Justice System
"Deku."
Izuku lifted his head, still hiccuping with sobs. Kacchan's whole body had gone tense. Firetrucks were screaming as they drove carefully closer, positioning themselves to most effectively fight the fires. Police were running toward them. A handful had already reached Aizawa and Ryukyu. The one who dropped to their knees next to the impaled dragon hero was screaming for a medic, hands stained with blood. Another was crouched next to Fumikage who was sitting up but could barely lift his raven-like head. Aizawa was stubbornly resisting a policewoman's attempts to get him to sit. He was moving toward them, woozy but determined.
But all of this was fuzzy - just background noise - Izuku's eyes were focused on the scene halfway down the street. Hawks, wings bright red and full of feathers - Hadn't they been bare before? - was being carefully lifted onto a stretcher. He wasn't moving. Then a man in a suit carefully approached Eri. Knelt down. Touched her. Her limbs dangled lifelessly as he stood with her in his arms.
"Where is he taking her?" Izuku demanded intently, panic clawing at his stomach.
"Midoriya." Aizawa's voice was intent but low. He was ten feet away and closing.
"Who is that?" Izuku demanded, voice high, loud. "What's he doing with Eri?"
"Don't break cover." Aizawa blocked his view, demanding his attention, but everything was spinning out of control.
"ERI!" he screamed. He would have begun to chase after the little girl, but Kacchan grabbed his bare arm, the sleeve torn away so long ago when Grim had been shot. Kacchan's palm was painfully hot with explosions on the verge of igniting.
"Sir!" the officer was there. Aizawa walked past Izuku and Kacchan, drawing the officer with him.
"Listen." Kacchan hissed, yanking him hard into a hold, mouth right against his ear. "Don't break cover unless UA staff is with you. Daisuke Soma. 1-C."
Izuku lost sight of Eri as the man disappeared into the crowd of first responders. He almost yanked Kacchan off his feet as he darted forward, his skin beginning to glow with the beginnings of his quirk. Kacchan yelled something, and then Eijiro, Tsu, and Ochaco were in front of him.
"We're going to get Eri," Kacchan promised fiercely, actually burning a handprint into his arm now. "Soma! Focus!"
"Soma?" Ochaco asked in confusion.
Izuku was hyperventilating. He couldn't understand what was going on. Grim - Overhaul - Eri!
A trio of officers approached fast, they had their hands on their guns.
"Young man. Identify yourself," one officer demanded.
…
Ochaco's eyes widened at the officer's tone. Instinctively, she shifted from trying to contain Deku - panicked, hyperventilating, battered - to a defensive stance, blocking the officer's approach. "This is…"
Bakugo elbowed her hard in the side. Hard enough to actually wind her. She gasped soundlessly as she staggered, trying to suck in air.
"Daisuke Soma," Bakugo announced loudly. "A General Studies student from 1-C. He was kidnapped."
The others shifted at the obvious lie, but how much of it was a lie? Had Deku really been kidnapped?! Why hadn't they been told?! Still, they knew better than to contradict Bakugo. They quickly schooled their expressions.
"Why were you engaged in fighting?" one of the officers demanded, glaring at Izuku. "You're not on the mission list."
Izuku blinked at them dumbly.
"We're taking you in for questioning for illegal quirk use and the death of Overhaul!" the third officer barked. "Surrender!"
Ochaco's mind whirled. What was going on? Except she knew, didn't she? Deku and Bakugo were involved in something dangerous. AGAIN! Leaving them in the dark. AGAIN! And Deku did NOT look okay.
Ochaco looked to Bakugo for a cue, finally sucking in a lungful of air, as the officer grabbed Deku - and not too gently, either - and put HANDCUFFS on him! Bakugo looked ready to explode, body coiled tight as a spring, but he held still. That alone made her reel in confusion. Bakugo HELD STILL as they cuffed Deku!
And, oh no. She didn't know what was happening, but Deku was beginning to resist. He made this heartbreaking whining sound of confusion and fear, pulling back. The metal cuffs cut into his skin, the metal straining and warping, but Bakugo was there, pressing hard against Deku's back, holding her friend's wrists from behind, keeping them together and the cuffs from snapping. Bakugo growled something in Deku's ear that she couldn't hear, but Deku's one strangely aqua eye did not calm even as he went still in Bakugo's hold.
The police tried to yank Deku forward before Bakugo got him truly calm. Without thinking, Eijiro and Ochaco blocked him, Eijiro even knocking away his arm.
"Our classmate is in a state of panic from the trauma ribbit," Tsu announced in her ever so rational voice. "Please give Hero Primus a moment to calm the victim."
The officers were tense, but they did wait.
It took almost a full two minutes, Ochaco and Eijiro standing rigidly in front of the equally tense officers, before they heard Deku's breathing slow, shuddering on a shaky sigh. The officers pulled Deku away from Bakugo, thanking him. Then they marched Deku toward a police van. They walked close on their heels as if pulled by a string. The van had six yakuza thugs already chained inside. Ochaco found herself breathing hard in panic as they pulled out a quirk suppressor collar.
They'd studied them in class, of course. It had wires hooked up to a machine sitting at the front of the van behind the driver. It was bulky and intimidating. The sounding needle on the inside at the back of the collar would puncture the skin to rest directly against the spinal bone. Unheard and unfelt until that moment, micro-vibrations set at a specific frequency prevented quirk activation.
