Midori the Phoenix
Chapter 2: Assuming an Alias
The trip back from America was hell. For the remaining four months of her pregnancy Izumi made a declaration that she would remain at home and not subject herself to such headaches. Her companions, Compress, Gentle, and La Brava remained in America acting on her orders to see to the preparations she laid out before returning to Japan.
She knew Tomura was going through his own battles in Japan and would need their assistance. The Japanese Liberation Front, a group of radicalists, were on the hunt for them and it was because of Kurogiri that they were able to narrowly escape it.
Tomura was growing stronger, Compress had declared, training himself and his quirk to the breaking point. On top of that the doctor had provided them with a clue to a possible ally who could turn the tides. Izumi didn't know who this ally was, but if he could help Tomura remain out of harm's way, then all the better.
She took a few minutes in the bathroom to freshen up and change her guise. She winced a bit as she changed her contact lenses from blue to red, then put on a silvery blonde wig so that she matched Eri's coloring. She fluffed her fingers through it, grateful that it looked natural on her. She wished she knew enough about make-up to make her skin a bit smoother and paler but the overall look would do.
Once her transformation was complete she picked up her carry on and flipped open her phone to call Touya.
"Hey, how'd it go?" He answered a little breathlessly.
"Better than I'd hoped it would. Are you alright? You sound out of breath."
"I'm fine, I just had to chase the damn dog down the street after Kota lost grip on the leash." He let out a long wheezy breath that made her smile with affection. Touya was not the most athletic of men. Probably due to the fact he had relied so heavily on his mind and quirk. "Remind me why we needed to get a pet?"
"Because all young families should have one." She laughed. "Plus I've always wanted a puppy. He'll be nice and big when he grows up and will make an excellent guard dog."
"Why couldn't we just keep Nomu? He was at least obedient, and didn't chew on my shoes."
"Very funny." She rolled her eyes and hailed a taxi. "I'm getting into a cab now, I'll see you in a half an hour."
"Okay, and be careful. The old bat across the street has been waiting for you and been camping out on her front stoop all morning."
"Well she does like her gossip. No worries, husband, I'll handle her." She hung up and fluffed her wig again feeling confident. When the cab pulled up to the sweet cottage, Izumi got out with the help from the driver which earned him a generous tip. She waved her fingers as he drove off and unlocked the gate getting ready to go in.
"Mrs. Todoroki!" The old woman, whom Touya warned her about, came running across the road and straight to her. Mrs. Amelia Bennett was a widow with two sons and a daughter, all of whom still lived with her. Her eldest son was a doctor, and the very physician she'd sought out to assist her in her pregnancy. Amelia was breaching sixty years old and carried the age well and spritely. She had an interesting quirk called gab, that allowed the woman to talk for days without stopping for breath. Izumi found it both a challenge to counter and secretly annoying to deal with. "Welcome back. How was your trip? Was it productive?"
"Yes, quite so Mrs. Bennett." She turned offering a polite smile and took her offered hands. "Has my husband been behaving himself?"
"Oh absolutely, he's a fine young man much like my Robert. Very stoic and private, but clearly loves his children. I just saw him walking with the wee ones a few minutes ago and it was the sweetest picture."
"He is a good man and a great father," she rubbed her belly. "Which is why I keep him around." The comment made the older woman laugh.
"Oh you lucky girl, to find such a sweet and interesting foreigner for a husband. How did you two meet again?"
"A joint acquaintance introduced us." She let out a long sigh and purposely swayed. "If you'll please excuse me, Amelia, the trip has made us both tired."
"Oh! Yes of course let's get you inside dear. I'll take your bag." Mrs. Bennett hefted Izumi's luggage up and Izumi tried not to look smug as she followed behind her. Touya opened the front door when he saw them come up the walk. He immediately went to Izumi and took her hand. The dog leapt out behind him. He barked and yipped circling the two and wagging its bushy tail.
"Ack! Damn it Natsu! Get down! Back inside!" Touya snapped at the puppy, but was ignored. They'd named the puppy after Touya and Shotos other brother. Mainly because his big wide eyes, and all white coloring had reminded Touya a lot of his younger brother and his frost quirk.
"Oh well now isn't he a bright eyed boy?" Mrs. Bennett laughed and put the suitcases down in the doorway.
