When they arrive, Shinsou's hypnosis of Shadow ends. The living quirk realizes at this point that it is outmatched and decides to not start another fight.

Izuku quickly realizes that Fumikage Tokoyami's fundamental problem is that his quirk is a sociopath. Or, more like, completely lacks empathy (it's hard to say if human psychological terms can even apply to it - Inui is going to have loads of fun with that one).

Shadow wants to have fun. It harmed six people because it was bored and wanted out. It would kill those six people if it didn't have enough of a grasp on human civilization to realize that if it failed its escape attempt afterward, it would mean its host being even more restrained. And thus, Shadow would be even more bored.

That's it. That was its entire thought process before it began to throw people at the walls. And the entire thought process behind Shadow not slitting their throats or clawing their hearts out.

Shadow's two main agendas were its own fun and Fumikage Tokoyami's safety (as his death would mean its end). The latter's mental health, not exactly.

It fundamentally disagreed with the idea of obeying its host, clearly not buying Shinsous' threat about Aizawa's quirk. It changed when Aizawa got close.

The Assistant Commissioner didn't even enter the room. But Shadow suddenly froze, only to yell at them to get him away from it. Shinsou left to make sure that Aizawa wouldn't enter the room.

Shadow immediately became very compliant, for as long as Aizawa Shouta didn't get to see it. While also proving that it can, to a degree, detect quirks. While roughly realizing what they were about.

Which could be useful.

"Look, Shadow." Izuku then said. "You are clearly a sapient being. I will not put you in metaphorical chains. That wouldn't be nice."

"I dare to disagree." Fumikage says dryly. Well, he clearly has a different approach to… his roommate.

"But we're going to have to establish some ground rules here." Izuku ignores the interjection. "You don't harm anyone, unless it's self-defense. You don't expose yourself when there are people around who don't know about you. If Tokoyami decides to become a hero, you follow his orders while at work. In exchange, no anti-quirk quirks near you. And we make sure that you are not bored."

The ever-shifting black mass that appears vaguely… honestly, he does not know what it looks like. But it seems to look at him with a mixture of anger and curiosity.

"Define not bored." It replies.

"If Tokoyami decides to be a hero, you'll be fighting against actually powerful enemies with a vast array of superpowers." Izuku replies. "Otherwise… honestly, what do you exactly like doing in your spare time?"

It actually looks vaguely confused at that question. Tokoyami probably didn't ask. And Shadow spent months hiding in its host's shadow in order to keep itself hidden from the world. Not exactly something that made him able to indulge in a hobby.

"I'm… not sure." Shadow admits. "I think that I'll need to think about it." Well, hopefully it's not 'kicking puppies' or anything like that. There is a limit to what Izuku is willing to permit to keep Shadow entertained.

"Well, as for you, Tokoyami." Izuku turns towards the newest potential members. "You get a high-quality education, company of people who understand the… peculiarities of your situation, help if Shadow is unruly and a safe nest away from all the chaos going through Japan. The part about assisting police is entirely optional."

Tokoyami wastes maybe three seconds thinking it over. Then Izuku gets his answer.

"If Shadow actually obeys me…" The teenager replies. "Then I'm in. Though I'm not sure if my parents won't have to agree to that first."

Okay, Izuku at this point starts thinking that it's suspicious. Why is absolutely everyone agreeing to that nowadays?! He had to fight tooth and nail to get Uraraka in (okay, that was mostly Mei) and Tsuyu (okay, that was mostly Uraraka), it took a while to get Pinky in (okay, that was the Hosu group) and…

"Why?" Izuku asks.

Tokoyami looks at him like he just changed his estimations of the intelligence level of the person in front of him. To a much lower level.

"I have an almost literal shadow demon living inside me that has zero consideration for the lives of people that aren't me." He replies, still staring at Izuku. "And has already wounded some people. Why wouldn't I want to have the police on my side?"

This is actually a perfectly logical move. Honestly, Izuku feels kind of dumb for asking. Tokoyami is a notable part of the 'will probably be persecuted against after Reveal Day' group. Making some positive connections with the authorities is the most reasonable option.

"Fair enough." Izuku admits. "We'll contact your parents to get their permission… I believe you might want to phone them about it first." Tokoyami nods. Explaining to them his rationale for going along with this might be helpful. "Any other questions? Comments and so on?"

