Chapter 8
***
It was already dark, the first stars were shining in the evening sky. Tomura, lost in his thoughts, wandered into some abandoned warehouse. Walking past the boxes, he stopped at the wall and leaned his side against it thoughtfully. Here was quiet and desolate. Shigaraki could calmly stay here as long as he wanted without fear of being recognized. Taking his cell out of pocket, he looked into it and check Milante’s chat: there were no new messages. After thinking for a couple of seconds, Tomura decided to text to her again. Quickly tapping fingers on the screen, he typed: - Hey, beetle, why r u silent? R u alive there? - I wonder if she’s already home? - Shigaraki with a poker face looked out the half-broken window. - Why do I even care? Ding. - Yeah, alive. And whut? Tomura chuckled. - NM. Whatcha doin'? - I feed the cats. They'll soon eat me (￣‐￣) んー And u? Went for a walk under the Moon, heh? - Hm? Under the moon? - Shigaraki scratched his cheek in puzzlement. - What a weird question... And how did she guess that I wasn't in the hideout? - Yeah, smth like that. So, did u want to join? - Nope. Just askin'. It’s good to breathe air before goin' to bed, right Tomura rolled his eyes. - Yes-yes, "mommy". U’ll come 2MROW, won’t u? Otherwise I’ll be offended - Wha?! Mommy? Right now SOM1 is goin' to really hit ur assヽ(`d´)/. I said, I’ll come, don’t pester me, gr-r-r Shigaraki grinned at all 32. - Lol, as if u be able to do it! What time will u come? - At 7 am (ಠ_ಠ) OK? - No, it's damn early! I'll be sleeping during this time. Oh, or wait... ArU so impatient to see me and come early in the morning? Well then come, Kurogiri will chatter his tongue with u until I wake up. This will be a great start to the day for me! - Be enough. I'll be there at 12 am - Tch, - Shigaraki tsked displeasedly. - Well, to hell with you. - Do whut u want, idc A minute later. - I found one song in the feeds. Wanna me to send it off? Tomura raised his eyebrows in surprise as he re-read the message. - Well...send. I hope this isn’t some pink girly snot dressed up in lyrics and music? - Heh, nope. Wait a sec While waiting, Shigaraki walked back and forth along the wall. Ding. - "Eve - Raison D'etre?"* - he clicked on the "play". - How it's translate? I'll have to Google it later. Tomura squatted down, listening to the song.To this feeling, I say "Stop", this is just inconsistent If, in the high-speed, I start, even so I can never ever catch up, mayday Getting tired of pretending to be tough Still not making complaints, still not making complaints By measuring profit and loss, got thrown away I go through with putting on another masquerade Like I have no existence, no one understands me Arguing based on emotion gets on and soon falls down
Anyway, when you awaken to your dream What will you see in your eyes?
Crossing beyond the worst days to become the very best What's wrong? 'Cause I can't dream for the future anymore I'm waiting for the certain moment to come Standing in a vague scenery towards the way beyond the limit If I can't waste even these feelings in my heart Mix them up, mix them up till I can be born again And keep having this endless dream
Only by going against, or by getting aversion Not only by impatience, I don't want to show it as it is Laughing foolishly again today Still not making complaints, still not making complaints Even self-suggestion to behave like a sophist There's no need to stick to the truth anymore Feeling I may betray you today, I don't have any words to say Repeating "Never do it again" gets on and soon falls down
Anyway, even if I wait for the answer
I'll never meet you anymore
Taking arms against the other
Towards the way the emotion rings
If I can’t waste even these feelings in my heart
Mix them up, mix them up till I can be born again
And keep having this endless dream
We are all missing
Only the appearance was repaired
I was frustrated to not continue
And looked down on others
'Cause otherwise my heart will already be broken
I already know in reality that no one expects anything of me
Back at that day, for no reason
There were the eyes that looked straight ahead
Anyway, when you awaken to your dream
What will you see in your eyes?
