There was a lot of things that Izuku did that annoyed the hell out of Tomura. The boy was just so... boring. He barely held any interest outside of games and being pouty when Tomura wasn't around. And even when they were together, the older villain would just be greeted with that stupid saccharine smile and a tone that was so full of concern that most would think was condescending if they didn't know better. Gaming with the brat wasn't fun either; it had long since become obvious to everyone that the green-haired kid was always going easy on him, letting up when they were close so his 'Older Brother' could snatch a cheap victory.

But none of that could come close to the thing that quietly drove him up a wall every time they saw each other. If there was anything that could dive Tomura to a fit of anger, it was Izuku's scar. It was an angry red, so bright against Midoriya's pale skin that it almost seemed to pulsate if you stared at it long enough. It trailed from the bottom of his ear to the corner of his lip, a half Glasgow Smile that was the result of Tomura's rage the night Sensei transferred his power to Izuku and turned himself in. Every time that scar crossed his eyes, the new leader of the League was reminded of everything that occurred due to his own incompetence. The time they wasted searching for a halfway decent holder of a healing quirk, the days Izuku spent in bed, being spoon-fed by Kurogiri... the stupid, sorry look Izuku would give him, as if the boy was trying to apologize for getting smacked... it frustrated Tomura like nothing else.

The young adult's eyes fluttered open as he woke up. He slid off of the dingy mattress, dusting himself off as he stood up. He lazily threw some clothes on, and exited the bedroom. The rest of the house had a faint chemical smell that was a result of Izuku's cleaning. Ever since he moved in, he spent his free time scrubbing down the walls and floors with bleach. The boy in question was fast asleep on the lumpy couch, with his hoodie balled up and used as a makeshift pillow. Tomura approached him, staring idly for some time. He reached downwards, all five fingers extended as he neared the younger villain's neck. He paused, just short of brushing his fingers against the skin, then pulled back.

He kicked the side of the couch, causing Izuku to startle awake with a snort.

"Get up." Tomura barked. "Today's the big day."

The boy jumped to his feet, frantically unravelling his hoodie and throwing it on. "Okay! I'm ready."

The leader pulled out his flip phone, speed dialing Kurogiri.

"Ah, Shigaraki. I assume you wish for me to gather the envoy for Overhaul?"

He annoyedly brought his fingers to his neck. "You haven't put the party together?"

"Of course not. You specifically told me to refrain from doing so until you gave permission to do so."

"Then do it already!" He sighed, exasperated. He quickly slapped the phone shut, shoving it back into his pocket. "What a pain..."

"How long is it going to be?" Izuku asked as he quickly slid the fabric covering over his face.

"About an hour." He glared at Izuku. Even if it was covered, he could almost see the nasty, webbed scarring from under the opaque covering.

Izuku saw the look the older villain was giving him. He froze, unsure of what to do or say. They spent a long time just standing in silence. Eventually, Tomura shook his head and made a beeline out of the rundown apartment they lived in. Of course, Izuku followed without protest.

They spent the better part of the hour meandering around the city and doing meaningless reconnaissance. Tomura didn't speak at all, and Izuku wasn't one to try to tease words out of him. Ever since he had recovered from his injury, the older villain had ceased their already sparse conversations.

Their awkward silence was cut short by Kurogiri's text message and a portal opening next to them. As they walked through, they were greeted with the small entourage that would be accompanying them to the abandoned motel they would use as the meeting space.

"Ah, it appears the last two participants have joined us!" Mr. Compress declared, clasping his hands in a mottled joy.

Magne hefted her wrapped magnet over her shoulder. "So we're going to get some more members?"

"Not quite." Kurogiri responded. "We are going to establish a partnership with Overhaul and his Eight Precepts of Death."

"So we're going to work with the Yakuza?" Twice picked at the tape measurer embedded into his arm. "That's great! I think. Wait, no it isn't. Is it?"

Toga's eyes settled on Izuku, to which she giggled and covered her mouth with one of her sleeves. "I think it is. Having new members means we can do more. And that means having an easy life will come much more quickly. Isn't that right, Rogue?"

Izuku froze as all the eyes in the room settled on him. He shuffled his feet, before muttering "Tomura should be the one to explain that. He's the leader."

Before the older villain could speak up, Toga rushed over to the boy, grabbing his arm and yanking up the sleeve of his hoodie. The skin underneath the fabric was covered in a myriad of light scars and what appeared to be a nasty red patch sprawling up his arm. Izuku immediately yanked his arm out of her grasp, hastily pulling the sleeve back down.

Toga giggled loudly, a blush forming over her face as she retreated away from the boy. "You've gotten a few extra marks on your arms since we last met... and did I spy a chemical burn? What was it? Bleach? Ammonia? Lye? Were you cleaning up a body?"

"It's bleach." Izuku cut her rambling off. "I was cleaning up my apartment and I forgot to wash it off when it splashed onto my arm."

Toga pouted. "That's boring... but I guess I can't complain." She smiled at him again. "You should keep doing that. I like it."

Izuku didn't respond.

"In any case..." said Kurogiri, changing the subject. "We are going to go ahead and begin staking out the warehouse we delegated as our meeting place. It should still be empty, but for now we will send Rogue in alone to scope it out. After that, everyone will gather at the predetermined room. Twice, while I normally would recommend that you use clones of us in our stead, we won't have a need for your services. If they realize we are using clones, they may protest."

Everyone nodded.

"Wait." Tomura paused, gazing around the room. "Where is Dabi?"

Twice piped up. "When Kurogiri called him, he basically told him to shove off. He's apparently busy scouting out new recruits in Stain's name."

The young adult sighed, bringing his hand to his neck and scratching violently. "Of course he is. Why do I even bother letting him in my party if he's going to up and leave when he's needed? I guess I'll have to show him where his priorities should be when we're done."

"Now, Shigaraki." Kurogiri responded. "While it is true he should be here, it may be prudent if we get new members who are loyal to us."

Tomura grumbled something under his breath, but did not stop scratching at his throat.

Mr. Compress raised his hand at the bartender, getting his attention. "We're dealing with the Yakuza. I don't know about anyone else here but I know how they act. Should we prepare for the worst?"

"If by that, you mean a hostile attack, then yes. While they agreed to meet with us for negotiations, Overhaul is not known for his kindness. Please maintain a level of caution around him and his crew."

"Alright, then." Compress reaffirmed.

