Chapter 29: New Friends
'Here you are sir.' Izuku said with relish as he placed the heavy pile of handwritten reports he had been holding onto Power Loaders desk, 'I reviewed all those reports just like you asked me to.'
Power Loader lowered his pen and flipped through the stack of papers for a moment before looking back up at Izuku, 'Very well, I'll check these later. I hope that those after-action reports made an impression on you Izuku. Hopefully, I never read your name in one.'
Izuku nodded earnestly, 'You won't Mr. Maijima.' he promised.
'Good. Remember: Always take a moment to stop and think. With proper reasoning and good judgment, you can't always win, but you can prevent a situation from becoming worse.'
'Yes, sir.'
After the morning workshop period, Izuku and his classmates regrouped in their homeroom. Everyone was excited to learn where they would be interning and Izuku was no exception.
'Do you have any preferences for who you intern with Moyashi?' Izuku asked the boy as he sat down next to him.
'Anyplace is fine as long as I don't work in IT.' Moyashi responded duly.
'Huh, I never even thought of that.' Izuku said, frowning. The idea of being brought in for a week just to fix everyone's computer seemed like the sort of thing that might happen.
'I suppose we could also be told to clean everyone's equipment.' Moyashi said as he plopped his head down into his elbow, 'Or maybe we'll be cleaning the toilets instead? Or the vehicles if they have any. Washing everyone's clothes…'
Izuku felt his enthusiasm slowly wane as he listened to Moyashi's dour predictions. By the time Power Loader approached him with his sheet he was thoroughly disillusioned. Until he read the name on the paper that is.
'Endeavour?' Izuku said incredulously, 'I'm working for Endeavour?'
'Yes.' Power Loader said with satisfaction. 'When I said the support class would be open for internships this year, he contacted me personally to request you. This is a great opportunity for you, Midoriya.' Power Loader walked away leaving him speechless.
Izuku shook his head in disbelief. Endeavour had a reputation as a brutally effective hero. Due to his tireless work ethic, he had solved more criminal cases than any of his contemporaries, including All Might. However, capable though he may be, it was widely known that Endeavour was a hardass who expected the very best from all of his sidekicks at all times. Dealing with him might be difficult.
'I hope he doesn't have any hard feelings about what happened to his kid.' Moyashi said blithely. Izuku stared at him. He hadn't even thought of that.
'I wasn't the one who spread that chemical suppressant on Todoroki! It was Kiska who shot those pellets!'
'Ah! The ol' guns don't kill people, people kill people argument. Stick with that, it just might work.' Moyashi said nodding and Izuku groaned.
'Thanks for the advice. Who'd you get?'
'Wash.' Moyashi intoned, 'I got the washing machine hero Wash.'
That afternoon Izuku quickly ran through the pages of chicken scratch scribblings that were his notes on his equipment redesign. He was just doing his last-minute check up on his gear before he finalized the design on his costume.
While he reviewed, Mei sauntered his way.
'Hey, Midoriya. What're you up to?'
Izuku licked his thumb and flipped through a few more pages. He really wished he had numbered everything. From over his shoulder he heard Mei cough.
'I'm…just…going…over…my…costume.' Izuku said vacantly, as he flipped back and forth between two pages.
'Hm. A new costume you say? Very good, very…uh-' she paused to look over the schematic of his suits left arm.
It was a mess of miniaturized servos and microfilaments. Just the arm alone would represent a massive investment in resources. Izuku didn't know how much this was going to cost the school to build, but it was probably going to raise a few eyebrows in the main office.
'Um. Yeah.' Mei said ponderously leaning further over his shoulder so she could look over more of his design. Eventually she was leaning over so far her head was practically touching his. With an exasperated sigh, he lifted his head.
'Sorry but, what did you want Mei?'
Mei shot back up, 'Oh, well. I, er, heard you were building something to make you fly?' she asked bouncing on her heels.
'Yeah. I'm building a glider.'
'Ooh, a glider. Cool.' she paused and appeared to hesitate before continuing, 'So like, what? Are you gonna strap wings on your back or…?'
