A younger Fatal and Adrian standing on the roof of U.A., staring out into the horizon.

Fatal: I can’t believe we graduated.

Adrian: Yeah, it doesn’t feel real…

Fatal: It was a good 3 years, but it’s nice to know that our dreams are finally coming true. Everything we’ve worked to achieve is right in front of us.

Adrian: Yeah… so where are you headed?

Fatal: I got an offer to work for a Hero Agency in Raleigh. I’m looking forward to patrolling the streets for evil-doers and kicking some ass! But enough about me, where are you off to?

Adrian is quiet.

Fatal: Uh… Adrian? Are you there?

Adrian: That’s actually why I wanted to talk to you.

Fatal: Hm? What?

Adrian: I’m not going anywhere… at least for my career.

Fatal is taken aback.

Fatal: W- what?

Adrian: I know it’s sudden, but I-

Fatal: What the hell are you talking about?

Adrian: Rachel-

Fatal: You’ve always dreamed of being a pro hero! Why? Why are you giving that up now after coming so far!

Adrian: I… can’t say.

Fatal: Are you fucking serious right now?

Adrian: Rachel, listen, I literally can’t tell you!

Rachel: I’m not important enough, that’s it?

Adrian: Please, don’t-

Rachel: What, “don’t get mad?” So you were just gonna drop this on me and expect me to be like, “oh okay, good luck!”?

Adrian: No, Rachel, I just… this is something I have to do!

Fatal: And I can’t know? Some… “friend” you are!

Adrian: If I could tell you, I would, but I can’t.

Fatal: Just give me a reason, Adrian! I deserve to know! We’ve been friends all these years, and I thought I knew everything about you! I thought we shared the same dream and determination to achieve our goals!

Adrian: We do have the same dream! But sometimes, you have to put what you want on the back burner so that you can do what’s best for others!

Fatal: So, you’re giving up? Just like that?

Adrian: No, that’s not-

Fatal: What was our motto? What was the thing we pride ourselves on?

Adrian: We… We don’t give up.

Fatal: That’s right, we don’t give up because we’re better than that! That’s how we got through these last few years! We always strove to be better, fought to break each plateau, and now after everything is said and done, we're one step away from reaching the mountain top… you’re giving up.

Adrian is silent.

Fatal: All those times we talked about being pros together, fighting alongside each other for real, were they all just lies?

Adrian is quiet, Fatal starts tearing up.

Fatal: Answer me!

Adrian: No! They weren’t!

Fatal: If that’s the case, then why are you walking away? The Adrian I’ve come to know and… he never would have done something like this!

Adrian: Sometimes you have to give even if you know you won’t receive because that’s the right thing to do.

Fatal: What the hell is that supposed to mean?

Adrian stares at Fatal in silence.

Fatal: *frustrated grunt* If you can’t tell me the reason, can you at least tell me what you’re actually doing?

Adrian doesn’t answer.

Fatal: Whatever! I don’t need to know where you’re going, because I never want to see you again! You’re not the friend I knew… you’re just a backstabbing coward.

Fatal storms off and leaves the roof with tears rolling down her face. Adrian leans against the railing in anguish.

Adrian: *under his breath* Godammit…

Iota: That could have gone better.

Adrian looks up to see Iota coming out from behind one of the roof’s ventilation units.

Adrian: What are you doing here, Ivan?

Iota: I like to hang out here; it’s an excellent place to think.

Adrian: Yeah… Well, I’m sorry you had to hear that.

Iota puts his hand on Adrian’s shoulder.

Iota: I know it’s hard right now, but just remember: You’re doing this for something bigger than yourself, and that’s not something a coward does. It’s a form of bravery only a few people could ever understand.

Adrian: Thanks… Ivan.

Iota: In my book, you’re better than even Colossus himself.

Adrian: Hm? Colossus? Why?

Iota smiles.

Iota: Because a man like him could never do what you’re doing. He needs all of his glory… which makes him selfish, but you… this is the most selfless act anyone can make. You should be proud of yourself.

Adrian stares down Adonis, Yusuf, and Jagger.

Adrian: (I sacrificed everything: My friends, my career, my whole life and most of all… her. I gave all of that up so that I could be the hero I always wanted to be… Rachel didn’t understand it back then, and she probably never will, but I wasn’t giving up on my dream when I became a guardian: I was fulfilling it. I accepted that even if I never fought a single battle to protect this ring, I would be okay with that. Because at the end of the day… the world would be a safer place because of me. So like hell if I’m going to let three little bastards take that away from me!)

