Everything was decidedly not fine.
The moment the sun rose, a crushing weight greater than that of the whole sky seemed to crush down Izuku's chest. It set him bolting up from his resting position, clutching toward his heart that felt like it was being squeezed down by some looming mass of darkness. Bolts of violent electricity raced its way up his spine in an agonizing arching path that had him doubling over, trying to calm his breath and still his body from contorting in the pain driven path that the spikes of pure energy tried to set him in.
Minutes later as the pain began to subside and his teeth aches and creaked from how hard he'd been clenching them in order not to worry his mom with sounds, his blackened vision restored itself and the pain that had fogged his mind had cleared and Izuku was finally able to begin to process what that feeling could have meant. Something was happening today. Something big that signaled a soft of doom unlike anything Izuku had faced before. And he was the only one who knew.
And yet he didn't know. But he did have a guess. After all, villains don't pay casual visits to schools brimming with pro heros for no reason. With a deep breath, Izuku hauled himself out of his bed, setting aside his notebook. Pain stiffened his back as he took a few steps, lingering sparks of electric danger still bursting along his spine. The pressure stayed, draped across his back like a weighted blanket dragging him down, but it was something of a hint in the back of his mind compared to shrieking it had done before. It was enough to be sure, however, that the danger was yet to pass, and that he needed to know more than just that.
First step is doing reconnaissance. Izuku had long since explored the darker parts of Mustafasu, crept through the criminal underground and watched as villains mingled with informants under neon lights and petty crimes were arranged with deferent fear towards the heros that fought against the blackened underbelly of society.
So Izuku leaned down to pat a bristling Kohaku who had been startled by his near-seizure, whispered a quick goodbye, and took a second for phasing into his dark hoody. It was a lucky thing that his clothes stayed with him, because if he had to talk to anyone, being dressed as a middle schooler would be a really very terrible idea. He then peered out his window toward the just lightening sky, walked forward-and stepped through the wall of his top story room as he faded into the safety that being dead provided him.
He only had a few more hours left before school started, and he needed to learn as much as possible before then.
• • •
It took longer than Izuku would have liked to get to the crime streets. All the rails were still closed in the early morning and he'd been unable to find any ghosts with a speed quirk that were willing to either help him or move on. He couldn't waste any time, so instead of feeling things out, Izuku headed straight to the bar he knew to be shadiest in the area, one that happened to be where a lot of ghosts chose to spend their early morning hours.
Izuku phased through the door, unsurprised to find it was crowded even at 4 am, and glad to see that a lot of the bodies filling the room were as intangible as him, so he might not even need to reveal himself to get some information.
Unfortunately, it took a while before he actually found a ghost that new anything, the rest just staring at him, or walking away with shifty eyes as they wondered why a dead teenager wanted to ask them about villainous activities. The first person he found willing to talk was a tall violet haired woman, with dark blue eyes. She was leaning up against the other side of the bar, very clearly listening to the conversation of the people she stood by, and if any ghost knew the gossip, Izuku figured it would be her.
Normally, Izuku might choose to sidle up to her carefully, hinting at a desire to learn something, but he didn't really think he had time at the moment, so-well. Honesty was supposed to be the best policy, right?
"Ghost-san. I think something bad is going to happen at my school today, so can you please tell me anything you know about villain attacks on UA?"
Even though he had been talking quietly, it seemed like the whole room of ghosts stiffened and fell silent at the name. Of course, these were the slums, so it made since for them to be surprised to have a student from the top hero school visiting them, especially a dead one.
"Why the hell would you need to know that? Kid, I hate to tell you this if you hadn't noticed, but we're all ghosts. You ain't gonna be able to do anything."
"Ah, um, not really? I mean my quirk, which I could explain in more detail but I don't really have time because school starts soon-"
"Fuck kid, I guess you must have died in your sleep but you're a ghost like the rest of us so-" The ghost surrounding them-who didn't even try to hide that they were listening in-nodded solemly.
