My Hero Metal Ch. 2: My Face and the Knights
"So, you're saying that this masked assailant had your friend's face." reiterated the police detective taking Bakugou's statement.
For the seventh time!
His tone was not skeptical but that of a man going down a familiar path. It's not like shape shifting quirks were uncommon.
Silently seething across the table, Bakugou was getting tired of the guy's shit. The young hero in training knew what he saw, and he didn't need to be asked the same damn question with different words 37, no, 38 different times!
Even so, Bakugou, AKA Dynamight (to be announced) wasn't about to snap at a police officer who was just doing his job the best he could. He learned that much from Best Jeanist. So Bakugou simply growled and pushed another "yes, sir" through his clenched teeth.
"I see."
The old detective (who looked like a horned owl head on a human body wearing a vest and gun holster), leaned back in his chair and rubbed his chin. "Are you sure the perpetrator wasn't just someone who resembled your friend or took his shape? In the world we live in that kind of coincidence isn't exactly unlikely or uncommon even in our world."
Katsuki let silence fill the room as he pushed his emotions down for the proper answer, letting out a long breath of frustration as he spoke with a growl. "Me and that nerd have known each other since diapers. There's no way I could just mistake some random extra for him shapeshifter or not. There's no one else I can imagine… "Bakugou paused, swallowing a little, something akin to unsettlement creeping into his snarl "… who could match that look in those damn eyes."
Detective Dare Fukuro looked up from his notepad. "What look would that be, Mr. Bakugou?"
Bakugou paused for another few seconds. "It's just a look he gets when he's super focused on something. Victory, y'know? It's like he can't see anything but the goal, and he'll use that fire burning in him to bulldoze through whatever shit he's in. The nerd is a pain in the ass, but if nothing else, he has an almost scary amount of drive." He quickly looked up to Detective Fukuro. "I haven't ever seen that crazy look on anybody else but that Deku."
There was a pause as Fukuro sipped from his coffee carefully.
"Not to mention that hair and those dumb freckles. OH! And you didn't hear any of that last part from me!" Bakugou concluded, flustered as he pointed at the detective. "And sure, I didn't see all of his face, but knowing Deku as long as I have, I know it was his him! Those freckles and hair be damned, not even vampire bitch from The League could replicate that look. I can just feel it!" Bakugou urged in frustration as he clenched his fists and slammed them on the desk.
Detective Fukuro scanned Bakugou. His body language, his face, his inflections, and the context in question. There was no reason to suspect embellishment or deception. Whatever this kid saw, he at least believed it was real. He would have to call the human lie detector Tsukauchi in to be sure, but he needed to hear what the other boy, Izuku "Deku" Midorya, had to say. The wisdom of an owl can only take one so far with limited perspective.
"You are dismissed Mr. Bakugou. We will contact you if we have any more questions or leads. Thank you for your time and service." Fukuro politely said as he achily stood from his chair.
Bakugou simply bowed his head, unsatisfied and frustrated, but rose and walked to the door before the elderly detective was finished standing. Only grunting in response.
"As powerful and accomplished as this kid is he could at least pretend he's glad about it," Detective Fukuro thought as he watched Bakugou leave, hands in his pockets, feet stomping, and mouth mutter expletives only a Bakugou could make up.
"It could've been a clone of some sort, like Twice from the League of Villains, but then why simply show up in traffic to start a fight. I also don't remember Twice using any kind of firearm, and I don't recall anyone suspicious coming into contact with me that day. So no unknown touch based quirks could be the culprit. Toga is also a possibility, but they simply didn't fight like her. Not to mention Toga prefers knives in order to get up close, not guns. It could be a new villain, butwhocoulditbe?maybeStain,buthe'sinTartarus,and-" Deku was quickly yanked from his thought by a mild but startling "hoot."
Jumping, Izuku quickly reacquainted himself with his current environment within the police station questioning room.
Detective Fukuro coughed into his hand, "My apologies for interrupting your musings, Mr. Deku, but we do need to continue your formal statement. So, you say that you, Katsuki Bakugou, and Shoto Todoroki encountered this individual after he was caught disrupting traffic, correct?"
