1 Chapter 1 - Ghost of The Present And Ghost of The Future
(Intro)--------
It was like an illusion shattered right before my eyes. There were no more noises inside my mind, no more doubt inside my heart, no more indulgence in the gloom… There was only the sight of destruction that lay before my eyes.
My name is Mirio Togata and I don't know how or when I forgot that. That name used to mean something to a lot of people… and it should mean something even if this world was not my own.
Actually, I am not even sure if I am really remembering who I am or if this was one of those brief moments of clarity before death.
Either way, I was thankful to finally break free from the shackles of my gloomy mind.
I guess I never really forgot who I was, only the feelings and emotions that always drove me forward.
A scientist would say that humans are our memories and experiences but I think humans are the hope that burns in the deepest depths of our souls… and right now, my flame of hope was creating sparks once more.
What quelled the flames of my hope? I don't exactly know but all that mattered right now was the small child in front of me.
I was dead inside and to be honest, some part of me was comfortable with that – the feeling of having no connections and hence nothing to lose.
For a while, I so desperately wanted to believe that, but a hero always breaks through the doubts, fear, and hardships. I felt ashamed that it took this long for me to remember.
As I watched that enormous slab of concrete slowly falling through the air, I had no doubt it would crush her – would crush us since I was not about to let her die alone.
She is the daughter of my benefactor and she looks so much like Eri…
Some part of the current me broke through the shroud of gloominess that blocked my mind and using that opportunity, I ripped away my shackles to become Lemillion once more.
However, my mind couldn't help but drift amidst my raging torrent of thoughts, asking where everything went wrong…
Mirio Togata aka Lemillion (After Battle with Overhaul)
"What's happening to him?" The First Paramedic asked confused, looking at Mirio's inability to control his quirk.
Mirio's muscles were tense and his teeth were gritted in an attempt to restrain his quirk even a little but nothing seemed to be working.
"His Quirk is in a state of constant excitement…" Another Paramedic commented, flipping through Mirio's chart "But his chart states that he was shot by a Quirk Erasure bullet… still, his Quirk seems to be getting stronger instead of disappearing… what happened to him?"
"I don't know… I don't know… is he going to be alright?" Ochaco asked desperately since she was entrusted by the injured Sir Nighteye to look after Mirio.
Still, it wasn't just Mirio who was injured, everyone was injured after the fight with the Yakuza.
Thankfully, no hero had died during the altercation but there were a few civilian casualties and Ochaco knew that her quirk could aid in the subsequent rescue operations.
Ochaco knew she was needed elsewhere but it felt equally as wrong to leave Mirio alone when he was obviously in pain.
"E- E – Eri?" Mirio asked through fits of coughs that threatened to rip his lungs apart.
Ochaco reached for Mirio's hands but her hands just phased through his "She is fine… Deku saved her… NO! You and Deku saved her, so you have to get better, and or she'll feel guilty."
"Arrrghhhhh!" Mirio could not respond; the grunts of pain he had been suppressing suddenly broke loose, filling the surrounding environment with horrendous screams.
Just as Mirio felt the pain would rip him apart, he suddenly felt better as the sensation of his quirk disappeared entirely.
"I'll ride with the kid…" Aizawa said, slowly walking over to the paramedics despite his obviously injured state "I can keep his Quirk from lashing out until we get to the hospital…but drive quickly, I suffer from dry eyes."
"Yes Sir!" The Paramedics saluted, sliding Mirio into the ambulance alongside Aizawa and driving off in a hurry.
Mirio Togata aka Lemillion (Two Days Later at Hospital)
"Do you understand what I am telling you?" The Doctor asked patiently, feeling sad at the partially dead look in Mirio's eyes.
Everyone knew just how lively Mirio's personality usually was so seeing him in such a state made many of the doctors and heroes surprised.
Mirio gave a weak half-smile in response "I am sorry… can you explain it to me one more time? I wasn't really paying attention."
The Doctor sighed knowing that it wasn't that Mirio wasn't paying attention, it was the fact that his quirk would activate at random times, sending him into a state with no senses.
"We are still analyzing Eri's Quirk and exactly what it is but supposedly, you were shot with a Quirk Erasure bullet. Due to some adverse effect or some miracle, you didn't lose your quirk but something even more detrimental occurred.