"Ah, no. It's fine. I've been dead for a few months now, committed, yada yada, so that's great, but I'd really like to keep my friends from dying too so please just tell me if you know anything about some sort of villain thing going down, large scale of course, with some chance of success or-"
The purple woman, pat him on the shoulder to gain his attention, but at his hopeful glance, she shook her head. "Sorry kiddo, but I've only heard the barest whispers of a gathering group of villains." Before he could let his disappointment grow, she continued. "If anyone knows anything, it's Giran. I heard him talking about some sort of League, but Giran's alive." She shook her head, curly purple hair moving around her in a dark halo. "You're unlikely to find any information timely, kid. No way to ask him questions, after all."
Izuku nodded, smiling wildly. A lead! "That's fine! I'll have no problem talking to him, do you know where he is?"
"You can still interact with the living?!" All the ghosts seemed to gasp and a ripple ran through them that likely raised the occult energy in the room as the alive shuddered and hunched in on themselves, some rubbing their hands together in the newfound cold or glancing around warily. The ghosts around him began bombarding him with questions and crowding around him, looming over in their adult height and dark clothes and death-worn features. He really didn't have time for this.
"Please!" He shouted, allowing the silence to die out. "If you want my help with something, you can find me at UA, but for now, the most important thing for me is keeping the alive alive, the dead can wait!" The spirits looked suitably shamed, giving him some space, though they were disappointed. Izuku did feel bad but he had people to save!
The purple ghost thought for a second, hand to her round chin. "Around the corner there's an apartment building called Shi Yubi . I think Giran lives on the second floor, though I couldn't tell you the number."
"That's fine!" Izuku bowed exuberant before turning and escaping past the crowd, no time to waste as he skidded outside and ran over to the building. He did know Giran actually, had followed him around once, curious about the man's shifty face and missing-toothed smile. He had lost interest fairly quickly when he saw the crimes the informant was involved in, but he supposed it had been useful after all. Izuku was able to make quick work of phasing through the different rooms, searching for the greasy grey head and darkened scent of cigarette smoke. He found it pretty quickly, the tobacco and nicotine stained walls of a dimly lit room.
Giran was slumped over a dirty couch, a few empty bottles of some liquor surrounding him, tipped over and glass shattered across the floor. Izuku checked his hood and pulled up a black face mask as he drew up his corporality. A few step forwards and a careful kick to the coffee table was enough to send Giran up and scrambling for his gun-which Izuku quickly made sure to pull toward himself. He clicked the safety on and pointed it toward the informant. He didn't really know how to use a gun, but Suke and Sansa had made sure he at least knew how to hold one carefully so that he could disarm someone without accidentally shooting himself or another person equally as unfortunate. Izuku just hoped he looked confident enough and that the sleazy man hadn't heard the quiet click.
Said sleaze blinked his eyes blurred as he cautiously settled into a seated position. "Well," he smiled widely, missing tooth a gaping hole. "I have to say this is a surprising way to wake up. He leaned forward toward the light, and Izuku made sure to twitch the gun visibly. The grin spread wider. "No light then?"
He didn't seem intimidated by the gun, and Izuku remembered how it could also be used as a lighter. Perhaps he didn't know that Izuku knew about the secondary trigger from that one day he had followed the man around-his mistake. Izuku flicked the safety telepathically and aimed it at the light shade, firing off a single shot. Maybe it was luck or maybe, if Izuku was delusional enough, skill, but the bullet shot straight through the lamp and as the gunshot reverberated through the room it melded with the sound of glass shattering into little fragments as the projectile slammed straight through the center.
Giran was visibly startled, clearly not expecting him to be able to actually shoot with the novelty lighter/gun, but he covered it up well, face falling back into his lax smirk.
"Well then," he held his hands up in a mock approximation of a surrender. "Guess I have no choice." He spread his hands out as if offering a banquet of goods. "What information do you need?"
Izuku focused on deepening his voice and making it raspier before he spoke. "Tell me about what the League plans to do with UA." No questions, no uncertainty, he couldn't allow that to be seen here, after all.