Izuku nodded. "Yessir, he was standing in the middle of the road and refusing to move. By the looks of the cars and the time of day, it was getting pretty big and it was only getting bigger. We were also concerned the disgruntled drivers might try something themselves." Izuku said, a little ridged, sitting up awkwardly straight with his hands gripping the armrests perhaps a little too hard as one had slightly cracked. He hoped they wouldn't notice.
"So, you decided to approach him."
"Yes." Izuku replied. "I took point and attempted verbal contact, but he wouldn't respond to me, Kacchan, or Todoroki. Although he did talk, it was mostly I assume to himself until he attacked."
Fukuro leaned back in his chair. "Did he say anything noteworthy? Known names or secrets? Maybe plans? Anything to establish motive or goal?
"I guess? He kept talking about a "cure," and saying people were infected and diseased. Judging by his costume he may be a follower of Kai Chisaki, although that's only my guess since I've heard them both speak of similar goals. Not to mention their uniforms." Midoriya finished.
"And what exactly did this assailant mean by "cure" do you presume, having experienced with the Hassakai leader in the past?" Fukuro asked going for a sip and noticing his coffee was empty.
Izuku closed his eyes, remembering every detail of the mysterious new villain and then comparing that to his mental image of Chisaki.
"No," Midorya finally said.
"No?" inquired Detective Fukuro inquisitively, his owl head comedically tilting.
"At one point he said…."
Izuku eyes drifted to the table. "He knew me by name, and I know it might be a stretch, but it was as if he knew all three of us. Especially Kachan, but I'm sure you heard that from him." Fukuro nodded.
The detective nodded.
"Well," Izuku continued, "at one point I accused him of still working for The Hassakai, and it seemed to make him agitated. He called Overhaul a con-artist with no ideals. So, my thoughts are this man didn't see Chisaki as a leader- "
"And there was a schism." Fukuro finished subtly trying to speed the process along.
"Yes sir, this new villain could be trying to take over the weakened yakuza in order to start an even more extreme anti-quirk campaign."
The door knocked weakly. As it opened in came the current number one hero, Endeavor. "We should be getting back to the agency, Deku. Have you gotten the information you need detective?" Endeavor asked, turning to Fukuro.
"Y-yes sir. We've got pretty much all we need. If we need anything else from you, we'll give you a call!" the detective stammered out. Seeing him on tv it should be obvious, but Endeavor is incredibly intimidating up close.
"Good. thank you for your service." Endeavor said while bowing slightly. Deku quickly followed suit and bowing even deeper.
Detective Fukuro swiveled his owl head from Endeavor to Deku then back "…. Endeavor can be pleasant? Things sure are changing."
"No need for thanks. I do what I love for a living. Anyway, call us if there are any updates on this lost Hassaikai member and we'll do the same."
"Right!" said Deku and Endeavor.
As Izuku, Bakugou, and Todoroki were escorted back to the Endeavor Agency by Endeavor and his driver, the boys simply sat quietly in the back seat, each thinking about what exactly they had just experienced.
"Perhaps it was a long-lost twin of yours Midoriya." Todoroki offered.
Bakugou moaned, "Icy Hot, I swear to God Deku has no lost brothers, half-brothers, twins, or cousins! Can you just fucking drop it already?"
"I'm just suggesting that it's a possibil- "
"No! It's not! Deku has no extended family. His dad is in America. End of conversation."
An awkward silence settled in the atmosphere, only the sounds of rubber on pavement and faint classical music coming from stereo.
"It was still my face." Deku said softly, getting the other three's attention. "We didn't see that man's full face, sure. We only saw about half, but we saw it. It wasn't just a passing resemblance. It was me. There were too many similarities. Not just the hair or the freckles, or my voice. I know what's mine. It was the way he talked. It…it- "
"Had your same passion. The same drive. The guy has a goal, and if he's anything like you he won't stop until it's accomplished even at his own expense."
After a pause that felt longer than the sum of its parts Izuku let out a raspy bit of intuition.
