Happy season 5 everyone

Chapter 80: The Curtain Closes

"Deku, come here to the television."

Izuku texted Nejire a quick gotta go and then joined Nighteye, Mirio, and Bubble Girl at the screen in the corner of the room. "What's happeni-"

Nighteye's face was neutral, but Mirio and Bubble Girl had grimmer expressions than he'd ever seen on them. Izuku turned his head to the TV, and his heart dropped.

It was the villain Dabi, with hundreds more villains behind him...and Hawks beneath his foot.

"...did the League of Villains capture such a fast, upstanding, skilled hero! The shining golden boy of our society! How is this possible! Well, to tell the truth, we didn't capture him. He came to us willingly…"

The footage cut to a news anchor. "This footage is extremely disturbing. An official report from the Hero Commission indicates that this follows a small operation by top heroes Hawks and Mirko to hijack a League cargo transport. Reports also indicate the three first-year UA students were with them. All we have received is confirmation that Mirko and the three students are alive and uncaptured. Still unknown what exactly their target was, or what the League's upcoming plans might be…"

Mirio turned to look at Deku. "Three first years? They were your class, right?"

Izuku went pale. "If it was Hawks and Mirko, then…" His own voice sounded very empty to himself. "It was Katayama, Ashido, and Tokoyami."

"What happens in the rest of the footage?" Bubble Girl asked nervously.

It was Nighteye who answered. "I caught the initial broadcast. It seems that the League was able to hack into every broadcasting frequency in Japan. This indicates they have possession of a satellite. Their power has grown far greater than I could have imagined."

"You…didn't answer my question…"

Nighteye turned his head, as if uncomfortable. "Hawks…was killed. In rather gruesome fashion. I advise you not to go looking for the video online."

Mirio let out a gasp. Izuku's blood ran cold.

"I should have foreseen this," Nighteye mumbled.

As the initial shock wore off, Izuku was left with a panging sense of…guilt.

I am meant to replace All Might. But everything is falling apart without a symbol…and Hawks is gone. I should have been there. I should have saved him.

…

The most disturbing part of it was that he'd never seen Tokoyami cry before.

"We landed on the train from above and sent these two to the back," Mirko was saying. "Their job was to brake the train and stop it, but they were halted by Twice-generated clones of two villains, Mr. Compress and a giant man whose name I don't know..."

"Gigantomachia," a Commission member clarified. It would have been helpful if his expression, like the others', wasn't strict and harsh with failure.

Doko kept his head down. It was hard to make eye contact with this line of suits, the ones who controlled his entire career. Mirko continued her report.

"Everywhere and I dropped in and made contact with two villain scientists, as well as tanks full of Nomu as strong as the one Endeavor fought at the end of the year. We destroyed their tanks, killing them. The enemy may have mid level Nomu left, but their strongest weapons are gone. We also destroyed all of the scientists' unused Quirk packets, meaning they will be unable to make any new Nomu for some time."

"But both scientists escaped," one of the Commission members said flatly. "Along with Tomura Shigaraki and Dabi."

"...Yea," Mirko clarified quietly. She looked sadly at the three students in turn.

Tokoyami continued to cry silently, tears getting caught in the feathers on his cheeks. Mina's face could have been sculpted of stone.

Doko looked up at Mirko. Aren't you going to tell them about my connection with Yamishiwa? But she'd said nothing. And that had not been part of Dabi's message on the broadcast, either. He did say he would broadcast again. He has more things to reveal. It made Doko feel sick. He hadn't seen the blue fire user as much of a threat...but letting him go was one of the most costly parts of the mission.

"You understand how bad of a position this is," the head suit said, folding his hands. "Hawks and Best Jeanist have finished top of the popularity polls consistently since All Might's end. Now one is dead and one is missing."

"Endeavor will step up," Mirko declared emphatically. "And so shall I."

"It won't be enough. The League of Villains has reformed into the Paranormal Liberation Front. They have the might of one of Japan's most important political parties and several of its strongest corporations behind them. Their numbers are in the hundreds of thousands. The end of our society is near at hand."

Doko's skin crawled. "Did you find this out from Hawks?" he asked softly, trying to keep all accusation out of his voice.

