Previously in Imprisoners, Chapter 5:
The Quirk Supression Force invaded Blightgate Prison and rescued Izuku, but not without high costs. Toshinori revealed to IllumiNation that he is no longer powerless, and Rei had to release her murderous personality IRE. IllumiNation also suffered setbacks: Blightgate has been exposed as a Nomu test facility, and Denki has been revealed as the villain Taser. Though Wipe was tasked with erasing the memories of Izuku and Himiko, she did so only temporarily, and passed a message to Toshinori. This allowed Himiko to save Izuku's life, and he reluctantly renewed their bond. To protect his family, Katsuki once again wore the mask of Heatrash and helped free All For One, only to come face to face with the former Hagakure, now the villain Strobe. Their secrets exposed to each other, they parted on hostile terms.
Imprisoners
A My Hero Academia Fanfic by
Nate Grey (xman0123-at-aol-dot-com)
Chapter 6: The Price of Love
At first, Himiko assumed that it was the strength of her love for Izuku that prevented her from forgetting him. Except, she knew perfectly well that her feelings were far stronger than his. And yet, he had no problem remembering her, either. That suggested that it was a failure on Wipe's part to completely erase their memories of each other. But Wipe didn't make those kind of mistakes. It would have been extremely hazardous, either to Wipe's health, or that of her family. And then there was that perfect mission record.
The only possible conclusion was that Wipe hadn't made a mistake. She had purposely not entirely erased Himiko's and Izuku's memories of each other. Himiko wanted to ask why, but didn't dare to. Wipe had given her a precious gift, but it wasn't one that anyone else was meant to know about. Himiko could not even tell her siblings, because they, too, expected her to have forgotten Izuku. She had noticed their jealousy, and thought it was for the best to go on pretending. All that mattered was that they were happy that Himiko was happier now, even if they had no idea why.
Having to hide her affair with Izuku only made it more exciting to Himiko. She was already making plans for how they would steal a minute here, or an hour there. And no matter what Izuku said, of course he would never deny her.
They were forever.
Shinso blinked slowly, carefully processing everything he'd just heard. "So I was right."
"Indeed," Toshinori agreed. "Your mother is alive, and she was forced to join IllumiNation because they wanted her Quirk. But, Shinso-kun, I urge you never to forget her warning. IllumiNation has not harmed you or your father, because of her service. And they have... 'forgiven' your attempts to find them, for the same reason. But if you were to continue your efforts, they may not be so forgiving. It is your mother's wish that you stop trying to find her, and leave her to her fate. She gave up her freedom for her family. Do not invalidate her sacrifice."
"That's what she told you to say." Shinso narrowed his eyes. "Is it what you actually think I should do?"
Toshinori sighed. "You may use your Quirk on me if you wish, but I am forced to agree with your mother. IllumiNation's reach is greater than we ever imagined. At this point, I can no longer take a stand against them, because I cannot be sure who is already working for them. Like your mother, there may be more agents working against their will, prepared to do anything to protect what they feel they must. If you do not blame her for what she did, you cannot blame them, either."
"I can and I will, if they keep me from my mother!" Shinso shouted.
Toshinori shook his head. "I promised her that I would deliver her message, and try to convince you. But I feared you would react this way. And I would never say that your feelings wrong. All I can say is that your mother loved you enough to do this for you. If there was any way she could be with you, don't you think she would have done it?"
"They would have taken my father instead. I now understand how they operate." Shinso gritted his teeth. "Thank you for telling me this. To have my theories confirmed... it actually does help me. And my father will want to know, as well. That she's still alive, and thinking of us. It helps more than I can say."
"I am sorry I could not do more. If there had been more time, or if I could have convinced her-"
"It's no good thinking that way. My father tormented himself for years, doing that. I can only imagine the willpower my mother possesses, to survive as she has. If you were not prepared to threaten her family as IllumiNation did, you could never have changed her mind. And if you were capable of that, she never would have trusted you to deliver her message." Shinso took a deep breath and released it. "I should go. My father will be so relieved. At first, anyway."
"I understand. If there's anything I can do-"
"I don't think there is. But, again: thank you." Shinso bowed to him, then quickly left the room.
"I don't think he's coming back, oji-san," Eri murmured, startling Toshinori, as he hadn't realized she was in the room.
"Eri-chan," he breathed as she sat down next to him, a cookie in each hand. "Why do you say that?"
"I can tell, just by hearing him talk. Nothing is more important than seeing her with his own eyes." She stared at Toshinori with a resigned expression, then offered him a cookie. "If we tried to stop him, he wouldn't see us as friends anymore."
Toshinori said nothing to that, but he knew Eri was exactly right.
Normally, they would have talked about it, or at least tried to.
Tsuyu could always tell when Izuku had been around Himiko. Not just by the fresh bite marks, either. The guilt would practically come off of him in waves, like an odor. And Izuku simply could not crawl into bed with a woman while knowing he had been unfaithful to her, and not say anything. Inko hadn't raised him that way. He was honest to a fault. At times, Tsuyu wondered if it would have been easier, if he could lie to her.
Ochaco had given him an ultimatum, back when she and Izuku were dating. Naturally, Ochaco had expected him to choose her. Frankly, so had everyone else who knew the details. But, it wasn't so much that Izuku had chosen Himiko, and he had said that over and over again. It was that Himiko was too valuable a resource not to exploit. That much was certainly true: rarely were prisoners both so knowledgeable and willing to share. And Himiko had never asked for anything except access to Izuku. Given all of that, if Izuku had not been willing to see her, someone from the government probably would have come by and asked him to change his mind.
