Nezu moves the black knight into position on the gameboard. In front of him is a vast array of chess pieces, the pawns mid battle. With a tiny toothy grin and a twinkle in his otherwise black beady eyes, he awaits his opponent's move. Much to his delight, player two doesn't disappoint. The set of double doors to the office swing open and Batman enters through the entrance. This time, the vigilante has on a mouthpiece gas mask.
Nezu can't help but giggle at the overdramatic precautionary antics of the self proclaimed hero. "I see you've learned from your past mistakes!", he waves his paws up in a mock surrendering flourish. Despite all the bravado, it's just a joke, there's no toxins or gasses filtering around through the air this time.
"It's over. I know what you've been scheming", Batman growls through a voice modulating filter in the mouthpiece covering his chin. He stands tall, cape closed around him as the back pointed ends drag along the carpeted floor. Whether it's a bluff or not, the vigilante comes across as confident.
Nezu relaxes in his chair, folding his paws over one another. The grin hasn't left his maw. "That's because you would already know had all of your memories returned", that remark gives the Batman pause. The vigilante's stride stops as he considers what the newly reappointed principal said.
The two meet one another's gaze. Nezu's dark voids stare into the white narrowed lens of Batman's cowl. That speaks volumes without either of them saying a word. Nezu deduced that not all of the vigilante's memories returned and not even the vigilante himself knew that was the case.
"What do you want to use Eri for?", Batman opts for a different approach just to be cautious. He's laying his own bait as Nezu had to figure out his amnesia remains, the question meant to confirm whether or not his suspicions about the girl's involvement are true while simultaneously figuring out the grander scope of those supposed plans.
"Sometimes.. A damaged mind can be too much to handle", Nezu mimes drawing the word 'damaged' in cursive over his forehead. The tiny claw he uses as a pen courses through his fur. The nail eventually reaches the scar that strikes through one of his eyes, resting there momentarily. "Kurogiri. Bakugo. YOU", Nezu names a few damaged minds before losing his grin and adding one more, "Me."
Batman raises his head higher, noting that last part the most. He squints with a critical gaze while prompting Nezu to elaborate, "You?"
"I'm cursed with knowledge, I'm afraid", Nezu feigns to be dramatic by placing the back of his paw against his forehead. Receiving no reaction from the caped crusader over his antics, the chimera settles back into his seat with a sigh, "I'm talking about split personalities, Mister Midoriya. Or, at least, an imbalance of thought" Still no reaction from the vigilante. Nezu resists grinding his claws into his desk, "Do I really have to spell it out for you? Kurogiri? Your caretaker is a NOMU created from the corpse of a former U.A student. He's as fractured a mind as Bakugo is nowadays, or you are with your alter ego as Batman."
That gives Midoriya pause, shaking him to his core. Having conquered the art of fear, it's been a while since something has sent chills up his spine, but that revelation puts him off balance. "Kurogiri is.. ", Midoriya trails off and swallows the words that were on his tongue. The vigilante pushes that matter to the back of his mind and refocuses on the enemy in front of him, "Your mind was fractured too?"
"A result of lab experimentation", Nezu reiterates his origin with a nod, "It's funny how animalistic humans are compared to what you all consider snarling savages."
Not easily misled, Batman puts the conversation back on the right course, "What does this have to do with Eri?" He takes an intimidating step forward.
"I was getting there", Nezu returns the intimidation with a sharp tone and dark glare. He waves a paw around while explaining, "Just as the Yakuza had seen value in her quirk, so do I. The ability to rewind. Imagine the ability to not just heal wounds, but to cure illnesses and so much more!"
"She's still learning to control her quirk. And you can't force that out of her", Batman takes another step forward. Beneath his cape that's wrapped around him like a cloak, his gloved hands are balled into fists.
"Oh, I'm well aware. And I don't doubt that if she were to get a handle on it, that she wouldn't be more than willing to accommodate myself and others with such impairments", Nezu nods in agreement before gesturing towards the vigilante, "Only if she were to be brought up by a true hero who could teach her such morals, of course. Certainly not the Yakuza."