"He wanted to be a hero."
The group drove in silence for a few minutes until they could see the Endeavor Agency tower. "You kids stop worrying. You have more important things to think about." Endeavor turned around and looked as gently as he could at his son and his friends, but mostly his son. "Whoever it was will be brought to justice. That's what you're here for right." He finished sternly.
"Yes, sir!" The boys responded accordingly.
"Good, now go to your bunks and rest. We have an early morning ahead of us. Don't think I'll let you slack thanks to some yakuza copy-cat got it?"
"Got it," Each replied with varying levels of enthusiasm, each making their way to a bed at their arrival so they could either sleep or mull over the events of the day. Todoroki was lucky. He got sleep. There would be little sleep for Izuku and Bakugou as they could only replay the images burned into their mind that day. They could only hear the voice, see that face peeking out of a plague doctor's mask, one visible eye green and full of scorn and fanatical fervor. A true villain's conviction.
[Somewhere in an abandoned comic store. The leftover ruins of Hosu. Night.]
The man in the beaked mask sauntered through the front door of the dilapidated fossil of a shop. It stood within the husk of an old shopping mall. Cracking glass and gravel underfoot and cane, The Cure walked with such swagger and confidence one might mistake him for a proper dandy, marbe a hero.
"You have made first contact." A dark figure sitting cross legged atop a front store counter stated. There was no accusation nor praise in his words. The figure spoke as if it had been expected from the start.
"I have. I should truly apologize, but I simply couldn't let the chance pass. I needed to evaluate this environment. As a man of science." The man in the beaked mask replied, the macnic tembling of his voice barely hidden.
Grumbling could be heard about the ransacked shop amongst the dusty and fallen shelves and displays.
"Ahem. Regardless, They're not well. The disease has overtaken this world. Rampantly at that. I must cure it. Please allow me to commence my treatment! Starting with this Midoriya. I looked into his eyes. The pestilence has this one the worst I've seen to date!" The Cure, continued.
"And if you fail, will you run again? You were sent to kill this Izuku Midoriya, but it seems that job should be entrusted to another. One of us perhaps immune to distractions of personal interest?" The new voice asked expectantly, seemingly attempting to convince the black suit clad leader sitting atop the desk, whose face covered by a black biker helmet.
"It isn't time, Rabbit. Be patient," the leader said.
"I simply wasn't expecting Bakugou and Todoroki to be with him. Have any of us experienced a worldline with that teamup?" retorted The Cure.
A grumbling of noncommittal denials seemed to come from most but not all the room. A few voices recalling this or that particular or similar team ups, but not many.
"Regardless, this world is sick beyond redemption." The Cure continued," Their reliance on quirks and heroes has turned them into mindless audience members in a surgical theater"
The Cure could be seen trembling and gripping his forearms.
"Simply watching their heroes' work. Meanwhile, the quirkless and even those with misunderstood quirks are left to rot and ultimately die or become villains." The green beaked man known as "The Cure" fully turned to face the helmed figure sitting on the desk directly. "Please allow me to cleanse this earth too of the disgusting disease known as 'quirks,' and wipe this society clean of the blight of heroes. Let me even the playing field again. Let me begin my purge! At least on this world!" he yelled with his arms out and legs splayed in dramatic enthusiasm. Panting as he held the pose.
Small snickers trickled from all corners of the shop, some stifled, some full-on guffawing.
"Coming from the one of us who can't even handle a trio of fledgling heroes. That purge of yours is off to a great start, Cure! Great start!" Came a figure to the side of the desk sitting cross-legged on the worn desk chair next to the desk left side. It barely rolled anymore.
The masked "doctor" quickly lifted his cane and pointed it towards the mocking figure. It was a person in a battered All Might hoodie with a dark green bandana wrapped around their mouth. A laptop sat upon his crossed legs.
"Oh please, Cure. Don't kid yourself. You need me, and even if you didn't, the boss said we can't kill each other." The Rabbit stated with no lack of condescension.
