😅

You sat in a chair across from Shinso. He continued to stand there in agony while you watched. Your hands were tied behind you, but he no longer froze the rest of you with his quirk.

Stefano could stop people in time, but it seemed to have something to do with his right eye. A similar function to Aizawa's quirk. You racked your brain for a solution - a plan to save Shinso and escape with your lives.

You'd be lying if you weren't feeling hopeless right now.

"Anger isn't the look I'm going for," Stefan frowned. He lifted your chin with the butt of his knife, "That stubbornness will fade."

"What did you do to me," you snapped, "Why is my quirk gone?"

He grinned, "It's simply a precaution. A sedative."

"A drug did this?"

"Ingenious, is it not? My new friend is quite talented. Young and inventive."

You deepened your glare, "You wanted me. Right? Here I am. So, let Shinso go."

"Go?" Stefano scoffed. He took a circle around your chair thoughtfully, "I've already been asked to keep you alive, for now. Could I really give up on another piece? When it's so close to finished?"

"You aren't going to make me into one of your hideous displays?" You asked.

He got deathly quiet, and then muttered something about critics, "My plan was to make a beautiful display with The Butcher's own blood. For a while, you were my muse. Unprofessionally, my obsession. Such a rich, destructive destiny in such an innocent little package."

Stefano paused, "This boy actually came for me. Imagine."

"Why would he..."

"He was after the press - to clear your name, I suspect. That quirk of his could have stopped me too if it had been working properly," he chuckled and pulled a tiny red item shaped like a bullet or tranquilizer, "In his defense, he had no idea I was looking for him too."

Oh, Shinso... you didn't.

You tried to meet Shinso's eye but he didn't look up.

"I thought you and Shigaraki went your separate ways," you said.

Stefano nodded, "Yes, his ideas suited me in the beginning. But his vision only went so far. It didn't excite me quite like the ideas of the young Yakuza leader. I guess you have him to thank for living another day..."

"Although, I could have made you a goddess," his eyes seemed to glaze over.

"The Yakuza..?" you scrambled to keep the conversation going, wanting to distract him for as long as possible, "What's with all the passing around?"

"A man like him is busy, I imagine. But don't worry, he'll come. Which reminds me..."

He faced Shinso, "We must hurry so I have time to sanitize you again. He won't take kindly to filth."

"No!" You tugged at your restraints.

Stefano adjusted the tripods all while humming as you continued to scream profanities at him.

"I will kill you," you cursed, "Let him go or your fate is sealed with me."

"You're still too angry, child," he shook his head, "This is a lover's death. I need mourning and terror!"

"I'll give you nothing!"

Stefano stood straight, looking annoyed. He stormed over to you and grabbed a handful of your hair. Your head was tilted all the way back so you were forced to look up at the lights and the dark outline of Stefano's face.

"Shall I tell you how it will happen then?" His cheery tone turned cold, "What better texture than brain matter to use for the mind-controller? Society won't miss him. His sacrifice is a blessing and a contribution to my gallery."

He harshly let your head drop back down but kept his cold glove against your cheek. His rage seemed to settle back into his euphoria, "Ah, flesh. Less malleable than clay. Softer than marble. It really is the perfect medium..."

You felt a tiny spark. Was it your quirk? Was the drug wearing off? You didn't dare react in case he caught on.

"You're sick in the head," you said.

"And you're just like them," he spat, "You want to stop me. But you fail. And with the power the Yakuza regains, I will be able to make my art forever."

He was acting lost in his mania now, "No more pandering to the uneducated opinions of callow neophytes. No more rejection from crude simpletons! Finally free to be what I've always been... an artist. The world will finally recognize the name 'Stefano Valentini!'

Your tone lowered, "You're a monster. And no one will believe otherwise."

He took a step back, analyzing you, "That's rich. Coming from you. This game or distraction has been entertaining... but even the greatest entertainments must come to an end."

From his coat pocket, he drew a small black square. Your heart sped so quickly you worried it would explode. Just like the bomb in Shinso's mouth...

He's going to blow up Shinso's head. Right here. Right now.

You pulled at the rope binding your hands until you felt your skin breaking. Tears fell from your eyes but the only sounds you made were earnest breaths.

"Picasso had his blue period. I have entered my crimson period!" Stefan raised the detonator.

"No! Don't!"

"Behold! My greatest creation!"

You held your breath. How could this happen? Why did it have to be Shinso? Was it your fault...

All of this.

Your fault.