Several of the suits turned to look at him. "Yes," one of them replied after a pause. "He was indeed our spy. It was already a tense situation, but we thought we could drag it out a little more and gather enough intel to defeat them all at the right moment."

"Well, this wasn't it," Mirko said testily. "I don't know whose idea this mission was, but you got too greedy. We were hopelessly outmatched."

"So you admit your failure, Mirko?" The head suit asked, fire dancing across his eyes. "The League has struck first in the public eye. We must strike back to halt the bleeding. We know the names of all the organizations currently backing the Paranormal Liberation Front. We will release them to the public in a slam piece."

"That's a terrible idea," Doko blurted. "Paranoia about the establishment is what's going to turn the public against heroes in the first place. And it's exactly what Dabi is using in that video. Telling everyone that their favorite company is run by villains will just make things worse."

The eyes turned sharply upon him. "Who are you to presume to talk with us that way?"

Doko stood his ground. "Someone who thinks it's a bad idea. This is about more than your pride. We all want society to survive, don't we?"

Another suit spoke up. "Your Quirk is teleportation, correct?"

"That's right."

Some of the Commission members exchanged...interested glances. Mirko seemed really upset all of a sudden.

She crossed her arms. "Before you go scouting MY student to be your next Hawks, listen to what I have to say. It won't be enough to counter with your own little broadcast. We have to take the fight to them, and soon."

"Who is we?"

"Everyone. Anyone who's available."

Doko felt a shiver go up his spine. Mirko, the heroine who hated teamwork and getting help from others...was suggesting the biggest hero alliance in modern history. Everyone. It would be more than a mission. It would be a war.

"We don't know where their train went," one of the Commission members complained. "Thanks to you. We only know where it came from. Jakku Hospital."

"They only moved their lab because they knew our side captured that electricity kid," said Mirko. "His father is in that hospital."

"One of the backing corporations of the PLF is Haijima," said a suit. "They have ties with All For One. We had local heroes raid the hospital and they found abandoned equipment likely once used to keep the villain lord alive. Haijima owns shares in more hospitals around the country."

Doko remembered his conversations with Kurogiri. And then again, with his biological father. A hospital...was it possible that they'd just moved to a different one?

I was not born in Jakku. It would make no sense. His home was nowhere near it. But whatever hospital he HAD been born in...surely was one of the villain hospitals. Possibly THE villain hospital. Where else would they have gone but there?

"What about this place where they are in the video?" Mirko asked. "Looks like some kind of forested area..."

"We have people working on that as well," said the head suit.

...

Shota Aizawa crouched over the destroyed train tracks, while crime scene investigators and cleaners walked around the area. His student Katayama had scattered all manner of equipment and valuable material with his last attack, and it would take days upon days to find it all here in this open, grassy valley…but it was preferable to the villains possessing it.

A gust of wind whistled over the surface of the tracks, causing Shota's scarf to ripple. Detective Tsukauchi walked up to him and chuckled. "You look like Batman," he said.

"Who?"

"Ah…never mind." The detective took off his hat, and nodded toward the treeline. It was around two hundred meters away. "Torino is getting ready to follow the tracks. You ready?"

Shota stood. "Yes." He was eager to check on his students and make sure they were okay, but…this still took precedence.

The villains had made one crucial logical error. While Gigantomachia, the monster that Gran Torino and Tsukauchi had let escape once before, had been the one to turn the tides of the battle into the villain's favor, knocking out Hawks and forcing Katayama to do a hail-mary attack…the giant man by his very nature was far too conspicuous, and he left behind traces.

Of course, the villains had not risked the real giant, it was only a Twice clone. But Twice's Quirk had its limits. He could not delay the creation of a clone and have it be done miles and miles away from himself. If they'd brought Twice on the mission with them, perhaps things would have been different. Perhaps Bubaigawara just hadn't wanted to come? But nevertheless, he had made a clone of Giga at the base of the Paranormal Liberation Front, and that clone had walked to the train as it was being attacked. He had walked through forests and fields and over hills…and all the way, he left footprints and destroyed foliage.

A back trail. A clear opening in the treeline, a blighted scar upon the landscape. A long curving line going up the hill in the distance and further.

"Follow that," Shota muttered. "And we find their secret base." The place where Hawks had been killed.

…

"Are they still without?" Ibara asked from behind Hanta.

