Chapter 11

With all the commotion and the arrival of the Pros, it would be difficult for Deku to slip away. He had managed to evade detection thus far, but he couldn't risk moving around too openly. He lurked in the shadows, just out of sight. He watched as they dragged Stain out onto the main street. It seemed like that would be the end of things when one of Shigaraki's Nomu swooped down from the sky. The creature screeched loudly, snatching up one of the fleeing civilians. Deku could see the blood running down the side of the Nomu's face. It had been injured badly and was fleeing. But just before it could escape with its victim, Stain launched forward, unfettered by his restraints. The Nomu froze, crashing to the ground. The woman it had grabbed shrieked in terror as they landed hard.

"This society overgrown with fake heroes, and the criminals who wave their power around idly should all be purged. This is all to create a more just society!"

Stain plunged his dagger into the Nomu's exposed brain. He twisted and yanked hard, killing the creature instantly. The woman cowered in terror, afraid she would be the next victim of the Hero Killer. But he did not attack her. Just as Endeavor came running around the corner, chasing the Nomu, something inside Stain snapped. Deku pulled out his smart phone and turned on the camera. He zoomed in on Stain. Even if the Hero Killer was captured, if he was able to record his firm ideals, his lust for justice, his loss might not be in vain. The Pros seemed frozen, overwhelmed by the killer's presence. It sent chills coursing through Deku.

"Endeavor," Stain growled. He turned slowly. "You fake…I must make things right." Even from a distance, Deku could tell he was suffering from his injuries. The ragged mask slipped from his face, revealing his crazed red eyes. He stalked forward, despite the pain. "Someone must be dyed in blood…I must take back what it means to be a hero! Come! Try and get me, you fakes!"

Even Endeavor seemed intimidated by the conviction and overwhelming presence the murderer exuded.

"The only one I'll let kill me is the true hero, All Might!"

The Pros stood frozen. And only when the bloody knife slipped from Stain's hand did they move. Stain, though still standing, had lost consciousness. As the heroes apprehended him, restraining him carefully, Deku withdrew. He played the video back, rewatching what he had just recorded. Though Stain had been captured, he would be able to make good use of his ideals. They needed a strong spokesperson to draw others to them. Shigaraki certainly wasn't cut out for it, but Stain might be just the person they were looking for. He saved the video before calling the unregistered number Kurogiri had provided for him. He was losing too much blood, making him feel light headed. And he didn't want to risk being seen.

"Kurogiri?" he said after the man picked up. "Can you warp me back? I don't feel so good."

A black vortex opened up behind him. Deku stumbled through it, collapsing in exhaustion on the other side, not bothering to see where he had been transported. When he opened his eyes again, he realized he was back in the dorm room Hawks' agency had provided for him. He groaned. All he wanted to do was lie there and sleep, let his body recover. But he couldn't risk someone finding him there, covered in blood. He pushed himself up, sharp pain lancing through his shoulder. He yanked Stain's dagger free. Without the knife embedded in his shoulder, blood flowed freely from the wound. Deku pressed his hand firmly against it, hoping he could stop the blood flow before it got worse. Tearing off one of the sleeves of his sweatshirt into makeshift bandages, he wrapped the wound tightly. He quickly locked the door before dragging himself to the bed. He felt drained…exhausted.

But before he could relax, he had to get rid of the evidence. Taking off his bloody clothes and the dagger, dumped them in the metal trashcan by the bed. Using his Quirk, he lit the mound ablaze. He watched as the black flames consumed the clothes and knife, burning them until they were nothing but ash. Iida and Todoroki were probably still looking for him. Maybe even the Pros had gotten involved. He had to come up with a good alibi if anyone came asking questions. But as his mind was reeling, trying to think of excuses, his consciousness began to fade. Soon he drifted off into a deep sleep.

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"Midoriya!"

Tokoyami's voice startled him awake. His eyes snapped open to see his classmate staring down at him. He glanced at the door. It was open. He could have sworn he had locked it before falling asleep.

"How did you get in here?" he asked nervously.

"The door was locked so Dark Shadow reached under the door and opened it from the inside."

The shadowy bird-like partner that was part of Tokoyami appeared behind his shoulder. His yellow eyes gleamed out from his dark form.

"Midoriya, are you okay?" Tokyoyami asked, his brows furrowed.

"Yeah…I'm fine," he muttered, sitting up. "Is something wrong?"

"Iida called me," he said, holding up his phone. "He said you were in Hosu and helped him out of a tight spot. He said you were hurt pretty bad and disappeared. So I came to check on you."

