All for One, All for Him

by Auresalia

"You seem to think that I was on your side at one point. I wasn't." Izuku had long since abandoned the hero's path, leaving those left behind in his wake wondering just what he plans to do and why he's doing it. Snippets of events that involved Midoriya as he became a villain and changed the world forever.

28. Chapter 28

All Might... no, Toshinori Yagi tugged at the edges of the costume, the clumped material hanging off of him like a wire hanger. He was escorted by armed guards into a spacious, cold and metallic elevator. His feet lightly padded along the surface, the staff either staring at him with an indescernible look to their eyes, or not looking at him at all. He swallowed thickly, unused to this type of attention. The mix of pity and... perhaps betrayal. People who looked to him in hope, silently begging him to become the hero he used to be.

But that possibility dissolved into nothingness the moment he had his quirked robbed from him, taken by a bullet shot from Izuku's gun.

The elevator began its slow descent, and with it Toshinori's stomach felt heavier, churning viciously as he neared his holding cell, the person who he wished he never had to meet again.

Eventually, the elevator jolted to a halt, some unknown depth under the ground. The doors opened to a harshly lit chair set against a reinforced glass wall... and behind it, the former hero saw the epitome of everything he fought against.

All for One.

The head guard silently motioned for him to exit. He nodded, clenching his fists as he strode into the room, taking a seat across the villain who had been staring at him, smiling wide as his scarred and deformed face tracked his entry.

"I would say that it's been far too long, but..." the older man paused, remaining deathly still in his chair. "It honestly hasn't been too long since our last battle. How long was it... one month? Two? It seems one easily loses track of time down here."

"Two months." The hero gruffly replied, grabbing his chair to take a seat. "Two months since Kamino."

"And I take it... two months since you've seen Midoriya? Let's not beat around the bush, we both know you wouldn't talk to me without a very good reason."

"Actually... it's only been around two weeks since we've seen him." He coldly retorted. "He destroyed the headquarters of the Eight Precepts of Death, and shortly after that he stole Bakugou's quirk... and directly after that, he shot me with a quirk destroying bullet."

"My, my! He's been quite busy. Bakugou's ability, you say? He snuck onto Yuuei grounds just to do that?"

Toshinori grimaced. "That doesn't matter. We're not here for Bakugou."

All for One let out a gurgled laugh, his throat straining against the tubes implanted within. "Come now, I've been terribly bored within these walls. I can't even get the slightest tidbit of information about the outside world. Besides, aren't you supposed to engage in small talk with me? I hear it's a reliable way of extracting information from your enemies."

The former hero sighed, pinching his nose. "Bakugou was performing illegally as a hero. He failed his license exam, but moonlighted as a vigilante after hours anyway. He responded to the explosion caused by the destruction of the Yakuza's base. He found Midoriya there."

"I take it the fight was over pretty quickly? What punishments did he receive for breaking the law?"

"I wouldn't know, he refuses to discuss the fight. And about the legality... in the end, it was decided that the ramifications of losing his quirk were more than enough. He dropped out of the heroics department and is working to graduate in the general education course."

The scarred man almost comically gasped in surprise, his grin reaching to the tips of his ears as he clasped his hands together. "My! A boy robbed of his future, as quickly as that. Quite the turn of events."

"He still has a future." Toshinori corrected, grimacing. "He'll have a bright future, I'm sure of it."

"Oh, yes, that dastardly bright hope of yours." The villain leaned back, looking up at the ceiling. "It's a shame it hasn't been more useful to you."

The hero sat quietly, frozen in time for a few moments. He abruptly stood up, the chair shrieking against the metal floor as he turned his back and walked towards the elevator. "This is a waste of time. Goodbye, All for One."

Said villain practically jittered in place, shaking in his seat as he clenched the arms and protested. "Now, no need to be unreasonable- Come now- All Might!"

Toshinori stopped in his tracks, listening as the cries were overtaken by the sound of the automated turrets whirring to life, aiming at the still seated villain.

The man quickly recomposed himself, the turrets still aimed coldly at his body.

"Forgive me. I'm a bit of a chatterbox today, it's been quite some time since I've had anyone to talk to at length." He sighed. "You wish to know about Izuku Midoriya? I will answer your questions, though I doubt you'll find the answers you seek."

The former pro-hero turned around, walking back to his seat. "We're finally getting somewhere. I'll refrain from asking questions you either don't know or won't tell. There isn't any point in me asking if you know where he is, is there?"

All for One relaxed in his seat, shaking his head. "Of course not. I trained him to take his own initiative."

"Let's start with something simple. What is his goal?"

"...Revenge."

"Revenge against what? Or who?"

"Everyone." The villain replied. "He sees this world as a force that wronged him and those he cares for."

"So he has it out for heroes."

He shook his head. "No, you misunderstand. I don't mean all heroes, I mean everyone. He has an almost... righteous fury against those he dubs 'bystanders.' Villains cause suffering, and heroes, especially in this global culture of ours, are focused on the industry rather than the cause. But the bystanders... he hates them the most, for perpetuating what he believes is a cycle of pain and misery. He hates them for stepping aside and letting it happen."

"That's insane." Toshinori quickly countered, almost in disbelief. "Punishing someone because of their inability to help others? I know he's smart enough to not think that's true."

"That's the rub." All for One countered. "To him, they're... well, I guess the best way to put it is that, they're largely unable by choice. And that carries a certain salience. Most people have the potential to help others with their quirk, even by miniscule amounts. He empathizes with the story of Shimura Tenko, the young boy who was left to rot on the streets because everyone was so averse to charity that they refused to even inform a hero. They deferred responsibility to others, and absolved themselves of the sin of not even lifting a finger."

Toshinori shot out of his seat, slamming his hands against the protective glass separating the two. "You do not get to bring him up!" He hissed through his teeth, "What you did to him and young Midoriya was vile and wretched. You have no right to blame his current state on others!"

"I can't deny truthfully that I made... alterations to the two as they were needed." He cleared his throat, seemingly unreactive to the threat in front of him. "But that does not solely rest on me, either. Shimura was abandoned for days, something that is no fault of mine. If we wish to be truly fair, then assign blame to those who put them in the circumstances that let me earn their devotion in the first place as well."

The former hero stood their, mouth hanging open slightly. He tilted his head downwards, the harsh lighting casting dark shadows over his eyes as his gaze pierced the villain. "Why... why did you choose them? Tenko... I can understand him. But young Midoriya..."

"The truth, All Might, is that I honestly had no idea that my Shigaraki was the abandoned son of the late Nana. He began like all the rest, litter on the side of the road that I took it upon myself to collect. I had only realized later just how valuable he was." He grinned. "It is as simple as that."

"That's not an answer," he retorted, "I want to know why. Why them?"

"Because they are children." The villain immediately clarified, his smile growing inhumanely wide under his scarred flesh. "Children crave someone to rely on, someone who can direct them down the right path. I find those who are denied a mentor, and I take it upon myself to... become their 'Sensei.' I satisfy them, and in turn I receive their undying loyalty."

"You..." Toshinori clenched his fists, shaking in place. "How many children?"

"Countless."

"You've robbed them of their innocence!" He slammed his fists on the glass, the strike bouncing uselessly off the divider. "You would corrupt... destroy them for a personal army."

"You've done the same, All Might!" He laughed back. "How many children cling to your ideals? You've given them the same sentiments, but with a different viewpoint! We are more similar than you would like to admit."

"I do not destroy their lives!"

"You mold them in your image, the perfect soldiers to go up against mine! Don't deceive yourself."

Toshinori grit his teeth, staring down the pleased man sitting in front of him. "I am not like you. I give hope to people, I make the world a better place. And you're the vile old man who lost. We're done here."

He turned around, stepping onto the elevator. All for One did not call for him, he simply stared and smiled as the metal door closed, the villain's last image of his nemesis being his infuriating glare.

---

Some days later...

"Kurogiri, I'm home." Izuku half-muttered as he pushed open the creaky wooden door of the apartment he had been staying in. The insides were quite clean, despite outward appearances, the kitchen fully stocked and the bed made without a single crease in the sheets.

That was undoubtedly the work of the one currently cleaning out the bathroom, black-misty hands hard at work scrubbing all traces of mildew and mold out of the tiling. He finished his work, bringing himself to a standing position as he walked out to the main room.

"Welcome home, Midoriya." His deep, reverberating voice echoed back.

The young adult looked around, eyes slightly widening as he saw just how clean everything was.

"You've... been busy."

Kurogiri stood awkwardly in the hallway, unmoving. "...Indeed."

"Is there something wrong?"

