Chapter 3
Tsukaeru looks up at the mysterious stranger, still holding the umbrella pointed at him.
Tsukaeru: You're the guy from the phone?
Izuku: I am. Do you have the file?
Tsukaeru: Everything I have is in the living room…
Izuku: You're wondering how trustworthy I am. I can only offer my word that I'll do everything in my power to get your mother back…
There was a hard determination in his eyes that mirrored Tsukaeru's. The boy had seen it in his own reflection over the past few days. He sets the umbrella down, and leads him in quietly, still with his guard up, thinking of what he can do if things go wrong.
Tsukaeru: Ok… think of everything in reach… I don't know what kind of Quirk he has, but even he should be caught off-guard by a random object thrown his way, at least long enough for me to run to the door… I left it unlocked and if I can reach the Kirishima-Ashido apartment, I can lock the door and get help from there… Alternatively-
Izuku: Your best option is the fire escape.
His back-up plan was cut off. Izuku began to speed read through everything available.
Izuku: After throwing whatever you can reach at me, your best bet is to go for the fire escape at the window. Not only would you be able to slip out easier due to your shorter size, but I would need to adjust my own lankier stature to get out if I were to go after you, which I won't… These are very thorough notes, I can work well with what you have on hand.
Tsukaeru: … It's everything I know and everything the Pros and police know.
Izuku: How did you access their files.
Tsukaeru: … I have my ways.
He wasn't about to reveal Hackira to this stranger, even if he was trying to help him.
Izuku: Do you have any theories on who could have taken her?
Tsukaeru: Not too many… I thought it would be a copycat killer to Stain, but the previous targets don't make sense.
Izuku: Of course they don't. All of the previous targets were focused on drawing in your mom.
Tsukaeru: That's what I thought, too.
Izuku: Did you think about any grudges against her?
Tsukaeru: I did, but of all the villains I've seen reported on in the most recent years, none of them fit the MO of the mystery villain.
Izuku: What about further back?
Tsukaeru: I thought there might be, but I couldn't think of anyone who would hold a grudge against my mom for that long.
Izuku: I can think of 1.
Tsukaeru: Who?
Izuku: Himiko Toga.
Tsukaeru: No, it can't be. She hasn't been seen since after her parole officer lost her… 9 years ago now, I think?
Himiko Toga was paroled for good behavior after being locked up with the rest of the league. She was arrested the year before Izuku gave himself up. She had only served 5 years since she officially joined the League as a minor, and was misconstrued as manipulating her as such. When Tsukaeru was 4, she was paroled, but not long after that, it was as if she merely vanished off the face of the Earth, with no clues as to where she went.
Tsukaeru: If she wanted to go after my mom, why didn't she do it sooner?
Izuku: Not all villains immediately go after the person who imprisoned them, even if they're a hyper focused, blood thirsty psychopath like Toga.
Tsukaeru: Why is she obsessed with my mom?
Izuku: … There are a few reasons… but one of the main ones is that they started their hero and villain careers at the same time, when Ochako was still a first year at UA. She was the first technical hero that she fought and became obsessed with her after she fought back first. The way Toga sees the world is like this- If it's bleeding, it's cute. If it's already cute, making it bloody would make it cuter. If she sees someone she thinks is cute, she wants to make them bleed, and if they "prove themselves" in her eyes, she wants to become them.
Tsukaeru: Because of her Quirk, right?
Izuku: Right. Shapeshifting via drinking the blood of a victim. The more blood she drinks, the longer she can become them. Through a Quirk Awakening, she even figured out how to use their Quirk.
Tsukaeru: And you think she was waiting all this time for the right moment to get my mom?
Izuku: That's my leading theory.
Tsukaeru: How do you know so much about Toga and my mom anyway?
Izuku: Let's just say I have… extensive experience when dealing with the history of the League… I think I got all I need here.
He stands up, tucking the file into his hoodie.
Tsukaeru: Where are we going?
Izuku: I'M going to the site of the crime. There's a clue I think the heroes overlooked. YOU are going to stay here and wait.