Crossing beyond the worst days to become the very best
What's wrong? 'Cause I can't dream for the future anymore
I'm waiting for the certain moment to come
Standing in a vague scenery towards the way beyond the limit
If I can't waste even these feelings in my heart
Mix them up, mix them up till I can be born again
And keep having this endless dream
Waiting for you beyond the way*
Deep in thought, Tomura back to himself when he realized that the song had already ended. - Not bad. I’ll even add it to the playlist, - he pointed his finger at the "+" icon. - I wonder what other songs she listens to? After a moment's hesitation, Shigaraki typed out the answer: - Kinda cool, added. Song with meaning, that’s the main thing - Heh╰( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )つ──☆*:・°Now send urs - My? - Tomura glitch for a second. - I don’t know which one should to send off, damn it. Hm... He opened the playlist and began frantically searching for a song. - Whatever, let it be this one, - Shigaraki muttered irritably, sending the song to Milante. - What's it called..."Maneskin - Recovery"*, I think? Never mind. While waiting for an answer, he began nervously tapping his fingers on the cell screen.***
Ding. Milante smiled when she saw the song attached to the message. Opening a box of Allmight's pastries, she popped one into her mouth and purred contentedly - it was damn delicious! - So he listens to them too, - girl let out a laugh, play the song. - I don’t have this song, by the way. While the song played in the background, Milante found a song translation on the Internet and began to read carefully.I am walking down my road I'm sleeping without a bed I am not changing my clothes For my friends I'm a stranger I won't slow down, down, down I won't slow down, down, down, yeah I'm naif but I'll grow up I will change my mind and then I think in nine years or ten I'll become a wiser man I won't slow down, down, down I won't slow down, down, down, yeah
So you can follow me Until they catch me and kill me out It's my recovery And we will forget of the clouds 'Cause there's no hitch No baby, there's no fence No baby, there's no set-back that will stop me So you can follow me Until they catch me, they catch me and kill me out, out, out, out'
Cause I am a poor man And I cannot read your mind Baby, I can't see what you think 'Cause my eyes are blind And I feel the wind Is coming from the sea But the birds still fly, I've got a secret to keep Yes, I feel the wind Is coming from the sea Yeah, but the birds still fly, I've got a secret to shotSo you can follow me Until they catch me and kill me out It's my recovery And we will forget of the clouds 'Cause there's no hitch No baby, there's no fence No baby, there's no set-back that will stop me So you can follow me Until they catch me, they catch me and kill me out, out, out, out, yeah'
Cause baby you're the ache That comes right into my vein You're like a super crystal drug That takes away all my pain You're a soldier but you'll never wear you armor again Now you found freedom but now Tell me who knows your name Because I know how does it feels To feel like you're reflected From the mirror of the shame And you feel like you're the last man And you feel like you're suspected of a murder that you've never done Now you found freedom but your freedom is just like a Bomb bi de bomb bomb, bi de bomb bomb
So you can follow me Until they catch me and kill me out It's my recovery And we will forget of the clouds 'Cause there's no hitch No baby, there's no fence No baby, there's no set-back that will stop me So you can follow me Until they catch me, they catch me and kill me out, out, out, out*
- Hm-m... I wonder if he deliberately chose or clicked on the first one he came across? - a mysterious smile appeared on Milante’s lips. - An excellent translation and it really reflects his essence. Add.***
Ding! Tomura jumped in surprise and looked at the cell screen. - Cool song, I listen to them too Shigaraki smiled slightly. - Then I praise u 4 good taste. I’m glad to know that at least SOM1 listens to normal songs - I haven't yet met a person who would share my taste preferences, including in music. So this is great. U see, we're alike in this too - Yeah, it’s damn cool! Wanna me to send u a soundtrack from some game? It’s awesome, I’m sure u know it too - Send (๑ↀᆺↀ๑) Tomura involuntarily snorted with laughter at this strange emoji and sent her the song "League of Legends - Take Over"*.(Go)
We at the top again, now what?
Heavy lay the crown, but
Count us
Higher than the mountain
And we be up here for the long run
Strap in for a long one
We got everybody on one
Now you're coming at the king so you better not miss
And we only get stronger
With everything I carry up on my back, you should paint it up with a target
Why would you dare me to do it again?
Come get your spoiler up ahead
We're taking over, we're taking over
Look at you come at my name, you 'oughta know by now
That we're taking over, we're taking over
Maybe you wonder what you're futures gonna be, but
I got it all locked up
(Go)
Take a lap, now
Don't be mad, now
Run it back run it back run it back, now
I got bodies lining up, think you're dreaming of greatness?
Send you back home, let you wake up
Why would you dare me to do it again?
