Summary:

With what little information available, Nedzu begins his investigation into Project: Halo. Izuku is forced to take on an intern and realizes what the true intentions of the Hero Public Safety Commission really are.

Beginning Notes:

This chapter took 4 weeks of development and a lot of thought to even produce. I put a ton of time into figuring out how best to progress this fic without it seeming forced. I hope this did that, and that you all enjoy.

I've been swamped this week, and progress on writing has been slow, I doubt that it'll slow any progress down but if we go without a chapter once just know I'm a little busy.

"Project Halo?" Asked a man who was nestled into his scarf looking up from the floor upon which he sat.

"Yes, that is the only file I've found." Replied a white rodent as he looked at the man, smirking as the dark-haired pro hero took another sip of his coffee.

"Did you at least get a name?' The man asked, his eyebrow quirked upwards as he tried to process the recent events. Though the rodent wouldn't see his face, having still been covered in bandages.

"Yes, though it seems there is very little I could find on the name." The man wrapped in white gaze took the file from the rodent and let go a shaky breath as he began to flick through it.

The file reads as follows,

HPSC: Archive 2/12/23** | File Name | Quirkless Augmentation 252.

Project Name: Halo

Hero Alias: Halo

Subject Name: Midoriya Izuku

Quirk: Spartan - [REDACTED]

"So, what are we going to do?" The man asked, passing the file back across the furry man's desk. The white rodent took a sip of tea and pondered his response. There wasn't much they could do in the meantime.

"For now, I will continue to look into the files that are available to me. The boys been missing since he was four, his mother and father killed a few weeks before his disappearance and last known location was a small orphanage here in Musutafu." The brunet simply nodded to his boss and accepted, that for now there wasn't much they could do about Halo.

Every hero, especially those in the underground knew the conflict surrounding the hero Hawks. Him being raised by the Hero Public Safety Commission to be the next great hero. However, Halo was not something anyone knew about, there was nothing. No talk, no chatter among any circle. He was an enigma to say the least and all the tired pro wanted to know was why.

That answer wouldn't come for some time, Nedzu would spend several more months looking into different files, trying to figure out what had happened, was a child was thought dead and how did the HPSC even got their hands on him.

"So let me get this straight sir. You want me to take on a mentee?" The forest green clad boy asked as his superior walked in front of him. Their grey attire washed against the whites of the lab.

"That would be correct Halo. Hawks has already taken several interns. And it seems that the involvement of interns and mentees within his work grants him higher status and trust within hero circles. The president herself has asked that you train a student." The forest green boy nodded, though he questioned the ethics and even the necessity for his involvement in such an ordeal.

"Is there anyone you had in mind, Sir?" He asked, the grey suited man smirked, there wasn't anyone they had in mind, just that they knew what they wanted. The man placed several files on the desk before him. A brunette, a pink skinned girl, a blonde with what looked to be stars in their eyes, a red head with spikes, and even a purplenette with dark circles under their eyes.

"These are all persons of interest for the Hero Public Safety Commission. You may choose from any of them. Though I suggest choosing the one that interests you the most. They are all U.A. student who will be in the Sports Festival." Halo nodded, taking the different files, and stacking them neatly next to him.

The HPSC wanted him to take on a student, for what purpose he did not know. Honestly, didn't want to even attempt to know why. He hoped deeply that it was just for the public image, but Izuku felt that something else was a miss. As if there was a greater intent behind the attempt.

The Sports Festival had been interesting to say the least. Izuku had watched it once before. When his mother and father had been alive, they'd all sat down on the couch and watched as that yeast hero crop gave their all to be the best.

Of course, the boy didn't know this, the memory suppressed far into the back of his mind by the Hero Public Safety Commission in an attempt to create a detached yet perfect soldier to do their bidding.

Izuku's interest in the Sports Festival hadn't been quipped, he wasn't one for quirks, didn't care for the heroes of the modern era or even for heroes in general. He could never be one, so there was no reason to invest what little time he had into caring about the one thing that ruined him.

The red head had been interesting for sure, super strong and somewhat brash. The pink girl wasn't all that great though he supposed she'd performed better than he expected. A brunette with zero gravity, that was certainly interesting though he did feel somewhat sorry for the match she'd been given. Finally, there was the purplenette.

