A/N: What's that coming over the hill? Is it a chapter? Yeah, it's a chapter! Chapter 54 is here!

I made an announcement on the Incident Zero Discord channel on the Ignite to the Call server as to why this is a little delayed- if you haven't joined the server, you definitely should, and the code to join is skMDJGCd. I've sincerely hoped that I can keep to chapters every three weeks now, but this last fortnight has been filled with some really chunky trials at work and a lot of exciting stuff with my family that meant I didn't have a chapter I was pleased enough to post. Apologies for the delay, but I figured that most people would be unhappy if I started posting chapters which just said "no chapter this week sorry" on them…

Anyway, I really enjoyed reading the reactions to the last chapter, and thank you so much for providing me with so many kind reviews about it. I appreciate that this is a story with a number of moving parts, some faster moving than others, and a number of different perspectives for a number of characters; this is the unfortunate side effect of writing in a fandom where the key strength of the main series is (in my view at least) the sheer scale of the supporting cast and of the potential contained within it. Mirko and Rappa's scene has been on my mind for some time now and it was genuinely fantastic to see that so many of you enjoyed it. Thank you for bringing this slapdash, part-time, occasionally chaotic author a huge smile over that.

It's about time that we rejoin our main cast, don't you think? A bit of Class 1A and a bit of Izuku, once again… I hope you all enjoy!

(***)

All things considered, Izuku thought that his training last night had gone rather well.

There was a lot on their plate going on at the moment, and there was a lot going wrong in the world which could very easily have distracted him from his goals. All of his concerns about everything going on paled in comparison to his concerns about his Quirk, however, a Quirk which was now seemingly starting to wake up and show more of its potential. What that could do to his hopes and dreams at any moment didn't bear thinking about… not least when the voice of Shigaraki, emerging like an insect from the cocoon of All For One, was there to make sure he couldn't put it to the back of his mind.

But if there was one trait that Izuku would begrudgingly admit that he possessed, no matter how many times he had denied it when his mother or Tenko had pointed it out to him. Izuku would never admit to being stubborn- perhaps that was a paradox in of itself- but it served him well now. He'd come too far to allow fear to conquer him entirely, and as scared as he was that All For One might change how people saw him, he needed to do what he could. Doing nothing wasn't an option, put simply.

Shigaraki had admitted one thing that Izuku clung to like a lifeline on stormy seas. He hadn't anticipated Izuku's Quirklessness being a barrier to prevent him from assuming a new host and continuing uninterrupted. All of All For One's great power had been shut away somehow, bubbling away like magma beneath the surface of the earth, sealed inside of him. More of it was waking up, yes, but All For One hadn't consumed Izuku ever since he inherited it.

No matter whether Shigaraki might have been secretly hoping for that, Izuku would have been damned if he allowed that to happen.

It was a question of doing what he could. It was logical to assume that if he simply sat on his hands and waited with bated breath for something to potentially happen with his Quirk, he would potentially be opening the door for something to happen. The very fact that he would not be best-prepared could itself present an opening for a Quirk which he had never experienced before to wake up, and at that point his lack of understanding could make the difference between life or death, mistake or victory. But if he trained… Shigaraki might not be able to find the gateway back that he craved. And Izuku was all for that.

Setsuna really was a perfect training buddy. It helped that, for all she claimed that she was not 'one of them', Setsuna was one of the smartest people he knew. There were several reasons that he had been dreading going up against her in the Combat Training, not least because of her wicked wit; she could find chinks in a strategy and exploit them just as quickly as she could tear him or Tenko apart with her wicked tongue. Added to that, she had an incredibly powerful Quirk in Lizard Tail Splitter even before considering that she was boosted by the Long Fingers Quirk which Izuku had given her before they even joined UA.

And even with all of that to her credit, she had two things which made her the absolute ideal wingwoman for the heir to All For One (beyond the obvious bonus that she knew the nature of his real Quirk already). The first was the insight to suggest things that Izuku never would in order to try to bring out those hidden abilities; whether those suggestions were genius, reckless or both was not something Izuku could decide sometimes. But the second was the willingness to go Plus Ultra even in training with him. Having a Quirk which allowed her to regenerate any missing body parts was not something that she should take lightly, but Setsuna threw everything at her disposal at him so that he could learn and was willing to have to regrow a chunk or two if it meant he got something out of it…

They were lucky she was training to be a Hero. If Setsuna ever became a villain and had to go up against him, Izuku would not fancy his chances.

Their training session had only been the first, but already Izuku could feel the benefits of feeling his limits. Muscle Augmentation had seemed to be an easy Quirk to pull the trigger and activate, but the first few times he had tried it had resulted in wildly different results each time. It had taken a little thought and a lot of impulsive brawling for Izuku to reach a point where he felt he could activate it enough, in small enough amounts to not give himself away while simultaneously boosting his existing powers. He hadn't yet worked out how Shigaraki had gotten Kinetic Booster to activate, but… there was time. This wouldn't be the only time they'd train like that.

In any event, their return to the old warehouse which he and Tenko had claimed all those years ago had given him the chance to really let loose with his Quirks. The old building was structurally sound, no matter how dilapidated it looked from the outside, and getting to use his new Quirk acquired from Nomu alongside Air Force had shown him that the combination had devastating potential. It was a close thing that they didn't cave in the floor above, but there was now a massive hole in the ceiling where Izuku had let rip. If there was a villain as strong as Nomu again… he stood a better chance next time.

Still… Izuku winced, feeling the hard back of the wooden chair in their classroom dig into somewhere as he sat back and nagging at something sore. Recoil was something he needed to work on with blasts like that, because it had left him feeling a little bruised as he came into class the next day.

I might have something for that, you know. I'm pretty sure there's one called Painkiller amongst all the rest.

Izuku had realised, during training with Setsuna, that he had a pretty good poker face to call upon when needed. He was lucky that he had, considering that during his training with his cousin, his unwanted passenger would frequently chime in with advice on which Quirk he might wish to train next. Despite all of Shigaraki's supposedly well-intentioned mentoring, and Izuku being unable to completely ignore all of it, Setsuna hadn't once seen him lost in his thoughts. That was a small blessing in the face of the vestige's constant presence.