Your Quirk began to grow in strength… your situation is similar to that of Mr. Deku… your quirk had grown too strong for your body to withstand. However, unlike Deku, you don't seem to have an off button…
I am sure you will get this under control with enough training but it will be a very painful transition process as your body adapts to contain your quirk. We have specialists studying your case but anything can happen, including death by the instability of your quirk…"
"Thanks…" Mirio nodded, gesturing to the door so the doctor could leave.
The Doctor rose from his seat at Mirio's bedside but paused before exiting the room "Are you sure that you don't want your friends to come inside? Tamaki and Nejire?"
"I just want to be alone for a bit longer…" Mirio hurriedly replied, not wanting to see anyone until he got his gloom under control "I'll be feeling more like myself in a couple of days and then I'll see them with a stronger quirk and healthier body!"
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[Give up!]
I won't ever give up on my dream…
[It's useless… You have already tried and failed, you just don't know it yet…]
I vow to save at least a million people… and I won't stop even after a million!
[You're useless! Let me show you the millions of deaths you won't be able to prevent!]
Mirio found himself on a battlefield… It was a land of flames, blood, and fallen heroes.
He glanced around at everything and quickly realized he was familiar with the location… it was Musutafu, Shizuoka, Japan aka the city where UA resides.
Mirio felt shockwaves bombarding him from all over the place as the battle raged on. What battle exactly? He was not sure… he felt like someone watching a show on television in a half-daze.
It was at this time that Mirio truly took in the sights of the destroyed area. The land seemed to have been destroyed a long time ago and for some reason, he knew that the entirety of Japan and most of the world had been destroyed.
The more time passed, the more conscious Mirio became and the more details he noticed. Especially details about the bodies that loitered the battlefield.
"Principal Nezu?" He murmured disbelieving and continued to call the names of the fallen heroes as he recognized them "Recovery Girl, Thirteen? Hound Dog, President Mike, Mr Aizawa, Grand Torino, Tsuyu, Denki, Ochako, Todoroki, Endeavor… Bakugo? Tamaki, Nejire…"
[Now you should know… You can't save a million, you allowed a million to die instead!]
I did that?
[Yes you did… There is only one thing true in this world – strength rules all and those who cannot fight must run away…]
I will never give up on my dream… that's who I am!
[Then prepare to watch those you love burn… fewer connections means less pain when everyone dies around you!]
I will never forget about the bonds I share with my friends, especially those who have fallen because they live through MMMEEEE!
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"Hah… hew… hah… hew!" Mirio hopped out of his hospital bed in fright and looked around the empty room for intruders "Another one of those nightmares huh? Every night it becomes more vivid and harder to reject… it's as if someone is trying to force me to give up on my dreams but I'll never give up!"
All Might, Eraser Head and Principal Nezu (Hospital Meeting Room)
"Earlier today, I placed an acceleration request on Eri's Quirk tests… this is the information…" A Doctor stated, handing over an envelope to Principal Nezu and then exiting the room.
Principal Nezu opened the package, read the complex DNA report, and frowned "This is much more troublesome than we previously realized… the girl's quirk is stronger than we initially thought…"
"HA HA HA… no need to fear… Little Eri will be under our careful watch. Very soon she will be able to control her quirk and use it to help others!" Allmight said with overly enthusiastic shouts.
Rolling his eyes at Allmight's loudness, Aizawa asked for more details "What exactly is the girl's quirk? It was almost too powerful for my quirk to temporarily deactivate…"
"That's the thing…" Principal Nezu whispered, throwing the report onto the table "The girl can rewind and fast-forward anything she touches…"
Allmight's huge body reverted to his skinny appearance "You're saying the bullet Lemillion got shot with is a fast-forward bullet? That would explain his quirk becoming more powerful but not his gloomy attitude…"
"That's not the issue here..." Principal Nezu corrected, a hesitant look on his face "I think it is better if Eraser Head explains what may be the case with Mirio's attitude…"
"I think I understand…" Aizawa mentioned, his eyes growing sharp with realization "Our quirks are an extension of ourselves… our quirks carry our will and grow stronger as we age… if Eri fast-forwarded Mirio's quirk by twenty years, then doesn't it also stand to reason that his quirk will now carry the determination of a future Mirio?"
Allmight gasped "You can't mean?"
"Exactly!" Aizawa said, confirming Allmight's thoughts "Mirio's behavioral changes are not because of trauma from the battle… it is caused by a conflict between Mirio's current heroic personality and his quirk's current will… Mirio's quirk doesn't want him to be a hero anymore!"
