[BnHA] Broken Liberty

America. The land of the free, the home of the brave, a nation known for priding itself on Liberty, Justice, Truth, and what the citizens refer to as "The American Way". Here, in the United States, Heroics are considered not only a position in Law Enforcement, but also a position of public fame and importance. Successful heroes in America lived like celebrities, enjoying the finer things in life all while defending the weak and protecting the peace. Like Japan's All Might, the Symbol of Peace, America had a Top Hero of their own, the charismatic Captain Liberty, who was known as "The Symbol of Freedom". He embodied the very spirit of being an American Hero, and stood at a pinnacle that only the likes of All Might himself have known. With his Enhancement Quirk "Swift Justice", he became the vanguard of American Peace and the promise of fulfillment in the great American Dream that all who came to the country sought. He was everything a Hero wished they could be...and this is the story of how that symbol was ripped asunder in mere hours.


As the bustling city of Long Island, New York, begins yet another bright and busy day, the main headquarters of the New York Police Department were silent as every on-duty officer sat in the massive conference hall, the Captain of the force standing at a podium in front of the audience of his fellow officers. He was a short, pudgy man with the features of a bristled boar, indicating him as a Mutant-type Quirk user. To his left stood a tall, handsome, muscular man with blonde hair buzzed down to a neat, trim, military cut. He was clad in what appeared to be a full-body jumpsuit with armored shin guards, arm guards, a chest plate, and no cape, all of which was styled after the red, white, and blue stars and stripes of the American flag. On the tall man's chest shone a bright symbol plate that looked like a burning torch, held aloft. This man was Captain Liberty, of the three Symbols of the Hero World. He stood in the United States as its Symbol of Freedom, a parallel to All Might, the Symbol of Peace in Japan. As the Captain finished munching the doughnut that he was so engrossed in, he finally burped and cleared his throat into the microphone on the podium in front of him. The audience falls silent, ready for the Captain's briefing.

"Alright, ya mooks." The Captain spoke with a heavy Brooklyn accent, barely hiding his lack of tact with public speech. "Earlier today, FBI surveillance cameras inside New York International Airport captured pictures of THIS individual exiting flight 485 from Japan..." He produces a remote and points it at the massive projection screen behind him. A projector in the ceiling turns on behind the screen and projects a clear image of a man in a clean, black suit with no visible facial features, only a black mass of smoke and two yellow orbs for eyes. "His name...is Kurogiri. And he is a well-known Super Villain, and former accomplice of not only Shiguraki Tomera, the now-incarcerated leader of the League of Villains, but also a direct subordinate of All For One, literally THE most wanted criminal in all history. Now, I don't need to remind all of you that here in America, the League is a problem. All For One may be dead, but his henchies here in the States have built a very real and very dangerous criminal organization. However, it seems that these ass-wipes no longer have fortune on their side, because they reeeeeaaaaaally screwed up here! We were able to track Kurogiri to a warehouse on Long Island Docks, right where the warehouse districts and ports are. Gentlemen, these villainous assholes are setting up shop RIGHT WHERE FRESHLY-NATIONALIZED CITIZENS GET OFF THE DOCKS! This is unacceptable! They have a direct line to get their boys into our country, right under our noses!" A small chorus of chuckles rings out, prompting the Captain to snort angrily and wiggle his snout. "NO PUN INTENDED. Now, I'm gonna turn the floor over to the man who will be leading this little joint operation...Ladies and Germs, Captain Liberty!"

The crowd claps and cheers loudly as Captain Liberty takes the podium, silently thanking the Captain with sincere, blue eyes. He then looks out to the crowd of police officers before him and speaks clearly into the microphone. "Thank you all. What we will be doing here...is going to carry great risk. Those of you who do not wish to participate are free to leave. Nobody will blame you. You all have families and loved ones of your own, to be sure. So, those who want out, the door is there, and now is your chance." The crowd is silent, not a single person moving from their seats. Liberty smiles, thankful that his fellow Americans were willing to stand together with him. "Good. Now then, the plan is thus...NYPD will armor up. Full Riot Gear, full arms, live rounds free. We'll storm the warehouse tonight, in the dead of night. Once there, I will enter with your backup, and together, we will arrest Kurogiri as well as any other Villains present! Today, we strike a major blow to the League of Villains! Because this is America, and we do not bow to villains or terrorists!" The crowd roars, the officers prepared to go in and finally end the League of Villains presence in New York City. The whole day, the force prepared everything they would need for what would be the most heavily-armed raid in New York City's history. Little did they know, this was precisely what would make this also the greatest tragedy in New York City's history.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

