If there was one thing Eri thought it was prudent to maintain, it would be her tidiness. Being clean meant not having to worry about any grimy feeling that one would have. It meant being able to care for oneself effectively. It meant not making Chisaki angry at her.
The last reason was probably the most important incentive for her to keep from getting dirty. She had only once before made Chisaki angry, something she didn't intend to repeat.
Her room was very simple. There was a small bed, just her size, fitted with a nice memory foam mattress. The sheets were rather uncomfortable and clung to her skin, but they were easy to clean- which was much more important. There were no posters, no shelves full of needless accessories to dust off from disuse. A single rack hung from one of the walls, and from it hung different variations of the same dress she currently wore. They were all covered in the same plastic the dry cleaner packed them in when they were last taken there. A collection of different dolls and toys lay stacked in a corner, all unopened. Next to her bedroom door lay a dustpan and a brush, just in case a small mess trailed back with her.
Currently, it was nighttime. She was exhausted from a rather intense blood drawing session with her "father". When she fell upon her bed, she thought she would pass out immediately; she would have, had it not been for the gloved hand that materialized in front of her and covered her mouth firmly. She tried to yelp, but the sound was muffled.
"I didn't come all this way just for you to rat me out." A voice hissed. "If you would like to escape from this hell hole then stay quiet."
She slowly nodded, eyes full of fear.
When the hand was removed, she shakily whispered, "Who are you?"
"I'm known as Rogue. I snuck in here to rescue you."
She gaped at him. "You… but how? There's no way we can both-"
The girl quickly shut her mouth as she heard footsteps approach. Rogue chuckled.
"Don't worry, Eri. As long as you act like I'm not here, he won't see me."
The girl tilted her head, confused. Before she could reply, the door to her room slid open. Chisaki was there, staring at her. Rogue backed into the corner of the room, leaning against the wall.
True to the stranger's word, Chisaki paid the other person no mind. He turned on the light, eyes scanning the room. He eventually settled his gaze back on Eri.
"What was that noise I just heard?" He asked.
"I was just talking to myself…" She trailed off, sinking into her pillow.
He looked around the room once more, before looking back down at the ground beneath him. He grabbed the dustpan, sweeping up a small bit of dirt that settled around the opening.
"You're getting sloppy." He chided.
"I'm sorry!" She apologized quickly. "I'll clean better next time!"
He didn't reply. The light was quickly turned back off, and her door was closed again.
"Sorry, that was probably me." Rogue bowed in apology. "Don't worry, he can't hear me. If you want, you can just stay quiet and listen to what I have to say."
She nodded.
"I've spent some time watching over the Eight Precepts of Death. They're essentially the only Yakuza clan that hasn't completely fallen into ruin over the past few decades. I'm sure that you are aware that this is due to your quirk. The only reason Chisaki keeps you around is because you are useful to him."
Rogue walked back over to the girl, holding his hand out.
"I despise the way that he treats you. I can offer you escape, if you promise that you'll provide us with a sample of your blood."
The moment he uttered the last sentence, she backed away from the hooded figure in front of her. "So you're here to use me." She bitterly stated.
"Well, yes. But unlike Overhaul and the Eight Precepts I intend to use your power to save people. And... I don't intend to keep you locked in a small cage."
She stared blankly back at him.
"Think about it; I'm not talking about making you work for another faction. If you come with me I can give you a family. You can grow up in a normal household, with people who care for you and the opportunity to make friends. Wouldn't you prefer that?"
She shuffled her feet, curling up in front of the stranger. "Yes, but... I have no reason to trust you."
"You're right. You have no reason to believe a single word I am saying. If I were in your shoes I don't think I would believe what I am saying."
"So you just expect me to go along with it?"
"Of course not. I can't force you to accept what I have to say. But think about it this way; you can take your chances with me, and live the life you always wanted. Or... you can stay here, fearful of the man who literally obliterates you daily so he can instill fear in others."
She looked back at the person talking to her. As it turned out, he wasn't just wearing a hoodie. In the darkness, she could just make out a small cloth that extended from the top of the hood, covering his face.
"Take off your mask."
Rogue was slightly taken back by the command, but he understood the meaning behind it. He grabbed the cloth and pulled it upward, showing the girl his face.
He was a boy in his late teens, with dark green hair and eyes so bright that they almost glowed in the dark. He smiled gently at her. Her eyes settled on the light patch of skin that ran down his cheek. It was obviously scarred, though she could tell it healed exceptionally well.
He kneeled down to talk to her at eye level. "I know you must have a lot of questions for me."
"...Why are you asking me?"
"Because I'm not trying to kidnap you. If I wanted to, I could have grabbed you and ran long ago. I think you deserve better than that. If there's something I know... it's that sometimes children deserve to have a little hope every once in a while. I can't do that if I take you by force."
"But you don't even know me! Why would you...?"
Rogue shushed her as her voice raised. He replied, "I don't need a reason. Sometimes people just need to be helped, you know?"
Her eyes widened in response. He could see the corners of her eyes sparkle as the beginnings of tears formed.
"I... I'll do it. Even if you are lying to me..." She sighed. "It's better than him."
Rogue pulled out his phone, texting Kurogiri. Within seconds, a portal opened up in the room.
"Go ahead and walk through. I'll be there in a moment."
"What are you going to do?"
"I'm going to make sure Chisaki won't come after you."
