"Everyone is still talking about that idiot All-might. What about us?! Even retired that bastard is bothering me."
"Shigaraki, I think we should look towards our future plans," Kurogiri says. Their new hideout is dank and small. Nothing like the serenity of the bar they had held previously. The windows didn't open and had enough gunk caked on that even in daylight the sun barely made it through. The floorboards creaked and there was a near constant drip that echoed from the bathroom.
"Plans? You want to talk about plans when master has been taken?"
"Isn't that what he would want?"
"We have no nomu. It's just us now." Shigaraki says, taking up scratching his neck with his blood-caked nails. His neurotic compulsion relentless since their loss, since he was forced away from One for all.
"The symbol of peace has fallen. The public is already shaken. We just continue to chip away at their hierarchy until there's nothing left to hide behind."
"We'll continue to take down these self-proclaimed and false heroes! Starting with their new number one!" Spinner says.
"Oh shut up," Shigaraki growls. "I don't want to fight Endeavor, and I don't have a nomu for him."
"I have an idea," Dabi says from his spot in the corner. His blue eyes are glinting dangerously, his scarred skin pulling where it joins as his lips quirk up. "To take down Endeavor."
"I wasn't even talking to you," Shigaraki grumbles. Even through their battles and schemes, those drawn towards the league by Stain's ideology still didn't have a place in Shigarakis eyes.
"Without Master, I think you will find it beneficial to take full advantage of your comrades."
"If you don't shut up you'll be dust by morning, Kurogiri." His threat falls empty, both of them knowing the warp gate is an irreplaceable and crucial part of any plan. He's the only way they can bypass most hero defenses and escape when things look poor. Shigaraki doesn't say anything more, but his single red eye is soloed in on Dabi, expectant.
"We don't kill him," Dabi starts, and Shigaraki is already seething, his fist clenched in his lap, his other hand twitching for his neck. "We do something worse than show a gap in skill."
"What do you propose?" Kurogiris' glowing eyes are narrowing, his sweeping slowed by his piqued interest.
"All Might's loss has already shaken their faith in their so-called saviors' powers and invincibility. Now we shake down their faith in their character. Something we couldn't do with the prior number one hero."
"I'm sure the public is already aware Endeavor has a foul aura and poor people skills. There's no lack of discord on the heroe's manners."
"Believe me. I've got more on him that poor people skills," Dabi says, standing and walking towards the two co-leaders of the league, his hand in his pocket, his steps light. He looks to Shigaraki. "I told you when we met, I'd tell you my name when the time was right. Well, we're almost there."
"Instead of breaking these heroes, we break society's faith in their 'heroes.' Thread by thread we can unravel this blindfold people have over their eyes." Kurogiri murmurs, contemplative.
"Believe me, I know just where we can start with their new number one hero," Dabi says, his smile incongruent with the sneer he says his words with, the light glinting like a camera flash off the staples in his skin. "How will they fare losing two number one heroes so soon. How will they feel safe without their beloved protectors?"
"I'm interested." The scratching has stopped, leaving an eerie silence behind.
They are two trials down. Izuku is brimming with adrenaline, his veins pumping endorphins. This never should have been possible for him, but here he is. He's neck in neck in the top three leaders for the sports festival. Present Mic's voice is echoing around the arena, chatting about the prior events and the students, ribbing with Aizawa, though that's more one-sided than anything, and Toshinori putting in his two cents every now and then. He's surrounded by friends, Uraraka rambling happily by his side, giving herself a pep talk to make it farther than she had last year. It's so much different than he thought it would be. It's so wonderful. The warm post Summer breeze is blowing through his wild hair and tickling his nose, the roar of the audience a pleasant buzz in the background. The stadium is practically vibrating with excitement.
Present Mic starts introducing the current event.
"And we're back in the studio with those rematches we've been itching to see since we saw these wild kids in the sports festival last year. Our top competitors this year are no surprise given their efforts in their first year. Leading the ranks are these absurdly strong students! All might's newly named successor, Izuku Midoriya! It's no wonder either, their quirks are so similar they could practically be related!"
"Stop it."
"Not far behind the boy who used to break his bones for his quirk, the son of the current number one hero, Shoto Todoroki! And the boy we couldn't possibly forget after his behavior at last years awards ceremony, the explosive Katsuki Bakugo!" Izuku is sure Bakugo is seething at being the last to be introduced, though now his irritations are much quieter, his support more freely given.
"All three are also leading the public with their work utilizing their provisional licenses."
"Thanks, Eraserhead! Now, the bracket! Our first match of the first round, our early front-runner Shoto Todoroki." Izuku looks to the screen where his enemy-turned-best friend is climbing the arena stairs.
"Good luck Todoroki!" He yells, and he's sure there's no way Todoroki could have possibly heard his individual shout of encouragement, but his heart flutters at the small upward twitch of his lips that follows.
"Deku and Todo sitting in a tree-" Uraraka sings before Izuku turns on her, hand clasping firmly over her mouth.
"Uraraka!" He whines.
"Of course you and icy-hot would have a thing," Bakugo grumbles. "I'm going to put you and your boyfriend in the ground, Deku."
"Yeah, okay," Izuku says. Bakugo's threats don't contain half the heat that they used to, more violently phrased healthy competitiveness than anything. It's a far cry from the way their relationship had been before UA. A smile plays at his lips thinking about how far Kacchan has come. He completely misses the introduction of the other competitor, only pulled back to attention by Present Mic shouting.
"Whoa, what the hell is that?!"
Izuku catches a glimpse of black mist before the arena erupts into blue flame. He hears the echo of glass shattering as Eraserhead leaps from the observation deck and down into the arena, his capture weapon readied in his clenched fists. The flame dies down, revealing the two figures standing alone in the ring Cementoss had finished mere minutes ago. Midnight, once again acting as the ref for their class given the explosive power of their students and lack of demonstrated restraint, has her costume pulled tight in her grasp, ready to tear it at a moments notice. It's a little too late though. A familiar figure stands behind Todoroki, twisting the student's right arm behind his back with one hand, the other poised at the boy's throat with a wicked blade.
The once warm breeze felt sweltering, and the buzz of the audience left a ringing in his ears in its absence.
"Who are you?" Aizawl growls, his voice echoing around the stadium, his gaze unblinking as he stares down the intruder.
Dabi looks to the screen broadcasting the events across the globe, a small smirk on his patchwork face before he utters three words that will change the way people view the hero society for many years.
"I'm Touya Todoroki."
Todoroki's expression goes from one of contempt and anger to a deathly white, his eyes wide like he's seen a ghost. His voice is barely a whisper as he repeats the name Dabi had uttered. The stricken expression on his face only seems to fuel Dabi, his staples pulling tight as he grins broadly.
"And I'm here for my brother."
There's silence around the arena, baited breath as they all wait, shocked into silence.
"You all know Endeavor, the number one hero. If you can call him that!" Dabi, Touya, sneers. "You want to tell them about our dear old dad, Shoto?"
Todoroki's face is ashen, and his hand trembles where it tries to pry the marred one holding the knife against his neck away. "No? You don't want to talk about how dad let me disfigure myself, so desperate for an inkling of his attention? You don't want to talk about him beating our mother, Shoto?"
Izuku watches in horror. At some point he got to his feet, grasping at the rails separating him from his friend. Todoroki's eyes are shining.
"Do you want to talk about your scar?"