Hanta peered around the corner of the building. Down the street, he could see a crowd of demonstrators holding a sign in front of the Lurkers' agency. Also known as the place where the two of them were trying to get back to so they could continue their work study.

Hanta sighed. "Yeah, they're still…wait, did you just say without?" He turned and gave her a look.

Ibara's face reddened. "Yes," she said haughtily.

Hanta's mouth twitched. "Without what? What on earth does that mean?"

"It is another way of saying they are outside. If someone was inside, you could say they are within."

"Well, I could, but I'd sound weird." Hanta smirked. "I would just say they're inside instead."

Ibara pouted and averted her eyes. "Jerk."

"Anyway, let's go. Maybe they won't spot us."

The two of them set off down the street, heads low, toward the side door of the agency. They both had clearance cards to enter through there, so once they were inside, they'd be safe.

As they got closer, Hanta Sero could hear what the demonstrators were shouting.

"Answers from heroes! Answers!"

"Did you lot know anything about Hawks' betrayal?!"

"What are Edgeshot and Kamui planning on doing?!"

"Is Mount Lady gonna start poking her ass in people's faces and start being a real hero?"

"What else are you top dogs hiding from us?"

"I don't understand," Ibara whispered with fright as they got closer. "Why are they so upset with the Lurkers of all people? Don't they know it's the villains causing all these problems?"

Hanta swallowed. "They've grown up in a world entirely revolving around these celebrities, Ibara. Every day they see these exceptional people in the news or on the streets, seemingly soaking up all the attention and the fulfillment of a starry life…while thinking about how they never had a chance to share in it, because they weren't born with a gift that was exceptional enough. Doomed from the start." He looked down at his own elbows. "They love the heroes and hate them at the same time. It's always been that way. A toxic relationship, only hidden because of All Might for a while…but now it's right out in the open."

Ibara had gone pale. "How…how could you possibly know all that, Hanta?"

He chuckled. "Because it's how I felt about Midoriya, Todoroki, Bakugo, Katayama…all the people around me that seem to pull all the focus. The ones that the very world seems to spin around, just because they were born with something that put them ahead…I still feel that way sometimes."

Ibara swallowed. "You don't…feel that way about me, do you?"

Hanta opened his mouth to reply, then heard a shout.

"Hey, it's the kids from the UA YouTube fight! Both of them!"

They looked up in alarm. The demonstrators were looking at them. A few of them shouted questions.

"Do you two work here?"

"Where are Edgeshot and Kamui Woods?"

"Tell us! You're on our side, aren't you kid? I remember what you said!" The man was pointing directly at Hanta.

Sero steeled himself up. "If you remember what I said, then why are you here? I said that you have to trust us to make the right decisions."

"But we can't trust the generation above yours! And neither can you! You kids have a bright future, but you won't have time to grow into it before everything falls apart!"

Ibara spoke up. "Does our word mean anything to you?" she asked.

The man lowered his sign a little. "I…I would say so, yes."

"Then have faith in us when we say that the Lurkers are a fine group of heroes, and the two of us are here because we trust them as mentors. If you believe there is a way of coming out of this situation safely and peacefully…they will be the ones to deliver it to you." Ibara clasped her hands together. "Now, we must be getting inside."

She took Hanta somewhat firmly by the hand and walked the both of them into the building. There was a lull in the noise behind them.

"I wonder if that will make them decide to leave," Hanta said. They went through the lobby and into the private office area behind it.

Ibara shook her head, still holding his hand. "I doubt it."

"Still, you did wonderfully. I fell in love all over again right then."

Ibara's ears reddened. "Don't just say things like that so casually."

"Oh, please do!" A cheery female voice called.

Mount Lady was walking up to them, followed by Kamui Woods and Edgeshot. She clapped her hands together. "I just love that you two are a couple. Please never break up." Her eyes were closed dreamily.

Hanta's eye twitched. "That's threatening."

Edgeshot nodded at the two of them, and then made a show of extending his ear out from his body. "I was listening outside," he breathed in his strange voice. "I applaud you both for handling that situation well."

Ibara put her hands on her hips. "With all due respect, sensei, we should not have had to handle it at all. You should be out there putting those people at ease."