'Nope.' Izuku said, tucking his pencil away behind his ear and crossing his arms, 'I'm going to ride it like a surfboard. It's actually more of a flying wing jet than a glider.'
'Oh…' Mei said wide-eyed, 'Well…good luck with that.'
Izuku watched as she bumbled away to her own station, muttering to herself. He allowed himself a smug grin before returning to his work.
I probably just triggered an arms race.
Later that evening Izuku went back into the slums for his meeting with Knuckleduster. Like yesterday, the streets were calm, though the air was thick with tension. Hands thrust in his pockets, he kept his head low as he walked down the street. As he walked a police car turned in from around the block ahead and Izuku casually turned his back towards the road and faced a pawn shop window.
It feels like I'm in occupied territory. He thought as he pretended to look over the battered appliances on display. This peace won't last. It can't. Sooner or later someone is going to make a move to be the new boss. It's just a matter of time.
After the cruiser slowly drove past, he resumed walking. He was almost at the parkade. Coming around to the final block, he could at last see the ugly, multistory concrete parking complex. As he crossed the street, he suddenly felt his spider-sense buzz. Silently cursing, he abruptly changed his course and went in the opposite direction. He was being followed.
He did his best to walk casually, not going too fast or too slow as his pursers watched him from the rooftops. Stopping in front of the buzzing neon lights of a liquor store, he bent down to pick up a cigarette butt. Pocketing it, he glanced behind him before drawing his hood in close and resuming his walk. On the rooftop across the street there was a three-person hero squad following him.
After walking for five blocks, he began to get frustrated. The heroes tailing him were showing no sign of stopping any time soon. They must've taken a particular interest. He sighed. If this kept up, he would be late to his meeting.
Abruptly turning, he ducked into a side alley and made his way towards a vacant. The heroes crouched down and watched as he entered the building. With any luck they would think he was just another homeless teen looking for a place to crash for the night.
As soon as he had broken line of sight, he dashed through the narrow entrance hall, past some stirring people on a couch, and over to the other side of the building. Jumping out an empty window and into the opposite block, he ducked through a couple more alleys before stopping a few blocks away. Hunkering down beside a dumpster, he carefully scanned the rooftops surrounding him.
His spider-sense was calm. He must have lost them. Reaching in his pocket, he produced a black ski mask and put it on. Tucking his hair away, he walked around to the parkade entrance and started climbing his way up. Just as he was about to reach the third level, Knuckleduster suddenly appeared at the top of the ramp in front of him.
'Hey! Piss off, punk.' he growled.
'What kind of hello is that?' Izuku said raising his hand in greeting 'Really trying to win over hearts and minds I see.'
'Hmph.' Knuckleduster relaxed and stepped back so Izuku could pass, 'Nice disguise. You really pull off the crackhead look.'
'Thanks.'
Walking over to the corner so as to be shielded from view from the street, Izuku stopped and faced Knuckleduster.
'I assume you heard I took out Shocker, yes?' Izuku said.
'Yeah, I know.' Knuckleduster said simply. Izuku couldn't be sure but he could have sworn he heard a measure of respect in his voice, 'Apparently, they're still trying to sort out the succession. Normally all his lieutenants would have started killing each other already but with all the police and pro's around, nobody's willing to take the first shot just yet so everything is quiet. For now.'
'I thought so. I haven't heard anything about what happened to Shocker, have you?'
'No. They're probably trying to figure out a way to charge him without tying his fight with you to vigilantism. You see, with you considered a supervillain now - congratulations by the way - the prosecution will try to argue that his arrest was a case of hero intervention during a gang conflict. Obviously, Shocker and his lawyer will disagree. Looks like your status as a villain or vigilante will be decided in court.' Knuckleduster said, sounding amused.
'Cool!' Izuku said earnestly and Knuckleduster frowned at him in disapproval.
'Anyway, I'm surprised you're out and about right now, given all this.' Knuckleduster said, gesturing out towards the street. 'I'm guessing you had no choice but to destroy the Glass Way Tower, huh?' Izuku said nothing and Knuckleduster snorted, 'Well what's done is done. Now about those murder raps you had...'