The older man stood silently for a while, before quietly sighing and nodding his head. "I'm sorry, Midoriya."

"What for?"

"The doctor called earlier. Shigaraki's... Shigaraki is ready to be picked up."

"Have we found a suitable caretaker?"

"Midoriya, we both know that isn't going to happen."

A bittersweet smile tugged at the edges of Izuku's lips, quivering into a terrible position between laughing and crying. "I know. This was always the answer, wasn't it?"

Kurogiri walked over to Izuku, placing his hand gently on the boy's shoulder as he led him quietly to the couch to sit down. "I'm so sorry, Midoriya, but I cannot stay for much longer."

"How long?"

"Understandably, they want the- they want him to be taken off their hands as quickly as possible. In a few hours, I shall go over there, collect him, and take him into the missile bunker we have in our possession." He looked away, staring at the ground. He continued, muttering, "From then on, I will be working full time to keep him in adequate condition. The only time you will see me is when you visit us in the bunker."

"I see." He stared forward, eyes focusing on a point far beyond the walls of the tiny apartment they were in. "You cleaned everything as best you could to prepare for your departure."

"All of them." He replied. "Your whole network of safehouses. I know it will be difficult for you, Midoirya, but please do not let yourself degrade in my absence. I want... to see you at your best."

"Kurogiri," Midoriya weakly chided, his voice only slightly stoic. "You're making this sound like a goodbye. Please... we're going to see each other again."

The older villain cleared his throat, finally managing to look back at his younger counterpart. "Yes... I suppose so. We will see each other again."

They sat in relative silence for a while, unsure of what to say to one another. Eventually, Midoriya spoke up. "I... I have something I need to do with you."

Kurogiri tilted his head. "What do you mean?"

"A few days ago, I broke into a low security prison just in case this did happen. I just didn't expect it to be so soon that I'd have to use it." He breathed in, shaking slightly. "I stole a quirk from someone there. Grand theft and assault. It's a copying quirk."

"Like that one boy in Yuuei? Monoma Neito, I believe?"

"Similar. You can only copy one quirk, but it's as long as you want it to be." He looked at the older villain, grasping him by the forearm. "I want it to be yours... and only yours. It'll be like you're there with me."

Kurogiri's eyes widened as he stared back at Izuku, who looked almost abashed to ask such a thing. "I... I would be honored if you did that for me, Midorya. Truly."

Izuku looked back up at him, his green irises sparkling even brighter as he silently stared into Kurogiri's own. After a while, he blinked, the color returning to normal. "It's done via sight," he explained.

"Is it done?"

Izuku looked away for a moment. He closed his eyes, then opened them up and snapped his fingers. Two portals appeared on the wall, black and purple voids that seemed to endlessly collapse into themselves. He stood up, walking over to one as he slowly pushed his hands through, looking towards the second one to see his palms sticking out of it. He pulled back, snapping his fingers again to close the warp gates.

"Easier than I thought," he mumbled, "felt like a cold wave running over me, just like how yours feels. If it's how the reports said, I should be able to keep your quirk with me forever."

"If you need another quirk, you shouldn't have to worry about getting rid of-."

"No." Izuku quickly resisted the notion. "It's staying. If I had to throw away all of my other quirks to keep this, I would."

Kurogiri quickly caught himself, his voice failing him for some moments. After a short moment, he used the best words he could find.

"If that is what you wish, Midoriya."

---

Some weeks later...

Giran pushed back his glasses as the dim light of the karaoke bar sent small shimmers of light off of the lenses. He kicked his feet back, placing them roughly on the table as he took a puff of his cigarette, his favorite brand, Never Knows Best. He leaned back into the cushions, arm lazily draped over a small decorative pillow, as he watched the smoke emerge from his lips and lazily trail to the ceiling.

He had been waiting some 15 odd minutes for the rest of his party to arrive, and the tardiness was getting on his nerves. He had already made up his mind to add an extra fee for his wasted time.

Just as he was considering the possibility of calling this a bust and leaving the bar, the door quietly slid open, entering a young adult in a hoodie, his only identifiable features being the green tufts of hair that poked out of the front. He revealed his face to the underground jack of all trades, bowing deeply as he spoke up.

"I apologize for the wait. There was a prior matter that took more time than I anticipated."

"I see." He gruffly replied, scowl etched into his face. "Does that have to do with the recent explosion at the headquarters of the Eight Precepts?"

"That was about a week ago, but it is tangentially related. It's more of a matter that I thought you would prefer having concrete results." The young man replied, before reaching back and closing the door behind him. He sat down, grabbing the remote and began flipping through the menu. He settled on a rock song, one with thumping bass and loud riffs that ensured that no one outside the room would be able to hear them.

"Now, I may be a bit foolish to argue with the heir of All for One, but I guarantee you that whatever ideals you have won't sway me." He waved his hand. "I know what this is. You're still a kid at heart, and you're reaching out to the only person you know who has the knowledge of these sorts of things. I'm not your guy."

"I wouldn't be so quick to jump to conclusions." Izuku chided, leaning forward. "It's true I know little about you. But I know enough to know that you'd be a good fit."

"Really, now?" He smirked, teeth crunching down on the cigarette. He didn't have a filter inside, and as a result the taste of tobacco flooded his tongue. "Alright, go on. Tell me what you do know. I'll even let you know if you're right or wrong. Consider it a payment for your research efforts."

Izuku lightly bit the inside of his cheek, tensing himself for what was to come. He did his best to keep his palms from trembling as he finally spoke up.

"You don't have any commitment to loyalty. Your allegiance is defined by how much someone pays you."

The statement brought an almost sickening laughter from the older man. "Is that the best you got? It ain't wrong, but hell, I might as well wear a shirt that says 'Cash Only' on it!"

"That got me thinking. Power comes in many forms, but you chose the one that few go directly for. Sure someone may use their quirk to rob a bank, but their power and influence doesn't come from the money they gained. It's from the force of the quirk they exert on others." He muttered, retracing his thought process as he covered his top lip with his index finger. "But not you. You never deal with physical power. You gain influence and domain by outright buying everything. Which means that either exercising power via strength or a quirk is uninteresting for you... or there is a reason you cannot use either of those."

Giran's smile grew wider, his teeth clamping down on his cigarette as he clasped his hands. Though his closed teeth, he replied, "So you do have a few brain cells rattling around in there. I guess the rumors were right on the money. Why don't you finish your conclusion for us?"

"Well... I've always held that the answer that is the likeliest is the one that is the simplest. In my mind, there are three possibilities: You have a powerful quirk and don't want to use it, your quirk is too powerful to use, or that you either have a useless quirk or... don't have one at all." He removed his hand from his mouth, looking Giran straight in the eyes as he firmly concluded, "My bet is that you're quirkless."

"Now that is some fine detective work from the prodigy!" Giran slapped his knee, chuckling to himself. "Well, I won't spoil your fun by saying you're right or wrong, but if you are... what do you plan to do with that information? You won't sway me by appealing to that part of me. You cannot promise me anything that I want from you."

"I know." Izuku slammed his lips together, forming a firm line as he bit back his disappointment. "I never intended to change your mind."

"Oh? Is that so?" He threw the pillow to the other side of the couch, sitting up as he crossed his legs. "You want to obtain the resources of the man who won't bow to your appeal. How exactly do you plan to negotiate with that?"

"I don't." Izuku crossed his arms, guarding his chest. "I need the resources of a money-grubbing man. Even if I didn't know your background, my strategy wouldn't change. All I need to do is buy him out and make sure no one can top my bid."

"With what money?"

"The fortune that All for One left in my care."

Giran almost spat out the cigarette in his mouth in shock. "You- He left that in your care?!"

"I'm smart enough to know that using a quirk to get what I want isn't all that different from throwing a temper tantrum at times." He replied. "Sometimes, the only way to have things go your way is to pay for it."

The villain placed his fingers against his forehead, laughing so hard that his cigarette fell out of his mouth. "To think that someone like you would be so willing to do that... no, it always had to be you, didn't it? What exactly do you want, then?"

"Simple, really. I need shell companies. Chemical manufacturers, scientific research labs, transport companies, whatever I need. I'll staff them, you run them. Make sure they stay under the radar." He explained, hands moving along with his cadence. "The payment is simple. Along with a large sum of money, these companies are yours to own. Their profits go directly to you... and many of them will be far more profitable after their original purpose has been fulfilled. I am giving you a corporate empire."

"Well, Izuku Midoriya... you're right that no one will be able to match your pay for that one. Consider me in your service until you fulfill your goals." He smiled, eyes gleaming as the future played out in front of him. He pushed himself to his feet, almost trembling as he grinned at the young villain.