He really should have ignored it. Shigaraki was needling, fishing for a response from Izuku for whatever purpose; Izuku hadn't quite worked out whether the vestige was trying to get a rise out of him to expose him, or test his sanity. But Izuku couldn't always do that. Not least when interesting facts about new Quirks were dangled in front of him like bait on a fish hook. 'Painkiller? Like an anaesthetic?'

Exactly as it says on the tin. Does a very good job of nulling pain for minor injuries… less so for anything more extreme. As I learned on several occasions, to my annoyance. Shigaraki hummed in the back of his head. Still… in some respects I suppose that's a blessing.

'... That's not what I'd have expected you to say about something like that.'

How so, Izuku? The vestige sounded curious. You wouldn't expect me to be disappointed if it showed limits, would you?

'I… I guess I did. You're-'

Japan's number one villain? I was. But I learned over my long life a great deal on how to manage expectations. I picked up numerous Quirks where I spotted potential that didn't exist, or at least hoped that there was potential. If there's one thing I learned, Izuku, it's that Quirks are rarely infallible.

'You say that, while I hold your Quirk. The one which can give and take Quirks from anyone.' Izuku nearly physically shook his head. 'If that's not infallible, then…'

I did say rarely, didn't I? Shigaraki seemed to chuckle. Not all Quirks, however, evolve to be so whole. Pyrokinetic Quirks appear powerful, but I can't tell you how many firebenders I've encountered who blister their skin if they so much as summon one flame. You might be born with a Quirk that allows you to sprout metallic armour over your skin, but as you grow older you might find it to be limited to your torso, or to your arms. Painkiller is one of those limited Quirks, with a threshold that required finding… still useful, in the right circumstances.

'I see…'

And, if anything, I said about how it can be a blessing. If it were able to cut out all pain, I might have found myself using it on a regular basis in battle. If you're numb to all pain, then it doesn't do you much good to find out you've suddenly lost a hand along the way, or been stabbed through vital organs. The vestige could be incredibly dark when he wanted to be. It took a little resolve for Izuku not to shudder. It keeps you on your toes.

'That's… possibly for the best with me if I couldn't do that. Tenko and Set, they… always tell me I rush in without thinking more than I should.'

A supposedly admirable trait for a Hero to have. Several others displayed it during my lifetime, mostly combined with the suicidal tendencies of a lemming. I was happy to oblige. That time did make Izuku cringe inwardly, and Shigaraki laughed again, louder this time. Still, you're right, it may help your self-preservation instincts to know that it is limited. Let's hope you unlock it soon, and you might yet benefit from it in battles to come.

'Or if I'm training more… the recoil from Air Force whenever it's boosted is a lot to take.' Izuku knew he shouldn't have continued the conversation on as long as he had, but he could sense there was valuable information to be gleaned from Shigaraki. 'How did you cope with it? When you were alive?'

Painkiller, and an unhealthy amount of alcohol, were an effective combination. There was a weird noise in the back of Izuku's head. Was that a groan? What I'd give for the second-hand taste of a glass of wine through you, one of these days-

"Hey, Earth to Zuzu. You still with me, cuz?"

Izuku was shaken out of whatever miserly complaining Shigaraki was about to launch into by the voice of Setsuna, and he blinked and turned around to her grinning mug a few inches from his. "S-Sorry! I kinda spaced out there, huh?"

"No shit, you were basically on the moon over there." Tetsutetsu seemed to snigger behind her, but as Izuku winced and made ready to offer further apologies, Setsuna seemed to mistake the wince for a jolt of pain. "Wow, you still aching after training?"

"A l-little, yeah." Izuku scratched the back of his head sheepishly, thankful that the slight misunderstanding had saved him on the rare occasion that he hadn't been able to hide his distraction. "It's the recoil as much as anything-"

Setsuna was smart enough to get the hidden meaning, that the extra push they'd given Air Force had caused this, and if Izuku had been any slower he might have missed the quick wink she shot him to confirm that. "Man, I didn't think about that. I know Ten says you're OP as hell with your Quirk, but we probably should have done this on a night we didn't have classes after, huh?"

"Probably not a bad idea, I g-guess." Izuku chuckled to himself, hearing Kodai beside him also laugh under her breath at the understatement. "Maybe I'll just… try and get some painkillers or something, later-"

Oh, har har. Suddenly you're a comedian now.

"You do that, tough guy." Setsuna's detached hand, out of nowhere, hit him in the shoulder and made him hiss. "Yeesh, I thought you were built differently to that. Maybe ask nicely next time and I won't be so rough."

"Ew, that's seriously what I come into class and hear first thing?" Kendo had arrived and come over in the time that they had been talking, pulling a face at Setsuna. "Why do you think that's okay to say to your cousin?"

"If you're querying who could say something so foul…" Tokoyami folded his arms and leaned forward onto his desk. "You've forgotten who you're speaking to."

"Hey Yami, what the hell?" Setsuna pretended to look offended. "I thought you and I were best friends!"

"I'm afraid you might be mistaken." The corner of Tokoyami's beak twitched into a smirk. "Dark Shadow is your partner in crime. I simply allow him to hang out with you when it suits me."

"Oh damn!" Tetsutetsu actively cackled, such a wicked laugh whenever Izuku heard it. As Setsuna's former classmate, no wonder he enjoyed that. "Dino Brain's social life is falling apart in front of us!"

"Can it, Metalhead! I'll save my best bud one day!" Setsuna stuck out one arm, as if longing, in the direction of Dark Shadow. The sentient Quirk, for its part, decided to show no interest in her and continued to enjoy being petted by Shiozaki. "No temptress will keep us apart for too long, I promise!"

Talking of best buds… aren't you forgetting two people?

Izuku hadn't forgotten in the slightest, but he was trying to look past it in the hope it would be nothing to worry about. It wasn't unusual in the slightest for his group to be almost late to class every day, the last to arrive without fail on every occasion; it was always to the chagrin of Iida, who wanted the class representative to set an example and be present for everyone, but there was no helping Himiko and Tenko's notoriously bad sense of timing. Today was another level entirely from both of them. He hadn't expected either of them to come to his training with Setsuna, because both had made their excuses, but… they then hadn't made it to the usual spot to meet and walk in together. It felt weird.

