Author's Note: Thank you for the support! Going to be working some overtime for the next week so hopefully I can get a decent amount written.

Disclaimer: I don't own MHA or its characters. Original characters are mine but that's it. Story is rated for sensitive subject matter and content both mentioned and written. Includes but is not limited to child abuse, drugs, assault, rape, violence and more.

Chapter 67 - Fear and Mayhem

Dabi was leaning against the brick wall in an alley behind Giran's bar. He was supposed to be looming around inside and looking imposing so Giran's newer customers behaved. With some people in town for the next week, Dabi had to take the time to be available for Giran, which meant no date nights with Keigo. Sipping from the plastic cup before glancing down the alley, he winced at the strong wood hinted whiskey. Giran told him to take a break and slid the drink over, so Dabi went outside for some air. The night time didn't scare Dabi, just like bad guys, street thugs, guns or any sort of creeps that would make normal people walk faster. If anything he felt more at home, furthering his own opinion that he should be a vigilante or villain instead of a hero in the public eye.

His phone buzzed and Dabi thanked Uncle Soji yet again for the newer, impact resistant smartphone that Keigo, Jin and himself had been upgraded with that Christmas. It made Dabi feel better to know that his phone would be ok if he dropped it out here. Pulling the smooth device out and turned on the screen. A text message from Keigo and Uncle Soji? A small smile had just started on his face until he opened the one from Keigo first and read it

'Are you available to talk?'

His smile stopped because Keigo knew he was working. It seemed odd that he would ask that. He replied that depending how long he could talk now. Then Dabi opened Uncle Soji's message and swore.

'Keigo's birth parents are being released from jail in a few days. Keigo just found out so heads up, he might message you.'

Dabi messaged back a quick thanks before texting Keigo again.

'Whatever you need birdy. I can talk now.'

It was almost a full minute before Keigo called, Dabi picking up after another quick drink before the first ring was done. His voice was soft as he leaned back on the wall in the alley. "Hey Birdy, what's going on?" Keigo sounded distracted and not as hyper as he normally did. "Hey, just sitting at home while Jin is making dinner. I didn't mean to interrupt you." Dabi glanced towards the back door of the bar in case someone came out. "You are never an interruption, pretty bird." The flame user smirked as he heard a happy chirp escape Keigo's side of the phone. "So my birth parents are making a reappearance in my life. I'm not sure what to do. It scares me." The blonde spoke gently, trying to process his own words.

Dabi had little information about Sara and Obi Takami. Keigo had mentioned that they caused a brain injury to Azumi during a break in when Keigo waa six. They had gotten locked up for it, and what few memories he had of them were not pleasant. He knew Keigo didn't consider them family at all, that he still had scars from them both physical and emotional. There was a thought in his mind that he could ask Giran to look up information, but that made him realize they may have more history than himself in the street world. He spoke to fill the silence that was unusual for Keigo's phone calls.

"Are you scared they're going to try and be in your life?" It took a moment for Keigo to reply. "Yeah. I'm scared they're going to try and hurt my family. They did it before and I couldn't stop them." Dabi sipped his drink before replying. "That was over 12 years ago. You've been trained by the best and could handle both of your parents a dozen times over. Plus your dad is one of the best lawyers in this half of Japan. Don't forget thay law form brought the Commission to a screeching halt." Keigo laughed. "Such kind words from a vigilante." Dabi tsked before pushing away from the brick wall and tossed his empty plastic cup into a dumpster.

"Would it help if I came to see you as soon as I'm able to? Maybe a bit earlier than the week I should be working for Giran?" Keigo chuckled. "I don't want to get you in trouble, I know you need to work. I just need to get my thoughts in order." Dabi walked from the dumpsters to the back door of the bar. "It's alright to be scared, Kei. I'm no stranger to a bad past. The trick is to remember it is in the past and you are stronger now than you were then. You can protect your family better than before. If you let what happened get to you, you'll always be scared of it." There was silence before Keigo spoke with a smile in his tone, almost whispering. "Thanks Touya." He swallowed at that name. Only Keigo was allowed to call him that anymore and only in the most intimate of times.

"Anytime Keigo."