The Yakuza in question had been silently wandering around his complex. When nothing interesting happened in the outside world, he would spend his time inspecting the rooms, making sure that each one was spotless. The hallways always had someone's footprints trailing down it, which he would always then clean himself. He didn't bother entering the living quarters of his expendables; they would always leave messes behind, especially Rappa. The large follower would constantly challenge him to a battle, and each time he would have to clean up the rubble and blood the man would leave in his wake.
Currently, Chisaki busied himself with cleaning one of his many traditional meeting rooms, vacuuming up the floor and dusting off the furniture while wearing gloves and his signature bird mask. Izuku, hiding in the corner, watched him patiently.
He brought his hand to his ear, activating the small headphone nestled inside.
"How close are you to finishing?"
"I'm almost done!" The voice of the sludge villain chirped back. He had grown much more confident since Izuku's abrupt rise to the top of the League of Villains. "I'm on the last set of safety valves. They're cheap, so I don't have to do much to break them."
"That's good to hear. Please finish as quickly as you can."
"Can do! You chose the right person for the job! Who else could fit themselves into gas pipes? Aaaaand... Done! Alright, it'll take me a few minutes to clear out. I'll notify you when I've cleared the danger zone."
"Got it."
Izuku calmly walked to the back of the room, keeping a watchful eye on Chisaki. He wasn't worried of being caught, but using Obfuscate required a great deal of concentration. He couldn't keep it up indefinitely, especially if he were to use any other quirk. He sat quietly, keeping his gaze fixed to the Yakuza's back. He was still busy vacuuming the seats, muttering about how "sick" his last visitors seemed.
"Alright, I'm clear. Just give us the word and we'll take care of things on our end!"
Izuku drew in a deep breath as he deactivated his quirk. He hadn't used it in a while, but he called forth the oldest quirk he had with him.
Chisaki fell forward as his chest began constricting painfully. He turned around, only catching a glimpse of someone else in the room as they disappeared. The Yakuza opened his mouth to yell, but no sound was made.
'Lucky that I only need to concentrate on Implosion when making or setting off the air bombs. And since there's no air in his lungs... can't make a sound, can you?' Izuku smugly thought to himself.
Izuku had already moved from his original location, so when Chisaki rushed towards where he used to be, he only grasped at empty air. However, the Yakuza was far from finished. He grabbed a table, and using his quirk, he caused it to explode, sending wooden shards flying across the room.
The green haired villain grunted at he felt a wooden spike embed itself into his shoulder. With his concentration broken, his quirk faltered. Narrowing his eyes, he backpedalled as soon as the purple faced Chisaki ran towards him, hands outstretched.
"No point in hiding now, is there? I thought you would have suffocated by now."
The Yakuza couldn't respond, opting to chase Izuku around the room; relying on the last remaining oxygen powering his heart to slowly beat
"Goodness, you are quite the fighter. I hoped I wouldn't have to do this so we could do this quietly, but I guess I don't have a choice." Izuku voiced out loud.
The air bombs within Chisaki's chest exploded. Izuku could swear he could hear the pop as the man's lungs burst like grocery bags. He immediately froze. A wave of blood rushed up his throat, spilling out of his lips and onto the floor.
With a last bit of effort, the Yakuza ripped his shirt to pieces, touching his hand to his bare chest. Izuku watched in shock as he saw Chisaki disassemble his own torso. He screamed in pain, but remained determined to finish the job. The pieces of Chisaki's body began to move around and reassemble themselves in his chest cavity. When he was done, he pulled himself to his feet, panting.
"I see you've become much more decisive, Rogue." He glared; gasping as air finally rushed back into his lungs.
"Consider this consolidating assets. You want to use the League to further the Eight Precepts, and I won't allow that any longer."
Chisaki chuckled. "Now, isn't that curious? Last time we spoke, the League was little more than a group of children weakly riding the coattails of Stain. Now that you're the leader... don't tell me that you've managed to reign your own ideology?"
Izuku clenched his fists. "It's the same one I've always had."
"...Are you serious? What's the point, then?!" Chisaki seemed agitated, hands twitching. "You lived your life under his thumb, and the moment you become free from Tomura's influence, you-"
His voice was cut off as his lungs constricted and exploded once more, his eyes widening.
"You don't deserve to speak his name. And he's not dead!"
Chisaki looked down, grasping his chest as he activated his quirk in desperation. When he looked up, Izuku was rushing forward, his hands moving straight for his face. There wasn't any time to react, he was still trying to reassemble his organs...
The world went dark as Izuku's fingers brushed his face. Chisaki felt something leave his body, his last thoughts rushing out as he realized the reassembling of his chest had stopped.
Izuku watched coldly as the Yakuza fell before him. Blood pooling at his feet, turning a lip up in disgust, as the state of the man's chest was rather unsightly.
Almost immediately, Izuku doubled over and clutched his head. He wasn't supposed to take the man's quirk, but it was the quickest and most efficient way to end the seared through his head, his heartbeat pulsing like heavy drums in his ears. He heard the sound of people rushing towards the room he was in. He steeled himself, gathering as much concentration as he could, forcing himself to focus. Izuku pressed himself against the wall next to the door as it burst open. It was a few members of the Eight Precepts, as well as all but one of the Eight Expendables. They crowded around their leader's corpse, giving Izuku the opportunity to slip out before his headache forced him to switch off his quirk.