The Cure walked closer spinning and cocking his cane-gun hybrid. "That man is not my superior and neither are you, Rabbit. All that big brain of yours does is make an easy target."
Something cold suddenly prodded the back of The Cures neck.
The one known as The Rabbit cocked his usual smirk from under his bandana.
"Automated drones mounted with modified P-90 components and loaded with .40 caliber hollow point rounds. I wouldn't suggest making any sudden moves. Their autonomous but their programming tends to make them a bit trigger-happy. I did throw them together from scraps after all." The apparent tech wiz shrugged.
Having no other logical choice, The Cure slowly lowered his cane. "Fine." The four military green, three-propped drone retracted their barrels and quickly returned to their creator, landing on three retractable legs.
The Cure simply glowered at The Rabbit until the helmed figure on the counter spoke. "From what I have gathered, this is another world of quirks and metas. What is the percentage?"
"Y-yes sir, from what I could surveil from the populace and their media nearly- "
"Nearly 80% of the population has a quirk here, with that number rising." The Rabbit cut in, still typing at his keyboard.
"Yes…and the hero- "
"The hero industry has exploded bigger than ever. Well, at least bigger than usual. It's almost this society's whole identity."
"I see." Replied the dark figure calmly as the plague-masked Cure gripped his cane in annoyance at being interrupted twice.
"Heroes you say?" a new voice enquired from the darkness to the right side of the room.
A few sighs of "Ah fuck" and "Not with this shit again."
"We've seen this. A surplus of heroes breeding a surplus of corruption and opportunism. Tell me, is there an All Might here?" A thin tired-looking boy with wild green hair, bandages covering his face and swords and blades of various sorts were mounted all along his emaciated body asked with the voice of a reverend building up to a speech, righteous fury oozing from each word.
The Cure turned and simply stared at The Rabbit and waited with arms crossed and foot tapping.
A few seconds passed before The Rabbit noticed. "Oh shit. That's me. Yeah no. All Might is retired in this one, but alive. He's essentially quirkless now, but he still teaches at UA High. Must be where this Izuku goes to school. Hey, Vigi! You know how to get around UA, right?"
A tired looking boy with messy hair covering one eye, wearing a tattered Deku hero suit emerged into the moonlight. "Yes. Assuming this UA is the same as the one from my world, then it shouldn't be difficult with the skill sets we have to infiltrate. We'll need to get past the gate first though," the newcomer known as "The Vigilante" said in a tired and monotone voice.
"I'll do it," a scratchy voice interjected.
The group of suspicious not-strangers turned to a white-haired boy with green eyes and a large crack going down his right cheek wearing a black turtleneck, sitting on an overturned bookshelf, scratching his neck with one hand and holding a game console in the other, pinky up. "I'll just destroy the gate and one of the rogues can get in and out with what we need, right?"
The Cure put a hand on his hip and scoffed and the one known as The Destroyer. "And how, pray tell, do you propose we Kidnap grab a student before teachers and students living there notice and attack? "
"I can take them! I'll take all of them! I'm itching to dig my fists into something!" yelled a loud, muscular, green haired boy in MMA gear with no shirt, red bandages on his forearms, and black and green fire pattern shorts.
A white glove appeared on the new brute's shoulder, "Now, now, old chap. There's no sense in rushing things. True art is done with patience and precision." A green and white-haired boy with black circles around his eyes, said. He wore a flowing, flamboyant black coat. His hair was slicked back, although his green locks couldn't fully be tamed, creating a hairdo that looked more like a mad scientist than a gentleman of any sorts. A quandary that haunts the one called "The Gentle" every day.
"Screw being careful! I say we just run in as hard and fast as we can, take the kids we need, and kill the rest. Me and the one of the four in the basement could take care of the C tier lineup they call teachers easy. The kids would be nothing" Yelled the one codenamed "The Fist."
"I wouldn't underestimate them if I were you." Commented The Rabbit in a sing-song voice, tapping a rhythm on his keys.
"Huh?" replied The Fist.