Shadow speaks.

"Did someone ever tell you…" Its malformed head tilts a bit. "That you have very fluffy hair?"

Jesus Christ, not another one.

(***)

Tokoyami's parents disliked the idea. Izuku isn't surprised. Few parents would be alright with their children risking their lives. Especially in times like these. But they fail to find counterarguments for his reasons.

Especially once Assistant Commissioner Aizawa phones them as well and explains how things work exactly. Mentioning things such as 'no deployments near active combat unless confirmed to be bulletproof', 'yes, we have access to a meta-ability holder that can heal injuries, so there is no such thing as a possibility of getting maimed' and so on.

Oh, and also 'we'll most likely not deploy him anywhere before he is legally an adult, but joining the program means getting training earlier'. That's probably what eventually bought them.

Izuku was planning to play along with this promise. Not like they were in that much of a hurry to deploy new superheroes. Besides, no one was really sure what Shadow can actually do once it's made to behave.

It was… a bit of a unique quirk, as far as their knowledge about them went. Mei was probably going to have another meltdown, but they kind of got used to it at this point.

(***)

Tokoyami moved into the Network Headquarters. They were way past the limits of what could be achieved with their hydro generator. The constant energy brownouts were an absolute pain in the ass.

Uraraka claimed she was going to fix this in a day or two. Together with Todoroki. That was… worrying, all things considered. Especially as they refuse to elaborate on details. Izuku suspected another one of Todoroki's 'jokes' (always done at his father's expense) in the making, but had no proof thus far.

Not long after that, Momo Yaoyorozu joined the party officially.

Izuku decided to leave meeting her again for just a little while longer. He decked himself in the back of the room as Mina, Tsuyu, Toga and Uraraka decided to get to know the newest member ahead of everyone else.

It's a mistake. He gets to hear the words he would prefer to not hear.

"Damn, now that's a beauty." Mieko whispers to Kyoka. Izuku is, unfortunately, within range. "Do you think she's in for some… teamwork?"

"Michan, please stop being horny." Kyoka says the words that are actually floating around Izuku's head as well. "I'm serious." What are the chances of Eclipse actually taking that advice to heart and no longer acting like that?

"Bold words for someone who would like to taste that booty as much as I do." Mieko immediately proves that the chances are either close to zero or that it was a terrible roll.

"I'm at least not talking about that in public." Jirou replies, proving that she is as much of a lost cause as her girlfriend is.

Izuku decides to go towards the corner of the room where Todoroki is soaking himself with soda (his eyes on Yaoyorozu, the only person in the room whose family is as influential as his own), while Shinsou is pretending to be that cool (well, questionably cool) character that approaches everything that happens with stoicism and mostly broods in the background.

Todoroki, considering his lack of interest in sex, should be a safe bet for surviving this meeting. Without having to hear very irritating comments about his friend (because Momo, at this point, was his friend). Shinsou's the price that Izuku is ready to pay for survival.

"So…" Izuku tries to speak. He isn't given enough time.

"You know…" Todoroki either decided to interrupt him or was planning to start speaking at the same time. His eyes are still on Yaoyorozu "... I'm starting to think that I'm actually not asexual. I'm incredibly confused right now." None of said confusion gets displayed on his face.

Shinsou's questionably cool position is compromised by shock at that statement. Midoriya, in the meantime, freezes for maybe like five seconds. Then, with a face resembling Aizawa, he speaks back.

"First of all, I'm not sure if it works like that." He says, and Todoroki gives him a questioning gaze. "Second of all, what the hell, Todoroki?"

"What?" Todoroki appears vaguely surprised by him being surprised.

"I think…" Shinsou adds. "... that we really need to get the internet and some other entertainments going. Like, ask Tokoyami to set us up for a DnD campaign. Because there is a bit too much horny in the Network nowadays for my taste."

"Oh, my god." Izuku stares at him in shock. Shinsou looks surprised and maybe a bit worried about it for a second. "I actually agree with you on something." That makes him chuckle.

"Yeah, I don't like it either." Hijack replies. "Also, I'm still something like 70% sure that Todoroki is just pulling our legs here." Todoroki clearly refuses to elaborate any further on what the truth was. But it does that sound like his type of jokes.

