Rumi's attack had been surprisingly successful, all things considered. Successful in that Nomu wasn't going to be getting up again. Ever. Oh, she'd planned how to take the biological terror down well before she ever set foot in the USJ. At the time, she just didn't know if it would be enough. Well, it was.

A cynical part of her expected Nomu to sprout two heads from the stump of its neck, but there it lay, dead as dead could be. The gory results made her stomach clench, and yet, miraculously, she'd avoided the geyser of blackened blood spewing out of Nomu's carotid arteries. It was oddly frightening to know you had the power to decapitate someone with your thighs alone. Note to self: don't fucking do that to anyone that weighs more than you.

When she threw herself back, at the beginning of the flip that toppled Nomu, she'd used every single scrap of muscle fiber she had. It was apparent now that her abused body couldn't take the strain. Her right leg, the knee specifically, shook violently when she tried her weight on it. Worse, the dull ache in her chest had grown to a sharp, lancing pain. Moving, even breathing, was agonizing.

Feeling around, Rumi found a sharp divot in her ribcage. Mind fogged – both by pain and the drugs in her system tapering off – it was easy to let the deeply engrained commission training take over. Rib fracture. Punctured lung highly probable given shortness of breath and painful inhalation. Need medical intervention ASAP.

Maybe she'd overdone it. Just a bit. She wanted to lie down and sob, but that wasn't about to happen with an audience. And speaking of her audience…

Izuku was the first one she saw. He was crying, naturally, but she saw the relief in him. Strange that he hadn't run over yet- Ah. All Might grasped Izuku's shoulder, gently holding him in place. All Might himself stared at her curiously, brow furrowed. Neither trusting nor hostile. Smart man. She grinned up at him, if only to show that she was harmless, and to prove to Izuku that everything was okay.

Nejire, still tangled in her shrub, gawked. Elated and furious, like she wanted to hug Rumi before, after, and while beating her senseless. A little whisper of guilt hissed nasty things in the back of her mind. It made a point to remind her how it felt to snap Nejire's slender fingers under her own. Making things right with the girl was pretty high up on her to-do list. She didn't have high hopes, but she had to try. So, Rumi smiled at Nejire. It was a bit sad, a bit apologetic, but also friendly and warm.

Right, enough sappy introspection. Nomu was zeroed, the goons were down, All Might was in one piece, and she had a pretty good feeling that Shigaraki and Kurogiri were being judiciously tenderized by Nejire's blond teammate, Mirio. She limped forward, dragging her carcass to All Might, one step at a time. Agh, shit! I'm hurt way more than I thought. Hawks wasn't here - and she was starting to worry that something bad had happened – but that didn't matter right this second. If she could just talk to Mr. No. 1 himself for five minutes, she could wash her hands of this whole Kamino Ward, Tomura Shigaraki, Kurogiri nonsense.

She could go home.

Now or never. She was on the clock and quickly running out of time. "All Might." She croaked, swaying. "I need to talk to you." She tripped on her feet and crashed to the ground, cradling her ribs. The concrete felt so cool against her forehead. "Need… your help."

"Rumi!" Izuku strained impotently against All Might's grip. He turned and looked up. "All Might, please!" he hissed, with no small desperation.

The sound of Kurogiri's portal tearing through reality set her teeth on edge. Fuck! Not now, I was so close!"

Shigaraki tumbled through, bruised, bleeding, and spitting mad. Kurogiri followed. His steel collar significantly battered. He made to say something when Mirio phased through the ground at ludicrous speeds. He looked untouched, save for a ragged hole in his cape.

"POWER!" The blond screamed, hammering Kurogiri in the head so hard that the bartender bounced when he hit the ground. "Oh, hey All Might!" He said brightly, beaming up at him like a ray of sunshine. Then he glanced around, noticing Rumi. "Oh." Then Nejire, who was halfway out of her leafy prison. "Oh?" Then Nomu's headless body. He recoiled at that one "Oh! I, uh, missed some big developments, huh?"

"You didn't miss much, Young Togata. Only justice being served." All Might's voice rattled everyone present. He leveled his arm, pointing right at Shigaraki. "Surrender villains. You're defeated."