He cursed himself inwardly. He should have known Iida would contact Tokoyami. The Class Rep was very observant and probably knew the two of them had taken internships at the same agency. He should have been more careful.

"Well, I…."

"What were you doing in Hosu? Were you involved in the League of Villains incident?"

Hosu was the next town over. If he could just come up with a convincing lie…. "Hawks said he sometimes goes to Hosu on business so I was curious what the other agencies were like—the ones he partners with. I went to check them out after training but I got caught up in that mess." He smiled innocently, hoping Tokoyami would buy his lie. But judging by his classmate's frown, it wasn't working.

"You didn't tell Hawks? Or any of the sidekicks?"

"I was just—I wanted to check it out on my own. I didn't know all that would happen."

"What about what Iida said? He said you were hurt. Are you alright?"

"I'm fine!" he snapped, his composure slipping. "Iida-kun is probably exaggerating. I left quickly so I would be able to catch the last train back here. I didn't want anyone to worry."

"Really?"

Deku nodded.

"You should talk to Hawks and let him know—"

"Don't tell Hawks!" Tokoyami seemed taken aback by Deku's sudden change. Deku cleared his throat, trying not to sound as desperate as he felt. "Please, don't tell him. It was my mistake and it won't happen again. Just trust me, okay?"

Tokoyami seemed to consider his request a moment before he finally answered. "Fine. But if it happens again, I won't keep quiet."

"Thank you."

Deku quickly closed the door behind his classmate. His grip tightened around the cold doorknob. This was bad. Very bad. He could tell Tokoyami was suspicious, and there were three witnesses who had seen him in Hosu—Iida, Todoroki, and Stain's original target, the hero Native. It wouldn't take long for them to unravel his lie. Time was ticking. He couldn't live his life this way for much longer. There were already too many cracks in his mask.

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Just as he had feared, his presence during the incident and sudden disappearance hadn't gone unnoticed. One of the other Pros who had rushed to the scene to apprehend Stain had phoned Hawks' agency and questioned him about his intern's whereabouts. It didn't take long for people to start asking questions. He dodged the questions as best he could, but he could feel the distrust lingering with each answer he gave them. He knew they didn't quite believe him. It was starting to fall apart. With the way things were going, he would be forced to withdraw from his school life. And though it was the last thing he wanted, he was starting to face the reality that he would have to leave his comfortable life at home—cut himself off completely.

Thankfully the internship would only last a few more days. When he finally did return home, his mother questioned him about what had happened. Hawks and the school had called her to inform her that her son had been involved in a dangerous incident. And, of course, she had been worried sick. It took longer than usual to calm her, assure her that everything was alright. But when he did finally get away from her probing, he felt drained.

Locking himself in his bedroom, he transferred the video footage he had shot from his phone to his laptop. He couldn't let something this valuable go to waste. He cut and pasted clips from the news as well as the video he had recorded, and edited them together to make a compelling video. Perhaps it would reach enough people like him, to draw them to the League of Villains. They could always use more allies. The video exposed Stain in a different light than how the media had painted him. It portrayed him as a type of fallen hero, seeking to set the Hero system back on a correct path. Deku's video focused on his idealism and his goals. He made sure to emphasize that most of those out there calling themselves "heroes" were fakes, and that society's need for change was the reason behind the killer's purges. He made sure to include Stain's rage-fueled speech before his capture. Even through the screen, you could almost feel his ironclad resolve. Once he had finished editing, he uploaded the video anonymously. All that was left was to wait and observe the fruits of his labors.

He turned off the data tracking on his laptop and secured his browser on "incognito mode" to avoid any curious eyes. Deku plugged in his headphones. He pulled up a video chat, calling Sensei. It didn't take long for him to answer, but with only the audio.

"What is it, Izuku?" It had been a long time since he had heard Sensei's deep voice.

"I think I'm in trouble," he admitted. "I slipped up. People are starting to get suspicious."

"The time has come then. Are you prepared to follow through in your promise?"

"Yes…." Though he didn't want to leave his home behind, this was the path he had chosen. There was no way for him to turn back. He was in too deep. "I have not changed my mind. You…you'll keep up your end of the deal right?"

"You have my word. None of my men will bring harm to your mother. She will not be touched by anyone on our side."

Deku heaved a sigh of relief. "We might be able to make it seem my disappearance unintentional, if we do things carefully."

"You have a plan?"

"I do. But it will take a little time."

"Do as you see fit, my boy. I have nothing but time." He could almost hear him chuckle on the other end. "I look forward to seeing you again, Deku."

Remember to leave a review and check back on Monday for Chapter 12!