Disclaimer: I own neither My Hero Academia or the Persona series.
Chapter 35
"What a mess."
Chisaki scrubbed his hand vigorously to remove the filthy remnants of his former grunt. If he couldn't even do the bare minimum of watching a single little girl long enough for her to run out of the compound, he was better off dead.
"Clean this mess up after you get Eri to her bed."
"Of course." Chronostasis answered. "Did anything happen while you were out there?"
"Some kid and an old man got in the way. I would have taken them out if it weren't for the hero that showed up."
They were certainly lucky the kid had shown up when he did. It might have complicated things, but if he had to kill those two and the hero to get Eri back in his clutches, Chisaki wouldn't have batted an eyelash.
"To think, a couple of civilians were trying to be her heroes." Chisaki would have scoffed if he weren't so nauseated. "The sickness is spreading more and more."
"At least you were able to avoid any issues."
"Maybe… but I'm worried about that kid Hero that came along." Chisaki stopped for a moment, and Chronostasis fell in line next to him, Eri in his arms. "He acted clueless… but I get the feeling he knew more than he was letting on."
"About our work?" Chronostasis' voice carried some of his concern. "Do you think they're watching us?"
"... Maybe." Chisaki tossed the used wipe to the floor, his hives beginning to settle. "If that's true… we may have some issues."
"Perhaps our testing has been too careless." Chisaki didn't disagree with that. They had been using third parties to put the bullets out, and for now they were doing well to keep the Eight Precepts from being linked to them. But he guessed that they were still under suspicion.
Nothing the cops or heroes can move on. For now.
"What should we do, Chisaki?"
"... It's business as usual. On the surface, at least," Chisaki spared a look back at Eri, eyes peering into hers. The girl cowered from his gaze. An expected response, but not one he disliked. "But we're not even close to ready to mass produce the bullets. And we can't afford to stop now."
Chisaki turned his gaze back forward, pulling his rubber glove back over his right hand.
"Inform the men that we'll be moving to another base in the coming weeks. We'll use the underground route to move things out. We'll be gone before the Heroes even notice."
Izuku's friends hadn't left his side since they met in Asakusa. He detailed the close encounter that he and Sojiro had with the yakuza. How they had found a frightened young girl. And how they were forced to let her go back to a father who clearly filled her with terror. All because a hero had told them to.
"What a piece of shit!" Ryuji voiced what most of them had been thinking, slamming his fist into the train seat next to him. After the close call that Izuku just experienced, the team wisely decided to set aside their search for the day. They got what they were looking for, anyway.
Ryuji sat close on Izuku's left while Makoto sat on his right, trying her best to comfort him like they were kids again. Ann and Yusuke sat across from them with Morgana resting in the seat between them.
"Calm down! You're too loud!" Ann berated, but her voice sounded half hearted to Izuku. "Still… I get it. To just let that girl go like that..."
"In his defense… he was just a student likely with a provisional license." Makoto tried to be the voice of reason, despite the obvious conflict in her expression. "And to be fair, cases involving children and their parents are… complicated. Unless the man had committed a crime in their presence, even a regular hero wouldn't have been able to take her from him."
"Still, if she were half as terrified as Izuku described, there must have been something he could have done," Yusuke argued, looking no more pleased than Ryuji over the events that occurred.
"He…" Izuku found his voice creeping out, and the others turned to him tentatively. "He said it wouldn't be for nothing, but… I don't know what that means."
Whatever he meant, did it even matter? Wasn't it a Hero's job to save a girl clearly in need? Whose face was brimming with fear? Who clutched to Izuku like a lifeboat, praying for safety?
"Tch. My ass. I bet he was just tryin' to save face after gettin' called out…" Ryuji scoffed, leaning forward on his knees as his left foot tapped impatiently.
"We still have to remember that he was just a student, and is limited by what the law will allow him to do." Morgana was the surprising voice of reason in the conversation, but his feline face carried conviction.
"And that's where the Phantom Thieves come in. Where he has to stop, we don't."
Izuku clutched the fabric of his pants. He's right. We're the heroes of the unseen.
"Our stop is coming up." Izuku drew out of his thoughts to see the Yongen-Jaya station coming up. He stood from his seat, as did the others.
Looking around at his friends, Izuku tried to dissuade them. "G-Guys, it's fine. I can make my way home from here."
"We know that. We just… want to make sure." Makoto rubbed her arm, searching for the proper words. She was concerned, clearly, as were the others. Izuku had just had a brush with a likely dangerous criminal. Part of him was still processing that.
"We just wanna make sure you're good, man. And it'd make the rest of us feel better, too." Ryuji rubbed his head, a frown resting on his lips.
"Yeah. Besides, we want to check on Boss, too. I'm sure he's still not doing so great after all that." Ann's words reminded Izuku that he wasn't the only one who had been affected by the day's events.
"Right... Okay. Let's go and see him." Izuku relented. He didn't want the others to feel worried after everything that happened. And he was just as concerned about how Sojiro was doing.
After all. He was ready to take a stand just for Eri.
A quiet lingered between them as they made their way to Leblanc. Izuku spared a short look around, seeing the faces of each of his friends. They all looked half-spooked, like they had been the ones to encounter the medicine masked man for themselves.
But their concern was for him.
Izuku mentally slapped himself. They had so many brushes with death these past couple months that perhaps his experience had made such encounters easier to accept.
"I'm… really sorry for worrying you all." Izuku finally spoke, eyes falling to the ground.
"You don't gotta apologize for nothin'. We're just tryin' to look out for you." Ryuji might have been loud and brash, but Izuku could always feel the sincerity in his actions.
"We're a team!" Ann's bubbly side was always a reassurance, especially after her own terrible ordeals.
"When one of us is hurt, we all are." Makoto smiled, rubbing his shoulder. "Just don't try to carry the weight of this mission by yourself."
"Just because you're the leader, doesn't mean everything falls on you." Morgana encouraged from his spot on Izuku's shoulder.
"We rely on you the same way we expect to be relied upon." Yusuke smoothly added to the pot.
Izuku met their kind smiles with his own, their words setting in. "Right. Of course. Sorry."
"What'd we just say about apologizin'?" Ryuji wrapped an arm around his neck, giving him a big grin.
