Disclaimer: I don't own My Hero Academia
AN: It's been officially a year since I started this story. I just want to take a moment to thank everyone who supported me this far. Thanks to everyone who reviewed, favourited and followed this story. When I started it I never imagined it would become this popular, but life's full of surprises I guess. Anyway, thanks. Onto the chapter.
Izuku arrived back at the dorms to find someone waiting for him. Someone he'd been expecting to see since earlier that day.
"You're back," the student said. "How did your counselling session go?"
Izuku shrugged.
"It was alright I guess," he said. "I feel strangely better now that I've talked about some things."
He decided to leave out the part about Monoma and Class B. It wasn't necessary to discuss.
"Enough about me. Shall we get started on that assignment Tokoyami?" Izuku asked.
"Indeed. There's no time like the present," the raven headed student agreed. "Should we try the library tomorrow for extra sources?"
"I don't see why not," Izuku admitted. "For now, let's just decide on how we do it?"
Tokoyami nodded.
As to why these two were working on an assignment together, well.
Flashback Earlier that day
It was Modern Hero Art History and Midnight was teaching them.
She was a pretty good teacher from Izuku's perspective. She gave thorough explanations on the topics she was discussing with them and stopped to listen to a student when they had a question. She was strict about students paying attention and wasn't afraid to intimidate them if they broke this rule. Her homework assignments were tough also. However, she made them that way so her students would improve and keep up with study.
Today she had a special announcement to make.
"Okay, everyone. Over the course of next week, all homework assignments will be put on hold," she started.
The students cheered.
The exceptions were Momo and Tenya, who loved schoolwork (no surprise there).
The others were Izuku, Fumikage, Shoto, and Katsuki, who were indifferent to the whole matter.
"Settle down. They are on hold because you will all be working on a project I'm about to give you," Midnight continued.
The students groaned.
Momo and Tenya brightened up upon hearing this (again, no surprise there).
The four boys once again remained indifferent.
"You will be given a random topic of hero history to research and write about, and you will do it in pairs," Midnight explained.
The students murmured quietly amongst themselves. If it was a joint project, then it was sure to be interesting. They were all curious as to who they would be paired with.
"To decide who you'll be partnered with, you will each draw straws with numbers on them. Whichever two have the same number will be partners," Midnight explained. "The topics you are assigned will be shuffled on the board."
Midnight quickly went around with a box of straws and the students drew from it. Izuku drew nine. He waited until everyone had finished drawing until he looked around to see someone with the same number. When he came across the number, he immediately noticed it belonged to Fumikage Tokoyami, one of his teammates from Monday.
The raven headed student's eyes met his and they stared at each other for a minute.
Tokoyami didn't really have anything against Midoriya, barring that one time at the USJ. In fact, he had gotten used to him being around quicker than most his classmates.
He was impressed with his physical capabilities, and his ability to inspire others (Yaoyorozu). Though he couldn't say much about him on a personal level since they had only interacted twice.
Dark Shadow had different thoughts about the matter.
"So, what do you think about this?" Dark Shadow asked.
'About Midoriya?' Fumikage asked back.
Dark Shadow groaned.
'No. About doing a project within a week. Of course, I mean Midoriya. He's the one you're working with after all,' he said sarcastically.
Fumikage didn't react to that. Dark Shadow was a sentient being that as part of him, and as such they could communicate telepathically.
"I don't have any issues with it. If he's the one I've been assigned to work with then there's nothing I can do about it," Tokoyami stated. "Still, I will keep my guard up in case he tries anything. I may not hate him, but I don't trust him either."
Dark Shadow chuckled upon hearing that.
"Well, at least your thinking smart on this one. Hey, I know. Why don't you bring me out during all this? That way, he'll know better than to mess with you," Dark Shadow urged.
"No," Tokoyami replied automatically. "Unless he actually tries to harm me, I won't bring you out. I'm not that wary of him."
Dark Shadow scowled.
Their private conversation was interrupted by Midnight's voice.
"Okay, now to decide on what topics you will cover. Please look at the board," Midnight requested.
On the board, different numbers and subjects were being shuffled until it finally stopped.
Besides nine, it was 'History of Vigilantism'. Izuku was somewhat intrigued by this subject. After all, he had worked with vigilantes before, so he was curious about their history.
Tokoyami was also interested in the subject since they were a rare occurrence nowadays.
The students, particularly Tenya and Momo (and again, no surprise there), were getting pumped up about the project.
Some were doing Hero Origins, others doing a History of Hero Teams, and another group were covering History of Hero Laws. The list went on.
Midnight informed them of how to proceed with the project and then allowed them to talk it over with their partners in class. Izuku stood up and went over to Tokoyami was.
"Here he comes," Dark Shadow warned.
"I can see that. I'm not blind you know," Fumikage retorted.
Izuku arrived and the two stared at each other for a minute.
"It seems we're partners for this project," Izuku murmured. "Let us do our best."
