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aspenforest732 · 29 days ago

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Libertias aut Mortis Chapter 46: Finale

Summary:

tw: medical ward, radiation, mass casualty event, radiation poisoning, burns, medical coma, trauma processing, grief, loss, deprogramming, altered memories, propaganda, cops, abuse, authoritarianism, ptsd, anxiety It's just beginning, it's just ending

Notes:

‘text’ JSL Text thoughts

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

A steady beeping eased into the darkness. B-beep… b-beep … Of course they were in a hospital.

No… that didn’t quite feel right.

Why is everything dark ? Every word struggled through molasses just to form, an unnervingly pleasant fog resting thick over their mind. Their eyelids hung heavy over their eyes, and they slowly became aware of the drip of an IV.

The heart monitor picked up slightly as they dragged their eyes open, finding Eraser and Mic asleep on chairs by the bed. Another much larger chair sat empty, and Mortis struggled to sit up a bit as they took in their appearance. Eraser wore black-out glasses, and bandages peeked out from his costume and bulked up his torso. A cast covered Mic’s right arm, and his ribs were probably wrapped from how loose a shirt he wore.

Several other beds in medical held people with varying coverage of bandages and IV colors, but not nearly as many as they expected. How long was I out?

They started to sit up fully, but hissed as their right shoulder exploded in discomfort. Pushing through the odd numbness, they switched arms and awkwardly shifted to look at it. Covered in bandages, it seemed like their arm had also been in a sling until recently from the cloth marks, but that wasn’t a great indication of time.

Looking up again, Mortis caught Eraser’s eyes and offered a weak half-smile. They clumsily asked using their left hand, ‘ Did we do it? Are they gone? ’ This couldn’t have all been for nothing.

“Yeah, kid,” he huffed fondly, a smile creeping onto his face. “How’s the numbness? They tried to keep some sensation but couldn’t ask you.”

Mortis chuckled, ribs aching slightly from the movement. ‘ Yeah, I can feel enough. ’ They took a deep breath, coughing a bit as they had to stop with the bandages around their torso. ‘ Casualties? ’

A proud smile peeked through as he pulled out a report. “Thought you might ask for that. We lost a thousand, but the ones you would know are Gigantomachia, Nine, Slide n Go, and Echo. For injuries, everyone at onsite Overwatch had acute radiation poisoning. Hawks had the worst of those currently alive, so he’s still in isolation. Most people had some degree of quirk exhaustion,” he gave them a pointed look, “exacerbating their injuries. Dabi and Shigaraki are still in the severe burns unit, but they’re at the point the doctors are confident they’ll make it.”

Mic stirred beside him but settled back in as Aizawa pet his hair. Radiation poisoning… that was one of the few things they didn’t have data for. It was so rare these days outside nuclear meltdowns. ‘ How long was I out? ’ they asked after a moment. Their wall buckled, but they needed just a bit more time. They had to be sure.

Eraser glanced at the clock. Confusion flitted across his eyes briefly before he answered, “Sixteen days now. They put you in a coma to speed up the process, just weaned you off a couple days ago. Those in stable enough condition and situation moved to home or the clinic of their choice. It was logical you’d want to be here.”

Two weeks.

Two weeks and the compound wasn’t evacuated.

Two weeks and their adults were by their side. Two weeks and their world hadn’t collapsed on them. Two weeks and… it was time. The wall crumbled, and everything they’d fought tooth and nail to hold back, to leave free floating washed over them and pulled them under.

The heart monitor spiked, but that felt miles away. They barely registered Aizawa’s expression morph into shock as Yamada woke up and lurched out of his seat, only for Aizawa to stop him short and get up instead. Rough, calloused hands took theirs, a single pocket of air as they stared into nothingness.

Into everything.

Heavy footsteps thundered down the hall, but that only meant he was coming back. They took a shuddering breath, and tears welled up but they were too tired to cry. Cry for everyone they’d lost. Everyone they’d pushed away. The few who stubbornly stood by them despite being hurt over and over again.

The fog and numbness were still there, but they never saw clearer as Taishiro slowed, uncertainty warring with concern on his face. Akira looked between their three adults and gave a small but far more genuine smile. They melted into the hug Aizawa and Taishiro enveloped them in, Yamada quickly joining once they awkwardly reached out.

“And you’re sure you’ve got everything?” Shiro fussed over Akira as they went over their duffle for the millionth time. Their deep purple suitcase held most of their clothes, but the worn bag always carried the most important. Their old blankets, the Bastard plush, meds, and the small repair kit in case something minor went wrong with their prosthetic off campus.

They rolled their eyes fondly, ‘ Yes, I’m sure . Most of my stuff is already at the dorms anyways. ’

Asami laughed brightly from the couch, not even dressed in her own uniform yet. Then again, she didn’t have to take the train. “Aren’t you coming back in what, two weeks anyways?”

‘ Three, ’ Akira corrected her, narrowly resisting the urge to throw a raisin at her. She’d just catch it anyways. ‘ But really, I’ll be fine. She’s the one you have to worry about, ’ they smirked.

“Hey!” She blushed, angling her phone further away from Akira, confirming their suspicions.

“I’ll worry enough for both of you,” Shiro didn’t even try to hide his amused grin, though a bit of tension still remained. “You still okay with me walking you to the station?”

Akira nodded, and the pair headed off after a wave at the small shrine Isao and Sako shared. Their families and the League kept matching ones with photos, a candle, and little things that reminded them of either. Akira wore their twin bracelets most days, replacing and reweaving the twine whenever it started to fray.

Learning a few months ago Asami didn’t want to be a hero after all was a shock, but she would make one hell of an advocate. And between them, Hana, and Shiro, she’d have her pick of stories. Few people wandered the streets this early in the morning, but everyone waved or mumbled a greeting. Even out of costume, they were recognizable enough these days.

And what a strange feeling that was. Not six months ago, being that recognizable just out and about would’ve terrified them. Now they still battled with an undercurrent of unease, sticking close to Shiro’s side. Where ads on poles urged people to join the police and condemned the League, now they advertised the accountability measures and ways to report corruption and abuse. Well, the latter had been there for years, only buried underneath the government propaganda when it was needed most.

Shigaraki and Hawks led the charge on the measures, Dabi mostly working behind the scenes while he picked back up with his siblings where he could. Magne and Shuichi slipped into advocacy work, helping existing communities flourish and setting up new where they were needed. Akira spent the first part of the train ride scrolling through the latest cases while polishing off their breakfast. The politicians who were replaced with clones stepped down on their own, and the Prime Minister was on trial. Even the Commission was getting close to dissolution, and the police force would be next. Heroes still needed oversight, but no one believed in the institutions anymore.

Once they were satisfied, Akira pulled out their review packet. Aizawa moved up to third year homeroom with most of their class, but at least Yamada would be their new homeroom teacher. Eighteen new names and quirks to learn, but at least Fumikage re-enrolled with them. They could have tried to rejoin for the fall term, but Akira was grateful their adults convinced them to wait. Inui made an exception for the pair during their break since Akira barely had time with the therapist in PLF. They half-heartedly tried to convince Fumikage to go without them, but a quiet evening call revealed he was struggling more than they realized now that the dust had settled. At least the break seemed to do him some good, too.

Technically , they could have enrolled in a regular school and still become a hero given they already had their license. But one week of cramming and an exam rigged to set up the first group in the program was hardly the training they’d so desperately needed when this all started.

Akira started toward the bus stop but grinned when they spotted Aizawa leaning against his car. They beelined to him, popping out a crutch more to get the space than support for the moment. Akira mentally groaned as they realized Mei was going to be all over upgrading or even remaking their prosthetic.

Aizawa straightened, eyes narrowing as he saw their face. He glanced down at their wrist, expression softening. “I’m your ride for today.” Akira glanced inside before slipping into the front, silent question hanging in the air. “Mic and Oboe are last minute shopping for everyone.”

Akira nodded along, a small smile slipping onto their face. Stress shopping it was then. Uncle Oboe took his well-deserved… retirement? into civilian life, settling close to the Yamazawas though his quirk could take him anywhere. ‘ Bubblegum will want to upgrade my leg. ’

Aizawa froze, about to shift the car into gear and groaned. “If you don’t want her to, Majima can make sure she leaves it alone.”

‘ She does have good ideas… ’ Akira mused and chuckled at his long-suffering look upwards. ‘ But thanks for the reminder. ’

“Do you want a ride on Saturday or would you rather take the train?” Aizawa offered.

Akira shot him a curious look. Did he really not… ‘ You’re welcome to join, and yeah, that would be great. ’ After a moment, the tension registered. ‘ Last time was an intrusion, this time is an invitation as a member of our community. ’ Not to mention with Shiro’s adoption they wouldn’t have to worry about where they signed out to.

The conversation lulled as buildings blurred past, most familiar and some new. A small smile slipped onto their face at the flashes of quirks from civilians they passed. Most were still wary of the recent bill, but as long as they weren’t hurting or taking control of others without their consent, they should be fine. Actual enforcement of that was still under heavy scrutiny with the police force still in place, but they needed to push something through to make good on their promises.

“Toshi might be ready.”

Akira looked to him in shock, an ember of hope sparking. They hadn’t spoken since he visited in medical. Everything was in the open now, theoretically there wasn’t anything to further drive a wedge in their friendship. But Akira wasn’t expecting them to say anything so soon.

If Hitoshi was open to trying again, visiting wouldn’t be so tense or awkward. They should probably wait on trying to win Mad Banquet back over to the idea until they were sure, though. From the group chat, things only got more passive aggressive after they left, and the end of the war only made things level out.

Once they arrived at the dorms, Akira beelined to their room with a flimsy excuse of unpacking, not ready to face the room of strangers as a sudden wave of anxiety crashed into them. Come on, you belong here. They’re just a bunch of kids. You’ve literally faced an army. Akira sat in the middle of their pile of blankets, only looking up at a familiar knock on their door.

Akira gave Fumikage and Dark Shadow a crooked smile. They swept in, chatting about nothing and everything, slipping in their new classmates’ names without saying a word about why they’re up there. Something tapped at their window, but nothing was visible.

After a moment, Akira grinned and opened it, Zephyr flying inside to deliver a note once he was still enough. They dug a bit of birdseed out of their duffle and dropped it in a small pile on their desk for him. ‘ Movie night after the move-in parties? ’

They eventually made their way down after sending Zephyr off with confirmation from both of them. Akira took a deep breath and waved to the small crowd mingling between the couches and kitchen. One of the boys in the kitchen, Arashi if Fumikage was right, turned with a bright smile and slightly glowing golden eyes.

“Welcome back! I’m Arashi, he/him please. I’m our class president, and Hikari over there is vice. She/fae.” He gestured to a student with sparkles in her braids. Or maybe faer hair was sparkly. “Your eyes are really cool, are they tied to your quirk?”

Akira blinked, caught off guard before they remembered they opted for non-colored lenses this time around. They offered a hesitant smile but shook their head. ‘ No, just a mutation. ’

“I knew I was forgetting something,” he snapped his fingers casually. “Most of us are doing pretty well in JSL, but let us know if there’s something we can do to help with communication.”

‘ I have an interpreter during the school day, but thanks, I appreciate it. ’ Maybe this year wouldn’t be so bad after all.

Notes:

Tomorrow I'll post a final author's note as its own chapter, but here is where our story concludes :) the edits have been harder than I anticipated, so still working on those. I do read the trilogy for fun sometimes, but going back through with a critical lens takes more of a toll. I considered a few names for Oboe, but while playing around with shortening both of his names I found Oboe fit pretty well, even more so when I found it means "to remember."

Previous Chapter | Final Author's Note

#agender #aro ace #nonbinary #lgbtqia #mha #when good people go to war #bnha #fanfic #libertias aut mortis #nonbinary mc #chapter 46 #finale #epilogue

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aspenforest732 · 29 days ago

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so cute!! I love it :D

I did my first mass attack on art fight and will be my last! It was fun to do but felt it took to long! My mass attack theme is the artist alley table, I love my idea and its cute!

From top to bottom of all the wonderful characters! Matos Alvarez to StarrKissed

Nathanial Jack Hall to @riax-art-aco

Eggroll to BaguetteFurLife

Charlie to Charlie_16

Sprits to SparkyDuck

Pablo the skater bug to @rattlingwormbin

Pinky Bun Bun to SeratheSeraphim

Oboro to @aspenforest732

Arcis Alador to @ghostthecryptid

Daisy Wiggles to That-Silly-Clown-Gal

Stitches to @crowscauseart

Choi to Choisfacecard

Snail-pup to DisasterGoober

Raine to Koko_the_demon_boi

Christian to Alekjiji

Aifos to lun4me

Hero Powers to St_Ph3n

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aspenforest732 · 1 month ago

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Libertias aut Mortis Chapter 45: Sado Siege: Final Destination

Summary:

tw: explosion, threats of violence, dissociation, trauma, terrorism, war, political prisoners, abuse, torture, blood, gore, nuclear warfare, murdered children, near-death experiences, authoritarianism, ptsd, flashbacks, claustrophobia Happy 3-year anniversary!!

Notes:

‘text’ JSL Text thoughts

They followed the pull to an empty pocket, collarbone hooked to warp if it was unstable. After a moment and nothing collapsed, they picked their way through the debris, warping as they felt tugs and saw the pale residue left by Hood’s splits.

Base guided them through the areas Hood already checked, warping further into the compound’s basement until they reached an elevator shaft. That… was a great way to go deep. They wouldn’t be working with so much structural damage, so the only danger was falling. Which they could pretty much negate. “How far down is Hood?” Mortis transmitted as they leaned out over the pit that fell into blank darkness even when with their goggles.

“Five floors. Why?”

Fuck it . “I’m taking the fast way.” Before they could respond, Mortis primed their capture weapon and warped onto the tiny ledge the floor below Hood.

“Holy shit!”

Mortis winced at the shout directly into their ear and steadied themself against their stiffened capture weapon braced against the far wall and jammed the emergency release next to the maintenance rungs. They stumbled through the doorway as their capture weapon snapped back to their shoulders, still hovering ready to lash out at the slightest thought.

“There was a ladder right there. Maybe use it next time?”

“This was faster,” they dismissed. Just like dispatching Galatea would be faster if they got a headstart. They warped ahead as the ceiling shook, raining down plaster and debris as it collapsed across part of the hallway. Please be okay . Mortis didn’t dare think what or who caused the explosions when no one they saw in the center had an explosion quirk.

Mortis swept through the floors faster and faster, feet barely alighting on the floor as they warped over unstable areas and down levels, using the elevator shaft to avoid Hood’s floors. After a time, their body cam ran into too much interference, so Base had to rely on what they transmitted. Just when they started to think she’d somehow escaped outwards instead of down, they caught a flash of deep, carmine red as they half-jumped half warped down.

After a moment’s hesitation, Mortis alighted on the cold metal rungs shaped into the shaft in a semblance of a crude maintenance ladder. They carefully made their way back up two floors, grateful they thought to leave their clone behind on these warps just in case something like this happened.

Her head popped through the doorway, long raven hair flowing in feathery layers over her shoulder as she peered up then down. Their breath caught, not daring to move a muscle as she searched. Galatea shook her head and withdrew, short boots softly clacking as she bustled down the corridor. Where was she even going?

Mortis carefully pulled themself onto the ledge, muscles coiled tight as they dared not make a sound. She got this far without a combat quirk for a reason. “Warp for Galatea,” they transmitted, slinking further into the corridor, barely intact lights flickering violently as she rounded the corner. Something wasn’t right. Why was she running deeper ? “Hold!”

“One of them’s nearby, I heard them…” her voice echoed slightly as she harshly whispered. “I don’t care if it’s a last resort, there’s too much at stake. We do this now or we lose everything.”

Muting themself, Mortis rapidly scrolled through frequencies until they heard a vaguely familiar, deep voice. “...we cannot accept this many casualties if we detonate now. The air raids will continue. You have a copy of the most powerful villain in the world, do you not?”

“He won’t listen to me,” she hissed, and Mortis’ breath caught. That couldn’t be good. “You gave us too little, I can barely send him in a direction, much less take control.”

Their com beeped twice quickly, an urgent transmission. Come on, just a little longer , they silently urged. If they could just place that voice, hear what the plan was here… Shit . Mortis winced as several columns of goop bubbled forth nearby, even the slight sounds potentially giving them away. Le Million solidified a little in front of them, but they pulled him back and into the air.

Both voices paused as Tsukuyomi, Mic, and Fat Gum landed, quirks at the ready as they started forward. Mortis cursed and pushed ahead, releasing Le Million as they switched back to the PLF’s range. “I was getting information,” they snapped as they warped twice, clone pulling across Galatea as they took in the environment. Cramped apparent dead end blocked by debris and… that wasn’t a wall.

“And you weren’t responding,” Spinner hissed back. “You can’t just not respond after spotting Galatea!”

Mortis scowled, clone dispelling as Galatea threw it into the wall. Le Million engaged as Mic started layering bursts of sound waves, churning their stomach. There wasn’t enough room for Fat Gum to maneuver, at least from what was visible. Mortis ducked through the false wall and slammed the obvious button at a quick glance. Several now clearly false walls dropped as the tinker tech holding the illusion in place deactivated.

A too-wide platform extended from the false walls before turning into a stairwell that stretched even deeper than the elevator shaft. Definitely below sea level . Mortis warped clones back in, distracting Galatea and getting petty swipes where they could while staying out of Mic’s pulses. She snarled and darted towards the stairwell, but Mortis slammed into her, knocking her over by the legs for Le Million to sucker punch back into Mic’s building range.

Galatea shook her head, swaying slightly as she tried to counter Le Million’s attacks, desperation and rage flooding her eyes as she looked for ways out. Something shifted, and she caught herself on a wall before senselessly charging Mic. A high-pitched screech threw her head back at an unnatural angle from the force, and moments later she dissolved. Shit .

Mortis warped down the stairs, heart pounding as they remembered the others hadn’t heard. “They’re going to detonate something. Moderate confidence Galatea is far below sea level deep in compound. Someone on outside is trying to call it.”

“Who?”

“That’s what I was trying to figure out,” Mortis snapped as they alternated between warping and running. Just because the staircase went down that far didn’t mean hidden doors wouldn’t hold their answers. Le Million largely kept pace, checking the floors in between more thoroughly so they could advance. The deeper they descended, the less shaking made its way to them, and the steps of their team echoed to the point where they weren’t sure exactly how far ahead they were getting. Plaster and fancier wall decorations transitioned to bare concrete and after what felt like an eternity even with their speed, metal plates with no gaps between anything.

Nothing rusted, nothing dusty. Yet distinctly foreign and unused. No person was supposed to be here. That much their gut told them as it churned, anxiety ever growing as they couldn’t quite pinpoint what this place was. Or even what it was supposed to be.

As the bottom finally came into sight, a slight burn pushed their injuries to the point they grew increasingly difficult to ignore. A few extra draughts from their supply confirmed they were just nearing quirk exhaustion. They must’ve spent a moment too long contemplating the last warp as Le Million bounced back to them, concern twisting his features. They shook their head with a tight smile and warped the last stretch, leaving the clone but pointing down in case they needed the cover.

Mortis steadied themself at the bottom, trying to push the burning pain spreading from their shoulder and joints. They hadn’t used their quirk that much, had they? Just push through, they need you , they reminded themself. Mortis extended their crutches with a soft shk , waiting with bated breath but nothing new interrupted the silence.

No, that’s not right. Through the blood pulsing in their ears, they made out a soft thrum vibrating through the reinforced steel walls. That wasn’t new, though, was it. That discomfort earlier, it wasn’t just from the relative isolation. Mortis padded onward, switching off with Le Million now that they were slower.

Familiarity tugged at the back of their mind as they passed faded paintings of conquest and nationalism, some of the imagery strikingly similar to pieces from the late 20th century. The 70s maybe? Their stump twinged as the combination finally clicked. “Le Million, there’s a second device we’re looking for. Lower priority than whatever’s to be detonated. It’s a warp drain.”

“A what?”

“Tinker tech that usually only makes warping more draining, but maybe this is an advanced version of it.” This was the HQ, after all. If anywhere had more advanced tech, it would be this hellsite.

Mortis took a left where Le Million said he took a right. The thick, steel walls bounced their barely audible footsteps back at them, but the hum was ever-present, yet to grow louder or softer even as they dove into the complex.

“They need me and Hado Chan up top. I will be back.”

Mortis jumped at Eraser’s words through their coms but acknowledged after Le Million. This place was even more of a maze than the other compounds, and who knew how long the original Galatea had been down there. Maybe she was never on the surface.

The hallway ended with several heavy doors on either side covered in both physical and electronic locks. Mortis warped to the other side of the first and froze. The Minister of State sat on a single bed with one of three books in the small room. A toilet sat a meter from him and a basin with a faucet next to it. They warped to the cell next to it, finding one of the Justices from the Supreme Court. In each cell sat a member of the government or high-ranking military officer who was currently active.

Mortis leaned heavily against the wall after checking several, looking down the hallway as they realized just how valuable Galatea made herself to the Wrens. “Several…” they trailed off as they tried to sort out how to actually transmit this. “Several people in positions of power have been replaced and are being held deep under the compound.”

“Good, fewer people to burn,” Dabi panted. He sounded marginally better than the last time he spoke, though. Hopefully that meant Suneater’s idea was working. “We’re cleaning up here, status?”

“Still searching,” Le Million added. “We’re not sure how long she’s been down here, and it’s a massive maze.”

“Worse than the others,” Mortis clarified before Dabi could make a snide remark. They conveniently left out the warp drain. They couldn’t let him pull them out, not when they were so close. If they were back at base or any of their safe places, they would just go grab their wheelchair. But nooo, they were in the secret basement with political prisoners and probably a bomb threatening to detonate if they didn’t find it in time. With only their crutches teetering on the edge of quirk exhaustion.

Mortis trudged back to the intersection, only spite and what little remaining adrenaline they could scrape from the bottom of the barrel keeping them moving. When they stumbled for the upteenth time, they had to mute their coms to not swear directly into the mic. That would make people ask questions. Questions they neither had the time nor the fucks to answer.

Fuck it , Mortis finally caved. They switched to a direct line to Giri and bit out, “Can you by chance warp my wheelchair to me without telling anyone?”

“Are you alright?” Concern dripped from his words, and they could picture his clouds rippling as they did when he got upset. “I can, but if you need help—”

“I’m fine, just could really use the energy I’m putting into walking for later once we find Galatea.” Mortis tried to keep the strain out of their words, but from what they heard, it wouldn’t take much to hear it. “I can give my coords again if you need them.”

Giri was quiet for a couple minutes, and they started to slump, knowing they wouldn’t be able to keep going at this rate. Just as they went to switch channels, he gave a small sigh, “Alright. Just confirm your coordinates, and I’ll send it.”

Within moments, they sunk into their chair, joints burning as they maneuvered into the right position and retracted their crutches. Mortis quickly ran over their couple combat options in their head before zipping forward, quickly making it back to the intersection as the others came into sight. It wasn’t as quiet as they would’ve liked against the unforgiving hallway, but it was better than nothing.

Mic and Fat Gum started to say something but stopped, sharing a split-second look instead.

‘ The warp drain is too much on top of everything else. This gives the flexibility— ’ Mortis started, defenses spiking.

“You needed a different aid, and you made the call. You don’t need to explain it, but you can if you want to talk about it,” Fat Gum smiled softly. Well, softly for him.