"Hey, Set…" He tried to catch his cousin's attention. "Have you heard anything from-"

"Himi or Ten? Nope. At least, I don't think so anyway…" Setsuna took a second to grab her phone and check the screen. "Nah. Strange. Not even a text from either of them. Ten texted me goodnight last night, and that's it-"

"He's a true gentleman, don't ya think?" Kendo dodged a flying finger from Setsuna almost lazily, as if it took no effort at all. "Maybe they know that Snipe isn't here yet. They could just be competing to see how late they can arrive."

There was a gasp. "They surely wouldn't dare-"

"I was just kidding, Iida!"

"I wouldn't blame them if they got distracted by the news on the way in here." Monoma had arrived late but somehow managed to insert himself into the conversation immediately, striding past Izuku's desk. He must have been outside and heard some of their discussion, because otherwise Izuku didn't know how he did it consistently. "I assume none of you have seen it?"

"Most of us who arrived on time might not have had the chance, ribbit." Tsu- she had begun insisting that they called her Tsu and dropped the formality- was blunt rather than sarcastic with her reply, but Izuku got the sense that she didn't like Monoma all that much. It was probably because Monoma insisted on continuing to call her Asui, as much as anything else. "Especially if it only broke this morning."

"I don't think many people have had their phones out to check." Shoji was a lot more neutral; Izuku liked him, and thought he would have made a good class representative the more he spoke to the boy. Monoma could be petty, and Setsuna and Tenko would give back as good as they got, as would a few of the others. Shoji never got involved except to take the sting out of discussions if they went too far; he just seemed to want everyone to get along. "And no, Neito, I did not try to multitask. Before you ask."

Monoma shot a wily grin at his many-armed friend. They'd been partners at the USJ, and it was interesting that Shoji seemed to let his usually stoic guard down every once in a while to joke with Monoma. "But you have so many arms! What use are you if you can't keep us all in the loop?"

"Many arms, and one brain to process all that information. Besides, I wouldn't want to be rude." The fabric of Shoji's mask creased a little. He must have been smiling. "Since you're here…"

"Fine, fine, I'll enlighten everyone." Monoma, aware all eyes were on him now, did a little spin as he collapsed into his chair. It almost sounded like it was about to crack and collapse when he hit the seat.

I was secretly hoping for that too.

Monoma continued, oblivious to the amusement of Izuku's vestige in the back of his head. "There were rumours last night about someone attacking one of the Hero Commission prisoner transports. Nobody's confirming what went on or who's responsible, but there's rumours that it's an A-Rank or S-Rank who got out."

"But wait…" Yaoyorozu frowned, not liking what Monoma had said. "I thought that Tartarus was supposed to house all of them? It's the most secure prison in the nation, so it would make sense that they were all kept in one place."

"And prison transports take place with Hero escorts during the day, don't they?" Tetsutetsu piped up. "I saw the news story last week about the guy Best Jeanist took out over in Yokohama. They had him, Death Arms and Shishida all on escort duty to take him from court to Tartarus! You telling me they put nobody on whatever this was last night? That's not manly at all!"

"Yeah, I'm with Yaomomo and Tetsu on this one." Kendo nodded at her best friend in the class. "Maybe they're just… rumours. I wouldn't think that the Commission would keep someone like that anywhere else because of the risk of something like this happening… it just doesn't make sense."

"Unfortunately, we can't rule out that possibility." Iida sounded a little reluctant to speak up, and appeared to gulp as a few heads turned in his direction. "I… probably shouldn't say too much-"

"I think you already have!" Hagakure's joke at his expense made him sag a little. "I'm guessing you know stuff because of your brother?"

"... Yes. I could pretend that it hasn't come from Tensei, but… as much as I probably shouldn't share it, we are all training to be Heroes. It wouldn't be right not to share with you." Iida nodded to himself, satisfied that he had talked himself into it now. "The fact is… we've had an increase in the number of dangerous, violent or high-profile villains who have turned up since Incident Zero. Tartarus was built at a time when All Might was still around, so while it is a high-capacity prison… it wasn't designed for a system like the one we have now."

"An abundance of sin…" Shiozaki spoke up, her usually-soft voice firm with her anger towards those sorts of people. "Does this mean that there are other prisons within which the Commission houses those beyond redemption?"

"It does. There are other sites which the Commission have at their disposal, although…" Iida fidgeted. "Perhaps I shouldn't necessarily disclose where they might be at this stage, or Tensei would genuinely get in trouble. Nonetheless, there are other prisons where prisoners are held, and not every villain taken into custody is going to be publicly delivered to prison. Whenever there are transfers between sites to free up space, or whenever there may be a re-evaluation of the risk a prisoner poses… those are the sorts of missions which go unnoticed, generally speaking."

"The darkest deeds go on in the deepest shadows…" Tokoyami nodded. "It would make sense. It is concerning that the Commission would handle matters like that with minimal security, but your explanation is sound, Iida."

Sage input from your friend, if entirely expected that he would explain it in such a manner.

Izuku was actually glad that Shigaraki had surfaced for this one. 'Is this… something you ever experienced? Were they like this with villains before?'

You have to bear in mind that I came from a time where All Might, irritant that he was, was effective at keeping crime down. Not only that, but people were afraid of me… very few would be brave or foolish enough to challenge me. That said… Shigaraki made a little noise. What the young Ingenium describes is exactly how it has passed for some time. And if one of those transports has been attacked, well… that is more concerning than an attack in broad daylight, if you ask me.

'You'd go that far?'

Naturally. The Hero Commission always made a great song and dance of the daylight convoys, and having plenty of Heroes standing guard, because it's all about the illusion. It's a public show of strength, helping you to feel comfortable in your own home and able to sleep at night, because they are visible. Shigaraki emphasised the end of the sentence with something that felt like two spectral hands pushing down on Izuku's shoulders. You believe what you see in front of you, and you never delve beneath the surface as to what's actually happening, and you buy into the distraction because it's loud and triumphant. They show you what they want to see.

'... I guess you're about to tell me it's what they don't want us to see that should be feared?'