Tokoyami raised an eyebrow. He hadn't expected Midoriya to be so straightforward.
"Indeed," Fumikage agreed. "Shall we meet up after classes finish for the day?"
Izuku looked uncertain about that suggestion.
"I have a counselling session with Hound Dog shortly after classes finish. So, it will have to wait until after that," he explained.
Fumikage frowned. Counselling session? Why on earth would he have to do that? Before he could ask, Izuku beat him to it.
"It's because of an incident from earlier this week. Ask Iida and Uraraka for the details," Izuku told him.
Curious as he was about that, Fumikage decided to put it off.
"Let's meet later then so we can decide how we'll do it," he suggested.
"Fine, let's meet at the dormitories later," Izuku said.
Fumikage nodded. Midnight then ushered them back to their seats. Dark Shadow had his own thoughts on the matter.
"You find him interesting?" the sentient being asked.
"Of course, it's not every day you live alongside a villain. They live a different life to us," Fumikage retorted.
Despite his reservations, he was somewhat curious about Midoriya and the life he led.
The bell rang, signalling the end of class.
Flashback end
And now, here they were working on that very project.
"To start, we should research online to see if there are any vigilantes that are known to the public in Japan," Fumikage said. "I know the group that went to rescue Bakugo and Ashido worked with one, but that person's name wasn't made public."
"Pop-Step. That's her name," Izuku informed him. "She's a member of a vigilante group alongside Crawler and a man named Knuckleduster. There are two more members of that group that are new to it. I don't know who they are though."
Fumikage gave him a confused look.
"How the heck does he know that?" Dark Shadow asked stunned.
"How should I know?" Fumikage retorted.
Izuku could tell Fumikage was confused, so he decided to tell him the truth.
"You recall the incident in Hosu don't you, the one involving several Nomu and Stain?" he questioned.
Tokoyami nodded. It was all over the news. He'd seen it while he was out on patrol with Hawks (the No.3 Hero he was interning with).
"Well, during that incident, one of the Nomu Shigaraki brought went rogue tried to kill me. I was there on a sort of internship with Stain at the time and we encountered Crawler just before the Nomu attack. When it arrived and attacked, we teamed up and defeated it. Then we spent the night together where Crawler and I got to know each other better," Izuku explained. "He's a pretty nice guy. And his team is well balanced."
Fumikage raised an eyebrow.
"Um," he murmured.
Izuku guessed what he was about to ask.
"Your curious as to why I am telling you all this, right?" he questioned.
Fumikage nodded. He couldn't fathom why Midoriya would reveal this sort of information to him.
"The police are already aware of this group, as are some pro heroes. They aren't spared much time though because while they are technically criminals, they are doing society some good," Izuku explained.
Naomasa had told him about them.
Apparently, his sister had encountered them more than once.
The information surpassed Fumikage. At the same time, he figured it was because they weren't the same as regular villains.
"They call themselves 'The Illegals'. A fitting name if I do say so myself," Izuku continued. "Stain was also a vigilante."
Now that caught Fumikage's attention.
"The Hero-Killer!?" he exclaimed.
Izuku nodded.
"The one and only. A few years ago, he worked as a vigilante called Stendhal and killed criminals," Izuku explained. "I suppose he technically is still a vigilante since he occasionally does some heroic acts outside of his crusade. Though, at the end of the day, he is still a villain because of the lives he takes."
Fumikage couldn't argue against that. No matter the reason, murder was still murder.
"There are other vigilantes around Japan, and in different countries as well, but there isn't much information to go on them. They stick to the shadows, out of the public eye so that they may serve the light," Izuku said.
'That sounds poetic,' Tokoyami thought.
'I know right,' Dark Shadow added.
The two of them were growing more interested in what Izuku had to say by the minute.
"Vigilantism comes with the disadvantages of having both heroes and villains after them, but, there are some advantages that give it a step up from being a legal hero," Izuku explained.
"Like what?" Fumikage asked curiously.
Izuku closed his eyes briefly before speaking again.
"Well, for starters they look in places most heroes wouldn't for different leads on a case. They don't really have any limits in what they can do, by that I mean they have no boundaries such as entering places heroes can't without permission. Working in the shadows allows them to come across many problems that most heroes and police wouldn't come across until later. Also, unlike heroes, they have access to information from the underground, about villains and other criminal groups most heroes or police wouldn't come across. They even have the use of information brokers," Izuku explained.
Tokoyami was stunned. He had never thought of it that way before. Though to be fair, vigilantes weren't a majorly discussed topic in today's world.
'Gotta admit, this guy is smart,' Dark Shadow admitted.
'It's rare to hear you compliment someone,' Fumikage commented.
'What? It's true,' Dark Shadow defended. 'Don't you feel the same?'
'Of course, I do. When did I say I didn't?' Fumikage replied.
'I wasn't accusing you of anything,' Dark Shadow responded. 'I was just saying what I thought.'
