'My quirk made me different. It let me see the world in its glory. That is a lie. There was no glory, only bloodshed, cruelty and death. It was the first of its kind. Not the original quirk, but the first quirk tainted by the dark. How could I have known that my very existence would mark me as the most important man to ever live? Not for it made me a hero, that role was simply one I played out of ignorance. No, it was my quirk that granted the dark a foothold unto this planet. I do not know if the world will still stand once this is read, but if it does not, please forgive me the failings of my birth. If it does stand, forgive me the failings of my acts.'
—The Second Letter from a Renegade as translated by the World Walker.
Hisashi wakes up, startled by the train's violent transition. He looks around and sees sunlight. Odder still, the air seems too warm despite the frost forming on the windows.
"There's no darkness," Hisashi says. "None. I'm the one with the most darkness and I'm mostly godflame. Are we in a different reality?"
Unknown. Possibility that we are. Timescale is different in every reality.
He tries prying the train's door opens but finds them sealed shut. He sighs, banging his fist against it. Hisashi hates being trapped.
The screams of a new-born pierce the air.
The sound is coming from further back in the train. Hisashi walks down it cautiously, searching for the screams of a child.
A flicker in the corner of his vision makes him turn abruptly. The frosted window shows a hospital room. Hisashi watches as the nurses in the room continue their work, unbothered by the presence of a train.
The babe screams again.
Hisashi shudders. Not because of the sound, but because of how reality shifts. It is darkness, a tiny pinprick of his son's kingdom in this untainted world. It is barely perceptible and Hisashi only recognises the tiny sliver of darkness curled beneath the baby's godflame soul because of his experience in the abyss.
"I don't understand," Hisashi says. "That child's the first time this world has seen true dark but I'm here. This train is here. We've opened a way to the abyss but at the same time, it's like it doesn't matter. Like we're just lightly skimming the surface and not actually affecting the world below."
The train lurches forward, flinging Hisashi to the ground. He groans, rubbing his chest gingerly. It takes him a few minutes to get up because old age is not fun. His body is a patchwork monstrosity of scars and failing organs and abyssal deals keeping him functioning. He'll be lucky to see seventy if he keeps going at this rate.
As the train journeys, he sees moments of the boy's life like reels of memory perfectly preserved. Hisashi watches the boy get beaten when he looks hardly older than five and the suffering he endured working in a mine. Each moment of pain hardens the boy's resolve, forces him to learn cunning and trickery.
With puberty comes the boy's quirk. One day, the building anger is unleashed and Hisashi's train slams through a mountain, tearing through tonnes of rock as though they were wet paper. Even as the tunnels collapse, the boy only smiles, awaiting death.
The train stops just before it hits the boy. Hisashi watches in shock as the boy boards the train with complete indifference, driven by some unknown instinct.
"This is a paradox," Hisashi says.
The boy doesn't hear him, walking forward in shock. Hisashi reaches out to touch the boy.
His hand dissolves to mist and passes right through the kid. Though the boy shivers, he doesn't notice Hisashi.
Following the kid is the only option he has. The child finds the conductor's cabin easily enough. The boy is confused, unsure of what buttons to press.
Then Hisashi feels his body stiffen, losing all autonomy. His legs take a step forward even as he fights his hardest to stay where he is.
Foreign intrusion detected, the World Walker says, and tries to take control. It's forced down to the very depths of Hisashi's soul.
With no choice in the matter, Hisashi lays his hands over the boys and guides them. It must be strange for the kid, feeling as though invisible hands are guiding him. Soon enough, the train sets off.
Control of his limbs returns and Hisashi takes a cautious step back. He stares at his hands even as the World Walker awakens once more.
They pass through a warp gate and the train splits. Two trains occupy the space of one before they split off, Hisashi carried by one and the young Master Railroad in the other.
"Why am I seeing this?"
Unknown, Operator. We cannot escape this train regardless.
"You tested this?"
Whilst you slept. Our presence on this train is an immutable fact. This is the train he will summon. Should we leave, a future set in stone will be altered.
He follows the boy as he is drafted by the UN and meets Hawkmoon. The legend is young, unsure of her place in things to come, but willing to fight. More than anything, she seems to relish the idea.
"Fighting is never worth it," he says, placing his hand through her heart.
She clutches at her chest, not knowing why she feels uncomfortable. Perhaps she was always destined to peace, but Hisashi likes to tell himself that he nudged her towards a brighter future.
Every battle they wage is catastrophic though none of Master Railroad's allies ever seen surprised. Death, chaos and destruction were constants of the Dark Age. Hisashi watches a man of fifty accept Stormwind's surrender. It is a victory even if she summons violent wind and sends the train flying dozens of miles away in annoyance.
As he grows older, the years weigh down on him. A friend stops his suicide attempt but his grief never truly leaves. Even as he fights in Berlin against the Empire, all he wishes is to sleep and rest.
The end comes eventually. Master Railroad, greying now, climbs a mountain alone. Mount Kilimanjaro is the last challenge he will ever surmount. This day is remembered in legend as one of the Seven Great Mysteries, the day Master Railroad disappeared.
"You don't want to go down that road," Hisashi says but knows he won't be heard. "I've tried. Walking the abyss is walking sorrow's road. Don't make the same mistake as me."
The man doesn't listen. Instead, he buckles down and starts the train, determined and grim.
"This won't change anything. You might be the only warp quirk, but there will be more later. Just stay here and be happy. Trust me, this isn't worth it."
Instead, they travel through another warp gate. One with no destination but the void. The darkness is familiar but Hisashi isn't focused on it. He extends his senses back through the warp gate as much as he can, feeling as droplets of darkness find purchase in the world. Just like each time Master Railroad used his quirk, but this time there is so much more.
"You changed the world and you didn't even know."
With a ponderous groan, the train slows down. Master Railroad's past ghost has been awake for days, staring at the madness of the abyss with indifference, unaffected by the sight of gods and demons and unholy abominations.
