example of just how dementated this system is! The very system that has propped up the worst of the worst! Out there, you have no one. Not a single soul believes in you. I bet most of them think you're dead!"
"And now, in here, the only people you have are the people in this camp, and even then, some of them hate you, others tolerate you, and only two of them actually care about you, those being Stanley Richardson and Julia Wittebane. Then, there's me. All I wish to do is guide you. To mould you into someone who can not only look after themselves but do so without the fear of having to kowtow to anyone else. To not bend your own self-appointed rules for others' appeasement. After all, why would The Chosen One bow to anyone else, when they should all bow to you?"
Luz stared at Shigaraki, her jaw slack and her eyes wide. Her hands shook as she looked slowly down at the ground. She didn't know whether to call him a liar, or to yell at him, or to just… accept it. Because she knew—and she hated that she knew—that he was right.
Every word that came out of his mouth was correct. He wasn't lying, nor was he trying to lie to her. He was right. There was no ifs ands or buts about it. If he didn't know everything like he claimed, then how could he have known about her conversation with her mother? How could he know about what happened to Amber?
It had to have been the fact that he knew. And if he knew, then… what was the point of lying? What was the point of trying to call him out when he was telling the truth? What was the point in trying to tell him he was wrong when he knew he was right?
Why hide the fact that she wanted to end this right here, and right now?
Simple. Her morality.
"You're right. I hate to admit it, but you're right. There's just one thing you either don't understand or refuse to understand…" Luz said, looking back up at Shigaraki, steely determination in her eyes. He met her gaze with a neutral gaze of his own, his expression unreadable, like a brick wall. "We might have similar ideas of what's right and wrong. We might have similar ideals, too. Hell, I'll even throw you a bone and say you're probably—no. Definitely right about my mother. But, there's one thing that you are wrong about."
"Oh? Do tell?" Shigaraki asked, his tone indicating nothing. Luz sighed, standing up from the throne she sat on as she walked toward the front of The Vestige Realm, back turned to Shigaraki, and only glancing over her shoulder to speak.
"You're wrong about what I want. Would I like to end this now? Yeah, I would. And the scary part is that I know I could. I could steal everyone's powers right here, and right now, and nobody would be able to stop me. But that's not right. I don't care how you twist it, how you word it, or anything like that. I'd rather work with the people around me. I'm not a one-woman army, even though I could probably be one. That's not how someone with a functioning brain thinks. That's how someone who is a sociopathic narcissist thinks. And last I checked, I'm neither of those. Psychopath? Maybe. But I am not a narcissistic freak like you."
Luz looked away from Shigaraki, sighing as she glanced at the carpet, glaring down at her feet as she continued. "I might not have a clean bill of mental health, and I have urges and tendencies others might frown upon. And for what it's worth, anyone who says I'm a bad person for what I did can shove it. I could care less about what their opinion is, because they don't know a single thing that I went through for me to get to that point. And while I'll agree that maybe, just maybe, we might have the same mindset, there is one thing you need to get through your thick skull right here, and right now."
"And what might that be, Luz?" Shigaraki asked and, as he did, a white doorway appeared before Luz. Its light cast a shadow over Shigaraki as Luz once more turned to look over her shoulder. However, unlike before, when her eyes had been a shade of golden brown, now, they glowed with a hideous crimson red. Her expression was taut in a snarl, and her eyebrows furled with nothing but anger coating her features.
"I am not, nor will I ever be, anything like you."
And then, Luz proceeded to walk through the white door, leaving Shigaraki all by himself. He sat there, his expression neutral as he watched his successor walk through the door to return to the waking world. After a few seconds, his mouth twitched and formed into a smile. Not an angered snarl or a frown of disappointment. But a true, honest smile.
"Good." And as he said that, he reclined in his throne, and looked over to the incomplete vestige of Julia Wittebane. "It wouldn't be nearly as fun if you were."
It had been a long, long time since he had met anyone who was bold enough to argue with him, let alone confront him on his ideals and mindset. He had grown so bored of the people he had surrounded himself with.
But now? Now he had something to look forward to whenever Luz Noceda decided to show up in The Vestige Realm.
He had entertainment.