Kurogiri looked to Tomura, gesturing towards him. "It seems everything is set up. We'll begin when you are ready."

"No reason to wait here. Let's go."

"Then it is time to begin your reconnaissance, Rogue. Let us know when you are done." Kurogiri opened a portal and guided the boy through.

The warehouse they had planned to use was near a wharf. Despite it not being used in years, the smell of fish still permeated everything, filling up Izuku's nostrils. From the equipment in here, He guessed it was used once to make Katsuobushi and Bonito Flakes. He could only guess why it wasn't up and running any more, though it was most likely that they used an old style of production and couldn't lower their prices enough to keep afloat.

The smell reminded him of the Dashi Stock. His mind wandered to all the foods Dashi Stock was used in... many of which his mother would make for him daily. He furrowed his brow, shaking his head as he tried to remove the guilt ridden image of his mother out of his head. He clutched his stomach, and did his best to focus on the task at hand.

Fortunately, Izuku was unable to find any evidence of any sort of malicious activity. He activated Obfuscate and walked around the warehouse, but the feeling of his quirk worming his way into the minds of those near him was not present. After inspecting any accessible vents and side rooms, he felt confident that there was nothing wrong. He flipped open his phone, telling Kurogiri that the coast was clear. Within the minute, everyone in the bar, sans the bartender, had made it to the warehouse. Immediately, Tomura scrunched his nose.

"It smells like rotten fish." He bluntly stated.

Everyone else agreed.

"What do we do now?" Izuku asked.

"Twice needs to make a clone and have them wait outside for Overhaul. They'll escort our guest here when he arrives."

"So we're just waiting here?" Magne chimed in.

"No." Tomura pointed towards Izuku. "You'll wait around back to see if anyone tries to sneak in."

Mr. Compress leaned in. "Are you sure about that? The Yakuza prefer to do things up front; they aren't likely to try to sneak someone in."

"Shut up." The young adult barked back. He snapped his fingers at the boy once again. "Get out, and don't come back in under any circumstances. And make sure you stay obfuscated."

Izuku ducked his head and wordlessly left.

"You know, if you don't like him, you should just tell him."

"I told you to shut up. I didn't ask for a tutorial."

Overhaul gripped his mask, pressing it further into his face. He didn't let up until he felt the sting of the covering against his skin. This place was overwhelmingly dusty, full of germs and pathogens that had no place in his lungs.

"This is your headquarters?" He asked the villain walking him through the halls. He was almost jealous of this man's outfit; it covered his body seamlessly from head to toe, like a complete filter between him and the world outside. Not that he made it for that purpose... This man, 'Twice,' he called himself, only did it for appearances.

"No, no!" The man animatedly cheered back. "This is more of a... intermediate place! After all, it wouldn't be smart of us to lead you straight to our base of operations when we barely know you."

"I guess not." Overhaul calmly replied. Most would have been offended at the statement uttered, but to be fair he agreed with that assessment. "So much dust... I'm going to be sick."

Twice, on the other hand, was doing his best to keep his composure. While it was true that this wasn't their base of operations, the back of his mind began wandering about what would happen when Overhaul found out that they still hadn't found a new base of operations.

When they finally made it to the meeting room, the Yakuza boss was greeted with the sight of a group of villains casually leaning against some of the old detritus littering the floor.

"You drag me all the way to this warehouse for this? Is this a joke?"

"What?" Magne leaned forward, off of the box she was sitting on. "We supposed to recognize you? Are you famous for something?"

"Sensei showed me a picture of him once..." Tomura trailed off. "Chisaki Kai, also known as 'Overhaul.' He's the leader of the Eight Precepts of Death."

Magne squealed in delight. "A Yakuza?! Oh, no wonder he smells so dangerous!"

Overhaul's eye twitched.

Toga was sitting cross legged on the ground. She looked up at Mr. Compress, who was perched on a piece of machinery above her. "Hey, he feels kinda different from us, don'tcha think?"

"Well," Mr. Compress began, "that's because he is. Back in their day, The Yakuza ruled the underground. They weren't just powerful, they were publicly active, and even had their own PR firms working for them. They could have their headquarters across the street from the police and they were unable to stop them from carrying out their deeds."

"But they aren't like that now."

"That's right, my dear young Toga. Once quirks began to appear, the resulting vigilantism and subsequent heroism industry were quick to quell their activities. It was due to the appearance of All Might that the Yakuza truly fell apart. They are only a shadow of their former selves, and are wholly unable to recover their powers. Put bluntly, Overhaul here is part of an endangered species. I believe the last time they were mentioned on the news, one of the commentators stated that he belonged in a conservation zoo."

Overhaul didn't seem fazed by this exposition. "Well, I can't say you're wrong about that."

"So, what does Mr. Bottom-of-the-Barrel Yakuza want from us, then?" Magne jeered. "Don't tell me you're on a high after All Might's retirement?"

"No... actually, what inspired me was the fall of All for One." Overhaul definitively responded.

Tomura shifted in his seat. "Go on."

"You know, my generation regarded him as an urban legend. 'The emperor of darkness, he who controls the underworld... the man who single-handedly orchestrated the events leading up to the dark ages when quirks first appeared.' My elders regarded him with fear and caution. But... we've heard of rumors of his demise. We've heard that he revealed his true form while fighting All Might and he is currently stuck in Tartarus. So... with All Might, who ruled the day... and All for One, who ruled the night... they're both gone. So now we have no rulers over either domain. Someone must step up as the next heir."

Tomura growled. "You say that, yet you say you know who my Sensei was. The answer should be obvious. The next one in line is me. My group's power and numbers have been expanding rapidly. It won't be long until our combined power will be enough to bring about this society's downfall."

Unimpressed, Overhaul took a step forward, his words cutting clean through the tense atmosphere.

"Do you have a plan?"

"A plan? You... didn't plan on becoming my allies?"

Tomura's phone buzzed in his pocket. He reached into his pocket and cancelled the call without looking.

"I expected as much... you truly are little more than a child. I would have thought All for One would have taught you better." He sighed, before gesturing towards Tomura's lackeys. "So you amass your strength. What do you plan to do with it? How will you pull the strings behind the scenes? What kind of organization will you run? What message do you wish the public to hear? You want to bring down this society, but an objective without a plan nothing more than a delusion. And I'm troubled by the fact that you wish to win me over with little more than a delusion."

Tomura's phone buzzed once again, only for it to be silenced by its owner a second time.