Kagero poked his tongue at the gap in his smile as he pondered over how to answer. He was the best informant out there, and he had never before shared confidential information between him and a client. An idea occurred to him, and he looked toward the tiny figure. How old could they possibly be? He didn't usually hurt children, but he could make exceptions for noisy brats trying to be heroes.
"C'mere, kiddo. I can't tell yah out loud-the walls have ears after all." The hooded person shifted, some startle evident as Kagero called them a kid. Hd was right then. Still, the small figure warily walked forward and dropped into a semi-crouch so he could listen to Kagero. Impressively enough, he managed to keep the gun well trained at Kagero, and didn't waver or hesitate as he pressed the barrel of the gun to his temple. Not impressive enough though.
As soon as he was close enough, Kagero struck up with his hands and lay them on the boys head. That should be enough to erase his memory of the last six minutes and leave him disoriented enough that Kagero would have the chance to take him out- and yet the boy hadn't reacted. He stayed close, gun pressed threateningly to Kagero's head, and eyes seeming to glow green in the dark shadows of his hoody. The boy didn't even react to Kagero's slap, steely eyes staring him down, as if knowing what he had tried to do and also knew he'd be impervious to it. But how? Very few people were able to get information on him, and certainly not little boys who tried to be vigilantes in the dark districts. The boy tilted his head to the side, neon eyes unfocused as he seemed to stare at something in the midst of Kagero's living room.
"Not appreciated, Osaki Kagero." That-that was even worse. How the hell did some random kid know his real name? And something about the way he said it made it feel that there was a weight down on him as shadows gathered in the corner of the room and writhed as they lengthened far darker than they should have been in the already dim room.
For perhaps the first time, Kagero felt frightened. It was irrational really. Perhaps the boys quirk?
He held his hands up placatingly, smiling fakely. "I don't know much. Just heard some word on the streets, help gather some recruits, I really wasn't in the know."
"I doubt that." Not easily fooled then. And he knew at least a little about Giran. But Kagero couldn't reveal what he knew. Not with the rumors about who was really behind the League. If it was truly just the inexperienced Shigarki with anger issues, he'd have come clean a while ago for the opportunity of a new loyal costumer. All For One was not to be trifled with. But this boy… the aura….
"Fine fine fine…" He grumbled, though the grin didn't slip. "They have plans to attack a class of first years, something against the idiot Symbol Of Peace." Of course he knew more than that, but death was sure to come if he said any more.
"The USJ then…" the boy mused. Which, well, shit. He shouldn't have been able to put that together if he really was just some random vigilante.
"Sure, wouldn't know." He looked at the child, gold tooth glinting. "About the payment-"
The boy snorted. "Your payment is not getting a bullet through your head, Giran-san."
And with just that mock respect left behind, the boy disappeared, leaving nothing but darkened shadows and the sound of a heavy gun clattering against the wooden floor.
Looked like Kagero was gonna have to pay a quick visit to the league
Izuku phased out of the apartment and headed straight toward the metro, but he barely had any time left. It probably wouldn't matter much what he wore to school, though he could already picture Iida's robot arms as he scolded Izuku for the complete failure to follow dress code.
At least it was lucky that the rail lines had started up because otherwise he would have had no chance to make it to the police station and still get to school.
He spent the transit tapping his foot anxiously as he thought about what he could say believably and how he could counter the villains. Probably nothing. He could get away with just telling them what was going on. Sansa knew him well enough, and it wasn't like Izuku had a ton of information, which would be extra suspicious. Actually, he didn't know anything about them, but he could tell that the informant wouldn't give him anymore. He had seen the way the man's ghost had shook his head when Izuku was about to press for more info. He didn't have time to waste, so he'd accepted the ghost's word and left.
As they approached central Mustufasu, Izuku peered out the train window, and stepped outside it when he recognized the police station. He imagined the surprise of people onboard the train, but they probably wouldn't remember the random boy who used his quirk illegally to jump off a moving train. Alternatively, they would panic and report a suicide, but that could wait for another time.
He ran to the police station and ran through the door immediately.
"Midoriya?" Sana'a asked, cat eyes blown wide, as he patted at the front of his uniform which was newly stained with still steaming coffee. "We haven't seen you since school started—what could you have possibly done so early—and aren't you supposed to be getting ready for school?"
