Peerless thief:
The Peerless Thief entered the den of the Devil himself.
Or so they said.
All for One, the Symbol of Evil, the Dark Emperor, the Evil God. For years, he'd ruled the criminal underworld with an iron fist, crushing any who stood in his way.
The Peerless Thief was not one of them. He was no yakuza boss, no gang leader, or crime lord. Not even a politician or a petty bully. He was a thief, plain and simple. He broke into impossible places and stole valuable objects. He'd sneak into some impenetrable fortress undetected, take what he wanted, possibly vandalize the place with clown themed taunts (matching his clown aesthetic), then leave, laughing all the while. Sure he encountered heroes and other villains from time to time and had to fight them, but overall? He avoided that sort of stuff.
He lived for the fun of the heist, the thrill of the hunt, and the challenge of escape and elusion. He also had some fun roleplaying as the clown he dressed as. And he was good at it. Nobody had caught him yet, thanks in no small part to his incredible skill and insistence on working alone. He knew that for the sorts of heists he pulled he could only trust himself. A partner might be tempted to stab him in the back or rat him out and he couldn't risk that. Now he'd gotten near to the top of the most wanted list, easily the highest-ranking thief on there by a long shot. Which was sort of the problem.
He'd been too good.
Lately the authorities had been hot on his tail and it was getting harder and harder to hide. It was even becoming dangerous to go disguised out in public to plan his heists. And if the authorities did catch wind of him they'd respond in a way that could be charitably described as overkill. The noose was tightening. He'd become too infamous and now the entire country was out for his blood. He needed to disappear.
Hence All for One.
All for One was one of the most powerful men in the entire nation. He could make your identity completely disappear (and could even do it without killing you!). He could take and give quirks, replacing your most distinctive identifying trait. Finally, All for One was one of the evilest, most power-hungry men alive, he wouldn't make a deal with the police. He was the only man the Peerless Thief could trust to assist him. And the Thief had more than enough money to pay for it.
A shark-headed guard dressed in an expensive business suit opened the door to All for One's office. The Thief walked in. Predatory eyes observed him. Evaluating him. "Well, well, well," All for One said. "This is a surprise. The greatest thief in all of Japan, gracing me with his presence. I'm honored." All for One showed the Thief a grin that was far too wide, showing off his teeth. He felt more threatened than welcomed.
"The honor is all mine, All for One," said the Thief. "I have heard many stories about you, and your uh, exploits. You've certainly made a name for yourself among the nation's criminals." A name that was swift becoming taboo because the entire freaking underworld was absolutely terrified of him. All for One was technically a mob boss, but people talked about him more like he was the boogeyman. And that was the ones that worked for him!
All for One chuckled, "I am glad to hear it, Thief. But I'm not the only legend here, am I? After all, you've managed to break into some of the most impenetrable places in the country, even the world to steal untold amounts of money and priceless goods. You've made a fortune on the black market with some of them, others you simply return with a taunting message to its owners. You work alone and yet do better than entire teams of thieves. So, Thief, what brings you here?"
His eyes seemed to bore into the Thief's soul, searching for any weakness. Trying to ease the tension, the Thief blurted out, "To steal the Arkenstone of course!"
All for One laughed. It was…disturbing. It wasn't humorless, it wasn't unhinged or maniacal, it was just…wrong. In fact, that summed up All for One in general. Everything about him resembled a handsome 20 something man with curly white hair in a business suit with no tie, but just looking at him made the Thief's skin crawl. Like there was an inhuman aura surrounding him. All for One looked back to the Thief, amusement shining in his eyes. "The Hobbit, an excellent reference. I always did fancy myself a dragon. I'm flattered."
"Thank you," said the Thief. Deciding he should probably tell All for One what he was really here for before the man became impatient he said, "I'm actually here to ask a favor of you. One only you can grant."
"Oh?"
"The authorities are starting to close in on me. I'd like to trade my quirk for another, and to have a new identity, completely severed from my old one."
