Disclaimer: I do not own anything to do with the My Hero Academia universe.
"Does everyone understand the plan?"
A chorus of 'Yes Sir' came out from amongst the officers gathered. Tsukauchi looked over to where Gran Torino was talking to Recovery Girl in low voices. It had been a very long time since the youthful heroine had gone out in the field, and even longer since it was against those as dangerous as the League of Villains.
Eyes darting around the room the detective found his own guest sitting on a chair comfortably briefcase in paw.
"We're already on our end," Tsukauchi said trying to give a reassuring smile to the high specs user. "Have you able to get in touch with Eraserhead?"
"Not yet," Nedzu replied gripping the handle tighter. "Knowing Aizawa's tenacity though he will most likely be joining us sometime tonight."
"But I'm about to place the call," the detective spoke calmly trying to keep his outward appearance as professional as possible so no one would see just how scared he really was. "The League members were meeting our unknown if Shigaraki or Kurogiri show up Eraserhead has the most experience against them."
"Don't worry detective," Nedzu said offering that serene smile of his. "I have a good feeling about tonight."
'At least one of us does was the only thing that went' Tsukauchi's thought excusing himself making his way over toward Gran who was now rubbing his head and mumbling something about stubborn women.
"You ready?"
Gran punched his fists together with a grim expression. "Born ready."
"Alright then," Tsukauchi said looking out at the room of officers. "Remember everyone that this is a observe only mission, nobody makes a move unless the panic word is said. Sansa, how are we looking?"
"Mics are all up and working and your GPS trackers are coming in green across the board." The cat-headed officer said from behind a table with numerous computers on it.
"Then I'm making the call, Operation Open Lines is a go," Tsukauchi said picking up the phone and dialling in the restaurant's number and putting the phone on speaker.
On the third ring, a woman picked up thanking the detective for calling and asking how she could help him.
"Yes, my name is Detective Naomasa Tsukauchi, I have a reservation tonight with some work colleges," he said wondering if the staff of the restaurant knew who they were going to be catering to tonight. "Unfortunately, we're still stuck at the office and might not be able to make it."
"That's alright sir we've been warned you might be running late," the woman on the other end replied professionally. "May I have your location, please be as specific as possible."
"Mustafu Police Station, tenth-floor east corner office."
"Please keep everyone away from the north-facing wall," the woman replied thanking him before hanging up.
All officers near said wall immediately scrambled away as all eyes turned at watched as a small purple warp gate started to open up slowly growing in size until stepped through. One was a rather tall woman with sharp features and light pink hair, the other more familiar person wore an annoyed look as he stepped through.
"Eraser," Gran huffed looking at the underground with an expression that was equal parts relieved and suspicious. "Thought you were going to miss the show."
Aizawa shrugged. "Had to chat with the owner about getting a seat at the table."
Gran nodded and took a step forward only to be stopped by Nedzu who looked at his employee suspiciously.
"During your third year who broke the window to my office?"
Aizawa looked thoughtful for a moment before replying. "Officially no one was blamed but everyone thought Mic did it. Truth is Midnight was showing off some new move with her whip and distracted the captain of the baseball team."
Nedzu's face shifted from suspicious to excited as he walked towards the portal. "I'll be sure to send him a bill then, with interest."
Everyone in the room shuddered at the tone feeling sorry for the poor man who would no doubt receive a rather large bill in the future. As soon as everyone walked through the portal the pink-haired woman turned towards them and gave a small bow.
"Please be assured that we have no interests in their lives tonight," she said eyes flashing a bright gold for a split second before she walked through the portal leaving the officers behind to pray for the safety of their comrades.
Nedzu felt like his fur had been hit with static electricity as he walked through the portal expecting to find a gilded room befitting of such a high-class restaurant like the Diamond Blossom. Instead, he and the others were met with a normal looking dining set placed in the center of an abandoned office building.
And sitting at in at one end of the table was a man in a geometrically patterned mask and top hat.
"This isn't the restaurant," Tsukauchi remarked checking his watch where his GPS was hidden only to find that it was dead. Pressing one finger to his earbud Naomasa heard static on the other end and came to the horrid realization that whatever the League had done to them when the stepped through the portal had completely cut them off from everyone who could help them.
