Betrayal

Three days.

Three days I've been left in this cell.

No food.

No water.

A metal slab for a bed and a drain in the ground as a toilet.

If I use my lightning, I'll electrocute myself as everything is metal.

As far as I know, this isn't the police station. No, this is far worse.

That sick bastard took me to the little brother of the famous prison: Erebus.

Tartarus is for the most dangerous Villains. Erebus is for those who are in between that and normal Villains.

Scratching my ankle, I watched a guard walk past, staring at me.

"They keep getting younger, don't they…."

I merely watched as he disappeared before sighing.

Staying in here is making my nerves jumpy. If Pyro's managed to weasel his way into the justice system, then how fucked am I?

He's already got my blood, so he can easily taint the evidence. There's also obvious evidence of my Quirk, and it's much more believable to say I did it instead of Pyro manually lighting a fire; we live in a world dominated by Quirks.

Fuck! What am I supposed to do! I'm too young for this shit!

"Shiki Akihiko."

"The system is rigged," I grumbled, standing up to get my food.

A sludge of potato and a cold piece of meat.

Taking the tray, I sat on the edge of my bed and picked at my first portion of food in days.

…bleh, tastes like shit.

Well, the one good thing in this shit-hole is that I'm still in my clothes, even if it is a school uniform. I've still got the card that Kurogiri guy gave me, I just need to steal a phone now.

Thud

The guard walked off as I sat on the edge of my bed, blatantly ignoring the key resting there.

Kurogiri

He's the only one I can think responsible.

Still… this key will be my last resort. There has to be something- anything that can support my case as an innocent. I'll trust the justice system. Pyro has to have made a mistake somewhere. All I need is a tiny crack to exploit him.

. . .

"Shiki kun… all the evidence points towards you."

. . .

"Just admit that you're guilty, Akihiko san."

. . .

"Our detectives have confirmed your genetics on the crime scene. You Are Pyro. Admit it."

. . .

"Please stop denying us the truth. You are only making it harder for yourself."

. . .

"Think about the families you've ruined! Just hand yourself over already!"

. . .

"Disgusting Villain… just die already."

. . .

It hurts.

It's raw and bloody and painful and dumb and stupid and just absolute crap.

I'm fucked. It's as simple as that.

"Shiki Akihiko… if you will not say anything, then I'll take your answer as denial. If your answer is denial, then you will stand a trial in front of all those angry families. Do you really want that? Do you want to suffer more public humiliation?"

Slowly, I looked up, hair blurring my vision.

"Pyro," I muttered. "He's apart of the force... uses it as an alibi."

The voice sighed in frustration.

"You are Pyro," the voice said. "All the evidence points towards you."

"I saw it in a game a while back," I said softly. "Don't know if it's true or not, but an analyst of murder scenes worked with the force... he was the criminal in the game, and the way he avoid being caught was simple."

I glared at the camera and speakerphone in the corner, feeding the key through my sleeves.

"Since he checked the scene himself, his genetics would be over everything, whether intentional or not. In order to not taint the evidence, they'd simple remove any traces of his genetics on the scene when using technology. Fingerprints, hair, blood: you may not believe me, or you may be with that bastard yourself, but... I'm being set up."

"Stop denying us the truth!" The interrogator snapped. "You're only making this harder for yoursel-ack!"

The lights flicked off as the static of the mic disappeared.

Hearing the door slam open, the lights turned on again, revealing a tall soldier garbed in black.

"I'm looking for a Shiki Akihiko," a man in full tactical gear said.

Twisting the key into the lock, my handcuffs popped open as I stood up, lightning flickering around me.

"Who are you."

The man lifted his slate-black mask to reveal wisps of void, his rifle slung over his chest.

I scoffed.

"A redundant question, Kurogiri. Why are you here?"

The man tilted his head as his mask slid back into place.

"You are merely a secondary objective," Kurogiri said. "Do you know how to use a gun?"

"Nope."

I caught the bracelets tossed at me as Kurogiri readied his assault rifle.

"Follow me. Follow my actions."

Stepping outside, I immediately blanched at the desecrated lobby.

Warped, jagged metal pierced guards, bodies riddled with bullets or slashed open. Scarlet splattered the ceiling and soaked the floors and walls, lights flickering weakly

Pushing down the bile in my throat, I spat to the side as Kurogiri watched me.

"You're doing better then others already. Let's go."

Making our way down the hallway, Kurogiri always kept his gun up, searching every corner as we slowly approached a blanket of darkness.

Stopping before the true dark, Kurogiri flicked on a flashlight before moving forwards.

"So, what're we looking for?"

Making our way through another hallway, we turned a corner to reveal open cell doors in the harsh light.

"Classified."

I sighed silently before Kurogiri froze, flicking his flashlight off.

"Hide, now."

Using sparks of lightning to guide myself, I made my way behind a door as Kurogiri melted into the darkness.