Come get your spoiler up ahead
We're taking over, we're taking over
Look at you come at my name, you 'oughta know by now
That we're taking over, we're taking over
Maybe you wonder what you're futures gonna be, but
I got it all locked up
After all, what still exists except for fights
Around me, the keyboard is clicking, the clock is ticking
Still not enough, let me protect your persistence
Do not worry about the future even if it’s too late
Let out the fight, right at this moment
We're taking over, we're taking over
Look at you come at my name, you 'oughta know by now
That we're taking over, we're taking over
Maybe you wonder what you're futures gonna be, but
I got it all locked up
(Go)*
While the song was playing, Tomura stood up and, in the heat of the moment, stomped his feet to the beat of the music, singing along to the lyrics he knew, while gesticulating wildly. Ding. - I have it, one of my favorites. Grab another from me Shigaraki broke into a satisfied smile and began to wait impatiently for Milante to send him the song. - Oh, what a coincidence! - seeing the song, Tomura’s eyes sparkled. - I knew she too playing LoL, ha-ha! Nice, nice. He suddenly thought for a second. - I’ve never looked at the translation of these songs... - Shigaraki scratched his cheek, typing into the search bar the name of the song sent by Milante (League of Legends - Phoenix*). - She probably wants me to understand the meaning. Hm-m, okay... I'll take a look now. Finally play the song, he read the translation.What are you willing to lose? You cover your wounds, but underneath them A million voices in your head that whisper: Stop now Another twist of the knife, turn of the screws It's all in your mind and it's fighting you Arm yourself, a storm is coming
Well, kid, what you gonna do now? It's your reflection looking back to pull you down
So are you gonna die today or make it out alive? You gotta conquer the monster in your head and then you'll fly Fly, phoenix, fly It's time for a new empire Go, bury your demons then tear down the ceiling Phoenix, fly
And now you're playing with matches Come out of the ashes underneath you A million voices in the crowd, they're screaming: Stop now We'll let 'em swallow their pride, you're turning the tide to true believers Got them in the palm of your hand, you're playing God now
What you gonna do now? It's your reflection looking back to pull you down
So are you gonna die today or make it out alive? You gotta conquer the monster in your head and then you'll fly Fly, phoenix, fly It's time for a new empire Go, bury your demons then tear down the ceiling Phoenix, fly
So are you gonna die today or make it out alive? You gotta conquer the monster in your head and then you'll fly Fly, phoenix, fly It's time for a new empire Go, bury your demons then tear down the ceiling Phoenix, fly*
- ...Phoenix, fly… - Tomura said it thoughtfully. - Let's start with the fact that the Phoenix is a bird in mythology that burns to the ground and is reborn from the ashes. This is a symbol of eternal renewal, death and immortality. It's funny. Was this song a reference to the story of Milante herself?.. She seems to like to convey information through metaphors and symbolism. And she's a truly unique main character in this damn game called Life. I think I'm starting to understand sensei, why he is so desperate to get this girl's power. But who will she become without her power? Isn't this power not mana and won't Milante disappear on her own after? I wouldn’t want this... For some reason I want her to be next to me as long as possible... No, of course, she still annoys me wildly, but it’s not so much anymore. I'll definitely have fun with her. She's quite interesting and cool, such beat off her mind, huh. It’s unlikely, that I’ll find a girl like Milante anywhere else. Grinning at his thoughts, Shigaraki sent Milante an approving sticker in response and, after staying a little longer in the warehouse, moved towards the city.***
Returning to the hideout, Tomura retired to his room and began to think about everything very carefully: about Milante herself, about why she showed him her terrible past, about her power and about the All For One's words. Tomura's powerlessness against Milante still angered him, but he couldn't help but admit that she had never abused her power against him yet. It was weird. She seemed to avoid using and showing her power to anyone. She just calmly put Tomura in his place, like a misbehaving child. This flickering condescension in her glance and attitude towards him still caused Shigaraki to have fits of rage, but their relationship slowly began to improve. Having received information about Milante from All For One, Tomura studied it from cover to cover, memorizing the smallest details. But there was nothing special to use - the dossier was half empty. Shigaraki's glance slid over the "weakness" column, stopping at the word "comatosis." -... Shigaraki wondered why the AFO himself had never managed to catch Milante. Did he try his best to do it? Or was it some kind of game of touch and run? Maybe he just didn't want to hurt her? No, it's some kind of nonsense. It wasn't his style. Impossible. He needed Milante alive and, if possible, unharmed, that’s the reason. Tomura continued to rack his brain, what else could he come up with so that Milante would remain 100% in the League. How to attract