If she were honest with herself, Tsuyu might have asked him to, if she really thought there was no other way. Himiko gave her the creeps, and Tsuyu never wanted to be around her, if it could be at all avoided. Even so, Tsuyu had been to Blightgate to see Himiko only once. That was the day after Ochacho issued her ultimatum, so Tsuyu had been ready to tell Himiko to stay away from Izuku, not that Himiko actually could, being a prisoner and all.
Himiko had been thrilled to see Tsuyu again. Maybe too much so. Tsuyu had insisted on extra guards. And no matter how awful it had made her feel, Tsuyu could still see the appeal. Himiko wanted to share, so long as she got attention from the people she wanted it from. She did not even ask for Tsuyu's blood, although she did scream, "Call me, Tsu-chan!" as the guards dragged her away.
Tsuyu never blamed Ochaco for her decision to leave Izuku. Ochaco deserved someone who would be faithful, someone who would choose her over all else. There was a time when Izuku had been that person. But Himiko had turned him into someone else. Someone that Ochaco could not bear to be around.
Himiko had turned Izuku into Deku. And Deku would do whatever it took to save the day. Because he was a hero. But all heroes didn't have a happy family waiting on them at home. Many went home to empty apartments, or they never really stopped working at all, or their families were slowly self-destructing. Deku was not a machine, and he had often told Tsuyu that he wanted a family. That hadn't been a lie. But whether he realized it or not, Deku had begun to build a family that accepted him as a hero first, and a man second. They would have to understand that Himiko was a part of his life. They would have to understand that he would drop everything to chase her, if she escaped. And they would especially have to understand that Deku was one of the few people that could even convince Himiko to surrender peacefully. And that, Tsuyu really understood, because unfortunately, she was also on that list. Himiko had told her so.
So when Izuku and Eri came home that evening, Tsuyu didn't ask any questions. They both looked too exhausted to do anything but fall into bed. Tsuyu dragged Eri into the bathroom for a quick shower, during which Eri actually fell asleep and Tsuyu had to help her finish. If not for Eri being so small, Tsuyu would have needed help moving her. But Eri had never really gotten a big growth spurt. Theories on why ranged from stunted growth originating from her abusive childhood, to Eri forcibly retaining her small size so that she could always ride on Izuku's back with ease.
Tsuyu got Eri into bed without much trouble, and briefly thought of sleeping with her, in case there were any nightmares. That could happen when Eri overused her Quirk, and from what Toshinori had told her over the phone, that had been the case this time. But Eri gave no sign that she wouldn't sleep through the night, and the horn on her head was thankfully rather small just then.
By the time Tsuyu got to her own bed, Izuku had just finished showering himself. He froze when he spotted her, but Tsuyu shook her head and said, "We should both go to bed. Anything you need to tell me will keep until tomorrow morning." Izuku looked as if he wanted to tell her something immediately instead, but finally nodded and joined her in bed.
Tsuyu laid awake for hours, staring up at the ceiling, and without needing to look, she could tell from Izuku's breathing that he was doing the same. Finally, she sighed and asked, "So, how was Himiko?"
It was as if the dam had burst: Izuku launched into a full explanation of all things Himiko. Tsuyu should have been annoyed at how much there was to say, but she was more pleased that he had survived, and that Himiko clearly preferred him alive, too. It would mean that Tsuyu would have to keep sacrificing in order to stay with him. But all that meant, in her mind, was that the only hero stronger than Deku, was Froppy. And the world definitely need Deku, so if nothing else, Froppy would never be unemployed. Her job was to be Deku's home. And if Izuku ever got to the point where he couldn't be Deku anymore, then Tsuyu would take over. She just hoped that they weren't too old and broken down to enjoy it by then.
Katsuki didn't say a word when he walked through the door, but he was not surprised to see that his mother was back in the kitchen. Or perhaps she had never left it, judging by the pile of food containers on the counter. He though he had no appetite , but the smell of strong coffee was too enticing, and he poured himself a large cup without thinking. Even before the liquid passed his lips, he recognized the scent of his mother's signature blend: black, laced with a pinch of jalapeno and cayenne.
"So?" Mitsuki asked from her seat at the table, glaring at him. "You manage to vent?"
"Yeah," Katsuki grunted.
"Good. Momo called earlier. She wants to design a special urn for your father. For some reason, she assumed we'd want him cremated. I told her I'd call her back when I made up my mind."
"Fine."
"Mina wakes up every other hour, saying she needs to walk around a bit to fall asleep again. It'd be nice if her husband was there the next time she woke up."
Katsuki finished his coffee and put the cup in the sink. He started to move past his mother, then abruptly spun around, yanked her out of the chair, and hugged her so hard that she thought he was trying to squeeze her to death.
"Katsuki, what-?" she asked.
"Don't you dare die on me, too, you old hag," he hissed in her ear.
Mitsuki's face softened, and she returned the hug, stroking his hair. "I'm not going anywhere, Katsuki. I'm going to see that little one's face, no matter what. I already promised Mina, and now I'm promising you, too."
"You think I'm stupid? You think I don't know you risked everything to protect her and my kid?"
"There was no other way, and-"
"The hell there wasn't. You could have ripped the head off of whoever did this, and don't tell me you couldn't, because you ripped my head off every chance you got, so don't tell me you've lost a step now. You promise me that next time, the only dead bodies are on their side."
