16 Living

Flashing images, bright lights.

Power, unimaginable power.

Everything around him would bend to his will, kneel before his commands. Matter itself was a slave to his every whim…

Lightning was all he heard along with the crackle of energy through his veins.

The voice of… All Might? Drowned… distant.

Emptiness. Darkness.

…

---

Nick's mind was filled with images he didn't understand. Golden light, screaming and cursing. Insane power. He didn't know what he was seeing but it felt like a dream. It was the U.S.J. That much he could tell even if his vision swam through the memories, unable to focus. He was tall, far taller than All Might, even taller than the Nomu probably. He could feel everything around him…

Fading to another scene he was laying on the ground again, the air was so crisp and cool, brushing against his skin, and the stone against his back was chill to the touch, everything was cold. He could feel his… legs and shoulders growing damp with blood. His own… he was bleeding. His chest was missing, the Nomu was about to kill him he needed to do something! He needed to move!

---

Snapping awake Nick sat up straight in his bed that had merged to the floor of the room, the walls broken and filled with cracks. The lights flickered back on. The air was tense with ozone and his skin felt hot… he was covered in a cold sweat.

What was happening? The last thing he remembered was the Nomu punching through his chest. Frantically grasping at his shirt he practically deconstructed the white cloth to see a horrid carbon mark across his skin. A large almost blast-like shape in the centre of his torso covered his heart and lungs and most other vital organs. The skin was cold to the touch, like metal. It was stiff as well but would still bend as he moved.

Panting he felt his heart start to settle as he collapsed back into the bed, although the floor had risen up to merge with it and the metal of the legs weaved through the walls and floor like parasitic roots he still could lay in it… it did nothing for the cold through.

He remembered his thread… starting to snap. No, snapping. But he held onto the end of it in desperation. He didn't die, not again. He remembered that. Then he remembered waking but everything was so… diluted. No… he could still remember it. He had merged with the Nomu and grown their- His body using the stone of the floor.

But most of all he remembered the Nomu's threads, yes. Threads, there was more than one. Five, five he could remember. Each was a slightly different colour. When he had merged with the beast it had tried to resist him, trying to keep its already broken will but it was nothing in front of Nick's power during that moment. In an instant he had untangled the mess of threads that made up the being's soul, multi lives bound into one and it disgusted him. It was so horrid to see it, tired together like a net of pain and suffering.

He had untangled it, the mess. The knot of lives before splitting them all. Killing the beast's remnants of will and taking its body completely. Sighing he put the back of his hand against his forehead as he thought back to that moment. He didn't know what to think. He had died but he felt what he could be. At that moment he knew how powerful he was. But he knew that to achieve that he would have to work even harder. Try harder. Be better.

Honestly, his thoughts were a mess, he had seen his past life again, and that sucked. He hadn't wanted to ever remember what he had buried during the first years of his life here. He thought he had locked them away in his nightmares. Leaving them to rot but instead, they had festered.

There was some… peace in seeing them again. Confronting them. But they left him with a lot to think about. A lot about him. Why he had been so… reclusive and, now that he could see it, rude.

So much to think about and he couldn't even begin to start sorting his thoughts.

Just as he was about to try he heard the door open and saw Recovery Girl standing there looking at the walls of the room as she froze. "Did you have a Nightmare Deary? Well if you can do you mind fixing it?" Her voice was gentle and caring as she looked at him with some sympathy. How long had he been out?

Nodding his head almost numbly Nick put his hand on the bed and felt it spread much much faster, as well as through adjacent objects. Although his hold on them felt weaker than the ones he was touching.

Finally actually getting to what he was asked to do instead of just staring dumbly at a half-empty coffee cup he felt the bed shift under him as slowly the room adjusted back to what it was before. The matter flowed instead of exploding since you know… he didn't want to deconstruct the room he was sitting in.

"Good good, it seems your quirk is fine, you pushed yourself very hard there deary… we worried about you waking up… or being able to use your quirk at all." Her voice contained genuine concern. "As for your body, it is more than fine, your vitals are stronger than ever and the new 'skin,' although I hesitate to call it that. Is working just fine. It's your mind and quirk that you should be worried about Nicklaus." She said as she walked over. Her eyes held his as if looking for something.

Nodding his head Nick just brought a knee up to his chest as he held it, the other one staying outstretched. Feeling his chest was still bare he transformed the sheet he was wearing into another shirt. He had simple school tracksuit pants on as well. They must have changed him or something from his Hero costume.

"How long has it been since the incident?" He asked, not looking at her as she went and sat down on her desk. His mind focused on maintaining steady breaths. He had to focus on the now. He could find time to settle later.