Tokoyami scowled without realizing it. Dark Shadow could be a real handful when he wanted to be.
His scowl did not go unnoticed. Izuku observed him as he stared off into space. It wasn't hard to figure out what it was. He had suspected it since the Sports Festival.
"Tokoyami, are you, by any chance, conversing with Dark Shadow right now?" Izuku asked.
The student's reaction confirmed his suspicions.
Fumikage was shocked that Midoriya had figured out what was going on with him, even without saying anything. The quirk, Dark Shadow, had a similar reaction.
"What would make you think that?" Fumikage asked defensively, but not aggressively.
"Well, for starters, your surprised reaction just now. Then there's the fact that you keep staring off into space as though there's something distracting you, or someone. You also scowled just now for no reason," Izuku explained. "I noticed this at the Sports Festival. Your quirk, Dark Shadow, is a sentient being that lives within you. Quirks like that are extremely rare but they do exist. In similar cases to yours, the host could always communicate with the quirk telepathically because they share the same body. So, tell me, am I somewhere wrong along those lines?"
Fumikage's eyes widened. He knew Midoriya had studied his quirk at the festival, but he didn't think he knew it that well.
'He's observant,' Dark Shadow commented.
Tokoyami didn't even bother responding to that.
"You aren't wrong," he admitted. "We do talk telepathically. Apparently, he has a lot to say."
'That and more,' the sentient being said with a chuckle.
Izuku raised an eyebrow.
"If he's going to talk a lot then perhaps he should come out and say them himself instead of just distracting you," Izuku suggested. "Who knows, maybe he can help us with this project."
Tokoyami stared at him blankly. Dark Shadow, if he was out, would have let his jaw drop at that suggestion. Did Midoriya seriously want him to come out?
"I'm serious in case you are wondering," he informed him.
"Um, are you sure?" Fumikage asked uncertainly.
Dark Shadow had different thoughts.
'What are you waiting for? Bring me out,' he urged. 'If he says it's alright then why bother arguing.'
"I'm sure," Izuku stated. "Otherwise, why would I suggest it?"
Fumikage debated over it for a minute before finally relenting.
"One warning, he can be a bit of a handful," Tokoyami warned.
'What do you mean, I'm a handful?'Dark Shadow replied offended.
Fumikage ignored that question.
In the next few seconds, he allowed the being that dwelled within his body to come into existence.
Dark Shadow hovered over the coffee table. He rose above Izuku to make himself look more intimidating.
"Alright, you punk-ass villain. If you try anything funny, I'll kick your ass. Fumi has given me the go ahead on that one," Dark Shadow threatened.
Izuku raised an eyebrow.
Tokoyami, on the other hand, groaned in frustration.
"I don't remember ever deciding to let you call me that," he lamented.
"What's the big deal? Your family calls you it," Dark Shadow defended.
"They have the decency to keep it among family, and not say it when I'm socialising with others," Fumikage retorted. "Also, it's mainly my parents and grandparents that call me that."
"Oh, don't be such a sissy," Dark Shadow complained. "It's just a shortened version of your real name. I doubt anyone will care if they hear it."
"I care," Fumikage stated firmly. "It is my name after all, not yours."
Izuku couldn't help but laugh at their argument. It was like watching someone argue with themselves. This caught the pair's attention.
"What's so funny?" Dark Shadow demanded.
"I'm curious as well," Fumikage added.
Izuku stopped laughing and grinned at them.
"Sorry. It's just that watching you two argue is amusing. You're like an old married couple," Izuku joked.
The moment those words left his mouth, Tokoyami and Dark Shadow did an anime fall. No words could describe the sheer awkwardness they felt at that moment.
"Y-Y-You can't be serious," Fumikage stammered. "We are nothing like that."
"For once, I'm in total agreement with Fumikage here," Dark Shadow piped up.
Izuku laughed again.
"Oh relax. It was just a joke. I didn't actually mean it," Izuku said. "But seriously, watching you two argue was entertaining. I would've thought that you two always get along since you share the same body."
Fumikage frowned.
"Sharing the same body doesn't mean we always get along. We cooperate sure, but we don't always get along," Tokoyami explained.
"Being a sentient being he would have his own personality," Izuku stated. "I'm guessing he has free will then."
Fumikage was somewhat impressed that Midoriya had figured that out simply by observing.
"You're correct. Though Dark Shadow generally does follow my orders, there are times when he is disobedient," Tokoyami explained.
"Sorry to interrupt you guys but, Midoriya, why are you speaking so casually to us? Aren't you scared of me?" Dark Shadow piped up.
Izuku raised an eyebrow.
"I was just having a conversation with my partner, we are working on a project together after all. I don't see what's so wrong about that," Izuku replied honestly. "Also, I'm not scared of you Dark Shadow. Not in the slightest."
Dark Shadow didn't know whether to feel relieved or offended at that.