"Sorry Sansa! No time for pleasantries there is going to be an attack on UA Class 1-A during their field trip today. I don't know exactly when or why or by who, but they go by the League or something similar and they are likely very dangerous! Thank you, please send police but don't alert anybody!"
Before the cat could even attempt at a response, the green-haired boy was ducking back out the door and disappeared from sight. Sansa turned to Suke in disbelief. "What the hell did Midoriya get himself into this time?"
"I'll make the calls." She responded blandly, not even willing to try and formulate a response.
• • •
Even with his rushing, Izuku didn't end up with time to go home, and Izuku found himself on an empty train to UA's area. It hadn't gone to any of the stops that picked people up yet. Sighing a few minutes though, it was bustling, and Izuku recognizes a lot of the usual faces he saw. Sure enough, the next stop was the one he usually got on, and Katsuki was scowling as he boarded, sending quick glances behind him, from deepening each time he saw nothing.
Looking forward, Izuku's friend noticed him, and the scowl just turned into a confused one.
"What the hell are you doing nerd? You look so fucking shady."
"Ah?" Izuku reaches up and realized he still had the hood and face mask on. Well, honestly better that way with the way he'd jumped off the other train, but it also might explain some of the odd looks he'd been getting. Katsuki stalked forward and crouched in front of him, roughly shoving the good back and pulling the mask down.
"Damn. You look like shit. Why aren't you in uniform?"
"I, uh—" Would Katsuki's reaction be anything resembling positive if Izuku told him he'd been skulking through the slums and had threatened death to get information out of a super shady informant? Most likely not. He changed the subject. "Kacchan, how about you don't go to school today?"
Bad Izuku! That was hardly changing the subject! And so suspicious!
"Hah?!" Katsuki asked, eyebrows furrowing angrily. "Why the hell would I skip?"
Izuku scrambled for a reason. "You didn't want to do rescue training?"
"The fuck? That just makes me seem like some sort of loser. Why the hell would I skip just because of rescue training?" He looked at Izuku suspiciously. "What are you going on about, Deku. What the hell are you hiding from me?"
"Nothing!" Izuku yelped, flustering his hands around. "I—Just!" He lowered his voice. "Please be careful, Kacchan."
"You'd better be careful yourself." Katsuki hissed. "Or I'll fucking kill you. Just because I agreed not to treat you as weak anymore doesn't mean you can just flip that treatment around on me."
"O-of course, Kacchan!" But the villains aren't gonna treat you as weak either. Of course I'm worried!
"Tch. Good." He eyes Izuku over as he shoved his way into the seat next to him. Glaring at a weedy teen who had been about to sit down. "You better change into the athletic uniform before school starts. I'm not gonna ask why the hell you thought you'd skip the uniform today, but Glasses will kill you if Aizawa doesn't. Even if he just accidentally decapitates you while he's swinging his arms around."
"Of course, Kacchan!" He paused. Trying to force his mind away from the danger so he didn't make Katsuki suspicious, he thought of something else. "What about my hero suit though? Is it almost ready?"
"Fuck no. Old hag and I have barely started, it took so fucking long for her to agree with me on the focus."
"Oh." Izuku pouted slightly. He really had wanted to see what they would come up with. Wait—"You're designing it too?"
"Don't be an idiot, Deku," Katsuki snorted. "As if the old hag has any idea what you'd like in your hero costume."
"That's so sweet of you Kacchan! Thank you!"
"Fuck off." He growled. "I'm just not letting you look like a fool. The fucking bunny All Might was already bad enough. You don't need to be more of an embarrassment than you already are."
"Of course Kacchan?" Izuku mumbled. The feeling of doom was back. Still light, but with tingles of bright electricity and a weight that pressed his shoulders down. And the feeling was building.
Izuku glanced out the window.
They were at UA
In case anyone was wondering, the apartment building, Shi Yubi, translates to Four Fingers, or (more purposely) Death Fingers. Manga readers will understand the humor there.