"I'm glad to see that I could work out something that is great for the both of us." Izuku handed him a small folder, filled with his first orders. A large automated chemical plant, with a skeleton crew to keep everything running. The budget alone would make Giran stay up for days in excitement and glee.

The older villain practically skipped out of the hallway, the door shutting behind him as the song continued its thumping along the walls. Before he could relax, the door opened again and Giran popped his head in. "I figured with something this grand, I'll give you a little something in return. You'll be the very first person I won't charge for time."

Izuku smiled as he settled back into the sofa, sighing in relief.

Truth be told, he didn't see the need to carry any money on him at the time.

His eyes traced the edges of the room, as he fought to keep the corners of his lips from twitching up and down. He looked down at the table, only to find that Giran, in his apparent excitement, had left his pack of cigarettes and lighter there. He leaned forward, propping his elbows on his knees as he reached out and grabbed the offending items.

For a while, he simply stared at them, inspecting the casing as he wondered just what exactly the villain found in these. Almost cautiously, he pulled one out, sniffing it as he tried his best to examine the rolled up, ground up material inside the wrapped paper. He opened his mouth slightly, wincing from the bitterness of the taste as he lightly placed it on his tongue. He flicked the lighter over and over, eventually getting it to strike a flame. He placed it at the end of the tobacco, watching as it glew softly and the pungent scent of burnt leaves hit his nostrils. After staring at it for a while, he carefully drew his breath in...

...And he immediately flew into a coughing fit as the wretched smoke escaped his mouth in haphazard puffs. He quickly smashed it into the ashtray, shoving his face into a pillow as he tried to muffle the sound.

His heart jumped as he heard peals of laughter ring out in the room, his breath hitching and his coughing fit irritated further as he quickly looked around the room for the source, finding none. He quickly put two and two together, and when he finally caught his breath his face turned to a scowl.

"Hagakure." He bit out.

The giggles continued for some time, ending with what sounded like a pained sigh and a few wheezes. "I'm so sorry, Izukkun! That was so adorable!"

"What are-" he cut himself off, launching into another coughing fit. "What are you doing here?"

"Well I'm certainly not admiring the sunshine." She playfully chided, the source of her voice moving toward Izuku as a small indentation appeared in the cushion next to him. "I'm just making sure everything is going well!"

"You're spying on me."

"You're accusing me, Sensei's best infiltrator, of spying? How dare you!" She laughed some more.

"Cut it out." He grunted, choking down another cough. "What are you doing?"

"I told you. I'm making sure things are going well."

"Don't you dare." He pointed a finger at her accusingly. "I'm supposed to believe that? You cut ties with everyone after the Kamino ward incident. No one at Yuuei knows if you were kidnapped or a traitor. You vanished from the face of the earth for almost a year. And now you're suddenly interested in my wellbeing?"

She wasted no time responding. "Yes."

"Why?"

"I've never lied to you before, and I don't intend to start now. To be honest..." She paused, her jovial demeanor seemingly dispelled. "...I hated what happened. I hated your role in it, I hated what had become of both you and your brother. But it took me some time to realize that this is probably what he wanted. And this conversation proved that for me."

Izuku didn't respond, he simply waved his hand, gesturing her to go on.

"The only way you could have everything at Sensei's disposal would be if he deliberately left you everything he had." She shifted around. "It's just that simple. You're his heir, in a sense. And now that I know that, I want to make sure that I can do everything I can to keep it that way."

"So this is for Sensei."

"What did you expect?" She asked sarcastically. "He gave me everything. If anything, you're the odd duck here."

"Because he gave me more than a fraction of his power?"

"Because you had things before he found you." She corrected. "You had a family. You had people who cared for you, however few. You came home to a warm meal, you had dreams of going to your favorite schools, you didn't need to worry about your immediate future."

Izuku could hear pings of jealousy in her voice. "Is that the case for everyone?"

"Everyone but you. Maybe that's why he chose you. There was something you had that none of us could match." She sighed. "Look, I'm not going to say that I wasn't angry you got everything, or that I didn't wish that I was in your place. But the cold truth is that not all people are equal, and realizing that perhaps you weren't enough is a tough pill for anyone to swallow. And I'm okay with that reality now."

Izuku grimaced, unsure of how to take a statement like that. The truth was, she probably meant every word of it, and knowing that made his stomach flip around.

"But... that's not entirely it, either. I considered just leaving you to your own devices, but that was before I found out what happened with... well, everyone." She replied. "I know what you want, and how you want to get it. And I'm the only one who can actually accompany you at all times."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, to be blunt; Sensei is in jail, Shigaraki is in a coma, and Kurogiri is now with him at all times to take care of him. That's... a lot of people you can't talk to." She pulled a pillow from behind her, setting it in her lap. "You can't tell me you haven't been feeling lonely since then."

"You're not the type of person I would really ask to keep me company."

She shrugged, the pillow shifting as she moved her arms. "I'm the only you got now, Izukkun."

He wiped his mouth, staring at the ground as he chuckled to himself. "I guess so. Alright, Tooru. Where do you want to go, then?"

---

Some years later...

Toshinori Yagi did his best to not appear nervous while he waited in the hallway of the police station. He never quite got used to the feeling of a suit, the material irritating his skin ever so slightly, hanging off his twig-like frame as he resisted the urge to pull on his collar. He maintained his composure, ignoring the stares of those police officers who found him more of a poor reminder than a former idol. Their gazes burned into him, sizzling his skin.

Or perhaps it was the suit. He could never tell.

His attention was snatched away by the sound of the door next to him sliding open. A secretary, dressed in a navy blue formal jacket and mid-length skirt, turned towards him, bowing.

"Officer Yagi, we apologize for the wait. Our previous hearing took more time than we had anticipated. We are ready."

"Ah- yes, thank you." He replied, standing up. He dusted himself off, before gulping and entering the room.

It was devoid of any real decorations, some tables and chairs arranged into a large rectangle that spanned the walls. At the far end were a number of officers, some of whom were unknown to him. The former hero immediately recognized the shrewd, scowling man in the center.

The Commissioner General was going to preside over this meeting, and it was only then that Toshinori began to get an inkling of the gravitas of this situation. In front of him was an empty seat. The space next to it was occupied by none other than his old friend Naomasa Tsukauchi. The officer didn't quite look directly at him, a pained grimace etched into his face.

"Please take a seat." The secretary politely gestured at the chair. "We will ask a number of questions. Minutes are kept, so please keep your answers concise and truthful. Additionally, Officer Tsukauchi will be remotely monitoring this meeting to ascertain the veracity of your statements. Please keep this in mind when answering these questions."

"Yes, thank you." Toshinori nodded, before settling his eyes on the police officers in front of him. "I was only informed that there was a hearing yesterday. I get all the way here and suddenly I'm being put under a lie detector?"

"This is standard procedure." The Commissioner General immediately bounced back. "And for the record, we will be the ones asking questions, from now on. Not you."

The former pro hero nearly recoiled from the sudden hostility of his colleague. Something was seriously off about this meeting.

"...Understood."

"Good. Now, for those of us here, please begin by stating, in your own words, what the mission for your department is."

"We are a squad of volunteer pro-heroes and trained officers who work to track down and apprehend the villain known as Izuku Midoriya."

"And you have been operating with this singular purpose for the past... 4 years, I believe?"

"That is correct."

The officer beside the Commissioner General spoke up, pushing his glasses up to the brim of his nose as he spoke. His voice was grating, almost snide. "Now, in your own words, please describe the progress your team has made with regards to that singular purpose."

"We've established a modus operandi of our target. Despite the hindrances in place, we've managed to track down where his money goes, and on several occasions we've managed to track down his location at the time."

"Well, that's news to me." He chided back, tapping the table incessantly with the tips of his fingers. "Describe these 'hindrances,' if you could."

"He is heavily reliant on the fortune he inherited from All for One, but it's largely decentralized. Most of it is in places that a Japanese police officer simply cannot demand records."

"And yet you managed to gather records nonetheless?" He smiled. "That sounds like extrajudicial actions to me. A good reason to shut down your operation."

The Commissioner General held his hand in front of the man beside him, grunting. "We're not here to lambast an officer, nor indict him on any charges. I suggest you keep personal comments like that to yourself from now on."

"I'm only doing my job as a member of the force." The man almost gleefully responded.

"I should probably clear things up." Toshinori spoke up. "The info that we've gathered outside of our jurisdiction was obtained legally. I have a number of contacts from my hero days, and seeing as how the US has treaties with most other countries in the world, I can ask for them to gather information on our behalf so that the American police can relay that information to us. It's all documented in our case notes."