As midnight that night approached, the inside of the old warehouse dripped with condensed mist from outside. A single bulb hung from the ceiling, illuminating the vast space with dim, eerie light. In the gloom, the sounds of a man grunting and shuffling could be heard. Beneath the light was a single, tall man performing Tai Chi forms. He had a lean but fit build, his muscles toned and cut to the point that his abs rippled with eight blocks. All over his back, shoulders arms up to his wrists, and the top of his chest, was a vast mosaic tattoo of various natural disasters surrounding a single, skull-like helm with layers of wires and tubes in the center of his back. A Tsunami from his left arm and upper shoulder, a firestorm from his right arm and upper shoulder, an earthquake from the left of his back, and a tornado from the right, all surrounding and embracing an uncanny likeness to the helm worn by the villain All For One. He wore a pair of white suite pants with black dress shoes, and seemed to be moving as comfortably in them as he would if he was wearing nothing at all. However, the most striking thing was the man's face and appearance. He had sandy, messy blonde hair with the sides shaved and the bangs and back unkempt, forming a stylish mop Mohawk. His face was sharp and incredibly handsome, complimented further by the four piercings he had; One bar above his left eyebrow, a labret spike through the center of his lower lip, and two snake bite metal studs. Lastly, as he took a deep breath and returned to his center stance, he opens his eyes and reveals two black orbs with only two light, electric blue rings for irises that seemed to glow coldly. As he finishes his warm-up, a black mass of mist forms next to him as the form of Kurogiri walks out, the villain speaking to the man calmly and politely. "The Police and Captain Freedom will soon arrive, Riven...Your plan to use me as bait to draw out All-Might's American allies was well played...one would almost akin it to our former master, may he rest in peace..."

The man looked to Kurogiri with a calm, upbeat, but cold smile, speaking in a heavy southern accent. "Monsieur Kurogiri, I am honored that you would compare me to our late master...However, I am simply setting the stage for a much more grand performance. All Might may have retired long ago, with this 'Deku' taking up his mantle...but today, we will make a thunderous announcement to the world as a whole." As he speaks, he walks over to a chair sitting in the dark at the far side of the room. Hanging on it was a black, button down dress shirt, a white suit vest, and a white tie. As he began dressing himself, he continued to converse with his fellow Villain. "Is everything in place?"

Kurogiri seems to nod. "Of course. The news helicopters are currently flying around the Statue of Liberty for her anniversary celebration, marking the day she was completed and opened to the public. I will make this critique, though...You're definitely much more of a showman than All For One or Shigaraki..."

Riven fixes the final touches on his coat, then straightens his tie casually as he smiles, glancing at Kurogiri over his shoulder. "Naturellement, mon ami.~"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

1:00 AM. Slowly and silently, the multiple armored cars carrying the army of police officers, all clad in black riot armor and armed to the teeth, pull up outside the warehouse. Out from the main van, Captain Liberty is the first to set foot on the hard macadam beneath his feet. Once the whole force has pulled up, the police silently begin to disembark, forming ranks as they prepare to storm the warehouse with everything they could muster. Liberty could feel the electricity in the air...tonight, one of All For One's closest and most valuable allies will finally be brought to justice. He looks to each of the Squad leaders among the Police, five in all, and nods to them. He then steps forward and places his foot on the door, roaring as he then kicks the door right off its hinges with his enhanced strength. Immediately, the police pour in and take aim, the sounds of weapon cocking filling the room as Captain Liberty then enters with them, taking to the head of the pack. "WE HAVE YOU SURROUNDED, VILLAINOUS SCUM! SURRENDER!"

However, all they find is Kurogiri, standing calmly, and Riven, sitting with his legs crossed casually in the lone chair beneath the light bulb. Riven then begins clapping, his blue eyes being the only parts of his face visible under the shadows cast by the bulb's light. "Bravo! Magnifique! Tellement magnifique! Bringing so many of New York's Finest in order to bring us down, you are truly a figure of great strength, capable of pulling devotion from even the most cowardly of this city's police force!~ I'd tip my chapeau to you, if only I owned one..." The villain then rises from his seat, his eyes staying fixed on Captain Liberty. "A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Capitaine Liberté. You may call me...Riven, and I will be your host for this evening. Now, how about you come over here, and we have us a little heart-to-heart?~"

Captain Liberty narrows his eyes, stepping forward. "The two of you have zero chance of escape. Even if you try to warp, we'll find you. If you surrender now, we'll be more open to negotiations..."

Riven only laughs. "You really think we want to escape? No...there was only one reason we let Kurogiri show himself...You."

Captain Liberty's eyes widen as he looks back to the officer. "EVERYBODY! LOCK AND LOAD!"

