Chapter twenty-four - By will, I am forsaken.
In a dark, cold wearhouse, the members of the League were consumed with doubt and confusion. They were in a state of irritation and slight fear, due to the fact that they didn't know what to do next. Well, it was more like they had no faith in their current leader 'Tomura Shigaraki'. Of course, they didn't say their thoughts aloud because they know that the second those words of nervousness left their lips, their faces would be no more. Dabi was smoking and staring at the ground in dissatisfaction.
"God damnit, why the fuck did I even decide to join you crackheads?" said Dabi in an irritated tone. Dabi, at that point, was just rambling his thoughts out loud. "We have no plan or start or whatever the fuck we actually need. It's cold as well. Not to mention, all the shit started to happen when the kid got captured. Hah, that was probably the Handy Man's fault..shit's crazy."
Toga tapped her index finger on the point of the knife and lightly hummed. She didn't know much about Izuku, nor did she particularly care. But she didn't like how him leaving left them in such desolation. Tomura was grumbling almost all the time and had a habit of scratching his neck whilst pacing up and down the path in front of him. He hadn't the foggiest clue of what to do and felt like the whole world was against him. Tomura didn't like how Sensei had gotten captured so 'easily' by the hero they were plotting against and the cherry on top was that Izuku, the one who went on most of the important jobs, got captured too! Tomura always wondered if Izuku and Sensei would both go to Tartarus..or would it just be Sensei? Or just Izuku? He didn't hate Izuku, but nor did he like him. He just didn't like him, whether out of jealousy or just for the sake of teasing, nobody knew. But it was obvious he hated the situation and Izuku had a part to play in it.
The rest of the League were getting visibly agitated about what their next move would be and what they would do next but doing absolutely nothing caused them great anticipation. Kurogiri was deeply sorrowed that Sensei and Izuku were gone. Though his face stoic and his hands were forever shining glasses, he felt flashes of negative emotion build up inside him that he didn't know how to vent out. It was so unhealthy to keep such a multitude of negativity pent up in one's system, but they were villains. Who cared about health and wellbeing when they could be killed or imprisoned at any given second?
Dabi looked around and saw how everyone was gloomy and exasperated and he spoke again.
"Oi..you lot better not ignore me. We all joined this damned organisation to get revenge on heroes, no?" spat Dabi. He emphasised the word 'hero' with extra disgust, that caused them all to look up in curiosity. All but Tezobi.
"I understand where you're coming from, Dabi, but what we want and what we get are not exactly the same. We could want something and get the complete opposite, all in the name of bad luck. We are villains for a reason, not for the fun of it." replied Compress, cross-legged.
"Are you suggesting that all this shit was karma or some predetermined mystical crap? Don't make me turn you to dust, Compress. I'm in quite the fucking muddle at the moment." said Tomura. He was a short fused bomb and was not in the mood to hear the words of a masked man.
"Shigaraki, this is the world of heroes and villains. Anything is possible nowadays, 'm sure you know that." said Magne. She was just as bored as everyone else. All but Tezobi.
"Anything is possible, you say? Quite the damn irony. I'm sure that the phrase 'anything is possible' is false for obvious reasons. It self-explanatory, at this point." retorted Spinner. He wasn't some know-it-all. He once also believed anything was possible and life could not get any worse but of course, that wasn't the case. Obviously.
The group conversed on what the situation was at that moment and argued about what to do next. Without Sensei, the group was quite on and off. When Sensei was there, if they needed everyone to perform a task, they would all follow the command. But now that he was gone, it was more of a 'slightly nugatory part-time job' situation. Nobody liked how the organisation had descended, but there wasn't much a guy could do.
Throughout the entirety of the all conversation, Tezobi said nothing to anybody. She just had a discreetly unhappy face and she sucked on the tip of her thumb when she was in a bad mood. It all began once Izuku had left. She felt like she had only a small flame of will left to participate in League activities, as they weren't just cooped up in the warehouse. She had subconsciously grown a deep compassion for Izuku. Not a romantic love, not a platonic love and nor was it a motherly love. It was just a compassion she had developed over the time she had spent with him. She sometimes remembered times where they'd fight with each other during combat or training and Izuku would have a look of sadness and fury in his eyes. He'd always mumble under his breath or just blankly stare at nothing. Tezobi loved teasing him about trivial things and not getting any response. No response was sometimes the best response because it wasn't as though Izuku was ignoring her. She knew that he was listening. She could sense he was listening to her. Once in a blue moon, he'd reply to her insults with an insult in return or a scoff. It was the little things that pleased her the most, when it came to Izuku. However, when Izuku was captured by the heroes, her heart painfully pounded in gloom. She was with the League because they 'saved' her, but she didn't necessarily want to be there. She was just repaying the debt she owed them for saving her. But even after the debt was relieved, she stayed. Maybe she felt that the League was truly where she belonged… maybe she felt that something eventful and chaotic would occur soon. And it did. It was Izuku. She tried countless amount to times to forget about Izuku and his strange ways and stories but her desire was one of a greedy king and she truly wanted to experience whatever emotion she was feeling for a longer period of time. It was like a drug. Tezobi had it and had it and when it was gone, she didn't know what to do with herself. She just wanted Izuku back. She knew Izuku's story and how he tried to take his life and whatnot and how staying with the League would not benefit him any way, shape or form but she was now hurting and needed him. It wasn't like Izuku would feel so caring towards Tezobi but just the sight of his bizarre face would lighten her mood.