It's that or his childhood was more messed up than anyone expected. Honestly, Izuku isn't sure if he wants to know. He can try helping only so many people on his own. Trying to help Tsuyu and Uraraka (plus helping Mei function in society) makes him reach his limits.

"I'm going to get angry." Izuku announces. He doesn't elaborate and leaves to welcome Yaoyorozu into the Network properly.

"Uh oh." Shinsou says when the green hair vanishes from the sight. "We're screwed now. Midoriya's going to get angry." He actually looks genuinely worried. Something that doesn't avoid Shoto's notice.

"He doesn't appear to be capable of much anger." Todoroki points out. Shinsou replies with a brief chuckle. "Hence my failure to understand the reason for your worry."

"Todo, my friend." Hijack decides to not be an ass like Izuku and Shoto were and actually elaborates on what made him react that way. "He got angry at me once, when I tried to mind control him when we met for the first time. I'm fucking terrified of him ever since. And that's before I saw him slam a villain into a wall with enough strength to grind him into paste." That recording was actually rather damn intimidating, in Shinsou's opinion.

Todoroki actually blinks at him a few times. It wasn't something that was mentioned next to him thus far. And he can scarcely imagine Defiant doing such a thing. Then again, he was yet to witness him in a fight. Or using his quirk to its maximum potential.

"Even if that villain recovered, and fucking deserved that, I sincerely think that Midoriya is such an all-loving hero because he put all of his anger into some small, tiny and well-locked part of his mind." Hijack continues. "But one day, it's going to boil over. And I don't want to be anywhere near him when that happens."

(***)

It's a surprise for very few people when Midoriya sends out a message to all members of the Network through its personal messaging system.

In said message, Izuku Midoriya informs his fellow superheroes that if they'll make his friend, Momo Yaoyorozu (that, btw., is a rather innocent and sheltered girl), uncomfortable with their antics (especially those referring to anything even remotely sexual, and yes, he heard that 'booty' talk), he's going to use the people responsible during his next fight against Overhaul.

As projectiles.

He also gently suggested finding some hobbies and asked Tokoyami to set them up for a DnD campaign in the evenings to actually give them all something to do.

They take a few days to start it properly, but once they do, it actually ends up being quite popular.

Izuku also notices a sudden drop in the rate of hornytalk, at least in public. Momo Yaoyorozu remains blissfully unaware of what happened and spends her time at the university, talking about quirks with Mei, Izuku and (occasionally) Mieko, and helping in Mei's workshop on the UA.

(***)

Next day is Saturday. Mei arrives and quickly says hi to everyone in the Network, especially the new members. She also decides to finally announce who she is. There is no real point in hiding, especially as Momo knows her (even if they only met once or twice in the past).

During that day, they have their first proper combat training with Tokoyami. Shadow actually cooperates, and Izuku (together with Kan-sensei) throws some ideas on how to actually apply him in combat.

It turns out that after two underground sidekicks they just got themselves an underground superhero (or at least the material for one). Shadow is practically bulletproof for as long as the lighting level is low enough. If it's dark, it is also strong enough to tear a solid chunk of steel to pieces in a second.

In fact, Izuku believes that in a pitch black environment he would fail to restrain Shadow for long. Of course, he would still win, aside from some very specific set of circumstances.

Shadow has to stay close to Tokoyami. Tokoyami is also way squishier than his quirk. He really should work on that.

It was still a bit early to figure out his hero name. But Tokoyami looked oddly dedicated to the concept of becoming a hero.

(***)

"And… done!" Uraraka announces as suddenly the flickering of lights dies out. They have energy now. At least enough to power up the lights, the kitchen implements and a few computers (if they had so many). At once.

She looks extremely cheerful and satisfied. Todoroki looks extremely Todoroki. Izuku has questions.

"Alright, so how did you do it?" He just has to know.

"Oh, we just found a way to connect to the city's energy grid." Uraraka explains. Then, seeing the look on his face, she quickly elaborates. "Yes, it's not a very… uhm… official connection, but we've paid for it! In fact, we've paid about as much money as we'd pay for a full year of using the energy!"