As the officers take aim, a black wall of darkness suddenly forms between Captain Liberty and his allies. The bullets fired sail into the blackness, only to be returned in a hailstorm of death that wipes out most of the officers in moments. Soon, all that could be heard was Riven's laughter. "Excellent work, Kurogiri!~" The villain then takes a solid, but relaxed stance, as if he was taunting Captain Liberty. "Now that they are out of the way, I believe you said something about taking us in?~"

There were no words wasted as Captain Liberty suddenly charges right at Riven with blinding speed, becoming a blur as he runs in circles around the Cajun-accented villain. As he built up more and more momentum from running, his quirk's two effects began mingling; His super strength gathered in his arm, while his super speed kept growing faster and faster as he continued to run. Finally, he darts off and wheels back, running right at Riven with his fist primed, looking to hit him with a running straight right. "CONSTITUTION.......RIIIIIIIIIIIIGHT!"

However, Riven simply steps in and brings one arm up in a sweeping motion, knocking Liberty's arm to the side effortlessly as the momentum and strength from the blow seems to be robbed from him. Red lightning flows through Riven's body as his smile twists cruelly, his muscles creaking under his suit as his body seems to coil and tense. "Now THAT was some puissance impressionnante, some impressive power...~ Think I'll use it. Merci...as thanks, have a nice flight." He suddenly steps in and lays a straight punch into Captain Liberty's chest, the torch symbol breaking like a china plate as his fist crunches into his opponent. With a small boom, the hero is flung hard into Kurogiri's black wall, disappearing with a silent scream. Riven then casually struts forward, stepping into the void after him. "I love visiting Monuments...so many interesting memories to make!~"

~~~~~~~~~~

Meanwhile, in one of the many apartments of Brooklyn, New York, a young boy with messy, brown hair, grass green eyes, and freckles dotting his face sat happily in front of his family TV set, his favorite stack of tarot cards sitting next to him as he watched the news for the big Statue of Liberty Anniversary presentation that night. Apparently, they were going to unveil a statue of Captain Liberty, Deku, and Empress Bai-Long, the Chinese Symbol of Harmony, in the center of Ellis Island's plaza, as a symbol of unity in the Age of Heroes between three of the strongest Hero Powers on Earth. However, shock begins to go across his face as the scene suddenly changes to a massive cloud of dust, as if a bomb had gone off in the very square right as the ceremony was about to begin. As the dust settles, the boy sees one of his idols, Captain Liberty, the Symbol of Freedom, standing wounded against a strange man in a white suit. Confusion and fear began to fill his mind, not just because Captain Liberty looked hurt, but because his opponent looked supremely confident, and had a cruel, prideful grin on his pierced face.

The boy reaches for his cards, taking a deep breath as he shuffles the deck and draws the top card. He closes his eyes, looking at the card as tears well up before he looks to the TV screen, his mouth tightening. "Please...let this one be wrong..."

~~~~~~~~~~

Riven chuckled as he stepped forward, his hand cracking as he clenches and opens his fist close to his face, as if it was a habit of some kind. His eyes shone brightly with cold blood lust as he removes his coat, casting it aside and rolling his sleeves up before returning to his original fighting stance, placing one foot in front of the other and holding his hands forward and face down, like two knives. With a cold smile, he cracks his neck left, then right. "Now then, Capitaine....Shall we begin?~"

Captain Liberty took a fighting stance, his arms raised high as he dashes in, unleashing a high-speed rush of punches. He figured if he could overwhelm this man, he wouldn't be able to use that Quirk he used earlier. If its speed, he had the upper hand! Or so he thought...as suddenly, he finds Riven blocking each and every blow with relative ease, as if he was practicing on a wooden dummy. It was then he realized that Riven was actually redirecting his fists, forcing them to follow a certain path with no power on some blows, and allowing the others to be actual blows that he would block. But the most horrifying part to what Captain Riven was witnessing, was that with each actual blow Riven blocked, more and more red lightning charged into his body. Suddenly, Riven steps into Captain Liberty's next left and pulls his shoulder over his back, whipping the hero with ease over his shoulder and flinging him into the bast of the Statue of Liberty itself. the impact causes the monument to shake violently, the statue's metal frame creaking and groaning dangerously as Captain Liberty emerges from the rubble, blood oozing from his forehead and mouth and his body armor suit torn apart at the arms and left leg. His back, as well as several parts of his arms, legs, and his right side were all cut up, lacerated by the metal of the Statue. As he looks around to find his foe, he suddenly hears a loud boom as Riven leaps up, using some type of ungodly strength to leap all the way over to were Captain Liberty was standing. The villain lands and lays a powerful front boot to Captain Liberty, flinging him into the statue with slightly less force than when he threw him. However, with all his accumulated damage, the blow was still brutal as he began coughing blood from where he was curled up among the debris.

