Disclaimer: I still do not own My Hero Academia. The lawyer's working on that front though.

Izuku squinted inside the bowels of the dummy. "Change over a few wires, alter the power cell, reinforce the servos again-" he sighed a bit at that. Building Support tech in general and Villain tech specifically was hard work. Making even a crude mimic of his body took a considerable amount of skill. Sure, Izuku was skilled, but there were limits to what you could do. Most of his money had just gone to getting better tools, more advanced electronics.

After being satisfied that it all worked, that everything was in order, he clicked the panel shut, screwing it back together. "Alright! The DEKU unit, take 5!" He pressed the power button on his remote control. The machine whirred to life, internal gears grinding. A light turned on in its eyes...

And then it shut down again, slumping. Izuku pumped a fist. "Yes! It didn't explode! Progress." He wiped his hands clean with a rag. "Now to get it to actually move around."

As Izuku started checking the structure and wiring of his robot again (maybe some soft parts would help around the joints) he heard his villain phone go off. Without turning around, he shouted, "Speaker!", and continued working on the insides of the robot.

"Oh, hello Mastermind. How have you been on this fine day?"

Izuku stopped everything. "Gentle Criminal?!" He rushed over to the mouthpiece, strapping it on. "How did you find me?"

There was a soft chuckle on the other end. "Well, after the success of my last video, I actually got in contact with some people in the underworld. I had to see if I could track you down. And luckily, I found Giran who was asking around for people to follow you." Izuku smiled a bit as Gentle continued. "I talked with him, and asked him if he had any way to contact you. Fortunately he gave me this number on the explicit promise that I don't tell anybody else."

"Giran said that? I guess he really does deserve his high reputation..."

"He really does. Now, I was wondering if you would like to, well... team up in the future."

...

For Izuku, time had stopped. The only thing that could have made his day even more than this would have been All Might himself showing up, declaring him the Number One All Might Fan of All Time and autographing everything he owned. He stood in the middle of the basement, mouth agape and shaking slightly.

"Mastermind?"

"YES!" Izuku shouted, then coughed. "I-I-I mean, yes, I-I would love to."

"Splendid! Then let us meet at Giran's office in a few minutes. I can give you directions to the abode of La Brava and I there."

Izuku managed to strangle a squeal of pure happiness.


Gentle Criminal felt slightly awkward, sitting there in the small office. La Brava stood next to him, idly checking on her phone regarding the account they had created for his villainous efforts. Gentle cleared his throat. "Are you sure he said he was coming? It's nearly our appointed meeting time."

In the desk opposite, Giran simply smirked. "I know my clients. He'll come through in three... two... one..."

WHAM!

The door was thrown open and Mastermind strode in, a crack of thunder coming as he did so. "Greetings Giran-san! Mastermind is here! And g-greetings to you as well, Gentle-sama, La Brava-san!" He gave a deep bow to each of them, then sat down in the chair left for him.

Giran smiled. "Well, it's good to see a figure like you." He chuckled lowly. "Having somebody like you show up means more business for me. More people seeing the benefits of good support gear."

Mastermind nodded. "Well, I'm glad to hear it." He leaned forwards in his chair. "So, you've been doing well, Gentle-sama?"

Gentle just laughed, holding a hand up. "Please, just Gentle would be fine." His smile widened. "As for how I've been doing, the channel's doing incredibly well!"

"Yeah!" La Brava piped up, holding her phone out. "We've gotten positive comments this time! And people are actually subscribing and taking us seriously!" She shot Mastermind a look of gratitude which the self-proclaimed Super Villain seemed to blush and start to flail.

Gentle just waved it off with an easy smile. "And it's all thanks to you, Mastermind."

Mastermind spluttered, finger pointing at himself. "M-me? I-I-I just-"

"I had been doing my own investigation on that bank, and what I found was bad. But I didn't go so far as to have recording devices set up to capture illegal acts like that." Gentle bowed, which had Mastermind stammer and fumble over his words to get him to 'stand up, please, Gentle!'

