The world seemed to have slowed for All Might. He watched as AFO's headless body fall to the earth as his arch enemies blood and viscera splatter on him. He asked himself:
'It ends like this? So sudden, so anticlimactic so… so…' He felt happy, relived that this monster has finally died in such a way, but he wanted it to not have ended so fast. The moment his mind had that thought he quickly threw it away and a feeling of shame wash over him as he turned to look at Albert.
"W-what have you—"
"I ended it." Albert replied as he hands Mélusine, Azrael and drew Micheal. "I suggest you step away." He pointed the pommel of the sword at AFO's body. "Delete Fire."
From the pommel a laser shot out and landed on AFO's body. All Might jumped away from AFO's body.
"What are you doing Albert!" He shouted.
"Getting rid of him." Albert looked up as a beam of light illuminated the night sky.
"!?" All Might and many others from a distance looked up to see a beam shoot down and strike AFO's body.
PSSSSH!!
There was no grand destruction or blasts of wind, just a ray of the sun had descended and incinerated AFO's body from the heavens and in mere moments his existence was no more. Shot down by the world's greatest military force. This monster of antiquity is reduced to specks of ash and a molten circle of earth to serve as his memorial.
All Might knew what it was but doubted this conceptional weapon even existed.
"A Orbital Laser…" He returns his sights on Albert as he sheathed his blade and receives Azael from Mélusine. "Y-you… you are a master?" His eyes look to Albert and Mélusine.
"… See ya at school." Albert responded as he turned and walked away. Mélusine said nothing and returned to her Spiritual Body.
"Do not leave!!" All Might shouted as he strides towards Albert. "You have just killed a man!" He knows this is shallow, but he couldn't let this go, he needed to talk with Albert about this. "Albert!! Get back here now!"
He reached out to grab his shoulder but immediately Albert slapped it away. He looked to meet All Might's eyes and even moved the black from his face to truly meet eye-to-eye.
"Never fucking touch my shoulder."
All Might genuine wrath in his eyes, so much so he flinched, recoiled even, from the sight he didn't think a child as young as Albert could make. But… knowing who Albert was maybe he was the only child who could have such pitiful eyes. Albert's face is then hidden by the suit again.
"We have nothing to discuss. Your welcome for killing that old monster." Albert flickered away, disappearing into the night.
His speed was overwhelming. He could probably reach it, but he was already nearing his time limit. Even if he did push it… he couldn't meet his eyes again, not this night at least.
"Tsk!" All Might clenched his fists tightly, more shame and failure washed over him as he failed Albert. "Herod… damn you… DAMN YOU!!!" He cursed him from the deepest parts of his heart. "Why…" He clenched his teeth. "Why… did I fail a person again." Memories of his own teacher, the person who gave All Might One For All. "Nana…"
Arriving back home Albert put away everything and got into the bath. He really wanted a bath after such a eventful night.
"Ahh… damn." Albert soaked in warm water, he was letting all of his stress leave him.
"Today we killed a master and servant respectfully!" Mélusine also said in the bath across from him. She was in a great mood. "Can I get my reward?"
"Reward?" Albert tried to remember but he was zonked out to remember. "I'm too tired, what do you want?"
"Mana Transfer!" Mélusine was smiling ear to ear, wanting her reward. She gets closer to Albert. "For defeating a servant I think I should get a fitting reward!" She grins mischievously.
"Uuuuuuhhh… tomorrow. I'm too tired right now."
"Okay!" She replied fine with his choice. "No take backs, got it!"
"Uh-huh. You're really okay with it?"
"Of course, I want you at your best!"
"… Cool."
After bathing both he and Mélusine went to bed. Mélusine decided to take more advantage and hold Albert while he sleeps, she was the big spoon.
The next day early in the morning.
Nom~
Nom~
Nom~
Albert and Mélusine were having breakfast.
"Mel." Albert spoke first. "We need to begin a running away plan."