Riven sighs, picking Captain Liberty up by the neck as red lightning sparks through his arm. "Lets see now...I have just enough force from all those murder punches of yours left for ONE more good shot...and you, mon ami, look like complete hell. What a sorry state, for the Symbol of Freedom....So, any last words?~"

Captain Liberty could only cough, unable to speak as his chest had been caved in by Riven's last kick. All he can do is look up at Riven and sputter, building up saliva before finally spraying a red mist in defiance in Riven's face.

Riven's smile fades, his eyes now closed as he brings one finger slowly up and wipes the blood from off his eyes. He then takes a long, deep breath, seeming as if he was trying to collect himself. Finally, he nods. "Right. Très bien. NOW this will be much more satisfying." He then reaches for his shirt collar, speaking into what appears to be a button on it. "Kurogiri. Warp hole in front of me. Now. And aim it right above me about.....1000 feet?"

Suddenly, a small black hole appears in front of them on the ground, like a small puddle shaped like a perfect circle. Captain Liberty then realized what his fate was, closing his eyes as he accepted it. He had been foolhardy, thinking he could easily become the Number One Worldwide now that All Might was replaced by Deku, who was so small and meek, and in that foolhardy pride, he became arrogant and thought he alone could take down the remnants of the League. However...it had all been a trap, and he fell for it.

Riven then brings Liberty closer, so he can whisper in the broken hero's ear. "Don't you worry, Capitaine, the League has dissolved...We broke apart long ago. All that we've been doing here in America is laying the ground work. You see, I'm a man who sees the big picture, comprendre? I look past petty heists, drug rings, and villainous ambitions. No...I'm going to change the world, mon cher capitaine.~ I've already got moles in the FBI, the Army, the CIA, everywhere!~ In fact, I'm in VEEEEERY close with certain parties who supply weapons to not only America, but other countries as well. You might say, I've made a web...a web that will act as the foundation for a new society...and you, Capitaine Liberté....or, should I call you Lee Stanson, of Southside Bronx?~"

Captain Liberty's eyes widen in absolute terror. This man...knew who he was?!

Riven chuckles. "Don't fear...your family is in no danger. However...they'll be missing their daddy terribly. After all...he's gotta become a martyr. Goodbye, Capitaine Liberté. Au revoir, au revoir, parting is such sweet sorrow, as the bard would say...~" His arm suddenly begins sparking with all the red lightning Riven had left as he channels all the force he absorbed into his arm with a heave and a grunt, he lifts Captain Liberty high into the air and steps forward, digging in and whipping his arm down as he throws the hero with all his might into the hole, like he was whipping a tennis ball. Immediately, a second hold opens behind him that he falls back through, sighing as the darkness engulfs him and takes him safely away. "I can't wait for the aftermath!~"

~~~~~~~~~~

Back at the young boy's home, his parents stood behind him, holding each other as they cried for the sight they saw. As Captain Liberty suddenly came whipping down at the Statue of Liberty at high speed, a sonic cone around his limp form, the boy feels the card slip from his grasp. As the hero's body collides with the steel structure, shattering the symbol of American freedom, liberty and the pursuit of happiness in a massive explosion of force, the card finally hits the ground. As the news casters stammer speechlessly at the horrible sight of the leveled Ellis Island, with the mangled body of Captain Liberty impaled at the top of the wreckage on one of the ruined points of the Statue's crown, the boy can only look down at the card, tears falling on its image and name; The Grim Reaper, Death Tarot.

~~~~~~~~~~

Three years later, Riven calmly walks down the dimly lit hallway of his new organization's base in Koriban City, he chuckles to himself. That day really was such fun...As he walks to the door, he takes a deep breath, opening it and striding through. Before him was a massive round table, and seated at it were some of the fiercest villains the world has seen yet. Iron Madame, Myst, Raithas, Mordecai, Koda Banryu, even the legendary mercenary Arsonic, and his terrorist cell, were present, only to name a few. At the seat next to his sat the slug-like, wheelchair-bound form of Dr. Darwin, his mentor and closest ally. Opposite, Kurogiri, the last remnant of the League of Villains. As Riven takes his seat at the head of the table he folds his hands neatly in front of his face as he rests his elbows on the table, only his blue eyes visible as he speaks to the gathering before him, clearing his throat as he speak in perfect Japanese, but retains his southern accent. "First of all, I'd like to thank y'all for coming..."