Overhaul continued. "You managed to get Stain, Moonfish, and Muscular all on your side. All Grade-A pawns, indeed, but they were wasted and sacrificed just as quickly as they were placed on the field. Did you not know how to use them? They had quite the power behind them, yet you couldn't control it. How can I trust that this power you amassed will stay under your thumb?"

Tomura's phone buzzed a third time. Fed up, he clutched it firmly in his grasp, feeling it crumble to dust in his pocket.

"I didn't come here to join you. I came here to offer you a chance to join me." Overhaul clenched his fist. "To achieve our mutual objective, a plan is necessary. I have a plan."

Tomura looked over to Twice. "Next time you bring someone here, make sure their head is on straight."

"To achieve my plan, I will need vast amounts of money. Unfortunately, as that man stated, I am little more than a relic of the past. However, with the lot of you overhyped villains on my side, that changes things significantly. With you and some careful wording, we will have investors begging to fund our exploits." He held his hand out towards Tomura. "Come under my wing, and let me show you how you should be used. Then, our goals will join and I will be the next ruler of the underground!"

The young leader of the League of Villains brought his hands to his neck, scratching violently. "Go back. This isn't what I wanted."

Magne reached for her giant magnet, throwing its wrappings off with ease. "I'm so sorry, Mr. Yakuza! We didn't come here to be controlled by someone like you."

"So you are just as petulant as your leader." Overhaul begrudgingly took off one of his gloves.

"Let me tell you a little story, Mr. Yakuza. Did you know that Japan forces people to pay out of pocket for transition surgery and hormone treatments? It's the reason why I started robbing banks. Turns out once you get identified by the law there won't be a single doctor willing to help you, though. So, I just kept robbing more and more banks. So now, I get flack from people who judge how I act and dress, I get flack from police who really want to bring my ass in, and god forbid a foreigner yells as me in the middle of the damn street because I don't look enough like a woman for them. I'm a person, you know? I got feelings too."

Overhaul began to feel his head getting pulled towards Magne's giant magnet-club. The woman villain continued. "But that's in the past now. I've learned to be comfortable with myself. I recently met one of my few friends who still stays with me. She knows everything about me and still accepts me. You know what she said? 'Those who are bound by common sense will never understand those who aren't.'"

Overhaul's body flew through the air, and collided with Magne's weapon mid-air. "Do you get what I'm trying to say? You'll never understand what I want! It's because I want to live a life without shackles that I'm here! Where we belong is for us to decide, not you!"

That was the last thing she said, as Overhaul lightly tapped her on her forearm, causing everything above her waist to explode in a bloody rain.

Everyone stood still in shock as the Yakuza boss stood up, wiping the blood off his outfit in disgust.

"You guys threw the first punch. God, I hate it when this happens. It makes me want to retch."

Mr. Compress dashed from his sitting position, despite the protests of Tomura. The former magician stretched out his hand, ready to use his quirk on the Yakuza. He grabbed the man's arm...

But nothing happened. It was then that Mr. Compress noticed the small dart poking out of his shoulder.

"What?"

Overhaul's eyes widened, as he swing his hand around. "DON'T TOUCH ME, CRETIN!"

His fingers brushed the other villain, and his arm exploded just like Magne. He sank to his knees, wailing in pain.

Tomura leapt forward this time, ready to kill the Yakuza boss. Before he could, a man with a similar mask leapt between the two, acting as a shield as Tomura's hand sank into his stomach. He quickly and painfully dissolved into a mixture of decayed skin and bone.

As that happened, the ceiling was ripped open as a number of mask-wearing individuals jumped to the floor.

"What- I was sure we weren't being followed!" Twice exclaimed.

"You were slow." Overhaul noted to the man next to him. He was covered completely by a raincoat, though he was wearing the same type of plague doctor mask all the other people were.

"I missed a shot. Still, the bullet acted fast enough, didn't it?"

The Yakuza boss turned his attention to the other leader in the room. "Well, I was hoping that this could be resolved peacefully, but it seems that was never going to happen. No matter, that doesn't mean things are beyond disrepair. We've both suffered one casualty on each side, I think we can call it even for now... though it appears you also lost one arm. Sorry about that."

Twice scooped up Mr. Compress, who was holding the stump where his arm used to be tightly.

"I'll kill you, bastard!" Twice yelled.

"Tomura!" Toga called out, knife at the ready. "I can stab him. Let me do it!"

The League's leader held his hand up. "Don't."

"Wise move, Handman." One of the Yakuza called out.

Overhaul walked to the door, pulling it open gingerly. "We'll talk later when you have cooled your heads down. It doesn't have to be right away, but the sooner the better. Please take some time to think long and hard about what you want your organization to be. Once you've found your answer, call me."

He tossed a business card to Tomura's feet as he walked out the door. His lackeys followed him out.

Silence fell over those left in the warehouse. Mr. Compress had recovered for the most part, finding his footing and shakily walking towards the exit. Toga was grumbling, staring down at her knife. Twice stood over the bloodstained legs of Magne, unsure of what to do with what was left of her.

"Let's go." Tomura grunted. They all slowly left, and as they went outside they were greeted with the sight of a worried Izuku.

"What happened?! I tried calling you to let you know someone was on the roof but-"

"Shut up! SHUT UP!" Tomura yelled. "Where the hell were you?!"

"You told me to stay outside-"

"So it's my fault now?!"

"That's not what I said..."

"Then don't say anything at all!" He raised his hand, but before he could swing it at Izuku, Mr. Compress grabbed the young adult's wrist, stopping it.

"Perhaps you shouldn't lash out at your followers, leader." He reprimanded through a pained voice and gritted teeth.

He yanked his hand out of the other villain's grip, grunting. "Whatever. Someone call Kurogiri, my phone was destroyed."

No one spoke when they returned to their temporary base. Kurogiri immediately went to get treatment for Mr. Compress, calling in the doctor they had used to heal Izuku's injuries.

Tomura sauntered out the front door, with his "brother" following him. They walked through Musutafu, eventually arriving at Dagobah Municipal Beach Park. The park was still in disarray from the constant trash dumping and pollution that washed up from the ocean currents. No one ever bothered to clean it up, and it eventually became to cluttered to even consider a reclamation.

The older villain's neck was beet red from the constant scratching, though he had stopped once he had walked into an area surrounded by large mountains of refuse.

