A bit of a late update today. Sorry, I missed it yesterday. I had a lot going on last week. That said, I also got a lot of typing done. I'm now well into writing the last few chapters. It's getting really frightening. I think I have about 3 chapters left to write... Maybe 3 chapters and and an Epilogue. And I want to find a nice way to end this story. It's been so long already and there are still so many open plot threads lying around somewhere - and honestly I even forgot about a few I feel like. I should've maybe made a more thorough spread sheet on everything that has happened already, instead of just dreaming up scenarios, deciding I like them and then hoping I can still remember them by the time I came around to writing the respective chapter - which was for the most part my planning process for this entire beast so far and now it's biting me in the arse, cause there's so much to consider... I just want to get a satisfactory end to this. I will probably not close every story arc neatly with a bow around it, but leave some open to interpretation, but what exactly I'll do, I guess we'll all find out when we reach that point.
As I said, I have now almost everything done. I've actually just recently finished writing the last battle scene in this fic ... those are always difficult for me. I'm very excited about all that. This was my biggest projec yet. I remember I had a bit of a lazy no-writing-and-no-posting phase where I left you on a complete drought for a few weeks...So there were times, when this project got longer and longer and I again and again had to readjust my prediction for it's length (can you imane I initially just wanted to write 10 chapters? I tend to forget about that myself ^^ It's a little embarrassing how that turned out.) - and when at some point I realized I now had 30 chapters done and wasn't even half done with th story, so I readjusted my estimation to 80 chapters... I thought I wouldn't make it. I really wanted to finish the project and the great Endeavor content in the manga as well as all your comrades when I started picking up some returning readers kept motivating me through the years... and damn it has been over two years now. By far my longest projet yet. So to have the ending directly in front of my eyes is really something, though I feel almost a little nostalgic about it. In any case, at least now I can finally give you a somewhat fixed chapter count. At the end of it (depending on whether I'll make an epilogue or not and whether I'll split or rearrange some chapters I've already written or will still write) this story will probably finish with 102-104 chapters. That's huge... On my word doc I'm now edging in on 1000 pages :o I don't think I'll quite reach that though. It will still be 13-15 chapters after this one, so it'll probably still keep me busy until early summer.
That said, I'll go to my parents for a while over easter. I think I'll still manage an update next week, but I'm not entirely sure. At worst you won't get another update until after easter... .( However, I hope to at least upload once in between. Also there might be some further delays in he upcomging chapters - like with this one today - because I'm knd of overwhelming my beta. She's doing an amazing job and I keep sending her new chapters. It's a full-time job at this point. I've been going through a few beta readers throughout the process and I'm now working with her since September. I don't think I missed a weekly update since then, so it's not just me writing, but also her putting in hours week after week, and I feel a little bad for not giving her break...Honestly, if it were a normal job, she'd get paid AND get vacation...
Get the Stone Rolling
"You've been away for three and a half months. Do you feel like you have to make up for the time you've missed?" The interviewer on the TV-screen asked.
Enji looked up at the TV hanging at the opposite wall of his office. He had just come back from the interview for the biggest news channel in Japan. Taro had managed to get the earliest appointment humanly possible – it was now only 8 am. The interview was already done, up and running on morning TV, and would likely dominate the news cycle for the rest of the week. That aside, Enji had many more interviews scheduled for the next few days. All nice and early – the way he had jokingly requested. With some glee, he had noted the interviewer's bags under his eyes.
He should make it a habit, he thought now, as he looked at the TV and the way the interviewer was suppressing a yawn. Before, Enji had always avoided interviews – but he couldn't really do that anymore. For one, he needed to rebuild his brand in the public eye. Secondly, he couldn't afford to say 'no' because the agency needed the money. And thirdly, he knew that if he refused interviews and tried to hide away from public scrutiny, they would drag him through the mud all over again. They would do that anyway – eventually – but this way, at least he didn't look like a coward hiding from it.
"I didn't give up my license freely," the Endeavor on TV, costume, flaming beard, mask and all responded in a slow drawl. "But of course, I've missed a lot. It will be hard work to get back into the old routine, but…"
Enji turned off the TV. He turned back to his computer, clicking through a long list of commissions and warrants, downloading and accepting all he could find pertaining to Musutafu and the surrounding area. The mere act of accepting them, he knew, would show presence – and at the moment, that was what he needed to do. A commission could be accepted by several heroes, and even heroes who hadn't officially accepted a commission could work on the case if they stumbled upon it during a patrol. Taking on a commission wasn't a guarantee that he would solve it, but it was a promise that he would investigate it. As long as he could at least close a majority of his cases, nobody would question the others that he had accepted additionally.