Jagger turns to Adonis.

Jagger: You can take this one, but keep in mind I get the other one.

Adonis: That’s fine. Adonis will make this quick.

Adonis starts approaching Adrian.

Adrian: So you call him “master,” huh? Ivan sure is pretentious, isn’t he?

Jagger: What? You know our Master?

Adrian: Let’s just say he and I are old buddies.

Jagger: (I guess that explains why we’re forbidden from killing him.) Oh really? Well, I don’t think that’s the case anymore.

Adrian: Yeah… That seems likely. So once I finish throwing your lifeless corpses into that ditch over there, I’m gonna go pay him a… what’s the word?

Yusuf: Visit?

Adrian: Beating, that’s right, I’m gonna go pay him a beating.

Yusuf: I think this guy means business, Jagger…

Jagger: It’s not like he can do anything. His quirk is only a threat if he can copy someone else’s, he can’t copy Adonis’ gigantism, and he wouldn’t dare try to approach us. Plus, I don’t see the ring on his finger, he talks a big game, but he can’t back it up.

Adrian stares blankly at Jagger.

Adrian: How stupid are you?

Jagger: Not at all!

Adrian: Alright, then let me ask you a question… how many people are on this mountaintop.

Jagger: Fi- Oh shit…

Adrian’s eyes change to red.

Adrian: So, what were you saying? Oh right, I can’t back up my big game. Well, let’s test that theory.

Adrian points both of his palms toward the ground.

Adrian: Ignition: Boost!

Fire expels from Adrian’s palms like a thrust from the engine of a jet. Blasting him towards Adonis’ face.

Adrian: You wanna take me on, then you better be ready to get knocked down hard!

Jagger: He copied that kid Hayze’s quirk! Adonis, watch out!

Adonis tries to swat Adrian out of the air, but the copycat dodges by using Ignition: Boost with his left hand.

Adrian: You kids are in over your heads.

Adrian lands on Adonis’ arm and runs up towards his head.

Jagger: Adonis, you big idiot! Take him out now!

Adonis: Don’t order Adonis! Adonis is the strongest!

Adrian readies 6 heat grenades between each of his fingers. Adonis tries to swat Adrian as he reaches his shoulder, but Adrian throws 3 of the heat grenades against Adonis’ shoulder to blast himself backward; he then chucks the other three heat grenades into Adonis’ ear.

Adrian: Eat that!

Three mini-explosions go off in Adonis’ ear.

Adonis: AHHHH!

Adonis falls to his knees, holding his bleeding ear. Adrian lands on the ground safely and brushes off his shoulder.

Adrian: Well, would you look at that? Your big bad Goliath is already on his knees, and I haven’t even broken a sweat.

Yusuf backs up a few steps in fear, Jagger looks frustrated.

Jagger: Yusuf, it looks like we’ll need to help Adonis out with this one.

Adonis: No! Adonis has this!

Jagger: Shut up, Adonis! This will be a team effort.

Jagger rolls up his sleeves to reveal his needle holes.

Jagger: Let’s see how big you’ll feel when my poison is flowing through your veins!

Adrian: Wow, you really need to get laid, kid.

Jagger fires six needles at Adrian.

Jagger: Shut the fuck up, you piece of garbage!

Adrian disappears as the needles fly through the air. All that’s left is a few electrical impulses.

Jagger: What the hell!

Adrian appears in front of Jagger with his fist cocked back and his eyes now yellow.

Adrian: This is the part where you realize how fucked you are.

Adrian socks Jagger in the chest so hard he goes flying backward. Yusuf grabs Adrian’s forearm and makes a symbol with his other hand.

Yusuf: Curse of-

Adrian sends an electrical impulse through his arm that electrocutes Yusuf and knocks him to the ground.

Adrian: Cursing, huh? That’s a cute quirk.

A shadow appears over Adrian. He looks up to see Adonis’ fist crashing towards him.

Adonis: Adonis will kill you!

Adrian’s eyes change to light gray; he pulls back his left hand and forms a Typhoon Boom in his palm.

Adrian: You know the old saying, the bigger they are, the harder they fall!

Adrian slams the typhoon into Adonis and sends him flying through the air. Adrian’s eyes change to red.

Adrian: Boost!