"Why not?" he asked. "I'm very intimidating."
Tokoyami sighed. Considering what he had seen from Midoriya, he probably lacked fear.
"I guess you are to some people. However, you won't hurt me, not unless I do something to provoke you, which I have no intention of," Izuku explained. "As to why I'm not afraid of you. I guess it's because I've seen worse."
That caught both of their attention.
"What do you mean by that?" Tokoyami asked.
Izuku's face darkened.
"When I was with the League, I met different people, some of which were far from pleasant. I went to places and met people I wish I never had. There was even this one time before the kidnapping where I met someone who was hands down one of the worst human beings ever. Say what you want about people like Shigaraki or AFO but believe me, there are individuals much worse," Izuku told them in a serious voice. "As intimidating as you claim to be Dark Shadow, you are nothing compared to them."
Izuku kept the venom in his voice to a minimum.
That had been the worst moment during his time with the League.
What that man attempted to do to Twice was despicable and downright inhuman.
It occasionally left him wondering if he should have allowed him to die.
Tokoyami and Dark Shadow had no way to respond to that. Certainly, Midoriya had a point, there were worse than the League.
They had met one such group before, a long, long time ago.
"To be honest Dark Shadow, I find you quite fascinating," Izuku admitted, his expression softening.
The sentient being was surprised by that.
"You are?" he asked.
Izuku nodded.
"Of course. A quirk like you is extremely, and I mean extremely, rare. I've read reports about quirks with minds of their own but there aren't many to go on," Izuku said. "So, naturally I'm curious."
Fumikage found it strange how well Midoriya was getting on with Dark Shadow. The quirk was just as flustered. No one had ever been this interested in him before.
"From what I saw at the Sports Festival, you're good for long-range attacks but have a weakness to light, as I saw in your battle against Bakugo. Does that mean darkness makes you stronger?" Izuku asked.
Fumikage was very surprised. Midoriya was observant, and intelligent. He was beginning to understand why he was a member of the League.
"If you've figured it out that much already then there's no point in keeping it from you. Darkness does make Dark Shadow stronger. It also makes him more aggressive and violent," Tokoyami explained. "He's also quite dangerous then."
"Hey! If this is about that time at the training camp, that was your fault for reacting in a bad way," Dark Shadow interjected.
"Shouji lost a hand and we both nearly died," Tokoyami angrily retorted. "It was quite natural to feel panicked. But to lose control of you and go on a rampage was even worse."
"It grew back, didn't it. He lost a few more trying to lead me to Bakugo and Todoroki. Look at the bright side though, at least I took down that villain that attacked us," Dark Shadow countered.
Fumikage was about to yell at his quirk when Midoriya spoke.
"Was this during the kidnapping mission?" he asked.
Fumikage and Dark Shadow both nodded in confirmation.
"May I ask which villain it was? I don't know much about what happened since I wasn't aware of the details from the mission," Izuku said.
"I don't know what his name was but, his quirk allowed him to use his teeth as a weapon like they were blades," Fumikage explained.
Izuku's eyes widened in shock and he let out a small gasp. He knew exactly who Tokoyami was talking about.
"Moonfish! You defeated Moonfish! All by yourself," Izuku exclaimed.
Izuku couldn't believe it. Moonfish had been an A-Rank villain who had killed so many people in brutal ways, considering his obsession with flesh it was safe to assume what he had done. He gave many pros a difficult time (and even killed some). The fact that Tokoyami, a student, had been able to defeat him on his own was impressive.
Fumikage noticed his reaction and gave him a concerned look.
"He wasn't a friend of yours, was he?" he asked. "Even though Dark Shadow wasn't under control, he still attacked us. It was self-defence."
"No, no, no. Moonfish and I weren't friends, far from it. The guy was a complete psychopath who always talked about eating flesh, mine included. Most of the time I avoided him along with Muscular because I was likely to end up dead if I stuck around either of them," Izuku franticly defended himself. "I'm just surprised you managed to beat him by yourself because he was such a powerful villain, an A-Rank to be precise. I heard from Compress that he was a death row inmate who committed acts so vile that any appeals were ignored. The fact that you defeated him is impressive."
Tokoyami raised an eyebrow.
Dark Shadow was feeling overjoyed at the praise he was receiving. After all, Midoriya was basically saying he was strong.
"If you don't mind me asking, why would you let someone like him join your group?" he asked curiously.
Izuku rolled his eyes. "It wasn't my decision, it was Tomura's. His, or rather AFO's group, didn't discriminate against anyone who joined. Also, they needed all the help they could get since their numbers dwindled during the USJ Incident."
Fumikage was surprised at that. From what he was hearing the League didn't sound like it was a prejudiced group, except maybe towards heroes. Dark Shadow had his own thoughts on the matter.
"Those guys we fought at the USJ were super weak, it was almost too easy to beat them," he boasted. "They were quite cowardly as well. According to Asui, they didn't attack her or Mineta while they were on a boat at the flood zone even when they had the thing surrounded."