"I hear you, Katsuki." Mitsuki ruffled his hair, then gently pushed him away. "Go to Mina. I'll make more of my special coffee. Lately, it's all she drinks. I swear that baby is going to bleed caffeine."
Katsuki blinked. "Yeah." Then he smiled faintly.
"Why did you bring her here?" Fuyumi whispered as she handed Momo a cup of tea.
Momo sighed and leaned against the kitchen counter. "Nee-san, there's no point in that, she can hear you. And I already told you: IRE wanted to come here. Keeping her calm is even more important now."
"But all she's been doing is flipping through your old UA yearbook."
Momo shook her head. "Someone I went to school with turned out to be a traitor. He attacked Rei, and IRE took it personally."
"And you didn't?" Fuyumi asked in surprise.
"It's hard to see a need to. IRE hasn't stopped plotting his death since I picked her up. I almost feel sorry for him. Almost."
"I take it you weren't close to this guy, then?"
"We fell out of touch, though now I believe that was no accident. Izuku was the only one who saw him even semi-regularly, and it's now obvious that was only to maintain the illusion." Momo made a sour face. "I guess that's also the real reason why he and Kyoka broke up. I dread being the one to tell her. She might kill him before IRE does."
"Didn't you tell me that Kyoka almost married-?"
"Yes, that's why she would kill him. She proposed, he claimed there was someone else, Kyoka refused to believe him, and he finally broke things off over her protests. We thought he took the job at Blightgate mainly to get away from her. But I suppose it's better that he didn't marry her, that would only make this harder."
Fuyumi stared at Momo. "So... he's already dead to you."
Momo closed her eyes. "He has to be. He knew exactly who Rei was, taunted her about Shoto, and tried to kill her. I won't forgive that. The Denki I knew was never cruel. If he was an act, then so be it."
"You almost sound like IRE," Fuyumi commented, not sounding impressed.
"I realize that. But the people we're dealing with will kill to get what they want. I have always tried to find another way, but they are targeting our families now. I would rather become a killer than bury any of you."
"It's easy to say that-"
"No," Momo interrupted firmly, "it isn't. But it's easier than accepting dead relatives that I failed to protect. All of your lives are precious to me, and I-"
"She's gone."
Both women jumped and spun around, shocked to find Rei standing in the doorway. She looked exhausted, but it was clearly her, and not IRE.
"Kaa-san," Momo said at last. "What do you mean?"
"IRE's gone for the night. She says she needs time to plan a proper death for Denki." Rei rubbed her forehead. "I don't think she was lying, but could one of you watch over me while I sleep?"
"Of course," Fuyumi replied at once. Then she hesitated, glancing uncertainly between them. "Unless, you'd prefer Momo?"
Rei smiled and took Fuyumi's hand. "If you don't know what I prefer, that's all the more reason it should be you."
"I'll clean up in here," Momo offered.
"You'll wake us if you hear from Shoto?" Rei asked.
"Immediately," Momo promised, kissing her cheek and then Fuyumi's. "Sleep well, you two."
Shoto called only an hour later, but to Momo's surprise, the information he had to share was nothing she was prepared for.
"I've just left the police station. No new leads on anyone affiliated with IllumiNation, although I can't be sure if that's because there are none, or because their tracks are so well hidden, or because the police themselves have been compromised. The latter two, I suspect. Shinso was right to be so wary."
"Well, he did warn us. Anyway, I'm going to stay here tonight. What about you? Are you on your way?"
Shoto sighed. "Actually, I need to stop by the base first and pick up some paperwork. Katsuki called me a few minutes ago. He's retiring."
"What?" Momo asked in shock. "Why?"
"He wouldn't say, exactly, but I don't think it was his father's death. Not entirely, anyway. And he didn't seem angry, for once, or even depressed or grieving. More determined than normal, I think. He did mention wanting to be around Mina and the baby more, and I'm sure that's true. And it's not as if I can't understand that. In light of everything that's happened, I'd be lying if I said similar thoughts hadn't crossed my mind."
"We could, you know," Momo said softly. "Retire. It may not make things that much safer in the long run, but wanting to be close to home... I understand that, too."
"I always hoped that I would have found a way to repair my family, before I had children of my own. And you've done so much good there, I hear it in my mother's voice every time she talks about you."
"But it's still not where you hoped it would be. And it may never be. But, Shoto, we aren't your parents. And we won't let darkness infect our child. If we want to start a family now, we can. And if we want to wait, that's fine, too. But I will say this. If you tell me that your father is the reason that you're hesitating, then you can forget about repairing your family, because I will never forgive him for ruining something so wonderful for us."
"I love you," Shoto said at once.
Momo blushed. "I love you, too. Are you sure that paperwork can't wait until tomorrow?"
"We're going to find out. I'm coming home now."
Momo smiled as the call ended. Shoto may have doubted himself, but she did not. If he was ready to make love to his wife in the same home that had once housed his worst memories, then he was ready for kids. She just had to convince him of that, later.
Wipe had not survived in IllumiNation by being careless. Even before she had first been introduced to Himiko, she had read the girl's file thoroughly, and came to the only smart conclusion: to be extremely careful. Himiko was both highly dangerous and highly favored by the leader. If not for the latter, Wipe felt certain that anyone else in that position would have been silenced or expelled long ago.