The train stops in the same spot Hisashi first found it. Or rather, it stops in the location Hisashi will one day find it.
Master Railroad takes his coat and exits the train. He doesn't care that nightmares are swooping around him. He doesn't flinch when a giant serpent lands in front of him. The man is implacable, an island in a churning sea of uncertainty.
Hisashi follows a ghost of the past, unsure of what he will find, but unable to resist the allure of secrets. Inko was right. He'll follow this path even if it destroys him.
All for the sake of the first secret.
-TDB-
In the shadow of the sun, Eijirou Kirishima sees the future unfolding, blossoming as lotus petals. Once, nearly a year ago, he saw the secrets of time stripped naked, pliant and vulnerable. Time is vulnerable and must be held gently.
It certainly shouldn't be burnt to ashes on the whims of one asshole. Shouto Todoroki is cruel, indifferent, and completely inhumane. The course of destiny should not be held in his hands.
Eijirou can see the endless stream of possible futures now as well. Not anywhere close to the extent of Todoroki, but he can see branching paths. Sometimes, he can see further and see the result of a decision. It's kept him alive since the war.
He can't say the same of many others.
The shrine is old, dating back to the resurgence of religions after quirks manifested, and has been the site of funerals for their family for generations. The last time he had set foot in the shrine was his grandmother's funeral when he was a toddler, an event he hardly remembers. There had been little reason to visit since. Eijirou is someone who cares about the present, not the past.
He traces his fingers along the last stone pedestal. Coarse and rough stone scratches the pads of his fingers, reminding that he is alive.
The names of his mother and sister and grandfather remind him that they can never be reached no matter how much it hurts. All those months ago when the war reached their grandfather's home, Eijirou had gone out to fight.
He fought in the rain and mud, slipping and sliding between bullets and bodies. It had been one close call after another. He hadn't even hesitated after taking a life. Knowing how gods view humanity had made it easy.
Fire and smoke greeted him on his return, blood dripping down his arms. There hadn't been a point in braving the smoke. His family had ready been burnt to a crisp by then.
He wonders if they cursed him in their final moments. It had been his suggestion to hide in the cellar what he fought. He'd locked it tight and secure, knowing no one could enter.
He hadn't thought they might need to leave.
Now, he kneels in his and shrine and remembers them.
"I'll fight so no one ever suffers again. Can you forgive me if I don't give up? If I fight till the very end, will you be proud of me? I don't know if I can win. I just need to know you'll forgive me."
Silence answers him. It is the only answer he will ever receive for his failings.
"I get it. I'm asking too much." He bows his head. "But I refuse to stand by and let them do what they please. I want to make my own destiny."
The words sound hollow and empty. He can't help but remember the infinite futures collapsing. He can't forget the majesty of it all and how unimportant he was in even the smallest decision.
"We're not their playthings."
Inhale. Exhale. Forget the universe's indifference towards mankind. Keep moving.
If he doesn't then it will all come crashing down. His fears and insecurities, the grief wrapped tightly in his throat and the anger that's burrowed deep in his chest, all of it will spill if he doesn't stay in control.
There is nothing else to be done here. His vows have been made. He'll fight the good fight even if no one else does.
"This is where you've been hiding."
The voice is familiar and alien in equal measure. It used to belong to someone he knew well. Now, though, he doesn't know where they stand.
"I don't hide," Eijirou says.
Mina Ashido, his childhood friend, crosses her arms. Her black blazer hangs loosely over her frame. The strength of her limbs is gone, thinned by grief. Eijirou understands all too well the results of grief. He's gone the other direction. His height might not have increased, but he's packed on muscle. With his red hair and massive frame, he's earned more than a few dirty looks. The scraggly beard hasn't helped at all.
"Looks like hiding to me," she says, stepping closer. "Every Wednesday we meet up. You're the only one who doesn't come."
"Because none of you can see it. They're not our friends and they're not our allies." He smiles bitterly. "There's no such thing as a perfect society. What do you think will happen once Izuku realises that?"
"He'll ask us to be better."
"What tyrant has ever asked people to be better? He's All For One's heir and he had every opportunity to end the war before everyone died."
She shakes her head. "He's a kid. We're all kids."
"We're fucking adults who went through a war," he snarls, looming over her. "We've all lost people. We've all done shit we're not proud of. How many nightmares do you have because I've stopped counting mine?"
"Don't act like—"
"Let me tell you the difference between me and Izuku. I'm not fucking insane. I know right from wrong and he's wrong. You might not see it now, but he's a monster. And one day, he'll let his boyfriend off his leash and then we'll all be fucked." EIjirou shrugs broadly, gesturing to encompass the world. "Maybe the one who turned traitor and works for the Emperor—and let me remind you that twenty million deaths are on them—will decide killing us quietly is better."
She firms her stance, unintimidated by his posturing. "You're wrong."
"I'm not. I can show you." He extends his hand. "Come with me."
"Don't go. He's not a bad person."
He shakes his head, hating himself for being too cynical. She's seen bloodshed and death. Of all people, she should be following him.
Her expression falls before he says a thing.
"Stay safe," she settles on.
"When you see the truth, I'll come find you," he promises. "Don't you dare die for them."
He disappears, shaking off the people stalking him. He's learnt how to be strong in the mountains of his grandfather's home. The fighting hadn't ended after the earthquakes and the sky shattering. No, it had only become bloodier and crueller.
His classmates didn't really see the horrors of war first-hand. Yes, they'd witnessed death, but they'd never known the pain of watching your neighbours die in the mud. They don't know what it means to fight as your grandfather's village burns down. They don't know anything about being ambushed and fearing for the worst.
He had managed to save someone well connected. He picks up his new identity from a homeless man in a train station the next town over. By the time he's in Okinawa, he has a new name and looks different. The dock authorities look the other way when he gives a countersign and he sneaks his way onto a freight crater designed for castaways like him.