Though nobody said anything, Kurogiri noticed the changes in Tezobi and desperately wanted to change it. He'd known her since she was young and was like some kind of unfathomable male family member. Day after day, he'd squeak the glasses clean as ever and await non existent customers to drink from the cups and laugh at stupid things and curse their luck with all their might. His life with Sensei, Tezobi and Tomura had been quite the experience and he wouldn't trade it for anything but when he saw how thoroughly shattered Izuku was at such a young age, his vision was suddenly darker..but lighter somehow. Meeting Izuku meant he could yet again care for another child of misfortune. He didn't actually like taking care of children or kids but he'd oddly help any child that Sensei brought in. He quite enjoyed having Izuku wind Tomura up and fight with Tezobi and the expression he had on his face when he met Sensei was a special one. It was one he'd keep locked in his heart. Kurogiri truly did care for Izuku and when he was gone, the League suddenly had nowhere to go and nothing to do and nowhere to cause destruction. Perhaps it was as Tomura said, maybe it was karma that caused them such sour luck. He was distraught when he found that Izuku had been taken, but he was disposed to look on the bright side of things. Maybe bringing Izuku to the light of the heroes, who destroyed him, would help him? It could be counterproductive but no matter how much Kurogiri hated the situation, no matter how much he wrathed the way the world worked, no matter how many times he prayed he'd see the hurt boy smile again, it was fairly obvious that one fact remained perpetual.
Izuku wasn't coming back.
Izuku was sitting up on his bed with a hunched back and violet eye bags. Today was the day he would start teaching at the very school he dreamed of. Helping the people that borned his misery. Izuku always got what he didn't want and was forced to do it all in the name of 'jail time'. Even though Izuku would gladly kill everyone in the damned prison for causing him trouble, he didn't have the energy or motivation to do anything. He was like a moldless clay that refused to be turned into someone he didn't want to be yet he would comply passively with what he was told with no emotion whatsoever. He was a strange one. Izuku scratched and decided to think nothing of the day that would await him. He would become extremely irritated and excessively bitter if he thought about teaching a room full of prestige, quirk-armed teenagers.
"I really don't want to do this… I should have let myself get killed in Hades or something." thought Izuku in hindsight. He sighed and sat on the floor with his palms in his hands, waiting for some officer or detective to come and tell him what to do. 'Just hurry it up already'. Izuku then heard footsteps approach his cell and he knew that it was Naomasa, just by estimating his weight, shoe size and the breathing pattern.
"Midoriya, you're up early I see. Were you that excited to meet your class?" said Naomasa sarcastically. Izuku slowly rose his head from his palms and gaped at Naomasa with hollow irked eyes, causing the tall detective to chuckle sheepishly.
"Look, I know you don't want to go but it could be for your own good. You need to do this for jail time as well."
"I swear to fucking God, if I hear 'jail time' one more time.." thought Izuku. Was the word 'jail time' some sort of euphemistic word for 'purifying the evil'? Izuku wasn't in the mood for annoying things.
"You're going soon, so you need to change into teaching attire. I'll give you some clothes now." Naomasa walked away for a few minutes before coming back with folded clothes. Izuku reluctantly took them and stared at them before stripping himself to change. Izuku was naked for some brief moments and seemed so unfazed at being seen bare, it surprised Naomasa. Naomasa felt like a pervert and proceeded to look away but he then turned to look back at Izuku and saw the amount of scars darted across his body like countries on a map. They all looked like they were permanent and from previous battles of heinous activity. Naomasa rubbed his chin in upset and misery at what he was seeing.