Before, Wipe had been content to do her job, and nothing else. But their last meeting had shown her that would not be enough. And Wipe now thought she understood a small part of what made Himiko dangerous, and in turn, why Wipe had been called upon to erase Himiko's memories. Himiko's Quirk gradually evolved over time, which was certainly not unheard of. But now Wipe suspected that Himiko was evolving faster than most people did, and worse, she was developing a resistance to Wipe's Quirk. Even more worrying, Wipe believed that the previous person who had been in charge of erasing Himiko's memories had never understood that, so when Himiko's resistance overcame their Quirk, it was seen as mission failure, rather than Himiko getting stronger. There had to be a reason why Wipe was given access to that person's notes, but not the person directly.
Liang was no fool. He could not be the leader without understanding a great deal about Quirks. He had to know what was happening in Himiko. Which meant he had either gotten rid of Himiko's previous handler despite knowing they were not to blame, or simply allowed them to walk into a situation (likely Himiko herself) that he'd known was fatal. Wipe could not force her own Quirk to evolve, but she wasn't about to die for these people, either.
Crazy as it sounded, her only hope was Himiko. And the gamble had paid off.
Wipe knew she had succeeded when Himiko's attitude toward her changed almost overnight. They began to be paired together for work more and more often, to the point where Himiko had to be requesting it. Ironically, the expectation was that Wipe would use her Quirk to keep Himiko in line, but the only reason they got along at all was because Wipe stopped using her Quirk on Himiko entirely. And the only reason this was not immediately discovered was that Himiko was smarter than she was crazy... which was just another reason she was so dangerous. But in this case, that was saving Wipe's life, rather than endangering it.
For a while, Wipe began to think she was safe. Or at least, safer than the last handler, who was almost surely dead.
And then she walked into Liang's office one day, only to find Strobe on a couch, seated next to-
"Kaa-san."
Wipe froze, staring into the eyes of her son as he stood up. "Hitoshi. Why-?"
"Your son," Liang said, sounding both annoyed and amused, "is extremely resourceful, Wipe. Imagine my surprise when he simply walked into my office, when he should not know where we are, or how to get in. I am sure that you did not tell him, as that was the entire point of your service."
"You can't be here!" Wipe cried, lunging at Hitoshi and shaking him. "They'll never let you leave!"
"I already knew that," Hitoshi replied calmly. "It's why I came here. I have no intention of leaving."
"What? Why?!" Wipe demanded.
"Isn't it obvious?" Liang answered. "He is a good son. He wishes to be with his mother. To the point where he has willingly cut all ties with his father. Such determination should be rewarded. And besides, he knows too much now. I cannot allow him to leave at this point. And one of your son's conditions was that we not harm his father. Not that we have any reason to, now."
"Don't worry, kaa-san," Hitoshi said. "He knows why I had to do this. He said, 'Don't ever leave her side.' Then he pushed me out of the house."
"How did you even find this place?" Wipe asked.
"Her," Hitoshi replied, nodding at Strobe, who glared at him. "Simply put, I have always thought it was ridiculous to trust a person who never becomes visible. So within the first month of meeting her, I brainwashed her. A small but powerful suggestion to follow my commands, in case she ever betrayed us. I never used it... until now. I didn't expect it would still work after so long, but it did. Finding her was the tricky part, but fortunately I didn't have to see her to make her obey. I just had to get close enough."
"This is actually very fortunate timing," Liang said. "I have been thinking about a new assignment for the Traitorous Three, and an additional handler would prove very useful. And since you are already acquainted, that makes things easier. Strobe, I trust you will be able to convince your brother. My understanding is that Himiko is already quite excited about this mission."
Secret Origins 2
Operation: Lightbearer
Notes: It was previously thought that the only holders of One for All in the new generation were the Mighty Midoriya brothers. However, new evidence has emerged that indicates otherwise. While it remains true that One for All can only be passed on if a current holder both wishes to do so, and donates the required genetic material, the nature and form of the wish and donation has now been called into question. Izuku Midoriya never purposely granted the Quirk to any of his children. But he has also never denied that the wish he carried, deep in his heart, was that his power would keep all of his children safe.
"That was... wow," Izuku whispered as he stared up at the ceiling.
"I'll take that as a compliment," Tsuyu said, lifting her head from his chest to stare at him.
They both laughed. Izuku couldn't remember the last time that he had felt so good. Had it really been so long? It seemed as if he was finally getting his life on track. He had realized that Tsuyu wasn't going to leave him, no matter how badly he messed things up. So he asked her to marry him, and she said, "It's about time."
Tsuyu had not wanted a big wedding. Or even one that required much planning. Only their immediate families had been invited. There were some hurt feelings over that, but virtually everyone else they knew was either a hero or in law enforcement. There would have been too much temptation for most villains to resist attacking such an event. So the smaller, the better.
Likewise, only one other person knew exactly where they had gone on their honeymoon. It was a former hero agency, but had been converted into a private residence for heroes who needed to recuperate. Izuku had felt a little weird when he saw the sign in the front corridor that proclaimed it to be "Another Heroic Renovation by Uraraka Construction", but Tsuyu had assured him that Ochaco would have been happy to learn that her family's company had been able to help them. And, admittedly, once he allowed Tsuyu to distract him, Ochaco was the furthest thing from Izuku's mind.
And the distracting, which largely took place in bed, was a lot of fun. But, if Izuku were honest with himself, the parts he enjoyed the most, by far, was simply lying in bed with Tsuyu, doing nothing more stimulating than holding each other and talking. It was nothing they hadn't done before, but somehow, it just felt different, now that they were married.
"Hey, Izuku," Tsuyu said suddenly. "Do you think we could try something a little different?"
Izuku blinked and blushed a little. "Um, sure. But what else is there? I thought we'd been pretty thorough with your Quirk already."