All for One tilted his head. "Interesting," he said rubbing his chin. "A reasonable request for someone of your infamy. After all, it's not like a man as notorious as yourself could go to just anyone specializing in fake identities. Of course, by going to the top you know that it will be very costly."
"I am aware of that. But you're also aware I am not a man of little means."
All for One grinned, baring his teeth. "No, I suppose not. I accept your request. Let us discuss the details…"
The Thief nodded. "Sounds delightful."
The negotiations went well. Soon the Peerless Thief walked away with a new face, a new quirk, a new name, and a new life. He laid low for a while, living comfortably off of his ill-gotten gains. He did not spend excessively or take up the bad habits that bankrupted many a man with a large bank account and small income. He did some minor work as a security consultant (many a business was impressed by his skill at predicting weaknesses in their system. The Thief would laugh to himself about this. Compared to the places he'd robbed these were child's play). His time was often filled with tedium and boredom. He would spend his spare time experimenting with his new quirk.
Soon experimenting turned to practicing. Soon practicing turned to training. Before long the Masked Marauder made his first small time robbery. The Peerless Thief made sure to fully commit himself to his new persona, with different mannerisms, taunts, and even methodology. He even delivered his dramatic internal monologues in character! This small robbery was soon followed by a bigger robbery. And another. And another. Soon he was working his way back up the path to notoriety, and back up the police wanted lists. At first, they realized it was the Peerless Thief returned from a long period of rest. But soon they noticed the inconsistencies in his methods and quirk and deemed him a particularly skilled imitator. (And he'd actually been worried for a second.)
Soon he was once again on the most wanted list, just below his original identity. Which was a shame. He considered some of the robberies he'd committed as the Masked Marauder his best yet. He guessed that being legendary gave one a bit of a boost in reputation.
It didn't matter, soon he was the most hunted thief in Japan. Again. Luckily, he'd come up with far better ways of hiding since his first crime spree and eluded the police much better this time around. He didn't want to have to go to All for One again. Men like him had limited patience and he would probably not take kindly to his hard work being wasted. But soon, the noose tightened and he found himself again at that door, waiting to see him.
He walked in.
"In here again? My, my Thief. I wonder, why did you commit those robberies? You were already set for life."
"Forgive me All for One," the Thief said, "I-"
All for One held up a hand. "I am not accusing you. I am simply curious. Why?"
The Thief swallowed. His reason would likely seem petty, but before those cold eyes, he dare not lie. He squared his shoulders and declared "For fun. I love the challenge of planning a successful heist on an impossible target, the thrill of committing that heist, the danger of escaping the authorities, and even the drama of making a show out of it. I don't just do it for money. I would have stopped a long time ago if I was. It was always more for thrills.
All for One nodded, an amused smile on his lips. The Thief shuddered, but he knew that was the answer All for One had wanted. "Good. I was hoping that was the case. Very well, your request is granted. Though, it will cost a little extra this time."
The Thief breathed a sigh of relief.
Soon he again had a new face, new quirk, new life. Again, he began training with his quirk. Within a few years, he again resumed his criminal ways with a different persona. By now there were many imitators of the Peerless Thief. At first, they assumed the Thief himself was just another of these new copycats. By the time he'd stolen at least one set of crown jewels, they changed their mind. He was an exceptional copycat!
The Thief laughed as he humiliated another set of heroes. That is what they get for trying to interrupt the finest show in all of Japan, he thought in-character. He quickly leaped away, running across rooftops before disappearing into the night.
As he ran he heard a whoop of triumph from one hero who thought he'd discovered the Thief. The Thief barely kept himself from laughing when he heard the sound of his little trap being sprung and the hero's fury at the little "surprise" he'd left in that decoy. It'd take weeks to get the smell out…
Soon he was again on the most wanted list, but he knew he couldn't go to All for One a third time. So he stayed out, running, hiding, stealing, but the police were ever on his tail, giving him several close calls. Once they were literally reading him his rights when he escaped (and it was a very daring escape at that).
His infamy wasn't the only problem. He was getting older, slower. He'd been doing this for many years and it was starting to show. He knew that he'd have to become more cautious to survive. It meant toning down his showmanship but he had no choice. He was reaching the end of his rope.
