Who the hell was Hibiki Kadoya?
Katsuki still had no damn clue. You'd think someone might have been willing to explain, but those guys watching over him might as well have been tapes stuck on loop. A shame, really; given how much brown-nosing they did whenever that weird-ass policewoman came over, one would hope they'd be a little chattier. Every question, however, had been answered with no more than a cheap dismissal. Seriously, how did they expect people to respect the police when this was how they acted?
The thought had crossed his mind, of seeing whether some explosions might loosen those tongues. The chafing around his wrists though was more than enough to deter any experimentation. Considering how the policewoman had been so eager to remind him that there were stricter measures available if the handcuffs weren't enough, Katsuki wasn't willing to take the risk. While they weren't so cruel as to lock up an underage child, nothing was stopping them from walking Katsuki and the others through some of their facilities. Seeing the kind of countermeasures containing the criminals kept there, Katsuki wasn't exactly looking forward to whatever replacements they would choose.
With that in mind, the only thing staving off the mind-numbing boredom was trying to figure out who that damn Hibiki Kadoya girl was. If it weren't for her, after all, then he and the others wouldn't have gotten into this mess. As much as that policewoman liked to say otherwise, the facts just couldn't be denied. If the school didn't agree with what he was doing, they would just tell him to stop. No, they were perfectly fine with having Katsuki dish out the truth, no matter how much it hurt. Hell, who didn't know how hard the teachers hoped for Izuku to follow his advice?
Yes, things would've been fine if it weren't for some jackass dad deciding that he wanted to throw a tantrum on school grounds. Then everybody wouldn't be scrambling to try and appease the snowflakes in fear of the school being flattened. Katsuki wouldn't have to deal with trying to explain this stupidity to the hero academies he wanted to join. That damn Deku wouldn't be going around throwing himself into danger under the delusion that he could make a difference.
"…Deku…"
Even just muttering the name brought a trace of bitterness to Katsuki. That he was being treated like a hero just for pulling a trigger – it was almost laughable. What, did he expect to turn into Ironman now? That the police, practically the laughingstock of society, was going to have anything worth a damn? Even if they did, did Deku really think they were just going to give it out to him like coins to a beggar? Calling it a joke was putting it lightly.
With how everybody treated that policewoman, she had to be at least somewhat of a big deal. The police wouldn't have given out something like those trains to her if she wasn't. For someone like Deku though, who had no Quirk to speak of, reaching that same level of trust was practically a pipe dream. Regardless of that policewoman's recommendation, it would probably take years before they would be willing to let him touch their fanciest stuff again. Honestly, there was a chance they might not even deem him worthy in the first place. A position with that much power was bound to have a hell of a fight going on for it. No, with all that political hell combined with Deku's disability, his chances might as well be non-existent.
A scoff passed Katsuki's lips involuntarily. No matter how crazy she was, that policewoman deserved at least some respect. If nothing else, she was skilled in scamming innocent folk into joining the police force. A fancy machine, a few sugared words, and Deku was practically putty in her hands. Oh, what Katsuki would give to see Deku's face when he learned about what he'd actually be doing in the force.
"Hey, Katsuki. Eyes up." Plucked from his thoughts by an equal measure of anger and authority, the amusement in Katsuki's mind melted in a moment. In the face of that hag's voice, there was no room for it. Not unless he wanted to damage his hearing for the next half an hour. Compared to a case of early tinnitus, following her order was at least somewhat more bearable.
A shame, then, that it did nothing to stop the palm that smashed into his cheek.
"Madam, we'd appreciate it if you didn't resort to violence in a police station." The guard piped up, Katsuki rolling his eyes through the pain. So, they hadn't gone mute since that policewoman left the station.
"You saw how my son is. Do you think he'd listen without a little physical persuasion?" was the reply, Mitsuki Bakugou cracking her knuckles as she looked down upon her child. How, after all these times, she still thought that was a threat, Katsuki would never understand. Given how she eventually settled for a tired sigh, perhaps that much was made obvious by his face. "…What am I going to do with you Katsuki?"
"Get me out of here? I'd appreciate it." Katsuki couldn't help but snark, his snarl growing at the sound of his mother's chuckle.
"Really? I'm surprised. You've only been here… what, an hour at most?" she answered, an absent wave of her hand like a red flag before a bull. "Figured the guy who said the police were 'useless rejects' would've been able to keep themselves together, even if just a little while longer. Don't tell me you're tapping out this early."
"Look, are you here to take me home or what?"
