Chapter Two:
Izuku stood at a counter, filling out the paperwork to allow him to take the Shigaraki brothers home. Hisashi shifted in his seat. Even now he'd been reassured about his fate, he still did not like being in a police station. In his past life, the only times someone had ever dragged him into one, he'd been chained up and lacking power. Though never quite as helpless as the police assumed.
Yoichi had stolen a pen off an officer's desk and was clicking and unclicking it. Hisashi found this dreadfully annoying, but he didn't say anything, because he knew his little brother was every bit as nervous as him. Despite being a wannabe hero, Yoichi didn't have any better a track record with police stations. During his time period, heroism had been called vigilantism. The police during the dawn of the age of quirks had been especially hostile toward someone with white hair and green eyes. Yoichi rubbed his arm where he'd once had a scar from an officer's bullet.
However, Izuku seemed to be good friends with Eri and Kouta. They chatted about the latest episode of a popular buddy cop show while Izuku waited for the police chief's signature. Hisashi wondered why a yakuza prince got along so well with the authorities.
A tiny boy with tousled dark brown hair and golden eyes toddled over. "Stop that noise," he snapped, grabbing the pen from Yoichi. "That doesn't belong to you, thief." His nose wrinkled. "You two are filthy."
"I was just playing," Yoichi cried, reaching for the pen. The boy held it over his head and out of reach.
Hisashi stood up, his eyes narrow as he assessed if he was going to need to beat up this brat for bullying his little brother. As he met the golden eyes, memory stirred. "You're Overhaul?"
The boy flinched. "No! I'm Kai Chisaki!" In a lower voice, he whispered, "You had a past life, too? I don't recognize you."
Probably because when they'd last met, Hisashi didn't have a face. Hisashi saw no advantage to admitted his previous identity as All for One. Knowledge was power. "Let's just say you used to be famous in the other universe."
Yoichi said, "I watched your antics as a ghost! You were a very bad man! As if you have any right to call me a thief after you committed far worse crimes?"
Kai hunched his shoulders over. "I know. I did terrible things. Especially to Eri, my beloved big sister. I felt horrible when I remembered that I used to be a criminal. In this lifetime, I will become the best cop ever in order to make up for my past!"
Ew, a redemption arc. Hisashi's nose wrinkled in disgust. He felt goosebumps running down his arms.
Kai's shoulders heaved. A single tear trickled down his cheek. "When I remember how I treated Eri…Big Sister Eri, who's always been so kind to me…I was the worst villain!"
"Excuse me?" Hisashi reared up to his full height of 122 centimeters. "I wasthe worst villain in the previous world! You tortured one child? I had a whole bunch of them turned into Nomu! I ran an orphanage for the express purpose of picking out new victims. I wrecked families and created orphans for fun. My favorite was the time I gave an overpowered Decay quirk to the grandson of my nemesis, then forcibly activated it to make him kill his entire family. Heh, that was a masterpiece. Compared to a demon lord like me, you were a one-arc villain."
Kai stared. "All for One?"
It was too late to deny it. Hisashi decided to pretend he'd meant to reveal that. Sticking his nose up in the air, he said, "You should be afraid now that you know who you've angered."
Kai burst out laughing. "You turned into a scrawny little brat! This is hilarious! So much for the Scourge of Kamino. You don't even have enough centimeters to get on an amusement park ride."
Hisashi scowled. "I'll probably get a growth spurt in a few years. That's what happened in my first lifetime."
Kai crossed his arms. "I have decided to devote my new life to Big Sister Eri! I will protect her with my life! If you become a criminal again, then in this lifetime, you'll have to face me as a cop."
Hisashi snorted. "Is that supposed to intimidate me?"
"No one has quirks. I'm pretty sure I'm a couple years older than you," Kai said. "In order to train my body to protect Eri, I work out." He flexed a bicep. "I could totally beat you up." And he looked ready to do it. Hisashi glanced around, looking for a weapon.
Yoichi said, "But you're still scared of dirt, aren't you?" He waved his filthy hand in Kai's face. "Give me back the pen that I rightfully stole!"