He managed to use his quirk in short bursts, doing his best to hide in the shadows without the help of his quirk when the headache became too much to bear. It worked relatively well. Since the Eight Precepts' base was located underground, it meant that there was a plethora of ventilation shafts leading to various areas of the base.
Izuku sighed in relief when he came across a ladder leading out of the base. It was hard to recall the layout of the area with his headache. He reached for the first rung of the ladder...
And then cried out in pain as a projectile grazed his hand. He reeled in horror as he saw Chronostasis behind him, gun raised and smoking. Izuku hurriedly tried once more in vain to activate Obfuscate, but to no avail.
"It's a shame this isn't the latest batch. It isn't permanent." Chronostasis blankly stated.
Izuku's eyes widened in rage as he whipped out his nightstick. He rushed forward, attacking the shooter. It didn't take long for the green haired villain to land a heavy strike on the side of the Yakuza's head, sending him crashing into the wall and falling over.
Izuku quickly smacked the gun away, rummaging through the man's pockets as quickly as he could. He managed to procure a vial of some black liquid from an inner pocket. Chronostasis immediately reached out to take it back, but a well placed kick to the face knocked him right back out.
Izuku rushed up the ladder, leading him to a manhole that opened up on a street near a building that sat on top of the Eight Precepts' base. Izuku grunted as he pulled himself above ground, running to a nearby alley. He activated his earpiece immediately.
"Do it!" He yelled as he covered his ears.
Almost instantly, the ground rumbled. The building that marked the center of the Eight Precepts of Death was replaced with a giant fireball as all of the gas lines that lined the building and underground complex collectively ruptured and exploded.
When the explosion subsided, he let go of his head. His ears were still ringing, but luckily it wasn't anything particularly serious. However, the ensuing shouts and commands given in the aftermath of the roar sent his heart sinking into his stomach.
'Shit! There were heroes keeping watch. Of course they would, Yakuza aren't exactly private about their center of operations.'
He began walking away, hoping that no one would find him. He looked back at the wound on the back of his hand.
'Okay, I was only grazed by the bullet, it didn't actually enter my body. Hopefully it means that only a bit of the payload entered my bloodstream. I might only be very briefly put out of commission.'
His suspicions were confirmed as he soon felt the familiar presence of his quirks return into his body, almost like a warmth that radiated from his core. He tried to activate Obfuscate, but he couldn't maintain a stable hold on it. He would have to wait longer before he would be able to successfully use any of his quirks. His mind began to send waves of pain down his spine as it reminded him that his newly acquired quirk was doing its best to make itself at home in his brain. He clutched his head, doing his best not to scream in pain.
"Hey you! What are you doing out here?!"
Izuku froze as he heard a very familiar voice shout at him. He spun around, and stood face to face with Bakugou.
The hero's eyes widened in surprise as he recognized the outfit of the disguised villain in front of him.
"You... You bastard, get over here!" Katsuki screamed, launching himself after Izuku.
He didn't have much time to react, and with his quirks still out of commission, all he could do was dive out of the way as Bakugou tried to tackle him. Izuku reeled back his arm, striking the hero on his back. He heard the sound of Bakugou gasping as the air in his lungs was knocked out by the strike.
Bakugou landed on his feet, spinning around to face the villain.
"Of all the people who had to arrive... I won't forgive you for killing Iida!"
Silence passed between them before Katsuki continued. "You have anything to say?!"
That's when Bakugou heard it; it was just barely audible, but it was unmistakeable. The villain was laughing, as if Bakugou had said some hilarious joke! He pointed his nightstick out at the hero, as if it were his index finger.
"You…" Izuku laughed. "You think you of all people deserve forgiveness from me?!" His peals of laughter rose, causing him to almost double over. "You didn't care about him from day one! I bet you didn't even learn his name until after he died!"
Bakugou stared in silence as his opponent tried to calm down. Rogue continued. "So am I wrong? When did you actually learn his name, Bakugou Katsuki?"
"That's not important!" He yelled back, launching forward. He pulled his right fist back, ready to punch. Rogue grabbed the arm, familiar with his fighting style, and pulled it onto his shoulder as he leaned back to flip the hero onto the pavement.
However, Bakugou readjusted his body, landing on his feet. He pulled his arm back, elbowing the hooded villain in the face. Rogue let go of the hero, stepping back as he clutched the area where his nose should be.
Katsuki didn't let the opportunity evade him, he ran towards the unsteady villain and grabbed his hood. A small explosion as he pulled left a large tear in his disguise, but it was enough for Bakugou to recognize who he was facing when the smoke cleared.
Neither of them spoke. Both of them had the same frightened expression on their faces. Bakugou opened his mouth, but it felt like ages before he could choke out the words in his throat.
"...Deku?!"
That seemed more than enough to snap both of them out of their daze. Seeing no point in denying the obvious, Izuku grimaced and pulled the tatters of his hood back.
"You know, I'm disappointed you didn't mention me."
"Huh?!"
"You said you wouldn't forgive Rogue for what he did to Tenya. What about me, was I not important enough again?"
"Don't make this about you!" Bakugou roared back. "I knew something was wrong with you this whole time!"
"And yet, you said nothing to anyone."
"Because I didn't fucking think you were a spy! That explains everything!"
Izuku mentally checked up on his quirks. They seemed to be nominally functional at this point.
'This is really bad.' Izuku thought, 'Even if I make it out alive, it's going to ruin parts of my plan if my name gets out right now. I need to get him out of commission, and fast! Altering his memories will take too long... but if I do that... that should give me more than enough time!'