“I think I found the warp drain?” Le Million called out over coms. “It looks like a big engine, like something out of one of Tamaki’s books.”

A big engine… Mortis shrugged. “I haven’t heard of one like that, but if it’s running, see if you can stop it. Carefully .”

Le Million repeated directions, and they took off. Mortis wheeled ahead at full speed, splitting off down smaller hallways just in case. Some held supply closets divided between mundane supplies, basic tinker repair tools, and all too familiar torture devices.

Others were dotted with rooms that were empty husks except a lone, hard chair at their center with a too-pristine metal contraption around the headrest and straps for the arms and legs. Those rooms brought a sharp, fuzzy pounding to their head as though even their subconscious warred over whether it was something they should remember. They could feel the pull of what was probably an observation room attached to each of those rooms, but Mortis ignored the call, leaving each room faster than the last.

Each time, they caught back up to the others quickly, waving away their growing concern as they returned more and more weary. They trusted Mortis for some reason, though, and didn’t push for an explanation or a reason they should continue. Merely accepting their comments of ‘ not Galatea ’ or ‘ not important .’

The once steady hum of machinery grew more distinct as they finally neared its source. It pulled and stretched apart into a pulsing vibration, almost like how someone who’d never felt a heartbeat would describe one. An explosion rung through the metal plating and shook their bones though nothing moved.

“Le Million, come in,” Mic immediately prompted. After a moment, he repeated more urgently, “Le Million, come—”

“I’m here,” he cut Mic off once he was solid after jetting out of the floor. “I’m here. Had to push far enough away. Mortis, how are you feeling?”

They took stock, the stillness enveloping them like a blanket though their muscles still spasmed slightly in time with the not heartbeat they briefly felt. ‘ Better. I don’t think it’s active anymore. ’

Le Million did a double-take as he took them in for the first time since they split off, but snapped his mouth shut at a look from Fat Gum. “Assuming you checked the side paths, there are a couple more routes we can take unless you want to double-check the machine?”

‘ Should be fine. At a minimum, it’s disabled for now. And yes, I checked side hallways. ’

“I could start going down them,” Mic offered, and they gave him an odd look. They were decidedly faster in their chair. “We see how it affects you, and I can fit in smaller spaces than Fat Gum.”

‘ I’m fine, ’ Mortis snipped. ‘ Let’s just find her, find the maybe bomb, and get the fuck out of here. ’

As they wove through the halls, the rooms off the side hallways progressively grew worse in every way. Torture devices gave way to more dangerous and bizarre tools they wouldn’t recognize the purpose of had they not been hooked and laid with torture tools they did know.

Some doors they had to close immediately, only catching a glimpse of the entirely mirrored surfaces that threatened to pull them under. Some rooms they had to pull themself away from as multiple ages of blood stained an otherwise nondescript spot on every surface. Some of it entirely too fresh, the victim now either dead somewhere else or freshly out of the room and waiting for their next fate somewhere in the compound.

At least with the warp drain down, the only discomfort in their stomach was the bile threatening to bubble forth. Mortis twisted their weariness back into hatred, burning bright as Dabi’s flames with every room they entered. They had to. Or it would drown them out with the ghosts of screaming and crying children.

Just as they caught back up with the group, knuckles white from their death grip on the wheelchair, Le Million jetted through the floor white as a sheet. He rattled off a mile a minute, eyes wide and form shaking.

“Hey, hey , kiddo, I need you to slow down,” Fat Gum crouched to get on his level. “Breathe for me, okay? In through your nose,” he took an exaggerated breath, “out through your mouth. Good, again.”

After a moment, his eyes zeroed in on Fat Gum’s face, and he swallowed hard with a sharp nod. Fat Gum stood, giving him a bit of space as Mic and Mortis watched on with matching worried expressions. “They have a nuke. Galatea is arming it, and I think the Prime Minister is the one you heard earlier.”

“They have a WHAT?” Fat Gum boomed, and Mortis flinched into their chair, barely catching themself from warping given their current state. He shot them an apologetic look, but that was the correct reaction.

Mortis took off down the hall, snapping the others out of the moment as Le Million took the lead again. He rattled off directions, but the two were still at an impasse from what he overheard. They didn’t even know Japan had nuclear weapons. Wasn’t the nonproliferation agreement still active? How the hell did they hide this from everyone?

And why do the Wrens have one? That alone raised entirely too many questions, and once they passed the information to Base, chaos erupted. Between Johnny and Giri, they could warp everyone out if it came to that, but depending on several factors, the fallout would likely consume the island and could very well reach the main island.

“Can you fight in that?” Le Million asked hesitantly as they dashed down corridor after corridor.

Mortis smirked, though it probably turned out as more of a grimace. ‘ Bubblegum designed it. ’ At his confusion, they clarified with the confidence of only knowing that she was a badass, a prodigy inventory, and most importantly but vaguely, the problem child of 1-H. Well, 2-H now. ‘ Hatsume Mei. ’

From the look on his face, that was all he needed to know. One of their distinct memories was of talking her down from adding rockets or at least hover tech to their aids. A mix of stability and independent repairability needs won her over, but she constantly looked for something to improve or add to. At least that made the all-terrain capability for their chair more realistic. Even stairs in older buildings wouldn’t be a major problem in it.

One-sided shouting echoed through the halls as they neared, Galatea growing more and more desperate. Minutes later, they slowed slightly to take in the truly massive room with a sloped metal grate walkway lining the edge of the circular room and a warhead pointing skyward. Red lights flashed in the room, but no sound accompanied them.

Glancing behind, Mortis lifted their fingers in countdown. As their fist closed, their wheelchair shot forward onto the clanging walkway as Le Million dropped below. Mic burst in the room with Fat Gum on his heels, blasting Galatea away from the control panel a few “floors” below.

She shrieked and fiercely glared up at them through a white mask with red lines gouged into it, making a show of hanging up as she dashed toward the panel again. Le Million shot out of the ground in her way, but she darted back. Fat Gum jumped down, landing heavily as the grate crunched and creaked beneath his weight. Mortis snapped out their capture weapon and yanked one of the levers the opposite way as they built up momentum, nearly snapping it clear off the console.

Galatea mostly dodged, trying to get around or between the other adults as they kept forcing her back. Fat Gum nearly caught her in his belly a few times, but she always seemed to just narrowly avoid it.

Always .

Mortis took the chance and warped directly in front of the controls, halfway into a leg lock just in case and found purchase, twisting the figure to the ground as a key matching Galatea’s clattered to the ground.

Their clone popped the spikes out and rammed into Galatea, the stopping force only just enough to dispel them as Mortis cursed. They warped twice to regain control even as their vision blurred on the edges, slamming their knives into the still invisible body beneath them and bringing their chair back as their knees threatened to buckle. Mortis kicked the body to the side, only then registering how light it was.

And how much smaller it was compared to everyone else.

Mortis forced themself to refocus on the area immediately around the control panel as they dispelled their clone and slipped back into the chair. One side of spikes now coated with blood, Galatea with a pronounced limp. Body— don’t look at the body. Their capture weapon floated at shoulder height just in front of them, ready to strike at the slightest sound or shift.

I just killed a kid .

No, no . They couldn’t think about that. Not here, not now. Just focus .

Mourn them later.

A slight shuffle, and their capture weapon snapped out, throwing them to the floor as their knife stabbed out at a noise to their other side. Maybe they saw the value in Strangers after all.

Mortis only went for the killing blow on Wrens large enough to definitely be adults, their bodies appearing littered in scars and fresh wounds, most of which they didn’t inflict.

With a mighty crack , Fat Gum slammed Galatea’s head into the wall, and everyone turned their coms to plugs. Mic got in her face and screeched, no sound audible but she instantly went limp in Fat Gum’s grip. Mortis switched back to normal coms and turned back to the console.

“Galatea down. Can anyone walk us through how to disarm the nuke?” Mortis transmitted, trusting the others to take care of the bodies, unconscious and not, around them.

A few minutes later, Nezu gave the last of the instructions, and the lights finally switched back to neutral. Mortis closed the box covering the keyhole with a decisive clack and turned back with a tired approximation of smile. Fat Gum and Mic’s triumphant faces fell, and the world spun.

‘ I’m fine , ’ they tried to sign, the movements sluggish and running together. ‘ Just need a… ’

They slumped forward, their last memory of Fat Gum’s soft, warm embrace and adults panicking about blood. There was blood all around them, though.

The blood on the back of their chair wasn’t that much in comparison.

Notes:

Sooo I never actually spec’d out the wheelchair cause I was like this’ll never happen on page! They can’t exactly carry it with them, and at this point, they wouldn’t go out on patrol or whatever if it was a day they needed the chair. And theen I realized they desperately needed it with the horror shit going on this chapter. The final fight was not supposed to be horror. I don’t know why it turned this way - well, I kind of do. There’s an scp that’s the worm house or something like that where a machine that uses human sacrifice for power takes the house and its cult to another dimension, and that got stuck in my head after I started feeling like the endless staircase scp during their descent. I got the sensitivity reading feedback! I've gone through and updated the tags and trigger warnings, but I need to make some changes to Akira's whole arc for it to come across as I intended. Will be making those changes this week along with some wording changes i.e. stutter shouldn't be used outside its medical context (will also be updating in first two fics). I got the feedback a week ago but wanted to read up on soldiers' rationalizations and such to more easily identify those thought patterns in Akira. Found a great article on it! Unfortunately it was very dense since it was the findings of a several-year study so took most of the week to just get through it and take notes.

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#agender #aro ace #nonbinary #lgbtqia #mha #when good people go to war #bnha #fanfic #nonbinary mc #libertias aut mortis #chapter 45

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aspenforest732 · 1 month ago

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Star Maker 2023 vs 2019 I really enjoyed repainting this one. Maybe in a few more years I'll give it another go!

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aspenforest732 · 1 month ago

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Libertias aut Mortis Chapter 44: Sado Siege: Rain of Terror

Summary:

tw: radiation poisoning, war, graphic depiction of violence, gore, body horror, burns, vomiting Their dying eyes

Notes:

‘text’ JSL Text thoughts

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

“All for One is here. I repeat, All for One is fucking here. We need everyone at main compound now.”

A warp gate slowly spun up in front of Gigantomachia, other teams confirming their arrival as Overwatch and Snipers anxiously waited, picking off who they could on their side. Mortis started towards the next closest gate, but a feather pulled them back from the angle they needed. They shot a glare at Hawks, but he was laser-focused on the spike inches from his face. Almost all of his remaining feathers detached, shooting towards that gate.

Fine . Mortis shifted from foot to prosthetic foot, tapping their fingers together as they tried to focus on what they could realistically do once it opened. Long to short, short to long. Keep it together, he could just as easily send you back . They couldn’t risk warping into the chaos below with the rabid animals already nipping at Gigantomachia’s heels but unable to break through his skin, much less give them something to worry about up so high.

Too-distant explosions shook the earth and shot molten and clumped debris into the dark sky. Nine nodded to himself and squared up towards the main compound. He has Search. He has to be targeting All for One. Just focus on the gate.

Bolts of lightning swelled in the clouds, pulling electricity from the storm before slamming into the ground. Curses rang out over coms, but no protests or betrayal. Mortis swore, realizing how critical the decision to leave the Doctor out of the mission was now.

‘ How the hell did he get out of Tartarus? ’ Mortis snapped, and coms from Base stilled for a moment before a flurry of commotion. They seriously didn’t… no, that’s not fair. No one could’ve expected this after they secured the ex-prisoners.

“All for One is still in his cell,” Nezu replied after a long moment.

What? Mortis shook their head and pushed, ‘ Are you sure it’s not an illusion, someone else even? ’

Nezu hummed and answered in the negative after a longer moment. Then… Shit. ‘ Would Galatea know him well enough? She was able to clone Mouse and Toga, so she might not require as much familiarity as Twice. ’

“On it,” Haruki acknowledged. “Nezu, any insights would also be appreciated.”

The rabid animals stilled and ran off toward the compound moments before the gate billowed outward, purple swirling around the now defined edges. Mortis clung to their spike.

The hair on the back of their neck prickled as something swelled in the portal. They ducked into the bunker moments before a blast ripped through the portal. Gigantomachia roared as the blast sheared most of his spikes in half, raining blood and white-hot ash down on the bunker and his back as the rest shot off his back. Twice’s clone of Recovery Girl pressed a kiss into his side as hot blood oozed from the wounds, the flow slowing though they remained open.

“Injuries?” Hawks called out. Those who didn’t make it inside the bunker were covered in what almost looked like bad sunburns. A few who tried to shield others were left vomiting on their knees. Giri warped those who needed it to medical where Recovery Girl awaited with the trauma team. Her clone emerged from the bunker, treating those who could continue with a quick kiss.

A few lumbering steps carried them through the gate. Below, charred bodies littered the battlefield on both sides. All for One floated above the compound, and as their gate closed, a red blur charged towards them. Mortis warped before Hawks could stop them and transmitted, “Jinx, Crater incoming!”

Mortis warped a chain of clones in the way, hoping to confuse or at least slow him down slightly. The lack of impact at least might make him hesitate. They poised by Jinx, capture weapon wrapped around her waist.

Now! Mortis threw Jinx and warped as Crater crashed into Gigantomachia. Or would have if he hadn’t tripped on the body at his feet. The sky grew darker as the storm intensified, and Mortis looked to Nine in confusion. If he had more to give, surely he would have…

“Cover!” Mortis transmitted as they warped into the bunker, throwing Jinx up and pulling her in with them as a lightning bolt not from Nine crashed down on the spikes and jumped to the few still outside. Nine withstood it easily, lightning wrapping around him as he redirected it, but Lady Nagant wasn’t so lucky. Her blackened, charred body slid off the side before anyone could react, much less grab her.

Mortis warped atop Gigantomachia’s head, leaving their clone just in case. They dropped flat on his head, but no blast came. Maybe his non-sight based vision didn’t extend that far? From this height, they could just make out where four Wrens stood at the center of the rubble, a perfect circle giving off a modicum of light in the debris. Lockdown maybe? But who are the others?

Too far from where Reversal’s last effects were seen, and Crater was far from rooted in place, so that left Despot, Revelation, Opening, and Galatea. Despot would account for decreased visibility, and Opening would almost certainly be in the thick of battle. They sure as hell wouldn’t protect their kids like that unless they had a prodigy who would’ve debuted by now with the initiative, and a pile of… something reflective shimmered near one of them.

And they didn’t know Galatea’s medium.

‘ We need to get to the compound now. I think Galatea is preparing another clone, ’ Mortis warped back to Hawks as the pieces snapped into place.

He scratched his head, eyes darting before finally responding. “We’re too big to get close. I don’t know how many more hits like that Gigantomachia can take, and we’re not meant to be in close combat. Home can get you closer, but—”

“You’ll need me,” Eraserhead interrupted. “I interrupted All for One’s blast earlier, but I can’t hold it for long once I focus on him. If you have a big combo that could take him, coordinate with me.”

“That’s for anyone with ideas,” Hawks added.

“Hado and I have something.”

Hawks nodded to Mortis, and they picked their way across Gigantomachia’s raw back. Fissures opened below, breaking soldiers onto islands as the snarls of Cujo’s animals echoed in the distance. Damn they’re fast .

Spotting Home, Mortis’ heart skipped a beat and they warped in rapid succession, clones dashing against the ground as they built up momentum. Mortis slammed into the soldier right as he fired, knife twisting between his shoulder blades as he slammed into the ground face-first. The bullet burrowed into the ground not a meter from Suneater, startling him as he pivoted on his hind legs towards them. Hado Chan and Dark Shadow landed gracefully in front of them, waves building around her arms as Dark Shadow hissed and swiped at any soldiers within his massive reach. At least some people on their side benefited from the dark.

Searing hot pain pierced through their shoulder, a casing landing in front of them.

Mortis warped in the direction it came from, warping again to get behind as he fired at the clone. Slashes to the arms and neck dispatched him well enough as they spun, knives and sound waves arcing while Dark Shadow in his massive form tore at those closer to the main group.

“You okay?” Hado Chan asked as they pulled back.

‘ I’m fine. What was your combo? ’ Mortis brushed them off. They prodded lightly at the exit wound, but either the adrenaline was doing its job or it wasn’t that bad. At least they didn’t have the special shots from… they shook their head and refocused.

“Suneater can combine everything he’s eaten into one arm like a cannon, and it channels my waves,” Hado Chan explained, usually cheery face taught in concentration as she looked between them.

Mortis realized after a moment what that really meant. ‘ So you’ll be completely out after using it? ’

“It takes too much for me not to put everything into it,” he explained as he and Dark Shadow kept the others at bay, absorbing and blocking bullets meant for their little group. Chainsaw charged around, weaving to protect them as it took on more of the soldiers.

‘ Okay, ’ Mortis signed hesitantly as they withdrew into the larger group. ‘ Would it put you in danger or would the effectiveness decrease too much if we wait? ’

“Can we afford to wait?” Suneater asked, a hoof pawing at the ground as his tail swished.

Mortis worried their lip before turning it to the other heads with a brief explanation. “When do we want this?” By raw experience alone, they surely would have a better grasp of the timeline.

Chainsaw stopped its assault as the soldiers froze in place. As if held aloft by marionette strings, they started attacking their side. About time, Dictator . Chainsaw redirected its efforts to help them, though it wouldn’t leave much in the way of bodies when the first batch inevitably fell.

“Take center,” Shigaraki rasped, coughing wetly. “If Galatea falls, so should the clones.”

“You’re up!” A chorus of questions flooded the channel before Dabi growled, “Let him answer, dipshits.”

“Bastard exploded out when I brought it down. Best Jeanist got me out, just respawned,” he still sounded rough, but the coughing slowed. Hopefully he just meant he was unconscious. It’s not like Best Jeanist could revive people, anyways.

“Shigaraki needs immediate medical attention,” Best Jeanist heaved, breathing labored as he stifled a cough.

“Fuck you, if I’m going, you’re going to Overwatch,” Shigaraki snapped, though little heat simmered behind the words.

Isn’t he missing a lung ? Whatever happened there definitely wasn’t good for him either way. “Giri, you good for both or should we start using Johnny?” Mortis transmitted. The smaller nomu still fell under their agreement with the Doctor, but using a low-end for transportation could still pose a risk of override.

“Done,” Giri simply responded. “I’ve still got a while left. I’ll let you know when I need to slow down,” he added with a touch of exasperation.

Good, someone’s on his case then . Mortis turned their attention back to Home. ‘ I need Suneater, and with their combination, it may be good for Hado Chan to come in case this goes wrong. ’

Suneaters’ eyes grew wide as saucers, and Hado Chan did a double-take to the sky. The pair quickly built up a barrier of vines and wave pulses spiraling away from their group as thousands of metal slivers shot towards them from All for One. Dark Shadow stretched to provide additional coverage while Mortis warped a barrier of clones as far as they could in the area he seemed to be targeting. Mainly their group. Shit, does he have advanced hearing? A technology quirk? Wait, how far does his mind reading go?

Mortis tucked under the vines, deflecting the few blades that made it through. Crescent-shaped razors landed around their feet, a few catching the edge of Tsukuyomi’s cape before he pulled closer. ‘ We need to keep moving. Can you keep this up? ’ Mortis asked, hoping they wouldn’t have to.

The pair looked at each other then back and nodded. ‘ I guess you’re coming with then, Tsukuyomi, Dark Shadow. You good with that? ’

“Always,” Tsukuyomi held their gaze for a brief moment, sincerity and determination oozing from his words and gaze and taking them aback slightly.

Mortis nodded firmly, matching his gaze best as they could as their group darted towards center. They warped a little ahead of the group, constantly moving erratically to redirect some of the blades and avoid predictability for bullets. Just as they started to fall into a pattern, hot metal seared their forehead in a ring.

BANG . Mortis warped behind as heat flashed across their face, skin tingling in familiar sharp pinpricks as their clone’s head exploded before it could even dispel from the force alone. They warped back under their team’s mobile cover, ears ringing and world swaying while they tried to reorient themself.

Dark Shadow caught Mortis in their arms with a worried trill as they stumbled. Come on, be useful while you’re here , Mortis berated themself. They wouldn’t be good for anything if they made careless mistakes like that. Just keep going under the fucking canopy if you can’t follow simple maneuvers.

‘ You’re burned. What happened? ’ Tsukuyomi asked as Suneater slowed slightly, casting a worried glance over his flank.

‘ I’m fine, just a close call. ’

‘ Bullshit. I can see the tattooing, ’ he snapped, giving them a flat stare.

‘ It didn’t actually hit me, I’m fine, ’ they shot back. Their clone took the shot, so why were they shaking? The barrage of razors finally let up. Maybe he was focusing on another group? Don’t Jinx it .

A warp gate opened within their sanctuary, and Mortis whirled on it with a knife as everyone skidded to a stop. Midnight dashed through with Eraserhead and Present Mic on her heels. Their lips moved, but no sound came out. That would explain why he was signing . Mortis caught their attention and signed ‘ can’t hear ’ as they did double takes.

Eraserhead took a deep breath, and snapped one arm out to hold Midnight back as the other pinched his nose. He closed the distance in a stride, checking over them as they let him tilt their head one way then the other to look at their ears. ‘ No bleeding, so you’ll be fine. Just ringing? Okay, let’s keep moving. ’

Tsukuyomi squawked in protest, feathers ruffling but relented as the group picked up the pace again. Present Mic easily fell in stride on their opposite side closer to the vines. They tried to switch with him, but he blocked easily with a grim half smile.

‘ Status? ’ Mortis asked as they ran.

‘ Gigantomachia is down. ’

Mortis stumbled, but Present Mic steadied them by their arm. Something about the touch spread warmth from the point of contact, but they pushed it down. That would only be a distraction now. The corners of his lips twitched down slightly as the couple exchanged a glance, but he gave them a half step more space.

No, that’s not… Well, now they’d look like an asshole if they closed it.

‘ Nine and Hawks are overhead keeping AFO busy, Snipers distributed, everyone’s either pushing center or taking out the remaining soldiers. Opening was near Reversal, and Midnight brought him down. ’

Didn’t Hawks only have his nubs? He must’ve pulled most of his remaining feathers back if he was flying. ‘ Am I needed on DPS? I can— ’

‘ Reaper, you don’t need to do anything, ’ Midnight tried, but they gave her an incredulous look. They got this far. They were going to do shit. It was just a matter of where.

‘ I basically solo’d the Legacy Holder compound. I’m more than capable. ’

‘ That wasn’t what she meant and you know it, ’ Eraserhead chided. Did they? It seemed pretty fucking clear. Present Mic caught his eye, and he looked back at them, the glance lingering with a tint of confusion in his hard eyes.

‘ I only meant you have people who will fight for you. Who are fighting for you. You can sit this one out, and no one would bat an eye, much less blame you. ’

Her expression held a kindness in that calm resolve. Specks of something else occasionally surfaced, but it wasn’t towards them. Not directly at least. ‘ I’m staying, ’ they signed firmly, gut churning at the—

Mortis snatched the grenade and warped, dropping a few clones with it as they warped back. Blood and bits of people sprayed across their backs, the small shockwave jolting them just far enough forward to throw them off balance. ‘ Giri can explain why calling a warp gate on me would be a bad idea. ’

Present Mic started to reach out, but his hand dropped to his side at their slight flinch. Damn it. They couldn’t help it, they were in the middle of a battle. This was no time for comfort or whatever that was supposed to be. It didn’t matter that their heart ached when he withdrew or their instincts prodded towards either of the couple. Just stay focused, get through this. Was it the grenade? In hindsight, they could’ve had a clone go for it, but they’d do that next time.