"So, those scars we saw on his forearms were nothing but a scratch on the surface compared to his remaining scars… I've never seen anyone in such a state. No hero has scars like these… so brutal. This is wicked." thought Naomasa. Izuku felt himself being stared at and took no notice of it and continued to change.
"Geez." said Naomasa. He didn't think fixing Izuku would be easy but this was going to be a lot harder than he thought.
"Getting a good view, Detective?" plainly said Izuku, buttoning his shirt. Izuku then put on his black dress shoes and felt very strange in them. He tapped his foot on the floor to try and get used to them, but he just couldn't. He looked to Naomasa, who had an adoring look on his face as if he'd just seen the cutest thing ever.
"I had a feeling you wouldn't be used to wearing shoes like that. You've only ever been in sneakers and geta your whole life." Naomasa said. He picked up some simple black sneakers and threw them to Izuku, who caught them swiftly and out them on while softening his expression. Izuku was wearing a long sleeved white shirt underneath a black sweater vest. He wore black trousers and the black sneakers he was given. His hair and face were as gloomy as could be and he was ready to get the trouble over with.
"Looks like you're ready, Midoriya." said Naomasa, opening the gate and walking behind Izuku to make sure he wouldn't try anything sneaky.
"Hm."
"You'll be teaching class 1-A of the Hero course. They will not all be immediately accepting towards you, for obvious reasons. You will be treated like any other teacher that teaches at U.A and will be teaching the classes 'freestyle'. You'll be under the supervision of Aizawa Shota, also known as Eraser Head. I'm sure you will be familiar with the heroes there... and I forgot to mention that due to recent attacks made on the school, there are the 'Heights Alliance' dorms that are provided to the students of U.A and some teachers." explained Naomasa. He said some more basic things and kept walking with Midoriya to the front of the school.
"Lastly, Midoriya, just.." Naomasa sighed and pinched his nose bridge. "Just don't do anything extraordinary. Okay? We want the best for you, whether you believe it or not." Midoriya bowed to Naomasa as a thank you and walked into the building.
"Hope he's okay. Poor kid.." thought Naomasa. He then got a phone call. It was from Nezu. He curiously listened to what Nezu had to say. He briefly told Naomasa how he was aware that this was Izuku's first day teaching and that what he was going to say was extremely important. Nezu's voice was becoming more aggravated, hesitant and he did the occasional stutter.
"What's he trying to tell me…" thought Naomasa, with a concerned look on his face once he learned that it was to do with Izuku. Nothing good ever came from things about that broken child.
"...he attempted suicide…" said Nezu over the phone.
Post-haste to when those words reached Naomasa's ears, his pupils dilated like he had seen the most traumatic thing in the world. He dropped to his knees, started to breathe heavily and dropped his phone by accident. He was on all fours and his hand was tightly gripping at his head. Naomasa felt cold and slightly numb, like he was floating in a cold chasm of nothingness. He tried to get up but ended up staring aimlessly at the ground in shock.
"W..What.." whispered Naomasa. The hurt in his voice was so prominent that Nezu could hear loud and clear of the emotions that lay deep within his voice.
"Naomasa..get up. I know you're on the floor. Listen to the rest of what I've got to say. I got the information from All Might. He went to speak with All for One yesterday." said Nezu.
Naomasa slowly got up and took in deep breaths. Couldn't the kid give him a damned break? Why was he always involved in some sort of serious issue? Nezu proceeded to explain in detail what he had to say and it left Naomasa in disorientation and trepidation.
"The League helped him, huh. I'm grateful and confused. Why choose Izuku?" asked Naomasa. He had calmed down a bit but was still shocked and outraged.
"His analysistic skills, Detective. Think about it: A boy on the cliff of despair, that has intelligence and potential above all. In addition, nobody will care or know of his disappearance until a few months into the recruitment and even then, it would be too late to save him as he would have turned to the villains side. It's perfect for them." said Nezu.
Naomasa gritted his teeth and clenched his fist. He was absolutely disgusted that nobody cared for such a lonely, wretched boy. To think it was so bad he wanted to kill himself.
Kill Himself.
Those words really affected Naomasa. He didn't know why, it just made him feel so woeful. He wanted to help the boy even more now. He wanted the boy to know people did care for him, even if he refused to believe it. He had to. He needed to.
Nezu went over some other things and Naomasa replied appropriately. Soon the call ended. Naomasa put his hands in his pockets and looked at the ever-blue sky. The innocent, constant sky.
"You wanted to go up there, huh, Midoriya. Don't worry, the world isn't so cruel." thought Naomasa.
"So, stay a little longer, 'kay?"
How many times does one have to get hurt before their wounds are seen?