With Mirio's beatdown on hold, Shigaraki was finally able to regroup. He howled, rounding on Mirko. "What. Happened?" His voice, so thick with rage, mangled the words until they were barely decipherable.

Rumi laughed, and god did that fucking hurt. She pointed at All Might. "The fuck… you think… happened?"

Dying as she might be, Rumi's sense of hearing was still pristine. She heard All Might murmuring to Izuku. "I pushed past my current limit Young Midoriya. I'm afraid I can't move a muscle. We have to stall."

Shigaraki seethed. "You. You. I hate you! I HATE YOU!" He lunged for All Might.

Kurogiri, though dazed, was still able to throw open a pair of portals with impressive precision. One directly in front of Shigaraki with the exit by his side.

Once more, Shigaraki stood beside Kurogiri. Rabid and incensed, he swiped at the bartender ineffectively, fingers passing through his misty body.

"Tomura Shigaraki, please, we are routed. We must retreat to fight another day!"

"Yeah, so what's it going to be, villain? You said he was made to fight me, but here I am. You think you got what it takes to do the job yourself? Then don't keep me waiting." All Might's perpetual grin? Overpowering. His taunt? Effective.

Shigaraki clawed at his throat, gurgling.

Tense silence reigned for a harrowing minute. No one moved.

Rumi went over the scenario in her head. The heroes appeared to have the numbers advantage, but going off the byplay between All Might and Izuku, he was nothing more than a showpiece now. Izuku was exhausted, and still too unfamiliar with his own abilities. Mirio looked fresh and ready as ever, but he was only one person. Nejire was practically the energizer bunny when it came to endurance, and she was absurdly strong, but she was slow.

Shigaraki's quirk was the stuff of nightmares. A single touch was enough to zero anyone here, and Mirio was the only one he couldn't reliably lay a finger on. Kurogiri could readily dismember by snapping his portals shut. It was clean. Lethal. He played the role of executioner in the original plan. Nomu was to hold All Might down while Kurogiri popped his head off. Snip snip. The danger of their quirks, compounded by Shigaraki's amoral lack of restraint, made for a pretty good force equalizer.

Then there was her. The pathetic lump of bruises, drowning in her own blood. She could take Kurogiri down. Could probably crush his neck with ease, strangling him with his own support device. That would keep Shigaraki from escaping. He'd probably disintegrate her before anyone could stop him. He was fast.

Alternatively, she could go for Shigaraki. He was close enough that she could splatter his brains across the pavement with a snappy kick. She imagined her body falling limp while her head fell from a portal to land at Izuku's feet. Kurogiri may or may not escape after that. Too many variables.

Either way, she couldn't stand, so it didn't really matter. Hell, she was barely breathing at this point. She just hoped that Izuku came out in one piece. She followed the little tugging sensation, turning her head to face him. He looked grim and determined. Afraid, but not terrified. He'd come so far. She nudged at him, hoping she could reassure him.

Izuku jolted, blinking in confusion.

After a second, Rumi felt a tentative nudge in return. She had no idea what was going on, but she grinned.

Trust.

A distant blast dragged everyone's attention upward.

Katsuki Bakugo flew down from the top of the grand staircase, looking just as angry as Shigaraki, if not more so.

Leave it to her brother to get the ball rolling. Rumi groaned, and forced herself to sit up. She blacked out on the way. When the haze cleared, Kacchan was on top of them. White bandages stained red wrapped his forearms. He'd pushed himself too hard. Rumi wanted to smack him upside the head for that.

Teeth bared in a feral snarl, Kacchan threw a right hook right at her.

She wasn't surprised in the slightest, but it did make her sad.

A wave of concussive force hammered Shigaraki, Kurogiri, and herself. Everyone shouted at once. She heard portals tearing through the air, Izuku's quirk crackling, the sizzle of Nejire powering up. Not that she could see anything. She tumbled back, arse over elbow, limp as a corpse.

"YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH! LISTEN UP ALL YOU EVIL LITTLE BOYS AND GIRLS, THE UA CAVALRY HAS ARRIVED! NOW'S THE TIME TO SURRENDER AND COME QUIETLY!" Present Mic's distinct voice shook the foundations of the building.

Kurogiri's portal snapped shut. He was gone, along with Shigaraki. Leaving her to face down five heroes by herself plus all the newly arrived pros. Typical.