'My murder charges? What about them?' Izuku said leaning back against a pillar.
'Well I had a friend of mine look into them for you and long story short your charges aren't going away anytime soon. They're being handled by a real piece of shit detective named Shibō.'
'Ah. I've heard of him.' Izuku said nodding. After a moment of consideration, he found that he wasn't at all surprised. The government would have still been after him no matter what the police report said, 'Whatever. I expected as much.'
Knuckleduster grunted, 'So now that the Shocker is taken out what are you going to do now?'
'Well turns out I got a lead on the League of Villains. I'm going to follow it and see where it goes. Maybe I can take them down too.'
Knuckleduster scowled, 'Don't get cocky, kid. Shocker was a psychopath but he was also a businessman. For him everything was calculated, cold, and logical. The League of Villains won't be so predictable. Who knows what they're thinking?'
'I'll keep that in mind.' Izuku said, 'Anyway we should split before some hero decides to arrest us for loitering. See ya'.'
At that he turned away from the large man and started towards the ledge before he stopped.
'Oops.' Izuku muttered to Knuckleduster as he turned and began walking down the ramp, 'Force of habit.' Knuckleduster tisked behind him.
Now to go clubbing.
The foundations of "The Den" nightclub was practically shaking loose as the packed dance floor throbbed and swayed from the young crowd of jostling revelers. The heavily distorted bass reverberated through the walls, penetrating every available space with its persistent rhythm, punctuated by hundreds of stamping feet.
The Den had a dark reputation for its rough crowds, hedonistic raves, and overly "liberated" cliental. Drugs flowed freely, and any attempt to disrupt the party, whatever that might entail, was usually resolved with violence. The regulars here weren't the sort to blink at a little bloodshed, and nobody would ever call the cops.
Tonight, Izuku was going to put that to the test.
With a crash the heavy doors to the club floor burst apart as the doorman went flying through. Smashing into a crowded table, he collapsed on the floor amongst broken glass. Everyone stopped their frantic pace and turned to the entrance. Standing there, trying his hardest to cast an imposing figure, was Spider-Man.
Izuku stood still for a moment to let everyone see him, before turning towards the bar.
As he strutted over, the people around him broke out into excited chatter.
'Holy shit! That-that's Spider-Man!'
'Really? That's Spider-Man?! He looks puny. I bet I could take him!'
'Dude, he wasted Shocker! He gutted his boys! If you want to take him on, then be my guest.'
Walking through the crowds, the people in front of him hastily moved aside giving him a wide berth. Izuku grinned. It was at times like these that he was happy to be so notorious.
Stopping at the splintered bar counter, he leaned over and waited. The club was pretty infamous amongst the seedier individuals in the slums. If the message in the graffiti was to be believed, surely this place was as likely as any to be monitored by the League of Villains.
As he waited, he felt a crowd of men and women moving in behind him. He was only mildly surprised. Under normal circumstances, taking out the doorman should have been enough to discourage any idiocy, but there were plenty of violent drunks about. With all the subtlety of a stampede, the surrounding stools quickly emptied and the bartender backed away, pointedly looking in the other direction. Izuku could feel the shadows of the aggressive mob crowd behind him.
'Hey Spider-Fuck, you get lost or something? You ain't welcome here.' said a deep, stupid voice.
Izuku sighed.
'Spider-Fuck really I-' Izuku started as he turned but then he stopped.
He was speaking to a belt buckle. Looking up, he had to crane his neck backward to see that towering far above him were a pair heads joined on a massive body. The twin headed giant was stooped over almost on his knuckles as he leered down. Izuku cleared his throat.
'Um, as I was saying. I'm expecting someone, so if you don't mind shoving off please…?' he said waving his hands as though to shoo him away. The crowd behind the giant laughed derisively.
'You ain't meeting no one 'cept the cor-or-oner.' said the left of the two heads, the other nodded in dimwitted agreement.