"Which one?" Mélusine asked. "We have like plan A through R."
"Hmm… Given my situation we will go with Plan O, we will need to begin recruiting people."
"Like who? If we are really going for Plan O then we will need exceptional people. People who your government would send you to go after."
"I have some people in mind." Albert nods. "Four people to be exact. Number one to recruit is the former leader of the Cult of The Sea, a bunch of zealots who wanted to increase climate change to flood the Earth. Little did they know their leader, Azure did it to make more money from her shares from the oil industries, she also had shares in the clean energy industry."
"Playing both sides huh? So why is she in jail? Tax evasion?"
"Part of it, her followers killed and lot of people and emitted a lot of co2 emissions, so much so the government was forced to act and implement laws, and this happened when they had a good chunk of the officials in their pockets."
"So what's here quirk? Politician?"
"No it's something less evil, her quirk is called Influence. She can easily sway a crowd into doing what she wants. She is currently locked up deep in a facility meant to contain international villains."
"Do you know where it is?"
"Of course, I was the one who brought her to her cage."
"Then when do we go?"
"Today. We will begin our escape with her."
"How do you plan on making her join you? Seems to me she could make do without you."
"It's because she sees me as special. My high metal resistance got her attention. Plus if she is working under me she would have comfort in that she will be safe to resume her work."
"Hm… can we do it tomorrow?"
"Why is that?"
"Well I want my reward, you agreed to a mana transfer."
"…" Albert searched through his memory to find the occasions she brought up mana transfer. She did in fact brought it up. "You know I still don't know what you mean by that."
"Did that old man not tell you?"
"Rude."
Mélusine and Albert look to their living room to see Kischur Zelretch Schweinorg sitting on their couch watching the TV with the sound off.
"I was gonna see how long it took before you noticed me, but I prefer not be insulted within earshot."
Mélusine looked at Albert to see a conflicted expression. He wasn't happy how easy Kischur got in and he didn't notice.
"When did you get here and why?" Albert asked.
"About an hour ago, as for why I am here I am your teacher, also I wanted to indulge myself in modern amenities. Hmm…" He closed his eyes and savored the comfort of the sofa. "These are nice, not as nice as my chair but fine enough." He turned to look at Albert. "By the way Lancer was referring to sex."
"Sex? Ah!" He remembered his time training in the woods during the villain's attack. "I remember now." He looked at Mélusine who had a smile on her face. "Haaaah… fine." He said begrudgingly. "But why is sex referred to as mana transfer?"
"Everything we produce has mana." Kischur answered. "Be it blood, saliva, our flesh, even or semen have mana to give."
"And I want the method where we can get closer as master and servant!" Mélusine gave her answer boldly and proudly.
"Shouldn't be a problem for you Galahad. It is a good way to increase Lancer's abilities, relieve your stress, and building a trusting relationship."
"We can have that without sex." Albert retorted.
"Sure but sex is the best and easiest way to forge a bond or make a bond stronger, for some it is the act that certifies how one feels for another."
"… You want anything from the store?" Albert resume to eat his food, he wasn't going to give what he said an answer.
"Nothing, but can you see if you can grab me one of those reclining chairs? I wanna try one." Kischur also seems to no care for a reply to his statement.
"Fine."
'Seems I have a new person living in my house.'
"So—"
"We'll talk about it later." Albert cuts Mélusine off. He wanted more time to think on it. "It isn't off the table, just needs more discussion."
Mélusine stares at him for a moments and nods.
While walking to school Albert took the time to talk with Mélusine, as he said at breakfast.
"… Mel about the mana transfer."
"I said no take backs." Mélusine answered in her Spiritual Body. "If that frog girl has not made an advance on you than I will. Unless you wish to spend your first time as yourself with her?"
Albert looked deep into himself.
"… Maybe. I am still not sure of my emotions."
"Then I will hold off on my reward for later until you figure yourself out. I want you to be sure of your choices."