Hanta looked back and forth between Edgeshot and his girlfriend, surprised at her tone. He was even more surprised that Edgeshot nodded, gravely. "I have been trying to gather the words. I know I must take action."

"I don't…understand? Why you specifically?" Hanta tilted his head, and looked toward Kamui Woods and Mount Lady again. "Are either of you…"

"We're both still younger than him," Mount Lady muttered. "He's our sensei too."

"And while we may be high-ranking…" Kamui Woods put a hand in front of his face. "Edgeshot carries a unique burden in this current situation. Endeavor remains our number one. However, with Hawks dead, and Best Jeanist still missing…"

Hanta's eyes widened. "You're…you're the number two hero now." He looked at the ninja hero with a new weight on his heart. A strange light seemed to fall over the room.

Edgeshot closed his fist. "It is my time. And Mirko's, and Crust's, and yours, Kamui…Takeyama…all the others. I sense a battle on the horizon. One in which we will all be tested. We carry the fate of this entire archipelago upon our shoulders. Perhaps even the world, if Tomura Shigaraki's machinations grow beyond his old master's."

Shigaraki. Hanta Sero still remembered the USJ, when the villain had seemed like a whiny gaming-obsessed brat. Now he was leading that massive group of people seen in Dabi's broadcast…at least a thousand. But he had yet to reveal himself. If we'd stopped him for good all the way back then, how might things have turned out differently?

"So," Hanta said with a deep breath, looking toward Edgeshot, "I assume we're gonna continue our hellish training, then?"

The ninja hero shook his head. "No. That's what we need to tell you both now, actually. You've been sidelined by the Commission. Official order. All hero students back to the schools for now."

"What? Work studies are being called off?" Ibara gasped.

Hanta ground his teeth. "Do the bloody Commission ever make up their mind about anything?"

"It gets worse. This is likely a very temporary sidelining. We will see you again soon, but you may or may not be happy about the circumstances." Edgeshot straightened his mask. "I don't approve of sending children into situations like this. But the fact remains…that some of your two classes might be more prepared than anyone else for the threat we now face."

…

"What? We're being sent back to the school?" Toru asked in disbelief.

Reflector sighed. "Yeah. I'm sure you can read the full statement later, but for now…"

Shoji hugged himself about the chest and averted his gaze uncomfortably. "Is this because of Hawks' death?"

"That, and all of the things surrounding it."

"Well…" Toru's voice sounded doubtful. "At least we'll get to see Shinso again…I feel bad that he joined our class and then we all left him behind just a month later…"

Reflector's secretary burst into the room. "Ma'am! There's…"

Behind her, three suited men appeared. Shoji instantly recognized all of them. They were the Commission members that had been harassing Reflector when they first got here. The ones that called us freaks.

His eyes narrowed.

The secretary wilted, and mouthed "Sorry" at Reflector before ducking out. The heroine got to her feet. "Morioka," she said. "This is an unpleasant surprise."

"Relax, Reflector, we're not here to bother you again. We have business with your two students. Before they get sent back to UA."

Toru and Shoji both gasped slightly, and then looked at each other in surprise. "Us?" Toru asked.

"Yes. In fact, Reflector, we need you to leave the room."

The heroine sighed and picked up some papers before shuffling her way out. "Kicked from my own office," she muttered.

The suited men circled around to where she'd just been, taking places behind her desk. Morioka sat down in her seat while the other two stood on either side of him. He gestured to the seats on the other side of the desk. "Please, sit, you two. This will take some time."

Toru and Shoji both reluctantly sat down. All of Shoji's inner warning bells were ringing at once.

"As you both well know," Morioka began, "Two days ago, the villain group formerly known as the League of Villains broadcasted a message of them killing our number two hero, Hawks, to all of Japan."

"Formerly…known?" Shoji repeated, confused.

"Yes." Morioka pulled a file out of his briefcase. "They are now known as the Paranormal Liberation Front, and their numbers are even greater than what you saw in that video. They have far outgrown the group of dozen freaks that once attacked your class in the forest."

Shoji felt a pang of phantom pain in his lost limb.

"The PLF has backing from several of Japan's most key organizations. We plan on releasing a smear campaign against them in the coming days, but also…that video. What did you two notice about it?"

"I didn't watch most of it," Toru squeaked.

Shoji wondered what the man was getting at. "Something about Dabi?"