Tokoyami sighed. He wished Dark Shadow wouldn't brag about such things. He didn't want to insult Midoriya or mock his allies.
Izuku wasn't offended in the least.
"I thought they were a bunch of regular thugs when I first saw them that day, but I couldn't actually confirm," he said in a deadpan voice. He then put his hand to his chin and thought hard about that other bit of information. "You said Asui and Mineta were sent to a flood zone and none of the villains attacked them, right?"
Tokoyami nodded. "That's correct. Why? Is something wrong?"
Izuku rubbed his head.
"It just doesn't make any sense," he murmured. "Water is where Asui would be strongest because her quirk is 'Frog'. Why would Kurogiri send her there of all places?"
"Maybe they were just random coordinates. He was trying to scatter everyone when we tried to escape," Tokoyami reasoned. "I was sent to the downpour zone along with Koda where it was dark and rainy."
"I doubt it was random. Kurogiri isn't like that. He wouldn't send an enemy to a place where they would have the advantage, he isn't stupid," Izuku replied. Then his eyes widened. "Unless of course, he didn't know they would have an advantage."
That sentence confused both Fumikage and Dark Shadow.
"Okay, you lost me," Dark Shadow stated.
"The day before the assault, AFO held a meeting about it. He explained what was going to happen. I wasn't supposed to go originally, I was supposed to stay behind and continue working but I wanted to go and see if Bakugo was there, to get even with him. There was a list of students that confirmed he was there. Now that I think about it, it said 1A's names, but it didn't say their quirks," Izuku explained. "I knew Bakugo's sure, but the others were unknown. That's probably why things went down the way they did."
Fumikage considered this for a moment before agreeing that it was possible. He didn't bother asking about Midoriya's past with Bakugo. He had heard bits and pieces of their history to get an idea.
"If you don't mind me asking, how did your group know where the training camp was? It was switched at the last minute," he asked curiously.
That had been something on a lot of his classmate's minds for a long time now.
"Actually, I don't know. I never asked," Izuku replied honestly. "I wasn't even aware of the mission's details. I only found out they were kidnapping someone before it happened, and even then, I didn't know who it was. I wasn't told a lot of things in the League, though it was for the best."
Tokoyami was surprised at that information. He had assumed Midoriya was a high-ranking member within the League, given he had been with them for a year.
"They tried kidnapping Fumikage here as well you know," Dark Shadow piped up.
"What!?" Izuku replied stunned. "I thought Bakugo was the only target. Mina was kidnapped for Atrocity but other than that there shouldn't have been any more targets. Who was it that kidnapped you exactly?"
"It was that man with the magician getup, Compress I think his name was. According to Shouji, he said I had a lot of potentials. The others managed to get me back, though just barely," Tokoyami said.
"That sounds like something Compress would do. Being one of the smarter members he must have seen your performance and thought you'd be a valuable member," Izuku said.
Fumikage didn't know whether to feel flattered or offended at that explanation. He didn't want to think about what he could do if he were a villain.
"You didn't see the destruction I caused. If it weren't for Bakugo and Todoroki, I could've killed someone," Fumikage told him.
"Perhaps," Izuku agreed. "But all power, quirk or not, comes with a price. Have you ever considered training in complete darkness to control Dark Shadow better?"
Fumikage thought about this for a moment.
"I've been trying in class, in a cave built by Cementoss, though it isn't easy," Fumikage explained.
"It's not entirely my fault. When I'm in the dark I feel unstoppable and truly alive," Dark Shadow piped up.
Izuku was starting to sympathise with Tokoyami's plight. The boy was trapped with a quirk he had little control over and could destroy everything if he wasn't careful. What's worse, he was frightened of his own power, of what it could do, making it even harder to control. In a certain sense, he reminded Izuku of the insecure scared boy he used to be.
Once he realized that, a decision was made.
"Have you ever tried practising at night?" Izuku asked.
Fumikage stared at him like he was mad.
"Are you crazy? The night would be the most dangerous time," he practically screamed.
"Alright then, Dark Shadow, has anyone ever tried talking or reasoning with you in this state?" Izuku asked.
Dark Shadow glanced at him surprised. Neither he nor Tokoyami (for obvious reasons) had considered this.
"No. No one has ever tried. They'd have to be either insane or a complete idiot to try," Dark Shadow stated.
Upon hearing that Izuku stood up.
"I'm not an idiot. As for being insane, it's really just a matter of opinion," Izuku said softly.
It took Fumikage a second to realize what Izuku was proposing.
"You can't be serious," he said in an emotionless tone. "Do you have any idea what you're asking for?"
"Of course, why else would I suggest it?" Izuku retorted. "We can do it tonight at Ground Beta, there won't be anyone around to bother us. Besides, you said training at night would be the most dangerous, so what a better time to try it. You'll never actually get the hang of it unless you try Tokoyami."