"I'm sure an audit will verify these claims." The bespectacled officer replied, his piercing gaze unwilling to part from the former hero's eyes. "Still, this lack of progress is worrying. Have you managed to make any arrests? Surely he must have some accomplices that would work with us, given the right motivation."

"We've managed to make some arrests, but even with the help of memory sensing heroes, we've found that they simply don't have the information we want." He paused, before adding. "Those who can be caught easily aren't aware that they're part of his schemes."

"So you are admitting incompetence?" He barked back, smiling.

"That is enough!" The Commissioner General grunted, turning in his chair to face the man next to him. "I understand why you're here, Superintendent Supervisor Arai. And I will not tolerate this blatant badgering in my hearing. Are we understood?"

"Y-yes, sir." The other officer replied, his ego severely deflated.

"Good." He turned his attention back to the subject of the hearing. "Now. I do not believe there is any way to spin this in a positive manner. You have not gotten closer to Izuku Midoriya than when you began. Is there any explanation for this standstill?"

Officer Yagi paused, taking a deep breath and releasing it. He spoke with a solemn tone.

"The truth is, we haven't gotten closer to him because we shifted much of our resources into research and counterintelligence. As it stands, we could scour every floor of every building in Japan, and even if we did manage to capture him, we wouldn't know if that would be the end of it." He clenched his fists, almost shaking in his chair as he continued. "We don't know the extent of his plans, including whether they require his presence or not. What we do know is that those who work directly for him are exclusively those who are willing to die before they can be interrogated."

"Is that from research or experience?"

"Unfortunately... experience. We managed to track down an associate of his, a chemical scientist working out of Moscow. I had a pro hero friend of mine arrange for his arrest, and for him to be extradited to us. We weren't aware at the time... he had a cyanide capsule hidden in a fake tooth. He died in transit."

"That's unfortunate, but it sounds like it was an inevitability." The Commissioner General replied. "What do you know about his plans?"

"We don't know much. Based on our information, we believe it has to do with some sort of chemical agent."

Tsukauchi cut him off with a loud cough, adjusting his tie. "I'm sorry, please continue."

The former pro hero stared at his fellow officer for a moment, before nodding and continuing. "...yes. What worries us though, is the scale and intent."

Supervisor Superintendent Arai spoke up. "And, pray tell, how do you know the intent of a drug without knowing exactly what it is?"

The Commissioner General sighed, closing his eyes. He was clearly irritated at the question, but his point was legitimate.

"As you are probably aware, during my time as a teacher at Yuuei, I had met him and interacted with him on a regular basis." He looked down at the table, his voice only slightly weakening. "He is not the type of person who is content with running an underground empire. He is vindictive, determined... if he has a goal, he won't stop until it's achieved. This is someone who has been sighted all across the world, working towards something. If he truly is making chemicals, he would do it because he intends to use them himself. It's as simple as that."

"I see." The Commissioner General replied, not giving the chance for the person who asked the question to respond. "We've completed what we set out to do in this hearing; we've heard what your department does and your reasoning for its continued existence. This hearing is adjourned. We will take a fifteen minute recess before we proceed with the next one."

Toshinori stood up, and bowed in front of his superiors before leaving. The moment he stepped out the door, his phone buzzed in his pocket.

It was a text message from the Commissioner General.

'Office. Now.' was all it read. He didn't waste any time in getting there.

The secretary quietly opened the door for him, revealing the head of the police sitting behind a rather large wooden desk.

Even as the door behind him closed, Toshinori chose to remain standing.

"I apologize for the load of crap that was just thrown in your lap earlier." The shrewd, imposing man began. "With the new Governor in office, politics reared its ugly head again."

"And what has that have to do with me?"

"He's a damn miser, and he's trying to 'cut the fat' out of my force. Every long term operation is getting questioned. Arai loves revealing his fangs at times like these; he's a snake who only got here by bootlicking his way up to the ladder." He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "He's vying for my position, no doubt. He thinks if he can cut enough teams off, he'll get the governor's endorsement the next time an opening comes up."

Toshinori rubbed his fingertips with his thumb, his face darkening with worry. "Is my team in danger?"

"You? Absolutely not." He waved his hand. "He does reserve the right to fire me if I refuse to cut your team off, but I've already got countermeasures in place."

He pulled a letter from his desk. The sender's name caused the former pro hero's eyes to light up. "Thats-!"

"-from Sir Nighteye, yes. He asked for this to be included in the report. It's an analysis that details the public controversy and potential political fallout of not only ousting the former Symbol of Peace, but also abandoning the ongoing efforts to capture the current most wanted villain in Japan. He's the type of politician who wants to stay in office as long as he can; there's no benefit for him to depose either of us." He leaned back, folding his arms. "You two still don't talk?"

Toshinori looked away. "...No. We haven't spoken in years. He doesn't answer my calls."

"I see. Well, rest assured, it seems he still looks after you." He put the envelope back in his desk. "There's one more thing I want to know before I dismiss you. And I don't think I need to explain what it is, do I?"

He shook his head, gesturing at the third officer in the room. "No. Tsukauchi caught me lying, and didn't report it."

"I know you'd have a damn good reason for lying to me, so I'm not really angry at you. But I would like you to tell the truth this time, and explain why you didn't do that the first time around."

"We were being recorded."

"Really? Are you worried about someone leaking information?"

He nodded.

The Commissioner General's gaze sharpened, and his scowl deepened even further. "This is serious, then."

"The truth is, with the help of a... few volunteers, we've managed to eke out more than a few details of his financial activities. Most of it seem random... charities, scholarships, orphanages... we know a few of them to be shell companies but many are legit too. This kind of intel is provided by a vigilante and a former villain who we've managed to work out a deal for."

"And you are aware of the illegality of that situation." His superior officer didn't phrase that as a question.

"...Yes."

"I want their names. Now."

Toshinori wasn't given the chance to argue, but that there was any reason to.

"Shinsou Hitoshi. He was a former Yuuei student who dropped out a few weeks after being put in the heroics course. He couldn't keep up and supplemental training wasn't fast enough. A few years later, he resurfaced as a vigilante who hypnotizes people, extracts information, and sends it to the police as an anonymous tip."

"As far as we are concerned, you got your information from an investigative journalist. Who is the second person?"

The former pro hero's eyes practically bulged out of his head at the reaction from his boss. "Wh-wha- er, second person... Manami Aiba, also known as La Brava. She came to us a few weeks back, offering her services as a hacker in exchange for the release of the villain Gentle."

"You didn't-"

"No." He quickly replied, assuaging the older officer's bewildered expression. "No, I... I managed to work it down from that. I had arranged for her to be added to the approved visitors list. She's allowed to see him twice a week. She's been invaluable to us ever since."

"Okay. That's better." He calmed down, folding his hands in front of him as he stated down Toshinori. "But you're making it damn hard to cover for you! I'll see what I can do. I'll arrange any post facto paperwork needed for both the visitation rights and the hacking. She better be worth the trouble."

"She already has, Sir." He replied.

"Alright. Is there anything else that you're keeping from me that I should be aware of? Perhaps the reason why you're worried about possible leaks of information?"

"I apologize for not telling you, but I needed to keep it off the record. Within the first week of La Brava joining the team, she had found that our email and data server had been infected with spyware. Someone was watching us. We think it may have been Midorya himself."

"And you're worried that this spyware may extend to the rest of the police organization." He concluded for the former hero. "If you reported it, then the person watching would know. Does that mean your server is still infected?"

"Unfortunately, yes. But we've gotten around this by relying on other services. La Brava made a secure chat program for us, and most of our sensitive data is now on paper." He paused, before adding, "We're still putting some benign stuff on the server, so it appears that we're still using it. I'm hoping that eventually we can use it to feed the Midoriya false information."

"That's very bold. I would probably make the same decision, though." He pushed himself out of his chair, clearing his throat. "You know, I mentioned before that the police would have to be bolder in its actions once you retired from being a pro hero. I wasn't expecting that you of all people would be the one doing that. Now that I know what's going on with your team, I can do what I can to keep things safe and going smoothly."

"Thank you." Toshinori bowed.

"Consider it a favor from an old friend." He replied, as we walked to the door. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have another hearing to attend. I assume you have work to do?"

Officer Yagi smiled, opening the door for his boss.

"There's always work to be done. No rest for the wicked, as they say."

---

Some years later...

Bakugou liked to go for walks to clear his head. Or, at least that's he told others. Truth be told, his mind was always more troubled the longer he stayed out at night. But at this point, this ritual stuck to his very being, and if he didn't take these long trips out into the nightscape then he would feel even worse the next day. Naturally, he chose slow degradation and the sights of a dark landscape rushing by, over pent up frustration and the temptation to scream at the top of his lungs in his bedroom.