"…command said who's behind the attack?"

"Not yet. Keep your ears open though, they're still in the area."

Peeking the corner, two men in gear similar to Kurogiri's slowly approached, flashlights sweeping the hallway.

"Akihiko san."

-! Geezes

I glared at Kurogiri behind me.

"Don't fucking scare me like that," I whispered angrily.

"Can you transfer lightning to objects?"

I frowned.

"I don't see why not," I replied softly.

Placing my hand on the cell door, I sent a spark through. Immediately, the lights behind me flashed briefly.

"…"

thud thud thud thud

Damn, they're getting closer.

Pressing my hand against the floor, I discharged random bursts of electricity.

Suddenly, random lights in the hallway flashed, creating a weak strobe-light effect.

"…the hell?"

Looking up, I saw Kurogiri nod and immediately stopped, casting us in pitch black again.

THUNK

Gunshots echoed at the end of the hallway as two suppressed shots used them as cover.

Hearing two bodies hit the ground, Kurogiri's flashlight flickered to life as we moved forwards again.

Stopping by the bodies, I crouched and went through their pockets. Wallets, phones and keys, I took one of their pistols.

"Here."

Kurogiri took the pistol and flicked off what I'm assuming is the safety.

"Button on the side is mag release, pull back the slide when you reload."

"Thanks."

Snatching a spare mag from one of the bodies, we continued forwards.

Heh, didn't think I'd be breaking out of prison in my life. Still… I glanced at Kurogiri, checking a small cell before closing the door.

…this isn't good. An escape attempt from the Villain, 'Pyro', is enough for them to find me guilty, and after those interrogations, there's no hope for me there.

The justice system is rigged. Before even standing trial, it's already betrayed me. Villains have infected our system and I don't doubt that corrupt politicians support them and enforce laws that are detrimental to our society. Heroes like All Might most likely don't worry about the political sides of the spectrum either, and politicians would do the same.

That's why….

Click

…this, 'society', this 'world', we live in….

…I'll change it. Brick by brick, stone by stone, I'll suffer through it all.

I've always wondered why people are labeled villains for the most mundane of reasons, but I think I understand a little bit now.

Bringing the pistol up, Kurogiri looked back and nodded before increasing his pace.

I've got to do this.

Himiko Toga didn't know what to do.

One minute she was eating dinner with her bestie's family quietly, all wondering how he became a Villain. And then in the next, chao ensued.

"Oba san!"

"Ru-!"

SLAM

Himiko gasped as the ceiling collapsed, crushing Shiki's mother. Timber and flames and concrete debris rained down as heated air choked the inhabitants.

Himiko stumbled backwards, her foot stepping on something squishy.

Looking down, she screamed.

A crushed head looked back.

"N-No…. …this c-can't be happening…."

Crimson flames licked the ceiling as it raced across the floor, smoke creating a thicker layer by the second as Himiko swayed forwards, racing to escape the burning building.

The fire raged and became fiercer and hotter and disappeared as Himiko burst out the front door, smoke instantly billowing out as she coughed violently.

"O-Obaa san... Touka chan..."

"Move!"

Himiko gasped as a man pushed her aside and rushed in.

"W-Wait Spark sama!"

A smaller body in a similar costume rushed past Himiko as she stumbled down the stairs.

Coughing violently, she rubbed her eyes as tears fell hidden, sirens wailing nearby.

"Fire Department! Everyone evacuate!"

Choking on tears, Himiko took a step down only to trip. Rolling down the stairs, painful bumps covered her body as she rolled to a stop.

"Follow me."

Feeling a heavy hand lift her, Himiko blinked away some tears as a firefighter began to drag her away from the house.

"You aren't safe here, Toga san. It's dangerous for you now."

Himiko gasped as a ripple of pain emanated from her ribs.

Turning a corner, Himiko managed to pull herself free.

Holding her ribs, panting heavily and enduring the pain that made her want to stop and cry and scream and sleep, Himiko glared at the firefighter, his face covered by shadows.

"W-Who... ...are y-you?"

The firefighter sighed before quickly looking around.

"Who I am is not important," he said quickly. "But your safety is paramount."

"Why?" Himiko gasped as she fell to one knee, whimpering. "W-Why me? W-Why not s-save the o-others as w-well?"

"We tried," the man said bluntly. "And we failed. All that matters now is that we protect you."

Clang

Whipping around, the firefighter glared at the figures slowly approaching them from behind.

"Listen, there are people who want to hurt you, kill you, and possibly darker things than that," he snapped. "My organization will protect you, and if we fail to do so, then we will have failed."

"Himiko Toga!" The firefighter shouted. "You are Shiki Akihiko's accomplice! To this, we swear to complete the mission we have been given!"

"A-And which group a-are you?"

Despite not being able to see his face, Himiko felt his smirk from a distance as his uniform began to float, currents of air swirling around his body.

"The League of Villains."

AN: Merry Chrysler