While he did acknowledge that to be true he was still seriously against it.
"You know Fumi, he's got a point. This may be a good thing to try out," Dark Shadow suggested. "You'll never know unless you try."
Fumikage glared at his quirk.
"Seriously, don't call me Fumi! And what's with this sudden change of heart? Weren't you against this?" he demanded.
The sentient being raised its hands up in defence.
"All I did was answer the question. I never said I was against it," he reasoned.
Fumikage scowled.
"Midoriya, this isn't like the battle trial. You could actually die," Tokoyami warned.
Much to his surprise, Izuku just chuckled at the statement. His face turned serious then.
"It wouldn't be the first time," he said in a serious voice. "I've nearly died so many times now, and every day I'm under threat from villains seeking to kill me. This doesn't scare me at all. You're right Tokoyami, I could die. But you know what, so could a lot of people, including your classmate's, if you can't control your power."
Fumikage was shocked at what he just heard. Midoriya, he didn't fear death!? Was it because of his experiences from the League? Either that, or he was just exceptionally brave.
Fumikage rubbed his head in frustration.
"Even if I were to agree to do this, we would need Mr Aizawa's permission since we can't just sneak out. There's no way he'll give it though," Fumikage explained.
Izuku raised an eyebrow.
"Mr Aizawa may we have your permission?" he asked.
"Give me a minute to think about it," Aizawa said in a deadpan voice.
Tokoyami jumped up. He turned to see Aizawa at the entrance observing them.
Dark Shadow was just as startled.
"Aaaahhhhh!" he screamed. "When did you get there?"
"Since you two sat down," Aizawa replied bluntly. "What you were talking about sounded interesting, so I kept quiet and listened."
"I could see his reflection in the mirror over there," Izuku added.
As surprised as he was, Tokoyami quickly collected himself.
"Sensei, you don't actually believe that this is a good idea, do you? I could actually kill him," Fumikage muttered.
"That is a possibility," Aizawa agreed. "However, he isn't wrong about the other points he stated. Something like that could happen again, and you may not have others to stop you."
Fumikage stared at the ground looking for an excuse out of this.
"Midoriya, what would you suggest? Given that it's your idea," Aizawa said. "Depending on your answer I may or may not give the go ahead on this."
Izuku thought about this.
"Well, at Ground Beta during the night, Tokoyami allows Dark Shadow out. I take him on and try to reason with him. However, if it gets out of hand, I'd like you to step in with your quirk. I'd also like Todoroki to be there as well to help suppress Dark Shadow with his flames," Izuku explained.
Aizawa considered this for a minute.
"A decent plan," he acknowledged. "Okay, you have my permission. We'll meet at Ground Beta at ten. Go and ask Todoroki."
Tokoyami groaned. He knew this was going ahead whether he wanted it to or not.
"Fine but, bring Kaminari along. His electrification quirk should be useful for stopping Dark Shadow," he said.
Aizawa nodded in agreement. He and Izuku then went off to convince the respective students to help.
Fumikage slumped down on the couch.
"How did doing a project turn into this?" he asked himself.
"Who knows? The world works in mysterious ways. This should be interesting though," Dark Shadow said.
Fumikage didn't even bother responding to that.
Ground Beta at 10.00 p.m.
Izuku stood directly across from Tokoyami. They were both in their costumes (Aizawa's orders) and ready (well mostly) for what was about to occur.
Aizawa stood on top of a nearby building alongside Denki and Shoto. Izuku had been the one to convince Shoto, requesting it as a favour. Aizawa had been the one to convince Denki as it was highly unlikely he'd listen to Izuku. Denki still had trust issues with him, like now.
"Sensei are you sure this is a good idea? How can you be sure he's not planning something?" Denki accused.
Aizawa retained his usual emotionless expression.
"There are several teachers posted around here in case something goes wrong," he stated.
"I say we just watch and see," Shoto said. "Midoriya isn't wrong about Tokoyami needing control over his quirk. I saw it during the training camp, it was very powerful and dangerous. Bakugo and I were lucky when we stopped it."
Shoto did trust Izuku. He could tell he was the type to help others, the way he helped him. Shoto was also slightly nervous about tomorrow. He was going to see his mother for the first time in years.
"Let's get started shall we," Izuku requested.
"As you wish, but remember, you asked for this," Tokoyami replied.
And with that, he unleashed his quirk, who had been so eager to get out.
Dark Shadow was a lot larger now, and more intimidating as well. What's more, it was feeding off Tokoyami's negative emotions, most notably his insecurity and fear.
Fumikage truly did not wish for Midoriya to die, and the memories from the training camp came back to haunt him. That was all Dark Shadow needed to grow stronger. And just like at the training camp, grew into a ferocious monster and overtook his host.
"GWAHHHHHHHHHHH!" Dark Shadow roared.