The response leaves Batman wary. He studies the chimera's casual body language, searching for any signs of hidden intent. He speaks his thoughts aloud as he draws the conclusions that Nezu is making, "You were testing me.. To make sure-"
"To ensure you were adequate enough to test her", Nezu finishes the sentence for the vigilante in his own words. "And now that I'm back here at U.A where I'll be free to conduct surveillance, she will receive even further guidance in the right direction!", the principal then cheerily spreads his arms in an extravagant fashion as though to bring on an applause after performing a magic trick.
"You're a lunatic. All that for what? She's just a kid", Batman stares at the animal in disbelief.
Sensing that the vigilante isn't as joyful about the prospect as he is, Nezu switches to a somber tone. "A child who's been through a lot, just as you were. I know. I'm not incapable of sympathy", he offers pity of some kind that the orphan rejects with a sneer.
"You sure have a funny way of showing it", Batman recalls the wild goose chase and all of the effort Nezu put into such an overly complicated scheme. He's not quite convinced that the chimera is telling the truth.
"What can I say? Puzzles, riddles, and games are my forte", Nezu leans back with a mischievous grin plastered across his muzzle. The black dots on his head that account for eyes don't sway from Batman's white lens.
The vigilante turns his head, looking away. He sees the chess game that Nezu has set out in front of him. The placement of pieces looks like a war stratagem table. "And you don't like to play by yourself", Batman keeps the principal talking in order to figure out more.
And Nezu is happy to oblige. "It's no fun to play alone", he moves a white pawn to capture a black pawn while giggling, "You of all people should know that" Batman's eyes narrow as he watches the animal play with his toys, wondering whose lives are in the balance of those pieces. Nezu keeps the black pawn in his paw, holding it up in front of the caped crusader, "Brooding. It can get lonely."
Batman moves his attention away from what's in front of him, looking for something hidden, assuming the trickster is trying to distract him. When the vigilante notices a second chess table stowed away, he looks back with a suspicious stare. "If that gameboard is for me.. Who was the other?", he treads carefully with the inquisitiveness but doesn't back down.
Nezu glances at the second gameboard, as though he just now realized it was there. Then he perks up at the mention of it, recalling its existence. He smiles with a tad of fondness as he says, "Oh, quite the humorous fellow. Not like I remember during the years of his tutelage. He and I shared a cup of tea together-"
Batman's eyes expand as he starts putting together the clues pointing towards the other player's identity. Panic begins to rise from the pit of his stomach. He demands rather than asking, "Who was it, Nezu?!"
Nezu blinks when he hears the vigilante's tone. "Bakugo, your friend, the Joker", but provides the answer to the question anyways.
His assumption, now confirmed to be the case much to his horror, leaves the caped crusader stupefied. "What have you done.. ?", he has difficulty processing the terrible news. But once he does, he charges towards Nezu with a vengeance, "Do you have any idea what you've done?!"
The principal holds his paws up in a placating gesture that does absolutely nothing to stop the vigilante. Batman grabs Nezu by the front of his suit and hoists him upwards, "I didn't-"
"Did you tell him everything that you told me?! Your plan with Eri?!", Batman yells into the chimera's face. Spit flies from the angry vigilante's mouth, dotting the animal's fur.
"O- Of course, in order to make conversation", Nezu stammers as he reels from the fit of rage. Without a surface beneath him, his legs dangle in the air as they search for sturdy footing.
"Lunatic! Mad man!", Batman furiously shakes the enemy he has in his grip before tossing the foe across the room. Nezu tumbles into a bookshelf, startled by the roughhousing. "You're not as smart as you think you are", the vigilante growls more like a beast than the actual animal.
"What do you mean? I'm not the one being a ruffian", Nezu spits blood out of his mouth as he stands up and dusts off his now wrinkled suit. Though caught off guard before, he's now prepared for another rush and prepares to defend himself if need be.
But Batman brushes past Nezu, heading for the exit instead. He curses on his way out, "Did it ever occur to you that Bakugo doesn't want to be cured?!"
And it finally settles in as to why Midoriya is behaving the way that he is. Realizing that he may have misjudged how psychologically damaged Bakugo has become, Nezu places a paw against his forehead. "Oh my.. I HAVE made a mistake..", he admits under his breath the dire miscalculation on his part.
"You just put that poor girl's life in danger. If anything happens to her, you'll have a lot more than a damaged mind", and Batman leaves him with a parting promise that only reinforces the consequences of that error.