The wall of vines dropped, lashing out as they hit a thicker concentration of soldiers. Wasn’t this area cleared by Shigaraki’s group? Worry coursed through them as they tried to remember where the remnants would be. Mirko, Knuckleduster, Rupture… where the hell were they?

They warped clones forward, following Suneater’s lead since everything was still… now extremely muffled. Screams and gunfire slowly crept into the edge of their hearing like from miles away, so they turned up the volume on coms to 10. The specifics were still hard to make out, but the panic and desperation were evident.

Shigaraki and Hawks tried to maintain order, but the biggest problem sounded like Crater between the numbers and scattered attacks. Jinx was in critical condition at medical, and the smoke billowing from his impacts only grew. So why the hell was Eraserhead with them?

Mortis switched to a single line to Giri and transmitted, “I need you to speak slowly and clearly. Who exactly did you send through the warp gate to me, Suneater, Hado Chan, and Tsukuyomi?”

“I got confirmation from three people I sent Present Mic, Eraserhead, and Midnight. Is something wrong?” He asked, exhaustion pulling his words together even as he tried to speak clearly.

Shit, he needs a break . “It’s fine, thanks for the confirmation.” They turned sharply to Eraserhead. ‘ Why are you here instead of out there? With Jinx and Gigantomachia down, wouldn’t Erasure be our best weapon against Crater? ’

‘ There are plans in place. I assume you caught the tail end of that? ’

They narrowed their eyes at him. They knew the plans, and he was the fallback. ‘ It’s still muffled, I barely got that much. ’

“Get ready!” Suneater called over his shoulder as they approached the edge of the crater where the main compound once stood proudly over the island. Rubble lay strewn over the land in heaps with pipes and other hazards jutting out of concrete and steel beams. There wasn’t even a quarter of the rubble there should have been. Was that Shigaraki or the explosion?

Mortis warped ahead, leaning halfway between two larger pieces of rubble to get a better vantage point. The perfect circle around the three figures was even more pronounced now, and the air simmered off the ground, rising in waves around the dome as it glowed distinctly now. Maybe that’s what caused the burns? It made the people harder to identify, but one wore traditional masculine robes, and through slivers reflecting back the hazy bright light rising from the dome’s heat they could just make out the distinct colors of Lockdown’s costume as overall head of the family.

Wait. Where’s the other one? Mortis warped a few times around the perimeter, realizing the stack of scrap was also gone now. No no no, we can’t lose someone. Not here, not now. They frantically warped back, quickly spotting the alcove they tucked into away from line of fire. Their heart pounded against their chest, threatening to burst out as they told the others.

“She might be under, but we need eyes on whoever she cloned,” Present Mic mulled over. “Nezu, Hawks, did you catch anything overhead?”

“Can’t see much other than the most powerful villain in Japan ,” Hawks snarked, panting as lightning arced between dark figures in the sky only illuminated by the split-second flashes and a crackle around Nine. “Don’t tell me you lost her.”

‘ Maybe she went under. I can scout— ’ Mortis froze as Eraserhead pinned them under his gaze.

“Base, Johnny needs to warp Hood or its mini mes to us. We need eyes on Galatea.” Eraserhead looked over to Present Mic, who gave a curt nod. “We continue pushing center. Suneater, how far have you gotten with pigeon eyes?”

He straightened as the focus shifted to him and pawed the ground. Maybe that was horse for nervous? “I can manage moving, but I can’t attack accurately.”

“Keep focus on defense then. We need to move before that builds any hotter,” Eraserhead jutted his head toward the opening. “Suneater, tell us when you’re ready, then on my count.”

Mortis watched in morbid fascination as his entire head skewed and reshaped into roughly the shape of a pigeon’s, feathers replacing his hair though a beak didn’t form. His eyes did the weird pigeon “blink” a few times before he nodded. Eraserhead peered at him for a moment before he found what he was looking for and held up fingers to start the countdown.

When his hand closed into a fist, they rushed the opening, vines and clones covering their back while they clambered over the rubble. Mortis only then noticed that Suneater’s hooves changed from single to cloven, the new finding far better purchase as he stepped up larger pieces, lowering a hand or vine to help others up without directly looking back.

Johnny warped Hood to them as they clambered and wordlessly followed Eraserhead’s instructions of find Galatea with a quick description of her. At least the heads’ appearances were public. As they drew closer, the closest figure in the bubble came into focus through the rippling air confirming her as Lockdown. Revelation was definitely the man they spotted in the robes. Shit, where’s—

Star Servant materialized from black ooze as Lockdown met their gaze. The group slowed as no one inside the bubble moved. Despot shifted foot to foot, glaring at the group then looking to Lockdown always with fear shining behind her facade of confidence.

The bubble dropped. Mortis startled, warping with the tug of their costume the moment they felt pressure as Best Jeanist scattered the group away from the center. Boiling heat rippled outward, and the air dropped heavy and thick in their lungs. Every breath took monumental effort even as Mortis snapped their mask up to cover their mouth and nose.

Bright pink mist poured off Midnight, pooling and dissipating in spots as it spread out. What the… Mortis flicked their goggles down, poised to pop them back up in an instant only to stare in confusion. They scrambled to their feet, capture weapon whipping about them as Despot darted forward. She faltered as her shards of glass melted, pooling at her feet as she hissed, dropping her quirk for the glass to rapidly cool, dispersing into the shattered structure.

“Where’s Dabi?” Suneater asked.

Mortis warped as a wave of heat barreled towards them from behind. Threads pulled everyone away, but the flames swallowed up Star Servant and stopped just short of where Midnight landed, the heat alone setting her costume on fire. She threw the tearaway fabric to the side as she pushed away and to her feet still in the more durable sections. Their team scattered even more now, Mortis snapped their attention to the figure atop the rubble swirling a ball of flame in each hand.

“I’m covering your asses to the south,” Dabi grit out, strain starting to seep into his voice. “What— oh hell no.” At least he’d seen it.

“Last known clone is Dabi. If you enter center, that Dabi is hostile,” Eraserhead barked out over coms. “Dabi, continue where you are, we’ll handle this. Midnight, push with the kids; Mic and I will take the clone. Base, what do you have from Hood?”

“No sign of Galatea. It’s a mess, and they’ve split multiple times to cover more area. Can anyone else spare someone for recon?”

Mortis warped next to Eraserhead, catching his arm. Wait, why am I asking? Fuck it, I’m here . They drew themself up and met his gaze despite the discomfort. ‘ I can go. I can clear it faster and safer than anyone other than maybe Mouse given Nine is occupied. ’

Eraserhead looked torn, logic warring with something else on his face before he finally gave a nod. “Mortis is going under. The moment you find her, you call a warp and retreat,” he stared into their soul as they nodded. Still trapped under his gaze, they relented and nodded more… whatever he was looking for as he turned back.

Just as he started to take off running again, he startled them with a quick side hug. Left reeling, Mortis forced themself to not lean after the touch and shove back all that threatened to resurface.

Notes:

Realized Akira wouldn’t immediately recognize radiation poisoning so had to actually see how it was different from regular burns. Symptoms usually don’t show up right away, but if it was concentrated enough to shear off Gigantomachia’s spikes, I figured some symptoms could show. Was that a jab at the manga? Yes, yes it was. Wtf was that revival (I know it was mostly Edgeshot, but seriously?) Did Akira pick up some of Shigaraki’s lingo? Yeeah

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#agender #aro ace #nonbinary #lgbtqia #mha #when good people go to war #bnha #fanfic #nonbinary mc #libertias aut mortis #chapter 44

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aspenforest732 · 1 month ago

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Give her a follow on artfight! Their oc's are super cool and even have playlists :)

All the attacks I did for day 10 of Artfight!

@unsubtle-oddities @i-cloudyink-i @futilemp3 @aspenforest732 @epicfishcar

#artfight #artfight2025 #art #artist #lgbtqia #aro ace #agender #nonbinary #they/them

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aspenforest732 · 1 month ago

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Libertias aut Mortis Chapter 43: Sado Siege: Storming the Beach

Summary:

tw: gore, blood, martial law, war, graphic depiction of violence, police, military, plane crash, micro, expansion, body horror, antman beats Thanos situation, rabies, dead dove do not eat Maybe it's the pools of blood

Notes:

‘text’ JSL Text thoughts

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Mortis activated their coms as they grabbed Gigantomachia’s nearest spike, world swaying as they adjusted to the height and darkness. The booming thuds of his steps rippled through them as they got their bearings. Hawks shot them an exasperated look but the portal was already closed.

“--Mortis?” they caught the tail end of someone through coms.

“They’re at Overwatch,” Hawks snipped. “Giri, the hell were you thinking?”

‘ It’s my fault, I timed it so he didn’t get the chance to close it before I was in, ’ Mortis rushed to explain. No sense putting more pressure on him. That’s almost what happened anyways. Explosions rippled through the air far below, plumes of smoke rising from cerulean flames that tore through the small wooded area leading up to the compound and lit the way for everyone to see through the night.

The stars and moon shed no light behind Nine’s stormclouds, and the lights from the bunkers on Gigantomachia’s back only reached so far before dropping off into darkness below. Pinpricks of light dotted the mass of soldiers on the ground bathed in red in his wake and the antiheroes pouring through gates.

“I’ll interpret as needed, but there is a delay so you may need to switch to coms,” Kikuko explained, frustration dripping from her voice.

‘ Got it. Anywhere specific need me? ’ Mortis snapped their gaze back to Hawks as Gigantomachia lumbered forward, steeling themself against the snap and squelch of bodies crushed beneath his feet before they could so much as cry out or raise their guns.

“You should stay here or with the snipers, but you’re not going to listen this time, are you.” Hawks looked to the east where they expected Crater to emerge once they waded through enough cops and Commission/military puppets. A low whine quickly grew, making Mortis rub their ears. “Cover!”

Mortis warped and crimson feathers pulled slower members under reinforced bunkers. A rain of bullets peppered the area they just stood, but died off as thick bolts of lightning flashed, striking the jets with deadly precision as Nine peered out from beside them.

“Home’s requesting reinforcements, no sign of the heads yet.” Hawks looked to them grimly, sizing them up again. “Only go if you’re sure.”

Mortis gave a casual salute and warped off toward the home gate. They could have made it to the ground in one warp, but angling it made more progress for the effort. With the second, they used their momentum to partially sever a pig’s head, slamming his body into another with the force and warping before anyone registered what just happened.

As spread out as the gates were, Mortis didn’t have to worry about friendly fire. A pattern of warp, slice the nearest limb or face, and warp away fell into familiarity as their coms started picking up the edges of Home group’s specific channel. They warped into a tree along the edge of the forest covering most of the southern half of the island, searching the sea of bodies and quirks in the darkness. There! Fat Gum’s looming figure slammed into the ranks. A few glowed, others used lights on their guns, providing just enough light to distinguish friend from foe. Most of the time.

“Warping to Home,” Mortis transmitted as they pushed off the tree. The momentum far from their previous buildup, they still gouged a deep furrow through a pig’s arm as he screamed, head snapping backwards as a pineapple slammed into his face. Mortis pushed forward, ducking and warping around Suneater’s vines. He needed room to maneuver from the sound of hooves against hard earth.

“Mortis! I should’ve expected nothing less. How are you, kiddo?”

“Little busy,” Mortis transmitted as they warped out of the way of a clumsy electric blast, the pig hitting another enemy instead. “Where do you need me?”

“Keep making room with Suneater. Mouse is on faer way to you.”

Mortis nodded, acknowledging over coms after a moment as an afterthought. Vines cocooned them as bullets rained across. They warped, dispelling the clone with a slam to the vines so Suneater could redirect. He did most of the work, throwing enemies into each other and away while Mortis protected his close range. They darted back and forth as the pigs tried to press back in or cut them off from the rest of Home.

The air turned sharp as the hair on the back of their neck stood on end. A low whine they now recognized grew louder, but this time Nine struck them down before they could fire. The jets spiraled, exploding as they hit the ground closer to the port.

Mortis stumbled back, warping a few steps further as a spray of blood erupted from a soldier’s head right in front of them, Mouse appearing in its wake covered in blood that slid off faer costume like water off a duck.

What the fuck …

“Mortis! Good to see you’re back to yourself a bit,” Mouse grinned, teeth striking as blood dripped down faer face.

‘ Could you always do that? ’ Mortis clumsily signed with a knife still in hand as their capture weapon snapped out, buffeting those who weren’t cowed by faer display.

“Yep! Unfortunate accident the first time it happened. Figured it worked more like displacement theory.” Mouse lept towards another soldier, transforming partway through as fae latched onto his body armor.

Mortis shook it off and stuck with faer, pushing aside the unease swirling from a partial memory they knew wasn’t the real Mouse. A whirlwind of knives, vines, and a head-exploding mouse, they cleared a solid area around the group. Most resigned to warily watch for openings while trying to dodge their flurry of attacks.

Blood soaked the ground and their clothing aside from Mouse’s, flinging into enemies’ faces as their tassels whirled about them. Mortis switched channels as their com beeped, withdrawing slightly to a more defensive stance as a blood-soaked feather zipped up to them.

“Warp gate to sea serpents. Unknown quirk affecting senses,” Hawks rattled off as a warp gate formed at the center of the group. Mortis repeated for Home’s benefit and darted off, mind racing as they ran through the few options.

Oh . With only a brief look at the bizarrely near-empty port, Mortis closed their eyes as a familiar haze settled over them like a thick blanket with a subtle push of “away” behind it. “Stranger quirk, on it,” they transmitted. On second thought… they switched their com to speaker. “Kid, what are you doing here?”

The awkward, trying but failing to be quiet footsteps faltered to a stop. Gang Orca turned slightly to them, starting to speak before they held up a hand. There was still a chance with a quirk like that.

“How…” the word drifted on the staticky winds kicked up by the storm.

“I know someone like you. He taught me how to listen.” Mortis fought every instinct that screamed to snap out their capture weapon as the kid slipped around the edge of the group, the others struggling to follow a presence as slippery as an eel. Come on, take the chance .

“I’m not supposed to be here.”

Mortis relaxed, a gentle smile playing on their lips as they cautiously approached, eyes still closed against the dissonance trying to perceive them would cause. “We’ll get you to safety, don’t worry. Just step through a black gateway that appears, and someone on the other side will explain.”

They switched back to broad coms and asked Giri for the warp, the kid disappearing through the gate after a moment’s hesitation. Mortis opened their eyes to find the team regarding them with a mix of suspicion and curiosity. Streetlights leading from the port to the denser buildings provided enough light to see and sign by, at least. ‘ I’m head of carmine with Joe. His quirk feels similar. The kid’s presence was probably what pushed people away, since I’m guessing they were a stowaway. The soldiers will be back once they realize someone unauthorized was here or once… ’

Mortis snapped their focus to the side streets and warped onto the roofs, leaving their clone up for better lines of sight. They weren’t sure if they heard something or… but instinct drove them forward. The soldiers would be nearby even if they only just turned around. A child’s quirk wouldn’t be that powerful.

They roof hopped a little ways into the city, darting back and forth to make sure they didn’t miss any small groups. Dim street lamps dotted the empty streets. The few civilians on the island when martial law was declared were concentrated closer to the docks. Not even the kid’s quirk would move them under threat of the very heroes they once revered. They practically flew across the monotonous grey buildings in perfect grids, the oppressive minimalism not even breaking for shops or decorations. Their clone slowly drew nearer, probably pushed or carried along by someone. Hopefully who knew their quirk well enough.

Mortis ducked as they spotted a large force regrouping filled with confusion and accusations gathered at the intersection of one of the larger streets. They lingered for precious moments to get a better idea of their plans before warping back, making a beeline for their clone now that they didn’t have to follow a search grid. Sure enough, it was being carried by Gang Orca. They dispelled it, startling him as they ran through what they saw and heard.

“WOAH!” Mortis flinched, hissing as Spinner’s voice crackled over coms. “Sorry, everyone in Pincer avoid direct contact with enemies. Not a new quirk, cancel reinforcements to Pincer.”

“Explain, now ,” Eraserhead growled.

Spinner sputtered for a moment before Nezu stepped in from U.A. “It would appear Shigaraki underwent an awakening. I would still advise reinforcements, as continuing to use his quirk in such a manner will cause permanent damage.”

Mortis’ breath caught as their stomach dropped to their feet. He went through so much to get here, and now… he probably wouldn’t make it to 30. Lots of people won’t make it past today, the bitter thought pushed them onwards while they tried to ignore the gnawing worry resurfacing. They had far more to worry about today than the future they most likely wouldn’t be a part of.

Giri already diverted others, so Mortis stuck with the Sea Serpents. Gang Orca, Aquamarine, Guiden, and many more with water- and electric-based quirks slunk further into the once thriving city.

“Once we get close enough, cover them in as close to a foot of water as you can,” Gang Orca gruffly ordered, turning slightly to the water-based allies. “Nine, we’ll need lightning at these blocks on our signal. Do you have the range and availability?”

“Yes, so long as nothing major enters play.”

‘ My costume gives some protection. If we need someone in the midst while the electricity is still dispersing, I can do that, ’ Mortis offered.

“No,” he said a little too quickly, glancing at them appraisingly. “Stay on the roofs, only attack if you need to or if they start splitting off.”

Mortis started to shoot back a retort, but cut off at pretty much everything surrounding their licensing. Probably best not to remind him of that. Instead, they sharply nodded and went to warp but paused. ‘ Oh, and I just leave a clone behind. It getting hurt will just dispel it. ’

They returned to the roofs, leaning into the bitter winds just to feel that good rush again. Their feet barely touched the rooftops, warping and rolling with the momentum, only slowing as they spotted the group again. Mortis transmitted the coordinates around the perimeter of the group for more precise strikes, but most were still gathered watching, waiting.

Catching them off guard would probably be the only way to keep them concentrated enough for the flooding to work, so Mortis resigned themself to also watching and waiting. Every second that passed hurled them closer to when the Wrens would emerge. At least this time they had no tunnels or escape routes the satellite couldn’t see.

So what are they doing? Making new clones? Perfecting their programming? Trying to draw another reading for the too-close future? Mortis tapped the vent grate on the roof as someone landed behind them, too light for the armored soldiers below. They turned slightly only to do a double-take, capture weapon whipping about as Toga clambered closer to the edge, her syringes glinting in the lamplight filtering up from below.

“Vlad King explain why the fuck you brought Toga,” they snarled over coms, careful not to make another sound. “Can anyone tell me if she’s supposed to be next to me right now?”

“I did no such thing!” Vlad scoffed as his blood weapons sluffed in the background. “Oboro, did you let her through?”

Realization dawned, and Mortis darted forward as he said no. Their capture weapon pulled taught around her torso and arms and covered her mouth to muffle the surprised squeak. Mortis hesitated with a knife at her throat. “Are we absolutely sure?”

In slow motion, one of the vats on her back started to slip, the harness far less secure than they knew hers to be. They fumbled for it, throwing themself half off the roof only for it to fall a moment too soon out of their reach. “Now, move now!”

Water flooded the streets as glass shattered, dropping a few as Mortis pulled the now very likely clone back from the edge. Shouts from below sent soldiers running toward their roof, and they turned away, tossing not Toga towards the opposite side of the roof. They abandoned their capture scarf entirely to keep her pinned as they warped further from the block. Lightning flashed, searing heat rippling off in waves as screams echoed through the streets. The stench of burnt flesh and electricity sharp and putrid in the air.

They warped back, ears still ringing, but not Toga was already a puddle in their scarf. “Confirmed clone,” they shuddered. Mortis straightened at the implication. “Everyone! Galatea clones confirmed on the field.”

A chorus of curses erupted as people switched off speaking over general for the moment. Hawks interjected, “Buddy system is now in effect! Stick with your partner if you can or the person next to you if you can’t. Don’t trust anyone’s orders unless they’re verified by main. Giri, say who you’re sending when you divert.”

The team leads acknowledged, and Mortis looked over what remained of the troops, nose wrinkling at the horrible stench that assaulted their nose as they drew closer. They warped around the perimeter just to be sure and landed next to Gang Orca on the edges of the group. At least they were upwind.

‘ No stragglers as far as I can see, should be good to continue pushing north. ’ Mortis considered for a moment but continued, ‘ I can scout or I can go back to floating. ’

“We have scouts, go back to overwatch,” Gang Orca huffed.

Fuck it . Mortis’ expression dropped into annoyance as they peered up at him. ‘ I have a license. I’ve been operating on raids since this began. I’m not just some kid. ’

He regarded them with beady red eyes set deep in his nigh unreadable face, head tilted slightly. “You are a child. You’re also too grown to consider yourself one. You weren’t cleared for a reason, and I will honor that. I will also honor the front’s decision to allow you to continue in the field despite that.”

Of course he turned their logic against them. Armed with updated coordinates, Mortis declined Giri’s offer of a warp gate. They made significant progress towards the center of the island, so it would cost them less stamina than it would take for Giri to setup the doorways. Mortis stuck to the treetops once they entered the woods, barely alighting on the sturdiest-looking branch before warping.

They snapped their new goggles into place as they left the city’s lights, and the cool silver-lined greys of midnight transformed into a world of green. Mortis would have to be careful once they neared Nine’s targets, but for now, his dark storm clouds blanketed the stars and moon to block out the night sky.

For the briefest moment, they wished they could see the stars one last time, but it wasn’t worth the time it would take for him to regather the storm.

Below, the forest breathed in eerie quiet, not a bird or crunch of leaves underfoot. Mortis shuddered, hoping Cujo had as much control over the animals as she claimed. Direction only, but still. Screams and sprays of bullets filtered up through the canopy as Mortis drew closer to Overwatch, pushing faster as the last thing they needed was flying animals to mistake them for a victim.

Mortis nearly lost their balance as they warped away from a pigeon, only to realize it was one of Anima’s a moment later. The branch they swayed on cracked, and they started to drop, warping back to a branch a couple layers below the one they last landed on. The pigeon cooed softly and circled once before taking off toward where they could just make out the shadow of Gigantomachia’s spikes peaking above the trees.

But first… Mortis warily peered out over the open field between them and the next set of trees. Did it really expect them to warp straight across? Warping all the way would be a bit of a stretch. Warping halfway could work, but if they mistimed the second… blood and mangled corpses stained the earth between them as bright lines frantically waved from the barrel-mounted lights the soldiers carried. Deer trampled and gored soldiers while they frantically shot at the monkeys— monkeys?

Focus . Few animals still covered the middle, so even a moment too late should still be fast enough to get them across. Off balance, but near the top of the tree. Monkeys climb . Shit. They peered across, finding the pigeon perched atop a tree slightly to the right of where they were planning. Maybe that was the safer path?

Mortis rolled their shoulders and took a steadying breath. They warped halfway, immediately warping again as their clone hit the ground with an interrupted thud . Mortis clung to the top of the tree as the few creatures in the middle started towards the sound but stopped, looking around confused at the lack of body. To their left, they locked eyes with a terrified soldier shaking as he desperately clung to the tree top, barely hanging on as he held his gun with the other hand in a bashing position. He didn’t look that much older than them, Togata’s age at most.

Mortis almost felt bad for him. Another child soldier on the opposite side. The side they were so nearly trapped on. Monkeys screeched as they dashed their trees. They couldn’t take him with them even if they could accept the risk, but… ‘ I can make it quick. ’

His wide eyes returned to them, body wracked with quaking sobs. He looked between them and the quickly advancing monkeys. He had to make the choice soon or there wouldn’t be one. They couldn’t risk staying if he was just going to get them both killed. Just as they were about to warp, he frantically nodded.