"Not much, it is still the same day, why I am so shocked that you woke up. Your quirk is honestly a wonder in healing. You reconstructed almost every one of your organs from external matter and healed yourself up perfectly. From eyewitness reports, you lost- Oh. Sorry deary, I got carried away." Her voice was apologetic as she saw him start to tense up.

He didn't want to hear about his second death. He would get over it, but it was too fresh for thinking of now.

Shaking his head a bit he let out a sigh as he said, "It's alright. Honestly, it is a miracle that I am even alive at all. I am just grateful for that. Oh also, thanks for teaching me about biology, it probably helped a lot. And… I never really thanked you properly before." His voice was a little quiet. He felt… meek. Like he used to. Straightening his back he returned steel to his posture as he hung his legs over the edge of the bed. He wasn't weak.

Smiling warmly Recovery Girl put down the papers that she had started looking through and turned towards him, smiling as she said. "As I told you, even if you do not learn under me to heal, but to become stronger. You will still learn how to save others. Maybe the person that you needed to save was yourself, with what you have shown during your time with me you know plenty enough. But you are welcome deary. You are certainly most welcome." Her smile was wide, making the skin around her eyes crinkle further.

---

Since it was still the day of the incident Nick was ordered to rest, he was looking out the window as the sun set, he wouldn't be going home tonight, they wanted to keep him under watch for tonight but they would send him back home tomorrow morning.

He was going to be getting guidance counselling from Hound Dog. Since they were worried about trauma from the incident. Honestly, Nick was having more trauma from remembering fucking Ben and Lily but he couldn't tell them that so he just went along with it, it might do him some good after all.

Aizawa had been taken to the hospital to get proper treatment. All Might never needed to be healed because of Nick's involvement and Midoriya needed only some help for his fingers from the flood zone villains. So he was patched up and sent home too with the rest of the students… He was the only one in the infirmary apart from Recovery Girl who came and went around her business before the night had come and she left to go home too.

---

Nick watched the morning sunrise as he left the campus. He had plans today, he needed to hit something and he had just the friend to ask. So he was going to go see Kendo, after going home first of course. He had spent most of the night looking over his growth and was honestly really shocked by it.

He could use his quirk all over his body, that much was clear. As long as it was touching him or only separated by thin material such as clothes he was able to activate his quirk on it. The bottom of his shoes was thin enough for him to be able to feel the ground as he walked and honestly, it would take getting some used to.

He could feel air too, although he couldn't do much with it. He could shift it but he couldn't condense it very well. He honestly couldn't do much but feel it move around in a limited area around him. But it was kinda neat… he could convert it but that brought him to the next bit.

He could change the matter. He could transform anything into anything as long as he had the neutrons, protons and electrons. But it took a LOT of energy. Honestly, he suspected his energy bottomed out so quickly from his power-up yesterday because he had turned the stone into his body. Not just merging but truly transforming it. It took less effort and energy the closer the base elements of the course. But still, it wasn't cheap to do and tired him enough that he actually did sleep a bit.

He didn't have anything from the Nomu which honestly was annoying as fuck. He had waited so long to get his hands on it just to get fucked up by it. But it wasn't that bad. He had gotten a lot stronger. And he had seen what he could do if he kept on growing. He would also have another chance at Nomu soon. He didn't really need the super regeneration either now that he could use his quirk from his whole body. As long as he had something left he could reconstruct himself. No point in shock absorption either. If something hit him it was dead or deconstructed… it was the reaction speed and strength that he really wanted but with his newfound control he could probably up his baseline himself.

---

Getting home he wasn't even able to shut the door before his mum had wrapped him in a hug tight enough that he thought his reconstructed ribs might break.

"Oh, my baby! Are you alright?!" She said pulling away and holding either of his shoulders as she looked him over. Her eyes made sure that he didn't have any wounds on him. Seeing that he was fine he sat her down and they talked about yesterday. Explaining that he was fine.

"I was so worried when I heard they were keeping you there! I wanted to come over but they said you would be home tomorrow morning and that it might be dangerous to see you…" he voice quivering. She clearly hadn't slept well. Hugging him again she was almost about to break down again but he patted her back comfortingly.

"Don't worry mum, I won't go down that easy. You have seen what I can do! Even as a kid I was healing myself…" His face was kind of sad as he watched her pull away again. He hated seeing her like this, he was so so glad to have her as a mother… she had stayed with him and cared about him. Genuinely and wholeheartedly. She loved him.

"I know I know I know, but it will always worry me. I will always worry about you Nicklaus. Because you are my son… dad would be home but he doesn't even know what happened. Don't hold it against him he has been wrapped up in whatever work he was dragged into recently." Her voice was kind of Melancholy as she thought about it. Damn, he was so wrapped up he hadn't even heard that he had almost died? Welp… that was his dad at least. He would freak out when he turned his phone back on or whatever he did to that damn thing when he locked himself away in the work building. Honestly, what was he working on?