When it's time to disembark, it's been three weeks of port hops and freight changes. He feels grubby and sticky when he' picked up by an official and dragged down into a military installation.
A woman enters, features fierce. "We risked a lot bringing you here."
"You're willing to fight them? Those monsters?"
"Your imperial family aren't the only ones who've fought with the abyss. If those creatures are even half as dangerous as we think, then we need to find a way to permanently end them. Help China and we can help you."
He doesn't consider this treason. What loyalty can there be for a government that's already fallen? Japan belongs to Midoriya and Todoroki and Tokoyami. Even if it takes the rest of his life, Eijirou will see it free once more.
"I'll tell you everything about those monsters."
-TDB-
Momo Yaoyorozu spends her days learning the workings of her family's business empire. She spends hours going over their finances or meeting their business partners. More than that, she's taught policy by way of how it affects tariffs and the stock market.
She hates it. All her life she wanted to be a hero but that dream is dead with UA. She could certainly go to another school, but it seems so useless after all they've gone through as a people.
All For One, the Hidden Great Tyrant of Japan, and the Strongest Man Alive had left a scar on the collective psyche of Japan. He had shown just how weak heroes are by battling the top ten and winning. In a world like that, what point is there in being a hero?
In a world where Izuku Midoriya, her classmate who suffered every indignity to save her is sent to prison for refusing to let a child suffer, is there even a point in going to a hero academy? Doing so is the same as being complicit in the government's failings. Just as Izuku said, there is a line that must be drawn. Momo knows which side she will stand on.
The intake of new students to hero academies is at an all-time low, and some, like Seiai, are merging two, sometimes even three years together to have a stable class size, she isn't the only one with reservations. Especially with Japan's premier quirk school coming under fire, teachers currently detained, and a dozen horrifying secrets being revealed each week it seems like.
So, Momo is stuck learning how to run a business empire instead of playing at a hero. And she loathes her family's business the more she learns. At the very least, she can direct some of their money to Izuku's goals and force the secrets of Tartarus Prison to light.
"We're profiting off suffering," she says to her mother.
They're sitting in the solarium, the sun keeping them warm and the air-filters working silently to deal with the smog and carcinogens in the air. Despite their wealth, the Yaoyorozu empire can't control the weather itself. But they can control the environment in every building of their palatial estate, including the horse stables and extensive aquarium.
Her mother is impeccable as always, radiant in her beauty. The sunshine reflects off the silver net in her hair laden with opals, the only jewellery she wears. Her sharp features are unadorned with makeup and despite her best efforts, Momo knows she won't ever be as stunning as her mother.
"That's a simple moralistic conclusion you've reached, my dear. Your tutors would be disappointed with how you've wasted their time and effort."
The rebuke stings enough that Momo can't think up a response. It gives her mother time to lift her cup of tea. Even that simple action is filled with silent condescension and disappointment.
"It's a fact, Mother. We could be doing more to help and instead, we're lining our pockets with wealth. Wealth that we're stealing from the government."
Her mother scoffs. "Do more? My dear, the government is in dire straits. They're permitting companies and individuals to bid for an endless stream of reconstruction jobs. Remember that a government has exactly as much cash as it needs so it isn't theft. They pay us to set our massive conglomerate towards reconstruction. And in the process, our workers are required to receive a minimum wage equivalent to hazard pay. This ensures families have money to spend on food and supplies."
"That money could be spent elsewhere," she snaps. "Instead of going towards building a new estate."
"I knew sending you to that hero academy was a foolish idea, but your father has always indulged your whims."
"Maybe because he wants something better than this endless capitalism. He wants a daughter to do something meaningful."
"Tell that to every hospital patient saved by Yaoyorozu medical equipment. Tell that to everyone who has a home thanks to Yaoyorozu workers. Tell that to our dock workers who can feed their children even as they unload food and supplies that will be distributed across the country. Our family is only as wealthy as it is because our business practices align with national interests."
"It's a corrupt nation you're supporting."
"Better a corrupt nation than complete anarchy. Your friend is in prison because he committed a crime and resisted authority. You friend wants a revolution and I assure you that it won't be peaceful. I lived through the anti-quirk riots. My family and friends were not so lucky. Midoriya's empty platitudes mean nothing in the grim reality of this new era."
Her mother gestures wide enough to encompass the solarium and the estate itself, comprised of staterooms and ballrooms and five separate dining halls—though Momo has only found four—and much, much more. Momo knows her parents' wing has its own swimming pool and sauna and dining facilities. The grounds themselves are large enough to host any sport and a section of the forest has been modified for her father's rallying pastimes.
That's only the estate proper. It doesn't consider that they own the surrounding lands, many of their businesses are based there and a large swathe of their electronics manufacturing employs tens of thousands who live in the area. Kesennuma had been a city northeast of Sendai destroyed in the Dark Ages. Yaoyorozu wealth had rebuilt it. That had been two centuries ago. Now, they own Miyagi prefecture.
Their wealth is like a ravenous beast, eating and consuming everything in sight, growing larger and larger. They own all the manufacturing plants in the prefecture and fund the police. There isn't a single piece of land that isn't owned by their family one way or the other. They even own the local government. She's seen her father dictate local policy to the mayors of the prefecture.
Momo likes to pretend their defence company is nothing more than a rather large security firm with access to military-grade hardware—which, of course, they manufacture—but maintaining that lie takes too much effort when she's seen their deployments over the past twenty years: Malaysia and Georgia and Canada and every other conflict region. The money they make from ostensibly guarding mining operations—or plundering natural resources as she calls it—and working with government officials—so corrupt it's a wonder they haven't stolen every resource her family has given them—is outrageous. It leaves her feeling sick and horrified and angrier than ever.
A few months ago, she would have done something stupid to reveal it to the world. Now, after having been kidnapped by All For One, she knows how futile it is to do so. Getting the world to change requires the kind of willpower, charisma, and fame that she lacks. But she does have the wealth to support someone with those qualities. Someone who saved her through a plan of absolute brilliance. Someone who brought an end to Japan's Great Tyrant and Strongest Man Alive.
