The "Summer Camp incident" made the "USJ incident" look like a sandpit dispute.
Unlike the strange circumstances behind the latter, the former was well-executed and consisted of only a handful of notorious villains who escaped notice until now. The lawbreakers came in ranks; and none of them present ranked lower than C. It was a surgical strike made by experienced elites, and with a clear goal in mind: abduction of three UA students. They succeeded with two, trading them for two dead and two apprehended.
The whereabouts of Katsuki Bakugo and Momo Yaoyorozu remained unknown.
Sixteen students, Yaoyorozu included, suffered damage of some kind. Some were lucky to get away with only minor scrapes; others like the ones beaten up by the menacing Nomu or Maria Muradasilova were far more damaged. The injuries suffered by two of the Wild Wild Pussycats seemed inconsequential in the grand scheme of things.
Of course, it would be bad enough if it ended on abducting the students. However, there appeared to be proof that two of the villains – the aforementioned Nomu and Ritchi Yomigae, alias Kalma – suffered grisly demise by the hands of the students. Even with Eraserhead's permission to engage the villains, this was a clear overstepping of their competences.
Suffice to say, the summer camp came to a premature close.
"So… what's the next stroke of your masterplan?"
Shigaraki ignored Dabi's irreverent lounging and his fingers tapping on the lacquered desk. Their resident pyromaniac nursed a drink, taking idle looks at the two abducted students sitting in the middle of the bar lounge. Bakugo was chained up almost the same way like at the Sports Festival – Dabi could appreciate this kind of irony – preventing him from doing something unwise like trying to fight his way out of the hideout. Didn't stop him from casting glares that could kill lesser men twice over, for all they would do for him.
In comparison, Yaoyorozu's restraints were much less extreme, although still involved full limb restriction. The bandage wrapped around her head was some good work for an impromptu dressing. Bless Magne for that. Unlike her classmate, she looked as resigned as she could be, not meeting anyone's eyes or honestly, not looking at anyone or anything. It didn't feel like she was entirely up there.
Maybe the Nomu brained her too hard. Well, that wasn't exactly Dabi's problem.
"We lick our wounds first. Then we plan." Shigaraki tried to weasel out of the answer, more focused on his handheld than anything else. Didn't need a genius to figure out that he was making things up as he went, which worked out alright so far. So far.
"Look, boss-man, not to be a downer, but I'm gonna be!" Twice gesticulated wildly from his own corner. "We've got the entire Japan on our butt now!"
"They'll have to find us first." Mr. Compress countered from his own spot, currently enjoying a spot of tea. His mask rested by the side, but his face remained largely hidden behind the balaclava. "And while a few of us cut some characteristic personages, so far hiding in plain view yielded efforts."
"We have a man dressed up as a junkyard running around." Dabi grumbled. "Either they're still reeling after the attack or they're that incompetent."
"Speak for yourself, staple-face."
"Now now, let's not devolve into petty slapfights. Biding our time is good." Compress shook his head. "Toga needs some time to recover, and we do need to plan something out. Any chance your Sensei has any plan in mind, Shigaraki?"
"That's obvious. He hasn't shared yet though." Tomura sighed, putting away the handheld. "UA's probably treated with hot coals right now by the press. I mean, it doesn't get more insulting than grabbing two of their precious heroes-in-training and snatching them right from under their noses."
"I understand the girl's here because you want to cozy up to the crazy church people. What about the guy?" Shigaraki didn't immediately reply to Dabi's question, tenting his fingers.
"Kurogiri. Check if Magne and Roadkill are on hand, will you?"
"Of course." Rather than leave the bar, the mistman opted to simply put away the shotglass and disappear into the vortex.
"Wait, aren't you missing someone, boss-man?!"
"Toga needs some downtime – and given that this bint over there is close to Muradasilova, I don't trust her to not do something unwise in the heat of the moment." Shigaraki took a moment to continue, stapling his fingers together some more. "As for Bakugo here… call it a personal interest. You watched the Festival, didn't you?"
