77. Role Reversal
To ask why we fight is to ask why the leaves fall; it is in their nature. Perhaps there is a better question: What is worth fighting for?
-Chen Stormstout
Less than two hours ago, Izuku had been witness to a joyful event, the marriage of two of his dear friends, and now his future sister and brother-in-law, as well as his teacher finally admitting that even Shota Aizawa had a heart, and a sense of humor. Now he sat down to discuss the results of the carnage he had unleashed the day before, and plan on how to cause even greater destruction soon.
"How successful were you yesterday?" Izuku asked, folding his hands together and looking down the conference table towards Bakugo and Hado, the strike team leaders from the assault on a PLF stronghold the day before. With him sat Nezu, Burnin, and Tsuragamae, and of course Mei, who was still in her dress from the wedding.
"All objectives accomplished!" Hado declared. Then her face fell. "But...two policemen died. And so did Komori from 1B. We had a lot of injuries too…"
"But the damage we did to the bastards was a hell of a lot more than we took," Bakugo snarled. "We wiped out at least a hundred of their elites. And I personally killed Toga. For real this time. She thought she could hide behind Mei's face. Bitch had it coming."
The thought of Mei dead in the dirt, even a shapeshifted version of her, made Izuku sick, but the real Mei nodded in satisfaction. "Good. She took too much of my blood."
"Most of the casualties we took were from one guy though. Twice. Killing Toga really pissed him off. Guess he had the hots for the freak or something. I must have killed a thousand of his copies," Bakugo reported.
Hado shuddered. "They just kept coming and coming, waves and waves of them. If it hadn't been for Bakugo, we would have been overrun even as we tried to retreat. We didn't have to fake it, they really were pushing us back. He was making clones left and right, of their elites, of himself, it was a nightmare. They're easy to take out but...but there were so many."
"I don't know if I got that bastard too, but I took out a lot of him," Bakugo reported. "He finally quit, so maybe that last explosion took him out for good. We won't know for a while though."
"And they saw you using One For All?" Tsuragamae asked. It was no longer a secret that Bakugo had inherited the power of All Might, and in fact Izuku had wanted to spread the story far and wide, as quickly as possible. It was vital they provoke Shigaraki into making a foolish move, and Izuku hoped the idea that One For All was alive and well and defying him would be enough to do that.
"I mean, I ran around screaming, 'I'm coming for you, Chapstick you ugly bastard! My One For All Against your All For One!' And then I killed his girlfriend. So, you know, he's probably at least a little pissed, and he's dumb if he didn't notice me punching out goddamn buildings and grabbing people with the Black Whip," Bakugo said.
"Yeah, um, he wasn't really subtle," Hado said, eyeing Bakugo sideways. "And he said some, er, really mean stuff."
"Well if you wanted subtle you should have asked for Hagakure," Mei pointed out. "Bakugo has explosions, which are the opposite of subtle. I know, trust me, it is very hard to hide an explosion."
"Well, then we just have to wait," Izuku sighed. "We'll want to watch for them massing forces, or potential retribution strikes. Have our scouts and patrols reported anything?"
"After yesterday they quit moving north at least for now," Nezu said, climbing up on the table and walking to a large map they had rolled out. "They're active in the south, and are marching on Kyoto." Nezu nudged a few markers that acted as indicators of PLF forces along roads and to various towns and cities.
"Kyoto has a strong hero community, they could hold out," Tsuragame pointed out.
"Or they could ally themselves with the PLF. So far, they've adamantly refused to accept any of our own overtures," Nezu pointed out. "And don't forget, that's where Shishido was from. He ended up being one of their top enforcers."
"We have to assume that Kyoto and the heroes operating out of there won't come over to us," Izuku sighed, shaking his head. "How about our own numbers? New recruits?"
"Counting the half dozen or so you brought in yesterday and our lightly wounded, we're at 238 combat effectives," Tsuragame pointed out. "Most of those are former police. Some of them have decently useful combat quirks, but they're mostly untrained in that. UA students continue to be the backbone of our forces."
Izuku put his hands together, resting the bridge of his nose on them, feeling the warm flesh and the cold metal. "We can't take PLF on directly. And a strike at the heart of their territory again could be fatal. They won't make the mistakes that led to the rescue mission before. Which means…"
Izuku glanced at the location of UA on the map, which was now a heavily fortified PLF base. And a quirkless concentration camp.
"It means we have to find a way to defeat the PLF before we try to rescue them," Nezu agreed, reading Izuku's thoughts. "Besides. We're running out of room, and supplies. We cannot afford to take on a large number of untrained civilians."
"With Toga and possibly Twice gone, who does that leave in the PLF's hierarchy?" Izuku asked, closing his eyes.
"Gigantomachia. Curious. Iceman. Dabi. Spinner. Muscular. And Moonfish. We've heard that Kurogiri ain't been seen in days, and he's probably dead. Apparently, Shinso has an inside man that says that," Burnin reported. "But we got other sources that are tellin' the same story."