Mortis switched trajectories to the slightly less stable branch next to him, slitting his throat in a fluid motion and awkwardly shifting their footing to slice the back of his neck. They fumbled a moment, squinting at the world of greens before catching the chord. At least he wouldn’t feel it as he crumpled off the branch into the waiting troop. He wouldn’t have bled out fast enough with how fast the monkeys climbed.

A shudder ripped down their spine as Mortis warped away, following the pigeon while trying to block out the squelching and tearing of flesh beneath. They’d killed so many like him today, why did this feel so different? Oh I don’t know, maybe because this is the first time you’ve looked them in the eyes? Mortis shook off the thoughts. They could worry about all that later. If there is a later. For tonight, they just had to fight.

The pigeon settled on a spike and pointed its wing towards the open spot. Mortis let a small smile slip onto their face. The thought was there even if it was obvious at this point. They warped the last stretch, just a little over the distance they preferred to limit themself to. Not a stretch, just approaching one. Mortis easily caught themself on the spike, swaying slightly as they got used to the height and motion underfoot again.

Mortis gave a quick rundown of what they’d encountered, leaving out their moment with the young soldier. Most groups were advancing as expected, and Pincer was sweeping through their section. They’d even started to spread out a bit more than ideal to take ground around the main compound for other teams while they advanced.

Shigaraki’s awakening still left worry gnawing at the back of their mind, but there was nothing anyone could do now. Except maybe Eri, but they couldn’t ask that of her.

“I can bring this down,” Shigaraki muttered in wonder.

“What are you bringing down?” Hawks snapped, feathers stilling as Mortis faintly heard Base giving him context.

“No the fuck you’re not,” Dabi snarled, switching to the heads channel. “Did you hear the stoat? And we need everyone together or as close together as we can get before the Wrens emerge. Bringing a fucking building down on them would make them come out of the woodwork.”

“Or it could kill them,” Shigaraki shot back.

No one spoke for a long moment except for Hawks giving directions to a few teams.

‘ He has a point, ’ Mortis admitted. They added over coms, “Oracle, can you do a reading on Shigaraki dusting the main compound?”

“Uuh, fuck, what priority?” Oracle’s voice rose, panic seeping in.

“2.” Could probably be a three or four, but given his tone… definitely a two.

“Okay, I have 3 priority ones and another priority two. I will… uuuh”

“Focus on the priority ones, then take Shigaraki on priority,” Twice interjected.

“Cujo, animals away from Gigantomachia,” Jinx hissed.

Mortis snapped their gaze back to where they came from, and sure enough, monkeys crashed through the trees in chase of a dwindling group of soldiers headed right for them. Jinx slunk through the shadows under Gigantomachia, keeping her distance from the edge of the animals as she could. They did not need her aura fucking with Cujo’s control.

“Cujo, respond,” Hawks snapped.

…nothing. “Base, check Cujo’s cam,” Mortis transmitted, fingers crossed they didn’t just loose a mixed pack of rabid animals on the island.

After a long moment, Mortis started to prompt again when Base finally came back. “Something’s wrong, she’s acting almost like an animal? And something’s obscuring the cam, like an overlay of snow.”

Hawks realized it the same moment they did. “Shigaraki, bring it down. Midnight, we need you by her location. 20 meters away, Giri. Bring whoever you choose for interference. Reversal’s in the field, and that makes two. Everyone needs to get in position now .”

Warp gates dotted the island as a deep rumble shook the ground, making even Gigantomachia sway. A bright light burst in a bubble from far in the distance, and Mortis flipped up their goggles, rapidly blinking to get rid of the image burned into their irises. Wait. That was from the compound. What the hell… Mortis exchanged a look with Hawks.

“Shigaraki, report.” Concern grew into anxiety as the silence stretched on. Hawks repeated again, louder, “Shigaraki, report. ”

Dabi cursed as he finally responded, “All for One is here. I repeat, All for One is fucking here. We need everyone at main compound now .”

Notes:

Cujo's a reference to the Stephen King novel; basically she can incite rabies-like behavior in animals and give them a general direction. I... may have forgotten to reference local wildlife when initially writing this and monkeys were too central to switch sooo let's just say either they brought the best suited animals or there was a zoo Also sorry totally forgot to cross post to tumblr and wattpad on saturday Previous Chapter | Next Chapter

#agender #aro ace #nonbinary #lgbtqia #mha #when good people go to war #bnha #fanfic #nonbinary mc #libertias aut mortis #chapter 43 #antman beats thanos #war #dead dove do not eat #see start for other tws

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aspenforest732 · 2 months ago

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Libertias aut Mortis Chapter 42: I Recognize the Council Has Made a Decision

Summary:

Maybe it's red like roses

Notes:

‘text’ JSL Text thoughts

While the Commission continued to crack down on all forms of protest and potential “threats,” the public unrest and support for the PLF only grew. More heroes, vigilantes, and villains joined their ranks publicly or not, and a number of children even came to the compound for safety, sometimes with their parents but more often on their own. With public transportation and public services so heavily monitored, they couldn’t redirect to Esuha, so some members set up areas for children and teens to be themselves and forget about the outside world while they prepared.

Fumikage asked Mortis to go several times over the course of a few days, subtlety soon abandoned in trying to get them to take a proper rest or even break. There was just too much to be done, too much to organize, and they had responsibilities as one of the heads of Carmine. The splinter groups were becoming decent distractions away from their primary operations, but their casual disregard for life still caused issues with public perception in some areas. Mortis had been gone too long already, and as it stood, they had a sinking feeling they wouldn’t be cleared for the final fight.

Shigaraki and Dabi went toe to toe against the Doctor, fighting for the use of nomu without sacrificing Giri’s autonomy. While they had the full cooperation of him and Gigantomachia, the next most powerful nomu, Giri had confirmed their suspicions of an activation phrase that would cause the rest of the nomu to abandon their handlers and only follow the Doctor’s orders. With their numbers only growing in the compound, they couldn’t risk that many nomu turning on them if they tried to force the Doctor.

Echo twitched now and then during the argument, conflicting emotions flickering across their face every now and then as their mask cracked. Eventually, they looked to Joe and asked, ‘ Should I…? ’ at his nod, Echo made sure Kikuko was looking at them before starting, ‘ Calamity, we can say with high confidence that the Doctor is supporting the splinter groups and actively causing more division within the PLF as a whole behind the scenes. We also have moderate confidence that he has directly aided their unsanctioned acts of terrorism through funding and low-tier nomu. ’

A flicker of movement to their right, and Mortis caught ‘ sorry, need to know only ’ from Joe. That was fair. Just from the size of the folder he passed to Shigaraki, this definitely started before they were back, much less present. They still ducked into their new capture scarf, using subtle movements to help themself adjust to the calibrations. Freshly connected nanites were always finicky, and they’d only had them for a few days.

Mortis added, ‘ There’s little we can do at the moment, but should this go public after Sado… especially if we also release your list of aliases and history with All for One. ’

The Doctor scowled at the three of them but looked around defensively. He’d alienated so many in his path to power, so it was finally his turn to be alone in this crowded room. So confident in his own position, he even brought Mocha, a small yellow nomu in sneakers with a quirk remarkably similar to Twice’s, instead of Johnny this time.

“Fine,” he said coldly, “but this is the last time you’ll get anything from me or my nomu.” His gaze slid hungrily to Giri, but the black fog rippled outward as he glared right back. “Take what you need, but if any require permanent fixing, I will take what I’m due.”

He stormed out, leaving a chill in his wake as those at the head of the dark conference table scanned through the evidence collected. Hawks broke the silence after a few minutes, “This is definitely enough to throw him out of most rocks he could crawl under. Did you find anything else on Tartarus?”

“Only what’s in the report. He’s been talking with someone on the inside, and this was well before we started plans for pulling inmates. With All for One and their history, I wouldn’t be surprised if that was his goal.”

Everyone stiffened, the very name sending a chill down their spines. Mortis vaguely remembered Shigaraki struggling to accept that he was manipulated by the man, but he seemed to be doing better with the idea now. Or he was just better at hiding it. Did he hide anything , though, in the early days? It definitely felt like significant progress either way.

“Giri, will you be able to exclude him from your gates?” Shigaraki forced out.

“Not specifically, but he’s in an entirely different section from Lady Nagant and the others. I am aware of how many enter, and from Akira’s notes, I should be able to close this side to either eject them back to the starting coordinates or be lost in the in between.”

Mortis looked up at their name, excitement and curiosity bubbling over the wall. They didn’t remember the specifics, just that they made notes at some point to help the League. Or fight them? Maybe both. ‘ I’m probably the safest person to test that with, ’ they offered.

“That’s entirely theory,” he protested, catching them off guard. Giri sighed at their confusion, “Sho’s big on quirk theory. Zashi’s also a big nerd about it but just doesn’t have the time he used to, so his stuff is mostly outdated. I have a warp quirk, you have a warp quirk, we wound up talking theory.”

“What the fuck are you two talking about?” Dabi settled back in his chair between Magne and Shigaraki and took another swig of steaming water.

Mortis rolled their eyes but started, trying to keep it simple for Kikuko but interspersing a few explanations. ‘ Warp quirks have always been rare, so there’s usually too few subjects alive and active around the same time to conduct a viable study. One came out… earlier this year, I think? ’ Giri nodded, so they kept going.

‘ Most people with a warp quirk have a subject-originating warp, like me. In this study, they found someone with a warp through a medium, kind of like Soft Cloud. They found that most of the former could interrupt a warp caused by the latter by warping, and the latter could interrupt their quirk to a lesser, more painful degree by passing the medium through them. ’

Giri gave them a tired look remarkably similar to Aizawa’s and prompted, “And there were how many people in this study?”

‘ Five, ’ they reluctantly admitted. ‘ But to be fair, that was collectively the warper population of the u.s. ’

“That’s still not a viable study,” Magne pointed out to their chagrin. “Aren’t those supposed to have a hundred people? Minimum ?”

‘ Including the odds of people incorrectly categorized due to speed, time, or compression quirks, there are estimated to be 150 warpers in the world . ’ Mortis glanced to Echo, but they didn’t have a newer number.

“So what, you want Giri to open the warp gate, you start to go through, then he closes and you warp out?” Dabi pinned them down with a steely gaze.

‘ Obviously we’d try it without closing first. Then— ’

“What happened to the others?” Shigaraki asked, looking to Giri.

“They were trapped until the other warper could finesse their warp enough to get them out.”

“Veto.”

Damnit . At least then they would’ve known whether that idea would work to get to Sado. Then again… would he really risk it if he thought they’d try? If Aizawa and Yamada did in fact mean more to them - and it was looking that way between the fluctuations and Giri’s stories - maybe he would feel their wrath would be worse if he let them get trapped?

They moved on to going over teams for each head. Some members were obvious counters, like Starservant could render Despot’s aura of glass shards inert or at least force her to keep re-upping it. His support would mostly just be keeping other combatants away, although her short range already put her at a disadvantage in a full-scale battle. Revelation was a non-issue, Search and what little Haruki could find putting him as effectively Quirkless in a fight.

Galatea, even now that they knew the basics of her quirk, was still a massive wildcard. The only limits they could extrapolate on who she would be able to pull in were the original had to be alive, and she had to be familiar with them in some capacity. Her clone of Mouse left how familiar she needed to be up in the air. And less familiarity might just result in a less stable clone like Twice’s.

Gigantomachia - now that they were finally not in a city or restricted in approach - would function as a mobile sniper nest and had the best chance of powering through Reversal’s cloud that fucked with peoples’ quirks. He would also be the biggest risk or weapon depending on how draining Opening’s limb telekinesis would be while touching him. Positioning Jinx in proximity of Opening at the time of contact would hopefully tip the scales in their favor.

Crater and Lockdown would be the biggest targets for Erasure if Eraserhead could keep line of sight on them. Crater was oft compared to a red dome-helmed villain from Marvel called Juggernaut, having to move from denser cities to more open areas in his prime due to the property damage that followed him. Lockdown was technically classified as a support hero, practically unheard of in her position as head of the entire family. No one seemed to get hurt once she set up the field, but dangerous effects could build.

Though the fall term neared, several U.A. teachers sent requests for warp for the battle. Vlad’s response caught them off guard, though they couldn’t quite pinpoint why. Just a sense that other than having a blood quirk, he… wait, didn’t he adopt Toga? Or something like that? Maybe he wasn’t as bad as the impressions they got. Hitoshi and Eri were coming to the compound with their parents since they had nowhere else to go that would be safe, and staying at home would only invite the Commission to abuse them if everything came crashing down.

Fat Gum and Suneater would be the last pair coming from his agency, and Sir Nighteye would bring Koji and, surprisingly, Le Million. Maybe Suneater talked to him? He had the strong sense of justice and compassion they’d recruit for, but… maybe it was the plans for limelight heroics that threw them.

The list of unallocated people slowly dwindled to a handful who would be flexible on the day. And then, it was just Asami, Mortis, and Echo. None of whom were on the list. Dabi fixed Mortis with a serious look, but before he could say anything, they jumped in, ‘ I know I’m not going to be cleared. I’d rather be on Overwatch here than do nothing. ’

His eyes narrowed into slits as the others turned to them in surprise. Twice nodded along sagely, “We know how important this is to you, but you’re in no condition to fight them.”

“And you don’t have to,” Dabi stared into their soul but hopefully found nothing beyond the mask of indifference. “No one should have to fight their abusers, and you haven’t had to in a long time.”

Hackles immediately raised, Mortis snapped, ‘ What the fuck do you call what we’ve been doing? A walk in the park? A… conversation with knives? ’

“I said you didn’t have to,” he sat back with a grim but satisfied nod. “You’ve had people fighting for you since you joined Blue Fang. You’ve had people fighting directly for you since almost a year ago.” He held up a finger as they started to sign. “It’s been bigger than that, but you don’t have to fight. You’ve chosen every time you go on a raid or skirmish.”

Their protest died on their fingertips as the realization struck. It didn’t feel like a choice at the time. It still didn’t, not really. But he was technically right. And they could use that. Mouth set in a thin line, Mortis sat back in their chair, looking expectantly to Echo.

‘ I understand why, ’ they signed simply, glancing up at them to hold their gaze for a brief moment before their eyes once again met the grooves of the wood. ‘ I would fight if I could. ’

Mortis carefully, casually slid their gaze around the room as the meeting wound down. Everyone seemed convinced they stood down, even if a hint of worry still crept into Dabi’s eyes when he looked at them. That had been there since… actually, for a long time from what they remembered. They were just about to think they were in the clear when they accidentally caught Giri’s eyes. The shift in his expression was so slight, so fast they couldn’t be sure it was there. But he knew.

He knew, and he said nothing.

Shigaraki’s speech before the final raid

Mortis took a steadying breath as they looked out over the almost 150,000 people crowded into the staging area. It was built for as many, but most gave Gigantomachia as wide a berth as they could. They were pretty sure this was the first time they saw him in person, and they weren’t exaggerating his height. If anything, Dabi underestimated it. He was the size of a fucking house. Larger than some, even.

Mortis ran through the stage presence refreshers again. Most from the Wrens, but they still worked, kinda. Stand tall, stance wide but not cumbersome. Convince them to trust with your body, not your words . Choose your image and blow it larger than life for the back to see. Their eyes caught on Aizawa and Yamada - no, use their monikers . It should be easier. Eraserhead and Present Mic shifted on the edge of the crowd, talking with… Fat Gum? Tallest person who wasn’t a heteromorph or nomu with the initials on his costume. Faint impressions of soft warmth and lavender threatened to pull them away before they shook their head. Hitoshi and Eri would be in the children’s area by now, all the minors secured and getting ready for their own version of this speech.

“Everyone ready?” Magne asked, straightening her freshly upgraded, moderately armored costume. With a chorus of nods, Shigaraki swept onto the stage first, crimson cloak billowing slightly behind as the rest followed.

The crowd roared as the heads approached the cluster of mics. Hawks fluttered just off the ground, his carefree grin masking the slight twitches under the spotlights. Mortis strode side by side with Joe and Echo, the latter opting for their chair while they used crutches. Kikuko stood slightly to the side with her own mic, ready to interpret as needed. Dabi and Spinner swaggered to either side of Shigaraki while Magne and Twice walked out as… normally confident as they could look. Oracle sheepishly crept beside them, hunched in slightly as she tried not to shrink further in between the lights and cacophony of gazes and voices. Giri limped after them with his cane, a bright, charming smile striking an almost welcoming figure in contrast to the rest of them.

“Today, many of us will die.” A hush fell over the crowd as Shigaraki opened. “We’ve lost many friends, teammates, loved ones in this war, but this will be the end one way or another.” He gripped the podium, fingers pulsing in light taps inaudible to the mics at least. “You’ve all contributed to tonight’s final boss, and no one here can doubt your commitment and sacrifices. If they do, they can answer to us and those who tried and failed year after year. Whose society failed them, failed all of us.”

Dabi nudged him slightly as he started going off script. Shigaraki wrote the damn thing, but too far down a tangent, and he’d lose the crowd. Short to long, long to short against the podium.

Shigaraki continued with a slight nod to Dabi, “Many of you have families and loved ones still. No one will blame you for leaving to be with them, to keep them safe regardless of how this ends. No one will blame you for leaving to save yourself after so much. Those of you who wish to go or bring your people here can see Giri any time before we move out. We have a contingency plan for any who stay if worst comes to worst and they need to flee the country.”

Whispers filled the crowd, swelling to a sea of indistinct air whistling across the room. Shigaraki let them talk for a few moments before holding up a hand, and the crowd hushed in seconds. “Put your things in order, and prepare any who stay to move at a moment’s notice. We will not further endanger those who came for protection. Say your goodbyes, give them something to remember you by in case you fall.”

Unease swept through the room, most looking to pillars of their communities or area of the crowd they wound up in. Shigaraki didn’t let it linger as long, quickly moving on to the meat of his speech. His delivery could still use some work, but that’s partly what they were here for. Hawks tag teamed where he could, supporting with enough energy to make up for where Shigaraki occasionally stumbled.

Mortis could already pinpoint several who would take up the offer to retreat to safety, to the hope of a longer life if they succeeded. Despite the numbers they gained from the last round of recruitment and refugees, they would probably end up with a slightly smaller force than they started with. Several thousand left in the wake of their debut as a Wren and devastating losses during raids, but they would still vastly outnumber their foes. Or final bosses, in Shigaraki’s words.

A few raised questions about logistics, but most could be redirected to their group leaders when the time came for officially grouping everyone. The teen speech went marginally better than they were expecting, most understanding the reasons they weren’t allowed to fight for those who weren’t cleared or arrived too late for the evaluation.

Hitoshi even encouraged those who started to raise a fuss to view it instead as helping to protect the younger kids. He accidentally met their eyes at one point, and a flurry of emotions passed between them. Wasn’t this what they spent so long trying to avoid? Tears burned behind their eyes, but they quickly blinked them back before anyone saw. A confusing mixture of guilt and bittersweetness churned in their gut, twisting their heart as they knew Hitoshi and Eri shouldn’t have to be there. They never should’ve been in a place where they could have been here.

Fortunately, they moved on, providing a much quicker, lighter explanation to the little kids who were mostly there because their caretakers joined the cause. Eri lit up at seeing Mortis and Echo, a million questions flowing from her as she chattered on, at one point innocently commenting she wasn’t supposed to bring up why there were two but it was so cool to have another older sibling!

Mortis glanced up at Dabi, who nodded them away while trying to bite back an amused smirk. They guided Eri, Echo, and Kikuko to a side room so the others could continue the talk. ‘ Yes, I’m okay now. No, I don’t want you to rewind my leg —’

“But I can control it much better now!” Eri tilted her head, innocence and excitement sparkling in her eyes. “Pop’s been teaching me, and, and we even figured out it’s a..” her face scrunched up adorably as she thought, drawing a coo out of Kikuko. “A short orange?”

Kikuko coughed to cover up her laughter before managing to interpret for them. ‘ Short-range aura, probably, ’ Mortis gently corrected. ‘ That’s wonderful, but do you remember when we talked about this with Uncle Ida? ’

It didn’t take her as long to remember this time as Eri looked down with a little pout. “But he’s old, and dad says you’ve got your whole life ahead of you.”

‘ The same idea still applies. Most people don’t want a magical cure, quirk or otherwise. I’ve learned to get around with it, and at least I don’t have ankle pain in the same way anymore, ’ Mortis tried to half-joke. Phantom pain could still be a bitch, but it was a different pain, technically.

‘ I probably won’t be a big sibling for long, but I’ll try while I can, ’ Echo answered one of her other questions.

“Why?”

Echo fumbled, seemingly forgetting the kid-friendly version they figured. After a moment, they picked back up, ‘ I’m a copy, but copies fade over time, right? I won’t be… them after a time. ’

“Oh, okay,” she shrugged, easily moving on as they collectively let out a silent sigh of relief. They couldn’t be sure what would happen when Galatea died, but most similar quirks would point to Echo no longer existing. Then again, odds were also stacked to the sky against Mortis surviving, either.

They spent some more time playing with Eri and explaining what the rest of the heads were explaining to the other kids. Letting themselves forget for a time what was in store that very night. The other heads collected them eventually, and Mortis started watching for an opportunity to slip away and gather their modified costume they’d specifically asked Ota to not mention to Spinner. If they were going to do this, they needed every extra bit of protection they could feasibly get, including the threads of denim now woven into everyone’s costumes for Best Jeanist’s ease of access.

Just when they thought they were in the clear a few minutes after peeling off to their room to “read,” Giri knocked on their door. They opened it with a flick and twist of their capture scarf, using every moment of practice they could. He leveled them with a look as the door closed behind him, and it took a moment for them to place it.

“I know that look too well,” he sighed. “Sho always has it when he’s about to do something he knows is too dangerous or reckless or both from anyone else’s perspective.”

‘ I can’t just sit here and let the rest of you die for me, ’ they admitted with soft hands. Mortis pulled themself up straighter, ready to defend themself when they finally placed the look. Extremely worried acceptance.

“I know.” A small warp gate opened, and he pulled their costume through. “I also know there’s not much I can do to stop you that wouldn’t also put you in danger.” Giri groaned, shaking his head. “Sho’s gonna kill me for this. Hell, pretty much every adult who knows you will kill me for this. Joking, joking,” he added as concern seeped into their face. “Just… at least try to live, okay? I heard your odds, but I think you underestimate just how far any of us will go for you.”

Mortis stilled, kneading the now slightly coarser fabric on the outside of their costume. The jumpsuit, not the tassels. That was the thing. They did know, and they didn’t want that. Everyone else had family, people who relied on and would mourn them. Mortis had the League, Asami, and from what they’d gathered, the Yamazawas, but they didn’t have the connections. As far as they knew, they had nothing to lose compared to those so eager to place themselves between them and danger.

Unsure of how much showed on their face, they simply nodded in appreciation and whatever else he wanted to interpret. Giri hesitated at the door, but when they didn’t sign anything else, he slipped out.

The plan was for the League and a few others to eat dinner together for what might be the last time for some, but between last-minute preparations and logistics going sideways as they always did in any mission really, only Mortis, Asami, Echo, Fumikage, and Giri managed to eat around the same time.