Tsukaeru: I'm not just going to sit here while I leave the fate of my mom in the hands of someone I just met! I don't even know who you are! I'm coming with you!
Izuku: It's dangerous! You could get killed! You don't even-
He pauses, realizing what he was about to say.
Izuku Years Ago: Is it possible to become a hero, even if I don't have a Quirk?
He looks back at the young boy before him, seeing himself many years ago, on top of a certain rooftop with the original Symbol of Peace, All Might.
Tsukaeru: What!? "I don't even" what!?
All Might Years Ago: So, can you be a hero? Not without a Quirk…
He thinks back to that day. After he had learned one of All Might's greatest secrets, it was still Izuku who took action to try and save Katsuki that same day, forcing All Might into action. He wasn't thanked for his deeds, he was reprimanded. All Might didn't say anything to him as he spoke with the crowd and the press. Bakugo was praised for "Being so brave" in the face of danger, when he was actually making it harder for heroes to get closer with his Quirk. Now, here he was, about to run into unknown danger, with his own flesh and blood looking up at him with the same determination to help in his eyes as he had that day.
Izuku: … Tell me… do you want to be a hero?
Tsukaeru: Of course I do!
Izuku: Why?
Tsukaeru: Because mom-
Izuku: No. Why do YOU want to be a hero? What inspires you to get out of bed every day and face whatever may come? What force drives you to run into a situation where you don't know the outcome? Even if you never get a Quirk, what makes you want to try anyway? Why do YOU, Tsukaeru Uraraka, want to be a hero?
Tsukaeru looks down at his hands, thinking, as he felt Izuku's eyes bore into him. A minute passes before his fists clench.
Tsukaeru: I want to become a hero so I can protect people… I want to help people so that they don't have to worry about their loved ones being kidnapped or going missing or even dying at the hands of some villain…
He looks up with righteous determination that makes Izuku's pride swell.
Tsukaeru: I want to be a hero so that no one ever has to go home to an empty home! So that they can live their lives with their friends! Their family!
He was tearing up as his fists squeeze in his hands. Izuku looks down at him with an unreadable expression.
Izuku: … Grab your phone and your coat, Young Uraraka… Tonight… You too can be a hero…
3 days… 3 days of being chained onto weights by her ankles. 3 days of her hands being locked in thick, construction worker gloves, making her practically quirkless. 3 days of her hands being further zip tied together, while her kidnapper took sadistic pleasure in hosing her down to clean her, taking 2 pints of her blood a day, forcing her to eat a disgusting nutrient paste so she wouldn't starve. 3 days of insane ramblings and rants from her kidnapper. 3 days of trying to stay strong and hold out for either her chance to escape, or for someone to find her. She was in an old League warehouse, one she and her fellow heroes had cleared out themselves, but had since been refilled with a shoddily made bar with dim lights and worn tables. Manakins stood around her, drawn on and designed to look like members of the original League. "Tomanakin" sat at the bar with manikin hands glued all over it with a blue wig. Serving him was "Plastiguri", who was dressed as a butler and its head was replaced with a black balloon. On it were yellow circles for eyes. "Doli" has piercings stapled all over its body with a black jacket and has scorch marks across its lower face. It was reclining at a booth, seemingly talking to "Manakagne", which had an orange wig, sun glasses, and had its arm around what looked like a cartoonishly large magnet. At a table across from herself were "Not-Twice" and "Dummy-Spinner". "Not-Twice" had different segments of itself painted black with googly eyes on its head and "Dummy-Spinner" had a mohawk wig and was painted green, along with a green feather boa tied around its waist as a tail and several random masks tied around its head. Reclined against a wall was "Mr. Manakin", adorned in a top hat and holding playing cards, dressed in a vest. Finally, sitting across from her, was "Manideku". It was the most detailed, wearing a white dress shirt, a black dress jacket, a vest, black pants, and a green wig. What was most disturbing about it were the lipstick stains and splotches of red paint all over it, as if it were in an intense make out session while it was being stabbed to death. Her kidnapper skips in, wearing a green skirt, a pink sweater with "URAVITY" spelled out across the top, and several red stains all over. It was Himiko Toga, in the flesh. SHe had developed well over the years, all things considered. Her body had matured, her hair reached her back in a ponytail, and she was taller.