With a squeal, Kai threw the pen in the air and fled. "You're gross!" He cried, hiding behind a desk. "Take a bath! You smell!"
Hisashi rolled his eyes. "So much for the future of the police force. The yakuza are looking better and better for my rise to power."
Yoichi poked his older brother from behind with the pen. "I'm the one who scared him off, and I'm not letting you become a criminal again, big brother. Give it up. Besides, I still don't believe that my pure-hearted successor could possibly be mixed up with the wrong side of the law. You're just believing what you want to believe, as usual."
"Ironic coming from someone who confuses comic books with reality…" Hisashi muttered.
The police chief stepped out of his office. Hisashi vaguely recognized the man who'd used to be the boss of the Shie Hassaikai during his previous life. He'd become a cop? The irony was hilarious. This explained why Overhaul had defected to the side of the law. No matter the lifetime, that second-rate villain remained loyal to the same person.
"Grandpa, don't forget your cane," Eri said, handing it to him.
"You fret too much. I'm as tough as the days when I made arrests on the street." Despite his complaint, the police chief turned an affectionate smile on his granddaughter and accepted the cane.
The old man hobbled over and patted Izuku on the back. "I respect you for stepping up to look after these kids, Midoriya. You're a good one. You had courage, removing yourself from your family. We've appreciated your aid in the past. I know you can take care of yourself better than the average person. But I'm worried about you. We suspect the serial killer known as Muscular murdered Mrs. Shigaraki. He's been targeting entire families for brutal slaughter—"
Izuku cleared his throat. "Not in front of the children."
The police chief recoiled. "Oh! I didn't see you two little ones there! Where are my glasses?" Eri handed him a pair of glasses. The police chief knelt down and presented two lollipops to Yoichi and Hisashi. "You two are very brave boys. I'm sorry for your loss."
Hisashi didn't say that his mother was no loss at all. He didn't care what this old coot thought of him, but he didn't want to look bad in front of Izuku. Or lose out on the candy. He took a strawberry lollipop.
Kai leapt up from behind the desk. "I'll protect you from the dirt, grandpa!" He ran over and leapt between the brothers and his former boss.
The police chief laughed. "I see you two have already met Kai. We should arrange a play date."
Izuku said, "What a great idea."
"No!" Hisashi and Yoichi yelped together.
Yoichi said, "I refuse to become friends with someone who was a villain in his past life and tortured children!"
Hisashi said, "I refuse to become friends with someone who wasn't a very good villain."
Kai glared. "I don't want to be friends with a faceless failure and a self-proclaimed ghost either!"
Izuku rapped both brothers lightly on the head. "Be polite!" To the police chief, he said, "Sorry, they both have overactive imaginations, and they like to drag other people into their games."
The police chief said, "That just goes to show that the children are playing together already. Kai, be nice to these two. You're older, so I'm counting on you to guide them."
Kai immediately pasted on an innocent, childish smile. "Yes, grandpa."
Hisashi grumbled, "Suck-up." He did not like the implication that he'd be forced to act respectfully to this half-rate yakuza just because aforementioned yakuza had been born a year or two ahead of him in this world. Once he took over Izuku's yakuza family, he would soon have this entire city living in fear of him. No one would dare treat him like a child then.
The police chief whispered to Izuku, "As I was saying, I've arranged for police patrols around your apartment building 24/7 in order to watch for Muscular. Please talk to your family to ensure there aren't any misunderstandings or clashes between our forces."
"I will." Izuku's face turned grim. "I'll set my family to finding Muscular, too. They might as well turn their overprotectiveness to good purpose for once."
Hisashi hopped up and down. "Explain to me what's going on! I can help, too!"
Izuku exchanged glances with the police chief. Then Izuku knelt down and looked both brothers in the eye. "We don't yet know who killed your mother. The police are on the case, I promise. There's been some concern that it could have been a serial killer who always wipes out entire families. That could lead to you being targeted."
Yoichi whispered, "Does this mean you could be in danger if you take us in?" His eyes welled up with tears.