'Okay, you must be the brains then.' Izuku said focusing on the left head, 'I don't-'
'Squish!' hollered the right head.
At that the hulking behemoth brought his enormous hands clapping together. Izuku jumped up over the thunderclap and landed on the two headed man's shoulders. The heads twisted around to look at him in disbelief.
'Ogh?'
Izuku rolled his eyes. Grabbing the pair by their scruffy hair, he slammed them together. Staggering backwards the colossus fell and pinned a number of his fellows who had been too slow to scurry away beneath his bulk.
'Get this-' started a woman but Izuku was already moving.
With a slap apiece, he sent the goons flying. In less than two seconds the crowd of punks lay stunned on the floor or gasping beneath their fallen champion. Dusting himself off, he turned back to the bar.
'Right.' Izuku said as he perched himself on a stool, 'Excuse me?' he called out to the barman who had moved to the far side of the counter. 'Can I have a coke please?'
'S-Sure thing Mr. Spider-Man. Coming right up.'
He settled in on his stool and waited, lightly drumming a beat on the bar counter.
If the League doesn't make a move soon, I'll go check out another bar.
Taking his drink from the bartender with a courteous toast, he went to take a sip when he suddenly felt another presence rushing towards him. Twirling around, he was grabbed hard around the chest by a blonde girl.
'What're you-'
'Wow!' said the girl pushing herself into him, 'That was great! You took those guys apart so easily! I thought they'd at least scratch you or something!'
'Uh, who're you?' Izuku said shoving the girl backward into the bar counter. Tripping over a stool, she fell over.
'Oh, sorry!' he said sheepishly as she hit the floor.
He made to go help her up but stopped as he felt his spider sense flare dangerously. The girl looked up at him and gave him a toothy smile. She had long blonde hair done up in twin, messy buns on either side of her head. Her eyes were yellow and alive, yet exhausted looking. Almost as though the only thing keeping her going was energy drinks or drugs. Most striking were her front canine teeth. They looked very sharp. While most of the people in the Den were wearing leather and studs, this girl was wearing a high schoolers uniform.
'Such a gentleman!' she giggled, 'Don't worry about me.' springing up she brushed off her skirt and fixed him with another toothy smile, 'My name's Toga!' she beamed, 'I volunteered to keep an eye on this place in case you showed up, and boy am I glad you did! I was starting to get bored. I love your costume by the way, so nice and tight! What's with the mask though handsome? Can I sneak a peek?'
Toga went to grab him again but Izuku pivoted out of his stool and stood up. Her rush led her to stumble into his chair.
'You're a slippery one!' she said laughingly as she pushed herself off from the stool and advanced towards him.
'What do you mean you were keeping an eye out for me? Are you from the… the you-know-what?' Izuku said trying to keep the girl at arms length. Toga stopped creeping after him and straightened herself.
'Mmhmm! You got it. My "boss" wants to speak with you. Hell, we've all been dying to meet you, but you're just so hard to find!'
'Well…I like my privacy.'
'Stalker problems? I can relate. The world's filled with freaks, isn't it?' she sighed and rolled her eyes helplessly, 'Well, I'd ask for a dance but we'd better not keep the boss man waiting. Here.' she slapped her bare leg and beckoned with her hand like she was calling a dog.
'Come on! Come on! Don't be shy!'
Reluctantly, he followed her. She led him out past the bar and into a backroom. From behind her back he noticed that she was texting someone as she went.
'Who're you texting?' he asked suspiciously.
'Our ride.' Toga said, 'We can't walk there like normal people. Nobody trusts us.' she pouted.
He shook his head. It was easy to see what Knuckleduster had meant when he said these people weren't like Shocker's group. Shocker would have had someone like Toga killed long ago.
He followed the girl into a storeroom. Crates of audio equipment and party supplies were stacked against the walls amongst faded posters of bands and performers. They were alone and besides the door they came in from, there was no exit. He looked around the room confused and Toga snickered.
'The League has a teleporter. It should only be a moment.' she explained, 'So what's your deal? Super strength, super senses, maybe a little speed mixed in? I don't know how else you could have seen me coming up behind you…' her eyes glittered dangerously.