"Bits and pieces, yeah."
"Then you've seen a kid chained to the podium and ridiculed on live TV." Bakugo growled against his restraints. Dabi's brow raised ever so slightly. "For winning, no less."
"And what exactly is he doing now?"
"Look. Trust me on this one. I have a plan." Shigaraki resisted an urge to scratch at his neck. "And it's going to work."
Elsewhere…
"You've got visitors, crazy old man." Micolash's head arose from the read. Mr. Kan was kind enough to provide him with a non-fiction book to pass the time with. While it seemed likely he would avoid being sent to Tartarus, there was no telling where or when he would be going. His status as an informant led to lighter treatment even despite the issues from the USJ and Hosu.
Of course, didn't stop the local security guards from treating him like a lunatic. But then again, they were all a little crazy in this place, were they not? Closing the book, the scholar approached the panel of reinforced glass and the stool from which he could welcome his guest, whoever they were. The constables? The man of flames, here to issue more empty threats? Her Majesty, perhaps?
"Fifteen minutes. Better not linger too long around this guy, sir."
"I shall take note of that."
Micolash sat ramrod straight. That voice…!
Three people entered the corridor. The manner in which they carried themselves did not match the folk of this modern era; rather, they were closer in spirit to himself or Her Majesty. Despite that, they wore clothes of modernity; a trio of tailored black suits, as if they were approaching a funeral rite. Considering who these people were, perhaps such was their intention, and Micolash was the unfortunate soul buried in the earth.
...no. Surely they would not be so brazen, not in a land that was not their own. But then again, it seemed beneath these ministers to merely come to mock the fallen man. Then for what… for what purpose did the Healing Church come to visit?
The two figures on flanks did not sit. One was an ogre of a woman, dwarfing even the largest men of this realm. The plain, plebeian face of a gong farmer – full of freckles, and with a couple of missing teeth adorned by a mop of unruly short red hair – contrasted wildly with her arms the size of columns and fists as hard as raw rock. The modern suit did nothing to hide her true allegiances or origin, and so did she not bother fitting into it more than necessary. Yet, she moved with a Hunter's lightness – not as light as most, but still far nimbler than someone of her stature would.
The other fancied himself a suit of a Yakuza rogue, with an ill-fitting tie and a rough cape of beastly fur on his shoulders and head. Most of his face was shadowed, but Micolash could make out an unkempt beard. Unlike the ogress, this man had nothing particular about his build – but made up for it with the set of giant horns attached to his fur cape and a little silver bell in his hand that he entertained himself with.
And among two of the Healing Church's enforcers stood a man of angelic poise and immaculate beauty, his long hair falling loosely on his shoulders. He invoked the image of a patient doctor, of a welcoming priest, of a responsible older brother. Behind those calm eyes of his no doubt raged madness to match Micolash's – but how were the uninitiated to know what dwelt in Grand Vicar's head?
Laurence, the first of the Healing Church, and his old friend from a better time, took a seat on the other side of the glass. "It's been a while, Micolash."
Elsewhere still…
Hawks didn't like these meetings in the darkened room, even if he wasn't currently on the spot like usually. HPSC had some funny ideas about their interior meetings; looking like a bunch of high-profile villains plotting their next move in their fancy chairs and in their shadows. The one position in full light was the President, bless her heart. Currently, she too looked like she would rather be anywhere else. Hawks, for his part, absolutely understood her as he stood at attention behind her seat.
"This is ridiculous! Do you want another Nagant in here?!" Katsuo Takashima, the loudest member of the HPSC Inner Cabinet, slammed his giant fist on the table. For someone who spoke his mind with little warning or fear of consequence, ironically his stance was that of non-intervention: to let the Hero Commission remain in the shadows and act only when that was necessary.