Izuku pulled both brothers into a hug. "Nothing will happen to me. I have the police and my family for protection. I won't let anyone hurt you. I'll protect you." Izuku winked. "I might look scrawny, but I'm quite strong."
Hisashi, who had died by Izuku's hand (or rather, teeth) once before, didn't doubt it. It gave him an oddly warm feeling to have an adult promise to protect him. This was the first time that had happened in either of his childhoods.
Then and there, Hisashi made a promise to protect Izuku in return, too. Izuku had taken him in as family, and Hisashi did not take that lightly.
As soon as they arrived home, Izuku asked, "What would you two like to eat for dinner? I'll order takeout. I think we're all too tired for cooking."
Hisashi had been about to request Izuku's cooking, which was better than any restaurant. But he shut his mouth. Izuku did look weary, with circles around his eyes.
Before Hisashi could think up a restaurant, the doorbell rang.
A gorgeous brown-haired woman entered the apartment. She wore designer clothing with a diamond bracelet on her wrist and a large ruby hanging around her neck. Hisashi had an eye for finer things from his previous life. Her purse alone was worth three hundred thousand yen.
She smiled warmly. "Are these your new foster children? They're adorable!"
Izuku said, "The older brother is Hisashi Shigaraki and the younger brother is Yoichi Shigaraki. Hisashi and Yoichi, I'd like to introduce you to my dear friend, Ochaco Uraraka."
Hisashi bowed, nudging his little brother to follow suit. "A pleasure to meet you." He was always polite to people who might have money that he could potentially separate them from.
Ochaco said, "As soon as I heard that you were adopting, I ordered everything you'd need." She snapped her fingers, and two movers carried in a child-sized bed. Another bed followed. Then boxes stuffed with toys and games. Hisashi's eyes widened. It was so rare for his targets to hand over their money without him needing to resort to theft or fraud.
Izuku said, "You shouldn't have. The brother's mother had a life insurance policy, and I have savings of my own."
"Use that for their college funds." Ochaco pecked him on the cheek. "What's the point of being born into the wealthiest family in Japan if I can't use my money to spoil my dear friend?"
Yoichi pulled open a box. "Limited edition Superman merch!" His eyes gleamed. "Will you be my new fairy godmother?"
Ochaco laughed. "See, you can't take away his toys now he's seen them."
"I can't," Izuku admitted with a smile. "Thank you."
The movers departed, only for the doorbell to ring yet again. "Who else did you invite?" Ochaco asked.
"The usual gang." Izuku opened the door. "Tenya, thank you for coming."
Tenya swept into the room. "I heard everything from the chief. I'm here to protect you and the children, Izuku. I'll stay overnight." Tenya wore a police officer's uniform and firearm.
Izuku said, "There's no need. I can't expect you to stay at my place every night."
"I'm more than willing to stay here until the killer is caught," Tenya said.
Izuku shook his head. "My place is too small."
Ochaco said, "I paid for the apartment next to yours where the brothers used to live, and I gave the landlord a bonus to allow me to bring a construction team tomorrow to build a door between the two apartments. You'll need the extra space now that you have children. Do you need bodyguards? I wanted to hire bodyguards for you, but I was afraid they would get in the way of your less savory but highly competent guards. I noticed a few outside already."
Izuku sighed and muttered, "Dad moves fast. I only just texted him." Clearing his throat, he said, "Tenya, I can't take you away from your regular life since this could drag on for some time, but you're welcome to stay for tonight. We can make a party of it, the old gang from high school together again. Even more than bodyguarding, I need advice on childrearing. Since you have a younger brother—"
"He does not!" Yoichi shouted.
"Excuse me?" Izuku turned around, looking puzzled.
Yoichi crossed his arms. "Tenya Iida has an older brother!"
"You've never met him before. Is this your fantasy game again?" Izuku shook his head. "Tenya has a younger brother. His name is Tensei, and he's in high school."
Tenya said, "I'm extremely proud of my little brother. He's class president. Would you like to see a picture?" He held out a photo of himself with his arms around a beaming black-haired teenager.
Yoichi gasped. "This is unthinkable! How did you managed to become an older brother in this lifetime when I didn't?"