"No, the praise is yours," Gentle Criminal replied. "You went above and beyond with that, and as a result I have to admit... for all I inspired you, I know that working alongside you I could be greater."

"Gentle! It's okay!" La Brava tried to reassure him, with Mastermind repeating her assurances.

Gentle just shook his head. "That's why La Brava and I wanted to work together with you. As partners, definitely." He grinned. "I've been in this business for longer than you have and I can teach you some things yet."

Mastermind sat there, seemingly unsure of what to say. Then he shook himself, regained his composure. "I-if you, the brilliant villain Gentle Criminal want to work with ME, the Super Villain Mastermind as a partner... how can I say no?" Thunder roared in the small office, Giran scowling a bit. "MWA-HAHAHA! TOGETHER, WE'LL SHAKE THE WORLD OF HEROES TO ITS CORE! MWA-HAHAHA!"

There was the sound of clapping behind him. "Magnificent! Truly magnificent!"

Mastermind and Gentle Criminal spun around to see the new figure in the doorway. Wearing a black waistcoat and slacks with an orange shirt, blank white mask with a grin etched on it with a top hat, the tall man behind them continued clapping, before taking a bow. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you in the flesh! I have to admit, my mind was halfway made up when Giran gave me a call about your situation, Mastermind."

Mastermind spluttered a bit. "I-uh-well-what?"

The tall man started. "Oh, I haven't introduced myself properly." He pulled a pair of small marbles out from his pocket and tossed them in front of him. A pair of floodlights sprang into existence, casting him into shadow. "I... am known as Mr Compress! Magician, villain, showman!" He took another bow, arm sweeping into a dignified position. "And for the purpose of this conversation, interested in working under a villain like you!"

Mastermind stared blankly. "Huh?"

Mr Compress chuckled. "Your presentation is pretty good for an amateur, which is most of the reason I am here. I chose you over others because you've got a different look to you than other villains. You... you have a sincere belief that you can change things." His tone of voice changed, becoming more serious. "You want to change the world of heroes, in your own way. Odd in somebody as young as you are."

Mastermind seemed to still. Gentle looked at the man next to him, watched his fist clench. "...I do." Whatever he'd been thinking about seemed to clear, and he perked right back up. "If you wish to be the first of my Dastardly Minions-"

"Minions?"

"-then we can start our works right away! With all of us working together..." he started to chuckle, hand gripping his tiny device.

"THE WORLD OF HEROES WILL NEVER KNOW WHAT HIT IT! MWA-HAHAHA! MWA-HAHAHA!"


Toshinori Yagi nodded approvingly at Mirio. "You're doing an excellent job," he remarked, his successor beaming up at him.

Togata Mirio's schedule was pretty busy - as well as schoolwork he also had to continue his internship with Sir Nighteye's hero agency. Coming here to the beach helped give him additional breaks as well as train his body to handle One for All. Toshinori approved of the boy's drive, and he could see that the boy's easy smile and confidence would mark him as a future Symbol of Peace.

So why did he feel so uneasy about passing the Quirk to him?

Come on Toshi! Listen to me! Do not pass One for All to him!

Is anything getting through your successor's thick head, Seven?

He was always stubborn like this... we have to keep trying! One for All will kill that boy and he won't even know why!

COME ON YAGI! LISTEN TO OUR VOICES! TRY HARDER DUDE!

Yagi grunted, hand clasped to his head and the copper tang of blood in his mouth. He was getting a lot more headaches lately, and his scar had been aching like mad. He didn't know why - maybe it was getting close to the anniversary of his master's death. That always made his scar ache. Mirio looked at him with concern. "Are you alright, All- Yagi-sensei?"

Yagi just sighed, rubbing his temples with a pained smile. "A bit of a headache, Young Mirio. Nothing more." Mirio looked like he wanted to say more, but then returned to the work at the beach.

WE WERE SO CLOSE, DAMN IT!

Let's ty a different tack. Keep going for the gut instinct.

Odd to hear you like this, Two.