"That's not really what I meant." Tsuyu stared at his neck. "I was thinking about how Himiko always bit you."
Izuku froze. "W-What about it?"
"I never liked the fact that she was leaving her mark on you. Those scars would always remind me that you were with her, and I hated them. Not because they were there, though. It made me realize that I didn't have a mark on you."
Izuku reached up to stroke her hair. "I'm wearing your ring, Tsu."
"I know. But for a long time, you weren't. It bugs me."
Izuku hesitated. "Are you... saying you want to bite me?"
"I don't want to. But I think it would make me feel better."
"If that's what you need, Tsu, then go ahead."
It didn't last as long, or hurt anywhere near as much as Himiko's bites had. Maybe because Tsuyu was gentler. Maybe because it was Tsuyu. And when she was done, Tsuyu carefully kissed the scar, her scar, and apologized to him. And Izuku wrapped his arms around her, drew her close, and inhaled the scent of her hair as he began to fall asleep immediately.
Tsuyu did not fall asleep. She waited until she was certain that he had, and then she carefully slipped out of his grasp, and moved quickly but quietly to the bathroom. After checking her reflection briefly in the mirror, she turned and drew back the shower curtain, where a second Tsuyu was lying unconscious on shower floor.
"Thanks for letting me borrow our hubby for a few hours, Tsu-chan," the first cooed, admiring the sparkling ring on her finger. "Your Quirk is so neat to play with."
It didn't take long to switch back. There was an art to removing and replacing the clothes of unconscious people, but Himiko was an old pro at it. Nightclothes were almost always easier, which was one of the reasons Himiko preferred working after dark. It was just her luck that this had been both business and pleasure.
"Don't worry about the drug, it's a personal blend of mine," Himiko said. "Guaranteed to keep you both out until I'm done, and safe for those buns in the oven. It wouldn't be any fun if we weren't pregnant at the same time." She hesitated about the ring, but eventually slipped it back on Tsuyu's finger, knowing it would be missed otherwise. And, well, Himiko would always know that Izuku had given it to another woman, instead of her. That would take the fun out of it. Even in Himiko's world, pretending only went so far. But she wasn't angry at or jealous of Tsuyu over it. In fact, she couldn't resist the urge to whip out her phone and take a few selfies with Tsuyu. They were sister wives now, after all.
Himiko carefully picked up Tsuyu and carried her into the bedroom, where Izuku was still asleep. She gave him a fond smile before tucking Tsuyu into bed with him. Himiko admired her handiwork for a moment, and gave each of her spouses a soft, lingering kiss on the lips before she slipped out of the room, leaving them to enjoy the rest of their honeymoon alone.
Sun Dynasty Hero Agency
Founding Members: Hinaga Bakugo (Sun Empress, daughter of Live Grenade and Pinky), Genki Ishiyama (Cementank, nephew of Cementoss), Mikan Kamiji (Blazin, niece of Burnin)
Notes: Helping All For One escape prison was the villain Heatrash's last known outing. At the time, it was thought that All For One's offer to return Search, the Quirk he stole from Ragdoll, was insincere. It was not. And perhaps because Ragdoll could never accept help from All For One, that Quirk found its way to a new owner, in a new form.
Despite how much their relationship had improved over the years, Izuku was sometimes stunned by how little the dynamic between he and Katsuki had changed. Fierce pride had kept Katsuki from depending on Izuku, even when intense jealousy had not. And so Izuku had never even dreamed of asking Katsuki to join Deku Force: the offer was implied, but it would never be accepted. Their respective teams worked together with ease as needed, sometimes exchanged members, and even shared downtime when possible, but it was understood that they would remain separate entities, and no one needed to ask why.
Even so, the few times Katsuki had put his pride aside and asked for (or rather, demanded) help from Izuku, Izuku had always dropped everything to assist. Because he knew, what it cost Katsuki to ask him, and he feared the day Katsuki might fail to ask because of a previous refusal. And in any case, Katsuki never asked unless it was a matter of extreme importance.
This time was no exception.
For the past few days, Katsuki had been hospitalized with severe burns. He was not in great danger, so long as he got plenty of rest and followed a strict diet, which was enough to keep him in a more sour mood than usual. Still, he recognized that the sooner he got better, the sooner he would be allowed to go home.
Surprisingly, Katsuki's retirement had remained fairly permanent: so far as Izuku knew, Katsuki only used his Quirk in defense of his family now, and even that was rarely needed. Every former member of Endeavor's agency enjoyed a retirement package, including patrols of their neighborhood upon request. Katsuki had never asked, but Izuku might have "accidentally" mentioned something to Burnin, who was anything but quiet when it came to getting things done, particularly when it involved any of her comrades, former or otherwise. She would have been very happy to have Katsuki call in a favor with her.
But Katsuki called Izuku, with nothing other than barked instructions to come to the hospital, alone.
Izuku was there in only sixteen minutes.
If Katsuki was impressed, he didn't show it. "Shut the door and sit. Don't freak out when I tell you."
Already mentally preparing himself for the worst, Izuku shut the door and slowly sat in the chair next to the hospital bed.
"Somebody took my treasure. You're going to get it back, and bring it straight here. Don't go anywhere else, and don't tell anyone."
Izuku took in and released several deep breaths. "I have questions."
"When you get back. Go to the address I'm about to give you."
Izuku's eyebrows rose in surprise. "You know where-?"
"When. You. Get. Back!" Katsuki growled.
Izuku stared at Katsuki, but didn't speak anymore. Izuku wasn't allowed to leave until he'd memorized the address, Katsuki refused to let him write it down.