"Tsutsumi and Muradasilova are two completely different situations." Retorted Masaru Kiryuin, Takashima's direct opposite; small, wiry, and all in for the Commission to take on a more active role, just like it did in the past years. All Might's overwhelming influence made that approach less necessary for maintaining public order, but Kiryuin was unbroken in his belief that not even a titan like the Symbol of Peace could see everywhere, and that another pair of eyes and hands was needed to see and do what All Might could or would not.
Back in a day, Hawks' predecessor as the Commission's Pro-Hero fulfilled such a function – until she broke down and killed the previous President. The official version was that she killed another pro-hero – but short of extreme situations, a single murder did not make for a case in Tartarus; Lady Nagant's current staying place.
Kiryuin's wheat-like fingers tented together. Hawks wondered just how it was that they didn't bend backwards. "Tsutsumi was a child with misplaced ideas of what heroism is. The Commission did its best to accommodate her, but there's only so much we can do with a weak psyche. We're not miracle workers, Takashima-san."
"Muradasilova is fifteen! I don't give a flying piece of sun-baked crap how many scars she has on her arms!" Another fist slam. "She must be taken off the hero course and retired, peacefully!"
"Retired to where? Tartarus?" Hawks could hear the cruel smirk in Kiryuin's voice. "Because if she remains unmonitored, that is her most likely destination if we do not sweep in to rescue her from herself."
"We can trust the UA to do their job on that—"
"Yes, yes, just like we trusted them on the USJ incident? Or the incident just now? During which Muradasilova turned a Nomu into a sashimi platter?"
"Enough." The President's voice was clear, sharp, and cut through the bickering. "You've made your statements clear enough, Kiryuin, Takashima." Her eyes wandered towards the leftmost and rightmost seats. "What about you, Asai, Yamamoto?"
The leftmost man, Soichiro Asai, was pleasant-looking, fit, and with a look Hawks would believe warranted the label of a "silver fox". He spoke smoothly and with perfect cadence, like a career politician. Hawks wasn't a fan, if he was honest; there was a lot of thin venom behind the laces of his voice. "Muradasilova is certainly an asset we could use for the betterment of society. However, just because we could does not mean we should. Were she here on her own, with only the faculty of UA maintaining her stay here, we would be able to approach her, but she is legally under the guardianship of Sekijiro Kan, better known as Vlad King."
"If we could convince Kan that he is not equipped for this endeavor however, I don't see why we can't keep Muradasilova under the Commission's tutelage." Takashima opened his mouth to protest, but the President's sharp gesture made him stop in his tracks. Hawks resisted an urge to smile.
"Yamamoto?"
The rightmost man, Nobushige Yamamoto, still had color in his black hair, although the stress of his position graced him with a receding hairline and everpresent wrinkles. And yet, through his stern features and neatly trimmed facial hair, he commanded a good deal of respect. Hawks knew him to be someone who spoke things no one else would say, but otherwise firm in his morals.
"Ma'am, you know that I do not condone training our applicants from a young age." Hawks offered a shrug when eyes of the Inner Cabinet turned towards him. "Loathe as I am to agree with Asai however, Muradasilova is certainly a powerful asset... but she's also a young girl who's gone through the trials and tribulations we cannot begin to imagine. We should keep that in mind."
"Didn't stop us with Hawks." Kiryuin snidely pointed out.
"The way I see it, ma'am" Yamamoto wasn't stymied, producing a dossier labeled "Vileblood". "is described in this folder, including the scenarios in which Muradasilova remains a hero hopeful or that she is expelled from UA entirely. If she were to be inducted into our training program, her involvement would be entirely covert – and so her foes would have to remain outside the public eye." Yamamoto's features darkened. "That will also keep her from having to dissociate from what she isn't, as was the case with Tsutsumi."
"I'm not sure if you're for or against this idea." Asai commented with vague amusement. Yamamoto shook his head.
"I'm merely stating that while Kiryuin is correct, that comes with additional preparations. Those must be fine-tuned like an ancient sword; so sharp a dragonfly cannot sit on it without dying."