The villain smiled as he rushed towards Bakugou. The hero leapt forward, yelling as he pulled the pin on his gauntlets. The resulting explosion engulfed the entire alley in flames, lighting up the sky as if it were daytime.
By the time Fatgum, Ejirou, Tsuyu, and Uraraka had split up to check the commotion, they were greeted with large plumes of smoke escaping the alley. The smell of nitroglycerin stung their noses as they stood in silence, waiting for some visibility before they rushed in.
When the smoke cleared, they were greeted to the sight of a warp gate closing and Bakugou Katsuki slumped against the wall of the alleyway, unconscious.
Izuku unceremoniously stumbled out of the warp gate and onto the cold floor of the abandoned hotel. Ever since the homely bar that used to serve as headquarters to the League had been destroyed, they've been forced to relocate multiple times. This was their latest candidate for a new center of operations, and it seemed decent enough for the time being.
The villain leaned against the wall, clutching his head in agony. He was silent the whole time, waiting for the pain to pass as the new quirk settled into his head. Sensei had told him that the pain went away in time, but he hadn't practiced it enough to actually verify that piece of advice.
The lobby was still dusty, but it was considerably cleaner than the last time Izuku saw it. Kurogiri must have busied himself.
Speaking of which, the former bartender was dusting the area behind the concierge desk. His back was turned to Izuku, and he didn't turn around to greet him. The boy looked down, but said nothing.
The lobby proper was a collection of different pieces of furniture all huddled in groups. The floor was cracked ceramic tile, and a defunct fountain lay in the center.
Eri was lightly bouncing on one of the chairs, watching in wonder as dust clouds rose from the agitation. She paused when Izuku wandered in, with the burns and wounds on his face and arms. She watched as a particularly nasty burn began slowly reverting into unblemished skin. The freckles on his face and the scar that trailed his cheek remained.
"It's you!" She exclaimed.
He nodded, smiling. "It was tougher than I had expected, but I managed to put Chisaki out of commission."
She froze as he said that. "Did you... you know?"
"Did you want him dead?"
She curled up. "I don't know. He was a bad man."
Izuku shook his head. "Don't worry about it. I just knocked him out. The heroes were actually planning a raid when I got you, so they arrested him. You'll probably see it on the news later."
She seemed to lighten up at the statement. "Okay... So what are you going to do?"
"Well, I'm going to get a sample of your blood, and then we'll give you a family to grow up with."
She tilted her head. "You mean I'm growing up with you?"
Izuku seemed taken aback for a moment, before laughing. "No! No, this is no place to raise a child. I mean you are going to have a real family. You deserve that at the very least."
The villain heard Kurogiri shuffle out of the lobby when he said that. His smile faltered only for a moment.
Izuku excused himself before coming back with a juice pack. He handed it to Eri, who quickly thanked him and drank it up with a smile.
"So what do you plan to do with my blood, Mr..."
"Midoriya Izuku. I plan on saving the world."
Her eyes widened. "Wha- How?!"
He reached up to her head, rubbing it tenderly. "Don't worry about it. You won't remember any of this anyway."
She tilted her head, and suddenly she felt herself grow very tired. She dropped the juice box, and at the same time Izuku dropped his smile.
"You... not... fair..." She mumbled, before she fell asleep.
Izuku picked up her unconscious body, hoisting over his shoulder as he carried her to a vacant room. The walls were covered in plastic, with a hospital bed and some old medical equipment placed in the middle. He laid her out on the bed, before leaving the room. When he came back, he had surgical gloves on, and a dust mask covering his face.
The villain brought an IV stand next to the table, and took a rubber strap and wrapped it around her arm. It wasn't long before the veins on her arm swelled, giving him a good location to insert the IV needle. Making sure the IV tube was devoid of bubbles, he stuck the needle in. He removed the rubber band, and watched as the saline solution at the top of the IV stand began to flow into her arm.
He heard the door behind him open. He turned to see Kurogiri silently approach him.
"I shouldn't have said that..." Izuku looked down. "I'm sorry, Kurogiri."
"What do you plan to do with the girl?" Kurogiri quietly asked, ignoring the apology.
"She'll remain sedated until I've got enough blood from her. She's a child, so I expect she'll remain in this spot for the next two weeks."
"And then?"
Izuku walked over to a filing cabinet at the end of the room. He opened the top drawer, pulling out a single file. He handed it to the other villain.
"I've settled on a candidate. Single, never married. No family or friends to speak of. Recently moved, about to start his job in a few weeks. He's upper-middle class and financially stable. He'll be able to handle a nine year old girl and spend time raising her. Not to mention school starts in a few weeks so he'll have plenty of time to enroll her."
"Are you sure about this?"
Izuku nodded. "When he was asleep, I snuck into his house and peered into his mind using one of the quirks Sensei gave me. He wouldn't hurt her or abuse her. If his job ended up hurting her, he would quit and find a new job."
"I see." Kurogiri curtly responded.
Izuku breathed deeply, before turning back to face the other villain. "Bakugou saw my face... He'll be out of commission for about a week, but once he wakes up..."
Kurogiri didn't respond. They stared at each other silently.
"Kurogiri... please don't do this." Izuku reached out to the former bartender. "I already told you, you don't need to-"
"Midoriya, I understand what you are feeling... but please give me some time to think. We made a promise to each other. At least find solace in that I will uphold that promise."