Her brother stood over her, hand raised. No threats. No cursing. He remained silent, face twisted into something hateful.

He looked so hurt. Betrayed. A wracking cough kept her from moving off her knees. Her hand came away bloody. Oh, that's not good.

Izuku charged "Kacchan, stop!"

He didn't blow her to bits, but he did throw out his arm, clotheslining Izuku.

A portal tore through the ground, nearly under her. Her weight, now unsupported, pitched back. She fell. As her legs slipped through, she lurched forward, scrabbling for a handhold. She couldn't find any purchase with her legs on the other side of the portal. In the back of her mind, she wondered if this was Kurogiri cleaning up loose ends. Would he snip her in half? Or was she going to go for a nice swim in Tokyo Bay?

Izuku ducked under Kacchan's arm and dove.

Something clicked, and she made a calm realization. Instead of reaching – and she probably could reach him if she tried right this instant – she pushed off the edge, throwing herself back. She'd rather fall than let him get his arm ripped off. It was more than worth it. She grinned up at him as the portal snapped shut. Everything will be okay.

"No. No, no, no!" Izuku bashed his palm into the ground, right where the portal just closed. "I had her. She was- I- I was this close!" He jolted upright; lightning arcing off him. He turned sharply. "I HAD HER!"

Katsuki was unmoved.

There was a painfully long moment of silence where they stood nose to nose. Izuku heaved. A bead of sweat rolled down his temple.

"Good riddance." Katsuki spat.

Izuku punched him in the face, threw his whole body into it.

On reflex, Katsuki jerked his wrist up, firing off an explosion into Izuku's gut. It was by no means a weak counter, but the aerosolized mist of blood that spurted through his bandages said it did more damage to himself than to Izuku.

"Woah!" Mirio darted between them and extended his arms, pushing them apart. "Woah, woah, break it up guys!"

"She's your sister!" Izuku shouted struggling against Mirio's grip. "How the hell can you say that?!"

Nejire swooped in, looped her arms around Izuku's chest, and pulled him back.

Mirio hooked his arms under Katsuki's armpits and dragged him in the opposite direction.

"She came here to kill All Might you fucking reject, she's a goddamn TRAITOR!" He wrenched his arms free, or at least tried to. Mirio stuck to him like glue. "She's not my sister. She's not family. She's a villain, and she's fucking dead!" He growled hoarsely.

Izuku snarled.

"That's enough!" All Might boomed. Everyone fell silent. Still. "I understand tensions are high, but this behavior is unbecoming. Taking out your frustrations on your allies puts you on the same level as those who attacked us today. For now, Togata, please escort Young Bakugo to the exit. I will be discussing this with you later." He then leveled his gaze at Izuku. "As for you, Young Midoriya, I believe we need to talk. Now."

Izuku bowed his head, ashamed. "Yes sir."

The ground shook gently, and a smooth, curved wall of concrete rose, courtesy of Cementoss. It grew tall enough to shield All Might from view.

He sagged against the wall with a gasp, deflating. Much, much shorter, he looked blearily at Izuku. "Young Midoriya. I am far, far from perfect. The mistakes I've made over my life are numerous. Some of those mistakes are… forever stained with innocent blood."

Izuku hurried to his side, supporting him.

"I say this so you understand that I've found myself in similar situations. I know what it's like to be angry. To butt heads with people, both on and off the battlefield. Its normal, it's human. But a symbol of peace is just that, a symbol. One that can't engage with such things."

"I… I think I understand, sir. I'm sorry, I just… he…" Izuku was so exhausted and wired, angry and sad, worried and happy, that he could barely tell which direction was up. Rumi was gone. Again. He had been so, so close.

All Might laughed.

Izuku's ears grew hot.

"I'm not saying don't get angry, just don't punch your allies in the face. At least, not in public." He chuckled and ruffled Izuku's hair. "Don't forget the little things that make you human, they'll take you far, but neither should you let them control you. Strike a balance, and you'll do great things." He rubbed at his old wound with a grimace, but looked skyward, a hopeful smile spread across his skeletal face. "Today was a difficult trial, and you did so, so incredibly well. I'm terribly proud of you, Young Midoriya."