It showed presence, and Silent Tracker was right. He needed to do that.
He looked outside the window. There were a small number of people there protesting his reinstatement, but there were fewer than he had expected. He'd give it an hour, then. Give the police time to disperse them before he would show himself for his first morning patrol.
There was a knock at the door.
"Sir, Endeavor, Sir," Taro entered, her voice nervously high. "I have here…" she coughed embarrassed. Her voice got stronger as she continued speaking. "As requested, we have sent the internship offers out to the hero schools. Shiketsu has already answered to regretfully inform us that the Endeavor Hero Agency is too far away for their students to take regular internships there."
Endeavor nodded. He had expected that. After the Kamino ward incident, most schools had severely restricted how and at which agencies work experiences should be held. Many schools only accepted offers within their prefecture now. Thankfully, unlike Shiketsu, UA was in Musutafu. So at least with UA that shouldn't be a problem.
"UA forwarded the offers to their students – though, they say due to the timing, it's unlikely many of them will accept," Taro continued.
That too, Endeavor was aware of. It was the beginning of the new term. Most of the older students already had an agency to intern with. The first years, on the other hand, wouldn't be far enough into their studies to do internships at all – never mind that none of them would have any provisional licenses yet. He hoped at least Shoto would accept. Gang Orca had woken up from his coma, but he wouldn't be doing any hero work anytime soon.
"On a different note," Taro went on, and nervously held up a sheet of paper. "On Tuesday you asked to brainstorm for new names for the agency." She chuckled, clearly embarrassed.
Enji waved her closer and held out his hand to take the list with ideas she was holding up. "What did they come up with?"
"Oh, uh…" instead of answering, she handed the paper over. "It's, uhm… well, look for yourself."
With raised eyebrows, Enji looked at the list of ideas. He scowled a little.
"Is this a joke?" he asked. The idea had been to separate the agency from his name, but half of the suggestions – as he scanned through the list – made it pretty evident that it was his agency. As if nobody wanted the separation from his name – which, he assumed he was oddly touched by. Maybe. He was more irritated by the clear joke names.
"It might have been a mistake to ask everybody to throw in their ideas," Taro said ruefully.
"Clearly." Enji replied, but he was smiling a little. At least his employees took this whole thing with humor. The agency was in enormous financial trouble, but fighting the crisis with fun was apparently a thing.
'THE Agency' was one of the suggestions. Short for 'The Hero Endeavor's Agency'. 'The New Nr. 356's Agency' – he had to suppress a snort. He hadn't looked at the new ranking yet. 'Flame Hero Endeavor Todoroki Enji's Hero Agency – Deal With It', 'The New and Reformed Agency', 'Musutafu's Biggest Douche's Agency', 'Just Another Agency', 'From The Ashes Agency', 'Broke Agency'…
His lips moved as he read through the different suggestions. Some of them he liked. Some, not so much. None of them sounded quite right, though.
"So I guess we're not rebranding?" Taro asked as he gave the list back to her. She seemed relieved as she said it.
Enji shrugged. "Seems like nobody was eager to make a serious suggestion." He was surprised by that, though. He had no other option but to carry the burden of his crimes, but for his employees to be willing to do that with him… he hadn't expected that. Even when he first gave up his license and left the agency to Silent Tracker, he had suggested that she could rebrand and rebuild it in a way that would suit her. Despite the problems it caused, she hadn't even taken down the massive, fiery 'E' at the main entrance.
Taro folded the list twice and put it in her back pocket. "It's not a big surprise," she said, as if she could read his mind. "We still work here, don't we? Those of us who aren't loyal and don't want your name on the building have quit long ago."
Enji stared at her back as she left. He hadn't thought of it that way. But she was right, of course.
When the diary had been made public, a lot of people had left, though many had stayed for the paycheck at first. However – as the public pressure increased, even more had folded and quit their positions. Then he had lost his license. In the last few months, most of his current employees had to accept a pay cut. Even those just staying for the check would have had no reason to stay anymore.
And still… almost a hundred people were still employed at the agency, working long hours under the critical eye of the public, all while earning a lot less money and with no certainty that the agency would survive the year.
He dragged his fingers through his hair. Enji suddenly felt incredibly ungrateful. Standing up, he quickly collected all the commissions he had accepted and sent them to the responsible departments of his agency so they could go through them and prioritize them. Then, he opened a new window. Sending out a circular mail to the entire agency, he asked for them to meet him down in the cafeteria in an hour.
He had little to give back, but the least he could do was tell them that he was thankful. Just as he pressed send, his phone rang.