Dark Shadow immediately brought its claws down on a nearby building and destroyed it with relative ease.
'So, this is his true power. Incredible!' Izuku internally admitted.
The three on the building were having a mixture of reactions.
"Holy shit!" Denki yelled. "He had this kind of power all along! Holy shit!"
"It's the exact same as during the training camp," Shoto murmured. "Just as destructive and powerful. This is the power of Dark Shadow under absolute darkness."
Aizawa retained a calm emotionless expression. Though that didn't mean he wasn't surprised, because he was. He had heard reports about what Dark Shadow had done during the assault at the training camp but seeing it in person was a different matter altogether. He would take extra precautions when proceeding.
"I'M GONNA DESTROY EVERYTHING!" Dark Shadow roared as he began to destroy everything in sight.
Fumikage was powerless to stop his own quirk. He tried, but all that did was slow his movements a little. Izuku decided that he'd seen enough at that point and acted.
"Oi! Bird face! Look at me," Izuku mocked.
Dark Shadow briefly looked at him before turning away.
"Insignificant bug," he snarled. "You don't matter. You're not even worth my time."
"Aw, is big bad Dark Shadow too afraid to take on alone quirkless student," Izuku mocked. "Guess that just goes to show how weak and cowardly you are."
Izuku shouldn't have said that, because when he did, Dark Shadow began attacking him relentlessly. Fumikage wished Izuku had just kept his mouth shut.
Dark Shadow first raised its fist and then brought down to where Izuku was. Izuku was quick enough to dodge it as he cartwheeled to the side.
The attack hit the ground and created a small crater.
"You insignificant brat! I'll show you who's weak!" Dark Shadow screamed.
He first swiped with his left hand at Izuku, who ducked backwards and avoided it. The claws shredded through the area around them instead, destroying another building in the process. It then brought its right fist down onto Izuku, who barely dodged by backflipping backward, and in the process made another crater.
'This is my chance,' Izuku realized.
Because Dark Shadow's arm was still on the ground Izuku took advantage of it and began running up it.
"Is he insane?" Denki yelled.
"A little," Shoto answered in a deadpan voice.
Dark Shadow and Tokoyami were both surprised by Izuku's bold act.
Izuku ran fast enough that he reached the top of Dark Shadow's head. Whipping out his bo staff he struck it across the head several times. All that seemed to do was irritate the sentient being. Dark Shadow attempted to attack Izuku, but he slid off to where Dark Shadow's face was.
"Still think I'm insignificant?" Izuku mocked with a smirk.
That enraged Dark Shadow to the point where let an all-powerful punch fly at Izuku. That had been what he was waiting for. Dark Shadow may have become stronger under the influence of complete darkness, but it also became more aggressive and reckless.
Izuku allowed himself to drop while Dark Shadow's fist connected with himself, temporarily stunning it. Izuku dropped down onto Fumikage, who was struggling to control his quirk to no avail. Izuku then retracted his staff and placed the tip of it at Fumikage's chest.
"Don't struggle for the next part," Izuku warned the raven headed student before turning his attention to Dark Shadow. "Dark Shadow, that's enough. I just want to talk."
The sentient being was outraged that Izuku had made it to his host with little difficulty, and even more when he suggested talking with him.
"If I'm not mistaken, any damage that happens to Tokoyami happens to you as well, correct?" Izuku guessed.
Dark Shadow glared at him but nodded grudgingly. Seeing no other alternative, he relented.
"Fine. Talk. I'll listen," he responded angrily.
Finally, they were getting somewhere.
Fumikage was amazed that Midoriya had gotten Dark Shadow to stop rampaging.
"Good. First off, is destroying everything in sight necessary?" Izuku asked. "Aside from me, no one was attacking you."
Dark Shadow was irritated at Izuku's question.
"Of course. Just because you can't see someone, doesn't mean they aren't there. It's better to destroy them right then and there," he stated.
"And just what do you hope to achieve by destroying everything and everyone?" Izuku asked. "Eventually they'll be nothing left to destroy. What will you do then?"
This question caught Dark Shadow off guard. For once he didn't know how to respond.
Aizawa eyed the situation with curiosity.
'Just what are you up to Midoriya?' he wondered.
Fumikage was thinking the exact same thing.
"I'll, I'll, I'll," Dark Shadow said as he struggled to come up with an answer.
Izuku wouldn't give him the time.
"WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH?" he shouted.
Dark Shadow snapped at hearing that.
"HE'LL BE SAFE, THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH. IF I DESTROY EVERYTHING THEN THERE WILL BE NO ONE THAT CAN HURT HIM. THAT'S HOW I'LL PROTECT HIM," Dark Shadow roared.
Everyone present was stunned at Dark Shadow's outburst.
"By him, you mean Tokoyami?" Izuku murmured.
Dark Shadow flinched. Tokoyami was just as surprised. Dark Shadow had been trying to protect him in all that.
