Chapter XI

                                    

                                          
There was no telling how long it had been. Izuku had been gifted a small room, and clothes that were just a tad bit too big for him. The only thing in the bleak and lifeless room was his hero journal, sitting on the nightstand that stood at his bedside.
Kurogiri brought food routinely, All for One had since called for Izuku, ever since that horrible evening when he had seen horrors beyond his wildest nightmares. Ever since the very earth seemed to respond to him.
He didn't understand, it made no sense that leaves and small sticks would shake violently when he approached them. As if his presence affected them. He didn't have a quirk, he knew that. But that never shadowed the idea that somehow something manifested inside of him.
Perhaps that was just his mind trying to compensate for the horrors and agony-filled memories he had made in the span of a week.
In one week, he lost his father to the hands of a Pro Hero, who was no doubt one of his mother's infidelity partners.
In one week, he had found both of his soulmates and learned within one second that the dream of having two people in this life that would love him just as he was, is nothing more than that. A dream.
In one week, he had been taken by a horrifying man that apparently had an obsession with mutilated monsters in tanks. And experienced agony beyond his greatest fears.
Izuku didn't leave his room unless Kurogiri was with him, the man would stop by his room routinely an hour after he had delivered lunch. The two would go outside to a park somewhere and walk around for a while, for the sake of Izuku's health he said. Izuku had no clue where they always went to, they always traveled by the strange portal vortex.
Though one night, Izuku couldn't handle the sleepless night any longer. He couldn't handle the way he felt as though he was a caged animal on display. Free to be prodded and watched without any opinion on the matter.
Izuku grabbed his hero journal and silently snuck out of his room, not even bothering to zip up the jacket he was given or put on his shoes that had long since been ruined by his own blood, despite the knowledge of the freezing weather outside.
The boy saw the door to the building. He sighed in relief at the prospect of freedom, only a few feet away. Izuku was careful of the floorboards, inspecting each before placing his full weight on them. But just as he was only a foot away from the door, the sound of another door creaking made his neck snap to the man that now stood behind him.
Izuku jumped when he saw the large man, who only stood with his arms crossed behind his back, smiling at the boy as if he had just done something extraordinary.
"You may leave if you wish. But I promise you, not one person will help you. You will see for yourself how this world needs to change." All for One stated calmly, unmoving. Even as Izuku went wide-eyed and slowly reached behind him for the door handle.
Izuku wasted no time in opening the door and running, sprinting as fast as his legs could carry him away from the old building, his feet stinging from the cold, becoming numb as the snow turned his toes pale. The boy didn't know where he was, but it didn't matter. If he could find a Pro Hero, a police officer, anyone at all that could help him. He could go home, or at least he could go back to Mrs. Tori and Hita. Surely, they could help him.
Izuku exhaled shakily in relief once he spotted a police officer, he ran forward to the man who was leaning against his cop car. "Please! I need-." Though before Izuku could finish, the man pulled out his baton, pointing it at Izuku threateningly. The greenette stopped quickly, digging his heels into the ground, stopping himself only a few feet away from the cop.
"What do you think you're doing kid?!" The officer shouted, glaring at Izuku.
"I just need help! Please!" Izuku pleaded desperately, looking behind him frantically, horrified that he would be followed by one of the monsters.