Izuku smiled back, but it slowly fell away as they reached Leblanc. The sign was still turned to CLOSED, and Izuku wondered if Sojiro was even in. He spared a silent look back at the others, taking the lead as he entered the cafe. Sojiro was behind the counter, a cigarette hanging limply between his fingers. A long row of ash clung to the end, which had been left untapped for too long.
"Sakura-san…" Izuku tightened his bag to his shoulder, walking up to the bar. "Are you alright?"
"... Hey, kid." Sojiro took a moment to answer though his eyes stayed away from Izuku, finally dispelling the ash into a tray. "No. Can't say I am."
"Sorry for intruding, Boss…" Makoto called out, and Sojiro finally lifted his gaze to the group. "We just wanted to make sure you were both alright."
"That's… nice of you kids." Sojiro sighed, rubbing his forehead in his palm. "I'm sorry for leaving like that, kid, I just…" Sojiro let out a dry chuckle, shaking his head. "I've been trying to keep you from butting into people's problems, yet…"
I thought you were amazing, Sakura-san. Izuku knew that perhaps it wasn't the best thing to say at the moment, but he did admire Sojiro's resolve in that moment. He stood in front of him and Eri with the intent of protecting them however he could.
"That poor girl…" Sojiro spoke again, pressing his forearm against his head. "She was just… so terrified, and… and that damn yakuza Chisaki…"
Izuku's eyes lit up, surprised to hear the name escape Sojiro's lips. He spared a look back at the others who hadn't missed that detail either.
"Chisaki?" Izuku repeated. "You know his name?"
"... Yeah." Sojiro admitted, putting the stub of a cigarette out in the ashtray. "Kai Chisaki. He's the current leader of the Eight Precepts of Death. Some old yakuza gang that's barely been clinging on since their former boss fell ill, if I heard right."
"You seem to have quite a bit of knowledge, Boss. How did you know all this?" Yusuke couldn't help but ask.
"From my time working in the government… though that was some time ago now." Sojiro shook his head, stepping out from behind the bar. "I shouldn't be saying all this. What happened today, we just have to let it go. What happened to that little girl was…" Sojiro's hand gripped into the wooden stool by the bar, his jaw clenching. "There wasn't… anything we could do. "
Silence settled in as they stood there, the static of the television being the only break in the quiet. Sojiro silently shook his head, as if unable to come to terms with his own advice. "I'm going home kid. Lock up for me." Sojiro didn't utter another word, walking past the students before stopping at the door.
"Try to let this go, kid. Know when to not stick your nose in something." Sojiro turned to meet Izuku's eyes. "You don't know how close we came to dying today."
"What do you mean?" Izuku couldn't help but ask, brow raising.
Sojiro paused, like the words he was about to say were poison. "Chisaki's Quirk is… something else. It allows him to disassemble and reassemble anything he touches." Sojiro's arm trembled for a brief moment, but he covered it well. "Including human beings. Do you get it now?"
"Disassemble…" Izuku paled as he repeated the word. He wondered if his imagination matched the real thing, because if so, it was a terrifying Quirk. He remembered what Iwai mentioned about it, how he could obliterate someone in the blink of an eye. The description was beginning to look a lot less like hyperbole.
"Holy shit…" Ryuji mumbled, and judging from the looks on everyone else's faces, the exact terror of the power had sunken in for all of them.
"Exactly. So stay away from them. No matter what. There's nothing we can do for Eri-chan now…" Sojiro trailed off, his voice becoming dejected. "It's out of our hands." With that, the shopkeep took his leave, shutting the door behind him.
"Boss was more upset than I thought he'd be…" Ann was the first to speak, her voice dripping with concern.
Izuku's eyes lingered on the door, unable to give any words of comfort or sympathy. Considering Sojiro knew Chisaki's Quirk, he could understand why he felt so powerless as well. Izuku had at least been able to calm down thanks to being surrounded by his friends, but it was hanging over Sojiro like a cloud.
"Even more reason we gotta take these assholes down. This is a job for the Phantom Thieves all right." Ryuji spat, looking at the others.
"We were able to ascertain the name of their leader thanks to Boss, surprisingly." Yusuke pointed out. "Now all we need is a place and the cognition."
"We'll have to go back to Asakusa, but we need to exercise caution." Makoto reminded them. "The yakuza won't take lightly to kids snooping around their base. If we're caught, the consequences will be dire."
"We have to do this." Izuku's fist tightened at his side. I feel your pain, Sakura-san. He looked back at the others, his brow knitting in determination. "We'll stop them from producing the bullets. And we'll save Eri-chan!"
Ugh… How long was I asleep this time?
A young girl with long orange hair sat up in her jumbled mess of a bed, the only dim lighting being from the many computer screens sitting on a desk against the opposite wall. She groggily rubbed the tiredness out of her eyes. She dragged her feet toward her monitors, quickly tapping the left mouse button and checking the edge of the screen for the time and date.
Two days, huh? That's not so bad.
She plopped back into the ergonomic computer chair and pulled her feet up to the seat. She tugged on the table's edge to drag herself closer, beginning to type in her password login. I wonder what Sojiro's been up to?
She accessed her remote camera and video logs, skimming through the previous day's events. She fast-forwarded through, having little interest in the loop of Sojiro serving coffee to his usuals and watching the new kid take off for the day. "Ugh. lame… same as usual, huh?"
"Futaba?"
She quickly pressed pause, the hair of her neck standing on end when she heard Sojiro's voice at the door. "S-Sojiro? You're home early!" She called out, looking back at the door to make sure he wasn't walking in.
"Yeah, I… had a rough day. Would you mind… coming out for a second?"
"Y-Yeah, just one sec!" Futaba scrambled to tuck away her monitoring application, just for safety. Once that was done, she rolled out of her chair and moved to the security tape covered door. She slowly peered out, cracking the door ever so slightly. "Yes?"
"Hey… um…" Futaba didn't miss the unusually damp tone in his voice, or that his eyes were slightly red. "I just… wanted to check up on you. Are you feeling okay? I know you were asleep for a bit."
"I'm good. Just woke up, actually…" Futaba slowly pulled the door open a bit more, concern coloring her face. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing, nothing. Just… just a rough day, is all." Sojiro didn't hide his solemn very well. Futaba wasn't one to pick up on social cues, but it was clear something was bothering him.