Toga: Good evening, Ochako~! How are you?
She stays quiet and Toga pouts, taking a seat next to her.
Toga: Aww, are you still being grumpy at me?
Ochako: You've humiliated me, stabbed me, and drained several pints of my blood.
Toga: Ugh! That's what you're mad about!? Get over it already! What a whiner, eh Deku~!?
Manideku: …
Toga: HAHA! You said it!
Ochako: Why are you still keeping me around?
Toga: Why!? Because I love you, SILLY! I love you AND my precious Deku~!
She kisses the manakin obsessively.
Toga: I can't just get rid of you! Then our love triangle wouldn't be as interesting! Do I have to go over it again!?
Ochako: I'd rather you didn't, but it's not like I have a choice.
Toga: THAT'S THE SPIRIT! It's EASY! I love you because you are just SO cute! And we have SO much in common! Mostly Deku~. I love Deku, because who doesn't~ Especially when he's all ~Bloody~. You 2 love each other and you even have your own bouncing bundle of joy!
Her hands twitch as she starts to sound more strained as she speaks, like a spring about to break loose.
Toga: Deku TOLERATES me… he doesn't look at me the way he does to YOU… and you don't like me very much, because I stand in the way of you and him…
Ochako: And because your a murderer-
Toga: DON'T INTERRUPT ME!
Out of nowhere, she draws a knife, slashing Ochako's cheek. Ochako winces, but doesn't vocalize the pain. She doesn;t vocalize her disgust either as Toga licks the blade, slowly turning into a warped composite version of the 2 of them.
Toga: Maybe I SHOULD be done with you and this form can be the new me! What do you think, Deku~? Do you like this look on me~?
ManiDeku: …
Toga: You think I'm perfect the way I am? Aww~ Thank you~!
The composite disguise comes off in the usual gray sludge she makes before she stands up.
Toga: Although, maybe this triangle of ours has gotten a bit stale… maybe we can turn our love triangle into a game of house! I can be the mommy, Deku can be the daddy, you can be the NAUGHTY mistress-
She grabs Ochako's nose and makes her shake her head before letting her go.
Toga: And I know the PERFECT boy to play OUR son!
Ochako: If you lay a single fingernail on him, I swear, I'll-
Toga: Threats do NOT make you cute, Ochako… but luckily for you, I know what does~.
She holds up her knife, ready to drain her again for the night.
Izuku and Tsukaeru stay in the shadows as they make their way to the crime scene. The police and Pros had already combed through the area several times, so sneaking onto the scene wasn't too tricky as security had somewhat laxed. While most of the evidence, mainly the blood spatter, had been cleaned or dried up, they were still able to look around it with fresh eyes.
Tsukaeru: Hey… What do I call you?
Izuku: Pardon?
Tsukaeru: I don't know your name and if we're in trouble and I need to warn you, what should I say? Like "Hey mister stranger, look out!". What do I call you?
Izuku: My name isn't important right now, but for the time being, you can call me… Yagi.
Tsukaeru: Yagi? Like Toshinori Yagi?
Izuku: It was the first thing that came to my head… Now, let's see what we can find.
They scour the crime scene, referencing Tsukaeru's notes as much as possible. Tsukaeru was looking at a nearby dumpster as he referenced a picture of a blood splatter, noticing that there was a practically perfect, almost 3 inch line of blood going directly to the dumpster, but there wasn't any on the side. As he looked more, he noticed scuff marks on the wall behind it, as if it were picked straight up against the wall.
Tsukaeru: Yagi, I think I found something!
Izuku rushed over and Tsukaeru showed him the evidence. Izuku rubs his chin before gesturing for Tsukaeru to step back. He uses a bit of Pump Up to pull the dumpster from the wall, revealing a maintenance cover to what would be the sewers underneath.