Before his luck could finally run out, on New Years Eve, he received a letter. The letter was hand delivered by a sharply dressed man who'd shown up at his door, a courier for someone wealthy. "My employer asked me to give you this," he said, handing the Thief the letter.
It had the name of a upscale restaurant on one side, a handwritten note on the other.
If it is not too inconvenient, please meet me at 7:00 PM for Dinner.
Sincerely, Your Personal Benefactor.
PS: Third time's the charm!
The Thief knew who it was from. He also knew that the invitation was not optional. That night he dressed in his best suit and went to the specified restaurant.
He walked in, projecting an air of false confidence. He tried to keep his eyes from darting about as he was led by the waiter to the table where a familiar suited man was waiting.
"Ahhh, Thief!" said All for One after the waiter had left. "How nice to see you again! Congratulations," he said, raising a glass of champagne with one hand and a newspaper with the other, "You've made the papers again. You've climbed to the top ten of the current most wanted list! Congratulations!"
The Thief's eyes went wide, he quickly looked from side to side, waiting to see if anyone had heard the man loudly declaring that he was a wanted fugitive.
"Oh? What's the matter?" said All for One. "Is the personal nature of this conversation…uncomfortable for you? Would you prefer we discuss it somewhere a little more…private?"
The thief hastily nodded.
"Very well," All for One said. He clapped his hands and said to the nearest table, "Leave us."
The people at the table nodded. Then they and the entire restaurant rose from their seats and calmly exited the dining room.
The Thief stared.
"There you go. I assume this will be more to your liking? I brought the rest along because I thought it would be awkward for you to come to an empty restaurant."
The Thief slowly turned to the man who'd rented and filled an entire restaurant just to show off. "This is fine! So, you wanted to talk to me?"
"Not just to talk to you," said All for One. "To congratulate you! It's not every day someone gets on the most wanted list in three different identities. You should feel proud, it's quite the achievement!"
Despite himself, the Peerless Thief chuckled. "Well…it certainly wasn't easy."
"I assume not," said All for One. "Especially since you only possessed two of your quirks for a few short years before mastering them. True you had more free time to do it than most, but it is still quite the achievement. I hear though, that the authorities are becoming a problem again?"
"Yeah," said the Thief with a nervous chuckle. "But I'm sure I'll be fine."
"Yes, I'm sure you will. But you could always use some help."
"Help? You mean like a partner, or team?" asked the Thief. He couldn't be offering to erase the Thief's identity a third time. As for a team, the Thief preferred to work alone, but knew better than to reject an offer from a man like All for One out of hand.
"Not exactly. You received my help before, did you not?"
"Yes, I did All for One. And I am very grateful for your help."
"As you should be," said All for One his eyes narrowing with an "or else" strongly implied. Then his expression softened. "About your heists, they are in many ways a work of art, aren't they?"
The Thief cocked his head to the side, wondering where he was going with this. "Actually, yes," he said. "There's an artistry in how I plan them, along with skill, precision, not to mention beauty in a successful heist coming together. Even before using my persona, I have crafted my heists with at least the precision of a master painter!"
"Indeed," said All for One with a fond smile. "Those heists are often quite entertaining to read about in the papers in the morning…" Who still reads morning papers? "Even I'm not sure how you did some of them. Now…do you know how many of the great artists of old supported themselves?"
"Commissions I assume," said the Thief.
"Yes, but other times they also had a sponsor. A patron who would give them money to live on so they could work on their incredible art without worrying about providing for themselves. If you would be willing, I would like to be that patron to you."
The Thief stared, not sure if he'd heard that right. "You…what?"
"If you wish, I am willing to give you a new quirk, a new face, a new identity completely for free, that you can use to start over. Then if you wish, you can continue your incredible work unhampered by the authorities. When the heat becomes too much, all you need do is ask and I will do it for you again. And again, and again, as many times as you need."
"Wha- bu- …why?"
