I'm Not the One Who Decides

Disclaimer: I own none of these properties. If I did, there would have been some changes.

My Hero Academia

"Hi there" normal Speech

'Hi there' Internal thought

"Listen well, team." Monster, Quirk, All Might form voice or Electrical voice.

"Heroes Save City" Titles of Books, Articles, Names on Signs, etc.

AN: Okay, something weird happened. For some reason, all the files that I was posting were the copies I had before I proofread and made corrections. After what seemed to be the hundredth time, I think I finally got it! I do apologize to anyone who was put off by that. Either way, most of the reviews were about the grammar and shit, so I'll just ignore the regular reply section to this chapter and go straight to the story.

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Chapter 6: The Devil

Midoriya Residence

Inko was lying in bed staring up at the ceiling. Too much was running through her brain to let her sleep. She was happy that her son was finally moving forward with his life. He was going to finally put that big brain of his to better use. Her son deserved better than wasting his time and life taking care of her. She was going to be stuck in her chair until the day she died. What was her son supposed to do? Keep taking care of her until she dies, and he was left in their home alone with no future. It was not something she was going to let happen.

The front door opens, which brings her out of her thoughts. She wheels her way to the entrance to see Izuku coming in. He put his keys in their usual place and walked in. The look on his face gave Inko a fright. He looked beaten down and sick.

Inko shook away her fear and smiled brightly at her son. "How was your day?" Inko asked, trying to show worry in her voice.

"Fine," was the short reply from Izuku.

Taken aback but still wanting to talk, she continued, "You got home late, huh? What happened."

"Wanted to think some things over," Izuku replied as he took off his jacket.

Inko practically bounced in her seat. She was ecstatic that Izuku was thinking over the schools. "And what did you think over?" she asked excitingly.

"Picking up more shifts at the garage," Izuku answered, making a terror run through Inko.

She moved closer to her son and, in a worry-laced tone, asked, "Oh, so you can figure out how to pay for school?" She hoped that was what it was for.

Izuku took off a sweat-soaked shirt and threw it in the hamper that was nearby. He looked at his mother sadly as he shook his head and spoke, "No, not because of school." Izuku watched his mother's heart shatter. He didn't want to deal with this situation at the moment as he cut her off before she could speak, "Just...drop it for tonight. I'm tired, and I want to go to sleep." He went to his room and shut it behind him.

After what he did tonight, he didn't deserve to go back to a normal life. He leaned against his door and slid down. He felt his heart tear at the horrid look his mother gave him. His ears picked up his mother crying as she went to her room and shut the door. It all became too much as he spilled tears of his own. He never wanted to hurt her like this, but he didn't have a choice. He crawled into bed and found sleep difficult as the Rider whispered in his mind.

Naomasa's Apartment

Naomasa's eyes opened slowly as he heard his cellphone going off. He sleepily reached for it and answered tiredly, "Yeah?" That was when he felt two slender arms reach around him and were caressing his chest. Whoever was on the other end of the line better have a good reason to wake him.

"He's back again. Get up and get dressed. I'll send you address," it was the Commissioner's voice on the other end. He didn't give Naomasa a chance to ask what was going on before he hung up. Naomasa's body went rigid at the end of the call. Hearing those words made his adrenaline go causing him to be fully awake. He slid his legs off the bed and placed his feet on the carpeted floor. He pinched his nose as he inhaled deeply.

Naomasa couldn't understand the monster at all. The thing went into hiding after killing Endeavor. Now it suddenly appeared back, which raised all kinds of questions, 'Where was it? Why is it back now? Did it feel remorse?' His thoughts were interrupted by a moan from the source of the arms on the opposite side of the bed.

Lips touched the back of his neck, and a sultry voice spoke in his ear, "Come back to bed, sexy." His lover, Nemuri Kayama, or as the public knew by her hero name: Midnight. She pressed her bare breasts against his back, which was attributed to their activities from last night. They were an odd couple, to say the least. The two wouldn't seem to be a match considering Naomasa was a straight by-the-book detective, and Nemuri was a provocative heroine. Yet, they made it work. She enjoyed his boyish yet gentlemen charm, and he loved the spunky go-getter attitude. They complimented each other, and they loved one another. That was all that matters.

Naomasa took his lover's hand and kissed the back of it, "I want to, but I have to go. Its work." He smiled slightly and made a point to glance at her face before traveling south. Nemuri smirked deviously before rolling over. Naomasa kissed her shoulder before getting up. The nude man put back on his disregarded boxer as he dialed a number on his cellphone. It rang for a second before it was picked up. "Sansa, listen up. I'm going to text you an address. Can you meet me there?" the detective asked his impromptu partner.

"Of course, sir. I'll meet you there," Sansa's voice said over the phone. Naomasa ended the call and finished getting dressed. He gave Nemuri one final kiss on the cheek before leaving in his car.

Sansa

Sansa let the light from the phone screen die out before putting it in his pocket. He looked up at the church in front of him. Sansa had been coming to the Tenjō Gēto Church for five years now. Even then, he was still in awe every time he came. He opened the heavy metal door. The church was beautiful. Stained glass windows of the Lord's son going through his sufferings. Before rosewood pews face an incredibly detailed marble alter. Sansa tapped his fingers in the holy water offered by the door in a chalice before performing the cross sign as he kneeled. Sansa prayed under his breath, "May the Lord come us in our hour of need." He then rose walked towards the alter. He looked at the giant cross with the nailed Son of God on it in reverence.

"Welcome to this house of the Lord. How can I help you, my child?" A middle-aged man came out in the usual priest outfit of a black shirt, pants, shoes, and the typical white collar. The priest was a plain-looking man. His only stand-out feature is his green hair.

Sansa bowed his head and grabbed his bell while saying, "I am in need of a supper." He turned his bell, and it was revealed to have a cross imprinted on it.

The priest nodded his head before saying, "Let the Lord provide, my son." The priest motioned to follow, and Sansa did so. They left the central area of the church and walked down a hallway. "It's good to see you again, Sansa," the priest said to the cat-headed man.