"Thank you kindly. You are a benevolent dragon."
"I am, what other dragon could you say is willing to let their treasure do as it pleases?"
"Am I really that important to you?"
"Of course, we are master and servant, and even friends. Good—best friends if I say so. Unfortunately not lovers…"
"Until the end." He makes a little smile.
"Until the end, Albert. Should you, unlikely as it may be, fall in battle I shall carry you to a place we can rest till the end of time."
"Thank you, Mel. Oh, I should call my handler." Albert took out a burner phone and called Herod.
"Yo! You alive huh? Did you kill him?" Herod answered.
"I did. I used Michael's Flame to erase AFO's body."
"Good, that short usage cost 1.1 billion dollars' worth of repairs. Not so easy to get material up to space to fix the damages of shooting a beam as hot as the sun."
"Well the job is done, now what?"
"Keep up your school life. Contact me in a week, by then new orders should come through."
"Understood."
He ends the call and crushes the phone into fine dust.
"Albert would you feel bad if you had to kill your Handler?" Mélusine asked, curious.
"… No." He shook his head. "I will escape from my chains, and he has me on a leash for far too long, he and everyone who created me."
Back at Albert's home Kischur walked into the room containing all of Albert's gear. He walked over to Micheal and waved his hand to open them.
Click!
"Hoh~" he admired the craftsmanship of the weapon. "Seems it doesn't need my hand but what of the others?"
He begun to examine the other and do his work for his student.
"These will help you in the short run, you won't need them when the day of your decisive battle comes in that valley of crystals."
Arriving at school he saw All Might standing at the gate. Other students were coming in and they all looked at him as they entered the school grounds.
"Albert." He said with a stern expression.
"All Might." Albert made a light hearted smile and nod. "Is there a problem?" He lightly tilted his head.
All Might felt a pang shoot through him. How easy it was for Albert to be "normal" after such a big event.
"I wished to speak with you, follow me." All Might turned and walked towards the school.
Albert kept his usual composure as he followed along. They went not to the teachers longue or even the private rooms for counseling but rather the principal's office.
"… So what's all this then?" Albert looked to All Might and Nezu.
"It's about last night." All Might said.
"What were Herod's orders?" Nezu asked with a serious tone.
Albert looked at the two and his eyes only grew sharper, colder.
"… Herod huh? Never heard his name spoken from another's lips." He shrugged his shoulders. "All Might." He looked to the hero. "I told you to step out of this. This is not your problem."
"It is." Nezu interjected. "Albert… can… can we see your Servant?"
'Oh? Even Nezu huh? Well it's no surprise given how smart he is.'
"No." Albert shook his head. "I have no idea what you're talking about." His expression lightens and he puts on a warm smile and kindhearted eyes.
"Albert we know of the Grail War." All Might answered. "This is serious, we can help you from—"
"You can't save shit." Albert kept his sunny disposition, but his tone was anything but sunny. "As I said before at the award ceremony I will handle it on my own. I have no obligation to divulge my information to you both. Even less now that I know you two are acquainted with Handler and thereby my owners." He left behind his sunny disposition for a deadly one.
"We are no friends of Herod." All Might said. "We only want you to break away from the U.S. government and be happy."
"We say this as both adults, heroes, and educators." Nezu said. "Please, we wish to help."
"You wanna help a guy who can easily kill you both if the mission called for it?"
"I like to think you are more than just a weapon, Albert. As one who was used for experimentation I know that you still have humanity in you."
Albert didn't want their help. Why would he need help? The path he picked is the best path for him to break away from his owners. Others would just weigh him down. He has done so much by himself and now? Now!? Help is coming for him?
'They are heroes, far too soft and self-righteous to guarantee me freedom let alone safety. Do they even get who I am trying to break from!?'