Morioka shook his head. "No. The location. They were in a wooded area. As it happened, the train attack where Hawks was captured involved a giant villain, who had marched to the train from this place. And he left a back trail. Yesterday, a reconnaissance mission led by your own homeroom teacher Eraser Head confirmed the location as a mansion backed by the corporation known as Detnerat, who supports the Paranormal Liberation Front. Their CEO, Rikiya Yotsubashi, is one of the PLF's top commanders."

Shoji's blood ran cold. Detnerat? He remembered that commercial they'd watched. How he'd been happy to see a company making items that would support mutants like himself. But then…Yaoyorozu had expressed a surprising cynical doubt about them…and she'd been right.

"So you found the villain's base!" Toru exclaimed. "That's great! Only…what does this have to do with us?"

"We have only found half the picture," said Morioka. "What I am about to tell you both is top secret. I need your promise in writing that what I am about to tell you will not escape this room." He put a piece of paper in front of them.

Shoji scanned it with several limb-eyes, trying to see any compromising fine print. He found none. He quickly signed, and then passed the pen to Toru. She did so as well.

Morioka sighed. "Good. Thank you. The place where the private train was taken is still unknown, but we are narrowing it down. Once we have figured that out, we will begin a two-pronged mass hero operation to invade both bases and neutralize every single member of the Paranormal Liberation Front. You two and your fellow students will be involved. We are sending you back to UA so you can get some last-minute school training in before this happens."

Shoji's head spun. "But…but why are you telling this to us specifically?"

He held up a finger. "Because, Reflector was right about something. You two do have the potential to be one of the best stealth hero teams in modern memory. And we need you for those skills. There is a man within the PLF. One of the original League that attacked your class in the forest. Jin Bubaigawara, also known as Twice. He wears a black-and-grey mask over his face, and has a tendency to babble. His Quirk allows him to create duplicates of any person that he knows the measurements of."

Shoji and Toru exchanged a glance, and nodded. "I remember him, at least," Shoji said. He'd briefly come into contact with the man right before Shigaraki had decayed one of his arms.

"I'll be blunt with you kids. Twice has evolved his Quirk. He can now create nigh-infinite duplicates of anyone he pleases, including himself, and anyone else with a powerful Quirk. With him on the side of the villains, their numbers and abilities become limitless. Our chance of victory is reduced to zero."

Shoji began to catch on. "This mansion…that is where he is. Right before this massive operation you're talking about, you want Invisible Girl and I to sneak in and capture Twice before he can duplicate any of his allies."

"We're not sending you to capture Twice," Morioka said. "We're sending you to kill him."

A cold curtain fell over the room. Shoji heard Toru make a strange, squeaking coughing sound. "No," he said, immediately.

Morioka's eyes narrowed. "You have no choice. If he survives, this entire country is going to collapse."

"It is illegal," said Shoji.

"Only so far as we say. And we, the Commission, are giving you explicit permission to do so."

"Still. It is untenable. I do not want to kill him. I don't want to kill anyone."

"We all have to do things we don't want to do for the greater good." Morioka shuffled his papers. "If it helps, think about your families. Think about each other. These connections you have are what the villains plan on taking from you."

"But…" Toru finally spoke up. "Why us?" she breathed. "Why…why not an adult, or…"

"Because you, my dear girl, are our only truly invisible asset," said Morioka. "We have some veiling Quirks on our side and things like that…but a Quirk like yours is incredibly rare. You are the only one capable of doing it."

"I don't think I am capable of doing it," she squeaked.

"Well, you have some time to steel yourself up for it. This is not a request, children. It is an order. You will receive further information once we get further into the scheduling of the operation. I am done here." He stood, and nodded to his comrades. The three of them filed out.

Shoji sat there silently, fuming, his hands folded over his lap. Toru began to cry.

…

Doko, Tokoyami, and Mina all arrived back at the dorm together. Doko was holding Mina's hand. Tokoyami walked somewhat behind them, his head down. The dorm seemed quiet on the outside.

Doko pushed open the door. "We're home," he announced, somewhat carefully…and was surprised to see what he saw.

On the floor by the couch, Shinso and Eri were playing a card game. Aizawa was watching them, arms crossed.