"Are you sure..?" She asked carefully, stepping out of her room and watching him.
"Yeah. I'm okay." Sojiro put on a weak smile, even while the strength of his voice weakened. "Do you want the usual for dinner? I can make it real quick since I'm done early."
"Y-Yeah… sure…" Futaba wasn't sure if she should push the subject, her lips fading to a frown.
"Alright. I'll get working on it right away." Futaba felt her eyes bulge when Sojiro reached out and gently took her into a hug. She felt somewhat awkward for a moment, but leaned into his chest, feeling as if she needed to comfort him at least. They stood there for some time, Sojiro clutching to her for a good while until finally letting her go. He inhaled a short breath, forcing back a sniffle. "Sorry about that… I'll go and work on dinner."
"Sojiro?" Futaba's voice must have been too quiet, as Sojiro turned and walked back down the hall without another word. Futaba stared at his back until he disappeared into the main hall, slowly turning back to her room. She shut the door behind her and locked it before moving to her computer with a quickness. She tapped into the video logs again, skipping the previous day and going to the current day recordings.
And she heard it all. Eri-chan. Chisaki. The Eight Precepts of Death.
And the Phantom Thieves.
"Maybe you should stop soon. You've been going at it for a while now."
Morgana watched on as Izuku did his forty-fifth pushup of the night. Since parting ways with the others, Morgana didn't miss how antsy he had been. He tried to distract himself by mindlessly thumbing at his phone, but it clearly didn't do enough to keep his attention. Izuku began to work up a sweat doing various aerobic exercises, sweat glistening off his skin and beading down his face. They were approaching close to an hour of working out, and the green haired hero enthusiast didn't show signs of stopping.
"I'm okay… just a few more sets and… I'll take a break." Morgana wasn't sure how much longer he should let Izuku keep it up, standing from his spot on the workbench.
"Come on, no . You've done enough of that for the night." Morgana hopped off the bench and onto his back, causing Izuku to stutter in his pushup for a second. "You're going to wear yourself out before we can get to work tomorrow."
"I'm okay… I can do more." Morgana scoffed at his persistence, jumping off his back.
"I'm sure you can. But we need you at full power tomorrow. Don't push yourself too hard." Morgana trotted in front of his face, sitting in front of him. Izuku heaved out several breaths before finally letting his body down.
"Okay… okay. I'll stop…" Morgana was thankful that Izuku could see reason when he needed to. Pushing himself so hard wouldn't help their progress if he overdid it. "Sorry."
"It's okay. I know you're trying to get it out of your head, but you have to stop getting so caught up in it. We're going to beat this." Morgana reminded him, hoping to bring some reassurance to Izuku. "That's what the Phantom Thieves do, right?"
"Right…" Izuku sat on his knees, catching his breath. He wiped his face of sweat with a nearby towel.
He's really having trouble getting his mind off of it. Morgana felt his concern creep back, but tried not to let it show on his whiskers. He spared a look around before his eyes landed on their old television.
"Ugh. It's a real pain to see the leader of the Phantom Thieves fretting like this." Morgana drew Izuku's attention back to him. "Why don't we watch something to get your mind off of things? Maybe that will make you feel better."
"Maybe, but… I'm not sure what we would watch…" Izuku got to his feet, rubbing his sore arms.
"You have a laptop, right? We could watch whatever you've got if the movies you rented aren't what you're up for." Morgana didn't want to give up, yet. Certainly something would garner his attention.
"What to watch… Oh." Izuku tossed his towel aside, moving over to his work bench. He pulled his laptop out and put it on the table, quickly opening it up. "There's something I've wanted to show you, Morgana-san. And I think watching it right now would make me feel better."
"Sounds good to me. Start it up!" Morgana was pleased to have an option available. Anything that would pick his spirits back up would do him just fine. He hopped on the edge of the couch and leaned on the side of the work bench. Izuku turned his laptop slightly so that they could both watch, turning on a YouTube video for them to watch.
"Ahahahaha~!" Morgana tilted his head to the side, the video somewhat shaky like it had been recorded on a phone. The setting was dark, and you could barely make out a figure at the center of the video. Taking a moment to examine the background, Morgana realized that it was the crumbling remnants of a destroyed building, a fire in the back that acted as the video's central lighting.
"He's laughing!" a random voice called out, and the figure at the center became more clear. Morgana immediately recognized it as All Might. I've seen enough posters and figures by now to know that face. The Number One Hero carried over a dozen people on his broad shoulders and under his arms. All the while flashing a megawatt smile that never seemed to leave his face.
"It's fine now. Why?" The camera zoomed in on his face, giving a closer look at the pure spectacle of a man. "Because I am here."
The clip was short, and Morgana was slightly puzzled. "Was that…" He trailed off when he looked at Izuku, who was grinning from ear-to-ear.
"Wasn't that amazing, Morgana-san?!" Izuku turned to him, his face a ray of sunshine that Morgana didn't have the heart to say no to.
"Y-Yeah, sure…" Morgana let out a sheepish chuckle, still a little confused. "Though I think I don't quite… get it like you do."
"You don't? Maybe we should watch it again." Izuku didn't bother waiting for a reply, restarting the video immediately.
"Ahahahaha~!"
"All Might's laugh… his smile, even in the face of danger…" Morgana turned his attention back to Izuku, a soft smile settling in on his lips, "Even when the odds were against him, All Might is always smiling. Always reassuring everyone that he's there to save them. That was the kind of hero I wanted to be." Izuku's hand balled into a fist as his smile strained. "A hero who saves everyone with a smile."
Morgana slowly turned his attention back to the video, once again seeing it zoom back in on All Might.
"Because I am here."
The video came to an end, but Morgana felt he understood it better now. A hero who inspires hope and saves everyone. That's what All Might, the Symbol of Peace, was to the people. And to Izuku, more than anyone.
"Well, you do have some lofty aspirations." Morgana gave him a feline smile. "But I think you're on your way to becoming that hero you want to be. Even if it's as a phantom thief."
"Maybe…" Izuku looked down at his hands, eyes filled with determination. "I wasn't able to save Eri-chan today, but… we can still save her. We will save her!"