Izuku: THIS is what the Pros missed! Well done, Young Uraraka!
He pops open the hatch and looks down, seeing dried blood stains.
Izuku: C'mon!
They both leap down, unaware that they were being watched by a shadowy figure with glowing eyes.
An hour passes since the one-sided, unknown father/son duo began traversing the underground maze of sewers. They were guided only by the light of Tsukaeru's phone light. The silence was suffocating and they both felt it.
Tsukaeru: SO… What do you do?
Izuku: I… can't answer that?
Tsukaeru: You mean you WON'T answer that?
Izuku: Yeah, any question that's NOT that, I'll answer.
Tsukaeru: Ok, what's your relationship with my mom?
Izuku: Nope.
Tsukaeru: How do you know about the League?
Izuku: Next.
Tsukaeru: What Quirk do you have?
Izuku: Classified.
Tsukaeru: OH, COME ON! You've gotta give me something!
Izuku: … When I was a boy, my dad worked overseas… I never really saw him… I can't even remember what he looked like…
Tsukaeru frowns, empathizing with the feeling.
Tsukaeru: And… your mom?
Izuku: She was practically my world… the only person in my life I could trust… even though she didn't think I could achieve my dreams…
Tsukaeru: Why?
Izuku: I… was a late bloomer… My doctor diagnosed me as Quirkless, but I wanted to be a hero… Just like All Might… He WAS my favorite hero…
Tsukaeru: What happened?
Izuku: … I met him.
He frowns and a pang of hatred beats in his heart slightly.
Tsukaeru: I'm sorry…
Izuku: It's ok… I can't change what happened… I'm trying to do better though…
Tsukaeru: So… Who became your favorite hero after All Might?
Izuku: Hm… If I had to choose… are we including heroes now or are we limiting it to people from my childhood?
Tsukaeru: Let's go with your childhood heroes. I think I'd be weirded out if you said your favorite hero from this generation is my mom.
They both chuckle slightly as the mood of their search becomes lighter. They eventually come to another hatch and Izuku takes the lead going up the ladder. He peeks out, seeing that he was near the League's old warehouse. He squints, seeing the lights were on. He helps Tsukaeru up, and hands his notes over.
Izuku: Ok, Tsukaeru, I want you to call the police while I go in.
Tsukaeru: But I-
Izuku: The best thing you can do right now is call for help. It's going to get messy in there if Toga is in there and I can't risk you getting hurt.
Tsukaeru: … Fine… I won't go in.
He nods and goes behind the building.
Tsukaeru: … But I will watch and listen through a window after I make my call…
Izuku uses Heat Detection to look into the building, seeing only 2 signatures, but one of them was weaker than the other. Using a side door, he uses Overhaul to break down the lock and sneak inside. He carefully moves in, out of sight, unaware that Tsukaeru was watching through a window after he had made the call. As Izuku moves further in, he can hear Toga speaking to Ochako.
Toga: Aww, you have so little today! I didn't drain you that much yesterday, did I?
Ochako: You're not going to keep me here.
Toga: Oh, yes I am! Although, I guess you could use a new face around here… Maybe your son SHOULD see how WEAK you've become!
Ochako: You stay away from him-
Toga: OR what? You're gonna kill me?
Izuku steps into the light of the bar, speaking coldly.
Izuku: No… but I might.
Toga gasps and smiles as she turns to see Izuku standing next to "Mr. Manakin".
Toga: Deku~!
Ochako: Izuku?
She was pale and weak, but she was still shocked. Tsukaeru was able to hear them and he was even more shocked.
Tsukaeru: DEKU!? THE VILLAIN, DEKU!? I'VE BEEN TALKING WITH A LEAGUE VILLAIN THIS WHOLE TIME!? OH MY GOD! I LET HIM INTO MY HOME!
Izuku: You won't lay a finger on him… and you won't be hurting Uraraka again.
He glares angrily at his old ally.