In the ensuing silence, the scoff from the guard resounded like thunder. After hearing the same from so many people though, it was hard for Katsuki to care about it anymore. The judgements of someone who didn't know how the hag was really like were practically worthless. What, did they think he would've talked this way if anything else worked? The hag was as stubborn as anything; give the slightest wiggle room and she'd have a field day talking down on him. Even now, the glint of disappointment in her eyes never faded as Mitsuki finally mustered the strength to speak.
"Dear God, you think it's that simple. You really do." The words came out as barely more than a breath, yet that was more than enough to draw a rankled rise of an eyebrow from Katsuki. "Wake up Katsuki. We're not dealing with an angry parent, or a teacher, or the Parent-Teacher Association. These are the police. The government. If you think they're just going to let go of a dangerous figure because you asked politely, you have no clue how this place works. Or do you not remember how you being a kid is the only reason why we're sitting here, and not talking through a set of bars?"
Like they gave him a chance to do otherwise. If they weren't bragging about how secure their facilities were, they were spitting in Katsuki's face about the seriousness of his crimes. As if there hadn't been decades' worth of people doing the same thing without reprimand. As if there hadn't been folks flocking to tell him what a good friend he was for showing the blinded kids what the world was like. Hypocrites, the lot of them – and how happily they flaunted it.
Despite his certainty though, none of that managed to pass his lips. The rant he had been oh so meticulously planning died the moment it touched his tongue, leaving nothing but a distasteful tut.
"…Hey Hag. I asked you a question."
"Well, nice to see you decided to ignore all of that. Really should've expected it." Came Mitsuki's withered reply. "Honestly? I don't know. As I said, there's no way the people here are going to let you go easily. I'm hoping I can reduce the length of your house arrest, but you've not exactly given them much confidence."
Fair enough. Katsuki wasn't going to pretend that he didn't see that one coming. If goodwill was all it would've taken to get out, they wouldn't have been much of a force. Considering the average opinion of the police, that kind of further degradation was something to be avoided at all costs. Then again, it wouldn't have made much of a difference had there been the opportunity. After all, no matter what claims the others might've made against his integrity, Katsuki was a man of his word. A heart so easily swayed would never make for good hero material.
"So, here's what we're gonna do, alright? You're gonna sit there like a good child, try your best not to agitate the police folk anymore, and maybe you'll be home before the end of the weekend." Mitsuki declared, perhaps a little more force than usual to her actions as she brushed the dust from Katsuki's clothes. With how vocal he had been about his distaste for such coddling, the implications couldn't have been clearer. "Meanwhile, I'll be trying my best to get you a lighter handling. If we're lucky, they might even let you apply to a hero school in the future. None of this is going to work, though, unless you swallow that ego of yours and shut up. Do you understand?"
Katsuki's preferred answer would've been a biting comeback. Some sort of comment about how he wasn't the reason why he was in this position. Hell, there would probably have been some sort of curse towards the policewoman responsible in there too, just for good measure. What Katsuki preferred, however, was far from what he actually responded with.
A grunt may not have been the most eloquent of statements, but it was more than enough to assuage Mitsuki.
"Good. Yeah, good." She muttered, a wave of relief rolling down her figure. With how much pride filled her previously, Katsuki had to admit it was a refreshing sight. "Right then, remember. Whatever I do, just stay quiet, stay calm and think about whose fault this is."
"O-Oi, whatever you-? What the hell?"
Katsuki's blusters would receive no reply. Without even a momentary glance behind, Mitsuki was up on her feet and out of the door in less than a breath. Seeing that damn policewoman's face poking through the window, however, was all the justification Katsuki needed. After all, when you're buttering someone up, being punctual is usually a good start.
And a good start seemed to be an appropriate descriptor. Though the occasional grimace and flinch came over Mitsuki's face, the conversation that soon followed seemed to be genial. At least, that was what Katsuki liked to think; kind of hard for him to get an accurate reading when he couldn't hear anything coming out of their mouths. The opportunity was there to ask the guard to mediate, but given his prior demeanour, something was telling Katsuki that the man wasn't that willing to oblige.
Such was why, when Mitsuki suddenly fell to her knees, prostrating herself before the policewoman, it took all his strength to diminish the explosions within his palms.
"…think about whose fault this is."
"Back in your seat, kid!" the guard cried, yet the strength of his roar was far beyond that of his body. With nought but a minor freezing quirk at hand, an explosion directly to his face was more than enough to put him down. Down for the count, Katsuki was free to step forward to the window, an alarmed glare meeting one of disapproval from the policewoman and one of confusion by the boy beside her.
"…think about whose fault this is."
When the hell had Deku arri-no. That should've been obvious. That policewoman was still leading him around like the Pied Piper, of course Deku would be there. Then, was his mother prostrating before Deku? The quirkless kid? All just because someone else got angry? Insanity: that was the only way to describe it.