Please. I think the man and his apprentice are insufferably naive and overblown. It doesn't mean that I want the kid to die young. That, and I don't want to hear Eight's whining.

Yagi winced. He really needed to talk with somebody about these headaches. That, and sometimes he'd had dreams where his master had been trying to talk to him, only he couldn't hear her voice, only a few muffled words. It was as if she was talking in the next room over... then the usual nightmares started and it all got worse.

Maybe he needed to take that therapy Hound Dog had been talking about after all.

He may have landed a deadly blow on my brother, but he barely received the first vision we gave to him. We'll have to keep trying.

"Say, A-Yagi-sensei, I was kind of curious about one thing," Mirio said, starting on hauling a fridge across the sand towards the designated tipping point.

"Yes?"

"Well... you said that this was a power passed down through the generations, right?"

Yagi nodded, mind going to what he thought was coming. It seemed like his headache had let up a bit at those words. "Right. There were seven users before me. With this training, you should be ready to be the ninth."

Mirio nodded, shoving the fridge further up the beach. Young Midoriya was standing there with his own parts, encouraging Young Mirio to come to him. Yagi wasn't sure what the other young man was building - he could see some wheels, various electronics, what looked like most of a car and other pieces that he couldn't identify. Mirio was able to push it quite far before he needed a breather, and to get his thoughts in order. "So, I was curious about the past bearers of One for All. What were they like?"

INVESTIGATE, TOSHI! COME ON, INVESTIGATE!

THIS IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO! LOOK US UP! LOOK ME UP FOR THAT MATTER! IT CAN'T BE THAT HARD, RIGHT?

STOP BEING A NAIVE, MUSCLEBRAINED IDIOT AND LISTEN TO US FOR ONCE!

Toshinori Yagi blinked, then smiled. "Well, I can't see the harm in knowing more about the past bearers."

Oh thank god.

Toshinori winced. Yeah, it would be a good idea to look up the predecessors. He'd been a bit curious about the matter itself. And it seemed that thinking about those who came before him had cleared up his headache. Could it be a sign from One for All, those past generations encouraging him on this path?

... Probably just a coincidence that it cleared up. He'd still do the research though - it might be helpful for young Mirio to learn about the predecessors. See how they handled One for All with their different Quirks. Then he'd have to see about getting some Panadol. These headaches had been getting more intense lately.

How can somebody this smart be so dumb?


Some days after Mastermind had been on the beach, and he'd received a call from Giran. It turned out that Mr Compress wasn't the only one who'd answered Giran's call about being a henchman under Mastermind. Honestly Mastermind hadn't expected to have so many people go along with his cheerful little job ad he'd had Giran pass around. He looked at the job advert in his hand again.

For those who wish to aid an up and coming Supervillain oppose the heroes and pursue Supervillainy, please apply at Giran's or my number! Not interested in people who want to hurt others for fun.

He had vaguely hoped that people would respond to his advert, but here they were in the rather dirty bar that Giran had set up as a meeting spot. There were a couple of other people there who actually wanted to help him! It was a bit of a new feeling, to have other people who shared at least part of his vision. "So, uh... m-my name's Mastermind! I'm pleased to meet you!" He bowed, quickly and deeply then straightened up.

The first person to answer did so with a giggle, white-gloved hand coming up to her mouth. She vaguely resembled a cat, with sharp pointy ears at the top of her head and a distinctly feline muzzle. Her body was covered in an ink-black fur that contrasted sharply with her paper white muzzle. A thick mound of hair the same shade as her body curler around her head.

Mastermind was pretty sure she was wearing a bodysuit as dark as the rest of her with a long red jacket thrown over it along with white sneakers, otherwise she'd shown up naked. And considering how curvy she was, that would be pretty embarrassing for him. No, she was wearing a bodysuit. He was sure of that.

"Pleasure's all ours!" She gave a wide grin, thrusting out a hand. "You're a bit shorter in person than I thought you would be. Since I guess we're going by villain names, call me Inkblot. Nice to meet somebody as polite as you!"