Adrian thrusts himself towards Adonis as the giant begins his descent. Adrian points his arm toward Adonis. His palm starts to glow like magma, a grenade pin of fire appears out of Adrian’s bicep.

Adrian: Die.

Adrian rips the pin out of his arm, which fires out an intense nova toward Adonis. The flame hits Adonis’ back and shoots him even higher into the sky.

Adonis: AHHHHHHHHH!

Jagger trembles.

Jagger: He just sent Adonis into the stratosphere!

Adonis keeps going higher and higher until the nova subsides; Adonis then comes crashing down into one of the nearby cliff faces, leveling it and shaking the ground like an earthquake.

Adonis: *groans* Adonis… hurts…

Adrian lands safely on the ground next to Jagger.

Adrian: Pretty good for a first try.

Jagger: I hate cocky bastards like you!

Adrian: Hell pot, name’s kettle. You’re black.

Jagger: *frustrated grunt*

Hayze is woken up by the sound of Adonis crashing into the mountain top. He’s slow to his feet, groggy and holding his head.

Hayze: *groans* What the hell happened? One second we were talking, and the next, I’m waking up on the floor…

Hayze looks out the window and sees Adrian with Jagger.

Hayze: (What the hell? What’s he doing here!)

Hayze maneuvers to the window to get a better look outside.

Hayze: (Well, this isn’t good...)

Jagger gets to his feet.

Adrian: Ready for more?

Jagger: It’ll take more than a single punch to keep me down.

Adrian: Hm, Is that so?

Jagger wipes some blood from his face.

Adrian: Looks like that single punch did quite a number on you.

Jagger: You really think you’re all that, don’t you?

Adrian: No, I don’t. How old are you? 17? 18? I’m in my physical prime; if I wasn’t kicking your asses, that would be a problem.

Jagger: You remind me of the one I fought in the forest, Walker, was it?

Adrian: So you were one of the attackers, huh?

Jagger: Yes, I-

Adrian punches Jagger in the nose. Jagger falls to the ground holding his nose as blood spews from it.

Jagger: AHHHHH! DAMMIT! I think you broke it!

Adrian: That was for Rachel.

Jagger: Who the hell is Rachel!

Hayze continues watching from the window.

Hayze: (He seems to have this completely under control.)

Hayze notices Adonis trying to get to his feet.

Hayze: (That guy’s got horrible burns all over his back. Adrian must have tossed him around like a ragdoll. I guess Ewing wasn’t kidding when he said Adrian had Top 10 potential.)

Adrian surveys the battlefield. Adonis and Yusuf are almost back on their feet.

Adrian: (Judging by the big guy’s use of third-person speech, he’s probably dumb enough to keep running at me over and over. I’ll take these two out quickly and then finish him off without any distractions.)

Adrian turns his attention to Jagger as he pulls the pin on a toxic gas canister.

Adrian: (Speaking of which!)

Adrian leaps backward to avoid the gas as it engulfs Jagger. Yusuf puts on a gas mask and runs into the smokescreen.

Adrian: (So, they can work as a team, huh.)

Adrian notices some sweat dripping down his face.

Adrian: (Now I see what the kid has to deal with. This quirk is chewing away at my energy. No more games, I have to end this.)

Inside the smoke, Yusuf finds Jagger.

Yusuf: Jagger!

Jagger: *groans* Yusuf, you useless bastard! Heal me now!

Yusuf puts his hand on Jagger’s chest and makes a symbol with his other hand.

Yusuf: Curse of healing!

Jagger’s injuries begin healing. Jagger stands up.

Jagger: Come on, let’s get moving before the smoke clears!

Yusuf: Right!

Jagger and Yusuf start running in the opposite direction of Adrian.

Jagger: (Yusuf’s curse of healing sounds like a blessing on paper, but in exchange for healing a person’s injuries promptly, he shortens their lifespan, in addition to that, he can only use it once a day. No more get out of jail free cards. We have to play this smart now.)

Jagger and Yusuf hide behind a rock as the smoke clears.

Adrian: (Slippery little bastards, aren't they? I’m sure the bitchy one will try to poison me with a surprise attack, but that’ll never work.)

Jagger grinds his teeth.

Jagger: (Why the hell did Master only send me with Adonis and Yusuf? We had more firepower to take on children!)

Yusuf: Uh, Jagger?

Jagger: What is it!

Yusuf gets startled.

