Dabi, Spinner, and Elija each in turn stepped through the portal and into a small living room. Izuku, wearing his coat but not his head gear, looked from where he sat on the couch with a smile. He sat down his work on a new mask.
"Ah, Dabi, Spinner. It's good to see you." Izuku sat up straighter, being careful with his aching legs. "I am deeply sorry for having to send Elija in my place, but I'm afraid after the other night I am in no fit shape to walk halfway across town."
Dabi shrugged, walking over to the adjacent couch and picked up a tea cup. "No big deal really. So that was you who helped rescue Bakugo. I'd wondered." He fell backwards unto the couch and sipped his tea while Spinner followed suit.
"It's an honor to meet you!" The lizard greeted, shining with excitement.
Izuku spread out his hand, smiling with grace. "The same to you. I'm sorry if my injuries don't allow for quite as grand an introduction as Dabi had."
"Nah!" Spinner swatted the air once, nearly missing his own nose. "I'm just honored you considered me when recruiting us!"
Izuku nodded, turning as Elija coughed respectfully to gain his attention. "Do you need anything else? Want me to grab that sweet bread Lily made?" He offered, unsure of how to act in this situation.
"Ah, yes. I'd forgotten she'd made that. Please do, and if you could tell little Mathew to not mind us for a while, that's be ideal as well."
Elija agreed, leaving the room and returning the three to their conversation.
"Who's he?" Spinner asked, jerking a thumb to the closed door.
Izuku shrugged, waving his hand in a nonchalant manner. "Someone who feels indebted to me, and has pledged his services as long as I am in this line of business."
He was interrupted from further questions about Elija as Dabi lifted a long finger to point to Izuku. "You're that quirkless kid who went missing a few months ago, aren't you?"
"Indeed I am." He replied sadly.
Dabi frowned, raising an eyebrow and sipping his tea. "Didn't think Stain was the kidnapping sort."
"Ah," Izuku continued, still with a hint of sadness in his tone "that would be because he isn't. I began following and learning under him of my own volition, and left of the same." He turned and thanked a retreating Elija, reaching for the warm loaf of sweet bread. "Take what you want of this, Mrs Lily is a wonderful baker. And enough of me, I want to learn more about you two."
Dabi kept his eyebrow raised as Spinner reached to stuff his face with the sweet thing.
"What do you want to know first?"
- UA dorms -
Katsuki laid on his back, staring distantly up at his ceiling. The class had been given the day off to get adjusted to their new dorm life and to recuperate after the kidnapping incident. Katsuki had finished moving in a while back, choosing to skip out on the dorm judging by claiming fatigue.
He really only needed time to think.
Think about how *he* had shown up to rescue Bakugo like it was something he did on the daily. But, the way *he* had looked back as Katsuki had propelled himself to his rescuers, it was all too much like how Izuku would watch him set off explosions. For a moment, it was the same level of awe.
He may have acted that he loathed the nerd's every action back in middle school, but he knew how much Izuku had admired his power, and he had relished it. It flared his ego when Izuku would look at him with big eyes and call him 'Kacchan' with such reverence. Unknown to Izuku, or any one else, he had jealously guarded that admiration, and dealt seriously with anyone who dragged Izuku's attention off of him. He would cut Izuku down to make sure that he knew that he was no where close to Katsuki's level, and that he was top dog, deserving of every once of respect and more.
But now, he hated how he had pushed Izuku.
And now, all he wanted was to find the nerd.
Yet all he could do was imagine that cold blooded killer with Izuku's smiling, innocent face. The way he'd looked at Bakugo, how he had imagined him as Izuku right off, the hint of his green eyes and dark hair, that strange fear of Katsuki, and his cold aloof demeanor after the villain had slapped him.
Just like in the alleyway months ago, before Auntie Inko had been killed in that crash.
He growled, pulling his pillow over his face and shouting into it from rage and frustration.
He couldn't allow it. There was simply no way for Izuku to be that murderer.
Sure, they may be similar, but there are lots of similar people in the world, such as Kirishima and that Tetsu idiot. Izuku (regardless of his change in character,) was still Izuku. He loved heroes, All Might almost as much as his Kacchan. He may have removed all that dumb merchandise, but there was no way to remove such an unhealthy obsession as his. Quirks, heroes, and Kacchan were all he would talk about in middle school, and he was far too much of a weak minded fool to ever look someone in the eye and kill them. Izuku just couldn't have that mentality.
It simply didn't make sense for that killer to be Katsuki's missing friend.
Just... no way.
- Across Japan -
Unfortunately, as Katsuki would soon learn, Izuku had grown into that mentality, and he had grown into it well. The two guests had just left, rubbing sore body limbs to return to the League. Izuku had taken them into the training room to evaluate their skills, so he could determine how thoroughly he would need to train them before his fight with All Star. In short, they needed quite a bit of guidance in both moralities and combat. It didn't even matter much that he had limited usage of his legs when they had fought. His Master had taken him past the breaking point and back again multiple times, so keeping the two at bay and continually knocking them down didn't pose much of a challenge for Izuku. They did land some fair hits of their own, but Izuku, in his own territory and mindset, still outshone them with smug grace.
He was currently grinning with pleasure at what Dabi... no... Touya, had just told him about Endeavor.
"Endeavor's first son, a criminal." He held a hand to his face as he smiled with criminal pleasure. "Oh, the irony."
He reached for a piece of paper, writing a few simple words. He folded the letter inside an envelope which already contained several small folded pictures. He sealed the letter in a classic old fashioned way, with melted wax and a seal depicting a bloodied katana.
He'd deliver the letter tommorow. Right now, he needed to plan on how best to train his two successors in such a limited time.
A/N
Don't really have much to say here. The next chapter will probably be pretty short, like a oneshot in length and I should come out with it soon enough due to that. It's going to mainly focus on the Todoroki family as Endeavor and fam react to Izu's letter as, of course, that is who the letter is for. Next chapter will skip forward about a week or so, then the next will be the endeavor confrontation. Also, considering everything, this book my be a bit shorter than bk1. I'm not sure, I could be wrong as I don't exactly have very chapter cut out from the plot line. I occasionally combine/separate chapters as I write them, and I may always add new things, so really, idk what the chapter count will come too, but hopefully it won't be too short for you guys' sakes.
Disclaimer, if any of you are confused by the mention of the alleyway incident before Inko died, go reread chapter 4 of book one.
Also, dear little Kacchan being jealous of Izu's attention 3. Hope y'all enjoyed that little bit of insight into his inner thoughts and character.
And, I know I haven't really clarified this, but All Might won the fight again AFO without reverting to his original form. Main reason, Baku is a little better suited power wise for OFA in my canon than Deku is in actual canon, so All Might didn't use as much of OFA in the usj attack as Baku was there to power though everything. So, when All Might went up against AFO, he was able to win without revealing his true form or losing OFA. This way we can have our mini stain vs All Might throwdown.
Also, Sombratheweeb. You're too nice. Just. *fails at the English language* thank you!
That's all I've got my lovies! So long!