Izuku retracted his hand, a dejected look on his face as he nodded. "Okay."
The boy reached into his pocket, pulling out the vial of black liquid. "I wonder if this is the completed formula... Only one way to find out..."
Toshinori Yagi's life had been hectic ever since he retired. Even in his emaciated state, people would follow him around, asking for an autograph or yelling at him for ruining the current state of society. The worst encounters were by those who begged him for someone else to look up to.
"How am I supposed to know?" He quietly whispered to himself, to no one in particular.
His apartment was rather meager. He really wasn't in it often while working, and he never really was one for opulence. A kitchen, a bed, and a TV and computer was all he really needed.
He was startled by a desperate pounding on the door. He glanced at the clock.
"Who in their right mind would be here at 3 AM?"
The answer, as it would seem, was a very beaten up Midoriya Izuku.
He threw the door open, and Izuku rushed forward to hug the man, his tears wetting the white shirt of the former hero.
"Oh tha-thank goodness!" He almost screamed, breathing erratically. "I thought I wa-was going to die the-there!"
All Might wasn't sure what to say. He just pulled Izuku into the apartment before closing the door.
"Young Midoriya, where were you?!"
"I was tra-trapped with the Lea-League. They..." He covered his mouth, whimpering.
All Might kneeled down, grabbing the boy by the shoulders. "It's okay, you don't have to say it."
Izuku nodded frantically. He pulled All Might back into a hug.
"I'm sorry, All Might! I treated you so t-t-terribly... I heard you came to re... rescue me..."
Yagi shushed him, hugging back. "It's okay, you're going to be okay now."
"How long was I... gone?"
"It's almost been a month!" His eyes settled on the scar that lined Izuku's cheek. He wanted to ask, but refrained.
"All Might, I... I didn't... I didn't tell them..." He pulled further into the former hero's embrace. "...about your pow-power..."
"It's okay, Izuku. Even if you did tell them about One for All, I wouldn't have blamed you."
He looked up at All Might, his eyes full of tears. "Really?"
Toshinori smiled kindly, and nodded. "I'm sorry I re... rejected your offer of being a su-successor. I was really angry a-a-and-"
"Don't worry, young Midoriya. I can understand that you were hurting inside. I shouldn't have tried to push such a burden on you when you were vulnerable."
Izuku nodded, sobbing. Eventually, his cried weakened and his breath became more regular.
"I'm sorry for doing this." Izuku sniffed. "I wasn't sure where to go, and when I managed to escape I found a file about you. I saw your address and ran here. Yuuei was too far away and I didn't want to lead them to my mom's home-"
"It's all right. You'll be safe here."
"I'm just happy I managed to keep your secret safe!" He sighed. "Did you... did you ever find a successor?"
Toshinori paused, before closing his eyes. "No, I haven't. There was one candidate but... he was killed while out on patrol. Since then, I've been putting it off... young Midoriya I don't want you to rush into this-"
"No, it's okay, All Might." Izuku responded. "I don't want One for All."
"Oh, okay. Then why ask?"
When All Might re-opened his eyes, he stared at Midoriya. His eyes were wide open with cruel intent, and his mouth was curled into a grin that All Might had never seen before. Before he could say anything further, a gunshot drowned his thoughts out.
Izuku stepped back, holstering his weapon. Yagi clutched at his chest, seeing his white shirt stain red.
"One for All is honestly too powerful to remain in this world. Even if I did give it to the League, I have a feeling it would one day be used against us once more. That's the nature of One for All, isn't it? It's not just power, it's the spirit of goodwill and rebellion against evil."
The former hero reached out, trying to grab Izuku. The boy stepped back, avoiding the weak attempt.
"Luckily I verified the potency of the serum I recovered from the Eight Precepts. Even if you survive that shot to your heart, the contents of the bullet will have finished destroying your Quirk Factor. One for All is fading from existence as we speak."
Izuku walked to the door, opening it.
"And for the record, I never once thought of forgiving you."
He didn't look back as he left.
Aizawa sat silently with Nedzu in his office. The silence threatened to crush them to dust. Neither wanted to say anything, but knew that eventually the words would eventually spill out of their lips.
A light knock on the door made both of them jump. It was time. Nedzu slowly hopped from his chair, walking to the door and opening it. Behind it stood the last person they wanted to speak to, but the one they needed to speak to the most.
Midoriya Inko bowed. "Pardon the intrusion, but I was called here."
"Ah, hello, Mrs. Midoriya." Nedzu greeted calmly. "Please take a seat. Would you like some tea?"
She shook her head. "I'm a bit nervous, so I think the tea would help. Thank you."
Nedzu handed her a cup of green tea, gesturing to an empty sofa. She quietly sat down in the offered spot. She clutched her purse tightly in her lap.
"This is about my Izuku, isn't it?" She half yelled, half whispered. She was a mess, but she was doing her best to remain composed.
"Unfortunately, yes." Aizawa spoke. "You see, during a raid on villain headquarters, Bakugou Katsuki had an altercation with a member of the League of Villains. When we made it to the scene, he was found alone and in a coma. He woke up yesterday."
Inko nodded, but did not respond.
Nedzu continued where the teacher left off. "You see, he had come into contact with a sort of special agent in the ranks of the League. We do make an effort to disclose the identities of known villains, but we've never had much to go on, in this particular case. Tell me, Mrs. Midoriya; have you ever heard of the villain Rogue?"