'Well, you are wearing perfume.' Izuku pointed out. Toga eyes widened and she tucked her nose under her cardigan. After taking a few experimental breaths she popped out of her collar and looked at him perplexed.
'What? Am I wearing too much perfume? What's the nose news buddy, do I stink or something?'
'No, you don't stink its just…well you didn't smell like Mr. Two-Heads-Is-Better-Than-One back there.'
Toga twirled a keychain loaded with charms around her finger and frowned slightly.
'Rookie mistake…' she muttered in a barely audible voice.
For a split second he saw her eyes grow hard and her face was no longer carefree and giddy. In that instant she went from a ditsy schoolgirl to a dead eyed predator. He realized that she was much different from the low-class thugs he had just beaten in the other room.
Before either of them could say anything else a swirling purple mist suddenly appeared from the wall blanketing it in a strange glowing energy. From out the mist stepped a sharply dressed tall man. He was wearing a vest, tie and dress pants while his skin appeared to be composed of shifting purple flames. Yellow eyes glowed from his head above a thick metal collar.
That purple energy looks exactly like the energy that was around Thirteen at the USJ! Was this the guy who attacked her?
'Ah, Miss Toga, you have found Mr. Spider-Man. Hello, my name is Kurogiri.' the man said in a polite voice as he bowed, one white gloved hand gently held before his breast, 'I see you received our invitation. Would you come with me, please? Master Shigaraki is waiting for you.'
Izuku hesitated for a moment as Toga sprang over to Kurogiri's side. She turned to him.
'Come on, Spidey! Teleporting is fun!'
Taking a breath, he stepped forward and stood next to Kurogiri opposite Toga. Kurogiri raised his arms and Izuku saw the swirling purple energy engulf him.
As quickly as the purple energy had arrived, the mists receded and Izuku stumbled out into another room. He hurriedly glanced around and took in his surroundings.
He was in another storeroom not unlike the one back at The Den. Shelves lined the walls neatly stacked with crates of non-perishables and sundries of food stuffs or alcohol. One of the boxes held tiny little drinking umbrellas.
I must be in another bar. Or a restaurant.
'Mr. Spider-Man, if you would follow me please.' Kurogiri said, motioning to the door with his hand. Izuku stopped and looked around again.
'Where's Toga?'
'Oh, I sent her elsewhere. I didn't think you would appreciate constant interruptions while you spoke with my employer.'
'Ah…that's very considerate of you.' Izuku said.
He followed Kurogiri into a wood panelled hallway. Wherever they were was very still and silent. The only sound was the creaking of the hardwood floors beneath their feet. Izuku looked around at everything he could, trying to find some clue as to his whereabouts. He could tell from the light fixtures and the doorknobs on the closed rooms they passed that wherever they were, it was a fancy place.
If this guy can teleport I could be in Canada right now for all I know. The stockroom merchandise was all in Japanese, but whose to say he didn't teleport all that stuff too?
Eventually Kurogiri stopped in front of a curtained off doorway. Parting the curtain for Izuku, Kurogiri bid him enter. Stepping into the room, he saw that he was in a small, softly lit dining area. On one side of the room was a bar with a large, polished wooden counter opposite a line of dining booths. Both the bar and the booths were deserted save for a booth near the middle of the bar that was occupied by a lone man.
The man in the booth looked decidedly unhealthy. Despite his obvious young age, his long, unkempt hair was an unnatural white and deep bags hung under his eyes. From the glow of the tablet in his hands, Izuku saw that his skin was parched and cracked. Izuku felt dry just looking at him.
This guy needs moisturiser.
'Mr. Shigaraki? Here is Mr. Spider-Man.'
Shigaraki looked up from the tablet he was hunched over and studied Izuku. After a few seconds he appeared satisfied. Tossing the tablet aside, he beckoned to the booth seat across from him.
'Here, sit.' Shigaraki said in a quiet voice.
Izuku walked over to the booth and sank down into the offered seat. He stayed still as the man looked him over again.
