'Sorry that I can't be there with you in the end, Chief.'
Animation stood in the bakery, hands pressed against the window as Grimlin slowly died in that building.
She watched it through the windows like a movie. That was how she viewed every battle, whether she wanted to or not.
*Ding Ding*
Anima closed her eyes. She fixed her wizard's hat back on straight.
"Where...?"
Anima turned to the front door where a certain man had just walked through.
"Grimlin," she greeted. The man's head whipped around to her. "Anima..?" She smiled and slowly walked up to him. "You look well." Grimlin chuckled. "So do you." They hugged silently.
"Where are we?" the older man asked once separating.
Anima turned around and gestured to the bakery.
"Soft Blossom Bakery."
"Are we dead...?"
Animation closed her eyes for a second before opening them again.
"Yes."
-----
Anima and Grimlin cheered.
"We won!" They turned to each other and smiled. "The Quirkless Rejects won!"
-----
Grimlin raised a cup.
"To the opening of the Isle of the Quirkless."
Anima raised hers. "To the opening of the Isle of the Quirkless!"
*CLINK*
-----
Anima bit her lip. "I don't know how I feel about this new plan."
Grimlin nodded. "Me neither."
-----
They stared down at the Eiffel Tower. "Ooooh! France!"
-----
'Jester, Doom, Bubblegum, Fox and Fox, Butterfly, and Cateye. Also, that red and white-haired boy. I can't seem to remember his name-'
"No..." Anima whispered.
Grimlin sighed as he watched through the windows the letter being read. "I knew this would happen."
-----
'- after all, it's not like I know who I am writing to.'
"He really doesn't remember them?"
Grimlin shook his head sadly. "I guess not."
-----
"Oh! Cateye met up with them! This great!"
"I hope."
"What do you mean...?"
-----
"He remembered Todoroki! Yay!"
...
"Grimlin?"
...
-----
"Wait! He didn't mean it! They aren't betraying you!" Anima banged on the window.
Grimlin let out a gruff sigh.
"Go back..."
-----
"H- he doesn't remember... Aizawa?"
Grimlin narrowed his eyes at the scene in front of him. "No. He doesn't."
Anima choked on a sob.
-----
"Cateye went back to the Isle," Grimlin stated as Anima walked in from the kitchen with cups of coffee.
"Not surprised."
Grimlin accepted his cup. "Neither am I."
-----
"They aren't reading the letters anymore."
"Would you?"
...
-----
"Congratulations, Izuku." Grimlin clapped slowly. "You have officially made the world quirkless."
"But... at what cost?"
-----
"He talks as though he can hear him."
"Maybe Izuku can?" Anima questioned.
...
"Sure." Grimlin didn't sound convinced.
-----
"This is a bad idea."
"But he is suffering, Grimlin..."
Grimlin stood up. "Let's prepare to greet him."
"With what?" Anima asked, standing.
"A strawberry tart and strawberry-banana smoothie, of course."
-----
'I missed you so, so much.'
'Goodbye.'
-----
*Ding Ding*
Anima and Grimlin stood in front of the door as a familiar greenette walked through. His green eyes widened.
"A- Anima?"
She smiled.
"Grimlin?"
He grinned.
They held out the treats. "Welcome home, Izuku."
-----
Izuku watched the others live their lives without him. He never realized how much they were hurting until now. He wanted to reach out to them but for now...
*Ding Ding*
He turned his head as a raven-haired man walked through the door.
Their eyes met.
"Hey, Dad."
The man took in a sharp breath. Izuku could hear Anima and Grimlin giggle/chuckle behind him.
Izuku stood up as Dad rapidly closed the distance and took Izuku into a giant hug.
-----
Dad leaned on his son's shoulder as they watched.
"He'll be coming soon." Izuku nodded. He pulled a deck of cards from his pocket. "I know."
...
...
...
*Ding Ding*
A bi-colored male walked through the door. Izuku grinned when their eyes met. He tossed the deck of cards at the man who fumbled to catch them.
"Wanna play?" he asked nonchalantly.
Todo crossed the distance and hugged him tightly.
-----
"I bet he'll ask for a gun."
"That's kind of morbid, Deku," Todo sighed as they played cards.
"I know. But we are dead. We have the right to be."
"That's fair."
Anima walked over to them. "He's coming."
*Ding Ding*
All heads turned to face the front door.
Doom blinked a few times.
Izuku grinned. "Hey."
Doom scoffed. "Hey, Izuku."
-----
"Chill, she's coming. Give her time to, I don't know, die?"
Doom glared at Izuku but sighed. "I know."
'Good night, everyone....'
...
*Ding Ding*
A blonde-haired woman walked through the door. Anima 'aw''d as Doom shot up and rushed over to his wife and hugged her. Izuku looked away when they kissed.
-----
"He is going to kick open the door yelling."
"Bet."
*Ding Ding*
"HEY!!!"
"I win."
A ginger man strode through the bakery. "The whole gang is here! Well, most of them!" He waved to everyone in turn. "Hey Doom, Bubble, Anima, Grimlin, Izuku, Ai, Todoroki!"
Izuku raised a hand. "Sup, Jester."
-----
*Ding Ding*
Izuku turned his head. "Hey, Fox." Kiru turned to him. "Chief." He smirked. Izuku pats the chair next to him. "Give it a bit. He'll be joining us soon.
-----
*Ding Ding*
Izuku turned his head. "Hey, Fox." Siru turned to him. "Chief."
Kiru walked in and met eyes with his brother. They both blinked, opened their mouths, and simultaneously said:
"Hey."
-----
"Deku. He's coming."
Izuku exited the kitchen.
*Ding Ding*
A purple-haired man walked through the door. Todo came and stood beside Izuku. Izuku grinned.
"Glad you could make it," he said.
"That's really morbid," Shin commented.
"I know." They had their own brand of humor between the two of them.
-----
Anima bounced by the door.
"Calm down, man," Jester sighed. "It's like you want her to die or something."
"Hey!"
*Ding Ding*
A purple-haired woman walked through the door. Anima tackled her in a hug.
"Butterfly!"
"A- Animation!?"
Izuku chuckled.
-----
The ten of them gathered in the middle of the bakery.
Izuku smiled.
They smiled back.
"Let's go."
He opened the front door.
"Goodbye," Grimlin walked through into the void. The lights flickered in the bakery.
"Bye, guys." "See you around." Bubble and Doom exited. Flicker.
"See ya, guys!" Jester walked out. Flicker. The lights got dimmer.
"Goodbye." Anima left. Flicker.
"Bye," Fox left together. Flicker. The lights got dimmer.
"See you." "See you..." Todo and Shin disappeared. Flicker.
"See ya, kid." Dad left. Flicker. The lights got dimmer.
Izuku turned and looked at Soft Blossom Bakery. He smiled. "Goodbye."
Izuku left.
The door closed.
The lights went out in Soft Blossom Bakery. Forever.