"Because," said All for One, "I am quite fond of your work."
"I see…" said the Thief. "And hypothetically what if I decide to retire?"
"Then you may retire. You've given me plenty of entertainment over the years, and this gift is as much a reward for that as it is an opportunity to continue. Just don't take advantage of my offer to get your new quirk every time things become slightly inconvenient. This is a reward for excellence, not a license for laziness," said All for One.
"Of course not sir!" said the Thief, indignant he'd even suggest such a thing.
"I thought not," said All for One, "You're not a man who simply takes the easy way out. You love a good challenge and incredible achievement. You yearn to be the best in your craft. It is what has gotten you to where you are now. Speaking of which."
All for One held out his hand. "I have another gift, a quirk that will cut your age in half. I have a better one that has stopped my aging altogether and if I find another like it I'll give it to you. Until then this extra quirk will make you in your prime again. I believe that will be very useful for you?"
The Thief stared. There…there had to be a catch right? This was too good to be true!
All for One grinned, this one wasn't the predatory one from before. This was like a kid in his favorite toy store. "There is no catch. Your work is simply too entertaining to let go. So, do we have a deal?"
The Thief took the hand and shook it. "Sounds delightful."
Immediately he felt something like an electric charge pass between them. Looking at his hand, he now saw that any wrinkles it had had were gone, it was the hand of a man in his twenties again. The Thief grinned.
All for One up his glass. "To a new year?"
The Peerless Thief held up his own. "Here's to a new year, and a new chapter in our lives!"
They toasted.
Since then the Peerless Thief would routinely take on new identities for his crime sprees. For decades, he dominated the list of the country's most wanted thieves. Not a year would pass when he wasn't the majority of the top ten most wanted thieves in Japan. Several times he was even multiple members of the most wanted list. All for One and him would always get drinks when he made that list.
Even when they arrested him, it was always so he could escape and humiliate the authorities even more!
All for One even convinced him eventually to work with or even lead teams. These were usually for only a few heists at most, but they'd been pleasant enough. Of course, he always made sure All for One had thoroughly screened them so there'd be no chance of betrayal.
Eventually though, in his newest identity, the authorities got better at covering his thefts up. They avoided publicizing them and avoided mentioning him. It didn't stop him of course, he wasn't doing it for attention, but it was annoying! He was the most prolific thief in the country, if not the world and even All Might couldn't catch! He was worth some recognition! Of course, this didn't make the heists themselves any less fun.
All of this led him to where he was now.
"Your latest heist was spectacular! And yet the authorities still pretend it never happened! How scandalous!"
"No need to preach a convert my friend. If stealing the actual moon isn't enough to earn their recognition I don't know what will!"
"You shouldn't have returned it," said All for One. "You should have kept it stashed away until at least one tide based catastrophe happened so they couldn't explain it away as a "coordinated prank with illusion quirks" or some other rubbish."
"We both know that could be much more damaging to us than it's worth," said the Peerless Thief, now Mr. Compress. "Besides, they won't be getting rid of the little calling cards I hid on the moon any time soon. Amateur astronomers are already starting to notice them."
All for One smiled. "Well done." They toasted. It was lucky All for One could still go out for drinks, even if he needed a respirator now.
"I suppose at this rate the only way the authorities will put me on the most wanted list in this identity is if I became a notorious terrorist," said Mr. Compress, chuckling.
"Indeed," said All for One with chuckle of his own. "By the way, I do have a job for you. A special heist if you will."
"Really?" said Mr. Compress. "What is this special something you want me to steal?"
"Not something," said All for One, "Someone."
"Oh?" said Mr. Compress.
"I'm putting together a team for my…student, Tomura. We wish to steal a UA student from their summer training camp. Are you in?"
Mr. Compress gasped. "Invade the hero's home turf?!" Steal one of their students?! Brave the danger of multiple Pro Heroes as well as their many students with powerful quirks and halfway decent skills?!" Then Mr. Compress, the Peerless Thief, smirked. "Sounds delightful."
"Good," said All for One. He held up his glass.
They toasted again.