The boy by all means had Izuku interested, he hadn't thought the boy was all that great. Sure, the uses for mind control were vast but the boy obviously lacked any physical strength to fight with any sort of merit.

Izuku had hoped the boy would win it all, but they hadn't progressed passed the second match of the finales.

However, as Izuku went to turn off the TV he'd been watching in one of the small rooms of the lab. An officer had come in, the usual gruff face that accompanied them ever present. "Sir?" he asked, standing up to meet them.

"The Hero Public Safety Commission has made their choice. They believe the student known as Hitoshi Shinso will be the best candidate for your mentorship." Izuku nodded, he found it hard to argue even if he wasn't allowed to do so, there was even less reason to do so because the boy was an okay choice.

The man soon left, and papers were filed by the president of the HPSC for the internship of Hitoshi Shinso under Halo. U.A. had been hesitant to let such a thing happen, but eventually did let the General Studies student study under a hero. Finding that it would not only give Nedzu more information on Halo but also further Shinso's development.

Hitoshi was to meet the hero known as Halo at the Hero Public Safety Commissions office in Tokyo. They'd be patrolling the area for some time while also helping the purplenette learn basic combat skills.

"Are you Halo?" The boy asked, looking up to the large forest green suited man that stood before him. Izuku gave a curt nodded to the boy and waved for him to follow. They walked past the guards, Izuku signaling to let the boy through.

He would lead the boy over to the elevators and take him upwards towards the upper portion of the building where the 'dorms' were housed. They weren't ever in use, mainly from the time when Hawks had started under the HPSC and needed a place for interns. Now Izuku was forced to use it for his intern.

"This will be your dorm for the week that you study under me. If you have any question, please bring them to me and I'll have them sorted." The tired qurplenette nodded and began to slump his suitcase down against the bunk.

Izuku would soon leave the boy, allowing him to get settled in while he went to the cafeteria on floor 3 to get them both something to eat. It wasn't much, but he knew what not to get from the cafeteria after eating there for several years. Though it was on sparse occasions since the HPSC usually managed his dietary intake themselves.

Shinso would set his few belongings down against the bed, laying the scarf his father had given him on the bedside table before sending his dad a message saying he was okay and had arrived safely at the HPSC building.

The man would quickly text back asking for updates as and when the boy could, which caused Hitoshi to let go a rather tired sigh. He just wanted to sleep, and his father hadn't shared the espresso that morning.

Halo would soon return, setting the lunch down on the boy's bedside table before once again turning to leave. "I'll be back in 20 minutes; we'll start your training then." The boy gave a small nod as he began to dig into the meal place before him. He wished the man had brought him coffee, training at such an hour was unsightly.

"Alright, firstly I want to know what you can do?" Halo instructed, needing to understand the basics of his student before truly pushing him.

"Well, when I was 12, my dads enrolled me in a judo class to help widen my understanding of martial arts. I've trained with them since I was 14 as well." Halo gave a curt nodded, thinking over what the boy had said before continuing.

"Alright, well, I also need to know about your quirk. I noticed quite a lot from the Sports Festival but there was a lot you didn't use your quirk for?" Shinso nodded, though wishing to refrain from speaking about his quirk as much as possible.

"Um, yes sir. My quirk is the ability to put someone in a state where they are forced to obey whatever my commands are. I can only activate this power when my target verbally responds to something I say. Brainwashing-needs to be intentionally activated and will not take effect if I don't want it to." Hitoshi stammered a bit with the brainwashing part, but had been asked to state his quirk...

"Alright, that seems to be enough talking then, I want you to try and land a hit on me. Use whatever you can to do so. Use your quirk, I want to know the limitations." Halo said rather monotone, but still somewhat more interested than he had been in several months.

"Okay sir, when do we-" And Shinso was cut off as his mentor leapt forward. I guess they start now.

It'd been on the fourth day that Halo knew he didn't need an intern. Not that he didn't want one or wasn't fond of Shinso. No, the boy was quite alright if you asked him. What was not okay, was the conversion he overheard from Dr. Halsey, Professor Agnes, and Professor Mike.