Midoriya doesn't even wait until he gets to the car to contact Kurogiri. He places a finger to the commlink within his cowl. "Get Eri and seal yourselves in the cave. I'm on my way, I'll explain everything when I get there", he urgently gives orders while hurrying down the halls of U.A without bothering to elaborate as to why he's demanding such a thing. He expects his partner in crime to question the order or provide some sort of remark, but gets nothing. Confused and worried by the radio silence, Midoriya tries again. "Kurogiri.. ?", he asks. One more time, "KUROGIRI?!"
Just when he thinks the line is dead, Midoriya hears the rustling of a mic. However, his relief is only momentary. A laugh peaks the audio in his ears. It's a demented cackle that he's all too familiar with. "Sorry. Smokey the momma bear can't come to the phone right now", and the shrill voice that follows isn't very assuring either.
"Kacchan.. What have you done?", Midoriya tries but fails to keep the distress out of his voice as his run turns into a sprint down the corridor he's in. He forgets about finding the doors to leave. He makes his own exit through a window, several stories up. His cape expands behind him, acting as a parachute to slow his descent and a paraglider to guide his fall. "If you've done anything- !", Midoriya cuts himself off as he struggles to find the right threat to use.
"Oh, don't be such a worry wart!", the speaker system blares as the villain gets right into the mic. Midoriya grits his teeth, resisting the urge to flinch. "How could I start without you? No, no. I'll gladly wait!", and the not so assuring assurance ushers him to hurry. He hops into his vehicle, revving the engine as it comes to life at his command.
"I'll be there. Just keep your promise and wait", Midoriya pushes on the throttle and presses down on the gas pedal. The sleak shaped automobile cuts through the wind as it races forwards. "You hear me, Kacchan?! You WAIT for me!", Midoriya cuts hard on the steering wheel and takes a turn down a service road to use as a shortcut back to his home in the manor.
"You know me better than anyone, Bat-Boob. I'm a man of my word", a giddy response plays through the car's speaker system this time. Followed by a darker toned, "See you soon."
The vigilante yells in aggravation while urging the car to go faster. The speedometer reaches its limit and the tires tread the terrain with extreme force. Weaving in and out of lanes being constructed, the vehicle runs over cautionary traffic cones without a care. With a press of a button, a flame shoots out the back of an exhaust port and the car's momentum carries it over a dead end and into a drained canal. The halfpipe serves as a raceway. A direct shoot to the destination.
Midoriya takes the route to the cave entrance, barreling through a waterfall that obscures its location. The car's tires bounce and skitter on landing as it swerves into the parking bay. The driver doesn't even wait for the vehicle's motion to cease, hatch sliding open up top for him to climb out. The caped avenger lands with his boots making a heavy thud, headlights illuminating his arrival.
He's met by a single applause coming from the rafters above. When Batman looks up, he's not surprised to see the pale face of his former childhood friend staring back down. A blood red smile is smeared around his lips and his hair has been redyed green, punctuated by a purple dress attire. "You do know how to make an entrance!", the horrific clown visage greets his mortal enemy.
Midoriya offers no words in response, instead opting to aim his grappling hook and firing it so that he can ascend to the same catwalk. His cape trails behind him up and over the railing. Only when he's face to face with his rival does he see Eri is also there. Her mouth is covered with duct tape, a red smile sharpied over it. Though brimmed with tears, her eyes light up upon seeing her guardian.
"Let her go!", Midoriya faces the villain with the fury of a father.
But Bakugo appears unphased, laughing without a care. "It looks like you got your swagger back!", he instead addresses the vigilante's apparel with a gesture from the switchblade that slides out from under his sleeve. It presses against Eri's neck, unconsciously making Midoriya lean forward with the urge to rescue her.
"If you hurt her, I'll kill you, dammit!", Midoriya growls through clenched teeth. He fights the instinct to protectively rush in, not wanting to risk Eri's safety.
Bakugo frowns, cocking his head to the side. "Now hold on a minute.. That doesn't sound like you at all.. Don't tell me..", he narrows his eyes at the vigilante in front of him as though searching for a person that isn't there.
Watching the gears work in a dismantled mind pushes Midoriya forward. Not wanting the unstable villain to do anything rash, he tries to keep him talking, "I know EXACTLY who I am. It's YOU who's lost their way."