"Down Natsu." Izumi pointed her finger to the floor. "Sit." The puppy immediately obeyed, plopping his rump on stone path and looking up with pure joy in its eyes.
"Why doesn't he do that when I ask?" Touya gestured looking irritable.
"It's because you're a soft touch." She patted his cheek then turned to Amelia. "Would you like to come inside? We can have some tea and chat a bit before I retire." At Touya's grunt Izumi rolled her eyes and whispered. "Don't mind him, he has yet to acquire the taste." She winked and earned a giggle from Amelia.
"Oh don't mind if I do. I just love your home. Why, this house has been here nearly as long as mine. I was heartbroken when the old neighbors decided to leave for London. They wanted to lead a city life in their retirement years they said. Isn't it supposed to be the other way around?"
"They sound eccentric." Izumi sat at the table and gave her belly a rub. Touya immediately went to work on the tea. "Me? I'm a simple woman, with simple tastes."
She shot a glare over her shoulder when Touya snorted.
"Oh I can tell," Mrs. Bennett giggled at the silent banter. "You're so dignified for one so young. Hard to believe you've two children already and have a third on the way."
"We did start early." She laughed and twisted her wedding ring around her finger. She'd spent a great deal of time laying out the timeline and background of hers and Touya's relationship. Since they were in a foreign country it was easy enough to blend in with the right forged documents… but England was known for its nosy people and wide gossip, so she made sure to instruct everyone on their background including Kota and Eri.
"Young love, and a well matched young love at that." She looked to Touya. "How is your book coming along Touya?"
"Huh?" He paused at the kettle looking confused."My what?"
"Your book, Touya…" Izumi emphasized with a quick raise of her eyebrows. "Don't be shy now, darling."
"Oh right… it's going well, I guess." He poured the tea and as Mrs. Bennett went on a small ramble about her favorite books he bent down to whisper in Izumi's ear. "Why did it have to be a novelist?"
"How else are you going to make a living that allows you to stay home all the time?" She whispered through gritted teeth and smiled. "Would you have preferred I said you were a bum so others could hound you about finding work?"
"Let them hound, I'll just tell them to buzz off…" he sighed and set the tea down. He before she picked it up he placed a finger on her lips. "One cup. Doc said no excess caffeine, remember?"
"Hmmmmm," Izumi smiled and took his hand in hers squeezing it affectionately. "Yes, daddy."
The two women continued to converse, speaking of all manner of things from the neighborhood, to gardening, and of course the latest hero scandals. Natsu had finally settled down after running wild around the house and curled up at Izumi's feet snoring. After an hour and a half of endless chatter, Touya cut off the gossip talk and set his hands on Izumi's shoulder.
"That's enough chit chat. You're ready to fall asleep in your chair and you're getting too big for me to carry you to bed anymore." He bent his head down to her ear. "We need to talk too before you drift off."
"How rude, but as you wish." With his help Izumi stood up. "Thank you for your company Amelia. Please tell Robert that I shall be by for my checkup tomorrow."
"I will, you take care now Phoebe, and Touya if your work is ever published in English be sure to send me a copy."
"Sure… have a good day, Mrs. Bennett." He escorted the older woman out, and let out a long relieved sigh as he closed the door behind her. "Jesus fucking Christ I thought she'd never leave." He turned around facing Izumi. "Why the hell do you like that chatterbox so much?"
"She's a good test of wits. She's nosy and always pokes into our personal life which would come in handy if we were ever questioned by a more serious source. She's also proof that no matter how much someone can poke and prod they won't get the best of me." she said confidently. "She's also a good source of information."
"I'm glad you enjoy it at least. If I don't have to say anything then I don't."
"The problem with that Touya is that the more you stay quiet, the more people want to know about you. Which is why I use the truth to tell lies. It allows us to have a sense of identity without giving away too much information."
"Whatever you say, Phoebe." He snorted at her wince. "Hey you're the one that picked it."
"I picked Phoebe based on my character background. My family is originally from America who became obsessed with European culture, particularly Greek mythology, and English Monarchies. Phoebe is a greek name with a rich history, and is based on an ancient hero of that time. It fits the character, so it doesn't have to fit me."
"I like Izumi better." He reached out tugging the wig off so that her green hair came tumbling out. He strokes his fingers through it and bent down to kiss her lips. "Izumi Todoroki."