"And you as well, Father Goro," Sansa replied. The duo made it to a back office, and Father Goro went to a bookcase off to the side. The priest pulled a Bible from the bookcase, and a lever clicked. The bookcase moved aside, revealing a descending staircase. The two went down the stairs. At first, it was pitch black and but after descending for a minute, the orange glow of torches eventually lit the stairs.

They eventually made it to the end of the stairs and stepped onto a cobblestone floor. Goro had made sure they were away from any wondering ears. "Now, my son. Tell me, what is it you wished to speak of?" Goro asked as the two stood what looked to be a black onyx alter that had an empty book holder.

Sansa started off by saying, "You know those crimes where a monster has been killing people? Leaving nothing but a charred corpse in its wake?" Sansa asked due to not know what was released to the public. Father Goro nodded, and Sansa came in for the big reveal, "Father, I believe it to be an avatar of Zarathos."

"A Ghost Rider?" Goro asked for clarity in an intrigued voice. He hummed and cradled his chin and began to think. "Are you sure? How do you know it not a Quirk that makes their appearance similar to that of the Ghost Rider?" Goro asked, wanting to know how Sansa came to this hypothesis. If this was a false alarm, it could spell disaster to them.

Sansa began by recounting what made this monster a Ghost Rider, "The fact that he went after people who kept their crimes quiet or those who got off on technicalities is what drew my attention." Sansa had come to this conclusion when he and Naomasa had seen all the victims he had accumulated. With a knowing grin, he said, "He sensed their sins and punished them for it." Sansa knew he had the attention. Goro's eye lit up in surprise.

Goro was convinced as he nodded at the cat-headed man, "Okay, I'll gather the others. We will need all our thoughts to defeat this menace." He would make the phone calls tonight and have them all assembled by the end of the week. It was a long time since they gathered. Their order was needed again.

Sansa was not done as he had one more request, "Father, might I suggest bringing the book." Goro's eyes widened at the request but nodded, nonetheless. It was clear to the priest that Sansa thought this Ghost Rider was a threat. Goro went up the stairs to go make some calls while Sansa stayed behind. He looked at the portrait that adorned the far wall was a portrait. The portrait was of a tall, dark figure with a spiky mane that was swept and a long prehensile tail. On its hands and feet were long claws that looked to be razor-sharp. The trait that made Sansa uncomfortable was the piercing red eyes that peered through his soul. Sansa walked to follow the priest back up, but not before giving the portrait one last glance over his shoulder.

Crime Scene

It was the same as the others, a burned body and a frightened eyewitness babbled about a flaming skull. "Definitely our guy," Naomasa whispered under his breath. Footsteps from behind him, and he turned to reveal Sansa, who gave a salute. "Good to see you, Sansa," Naomasa shook his hand to greet him.

Sansa returned the greeting and got right to business. "It him?" Sansa asked, but Sansa already knew it was likely the Ghost Rider.

Naomasa nodded his head, "Yeah, but this time we got a good eyewitness." He walked, and Sansa followed right behind. The two walked to the ambulance that had been called and found the girl. Naomasa could only describe the girl as having beautiful chocolate brown hair. She didn't look up at them as she stared ghastly at the blacktop below. Naomasa dug into his coat and flashed his badge, "Good evening, I'm Detective Naomasa, and this is Officer Sansa." He gestured over to the cat-headed man who pointed to the badge on his vest.

The girl nodded her head but didn't raise her head. "Hello," was her reply in a shallow, haunting voice. She was still reeling from the attempt on her innocence. The incineration of her attacker was something she would never forget, both awake and in her nightmares.

Naomasa looked at Sansa, who encouraged him to continue with a nod. Smiling and speaking softly, he asked, "Is it alright if we ask you some questions?" She didn't move for a moment but eventually gave them a nod. "What's your name?" Naomasa wanted to ease her into the questioning.

"Ochaco. Ochaco Uraraka," Ochaco introduced herself, still not making eye contact.

Naomasa used his quirk and found she was telling the truth. Seeing he had a baseline, Naomasa got right to the point, "What happened here?" The girl went rigid and then started to shiver.

The girl didn't answer at first, and the police duo looked at one another. Sansa went to speak to try and see if he could get through to her. "I got dragged into the alley by that man. He was gonna do…. things to me," her voice came out as a whimper as she finally raised her head. Her rosy cheeks had tears running like a river.

Sansa spoke up next and, coming off a little too enthusiastic for Naomasa's taste, "What happened next?"

Ochaco swallowed back the tears and spoke again, "Then he came."

"Who?" Sansa asked, getting close to the younger woman's space. Naomasa tugged him back and gave a questioning glance. He had never seen Sansa this way before. Sansa was excited about the event.

Ochaco wasn't bothered as she came out with a terrifyingly low voice said, "The devil." Naomasa felt himself shiver as Ochaco recounted the attack and the death of her attacker. "He then told me to go home, but I couldn't move. All I could do was call the police," Ochaco finished, staring into the eyes of the detective and officer.

Sansa finished writing down some notes before tucking the small notebook into his pocket. Sansa nodded to Naomasa, understood he was done. "I want to thank you for your time, Ochaco," he said as she looked down. Naomasa craned his head back towards the car, and Sansa understood what he wanted. Sansa bowed his head to the girl before going to the car. Once they were alone, Naomasa spoke, "Are you okay?" He wanted to make sure she was okay but wanted to know if there was anything she may have left out.

Ochaco shook her head as she grew a small smile before she spoke, "No. I'm not. I just accepted into U.A. but…." She clenched the blanket closer to herself and, with a sad tone, said, "…. I don't think I want to be a hero with something like that out here." The dam of tears could hold as she wailed from the bottom of her soul.

Naomasa gripped his gloves as seeing the young hopeful hero lose the will to follow her dream. It was all due to that monster. He put a hand on her shoulder, making her look at him. With assuring gaze, he made her a promise, "He won't get away with this." Ochaco saw the conviction in the man's eyes and felt her worries lessen. She gave a small smile and a nod. She believed he would bring those people to justice.