Oh. So that's their plan. The hydrogenerator in the basement will probably stay as an emergency generator in case something nasty happened. You can never be too cautious about things like that.

"Todoroki." Izuku says. Shoto appears so innocent that it's actually suspicious. "I thought you couldn't use too much of your dad's money or he'd notice that something was wrong."

"I told him I was dared to organize a party." Todoroki replies. "One befitting the noble house of Todorokis. So he let me use more money. In order to not be outshined by those of inferior bloodlines."

"... enough of it to finance energy supply for fifteen people for an entire year?" Izuku asks, clearly dumbfounded. And they probably paid a bit more, just in case there were further expansions and they needed more energy. It was a likely scenario. Plus, it probably also paid for the installation and whatever tools were needed to set it all up. "How the hell is he a head of one of the four zaibatsu conglomerates?!"

Bonus points for the party being supposedly hosted on UA, or at least for UA students. If some of them got wasted out in the town and did something stupid while drunk, they would be yeeted out of the school faster than they could say the words 'my family'.

Anyone dumb enough to party 'this' hard while on UA was in for trouble.

Not like Mirai Sasaki was against partying or drinking alcohol while legally adult. It's just that he GREATLY supported the concept of doing it responsibly.

So it couldn't have been a large party, with zero drugs and very little alcohol involved. Yet… Enji Todoroki still fell for it.

"Inertia, mostly." Shoto replies emotionlessly. "That and the CEOs of the companies that belong to him mostly doing things the way they want while pretending to follow his instructions."

That's just sad.

(***)

Principal Sasaki calls them for an emergency meeting that evening. Their standard council, minus Backdraft, Shuzenji and Maijima. Who was going to receive a summary of what happened, as they were both supposedly too busy to arrive.

And not exactly needed for the issue at hand. Whatever said issue was.

This time Izuku arrived last.

"Great, we're all here." Principal Sasaki says as Izuku (in his hero uniform, of course) quickly heads to his seat. "A while ago I mentioned in a talk with Aizawa that the Commissioner General of the NPA has recently died. I've also said that certain gossip I received points towards assassination by a metahuman. Two days ago, I obtained the security tapes from Commissioner General Toyoda's house. From the night of his death."

Principal of a private school just casually admitted to obtaining recordings of a potential murder of the head of Japanese police. No one bats an eye at that. Probably only Izuku finds that weird. Oh, what a time to be alive.

"Thunderbolt is dead?" Torino, somehow, didn't get the memo. Then again, neither did Tsukauchi (judging from the look on his face). Izuku, in the meantime, decides that 'Thunderbolt' is probably Toyoda's nickname or something like this. "When?"

"Apparently it was kept secret. For several weeks now." Aizawa says dryly. "Because of the current political climate."

"Fuck political climate." Torino says. If Principal Sasaki was made uncomfortable by someone swearing in front of him, he didn't let them know. Then again, the person swearing wasn't one of his students. Then Torino groans and leans back in his seat. "Alright, show it. Let's get it over with."

Sasaki nods to his secretary. The recording (from several cameras simultaneously) starts.

Izuku would like to have a house like this one. Big, but not too big. Just enough to have space for yourself, but without it being ostentatious. Perfectly balanced, as all things should be.

Haru Toyoda is working (probably) on his computer in his study/office. He is a man approaching his fifties, mostly bald and wearing a pair of simple trousers and a shirt.

The first fifteen seconds of the recording are calm. Nothing is happening. Except, suddenly something small (a clock?) falls from a corner table in one of the rooms. There is nothing next to it that might have caused it. It just falls. Was it a draft?

Toyoda immediately opens his desk's drawer and pulls out a gun. It seems to have a silencer (why?!). Then Thunderbolt seems to shout something (probably some version of 'Is someone there?').

Two or three seconds later, he suddenly opens fire. Two shots through the open door of the study room.

What the hell?

Nothing happens afterwards for a few seconds. The Commissioner General appears to be on high alert (why did he even fire his gun like that?!). He also pulls out a phone (the gun still in his hand) and makes a quick call. Probably calling for help (against what?!). Then he moves to investigate.

He walks through the building. He actually discharges his gun several times, each time for no apparent reason. There is nothing in the building with him. The directions of firing appear random. Each time he does that, he immediately freezes in place, waiting for a few seconds before resuming his routine.