Precisely. I would hate to shatter your pipe dream about how much control the Heroes have over the world, but… you should know by now that my long and prosperous life up until we met is a sign of how effective they really are. Izuku almost grimaced, hating that the ghost had a very valid point. Those sorts of incidents which take place late at night, in dark alleyways with no fanfare or fuss… that's where the real business happens. Whoever was being moved last night was either somebody they don't want you to know about, somebody who is far too dangerous for the public to know of their existence, or perhaps even both.

'That's not reassuring at all.'

And yet, unfortunately, it is the truth. You've always been so naive about your expectation of the world of Heroes and villains, Izuku. You're young, so I can understand it. But you will find that you are mistaken, about a great many things.

"Guess you guys are talking about the news last night, huh? Any bets on who the miniboss who escaped is?"

Tenko's timing could not have been any better if he tried, and Izuku's head whipped around almost as quickly as Setsuna's. "T-Tenko! Where were you last-"

"Long story, got distracted with my sidequest, ended up being put up for the night at a Hero Agency. Trust me, I'll tell you some time." Tenko frowned. "Did you… did you not get my text? I messaged you and Inko to say I wouldn't be coming back last night."

"U-Uh…" Izuku briefly flicked to check his phone. "No, I didn't-"

"Nor me… huh." Setsuna flicked him on the nose with a detached hand which had rocketed over as soon as he arrived. "Come on, try and call or something next time if you're gonna go AWOL. A girl gets concerned, y'know?"

"Heh, talk about unexpected dialogue choices. I should disappear more often." Tenko laughed as he dodged the swipe from her. "But hey, come on, what happened to the four musketeers?"

"You were the ones who were late! Forgive us for wanting to get into class on time and save your ass if Snipe started asking where you were!" Setsuna grinned. "Did you at least remember to bring Himiko?"

"Yeah, I'm sorry I was so late and all." Himiko leaned around the side of Tenko and shot them a wave, sounding a little less peppy than usual. "Kinda lost track of time, and, well… felt weird, coming in without you two."

"Aw, someone missed her darling Zuzu." Izuku could feel himself bright red and heard a little noise of a chuckle from Kodai, which didn't help at all. Himiko managed better, rolling her eyes when Setsuna teased them both. "Just be glad Snipe's even later than you are. Thought cowboys were supposed to be good at telling the time."

"What the… what even gave you that idea?"

"I mean, come on… they always know when it's high noon. Right?" There was a collective groan from several present, and a pencil case thrown at an unapologetic Setsuna from somewhere. "Come on, nobody appreciates my comedic genius at this time in the morning?"

"Let's not go too far and call it genius-"

"Yaomomo! Et tu?!"

As Setsuna and some of the others got even louder, Tenko sneaking over to join in, Izuku knew that he should have gone over and asked a little more of his brother-in-all-but-blood. He had mentioned before how he wanted to go off and start trying to find out a little more about his family, in particular his mysterious grandmother Nana Shimura, so maybe last night was the first time he had begun to make headway on that. But for whatever reason, his eyes were drawn to Himiko, slinking over to her seat and collapsing down with a sigh. He was tired… and she looked it as well. "H-Hey-"

"Hey yourself." She grinned at him, something he could never get tired of seeing. "You look rough."

"Uh… thanks?" He didn't really know what to say to that, and she snorted. "So… uh…"

"You were about to say 'so do you', weren't you? Wow. So romantic." Himiko raised an eyebrow at him, and Izuku couldn't help but laugh at her antics. "I'm guessing you and Set did some good training last night?"

"Yeah… the recoil on Air Force is a lot to take when I'm pushing myself, though." He had to be careful with what he said and how he said it considering that the rest of the class were around them, but by the way that she nodded her head briefly, she clearly understood what he meant. "It's… progress. I should be able to get better at it the more I try, right?"

"Definitely… can't wait to see how strong you can get it down the line."

"Th-thanks. So…" Izuku paused. "You had your thing last night-"

"My thing."

"You know… with your ward. You called it father-daughter bonding. You and him and… your brother?"

"Oh, yeah. Well remembered. It was, uh…" Himiko shot him a look. "Something else, alright."

Are you not the least bit suspicious about an answer that vague?

Izuku heard the voice in the back of his head and was briefly thrown. 'What… no. What do you mean?'

Himiko's never told you much about her guardian, has she? Whoever he is, they must work out and practice together, because she's shown off fighting ability which you could only learn from an experienced teacher before you even came here. And now, she's going out for father and daughter bonding in the evening… the night that a prisoner transport gets attacked. Perhaps there's nothing more than fine coincidence to it, but maybe-

'Okay, this is too much!' Izuku wasn't going to have it. 'You can be helpful when you want to be, so… leave my friends alone. If you're trying to make me doubt them… they've proved how good they've been to me when they found out about All For One!'

But that's precisely my point. You kept your secrets from her… perhaps she is keeping some from you, with vague answers like this. Shigaraki huffed. All I'm saying is that maybe you might want to pry a little more, rather than accept this at face value. Trust is a two-way exercise.

'I…' Izuku didn't like the suggestion one bit, because it spoke against every bit of trust he'd placed in Himiko. At any other time he would have completely ignored it, but with the timings… maybe if he asked the question, it would shut Shigaraki up. "Himiko?"

"Mmm?"

"What… what did you do last night? I'm… just interested, you know?" Izuku cursed himself mentally for how unconvincing that sounded, and realised he needed to backpedal a little. "Sorry, i-if you don't want to say it's fine-"

"It's… not that. It's a little harder because…" Himiko lowered her voice, and leaned into him. "... I'm just not sure the others would approve of it."

His eyes widened as he heard that. What was she… "This isn't something illegal, is it?"

"Not illegal, just… ah, I've gotta explain otherwise it sounds worse than it is." Himiko leaned even closer, whispering now. "We, uh… you know how I've kinda learned a lot from my guardian? We… may like to spar a little. And we may have… went to one of those underground fight clubs last night."

"F-Fight clubs?" Izuku was a little stunned. "You… are you sure the one you went to was-"

"Legal? I think so. I… kinda left that to the old man. But…" Himiko could see him look a little panicked, and held onto his arm as if reassuring him. "Don't worry. My Quirk kinda helps for stuff like that anyway. If there was someone shady there… they won't see my face, put it that way."