"You'll hide behind our wealth when the revolution comes knocking," her mother continues, unaware of how very wrong she is. "We'll make a suitable heiress out of you one day. Some days I wished you had another sibling."
Momo smiles blandly. "Unfortunately, I'm your only child."
"Unfortunately."
One of her family's servants knocks on the door. It's already open, so Momo can see Aimi at the door. Aimi is Momo's favourite amongst her parents' staff, not least because she's already swapped her allegiances to Momo.
"Yes?" her mother demands, frustrated at the interruption.
"Your daughter's presence is requested in the Blue Room."
Momo blinks, bewildered. Her father only uses that room for foreign dignitaries or people that important.
Her mother sighs. "Go, child. We'll continue this discussion later."
"No, we won't."
Her mother is unconcerned. "So long as you live under the aegis of my family name, you will not run wild."
Momo says nothing to that, unwilling to get dragged back into an argument after such a convenient retreat. The Blue Room is on the other side of the estate. She knows for a fact that it would be faster to simply walk outside, take a cart, and drive to the east entrance. Making her father wait on her is worth it.
"Did you see who it was?" she asks Aimi.
Her friend shakes her head. "But I saw the helicopter. Military insignia."
Momo frowns. Any dealings between the military and the Yaoyorozu family go through her father. She's never been invited to one of those meetings, unlike the social events her father parades her through.
She pushes down her worry when she reaches the door to the stateroom and enters.
Her father is engrossed in a hushed argument with a man in a formal military uniform, his blue suit covered in awards, pins and crosses. They don't notice her entrance.
Navy, Momo realises worriedly. They had suffered losses during the war, but they also held back China whilst outnumbered two-to-one. Naval recruitment had surged whilst the army's dwindled.
"Father, you called for me?" she asks loudly.
They pull away from each other. Her father doesn't offer her his usual smile whilst the navy man inclines his head.
"My name is Fleet Admiral Kadomatsu, Naval Chief of Staff. It is a pleasure to meet you, Ms Yaoyorozu."
He isn't trying to be charming which she appreciates. He has the bearing of a man trying to get his job done without being rude or insulting. Or condescending.
She nods and dismisses Aimi with a gesture. "Is there a reason I need to meet you?"
"No, there isn't," her father snarls, moving closer to Momo. "As far as you're concerned, the admiral was about to leave."
"Usually, I would have sent someone else to deal with this but the situation is unique and time-sensitive. And politically charged." He glances at her father for a split second.
"This has nothing to do with politics."
The admiral completely ignores her father. "Momo Yaoyorozu, you have been officially drafted to the Fifth Fleet's Special Operations Group."
She cocks her head, then sighs. "I take it I'm not allowed to refuse."
"You have no right to do this," her father snaps. "Fuck your laws."
The admiral tries his damnedest not to roll his eyes.
"We are still under martial law with all that entails. We have the power to draft her. Not only that, but we have the approval of the Diet. You run a massive conglomerate, sir, but you aren't more powerful than the government. You may have twelve thousand soldiers and advanced equipment, but I have three hypersonic jets ready to scorch your bases. My allies in government are ready to pull your contracts and have your assets frozen for treason against the state. You, alongside every high-ranking member of your Conglomerate, will be placed in prison indefinitely, waiting for a trial that will never happen. Your lawyer's offices will be raided for dealings with the League of Villains and the state will sell your Conglomerate piecemeal to the highest bidder."
"You bastard."
"Now that we know where we all stand, please do leave whilst I speak to your daughter."
She watches her father run through a gamut of emotions. Rage in large part, but also a significant amount of embarrassment. It's not very often that one of the wealthiest men in the world is told to leave.
"Father, think of the family."
Momo doesn't know what he will do, but she can't risk him doing something stupid. She needs her family's wealth in the future. If that means working with the navy, then fine. On the bright side, it means a contact that doesn't belong to her father. This Admiral might one day be an ally when she takes control of her family's empire.
"Why me?" she finally asks once her father is gone.
"Because a strategic asset mandated your presence to take part in an operation. Right now, Japan is still at war and we won't survive another attack. For all that he hurt Japan at the end, All For One was instrumental in ensuring our sovereignty. Now, we can't rely on his reputation."
"He was a villain."
"A villain you didn't know existed until he kidnapped you. A villain who fended off All Might, Endeavour, the military and the rest of the top-ten heroes. You may not have known him, but China feared him. Without him, we need to go on the offensive. We need to win the next war before it even begins. And to do that, we need the help of a strategic quirk asset."
"Who?"
"Your former classmate, Shouto Todoroki."
-TDB-
Katsuki Bakugou is angry but that has never changed. His anger is immutable and constant. You could set time to the tune of his anger and find you have five seconds to spare.
Today, he's angry with the social fabric of Japan. He's angry with the government and All For One for letting his country reach this point. Most of all, he's angry with Edgeshot for having the audacity to die. In the short time he knew the hero, he learnt more lessons than he could ever expect.
Now that his teacher and mentor is gone, he must find a way to make him proud. And that starts with protecting Edgeshot's home.
Katsuki spends days at a time in Shikoku, learning what keeps people divided. He protects civilians from the ragtag crooks and stops a large battle between Lighting Bolts and villains by the threat of explosion.
"You think this is fucking worth it?" he snarls, choking the leaders of both groups. "You think one damned block of territory is worth catching innocents in the crossfire. You fucks keep doing old shit but this is a new world."
He's not Izuku who can convince people with words alone but he's lived his entire life convincing people with his fists. He takes on over a dozen opponents, battling them with raw fury and explosive force. It might end with a few broken ribs but he forces both groups to retreat. Not a terrible way to spend his seventeenth birthday.
The back-alley clinic he gets treated in is where he meets a familiar face.