As it snapped closed around Deku's throat, the teen gasped in pain. Ochaco jerked forward, but Tsu had a tight grip on her wrist. Bakugo let off a small explosion. All the officers whipped around to look at them, hands on their weapons, but the blond did nothing else threatening. He stood statue-still as Deku was shoved onto the last seat in the van.
In less than sixty seconds, Deku was strapped in like one of the criminals. Deku's uninjured eye was locked on Bakugo almost desperately, tears streaking his battered, dirty face. Bakugo held that gaze without flinching or blinking until the doors slammed shut.
"Good job today, heroes! Please report to Nighteye's agency to fill out your reports," one of the officers said cheerfully — As if they hadn't just chained and locked up their friend, their leader!
Ochaco managed to say something, what she didn't know, but it was enough. The officer left them. She stared helplessly as the van pulled away, siren blaring and the lights on top flashing. Nighteye came up then. He was limping, clothes torn, cuts and bruises littering his uncovered skin.
"Come. I'll drive you," he said lowly and limped quickly away.
Ochaco's fists clenched as she glared at Bakugo's tense back as they followed. She WOULD get answers.
…
Izuku was numb as he was hauled out of the van, a headache pounding behind his eyes with every beat of his heart. They were in a garage of some sort. He staggered, legs threatening to give out, but the officer roughly hauled him up on on his feet by his burned arm. His collar was connected to a transportable battery, and then they marched him through a pair of automatic doors.
It was like an airport security check. He walked into a full body scanner, and then he was led to a computer that took his fingerprints. It also required him to fill out identification reports. He put in the name Daisuke Soma and left everything else blank. Once that was done, he was deposited in front of a wall with blinding lights in front of him. His picture was taken. Then he was walking through halls he recognized as the police station. He was pushed into a windowless interrogation room.
"Sit," he was ordered roughly. "Hands on the table."
Izuku obeyed. His cuffed wrists were attached to a metal loop in front of him, not allowing him to move his hands from that location. The battery was placed on the corner of the table. Izuku stared at it. The smothering hum from the collar was unceasing. His skull felt like it was vibrating. He squinted against the pain and waited alone for the interrogator.
…
Nighteye took them to a meeting room on the second floor. Eijiro didn't know if it was a good sign or a bad sign when Togata joined them, a reassuring smile stretched across his face. The second the door shut behind them, before Nighteye was even halfway to a chair at the small round table, Ochaco demanded, "What's going on? Why'd you let Deku…?"
"Student Daisuke Soma is classified." Nighteye sat carefully in the seat and faced them across the table. None of them took the offered chairs across from them. They stood just inside the doors, staring at him. Sighing, Nighteye steepled his fingers in front of his face. "Rest assured UA is doing everything they can for him."
Eijiro turned to Katsuki. He didn't like the gleam in his friend's eyes. He looked half-crazed, barely locked down.
"But — !" Ochaco protested.
"Until the cops question us, we can't know shit," Katsuki snarled, hands crackling before he could clench them into fists. Through gritted teeth, he managed to say, "We might put Soma in a more difficult position if we say the wrong thing at the wrong time."
Eijiro, Ochaco, and Tsu stared at him.
"Don't worry!" Togata said sympathetically, his blue eyes shinning. "I know Soma doesn't have a license, but the fight was clearly a matter of self-defense." He sat and gestured at the chairs around him. "This was your first operation as official heroes, right? Let me help you fill out the reports. Some of the sections are tricky. They want you to answer them a certain way."
Eijiro was shocked when Katsuki actually stomped forward and sat heavily in a chair. It looked like it cost him dearly, but he didn't storm out screaming profanities. Eijiro quickly took the chair next to him.
"You will most likely be interviewed in addition to completing the standard mission reports due to Soma's unexpected involvement," Nighteye said tiredly, confirming Katsuki's theory. "Be prepared for that." He stood. "Excuse me. I have some things to attend to. I'll have a sidekick bring you some refreshments. The bathroom is down the hall."
Some of the tension left the room once Nighteye was gone, but most of it still remained. Ochaco was glaring at Katsuki as if the blond were guilty of something! Eijiro shot her a warning look before turning to his friend. "What can I do?" he asked quietly.
Katsuki's red eyes burned when he looked over at him. "If this doesn't work," he said lowly, barely above a whisper, but voice clear as a bell. "If Nezu fails. I'm going to break him out."
The utter certainty in those words was terrifying — It would mean giving up being a hero — It meant going against the law — It was impossible and terrifying! — And Eijiro felt himself want to flinch away. But he'd made a vow, hasn't he?! He'd sworn to himself! Sworn to protect Katsuki! They'd fought side-by-side - faced villains - trained together. He knew him! If Katsuki was going this far, then Izuku was in trouble. Big trouble! And Eijiro wasn't going to turn his back on his friends. Never again! If Katsuki could make that sacrifice — If he deemed it worthy — Eijiro wasn't going to be a coward! He wasn't going to stand frozen! Straightening his spine, he looked back into his friend's hard stare.
"Count me in," he said seriously.
Katsuki's eyes narrowed. Do you know what you're saying?
Yes, Eijiro answered silently by lifting his chin.
"Me, too," Ochaco said just as firmly, and the hard look on her face said she knew exactly what she was offering.