"Yes. I remember seeing him pop up on the Hero Report right after the attack at Yuuei..." She gasped, clutching the purse tighter as tears began to well around her eyes. "Did he kidnap my son?! Were they the one responsible for my poor Izuku's disappearance?!"
Aizawa shifted in his seat uncomfortably. He motioned Nedzu to take over.
"Ma'am... Bakugou had managed to identify the villain during the altercation. When questioned, he told the police authorities that the person who attacked him and left him in a coma... was Izuku himself."
The two Yuuei staff members had expected a large outcry from the distraught mother. They expected complete denial, and perhaps some physical violence.
Instead, what they got was a mother who sighed and stared into her cup of tea, eyes blank.
"I... I had expected as much." She replied, a resigned tone to her voice.
Nedzu and Aizawa stared in shock. She continued.
"I do not doubt Katsuki's observations. If he says Izuku is a villain, then he is correct."
"Ma'am... what are you saying this?"
"The truth is... my son died long ago." She pulled her purse tightly to her chest. "He was bullied quite often when he was younger, you see. He was a quirkless boy who desperately wanted to be a hero... the other kids weren't kind to him as a result. I asked him about the bruises and cuts, but he would always smile and tell me 'I was just playing with my friends.' I accepted it for a while, but when I caught him trying to hide burn marks from me... I tried to approach him about it, but he always smiled and told me not to worry. I had thought that he would come to me when he was ready.
"And then, one day when he was nine, he had come home late, covered in mud. He told me he made a new friend. I worried that this was another bully, but... its wasn't long after that... the bruises stopped appearing. He wasn't burned. He smiled more, and it was... it was more real. I hadn't seen him smile so genuinely in such a long time. He refused to talk to me about his new friend, but... I allowed it. He deserved to be happy, and if it meant I wasn't a part of that happiness, I could take it. I didn't want... No, I was afraid of ruining the first chance he's had at being happy. I grew lax with him. He stayed out late, and occasionally would spontaneously ask if he could spend the night elsewhere. I let it all happen."
Nedzu hopped up next to her, rubbing her shoulder comfortingly.
"Izuku began to change. He still smiled, but he always seemed much more distant. He threw out his All Might collection. He stopped watching the Hero Report altogether. If he wasn't out with his new friends, he would lock himself in his room. When he came to me with his quirk, I was overjoyed... he still wanted to be a hero! I allowed it again.
"Those friends he had... they were probably villains. He never viewed heroes the same after meeting them. They took my son... my neglected, attention-starved son... and they killed him. What they put in his place was a changeling. The toxic ideals they had festered in his head, and now..." She breathed deeply, trying her best not to shake. "What did Izuku do?"
Aizawa paused, but Nedzu nodded towards him. The teacher spoke up. "He's committed a number of crimes, including stealing records from Yuuei and the assault of a number of pro heroes. In addition... he's involved with the murder of Tougata Mirio, and possibly in the attempt on Toshinori Yagi- All Might's life."
"A-All Might?!"
Nedzu nodded. "Yes, it seems that a gunshot was reported by his neighbors. Luckily, police arrived in time before he bled out. He is currently in critical condition, so we do not know if he will survive or not."
Midoriya Inko looked down. "I see. Is there anything else I should know about?"
Nedzu replied. "As pro heroes, we are obligated to update the official villain registry with any information we come across. If you wish to contest it, we would have to launch a full investigation into the identity of Rogue... but it seems as if you will not."
The woman pushed herself to her feet, strangely calm.
"No, I will not. I failed as a mother. He was yearning for someone to tell him the words he needed to hear, and I could not provide that to him. This is the result of my shortcomings as a mother." She dusted herself off, before walking to the door. "Now, unless there is anything else you have to tell me... I have to prepare for my son's funeral."
Nedzu shook his head. "That is all we have to tell you, Mrs. Midoriya. Please stay safe."
She didn't respond. She walked out the door.
"Do you think she'll be alright, Nedzu?"
"Honestly, I have no idea."
"Should we have told her about Bakugou and All Might's condition?"
"It wouldn't have helped, and we should keep that information as private as possible. Bakugou hasn't spoken to anyone since he woke up, and I doubt Toshinori will be any different."
"Ragdoll was the same way, if I remember correctly."
"That is true. Finding out that you are suddenly quirkless would put a lot of stress on someone."
"Does this mean that All for One is really back in action?"
"I can't say for sure. It's possible both lost it due to the quirk suppressing chemicals that the Eight Precepts were working on. However..." Nedzu's face darkened. "If All for One is truly out in the wild, then we are wholly unprepared. We can't rely on Izuku acting the same way as his predecessor. If anything, he'll be doing the exact opposite. We've seen his craftiness and sly nature in action. We cannot underestimate him."
Aizawa sighed. "I concur. But at the very least, it means we've figured out who the spy in our ranks was."
Nedzu remained silent, a pensive look on his face.
The teacher filled the silence for him. "Something is bothering you."
"He was in front of us the whole time. I knew something was wrong... but I ignored it because I had faith that he would eventually come to me." The small animal placed his cup of tea back on the table with a muted clatter. "He didn't become a villain on a whim. The reason... it should have been obvious from the beginning. I became a principal because I wanted to guide students toward a brighter future, and I have clearly failed. If only I had been more forthcoming with the boy... do you think I could have saved him?"
Aizawa leaned back in his seat, closing his eyes for just a moment. "We both know that question will never have an answer. Every hero has someone that they couldn't save."