"Brother-" Izuku started. He was cut off as Tomura bellowed and began wildly clawing at the trash, watching it dissolve in his fingers.

The younger villain watched in stilted shock as Tomura continued his relentless attack on the trash surrounding him. He wanted to do something, anything, to pull his leader from his rage induced tantrum, but his mind could come up with nothing. In the end he resigned himself to watching as the mountains of machinery and broken furniture were slowly reduced.

Hours passed. Izuku lost track of time as the sun began to set on the beach. The constant billowing of dust was causing Tomura to breathe raspily and cough constantly. Eventually, it seemed his energy began to drain. He stopped attacking, standing with his back to Izuku.

"Brother, are you okay?"

"Do you think I'm okay?!" He screamed. "I was humiliated in front of my own party! I lost one of my most powerful pawns as if they were a blood filled balloon! Of course I'm not okay!"

"I'm sorry..."

"I've heard enough of how sorry you are!"

Izuku covered his head with his hands, clenching his eyes shut. "I don't know what to say... I don't know what to do..."

Tomura screamed, disintegrating a large refrigerator. "Why you?!"

"...What?"

The older villain pointed accusingly at him. "Why did Sensei choose you? Why do you have All for One and not me?!"

"I don't know!" Izuku cried. "I don't know why he gave it to me!"

"What did he see in you that he didn't see in me?"

The boy whimpered, cowering back. "I don't know why he did any of this... I just wanted to follow you!"

"I'm so sick of hearing you say that! You've done nothing since Sensei was arrested!"

Izuku's eyes widened. "Someone is coming! We need to go, Brother!"

Tomura waved his arms in exasperation, sighing loudly. "We're not going anywhere! If they find us, I'll kill them!"

"We don't need to do that, let's just-"

"Don't you dare tell me how to act! I am the leader here, not you! Are you trying to take over my position as well? Is Overhaul threatening my leadership not enough? Do I need to worry about you trying to overthrow me as well?"

"STOP IT!" Izuku screamed. "You know I wouldn't do that! You've been like this ever since Sensei was arrested! You haven't been thinking straight! Just please stop berating me and just listen-"

Their argument was cut off as a third, authoritative voice addressed them.

"Is something the matter? Arguing is no way to settle a matter."

Izuku gasped, bringing his hands up to his face to make sure that it was still covered. The moment his eyes settled on this newcomer, he instantly recognized them.

The was no way that Izuku wouldn't remember the tall, dark haired boy. His glasses practically casted a reflection over the two of them, as did the glint of the small engine pipes protruding from the bottom of his legs.

Of all people, it was Iida Tenya who had stumbled upon the pair.

"Brother, we need to go now."

However, his warning fell on deaf ears. "Oh? I remember your face. You were in the tournament some months ago, right? It's a shame you lost to Midoriya! Did they ever find him?"

Iida winced at the mention of Izuku. "Yes, well, he was obviously more skilled than I. And no, he's still missing- Wait... your voice... you were from the USJ!"

The Yuuei student gasped as he recognized who he was talking to. "Where is he?! What did you do with Midoriya?!"

Tomura chuckled. "Who knows? There's no way you'll ever-"

His taunts were cut short as Iida shot forward with blinding speed, landing a kick straight into the villain's gut. He was sent flying back, into a pile of rubble.

"WHERE IS HE?!" Iida cried.

Tomura pushed roughly off the pile, rushing forward with hands outstretched. He was unable to do any damage, as Iida deftly dodged the clumsy attack and retaliated with a well placed kick to the head, knocking him to the side.

Izuku wasn't sure what to do. He could easily use Implosion to knock his former peer out, but he could end up showing his identity in the process. He quickly pulled out a knife and sprinted towards the other boy. The attack proved useless, as his face was met with the sole of Iida's boot. He reeled backwards, clutching his nose.

"Don't think I didn't recognize you, Rogue." Iida grunted. "I've studied up on what you can do. Your quirk may make me unable to see you, but it can't erase the footprints you leave behind in the sand."

Iida's attention turned back to Tomura, who was shakily getting to his feet. "When I'm done with your leader, we're going to have a long talk about what happened back at the alley with Stain. I want answers."

He kicked off the ground, moving into a jet-powered backflip. He slammed his feet into Tomura's chest, a loud crack echoing across the park as the villain felt blood rush out of his mouth.

"Midoriya was my best friend. I couldn't ask... no, I didn't deserve anyone like him. He accepted me no matter what I felt! I won't rest until you give him back to me!" He stepped off the villain's body, only to turn around and kick him in the head, using his jets to send him flying into a pile of broken and rusty machinery. "I want him back!"

Izuku snapped out of his daze to see the older villain try to push himself back onto his feet. As he did, the large pile groaned and shifted. Tomura looked up to see the large mountain of debris collapse in on itself, landing on him and sending sand flying everywhere in a billowy cloud.

"Tomura!" He called out. He dashed past Iida, desperately digging through the pile of trash. He hysterically cried, screaming his brother's name as he tried to find the him. He lost his focus, his Obfuscation dropping and revealing his true form and voice to the world around him.

It wasn't long before he found the older villain, but the state he was in horrified him. His eyes were open, but rolled back. He may have been breathing, but there was a piece of rebar that was buried deeply into the side of his skull.

"No... no no no! Brother!" He cried.

Iida froze at the voice. He knew it far better than he knew Tomura's. "You... you can't be... Midoriya?"

Izuku whirled around, tearing off his hood and revealing his face to the other student. His appearance was a far cry from what he looked like while attending Yuuei. His hair was matted and dark, tear-stained eyes sunken in and covered in bags from what looked to be a severe lack of sleep. A deep red and webby scar trailed its way from the corner of his mouth to the bottom of his ear.

"You..." Izuku trailed off. He looked back at Tomura's body.

"Midoriya... that can't be you! Is this a trick?"

His question was met with a screech of anger. Izuku threw his knife at a shellshocked Iida, which sank neatly into his shoulder. The villain rushed forward, grabbing the student's head and violently slamming it against a discarded window frame.

"I won't forgive you!"

Iida got back up, grabbing Izuku by the shoulders. "Snap out of it! It's me, Iida Tenya! Don't you recognize me?"

The boy responded by roughly ripping the knife out of the student's shoulder, and slamming it back into his gut and jerking it upwards. He grabbed Iida's head, pulling it down as he brought his knee up, feeling the nose crack from the savage attack.

Iida reeled back, grunting.