It was because they were heroes that he knew they would weigh him down. Sure they had resources to help him, but his enemy is the whole U.S. Government at best and the world at worst. They have a hand in every country in the world and can easily moves some stuff around to get what they want. This level of power made Albert rather paranoid and made him resort to relying on himself and never on any form of external help that are from any sort of government or corporation affiliation, which is a lot.
Nezu could see the gears turning in Albert's head. He himself also began to run things as to why he is so against working with others. He thought maybe it's due to magecraft, but he eliminated that as if he was a master he would have some small form of magical resistance and seeing as All Might told him that he saw Lancer then the likelihood is high.
"!"
Then he made a connection. He and All Might where heroes. Albert was trained to be a weapon, his morals are whatever his mission requires of him. A hero doesn't kill, a hero doesn't cause collateral destruction if they can help it, a hero helps those in need, a hero is for the people, a hero does his work proudly and publicly.
These were everything Albert was trained to not be. So with this Nezu concocted a plan, an offer that will only work because it is him. He and Albert share a pain, that pain is being a lab rat, poked and prodded to get results for those men in white.
"Albert." Nezu spoke up. "I will support you in whatever way I can. Be it giving you a alibi, erasing video—"
"Nezu!" All Might shouted.
"Even covering up a murder or two." Nezu's eyes for the first time gleamed with a hatred forged and tempered in a lab. "I want you to be free. I have broken free from my chains and so from one lab rat to another, I want you to taste the same freedom as me."
Albert eyes widen. He looked at Nezu with some skepticism, yet he could see in Nezu's eyes laced with hatred. No hero should have that gaze, even All Might didn't have it when he looked at AFO, only anger and disgust but never hatred.
'Those… those are at least eyes I can reply on. Hate is always so predictable.'
Albert licked his lips and took a deep breath.
"Tomorrow." He answered turning back. "Tomorrow I will give my answer to you Nezu. All Might, we have nothing to discuss." With that he turned and left.
All Might waited until Albert had left the room before he spoke.
"Lancer." All Might spoke up. "If you are in here please leave. Even if he didn't wish to confirm it, I saw you with Albert."
Clack-Clack~
Mélusine appeared before the two of them. Her appearance was starkly different than the time at Hosu, she had a truly intimidating presence. To All Might his whole body went tense while for Nezu he felt as if a massive cat was bearing down on him.
"Know this." Mélusine spoke up in a serious tone of voice. "I can easily kill you both faster than you can blink. His enemies are my enemies, and they will not see the sun rise." She turned to walked towards the door and vanished into thin air.
With her gone All Might and Nezu can talk.
"Nezu why did you say all that." All Might spoke to his old friend with authority.
"Because that was the only way we—I could have related." Nezu turned on his chair and looked out the window. "Toshi, Albert is a smart kid, very smart. He already knew that he would gain nothing if he worked with us—specially heroes. He knows his enemy and he knows heroes will not be enough to slay his goliath."
"So you plan to just let him keep on his path! As a hero I can't let him—"
"Alea iacta est. The dice is cast, Toshi." He turned his chair to face All Might. "Though Albert crossed the Rubicon by another will he can't go back. I will admit…" Nezu shook his head slightly. "I feel more kinship to him than I realized now when I really think about it. Maybe if I had stayed locked up in my cage I would have ended up like him, maybe even worse. Maybe I could have become a Villian and not an educator."
"… Nezu." All might said with pain in his voice. He knows Nezu doesn't like to talk about his past much.
"Yes, it was because they saw me as a mere rat that I could escape and have options to handle my tortures without much violence. Albert didn't even have the chance to escape let alone even have the concept of escaping. So," Nezu's eyes shined and glistened with sincerity. "he will find his own way. We are educators, we give knowledge and wisdom so the children can make their choices. Nothing more and nothing less."
"… Alright." He nods regrettably. "What of Mirai?"
"He and his agency, along with his intern Mirio are busy with stuff so they aren't currently at school. I would have rung his ears off it wasn't for Mirio's grades being exceptional."