Fumikage immediately clocked something as off with them, but Mortis brushed his concerns off, redirecting to what he was most looking forward to when this was over and other safer topics. After a few tries, Dark Shadow plopped into their lap with a determined stare, purring as they lowered their gaze and nestled in. They keened when eventually the time came for the first wave to gather in the staging area, but gave in to Fumikage’s prompting after another long staring match.

Anima grinned as they entered the base’s Overwatch area, and Mortis acknowledged Sir Nighteye and Oracle with a nod. The usual crew with a few new additions monitored body cam footage, the satellite Nezu maintained control of from U.A., and body cams strapped to the flock of coastal birds Anima gathered for this. Mortis positioned themself to look at the overview monitor, not willing to take up a spot someone else could use more long-term.

Once Animorph transformed the first group into an assortment of bugs and beetles native to the area, Giri peppered them along the coast of the island. They spread thin enough any sensors would assume a glitch and not raise alarm then slowly gathered around the designated gate points. Nothing too out of the ordinary, especially with the rain Nine brought on earlier.

As everyone got into position, Mortis looked around one last time and warped out of the room, only needing a couple more to position themself close enough to easily warp up but far enough they wouldn’t accidentally be elbowed and found out. Giri opened the warp gates as the signal sounded, and their allies poured through.

Mortis dropped their clone and darted forwards, detouring slightly as Giri jutted his head to the next gate over.

Notes:

We’re doing a lot of callbacks the past couple chapters. Is it because I don’t want this to end? …maybe. Feelin some nostalgia for sure. Here they’re basically misinterpreting “bad teacher” vibes for “bad person” vibes and so are confused. It broke my heart going back and editing this yesterday, I forgot just how sad I made it. Refusing to allow parts of themself to reconnect so they can readily sacrifice everything for the cause. Next chapter starts the 3-part final raid!! Either with chapter 45 or in between it and 46 I'll also be updating with the sensitivity reading feedback :) 45 will be up almost exactly 3 years since I started uploading Mortem ad Wrens, so I thought that'd be a nice wrap since 46 is just a lil more then epilogue. 47 is just the final author's note :) Title references Nick Fury's line in The Avengers

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#agender #aro ace #nonbinary #lgbtqia #mha #when good people go to war #bnha #fanfic #nonbinary mc #libertias aut mortis #league of villains #plf #league of villains as family #asami inoue #echo #chapter 42

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aspenforest732 · 2 months ago

Text

Libertias aut Mortis Chapter 41: A Brief Reprise

Summary:

Echoes of past and present intertwine Sorry for the delay, was at a convention this weekend :)

Notes:

this was supposed to be fluff. A brief reprise as the title suggests from the angst and chaos. Sorry not sorry ‘text’ JSL Text thoughts

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Mortis wove twin bracelets of twine, mind drifting as they tried to keep the wall up. They had to at least do this much. Something deep guided them to the yellow, white, and blue star beads. After a moment’s hesitation, they replaced the blue star with a controller charm on one. The exact meaning slipped through their fingers, but the weight behind the bracelets clung to them.

They slipped out of their room wearing the bracelets, beckoning their clone to follow as they lingered in the hall. ‘ You deserve to be part of this, too. ’

“Good, you’re just in time,” Asami threw over her shoulder as they slipped in, a few crimson feathers darting ahead of them back to Takami. She gave them a skeptical look silently asking “really?”

Mortis nodded firmly. For them to be passable they must still have most of the memories of what they went through. And they were trying, apparently. Fumikage looked just as apprehensive, feathers ruffling as Dark Shadow peered over the back of the beige lounge couch they couldn’t quite get rid of for some reason. At least it made sabotaging in console tournaments easier. The thought caught them off guard.

Dabi insisted on upholding game night that week, and they’d try their hardest to honor that. The deaths of Isao and Atsuhiro still weighed heavily on their mind, but they could compartmentalize for now. That’s one of the few things they were good at, after all. Maybe this would help ease tensions between their remaining bio and found family?

“Starting with Mario Kart,” Dabi huffed as he tossed the clone a controller. “Remember how to play?”

Well there goes that idea . Rounding the seating area, the clone gave a thumbs up and mouthed to themself as they half-pressed the buttons on the controller. Eh, it was simple enough anyways. Mortis switched on their speaker so they at least wouldn’t have to put down the controller to talk. Why didn’t they do that more often on game nights? They shrugged. It had only been a couple days since several connections reestablished, and they were back to a snail’s pace.

Speaking of which… Mortis straightened as the countdown started. Dry Bones rattled on their screen, bones clanking against one another as it laughed. How did… right, don’t question the physiology of a franchise with living stars and a tail that turns you into a flying furry.

Their clone spun out, pressing their button a moment too early in the countdown as the others sped ahead, twisting through the carpeted halls of Luigi’s Mansion as ghosts tried to bring down a chandelier on their heads.

“Oh come on!” Asami griped as a cluster of green shells hit her Daisy at just the right angle to get past the red she held. Takami smirked, only to gasp in mock offense as Dabi’s Waluigi threw fireballs behind him, lifting his cap as he hit a boost.

The first couple races carried on much in the same way, most of their group getting stuck in the thick of CPUs and each other while Shigaraki and Shuichi shot far ahead. Asami occasionally tilted her head, brow furrowing for a moment before her jaw set in increasing frustration. After the first few races, Mortis realized it was the audio cues and quickly showed her how to turn on subtitles and increase visual cues before the next race. Once they settled into their usual cockiness, Mortis slyly signed for Asami and Fumikage to choose Baby Park, the great leveler, for the next map.

Shuichi meeped and Shigaraki glared at the screen as the last three choices came in. He snapped to look at the only three wearing variations of poker face as it landed on Dabi’s Random selection, only for it to egg them on with Baby Park. Only three since Dark Shadow made no attempt to hide their part, puffing out their chest. They technically could play, it was just hard to coordinate their clawed hands with that level of delicateness and fine agility.

“Have you thought about another name?” Mortis transmitted, turning their head just enough for their clone to recognize while sowing chaos on the track. “Might get confusing with two of us active.”

While unexpected, the other racers slowing wasn’t unwelcome as the others snapped their attention to the two of them. Items and race briefly forgotten until Dabi cursed, slamming into whoever passed with a bullet bill. Oh, it was them.

“Echo,” the clone transmitted quietly. “Still they/them.”

Mortis nodded, turning their focus back fully to the game as they starred through Asami, earning a light elbow jab to their side. Fitting and an easy sign name.

“That’s a fun choice,” Giri echoed their sentiment. “Same for your sign name?” He glanced to Mortis, who nodded. It was simple enough like Asami, and… they bit down silent giggles as a snippet of the memory of Asami’s original sign name came to mind. Before she knew the rules, at least.

“Oh you fucking trifur !” Asami twisted her controls about as she tried to recover from the last-second blue shell as racer after racer sped past her across the finish line.

“At least neither of them won for once,” Takami grinned and jabbed a thumb across Dabi towards Shigaraki and Shuichi, who just scowled back. Shuichi flexed his clawed hands, but refrained at a warning glance from Giri.

They still took the podium, but Fumikage grinned and Dark Shadow trilled at getting 3rd for once. “Wait, what does trifur mean?”

Mortis arched an eyebrow at Asami, curious now whether she’d explain. It didn’t exactly make much sense outside Latin, although it was oddly fitting with that finish. They had to wonder, though, just how much she remembered from their books. She might not even have kept up with the language at all.

“Ah, it’s nothing,” Asami flushed, gesturing broadly with her controller as she accidentally scrolled through character options. “Sometimes things just slip out, right?”

Fumikage gave her a flat look. “Akira accidentally called me a ‘feverish little whore’ while reading poetry . I doubt whatever you said will be worse.”

Mortis shrunk down slightly, barely holding back their laughter at this point. He wasn’t wrong, but he didn’t need to bring that up.

“Excuse me, they what?” Dabi’s eyes sparked with something that always meant trouble for them specifically. “Pipsqueak, you didn’t say you were reading Catullus aloud . Just how much sauce did their ‘pure young minds’ hear?”

‘ You know it’s not that bad! ’ Mortis tossed a piece of whatever hard candy was closest at him.

He caught it with a smirk, only to wince and shake his hand out. Dabi still popped it in his mouth with an albeit slightly smaller smirk.

Asami subtly - well, not as subtly as she probably thought she was being - got their attention. ‘ You remember? ’

‘Yes, do you ? ’ they shot back.

‘ Their reaction? ’ she quickly scanned the room, but everyone at least had the sense not to watch.

‘ They’ve called each other far worse. Marbles would even take it as a compliment. Just wait til… ’ a small smile slipped onto their face before they remembered. No more tricks up his sleeve, no more elaborate cheating at the game they specifically made to get around his cheating.

“Three-times a thief.” They snapped back as Asami spoke, the small glance their way all they needed as confirmation as they shot her an appreciative smile. “‘Fur’ is the more common form, but adding ‘tri’ packs a little extra punch to the word. Well, technically together it was an epithet, but still.”

Dark Shadow warbled a laugh as Dabi chuckled. Fumikage shrugged with a twinkle in his eye, “Then I shall endeavor to live up to it.”

Neither wound up on the podium with third place a tie between Giri and Hawks. Shigaraki only just kept first place by six points, but the points fell off drastically after Shuichi. Mortis was just glad they beat the CPUs this time.

Giri rolled his eyes as Shigaraki and Shuichi started tussling over the podium. It didn’t look like there was much heat in it, probably more burning off the frustration. His gaze snapped back as Shigaraki started to grab Shuichi full-force, but he wore artist gloves now. Bit harder to dust things on accident with a five-point touch activation.

A pair of blue gloves with apples came to mind unbidden. A little girl in an ambulance… Coloring bright clothing on empty figures… They straightened as a few pieces almost shifted into place. Dabi looked over to them, but they needed to remember this. They couldn’t quite piece together why , but this was important. She was important.

A few more flashes passed over them, but nothing that put her into context. Everyone mattered, but why did they need to know her specifically? Eri? That felt right as her name, but they needed more. She definitely wasn’t a Wren from the clothing she wore in presumably later flashes, so… ‘ Raven, do you remember a little girl named Eri? ’

Dark Shadow purred as he nodded, feathers ruffling slightly. “Yes? You and some of the other work study groups saved her from Overhaul. She lives with senseis Aizawa and Yamada now.”

A wave of emotions bulged what was left of the flimsy wall outward, and they rushed to reinforce it, snap it back into place. They were at war. They could deal with whatever tumult the connections would bring if they survived. Mortis nodded once the wall was a bit more secure, at least not under immediate threat of collapsing. They definitely felt like more than just teachers, though. At least to them.

“Hey, we’ve got enough for an mc. How about a round of gub?” Dabi grinned, mischief sparkling in his eyes even as his expression remained almost bored.

Giri shot him a look of fond exasperation as the others chimed in enthusiastically, even Shigaraki and Shuichi stopping to grab the decks.

“Gub? MC?” Asami asked, looking between everyone in confusion as they pulled the chairs closer to the table.

‘ Mashup of Go Fish, UNO, and Bridge, ’ Mortis explained since their couch didn’t have to move. ‘ They play it all the time, have you not seen? ’

“Maybe?” she offered. “Is it that weird card game where no one knows what to play?”

Dark Shadow chortled as Fumikage groaned, dropping his head into his hands. “That was one time . Dabi makes the worst rules.”

He snorted, draping his arms across the back of their sofa and abandoning Hawks to move theirs. “If you hate mine, you should’ve seen the guy we made this for. Sako was the best mc until someone ,” he half-glared at Shuichi, “banned him from the role.” After a moment, he added, “Master of Chaos. Wins by making sure no one else can or annoying everyone into quitting.”

‘ Should probably go over the basic rules while we set up. ’

A couple new rules had been added since they last played, but Mortis volunteered for mc, so they didn’t necessarily need to know them that well. Asami was still confused, but that was pretty much the perpetual state of everyone playing gub. Besides, she was on a team with Giri and on another team with Giri, Takami, and Shuichi, so she had at least two people who knew the rules pretty well.

Bidding started off bold with everyone claiming they could meet a win condition in 1-2 hours. Just because their memories were still disjointed and full of gaps didn’t mean Mortis was going to take it easy on the teams. Giri watched them with narrowed eyes as they chugged the rest of their tea and got up to refill it. There was definitely a spare deck - in sequential and suit order as they always left them - in the kitchen.

There! Mortis slipped it out of the utensils drawer as they pulled a fresh spoon - definitely not dropping the spoon they were going to use to stir their tea on purpose. Technically it hadn’t entered play yet, so they weren’t ignoring a rule. Yet. Still, better safe than sorry. And of course the discard pile moved. Mortis shot an annoyed look at Giri, who tried to play innocent but still had a shit-eating grin on his face.

Oh, that bastard. Mortis stared directly into his eyes, ignoring the discomfort building behind their eyes as they placed a red +2 on top of the stack of hearts. Everyone groaned, and Asami hesitantly put a green +2 down as the UNO trick started. Of course since it was the first round, everyone had a +2 or +4, and it came back round to their turn with 16 to draw.

‘ Asami, can you move the discard pile a bit closer? ’ Mortis smiled pointedly at Giri as she did so and laid their hand plus a few cards from their fresh deck on the discard pile and the last +4. ‘ So now I draw 12. ’ They drew 11, carefully keeping their expression neutral as they walked through their turn - minus the rules ignored - of course only to help Asami learn.

Fumikage’s eyes narrowed slightly, but no one else moved to contest. After all, that would be the first time they ignored any rule if any was ignored. The hand continued, Fumikage calling go fish a few times when they tried to ignore a rule more than once, but Hawks caught them a couple times. No one met their bids, and as everyone got closer to finishing the decks except their personal one, Mortis started to consider pulling the very combination that got Sako banned from mc - the last straw, at least.

Fuck it . Mortis stopped ignoring rules entirely, letting a few win tricks while they collected as many cards as they could. Fumikage constantly watched them after a couple rounds, curiosity and suspicion shining in his eyes as Dark Shadow kept trying to look over their shoulder. Not that it would’ve helped anyone.

Phase one started as Mortis picked up twenty cards, pulling most from the discard pile meeting a rule ignored to set earlier. Of course, given the chain they ended, most of the cards were +2s and +4s. Shigaraki reluctantly marked the trick he took as everyone now looked to them with suspicion.

A couple rounds later, the perfect opportunity lined up as Giri gave them a sly smile. At least he was the one to figure it out . He played a +2, interrupting a Bridge trick while Fumikage gave them a triumphant look as he place down a +4. Oh if only he knew. Everyone froze as they set their entire hand not into the empty discard pile next to the two cards in the draw pile, but into their private deck along with the trick.

They picked up the remaining two cards and simply signed, ‘ UNO. ’

“Wait… what?” Asami and Fumikage turned to them in confusion as the rest of the League who hadn’t realized what their play was erupted in a cacophony of protests and laughter.

‘ First rule ignored: put the cards used to negate in the discard pile. You could claim I ignored a second rule, but it’s not explicitly stated. UNO tricks go into the discard pile instead of being picked up. This deck is my personal stash that is not considered in play except for the cards I add from it, so I simply removed the remaining cards from play. Second or third rule depending: I as a one-person team have two cards left, meeting a standard win condition and declaring UNO. The game ended because there are no cards in the draw or discard pile, so you don’t have a chance to meet another win condition or sabotage me before the start of my next turn. ’

“You also ignored the ‘can’t ignore more than one rule in a turn’ one,” Shuichi hissed.

They stared at him as the others came to the realization. ‘ I’ve adhered to that rule once, maybe twice. ’

“I knew I was missing something!” Fumikage shook his head as Dark Shadow cackled. “You did it so much I just thought I misheard.”

They only played a few more rounds, but when an mc was in the running, each round took hours. The role got passed around as usual, and Asami even tried it once despite her tenuous grasp of the rules. That went about as everyone expected, but her eyes sparked in a way Mortis hadn’t seen in a while. It didn’t help that probably half of the group had some degree of hypervigilance. They still had a long way to go before any semblance of normal, but maybe nights like this were worth the time.

Notes:

GUB basic rules if you’re interested lol General Rules You can’t cheat if no one knows the rules If someone plays a card you cannot add to, you can spend a pair or Joker to put that card in the discard pile and tell the player to Go Fish. They must draw a number of cards equal to the card’s value. If the card is a +2 or +4, you must spend twice the number of cards. If the card is a +2 or +4 stacked on others of a kind, you must spend your entire hand and draw back up to a number of cards equal to the number you would have drawn before the card you are negating. When the draw pile runs out, if there are cards in the discard pile, shuffle and move them to the draw pile. If there are no cards in the discard pile, the game ends and win conditions are checked regardless of if Uno has been declared. No additional cards may enter play after the start of the game. MC Rules The Master of Chaos (MC) may ignore each rule once. If a player catches them ignoring a rule more than that, they can either narc and the MC draws based on General Rule #2 or they can declare the rule ignored on the subsequent player’s turn and discard down to one card. The MC can make up rules once they have ignored the rule, enforcing it on subsequent turns. Gameplay End Game: as a team, hold the least number of cards at the end of the game. When one person wins 13 tricks, thinks they have the most matches, or a team has 2 cards between them, they declare Uno. The group has until the start of their next turn to sabotage or meet a number of win conditions equal to the last team to declare Uno + 1. If there is an MC, they win if the rest quit or the deck runs out with no win condition met. Setup: Uno and two standard card decks including Jokers are shuffled together. As needed, add one of each deck at the start of the game with all cards face up in sequential and suit order to account for additional players. Every other player is on a team. If more than 4 people are playing, there are either 2 players on one and the rest on another or teams of 2 but every other person is still on a team that can qualify for the win conditions as a collective. If there is an odd number of players, one person can act as moderator or a special role called Master of Chaos (MC). Their sole purpose is to prevent the teams from meeting win conditions. It’s recommended that the person playing MC changes each game, although Mr. Compress should never have that role. Bidding When there is no MC in play, each team bids a number of rounds in which they will meet a win condition. If they meet a win condition within this time, they score 2 points. For each subsequent win condition met, they gain an additional 1 point. If they do not meet a win condition in this time, they take a penalty equal to the number of players on the team. (these do stack when using Version 2’s setup). If the team prevents the other team(s) from stopping them, they instead gain a number of points equal to the number of players on the team (this does not stack when using Version 2’s setup). When there is an MC, each team bids an amount of time before a win condition is met, rounded to the half hour. If they meet a win condition within this time, they score 4 points. For each subsequent win condition met, they gain an additional 2 points. If they do not meet a win condition in this time, the MC gains 2 points. Taking Tricks Standard bridge tricks A trick can be interrupted by placing an uno card, at which point refer to the below. A standard card cannot interrupt an uno trick once it’s in progress. Uno Tricks Cannot be interrupted by standard cards Continue until someone picks up cards or a card is negated. The person who started the +x chain wins the trick or the person who negated wins the trick, respectively.

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#agender #aro ace #nonbinary #lgbtqia #mha #when good people go to war #bnha #fanfic #nonbinary mc #libertias aut mortis #league of villains #lov as family #game night #hawks #asami inoue #fumikage tokoyami

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aspenforest732 · 2 months ago

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Libertias aut Mortis Chapter 40: Do You Hear the People Sing

Summary:

tw: brainwashing, grief, loss The context for Call Home :)

Notes:

‘text’ JSL Text thoughts

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

The doctors said they were lucky. The neural pathways that the Doctor disconnected in his attempts to break their programming remained disrupted. If he had touched their sensorimotor pathways, they could very well have lost the ambulatory part of using a wheelchair. The doctors said they needed to be careful in reforming those pathways, but they still weren’t entirely convinced the programming was a bad thing.

In addition to the physical therapy Asami had apparently been taking them to, the doctors scheduled them with a psychotherapist to start reforming connections they needed. Something else lingered in the doctors’ eyes, but they didn’t push. If they needed to know, they’d be told. Are you sure about that?

Dabi also started going, although a few of the League teased him lightly. When they asked, he just huffed and muttered, “We made a deal. If you go to therapy, I go.”

Something from behind the wall felt satisfied. Maybe that was one of the pathways they were supposed to reconnect? The therapist, Arita, said they shouldn’t worry about “supposed,” but that twisted their gut. It was easier to think in shoulds and shouldn’ts instead of what they wanted. They were supposed to want what their family wanted, to want a successful hero career and the continuation of the family legacy. How this accomplished that… well, for now, all they could do was trust Asami.

Dabi usually lurked somewhere nearby, but every time they shied away from his scorching heat, a pained look crossed his face before he withdrew again. What did he expect? The fragments of memories where he kept burning them boiled over whenever he was near. Something buried deep, deep behind the wall felt like screaming every time they pulled away, though out of what they couldn’t tell.

Other than Fumikage and Asami, Twice spent the most time with them. Like more and more things they came across, they just knew something was wrong. Their time with the League was fuzzy, even before everything disconnected. But sometimes, they’d look over while he worked on sewing a dragon, drawing abstract shapes, or even just reading, and a name would come to mind.

A couple days after they woke up, they finally asked him, ‘ Why is your clone of me still up? It doesn’t look like they do much, and they’re never alone. ’

Twice paused, brow pinching slightly before his expression softened. “Ah, they’re not one of ours. They’re one of Galatea’s clones. As for why…” his head rolled to the side as he mulled it over. “They’re a bit like all of us. They’re learning why the Wrens are wrong, and for now, that’s enough.”

They stared at him long after he went back to sewing. Why would they lie about a clone she could supposedly make? Wouldn’t it have been better to just keep them a secret while the clone gathered intel? And why handn’t she dismissed it yet if it was hers?

He glanced up after a while, doing a double take as sympathy flashed in his eyes. “Ah, sorry, you weren’t ready to hear that last bit, were you?”

They froze. There was no right answer to that.

Twice sighed, putting the project to the side but keeping a hand on it. He huffed and stared at it for a moment before letting go. “You’re missing a lot of connections, right? Bits and pieces of memories that were connected before Garaki.” At their slow, hesitant nod, he continued, “People can fuck with your head without quirks, and we know how… hard it can be to sort that out. Since your brain didn’t automatically reconnect one way or the other, it’s probably trying to protect itself with a barrier.”

‘ How… ’ they stared in disbelief. Did he listen to their therapy appointments? Those were supposed to be private, but that didn’t mean shit before.

Twice chuckled humorlessly and gestured to himself. “It’s real easy for us Strangers to lose ourselves.”

A brief flash of a memory crossed their mind. Sitting at a table in their wheelchair with a pounding headache, they were watching a video where Twice explained how his quirk worked to… help them? They were at U.A. then, why would anyone in the League want to help them ? Conflicting ideas warred as a headache blossomed, and they pushed off the chair with the excuse of more tea. They nearly fell, forgetting for a brief moment their leg was missing before steadying themself on the arm and a crutch.

Right, focus on the next steps for that. Uh… Come on, think. Just not on that . They pounded just as loudly against the raging thoughts trying to run down the list. Meet with their… prosthetist tomorrow for a refitting. A splash hit their arm, and they jerked the kettle back to its stand, nearly knocking it over as they reached for the towel next to the… why wasn’t it next to the drying rack?

Why would it be there? They snatched it off the oven, patting the slight burn dry. They stared into their tea, watching the tiny particles swirl out into the water as it seeped until their thoughts finally quieted. Which left one question. How long had it been since they used their own name?