"That's right. We will." Morgana crossed his paws in front of him. "You just keep putting my advice to use, and I'm sure you'll become her hero in no time."
Izuku let out a chuckle, smiling back at Morgana kindly. "Yeah. With you and everyone's help, I believe I will. Thank you for trying to make me feel better, Morgana-san."
Morgana suddenly felt bashful. "W-Well, someone has to look out for you. But I guess you are pretty lucky to have met me!" Izuku didn't seem to mind his attitude, just nodding his head in acceptance.
Morgana hadn't realized it, but their relationship had become deeper at that point.
I can't stop thinking about it.
Izuku plopped into his bed, freshly changed from his workout clothes to his sleepwear, a comfortable tee and sweatshorts. He lied down on his bed, his meager blanket draped across him and Morgana resting by his side.
"Finally ready to get some shut-eye?" Morgana mustered up a yawn, patiently waiting for Izuku to lay down.
Not exactly, but I don't have much choice.
"Sure. We've got a long day ahead of us tomorrow, after all." Izuku put on a brave smile, at least hoping to give Morgana some reassurance.
I can't worry the others. Even if I feel like this. I just have to wait a little longer.
Izuku put his phone on the windowsill, preparing to lay down.
*ring ring*
Izuku's hand stopped to hover back over his phone, grabbing it as he wondered who had messaged him at this hour.
"Oh, is someone texting you?" Morgana raised his head as Izuku brought his phone over for them both to read. The number was unknown, and the image that appeared next to the texts looked like a strange, cartoonish black cat head with razor teeth.
?: Good evening.
?: You may not know me, but I am the one called Alibaba.
?: It's nice to meet you, Mister Phantom Thief.
Izuku felt his breath hitch. What? How did…
"Who is this?! How do they know you're a phantom thief?!" Morgana asked, Izuku seeing a nervous panic filling the cat's eyes.
"I-I don't know! B-But we can't implicate ourselves!" Hisi chest tightened as he tried to keep his hands from shaking.
Izuku: I'm sorry, you have the wrong person.
Izuku: Who is this?
Alibaba: It's fine, you can play dumb if you like.
Alibaba: I'm not here to threaten you. But I do understand that the Phantom Thieves of Heart are looking into a specific target. The yakuza group called the Eight Precepts of Death, correct?
"They know about that too?!" Morgana's jaw hung low, eyes wide. "Wh-What is going on?!"
"I-I don't know! How could someone even know that?!" Izuku's hand shook, sweat trickling down his jaw as he swallowed the spit building in his mouth.
Alibaba: Can I take your hesitance as a yes?
Izuku hadn't realized how long he took to reply, having no choice but to answer. I'll still be vague, but… this is bad.
Izuku: What do you want?
Alibaba: I would like to offer my services. I'm not sure how familiar you are with hacking, but know that I'm the best one around.
Alibaba: And I can help you find the Eight Precepts' base of operations.
Alibaba: Of course, I would like something in exchange for my services. A favor from the Phantom Thieves.
Their location? But we already… it wouldn't be accurate to say that they knew exactly where the Eight Precepts had their base hidden. They still had to find the exact place. And if this Alibaba person could give it to them, it would eliminate the risk they would be taking scouting their territory in search of it.
This… This could be good. Or really bad. Izuku's hand squeezed around his phone as he tried to think of the best approach. But if it'll get us one step closer to finding out where Eri is being held…
Eri's terrified face flashed before his eyes.
Izuku:... It depends on the favor.
"Wait, you're thinking about this?!" Izuku spared a sideways look at the cat, a hint of guilt immediately building up.
"It… may be the safest option." Izuku answered honestly, eyes trailing back to the phone.
"Maybe, but…" Morgana was cut off when the phone chimed with Alibaba's answer.
Alibaba: Now we're talking. Don't worry, I won't ask for something terrible. But for now, I'll hold back on telling you what. You have another target to worry about, after all.
Alibaba: I'll reach out to you this time tomorrow night with the location. Speak with you then.
Izuku: But wait, who are you?
Before Izuku could hit enter, the listing suddenly erased itself from his phone. The entire message board itself had been deleted too. "What..?"
"You can't message them back?" Morgana mumbled, staring at Izuku's phone. "I don't like this… we should let the others know what's going on."
"Yeah…" Izuku numbly nodded, putting his phone down. "Someone somehow knows who we are and who we're pursuing… Have we been careless?"
"Maybe a little, but… to know exactly what we're up to right now? I'm not so sure…" Morgana bristled under his gaze, looking away in thought. "Well, nothing to do now but wait and see what happens. Who knows how much this Alibaba knows or what they can actually do for us."
"Right… all we can do is wait." Izuku couldn't help but feel on edge, their fates now in the hands of the unknown hacker called Alibaba.
"I'd like to buy some medicine today, if that's okay."
Takemi quirked a brow when she spied her guinea pig from behind the glass. His expression was unusually stern for one of his visits. She was used to the more trepid or nervous expressions he wore whenever visiting. Though on an off day, he might actually be smiling and moving with purpose. But today was clearly different.
"Alright. Let's head to the back then." Takemi stood from her seat, going through her side of the office to the examination room.
"Okay." Izuku soon followed, his voice low and firm. "I can't do a medical trial today, though. I have some things I need to do and need to stay alert for them."
"That's fine. We can work on it next time." Takemi sat across from him, one leg over the other as she handed him the list of medicines available to him. His eyes were laser focused on the board, marking things quickly. She only noticed it recently, but when he got deep into thought, he would pinch the front part of his bottom lip. A strange habit in her mind, but one she found strangely unique to the boy.
Still, while she was a little interested in his sudden seriousness, she could feel a small amount of concern.
Perhaps we've been spending more time together than I thought.
"Alright, all of these will do for today." Izuku handed back the board, and she took a brief look. It was the usual stuff with a few extra additions, things she had added to the list after his last visit.
Looks like his 'studies' are going to be a little more difficult, hm?
Takemi never viewed Izuku as someone that might be getting involved in shady business. But she did wonder just what the truth was behind his side of the deal. Though, she knew better than to ask. It wasn't part of their deal, after all.
Though she had unloaded a bit of her own issues onto him. Perhaps she should use that as ammo for getting a little info?
Perhaps another time. He looks too serious.
