Izuku sat hunched over his desk, one hand gripping his hair and scratching his scalp while the other wrote furious notes and ideas. He mumbled incoherently. "Yes but it needs to be strong enough... so as many as possible... augh but too many would be obovious, he'd see the trap... but fewer might not be enough!... surely at least one is going to get broken, it's simply a given... but how many on total?... is there even a way to calculate that?... I wonder..."

So engrossed in his work was he, that he didn't notice the gentle hand pulling his mechanical pencil out of his grasp. He continued trying to write, but it wasn't until he noticed he wasn't leaving a mark and went to extend the lead, that he realized he wasn't holding his pencil at all. He looked up to see Touya twirling the pencil in his long fingers.

"You're going to work yourself to your grave Izu." The older man chastised, sliding the mechanical pencil in it's slot on the desk. "You'll stand no chance against All Might if you're half dead."

"But-" Izuku whined in responce, "I need to get this figured and done! It's the peak point Touya! If I don't get this right, it's over!"

Touya leaned over Izuku's shoulder to read the scribbled notes. He'd gotten better at reading his friend's shorthand, his own handwriting not being much better.

"What would be the minimum you would need?"

Izuku but his lip. "Five minimum, but for All Might, maybe six. But there's also that some will get destroyed, no question, so I'd need extras."

"Then make ten. That's twice you need at bare minimum, plus four extras minus the sixth one for All Star. Plus, since it's two parts, you're basically doubling it to twenty. They all will work even if, say, they get knocked over or something, yeah?"

"Almost certainly." Tilting his head, Izuku replied instantly, playing an imaginary battlefield in his mind. If he kept All Star's focus on him, and not his immediate surroundings, then it would be very possible that he wouldn't notice the contraptions until it was too late. Then, via remote control, Izuku would unleash his beast. Should All Might still stand, no doubt a final blow from his glove at its max power would finish the job. He smiled.

Touya stood, smiling proudly. "There. Problem solved." He grabbed Izuku underneath the arms and bodily hoisted his smaller friend out of his desk chair. "C'mon, let's get some tea; your strong stuff this time." Izuku relaxed as he was guided out of the lab room, allowing Touya to keep his long arm slung around his thin shoulders. It was a relief to know someone else that cared so greatly about his health, and that that someone was on his side. "I know how determined you are about this, but I'm serious. You have to take time to take a break and not push yourself so much."

Izuku gave a half smile, nodding along. "Yeah, I know. Master said much the same thing."

- Meanwhile -

Chizome Akaguro sat still, looking in a bored manner at the official across from him.

"For the last time, I don't know what the kid is doing." He rolled his eyes as the official opened his mouth to object. "Well, I mean, clearly yeah I do, it's sort've hard to ignore a flat screen that shows nothing but the news which is talking about him 24/7. What I mean is I didn't order him to do any of this. Honestly, it's almost against what I have told him to do."

"And what have you told him to do?"

Chizome rolled his head in a circle, trying to decide if he should spill or not. The desicion was an easy one. "Mmmmno."

The official's hands tightened into fists. "I'm sorry?" He had to force the words out.

"I said, no. What me and my kid promised each other is none of your business."

"Your kid?" Chizome groaned loudly. Here they went again. "Interesting choice of words to talk about your 'kid'."

"For the last time you insufferable morons." Akaguro cast a pointed glare at the two way mirror on the wall where he knew others were watching him. "I have no relation to my apprentice. None that I know of at any rate. Of course though, none of you will believe me unless you can somehow get your hands on him and run dna tests on him or some crap."

"So," the door opened as the confident voice spoke clearly, "it is merely sentiment?" Chizome's eyes widened as All Might ushered the official out and sat in his place.

"All Might huh?" He discretely swallowed. "Think just cuz my Apprentice and I talk praise about you that I'll open up and share all my secrets?"

"No, I don't expect. You are very stubborn." All Might retaliated peaceably. "I am here to simply try to learn anything I can about your boy. I do intend to bring him in under the hopes of rehabilitation."

Akaguro sighed frustratedly. "Weren't you listening a minute ago? I'm not-"

"Related to the child, yes I was." Toshinori raised his hands placatingly. "I heard you, and I believe you on that point. I too am the type to grow attatched to students and those under me."

Chizome's face melted from aggravation to polite surprise. "So you know what it's like to want to protect those kids as if they were actually your own?"

He nodded slowly, grimly. "I do. And I assume that need to protect has some part to do with his return promise?"

Stain stiffened. "How do-?"

"Young Iida and Todoroki both told me of what you and your kid have said about some promise to keep hero students safe. You said you simply promised to keep them alive to Iida, and Shoto and your kid met by chance in the mall where he said that (as they are similar in that they both are the new generations of their respective beliefs,) you and he exchanged promises; one to keep hero students alive, and another he wouldn't speak about." Looking coolly at his captive, Toshinori displayed no fear, only concern for the boy in question. "I assume it is some measure to protect him. Does he not have any other family?"