"I like it better too…" She smiled and slid her hands up his chest. "You know as well as I do that I can't use any names that might link to Karma. We used your real name because no one is looking for Touya Todoroki… and even if your family gets curious and comes snooping, they won't know that it's me.
"I know…" He pulls her into the bedroom and helps her change into a nightgown then lays down with her stroking her belly. He felt their child stir in the womb and it brought a smile to his face. "Tomorrow we'll find out the gender, right?"
"Mmmm that's what Rob says." She lay her hands over his and curled up with him. "Boy or Girl, it doesn't really matter to me, but I am curious to see which."
"Have you given any thought to names?"
"Yes… though admittedly just for the boy." She turned to face him and she stroked her fingers over his face. "I want to call him Finnick."
"Finnick Todoroki… hmm alright, but why that name?"
"It's a name with Symbolism. In many languages Finn means "The End" and this child represents the end of an era. It's also a derivation of Phoenix."
"Ah, that last one makes more sense to me." He kissed her forehead. "In that case, if it's a boy then we shall definitely call him Finnick. For a girl, would you mind if we called her Rei?"
"After your mom?" She smiled up at him. "Yes, I like the name Rei."
"Good… now that that's settled." He pulls her in close and strokes her back. "Tell me about America."
"Mmmm, David Shield has agreed to look into Eri's file. He's yet to agree to make a support item for her, but I have hopes he'll come to see that I'm doing this for good reason." She stroked her fingers over his chest, her eyes fluttering open and closed as the soothing stroke from his hands lulled her.
"She's getting better, I've noticed, since you've been here. She tries hard at her studies, and always pays attention which is more than I can say for Kota. The kid has itchy feet, he likes to move and run around."
"He was raised in the woods." She replied, quietly, her eyes drooping.
"He and Eri are growing closer everyday… they hate to be separated from each other. Kinda reminds me of-" He drifted off when he felt Izumi go limp with sleep. He eyed her face, and smiled shifting just a little to get free and used pillows and blankets to tuck her in and make her comfortable. "Rest well, My queen."
He exited the room, closing the door behind him and letting out a long sigh. This normal life was both fulfilling and exhausting. He'd spent more than ten years living on his own, wandering aimlessly from country to country surviving by his quirk and his wits. This was definitely a step up from all that. He had a quaint and quiet home, money in his pocket, and the comforts of a real family.
He never expected to feel so comfortable just living a normal life.
He had become a villain because he hated the hypocrisy of Hero Society. He sought to move against it, not really expecting to change anything… he'd considered himself more as a rebel than an activist. Yet Izumi had changed everything.
She not only got him actively moving against Hero Society, but had put him smack dab in the center of the chaos… and he LOVED it.
Finally, finally he was actually DOING something with his life. He was acting out against the politics of society he despised. He was putting his knowledge, his quirk, and his heart into a cause he believed in.
When All for One threatened to take that away from him, he could have walked away. He could have saved his own skin, spared himself the humiliation of being quirkless and ostracized… but he didn't. He'd faced down that great evil, he'd stood by Izumi through it all… and despite the rough patches they'd won out.
All for One was out of commission, his love rivals who'd threatened to take Izumi away from him were no longer in the picture, and he had a beautiful young woman all to himself and was raising a family with her. Best of all she was still in the game, and so long as she was in the game, then so was he.
Things would be quiet for awhile. They needed to lay low, gather intel, and tip the right boxes as Izumi put. He was fine with quiet, he was fine with laying low, because once all the groundwork was all put into motion then he and Izumi could just sit back in their pretty cottage, with their growing family, and watch the fireworks.
~In Japan~
Gigomachia sat in front of a small radio listening to the news. The stories of Karma, and her villainous acts against society were becoming legendary. On every station someone or another had something to say about the teenage queen and the mark she'd made.
She was the first villain to ever infiltrate the U.A. Academy.
She was the first villain to ever publicly execute a hero on a nationwide scale.
She was the first villain to infiltrate I-Island and escape with billions of dollars worth of technology.
She was the first and only villain to get the best of All Might, the Symbol of Peace.
.
She was the first villain to ever gain the sympathy of the public.
She was the first villain to ever successfully infiltrate and escape Tartarus Prison.