Hisashi didn't remember enough about the Iida brothers in the previous world to know what was going on, but he found it hilarious. "You must be always destined to be a little brother," he said, ruffling Yoichi's hair.
Yoichi's face turned bright red. His cheeks puffed up. Before he could throw a tempter-tantrum, the doorbell rang again.
Shouto Todoroki stepped into the apartment. (Hisashi did recognize him, because he'd had plans to steal that lovely fire and ice quirk. Also because that scar-faced former minion of his monologued about his family issues a lot.) Shouto carried three bags. "I brought soba for everyone."
"Oh, thank you. I haven't had time to order food yet." Izuku helped Shouto carry the bags of takeout to the kitchen.
Yoichi trailed after Shouto. Grabbing the adult's shirt, he demanded, "Are you an older brother too?"
"Why, yes." Shouto straightened proudly. "I have three younger siblings. My littlest brother, Touya, is the same age as you. He's such a cutie."
Yoichi howled, "It's not fair!" He grabbed Hisashi by his collar and shook him. "How did you arrange to be born older in this world where everyone else is backward? Tell me! Did you use a quirk? Did you strike a deal with an eldritch entity? I must know!"
Hisashi chuckled. Though he privately sweated with relief at what a huge bullet he'd dodged in terms of birth order, he schooled his face into a smug expression. "It must be because I lived a virtuous life."
Yoichi's anguished howls echoed throughout the apartment. He sobbed and wept as Izuku tried to calm him down with cookies.
Hisashi put on his shoes with the slowness of an annoyed child who knew he had no choice. He was about to be dragged to that most insipid of places, school. He missed nearly nothing about his deceased mother, but at least she'd never cared if he skipped class. "I wonder how long it will take to prove my intellect before they'll let me skip straight to high school?"
"You think you have it rough? I have to listen to nursery songs all day," Yoichi grumbled. He hopped in the air, shoving on his shoe without tying the laces.
Izuku emerged from the bedroom, glanced down at his shirt, then groaned. "Sorry, I have a stain. This is not the first impression I want to make on your teachers. I need to change." He shut the door.
Yoichi tugged on Hisashi's sleeve. "Big brother, I have an idea! What if we got Izuku a new apron as a gift for taking us in and cooking so many delicious meals?"
"I don't think that stain was tomato sauce," Hisashi said. But he found the notion of a gift appealed to him. Debts needed to be repaid (and ass needed to be kissed in order to obtain his future yakuza prince role.) Now, to repurpose the idea into his own so he could take credit. "An apron seems too commonplace. I'll buy some new cooking equipment."
"And an apron," Yoichi insisted. "I folded paper flowers to earn our money, too. I can spend my share how I want. I want a white apron so I can draw on it."
"Fine," Hisashi said, quickly closing his mouth as Izuku emerged from his bedroom.
Izuku held both children's hands as they walked to school. He ignored the burly men lurking outside the apartment building who bowed to him, then trailed along after them. The people passing them on the sidewalk certainly noticed and stared.
At school, Hisashi swiped a phone from his teacher's pocket, since he did not have one of his own. He logged into his online shopping account and ordered a new set of kitchen knives, a handmade cutting board, a plain white apron, and gift wrap paper. Then he logged out and slipped the phone back.
That afternoon, sitting in the living room, Yoichi asked, "Did you place the order?"
Hisashi nodded. "I paid extra for same-day delivery."
Yoichi turned out his pockets, revealing markers, tape, scissors, and a tube of glitter. "I borrowed art supplies from preschool. I can't wait to design the apron! I'm going to draw a bunny."
"Surely a dragon would be more appropriate, little brother."
"I have no idea what you're talking about. Dragons have no connection to tea ceremony families."
Hisashi rolled his eyes. He could tell his little brother was going to be as stubborn about this as he used to be about escaping the vault.
While pretending to do homework at the coffee table, Hisashi kept a careful eye on the door. He wanted to intercept the delivery before Izuku saw it. Izuku stood in the kitchen, washing vegetables.
As soon as Hisashi heard footsteps, he threw open the door before the delivery person could ring the doorbell.
