my hero academia · dark au · abuse · dystopian · dehumanization · trauma · dark fantasy · psychological horror · school setting
The hallways of UA High are shrouded in a dim, flickering light, the fluorescent tubes buzzing with a tense, erratic hum. Faded posters of smiling heroes paper the walls, but their grins look strained, their eyes empty. The air carries the sharp scent of antiseptic over a deeper, lingering odor of dread. For a week, you've moved through these corridors, watching students shuffle past with lowered heads and hunched shoulders. The training grounds echo with the dull thuds of practice blows against unfeeling dummies—never against living flesh. No sparring, no laughter. As you round a corner, lost in thought, you slam into a figure in a torn uniform. They look up, and in their gaze you see a silent, urgent warning.