Yusuf: I think it’s time we changed our strategy. He’s too quick for either of us to do anything against.

Jagger: Yeah, and he’s shown that he has no problem going toe to toe with Adonis.

Yusuf: Do you have any ideas?

Jagger stares at Yusuf and starts smiling.

Yusuf: Oh no…

Hayze is still watching from the window.

Hayze: (Should I stay in here? Hm… I don’t know… someone knocked me out, and I have a feeling it wasn’t the villains. My head’s a little fuzzy… what did Adrian say before I-)

Hayze sees something in the window; his eyes widen.

Hayze: (Shit!)

Adrian is standing in place at high alert.

Adrian: (Come on out, you little-)

Yusuf walks out from behind the rock with his hands up.

Yusuf: I surrender!

Adrian: (Well, this is obviously a trap.) You know I’m going to kill you, right? Surrendering is meaningless.

Yusuf: I know... please just make it quick!

Adrian: Walk over here, keep your hands where I can see them.

Yusuf walks toward Adrian.

Adrian: And stop.

Yusuf stops right in front of Adrian.

Adrian: Where is your friend?

Yusuf: I- I don’t know, we got separated in the smoke-

Adrian: Give me your hand.

Yusuf: W- why?

Adrian: You gave the wrong answer. Now give me your hand or give me the correct answer.

Yusuf holds out his hand, Adrian promptly breaks Yusuf’s wrist. Yusuf falls to the ground holding his wrist, writhing in pain.

Yusuf: AHHHHHHHHH!

Adrian: Boy, you guys sure are stupid…

Adrian hears glass break behind himself; he turns around to see Hayze has jumped through his window holding Adrian’s backpack.

Adrian: Oh, what the hell, man!

Suddenly Adonis jumps onto Adrian’s house, eradicating it.

Adrian: AH FUCK ME!

Hayze looks back at the dust and debris that once was Adrian’s house.

Hayze: (Good thing I was paying attention to Adonis, I would have died if I didn’t.)

Hayze turns his attention to Adrian.

Hayze: Look out!

Adrian: What?

Adrian looks down to see Yusuf trying to grab his ankle with his broken wrist. Adrian steps on it.

Yusuf: AHHH! Please stop!

Adrian: *frustrated grunt* Thought you could pull a fast one on me, huh? You guys just destroyed a lot of stuff I care about, and now I’m gonna destroy you!

Hayze breathes a sigh of relief that Adrian fended off Yusuf’s sneak attack.

Hayze: (As long as Adrian is okay… I think we’ll be fine.)

Suddenly Hayze is grabbed by Adonis, dropping Adrian’s backpack in the process.

Hayze: AHH!

Adrian looks back to see that Hayze has been captured by Adonis.

Adrian: Hayze!

Adrian takes a step forward.

Jagger: Stop right there!

Adrian: What?

Jagger emerges from behind the rock.

Jagger: You may think you can save his life, but Adonis has him in a death grip! And with enough pressure, Adonis will break every bone in his body and kill him instantly.

Adrian: (The only way I can get him out of that is to use lightning speed, but that might take up the last of my energy!)

Jagger: We’re merciful people, though, and so we’re willing to make a deal.

Adrian: And what’s that?

Jagger: If you surrender and allow Yusuf to lock away your quirk, you can both live.

Adrian: And I assume you take the ring?

Jagger: Of course.

Adrian: Then that’s not happening!

Jagger chuckles.

Jagger: So what, you’re willing to let him die a gruesome death? Slow and painful as his bones and insides are crushed?

Adrian clenches his fists.

Adrian: (They’re desperate… they’re counting on me to cave in. If I don’t, then I’ll annihilate all three of them.)

Adrian grinds his teeth.

Adrian: I’m a guardian. I’m tasked with protecting the ring at all costs, even if it means allowing innocent people to die.

Jagger: Really? Because from what my Master says, you’re not really a guardian. You’re a hero pretending to be a guardian.

Adrian: What the hell does that mean?

Jagger: It means we don’t think you have the guts to let that kid die. You’re a hero, Adrian, and you’re going to make the decision a hero would make. So, what’s it gonna be?

A bead of sweat rolls down Adrian’s face.

Adrian: N- No deal.

Jagger: Alright then… Adonis? Let’s apply some… pressure.

Adonis starts crushing Hayze to death.

Hayze: AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

Adrian looks away.