Instead, a short woman carrying grocery bags and stood in the doorway. She wore an elegant red kimono with white flowers. Her green hair had been pulled back into a bun.
"I think you have the wrong address," Hisashi said, starting to close the door.
She smiled. "No, my name is Inko Midoriya. You two must be my new grandsons. How wonderful to meet you."
Hisashi immediately switched to obsequious mode, since he needed to impress the lady of the yakuza house. "A pleasure to meet you, Grandmother—no, how can I call you that when you're so young and beautiful?"
"You picked up our package!" Yoichi beamed, pointing at the bundle. "Thank you! Whoa, you must be strong to carry all of that."
Izuku called, "You two shouldn't open doors while Muscular is still at large. Who is there?"
As Izuku's steps approached, Yoichi gasped. "Please don't let him see the package, ma'am! It's a surprise!"
Izuku stepped out of the kitchen.
Inko threw the package. It landed lightly behind the sofa. As her sleeve lifted up, it revealed a dragon tattoo coiled down her arm.
"Mom!" Izuku beamed. "Thank you for bringing the ingredients. Dad couldn't make it?"
Inko shook her head. "Of course he's eager to meet the children, but he's still tied up in that mess with his…" She glanced at the brothers. "…business rivals. Then there's the young ones acting up. He won't be back in town for another week at least. He was practically sobbing Midoriya tears at the missed chance to meet the grandchildren, so I promised to take pictures for him."
Izuku sighed. "I hope I haven't caused him too much trouble by leaving the gr—home."
"You know your father supports anything you want to do with your life. Those troublemaking kids will get over it. They very much wanted you as boss." Inko shrugged. "Let me know if they bother you too much, and I'll settle them."
Izuku said, "I'm sure you would. That's why they called you the Queen of K—uh, cooking. I appreciate you coming over to help me cook, because that's the only topic we have to discuss tonight."
"Don't mind me," Hisashi said. "This is interesting."
Yoichi sighed. "Please try to eavesdrop less obviously, big brother."
Inko said, "What smart children. Their speech patterns are quite advanced for their age."
"They are?" Izuku scratched his head. "I don't have much experience with children."
"You were quite the little genius back in elementary school. No wonder your standards are off." Inko laughed.
With a whistle, a pot boiled over in the kitchen. Izuku ran, and Inko followed him.
As soon as the adults were gone, Hisashi and Yoichi opened the box. Pulling back the bubble wrap, Hisashi commented, "Mrs. Midoriya has lovely tattoos."
"Tea ceremony masters have a long tradition of tattooing," Yoichi claimed.
"She has great aim, too."
"I bet she learned it from throwing sugar cubes into tea cups."
With a roll of his eyes, Hisashi gave up. The present was greater priority. Hisashi wrapped the gifts while Yoichi drew on the apron.
The sound of a door opening made Hisashi's head jerk up. He tried to hide the box behind him. Inko smiled. "It's only me. I was curious to see your illicit delivery."
"It's a present to thank your son for looking after us." Yoichi held up an apron with a very glittery green rabbit on front.
"The rest is cooking equipment," Hisashi said. "I would have gotten you gift as well if I'd known you were visiting, Grandma."
"How sweet. Izuku will love it." Inko gazed at him measuringly. "Where did you get the money?"
Hisashi saw a chance to impress the higher-ups in the family business. "We have a part-time job folding paper flowers. I stole my mother's identity to open a bank account. After I obtained evidence the owner was using child labor—us—I blackmailed her into doubling our salaries. I borrowed a phone at school to place the order, but my teacher never noticed. My little brother stole the art supplies."
"I'm returning them tomorrow." Yoichi pouted.
Inko applauded. "Fraud, identity theft, blackmail, pickpocketing and petty theft. My dear son certainly found the right children for our family. Both of you are naturals."
"I prefer the term 'borrowed' to stolen." Yoichi flinched. "What have I become? I sold my moral principles for glitter!"
"Thank you, ma'am." Hisashi beamed. "I'm far more talented than my little brother, for the record. Would you like to hear my full criminal resume?"