It was very confusing, but not too much so. There was only one thing that Izuku had ever heard Katsuki refer to as his treasure, and he was amazed that Katsuki hadn't forced his way out of the hospital to recover it. Katsuki must have realized that trying that in his condition would only make things worse.
The address was an abandoned warehouse (wasn't it almost always?), and though Deku had come alone, he instantly wished he hadn't. Years of experience helped him recognize all the familiar signs of a semi-organized crime ring in action. And chances were, with an operation that size, it wasn't only Katsuki's treasure that had been taken.
But before Deku could decide how best to handle things, one of the warehouse doors banged open, and a person ran out. As if Deku needed any further proof that Katsuki had a lot to explain, the person looked directly at where Deku was hiding, grinned, and waved.
Feeling foolish, Deku came out into the open and approached the person.
"Mr. Deku! Awesome! You really came to save us!" the small girl with orange, flaming hair cried, bouncing on her toes excitedly.
Deku knelt down in front of her. "Hi, Blazin. Is anyone hurt?"
"Nope, we're all super cool! It's weird, I thought bein' kidnapped would be scary, y'know?"
"How many?"
"It was our whole class."
Deku shook his head. "No, I mean... how many kidnappers?"
"Oh, I dunno. But you don't have to worry about those guys anymore."
"I don't? Why do you say that?"
"It's easier to show you. Come in and meet everyone!" She grabbed his hand and pulled him toward the warehouse.
Deku would have preferred to keep his hands free, but soon saw that Blazin had been right: the kidnappers were no longer a threat. One of the first rooms they passed contained several bullet-riddled adult bodies and guns. And though he had never seen Blazin in anything other than a good mood, she became oddly quiet and kept her head down as she pulled him past a few bodies in the hallway, all of whom looked like their heads had been bashed in with great force.
At the end of the corridor was a large room where the rest of the kids were gathered. Though Deku was sure many of them recognized him, none of them moved when he entered with Blazin. At least, not until one did.
"Uncle Deku."
By some unseen signal, the other children moved aside, allowing the thin girl with blonde hair and red eyes to step forward. Like Blazin, she did not seem the least bit concerned with the situation, and calmly raised her arms so that Deku could pick her up.
"Are you okay, Hinaga-chan?" Deku asked, holding her carefully.
"I want Papa," she murmured, closing her eyes and resting her head on his shoulder. "But I can wait, for now. You need to talk to Genki."
Genki was not hard to find: he was the largest child, sitting well away from the others, and resembled his uncle Cementoss so much that Deku would have noticed him even if he hadn't met the boy previously. Unlike those times, however, there was now a haunted look in Genki's eyes, and a great deal of dried blood coating his cinderblock-like fists. In all the time that Deku had known Cementoss, he had never seen the hero bleed actual blood, so he was fairly certain who had killed at least some of the kidnappers, and that Genki probably was unharmed, at least physically.
Genki stiffened as Deku's footsteps approached, but relaxed slightly when he saw Deku's face.
"You aren't in trouble," Deku said at once. "But can you tell me, briefly, what happened?"
Genki nodded. "They wanted to keep some of us and get our parents to pay for our safe return. But the others... they were going to sell somewhere overseas." Genki looked at the ground. "I had to do something. So long as I've gotten enough minerals, bullets don't hurt much. I attacked some of them. But the others... started arguing over something, and the next thing I knew, they were shooting each other."
That last part sounded pretty weak to Deku, but he wasn't sure if Genki was lying, or if something so unbelievable had actually happened.
"You saved your friends today, Genki. I'm very proud of you." Deku placed a hand on the boy's shoulder. "I'm sure your uncle will be, too."
Genki smiled weakly, but it was clear that this day would stay with him for a long time, and not in a good way. Though, if it helped him gain greater control over his own strength, maybe it was for the best.
"Thank you, Genki-kun," Hinaga said softly, reaching out to copy Deku's gesture.
If Deku hadn't been paying close attention, he would have missed it: as Hinaga's hand neared Genki's shoulder, the boy froze, and his eyes shifted to the side. He relaxed only when she pulled her hand away. Deku did not know the reason for that, but he knew now was not the time to ask.
Despite Katsuki's orders, Deku would not leave the children until he'd contacted the police, and also waited until they'd arrived. It was a bit tricky to remove Hinaga at that point, but since the destination was a hospital where a parent was waiting, it was allowed, though not without a police escort.
Predictably, Katsuki was in a foul mood at being disobeyed, but he remained relatively calm for the simple reason that Deku immediately placed Hinaga in her father's arms.
"Papa," Hinaga said softly, tucking her head beneath his chin.
Katsuki said nothing, but embraced her tightly and buried his face in her hair.
Deku felt it was a private moment between father and child. More than that, he wanted to escape before Katsuki recalled being angry with him. Two things stopped Deku. The first was the flaming glare that landed on his back as he inched toward the door, and the second was the person blocking the doorway.
"Don't leave yet, Midoriya. You need to know the truth."
Deku stared at the person, who truly wasn't in the doorway, but he already knew that. "Grandmaster Nana."
Katsuki grunted softly, clearly able to see her, too. "What's the old lady doing here, Deku?"
Nana Shimura scowled at them. "You're both determined to make me feel old, I see. But this is important. That child's Quirk isn't what you think it is. Make him tell you the truth, Midoriya."
Deku frowned. "I'm not sure what you-"
"I was going to tell him, you old bat," Katsuki growled. "But since you're here and you're feeling chatty, why don't you do it?"