/

Obi and Sara Takami had been given a small 2 room fully furnished apartment in a halfway shelter for their probation and parole. Both would be going to group on the weekends and needed to find a job. While they had been locked up for over a decade, Obi was already planning new hits in the area, and Sara had gotten her hands on pills and fluid flush body cleanse drinks for her drug tests. They had served their time in two different prisons, but they truly loved each other, and were glad they could have a fresh start. Sara would try to get a job at a salon and Obi at a pawn shop to cover his planned thefts.

The two had a table full of take out and the tv playing the news so they could get used to what the world was like now. The downside to such a long time incarcerated meant the world stopped for them and kept going for everyone else. There were short term and long term goals to plan, and they would need to make sure their probation and parole officer was someone they could work with. Someone they could buy off to make things easier on themselves as Obi looked for streetwork for a thief. The two reformed criminals were eating when a news break came across the screen. Sara starred with her jaw dropped at the face of their grown up, blonde haired son.

"Hun, look!" Obi looked at the television and narrowed his eyes at the easygoing smile and relaxed posture. Hawks was grinning at rhs cameraman as the reporter tried to ask about the civilians Hawks had rescued. The winged hero, who was climbing the hero popularity charts, gave the credit to his sidekicks Echo and Kicker. He made a point to highlight their quirks, their hard work and how the job couldn't be done without them. The two could only stare at the hero who was a huge success, that they had given up and rejected as a son. When the news changed, Sara narrowed her eyes and stabbed at her food, silence hanging heavy in the room between them.

"You know, this makes things harder if he's going to be flying around as a hero while we're trying to get back on our feet." Sara spoke firmly to let Obi know she was serious about their plans and goals. Obi grunted as he ate, seemingly not as concerned as she was. "Obi! What are we going to do about this? I don't want to deal with that brat now that he's a high and mighty hero. God, that bitch who took him is probably rolling in the dough he has now." She grumbled as she ate her take out and eyed Obi. She couldn't understand why he wasn't more upset about this, but when Obi finished his food, he sent a few messages on his phone before standing up.

"I'm going out. I need supplies for a job and I want info on the kid, as much as I can. I know a guy who can get anything we need. I'll be back late." He seemed distracted as Sara shrugged off his hand on her shoulder, moody from lack of pills and still eating. When Obi left the small apartment to head down the road, he couldn't help but look around, mindful of patrolling heroes and cops. They may have been incarcerated for a long time, but info brokers and support brokers on the street still held the same stomping grounds with ways for anyone off the street to get to them for work. He looked for the street signs and found one nearby on a bar sign. Slipping inside, he could tell there were brokers and suppliers working in the booths along the back.

The bar wasn't anything special, typical bar with a mirror behind it, row of stools, booths along all the walls with dealers in the back booths seeing people come and go. A few tables with menus, chairs, a jukebox and speakers. A tv above the bar and on the opposite wall playing a replay of the news he had just seen in his own apartment. There were some rough people loitering around between the bar and booths. Muscle or errand boys for the brokers so they wouldn't need to leave on their own. Obi recoiled at the state of a tall dark haired guy with scars on the lower half of his face, under his eyes and on his arms. He was locked onto Obi and the newly released thief could smell soot and ash on this guy. His bright turquoise eyes seemed to glow in the dim light as the sutures holding his scarred and healthy skin together also gleamed.

One of the more reputable brokers that Obi recognized called for Dabi, and the young man glided past him to lean over and listen to Giran, his eyes still burning on Obi. Of course the guy worked for Giran, he was known for being one of the best. A different broker that Obi had more familiarity with became available to the left and Obi slipped into his booth. The heavy set man grinned with a row of gold capped pointed teeth. "Hey! Obi! Glad to see you're out finally! Are you going right back to work?" With a relaxed smile, Obi glanced towards the tall dark haired man and saw he was gone, feeling better about his position now as he looked to his old broker.

"Yeah. I need some supplies and information. Also if you have anything fun on you, it would make my wife happy." The broker grinned and patted his arm. "Sure, your credit's always been good with me. What kind of jobs you looking for?" Obi thought about that as a waiter showed up to take their order before Obi started into his wish list of supplies and drugs. The heavy set broker ordered more food before making notes, nodding to himself before looking up to the feather haired thief. "So the information you wanted?" Obi hesitated before speaking in a quiet tone.