He slammed his first down over the radio, smashing it to pieces. He'd heard enough about the pint-sized queen. He'd known that she was once a student of his master, and had later become his daughter. She'd betrayed him, had attempted to kill him and take over as the new head of the underworld. She very nearly succeeded too.
His master had stopped her, but he had got himself caught by All Might in the process. Shigaraki Tomura who was supposed to be his heir had done nothing to stop Karma from rising up again, and this time had disabled his master for good.
"I will find you Karma…" he said in a deep low grumble. "When I do… I will make you pay for what you've done to my master."
He stood up and walked through the woods, knocking down trees and brush in his wake. He needed to find himself another radio.
~America~
David sat in his laboratory mulling over the items in front of him. He tried to figure out how he wanted to approach the subject material, and what kind of answer he should give to Izumi. He couldn't just flat out deny her, or she may very well lash out… or break contact with him altogether her to prevent herself from being caught.
A request like this wasn't illegal at any rate. He often got requests for support items for children who couldn't control their quirks or whose bodies rejected thm. It wasn't like he would be doing something wrong. Right?
"Guess I'll just see what she gave me and make my decision from there." He decided and cracked open the thick file. He scanned over the pages, impressed by the level of order and neatness this Kai Chisaki had.
After several tests I've come to the conclusion that Eri's quirk is nothing like what the Boss has suggested. Her quirk has nothing to do with the deconstruction of matter, but instead is a rewind quirk. She can revert a living organism to a previous state.
"Rewind huh?" David tapped his fingers to his lips. "I can see how a quirk like that could be hazardous to other people." He looked at the picture provided, the rats used in experiments and teh various results depending on the right combination of "samples" given to it through consumption and injection. "He was able to control different parts of the body mutating the subjects a little at a time, or completely depending on how much he gave."
His stomach did a little twist when it became apparent on just how those samples had been taken. He stepped away from the work, pacing a few times before looking at the disc. He debated on whether or not to look at it but he needed to commit. Sitting back down he slipped the disc into the computer. He saw the various files and frowned when he spotted a folder mixed in labeled "The Karma Project."
He clicked on it, his eyes browsing over the content… and then went wide with astonishment. The detailed notes of his original work were edited and shifted into an entirely different formula. Instead of triggering quirks like his previous formula, the one triggered the effects of the read the attached annotation in the daily diary.
To appease my future wife, I have taken the time to alter my previous formula for her purposes. During the study of Eri's quirk I've been able to predict and isolate the various ways to use it. Karma's ingenious idea of altering the target of "rewind" has given me more ideas on how to monopolize Eri's quirk. Bringing Karma in was truly the best idea I've ever had, even if it does come with some risk.
Karma's mind is fresh and innovative, and she knows how to use the weapons at her disposal to the best of their abilities. She and Eri have become incredibly close, and Eri's been far more submissive and willing thanks to that relationship. Karma dotes on the girl, more so than I think she should, but I trust her to do what's best even if she isn't fully aware of Eri's importance to my work.
There is a worry on my mind, however. I find myself becoming too attached to my future bride. She's made me become more open, and accepting of the people around me. She's reduced my fear of intimacy to the point where I actually long to touch her, and look forward to seeing her day by day. I've also grown jealous of that quirkless loser she insists upon keeping around her. The closer they are, the angrier I become.
Is this how Tomura Shigaraki felt, I wonder? Is this why he threatened to kill Dabi in order to keep his precious queen to himself? I can't allow myself to make the same mistakes as him. I have too much at stake with the preparations of my plan going so well. I need Karma to need me as much as I need her. The only way I see that working is if I make her fall in love with me. I think it's time I let go of my inhibitions, and act on my desires. I was going to wait until we were married, but I can't wait that long. I will make Karma mine in every sense of the word.
The first step is to take her body… and with any luck impregnate her.
David stopped reading and he stood up pacing away from the work. He thought back to when he'd seen Karma, how pale she was, and tired looking. The tea she had ordered had been decaffeinated, the clothes she wore loose and baggy hiding her body which wasn't her style at all.
"Pregnant… the Queen of Villains, is pregnant!"
~Ask Briry~
David Shield has figured out Karma's secret… but what does he plan to do with this information I wonder? Across the sea an enemy lurks in the shadows, but will he find who he's looking for?
Next Chapter: Tipping the Boxes