"Bakugou?"
He looks up and sees someone with green hair. No, she has vines for hair and looks familiar.
"Ibara?" he ventures.
She smiles. "In the flesh."
"But how?"
"The Lord was not done with me." She brings her hands together, bowing over them slightly. "His Holiness took an interest in my recovery. I had the privilege of being treated in the Vatican."
Katsuki shrugs. Last he heard the Vatican had burnt down, but that might have been centuries ago. Not like he cares much for Europe.
"What are you doing here?"
"This is my home. The Lord cares that we help as much as we can, not the way in which we help."
He's never really spoken to her, but there's something earnest and pure in her desire to help others. Listening to her, he can understand how people have faith in a God they can't see.
"Edgeshot was from here," he says, unbidden. "He was my mentor. They're fighting over stupid shit when they should be working together."
"What do you plan on doing?"
"I don't know, but it needs to end." He swallows. "I need all the help I can get."
"Nothing is a coincidence. The Lord set you down this path for a reason. Perhaps He had me volunteer at this hospital so I could meet you."
That is how he gains his first ally in this... he's not sure what it is, but it means something to everyone who doesn't suffer any further. Katsuki gets hugged by a kid for stopping his two siblings from fighting, both waving stupid ideologies against each other, by punching their faces in. A mother is grateful when he blasts away a stupid girl running with the wrong crew.
Ibara isn't pleased with how violence is his first resort so he lets her try. Sometimes she talks people down from doing stupid things, but when that fails, she doesn't hesitate to wrap them in vines.
Staying there indefinitely is impossible. Ibara tells him to spend time with his family. The old hag who claims to be his mother needles and prods for every detail about his trip. He refuses because it has nothing to do with the bitch.
When it gets too much, he packs his bag and leaves in the dead of night. Ibara greets him and he meets their newest recruit, some upperclassman from Ketsubutsu called Shindo.
Bakugou doesn't trust him the moment he lays eyes on him, so when they're somewhere private, he grabs the guy by the collar and shoves him against a wall.
"The heck—"
"Listen to me and listen carefully, you fuck. I've met liars better than you so I fucking know a mask when I see one. Ibara might not notice, but I won't trust some bastard who can't be honest."
For some reason, the threat only makes Shindo laugh.
"What was that? Five minutes?" Shindo shoves Bakugou back roughly, a calculating gleam entering his gaze. "I thought you were the dumb muscle."
They don't talk much but Shindo adds a level of deviousness Bakugou appreciates. He also happens to be an absolute powerhouse with his quirk. Katsuki could break him in half, but he lets Shindo think he's their heavy hitter. No point in breaking his fragile masculinity.
No one knows how to deal with them. The police leave them alone because they're stopping violence from occurring, but they've made enemies out of various splinter groups from the League and the Lightning Bolts and even some vigilante groups. The three of them can't fight off dozens of enemies and soon they're targeted directly. They barely manage to escape but Katsuki takes the brunt of the injuries with a few broken ribs.
"You dumbass," Shindo says. "I could have handled it."
No, you couldn't, Katsuki thinks bitterly. He's the only reason Shindo isn't dead and they both know it.
"You're a slow fucking bastard."
Shindo calls over two more of his classmates and that's how their group expands to five. Makabe and Nakagame are decent enough people, even if they only listen to Katsuki after Shindo nods. It pisses Katsuki off enough that he drags Kaminari so they have numerical parity.
Ibara only laughs at Katsuki's attempts to assert dominance because Kaminari has the spine of a wet noodle. They've found an abandoned building with access to underground tunnels that they've decided to use as a base. Kaminari had made the very reasonable suggestion of using a randomized entrance each time they come here, though it had been shot down immediately by Shindo.
Kaminari finds himself vindicated a few days later when Shindo is followed into their base by a girl who calls herself Saiko Intelli. By the end of her first sentence, Katsuki hates her and decides he's going to have her distract Shindo and his plans.
It works out. Intelli is brilliant and is amazing as mission control. She also sees through Shindo's plans and opposes them with a fervour that Katsuki can appreciate. They're a ragtag bunch with too many enemies, no assets, and no real plan. But they're all united in making society better, even if they fight and argue every step of the way.
Jirou finds him the next time he's at home. She looks him up and down and glares.
"You haven't been around."
"You only now just noticed."
Jirou pokes him in the ribs. Katsuki hisses and slaps away her hand.
"We noticed from the very beginning," she says. "You think a warehouse is just conveniently empty."
"Fucking Momo," he says without heat.
"Now tell me what you're doing."
"I'm trying something new, bitch. Heroes are dead. Get it in your fucking head."
She punches him in the shoulder, hard enough that it'll bruise. "Thanks for stating the obvious, you ass."
Why can't she get it? He thinks, almost to the point of pulling out his hair.
"Not heroes as in people—"
She scowls hard enough that it makes him pause. "Yeah, heroes as in pets, right?"
"No, heroes as in the fucking idea. One god damned villain just showed us how weak the idea of a hero is. They're calling him the Third Great Tyrant and you know who beat him? Not Endeavour and Hawks and the other top ten heroes. It wasn't fucking All Might." He glares, his bad arm twitching with his frustration. "It was Izuku. Our Izuku. The same Izuku who called everyone out. The dumbass that has the whole world watching him. He's willing to be called a villain if it means doing the right thing. And if someone both All Might and All for One chose as a successor thinks there's a problem with heroes, well, heroes are fucking dead in that case."
"Damn, you're not joking about this."
Katsuki shakes his head. "No. That's why I need you. I'm putting together a team and we're gonna try and be something different."
"What about the Lightning Bolts? They're Izuku's group."
"No, they aren't. They're mimicking him, but they don't know shit. They can be just as bad as the villains."
"The two of us can't do it alone."
"Not alone. I already got Kaminari and Ibara—"
"She's around?"
"Back in action. Her treatments were done at the Vatican so she was fine." Katsuki grins. "Got some bastards from Ketsubutsu and Seiai."