To call them 'walks' was a misnomer, as well. Most of his time was spent riding the Japanese train rails, be it subway or bullet. One weekend night, he had spent an exorbitant amount of money riding from the north tip of the island to the south, and back again. He still wasn't quite sure if that was a waste of money or not.

But this was not one of those expensive nights. He travelled through a few cities, yes, and switched rails numerous times, but he limited himself to the cheapest options, choosing at random and not really paying attention to where he was going.

He was brought out of his trance as his nose picked up a vaguely familiar scent. He looked around, but was still unable to trace where these feelings of nauseating nostalgia came from. It was only via the automated announcement on the crackling speakers that he realized what it was.

He had somehow managed to stumble his way back onto the Musutafu train lines that took him through his childhood neighborhood.

The air smelled of the floral scents of spring, the flowers that had bloomed earlier that day worming the traces of their aromas into his nose, filling his heart with a sense of belonging and his gut with a sense of nervousness.

The train lurched to a stop, opening its door to let someone on. Some generic looking salaryman who more than likely stayed at work far longer than he was wanting, but unwilling to actually do anything to remedy the situation. Bakugou clicked his tongue, grunting as he skirted around the man who just entered, sauntering out the door as he took a stroll around his old stomping grounds.

He saw his parents' old house, grimacing as he glared at the silhouettes in the window, figures behind them that were not his family. He didn't talk with them anymore. At the very least they were smart (or maybe compassionate) enough to give him the distance he was asking for. The last time he heard from them was a card wishing him a happy 25th birthday and a reminder that they love him.

He moved on, thinking about the schools he used to attend here. He realized at some point that he never actually remembered the names of these schools, nor did he really feel like setting out and finding out what they were called.

A cold chill whipped under his arms, sending a number of flower petals tumbling past him and into the forest that lay only a few streets away. It wasn't long before the homes were replaced with trees, and the asphalt was replaced with the dusty, worn down path that led to the park he used to reign over.

When he made it to the playground, he found it almost in the exact shape as he had left it. The slide and stepping stones were in their place, the small fort and sandboxes were pristine. The swing set was just as hunter green as they were twenty years ago. From the sound of the person who was currently swaying in one of the seats, they were just as squeaky, too-

The haze of his troubled trance was lifted completely and immediately as his mind processed the figure who sat in front of him, facing away. He wore a hoodie and jeans, the hood pulled back to reveal the pile of green, tangled tufts of thick hair that spilled forth. His fists clenched as he grit his teeth, clenching down both so hard he wasn't sure which one would be the first to break.

"Izuku." He spat out.

The figure jumped up, spinning around in shock as he stared at the vengeful man in front of him.

"Wh- You-" Izuku stumbled over his words as he tried to regain some semblance of composure.

"What are you doing here?" Bakugou intoned, not moving an inch from where he was.

Izuku stared at him, similarly frozen in place. "I... just felt like coming here. So I did. You tracked me?"

"No." He muttered back. "I just walked here."

After an uncomfortably tense amount of time, the villain's shoulders eventually lowered. "You're... not looking for a fight, are you?"

Bakugou sighed, closing his eyes for a moment before glowering at his former childhood acquaintance. "There's no fucking point. You wasted my trump card a long time ago."

"...The quirk bullets."

"Yes. The quirk bullets." He kicked a pile of dirt, watching the particles settle onto the other areas of the playground. "You killed the people who made them. And we don't know how to make more."

"It's probably better that way. If it could become mass produced, it wouldn't take long for someone to steal and misuse it." Izuku replied, sitting back on the swing. He gestured towards the empty seat next to him. "Would you like to sit?"

"What?" Bakugou's head snapped back in incredulity. "Did you lose your brain? We're enemies, fuckwad. I'm not sitting down, let alone next to you."

"...That is pretty dumb of me." He agreed, confusedly. "I dunno. It's weird. Meeting you outside of combat... it doesn't really feel like I'm fighting you."

"So what now, then? We make a fire and sing happy songs while we share a platter of takoyaki?"

"We can just... talk, can't we?" Izuku shrugged. "We never really did that before."

"Alright, then. Let's talk." Bakugou leaned his side against a pillar that supported the slide set. "What do you plan to do? I know you're working towards something."

"I could ask you the same thing."

"I'm working on taking you down, dumbass."

"And I'm working towards making a new world for my brother."

"That's not an answer!"

"Neither is yours!"

"I- Damn it!" Bakugou pinched his nose, scrunching his eyes shut. "Every fucking conversation has to be an argument!"

"Because you make them arguments!" Izuku cried out.

"I'm tired, Izuku." He sighed. "I'm tired of having to deal with all this- with you."

The villain didn't speak, slamming his lips shut as he let the police officer in front of him go on.

"I just- I don't know." He let his hands fall to his sides. "I don't fucking know."

"...Maybe we can try again. Talking."

"...Fine."

"Let's just... keep our heads cool. We're both able to do that."

"Yeah." Bakugou gulped, shoving one of his hands into his pocket. "I guess... I'm not getting my quirk back anytime soon."

Izuku shook his head. "Even if I was compelled to, there's too many problems. I don't put quirks into people... the records that Sensei had, there weren't a lot of successes."

"They turn into Noumus?"

"Sometimes. On occasion. Most people just die."

"What about taking quirks?"

"If the person is healthy, they'll fall into a coma while their body acclimates to its new DNA. It can be painful, but I have a healing quirk that doubles as anesthesia when used. They quietly drift off to sleep, no pain."

Bakugou ground his foot into the sand, watching as the wet, cool dirt was revealed underneath the dusty covering. "What is it like? All for One."

The villain put his hand to his mouth, looking down as he mulled the question over. "It's... quite disgusting, really. It feels like... my head is one of those aquariums is filled with wet dirt, and there's countless worms digging into it and tunneling around my skull. If I have to use one, I have to... reach into it and pull out the worm carrying the quirk I want to use."

"That's pretty fucking gross."

"Yeah, I can't stand it." He nodded. "I only use it when I feel like I need to."

"I just realized." Bakugou stared at his enemy's face. "You don't any different than you did at the camp. Well, minus the..."

He gestured at his own cheek, indicating that he was talking about the giant, angry red and webby scar running from Izuku's ear to his cheek. "So the rumor of an immortality quirk is true?"

"...You know, I don't think hiding the secret really matters anymore. The immortality quirk is a myth, something Sensei made to make himself look more powerful than he was. The reason neither of us age is because All for One is the immortality quirk."

"What?!"

"I'm not great at explaining these things, Kurogiri was the one who told me. Something about reinforcing a... something about someone named Hayflick? I don't remember. Point is, All for One can extend your life at the cost of sacrificing some of the quirks you have inside you. Sensei didn't want people knowing that he had to lose power to extend his life, and it worked."

"Is it the same shit with the worms?"

"It's worse. It feels like pulling one out and eating it. I have to down a lot of medicine to keep myself from puking when I do it."

"My quirk... you didn't?"

"No. It's..." Izuku held out his hand, and a number of small sparks and smoke spouted from his fingertips. "It's still there. There's only one way I'm getting rid of it, and it's not by eating it."

Bakugou fell silent, unsure if he should be relieved or worried.

The villain clasped his hands together, as he stared up at Bakugou with a renewed vigor. "Well, you've asked me plenty of questions. Now it's time for you to answer mine."

Bakugou didn't verbally respond. His eyelids twitched as they closed into a piercing glare, as he clicked his tongue and spat on the ground.

"You know, when we met that day outside the Precepts' hideout, I wasn't expecting to find you there. You were moonlighting, I believe." He looked down at his hands, noticing they were slightly trembling. "I was angry, frustrated, and... well, you weren't going to let up unless I took you out. That's become a sort of pattern for me, you know. It's the easiest way to handle someone hostile. Just... steal their quirk and let the authorities handle their comatose body. I thought about it for a long time, while you were in the hospital. I managed to convince myself at the time that it was my justice for my childhood. That... if I could take that part away from you, I could put you in that position that I was in so long ago, and maybe you would see things from my perspective. So, I guess what I want to-"

"It didn't fucking work." Bakugou cut him off. "I know what you wanna say. And you're wrong."

"Wha-?!" Izuku froze in shock, hands gripping the cold iron of the swingset so hard, his knuckles turned white.

"Why are you so surprised?" He called out, banging the side of the slide set with his fist. "You really think that I was going to become a shitty version of you after everything you've done?! How stupid are you?"