"Endeavor Hero Agency, Endeavor speaking?" he picked up, his mind still with the mail he had just sent, fretting over the wording.
He heard breathing from the other end. Then: "That was a mistake." Enji couldn't place the voice immediately.
"Excuse me?" He tried looking for the number on the screen, but saw it was anonymous. Damn, he should tell Taro not to put these calls through. Enji scowled at the door. He wasn't looking forward to the conversation. Taro was clearly intimidated by him.
"You shouldn't have come back."
Oh… Somehow, with his mind still on the email, he had thought it was an odd response to his request for a company meeting in the cafeteria. It clearly wasn't. Instead, it was a reaction to his comeback.
"Why did you come back?"
The voice hissed in his ear. It sounded oddly familiar, but the connection was bad. There was constant static in his ear, and the other man's breathing was loud enough to make it difficult to understand him. He was also talking in an unnatural way, hissing through his teeth, making it difficult to place the voice.
"Who's this?"
The man snickered. "—But that's just as well. Back to the old plan. You'll regret that!"
The call ended. Enji looked at the now-blank telephone screen. Angrily smashed the receiver down.
"Why did you put that call through?" he asked Taro the moment he pulled the door open. As he came bursting into her office, she jumped and almost toppled over her chair. He couldn't suppress the angry undertone of his voice. She should've known better.
"I'm sorry, what?" Taro asked with huge eyes.
"Did you at least get a name?"
"I don't know what you're talking about," Taro said. Her jaw was quivering a little, but she bit down on her lower lip and made herself calm down.
"The call just now." Enji was now doubting himself. Obviously, Taro had no idea what was happening. He frowned, realizing his mistake. "You didn't put the call through?"
Taro shook her head. Bangs of black hair danced at the motion. "I don't know about a call."
"Shit!" It all became clear now. Only a select few people had a call through, and he felt embarrassed that he hadn't recognized the voice immediately. "I'm sorry," Enji said, and he meant it. Enji hadn't meant to criticize her for something she hadn't even done. He was sorry for being so rude, especially after just realizing a few minutes ago how loyal she was for still working here. But his voice was still dismissive, because there were other things on his mind.
Touya! It had to have been him. Which meant that the threat was to be taken seriously and not just a random former fan expressing his disdain for him. Enji paled at the thought.
Would his comeback cause another villain attack? With the League's many teleportation quirks, one could happen at any moment. He hurried back to his desk and picked up his phone. Worriedly, his eyes went down to the assembled crowd of protesters there. If there was an attack against his agency, not just his employees would be in danger.
"Who called?" Taro asked, following him into his office. "What happened?" She seemingly dismissed his apology, realizing something wasn't right.
"Dabi, I think," Enji answered as he quick-dialed Tsukauchi's number.
As he waited for the man to pick up, he fretted, shifting his weight from one foot to the other.
You'll regret that!
It was a clear warning, and Touya's voice had sounded angry. He knew his son had never been a patient child, even less so now as a villain. If Enji knew anything, then that the attack was imminent. He really could have wished for a calmer comeback.
As he thought about what steps to take, he felt a weak shove against his hip. Distractedly, he took a step to the side, giving Taro room to sit at his desk. Her fingers quickly danced over the keyboard, and she soon reached a password encrypted part. With his free hand, he opened his drawer and pulled out a post-it-note with his password on it. She threw him a disapproving frown, but quickly copied it down.
Then her fingers continued flying. He didn't know what she was doing exactly, but then he recognized the page she was on as telephone records.
Just then, Tsukauchi picked up the phone.
"Endeavor, congratulations on your—"
"No time for that," Enji cut off, "I just got a threat from Dabi."
"Just now?" Tsukauchi didn't even hesitate. "Any specifics."
"Nothing. He's angry that I got my license back."
He heard the telltale noise of banging doors: Tsukauchi running through his department. "You think it's imminent."
"He didn't say. But I know him." He realized it was true then. He might not know Touya anymore, but he knew the villain he had become. He knew him intimately. "So yes. I think it is."
Taro had turned in her chair to stare at him. Then, she quickly closed the telephone records and at a speed Enji couldn't keep up with, new windows opened.
"I'll send reinforcements. We'll assume the agency will be at the epicenter of the attack."
"Yes," Enji agreed, half-entranced by the way windows flickered rapidly over the computer screen.
"Okay, start with the—" In that moment, alarm sirens started blaring in the building. "Ah, I hear you're already on it." Tsukauchi ended the call.
As Enji put down the receiver, Taro closed the last window, putting the computer on stand-by and quickly stood up. The office chair swiveled from the suddenness of her movement. "The call came from Yokohama, but we can't narrow it down more than that. I have sent an alert for support." Her hands were shaking, but she quickly grabbed onto the backrest of the chair to calm herself. "Anything else?"