"No, no! Even your banter is all wrong!", Midoriya seethes through his teeth when he sees Bakugo press the switchblade against Eri's throat a tad more. "Well.. This is just disappointing. You're just playing dress up at this point", Bakugo looks the vigilante up and down before setting his eyes on his hostage, "But.. Maybe.. Maybe Eri here can rewind you back to your former self. Yes! Yes! That's it!"
Midoriya breathes in and out before looking at the girl in captivity. "Eri.. Just do what he tells you to", he tries to keep his tone calm to ease Eri's nerves while addressing her.
"Come on, brat, listen to papa", but Bakugo makes it difficult. The blade begins digging into her throat, breaking skin. The threat is to urge her to use her quirk on Midoriya. But Eri's defiant eyes move from her guardian's to her capturer's, horn on her head glowing as it grows for a different purpose.
A bright light illuminates the darkness of the cave, disturbing the bats that roost from stalactites above. The mammals swarm down as they're awoken by the increasing glow. Bakugo lets out a bloodcurdling scream as he's enveloped by the light. It's so blinding that Midoriya can't even shield himself with his cape, nor can he see Eri anymore. Concerned for his daughter's safety, he takes now as the opportunity to blindly rush in.
Midoriya finds his arms around the waist of a slender but well defined man. He realizes that he's grabbed onto Bakugo and not Eri. Closing his eyes, he commits and follows through with his charge. In one continuous move, he tackles the villain off of the rafters, bending forwards so that they plummet headfirst. They hit cold water, a rude wake up call.
Bakugo breaks the surface first, twisting free from the jacket that Midoriya is holding onto. Midoriya discards the coat and swims after him, breathing in the cave's humid air once he too reaches the top. Gloved fingers grab the fiend by the throat.
"Wh- Who the fuck are you?!", Bakugo chokes out a surprised response as he's manhandled by the demon visage.
"Me?", bats dart left and right as the vigilante pulls Bakugo close so that they're nose to nose. "I'm vengeance", the caped crusader cloaks himself in darkness as he screams, "I am the night!" Finally finding himself, remembering who he is, he proclaims, "I.. AM.. BATMAN!"
A strong left hook knocks a few teeth loose, sending Bakugo back. The blonde, hair washed out by the guano filled pool, staggers and trips over a stone. Batman is upon him before he can get up, already raining down more punches. There is nothing the vigilante can do to cause him the agony that he brought upon others. But he can come close. He can crush the clown's windpipe and sever all oxygen from his brain. He can push the criminal's ribs right through his lungs and rupture his heart. He can pound the villain's skull into the pavement until it fractures into so many pieces that brain spills out.
Distantly, Kurogiri staggers into the lower section of the cave. He's disheveled, suit torn in places and metal collar dented. His yellow eyes broaden when they see what's happening, "You have to think about what you're doing. WHO and WHAT made you who you are. Think of how an animal like him could never understand that. It's what makes him who he is and you who you are. Think."
All those things are what the vigilante should have done long ago. To every single one of the criminals he fought. When he put them down, he should have put them down permanently. Or so he believes now, on top of the one who dared take a child and threaten their life.
"God help me.. You have thought this through.. I don't know how I could stop you, but I won't let you throw your life away", the weak body of the man who raised Midoriya stumbles forward to try and grab his son.
"Kurogiri..", Midoriya feels his father figure wrap his arms around him. A warm embrace that prevents him from further beating on Bakugo.
"If Batman wanted to be a killer, he could have started a long time ago. But it's a line. If you cross that line, if you kill tonight, man or animal.. In my eyes, you'll be no different from him", Kurogiri's hold tightens around Midoriya's shoulders. The man trembles in the grip like a boy, slowly breaking.
Bakugo lay unconscious in a pool of blood, smile wiped off his smug face. In the cave's pit, the tight space looks a lot like an alley. It was from an alley that a man with a gun emerged from the darkness and murdered Midoriya's mother and father. In that single moment, his childhood ended. He made a promise on their graves that he would rid this city of the evil that took their lives. Tonight.. he nearly became a part of that evil..
The bullet never left the chamber tonight. So the bullet hole in Bakugo's forehead has vanished. Eri's quirk has reverted him from that same evil. The little girl joins Kurogiri and her father, her childhood just beginning.