Akaguro was silent for a moment, pushing his tongue around in his cheek while he thought on how to answer. He finally spoke. "She died not long ago, and he never came home again."

All Might's shoulders slumped as he understood what was implied in the vague statement. "His parents?" Akaguro gave the barest hint of a nod, affirming the answer that Izuku was effectively an orphan. "All the more reason then to push for rehabilitation."

"If you can get your hands on him, in the right circumstance," Chizome looked Toshinori in the eyes, one eyebrow delicately raised "I imagine he won't protest too greatly."

All Might, who had been in the middle of standing, halted. He set his confused gaze back on Akaguro. "Right circumstance?"

Stain gave a defeated sigh. "Knowing him as I do, he's probably got this big dramatic plan that he's going to use to determine his actions from here on out. If it's successful or he wins, he'll probably stay right where he is, keeping the cause in motion. If he fails or the result is less than desirable, he'll probably come quietly." He looked back to a surprised Toshinori. "If you force him before he is ready, and take him in, you'll just have a lifeless doll on your hands, and rehabilitation would be a joke."

"He'll wager so much on one event that it'd have such an effect on him?"

"Trust me. I've done my best for him (and that isn't a great job in total,) but that Kid is not mentally healthy in any way." Stain gave a morbid half smile. "If i hadn't come around when I did, he'd be dead twice over: once because I literally did save his life since none of you fakes could be bothered; and two because I don't find it hard to image he would have taken to the rooftops without knowing how to properly land. Now he's developed an obsessive feeling of duty, debt, and affection for me. Take him in before he's ready, and you'll crush his spirit. Again." He looked away, signaling the end of the conversation. All Might, more distraught than before, slowly walked out.

He'd hurt the child before?

He felt, as much as his students did, that this boy had encountered him before he had been taken to the darkness. That boy had left a mark, as he had on everyone else, but All Might couldn't place the feeling of recognition to a single face or person.

- Back at the apartment -

Izuku gazed down at the assembled devices. He had all he needed, and extras he'd thought of. He rolled the remote control in his hands, an empty feeling filling his chest.

He was really doing this. He was going to fight All Might, his former idol, and he was trying to win.

He'd tested his plan several times before. Equipped on the wrecked beach with a special noise canceling headset, he had let the chaos loose and was quite pleased with his result. With as many as he was planning to use on All Might, it should be enough.

Amazing how something usually so helpful could turn into something so destructive. He smiled in memory of the chaos, birds flying away and falling from shock at his creation that he could barely hear due to his headset. As he remembered who he was planning to unleash this chaos on however, his smile faded.

Izuku was almost unsure if he could go through with this dramatic and ambitious plan. "Maybe I should just turn myself in...? Surely they'd let me see Master before they throw me in a padded cell for my life."

Izuku could feel a ghost of a hand thwacking him on the back of his head, imagining his Master's irate voice. 'Giving up you little pansy? You haven't even tried yet! You've come this far, don't you dare quit on me now.' Memories of his young days under Akaguro flashed behind his closed eyes. Falling to the floor as his weak body rebelled under the strain of his rigorous training. Being constantly tested and pushed until he was sick or passed out.

He was being tested and pushed now, just in a different way. He'd still make his Master and Father proud, and prove everyone else wrong, even if he failed.

He drew in a confident breath, pushing backwards and standing to his sore feet. He quickly placed the remote control down on the work table and strode out of the room. He laid down on his bed, cutting slices of cheese off of a block and chewing slowly while he waited for his sleeping pills to kick in.

He'd go through with his plan, victory or failure.

A/N

So. Next up is the throwdown, and honestly, I know what I want to do, but I don't know how to divvy up the chapters. That may take me a while to figure out, but I'll still be doing my best to get chapters out w/out huge gaps inbetween.

Viate, no. But they do meet again before the end of this book. Also, I'm sorry I forgot to acknowledge your previous comment. Their current party consists of Izu, Dabi, Spinner, Woods, and Stain. He will occasionally in the future temporarily recruit members of the League, but I don't think it's ever going to be really discussed in book, and they all do eventually know.

Hardcasekara, the above also covers part of your comment. As for hero hunting, after All Might the book is almost essentially over. But don't worry, it's not the end (I have promised a bk3 after all) and heroes such as mt lady or skyline and the like do get their well deserved justice. Midnight, despite her concern for children, is still too unredeamable in my, and therefore Izu's, eyes, and does also feel the weight of her actions. Plus, part of her recompense was simply that she was at the wrong spot at the wrong time.

Darcry, no, sadly, but that would be nice. I'm planning on making a oneshot comp just for this au and I'll try to make a chapter or two for that.

So, I believe that's all dears. So long lovies!