"Okay, then." Takemi opened a drawer containing the medicines listed. She set it all aside in a box in case he made these visits, and was often prepared. She handed them over one-by-one, and Izuku was quick to stuff them in his bag.
"Thank you, Takemi-sensei." He zipped up his bag, slinging it back over his shoulder before standing up. "I'll be back soon enough for another trial, I promise."
"I'll be waiting." Takemi stood with him, picking up her clipboard. Watching him for a moment longer, she felt compelled to ask, "Is everything okay, guinea pig?"
Takemi bit the inside of her cheek. She wasn't sure what made her ask that. Perhaps I'm getting soft on this kid.
"Huh?" Izuku turned back, eyes wide for a moment. His gaze drifted away and Takemi didn't miss the twitch of his fingers around his bag strap. "Oh, it's nothing. I'm okay."
Takemi nearly scoffed. Something was clearly up. But she knew better than to pry more than needed. "If you say so. Take care and make sure you're in good shape for your next visit."
"Alright. Goodb-" Izuku's voice cut short as he opened the door. Takemi raised a brow at his hesitance. "Oh, you have patients, Takemi-sensei."
"Oh?" Takemi walked through the patient entrance, seeing a man and a young girl of about eight standing at the front entrance of the clinic. "Ah, good day. Can I help you?"
"Yes, please. I'd like you to see my daughter if that's alright," the man walked his daughter over to one of the guest seats, allowing her to sit. Takemi didn't miss that she was clutching at her stomach, visible pain on her face.
"Okay. But why bring her here? Aren't you under the care of a hospital?" Takemi tilted her head to the side. She could see Izuku in the corner of her eye. His previous sternness had fallen away in favor of concern as he looked at the young girl. Takemi tried to ignore it.
"I've heard rumors about this place. I'd like for you to examine her instead." The man's voice was calm with a hint of fragility behind his tone. "They diagnosed her with bronchitis but the medicine they've been giving her hasn't done anything. She's had a persistent fever that won't go away and is losing weight because she's not hungry…"
Takemi's brow creased, feeling her own concern start to set in. "A young girl losing weight is not good. You should go to a bigger hospital. I can't provide a thorough examination here."
"T-Takemi-sensei…" She did her best to ignore the guinea pig's pleading voice next to her.
Not now. This is… above me. At least, that's the excuse she would tell herself.
"But we've been going to a bigger hospital! A university hospital in East Shinjuku!" Takemi felt her interest immediately swept up. "They just keep telling us it's persistent bronchitis!"
"... University in East Shinjuku, huh?" Takemi had an easy guess as to which one he spoke of. Not a lot of university hospitals in that area, after all.
"The doctor there performs exams like he's on a factory line. I think he's famous or something? But still, it's done too little for my daughter." the man was obviously at the end of his rope, and Takemi could see why with how the girl was wincing in pain.
Still… What can I even do?
Doubt wormed its way into her thoughts. She cast her gaze aside, unable to look the man in the eyes.
"Still, I'm just a general practitioner out in the sticks. I don't even have any staff." She wouldn't really count Izuku as staff considering his 'special' circumstances at the clinic.
"Please, wait!" Takemi took a step back when he took a desperate step forward, his voice shaky and desperate."I'll pay you, please! I've heard you produce medicine that only can be bought here!"
"H-Hold on!" Takemi wasn't used to patients being so abrasive. She felt for the man, really, but what could she-
*cough cough*
Takemi drew her gaze to the young girl, her wheezing cutting at a part of her heart.
It didn't help when, to add to it, her guinea pig kneeled next to her, his expression completely taken over with concern. "Are you okay? What's wrong?"
"M-My chest really hurts…" She whimpered out, the young girl clutching at her chest now. Takemi bit the corner of her cheek, her heart becoming conflicted. I… I can't give her a proper look. I don't have the tools and I could… make it wor-
"Don't worry. Takemi-sensei is a great doctor." Takemi's eyes snapped to Izuku, his expression kind. "She'll be able to help you."
"Wha-hey!" Takemi stumbled over her words. What does he think he's doing?!
"Doctor…" Takemi drew her gaze back up to the father, his voice pleading. Takemi spared a look back at the girl, the pain in her face reminding her of another young girl that pleaded for her help. And she couldn't take it anymore.
"... Fine." she sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose.
He's going to pay for this when I'm done.
Takemi shot Izuku a not-so-subtle glance of annoyance. She was pleased to see he got the message when he cast his gaze away in shame, but it was quickly erased when he looked at her sudden new patient with that same concern. Don't think that I'll forget later just because you're playing nice.
Takemi wouldn't admit it, but as irritated as she was, she was thankful.
"How's your vision? Is it blurry? How about your throat?" Takemi asked as she gave the girl a close inspection, tilting her head up so she could get a better look. "Hm… no signs of swelling…" She looked back at the father. "Are you sure you've told me everything about the symptoms and treatments tried so far?"
"Yes, I'm sure!"
"Hm…" A thought suddenly occurred to Takemi. These symptoms could be… She stood from her spot and drew out her cellphone. "Hello, Uehara-san? Is Dr. Schweitzer there? There's something I'd like to ask him about from last month's medical journal."
It wasn't long until Schweitzer was put on for her. She had him read back the findings from last month, and the pieces began to fall into place. "Alright, thank you." She hung up and stashed her phone away. "Alright then. Some of the medicine we have in stock should do. Let's go to the examination room."
She turned back to Izuku, fixing him with a look. "There's a shelf by the reception desk. Bring me the contents from the second drawer below. I'll need your help to administer the medicine.
Izuku opened his mouth to complain, she imagined, but he instead put on a determined face. "Alright! Anything else?"
"Grab the beaker with the red label from the fridge, a wash basin, a towel and a measuring spoon." Takemi gave him a firm glare. "Well? What are you waiting for, get moving!"
"R-Right!" He turned around without another word, going through the patient door. Takemi wanted to frown a bit, but she felt a small smirk play at the edge of her lips.
Damn kid. At least get a little nervous.
She soon led them back into the examination room. Izuku brought everything as asked, and she mixed together the medicine needed for the young girl. Once administered, it was only a few moments until her symptoms began to fade. The young girl was able to sit up straight and was no longer in visible pain.