Izuku's mouth hung open, no words able to express his confusion.

"Of course it was impossible to become a hero like that. Even if you didn't steal my quirk, I wouldn't be able to become a hero. If anything, your bullshit move saved me from having that on my record!" He pushed himself off the wall, kicking sand around as he strode in small circles. "I hated it. I fucking hate myself for being so fucking stupid! The looks everyone gave me... the disappointment from my teachers, the pity from my friends... the fucking smugness from the people in the general course! I wanted to tear that shitty place apart, brick by fucking brick!"

He stomped on the wooden beam that kept the sand enclosed in the playground, jabbing his thumb at himself. "And you want to know why I'm standing here and not part of your shitty fucking club? Because I fucking realized my limits. I didn't reach for the impossible and wallow in my own pity when it was beyond me. Unlike your little fucking sad sack display, I actually took what I had and made the most of it! So I can't be the best hero, big fucking whoop. Instead, I'll be the greatest cop, the one who will catch you and make you pay for everything!"

Izuku gritted his teeth, looking down as he trembled in his seat. "So... I was wrong? I'm the one at fault? You... don't you dare!"

"You can't blame everyone but yourself-"

Izuku looked up, screaming, "Neither can you! Do you not understand what you put me through?!"

"Of course I do, you fucking dolt!" Bakugou yelled back, hands pulled back, poised as if he was going to launch an explosion at the villain in front of him. "I know what I did! I remember every fucking time I looked at your face and put you in the ground! I can't change that! But you think that apologizing now would do anything?"

"You-"

"What do you want me to do? I can't go back in time to change things, fuck even if I did it would probably be too late! You want me to get on my knees and beg for your forgiveness? You think hugging it out and me telling you that it will all be alright will make it all better?" He screamed, eyes closed as he let loose the anger and frustration inside. After a moment of silence, he recollected himself, eyes bloodsore as he viciously stared down at the equally angry Izuku. "There is nothing I could have done since preschool to change things. We both know that. Even know, nothing I say fucking matters to you. I can tell just by looking at you how damn stubborn you are. You're too stuck in your ways. And it still wouldn't resolve you of your own faults."

"MY faults?! You don't get to pin this on me!"

"Oh yes, I fucking do. I didn't make you abandon those who loved you. You fucking knew who they were, and you did nothing. You knew your mother would hate it, beg you to grow a fucking brain cell or two."

"Leave her-"

"She's dead because of you!"

"I KNOW!"

"And not just her! How many chances did you have to actually do the right thing? I bet you lost count. Instead of just saying something, you just sealed your fucking lips and wallowed in your own pity. You want me to think you're like some fucking leaf blowing on the wind, not able to do anything on your own?! Fuck that! You chose this! You left a trail of bodies! Iida fucking cared for you and in return you fucking impaled him on a bunch of rusty metal!"

"Shut up, shut up!" Izuku clutched his head as he jumped to his feet. "I don't- He put Brother into a coma and-"

"You lost it? You saw red and instantly killed him?" He snarled. "You're sounding a lot like me, aren't you?"

"We're not the same!"

"You're right, I didn't throw everything away for a group of villains who wanted to use me."

"They were all I had! I was so alone back then!"

"And look at you now." Bakugou sauntered forward, leaning down to plant his face squarely an inch away from the villain's. "You're just as alone as you used to be. Don't bother lying to me. I can see it clear as day. You're still the same pathetic child who didn't do anything to help himself."

Rather than a heated verbal response, Bakugou was met with a blast of hot air throwing him backwards. He felt the air leave his lungs as his skull cracked against the soft plastic of the slide set, stopping his flight and redirecting the momentum so that he crumpled to the ground. As he regained his senses, he quickly realized that there wasn't any air getting into his lungs.

But... it wasn't due to an air bomb that Izuku had created. No, it was Izuku Midoriya himself, who had kneeled over his prone body and placed his hands around the policeman's neck. He feebly pulled at the arms, but their grip was iron, and the fury in the villain's eyes showed that he had no intent to let him go.

"I'm sick of talking to you." He snarled, eyes wobbling back and forth as they conveyed his rage-induced lack of focus. "Just. SHUT. UP!"

Bakugou could feel his own efforts to get the villain off get weaker and weaker. His vision became blurry, thoughts becoming simpler as his lungs screamed at him with a righteous fire. Despite his heart beating faster and faster, adrenaline pumping through his veins... he couldn't... muster... the strength...

Suddenly, the pressure was released as a flash of red covered his vision, pulling Izuku off as the green haired man was slammed into the playground equipment. It crumpled with little resistance, the sounds of a fight getting further and further away.

Bakugou painfully wheezed in as his senses fired up, he clutched at his neck as he fought between the urge to cough and the urge to suck in so much air that his lungs would burst. He slowly pushed himself onto his knees finally recognizing who saved him.

"K-Kirishima! You followed me again?!"

Said hero was a good forty feet away from him, holding up a surprised Izuku. Kirishima glanced behind him, before slamming the villain to the ground. His entire body was covered in his unbreakable armor, his toothy smile complimenting his jagged appearance.

He flipped around, casting Bakugou his signature smile and thumbs up. "Of course I did. And it looks like I stepped in the nick of time. I was kinda hoping you would convince him to turn himself in, but things started going downhill."

Bakugou started calculating his options. He didn't think Kirishima to be the type of person to call in backup, and even if he did, then they wouldn't arrive until after the fight had been decided. And he knew the features of both Hardening and All for One well...

"Kirishima! We should go!"

The hero jumped back from a menacing hand, reaching out from the cloud of dirt he kicked up. He responded with a kick to the face, audibly hearing the sound of bones cracking as Izuku fell back to the ground.

"Sorry, but no can do!" He called back. "His portals are slow to close, right? So he can't escape if I keep beating the crap out of him! Plus, it would be pretty unmanly of me if I ran away from the person who just tried to kill you."

"You idiot!" Bakugou called back. "You don't need to do this alone!"

An explosion rocked the ground, sending Izuku flying off the ground, and directly towards Red Riot. He responded by dropping to the ground on his stomach, kicking both feet upwards and pushing back with his hands. Izuku couldn't react in time, he felt his stomach get smashed inwards and it landed directly onto the hero's attack. He felt the bile rush up his throat and out his mouth as he crumpled to the ground.

"This is the best chance we've had in years!" He called back, planting his feet back onto the ground as he stood over the villain's wracked body. He added, a little quieter than before, "And... you may not be able to tell, but I'm really pissed right now."

Bakugou's eyes widened, his voice leaving him as he stared at the fight.

Kirishima pulled a non-responsive Izuku up by the face, charging forward and slamming him into a nearby tree. He launched a fury of punches into Izuku's body, continuing until he could feel no resistance in the stunned villain's muscles.

He held Izuku's head against the tree, staring for a few minutes to see if Izuku would make a move. But... he was still. And if the bloody visage and numerous scrapes along his torn clothing and exposed skin were anything to gauge, he was utterly unconscious.

The hero let out a sigh. Keeping Izuku pinned to the tree, he turned his torso around facing the starstruck policeman. "See? You just can't give him any space to make a move-"

He cut himself off as he felt the jolt of movement beneath his hands. He turned to launch another attack, but before he could launch any sort of jab, he felt the cold gasp of two hands. One on his bicep, and the other firmly planted against the tough ridges of his face. Almost immediately, he felt a rush of some foreign energy working into his brain, numbing all senses and forcing his eyelids shut. Somewhere in the midst of all the muddled thoughts and hazy sensations, he could just make out the sound of two things:

He could hear the sound of strained screaming in the distance, and a voice in front of him. There were only two words he could hear.

"Got you."

Bakugou watched as Kirishima's hardened skin almost immediately softened, his body collapsing to the ground like a sack of potatoes as Izuku slowly steadied himself against the tree. He wiped the blood off his face, smudging it off onto his shredded hoodie.

The blonde policeman almost instinctively pushed himself onto his feet, dashing forward as he pulled his fist back and screamed. His cry of fury turned into one of pain as Izuku put up his hand, hardening his skin to absorb the blow in its entirety. He felt layers of his skin get scraped off, as the villain responded with a roundhouse kick to the shoulder, sending him tumbling to the ground.

"You said it yourself." Izuku coughed out, stepping backwards. "There's no point in fighting, especially you."

Whatever response was swirling in his head fell silent as he noticed something stir next to him. Despite the combination of quirks, it didn't keep Kirishima down for long. He pushed himself to his feet, rubbing his face with his inner forearm to wipe the streaks of dirt off.

