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CHAPTER START---
---November 22nd…
'Hawks, I really hope you're right about this,' Shigaraki thinks as he exits the stairwell, walking onto the roof of a 30-story building. 'Because if you're not, if he goes against his orders to take me in alive…'
In the distance he sees UA at the city's edge, sitting atop its forlorn hill.
Under the midday sun, he could see balloons and the tops of tents spread across the campus as the UA Culture Festival was underway.
Shigaraki rolls his eyes and removes his hoodie, feeling the sun on his skin while stretching his limbs.
He then walks to the edge of the roof and leans against the concrete railing."What, are you going to make me wait all day?" He asks aloud before looking around, not seeing anyone else on the roof. "I'm honestly surprised I was able to get this close to UA, are you that distracted by those sheep?"
'Maybe his guard is already dropped,' Shigaraki thinks as he leans against the barrier again. 'My capture will definitely lower it even more. Then at the Hero Billboard Ranking Event, Lightshot—'
"I was just curious about what you were doing."
Shigaraki doesn't bother turning around to look at Horizon.
He also doesn't respond as the footsteps get closer.
"I'm surprised nobody recognized me, I took the damn train to get here," Shigaraki says as Horizon stands beside him.
Then Horizon confuses him, by placing two glasses of brown liquor on the railing.
"What is this, poison?"
Horizon chuckles. "If I kill you, I'd want the credit. This is to celebrate the end of our journey, and to thank you for how much you've helped me."
"And how exactly did I help you?" Shigaraki turns to face him, leaning against the barrier and looking up at the man.
"Because, without you, there could be no me. The world needed you, to justify the existence of me."
"So that's why you were dragging your feet about capturing me. Using their fear of me to let you get away with whatever you want, because you're the only person who can stop me."
"Yeah, but I don't need you anymore, so I decided to end this chapter," Horizon hands him one of the glasses. "With the Panacea complete, they can't afford not to have me."
Shigaraki swirls the drink a few times, then turns back to UA. "It's underwhelming."
"Which part?"
"That," he points toward UA with his glass. "The place that tamed you, made you into a hero…a more heroic person. You'd expect more from a place that can do the impossible."
Shigaraki takes a sip of his drink, and Horizon does the same.
"If you could do it, you would too."
"Serve people like that?"
"No, have the freedom to do anything you want, while the world cheers. You felt some of it, the freedom. But how long did it last before the entire world started hunting you? Before you constantly had to look over your shoulder?"
"Before they sent you after me."
"Thank god I won't have that problem," Horizon downs his drink. "But after I stopped hating the hero-villain game, and decided to lean into it. I figured why not be myself and make them love me for it."
"And I was the controlled opposition to justify your existence."
"Someone had to be. I'm just glad I didn't have to make it myself, you were much more convenient."
Shigaraki chuckles bitterly, finishing his drink and turning to look up at Horizon.
"What?"
"Did we ever even stand a chance?" he asks. "I wanted to change things, to destroy the current system and let chaos restructure the world. And I figured we could do it, but then we learned about you and everything went sideways. So when did it happen, when did you truly beat us?"
"That's the thing, I didn't."
"What?"
"You were playing the hero-villain game, but I was always about more big-picture ideas. Freedom, connections, control. For me, this was just one step along the way, but for you, it was everything."
"So you're saying I didn't think big enough. That's why I lost."
"No, I'm saying while you spent all your time focused on me, I didn't think about you at all. You and I weren't playing the same game. I was never your opposition, Nezu was. And somewhere along the way he…"
Shigarkai raises a brow at his pause. "He what?"
"He got me to give a shit. I guess that's when you lost."
Shigaraki leans against the railing, holding the glass in his hand.
And slumps his shoulder, letting go of everything he'd been carrying.
Doing what billions of others had already done and made peace with.
Surrendering to Horizon's power.
For a moment he looks at the glass in his hand, holding it with all his fingers would have caused it to disintegrate two years ago. But now he can perfectly control his Quirk. He's so much stronger and better than before attacking UA.
And how he's also, tired beyond belief.
"I think...that I'd like to stop playing now," he says while gently placing the glass on the railing.
"There is one thing I have to ask, before we leave," Horizon reses a hand on the back of Shigaraki's neck. Not applying any force, but making contact to detect any lies. "About the Nomu."
"The doctor hasn't told us his name, or given us any information about his lab or the process. He just has us drop off corpses and he makes Nomu."
"Really?"
"He says I wouldn't be worthy of the respect he showed All For One until I made this era my own. But that couldn't happen with you here."
Horizon withdraws his hand. "Well, I'm sure the people in Tartarus will have more questions for you. Best not to keep them waiting."
With that he warps them both out of Musutafu, ending the League Of Villains reign.
And minutes after that he's sitting in President Pantu's office, feet up on her desk while she types up some documents.
"And you're sure it was just him?" She asks.
"I'm sure. I sensed him a while ago but figured I'd observe for a while, didn't expect him to be coming directly to me."
"I can't say I'm entirely surprised. Being pitted against you isn't something I'd wish on anyone. And that's just accounting for what the public knows."
"Mhm, and speaking of the sheep—"
"Civilians."
"Whatever, what do the ants think about Dabi's scandal?"
"Initial response is as we expected, lots of people calling for him to step down and give up the #1 Pro Hero spot."
"And for me to take his place, right?"
"Yes. But your official statement and the medical records showing that Dabi has some partial Nomu augmentations from when he was roughly 11 years old proves that All For One was deeply involved."
"So they buy that stuff about All For One brainwashing and corrupting him?"
"Yes. Since you were the one to release that statement they believe it, atleast enough for Endeavor to receive sympathy instead of hate from them. Framing the entire incident as All For One attacking his family, taking his son, and turning that son into a weapon. That's an easy story to sell."
"And has All For One given us any info about this whole situation?"
"He's still not responding to any questions from visitors. Would you like to go try?"
"I was just at Tartarus, dropping off Shigaraki. All For One didn't even more when I walked past his cell."
"He's content?"
"Which is concerning, usually my presence outside his cell usually gets him to smile for some reason."
"Maybe he'll talk to you."
"I don't care that much. I have more important things to do."
"I was hoping you'd keep searching for the person behind the Nomu creating process," Pantu says. "Or you could resume your research on reversing it."
"You can't just pull Frankenstein's monster apart and rebuild the original bodies. I'm a doctor, not some kind of wizard that can resurrect people. Kurogiri can't be reverted, but his brain is still whole, not a mish-mash of different people, so that's why he might be able to come back. But the others are dead."
"Well then, we're done here. When we extract any useful information from him I'll relay it to you. But until then, I have to finish compiling the results for the next Hero Ranking ceremony."
"Oh, that thing."
"Yes, 'that thing'. And we need you there to show support for Endeavor. We can't afford to show weakness from our official #1 Pro Hero."
"Yeah, I owe him anyway so I'll be there," Horizon warps away, leaving her to continue her work in peace.
END CHAPTER---