All the cumulative stress from the last hour caught up to Izuku. The floodgates were cracking. "All Might!" He warbled, pulling the old man into a hug.

Nejire shifted awkwardly a few meters away. "Um… this is super cute and inspiring and beautiful, but, uhm… I'm… still here?"

"Eh?!" Izuku whirled, saw Nejire, and panicked.

All Might swore. "Oh cra-BLHRG!" Or he would have, were it not for the fountain of blood he coughed up at that moment.

Nejire shrieked, horrified.

"You. You. And You." Shota pointed at Togata, Hado, and Amajiki in turn. "Are all in so much goddamn trouble." The Big Three stood shoulder to shoulder, each morosely staring at the ground. It was pleasing that he could still put the fear of god into his students while strapped to a backboard and wearing a cervical collar.

One of the paramedics snickered behind her hand.

"That said…" he just knew he was going to regret this. "Lives were saved today because of your actions. Those of my students, Thirteen, and myself. Thank you." He said simply.

Togata, standing in the middle, nudged his friends, smiling encouragingly. "See, what did I say?"

Amajiki looked like he swallowed a lemon.

Hado smiled bashfully at Shota.

Midnight cracked her whip, "But that doesn't mean you're off the hook! You will be disciplined. Thoroughly. Unfortunately for you, we, and the rest of the faculty are far too busy to mete out your punishment right now."

"Uhh…" Togata frowned, going over her words. "Un-fortunately? Ma'am?"

"Since we have bigger concerns in the short term," These three had caused him so much grief over the years. This had to be karmic retribution. Sweet revenge. "We took the liberty of contacting your mentors."

"Our… mentors?" Togata whispered, wide eyed.

Nejire let out a small "Oh no."

Shota grinned. "Oh yes." If only he had a camera, then he could savor this moment forever.

"He's right you know." Fat Gum rumbled.

The Big Three whirled around. Behind them, stood Ryukyu, flanked on either side by Sir Nighteye and Fat Gum.

"Sir!" Togata shot to attention, back ramrod straight.

"Mirio." Sir Nighteye said blandly, adjusting his glasses. "I do so hate this game of emotions we play. However, I'm afraid you've forced my hand."

Fat Gum smiled easily. "You kids are in for a doozy of a punishment. Oh! Uh, not because of the heroics bit, that was cool. The whole 'running off halfcocked without telling anyone' thing? Not cool."

Amajiki didn't say a word. He just nodded weakly.

"So. Much. God. Damn. Trouble." Ryukyu seethed with pupils drawn to slits. Arms crossed; she slowly drummed her fingers against her forearm.

Hado squeaked pitifully.

With the pros laying into their apprentices, the paramedics finally rolled Shota into the back of an ambulance.

Mic hopped in, swinging the doors shut while the medics secured the gurney for transit.

"Please tell me you got that on tape."

Hizashi grinned, pointing at himself with both thumbs. "Buddy. It's me. Come on. You know I got ya covered! Got the whole thing. Studio quality, lossless format, the works."

"I owe you one." Shota closed his eyes. Thank god for small miracles. Now if only he could take a nap. Concussions were truly a grievous form of injury.

Katsuki Bakugo, alone, sat on a bench in the 1-A locker room. The last of the few who had bothered to return to campus. It was well past the time when he should have headed home.

Eight years ago, and long past his bed time, Katsuki followed his ears to the kitchen.

The stupid bunny was rummaging around in the pantry. She looked distracted. It was the perfect opportunity to scare her, show her who's boss around here. He poked his tongue out of his mouth and concentrated. Tiny beads of sweat formed on his palms.

A floppy white ear swiveled around, aiming right at him. She didn't bother to turn around. "What do you want, Bakugo?" She hissed.

Thunder stolen, Katsuki sneered and dropped his hands. "What the hell are you doing? You're not supposed to be in there, idiot." Rotten, stupid, girly bunny. Why Mom brought this rodent home last month was beyond him.

She ignored him.

"Hey!" he whispered, "I'm talking to you!"

She whipped around and shushed him. "Leave. Me. Alone."

Katsuki stomped over, remembered the late hour, and tiptoed the rest of the way. "Wait… are you stealing? Mo-mmph!"

She clapped her hand over his mouth so fast he flinched. Not that he was scared or anything, he just wasn't expecting it.