"Sure, most of us have killed them before, or at least various versions of them, but you need to remember this is a world where All Might retired earlier than usual. Judging from all their articles on this world's League of Villains, still a horrible name, the heroes here are on high alert, and many like Endeavor are actively improving. Man, forcibly Icarused a High-End Nomu not even that long ago. Just look" Rabbit said, turning his laptop so the group could see a video on his screen.
The video was a compilation of various UA students going through the sports festival, working in the field, and taking in criminals. As well as the Endeavor vs Nomu fight. "The students are even on a different level. Apparently, this world's Tomura Shigaraki mounted multiple attacks on UA students and was repelled each time. This world's Class 1A students have even taken on work-studies already."
The Fist scoffed. "I've seen the hero trainees they've got in every world we've been to so far. A power boost is just what they need to make killing them more fun. Those kids got not only strength of power but of spirit. God! Yes! I can't wait to fight them again. They always have so much drive no matter which world they're from! It really fires me up!"
"Indeed, any Stain in existence would be pleased." The bandaged one in the shadows, known as "The Blade," agreed. "That's why I feel we must be cautious. It seems we've stumbled upon an outlier in this world. I say we preform reconnaissance before going in full speed."
"Did somebody say "reconnaissance" An eerily chipper, female voice came from atop a standing shelf.
A young girl with long messy green hair, wearing a Japanese sailor school uniform, a red cardigan, and a strange contraption around her neck that was black with what appeared to be smiling teeth (like Izuku's first mouth guard) on the front with tubes dangling from it haphazardly sat with her legs swinging idly like her legs, an unnerving smile plastered on her freckled face.
"Oh! To find Izu and Kacchan again! I'd love to! I want to taste their oh so yummy blood again!" the one known as "The Female" chortled giddily. "C'mon Mr. All you gotta let me stab them."
"That's "The All" to you young one! Have some respect!" reprimanded another green haired individual directly to right The All, He wore a black and green pin-stripe suit with what appeared to be a birthmark on his forehead. "Our dear All clearly has a plan! He always does! Please bequeath us your wisdom!" The one known as "The Liberator" ringed his hands and grinned at The All sycophantically.
"Now, now, Liberator. Let us not get too worked up. We are all friends here after all," The masked figure gently rebutted. "Information is invaluable now. So, it stands to reason that we must do a bit of snooping. However, your quirk requires the blood of the individual you wish to become doesn't it, Female? So, we must first…harvest." The one known as "The All" declared, tenting his fingers in front of his face with his elbows on the desk.
The Liberator swooned. "See! Our glorious demigod never is lost for words!" he yelled dramatically blowing into a handkerchief.
"It was obvious." Thought the whole room in joint embarrassment.
Jolting into his management "Vigilante, Gentle, Fist! You're in charge of assisting and guarding The Female until she procures her needed materials. Since you have the most knowledge of the goings within The UA Barrier," The Liberator suddenly barked.
The three male clones all groaned or scoffed apparently used to The Liberator speaking for the boss.
"Blade and Mist." The tow named alter-villains stood at attention one appeared to be a mass of dark green fog vaguely shaped like a human wearing a bartenders uniform, "It's your job to keep watch over, Endeavor."
"Yes, (Right/Roger)" came in unison.
There came many more groans and curses from the shadows.
"Now, now." The All placated. "We'll all get our turn I promise you friends. And I always keep my promises."
The uproar slowly died down to small grumbles.
The All cleared their throat "and finally,", he said. "Cure, Rabbit.'' The two were almost caught off guard being directly addressed by the man himself.
"Make sure the 4 in the basement stay there."
The duo suddenly seemed to grow nervous.
"Plus," The All said, gesturing to The Rabbit. "I still need the doorway complete. The more the merrier and all that."
Though a little vexed, The Rabbit nodded.
Cure simply sighed and resigned himself to his baby-sitting job.
"Now, now, men. No need to be down." The All jovially said while approaching,
placing a hand on each alters shoulders, "Once the doorway opens, this world will be ours and then it's on to the next one."
Somewhere off in the distance, this earths Izuku Midoriya felt a chill.