"... Oh." That… made a lot more sense to Izuku. Something like that, even if it was near to crossing the line as to what they should and shouldn't do, could only be of benefit to Himiko. With her Quirk, she'd be able to practice blending into the crowd with someone else's face, and if she was actually entering into fights… Izuku didn't like how dangerous that sounded, not least given the sorts of people from the underworld who she might have run into at an event like it, but if she made it out in one piece then she could clearly hold her own. "Have you… b-been doing that a lot?"

"Sorta for a couple of years now. It's… surprisingly helpful, y'know? I know it means I probably fight a little dirtier than most of the people here, but villains aren't always gonna fight fair with us, are they?" Himiko gave a little shrug, and he couldn't help but admit that she had a point. "Sorry, I… I didn't know if it was something I should really be telling you guys about. Maybe it might have been best to keep it in the dark, so you could deny it if something ever went wrong-"

"That's… not what we're about, as a team." Izuku reached out with his scarred hand and squeezed her arm. "I'm glad you told me. I… it's not something I expected, but… I just don't want you getting into trouble."

"I'll be fine. It's you we need to worry about." She moved so that she was holding his hand, and squeezed back. "I know there's no way I could get you to come along. The only reason it's not too dangerous for me, and that I'm not risking my possible career as a Hero by going, is because I can turn up with a disguise. You wouldn't have any of that, and I couldn't risk your dreams by bringing you along despite that."

"No, th-thank you… plus, you know." Izuku turned his hand over to show her the scar left because of All For One and the fight with Nomu, and lowered his voice as much as it could go. "It's not exactly somewhere I want to go if my Quirk shows something new."

"Uh huh." Himiko didn't need any further explanation than that. "Trust me, with how much I ache right now… I won't miss the next couple of training sessions you and Set do. I think that might be better for me than going out like last night."

"I wouldn't be so sure…" Izuku winced as he rolled his shoulders, to a snort from Himiko.

Well… underground fight clubs. Colour me surprised.

'Is that a good enough answer for you? Or do you still doubt her?'

It's an unusual tale, but it checks out. I've known a few of those in my time. Very useful scouting exercises, I found.

'Scouting?'

But of course. I had an arsenal I wanted to add to, and those rings had seasoned fighters who were able to develop their own styles with their Quirks. Izuku's blood ran slightly colder as he could see where this was going. Some villains could be so pedestrian with their application, but others… sometimes it was worth the snooping, if I discovered a rare vintage, a hidden gem. They've served me well.

'Well… I don't think I'll be going to one anytime soon.' Izuku wasn't having any of it. 'I'm sorry if you were hoping I might pick up some of your old habits.'

Shame. The evolution of Quirks over the last couple of generations has been remarkable. Some of those that must be out there… they would make a fine addition to your collection.

'Not happening-'

"Hey, Midoriya. Mornin'."

Izuku started. How long had he been lost in thought with the vestige for company? However long it had been, Snipe had arrived to take the class, and was looking pointedly in his direction behind the mask that gave nothing away. "O-Oh! Good morning, Sensei-"

"Yer lookin' a lil tired, son. Tokage took ya out trainin' last night, I hear." Snipe took a seat on the desk at the front of the room, to the agony and consternation of the heir to the Ingenium name, and drummed a gauntleted hand on the table top. "Just don't go overboard with it, ya hear?"

"Sorry, Sensei, that's on me." Setsuna stepped in to accept responsibility- surprisingly for her- and waved at their substitute teacher. "I kinda pushed him."

"Nothin' to apologise for. Yer young. Yer bound to make a few mistakes every once in a while. And hey… it ain't just directed at you two." Snipe looked over the rest of the class. "That's advice for all y'all, really. I know Kirishima and Ashido hit the gym pretty damn hard last night, but y'all can't rush into trainin' all the time and give yerselves no rest. That's a surefire way to burnout and rock bottom if ya don't look after yerselves."

"Yes, Sensei…" Ashido looked a little meek at the dressing down. "Sorry, we just-"

"No 'just', Ashido. We structure yer exercises so y'all aren't gettin' wiped out every other day. If anyone starts going beyond that, well…" Snipe adjusted his hat slightly. "I know what the damn motto says. Go beyond, Plus Ultra and all. Just… there's a time and a place for it, and there's a time and a place not to go too hard and put yerselves and others at risk. So if that time means yer not sharp for tomorrow's classes, it's not the right time… got it?"

"Yes, Sensei." Izuku didn't know how they all managed to reply in chorus at exactly the same time. Every time without fail, the class could do it.

"Right. Still… Midoriya." Snipe focused on him, and Izuku gulped. He could see why the cowboy Hero wore his mask still in class; it was intimidating when it looked like he was staring right through Izuku. "Ya didn't answer my question."

"You…" Izuku hung his head, because he had to be honest and admit that he hadn't been listening to whatever the teacher had asked. "... Sorry, Sensei. I-I completely missed your question. Could you-"

"Repeat? Sure." Snipe fidgeted for a second, before unholstering one of his guns and placing it down on the table. The logical part of Izuku's brain knew that the teacher had done it because he wanted to get more comfortable, but there was still something about the thunk it made when placed onto the table that set the irrational part off into imagining this as some kind of interrogation. "How many vigilantes were recognised as Heroes under the Rhode Island System?"

That was… an unexpected question. But as there were murmurs from a couple of the other students, Izuku was at least grateful he knew the answer to this one. Hero pop culture was what he lived and breathed when growing up, and if he remembered correctly Tenko had done an assignment on Rhode Island before they came to UA-

Seven. One hundred and eighty nine existed, but only seven were-

'I knew that, but thank you, I guess…' Izuku didn't need the save from Shigaraki this time. "Seven, Sensei. Only seven out of the one hundred and eighty nine." There was a muffled laugh from the seat behind him as Snipe whistled, and Izuku spun around to look at Kodai. "Wh-what did I miss?"

"Hm." Kodai's eyes twinkled with something he very rarely saw on the stoic girl's face; it was almost like she was teasing him. "The actual question."

"Gotta respect that he got the question right though," Honenuki piped up, to a snigger from Himiko beside him. "At least, I think he did, Sensei?"

"Sure did." Snipe made a noise which must have been a laugh- it was hard to tell behind that mask. "I'm impressed you know that, Midoriya, because that's some deep levels of detail about Hero history and they don't teach that too often over here. But I'm sorry, because I saw yer head was somewhere else and wanted to have some fun… I only asked what yer plans for the weekend were."