'You've got a nice costume.' he said finally, 'Professionally made if I'm not mistaken. Who'd you have build it for you?'
'I built it myself.' Izuku said readily, 'I had access to the equipment.'
'Oh? So you're a tinkerer are you? What about those devices around your wrists? Did you build those as well?'
Izuku looked down at his web-shooters. He was surprised Shigaraki had noticed them. They were barely visible against the patterning of his costume.
'Yes, I did.' Izuku said looking back up.
'Hmm. Interesting.' Shigaraki started scratching his neck. Izuku couldn't help but notice that the skin was rubbed raw.
'You're quite the infamous person Spider-Man. You've been making the news regularly for over a year now and despite the best efforts of the government and the heroes, you're still at large. Most impressive.'
Izuku acknowledged the praise with a small wave.
'Thanks. Though to be fair, I've mostly just confined myself to the slums. The whole Glass Way Tower thing was an outlier.'
'As I understand it you fancy yourself a vigilante.' Shigaraki said resting his hands, palm up on the table, 'And yet you've attacked heroes, murdered criminals, and caused not insignificant property damage to the city. Tell me, what exactly are your motivations?'
'Uh..m-my motivations?' Izuku's mind raced as he tried to come up with something plausible.
What would someone like Shigaraki want to hear?
'Well, basically I think that our whole hero focused culture is a farce.' Izuku said slowly. Shigaraki said nothing so he continued, 'Er, weak and quirkless people are oppressed and held down by society and the heroes are sort of the ultimate expression of that right? They get like, commercials and, um, are worshipped by everyone just because they were born stronger. But there is more to our society than having a strong quirk. D-Do you know what I mean?'
Shigaraki was silent for a while as he picked at the scratches under his chin. Izuku forced himself to remain still while Shigaraki appeared to be considering his answer. Eventually he nodded slowly and Izuku felt himself relax a little.
I knew job interviews were tense but this is ridiculous!
'Interesting. Let me cut right to the chase. I have a proposal for you. I'm putting together a team to attack the heart of our corrupt society and I need elite fighters. Are you interested?'
Izuku blinked. This was quite sudden.
'I'm not sure I follow.' Izuku said slowly, 'What are you trying to do exactly?'
Shigaraki drew himself tall in his seat and fixed him with a firm look.
'I want to destroy society. More specifically, I want to destroy the vision of our society perpetuated by All Might.'
Shigaraki looked at Izuku as though he expected something from him. Izuku resisted the urge to look over at the bar.
'O-Okay. So, you want to what, kill All Might?' Izuku asked uncertainly.
'Eventually, yes.'
Izuku leaned back in his seat. He had known that the League had wanted to kill All Might, that goon he had detained back at the USJ had confirmed as much, but he couldn't help but act surprised at the sheer audacity of the League's goal. All Might had defeated every supervillain and evil organization that came his way. What chance did these guys have?
'I've got to say,' Izuku started carefully, 'I have my doubts.'
'Explain.' Shigaraki said, scratching his neck.
'Well, for starters it is All Might you're talking about.' Izuku paused for emphasis, 'I really don't see how to defeat someone like him.'
He cleared his throat. He would have to be careful how he revealed his knowledge of the Nomu. The last thing he wanted was for the League of Villains to figure out he was a student at UA.
'I heard that you guys have access to genetically modified creatures.' Izuku started slowly and Shigaraki glanced over at the bar, his expression unreadable. 'From what I understand you had one purpose built to defeat All Might and it was taken out all the same. So…unless you have some sort of plan…'
'I do.' Shigaraki said confidently, a tinge of a smile on his cracked lips, 'But I am not willing to divulge the details of my plan to anybody who asks. How did you learn about the Nomu?'
'I heard about it from the attack at the Unforeseen Simulation Joint at UA.' Izuku said.
'Do you have a source at UA?' Shigaraki asked.
'Not a person no. I got my hands on a student's cellphone.'
Izuku was grateful for his mask. Without it he was certain that Shigaraki would see through him instantly.