"I need everything you can get me on the pro hero Hawks and Azumi Tayaka."

/

Sion stood on the playground watching her kids play with other children amidst the swings and playground equipment. She had been babysitting children for over half her life, and was aware they didn't always get along with each other and with children that weren't from her own daycare. There had been issues with Mila at this playground before, mostly due to her wings and eye markings which were part of her quirk. It surprised Sion how mean children were to each other over animal quirks compared to quirks that physically altered how they looked. It was as if animal quirks were worse, and it seemed odd since only 20% of the population didn't have a quirk to begin with. They were more likely to see a quirkless kid than one with an animal quirk, so the rarity should have made it easier to get along.

As with Keigo, Sion found herself watching Mila carefully for bullies and issues with other children. Right now, the little white haired blue eyed girl was running around with two little girls that seemed to love her blue and black wings which were flapping quickly behind her. The other children Sion was responsible for, a boy named Hasu and a girl named Chi, were playing on the swings, and the boys who had given Mila a hard time before were nowhere to be seen. Sion sat down to rest her achy feet and give the kids a few more minutes of play before she was going to have to walk them back the two blocks to her apartment so they could have a snack and wait for their families to pick them up.

Sion had just started to gather up the kids when a rumbling noise caused the ground to shake violently. Mila made a scared chirp as she gripped Sion's left hand, the other two being pulled close by Sion's right arm as she looked for the source of the shaking. Thick black drops of water began to drop onto the playground and civilians, causing parts of the equipment to start melting with an acidic hiss and forcing Sion to huddle the kids together. She looked around quickly before she ran to a small convenience store at the corner near the playground. People were screaming and running from what looked like a giant monster of a villain that was trashing a building he had tore into. The side exposed showing it was a financial center, and the larger than life bad guy was stuffing handfuls of cash and valuables into his pocket as he laughed.

The villain was almost five stories tall and had grey cracked skin all over his body. The black acidic sludge that had rained down had been spit he sprayed to tear open the side of the building so he could rob it. The convenience store where Sion was hiding was shaking as it was away from the acid, but across from the building being robbed, which meant every time he moved, they felt it. Once that building had been robbed, he crouched down to peer into the convenience store and grinned as he stood up to kick in the large window from the street. The civilians inside all started running out, Sion trying to hold onto the children and cover their faces from the sight of people being killed as they ran out into the street.

There was no order or reason to what was going on. Chaos had taken over and Sion was struggling to hold onto the kids and not be forced outside. This man seemed to only want to destroy things, kill people and steal anything he could while he was in the enlarged form. Sion was losing the battle to stay inside and was being shoved by the crowds out into the street. She needed to get the children to safety, and at this point, she didn't care about anyone else. The street was covered in the acid globs as she tried to get around to the side of the building into the alley. The debris and damage all around made the streets look completely different.

As the crowd shoved at them, Sion lost her grip on Hasu, and Mila whistled to try and get Sion's attention as she reached out to grab her friend. Sion pushed Mila and Chi against the alley wall telling them to stay put and she ran after Hasu who was trying to get back to Sion, crying. Mila looked around with wide eyes, hands gripping her red halter top shirt that was so ruffled with layers at the bottom like a dress and went past her blue shorts. This reminded her of the mall, the hurt people and screaming, the smells and smoke with the sound of bricks crumbling as the villain with blood shot eyes started destroying the open side of the building they were leaning on.

Chi cried and hugged herself, looking for Sion and her brother as Mila looked from injured person to injured person. She felt her heartbeat speed up and panic took over her instincts to the point that her wings flared out. A blast of wind filled the area quickly and fast as all the acidic goop was whisked away into the sky. A fast moving yellow and blue form slammed into the large destructive villain, a laugh filling the area. "Fear nor citizens! I am here!" Chi's fear turned to elation as she rab from the alley to stare at All Might as he fought the villain while saving people from falling debris.

Sion got back to the alley and saw Chi jumping around at the entrance alone, cheering on All Might. When she saw her brother, the little girl hugged Hasu and pointed to the hero as Sion looked around frantically.

"Chi, where's Mila!?"