"I won't... hurt you..." He gasped, voice stuffy. "Please... just come to your senses..."

Izuku screamed. Iida tried to say more, but he found he couldn't speak... no, there wasn't any air in his lungs-

By the time he realized Izuku was using an air bomb, it was too late. He was sent flying, crashing through multiple piles of rusted metal and broken glass, feeling as it scratched at his skin and embedded into his back. When he finally stopped, it was because he flew into a mountain too large to be moved. Iida could feel every inch of his skin on fire, and he could feel the multiple places where his skin was pierced by jagged metal and broken glass.

He could feel his blood slowly flowing out of him. The only reason he was able to stay upright was because the pile of metal impaling him was holding him up. He knew he wasn't going to make it. He slowly reached into his pocket, fumbling for his phone. With blurry vision, he managed to type in the number of the person he wanted to call. The phone rang for a while, but relief managed to wash over him as he heard a voice.

"Hey, Iida, how is it going?"

He smiled. "Uraraka... thank goodness."

"Are you okay?! You don't sound well!"

"Listen... I was training at Dagobah and..." he gasped for air. "He's here."

"Who's there? Iida, is everything alright?"

"He's not quite there... but I think he's still inside somewhere..."

"What's wrong?! Iida, I'm going to send help okay?"

"I'm going to... bring him home, okay? We'll all be friends again..."

"What are you talking about? Please tell me what's going on!"

"Don't hate him, okay? He didn't mean it... promise me you won't hate him for-"

He tried to say more, but his words were cut short as a knife sank into his chest, piercing his lung. He still tried to say something, but his voice was little more than gurgling at this point. His grip on the phone loosened, and it fell to the ground.

"Iida? IIDA! Please answer me!"

Izuku looked at the phone, and crushed it under his heel.

His eyes wandered back to where Iida lay. He felt himself tremble as he involuntarily studied the visage of the boy propped up against the pile of jagged metal and glass. The life had already drained from his own eyes, staring vacantly up to the night sky, as if looking for a star. Izuku could feel his entire body trembling, unable to look away. And in a cruel twist of fate, Iida's eyes moved. Hazily, they dropped, almost scanning the world around him as they stopped and regained their focus on Izuku. The dying boy opened his mouth, but the only sound he could make was choked gurgles and weak gasps. Then, he did something the villain would have never expected.

He smiled.

It was a heartfelt, sympathetic smile, one fueled with such sincerity that Izuku almost fell to his knees from the warmth spreading through his chest. This boy, who some months ago was fueled with an unquenchable rage to kill his brother's attacker... had met his own murderer and refused to offer anything less than a genuine token of affection. For a moment, it almost felt like the blood pouring from his lips and limbs had disappeared, and the image of a calm, but understanding and reassuring hero took its place.

And just as soon as that image came, it left as Iida's life drained away.

Izuku's vision blurred, and colorful static rounded the edges of his sight. He wasn't sure how long he stood there, but he was snapped back to the painful reality by the familiar hands of Kurogiri gently but firmly grasping his shoulders.

"Midoriya... what happened?"

"How... how did you get here?"

Kurogiri tilted his head in confusion. "You sent me a text."

Izuku looked down, seeing his own phone haphazardly dropped in the sand next to his feet. In his daze he must have summoned the bartender.

"Midoriya... I recognize that student... I need you to tell me what happened."

The boy gulped, refusing to look back at the body that waited just behind him. "I... I was fighting with Tomura and he found us... Brother's hurt real bad, but he was buried under so much rubble. I found him, but... he isn't okay and I attacked... I... K-Kurogiri I don't un-understand anything about this!" He thrust his face into the older villain's chest sobbing wildly and heaving. "I don't kn-know what's happening anymore..."

Izuku had holed himself up in one of the abandoned motel rooms, and refused to leave. He spent his time curled up in the corner, lying on the cold tile floor. He wasn't sure how many days had passed, the only marker of time he had was the regular intervals that Kurogiri would quietly walk in with a new bowl of oatmeal and honey. Izuku never ate it, of course. He refused to look at it.

Time and space blurred with his dejection. His mind was elsewhere, in a blank void where no thoughts could pierce the dreadful but comforting haze that smothered his mind.

Kurogiri walked into the room once more, carrying a fresh bowl of the bland food. He picked up the old one, which at this point had attracted a number of bugs. He sighed, crouching next to the huddled boy and pulling him gently into a sitting position.

"You've starved enough, Midoriya... If you won't eat it yourself, then you leave me no choice but to spoon-feed you."

The bartender waited for some form of response from the boy, but none came. He resigned himself to slowly pulling the boy's jaw down, before carefully pouring small bits of the food into his mouth. As if on queue, Izuku mechanically swallowed.

"The doctor has finished treating Shigaraki." He noted. "But... you don't appear to be in any state to hear about it right now."

Again, Kurogiri repeated the process. Izuku's eyes were still glazed over, boring holes through the misty man, looking beyond him. After some time, the bowl was emptied and was carried out of the room. Kurogiri returned not long after, daintily picking up the boy and placing him on the bed inside the room. Kurogiri opened a portal, reaching through and pulling out a blanket, with which he carefully covered the despondent villain. He dusted himself off before walking to the doorway.

Before he left, he said one last thing to Izuku.

"I understand how badly you must feel, Midoriya... but I need you back. We all do."

Time once again blurred, between repeating cycles of restless sleep and being moved around by Kurogiri like a marionette. Izuku lost count of how many times this had happened. He didn't care.

Kurogiri was halfway out the door, empty bowl in hand, as he froze once the weak and tinny voice echoed from the bed behind him.

"Why was it me?"

The bartender froze, turning around. Izuku had not moved from his position on the bed, staring blankly at a dusty wall.

"Midoriya..."

"That was the last thing Tomura asked of me... and I don't know the answer." He turned his head to Kurogiri. "Why did All for One give me his power?"

He didn't answer. He knelt and placed the bowl next to the door and walked back to the bed, sitting down.

"Midoriya... Shigaraki isn't..."

"What happened?" he rasped.

"The doctor we have on hand said he was on the brink of death when we brought him in. He survived, but... he's comatose. We don't know if he'll ever wake up."

Izuku grabbed a handful of the blanket covering him, bunching it up.

Kurogiri continued. "He's gathering the necessary equipment for us to take care of him, but... Midoriya, he's going to need constant care. And we both know we cannot rely on a professional nurse or another villain."