"Shut up!"

Katsuki licked her palm, and she ripped her hand away, wiping it off on his shirt.

"Ew!"

"Why are you stealing? Dinner not good enough for you? You're gonna get fat, stupid bunny." He taunted.

She puffed out her cheeks, mad, but didn't say anything. She turned back to the pantry and zipped up the nice new backpack Mom bought her when she was enrolled in school.

Katsuki saw a flash of clothing, a bottle of water, and some dry snacks. His eyes nearly popped out of his skull when he spotted a 2,000 Yen note. That was so much money! "What the hell are you doing?"

"I'm leaving." She snapped before marching towards the front door.

Katsuki trotted after her. "You can't leave. It's late. You're gonna get in trouble. Stupid."

"Don't care." She sat herself down in the entry and started pulling her brand-new shoes on. Her dumb puffball tail twitched angrily.

Katsuki didn't much want to get in trouble with mom, and boy would he if she found out he knew about this. He grabbed the handle of her backpack. "Just go to your room, Bunny. I won't tell my Mom you were stealing our stuff if you do." He usually got his way with adults when he used this voice. It didn't work on Bunny though. Instead, she just started crying. Big baby.

"My name is Rumi, and you can tell your Mom whatever you want!" She yanked the bag back, slung it around her shoulders, pulled her other shoe on, and opened the front door.

Katsuki realized that she wasn't playing around. He grabbed her wrist. "Hey, wait! You aren't serious, right? You can't leave!"

"Why not?" She scrunched up her nose, sniffling like stupid Deku. "I don't wanna be here. Everyone stops talking when they think I can hear. Like I'm-" She hiccupped and wiped at her nose. "I'm not d-different! I'm not! And I'm not a victim!" She clamped her hands over her mouth to muffle a sob. "Your m-m-mom looks at me all, "another hiccup, "all sad all the time… and your dad does… and you're so… so… mean!" She pressed her face into the crook of her elbow, muffling herself.

Katsuki reeled, totally confused. He hadn't even done anything this time, so why was she this upset?

"I didn't ask to come here, so why can't I leave?"

For the first time in his life, Katsuki actually felt kinda bad about teasing someone. "Uh… I don't…" but he didn't know what to say.

Bunny abruptly turned and ran out the door.

Katsuki gasped and tore after her. "Wait!" His legs were longer, so he was faster. He tackled her into the yard. "Don't, you can't!"

"Get offa me!" Bunny thrashed and squirmed under him.

The next thing he knew, he was sailing through the air without any idea how he got there. Katsuki flopped on his back in the grass, about two meters away from Bunny. His eyes prickled as he tried to breathe. That landing hurt.

Bunny was on her feet again. "Stop following me you jerk."

He got his breath back right when she reached the edge of the pavement.

She hesitated.

"I'm sorry." He didn't say it loud, but she heard him anyway. Stupid giant ears.

Bunny glared over her shoulder. "I know you're lying, idiot." She went from bawling like a baby to mad with the flip of a switch. It was so fast it gave Katsuki whiplash.

"No, really!" He pushed himself up. "I'm sorry! You don't have to leave."

Katsuki stopped himself from grabbing her arm just before she turned on him, looking so angry. She was so stupid and confusing!

"If you mean it then say it without lying, Bakugo. 'Cause I can tell when you don't tell the truth!" She pushed him back, pretty hard too. For a girl. Not that he couldn't handle it or anything.

Katsuki glared down his nose, grinding his teeth together. Then, he gave up. "I'm… sorry I was mean. I guess." He grumbled. "Don't go." She didn't budge, until Katsuki hastily tacked her first name onto the end.

She held out her hand with small finger extended. "Promise to be nice."

"What? No way!" Stupid ungrateful bunny! He stuck out his tongue.

She took one slow warning step backwards.

"Okay, okay, fine!" Katsuki hooked his little finger around Bunnies. "I… promise to be… n- niii- urgh, I'll be less mean or whatever." He ground it out, very unhappy, but seeing her cry made him feel weird and he didn't like it. Also, Mom would kill him if she ran away. Satisfied, he pulled his hand back, but she didn't let go of his finger. "Oi, leggo!"