If Nana took offense to that, she hid it well. "You were told that Hinaga's power was near-instant mastery of several types of heat manipulation. But what she can do goes well beyond that. You need to know what truly happened in that warehouse today." She reached out and touched Deku's cheek.
At once, Deku closed his eyes, and when he opened them, he understood that he was no longer looking through his own eyes. He wasn't in the hospital room anymore. He was seated on a warehouse floor, surrounded by crying children. The closest was Blazin, who moved closer and lowered her voice.
"What do we do, Hinaga-chan?" Blazin asked softly. "We're not going to let these bad guys get away with this, are we? They're going to sell our friends!"
"Don't worry, Blazin. Leave everything to Genki. He's really strong. None of you will get hurt."
Then Hinaga was walking to Genki, and sure enough, there was no mistake this time: he definitely tensed up. He was afraid of her. But surely he had nothing to fear from her. At least, that was what Deku told himself.
"Genki-kun," Hinaga said. "It's time. We're the only two here who can save the whole class."
"W-What are you going to do?" Genki asked nervously.
"Only what I have to. I know you have the power to save us without any help from me. I'll only step in if you don't. But you already know what me stepping in would look like. How I would do it. Is that what you want, Genki-kun? They're not all strong enough to bear that burden. But you, you're so strong. I know you can do it."
"Please," Genki whispered. "I don't want-"
The words died in his throat as Blazin and several other children stood up abruptly. The way they moved was wrong, eerie somehow. Their mouths hung open, and their eyes were glassy. But after the second step, it happened: a crimson light appeared in the depths of their eyes, until that light had covered their eyes entirely, making them look like a crowd of tiny demons.
"I can stop the bad guys," Hinaga said slowly, "but I have to use them to do it. They won't get hurt, I wouldn't allow that. But they might remember, someday. Do you really want to risk that?"
Genki didn't answer, and he didn't have to. The tears streaming down his face made it clear that he'd already made his choice. And really, there never had been one at all.
"You're so strong, Genki-kun," Hinaga said as he turned his back on her. "A true hero."
Then Deku was back in the hospital room, staring at Hinaga in shock. "But-!"
"It's not control over most forms of heat," Nana explained. "It's control over all things considered hot. Including the typical human body. Genki is immune to her Quirk because of his unusual body type, and she still found a way to control him. She's not evil, and she wants to be a hero, but... you need to watch her carefully. Make sure she gets the proper guidance. She's already crossed a line, and she needs to know that."
"You think I'm stupid?" Katsuki snarled. "That I don't know my own kid? If you weren't already dead, I'd kill you!"
Nana was unimpressed. "Then you have no issue with how she handled herself today?"
"Don't put words in my mouth. The dead have no right to judge the living. And especially not the dead who leave us to clean up their messes, like you did."
"And I would apologize for that, if you had cleaned up my mess. But it looks more like it only taught you how to get dirty yourself. I will never fault you for protecting your child, Bakugo. But if you repeat my mistakes in the process, then what good will it do her? Will your legacy be a flame that consumes only evil, or an inferno that destroys all in its path?"
"He would never let that happen," Deku said softly. "Not to his only child."
Katsuki stared at Deku for a moment, then glared at Nana. "You want proof, old lady? Fine. I have another Quirk now. I won't tell you how I got it, but I'm sure you can guess. It's called Treasure Seeker. The more I care about something, the more details I can see about its condition and location, no matter how far away I am from it. That's how I knew where to send Deku. I've known exactly what Hinaga's Quirk was from the start. And I'll make sure she learns to use it properly."
Hinaga's eyes narrowed as she stared at the woman on the other side of the desk. "Who are you?"
"You're quite rude. That's the first thing we'll fix."
Hinaga shook her head. "Papa is the strongest hero in the world. He isn't afraid of anything. But... he bowed his head to you and begged. Why?"
"Because he is afraid, of what will happen to you, if I don't whip you into shape. But heroes look out for each other, and this is a task I'm happy to carry out. Anyway, I love breaking the mouthy ones. They always make the best heroes, once I've rebuilt them properly."
"You won't break me," Hinaga swore.
The woman's heavily scarred face split into a grin, revealing an inhumanly wide mouth full of razor sharp teeth. "Stronger girls than you have said that, and they all bow to me now. We'll see who breaks first."
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Ryuko Tatsuma
Alignment: Civilian
Title: (Formerly Dragoon Hero, Ryukyu)
Affiliation: Headmistress of Dragoness Academy For Quirky Girls
Once a top-ranked hero, and now a stern teacher who takes pride in producing only the finest heroines! No male evil-doer would ever dare to challenge the Daughters of the Dragoness!
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Villain Team: Double Crimson
Jin "Thrice" Toga
Title: I. M. Everyman, a.k.a. Toga Twin 1
Quirk: Triple Team
Trait: Unknown, assumed to enhance strength slightly
Notes: Oldest twin child of Himiko Toga (Love Bite) and unknown father. Named after deceased godfather, Jin "Twice" Bubaigawara (confirmed to not be biological father). Produces up to three shapeshifting clones that last three minutes each. Cannot assume the same shape a second time, or exceed time limit, without possessing a sample of target's blood. Has displayed enhanced strength multiple times, assumed to be through unknown Trait.