"You're... I see." the boy mumbled.

"I'm sorry, Midoriya... but I can't be there for you as I have been."

"That's... I'm okay with that." Izuku lowered his head, his breath hitching as if caught between laughing and crying.

Kurogiri knew that he was lying, but he couldn't bring himself to say so.

"You know," Izuku continued, "I've never really had a father. He was always off doing some research project, away from me and my mother. I always wondered if it was because I was quirkless, but... my mom never talked about him with me. He might as well not have been there in the first place."

"What are you trying to say?"

"I know it may sound strange, but... I always wished that you were my real father. You were always there when I needed you, you never hesitated to help me... Even before I had my quirks, you genuinely cared for me."

Kurogiri looked away from the bedridden boy. "Don't say things like that."

"But it's true! I can't thank you enough for what you've done for me."

"Midoriya, stop."

The boy reached out, grasping for the older man's arm. "So, if you do have to leave... just this one time, please let me call you-"

"Izuku! That's enough!" Kurogiri stood up, yanking his arm out of the other villain's weak grip. "Just... stop it, please."

"I don't-"

"You do understand, you've known since the day you met Shigaraki. I can't keep doing this to you, it tortures me inside seeing what has become of you!"

Izuku pulled his knees to his chest. Kurogiri continued. "Don't you understand? You were being groomed, Midoriya. I wasn't here to be your father, I was tasked by Sensei to become your emotional support structure, so you wouldn't find an outlet in anything outside of the league. You were being used. I can't... I can't accept your gratitude or affection, because I never did it for your well being. So please... don't ask that of me again."

The older villain hurried to the door, pausing for a moment. "I can't act my part in this wretched play any longer. I hope you may find it in your heart to forgive me, but... I don't expect that of you. I truly am sorry."

Kurogiri didn't wait for a response before he left. Izuku sat there in his bed, curled into the fetal position. A weak laughter rose from his throat as he felt tears pour from his eyes.

"Ha... I guess it was stupid of me to think I had something of my own." He gritted his teeth, curling in tighter. "I was always someone else's pawn. I don't know what to do any more..."

Kurogiri returned to that room the next day with a fresh bowl of oatmeal and honey.

Izuku wasn't there.

The location of All for One's lair was almost laughably ironic. When you have a teleportation quirk, it turns out that you can hole up in any location for an extended time, and never leave a trace of anyone entering or leaving.

Case in point, the reason the enigmatic villain made sure every one of his associates teleported in and out of his hideout wasn't to hide its location from the villains; it was done so because he didn't want the heroes finding out that it was located in a quaint residential district, not too far from Izuku's own home.

Well, former home.

Izuku approached the front door of a small government funded clinical testing facility. It was supposed to have been past closing hours, but a simple push of the front door revealed it was unlocked. He entered and made sure to bolt the door shut behind him.

He walked into the records hall, gazing at the rows upon rows of binders, each a biopic of the thousands of people who had their blood sampled or some other analysis done here. His eyes vaguely caught his own name, and he pulled it off the shelf, casually flipping through the pages within.

He didn't really have the mental capacity or medical knowledge to go through everything that the records contained. A few words, like quirkless and late bloomer appeared more often than not, and he caught sight of an x-ray that showed a small, toddler sized foot with a single bone in the pinky toe.

He closed the binder, placing it back onto the shelf. It wasn't what he was here for.

He began scanning the binders for another name. After some minutes of perusing the myriad of records, he found it.

Shimura Tenko.

He placed his fingers on the binder, but instead of pulling it off the shelf, he pushed it in. It slid back and a sharp metallic click resounded through the otherwise empty hall. With that, he pulled down on the recessed record, and as he did the entire shelf slid down into the floor, revealing a simple wooden door recessed in an alcove. He walked through and twisted the doorknob, and as he did the shelf sprang back up and locked itself into place.

Dim lights guided Izuku down a flight of stairs, which ended in another doorway.

This was it. Beyond this barrier was Sensei's hideout. He slowly opened the door, and froze at the sight before him.

Most of the medical equipment had been cleared out, and what remained was an IV drip machine with a number of clear tubes still locked inside of it, coiling around the base. There used to be large stacks of papers piled everywhere, each containing details that pertained to the many plans he had, but what was left was a dusty floor with rectangular clean spots. The computer system still sat at the desk, seemingly unchanged.

But the thing that had caused Izuku to freeze was none of this. It was the safe that was embedded into the wall opposite of him, and the hauntingly familiar man who stood in front of it.

"...Dr. Tsubasa?" Izuku echoed.

He spun around, surprised at the new arrival. "Oh, Midoriya! I wasn't expecting you to be here, I was just..."

They both stared at each other for some time, before the doctor sighed, shaking his head.

"Well, it doesn't matter what excuse I give you, now does it? Yes, the doctor who treated you and your mother is the same one who constantly treated All for One, or as you know him... 'Sensei.' It's quite a small world, isn't it?"

Izuku gawked at the revelation. "But... I never saw you here!"

"That's because I have other patients to be treating during the daytime hours. Treating All for One is what I do once the clinic closes."

"So the one who forged my medical records-"

"-was me, yes." He sighed again. "What other reason would there be for me to still be alive if he needed to get rid of evidence of your quirklessness? I'm literally a walking testimony."

"...What are you doing here, then? Sensei is gone."

"Well, it's true that All for One is no longer here, yes... but this place still has some use to me. He left behind quite the trove of evidence, and there are a large number of people who are interested in the stuff he left behind. The stuff in this safe is the last stuff I need to collect; he took the hard drive out of his computer, and placed it in here. I just need to grab it, plug it into that caddy on the desk over there, and I can get my hands on every resource he had at his disposal."

Izuku's heart jumped in his chest at how casually this man was talking about his plans. "But... why?"

"Why wouldn't I? Forget the Yakuza or whatever other underground faction that worshipped him wants, even the police are offering me a pretty nice trove of benefits for this info. Not only will I be rich beyond my wildest dreams, I'm going to land myself a cushy job doing nothing, financed by the fine citizens of Japan! And it's not like anyone is going to stop me."

The boy didn't respond. He lowered his head, staring at the floor.

"What, don't tell me you think you're in any position to tell me otherwise? All for One is gone, and the rumor is already out that your precious 'brother' is out of commission as well. And Kurogiri... You know how much pain he was in, trying to keep you from breaking down every other day? He's already washed his hands of you, didn't he?"