"We'll review the dossier once this discussion is finished." The President nodded, then her head craned up. "And what is your opinion on all of this, Hawks?" The winged hero offered a well-trained, bashful smile.
"Ma'am, with all due respect, I'm not here to give opinions."
"You may, this time." What was his opinion? He saw Muradasilova at the raid; how she was this close to invading the Hassaikai fortress by herself, all decorum be damned. He saw how furious she was when it became increasingly more clear that the raid was going to be a wash. He felt her withering glare when they locked eyes at the gate.
The girl was disturbed, bloodthirsty, turned a Nomu into a sashimi platter by her lonesome – while suffering from multiple stab wounds at the time – and the Commission would enable all of her worst instincts; turn her into a beast that skulks in the night and kills what cannot be killed by the heroic elite. Murdasilova under the auspices of the Commission would be a violent vigilante, someone with a license to kill.
The hero in him thought it obvious that the girl needed a thorough therapy first and a smörgåsbord of enablers never.
The Commission agent, however… "Having a kouhai to steer appropriately sounds neat."
Awase's recovery was progressing at a steady rate.
Among the various injuries suffered during the summer camp incident, he got some of the worst of it. The Nomu rattled his brains by slamming him into a tree; quick, brutal, and near-fatal. The doctors said he was lucky to have survived. A few others suffered similar fates, although both Tetsutetsu and Shishida were made of sturdier stuff than he was. Apparently Aoyama from 1A was pretty banged-up though.
…
He was blinking in and out of consciousness at first, but he vividly recalled people talking about Yaoyorozu, how she was abducted. Last Awase remembered, she was with him, and they were running through the forest to safety… and then he let that freakish monster get the drop on them. That Muradasilova killed it (killed it, shit; did she stuff it full of dynamite or something?) was cold comfort at best.
Were he a little bit faster…
…
But that wasn't his fault that Yaoyorozu was abducted, was it? He… he did everything he could. The villain got a drop on them, and then…
…
He needed to think less. With how banged up he was, it was enough; he didn't need to kick himself down as well, even if it was tempting. God, it was so tempting. Where was Yaoyorozu now? What did the villains even want with her? Could there be any hope of saving her, somehow? Anyhow?
"Hey." Awase jolted in his bed, eyes refocusing on the present. Honenuki, and a few others. Not all of them got injured that night, but there was enough people in beds that visitors had to rotate in and out, so that everyone could get a turn. "You holding up okay?"
"I'll… live, I guess." Awase jiggled the arm in his cast slightly. Behind Juzo, Kuroiro chuffed out a laugh. "What about you guys?"
"The doc said I'll be good to go soon!" Tetsutetsu piped up from behind the other two, still in his own hospital scrubs. Guess being made of steel helped him avoid the worst of it; as far as Awase knew, Shishida and Aoyama were still stuck in bed like he was. "And I hope you'll be up on your feet too!"
"Right… uh… any word on Yaoyorozu or Bakugo?" Silence. The three visitors looked uncomfortable. "...right. Figured I'll ask."
"It's fine, dude. I'm sure the pros are looking for them." Honenuki nodded resolutely. "And they'll get the villains their just desserts for all of this, too."
Setsuna was growing impatient.
Maria had a lot of visitors lately, discussing what happened that fateful night. How many days has it been since then? Two, three? She wasn't sure; she hadn't been sleeping all that well. First it was Vlad King, then it was the police… Eraserhead showed up too… Vlad King again… and now Hawks of all people.
It seemed that whenever she wanted to slip inside and just talk with her friend, either some high-profile guest took priority or the nurses shooed her out to take care of the patient. Did Maria even need such extensive maintenance? She got banged-up pretty bad, yeah – but this wasn't even the worst she's had since coming to Japan. The memory of the Executioner guy putting an entire pistol clip in her abdomen felt long distant by now.
Setsuna was torn, on a number of things. It was obvious Maria didn't have any attraction to the girl villain she brutalized – that was just her jealous stupid lizard brain obscuring important things. She should be focusing on the second part, the brutal one.