Hands moving towards his belt where his gun was Tsukauchi drew his weapon and aimed it calmly at the magician. "Where are we?"
"Be at peace detective," the masked man said holding his hands up in surrender well everyone else held their breath. "You really didn't expect us to give you meet you in such a public place, did you?"
A new voice laughed from behind the group causing them to turn around and see Giran walking up to the table with the women. "You kidding they've been scoping out the place since you sent the invite Compress."
Aizawa immediately zeroed in on the magician's eyes narrowing at the man who had so easily taken two of his students.
"Yes, we do apologize if our little distraction cost you some business Giran," the magician spoke pulling out a chair for the information broker. "But grand venues like your restaurant our perfect for staging a show."
Giran snorted and plopped himself down on a chair. "I'll just add it to your tab."
"Guess this means no fancy food," Gran Torino commented bolding walking towards one of the chairs and sitting down looking at the empty plate in front of him. "You got any takiykoi? I'm starving."
The mist that made up Kurogiri's head whipped around in clear annoyance from where he was standing at Gran's question. Thankfully the pink-haired woman placed her hand on the warp gate user's arm distracting him with a question.
"Don't you and Tomura have somewhere you need to be?"
Yellow eyes turned and looked at the woman giving a subtle nod. "Yes, you are correct Himiko -"
Everyone looked at the woman, now identified as Himiko Toga.
"- I have placed your clothes in the closest washroom. Please call me when you are ready for a pick-up."
The woman gave a nod and hugged Kurogiri wishing him luck before walking away.
Kurogiri looked at the assorted heroes and police with narrowed yellow eyes before a gate opened up and he left without a word. Giran and Compress who had been watching with barely concealed snickers burst out laughing as soon as the gate closed.
Mr. Compress turned and looked at the formerly retired hero. "You really do make him mad, honestly I think this is the most I've laughed since …"
The laughter started dying out slowly and a much more sombre mood hit the table as Giran nodded pulling a flask from his coat and pouring a generous helping of amber liquid into his glass before passing it to the magician.
"I'm sure you're wondering why we called you for this little sit-down?" Giran stated taking a sip from the flask.
"Actually, we think we know why," Tsukauchi answered taking a seat with everyone else and pulling out a picture of Dabi from her attack on Endeavor. "This is about Dabi isn't it?"
Mr. Compress nodded and removed the lower part of his mask so that he could drink. "We've exhausted ourselves looking for her but Dabi has simply vanished."
"And how can we help you," Nedzu asked watching out of the corner of his eye as Recovery Girl slid the photo towards herself hissing in anger as she got her first real look at the flame users' scars. "To play the devil's advocate your searching for Dabi means that the League of Villains is to busy to commit any serious crimes against U.A. or any heroes. Right now, you're only going after other villains so why should we get involved?"
"Because it might not have been a villain that took her." Himiko's voice rang out causing everyone to look towards her. The knife users' normal uniform had been replaced with a completely black one, save for her a bright blue armband and ribbon that Giran had gotten her that matched the colour of Dabi's flames.
"You thinking what?" Gran said one eyebrow raised. "Some civilians got lucky against an A Ranked villain and didn't want to brag about. Get serious she probably ran away -"
"Dabi wouldn't leave," Himiko snarled at the formerly retired hero her body shaking with barely repressed rage. "She loves us … she wouldn't … she couldn't …"
Mr. Compress stood up and pulled out one of his marbles undoing the quirk and producing a large teddy bear and handing it to the schoolgirl along with a knife. "Go into one of the offices my dear and come back after you've calmed down."
Himiko growled but took the items running towards the closet office and slamming the door shut behind her. The magician turned towards the ageing hero and frowned deeply at him well Giran lit a cigarette looking equally annoyed.
"Before anyone gets pissy about us giving her a knife it's made of rubber, most dangerous thing for that bear right now is Blondie's hands," Giran spoke having noticed how tense everyone became when the blade was produced before looking at Gran Torino. "I can see why Kurogiri doesn't like you."
