Izuku felt the sweat bead on his forehead, intermingling with the blood that was drying on his face. The cuts really did sting, but he had to concentrate - this moment was crucial.
"I need another card."
"You can't just disintegrate the cards you don't like," Magne complained.
"No one said that was a rule," Shigaraki said petulantly. "But I do need another card."
With a sigh Kurogiri handed another card to Shigaraki before feeding Toga another bite of sushi - she had been chained up in Izuku's place after she had rushed him with her knife, "decorating" him with a wound that was still bleeding profusely, despite Kurogiri's best efforts. Izuku was fairly sure it would need stitches, but for now he had to make do with the butterfly bandages they had on hand.
"Remember, if we win this hand you stay with us forever," Toga said, eyes hyper fixated on the blood still framing Izuku's face.
"I never actually agreed to that, but let's see what you've got," Izuku said.
He watched intently as they each laid down their hand before breathing a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness you're all terrible at poker. I've got a royal flush."
"That's no fair!" Twice whined, pointing at Izuku. "Teach me your ways."
"How is an upstanding teenager like yourself so familiar with poker?" Mr. Compress asked.
"We play it at the police station on break. You have to get good at it ot you'll be cleaning toilets for weeks. The police officers are ruthless," Izuku explained.
Spinner was clearly thinking deeply. "From what you tell us, it appears that your police officers stand up to Stain's heroic ideals, yet they are scorned by the public. Interesting…"
"Can you turn this way a little bit, Izuku? I can't see the dried blood very well since you moved," Toga asked, a wide grin spread across her face even though she was still chained to the board. "But now that we're lovers, can I give you a nickname?"
"No," everyone else in the room said in perfect sync, and Twice added, "But you can call me whatever you want, babe."
"So since I won, what do I get?" Izuku asked, mainly to break the silence.
"What would you want?" Kurogiri asked.
"Information?" When he saw the uneasy looks the League members traded, he backpedalled. "Not about your plans or anything. I can't know very much about your organization or the detective will know I'm not telling the whole truth. I just like analyzing quirks, and you all have interesting abilities."
"Why not?" Shigaraki mused. "We still have an hour before we agreed to leave."
"Does anyone have a pen and paper?"
In a different part of the city, Naomasa had a veritable army assembled and they were coming up with a plan.
"So we bust down the walls and grab the kid," Deatharms shrugged. "They haven't sent any kind of ransom, and it's not like a quirkless kid would be worth anything else to them."
"You make a point," Tsukauchi said, feeling his ulcer in full force. "It's an incorrect point, but if that's the case, then your services won't be needed.. Thank you for your time."
"I just meant-"
"There is a missing child. He's probably scared and hurt, and he deserves just as much diligence and respect as anyone else in his position does," Tsukauchi said sharply. "Midoriya Izuku has people who love and worry for him. If anyone else has any issues or they would like to make light of this situation because the victim is quirkless, now is the time to leave."
Silence stretched over the room and Tsukauchi took a deep breath. "Good. Now we have two different locations we're going to strike. The main object of this is to recover Midoriya and Ragdoll, but we can also use this as an opportunity to strike at the League of Villains."
Very soon a plan began to unfold. They had almost no information on te location from the tracker that had been planted on the Nomu - they were gathering what they could, but the student who had createed the tracker had only recently woken up and informed them of its existence.
The other location, however, seemed much more important. A while ago Sansa had received a report of a suspicious individual walking into the bar outside of business hours - an individual whose physical description matched that of a man who had definitely been at the camp.
It was simple. Normally they would have waited for the cover of nightfall, but there was an urgency Naomasa didn't quite understand. He reasoned that the villains would be least expecting them to strike now. Just in case, though, they had to have enough manpower to handle a full-out war.
"We're going to concentrate our heavy hitters where the majority of our villains are going to be - All Might, Endeavor, Edgeshot and Kamui Woods are going with me there, along with a third of the assembled police officers. The rest of the heroes will go to the second location with another third of the police force. The remaining police will see to the safety of surrounding citizens setting up barricades and evacuating people as necessary.
There were a few questions, but Tsukauchi answered them quickly, dissuading others by saying, "You've all been broken into squads. Squad leaders will have in-depth information on your specific roles. We move out the second we're prepared."
A new hero who went by Freezepoint snorted. "Deatharms was right. We're going through all of this effort to save an old, washed-up hero and a quirkless kid who won't contribute anything to society?"
No one heard him except the hero standing next to him, who snickered and a particular pair of police officers who happened to be passing by. Saito opened her mouth to scream at the heroes, but Sasaki's wings snapped open, clipping Freezepoint in the back of the head.
"Sorry, it felt a little drafty," Sasaki said with absolutely zero remorse or even emotion in her voice. "Aren't you both so worried for the missing kid? I hear he saved some of the hero students' lives. And even if he hadn't, he still has people who care about him. And we're also women in a largely male field, so we've heard everything you're saying about Ragdoll before. It's really a testament to what a great hero she is. So maybe you two should stop gossiping like old women and actually do your job."