"That's not as bad as I was expecting."
"And with Momo—"
Her bewildered expression cuts him short because he's never seen Jirou look that confused.
"You don't know," she says hesitantly.
"Know what?"
"It isn't my place to tell. I thought she'd talked to you already."
That bothers him enough that he hunts Momo down to her home on the other side of the country. Trying to enter her estate almost earns him a bullet to the head. The only reason it doesn't is that his name is apparently on a list of people not to hurt.
He's stuck waiting in a cell whilst they find Momo. The darkness gives him time to think of everything, and the more he does, the more he realises how futile it is. This formless plan of his for a better tomorrow is so much bigger than eight kids can accomplish. Edgeshot was a pro hero and he couldn't do much. Not even All Might could do it. He died trying.
He doesn't look up when the cell opens.
"You could have just called," she says, disappointed.
"Yeah."
She pulls him up. "What's wrong?"
"I don't know what to do," he whispers, bitter and tired and just fucking done with it all. "They're trusting me to lead them but I've got no fucking idea what I'm doing."
Momo pulls him close. He doesn't fight against the hug. All he wants, for a single moment, is to forget that he's a failure, that his dreams mean nothing.
"You're trying and that's all that matters."
"It's not enough. I need you with me."
"I'm going to be away for a while," she says gently.
Katsuki clenches his fists. "Why the fuck are you leaving me?"
"There's a mission and I can't say no. I'm sorry. Take care of Jirou for me, alright. I'll be back soon."
Watching her walk away is like watching his hopes and dreams walk away.
Then he remembers Izuku standing tall against the world. His childhood friend, the same person he spent years bullying, now strong enough to stand against the world. If he can do that, what fucking reason does Katsuki have to give up before he even tries?
"Momo!"
He gives her his best grin, all violence and anger and sheer confidence. It's the kind of grin Izuku would have. And maybe trying to be like him isn't such a bad thing.
"I'll fill up the last spot if you take too long."
She smiles. "Keep my seat warm."
-TDB-
Fumikage Tokoyami forgets about Hisashi's letter almost immediately. There is too much work that still needs to be done. Training new recruits take up too much of his time. Finding new recruits proves difficult as well though Mei Hatsume proves to be a gem when she can be focused on something for more than a few hours.
He comes to learn more about the members of the Imperial Household, especially those his age. Whatever reverence they have for him goes out the window the moment he's drenched in water by a prank perpetrated by the kids he's looking after. It becomes easier to talk to them without the barrier of reverence if he's soaking wet and he learns a lot that isn't in official files like which royal lines are in ascendance and which ones are fighting.
The remaining Guard are an eclectic bunch. Itinerant is caustic now that he doesn't need to help Fumikage wade through tons of work and Ryujin is missing. Ra offers him a smile but doesn't speak to him. Maya is an ally as always but she's busy with things overseas right now.
The archives are a massive set of underground servers with multiple redundancies. They serve as a central database that Fumikage can access. He's searching through abyssal inventory and updating their records. Doing so has been his primary duty ever since the war ended.
Fumikage, this one, Dark Shadow says, handing a file to Fumikage.
He reads through it quickly, recognising the image on the paper. "We know this knife," he says. "And now it's missing."
It had been the knife that set him on the path to join the Imperial Household. The same knife that cut through his morals and allegiance to UA. A knife that had been used in ritual sacrifice.
The imperial cell in charge of the weapon is dead, he learns, as are their supervisors and the two cells they worked closely with. No one has followed up with them in the wake of the war but the record of their last mission remains.
His hand lashes out suddenly, grabbing the hand reaching for his files. He grips it tightly for a moment before he notices the white dress and crown on the child's head.
"Ow, you big meanie," she says, freeing herself of his grip, and stepping back. "Do you know who I am?"
Fumikage glances at the security guards who have emerged from the shadow and gestures them away, observing the girl for a moment longer.
"No, I do not."
She points an accusatory finger. She can't be older than eight, so any gravitas it would have is erased by her chubby cheeks and delightful pout.
"Well, I know who you are."
He cocks his head. "Oh, who am I?"
"They call you Inquisitor and you work for me."
A strong voice cuts through the archives. "He works with us, daughter."
Fumikage meets the Emperor's gaze and nods in greeting. The old man with his long beard is imposing, but now that Fumikage can match his height, he isn't so intimidating.
The girl smiles at the Emperor. "He's being mean to me."
"Is he or have you disturbed the Inquisitor's important work?"
She scowls. "No."
The Emperor smiles at his daughter, patient as the mountains. "We must be willing to admit our faults and ready to ask forgiveness when we wrong those we work with."
"Fine. I'm sorry. There, are you happy?"
He remembers then the letter Hisashi gave him. It is easy to reach past spacetime and place it in his jacket without anyone noticing. He retrieves it and raises it up, catching the girl's attention.
"I was asked to give you this by Hisashi Midoriya. But I suppose you don't want it."
She darts forward and grabs it, not willing to argue with her any further.
The girl stares at the letter uncertainly.
"From Uncle Hisashi."
"From Hisashi, yes."
She looks at her father. The old man smiles. "Go. We'll resume your lessons tomorrow."
She dashes out, followed immediately by four guards. Fumikage notes that the archives are empty save for the Emperor's guards and wonders when they evicted the few people working down here.
"Uncle?"
"Hisashi is not our brother. She simply calls him that. And no one refutes Princess Mayuko."
"I suppose one does not refuse royalty."
He turns his back on the Emperor and places the files in their rightful place, because whilst this man is Emperor of Japan, Fumikage is king of much more. This Villa that the Emperor calls home could be destroyed in a matter of seconds if Fumikage wished it. Without a doubt, the Emperor is aware of that.
"Your line is in ascendance, Inquisitor."
He turns back, brushing his sleeve. "I have no family line."