"My feelings are so hurt," Gran began ready to wash his hands of this whole situation when Recovery Girl's cane came down sharply on his head.
"Enough Torino," the nurse hissed limitless patience finally having run out. "Nedzu tell them."
The majority of the table looked confused.
"Tell us what?" Tsukauchi said fixing the principal with a dark stare.
Nedzu lifted his briefcase onto the table and opened it pulling out a few different folders from inside and sliding one over towards the detective. "To be perfectly honest I didn't give you the full report from Recovery Girl's findings on Dabi's apartment."
Tsukauchi grabbed the file opening it and starting to read, honestly, most of the medical terminology went above his head except for one thing.
"She's pregnant!"
Gran grabbed the file and started looking it over before his eyes snapped upwards at Recovery Girl who nodded grimly signalling that the paper was indeed correct.
Tsukauchi immediately pulled out his notepad and started jotting things down on it. This wasn't his first pregnant villain but he wouldn't say he had a lot of experience with this kind of situation either. Statistically female villains were more careful when it came to birth control, career criminals like Dabi especially.
However, her separation from the League was now starting to make sense to the detective.
"And what's more when we ran her DNA to try and figure out how far along, she was we got a few hits in our own database." Nedzu continued producing three more files each with a small picture in the corner. "More specifically they matched the DNA profiles for Todoroki Enji, Todoroki Shouto logically making Dabi as you know her former third-year U.A. student Tatsuo Todoroki."
Gran and Tsukauchi looked at the principal in shock and betrayal for having kept this from them well Mr. Compress took one look at Dabi's school picture and picked it up making his way to the office where Himiko was currently was.
"How could you keep this from us," Tsukauchi demanded to try to wrap his head around the fact that the number one hero's daughter was, in fact, one of Japan's biggest villains.
"It wasn't personal -"
"Feels that way to me Nedzu," Gran grumbled crossing his arms.
"Tatsuo is just a very delicate subject," Nedzu tried to explain noticing that neither of the villains so much as batted an eyelash at Dabi's identity, either they had already known or suspected. "If the wrong person heard about this that could put Dabi in even for danger."
"Danger from what, her father?" Gran growled slamming one hand on the table. "I know Endeavor is a grade-A asshole, the number of times I've wanted to kick his smug face alone but even he wouldn't hurt his own daughter."
"I think he already did," Aizawa said sliding over the medical file he had gotten from Giran's people from when he found Dabi towards Recovery Girl. "This file, Dabi's hatred for Endeavor, even fighting style makes me think Endeavor was up to something."
"This is …" Recovery Girl gasped. "My god how is she alive."
Giran poured another drink and slide it to the nurse. Having witnessed first hand each and every word in that file he knew that by the time she was done the woman would need it.
Nedzu looked at the pair in front of him seriously. "Endeavor is the least of our problems if they find out who Dabi is …"
Nedzu trailed off leaving the rest to their imaginations turning his attention back to Giran and Mr. Compress who was now joined by a cooing Himiko as she stared at Dabi's photo.
"Full cards on the table, what do you need?"
*Hawks Apartment*
Keigo groaned as he entered the apartment slowly kicking off his shoes as he stumbled around looking for the light switch. Another day of arresting terrified criminals looking to hide from the League and his feathers were depleted.
Hissing as the light stung his eyes Keigo barely heard more than a slight shuffle of clothing before four fingers closed around the back of his neck. Willing his body not to react Keigo turned his eyes meeting the red ones of Shigaraki as the taller man looked down at him with a blank expression.
"Hello Hawks," Shigaraki rasped fingers tightening slightly as he held the hero's life in his hand. "We need to talk."
~*~Notes~*~
Sorry this chapter took so long I hit a block for this story and a huge hit of inspiration for a new one. However with everything happening in the world I have a bittersweet relationship with my writing right now
I'm sure many of you who write have this feeling also, you love that I can write but hate that you can't work.
But moving along I had always planned on having Hawks and Tomura meet face to face ever since that scene with Miruko and Hawks so PLEASE let me know what you thought of it and the start to the sit down between everyone.