Izuku's eyes snapped open. "An inside man?"
"Yeah, someone called 'LegacyStain' contacted him," Burnin reported. "They're sayin' they want to turn traitor or some shit. Shinso says it's probably a trap or something, but he passed it on all the same."
"LegacyStain," Izuku mused. "Dabi and Spinner reportedly joined the League of Villains originally because they wished to follow Stain and his ideology of the reformation of hero society. If Shigaraki or All For One killed Stain, that could lead to their disillusionment."
"Well hell, that's our in then," Bakugo said, grinning preditorialy. "We get this fanboy to let us know when Chapstick is vulnerable. Then we kill his ass."
"That's a risky gambit," Tsuragame pointed out. "I don't think it wise to risk everything on such a gamble."
"Agreed. Even if it could bring a swift end to the war," Izuku mused. He frowned, glancing at the map. "Shinso needs to get us information on another one of the PLF's top brass. We scout it out, send in a small team, and if we can, assassinate them."
Nezu frowned, looking down at the map around him. The number of PLF markers was daunting. "Still dangerous."
"We're going to have to take gambles, we're on the backfoot," Izuku pointed out. He looked to Bakugo. "Work with Shinso. You decide on a strike team, once we know the target. It will need to be highly mobile. We'll make it look like you were leading a scouting party that stumbled on a target of opportunity. Hopefully it won't blow LegacyStain's cover, if he is a legitimate source. I'd feel better if I knew exactly who it was."
"Sounds good," Bakugo agreed, standing. He fired off a casual salute, then left.
"Hado, I want you to step up our patrols. No groups smaller than six. We need to be ready for a counterblow. Shigaraki rules as a strong man, and we've been making him look weak. He's going to have to attempt retribution of some form," Izuku ordered.
"You got it boss!" Hado agreed happily.
Izuku nodded, but raised a hand of caution. "But make sure you get some rest too. Burnin can help you work out a rotation."
"Yeah, come on kid, we got some stuff to work out," Burnin agreed, and the two departed.
Izuku continued to look at the map, but he was unable to think of what else to do. Mei, as usual, broke the silence.
"I can make more Power Suits, with Hari's help. Maybe we can train other people to help us. But I need more materials if you want me to make lots of them."
"You can do what?" Izuku gasped, starting and turning to stare at her. When Mei opened her mouth, he smiled and shook his head. "No, I hear you it's just...more Power Suits…"
That made Mei look guilty. "I know it is our super cute baby we made for you, but maybe we could share it?"
"No, Mei, that's a great idea!" Izuku said excitedly. "I could even train people on how to operate the suit! The hardest part will be that each suit more or less needs to be custom engineered to the wearers size and needs."
"I think I can figure out how to make the suits more adjustable. I had to do that a little because you keep getting bigger," Mei pointed out. "You are still getting bigger. You might not notice it but Hari and I keep having to make the suits fit you every few weeks. You are going to be very tall."
That made Izuku blush. While originally he'd been nearly the same height as Mei, that had changed quite a bit. She'd gotten a little taller since they met, mostly losing a little baby fat and filling her adolescent frame. Izuku, on the other hand, had grown nearly 14 centimeters and didn't show signs of stopping anytime soon. The doctors had been a little worried that losing his arm could have stunted his growth, but as it was that didn't appear to even slightly be the case.
"More of those remarkable suits would certainly be a great help," Nezu agreed enthusiastically. "How many do you think you can make?"
"Well I am making so much right now, it is hard to say. But the biggest problem is raw materials. Momo is helping me with that a lot, but there is only so much she can make, since she is also very busy making medical supplies and other things."
"That's true. I've stopped deploying her on missions due to needing her supply capabilities more than her fieldwork," Izuku admitted, feeling slightly guilty. Thankfully, Yaoyorozu had been understanding, and had even told Izuku there was more to being a hero than fighting.
"War is won more often through supply and logistics than it is through a single battlefield action, woof," Tsuragame agreed. "I'll give you a list of my officers that I think would best work for your program."
"And...and I think I need to put guns on the suits," Mei added, looking miserable. "Guns are not very cute, but they are very good at killing bad guys and I have not been able to come with a better idea for cute babies. The laser and flamethrower are very cute, but they lack ranged ability and missiles are bulkier and harder to store. Plus, you can just carry a gun."
The thought of Izuku and Mei's creations being used like that was disturbing. The missiles had originated not as weapons of destruction, but as delivery systems for capture foam, anti-quirk measures, and smoke or other disruptive devices with HE being only a backup choice. The laser had been for cutting things, like fallen debris or sealed doors, and the flamethrower had been a countermeasure for Iceman. Guns in this context were only for killing. But Izuku wasn't acting like a normal hero. He was fighting a war.
"Do it. High caliber rounds with maximum penetrative force," Izuku ordered. "Something that could take down a difficult target that ordinary small arms fire couldn't manage."