"And stop calling me bunny. I have a name."

Katsuki smacked himself in the forehead. "No way, you gotta give me something in return!"

"No, you owe me!" She stomped her foot.

Maybe if he tried really hard, he could make an explosion big enough to give her a head start out of the front yard. No, that would just wake up Mom and Dad. Crap. "Fine, I promise to be less mean, and not call you bunny, but you gotta promise to stay with us forever, or no deal!" He puffed up his chest.

Bunny- Rumi nodded slowly. "Okay. I promise." She sniffled again.

Alarmed, Katsuki hurriedly said, "I promise too", then snatched his hand away. It didn't matter though, because she decided she wanted to hug him, and wipe her stupid snotty face all over his shirt.

She blubbered into his shoulder. "I'm sorry."

"Why the hell are you apologizing, stu- er, dummy?"

"If I were you, I wouldn't question it." Dad said, amused.

Katsuki winced and looked over.

Rumi peeked around him.

His- their parents stood on the front step. Mom was bundled up in a fluffy pink bathrobe. Dad had a yukata thrown on over his pajamas. Both looked tired, but oddly enough, happy. He was expecting to get chewed out something fierce, so he was a bit wary when Mom walked over.

Mom crouched, kissed Rumi's cheek, kissed his, then pulled them both into a hug.

"Blech, Mom, gerroff!"

"Oh, hush you little brat." She said thickly. "Come on kids, it cold. Let's get you both to bed."

In the 1-A locker room, eight years after that promise was made, one year after it was broken, Katsuki bit down on his wrist, glaring at the tears pooling between his boots.

Shattered glass crunched under the leather soles of Abe Ishikawa, Director of Internal Affairs. The ruination of the Public Hero Safety Commission Headquarters was absolute. The epicenter of the blast, seven stories above, was so much bright blue sky. "You call yourselves Shingen. Epicenter. Explain."

"The Shingen Corporation is the bleeding edge of everything, Director." Meredith Langley, a westerner in a sharp suit, spoke in flawless Japanese. "Finance, medicine, defense, security. When Shingen moves, the aftershocks change the world."

Abe did not like her. She reeked of corporate money and ulterior motives. A modern devil, hunting for fools willing to sell their souls. He sneered. "I did not ask for a sales pitch, I asked for meaning. Substance."

This attack, and the death of President Kinoshita, came at an inopportune time. Public opinion was always volatile, and this act of terrorism only exacerbated the peoples squabbling. The media, parasites, gorged themselves on the attack, fanning the flames. And this, so soon after the Kamino Nightmare.

While Abe disagreed with President Kinoshita's motives and her politics, the skill with which she commanded the HPSC was worthy of respect. Her loss was a black mark on the history of this country. "This… terrorism," He gestured at the twisted and blackened building, "this barbaric act, it will not go unpunished. I find myself curious though, that your corporation should request a private meeting with me, mere hours after this travesty. What is it you hope to gain from me, circling as vultures do?"

Sandayu Murata, dressed in the grey corporate uniform of Shingen Counterintelligence, stepped forward. "Nothing untoward, Director. The Shingen Corporation only seeks to establish a strong working relationship with the law of the land."

"And in return?" Abe was no fool. This was not the first corporation to reach out over the years, and it would not be the last.

Faint blue light spilled from Murata's pupils as his quirk, Data Mine, activated. "Sir, public sentiment of the hero commission has fallen twenty three percent in the last six hours. Opinion of the National Police Commission isn't far behind. With NPC officer employment at an all time low and the commission decapitated, you lack the personnel required to keep things running for the next six months."

Abe grunted. "You tell me nothing that I do not know already, Shingen. Have you come just to waste my time? Out with it."

Murata and Langley exchanged a look.

Langley stalked forward, maintaining a respectful distance, but only just. "Director Ishikawa, the Shingen Security Division maintains a standing force of three hundred thousand human resources, a third of which are held off-rotation at all times. That's a hundred thousand boots on the ground, ready to deploy wherever, whenever, and however necessary. Should we reach an… accord, Shingen would be willing to supply personnel as needed to supplement current police activity within national borders."

Abe scoffed, waiving off the woman. "I do not need your tin soldiers. Mercenaries. The very notion is disgraceful."