A black cloud manifested beside Stefano, and a hand emerged from its depths. It tapped the device with its finger and it turned into a small, blue marble. Stefano didn't even realize it until his thumb pressed down on nothing but air.

The warp disappeared, and you let the air escape your lungs.

"What was that..." he said.

Stefano glowered at you accusingly, but his face fell when he heard a ruckus from the adjacent room with the sculptures.

"Who would dare disturb my sanctum!" His entire body flashed, and he disappeared before your eyes. A teleportation quirk too? You tried not to worry about it now and focus on getting yourself free.

"Need an assistant?"

You looked up and couldn't help but smile, "Compress..."

"A grand entrance, wouldn't you agree?"

"Yes... very much."

The masked villain tipped his hat and began working on your hands, "You couldn't have waited a minute longer? This is going to sting."

"I didn't know you were coming!"

"Of course, my dear," he finished the knots and you felt the sweet release of your limbs. Looking at them now, the damage you'd done to them looked gnarly. But you hardly minded.

You didn't waste any time in reaching Shinso. Now that the detonator was secured, you wanted that bomb out and away first thing. He allowed you to untie his gag this time.

"Relax," you said, "This is probably going to suck..."

He nodded, and you pulled the small explosive from his lips. You stared at it, a little unsure what to do. Compress walked up to you and took it off your hands, also trapping it in a small marble.

"A dangerous toy for kids to play with," he stated.

The tricky part would be getting the razor wire off, but you didn't exactly have time to be as slow as you'd like. You grabbed both sides of Shinso's face and pressed your forehead against his, "Hang in there. This is the sucky part."

"Do it," he said, wincing from the wire around his neck.

"Allow me," Compress wiggled his fingers, "Perhaps you should support the boy in case he falls over."

"O-oh. Okay..." you nodded. You scooped under Shinso's buff arms while Compress did whatever he was doing.

Instead of pulling the wires off one by one, Compress touched each individual string and they all shrank into tiny marbles. With every marble that hit the hard ground, Shinso growled into your shoulder in pain.

When the final wire was loose, Shinso's body collapsed. You both came crashing down, with his heaviness on top of you. It didn't matter to you right now that your goods were likely exposed from beneath your robe for everyone to see. He felt cold except for his face which was burning up.

"Shinso," You wrapped your arms around him, not wanting to let go, but you knew you had to, "I need to get you out of here... can you stand?"

"Okay..." was all he could mumble. But you knew he had no strength left.

"If I may," Compress offered, "I can secure him in one of these," he flashed one of the blue marbles, "We can escape with him much easier that way."

"You're sure it won't hurt him?" You asked, "I don't think he can handle much more."

"Positive."

"Okay. But I get to hold onto him," you said.

Compress hesitated for a moment but gave a gentle bow, "As you wish."

"Humor me a little longer, okay Hitoshi?" you tried to smile, "I'll get you home."

He could barely open his eyes, but his fingers rubbed your arms with the little strength they had. You looked up at Compress and gave him the go-ahead.

Like magic, Shinso and his entirety shrank to fit into the blue marble. You caught it in your hand and held it tightly against your chest.

"What have you done!"

You and Compress turned to follow the noise Stefano was making. The fun wasn't over yet, but you felt far more confident with Shinso in hand. You slipped the marble into your robe pocket.

With great difficulty, you entered the horror factory again to see him facing off with Shigaraki. Since the two could warp and zap themselves around the room, it was an endless game of cat and mouse. Stefano only stopped when he saw you, and the charming facade he wore on his face had fallen off.

"Stupid girl," he hissed, "Do not think you have won!"

He teleported several times before appearing in front of you. His knife was raised and you quickly caught his arm. For such a slender man, his rage gave him impressive strength. The knife fought to pierce your neck and you were losing.

Compress sprang into action, but Stefano dodged him yet again using his quirk.

"Still too slow, Mr. Compress!" Stefano appeared in a flash and slashed the performer in the arm and then across the chest.

Compress fell back, and put pressure on his wounds. Kurogiri emerged in all his dark misted glory, preparing an escape for you and Compress.

"Not on my watch!" Stefano exposed his right eye.

"Look out!" You said, but Kurogiri was trapped. Even the warp villain couldn't bend time.

Without him, you were all at a disadvantage with Stefano's ability to move about. Even if you had your quirk you would have to touch him, and he could easily get away.

With Compress assessing his arm's mobility and Kurogiri down, Stefano turned his attention to you. You readied yourself for him to appear anywhere, so when he showed up behind you, you drove your elbow into his stomach. He gasped, head naturally bent down, and you shoved your palm into his nose making a loud crack!

