--

Belenus found out the perfect plan for him. And he felt good about it. Nothing satisfies him more than taking pleasure from the strongest being that grab his emotions. He never realise it before, but after Tokoyami refreshes his memories, the amplification of his desires started from there. He wants nothing more than to watch the bird teen suffer in his hands.

His sadistic hunger definitely cause him to be impulsive, but he does have a plan.

And everything is according to his plan, his emotions built from Tokoyami's torture was just a reward.

His Plan A was to quicken his quirk's crystal growth to give him more options.

Tokoyami made many gurgled sounds naturally, produced from his attempts to breathe.

"How adorable." He muttered under his breath.

It was incredible how Belenus had been able to keep Tokoyami on the verge of life and death. It was similar to sex, preventing the climax from occurring as you last as long as possible. It is a talent he acquired from his previous victims.

His eyes glinted with mischief as his list increases. Hands gripping Tokoyami harder, causing the bird teen to make higher-pitched, constrained sounds.

"I wonder what else can make you produce more adorable sounds, Toko. Be my 'friend', come on, start by satisfying me!" He heard his manic voice whisper out, his mouth right next to Tokoyami's ears. (Concealed within his feathers).

He felt Tokoyami shudder under his grip as he relaxed his strained muscles from constant use.

Humph, just as expected, he is hard to break.

Belenus blue eyes danced around the room, eyeing all of his toys that he settled around the room. Something caught his attention, a dangling rope from the ceiling...

Within 2 seconds, he managed to push the chair with such force, the legs broke. Tokoyami was pushed right where he wanted him to be.

"Who says strangling are only for hands and necks?" He whispered. Tokoyami tensed further.

He glanced at Tokoyami. He coughed and spluttered, eyes shut tightly from the pressure.

"You look amazing." His deep voice trembled. This time, Tokoyami didn't react; he was smart enough to not focus on his words any longer.

He flipped him over and carried out his idea...

He was having so much fun... He had lost control over his body. It was a similar sensation to being drunk.

He wasn't worried. That's because he was waiting...

for his next move to arrive... ...

He saw a dark silhouette materialize beneath him. Tokoyami was facing him again, blood in his beak.

He looked down and saw what it looks to be half of a talon disappear into his gut...

But he smiled.

Finally.

--

Tokoyami coughed blood as he tried recovering his throat. His broken ribs had probably punctured his body somewhere, causing internal bleeding.

Dark shadow ripped off his bonds, leaving him to retch as he curled up into a ball, grabbing his bruised throat and chest.

All he felt was pain. It did not leave him. He never felt so vulnerable before. This was the first time he has broken a bone, dark shadow was always protecting him from harm.

He had taken them for granted. Now all he felt was pain.

There was a groan from the villain as Dark Shadow removed his talons. However, it was accompanied with a laugh.

His laugh died, replaced with an angry snarl.

Just as Dark Shadow thought, he was baiting Tokoyami to kill him. It must've been a trap to trigger off something...

His friends' death.

Dark Shadow took a while to notice his host still wriggling on the floor.

Hey, are you OK?

Tokoyami's coughs worsened, spitting out more blood.

Tokoyami! Oh God, please... Don't give up now! Don't die on me...

Tokoyami flinched, waking up as if he was in a dream. He never head Dark Shadow felt so apprehensive before. Despite all the insubordination, he still secretly cared for him.

He almost forgot. Dark shadow was actually the only one who supported him, despite being the root of his problems as well. Now he was revealing his compassion for him. He got to recover... He got to get a grip.

That's right, I still have my friends to save.

He decided to communicate with Dark Shadow telepathically since his voice was damaged. He wasn't about to reveal his plans to Belenus either.

I'm sorry I worried you.

Dark Shadow stayed silent.

"Why? WHY? F**KING WHY? " Belenus shouted, gurgling in his blood.

" So it's true... Belenus, y.. you can stop hiding it now, you wanted... *cough* us to kill you, right? "

Seeing his plan get deciphered so easily, it shook Belenus. His eyes went wild and started shouting curses at Tokoyami.

"You could've killed my *cough* *hack* friends anytime, but y... you didn't, you wanted me to... suffer. You wanted *hack* me to feel guilty. You... you monster." Tokoyami managed.

"And you foiled it, you f**ker. Now go f**k yourself. See if you can take thi-"

*THWACK*

Belenus was knocked out cold by Dark Shadow.

Tokoyami knew what was coming if he hadn't stop him. He would've killed his friends without a thought. He thanked his quick judgemental skills as he doubled over and vomited blood on the floor.

Hey, you need to go to the hospital now!

No, this guy's dangerous. Once he wakes, death to all our friends would be immediate

How do we save them then?

Tokoyami thought back to when Belenus bright him to the vision. He recalled Belenus touching him.

He stumbled forward, straight into Belenus' limp body. He grabbed onto his neck... Nothing. He made Belenus grab his neck again, his hands felt like electric shocks on Tokoyami's skin, but nothing.