"Good work," he said, impressed at her quick action. She'd been very meek ever since she was introduced to him, but Nakamura had called her capable. In this situation, she had shown fast initiative. Inari had been the opposite in his first years.
"Evacuate. When you're safe, make sure everybody's out." He hurried to a cabinet and pulled out a small headset. "Here. Call me when you know it's safe or if you find out somebody's missing." Inari would be the last time any of his employees died under his watch.
She took the headset and ran for the elevators. As he looked after her, he couldn't help but wonder: Taro… Why had her parents chosen to give her a boy's name? Again, it was such an absurdly unimportant question.
The siren was still blaring. He watched Nakamura and Ide leave their offices in hurried confusion. Soon, he was alone on the floor.
For a moment, he considered going to the roof, expecting Touya there. He had the image of a Noumu flying at him, jumping at him from the distance, as they had done in Fukuoka and again in Musutafu just over a month ago – something made him stay, though.
Touya would come to him. He knew it.
This was personal. A meeting face to face. Something Touya was itching for. For a moment, he considered if Touya had called just to give him enough time to evacuate. So they could be truly alone.
For a moment, he considered if Touya wanted a chance to talk.
But then he knew the villain Touya had become. He knew Dabi and he knew him intimately. Touya had no interest in anything Enji had to say. Maybe, he'd like a chance to monologue to the father, but he wouldn't want to talk. He also hadn't called to spare any lives, Enji was sure. Touya had proven again and again that he didn't care about that.
Touya had called because he was cocky. Because he wanted to prove to Enji that he could get to him wherever he was, whenever he wanted – that he could plant fear in him in any waking moment – that, even with a warning, even knowing he would come, there would be nothing Enji could do to stop him. Or to save himself.
He sat back down at his desk to wait for his son. His hands were trembling. Curiously, he watched his fingers shake. Yet, despite that, he felt oddly calm.
If Touya thought this would be Sapporo all over again…
If Touya thought Enji would be helpless against him…
He opened the suitcase with his gear. Put on his gauntlets, his shoulder pads. As he moved, his fingers still trembled, but it was eerily quiet in the room. Every movement felt heavy and slow, and every second was weighing on his shoulders.
He was afraid.
He was afraid.
He was terrified.
But…
His body still moved. His hands trembled, but as he fastened the glove, his grip was tight and secure. He heard his heart beat in his chest, could feel the pulse all the way in his throat. His blood rushed in his ears and his breath felt cool against his lips.
This was not the kind of terror he was used to. Not the numbing horror and cold panic that would not let him move, that would freeze even the thoughts in his mind.
As he waited, there was an odd certainty in him, that he would not die today. And the fear he felt was not the feeling of cold metal against his forehead. Instead, it was the knowledge, and clear certainty, that he would fight his son.
That today after half a year of avoiding this confrontation, of fearing it and freezing in terror whenever it might come close…today, he would not freeze.
I think this was kind of expected. The League - most of all touya - wouldn't just ignore Endeavor's comeback. BUT Enji's put a lot of work in in therapy. (He's of course still going to therapy, even though I don't write the sessions anymore.)
Also PS. I mentioned last chapter, that I'm thinking about new stories to write about Endeavor...And I fear whatever I'll do next will be horribly self-indulgent. This story, I tried very hard to keep it both consistent with the canon characters (although leaving the canon plot and going AU and the characters changing due to that, and making many decisions on my own, before we got any confirmation in canon - but I at last tried to write every character consistend wih the type of person they were when I first started writing the story) and to handle the issue as sensibly as I could wihout being too graphic about anything... It's probably the reason why this got so long, because itwas just too complicated to deal with it all in a few chapters... I want to get a little bit away from that - so to not write two identical stories... So, I'm currently juggling three main ideas and they're all just self-indulgent wish fullfillment... Whatever good intentions I might have had with this stories (like not giving Enji an overly tragic past to just garner pity for him, like not going too dark, but also on the opposite end to not go too fluff and have everybody forgive him, etc.) will probably go overboard. Currently I'm thinking about a grandpa!Enji fluff-fest, about a very short fic centered on Deku and Endevor's relationship (though I don't have a plot for that yet) or on a horribly tragic pitiful tearjerker past for him...
You see, there's still a lot to do with Endeavor, and I keep you informed whenever I'll start uploading a/the new project... (which might even be before I finish uploading this one, since I'll probably be finished writing this a while before uploading the last chapter...
(And now I stop congratulating myself for finishing a fic I haven't actually finished yet lol)