"Who said anything about that? You may have taken my quirk..." He dashed forward, flipping into the air to launch a downward kick onto Izuku's head. "But that just means there's nothing else you can take from me!"

Izuku crossed his arms above his head, hardening them to stop the attack. He felt the force push him into the dirt, almost stumbling as he jumped back to avoid a follow up attack. "What?!"

"I'm not letting you go!" Red Riot screamed, rushing towards the villain and launching a fury of attacks. "I don't need a quirk to beat the shit out of you!"

Izuku did his best to counter each blow with his hardened arms, but every once in a while a quick fist from the corner of his vision got past his defenses. He wasn't very well versed in the abilities of this new quirk and just barely had the control to do both of his arms at the same time. And he had the feeling Kirishima knew this.

"What'll it be then, All for One?" The hero called out. "Do you wanna give up, or do you want me to drag you to the station?"

Izuku felt the air leave his lungs as another quick punch landed on his chest. He quickly breathed in, regaining his composure. It was only then he realized how... wet he felt. He quickly glanced down at his chest, seeing it absolutely soaked in blood. After a moment to process it, he quickly realized what was happening.

Kirishima may be launching an all out assault, but his hands aren't hard like they used to be. And each time his skin collided with those hardened arms, they were being cut into, little by little.

"You won't win like this!" Izuku replied, continuing his best to block all the incoming attacks.

"You wanna bet on that?" Kirishima smirked, clearly not registering any sort of pain.

The fight continued in this fashion for an agonizing number of minutes, and with each passing interval it became clear that it was taking its toll on Kirishima. His jabs were getting progressively weaker and less focused, and his panting breath occasionally let out a small grunt as the exposed nervous tissue begged him to stop. But still, he wasn't given a chance to counterattack, and neither was he confident enough that he would be able to withstand a blow even at this level of degradation. He looked behind the hero to see Bakugou on his phone, quietly whispering something into the microphone. No doubt he was informing the police.

Despite the panic raging in his chest, he trusted that Kirishima would eventually have to let up, or at least provide an opening before reinforcements arrived. He did his best to calm himself, but truth be told there he had a hard time fully believing in that.

It was then that he found his opening. Kirishima must have realized he was on the edge of exhausting himself, and intended to end it with a blow to the side of his head. Izuku quickly ducked, slid under the arm, and putting as much hardness as he could into his fist, landed an uppercut directly on his enemy's chin. The hero seemingly froze in his attack, before falling back, fumbling to the ground. This time, though, he didn't get up.

Bakugou stared in horror at the outcome, but found himself unable to get up.

Izuku spat out blood, clumsily snapping his fingers to open a portal behind him. He stared at Bakugou stepping back as the sight of flashlights peeked through the trees, and indiscernible shouting filled the background.

"I guess I should stop going out and hanging around random places." He grimaced, practically shaking from exhaustion. "I think... I think the last time we meet, Kacchan, it'll be the last."

The policeman's gaze hardened, his lips pulling back into a snarl. "You fucking bet it will, Deku! I won't stop until I've put you six feet under!"

"I wouldn't have it any other way." Izuku painfully smiled as his face disappeared behind the closing warp gate.

It didn't take long for the policemen and medics to arrive. By that time, he was already up and stumbling towards Kirishima. Before he could make it, one of the other policemen placed a hand on his shoulder to stop him.

"I'm Officer Kojikawa. You're the reporting officer?"

He grunted, nodding his head. "Bakugou. We nearly had him, but he got away. Is there an ambulance?"

"It's already here." The other officer looked down at Kirishima, before turning towards a group of medics. "Hey! He's in no condition to walk, one of you go back and get a stretcher!"

"Dumbass." Bakugou muttered to himself.

"Look, I know it's been stressful, Officer Bakugou, but I was just informing them since they weren't close enough to examine him."

"Not the damn medics." He growled back. He pointed at the downed hero. "That fucking idiot there. I told him not to do it."

"He defended you." Kojikawa reprimanded. "That's his job. He'll be fine."

"No he fucking won't!" He yelled back, causing everyone to stop and stare at him. "He... he won't be working as a hero. He... lost his..."

He turned around, stomping the ground as he bent over and screamed. "DAMN IT! GOD DAMN IT!"

"It'll be okay-"

"No, it won't! He lost his fucking quirk! And I can see the fucking bones coming out of his hands! I know wounds like that aren't going to heal right. They'll... I know what'll happen!" He screamed again, walking off.

"Officer Bakugou! You're injured!"

"I'll be fine!" He growled back.

"We still need a report from you." He replied, briskly walking back up to him and stopping him. "We can't let you leave without a report."

"...Fine. Is the station nearby?"

"I... I can drive you there in my car. The rest of them can handle this from now on."

"Whatever."

Kojikawa slowly guided him to the car, letting him get into the passenger seat. The local officer climbed in the driver seat, starting the car up and driving off. "Look... I know it's rough, but I don't think it'll do anything to be mad at him. He did his best to save you. Or at least, that's what the bruises on your neck tell me."

"Don't start with me." Bakugou bit back, looking out the window. "I'm not fucking worth defending."

---

Some months later...

On the outskirts of Musutafu lay an apartment complex, not quite unlike those deeper into the city. It was fairly short on amenities, though it did come with its own washer and dryer, full bathrooms, and most other things needed for a simple, day to day life. Though, one of these apartments was unique; in one of the single bedroom apartments, there was an occupant of extraordinary age. When asked why they lived alone in this place, he just replied that his family was unable to move, so they rented this place out for him while he continues his education. While an unusual practice, it certainly wasn't unheard of. Most regarded it with mild concern, but this fourteen year old seemed calm and well equipped to handle his own responsibilities, so they left him to his own devices. Like most children his age, he was usually only seen outside when he was going to, and returning from junior high.

And on a bleary, seemingly normal day, he was doing just that. He stepped through the door of his apartment, kicking his shoes off and stumbling over to the small couch in the living room. He landed on top of it, face down as he sighed into the cushions. His sigh turned into a groan as he heard the shrill tone of his phone ringing from his pocket. He pulled it out, flipping over as he recognized the name on the caller ID. He accepted the call, placing the phone up to his ear as he huffed out a short greeting.

"Well hey there, little man!" The high pitched voice on the other end called out. "How 'ya doin'?"

"I'm fine." He quickly belted out. "Just got home from school."

"Really? Are you sure you didn't want to look into joining a club or two?" The voice asked in a motherly tone. "I think it would really help cheer you up!"

"I said I'm fine." He grunted, rubbing his eyelids gently with the tip of his fingers. "The only club I want to be in is the Going Home Club."

"Well, alright then. Just try to keep an open mind, okay?" She quietly responded. "Speaking of which... It's only a few months until the end of the year, have you started thinking about which schools you're going to apply to?"

"Thought about it a little. I dunno yet."

"I'm sure you'll find one that'll fit! You know..." She trailed off, hope building in her voice. "...I was thinking... maybe you'd try going into heroics? You're so close to Yuuei, and they're just about to start accepting applications for next year-"

He didn't wait for her to finish her sentence. He slammed his phone shut, setting it to silent mode as he tossed it across the room and onto a chair.

"Of course she would say that." He roughly pushed himself off the couch, stomping his way past the small kitchen and into his bedroom.

The room itself wasn't very large, just enough for one bed, a closet and a desk where his computer sat. He sat himself down onto the plastic chair, pushing the power button and watching the screen flicker to life in the darkened living space. His fingers danced along the keyboard as he signed in, opening his web browser to a blog of his. It didn't take long for the words to fly out of his fingertips, rapidly tapping away into the entry form of his website.

Aside from the computer monitor, the only other light source in that room was the daylight peeking in through the doorway. That source was quickly extinguished as a hooded figure slowly crept into the room, reaching behind him to close it as quietly as he could. The boy didn't notice at all.

He leaned against the wall next to the door, hands shoved into his pockets and feet planted firmly against the ground. He waited for the teen to finish typing, as as he hit the send button, the intruder finally made his presence known.

"It's been a while, Kouta."

Kouta practically jumped out of his skin, spinning around and tumbling out of his chair as he shrieked. Before he hit the ground, he felt a pair of hands firmly grasping his shoulders, pulling him up to let him stand on his own two feet.

"W-woah!" The hooded man nervously exclaimed, looking the teen over to make sure he wasn't injured. "Careful. I know I didn't really make a good entrance but I can't exactly knock on doors or anything. Sorry."

"Wha- Izuku?!" He uttered in disbelief, mouth open as he stared dumbly at the stranger in his bedroom.

Said stranger pulled his hood back, revealing the mountain of tangled green curls underneath.

"The one and only."