The teacher looked back down, staring into the tea cup resting in his hands. His reflection gazed back, unwavering and unforgiving.
"Every hero." He echoed.
Aizawa sighed, pausing before the door to his own classroom. He had called the internship off early, much to the chagrin of the students who participated in the ill-fated raid on the Eight Precepts of Death hideout. He understood that many of them would have questions, many of which he wished he didn't need to answer.
He grabbed the oversized door, sliding it open to reveal the quiet faces of his students, staring at him expectantly.
He steeled himself, walking to the podium. "I'm not going to sugarcoat any of what I'm about to tell you. I will only report the facts once, then I will take questions. Do not interrupt me."
The rest of the class nodded.
"Last week, Bakugou had an altercation with the villain Rogue. He is an agent of the League of Villains, and appears to have been a part of them long before the influx of members they received as a result of Stain's influence. He was previously suspected to be involved with the death of Iida Tenya.
"Bakugou was found shortly after the fight, unconscious. He had only woken up yesterday, and refused to speak to anyone. When I arrived, he told me only one thing, and has yet to speak since then. He identified Rogue as... Midoriya Izuku."
Much of the class gasped at the revelation. Kirishima jumped to his feet. The majority simply froze at the words in confusion, as if Aizawa had suddenly started speaking another language.
Todoroki stared back at his teacher. "Is there reason to believe that he was brainwashed after his kidnapping?"
"No, there isn't. Rogue was active long before Midoriya's abduction."
Todoroki nodded. "He mentioned a brother during the Sports Festival, despite the fact that he was a single child. It is possible that he was referring to one of his cohorts in the League."
Uraraka turned around in his seat. "What's wrong with you, Todoroki?! Are you seriously going to condemn Izuku like that?"
"Don't be foolish. I'm only stating the facts given to me."
Kyouka cut into the argument, raising her hand. "What about Bakugou, then? Will he be returning to the class soon?"
Aizawa shook his head. "I don't know. It appears that he has permanently lost the use of his quirk."
"How?!" Kirishima exclaimed, wide eyed.
"We aren't exactly sure. The fact of the matter is that he is now quirkless."
Silence hung over the classroom like a heavy cloud. Eventually, Tsuyu spoke up.
"Then what are we supposed to do now, ribbit?"
Aizawa sighed. "I don't know. We are still trying to piece everything together. Promise me that you won't take any brash actions. It may be insensitive of me, but we've already lost enough students. So until we can formulate a plan of attack, please continue your daily school lives. Homeroom dismissed."
As the teacher left, the class began to murmur, speaking to each other in unsure tones.
"Izuku... a traitor?"
"I can't believe it. Bakugou had to lie! You know how much they hate each other."
"Don't say that! Bakugou isn't that type of person."
"Knock it off, you two! Aizawa wouldn't tell us if they didn't have confidence in the accusation. Still, to think that we were being led on by a villain... he could have killed us at any time."
"I don't believe it."
"Yeah, maybe Bakugou was brainwashed into thinking it was Izuku? Or an illusion?"
"But what if it really was him? He knows everything about us!"
"...I don't know if I want to be a hero now. What if they threaten our families?"
"I... I didn't think of that. We're still students. Placing us in dorms would mean we couldn't protect our families if they were attacked."
"What are you guys talking about?! We chose this to help others! We signed up for this!"
"We signed up for this? I don't like it."
"But if we don't, then who will?"
Bakugou had only said three words since he had opened his eyes. He only spoke them once and only to one person.
"Izuku is Rogue."
He spent the rest of his days eating, staring out the window, and sleeping. He slept quite often. Now that he lost the use of his explosions, he preferred to escape reality than face the situation he was in. Days began to pass in what seemed like minutes.
He refused to escape the cycle he was placed in. Sleep, eat, stare. Sleep, eat, stare. Occasionally a nurse would admonish him for not leaving his bed. He never answered, and didn't flinch as she injected his stomach with the shot all sedentary patients were given.
That cycle was broken when he woke up late at night, and felt his hands and feet tied to the edges of his hospital bed. He jerked around, but the restraints didn't let up.
"Oh, you're finally up?"
He looked to his right, seeing Izuku casually sitting in the chair next to his bed. He opened his mouth to scream, but his mouth was quickly covered by the villain's iron grasp.
"I'd be careful about doing something stupid. It would be a shame if a bystander walked in."
He pulled his hand back as the blonde attempted to bite it. Still, he didn't yell.
"You piece of shit... give it back!" He growled.
"Give what back?"
"My quirk! Give it back to me!"
Izuku laughed. "Simple minded as always. How does it feel, being Deku?"
Katsuki just glared at him.
"You know, I used to like you a lot when we were kids. I believed you were the best person ever! There was even a time that I liked you more than All Might."
The student's eyes widened at the statement.
"But... that was a long time ago. Things changed. You changed. Despite all the burns, the cuts, the humiliation, I stuck with you. You were my idol, and I was okay with being your little stepping stone. I admired you from below, Kacchan."
Bakugou gritted his teeth. "Don't try to make me feel sorry for you! You killed Iida!"
"Because he tried to kill my brother! And now... damnit!" Izuku closed his eyes, huffing in anger.
The blonde jostled in his bed, leaning out as much as he could towards the villain sitting next to him.
"I don't care how much you take from me! I will hunt you down to the ends of the earth until you're defeated!"