...what she did was wrong.
There was no going around that. Sure, fighting villains wasn't always going to be pretty; everyone knew that – but this wasn't a fight; this was a hunt, with the villain girl being an unfortunate prey. Maria chased her around, seeking to kill her; not in defense of another or even of self; she was looking to skin the blonde girl like a piece of game.
And then, when she proved unable to do that, she instead took it out on a Nomu, turned it into chunks, according to what Kinoko told her. That got Setsuna thinking; what was she doing back in Hosu? Was she "just" fighting Stain? Or was she looking for an excuse to kill him too? But then was it even Setsuna's place to chew her out? And for what? It wouldn't even bring her any short-term satisfaction; all she'd have left would be a bitter taste in her mouth.
It was just a reminder that Maria came from another world entirely – and no matter what she did, it would catch up with her eventually…
The doors rustled open and a silhouette of a Winged Hero emerged from the room. "Still waiting?" Setsuna started, looking up at Hawks addressing her with an easygoing smile. "Think you've got a few minutes before the nurses come in for another checkup."
"Ah, uh… y-yeah. Thanks, sir."
"You know, Muradasilova talks a lot about you. Seems like you've got a steady friend in her." Oh. Did she, now? Setsuna bit back a curse, feeling her ears heat up. "Anyway, I should get going; gonna keep that Kizuki lady busy so she doesn't intrude…" Oh right, and the Shoowaysha menace was having a field day with all of this too, Tokage realized; an incident like what happened must have been huge for publishing. That thought alone was enough to kill her blush on the spot, though she resisted the frown. She really didn't like Kizuki, did she? Or did Maria's hostility towards the journalist rub off on her?
No matter. "I hope it's a two-way street, sir." She smiled wryly at Hawks.
Izuku Midoriya remained still like a statue.
He hadn't suffered much in the way of physical damage during the attack; a rarity for himself, even discounting the fact that he was getting a better grip on OFA, little by little. However, he wouldn't say he didn't get truly hurt. Something was… amiss. The vivid image of the creature that killed the villainess and then delivered Kouta to safety… the image of a creature with no face. It remained with him. Now and then he would be reminded of it, whether in a dream or just by having it suddenly flash into his mind like an errant thought.
It was a disconcerting finding, to say the least. All Might didn't have any clue what this might have been, only glumly pointing out that Maria Muradasilova – currently sitting next to him with an unreadable expression on her face – was involved in this, somehow. The UA faculty learned something the other day, and it was the kind of finding that made your head spin.
The two of them were being investigated by the police right now.
The accusations levied against them – the killing of villains – were not to be taken lightly. Izuku swallowed nervously. He knew he didn't kill Kalma. Kouta could vouch for him too, if they would even ask him about it (and not deem it a result of shock from the events) – but how could he begin to explain the identity of the real culprit? And yet… that wasn't the thing he was worried about.
The detective across the table, Naomasa Tsukauchi, had a Quirk that let him detect lies – and one of the routine questions was about an individual's Quirk. Which in Izuku's case, officially, was named "Super Power". What if that went off? The secret of One For All was at risk, and he could do nothing to prevent it!
Muradasilova, in comparison, looked as calm as she could be (which, admittedly, was her usual). Nonchalant, even. Their homeroom teachers accompanied them, but otherwise they were on their own.
Eraserhead looked angry. Vlad King's expression was as unreadable as Muradasilova's.
"Alright. I'll ask you a series of questions pertaining to the incident at the summer camp." Detective Tsukauchi nodded. "You don't have to answer a question if you don't want to."
"Sir."
"S-sir! I mean, y-yeah, okay…!"
"Let's go with you first, Midoriya-kun. Some routine questions for the record first; your age?" Oh God, here it came...
"S-sixteen."
"You live in Musutafu Ward, yes?"
"Y-yes." Here it came!