Kouta's eyes widened, hands trembling as he reached out, poking his shoulder as if testing to see if the person in front of him was actually real. As his finger made contact with the fabric of Izuku's clothing, he sighed in relief.

"You're... You're actually here."

"I promised you that I would visit when I can."

The short exchange was interrupted when Kouta pulled his hand back without waning, launching a solid punch straight into Izuku's gut. The villain wasn't expecting it, and let out a shocked 'grrk!' as his stomach folded inwards. He quickly recovered, catching the boy's follow-up jab. Izuku struggled to grasp both of the teen's wrists, finally succeeded and holding still as he uselessly tried to kick. It was then that the villain saw just how watery and bloodshot his eyes were.

"You asshole!" He jerked around, his voice cracking as he resisted the urge to cry. "It's been years since you left!"

"I know." Izuku quietly acknowledged, not looking at the boy. "I didn't really have a chance to meet with you until now."

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?"

"...No. No, I suppose it doesn't." The villain released his grip on the teen, looking away. "There's nothing I can really say to make it better."

He half expected the boy to continue his angry jabs, and he was honestly considering just letting him belt into the villain until he exhausted himself. It came as a surprise to him then, that instead of any lashes, he instead felt a pair of arms wrap around his chest. Kouta had pulled him into a tight hug, quietly sobbing into his hoodie.

"Then don't go this time." He quietly choked out.

Izuku wasn't sure what to do at this exact moment, and his stomach turned sour at the concept of someone finding comfort in him. He tried his best to channel what Kurogiri would do in this situation, placing his hand on the top of Kouta's head and lightly patting his hair.

"...I won't." He promised. "I'm not leaving this time."

"Okay." The boy pulled back from the hug, wiping his nose as he quietly responded. "I... I'm sorry for... that."

Izuku felt a small smirk curl at the edges of his lips. "It's alright."

"Oh... u-uh..." Kouta looked back, eyes widening as he realizing he left his monitor on. He quickly reached over, pushing the power button and turning the screen off. "You don't need to see that."

"That's your blog, isn't it?" Izuku asked, smiling wider. "You don't need to worry about hiding it. I found out a while ago."

The teen felt the color drain out of his face he registered what the villain had just said. "You... no you didn't."

The green haired man hummed in amusement. "I've got to say, I don't think many people would expect you to be as... anti-establishment as you are. Though, maybe that's my influence on you."

"Okay!" He threw his hands up. "I get it. This is weird. I don't like talking about it. Can we just drop it?"

Izuku sighed, taking a step back. "Alright, if you insist. I'm still going to read it."

"That's fine. Just... don't talk about it." He walked past Izuku, opening the door to the living room. "Can we do this in the living room?"

"Sure." The villain nodded, following the teen out of the bedroom. Kouta gestured towards the couch, offering him a seat as he walked to the small open kitchen, opening the fridge and rummaging through it. He pulled out two glass bottles, and tossed one to the green haired man at the other end of the room. Izuku caught it easily, recognizing it as a ramune bottle. "Thanks."

"No problem." Kouta replied, as he pulled out the plunger that opened up the marble soda bottle. Within seconds, both of them were sipping out of the glasses, the glass marble inside of the bottle clinking around with each movement. "So... I haven't changed my mind. I still want to help you."

Izuku felt his stomach churn as he heard the words of confirmation, though he couldn't quite figure out the reason why. "I figured as much. It'll take some years of hard work, are you ready for that?"

Kouta nodded without hesitation.

"Alright." Izuku snapped his fingers, a small warp gate opening next to him. He reached in, pulling out a thin folder. He handed it to the teen.

"'Project Chicxulub?'" He opened up the file, thumbing through the papers within. With each turn of a page, his eyes grew wider and wider, his hands shaking as his breathing became more and more erratic. "You... this is what you had in mind?!"

The green haired man nodded. "It's already in progress. On schedule, too. If you were able to infiltrate a certain facility for us, it would make things a lot easier for us. I'll cover all the finances, as long as you make good grades, we'll be in the clear. And... once you're done I can set you up with a new life. Somewhere away from all the drama... I noticed you were given an apartment that has a large crowd of students walking back and forth from Yuuei. I doubt that's coincidence."

"Yeah... One of their tactics to convince me to go into heroics. Didn't work." He looked down at the papers again, quickly closing it and passing it back to Izuku. "...I want in."

"Are you sure? If you chose this path, you won't be able to go back."

"You know, I've thought about what you said to me. About how the Pussycats keep trying to push me into liking heroics. And Mandalay especially wants me to be a hero." He looked out the window, seeing a large group of students in Yuuei uniforms walking down the street. A particular group were all smiling and laughing, one of them throwing their arms around two others as they cheered and laughed. "I'm pretty sure they chose this apartment because it's right between Yuuei and one of the closer train stations. They wanted me to see all these students, like they were trying to say 'See? They're all having fun, they want to do this!' Well, good for them. I can't stand it. I don't want to end up like my parents, and I sure as hell don't want others to end up like them either."

He pointed to the folder in his lap, tapping it harshly. "This? If this happens, then my wishes come true. Too many people are throwing their lives on the line. It needs to end. Heroes and villains need to end. I want in, and that's my final answer."

"Glad to hear that." Izuku took the file back, slipping it back into the warp gate. "Your first assignment... is to get good grades."

Kouta's eyes widened, his mouth hanging open in shock for a minute. "What?! But you just said-"

The villain held his hand up, cutting him off. "I know what I said. And I mean it. I need you to apply to Naoki Scientific Academy. And I need you to excel there. I can help you in little ways here and there but I need you to be as spotless as possible when you get into college. If you can do that, you'll be in the perfect position to be one of the people who sets the whole thing off."

"Set it off?" The boy took a second to process that. "Like...?"

"Strictly speaking, if there's a button to be pressed, I want you to be the one pressing it at the end. Obviously you probably can't go back home after that, but I can easily set you up with another life somewhere else. There's plenty of international schools where you can continue your education- though you should probably start learning to speak english fluently while you can."

Kouta looked down, nodding. His eyes glanced to the ramune bottles on the table, noticing that somehow the levels of soda between the two bottles were exactly the same. "O-Okay."

"I know it's a lot of work, but I really mean it. You saw what our goals are now, and I know it sounds a bit cheesy, but... it really does rest on you becoming a model student."

Kouta's confused stares were eventually replaced with a smirk as he began to envision his goals coming to fruition. Becoming one of the best students in Japan couldn't be that hard, could it? "I got it."

Izuku stood up, grabbing the bottle of Ramune. "Good. I've got some other things to take care of, but we'll talk again soon."

"Okay. Hey- uh..." Kouta reached out towards the older villain. "I was wondering... would you like to... play games, or something? Whenever you have free time."

Izuku laughed quietly, smiling wide.

"I don't have a lot of free time, but when I'm available I'll ask to see if you want to. Speaking of which..." He pulled a small flip phone out of his pocket, tossing it towards the teen. "This is a burner phone, my number is already inside. Just make sure no one finds it."

Kouta nodded as he caught the phone. "I'll find a good hiding spot for it. I'll see you later?"

"Sure. We'll be seeing each other very soon." Izuku snapped his fingers, a warp gate opening up. He walked through, waving his hand through the portal as it closed.

Kouta was left feeling a lot of emotions. He wanted to cry, scream, laugh, dance... all at the same time. It took him a few moments to get as composed as he could, before moving over to the chair. He found his phone wedged in between the cushion and the frame, which he carefully fished out using his thumb and index finger. Opening it up, he saw that the person who called him earlier had tried to call him back twice, but hadn't done anything else since. He quickly selected her number, calling her back as he tried to keep both his heart and stomach calm.

It only took one ring for her to pick up.

"Hey, little man. I'm... I'm sorry about earlier."

"It's alright, Mandalay." He responded, his free hand rapidly clenching into a fist and unclenching. "I'm sorry for hanging up on you."

"It's okay." She responded, clearly downtrodden.

"Well, I have good news for you." He began, walking into his bedroom and towards his computer as he waited for her to respond. "It's about what school I want to go to."

"Really?" She asked, shocked and remarkably more upbeat than before. "Which one is it?"

"Yeah, I've been doing some research on high schools for the past few days." He sat down, turning on the monitor and typing 'Naoki Scientific Academy' as quietly as possible into the search bar. "I think I've found the one. I think this one is where my future begins."

---

A/N: Wow okay I'm back and here's your chapter people keep asking me to make. I really hope you enjoyed it! As always, please let me know what you thought and, if you're so inclined, leave me a message on my Tumblr. I hope you enjoyed it, and I hope you enjoy the rest of this fic as it draws to a close.