He enters a blindspot of cameras for maybe three seconds. Suddenly he is tumbling down the stairs uncontrollably, before colliding with a wall (the stairs make a turn there) and slumping down. Clearly unresponsive. That's where the recording ends.

"What the fuck?" Torino speaks as the first one. "Why was he just shooting at random? Was he drugged?"

"The Tokyo police seem to suspect that." Sasaki replies, ignoring the swear word. "Except nothing was found in his blood. The thing is, I believe I noticed something that the investigators didn't. Or, to be exact, I have a bit more open mind and I didn't disregard my findings as caused by a sudden draft or something similar. This happened two minutes after Toyoda fell down the stairs. Considering the distance, I believe that checking him for a pulse and getting to that place would take about two minutes."

It's a camera feed from one of the rooms. One window suddenly slides open, like a ghost just decided to scare people with that.

Izuku realizes what Sasaki implies.

"Invisibility quirk." He says and the eyes focus on him. "Commissioner General was assassinated by someone with an invisibility quirk. He or she must have pushed him down the stairs, then left through the window before the police and paramedics arrived."

Using no weapon or attacking him directly. The perfect way to assassinate someone in a way that makes everyone think it was drugs or some unfortunate accident.

"That's my suspicion exactly." Principal confirms it. "I made this meeting, because the implications of such a quirk actually existing are rather… worrying. Especially as we know nothing about its holder, besides the fact that they killed one of the highest ranked police officers in the country."

"I agree." Aizawa says. "Honestly, unless they walk into me, how would we even…" If they tried to assassinate him, they would be in for a surprise, but… only if he got to see them before they got close enough for the kill.

"Wait a second." Izuku interrupts the Assistant Commissioner. Because he just had a sudden realization. It might have been some random connection that his brain made, something inspired by half-forgotten plots of numerous comic books and films about government conspiracies that he watched or read. Something that evaded others present in the room. Others that were much more grounded in the common sense of the bygone era. "This doesn't add up."

"What?" It's Torino. Aizawa gives Defiant a worried and slightly irritated glare.

"The government doesn't know about meta-abilities being powerful and a security threat, right?" Izuku asks. Principal Sasaki nods. "Why is that if Commissioner General Toyoda acted in a way clearly suggesting that he knew that there was an invisible assassin going after him?"

He even had a goddamn silencer (or was it a suppressor? Izuku isn't sure what's the right term) on the ready. It didn't make gunshots quiet, but it made them significantly less deafening in closed space. But it's not normal police equipment. And certainly not someone that you kept at home.

Haru Toyoda clearly fired his gun at the direction of sounds he heard, only to immediately pause his movements, recovering his hearing - and listening for sounds of the intruder. Who might have used that very moment to charge at him from a different direction. After, for example, making him fall for a decoy.

He knew that there was an assassin. He knew beforehand. And the existence of invisible assassins clearly shouts META-ABILITIES ARE A SERIOUS SECURITY PROBLEM.

Judging from the sudden realization he can see on the faces in front of him, Izuku Midoriya isn't the only person who realized this. Although they needed a slight push.

"Shit." Aizawa actually summarizes it pretty well. "Media were silenced with a gag-order that everyone forgot to rescind. If you excluded them, then the second most likely source of intel for the government was the police. And if the Commissioner General was making sure that none of it got past him…"

Not to mention some carefully crafted false information to the contrary that he has been feeding the government with. Enough to - considering the fact that he was a person trusted by said government - made said government ignore all but the most overwhelming arguments to the contrary. That didn't come, especially as the media weren't there to provide them.

"Incompetence…" Mirai Sasaki asks back. "... or a plot? And if it's the latter, then what was the point of it? And if it was a plot… then who assassinated him?" On his face, a rather intense worry.

(***)

Yes, guys. Todoroki was kinda messed up by life (and his clown of a dad). He should probably start fixing himself emotionally before doing anything serious, but you can expect him to follow Momo around a bit like a puppy for the time being.

And yes, we've just found Hagakure. And guess what, Thunderbolt's dead again. That guy really has no luck in my fics, it's like I created him just to mess him up. Ehhh.