Naomasa left the girl and told the EMTs to take the girl home when she was done getting checked out. He got to his car and sat in the driver's seat. He sank into the seat, exhausted from the night before bashing the steering wheel with his right palm. Looking over, he sees Sansa going over the notes he took from the interview. With a heavy sigh, he stated, "It's definitely our guy." Naomasa rubbed his eyes, the lack of sleep and stress was not starting to get to him.

"I agree," Sansa said as he looked at the pad.

"Seems the monster came to girl's rescue," Naomasa suggested.

Sansa looked to the detective and gave his hypothesis, "No, his true aim was to punish the man."

"How'd you come up with that?"

"He didn't tell the man to stop. He just grabbed him and executed him," Sansa said as the pad was closed with a clap. "He only told the girl to leave after he dealt with the man," he then looked out the window as if the identity of the monster was out there in the darkness. This was further proof that his order would need to step in. The Rider was starting to draw too much attention.

Naomasa listened to his partner as he replayed the interview in his mind over and over. Then the realization hit him, something he didn't notice when he interviewed the girl. "She didn't hear him till he got to the alley," he whispered under his breath.

Sansa stopped his contemplating the Rider as Naomasa grabbed his attention. Not hearing what Naomasa said clearly, he asked, "What'd you say?" With a raised eyebrow, he waited for the detective to answer.

"He didn't have his car," Naomasa surmised as he laid it all out for Sansa. "If he didn't have his car…." Naomasa gave his fellow officer a slight hint.

Sansa put the dot together, "It means he was walking when he got here."

"Which means he lives somewhere around here," Naomasa said while he started the car and put his foot on the gas. He was going to do some digging into the section of the neighborhood. Nothing like a good old-fashioned door-to-door search to start an early morning.

Next Morning

Izuku had managed to slip out of his house without having to talk to his mom. Not that he could look at her. The shame he felt for making the woman cry her heart out. He had arrived to work early, meeting Cid as he unlocked the doors to the shop. Cid had barely gotten around the counter when Izuku blurted out, "Cid, if you need to fill in shifts, just give them to." He went to walk back into the shop but was stopped.

"Kid, why are you looking for more shifts?" Cid called out, confused.

"Need the money," was Izuku's short reply. He tried to go into the shop but was blocked by Cid.

Cid stood in front of the door, blocking Izuku. He stared down at the more diminutive teen, but Izuku stared back defiantly. The man's bravado faded fast as he let out a sigh and slouched his shoulder. He rubbed the back of his neck while he spoke, "Listen, Izuku. You need to get out of this place." Izuku stared neutrally at the man in front of him. "You're too smart to be here. Weren't you and your ma planning to send you to school?" he asked. Izuku looked away, and Cid caught how Izuku acted. He was about to speak again but was

"Just stop, Cid," Izuku said frustratingly. He was tired of people telling him what the right thing for him to do was. "You're not my dad, so spare me the lecture," Izuku said venomously. Deep down, he knew Cid didn't deserve his rage, but he unleashed it anyway.

"You dumb fucking kid!" Cid exploded but quickly reeled it back in. "I'm trying to help," Cid said pleadingly. In all reality, he could make the situation rule in his favor by firing Izuku. However, all that would do was just make the little family's situation worse.

"I didn't ask for any help. I'm fine with the way everything is!" Izuku roared. Deep inside himself, he felt the Rider whisper dark and twisted words.

Luckily, before he could do anything to further the damage, the bell for the door dinged. "Did we come at a bad time?" Naomasa asked. Seeing the two men in each other's faces made the detective and cat-headed officer pondered what kind of establishment they walked into.

Cid sent Izuku one final glare. They were finished, for now. "No… Just me and an employee having a difference of opinion," Cid said as he waved his hands in the air in a manner to show it was not a big deal. "Who're you two?" the mechanic asked.

Sansa took this time to do the introductions, "Good Day, I'm Officer Sansa, and this is Detective Naomasa. Would it be okay to ask a few questions?" Sansa gave a salute to show he was harmless and hoped to ease the tension in the air. Naomasa gave an awkward wave and chuckled at his partner's antics.

Unimpressed with the cat-man and detective, Cid rubbed his finger under his nose and lazily said, "Yeah, guess so. Name's Cid."

Izuku made this his time to escape. He went for the door to the garage but was stopped when the detective called out, "Where are you going off to?"

Not liking the attention now on him, Izuku quickly said while walking through the door, "Work."

Naomasa could respect the need to do a job, but his thing was kind of important "We want to talk to you as well.

Izuku scuffed before saying, "You can find me in the back." He then slammed the door to make his point clear. He didn't care what they wanted.

Naomasa rubbed his nose if aggravation before he went back to the older man, "So, sir, we were wondering if you had seen a monster roaming the streets?" Cid looked at the detective as if he was crazy. If Cid saw a monster, then he'd been damn sure to call them. Naomasa seeing that his description wasn't going anywhere he continued, "He's sometimes seen in a classic car." That was a tidbit he was hoping to drive people's memories.

Cid narrows his eye while leaning on the counter. "You friends with a real skinny guy. Blonde hair that looks like a lion's mane?" he asked. He had given that guy a tour of the place last time, and it came up empty.

Naomasa knew Cid was talking about Toshinori, but he didn't want the man to know his connection to the man. He would need to play it cool. "Eh…no. Why?" it came out lamely. Sansa sweat-dropped, and Cid had a look that told him he didn't believe him.

Cid waved off the kid's worry as he said, "Calm down. I'm just asking. He came around here asking the same thing." Cid revealed. Cid then went over to his books and told the police duo, "Sorry to say, but I do not have or ever had a car like you're describing." He wished he got cars like that. Nowadays, he only ever had to do oil, tire, or brake changes. To repair the cars of today, you needed an engineering degree.

Still standing at attention at the door, Sansa asked, "What about the young man that was just here?" Sansa had found it odd that Izuku was going quick to leave. It was mighty suspicious.

Cid didn't like the cat-head officer. He felt off to Cid. Cid felt the mighty predator that hid behind those big soft eyes. "You can ask, but don't be surprised if he stonewalls you," Cid warned.

Naomasa didn't understand what the man meant and asked, "Why?" He was here to stop a killer. Why would someone not want to help?

"Boy's got an issue with police," Cid said cryptically before pulling a magazine up from under the counter.

The two members of the police left the older man to his shop and went to the garage. They found the younger man raising a car on one of the lifts. "Excuse me!" Naomasa shouted, but the teen didn't hear. The loud whirling from the machine pressing the car up drowned out his words. While covering his sensitive ears, Sansa then jabbed the teen in the back with a finger.

Izuku looked behind him, and the sight caused his mood to sour. "What do you want?" he asked rudely with a scowl.

Sansa gave his usual salute before introducing himself, "We are the police, young man. I am Officer Sansa." Sansa then pointed to Naomasa, "This is Detective Naomasa. And he would like to ask you a few questions. Your name would be nice." Naomasa raised his hand to say hello. Izuku didn't care for the introduction or to give his name and had gone back to working on the car. A wrench in his hand as he tried to pry off the brakes.

Naomasa seeing the teen cared little for the "Did you notice anything strange last night? Like a man with a flaming skull for a head?"

"Nope," was the short reply from Izuku

"Are you sure?" Naomasa pressed.

Izuku continued to work while giving the cold shoulder to the two, "Yep."

Frustrated with the lack of help, Naomasa let his displeasure be known, "Sir, we'd like some cooperation here." This got the teen to stop, making Naomasa think he got the boy to listen. It didn't. A smile broke across Izuku's face before he started to chuckle. Izuku put his wrench down on the workbench beside him as to not drop it. It was a hearty laugh that one would do when hearing a good joke. Disturbed by the action, Naomasa grew angry. People were dying on the streets near this person's home, and he was laughing. "People in your neighborhood are dying! Do you find this funny!?" Naomasa aggressively said as he encroached on the teen's space.

Izuku looked at the man's attempt to be intimidating before laughing again. "Yeah…." Izuku said before laughing again. Naomasa grit his teeth at the reaction. He looked ready to throttle the teen. Izuku stopped laughing on a dime, and his demeanor changed to complete one hundred-eighty. With a straight face and a deathly tone spoke, "…. Yeah, I kind of do." The atmosphere changed as the two members of the police saw the uncaring nature manifest in the teen. Then in an accusing tone, some words that made the police feel guilty, "The only time when you police come here I when you catch a big case." Izuku wasn't done as he continued on the tirade, "Where were you when people couldn't let their children out to play, huh? Where were you when the Yakuza ran these streets?" Sansa glanced at Naomasa, who looked away from the teen. "So, forgive me if I don't find your concern for the neighborhood all that believable," Izuku spat out. He gave the two a glance that dared them to say he was wrong.

"We do care…." Naomasa let out, more trying to convince himself then Izuku. He remembered the order he got years ago from the Police Commission. They were to leave sections of the city that were overrun with low-level crime. That was when the primary focus of the police became to back up the heroes. It was a day he questioned about putting on the badge. Sansa was no better as shame marred his face. It was due to this he had to find religion to help him deal with

Izuku scuffed while flipping his hand off at the man dismissively, "Spare me the speech. Had enough of them for today." He picked up his wrench before going back to work. He spoke over his shoulder, "Unless you have something important, you can find your way out."

Naomasa knew he wasn't going to get anything more out of the teen. Feeling defeated, he left, and Sansa followed. Naomasa got to the door of the shop, but before he went through, asked one more question, "What did you say your name was again?" Naomasa was digging.

"I didn't," replied Izuku back.

Sansa looked perplexed at his partner, but looking at the calculated look on Naomasa's face told him everything. "At least give us that," Sansa pleaded. He would help his partner get all the information he wanted.

Sighing in annoyance, the teen gave his name, "Izuku. Izuku Midoriya." The finality in his voice told them they would get nothing else out of him.

Both passenger and driver side doors shut as the two sit in their respective seats. "Why'd you ask his name?" Sansa asked. Acting the way the teen did would put anyone on a suspect list. However, if it was true that he was a resident of the area, then his anger was justified.

Naomasa turned the ignition and put the car in drive. "I need to do some digging," Naomasa said as he pressed the pedal to the metal. Sansa jerked in his seat as he quickly grasped for the seatbelt.

Apartment Complex

Inko needed a friend. After what had happened the night, she needed someone to listen to her strife. She had called her friend to see if she could come over, and the woman was more than happy to oblige. Inko would usually have to contact the Superintendent so she could access the elevator. Luckily, she only had to get out of her apartment and wheel her way down two doors on the left.

The woman that answered was her friend, Mitsuki Bakugo, the mother of Katsuki Bakugo. She had a grin on her face and was holding up a bottle of red wine. "You came just in time, freshly opened," Mitsuki referred to the bottle of wine. She stepped aside as to invite her friend in.

Inko shook her head before wheeling into the apartment as she mockingly berated the other woman, "Really, Mitsuki? It's like eleven o'clock in the morning." That got a laugh from the ashen-haired woman as she closed the door.

"It's five o'clock somewhere!" Mitsuki cheered in response. Mitsuki strutted into her kitchen with a pep in her step. She dug through her cabinet and grabbed two of her fanciest wine glasses before skipping to the living room. The living room was similar to hers, with two couches and a coffee table set up in a square. The television rested on the wall across from the couches. The apartment was too flamboyant for Inko's taste. Mitsuki loved it, however, and her husband always loved to make his wife happy. Inko parked her wheelchair at the coffee table where her friend could sit on the couch and still talk to her.

Mitsuki filled one glass before placing it in front of Inko. At first, she was apprehensive to take the glass, her hand going to grab it before shying away. She gave into temptation when Mitsuki took a sip from hers. The wine went down with a slightly bitter taste, making Inko smile in content. Mitsuki smirked at her friend's ease and poured herself a glass before setting the bottle on the table. Mitsuki plopped on the couch and snuggled into it, pulling her feet up, so they on the couch and her knees were in her chest. Swishing the wine in the glass before taking a sip, she relaxed and asked, "So, what's the problem?" Mitsuki had answered the phone this morning to a distraught Inko. The other woman's crying made her words jumble and incoherent. So naturally, Mitsuki offered some "girl time" and invited the wheelchair-bound woman over.

Inko's relaxed expression turned to one of melancholy, "Izuku's not going back to school now."

Mitsuki frowned as she leaned forward. She had gotten a call from her friend a few weeks ago and had been told of Izuku's choice to go to school. Confused, she asked, "Back up. I thought he was going. What happened?"

Inko stared at the red liquid in her glass as she spoke, "He came in last night." Inko let tears prick at her eyes, and her throat became dry. She powered on and continued talking, "But last night he came home…." She looked up at Mitsuki, and the woman's heart broke for her friend, "And I swear Mitsuki, it was like I was looking at a stranger last night." She went on to describe her son's appearance and the way he acted.

Mitsuki lost her smile and looked sympathetically at her friend before moving to hug her. "I'm sorry, Inko," she said warmly. She could still picture the little boy with the messy, wild mane of green hair that would run around with her son. He was a polite boy back then, always calling her Aunt Mitsuki. He even stayed friendly with Katsuki when the little punk started to bully him. He was just an all-around great kid. However, after the accident, he had changed, and the events that followed only tarnished the boy's purity even further.

"I don't know what to do, Mitsuki," Inko said while looking, pleading at her for some answers.

Mitsuki moved away from her friend to look at her, still smiling softly. She then let out a humorless chuckle before saying, "Don't worry, everything will be okay. That boy will come around. He's just a stubborn mule, that's all." Mitsuki was sure the younger Midoriya would come around.

"He reminds me of his father when he gets like that," Inko said in a mixture of fondness and regret. Inko's husband had been a sensitive subject to her and her son. Izuku had a few choice words to talk about his father.

Mitsuki scuffed at her friend's words. "Fuck him!" she shouted. The mere mention of him made the woman wish she could make him appear, then strangle the very life from his body.

Inko flinched at her friend's tone. She deeply missed the man some days. For all his flaws, he was still a great partner and provider. "He wasn't that bad. He just had his demons," Inko tried to argue. She is more trying to convince herself than her friend. The two of them and later three of them had some fantastic memories together. Sadly, those days were far gone, and the little family was one less.

Mitsuki put the wine glass to her lips before craning her neck back as she drank. She let out a sigh of relief. She needed that to calm herself a little bit. She was never an angry type of drunk, but just mentioning the man made her see red. "It's because of him that you're in that chair, Inko," Mitsuki said bitterly. She immediately regretted bringing that night at up as Inko retreated into herself. Mitsuki rubbed the back of her head as she internally scolded herself.

Inko didn't stay quiet for long. "There are days I miss him so much, and there are days where curse him," Inko said longingly as she remembered the good times. "If we had never met, then we wouldn't have been given my greatest gift," Izuku looked up smiled up happily.

Mitsuki snorted at the cheesy line. Inko was always one for such clichés. Mitsuki liked that about her, always seeing the good no matter the bad. "You could use a refill," Mitsuki commented as she gestured to the empty glass. Inko looked at it, not remembering drinking all its content.

"Sorry," the wheelchair-bound woman apologized. Those she was not shy enough to ask for more. As the bottle's contents dwindled, hours went by as the two women had a good time day drinking. While it would be frowned upon to do such an act, the two were more than happy, so that wall mattered.

The topic had changed many times throughout the day. From making Izuku going back to school to their lives when they were young. They even talked about the design choice, revealing that Mitsuki hated it, but she kept asking for it to see if he would do it. Then this leads them to the topic at hand. Mitsuki took another swig of her glass before saying in a semi-slur, "Maybe instead of making him try to go to school, you should get him to start dating!" That was the one thing she was looking forward to. However, with the way her son acted, he would need to find a woman who would deal with his attitude.

Inko had been sipping some of her wine and had nearly spit out on the carpet when Mitsuki suggested. She swallowed what was in her mouth before slurring out, "OH~ I am not talking to him about that!" She already had a headache with him going to school. To ask him to date some was likely going to run along the same lines.

Mitsuki laughed drunkenly at her friend. "Why not?" she asked teasingly. Was Inko afraid of the kind of girl that he would bring home?

Inko motioned for Mitsuki to come in closer. Inko looked around, acting like she was telling a secret. "What if he brings home a girl to find his mom fallen on the bathroom floor with her pants down?" she whispered out before breaking out in laughter. Mitsuki immediately followed suit with laughing. Mitsuki could tell that situation had been a common occurrence in the Midoriya household.

The door to the front of the apartment opened. The newcomer must have heard their combined laughter as a booming rude voice called out, "What the hell's going on in here?" Katsuki appeared from the entrance. He quickly saw his mother, wineglass in hand, laughing her head off. "For the love of God, are you drunk?" Katsuki asked as he walked in. His eyes landed on someone he had not seen in some time. "Aunt Inko?" he asked. It was still uncomfortable to see her in the wheelchair, and he looked away.

Inko smiled at the ashen blonde before saying, "Hello, Katsuki." Even with the drink affecting as it was, she was still happy to see the young man. She knew that Katsuki and Izuku had a complicated friendship. Katsuki had become arrogant and a bully once his Quirk manifested. His target for his bullying was her son, and she had held it against the boy for a time. That was till the accident. Just like when Katsuki awakened his Quirk, the accident changed Izuku. Inko and seen the two's scuffle outside her door. She couldn't say she was proud of her son's actions.

"What are you doing here?" Katsuki asked. It was rare the Inko left her apartment. Finding her here was a nice change of pace.

"Katsuki!" Mitsuki scolding, not appreciating the rude comment.

Inko didn't seem to mind as she brought up her wineglass to show she was drinking. "Having a good time and talking to your mom," Inko replied as she

Katsuki nodded his head in understanding as he walked by to head to his room. "As long as you keep that woman in check," the teen said, taking a dig at his mother. Mitsuki caught what he said. However, she was too drunk to deal out a punishment. She would do that later when she had all her senses.

Before he left the women to go to his room, he stopped in the hallway. "How's Izuku?" Bakugo asked in a hoping tone.

Inko smiled sadly as she thought it was sweet that her son's old bully asked about him. "He's okay. He's out working," she answered

"Oh," was the reply from the teen before he went to his room. He wished he had a chance to talk to Izuku. He wanted to say so many things to his fellow teen, but sadly Izuku never seemed to have the time.

Nenshō Gomu

Izuku threw the paper bag that held the empty bags of his lunch. He didn't want to go home today. He didn't want to deal with his mother. He had spilled enough of her tears. He didn't want to be the cause of more. He thought about maybe hiding out in the garage at his house so he didn't have to go home.

He went to go through the doors and saw Cid was not in his usual place. He was looking to duck back into the garage when he heard the bell above the door ring. He turned around to see no one. He shrugged his shoulders. It was no skin off his nose, he was not a fan of talking to customers anyway. He made a second attempt to get to the garage when the bell on the counter rang. He spun around quickly and didn't see anything. Izuku quirked an eyebrow, not afraid but more curious if anything.

He crept up to the counter, but a tiny white furry paw shot in his face before he could look over. "Hello!" a cheery voice came from below the paw. Izuku followed the paw to see who was attached to it. The thing attached to it could only be described as innocent yet demented at the same time. It was a mishmash of a bear, dog, and a mouse, but that wasn't the most distinguishing feature. Along its right eye ran a long jagged scar. Then there was its outfit: a white dress shirt, a dark red tie around his neck, a black double-breasted waistcoat, and matching dress pants. The only part of him that didn't match were the bright orange sneakers that stood out. A long white tail twitched and swished behind him. "May I please speak to Cid?" the creature asked politely.

Izuku nodded and went to find the older man. He didn't have to search for long as he found the man coming out of the bathroom. With the toilet still flushing, Izuku spoke in passing to his boss, "Cid you got this cat, bear thing looking for you!" Izuku didn't want to linger long after his boss just used the bathroom.

Cid's head shot up with hummed in surprise before realization hit him. "Oh shit!" he said and quickly washed his hands. Cid then grabbed Izuku, "Come one, kid, this one's a special order!" Izuku was then dragged back to the shop and then shoved unceremoniously in front of the creature. "Nezu!" Cid cheered before reaching over to shake the animal's paw. When Cid was finished shaking his head, he continued, "It's good to see you!" Cid was all smiles, his teeth showing the entire time.

Nezu replied with the same energy, "It's good to see you too, Cid."

Izuku was perplexed; he never got to see Cid be friendly with anyone. He was barely cordial with his regular customers. What did this short animal do to get this much respect from the cranky mechanic? Cid began introductions to the two, "Izuku, this is Nezu, the dean of U.A. Nezu this Izuku." The mouse waved his paw at the teen, and Izuku nodded in return. "So, did you bring it?" Cid asked excitingly.

Nezu got a maniacal look in his eye and pulled a car key attached to an 8-ball keychain. Nezu shook them before walking out the front of the store. Cid followed the man, and Izuku did as well, watching Cid practically prance through the door. Izuku walked through the door with a curious look on his face, unsure what was getting the older man excited.

When he saw the mouse next, it was walking to a beautiful cherry-red Boss 429 Mustang. Izuku now understood what made Cid giddy. Izuku let out a sharp whistle before letting out, "Damn." Izuku was impressed with the classic. He had only seen something like this in old magazines or the internet. It was a piece of history come to life.

Cid smirked, seeing the young teen be impressed. "Yeah, Nezu here brings her around every once in an awhile when she needs a tune-up," Cid explained. He then motioned for the mouse to hop in his ride and turn the engine over. Izuku's ears picked up a slight hiccup when the car started and cast a calculated gaze at it.

Cid saw the glint that was in Izuku's eyes when he heard the noise from the car. This was precisely what he wanted. Playing dumb, Cid asked, "What's the matter, Izuku?" Even Cid was unsure what was wrong with the mouse's car.

Izuku ignored the man and walked to the driver's side window before motioning it to go down. Izuku leaned his head in the car and saw an interesting setup. Izuku laughed lightly, gaining the attention of the mouse. Izuku pointed down to the pedals and said, "I wondered how you reached the pedals." The mouse had rigged up stilt extensions from the pedals so his tiny legs could reach them. "Oh-ho! Jealous of my intuition?" the mouse jested.

Izuku liked spunk the bipedal rodent had. It was refreshing to see someone in power not have a stick up their ass or a holier-than-thou attitude. Izuku got down to business, "Do me a favor and pop the hood." Izuku then walked over to the hood and waited for the clunk. While the outside of the car was a sight to behold, the inside was just as beautiful. The beautiful blue 429 Ford 385-series engine was a masterpiece in on itself. The horsepower of this car was another level, and Izuku was itching to make it purr properly. He immediately saw the issue as a failing valve and its head. Izuku closed the hood and walked to tall the Nezu.

Off to the side was Cid smirked. This was a little favor he called into the Dean of Students. Cid had contacted him about Izuku and talked him up a bit, but he knew Izuku could handle anything thrown at him. He may not become a hero, but the kid could develop some tools that would make him a pretty penny. He just had to get the kid to show off his mechanical skills and wow the mouse.

"You have a small issue with one of the valves and its head," Izuku explained to the constantly smirking mouse. It wasn't a complicated fix. The only tricky bit would be getting the parts to keep the beautiful classic going. "Once we get the parts, it'll take less than an hour to fix," Izuku gave his analysis on the fix.

Nezu observed the teen since he first met him and, even though he didn't show it, was a little taken aback by the teen's appearance. Nezu could tell that the young man had quite the history. However, seeing that the teen worked quickly and effectively showed he was talented. A diamond in the rough that U.A. could guide. He got out of his car and stood in front of the young man. Nezu put his paws behind his back and excitingly said, "Well done, my boy!" He then stuck a paw out for Izuku to shake, which he did. "I must say I'm impressed! You figured it out with a sound and at a quick glance," Nezu praised as they shook.

Izuku, not use to the praised, blushed and awkwardly said, "Th-thanks." He knew he was good at what he did, but no one besides Cid ever praised him. Not since his father.

The mouse let go of the hand and held one digit up from his paw. He dug into his pocket and produced a card which he handed it to the boy. "If you ever want to put that talent to go use, then contact me. We could use someone like you at U.A.," the mouse let the teen take the card and handed the keys to Cid. "Please have her fixed in a timely manner," Nezu said before walking away as a black car pulled up to the curb. The mouse opened the back passenger side door, hopped in, and then the car drove off. Unknown to the two adults, Izuku's hand trembled in anger.

Cid watched the car drive off, happy that the favor he had was good. Cid turned to talk to Izuku but found the kid already closing the door to shop behind him. Cid wanted to clap himself on the back. He remembered when the kid wanted to go there one day and hoped this was just the push he needed. While he will be around heroes, he could start making money after brainstorming a few ideas. Cid sighed contently before heading back into the shop. Hours went by before Cid saw Izuku, and the kid let out a quick and strained, "Later." Before he exited, Cid saw him throw something into the trash aggressively. Cid's curiosity got the better of him, and he looked in the trash. Whatever the teen had thrown in was sitting on the top. Uncrumpling it made Cid's stomach drop. It was the card. Cid sighed sadly before pocketing it himself.

Police Station

Naomasa had rushed back to the police station to do two things. Add a new name to the list of victims and look into the background of one Izuku Midoriya. The victim was identified as nineteen-year-old Masashi Kida. From what Naomasa could gather, Masashi was nothing more than the usual delinquent. He was arrested multiple times in his young, but it seemed to do little to deter the teen. His crimes escalated over the years from petty theft to attempted sexual assault. The boy had a Quirk, but nothing worth noting. "Looks like life finally caught up with the young man," Sansa made a comment as he stared at the teen's record. Naomasa would usually find that kind of comment distasteful, but he was in the middle of doing something else.

Looking up Izuku Midoriya brought two pieces of information. The first was a file from his time in high school. Naomasa read through his grades and found the boy to be incredibly intelligent. He was a straight-A student with no disciplinary issues. There was even a picture to go along with it. Naomasa couldn't believe that the teen he met was the same boy in the picture. The picture showed the boy with an awkward smile showing his teeth and his eyes looking away from the camera. The picture showed that the shaved-headed teen had a mop of green hair that went every which way when he was younger. "It's weird that guy used to be this kid," Naomasa said under his breath.

Sansa looked at the picture and comment, "Yes, quite the transformation, I would say." Sansa's eyes landed on the second file that was present and asked, "What about the other file?" Naomasa clicked on the file, and what they saw could only be described as tragic. It was a police report, and from what the duo could gather, it was a night of horror for the small family.

After reading more and more, Sansa was the first to speak, "This explains a great deal of things." The report revealed that Izuku and his mother were in a serious car accident, leaving his mother wheelchair-bound. Continuing reading Sansa found some information that was interesting, "Sir, look there." He pointed at the section of the report that detailed the boy's eyewitness account of the event.

Naomasa began reading that section out loud, "Izuku Midoriya (survivor of the crash) states that Yakuza chased and began firing upon the car with bullets." He then cycled the pictures that were taken at the accident location. His breath caught in his throat when a picture of the boy and his mother popped up. Izuku was in tears, a cut above his left eye had blood pouring down his left face. His mother's unconscious form was laid out on the street, and her head was propped up in Izuku's lap. The wipe open mouth of the boy made Naomasa feel like he could hear the boy's anguished screams. The woman was bloody like her son, her mouth leaking blood and blood coming from her scalp. If Naomasa hadn't read the report that there was no D.O.A., he would have thought she was dead. "Jesus, where did this happen?" Naomasa said, thinking back and didn't recall anything like this being debriefed on.

Sansa had read ahead and had an answer for Naomasa, "Look here, sir." He then pointed out that the accident took place in the same neighborhood that had been minimally patrolled by police and the heroes abandoned. Sansa kept reading and found some disheartening information, "There was no further investigation." Sansa's ears flattened back, saddened by the dismissal of the police.

Naomasa deflated in his chair as he sighed before saying, "No wonder he hates the police." He didn't know why, but his instincts told him that the young man had something to hide. Naomasa didn't want to call the teen a perp, more of a person of interest. He just couldn't shake that he was missing something.

Later that Night

Izuku was making up for lost time as he incinerated another drug dealer that was hanging around one of the high schools in Musutafu. It seemed his absence had made the local Yakuza and low-life criminals bold. He easily found some in an alley across the way from the school. The idiot thought he was a customer when he walked into the alley. The man got the shock of a lifetime when he transformed.

Izuku walked out of the alley, the skin reappearing around his skull. He felt that he had accomplished something today. He was about to get in his car when the Rider gave him a warning that someone was nearby. Immediately the flaming skull reappeared and quickly looked around.

Floating above the Rider empowered teen was Nejire Hado, or as she is called as a hero, Nejire Chan, in her hero outfit. Her hero outfit was of a royal blue skin-tight bodysuit with a high black collar, pale mint green markings covering her torso from over her shoulders to between her legs, leaving little to the imagination. It was framed with turquoise and matching stripes of the same two colors around both of her upper arms. 'Well, seems I found him,' Nejire thought to herself. It seemed she was both lucky and unlucky. Lucky to be the first to find the killer, unlucky that she had a chance to see his face and lost it.

Nejire pointed one hand at Izuku before firing off a yellow spiral of energy at him. This was her Quirk: Wave Motion. Nejire's Quirk grants her the ability to convert her own vitality into energy and release as exceptionally powerful spiral shockwaves. The blasts, however, were slow.

Izuku looked up and bashed the energy away with his arm, making it hit the alley wall. Nejire hummed and leaned her head on her hand as she slowly descended to meet the wanted criminal. Looking deeper in the alley, she saw the corpse, making her eyes narrow in anger.

Izuku was on edge. His identity was almost discovered, and all because he was getting too comfortable. "You'll pay for what you did, villain," while the woman's voice was elegant, but her face was dark and dangerous.

Izuku's eyes narrowed from the threat. If she interfered, he would show what happens when you stand in the way of vengeance. "Just cleaning up the neighborhood," Izuku joked while dismissing her threat. He had rid the word of someone who was pushing poison onto kids.

Nejire shot another blast at Izuku, and he turned his body to the side to avoid it. The blast hit the roof of his car. The blast smashed the driver's side of the roof. Izuku let out a growl as he pulled the chain off his body. Nejire sneered at the reaction she got from the villain and asked mockingly, "Did I strike a nerve?" She got the answer when Izuku turned his wrist, and his chain became imbued in flames. Nejire smirked as she sent another blast at Izuku.

Izuku rolled underneath the blast and launched his chain at her. Nejire took to the air avoiding the chain. She rained another small blast at Izuku, but it was bashed away. Izuku shot the chain out towards the heroine-in-training, who again dodged. Izuku then ground his thumb into the chain, making it change direction and follow the woman.

Nejire didn't expect the chain to bash against her back and making her sail into the ground. Nejire lessened the impact with a wave of energy but didn't completely dissipate the damage. On her back, a large gash was present where the chain hit. It left some blackened marks and blistering skin.

Izuku got in close to inspect the woman who had interrupted his evening. She was curled into a ball and was twitching from the pain. The mark wouldn't be enough to disfigure her, but it looked to keep her out of the fight. Mumbling reached his ears as he got in close, the voice of Rider calling him an idiot. Nejire shot up quicker than he expected and pressed her hands to his chest. "Eat this!" Nejire shouted as she unleashed a powerful output of Wave Motion. Two energy waves, one from each arm, launched dead center into Izuku's chest.

Smoke and dust scattered into the air. Nejire smirked at the move. It was a tad underhanded for her tastes, but after what the monster had done to Endeavour. She was going to use every trick in the book. "That it?" the monstrous voice asked her. Nejire shot her head up to see the monster's black jacket and the monster unscathed.

Nejire's eyes widened in fear, but before she could do anything in retaliation, she began to feel the drawback of her Quirk. Nejire's Quirk was fueled by her own life force, and if she overuses it, she starts to feel weaker, and if she uses it beyond that, it could kill her. "H-how?" she asked weakly as the figure in front of her began to become blurry. She was then grabbed roughly by the front of her leotard and brought eye to eye with the monster. Nejire started to sweat, fear pumped through her veins as she could only stare at the molten cores where the eyes should be. It lifted a hand to her face and a fireball formed in its hand. The heat was made her burn as it was the hottest she had ever felt. She waited to die and pay for her overconfidence. Suddenly, she was being tossed to the side into some trash cans.

Izuku had to admit that fight was nothing special, even though the young woman showed promise with the big blast. He'd never seen her before, she must have been a new hero or a recent graduate. "Tourist," Izuku scoffed out before walking out of the alley.

Nejire pushed the trashcans off her, making a banana peel land in her hair. She steadied herself and ran out to the mouth of the alley. The side effects of her Quirk made her dizzy and her vision blurry, but she could swear the roof of the car put itself back into place. She slouched to the side and struggled to active her earpiece communicator. "Mirio…" she said before panting. She was slipping fast and needed to notify the other. "…I need help," was all she managed to get out before succumbing to her exhaustion.

Midoriya Apartment

Izuku walked up the stairs to his apartment, thinking about the girl he fought tonight. He could not blame her for attacking him on sight. He was now a wanted criminal he would expect nothing less. He couldn't help but laugh at the situation. For months he ended the lives of Yakuza and other low-life scum for months, then as soon as he kills one of their own, suddenly he's public enemy number one. The heroes and police only cared when one of their own was affected.

Izuku opened the door to the apartment to find his mother sitting in her usual spot. He cursed under his breath as he was hoping she was asleep. The latch click drew her attention towards Izuku. As a mother on a mission, she wheeled her way over, and with a determined glare, she stared down at her son. "We need to talk," was what she demanded from her son.

Izuku knew precisely what she wanted to discuss, even though he was happy she was out of her funk. He was not going to be swayed."I'm not dealing with this tonight, mom," he dismissed her as he tried to get around her.

Inko maneuvered, so she was blocking his path again. With a fury she had not bore in many years, she yelled out, "No!" Her shout caused Izuku to stop in his tracks and see the stern look on his mother's face. "We're done when I say we're done!" Inko wasn't going to let him dictate the conversation. It was time for her to be a mother again and to stop wallowing in her own grief and self-pity.

Izuku exploded, "Enough! Just shut up!" The words came out violently and darker than anything Izuku had ever spoken to his mother. Izuku saw the hurt expression that his mother now bore. Tears spilled from the corner of her eyes, and her lips trembled as they let out a yelp of pain. It was just like when his father would yell with her. Ashamed with his actions but wanting to end this, he waved her off weakly and similar weak tone, said, "Just enough!" He got around her and headed to his

Hurt by her son's words and not believing in what she just saw and witnessed. It was like his father was standing in his place. "I don't know you anymore!" she yelled out just as his bedroom door closed. Seeing that her son didn't care what she had to say, she slammed the door to her room.

Like a zombie, he stood with his back to the closed door. "Me either," he whispered out as his back crashed into the door. He slid down and sat on the carpet, wallowing in his self-loathing. The Rider continued to taunt him in the back of his mind laid in the darkness of his room.

Tenjō Gēto

Sansa stood staring at the portrait of the monster. Father Goro came up behind him, and he asked, "Are they coming?" Sansa couldn't peel his eyes away from the tapestry.

Father Goro stood next to the officer, admiring the portrait with him, "Yes, and they are bringing the book." Sansa nodded his head at that bit of news. They and the book were going to be needed to deal with the new Ghost Rider. Father Goro smirked maliciously as he proclaimed, "The order of Blackheart will snuff out this flame of Zarathos." Father Goro stated and bowed his head to the painting showing their deity reverence.

Sansa looked at the priest and stated, "Praise be to Blackheart!"

"Praise be to Blackheart!" Goro replied as he continued to admire the beast in the painting.

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AN: Sorry for the long wait for an update. I have major writer's block and couldn't figure out what I wanted to write. I had a few ideas moving around, and I hope you enjoy the little surprise in the end.

1) Tenjō Gēto – Heaven's Gate Church

Knox