Hikari Toga
Title: Anne S. Thesia, a.k.a. Toga Twin 2
Quirk: Transform
Trait: Unknown, assumed to boost strength to superhuman levels
Notes: Youngest twin child of Himiko Toga. True form has never been confirmed on camera. Inherited mother's Quirk and displayed early mastery of it, including copying Quirks of targets. Known for creating a super-effective tranquilizing serum, to date only her immediate family members have any resistance to it. Has stockpiled numerous blood samples from kidnapped heroes and civilians. Has displayed superhuman strength in times of great stress, assumed to be through unknown Trait.
WARNING: Heroes are forbidden to pursue. Subjects have evaded capture and escaped custody repeatedly, increasing their blood stockpile each time. Current estimates on the stockpile size are unreliable. But between Hikari's choice of costume (nurse outfit) and her expertise with blood extraction, she is thought to have spent considerable time working in hospitals, though of course, this can rarely be proven.
It was not unusual for Izuku to leave the Shadow Titans Hero Agency and find his mentor sitting in an unmarked car outside. As he got older, the former All Might enjoyed attracting attention less and less, even among associates who would have gladly accommodated him, within reason. The few times he had come inside, Izuku had to forcefully part the resulting crowd just so they could escape. Consequently, if it was a conversation they needed to have in person, then it was always important.
Perhaps, because it had happened so many times before without incident, and Izuku was a little tired at the time, his guard was too relaxed. It wasn't until he was in the passenger's seat that his instincts began to scream at him. And by then, the syringe was already scraping against his neck.
"Hi, Papa," cooed the soft, girly voice in his ear.
Izuku risked a glance at the mirror, and found a pair of gleaming eyes locked on his. Even if she hadn't purposely been using her true face, he would have known those eyes. "Hi, Hikari-chan." He glanced to the left, where the still-silent clone of his mentor continued to stare straight ahead. "Jin."
"You're getting sloppy, old man," Jin muttered. "We never would have been able to get this close to you before."
"You're my kids. Why would I want you to stay away? If you just come with me, we can-"
"You know the deal, Papa," Hikari interrupted. "Agree to disagree. We aren't like you."
"Where's your mother?" Izuku asked. "Is she safe?"
Jin snorted. "Of course she is. You think we'd be here if she wasn't?"
"Actually, I would hope you would come to me, if she were in danger. But if it's not that, then why?"
"Why do we need an excuse? I can't miss you?" Hikari whined. "I'm your only daughter. I wanted to see you."
"I wanted to see you, too. Both of you. But you-"
"You'll never convince us." Jin took his hands off the steering wheel. "Be glad I talked her out of kidnapping you again."
The syringe pressed against Izuku's neck more firmly. "You want to see Mama, don't you?" Hikari asked. "I can take you to her."
"People notice when he vanishes," Jin snapped.
"Just for a few hours-"
"Hikari. No. It isn't safe."
Hikari pouted and pulled the syringe away.
Izuku did not allow himself to relax. "Jin is right, Hikari-chan. If anything bad happened to your mother because of me, I'd never forgive myself. Her protection is more important than her happiness."
"You sound like Mama, when she talks about why we can't all be together."
That much was a relief to Izuku. Himiko was deranged, but far from foolish. And despite everything his brain insisted on telling him, he could not convince his heart to hate her, or even to stop feeling anything toward her. She was a mother of his children, and, he suspected, that was only part of the reason she had done this. And if she had been in the car with them, capturing her would have been the furthest thing from his mind. Now, he only wanted her to be safe, and she would never be that in custody.
"We've been here too long," Jin said abruptly. "Say what you're going to say and be done with it, Hikari."
Hikari leaned forward and wrapped her arms tightly around Izuku's neck. It was hard to say if she were hugging him, choking him, or both.
Izuku's eyes bulged slightly, and his gaze landed on her heavily bandaged forearms. Without realizing he was doing it, his fingers gently stroked her arms. "I know it's difficult to remember in the moment," he said, "but you need to try harder."
"Egg in a microwave," Hikari murmured. "I'll remember next time, Papa."
"Good girl." He almost said more, then stopped himself. It had come so much more naturally to his and Tsuyu's boys. Why? Because they were destined to become heroes? Because they were legitimate? There was no denying that the power had passed to all of his children. But control of it... that was something entirely different. Hikari was more likely to rip herself apart in a rage, her strength was so great, but Jin's strength was barely more than an Olympic athlete at their peak on most days. But in focused bursts they had proven capable of taking down a wide variety of heroes, who had either underestimated them or hadn't known the limits of their powers. Izuku had only ever taught Hikari and Jin self-restraint, both out of guilt and their own insistence. So in a very real sense, their strength was hurting them because he had left their training unfinished, on purpose. Because the second he changed that, he would no longer be able to deny it: he would be enabling them as villains, and his training would definitely be used against his comrades. But the twins' pride as villains would never allow them to ask for such help from him. So many assumed that Hikari's bandages were just for decoration. But Izuku knew better, and could not remember a time when he'd seen her without them. Her medical specialization was less a choice or habit, and more a necessity. Though, given her inherited fascination with blood, he liked to think her interests wouldn't have changed much.
Without warning, it was over: Izuku felt Hikari's lips brush softly against his cheek, and then Jin all but shoved him out of the suddenly open car door. Thankfully, the car wasn't moving at the time, but the second he was clear, the door slammed shut and the car zoomed away.
End of Chapter 6.
Continued in Chapter 6b: Secret Origins 3
-The Toga Crime Family
-UA's Big Three
-Death Band: A Murder of Sirens
Endnotes: Since I took too long with this story, a lot of new developments have come out in the manga. But I didn't have a firm ending in mind, anyway, and I'm having more ideas for Secret Origins rather than full chapters.