The second man gave a wide grin. That was about the only facial feature that Mastermind could make out from beneath the nearly head-covering black mask the man wore. His skin was tinted a shimmering gold, which made his teeth stand out amidst the near blinding colour. He was wearing a yellow pinstripe suit, slightly oversized, dirty and rumpled. As for the rest of him, he was slightly taller than Mastermind. "Call me Golden Grin. You're aiming to mess with the heroes? I can get behind that." He kept his hands shoved in his pockets.

"Honestly I came because I half thought it was a joke." The third looked like a wreck of a man, who hadn't really slept well. He was dishevelled and unkempt, with what looked like surgical swabs under a brown overcoat on for a costume. Like him, they were stained and worn. He was skinny and pale, with long delicate fingers like a pianist. A light blue disposable face mask covered his face, his matted black hair swept back into a messy ponytail."But I liked the bit in your advert about not hurting people for fun." He stank of whiskey and cheap cigarettes, but his purple eyes were sharp. "Is that true?"

Mastermind nodded. "Absolutely!" He leaned forwards. "I'm not doing this because I want to hurt people. I'm a supervillain, not a monster."

The others traded looks. "Most people would argue that a supervillain, by definition, hurts people." Golden Grin pointed out.

Mastermind shook his head. "No, that's a villain. I'm a Super Villain , and hurting people is not what I'm interested in." He shot out of his seat and began pacing. "Sure, I won't deny that I've had to fight people. But I, MASTERMIND-" thunder roared, causing everybody else to jump slightly, "-am not some petty villain running around using their abilities to hurt other people! I am pursuing Supervillainy to shake society at its core!"

The man seemed to weigh it up. "Well, you can call me Stitch. I'm a doctor for people who need it. I may have had my medical license revoked, but I still took the Hippocratic oath." His eyes bored into Mastermind's like thermite through a steel door. "You try and get me to hurt other people, kid, I'm leaving."

Mastermind tilted his head "Why should I?"

The other villains shared a look at each other. Golden Grin was the first to start talking. "...this is weird. I mean sure, I'm not a very experienced villain. But I get the feeling that this isn't exactly normal."

"Yeah! Usually the boss gets all grumpy and pushes people around if they aren't respected!" opined Inkblot.

Mastermind just laughed. "That's because they're Villains. I'm a Super Villain." Mastermind looked over all the people who had assembled. "I'm guessing that you have some idea of what I typically do, yes?"

Inkblot nodded rapidly, head a blur. "Sure do! You're a great ham! You just go in and use that crazy support gear to pull off your crimes! That, and you did that weird save! And you and Gentle must have gone, like WHAM! BAM!" Her arms flailed around as she spoke, with no regards to things like joints and nearly hitting her fellow villains. "Yeah, you really showed those Heroes huh? You're pretty critical of them as well, aren't you?"

Mastermind nodded. "I'm aiming to be a higher class of criminal. What the world needs is a Super Villain, to show those other villains how to do it! To give the heroes something proper that can remind them why they put on their spandex!" He looked over each of them. "But I think you guys are still on the fence."

Golden Grin shrugged. "I don't mind. You're messing with the Heroes, and that's honestly hilarious." He gave Mastermind a slightly different look, appraising. "I suppose I should ask, what's in it for us?"

Mastermind looked down at the ground. "I have to admit, I really can't pay you that much. I can offer support gear and some of the haul of any robbery we do, but that's all I can offer." He then shook himself, looking each of them in the eye. "This is a promise that I probably won't be able to back up. It's foolish."

He stood there, stance confident. "But I can promise you that on any job that we pull, nobody gets left behind. And if you do go to jail, I will come for you and break you out." He actually took off his mouthpiece, revealing a small yet confident smile to each of them before replacing it. "Now, are you definitely going to join me in my nefarious pursuits?"

The trio of villains looked at each other for a moment. Then they turned back to him.

"Look, Mastermind," Inkblot started, sounding unusually solemn. "I've always loved acting. Even worked in TV at one point. Getting to play the villain like this?" Her grin was surprisingly happy. "It's gonna be great! So I'm definitely in!"