A swirling black and purple portal opened as another group of… refugees? Soldiers? They weren’t quite sure anymore poured through. They recognized most of the heroes as twilights and undergrounds, ghosts of memories supplying names and quirks. Nothing seemed direct, moreso hearsay and second or third hand accounts and cryptid boards.

One petite hero caught their eye, though, as she— no, fae slipped through the warp gate. A sense of familiarity washed over them, but they stayed back, watching and waiting as fae darted between conversations in the growing crowd in front of the stage. If they were on the same level as faer, they wouldn’t be able to see faer diminutive…

Mouse, that was faer name. Hero name, at least. Fae/faer pronouns. Intelligence gathering twilight hero at Fat Gum’s agency. Could transform into a mouse for as long as fae held faer breath. Mentor to Ghost, he/him, a former vigilante. Maybe we met when I was undercover training at the agency?

Aand the speeches were starting. Sit up tall, look attentive and not at all bored, smile, and wave on cue. At least they weren’t expected to give one. Asami was always better at those things anyways. Hawks at least knew how to put on a show, supporting Shigaraki as he rasped on about uniting people from all backgrounds against the corrupt societal structures that only fostered more pain and suffering.

Something stirred in them, embers long forgotten and snuffed out started sparking once more despite themself. Isn’t that exactly what they’d seen so far? What Twice and Arita kept trying to nudge them towards? They distractedly followed their cues and wheeled backstage, waving the League on as they got ready to warp gate to a few off-site meetings. Something about safety for protests and marches under martial law.

Isn’t martial law supposed to be for their safety? Hasn’t Japan not declared martial law for centuries for a reason ? They immediately shelved those thoughts, already dealing with one conflict for the day. Too often, everything accelerated around them, but they only moved at a snail’s pace, barely keeping their mouth above water as the connections that were always meant to be and the connections that actually had been warred in their head. At least they didn’t also have to contend with the clone being here. They were still in medical after some programming triggered again.

‘ I’m gonna talk to a hero I recognized, ’ they casually told Asami once they were alone in the living room.

She glanced up from one of their poetry books. “Okay? Do you want me to come with or are you good?”

‘ I’m fine. ’ She’d have no reason to know a twilight, so her presence would probably only make things more awkward.

They tapped their new coms to activate the noise canceling feature as they grew closer to the gathering hall. The din steadily grew to a dull roar even through the noise canceling, making them wince as they maneuvered around the edge of those still gathered. They nodded and smiled as people noticed them, but exited conversations as quickly as they could without seeming too rude. They hoped. They cursed inwardly as they realized they’d never find Mouse this way. Faer height was a little too perfect for blending into crowds like this.

At least I left the prosthetic behind , they mused as they warped into the rafters, leaning against a vertical beam as they adjusted. They’d only had it a day and a half, so were very much getting used to the lighter material and minute differences from their previous iterations. Most were good, some weren’t good or bad, just different.

Looking out over the crowd, there were a surprising number of heteromorphs and Suggestion Master quirks. Then again, they were the least desirable by society. Wasn’t there a reason for that? Not a good one . That much they knew at least. If the Wrens had a Suggestion - well, part suggestion at least - Master as a head, they… well, maybe they weren’t the best example. Wait, would Mouse count? Faer quirk would be a Changer primary, but it did have the animal component… They didn’t remember faer having any animalistic qualities other than maybe faer height in human form, though.

There! They watched Mouse for a moment, making sure fae stayed around the same spot before warping back to their chair. Technically it would be faster to go back behind stage and emerge on the other side mere meters from faer, but they wouldn’t have line of sight. Fuck it . They sped back around, ducking just enough away from the outer fringes to avoid getting sucked into more conversations. They all have the same questions, anyways. What happened, are you okay, why are there two of you… Some were probably well-meaning but others were only fishing for gossip or weakness.

A few minutes later, they emerged on the other side of the crowd, spotting Mouse talking with the same two vaguely familiar heroes. They were also from Fat Gum’s agency, so maybe they met them in passing? Gust and Lizarro, he/him and she/her, respectively. Something about them not being morning people came to mind, although that was a common theme among twilights. Mouse was one of the few exceptions, if they remembered correctly.

Mouse noticed them first, lighting up like a Christmas tree as fae bounded over. “Mori! It’s been ages, come on.” Fae leaned over slightly as fae kept pace and stage whispered, “Thanks for winning me fifty yen.”

Already taken aback at actually hearing their name, they offered a confused half-smile as the pair made their way over. Gust rolled his eyes while Lizarro gathered the winnings for faer.

“Yeah, yeah, you won,” she admitted, half glared at Mouse. Glancing at them, Lizarro added, “We were taking bets on how long it’d take to actually see you.”

‘ I was on stage with the others… ’ they offered hesitantly. Wasn’t that a weird thing to bet on?

Gust shook his head and herded them towards med bay, making them straighten. “Come on, let’s get some grub.”

‘ The cafeteria’s actually that way. ’ They slowed, turning towards the crowd as their stomach churned at just the thought of weaving through so many.

“Told you you were reading it wrong,” Mouse sing-songed with a loose grin. “Maybe let our expert show us around?”

They started to protest but started to ease into the carefree attitude fae practically oozed. If they recognized fae and not in the way they did Dabi, it couldn’t hurt to let down their guard a little bit, right?

The others settled into light banter as they made their way to the cafeteria, only the occasional worried glance and strained smile their direction any indication they knew something was different. They avoided anything to do with their time away, though, fortunately. They still weren’t sure how to start… any of it, really. They barely knew where they currently stood.

Things were going well as the small group grabbed increasingly familiar plates, and they found themself with an array of foods that felt specific but looked random. They wound up sitting at a table with three more seats than the group needed, but when they started to divert to another table, the rest had already settled in. Things were going well. Until Lizarro looked directly at them during a lull in the conversation between the three.

“Okay, so if you’re comfortable,” Lizarro started, curiosity and a hint of worry sparkling in her eyes as they tensed, “I would love to know how you lost your leg. I’ve got a bit of experience in that department, being able to regrow my body parts.”

“Liz,” Mouse hissed, swatting at her arm. “I thought we said we weren’t going to—”

‘ No, it’s okay, ’ they offered an only slightly strained smile. ‘ Thinker/Tinker raid. In the push to get to the server room, I… ’ they tried to pull the information through, bits and pieces getting caught on the fragments of the paper-thin wall. They could answer this. Mortis had been through far worse, this was nothing. ‘ Mayhew pulled me into a painting, almost didn’t get out in time. Clean sever, at least, although that meant they needed a skin graft to cover what was left. ’

Several emotions rapid fire crossed their faces as they looked to each other. They started to question, retreat back into themself when Mouse spoke up. “Wow, that must’ve been tough to recover from, right?” fae elbowed the other two, who mumbled their agreement.

Mortis tried to pull more, still getting just fragments and disjointed ideas. Nothing concrete they could give in a report, certainly. ‘ Technically I’m still in recovery from my understanding. I’ve got physical therapy and meetings with my prosthetist. Especially after the setback from last raid. ’ Their chopsticks dropped from their hands, falling into the dish with a dull clatter. The last raid. The raid where they killed Isao. The raid where Twice risked everything with Sad Man’s Parade. For them . Where Asami risked everything. For them . Where Mr. Compress wasn’t there. Mr. Compress wasn’t anywhere except—

They sped away from the table, barely registering the startled cries as they swallowed down bile and nearly ran over a few toes in their mad dash. They had to see. Had to know. They couldn’t be wrong. They had to be wrong. They’d been here for what, days? And never bothered to look because they couldn’t .

Asami shot to her feet as they barreled through the door, barely slowing enough for it to register their chair and open in time. “What happened?”

They slowed just enough to not fall out of their chair as they stopped in front of the altar just beyond the kitchen. Where two memorials sat.

Their mentor, the strongest person they knew physically and emotionally. The person who’d been at their side since almost the beginning. The person they could always count on as a steadying rock. The person they as good as killed .

Their friend, the best damn magician the world had known. The one who always cheated in every card game and always made sure they had the space and support they needed to heal. The one they didn’t even notice was gone until they could be bothered to look at the fucking altar.

Asami tread softly up behind them, resting a hand on their shoulder once they acknowledged her presence with a glance. They weren’t sure how long they sat there staring, wishing, praying that it wasn’t real. That they didn’t fuck everything up so horrifically two of the most important people in their lives died becuase of them.

At some point, Asami pressed a sturdy mug of tea in their shaking hands, the warmth seeping in and only making reality clearer, sharper as its daggers tore into their heart.

Who else is dead?

The thought shattered their world like a bullet train through glass. Memorials for anyone other than the League in their life wouldn’t be here. They’d be at their homes. They had to know.

They had to talk to Joe.

“Woah, where are you going?” Asami stumbled slightly as they started towards the door.

‘ I need to talk with Joe. I need to know who else is dead, ’ Mortis signed, abandoning their now lukewarm tea on the counter.

Confusion twisted up her face as she thought. “Isao and Compress were the important ones, I—”

‘ You don’t know who was— is important to me, ’ Mortis snapped coldly. They couldn’t explain, not when they had to know. A small piece of them flinched at the pain in her eyes, but she didn’t try to stop them again.

This time, people cleared the way as Mortis sped through the halls, wheelchair easily compensating for the turns at full speed. Something else snapped into place, but they didn’t have time for that. Not when so much was at stake. Their office door sat wide open, the morning shift already inside and confused while Joe sat at his desk, frustration boiling over as he tapped one of his throwing knives.

‘ Joe, ’ Mortis wheeled past them, causing a stir they ignored. ‘ Who else is dead? ’

“Full report or relevant to you?”

‘ Both .’

Joe took the first paper and set of stapled papers off a small pile and handed them over.

“Who are you talking to?” Lizarro approached them, hesitantly looking around. “There’s just some guy over there. We’ve been looking all over for you, and—”

“I’m sorry, the Joe is the head of Intelligence?” Mouse squeaked in indignation.

‘ Don’t. ’ Joe sighed heavily and set down the knife. Their shoulders slumped as Mortis reached the end of the lists and found no one new other than the dozens who died during raids. The rate definitely went up, probably due to… Shit . What the hell were they going to do with their clone?

Mouse rounded their chair, angling faerself to keep Joe in the corner of faer eye. “Hey, we just want to check on you, kiddo. Shiro made us promise to keep an eye on you, though it didn’t take much convincing,” fae tried for a light smile, but it fell as they stared at the papers with anger boiling just beneath the surface. “Did we do something or can you tell us what’s going on?”

‘ I remembered. Some things snapped into place. Marbles and Isao are dead because of me. ’ The papers crumpled roughly in their off hand as Mortis fought to keep their emotions in check. Now was not the time. They managed a plastic smile, but dropped it as Mouse startled back. ‘ I just… need some time. None of you did anything wrong. ’

“Okay… just let us know if we can help or even if you just want a break, okay?” Mouse offered, a small hesitant smile twitching the corner of faer lips.

‘ Sure. ’ With a nod to Joe, Mortis returned at a much more normal pace, giving apologetic half smiles to any who jumped out of their way on sight. That was the most they could manage right now, so it would have to do.

By the time they got back, the rest of the League was waiting anxiously in the common area, Giri stress baking with Magne while Dabi paced and Twice, Spinner, and Shigaraki played gub with… actually the usual amount of tension given how the game usually went. Dabi noticed them first, starting towards them but stopping after a couple steps.

Pain laced through them as Mortis realized what snapped into place. ‘ Wildfire, I —’ a wave of grief washed over them, tears pricking their eyes as everything they lost and pushed away in err crashed into them.

In moments, they were in his arms, sinking into the embrace as his shirt dampened. Eyes snapped to them for a moment before turning away, allowing the found siblings the moment to relish in finding each other again.

Notes:

I know this is not how it works, but this is the furthest I’ve pushed medical stuff. I feel like I get a liiittle bit of a narrative pass lol I thought about adding a few more names, but this fic has already dealt with so much death it felt like that'd be a bit too much? And I already decided against having another Blue Fang member die in the Mover/Blaster raid so more names would just feel like fridging I think?

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#agender #aro ace #nonbinary #lgbtqia #mha #when good people go to war #bnha #fanfic #nonbinary mc #libertias aut mortis #chapter 40 #league of villains #plf

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aspenforest732 · 3 months ago

Text

Libertias aut Mortis Chapter 39: Alone in a Crowded Room

Summary:

tw: n/a? Guide my way out of this place They're back but are they?

Notes:

The first part of this puts the mini scenes you’ve read throughout into the order in which Akira goes through the memories. Included the chapter and scene so if you want to go back and read them in context, you can easily do so ‘text’ JSL Text thoughts Page break text page break Finding their way

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Ch 7 Scene 1

Bng… Bng… Faint notes distantly rung and echoed through the aether without a sound.

What… what was this? They didn’t remember this happening. Why would any hero, even a Twilight, entertain this? Something shifted as they watched the trio make small talk while they ate, and the world faded

Ch 1 Scene 1

Bng-nng… bng-nng . The notes trembled closer, hints of separation slowly becoming clearer.

This, at least, they remembered. Their stomach churned as they were forced to just sit back and watch the slaughter. Their family put up a good fight, but they were resigned to the Farm, after all. Skill or even true power were hardly needed for a handful of quirkless children with no reason to leave. Wasn’t this before the meeting, though? They needed to move forward , not backwards.

Ch 4 Scene 2

Dng, dng… dng, dng . The bells, for now the echoes of what was yet to come could be distinguished as such, continued their unsteady crescendo.

They screamed soundlessly to not involve Midoriya, to keep kids out of it. He didn’t need to know. He didn’t need to know. Why did he know? Why did they confirm anything? Maybe it would’ve been better to never attend U.A. at all. If they couldn’t even find the present, how were they supposed to pass whatever test they must still be in. They straightened at the reminder. Of course, this was all a test. Just get through it, find the path. Find the pulsing echo that now pounded almost silently against their skull, and they could find their way back home.

Ch 14 Scene 1

Dng dng, dng dng . The space between rings crept closer, more insistent, as they neared their audience of one.

They watched in confusion as Joe clearly stalked about the room, even as their body remained unaware. They distantly remembered something about his quirk only working in real time, not on memories. Were these just memories? If these were memories, where were they? When were they? Where were the bells coming from? And how did they know the bells weren’t part of the memories?

Ch 20

Ding dong, Dong ding . The chimes swelled frantically, skipping a beat with each repetition as they slammed against the walls of the void.

They curled up, rocking on the void with hands over their ears as they tried to ground themself. But nothing existed in this space to ground themself with. They were nowhere, just an empty void with jumbled memories and no direction, not even a vague suggestion. They’d been good. They did as their family asked. Why were they back here? They hadn’t done anything wrong . Unless it was the bells. This had to be a mistake. None of this made sense. The bells weren’t theirs, they swore. It didn’t make sense. Why were they here! Why. wouldn’t. They. STOP!

Ch 3 Scene 1

Ding dong ding Dong ding dng .

They slowly unfurled as the slight, gentle rocking motion ghosted across their consciousness. A sense of peace washed over them and letting their limbs untangle, not a pop or crackle to be heard. Did that mean they went the wrong way again? Even so, maybe they could stay a while. Then again, the bells could very well be covering the sounds, the near-constant clanging save for a static third beat echoing through the void. Something felt intensely familiar despite not remembering this train ride, the countryside speeding past in a car too fancy, too expensive for any trip they would’ve taken. Maybe if they stayed long enough, the gentle laughter and easy banter would drown out the bells.

Ch 30

DING dong ḏ̷̨̬̖̘͓̫͖̯͔̦̻͕̇̂̔̈̌̊͆̏̏̈́ḯ̶͇̟̣̝͎̗̮̮̭̲̱̪̗̖̔͂̅̈̽̈́͋̇̔͒̈́̋͗̔̐͝ͅn̷̮͎̦̤͚͉̦̗̭̬̠͇̹͙͗̍̈̒́͜͝g̴̨͕͙͔̖͓͇̯̱̺̀ DONG ding d̴͍͚̤́̏̾̀̐͑͆o̵̢̡̰̘͎͎̖̦͇̝͈̝̻͍͗̉̍̏̏̚ͅn̷̡̼̠̪̹̣̦̖͖̞̮̫̞̳̗͎̬̔ġ̴̹̤͚̬̲̀̑̌̉̈́͑̚ .

No, no, this wasn’t right. The bells were still there, slamming into the void surrounding them, protecting them. Why did they only hear static instead of their name? What was the other name they couldn’t know? Why couldn’t they remember? And that Ida kid… he knew something. He knew them . They knew him . Why couldn’t they remember? What even were the bells? A pressure slowly built in their chest as they tried to break through whatever was blocking those names.

Ch 10 Scene 3

The force of the bells shook the void as cracks cleaved memories and the very foundation of what they knew.

They reached out as guilt swelled in the pit of their stomach, the alarm bells pulling, ever pulling now. They remembered him. Vaguely, but the connection was there. They hadn’t seen him since… they didn’t know when, but somehow they just knew he was gone. Because of them . But he was here now . Couldn’t they just stay here, bells? What was so fucking urgent in the present that they couldn’t linger, couldn’t sit with this small happiness? The pull grew stronger, more insistent, and they finally gave in, crashing out of the void and into a bright room with scared, angry faces of people they should know.

---

They let their instincts warp them behind their chair, stumbling a step back at the sheer wall of fear that coursed through their body at the sight of… the only name their mind supplied was the Doctor. Glancing to their left, they knew someone like him. Someone like them. Their clone snapped forward as they slipped between the Doctor and Kurogiri, knife brandishing as they snarled. That’s intimidating, right?

They transmitted, “Take one more step, I fucking dare you.” Their heart leapt into their throat as everyone froze, staring at them like they’d seen a ghost. Shit, was this not part of it? It felt so right , though. Whoever the Doctor was, they just knew he needed to stay far away from him.

“Now now,” the Doctor tsked as they matched his steps, knees protesting as though they’d been running. “I’m sure this is all a misunderstanding. You see, Kurogiri is mine, and I will do as I see fit.”

They fought the calm that tried to wash over them, glaring back at him though their eyes strained. Dabi - wait, what the hell is the League doing here? They carefully kept their posture the same as their gaze darted about the beige room. They tried to dismiss the copy of themself only to find it not connected. A Twice clone, maybe ? Right, of course, their family mentioned their presence.

Dabi and the other members argued back and forth with the Doctor as Asami moved to stand beside them, subtly offering a hand. They shook their head slightly. Better to keep one hand free just in case. Although what test would involve the League they had no clue.

They already proved their loyalty, already got their license. Why would their family risk the bad press? Sure, the Commission had a chokehold on it, but the tighter the restrictions, the more creative people got. At least they were finally back with Asami. Maybe she could fill them in once they were alone again?

Never look… they frowned, straightening at the void that surrounded the phrase. That was supposed to help, to clear their thoughts except the objective. Never look back . Nothing. They looked to Asami, but she just watched them with a sliver of hope in her eyes. What was she hoping for? That they’d pass? That they’d… what was happening?

They bit back a groan as their head pounded, no longer in time with bells but now with their pulse. Their fingers twitched around the knife and bit into their other palm, trying to distribute the focus of the pain as their brow pinched, eyes closing with the slightest hint of relief against the lights that only seemed to grow brighter the longer they remained.

Asami looked over their shoulder and nodded, briefly crossing to grab their wheelchair before darkness enveloped them and a strangely familiar void deposited them in the common area. Asami followed with their chair, then Kurogiri as the gate closed.

They padded towards where they distinctly remembered a beige couch, finding an older green one instead with down sticking out of a couple places between the cushions. New paintings hung on the walls, a few new chairs dotted the living room, but their breakfast nook table still stood strong. The altar was new but their gaze quickly swept past it, the glimpse pulsing a wave of sorrow and pain. Their gaze quickly went back to the large, rectangular table where a 3-person game of gub lay abandoned, hands hastily set face down with the discard in the middle and current round in front of the next player.

They turned back to Asami, avoiding looking really anywhere near the kitchen. “I’ll make some tea,” Kurogiri offered, heading into the danger zone as Asami smiled tightly and nodded.

‘ Where are we? And why is the League involved? ’ they signed quickly and tight to their chest, confusion seeping into their features try as they might.

‘ You don’t remember? ’ They tensed as Asami’s face fell. ‘ We’re here because they were supposed to help you. ’

‘ Is this part of the test? ’ they asked hesitantly. That was the only thing that could kind of make sense, unless whatever was behind the now fragile, disconnected wall held more. Now fragile? Was it there before they found their way back?

‘ Test? ’

Shit, are there cameras? Of course there are cameras . They pulled Asami deeper into the suite, something in their gut telling them the rooms didn’t have cameras. How did they know that? They weren’t allowed back here— how did they know any of this? They flinched at the headache building again as pressure pulsed outward from the wall. They dashed the last bit into their room, locking the door with little thought and collapsing amidst the plushies on their nest.

‘ Sorry, should have realized we couldn’t talk where there are cameras, ’ they apologized, deciding to ignore how they immediately went for a plush of a vaguely familiar tuxedo cat. There were far more pressing matters. ‘ You said warping was part of a test. Are we still in the test? Are we waiting for extraction? What is going on? ’

“I thought…” Asami shook her head and sat next to them at an angle, legs neatly folded to the side. She bit her lip, looking away slightly before admitting, “There is no test. I had to think of something to make you stop so they could warp us out.”

She lied? No, Asami didn’t do that. Not to them . They shook their head, squeezing the plush as they tried to process. ‘ No, no, I must have misheard you then. If I thought you said there was a test, I just misheard you. We don’t lie to each other. ’

“What was I supposed to do?” Asami dug her fingers into the blanket, staring at the soft floor as if it held the answers. “I watched you kill someone . I couldn’t let you do that to another. You had to stop, and it’s not like you would’ve just gone willingly if I asked you to. Even if I told you we needed to.”

‘ I would if you said so. ’ The words hung between them for a small eternity, Asami lost in thought while they looked around the room. It felt like it should be familiar. They instinctively knew where their old duffle bag, emergency repair kits, and even pointless items like the little plushies in their nest and… that was a new one. They picked up an impossibly soft black and purple dragon that looked remarkably like them in its own way. The little prosthetic hind leg matched their old prosthetic’s design and managed to look completely rigid while maintaining the squishiness of the rest of the plush.

“I think Twice made that?” Asami smiled slightly, only a bit of strain remaining though it reached her eyes. “Pretty sure he made one for each member of the League, at least I’ve seen most of them with one that kind of looks like them.”

They nodded slowly, warmth filling their chest at the gesture while confusion rose with it. ‘ Yeah, that makes sense… I think? Did something happen between when we warped and the meeting with the Doctor? ’

Asami’s expression immediately darkened, and she launched into a breakdown of what happened since they last remembered. Maybe the Doctor messing with their head caused the weird state of things? ‘ It’s like… everything is there but it’s not connected. Like “Never look back” is— ’ they stopped as Asami flinched like she’d been slapped. ‘ Are you okay? ’

She peered at them, eyes searching as her face scrunched up in mounting confusion. “You’re… still you?”

‘ Yes? That phrase is just supposed to refocus on the goal, kind of reset. Now it does nothing. It’s like everything is there but nothing is connected, grounded. ’

Asami’s cheeks puffed as she let out a deep breath. “That’s good, I think. At least the first part?” She ran her fingers through her hair, twisting and untwisting tiny braids. “We’re not going back to Garaki, but maybe one of the other doctors here will know what’s going on?”

Notes:

I’m aware this is not how any of this works, but I thought it was a fun idea. Technically they also would’ve seen memories from the first two fics, but I didn’t think about that til after I’d compiled them, and at that point, it was too late to figure out what additional scenes would make sense between the others.