Blood poured from his nose, "... I agreed... to keep you alive. But I see, circumstances change."

He held his knife at eye level, "Overhaul will simply have to piece you back together himself!"

"Valentini."

You both stopped at the raspy voice that addressed him.

"I've been meaning to give my critique. All of your greatest works... in one room," Tomura held his hands open at his sides, "I'll let you know what I think, shall I?"

🤷‍♀️⚠️

The pale-haired villain crouched down and put both hands on the floor. Immediately, the tile began to crack. The crumbling decay spread like a disease and covered the human sculptures. One by one, the "art" turned into piles of gray dust. The bodies that were held up by strings crashed to the floor in a white cloud.

Uh, oh. Shigaraki leveled up...

Stefano stumbled. "You dare to destroy my work? You expect me to bend to your will!"

The decay stopped before it reached your feet, the walls however were beginning to part. A large crack split all the way up to the ceiling.

You heard Stefano's heavy breaths. His leather glove squeaked as he tightened his grip around his knife.

"Trash," Tomura said, his red eyes narrowed tauntingly, "And you're a lame final boss."

"This... means nothing," Stefano's voice shook, "I will have my rebirth. Beginning with all of you."

Tomura's plan to turn the attention on himself worked briefly, but you were closer. Stefano swung his knife down, and you caught him by the wrist.

Ochaco showed you a trick from her internship. You carried his momentum until you could nail him to the floor, your knee at the base of his spine.

But you forgot he teleports...

His body was gone and you face-planted into the tile. You felt him behind you now, tugging on your hair and turning you over. The knife went into your shoulder and you screamed.

"That's it..." Stefano said, "Once more, for the photo, dear..."

This is it. You saw Tomura running towards you, but he wasn't going to make it. He was actually trying to save you. He was even calling your name...

You didn't think a villain would be trying to save you when you died.

The pain was excruciating, and it felt easy to just give up. Let it happen. But you remembered the marble in your pocket. If you died, who would get Shinso home?

There's only one way...

As you watched the knife make its way towards you a second time, you focused on the spark - that small hope that your quirk returned to you. Tomura was right, you held back. Always have. What if you let go just this once? Save yourself and Shinso. And even the villains who decided to help you. Stop this man from ever hurting anyone else ever again.

Ever again.

Tomura ran but he wasn't faster than the knife. After all this, some idiot psychopath in fancy shoes was going to end you? Just like that?

His queen. Gone.

Could he decay the floor? He was able to control his quirk more than ever before, but he wasn't quite sure how still. Would it be fast enough? He cursed his weakness.

"(Y/N)!"

Why am I shouting out like some kinda lame hero...

I just wanted to save you.

Tomura heard Stefano, not you, howling in pain. How could that be? What did she manage to do?

A red light was beginning to glow from where your body lay. The floor vibrated beneath his feet, but it wasn't the aftermath of his decay. This was you.

Stefano was thrown off you and landed on his back. He made to teleport, but you pounced on him like a wild animal. Your eyes were emitting a red light. A dark aura swirled around you, mixing in with the red. Stefano muttered something, and you smiled.

With one swift movement, you grabbed his head and snapped his neck.

She... did it.

As soon as you were certain Stefano was dead, the darkness dispersed. Your (E/C) returned. When you looked down at what you had done, you broke.

You were a shaking mess. You were crying so hard that you couldn't breathe properly. Blood spread from your shoulder into your robe and your hair was a knotted mess.

Beautiful.

"(Y/N)..." Tomura finally reached you. It didn't seem like you heard him, so he pulled you away from Stefano. Your trembling body wasn't going to hold up, so once you were off, Tomura let you fall to your knees and even crouched down with you.

"Look at me," he said. He brushed the hair and tears out of your face. Your eyes were still focused on the person you just killed.

"Look. (Y/N)," he repeated.

The tears didn't stop, but you obeyed. The distress was clear on your face. He could see your very soul crumbling. Sure, he would've liked this to hurt you a lot less, but now, maybe, you could finally accept him.

"You did what you had to," Tomura smiled.

You shook your head and scrunched your eyes shut, "I... c-can't take it back... I can't g-go back. I don't know w-what t-to do..."

Tomura slid his arms around your waist into a hug. At first, you didn't do anything, and he was okay with that. Eventually, you gave in and desperately clung to his neck. Your wet, tear-stained face soaked his shirt.

"I'm here for you," Tomura pressed his nose into your hair and kissed your ear.