The Emperor tilts his head slightly. "Oh, so those children aren't named the heirs to your estate should you perish? Inquisitor, the Throne only cares that you are of Japanese descent. For your actions during the war, you have been raised in precedence."
"I don't want that Throne."
"Neither would we like you to take it. Should that occur, all the Royal lines will have been slaughtered. Despite their bickering and ineptitude, we would not wish their deaths. Nor we would we ever hope our Mayuko die before taking the Throne."
He realises something. "She hardly looks older than eight. How would she know Hisashi?"
"She's fifteen this year."
"I find that hard to believe."
"As did we," the Emperor says. "Her quirk is pure vitality. She'll reach two, maybe three centuries. But her growth period is stretched out as well. Her incubation period lasted nearly two years. She'll be a child still for another decade. Her memory, however, is almost perfect."
"How interesting."
The Emperor's features soften. "We shall go now, Inquisitor. A proud father may speak on their children for hours."
"A proud father would do anything for his son," Fumikage says.
The Emperor stares at him, discomfited by the reminder of the secret that binds them. A child who committed genocide and one of the greatest secrets they keep. A secret that would divide Japan worse than the war.
"Indeed."
Fumikage watches him leave.
Your father never spoke about you.
"Don't try to manipulate my thoughts, Dark Shadow. I am not in the mood for it."
Is it manipulation if it's true? When you take that throne, you must be ready to deal with manipulation constantly.
"I'm never taking it, old friend. I do not wish to be bound to a mortal power." He flicks Dark Shadow aside, reaching for another file. "Nor do I wish to murder my allies."
One day they will die and you will be no older. What of then, when you look at a new generation and have no relation to them?
"I will endeavour to love those that come after and those that come after them. They will be what tethers me to humanity."
Dark Shadow says no more and allows him to keep cataloguing their files. He finds something interesting about a Horikoshi cult that he flags for another group to start investigating when they have time. If they have time, given how busy they've been lately.
Later, he tracks down the location of the cell that had the abyssal knife. It is an abandoned island off the coast of Japan. None of which surprises him.
The lack of wildlife smarter than a mosquito worries him. Neither bird nor rabbit disturbs the silence almost as if they were teleported away.
He follows his nose, tracking the scent of blood and darkness to where it is strongest. In a clearing overlooking a rock formation, he finds his missing agents.
They are all dead, yet their bodies are preserved in the final moments of their deaths. There is a woman in the middle of taking her last breath. Here a man stuck in his death rattle. Further ahead, a man floating in the air, the blood from his ruined chest floating with him.
He walks between the frozen bodies, careful not to touch them just yet. In the centre of the clearing is a pedestal. He reaches out and immediately pulls his hand pack when the air glows pink.
He taps it again and listens to the not-sound it makes, like this silence had a musical register dedicated to it. It smells like endless summer or a corpse frozen for centuries during a long winter.
Time itself bars his way.
He stares at the translucent wall of time, unsure of what manner of abyssal ritual or creature could produce. There are too many that hold some dominion over time.
Including his hounds.
He summons a pack of twenty. The quicksilver hounds sniff at the wall, their crystal fur bristling at the foreign scent. One even dares to lick the wall with its acidic tongue. Fumikage watches as the wall is eroded slightly.
"Listen," he demands. The hounds swivel their heads in unison, focused on him. "Follow this scent. Find who did this."
The hounds howl.
Then they fade away between the angles of time and hard corners of space to execute his will.
He types up a report and prepares the bodies for cleansing. It takes him twenty minutes to find the sacramental water and fragments of sunlight used to immolate the corpses.
Maya taught him how to wash them to clear the skin and spirit of corruption. While Fumikage could quite literally rip out any sort of corruption, the motions of ritual are soothing and it gives him time to discuss his newest game with a captivated audience.
When the bodies are prepared, he places a fragment of the sun on them and watches them burn.
Hours later, enjoying the weather of the island and lack of annoying animals, he receives a call.
It is Maya.
"Yes?"
"Hey, I need some help."
Fumikage cocks his head. "I thought you could handle this alone."
"I need you. I'm sending you the coordinates. Get here as soon as you can." She takes a breath. "Otherwise, we might not be able to contain this outbreak."
That chills him to the bone.
-TDB-
When Admiral Kodamatsu enters their home, Shouto Todoroki isn't surprised. The man had exuded competence in their limited time together and he hardly seems the sort to bury his head in the sand.
Endeavour speaks to the Admiral cordially, every word said with crisp formality. His interest wanes when they continue exchanging pleasantries.
"You said we had the wrong deterrent," the Admiral says to Shouto, drawing his attention. "I haven't forgotten."
"Admiral, do not make an enemy of this family," Endeavour warns.
"If he wants to play at being an adult then I'll treat him like one. If he's as powerful as either of his friends then I won't coddle him." The Admiral gestures at the TV where two news anchors are discussing Izuku. "The three of you represent Japanese dominance on the international stage."
"He's not a weapon."
Shouto resists the urge to roll his eyes. "One condition."
"Name it."
"Momo Yaoyorozu."
The Admiral nods and they seal the deal.
His parents argue the decision for days as if they still control his life. His mother doesn't realise that Shouto is bored and fighting in a war seems a fun way to relieve that feeling. Maybe a few million dead will fill the emptiness in his chest.
"I don't want you to go," his mother says.
Shouto shrugs. "I must. Will you take care of Fuyumi?"
"She's my daughter," she says as if that's all the answer in the world. Perhaps it is.
He squeezes her hands once more. "Tell Touya I said hi. And remind Natsuo that dad's changed."
"What?"
"They'll both be here soon enough." He smiles ruefully. "I'll miss it."
He spends his last day with his sister, putting up with her dragging him everywhere and nowhere. Her love is clear and he appreciates her even more.
When the day ends, she brings their foreheads together, her hand bunched up in his hair.
"Come back."
It's an order. Shouto smirks. It was one he intended on following anyway.
"Always."