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#agender #aro ace #nonbinary #lgbtqia #mha #when good people go to war #bnha #fanfic #nonbinary mc #libertias aut mortis #league of villains #plf #dr garaki #chapter 39

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aspenforest732 · 3 months ago

Text

Libertas aut Mortis Chapter 38: No Rest for the Weary

Summary:

tw: ableism, creepy adult, human experimentation You can't have my life

Notes:

‘text’ JSL Text thoughts Page break text page break Finding their way

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Asami leaned against the wall, watching the physical therapist guide Akira through exercises for their legs. Mae involved her in a couple, showing her how to guide them through stretches they had to do every day . At one point, she asked if it wouldn’t be easier to just regrow the limb, but apparently that was the wrong thing to say. Mae went on a whole lecture on autonomy and not everyone with a disability wanted it “fixed” or “cured” for that matter.

In the few days since she arrived, Asami found herself saying the wrong thing a lot. Whether that was from the culture here specifically or aspects of culture her etiquette lessons glossed over, she wasn’t sure. Some things even went directly against her tutors’ guidance. Some of it made sense, like the idea that abuse of power and people should be exposed, not kept as trade secrets.

What exactly qualified as abuse was still unclear, but Tokoyami was actually becoming her biggest source on the topic. At one point, she asked how he knew the difference so well, and he grew quiet for a moment, even Dark Shadow stilling before he just said that Akira asked a lot of questions, too.

Asami slipped back into the moment as Mae brought Akira back over and shoved a slip of paper into her hand. “Here, this has the stretches and the schedule they should be on. Dabi and that raven kid probably know most of it, but if you’re taking them places now, you should have the full list.” Her expression softened slightly as Akira settled into their wheelchair. “You’re good kids, the both of you. Keep learning, keep your chin up, and you’ll do just fine here.”

Asami bowed respectfully, letting a small smile slip onto her face before wheeling Akira away. She still didn’t really trust the League, but they had yet to refuse her demands to sit in on meetings and briefings. And Hawks at least still carried himself with the integrity a hero should.

Giri was almost as awkward as she was, trying to fit back into a group that came so far without him. Something was definitely between him and Shigaraki, familial for sure but lost and uncertain in the tension between them. Asami was torn between fear-driven respect for the leader’s power and the need to know who she worked under now.

She still couldn’t get a read on Twice other than he was a deeply troubled man, although that fit most people there. He made crafts and some of the art on the walls, members occasionally emerging with matching dragon plushies that put a ghost of a smile on his face at times. He slowly started joining conversations, adding a few words here and there. Maybe he was recovering from something after all.

Dabi didn’t know how to interact with her, Akira, or the clone even. He’d make an offhand joke or comment and look towards them, only for his expression to harden when he actually saw any of them. From what she gathered from the others, they had some kind of weird sibling dynamic, so… maybe he felt threatened by her? She didn’t mind the heat as long as it kept him away from them. The heat physically radiating off him on the other hand…

Asami rarely saw Spinner outside of meetings, the heteromorph disappearing before breakfast and returning after dinner. Cooking seemed to be on a rotation, and whoever cooked that night left a plate warming for him. He always managed to look even more exhausted when he did catch a glimpse of her and, more probably, Akira, jaw setting as he stormed off to his room or the little table the League tried to contain work to from what she saw.

Asami threw up a shield, shifting in front of Akira as a dark mass of shadows flew towards them. As they drew closer, Tokoyami dropped out of the shadow and Asami withdrew her quirk, speed walking with Akira to meet the pair.

“Nine made it,” he trilled, bright red eyes shining with excitement she hadn’t seen since they met. At her blank look, Tokoyami added, “A high-end nomu, he got onto Sado Island. Come, they’re waiting for you.”

Asami broke off into a sprint, switching Akira’s wheelchair to give a bit more stabilization just in case. The last thing they needed was another injury, much less one she was responsible for. Again . They’re waiting for me ? Tokoyami’s words hit as they raced down the corridors, now teeming with anticipation. Villains and heroes alike rushed about in sharp contrast with the purposeful gait she’d grown accustomed to seeing around here.

They burst into the conference room, the other heads joining the League as well as a civilian and a short, portly man in a white double-breasted coat with goggles resting atop his head and a small, two-legged… thing in his lap. Giri stood behind Dabi and Shigaraki as far away as possible from the man. He regarded the trio with a hungry curl of his lips that couldn’t possibly qualify as a smile.

Asami shuddered but squared her shoulders, coldly staring back as the expression clicked as similar to the one Carpenter wore around Akira. Tokoyami dipped out, Dark Shadow growling lowly and quietly as he forced them down.

“Asami, Akira, take a seat,” Spinner motioned them to a chair and open space between Magne and Dabi. “That is Dr. Garaki. He frankensteins nomu together and reverses brainwashing under supervision.”

“Nine reached Sado Island before the government declared martial law. He was only able to get word out via Anima’s pigeons due to the high security that’s only tightened since. Something in their Tinker tech is fucking with Search but he’s gotten a few details.”

Spinner clicked to a couple satellite images, drawing Asami’s curiosity. Then again, Starbright and Astro were at the Thinker/Tinker compound during the raid… running through the couple dozen Wrens she knew were left, none of them would have Tinker access to satellites. Firewalls, sure, but…

“Nezu gained control of the satellite over the island using a backdoor he placed during his last efforts.”

Of course Nezu’s involved . The usernames clicked, and Asami bit her lip to hold back a sigh. At least that confirmed the series of “coincidences” weren’t just that. She distantly realized the civilian moved to the presentation area, but the flash of confusion was quickly replaced with the knowledge that he was supposed to be there. Why wouldn’t he be there?

Confusion seeped back in as the others reacted to words that hung in the air a few seconds before they reached her ears. That’s… not how hearing loss works. Right? Asami puzzled over the phenomenon, shaking it off as Kikuko started signing the words in a timing that lined up better. Maybe it was.

The island itself had natural barriers to entry from almost every side. Even the tiny port carved into the cliff face was flanked by cliffs that dropped off into sea stacks as they reached the ocean. Security and heroes crawled over every inch of the island from the supply depot to the Shaker breaking bunker to the on-site housing for regular staff.

Security clearances of Secret or above were required to get into the supply depot or anywhere near the compound itself. The checkpoints weren’t immediately visible, Nine reporting a slight sensation of static electricity before someone approached questioning his business there. Probably a good thing the Thinker/Tinker compound was the first target. Who knows what else she’d be able to set up on the island and at other compounds if they hadn’t?

The thought still sickened Asami, but she’d gotten far more used to keeping it down in the past few days than she ever thought she’d need to. No kidding. Memories you aren’t supposed to remember at least with that context for your own sake will do that , she snarked to herself.

“Warp Gate could take us anywhere on the island provided the coordinates,” Giri said stiffly, focus constantly sliding towards Garaki.

Shigaraki shook his head, dislodging it from atop his pyramid fingers. “The npc’s will swarm us the moment they open. We need rogues there ready to hold the line, keep them from using our own tools.”

‘ I— Reaper still has that favor Broker owes them, ’ the clone interjected as the room fell into a soft, mumbling quiet. ‘ They were saving it for the final push, right? How many soldiers would we need on the island? ’

Spinner nodded slowly, eyes squinted as he crossed the table to look between Magne and Oracle. Asami leaned over the table slightly, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear as she craned to see what Oracle was doing. Thinker quirks always had such interesting interpretation or activation methods, and divination-esque Thinkers even more so on top of being rare. She pulled out an elaborate, larger than standard deck of cards, shuffling it a few times as beautiful holographic flashed under the night sky drawn on top of the cards.

A few fell out, but she only looked at them for a couple seconds before shuffling them back in and repeating the process a few more times. Spinner and Magne talked logistics, Dabi leaning the opposite way to Asami to add a few words now and then. The minutes dragged on, but the cards pulled Asami in, colorful people and animals flashing by as the Thinker concentrated.

“A thousand minimum at medium-high risk, ten thousand at low risk,” Dabi announced after several minutes as he sat back. “Relative to the overall risk,” he clarified as Oracle opened her mouth.

‘ It took until just before lockdown to get one person on the island. ’ The clone took a deep breath, eyes darting back and forth as all eyes returned to them. ‘ Animals, on the other hand, are magnitudes easier to excuse. ’

“Whaat am I missing here?” Asami peered at them skeptically as the others came to some sort of epiphany.

“Were you aware of the influx of birds in Kanazawa?” Magne asked.

Asami cast about trying to remember much about the raid other than the massive death toll. Maybe a footnote? “Not really?”

Shigaraki nodded sharply. “We can’t wait for them to approve, but this is what they wanted. Spinner, contact Giran first, get the next steps for the quest. If he needs to see them, work on it with Giri.”

Magne leaned over her slightly and clarified, “An independent not on our payroll can turn people into animals. Normally, it’d be too expensive for more than a handful of people, but Giran might cover enough of his fees if we cash in that favor.”

“There is another way,” Dr. Garaki rasped from the other side of the room. A breeze buffeted Asami from behind as a single soft footstep sounded. “With a few modifications, Warp Gate could easily withstand—”

“No.” Most of the League whipped to him, in various states of snarls and quirk activations. Asami curled away from the intense heat rolling off Dabi in waves that rippled the very air between them. Her own shield flashed purple.

“You won’t fucking touch him,” Dabi snarled.

“Come now, I’m sure we can—”

Shigaraki cut him off as he stood, chair screeching as it toppled over. “We said,” he grit out, “you won’t. Fucking. Touch him. Ever again. Now leave .”

Garaki tsked, standing even as alarm bells clanged about Asami’s head. Something was wrong. Something was very wrong. “Oh, I’m afraid you no longer have any say, child . But fine, I’ll take my leave.” A wicked grin split his face as a distinct pop echoed before the room burst into action.

Asami whipped around, toppling her chair and shifting between him and Akira. Dabi and Magne shot to their feet, cerulean flames erupting across Dabi’s skin as the acrid smell of burning flesh filled the room. Magne and the doctor glowed opposing pink and blue, but before another word could be said, Akira’s head hit the table with a thunk . Asami started to turn only to find Akira standing defiantly between Giri and Garaki, knife in one hand and crutch in the other as they snarled up at him.

“Take one more step, I fucking dare you,” their voice transmitted through their speaker. Everyone froze, glows snuffing out in surprise while Dabi’s flames dimmed slightly, the smell no longer as potent.

Notes:

me: ah yes we can use migration to excuse thousands of animals moving through an area the timeline: late July animals that migrate then: wildebeest, zebra, and gazelles

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#agender #aro ace #nonbinary #lgbtqia #mha #when good people go to war #bnha #fanfic #nonbinary mc #libertias aut mortis #league of villains #plf #paranormal liberation front #garaki #asami inoue

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aspenforest732 · 3 months ago

Text

Libertias aut Mortis Chapter 37: Decompress

Summary:

tw: alcohol, binge drinking, underage drinking, mourning, loss, vomit Never thought that you would live forever

Notes:

‘text’ JSL Text thoughts Page break text page break Finding their way

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Asami watched in morbid curiosity as Giri brought drinks and mixers to the table, setting the electric kettle between her and Tokoyami with some tea selections. Once the League caught him up on the basics and he took a nap, he emerged dressed in a dark reddish brown aviator jacket, a Sun Wukong t-shirt, and slacks. The League seemed just as confused as she was at the combination, but he did just come from a mental hospital. Is he even stable enough to be here?

Realizing she’d been staring again, Asami flashed a smile at him, ducking her head in thanks. The clone took the proffered shot glass, though. She glanced at Akira, still blankly staring at the wall. Was that something the clone picked up from them? Surely not. Tokoyami at least had the sense to stick to tea with them, Dark Shadow - apparently the quirk had a name and pronouns - snaked towards the sake but a tap and stern look from Tokoyami brought them slithering back.

Dabi chugged a shot of brandy and raised another to Giri. “Tonight, we celebrate the return of the best of us,” he turned to the altar where Mr. Compress and Isao’s pictures sat, “remember those who are no longer with us,” he twisted back around to face Akira, “and hold vigil for the one who will find their way back.”

Each member gave a short toast, the drinks flowing as Giri made some drinks and slid ingredients to a few who Asami assumed got used to making their own. Asami lifted her cup of tea to each, watching the group carefully through their little ritual. From what she remembered, Mr. Compress died during the raid on the Mover/Blaster compound. Maybe they were toasting for Giri’s sake? Or they haven’t had time .

“He was just a year older than me,” Giri spoke first, swirling a green and yellow drink in a tall glass as his mist rippled gently around his hair. “When I first met him, I thought ‘this one’ll make it for sure!’ Kinda ironic, yeah?” he scoffed at himself. Giri glanced up at the others, all eyes on him. “I don’t remember everything, and that’s probably a good thing, but the connections, what I felt for all of you, that is what really stuck with me. And Sako…” his brow pinched as he looked to the side. “He felt a lot like what I had with Sho and Zashi, I think. Or maybe closer to Nem.”

Who? Asami subtly looked around at the others, but only Dabi, Hawks, and Tokoyami looked like they knew who he was talking about. Dabi failed to hold back a sly grin while Hawks’ wings poofed slightly. There couldn’t be that much crossover between a notorious villain and the former number one hero’s circles if the rest of the League didn’t know. If Tokoyami knew, maybe they were from U.A.? But then when would Dabi have met them? At least she could deduce Sako was Mr. Compress’ given name.

“I didn’t get the chance to know Isao,” Giri continued after a moment. “Technically I think the Blue Fang was still at war with us when I got nabbed?”

“Nah, they stopped going after you not long after Akira officially joined,” Dabi interjected, a smirk still pulling at the corner of his scarred lip. Lips? She wasn’t entirely sure if the bottom was too damaged to count.

“You?” Asami blurted out. Hawks also leaned forward slightly with bright eyes, and Giri tilted his head.

Dabi waved them off, swirling a shot of… something else as he peered back at Giri. “I was an informant for the Blue Fang and, by extension, Eraser til we were sure. Were you already gone when—”

“Yeah, dipshit, you told us here ,” Spinner hissed.

Asami locked up, breath catching as she latched onto Akira, ready to move. The tension almost instantly dissipated as Dabi sharply elbowed him and the two tussled. Giri rolled his eyes and warped Spinner over to Magne.

The pair looked at Giri then each other and burst out laughing, the rest of the League joining in chuckles as even Shigaraki ducked his head, a smile playing at his lips. “Just like old times, ey Giri?” Dabi recovered first, weight pulling the corners back down.

“At least some things haven’t changed.”

“Was that sarcasm?” Magne gasped, mock surprise trying to keep things light even as her own expression grew tight. “Our Giri really is in there after all,” she mock swooned into Spinner, who lightly shoved her off, barely moving her.

Dabi downed another shot before continuing, “Isao was Akira’s mentor in the Blue Fang. The muscle to their shadow. Gave me a weird version of the shovel talk when we were trying to figure out how to coexist as roommates.” That pulled a couple awkward laughs as he stared into the dark, swirling liquid now in his glass. Steam curled up as he haltingly continued, “Tried to give them a sense of home or at least familiarity here, too.”

“He was a damn good fighter, too,” Magne added as everyone tipped back their drinks or took swigs.

“The bullets,” Asami added, shrinking into herself as she realized the intrusion. Magne motioned them on, though confused. “They were made for what they knew of his quirk. That’s a… testament, I guess.”

“Tano did say something about that,” Magne spoke in sad wonder, regarding her as if for the first time. “Amazing bastard made a bunch of knuckleheads think for once.”

Asami started to protest but found the words dying on her lips as those altered - or unaltered? - memories arose. Her division wasn’t exactly known as brilliant strategists. To be fair, they didn’t need to be most of the time. Left it to someone with more maneuverability while they wore down the villains or most problems, really.

Brutes endured, and Strikers kept villains on their back foot. Hold the line until they break or you do . That’s just how the world worked.

“Isao cared deeply, for everyone ,” Twice spoke up. Everyone turned with brows in their hairline. Maybe he didn’t speak that much? He’d barely said a word since she arrived. “Didn’t matter who you were or… he always cared.”

The room fell into a somber quiet for a time, everyone absorbed in their own thoughts and drinks. Bubbling and hissing combined with an acrid smell from Dabi’s boiling liquor, and a soft breeze wafted from Giri’s side of the table. Asami slowly realized it was coming from Giri’s mist itself, the ac vent on the opposite side of the room.

“After Compress, you know…” Spinner stumbled over his words, staring angrily at his trembling blood-red drink. “Isao kept swinging by Brown division, kept trying to get me to let him take on some of the work. He’s a bloody soldier, he doesn’t know the first thing about logistics!” Dabi bristled and started to interrupt but he kept going, “At least that’s the excuse I used. He didn’t push, didn’t try and get me to appoint a new head or take on an apprentice. Just… talked. Listened. Somehow knew what I needed.”

Shigaraki shifted uncomfortably, everyone looking towards him but not directly at him as they waited. “Never felt like skipping dialogue with him,” he eventually said, throwing Asami for a loop. “He knew what to say when and never treated me like a noob or an npc with all the answers.”

“Surprisingly good with words, too,” Hawks chirped. His wings fluttered and tucked in as he drew their attention. “I mean, most people are good at fighting or strategizing or talking, and well, you can tell what I’m good at,” he flashed a familiar, brilliant grin, but now that Asami was close, she shivered slightly at the cracks in his facade. His face fell as he tapped his glass with talons.

Did he have those before? Asami shook her head slightly as the photos no one wanted her to see flashed. Little hard not to when they were splashed across every screen and monitor at Hero Con.

“He, ah, he was good at fighting and talking. Saw right through my bullshit, you know?” Hawks perhaps surprised them the most, such a stark contrast to the suave hero Asami saw at galas and Commission events. He continued on for a bit before ceding the floor in relief at a gesture from Dabi.

Huh . Maybe their social circles weren’t that separate after all. Oh, the scandal that would have caused if Hawks was still a hero. How would the Commission have covered it? Dashing young hero takes on basket case to reform him? Wasn’t Dabi too notorious for that? Then again, people do love redemption stories .

‘ I know a lot is still vague or twisted. ’

Asami startled as the clone started signing, her expression snapping into annoyance. Oh, so the imposter got to speak, too?

They cringed away from the heat of her glare, but kept going, ‘ But most of what I remember of Isao is pretty clear. He called… us? Little Shadow not just because of our height or name, but because we stood protected in his shadow. ’ The ghost of a sad smile crept onto their face as they recounted some of the times they went on protection with him, shot the breeze on rooftops, and… took down a trafficking ring?

Asami looked to Dabi in disbelief, but he simply nodded, gesturing to watch them. They… No, that was too much. It was one thing for Akira to join a gang, fine , maybe they were forced to in order to survive. The “protection” for drug and arms deals? They couldn’t be serious. Akira, her 140 cm twin, went around stabbing people for what, a few hundred extra yen? They’d never be that desperate. There must have been some other way for them to get the money.

Some of her doubt must’ve shown on her face as Dabi launched into stories involving Isao, usually alongside Akira. Harmless pranks that went sideways, missions no child should be on, even a couple hits. All looking her straight in the eyes. She looked away after a while, skin crawling from the prolonged eye contact. The others nodded along, casting her curious glances as he continued and occasionally branching off with tangentially related stories of their own.

At some point, Giri and Magne grabbed more snacks from the kitchen, sliding a significant portion to Akira as they did yesterday. Did…did they really need to eat that much? Guilt twinged in her gut as Asami recalled the double portions that were hardly half what the League prompted them to eat now.

Starvation is the fastest, easiest way of breaking Brutes . She shuddered at the thought that sounded entirely too much like mother. Wait, wasn’t that… Asami choked on her tea, narrowly catching the cup as it spilled slightly. The memory flooded back of Akira desperately trying to tell them what happened to Minori while she could only look on in confusion as she tried to follow their signs. Back then, she had only just started JSL tutoring, and they were going entirely too fast and trying to convey too much at once, but it made sense now.

Asami swayed to her feet as bile rocketed up her throat, barely swallowing in time to keep it further down. She nearly tripped over her chair on the way to the bathroom, pointedly looking to Hawks then Akira as he snapped around to look after them.

Notes:

What everyone’s drinking: Dabi: shots of the nearest strong liquor Giri: liquid marijuana (sours, pineapple juice, blue curacao, spiced rum, and coconut rum) Asami: sencha tea (loose leaf green tea with energy boost) Spinner: cranberry mimosa Hawks: negroni sbagliato Twice: sake Shigaraki: vodka redbull Magne: watermelon mojito Tokoyami: chamomile tea Yeeah when I edited this chapter the first time I realized I kinda made Dabi an alcoholic over the course of the story. And it’s only been more obvious when I’ve gone back for more rounds. To be fair, he has many reasons. I've also got another memoirs mori chapter that'll go up today/tomorrow. ended up splitting off one section cause it was 3k on its own so will figure out whether I want to double release or wait a few days and upload the other. Both are in the Rise of the Guardians AU :)

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#agender #aro ace #nonbinary #lgbtqia #mha #when good people go to war #bnha #fanfic #nonbinary mc #libertias aut mortis #asami inoue #league of villains #hawks

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aspenforest732 · 3 months ago

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Libertias aut Mortis Chapter 36: Kurogiri Heist

Summary:

tw: hospital, psyche ward, blood I had to revisit this so many times to remove contractions XD

Notes:

‘text’ JSL Text thoughts Page break text page break Finding their way

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Akira crept along the rooftops with Hawks and Kikuko. Each carried their usual weapons in addition to a handful of vials of Somnambulist passed along through a small flock of Anima’s pigeon friends. Between fuzzy memories and blackouts, they could not entirely be sure when she officially threw her lot in with the PLF, but she refused to leave her students in the middle of this dystopian nightmare. And finals.

Hawks slipped coverts in through cracks in the windows, just big enough to warn them of threats without being immediately obvious to onlookers or cameras. Kikuko started whispering in a Musutafu accent as they dropped to the street in “borrowed” uniforms from the hospital. Shift change in three, two, one, enter.

“There you are!” The head nurse waved them over impatiently, rushing them through security. “This generation and punctuality. Can you ever be in the building ready to clock in when your shift starts?” she grumbled, pressing the access badges into their hands as she stormed off towards the nurses clocking out.

The poor residents shuffled out, ducking under her waving a clipboard about as they did not even bother to give the team a second glance. Sympathy flitted across Akira’s mind, but everything was in order. The most she should get is a slap on the wrist. Martial law technically would not affect Kurogiri yet… but the Commission was hardly known for honoring technicalities not in their favor. Spinner would damage control. She would be fine .

Hawks motioned to the right as Kikuko talked about fleeting nothings to keep her appearance up. The weather, her new scrubs, interesting names they passed… if there was one thing she was good at, it was talking your ear off. And interpreting, of course. They finally emerged from the Emergency Department, the hospital opening into a large atrium with a three-story ikebana arrangement incorporated into a softly babbling water feature at the center. A small cafe tucked in between the gift shop - what hospital has a gift shop? - and a wide hallway leading away from their goal.

Hawks coaxed the group around the arrangement, avoiding the couple tiny damp spots from splashes. The moon faintly reflected in the water, casting silvery rays about the still bright room. Classical music faintly drifted through the atrium and hallways, breaking just enough of the silence without interrupting the serenity of the space.