"Yeah, alright," Katsuki said thickly, voice low. He looked away, but not before Eijiro caught the sheen of naked gratitude in his eyes.
Eijiro knew in that moment that whatever came after, whatever sacrifice he'd have to make, this was the right choice.
…
The officer that entered the interrogation room was tall with a head of thick grey hair and bright blue eyes. He wore a suit, indicating he was a detective or higher, and had a manilla folder that he tossed onto the table. The sound felt like a hammer to the forehead and Izuku cringed.
With a cruel smile, the detective dragged the chair back loudly against the floor. Izuku closed his eyes tight against the pain, biting back a whimper. "Let's start with the easy stuff," the man said sternly, flipping open the folder and clicking a pen. "Besides your name, you left your identification paper blank. Is there a reason for that?"
Izuku stared at him, heart in his throat.
Eyes narrowed suspiciously, the detective drawled, "Care to tell me your age? Your address? Parents? Quirk?"
"I live at UA," Izuku answered quietly and nothing else. There hadn't been time for Kacchan or Aizawa to give him the details of his cover, so he didn't know what to say!
The detective was not happy with his weak answer. "What were you doing in that underground facility?"
Sweat beaded at his hair line and rolled down his neck. The hum from the collar scraped like nails down a chalkboard, setting his teeth on edge. "I woke up there," Izuku answered vaguely.
"That isn't an answer," the detective's growled, but when Izuku remained silent, he sighed. "Fine." He tapped his pen loudly on the table, each tap sending a spike of pain through Izuku's temples. "What happened once you woke up?"
"My hands and feet were bound." Izuku kept his eyes down, his face partially shielded by his long, tangled black hair. "I got my feet free and found the door. It wasn't locked, so I went into the hallway. I heard crying, so I went to see who it was. There was this room behind the one I was in, but before I could go in, two guys in masks came out. The taller one kicked me in the face. He dragged me back to the room I woke up in." Izuku felt his throat close, unable to force himself to say what happened after that.
"Can you describe these two?" the detective asked, expression stern.
Izuku did.
"Did they say anything to you? Did they say why you were there?"
Izuku avoided the detective eyes. "Just mean things. Like calling me bitch and stuff. They didn't say why I was there."
The detective glared. "Is that so?"
Izuku looked down at his hands, helplessly.
"What happened after that?"
"I passed out," he answered quietly. "I woke up. I was worried about whoever was crying, so I went into the hallway again."
"The door wasn't locked?" the detective demanded, disbelieving. "They just let you walk around."
"My hands were still tied," Izuku offered weakly.
"Uh huh." The detective waved his hand in an impatient gesture. "Then what?"
"I went back to the room those guys came out of. It was dark. There were all these unopened boxes of toys. And a bed. A little girl was sitting on it. She looked really scared. She said her name was Eri. That she was cursed and Overhaul was hurting her to cure her. She was scared of him. She said she couldn't leave or Overhaul would hurt people and it would be her fault." Lifting his head, his voice grew stronger as he asked, "Is she okay? Where'd they take her?"
"You haven't earned the right to ask questions," the detective told him coldly.
Izuku slumped, defeated. "I don't know how long we were there. We fell asleep and woke up again. Then there was the sound of explosions. Overhaul came. Said we were leaving. There was this big fight. I tried to get Eri to safety."
"Uh huh." It was clear the detective didn't believe him. "But you weren't with the girl at the end, were you? You were with Overhaul. And if you could just come and go out of those rooms any time you pleased, why didn't you take her and try to escape?"
Izuku's eyes went wide. "I couldn't! I didn't know my way around, and if we got caught, I didn't want them to hurt her!"
"If you care so much, then why weren't you with her at the end?" the man snapped.
"I ran into Hawks and Nighteye," Izuku told him tearfully. "They took Eri. I knew she'd be safe with them."
"And you did what after giving her to the heroes?" he demanded angrily.
Izuku was having a hard time catching his breath. "I went back to see if I could help anyone else!"
The detective stared at him hard. "A Gen Ed student. Unqualified. Unlicensed. You ran back. To see if you could help."
Izuku looked away and said nothing.
"Why don't you tell me who you really are?" the detective asked lowly. "Last chance, kid. After this, there's nothing I can do for you."
Izuku's head pounded. His wrists hurt. He was tired, thirsty. He said nothing.
"You're only making yourself look guiltier by keeping silent," the man warned. "You killed a villain today."
Izuku stared down at the table, his mouth pressed tightly shut.
"You think that collar's bad now, imagine having it around your neck for five years. In a small cell. Nothing but the hum." The detective leaned toward him, eyes glittering with malice. "Eventually you'll start screaming, just to drown it out, and you won't stop. You really want to risk that? Risk being labeled a villain? To be stuck in that collar?"
Izuku closed his eyes tight. The collar seemed to tighten around his throat. Don't break cover, Aizawa had said. This is only temporary. We'll get you out, Kacchan's voice promised.
BANG! The detective slammed his hand onto the table as he got to his feet, his face right in Izuku's. "Tell me the truth! You killed Overhaul so he couldn't expose you! Isn't that right? You helped manufacture that drug, weren't you!"
"No!" Izuku denied frantically.
"Last chance, kid! Once I walk out that door, you're going to be locked up for MURDER!"