"Ah… haaaah." All Izuku could do was slump his head down on the desk and groan, rueing his misfortune. As the laughter from Himiko and Setsuna grew louder, he turned his head to look at Himiko and give her the dirtiest look he could (which admittedly, was not much at all). "Thanks for helping me, guys."

"You did good, Izu!" Her grin was wicked, as she patted him on the arm. "Nobody doubts you're a Hero nerd now!"

"Great…" Izuku turned his thoughts inward for just a second. 'And thanks for your help. Aren't you supposed to be aware of my surroundings?'

Oh, I was. But it's the little things in life that amuse you sometimes. How could I resist?

'Oh, come on!'

"Unlucky, kid. Although since this neatly brings us onto topic…" Snipe turned to the board behind him, picked up a pen and painstakingly wrote the word 'VIGILANTES' in crude penwriting, before taking aim and neatly lobbing the pen into an overstuffed pot on the desk without any ricochet. "Still got it. And they worried y'all would suffer with worse teachin' if I stepped in for Nemuri."

"Seamless work, teach." Monoma raised one eyebrow at the board. "But I wasn't expecting we'd be taught about this sort of thing at UA. Isn't the point for us not to become vigilantes?"

"That's part of it. But I like to be a lil more… practical, shall we say, than some of my colleagues when it comes to real world issues." Snipe appeared to be looking for something to point at the word with, unable to find a long ruler or a laser pointer on the desk, before giving up and settling for pointing one of his six-shooters at the word. "Y'all know the main V word when it comes to Heroes… Villains. There's a big ol' difference between your average criminal, who might break the law on a petty level quite often or might have done one big thing in their life, and a Villain who lives to break the law and makes a career out of fightin' Heroes for their place in society. But the world as it is now… there's another V word which causes controversy. And that's where we are here. Midoriya?"

"Y-Yes?"

"Sorry I picked on ya earlier. But since you know enough about Rhode Island…" Snipe paused to allow a couple of laughs. "Hit me with it. What happened?"

"There's… different stories about what happened." Izuku knew he could go into great detail about the background, but as Snipe seemed to like quickfire questions, he tried to limit himself as best as possible. "It was around the Dawn of Quirks. Vigilantes started appearing to help the Police keep the peace when the first villains and criminals with Quirks became too much to handle. The state government in Rhode Island passed a law to sanction some of those vigilantes as official Heroes, but… they only allowed seven to become Heroes, and classed the rest of villains. People were… upset."

"Minor understatement, but yeah, good summary." Snipe cast an eye over the class. "Moral outrage. That's probably the best way of describin' it. Some vigilantes were perceived to be doin' it for the wrong reasons, fightin' for glory or the thrill of it rather than tryin' to tackle crime. Some started their own campaigns for 'justice' without involving the Police. Some did it all legit and yet still weren't recognised. And of the seven who were recognised… one of them was tried later for what they found out. It was-"

"A work in progress." Tenko, surprisingly, spoke up to join in. "The beta usually isn't perfect. A lot of people used the Rhode Island system to learn when they came to set up their own class system for their Heroes. Japan included."

""True. There's a whole subclass of Heroes that exist because of how many vigilantes emerged. Any guesses on what that category is… Kendo?"

"Underground Heroes?" Izuku was relieved that someone else thought the same thing as him. "That… I don't know who else it could be."

"Yer right, so don't worry about guessin' who else." Snipe paused. "Underground Heroes emerged because the Hero Commission realised somethin' about the system we work in. Heroes bein' regulated and held accountable, Heroes bein' public figures who work with the Police… all well and good. But sometimes when there ain't nobody else around, in the darkest shadows and where the danger is immediate… a vigilante steppin' in can be pretty darn effective. Underground Heroes exist to strike the balance between vigilante and Hero… and yet vigilantes still exist."

"Vigilantes…" Iida read the board aloud. "Sensei… the Hero Commission announced a greater crackdown on vigilante action after Incident Zero."

"They did, and I'm glad you brought that up, Iida." Snipe put the six-shooter down, collapsed into the chair, and fixed them all with a look. "There's a whole system out there with Heroes and Police and all sorts. So with that all in mind… what do y'all think about vigilantes takin' matters into their own hands?"

Interesting. I wasn't expecting moral dilemmas at this time in the morning, but I'm curious to see how the others view it.

"I… think that sometimes they can be irresponsible."

"What an unexpected twist, Iida doesn't support rulebreakers." Tenko spoke up, cutting his classmate off. "Irresponsible?"

"I… appreciate that I may be in the minority to hold that sort of view. Ordinarily I would be prepared to look past any breach of the rules where an individual wants to genuinely help out and does so in a way that doesn't interfere… no matter whether I disagree with it or not." Iida adjusted his glasses, but to his credit held firm in the face of the challenge from Tenko. "But my point still stands. They can interfere. I cannot condone rulebreaking where an individual might compromise hard work and diligence from Heroes and Police with their own actions."

"I think to be fair to Iida, I see where he's coming from." Honenuki nodded to his friend. "Say for instance you've got… I dunno, a crime boss. Say that an investigation is being run by someone like Sir Nighteye and the Police, and it's taken weeks to get to the point where they collect all the evidence for, I dunno, let's say drug trafficking. They get a raid planned and then… bam. Out of nowhere, a vigilante attacks the boss and his troops. All that hard work…"

"You say hard work, but sometimes you've got to just… step in and do something!" Hagakure's uniform practically vibrated as she jumped in. "In those weeks where they've been investigating, think about how much could have happened! All those people who still get their drugs in Honenuki's example, think about the harm that does in the meantime."

"And what if the vigilante gets it wrong, and the boss retreats underground?" Honenuki argued back, evenly. "What if they go too far? Some vigilante attacks the troops and the Police lose their vital lead?"

"I must say… the thought of that fills me with some dread." Shiozaki's voice trembled slightly as she joined in. "As a Hero… I would hope we are expected to take all necessary steps to avoid loss of life. We have duties to uphold… vigilantes may not share that."