"Amazing! I didn't think she would recover so quickly!" Her father exclaimed, clearly in awe.
"What she had was a rare strain of infectious disease. It can't be detected by conventional exams." Takemi broke it down for them, sitting up in her chair. "What I've done is temporarily suppress the symptoms. I'll make adjustments to her medicine as her condition improves."
Feeling a little put out by the entire endeavor, Takemi put on a plastic smile. "Alright. Today's administration will cost one million yen."
"Eh?!" She felt pleased more by Izuku's reaction than the father's. Perhaps don't get me involved when I don't want to, guinea pig.
"Th-That's outrageous! You're completely taking advantage of…" Takemi was expecting that kind of response, at least. Though she was a little surprised when he seemed to rein himself back in. "I mean… of course. I did agree to pay."
Huh? Takemi felt her eyes become owlish.
"You don't take… credit cards, do you?" The man clearly looked stretched thin by the price, but determined. "I-I'll go and draw cash out right now!"
"Wait, hold on, you're actually going to pay?" It was well within her right to do so of course, considering the resources used and the time. But it had mostly been a joke.
Great, now to look for a reason not to… Takemi thought back to their original conversation. The hospital he had mentioned and the supposed 'famous' doctor. "... By the way, was the practitioner who gave you the diagnosis Chief of Staff Oyamada?"
"Yes. Are you familiar with him?"
Jackpot.
"I knew it." Takemi smiled, feeling a little proud. "In that case, this visit will be free of charge."
"F-Free?!" The father parroted. Takemi might not have been planning to charge him so much, but the sheer pleasure of knowing that she gave the proper diagnosis and treatment where Oyamada couldn't was enough for her.
"That's… very nice of you Takemi-sensei." She looked back at Izuku, smirking. "Did finding that out make you happy?"
"Of course. It feels good to be treating one of his patients without permission."
Takemi's smirk fell away, searing into Izuku with a heated glare. "But don't think I'll forget what you did today. I won't force you to do it now, but your next visit is going to be a very special exam."
A shiver visibly reverberated through his body. Takemi liked the bit of fear in his eyes. It was deserved after the work he put her through.
"So… is he your assistant? He seems rather young." The father asked, sounding curious.
Takemi answered him with a sly smile. "That's right. My assistant guinea pig." She then turned that sly smile Izuku's way. "And soon he's going to be putting in a lot of work. Isn't that right?"
"Y-Yes, Takemi-sensei…" Despite his obvious hesitance, Izuku accepted her words. "I-I guess I asked for it…"
"Yes, you did." Takemi giggled, turning back to the father and daughter. Well, that fear might be enough. Maybe I'll give him a break on the next visit… depending on what I need.
She didn't realize it, but despite the fear Izuku felt, their relationship had become a bit closer.
Ryuji: Did Alibaba text you back yet?!
Ann: He would have told us if he had, relax already!
Koto-san: I understand you're nervous Ryuji. We all are. But just wait for an answer.
Yusuke: Yes. Your constant questioning only makes the rest of us exasperated.
Ryuji: I can't help it, okay?! I'm freakin' out that someone knows who we are!
Izuku could only sigh, feeling bad to have made the others worry about Alibaba. But he knew that not telling them about the mysterious hacker would have been more problematic than not.
Izuku: Nothing yet. It's getting close to time soon, though.
Izuku: I'll provide an update soon.
"I can't really blame them for getting antsy like this." Morgana supplied, looking up at him in concern. "Who knows what this Alibaba is going to do. Or if they're even going to help us out for that matter."
"If we don't get an answer tonight, then maybe it will end up being nothing?" Izuku answered half hopefully, though he barely believed his own words. "I don't know what they want, but they haven't reported me at least, so that's good..?"
"That's one way of looking at it." Morgana was clearly no more convinced than he was about it.
*beep beep*
Izuku instantly drew his phone up, Morgana quickly leaning over his lap to see. "Is it them?"
Izuku opened the app, and saw the same strange icon.
Alibaba: Good evening.
"Finally!" Morgana exclaimed what Izuku was holding in.
Alibaba: Sorry to have made you wait until night. There were some complications.
Alibaba: But as requested, I've got the location of the Eight Precepts' base.
"They have it!" Izuku smiled, looking at Morgana with a smile.
"Let's not get too excited. We still can't be sure of the location they give us until we verify it ourselves." Morgana reminded him, and Izuku couldn't disagree. This could have been an elaborate trick on Alibaba's part. One that could get them all arrested.
Alibaba: Before I give this to you, I want to remind you that it's not for free.
Alibaba: Once you've dealt with them and the news makes it known, I'll be getting in contact again about my request.
Alibaba: Don't forget that I know who you are. If you try to weasel out of this deal, I can give your info to the police.
Izuku paled at their words. He had been afraid that would be the direction this would go. But for now, saving Eri took priority over personal concerns.
Izuku: I understand. We won't forget.
Alibaba: Good. I'll text you the ping for the location. The rest is up to you, Phantom Thief.
A separate text was sent to Izuku, one he opened up to display a pinged location on his map app.
"Alright. We've got our location." Izuku held his phone out to Morgana.
"Looks like it's a little deeper into Asakusa than we suspected…." Morgana looked to the side, worried. "We'll have to proceed with caution. We won't know how legitimate this intel is until we've seen for ourselves." Morgana gave a feline smile though. "But that's alright! I'll act as a scout!"
"That's a good idea. No one will suspect a cat going through the alley." Izuku nodded in agreement. "Just be careful."
"Do I look like an amateur to you? Scouting is a piece of cake!" Morgana stuck out his chest before glaring. "And I'm not a cat!"
"S-Sorry!"
"Are you sure we can trust this?" Ryuji scratched his head, he and the others now gathered in Asakusa for their stakeout. They sat at the outside table of a cafe close by the pinged location on the map.
"Not entirely. We still don't know anything about Alibaba." Izuku admitted, scratching the back of his head.
"That's why I'll be scouting ahead. I'll verify if what they sent us was legit or not. No one will suspect a cat of spying, after all." Morgana leaned forward on the table.
"Oh, that's a great idea, Morgana! Stay safe,okay?" Ann smiled at the cat, eliciting a pleased pur.