'I see. Well yes, it's true, my Nomu was defeated by All Might, a miscalculation on my part, but the battle was very close. All Might is becoming weaker by the day, and I can always build more Nomu. However, I'm not planning on attacking All Might directly this time. You see, I'm planning an attack on All Might's legacy itself.'
Izuku resisted the urge to fidget. Could that mean another attack on the school? He needed more information. Before he could ask him any more questions though Shigaraki spoke again.
'That is all I am willing to say for now.' he said straightening his shoulders against the red, cushioned booth, 'So. What say you? Are you interested in joining the League? We have considerable resources at our disposal, and it seems as though our goals align. I'm tired of dealing with incompetent henchman and I think that someone with your abilities would be well suited to accomplishing my goals.'
'A-Alright. Uh, so like when is this happening or…?'
'Check in with us next Friday at the club where you found Toga. I should have the rest of the team assembled by then.'
'Um. Okay.' Izuku said tentatively, I'm in just like that? 'So-'
'I will return you to wherever you would like to go, Mr. Spider-Man.' Kurogiri said behind him. Izuku looked around to the bartender than back to Shigaraki. He had picked up his tablet again. Evidently the meeting was over.
Standing, Izuku looked down at Shigaraki and hesitated. He had a thousand questions to ask him about what he was planning, the Nomu, the organization, everything about the League, but he didn't want to appear too nosy. In the end he decided to play it safe and he left Shigaraki undisturbed. This was a golden opportunity. With any luck he could have the whole league defeated in one fell swoop. He turned and faced Kurogiri who was busily polishing the gleaming bar surface.
'Uh, can you send me back to the slums please? A nice quiet place, if you don't mind.'
'Certainly.' Kurogiri said.
With a wave of his hand, Izuku felt the purple mist envelope him once more.
Meanwhile, Dr. Akatani was seated on a high stool in front of a microscope at his old Tartarus laboratory, puzzling over some of the tissue samples that he had extracted from the Nomu. He had originally planned on using his first couple of days at Tartarus to get all of his old equipment back up and running again, but to his delight everything was exactly as he had remembered it. According to his escort, once his program had been cancelled all those years ago rather than move his research apparatus into storage, the guards had merely sealed off that wing of the prison and left everything untouched.
And so with little else to do, he had immediately began pouring over his latest specimens. He wasn't sure what it was about the cold, damp, darkened stone of his Tartarus Lab, but he had always seemed to do his best work there. Even now, after being absent for over a decade, he was able to immediately pick up where he had left off. Maybe coming back to Musutafu was exactly what he needed.
'Excuse me, Dr. Akatani?'
Dr. Akatani jumped. Looking up from his microscope, he saw a uniformed guard standing beside him. He hadn't heard the man enter.
'It's after allowed hours. You'll need to accompany me to the exit now.'
'Eh? Is it closing time already?' Dr Akatani squinted across the room to the wall mounted clock. To his surprise it was past midnight. He had been so immersed in his work, that he had lost track of time.
'Afraid so doc.' said the guard, tucking his thumbs into his pistol belt, 'Whatever you're working on, it will have to wait until tomorrow.'
Dr. Akatani nodded before shutting off his microscope and stepping off his stool. He didn't bother trying to argue with the man. At Tartarus, the security protocols were sacrosanct. Walking out of the lab, he and the guard passed by a large glass holding cell. Inside it, the hero killer Stain sat cross legged. He seemed quite calm, even now.
I wonder how he will respond to the treatment? Dr. Akatani mused as he shut off the lights in his lab.
In his experience, even the most stoic of his subjects cracked under the strain of his mutagenetic serums. What was more interesting was how Stain's body would react. Experience told him that he would simply mutate and die on the operating table, but this time maybe things would be different. He wouldn't have to wait long to find out. The last remaining batch of his prized spider serum was arriving on Monday.
'So doc, if I may ask…All these medical experiments; you tryin' to cure cancer or somethin'?' asked the guard as they walked down the quiet hallway.
Dr. Akatani chuckled, 'Or something. Yes.'