Izuku realized that there was a deeper meaning to that.
"Of course, you want to protect Tokoyami. However, it's not just because he's your host, it's because he's your only friend," Izuku stated.
Fumikage couldn't believe what he was hearing. is that how Dark Shadow truly saw him?
"Y-You're wrong, that's not," Dark Shadow desperately tried to defend himself.
"If that's true then why are you crying?" Izuku asked.
And he was. Much to everyone's (including Dark Shadow) shock, there were tears falling from Dark Shadow's eyes.
Fumikage was dumbfounded by what he saw. Dark Shadow had never cried before, he didn't even know it was possible. The quirk seemed to share a similar reaction; he began wiping his eyes trying to get rid of the tears, but they kept flowing.
Izuku then turned to Tokoyami.
"Tokoyami, you must understand, Dark Shadow isn't just a quirk, he's a living being like you and me. He has emotions and desires the same as you," Izuku explained.
Fumikage said nothing. He couldn't deny it, what's more, he found that he didn't want to deny it.
"Everyone has fears and doubts, they're what helps define us for who we are. It's by confronting them head-on that we can truly become stronger and move forward," Izuku said softly.
Fumikage felt something at hearing that. He couldn't quite describe it but, it didn't feel bad. He glanced at Midoriya briefly before gazing at his quirk, who was still trying to stop his tears.
"Dark Shadow," he addressed, catching the sentient's attention. "I'm sorry."
Dark Shadow stared at him confused. Taking a deep breath, Tokoyami spoke.
"I'm sorry," he said again. "I'm sorry for not trying to understand your actions better. I'm sorry for treating you like a tool. And I'm sorry for being oblivious to your feelings, not giving them a second thought. I was scared because others would get hurt like when I was a child, but in the end, I ended up hurting you. You've always been there for me when I was in danger or when I was alone, and I'm sorry. I'm sorry for how I've treated you. Please, forgive me."
This time it was Dark Shadow's turn to be dumbfounded. His host was apologising to him. He never thought something like this would ever happen. Having calmed down from that, Dark Shadow released Tokoyami and shrunk down to meet him.
"I'm sorry too," he said awkwardly. "I was just trying to protect you but ended up hurting you and your friends even more. If I forgive you, will you forgive me?"
Tokoyami smiled at Dark Shadow. "Yeah, definitely."
And two forgave each other for everything. Izuku had to admit, there was something heartwarming about the scene in front of him.
Things were slightly more emotional on the rooftops. Aizawa and Shoto smiled at what they saw. Izuku seemed to have an unusual effect on people.
Denki was literally, bawling his eyes out.
"IT'S BEAUTIFUL," he sobbed.
Then without realizing it. He grabbed Aizawa's cloth, dried his tears and blew his nose in it.
Aizawa felt a vein stand on his forehead.
Shoto barely prevented himself from laughing.
"Kaminari you have detention," he declared.
"Sure thing," Denki sobbed not caring in the slightest.
Meanwhile, Tokoyami and Dark Shadow had made up. Tokoyami was now referring to him as his partner. They faced Izuku.
"Thank you Midoriya," Tokoyami said. "If it weren't for you, this issue would never have been resolved."
"Yeah, thanks. Now I and Fumi are friends again," Dark Shadow said.
Strangely, Tokoyami didn't mind him calling him that at that point.
"It's no problem," Izuku responded modestly. "You were in a difficult situation like Todoroki was, and I wanted to help you. I suppose you could say, I saw in you what I saw in him, and that's a little of the old me."
"Before you became a villain?" Dark Shadow questioned.
Izuku nodded. That reminded Tokoyami of a question he had.
"If you don't mind me asking, what's it like being in a group of villains?" he asked. "How do you bond and work together?"
Izuku considered this for a moment.
"It's like you and Class 1A, it could also be compared to a group of heroes. You see, villains like me and the League, we're the outcasts of society. We aren't accepted by anyone because of what we are. That creates a unique sense of camaraderie. There's also the fact that each of us is there for a specific reason, some tragic, some evil, and some because they have no other choice. It's all this that allows us to bond and work better as a group," Izuku explained.
Tokoyami and Dark Shadow were perplexed by that explanation. Truly the life of a villain was a different one to their own.
"Enough about that," Izuku declared. "Tomorrow my mother will be here at noon, so can we put project work off while she's here?"
"Sure thing," Tokoyami replied.
"Okay, enough talking, I say we all hit the hay now," Dark Shadow declared.
And with that, the three of them headed back to their dorm.
Hi there. Well, what did you think of that? I bet you didn't expect Tokoyami to be the one connecting with Izuku. He's a character I've grown to love from both the anime and one of my favourite fanfics 'Heroes in the Dark', and I just really wanted to include him in this.
Sorry, the chapter took so long, I was away for a couple of weeks. Anyway, the next chapter will see Inko visiting Izuku and other stuff. Hope you enjoyed reading. Please review.