Izuku knew two things about his life. It was going to be short, and it was going to be terrible. He was a monster by every means and not allowing others to become like him was certainly a priority. Though he may have been trained aggressively to follow the orders of the HPSC, he did not want more Spartans.

SO, when the three doctors had been meeting in what they thought was private. Halo couldn't help but overhear. "So, what about Shinso Hitoshi? Do you think the boy has any potential?" Asked one of the professors.

"Yes, he along with three others U.A. graduates and two Shiketsu students show great promise. Though they may be harder to mold. I believe we could raise them to be Spartans- Of course it needs the direct approval of the president herself, but I have faith we will get approval." Dr. Halsey had been the one to respond.

Izuku's blood ran cold, 'More, they want more Spartans…' His thoughts crashed together, each building more and more worry until they all seemed to dissipate only leaving one thought. 'Shinso-"

Izuku's blood would begin to boil, anger coursing its way through him as he thought of all the test that had been done to him. He was fine with himself being treated badly, alright with the way Hawks had been turned into a child soldier all in the name of helping a poor boy. But, when it came to something Izuku could stop, and could prevent from every taking place.

He would do so with every bit of power he had. Though of course, he couldn't let the three doctors, or any other staff know of his newfound info. He could at the very least pass along information that could stop certain actions from taking place.

First off, he'd have to pass Shinso notes, likely on patrol just before the boy was to leave. His final day was scheduled to take place in the Hoso prefecture. And, if Izuku knew anything about the place, it was that only the worst seemed to crawl among its alleys.

The rest of the internship would be turned on its head. Izuku would become somewhat closed off, not wanting to jeopardize Shinso in any way. Nor did he want to inform the others around him of the information he'd acquired.

The last day had been the worst day in a long time. Rivaling that of the USJ, however it was likely worse due to Izuku knowing the people who were in trouble. Native, a mid-ranked hero had been struck down by the vigilante known as the Hero Killer.

Stain was a recent and upcoming vigilante who'd been able to kill multiple pro hero's and wound several others. Izuku, along with his intern had simply been on patrol that night. Doing their best to keep the streets clean while also preparing for their goodbyes to one another.

Then Izuku had picked up on the loud shouts of a voice he'd heard before. The voice of one Tenya Iida, the younger brother of the hero Ingenium. Izuku along with the purple haired boy had rushed to the aid of the bluenette.

Though Izuku hadn't said a word, hadn't even looked in the navy-blue boys direction he felt the boys eyes landing on him as he stood in front. Shielding the boy from hardened blades that Stain had used. His armor taking the hits easily, the man hadn't been much trouble.

What had come next was the truly frightening part of that night. A Nomu like creature like the one he'd encountered at the USJ had swept his intern off the ground, caring him high into the sky. "Stain, disable the Nomu!"

The boy had yelled, causing the murderous vigilantly to sever the head of the Nomu. It's body flopping to the ground as it yelled in agony. Halo had breathed a sigh of relief when the boy was saved.

Gladly taking the boy in his arms as he for once in his life showed emotion. Worry and inability to protect rushing to his mind, he may have been trained to kill without mercy.

He still didn't want to lose anyone else.

The pro hero Endeavor along with a hero known as Le-million and the retired pro Gran Torino had arrived on scene soon after, helping Halo get Stain into the arms of the police. Native and Tenya Iida would soon be rushed to a nearby hospital.

Izuku's mind fought with itself, trying to decide how best to handle his other situation. On one hand he could inform the rank number #2 hero of the problems the HPSC was causing but a part of him knew Endeavor would never help.

As the hero's would soon leave and the two boys would head back to their facilities at the HPSC's main complex. Izuku passed a small note. Nothing more than two sentences written across the note, sighed in his messy scroll. "Don't let anyone see this, other than those you trust." The forest green giant had warned. Shinso nodded, taking the note, and pocketing it.

The HPSC needed to improve upon its design. The perfect hero would come, one with unbelievable power, one with the ability to save quirked lives. But for now, a quirkless monster would have to do.

Ending Notes:

Thank you all for reading, support has been wonderful and I'm so glad people are enjoying this fic!

JustAnAverageGuy101 - Ah yea, who else is gonna stand up for animal/human rights violations?

Reviewmonkey4u - Izuku's roughly 14/15, it's meant to be vague but is inferred that's he's the same age as the show.