"Don't worry, I know how he is… he gets so. Caught up. That he forgets everything else for those moments, I don't hold it against him don't worry. I couldn't wish for a better father." Nick said as he smiled down at his hands.

"What are you being all sappy for huh! You normally just avoid any positive talk…" Her voice was slightly confused as she wiped another tear away with yet another tissue.

"Well I did almost die… maybe I have just grown to see life as a bit brighter. I have to go see a friend though, the one in Osaka… I have something that I need to talk about and I hope that he can help me."

Looking hesitant at seeing her son go so soon she just stood up and despite their height difference pulled his head down so that she could kiss his forehead. "Just be safe okay sweetheart. You can always talk to me as well you know? I am and will always be here for you."

Smiling Nick kissed her forehead too, the first time he had done that. Leaving her a bit shocked. "I know, I really do know that now. I love you mum, I'll see you tonight, I'll pick up some Pizza on my way home yeah!" He said as he walked to the door grabbing his bag.

"I love you too Nicklaus, more than you could ever know." Her voice was so bright as she said that. "Sounds good! Message me when you are on the train home! I'll come and pick you up from the station." She responded as she started to gather her tissues, a small smile on her face.

---

Honestly? He could fight Villains and bring down buildings but driving wasn't okay? They needed to work something out. He could get his provisional hero license before he could sit behind a wheel, it was ridiculous.

Sighing he gave up his complaint as he started to run, his feet carrying him at normal speeds because of quirk restrictions. He felt strong, stronger than he had ever before, apart from his brief ascension of course. He had tried to up his strength to what felt natural when he left his house. Using a tree, of course, was not as good as oats but it worked.

He was able to push past his previous limit condensing down his muscles a bit more and making their structure slightly different. He assumed strength quirks had some type of quirk factor involved in the muscles themselves to increase the amount of power they could hold because doing it purely organically was almost impossible.

He would figure it out later. He would when he healed All Might, he had an excuse now since All Might had caught him while he was seeing the structure of everything so it wouldn't be suspicious for him to ask to help, at least he didn't think so.

Getting to an underground carpark, one of his many changing spots he walked in and finding a nice hidden corner transformed into his other form. The one he used when talking to Kendo. His dull purple hair was slightly curly and his eyes slanted down and sunken. His build was a bit shorter actually and thinner, but still athletic.

Getting to the Underground Masquerade he walked to the back door and saw the 'homeless man' sitting there. He had tried to learn the guy's name but he never gave it.

"Hey, I'm here to see Kendo."

"Oh if it ain't you again eh? I was wonerin where you had gone off to. Where you been squirt?" The man spoke. Blowing spoke out of his nose. Feeling the man's body through the floor he sat on he was shocked. The man's lungs were fucked… like beyond just smoking fucked. Welp, not his problem.

"None of your business grease-bag, let me in."

Grumbling something under his breath he moved his hand and knocked against the door after a quick look around the street. No one was there.

With the door open Nick nodded at the big guy as he made his way past and into the hall, the dude didn't even guide him anymore. Walking down the stairs and through the halls, he looked into the ring from the prep area. A few other contestants watching Kendo once more beat the living shit out of some poor guy that clearly hadn't signed up for this.

Shaking his head he walked out and stood next to the crowd as he called out. "HEY KENDO! BEAT HIS ASS AND MEET ME IN THE TRAINING ROOM!"

Turning his head Kendo grabbed the other man's throat and held him still as he turned to look at Nick, "HEY LITTLE GUY! It's been a while, just give me one more second yeah?"

The rest of the crowd looked between the two. They hadn't seen Nick since he fought Kendo and now he was coming out here so blatantly and interrupting a fight? What was going on?

Nick, however, didn't care. He just wanted to talk to and fight Kendo. Whatever they thought didn't matter to him. If he was in this form he couldn't care who was watching anymore. This was his life, and he was in a very hidden form right now. He had gotten better at covering tracks since he had started coming here and even cleaned up some old trails. He was still being careful… just not a coward. He knew Kendo could spend ages in the ring if he wasn't pulled out so. Nick took matters into his own hands.

He was feeling much bolder than he did before. As if he could be himself, this world wasn't just characters brought to life, it was real to him now, more real than it had ever been before. He had almost lost it once. He had things to say sorry for, people to talk to and things to do. He was ready to start living… or at least trying to. But he would give it his goddamn best.

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Thanks for all the support on the last chapter! Seeing the positive reception really made my day! A bit nervous about this one, I tried to change up the style a bit to show a change in how Nick was seeing things but I am not sure how I feel about it. Let me know what you think!

Reviews and comments are always welcome! Let me know what you think and what I can do better.