"Your Quirk is listed as "Super Power", yes?" I'm sorry, All Might! Midoriya swallowed nervously.
"Yes."
"Alright, that's about it for the routine." Wait. But… the way the question was worded… his Quirk was listed as "Super Power"! It wasn't Super Power, but…! Oh, but did that mean Detective Tsukauchi was more in the know about All Might's secret?! Did he know about OFA?! "Shall we move on to the meat of things?"
"S-sir!" Oh God, was he looking too happy about this?! He knew the teachers were watching, that Muradasilova was watching (and she already had her suspicions!)…
"Alright. I would like you to answer this question truthfully." The easy-going smile slid off the Detective's face. "Did you kill Riichi Yomigae, alias Kalma, on the night of the incident?" Izuku exhaled.
"No." Silence. Although he didn't make a sound, Midoriya could sense Eraserhead shifting in place at the revelation. Guess he was worried about it, too, and no small wonder.
"Can you tell me who is responsible?" Izuku opened his mouth to explain, only to close it after a moment. How… did he even go about explaining what this creature was? He wasn't even sure if he got a good look at it (nor was he particularly inclined to recall her)…
"You may refer to me on that matter, constable." Muradasilova came to his rescue, her voice flat and with little inflection. Tsukauchi's eyebrow rose slightly. "Flora is the name of the assailant. She is an extraterrestrial and my faithful companion whom I appointed the guardian of the young one."
Nothing. No reaction from the detective's Quirk. Judging by his expression, mouth slightly open in sheer bafflement, this was not something he expected. And yet, Izuku felt no reaction from the teachers in the back. No, actually, he did feel something; hostility. Aizawa-sensei was glaring daggers at the back of Muradasilova's head.
"From what she had told me, she ambushed the necromancer and crushed her head to powder. Slammed her into a wall a few times, for good measure." Maria continued unabated. Even though her posture was rigid, it seemed as if a great weight finally dropped off her shoulders. "Flora however doubts that this is the last we have seen of the ghoulish creature in glasses."
"I… need a moment to write that down." The detective muttered, finally composing himself enough to resume the investigation – which certainly took a turn…!
"Maria Muradasilova, did you kill the Nomu at the night of the incident?"
"Yes, although I am not certain of its death."
"Did you seek to kill Himiko Toga as well?"
"Yes."
"Did you kill in self-defense?"
"No."
"Did you kill in the defense of another?"
"No."
"Are you absolutely certain of your answers?"
"Without a shadow of a doubt, constable."
Maria was summoned to the Principal's Office the morning the classes resumed.
This was to be expected. Some of the things she had said during the police investigation could not be excused so easily, not after her earlier misadventures. But what else could she do? Lie, against a constable and his falsehood-detecting Quirk? Now how would that make her look?
No. Master Kan briefed her on the state of things; the faculty was largely aware of the Yharnam situation, of the Great Ones, of this myriad of things that she brought with herself. She, in turn, told about Flora's existence and involvement in the events of that fateful night – and her own urges, to carve the bothersome gnat to pieces.
Some part of her reasoned that she would be doing that to protect others. Himiko Toga was a violent criminal with a misbegotten blood Quirk; another of Annalise's little agents sent to sow chaos. And yet, Maria knew the true answer to that conundrum; she sought to kill the little gnat because she was an eyesore from back home. Or so she saw her.
Thus she stood before the Principal, before the grim teacher from 1A, and her own master from 1B. A fourth one – All Might – filled the room with his presence just behind Nezu's chair, but his everpresent grin was nowhere to be found. No doubt she must have disappointed him with her actions. A shame; he seemed like a good man, but he was fundamentally different from her. They all were.
That was why Hawks approached her with that dossier in the hospital; to give her a place to belong. A place to stay. A place to put her grim talents to use.
"In light of the current and earlier events, the faculty decided to relegate you to a General Studies class." The Principal announced. She tilted her head in confusion. They were not getting rid of her? They would rather keep her around? Her eyes searched for Vlad King's, but her master remained unreadable. He was not aware of the treachery she was planning to commit now that she had heard the verdict.