Izuku's eyes snapped shut. There weren't any words he could respond with, and the old doctor hadn't said anything that was a lie, either. Just acknowledging that made Izuku realize just how alone he was right now. He wanted to curl up, to clutch his heart and let the waves of despair rocking though his body overtake him.

"And you? That's practically a joke at this point. You can't function on your own, All for One made sure of that. Ever since he met you, he's been sticking his fingers in your brain, slowly tweaking you so that you can't function without someone guiding you. And now, you have no one to tell you what to do. It's honestly sad to see how much he messed you up."

"I-"

"Don't bother lying to me or yourself. It's clearly written on your face how badly you want to be taken under the League's wing once more. And for what? So Shigaraki can yell at you? So Kurogiri can pick up the pieces of yourself you leave behind? So All for One can continue grooming you to become even more dependant on others than his precious Noumus? It's like a dog who can't help but return to the owner who takes joy in beating him over and over again. Why did you even come here in the first place?"

"I wanted answers. I thought I could find them here."

"Ah. Wanted to peer into the abyss that is your Sensei's brain? Well, we can help each other, then. You see, he did leave a message for you, it's on that hard drive I mentioned before. Tell you what, you help me open that vault, and I'll let you see what he wanted to say to you while I take off with the rest of the data."

Izuku clenched his fists. "Why do you need my help?"

"Well, as it turns out, he left a clue for the safe's key code on a small sticky note. 'Tomura's favorite planet.' I've got no idea what it means, but you know him better than anyone else."

"...I think I know what it is."

"Go on."

"Saturn."

A series of beeps echoed through the room as the old doctor hastily punched in the code. The door popped open with a hiss and revealed the contents inside; some laminated documents, a pile of yen, and a hard drive.

"You solved that riddle fairly quickly."

"He has an obsession with vintage consoles. While he used to have an original Playstation at our first base, he kept a second antique console at his apartment to play when he was alone. It was a Sega Saturn."

"I see." He noted, pulling the hard drive from its slot and pushing it into the caddy on the desk.

The monitor sprang to life, showing a rather normal looking desktop.

"You know," Dr. Tsubasa began, "he used to have a braille keyboard and special infrared monitors, but they're no longer here. I bet he was expecting you or Tomura to use it, so he replaced them with stuff you can actually use."

"Just show me the video, please." Izuku replied.

"As you wish." The older man sighed. He searched through the desktop, before he settled on the file he was looking for. "There we are. 'For Midoriya,' at least he was kind enough to label it correctly. That being said, I can't find one for Shigaraki. No matter, he's not here to see it."

He opened the file, stepping away to give Izuku full access to the screen.

The image of Sensei's face filled the display, and even though he lacked any eyes, it still felt as if his stare was boring holes into the boy. He wore the same smirk he always had, one that conveyed the sense that he was completely in control of the situation, despite the knowledge that he was currently locked away in prison.

"Well, at this point I don't think introductions are necessary, are they? If you're seeing this, then it means I have met my fate somewhere, and you've ostensibly found some time all to yourself. I can imagine that you're not doing too well. You're probably feeling like someone gave you concrete shoes and left you at the bottom of the ocean. Well... I apologize, but I am not here to fish you out of those waters, Midoriya. But at the very least you may at least like to hear my explanation for my actions.

"In truth, what you went through it was never about making you the perfect servant or becoming a tool for others... the reasoning was much less complex than that. You see, I did it for one reason alone; to slowly reduce the number of people you trusted. By the time you were fourteen, you only depended on two people. You clinged to Tomura because he didn't push you away, and Kurogiri was the perfect candidate to make up for the... emotional deficiencies your self-proclaimed brother had.

"But... you can't rely on them anymore. You wouldn't be here if you could. So now, you are truly and utterly alone. Many would see this as a detriment, a travesty, even. However, I think it's the perfect final step for one's growth. You've been set on the path of villainy ever since you met me, and while you may have wanted to simply be a servant unto others, I have seen your vision of what you want this world to become. That vision has piqued my interest greatly. Midoriya... my dear Midoriya, you are at a crossroads. With the information on this computer, I can provide everything you need to make a lasting effect on this world.

"Your idealism... your wish to see a world where the world stops relying on heroism and begins to rely on camaraderie... it can come to fruition. All it requires you to do is take those few steps on your own, and continue down the path I have set for you. No more training wheels, no more crutches for you to lean on. Of course, should you find yourself unable to do so... well, I don't think I need to spell out what you'll do if you choose that route. We both know what will happen. This is my final gift to you; a scenario where no person holds you back from making your own decision. Self-actualization, Midoriya. Whatever you choose, it will be your decision, uninfluenced by the voices of those around you."

The screen cut to black, leaving Izuku utterly confused.

"My decision?" He clenched his fists. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"It means you got your answer." Dr. Tsubasa called from behind him. "Now move."

Izuku numbly stepped back as the old man took his place in front of the monitor. He was hoping that he could find something that could make things clearer to him, but in the end all it did was add an extra layer of obfuscation over everything. It frustrated him, it was as if everyone was speaking to him in a foreign language.

"You know, it's a shame." The doctor shrugged, perusing the files on the computer. "He wanted to provide you with the ultimate fresh start. All the resources in the world with none of the strings attached. Instead, you just ended up as emotionally broken as the rest of his lackeys."

Izuku turned to look at the IV dripper behind him. He grasped one of the long plastic tubes, pulling it up and uncoiling it from the base. "You know, I'm thinking that was just a lie."

"Huh? What reason would he have to lie in your own personal message?"

"Probably to hide the fact that the path he set for me is the only one I could take." He pulled the other end of the tube free from the machine and the saline pack it was inserted into. "He even said it himself, that he made this specifically for me. And honestly..."

"'And honestly,' what?" He turned around to look at the boy, but couldn't find him anywhere.

Before he could do anything else, he felt something squeezing his neck tightly, blocking off any air flow. He clutched at his neck, fingers catching something small and hard wrapped around his throat. A kick planted firmly in his back forced him to his knees, only increasing the pressure choking him.

Izuku had wrapped the IV cord around Dr. Tsubasa's neck, easily resisting the old man's flailing as he tried to free himself.

"Honestly..." he repeated, "I don't know what I'm doing any more, or why I even do it. Maybe it's because I'm still following someone else's wishes by doing this? It's hard to tell the difference between what I want to do and what others want from me anymore."