Izuku smiled. "Still got that spirit, huh? Are you doing it for your own satisfaction?"
"That doesn't matter!"
"So it is self-satisfaction. No matter, you've got a lot to learn about the quirkless world." He stood up, dusting himself off. He pulled out his phone, texting Kurogiri. A portal opened behind him almost immediately.
"I doubt you remember, but when we were nine, you pushed me down a ravine and left me there. That's where my brother Tomura found me." He breathed in deeply. "Make no mistake; you disgust me. I truly hate you from the bottom of my heart. But... thank you. If it weren't for your cruelty, I would have never met the man who saved me from people like you."
He left, not bothering to release the spasming Bakugou from his restraints. The nurses would take care of that anyway.
Izuku was in the room that a sedated Eri lay. He watched calmly as her blood slowly dripped from the tube in her arm, into a small beaker labeled 'collection.'
Kurogiri knocked lightly on the door before opening it.
"Midoriya... I have some news about your mother."
"She died." Izuku calmly stated.
"You... you knew?!"
Izuku nodded. "I read the news article. She prepared a small memorial for me in her apartment, before she downed a bottle of pain relievers with a bottle of sake. I went to her funeral. Obfuscated, of course."
"Midoriya..."
"Kurogiri, it's okay." He looked up to the older villain. Kurogiri could see the tears streaming down the boy's face. "I wish she didn't... but I can't abandon the promises I made... to you, and to Tomura. So please, don't worry about me... I'll be fine."
Kurogiri walked over to the boy, kneeling down so that they were at eye level. Kurogiri tentatively reached out, grabbing the boy by the shoulder.
Izuku's smile faltered, before he rushed forward, sinking his head into the crane of the villain's neck. He sobbed.
"Please... I know you asked me not to do this to you... but please stay with me just a little longer!"
Izuku felt the man return the embrace, holding onto the boy tightly.
"Midoriya... I still haven't moved on. It pains me to have to be the one to comfort you like this. I can't look at you without feeling regret. But for you, I will set these feelings aside. We have already lost enough, and being separated will do neither of us good."
Izuku hugged tighter. "You were always there for me. I don't care why. You were there."
"I will remain at your side, no matter what you want to do. Even if you say that you will try to be a hero once more, I will be there for you."
"You don't have to worry about that, Kurogiri. I'm an officially registered villain, now." He choked out a laugh. "But I need your help. So please, don't leave me!"
"I will never leave your side, Midoriya. I don't think I could at this point."
Izuku nodded, sniffling. "I'm glad, Kurogiri. And... what I said last time... I still mean it. Even if you refuse to believe me, I still believe it."
The former bartender nodded. "It may take me some time, but perhaps in the future I will be able to fulfill that other wish of yours."
The older villain stood back up, walking back to the door. "I'll check up on how Tomura is doing. The doctor didn't seem optimistic last we spoke. In the meantime, good luck with your project. I hope it turns out well. What's the name of it?"
"The Chicxulub Project."
Kurogiri nodded. "Fitting name. Don't let anyone find that out, though. Someone smart enough might catch on to what it means."
Izuku nodded, smiling. He looked back down to Eri, who lay on the table.
"Alright, Eri. I've got to tweak a few things in your head, but after that..."
Ikutsuki Mai woke up in her plush bed. She yawned and stretched, wiping the sleep from her eyes. She bounded down the stairs, greeting her loving father in the kitchen. He presented her with a lovely meal of eggs, bacon and toast. Ikutsuki Shuji smiled as she wolfed down the meal.
They chatted about his work as a therapist. He did his best to keep his discussions down to a level a small child could easily understand, and also made sure not to break any sort of doctor-patient confidentiality. She seemed genuinely interested in his work, and it brought a sort of pride to his heart thinking that this small child could grow up to be a therapist or counselor of some sort.
He pointed to the small horn that protruded from the side of her head, and asked if she thought the other students would make fun of it. She shook her head and smiled, telling him that if they did, she would refer them to her dad to solve their issues. They both laughed at the statement.
While Shuji was out working, Mai busied herself with watching TV and doing chores. The chores themselves felt almost like it was a natural instinct to do, but she paid no mind. They were done quickly and efficiently. Sometimes, she'd imagine a monster was chasing her, and the only way to stave it off was to clean quickly! She thought it was a nice idea, and even started keeping time.
She settled into the couch, turning the TV to the Hero Report. There were a few stories of note; Kamui Woods subdued a group of bank robbers, Mount Lady took care of a few large enemies... when the Most Wanted section popped up, she froze. Plastered on the screen was an image of a green haired boy, smiling wistfully at the screen. She didn't bother listening to what he was on the run for, she stared into his bright eyes. He looked familiar, but she couldn't quite place her finger on it...
That's when it all clicked. Every night, she dreamed of a guardian angel with green hair. It would whisk her away in its warm embrace, and whisper into her ear that everything would be alright, and that she could live the life she always wanted. It confused her that such an image of kindness in her mind seemed so cruel in real life. She briefly thought about making an attempt to visit this person, but ultimately decided against it. She already had everything she wanted. If he was her guardian angel, then he did his job.
A/N: Hey everyone! I'm sorry about the long wait, I had to spend a lot of time planning out where everything was going. But there's a chapter out now, and it's the longest one yet! Please leave your thoughts in the comments, they really help! And don't forget to look me up on Tumblr, as well as give a huge thanks to my editor's Tumblr as well (yourlilimaxilove)!