Eri turned to look. "Everywhere-san! Mina-chan!" She ran up, scattering her cards everywhere, and hugged them around the waist.

Mina let out a cooing sound and laughed weakly. "Hello, there. I didn't expect to see you today."

Eri lifted her head to look up at the two of them. "Are you…" she blinked her big red eyes. "Are you alright? You both have eye baggies."

Doko leaned down and ruffled her hair. Her horn has grown quite a bit. "Just tired," he promised her.

Shinso sighed and began picking up the cards that Eri had scattered. "You three are the first back. It's been lonely."

Doko nodded down at Eri. "Well, you've had some company at least."

Shinso stood and walked up to them. "I…I heard about what happened…" He peered around to look at Tokoyami. "My condolences, man. I'm…I'm sorry."

"Don't be," Tokoyami half-whispered.

Shinso closed his fist. "I've felt so pent-up here, dude. Like…I want to be out there in the streets, helping you guys…but I can't."

"Soon you might be," Aizawa said, walking up to them. "Your provisional exam will be this week. And the rest of the class will be training hard. Very hard."

Doko looked up at his teacher. "Sensei? I have…something important I need to tell you. And the principal, and the rest of the staff. Whenever is convenient."

Aizawa gave him a long, searching look. "Alright, Katayama. I will gather the legions when I can." There was a slight hint of dry humor there that put Doko a little bit at ease.

He'd decided that Nezu, and by extension the rest of the staff, were the best people to tell about what he'd discovered regarding the origin of Quirks. He'd originally planned on telling Hawks and Mirko, but…

If there's a battle coming, we have to go into it with that knowledge. It could be important.

The next people to arrive were Uraraka and Tsuyu. Tsuyu stopped to say hello to everyone already down in the common room, but Uraraka walked quickly and somewhat aggressively up the stairs.

"Hey, wai-" Aizawa lifted a half-hearted hand, and then sighed and lowered it. "I need to keep you all down here for a bit, I have an announcement I need to make."

"I'm sorry, sensei, ribbit." Tsuyu's eyes looked strange when she lowered her eyelids. "I'll be sure to tell her whatever it is later. She's, umm…yeah."

"I heard you guys caught…Kaminari," Shinso said. "Sorry to intrude, but…"

"It's okay," said Tsuyu. "That's what it's about, anyway."

Izuku arrived next, and he offered his condolences to Tokoyami as well, with an even more frustrated expression from Shinso. That made Doko uneasy. He is surely not feeling GUILTY about this, is he? I already told him he can't stand apart from the rest of us and try to take everything on alone…

Bakugo and Todoroki came next. "How was working with Endeavor?" Mina asked them.

Bakugo shrugged. "His daughter…this idiot's sister…makes good food, I guess."

Mina's eye twitched. "What?"

Todoroki sighed. "We had dinner at my house one night. A villain attacked my brother and took him hostage on the road. He had a Quirk that could control road paint. Endeavor froze up because he's a moron, but Bakugo and I took care of it."

"Oh. Well…I'm glad your brother is okay."

"Yes. I am too." Todoroki said nothing else on the matter.

Doko eyed him up with worry as well. Endeavor is going to have to step up soon. That guy Dabi seems to have it out for top heroes. And…what was that he'd said to me on the train…

Dabi had called out Todoroki's full name. Had called him Shoto. Plus he uses fire…

Doko swallowed. He didn't know what to think of that.

Next to arrive were Sero, Ojiro, Yaoyorozu, and Jiro. After that were Sato and Kirishima, then Aoyama and Koda. Iida showed up nearly an hour later and helped Aizawa keep everything gathered in the common room.

Very last were Toru and Shoji. They had been very quiet in the group chat since the train attack and the broadcast, and that made Doko nervous. When they showed up, his nerves only increased. They were both extremely quiet, and frustrated rage was emanating off of Shoji in waves. It was practically visible.

Tsuyu and Mina were watching them as well. "Do you think something happened in their relationship?"

"No, ribbit. They are still close to each other. In fact, they seem closer than ever. Something else must have happened."

Sero suddenly appeared next to them. "You guys are dumb. We should just talk to them." Then, he walked up to the two of them. "What's going on, guys? Is everything okay?"

Doko, Mina, and Tsu all facepalmed in sync.