Desperate, Izuku screamed, "I'm Daisuke Soma! Please! Call UA! They'll tell you! They'll tell you!"
With a disgusted look, the detective scooped up his folder. "Have it your way." He flung open the door and coldly ordered, "Take him to holding."
As he stormed out, two muscled policemen in uniforms came in. They carried chains. Unhooking Izuku's cuffs from the loop on the table, they clicked the end of a heavy chain to the chain connecting his wrists. One of the officers painfully jerked Izuku to his feet, the chair skittering loudly back, while the other crouched to cuff Izuku's ankles. The end of the chain that dangled from between his wrists was hooked to the chain coming up from his ankles, preventing him from lifting his arms above his waist.
Izuku shook in fear, tears running fast down his face, his breaths coming fast. His arm was grabbed, and they marched him down the hallway, through the precinct, to the holding cells. There was only about a foot of chain between the cuffs, cutting his stride in half. Every step jangled loudly, the metallic sound cutting into his brain until Izuku tasted blood.
The cell was tiny - five feet by six feet. Only big enough for a tiny metal toilet coming off the wall and a bulky metal chair next to it that was bolted to the floor. They pulled the metal door open and held him in the doorway. If Izuku could have grabbed the doorframe to keep from being shoved in, he would have.
"Every four hours, we'll let you up to use the toilet," the officer explained impatiently. "If you can't hold it, you'll sit in your piss and shit until tomorrow when we come take you to the shower. Do you understand?"
"Y-yes," Izuku wheezed, chest constricted with panic.
Cold eyes stared at him. "Do you need to use it now?"
Izuku shook his head fast. His eyes vibrated in their sockets, the hum of the collar burning deep in his brain.
With a rough shove, he fell onto the chair. The cuffs at his ankles were attached to the chair legs. His wrist cuffs were attached to a loop at the edge of the seat between his knees. The battery was set on the floor. Then the plain metal door was slammed shut. It sounded so… final. He was shut in, the cold metal surface less than a foot from this face. Like he was in a coffin. Izuku screamed, terrified. The noise sliced through his brain like a rusty, serrated blade. He blacked out.
…
Katsuki was almost done with the reports and statements when Bubble Girl ran in with their cell phones. Personal phones were forbidden on patrols or missions. If they were broken or taken, it would reveal too much information about them, so they were always locked up while they were on duty.
"Read your texts," Bubble Girl said before rushing back out again.
The media is outside, a text from Nezu stated. Make sure UA is put in a good light.
An additional text to Katsuki read, I need more political capital.
"I need to wash my face and hands," Kirishima said anxiously, looking at the soot that blackened his skin.
"No," Katsuki snapped, voice hard. He stared into each of their eyes intently. "We need to look like we've been through a battle, but we need to stand strong. UA's gotten bad press. We need the public to be impressed with UA again."
The four nodded firmly, expressions showing they understood how important it was.
Mirio led the way out to the front of Nighteye's agency. The police chief and Nighteye - who was dressed in a clean suit - were already on the steps, describing the raid and the charges against the Shie Hassaikai. Mirio stopped in Nighteye's shadow, but Katsuki planted himself to the side, only slightly behind the hero. Kirishima, Cheeks, and Froggy lined up next to him.
"Are these the sidekicks who defeated Overhaul in the end?" a reporter yelled, cutting off Nighteye.
"Yes," Nighteye answered, pushing his glasses higher up his nose. "The heroes and officers assigned to the mission cleared the way while Lemillion stalled Overhaul long enough for us to get there. These sidekicks engaged Overhaul in battle and defeated him."
"Are you UA students?"
"We are," Cheeks answered with a bright smile. "We're from class 1-A."
"Do you think it's because of your lack of experience that there was so much collateral damage?"
"It was not a lack of experience but the singularity of Overhaul's quirk that resulted in the damage," Froggy answered logically. "Overhaul was able to heal and evade attack while simultaneously attacking the environment and reshaping it to his will. This led to structural damage that was unavoidable."
"The illegal tunnels that the Shei Hassaikai built under the streets were there long before the raid began," Cheeks agreed, expression becoming more serious. "We did our best to support the structure, but at the place where Overhaul made his last stand, there was nothing anyone could do but try to contain the damage as much as possible."
"We made sure to contain the damage to that single point. If we hadn't, it's possible the entire street would have collapsed," Kirishima agreed.
"It was a very difficult battle," Froggy said, tilting her head and touching her finger to the corner of her mouth cutely. "It is due only to the exceptional training at UA and our mentors that the fight ended as quickly as it did."
"Heroes were critically injured and officers died!" Another shouted at Nighteye. "Don't you feel these students are too young to be included on such dangerous missions?"
Katsuki took a hard step forward. "UA is teaching us how to stand up against evil and win," he said sharply, voice ringing with conviction, eyes bright. "And today we proved their method works! Today, we won against a very dangerous villain! And we're going to keep on winning!" he vowed. Thrusting his fist into the air, he cried, "We're class 1-A!"
As if they planned it, Cheeks, Froggy, and Kirishima flung their hands up in unison and yelled out, "PLUS ULTRA!"
A flood of flashes went off, the lights blinding, but Katsuki kept his eyes open and bared his teeth in a battle grin.