Izuku called, "Dinner is almost ready! Hisashi, could you set the table?"
The delicious smell wafting from the kitchen immediately distracted Hisashi.
Working together, Izuku and Inko had prepared a feast. The first course was appetizers of miso soup, tempura and yakitori. Then an enormous pot of sukiyaki made with wagyu beef. Finally, Inko brought out green tea ice cream and candied sweet potatoes. Hisashi ate as if he was making up for years of starvation, which he was. He scrapped his backup plan of murdering the Midoriya grandparents in order to take over their yakuza organization, because Mrs. Midoriya's cooking would be too great a loss to the world.
After dinner, Yoichi proudly said, "We got you gifts!"
"Aw, how thoughtful." Izuku opened his new cooking equipment. He held up the apron. "What an adorable design." Glitter dripped onto his lap.
"I made it." Yoichi beamed.
Hisashi said, "That gift was entirely my little brother's idea. I take no responsibility for infecting your home with glitter, aka the herpes of the craft world."
"Let me try it on." Izuku stood up and fastened on the apron. "How do I look?"
"Cool!" Yoichi clapped.
"Adorable," Inko said.
"Sparkly," Hisashi said. He noticed that Izuku had left his phone on the table. His hand inched toward it. Surely he'd find evidence to prove the Midoriya family background to his little brother. Perhaps he could even pretend to be Izuku and secretly give orders to the yakuza. It would be useful to have minions, and he would prove his ability to manage the group to Mrs. Midorya.
Loudly, Yoichi shouted, "Big brother is trying to steal your phone."
"I only wanted to take a picture," Hisashi said. He whispered to Inko, "See, he's a natural snitch."
She covered a smile behind her hand. "Izuku used to say the same thing about his younger brother."
Hisashi intended to ask about this potential rival, but he was distracted by Izuku handing him a box. Izuku said, "That reminds me, the new phone Ochaco ordered for you arrived. Would you like to use it to take the first picture?"
The four crowed together and smiled as Izuku held up the phone and snapped a photo. Izuku typed into his phone. "I'll send it to everyone in the family." His phone buzzed and he smiled. "Dad loved it so much he coughed up blood!"
Hisashi asked, "Can I see a picture of Grandpa?" He would like some advance warning if the yakuza boss turned out to be someone he'd known in his past life. Based on previous reincarnation reversals, he'd probably be stuck kowtowing to a former policeman. He'd tolerate anyone except that walking lie-detector in a tawdry trench coat who used to hang around All Might.
"Sorry, I don't have a single photo of him." Izuku sighed. "My father has a huge aversion to cameras."
Inko laughed. "No one was better at detecting security cameras then him! I used to joke that in his past life he must have been hounded by cameras to develop such a grudge against them."
Hisashi raised an eyebrow at his little brother.
With grave dignity, Yoichi hissed, "Many tea ceremony masters don't allow themselves to be photographed because they believe it destroys the flavor of the tea. It's an ancient practice going back ten thousand years."
OMAKE TIME!
Omake: Meanwhile Off-Stage
Author: This is a role reversal story, so let's make Yoichi the older brother—
Hisashi: You know how I've threatened to kill you in the past?
Author: It's a running gag in the omakes at this point.
Hisashi: I was mostly only playing around. I'm a villain, and I don't object to serving that role in your stories. You've let me win often enough for me to tolerate you. But if you write such an abomination, then you won't live long enough to post your fic. Do we have an understanding?
Author: On second thought, let's only reverse the older brothers who don't scare me. I suddenly feel inspired to write a running gag about Yoichi being the only one who stayed a younger sibling.
#Dabi: Am I not scary? #Author: Nope
#
Omake: Ochaco's Karma
Tenya: Why are the wait staff extremely attentive whenever we go out to eat with Ochaco?
Izuku: Because she always tips ten times the cost of the meal.
Ochaco: I was born with a strong impulse to spread around the wealth as far as possible.
Author's Note: Credit goes to MaryCipher for suggesting Izuku's apron and Errand for inspiring me to add Inko to this story. You'll meet Izuku's father next chapter…