Hawks signaled them down a hallway just before the skybridge. Akira hesitated briefly at the near-open space stretching across nothing before following. Crossing the skybridge was a completely unnecessary step and one that could expose them for not coming from the right section. They passed the first pair of Commission guards, who barely spared a glance at their pastel blue scrubs before tiredly waving them through.

Akira and Hawks shuddered as they passed the intake area and a subtle sense of calm washed over them. Kikuko did not seem to notice, or at least did not show anything for it. Sure, Eraser warned them, but the invasiveness of the staff member’s quirk still brought their senses to sharp clarity.

They dipped into patient rooms separately as they went, a feather ever present tucked out of sight into Akira’s scrubs just in case something triggered a program or Galatea made an appearance. They knew. They knew it was needed, that there was no way for them to gain trust back with Galatea looming over their head. But… would they even be on this mission if it were not for the original?

I would not be alive if it were not for the original . Akira shook their head, quickly moving on from the room as they realized they lingered precious moments longer than they meant to. Of course, none of them would actually do anything to the patients. The actual shift would be discovered safe and sound after they escaped.

The trio converged as they reached the checkpoint for high-security patients. Three guards with black uniforms and threatening auras stepped up to meet them. “Name, ID, and patients,” he gruffly demanded.

Akira warped just behind them, carefully unstoppering their vials and tipping them into the guards’ coffee cups. They slipped the closure back down before matching their clone’s movements and warping into it almost perfectly. One of the guards squinted at them but rubbed his heavily bagged eyes and shook it off. Ah, good ole sleep deprivation.

“Do you ever shut up?” one of the guards muttered as he pat down Kikuko.

She just smiled brightly up at him. “Nope!” and continued.

The guards waved them through, taking a sip of their coffees without comment. A guard stood outside each patient’s door, peering at them as they made their way down the list. Finally, they neared Kurogiri’s door. Three outside, two in from Eraser’s intel. The door stood out more from the walls than the others but was at least painted the same shade.

“Alright, you know the drill,” one of the guards drawled as they approached. “You can either submit to a full-body scan and pat down or have a strip search by a guard of your preferred gender. Declare anything you think may be confiscated, and we’ll hold it for you. If we find something on your person, you will be detained until the Hero Public Safety Commission is certain of your intentions.”

“That sure seems like a lot for a patient who isn’t a threat to himself or others,” Kikuko tilted her head, putting a finger to her chin. Akira warped as she stalled, distributing the vials to each clone since the cloned gas would merely dissipate. Each held an invisible vial just far enough under the guards’ noses to mostly avoid the risk of bumping into them.

The guard sighed, lids growing heavy as the concentrated mist drifted up his nose. “I’m sorry, ma’am, but we have to follow orders. You know how tough they are on this sort of thing.”

The middle guard looked around, sniffing as his brow drew in confusion. Shit .

“Muraoka, Seto, do you smell that? It’s like someone baked cookies in here.”

“I don’t smell anything,” one of them started slurring, and Akira backed up as middle started to move more sporadically.

Not ideal, but… Akira knocked middle in the back of the head and stuffed the vial practically halfway up his nose as they forced his head back. A feather muffled his shout, and the other outer guards were too far gone now to draw more attention.

Muffled shouts rose from inside Kurogiri’s room as Hawks tapped a pass, Akira bouncing on their toes as they waited. Could not trust the likely energy drain was contained to the door. What else would they put around a warper’s cage?

Hawks already disposed of the two inside, blood slowly but steadily oozing from a couple slashes and large bumps on the back of their heads. Unconscious but stable from the looks of it. Akira reluctantly turned to their target, not sure if they would ever be ready to face him.

Kurogiri sat frozen cross-legged on a slightly nicer than they had seen here bed, mid-page turn in a surprisingly thick book. Just as Eraser described, the black and purple mist now curled about the top of his head in an approximation of Oboro’s hair. One eye a slightly glowing bright yellow, the other back to the pale blue ghost of who he once was. Taupe scars gouged deeply across what deeply tan skin they could see peeking out from a loose Present Mic shirt and cat fleece bottoms.

“Are you… a rescue party?” Kurogiri hesitantly smiled at the admittedly odd trio. “When Sho said be ready to move tonight, I thought he was just talking about a lower security level,” he awkwardly chuckled, pulling himself off the bed with some effort.

“Do you need some help?” Hawks fluttered closer, more feathers accumulating around him now that the easy part was over.

“Nah, now I know I put those somewhere…” he cast about the edge of the bed, ducking and nearly toppling off before a portal deposited him next to Hawks. “Oh. Welp, that works,” Kurogiri popped the p, doing a double-take at Akira. “You… oh, of course. Never mind that.”

Kurogiri limped back to the bed, lighting up as he spotted a stylized wooden cane on the other side. “They say I need something more, but come on, this is so me .”

The pieces clicked into place as Akira ducked their head. Of course he was different. Not quite Kurogiri or Shirakumo. At least from what little they knew of the latter. ‘ You don’t have to pretend for us, ’ they signed once he faced the trio again. ‘ You’re also pretending you’re more Loud Cloud right now. ’

His smile fell slightly, features pinching a moment as his gaze darted over them. “Okay, that’s… fair. Oh, I think ‘ Soft Cloud ’’ is a bit more fitting now, if that’s okay.” Kuro- he facepalmed, wincing slightly at the motion before adding a few things to a go-bag and scooping it onto his shoulder from under a small desk. “Right, should probably ask the base Akira that. No offense,” he offered.

What? Did he get the broadcast? Why would that be his first thought? Unless… Akira shrugged, more than willing to put off that conversation until they were back at the compound. He was not technically wrong, just had the wrong creator.

“Okay, I think that’s everything. Oh!” He plucked a cat Oboro plush off the bed, because of course they got one for him. “Can’t forget my son.”

Kikuko burst out in a short laugh as Hawks snorted. Akira ducked their head, merely adding, ‘ Wait till you see Twice’s dragons. ’

“The coordinates, if you will?” he asked, adjusting the strap with fingers at not quite the right angles. Like someone tried to set them too late.

“Are you sure you’re up for this?” Hawks shifted, stiffening as his eyes snapped to the hallway. “The Doctor can Warp us back if we need it.”

He stiffened, pain and anger fighting on his face as he closed his eyes for a moment. “We can do a few stops if we need to. 80 km if we want to be well within limits.”

Akira sharply nodded, part of them relieved free-fall through the void would be brief. Well, not quite void. He closed his eyes as he focused on the coordinates Hawks rattled off, feathers now shooting back towards the little group. The lights shifted from a slightly yellow-tented white to silver as an alarm kicked on.

A speck of black in front of him spiraled outwards into a rippling doorway edged with the same purple of his mist. Akira passed through first, curiosity pulling their gaze through what was maybe never a void. Darkness enveloped them in its cold embrace, guiding their fall as amorphous shapes shifted in the realm beyond.

In a flash, they stumbled into the Showa temporary safehouse next to a couple of their soldiers. Low-level not much more than goons, they at least could take the risk of waypoints. Already on their feet, hands on weapons, they eased back at seeing Akira and the others step through, him last. They had to get his new preferred name at some point. Maybe once they met back up with the League.

“How’re you feeling, kid?” Hawks asked, a half step closer as his now free wings fluttered anxiously.

“Kid?” He looked up, free hand still at his side with a pained, amused grin on his face. “Pretty sure I’m older than you, pretty boy.”

‘ Careful, he’s taken, ’ Akira watched his body language, willing to give him a chance to recover on his own before stepping in. They and the original knew that feeling all too well at this point.

“Oh? Did dark and brooding finally get his stuff together?” Pain flashed in his eyes as he tapered off slightly, but he stood straighter. “Just gotta get used to it again, that’s all.”

‘ You don’t have to, ’ Akira offered. At his strange look, they continued, ‘ We’re taking you back for your safety. You’re not obligated to run support with Spinner. You’re not even obligated to stay if you want to abscond somewhere else at least until we finish this. ’ He started to brush them off again, but they interrupted, ‘ That’s coming from the whole League. Think about it, everyone will support what you decide. ’

Hawks peered at them, keeping up his smiley facade for him but sizing them up. Was that the wrong thing to say? They pushed down the uncertainty. Everyone left in the League expressed that opinion at one point or another. Sure, they had not “officially” come to that decision, but surely if everyone was behind it, what would block it?

They spent a few hours there, reporting their progress back to the League and making sure he was ready and physically well enough to make the last doorway. Akira retrieved their crutches, comparing their construction to his cane and looking over the carvings he did. Little cloud motifs lined the wood, simple cats and music notes intertwining in a dance, joining and leaving the clouds across the design. Towards the bottom, the carvings trailed off, unfinished.

“Didn’t feel right completing it before this chapter is over,” he murmured, fond nostalgia mixing with a slight shake as the mist pulled tight around soft coils.

Akira looked to Hawks. It felt like something should be said, but they had no words. No encouragement, no appeasement, no reassurance everything would be okay. Even if they could, did they want to? The end of their story would come far before the others even if all went well.

“Anyhow, I’m ready,” he abruptly stood, swaying slightly before balancing on his cane. “Thank you, for waiting for us,” he turned slightly to the soldiers, smiling brightly at them and making it reach his eyes even if they were not quite right.

The final doorway brought the same exhilarating drop as Akira caught a slightly more distinct shadow turn towards them before they landed on the countertop. Oh no . They rolled off, carefully avoiding the sink handles and drawer knobs on their way down.

A flail of limbs dropped through, Hawks managing to catch him before he hit the ground too hard, Akira grabbing his cane just in case. “Oops,” he turned in Hawks’ arms to grin at the League. “Not my finest entrance, but I do believe introductions are in order.” He tilted his head back and batted his eyelashes at Hawks, much to Dabi’s consternation. “Be a dear and put me down, will you?”

Hawks squeaked and set him down as Akira handed him his cane. “My name’s a work in progress, but I do quite like ‘ Soft Cloud ’ as a sign name if Akira approves. For now, Giri or Oboro is fine. Now, there are some new faces and some missing,” Giri trailed off as he took in og’s state, mist shrinking then rippling and twisting about his head. He looked to Shigaraki, who was already half out of his chair but now stood frozen. “Tomura, what happened?”

Notes:

Is this modeled after Yale Children’s Hospital? Yeah. That’s the only big hospital I’ve been in, and I’ve got some structural memories of the place. We volunteered there in high school for a bit. Always got a white mocha latte with 3 extra shots of espresso cause our shift started at like… 8 am? I forget what we considered early back then. I like the headcannon I’ve seen in a couple places but my favorite being Yueei Survival Guide where Kurogiri/Oboro’s body wasn’t really healed properly since he was just going to be a nomu. Things aren’t as severe in this, but they were still pretty bad before they could get to the mental health aspect. Is the Kurogiri shadow thingie a relic of a failed fanfiction idea? Maaaybe. But I’ve loved the idea of shadow realms existing as sort of an interconnected dimension to base reality ever since I saw Rise of the Guardians. Does it have that? No, but a cool fanfiction that took a really weird time travel turn did. Sadly it’s been discontinued, there was a soft reset that probably made things too complicated to write around.

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#agender #aro ace #nonbinary #lgbtqia #mha #when good people go to war #bnha #fanfic #nonbinary mc #libertias aut mortis #chapter 36 #kurogiri

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aspenforest732 · 4 months ago

Text

Libertias aut Mortis Chapter 35: No Way Home

Summary:

tw: martial law, minor character death, catatonic Frozen in the darkest moment

Notes:

‘text’ JSL Text thoughts Page break text page break Finding their way

Long after they’d disappeared into the dark tunnel, Asami stared after the rest of the kids following a vigilante who introduced themself as Sleipnir. She was in the last batch before Akira, and while she couldn’t remember much from her hours of “deprogramming,” they left her raw, like someone took a cheese grater to the side of her head.

New memories and different versions of old pushed against the barrier she threw up when they initially washed over her, threatening to drag her under. Once Akira was back to normal, once they were both safe, she could sort through them.

“Come on, kid, you must be exhausted,” Magne drew up beside her, giving just enough space.

“Not till Akira’s back,” she snipped, jaw set in determination as she shifted slightly away from the tall woman.

The corner of her mouth twitched up as Magne shrugged. “Suit yourself. Most of us will be in the common area, but Dabi’s with them just in case.” She held up a hand as Asami started to protest. “The Doctor’s very particular about who’s allowed in the room during procedures. The moment you can see them, Dabi will let Hawks know.”

Asami reluctantly followed Magne back through winding halls, hesitating by the one that led to medical but continued before Magne could say anything. Just because her family wasn’t safe didn’t mean those who saved her twin were. They skirted around the edge of the massive staging area, footsteps echoing as they made their way past a memorial area and around the back of the stage. Warm spices and barely-audible words drifted down the smaller hallway. Only a handful of doors scattered the walls before the hallway opened into a gathering space.

Horribly mismatched, plush furniture dotted the small living room beyond, and a soft, red and black rug stretched across most of the floor beyond the kitchen. Paintings hung on the walls varied from oil masterpieces to traditional scrolls to drawings families on tv would put on the fridge with colorful magnets. Knick knacks filled the space in chaotic patterns with no discernable purpose, nothing like the cookie-cutter presentation mother maintained. A shrine matching the one on stage sat in the nook with a masked dragon plushie atop it. The kitchen itself held a small collection of appliances that were at least somewhat more coordinated, and a full set of bartending tools sat tucked out of the way in a corner behind large selections of tea and coffee.

Twice was the only free original League member missing, but she did say most. A few sat hunched on a ratty green sofa with a faded floral pattern. Tokoyami sat mulling over his cards, his quirk barely the size of his forearm resting on the arm of the black chair he claimed. Hawks perched on an orange corduroy loveseat, but his eyes stared vacantly at the wall, barely paying attention to the card game, much less anyone in the room. Crimson feathers darted about and fell to the ground just as quickly as they rose, Asami and Magne picking their way between them.

Shifting the electrical kettle slightly so it better obscured her gaze, Asami stared at Akira’s clone. A memory she even now only hazily remembered pushed to the front. Mother paced back and forth in her office while Asami waited completely still behind her cramped work study station stacked with reports and paperwork. Mother ranted about… reputation? That’s usually what her rants were about, anyways.

“If she would just give us this one thing, I swear we can force them back in line. Finally pull a star out of this nightmare of a batch.” What seemed like an off-hand comment before now made sense. Galatea’s quirk wasn’t commonly known across the family, but she’d found enough scraps, morsels of information to have a low-confidence guess. And now…

Asami winced as the boiling water splashed onto her hand and quickly set the kettle back. No one seemed to notice, so she just patted it off with a white towel with the words “caffeine before chaos” printed in black hanging on the oven door. Were those flamingos? She started to pull more cups down before remembering where she was. If they had an electric kettle, they wouldn’t expect her to go through the whole process, right?

Asami dared a glance up, eyes briefly meeting the clone’s before snapping over to the other League members. Most had a cup or mug in front of them, and those who didn’t were too absorbed in the game. Pushing off the counter, Asami daintily sat on an empty, mustard-cushioned chair, crossing her ankles underneath as she watched what looked like Uno.

As her tea drained, Asami grew more confused at what they were playing. The rules were all over the place, a combination of Uno, Go Fish, and… Bridge? How the hell did they even know what to do? None of those should work together, and from the scowls around the table, it certainly didn’t look like anyone enjoyed the game. Tokoyami kept trying to play a card, but his quirk - was it really sentient? Would take one look and boop another with its beak.

Hawks jerked upright, and everyone snapped to him. His gaze softened, eyes quivering slightly as all aloft feathers fell. Hawks looked to the clone and shook his head. A whirlwind of emotions rocked their face as their gaze dropped to their lap. Magne swore, startling Asami with the intensity as she whipped her phone out and speed typed something. Shigaraki rubbed his neck with his knuckles but remained glaring at his hand.

“Is someone going to fill me in?” Asami asked as the quiet stretched thin between them. Spinner glanced at her and got up, her breath catching as he passed. He simply left the common area towards the main compound.

“Isao’s dead,” Shigaraki said bluntly, tension bleeding through and breaking on those two words.

It took a moment for the name to register, only leaving Asami more confused. For the clone to be affected, maybe he had something to do with them? Or Akira, at least.

“He’s— was Akira’s mentor before they joined us,” Magne explained.

Is that why they freaked out? Asami nodded slowly, expressing condolences as an afterthought as she realized they were grieving. It didn’t sound like he was even part of their smaller group. Why did they care so much?

Hawks jumped, listening as his feathers rose in anticipation. They fell a moment later as his short, black talons fidgeted with the sofa arm. “It didn’t work.”

Tokoyami’s quirk keened and shrunk into his hand, displacing some cards as his feathers quivered. Asami glared at the relief that flitted across the clone’s face before they caught her staring and tucked back into themself. What were they doing here anyways? They had their Akira back, wasn’t the clone just a liability at this point?

“So are you going to try something else or…” Asami stared right back intently as the room turned to her. “If programming exists, there has to be reverse programming. I don’t know what cocktail you came up with to remove the fuckery with our heads, but that can’t be the only combination you can—”

“ That was the safest, least invasive ‘cocktail,’” Magne interrupted, tension rippling through her body as Asami fought not to lean back. “For them to be in there that long, Dabi must have approved a couple other things to try.”

“He approved ?” Asami stiffened, glaring at her. “A villain is deciding what procedures my sibling goes through, and from the sound of it, they’re experimental at that. Aren’t they a ward? Where the hell are their guardians in all this? Where is anyone who’s supposedly bankrolling this war?”

“I’m the closest thing they’ve got here.”

Asami whipped around, stumbling slightly as she found her footing. Akira stared blankly ahead, eyes dull and greyer than ever before, only moving at Dabi’s nudges. “The hell did you do to them?” Asami stormed up, consequences be damned as warmth rolled off his body in waves.

He sighed, gently nudging them towards her as he ran a hand down his scarred face, staples snagging slightly on each other. “Listen, princess, I did nothing. I only allowed the Doctor to try things we all approved when we were figuring out what would work. None of them did. We’ll see how they’re doing in the morning, but for now, everyone fuck off to bed. Hawks, Isao?” His head tilted back as he sighed deeply. “Well shit . If they ask, don’t tell them until they’re in the clear. Minori made them snap, Isao might shatter them.”

Asami took Akira from Dabi’s side, guiding them with slight nudges and a hand on their elbow at first towards the living room but she redirected to the rooms. She looked to Hawks, who finally registered her, and after a moment, he nodded. Still, she didn’t let herself relax until they were inside Akira’s room with the door locked.

She helped them undress and get into pajamas, finding an impossibly soft pair in a nonsensical drawer. Come on, this probably makes sense to them if this is how they’ve organized it . Asami turned away from the dresser, helping Akira into bed as the weight of their catatonic state hit. Unable to do anything on their own, slow response times, no recognition or show of emotion, abandoning movements halfway through.

Wherever Akira was, they certainly weren’t in control of their body. At best, their subconscious was. At worst… hopefully things would look even the slightest bit better in the morning.

Declaration of Martial Law (July 18th)

“Fine, and you’re sure you’ll all be okay staying in Musutafu?” Dabi paced back and forth across the beige conference room, pausing only as he got the final answer. “Fine. See you then.” He hung and up and swore, slamming back into his seat. “Yamazawa house will shelter in place until the final raid. Eraser’s convinced the kids to stay, but Anima will still help with intelligence through the Nighteye Agency.”

“So that just leaves warps for three Blue Fang in Musutafu. Spinner, anyone from Esuha?” Magne asked as he re-entered.

“Just Sleipnir and Jinx.”

Asami sat back in the surprisingly soft chair, the only parts of the room touched by the League’s chaotic style. Her gaze darted between the heads of the organization as she slowly came to realize was far larger than anyone expected. They at least used similar color categorization for divisions, but the need for two heads each - or at least one head and a civilian for Carmine…

The clone interjected, ‘ We’re pulling all associated vigilantes, martial law will generate far too much risk for them. Nine made it to Sado Island before everything shut down, so he’s at least legally stuck there. ’

“Why are they here?” Asami finally burst out. “They’re a clone made by the Wrens. How do we know they’re not working for them?”

The clone didn’t flinch, just looking down at the table as their neutral face fell slightly.

“They were. Now they know better,” Dabi put it simply. “We could say the same about you.”

Asami sat back, anger boiling up but avoiding the fire raging in his own eyes despite his deceptively calm tone. Hawks gave them a curious glance but started his update on which limelight heroes would take refuge or otherwise move to the compound through their warp network. It didn’t sound like they had that many warpers, maybe it had to do with the goop warp that got her and Akira out?

She glanced over at her sibling, who still vacantly stared ahead dead to the world. This morning showed no change, and she wondered if they even managed to sleep. It didn’t take much to talk her way into the meeting, but after the last time she left Akira alone, Asami refused to risk leaving their side for more than a moment again.

The heads continued working on logistics of moving from the sounds of it tens of thousands of people back into direct range of the warp quirk. Every time she thought she had a grasp on the general size of the organization, an off-hand comment or cost of supplies sent her calculations spiraling upwards again. A couple hours into the meeting, Dabi took out his phone and frowned at the screen.

“Eraser? What changed?” His brows shot up then fell into determination as he scribbled something down. Asami leaned closer over the table, but the angle and distance was just the right combination to keep it illegible.

He slid it to Twice the moment he finished, who took it after a moment too long. Something just seemed weird about him. He wasn’t contributing, and the way he disappeared last night before news about anyone…

“We’ll work on it,” Twice pushed off the table, wobbling slightly before adjusting. Maybe he was injured? She didn’t see him in medical, though. Oracle, who Asami still wasn’t entirely sure why the young heroine was involved in this, grinned brightly at the note and nodded more seriously, leaving for a side room with Twice.

“We’ll get him out. No, you don’t need to come. Focus on your kids.” Dabi finally ended the call and closed his eyes for a moment. They snapped open as he turned to Shigaraki directly. “Kurogiri needs to be warped here within 24 hours before the Commission takes him. Hospital staff are on our side, guards aren’t.”

Shigaraki inhaled sharply and looked around at everyone gathered. “Then Oracle’s divining. Hawks, fetch what they need from us. Spinner, Magne, find the best way in from what blueprints you can get. What status effects is he under?”

“He’s on a couple SSRIs, but side effects are negligible. He’s no longer considered a threat to others or a flight risk but is on a low-level quirk suppressant. If we have them turn off that dosage, he should be able to warp us back.”

“Should?” Of course Asami knew the infamous warper, but even low-level suppressants were nothing to fuck with.

The clone started signing before she continued. ‘ Those need to be completely out of his system before he tries to warp anywhere. Telefrag, taking a swim in the Pacific, free falling thousands of feet in the air— ’

“Then the Doctor will warp everyone out.”

The room fell dead silent at Shigaraki’s words as the hair on the back of Asami’s neck stood on end. She blinked in shock as the clone signed.

‘ The Doctor twisted him into a nomu. We can’t take that risk. ’

Notes:

I'm not sure if Isao and Compress count as minor or secondary characters in this? The usual metric, being named, doesn't really work here because Akira makes a point to know everyone's name they can. Where do y'all draw the line on that? And we now have the solid metric for the stages! We've been working up to martial law, which usually just gets enacted, but I wanted to build up the effects before going into full lockdown. Especially since Japan hasn't ever declared martial law. This felt like an appropriate time, though.

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#agender #aro ace #nonbinary #lgbtqia #mha #when good people go to war #bnha #fanfic #nonbinary mc #libertias aut mortis #chapter 35 #no way home

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