her? Games? Money? Food? Promises of heaven on Earth? No, that's not it. Although Milante didn't agree to stay, she didn't go very far either. She was clearly watching Shigaraki himself, taking a closer look. Why, for what purpose - Tomura had no idea. He chalked it up to the fact that she was just interested in his quirk. Of course, it’s a real curiosity; she saw him only as a museum piece, for sure. There was nothing else he could do to explain this interest. He couldn’t even imagine in his mind that Milante might be interested in him as a man. Shigaraki began to notice something interesting. After he saw Milante's memories, a strange feeling began to haunt him. Like some kind of...nostalgia? He drove these thoughts away from himself, considering them stupidity. But this feeling remained sitting in his subconscious, not disappearing anywhere. There was something else about her, that really grabbed him. Shigaraki peered intensely at the Milante's photo , burning a hole through it with his eyes. He could froze and almost without blinking watching, watching, watching... Tomura felt a huge understatement and didn't understand the reason for his manic attraction to this girl. She was firmly lodged in his head, climbing into the darkest and deepest corners of the subconscious, as if turning his madness upside down. And bringing order to his chaotic, unhealthy thoughts. Tomura also noticed that he began to itch less when he interacted with her. Her voice and invisible energy, willy-nilly, had a calming effect on him. And when he lost his temper and got angry, not receiving the expected reaction from Milante, he began to feel wildly tired. With her total bulletproof calm and composure, she seemed to suck the power out of him (as he believed). But his anger and irritation subsiding for a long time and Tomura became calmer, even Kurogiri noted it. During this week of interaction with Milante, Shigaraki learned something. He realized that his "want-give me" approach didn't work for everyone. That threats, manipulation, the use of force, or the wish to get rid of what he doesn’t like, will not work here. She was strong. His Decay had no effect on her. and without his quirk, at the moment, Shigaraki had little idea of what he could oppose to her. He was truly helpless against her. At first, he would have resorted to the help of the same Nomu to defeat Milante, but now the situation has changed and Tomura had to work his brain twice as hard, considering different options for admonitions and approaches to this unbearable girl. Kurogiri told him to get close to her, gain her trust and slowly extract information from her that could be useful to them. And at the same time continue to methodically invite Milante to the League. The best way in this case was this: find a loophole to her as a girl. And charm her. For some reason, Kurogiri was sure that Tomura would succeed, although with some difficulty. By the way, AFO was clearly in no hurry to help his successor in this matter. He only watched from the sidelines as Shigaraki tried to tame Milante. He was amused by this. And when Tomura began to complain to him about her, AFO just told him that it was Shigaraki s problem, that he couldn't cope with some girl; and this is his assignment that will show how original and persistent Tomura can be in solving such complex controversial issues as the leader of the League of Villains. AFO had a plan. Ugly and disgusting, like all his previous plans and projects. He longed to find out the source of the origin of Milante herself and her power. Daruma had to conduct a global experiment on this girl and take her apart, down to her molecules, in order to find out her secret. This power would allow the AFO to become truly invulnerable, immortal and so powerful that he wouldn't even have to resort to using the Quirks he had previously stolen. Why, when it was possible, without straining, to wipe out the whole world and all people from the face of the Earth, and reign total chaos, plunging everything into darkness. Leave only those who also wanted to be involved in this crazy bacchanalia and get rid of the rest without a trace. All For One longed to find out the answers to his questions that only this mysterious girl could give him. It was also funny for him to see what kind of relationship could develop between his successor, full of hatred and madness, and the one who had already successfully recovered from all this. It was like a legendary confrontation between two forces: Light and Darkness. He didn't think that this could in any way prevent Shigaraki from fulfilling the destiny he had given him. He was sure that Tomura had too much hatred and thirst for destruction to lead him astray. Although Daruma periodically expressed concerns about this, All For One laughed it off, condescendingly declaring that it was not in vain that he brainwashed Shigaraki for so many years and cultivated him into a second self, so that some girl (even Death herself) could interfere with the implementation of his plan . Moreover, he was sure that sooner or later they would catch Milante. And for this they needed Tomura. She ALREADY let him come close to her. This meant that everything was going more than well for them. If Shigaraki gets even closer to her, they will probably finally get a significant result. He'll catch and bring her to them. By any means.