Dr. Tsubasa's face had turned a nasty shade of red. He was frothing at the mouth, and his attempts to reach behind and grab Izuku were growing even more feeble. Izuku moved his leg, placing his foot firmly in the small of the doctor's back as he slammed him into the ground. He pulled even harder on the IV tubing.

"If this is what Sensei wished for, then he succeeded. I can't help but continue down this path, and that means I need to take care of the people who are in my way."

Izuku took a deep breath, and with a mighty amount of force he yanked back on the cord. There was a sickening crack, and immediately the old man went limp. The boy sighed, dropping the cord and stumbling backwards. He tripped, landing on his behind and knocking the wind out of him. When he regained his breath, he couldn't help but cover his face, body wracked with half-laughs and half-sobs.

"That settles it, huh?" He choked out. "The world I wanted... I will make it a reality. I don't know why you want me to do it, Sensei... but I won't stop for anyone anymore."

It was a few hours later that Kurogiri found Izuku. The man uncharacteristically stumbled through a hastily placed warp gate, his eyes immediately settling on the boy, still sitting in front of the computer All for One left him.

"Midoriya!" He sighed in relief. "Thank goodness..."

Izuku's eyes snapped from the screen to the bartender.

"You were looking for me?"

Kurogiri visibly recoiled. The question was asked with a genuine expression of surprise.

"Don't say it like that. I was scared, I feared that the worst had happened."

"The worst?" He chuckled sourly. "Well, I guess you mean... To be fair, I wasn't sure if I was able to keep on living not too long ago. A tool without a user is useless."

"You're not a tool-"

"Don't bother, Kurogiri. You don't need to force yourself to care for me."

The bartender looked away, glowing eyes narrowing as if he was trying to squint them shut. "It's not like that, Midoriya..."

"Isn't that what you said? Sensei asked you to care for me so I could be more dependant on the League. Even Dr. Tsubasa said it was painful for you to take care of me." He gestured to the corpse on the floor. "So... you don't need to act like you want to help me. I'm not going anywhere."

"I still want..." He choked out. "I don't want it to be like this, Midoriya."

"Why? There's no reason for you to groom me anymore. This is all I have left now. If it's such a problem why do you want to hurt yourself like this?"

"You idiot... It wasn't that it was a pain for me to care for you. It hurt me so much knowing that I couldn't give you the life you deserved!" He looked at his open palms splayed upwards, before clenching them and painfully bringing them to his chest. "I took an innocent child who was so starved for affection that he would take it from anyone... and I spent the next five years dismantling him piece by piece. I corrupted a tortured soul, and even when I was pressed to speak up... I stayed silent."

Kurogiri stepped over the doctor's body, dropping to a keeling bow in front of the seated Izuku. "I can't apologize enough for what I did to you. A child should never be led down this path, but that's exactly what I did to two children who were robbed of a happy life. There is no redemption for what I did. Back in the bedroom... I wanted to accept your gratitude so badly, I wish we could just run away and become a happy family. I want so badly to grant you the happiness that you were denied. But I can't, and instead I cemented a far worse reality."

Izuku stared in shock as he gazed at the man bowed before him. He opened his mouth, but he couldn't form any words. He tried to get up, but as he did he felt a great weight settle on his shoulders, forcing him to his knees as he began sobbing uncontrollably.

"Don't apologize. Please, I can't... I... I don't want to be alone again!" He wailed. "I don't care what people want to use me for, as long as someone is there for me it doesn't matter!" He clutched his head, fingers tightly grasping tufts of green hair as he cried. "Please... don't leave me!"

Izuku scrambled over to the bartender, pulling him into a tight hug. "You're the only person who ever cared for me! Even knowing you did it because you were told to... what I said hasn't changed. I still want you to be my father. I know you don't want to hear that, but it's the truth. I don't hate you for anything you did. I just... I don't want to feel empty inside anymore."

"Midoriya..." He trailed off, his own voice shaking. "Izuku!"

They both stayed that for a long time, clutching each other tightly as they cried together. Izuku felt as if his grip loosened on Kurogiri's vest he would slip away into nothingness. Kurogiri slowly brought up his hands to the back of Izuku's head and shoulder, pulling him in even more closely as they sobbed in each other's arms.

Eventually, sobs gave way to silence. They both knew that eventually they would have to let go of each other, and for a while neither of them accepted that reality. In the end it was Midoriya who slowly slipped out of Kurogiri's grip and shakily pushed himself to his feet.

Kurogiri spoke up. "Midoriya... I promise I will be there for you as much as I can. But once Shigaraki is fit to be cared for at home..."

Izuku nodded, sniffing. "I understand. Someone has to do it. I'll help build a permanent base we can use to house him. Sensei left me everything we need to do it."

"He did?"

"Yeah... he put all of his financial info onto that computer, along with his contacts. He even left me a giant file detailing all the quirks he put into me, and how to control them all. There's an entire section for All for One. We've got the money and the resources to do anything, now."

"I see."

"I've also got access to the backdoors we put into the Hero Network. A lot has changed."

"How so?"

"Well, they seemed to have replaced Iida rather quickly. Ibara Shiozaki was moved up from Class 1-B to Class 1-A."

"She was the girl with the vine quirk? I believe she was instrumental to you winning the cavalry battle."

"That's the one. Shinsou Hitoshi, the boy with the brainwashing quirk, took her spot in Class 1-B. I liked him a lot, we had a lot in common. I wish he made it to my old class, but... well, that's just not how it works, I guess."

"What about your seat?"

"They still think I'm kidnapped, so they're leaving it open for me."

"Ah. Well, let's head back to the League hideout, we need to-"

"No." Izuku looked stern as he shook his head.

"What?"

"I'm not going back to the League. Give it to Dabi, he can turn it into the Stain cult he's always wanted. I'm going to take a few people who don't aren't there for the Hero Killer with me."

"That's a waste of resources!"

Izuku sat back down at the computer. "I think it's the opposite, actually. I've found something better."

Kurogiri stood up, dusting himself off. "If this is what you truly think is right, then I will follow your wishes. But I want a full explanation to what you are planning."

"I was scouring Sir Nighteye's messages. It turns out they got intel on a girl named Eri. She's got a really interesting quirk. If I can get my hands on her and figure out how her quirk works... I won't need an army of violent thugs. I can use what Sensei gave me to do far more damage to this world."

A/N: Merry Christmas, everyone! As always, thank you for your comments and support.