Jagger: You’re not even gonna watch? You’re pathetic.

Adrian looks down at his hands.

Adrian: (I… I could stop this.)

“ Fatal: You’ve always dreamed of being a pro hero! “

“ Fatal: All those times we talked about being pros together, fighting alongside each other for real, were they all just lies? “

“ Fatal: The Adrian I’ve come to know and… he never would have done something like this! “

Adonis continues to crush Hayze.

Jagger: Last chance.

Adrian starts shaking.

“ Iota: I know it’s hard right now, but just remember: You’re doing this for something bigger than yourself, and that’s not something a coward does. It’s a form of bravery only a few people could ever understand. “

“ Adrian: We do have the same dream! But sometimes, you have to put what you want on the back burner so that you can do what’s best for others! “

“ Adrian: Sometimes you have to give even if you know you won’t receive because that’s the right thing to do. “

Adrian looks up toward the sky.

“ Fatal: Whatever! I don’t need to know where you’re going, because I never want to see you again! You’re not the friend I knew… you’re just a backstabbing coward. “

Adrian stops shaking.

Jagger: Alright, I can’t believe you’re actually just gonna let him die, Adonis! Finish-

Adrian: Stop!

Jagger looks at Adrian.

Jagger: What was that?

Adrian: You can have the ring.

Jagger gets a sinister smile on his face.

Jagger: Alright, we’ll complete the deal by having you walk over to Yusuf.

Yusuf: *groans*

Adrian: Fine.

Adrian kneels down next to Yusuf.

Jagger: Place your hand under Yusuf’s broken one.

Adrian does as he’s told. Yusuf makes a symbol with his other hand.

Yusuf: *groans* Curse of locking…

Adrian feels a force over his body, and a lock symbol appears on his forehead. Adrian’s eyes revert to normal, Yusuf passes out from exhaustion and pain. Adrian stands up and looks at Jagger.

Adrian: Now let him go and get your ring!

Jagger starts laughing hysterically.

Jagger: No.

Adonis throws Hayze against the ground; his body is battered and bruised all over.

Hayze: *groans*

Adrian watches in horror.

Adrian: We had a deal, you son of a bitch!

Jagger sucker punches Adrian.

Jagger: *whispers* I received two orders from my Master, retrieve the ring and kill Hayze. Your idiocy has given me the ability to check off both of those boxes.

Adrian falls to the ground holding his stomach in pain.

Adrian: Damn… you!

Adonis: Jagger, can Adonis please kill this one? Adonis likes to finish off his kills.

Jagger: *sighs* Fine, but you can’t say anything while I’m roughing this one up.

Adonis: Deal!

Adonis cracks his knuckles.

Adonis: Adonis is gonna enjoy this.

Hayze tries to get up, but he’s too weak.

Hayze: (I have to fight… otherwise… I’ll… die…)

Hayze looks up at Adonis, who is towering over him.

Adonis: Say, nighty night, tiny man!

Adonis picks up his foot and hovers it over Hayze.

Hayze: (There’s no way this is it… right? After all my work… everything I fought for… it all ends like this… being crushed by a literal giant idiot? This can’t be how it ends! But I don’t see a way out! It’s just like when I was fighting Justus, I wanted to keep going, to find an answer, a way to win, but I couldn’t because my body gave out on me!)

Adonis: Adonis is gonna make it slow and painful for you!

Adonis slowly starts lowering his foot.

Hayze: (I was born with a weak quirk, but all I wanted to do was be a hero! And I woke up cursing this stupid world every day for not giving me a chance! I finally got my lucky break, and look what happened! I got a quirk with a learner's manual that seemingly never ends! Then just when I finally find a perfect mentor for me… this happens. And now… I’m going to die…)

Adonis’ foot inches closer and closer to crushing Hayze.

Hayze: (I’m gonna die at the foot of an idiot, and I didn’t even get to put up a fight! You know how they say your life flashes before your eyes when you’re about to die… There are so many emotions pouring over my body, but there’s one that stands above all the others… The one that’s been building inside me since I was a child. My parents died, My quirk was weak, I had no friends, AND MY DREAMS WERE ON THE BRINK OF DEATH. THERE’S ONLY ONE WORD THAT CAN DESCRIBE EVERYTHING I FELT TOWARDS THIS WORLD!)

The whites of Hayze’s eyes change to black, his irises change to white.

Hayze: *In a deeper voice* HATE!