"…think about whose fault this is."
While the guard might have been vulnerable to quirks, the same couldn't have been said for the windows. The police station would never have survived otherwise. Consequently, the rapid blasts that struck with every punch failed to make even the slightest cracks, no matter how much fury Katsuki poured into them. Not that it was much of an issue; windows were made to be seen through, after all. Though the vitriol flooding from his throat may not have gotten through to them, it was rather difficult for them to ignore the light show happening on the other side of the glass.
"…think about whose fault this is."
He knew exactly whose fault this was.
"Oi, Deku! Get your quirkless ass in here right now! Deku! Deku!" though the intense heat of his quirk combined with his screaming to render his throat near useless, Katsuki still managed to force out yell after yell. Such narrow-minded fury was probably why he didn't notice the slight tut that Léa gave before handing over a package to Izuku. Thanks to his mind being so caught up in seeing Izuku approach the door, there was barely any room to acknowledge it. "You quirkless bastard, what the hell do you think you're doing to my-?"
SPLASH!
PATRISE!
KEISATSU BOOST!
Even the strongest of Katsuki's explosions were nothing in the face of the torrent that drowned him, whatever violence he intended flushed away in a matter of moments. Desperately trying to hack up the water that now filled his lungs, the low muttering from the boy before Katsuki went unheard
"Could've given me a warning beforehand…" Izuku said, glancing down at the fire extinguisher which now coated his arm. For all the power the weapon packed, there was a certain weightlessness that confounded him. If it weren't for the fact that he had just witnessed the damn thing at work, Izuku would believe it to be impossible. Such musings, however, were best left for another time. A time where there wasn't a seething Katsuki in front of him. "S-sorry about that. Needed a way to cool you – no, not the time. I needed a way to calm you down."
Katsuki's heart, though, would not allow it. If anything, the waters merely fuelled his anger further. Without any sweat to use his quirk with, however, explosions were out of the picture. Thank goodness, then, that Katsuki had more than enough experience with beating down challengers.
Met with a face full of confidence, however, Katsuki found himself struggling to commit. Having gotten so used to the typical meekness Izuku displayed, it was almost as if his face had been replaced by foreign features. Frozen at the sight, that moment of weakness was all Izuku needed to push the advantage.
"I'm not going to pretend like I tried to get you off lighter. Honestly, I didn't even come because I wanted to see you again." He spoke. "After everything you said to me, everything you did to me under the name of showing me reality… this is the road you chose to walk down. I'm not in any position to change that. Léa said she wanted to have a chat with your mum though, so I figured I'd take the chance to tell you something important."
"…What?" spat out between gritted teeth, that line alone would've been enough to traumatise Izuku before. As a result, the smile it elicited seemed like a paradox.
"I've decided to run."
It was only natural that words evaded Katsuki. To hear such a thing stated with such overflowing certainty – to call him incredulous would be an understatement. Despite that, Izuku did not hesitate to turn his eyes up towards the policewoman who stood just outside, an awe once reserved for heroes permeating his voice.
All this time, I was so stubborn. Always standing my ground, taking everything you and the others threw at me head-on. Why wouldn't I? It'd all change as soon as I became a hero. All I had to do was endure." He spoke, an air of amusement to his tone only an unburdened mind could create. "I told myself time and time again that the only way I could help contribute to the world is by becoming a hero, blinded myself to all of the other routes. Now, though? I have a clear path forward. A path forward that means I can make this world a better place even without a quirk. All I have to do is follow after Léa. So, I've made my choice. No more enduring - I'm going to run from my problems, and never look back."
"…What a joke." Katsuki scoffed in return, though it was barely noticeable compared to the manic laughter that came after. A quirkless child, wilfully blinded – in the face of someone like that, it didn't even matter that Katsuki couldn't activate his quirk. What difference would an explosion make to one so deeply entrenched in their delusions? If his approach to being a policeman was anything close to his prior approach to being a hero, a nuclear bomb would fail to sway Izuku's stance. Laughter was the only option left. "What a freaking joke! You think running will change anything? Anything, Deku?"
"Yeah. Because unlike before, there's a clear path forward for me now. No being stopped by you, the school, or anyone else who thinks I can't make a difference." Was Izuku's answer, barely a second of hesitation passing. "I'm free to chase my dream now, and that'll probably be easier if I run, right? Oh, and before I forget…"
Yet another spray doused Katsuki, the perfect distraction for Izuku to make his exit. Even so, his feet stalled in the doorway, Izuku sparing one final glance to his long-time 'friend' before the last words they would share for years were spoken.
"That one was for Hibiki Kadoya. You might remember her."