"Of course, Lady Ann! It'll be nothing for a pro like me!" Morgana chuckled, hopping out of the bag and scurrying off.
"So we'll just bide our time as Morgana scouts?" asked Yusuke.
"Actually, this would be a good time to work on finding the key words." Makoto pointed out, pulling out her phone. "We've already verified that Kai Chisaki has a Palace. Once we've nailed down the location, we'll just need the cognition."
"I've been tryin' since we got his name. I got nothin'." Ryuji sighed, leaning back in his chair.
"What have you tried so far?"
"Stuff like 'nest' or 'mountain'." Ryuji numbered off of his fingers.
"What? Why would you pick that?" Ann's brow creased in wonder.
"You know, 'cause of the beak thing on his face?"
"That's a medicine mask, idiot! It's got nothing to do with birds!" Ann groaned, stroking her forehead.
"Plague masks, to be specific. Ones worn by doctors who were hired in the 14th century to take care of patients during the bubonic plague." Makoto held the tip of her chin in hand, eyes squinting in thought. "How about… a hospital?"
"Entry not found."
"I suppose it was too on the head, hm?" Yusuke twisted the tip of his bang. "Perhaps we're viewing this from the wrong angle?"
"Maybe…" Izuku pinched the butt of his lip as he tried to think back. "The medicine masks could be for anything, maybe even just as a symbol of his clan. But…He said something to us before Lemillion showed up…"
"What exactly did he say?"
"Something about… a sickness that infected us…" Izuku felt a wave of dread come over him as he remembered his desolate gaze. "And said it was disgusting."
"What the hell's that supposed to mean?!" Ryuji clicked his tongue, frowning.
"Do you think it has something to do with them trying to protect his daughter?" Ann swallowed the spit in her mouth.
"Perhaps… but if so, he truly is a twisted man." A shadow passed over Yusuke's face. "Just what kind of person is our target?"
"A sickness…" Makoto mumbled, her brow creased in concern. "If he views people like Izuku as a sickness… people who would stand up for a little girl…"
"Whatcha mumblin' about?" Ryuji asked, tilting his head in question.
"... Maybe, what he views as a sickness is heroics. I mean, he is creating a bullet that disables Quirks. And it wouldn't be far off the mark to say that you stop most heroics when you stop Quirks." Makoto theorized, her expression becoming concerned. "If that's the case, then we might have a hint at what his cognition could be. The mask is more than just a prop."
"But we already tried 'hospital'. Where else would you make a cure for a sickness?" Ann asked, unsure.
"Well, usually medicine is made in a research facility or a laboratory-"
"Entry found."
Everyone sprang up at the same time, jaws dropping. Izuku's guess had paid off.
"Oh, hell yeah! Good goin' leader!" Ryuji slapped his shoulder.
"I-I just got lucky," Izuku answered with a sheepish smile, turning to Makoto. "Well, we have that done, at least. All we can do now is wait for Morgana."
"Think he's okay? I'm sure that the yakuza wouldn't attack a cat, but you never know…" Ann mumbled, peeking her head past the others to see if he had come out of the alleyway.
"Eh, he's fine. Don't worry so much." Ryuji was far more relaxed, slouching back into his chair with his legs spread. "Let's just chill 'til he gets back."
"I was thinking of getting some of the jasmine tea from the cafe. It seems like the appropriate drink to calm my nerves before the heist." Yusuke gave a hopeful smile as he picked up the menu they had been given.
"You guys are a little too lax right now…" Makoto sighed, her eyes drifting to Izuku. He was more focused on the alleyway that Morgana had disappeared into, his left hand digging into the fabric of his jeans. "And you're a little too eager. Are you okay?"
"Huh?" Izuku looked at Makoto, cheeks reddening at having been caught. "Y-Yeah, sorry… I just think that the sooner we do this, the better."
"Perhaps you should join us and partake in some tea or snacks. It might help you relax before we enter the Palace," Yusuke suggested as the waitress came by.
"Maybe you guys should tighten up a bit instead." Ann sighed before her eyes lit up as they landed on the menu. "Oh, they have crepes here?! I haven't had one in so long!"
"Careful, Ann. Calories." Ryuji grinned teasingly, the twin tail blonde answering him with a shove of his shoulder.
"Shut up! We're going into the Palace so I'll work it off!"
"And now we've lost Ann." Makoto sighed, turning a small smile to Izuku. "What prestigious heroes of justice the Phantom Thieves are, huh?"
Izuku felt a smile tug at his lips, giving a short nod in return. "Yeah. They're great, aren't they?"
"'I'm back!" Izuku drew his gaze up from the others, smiling to see Morgana scampering up to their table. "I hope you all weren't too worried about me. I… Hey, why are you all snacking?!"
Izuku sheepishly looked down at the donut he'd purchased while he waited. "W-We were just trying to relax before we go in!"
"Yeah, dude. Plus you took forever." Ryuji chewed on the final bites of his own donut as he spoke.
"Glad to see you back!" Izuku realized just how bad they really looked when Ann answered with a mouth full of strawberries, whipped cream, and chocolate.
"I am now fully fueled to enter the Palace." Yusuke was as clueless as the others, and it only added to Izuku's guilt.
"You guys are unbelievable!" Morgana's pointed glare at Izuku and Makoto made them both wince. "I expected better from you, at least!"
"W-We needed to calm down, too!" Makoto defended, Izuku seeing her not so stealthily set her croissant down. "A-Anyway, how did it look? Are we in the clear?"
Morgana grumbled for a moment before sighing. "Yes. The info we got was good. I found the base and saw a couple of yakuza types standing guard."
"So Alibaba really told us the truth." Izuku slightly turned to Ryuji, who sat up with more attention. "Looks like we're really gonna owe that guy a favor."
"Well, we did find the place without having to snoop around too much. I guess it's the least we can do." Ann shrugged, though Izuku saw some concern. "Still, who knows what they're going to ask for…"
"We'll set aside that discussion for now. Our main focus will be making our way into Chisaki's Palace." Yusuke advised, and Izuku couldn't disagree.
"Yeah. We have to stay focused on the enemy in front of us. We'll stop the Eight Precepts from producing those bullets and get Eri-chan away from him." Izuku declared, standing from his seat as he felt his resolve strengthen.