"If you stop being a hero student, you know what to do." Words the winged hero, lapdog of the Hero Commission, gave her; the words of the grim underbelly of this world of hope and progress. Even such places like this land had their own shadows; it was only natural.
"It is a decision we did not want to commit to, and we hoped there would be no need for it. However, even in light of your backstory and previous experiences, your behavior was unbecoming of a hero applicant." Nezu did not reproach her, he did not sound stern; merely a patient parent explaining to a young child why she could not play with her favorite dog anymore.
The dog had to be put down.
"That being said, we do not believe expelling you would do any good. While UA is not a therapy facility, we can offer you options to try and begin your healing as you reassume the mantle of a student." Nezu took a moment; no one said a word for a few seconds. "This decision is effective immediately; you will report to 1C homeroom after we conclude this meeting. Do you have any questions?"
"I do not – but I would like to say my piece." Nezu gestured for her to continue. Aizawa and Master Kan both stiffened, but for different reasons; the former seemed hostile to her (and it was a sentiment Maria understood); the latter, on the other hand, appeared as if he understood where this was going. All Might, bless his heart, tried to remain that encouraging beacon of hope, even in this awful yellow suit he was wearing.
"Master Kan brought me here for this purpose; to heal after the nightmare of Yharnam, and to begin anew. To use my grim powers for a better goal, both to help the helpless and to soothe my savage soul." She bowed her head. "I am grateful for his effort, especially since I have been an arrogant and bothersome student for him and the others of this faculty."
Nobody interrupted her. Maria sighed. "The events of that summer camp helped me realize something. I am not a hero material. I am not someone like my classmates or like you. I lack not just the spark others possess – but I lack the right mindset and the ability to hold my punches against my foes. However, to simply lie down and become an ordinary student? After all of what happened, both in the past distant and near?"
"It's not ideal, but it helps you avoid further repercussions." Aizawa grounded out, glaring daggers at her. "Because you are being treated with extraordinary kindness even now."
"The kind of kindness that is lost on me, Aizawa, sir. I am not a hero. I am a mere hunter. A killer. Mine is the path steeped in blood."
"I am sure that even you can reach the hopeful conclusion, Young Muradasilova!" All Might assured, even though she could tell her confession shook him. A mere child, admitting so dispassionately to her dark nature? Of course it would be shocking. It would be unthinkable for most. "Things are difficult right now, we cannot deny that. However, resignation shall bear no fruit either."
"Oh no, sir. I am not resigning. I am taking a new path. The only path available for the likes of me." This time, the silence after her words was almost deafening. Maria produced the dossier from her jacket. "I wish to do good for the world, but mine are methods deemed unacceptable. Thus, the Hero Commission approached me with a training program. I shall become in their tutelage and employ; out of sight and out of mind." She placed it on the table, feeling tired. Exhausted. More tired than after the villains escaped (there was still no word or sight of Momo or Bakugo…), more tired than after she spared Stain.
More tired when she first cast Rakuyo into the well, sick with herself.
"...what the hell do you think you're doing?" Aizawa was the first to speak up. Unlike the others, he didn't deem to look at the dossier and the contents within, although the expressions of readers told her more than enough. Vlad King in particular looked horrified at this betrayal.
A student of UA, dishonorably discharged and then recruited by the Hero Public Safety Commission to become their personal agent? Of course, the dossier didn't say things so brazenly – but to have an extraordinary prodigy with minimal hero training, but unique skills that only she owed? Operating in the gray zone, outside of jurisdiction and the public's concept of justice?
"If I am enrolled in the ranks of this program, that takes care of a multitude of problems at once, Aizawa, sir."
"Bullshit it does—"
"Aizawa." Nezu's voice was firm and unrelenting. Eraser's teeth clicked together, the scathing critique turning into a growl. Once the principal looked up to regard Maria, he was not smiling. "Explain, Muradasilova-kun."