…
Nezu walked in to the dimly lit office with a cheerful smile on his furry face. There were thirteen commissioners on the Board that ran the Commission. All were powerful in different ways, but this particular one was the most influential. Humanoid with a lion's head and mane, his golden eyes glinted in the low light of the room.
"Principal Nezu," the rumbling voice growled. "I would say this is a surprise, but considering events…"
Nezu chirped, not at all intimidate by the threat in the man's voice. After all, Nezu came to use that power, so why would he fear it. "Would you care to pour some tea?" he asked, climbing agilely into the seat before the massive desk.
"I would care to hear what you think to bargain with," the man rumbled.
Nezu feigned disappointment. "This concerns All Might's power and national security. What you are about to be told will be vital in this upcoming war. Thus, I will insist, if you agree to hear it, for the information to be quirk-sealed in your mind."
"Quirk sealed." The commissioner leaned forward. "What would that entail?"
Nezu smiled. "Oh. Nothing too invasive. You will merely be unable to communicate what you learn in any way, including speaking, writing, gesturing, and so on." At the commissioner's unhappy rumble, Nezu assured him, "But you would still possess this knowledge and be able to make decisions based on it."
Gold eyes stared at him unblinking.
Nezu folded his paws in his lap and tilted his head. "I promise, Commissioner Raion." His smile became more a fierce baring of his teeth. "This information will change everything."
The commissioner sat straighter. "Very well. I agree to your terms, Nezu."
The petite woman who had come in with Nezu stepped slightly forward. "I know a secret about All Might's quirk…" she began, voice resonating with quirk-fueled power.
…
Izuku sat in a field of trembling spider lilies. Arms wrapped around him, but he jerked free, unable to stand being restrained. He stood panting. Blackness around and above him, and spider lilies stretching on forever. Suddenly he turned, burning with defiant anger!
"I had to do it!" he yelled.
Daisuke stood silently, white hair curtaining his face.
"I had to!" Izuku screamed. "Who knows how long it would have taken the heroes to move in on Overhaul if Grim hadn't intervened! And Kacchan would have died! And Eri would have been stuck there even longer, suffering unbearable pain! She was being torn apart over and over again! I had to do something, Daisuke! And who knows how many people Overhaul would have killed in that fight if Grim hadn't shown up! If I hadn't gone to him, he would never have been there! If I didn't tell him about Eri, he would have no reason to turn against Overhaul! I did the right thing! I did! I don't regret it!"
"Then be strong, Izuku." Daisuke lifted his chin enough that one pale green eye stared out at him. "Be strong knowing you made the right choice. Don't let this break you."
Izuku's anger washed out of him as quickly as it came, leaving him feeling empty.
"You carry us with you. All of us."
Nana appeared, striding forward with a smile, cape snapping behind her. She pushed off the ground, then twisted so her feet were behind her and pushed off again, soaring above them with a heroic smile. She was a natural in the air!
Daigoro strode onto the scene, black whip cracking around him in complex patterns. He tagged Nana with an ink black tip as she flew above them, making her laugh.
A short man with dark hair and a high collar walked up quietly.
All Might's silhouette appeared in a burst of warm, yellow flames.
The two indistinct shadows that always seemed far away were still there in the background, supporting him.
And Daisuke, standing at the head of them all, standing strong and alive before Izuku, reached his hand out to Izuku. "We believe in you, Izuku. I believe in you."
A wave of warmth surrounded him, and Izuku collapsed to his knees. Tearfully, he smiled up at all of them. "Thank you so much."
Daisuke crouched, offering Izuku a gentle smile. "It's okay, little brother. You're safe now."
Izuku forced himself to calm down and wipe his face. He was sick of crying. "So… What's it called?"
Daisuke sat next to him, and they watched as Nana performed amazing stunts above them. "It was called Float, but when she took on One For All, it got a bit of an upgrade. She called it Air Walk after that. It allows you to solidify air under your feet. As you can see, paired with super strength, it can make you almost fly."
"She was All Might's mentor?" Izuku asked softly.
"Yes." Daisuke answered just as quietly. "She died fighting All For One right after giving Toshinori some of her hair."
Izuku took a deep breath. He pushed past the wave of sorrow that rose up in him and decided to focus on the quirk. There wasn't anything he could do about the past, no matter how much he wished he could change it for his mentor.
"If you don't have your angles right, that could go very wrong."
Vivid memories of Kacchan crashing into walls as he tried to figure out how to use his explosions to fly passed between them. Daisuke laughed. "At least he will be able to help you since he's already figured it out."
Izuku groaned. "He's going to laugh at me for my crash landings, like I did to him when he was learning to fly, isn't he?"
"Absolutely," Daisuke agreed.
Izuku smiled at that.
A ripple ran through the field of flowers.
Daisuke gave him a small smile. "Time to go." He reached over and placed his hand on Izuku's shoulder. "Be strong, Izuku."
Izuku felt as if he were falling and yet being pulled up at the same time.
"You can't lock a minor child up like some super villain!" a sharp female voice snapped. "Did you even give him a physical to check for wounds he may have sustained in the battle? Who knows how long he's been unconscious! He could have a brain injury! I'll have you up on charges for this!"
Izuku cracked open painfully vibrating eyes. An officer was kneeling in front of his chair, quickly unlocking the chains around him. Groaning, Izuku tilted his head back and saw a woman with blue-black hair pulled up into a high bun, dark-rimmed glasses, gold earrings, and a navy blue suit. Her eyes, a soft lavender, crinkled with genuine concern.
"Soma, are you okay? Do you feel any pain?"
Izuku had no idea who she was, but her kindness made tears sting his eyes. "Th-thirsty," he croaked.
The woman whipped around in fury. "You've left him here dehydrated and injured? This is neglect!"
The detective who'd interrogated him stood just outside the doorway. He had his arms crossed and a fierce glare on his face.
"Bring water and food to the interrogation room where I'll be meeting with my client! And bring a medic to assess his injuries!"
The detective gave Izuku a look that could kill before storming away. The officer unlocked the last chain and carefully helped Izuku stand. The ankle cuffs had been removed, so thankfully he could take normal strides as he was led back through the hallways. The woman marched at his side, the click of her heels commanding. Officers practically dove out of her way.
He was taken back to an interrogation room. The officer quickly left once he set the battery on the table. Izuku's hands weren't locked to the table this time, although the handcuffs and collar stayed on. There was a glass of water and a sandwich. Izuku fell on them desperately. The woman talked at him, telling him his rights and promising he wouldn't be kept in such conditions again.
"Here." She held his eyes intently once he was done inhaling the food. "Your mother wants to speak to you."
Izuku's heart leapt into his throat. He took the offered cellphone, both hands lifting to hold it to his ear. "Mom?" he whispered, voice quavering.
"No." Dark and smooth, Grim's voice practically purred from the small speaker. "I apologize Tsuki."
Izuku swallowed hard, his hand tightening around the phone.
"Do you want me to get you out?" Grim asked seriously. "I doubt being arrested was part of your plan."
"No. Don't worry. It's just a misunderstanding. I'll be home soon." UA wouldn't let him stay locked up, and if they couldn't get him out, the Institute certainly would. That made him think. If the Institute got to him first, then he could help Grim win back his daughter. "Actually, tell me about your rosebush."
Grim was silent.
"The one the neighbor stole," Izuku insisted, trying to sound as casual as he could. "When I get home, I'm going to try to get it back for you."
When Grim spoke, his voice was soft, as if confessing some deep secret. "Her name is Hana. She has large golden eyes and black hair. She'd be eight. Nine come New Years Eve. But I want you safe, too, Tsuki. Don't do anything reckless."
"I'll be careful," Izuku promised.
The door banged open. "Give me the phone," the detective barked furiously.
The woman calmly held out her hand and Izuku gave her the cell, his uninjured eye going wide. She held it up to her ear. "I understand, Mrs. Soma. I'll take good care of your son." She hung up.
"I'll arrest you for obstruction of justice!" the detective bellowed, red in the face.
"That won't be necessary."
Izuku tensed as a man in a crisp black suit and dark sunglasses suddenly appeared behind the irate detective.
"Daisuke Soma has been ordered into our custody," the man said firmly and handed the detective a folded paper.
The detective snatched it and opened it. His eyes went wide at whatever he saw there.
"And who are you?" the woman demanded. "As Soma's lawyer, I have a legal right to know by whom and to where my client is being taken."
"Confidential, ma'am," the agent answered politely but firmly.
"It's okay," Izuku said, flashing the lawyer a brave smile. Whether the agent was sent by UA or the Institute, it didn't matter. There was nothing the woman could do for him now.
Getting up, he walked calmly up to the agent. He didn't protest when his arm was grabbed with one large hand and the battery was grabbed with the other. The detective said nothing as Izuku was led past him. A woman in a matching black suit stood waiting just outside. She didn't have sunglasses. Her eyes were like black marbles in her face; the whites, the irises, the pupils, everything was black. It was startling. She took his other arm as Izuku walked up to her.
He was led out of the building via a side exit to an enclosed parking garage. A black SUV was pulled right up to the doors. The man opened the back door and the woman climbed in, pulling Izuku in after her. The man reached over and set the battery on the floor between them before closing the door and climbing into the passenger seat.
As they pulled away, the woman bent down and unhooked the wires from the battery. Izuku gasped, hit with a dizzy spell, as the buzzing finally stopped. He was barely aware of the collar being unlocked and finally removed from his throat. Floating, light-headed, he slumped in the seat and stared at nothing, eyes glassy and dazed. Izuku drifted.
Izuku came back to himself with a start as the car came to a stop and turned off. Nerves kicked in. The woman stared at him with her black eyes, her expression completely blank. Izuku's door was opened. They were in an enclosed parking garage. He'd yet to see the sky and had no idea what time it was. The agent in sunglasses grabbed his arm and pulled him out. Izuku's hands were still cuffed. He was led to a steel door. It popped open when they approached it, and they walked into an emergency exit stairwell.
"Where are we?" Izuku asked, unable to stop himself.
The agent didn't answer, just pulled up along as they began to climb the stairs.
Izuku began to shake with adrenaline. He was exhausted, hungry, filthy. He still wore the torn hoodie and pants from when he was kidnapped from Grim. It was stiff and irritated his skin from being washed with hand-soap. Grim and dust from the fight felt caked onto his skin. His long hair was matted and oily, lankly falling around his face. He had no idea how many days it's been. It felt like weeks, but that couldn't be right.
None of this made sense. Whoever had gotten him out of jail had taken his collar off, but was trying to keep his presence a secret? He didn't think UA or the Institute would do that. Grim? But Grim's lawyer hadn't seemed to know who the agents were. Maybe she was just that good an actor?