Shoji turned his face away uncomfortably, but Toru stepped up. Her voice swam with heavy emotion, and it made Doko's heart skip a beat. "I'm sorry, Sero. We're not, but…we can't really tell you about it. It's a secret."

"Oh. Well…" Sero's eyebrow furrowed. "If you need to talk about anything, we're here for you guys. Right?" He looked back at the other three, who all nodded.

"Appreciated," Shoji said curtly. Doko was left even more worried than before.

"Alright, we're all here," said Aizawa, clapping his hands for their attention.

Ojiro was looking around in confusion. "Where's…Ura…"

"So!" Aizawa continued. "You're all back. And I imagine that's not necessarily what you wanted. You'll be even less happy when I read you the full order from the Commission." He pulled out a piece of paper. The students muttered among themselves.

Aizawa cleared his throat and began to read. "All hero course students currently enrolled in work studies are to return to their respective schools, effective immediately. In this temporary recall, all staff should keep their hands on deck to give the students as much training and hero practice as possible. The recall will end within two weeks, potentially earlier. Be on standby. In the meantime, we also advise all students, when they get the chance, to check in with their families and loved ones."

The muttering among the students increased. The order didn't come right out and say it, but Doko understood well enough. Take a small break, get your affairs in order, but prepare. Prepare for war.

…

Afterward, he walked up to Aizawa. "Sir?"

"Katayama. Is this the thing you wanted to tell me?"

"Ah…no sir, it's a different thing, actually. Did you guys…find the, erm…"

"The mansion?" Aizawa guessed. "We followed Giga's back trail. It wasn't difficult. The operation the Commission is having you students prepare for is one-half an assault on that place. The other half will be on whatever hospital the train took the scientists and equipment to."

Doko was surprised. "You're willing to tell me all that, sir?"

"You were on the mission. And I trust you at this point. Soon, you'll all know this one way or another."

"Well, then…you know that…" I can't tell him that one of the scientists is my father. Not yet. But…Aizawa knew about Kurogiri…and…

"The hospital they went to. It must be the one I was born at."

Aizawa raised his eyebrow. "Katayama, remember what I told you? The records were erased."

"Which is just more proof that that's where their backup lab is! It can't be Jakku, there's no way I was born there…"

"But you don't know where you were born, Katayama."

Doko looked off toward the window of the common room. Outside, the sun was setting. He felt a sick feeling rising in his stomach. "But they do," he said. "I have to go talk to them. It's the only way to find it quickly enough to catch the villains off guard. Or else…they'll finish powering up Shigaraki, and then we're all gonna die."

"Katayama," Aizawa said. "You are completely cut off from those people. I made sure of it. If you go to them now…"

"I can handle it." He closed his fist. "I must." Akane, I'm coming to see you again. One last time.

…

Deep in the lab of Iwate Hospital, Ujiko scanned a newspaper.

"A smear campaign indeed," he chuckled. "Exposure of Detnerat, Feel Good Inc…all kinds of parties and corporations. Don't the Commission know this will just turn the public further against them?"

"Who are we to interrupt their self-destruction?" Yamishiwa turned away from the computer he'd been typing at, and ran his fingers over the briefcase. Inside were the four remaining Quirk-destroying bullets. May yet have need of them.

All For One…your plan with my son. I shall see it to fruition.

Ujiko turned to look up at Shigaraki's tank, his bushy face bathed in blue light. "Only one more week before he's up to full power…"

Yamishiwa turned back to the keyboard. "If my son is smart, he is going to go to his surrogate family, and then he will know where we are. The heroes may not give us the time. Gigantomachia also revealed the location of the mansion, as well."

"The timing of the heroes' attack does not matter. We outgun them ridiculously. Especially if…what you say about your son is true." Ujiko furrowed his brow. "I trust our master, but…tampering with this sort of darkness…it is beyond anything I could have imagined."

Yamishiwa nodded toward the sleeping Shigaraki. "He wants the destruction of all. So do the void creatures. Their ambitions far outweigh the Earth. They will let us have it in exchange for setting them free."

"How can you be certain?"

"Because I, like you, trust in All For One." Yamishiwa smirked. "And I trust in my son's predictability."

Next time:

The students prepare and talk to each other. Doko goes home. The heroes plan their final operation.