The frigid look in Sasak's eyes would have put Kondo to shame, and Saito had never been more proud. Little Midoriya had made quite the impact on all of them, and everyone from their station would doubtlessly fight tooth and nail to retrieve him - except maybe Mori. His willingness to contribute to the cause remained to be seen.
Toshinori didn't know very much about this quirkless child, but Naomasa cared deeply about him, so he would do whatever he could to bring this Midoriya home safely. He'd also heard that this child had saved a few of his students at the training camp. If that was true, Toshinori would have to commend the boy, perhaps give him an autograph.
He felt the slightest bit nervous when it was time to move out, but that was absurd. He was the Symbol of Peace, this was what he did. All Might strode forward, heedless of who noticed him. By the time the League saw them, it would be too late to do anything, and the heroes would once more prevail.
As was the plan, Edgeshot and a number of police officers went to the door while All Might went to the back. He waited for his cue. He was rather proud of it too, he'd assisted in coming up with this particular portion of the plan.
When he heard the telltale knock and call of, "Pizza delivery!" all that was heard from inside was the faint rustle of chains. At least, that was all that was heart before All Might punched the wall in, bellowing a mighty, "SMASH!"
The dust cleared, and All Might found himself alone in a room with a kid who was chained to some board-like structure. He was in rough shape with bruises forming under the dried blood on his face.
"Never fear, citizen, because I am here!" All Might dramatically declared. "Now point me to the dastardly villains who have mistreated you so, I shall make them pay!"
"What about Ragdoll?" the boy asked desperately. He had shrunk into himself, so All Might couldn't see the boy's face very clearly. "Have you found Ragdoll yet? Is she safe?"
The front door opened and Edgeshot calmly walked in. "We've checked everywhere, All Might. The villains are nowhere to be found. We'll take care of things over here, you go see if they need assistance at the other location."
All Might nodded, and in one might bound he was gone, out of sight. Izuku felt his heartbeat return to normal, but he twisted and looked at Edgeshot. "Is Ragdoll okay? Have you found her?"
Edgeshot carefully unwound the chains around the kid. "We haven't retrieved her as of yet, but I promise we've got our best people on the job. Sorry about that. All Might has good intentions, he just isn't the most gentle man by nature."
Izuku felt like he could attest to that. Just seeing All Might had brought back the memory of their first encounter in excruciating, throbbing detail. His body was also throbbing from the rubble that had hit him during the number one hero's grand entrance, but his heart hurt more. Did All Might recognize him? He was so caught in his mind that he couldn't even ask for Edgeshot's autograph, who was potentially one of the coolest heroes to exist.
Anxiety compounded with lack of sleep and even more anxiety muddled his mind - he wanted to laugh and cry at the same time. It was now, now that he was safe and the villains were gone that he was completely falling apart. Someone was yelling and there was too much motion and noise, and- All Might saw him. All Might would reprimand him again for getting caught and this dream would die to and- and-
A pair of arms slipped around Izuku and someone was holding him tight, murmuring, "We have you Little Midoriya. You're safe now."
Hearing the words "Little Midoriya" made Izuku feel like he could breathe again. His own arms snaked around Officer Saito even as she said into her radio, "We've got Little Midoriya. He's safe now."
He wasn't quite sure how it all happened, but Izuku was ushered into an ambulance, and then into a hospital, an army of police officers following. He gave statements and answered questions for what seemed like an eternity. He vaguely registered some of the things that he was told, like the fact that he was in the same hospital the U.A. students who were injured were sent to. Other things would have to be told to him again, but any number of people would be happy to do so.
It was getting harder and harder for Izuku to concentrate on any one thing until the door opened and a woman with familiar green eyes walked in, twisting her hands together nervously.
"Mom!" Izuku sobbed as he bolted out of bed and rushed forward to her (despite the protests of the nearby nurse).
They hugged each other fiercely, both crying more than should be strictly physically possible. Mother and son stood there for a few moments, simply knowing that the other was there, safe and alive.
Inko pulled away, even though it was the last thing she wanted to do. "You need to get back into bed just like the nurse says. I want them to make sure you're okay." She ran her fingers through his hair, briefly brushing the newly stitched cut on his forehead. "Does it hurt?"
"Not really. It only needed stitches because it was on my head, and they numbed me well," Izuku said, clambering back into the hospital bed.
"I was so worried, Izuku," Inko said, her hand finding his. "I don't know what I would do without you. I'm so glad you're safe."
They both looked up when knock sounded at the door. "I hope I'm not interrupting anything."
Izuku smiled, sitting up a little straighter. "Detective Tsukauchi! You're here!"
Sure enough, it was the detective, his clothes as equally rumpled as he was. "Hello Midoriyas, it's wonderful seeing you both safe."