"Wait. There's one more thing," Izuku turned back to Morgana, a minor look of concern on his face. "I'm sure you'll want to do this as quickly as possible, but I think you should know. When I was doing reconnaissance of the area, I got close enough to eavesdrop on the yakuza. They had been whispering to themselves so I thought it might be useful. From the sound of it, they're preparing to move out in three weeks' time."
"Wait, move?! Why?!" Ann voiced the concern Izuku suddenly felt.
"I'm not sure. They were pretty low level grunts, so I imagine they weren't told. But if I had to guess, it was because of that run in with the hero." Izuku felt his lips tighten into a thin line, swallowing a lump in his throat.
"Shit. Will that mean the Palace will move?" Asked Ryuji this time.
"Yes. The location of his cognition will change, and if we don't deal with it before they leave, we may lose our chance to take his Treasure." Morgana confirmed for them.
"All the more reason for us to act now." Makoto stood by Izuku, giving him a reassuring look. "Three weeks should be enough time, but I doubt any of us want to wait that long."
"Right. Let's get going. Remember, we can't be seen. We'll use one of the nearby alleys to take us into the Metaverse to avoid detection." Izuku told the others, looking down at Morgana. "Did they have people patrolling around?"
"No, I think they know that would be too suspicious. They're just keeping an eye on the gate." Morgana informed them. "Follow me. I found us a way in."
Izuku trailed after the cat, shortly followed by the others. Izuku began to understand why Morgana took some time, the group weaving between several alleys. "We're not far now. Let's approach quietly." Morgana's pace slowed, the other thieves quickly matching it. As they approached the end of the alley, Morgana came to a stop and signaled them to do the same.
"Here should be good. You guys can take a peek, we should be out of guard's sight." Morgana informed them, sticking his neck out to peek around the corner. The others slowly did the same and got a look for themselves.
Izuku wasn't sure what he was expecting, but what he saw was far more tame than he was expecting. It was a collection of old-looking snow white business buildings, surrounded by a tall brick wall of the same color. At the center of the wall was an old-fashioned steel gate with a tile awning. Two men dressed in obnoxiously colorful suits stood at each end of the gate, both distractedly talking amongst themselves.
"Kinda figured it'd be… more old-fashioned." Ryuji whispered from above Izuku's head.
"The aesthetic is rather bland, but I'm guessing that was the intent." Yusuke sounded minorly disappointed.
"It only makes sense. If you're part of a crime family, especially in this day and age, you don't want to have something that draws attention. If it weren't for the guards, I'd be hard pressed to call this a yakuza business." Izuku found himself in agreement with Makoto on that end.
"So what now? We're going to enter from here, right?" Ann asked as they all drew away from the wall.
"Yeah. But now we have to identify the location." Izuku pulled his phone out, opening the MetaNav. "Will base work?"
"Entry not found."
"Crap. What the hell would the yakuza call it if not a base?" Ryuji muttered his frustration.
"Perhaps an office?" Yusuke attempted, only to receive the same answer.
"Considering the collection of buildings…" Makoto stroked her chin. "How about a compound?"
"Location found. Beginning Navigation."
"Wa-Wait, it's taking us in?!" Ryuji cursed as the world around them began to shift.
"I-I didn't mean to! Be ready for anything!" Izuku grit his teeth before the world melted away. The air itself shifted to night, and the afternoon light evaporated into night. The first thing that Izuku noted, in contrast to the previous palaces, was the smell. It was like they had walked into an industrial slaughterhouse, the putrid odor of festering bodies assaulting their senses every time they breathed.
"Gah! What is that stench?!" Morgana was the first to make it vocal, and they all soon found their hands gravitating to their noses.
"This smell… it's repulsive…" Yusuke mumbled through his hands.
"I can't imagine what that… huh?" Izuku blinked, looking at each of them as he soon noticed something. "We're already in our Thief outfits?"
"Huh?" The others quickly took notice, looking down at their clothes.
"Wha-how?! He doesn't even know us!" Ann looked to Morgana.
"Simple. He sees everyone as a threat and is constantly on guard." Morgana's voice was slightly muffled by his paws. "Considering what we saw of him, it makes a lot of sense."
"Well, there's no helping it now." Izuku turned around, looking to peek around the corner of the alley. "Let's see what the compound turned into."
"What the shit?"
Izuku's body stiffened and every hair on the back of his neck stood on end. That voice, low and gruff like a predator about to pounce, was unmistakable. Izuku slowly craned his neck back, his jaw slacking in a mix of alarm and terror.
"K-Kacchan..?"
Standing there in his U.A. uniform, confusion and seething anger plastered on his face, was none other than Katsuki Bakugou.
"What the hell is this, Deku?! Where the fuck are we?!"
To be continued…
Woooo chapter done! And cliffhanger initiated! Lol
Sorry to leave this chapter on that note, but I felt it was an appropriate place to leave off considering where the next one will start. Plus, I'm planning to get the next chapter out pretty soon as well rather than jumping to one of my other stories. I've been really excited to get this arc started and I'm not gonna put the intro to it behind just yet. Hopefully the next chapter goes as smoothly as this one.
Oh, and just so people know, Izuku did rank his confidants up with Takemi and Morgana. And since someone asked, I'll post the current list of Confidants here for my Fanfic readers to see:
Izuku's current Confidant Link List and their levels:
Ryuji Sakamoto(Chariot): Level 4
Makoto Nijima(Priestess): Level 3
Morgana(Magician): Level 4
Igor(Fool): Level 5
Ann Takamaki(Lovers): Level 3
Tae Takemi(Death): Level 4
Sojiro Sakura(Hierophant): Level 4
Mei Hatsume(Fortune): Level 4
Mishima and Shiho(Moon): Level 2
Munehisa Iwai(Hanged Man): Level 3
The Twins(Strength): Level 2
Takuto Maruki(Consultant): Level 2
Kasumi Yoshizawa(Faith): Level 1
Pop Step(Devil): Level 1
Yusuke Kitagawa(Emperor): Level 1
Well, I hope you all enjoyed it! And I do hope you eagerly anticipate what's to come! I'm pretty excited to bring it to you all, too! Be sure to leave a follow, a favorite and a review if you'd be so kind! Ah, and add to the TVTropes page if you can!