"I was a centerpiece of numerous events, either directly like in Hosu… or by association, like the USJ incident. The School of Mensis and now the Healing Church arrived to this land due to Flora's meddling – and she was my responsibility as her lifelong companion." Maria sighed. "Thus, no bad press shall ricochet to hit my fellows or the school, nor shall they be at further risk. Setsuna… they will take interest in her, but without me present, they will have no need to send their best. And furthermore, the Mensis are broken and the Church is likely to negotiate before they strike – that gives you time to prepare."
"And what happens with you in the process?"
"I shall become the shadow of Hero Society; an unspoken voice, a dirty thought. The Commission seeks to employ my talents for hunting – and they will accommodate me accordingly."
"You do realize what you're admitting to? That you will become the Commission's personal killer?" Aizawa ground out, glaring daggers into her. "Do you even understand what happens if this tidbit goes out to the media?" For emphasis, he reached into the confines of his scarf and produced a small device, its red light blinking at regular intervals. An audio recorder.
"Aizawa, this is…"
"You can lecture me later, All Might." Eraser didn't deign to turn, his eyes glowing red. Maria's were cool and tranquil, almost unfocused. "I said, do you understand what will happen, Muradasilova?"
"Societal unrest. UA will lose its reputation and the trust the public has for it. The Principal and All Might will be discredited, seeing as they are present. I might end up tossed into a dungeon." Something of a wry smile slipped on her lips. "I should think it is in your best interest to destroy this recording." Aizawa did not reply, boring into her like he was trying to burn through her skull.
"It would be." Nezu regarded her in a more calculated manner, head slightly tilted. "But would that be right, Muradasilova-kun?"
"That, I cannot be the judge of."
Silence. Maria remained still like a statue before the four. Her and Master Kan's eyes met, and she only offered an apologetic nod.
"As you will be acting outside the established order of things" Nezu reached for the recorder, turning it off. "any pro-hero or police officer will have the right to apprehend you if you are found hunting. It is likely the Commission will cast you aside in such a situation, especially if you injure or kill an innocent in the process."
"That is correct. I am prepared to walk this tightrope."
"...Principal, I… don't think we should allow this." All Might shook his head, his tone was unsure. "I understand this is a special situation—"
"There is nothing special about it. Plenty of hero rejects end up as villains, in a startling side-effect of how this society operates." Aizawa narrowed his eyes dangerously low. "Although state-sponsored ones are a first."
"Some must stain themselves in blood so that others do not have to."
"...Stain said those words too." Master Kan spoke, quietly – and yet Maria flinched as if slapped. "...I'm sorry, Maria. I failed you, more than others."
"...you are a good man, Master Kan. A splendid teacher and an excellent hero – but you are no hunter." She bowed her head low in another nod, a more respectful measure. "I will leave my uniform in the locker. For all it is worth, I am sorry for disappointing you all. You have made a valiant effort to change my nature… but some things are set in stone, whether we like it or not."
No one stopped her from leaving.
Do you ever have the feeling that you hate what you write?
Sometimes the project sprawls out of control and leaves you scrambling to put some damage control in before the story becomes too unfeasible and too improbable. Even then, I feel like I have gone a bit far in this one - but it is the end of something, a "Part 1" if you will. Maria had left the path of the hero and is ready to use her talents for a grim if needed purpose. Her leaving UA and joining the ranks of the Hero Commission helps me reset some of the situation; establish a new status quo. There's a lot to work with, and a lot more still to go.
The next chapter will be an interlude of sorts before we resume Maria's misadventures - and among all this, there's still Setsuna. Can't believe this fic once called itself "Setsuna-centric"; well, let's give her some spotlight, at least...
...but yeah. It's been a ride, an irregular and bumpy ride of varying quality - a ride nonetheless. I hope you've enjoyed your stay here and will continue to do so; your patronage is always appreciated. c: