Part III: V?n?a?e
Status: 0%
Saturday. Midoriya residence, 7:42 PM.
"Izuku, dinner!"
"Coming!"
Izuku wiped his hands and put the magazines and the case with the rifle into the safe with his documentation. He needed to get the case to the vehicle, since despite it being issued to him, it was still a little personal space of his.
He approached the stairs, and...
*BOOM*
Hearing the loud noise and a sudden wave of fire, Izuku crossed his arms in front of him out of reflex.
"AAArgh!"
An explosive wave pushed him against a wall.
Izuku grabbed his left hand in pain. The fire left a huge mark on the outer side.
The smoke was getting into the basement. With wide eyes, Izuku grabbed a gas mask and ran upstairs.
Everything was on fire. Orange and white filled his visions.
"Mom!" He shouted, lifting his mask for a moment. "Mom!"
Where was-
To the kitchen!
A piece of wreckage almost fell on him. He got to the kitchen and...
"Oh no...no, no, no, NO!"
Izuku kneeled in front of a...He couldn't call it a body. She..she was crushed under the debris.
Just…just a minute ago…she called him for dinner.
Breathing hard in the gas mask, he took her hand and squeezed.
She didn't answer.
Izuku, still breathing hard, lowered his head and tears started flowing.
Another beam fell behind him. He quickly looked at it.
Judging... judging by the way...judging...
FUCK.
Still holding her hand, full of despair, breathing unevenly and with his head spinning, he tried to look around.
Judging by the way the wreckage was falling inside the house...home...it was not an accident.
Izuku almost fell on the wreckage that crushed his mother. He was not getting enough oxygen.
It was not an accident.
Not an accident. Not an accident. Not a fucking accident!
It was an attempt on his life! And, because of it... because of him...
He put both of his hands on the debris in front of him.
"Argk!..." The left hand...he barely felt anything with his pinky and ring finger. Nothing but pain.
Still breathing hard, he felt the phone and his pistol in his pocket.
He squeezed his mother's hand with his left one, despite the pain, barely stood up and ran outside the house from the hole in the back.
He stopped and looked back at his home, crumbling under the fire and its own weight. He took off his gas mask.
"Deku!" He heard behind him. He quickly drew his pistol and pointed at the newcomer, breathing hard.
Bakugou stopped with wide eyes, looking at Izuku's face, full of dirt, ash and tears. Slowly, the green-haired teen lowered his weapon and fell on his knees again, trying to wipe the dirt and tears from his face.
"C-cover me" Izuku said shakily.
"Huh?"
Izuku gulped, looking around. If it was an attempt on his life, he should make sure the enemy thinks they finished the job.
He was not going to risk a pursuit.
"C-cover me with s-something, quickly!" shouted the representative.
Bakugou gave Izuku his hoodie, covering his hair and face. He was not sure what to say.
Was he okay? Didn't fucking look so. He ran out of the house alone. And his arm…shit. Bakugou kneeled next to Izuku, looking at the house. Bakugou grabbed Izuku's shoulders, trying not to touch the burnt arm. He was shaking.
"Let's get you out of here."
Katsuki couldn't see his face, but noticed the other teen nodding. He helped him to stand up, trying not to touch his arm. Izuku crunched, keeping his burnt arm close.
While being led away, the last Midoriya turned to his burning home.
If one could see the expression behind the hoodie that covered his face, they would see an endless stream of tears, sadness…
…and pure, primal rage in his eyes.
Saturday. Bakugou residence, 8:23 PM.
Izuku looked into a mirror.
He was still breathing shakily. His face was clean now, minus a few tears that threatened to fall into the sink. He wiped them away again. His green eyes now were red at the edges from the crying.
"You need anything?" He heard Katsuki's voice on the other side of the door.
Izuku looked into the mirror.
"Scissors…and a simple face mask."
He heard the footsteps getting farther.
Izuku, despite the pain, grabbed the sink. He was staring at himself.
Suddenly, with a snarl, he almost punched the mirror, but stopped himself when he looked at his hand again.
"Tsk…"
He turned away, got the bandages and started wrapping them…
"Aghk!…"
…wrapping them tight. Breathing hard, he wrapped the bandages around his arm and two fingers.
He teared the end with his mouth, and tried to tie it up with one good hand. After this, he leaned on a wall and slipped into sitting position.
He was trying to hold tears back.
"Got them" he heard Katsuki once more.
Izuku looked at the closed door.
"Leave them at the door."
Izuku found his phone. No missed calls from Momo and Emiya. Good. They didn't get the message yet. But three missed calls from the Vice-President of HPSC, Yokumiru Mera, and two from the number he did not recognize.
Keeping his bandaged arm close, he dialed the Vice-President.
"Midoriya? I got the report about the explosion. Where are you?"
Izuku, snarling once more, barely contained himself. Someone got the information to the organized crime to make the attempt on his life. Izuku's personal file was strictly confidential because of his parent.
"Mera-san. We have a rat"
"…"
"S-send Emiya-san to get my safe from the basement to the vehicle parked in UA garage, please. And please, don't tell anyone I'm alive"
"We don't know who to trust right now"
"E-exactly. Before we get the rat and the executor, at least. I can't risk a pursuit. I want them to believe they finished the job."
"Anyone who are 100% trustworthy?"
"Emiya-san, Allmight, Aizawa, Nezu-san, Yaoyorozu family, Bak…" Izuku looked at the door "no, that's it. Everyone who was truly active during the fight against All For One"
"Got it. We will find those who are responsible"
"Sir. Permission to terminate the targets personally."
"…Permission granted"
Saturday. Bakugou residence, 8:43 PM.
Izuku, wearing Bakugou's baggy clothing, stood at the exit from Bakugou's house. His parents were still standing at the explosion site, trying to help with everything they had.
"Where are you going?"
Bakugou looked at Izuku. His hair now did not have any green, only the black half of it. He was also wearing a simple face mask.
"Out"
Bakugou, again, was lost at what to say. Izuku, getting into his shoes, turned to Katsuki.
"I won't be in UA for some time. Maybe I won't get there until the end of the Sports Festival…If I return at all. Until then, follow whatever my replacement says."
Bakugou nodded, and Izuku left the house.
Sunday. HPSC Headquarters, 10:02 AM.
Nezu, along with Allmight, were riding the elevator to the top of the HPSC building.
"What is this all about, I wonder…" Said Allmight, looking at the camera inside the cabin. He couldn't use his skeleton look here.
"I have a suspicion. I hope I'm wrong, though" Said Nezu on his shoulder.
"What is it?"
"…Let's not jump to conclusions. I want to hear it from the Vice-President himself."
The doors opened and the two emerged from the lift only to find…
"Allmight?"
"Mirai?"
Sir Nighteye and Allmight were standing in front of each other silently. Mirio Togata was standing close, watching the scene with confusion.
"Mirai, I-"
Sir pushed his glasses up.
"We are here for a mission. We can talk later" he said, and went towards the office of the Vice-President.
The same direction Allmight and Nezu were going.
The group of four got to the office to find Mera, with bags under his eyes, writing down another note.
"No…this one is not good"
Scratching everything, he threw the paper to a pile of other crunched papers.
"Ah…Nezu-san, Sir Nighteye…" He looked at them and sipped his coffee. "And Allmight with a…Lemillion, if I'm not mistaken"
The young hero bowed.
"That's right sir! Mirio Togata, or more commonly known as Lemillion!"
"Yes, yes…I got it. I'm sorry, but I only asked for the director of UA and Sir Nighteye."
"Oh. Sorry, sir. I'll go on a patrol, then. Is that fine, Sir?"
Mirai nodded.
"I guess I'm not needed here as well" Noted Allmight "How about we go on a patrol together, young Mirio?"
"It would be an honor, Allmight!"
As the two left, Sir Nighteye turned to Mera who offered them both a seat.
Saturday. Midoriya residence, 8:11 PM.
Mirai looked at the house on fire with wide eyes.
"Not again…" He whispered to himself.
"Sir?" Mirio approached him, getting out of the car.
Sir Nighteye looked around. The firefighters were already extinguishing the fire. He saw a blonde woman crying, with a man supporting her. But those were not the residents of the house.
Once more, the tragedy of Midoriya family happened.
And he didn't even manage to work with Hisashi's son yet.
An armored vehicle with HPSC insignia stopped next to them. A tall man with tanned skin flew out of the driver's seat with wide eyes.
He punched the vehicle with an expression full of rage.
"Is it about the Midoriya family?" Asked Sir Nighteye. Nezu looked at the Vice-President expectantly.
"Yes" Confirmed Mera. Nezu nodded to himself. "But Izuku is still alive."
Nezu widened his eyes, and Mirai sighed in relief.
"He is staying low right now. Refused to visit a hospital and the HPSC headquarters until we find a rat inside the HPSC ranks."
Sir and Nezu glanced at each other.
"You want us to help you?"
"…It would be a shame to lose such an eager young talent as Izuku, due to the HPSC failure to find the enemy within…Yes. Please, help me"
Nezu stood up in his chair.
"Midoriya-kun quickly conquered the hearts of the first course, and even Aizawa of all people can't help but express his respect to the young representative. I'm in."
Sir Nighteye pushed his glasses up.
"Partly because of my selfishness, his father died. I'm not going to sit still when I can do something to help the boy."
Mera looked at them with a smile. Izuku's own achievements got the director of UA helping him, and his father's past connection got him Sir Nighteye.
Combined, they create a great power.
"First" Started Nezu "We must understand who has an access to this data."
"And check everyone's history since the moment of All For One's activity. He is somehow behind it, right?" Added Sir Nighteye
"Right" Once more confirmed Mera.
"When we get the right group of suspects…" Continued Nezu
"I will use my quirk on them" Said Sir Nighteye. "Though, this can take a while."
"How about we bait them?" Asked Nezu.
"Bait?" Asked Mera.
"We can suggest something, or bring a conversation to a topic of All For One. Look at their reactions. Maybe, this way we will narrow the list of the suspects."
Sunday. Hosu city, 10:31 AM.
Izuku, clutching onto his left bandaged hand, answered the call.
"Yes, Mera-san?"
"I managed to get Nezu and Sir Nighteye on the case"
Izuku sat down in a sidewalk with a frown.
"You work fast"
"A spy inside our ranks should be treated accordingly."
"Agreed."
"You sure you don't need to see a doctor?"
Izuku looked at his bandaged arm. It still hurt.
"I'll manage. And…well, medics are the most dangerous spies, in my opinion. If I visit a hospital, any new information will get to the headquarters."
"Understood. How are you holding?"
"I buy food in small shops. And I haven't slept in a…I don't know…"
"Find a place to sleep, young Midoriya!" He heard Nezu's voice on the other end. "You need energy!"
"Agreed" Said new voice that Izuku did not recognize. It must be Sir Nighteye "You will need it soon"
Izuku released a shaking breath.
"Okay…I got it." Izuku hung up.
…
He had a place to sleep. He had a place to eat. Until it was taken from him!
Izuku emitted a growl, and his eyes were about to release a few tears again, until he roughly wiped them away again.
Sighing deeply, he stood up and went to find a place to sleep.
Monday. UA, 1-A homeroom class, 8:44 AM.
Momo sat in her seat, checking the phone again.
Izuku hasn't answered any of her messages since Saturday. And it unnerved her greatly.
Aizawa got into the class and the talking ceased at once.
"Time to begin our homeroom. We have a…*Sigh* a slight change in staff. Enter."
A man entered the class and stopped in front of the students. He had a black suit jacket with a blue shirt, and had a short grey hair.
"Hello, 1-A. My name is Suzuya Kaino, and I'm temporarily taking a position of the HPSC representative."
One hand was in the air immediately.
"Already?..I mean, yes, eh…Yaoyorozu Momo, right?"
She stood up.
"Excuse me, but what happened to Midoriya Izuku, the one you are replacing?"
The man adjusted his tie.
"Right now he, among other enforcers from his team are abroad. A group of particularly evasive villains escaped Japan into China. We, feeling responsible, offered help, and Chinese police forces accepted."
"Thank you" said Momo with a sigh.
"Tsk…" Was heard from Bakugou, who was looking away.
"About your training." Continued Suzuya, looking at the class. "I know some of you were training with him. Unfortunately, I don't possess the knowledge he has when it comes to quirks and your classes. All of those are temporarily unavailable until Midoriya-san returns."
The students mostly shrugged. What would even be the point without Midoriya? The man in front of them did not really express the same energy.
"But, I'm still a representative of the Commission. Midoriya-san and I have a different set of knowledge. If any of you are already planning your future image as heroes, and need an advice from the PR department from HPSC, you can come to me in office 256"
Momo was still a bit unsure. Why didn't Izuku say her anything?
Maybe it was something really urgent.
Well…she just hoped he was fine.
Monday. Hosu, 9:41 PM.
"AAAAgghk!" Izuku was clutching onto his left hand, lying on a cheap bed. Breathing heavily, he left the small hotel at the edge of the city and went to the closest pharmacy.
Find a fucking place to sleep, my ass. You'll need fucking energy, my ass.
Welcome to try.
Getting a few of painkillers and bandages, he sat in a sidewalk.
Now was the hardest part.
Biting onto the new set of bandages, he started unrolling the old ones.
His eyes widened from pain, and he bit even harder, groaning, almost screaming.
Dried blood was falling of the old bandages. He stopped for a breather.
"Huh…huh…huh"
He continued, groaning in pain.
…It looked nasty. Izuku wasn't going to even try to move his pinky and ring fingers.
Painkillers or not.
Now, he got the new bandages and started applying a new layer.
"…I don't think you will manage alone. We, humans, are social creatures, you know…"
He blinked away tears. Right now …this is the only way.
God, his head hurt.
"You are doing it wrong, boy" Said a crude voice from the end of the sidewalk. Izuku turned and was met with a picture as nasty as his wound.
A muscular man with a somewhat triangular face with a long, black, messy hair was standing there. He was wearing a dark combat suit that was torn in a few places, and had broken plates here and there. He had a wounded arm.
The nose, judging by the mask, was absent. Izuku was not sure what to say to the newcomer, but his pistol was close.
The man approached him and Izuku quickly drew the pistol.
"Calm down" the man barked. He, despite bleeding, kneeled next to Izuku and undid his bandages a bit, only to tie them back a bit differently.
"Who are you?" Asked Izuku, still holding onto his pistol.
"It doesn't matter" said the person. "I can recognize someone who is hiding. I won't ask you who you are, and you will do the same in return. Can I borrow some pills?"
"Okay…"
The man opened the jar and got a few pills before swallowing them. He put the jar back and left.
Izuku looked at his arm and then back at the retreating…whoever it was.
Tuesday. HPSC headquarters, 11:31 AM.
A group of people was gathered inside the office of the Vice President. At the main table were sitting Mera and Nezu, while Sir Nighteye took a coach, looking uninterested.
"…Now, I want to talk about the topic of All For One."
The people got various expressions. Nezu was quickly studying all of them.
"He is returning, that we can assure" Said Kando Kuroma, the head of the military branch. "First thing was that black animal like our Black Knight, and then Midoriya-kun's case, who was participating in USJ. Those cases are connected."
"We've gathered enough information that can indicate in his direction." Nodded Mera.
At the same time, Nezu was giving the hand signals to the Nighteye.
He nodded.
"Gentlemen and Ladies, I'm sorry for interrupting" Said Nighteye, standing up from the coach. "Can I borrow our medical expert for a few moments?"
"Uh…" Mera looked confused "Yes, yes, of course. Don't forget to return him, though."
"Of course"
The man in question was glancing around the room with a slight panic.
"Excuse me" Said Sir Nighteye. "Follow me, please. This won't take long"
"Yes, of course"
Both of them left the room, and, after closing the door, Sir Nighteye turned to the person.
"It's a pleasure to meet you in person, Nagaora-san" Said Mirai. The medical expert was about to bow, but Sir Nighteye extended his hand.
"It's pleasure to meet you too, Sir" The man shook his hand.
Undisclosed location. Time: unknown.
"Please, please! He threatened my family, I had no choice! This was the only way, please!"
"%^%#$?"
Another voice said something Sir Nighteye couldn't recognize.
"Yes, yes, I know him! Will you let me live if I tell you?"
"%&$(%"
"Listen, his name is…"
The vision stopped and Sir returned his hand. The future looked grim for the person in front of him.
"You see" Started Sir Nighteye "My interns lack any knowledge in the medical field. And, since I've been working with HPSC for years, I thought that maybe I could send them here for additional training?"
"Yes, of course! That won't be a problem. The work is boiling around here lately, but I'm sure we will find someone to help your case" Said dr. Nagaoro.
"Thank you, and sorry for taking your time. I just did not want to interrupt the meeting."
"Ah, it's okay, really! You know, all this talking about guns and villains are quite tiring for me, to be honest. I wonder why I even was called there"
Sir Nighteye was getting to the door.
"I'm sure the management has something important for you as well, doctor"
Tuesday. Hosu city, 12:40 PM.
A new number was calling again. The same one from before. Who was it?
Izuku wasn't going to answer.
When the call finished, Mera called him.
"Mera-san?"
"Midoriya, Sir Nighteye asks me to tell you to write his number down. You haven't answered him three times by now, and he thinks this might be a problem."
"Oh…okay"
"And we found the guy."
Izuku's eyes widened.
"Where is he?!" He almost shouted at the phone.
"His name is Nagaoro Hiroshi. He lives in Esuha, third business street, house 2 and apartment 214. Returns home at 7:35 PM. I'm sending you his number. Doesn't own a car, uses public transport and gets home on foot."