After fifteen flights, Izuku's thighs burned and he was leaning more heavily on the agent. His breath came fast, his heart galloping in his chest. The agent opened a door and they stepped out into the middle of a hallway. The agent moved him quickly down it to a very heavy-looking door. He rapped his knuckles once against the surface and stepped inside, pulling Izuku with him, and quickly shutting the door behind them.
The room was dark. The only light in the room came from four lamps with low bulbs set in the the corners of the room. It wasn't so dark Izuku couldn't see, but everything was shadowed. In the middle of the room, he could see the outline of a large desk with two padded armchairs set before it. A man sat at the desk facing the door. His features were in shadow, but Izuku could make out the clear silhouette of what seemed to be a lion's mane. Golden eyes blinked slowly, seeming to glow in the gloom, definitely cat-like.
"Thank you, agent. Please stand guard outside." The man spoke in a deep voice, authority ringing in his tone.
The agent left as quickly as he'd come, the door shutting firmly behind him.
Izuku stood trembling, but he refused to lower his eyes.
Suddenly a small head popped into view from one of the chairs in front of the desk. The white fur seemed to glow in the low light. A small, mousy smile greeted him. Izuku's legs almost gave out in relief.
"Come sit down, dear boy," Nezu invited. "You look about done in."
Izuku staggered forward and practically fell into the empty chair. "P-principal…" he gasped, tears burning his eyes. Was this almost over, then?
"Midoriya," Nezu said gently, holding Izuku's exhausted eyes. "We will return to the school as soon as we finish, but first you must give your report of the mission. Leave nothing out. Commissioner Raion has been quirk-sworn to secrecy. He will be our contact with the Commission from this point forward."
Izuku studied the principal's expression. Nezu really wanted him to tell the whole truth? To the Commission?
"All Might gave his permission for me to explain everything," the little mouse-creature confirmed.
Izuku felt shock reverberate through him as his head whipped around to stare at the man watching them with unblinking, predatory eyes.
"Your report, Midoriya," the commissioner growled. "Leave nothing out."
Izuku looked back to the principal and got a firm nod. Sitting straighter, heart thudding his his throat, he asked, "How far back…?"
"Start with your visions," Nezu said gently.
So Izuku began to describe what he'd seen. He was too exhausted to feel much of anything as he began to tell his story, but as numb as he felt, his brain was still working quickly. As he came to the end of the visions, he stuck to the story Kacchan had told Nighteye. Izuku trusted Nezu with his own secrets, but he trusted no one with Kacchan.
"I was in a panic. I bolted. It took a while to calm down. I found myself in a park. Primus found me. He tried to talk me around, but I ran." Izuku glanced at Nezu to see if he'd be called on this lie. Nezu stared calmly back and didn't correct him, thank god. "I knew if I came in, they wouldn't let me help, and I saw how badly that would go. I called UA from a payphone. I told Principal Nezu what I was going to do. I changed my eyes and hair, and when night fell, I made my way to a bar I knew was connected to Grim."
"Which bar?" the man growled.
"I can't reveal that at this time," Izuku said firmly. He definitely didn't trust the Commission with information about Grim. "It's highly possible I'll need to use Grim as a contact in the future, and he'll never trust me again if I expose him."
The commissioner's eyes narrowed, the pupils dilating. "You are playing a very dangerous game, Izuku Midoriya," the man warned him.
Izuku lowered his head, his his still handcuffed hands clenched into fists in his lap.
"Continue."
Izuku told them what happened with Grim. The only thing Izuku left out was Grim's daughter. The Institute was technically a government department. He couldn't risk the Commission holding Grim's daughter hostage or using her as some kind of leverage.
When he got to the point where he was kidnapped, Izuku had to take a deep breath. His voice was hoarse and scratchy at this point. He was no longer able to sit straight and more slumped in his seat. Through numb lips, he reported the events that happened inside Overhaul's compound honestly. The only thing he left out was when he'd peed himself to free his feet and when he'd been pissed on. The Commission didn't need to know about that. No one needed to know about that.
He looked to Nezu again for confirmation when he got to the part when the real fight had started. Nezu nodded. It felt like a betrayal, but he trusted Nezu to know what he was doing. Softly, in barely a whisper, he described the fight and how a new quirk stored in One For All had opened to him.
"So you did not kill Overhaul?" the commissioner demanded.
"It was Grim," Izuku admitted.
There was no point hiding it. He doubted the government was completely unaware of Grim's quirk, and Grim said the yakuza would know the signs it was him. An autopsy would likely reveal the same to the government. And, strangely enough, he knew without a doubt Grim would not want Izuku to claim to be the killer if that would put Izuku in trouble.
"That is an amazing tale," the commissioner said once Izuku fell silent. "And very concerning considering the extraordinary power you possess and your constant circumvention of the law. You, Izuku Midoriya, act more like a vigilante than a hero."
Izuku stared blankly at him. He knew he should be upset at the accusation, terrified even, but he had nothing left to give. He felt empty.
The commissioner leaned back, his fingers drumming lightly on the desk. "But I agree with Nezu that there are other things to consider. We have All For One's League involved in this mess somehow, and by your account, the yakuza likely possess now possess at the minimum four quirk-destroying bullets."