Golden Grin looked at him next. "I haven't been a villain for very long either. I just want to live my life without people getting on my case all the time, and I'm not really interested in fighting. A job like this, where I can just help you out with your schemes and not have to fight? A dream come true."

Stitch was the last. "Well, you're clearly either crazy or stupid. But I guess I can get behind a kid like you."

Mastermind clapped his hands together. "SPLENDID! Welcome aboard, my minions! I've had a great heist in the works for just such an occasion! How about you all meet me at this address-" he handed out pieces of paper, where he'd written out Gentle's flat, "and I'll get the catering sorted to celebrate?"

They each took the cards, blinking. Inkblot was the first to speak. "Okay, you are definitely not like the other villains. Is there going to be cake?"

Mastermind seemed to grin. "SAY NO MORE, MINIONS!" Thunder roared yet again. "MWA-HAHAHAHA!"


Kamui Woods and Mount Lady had been helping some people around town when they heard their radios crackle with Death Arms' voice. "Kamui Woods, Mount Lady! Villain incoming!"

"Who?" Kamui Woods asked, wooden limbs thickening and stretching up to the roofs to get a better vantage point. Mount Lady continued go guide people out of the way, citing a 'potential villain capture.' This just caused people to want to stay more, but most of them got the message and made themselves scarce.

"It's Mastermind! He's just broken into a store and made off with their product!"

Mount Lady frowned, scanning ahead and mapping the route ahead of her for when she had to intercept. "What's he stolen?"

"Forty cakes from that top-end bakery Bespin Cakes! Really expensive ones, too!"

Mount Lady just blinked. "...eh? Why forty cakes?"

Kamui Woods shook his head, keeping an eye out. "That's what we don't know. For all we know it's to power some evil device, or for some other scheme."

Mount Lady shot into her giant form. "Where's the villain heading?"

"Coming your way down the Main Street! Be ready!"

Mount Lady and Kamui Woods traded a look, then charged off. Ahead of them, they could see sirens blaring as the police came through. With faces set in determination, they continued on. This villain had escaped them once - he would not escape them again. Kamui Woods leapt from rooftop to rooftop while Mount Lady simply charged on ahead, the roads being cleared to allow the Gigantification Heroine to make her way through without incident. They came to a scene that was surprisingly tame compared to many other villain scenes.

Death Arms was standing with the police barricade, face set in a grim scowl as he watched the villain approaching. Mastermind was driving a small car that was built in a similar fashion to a small ambulance - evidently where he was keeping his illegally acquired bounty. He'd painted it teal, with red hubcaps on the wheels. "MWA-HAHAHA! YOU'LL NEVER CATCH ME LIKE THAT, HEROES!"

Death Arms scowled. "Give up peacefully, Mastermind!"

"Honestly," Kamui Woods grunted, wooden arms already starting to unfurl and ripple in preparation for his finishing move, "stealing forty cakes? That's terrible."

"There's nowhere for you to run this time!" Mount Lady shouted, keeping her stance wide in case she had to grab the car.

Mastermind seemed to smile. "That's certainly true! However..." He seemed to reach down and push a button, and then his vehicle seemed to sink lower to the ground as he came closer and closer, "you have forgotten something about me!" The car came closer, and closer to the barricade. Death Arms stood resolute, and started spinning his arm in place. Electricity sparked along his arm and fist, building up a mightier and mightier charge. Kamui Woods built up more and more wood, watching the approaching vehicle. Mount Lady stood ready to try and pin him in place, a scowl on her face.

"MASTERMIND DOES NOT RUN, HE ESCAPES!"

The car sprang. It shot up and forwards like a rocket, slipping over the police barricade and between Kamui Woods' grasping branches. Mount Lady was just able to lunge to the side and grab it. "No escape this time, Mastermind!" Kamui Woods roared, branches already reshaping themselves. "You're wanted for robbing a support company, breaking into a bank, using your Quirk illegally, resisting arrest and right now, attempted grand theft cake!"