He looked down and saw Belenus' large wound; the bleeding had stopped. He had limited time until Belenus woke up again. It was incredible how he survived Tokoyami's first attack when they were in preschool, maybe because it was meant to. Now he had created a similar hole right below it.

Tokoyami's coughs seemed to be less frequent, making Dark Shadow to relax a little.

There was a metallic shimmer on the hole to his heart as he took off his shirt to examine the wound. A cap was covering the hole that Belenus had. He never noticed it the first time; he was shown without the cap on (obviously).

oh, that's it! Tokoyami realised something.

He opened the cap and saw his heart. There was some visibility as they were in a bright room. Dark Shadow was able to materialise as they were not in direct light, being pushed to the rope torture.

He reached out his hand and grabbed onto his heart. He tried reaching mentally to grab at his deepest emotions; apparently the scene with Belenus ironically. When he opened his eyes again, he was back into the vision, this time, dark shadow was more apparent, floating beside him with his soul connected to his.

His actual body (more like an outline) was seen passed out whilst gripping on Belenus' heart.

The pain that was constantly bothering him was gone.

"Yeah"

" I guess we'll find that out. "

" Well, I have an idea... "

Tokoyami thought of the memories about his classmates, more specifically, the memories about his classmates' memories.

As he thought, the collided memories caused an attraction. 19 portals appeared in sight.

He approached the first portal, inside was memories of a green-haired girl. How did he know? He saw visions of him fighting ectoplasm. Which means this is Asui Tsuyu.

"Shut it. This isn't the time."

Tokoyami walked through the portal, revealing the frog girl's heart. He grabbed on the crystal and gave it a tug.

Unnaturally, it came off easily, shrinking in his hand...

"Wait... F**K!"

The crystal seemed to be generating an aura that's bending light. He'd seen before what this may occur if it were to stay in the air. Nuclear Fusion would occur. An explosion would be certain and his existence and one-third of the country would be erased.

Without thinking, he shoved the crystal into wherever he could hide it into. Unfortunately, that place was his heart. He looked in horror as he saw the crystal moving within his soul.

It felt unstable somehow. That was when it came to him. The crystals will be unstable if it is moved without their master's consent.

However, it seemed to be less unstable within Tokoyami's soul. Tokoyami had decided on his newfound plan and started collecting the crystals from the next student. It was a viable solution to him. Unfortunately, not for another entity.

"... "

" I'm sorry. "

"I'm not going to put the crystals back. It's too risky to even try. I will forever feel guilty if something happened to them."

"Time for us is running out, Dark Shadow. This is my only thought now and it's better than nothing at all."

"... What will happen to you?" Tokoyami looked at his sentient quirk guiltily. He had forgotten about the well being of his quirk.

"You have a body?!" he gawked in surprise. Dark Shadow nods.

"Well, you should be happy, to finally gain control of your soul."

Dark shadow protested.

Tokoyami gulped at that sentence, a lump at his throat. Like brothers...

He felt his eyes water as he lost count on how many students he had done.

" I wish we had spent more time togeth-" his voice broke.

"One of my... my lifelong dream was to get along with you a... and fight alongside with you."

"We never really did laugh together, did we... "

Tokoyami looked down at his heart to see how many he'd planted in his soul.

2... 4... 6... 8... 9

He seemed to be able to fit much more crystals into his heart than Belenus could. Belenus had such a small heart.

However, his heart doesn't have infinite room. By the 11th crystal, he was unable to find room for more.

There were still 8 left...

"Dark shadow, will eight crystals cross by the boundary to the real world?"

"But will it contain the explosion?"

"Good. We're in the middle of the forest anyways. Fatalities should be down to almost 0."

If they were in the middle of the city, he had to resort to taking people's lives using the crystals. It was much better than sacrificing the entire city. (only a city as it is contained.)

He had to think of something... Dark shadow seemed to explore his surroundings a bit as Tokoyami sat (tried to, at least), deep in thought as he tackled his problem.

He did not notice his quirks actions until too late.

He looked up and saw Dark Shadow through the portal.

!!

"DARK SHADOW! WHAT ARE YOU-" Tokoyami ran forward, just in time to see his quirk placed a crystal in his own soul.

"You could've had another chance in life!"

Tears welled up in his eyes. He couldn't contain it any longer. He rolled over and started sobbing on the floor.

Dark shadow continued to gather the remaining crystals, leaving the bird teen to collect his emotions.

I'm... I'm sorry...

..

Dark Shadow, I love you.

Oh shut it. You knew what I meant.

Dark Shadow did. He did sense his love to him, brotherly love.

Tokoyami recovered as he saw Dark Shadow returning.

" That would be enough. We'll be using the last crystal to destroy his existence. " Tokoyami said, his beak pointing at Belenus.

He wasn't going to allow anyone to get knowledge of his quirk. It would be a dangerous weapon for humanity to wield.

As he walked back, he willed the portal to get close to his actual body. Planting the bomb at any location may have disastrous consequences. Butterfly effect, as they were called.

Tokoyami approached his body, finding the silhouette of his and Belenus' body...

Only finding out that Belenus was conscious...

And had a knife in hand, hovering above Tokoyami's body.

*SHRINK!*