"Why don't you join us, Detective? I can get you tea if-"
"Don't worry yourself, Mrs. Midoriya. I needed to see that Izuku was safe firsthand." Naomasa passed a hand over his face, breathing in deeply. "I also have some important things to discuss with both of you."
"This sounds serious," Inko said, straightening in her chair.
"I would have waited to have this conversation, but I was told to address this as soon as possible. We need to discuss the provisional police program," Tsukauchi said, taking a deep breath. "The police force is considering shutting it down."
"No!" Izuku protested.
"Just hear me out, Little Midoriya. We still think you're one of the most promising candidates we've ever had, but we put your safety first. You've already been involved in more serious incidents than most rookies see in their first year, and you haven't even finished the academy yet. I think that this could still be good for you, and for the public perception of the police, but we won't continue without your express permission. It comes down to what you say, Mrs. Midoriya."
"But wait, it wasn't-"
"Hush, Little Midoriya, let her think. If we do shut down the program, there's nothing stopping you from joining us once you're an adult."
Izuku turned to his mother, eyes pleading. In a trembling voice, Inko said, "I want nothing more than to tell you to shut it all down and have my baby safe for at least a few more years. But I can't."
The boy and detective watched Inko intently, hanging off her every word.
"I was terrified when you told me that Izuku was gone, absolutely terrified. I didn't know how I would survive without him if anything happened. But that's exactly how Kirimi's mother felt, and Kota's aunt, or so I'm told. I know how that hero student's mother felt, learning that her son could have died at the hands of Stain. Izuku gave those parents the same relief that you gave me today, Detective, and for that I thank you."
Tsukauchi was struck speechless watching this heroic mother, but now Inko was crying in earnest. "I just can't take this away from Izuku. He's already had one dream taken away from him, and I had a hand in that. Being told he couldn't be a hero nearly destroyed my boy, and I can never forgive myself for that. So really, thank you, Detective Tsukauchi. You brought my son a purpose again, and you brought him back to me."
Apparently tears were contagious, because Naomasa's eyes felt suspiciously wet at the moment. He managed to hold out, but the Midoriya cry-fest was only interrupted by Inko's cell phone. She jumped at the sound before excusing herself from the room, leaving Izuku and Tsukauchi alone.
The detective sighed. "Words cannot describe how happy I am that your mother is allowing us to continue. That also means I'm still your superior so I'm allowed to ask what on EARTH DID YOU THINK YOU WERE DOING? How did you think that trading yourself to the League of Villains was an acceptable strategy?"
"I'm sorry! It was the only thing I could think of, Dad. I just -" Izuku cut off, his cheeks blooming bright red as he realized what he'd said. "I'm sorry-"
"Don't worry about it," Tsukauchi said, his cheeks equally red. "But Saito can never hear of this."
In the hallway one Todoroki Shoto cocked his head at what he had accidentally overheard. He had been dragged to the hospital to visit his injured classmates. On his way to the bathroom he had gotten horribly lost, but he happened to stumble across Midoriya. He was pleased to find that the boy wasn't dead, and he resolved to pass the information along to his classmates.
However, there was one fact that Shoto was keeping to himself. He'd already had his suspicions, but this confirmed it: Midoriya was the detective's secret love child.
Excerpts from Izuku's Analysis
Name: Kondo Tsubaki
Age: 36
Height: 178 cm (5'10")
Occupation: Police Officer (Partners with Sasaki)
Physical Description: Average height, slender build, long, straight black hair; Kondo's most striking feature is her eyes. They're ice blue, and she is known to stop criminals with a single look. People who are subject to her gaze are reportedly frozen in place due to the "weight of her eyes." It's not her quirk, Kondo is just a terrifying individual when she chooses to be.
Personality: Kondo is coldly analytical, especially when on a case. She seems sharp and intimidating at first, and sometimes more so once you get to know her. Kondo expects a lot of people that she respects, but earning her approval will keep someone happy for weeks. However, when she is disappointed in you, "the look" will haunt you for even longer.
Quirk: Blade Arms- Kondo rarely uses her quirk, but it has the ability to harden and sharpen her arms along the side of her forearm. She claims it's not a very useful quirk, despite my objections and attempts to convince her otherwise.
Notes: She always seems reluctant to play poker at the station, but it's all a ruse. If you actually fall for her show of disapproval before you know it you'll be stuck with Kondo's cleaning duties for weeks.
A/N: This chapter was the easiest one to write for a while. It probably helped that I wasn't coming into this one blind, but who can tell? Once again, Kit was an incredible help to bounce ideas off of, but once more Kit mistook comedy for stupidity. You guessed it, she hated that Izuku ended up playing poker with the League, and she was a bit shocked that I even know how to play poker in the first place. She also felt that Todoroki falsely accusing Izuku of being someone's secret love child was unnecessary, but I wholeheartedly disagree. It's a very necessary development in any iteration of My Hero Academia. As per usual, she ended the conversation with, "Do what you want, you will anyway."