A helicopter takes them to the navy base. Endeavour glares at everyone which frightens a few people.
More interesting are all the people he healed months ago—obvious by the marks on their souls—who look at him in reverence. Some even thank God for Shouto which he finds stupid and circular. Why thank God for God existing?
The meeting room is deep underground past a dozen security checks and body scans. The air smells recycled, almost stale.
He meets Momo's gaze. There's confusion and just a hint of bitterness in it. Endeavour takes a seat beside Shouto, blocking her from view.
The Admiral enters last and offers a nod.
"I won't waste time with pleasantries. I thank you all from the bottom of my heart. Without you, this plan is not possible."
His gaze lingers on the representative of the Royal Family who has a soul that tastes like lightning.
"This is the situation as it stands," Admiral Kadomatsu continues. "The war with China didn't end and we certainly didn't win. With half their Great Ten dead and their naval invasion broken by a tidal wave, China pulled back to reinforce their borders with Russia, India and Kazakhstan. The world sees the loss as a sign of China's weakness. Russian quirk regiments have been mobilising and India's army has been conducting military exercises on the border. This could very easily lead to war."
Shouto looks through a dozen possible futures, finding the threads of commonality amongst them. Given that he'll be working in the region, he can't observe China directly, but he can observe the reactions of a future Toga or Kirishima… Wait, how did he just disappear?
"Excuse me," Momo begins, "but isn't a war on mainland China a good thing for us?"
The admiral shakes his head and taps the screen. A map of Eurasia appears and the nations on it are divided by Japanese blue and Chinese red and Soviet green. A few nations are greyed out, but most are aligned to one of the blocks.
"Korea, the Philippines and India are our closest allies in the region. If India goes to war, then we're obligated by treaty to aid them."
"Did they help us?" Endeavour asks.
"There's a reason we were only outnumbered two-to-one instead of ten-to-one. A war between China and Russia is acceptable, however, Russia won't attack unless they're certain China can't defend itself. And that's where we come in."
The map shifts, showing India's border with China. "We're burning through all of our political capital to force a heightened state of military readiness with China's southern and western neighbours. We're doing this as a simple distraction from our true objective." The map pans over, showing Beijing. "We're going to scorch one of their major military installations."
In a flash of insight, Shouto finally understands the composition of the team assembled today. And it takes everything he has not to smile.
"Tianjin is a fortress," his father says. "You'd need two armies to do anything there."
"Yes, we're aware the region is a fortress but the reason it's a fortress is the same reason we're attacking there. Approximately one-hundred and thirty years ago, during the Third Sino-Japanese war, All For One decimated the military presence in the area. They vowed that the city would never be attacked."
The map focuses on the Yellow Sea.
"Right now, three of Russia's premier quirk users are in a diplomatic meeting in Seoul. They have quirks involving pyrokinesis, geokinesis, and generating massive concussive blasts."
"This is a false flag operation," Momo says suddenly. "You're going to pin this attack on Russia. But China wouldn't accuse them first."
"Not unless they were attacked by Russia beforehand," Shouto says, standing. "That's why you have the Royal Guard supporting us. Because they have someone who can attack from an area Japan couldn't conceivably have a hand in."
Shouto walks towards the screen and points at the Amur river. "It connects China and Russia together. It's close enough to Tianjin that it'll be seen as a first strike against China's capital region. Russia's large enough that they could have a macro-hydrokinesis quirk."
The Guardsman nods once. "Did Tokoyami tell you?"
Shouto shakes his head. "No, but it makes sense. Japan should have been broken in half by All For One's attack but it wasn't. The Emperor's quirk is powerful, but not to that extent. A tidal wave ate up China's invasion force at the same time. The only person who would have a reason, who would be able to manipulate earth and water to that extent, is Japan's former Imperial Heir, supposedly dead for twenty odd years. He's alive and well."
He can see the disbelief in Momo's eyes—and more than a smidge of revulsion—and the calculating gaze his father gives to the Royal Guard.
Ryujin sighs. "You are all privy to a state secret that would unify the world against Japan. Mentioning it carries the death penalty. But yes, Shouto is correct. We intend to flood the Amur River and direct the resulting water down the Songhua River. If done correctly, analysts believe the flood will hit Harbin city before evacuation orders can be carried out."
"Their quirks will halt the flood," Endeavour says calmly, though Shouto can see the rage he's carrying.
"Not unless they're distracted by an attack on their capital city. Done correctly, China will have no choice but to go to war with Russia."
They continue discussing the matter, but Shouto can see that the Royal Guard and the navy are onboard with this plan. Momo and Endeavour have no choice but to agree, not if they wish to keep their families safe. He can see that understanding in their eyes.
The moment the meeting ends, Momo storms out the room. Shouto follows after her.
"This is madness," Momo says to him when they're alone.
The air is chilly and he tastes salt on his tongue. They're alone, relatively speaking, on a deck of the ship being worked on. The hustle of technician's and the sound of power tools hides their words.
"No, this is the new normal."
"You like saying that." She shakes her head. "Why did you ask for me? I have no reason to be here."
"Because I wanted to teach you about your powers."
He summons the godflame to his hand. The infernal flame oscillates as he spreads it amongst both hands.
"This is the godflame, the fire that birthed entropy and time and this universe. It brought light to the darkness and it will burn everything away at some point. In my hands, I hold creation and destruction."
"That's not—"
He lets one flame die and struggles to twist the flame to his will. It takes him a while, but eventually the black flame turns white, multi-coloured sparkles.
"Does this look familiar to you?"
She takes a step back in fear. "That's not... that's my quirk."
"No, technically it's my quirk. You just happened to steal a portion of it. You, Momo Yaoyorozu, quite literally stole fire from the gods. And I want to show you the full potential of your power."
He has a vision for her at his side, a Goddess of Creation to his God of Destruction. Perhaps not his lover because his heart is owned by others, but a friend.
With Iida dead, he needs a new best friend.