Mount Lady glared down at the small figure in the vehicle, who gave her a little wave. "Hello, Mount Lady! Sorry about this."

Mount Lady looked at him, wary. "Sorry about wha-"

Mastermind slammed a hand onto the roof of the vehicle, and the whole thing suddenly sparked with electricity. She screamed as the electricity went through her, causing her to lose her grip on the small vehicle. It slammed onto the road then tore off, weaving around Kamui Woods' branches. Mount Lady shrugged off the effects, and with a roar of anger started running after the fleeing vehicle, stopping briefly to grab Death Arms and carry him with her.

Mastermind bobbed and weaved, heading towards a busier road. As he did so, smoke came out from the car, turning into a green smokescreen. "Oh, no you don't," Mount Lady snarled. Making a grand sweeping gesture, she started to clear the smoke from in front of them. A couple of cars went past, briefly blocking their view, but they were able to keep on his trail as he diverted from his original route and headed down a different street, maniacal robot laughter sounding along the way.

Mount Lady's grin turned positively feral and she picked up the pace. This was it! They had this little twerp! The way that Mastermind had been going, he would hit another police cordon! Traffic went away from the running giant woman with a hero in hand as the vehicle came to a stop in front of the police barrier. "There's nowhere to run, Mastermind!" Death Arms hollered, as dignified as he could be with his position. "Come out with your hands-"

Mount Lady looked at the scene, adrenaline burning away, and then she saw it. "Oh, no..." she mumbled. Death Arms looked up at her with a confused expression. Shakily, she pointed at the vehicle they'd been chasing. Looking at it properly...

"Is it slightly transparent?"

Mount Lady nodded, sinking to her knees with a dull expression on her face. In front of them, the image of the car flickered and faded, revealing a much smaller vehicle, only the size of a child's buggy with a massive block of holographic projectors on it. There were even a few small cameras and a radio, still blaring Mastermind's mocking laughter. Death Arms swore, the police already starting to fan out. And then the damn thing melted, leaving only a blackened sludge.

They'd missed him.


The car was inspired. I'd been practicing driving simulations, so then I came up with the idea for my own vehicle to carry greater heists. A few trips to the beach with the help of Yagi-san and Mirio-senpai, and I had my materials. It took a couple of days for everything to work and for me to be confident driving it, but that was all worthwhile.

The holographic mini-vehicle though? That really took a lot of effort to get it to work. And it didn't have to be perfect, just good enough. Rip out a few defunct Roomba-brains, rig them up to cameras and a much smaller car, then tear out some defunct tech to make crude and rude holographic projection, and done.

After that the plan was simple. Projecting a smokescreen behind you to make it look like you're getting away. Actually, deploy your decoy in a different direction and turn on the prototype cloaking device - only good for a minute or two, but a minute is enough for the heroes to think they have you. Then, continue on your original path...


"...right here, to a drop-off point," Mastermind cackled. He pressed a few more buttons on his gauntlet, and the vehicle collapsed, revealing a couple of drones. A few more button presses and they were in the air, disguises flickering to turn into two different transport drones. Very soon, there'd be major deliveries, and two drones would be missed in the chaos.

The Mastermobile, as he called it, folded up further, taking on a smaller form. "Now, to make my escape-"

There was a flicker of movement in one of the cameras of his hood. Right behind and above him! Mastermind turned, and narrowly dodged the coiling grey scarf. The figure that was now in front of him - Mastermind recognised him. Black jumpsuit. Black, scraggly hair, already standing on edge and waving in the air. A pair of yellow goggles and a coiling, scarf-like weapon in hand.

"Playtime's over, villain," Eraserhead stated firmly, capture weapon coiled and ready to strike.


AN:

Whoo! This chapter gave me a lot of grief. Some parts of it flowed really well. Other parts I was not happy with. Still kind of unhappy with the minion introductions to be honest. Hopefully you enjoy.

Next time, a fight with Eraserhead! Who will win - Rationality or Hamminess?