"I hate to break it to you, but it's always a last resort to a Hero that they may have to take that final step against a villain." Monoma, to his credit, didn't sound as cruel as he usually did when replying to Shiozaki. "Why, Sensei here… I expect you've killed before, haven't you?"

"I have. Although..." Snipe's six-shooter spun in his hand, and was carefully set back onto the desk. "Just 'cause I'm a gunslinger, doesn't mean it's my first thought. I take the shots I need to, when all other options are exhausted, and I carry these in the hope I don't have to use 'em."

"Some days you may not get the choice." Tokoyami bowed his head. "We… appear to have strayed slightly from the path."

"Yes, I agree," Yaoyorozu said, jumping in at that point to steer the conversation back to where it had started. "But it is a big difference. Where is the accountability for a vigilante if something like that happens, and they were wrong to act in that manner? What if they cause damage that someone else must bear the burden of, or an accident occurs which they would be liable for?"

"What makes them any different to the private Hero Agencies we have these days, in that respect?"

Snipe whistled at the response from Shoji, as a mouthed hand rose to join the conversation. "Now that… that is clever. Brutal, sure, and possibly a lil dangerous to voice those sorts of opinions around independent Heroes. But clever. Go on."

"I'm not sure what more I can add." Shoji shrugged, a complicated gesture with six arms. "We've all seen the stories. The way some of those Agencies have behaved, the people in charge… accountable only to themselves."

"Even our Number One Hero's like that these days." Setsuna didn't hold back, as Shoji nodded. "It's no wonder people aren't happy and wanna take the law into their own hands."

"It's no wonder we have someone like Stain, if people behave this way," Himiko added, darkly, as others murmured behind her as she mentioned the Hero Killer. "People just… wanna do something."

"That's what I feel!" Kirishima had been more subdued during the discussion up until that point, but the sound of Hardening activated drew attention to him. "I just… I wanted to come here because I wanted to do it all properly, but if I was out there and saw something happening… I've stood by before and regretted it!"

"I couldn't stand by!" Tetsutetsu joined his fellow man's man, something which didn't surprise Izuku in the slightest. "You'd… surely you'd have to do something!"

"We should be able to trust our Heroes to step in…" Kendo pulled a face. "I just… some of the ones we have right now, I don't think I can do that. So even if it would be a risk to me to try and help… I'd have to. We'd all want to help, surely?"

"We all want to help people. That's why we're here." Tsu's response was matter-of fact. "We can't help people if stepping out means we could never do it again."

"People need good Heroes…" Kodai speaking up was rare, and the whole hum of the class died down so she could say something. "Need better. So they… don't need vigilantes."

"Fair point from Kodai," Snipe mused. "If you have Heroes that everyone trusts… the need for vigilantes is less. It's a problem we all face with the bad apples… I'm not ashamed to admit that."

Oh, here we go. How long until the insufferable tributes to that blonde buffoon All Might begin?

"Not exactly a good system given what we have at the top right now," Monoma said, tutting in disappointment. "Endeavor gets outed for abusing his son and he's somehow still in charge? What a disappointing world. And the sort of people he wants to train for the future… that Apprentice of his? He's no Hero-"

"H-He will be." The silence that fell on the classroom was practically deafening, and it took Izuku a moment to realise that it was because he had said that aloud. He gulped, many eyes on him and a few looks of shock from his best friends, before repeating himself. "Katsuki… he will be."

… Not what I expected from you, given everything you went through. You continue to keep me guessing, my boy.

"Zuzu…" Setsuna looked a little stunned at the fact he'd spoken up. "We are talking about the same Bakugo here, right? Y'know… the guy who used to pick on you because-"

"I know." Izuku cut her off before she could say too much. Sometimes talking about that side of the past was uncomfortable, and he hadn't yet told anyone in the class about how Bakugo had treated him while he was Quirkless, and their parting when Izuku first manifested All For One. "I know… but, hear me out. He's… rough. H-He's violent. He thinks… he thinks he's better than everyone else."

"You're… not selling me on why he'll be a great Hero, Midoriya," Honenuki said, but he clearly didn't mean any harm by saying that judging by the look in his eyes.

"I… y-yeah, I know how it sounds." Izuku cleared his throat, self-consciously. "But… he nearly lost the chance to be a Hero because of an incident at Tatooin Station that he got involved with."

"I believe I remember that being mentioned when he was interviewed before," Shiozaki reflected. "Although it was some time ago and I was more distracted by how… rude he appeared to be."

"Right. But… that incident… I was there." Izuku took a moment to look at each of his best friends. "We were there."

"Yeah… all I wanted to do was go with Set for her train home. Thought it was gonna be a normal day." Tenko grinned ruefully. "Wasn't expecting to spectate the boss fight."

"Talk about front row seats…" Himiko's eyes twinkled with something as she looked at Izuku. "You were such a gentleman that day, stopping me from getting hit by rubble-"

"D-Don't mention it." Izuku could feel his ears burning, something that wasn't helped by both Hagakure and Ashido cooing on the sidelines, but he soldiered on. "But there were three Heroes there that day. Kamui Woods stopped the villain first, and then…"

"Death Arms and Mount Lady turned up and tried to killsteal," Tenko continued. "They all had a fight over who should take the bad guy in."

"And we got caught in the middle of them fighting each other… all while that villain got up and tried to escape." Setsuna rolled her eyes. "Talk about an advert for modern Heroes."

"But that's the point. In all of that… Bakugo showed up right in front of us. Stopped the villain from attacking us, yelled at all the Heroes for losing sight of their enemy, and went to fight him on his own…" Izuku's brain was whirring. "He even beat him on his own, if I'm remembering that right-"
You are.

"But… that's the thing. We didn't get involved when the Heroes were fighting the villain, because none of us thought it was our place. When things went wrong, we ran rather than got involved, because we didn't want to get caught up in anything… I didn't know for a few days afterwards if it was wrong that we didn't stay and try to help people." Izuku had decided that they had done the right thing in the end, back then, but he'd never voiced those doubts aloud with his friends. "We ran… Bakugo didn't."

"Bro…" Kirishima looked sympathetic. "You shouldn't have been put in that position, though!"