"I will include some cuter kinds of bullets, like armor piercing, incendiary, and high explosive," Mei promised. "But they will still not be that cute. It will be easier and faster just to modify existing equipment than to make my own and we need to be fast."
"A dark day for heroism," Nezu sighed. "But these are dire times. And the PLF is not a foe we can afford to simply incapacitate or capture. We must destroy it, root and stem."
"If that is all, gentlemen," Izuku said, standing. "Nezu, see to procuring as many materials as you can to build new suits. Tsuragame, get us a list of those officers. Mei, how many suits do you estimate we can deliver right now?"
"Six. Maybe more if Momo helps or I cannibalize some trucks and use inferior materials," Mei said.
Izuku shook his head. "We'll focus on quality for now, that's the main edge we hold over the PLF. What about the potential for Ultra Armor models?"
"It is too hard," Mei said, shaking her head. "The custom power plants alone would be impossible to produce and mount with our current facilities. The Power Suit is much simpler."
"Right. Well then, let's get started," Izuku said, and he and Mei headed down to the workshop and set to their task.
It was relaxing and pleasant to simply lose himself in machining parts and building systems he was already familiar with. They had repaired and refitted the Power Suit often enough that he and Mei were able to work together almost without talking, knowing just what needed to be done next, or what task they were best suited to work on. It was well into the evening when Shinso arrived, carrying a tray with soup, rice, and coffee.
"Hari's busy, so I figured someone had to check on you two," Shinso said, handing Mei a theromos of coffee that she eagerly guzzled.
"Thanks, I didn't realize how late it was," Izuku admitted. It was hard to keep track of time underground, and they had been so into the groove time had slipped away from them.
"Another suit?" Shinso asked, eyeing the frame of the model they were working on. "What, you think you're gonna break yours or something?"
"We are making super cute babies for other people! Do you want one, Hitoshi?" Mei asked.
"The plan is to augment some of our forces with more Power Suits," Izuku explained. "We could make one for you, you'd be a decent candidate."
Shinso frowned, putting his hand on the pistol he now carried. He'd ditched his hero costume, now dressing up as one of the police who'd joined them, down to the gear he carried. It made him very hard to pick out in a crowd, and made it easier for him to brainwash unsuspecting victims.
"You said no when you got offered a quirk, right?" Shinso asked.
Izuku nodded, not sure what that had to do with anything. "Yes. I mean...I still do wonder, sometimes." He gestured to the suit. "But...but this is who I am."
"Well, my quirk is who I am," Shinso stated, sitting down and picking up his own bowl of soup. "I'll put the gun down someday and go back to my old tricks. Thanks for the offer, but my quirk is who I am. Give the suits to someone else. Hell, there's gotta be at least a few quirkless officers here. Hook them up."
Mei nodded and went back to slurping down her noodles, but Izuku studied Shinso for a moment. "This means a lot to you, doesn't it? Using your quirk to be a hero, I mean."
"Yeah, I guess it does. That was always my dream," Shinso admitted. He frowned, leaning back. "Was it always your dream to be a quirkless hero?"
That made Mei look up, startled and Izuku shook his head. "No. I just wanted to be a hero, like All Might."
"But Izuku! You turned down One For All! I think Katsuki would have given it to you, too!" Mei gasped.
Shiso's eyes went wide. "Shit, I didn't know that. I mean, hell, Izuku. I love my quirk and all, but if I got offered the chance to be the next All Might? I'd have taken it with both hands."
"For a long time, I would have too," Izuku admitted. He smiled at Mei, reaching out with his metal hand to take hers. "But dreams change. And it's not just my dream, either. Other quirkless people look up to me now. I have a responsibility to show the world you can be a hero without quirks. And, well, I think being a hero with the babies we make together means something now."
"He means inventions," Mei clarified. "Not the other kind."
Shinso burst out laughing, spilling a bit of his soup and doubling over, clutching his stomach. Izuku started giggling, then dissolved into complete hysterics. Mei laughed as well. "Ha! Yes! It is very funny! Because you used to say the same thing all the time too!"
After dinner, Shinso made Izuku and Mei promise they'd get to bed at a decent hour, then left them alone.
"I am tired," Izuku admitted, groaning and stretching. "And we've got more long days ahead of us. We should head to bed."
"Ok! I planned ahead," Mei said. She headed to a closet, and pulled out a futon, along with a few blankets and pillows.
Izuku looked at the futon for a moment, then shrugged. He kicked off his boots, removed his jacket, and turned off the lights, then lay down. For an instant, his mind drifted to the terrible things he'd ordered. The people he'd sent to their deaths. The people he couldn't save from their fate. But then Mei snuggled up next to him, yawning and smacking her lips.
"Goodnight, Izuku. I love you."
Swallowing, Izuku managed with a lump in his throat, "I love you too, Mei."
Sleep came blessedly easy that night.