She was undaunted. "Ah, you may not be familiar with the full range of amenities we provide to our clients. You need only state what you require of us. Shingen Security assets will storm a beachhead with the same precision and ease as they patrol a city block." She clasped her hands behind her back, not a hair out of place. The picture-perfect corporate employee.

"Our personnel will look, sound, and feel however you require them to. If you need a force fluent in both Japanese and Russian, you'll have it. They will deploy in our colors, in the livery of your own police force, or indistinguishable from the common man. Our service is bespoke, always."

Murata remained silent, watching his cohort impassively.

"You would come to me, on the heels of one of the most grievous breaches of peace this nation has seen in the past hundred years, and offer me the services of a private army?" Abe rumbled. "I am not so easily seduced by promises of power."

Langley grinned widely, exposing rows of razor-sharp shark teeth. She had her taste of blood in the water. "Tell us, Director Ishikawa," She raised her arms, gesturing theatrically at the blackened ruins of the HPSC headquarters, "what can Shingen can do for your country?"

Tomura limped across the frigid concrete, shrugging out of his hospital gown as he went. Ridiculous things. Garaki insisted he wear one to be treated, as if they were in Jaku Hospital, not the derelict storm drain beneath Jaku hospital. He stomped the pedal to open the dirty laundry hamper and held the gown over it. After a moment's consideration he touched the pad of his small finger to the fabric. It crumbled to dust. The hamper lid clacked shut with finality.

He had calmed down, somewhat, an hour or two after leaving utter disaster that the USJ turned into. All Might was still alive. None of the USJ brats were dead. All the hired help had been picked up by the cops. Even Nomu was gone, decapitated by the man it was created to kill. Everything had gone to shit in the worst way.

Large bundles of conduit, cable, and piping snaked through the facility, like the disemboweled guts of some great metallic creature. Tomura followed the largest bundle towards the operating theatre. The sterile scent of disinfectant scratched at the back of his throat. "Teacher." Tomura bowed shortly to him, ignored Dr. Garaki, and dressed himself. His clothes hadn't been laundered. Tiny flecks grime and dried blood – his own blood – stood out sharply on his pale hands. The blond phaser had thoroughly trounced him.

Tomura joined the audience: Teacher and about two dozen Nomu in various stages of completion, floating in tubes of sickly green amniotic slime. Kurogiri stood nearby, stock still, with a white towel draped over one forearm. He was dressed in his usual clothing, with a shiny new warp collar.

Classical music played, a string instrument of some kind. Violin? "Paganini?" He didn't know why he even bothered asking, he could give two shits about the twisted doctors musical taste. Still, talking somewhat eased the raw anxiety that came from standing so close to Teacher.

"Pa- Paganini? Paganini?!" Dr. Garaki's moustache bristled. Droplets of blood flew from his scalpel as he waved off Tomura. He didn't bother looking up from his work. "All due respect to you, sir, but what are you teaching this- this boy? Paganini. Feh! I'd sooner pollute my ears with Vivaldi." The old man groused indignantly as he rummaged around in Mirko's chest. At least Tomura had only been beaten. He hadn't even needed surgery, only a few bandages and a splint on one of his fingers.

Teacher's smooth laugher set Tomura firmly on edge. "Now, now, Doctor, do forgive dear Tomura the transgressions of a young man."

He slouched beside his master, gnashing his teeth behind Father's hand. For a time, he elected to keep his mouth shut. Watching with some morbid fascination as the shrill wine of a bone saw chorused with a shrieking Italian violin. "Why do you keep helping her, Teacher?" He could no longer sit by quietly. Tomura would have an answer. "I don't understand. She's useless. Just look at the state she's in, she can't even handle some high-school brats."

"Ah, Tomura." He smiled perfectly, "Dear Rumi has already proven most valuable. In time, she will grow into your most treasured asset. Of this, I have no doubt." With a graceful motion, Teacher reached. His most prized possession, a slender metal coffin, levitated across the room. It settled on the empty operating table to the doctors back. The lid opened, whisper quiet.

Dr. Garaki, with reverence, reached in with a pair of sterile forceps.

"Always remember that what I do, Dear Tomura," Teacher said, his words simultaneously coming from inside and outside of Tomura's head, "all of it is for your sake."