Izuku tried to remember the layout of streets in Esuha.
"I'll meet him in a sidewalk at the first business street, between the second and third houses, around 7:10 AM"
"The business district is quite crowded. I'll have a present waiting for you in that sidewalk."
Izuku made a deep breath, but then his expression steeled.
"Thank you, sir"
Tuesday. Esuha Business district, 4:41 PM.
Getting to Esuha was not really a trouble. The transport was not crowded yet, and his face mask and the hoodie was making a good job at hiding him.
Mera sent him a photo of the 'present' which Izuku was now looking fow.
Finally.
He found a cardbox and inside it was a…silencer. An installable silencer, custom made for his pistol.
Izuku grinned and was about to sit down at put it on with the only good hand he had but then…
He noticed it.
He noticed himself grinning at the chance of killing someone without noise.
He clenched onto his hair and put his knees close.
'…what am I turning into?' He made a few shaking breaths. After everything he went through, was this justified? Was it the justice he and his father were fighting for?
'No' he told himself, his confidence returning. 'This is only for now. To get to those who are responsible. Then…then everything will get to normal, I know…'
He still had things to protect. People to guide with his knowledge. The life was not over.
An image of long, black hair filled his mind. He remembered voices.
'Ah, our representative!'
'We got you…'
'…You can count on us!'
'You better not fucking die, then…'
'Brat, we have a mission waiting'
'As you say, Izuku…'
'Honey'
A few tears escaped his eyes. Please, let everything return to normal after this.
Tuesday. Esuha Business district, 7:12 PM.
Izuku looked right and entered the sidewalk.
He dialed the number he was given.
"Hm? Yes, who is it?"
"Turn right if you want to live. I know where you live. Running is not an option."
The man stood rooted in one place. He started shaking a bit.
"Go" said the voice on the other end.
His legs felt as if made of lead. And yet, he was told to do it. Not the first time it happened.
The man got into the dark sidewalk. Suddenly, he received a kick in the back of his knee and then another kick followed him on his head.
"Please, wait, wait!" He said, covering himself and hitting the wall with his back. Dr. Nagaoro finally looked at his attacker.
Izuku put the hood and the face mask away.
"M-Midoriya-kun?!"
"Surprised to see this face, aren't you?" Asked Izuku, pointing the pistol on the doctor's head.
The man was covering in fear.
"Please, please! Midoriya-kun! He threatened my family, I had no choice! This was the only way, please!"
"Tell me who also works for All For One in HPSC? Answer me!"
"O-Only me, I swear! E-E-Everyone else was a seasoned worker, loyal to the government after your father purged every traitor! I swear!"
"Who was the executor of destroying my house?! Do you know him?!"
"Yes, yes, I know him! Will you let me live if I tell you?"
"You are not in a position to ask questions!"
"Listen, his name is Hiromi Agakugo, he is from Oosaka!"
"Oosaka…quite a long trip from Musutafu" muttered Izuku.
The man nodded vigorously.
"Yes, yes, that's true. He contacted me himself, honestly!"
"Okay…I guess you had your use, then."
"No! No! Please! I have a daughter! She's only four!"
"In that case…" Izuku lowered his gun a bit. "…it is a shame."
"No, No!-"
Izuku pulled the trigger.
End of Chapter 9.
A/N: This is the first part of Izuku getting his revenge. I decided to divide this into two different chapters, so...for now, this is the smallest chapter yet. But I want every chapter to has its own...feeling, you know? The atmosphere.
And I was crying like a bitch while writing this. Never expected something like this from myself, to be honest. I guess listening to mixes of Sad OSTs from Naruto did not help with that.
And holy shit, you guys like some shocking endings, don't you?
HUUUUGE Thanks to Monster King (as always), Heartfanglives (sorry for no fluff this time), Frank-K-L for your surprise about the cliffhanger 0_0, Iron-slayer-dragon for being excited about the next - this - chapter, M2R for guessing it right - we are in vengeance arc, HUGE thanks to BoredAsUsual34 for the little discussion we had and your giant PAIR of reviews and to Fsecret for finding this hidden gem - I hope you got to the latest chapters, since you released your review on the first chapter only...and, well, only thanked me for good chapteR, not chapteRS. Sorry if I'm a bit unsure if you were interested to the end. Self-doubting is a beatch.
The real exams are starting next Monday, but I hope I will have time to release chapters such as this one. Thanks, everyone!