"We shouldn't. And… Bakugo knew that. That's why he stepped up." Izuku swallowed. "There's a lot I don't like about him, which I… I made my peace with that a long time ago. But when things were going wrong and the Heroes were failing people… Bakugo didn't lose sight of that for one second. He saw all those struggling people, let down by the ones who were supposed to protect them, and he stepped in knowing the risk to himself. That's… what it means to be a Hero, isn't it?"

"... Mm." Kodai took a second to think before agreeing, as most of the class was silent considering Izuku's words. "He's… complicated."

"He's a lot of things. But that's why… I don't mind if there are vigilantes out there who want to act and help people, and do what Heroes should. I came here to train, but… I'd do it too, if it meant I could help people. And if someone like Katsuki rises up to become one of our top Heroes, and we end up with a Hero who doesn't lose sight of what matters most…" Izuku's face twisted. "It's got to be better than what we have now, r-right?"

I couldn't agree more. Except, of course… that you and I both want you to be the one who rises to the top, don't we?

"Y'know, Midoriya…" Snipe hummed, shaking him out of replying to Shigaraki's sharp comment in the back of his head, "I didn't know that 'bout Tatooin. I was outta the country and all, so that's my fault, but… food for thought. Perhaps I was hasty to judge."

"Sensei…" Iida was the first to speak up in the considered silence. "This debate… there is no right answer, is there?"

"Absolutely not. It's a question that's been asked since the first Heroes were announced by Rhode Island; I sure as hell don't expect y'all to answer a decades-old argument this mornin'." There were several nods from the class in response to that. "Listen. Midoriya's story there… it's as much a valuable lesson as all the points raised today. When yer out there in the field, tryin' to save people… sometimes, yer gonna be with people whose views ain't yers. Sometimes, you might end up with a vigilante helpin' ya out, sometimes ya might be with people who don't want that help. There's no easy answer to all of it, except to do one thing… any guesses?"

"I think I know." Yaoyorozu nodded, one hand clasped to her chest. "We need to make sure we don't lose sight of the objective."

"In one. Yer priorities can't change. Compromise, work somethin' out, save conversations for a later date. Cause if ya don't, there's only one winner… and that ain't you." It was a bluntly-put lesson, but it was one that resonated with Izuku and (by the looks of things) the rest of the class. "Look, my view? Many hands make light work. The Commission'll tell y'all to arrest any vigilante on sight, but me… as long as they ain't gonna cause you to compromise yer mission for their own glory, I say let 'em lend a hand. But that's not gonna work for everyone here, so… just do what you feel's best. We ain't gonna tell you that one way's right or wrong."

Snipe made a noise, and if he wasn't wearing the mask, Izuku imagined they would have seen a grin. "Y'all are different, and are gonna do things differently the second you become Heroes. But each of you is a Hero in the makin'… as long as you want the same thing, that's fine by me."

Take it from me, Izuku, a vigilante that is an unknown quantity can be incredibly troublesome to a villain. Some of my most unexpected days came because of the intervention of a vigilante wanting to do right… if the time comes, take the cowboy's advice and see what they offer you.

It felt strange that Shigaraki's advice to him was so in line with what he thought anyway. Maybe it was a consequence of them both sharing the same mind for so long that they'd reached more common ground than Izuku thought. All he could do was pause, take it in, and smile reassuringly to Tenko as his friend sought him out across the classroom to make sure he was okay. Looking out for him when he'd just been talking about his childhood bully… Tenko really was a good friend.

"Now, since we've discussed some vigilante stuff… we've got other classes to get on with, but y'all may be interested to know this'll factor into our exercises this afternoon." Snipe picked up the pen he had used earlier and drew a big, wobbly ring around the word on the board. "There's eighteen of us now, so somehow this'll work perfectly for numbers. Two on two on two."

"A free-for-all…" Tokoyami's mouth curled upwards. "Revelry in the dark."

"Glad you like it, partner. Two Heroes who have to capture the Villains and the Vigilantes-"

"I thought you said we didn't have to arrest them, Sensei?" Tetsutetsu asked, brow furrowed.

"Eh, for the purposes of this exercise, pretend you work for the Commission and some hardass like Shishido gave you orders." There was some laughter from the class at the relaxed tone from the teacher. "Two Vigilantes, who have to defeat the Villains and evade the Heroes. And then two Villains, who have to defeat or evade both."

"Aw man…" Tenko smirked. "Can't wait to see who backstabs who. Interesting set-up."

"Trust me, it's more fun adding the chaotic third party. Gets to test how y'all adapt on the fly. So yeah, that's the afternoon…" Snipe fixed a look onto Setsuna. "And for those who shot their shot last night on trainin', and might feel a little sore… well, this'll be a fun test of endurance."

"Dammit…" Setsuna grimaced at Izuku. "Sorry, cuz… didn't see this coming."

"Hindsight's always twenty-twenty, Tokage. Well… before that, how about some excitement? What's on first? Math, I think-"

… Izuku groaned, and felt his aching joints catch up with him. This was going to be a long day.

Aching joints? … try living to my age.

(***)

A/N: And that's that! More 1A bonding time!

I didn't want there to be a brutal fight this chapter with the 1A class, or to go pedal to the metal into combat training while other arcs continue to escalate. I'm trying to show (and hopefully you as readers are seeing) a UA who take their duties to pastoral care a little more seriously- not throwing their students into a Sports Festival on live TV without adequate safeguarding straight after a huge villain incursion, but taking their time to build the students back up. There's more action coming their way, because of course there is in a world like this, but for now I wanted to focus on getting some actual classes in. And y'know, setting up the obvious question… what's Tenko been doing?

I really love the debate around vigilantism that emerges whenever you get a really good superhero series. Right and wrong can never, in my view, be measured entirely on a straight line with two ends; there are always questions about whether the ends justify the means, or how far a person can go before a line is crossed, or how justified a certain villain's viewpoint might be before it goes off the deep end. My Hero Academia does a brilliant job generally at allowing wiggle room within those concepts and giving it nuance (although recently it seems to be falling a little short with the execution of the likes of Nagant), and so I wanted to have some of that in this fic.

If you want to share your views on this in the reviews, I would more than welcome it. Equally, if you want to share your thoughts on the story, please take the time to review- just don't flame me and I will appreciate anything you have to say. If you haven't already, please consider favouriting and following, and check out my other work- I've got something very special coming, for a very special character, soon.

Ya boy, out.