Izuku looked to Nezu.
The principal gave a nod to confirm the statement. "Eraserhead was only able to recover one box when he examined Chisaki's body. It contained four antidote bullets, but the box with the quirk-destroying bullets was missing. From your accounting, it sounds like Grim took them."
Izuku felt suddenly heavy, as if gravity had doubled.
Nezu smiled reassuringly. "Do not despair, young hero. It is concerning, yes, but I am nearly certain the yakuza will be unable to replicate Chisaki's work. Whatever else he was, Chisaki was a scientific genius, and even he had to work from scratch using that poor child to make each one. Without her, I do believe the bullets will be impossible to recreate."
"Eri…" Izuku looked back to the commissioner. "Please, where is she?"
"That is none of your concern," the commissioner growled, eyes narrowed to slits.
Izuku felt his face flush hot, rage exploding through his system. His handcuffs snapped as he found himself on his feet, green static running up and down his body.
"Midoriya," Nezu called. There was something about his voice. It pulled Izuku's attention away from the commissioner. The principal was staring at him. His black eyes somehow cutting through the rage. "Stand down."
It was a command, but it was also a request. Izuku's expression twisted as he warred with himself. Rage coated his vision red. His heart beat with adrenaline. Power thrummed through his bones. He wanted to scream. He wanted to break the desk and shake the man glaring at him. He wanted to hurt the man until he told Izuku where Eri was. He could see it. Could see himself doing all of it. No one could stop him. But…
Kacchan was waiting - his mom - his class - All Might. Nezu had shown him great trust and respect - supporting his mission, having faith in his judgement. As had Aizawa and All Might and Kacchan. They had stood by him. Trusted him. He had to trust them in return. If he stopped trusting, then he really would be a vigilante.
Izuku's eyes never left Nezu's as he let the anger and One For All go. It hurt. His consciousness wavered. It was too much. All of this was too much. He felt himself fall — He blacked out before he hit the floor.
…
"I'm going to be honest, Raion," Nezu said softly as he stared down at the teenager who had crumpled in a boneless heap. "You need to be very careful. This boy has a hero's heart. Of that I can guarantee. However, at the base, he is still a human child. If you push too hard, he's going to break, and then you will have a villain in the place of the hero he was meant to be."
"Do not threaten me, Nezu," Raion growled.
Nezu stood on the chair to be at eye level. "I am not threatening you, Raion. Humans have a long history of creating the very thing they fear. And you are in danger of doing that very thing. I have never been an enemy to the world. I have only done my best to create strong individuals who will protect our society, and yet the Commission still views me as a threat. That is why I came to you, Raion. I know you are capable of looking beyond human fear and insecurity, and I am asking you to trust me as I have trusted you this day with personal secrets of both All Might and this boy."
"Do not insinuate that you train these heroes for the good of the Commission. You make sure the most powerful heroes that come out of that school are loyal to none but you!" Raion hissed.
"Loyalty does not have to be exclusive," Nezu snapped, anger showing for the first time. His fur literally bristled. "They would be loyal to the Commission if you did not constantly break their trust! You are making them the enemy! Not them!"
"Enough!" Raion roared and came to his feet, his hands braced on the desk as he leaned threateningly closer.
But Nezu wasn't finished. "You verbally lash a wounded boy for showing care and compassion to a hurt little girl! This proves my point! The Commission does not have the resources or methods to correctly deal with an abused human child like Eri. How will you contain her powerful quirk? Drugs? Conditioning? The Youth Training Program has broken dozens of children, and in so doing, formed deadly weapons that are now pointed at our world. Toya Todoroki, for one. If you are not careful, you will break young Eri, and she will become the destruction of this world! That is if your callous treatment of this boy does not destroy the world first! We would be doomed if he turned villain!"
"Callous treatment?" Raion growled. "I have in fact just shielded him from the consequences of breaking at least a dozen laws, no matter how good intentioned his actions were. I have also approved his second identity to partially shield him from the Sapientia Institute, despite it being a perfectly legal and government supported foundation that specializes in dangerous mental quirks, which this boy apparently possesses. Your rhetoric won't work on me, Nezu. I may not be as suspicious of you as some commissioners, but I am not blind to your machinations, either."
Nezu sighed sadly, his fur smoothing out once more. "My machinations have only ever been for the good of the people. I do not see why that should put us at odds. Make UA your partner, not your enemy. We need each other, and that does not have to be a thing to be feared or resented but embraced."
Nezu watched as Raion slowly retook his seat behind the desk. For a long second, the two stared at each other. Then Raion reached forward to touch a button on his keyboard. When he spoke, his voice was devoid of emotion. "Agent. Please escort Nezu and his student back to UA."
The door opened immediately. The agent saw Midoriya's on the floor and quickly walked over, easily scooping the child into his arms.
Nezu hopped off the chair. "Thank you, Commissioner Raion. I am grateful for your consideration this day." He gave a bow. "I sincerely hope to continue working alongside you in the future."
The lion-headed man did not answer. Nezu hadn't expected him to. They may not agree on many things, but Raion had indeed cooperated in regards to Midoriya. For now, that was enough. Waving cheerfully, he followed the agent out of the office.
Chapter end
A/n: Short chapter, but I wanted to get this out. I'm still deliberating on what returning to UA will look like for Izuku and those involved. ;p